Hong Kong: CE hails bay area opportunities

Chief Executive Carrie Lam

Today, amid the continuing spread of protectionism, the values of multilateralism have never been more vital. It's why this year's summit is focused on regional and international trade, with particular attention to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP. These two immensely promising developments are destined to work hand in hand with the Belt & Road initiative to boost the manifold benefits of multilateralism.

At the heart of the multilateral trading system is the World Trade Organization, of which Hong Kong is a founding member and a staunch supporter. At the same time, we believe that regional economic integration is an essential complement to multilateral trade. In that regard, RCEP, which came together last November, is a rising star. The largest free trade agreement in the world, RCEP takes in about 30% of the world's population and accounts for one-third of global Gross Domestic Product. Expected to be fully implemented in the coming year, RCEP will enhance the scale and structure of trade among member economies and, in doing so, create plentiful investment and market opportunities. More than promoting regional economic integration, RCEP will help drive global economic recovery in the post-pandemic era.

Hong Kong, I'm pleased to say, enjoys close trade and investment relations with the economies of RCEP. In fact, we have free trade agreements with 13 of the 15 founding nations in the RCEP accord. Beyond business, our ties are wide-ranging and mutually rewarding, covering arts and culture, education, tourism and more. Many Hong Kong residents have relatives and friends living in the RCEP region. In short, joining RCEP is a natural next step for Hong Kong. And my Government is keen to begin formal discussions on accession as soon as RCEP is ready to take on new partners. Senior ministerial officials from the RCEP nations of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand are taking part in this summit's Policy Dialogue session later this morning, and I know we look forward to their insights.

Hong Kong, of course, has much to offer RCEP and the world at large, particularly in creating connections with the Mainland through the Greater Bay Area and the Belt & Road.

The fast-emerging Greater Bay Area, a city cluster development integrating nine cities in southern China together with Macau and Hong Kong, is a market too big and too promising to ignore. With a population of some 86 million and a combined GDP of about US$1.7 trillion, which is largely equivalent to the ninth largest economy in the world, the Greater Bay Area presents immense potential for Hong Kong and the economies and companies that work with Hong Kong.

An Outline Development Plan for the Greater Bay Area was promulgated in February 2019. Despite disruptions caused by COVID-19, good progress has been made in enhancing the flow of people, goods, capital and information within the Greater Bay Area under the steer of a leading group chaired by Vice Premier Han Zheng. It certainly helps that the region boasts three of the world's top 10 container ports, Hong Kong's among them, and five international airports, Hong Kong International Airport included. Our airport's three-runway system, expected to be commissioned in 2024, will further strengthen connectivity between Hong Kong and the Mainland and the world. Our airport, let me add, manages more air freight traffic than New York, Tokyo and San Francisco combined.

Then there's the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which is the longest bridge-tunnel sea crossing in the world at 55km, and the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. Though their potential is temporarily limited by COVID-19, these two state-of-the-art infrastructure projects will offer seamless connections to southern China and beyond.

The strengthened connectivity within the Greater Bay Area is definitely not limited to infrastructure but also extends to different areas. Take financial services as an example: the soon-to-be-launched Wealth Management Connect scheme will boost mutual access between the financial markets of Hong Kong and the Mainland, allowing regional residents to make cross-border investment in a welcome variety of wealth-management products.

There are so many new developments and new opportunities coming up in the Greater Bay Area that I would not be able to cover them all here. For businesses interested in exploring the Greater Bay Area market, I would encourage you to make use of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council's GoGBA one-stop platform. It is a new business support programme that offers multifaceted business support, consisting of digital information and business tools, advisory services and training, as well as promotional and networking activities.

Hong Kong, thanks to our business-friendly environment, low taxes, the rule of law, free economy, modern infrastructure and wealth of talent, is your sure way to the Greater Bay Area, as well as the Belt & Road. Indeed, Hong Kong is the world's only city to offer a secure, dynamic environment for business, coupled with direct access to the Chinese economy. Our growing economic integration with the Mainland has been reinforced in the nation's 14th Five-Year Plan adopted earlier this year. The plan recognises Hong Kong's traditional strengths in finance, transportation, trade, legal services and dispute resolution. And, for the first time, it also acknowledges our potential and aspirations in innovation and technology, aviation, cultural exchange and intellectual property. In all these sectors, the central government's support is unwavering. With the Mainland market expected to expand under the plan and the nation's dual-circulation development strategy, we will certainly support our enterprises to seize the opportunities, including by assisting them in their brand building and helping them move up the value chain.

That, of course, will be easier to realise in a post-pandemic economy. Unfortunately, the world is not yet there. That said, Hong Kong is in a good place, thanks to concerted community effort and continuing vigilance. We remain optimistic, and I believe that if every country in the world works together, the world will be able to overcome COVID-19 sooner rather than later. That kind of global co-operation is exactly what the Belt & Road is all about and why we are taking part in this summit. Alongside discussions on finance, trade and technology co-operation, this year's summit offers project pitching and business-matching sessions. I hope they lead to rewarding partnerships and profits for you and your business in the coming year. I also hope that the summit will reassure you on the prospects of the Belt & Road initiative in fostering regional and international co-operation, and whether you're pursuing infrastructure prospects, seeking investment financing or looking for project services professionals, Hong Kong is where you want to be.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam gave these remarks at the sixth Belt & Road Summit held online on September 1.

This story has been published on: 2021-09-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: SA distributes over 261 000 COVID-19 shots on Tuesday

South Africa administered 261 288 COVID-19 jabs on Tuesday, an increase from the 249 916 that were distributed on Monday.

According to the Department of Healths latest data, this means government has rolled out 12 568 525 vaccines since the start of the countrys vaccination programme.

The data also shows that there are now 5 985 293 adults who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Meanwhile, South Africa on Tuesday reported 7 086 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 431 more deaths.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), this brings the total number of infections in the country to 2 777 659 and the death toll to 82 261.

The majority of new cases are from KwaZulu-Natal (1 803), followed by the Eastern Cape (1 585), Western Cape (1 220), and Free State (732).

In addition, there has been an increase of 404 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours, pushing the number to 12 663.

Globally, as of 31 August 2021, there have been 216 867 420 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 4 507 837 deaths, reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Global view

With just under 4.4 million new cases reported between 23 and 29 August, the number of new cases reported globally remains similar to the previous week after having increased for nearly two months.

This is according to the latest WHOs COVID-19 weekly epidemiological update published on Tuesday.

The WHO said, in the past week, only the Western Pacific region recorded a 7% upsurge as compared to the previous week.

Meanwhile, global deaths are also similar to last week, with just over 67 000 new fatalities reported.

The Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions reported an increase in the number of weekly deaths, 9% and 16% respectively, while the South-East Asia region reported the largest decrease (20%).

However, in the regions of Africa, Europe, and the Americas there were no significant changes from last weeks report.

The highest numbers of new cases were reported from the United States (938 014 new cases, 8% decrease), India (270 796 new cases, 17% increase), Iran (254 753 new cases, similar to the previous week), the United Kingdom (237 556 new cases, 8% increase), and Brazil (175 807 new cases, 16% decrease).

Globally, cases of the Alpha variant have been reported in 193 countries, while 141 have the Beta variant, 91 have the Gamma variant and Delta is present in 170 countries.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Women political activists in conflict areas must be protected

International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, has called for the protection of women in countries affected by conflict.

Minister Pandor was speaking during a virtual event themed Ensuring Protection for Full and Equal Participation in Peacebuilding and Political Spaces.

All women must be protected and should enjoy security from any form of harm. In fact, all political activists should be able to exercise their democratic right to protest and exercise all the civil and political rights we enjoy as South Africa by virtue of our Constitution, she said.

The event was organised by the International Peace Institute and hosted in partnership with the Kenyan, South African, Swedish and the United States governments.

According to the department, the event focussed on the protection of, and discrimination faced by women political activists, women peacebuilders, and women human rights defenders, particularly in conflict-affected environments.

Minister Pandor said the international community has a duty to protect women and to create specific frameworks to guarantee their safety.

We are disturbed by the inability of the international community to protect women who face threats. We believe that its important we look at the international frameworks that we have under the auspices of the United Nations because when we framed international law, humanitarian law, diversity was not incorporated into the key frameworks.

So there is a need to look at how we might adjust in order to ensure that categories of persons that have not been incorporated, included or referred to in existing international frameworks enjoy reference in appropriate conventions and regulations so that there are institutions that have a legal mandate to ensure their protection, she said.

Dr Pandor said women political activists should not have to rely on the good graces of international friends in order to survive.

It must be part of the recognition of any government that it attaches to instruments of protection and that it is a requirement - by virtue of being part of the global family - that those instruments are respected not just in word but in practise. This we believe would be a means of ensuring greater protection for women activists, women peacemakers, women peace builders all over the world, she said.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Bogopane-Zulu to launch Foetal Alcohol Syndrome campaign

Social Development Deputy Minister, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, will today launch the 9-9-9 Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) campaign to educate communities about the dangers associated with drinking alcohol while pregnant and breastfeeding.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is a preventable condition, which impacts negatively on unborn babies as a result of alcohol intake by mothers during pregnancy.

The condition can cause mental and physical life-long problems for unborn babies when mothers consume alcohol while pregnant and when breastfeeding.

The department said the campaign will be launched in Groblersdal in Limpopo, as an interactive dialogue where various sectors, including among others pregnant women, youth, parents of children with FAS disorder, tavern and shebeen owners, and traditional leaders.

This initiative affords community members to exchange views on how to prevent Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and its impact on children, the department said.

The 9-9-9 campaign will run throughout nine consecutive days, ending on 09 September 2021, which is commemorated every year as International Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Day. The day seeks to raise awareness by educating all citizens about this condition.

Triple nine stands for nine consecutive days in nine provinces, leading up to the 9th day of September, which is International Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Day.

The Department of Social Development is the lead department in the coordination and implementation of the National Drug Master Plan (NDMP) which is aimed at achieving a drug free society for the benefit of all South Africans.

The department also has a role to implement programmes targeted at preventing alcohol related social ills, including gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy, HIV and AIDS.  SAnews.gov.za

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Hong Kong: HK to play key roles in Belt-Road

Financial Secretary Paul Chan

The Belt & Road Initiative and RCEP - the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership - have much in common, much to offer.

Starting with size and significance, the Belt & Road flows along six economic corridors, spanning countries and companies from the Mainland, across Asia and deep into Europe and Africa.

Since its beginning in 2013, the Belt & Road Initiative has inspired co-operation among more than 170 countries and international organisations, creating connections in infrastructure, trade, finance, policy and people-to-people bonds.

RCEP, signed last November, is poised to become the world's largest free-trade agreement (FTA) when implemented, likely sometime early next year.

Embracing the 10 ASEAN member states and five ASEAN FTA partners - Australia, China, Japan, Korea and New Zealand - RCEP will create a market reaching some 2.2 billion people.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is nearly 30% of the world's population. And RCEP's collective gross domestic product accounts for about one-third of global GDP.

Many of RCEP's member nations are located along the Belt & Road, the perfect complement to RCEP. In strengthening infrastructural connectivity, boosting links in energy, communications, transport and more, the Belt & Road Initiative will make it easier to take full advantage of the enhanced market access promised by this extraordinary accord.

Implicit in all this is the central place of multilateralism in both the Belt & Road Initiative and RCEP. In advancing market integration, encouraging regional and international co-operation, they promote investment, trade and opportunity for the benefit of all.

There's another promising connection between the Belt & Road and RCEP. That, of course, is Hong Kong.

Hong Kong has key roles to play in the Belt & Road Initiative, thanks to the central government's support and our unique "one country, two systems" arrangement. Thanks too, to Hong Kong's singular advantages.

Hong Kong is the only city in the world that offers a secure, dynamic environment for business and direct access to the Mainland economy. We are the ideal springboard to, and between, Chinese and Asian markets. And we are blessed, too, with a well-established legal system grounded in the common law.

Hong Kong's deep liquidity, outstanding financial infrastructure and wide-ranging options for raising capital can meet the financing needs of any Belt & Road project. Our capital market is highly efficient and our regulatory regime aligns with international standards. Currently, we are pursuing the proposition of securitising infrastructure loans to provide banks with the opportunity to offload their loans to long-term investors, so that they can have the capacity to finance more new projects.

Our strategic location at the centre of Asia is reinforced by long-established trade networks, world-class infrastructure and sophisticated communications and transport networks.

It helps, too, that Hong Kong is the world's largest offshore renminbi business centre. That role is sure to grow, as demand for renminbi financing, settlement and fund management between the Mainland and the economies and companies of the Belt & Road ramps up.

Hong Kong is also a global risk-management centre and regional insurance hub, with the experience and expertise to underwrite the uncertainties associated with major infrastructure projects.

Our sustainable investment offerings, and financing and certification of green projects, are equally sophisticated and wide-ranging.

In short, Hong Kong's professional services prowess is second to none. After all, our standards are aligned to international benchmarks and our experience effortlessly bridges Mainland and overseas markets. Legal and dispute resolution services, accounting and compliance, risk assessment and management: it's all right here, ensuring that your Belt & Road projects remain, secure and sure, in the fast lane.

These same strengths and assets can serve RCEP equally well. Hong Kong is strategically positioned in the heart of the region, and our ties with the economies of RCEP are deep and longstanding.

Hong Kong's trade in goods with the 15 RCEP economies last year totalled US$772 billion, accounting for about 73% of our total merchandise trade. In 2019, our trade in services with RCEP was worth US$103 billion, adding up to nearly 60% of our services trade.

As an international aviation hub, Hong Kong has some 120 airlines operating direct services to more than 200 destinations in Asia and beyond.

Our strategic location makes Hong Kong the gateway for trade, investment and business between the Mainland and other RCEP economies, particularly the nations of ASEAN.

And that makes Hong Kong the natural location for RCEP-based companies looking to set up their headquarters in the region.

RCEP membership promises much for Hong Kong as well, and we hope to begin discussions on accession to RCEP soon after its entry into force is formalised.

We have, let me add, already signed FTAs with 13 of RCEP's 15 member economies, and look forward to deepening our co-operation with the partnership.

China's 14th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong's status as an international financial, transportation and trade centre. It encourages our continuing co-operation and exchanges with countries and regions around the world.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Commerce offered its full support for Hong Kong's early accession to RCEP. In meetings since then, the ministry has emphasised that, in taking forward our accession proposal, Hong Kong should be guided by its special status under the "one country, two systems" arrangement and the Basic Law.

That, coupled with the continuing expansion of our trade and investment flow, can boost Hong Kong's role as a bridge between the Mainland and the rest of the world, RCEP included.

Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong's success has been built on free trade and investment. And I am confident that the post-pandemic economy will again benefit those who reach out, investing their businesses, and their future, in the spirit of multilateralism, and the mutual rewards it promises.

From my perspective, I can't see anything more promising than the international connectivity that drives the Belt & Road Initiative and will surely inspire the economies, and the peoples, of RCEP.

Hong Kong looks forward to contributing to both, long down the road.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan gave these remarks at the sixth Belt & Road Summit Business Plenary "Belt & Road & RCEP: Enhancing Regional Business Connectivity" on September 1.

This story has been published on: 2021-09-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Limpopo investment key to regional integration: President Ramaphosa

President Ramaphosa says investing in Limpopo is a strategic move that is crucial to the integration of the SADC region.

Our National Infrastructure Plan aims to support the integration of African economies and the development of intra-Africa regional value chains.

Investing in Limpopo is therefore very strategic because the province shares borders with three of our neighbouring countries - Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. This means that the province is positioned as a gateway to a potential market of 300 million people just in the Southern African Development Community region, the President said.

He was on Wednesday addressing the annual Limpopo Investment Conference, which brings together the private sector, government and industry to attract investments.

The conference is part of the provinces effort to grow domestic and international investment, and will showcase new investment opportunities for the province. It also precedes and bolsters the national South Africa Investment Conference hosted annually by President Ramaphosa.

To create an environment conducive to investment, President Ramaphosa said government has taken several steps to achieve security of electricity supply for the whole country.

We are undertaking far-reaching structural reforms in the energy, transport and water sectors, all of which are important for the industries with the highest potential for growth in Limpopo, President Ramaphosa said.

In a pre-recorded speech for the conference, the President said government has also created conditions for a rapid increase in generating capacity through opening further bid windows for the renewable energy programme and increasing the licensing threshold for embedded generation projects to 100 MW.

This includes the restructuring of Eskom into separate entities for generation, transmission and distribution. This will stabilise the companys financial position and improve the performance of Eskoms power plants.

President Ramaphosa said government is working to improve the investment climate and reduce the cost of doing business.

We are undertaking far-reaching structural reforms in the energy, transport and water sectors, all of which are important for the industries with the highest potential for growth in Limpopo, President Ramaphosa said.

With regards to water resources, President Ramaphosa said government continues to make improvements in the turnaround time for the issuing of water licences.

One used to wait for up to three years to get a water licence, and we are now reducing that quite substantially. We are in the process of establishing a National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency.

With regard to ports and freight rail infrastructure, President Ramaphosa said government is making progress in increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of ports.

Work is underway to enable greater private sector participation in the countrys rail and port infrastructure while maintaining public ownership of these valuable national assets.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Limpopo residents urged to use water sparingly

The Department of Water and Sanitation has called on Limpopo residents to use water sparingly as dam levels in the province have been on a week on week downward spiral.

In a statement, the department said the provinces water storage had taken a knock this week.

The provinces dam levels have been on a downward spiral week-on-week, therefore, this calls for all water users in the province to be efficient and conservative in how they utilise water. The water stored in the provinces reservoirs slightly decreased to 81.8% this week from last weeks 82.2%.

The statement said although the decrease is undesirable, the current dam levels are an improvement on the same time last year.

These levels are better when compared to 63.1% during the same period last year. The decline means that the available water in the province as of this week is at 1 210.7 cubic metres out of a full capacity of 1 480.10 cubic metres, the statement read.

Meanwhile, the department said water levels at the Integrated Vaal River are sitting stable above 80% for the past two weeks.

The IVRS, which consists of 14 dams, is the lifeblood of Gautengs economy and also supplies Sasol and Eskom with water. Slightly down this week, the Vaal Dam has decreased by 0.7% to 87.9% this week from 88.6% last week. This still compares much better than at the same time last year when the dam was sitting at 38.1%, the department said.

The department urged the public to monitor their water use and ensure that the available water is used wisely and in a conservative manner to ensure the security of supply for the benefit of all.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Researchers halt experimental HIV vaccine trial in Africa

A study analysing whether an experimental HIV vaccine regimen is safe and able to prevent HIV infection in a high-incidence population of young women in sub-Saharan Africa has been halted.

This follows data that the experimental vaccine did not effectively prevent HIV acquisition. However, no significant safety concerns were identified throughout the trial, explained the South African Research Medical Council (SAMRC) on Wednesday.

While the rest of the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, the SAMRC said the development of a safe and effective HIV vaccine remains critical for global health.

Launched in 2017, the Imbokodo Study, also known as the HVTN 705/HPX2008, reached full enrolment in 2019 and completed vaccination in June 2020.

It aimed to evaluate the experimental regimen in approximately 2 600 women between ages 18 and 35 across five sub-Saharan Africa countries including Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The vaccine was initially developed by the laboratory of Dr Dan H Barouch at Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Centre and Co-Principal Investigator of the HVTN, together with Janssen and other partners.

According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), women and girls accounted for 63% of all new HIV infections in this region in 2020.

The experimental vaccine consisted of an adenovirus containing four mosaic immunogens  called mosaic because they are designed to induce immune responses against multiple global HIV strains, explained the SAMRC.

In preclinical studies, regimens with mosaic-based vaccines elicited a strong immune response associated with protection against HIV in monkeys.

According to the SAMRC, which was instrumental in the implementation of the study, findings from two early-stage human clinical trials also suggested that these vaccines were well-tolerated and could generate anti-HIV responses in healthy adult volunteers, increasing hope for good results in the trial.

Although the study failed to meet its primary endpoint, with results falling short of statistical significance, the data and safety monitoring board did not express any concern regarding participant safety throughout the trial.

The organisation said participants in this Phase2b proof-of-concept study will be unblinded and will continue to be referred to high-quality treatment and care. Unblinding occurs when investigators and/or participants are informed which treatment the participant is receiving.

According to study investigators, while they are disappointed with this outcome, the results are an important scientific finding in the ongoing pursuit for an effective vaccine to prevent HIV.

President and CEO of the SAMRC, Professor Glenda Gray, has described HIV as a unique and complex virus, which has long posed unprecedented challenges for vaccine development.

The lack of natural human recovery combined with the viruss ability to attack, hijack and evade the immune system pose substantial challenges, she said in a statement.

Gray, who is also the Protocol Chair and Co-Principal Investigator and Director of HVTN Africa Programmes, said the high rates of HIV acquisition seen in young women in Sub-Saharan Africa is a reminder that despite the great strides made in treatment and prevention, HIV remains a huge health challenge for the region.

This underpins the need to apply the knowledge gained from this trial to continue to advance the pursuit of a global HIV vaccine, said Gray.

Although the Imbokodo Study will not continue, another HIV vaccine trial is ongoing in a different population and different areas of the world.

Meanwhile, the Imbokodo research team will continue to analyse data from the study and publish complete findings to guide future investigations and vaccine development.

Co-Principal Investigator, Professor Larry Corey, highlighted that despite the use of Ad 26 technology, which is effective for COVID-19, the Imbokodo Study illustrates that HIV is an infection that requires a higher degree of immune response for effective protection.  SAnews.gov.za

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South Africa: Planting trees mitigates climate change

Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Makhotso Sotyu has encouraged South Africans to plant and conserve trees, emphasising their contribution to climate change mitigation.

Trees and forests are very efficient in sequestrating carbon dioxide. When trees and forests are used to sequestrate carbon dioxide as much as possible and not releasing it quickly, South Africa could have a less costly and more just carbon transition, the Deputy Minister said on Wednesday.

Sotyu kicked-off the National Arbor Month campaign by planting trees in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, where she also announced the City of Cape Town as the winner of the Arbor City Competition in the Metropolitan Municipalities category.

As highlighted by the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, forests and trees play a crucial role in reducing the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Acting as carbon sinks, they absorb the equivalent of roughly two billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

Effective forest management can strengthen resilience and adaptive capacities to climate-related natural disasters, underscoring the importance of integrating forest-based measures into national disaster risk reduction strategies, the department said.

Forests and trees outside forests are vital for sustainable development.

Forests occupy one-third of the Earths surface, and about another half of the total remaining land area features sparsely scattered trees. These renewable natural resources are crucial for tackling many of the issues identified in The Future We Want, such as poverty, food security, climate change, biodiversity, sustainable production and consumption, and social inclusion, particularly meeting the basic needs of vulnerable people and ensuring their well-being, the department said.

This years National Arbor Month will be coordinated under the theme: Forest Restoration: A path to recovery and well-being.

The theme is adopted from the United Nations Collaborative Partnership on Forests and is congruent to President Cyril Ramaphosas call for the planting of ten million trees, for the next five years in South Africa.

The theme promotes tree planting for restoration and rehabilitation, creation of sustainable settlements by adding greenery and creation of biodiversity around our residential settlements.

Besides improving the aesthetics of our surroundings, fruit trees also improve household food security, the department said.

In line with President Cyril Ramaphosas call, Deputy Minister Sotyu officially announced the Greening Programme which aims to fast track the planting of 10 million trees over the next five years.

This means every year we should aim to plant at least two million trees. This target is not only aimed at the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, but to the public in general, government departments, municipalities, public institutions, the corporates, Non-government Organisations, schools, institutions of higher learning and Community Based Organisations, she said.  SAnews.gov.za

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Hong Kong: HK-Mainland sign commerce pact

Hong Kong and the Mainland have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on enhancing exchanges and co-operation in promoting high-quality development of overseas Economic & Trade Co-operation Zones.

The MOU was signed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Commerce Ministry at the sixth Belt & Road Summit today.

Both sides will leverage respective strengths to promote the zones high-quality development, encourage enterprises of both places to invest and set up businesses at the zones, develop the zones jointly and explore international markets.

They will collaborate pursuant to the principle of government providing guidance, enterprises taking the lead, and market-oriented operation.

At the same time, both sides will strengthen interfacing and collaboration between Hong Kong enterprises and professional services sectors and the zones.

On the operation and management of the co-operation zones, the two sides will support Hong Kong enterprises participation through providing professional services.

They will also support Hong Kong professional services sectors in providing services in different areas for the zones.

The two sides will also encourage Mainland and Hong Kong financial institutions to provide suitable financial services as well as diversified financing channels for enterprises of both places in the zones and those taking part in the zone development.

The zones will be encouraged to provide Hong Kong enterprises and professional services sectors set up therein with suitable facilitation measures.

Furthermore, the pact states that the two sides will encourage enterprises, business associations, trade and industry organisations and intermediaries of both places to jointly organise business missions to Belt & Road-related countries and seminars, and to establish exchange platforms and more.

The two sides will also support exchanges and collaboration amongst the zones and Hong Kong on talent development, including encouraging Hong Kong consulting services agencies to provide professional training for the zones.

For the development of the zones, creating a favourable environment conducive to business operation is also a co-operation direction in the MOU.

Commissioner for Belt & Road Denis Yip and Commerce Ministry Department of Outward Investment & Economic Cooperation Director General Wang Shengwen signed the agreement via video conferencing.

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Leadership Changes at the Washington Field Office Announced

Director Christopher Wray has named four new special agents in charge at the Washington Field Office and shifted a fifth to a different SAC position.

Michael H. Glasheen, SAC, Counterterrorism Division

Mr. Glasheen joined the FBI as a special agent in 2001 and was assigned to the Chicago Field Office to investigate international terrorism matters. He moved in 2011 to the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington as a supervisory special agent. In 2014, Mr. Glasheen transferred to the Seattle Field Office, where he first led the Inland Northwest Joint Terrorism Task Force then served as the assistant special agent in charge of Seattles Counterterrorism Division. He returned to FBI Headquarters as a section chief in the Counterterrorism Division in 2019.

Mr. Glasheen earned a bachelors degree from North Carolina State University and a masters degree from Gonzaga University. Prior to joining the FBI, he served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Jeffrey L. Cannon, SAC, Mission Services Division

Mr. Cannon joined the FBI as a special agent in 1999. He served on the Organized Crime/Drug Task Force and then the Joint Terrorism Task Force in the Phoenix Field Office before his promotion to the Counterterrorism Division at Headquarters in 2005. In 2007, he was promoted to unit chief in the International Operations Division and was named the assistant legal attache in Athens in 2009. Two years later he took charge of the violent crime program in Phoenix, and, in 2014, was appointed an assistant special agent in charge in the San Diego Field Office. Mr. Cannon was promoted to section chief in the Counterterrorism Division at Headquarters in 2016. In 2020, he was named a deputy assistant director of the Security Division at Headquarters.

Mr. Cannon earned a bachelors degree from Mount St. Marys University. Prior to joining the FBI, he worked at one of the Big Four accounting firms.

Wayne A. Jacobs, SAC, Criminal/Cyber Division

Mr. Jacobs joined the FBI as a special agent in 2003 and was assigned to the New York Field Office to work government and financial fraud and, later, violent crimes and gangs. He was promoted to supervisory special agent in 2014 and transferred to the Criminal Investigative Division at Headquarters. In 2016, he was named a violent gangs task force squad supervisor in the Los Angeles Field Office. He was named the assistant special agent in charge of the Mission Support Branch of the Newark Field Office in 2018, and in 2020 was promoted to a section chief in the Counterintelligence Division at Headquarters.

Mr. Jacobs earned a bachelors degree from the University of Delaware and a masters degree from Columbia University. Before he joined the FBI, he was a trading systems analyst.

Anthony T. Riedlinger, SAC, Counterintelligence Division

Mr. Riedlinger joined the FBI as a special agent in 1996 and was assigned to the Merrillville Resident Agency of the Indianapolis Field Office to investigate violent crime and public corruption. He worked a temporary assignment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and was named the assistant legal attache in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2006. He moved to the Criminal Investigative Division at Headquarters in 2009 and was promoted to unit chief in the International Operations Division in 2012. He moved to the Louisville Field Office in Kentucky in 2013 and worked violent crimes against children. In 2016, he was selected as an assistant special agent in charge for the Chicago Field Office and as a section chief for the Counterintelligence Division at Headquarters in 2018.

Mr. Riedlinger earned a bachelors degree from Millikin University. Before joining the FBI, he was a public accountant and police officer in Bloomington, Illinois.

Stacey Moy, SAC, Intelligence and Incident Response Division

Mr. Moy joined the FBI as a special agent in 2004 and investigated foreign counterintelligence and espionage cases in the Washington Field Office, where he was also a SWAT operator. He was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Counterintelligence Division at Headquarters in 2009, the first of several assignments there. He transferred in 2011 to supervise a counterproliferation squad in the Oakland Resident Agency of the San Francisco Field Office, and returned to the Counterintelligence Division at Headquarters as a unit chief in 2014; he was later an assistant section chief. He moved to the San Francisco office as an assistant special agent in charge in 2016 for criminal programs, including financial crimes, public corruption, civil rights, and crimes against children. He returned to the Counterintelligence Division as section chief in 2017 and was promoted to deputy assistant director in 2019. Mr. Moy was appointed SAC of the Counterintelligence Division at the Washington Field Office in 2020.

Mr. Moy graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served as a Navy officer in the Surface Warfare and Naval Special Warfare communities. He earned a masters degree from U.S. Naval War College and is a senior executive fellow from Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government.

This story has been published on: 2021-09-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Nicholas Boshears Named as Special Agent in Charge of the Operations Support Division of the New York Field Office

Director Christopher Wray has named Nicholas Boshears as special agent in charge of the Operations Support Division of the New York Field Office. Mr. Boshears most recently served as a supervisory inspector in the Inspections Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington.

Mr. Boshears joined the FBI as a special agent in 1999 and was assigned to the Boston Field Office. He worked white-collar and counterterrorism cases, served on the Evidence Response Team, was the coordinator of the Hazardous Materials Response Team, and was also a special agent bomb technician.

He was promoted in 2008 to supervisory special agent and transferred to the Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center in the FBI Laboratory Division. He supervised intelligence operations involving the exploitation of items collected from around the world.

In 2012, Mr. Boshears was promoted to unit chief in the International Operations Division and was responsible for the operation of seven legal attache offices in Africa. The next year, Mr. Boshears transferred to the Washington Field Office, where he supervised intelligence operations.

He was promoted to legal attache of Tunis, Tunisia, in 2016, overseeing FBI investigative and operational activities in Algeria, Libya, Niger, and Tunisia. When he returned, Mr. Boshears reported to the Pittsburgh Field Office as an assistant special agent in charge, responsible for the national security program and resident agencies in West Virginia. He was promoted to the Inspection Division in 2020.

Mr. Boshears deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq on several occasions to support counterterrorism operations. He was awarded the FBI Shield of Bravery and a Superior Honor Award from the U.S. Department of State, and was decorated by the Department of Defense for his interagency efforts in Afghanistan.

Prior to joining the FBI, Mr. Boshears was a U.S. Navy surface warfare officer and was a firefighter in Knoxville, Tennessee. He earned a Bachelor of Science in liberal arts from Oregon State University and a masters degree in military science from the Marine Corps University.

This story has been published on: 2021-09-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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by Melani Manel Perera

The UN today marks International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances celebrates. In Sri Lanka, the missing remain an open wound years after the civil war. Human rights activist Rev Sathivel asks, Why is the government not saying anything about Tamil fighters who surrendered.

Colombo (AsiaNews)  Today is the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010.

In Sri Lanka, the issue of people going missing during the countrys long civil war is an open wound, as evinced by struggle of Tamil mothers seeking news about their loved ones.

Most of those who disappeared were Tamil, but some Sinhala suffered the same fate.

For the past five years, Tamil mothers have been protesting in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, demanding to know what happened to their loved ones who  after they surrendered to Sri Lankan security forces at the end of the war  never made it home.

After years, the struggle has taken a heavy toll among them; some 98 mothers have died without obtaining answers.

More recently, with COVID-19 making street protests impossible, many of them have opted to pursue their battle from home.

All of them want to know What happened to their children. Why is the government not saying anything? asks Rev Marimuttu Sathivel, Anglican priest and human rights activist.

The worst thing is that despite their determination they are not listened to. Yet, the death of some mothers who have not heard anything about the fate of their loved ones weighs on the conscience of the authorities.

The United Nations Commission for Human Rights (UNHRC) does not see these enforced disappearances as a war crime, but 'only' a violation of human rights.

But Tamil mothers are still waiting for an answer from the government. The issue and those responsible should be brought before the International Criminal Court for trial.

The Christian Solidarity Movement (CSM) launched a digital campaign this week to keep alive the memory Sri Lankas missing people.

This is a way to raise awareness about this problem and ask for justice for those who have disappeared," said CSM coordinator Father Shared Jaayawardhane speaking to AsiaNews.
BJU Seminary Partners with Steve Noble Show for 'Theology Thursday'

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Bob Jones University (BJU)

Sept. 1, 2021



GREENVILLE, S.C., Sept. 1, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- BJU Seminary, Bob Jones University (BJU) School of Religion and Steve Noble, host of the nationally syndicated Steve Noble Show, announced today they will partner to present Theology Thursday with BJU Seminary beginning with the September 2 broadcast at 4 p.m. Eastern Time.



Each Thursday, the program will be devoted to conversations with members of the faculty and leadership of the Seminary and the School of Religion to deliver next-level scholarship and teaching in a relatable way to help everyday Christians.



The premiere episode of Theology Thursday with BJU Seminary will feature Steve Pettit, president of BJU Seminary.



Pettit stated, "BJU Seminary's and School of Religion's partnership with the Steve Noble Show brings together champions of proclaiming God's invincible and unchanging Word clearly and fearlessly. Together, Steve and our outstanding professors will serve the church by applying next-level Bible insights to help pastors and everyday Christians alike to deal with the confusion, dislocation and isolation that culture is generating and realize the resulting Gospel opportunity."



Noble said, "No educational institution in America is more committed than BJU Seminary and Bob Jones University to the mission and vision of the Steve Noble Show  to equip Christians to engage the culture with the understanding that while politics is important, the Gospel is preeminent. Like all our programming, Theology Thursday will be a deep, no-holds-barred, and purely and unapologetically biblical dive into the real-life issues the church is grappling with today, through the eyes of experts with the proven knowledge and capability to bring Scriptural principles to life in a fallen 21st-century world."



In addition to Dr. Pettit, faculty expected to make regular appearances on Theology Thursday include:

Dr. Alan Benson, Bob Jones University executive vice president for student development and ministry advancement who oversees the Seminary



Dr. Gary Weier, Bob Jones University provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, chief academic officer



Dr. Kevin Oberlin, Dean of the BJU School of Religion and leading missions thinker with prior service in 25 countries



Dr. Ken Casillas, global expert in interpretation and application of the Old Testament and editor of the Journal of Biblical Theology & Worldview



Dr. Greg Stiekes, national thought leader in worship, pastoral theology and ministry and practicing pastor



Dr. Layton Talbert, Associate Editor of Frontline Magazine and a two-decade contributor to its bi-monthly At a Glance column on high-profile issues in biblical theology



Dr. Bruce Meyer, biblical counseling innovator and presenter of the Upstream Seminar on sexual purity



Brian Trainer, professor of School of Religion and practicing pastor



Dr. Mark Vowels, director of BJU Center for Global Opportunities.

Dr. Benson added, "We hope that members of our extensive community nationwide will tune in online and also contact their local Christian radio stations and encourage them to carry The Steve Noble Show and our life-changing shared message of advancing what we see as the greatest Gospel opportunity since the Reformation."



About BJU Seminary

BJU Seminary is a conservative graduate school of theology and ministry in Greenville, South Carolina. Part of Bob Jones University, BJU Seminary features a world-class faculty of 25 full-time and adjunct professors recognized as specialists in fields ranging across theology, ministry, apologetics, counseling and missions  fulfilling a commitment to equip leaders to effectively proclaim the Word, serve the church and advance the Gospel.



The Seminary is pursuing a 500 x 5 x 5 Strategic Vision of putting 500 pastors on the path to the pulpit in the next 5 years  and every 5 years after that  through a 5P Plan of innovation and investment in the areas of program, partnerships, people, plant and profile.



BJU Seminary offers full-time, flexible graduate programs and certificates and badges in areas including biblical counseling, theological studies, expository preaching, ministry studies, intercultural studies, biblical language and literature, Bible teaching, chaplaincy and master of divinity.



About Bob Jones University

BJU is a regionally accredited, biblically faithful Christian liberal arts university focused on inspiring a lifelong pursuit of learning, loving and leading. BJU offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs in residence and online in religion, education, fine arts and communication, arts and science and business.



The University focuses on providing students a transformational experience centered on biblical thinking, engaged learning and life mentoring. We are committed to the truth of Scripture and to pursuing excellence in all we do.



About The Steve Noble Show

The Steve Noble Show is a syndicated Christian talk radio show heard daily on 33 stations nationwide, as well as via podcast and on Facebook and YouTube Live (until they cancel him). On Steve's show there are "No Sacred Cows"  meaning, there is no issue that Steve is unwilling to address head-on with a robust Christian worldview. The TRUTH of God's Word along with the GRACE that flows out of the Gospel makes for engaging and compelling Christian radio for the Believer and unbeliever alike. And while Steve talks about the political realm regularly, he knows that The Gospel is pre-eminent and the only true Hope for America...and Americans.



SOURCE Bob Jones University (BJU)



CONTACT: Randy Page, 864-241-1634



Related Links



bju.edu



seminary.bju.edu/


Overseas Vietnamese faces difficult returning during social distancing period

Many people are facing difficulties getting home in Vietnam after returning from abroad due to the social distancing rules















Vietnamese people on a repatriation flight



Chien Nguyen booked a flight from the US to his home in Hanoi in mid-August. However, due to the flight shortage during the pandemic, he had to switch to a flight that landed in the south-central coastal province of Khanh Hoa's Nha Trang City. Despite having fully vaccinated against Covid-19, he still had to stay at a local quarantine area for 14 days following the Vietnamese government regulations for virus prevention. After completing the mandatory quarantine period, the man now does not know how to return to his home in Hanoi when almost all means of transportation including trains and flights have been suspended due to the latest virus outbreak.



"A staff at the quarantine area gave me the contacts of some bus services but when I called them, they said they would only be able to take me to some places because some localities on the way to Hanoi were imposing social distancing rules. That means I cant go home from that place," he said.



Do Trong Hai, an overseas Vietnamese who has just returned from Canada is also staying in a resort in Nha Trang City for mandatory quarantine. Hai said that it took a lot of time, money and effort to get a ticket to Vietnam but he was not sure how he could get home now.



"We have to spend at least USD5,500 each to return to Vietnam, including the quarantine fee," he said. "I will complete my quarantine period on September 3 and will be allowed to go home if testing negative for SARS-CoV-2. But I'm not sure whether I will be stopped somewhere that is applying social distancing rules on the way from Nha Trang to Hanoi if I drive my private car. And I don't know whether I will be quarantined for another 14 days upon arrival in Hanoi.



"Nguyen Thi Hang arrived in Nha Trang on August 20 and had booked a flight to return to her hometown in Hai Phong City on September 7. But the ticket agency has informed her that her flight has been cancelled following directions from the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority.



"Now I will be stuck here," she said. "All I can do is to pray for the pandemic to be brought under control soon so that transportation is resumed."



Meanwhile, a representative of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee said that these people returned to Vietnam on commercial flights so local authorities don't arrange transportation for them to their places of residence.



However, Do Trong Hai said that they should be well-informed about the current situation in Vietnam by local authorities upon their arrival. He also proposed that as social distancing rules are being imposed in many places, local authorities should arrange transportation for them to return home.



Sharing the same proposal with Hai, Chien Nguyen added that those who have fully vaccinated should only be quarantined for seven days as instructed by the Ministry of Health.
Vietnam receives 2 million more AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses

Another 2,016,000 doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine have just been brought to Vietnam under a contract to buy 30 million doses of the vaccine by the Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company (VNVC).















More than two million doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine arrive in Vietnam on August 30 and September 1







The vaccines arrived in Vietnam in three batches on August 30 and September 1, bringing the total number of doses coming from VNVC's contract so far to over 10.1 million.



Also on September 1, two batches with a total of over 330,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine arrived in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. These two batches came from a contract to buy 31 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine by the Vietnamese government.



As of September 1, Vietnam has received roughly 30 million doses Covid-19 vaccine from the deal with VNVC, the global vaccine access mechanism Covax, and as support from other nations. This consists of over 19 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, more than five million doses of Moderna, over three million doses of Pfizer, over 2.7 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine, and 12,000 doses of Sputnik V.



As of August 31, the country had administered nearly 20 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, and more than 2.6 million people have been given two shots.
Vietnam always considers its people as the centre, the subject, the main resource and the goal of development, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed at a grand ceremony on September 1 to mark the 76th National Day (September 2). The ceremony was held online in Hanoi and 194 places around the world.

Vietnam always considers its people as the centre, the subject, the main resource and the goal of development, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed at a grand ceremony on September 1 to mark the 76th National Day (September 2). The ceremony was held online in Hanoi and 194 places around the world.





Speaking at the ceremony, PM Chinh affirmed that in the past 76 years, the Vietnamese Party, State and people have constantly struggled to safeguard independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity as well as the right to self-determination of the nation and the right to freedom and happiness of its people, in the spirit of "Nothing more precious than independence and freedom.





Especially, after more than 35 years of Doi Moi (Renewal), with the valuable and effective support of international friends, Vietnam has gained great achievements in all fields.





Under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and with the engagement of the whole political system and the will and unyielding spirit of the people, Vietnam has exerted efforts to accomplish key tasks of pandemic prevention and control, economic development and recovery, and safety for everyone, including foreigners working, studying and living in the country.













Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh





The Government leader took the occasion to thank countries, friends and international organisations for their close cooperation and active and effective support for Vietnam, especially in the fight against the pandemic, as well as their creation of favourable conditions for the overseas Vietnamese community.





Chinh suggested countries and international organisations continue promoting cooperation; sharing and transferring technology, experience, finance, medical equipment, and vaccines for Vietnam; and at the same time facilitating investment, international trade, and collaboration in the transportation of people and goods between countries.





According to him, Vietnams stability and development is always associated with an environment of peace, cooperation and development of the region and the world. The Government always implements the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation, diversification, and active international integration, and being a good friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community.













Officials attend the grand ceremony at the Government headquarters.





Vietnam will persistently address disputes on territorial sovereignty, sea and islands by peaceful means on the basis of international law; and maintain a peaceful and stable environment for rapid and sustainable development of the country. In addition, it wishes to join hands in solving traditional and non-traditional security issues; and promoting globalisation and international integration and linkage, for a green, clean, sustainably developing, and more humane world, Chinh added.





Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Saadi Salama, Head of the Diplomatic Corps in Vietnam, said that the Declaration of Independence delivered by President Ho Chi Minh at Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945, has strongly confirmed the national sovereignty of the Vietnamese people with the whole world, opening a new era on the path of development.





He pledged to maintain efforts to further strengthen, promote and expand the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and other countries and international organisations towards a common goal for a world of peace, equality, prosperity, cooperation and development.




Commentary: Science-defying U.S. report impedes effort to fight COVID-19

Xinhua) 08:05, September 01, 2021

BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. report on the origins of COVID-19 that took 90 days to compile and was published on Friday is a ridiculous joke, because the job of science was done by intelligence agencies rather than the scientific community, defying the essence of science.

As the old Chinese saying goes, one cannot climb a tree to catch fish. It is the job of scientists to find the origins of the novel coronavirus, relying on solid evidence and scientific logic, and the process could take many years. Asking the intelligence agency to trace the origins of COVID-19 in 90 days is like climbing a tree to catch fish.

It is not surprising that the long-awaited report failed to deliver a clear conclusion that might help fight the pandemic, both in the United States and globally.

Evidence is emerging that the COVID-19 outbreak is likely to have originated in multiple places around the world.

A study conducted by the Italian National Cancer Institute in Milan showed that some people in Italy had been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as early as September 2019.

Human sewage samples collected on Nov. 27, 2019 in Florianopolis, the capital of the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, contained traces of COVID-19.

A number of people, mainly from the United States, have gone on social media to recount their experiences of COVID-19 infections in late 2019.

An article published by the journal Nature in early August reported that researchers of the U.S. Department of Agriculture have analyzed serum samples collected from white-tailed deer in northeastern United States, and found that of those samples collected in 2019, one was detected as carrying the virus-related antibody, indicating that it was infected with SARS-CoV-2 in 2019.

However, the U.S. government has turned a blind eye to all that evidence, urged its intelligence community to provide a politically motivated report and wasted 90 days on blame-shifting.

The country has been split over issues such as COVID-19 vaccination and wearing masks. The number of COVID-19 pandemic related hospitalizations in the United States reached more than 100,000 last week for the second time amid waves of the highly contagious Delta variant. The science-defying report, which shows no intention of facing up to the United States' own problems, will undermine that country's efforts to curb the pandemic.

What is even worse is that the U.S. government's attempts at politicization have disrupted the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and wasted public resources that could otherwise have been used for pandemic prevention.

More than 80 countries have written to the WHO director-general, issued statements or sent diplomatic notes to voice their objection to the United States' attempts at politicization.

Now it's time for the U.S. government to return to the correct track of origins tracing based on science. It doesn't have another 90 days to waste.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Taliban takes over Kabul airport after last U.S. troops leave, says efforts underway to restart flights

Xinhua) 08:09, September 01, 2021

Taliban members are seen at Kabul airport in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 31, 2021. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

-- The Taliban deployed special forces at the Kabul airport on Tuesday hours after the last batch of U.S. troops left Afghanistan.

-- After the U.S. withdrawal from the Kabul airport, the Afghan capital was calm "like other normal days," but a U.S. drone was spotted flying over the city, witnesses in Kabul said.

-- Over 2,400 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan over the past two decades, with 20,000 others wounded, according to the Pentagon. Estimates showed that over 66,000 Afghan troops have been killed, and over 2.7 million people have been forced to leave their homes.

KABUL, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Taliban deployed special forces at the Kabul airport on Tuesday hours after the last batch of U.S. troops left Afghanistan.

"Security and safety is ensured at the airport," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters at the airport now under the control of Taliban forces.

"We are ready to secure the airport. Everything will be back to normal soon," Mujahid said. "The U.S. troops have left a lot of mess at the airport, so it is a technical issue and will take some time to be solved, and efforts are underway to restart commercial flights as soon as possible."

The final evacuation flight of the U.S. was conducted on the last hours of Monday night, airlifting their military and non-military personnel back home, one day before the Aug. 31 deadline set by U.S. President Joe Biden.

Before the U.S. troops left, they "demilitarized", or damaged, over 70 aircraft, dozens of armored vehicles and disabled an air defense system which reportedly had thwarted Islamic State rocket attacks during the withdrawal.

Photo taken on Aug. 31, 2021 shows military vehicles at Kabul airport in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan.(Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Celebratory gunfire could be heard across the capital city as the Taliban took control of the airport. Check points had been removed from the road leading to the airport.

Earlier in the day, the Taliban spokesman welcomed the U.S. troops pullout from Afghanistan. "After the U.S. withdrawal, Afghanistan became completely free and independent," he said.

Khoja Wahid, a Kabul resident, said to Xinhua that "The U.S. had withdrawn from Afghanistan after two decades, but the Americans left a mess in our country."

"The U.S. is defeated and it is badly defeated," said the 42-year-old man.

"As I found in media reports early Tuesday that Americans are going to open its embassy to Afghanistan in Qatar. It is showing that the U.S. lost everything in Afghanistan."

Taliban members are seen at Kabul airport in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 31, 2021.(Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said just hours after the final evacuation flights left Kabul that the United States shifted its diplomatic operations to Qatar.

"As of today, we've suspended our diplomatic presence in Kabul and transferred our operations to Doha, Qatar," the top U.S. diplomat said.

However, spokesman Mujahid made it clear that the Taliban intended to have economic and trade ties with all countries around the world, including the United States.

"Every country can have good relations and political and trade ties with Afghanistan," he said.

Kabul resident Ahmad Fawad told Xinhua that the U.S. claimed they came to Afghanistan to ensure peace and security and uphold human rights, but "you can see their evacuation was not conducted in a responsible manner, as so many people died, including 13 U.S. soldiers."

Fawad referred to the suicide bomb blast and gun firing on Aug. 26, which killed at least 160 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops, and injured nearly 200 others at a gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, when huge crowds were waiting to board evacuation flights.

Photo taken on Aug. 27, 2021 shows the explosion site near the Kabul airport in Afghanistan. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Talking about the U.S.-led military operation in Afghanistan, Moeed Pirzada, CEO and Editor of Global Village Space, a Pakistani media outlet, said "In the end, they failed because they couldn't come up with a sustainable, intelligent, political solution to Afghanistan."

ISIS-K, a local affiliate of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

"Although thousands of Afghan experts and educated people left the country, the young generation is still determined to stay in Afghanistan if peace returns and their safety and security are ensured," Fawad said.

"Now, it is on the United States, their allies, the UN and the countries in the region to help we Afghans building our future."

After the U.S. withdrawal from the Kabul airport, the Afghan capital was calm "like other normal days," but a U.S. drone was spotted flying over the city, witnesses in Kabul told Xinhua.

People are seen on a street in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan on Aug. 31, 2021. (Photo by Kabir/Xinhua)

The main business hub Mandawi in Kabul is open and there is traffic jam in the central part of the city. As the exchange market is still closed, many exchangers and vendors are doing small business on a road outside the market, according to witnesses.

Most banks in Kabul still remain closed on Tuesday with only government and private bank's main branches open.

Salima, a female teacher in Kabul, expressed her hope for lasting peace in the country, welcoming the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan.

"At least there is no more pretext for any armed group to continue war and fighting," she said.

"Americans did not accomplish what they promised to Afghans. Although I am also concerned by the ongoing uncertainty, hopefully the situation will get better eventually, borders will reopen, and the prices are not out of control. It will take a little time to have everything well," she added.

Photo taken on Aug. 31, 2021, shows people queuing in front of a bank in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. (Photo by Kabir/Xinhua)

The U.S. Central Command announced Monday that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan has completed, ending the longest war in U.S. history.

"I'm here to announce the completion of our withdrawal from Afghanistan and the end of the mission to evacuate American citizens, third country nationals and vulnerable Afghans," Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, told a news conference in Washington.

"The last C-17 lifted off from Hamid Karzai International Airport on Aug. 30, this afternoon, at 3:29 p.m. East coast time, and the last manned aircraft is now clearing the space above Afghanistan," McKenzie said.

A vendor is seen on a street in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan on Aug. 31, 2021. (Photo by Kabir/Xinhua)

The general said the number of U.S. citizens currently still stranded in Afghanistan is "in the very low hundreds," stressing that the State Department is in charge of assisting those evacuees.

The United States and its allies speeded up their troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of Kabul on Aug. 15. The U.S. allies, including Britain, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Australia, have already pulled out their troops from the war-torn country.

Claiming to be in pursuit of Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, the U.S.-led military forces invaded Afghanistan and ousted the Taliban within weeks of the terrorist attacks in 2001.

Over 2,400 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan over the past two decades, with 20,000 others wounded, according to the Pentagon. Estimates showed that over 66,000 Afghan troops have been killed, and over 2.7 million people have been forced to leave their homes.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Delta variant of COVID-19 in U.S. adds hospitalizations, nips events, devours social benefits

Xinhua) 08:13, September 01, 2021

A pedestrian wearing a face mask passes in front of Pfizer's World Headquarters in New York, United States, on Aug. 23, 2021. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

As COVID-19 cases surge across the United States, particularly among unvaccinated Americans, hospitals have been pushed to their limits treating the influx of patients. Five states, namely Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Florida and Arkansas, are nearly out of ICU beds, having less than 10 percent left of their ICU bed capacity, CNN reported.

NEW YORK, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The raging Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to bring more people, including many children, into U.S. hospitals, and force cancellations of college enrollments and social events, in addition to disrupting Americans' daily life and eroding their long-term welfare.

Trustees for the U.S. Social Security trust fund in an annual report released on Tuesday said that the program is expected to pay benefits that exceed its income in 2021, the same as it anticipated last year at the outset of the pandemic.

While the pandemic had a significant impact on the program, the trustees said, they expect Social Security's reserves of 2.9 trillion U.S. dollars to be depleted by 2034, only one year sooner than they estimated in their April 2020 report.

"Once the reserves are exhausted, benefits would be reduced automatically unless Congress steps in to shore up the program," reported The Wall Street Journal.

MORE PATIENTS

As COVID-19 cases surge across the United States, particularly among unvaccinated Americans, hospitals have been pushed to their limits treating the influx of patients. Five states, namely Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Florida and Arkansas, are nearly out of ICU beds, having less than 10 percent left of their ICU bed capacity, reported CNN on Tuesday.

"Hospitals around the country have been stretched as cases have picked back up, but the South, where vaccinations have been lagging, has been particularly hit. Many hospitals have been reporting oxygen shortages," said the report while quoting data from the Department of Health and Human Services.

On Monday, data presented by a vaccine adviser from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed a hospitalization rate 16 times greater in the unvaccinated population than in those vaccinated, it added.

Last week, the CDC also highlighted the potential danger for children under the age of 12, the only group in the United States ineligible for coronavirus vaccines as the hyper-infectious Delta variant tears across the country.

Students of Montrara Ave. Elementary School are seen in their in-person class in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Xinhua)

Just this month in Brevard County, Florida, 1,623 children were infected and more than 8,000 students were quarantined. In the Atlanta area, thousands of positive cases were confirmed in schools with 23,000 students and staff have been quarantined.

"Without concerted efforts to curb Delta's transmission, things are likely to get worse in coming months. A simulation posted this month by a CDC-funded lab predicted that in elementary schools without either masks or regular testing, more than 75 percent of children might be infected with the coronavirus in the first three months," reported The Washington Post.

MORE CANCELLATIONS

This year's Wonderfront Music &Arts Festival, a major music, culinary and arts event first held in 2019 upon the stunning waterfront of downtown San Diego, has been postponed until Nov. 18 to 20, 2022 due to the surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant.

The call was made by the Port of San Diego on Monday. "The continued safety of the community had to be front and center in our decision making. We pushed as long as we could working with the Wonderfront Festival team to see if case trends might look more positive or new information would give us the comfort level needed to move forward," said Michael G. Brown, Port of San Diego's vice president of marketing and communications, in a press release.

"But at the end of the day, the situation has not improved. Knowing that people book advance travel to attend, and production crews have months of logistical planning to do, a final decision needed to be made," he added. Organizers are now working with artists to pivot toward the new 2022 dates. A lineup announcement and ticketing on-sale are expected this fall.

People attend an open-air music concert at the Central Park in San Mateo, California, the United States, July 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

Xavier University is dis-enrolling students who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine, reported Black Enterprise, the No. 1 Black digital media brand in the United States, on Monday. The private Catholic and historically Black college in Louisiana will begin the process at the end of this week.

"I think it's unfair to unenroll them because they still need their education. But I can see both sides," sophomore Elise Tookes was quoted as saying. "They're trying to protect the students that they have on campus and they're trying to make it normal for us as much as possible."

In April, the university's president Reynold Verret sent students a letter stating proof of vaccination would be required to attend the fall semester.

MORE DEFENSE

Suzanne B. Goldberg, acting assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education, sent letters on Monday to state education leaders in Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah, informing them that the department's Office for Civil Rights is investigating whether their mask mandate bans are discriminatory.

At the center of the department's concerns, according to Monday's letters, are students with disabilities who may be at heightened risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Goldberg's letters said these investigations would focus on whether the state bans are discriminatory by preventing students with disabilities from safely returning to in-person education.

Photo taken on Feb. 23, 2021 shows the school billboard of George H. W. Bush Elementary School in Dallas, Texas, the United States. (Photo by Dan Tian/Xinhua)

Federal law "guarantees qualified students with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education in elementary and secondary school," Goldberg wrote in each of the letters. "This includes the right of students with disabilities to receive their education in the regular educational environment, alongside their peers without disabilities, to the maximum extent appropriate to their needs."

Also on Monday, a CDC advisory panel indicated it could take a substantially different approach to booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines than the one proposed by the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, reported The Hill.

Members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) said the evidence on boosters is not clear and indicated it would likely consider a risk-based approach that would prioritize residents of long-term care facilities and health workers rather than all eligible Americans at once.

COVID-19 vaccines continue to maintain high protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death. While some studies have found some waning of effectiveness against infection, members of the panel said the evidence is not clear enough to justify a booster recommendation, according to the report.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China urges US to scrap warrant on fentanyl trafficker, provide more evidence

Global Times) 08:14, September 01, 2021

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday requested the US to stop offering a reward of $5 million for the arrest of a Chinese national described by the US as a transnational drug trafficker, as such a move undermines the foundation of bilateral anti-drug cooperation and obstructs future collaboration.

Surnamed Zhang, the Chinese national was suspected of participating in transnational drug trafficking as a leader between 2013 and 2016, which led to the overdose deaths of four Americans, the US Department of State said in a statement on Monday, noting that Zhang was charged in 2018 in the US for drug trafficking and international money laundering, among other charges.

China and the US have been jointly investigating the case since 2016. China has done a lot of work based on the limited clues provided by the US and shared information with the US, Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday.

After a joint investigation, it was found that the chemicals involved in the case were not regulated substances in China at that time and belonged to ordinary chemicals, Wang said, stressing that China has "repeatedly asked the US to provide evidence of Zhang's violation of Chinese laws, but the US has yet to make it."

Describing Zhang as a "fentanyl trafficker," the US State Department only uses "controlled substances and their analogues" to described the drug involved.

Facts and evidence must be given priority in determining transnational drug traffickers. Putting a reward on the arrest of the Chinese citizen when the US was fully aware that the bounty would be difficult to achieve will seriously undermine the foundation of China-US anti-drug cooperation, and the US should bear the consequences, Wang said.

China urged the US to respect the truth, immediately revoke the public offering of the reward for information on the Chinese national, and stop smearing and attacking China, Wang noted.

Counterdrug cooperation should be mutual and based on fully respecting China's sovereignty and judicial sovereignty. The way the US handles it will only bring fresh disputes for the two countries, experts noted.

"It is a disappointment and a danger sign to see the US pushing the China-US anti-drug cooperation into the track of confrontation," Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

Similar to China-US cooperation in other fields including epidemic, climate change and economic development, when China is always thinking of methods to control divergence between the two countries, we could see the US has done things to shrink bilateral cooperation space and amplify the competitive tone of the two countries, which is not positive for China-US ties, Li noted.

Wang said China attaches great importance to its anti-drug cooperation with the US, especially the crisis over the opioid abuse crisis in the US.

China chose to take a humanitarian stand and took the lead in listing all fentanyl-related analogs under controlled drugs in May 2019 to assist the US to cope with fentanyl abuse, despite fentanyl trafficking not being a prominent issue in China, Wang added.

The US has suffered the most from the fentanyl drug abuse. Instead of focusing on its domestic drug abuse problem, Washington has accused China of being the primary source of the problem, media reported.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
British foreign secretary rejects U.S. blame for indirect role in Kabul terror attack

Xinhua) 08:22, September 01, 2021

Photo taken on Aug. 31, 2021 shows a military plane at Kabul airport in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

A report by Politico said U.S. forces decided to keep the Abbey Gate, deemed to be at the "highest risk" for terrorist attack, open longer than they wanted to allow Britain to continue evacuating personnel. British foreign secretary on Tuesday rejected the claim.

LONDON, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Tuesday rejected U.S. claims that a request from Britain to leave a crucial gate open at the Kabul airport to allow its evacuation from Afghanistan to continue may have contributed to the risk of the terror attack last week.

A news portal Politico report on Monday said U.S. forces, which had been running the airport at the capital of Afghanistan, decided to keep the Abbey Gate, deemed to be at the "highest risk" for terrorist attack, open longer than they wanted to allow Britain to continue evacuating personnel.

"We coordinate very closely with the U.S., in particular around the ISIS-K threat that we anticipated -- although tragically were not able to prevent," Raab told Sky News.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (R) meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken ahead of the meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) foreign and development ministers in London, Britain, on May 3, 2021. (Tim Hammond/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

"We got our civilian staff out of the processing center by Abbey Gate, but it's just not true to suggest that, other than securing our civilian staff inside the airport, that we were pushing to leave the gate open," he said.

"In fact, and let me just be clear about this, we were issuing changes of travel advice before the bomb attack took place and saying to people in the crowd, about which I was particularly concerned, that certainly UK nationals and anyone else should leave because of the risk," the foreign secretary added.

At least 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. soldiers were killed and about 200 people wounded in the blast that hit Abbey Gate of the airport on Thursday. Two British nationals and a child of another British national were among the dead in the attack, for which ISIS-K, a local affiliate of the Islamic State group, has claimed responsibility.

The United States on Monday announced the completion of the chaotic, bloody withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, ending 20 years of the U.S.-led invasion into the Asian country. Britain concluded its evacuation operation from Afghanistan Saturday night.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China to take more measures to ease urban housing problems: MOHURD

Global Times) 08:30, September 01, 2021

China will release measures to ease the housing plight facing young people and new residents in major cities, an official with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Housing difficulties for new residents and young people has become a bigger problem along with the development of urbanization, said Ni Hong, vice minister of MOHURD. Ni cited a survey that found 70 percent of new residents and young people in big cities have to rent homes, but struggle to find options with good price and location.

MOHURD has carried out pilot work in 13 cities across the country since 2019, and has adopted six policies including granting subsidies for rental housing projects that meet the requirements.

Wang Menghui, minister of MOHURD, said that the administration will increase the supply of rental housing in order to help alleviate housing difficulties.

In 2019, the per capita housing area of urban residents totaled 39.8 square meters, followed by 48.9 square meters for rural residents, Wang said, adding that rental housing can improve the housing security system. China has built the world's largest housing security system, helping more than 200 million people improve their housing conditions, Wang noted.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Maldivian capital celebrates 3rd anniversary of China-Maldives Friendship Bridge

Xinhua) 08:53, September 01, 2021

MALE, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Mayor of the Maldives' capital city Male Mohamed Muizzu has thanked China on the third anniversary of the opening of the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge.

In a video message published on his official Twitter account on Monday, Muizzu said "This bridge has been the most important transformational development that the Maldives has seen for a very long time."

Muizzu said that the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge has changed the social and economic life of Maldivians. He added that the bridge has helped the development of Male and called it "a true symbol of China-Maldives everlasting friendship."

Chiese Ambassador to the Maldives Wang Lixin said on social media that the bridge was born out of the great ambition and efforts of Maldives and China. She said that the bridge has helped connect three different islands, thereby facilitating travel and leisure for local people.

"Look forward to more contributions of the bridge to the social and economic development of the Maldives and even closer ties between our two peoples," Wang said.

The 2,000-meter-long China-Maldives Friendship Bridge is Maldives' first cross-sea bridge and connects the islands of Male, Hulhule and Hulhumale.

The bridge was officially opened on Aug. 30, 2018 and is a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
China, Sri Lanka to strengthen ties, cooperation on COVID-19 response

Xinhua) 08:55, September 01, 2021

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the speaker of Sri Lanka's Parliament, via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2021. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Li Zhanshu on Tuesday held talks with Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the speaker of Sri Lanka's Parliament, via video link in Beijing.

Li, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries and promote bilateral relations for further development.

Li called on the two countries to enhance political exchanges, deepen cooperation on COVID-19 response, promote practical cooperation across the board, and cooperate on multilateral coordination.

During the meeting, Li also briefed Abeywardena on China's principles and position on COVID-19 origins tracing.

He said tracing the origins of COVID-19 is a complex scientific matter that should and can only be undertaken by scientists around the world through joint research.

While attaching great importance to international scientific cooperation on origins tracing, China is firmly opposed to attempts by certain countries to shift the blame onto China and spread political viruses under the pretext of COVID-19 origins tracing, Li said.

China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to jointly safeguard the scientific nature and seriousness of origins tracing and maintain a sound atmosphere for global anti-epidemic cooperation, he added.

On parliamentary cooperation, Li encouraged the two sides to enhance high-level communication and friendly exchanges among special committees and friendly groups, and approve or amend laws that are beneficial to bilateral cooperation.

Abeywardena thanked China for its firm support of Sri Lanka's efforts to safeguard sovereignty, promote economic and social development, and fight COVID-19.

Sri Lanka stands ready to work with China to strengthen cooperation on building the Belt and Road, said Abeywardena, adding that the Sri Lankan Parliament is willing to facilitate exchanges and cooperation with the NPC to promote bilateral relations.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Blaming China not the answer to COVID-19 origin-tracing: Zimbabwean FM

Xinhua) 08:56, September 01, 2021

HARARE, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- International cooperation in fighting COVID-19 is indispensable if the world is to fully control and defeat the pandemic, Zimbabwean Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Frederick Shava said here on Monday.

"As we grapple with the devastating effects of COVID-19, the world should work together to confront this pandemic. This pandemic should be a strong reminder of the importance of international solidarity," he said in a statement issued after briefing foreign diplomats on COVID-19.

"Blaming China is not the answer. China has been continuously blamed for the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic as many distractors advance the hypothesis of a laboratory leak as the origin of the current global health crisis," he said.

Shava said heaping blame on China would only derail the progress made so far in containing the pandemic, adding that conspiracies should not be allowed to hold the international community back in fighting the pandemic.

Shava reiterated that there was a need for science to drive and lead all global efforts in confronting the pandemic.

"Zimbabwe seeks and urges all to be guided by science. We must believe in science, providing empirically proven scientific evidence to support our claims," he noted.

"A case in point is the March 2020 joint report issued by the team of World Health Organization (WHO) convened experts who visited China and who were clear in their findings that some form of 'laboratory leak' was extremely unlikely," he said.

The senior diplomat said the concerted efforts China has made in fighting the pandemic have been impressive.

"The Chinese health and emergency services personnel have been working around the cloak and deserve our support and commendation," he said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Smart China Expo 2021 held in SW Chinas Chongqing

09:00, September 01, 2021 By Wang Binlai, Liu Xinwu ( People's Daily

Photo taken on August 23, 2021, shows visitors at the Yuelai International Convention Center in southwest Chinas Chongqing municipality for the offline exhibition of the Smart China Expo (SCE) 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/Sun Kaifang)

The Smart China Expo (SCE) 2021 held in southwest Chinas Chongqing municipality from August 23 to 25 has impressed visitors deeply with cutting-edge technologies.

Visitors at the event got the chance to experience a multitude of sci-tech innovations and artificial intelligence (AI) applications, including a nimble robotic arm that could hand ice cream to visitors, virtual shopping with the help of virtual reality (VR) glasses, and an AI portrait painting device that allows users to change the style of their pictures via a simple click on the screen.

A total of 611 enterprises from 31 countries and regions exhibited their products at the expo via online and offline platforms. They signed 92 major projects worth 252.4 billion yuan ($39 billion), which covered intelligent manufacturing, digital economy, science and technology, and other realms.

Industrial Internet was highlighted in all parts of the SCE 2021, including exhibitions, forums, and competitions. A special exhibition area covering 20,000 square meters was arranged at the event to showcase new products and technologies in the field.

Guangyu Mingdao Digital Technology Co., Ltd., an industrial Internet platform provider, displayed a replica of its smart factories at the industrial Internet exhibition area, which was particularly eye-catching.

In our smart factories, there are no assembly lines, but only production islands, each of which represents a production unit. Robots shuttle among the islands to convey materials, said Zhang Zhuowen, general manager of the customer-to-manufacturer division of the company.

The industrial Internet platform of the smart factories enables stronger connection between production lines, suppliers, and customers, and can adjust the manufacturing process for small lot production according to individualized demands of customers, Zhang added.

At the Lijia Yuelai Smart Park in Chongqing, which showed the application scenarios of digital technologies in peoples daily life as part of the activities of the SCE 2021, visitors understood better how technologies make their life more convenient and wonderful.

At the smart park, curtains were drawn open through voice control; computer screens showed information and materials about meetings for the day, and what was said in the meetings was transcribed and translated into multiple languages and displayed on the screens as subtitles, and visitors were able to enjoy immersive performances with VR glasses.

China-Belarus Industrial Park Development Company based in Minsk, capital of Belarus, brought to the China-SCO digital economy cooperation exhibition hall of the event an intelligent system that can realize highly accurate serial and parallel transport of goods between two vehicles. The company has also exhibited its many other sci-tech achievements, including a robot for cleaning and polishing wind turbine blades, which can climb slopes and surmount obstacles and satisfy the requirements of robot-assisted assembly systems for mobile platforms.

During the period when the SCE 2021 was held, the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Forum on the Digital Economy Industry also took place in Chongqing.

Benefited from the SCE 2021 and the China-SCO Forum on the Digital Economy Industry, countries and companies have further extended their road to openness and cooperation.

So far, Chongqing has forged a friendly and cooperative relationship with nearly 30 regions of the SCO countries. Last year, the citys volume of trade with SCO countries exceeded 32.5 billion yuan.

SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Imamovich Norov considered the construction and development of the Trade and Economic Multifunctional Platform for SCO Countries a major fruit of the China-SCO Forum on the Digital Economy Industry. The platform can help establish connections and promote exchanges among SCO member states special economic zones, business incubators, and sci-tech parks, he said at the forum.

Chongqing has held the SCE for four consecutive years, not only energizing the AI industry in the city but creating a friendly atmosphere for the development of the industry.

A large batch of major projects have been signed and implemented in Chongqing, allowing the city to attract the latest technologies, AI industries, talents, and other elements of innovation from around the world at a faster pace.

Driven by the SCE 2021 and the China-SCO Forum on the Digital Economy Industry, more emerging projects are expected to be implemented in Chongqing and other cities in western China, and digital technologies are being applied in a wider variety of scenarios including education, tourism, and medicine in these regions.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
China to increase gov't-subsidized housing in 2021-2025

Xinhua) 09:09, September 01, 2021

BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- China will focus on the development of government-subsidized rental housing in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) to ensure the housing security for the people.

The country has built over 80 million sets of government-subsidized and renovation housing, improving the living conditions of more than 200 million people with difficulties, Wang Menghui, minister of housing and urban-rural development, told a press conference Tuesday.

China's great achievement in setting up the world's largest housing security system has actively contributed to the country's success in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Wang added.

Among the different types of government-subsidized housing, the rental housing is built to mainly address the concerns of new dwellers and young people in big cities, while shared-ownership housing is mainly designed for people who can not afford commercial housing to improve their living conditions, said Wang.

China vowed to tackle prominent housing problems in large cities at the tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference held in December last year, listing the development of rental housing as one of its key economic tasks for 2021.

In this year's government work report, China reiterated the principle that "housing is for living in, not for speculation" for the third time since it was first proposed in 2016, vowing to keep the prices of land and housing as well as market expectations stable.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Chinese enterprises a propeller for Africa's inclusive economic growth: report

09:10, September 01, 2021 By Wan Yu ( People's Daily

The Report on Chinese Investment in Africa is launched on Aug. 26 in Beijing. (People's Daily/Wan Yu)

Chinese enterprises have become one of the propellers for Africa's inclusive economic growth, said a report issued recently.

The Report on Chinese Investment in Africa was launched on Aug. 26 in Beijing. The launching ceremony was attended by political and business figures from both China and Africa, as well as international scholars. They gave a high evaluation on China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, saying Chinese enterprises' investment in Africa has made positive contributions to local industrialization, employment and livelihood.

The report, initiated by the China-Africa Business Council, was compiled by some 50 experts and researchers based on massive interviews with Chinese enterprises and entrepreneurs investing in Africa. Through 63 cases, it introduces Chinese enterprises' efforts to combat COVID-19 and reduce poverty on the continent, and summarizes the experiences of China-Africa investment cooperation.

The report says driven by the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Chinese enterprises are making "trivial but frequent" moves in investing in Africa, and private enterprises are playing an increasingly bigger role in the process.

Charles Onunaiju, director of the Center for China Studies of Nigeria, said at the launching ceremony that China has always supported the development and construction of African countries. Many African countries have joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which indicates Africa's confidence in its cooperation with China, the director remarked, adding that China's economic development and poverty reduction offer successful experiences for African countries.

China is one of the largest sources of investment for Africa. "Since the establishment of the FOCAC, the annual growth of China's direct investment in Africa has averaged over 25 percent. China's investment in Africa achieved positive growth against headwinds in the COVID-19 pandemic," said Wu Peng, Director-General of the Department of African Affairs of China's Foreign Ministry. Investment cooperation is a strong engine for the qualitative upgrading of the pragmatic cooperation between China and African nations, Wu added.

Justin Yifu Lin, honorary dean of the National School of Development at Peking University, said the investment of Chinese enterprises in Africa both advances China's economic development and offers capital, technology, and infrastructure support for African countries, helping them translate their advantageous resources into market competitiveness.

The joint construction of the BRI and the FOCAC is conducive to the development of both China and Africa, and enterprises are what put policies into practice, Lin said.

Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Wamkele Mene noted Chinese enterprises' investment, especially that in the infrastructure sector, has made huge contributions to the building of Africa's connectivity and the AfCFTA.

Successful cases of China-Africa cooperation are listed in the report, including the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, the Standard Bank of South Africa, Kenya's Nairobi expressway, Ghana's Africa World Airlines, Transsion mobile phones and media group StarTimes.

Adama Compaore, ambassador of Burkina Faso to China said Burkina Faso welcomes and appreciates the investment from Chinese enterprises, and the investment has won trust in his country. He hopes more Chinese enterprises can invest in Burkina Faso, saying his country is willing to facilitate them.

China will maintain its position as the most important cooperation partner of Africa in the post-pandemic era, and more and more African enterprises are seeking cooperation with China, said Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank. Chinese enterprises have brought technologies, management experience and capital to Africa, and accelerated economic development of the continent, he added.

Achieving inclusive economic development and sustainable development is listed as an important task in the Agenda 2063 of the African Union. The report believes that Africa will see accelerating urbanization and burgeoning manufacturing sector as it releases its huge demographic dividend, and China-Africa cooperation will enjoy new opportunities.

Executive Secretary Vera Songwe of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa noted that China and Africa are seeing a robust momentum for cooperation. Chinese enterprises kept investing in Africa despite the impacts from COVID-19, and have created huge jobs for local communities, she said.

She said China-Africa cooperation has always set its eye on sustainable development, especially in the energy sector. She believes China's investment in Africa's renewable energy industry, in particular the hydro and solar power sectors, will help African nations reduce their dependence on fossil energy amid economic development.

Ethiopia's ambassador to China Teshome Toga Chanaka said Africa and China are a community with a shared future. He introduced that many major infrastructure projects have kicked off in Ethiopia and other African countries under the Belt and Road framework.

Africa-China cooperation gets increasingly important given the uncertain factors such as the ceaseless spread of COVID-19, Chanaka noted. The cooperation between the two sides is of vital significance for the stability of African economy and alleviating the impacts from COVID-19, and also plays a huge role in pandemic response and saving lives, he added.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
China to work with int'l community to help restore social stability in Myanmar: FM

Xinhua) 09:19, September 01, 2021

BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- China will work with the international community to play a constructive role in Myanmar's efforts to restore social stability and resume democratic transformation at an early date, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks when asked to comment on the recent visit of Sun Guoxiang, Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a daily press briefing.

Sun was invited to visit Myanmar from Aug. 21 to 28. During the visit, Sun met with the leader of Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin, and Union Minister for the Union Government Office Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, and exchanged views with them on the political landscape in Myanmar and China-Myanmar cooperation in combating COVID-19, according to Wang.

The Chinese side stated that the two countries are neighbors with a "pawkphaw" friendship. China's friendship policy toward Myanmar is for all the people of Myanmar. "We hope that all parties and groups in Myanmar will proceed from the long-term interests of the country and people, and seek a proper solution through political dialogue within the constitutional and legal framework," Wang said.

China actively supports Myanmar's cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in implementing the five-point consensus on Myanmar reached by ASEAN, and opposes undue external intervention, Wang said.

China will continue to offer anti-epidemic support to Myanmar, strengthen joint pandemic prevention and control, and safeguard people's health and safety in the two countries, Wang said.

The Myanmar side stressed its commitment to maintaining stability, combating COVID-19, revitalizing the economy and improving people's livelihood, and expressed its hope to have close communication and cooperation with China and ASEAN, according to Wang.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Support measures help women scientists shine

Xinhua) 09:38, September 01, 2021

HEFEI, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Before the age of 29, Wang Jing was a weather forecaster and engineer, accurately collecting meteorological data and issuing warnings in the city of Huangshan, east China's Anhui Province.

Since turning 29, she has developed a new identity, that of mother. While she enjoys the happiness of a new mother on maternity leave, Wang can't help but worry whether the five-month vacation will hold back her career in meteorological research.

However, a new policy on female scientific and technological professionals in China has given her more confidence in her future and those of other women.

In July, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the All-China Women's Federation, as well as other 11 departments, launched a series of measures to support female researchers in playing a greater role in sci-tech innovation.

SHINING IN SCIENCE

As China ramps up its efforts to help stimulate the innovative vitality of female talents, countless women are shining in various fields of science and technology in China.

"People always think female employees are not suitable for working overtime, traveling on business or enduring hardship, but in fact, we have a very strong ability to adjust and adapt," said Xie Zhilin, head of the new-product development department of the QuantumCTek Co. Ltd., a leading quantum company based in Anhui.

Xie and her team have achieved a breakthrough in key algorithms, which have been successfully applied to suspended optical cables in complex environments. At present, this product has been used in the field of quantum secure communications.

At the age of 29, Cao Lina was the first author on a paper published in Nature about a new catalyst for hydrogen fuel cells. Now, the 31-year-old is an associate researcher at the University of Science and Technology of China.

In the field of physical chemistry, where she is engaged in research, a lot of scientific research equipment is bulky, and women do appear a little short on physical strength. But Cao said that women bring certain skills, such as meticulous observation, rational planning and patient execution, allowing them to play unique roles in scientific research.

BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING

A report released in 2020 by Elsevier, a Netherlands-based research publishing and information analytics company, shows that the participation of women in research is increasing, but there is still inequality in terms of publication output, citations, awarded grants, collaboration and perceptions.

Fortunately, things are about to change in China.

The document issued by departments including the Ministry of Science and Technology has put forward 16 specific measures relating to six aspects of the career development of female talents in a targeted manner.

These measures include training high-level female sci-tech talents, supporting their innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities, improving the evaluation mechanisms for them, and supporting their research during pregnancy and nursing periods.

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, China aims to create a better policy environment with these measures to aid the growth of female sci-tech talents.

IGNITING EXPECTATIONS

"The golden age of a research career coincides with the peak reproductive period of women, and people have limited energy, which used to mean difficult decisions for many female sci-tech talents," Cao said, adding that the new policy will help ensure their career is not interrupted due to pregnancy.

The policy also aims to cultivate more young female talents through measures such as gender-equality education, encouraging female students to participate in sci-tech competitions, and setting up scholarships for outstanding female college students in science and engineering.

Another breakthrough of this policy is supporting female talents to obtain more sci-tech resources and enhance their participation in the sci-tech decision-making process.

"I believe that this will allow more women's voices to be heard at the decision-making level," Xie said.

In addition, in April, seven departments in China jointly issued opinions on implementing women's action for sci-tech innovation, with requirements including enhancing responsibility, promoting the spirit of scientists and strengthening the construction of talent teams for women.

"We need more outstanding women in science, and more companies and platforms that provide women with equal opportunities," said Xie.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Doctor calls for science-based approach for tracing COVID-19 origins

Xinhua) 09:58, September 01, 2021

DHAKA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Only scientists should study the origins of COVID-19, the leader of the Bangladesh Medical Association, the largest nationwide professional body of medical doctors in the country, told Xinhua on Tuesday.

"If we have a clear and transparent idea about its origins or source, it will be an easy task to deal with the virus," said Mustafa Jalal Mohiuddin, the association's president.

Mohiuddin, a former Member of the Bangladesh Parliament, hailed China for supporting his country with COVID-19 vaccines.

"Definitely we applaud Chinese support," he said, adding that if rich countries fail to help their less fortunate counterparts with vaccines, medical equipment and technology, the world can't expect a return to normalcy.

Mohiuddin said the Chinese government has taken the right approach to controlling the virus.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Trapped baby elephant rescued in SW China

Xinhua) 10:02, September 01, 2021

Rescuers hold umbrellas to shade the sick baby elephant from the sun in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 29, 2021. A newborn baby elephant in Xishuangbanna was abandoned by its herd only six days after its birth due to severe diseases including suppuration of umbilical cord. Local authorities have carried out emergency treatment for the ailing baby elephant. The doctor who is in charge of its treatment said on Tuesday that the baby elephant had recovered from its fever, and its illness and mental state showed a trend of improvement, yet the baby elephant was still not out of danger. (The Asian Elephant Breeding and Rescue Center in Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve/Handout via Xinhua)

KUNMING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- A sick baby elephant that was trapped in a banana plantation in southwest China's Yunnan Province and left behind by its herd only days after birth has been rescued by local authorities and is receiving treatment.

The elephant was found trapped in the plantation in Mengban Township in southern Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture on Saturday morning after it lagged behind a herd of some 40 elephants, according to the prefectural forest and grassland bureau, which has staff monitoring the migration of elephants in the region.

On Sunday morning, the bureau dispatched staff to rescue the trapped calf after confirming that its herd had not come back. It was later transferred to the Asian Elephant Breeding and Rescue Center in Xishuangbanna for diagnosis and treatment.

A physical examination showed that the male calf, which weighed 85 kg, was in critical condition, with a severely festered umbilical cord and symptoms including diarrhea, fever and tachycardia.

Veterinarians with the rescue center disinfected it and fed it medicines and goat milk, which helped improve its condition.

Bao Mingwei, a veterinarian with the center, said Tuesday morning that the calf's body temperature has returned to normal, and its condition has continued to improve.

However, the elephant is still not out of danger, Bao said.

"The calf is very young, which poses great difficulties for treatment," Bao said, adding that he is confident of curing the elephant, but the treatment may take a long time.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
PLA Air Force becomes strategic, to display latest weapons, achievements at airshow

Global Times) 10:03, September 01, 2021

Latest equipment to debut at airshow

China's J-20 stealth fighter jet displays its new coating of stealth material and flies over the exhibition hall at Airshow China 2018 on Tuesday. Photo: Cui Meng/GT

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force will display its latest achievements that have transformed the Chinese military into a strategic force on its way to becoming world class, at the Airshow China 2021, the service announced on Tuesday, with military observers predicting that the "20 family" aircraft, namely the J-20 fighter jet, Y-20 large transport aircraft and Z-20 utility helicopter, will likely again be in the spotlight but with new surprises.

The latest variant of the WS-10 Taihang turbofan engine will also be on display, event organizers said.

As a historic achievement, the Chinese Air Force has crossed the threshold to become a strategic air force, Senior Colonel Shen Jinke, spokesperson of the PLA Air Force, said on Tuesday at a media briefing for Airshow China.

The Air Force will display its latest achievements that have transformed it into a strategic force on its way to becoming world class, Shen said.

The Air Force is now capable of effectively carrying out duties and missions in the new era, with more J-20s and Y-20s entering service, domestically developed new-type surface-to-air missiles ready for combat, and the steady increase in capabilities for strategic early warning, aerial strike, air defense, anti-missile, information countermeasures, airborne combat, strategic transport and comprehensive support, Shen said.

In 2018, the Air Force announced a roadmap to become a strategic force by 2020, become modern by 2035 and become world class by the mid-21st century, the Xinhua News Agency reported. This means that 2021 is the first year since the Air Force has become strategic.

The PLA Air Force used to be a tactical force because it lacked advanced, large and long-range aircraft, but it has entered the realm of strategic force because it now operates strategic transport aircraft, mid-to-long-range strategic bombers and advanced fighter jets, supported by advanced drones and special mission aircraft like early warning aircraft, aerial tankers, electronic warfare aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

It not only has advanced equipment, but also a full system that makes it truly strategic, Fu said.

After being postponed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the airshow from September 28 to October 3 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, will have a lot to offer, observers said.

The J-20 stealth fighter jet will likely again perform, and could make more daring moves, Fu said.

Some military enthusiasts also hope that more J-20 jets will participate in the airshow, and that the J-20 could make its first static display on the ground.

The Y-20 large transport aircraft will also likely reappear at the airshow, Fu said, noting that it would be a nice surprise if the aerial tanker variant of the Y-20 makes its debut.

While having made several public appearances since its debut at the National Day military parade on October 1, 2019 in Beijing, the Z-20 utility helicopter could make its first Airshow China appearance, Fu said.

Existing Z-20s are PLA Army versions, and it is widely believed that the helicopter will spawn variants for the Navy, the Air Force and other services, observers said.

There are bound to be more surprises, just like the flight performance of the J-10B thrust vector control demonstrator at the airshow in 2018, Fu said, noting that the only remaining member in the "20 family" that has yet to be unveiled, the rumored H-20 stealth strategic bomber, will unlikely make it.

In addition to equipment of the PLA Air Force, Chinese arms firms will also bring state-of-the-art exhibits covering land, maritime, aviation, aerospace and electronics available for export to the airshow, with many of them making debuts, including combat vehicles, underwater weapons, warplanes, aero engines, missiles, drones, and radars, the event organizers told the Global Times on Tuesday.

China North Industries Group Corporation Limited and China South Industries Group will bring hundreds of equipment that cover mobile assault, fire assault, unmanned systems, all-terrain mobile synthetic battalion system, individual combat equipment, wheeled fire attack equipment, terminal defense combat system, precision ammunition and civilian firearms, with many being new exhibits. Over 30 types of ground equipment, such as the combat tank VT4, the lightweight VT5, the 8x8 armored tank VN1, will perform a variety of tactical operations including slope climbing, water obstacles crossing, and snake-like maneuvers.

Making its debut at Airshow China under the new brand name, China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited will bring 60 types of marine defense equipment and solutions at the show, including unmanned combat systems, underwater weapons and smart equipment.

Aviation Industry Corporation of China will display 149 pieces of independently developed aircraft equipment and technologies, more than 50 of which will be exhibited for the first time, including the first flight performance of the Wing Loong II drone, and Aero Engine Corporation of China will exhibit the latest variant of the WS-10 Taihang turbofan engine, which is mainly used by warplanes.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation will put the M20A/B surface-to-surface missile weapon system and the LY-70 air defense missile weapon system on display for the first time, and China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation will display its capabilities covering air defense, coastal defense, ground attack, unmanned combat, early warning, surveillance and security, commercial space, and communication and support systems.

China Electronics Technology Group will cover electronic equipment, network system, industrial base, and network security, with about 500 exhibits featuring low/extra-low altitude defense system, radar system, strategic early warning system, advanced electronic components, integrated circuits, and special electronic materials, including 50 sets of large-sized equipment that will be installed for real display, while China Electronics Corporation will display more than 100 types of products in the field of network security, digital services, military electronics and other applications.

Airshow China has become a comprehensive defense exhibition that can meet all types of demands of a military, analysts said.

China's latest achievement in its outer space exploration, such as the Mars probe Tianwen-1, the Lunar probe Chang'e-5, the Constellation deployment of the BeiDou-3 Global navigation satellite system, the re-entry module of the new generation of manned spacecraft test ship, will also be highlighted at the airshow.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
U.S. should stop blaming China, adopt scientific attitude towards virus origins tracing: media

Xinhua) 10:04, September 01, 2021

HARARE, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The United States should adopt an open and scientific attitude towards COVID-19 origins tracing, instead of politicizing the pandemic and blaming China for the virus, Zimbabwe's state media The Herald said on Monday.

"Political manipulation should consequently never be supported as it goes against science and justice. China's stance on COVID-19 is transparent and consistent -- it is an issue of science. Sideshows such as the U.S. intelligence community report are not helpful and should therefore be dismissed as inconsequential," it said in an opinion article.

Last week, the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a so-called summary of the intelligence community assessment report on COVID-19's origins, which does not rule out either natural exposure or a laboratory accident as the origin of the virus.

The report falsely claims that China "continues to hinder the global investigation, resist sharing information and blame other countries."

A White House statement issued on the same day also purported that "China tries to hold back international investigations and rejects calls for transparency," and urged "like-minded partners to exert pressure on China."

"Such unfounded claims should be dismissed with the strongest condemnation," The Herald said, noting that since the emergence of the virus, China has taken a transparent, professional, scientific and serious approach towards origin-tracing.

The United States has deviated from the internationally accepted scientific inquiry and turned to what has clearly become ideological warfare with China, it said.

"We have observed from the very beginning that the U.S. has been making vain efforts to politicize the pandemic and use origins tracing as a weapon targeted at none, but China," it noted.

"What is now clear is they have turned a blind eye to the truth and findings by scientists to advance selfish and political agendas," it said.

China, it noted, has taken the lead in working with the World Health Organization (WHO) on global COVID-19 origins tracing "by inviting WHO experts to China not once, but twice to carry out investigations on the origins of the virus."

In fact, one of the biggest questions is why the United States is avoiding tracing the origins of the virus in its own backyard, it noted.

"Responsibility and transparency should be standards followed by all," it added.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Ceremony held to encoffin eighth batch of Chinese Martyrs' remains in South Korea

11:34, September 01, 2021 By Zhou Yubo, Yang Fan ( People's Daily Online

Personal effects of the CPV martyrs. (Peoples Daily Online/Zhang Yue)

Incheon, Sept. 1 (Peoples Daily Online)--A ceremony was held Wednesday in Incheon, South Korea, to encoffin the remains of the eighth batch of Chinese People's Volunteers' (CPV) Army martyrs, with their remains and relics to be returned to China the next day.

Chang Zhengguo, vice minister of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of China, Wang Jingguo, defense attache of the Chinese Embassy in South Korea, and officials with the South Korean Ministry of National Defense as well as personnel responsible for the excavation and identification of the remains attended the ceremony.

At the ceremony, the Chinese representatives bowed and presented flowers before the remains of the CPV martyrs, extending their respect and deep condolences to the fallen heroes.

According to the South Korean Ministry of National Defense, the South Korean side this year will return to China the remains of 109 martyrs and 1,226 associated items, which were unearthed in different localities in South Korea in 2019 and 2020.

A handover ceremony will be held at the Incheon International Airport on Sept. 2. South Korea handed over the remains of 716 CPV martyrs to China for seven consecutive years from 2014 to 2020.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
How the USA has become a melting pot for anti-science 'viruses'

12:25, September 01, 2021 By Li Yidan, Qing Ming, Xian Jiangnan, Liu Ning ( People's Daily Online

For those who have been keeping up with America's COVID-19 stories, you've certainly been getting all your daily doses of puzzlement: how does the world's only superpower surrender to a fourth wave, even with its ample supply of vaccines?

To answer this question, we need to look at three groups of people: anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers and conspiracists. Together, they define America's chaotic COVID-19 response, turning the country into a melting pot for anti-science 'viruses'.

Let's begin with anti-vaxxers. You know what, the divide in COVID-19 vaccination rates in the US is now widening dangerously along partisan lines. While some states are pushing door-to-door COVID jabs, other states are bucking the trend, saying things like "Not on my watch!" It seems that everything, including matters of life or death, is now best viewed through a partisan lens.

But the fact is, the incessant partisan quarrels over vaccines can never encourage the public to get vaccinated, pretty much like all-day-long fights between parents won't persuade their child into eating healthy. And this political polarization is killing people, because the virus is, obviously, nonpartisan.

An equally baffling problem is the mask issue: to wear or not to wear a mask, that is the question for millions of Americans. And who on earth should the public listen to? No one has a definite answer. That's because health experts and politiciansranging from Dr. Anthony Fauci and the head of the CDC, to Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and even Barack Obamahave kept sending clashing and inconsistent messages to a baffled public.

For example, Senator Rand Paul, who introduced a bill to remove mask mandates on public transportation last month, was suspended from YouTube for one week after he posted a video claiming that most masks don't work. And don't forget Greg Abbott, governor of Texas. He was an adamant opponent for school mask mandates, and recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Well, the divide in vaccinations and mask wearing has made the pandemic in the US "a tale of two Americas", but it's not the end of the story. It is not only making the country worse, but making the world worse. By spreading conspiracy theories, such as the idea that the coronavirus was leaked from a Wuhan lab, it's making the global drive to save lives more and more irrelevant.

And the new low of America's misinformation campaign happened on the day when Joe Biden ordered American intelligence agencies to "redouble" its efforts to investigate the origins of COVID-19 in Wuhan. Intelligence agencies, yeah, you heard right, the ones that were responsible for concocting the "Weapons of Mass Destruction" hoax over Iraq.

So it's not hard to see, the US, which once prided itself on its melting pot for cultures and values, has become a melting pot for anti-science 'viruses'. American people are suffering; the whole world is suffering.

Hey, America, is this what you want?

Related:

Hey America! Now it is your turn

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Liang Jun)
Interview: China's services trade fair contributes to China-Brazil ties, says Brazilian specialist

Xinhua) 13:06, September 01, 2021

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- This year's China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) will play a key role in bolstering China-Brazil relations by strengthening their channel of communication, according to Brazilian specialist Jose Ricardo dos Santos Luz Junior.

In an interview with Xinhua, Luz Junior, CEO of Group of Corporate Leaders in China (LIDE China), an organization aiming to boost trade between China and Brazil, said the CIFTIS will promote China's relationship with Brazil and the rest of the world, "especially in terms of trade in services, which is a fundamental pillar for the development of high-quality trade."

The CIFTIS is a major platform for trade in services in China, and this year the fair will take place on Sept. 2-7 in Beijing, focusing on topics such as the digital economy and carbon neutrality.

The new driving engine of China's economic growth is the digital economy, which is fundamental to economic recovery and the sustainable development of the global economy, said Luz Junior, citing figures from a white paper on the development of China's digital economy, which said the digital economy in China developed "with a high growth rate of 9.7 percent, accounting for 38.6 percent of China's GDP in 2020, at 6.1 trillion U.S. dollars."

The paper was issued by the China Academy of Information and Communication Technology in April this year.

"Areas such as e-commerce, telemedicine, smart cities, 5G telecommunications, big data, artificial intelligence and online education are some of the digital economy sectors that will promote high-quality inclusive development," Luz Junior said.

China has been Brazil's largest trading partner since 2009, and their trade in 2020 has exceeded 100 billion U.S. dollars, Luz Junior said.

China and Brazil, he noted, have complementary economies, with a long-term relationship that is reflected in Brazil's significant participation in CIFTIS.

"Brazil's participation creates the potential for exchange and business opportunities in the trade in services sector, especially the digital economy," he added.

"This year aims to promote business opportunities in the area of services in a comprehensive manner, both within the scope of the Chinese domestic market and the international market," Luz Junior said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
109 remains of Chinese soldiers killed in Korean War casketed in S. Korea

Xinhua) 13:07, September 01, 2021

INCHEON, South Korea, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The remains of 109 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were casketed in South Korea on Wednesday to be sent back to their homeland, the South Korean defense ministry said.

The ceremony to lay the 109 remains in coffins was held in Incheon, west of the capital Seoul.

The 109 remains and 1,226 related relics were excavated from six regions in South Korea between 2019 and 2020, according to the defense ministry.

In 2014, South Korea agreed with China to repatriate the remains of fallen Chinese soldiers according to international law and humanitarian spirit, the ministry said.

From 2014 to 2020, South Korea had returned the remains of 716 Chinese People's Volunteers martyrs killed in the Korean War, including 437 in 2014, 68 in 2015, 36 in 2016, 28 in 2017, 20 in 2018, 10 in 2019 and 117 in 2020.

This year's repatriation ceremony, the eighth of its kind, is scheduled to be held at the Incheon International Airport on Thursday.

The Chinese People's Volunteers fought alongside the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) army in the Korean War against the South Korean army and the U.S.-led UN forces between 1950 and 1953.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
People's Daily Online launches versions in Swahili, Italian, and Kazakh (Cyrillic script)

People's Daily Online) 14:00, September 01, 2021

Beijing, Sept. 1 (Peoples Daily Online)--People's Daily Online launches new versions in Swahili, Italian and Kazakh (Cyrillic script) on Sept. 1, 2021, in an effort to continue expanding its worldwide programming to target new regions, groups, and content categories.

The three new versions will provide speakers of these languages with information about China's politics, economy, society, culture, science, and education, among other subjects, and will also facilitate exchanges between Chinese people and people in these regions. The move further lays a foundation for Peoples Daily Online to build a multi-language, multi-terminal, all-media, full-coverage, world-class news outlet that is global in scope.

The launch of the three new versions is an important step by Peoples Daily Online to further bolster and improve its international communications capacity, which always strives to adopt communication methods targeting audiences from different regions, countries and groups, in this way better telling Chinas stories, and presenting a true, multi-dimensional and panoramic view of China to the world.

After the launch, People's Daily Online will be available in 12 foreign languages: English, Japanese, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Korean, German, Portuguese, Swahili, Italian, and Kazakh (Cyrillic script).

(Web editor: Hongyu, Du Mingming)
When Koala Meets Panda 2021 China-Australia Short Video Contest kicks off

14:16, September 01, 2021 By Guanghan Zhang ( People's Daily Online

SYDNEY, Aug.31 (Peoples Daily Online)  When Koala Meets Panda is back again! Initiated by the Consulate-General of the Peoples Republic of China in Brisbane and organized by Peoples Daily Online Australia, When Koala Meets Panda 2021 China-Australia Short Video Contest will kick off on Sept.1, 2021.

This is the fifth year the contest has been held. The theme is "2021, When Koala Meets Panda. Much like last year, under the impact of COVID-19, peoples lives have been dramatically changed and traveling has become much harder. This years contest will continue to encourage everyone to break down the limitations of space and share their stories, memories, and thoughts about China and Australia through short videos.

While the Koala represents Australian youths and Australian society, the Panda symbolizes China or any related Chinese elements. Meet refers to ones personal perspectives. Participants can share their own personal understanding, experience or any other story they have heard about China or Australia. Videos are free to be presented in a variety of formats including, but not limited to, storytelling, scenario-based interpretation, drawing, sand paintings, animation, singing and rapping.

A poster for theWhen Koala Meets Panda 2021 China-Australia Short Video Contest

Dr. Xu Jie, Consul-General of the Peoples Republic of China in Brisbane said that the video contest has become an important platform for Chinese and Australian youths to share their life experiences, exchange their interests and enhance mutual understanding and friendship. Despite the pandemic, the desire of the Chinese and Australian people to maintain friendly relations and cooperation remains as strong as ever.

The Consulate General of the PRC in Brisbane will continue to promote China-Australia cultural exchanges and look forward to the active participation of more young people to continue contributing to China-Australian friendship, Dr. Xu Jie said.

The submission period will be open to the public for three months from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, 2021. Participants are required to post their videos on their social media accounts with the hashtag #koalameetspanda and link one of the event's official accounts with an at sign, @, using the handles below:

- Facebook: @whenkoalameetspanda

- Twitter: @koalameetspanda

- Instagram: @koalameetspandacontest

- TikTok: @whenkoalameetspanda

The short videos length should be anywhere between 10 seconds to 3 minutes. The four individual awards  namely, Best Story, Best Experience, Best Presentation and Best Cooperation  will be selected by a panel of professional judges, with the awardees receiving an award certificate and cash prize.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Chinese ambassador refutes "three wrong beliefs" on China-U.S. relations

Xinhua) 15:36, September 01, 2021

Photo taken on Sept. 24, 2015 shows the national flags of China (R) and the United States as well as the flag of Washington D.C. on the Constitution Avenue in Washington, capital of the United States. (Xinhua/Bao Dandan)

"Some people believe that China is betting against America, and China's goal is to challenge and displace America. This is a serious misjudgment of China's strategic intention," said Chinese ambassador to the United States Qin Gang.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Some people in the United States are trying to deny the achievements of China-U.S. ties in the past 50 years and redefine bilateral relations by strategic competition, warned the Chinese ambassador to the United States Qin Gang on Tuesday.

"Now the China-U.S. relationship has come to another historical juncture, and it faces a very severe situation. The extreme China policy of the previous U.S. administration has caused serious damage to our relations, and such a situation has not changed," Qin said in his keynote speech at the Welcome Event by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR) Board of Directors.

"It goes against the fundamental interests of (the) Chinese and (the) American peoples and the wishes of the international community," he added.

There are "three wrong beliefs" on China-U.S. relations in the United States, noted the ambassador.

"Some people believe that China is betting against America, and China's goal is to challenge and displace America. This is a serious misjudgment of China's strategic intention," he said.

Everything the Communist Party of China (CPC) does is for the purpose of meeting the people's aspiration for a better life, he said.

Photo taken on Feb. 10, 2021 shows the Empire State Building lit up in red for the Chinese Lunar New Year, in New York, the United States. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

"China never bets its own future on other countries. We only want to surpass ourselves. We never take surpassing the U.S. as our goal, and we never have the ambition to challenge and displace America, or to seek hegemony in the world," he said.

"China and the U.S. are inseparable stakeholders, and the success of one side is critical to the other. China does not bet against America. Instead, we are glad to see America resolve its problems by itself, not by undercutting other countries, or by prescribing medication for others," said Qin.

The ambassador said some people believe that America needs to deal with China from a position of strength.

"They think America can win the new 'Cold War' against China, just as it defeated the Soviet Union. This reflects a serious ignorance of history and China," he said.

"China is not the Soviet Union," he said. Under the leadership of the CPC, China's socialist democracy keeps improving, and the nation enjoys economic development, social stability and better livelihoods for the people, he added.

"China is closely linked to the U.S. and integrated with the world. China never engages in aggression or expansion. It never exports its political system or development model. It is committed to peaceful, open, cooperative and common development, and works to build a community with a shared future for mankind," said Qin.

Photo taken in Los Angeles County on March 26, 2020 shows donations from the Chinese-American community in Palos Verdes, Southern California, the United States. (Photo by Maggie Wang/Xinhua)

Moreover, the ambassador said, "some people believe that cooperation is being phased out by competition and confrontation. This is a very misleading perception for the prospects of China-U.S. relations."

"In fact, the need for China-U.S. cooperation is not decreasing, but increasing. Our two countries should not be enemies, but partners," he said.

The American business community in China value the Chinese market, they are optimistic about the Chinese economy, and they hope to stay in China and expand their investments. They are firmly opposed to the trade war, to decoupling, and to cutting off supplies to Chinese companies, he said.

"Currently, COVID-19 is still rapidly spreading worldwide. International terrorism is still active. Climate change has sent a "Code Red" to humanity. Regional hotspots keep surfacing. As two major countries, coordination and cooperation between China and the U.S. become all the more necessary and urgent. This is also the general expectation of the international community," he said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
US uses politics of fear to target China

16:04, September 01, 2021 By Gu Guoping ( China Daily

SONG CHEN/CHINA DAILY

The newly released US intelligence report shows US President Joe Biden has not forsaken the policy of his predecessor Donald Trump, even though the global situation demands that he abandon the practice of garnering support by spreading political fear of imaginary enemies.

When Biden won the US presidential election last year, many expected him to put Sino-US relations back on the right track after the four tumultuous years of the Trump administration. But even more than seven months into his presidency, Biden has not changed the US' policy toward China. Instead, he has continued to push the bilateral relationship downhill, and made threats and rhetoric part of his China policy.

The Biden administration has done a lot to boost the US' competitiveness in the global market and repair the damage caused by Trump's "America first" policy to the US' global image and influence. The common feature of these disparate policy initiatives is their focus on the "China threat" theory.

Biden has repeatedly said "America is back" and worked to rebuild the US' alliances with Western and Asia-Pacific countries, and restore its global leadership while emphasizing the importance of democratic values to consolidate the US' relations with its allies. Domestically, the US Congress has passed a number of acts to boost investment, and research and innovation in the infrastructure sector. Yet all those policies have anti-Chinese undercurrents.

Even on the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, Biden tried to rationalize his decision by saying China and some other countries "would love nothing more than the United States to continue to funnel billions of dollars in resources and attention into stabilizing Afghanistan indefinitely".

The "China threat" theory and China-bashing seem to have become the norm in US political discourse. Biden himself has called China "the most serious competitor". And US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan have said China is the "greatest long-term national security threat".

In fact, for most of the US administration officials, China is the imaginary enemy, and democracy versus autocracy is the main point of contention between the two sides.

Cold War-like rhetoric aside, the administration has also used US domestic laws and regulations to make its China policy more confrontational. China seems to be "driving" the Biden administration's actions on both the foreign and domestic fronts. In April, a bipartisan legislation, the "Strategic Competition Act of 2021", was enacted to give the US the upper hand against China in global market competitions.

Also, the US has tried to bring its allies under an anti-China umbrella. The Biden administration has elevated the Quad, as part of the US' broader Indo-Pacific strategy, from a ministerialto a summit-level mechanism. And the NATO summit in Brussels in June, for the first time, said China was a "systemic challenge". The US is trying to build new anti-Chinese alliances, too, including so-called democracy alliance, tech alliance and supply chain alliance.

Given his efforts to contain China, it sounded surreal when Biden told a joint session of Congress one day shy of his 100th day in the White House that, "America is rising anew, choosing hope over fear, truth over lies, and light over darkness."

What he has done in relation to China is just the opposite, as the politics of fear now reigns in Washington and many Western capitals.

The politics of fear is not new to the US. Whenever the Americans have felt a threat, real or imaginary, they have used the politics of fear to garner public support. In the late 1790s, it appeared in the form of the Alien and Seditions Acts amid widespread fear that a war with France was imminent. In the late 1910s, it took the form of Red Scare precipitated by World War I and the October Revolution in Russia. During World War II, we saw its reflection in the forced relocation of ethnic Japanese. And in the late 1940s and 1950s, it took the form of McCarthyism when Americans feared communist infiltration of the US government.

The reason why the US has resorted to the politics of fear is that it helps protect the incumbent administration by garnering more popular support.

These fear-driven policies have had serious consequences, though. Whenever US administrations used such policies, innocent people were persecuted and victimized, justice was trampled and intolerance prevailed. And the political environment, both domestic and international, became poisonous, making it almost impossible to hold meaningful dialogues and promote cooperation.

So Biden's China policy seems to be a recipe for disaster, as Asian Americans have been, on many occasions, the targets of racism and hate crimes, and US scientists who have worked with their Chinese counterparts have been investigated or persecuted. Worse, Biden's China policy has prompted many observers to warn that the US is triggering a new Cold War.

Far-sighted politicians should look for hope instead of using fear to further their agenda. In a world of growing interdependence, many issues of common concern, including the COVID-19 pandemic still raging in many parts of the world, climate change, the security and political uncertainties created by the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, and the common cause of alleviating poverty and promoting development across the world, call for joint efforts of the international community, including the US and China.

As former US president Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself". So it's time the Biden administration stopped trying to instill fear in the US public and people in other countries about the rise of China and put its China policy back on the right track.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Opening gala of sixth ethnic minority art festival held in Beijing

Xinhua) 16:31, September 01, 2021

Artists stage a performance at an opening gala of the sixth ethnic minority art festival in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2021. The opening gala of the sixth ethnic minority art festival was held in Beijing on Tuesday evening. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
City in SW Chinas Yunnan makes headway in flower breeding

People's Daily Online) 16:39, September 01, 2021

Photo shows blooming Barberton daisies in a national modern agricultural industry park in Kaiyuan city, southwest Chinas Yunnan province. (Photo/Li Haiqing)

A national modern agricultural industry park in Kaiyuan city, southwest Chinas Yunnan province, has made remarkable scientific and technological progress in flower breeding in recent years.

So far, the park has independently developed 29 varieties of chrysanthemum and wintersweet flowers, introduced and developed 168 new varieties of flowers having independent intellectual property rights, and preserved more than 1,000 copies of germplasm resources. It also produced 265 million flower seedlings during the period from January to July, with an output value of 870 million yuan (about $134.5 million). The park has also patents for the seeds of high-quality flowers such as roses, Barberton daisies, butterfly orchids, and chrysanthemums, breaking the long-standing monopoly of foreign flower varieties.

Over the past few years, the park has attracted 25 well-known flower enterprises both at home and abroad, including Schreurs and Anthura from the Netherlands, and has established long-term cooperation mechanisms with eight famous Chinese universities and research institutes such as the China Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU), and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Last year, NAU set up a workstation at the park with experts led by the universitys president, Chen Fadi, who specializes in the genetic breeding of chrysanthemum. The workstation has 5,000-square meter intelligent greenhouses, which are equipped with intelligent water and fertilizer control systems, ventilation and temperature control devices, and other facilities.

This May, six doctoral and graduate students majoring in horticulture were stationed at the workstation to conduct research on the breeding of new chrysanthemum varieties and the protection of their germplasm resources.

The workstation has a repository for the preservation of the flowers germplasm resources on the parks premises, and plans to build the worlds largest germplasm bank of chrysanthemum by transplanting 5,000 specimens of seeds collected and preserved by NAU, over 3,800 specimens preserved by a local company and about 280 specimens of traditional Chinese chrysanthemum seeds.

Equipped with advanced facilities, the workstation provides reliable research data, which greatly facilitate the research and development of new varieties and the protection of germplasm resources, said Ma Xu, director of the management bureau of the park.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Chinese ambassador to South Africa says 'Wuhan lab leak scenario' is a fabrication

16:53, September 01, 2021 By Wang Lei ( People's Daily Online

Johannesburg, Aug. 31 (People's Daily Online)--In a virtual briefing on COVID-19 origin-tracing on Aug. 30, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Chen Xiaodong branded America's search for the virus's origin as a "witch hunt." The so-called Wuhan lab leak theory is full of loopholes. It is a complete fabrication. Chen continued, China has been open and transparent on origin-tracing cooperation. We have nothing to hide.

As Chen stated, China invited the WHO to conduct an origin-tracing investigation in China in July 2020 and March 2021, and fully supported the work of the WHO expert team. Throughout the tours, China made every effort to plan and coordinate relevant departments in order to accommodate the needs of WHO experts. He said that China's COVID-19 reaction demonstrated that the country has no reservations about sharing information with the rest of the globe.

Some US officials, Chen said, were obsessed with stigmatizing the coronavirus by linking it with specific countries and locations. These moves do nothing but politicize the COVID-19 origin-tracing process. These politicians have also attempted to pressure the WHO into conducting a so-called phase-2 investigation into China.

In the name of conducting origin tracing, it should be based on science, with the US instead attempting to plant evidence to incriminate China. Whatever the US side says or does on origin tracing has turned into nothing but a farce and a terrible scandal for the international community.

In closing, Ambassador Chen Xiaodong noted, Like all countries in the world, China is a victim of COVID-19 and we all hope to identify the source of this virus as soon as possible and stop its spread as early as possible.

It is important for the international community to join hands to fight against not only COVID-19, but also the political viruses.

We need to jointly oppose the self-serving actions of the US through its political manipulation, presumption of guilt and blame-shifting.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
The Board resolution dated August 30, 2021, the BOD of Halcom VietNam Joint Stock Company (HID) approved to contribute capital to establish a subsidiary with details as follows:

- Company name: Halcom - Hau Giang Solar Power Joint Stock Company

- Charter capital: VND100,000,000,000 (HID contributed VND98,000,000,000, accounting for 98% of charter capital of Halcom - Hau Giang Solar Power Joint Stock Company).

- Address: hamlet 8, Hoa An Commune, Phung Hiep District, Hau Giang Province.

- Time of implementation: expected in Quarter 4/2021.

- To appoint Mrs. Bui Thi Xuyen as representative of contributed capital of HID in Halcom - Hau Giang Solar Power Joint Stock Company.
Here are the winners! Here are the winners!

Thousands of people entered our big summer competition from 1 July to 31 August this year. Were you one of the winners? Find out below! Thousands of people entered our big...
The Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Tuesday posthumously awarded the title of "Role Model of the Times" to two officials who devoted their lives to the development of rural areas.

One of the recipients, Qiu Jun, fell ill at work in November and died in January at the age of 39.

Qiu originally worked as an official at China National Chemical Engineering Group in East China's Anhui province.

In 2018, he volunteered to go to Huachi county in Northwest China's Gansu province and served as the county's deputy head, committing himself to lifting the place out of poverty.

China National Chemical Engineering Group said Qiu overcame drastic changes in the natural environment, culture and job responsibilities and quickly familiarized himself with conditions in the county by diving into field research in 15 towns and villages.

After gaining overall knowledge of the county, he tapped into local features and led the development of dairy farming as the pillar industry, helping local people shake off poverty.

The other recipient was Sun Limei, former Party secretary of Guxian village in Xiapu county, Fujian province. She died early last month at the age of 44 during typhoon relief efforts.

She was also posthumously awarded the title "March 8th Red Banner Pacesetter", an honor that recognizes outstanding women in China, by the All-China Women's Federation, as well as "Outstanding Communist Party Member of Fujian".

The Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee said on Tuesday that Qiu and Sun worked on the front line of poverty alleviation and rural vitalization.

"They were excellent Party members, cadres and role models who served and were dedicated to the grassroots, took up their responsibilities and worked hard," it said.




China will focus on the development of government-subsidized rental housing in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) to ensure the housing security for the people.

The country has built over 80 million sets of government-subsidized and renovation housing, improving the living conditions of more than 200 million people with difficulties, Wang Menghui, minister of housing and urban-rural development, told a press conference Tuesday.

China's great achievement in setting up the world's largest housing security system has actively contributed to the country's success in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Wang added.

Among the different types of government-subsidized housing, the rental housing is built to mainly address the concerns of new dwellers and young people in big cities, while shared-ownership housing is mainly designed for people who can not afford commercial housing to improve their living conditions, said Wang.

China vowed to tackle prominent housing problems in large cities at the tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference held in December last year, listing the development of rental housing as one of its key economic tasks for 2021.

In this year's government work report, China reiterated the principle that "housing is for living in, not for speculation" for the third time since it was first proposed in 2016, vowing to keep the prices of land and housing as well as market expectations stable.




By Xu Lin

"Wink if you are abducted." If WHO heard this catchphrase, it would definitely wink.

Lately, the WHO Secretariat unilaterally put forth the so-called second-phase work plan for origin tracing of COVID-19, which laid special emphasis on "China's violation of laboratory procedures that caused the release of the virus". In sharp contrast, the WHO-China joint report of tracing the origins of the virus issued at the end of March this year clearly concluded that the "lab leak theory is extremely unlikely."

Looking back on how some American politicians have spared no effort in smearing China on the origin tracing since the COVID-19 pandemic first broke out, well find that the newly highlighted focus of the so-called second-phase origin tracing clicks perfectly with Americas assumption of guilt on China. Everyone sees clearly who the abductor is.

To back up their predetermined claim of lab leak, those people have abandoned scientific research and ordered brazenly the intelligence agency to come up with a conclusion on the origin tracing of the virus within 90 days. Its beyond apprehension how a major technology power can be so adamantly against science.

In fact, this was not the first time that Washington tried to use the WHO to serve its own purposes. Last year, when the world was in need of united efforts to combat the pandemic, it cut off its funding for the organization, then issued a public letter, before finally announcing its exit. The previous US administration left no stone unturned in slandering and smearing to bend WHO to its will and abandoned it without a second thought once it didnt have its way.

After the new administration came in office, it inherited from its predecessor the old trick of blame-shifting and smearing, targeting China and the WHO. When meeting with Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO recently, US Secretary of State Blinken once again urged the organization to focus on China in the so-called second-phase origin tracing, a shameless repeat of assumption of guilt.

But smearing others doesnt acquit itself. Multiple media outlets have reported the discovery of evidence of COVID-19 infections that earlier than the No.1 confirmed case in the US, dating back to November 2019 or even earlier. In July 2019, the EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury) that swept across the country had extremely similar symptoms as COVID-19; almost at the same time, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requested Fort Detrick to stop most of its operations

Apparently, to advance the origin tracing, the US should accept WHOs investigation, yet as the country most seriously hit by the virus, it has played dumb in front of the international communitys grave concerns over the biological lab at Fort Detrick and its more than 200 bio-labs all over the world.

Lies cannot cover up the truth. China has always taken an open, transparent and responsible attitude towards the origin tracing . The China-WHO- joint report of tracing the origins of the virus has come to the indisputable conclusion that the transmission of novel coronavirus from a lab to humans is "extremely unlikely". Science has no room for political manipulation. As the most authoritative and most professional international agency in the field of global public health security, WHO plays an indispensable, central role in coordination of the global fight against the pandemic, it should not and cannot be turned into certain peoples private tools to seek their selfish political interests.

The abductors infected with the American political virus are trying to hijack the WHO. Such a mean act fully reveals their disrespect for science, lack of responsibility for human lives, and unscrupulous destruction of the global solidarity against the pandemic.
Before World War II, an imperial edict imbued young minds with militarism in Japan. Now, the nation's leaders are at it again, only this time the instrument is called a defense white paper targeting children, rather than the Imperial Rescript on Education penned in the Meiji era.

In a move reminiscent of prewar Japan, the Japanese government last week released the defense white paper with content tailored for elementary and junior high school students.

At first glance, the 30-page report gives an explanation of issues including Japan's national security environment, its relations with nearby countries and new battlefields such as space and cyberspace. But the document hypes up tensions in a way that is likely to create a sense of threat in the minds of the young readers.

In one chapter on the security environment affecting Japan, the paper said: "Not only are countries with the greatest military power in the world gathering, but they are also strengthening their military power and activating military activities." It goes on to accuse China of "increasing the amount of money it spends on the military at a fast pace without giving detailed explanations".

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Friday that China firmly objects to Japan's defense paper aimed at children, and has lodged solemn representations with Japan, urging Tokyo not to mislead the next generation.

"China has made clear its solemn position on the Defense of Japan 2021 white paper," Zhao said. "I would like to stress once again that China firmly opposes Japan's unreasonable accusations against China's normal defense building, irresponsible remarks on China's legitimate maritime activities and the hypeup of the so-called 'China threat'."

Zhao said the document was a means for Tokyo to smear China.

"It is not constructive at all for Japan to highlight external threats and incite confrontation among minors," he said. "The Japanese side should earnestly face up to and reflect on history, learn lessons from history, and refrain from taking wrong actions to mislead its people, especially the next generation."

Sparking strong protest

The document has also sparked a strong protest from the South Korean government, which lodged diplomatic protests with Japan in Seoul and Tokyo. The country urged Japan to "immediately delete the document".

Liu Qingbin, a professor at the Institute of Advanced Sciences at Yokohama National University, said the Japanese move is a completely retrogressive approach that the country's neighbors cannot fail to link with Japan's brutal past.

"Before World War II, the Imperial Rescript on Education brainwashed young people into supporting territorial expansion by convincing them that they were doing it for Asia's own good because it is much easier to rally people like this than rally people around a mission that they believe is about killing or exploiting people," Liu said. "Now they are indoctrinating children again and people start to wonder, what's it for this time?"
SHANGHAI, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- A fleet of two ships dispatched by the China Coast Guard (CCG) has completed a patrol mission of 2021 to enforce fisheries law in the high seas of the North Pacific Ocean and has returned to the eastern city of Shanghai.

During the 31-day patrol, the coast guard ships conducted inspections and supervision on fishing boats operating in the North Pacific Ocean in accordance with relevant regulations, according to the CCG.

They observed and recorded 111 fishing boats and boarded to check three boats, which have effectively fulfilled the law enforcement responsibility in high seas and maintained the fishery production order of the North Pacific Ocean, said the CCG.
Chinese leaders watch gala featuring ethnic minority cultures

EditorChen Zhuo Time2021-09-01 15:45:06

Xi Jinping meets with representatives of the performers, organizers and primary-level Party members of 56 ethnic groups, before an opening gala of the sixth ethnic minority art festival in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2021. Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning and other senior leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state watched the gala in Beijing on Tuesday evening. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping and other senior Chinese leaders watched an opening gala of the sixth ethnic minority art festival in Beijing on Tuesday evening.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, joined an audience of more than 3,000 people at the Great Hall of the People.

The gala included songs, dances and other performances, showcasing the distinctive cultures of different ethnic groups.

Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning and other senior Party and state leaders also attended the gala.

Before the gala, the leaders met with representatives of the performers, organizers and primary-level Party members of 56 ethnic groups.

The festival will run until Sept. 24, during which time 42 performances will be staged online.

SourceXinhuanet
Soldiers escort coffins containing the remains of Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War during a burial ceremony in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 4, 2019. Remains of 10 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were reburied Thursday in China after they were returned from the Republic of Korea (ROK). (Xinhua/Yang Qing)

BEIJING, Sept. 1 -- The martyrs' remains search and identification center under China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs and relevant military units have extracted the DNA information of the remains of the Chinese People's VolunteersCPVmartyrs and established a database by technical means since the beginning of this year. The identity and kinship of four martyrs including Liang Baiyou, Zhan Zhizhong, Wu Xiongkui, and Lin Shuishi have been identified.

The identification of the remains of unknown martyrs is difficult due to long time, lack of information, and distant kinship. Over the past 70 years, most of the relatives and friends who knew the martyrs have passed away, while the relevant household registration information is difficult to research and verify.

At the same time, the identification work also faces the challenge in extracting DNA from the remains of martyrs. The remains of martyrs were wounded by war and damaged by environmental factors after being hurriedly buried on the battlefield, causing their DNA information to be severely degraded. The expert team sifted multiple formulas and finally successfully extracted DNA information from more than 95 percent of the samples, reaching the world-leading level.

Next, Chinas Ministry of Veterans Affairs will conduct information alignment by informatization and big data technology, establish a kinship information database for more than 20,000 CPV martyrs who died in South Korea, and collect the DNA information from the relatives of martyrs in phases and batches. The relevant work is very important and needs to be in a race against time.

After the completion of the DNA database of the relatives of martyrs, the remains of CPV martyrs handed over between China and South Korea every year can be compared with the DNA database so more "unknown" martyrs could be identified.
A professor at a private university was dismayed by a request from a government agency to recommend a foreign language expert. In the request, French was classified among the lesser-spoken foreign languages in Korea, along with African and Southeast Asian tongues. The professor was sad to see that French had dropped so low, as France, along with Germany, has been the source of many of the Western world's literary masterpieces.

German and French were once the preferred foreign languages among Korean high school and university students. Knowledge of German was required for students seeking to study literature at university during the Japanese colonial period, and German and Latin were required courses for university students. Until the mid 1970s a substantial number of Korean students could speak at least a few sentences in French and German, because they were among the subjects included on university entrance exams. In 1998, some 79 percent or 1.11 million high school students in Korea studied French, German, Chinese, Japanese or Spanish, with French and German the most popular.

After 2000, globalization bolstered the popularity of English, and Chinese and Japanese also grew in popularity as trade with China and Japan increased. German and French dropped off the radar screen. Fewer high schools offer the languages, and Russian and Arabic have been added, increasing the number of foreign languages studied at high schools from five to seven. But only 46.6 percent of high school students studied foreign languages other than English in 2007. Some 62 percent of them chose to study Japanese, while 26 percent opted for Chinese, with German and French growing ever more unpopular.

According to the results of the 2010 College Scholastic Aptitude Test announced on Monday, 42.3 percent or around 50,000 high school students chose Arabic in the second language section of the test. On the surface it may seem as if Korean students have finally realized the need to understand Muslim culture, with Arabic following Chinese and Japanese in popularity. However, this is not the case -- in fact not a single high school in Korea teaches Arabic. The explanation is that the Arabic test only covers around 400 to 600 relatively easy words, so students signed up for it in the hope that it would be easier and they would earn high scores for less efforts.

The popularity of foreign languages ebb and flow according to varying trends and needs. But the preference for a particular foreign language is especially extreme in Korea. It seems wrong to discard our interest in certain languages simply because others could be more useful in the job market.
U.S. climate envoy John Kerry met in Tokyo on Tuesday with Japan's top diplomat to push efforts to fight climate change ahead of a United Nations conference in November.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi highlighted what he said was the importance of getting other major carbon emitters, especially China, to cooperate. "China is the world's biggest carbon emitter and the number two economy as well, and it is extremely important that we encourage China to firmly fulfill its responsibility to match its place," Motegi told reporters after his meeting with Kerry.

Motegi added that he hoped Japan and the United States would lead global decarbonizing efforts at the UN conference to be held in Glasgow in late November, known as COP26, and beyond.

The United States is the second-largest carbon emitter. Japan is fifth. Kerry was also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, as well as Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshi Kajiyama.
European Union ministers will hold an emergency meeting Tuesday to discuss preventing uncontrolled migration from Afghanistan after the Taliban's seizure of the country, according to a statement drafted for the meeting.

EU member states hope to prevent a refugee crisis like the one fueled by Syria's civil war in 2015. The EU was unprepared for the influx of more than a million refugees and migrants that created splits among members, while also energizing far-right parties, as camps in Greece, Italy and other countries became filled.

A wave of migrants from Afghanistan is likely to escalate tensions among EU members. The draft says the member nations likely will fund the housing for refugees in countries bordering Afghanistan to prevent them from coming to Europe.


Police on Tuesday raided the office of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon over allegations that he lied during a debate before the by-elections in April that brought him back into office.

Police are investigating charges that Oh made false claims about a contentious urban development project in southern Seoul by denying any role in it.

The project, a huge retail complex in Yangjae-dong, began in 2006 but was killed off due to blatant favoritism in the selection of lots compounded by funding shortages.

"The city government was not involved in the project during my tenure" as Seoul mayor from July 2006 to August 2011, Oh said in the debate.

But a civic group loyal to the ruling Minjoo Party reported Oh to the police because it was the city goverment that gave the project the green light in 2008.

The city government protested against the raid and accused police of using excessive force. It said in a statement, "Oh's remarks in the debate aimed to suggest that he was not involved in any illegal business related to the project. A simple query before the raid would have sufficed, but it is now being made to look as if a major crime had been committed by the head of a metropolitan government affiliated with the opposition."


Hyundai plans to showcase it at the International Motor Show that kicks off next Tuesday in Munich.

The robotaxi was developed jointly with autonomous-vehicle company Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and U.S. mobility start-up Aptiv.

The exterior has a rotating lidar and camera and radar sensors on the roof that enable it to "see" up to 300 m ahead in 360 degrees.

"A total of 31 sensors make the vehicle aware of its surroundings and support safe autonomous driving," the carmaker said in a press release. "It comes with extra systems for navigation, steering, braking and power supply, so if a main system fails, a backup system jumps in immediately."

Hyundai plans to launch a robotaxi service in major cities in the U.S. in 2023 along with ride-sharing app Lyft.

"Motional has conducted more than 100,000 self-driving rides without any accident or malfunction," it added.
The South Korean government has called for humanitarian aid for North Korea even as the country alarmed the international community by restarting its nuclear reactor in Yongbyon.

In an opening speech at a forum in Seoul on Tuesday, Unification Minister Lee In-young said, "There is now international consensus that we need to seek ways to resolve North Korea's difficulties as early as possible despite international sanctions."

Seoul "hopes that the two Koreas can restart dialogue on the path of humanitarian cooperation to protect each other's life and safety and create a healthier community together," he added.

Meanwhile the chief South Korean nuclear negotiator met his U.S. counterpart in Washington on Monday and also tried to persuade him of the need for humanitarian support for the North.

Noh Kyu-duk said, "South Korea and the U.S. have already discussed what both can do with regard to humanitarian support for the North."

But his U.S. counterpart Sung Kim only said that the U.S. and South Korea reaffirmed their commitment to seeking the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through diplomatic efforts. He added Washington is looking forward to hearing a response from Pyongyang.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

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Sun and clouds mixed. High 89F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low near 70F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High near 90F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low near 70F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
Woburn, MA (01801)

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Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 75F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph..

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Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low near 65F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
Woodville, AL (35768)

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Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High around 85F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Woodville, AL (35768)

Today

Mixed clouds and sun this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High near 85F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Seventeen years ago, Inventrek Technology Park opened its doors in response to layoffs that were occurring at Delphi Electronics and Safety. By opening as a business incubator, with low rental rates and support for startup companies, its proponents hoped to capture the intellectual capital that was being cast off from Delphi.

That same year, in 2004, two Delphi engineers already had decided to start their own business creating robotics parts. The pair, Andy Baker and Mark Koors, launched AndyMark and worked from their homes.

Three short years later, their company had grown enough that the pair decided to leave Delphi and focus on the robotics business fulltime. Being familiar with Inventrek, as it was a former Delphi building, Baker and Koors applied to be tenants, were accepted, and then moved in in the late summer of 2007.

The business partners immediately saw the benefit of being a part of Inventrek.

Youre around like-minded people who are also trying to start a business, and theres a lot of focus in that facility to help small businesses grow, providing advice and resources for entrepreneurs, said Baker in an earlier interview.

AndyMark called Inventrek home for four years. In 2011, the company outgrew the space and moved out to a building on North Washington Street. Since then, the company has continued to grow. Two years ago, AndyMark celebrated another expansion as it moved to an 88,000-square-foot facility on East North Street, doubling its operations.

The move marked a $1.5 million investment. The company distributes its robotics parts to more than 70 countries.

Today, AndyMark remains one of Inventreks biggest success stories and fulfilled Inventreks mission: to help grow startup businesses until theyre large enough to graduate into their own building and pour back into the local economy.

In the years since, Inventrek has been home to countless startup businesses, many of them also finding success and graduating from the facility. With the current tenants, Mike McCool, manager of Inventrek, said theres a lot of potential for more success.

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We have a lot of potential here to peel back the onion, and I think theres more growth from an entrepreneurial perspective. Were just starting to make some really good end roads, McCool said.   We continue to look for that next AndyMark. So how can we find them? How can we nurture them? How can we assist them in developing their business, their ideas, and their products?

Currently, Inventrek has 44 tenants and boasts 100% occupancy. Tenants include Maverick Security, a company that provides residential and commercial security cameras and alarm systems; JDog Junk Removal and Hauling, a veteran-owned company that offer hauling services; Foster Accounting, which provides solutions for small businesses; a2z Promotions, a business that offers promotional products for various industries; and Meadows Medical Center, a pediatricians office, to name a few.

In addition to serving startup businesses, Inventrek also assists entrepreneurs who arent quite ready to lease dedicated office space by offering them space in The Shared Drive, a co-working facility that offers a professional environment and business amenities for $40 a month.

Currently, The Shared Drive has 17 members. McCool would like to see that number grow to hover around 50, but conceded COVID-19 has led many people to get used to working from their own homes.

In 2019, Inventrek took another step in helping area entrepreneurs grow their businesses by hosting a new business pitch competition called The Drive, which awarded $10,000 in seed money to participants. It was open to anyone with a startup idea or expansion of an existing business located within Howard County, and two of the top three winners were well-known within the facility.

The first-place winner of $6,000 was Tim Branyan, a member of The Shared Drive, and the second-place winner of $3,000 was Chris Rohaly, a longtime tenant of Inventrek with his company Green Alternatives Inc.

Rohaly is one of Inventreks latest success stories, having graduated a moving Green Alternatives to Flora.

McCool said Inventreks mission remains the same.

Our goals and purpose at Inventrek continue to be to help businesses grow and ultimately help the local economy grow. I think the services we continue to provide fit well in that, and so overall the general purpose hasnt really changed, McCool said.

Inventrek is located at 700 E. Firmin St. For more information about leasing space or becoming a member of The Shared Drive, call 765-457-2000.
Kokomo, IN (46901)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 61F. WSW winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
On 31 August civil society groups in El Salvador such as Cristosal and Fundacion de Estudios para la Aplicacion del Derecho (Fespad) warned that recently approved legislative reforms to the judiciary and attorney generals office (FGR) were unconstitutional and dealt a blow to judicial independence.

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On 31 August three United Nations (UN) agencies, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and International Organisation for Migration (OIM), issued a joint appeal to the Mexican authorities to protect the human rights of migrants.

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On 31 August Venezuelas main opposition parties announced that they will not boycott the regional and municipal elections on 21 November.

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On 31 August, it was reported that a Brazilian court in Rio de Janeiro state authorised investigators to be given access to the banking and fiscal records of, a Rio city councillor and one of Presidents sons, as part of a corruption probe.

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September 1, 2021 Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH Committee Report No. 293 Metropolitan Davao Development Authority Coordination involves integration. Coordination integrates all diverse interest and efforts of all individuals, and ensures unity of action to achieve the common goals of an organization.1 Nonetheless, coordination is a fundamental problem of public administration and policy. Good afternoon Mr. President and distinguished colleagues: It is my honor and privilege to co-sponsor House Bill No. 8930 under Committee Report No. 293, otherwise known as the "Metropolitan Davao Development Authority Act." For the record Mr. President, I also filed a similar measure, Senate Bill No. 2153 which was considered by the Committee in its report. Not so long ago, Congress passed the law creating the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority or the MMDA through Republic Act No. 7924. One of the objectives of the law is to ensure proper planning, monitoring and coordination within Metro Manila without diminution of the autonomy of local government units concerning purely local matters. With the creation of the MMDA, we have seen notable improvements especially with the delivery of metro-wide services, as highlighted even more during this extraordinary time of pandemic. House Bill No. 8930, seeks the same objective but this time, for the largest metropolitan area in the southern part of the Philippines, Metro Davao. Mr. President, in 2020, the Philippine Statistics Authority ranked the entire Davao Region as 5th highest per capita Gross Regional Domestic Product and Gross Regional Domestic Expenditure out of the 17 regions across the country, improving its ranking from 6th in 2019. This, Mr. Chair, despite the adverse economic effects brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic last year. Tunay ngang masasabi natin na hindi magpapahuli ang ating mga kababayan sa Mindanao sa pagpapaunlad ng ating ekonomiya. With its rich biodiversity and natural resources which makes the region attractive to investments and development, Mindanao truly is the land of promise. Mr. President, ang pagsasabatas ng Metropolitan Davao Development Authority Act ay maituturing na pakikiisa sa bayanihan nang pagpapaunlad ng buong rehiyon ng Davao. Bawat lungsod at munisipyo tulong tulong; magkatuwang tungo sa pagpapalago ng ekonomiya ng ating bansa. Tunay ngang masasabi natin hindi na lang "Bayanihan, we heal as one" kung hindi "Bayanihan, we move as one." Sa ilalim ng MDDA, mas mapagtitibay ang bayanihan sa pagpapaunlad ng rehiyon ng mga Lungsod ng Davao; Lungsod ng Panabo, Tagum at Samal, at Munisipyo ng Carmen sa Davao del Norte; Lungsod ng Digos sa Davao del Sur; Lungsod ng Mati sa Davao Oriental; Munisipyo ng Sta. Cruz, ang aking hometown, Mr. President, Hagonoy, Padada, Malalag in Davao del Sur; Munisipyo ng Maco sa Davao de Oro at Malita sa Davao Occidental. While every LGU has an independent local autonomy, we emphasize on the importance of having a properly coordinated, if not unified, plans for infrastructure, security and disaster resiliency, waste disposal, traffic, among others. Truly, the alignment of policies, projects and programs will ensure unhampered growth of the entire region, and not only the region's major city. The creation of the MDDA will give rise to strong coordination in development planning in the region thereby assuring steadfast achievement of sustainable inclusive economic growth. Ultimately, this will redound to the benefit of our national economy. As the saying goes "without coordination, there can never be progress." Mr. President, let's make it happen not only for my kababayans from Davao region but for the benefit of the entire country may they be from Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao. Daghang salamat at maayong hapon sa atong tanan, Mr. President!
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September 1, 2021 Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH

Committee Report No. 294 Charter of the City of Baguio Naimbag a malem (Good afternoon) Mr. President and distinguished colleagues. Baguio City has been popularly described as a premiere tourist destination in the Northern part of the Philippines with its cool climate, foggy hills, panoramic views lovely flowers and good looking PMA cadets. Thus, making Baguio as one of the forefronts in boosting the country's economy through tourism. But Baguio City is more than that. As I quote Mayor Benjamin Magalong, "Baguio has been a testament of everything that has been achieved since 1909." Mr. President, it is my honor and privilege to co-sponsor House Bill No. 8882 under Committee Report No. 294, otherwise known as the "Revised Charter of the City of Baguio." On September 1, 1909, Baguio, then a municipality of Benguet province in Northern Luzon, was declared a chartered city by virtue of Act No. 1963 which paved the way for the City's development. Halos panahon pa nila American Governor Luke Wright, Architect Daniel Burnham, Colonel Lyman Kennon, at iba pa. Panahon pa ng mga Amerikano ika-nga. Incidentally, we commemorate Baguio's charter which turned 112 years old today. Mr. President, I'm sure most, if not all, will agree that in our present modern time, a 112-year old charter is no longer responsive to the needs of our kababayans from Baguio. Commendably, despite its old charter, Baguio has managed to adopt to changes in their quest of attaining its mission of creating a sustainable and enabling environment that will promote economic stability and ensure the general well-being of its citizenry. Tulad nga ng sabi ng butihing ama ng Baguio na si Mayor Benjamin Magalong, they have shown the world how much more can be won in unity and cooperation. To recall, during the 15th Congress, a similar bill was passed by both houses but was vetoed by the late President Aquino. This time Mr. President, we have again on our hands the future of our kababayans and future generations of Baguio City. With the help of our hardworking sponsor from Cavite, my seatmate Senator Tolentino, the issues raised by the then President's veto has been adequately addressed without disregarding the needs of our fellow Filipinos who will directly benefit from it. Today Mr. President is Baguio City's 112th Charter Day. I am certain, that the sponsorship of this bill today is far more than enough to celebrate with them despite being hundreds of kilometers away from the summer capital of the Philippines as this bill will give absolute fruition to their 112th Charter Day Anniversary theme: "Moving Forward as One". As I would always proudly say, isa akong tubong Davao but Baguio will always be my home in the North. I urge my dear colleagues for the earnest passage of the Revised Charter of Baguio City. Join me in wishing Baguio City and its residents, Happy 112th Charter Day! Mabuhay ang Baguio City! Thank you, Mr. President.
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September 1, 2021 De Lima: Duterte is the mastermind behind 8.6 billion 'Pharmally heist' For opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima, President Duterte is clearly the mastermind behind the 8.6 Billion awarded contracts to Pharmally Corp., after he already admitted direct and close links both to the official who made the award and the businessman associated with Pharmally Corp. De Lima said Duterte already admits all links to all persons involved in the anomalous transactions, including his former economic adviser, Chinese businessman Michael Yang, and ex-Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao. "I do not know what else the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee can dig up on the identity of the mastermind behind the 42 billion DOH-to-DBM transfer and almost 9 billion in contracts awarded to Pharmally Corporation, after Duterte already admitted all links to all persons involved in the anomalous transactions," she said in her Dispatch from Crame No. 1138. "Apparently, the mastermind behind the 8.6 billion Pharmally heist is none other than Duterte himself," she added. De Lima further said that this could be the reason why "Duterte will do everything in his power to hide his SALN," adding, "maybe the AMLC can enlighten us on the covered and suspicious transactions that are most likely identified in Duterte's bank accounts since the start of the pandemic and shed light on the utterly corrupted nature of the being who is Rodrigo Duterte." During his taped address last Aug. 30, Duterte came to the defense of Yang and Lao after Senators mentioned the alleged ties between Yang and Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, a small company whose offices can no longer be located and that has been the government's biggest provider of medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lao is the DBM official who awarded the deal to Pharmally as head of the DBM-PS. Congressional hearings revealed that Pharmally has bagged over P8.68 billion worth of government contracts, including the purchase of allegedly overpriced medical supplies for COVID-19. De Lima said Lao's smugness and overbearing confidence in the Blue Ribbon hearings can be traced to his close ties with Duterte. "Astoundingly, Duterte admitted that Lloyd Christopher Lao is his fraternity brother, campaign team leader, and trusted Davao lawyer. That is why Lao had no problem making the rounds in high government offices (PMS Undersecretary, HLURB CEO) before settling as DBM Undersecretary," she said. Likewise, De Lima also highlighted how Duterte admitted his close ties to Yang, whom she described as "the main character linked to Pharmally Corporation and who has probably received a hefty commission in the 8.6 billion DBM-PS payoff, after probably handing over the bulk of the profits to Duterte." "Duterte says Yang is a businessman, and it is only normal for him to acquire contracts from the government. In fact, he adds, Yang is an investor. Apparently, Duterte also admits that in fact it was his close friend Yang and his associates who have indeed bagged the 8.6 billion worth of government contracts courtesy of Duterte's brod, DBM Usec Christopher Lao," she noted. After all the revelations, De Lima said both Lao and Yang connect directly to Duterte even without the need of Sen. Bong Go. "With this whole picture gratuitously drawn for us by Duterte, the Blue Ribbon Committee now does not even need to connect Sen. Bong Go to this whole corruption network involving Duque, Christopher Lao, Michael Yang, Pharmally, and Duterte," she said.
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September 1, 2021 Sponsorship Speech at the Commission on Appointments

by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson

Sept. 1, 2021 More at: https://pinglacson.net/2021/09/01/sponsorship-speech-for-20-dfa-officials-at-the-commission-on-appointments/ Mr. Chairman, distinguished members of the Commission on Appointments, this Representation as the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs presided over a public hearing this morning to deliberate on the nominations of eight (8) Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. The Committee likewise deliberated on the ad interim appointments of twelve (12) Senior Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs consisting of two (2) Senior Officials who are promoted to the rank of Chief of Mission, Class I; four (4) Senior Officials promoted to the rank of Chief of Mission, Class II; five (5) Senior Officials promoted to the rank of Career Minister; and, one (1) Senior Official promoted to the rank of Foreign Service Officer, Class I. Your Committee, after deliberating on their qualifications and fitness during the public hearing, determined that they are fit and qualified to be in the posts where they are nominated and appointed, and therefore ruled to recommend to the plenary their appointments for the consent and approval of this body. Mr. Chairman, may I request AMBASSADOR NORALYN JUBAIRA BAJA to rise to be recognized. Our nominee has relevant diplomatic credentials, particularly at the Philippine embassies in Athens, Greece, and Berlin, as well as leadership posts at the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations (UNOIO) where she has been consistently commended for her meritorious accomplishments. Mr. Chairman and distinguished colleagues, it is a great privilege and honor to recommend that this body give its consent to the nomination of AMBASSADOR NORALYN JUBAIRA BAJA as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of South Africa, with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Botswana, Kingdom of Eswatini, Kingdom of Madagascar, Republic of Mauritius, Republic of Mozambique, Republic of Namibia, Republic of Zambia and Republic of Zimbabwe, with the rank and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class I. I so move, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this representation requests AMBASSADOR EDUARDO ECO KAPUNAN JR. to stand up and be recognized. Our nominee is a pride of PMA's snappiest Matatag Class of 1971, the same PMA Class to which another one of your own, former Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., belongs. A Cavalier and Mistah or classmate, a friend, a venerable public servant with a colorful and challenging military career. His over 31 years of successful management and leadership experience and sound reputation to "get things done" in the face of challenging goals will be instrumental in carrying out his mandate as a diplomat. To this end, Mr. Chairman and distinguished colleagues, it is my distinct privilege and honor to recommend that this body give its consent to the nomination of AMBASSADOR EDUARDO ECO KAPUNAN JR as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Republic of Germany, with the rank and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class I. I so move, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, it is also my privilege to present AMBASSADOR JUNEVER M. MAHILUM- WEST. Our subject nominee has ably represented our country in her foreign postings at the Philippine Embassies in Paris, France; Geneva, Switzerland; and Toronto, Canada. In her current designation as the Assistant Secretary of the Office of ASEAN Affairs, she has steered the Philippine participation in establishing mechanisms to support the ASEAN's collective response to COVID-19 and to assist in setting our COVID-19 priorities. Mr. Chairman, it is my privilege and honor to recommend that this body give its consent to the nomination of AMBASSADOR JUNEVER M. MAHILUM-WEST as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the French Republic with concurrent jurisdiction over the Principality of Monaco, with the rank and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class I. I so move, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, next in line is AMBASSADOR DEENA JOY DY AMATONG. Ambassador Amatong entered the Foreign Service in 1997 and since then, has made significant strides to represent our country in her overseas posts at the Philippine Embassies in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Brussels, Belgium; Paris, France; and, Vienna, Austria. Mr. Chairman and distinguished colleagues, it is my privilege and honor to recommend that this body give its consent to the nomination of AMBASSADOR DEENA JOY DY AMATONG as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Lao People's Democratic Republic, with the rank and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class II. I so move, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, AMBASSADOR IGOR GARLIT BAILEN. Our nominee wears many hats - so to speak - a lawyer, an educator, and a writer, who has also distinguished himself as the top-notcher of the Foreign Service Officer Examinations in 1996. He has taken important roles in diplomatic services such as in Paris, France as the Permanent Delegate of the Philippines to UNESCO in various capacities and as a Minister of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York, USA. Mr. Chairman and distinguished colleagues, it is my privilege and honor to recommend that this body give its consent to the nomination of AMBASSADOR IGOR GARLIT BAILEN as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Russian Federation with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus and Republic of Kazakhstan, with the rank and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class II. I so move, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, AMBASSADOR ENRICO TRINIDAD FOS. A lawyer and a diplomat by profession, Ambassador Fos has notable accomplishments as the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Migrant Workers Affairs, particularly in leading the repatriation of our distressed overseas Filipino workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He also has well-reputed foreign service during his stints at the Philippine Embassy/Mission in Washington DC, U.S.A. and Geneva, Switzerland. Mr. Chairman and distinguished colleagues, it is my privilege and honor to recommend that this body give its consent to the nomination of AMBASSADOR ENRICO TRINIDAD FOS as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Norway with concurrent jurisdiction over the Republic of Iceland, with the rank and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class II. I so move, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, AMBASSADOR MARIE CHARLOTTE GOLIM TANG. Our nominee has been well-recognized for her valuable service and accomplishments in foreign policy development, and in her overseas postings particularly in The Hague, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and in Guangzhou and Beijing at the People's Republic of China. Mr. Chairman and distinguished colleagues, it is my privilege and honor to recommend that this body give its consent to the nomination of AMBASSADOR MARIE CHARLOTTE GOLIM TANG as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Kenya with concurrent jurisdiction over the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Seychelles, Federal Republic of Somalia, Republic of South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Uganda, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Burundi and Union of the Comoros, with the rank and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class II. I so move, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, last but definitely not the least in our roster - AMBASSADOR MARIAN JOCELYN R. TIROL-IGNACIO. Our nominee has competently served the Department of Foreign Affairs since 1996 and gained leadership roles at the offices of ASEAN Affairs and the United Nations and Other International Organizations. She also has relevant roles at the Philippine Embassies in Stockholm, Sweden, and Tokyo, Japan. During her stint, she puts a premium on important matters of biodiversity and climate change and digitalization and cyber security. Mr. Chairman and distinguished colleagues, it is my privilege and honor to recommend that this body give its consent to the nomination of AMBASSADOR MARIAN JOCELYN R. TIROL-IGNACIO as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Negara Brunei Darussalam, with the rank and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class II. I so move, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would also like to recommend to the Commission the confirmation of the ad interim appointments of the following officials to the rank of Chief of Mission, Class I: 1. MR. NARCISO TEODORO CASTANEDA. I so move, Mr. Chairman

2. MS. GINA ALAGON JAMORALIN. I so move, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would also like to recommend to the Commission the confirmation of the ad interim appointments of the following officials to the rank of Chief of Mission, Class II: 1. MS. NINA PADILLA CAINGLET. I so move, Mr. Chairman.

2. MS. MARIA THERESA STA. MARIA LAZARO. I so move, Mr. Chairman.

3. MR. PORFIRIO MARALIT MAYO JR. I so move, Mr. Chairman.

4. MR. IVAN FRANK MODEQUILLO OLEA. I so move, Mr. Chairman. I would also like to recommend to the Commission the confirmation of the ad interim appointments of the following officials to the rank of Career Ministers: 1. MR. ARVIC VENTURA AREVALO. I so move, Mr. Chairman.

2. MS. MELANIE RITA BALISI DIANO. I so move, Mr. Chairman.

3. MS. MARY JENNIFER DOMINGO DINGAL. I so move, Mr. Chairman.

4. MR. BRYAN DEXTER BURGOS LAO. I so move, Mr. Chairman.

5. MS. LEAH VICTORIA CARADA RODRIGUEZ. I so move, Mr. Chairman. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I recommend the confirmation of the ad interim appointment of MS. RACHEL ANNE LINDAIN ORONCE to the rank of Foreign Service Officers, Class I. I so move, Mr. Chairman. Maraming salamat po, Ginoong Chairman. *****
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September 1, 2021 Pangilinan hails Ka Dodoy, sole Filipino recipient of 2021 Ramon Magsaysay Award SENATOR Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan congratulates Roberto "Ka Dodoy" Ballon as the sole Filipino recipient of the 2021 Ramon Magsaysay Award for his heroic efforts in restoring mangrove forests in Kabalasan, Zamboanga Sibugay. The Ramon Magsaysay award, named after the late former president Ramon Magsaysay, is considered a premier prize and highest honor given to individuals and groups who have impacted the Asian region and the world. It is considered as Asia's equivalent of the Nobel Prize. "Congratulations Ka Dodoy. Ang award na ito ay bunga ng mga sakripisyo mo sa pag-oorganisa para maalagaan ang kalikasan (This award is the fruit of your sacrifices in organizing to care for the environment)," Pangilinan said. "Magkakaroon din ng international at national attention sa kalagayan ng ating mga mangingisdang nagpapakain sa atin at sa ating mga karagatan. Salamat po! Inspirasyon kita sa aking mga adbokasiya (International and national attention will also be focused on the realities of our fishermen who feed us and on our seas. Thank you! You inspire me in my advocacies)," he added. Ka Dodoy is a fisherman who also became a community environmentalist following the devastating drop in fish catch in his village sometime after the 1970s, lowering their income and forcing some to desperate ways of catching fish using dynamite and cyanide. In a video interview, he shares how the organization he helped start in 1986, Kapunungan sa Gagmay ng Mangingisda sa Concepcion, tried to solve the dwindling fish supply by planting mangroves. By 1994, they were able to plant 50 hectares of mangroves. The fish returned. But because the organization is volunteer based and the rehabilitation has some costs, eventually people stopped contributing and the number of members dwindled down from 36 to five, who persisted. In time, government agencies started noticing their efforts and they started to get funding. Eventually, the number of members increased to 300. With more hands on deck, they were able to plan well, including the culture of lapu-lapu and crabs, creating more livelihood and income for their community. By 2015, they were able to grow a total of 500 hectares of mangrove forests benefiting the lives of the fishermen and the community. Fish catch increased from 1.5 kilos per eight-hour fishing trip to over seven kilos of 3-to-5 hours of fishing. As chairman, Ka Dodoy earned multinational recognition, allowing them to expand their campaign to safeguarding the mangroves and stopping illegal fishing practices. Mangroves play a vital role in our marine eco-system and in the ecological system of the country. They act as natural buffers to prevent storm surge, shielding coastal communities from the strong wind and waves. They also serve as breeding and nursing grounds for marine life as 75% of commercial fish species spend part of their lifecycle in these coastal wetlands. Mangrove leaves also serve as food source for marine life and they also serve as natural filters sequestering almost 22.8 million tons of carbon each year. "My hair is white now, our original members are getting old. Our hope is our children to continue what we have started," Ka Dodoy said. Pangilinan shares Ka Dodoy's aspirations for the fishing community and the future. "Ito ang gusto natin: Naaalagaan ang kalikasan. Masagana ang huli ng ating mga mangingisda. Masagana rin sa yamang-dagat ang ating hapag-kainan," he said. "Mabuhay ka, Ka Dodoy! Nawa'y dumami pa ang sumunod sa ating adhikain at marami pa ang sumama sa inyong organisasyon (Long live, Ka Dodoy. May more follow our dreams and more join your organization)," he added. For the 18th Congress, Pangilinan filed Senate Bill 639 or the National Mangrove Forest Protection and Preservation Act. It seeks to preserve, reforest, and sustainably develop mangrove forests in the Philippines.
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September 1, 2021 Sponsorship speech of Senator Joel Villanueva on the bill establishing a Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers Mr. President and distinguished colleagues: I am greatly honored to sponsor a bill that will benefit more than one million Filipino seafarers and the domestic and global maritime industries. Parte po ito ng ating adbokasiya sa Senado na palawigin ang pagbibigay ng mabisa at agarang proteksyon sa ating mga kababayang Overseas Filipino Workers. Senate Bill No. 2369 under Committee Report No. 289 or an "Act Instituting the Magna of Filipino Seafarers" is a consolidation of seven Senate Bills which were filed by Senator Nancy Binay, Senator Grace Poe, Senator Risa Hontiveros, Senator Bong Revilla, Senator Sonny Angara, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senator Francis Tolentino, and this representation. Mr. President, this piece of legislation protects the rights of all men and women Filipino seafarers and recognizes their significant contributions to national progress, pride, and economic stability. This measure also recognizes shipowners, maritime higher education institutions, and licensed manning agencies as partners in ensuring the rights of seafarers. More importantly, Mr. President, the proposed "Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers" aims at fulfilling standards set by international conventions and agreements regarding the working and living conditions, and occupational safety and health of seafarers. One of those conventions is the Maritime Labor Convention of 2006, which the Philippines ratified on August 20, 2012. This measure is addressed to all Filipino seafarers onboard Philippine or foreign-registered ships. However, the proposed Act does not cover those who work in warships, coast guard vessels, and other government vessels. Ang panukalang batas pong ito ay para sa lahat ng Filipino seafarers na nasa iba't-ibang timezones ngayon, saan mang karagatan sa buong mundo. Nagpapasalamat po tayo sa kanila sapagkat we know for a fact that they are listening and attentively watch our FB live. Mr. President, where there is a sea, there will always be a Filipino seafarer. The Philippines belong to the top five countries with the highest numbers of seafarers in 2015. Prior to the pandemic, from 2016 to 2019, we deployed almost half a million seafarers every year, with the highest number in 2018, wherein we have 482,393 Filipino seafarers deployed worldwide. We are next to China as the largest supplier of seafarers. But, while China dominates the supply for officers, the Philippines tops the supply for ratings. When I was at TESDA, we envisioned the Philippine maritime industry to dominate the market by supplying 50% of the world's marine fleet by 2016. But getting the top spot for the Philippines is indeed a big challenge given the prominence of China in the global maritime industry. But I believe that we still can make this vision a reality, Mr. President. May mga bangka o barko sa lahat ng ating mga dalampasigan. Hindi mabilang ang dami ng ating mga pantalan. Pangingisda at paggawa ng bangka ang isa sa mga pangunahing hanap-buhay sa ating mga kanayunan. Hindi nakapagtatakang marami sa ating mga kabataan ang kumukuha ng maritime courses sapagkat nasa dugong Pilipino ang pagka-mandaragat. The ever-increasing demands for Filipino seafarers also gave rise to the more than 230 Maritime Education and Training Institutions or METIs that provide education and training to aspiring seafarers for careers in the maritime industry. It must be noted that the statistics of the Commission on Higher Education on the number of maritime students enrolled averaged at around 123,000 enrollees per year from 2010 to 2019, while the number of graduates per year is at an average of around 20,000. As the former TESDA head, I believe that seafaring is one of the most sustainable occupations in the country because of our shipping knowledge and 7,640 islands - about 2,000 of which are inhabited. Nagkaroon po ng magandang buhay ang halos lahat ng mga kakilala kong Tech-Voc gradutes na sumampa ng barko. Matibay din ang ating paniniwalang muling babalik ang sigla ng turismo sa paghupa ng pandemya, kaya't ibayong tataas ang demand para sa husay ng Pilipinong mandaragat. Mr. President and esteemed colleagues: Section 7 of our proposed "Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers" provides for the continuous educational advancement and training of all seafarers, especially women, at reasonable and affordable costs. This representation notes that MARINA recorded 73,027 women seafarers with issued Seafarer's Identification and Record Book as of December 2018. We want to find ways to encourage seafarers, especially women seafarers, to have opportunities for upskilling. Dumako naman po tayo sa usapang remittances. Bago po tumama ang pandemya noong March 2020, umaabot sa $6 bilyong kada taon ang remittances ng mga Pinoy seafarers. Sa bawat $100 na padala ng mga Pinoy OFWs, $20 ang galing sa pawis at sakripisyo ng ating mga mandaragat. In 2019, before the pandemic, we had 469,996 seafarers deployed worldwide. These maritime professionals remit a whopping $5.8 billion annually, contributing to the growth of the Philippine economy. Ang supply at demand ay nakasalalay sa shipping industry. Mapipilay po ang ekonomiya ng mundo kapag sabay-sabay na bumaba ng barko ang mga Pilipino! Mr. President, given the size of the country's maritime sector and its substantial economic impact, our seafarers deserve the right to just employment terms, decent working conditions, and dignified living environments, including medical care rest periods, among others Maraming pangarap ang naisasakatuparan dahil sa mga kababayan nating nagbabarko. Hindi marapat na maging 'sugal' ang pagsampa nila sa barko. Dapat sigurado ang lahat nilang mga benepisyo. That's why Section 8 of this measure stipulates the right of Filipino seafarers to complete information on the exigencies of work engagement. Moreover, Section 25 prescribes that the seafarer receives a standard employment contract. Tingnan naman po natin ang epekto ng COVID-19 sa mga seafarers: Mr. President, the coronavirus pandemic puts the need for the Magna Carta for Seafarers in the spotlight. The number of deployed Filipino seafarers in 2020 was almost cut in half by 54% from 469,996 seafarers in the year 2019 to 217,223 seafarers. The number of repatriated seafarers from cruise ships, oil tankers, and other bulk vessels is likewise record-high. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we've been seeing the daily arrival of chartered flights carrying thousands of seafarers. Many of them had only been onboard their ships for weeks when the pandemic struck. They had no choice but to come home, uncertain when will they get a call again for work. Because of the above reason, we devoted an entire chapter to medical care and maritime occupational safety and health standards. Chapter 9 of this measure. Likewise, the bill grants protection of seafarers from epidemics, pandemics, and other public health emergencies, including the provision of personal protective supplies and equipment. Bukod pa sa health and safety, malaki ang maitutulong ng Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers para tulungan ang mga marinong natetengga bago muling makasampa ng barko. Halimbawa, ang kababayan nating marino na si Fred. Naglalayag po ang sinasakyan nilang cargo vessel sa Europa nang magsimula ang pandemya. Halos nakulong po sila sa loob ng barko nang ilang buwan bago sila nakauwi sa Pilipinas nito lang Enero 2021. Mahigit kalahating taon na po mula nang makabalik si Fred at kanyang mga kasamahan sa Pilipinas, at alam naman po natin na kapag walang byahe ang ating mga marino, wala rin silang kita. The entire Chapter 12 of the measure stipulates on repatriation of Filipino seafarers, Mr. President. The Committee Report indicates that the shipowner or the manning agency concerned shall shoulder all costs related to the repatriation, including basic pay and allowances. How can our seafarers not deserve a "Magna Carta" amid the pandemic, Mr. President? Ang malalaking alon, mga pirata, mabigat na trabaho sa barko, matinding kalungkutan ng mapalayo sa pamilya, at ang risks ng exposure sa virus ay ilan lamang sa mga sakripisyo ng mga Pinoy seafarer. Some time ago, a Filipino ship captain was asked to describe the word and profession "seafarer". This was what he said: "I guess the seafaring profession is quite a unique one compared to other sources of income. The seafarer has to make the sacrifice to be away from home, family and friends. There are large burdens to be dealt with and the most critical one is called LONELINESS. He has to live and work daily in an isolated and limited space, seeing the same faces every time he wakes up in the morning all during his contract." Mr. President, the average period at sea for the ordinary seaman is nine months per year, and thus they are home only 2-3 months a year. The life of a seafarer is also like the waves of the ocean, which come and go. It is a cycle that affects them, their family, and their children. Sa kabila ng lahat, darating at darating ang panahong hindi na sasampa ng barko ang isang seafarer sa iba't ibang kadahilanan. That's why we devoted the entire Chapter 13 for reintegration services that will cover the different dimensions of support needed by the seafarer. Madalas panghimok ng mga maritime schools sa mga kabataan para mag-enrol sa kanila ay 'yung parang may free ride ka as you tour the world. Kaya nga pagmamalaki ng isang Pinoy seaman: "In just six years, from 2014 to the present, nalibot na raw n'ya ang 150 countries!" But seeing the world for free is NOT free from meeting a world of possibilities that include situations where abuses, depression, illnesses, and even death can happen. Mr President, the Bill adds more teeth and provides greater protection to seafarers, especially women cadets, through the adoption of an anti-harassment, anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies onboard ship. Mr. President, the Magna Carta of Seafarers has been a long time coming. It is a fulfillment of the Philippines' obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention of 2006. Once enacted, the Philippines will be among the first countries in the world to have a domestic law which has special provisions concerning the plight of women seafarers. Mr. President, there is no better time to pass a Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers than now as 2021 is chosen by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as "a year of ACTION for seafarers who are facing unprecedented hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic". Ang "Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers" po ang magsisilbing ANGKLA para sa matatag na trabaho at magandang kinabukasan ng mga Pinoy seafarers at kanilang pamilya gayundin ng ating bansang binubuo ng libu-libong mga pulo at pinaliligiran ng mga karagatan. Maraming salamat po, Ginoong Pangulo, and may God bless us all.
OCALA, Fla.The Department of Health in Marion County is assuring that COVID-19 testing and vaccinations are available to Marion County residents.

Health department testing and vaccination opportunities are being offered at varied times and locations to help fight the rise of COVID-19 cases in the community.

Vaccines are still the best tool for preventing serious illness from COVID-19, said Department of Health in Marion County Administrator Mark Lander, and testing will help residents know their status so they can avoid spreading the virus in the community. I encourage residents to get vaccinated, and I urge everyone to stay home when they are sick. It is critical that parents do not send children who are sick to school or day care.

Vaccination opportunities

The department provides walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations Monday through Friday from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. at its main office (1801 SE 32nd Ave., Ocala). Appointments are also available at the main office Monday through Friday. To make an appointment for vaccination or obtain more information, call 352-644-2590.

Other vaccination opportunities include:

Saturday, Sept. 11. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tuscawilla Park (800 NE Sanchez Avenue, Ocala)

Saturday, Sept. 11. from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Holy Faith Episcopal Church (19924 W. Blue Cove Drive, Dunnellon)

Saturday, Sept. 11. From 2 to 6 p.m. Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church (500 SW 17th Ave., Ocala)

Booster shots. The department is partnering with Marion County Public Schools to provide the shots to Marion Countys immunocompromised residents

Appointments will be scheduled for Saturdays, Sept. 4, 11 and 18, at Liberty Middle School, 4773 SW 95th St., Ocala. Appointments will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The department will give Pfizer and Moderna booster shots; there is currently no booster shot available for people who have received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

Immunocompromised individuals may discuss with their health care provider whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them. Individuals can self-attest that they are immunocompromised and receive the additional dose wherever vaccines are offered. Find out more about the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html.

You can sign up for an appointment online at https://tinyurl.com/marioncovidvax.

Drive-through testing now available Monday through Thursday

Southeastern Livestock Pavilion. Free, county-sponsored drive-through COVID-19 testing is available at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion (2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala) on these dates:

Aug. 25

Aug. 30

Sept. 1

Sept. 6

Sept. 8

Sept. 13

Sept. 15

Sept. 22

Sept. 27

Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park. Statlab Mobile, a COVID-19 mobile clinical testing service, is offering free drive-through testing from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Monday through Thursday at the Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park, 11008 South Hwy 475, Ocala. People who would like to be tested must enter through the County Road 475 public entrance.

For all drive-through testing sites, individuals should bring a valid photo ID. Minors under age 18 will only be tested if they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. People should be prepared to stay in their vehicles while awaiting testing; restroom facilities will not be available. Only people who are being tested should be in the vehicle, with the exception of parents, guardians or caregivers. No pets are permitted in the vehicle during tests. School students should refrain from eating or drinking anything 15 to 30 minutes prior to their tests.

For more information, call the Department of Health in Marion County at 352-644-2590.

Cases continue to increase

According to the most recent state report, Marion County is reporting 47,244 cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of Aug. 26. This is an increase of 3,228 cases from the previous week. Of Marion COVID-19 cases from Aug. 2026, 25.1% tested positive. The daily positivity rate for all new COVID-19 cases in Florida was 16.8%.

Marions cases and positivity rates continue to increase. From COVID-19 cases reported over the past seven days (cases reported Aug 2026), Marion saw:

An average of 461.1 new cases per day

25.1% positivity rate.

A total of 3,197 people vaccinated

From cases reported Aug 1319, Marion saw:

An average of 405.7 new cases per day

30.0% positivity rate.

A total of 3,756 people vaccinated

From cases reported Aug. 612, Marion saw:

An average of 379.3 new cases per day

27.4% positivity rate.

A total of 4,740 people vaccinated

From cases reported July 30Aug. 5, Marion saw:

An average of 343.1 new cases per day

27.0% positivity rate.

A total of 4,507 people vaccinated

Find out more

Visit http://marion.floridahealth.gov, https://www.marionflcovid.org and https://twitter.com/flhealthmarion for the latest information on COVID-19 and vaccinations. Visit https://floridahealthcovid19.gov and use the Vaccine Locator and Testing Sites tools to find vaccination and testing sites near you.
The UAE Monday instructed the Public Prosecution office to probe ministers and senior officials suspected of wrongdoing in order to enhance accountability, reports say.

A presidential decree published by Dubai Media office indicated that public prosecutor can receive complaints against any senior official and they will be referred for investigation in coordination with the UAEs federal government, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reports, citing Reuters.

Also as part of the scope of action, the Attorney General can as well as ban officials under investigation from traveling and freeze their money if necessary.

The move is aimed at strengthening the legal process to improve accountability, a legal source told Reuters. The Gulf country ranks among the least corrupt countries in the Middle East and North African region in Transparency Internationals Corruption Perception Index.

It occupies the 21st spot on the global ranking.
The Iraqi army launched Tuesday a military operation to secure its borders with Syria, an area which recently witnessed attacks by the Islamic state group.

Hamid Al-Husseini, commander of the Iraqi Border Guards, reports say, indicated that operation, code-named Revenge of the Martyrs, aims to secure the border area between Iraq and Syria.

Iraq and Syria share 1,000-kilometre of border.

Isis, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) notes, has escalated its attacks on Iraq, especially in the area between Kirkuk, Saladin, and Diyala, known as the Triangle of Death. Despite being defeated in 2017, the terror group which conquered most swathes of the Iraqi territory in 2014, still has sleeping cells launching sporadic attacks.

Military forces, border guards, and the pro-government Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) are taking part in the operation launched on Tuesday.
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Connect with the Emory Police Department  Watch and share the EPD Safety Tips video.  Meet Chief Elliott at her first community Chat with the Chief at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9, at the Emory Student Center.

As Emory welcomes our community back to campus, I want to introduce myself as chief of the Emory Police Department (EPD) and reinforce the entire departments commitment to serve, protect and lead by example.

I have spent more than two decades with EPD and have more than 35 years of law enforcement experience. I returned to Emory in May 2021 as the chief. Over the past few months, EPD has focused on increasing our connection with Emorys diverse community as informed leaders in higher education policing. To us, that means earning your trust, confidence and respect through positive interactions and consistent communication.

On my first day, I asked the EPD staff to reflect on how their actions could cultivate trust and confidence. Every interaction EPD has with any member of the Emory community should foster respect. Central to this idea is EPD continuing to treat people with dignity and respect regardless of ethnicity, race, class or sexual orientation. By incorporating procedural justice principles, EPD will foster confidence that the community is being treated fairly.

Creating a new culture

Over the past year, questions about the legitimacy and value of our nations public safety agencies have reached a crescendo, with many people demanding a new approach. Operating at a high level of ethical trust is the first step in creating a culture where officers earn respect from the community. For more than a year, Justice & Sustainability Associates Inc. (JSA) has worked with Emory and EPD to create higher policing standards based on evidence-based models. JSA has reviewed our policies, procedures and practices, and made suggestions based on well-researched and validated best practices, such as President Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Now, EPD has reached the critical stage of acting on JSAs recommendations.

Our path forward

Aligned with the Emory mission of applying knowledge in the service of humanity, EPD will actively partner with the International Association for Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA); will pursue certification from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA); and will model best practices recommended by President Obamas Task Force. Most importantly, we will strengthen connections with the Emory community.

Here are a few examples of our commitment to redefining public safety at Emory:

Increased communication: EPD will host more listening sessions and focus groups to understand how effectively we are meeting the needs of this community. Look for invitations to join these conversations throughout the year.

EPD will host more listening sessions and focus groups to understand how effectively we are meeting the needs of this community. Look for invitations to join these conversations throughout the year. Continuous improvement: We invite students, faculty, staff and community members to help EPD identify public safety challenges, as well as potential solutions. Our redesigned website also will include options to share feedback and stay connected.

We invite students, faculty, staff and community members to help EPD identify public safety challenges, as well as potential solutions. Our redesigned website also will include options to share feedback and stay connected. Community partnership: We will invite the community to engage with EPD new hires early in their career at Emory.

We will invite the community to engage with EPD new hires early in their career at Emory. Mediation and dialogue circles: When there are questions or complaints about police procedures or interactions, the Emory community can connect with an officer in a mediated discussion. For more information, please email us at police@emory.edu or visit the feedback section of our website.

When there are questions or complaints about police procedures or interactions, the Emory community can connect with an officer in a mediated discussion. For more information, please email us at police@emory.edu or visit the feedback section of our website. Feedback survey: We will seek feedback on policies and practices, acting on what we have learned as part of our annual climate survey.

We will seek feedback on policies and practices, acting on what we have learned as part of our annual climate survey. Use of evidence-based policing standards: We will adopt nationally-recognized standards designed to increase confidence in our work and our officers.

We will adopt nationally-recognized standards designed to increase confidence in our work and our officers. Prioritizing de-escalation: EPD will include even more de-escalation training tactics.

Get to know Chief Cheryl Elliott

As a native of Atlanta, Georgia, I have personal experiences of being followed in retail establishments and on public transportation. I have lived through legalized segregation and have had guns fired at me in the 1970s when trying to use a public bathroom outside of Dublin, Georgia, due to the color of my skin. These experiences have shaped my life and have reinforced my commitment to redefining public safety.

Prior to returning this spring, my previous Emory law enforcement career spanned 23 years, culminating in my appointment as deputy chief at Emory before retiring in 2017. Since then, I have maintained an active role in policing through research and training. My passion for improving the profession led me to consult higher education police departments and public safety agencies on procedural justice principles and recruitment and retention strategies. I proudly bring that expertise back to the Emory community that has played such a large role in my career and my life.

As chief of police, I am here to ignite bold changes that enhance public safety across Emory. I am prepared to build on the foundation of excellence exemplified by the Emory police officers, locksmiths, public safety officers and dispatchers who proudly serve this community 24 hours a day. As part of our return to campus safety plan, EPD leaders recently attended offsite training on procedural justice and improving community engagement. In EPD, you have an agency that is well-trained, professional and committed to de-escalation. These talented professionals would give their lives to protect this vibrant and diverse community.

Our EPD culture is transforming. Every police officer, dispatcher, security service staff and public safety staff will be focused on greater engagement with the Emory community. Earning your trust has been essential to my time at Emory. Upon my return, I have received overwhelming support from current and former community members, including members of my sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc. EPD is focused on building stronger partnerships through collaborative problem-solving  and we will enhance that culture through procedural justice.

In conclusion, we must build bridges. Now, more than ever, Emory Police is ready to lead the way on a national level. More connects us than divides us. But in times of crisis, the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers.

Chief Cheryl ElliottEmory Police Department
Cynthia Martin (left) and Darcel Caldwell are the great-great-great granddaughters of Catherine Andrew Boyd. Emory could set the standard in terms of universities acknowledging their participation in slavery, Cynthia Martin says.

In the Wake of Slavery and Dispossession: Emory, Racism and the Journey Towards Restorative Justice Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Atlanta and Oxford campuses Learn more about the symposium. Register to attend.

Who was Catherine Andrew Miss Kitty Boyd? Throughout much of Emory Universitys history, she has been described as loyal and dutiful  the favored slave of Bishop James O. Andrew, a Methodist minister and chair of the Emory College board of trustees in 1844. Boyd lived in a small house known as Kittys Cottage, married, had three children and is the only known African American buried in the white section of Oxford Cemetery. However, that alleged favoritism came with consequences and in the antebellum South she could never know freedom.

Like many universities throughout the country, Emory has an entangled past with the institution of slavery. Though there is no record that the university ever owned slaves, many of the founding faculty, donors and trustees, such as Bishop Andrew, did. The university also has records of renting enslaved people to work on campus.

The entire Emory University community is invited to learn more about the schools history with slavery and Native American land dispossession  and how that history impacts the present  at the upcoming symposium, In the Wake of Slavery and Dispossession, set for Sept. 29-Oct. 1 on the Atlanta and Oxford campuses.

During the three-day symposium, faculty, staff and students as well as nationally renowned scholars and community members will come together for panels, performances, art installations and other presentations in the spirit that shared history will pave a way forward.

Its important for students to understand the place, because our history has impacted the community and were not separate, says Megan Pendleton, director of diversity and inclusion at Oxford College and a member of the symposium steering committee. Weve seen a ton of activism on the Atlanta and Oxford campuses over the past few years. Students are engaged, energized and excited about interrogating this place and the systems and structures that have existed to subjugate others  and the ones that are still in place.

Interrogating systems is how Mark Auslander, author of The Accidental Slaveowner: Revisiting a Myth of Race & Finding an American Family and former faculty member at Emory College and Oxford College, uncovered the story of Miss Kitty and Emorys history with slavery.

In 1999, Auslander and one of his classes at Oxford College visited Oxford Cemetery and noticed that the Black section and the white section were not equitably maintained even though Black families had been giving money and asking for restoration for a long time. That observation led to years of speaking to families in Oxford and Covington about the complicated history that led to the present-day issue.

For those unfamiliar with the book, Auslander will present his findings from 20 years ago along with information about the five plantations that became the entire Emory campus at the upcoming symposium. Auslander believes that many people in the North and the South have a hard time understanding the true horror of slavery and how inequities in health care, education, housing and voting rights connect to the issue.

We have to look unflinchingly at the human cost of enslavement, says Auslander, who is a visiting scholar at Brandeis University and visiting faculty member at Boston University and at University of Massachusetts Amherst. I am going to tell a story at the plenary about families that were torn apart and sold on the courthouse steps in Covington and Decatur. When you can name individuals, it has a different impact That fantasy that it wasnt so bad, that everyone was a part of the same family, that there was a hierarchy that everyone was subjected to, is a narrative we cant afford to be seduced by.

For Cynthia Martin, the past is more than just conjecture  Boyd was her great-great-great grandmother. Growing up, Martin says that she knew that she had ancestors in Georgia but was unaware of the ties to Emory University until Auslander contacted her and her sister, Darcel, as a part of his research.

In the years since, she has dug deeper into her family history as a way of completing herself and gaining a better understanding of the struggles her ancestors endured to ensure the safety of their families. Her hope is that the symposium will lead to acknowledgment and reconciliation for African Americans in the Oxford community.

Emory could set the standard in terms of universities acknowledging their participation in slavery, says Martin, who lives outside of Philadelphia. You have a large population in the Oxford-Covington area who can trace their family history back to slavery and the sacrifices their ancestors had to make and the opportunities they did not have because they were slaves.

Rev. Avis Williams is one of those descendants. Williams earned her associates degree from Oxford College in 1978, bachelors degree in chemistry from Emory College in 1980 and master of divinity from Candler School of Theology in 2008. Her great-great-great grandfather, Toney Baker, is believed to have been enslaved by one of Emorys early trustees.

Williams is a minister at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Covington, the same place where Baker preached for 46 years. Williams grew up in Newton County but for most of her friends going to college at Oxford or Emory seemed out of reach. Her hope is that renewed interest in excavating Emorys history will remove those barriers for young people in the area today.

"Our young people need to know about the whole struggle so that they are armed with knowledge as they face prejudice and discrimination, Williams says. If were going to be one of the great universities and compete with Harvard, Stanford or MIT, or Spelman and Morehouse, we have to make sure its an equal opportunity place for everybody.

Registration is now open for the symposium and all events are free to attend.
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Assets of financial group Otkrytie founder Belyaev worth $2 bln seized by court

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

14:18 01/09/2021

MOSCOW, September 1 (RAPSI)  Moscow's Commercial Court has satisfied a petition of Bank Trust PJSC seeking the freeze of property of one of the Otkrytie financial group founders Vadim Belyaev worth 156.6 billion rubles (about $2 billion), according to the court's records.

An application for injunctive relief was sent to the court as part of a claim to recover damages from Belyaev.

Earlier, Otkritie Holding JSC and its former top managers have lodged a cassation appeal against the court decision to freeze assets worth 107.3 billion rubles (about $1.5 billion).

The defendants appealed against the ruling of the Moscow Commercial Court of March 18 and the appeal ruling of May 26 in cassation.

By those decisions the Moscow Commercial Court ordered freeze of assets belonging to Otkritie Holding as well as Eugeny Dankevich, former chairman of the board of Otkritie Bank, Gennady Zhuzhlev, former vice president and board member of the bank, and Mikhail Nazarychev, former vice president of Otkritie Holding.

The decision was issued at the request of PJSC National Bank Trust that seeks to recover 107.3 billion rubles (about $1.5 billion) in damages from the defendants.

The Moscow District Commercial Court in May rejected the cassation complaints of the former top managers of PJSC Bank FC Otkritie to recover 289.5 billion rubles (about $4 billion at the current exchange rate) in losses in favor of the bank. Former top managers of the bank appealed in cassation the decision of the Moscow Commercial Court of September 18, 2020 and the appeal ruling of February 17.

By the ruling of the Moscow Commercial Court dated July 25, 2019, the accounts of five former top managers of the organization were frozen. On September 17, 2019, the Court of Appeals upheld the ruling of the first instance court.

The demand for interim measures in the form of the seizure of property was filed in court as part of a claim to recover this amount from the respondents. The commercial court seized property and funds in the accounts of the respondents.
Russian financier convicted of market manipulation exempted from punishment

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

16:28 01/09/2021

ST. PETERSBURG, September 1 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov)  The St. Petersburg City Court has released from the imposed punishment former head of the stock exchange operations directorate for the financial markets department of Baltinvestbank Andrey Kornilov, the United Press Service of St. Petersburg Courts informs RAPSI.

In October 2020, the man was found guilty of manipulating the securities market and causing damage to the credit institution in the amount of 12 million rubles (about $164,000 at the current exchange rate) and sentenced to two years of probation by a district court in St. Petersburg.

The St. Petersburg City Court as an appellate instance changed the verdict. Kornilov was released from the imposed punishment due to the expiration of the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution. The rest of the sentence was left unchanged, respective appeals were dismissed, the press-service said.
Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalondo.moultrie@seguingazette.com .
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[August 31, 2021] Genesys Announces First Half Fiscal Year 2022 Cloud Business Growth Genesys grows new booking and subscriptions more than 100% year-over-year as companies adopt its Experience as a ServiceSM Vision SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Genesys, a global cloud leader in customer experience orchestration, announced results for the company's first six months of the fiscal year 2022 (February 1, 2021 to July 31, 2021). This significant momentum comes after the company's record-setting fiscal year 2021. Halfway through fiscal year 2022, the Genesys Cloud CX platform achieved more than 100 % year-over-year growth in new cloud bookings, compared to the first six months of fiscal 2021. In the same period, the Genesys Multicloud CX solution also achieved more than 100% year-over-year growth in cloud and subscription bookings. After just two years under the helm of CEO Tony Bates, the company has nearly completed its business model transition with cloud and subscription bookings making up more than 90% of total new bookings, up from nearly 75% in fiscal year 2021 and 53% in calendar year 2019, driven by Genesys Cloud CX and Genesys Multicloud CX success. In today's experience economy, consumers have high expectations for their relationships with the companies engrained in their daily lives. Consumers are defining new rules for engagement as they are always-on, looking for what they needwhen they need itand expecting to be heard and understood. Yet, customer contact centers have traditionally been built for transactional efficiency and effectiveness. What has been missing is the critical element of empathy at scale. It's no surprise that a June 2021 study by Forresteri found that nearly 80% of consumers rated brand experiences as "ok" or "poor." Companies everywhere are reevaluating how they connect with their customers to provide empathetic experiences to earn customer loyalty. "Experience as a Service is the next step in the evolution of customer engagement," said Tony Bates, CEO and Chairman of Genesys. "Businesses look to Genesys as the leader in executing this vision and enabling them to deliver empathy at scale through innovations in AI and journey orchestration. For companies that need to meet the needs of today's digital environment and provide rewarding experiences across all customer touchpoints, Genesys is the natural choice." Organizations around the world are turning to Genesys to transform transactional consumer touchpoints into orchestrated customer experiences. In the first six months of fiscal year 2022, Genesys Cloud CX and Genesys Multicloud CX drove a combined growth of 125% in the number of deals over $2.5 million annual recurring revenue compared to the first half of fiscal year 2021. Notable Genesys deals include one of the most iconic US fashion retailers, a popular vacation rental company, a global auto loan financer and a national healthcare company that added 18,000 agents to Genesys Cloud CX, contributing to the more than 400,000 agents that are now on that platform. Additionally, based on this powerful cloud solution portfolio, Genesys continued to displace legacy vendors during the period  more than three per day from Avaya and Cisco alone, including 20,000 agents on Genesys Multicloud CX in an eight-figure annual deal with a Fortune 100 telecom company. During the first half of the fiscal year, Genesys continued its momentum on delivering innovative solutions and growing its ecosystem, including the following milestones. Introduced multiple advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) with new features for Genesys Cloud CX, including Genesys Predictive Routing, Genesys Web Messaging and Intent Miner for Bots. These new features enable businesses to be more customer-centric, powering fluid and personalized experiences on consumers' preferred channels.

Launced the Genesys DX solution, helping companies move beyond transaction-based chat conversations and deliver intuitive digital experiences for their customers, understand customer needs and predict intent with groundbreaking capabilities. Genesys DX leverages the Genesys customer experience expertise and Genesys AI with predictive engagement to enhance conversational AI and dynamic knowledge base features from the Bold360 acquisition.

Launched Genesys Choice, a flexible consumption model that provides access to all voice, AI, workforce engagement/optimization and digital capabilities  all with a single annual subscription. This new offering enables companies to leverage any Genesys capability when they need it, without having to change their contract. This includes the ability to quickly scale up or down Genesys Cloud CX or Genesys Multicloud CX usage to adjust for business needs.

Launched Genesys Multicloud CX  on Azure, the first cloud contact center service on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. With this omnichannel service, enterprises have the security and scalability needed to connect every customer touchpoint, and the ability to innovate faster with a full breadth of capabilities large enterprises require. Genesys also delivered its first Genesys Multicloud CX private edition, a cloud solution that companies can deploy themselves or run through partners on any cloud platform.

Enabled organizations to interact with consumers via Instagram private messaging with the launch of Messenger API for Instagram, helping them engage with their customers on a more personalized level.

Partnered with Qualtrics to bring together Genesys engagement data and Qualtrics experience data to help companies understand every factor affecting customer satisfaction in a single view.

Partnered with Limitless to create more authentic, human connections between companies and consumers by extending their contact center teams using a gig workforce of brand experts.

Increased the number of partners and cloud solutions available on the Genesys application marketplace, AppFoundry by 24% and 22%, respectively. Many cloud solutions in the AppFoundry Marketplace are pre-integrated with Genesys Cloud CX and can be instantly deployed and used, providing businesses even more options to customize and deliver remarkable customer experiences based on their needs.

Contact Center as a Service by Gartner in its annual Magic Quadrant TMii, as well as Visionary for Workforce Engagement Management (WEM)iii. Most recently, Genesys was ranked No. 1 for 2020 market share for Worldwide Contact Center Applications by IDCiv. Additionally, Genesys was named Growth and Innovation Leader by Frost and Sullivanv and a leader by Opus Research in Conversational Intelligencevi. About Genesys

Every year, Genesys orchestrates more than 70 billion remarkable customer experiences for organizations in more than 100 countries. Through the power of our cloud, digital and AI technologies, organizations can realize Experience as a ServiceSM, our vision for empathetic customer experiences at scale. With Genesys, organizations have the power to deliver proactive, predictive, and hyper personalized experiences to deepen their customer connection across every marketing, sales, and service moment on any channel, while also improving employee productivity and engagement. By transforming back-office technology to a modern revenue velocity engine Genesys enables true intimacy at scale to foster customer trust and loyalty. Visit www.genesys.com. 2021 Genesys. All rights reserved. Genesys, the Genesys logo, Genesys Cloud CX, Genesys Multicloud CX, Genesys DX and Experience as a Service are trademarks, service marks and/or registered trademarks of Genesys. All other company names and logos may be registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies. Contact: Janelle Dickerson

Genesys

Janelle.dickerson@genesys.com Erin Olsson

Nectar Communications

genesys@nectarpr.com

+1 415-244-5959 i The US Customer Experience Index, 2021; TJ Keitt, Forrester

ii Gartner Magic Quadrant for Contact Center as a Service, August 2021.

iii Gartner Magic Quadrant for Workforce Engagement Management (WEM), April 2021 Gartner Disclaimer:

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. iv IDC Worldwide Contact Center Applications Software Market Shares 2020 report (Doc # US48070821, July 2021),

v Frost Radar: North American Enterprise Cloud Contact Center Market 2021 report.

vi Opus Research Report: "2021 Conversational Intelligence Intelliview", August 2021 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/genesys-announces-first-half-fiscal-year-2022-cloud-business-growth-301366022.html SOURCE Genesys

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on September 1, 2021

2021/09/01

Bloomberg: An American Chamber of Commerce in Chengdu has said it has closed, although it's not clear what the issue is. Does the foreign ministry have information on the matter and why AmCham Southwest abruptly closed?

Wang Wenbin: I'm not aware of what you mentioned and would refer you to the competent authorities. I would like to state in principle that China is a country based on rule of law. All foreign organizations based in China must act within China's legal framework.

Global Times: According to reports, terrorist attacks near the Kabul airport on August 26 killed and injured hundreds of people. Some of the injured revealed that US forces shot at civilians after the blasts, which led to more casualties. On August 29, US forces based in Afghanistan launched drone attacks on a civilian residence on counter-terrorism grounds and left ten civilians dead. The youngest victim was only two years old. What is your comment?

Wang Wenbin: China has noted relevant reports. Public reports show that the US killing of innocent people in Afghanistan happened frequently.

In 2002, US Air Force carried out an airstrike on a wedding in Uruzgan province, which claimed the lives of dozens of civilians and injured more than a hundred. In 2008, US troops attacked a village in Herat province, which killed nearly a hundred civilians including 50 children and 19 women. In 2010, NATO forces bombed Daykundi province, which took at least 33 lives. In 2015, an Afghan anti-narcotics police force on a mission was attacked by NATO fighter jets and 15 officers died. In 2019, a US drone strike mistakenly killed at least 30 Afghan farmers in Nangarhar province. A former US soldier and a drone pilot said in a testimony for a UN expert committee that US drone strikes were purely killing for the sake of killing, and that the US airstrikes led to far more Afghan civilian deaths than the official statistics of the US government. Data shows at least 47,245 Afghan civilians died by April 2020 in the war in Afghanistan launched by the US.

US forces have withdrawn from Afghanistan. But the murder of civilians by the US forces and their allies over the past 20 years must be investigated thoroughly and the killers must be brought to justice. The lives of the Afghan people should be protected and the human rights of the Afghan people should be defended. At stake is international justice and the rule of law and world human rights development.

Kyodo News: According to reports, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry has arrived in Tianjin. Could you confirm if talks between him and China's Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua have started? What expectations does China hold for the talks?

Wang Wenbin: I assume you've noted the information released by China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the US State Department. At the invitation of the Chinese side, Special Envoy Kerry is visiting China from August 31 to September 3. During the visit, China's Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua will hold talks with him in Tianjin and exchange views on issues including China-US climate change cooperation and COP26 of the UNFCCC.

As to the specific question you asked, please stay tuned. We will release relevant information in due course.

CCTV: According to reports, sources of the Afghan Taliban said on August 31 that the talks on the establishment of a new Afghan government were concluded, and they will announce the formation of the new government on September 3. Do you have any comment? Will China recognize the new Afghan government?

Wang Wenbin: Afghanistan is turning a new page in its history, facing both opportunities and hopes as well as challenges and difficulties. The Afghan people, having suffered so much, are now standing at a new starting point for national peace and reconstruction. The international community is closely following developments including the formation of a new government in Afghanistan. China sincerely hopes that all parties in Afghanistan will echo the aspiration of the Afghan people and shared expectation of the international community, build an open and inclusive political structure, adopt moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, make a clean break with all terrorist groups and live in good terms with other countries, especially its neighbors.

Chairman Mao Zedong once said that "Afghanistan is a heroic country and has never surrendered. China and Afghanistan are friendly countries. China does not want to harm Afghanistan, and Afghanistan does not want to harm China. The two countries always support each other". China will as always pursue a friendly policy toward the entire Afghan people, respect Afghanistan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and will not interfere in the country's internal affairs. China will continue to provide utmost assistance to Afghanistan for an early realization of peace and reconstruction.

NBC: Going back to John Kerry's visit. I'm wondering if China thinks John Kerry's visit has potential significance for China-US relations beyond climate change issues? In your view, what are the areas of relations that can benefit from direct dialogues like this?

Wang Wenbin: China and the US have differences on some issues. At the same time, we share common interests in a broad range of areas including climate change. The two sides should maintain dialogue and communication and conduct mutually-beneficial cooperation on the basis of mutual respect while properly managing differences through equal-footed consultation so as to bring the bilateral relations back to the track of stability and development.
A spectacular portrait of the galaxy Centaurus A has been captured by astronomers using the Dark Energy Camera mounted on the Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile.

A spectacular portrait of the galaxy Centaurus A has been captured by astronomers using the Dark Energy Camera mounted on the Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile.

This galaxy's peculiar appearance -- cloaked in dark tendrils of dust -- stems from a past interaction with another galaxy, and its size and proximity to Earth make it one of the best-studied giant galaxies in the night sky.

The galaxy Centaurus A, which lies over 12 million light-years away in the direction of the southern-hemisphere constellation Centaurus (The Centaur), is the leading light of this striking image. This image provides a spectacular view of the luminous glow of stars and the dark tendrils of dust that hide the bright center of the galaxy. This dust is the result of a past galactic collision, in which a giant elliptical galaxy merged with a smaller spiral galaxy. As well as large amounts of gas and dust, Centaurus A's dust lane contains widespread star formation, as indicated by the red clouds of hydrogen and by the large number of faint blue stars visible at each end of the dust lane.

The proximity and brightness of Centaurus A -- it is one of the closest giant galaxies to Earth -- make it one of the best-studied objects in the southern hemisphere night sky. Since its discovery in 1826 scientists have studied the galaxy exhaustively with many different kinds of telescopes, revealing a variety of intriguing features. Radio telescopes reveal a colossal jet of matter spewing outward from the heart of the galaxy. This jet is accelerated to almost half the speed of light by a supermassive black hole at the center of Centaurus A, and its bright emissions at radio wavelengths make this galaxy one of the most prominent radio sources in the night sky. In fact, in July 2021, the Event Horizon Telescope produced an image of a jet launching from the black hole in Centaurus A, which weighs in at 55 million times the mass of the Sun.

Centaurus A is a reliable target for southern-hemisphere amateur astronomers, with its bright bulge and dark dust lane visible with binoculars or small telescopes. This image, however, shows a 10-megapixel subsection of the full 570-megapixel Dark Energy Camera (DECam), which is mounted on the Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile. One of the highest-performance, wide-field CCD imagers in the world, DECam was designed specifically for the Dark Energy Survey and was operated by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) between 2013 and 2019. DECam was funded by the DOE and was built and tested at DOE's Fermilab. At present the Dark Energy Camera is used for programs covering a huge range of science.

This image was obtained by astronomer Monika Soraisam (now at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) as part of a long-term monitoring campaign (between 2018 and 2021) to identify variable objects on timescales from hours to years (novae, long-period variables) in prominent galaxies in the southern hemisphere. The campaign has been conducted as a pathfinder to Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time.

The analysis of data from the Dark Energy Survey is supported by DOE and the NSF, and the DECam science archive is curated by the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC) at NSF's NOIRLab. CTIO and CSDC are Programs of NOIRLab.

More information

NSF's NOIRLab (National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory), the US center for ground-based optical-infrared astronomy, operates the international Gemini Observatory (a facility of NSF, NRC-Canada, ANID-Chile, MCTIC-Brazil, MINCyT-Argentina, and KASI-Republic of Korea), Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC), and Vera C. Rubin Observatory (operated in cooperation with the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory). It is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with NSF and is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona. The astronomical community is honored to have the opportunity to conduct astronomical research on Iolkam Du'ag (Kitt Peak) in Arizona, on Maunakea in Hawai'i, and on Cerro Tololo and Cerro Pachon in Chile. We recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that these sites have to the Tohono O'odham Nation, to the Native Hawaiian community, and to the local communities in Chile, respectively.

This work is supported in part by the US Department of Energy Office of Science. The Dark Energy Survey is a collaboration of more than 400 scientists from 26 institutions in seven countries. Funding for the DES Projects has been provided by the US Department of Energy Office of Science, US National Science Foundation, Ministry of Science and Education of Spain, Science and Technology Facilities Council of the United Kingdom, Higher Education Funding Council for England, ETH Zurich for Switzerland, National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago, Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics at Ohio State University, Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University, Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos, Fundacao Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico and Ministerio da Ciencia e Tecnologia, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and the collaborating institutions in the Dark Energy Survey.

NCSA at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign provides supercomputing and advanced digital resources for the nation's science enterprise. At NCSA, University of Illinois faculty, staff, students, and collaborators from around the globe use advanced digital resources to address research grand challenges for the benefit of science and society. NCSA has been advancing one third of the Fortune 50 for more than 30 years by bringing industry, researchers, and students together to solve grand challenges at rapid speed and scale.

Fermilab is America's premier national laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research. A US Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory, Fermilab is located near Chicago, Illinois, and operated under contract by the Fermi Research Alliance LLC, a joint partnership between the University of Chicago and the Universities Research Association, Inc.

The DOE Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

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This mosaic shows the entire sky imaged by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). Infrared light refers to wavelengths that are longer than those visible to the human eye. Many cosmic objects radiate infrared, including gas and dust clouds where stars form, and brown dwarfs. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA

Brown dwarfs aren't quite stars and aren't quite planets, and a new study suggests there might be more of them lurking in our galaxy than scientists previously thought.



A new study offers a tantalizing explanation for how a peculiar cosmic object called WISEA J153429.75-104303.3 - nicknamed "The Accident" - came to be. The Accident is a brown dwarf. Though they form like stars, these objects don't have enough mass to kickstart nuclear fusion, the process that causes stars to shine. And while brown dwarfs sometimes defy characterization, astronomers have a good grasp on their general characteristics.

Or they did, until they found this one.

The Accident got its name after being discovered by sheer luck. It slipped past normal searches because it doesn't resemble any of the just over 2,000 brown dwarfs that have been found in our galaxy so far.

s brown dwarfs age, they cool off, and their brightness in different wavelengths of light changes. It's not unlike how some metals, when heated, go from bright white to deep red as they cool. The Accident confused scientists because it was faint in some key wavelengths, suggesting it was very cold (and old), but bright in others, indicating a higher temperature.

"This object defied all our expectations," said Davy Kirkpatrick, an astrophysicist at IPAC at Caltech in Pasadena, California. He and his co-authors posit in their new study, appearing in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, that The Accident might be 10 billion to 13 billion years old - at least double the median age of other known brown dwarfs. That means it would have formed when our galaxy was much younger and had a different chemical makeup. If that's the case, there are likely many more of these ancient brown dwarfs lurking in our galactic neighborhood.

A Peculiar Profile

The Accident was first spotted by NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE), launched in 2009 under the moniker WISE and managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Because brown dwarfs are relatively cool objects, they radiate mostly infrared light, or wavelengths longer than what the human eye can see.

To figure out how The Accident could have such seemingly contradictory properties - some suggesting it is very cold, others indicating it is much warmer - the scientists needed more information. So they observed it in additional infrared wavelengths with a ground-based telescope at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii. But the brown dwarf appeared so faint in those wavelengths, they couldn't detect it at all, apparently confirming their suggestion that it was very cold.

They next set out to determine if the dimness resulted from The Accident being farther than expected from Earth. But that wasn't the case, according to precise distance measurements by NASA's Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. Having determined the object's distance - about 50 light-years from Earth - the team realized that it is moving fast - about half a million miles per hour (800,000 kph). That's much faster than all other brown dwarfs known to be at this distance from Earth, which means it has probably been careening around the galaxy for a long time, encountering massive objects that accelerate it with their gravity.

With a mound of evidence suggesting The Accident is extremely old, the researchers propose that its strange properties aren't strange at all and that they may be a clue to its age.

When the Milky Way formed about 13.6 billion years ago, it was composed almost entirely of hydrogen and helium. Other elements, like carbon, formed inside stars; when the most massive stars exploded as supernovae, they scattered the elements throughout the galaxy.

Methane, composed of hydrogen and carbon, is common in most brown dwarfs that have a temperature similar to The Accident. But The Accident's light profile suggests it contains very little methane. Like all molecules, methane absorbs specific wavelengths of light, so a methane-rich brown dwarf would be dim in those wavelengths. The Accident, by contrast, is bright in those wavelengths, which could indicate low levels of methane.

Thus, the light profile of The Accident could match that of a very old brown dwarf that formed when the galaxy was still carbon poor; very little carbon at formation means very little methane in its atmosphere today.

"It's not a surprise to find a brown dwarf this old, but it is a surprise to find one in our backyard," said Federico Marocco, an astrophysicist at IPAC at Caltech who led the new observations using the Keck and Hubble telescopes. "We expected that brown dwarfs this old exist, but we also expected them to be incredibly rare. The chance of finding one so close to the solar system could be a lucky coincidence, or it tells us that they're more common than we thought."

A Lucky Accident

To find more ancient brown dwarfs like The Accident - if they're out there - researchers might have to change how they search for these objects.

The Accident was discovered by citizen scientist Dan Caselden, who was using an online program he built to find brown dwarfs in NEOWISE data. The sky is full of objects that radiate infrared light; by and large, these objects appear to remain fixed in the sky, due to their great distance from Earth. But because brown dwarfs are so faint, they are visible only when they're relatively close to Earth, and that means scientists can observe them moving across the sky over months or years. (NEOWISE maps the entire sky about once every six months.)

Caselden's program attempted to remove the stationary infrared objects (like distant stars) from the NEOWISE maps and highlight moving objects that had similar characteristics to known brown dwarfs. He was looking at one such brown dwarf candidate when he spotted another, much fainter object moving quickly across the screen. This would turn out to be WISEA J153429.75-104303.3, which hadn't been highlighted because it did not match the program's profile of a brown dwarf. Caselden caught it by accident.

"This discovery is telling us that there's more variety in brown dwarf compositions than we've seen so far," said Kirkpatrick. "There are likely more weird ones out there, and we need to think about how to look for them."

More About the Missions

Launched in 2009, the WISE spacecraft was placed into hibernation in 2011 after completing its primary mission. In September 2013, NASA reactivated the spacecraft with the primary goal of scanning for near-Earth objects, or NEOs, and the mission and spacecraft were renamed NEOWISE. JPL, a division of Caltech, managed and operated WISE for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD). The mission was selected competitively under NASA's Explorers Program managed by the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. NEOWISE is a project of JPL, a division of Caltech, and the University of Arizona, supported by NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office.

For more opportunities to participate in NASA Citizen Science Projects, go to: https://science.nasa.gov/citizenscience

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Occupied Aaiun, August 31, 2021 (SPS) - The Committee for the Defense of the Right to Self-Determination of the People of Western Sahara (CODAPSO), a Saharawi Non-Governmental Organization, condemned deliberate medical negligence against Sahrawi civilians in the occupied zones .

In a statement released today, CODAPSO affirmed that it closely follows the violations committed by the Moroccan occupation authorities against Sahrawi civilians, women, children and men and even people with disabilities in the occupied areas of Western Sahara, which it has even deprived them of prescriptions to treat COVID-19 cases, demonstrating their marginalization to Sahrawi citizens .

The Sahrawi NGO also drew attention to the fact that the rate of cases of the COVID-19 epidemic in the cities of Western Sahara has increased and the death rate has increased among Sahrawi civilians, in particular, at the same time. in light of the lack of hospitals that satisfy the necessary medical needs of the infected and of services provided for this purpose .SPS

125/090/TRA
Afghanistan: GFA World Calls on People to Pray, Fast Now for 'Theater of Fear'

Texas-based compassion ministry urges people to 'be on our knees' for Afghanistan





PRAY FOR AFGHANISTAN 'THEATER OF FEAR:' GFA World (www.gfa.org) is calling on Christians in the West not to carry on "like normal" while people in Afghanistan face terror, rape, and execution. "We need to be on our knees in prayer now," says K.P. Yohannan, the mission organization's founder. Join GFA World's prayer effort for Afghanistan: http://www.gfa.org/press/PrayNow



NEWS PROVIDED BY

GFA World

Sept. 1, 2021



WILLS POINT, Texas, Sept. 1, 2021 /Standard Newswire/ -- One of the world's largest mission organizations is calling on Christians around the world not to carry on "like normal" while people in Afghanistan face terror, rape, and execution.



"I pray that no church in the world worships and prays like it's just another normal day over the coming weeks while the innocent in Afghanistan await the Taliban's knock on their door," said K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan), founder of GFA World (www.gfa.org), a Christian organization that helps millions of vulnerable people globally.



As U.S. and allied troops complete their withdrawal from Afghanistan, Yohannan pleaded with people to "pray and fast" for the desperate situation.



"I can tell you now that many innocent people, including Christians, are likely going to die very soon in Afghanistan -- and in other countries -- at the hands of emboldened terrorists," he said.



"These precious men, women and children need our prayers more than ever before."



'Theater of Fear'

"All the Afghan people -- not only Christians -- are living in a theater of fear," Yohannan said. "I just heard first-hand reports that many people -- and entire families -- have been wandering in the desert wilderness for over a week, desperate to escape the country."



According to reports, the Taliban are going door-to-door, hunting for Christians as well as Afghans who've assisted the United States. Males face execution on the spot, while women are raped and girls taken and forced into sexual slavery.



"Many in Afghanistan genuinely fear they will not see tomorrow," Yohannan said. "The knock on their door could be the last they hear."



"None of us should be acting like life is 'normal' while our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan wait in dread for the Taliban to come to their door. God moves when we choose to enter into the suffering of others. We need to be on our knees in prayer now."



For information about GFA World's prayer effort for the suffering people of Afghanistan, please visit this website: http://www.gfa.org/press/PrayNow



GFA World (www.gfa.org) is a leading faith-based global mission agency, helping national workers bring vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and sharing the love of God. In GFA World's latest yearly report, this included thousands of community development projects that benefit downtrodden families and their children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,800 clean water wells drilled, over 12,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 260,000 needy families, and teaching providing hope and encouragement available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. GFA World has launched programs in Africa, starting with compassion projects in Rwanda. For all the latest news, visit our Press Room at https://gfanews.org/news/.



SOURCE GFA World



CONTACT: Gregg Wooding, 972-567-7660, gwooding@inchristcommunications.com


Saudi Arabia's mega project Neom has invited bids for the construction of 31km of tunnels as part of The Line - a 170-km belt of hyper-connected future communities, without cars and roads and built around nature - at its $500-billion city project, according to a report. A revolution in urban living at the project, The Line was launched by HRH Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Neom Company Board of Directors, early this year. It is a direct response to some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today such as legacy infrastructure, pollution, traffic, and human congestion. The tunnel project is a part of The Lines infrastructure backbone. The deadline for submitting the bids has been set at December 30, said a report by GlobalDatas MEED. In June, China Railway Construction Corporation was selected for the adits and portals package, comprising the openings and access points for the tunnels. According to GlobalData, the tendering activity for residential projects had gathered pace in recent weeks with two tenders issued for one- and two-bedroom homes under the Neoms Community Expansion 3 programme. Also a separate tender was issued for 25 homes at Neom Zero. Contractors are understood to have expressed interest for a public private partnership (PPP) package for a housing project at the 120-km Gulf of Aqaba scheme earlier this month, and a PPP accommodation tender planned for Neom Mountain is also advancing, it added. The US Aecom was appointed project management consultant for the Neom Bay development in 2019, months after Riyadh approved the establishment of Neom as a joint-stock company, wholly-owned by the Public Investment Fund, to develop the project. Since then, around $1.43 billion worth of contracts have been awarded for construction and transport projects at Neom, it added. Neom has steadily progressed from the drawing board. After five years of spending cuts, the growing momentum of tender issuances from Neom is good news for contractors, said Richard Thompson, Editorial Director of GlobalDatas Meed.

The hope is that these tenders will swiftly translate into awards that can rejuvenate the contracting sectors financial health, as well as restore confidence in the Saudi construction sector, he noted.

"In the three years preceding its launch, low oil prices had caused payment delays, with new construction projects in the kingdom grinding to a halt," remarked Thompson.

"The ensuing cash flow crisis engulfed even Saudi Binladin Group and Saudi Oger, two of the kingdoms largest contractors at the time," he explained.

"Riyadh has since consolidated the construction sector through facilitating pending contractor payments, reining in the local markets pre-oil crash appetite for fast-track schemes, and launching legislation to govern employment and tendering activities in the sector," said Thompson.

According to him, Vision 2030-related construction projects such as Neom are expected to benefit from these measures.

"Nearly $667 million of these contracts are linked to the construction of commercial, industrial and office buildings across the Neom site, while a $160 million deal is assigned to road and infrastructure development at Sindalah Island," he stated.

Thompson revealed that contracts worth $1.3 billion were at the tender stage for the mammoth Saudi project.

Neom had recently received expressions of interest for a mobility hub planned for its base camp. The tender is said to cover spaces for electric mobility administration and infrastructure, electric vertical take-off, and landing hangars and drone transport, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Hotel and Tourism Management Institute (HTMi) Switzerland Dubai, leading Swiss hospitality school in Dubai, is set to move to a new purpose-built hotel where students can engage with real life experiences.



This new realistic hotel learning environment will be the first and only hospitality campus in the region that offers exemplary practical classes situated at an ideal hospitality destination in Al Jaddaf, Dubai.



This multicultural student environment is allowing the students to be fully equipped in becoming the future leaders in the hospitality industry through the implementation of innovative classes, programs, and workshops uniquely rooted from Switzerland. They will be supplied with the essential skills and competencies within the various departments such as Food and Beverage service, Culinary Arts, Front office and Housekeeping through an interactive experience and student- centred approach as they live in the campus boutique hotel.



This new destination offers a true hotelier experience with the best campus environment and close proximity to some well-known hotels like Palazzo Versace and spans across other key locations such as Jameel Arts Center and Al Jaddaf waterfront walkway.



The UAE has been the top destination across the globe, and this is apparent with the upcoming World Expo that will be held in Dubai and will surely create an upswing in the tourism sector. With the growing opportunities for the hospitality industry, we ensure that our students receive the best education and are bounded by a solid expertise in this sector that reflects HTMis mission of preparing them to be future hospitality leaders, said Judit Toth, Business Director of HTMi Switzerland Dubai.



Every level of teaching and support is provided with the help of our growing network of hospitality partners over the past 2 years. Our constant team-up with our Swiss office allows us to strategically employ our objectives and be the centre of excellence for the hospitality and tourism industry in the region, she added.



HTMis students are currently attending their internships at prestigious hotels in the region like W Dubai The Palm, Bulgari Hotel, Emaar Hospitality, Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina, Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, and Fairmont Fujairah, to name a few. This will ensure that professional development through training will be achieved and integrate the rich culture of the UAE as the students become active learners who always envision excellence.



The September intake for HTMi Switzerland Dubai is now open for Hotel Management and Culinary Arts programs, a statement said.  TradeArabia News Service
Gulf Crafts Chairman Mohammed Hussein Alshaali welcomed a delegation from the Government of the Maldives to the Gulf Craft shipyard on yesterday (August 28), led by Mohamed Aslam, Minister of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure; Aishath Nahula, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation along with Adam Azim, CEO of the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC).

The personal tour, hosted by Gulf Crafts Chairman and Terry Stamatakos, General Manager of Gulf Craft Maldives, comes after the shipyard was awarded the MTCC contract earlier this year to manufacture a fleet of specially designed high-quality speed boats for use across the Integrated National Public Ferry Network. The delegation visited the production facility where the vessels are being built by the shipyards expert production team and were invited for a progress update and to inspect the boats, which are due to start being delivered later in 2021.

The new speed boats will offer a convenient and efficient transport system to all administrative islands of the Maldives, with capabilities to transport up to 53 passengers at a time and will connect the capital city to nearby islands. The vessels will be equipped with special packages for passengers travelling in emergency situations and will include access for stretchers and people with disabilities. The government officials praised Gulf Craft for the shipyards outstanding contribution to the Maldives economy. The public transportation project is one of the largest government initiatives, and will contribute to connecting the various islands of the Maldives upon completion.

Aishath Nahula, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation said: Gulf Craft has been overwhelmingly thorough in executing this project for the Maldives. Its been time efficient, and weve been offered the best of quality that Gulf Craft has delivered over the 20 years in the Maldives. Given its a public transport project for the country, the effort and dedication from the Gulf Craft team is remarkable. These vessels are going to complete our transport network and its going to play a decisive role in the day to day lives of the people. Its truly a service to the nation.

Mohamed Aslam, Minister of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure said, A reliable public transport ferry service throughout Maldives is one of the key pledges of the government. I am proud to acknowledge Gulf Craft is building the vessels for this service in Maldives.

Chairman AlShaali added: We and the friendly people of Maldives have a long-standing relationship that goes far beyond our current project together. I still recall the day when we opened our factory doors twenty years ago in the presence of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. We are pleased to continue in building these distinguished relationships that unite us with the Government of the Maldives and its generous people.

This year marks the twentieth anniversary for Gulf Craft Maldives operation which has played a pivotal role in developing the marine transportation network of the island nation.

Gulf Craft provides almost 80% of the Maldivess water transport services which includes public transport, coast guard, emergency & ambulance services, resorts, and leisure sectors. With a strong and established presence in the country, Gulf Craft is now developing a new production facility dedicated to the manufacturing of vessels for use in the Indian Ocean which will see its operations and production capacity double within 16 months.TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabias King Abdullah Port, a leading port in the Middle East, has been ranked among the top 100 container ports in the world, according to the 2021 edition of the prestigious Lloyds List One Hundred Ports published recently.



The ports remarkable performance in 2020 despite the pandemic-related challenges enabled it to improve its ranking by three positions to reach the 84th position, reported Saudi Press Agency (SPA).



Jay New, the Chief Executive Officer of King Abdullah Port, said: We are proud of King Abdullah Ports growing reputation as an internationally recognized port with state-of-the-art infrastructure and efficient operations. The ports consistently high performance in various global rankings and its unmatched service excellence have been driving its growth and resilience, enhancing our contributions to realizing the Vision 2030 objectives.



This achievement inspires us to continue delivering on our commitment to transform the Kingdom into a top global hub connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa, besides supporting the diversification of the national economy by facilitating the growth of non-oil exports.



The improved ranking in the global list reflects King Abdullah Ports continually improving infrastructure and facilities as well as its prompt and effective response strategy to mitigate the impact of the global pandemic. The accomplishment also acknowledges the efforts of King Abdullah Port to become the largest in the Middle East with the capacity to handle 25 million TEU annually.



The port recorded a 6.6% increase in container throughput in 2020; reaching 2,153,963 TEU compared to 2,020,683 TEU in 2019, and achieved a remarkable 16% increase in the number of imported containers compared to the previous year. As for bulk and general cargo, the port registered a 12.4% increase in 2020, reaching 3,329,380 tons, compared to 2,962,867 tons in 2019.



It continues to perform exceptionally well in 2021, substantially raising its throughput to be ranked first in increase among the regional ports during the first quarter, reaching 693,700 TEU, up 44.2% from 481,100 TEU recorded in Q1 2020. The port also achieved a new record for the monthly volume of breakbulk cargo by handling over 600,000 tons in April 2021.



King Abdullah Ports stellar performance in 2020 has helped it to improve its rankings in various esteemed global lists and indices. Recently, it ranked 83rd in the prestigious Alphaliners global list of the 100 largest container ports, jumping up four spots from its previous rank.



Owned by the Ports Development Company, King Abdullah Port is the regions first port to be owned, developed, and operated by the private sector.
Eat Just, a food technology company with a mission to build a healthier, safer and more sustainable food system, has announced that it has partnered with Doha Venture Capital (DVC) and Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA), to build the first-ever cultivated meat facility in the Middle East and Northern Africa (Mena) region.

The regional hub will be located in the Umm Alhoul Free Zone, one of two free zones overseen and regulated by QFZA, with direct access to Hamad Port, said a statement from the company.

The hub will comprise a large-scale facility for Eat Justs Good Meat division, which created the worlds first-to-market meat made from animal cells instead of slaughtered livestock.

Eat Just co-founder and CEO Josh Tetrick said: Our team is grateful to take the next step in our global expansion in the Qatar Free Zones. Their commitment to accelerating our work in building a more sustainable food system was apparent from day one of our dialogue."

The announcement follows Eat Justs commercialisation of Good Meat in Singapore as well as its commitment to build a large-scale protein facility in Singapore.

DVC CEO Mohammed Al Abdulla said: Eat Just is a highly innovative company with a bright future, and were pleased to be one of the investors in the company. This partnership is a prime example of our commitment to supporting high-growth disruptors as they develop innovative technologies.

There are plans to add a protein processing facility for Just Egg, the companys plant-based egg division. The hub will be staffed with research and development, engineering and business development professionals.

QFZA CEO Lim Meng Hui said: At QFZA, were focused on companies shaping the future of their industries, and Eat Justs team is doing just that. Our free zones are characterized by innovation, technology, accelerated growth and environmental awareness, and Eat Just is a natural partner across all four of these areas.

The QFZA and the Ministry of Public Health have indicated their intention to grant regulatory approval for Good Meat cultivated chicken very soon and have formally granted an export licence for the product.-TradeArabia News Service
P&O Maritime Logistics Multi-Carrying Vessel (MCV) visited the Arabian Gulf for the first time, this week, calling in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The Topaz Moskva, the vessel, arrived in Saudi Arabia following a journey from Italy and also visited Dubai this week on its tour of the Middle East.

The Topaz Moskva navigated the Suez Canal on her way from the Mediterranean Sea, a first for this vessel category which are renowned for superior performance in shallow and narrow waterways.

Additionally, the ship crossed into the Arabian Gulf during monsoon season, an atypical journey for this ship category  demonstrating the true versatility of MCVs.

Departing from Marghera, Italy, the Topaz Moskva made her journey carrying a full load of modules, which she delivered to a chemical company based in Saudi Arabia arriving on August 23.

On her visit to Dubai, she will welcome a select group of invitees to have a private tour of the unique vessel  as the coastal city continues to attract an ever-expanding diversity of ships calling to the Gulf region.

With P&O Maritime Logistics being headquartered in the UAE, the visit is seen as a homecoming celebration for the Topaz Moskva.

Martin Helweg, CEO of P&O Maritime Logistics said: Im proud to see P&O Maritime Logistics make a pioneering journey with the arrival of the Topaz Moskva in the Arabian Gulf. As a DP World company based in Dubai, were thrilled to see this vessel visit our global headquarters for the first time.

MCVs are a versatile specialist vessel type, and the journey to Saudi Arabia and Dubai from Italy helps to demonstrate that they are successful in a wide variety of maritime conditions  beyond the expectations of many.

All MCVs in P&O Maritime Logistics fleet are equipped with pioneering Internet of Things (IoT) technology, which provides the capability to transmit real-time information from the vessel about its performance. The data has enabled these ships to have a predictive maintenance model, reducing downtown whilst also boosting fuel performance.

Helweg continued: In line with our aim of being the leading innovator and digital disruptor in our industry, all our MCVs are equipped with next-generation technology. This is part of our philosophy as a company to continually improve our customer offering using the best technology available, while embracing business models that break tradition  such as with Supply on Demand, our revolutionary cargo model currently operating in the Middle East.

P&O Maritime Logistics MCV fleet is one of the youngest and most environmentally friendly in the breakbulk market. Trading areas include the Caspian Sea, Black Sea, North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea and the Russian Inland Waterway System.TradeArabia News Service
PepsiCo and its philanthropic arm, The PepsiCo Foundation, alongside the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, have announced the launch of the USA Pavilion @ Expo 2020 Fellows Programme.

The Fellows Programme is focused on empowering and educating young global leaders tackling the world's most pressing socioeconomic issues by helping them hone their leadership and problem-solving skills.

Funded by a $500,000 (AED1,836,600) grant from The PepsiCo Foundation, the seven month-long programme is hosted by the USA Pavilion @ Expo 2020 and brings together 40 young leaders from 20 countries across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (Menasa).

Focused on global issues explored at Expo 2020 Dubai - including trade, sustainability, and future cities - the programme aims to foster dialogue across the Menasa region, spur debate, and ultimately enable the Fellows to build communities and solutions that will respond to the contemporary challenges that confront us all.

Participants are leaders who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of those around them. They were nominated by US diplomatic missions from participating countries and selected through a competitive application process run by the Observer Research Foundation America (ORF America), and Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

Eugene Willemsen, CEO of PepsiCo, Africa, Middle East, and South Asia, noted: "At PepsiCo, we are committed to raising the bar on talent and diversity. We want to inspire the next generation of leaders to help address issues of global importance and create a better future for us all. The Fellows Programme will serve as a launching pad for exchanging and inspiring new perspectives and enable the next generation of leaders to achieve their full potential, enter today's workforce and be successful."

The four-phase programme commences with virtual orientation sessions led by pavilion leaders that will introduce Fellows and lay the building blocks for their global network. Following virtual sessions, Fellows will be flown to Expo 2020 Dubai where they will meet with pavilion leaders, participate in panel discussions, and network across Expo.

At Expo 2020, Fellows will also participate in hands-on instructional sessions that mirror a dynamic classroom style, and includes the development of a group project that Fellows will work on throughout the duration of the programme. For those unable to travel due to the ongoing pandemic, a virtual programme has been developed to ensure they receive the same benefits as others.

Following their visit to Dubai, Fellows will return home and participate in a digital bootcamp led by AstroLabs, a company committed to building capabilities and upskilling individuals across the region. Designed as a virtual bridge between in-person segments, this phase will focus on mentoring the Fellows as they complete their individual and group projects.

The programme culminates in a fourth phase consisting of five days of in-person development at Expo 2020 Dubai, including the presentation of group projects. It is expected that more than 2,000 people will benefit from the work carried out in this programme.

"The potential of these regional leaders knows no bounds, and with this programme we will build an expansive network that will empower these young people and give them the tools and resources they need to advance their existing work," said C D Glin, Vice President, The PepsiCo Foundation and Global Head of Philanthropy, PepsiCo.

"Already, these leaders have proven to be catalysts of change in their home countries, and with the Expo 2020 Fellows Programme, we will ensure that this incredible work can be further amplified in a way that will touch the lives of thousands. We are proud to be a founding member of this programme and believe that it will serve as a global model moving forward."

Upon completion of the programme, participants will become part of the US Department of State exchange programme alumni network. This community will allow the Fellows to engage with others who can provide guidance as they explore ways to be agents of change in their communities.

Through their involvement in this distinguished programme, Fellows will be integrated into larger ORF communities, including the Raisina Young Fellows Programme, also known as the Asian Forum on Global Governance, and have the opportunity to build multiple communities in and outside of the Menasa region.

Deputy Commissioner General for the USA Pavilion, Matthew K. Asada, emphasised the opportunity for leadership development and entrepreneurial growth across the region saying, "The USA Pavilion @ Expo 2020 Fellows Programme offers a unique environment for young leaders from the Middle East and South Asia for skill development. Expo 2020 Dubai is the first world's fair in the region, and we're excited to build on the global gathering's location as a connecting point for countries to highlight their best and brightest people, innovations, and ways of living. The USA Pavilion is proud to host this first exchange programme of its kind as we tell our story of 'Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of the Future.'"

ORF America Executive Director, Dhruva Jaishankar said: "ORF America is proud to be involved in this exciting new initiative in its first year of operation. The Fellows Programme will help foster a dynamic network of young professionals from across a pivotal region of the world, thereby helping the understanding and appreciation of sustainability, globalisation, entrepreneurship, and innovation in a world changed by Covid." -- TradeArabia News Service
Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) has taken its digital transformation to the next level with VMware.

By embracing a cloud-first approach with VMware, KNPC has boosted its agility, efficiency, and security to set in motion a new era of digital transformation, said KNPC spokesperson and Deputy CEO for Admi & Commercial Affairs, Ahed Al-Khurayif.

The company has already achieved more than 95% datacentre virtualisation, reducing its datacentre footprint by 70%, and realising total cost savings of more than 50% over three years, while enabling the rapid launch of modern applications.

This agility means that KNPC will be able to deliver new mega-projects in the country and support the goals of Kuwait Vision 2035 to further support economic growth.

With Kuwait increasing productivity across sectors as part of its national Vision 2035, it is critical that the oil sector - the traditional mainstay of the economy for several decades - also modernises, allowing it to achieve maximum efficiency to support diversification efforts.

KNPCs management was keen to ensure the organisation embraced the latest technology, enabling it to operate at maximum efficiency, with network visibility and agility to support changing market conditions and new commercial ventures, Al-Khurayif added.

In Kuwaits oil and gas sector, opportunities for new projects appear quickly and require sophisticated IT resources, with a rapid turnaround and the ability to develop powerful, customised applications, said Naji Al-Marri, Manager, Information Technology, KNPC.

He added that KNPC is already involved in several megaprojects, including a strategic project to expand and upgrade Mina Abdullah and Mina Al-Ahmadi refineries to be an integrated complex with a total capacity of 800,000 bpd. Additional initiatives include a sulphur handling project and a fifth gas train.

To support these ambitious plans, KNPC deployed its own private cloud in two datacentres in Kuwait, with a Software Defined Datacentre (SDDC) approach, built on VMware solutions, virtualising compute, storage, network and security layers for maximum agility, in addition to reduced cost and complexity. KNPCs IT team is operating both sites in Active-Active configuration, allowing them to provide high resiliency and Service Level Agreements to the business units.

In line with KNPCs goals to develop into a truly smart organisation, our digital transformation partnership with VMware is providing exactly the flexibility and scalability we need to innovate, boost efficiency, and adapt to ever changing market conditions, including the completion of megaprojects, said Ebrahim Alsharrah, Team Leader, End User Support, KNPC.

This, in turn, is helping contribute to Kuwaits economic growth, job creation, and secure digital oil refineries.

With cybersecurity a growing concern in the energy sector, VMwares solutions, including NSX, has helped boost KNPCs security by providing intrinsic security throughout the network. VMware Cloud Foundation also helps boost KNPCs security by automating the lifecycle management of all software components across the organisations infrastructure, which means security updates occur automatically, as and when required.

Imad Sfeir, Country Director  Gulf (Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen), VMware, said: As one of the most digitally advanced oil refineries in the world, KNPC is demonstrating what can be achieved by embracing a cloud-first approach that supports automation, big data, and smart applications. KNPC is ideally placed to continue increasing its productivity and set a new benchmark for other companies in Kuwait and beyond to follow.-- TradeArabia News Service
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the newest national airline of the UAE, has announced a special offer for one day only. The airline is offering 30% off on all flights and 50% off all WIZZ Flex tickets for bookings made today (September 1).

Since launching at the start of the year, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has announced a wide range of exciting destinations including Athens, Alexandria, Tirana, Budapest, Bari, Almaty, Sarajevo, Belgrade and a number of others.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi offers discounted PCR tests in the UAE capital. Everyone on board of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi flights will have been tested prior to boarding and approved to travel in line with Abu Dhabi Airport guidelines and all our crew are 100% vaccinated.

For ultimate peace of mind during this uncertain time, passengers can book tickets with confidence, thanks to WIZZ Flex. With WIZZ Flex, passengers can cancel their flight up to three hours before departure without any fee and receive 100% of the fare immediately reimbursed in airline credit.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has the youngest fleet composed of four brand new state-of-the-art Airbus A321neo aircraft, offering the lowest fuel burn, emissions, and noise footprint.

The airline has also introduced a new era of sanitised travel across its network, with enhanced hygiene measures to ensure the health and safety of passengers and crew.-TradeArabia News Service
International tourists have lauded Germanys Covid-19 safety precautions with the country ranking lowest for risk of infection in a new survey, while more tourists are now staying in Germany for longer, according to new data.

In a survey by IPK International, a tourist market research specialist, travellers were asked to rate Covid-19 infection risk in 18 markets and Germany was recognised for its efforts to keep tourists safe.

A study conducted by ForwardKeys, the global reference for business intelligence, tourism and travel trends, found that tourists flying into Germany are now booking longer stays, with the average length stay for June 2021 recorded as 10 days, compared with five days in 2019.

The same study highlighted an increase in group bookings, with parties of two or more people increasing from 73.9 to 84.2 per cent of bookings.

German National Tourist Board (GNTB) CEO Petra Hedorfer said: Current data shows a change in travellers intentions, with more mindfulness, sustainability and social responsibility at the forefront and we want to reassure customers ot our commitment to sustainability.

"With the 'Feel Good' and German.Spa.Tradition campaigns, we are communicating sustainable, quality products to conscious tourists.

The new findings reinforce efforts by the GNTB to attract tourists following the ease of travel restrictions and meet a surge in demand for travel options centred around wellbeing and sustainability.

Germany began welcoming European Medicines Agency approved, fully vaccinated travellers on June 25.-TradeArabia News Service
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The California Democratic Party is the largest state party in the United States to take a stance on caste discrimination, marking an important step forward in the fight against caste-based oppression in the United States. By adding caste as a protected category to the Party Code of Conduct, the Democratic Party has made history, especially in light of opposition from Hindutva front organizations based in the US against such a designation.

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WASHINGTON, D.C.  The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy organization dedicated to safeguarding Indias pluralist and tolerant ethos Wednesday hailed the California Democratic Partys decision to designate caste as a protected category.

The California Democratic Party is the largest state party in the nation to take a stance on caste discrimination, marking an important step forward in the fight against caste-based oppression in the United States. By adding caste as a protected category to the Party Code of Conduct, the Democratic Party has made history, especially in light of opposition from Hindutva front organizations based in the US against such a designation.

Equality Labs and other prominent Dalit activists led the push for this change. As Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Equality Labs Executive Director, stated: This is a powerful validation of the caste equity civil rights movement. Caste is so deeply alive in the diaspora and it impacts so many parts of the South Asian American experience. Our report showed the prevalence of caste discrimination with 1 out of 4 Dalits experiencing physical assault, 2 out of 3 experiencing workplace discrimination, and 1 out of 3 experiencing discrimination in education. The Democratic party is leading the conversation by recognizing that caste oppressed Americans deserve protection and that the time for its addition in all American institutions is long overdue. We look forward to continuing to work with even more elected officials around the state and the country.

We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to our Dalit allies for this victory in the state of California, said Mr. Rasheed Ahmed, Executive Director of IAMC.

Amar Singh Shergill, California Democratic Party Executive Board Member and Progressive Caucus Chair, stated, With the addition of caste protections to our Party Code of Conduct, the Democratic party recognizes that California must lead in the historical battle for caste equity and ensure we acknowledge the need for explicit legal protections for caste-oppressed Americans. We understand that protection from caste discrimination may be accessed under preexisting categories of ancestry, religion, and race, yet many caste-oppressed people do not report discrimination because this explicit legal protection is not yet widely recognized.

The addition of caste based protections is crucial as the United States ratified international human rights treaties that require us to be committed to protections of all marginalized people, said Govind Acharya of Amnesty International USA. Protections for caste oppressed communities are a vital global human rights issue and it is time that California once again leads the nation in making human rights history.

While the caste system originated in India, diaspora communities in the West have imported discriminatory practices and implemented them in their adopted homelands. Most notably, Cisco was sued by the state of California for reports of discrimination against a Dalit engineer, who received less pay, fewer opportunities, and other inferior terms and conditions of employment due to his caste. Caste discrimination has been reported within the giants of Silicon Valley, including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, IBM, Apple, and Amazon.

In a statement, IAMC reaffirmed its solidarity with the global Dalit community and pledged its continued commitment to justice for all marginalized communities, whether they are oppressed on the basis of caste, religion, or other minority status.
Australian Egyptian Forum Council Calls for Recognition of Assyrian, Greek, Armenian Genocide

The Australian Egyptian Forum Council has joined a growing number of organisations in Australia calling on the Federal Government to recognise the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).

The Australian Egyptian Forum Council is an organisation representing the interests of the Egyptian-Australian community in New South Wales. They promote Egyptian heritage and culture in Australia, and aim to encourage and develop good relations with other communities, working towards the spirit of a multicultural Australia.

The President of the Australian Egyptian Forum Council, Mr Amir Salem, has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison in support of the Armenian-Australian community's call urging for Federal recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

"We believe that Australia, as a nation that upholds the values of human rights and justice, should be next in recognising the Armenian Genocide," wrote Mr. Salem. "Accurate characterisation of the events as Genocide will ensure the healing of open wounds for current and future generations of Armenian-Australians living with this trauma."

In April this year, Prime Minister Morrison, who called for Federal Australian recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a backbench MP in 2011, failed to correctly characterise the crimes of 1915 in his 2021 statement, despite acknowledging Australia's first major international humanitarian relief effort to aid the "dispossession, deportations and deaths" suffered during the events.

The Australian Egyptian Forum Council joins prominent religious, political, ethnic and youth organisations who have written to Prime Minister Morrison calling on him to stand on the side of truth and justice on the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides, including the Jewish Australian community, the Arab Council of Australia, the New South Wales Young Liberals, the New South Wales Ecumenical Council representing 16 churches, Christian Charity Barnabas Fund Australia, Kurdish Lobby Australia, as well as from numerous prominent academics and former politicians.

In addition, over 20 ministers, shadow ministers and parliamentarians representing all sides of politics conveyed condolence messages to the Armenian-Australian community. Their messages contradicted Prime Minister Scott Morrison's statement that recognised "dispossession, deportations and death" -- as well as Australia's first international humanitarian relief effort to assist surviving orphans -- but failed to correctly characterise as genocide the 1915 murders of over 1.5 million Armenians, and over 1 million Assyrians and Greeks.has added to the pressure the Australian Government has faced leading up to and following this statement, with countless communities and political figures joining calls for recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides.

Mr Salem also referenced the connection between Armenian survivors of the genocide and his country of origin, Egypt.

"We are celebrating the Cosmopolitan City of Alexandria, where the Armenian community formed an essential part of the diversity of Alexandria," he wrote. "Egypt was a safe haven for many Armenians seeking refuge from the atrocities they experienced under the Ottoman Empire."

The ANC-AU is grateful for the support of the Australian Egyptian Forum Council, who have called on the Australian Government to recognise the Armenian Genocide.

"Armenian-Australians thank Mr Amir Salem and the Australian Egyptian Forum Council for joining a growing list of organisations that have called for Federal recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Australia," said ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian.

"Many Armenians who survived the genocide found safe haven in Egypt, and we are grateful for the continued support from their community in Australia," Kayserian added.
Maximum alert in Cyprus, the spill is expected to reach Karpas peninsula in the area controlled by pro-Ankara authorities. Turkish vice president assures a general mobilization to avert "an environmental disaster". The incident occurred last week in a power plant on the Syrian coast.

Damascus (AsiaNews/Agencies) - A massive crude oil spill into the sea, caused by a leak in a power plant located inside a Syrian oil refinery, is spreading along the Mediterranean coast. According to Sana state agency reports, and from what emerges from satellite images, the spill has already reached the coastal town of Jableh, about 20 km north of the Baniyas plant, and is now targeting the coast of the island of Cyprus. Last week, the Syrian Ministry of Environment and the authorities of Latakia province alerted all the necessary means and departments and urgently started the clean-up procedures, but this was not enough to contain the leak.

Within 24 hours of the incident, which occurred on August 24, technicians at the Baniyas Thermal Station managed to stop the spill and secure the tank. Satellite images released by Planet Labs Inc, however, showed what immediately appeared to be a huge tide of crude oil extending over 25 square kilometers.

The authorities of Cyprus are carefully monitoring the situation, fearing that oil may end up on their coasts upsetting a delicate environmental system. The models elaborated by the experts indicate that by nightfall the oil spill would have reached the peninsula of Karpas, in the northern area controlled by Turkey. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay told Anadolu Agency that the country "is mobilizing all available means" to prevent the spill from turning "into an environmental disaster".

Dawoud Darwish, leader of the union of workers in the electrical sector in Tartous, says cracks in one of the tanks of the thermal power plant are to blame for the incident. Inside there were more than 15 thousand tons of fuel.

Syrian oil resources are mostly outside the areas controlled by the government, but the two refineries present on the territory are in the hands of Damascus that exploits their production. The availability crisis makes the Arab country - tormented by more than 10 years of conflict - dependent on Iran for fuel, but sanctions imposed by the U.S. government hinder the supply network involving Syria, Iran and Russia.

The past year has seen a series of mysterious attacks on ships in Middle Eastern waters, including off the coast of Syria. Episodes that have increased as a result of rising regional tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States. In May, Damascus' foreign minister accused the Jewish state of being responsible for "mysterious attacks" on oil tankers bound for Syria, in violation of international law.
Chinas envoy for Asian Affairs spent a week in the former Burma, scene of violent clashes between the military and anti-coup fighters. Yesterday, Beijing announced a successful cargo test connecting its southwestern province with the Indian Ocean via Myanmar.

Yangon (AsiaNews)  Chinas special envoy for Asian Affairs completed a seven-day visit to Myanmar last week. During his stay, Sun Guoxiang met with military junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, who overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's government in a coup on 1 February.

The visit, which took place between 21 and 28 August, coincided with clashes between the Myanmar military and ethnic militias in Shan, Kayah, and Mon states.

China just opened a new railway line that will allow goods to reach Yunnan province after travelling by land via Myanmar, the China News Service reported. A test cargo successfully arrived at its destination a few days ago.

The goods were shipped from Singapore to the port of Yangon, then travelled by road to Lincang, a Chinese city on the border with Myanmar, where it was loaded on a train on a newly built railway line that goes as far as Chengdu, an important trading hub in Chinas southwestern province of Sichuan.

The independent news website The Irrawaddy reports that the Myanmar segment runs through Mandalay, Lashio and Hsenwi and is expected to become the lifeblood of international trade for China and Myanmar, while providing a source of income for Myanmars military regime.

In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar said that China supports Myanmars efforts to restore social stability and resume democratic transformation at an early date.

To this end, General Min Aung Hlaing, the Chinese envoy "exchanged views . . . on the political landscape in Myanmar.

Sun had previously participated in talks between the military and some Myanmar ethnic groups that oppose the military. However, four Shan State armed groups, united in the Northern Alliance, refuse to negotiate with the junta.

According to local sources, the military suffered casualties over the weekend. Last Saturday, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the National Democratic Army of Myanmar (MNDAA) ambushed more than 100 junta soldiers, wounding at least 20, in Monekoe, Shan State.

A KIA spokesperson confirmed the clashes but declined to provide more precise information about casualties.

According to a volunteer, about 2,000 people living in Monekoe and nearby Pang Hseng, on the border with China, have fled their homes due to the fighting.

They were forced to stay in makeshift tents along the border, the volunteer explained. We still havent been able to get to them. We could only get to Pang Hseng because troops from both sides are operating in the area.

According to The Irrawaddy, Myanmar troops retaliated, shelling the village of Nam Ha, killing at least four civilians, including a 10-year-old boy.

As fighting continued, MNDAA killed at least 15 junta soldiers on Monday. The latter were bringing reinforcements from Pansai.

Myanmar forces also clashed with ethnic armed groups in Loikaw, Kayah State, and Thaton, a district in Mon State.

A spokesman for the Karen National Union (KNU), which has its own armed wing, said that clashes will continue as long as the Myanmar military continues to invade its territory.

Since mid-August, the Myanmar military has boosted its presence in areas under rebel control.
All accused of organizing and taking part in a banned demonstration. Six of those convicted are already serving jail time. League of Social Democrats: until recently, fines were imposed for these offenses. Carrie Lam denies repression, critics point to facts telling a different story.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - The city's district court today sentenced seven democracy activists to between 11 and 16 months in prison. Judge Amanda Woodcock found them guilty of organizing and taking part in an unauthorized procession on October 20, 2019, at the height of anti-government protests by the Democratic Front. The demonstration had been attended by thousands of people.

The conviction hit former parliamentarians Cyd Ho, Albert Ho, Yeung Sum, and "long hair" Leung Kwok-hung; guilty verdicts were also handed to Avery Ng and Raphael Wong of the League of Social Democrats (LSD), and Figo Chan, coordinator of the Civil Human Rights Front. All had pleaded guilty. Apart from Wong, the other six defendants are already in prison serving other sentences. The court ruled that the sentences for them will not be cumulative.

In delivering the verdict, Woodcock explained that Basic Law (Hong Kong's mini-Constitution) and the Bill of Rights guarantee citizens freedom of assembly, demonstration and protest. The judge stressed, however, that these prerogatives are not absolute, but subject to restrictions "in the interest of public order." The main charge against the convicted is that they did not take measures to prevent disorder during the demonstration.

Four LSD members held a banner that read peaceful demonstrations are innocent, shame to political prosecution outside the courthouse. As Hong Kong Free Press reports, active social democrats point out that sentences for unauthorized demonstrations have become heavier: previously they were limited to a fine or a period of community service.

In a press release, Avery Ng criticizes the continued "reinterpretation" of existing rules. He questions whether they serve to protect the freedoms of citizens or "the power of the already powerful."

Yesterday, Carrie Lam dismissed allegations that the executive she leads is using the National Security Act to crack down on civil society. For critics, the facts tell a different story. Since the launch of the draconian measure sought by Beijing 14 months ago, police have arrested 143 people considered a threat to national security; 84 of them have been charged. Authorities forced the closure of Apple Daily, a pro-democracy newspaper founded by Catholic tycoon Jimmy Lai, which has been under arrest for months. Initium, another independent publication, moved its headquarters to Singapore.

Targeted by the government, historic organizations such as the Teachers Union and the Civil Human Rights Front have recently disbanded. The former was the city's largest trade union, the latter the leading Democratic coalition.

Indictments have also come in for student leaders, accused of fomenting terrorism. In Legco, the city parliament, there is now only one representative not aligned with Beijing. Free voices such as journalist Steve Vines and artist Kacey Wong have fled the city.
Diocese announces DNA confirmation.All three had been beatified in 2014. Bishop John Kim Son-tae: 'This is an amazing and monumental event'.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The remains of the first three South Korean Catholic martyrs have been found near Jeonju. The discovery was announced today during a press conference by the Diocese of Jeonju, which is located 243 km south of the capital Seoul.

Through archaeological investigations and DNA tests, it was possible to confirm that the remains belong to Paul Yun Ji-chung and James Kwon Sang-yeon, beheaded in 1791, and Yun's younger brother, Francis Yun Ji-heon, hung drawn and quartered a decade later.

The three were two brothers and a cousin who belonged to a Jeonju noble family. Paul Yun Ji-chung was the first convert to Christianity to be baptized. In 1791 - obeying Bishop Gouvea of Peking who banned ancestor worship in the territories under his jurisdiction - he destroyed the family altar. The episode created a scandal at court: arrested together with his cousin James Kwon Sang-yeon, he refused to abandon the Christian faith and was killed on December 8, 1791. Ten years later, his younger brother Francis Yun Ji-heon also died in a new wave of persecution against Christians.

The relics of the three were spotted in March in Wanju, in what had been plotted as a burial site for the martyrs and was being converted into a shrine. "The discovery of the remains is a truly amazing and monumental event," Bishop John Kim Son-tae, head of the Jeonju diocese, said in a statement."This is because our Church, which has grown on the foundation of the bloodshed by martyrs, has finally found the remains of the people who began the history of martyrdom," he said.

The prelate added that he gives "deep thanks, praise and glory to God, by whose providence this happened." "I would like to share this overwhelming emotion and joy with fellow believers," he added.

The martyrs were among the first Catholics killed by Korean rulers who feared that the spread of Catholicism would undermine the nation's dominant ideology based on Confucianism.

All three were beatified along with 120 other Korean martyrs by Pope Francis in 2014 during his apostolic trip to Korea. This year, the local Church is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of its first priest, St. Andrew Kim, who was also killed in hatred of the faith in 1846 at the age of 25.
In the interview with Spanish Radio COPE, the Pope spoke at length about the agreement with China on episcopal appointments. These are steps that can be questionable and the results on one side or the other.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis gave an interview with Spanish Radio COPE that was broadcast today. In it he talked about many issues, including China.

For the pontiff, the steps taken and the results achieved in talks between the Holy See and China may be questioned on both sides, but he is convinced that dialogue must continue. He also noted that the policy of openness vis-a-vis Communist eastern Europe pursued by Cardinal Agostino Casaroli was a source of inspiration for him.

When the interviewer asked him about doubts expressed within the Catholic Church about renewing the agreement with China on episcopal appointments, Francis said:

Even when I was a layman and priest, I loved to show the way to the bishop; it is a temptation that I would even say is licit if it is done with good will. China is not easy, but I am convinced that we should not give up dialogue. You can be deceived in dialogue, you can make mistakes, all that... but it is the way.

What has been achieved so far in China was at least dialogue... some concrete things like the appointment of new bishops, slowly... But these are also steps that can be questionable and the results on one side or the other.

The pope reiterated that the key figure in all this and who helps me and inspires me is Cardinal Casaroli who was was the man John XXIII commissioned to build bridges with Central Europe.[*] To make his point, Francis expressly quoted from the cardinal's memoirs titled The martyrdom of patience.

[I]t was small step after small step, creating bridges, he said. Slowly, slowly, slowly, he was achieving reserves of diplomatic relations which in the end meant appointing new bishops and taking care of Gods faithful people. Today, somehow, we have to follow these paths of dialogue step by step in the most conflictive situations.

Broadening his gaze, he noted that this is the same path followed with the Muslim world. My experience in dialogue with Islam, for example, with the Grand Imam al-Tayeb[] was very positive in this, and I am very grateful to him. It was like the germ of Fratelli tutti afterward. But dialogue, always dialogue, or to be willing to dialogue.

Pope Franciss radio interview comes a few weeks after the ordination of Mgr Li Hui as coadjutor bishop of Pingliang (Gansu), which took place on July 28.

This is the third ordination after the renewal of the Sino-Vatican agreement on episcopal appointments, which took place in October 2020.

In the meantime however, the fate of Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu of Xinxiang in Hebei remains unknown. The prelate was arrested along with 10 religious and 10 seminarians (later released) for refusing to join the "independent" Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.

To know more about the pope's reference to Cardinal Casaroli and Ostpolitik, it may be useful to re-read an important three-part analysis of that troubled period published a few years ago by AsiaNews. The author, Professor Stefano Caprio, teaches Russian history and culture at the Pontifical Oriental Institute. (Click here for Part One, Two and Three.)

[*] Card Casaroli was Secretary of State when the Vatican pursued a policy of openness (Ostpolitik) vis-a-vis Communist eastern Europe.

[] The Pope and the Grand Imam of al Azhar signed the Document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi.
In his Wednesday general audience, the pontiff appealed on World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation to work together for our shared home. He also announced a coming joint message on the environmental crisis with Patriarch Bartholomew and Anglican Primate Welby.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis held his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall today, focusing on his catechesis on the Apostle Paul's Letter to the Galatians.

In his address, the pontiff asked: How do we live our faith? Are we attached to the precious treasure, to the beauty of the newness of Christ, or do we prefer something that attracts us momentarily but then leaves us empty inside?

His reflection centred on the reproach the apostle addressed to the community (Gal 3:1-3), going so far as to call them foolish. For him, This is not something new, this explanation, it is something mine: what we are studying is what Saint Paul says in a very serious conflict.

The apostle uses this word not because they are not intelligent, but because, almost without realising it, they risk losing the faith in Christ that they have received with so much enthusiasm. They are foolish because they are unaware that the danger is that of losing the valuable treasure, the beauty, of the newness of Christ.

Saint Pauls goal is to compel Christians to realise what is at stake, so they do not allow themselves to be enchanted by the voice of the sirens who want to lead them to a religiosity based solely on the scrupulous observance of precepts.

Formalism is a danger that is always present in the life of the Church; hence, the question: how do we live our faith? Does the love of Christ, crucified and risen again, remain at the centre of our daily life as the wellspring of salvation, or are we content with a few religious formalities to salve our consciences?

Even today, Francis notes, people come and harangue us, saying, No, holiness is in these precepts, in these things, you must do this and that, and propose an inflexible religiosity, the inflexibility that takes away from us that freedom in the Spirit that Christs redemption gives us. Beware of the rigidity they propose to you: be careful. Because behind every inflexibility there is something bad, which is not the Spirit of God.

The Letter to the Galatians helps to be on guard against somewhat fundamentalist proposals that set us back in our spiritual life, and will help us go ahead in the paschal vocation of Jesus.

At the end of the catechesis, Francis mentioned that today is the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and announced a forthcoming joint message on this theme with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

Together with our brothers and sisters of different Christian denominations, let us pray and work for our common home in these times of grave crisis for the planet, he said.

In his greetings to French pilgrims, the Pope dedicated a special thought to those who are going back to school or work after summer holidays.

I invoke upon each one of you the Spirit of Wisdom so that, amid your toil and difficulties, God's merciful love may accompany you, always.

Finally, in greeting the elderly, the sick and newlyweds, as he does every week, he invoked upon them the outpouring of God's grace. This is the lord's ineffable gift and the redemptive force that comforts and sustains on the journey of life.
Part of the problem with the rental assistance money, Skolnik said, is that many local jurisdictions went with a tenant-based approach to distributing rental assistance funds, and that process has been very slow. He said programs like the United Way of Central Marylands Strategic, Targeted Eviction Program, known as STEP, which allows landlords to send applications on behalf of tenants with their consent, will be more effective.
The settlement is the latest dispute about police overtime in the city, which has been struggling with persistent crime but a shortages of officers. For years the department routinely spent far more on overtime than it budgeted, with some officers more than doubling their paychecks, raising concerns about officer wellness and the potential for abuse.
In a video of the second incident, a Black teen gets kneed repeatedly by an officer. One is taken into custody after lifting one of several police bicycles encircling the officers and another is shot with a stun gun as he struggles with officers.
The 120-day moratorium on approval of new farm breweries in Harford County was enacted in June, and was a major factor  along with the uncertainty of it being extended, in AleCrafts decision to look elsewhere, Streett said. Discussions of the study group meant to re-examine legislation that allows farm breweries in Harford County was also of concern, he said, as some of the regulations floated were among the most restrictive in the state.
When I sat in your sons funeral, I thought about my own son, said Baltimore City Councilman Zeke Cohen, who represents the Highlandtown neighborhood, during the vigil. I thought about what it would feel like to lose my child, Elias, in one of the most horrific ways imaginable. The person who murdered your son is a coward and deserves to be brought to justice.
Three voters and the federation sued the state in federal court two years ago, detailing problems with the electronic devices, which are often used by voters with vision impairments or other disabilities. Since 2016, most Maryland voters have used paper ballots marked with a pen. Before that, all voters used touch screen machines.
The powerful storms came after a band of heavy rain dumped inches in parts of the Baltimore area Wednesday morning, and as forecasters expect more showers and potentially dangerous storms to hit the state into the evening. Another tornado was confirmed to have touched down in Charles County, but National Weather Service forecasters did not immediately have more information on when and where Wednesday afternoon.
06:44:50 AM

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Lots of sunshine. High 73F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.

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Partly cloudy skies. Low 53F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.

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Mostly sunny skies. High 84F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
Comment Policy Calaveras Enterprise does not actively monitor comments. However, staff does read through to assess reader interest. When abusive or foul language is used or directed toward other commenters, those comments will be deleted. If a commenter continues to use such language, that person will be blocked from commenting. We wish to foster a community of communication and a sharing of ideas, and we truly value readers' input.
This undated image provided by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California shows two fake CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards that are part of a criminal complaint. With more than 600 colleges and universities now requiring proof of COVID-19 inoculations, an online industry has sprung up offering fake vaccine cards. Dozens of students interviewed by the Associated Press said they were aware of fake covid-19 vaccination cards, though none admitted to actually using one. (US Courts/AP)
When we took over, we had the choice to use our properties to create a big brand or make sure we keep all of our estates independent of one another, he said. Its more demanding [to keep the estates independent] because you dont target the same markets. But we represent the diversity of the region.
Despite the multiplicity of threats, he said the U.S. is better prepared than it was 20 years ago, having learned how to better coordinate between agencies, on local and federal levels. Whether its international or domestic terrorism, cyberattacks or climate change-induced weather emergencies, over the past 20 years, a lot of effort has been put into planning how to effectively respond, Greenberger said.
Beckles wrote that he and Fields had committed crimes, along with a third person named Aubrey, after Beckles lost his apartment and job. He wrote that Brown never had any involvement in the burglaries and that he had asked Brown to meet him in a parking lot, where he offloaded stolen property that he said he told Brown was his.
As we build back better, investing in infrastructure improvements across our state will help create jobs and keep our economy moving. Thats why weve fought for federal dollars  including American Rescue Plan funding  for projects like this, to support essential transportation needs that benefit Marylanders, said Van Hollen, a Democrat member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, in a statement.
The council agreed to put in $20,000 as a placeholder salary for the mayor  up from around $16,000  for drafting purposes. It is also possible, Councilman Tim Lindecamp said, that a strong mayor could hire a city administrator to handle more day-to-day, full-time operations and would not need to do work befitting a city executives salary. Some city managers are paid six-figures, he said by way of example.
The five-member redistricting commission to do it is tasked with submitting recommendations on redrawing the countys political lines to the Harford County Council by Oct. 1. The commission is next scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, the first of eight meetings slated for September.
Each year thousands of Marylanders come together to read the One Maryland One Book. It is a wonderful way to share a great work of literature, said Mary Hastler, CEO of Harford County Public Library, in a statement. This year we are pleased to offer many opportunities for the community to discuss the book, from virtual to in person to gatherings just for seniors. Harford County Public Library is once again proud to sponsor the 2021 One Maryland One Book author tour.
To the letter writer who believes that parents who do not believe in masking kids in school should be reported to the FBI for child abuse, I say My, thats a nice petty tyrant emerging inside of you. The Stasi would be proud. Maybe before you would have me arrested you should check your facts, if they even matter. There is not a single study, I mean actual data  not comments by experts  that shows masking is any way effective at nullifying the spread of COVID. In fact, some studies say the direct opposite. Should these epidemiologists be thrown in jail for child abuse for not finding your desired outcome? Many European countries, including Germany, the UK and those in Scandinavia do not require masks in schools. Should millions of parents in these countries be thrown in jail for child abuse? The WHO does not recommend masks in schools. Does that mean its entire staff should be thrown in jail for child abuse? Seems the U.S., under the guise of the CDC, which takes its orders from the teachers unions, is one of the only countries recommending masks in schools.
If the governor is criticizing the plan, then he cannot dismiss his role in making it a reality. He approved our air conditioning plan in 2017, the statement said. City Schools is accountable to the community for implementing the plan the governor supported, and we are making progress on the plan.
After the discovery of a new strain of the COVID-19 variant C.1.2, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made the RT-PCR test mandatory for international passengers arriving at the Mumbai airport from September 3.

"RT-PCR test mandatory for international passengers arriving at Mumbai Airport from UK, Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe upon arrival at the airport at their own cost, in wake of the discovery of a new strain of COVID-19," the BMC said in a statement.

As per the new guidelines of the government, the provision of institutional quarantine for international passengers travelling by air has been abolished. However, some new guidelines were introduced for international travellers.

The new COVID-19 variant C.1.2, which was first reported in South Africa, has not been found in India so far, government sources told ANI.

Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization's technical lead for COVID-19 on Tuesday said that C.1.2 variant has been found in at least six countries.

According to WHO, the researchers in South Africa first presented their findings on variant C.1.2 to the WHO Virus Evolution Working Group on July 21.

The new variant was first reported in South Africa in May. Researchers have described the C.1.2 variant, which has 40-59 mutations more than the original Wuhan virus. The research involves scientists from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP).

(ANI)
After Taliban's "victory" in Afghanistan, al Qaeda posted a congratulatory message in which it called for "armed jihad" to "liberate Palestine, Islamic Magreb, Somalia, Yemen and Kashmir from the enemies of Islam."

The US-designated terror group then said that just as Afghanistan was "liberated", Palestine should be "liberated from Zionist occupation and the Islamic Maghreb from French occupation," while also liberating "the Levant, Somalia, Yemen, Kashmir and the rest of the Islamic lands from the clutches of the enemies of Islam."

The message was distributed online by 'As Sahab', the media arm of al Qaeda, in both Arabic and English just hours after the last American soldier left Kabul, reported FDD's Long War Journal, an American news website.

Notably, the al-Qaeda statement was issued on Tuesday, the day when the head of Taliban's political office Sher Mohammed Stanakzai met with the Indian ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal in Doha at the Indian mission and assured that the Taliban will address the issues raised by the Indian side. Earlier also Taliban had said India is an important country and they want good economic relations with India.

In its two page statement, al-Qaeda congratulated all Islamic ummah (community) for Taliban's victory in Afghanistan. "On this historic occasion, we would like to offer our congratulations to the leadership of the Islamic Emirate, specifically Haibatullah Akhundzada," the al-Qaeda statement read.

It said that "It is time for you to prepare for the next stage of the struggle, the way for which has been paved by the victory of the defiant Afghan nation" adding that the "historic victory" in Afghanistan by the Taliban "will open the way for the Muslim masses to achieve liberation from the despotic rule of tyrants who have been imposed by the West on the Islamic World."

Al-Qaeda said it hoped that the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan will lead to additional victories for the "oppressed" around the world.

It also called on the Afghan nation to "unite around the blessed leadership of the Islamic Emirate -- a leadership that has over the years proven its sincerity and keenness to safeguard the interests of the masses and protect their religion, lives, and wealth."

"We call upon the Afghan nation to abide by the decisions and Shariah-based policies of the blessed Islamic Emirate," the statement read.

The al-Qaeda's leaders also said that it "soothed" their hearts to hear verses from the Quran recited in the "Presidential Palace" in Kabul.

"We praise the Almighty, the Ominpotent, who humiliated and defeated America, the head of disbelief," the statement reads. "We praise Him for breaking America's back, tarnishing its global reputation and expelling it, disgraced and humiliated, from the Islamic land of Afghanistan," the statement added.

According to a recent UN monitoring report, a significant part of the leadership of al-Qaida resides in the Afghanistan and Pakistan border region, alongside al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent. Large numbers of al-Qaida fighters and other foreign extremist elements aligned with the Taliban are located in various parts of Afghanistan.

As per the UN report, ties between the two groups remain close, relationships forged through common struggle and intermarriage. al-Qaida and like-minded militants continue to celebrate developments in Afghanistan as a victory for the Taliban's cause and thus for global radicalism, the report added.

(ANI)
Clay Center, KS (67432)

Today

Thunderstorms. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High near 75F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy late with a few showers. Low 58F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Residents of the neighboring 34-story condo building, the Gold Coast Galleria, have rallied against Fifields proposal since before the first public meeting. Theyve said a 20-foot alley separating the two towers is not enough, and the proximity of the two towers would block their sunlight and views, reduce their property values and add to traffic congestion along LaSalle Drive.
But the company wont substitute inferior products, like canned mushrooms instead of the fresh ones it usually uses, which could make certain menu items temporarily unavailable. That hasnt been an issue so far, Kaplan said, but we dont know how long it will stay that way.
As of now, Mathews novel Shaky Town, described as being akin to Sherwood Andersons classic Winesburg, Ohio but set in the world of working-class Los Angeles, is the only book under the Tiger Van imprint. This gives you a small sense of how much Mathews and his work mean to Gavin. Mathews has a story like a lot of great writers most of us never hear about, an earlier book L.A. Breakdown that didnt catch on, enthusiastic agents who cant get manuscripts over the top at publishers, a subject matter that doesnt resonate with the chief gatekeepers of the industry.
KB: One thing we have more than anywhere in the world is body farms. We have a couple and just one or two in the entire rest of the world. The biggest in the world is at the University of Tennessee. For people who dont know, body farms are where you can donate your body as if you would to science, but instead of doing organ transplants or whatever with it, they put you in the trunk of a car or they put you in a pond or they just lay you out and then they see what happens to you as you decompose. Law enforcement recruits come in and study you to learn how to solve crimes based on what happens to bodies that are left in different situations. I think they get about 100 bodies a year. I always tell people about body farms because if youre into true crime and dont care what happens to you and youre not grossed out by it, then do it because its really cool and its helpful.
This weekend will be a neighborhood-wide Labor Day celebration. Visitors can take part in free tours of the visitor center and the historic Hotel Florence. The Illinois Labor History Society will host walking tours of the neighborhood. On Monday, the National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum will open for its Urban Renaissance event, a commemoration of the Great Migration complete with live music and art space. Amtrak will carry historic Pullman palace cars  the luxurious rail cars Pullmans company produced and sold to railroad companies across the country  into town for the event; visitors can tour them at the 111th Street/Pullman Metra station.
New Orleans officials announced seven places around the city where people could get a meal and sit in air conditioning. The city was also using 70 transit buses as cooling sites and will have drive-thru food, water and ice distribution locations set up on Wednesday, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said state officials also were working to set up distribution locations in other areas around the state.
The woman on the motorcycle was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, police said. According to the medical examiners office, the woman, whose name and age were not released, died at the hospital at 9:20 p.m.
While there has been an increase in the number of expressway shootings each year for at least the past three years, the 165 shootings in Cook County so far in 2021 has eclipsed the total for all of 2020 and represents an increase of more than 24% over the whole of last year.
The project has outlined 170 missing persons cases going back to 1930 that detectives will give fresh eyes to and offer resources that local law enforcement agencies may not be able to devote to the cold cases. It also established a website with information about the missing people. Dart asked community members to look at the site and send in tips if they have information about any of the cases.
I think we can all agree that immigration could use some reform in this country, but this legislation does nothing to effect that change, he said. This (end of local ICE detention) would separate families and force them to travel to other states.
The state polices Chicago district responded to the first shooting about 2:10 a.m. Tuesday, according to a news release. The preliminary investigation found that someone fired shots from an unknown vehicle traveling southbound on the interstate near 111th Street.
This tidal wave of cases is straining our ability to respond at all levels  our hospitals, our labs and even our morgues are nearing or at capacity, Dr. Elizabeth Char, director of Hawaiis Department of Health, said recently. We have not yet reached the peak of this surge, and we will not until Hawaii residents take further steps to protect themselves and their families.
In the letter, Ella Frenchs mother thanked the city of Chicago and all the women and men in law enforcement near and far. She also thanked a number of people by name, including Chicago dispatcher Keith Thornton Jr. and the many faces and names of people who remain unknown to us.
Shafer also got out of the squad car and straddled the boy from behind and hit him on the head with a closed fist four times, prosecutors said. He pushed the boys head into the concrete sidewalk. The boy moved his arms to protect his head and face but they were then brought back to be put into handcuffs.
Interpreters have been the lifeblood of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan for the past two decades, providing cultural insights, muscle and consistency as American troops rotated in and out of the country. Romal, for example, worked gate security at Camp Mike Spann in the northern part of the country and went on patrols with U.S. soldiers for years, assuming all the risks and obligations of a potential firefight.
As Biden noted in his recent address, the Trump administration had signed an agreement committing us to leave by May 1, in exchange for the Talibans agreement not to attack our forces. Biden extended the deadline by four months, and the Taliban chose not to renege on its obligation. But any further postponement  or renunciation of the deal  would have meant a renewed and wider war.
But the work of the economist Roland G. Fryer Jr. says otherwise. In his paper An Empirical Analysis of Racial Differences in Police Use of Force, published in 2019 in the Journal of Political Economy, Fryer argues that his data shows that Black people are no more likely to be the victims of extreme police use of force, as in being shot and killed, than other racial groups. But when it comes to what Fryer calls nonlethal uses of force, he argues that citizens of color are vastly more likely to have such an encounter with police use of force, and, crucially, that remains true even after controls for other factors, such as what the citizen is actually doing at the time, are factored in.
Rahm Emanuel does not deserve to be the ambassador of anything, Winters said in a video voicing opposition. As families who have been traumatized by police violence and terror, we are very hurt and we feel betrayed at even the thought of President Biden wanting to appoint Rahm to such a prestigious position.
We knew there was a national shortage so we were doing our best to consolidate routes  but they are not making these cuts equitable, said an emotional Norrell, insisting far more effort, including job fairs aimed directly at Auroras schools, should have been put into making sure communities most affected by the pandemic were not paying a higher price once classes resumed in person.
The number of arrests of sex customers for violation of the countys public morals nuisance ordinance has not increased significantly since the 2017 policy change, according to information provided by Darts office. However, since that time the office has employed a number of strategies to deter customers seeking paid sex: the fines, a network of law enforcement agencies in 25 states that coordinate stings and arrests, and various types of technology, some of which set up online sex customers for a sting or send them a message warning that purchasing sex is illegal and unethical.
Nothing is more important than the safety of our children, Lake County States Attorney Eric Rinehart said in the release. Our prosecutors and victim advocates will ensure that the victims in this case get all the support that they need and that the defendant faces justice for his actions.
One group of workers does the initial preparation of the order and places it in an area where a robot does some of the sorting. The robot moves it to another location, where people will load the packages onto trucks for the final distribution point before delivery to the customer.
Canadian Brandon Collins-Green calls himself a Chinese culture "addict." He has lived in China for over six years, spending his time on painting in the Chinese ink wash style and translating Chinese classics into English.

Collins-Green, 37, is a doctoral candidate in classical Chinese literature at Jiangxi Normal University in Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province.

About 15 years ago, his first encounter with a stage adaption of the classic Chinese novel "The Dream of the Red Chamber" in Singapore inspired him to study Chinese in the following years.

Learning Chinese as a second language, Collins-Green found it was not easy to understand a novel written in Chinese. "Besides the story, I am interested in the poems, dialogues and lantern riddles in the book," he told Xinhua in a Chinese-language interview, saying he has read the book time after time.

"I used to know little about China, and what I knew then was mostly from the negative reports in Western media," he said. "Because of 'The Dream of the Red Chamber,' I wanted to get a closer look at China."

His strong curiosity about China and Chinese culture prompted Collins-Green to travel to the city of Nanchang in 2015, with the hope of learning what the real China was like.

During a visit to Badashanren Memorial Hall in Nanchang, where paintings of a famous Chinese artist from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) were on exhibition, Collins-Green was intrigued by how a tiny brush could depict the curves of hills, and shade and light on paper.

In his years spent translating "The Dream of the Red Chamber" into English, he has gradually found his way of combining Chinese and foreign cultures into his paintings, writing the poems in English as the backdrops of his figures.

As of this year, Collins-Green has completed over 2,500 works, including translations of "The Dream of the Red Chamber," landscape paintings and portraits.

He lives a life greatly influenced by "The Dream of the Red Chamber," renting a loft of about 9 square meters beside his university as a studio.

Since March, his paintings have been exhibited at art festivals in cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Xi'an, bringing him a group of fans. Some have sent him emails, asking the meanings of the poems in his paintings.

"We can see from Collins-Green that traditional Chinese culture is becoming more attractive to people in other countries," said Li Shunchen, Collins-Green's mentor at Jiangxi Normal University.

"I really recommend that more people come to China to see how fast it is changing and to enjoy the charm of its culture," Collins-Green said.
Posting one-meter distance signs, putting up infrared thermometers, and setting up temporary observation zones, schools in China are ramping up anti-virus measures while welcoming the fall semester starting from Sept. 1.



The Chinese mainland on Monday reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, with the latest resurgence since July, caused mainly by the highly contagious Delta variant, waning in the country.

China's Ministry of Education (MOE) on Friday asked schools to strengthen the health monitoring of their students and faculty members before the beginning of the new semester.

Schools are not permitted to begin classes if they fail to meet local COVID-19 control standards or if they are not fully prepared for an emergency.

Strict anti-virus measures

In the Primary School Affixed to East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai, every classroom is equipped with epidemic prevention kits -- hand gel placed at the front door, anti-virus packages on each desk with masks, health manuals and other supplies for students to use on campus.

"Besides temperature measurement at the gate, students have their temperatures taken twice a day. Windows will be open for good ventilation and each classroom will be disinfected," said school official Bi Yunying.

"The anti-epidemic efforts have been part of the campus work, and will not disturb school operation. For example, lecturers from outside the school will still come to give courses and carry out activities," Bi said.

In Shanghai's Luwan Middle School, robots are used in spraying disinfectants in corridors. Before the new semester, the school has arranged emergency drills for epidemic prevention and control.

On Tuesday, temperature-taking equipment at the school gate of Beijing's Peking Academy High School has been ready, and the staff has carried out comprehensive disinfection of the school.

School vice-principal Hong Jing said that since Aug. 8, all members of the school including teachers, students and staff began to report their daily temperature.

On Tuesday, Jiang Yunhang, a seventh-grade student in the city of Dandong, northeast China's Liaoning Province, went back to school to register for the new semester.

"We maintained social distance and entered the campus orderly. The seats in the classroom are single ones, with enough space in between. There are also hand sanitizer and alcohol available in the classroom," said Jiang, who is among the 616 freshmen of the school.

The Dalian University of Technology in Liaoning encourages "staggered shifts," asking students to return to school from Sept. 4 to 10. In the new semester, some grades will adopt online courses. The university said it will promote the implementation of online and offline teaching based on the epidemic situation.

Vaccination for minors

With the new school year to begin, vaccination targeting students, one of the most effective ways in combating the virus, has been thrown under the spotlight.

Beijing required vaccination for minors aged 12 to 17 during the past summer vacation. The vaccination process is expected to last until mid-September.

"We are giving shots to students according to relevant rules and regulations, with 95 percent of the minors in our school been jabbed so far. Some could not get the shots for health reasons," Hong said.

With the country extending its mass vaccination program to minors between 12 and 17, more than 124 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered among the age group as of Thursday.

In east China's Zhejiang Province, authorities in the education sector began to promote vaccination early this year. So far, 90.56 percent of teachers in the province have been jabbed and the percentage of vaccinated college students reached 91.12.

The province administered vaccines to teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 since August, after getting the consent of the students' parents or guardians. No mandatory requirements have been imposed for minors. So far, 47.4 percent of the age group have been vaccinated in Zhejiang.

As of Aug. 24, a total of 171 sites had been set up in 16 districts of Shanghai, providing vaccine services for young people aged 15 to 17, with over 190,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered.

"We will continue to coordinate vaccination for minors aged 12 to 14 according to their needs," said Ni Minjing, deputy head of the municipal education commission.
You are here: Arts

Chinese authorities have rolled out a set of measures to encourage the development of creative cultural products inspired by museums, libraries, art museums, memorial halls, and other cultural sites.

Such products should help people better understand and boost confidence in Chinese culture, according to a document jointly issued by eight departments including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

As a pilot program, the authorities encouraged cultural heritage organs to make investments and establish creative product companies via various methods.

The document also welcomes private investors to take part in developing creative products.

It stressed that the development of such products should abide by the principle of protecting cultural relics.
Authorities on Thursday will kick-start a three-week online shopping event that spans the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to bolster emotional and commercial ties, according to a report from Xinhua News Agency.

The event will involve more than 298,000 brands and 13 million items, with discounts and other preferential policies available, it said, adding the products range from food to cosmetics to home appliances.

An online opening ceremony will be held at 3 pm on Thursday, the report added.

The event is guided by the Ministry of Commerce, the provincial government of Guangdong, and the liaison offices of the central government in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

The event came as China is about to celebrate the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Sept 21, and its National Day on Oct 1. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival that focuses on family reunion.

The Greater Bay Area ranks among the most economically vibrant regions in China. The Pearl River Delta city cluster in Guangdong is known for its manufacturing sector and is home to some of China's best-known homegrown brands.
China will focus on the development of government-subsidized rental housing in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) to ensure the housing security for the people.

The country has built over 80 million sets of government-subsidized and renovation housing, improving the living conditions of more than 200 million people with difficulties, Wang Menghui, minister of housing and urban-rural development, told a press conference Tuesday.

China's great achievement in setting up the world's largest housing security system has actively contributed to the country's success in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Wang added.

Among the different types of government-subsidized housing, the rental housing is built to mainly address the concerns of new dwellers and young people in big cities, while shared-ownership housing is mainly designed for people who can not afford commercial housing to improve their living conditions, said Wang.

China vowed to tackle prominent housing problems in large cities at the tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference held in December last year, listing the development of rental housing as one of its key economic tasks for 2021.

In this year's government work report, China reiterated the principle that "housing is for living in, not for speculation" for the third time since it was first proposed in 2016, vowing to keep the prices of land and housing as well as market expectations stable.
Tourism authorities in China have loosened restrictions on cross-provincial group travels for regions with no high or medium-risk areas for COVID-19, but called for strict implementation of precautionary measures.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a renewed guideline for travel agencies on Tuesday allowing tour agencies and online travel enterprises to resume their cross-provincial travel businesses as well as ticket and hotel reservation services in provincial-level regions with no high or medium-risk areas.

Stressing a targeted approach in routine containment work combined with proper emergency response, the guideline noted that in general cases, there should be no "one-size-fits-all" restrictions imposed on relevant sectors.

It, however, emphasized that in provincial-level regions where a new resurgence of COVID-19 cases is reported and areas are designated as high or medium risk, relevant businesses must immediately be suspended.

The guideline also asked travel agencies to carry out proper risk assessments and not to organize trips to areas with high or medium epidemic risks, or receive tourist groups from such areas.

Organizers of group tours should carefully make their travel plans to reduce overcrowding, and should also check the tourists' health codes before departure, the guideline noted.

Face masks are also required on public transport, according to the guideline.
Senior Chinese political advisors on Tuesday offered advice about building a peaceful China at a higher level.

Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attended the standing committee session of the CPPCC National Committee.

Zhang Mao, a standing committee member of the CPPCC National Committee, suggested enforcement of anti-monopoly and anti-unfair competition laws should be improved to foster a fair competition environment.

The rule of law should be upheld when planning the building of a peaceful China, solving disputes and problems, and safeguarding peace, said Zhang Shouzhi, also a standing committee member of the CPPCC National Committee.

Other members also put forward suggestions about strengthening basic research, protecting the rights and interests of new-form employees, and protecting farmland. The advice also extended to enhancing self-reliance in industrial and supply chains, improving laws to safeguard and expand overseas interests, improving food and drug regulations, and cracking down on telecommunications and internet fraud.




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United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will be in China from Tuesday to Friday to meet his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua in the lead-up to this year's United Nations climate change conference.

The duo will exchange views in Tianjin on China-US climate cooperation and the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference, which will be held in Glasgow in the United Kingdom from Oct 31 to Nov 12, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said in a media release on Tuesday.

It is Kerry's second trip to China this year as climate envoy. While in China in April, Kerry talked with Xie on the same topics.

Xie, 71, led the Chinese delegation in global climate negotiations from 2007 to 2018. The ministry announced his return to climate diplomacy in February.

Zhao Xiaolu, climate director of the Environmental Defense Fund's China program, said the two meetings show that China and the US both have a "positive attitude" on cooperating to address the climate crisis.

The US-China Joint Statement Addressing the Climate Crisis in April pointed to the potential direction of cooperation between the two countries. "We look forward to actual moves on cooperation between the US and China after this meeting," Zhao said.

She said that the COP 26 would provide a great opportunity for the two countries to make joint climate efforts as "it is the first time that the parties will get together to reach a more efficient and collaborative solution to achieve the targets of the Paris Agreement", after the US rejoined the agreement in February.

According to the US State Department, Kerry traveled to Tokyo before heading to Tianjin during his four-day Asia trip.

In Tianjin, Kerry will continue discussions on key aspects of the climate crisis, as outlined in April's joint statement.

According to the statement, aside from beefing up each nation's climate action, the two sides will cooperate with each other under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.

After reviewing the goals of the agreement, the two sides pledged to make enhanced efforts to bring the goals into reality while joining forces to identify and address opportunities and challenges, it said.

Reached in 2015, the Paris Agreement aims to keep the global temperature rise this century below a 2 C increase from preindustrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 C.

Under the administration of then US president Barack Obama, China and the US were lauded for laying the foundations of international support for the agreement. At the time, Kerry was US secretary of state.

The statement also listed some major areas that the two nations will discuss, including the decarbonization of industry and power, energy-efficient buildings and green, low-carbon transportation.

"Both China and the US are putting an emphasis on developing renewable energies, green hydrogen and energy storage, which are essential for the low carbon transition, and we hope to see the relevant implementation details this time," Zhao said.
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China's top legislator Li Zhanshu on Tuesday held talks with Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the speaker of Sri Lanka's Parliament, via video link in Beijing.

Li, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries and promote bilateral relations for further development.

Li called on the two countries to enhance political exchanges, deepen cooperation on COVID-19 response, promote practical cooperation across the board, and cooperate on multilateral coordination.

During the meeting, Li also briefed Abeywardena on China's principles and position on COVID-19 origins tracing.

He said tracing the origins of COVID-19 is a complex scientific matter that should and can only be undertaken by scientists around the world through joint research.

While attaching great importance to international scientific cooperation on origins tracing, China is firmly opposed to attempts by certain countries to shift the blame onto China and spread political viruses under the pretext of COVID-19 origins tracing, Li said.

China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to jointly safeguard the scientific nature and seriousness of origins tracing and maintain a sound atmosphere for global anti-epidemic cooperation, he added.

On parliamentary cooperation, Li encouraged the two sides to enhance high-level communication and friendly exchanges among special committees and friendly groups, and approve or amend laws that are beneficial to bilateral cooperation.

Abeywardena thanked China for its firm support of Sri Lanka's efforts to safeguard sovereignty, promote economic and social development, and fight COVID-19.

Sri Lanka stands ready to work with China to strengthen cooperation on building the Belt and Road, said Abeywardena, adding that the Sri Lankan Parliament is willing to facilitate exchanges and cooperation with the NPC to promote bilateral relations.
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China will work with the international community to play a constructive role in Myanmar's efforts to restore social stability and resume democratic transformation at an early date, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks when asked to comment on the recent visit of Sun Guoxiang, Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a daily press briefing.

Sun was invited to visit Myanmar from Aug. 21 to 28. During the visit, Sun met with the leader of Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin, and Union Minister for the Union Government Office Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, and exchanged views with them on the political landscape in Myanmar and China-Myanmar cooperation in combating COVID-19, according to Wang.

The Chinese side stated that the two countries are neighbors with a "pawkphaw" friendship. China's friendship policy toward Myanmar is for all the people of Myanmar. "We hope that all parties and groups in Myanmar will proceed from the long-term interests of the country and people, and seek a proper solution through political dialogue within the constitutional and legal framework," Wang said.

China actively supports Myanmar's cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in implementing the five-point consensus on Myanmar reached by ASEAN, and opposes undue external intervention, Wang said.

China will continue to offer anti-epidemic support to Myanmar, strengthen joint pandemic prevention and control, and safeguard people's health and safety in the two countries, Wang said.

The Myanmar side stressed its commitment to maintaining stability, combating COVID-19, revitalizing the economy and improving people's livelihood, and expressed its hope to have close communication and cooperation with China and ASEAN, according to Wang.
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Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reshuffled his cabinet on Tuesday and later in the day the new ministers were sworn in the presence of Mitsotakis and Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

Most key economic portfolios, the Foreign Affairs Ministry and other ministries remained unchanged.

Former Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos was named the new minister of citizen protection. Ruling New Democracy (ND) party Member of Parliament (MP) Thanos Plevris assumed the post of health minister and outgoing Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias was named tourism minister.

Earlier on Tuesday, the government announced a new portfolio of Civil Protection. The ministry was created as part of efforts to improve the efficiency of the country's crisis management mechanism, political analysts noted.

The key post of civil protection is yet to be filled.

Former Defense Minister Evangelos Apostolakis, who had served under the leftist SYRIZA government in 2019, was named minister of civil protection earlier on Tuesday, when the government spokesperson announced the new lineup.

However, shortly afterwards, Apostolakis said that he could not accept the portfolio because of lack of cross-party consent.

The current Greek government's term ends in July 2023.
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Another 32,181 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 6,789,581, according to official figures released Tuesday.

The country also reported another 50 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 132,535. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

The latest data came as experts from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) prepare to make a final decision on a vaccine booster campaign.

Experts will also issue guidance on whether the British government will offer vaccines to 12 to 15-year-olds, as some other countries have.

The British government has been preparing for a booster programme expected from next month, while the World Health Organisation (WHO) said such shots should be delayed to raise vaccination rates globally.

Earlier this month, the WHO called for a moratorium on COVID vaccine booster shots to help ease the drastic inequity in dose distribution between wealthy and poor countries.

However, during a news briefing on Monday, Hans Kluge, the WHO regional director for Europe, said a booster shot is a way to keep the most vulnerable safe.

"A third dose of vaccine is not a luxury booster (that is) taken away from someone who is still waiting for a first jab. It's basically a way to keep the most vulnerable safe," Kluge said.

More than 88 percent of people aged 16 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 78 percent have received both doses, the latest figures showed.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.
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A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday demanded that the United States revoke its offer of a reward for the arrest of a Chinese national on the grounds of cross-border drug trafficking.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily press briefing that the relevant case has been jointly investigated and handled by the two countries since 2016. Based on limited information provided by the United States, China has done a great deal of work and confirmed the Chinese national's identity, and shared this information with the U.S. side, he said.

The type of substance involved in the case was considered an ordinary chemical in China, not a scheduled drug, Wang said, adding that China has repeatedly demanded that the U.S. side provide evidence that the Chinese citizen had violated Chinese laws, but the U.S. side has so far failed to offer any.

He said China holds the view that the identification of cross-border drug traffickers must be based on facts and evidence. After three years, the U.S. side is offering another reward for the citizen's arrest, knowing that it is hardly achievable.

"This will severely undermine the foundation of China-U.S. counter-narcotics cooperation and will create obstacles for China-U.S. cooperation going forward. Any subsequent consequence of this should be borne by the U.S. side," Wang said.

China attaches great importance to China-U.S. counter-narcotics cooperation and pays particular attention to the opioid overdose crisis in the United States, Wang said. On May 1, 2019, China took the lead in announcing the scheduling of fentanyl-related substances on humanitarian grounds, when its domestic fentanyl problem was not prominent, and actively helped the United States address the opioid crisis.

The spokesperson said the United States has expressed gratitude to China through multiple channels, believing that counter-narcotics cooperation is a key point and highlight in China-U.S. law-enforcement cooperation.

"China urges the United States to respect facts, immediately revoke the public reward for the arrest of the Chinese national, and stop any smear and attack on China, so as to create a positive environment for bilateral-law enforcement cooperation," said Wang.
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Alar Karis, the sole candidate in Estonia's presidential election, was elected Estonian president on Tuesday in the second round of voting held in the country's 101-member Parliament (Riigikogu) during a continued extraordinary session.

After failing to garner enough support on Monday, Karis received support from 72 lawmakers, passing a two-thirds majority, or at least 68 votes, needed to get elected in the secret ballot. The counting process was broadcast live online.

Eighty lawmakers cast ballots in the second ballot, of which eight were blank, the Parliament said in a press release.

On Tuesday morning, Karis was once again registered as the sole candidate for president by the Estonian National Electoral Committee after having been nominated by the Estonian Reform Party and the Center Party -- the current governing coalition holding 59 seats combined.

In the first round of voting on Monday, Karis received support from 63 lawmakers. Seventy-nine lawmakers cast ballots, of which 16 were blank.

The three opposition parties are the Social Democrats with 11 seats, Isamaa (12) and the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (19).

Karis, 63, is an Estonian citizen by birth, a native of Tartu, the second largest city in Estonia.

He is an Estonian molecular geneticist and developmental biologist who embarked on an academic career after graduating from the veterinary department of the Estonian University of Life Sciences in Tartu, and became a professor there in 1999, according to reports of the Estonian Public Broadcasting.

He served as rector at the Estonian University of Life Sciences from 2003-2007, and as rector of the University of Tartu from 2007-2012. He was appointed Estonia's auditor general in March 2013 and, after completing his tenure, became director of the Estonian National Museum in October 2017.




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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that the next round of Russia-U.S. consultations on strategic stability will be held in September.

"Washington's understanding of the unacceptability of a (nuclear) war was not only voiced in a joint statement issued by Putin and Biden, but also confirmed through concrete actions on the negotiation track," Lavrov said.

Lavrov said the next talks will cover a broader range of strategic arms, both nuclear and non-nuclear ones, adding that he believes Russia and the United States are "interested in finding a common denominator."

U.S. President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in June at their first summit in Geneva to launch a Strategic Stability Dialogue to lay the groundwork for future arms control and risk reduction measures.

The first round of such dialogue was held in Geneva on July 28, when both sides discussed approaches to maintaining strategic stability, the prospects for arms control and measures to reduce risks.
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Although the U.S. military has withdrawn from Afghanistan, the massacre of civilians by the U.S. military and its allies in Afghanistan in the past 20 years must be investigated thoroughly, and the murderers brought to justice, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily news briefing in response to a question on the recent civilian killings by U.S. troops during their withdrawal from Afghanistan.

According to reports, on Aug. 26, a terrorist attack near Kabul's airport caused hundreds of casualties. Some wounded people claimed that the U.S. military fired at people after the explosion, causing more casualties.

Reports also said that on Aug. 29, the U.S. military in Afghanistan used drones to attack a residential building in Kabul on the grounds of anti-terrorism actions, killing 10 civilians, the youngest of whom was only two years old.

Wang said that China noticed these reports. He said reports show the killing of civilians by the U.S. military in Afghanistan occurred frequently. For instance, in 2002, a U.S. military airstrike hit a wedding banquet in Uruzgan province, causing dozens of deaths and more than 100 injuries.

These attacks continued. A U.S. military airstrike in 2008 hit a village in Herat province, killing nearly 100 civilians, including 50 children and 19 women.

In 2010, a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) airstrike hit Dekundi province, killing at least 33 people.

In 2012, the British Daily Telegraph released a video showing four U.S. soldiers assaulting the remains of Taliban personnel in a reprehensible manner.

In 2015, the Afghan anti-narcotics police force was attacked by NATO fighters during its mission, and 15 policemen were killed.

In 2019, U.S. drones launched an attack in Nangarhar province, killing at least 30 Afghan farmers.

Wang said that the number of civilian deaths in Afghanistan caused by U.S. airstrikes far exceeds the official U.S. government announcement. Statistics show that as of April 2020, at least 47,245 Afghan civilians have been killed in the war in Afghanistan launched by the United States.

He stressed that although U.S. troops exited Afghanistan, its massacre of civilians must be investigated thoroughly.

"The lives and the human rights of the Afghan people should be safeguarded. This is about the international rule of law, justice, and the progress of human rights," said the spokesperson.


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'Roe v. Wade' Crumbling as the Supreme Court Refuses to Block Texas Law Banning Most Abortions After 6 Weeks NEWS PROVIDED BY

Stanton Public Policy Center/Purple Sash Revolution

Sept. 1, 2021



WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- A Texas law banning abortions at six weeks went into effect early Wednesday morning after the Supreme Court and a federal appeals court failed to rule on pending emergency requests brought by abortion providers.



Stanton Public Policy Center/Purple Sash Revolution applauds the decision of the Supreme Court not to intervene as it will save thousands of children from abortion violence and women from being wounded through abortion.



The Supreme Court's response to the Texas abortion case is a clear reminder that abortion violence will soon end up on the scrapheap of history like chattel slavery and segregation.



Stanton Public Policy Center/Purple Sash Revolution is planning a large prayer rally and gathering at the Supreme Court on Saturday, October 2, in support of the Dobbs v. Jackson case which could overturn Roe v. Wade.



More information can be found at the Facebook Event for Pray to End Abortion #Dismantle Roe: https://bit.ly/3BctErU



Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Chief Strategy Officer for the Stanton Public Policy Center, states: "We are thankful the Supreme Court refused to block a law which will save thousands of children from abortion violence. As Dr. Martin Luther King said, 'A lie cannot live forever,' and the court's decision is a clear reminder Roe v. Wade is crumbling and will soon end up on the scrapheap of history like chattel slavery and segregation.



"The local pro-life community is activated and energized like never before and we look forward to the Dobbs v. Jackson case this fall, which could overturn Roe." Linda Thomas, Director of Community Outreach for Stanton Healthcare, comments: "As a woman who knows the lasting pain of abortion personally, along with thousands of other women, today I celebrate the Texas law taking effect. Countless babies will be saved, and countless mothers will be spared from the trauma of abortion.



"In our clinics, a full 90% of women considering an abortion report feeling pressured by someone they trust. That is not true choice.



"The Texas law will provide these women a welcome reprieve. Almost all women instinctively want their baby, but far too many lack the support and resources, which leads them to believe abortion is their only option. We get to educate women with the truth, provide them with practical help and empower them as they embrace motherhood." Stanton Public Policy Center is a women's advocacy and educational group that works on issues of human rights and justice which empower and inspire women. It is affiliated with Stanton Healthcare which has life-affirming women's health clinics in America and internationally.



For more information or interviews contact

Rev. Patrick Mahoney at: 540.538.4741



SOURCE Stanton Public Policy Center/Purple Sash Revolution



CONTACT: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741



Related Links: PurpleSashRevolution.com



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It has been wonderful feeling the sun shine in recent days! We have had some lovely sunny days and the change of weather has been a very welcome relief from the terrible storms that have been disrupting our world. When life is all "sunshine and roses" we can forget those who haven't got it as good as we do, so it is significant that in recent weeks it has been Homelessness Week in Australia.



We assist many people affected by homelessness in The Salvation Army.

At our own Morley Doorways service we help people by giving them food and vouchers, assisting them in finding temporary accommodation, work with them to budget and apply for housing, but unfortunately sometimes there is still such a lack of housing that the only option available to them is to sleep in their car.

To help these people, we have paid car registrations to keep them secure.



The City of Bayswater (our local Council) and other local organisations are committed to the end of homelessness in our city - as we saw for ourselves this week as the Bayswater Local Homelessness Strategy 2021-2025 was launched (more on that later). We can all help to support and care for people affected by homelessness, by treating them with care and dignity, helping them to find hope through the resources we can share - so that we can not only help them find a house, but a home.



Homelessness in the Bible

If you want to look at homelessness from within the Bible you only have to look at the story of a man named Nehemiah, alive in the 5th Century before Christ, who stood in the midst of adversity. His people had returned to the broken-down city of Jerusalem, but even though they had shelter, it was not yet the home they needed to be safe. The walls of Jerusalem were broken and the gates that surrounded the city were on fire.



As Nehemiah heard of the plight of his people, he was broken-hearted, having compassion for his people in the circumstances they now faced. He took all his feelings of distress to God and found himself in a position where he was able to make a difference. He advocated on their behalf to King Artaxerxes and found favour in the king's eyes. He was then released with all of the resources and authority he needed to rebuild and secure Jerusalem.

Ahh, to have the resources

Its amazing what you can do when you have the resources. Imagine if State Government leaders in Western Australia spent a little more of their bumper mining profits (in the billions of dollars) on securing further housing stock for those who dont have a roof over their heads?

We have the opportunity to end homelessness across our nation; even in the middle of a pandemic. We must continue to generously fund mental health services, AOD treatments facilities, gambling support services, financial counselling services, tenancy support services among many other areas in order to provide the support for those who are marginalised.

My prayer is that as we are faced with the plight of the homeless, we will feel their pain, find compassion, pray to God, then advocate on their behalf in government while we help them with their daily needs. May we find favour, by the grace of God to end homelessness in our city!
I would like to start this article by quoting a friend of mine  Steve Neuhaus, who spent a short time in Afghanistan late in 2009 and early 2010. His role was to pastor the Australian military flock by, among other things, conducting services at the Ghan Chapel (photo above) with its cross of sacrifice.

He says Afghanistan is one of the most beautiful, stark yet hostile countries I have ever been in, you could actually feel the oppressive presence of Satan and his legions in this part of the world.

Over the last few thousand years this country has seen many empires come with mighty plans and leave with their tail between their legs, from Alexander the Great, to the British in the 1800s, Russians in the 1990s and over the last 20 years the Americans. It has seen the sacrifice of many lives and the damaging of others  spiritually, mentally and physically.

This cross should remind all who visit The Ghan Chapel of the sacrifice made by Christ for us all; and the sacrifice our soldiers have made in that particular theatre. The light behind the wooden cross was made from parts of Australian vehicles that had been destroyed by IEDs. This cross is currently located at the Kapooka Chapel.

The speed of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan has caught many by surprise, except God, the Creator of the universe. While the Taliban may be reveling in their newfound success, there are many in that country and around the world who are devastated and feel helpless.

As disciples of Christ, it is not up to us to cast blame. Of course, things could have been done differently, or anticipated better, but there is no value in going there. We need to stand in prayer right now, because God is not helpless.

Issues of governance

The Taliban have seized power and have announced that Afghanistan should again be called the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, as it was when the Taliban last ruled the country in the 1990s. But it has not yet formed a government and is facing the growing challenge of governing a changed nation.

Western countries are holding off from recognizing the Taliban as a legitimate government just yet. However, China has held open the possibility of international recognition, while calling on the Taliban to carry out its pledges to build an inclusive government and society and to prevent the operations of terrorist groups. (It is interesting that they dont seem to consider Taliban as engaging in terrorism)

Other outsiders - including Pakistan, Russia and Turkey - will move to exploit opportunities and either defend or advance their strategic interests.

The US has suspended all arms sales to Afghanistan by issuing a notice to defense contractors and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has suspended Afghanistan's access to funds. The fund cited the lack of clarity within the international community over recognizing a government in Afghanistan.

The European Union is also suspending development aid until we clarify the situation with Taliban leaders. Germany has also suspended aid payments.

The harshness of the Taliban

In many areas where it was already difficult to be a Christian, Eternity News reports that the Taliban are demanding peoples phones. If they find a Bible app or anything Christian on the phones, they kill the owner. There is fear everywhere.

The Taliban leaderships suggestion that the brutality that defined their rule two decades ago was a thing of the past has not always been matched by the actions of the foot soldiers on the street.

Yet The Australian Prayer Network reports the targeting of Christians in many atrocious ways!

The New York Times has described heart-wrenching stories of Afghans trying to flee in the face of the Taliban.

There has been a remarkable display of defiance, as protesters took to the streets to rally against Taliban rule for the second day on Thursday 19 August, Afghanistans Independence Day, this time marching in Kabul, including near the presidential palace. At one demonstration in the city, about 200 people had gathered before the Taliban broke it up violently, shooting into crowds and beating demonstrators.

Amnesty International says the Taliban were responsible for the torture and killing of several members of Afghanistan's Hazara ethnic minority last month.

The Taliban have cut cellphone services in many of the areas they've captured to prevent images from being published.

Imposition of Shariah Law

Shariah is a set of precepts interpreted in different ways across the Muslim world. When the Taliban say they are instituting Shariah law, that doesnt mean they are doing so in ways that Islamic scholars or other Islamic authorities would agree with.

One of the greatest fears of the Taliban coming into power has to do with the freedom of women. In the past under Taliban, women were not allowed to work, drive, or get an education. Justice was dispensed differently for men and women.

Some have said that some of the Taliban restrictions on women under the guise of Islamic law actually went beyond the bounds of Shariah.

We need to pray

From the Australian Prayer Network:

 For the safety of our brothers and sisters in Christ who are trying to flee to safer areas of the country or to surrounding countries like Pakistan and India.

 For the reopening of businesses and for humanitarian aid to be able to flow to the people needing help so that famine or other disasters can be averted.

 That the Afghan government and military will be able to stand unitedly and push back courageously and effectively against the Taliban and that even at this late stage the US and NATO governments would recommit to the defense of this strategically significant nation.

 Pray that the Taliban will have some human compassion for their new subjects and that many of them will have divine encounters to go from Saul to Paul.

Join me in praying Psalm 64 for Afghanistan!
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The global barley flakes market size is expected to reach USD 8.5 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., expanding at a CAGR of 4.7% over the forecast period. Rising demand for the nutritious breakfast cereals among health conscious consumers, particularly youth population is expected to be a key driving factor for the barley flakes industry growth over the forecast period. Moreover, excellent nutritional properties, coupled with the ease of cooking associated with flakes, are projected to prompt the product consumption among the working class population over the next few years.

Organic flakes are expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 4.6% from 2019 to 2025 in terms of volume. Governments of various developed as well as developing countries are taking initiatives to promote the organic crop through incentive and stringent government policies. According to a statistics (January 2019) provided by the European Commission, 12.6 million hectares of the land, which is equal to the 7% of the total agricultural land in Europe, was used for the certified organic farming in 2017.

In addition, manufacturers are launching new organic products in order to cater to needs of the health conscious customers. For instances, in January 2018, Rude Health, a U.K. based cereals and drinks manufacturer, launched organic breakfast cereal under the brand name Naked Barley Porridge. These government initiatives as well as new product launches are expected to expand the scope of organic product forms in the near future.

Browse Details of Market Report @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/barley-flakes-market

Over the past few years, the manufacturers have been launching new products in developing countries including China and India as a result of rising demand for nutritious on-the-go cereal meals among health conscious customers. For instance, in December 2018, Cosmic Nutracos Solutions Private Limitedlaunched a new product, Oats Multigrain in India under the brand name Gaia. The product contains a mix of barley flakes, oats, and rolled wheat, which is beneficial for weight management.

Further key findings from the report suggest:

 Organic product forms are expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 4.6% from 2019 to 2025 in terms of volume

 Asia Pacific is projected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 5.2% from 2019 to 2025 in terms of revenue

 Demand in Europe was pegged at 2.6 million tons in 2018

 Key players in barley flakes market include Kellogg NA Co.; Nestle, Quaker Oats Company; King Arthur Flour Company, Inc.; Honeyville, Inc.; Cereal Food Manufacturing Company; Vee Green Organic Life Care Private Limited; Vita Sana Foods Private Limited; and Bob's Red Mill.

Grand View Research has segmented the global barley flakes market on the basis of product, distribution channel, and region:

Barley Flakes Product Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2025)

 Conventional

 Organic
San Francisco, 1 Sep 2021: The Report Defibrillator Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (ICD, External Defibrillator), By End-use (Hospital, Pre-hospital, Public Access, Alternate Care, Home Healthcare), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

The global defibrillator market size is expected to reach USD 22.2 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.4% from 2021 to 2028. Factors contributing to the growth of this market include supportive legislative reforms, rising incidences of sudden cardiac arrests in the region, presence of integrated technology, and rising awareness for cardiac conditions. Moreover, the COVID 19 pandemic further accentuated the need for defibrillators as many elderly patients suffering from COVID-19, suffered from sudden cardiac arrests, and the device was useful for the resuscitation of such patients.

The rising demand for handling sudden cardiac arrests is leading to innovation in implantable as well as external defibrillators. Innovation with regards to implantable devices includes subcutaneous and transvenous devices, that aim to increase the comfort level of patients. Swedish Transport Agency ran a program in 2017 under the test phase, which aimed to deliver AEDs using a drone. This may reduce the delivery time of an AED, increasing the chances of survival with faster treatment. Therefore, the market is anticipated to grow because of technological advancements and product delivery innovations.

Major market players are focused on launching technologically advanced products to enhance their presence. For instance, in July 2020, Zoll Medical Corporation launched a new remote view technology feature on its X Series monitor/defibrillator. This enhanced the existing product portfolio.

Access Research Report of Defibrillator Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/defibrillators-market

Defibrillator Market Report Highlights

The implantable cardioverter defibrillator segment dominated the market in terms of revenue share in 2020 and is projected to witness a CAGR of over 7.2% from 2021 to 2028. Technological advancements by market players are expected to drive segment growth

North America held the largest revenue share in 2020, due to the supportive healthcare infrastructure and deeper penetration of the technologically advanced devices

The industry participants are focusing on investing in acquisitions, collaborations, product launches, and partnerships to gain a competitive edge

The hospital segment held the largest revenue share of more than 91.0% in 2020 owing to the high patient footfall for treatment of their cardiovascular ailments

In Asia Pacific, the market is anticipated to witness a CAGR of around 8.1% owing to the presence of emerging economies such as China and India and increasing healthcare expenditure

In January 2020, Medtronic received the CE mark for its Crome and Cobalt portfolio of defibrillators. This significantly enhanced the companys cardiac solutions offerings and allowed it to commercialize the products in the market

List of Key Players of Defibrillator Market

Medtronic

Abbott

Boston Scientific Corporation

Stryker

Koninklijke Philips N.V.

Zoll Medical Corporation

Biotronik, Inc.

Nihon Kohden Corporation

Progetti Srl, Schiller

MS Westfalia GmbH

AMI Italia

Axion Ltd

Bexen Cardio

Access Press Release of Defibrillator Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-defibrillators-market
The global healthcare sector, due to its, litigious and regulated nature, has been facing a need for an intelligent information governance solution, a reliable healthcare data management system such as an eDiscovery platform to maintain the security of information of the patients, such as patients billing, radiological images, and medical history combined with management of healthcare data.

The healthcare eDiscovery market is driven majorly by the growing demand for a data management system for the electronic health records, increasing the use of software for healthcare system for data management, and strict regulation of storage of clinical and patient data on a cloud-based platform. Risks of managing healthcare data comprise of the use of pirated software, data security issues and the threat of cyber-attacks, which restrains the growth of the global market for healthcare eDiscovery platforms. The high expenditure of healthcare data management solutions and lack of awareness among the medical staff may also act as a restraining factor.

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Healthcare eDiscovery Market Key Players:

Some of the key market players of the healthcare eDiscovery market are Google (U.S.), Commvault (U.S.), IBM (U.S.), Actiance, Inc. (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), Barracuda Networks Inc. (U.S.), Allscripts (U.S.) Global Relay Communications Inc. (U.S.), and others.

These macroeconomic expansions attract major medical device & IT companies looking for a geographical extension for growing their sales and achieving market growth. The acquisitions, new product launches, partnerships are various strategic approaches of these market players that subsequently lead to massive market growth .

Healthcare eDiscovery Market Segmental Analysis:

The global healthcare eDiscovery market solutions is segmented based on deployment, application, and end-user.

Based on deployment, the healthcare eDiscovery market is bifurcated into the on-premise systems, and cloud systems. Based on application, the market is segmented into communication, application audit trail via metadata, EHR-hosting, and other applications. By end-users, the market is segmented into hospitals, clinics, healthcare IT companies, pharmacy, and others.

Based on the region, the global healthcare eDiscovery market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.

Healthcare eDiscovery Market Regional Analysis:

North America has been assessed to account for the largest market share, which is attributed to the growing importance of storage and archival, retrieval of clinical data, the rising demand for quality healthcare, extensive use of software solution for healthcare management and data storage, growing demand of genuine software solutions, and growing awareness about eDiscovery platforms and clinical data sharing.

Europe has been assessed as the second largest market for healthcare eDiscovery, due to the growing use of data management solutions and regulations prevailing the use of healthcare information by hospitals and health insurance companies.

The Asia Pacific has been assessed as the fastest growing region with India, Japan, and China being the leading countries towards market growth. Increasing patient pool, awareness concerning the significance of medical records in legal matters and the increasing demand for lucrative healthcare IT solutions for management are the major driving factors for the growth of the healthcare eDiscovery market in this region. Additionally, governments focus and initiatives to promote healthcare IT, the increasing use of healthcare software solutions, and technological advancements, among others, are additional drivers of the market in the Asia Pacific. moreover, increasing healthcare expenditure and widespread growth of the medical device industry also influence the use of medical devices for diagnosis of various chronic or serious diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and others.

The Middle East & Africa is has been estimated to showcase gradual and steady growth in the global healthcare eDiscovery market due to the low technological penetration and comparatively poor healthcare infrastructure, especially in the economically under-developed Africa. In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia are the major contributors to the market growth owing to the increase in the availability of specialty healthcare diagnostics and proper treatment services and increasing demand for software solutions for patient care. But growing regulatory initiatives towards improving the healthcare sector in this region is estimated to be a driving factor for the market over the forecast period.

Browse Complete Report with TOC @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/healthcare-ediscovery-market-706

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Camp Francis Beaman Pond in Kent. Preservation of natural recources is one area for which the town is interested in getting input from residents and non-residents.
There are many Afghan allies whose families are at risk  very severe danger. The Taliban are not to be trusted, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said at a news conference Monday, prior to the full withdrawal. We should use whatever means of escape are possible. We should use every point of leverage to put pressure on the Taliban.
Brookman, whose posts often take aim at the Hartford Police Departments top brass, said the judges decision seems un-American, and he would likely appeal it. A state shield law allows journalists to conceal information and the identities of their sources. However, it also says journalists can be compelled to divulge information if it is critical or necessary to criminal or civil proceedings.
In the tweeted video, the married mother of one child said she had taught in Bridgeport and Manchester for six years and loved connecting with families in the diverse communities. But Tafuto said she decided to resign from what she thought would be her lifelong career because I felt like more of an activist than a teacher in my own classroom.
The crisis devastated the reputation of the Sackler family, major philanthropists whose name was once emblazoned on the walls of museums and universities around the world. With the settlement, family members who have owned the company will still be worth billions. Another branch of the Sackler family has had no involvement with Purdue for decades.
But Stiles recanted that testimony in the appeal trial before Fuger, saying she lied at the original trial and wasnt at the murder scene. She said she was dopesick when police interrogated her after the killing and a detective told her he would help her buy heroin if she told authorities what happened.
Cut Bank, MT (59427)

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Lincoln, NE (68508)

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Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 75F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

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As the virus began to become a concrete reality for the United States in the spring of 2020, she held an emergency meeting with the nonprofits management team on March 13, 2020. She told them to expect rapid and dramatic change, and that it would be important to keep serving the community for as long as they could using the resources they had available.
Prosecutors said the firm, Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia and its owner, known by his nickname Fat Leonard, bribed Navy officers with fancy gifts, trips and prostitutes to provide classified information in order to beat competitors and overcharge for services. (Photo obtained by The Washington Post)
There are certainly more questions than answers. I cant tell you when the power is going to be restored. I cant tell you when all the debris is going to be cleaned up and repairs made, Edwards told a news conference. But what I can tell you is we are going to work hard every day to deliver as much assistance as we can.
After violent crime spiked in 2020 after decades of mostly decline, the Justice Department said in a May memorandum that it sees the Safe Neighborhood program as an important mechanism to address the epidemic of gun violence and other violent crime that has taken the lives of too many people in our communities.
The earthquake last month felt like deja vu for Monel. He was born in Haitis capital, Port-au-Prince, where an earthquake hit just 15 miles away in 2010. He said the country has not fully recovered and last months earthquake was one of the worst things that couldve happened.
More than 1 million homes and businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi  including all of New Orleans  were left without power when Ida slammed the electric grid on Sunday with its 150 mph (240 kph) winds, toppling a major transmission tower and knocking out thousands of miles of lines and hundreds of substations.
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Plentiful sunshine. High around 90F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

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HYDERABAD: The Cyberabad police who are investigating the Karvy Stock Broking Private Limited (KSBL) loan fraud case of Rs 563 crore reportedly sought a prison transit warrant from the local court for the custody of C. Parthasarathy, chairman and managing director.

The police had booked the case on a complaint by ICICI Bank which alleged that KSBL had availed credit facilities by pledging securities/shares of their clients and defaulted to the tune of Rs 563 crore.

Earlier, Parthasarathy was taken into custody for four days by the Central Crime Station (CCS), Hyderabad, on August 26, 27, 29, and 30. Subsequently, the police sent him to judicial custody.

Now, it is the turn of the Cyberabad police to investigate the case further. "On Tuesday, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Cyberabad sought a prison transit warrant from court for the custody of Parthasarathy for eight days," said a senior Cyberabad police officer.

It is learnt that the police have prepared a detailed questionnaire regarding the money trail and are ready to administer it as soon as they get a nod from the court.

ICICI Bank also named M. Yugandhara Rao and M. S. Ramakrishna, promoters of KSBL. The main allegation against them is that the KSBL availed credit facilities from the ICICI Bank by pledging securities/shares of their clients in contravention to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) guidelines. The company became defaulter by diverting the funds into connected businesses entities namely Karvy Realty Company, said the Cyberabad police.
HYDERABAD: For thousands of students who turned up to attend physical classes on Wednesday as schools reopened after an 18-month closure due to Covid-19 pandemic, the day seemed to be exciting. Students were seen taking selfies and catching up with friends after a long gap on the school premises.

School education principal secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania, who was on a visit to check on the preparations for reopening of schools and how the day started, told this correspondent, Schools started functioning with all Covid-19 precautions in place.

There has been some confusion among parents about the reopening but we are ensuring that all of them receive messages about the reopening through their parents WhatsApp groups, he said.

Around 25 per cent of attendance was reported today, which is a good sign for day one. Typically, even after vacations, attendance starts low but picks up as the days go by, he said.

According to Hyderabad district education officer R. Rohini, Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy visited several schools since morning while Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan visited the Raj Bhavan School. Overall, this is a positive development, to see parents willing to send their children to schools.

S. Narender Yadav, head master, Government High School, Musheerabad, said, A total of 91 students out of 536 enrolled here attended classes today. In this school, we have around 45 students who stay in the BC hostel, and as hostels are not yet open, those students are absent. For those who are not able to come, there are online classes.

Several parents came to the school to drop their children and enquired about the preparedness, he said. Students are happy as they are meeting their classmates. The vaccination centre at this school was shifted on our request.

Deepthi and Kavya (names changed), students of ninth class in a government-run school, who were busy taking selfies during the recess, said they were happy to meet their friends and teachers. It is as if life is starting to get back to how it was, Kavya said.
New Delhi: In a major breakthrough marking the first official contact between the Taliban and the Indian government in Doha, the capital of Qatar, a top Taliban representative on Tuesday assured India that it would not allow Afghan soil to be used by terrorists against it. After the Taliban reached out and sought a meeting, the head of the Talibans political office in Doha, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, met Indias ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal at the Indian embassy in Doha. The ambassador, besides the concerns over terrorism, also raised the issue of the safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan, as well as the travel of Afghan nationals, especially Afghan Hindus and Sikhs, who wish to travel to India. The senior Taliban leader assured him that Indias concerns would be positively addressed, New Delhi said in a statement.

Incidentally, the Taliban leader had undergone training in his youth at the Indian Military Academy in Dehra Dun in the early 1980s when he was an Afghan Army officer, and so he probably knows and understands India much better than most of his colleagues. While India is believed to have held informal meetings with Taliban leaders in the past few months in Doha, this is the first formal meeting between the two sides that has been announced by New Delhi. The role of Qatar in all this is also being closely watched. The establishment of communication channels raises questions on whether India could recognise the Taliban government at a later stage if Indian sensitivities are respected.

According to reports, Mr Stanekzai, a leader from the dominant Pashtun community of Afghanistan, had released a statement last week that the Taliban wanted good relations with India, which provided humanitarian and development assistance of over $3 billion to Afghanistan in the past two decades, under which more than 500 infrastructure/development projects were undertaken. India has also been concerned about Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed trying to use Afghanistan now as a training ground to launch terror attacks against India, as well as the prospect of Afghan militants directly infiltrating through the Line of Control, which had happened in the early and mid-1990s. There has therefore been a school of thought that India should -- in order to protect its interests -- try its best to engage the Taliban proactively now that it holds sway throughout Afghanistan.

In a statement, the external affairs ministry said on Tuesday: Today, Ambassador of India to Qatar Deepak Mittal met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the head of Talibans political office in Doha. The meeting took place at the Embassy of India, Doha, on the request of the Taliban side Ambassador Mittal raised Indias concern that Afghanistans soil should not be used for anti-India activities and terrorism in any manner.

The MEA added: Discussions focused on the safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities, who wish to visit India also came up The Taliban representative assured the ambassador that these issues would be positively addressed.

The Taliban -- which had a horrific record of governance from 1996 to 2001 -- seems intent on convincing the world that it has turned a new leaf. Its interaction with New Delhi at a time when India was always seen as a strong backer of the erstwhile Ashraf Ghani-led government is also seen as extremely significant. This could rankle Pakistan and possibly indicates that not all of the Talibans top leadership share the same views on India.

Foreign policy watchers are pointing increasingly to the powerful role played by tiny Gulf nation of Qatar on mediation between the Taliban and world powers. After all, it was Qatar which began hosting the talks between the Taliban and the United States last year. Qatars strong influence over the Taliban leadership could also prove to be another worry for Pakistan, which has been the traditional backer of the militant group which has now captured power in the strife-torn nation.

It may also be recalled that external affairs minister S. Jaishankar had on August 20 stopped over in Qatar on his way back from the United States and had held talks with Qatars foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, with whom he had discussed the situation in Afghanistan. With India no longer having a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, New Delhi seems to be relying on nations like Qatar to have some relevance in the strife-torn nation after the Taliban takeover.
The incident happened during the inauguration of the extended metro rail services up to Kengeri on August 29. (Photo: Twitter)

Bengaluru: Taking a serious view of the alleged disregard shown to Kannada language during the inauguration of the extended metro rail services up to Kengeri on August 29, Karnataka Minister for Kannada and Culture V Sunil Kumar has sought an explanation from the Managing Director of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.

It is alleged that Kannada was not used in any of the boards during the launch of metro services up to Kengeri, which Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Puri had attended.

"The government has taken a serious view of the disregard to Kannada at the launch of Metro Services at Kengeri. Though Kannada has been declared as an official language, the officials showed disrespect to Kannada, which the government will not tolerate," Kumar said in a video message.

Quoting media reports that Kannada was sidetracked during the event, Kumar said the government was issuing a notice to the Managing Director of the BMRCL Anjum Parvez asking him why Kannada was ignored.

"It is a crime to ignore Kannada in the government function. I am giving direction to the BMRCL MD to immediately explain why Kannada was ignored and initiate appropriate action against the erring officers," Kumar said.

He added that it is a rule in Karnataka that the usage of Kannada is essential in all the government events and all the officers have to comply with it.

Former CM and the leader of opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, Siddaramaiah had also condemned the organisers for ignoring Kannada during the Metro Rail event.
Shivamogga: In view of the shrinking forest cover and absence of native trees, lion-tailed macaques (LTM), an endangered species residing in rainforests of Western Ghats, come up to the hairpin curve of Agumbe ghat in Shivamogga to get food thrown by travellers.

Ajay Kumar Sharma, an environmentalist, lamented the condition of these species and said that though the sight seems beautiful to the travellers, it is sad to see these LTMs like this.

"LTMs are known to be shy animals. They reside on the high canopies of native trees. Now the forest department has replaced the native trees with Acacia and Nilgiris. These animals do not even have food in the forests. So there is a drastic behavioural change in them. It is very disheartening to see them wait by the side of roads for travellers to throw a packet of chips," he said.

Sharma added that the Deputy Conservator of Forest of Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary has passed an order for the travellers to not stop at Agumbe ghat. "But that is not the solution. Rather than stopping the travellers, the authorities should make sure that these animals get enough food in the forest so that they do not have to depend on anyone," he stated.

"LTMs are the pride of the Western ghats of Karnataka and Shivamogga. They are on the verge of extinction. We should do something for them," added Sharma.

Shashi Bhushan, a villager in Agumbe, blamed the forest department for the plight of LTMs and requested the authorities to do something for these animals.
He underlined that as per Sribagh agreement, the CM had long ago promised to establish the judicial capital at Kurnool, legislative capital at Amaravati and executive capital at Visakhapatnam. (Twitter)

Tirupati: AP industries minister Mekapati Gautam Reddy claimed that the capital of a state is wherever the chief minister of that state stays.

"Capital could be Pulivendula or Vijayawada. Or, it could be any other place. In fact, the word Capital does not exist in Constitution. According to Sribagh Pact, it has been agreed to have three capitals for Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy thus decided to form three capitals. That is our stand even today," Gautam Reddy reiterated addressing reporters at the SVU senate hall in Tirupati on Tuesday after a review meeting on government welfare schemes.

He underlined that as per Sribagh agreement, the CM had long ago promised to establish the judicial capital at Kurnool, legislative capital at Amaravati and executive capital at Visakhapatnam. The state government is executing its decision in line with the Chief Ministers decision. The same is also the aspiration of AP people, the minister declared.

During the review meeting, the minister hailed the CM for his forethought and preparedness in tackling Covid-19. "Today, the state has best medical infrastructure to deal with any kind of eventuality in case of a third wave, he asserted.

Deputy CM K. Narayanaswamy and panchayat raj minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, who also took part in the review meeting, said implementation of various welfare schemes has almost reached saturation levels in Chittoor district. They asked the district administration to identify beneficiaries, if any, left over and include them in the Navaratnalu schemes.

Chittoor MP N. Reddeppa, MLAs Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, Biyyapu Madhusudhan Reddy and J. Srinivasulu, apart from district collector M. Harinarayana were among those took part in the review meeting.
The panel expressed dissatisfaction over the explanation submitted by Palakollu Telugu Desam MLA Nimmala Ramanaidu, on another notice, and decided to give him one more chance to submit a detailed explanation. (Representation Image: PTI)

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh Assembly's Privilege Committee has expressed dissatisfaction over Telugu Desam MLAs skipping the meeting it held on Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by chairman Kakani Govardhan Reddy and discussed complaints against TD leaders K Atchannaidu and Kuna Ravi Kumar. The Privilege Committee issued notice to Atchennadu to attend its next meeting on September 14.

Earlier, the privilege committee instructed Atchennaidu and Kuna Ravi to attend the meeting in person and give their explanations. Atchennaidu informed the committee that he was unable to attend due to personal reasons. There was no response from Kuna Ravi.

Chairman Kakani Govardhan Reddy said the privilege committee expressed its disquiet over the absence of Ravi Kumar. Ravi Kumar had made objectionable remarks against assembly speaker Tammineni Sitaram. The panel felt action must be taken against Kuna Ravi Kumar before the start of the next assembly session.

The committee expressed dissatisfaction over the explanation given by former state election commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar in response to its notice relating to a complaint. It asked Ramesh Kumar to submit a detailed explanation in ten days.

The panel expressed dissatisfaction over the explanation submitted by Palakollu Telugu Desam MLA Nimmala Ramanaidu, on another notice, and decided to give him one more chance to submit a detailed explanation.
The availability of timely and reliable data and the use of epidemiological evidence has not been seen as the characteristics of decision making for the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in India. The unavailability of epidemiological data on various aspects of Covid-19  such as the age-wise distribution of Covid-19 cases and the time trend and distribution by states  has given way to misinformation such as the belief that children would be among the most severely affected in the third wave in India. This now seems to be impacting the decision to reopen schools in this country.

For many months, schools in India have been closed with nearly no or very limited attention and public discourse on their reopening. Finally, when the states are reluctantly taking the decision to reopen the schools, the process seems to be painfully slow and not insufficiently informed by epidemiological evidence. As an example, most of the global evidence is that primary schools should be the first to be opened; however, nearly all states in India are doing exactly the opposite  opening the higher classes first, and the primary classes last. Lets understand why primary schools should instead be the first to open.

Schools for all age groups need to be opened now because the risk of the SARS CoV-2 infection in children is similar to that of adults; the risk of children developing moderate to severe Covid-19, in comparison to adults, is still extremely low. The scientific reason is that children do not have sufficiently developed ACE-2 receptors, which SARS-CoV-2 needs to enter into the lungs and then cause the serious disease.

In addition, the evidence from various studies have found that school opening does not alter or increase the risk of infection in children. The schools are not super-spreading and the benefit of in-person learning in the schools is far greater. Thats why, by the end of July 2021, more than 175 countries had their schools open.

In fact, the schools are open despite the fact that children younger than 12 years are not receiving the Covid-19 vaccines in any country of the world. On the contrary, many in India are arguing that children can be sent to schools only when they complete their vaccination. That is not scientifically valid. Global experts have said that vaccination is not a prerequisite to opening schools. The vaccines for even 12-17 years are being given only in a few countries and mainly to the high-risk children in this age group, who have pre-existing illnesses.

Children are naturally at low risk from Covid-19. The global data on the age distribution of moderate to severe illness and mortality follows a J shaped curve. In this curve, all children in the 0-18 bracket are at far lower risk than adults. Along with that, at the base of the J are 10-year-old children who are at the lowest risk among all age groups. Thereafter, the risk increases every passing year -- in both directions  from nine years downwards till one year, as well as 11 years upwards till 100 years. This makes children around the base of the J, the six-year-olds to 14-year-olds, or the age group in the primary and upper primary schools, at the lowest risk of Covid-19. This is the reason why primary schools must be the first to open.

In addition to health, there are educational considerations. All children in primary schools need personalised guidance from their teachers. Those who are in Class 1 or Class 2 have essentially just entered the schooling system, are still learning the alphabets and numbers, and need fast greater personalised guidance. Over and above that, the younger children are allowed limited screen time  the time they can spend in front of a mobile or computer screen. While children in the senior classes have reading and learning abilities, and they can do self-study and be allowed more screen time as well.

The disruption in education at an early stage may have long-term effects. The loss of learning at this stage means that in the subsequent classes, learning would be sub-optimal, which can result in many of them lagging in their learning, leading to a rise in dropouts from the education system. Due to this initial poor learning, over the years the cumulative learning loss for primary schoolchildren would be extremely high, which is why the return to schools should be prioritised for children in the early classes. If this is not addressed, the learning loss is expected to widen the already existing and widespread learning inequities by gender, socio-economic status and geographies, among other factors.

Education has individual and societal benefits. The individual benefits are in terms of better jobs and increased family earning in the future. The societal benefits are in an educated and possibly better skilled workforce, contributing to increased work productivity and the economic growth of the nation. The impact of school closures during the pandemic will only be known in the years ahead, and if not addressed urgently, will adversely impact India's effort to pull people out of poverty and to speed up GDP growth.

Putting both health and education perspectives together, the maximum loss in this pandemic is likely to be of those who are the least at risk  all children, and more so those in primary schools. India has missed many opportunities to use data, science and epidemiological evidence for Covid-19 related policymaking. It has another opportunity to use the data and epidemiological evidence to decide on school reopening. Lets open the primary schools first.

Chandrakant Lahariya is a physician-epidemiologist, a public policy and health systems expert and co-author of Till We Win: Indias Fight Against The COVID-19 Pandemic
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AUBURN  After serving in the Indiana legislature since 1989, Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, will not run for re-election in 2022.

The reason is deeply personal  his wife, Kay.

Shes been suffering with cancer the last couple of years.  She said whatever time she has left here on the earth, she wants to spend it with me, Kruse said at a news conference Aug. 27 in Kruse Plaza south of Auburn, a building co-owned by his son, John.

Kay Kruse watched from the front row of chairs set up for the event, surrounded by other family members.

Weve done the things we wanted to do, including extensive travel in the U.S. and Europe throughout their marriage, Sen. Kruse, 74, said. We are content, staying home in the same house weve been in for 52 years.

Kruses public career will span more than 40 years when he retires at the end of the 2022 legislative session. He began as trustee of Jackson Township in southern DeKalb County from 1982 to 1989, then served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 1989 to 2004 and the Indiana Senate since 2004.

Its been my privilege and honor to be able to serve the people here in Allen and DeKalb counties, he said. At times, his legislative districts also included portions of Steuben and LaGrange counties.

Announcing his decision now will give people time to launch their 2022 campaigns for his Senate District 14 seat, Kruse said. The district includes the eastern three-fourths of DeKalb County and most of eastern Allen County.

I have a couple of very good people who I think are going to announce pretty soon that theyre going to run.  I have an inkling there might be more, Kruse said.

Both of the potential candidates he mentioned, East Allen County school board member Ron Turpin and Dr. Tyler Johnson of Parkview DeKalb Hospital, attended Kruses news conference. Afterward, Kruse said he has been meeting for discussions to encourage both men. Turpin announced later Friday that he will declare his candidacy at 10 a.m. Aug. 30 in Leo-Cedarville Town Park.

Turpin and Kruse share a connection. Turpin now serves as chief financial officer and head of civic engagement for Ambassador Enterprises. Kruse was working for its predecessor, Ambassador Steel, in 1989 when state Rep. Orville Moody, R-Angola, died, creating a vacancy that Kruse was elected to fill.

The death of state Sen. Charles Bud Meeks, R-LaGrange, in 2004 led to Kruses election to fill the Senate District 14 seat. It took four ballots for a Republican caucus to select Kruse over four rivals.

Since joining the Senate, Kruse has been re-elected four times with no opposition in either the primary or general elections. He faced only three opponents  in 1992, 1996 and 1998  during his years in the Indiana House.

I appreciate the people putting their trust in me all these years. Its been a humbling experience, he said.

Kruse began his legislative career as a member of the minority party  with the House speaker often ignoring his attempts to be heard  during 13 of his 15 years in the lower chamber.

In the Senate, Kruse saw Republicans grow from a majority to a supermajority, a change he attributes to southern Indiana flipping from Democratic to Republican.

He served three years as chairman of the Senate Pensions and Labor Committee, then became chairman of the influential Senate Committee on Education and Career Development from 2009-2018, resigning that position at the onset of his wifes health issues.

Kruse said he is proud of passing dozens of bills on education choice and that today, we have one of the best education-choice laws in the nation. When he learned Indiana was rated third-best for its charter school laws, he asked what it would take to rank No. 1 and drove passage of laws to reach that status.

Kruse often championed controversial causes, and Aug. 27 he said he is most proud of pushing for a state constitutional amendment to have marriage be one man and one woman. It was passed and signed into law, but the change required approval in a second year. A U.S. Supreme Court decision legalized same-sex marriage before Indiana legislators could pass the amendment again.

Kruse also authored the contentious Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was passed but later amended to moderate it. He recalled that the world caved in on the Statehouse during debate over the law, which critics said would have legalized discrimination against same-sex couples.

Kruse also introduced a 2013 bill calling for public school students to start each school day by reciting The Lords Prayer. That failed, but in 2019 he succeeded in passing a law that requires Indiana public high schools to administer an exam to students identical to the test for people seeking U.S. citizenship.

Not backing away from social issues, Kruse said in his final year as a senator, he plans to file a bill that would prohibit transgender counseling or surgery for Hoosiers under age 18. He contended that 80% or 90% of adult transgender people believe theyre not ready for that in their life as minors.

While he pushed conservative issues. Ive tried to actually get along with the Democrats in the legislature, Kruse said. I worked with the Democrats constantly in improving our bills and adopted suggestions from the Indiana State Teachers Association, he said.

Ive tried to do what I can to be a good Christian person to everybody in the Legislature  not just my party people, he said.

Kruse added that he is proud that in the Statehouse, I had one of the most aggressive constituent services. He said he helped constituents without asking their party affiliations.

Throughout his career in the Statehouse, Kruse said, he has tried to follow his pledges from his first campaign: To do what is right, the best that I can, and to establish truth in Indiana government. Ive done my best to keep those two premises. The Bible is my premise for establishing what issues match biblical principles.
The grisly find of a 'death pit' due to Nazi Death squads that massacred women and children is found in a mass grave in Russia. Nazi soldiers conducted horrible atrocities during the second world war that, and how many women and children were killed was genuinely chilling.

One of these is a Hitler death quarry in Russia with numerous women and children cut down ruthlessly. It was common for Nazis to engage in mass murder, which was no different from the concentration camps where the Nazis killed Jews. Many places bore the mark of these places with bodies piled all over.

Death pit in Salsk reveals gruesome discovery

A recent find is a mass grave with numerous remains of 3,500 victims slain by Nazis. They found this evidence of genocide at the Salsk brickworks in Russia, reported the Mirror UK.

What was dug up was horrific; piled remains of young boys or girls, and even murdered infants not spared by Hitler's butchers. Finding the macabre remains of innocent killed came about after the KGB secret service archives allowed access to the general public as records in the Soviet Era were privileged to access.

More than one site was dug up in Russia to investigate these murders, though the site in Rostov was an exception. The degree of inhumanity and the brutal nature of the killing in this grave was horrible, cited the Daily Star.

According to the volunteer search squad, they were excavating the Mius-Front coordinating with the Russian Investigative body, which investigates serious crimes. They stated these Nazi Death squads that massacred women and children mass killing of 3,500 civilians occurred in 1942-43.

Read Also: 100-Year-Old Former Nazi Guard Faces Charges as Accessory in Concentration Camp Executions.

Children and women among the victims

The committee added that forensic have discovered that 15 children, one to ten years old, were killed and dumped in the pit. One statement said though it was in the second world war, the dead children are terrifying to bear. Having 20 kids included in the remains identified is chilling for war vets, plus their cold execution at the Nazi's hands was too much. Looking into how they died and were killed, the investigators chillingly found out they suffer excruciating deaths.

Archeologists were shocked to see most were killed by boots or beaten. Maybe worse is the executors smashed the children's skulls mercilessly. They were shocked at how the Nazis disposed of their victims. Other than children, the remains came from Russian POWS, elderly, young, and many women dumped in the death pit.

About 60 remains were checked for DNA; 16 women, with 19 children from toddlers to late teens killed. Andrey Kudryakov showed on video the tiny boot of a child and a collar bone. He also displayed the shattered skull of an infant included in the remains, with parts of his mother nearby. The nazis executed a mother and child at the same time in the death pit.

Many who worked on the excavation were mentally tested to ignore the inhumanity of the deaths and Nazi killings. The sheer number of women, elderly, and children slain is mind-boggling, noted the Head Topics.

A pregnant woman died with her eyes covered so she wouldn't see how she would die. She took her last breath with the shattering of children's bodies as bayonets made sure they were all dead.

Their killers saved precious bullets, each one of the victims suffered slow deaths. Nazi Death squads that massacred women and children that day in the clay quarry of Salsk had to sweat it out, ending their victim's lives with brutality to avoid perishing ammunition in the war.

Related Article: War Crimes: Archaeologists Find Evidence of Polish Citizens Slaughtered by Nazis in Death Valley Poland

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Researchers discovered skeletons in the Atacama Desert that bore marks of violence and conflict. Farmers had perhaps competed for the little resources in the arid region, with no choice but to eliminate the competition.

Farming in a desert is not easy, and the adversity in such an environment might have driven farmers to extremes to survive. Conflict and violence are the most likely influence that shaped the event several thousand years ago for their survival.

Survival is the objective

The first settlers in this arid region were notably in the driest and most difficult place to live on earth, but the environment became the least of the problems, report Science Alert.

The discovery of disgusting remains dating back to 3,000 years ago shows how the settlers attempted to make farms in the Atacama (Chile). Researchers did an investigation to understand what happened then. Scholars have suggested that hard-grown crops were the least of the farmer's problems. As time progressed, the tension of the community and society's transition is evident on the skeletons preserved by the desert.

According to Vivien Standen, an anthropologist of the University of Tarapac in Chile, she wrote in the study published by Science Direct. She stated the extreme desert conditions had forced all farming to the valley terraces, Quebrada, and oases, which were slivers of land that allowed the cultivation of crops. All other areas did not allow successful farming due to dry conditions.

Standen added that moving from the coast to these rich oases houses the only sustenance for crops, lacking in barren landscapes. In the end, these conditions on the community and land use prompted the outbreak of tension that led to violence and conflict, as depicted in the skeletons found in the Atacama Desert as proof of it.

Read Also: Mount Vesuvius Buries Ancient Italian Town of Herculaneum; Study of Remains Reveals Varying Diet of Genders Back 79 A.D.

The remains of 194 adults were examined by the study authors dug up in ancient cemeteries in the Azapa Valley. It is the contested area of the richest and fertile valley inhabited in north Chile.

Violence and tension are unmistakable

The remains were well-preserved skeletons with hair and soft tissue for 800-600 Before Common Era (BCE). There were injuries on them that showed fighting and violence.

Based on the evidence, the remains examined show these conditions with 21 percent with injuries of different degrees. About 10 percent were suspected of having died from violent trauma, and destructive actions, about 14 skulls were shattered that might cause death.

The scientists detected injuries that can be seen as high-impact strikes in violent encounters by the specimens. The death blows might be from the front or a rear surprise attack. Like modern-day violence, the victims were bludgeoned by a strong impact that shatters their craniums, getting their faces crushed and fracturing the head, which caused the brain tissue to get exposed. These weapons were either blunt or sharp like a mace, sticks, hand baton, or arrows like missiles that caused injuries or death.

One of the reasons why violence erupted is due to claims of territory and crucial resources to survive in the desert, maybe the slowly altering climate as today like the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The skeletons found in the Atacama Desert, according to the findings in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, outline everything about the onset of murder and violence.

Related Article: Archeologists Discover Ancient Pompeii Snack Bar That Served Food to Tourists 2,000 Years Ago

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After the suicide bomber attack, Joe Biden sanctioned reprisals against suspected ISIS-K.

However, a family is blown up instead in the US drone attack that was supposed to be vengeance for the fallen victims. The unintended victims of the drone attack come as accidental collateral damage to avenge the slain soldiers, and it has turned into another fiasco with the US leader's imprint.

What was supposed to salvage the current administration's woes have worsened; a mistake in determining the target cost innocent lives. There is no going back for the US president, as a drone attack he sanctioned killed a family of 10.

Family killed by US drone insteadof ISIS-K planner

The drone attack was supposed to avenge the US casualties in the suicide bomb attack, killing 13 US service members. Instead, this autonomous attack went awry and got ten people killed, including children, reported the Sun UK.

One of the mistakenly slain family relatives said that their loved ones died after a US military drone targeted a car that ended in tragedy.The US military thought it was an adversary but never got confirmation before continuing their attack, firing at the family regardless as the White House had given them the order.



Read Also: US Marine Sacked for Criticizing Biden in Furious Rant Following Afghanistan Disaster that Killed 13 Marines

According to US officials, they gave the signal for the drones to launch their payload. The supposed targets are ISIS-K members in Khaje Bughra, Kabul. But it was an ill-advised attack with no one to confirm the target.

Children among the casualties of the US drone attack

Najibullah Ismailzada remarked that his brother-in-law, Zemarai Ahmadi, 38, had arrived from a Korean charity's work when a drone assault killed him, noted Al Jazeera.He got into the garage while his kid went out to see their dad before a missile hit the car close to Ahmadi's house. The car exploded and killed his sons Zamir, 20, Faisal, 16, and 12-year-old Farzad.

Ismailzada remarked that ten members of his family had been killed needlessly.One more relative, Ramin Yousufi, spoke to the BBC and expressed outrage at those who sanctioned the drone attack. He questioned why them, the children, saying the remains are unidentifiable, faces burnt out.

Emal Ahmadi, distraught, said his toddler daughter was killed with them. Saying they were standing by for a mobile call to evacuate. One of the dead, Ahmad Nasser, is a translator for the US Forces.

The brother of one of the deceased told CCN that they were a typical family. How can the US military make such a mistake? They weren't Isis or the Taliban.He stressed the drone attacked a family, not an insurgent, where his family stays, till they were fired on without warning.

According to the spokesperson for US Central Command, Capt Bill Urban, he knows of the operation that killed the family of 10 in Kabul. He said the loss of life was unfortunate. The explosion was powerful because more than enough explosive was packed in the car, which caused collateral damage.

The Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, on Monday, avoided the question of civilian casualties.He said they were still assessing the incident, saying that avoiding civilian deaths is a procedure for the US military. Everyone in the locality tried to help and douse the fire, after which six children were dead with two other wounded.

Related Article: Joe Biden has Dropped it in Afghanistan; Allies Fear US Fail Against China in the Future



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As the West leaves Kabul, the last Afghan resistance fighters say they will fight the Taliban to the last man. They use what the British special forces have trained them to carry on and oppose the Jihadists as resistance.

This group of former Afghan fighters is in the mountains of Panjshir north of Kabul, which has never historically fallen to any force, whether domestic or foreign.Propaganda videos and pictures of troopers are training to prepare for the brutal battles ahead, as the Taliban seem to be unopposed.

'Lions of Panjshir' resistance trains for battles ahead

Called the 'Lions of Panjshir,' these men are seen hoisting logs on their shoulders, and wading through water to prepare for the Taliban attacks, reported the Sun UK.

Panjshir Valley is the resistance stronghold located in the Hindu Kush Mountain, the last region not overrun or ruled by the Jihadis. All over the valley are other resistance forces marching and moving with weapons on the mountainous region, where any opposing force will pay in spades due to the natural defenses.

Afgh wasn't packed & put in the bag of the last US solider The country is here. D rivers are flowing & d mountains are majestic. Talibs R an unpopular proxy force & hated that is why the whole country wants to escape from them. A super power decided to be mini power that is OK. https://t.co/5cDR1lTNz3  Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) August 31, 2021

The gathering of hundreds of Afghan resistance fighters called the Northern Alliance promised to crush the evil Jihadi bosses and keep those living in the valley safe.

Read Also: US Marine Sacked for Criticizing Biden in Furious Rant Following Afghanistan Disaster that Killed 13 Marines

Last week, the resistance fighters said the Jihadis tried to invade the valley but ended up with 30 soldiers dead, which the media did not publicize. The Taliban sent hundreds of Jihadis to the region when local officials refused to surrender, using sheer numbers to intimidate, but it did not work this time.

The head of foreign relations of the coalition of anti-Taliban groups, Ali Nazary, spoke to the Financial Times about the recent defeat of the Jihadis in the Panjshir. He added that the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan defended the valley and repulsed them from invading, faring poorly with casualties.

But the spokesman for the insurgents, Zabihullah Mujahid, denied that any Taliban force has dared invade the natural resistance fortress. Instead, they want a ceasefire and a peaceful agreement.

Forces support 'Lions of Panjshir'

One of the opponents of the repressive Jihadis in control at Kabul, former Afghan VP Amrullah Saleh, declares himself as the acting president of the fallen government. He knows that there is a price on his head but promised to stay until the end. In a Twitter post addressed to Afghanis, he said that never shall he bow to Taliban terrorists. Saleh said he would stay and resist after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani escaped with a total of $169 million from the capital of the Taliban surge.

Along with him is Ahmad Massoud, who is the son and heir of the celebrated Northern Alliance militias, which was crucial in defeating the Jihadis in 2001. In interviews with Arab media last weekend, Massoud said that his forces would fight the oppressors but consider dialogue as an option.

It is assumed that one of the powers supporting the Afghan resistance is Tajikistan when one of its choppers is seen in the Panjshir valley. The country supplied them with equipment, firearms, ammunition, and food supplies for the long fight ahead. The Afghan resistance appreciates Tajikistan's support to its fighters to combat the enemy.

Related Article: US Marine Sacked for Criticizing Biden in Furious Rant Following Afghanistan Disaster that Killed 13 Marines

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US President Joe Biden has defended his decision to pull US troops out of Afghanistan, which allowed Taliban militants to regain control. Biden said in a speech to the country a day after the termination of a 20-year US engagement in Afghanistan that staying longer was not an option.

He applauded soldiers for coordinating an airlift of almost 120,000 individuals fleeing the Taliban government. Islamist terrorists have been celebrating what they consider to be a victory.

Biden justifies the decision to pull out US troops in Afghanistan

In the aftermath of the catastrophic 9/11 attacks, US-led soldiers invaded Afghanistan in 2001, overthrowing the Taliban and blaming al-Qaeda, a violent Islamist group operating in the Asian country at the time.

Biden has been harshly chastised - both at home and among his allies - for the hasty departure of US troops, which resulted in the sudden collapse of Afghan security forces that US troops had trained and financed for years. Nearly 6,000 troops were dispatched by the president to assume control of the airport to organize the evacuation of US and allied foreign citizens as well as Afghans who had been working for them.

Hundreds of thousands of Afghans flocked to Kabul International Airport in the hopes of catching one of the evacuation planes. In his speech on Tuesday, Biden hailed the soldiers for the large evacuation and pledged to keep working to pull out the remaining 200 Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to return home. However, the US president justified his decision to withdraw, as per the BBC.

Read Also: Donald Trump Calls for US to Invade Afghanistan Again If Taliban Refuse to Return US Weapons

What happens to Americans left in Afghanistan?

A three-year-old American boy and his family are stuck in Afghanistan after the Taliban subjected them to "physical beatings" while attempting to escape the nation before President Joe Biden's August 31 deadline.

After the final flight carrying US soldiers departed Hamid Karzai International Airport at 3:29 p.m. ET on August 30, the child and his family were among the 100 to 200 Americans remaining in the country.

According to a passport obtained by ABC 7, the boy was born near Sacramento and is a United States citizen. His father, a social worker, is in the same situation, just like the rest of his family, whose names the news outlet concels to keep them safe from the Taliban.

ABC 7 discovered late Monday night that the family had joined a group of other Americans trying to flee Afghanistan. Many Americans were unable to make it to Kabul's airport without being physically stopped by the Taliban during the final effort to get them out of the country.

The Cajon Valley Union School District has been coordinating the repatriation of its children and their families with Republican California Representative Darrell Issa, Daily Mail reported. After a member of one of the families informed school authorities that their children would miss the first day of school on August 17, the district learned on August 16 that eight families with children enrolled in the district were attempting to flee Afghanistan.

According to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, a small number of Americans remain in the war-torn country despite their desire to flee. As opponents blasted Biden for permitting the departure before all Americans were gone, Blinken promised to use diplomacy and influence to get out any Americans, allies, or Afghans who supported the US and wanted to leave while detractors compared those who stayed to hostages.

Related Article: Joe Biden Vows to Complete Evacuations in Kabul, Avenge US Deaths After America's Longest War Turned Into Deadly Debacle



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Many headless goats floating in Chattahoochee River, Georgia, numbering as many as 200 hundred, have been found. Some speculate it is part of some cult doing its eccentric activities related to a kind of voodoo.

The Georgia police are investigating who is responsible for the headless goats, which is freaking out everyone.

Probing into the mystery of these horrible activities has revealed that the anomalous activity is related to Santeria, a derivative of voodoo and Catholicism. Included in these activities are slaying of animals as a rite.

Dead goats floating in Chattahoochee River

It isn't comforting to find goats beheaded which have been cropping up in the Chattahoochee River for some time. Jason Ulseth, an environmentalist, reports that there have been about 30 goats floating in the river daily in the past weeks, reported the Daily Star.

He added there are even seen more than once floating the river on different occasions.

Speaking to Channel 2 Action News saying the frequency of the headless goat is increasing and getting to be a nuisance.

He added the past few years, which has been happening a lot, stating seeing about several. Though on this particular occasion, it was 20 to 30 headless goat torsos.

Until now, the cult has been secretive in their weird activities, keeping them unobserved by others. It changed, and these occult sacrifices, even seen in the light of day, noted MYGH Online.

On one occasion, some recorded an individual who was caught red-handed throwing a carcass into the river. It showed a torso of the animal getting splash when striking the water. The headless goats floating in a river are seen more.

Read Also: Horrific Animal Slaughter Festivals from China's Dog Slaying to Hanoi's Money Dipping on Pig Blood for 'Good Luck'

The anonymous individual claims the carcasses hurled from the bridge either night or day without any exception. Whoever did the throwing was not yet identified.

Beheaded goats linked to Santeria worship

This kind of worship is considered bizarre since the rites are odd in combining Christianity and aspects of West African beliefs.

To the layman, this would be on the mumbo-jumbo religion whose rites are unbelievable, especially with sacrifice connected to the darker side of rituals.

In an interview with Channel 2, an anonymous practitioner of the unique religion said they use male goats to celebrate success and female goats for babies and blessings.

So far, the local police department has not planned any probe of the Santeria worshippers or the eccentric sacrifices. Still, it does concern Ulseth though nothing seems to be illegal.

He added that all the goats killed for the rites came from somewhere. Still, it is unknown who buys these goats, where they are raised, or even how those doing the rituals got to the river.

So far, three local law enforcement is waiting for any request from locals to do something about the headless goats floating in the Chattahoochee River. The Georgia State Patrol and Fulton County Police have not gotten reports, the same with Cobb County Police.

Related Article: Archeologists Find 130 Homes Around German Stonehenge, Indicates That Ritualistic Site Was Once an Ancient Community

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In a new propaganda broadcast, Kim Jong Un seemed slimmer than ever, with extra skin drooping over his neck and his jacket hanging loosely over his shoulders.

During Pyongyang's Youth Day celebrations, the North Korean dictator appeared on official television striding in front of a stand packed with hundreds of obviously adoring schoolchildren, the girls sobbing and the males clapping wildly as he waved and smiled.

Kim Jong Un praises young volunteers

Kim Jong Un, North Korea's Supreme Leader and general secretary of the governing Workers' Party, met with young "volunteers" working in difficult and challenging areas on August 30 and blessed them with a bright future, according to the country's state media, KCNA.

#KCNA 8/30: Kim Jong Un "met and had a significant photo session with the participants in the Youth Day celebrations."



Are they crying because he's so much better looking in person or losing too much weight? pic.twitter.com/mVMRBSgAsf  Sung-Yoon Lee (@SungYoonLee1) August 30, 2021

Kim Jong Un is said to have shaken hands with each of the young people who worked with high awareness and passion to "glorify" the youth in the van of the worthy age, highly valuing their actions and mental world."

He was joined by the member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau Jo Yong Won, department director of the Central Committee of the WPK Ri Tu Song, secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK Ri Il Hwan, and chairman of the Central Committee of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League Mun Chol. Kim Jong Un praised them as "admirable heroes" and pledged his unwavering support. The report, however, did not go into detail about their responsibilities.

The most recent meeting between North Korea's Supreme Leader and young volunteers in difficult areas occurred after state media reported in May that orphans, conscripted soldiers, and students were volunteering to do physical labor in the secretive state. Some of the pupils seemed to be children in the photos at the time. Work in coal mines, farms, and big building projects were among the jobs available, as per Republic World.

North Korea bans gossip about Kim Jong Un's health

Kim's facial features were particularly apparent, particularly around his chin, which had previously been hidden in folds of fat. The 37-year-old also wore a white jacket with a large gap between his neck and the collar, as well as flaps and wrinkles along the midriff where the cloth had previously been pushed tight over his stomach.

NEW: Kim Jong Un took a group photo with North Korean youth on Tuesday:



-State media reported they had previously been lagging behind party expectations

-Hard work gave them a clean slate

-Kims appearance raises questions about his previous absenceshttps://t.co/9sD2jkZA5O pic.twitter.com/8CfVjn6kul  NK NEWS (@nknewsorg) August 31, 2021

After photographs appeared earlier this year showing a significant shift thought to reflect a 44-pound reduction, speculation over Kim's health prompted the authorities to restrict talks about his weight as a reactionary act. In an attempt to put an end to the rumors, apparatchiks have told state media that Kim is eating less for the benefit of the country as it struggles with starvation while also claiming that the dictator is in good health.

However, there have been rumors that Kim Jong Un had a gastric band installed to help him lose weight due to his cheese addiction. Others have argued that the COVID-19 pandemic brought the necessity for the leader to lose weight into sharp focus.

In an extremely rare broadcast two months ago, State TV interviewed someone who stated his "emaciated condition was wrenching our people's hearts." Per Daily Mail, experts say it was a cynical attempt to elicit sympathy for Kim Jong Un whose nation is suffering from an economic crisis brought on by the pandemic and a poor harvest.

Read Also: China Reportedly Introduces "Xi Jinping Thought" on Chinese Schoolchildren as Part of Marxist Brainwashing

North Korea prepares for dialogue, confrontation with the US

Days after the US and others encouraged the North to halt its nuclear program and return to negotiations, Kim Jong Un instructed his government to be ready for both dialogue and confrontation with the Biden administration with the emphasis on confrontation.

Kim's statement suggests he'll strive to enhance his nuclear weapons and put more pressure on Washington to abandon what North Korea sees as hostile US policies while other experts believe he'll also prepare for negotiations to resume.

Kim Jong Un analyzed the policy trends of the United States under President Joe Biden in-depth during a current governing party conference and clarified certain actions to be done in ties with Washington, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

The dictator emphasized the need to prepare for both dialogue and confrontation, particularly for confrontation, to defend our state's dignity and interests in independent growth, as well as to ensure the peaceful environment and security of our state.

Kim met with then-President Donald Trump for a series of summits in 2018-19 to discuss his growing nuclear arsenal. Their talks, however, broke down when Trump rejected Kim's demands for significant sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of his nuclear weapons, Business Today reported.

Related Article: North Korea TV Airs Cartoon Discussing Obesity, Overeating Amid Food Shortage

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A 27-year-old Philadelphia lady caretaker faces at least two decades in prison after the little child, whom the she was babysitting, died of torture and antifreeze intake. The little boy's body was also discovered with symptoms of hunger and dehydration.

Jedayah Nesmith, 27, of the city's West Oak Lane area, was sentenced to 23 to 47 years in state prison for the 2-year-old boy's death in 2017. After pleading guilty to third-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child, abuse of a corpse, and other charges, prosecutors announced the sentence on Monday.

Caretaker sentenced for two decades over Pennsylvania boy's death

Nesmith was the toddler's mother's girlfriend, and the mother had requested Nesmith to house the kid while she worked. The child, Azim Jones-Fearon, sustained such severe injuries while under Nesmith's care. The Medical Examiner's Office had trouble identifying his cause of death, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

He had been assaulted, was malnourished, had a brain bleed, and had antifreeze in his system, as per PennLive. When Nesmith tried to pay an ex-boyfriend $1,000 to dispose of the corpse, he went to the cops, who eventually found out what had happened.

District Attorney Larry Krasner said Monday the criminal justice system can never revive the life of the 2-year-old boy. However, He thanked ADA Nora Nienhagan Greenberg for keeping the defendant accountable.

The attorney also emphasized the importance of public notification on social services and law enforcement if people suspect a child's life is in danger. He urged the public to work together to protect the lives of the residents and prevent terrible, heartbreaking incidents like the death of Azim Jones-Fearon.

Read Also: Chicago Couple Who Sends $240 Dinner Invoices to No-Show Wedding Guests Sparks Online Debate

Suspect Is the girlfriend of the victim's mother

Per Crime Online, Jones-Fearon's mom had Nesmith look after a boy due to a change in her work schedule, according to Metro Philly. For a month and a half, the youngster lived with Nesmith. The caretaker misled the boy's mother about his location, stating that he was in the Poconos with her mother and that they couldn't be contacted by phone.

According to reports, Nesmith promised a man $1,000 for the body of Jones-Fearon. The guy recorded the conversation on Facebook Live and reported it to authorities, claiming he did so to expose Nesmith and proved he was not involved in the boy's murder. In this case, neither the guy nor Jones-Fearon's mother was prosecuted criminally.

In connection with Azim Jones-Fearon's death, the caretaker -girlfriend of the victim's mom- pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, child endangerment, and reckless endangerment in January 2020. The medical examiner found Jones-Fearon died as a result of homicidal violence, but the officials were unable to establish his specific cause of death.

Jones-Fearon was found dead and nude on a bed in Nesmith's residence, according to reports. The boy suffered multiple bruises and bone fractures, as well as a brain hemorrhage and antifreeze in his gastrointestinal system, according to the medical examiner. Anyone with suspicions of child abuse should contact the state's ChildLine, which may be reached at 1-800-932-0313.

Related Article: Mississippi Man, Girlfriend Arrested After Innocent Neighbor Died During a Fight Between Couple



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Joe Biden forsakes an Afghan interpreter who took part in the rescue that saved him and other senators in 2008. The interpreter is only one of many left behind as the deadline for the US came to pass; many of them who worked with Americans might be facing reprisals.

The unnamed interpreter helped rescue Biden in a far-off Afghan valley in 2008 when the Blackhawk he was riding went down due to a snowstorm. But on Monday, the last flight left without him and his family, to be left behind enemy lines.

Afghan interpreter got left behind by US

The interpreter is only known as Mohammed, which is not his full name, is now in hiding in Kabul with his wife and four kids. It has been several years since he applied for the US, never getting out of the country, reported the Daily Mail.

He was assisting the US Army in the struggle against the Taliban, an integral character in the story told by the destined to be president someday. In his vice presidential run, Biden would often relate the story.

Several US senators were onboard the helicopters that had gone down in a snowstorm in an emergency landing. That time, Biden was with John Kerry, and Chuck Hagel when it happened, cited Eminetra. Accompanying the senators were contractors from the Blackwater firm, troopers looking out for Taliban ambushers. Blackhawk sent out a mayday to Bagram Air Base. Mohammed joined them in the Hummer as they rode.

Read Also: Joe Biden has Dropped it in Afghanistan; Allies Fear the US Fail Against China in the Future

Members of the 82nd Airborne Division kept an eye on them until out of the hostile territory. The three senators were on the convoy heading to the base. The area where the choppers had to land was not the enemy's territory, though a day before, there were 24 Taliban insurgents killed about 10 miles away from the area.

John Kerry joke that Biden will use snowballs to fight the Talibs, but they got out in one piece due to the contractors, troopers, and Mohammed. This trip was related to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with Hagel and Kerry. All of them rose to significant positions in the Obama administration.

Mohammed's plea to save his family

According to the Wall Street Journal, the interpreter sent a message to President Biden, asking him to save him and his family, appealing that he be not left behind enemy lines. He cannot even go out of his residence, mentioned last Tuesday, fearing he will die. One of the reasons he never got processed for leaving for the US is that his employers had lost his records.

On August 15, when the Taliban controlled Kabul, he attempted to escape but was forced away from the gate by US soldiers. He chooses to stay with his family instead of leaving. The possible survival of his family gets less every day when the deadline comes.

US troopers say the interpreter was with them in about 100 encounters with the Jihadis. Despite pleas on Mohammed's behalf, Joe Biden forsakes Afghan interpreters to the Taliban like many as America left Afghanistan. Biden's rescuer is only of the many left behind because of the decision to keep the August 31 deadline. Of all the 8,000 SIV applicants, only 6,000 were able to leave the doomed country.

Related Article: US Drone Strike Mistakenly Kills Family, Children in Kabul Instead of a Vehicle Carrying ISIS-K Members

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The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) chastised Russia's government on Tuesday for failing to investigate the kidnapping and killing of Natalya Estemirova, one of the country's most renowned human rights activists, a decade ago.

The court found that Russian officials had failed to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the murder, citing evidence file inconsistencies that led to doubt that the inquiry had been effective. Estemirova's family were granted 20,000 euros ($23,600) in damages.

However, the court found that the authorities could not be held personally liable for the murder, as per the NY Times. The case had become indicative of Russian security forces' ruthless actions and lack of accountability in fighting an Islamist insurgency in Chechnya during the early years of the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Russia is blinded to unlawful strategies

According to rights organizations, Russia's actions, which were never publicly recognized by the government, centered on unlawful strategies of enforcing collective responsibility, in which rebels' families were attacked or their homes were burnt to force combatants to surrender.

Estemirova, a leading researcher with Memorial, a human rights organization, has been documenting victims of abductions, arbitrary murders, and home burnings in Chechnya for years. In July 2009, she was taken off a sidewalk in Grozny, Chechnya's capital and her bullet-riddled body was subsequently discovered in a field.

Per Big News Network, Russian officials also hampered the ECHR's procedures in the case, which was brought by Estemirova's sister, by refusing to comply with evidence standards, according to the court. Estemirova's daughter and the human rights organization for which her mother works both voiced displeasures with the court's reluctance to hold Russian officials accountable.

Before disappearing in Grozny, the 51-year-old Estemirova worked for the Memorial human rights organization, documenting extrajudicial executions, kidnappings, and other violations by law enforcement personnel in the southern Russian province of Chechnya.

Her corpse was discovered hours later with gunshot wounds to the head and chest in nearby Ingushetia. The court observed that several of Estemirova's cases revealed particular crimes allegedly perpetrated by rebels and law-enforcement officers of the Republic of Chechnya.

Read Also: UK Confirms Three British Nationals, a Child Among Killed in Kabul Airport Attack

Chechnya is accused of human rights violations

Since seizing power with Kremlin support in 2007, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has been accused by local and international rights groups of supervising abuses against perceived opponents, roundups, and summary processes by law enforcement, as well as many intimidation methods.

Russian and international human rights organizations have chastised Russia for failing to bring those responsible for the 12-year-old death to justice. Investigators in Russia accused and arrested a suspected terrorist, Alkhazur Bashayev, in the 2010 death, but he has yet to be apprehended.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the regional leader of Chechnya, has depended on his dreaded security forces to impose his authority and suppress opposition in the territory, and Estemirova was a vocal critic of him. According to ABC News, international human rights organizations have accused Chechen authorities of kidnapping, torturing, and murdering opponents.

Despite international criticism, the Kremlin has steadfastly supported Kadyrov in his efforts to pacify Chechnya following two separatist conflicts in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Critics and activists claim that Moscow has turned a blind eye to human rights violations in Chechnya, where it waged two wars against separatists following the Soviet Union's disintegration in 1991. Ramzan Kadyrov is the region's ruler, and his administration enjoys a high level of autonomy and subsidies in exchange for Kremlin support.

Rights groups accuse Chechen authorities and Western countries of repressing political opponents, discrimination against women, and brutally persecuting sexual minorities, charges that Chechnya's leadership rejects, as per Reuters via MSN.

Related Article: Japan Crime Boss Gives Chilling Threat to Judge After Sentenced to Death Following Group Members' Attack on Civilians

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Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) is asking for President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to be impeached, as well as Speaker Nancy Pelosi's removal.

The blame starts at the top with Biden and his hand-picked vice president, who bragged that she was right there making the same bad choices, Lauren Boebert said during a news conference on Tuesday. The departure of the last US soldiers from Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of war compelled the Colorado Congresswoman to blurt out fiery remarks. Biden has been chastised for how the withdrawal was carried out.

Boebert's remark about Harris bragging appears to be a reference to the vice president telling CNN's Dana Bash in April that she was the last person in the room when Biden decided to pull US troops out of Afghanistan. The president should resign or be impeached, according to several Republican legislators. Rep. Jeff Duncan stated last week that he will join Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in co-sponsoring articles of impeachment against Biden, as per the IJR.

GOP caucus discusses Biden's impeachment

According to Politico, the caucus recently debated whether to officially call for Biden's impeachment, with some members "not ready to commit" just yet. Before sending this message to fellow Republicans, Boebert stated she hoped a couple of Democrats would join them.

Boebert referred to the constitution's 25th Amendment, which empowers the vice president and cabinet members to vote to remove a president who is unable to carry out his or her duties. Biden chose Harris as his running mate, but the Democratic National Convention endorsed her decision, and her name appeared on ballots across the country.

The Washington Post reports Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who warned the country on Monday that less than 200 Americans remain in Afghanistan and want to leave, was on vacation in the Hamptons shortly before Kabul crumbled. The Freedom Caucus, of which Boebert is a member, has already written to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, urging him to move to vacate the chair, which may end in a vote to remove Pelosi.

Read Also: Donald Trump Calls for US to Invade Afghanistan Again If Taliban Refuse to Return US Weapons

Republicans ask to maintain US troops in Afghanistan

They demanded that the mechanism be used to terminate Pelosi's "authoritarian control" in July after she snubbed two Republican nominees for a select committee investigating the Capitol incident on January 6. However, the GOP conference would have to support the proposal for it to be given privileged consideration.

The greater impairment is Democratic control of the House, which would probably defeat any attempt by the GOP to oust Nancy Pelosi. This is why any attempt to impeach Biden is mostly symbolic for the time being - though that may change if Republicans take control of the House after the 2022 elections.

Per Daily Mail, if Boebert's attempts are successful in the 50-50 Senate, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the Senate president pro tempore, would be the next in line. A day after the Pentagon reported that the final soldier had flown out of Kabul airport, House Republicans requested a vote on legislation that would maintain US forces in Afghanistan until all Americans were rescued.

During the House's summer vacation, around 20 people, including Afghan war veterans, attended a brief House session in a failed attempt to pass a measure delaying the pullout. Following that, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy stated that the bill would ensure that a Taliban government was not recognized and that there was a plan in place to rescue up to 200 Americans believed to have been left behind by the State Department.

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

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In the haste to get out of Kabul Airport safely, the US military undoubtedly abandoned tens of millions of dollars worth of planes, armored vehicles, and advanced military equipment.

The US military has admitted that equipment left behind by Afghan security forces may be helpful to the Taliban but has stated that such assets would not pose a security risk to the US or its allies.

Some of the equipment had been "demilitarized" or rendered unusable, according to US Central Command commander Marine General Kenneth McKenzie. A defense department official who was not authorized to comment publicly said troops most likely used thermite grenades to destroy crucial components of the device, which burn at temperatures of 4,000 degrees Celsius.

Taliban hails US troops withdrawal

Before the actual Taliban takeover, it's unclear how many planes, vehicles, or other forms of equipment were abandoned, damaged, destroyed, or otherwise removed from the nation by either US or Afghan forces.

Per NDTV, after seizing control of Afghanistan last month following a deadly conflict, Islamist hardliners hailed the US pullout, which was concluded on Monday, as a huge success. An AFP correspondent observed a lengthy line of green Humvees idling in single file on a highway near Kandahar, the spiritual cradle of the terrorist organization, several with white-and-black Taliban flags affixed to aerials.

The Taliban held a 'Victory Parade' with U.S. military equipment, and in full U.S. military uniform.



Joe Bidens incompetence knows no bounds. pic.twitter.com/hsXqgKThii  Errol Webber (@ErrolWebber) September 1, 2021

A helicopter soared overhead, dragging the Taliban's banner underneath it while fighters wearing headscarves waved beneath it, according to footage released on a pro-Taliban account of the parade's build-up. In recent days, at least one Black Hawk helicopter has been observed flying above Kandahar, implying that it was piloted by someone from the previous Afghan army, as the Taliban lack competent pilots.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has warned of an impending "humanitarian disaster," highlighting the Taliban's tremendous hurdles as they transition from guerrilla organization to governmental force. Despite this, US President Joe Biden remained defiant.

According to the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, the US government spent $83 billion to train and equip the Afghan army. The Pentagon and the White House claimed that the Afghan army had 300,000 men although there were much fewer in fact.

Many Afghan forces quit fighting for a corrupt, incompetent government in the weeks and months leading up to the Taliban takeover, fearing the removal of US backing, as per The South China Morning Post.

Read Also: Photos: North Korea's Kim Jong Un Looks Slimmer Than Ever as He Meets Young Volunteers, Vows to Prepare Confrontation with US

Trump chastises Biden for US military equipment abandonment

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump blasted President Joe Biden's administration on Tuesday for abandoning the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan due to its proximity to China, as well as for leaving US military equipment behind for the Taliban to capture during the chaotic evacuation.

The Taliban invaded Kabul's airport only minutes after the last US forces left late Tuesday, posting footage of themselves checking the several Chinook helicopters, vehicles, and weaponry left behind following the huge evacuations. Trump also claimed that Biden should have retained the huge Bagram Airfield, as he and his senior advisers intended, NY Post reported.

Last month, the United States left Bagram Airport, Afghanistan's largest airfield, after 20 years. After departing Bagram, the US turned Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport into an American-controlled island in the final two weeks as evacuations increased.

Biden is scheduled to speak to the country later Tuesday, about 24 hours after the last American troops left Afghanistan. The president has been chastised for the disorderly withdrawal, which, contrary to his stated promises, left US people wanting to depart behind.

Related Article: Joe Biden Forcefully Defends US Withdrawal in Afghanistan, Claims Victory Despite Leaving 200 Americans Including 3-Year-Old Boy

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The devastation of Hurricane Ida was immense when it made landfall and wrecked the state of Louisiana in its wake. Many of the residents lay amidst the debris of the shattered houses and structures, marking where it touches.

Everywhere in the state, it is like a war zone where essential services are lacking after the damage wrought to infrastructure. All indicators of the damage seen in satellite imagery show the force which the hurricane.

Chaos and hardship in the towns

People struggle to keep cool in the sweltering heat as thousands of line workers work to bring power. Authorities also pledged to establish more sites where people can receive food for free and cool off if the power comes back, reported the Daily Mail.

Senator Gary Smith last Tuesday spoke to the Advocate. Throughout the parish, it appears like such a battle zone, or even a bomb exploded. It is chaos everywhere. Thousands of individuals affected by the hurricane caused power and water disruptions, with many of them having no way to get help quickly.

One affected resident Charles Harris, 58, said he did not own a car and can only stay. Last Tuesday, he was looking for a place to eat in a residential area in New Orleans where poles and powerlines were down by the calamity. He owned no generator to provide power, and the heat was starting to affect him. A heat alert was in place throughout New Orleans as well as the rest of the south. The combination of temperature extremes, mentioned forecasters, may make it feel like 106-degree Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius) late Wednesday.

The extent of the damage

The extent of the devastation and floods due to the destruction of Hurricane Ida in Louisiana was shown by satellite images taken during the storm hit.

Read Also: Atlantic Storms One After the Other: Many Are Already Damaged and Affected

Measured with 150-mile-per-hour winds, Ida is called the fifth hurricane compare to others that hit the US when it rampaged the south on Sunday night. Hurricane Ida is a category four storm that blasted the state with 80 billion dollars of damage, which prompted fears of a shortage of necessary fuel and gas. This hurricane has weakened to a tropical depression moving to the northeast, sparking flood watches, alerting a flood watch in Tennessee to NYC.

By Tuesday, nearly two days after the hurricane came ashore in the region, look back at old photographs depict entire neighbourhoods still inundated by floodwaters. One set depicted Jean Lafitte, which, although inland, is surrounded by a network of rivers overflowed. The floodwaters were still present.

Neighbourhoods of Houma and LaPlace had severe winds which had wreaked havoc, including rows of houses getting knocked down and buildings had their roofs torn off. 1.1 million businesses and homes are without light, and at least five individuals were confirmed dead as just a result of the hurricane.

The National Weather Service warned states of Louisiana and Mississippi of excessive heat that will strike at least 2 million individuals, and the heat could reach 105 degrees. Power restoration might take weeks, according to officials, noted NBC News.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards remarked there is a long road ahead of us and that no one expects this will be a simple process with the devastation of Hurricane Ida. He added distribution centres are getting set up.

Related Article: Global Warming Effects: NASA Warns US Coasts Will Be Flooded in 10 Years, Here Are Some Flooding Predictions

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Will the IRS release a fourth stimulus check? Eligible families from certain states in America will be receiving their stimulus checks some time this week.

Many American families continue to experience financial hardships with the ongoing pandemic. Some lost their jobs, while others struggle to pay back their loans. Worse is the increased cost of living, officially referred to as Cost-Of-Living Adjustments (COLA), which rose by 6.2 percent.

American citizens are in desperate need of a fourth stimulus check that can help them settle immediate expenses.

Fourth Stimulus Check Update: $2000 Petition Progressing

Stephanie Bonin took the initiative to petition for financial aid from the U.S. House of Representatives and the US Senate. She created the online petition of "$2,000 monthly payments for the duration of the crisis" on Change.org. Her petition is seeking 3 million signatures.

Bonin emphasized that the pandemic caused catastrophic problems to many working families. For this reason, financial aid from the government should also continue for the duration of COVID-19. She said, "We need immediate checks and recurring payments so that we can keep our heads above water. Congress needs to make sure that we won't be left financially ruined for doing our part to keep the country healthy."

About a year after Bonin posted it, the online petition reached 2,850,242 signatures at the time of writing, making it less than 150 thousand signatures away from its goal. The online petition also gained recognition as one of the "top signed on Change.org!"

This petition, unfortunately, failed to meet expectations on many different levels. First, the online petition did not reach the predicted date of completion by the end of August. Second, the online petition did not get acknowledged by government officials and lawmakers despite its ongoing progress.

Read Also: Ethereum, Bitcoin Price Forecast: 'Seismic' Change Could Boost Value!

Golden State Payments Release Date Confirmed

Although it seems unlikely that a fourth federal stimulus check would get approved by the IRS, specific states have developed their own financial aid program for local citizens.

From the complete list of states who are sending out extra stimulus payments, California and its Golden State Stimulus checks are the most notable program. It has one of the biggest budgets to provide enough money for the state to release actual stimulus checks.

Governor Gavin Newsom recently tweeted the ongoing progress of Golden State stimulus checks. He said that eligible Californians could get $600 to $1,100 depending on the circumstances. He also said, "Round 2 of Golden State Stimulus checks start to go out this week!"

Round 2 of Golden State Stimulus checks start to go out this week!



2 out of 3 Californians are eligible for $600 or more -- were putting money directly back into the pockets of those that need it most. pic.twitter.com/G0ZIzVtagD  Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 27, 2021

To clarify, this is the second wave of Golden State Stimulus checks, with the first wave released sometime in April. The California state managed to keep its economy dynamic thanks to its progressive income tax.

The Golden State stimulus check lists out a lot of eligibility requirements for the program. A full discussion and guide for these eligibility requirements are available on this article.



Related Article: Fourth Stimulus Check Update: $2000 Petition Set for Massive Milestone!
Facebook's vice-president of global business marketing and chief creative officer Mark D'Arcy has filed his resignation after a decade-long service with the company. His last day of work is set for September 7. Afterward, Michelle Klein will take his place.

The company recently experienced a string of departures from its top execs. Last June, Carolyn Everson left her position as the vice-president of the global business group of Facebook to Instacart. Wired mentioned that the social media company also lost a few more workers and developers earlier this year, primarily due to pandemic and vaccine problems.

Mark D'Arcy Leaves Facebook After Decade of Service

According to Marketing Interactive, D'Arcy contributed many achievements during his time with Facebook.

Prior to Facebook, D'Arcy gained a lot of creative experience working as a chief operating officer for Time Warner's parent company Global Media Group. He officially moved under the Facebook umbrella by 2011.

D'Arcy explored the creative potential of Facebook's platform. In 2020, he founded the Facebook Creative Council. This council contributed with influential and creative voices that gave the company perspective and ideas during its global development. Facebook also learned a few extra skills from the council, like:

How to engage and educate global creative communities

How to identify and celebrate breakthrough works

How to improve Facebook markets

How to enrich Facebook brands

By the interim, D'Arcy led teams of creative strategies from 18 different cities globally. Their whole work centered on Facebook marketers and Facebook business growth.

Unfortunately, D'Arcy officially said goodbye to all his previous works.

In his Facebook post, D'Arcy said he was immensely proud of the teams he developed and worked with. He emphasized, "I am also very grateful that my various roles here enabled me to work with, and learn from, so many curious, demanding, brilliant and generous people."

Read Also: Fourth Stimulus Check Update: $2000 Petition Progressing, Golden State Payments Release Date Confirmed

Mark Zuckerberg's Top Facebook Executives Resign: What Happened?

The scheduled departure of D'Arcy opens up the position of vice-president for Facebook Creative Shop. Campaign reported that Michelle Klein will take over the role in an interim capacity some time this year. Afterward, Nicky Bell would be appointed as the permanent successor to D'Arcy.

Both D'Arcy and Everson remained conservative with their reasons for the sudden exit. Other online sources have not theorized on the possible reasons either. No further comments were made from the Facebook top executives.

Separate from D'Arcy, Facebook recently hired new staff in their team. The former 90 Seconds Vice President of marketing, Joanna Wong, is now reassigned as the head of marketing for Facebook Malaysia and Indonesia. Wong previously worked with video creation on 90 Seconds for more than two years. Hopefully, her skills will improve Facebook's global efforts to scale up and reach their customer and creators.

Facebook has seen a lot of internal activity in these last few months. However, these developments never stopped Mark Zuckerberg from improving his company, as teased with one of their ongoing Project Aria.



Related Article: 'Internet Apocalypse' Coming? Expert Warns Solar Superstorms That Can Cause Worldwide Internet Outage
A Syrian woman changes her baby's diaper shortly after touching down on the shore of Lesbos  an island of Greece  in a photo taken in September 2015. Courtesy of Harry Chun



Two photographers share their experiences about walking alongside people on journeys to seek refuge abroad from their war-torn home countries



By Lee Gyu-lee



Driven by the fear of the Taliban's inhumane rule following its seizure of Kabul, Afghans have hurriedly fled the country searching for places to live and their exodus has triggered a debate about Afghan refugees around the world. Korea is no exception.



The debate over whether or not Korea should accept refugees has been escalating as the anti-foreigner sentiment is still prevalent among Korean citizens. The country welcomed about 390 Afghans, who worked for Korean governmental organizations there, under the banner of "persons of special merit" in an effort to avoid stirring negative sentiment among the public against these refugees.



Against the backdrop of the intensifying debate, two photojournalists  Cho Jin-sub and Harry Chun  hope to correct misconceptions of refugees in the country by sharing their experience of the lives of refugees and to bring the discussion to the table. Their work with refugees was put on display at the photo exhibition "You Could Have Been Me," which was recently held offline in Insa-dong, central Seoul from Aug. 19 to 29. The exhibition, supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has also been held online since last December.



"I wanted to capture their daily lives: eating, sleeping, and carrying on with their life the next day, This is about the same as our own lives, only that we are in different environments. I wanted to capture them and tell their stories which are not any different from ours," Cho said during the interview with The Korea Times, at the exhibition, Thursday.





Photographer Cho Jin-sub smiles during an interview with The Korea Times, held in Insa-dong, central Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk





Photographer Harry Chun poses for pictures during an interview at the photo exhibition "You Could Have Been Me," which was held from Aug. 19 to 29. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



The two independent photographers, currently based in Korea, have spent years tracing and delving into the lives of asylum seekers.



Cho, who studied at Icart Photo in Paris, covered refugee crises and followed their path along with checkpoints and camps in countries like Turkey and Croatia, as well as their settlement in Germany and France, since 2014.



Cho said that he first took interest in refugees and the underprivileged groups as he tried to find an answer to what it means to be happy.



"I've always asked that question since I was young. And that somewhat selfish question was the start of my career; a vague idea that I will realize how happy I am when I meet people who are in a less privileged environment than I am," he said.



"But when I met them, I realized they were not unhappy people. It's just that they are in bad circumstances. Refugees probably live with the biggest hope of their life, a hope for their tomorrow."





Rohingya refugees are making their way into Bangladesh, in this photo taken in the coastal town Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf, Bangladesh, Oct. 14, 2017. Courtesy of Cho Jin-sub



And as they carry on with their life, Cho stayed by, not only photographing them but also lending a helping hand with their bags and with building shelters together. "It's too much to say I've become part of their life, but they gave me credit for trying, which led them to loosen up in front of cameras and get more comfortable with me being around each other," he said.



Chun, who graduated from the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, has had a main focus on refugees and conflict zones, including Iraq where he was ambushed by ISIS, and contributed his works to major outlets like NBC and National Geographic.



He noted that curiosity had drawn him to cover dynamic scenes and the people in them.



"I was not aware of what's going on around the world. And when I saw all the surprising images and realized they are contemporary, I was shocked to find how different it is from where I live. I got curious and started to learn, and was slowly drawn into this kind of work," he said.





During ISIS's retreat from Iraq, ISIS used civilians as human shields and took dozens as prisoners. Families were separated during these chaotic moments and were left searching, sometimes in vain, for their loved ones. Courtesy of Harry Chun



In 2015, he traveled with Syrian and Iraqi refugees on a boat across the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece and photographed their journey to Germany.



"At first, I tried to document from one side and meet up at another point," he said. "But the big question was how was I going to get in touch with the people (when they go from one point to another) and know when will they arrive. Because I didn't want to miss the moment of them arriving."



Adding that the two weeks spent on the trip is still one of the best experiences he had as a photojournalist, embarking on that journey has offered him a chance to see the world from the refugees' perspective.



"I set only one rule: I will only go when they go. So if they get stuck or stop, I'll stop. That way, I'll really see from their point of view on what it's like to be on this road," he said, adding that it made it easier for him to become part of the group.



"There was a lot of drama and emotional moments, especially after we crossed the sea ... there was the one moment I got to see Muslim women  oftentimes difficult to photograph  freed from their culture. They were so glad that they made it and actually wanted to be photographed once they saw my camera. They were all full of joy, which of course only lasted for a few minutes until the unpredictable reality of being on foreign soil hit."





Refugees on a train stare at a camera during a stop at a station in Slavonski Brod, Croatia, Feb. 4, 2016. The refugees received a brief medical checkup before heading to the village of Botovo. Courtesy of Cho Jin-sub



When asked if they ever regretted putting themselves in such dynamic scenes, risking lives, Cho and Chun emphasized the experience was worth much more than the danger faces, which they also felt wasn't significant.



"Even though I was in a completely foreign environment with people I've never met and there was a language barrier, we formed a connection through genuine interactions, which could have not been possible if I was in Korea," he said. "It's not really a sense of duty, but I'm just curious to go back and be with them  they are just human beings wanting to survive."



Adding that he's happiest when in the field, Chun said he never regretted seeking first-hand experience of the scenes.



"I'll prepare everything I can. But about things that I cannot control there's no point worrying about them," he said.





In this July 2018 photo, refugees queue to receive food rations and other necessities provided by UNHCR at Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, which was established for Rohingyas escaping oppression in Myanmar. Courtesy of Harry Chun



Spending time with refugees has left a huge imprint on the two photographers' lives and careers. And as it affected them, they hope to utilize their experience to stir the similar impact and emotions in other people and help change their perception of refugees.



"I totally understand the point of those people who are against them. But, I believe even those people who are strongly against them, if they really see what people go through on the ground, they are not going be as harsh," Chun said.



"Maybe they will put it in different ways. Maybe they will say 'yeah we want to help but our situations' like this.' That's a bit more what I'm hoping that could've happened here. Instead of having all these excuses as to why they should be banned from coming here especially for religious reasons."





African refugees play games with dice under a streetlight, near the camp named the Calais Jungle in France. The photo was taken on Aug. 12, 2015. Courtesy of Cho Jin-sub



In a survey conducted by Hankook Research and UNHCR on 1,016 Korean adults late last year, 53 percent of the respondents answered they were against accepting asylum seekers, whereas 33 percent said they were in favor. Among those in opposition, economic burden and concerns over crimes were the top two reasons.



"Koreans tend to link Middle Eastern refugees with Muslim terrorists and people who suppress women's rights. This could be true but it's not the case most of the time. But Koreans generalize," Cho said. "They only bring up the news highlighting negatives and establish that perception, which is very unfortunate."



Pointing out the public backlash against Yemenis asylum seekers coming to the country in 2018, Chun added that people should not be fixated only on the negatives.



"Maybe we are finally seeing a chance to have a bit more diversity and have an understanding of what it's like to be in this world. We are so connected nowadays, so why are we so stuck with the idea of being a homogeneous or monoethnic," he said.



"We should be able to open up especially coming from a country that only about 70 years ago when its people themselves were refugees. Because you went through and know what it's like to be refugees can you be a little more understanding and feel at least sympathetic and not try to find reasons to ostracize them."





Iraqi women in Mosul pray immediately after being released from ISIS captivity in this photo taken in April 2017. Courtesy of Harry Chun



Both Cho and Chun expressed their work will serve the purpose if the audiences can find even small relevance and curiosity towards refugee issues.



"What I want from them is not to dismiss this reality after looking at the photos. If it can raise some questions in themselves, that would be the best thing," Chun said, noting that's the first step in opening up more dialogue to improve the issue.



"People don't have to experience every single moment of others' lives. But at least if I can provide that option with their stories, and if you can find some common elements, despite their religion, situations  as humans  and link your life to them, that would be the takeaway that I'd hope."



Taking his family and surroundings as an example, Cho explained that people around him, who were unfamiliar with the refugee crisis, came to learn about the issues through his work, which accomplished the purpose of his work.



"It is too bad how the changes are not as dramatic, but I'm still satisfied that it is changing even at a slow pace," he said.





A photo taken in Lesbos, Greece, on Feb. 9, 2016. Life vests that had been worn by refugees are piled up across the land. Courtesy of Cho Jin-sub
North Koreans pay respect to statues of former North Korea leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang in this Sept. 9, 2019 photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency. Sept. 9 is North Korea's Foundation Day. Yonhap



Events marking joint UN admission, North Korea foundation scheduled



By Nam Hyun-woo



This September will mark an important month for the Moon Jae-in administration, as it is making its final efforts to improve inter-Korean relations before the President's term ends in May.



A series of key events are scheduled, including the 30th anniversary of the simultaneous admission of South and North Korea into the United Nations on Sept. 18, and the third anniversary of the Sept. 19 Pyongyang Declaration, signed by Moon and North Korea leader Kim Jong-un.



These occasions may open opportunities for Moon to send another peace message toward the Kim regime and to expect corresponding responses.



On the other hand, there are chances for the Kim regime to showcase its military strength or heighten bellicose rhetoric in another series of key events, such as North Korea's Foundation Day on Sept. 9 or the Supreme People's Assembly on Sept. 28.



According to Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday, the presidential office has yet to make a decision on Moon's visit to the U.N. headquarters in New York, for the U.N. General Assembly's General Debate that will start on Sept. 21.



During his New Year speech in January, Moon stressed that this year marks the 30th anniversary of both Koreas' admission into the U.N. and that "the two Koreas should prove together that the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula can be a help to the global community."



Given this remark, Moon is expected to deliver messages of peace to the North, regardless of his visit to New York, and to ask other U.N. members to continue their support for his peace initiative, while urging North Korea to engage in talks.



The third anniversary of the Pyongyang Declaration is also an opportunity for Moon to persuade North Korea to return to talks.



During their summit in Pyongyang three years ago, Moon and Kim shared their views that the Korean Peninsula must be "turned into a land of peace" and agreed to "cooperate closely in the process of pursuing the complete denuclearization" of the peninsula.



As an annex to the declaration, the two sides adopted the Comprehensive Military Agreement, in which the two Koreas would halt all hostile acts against each other and set buffer zones along their air, land and sea borders to reduce tensions and prevent accidental clashes. In doing so, the leaders also agreed to activate the Inter-Korean Joint Military Committee.



However, the committee has yet to have been organized, and the effectiveness of the agreement is being questioned following a number of provocations, such as the North's sudden demolition of the inter-Korean liaison office in Gaeseong last year, as well as continued cyberattacks on strategically important South Korean organizations. Last month, Kim Yo-jong, sister of leader Kim Jong-un, threatened to abolish the agreement in protest against the joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington.



"If Seoul sends messages to the North, it will likely be about requesting Pyongyang to respond to Seoul's calls through communication lines first," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies. "And then, it will urge the North to implement the Comprehensive Military Agreement and to activate the Inter-Korean Joint Military Committee."





Soldiers march during a military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the foundation of North Korea in Pyongyang, Sept. 9, 2018. Korea Times file




North Korea has rejected roughly three million COVID-19 vaccine doses developed by China's Sinovac Biotech, saying the shots should be sent to harder-hit countries, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing UNICEF.







The agency, which helps deliver COVID-19 shots on behalf of the COVAX scheme, told WSJ that North Korea's public health ministry declined the shipment, citing the limited global supply for vaccines and continuing virus surges elsewhere.







North Korea had in July rejected shipments of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine due to concerns over side effects, according to a South Korean think-tank.







The reclusive country has not reported any COVID-19 cases and has imposed strict anti-virus measures, including border closures and domestic travel curbs.







UNICEF did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.







"We continue to work with DPRK authorities to help respond to the COVID-19 pandemic," a spokesperson for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization alliance, one of the organizations that co-leads COVAX, said in an emailed statement. (Reuters)






Non-commissioned officers newly joining the Republic of Korea Army for the period of the second half of 2021 attend their induction ceremony held at the Korea Army Non-Commissioned Officer Academy in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, Aug. 27. Courtesy of Republic of Korea Army





By Jung Da-min







A total of 487 non-commissioned officers (NCOs) have newly enlisted in the Republic of Korea Army through the Army's induction ceremony for the second half of 2021, held at the Korea Army Non-Commissioned Officer Academy in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, Aug. 27.







Among them, 402 were female members, accounting for about 82.5 percent of the total. The Army said it was the largest number of female NCOs enlisting at a single induction ceremony, adding that it was a result of the military's Defense Reform 2.0, a comprehensive reform initiative aimed at creating a slimmer yet stronger military to counter future security threats, which includes a policy of expanding the ratio of female service members.







Among the newly enlisted NCOs, some received attention for their family backgrounds related to the military. Shin Eun-jeong, 20, is a descendant of independent fighter Shin U-hyeon who combated Japanese colonial rule as a member of the Korean Liberation Army. Her grandfather Shin Dong-seong, 75, also participated in the 1955-75 Vietnam War, before being discharged from the Army as a warrant officer, and received the Gwangbokjang, the fifth-grade Order of National Security Merit.







Seo Ji-woo, 19, is the granddaughter of late veteran Seo Sang-myeon, who participated in the 1950-53 Korean War. Her father Seo Dong-hwan, 56, also served in the Army before being discharged as a staff sergeant.







Kim Min-ji, 18, joined the Army, following her father Kim Nam-hyun, 47, a lieutenant colonel, and her elder sister Kim Min-seong, 20, a staff sergeant.







As part of the Defense Reform 2.0, the Army is increasing the proportion of female service members selected in recent years.







According to the Army, the number of female NCOs selected has increased by more than 70 per year on average, for the past five years. In 2020 only, a total of 767 female NCOs joined the Army. The Army also said it is planning to select more than 1,000 female NCOs next year.







As of August this year, there were about 5,270 female NCOs serving in the Army, accounting for 6.7 percent of the total of about 78,360 NCOs.







The Army said NCO positions have increased in popularity among women, and the average competition rate stood at 7.3 people for each single opening for the past five years, adding the relatively high level of competition has resulted in high-quality applicants being selected.


gettyimagesbank



By Yoon Ja-young



A series of food poisoning incidents at restaurants that sell gimbap are making consumers shun the staple Korean dish.



Gimbap, or seaweed rice rolls that come with various ingredients such as vegetables, eggs and processed meat, is one of the most easily accessible food in the country, but food poisoning incidents have made headlines recently.



Over 130 victims filed a class action suit against a gimbap franchise following an incident in which 276 people who ate gimbap at two of its branches in Bundang District, Seongnam City between July 29 and Aug. 2 showed food poisoning symptoms. Around 40 of them were hospitalized for treatment.



Another food poisoning incident occurred in Paju between Aug. 19 and 22, when 27 customers from a gimbap restaurant got sick, and most recently in Goyang on Aug. 23, in which 29 suffered symptoms such as fever and diarrhea. Among them, a female in her 20s died two days later.



Park Ji-yeon, a mom of two kids in Seocho District, Seoul, said she is refraining from buying gimbap. "I bought gimbap at least twice a week as a snack for my sons as I think it is nutritious, much better than cookies. I don't think I will buy it until the weather gets cooler," she said.



A gimbap restaurant owner in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, said sales at her store have dropped by nearly half due to food poisoning news. "Even the customers who buy gimbap show their concern. I am so angry that all gimbap restaurants are suffering despite having abided by hygiene rules."



Salmonella bacteria behind food poisoning



According to Seongnam City, health authorities concluded that the food poisoning in Bundang was due to salmonella bacteria, which was found in 28 of the patients. Salmonella bacteria, which is usually found in intestines of poultry and other animals, leads to symptoms such as diarrhea, fever and severe stomach cramps in human. It is the most common cause of food poisoning in the summer as around 37 degrees Celsius is the optimum temperature for the bacteria's growth.



Food and Drug Safety Minister Kim Gang-lip said cross-contamination seems to be the cause though it hasn't been confirmed yet. "After handling ingredients such as cracking eggs or slicing meat, one should thoroughly wash hands with soap," he said.



COVID-19 behind increasing food poisoning?



Some estimate that the increase in food poisoning is related with the COVID-19 pandemic.



Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, reported that officials in charge of food hygiene at local governments and community health centers around the country had to concentrate on COVID-19 quarantine work, which led to lapses in hygiene monitoring. They could only selectively examine restaurants that had hygiene issues reported. One of the districts in Seoul, for example, checked 1,830 restaurants in 2019, but it checked only around 220 restaurants in the first half of this year, according to Hankook Ilbo. Following the food poisoning incidents, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety ordered local governments to implement overall inspection on restaurants that sell gimbap.



Choi Jeong-min, a gastroenterology professor at Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, said there should be more attention paid to hygiene the kitchen.



"At home, knives, cutting boards as well as ingredients should be washed with running water before use. Those utensil should be used separately for vegetables, meat and fish," he said.



He also stressed preparing appropriate amounts of food so as to avoid leftovers. "If there are leftovers, they should be kept in the refrigerator. In the case of porridge or soup, boil them one more time before storing them."


gettyimagesbank



South Korea said Wednesday 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines will come from Romania starting this week as part of a vaccine cooperation program with the eastern European country.



The first shipment of 526,500 Pfizer doses will arrive Thursday, followed by the remaining Pfizer shots and 450,000 from Moderna on Sept. 8, according to health authorities.



The government bought the Pfizer doses from Romania, and the Moderna shots will be provided in exchange for medical supplies to the European nation.



"The vaccine cooperation is part of efforts to boost global solidarity and efficiency in tackling the pandemic," health authorities said.



The vaccines from Romania will be used to inoculate people aged between 18 and 49.






Moderator Byun Jai-ran, left, speaks during the "Australian Women's Filmmaking: HerStories and Policies" Forum at the Seoul International Women's Film Festival, organized in cooperation with the Embassy of Australia in Korea. Screenshot from YouTube



By Kwon Mee-yoo



Australia is a country known for promoting gender equality and women's rights, and its film industry is no exception.



On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Korea, the Seoul International Women's Film Festival (SIWFF) sheds light on the history of women's filmmaking in Australia, in cooperation with the Australian Embassy in Korea.



Australian Ambassador to Korea Catherine Raper welcomed the special program to mark the 60th anniversary.



"Advocating for gender equality is a priority for Australia. I hope this program not only promotes some truly fantastic Australian women's films and the creative exchanges taking place between our two countries, but also serves as an opportunity for the Republic of Korea and Australia to continue working together toward gender equality in the film industry," Raper said.



Women's filmmaking practices in Australia have a century-old history, beginning with Kate Howarde, actress and director of "Possum Paddock," and the first female to direct a feature film in Australia in 1921, and Lottie Lyell, the actress who wrote and directed, "The Blue Mountains Mystery," also in 1921, and was a pioneer in the film business with the establishment of Longford-Lyell Productions.



Twelve films directed by Australian women were shown at the SIWFF, which ran from Aug. 26 to Sept. 1. Paulette McDonagh's 1930 film, "The Cheaters," which gives a glimpse into the early works of Australian female directors, was shown with Korean musician Lee Joo-young's live performance.



The works of prominent filmmakers Gillian Armstrong and Jane Campion, from the 1980s, as well as more contemporary films by Jennifer Kent and Rachel Griffiths, were also screened during the SIWFF.



On Aug. 27, a forum titled, "Australian Women's Filmmaking: HerStories and Policies," discussed the wide spectrum and history of Australian film, centering on the roles and influences of women in the film industry there.



Lisa French, professor of the School of Media and Communication at RMIT University, Melbourne, presented the history of women in Australian film, as well as how female directors reflect their views and experiences in their works.



French directed a documentary short, "The Female Gaze: Women Directors Talk," which accompanied the publication of her book, "The Female Gaze in Documentary Film: An International Perspective," earlier this year.



"Each woman filmmaker will have her own individual gaze and specific worldview or aesthetic approach. When I refer to the female gaze, I'm talking about the representation that is produced by a woman who identifies as female and wants to communicate her gendered experience. This festival has a catchphrase: 'see the world through women's eyes.' And that's exactly what the female gaze is  seeing women's reality from women's perspectives," French said.



"Since the earliest days of cinema, they have passionately engaged with every kind of subject, community aesthetic and approach. They work in all genres and styles, and have told diverse stories. Although the nation's cinematic output has been very masculine, telling stories of male adventures from male perspectives, today Australia has an international reputation for supporting and nurturing female filmmakers, and women practitioners have played a major role in international perceptions of the Australian film industry."



French explained how female filmmakers such as Armstrong and Campion, as well as Shirley Barrett, Sue Brooks and Cate Shortland, shaped Australian cinema, which is famous for offering women's perspectives on screen.



"Australia is a country that has been growing constantly through migration, and is characterized by a multicultural identity. Films by women over time have shown a keen interest in the stories of migrant outsiders struggling to gain a place in the world," French said.



Georgie McClean, director of the creative consulting company, Gist, who previously served as acting CEO of the Australian Film Television and Radio School, gave a presentation about "Gender Matters," which refers to the efforts of the Australian government film support, development and promotion organization, Screen Australia, to address the underrepresentation of women in key creative roles in the film industry, and to achieve a 50:50 gender ratio in the industry by 2030.



As Screen Australia looked into statistics on participation in the screen industry based on gender, they found that women were still as underrepresented in 2015 as they were in the 1970s.



"If you look at female directors of feature film, they hadn't really moved from around 16 percent participation in all that time. This obviously was a significant problem for the industry, because it means that the range of stories and a range of perspectives have not been told," McClean said.



They sought to understand the barriers stopping women from participating in key roles in the sector.



"The first of these barriers was identified as key decision makers, the people who hold the gatekeeping roles across the industry. ... Next, and very importantly, and I'm sure something that many of you will identify with, is the fact that women tended to take on a much heavier burden in carrying the responsibilities of domestic work," McClean explained.



McClean also noted that studies have found that women were lacking in the aggressive tendency that men might have to put themselves forward in certain situations.



"This was a little bit of a controversial finding or barrier, as it meant that, as Deb Verhoeven said, the onus was placed on women to change themselves rather than on the industry," McClean said.



Screen Australia came up with measures to support women in every stage and changes to the assessment criteria, which aims to have 50 percent of creative roles in the funded projects filled by women. It was a self-imposed target, rather than a quota.



Through mentorship, policies for increasing support for women's careers and efforts to remove unconscious biases from decision makers, the campaign garnered some visible results.



"I can happily say that in 2021, we were able to reveal that 57 percent of key credit roles were now held by women across Screen Australia-funded projects, which is really significant. Unfortunately, Screen Australia still doesn't hold all the leaders and can't control the industry entirely from where it sits. So there is still work to do," McClean said.






Global shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries said on Wednesday that it has signed a partnership deal with British defense company Bobcock to cooperate on a project to build South Korea's first aircraft carrier.







Under the deal, the two companies will team up to receive an order for the 30,000-ton aircraft, Hyundai Heavy Industries said.







The project, CVX, has been pushed by the country's Navy, which is scheduled for completion in 2033.







Hyundai Heavy and Bobcock carried out a conceptual design for the aircraft last year, which was commissioned by the Navy.







A conceptual design, the first step of ship construction, refers to the basic concept and characteristics of the vessel before confirming its specifications and required technologies.







Hyundai Heavy Industries has been building naval ships since 1975. (Yonhap)






South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook has met with his Egyptian counterpart, Mohamed Ahmed Zaki Mohamed, and agreed to enhance bilateral security and defense industry cooperation, his office said Wednesday.







The meeting took place Wednesday in Cairo, as Suh is on a two-day visit to the Middle Eastern country at the invitation of the Egyptian minister. He is South Korea's first defense minister to visit Egypt.







During the talks, Suh explained the South Korean government's efforts for the establishment of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula and asked for Egypt's support. In response, Zaki vowed active backing for inter-Korean dialogue and the peace efforts.







The Egyptian minister also cited specific defense industry fields, in which his country seeks to cooperate with the Seoul government, saying Egypt regards South Korea as a nation for "strategic cooperation," according to the ministry.







Suh welcomed such a strong intention for cooperation and vowed to further work closely in diverse aspects, including those that the minister mentioned, the ministry said. It did not specify detailed projects the Egyptian minister mentioned.







Suh then paid a courtesy call on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, during which the president expressed hope for South Korean President Moon Jae-in's state visit to his country and to enhance cooperation in all fields.







"This visit is expected to help strengthen ties with Egypt and give momentum to making strides in cooperation in defense and related fields," the ministry said in a release. (Yonhap)


Banners are hung in Daejeon, Wednesday, to urge a court to hand down a death penalty for a man who killed his 20-month-old stepdaughter in June. Yonhap



Korea has not executed criminals since 1997



By Kang Seung-woo



A series of atrocious crimes of late are once again sparking debate over capital punishment.



South Korea is classified as "abolitionist in practice," which means that the government retains the death penalty but has not actually executed a criminal in the past 10 years or longer. The last execution here took place Dec. 31, 1997, when 23 convicted of murder were hanged.



However, the issue has been brought to the fore again following the homicide of a 20-month-old toddler by her stepfather in June and the murder of two women last month by a sex offender who removed his electronic monitoring anklet while on parole.



The 29-year-old stepfather, identified as Yang, allegedly covered the baby girl with blankets because she would not stop crying and punched and stomped her to death. Furthermore, the parents hid the baby's body in an ice box in their bathroom.



The crime has drawn public rage especially because Yang allegedly raped and sexually assaulted the toddler, according to autopsy results and the mother's testimony.



In the other case, a man surnamed Kang, who had 14 previous convictions, was released from prison in May after serving 15 years for sexual assault, but last Friday and Sunday he killed two women, one of whom was murdered after he destroyed his monitoring anklet. Plus, Kang fanned public anger by not apologizing for his felonies when he showed up in court for the arrest warrant hearing, Tuesday, kicking reporters' microphones and saying, "I regret not killing more people."





A man who allegedly murdered two women tries to kick reporters while being taken to the Seoul Eastern District Court for his arrest warrant review, Tuesday. Yonhap
Doctors and office workers at a hospital in Incheon present themselves to Incheon District Court for arrest warrant review, Aug. 31, following allegations of surrogate surgery. Yonhap



By Yoon Ja-young



Doctors working for a spine surgery hospital in the western port city of Incheon have been arrested on charges of surrogate surgery, in which they allegedly made office workers without medical licenses take part in the operations.



According to Incheon Metropolitan Police Station, three doctors, who are co-directors of a renowned hospital in the district specializing in spinal disc surgery, were arrested on Aug. 31, along with three staff of the hospital. The district court judge issued arrest warrants following a request by the prosecution, acknowledging concerns of them fleeing.



The investigation began after a media report, which included around 10 hours' video footage of the operations in the hospital. The doctors reportedly had one of the employees make an incision in the back of a patient, and after around five minutes' work by the doctor, another employee sutured the wounds. The patients reportedly were unaware of the fact as they were lying face down.



Police suspected that the hospital had the non-medical staff carry out the procedures to cut labor costs of doctors and to enable more operations to be concluded faster, but the doctors denied the allegations. The hospital was designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare as a specialist in spinal disc treatment and grew in size to include over 100 beds.



This is not the first time that "ghost surgeries" have made headlines over the past few years. There have been incidents in which nurses, nursing assistants, hospital office workers or medical equipment salespeople undertook doctors' tasks.



This has increased calls for cameras to be installed in operating rooms, but most doctors have opposed the demand, saying they could infringe on the rights of patients and doctors as it deems doctors are potential criminals while private videos of patients can be leaked.



In response to patients' calls, however, the National Assembly approved a bill on Aug. 31 making it compulsory to install surveillance cameras in operating rooms.


Representatives of seven media related organizations hold a press conference in front of the main building of the National Assembly, Monday, to protest the ruling party's push to revise a law to allow punitive damages on media outlets or reporters producing "fake news." The organizations view the bill as an attempt to prevent reports critical of those in positions of political and economic power. Yonhap



By Jung Da-min



The U.N. human rights body has pointed out the Korean ruling bloc's push to revise the country's media law to heavily penalize "fake news" may be in violation of an international human rights law and seriously infringe on freedom of opinion and expression.



Irene Khan, a U.N. special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression, delivered an open letter to the Korean government regarding concerns over the revision bill to the Act on Press Arbitration, Aug. 27. The letter was made public on the website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Wednesday (KST).



The letter has come while the government and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are seeking to revise the law to impose punitive damages on media outlets and reporters that produce so-called "fake news." The DPK had planned to pass the bill at the National Assembly's plenary session on Aug. 30, but put it off to Sept. 27 due to strong resistance from the opposition bloc and civic groups.



In the letter, Khan said the revisions do not meet criteria to be a fair law, in terms of legality, necessity and proportionality. The U.N. special rapporteur said if the amendments are adopted at the National Assembly without further changes, they could severely restrict the rights to freedom of information and of expression of the media.



The U.N. rapporteur also reiterated the Korean government's obligation to respect and protect the rights to freedom of opinion and expression under article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), acceded to by the Korean government in April 1990.





A poster jointly made by seven media-related organizations  Korean Association of Newspapers, Journalists Association of Korea, Korea News Editors' Association, Korea Journalists' Club, Kwanhun Club, Korea Internet Newspaper Association and Korea Woman Journalists Association  to protest the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's push to revise a law allowing punitive damages on media outlets or reporters producing "fake news." The organizations view the bill as an attempt to prevent reporting critical of those in political and economic power.
By Edward Jeong-hoon Song (Student at the Korean Minjok Leadership Academy)





"CLOSING SALE," reads a one-story-high poster on the wall outside of Uniqlo's flagship store in Seoul. The "Boycott Japan" campaign had started in the summer of 2019 and even Uniqlo could not withstand the tsunami of anti-Japanese sentiment that swept away 50 percent of Uniqlo's revenue in 2019, 34 of its stores in 2020, and at least 10 more stores in 2021.







Tension between Korea and Japan is old news. After Japan's colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula was shattered by Japan's defeat in World War II, it took almost 20 years before the two countries restored diplomatic relations in 1965. Diplomatic restoration opened the door for a thawing relationship. Japan's cultural influence grew through the introduction of Japanese movies, animations and video games. Korean children who grew up with Mario and Naruto tended to view Japan more favorably than their parents, and trade had been booming for over a decade.







The current conflict between Korea and Japan is all the more alarming because of the good relations that had previously prevailed.







Following an October 2018 decision by the Korean Supreme Court requiring Nippon Steel to compensate surviving South Koreans who had been forced to work in the Japanese company's facilities during World War II, Korean courts handed down a series of similar rulings against other Japanese corporations. In return, Japan tightened export control rules on strategic materials exported to South Korea.







The economic effects of the disagreement between the two countries have been staggering. The Korea Press Foundation reported that in 2019, nearly 80 percent of Koreans intentionally avoided purchasing Japanese goods. In 2020, Koreans' unfavorable views of Japan jumped by almost 22 percentage points, according to the East Asia Institute. The Japan National Tourism Organization claims that the number of Koreans visiting Japan fell by half, even before the pandemic.







Koreans generally do not believe that they are overly swayed by nationalism or ethnic racism. Indeed, Koreans are known as supporters of human rights and democracy, and many supported the Black Lives Matter movement. As Michael Breen, a former correspondent for The Korea Times, has argued, anti-Japanese sentiment may boil down to education. Schools in contemporary Korea simultaneously emphasize the equality of humanity and the atrocities Koreans suffered under the Japanese colonial occupation. When the grim view of Japan espoused in textbooks is aggravated by geo-political tensions, the particular vilification of Japan seems to outweigh a mutual belief in commonalities.







Still, there is some hope for a breakthrough. In line with the Biden administration's emphasis on improving the relations between Korea and Japan to counter escalating tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, President Moon Jae-in announced in August that his government is ready to enter talks with his Japanese counterpart. As former Korean Ambassador to Japan Shin Kak-soo notes, "Both countries can cooperate in multiple areas, including taking preventive measures against COVID-19 and spurring economic recovery."







Any changes need to cut deeper than momentary shifts of policy pursued by revolving administrations. Without downplaying any of the real historical atrocities, education must adopt a forward-looking approach to de-escalating tensions. Measures include greater support for student exchanges, a less lopsided focus on Japan's historical aggression in textbooks and public campaigns to reduce the use of incendiary anti-Japanese language. If leaders in Korea succeed in reshaping public dialogue about Japan, it will set a course to a flowering of stability, cultural exchange and mutual respect between the two countries.









Edward Song (

) is a student at the Korean Minjok Leadership Academy.


By Kang Hyun-kyung





The upcoming presidential election has a striking characteristic which distinguishes it from previous elections.



Quite a number of candidates have a legal background, serving as lawyers, prosecutors or judges before they joined politics, and they have a stronger presence in public opinion surveys. Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung was a lawyer before he was elected mayor of Seongnam City, and then governor of Gyeonggi Province. His rival Yoon Seok-youl of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) served as prosecutor general, although he himself chose to cut his tenure short in a show of resistance to President Moon Jae-in. Lee and Yun have been two frontrunners in recent polls.



Choi Jae-hyung, a PPP presidential contender, served as a judge before he took the helm of the Board of Audit and Inspection. Another PPP contender Hwang Kyo-ahn served as a prosecutor for several decades before he was tapped for the position of justice minister and then prime minister under the Park Geun-hye government. Outspoken presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo was a prosecutor, whereas former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae began her career as a judge after she passed the state bar exam.



I think people with a background in law gaining the upper hand in this presidential election is not a coincidence. Rather it may have something to do with the direction in which this country is heading.



When the economy is mired in recession, voters want a strong, visionary leader with a proven record in business or the economy, hoping that they can help revive the troubled economy. Likewise, when justice is endangered, candidates with a legal background may find it easier to appeal to the hearts and minds of voters than candidates of any other career backgrounds.



Some presidential candidates' rhetoric during their press conferences to declare their presidential bids reflects this sentiment. Instead of uttering their personal ambitions as a key driver behind declaring their presidential bid, these candidates remarked that they were called upon by the public to join the presidential election to rescue the country in peril.



Yoon, for example, said he joined the presidential race to restore free democracy and rule of law, accusing the Moon Jae-in government of having dismantled these values.



"Since I resigned from the position of prosecutor general in March, I've met many people from all walks of life. They all were worried about the future of this country and asking if this country would be okay," he said on June 29 while declaring officially his bid to run in the election.



Mentioning the public's unwavering support for him even after he stepped down from the key post, he said the public's support and encouragement showed they wanted him to play a role in governmental change.



Choi made similar remarks. He said he chose to leave the Board of Audit and Inspection six months before the end of his tenure and joined the presidential race to save the country from crisis. He claimed President Moon's mismanagement of the economy and squandering of taxpayer money to curry favor with his supporters were some of the root causes of the problems.



The 2022 presidential election won't be all that different from previous ones, when it comes to the "format of competition." Once the ruling and main opposition parties successfully field their presidential candidates through primaries, a two-way race between them will be inevitable.



Then the ball will be in the court of the voters.



Nobody knows which candidate will win their parties' nominations. But as voters, we all need to have our own criteria about our decision in 2022. I roughly have mine.



I won't consider candidates who habitually use big words, exaggerate or brag of their credentials, or who make empty promises. I also won't cast my ballot for a candidate if I have no idea how they lived their lives before entering politics.



In my experience, candidates who will pledge anything to be elected or make great-but-ambiguous promises, such as "overhauling the nation or the economy," are another group of dangerous people who can abuse power, if elected.



I will vote for a candidate who presents realistic goals and a thoroughly defined role as a person in the top government job. Rather than painting himself or herself as a superhero, the ideal candidate would self-identify as a manager of the nation and try hard to let the system work for all, rather than pushing for ambitious experimental projects. I think South Korea is an advanced country with a strong system in place. What the person in the top job has to do is let it work.



Being an effective manager itself requires people to have a considerable level of prior experience and knowledge.



I wonder if we have such a person though.


Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo / Courtesy of HMG



By Park Jae-hyuk



Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo will donate 10 billion won ($8.6 million) to the Korea University Foundation to help ongoing efforts by the Korea University Medicine to establish and operate a vaccine innovation center, according to the automotive group, Wednesday.



"In order to contribute to fellow citizens who have supported HMG, I decided to make a donation for the vaccine innovation center that will contribute to the development of domestic vaccines," Chung said in a statement. "I hope the center can help people recover health and joy by overcoming infectious diseases."



The Korea University Medicine decided to name its vaccine innovation center after Chung. It plans to use his donation to improve its R&D infrastructure and develop domestic vaccines that can prevent globally infectious diseases in the post-pandemic era.





Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) Chairman Chung Euisun, right, and Korea University Foundation Chairman Kim Jae-ho pose at Korea University, Tuesday, after signing an agreement on the HMG honorary chairman's donation to the foundation. Courtesy of HMG
In this file photo, a medical worker prepares a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in Sumida ward, Tokyo. AP-Yonhap



By Kim Yoo-chul



South Korea has confirmed that Samsung Biologics is in discussions with Moderna to allow its COVID-19 vaccines produced at Samsung's domestic manufacturing facilities to be used in the country.



"The government has asked Moderna and Samsung Biologics several times for the Moderna vaccines bound for domestic use to be produced at Samsung Biologics' facilities. Despite the repeated requests, nothing has been decided yet," Lee Ki-il, senior official at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, told reporters in a regular briefing, Wednesday.



Citing unnamed politicians at the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), The Korea Times reported in early August that "working-level discussions" had been underway with Moderna representatives on how the country could get more vaccines from the U.S. drugmaker, right after production of the vaccines starts at Samsung Biologics' manufacturing facilities in Songdo, Incheon.



Lee said that South Korea was hoping to receive "quite a large amount" of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines. Moderna has agreed to supply South Korea with 40 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with no timeline set.



"We are currently not reserving safety stock to allow vaccines to be delivered faster, which means that we do not have stock in storage for these types of shortfalls or delays," a Moderna spokesperson said.



Samsung Biologics plans to start mass-producing Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines at its domestic manufacturing facilities sometime within the third quarter of this year. These vaccines will be distributed to countries other than the United States, after getting approval from Moderna and passing qualification tests from the country's health ministry, he said.



Samsung Biologics is in the process of adding messenger RNA (mRNA) substance manufacturing capabilities to its Songdo plant, near the port city of Incheon, which will be ready for actual operations next year. This addition will give the Samsung affiliate the full ability to handle the large-scale manufacturing and storage of the vaccine.



Meanwhile, the Korean government is trying to improve the total vaccination rate in the country. By last week, 29.27 million people  or 57 percent of the country's total population  had received their first shots and 15.7 million had been fully vaccinated, the health ministry said. Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson and Moderna vaccines have been approved for shots to the public, with 14.6 million people getting Pfizer shots, followed by AstraZeneca and Moderna with 11 million and 2.36 million, respectively.


POSCO Chairman Choi Jeong-woo attends the 2021 POSCO Forum at its headquarters in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of POSCO



By Baek Byung-yeul



Korean steelmaker POSCO is hosting this week a two-day forum to focus on the rapidly-changing business trend powered by carbon neutrality and environmental, social and governance (ESG) management practices.



Since 2019, the steelmaker has hosted the annual POSCO Forum. POSCO said that this year's event will be held for two days, from Wednesday to Thursday of this week, under the theme of, "moving forward to become a 100-year company with eco-friendly materials."



Considering the heightened social distancing measures due to the current wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event features no more than 50 participants, including outside instructors, panels and POSCO executives. Other participants have joined the event online.



POSCO Chairman Choi Jeong-woo said, "The COVID-19 pandemic, which seemed to show an exit, continues to lead to new crises due to various mutations and breakthrough infections, and it constantly calls for a stance of preparing for an uncertain future."



"I hope the POSCO Forum will be a venue for innovation to change about the ways we do business and grow, as well as how we think and work, and to increase our strategic execution as a professional maker of eco-friendly materials," the Chairman added.



On the first day of the forum, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun delivered a speech about the Biden administration's foreign policy and new international order. Through panel discussions on how the global economic order is changing, the forum included discussion of the impact of the Biden administration's policy changes on global politics and the economy, to examine the direction of the new international order and its implications for corporate management.



Also, the forum dealt with measures to respond to changes in the management environment, such as strengthening ESG-related investments and expanding carbon neutrality policies, the company said.



On the second day, the forum will deliver lectures on various themes, such as: carbon neutrality, the future of the steel industry, changes in the battery materials ecosystem, the hydrogen industry's potential and new growth opportunities.


Pope Francis attends his weekly general audience, held in the Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Wednesday. AP-Yonhap



Pope Francis has defended the Vatican deal with China's communist government on the appointment of Catholic bishops, saying an uneasy dialogue is better than no dialogue at all.



In an interview with Spanish radio network COPE broadcast on Wednesday, Francis compared the Vatican's dialogue with China to those with East European countries during the Cold War which eventually resulted in many freedoms for the Church there.



"China is not easy, but I am convinced that we should not give up dialogue," he said in some of his most comprehensive comments to date on the issue.



Last September, the Vatican renewed a 2018 accord with Beijing that gives the pope final say over the appointment of Chinese bishops. The deal established a formal dialogue with Beijing after decades during which Chinese Catholics faithful to the pope were driven underground.



Critics, including the administration of former U.S. president Donald Trump, tried to convince the Vatican to abandon the pact, saying it compromised the pope's moral authority.



Comments by former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last September, which the Vatican saw as meddling in its sovereign affairs, sparked a minor diplomatic crisis.



"You can be deceived in dialogue, you can make mistakes, all that ... but it is the way. Closed-mindedness is never the way," the pope said of the China deal, which has been particularly opposed by conservative Catholic groups.



"What has been achieved so far in China was at least dialogue ... some concrete things like the appointment of new bishops, slowly ... but these are also steps that can be questionable," he said.



Francis likened relations with Beijing to the "small steps" policy carried out by Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, a renowned Vatican diplomat, with Soviet Bloc countries in Eastern Europe, staring in the 1960s.



Casaroli, who served under three popes, reached agreements with communist countries that gave the Church some breathing space, sowing the seeds for full relations after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Those deals were also criticized.



"Slowly, slowly, slowly, he (Casaroli) was achieving reserves of diplomatic relations which in the end meant appointing new bishops and taking care of God's faithful people," Francis said. (Reuters)




U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on Afghanistan during a speech in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, Aug. 31. Reuters-Yonhap



President Joe Biden on Tuesday mounted a fierce defense of his exit from Afghanistan as the "best decision for America," the day after the U.S. military withdrawal celebrated by the Taliban as a major victory.



"This is the right decision. A wise decision. And the best decision for America," Biden said in an address to the nation in Washington, after he stuck to an August 31 deadline to end two decades of bloodshed that began and ended with the hardline Islamists in power.



He spoke after the United Nations warned of a looming "humanitarian catastrophe" in Afghanistan, underscoring the daunting challenges that the victorious Taliban face as they transform from insurgent group to governing power.



For America, Biden argued, the only choice in Afghanistan was "leaving or escalating."



And the president, whose critics have savaged him for his handling of the withdrawal, said the frenzied airlift  which saw the United States and its allies fly more than 120,000 people fleeing the new Taliban regime out of Afghanistan  was an "extraordinary success."



"No nation has ever done anything like it in all of history; only the United States had the capacity and the will and ability to do it," he said.





Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, center, addresses a media conference at the airport in Kabul, Aug. 31. AFP-Yonhap



The Taliban also saw the airlift as a success: a mark of their astonishing comeback and defeat of a global superpower.



Taliban fighters fired weapons into the sky in Kabul in the early hours of Tuesday in jubilation after the last U.S. plane flew out. Later, they swept into the capital's vast airport.



"Congratulations to Afghanistan... this victory belongs to us all," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters hours later on the airport runway.



Mujahid said the Taliban's victory was a "lesson for other invaders".



In Kandahar, the spiritual birthplace of the movement and the country's second-largest city, thousands of celebrating supporters swept onto the streets.





U.S. President Joe Biden honors the dignified transfer of the remains of U.S. military service members who were killed by an Aug. 26 suicide bombing at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport, at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Del., Aug. 29. Reuters-Yonhap



'Darkest hour'



All eyes will now turn to how the Taliban handle their first few days with sole authority over the country, with a sharp focus on whether they will allow free departure for those wanting to leave  including some foreigners.



The U.S. has said that "under 200" of its citizens remained in the country, and Britain said the number of UK nationals inside was in the "low hundreds."



Thousands of Afghans who worked with the U.S.-backed government over the years and fear retribution also want to get out.



Talks are ongoing as to who will now run Kabul airport, which German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned was of "existential importance" as a lifeline for aid.



Many Afghans are terrified of a repeat of the Taliban's initial rule from 1996-2001, which was infamous for their treatment of women and girls, as well as a brutal justice system.



The group has repeatedly promised a more tolerant brand of governance compared with their first stint in power, and Mujahid persisted with that theme.



"We want to have good relations with the U.S. and the world. We welcome good diplomatic relations with them all," he said.



Mujahid also insisted Taliban security forces would be "gentle and nice".



But UN chief Antonio Guterres gave a stark assessment of the challenges they face as they build their new regime.



He expressed his "grave concern at the deepening humanitarian and economic crisis in the country," adding that basic services threatened to collapse "completely."



He pleaded for financial support from the international community for the war-ravaged country, which is dependent on foreign aid.



"I urge all member states to dig deep for the people of Afghanistan in their darkest hour of need," Guterres said in a statement.





Taliban fighters stand guard near a damaged car after multiple rockets were fired in Kabul, Aug. 30. AFP-Yonhap
In footage from Capitol Police and provided to the FBI, Courtright (in the black and yellow hat) can be seen carrying a sign from the Capitol building during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Photo from the federal affidavit detailing Courtright's charges.
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Assistant Property Manager I

Property Services

#B038F20 University Enterprises, Inc. (UEI) at Sac State is seeking an Assistant Property Manager for our Property Services division. Property Services is the building and facility arm of University Enterprises, Inc., providing construction, building operations, and maintenance services with a small, well trained, and effective team, Property Services operates and maintains 520,000 square feet of UEI-owned facilities and 190,000 square feet of leased facilities on the Sac State campus and in adjacent neighborhoods. These properties include traditional retail, campus food operations, office space, warehousing, classrooms, student housing, and a historic period home.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: This is a full-time, non-exempt (eligible for overtime pay), benefited position that is covered under the California Public Employees Retirement System. Continued employment in this position is dependent upon the mutual consent of University Enterprises and the employee, and either University Enterprises or the employee can, at any time, terminate the employment relationship at will, with or without cause.

RATE OF PAY: $3,884 - $5,826 per month MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Bachelors Degree in real estate, business, construction management, communications, public relations, marketing, or related field or equivalent combination of education and/or work experience. Demonstrated experience in working with building maintenance and building system service vendors (preferably in the Sacramento area). Demonstrated exceptional skills in detailed organizational planning and building maintenance projects related to daily building operations. Demonstrated understanding of routine maintenance and repair processes Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, and manage Property Services functions and projects. Demonstrated experience selecting, supervising, training, evaluating, and coordinating staff/vendors. Demonstrated experience using computer applications including email, word processing, spreadsheets, and databases such as the programs in the Microsoft Office Suite. Excellent interpersonal relationship skills with an ability to resolve issues and problems in an effective and professional manner. Demonstrated ability to work independently, with many projects at the same time, meeting deadlines and budget restrictions. Demonstrated experience in leadership and team building and the ability to direct service providers and maintenance personnel to attain effective results. Demonstrated experience planning, monitoring, and managing budgets. Demonstrated ability to communicate and write clearly. Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills required. Must be legally eligible to drive in California, complete and pass an online training course, maintain a good driving record, and be acceptable for vehicle insurance coverage under the University Enterprises insurance plan. Must continue to meet the established driving standards, driving record will be monitored with the California Department of Motor Vehicles to ensure compliance. Must pass a background check, which may include fingerprinting. Must continue to meet the established standards. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Demonstrated skill in reading and interpreting plans, drawings, schematics, and specifications. Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of planning; development; and the estimation of time, materials, and staff needs for budgeting and project management of capital and construction projects. Knowledge of employee work condition ordinances related to building services. Demonstrated knowledge or work experience in, scheduling and supervising minor construction projects and completion of maintenance work. Demonstrated knowledge of work safety practices and codes related to building maintenance, construction, and repair work; and proper handling and storage of hazardous materials. Demonstrated knowledge of computer systems and software applications related to planning, developing, scheduling, and performing building maintenance, construction, and repair projects, including computerized building equipment control systems. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The Assistant Property Manager assists with management of University Enterprises, Inc. (UEI) properties, provides direct assistance to Assistant Property Manager II, Property Services Assistant Director, and Director in all areas including but not limited to construction and design, lease/contract management, accounting/business services, and marketing/leasing. The APM also and supervises matters related to tenant relations and the use, maintenance, and operations of assigned facilities and/or properties. Coordinates within the department and with other UEI departments for property or facility related issues, prepares and implements budget and projections, solicits, and then manages service contracts. The position reports directly to and receives general direction from the Assistant Director, Property Services. Works with University Enterprises departmental staff, University staff, service/maintenance, and facility vendors. Provides work

direction to student assistants, temporary staff, and third-party vendors, as needed.

The specific duties and responsibilities are as follows: 1. Assists with organizing, managing, and directing the maintenance, upkeep, and repair of UEI buildings, facilities, HVAC equipment, and associated equipment; plans, schedules, and coordinates daily projects and work order requests; and ensures that all maintenance and repair work performed for UEI is in compliance with the applicable codes, regulations, and standards. Prepares written reports, summaries, updates, and schedules for supervisor and directors' committees.

2. Coordinates with Property Services staff and vendors to modify service schedules, convey and exchange information, determine special needs and work in progress, and address requests, complaints, and problems. Meets with management and other UEI and University staff to plan building projects and maintenance, as assigned. Assists with the development of short and long-range plans.

3. Assists with the preparation of annual operating budget(s) for the building maintenance and related operations of assigned projects, properties, and/or facilities. Projects, monitors, and tracks expenditures of assigned projects, properties, and/or facilities. Assists the Property Manager II, Assistant Director, and/or the Director, Property Services with the department budget, as needed. Manages lease administration and rent collection. Provides document management support for construction projects as assigned.

4. Assists as facilities/property manager for properties both on and off campus as assigned. Investigates, interviews, assesses, and recommends contracts for custodial and landscaping service/vendor services, supervises building work to be done; and follows up to resolve problems and discrepancies or differences with tenants and/or contractors.

5. Regularly inspects assigned facilities to identify maintenance and repair needs, which includes satellite facilities. As assigned, coordinates and oversees the work of vendors/contractors. Represents Property Services in contacts with the campus community, tenants, and contractors involved with building maintenance and repair projects.

6. Conducts regularly scheduled meetings to ensure a complete and effective communication between work groups and management. Implements and follows all University Enterprises personnel policies and procedures.

7. Provides public and tenant relations and first contact with tenants and neighbors of assigned facilities.

8. Manages and gives approvals for accurate payment of vendor invoices. Manages the preparation of and gives approvals on accurate tenant billings.

9. Uses a computer and appropriate calendaring software for work scheduling, building monitoring, and budget tracking.

10. Supervises and/or coordinates special events requiring custodial, Information Technology (IT), or set-up services at UEI properties and/or facilities.

11. Generally, works a routine schedule but may be requested to work after hours, weekends, and/or holidays, in order to respond to maintenance or emergency issues to ensure the safety and maintenance of UEI buildings and/or facilities.

12. Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

FILING DEADLINE: 9/10/2021

Note: This position vacancy is with University Enterprises Inc., an auxiliary organization of California State University, Sacramento. This is not a University position; the incumbent will be an employee of University Enterprises. University Enterprises operates commercial enterprises on the California State University, Sacramento campus; it is responsible for grant and contract management and fiscal services for University research and sponsored programs and provides fiscal services to University related agencies and activities. University Enterprises is a non-profit corporation governed by a board of directors in conformance with the appropriate State of California codes and policy directives of the Board of Trustees and the

campus administration.

University Enterprises is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of University Enterprises that all employees and applicants shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All recruitment, hiring, placement, and promotions will be on a basis of qualifications of the individual for the position being filled, regardless of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age (over 40 years), sex, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition (diagnosis or history of cancer)*, citizenship, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. ***AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER***

recblid g9hnfise2go0g4zx2adcfnbxs56652








AI/ML - ML Software Engineer, Information Intelligence Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino) , California , United States Machine Learning and AI Summary

Posted: Aug 31, 2021 Role Number: 200283515 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. Apple Information Intelligence team is looking for engineers to build and optimize various infrastructure pieces of our ML stack. You will get exposed to exciting technologies in areas including distributed data processing, large scale distributed training of models, latest frontier in models for natural language processing and artificial intelligence, and the most advanced techniques to scale the systems to handle billions of requests and petabytes of data per day, and much more! The system we build help to power a variety of Apple products, including Siri, Spotlight, Safari, Messages and Lookup etc. 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

Strong background in computer science: algorithms and data structures

Excellent interpersonal skills able to work independently as well as in a team Description Build scalable and effective systems for serving deep learning models Build and optimize distributed training approaches for deep learning models on ML accelerators such as GPUs Build software that improves the rate of experimentation and helps people make better decisions about what to try next - Train, evaluate, and debug deep learning models for complex tasks Develop tools and services for understanding latest NLP/Image models Education & Experience BS, MS, Ph.D. in a related field , or equivalent experience Additional Requirements Experience with popular training frameworks like tensorflow/pytorch for serving/training/optimization is a plus

Experience with GPU serving/optimization/training/ is a plus

Experience with model compression/quantization is a plus

Experience with distributed data processing is a plus

Experience with AWS Services such as Amazon S3 EC2 EKS / Kubernetes is a plus










Videos



Duties



Summary

This position is at the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) in the, Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO). This position serves as an Accountant. Learn more about this agency



Responsibilities

As an Accountant, you will:

- Maintain financial systems and interfaces with the general ledger, including the accounting, budget, capitalization/operation system, and the procurement system.

- Plan, develop, coordinate and implement manual and automated system changes to correct operational deficiencies, and conduct studies for the modification and enhancement of financial systems.

- Assure the integrity of internal controls in developing and maintaining financial systems to include monthly and year-to-date reconciliations between subsidiary accounts and the general ledger. Recommend improvements in internal controls and procedures to ensure that data is accurate and reliable.

- Provide expert and authoritative advice to management on the application of accounting principles, including the design and development of accounting systems for specialized agency missions and programs.

- Research and analyze data to develop and prepare a variety of financial documents, management reports and presentations to a broad range of audiences.

- Perform analyses and responds to report requests made by agency management. Identify trends and inconsistencies and corrects as necessary for assigned program areas.



Travel Required

Occasional travel - Once onsite work resumes, you may be expected to occasionally travel for conferences or training. Supervisory status No Promotion Potential 13 Job family (Series) 0510 Accounting Similar jobs Accountants



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

Specialized experience is the experience that has equipped you with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.



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 for this position is defined as experience:

1) preparing and correcting accounting records and financial statements to comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP);

2) developing financial documents and reports; and

3) providing guidance to customers on an organization's accounting activities.



In addition to meeting specialized experience requirement, applicants must also meet basic education requirements outlined in the "Education" section of this vacancy announcement. Please note that transcripts that verify that the education requirement has been met are required at the time of application.



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

In addition to meeting specialized experience requirements, applicants much also meet basic education requirements.



Basic Education Requirements are as follows : (A) Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in Accounting (means accounting and/or auditing); or a degree in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration that included or was supplemented by 24 semester hours in Accounting. The 24 hours may include up to 6 hours of credit in business law;

OR

(B) Combination of education and experience, at least 4 full years of experience in accounting, or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge. Your background must also include one of the following:

(1) Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law;

(2) A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through a written examination;

OR

(3) Completion of the requirements for a degree that included substantial course work in accounting or auditing, e.g., 15 semesters hours, but that does not fully satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement of paragraph A, provided that: (a) you have successfully worked at the full performance level in accounting, auditing, or a related field, e.g., valuation engineering or financial institution examining; (b) a panel of at least two higher level professional accountants or auditors has determined that you have demonstrated a good knowledge of accounting and of related and underlying fields that equals in breadth, depth, currency, and level of advancement that which is normally associated with successful completion of the 4-year course of study described in paragraph A; and (c) except for literal non-conformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, your education, training, and experience fully meets the specified requirements.



Transcripts that verify that the education requirement has been met are required at the time of application.



All education must be received by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with an education requirement) therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees received from schools recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants may verify accreditation at the following website: (see application details) .



FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for federal employment. A third party equivalency evaluation must be submitted at the time of application for all foreign education to receive consideration.



Additional information

SALARY: Pay will be set using NCUA's compensation policy. Actual salary will be determined upon the location of the selectee and the applicable locality pay, per the NCUA's CU pay table, will be applied. The locality rates, by location, can be found on the NCUA Careers webpage under the Salary Information section .



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 September 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.



The self-assessment questions have been developed to evaluate your competency in the following areas: Oral Communication

Principles of Accounting

Writing



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 Moderate Risk (MR) 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) - transcripts that verify that the education requirement has been met are required at the time of application

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). 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.



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Le ministre des Services Financiers a pris la parole au Hennessy Park Hotel en fin de soiree du 30 aout 2021 lors de la presentation officielle de ce rapport sur les services financiers commande par lEDB.

It gives me great pleasure to address this august gathering today to witness the launch of a Report assessing the role of Mauritius in Africas growth journey.

The Report, Ladies and Gentlemen, augurs well in the context of the unflinching engagement of the Mauritius International Financial Centre as a leading platform for trade, investments and capital-raising for the African region.

Meticulously elaborated by the Capital Economics team, we have before us one-of-its-kind economic research document, highly relevant and timely, as this Government takes purposeful strides in advancing the Mauritius for Africa agenda.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Financial Services Consultative Council, which I preside, and which brings together the upper echelons of the private and public figures in the Financial Sector, agreed under its Image Building Agenda that there was an important work to be done in hoisting the Mauritius brand.

At a time when we are seeking to raise our standing as an important economic hotspot for Africa, the FSCC gave its full support to the EDB for having commissioned this Report.

Today, we have in front of us a Report that portrays a true and revealing picture, which is backed by rock-solid facts and evidence, of the role Mauritius is playing in Africa.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am sure Mr Mathieu Mandeng, whom I can see in the audience, will recall his words : I quote : I am struggling to understand how a USD 13 billion GDP economy is impoverishing a USD 2.3 trillion economy ! End of quote

The launch of this Report is a Moment of Truth for our jurisdiction.

I am confident that it will put to bed misperceptions and instead spotlight our jurisdiction in a proper perspective as a strong regional development partner and, Serving Africa Well.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As I read through this Report, I am confident that its upshot will be good for the country, good for our investors, good for our operators and good for our links with Africa.

Let me briefly share what I see.

Firstly, the Report represents an invaluable resource as we look to our partners in Africa with a renewed determination to reinvigorate existing partnerships as well as develop new ones.

Highlighting the fact that the Mauritius jurisdiction is key to driving quality foreign direct investments in the Continent, the Report will help strengthen ties with our African counterparts.

After India, Africa is actually the second largest destination for investment from Mauritius totalling USD 82 Billion.

And this USD 82 Billion worth of investments, mediated through Mauritius, contributes to around USD 6 Billion of tax revenue for Africa per year.

As such, ladies and gentlemen, we have clear illustration that the estimate for investment into Africa is much larger than the official figures  USD 37 Billion for Foreign Direct Investment and USD 3 Billion for Foreign Portfolio Investment.

The investment from Mauritius into Africa represents 9 % of overall foreign investment into the continent, 13 % of total reported investment in Central Africa and at least 10% in each of East, West and Southern Africa.

The Report clearly establishes that investment activity from Mauritius supports jobs, gross domestic product and tax receipts in Africa.

I am confident that this publication will represent an invaluable tool to the media for reporting.

Secondly, the Report, authored by a reputable economic research company, provides credible and objective information.

My colleague, Hon Minister Padayachy, will agree with me that the hallmark of a countrys reputation is the integrity and transparency of its statistical system and in this respect, our national statistical agency, Statistics Mauritius, is doing a formidable job in providing quality data.

More quality data means better planning and better policies.

In this respect, in addition to the present research project, there is more to come from my Ministry.

I am pleased to announce that we shall launch, at the end of next month, the Corporate Governance Scorecard for Mauritius which will be used to measure the adherence of local companies with the Code of Corporate Governance as well as international best practice.

This initiative will put Mauritius amongst the few countries in the world to measure progress in Corporate Governance practices in a quantitative manner and will provide a vital reference for investors.

This brings me to my third point, the Report is good for investors.

The integrity and reliability of the research work will be an invaluable reference guide for investors and will go a long way in promoting Trust and Credibility in our jurisdiction.

Fourth, the Report is good for policy makers, and regulators as it measures the impact of our policies and products.

Again, it provides a useful reference for us to better understand where we are doing well and what more we can do in the pursuit of our Africa Strategy.

Fifth, the Report will provide benchmarks for international standard setters, and organisations involved in maintaining indicators and indices as well as rating agencies.

And last but certainly not least, the Report is good for you operators in the sector.

The information conveyed will help you manage the expectations of existing and prospective clients.

It will help you promote the Mauritius Brand as a jurisdiction that can be trusted as a credible place to do business.

While our double taxation and investment protection agreements help in improving returns and ensuring safety of investments, our move towards more substance matters a lot and can dictate the choice of location for investors.

Furthermore, our compliance with the OECDs Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) initiative ticks the right box.

Our regulatory framework is relevant and meaningful.

We are doing our best to improve friendliness for doing business. The recent implementation of the FSC One platform is an example.

Furthermore, the implementation of the Financial Sector Blueprint recommendations is now under the responsibility of the Financial Services Consultative Council and we are working towards the creation of new products to position ourselves as the business capital of Africa.

We shall be introducing Wealth Management products such as the Insurance Wrapper by the end of the year.

Furthermore, my Ministry has partnered with the Standard Chartered Bank for the implementation of the Sustainable financing framework which will enable the issue of blue, green and sustainable financial products to be listed on the local and international exchanges.

I wish to thank the Governor of the Bank of Mauritius for having recently issued a guideline for the issue of sustainable bonds, which is a key step in implementing the framework.

This framework will contribute in positioning Mauritius as a Sustainable Financing hub for Africa.

Distinguished guests,

Africa is on the move and is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world.

Its population is set to double by 2050 and its middle class is projected to grow to more than one billion consumers.

For many investors around the world, this represents an unprecedented opportunity to tap into a booming consumer market where their investments can find long-term value.

On the other hand, significant inflows are required to help meet the USD 350 Billion objective set by the African Unions Agenda 2063 as well as realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Wealth and prosperity can only be created with more trade and investment activities and in this regard, Mauritius will certainly continue to play a decisive and impactful role.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Report depicts an incredible story of solidarity, brotherhood and unity.

The brain may forget facts and figures but the heart will never forget a good story.

I invite each one of you to take cognizance of this Report.

You may be as pleasantly surprised, as I was, to read the extent of our involvement and positive influence in the growth and prosperity of Africa.

I seize this opportunity to thank the team from Capital Economics for a job well done.

I wish to thank industry players without whose support this project would not have reached fruition.

I would also convey my appreciation to my Permanent Secretary for ably leading the administrative and technical cadres of my Ministry.

I also wish to commend Mr Ken Poonoosamy for perfect coordination among all stakeholders to make this project a reality.

I am profoundly optimistic that together we will continue to play an important role in shaping the future and economic prosperity of Africa.

Mauritius for Africa will continue to fulfill its promise of delivering on the Africa We Want envisioned in the African Union Commissions 2063 Agenda.

I thank you for your attention.
In an interview given to Maurice Info, Greg Pearson, founder member and CEO of Gateway Real Estate Africa. Prior to GREA, he co-founded Grit Real Estate Income Group, explains the strategy of the company in for the Mauritius market.

He talks about various projects, namely the Precinct which is presently being developed at the entrance of Grand-Bay.

Greg Pearsons expertise includes development management, cost planning, procurement, time management and traditional project management of major engineering and building projects. He has successfully completed a series of developments across the office, retail, leisure, education, and healthcare sectors and has experience in over 40 African countries. 

Gateway Real Estate Africa is a private real estate development company registered in Mauritius. It specialises in turnkey construction of accommodation for international companies and retailers who wish to expand their operations in the African continent. The Company creates value for shareholders through development, through rental income from tenanted developments and through the sale of assets at the appropriate time.

Since formation in 2018, Gateway Real Estate Africa has raised and deployed capital into development projects in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, Mauritius, and Mozambique and is currently delivering on a construction pipeline of US$400 million.

GREA is uniquely positioned in the market to leverage its collective know-how, unique skills set and dynamic approach to doing business to provide investors with superior returns.

The Company achieves this through exposure to high-yielding US dollar denominated real estate leases with robust growth potential and has an evergreen option to hold or dispose of assets depending on the business cycle.
A major new study launched today shines a light on the millions of jobs and multibillion dollar GDP created for mainland Africa due to Mauritius role as a leading International Financial Centre (IFC). The study argues that the Republic of Mauritius is poised to play a critical role in supporting Africas progress towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The new report Facilitating Growth, Employment & Prosperity In Africa has been produced by Capital Economics for the Economic Development Board of Mauritius. The key findings of the report show that:

4.2 million jobs in mainland Africa are supported by foreign investment mediated by Mauritius. These mainland jobs represent more than three times the Mauritian population and 0.6 per cent of all employment in the continent with Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa and Cote dIvoire the biggest beneficiaries.

While Mauritius accounts for just 0.1 per cent of Africas population, its economy contributes 0.6 per cent to the continents GDP.

9% of all Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into mainland Africa is mediated by Mauritius. This represents some USD $82bn which in turn generate around USD $6bn of tax revenues for African governments each year.

The Mauritian financial and professional services sector employed over 15,000 people and contributed over $1.5bn, or 12 per cent of GDP, to the Mauritian economy in 2019.

Mauritius ranks ahead of Canada, Ireland and the United States in terms of commitment to international standards which aim to stamp out criminal activity such as money laundering and terrorist finance. Mauritius record on tax transparency outranks both the United States, and the United Kingdom.

The report finds that an additional $350bn of private foreign investment into Africa will be required annually by 2030 to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals, mainly in the form of corporate lending, debt securities and institutional investment into African firms. The report underlines that Mauritius will play a critical role in helping to realise the increases to prosperity, employment opportunities and quality of life needed to meet those goals, particularly as the population of Africa is expected to almost double to 2.5bn by 2050.

Launching the report Dr. The Honourable Renganaden Padayachy, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, said: This report highlights the key role of Mauritius in enabling and facilitating growth, employment and prosperity across the African content. It also reaffirms our future orientation as a financial centre of choice and repute. Our value as an investment, financial and business hub for the continent is substantial with 9% of overall FDI into Africa generated from Mauritius. We are, together, paving the way and contributing towards fulfilling our continents economic potential and helping it achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The Honourable Mahen Kumar Seeruttun, Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, said: Mauritius is world-recognised as a hospitable, investor-friendly destination. A credible and secure financial centre of repute, synonymous to adherence with global standards on tax matters, regulatory practices and economic substance. The Reports evidence-based, facts-driven analysis demonstrates that Mauritius has been a strong developmental ally for Africa, infusing powerful life force and helping millions out of poverty. I am profoundly optimistic that Mauritius will continue to play an important role in shaping the future and economic prosperity of Africa.

The report finds that Mauritius supports other African countries to access the necessary capital to finance investment by reducing both the risks and costs associated with cross-border dealings. As an IFC of substance, Mauritius also benefits from being a stable democracy with a highly skilled workforce, strong legal, judicial, regulatory and governance frameworks, enabling significant levels of FDI that may otherwise be dissuaded due to concerns around stability, corruption or currency controls in developing countries.

African countries that receive the biggest jobs benefit from investment mediated by Mauritius include Kenya where 1.6m jobs are supported, Nigeria (470,000), Tanzania (250,000), South Africa (240,000), Cote dIvoire (200,000) and Cameroon, Ethiopia and Ghana (120,000 jobs each). On a share of total jobs basis Kenya is also in first place (4.4%) followed by Namibia (3.6% 40m jobs) and Botswana (1.8% 20m jobs). The 4.2m jobs supported create around $30bn in additional GDP spending power for people in mainland African economies.

The report also confirms previous OECD findings that Mauritius is a fully compliant tax jurisdiction in terms of best practice international standards, is as transparent on tax issues as France and is more compliant than both the United States and the United Kingdom. It found that Mauritius ranked in 1st place of all African countries in the World Bank Doing Business 2020 survey (13th out of 190 globally), the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Index 2019 (54 out of 140 globally), and the Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance 2020.
Following the jointly hosted Forum on the African Continent Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) on August 25, held with representatives of the governments of Ghana and Senegal, the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business (www.CanadaAfrica.ca) and McGill University have announced a new partnership.

The announcement sees McGill University collaborating with The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business (CACB) in training, research, advisory and consultancy activities, mentorship, networking and information sharing. All toward contributing to sustainable development efforts across multiple countries in Africa and globally.

The role of policy research and scholarship on Canada-Africa affairs is vital to delivering our information-sharing mandate, through world-class events and programs, says Garreth Bloor, President of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business. From early-stage entrepreneurs to established corporations, our members are set to benefit to immensely from a new initiative to which we are proud partners with McGill University.

Professor Fabrice Labeau, McGills Deputy Provost, Student Life and Learning notes, The long-term engagement of McGill with Africa is exemplified by our African Studies program. Established in 1969, it is the first of its kind in Canada. Additionally, with 200 years of McGill history, our very extensive network of alumni continues to make an impact in Africa and globally. An example of McGills current Africa partnerships is the Mastercard Foundation (MCF) Scholars Program (https://bit.ly/3gMBOj4) that has invested in over 100 African Scholars since 2013, and since 2020 includes a Transitions Project (https://bit.ly/3zxr1R3), with a focus on facilitating Scholars transitions to entrepreneurship or employment for impact in Africa.

As part of the Transitions Project, there is an opportunity for businesses, governments and NGOs, including Canada-Africa Chamber members, to work with McGill on internships for MCF Scholars and recent graduates seeking experiences back home, or in African countries other than their own country of origin, contributing to greater mobility in line with AfCFTA. Also, through a pilot McGill MCF Transitions Fund (MCF-TF), partners can provide matching contributions for co-creating or scaling entrepreneurship and employment-creation projects with funded Scholars and recent graduates, highlights Dr. Nii Addy, McGills Associate Director, Africa Outreach.

Sebastian Spio-Garbrah, Chair of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business and its Special Envoy to the AfCFTA Secretariat in Ghana, says Canada is Africas trusted third party and an honest broker.

The role of academia and think tanks is thus vital in not only working with the private sector directly, but extends to creating an enabling environment for trade and investment in partnership with Canadian and African leaders. The foresight and vision of McGill and Dr. Nii Addy in particular is applauded  as we ensure an exciting era in Canada-Africa trade and investment is upon us.
Several senators said they expected the Wolf administration to be taken to court. Ward said an attorney for Republicans had advised that because lawmakers are not directly affected by the Beam order, it could not come from them.
When it comes to prevention, Ard emphasized that sexual assault is not the fault of the victim. But prevention needs to be community-based, she said, explaining that friends should keep an eye on one another  especially if someone perceives something as dangerous but a friend doesnt  and making sure, if you arrive at a party with a group, that you leave with that same group.
Quincy Paul Johnson, 44, of Seneca Street, pleaded guilty July 14 to causing an accident involving injury while driving without a license, aggravated assault by vehicle, driving with a suspended or revoked license and driving under the influence of a controlled substance, according to the Northampton County district attorneys office.
The owners of Bolete, one of the top restaurants in Pennsylvania, have just opened their fourth dining operation, Mister Lee's Noodles in South Bethlehem. We get inside for a look.
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Doctors decry allegations on social media

Staff Reporter DIMAPUR, SEP 1 (NPN) | Publish Date: 9/1/2021 12:45:50 PM IST

Doctors from several leading private hospitals in Dimapur including chief medical officer (CMO) of the District Hospital Dimapur(DHD)have strongly dismissed several allegations made on social media platforms particularly concerning Covid-19.

The medical fraternity came together to address a press conference held at CMO office Dimapur.

Nagaland Private Doctors Association (NPDA) president, Dr. Victo Wotsa, strongly reiterated that no hospital, whether private or government, was trying to make money out of Covid.

Dr. Wotsa said that the hospitals were instead, treating covid patients by sacrificing their own resources.

The NPDA president explained that there were many things involved in treating Covid patient such as when hospitals do not charge the patient for PPE suit worn by a sweeper when the latter goes in to the Covid ward. The hospital is sacrificing in its bit by doing humanitarian work by taking care of Covid patients, Dr. Wotsa stated.

He said that the medical fraternity, despite tirelessly working for the betterment of the society in the past 18 months through caring for Covid patients, has instead been at the receiving end many a times.

Dr. Wotsa pointed out that doctors have been trying their best, but, sometimes, due to stress and workload, doctors and nurses were sometimes not in a position to provide all the desired explanation expected by the patients.

Dismissing the allegations floating on social media platforms about Covid testing, Director Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR), Dr. Sedevi Angami, said that there were three types of testing-- Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), TrueNat and RT PCR test. As per the guidelines from the ministry of health, he said that a Covid positive once tested positive through any of three tests did not require to undergo retest.

Dr. Sedevi, however, said that if a patient was detected negative through RAT, and that the medical team finds high index of suspicion, it was necessary to go for higher Covid test, such as TrueNat or RT PCR test. He disclosed that RAT specificity was only around 45-50%. Dr Sedevi expressed regret that many people were of the assumption that doctors were trying to make money by doing repeated Covid tests without proper knowledge of testing kits and results.

He asserted that no doctor was keen to label a person as Covid patient and that many doctors and health workers had also died treating Covid patients.

On allegation on social media platforms, Dr. Sedevi reasserted that discussions on social media were very much one sided. He said allegations were made by people who were not well trained nor were professionals.

He said allegations on social media, whether true or false had great impact and also adverse results in breaking trust between medical fraternity and people and rendering it a lose-lose situation for all.

Further, Dr. Sedevi said that a suggestion was given to deputy commissioner Dimapur to create an impartial committee, consisting of professional, social worker or lawyer, to make enquiry into the allegations rampant in social media.

Also two doctors from Zion Hospital also refuted the allegations made by patients party following the demise of the patient. They stated that one specific patient did not allow the medical staff to sanitize the body even after testing positive for Covid.

The doctors said that as per the state government guidelines, if a Covid infected patient happened to die, the body was to be sprayed, cleaned and properly sealed.

They said that even the coffin was to be properly sanitised so there were minimal chances of spread of the virus.

The doctors demanded assurance from the state government to curb all such false allegations spread by people on social media platforms. Damage has already been done, but we need assurance from the state government to curb the allegations made by certain individuals on social media platforms, one of the doctors stated.

Asked whether the hospital authority had used social media platforms to counter the allegations, Dr. Sedevi said that the problem with social media was that there was no stoppage of allegations and rebuttals, which he described was not healthy.

On being asked whether the concerned hospital authority had lodged FIR against social media allegations, Dr. Sedevi said that CIHSR had filed a court case against the YouTuber, who had made allegations against the hospital.

A doctor from Zion Hospital said that the hospital would react as on when the need arose.

Earlier, CMO Dimapur, Dr. Moatemjen, said that the press conference was called not to find faults or counter allegations against those making allegations against the hospitals, but to caution people about half-baked knowledge from unverified sources.

Highlighting the Covid scenario in Dimapur, CMO informed that out of a total of 72,905 tests carried out since January, 7412 were tested positive with a positivity rate of 10.2% and death rate of 4.4%.

He said that a total of 922 tests were carried out on August 31, out of which 56 were tested positive. Dimapur presently has 337 active cases.

Students tested Covid positive

With schools and colleges resuming regular classes in the State, there has been reports about positive cases being reported in some institutions in Dimapur.

CMO Dimapur Dr. Moatemjen informed Nagaland Post that some students residing in school hostels had recently tested positive. He maintained that contact tracing was conducted and the students, who had tested positive, were sent for home isolation and those tested negative were advised for self-quarantine.

A health official said that it was unsafe for students to be attending regular classes. The official said that even though teachers and school staff were vaccinated, the students were not vaccinated, adding that chances of getting infected from outside the schools was very high.

Amid declining Covid cases across the country, many schools have again shut or postponed further from opening following positive cases being reported among students attending classes.
Goods-carrying vehicle owners and workers have threatened to observe a countrywide 48-hour work abstention from September 27 unless their 10-point demand, including end to police harassment and extortion, is met before the date.

They formed a human chain under the banner of Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Owners and Workers Coordination Council in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka on Wednesday to press home their demand.

At the event, they said that they would observe the work abstention programme unless their 10-point demand is met.

Council member secretary Md Tajul Islam said that two truck drivers  Md Liton and Abu Taleb  had recently been murdered in the country.

He said that Liton was taken by the police to Uttara police station where he died in police custody and Abu Taleb was beaten to death for killing a goat accidently.

We want justice for the murder incidents of all truck drivers, he said, adding that extortion from goods-laden vehicle drivers became rampant, which was another major reason for this pre-scheduled work abstention.

Their 10-point demands include withdrawal of all murder cases filed over road accidents under Section 302, fast driving licence issuance process, end to extortion, harassment by the police and hijacking and stealing of goods from foods-laden vehicle, document updating facilities for goods-laden vehicles without fine, collection of operation expenditure by the council, truck terminals and resting places for truck drivers at different spots, the authority of only highway police to check the highways and designated places for document checking.

Tajul Islam said that if their demands were not met by September 26, they would observe the 48-hour strike between September 27 and September 28 across the country.

They would go for tougher action later, he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-31 21:34:48|Editor: huaxia

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Photo shows artist Yoseph Bekele in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. 20, 2021. (Photo by Michael Tewelde/Xinhua)

ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Sitting in front of a canvas in his small living room in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, 49-year-old artist Yoseph Bekele is fully absorbed in the creation of his new piece of art, drawing a painting of an Ethiopian countryside landscape with his mouth.

Around him, collections of his paintings over the years, consisting of physical aspects such as landscape, cityscapes and portraits, make colored decorations in his room.

Bekele lives in a small and compacted room along with his wife and three children in one of the slums located at the heart of Addis Ababa.

Born disabled, Bekele is chasing his dreams of becoming a painter against all odds and is now considered one of the admired artist painters in Ethiopia.

"I was born with my hands and legs paralyzed, but as time went by, my legs started to function with the help of medical treatment," Bekele said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Bekele had to take a ride on his mother's back while going to a traditional Ethiopian kindergarten, dubbed Priest's School, until he turned 11 when he started to stand on his feet and learned to walk gradually.

Bekele first started painting at the age of 12 when he started to use his feet to draw things around him, seizing a pencil between his toes.

"I continued to paint pictures of saints and flowers on papers and sold them to boys who gave the paintings as gifts on Ethiopian New Year holidays," Bekele recalled, but the artist finally found his mouth more convenient in painting than his feet.

"It was by chance that I started to paint with my mouth. It came about when my oldest daughter left the house without placing the drawing pencil between my toes. I picked the pencil by my mouth and started to paint. I found my mouth more comfortable to paint," he said.

Bekele's professional painting endeavor started back in 2005 when he joined a local fine arts and vocational training center where he acquired extensive painting techniques and enjoyed special support from the famous Ethiopian armless artist, Worku Mamo, who teaches aspiring painters.

His inspiration for painting often emanates from nature and the physical surroundings, such as landscapes, cityscapes, portraits of spiritual figures such as saints and angels as well as human beings.

Now a famed painter, Bekele has exhibited his artworks across Ethiopia's major artistic sites, including the Ethiopian National Theater, the Addis Ababa Municipal Hall, and the National Museum.

His paintings are now also on display across various international hotels in Addis Ababa.

Genet Kebede, founder and owner of Abyssinia Fine Arts and Vocational Training Center, where Bekele learned professional painting, spoke highly of Bekele's transformation as a fine artist over the years.

"Bekele's painting skills have improved over time despite the unfriendly working environment that he is working with. He painted fascinating pictures," Kebede said.

"The courageous Bekele would be one of the notable African painters if he is provided with favorable working areas and the much-needed financial support," she said.

His paintings won the admiration of many people and visitors, who are flocking to his house to see firsthand some of his works as well as his striking painting style.

Bekele, a father of three, receives a helping hand from his family in his painting endeavors.

"My husband has been able to adapt to everything that the able-bodied painters could do," said Yenenesh Taye, Bekele's wife. "Many people do not believe that they were drawn by a mouth."

In Ethiopia, where stigma and discrimination are often witnessed, Bekele emphasized that his success as a painter despite his physical condition is now igniting hopes for various disabled Ethiopians.

According to a survey released by the Ethiopian Statistical Agency in 2015/16, nearly 7.8 million people in Ethiopia are estimated to live with some form of physical disability.

Of these, up to 2.2 million people have very profound difficulties; while about 90 percent of them were engaged in begging to make a living, according to the survey.

With a proud smile, Bekele's mother Metekie Woldemariam said her son offered her big relief. Courtesy of his artworks, Bekele was also more financially supportive of his mother than his other siblings.

Despite the lack of a convenient working space and studio, Bekele said he aspired to be a role model for those who have similar physical conditions. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-31 21:40:47|Editor: huaxia

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Ouyang Honghong, a fire department dog handler, bathes his 14-year-old sniffer dog named Bingjie at a fire station in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua)

NANJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Ouyang Honghong, a fire department dog handler in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, walks his 14-year-old sniffer dog named Bingjie at the hill on the back of the fire station where he works.

Bingjie, a black-and-white English Springer Spaniel, is in its dotage, equivalent to approximately 100 years in humans, since most dogs enter their senior years at around seven years old.

The dog is deemed a hero as it once helped save 13 lives from rubbles of the deadly magnitude 8.0 earthquake that hit Wenchuan County of southwest China's Sichuan Province in 2008. Though Bingjie can no longer participate in rescue operations with Ouyang, its eyes are always on him while the trainer trains other young search and rescue dogs.

Bingjie's training and missions from the early years have left many strains and injuries on its body. The old dog has also been afflicted with chronic diseases and a decline in cardio-pulmonary function.

"It has poor hearing ability and chronic arthritis in hind legs. It even has difficulty chewing food. We have to soak its meals in milk or soup to make it easy to digest," said Ouyang.

Bingjie was paired up with Ouyang in 2007 during a dog training course. The duo has participated in numerous rescue missions during natural disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes and snowstorms.

"No matter how dangerous or difficult the mission was, Bingjie never held back," said Ouyang.

Although Bingjie now walks with a stagger, its eyes still shine with enthusiasm.

"Its persistence and passion for work really impress me," said Ouyang, adding that Bingjie did not stop searching until it found signs of life during the Wenchuan rescue mission.

Owing to its breed, Bingjie is small, flexible, has an acute sense of smell, and is easy to train, making search-and-rescue its forte.

"When we reached a local kindergarten, Bingjie promptly rushed to the ruins and started barking at a crevice," said Ouyang. "Then we followed Bingjie to the crevice and heard a child's faint cry for help."

With the help of a hydraulic ejector rod and life detector, rescuers successfully pulled a six-year-old girl out of the ruins. Bingjie continued to sniff over the rest of the ruins, searching for more lives.

Still authorized as a service dog at the fire service department in Nanjing, Bingjie seldom joins training due to its age and health conditions. Taking a walk with Ouyang and sunbathing are part of its daily routine. "We just want to offer Bingjie a good living environment so it can enjoy the rest of its life," said Ouyang.

Despite the age, Bingjie's skills continue to be active thanks to the early training. A single command from its instructor can make it alert from the state of relaxation. It can still find a hidden target in a box within two minutes.

"I have spent more time with Bingjie than with my families. For me, it is both my brother-in-arms and my family," Ouyang said. "Sometimes, it acts like a naughty child inviting me to play a ball, but keeps the ball in its mouth on purpose."

"I just want to spend time with it everyday, while it is alive," said Ouyang. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-31 22:31:09|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday demanded that the United States revoke its offer of a reward for the arrest of a Chinese national on the grounds of cross-border drug trafficking.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily press briefing that the relevant case has been jointly investigated and handled by the two countries since 2016. Based on limited information provided by the United States, China has done a great deal of work and confirmed the Chinese national's identity, and shared this information with the U.S. side, he said.

The type of substance involved in the case was considered an ordinary chemical in China, not a scheduled drug, Wang said, adding that China has repeatedly demanded that the U.S. side provide evidence that the Chinese citizen had violated Chinese laws, but the U.S. side has so far failed to offer any.

He said China holds the view that the identification of cross-border drug traffickers must be based on facts and evidence. After three years, the U.S. side is offering another reward for the citizen's arrest, knowing that it is hardly achievable.

"This will severely undermine the foundation of China-U.S. counter-narcotics cooperation and will create obstacles for China-U.S. cooperation going forward. Any subsequent consequence of this should be borne by the U.S. side," Wang said.

China attaches great importance to China-U.S. counter-narcotics cooperation and pays particular attention to the opioid overdose crisis in the United States, Wang said. On May 1, 2019, China took the lead in announcing the scheduling of fentanyl-related substances on humanitarian grounds, when its domestic fentanyl problem was not prominent, and actively helped the United States address the opioid crisis.

The spokesperson said the United States has expressed gratitude to China through multiple channels, believing that counter-narcotics cooperation is a key point and highlight in China-U.S. law-enforcement cooperation.

"China urges the United States to respect facts, immediately revoke the public reward for the arrest of the Chinese national, and stop any smear and attack on China, so as to create a positive environment for bilateral-law enforcement cooperation," said Wang. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 08:27:21|Editor: huaxia

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A staff member cleans up for reopening at a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, Aug. 31, 2021. Thailand announced on Aug. 27 that it will ease COVID-19 restrictions in Bangkok and some other provinces next month, as infections and death rates have fallen while vaccinations pick up speed. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 00:27:38|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- China will focus on the development of government-subsidized rental housing in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) to ensure the housing security for the people.

The country has built over 80 million sets of government-subsidized and renovation housing, improving the living conditions of more than 200 million people with difficulties, Wang Menghui, minister of housing and urban-rural development, told a press conference Tuesday.

China's great achievement in setting up the world's largest housing security system has actively contributed to the country's success in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Wang added.

Among the different types of government-subsidized housing, the rental housing is built to mainly address the concerns of new dwellers and young people in big cities, while shared-ownership housing is mainly designed for people who can not afford commercial housing to improve their living conditions, said Wang.

China vowed to tackle prominent housing problems in large cities at the tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference held in December last year, listing the development of rental housing as one of its key economic tasks for 2021.

In this year's government work report, China reiterated the principle that "housing is for living in, not for speculation" for the third time since it was first proposed in 2016, vowing to keep the prices of land and housing as well as market expectations stable. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 00:33:23|Editor: huaxia

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Xi Jinping meets with representatives of the performers, organizers and primary-level Party members of 56 ethnic groups, before an opening gala of the sixth ethnic minority art festival in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2021. Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning and other senior leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state watched the gala in Beijing on Tuesday evening. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping and other senior Chinese leaders watched an opening gala of the sixth ethnic minority art festival in Beijing on Tuesday evening.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, joined an audience of more than 3,000 people at the Great Hall of the People.

The gala included songs, dances and other performances, showcasing the distinctive cultures of different ethnic groups.

Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning and other senior Party and state leaders also attended the gala.

Before the gala, the leaders met with representatives of the performers, organizers and primary-level Party members of 56 ethnic groups.

The festival will run until Sept. 24, during which time 42 performances will be staged online. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 04:08:30|Editor: huaxia

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Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra attends a press conference in Algiers Aug. 31, 2021. The foreign ministers of Libya and its neighboring countries, and representatives of the United Nations, the Arab League and the African Union met in the Algerian capital Algiers on Monday and Tuesday to discuss efforts of helping the Libyans hold general elections set for December 24. (Xinhua)

ALGIERS, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said on Tuesday that Libya should regain its role in the Maghreb region, Africa and the Arab World, the official APS news agency reported.

Tebboune made the remarks at a meeting of foreign ministers of Libya's neighboring nations held in the capital of Algiers, which aimed at helping Libya to hold general elections on Dec. 24.

The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Niger and Chad, in addition to Congo which chairs the African Union. Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, African Union Commissioner for Political, Peace and Security Affairs Bankole Adeoye, and the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Libya Jan Kubis also took part in the conference.

"As neighboring countries, we care more than anyone else about the stability of Libya, which affects all countries of the region," Tebboune said.

He added that Libya's human and economic capabilities, in addition to its geographical location, enable it to play a key role in the region.

Tebboune hailed the efforts that have been made during the two-day meeting to solve the Libyan crisis. The participants agreed to chase mercenaries and foreign forces away from Libya as the first step on the path of national reconciliation.

In February, Libya's warring factions agreed to create an interim government under the auspices of the United Nations, which will rule the country until the Dec. 24 elections. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 07:41:58|Editor: huaxia

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An opening ceremony for the new semester is held at Beijing Primary School Guangwai branch in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2021. Posting one-meter distance signs, putting up infrared thermometers, and setting up temporary observation zones, schools in China are ramping up anti-virus measures while welcoming the fall semester starting from Sept. 1. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 10:06:09|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese students are returning to classrooms for the new school semester.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has attached great importance to young people, encouraging them to study hard and achieve well-rounded development. He has on many occasions expressed what he expects of young Chinese.

The following are some highlights of his quotes.

-- A person can have a lot of aspirations but the most important one should be about the motherland and people. This is the anchor of all concrete aspirations and the backbone of life.

-- Students should strive to have pure hearts, sound personalities and integrity; they should be educated, compassionate and ready to take on responsibilities.

-- I hope students stay hungry for knowledge, stay interested in exploration, cultivate the spirit of science, study hard and commit to practice.

-- We should adopt the educational philosophy that health comes first; make P.E. lessons a regular feature of the curriculum and devote enough time to them; help students enjoy physical exercise, improve their physical fitness, develop sound personalities and temper their will.

-- Young people should dare to dream. Spaceships, submarines [and other things] envisioned in classics from Chinese mythological novel "Journey to West" to Jules Verne's science fiction have all become real, haven't they? While dreaming big, young people also need to keep their feet on the ground and study hard, so as to make the dreams come true.

-- A nation will prosper only when its young people thrive; a country will be full of hope and have a great tomorrow only when its younger generations have ideals, ability and a strong sense of responsibility. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 13:51:09|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Sept. 1, 2021 shows a street in city center during the lockdown in Canberra, Australia. The coronavirus lockdown in the Australian capital has been extended for two weeks as the country continued to battle the third wave of COVID-19 infections. (Photo by Liu Changchang/Xinhua)

SYDNEY, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Australia's second most populous state of Victoria will extend its lockdown as the state's daily increase of local transmission stood on triple figures for the first time in the current outbreak.

Victoria reported 120 new locally acquired cases and two deaths on Wednesday.

"Due to the ongoing level of community transmission and the continued number of unlinked cases popping up across the state, Victoria's lockdown will be extended," said a statement from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

"Victorians cannot afford to open up and let this virus run free. Our hospital system would be overrun. Our frontline staff would be placed under too much pressure and quite simply people would die. We need to continue to slow the spread of the virus until more of us are vaccinated," he said.

He stressed that almost all of the current lockdown restrictions will remain in place until 70 percent of Victorians have had at least one dose of vaccine, which is estimated to be around Sept. 23.

Last week, Victoria expanded Pfizer vaccine access at state-run hubs to people over 16, however, the shortage of supply still hampers the race against the virus. As of Wednesday, more than 2.4 million doses were administered in the state.

Despite the extended lockdown, the government will reopen playgrounds from Friday to children under 12 with only one parent or carer, and QR codes scanning is required for checking in.

In-home care, like babysitters, will also be expanded to school aged children but only if both parents are authorized workers.

Andrews said the authorities will look to ease restrictions a little further when 70 percent of Victorians have had at least one vaccine dose.

From Sept. 7 until Sept. 17, Victoria students of year 12, their teachers and examiners will be given priority booking access at the state-run clinics as part of a priority vaccination program to help the students better prepared for the Victorian Certificate of Education exam. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 16:49:57|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Sept. 1, 2021 shows a closed store during the lockdown in Canberra, Australia. Australia's economy grew in the June quarter but economists warned that the growth could not last. According to national accounts figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.7 percent in the three months to June, beating economist predictions. (Photo by Liu Changchang/Xinhua)

CANBERRA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Australia's economy grew in the June quarter but economists warned that the growth could not last.

According to national accounts figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.7 percent in the three months to June, beating economist predictions.

It means that GDP grew by 9.6 percent in the 12 months to June in the wake of Australia's coronavirus recession.

However, the economy is expected to contract significantly in the September quarter due to the strict ongoing lockdowns in the states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, which account for about half of Australia's population.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the figures proved that "the Australian economy is strong" but conceded they would be of "little comfort" to millions of people enduring lockdowns.

"The full impact of the lockdowns in NSW and Victoria will be seen in the September quarter," he was quoted by Sky News Australia on Wednesday. "It is expected to be negative and see the economy contract by at least two percent."

The Australian government's hopes of avoiding a second pandemic recession - defined as two consecutive quarters of economic contraction - will rely on positive growth in the December quarter.

The rise in GDP in June was driven by a one percentage point increase in private demand and a 1.1 percent increase in household spending from the first quarter of 2021.

Michael Smedes, head of National Accounts at the ABS, said that "continued growth across household spending, private investment and public sector expenditure" was responsible for the strong result.

"Lockdowns had minimal impact on domestic demand, with fewer lockdown days and the prolonged stay-at-home orders in NSW only commencing later in the quarter," he said.

However, the shadow treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said the numbers meant "the economy was slowing before the Sydney lockdown".

"Australia's growth is now slower than the United States, United Kingdom and OECD average and the worst of the economic pain caused by the Morrison government's incompetence is yet to come," he said in a statement. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 19:11:22|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called on young officials to firm up their ideals, stay loyal to the Party, seek truth from facts, shoulder responsibilities, and strive to become the backbone of a society trusted by the Party and people with important tasks.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while addressing the opening of a training session for young and middle-aged officials at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance). Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 21:01:03|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- China will strengthen support for market entities, especially the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and improve loan aid for students from families in financial difficulty, according to a State Council executive meeting held on Wednesday.

The meeting, chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, also adopted a draft revision of the law on agricultural product quality and safety. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 01:33:19|Editor: huaxia

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WINDHOEK, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Namibia on Tuesday offered one month of amnesty to country folk as well foreign nationals in the country in possession of unregistered arms, Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security Albert Kawana announced.

Speaking on the amnesty day which is enshrined in the African Union agenda for silencing guns in the continent, Kawana said all people in Namibia, regardless of their residence status, are hereby called upon to surrender their unlicensed firearms, armaments or ammunition held in contravention of the law.

According to Kawana, any person who complies with this call will be exempted from prosecution, during the amnesty month, starting Sept. 1 to 30, 2021.

"After the expiry of the amnesty period, the police will show no mercy in apprehending those who are in possession of unlicensed firearms, armaments or ammunition. We, will ensure that they are successfully prosecuted, convicted, and imprisoned," he warned. "Namibia must continue to be a beacon of peace, safety and security. Therefore, the initiative is aimed at achieving this objective." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 18:05:30|Editor: huaxia

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KIGALI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame appointed Jean Damascene Bizimana in the newly created Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement, according to a statement issued Tuesday by the Prime Minister's office.

Until Tuesday Bizimana was the executive secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG), where he was appointed in 2015.

The new ministry created in July is to focus on national unity, preservation of historical memory, and promoting citizenship education.

The unity of Rwandans has been a focus of the government since the stopping of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

Kagame meanwhile dropped the Minister of Justice Johnston Busingye and named him the new Rwandan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, the statement indicated.

He had occupied the ministry for eight years. Busingye replaces Yamina Karitanyi who becomes the new chief executive officer of Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board. Karitanyi had been appointed envoy to the UK in 2015.

In other appointments, Kagame appointed Fidele Ndahayo as the chief executive officer of Rwanda Atomic Energy Board. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 22:14:45|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The risk of cyber attack among large and small business entities in Africa escalated at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic when remote working gained traction, says a report launched in Nairobi on Wednesday.

According to the state of cybersecurity report in Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe, compiled by Liquid Intelligent Technologies, threats to digital infrastructure in the three countries' private sector increased amid loopholes created by the rapid uptake of remote work during the pandemic.

The 2021 cyber security report for Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe revealed that the threat of hacking, data breaches and ransomware increased as companies intensified automation to boost efficiency.

It says that 96 percent of South African businesses have leveraged cloud services to sustain operations in the pandemic era while 79 percent of them said they experienced a spike in cyber threats. In addition, 90 percent of companies surveyed in South Africa said they had prioritized strengthening their cyber defenses to help avert attacks that could be a drain on finances besides worsening reputational damage.

While 95 percent of Kenyan businesses had adopted cloud services, 78 percent reported an increase in threats to their cyberspace while 70 percent had prioritized installing firewalls to ward off attacks, according ot the report.

The situation in Zimbabwe, according to the report, mirrored the one in Kenya and South Africa where chief information officers and network administrators said that the risk of cyber attacks had intensified during the pandemic.

Lorreta Songola, Regional Chief Business Officer of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Southern Africa, said that the increased use of emerging technologies like cloud services was accompanied by risk of sophisticated attacks like email phishing, malware, identity theft and data intrusion.

Songola said that enhanced security of companies' cyberspace was a prerequisite to sustain confidence with their clients besides averting costly litigation arising from data theft. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 22:54:05|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Egypt signed on Wednesday a contract to establish the first line of the electric express train in the country, which will link the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, according to a government statement.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly attended the signing ceremony of the contract on the line from Ain Sokhna to Matrouh, it said.

"The 660-km-long line will be designed and implemented with maintenance operations for 15 years valued at 4.45 billion U.S. dollars," the statement added.

The project will be implemented in cooperation with the National Authority for Tunnels and an Egyptian-German consortium under Siemens, the Arab Contractors company and Orascom.

Madbouly said the project represents a leap in the field of Egypt's transportation and will contribute to achieving swift development.

Egypt's Minister of Transportation Kamel al-Wazir said that the new train will transport passengers and goods by connecting Ain Sokhna at the Red Sea with Matrouh at the Mediterranean Sea, passing through the new administrative capital, Helwan, 6th of October City, Alexandria, Borg Al-Arab, and Alamein city.

The consortium would carry out all the project systems including signals, communications and electro-mechanics and design carriages and maintenance workshops, he added.

Noting that "the contract would be enforced as of today," the minister said that Siemens company will provide continuous support for strengthening local workers' capabilities. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 21:23:48|Editor: huaxia

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ISTANBUL, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Wednesday began the new fishing season in the Marmara Sea, the Black Sea, and the Aegean Sea after a 4.5-month ban.

Local officials in Turkey's largest city Istanbul held a ceremony at a port in the Poyrazkoy village located along the shores of the northern part of the Bosphorus Strait before fishers set sail after midnight.

The annual fishing ban, which goes into effect from April to September, aims to ensure sustainability in fishing activities and protect marine species.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu visited fishers at a fish market early in the morning to see their first sea products.

Turkey's total fishing volume decreased by 23.2 percent year on year in 2020 to 364,400 tons, according to press reports.

The ban on fishing in the Mediterranean Sea will be lifted on Sept. 15. Enditem
Source: ANSA| 2021-09-01 21:38:31|Editor: huaxia

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(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 1 - The Italian Green party on Wednesday blamed Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi for a mass die-off of fish in the River Tiber this week. Europa Verde (Green Europe) leader Angelo Bonelli said Raggi's administration had been "passing the buck" on the incident. He said a large quantity of dead fish were visible at the iconic Castel Sant'Angelo. Bonelli also recalled that a similar die-off had occurred in May last year. He said the phenomena were "probably of a chemical origin, given the numerous illegal discharges that persist in the Tiber and its tributary the Aniene."

Bonelli said the plans to make the Tiber water potable, by municipal water company ACEA; were "crazy". Environmental agency ARPA has classified the Tiber waters at its lowest possible drinkability level, A3, Bonelli recalled. Despite this, Raggi's administration set up a first plant to make water drinkable for 350,000 Romans in 2018 and is pressing ahead with plans to install a second plant, five times bigger, for 2.1 million inhabitants, Bonelli said. (ANSA).
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 12:56:17|Editor: huaxia

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U.S. President Joe Biden is seen on screen as he delivers remarks at the White House in Washington D.C. Aug. 31, 2021. Joe Biden on Tuesday defended his decision to hastily pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan, a mission broadly criticized by the American public. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday defended his decision to hastily pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan, a mission broadly criticized by the American public.

During televised remarks delivered from the State Dining Room inside the White House, Biden spent a considerable portion of his speech praising U.S. military and diplomatic leaders for carrying out one of the largest airlift missions in history to get during its 17-day span over 120,000 people -- including over 5,500 American citizens and thousands of Afghans who once worked for the United States -- out of Afghanistan, a country torn to pieces by a U.S.-led invasion that grinded on for 20 years until its dramatic end a day ago.

Despite fraught warnings of potential terror threats -- and an actual suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members and some 170 Afghans -- that engulfed the evacuation throughout, Biden declared the mission an "extraordinary success."

The president's characterization of operation "Allied Rescue" was in stark contrast with what a recent poll by the Pew Research Center has shown. Conducted on Aug. 23-29, the survey found that 42 percent of the respondents said the administration had done a poor job in the evacuation, compared to only 26 percent who considered it an excellent or good job.

Biden in his remarks said that he would "respectfully disagree" with those who criticized the pullout as disorderly and who contended that the evacuation should have begun earlier.

Again, the president faulted his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, for reaching an agreement with the Taliban that pledged the full withdrawal of U.S. and other foreign troops by May 1 if the Taliban met conditions including severing ties with terrorist groups. Biden repeatedly said the deal tied his hands when it came to making timing decisions.

Claiming that the pullout mission "still would have been very difficult and dangerous" even if it began one or two months earlier, Biden said, "There is no evacuation from the end of a war that you can run without the kinds of complexities, challenges, threats we faced."

For those Americans -- estimated by the administration at a few more than 100 -- who wanted to get out but remained stranded in Afghanistan, the president's message was that "no deadline" has been set for their eventual exodus. He pledged, however, that the United States is "committed to get them out if they want to come out."

Biden went on to tout himself, who is the fourth U.S. president to take office amid the Afghan war, as the commander-in-chief who ultimately brought U.S. military presence in the country to a long overdue finale, saying that in doing so he delivered on his campaign promise made in the 2020 election.

The president reminded the American people of the initial purpose of launching the Afghan war -- to decimate Al-Qaida and "bring to justice" its former leader Osama bin Laden who masterminded the 9/11 terror attacks on American soil in 2001.

Biden has long held the opinion that the Afghan war should have ended 10 years ago when bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in a raid by a U.S. Navy SEAL team. He reiterated that in his speech Tuesday, saying America "had no vital interests in Afghanistan other than to prevent an attack on America's homeland."

The president added "we no longer had a clear purpose in an open-ended mission in Afghanistan," which appeared to be a thinly veiled acknowledgment of the U.S. failure in rebuilding and democratizing Afghanistan.

Biden stressed the importance of being honest to the American people about what the nation wanted to achieve by invading Afghanistan in the first place. According to the Pew Research poll, 69 percent of the American public said their country mostly failed to achieve its goals in Afghanistan -- a country, now ravaged beyond quick healing, against which the U.S. Congress has never ever voted to declare war since the war started in October 2001.

It is not only the Americans who think Washington has failed. "The U.S. had withdrawn from Afghanistan after two decades of struggle, but the Americans left a mess in Afghanistan," 42-year-old Kabul resident Khoja Wahid told Xinhua on Tuesday. "The U.S. is defeated and they are badly defeated," he added.

While the U.S. military occupation in Afghanistan has ended and its diplomatic operations have been transferred to Qatar, Biden's troubles brought about by the Afghanistan debacle have just begun.

Along with mounting calls from Republicans for the president to resign or even be impeached also comes the conundrum of accommodating the tens of thousands of Afghan refugees who managed to flee their home country over which Taliban resumed control, as well as the forthcoming congressional scrutiny over the administration's handling of what turned out to be a messy withdrawal.

"I take responsibility for the decision," Biden said in his speech. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-02 06:05:21|Editor: huaxia

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Caldor Fire in U.S. Northern California surpassed 200,000 acres on Wednesday, spreading into Meyers, a community on the east side of South Lake Tahoe, the fire officials said.

A forecast of heavy winds threatened to push the Caldor Fire further into the Tahoe Basin, as flames on several fronts moved closer to residential communities and ski resorts, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday.

The entire South Lake Tahoe area has been under evacuation orders since Monday, with new evacuations across the Nevada border.

The blaze has burned 204,390 acres (about 827 square km) with 20 percent containment as of Wednesday morning, destroyed 729 buildings in El Dorado and Amador County and threatened thousands more, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).

Three firefighters and two civilians have suffered injuries since the fire started 17 days ago, CAL FIRE said.

The incident safety officer Jamal Cook warned that crews are mentally and physically tired, which could lead to more accidents.

"Fatigue can and will set in ... We all know we have a long grind ahead of us," he was quoted as saying in the San Francisco Chronicle report. Enditem
GOVERNMENT has pledged to build shopping malls, residential flats, garrison shops and robust armouries for soldiers in several barracks and cantonment areas, a move observers viewed as part of President Emmerson Mnangagwas machinations to coup-proof his administration ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections.

Recently, government came under fire for allocating over $270 million for the construction of a VVIP health facility at Manyame Airbase, Manyame Referral Hospital, to cater for high-ranking officials at a time when the countrys public health infrastructure is in a sorry state.

Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Cabinet on Tuesday approved a number of projects in military cantonments to ensure a comfortable life for the military.

The Cabinet position followed a presentation by the inter-ministerial committee which visited Zimbabwe Defence Forces cantonment areas which was presented by National Housing and Social Amenities minister Daniel Garwe.

Some of the approved projects include construction of permanent physical infrastructure at William Ndangana Barracks in Chipinge which is responsible for the security of the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border area.

Cabinet approved construction of the following structures at William Ndangana, Gimboki, Manyame Airbase and other cantonment areas: Residential flats, garrison shops and shopping malls, office accommodation and robust armoury, Mutsvangwa said.

The Cabinet also agreed on a nationwide physical infrastructure maintenance and refurbishment exercise starting with Gimboki Barracks in Mutare and the drilling of more boreholes at Gimboki and other cantonment areas facing water challenges.

The immediate implementation of new construction technology in housing delivery at Dzivarasekwa and other cantonment areas, which delivers affordable and sustainable housing at half the cost, the installation of medical equipment for Manyame Referral Hospital, and that the facilities are replicated throughout the country.

Cabinet, Mutsvangwa said, also agreed to fund the construction of new cantonment facilities and programmed maintenance in all cantonment areas starting with William Ndangana, Gimboki Barracks and Manyame Airbase.

Government also pledged to build 1 500 housing units at Dzivarasekwa Barracks and spruce up roads, aircraft parking bays, sewerage and water reticulation systems in the cantonment areas.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition spokesperson Marvellous Khumalo said governments generosity to the military had everything to do with the forthcoming elections and also to protect the regime from any potential threats, including a coup.

This is clear favouritism. It is a case of separating a certain section of the population from the rest and we feel that this has something to do with the forthcoming 2023 elections, Khumalo said.

We also hear of talk about a potential coup, so this is a form of containment and appeasement to the security forces so as to buy their allegiance.

Why not simply improve conditions for the rest of the citizens because not all soldiers are accommodated within the barracks and cantonment areas? Some are within the residential suburbs.

He added: We link this to the discontent that is coming out from the citizens in general and this is coming after a section of war veterans started blaming the establishment for abandoning them. We feel this is the way to buy allegiance from the security sector.

The ruling party recently boasted of its links with the military that was involved in the November 2017 military coup and the bloody 2008 presidential election re-run.

Political analyst Rashweat Mukundu said: It is a misplaced priority. In as much as the military must be well provided for in terms of its needs, including health and other amenities, what is lacking is a national strategy on public service delivery.

Mukundu added: You cannot have a piecemeal approach that seeks to appease those that you abuse for political ends like the military. The military is part of a bigger society, so you cannot provide services that are lacking in the entire society, be it health and affordable goods and then expect to only service one segment of society which is the military. To me this appears to be a very familiar strategy by Zanu PF which is election related. Newsday
ZANU PF is dangling a carrot to youths ahead of the 2023 general elections, promising to dish out land and agricultural inputs to lure them to vote for the ruling party in the polls in which young people are expected to be a deciding factor.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week announced a plan to empower youths in agriculture, an initiative his spokesperson George Charamba yesterday described as a horror scenario for the opposition.

Under the scheme, government will avail 500 hectares of land, 600 cattle in each province and inputs support to the youths.

This, Charamba said, would deflate the opposition youths who have of late been buoyed by the Zambian campaign, where Patriotic Front leader Edgar Lungu lost to opposition United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema.

Horror scenario for opposition: To imagine Zanu PF going beyond infrastructural discourse to tackle issues of youth stomachs is a forbidding prospect for the opposition politically, he posted on his Twitter handle @Jamwanda2.

They had banked on the Zambian youth refrain of, we dont eat roads. With the setting aside of 500 hectares in each province for youthful settlers, coupled with distribution of 600 cattle and infrastructural and input support ahead of a promising season, the die is definitely cast for maChinja (the MDC Alliance). Meanwhile, infrastructure in and around cities is getting mended.

Zanu PF is targeting to register five million new voters, largely from the youths.

The ruling party has been enjoying the support of the elderly population and war veterans in the past elections, while the opposition has enjoyed the support of mainly the youths in urban centres.

Zanu PF is more worried about the high death toll within the elderly population, hence the shift to the youth vote.

The MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa, who came close to edging Mnangagwa in the 2018 polls, is planning to register over six million voters, mainly the young and first-time voters, who will likely contribute the biggest voting population in the forthcoming polls.

Youth Forum Zimbabwe director Ashton Bumhira described the doling out of land and inputs to the youths as a vote buying gimmick.

Ordinarily, for young people who have been clamouring for a piece of the national cake, this should be something to cheer about, but in this instance, its nothing to write home about, he said.

Six hundred cattle is a drop in the ocean and we all know this is a partisan initiative using national resources.

Secondly, the ruling party has a history of promising much, but delivering nothing. This is a fruit being dangled in front of young people to buy to win their vote come 2023. It remains to be seen if, indeed, it will come to fruition, but history tells us its one of those rally talks meant to entice the youth vote towards Zanu PF.

MDC Alliance deputy spokesperson Clifford Hlatywayo said the move was clearly for campaign purposes, but the youths would not fall for the trap.

They are abusing the taxpayers money as they prepare to buy votes. The youths are cleverer than that. That is the problem with party and government conflation, where resources are used for campaign purposes, he said.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo was not immediately available for comment, but other top party officials are on record saying there was nothing wrong with empowering youths as it was their partys thrust to empower Zimbabweans.

Meanwhile, the partys technical committee led by director for administration, Dickson Dzora, said the party was now taking stock of its 2018 promises and focusing on the state of the party and the economy.

He was speaking after inspecting the venues for the partys annual national peoples conference in Bindura, Mashonaland Central province.

As a party which is people-centred with people-centred policies, we need now to take stock of promises made in 2018 and the resolutions which were made in Esigodini (December 2018), in Goromonzi (December 2019) and the economic transformation programme and see where we are with the state of the party and then now address the state of the economy, Dzora said. Newsday
THE Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu has appointed marketing expert, Mr Ray Mawerera, as the substantive board chairman for the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).

He takes over from Mrs Precious Sibiya, who returns to her position as deputy board chair, and has been in acting capacity for the past few months.

Making the announcement on Monday, the minister said the incoming board chair has vast experience in marketing and business leadership  traits that will be useful in driving the tourism authority and spearheading marketing of Destination Zimbabwe.

I wish to announce the appointment of Mr Ray Mawerera as the substantive chair of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority board.

In doing so I also take a moment to thank the outgoing board chairperson, Mrs Precious Sibiya for her guidance of the authority during the past few months. I wish to also advise that Dr Sibiya now assumes the post of vice chairperson of the ZTA board.

Mr Mawereras appointment comes at a time when the tourism sector is going through unprecedented challenges as a result of Covid-19, which has led to international travel restrictions, job and livelihoods losses among other challenges.

However, there are positives that the board will have to foster ahead with initiatives such as the ZimBhoo campaign and implementing the National Tourism Growth and Recovery Strategy that was launched by President Mnangagwa in Victoria Falls last year.

Minister Ndlovu has urged the board to urgently finalise the process of recruiting a substantive chief executive.

Mr Givemore Chidzidzi is currently the acting chief executive following the retirement of Mr Karikoga Kaseke on medical grounds.

It is common knowledge that travel and tourism have almost come to a halt due to the Covid-19 induced travel and other restrictions. That notwithstanding, there are high expectations that the sector should rebound and make a meaningful contribution to national economic recovery, said the minister.
THE new COVID-19 variant, C.1.2, first detected in South Africa and a few other countries a few months ago, has reportedly spilled into Zimbabwe amid fears it could trigger the fourth wave of the highly infectious respiratory disease.

Although the variant is not yet listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a disease of concern, it is famed for being the most mutated and has kept scientists on their toes in the past few days.

Renowned scientist Penelope Moore of South Africas National Institute of Communicable Diseases, who is also an associate professor at Wits University, said the variant had been detected in Zimbabwe as well as Zambia, Mauritius, and the United Kingdom (UK).

She made the remarks on South African broadcaster eNCA on Tuesday. It has been picked up in the UK, Mauritius, Zimbabwe and Zambia, she said. However, local health experts yesterday said they had not yet detected the alleged variant.

National COVID-19 taskforce co-ordinator Agnes Mahomva said they had not yet received information to that effect.

Raiva Simbi, deputy director of laboratory services in the Health and Child Care ministry said their last genome sequence report in June did not pick up the variant. We will only know after the next genome sequencing report for July/August.

The report is expected in two weeks time. Simbi also said the C.1.2 variant was not yet on the list of WHOs variants of concern. For now, it is still a variant of interest until further research and study, he said.

But South Africas National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform expressed concern over the variant because of how quickly it has mutated.

It is between 44 and 59 mutations away from the original virus detected in Wuhan, China, making it more mutated than any other WHO-identified variant of concern or interest.

It also contains many mutations which have been associated with increased transmissibility and a heightened ability to evade antibodies in other variants, the scientists said, though they occur in different mixes and their impacts on the virus are not yet fully known.

The variant was first detected in May this year. It is said to be a descendant of the C.1.2 variant and has not been named due to the fact scientists are still analysing it.

Zimbabwe is currently grappling with the Beta aand Delta variants first detected in South Africa and India, respectively.

In her interview with eNCA, Moore added: Every infection gives the variants an opportunity to mutate and any mutation that the variant picks up gives it an advantage whether that is transmissibility and resistance to antibodies; that mutation is going to spread.

As long as we have infections, we are expecting to pick up these variants. We really need to get the vaccines out globally, if we can get everyone to get the vaccines that will reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 globally and that is the only way we can reduce the number of variants that we will pick up. This is a part of our lives going forward.

C.1.2 has since been detected across the majority of the provinces in South Africa and in seven other countries spanning Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

The C.1.2 lineage has drawn the attention of scientists because despite its low rate in the population, it possesses mutations within the genome similar to those seen in variants of interest and variants of concern, like the Delta variant. Newsday
Karen Weiskopf, who wore a face covering while delivering her remarks, said she spent months trying to convince her husband to get vaccinated before it was too late. She relayed that her husband expressed regret about his decision to forgo the preventative measure as he lay dying.
As of August 13, the CDC identified 180 confirmed and probable cases linked to both the mens conference and the youth camp. There were no deaths among the people who were infected, but 13 individuals required medical care at an emergency room, and five of them had to be hospitalized.
The group of a dozen or so demonstrators who gathered on the balcony of the City Council chambers in city hall began interrupting the proceedings near the beginning of the hearing. One protester yelled that officials there  including schools Chancellor Meisha Porter and city Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi  cost her her job.
They were sitting on the bench in front of the building, just chilling like us, one witness told the Daily News. He walked up on them and shot point-blank. It was like he did it before. It was a hit.
The mom said she heard the boy saying Mom, help me, recounted the stunned friend, Humberto Gilbert. She tried also. But she couldnt. She had to get out ... We wanted to go back and look for the boy but with the smoke and the heat we couldnt.
The document included multiple photos of the pair along with a social media admission from Connor that I was in the Capitol building  followed later by a warning from the suspect to Ferrigno and co-defendant Anton Lunyk that These (photos) cant go anywhere, the documents said.
When the train pulled into the station the suspect pulled out a knife, swiped the victims trombone and two phone charges  and then pounded him several times in the head.
Imran Ali Rasheed ordered a vehicle to his home in city of Garland through the ride-sharing app on Sunday around 2 p.m. According to authorities, the 26-year-old suspect shot and killed the driver, identified on Monday as Isabella Lewis, then allegedly stole her car and drove to the Plano Police Headquarters, where he unleashed a torrent of bullets.
They dragged her into the woods and took turns raping her for 90 minutes, with others joining in, according to accounts at the time. At 7:30 she stumbled into a shop, most of her clothing torn to shreds and her legs and arms scraped raw and her hair matted with twigs and pine needles, saying she had been raped at least 13 times.
Video shared on social media late Tuesday shows the animal being rescued in St. Bernard Parish, a community in the New Orleans area that took a direct hit from the hurricane Sunday. It was not clear how long the cow may have been stranded, but it did not appear to be seriously hurt in the short video.
Other zoos in the U.S. are expected to follow in Detroits footsteps and vaccinate their animals as well. Vaccinations in certain zoos in California have already commended, and the San Antonio Zoo will be doing the same in a few weeks, according to KSAT.
The MH-60S was conducting a routine flight operation around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday when it plunged into the Pacific Ocean, about 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego, which is home to the second largest naval base in the country, the Navys 3rd Fleet said in a statement.
Potentially helping Soldwedels case: Aspiranti would get $1 million if he died, as part of their prenuptial agreement, but slightly less if the couple only divorced. Not helping his case: the police thoroughly investigating his claims and finding no reason to bring charges against Aspiranti, even after Soldwedel allegedly used his newspapers to push the poisoning story.
During the search, parents at Mount Tabor High were asked not to go to the school and instead meet with their children at a Harris Teeter store and other locations, a process that took several hours. As they waited to reunite with their kids, a group of parents was seen holding hands in a circle and praying together.
According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, in Indiana judges have a lot of discretion in granting name changes. They will typically evaluate the childs best interest by looking at a number of factors, which may include the childs preference (taking into consideration their age and experience), the length of time a child has used that name, the difficulties, harassment, or embarrassment a child may experience from the present or proposed name, and the motives or interests of the parent.
Residents were urged to operate their generators outdoors to keep exhaust fumes outside of buildings. The city and its surrounding areas have seen a surge of generator use this week after Hurricane Ida knocked out power to more than a million homes in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Im going to turn this way because, you know, we deal with some people every once in a while, Brewster said, while keeping his eye on the man and sending it back to anchor Craig Melvin in the studio.
It is unconscionable that these individuals swindled programs that gave crime victims the chance to escape their dangerous situations, James said. Victims of crimes deserve every opportunity to get the help they need, but with financial gain in mind, the defendants took advantage of a system created to help those who needed it most.
The sometimes critic of former President Trump called the onetime leader a wuss for failing to deliver on his promise to withdraw all troops during his four-year stint in the Whtie House.
Biden says the U.S. remains determined to get an estimated 200 American remaining citizens out of Afghanistan if they want to leave. The final U.S. troops flew out of Kabul just before midnight, ending the conflict that started when the U.S. invaded in 2001 after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
Look, there isnt going to be any impeachment, he told a crowd in Pike County, Ky., adding that the Democrats could still be in hot water. I think they have a good chance of having a very bad election next year.
Zelenskyy, a television actor new to politics, took office in May 2019 anxious to firm up his countrys relationship with the United States. Instead, he almost immediately found himself under pressure from Trump envoys and soon Trump himself, who in the phone call that led to his first impeachment asked Zelenskyy to do us a favor.
The man was at a Dairy Queen in Port Alberni, on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, CTV News reported. The far western province has an indoor mask mandate, which Dairy Queen employees told the man after he walked in, according to the video.
Many stories have a sort of coda, a little twist at the end. What happened to the paintings at the exhibition? They, of course, were not initially destroyed by the original censors. This was America, not Nazi Germany. Most were returned to Chuck even before trial  except for the main offender, which was unfurled before Ford at trial. Beyond that, memory almost totally fails  after all, Big Bob was central to the trial. It apparently remained so at later stages of the legal process. Some court employee somewhere had to maintain physical custody, but was it returned? If so, by whom, to whom, after the last decision? Did its owner-painter ever get it back?
And everything that will invariably happen next  increased instability in the region, a rise in terror attacks, new threats to American national security, distrust by our allies, dismissal by our enemies  is known to Biden as well. He is not new to this arena. As a Daily News editorial pointed out, Biden himself warned 20 years ago that If we leave Afghanistan in chaos, it will be another time bomb waiting to explode.
After more than four years of contentious litigation, every day of which has harmed the children and their father, an important and considered custody decision will be entirely undone as a result of an administrative error that is wholly unrelated to the merits of the custody dispute itself, the petition obtained by The News states.
Im unvaccinated. Ive been to six countries and 28 states since the start of this pandemic (maskless outside of planes) and I still dont have Covid, she tweeted prior to the Texas summit last weekend. I slept next to my husband every night that he had it (what amounted to a light chest cold) and I still never got it. How?
I couldnt even fathom confronting a member of a Democratic member of an administration that way, and, B, or saying Im going to go to that restaurant and stand with the person that confronted them, he asked. Why does the thinking go in that direction on the left?
We walked in this lounge because we had to walk in this lounge because this is our business, she continued. So, when people approach and say, Youre rude because you dont want to say happy birthday, my husband is at home dying. I dont want to say, happy birthday.
I am glad more are seeing the ugly truth of @Oprah. I wish she were real, but she isnt, McGowan tweeted, sharing an old photo Oprah kissing embattled producer Harvey Weinstein on the cheek. From being pals with Weinstein to abandoning & destroying Russell [Simmons] victims, she is about supporting a sick power structure for personal gain, she is as fake as they come. #lizard.
Williams, 36, said co-workers warned her to keep track of her hours when she was hired as a mail carrier in February 2020. She said she didnt get her first paycheck and had to file a grievance with the union to get paid. When her second paycheck arrived, Williams said, she was missing five hours of overtime. Another supervisor told Williams that her boss had deleted the hours, according to a lawsuit she filed against the Postal Service in federal court.
I am extremely proud and grateful of the work our team members are doing across our 9,000 Walgreens locations serving our customers, patients, and communities each and every day, said Roz Brewer, CEO, Walgreens Boots Alliance. Investing in and rewarding our team members is not only the right thing to do.
The experiences Ive gained during my time with Domu Dynasty have taught me the value of patience, and the understanding that opportunities come with it as long as youre persistent. This company has shown me more than I have ever imagined, and Im truly grateful, Inthavongsa said in a press release.
Officials searched for Wallace for almost three days after the shooting, eventually finding him in Georgia, where he was captured on June 26 hiding in a treehouse near Atlanta, officials said. Wallace was found with multiple stun grenades, body armor, two rifles, two handguns and several boxes of ammunition, police said.
An investigation into the crash found Fajardo was driving 49 mph in a 35 mph zone and swerved just before the crash. A blood analysis showed the presence of various drugs, including THC, MDMA, and methamphetamines, the sheriffs office said.
You did none of that, and this child is dead as a result, the judge said. ... Once you get out of prison, youre going to be a convicted felon [and] youre going to have to start your life all over again. But I want to remind you  you have a life to start all over again. Jayce does not.
DeSantis and Corcoran have turned to the Parents Bill of Rights law passed by the Legislature this year as well, but a state judge on Friday said that law does not block school boards from making a mask mandate. The courts written ruling has yet to be issued, though. But Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper said the ruling will find the states ban on mask mandates as unconstitutional.
Surveillance video captured Feyzullayev luring the girl toward him with a bag of M&Ms before he, a stranger, leaned down and kissed her on the mouth.
My goal is to at least get out to the ones I can get to, and in so doing, I wont have to rely on the video I see later or rely on the written word of somebody else describing it to me, Fear said. It may not speed everything up necessarily, but itll certainly make me more efficient and better able to describe what it is that Ive seen and work with that information.
Any decision to reject the request herein would appear to be both arbitrary and capricious, Tedrow said in her letter to the county regarding Dorworths current request. Unfortunately, the ability for any landowner, and most certainly any entity owned or controlled by Christopher Dorworth, to have a fair shot at removing property from the rural area has been called into question ... By removing the property from the rural area, the board [of county commissioners] will afford the developer with the opportunity to receive constitutionally guaranteed fair due process, rather than ensuring litigation is the only means of achieving the same.
Webbs death is the second in a month for the police force. It follows the passing of Officer Jason Raynor, who was shot in June, and died nearly two months later. The suspect in that shooting, Othal Wallace, now faces the death penalty as the State Attorneys office announced formal first-degree murder charges on Wednesday.
In other words, Dorworth is pledging to wage a forever development war targeted at the area that 56% of Seminoles voters decided in 2004 to protect and preserve. The charter amendment they approved limits development to one house for every five or 10 acres. (And to think Dorworth was once elected to the state Legislature to represent the interests of Seminole County residents. No wonder voters booted him from the House in 2012, electing a Democrat to a dark red district.)
And yet DeSantis travels out of state shilling for money and feeding his campaign trough with tens of millions of dollars as if nothing is wrong  leaving behind a dystopian scene of morgues crowded with corpses, emergency rooms and ICUs jammed with unvaccinated patients, and until last Friday, most local governments unable to fully protect their citizens because of his illegal order banning mask mandates.
Lets be clear. The phone call in question was not an innocent exchange of diplomatic platitudes. It was an alleged attempt by Trump to solicit interference from a foreign government in the 2020 election. To downplay the significance of that assault on our democracy, and in the same breath politicize the tragedy in Kabul, is to besmirch the sacrifice made by our 13 fallen heroes.
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi (left) said she had no idea that Florida residents had asked her office to investigate Donald Trump's business practices back in 2013 when she took $25,000 in campaign money from him. Bondi's office decided not to pursue the complaints while the AG in New York did and netted a $25 million settlement for his constitutents. The two are shown here walking to a Trump campaign rally in Tampa in 2016. (The Associated Press)
Keeping the political stakes high and the potential financial penalty low, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona wrote Tuesday afternoon on Twitter that his agency has reminded district leaders that federal pandemic relief funds can be used to cover any financial penalties imposed on them by the state as a result of local efforts to protect the health & safety of those on school grounds.
Its time to start saving the lives of innocent unborn children in Florida. For three years, I have been the co-sponsor of the Heartbeat Bill, fighting the radical left and the weak Republican establishment to get this bill past. The RINOs in Tallahassee have stopped progress every step of the way. Its time to put them on the record and ensure a vote of the House immediately, Sabatini said.
The money for the ads came from Grow United, a dark-money non-profit organization with ties to operatives who worked at the time for an Alabama-based political consulting and communication firm. Less than half the reported spending, between $220,000 and $250,000, went to Arrowmail, a Miami-Dade company that Rodriguez said he used to print and mail the roughly 500,000 mail pieces.
You have a problem with the radical left and the progressives who are pushing this very dangerous agenda  but then you also have do-nothing Republicans who are in safe red seats who have an ability to push back and fight back against what is happening and theyre not, Loomer said in an interview Wednesday.
In the last two weeks, the Bahamas has reported nearly 1,500 new cases, according Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The island nation is having a strenuous time keeping up with the virus as only 13% of the population is fully vaccinated and Abaco has two doctors for a population of 15,000 inhabitants and one ambulance for the entire island, Duncombe said.
Oswego, NY (13126)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 79F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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With the propensity to transform lives, the chapter-by-chapter Christian devotion uncovered ancient events that are still pertinent and in fact reflective of our time today. The biblical Book of Jeremiah helped author Ivan Tan narrow his focus to whats truly important and henceforth inspires the readers of his book to rise above modern day challenges by abiding closely to God. This new book, What If You Could Complete Jeremiah in 8 Weeks?, is a timely reminder for mankind to reconnect with our Maker. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PRURGENT



Cyberjaya, Malaysia, 1 September 2021 - In the maiden release of his book What If You Could Complete Jeremiah in 8 Weeks?, first time Malaysian author Ivan Tan has strung together Christian devotional reflections based on the 52 chapters of the Book of Jeremiah at a time when the world was gripped by Covid19s catastrophic devastation. The book is available in paperback and e-book on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3BTTEJR.



Confined at home due to the strict lockdown in 2020, Ivan has taken the inspirations and penned what would turn into a set of life principles and godly promptings that could transform ones life. The essence of the compilation also doubles up as a devotional companion and prayer guide for those seeking an intimate journey with God.



Senior Pastor of Metro Tabernacle A/G Ong Sek Leang weighed in on the Foreword, Ivans devotional approach touches the core of what Jeremiah is about. His thoughts pushes through the maze of theological, historical and biblical complexity enshrined in the book and focuses on the impact God can make in the very core of our being, namely, the heart and at the same time exposes Gods heart for us as we journey through one of the most complex and painful periods in human history, namely the Covid-19 pandemic.



Author Ivan who is a Partner at Rightwiz Sdn Bhd, a content writing and publishing company, explained that his devotions for the book began before the first lockdown in Malaysia, What caught my attention was that the readings coincided with the world events around us, more so when we were also locked down which mirrored some parts of Jeremiahs life in the bible.



As I went from chapter to chapter, I was continuously reminded of His revelation, His touch, His mercy and His love. In the end, I was just so overwhelmed that Ive decided to turn this rare experience into a book and hopefully share it with the world out there.



Throughout the Book of Jeremiah, there were expressions of love, mercy, forgiveness, redemption, restoration, servanthood, the call to return to God, warnings about prosperity gospel, His power and His promises. There were also cautions against arrogance, pride and stories relating to anxiety, depression, exile, discernment, purpose, discipline, commitment, loyalty, legacy, seasons, lineage and much more. But what made it vastly appealing to the modern society is that the ancient text is also reflective of the 21st century professional marketplace such as employment, contractual relationships, of buying land, signing agreements, safekeeping of documents, the economy, the big picture etc. As such, the stereotypical Christian vocabularies like love, mercy and forgiveness were quickly dismissed as the only few and limited holy adjectives inscribed by Jeremiah. In truth, the book unveiled pertinent issues that are as relatable to the crisis at hand and rather surprisingly too, to the prevailing settings of frontliners, lockdowns and slavery.



What If You Could Complete Jeremiah in 8 Weeks? is a book of the pandemic era having been put together through the rising caseloads of Covid-19 and before the ensuing second and third waves or the Delta and Lambda variants. For more about the book or the author, please contact ivan ivanlea.com.
Washington Post, August 24, 2021

By Kelly.J Shannon

On Aug. 15, the Taliban completed its conquest of Afghanistan by seizing Kabul. These events were tragically similar to those of 25 years ago, when Kabul fell to the Taliban in September 1996. Americans have recently watched chaotic scenes unfold in Afghanistan: panicked Afghans desperately clinging to evacuating U.S. planes; Taliban fighters going house-to-house hunting journalists, prominent women and Afghans who worked for the toppled government; and the Taliban beating Afghan protesters. While many Afghans face suffering under Taliban rule, women and girls have the most to fear  and lose.

After all, President George W. Bush presented the war in Afghanistan as a mission partly intended to liberate women from Taliban oppression. This framing helps explain why most Americans assume that U.S. support for Afghan womens rights began with the U.S. invasion in late 2001. But American commitment to Afghan women actually dates to the 1990s. Today, the future of this long-standing American policy is uncertain.

The Taliban first emerged in the mid-1990s. Afghanistan had been at war since the Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to prop up Afghanistans unpopular communist government. After a long and bloody war, Afghan rebel groups known as the mujahideen defeated the Soviet Union in 1989 and ousted the countrys communist government in 1992. Yet the mujahideens victory did not bring peace. The various mujahideen factions turned on one another, sparking a civil war between warlords that lasted until the Taliban seized Kabul in 1996. The warlords often brutalized Afghan civilians, including women and children.

Founded by two veterans of the Soviet-Afghan war, the Taliban cast itself as the savior of Afghanistan. Most Taliban members were young Afghan men who had grown up in refugee camps in neighboring Pakistan and had learned an ultraconservative version of Sunni Islam in the camps religious schools. The Taliban promised to end the mujahideens abuses and bring peace. The Afghan people initially welcomed it, and the group began seizing territory in 1994. However, the Taliban soon proved to be worse than the mujahideen.

In each area it conquered, the Taliban imposed the most radically conservative form of Islamist law in history. It sought to eradicate Western influences and force Afghans to conform to its vision of a purified Islamic Afghanistan. Controlling women and erasing them from public life was central to this vision. Those who violated the Talibans laws faced harsh punishment  even death  at the hands of religious police. Women could not leave their homes without a male relative. Girls could not go to school, and women were forbidden from having jobs. Male doctors were not permitted to treat female patients, depriving women of health care. A host of other laws restricted women to the home and subordinated them to control by men.

The U.S. government covertly supported the mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War but largely forgot about Afghanistan after the Soviet withdrawal. When the Taliban seized Kabul and control of the Afghan government in 1996, the United States and the international community scrambled to respond. The Talibans brutal human rights violations could not be ignored. Afghan women soon became central to the U.S. policy response.

The Clinton administration had worked to place womens rights at the center of domestic and foreign policy. This policy focus on women was unprecedented. Among other actions, the administration supported passage of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994. President Bill Clinton also appointed more women to high-ranking federal positions than any previous president. These included Attorney General Janet Reno and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

The administration worked closely with nongovernmental organizations to advance womens equality at home and abroad. And Clinton created new institutions focused on womens rights, including the State Department Office of International Womens Issues. As first lady, Hillary Clinton famously declared that womens rights are human rights, and human rights are womens rights, once and for all, at the 1995 U.N. World Conference on Women in Beijing.

The Talibans unambiguous and brutal oppression of women was an affront to this emphasis. The Clinton administration therefore worked with international feminist organizations as it considered its options. Most important, these groups included international NGOs like the Sisterhood Is Global Institute (SIGI), which was headed by feminists from Muslim countries and one of whose founders was Afghan. Groups like SIGI helped connect U.S. policymakers with Afghan womens groups like the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) and international networks like Women Living Under Muslim Laws. With their input, the United States refused to recognize the Taliban government specifically because of its violations of womens and girls human rights. In a powerful show of support for Afghan women, every government on Earth  with the exception of Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia  denied the Taliban recognition.

The Clinton administration paired nonrecognition with meaningful foreign aid. Because it consulted with organizations such as SIGI, the administration avoided relying on negative stereotypes of Muslims or claiming to know what was best for Afghan women. Instead, the administration let Afghan feminists set the agenda. The U.S. became the largest provider of humanitarian and development aid to the Afghan people by the time Clinton left office; a significant portion of that went to womens rights programs.

American aid did not dislodge the Taliban, but it was a critical step toward advancing womens rights in Afghanistan and integrating womens human rights into U.S. foreign policy. Nonrecognition denied resources to the Taliban; the United States scuttled an oil pipeline deal that would have enriched the Taliban. And development aid supported groups like RAWA, who resisted the Taliban and smuggled videos of its human rights abuses to international media.

The Bush administration also condemned the Talibans brutality toward women, but this time the U.S. imposed womens equality at gunpoint. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in late 2001 in retaliation for 9/11; the Taliban had given the al-Qaeda terrorist network safe harbor in Afghanistan. But once the U.S. geared up for war, Bush announced that another important war goal was the liberation of Afghan women from the Talibans oppressive rule. Americans from across the political spectrum cheered this policy.

Later, the Obama administration continued supporting womens rights initiatives in Afghanistan, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declaring that womens rights were a cornerstone of American foreign policy. Unlike the Bush administration, the Obama administrations womens rights policies did not focus solely on Islamic countries. It instead incorporated Afghan women into its broader gender equality initiatives to advance womens education, leadership, economic empowerment and democratic participation.

Yet pairing womens rights with a U.S. invasion complicated the work of Afghan womens rights activists. Unlike the Clinton administration, the Bush administration relied heavily on the advice of groups such as the Feminist Majority, a U.S. organization that lacked experience with Afghanistan or foreign affairs. This caused the Bush administration to embrace a more imperialist approach that cast Americans as Afghan womens saviors. The Taliban and others could dismiss Afghanistans homegrown womens rights movement by charging that gender equality was a Western import. Resisting womens equality became one way of resisting American occupation. Afghan feminist groups such as RAWA opposed the U.S. invasion for this reason, arguing that war would increase womens and childrens suffering.

After nearly two decades of war, the Trump administration began negotiations with a reinvigorated Taliban and announced that the U.S. would soon withdraw. President Biden inherited this policy and chose to continue the withdrawal plans. The United States withdrawal without securing the stability of the Afghan government has brought the Taliban back to power, and Afghan women will now pay the price.

The Taliban today claims it is different from the 1990s. Yet recent actions indicate that the group is as brutal and misogynist as it was a quarter-century ago. There are reports of Taliban fighters kidnapping young women to be their wives, hunting women journalists and political leaders, murdering a young woman for not wearing a veil and using violence against Afghans who resist. As the Taliban seeks to reimpose its radical version of Islamist law, Afghan women face a grim future.

The Biden administration has said that womens rights must be central to U.S. policy. It created a new Gender Policy Council, and Biden claimed continued support for womens rights in Afghanistan in his Aug. 16 address on the fall of Kabul. Will the Biden administration really try to live up to the quarter century of promises the U.S. made to Afghan women? Perhaps the administration can learn important lessons from the Clinton administrations approach to supporting Afghan women. Denying recognition to the Taliban, letting Afghan women set the agenda and providing meaningful assistance will be crucial. If the United States fails, or chooses to abandon its commitments, Afghan women will be the ones to suffer.
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At lease five states and union territories, including Delhi and Tamil Nadu, have decided to start reopening schools from September 1. From staggered lunch breaks, to limiting the seating capacity in classrooms  local authorities have enforced strict Covid protocols and guidelines to ensure the safety of students. Despite the looming fear of a potential third wave of coronavirus cases, state governments cited the considerable drop in coronavirus cases in several states across the country to justify their decision to reopen schools in a cautious phase-wise manner. Have a look at some of the pictures of schools reopening across the country:
In a major development, the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday filed a chargesheet with a sessions court here against two Trinamool Congress ministers, Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim, ex-minister Madan Mitra, former Mayor Sovan Chatterjee and IPS officer S.M.H. Meerza in connection with the Narada sting operation case.

All of them have been summoned to be present before the court on November 16.

According to ED officials, as Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim and Madan Mitra are elected members of the state Assembly, the summons would be sent to them through Speaker Biman Banerjee. The summons to Sovan Chatrerjee and Mirza will be sent to them directly.

The ED officials also said that there are other influential persons like Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, Trinamool MP Saugata Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Prasun Banerjee and BJP-turned-Trinamool leader Mukul Roy, against whom probe will continue.

The Narada scam refers to a 2014 sting operation targeting high-ranking officials and politicians of Trinamool-led West Bengal government, which showed several politicians and high-ranking officials accepting bribes and illegal gratifications in exchange of unofficial favours for the companies offering the bribes.

The sting operation was made public ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections. The Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI-led probe into the Narada scam in March 2017, while the ED was also roped in to investigate the case.

Four Trinamool leaders -- Mukherjee, Hakim, Mitra and Chatterjee -- were arrested by the CBI on May 17 after which West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had held a six-hour protest outside the CBI headquarters in Kolkata, demanding their unconditional release.

Her supporters too gheraoed the compound housing the CBI office.

A special CBI court granted interim bail to the four leaders because the agency did not request their custody. The CBI court also cited the Supreme Court's judgment on prison decongestion. Challenging the special court's order, the CBI had appealed to the Calcutta High Court, which revoked the special court order and sent the four accused to judicial custody.

However, the Calcutta High Court later ordered house arrest of the four leaders. They were granted interim bail on May 28 by the high court.

Meanwhile, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh has accused the ED of taking a partisan attitude in the matter.

"Suvendu Adhikari's name is not there in the chargesheet. The Centre is using the central agencies to throttle the voice of the opposition," Ghosh claimed.
All the three recognised unions of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, on Wednesday announced that they will go on an indefinite strike from October 25.

Presidents of all three Unions - ANU's Harish Kajla, KU's Satyaprakash Kalia, and OA's Ajit Singh - submitted a joint memorandum to the AIIMS Director informing about the indefinite strike to be commenced from October 25.

In a joint statement, the union Presidents said that they have had numerous meetings with the administration but the demands are still pending.

Earlier, the Officers Association had submitted a memorandum to the administration last month with their demands of cadre review and others, saying the cadre review has not been done 1992, and the Union Health Ministry and AIIMS administration should seriously consider the matter.

Union President Ajit Singh said: "We are requesting AIIMS administration for cadre review which has not been done for last 30 years. Once the care is reviewed, the employees of the Officers Association can be promoted, but no consideration has been given so far."

The association's other demands include the review of the AIIMS's contribution in national pension scheme, with the union leader claiming that other government offices contribute 14 per cent in the NPS, but AIIMS offers only 10 per cent in the scheme for employees.

KU President Kalia said: "We are not asking anything extra but to implement what regulation 35 of parliamentary act of AIIMS has given us."
Fighting is going on between Taliban fighters and the forces of a resistance front lead by Ahmad Massoud in the Panjshir province of Afghanistan.

The Taliban confirmed that the fighting has been ongoing for two days and both sides have suffered casualties, Tolo News reported.

"Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate were attacked from some circles in Panjshir who bluff and say they will resist. The Mujahideen reacted to the attack and as a result the other side has suffered heavy casualties," said Anaamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban's cultural commission.

Residents at the front lines in the Nasaji-Gulbahar area, which is just outside of Panjshir valley, say the fighting resumed on Tuesday night and is still ongoing. According to locals, most of the people have fled the area, the report said.

"The fighting started at 10 pm last night and is still going on," said Baba Shirin, a resident of the area.

Members of the resistance front, meanwhile, said that they have pushed back the Taliban attack on Panjshir and that the Taliban have suffered heavy casualties.

"In the past 40 hours, the Taliban launched some offensives on Khawak from the Andarab valley of Baghlan. From our side, there were local forces of various districts of Andarab, Panjshir as well as the ANSDF forces. They fought back very well; they defeated the Taliban on that front. The Taliban lost 40 of their personnel, while another 35 of them were wounded," said Fahim Dashti, a spokesman of the resistance front.

The Taliban have denied attacking Panjshir, saying that their forces were attacked by Massoud supporters and that they only responded to the attack, the report said.

Amid the ongoing fighting, Amir Khan Muttaqi, a Taliban leader, said on Wednesday that the talks between both sides have failed so far.

He said, however, that the Taliban still want to resolve the issue peacefully.
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London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/01/2021 -- A global provider of independent fiduciary services to professional advisers, international corporate groups and private clients, ILS World offers global aviation and marine solutions to corporate and private clients across the globe. Working together with aviation and marine registries, they have access to the world's leading aviation and marine jurisdictions, including the Isle of Man and Malta, as well as expert advice on the cost and tax efficient structuring of your assets. Their services are focused on giving private clients tailor-made solutions that are designed to meet their individual needs.



Using their network of lawyers, tax advisors and brokers, the company provides assistance with the sale and acquisitions of aviation and marine vessels in a tax-efficient manner. Their services include planning, formation, and maintenance of suitable ownership structures, insurance, aircraft & marine registration, and acquisition and disposal among many others. Individuals and corporate businesses looking for a comprehensive aviation and marine solution can visit ILS World's website for more information.



ILS World is one of the most well-renowned fiduciary management firms in the UK. The company has gained a massive customer base around the globe for its exemplary services and competitive prices. With many years of experience in the field, the firm ensures that the assets and wealth of its clients are well protected and secure. In addition to global aviation and marine solutions, the company also offers a plethora of other services including company incorporation, trading structures, accounting, banking services, succession and estate planning, trusts and foundations, private trust companies, accounting, aviation & marine, compliance & consultancy, and many more.



Talking further about their global aviation solutions, a representative from the company stated, "ILS World provides a range of vehicles with which to manage aircraft whilst affording our customers the utmost flexibility in their arrangements. By working together with aviation registries and services providers we also give access to the world's leading aviation jurisdictions, including the Isle of Man and Malta, as well as expert advice on the cost and tax efficient structuring of your assets."



About ILS World

ILS World is a global provider of independent fiduciary services to professional advisers, international corporate groups, and private clients. It is a privately owned group of companies, and its directors have a hands-on approach, dealing directly with clients and guaranteeing a high level of service. The company creates bespoke multi-jurisdictional structures to meet the individual personal and commercial needs of its clients including market entry, tax mitigation, asset protection, property ownership, and assisting cross-border business. Their office network includes the British Virgin Islands, Dubai, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, London, and Portugal.



For more information, please visit: https://www.ils.world/



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Berlin, Germany -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/01/2021 -- German institutional investors may open up another frontier for Bitcoin investment, continuing a recent trend in which more and more organisations are looking for opportunities in the industry. A new regulation enabling German Spezialfonds to invest a portion of their assets in cryptocurrency came into fruition recently. According to reports, institutional wealth held by Spezialfonds amounts to over 1.8 trillion (approximately $2.1 trillion), implying that if funds allocate the 20% allowed under the new rule, more than $400 billion will likely wind up in various crypto initiatives. Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by transaction volume, will no longer sell its derivative products in Germany, as it turns out. Binance is facing increasing regulatory pressure as a result of this decision. Malaysia is the most recent country to initiate an investigation.



Selby Jennings is a commodities recruiter that specialises in permanent, contract, and multi-hire services to help companies maximise their investment and growth. With 15 years of expertise in banking and financial services recruiting in Germany, the firm has built a network of over a million mid-to-senior professionals and nurtured relationships with both multinational and local organisations. The committed and enthusiastic team of consultants at Selby Jennings has in-depth understandings of Germany's developing commodities sector, and their significant experience as a leading financial technology recruiter in Europe is supported by a worldwide network of professionals in 6 nations. Selby Jennings' unique strategy combines the right mix of local expertise and connections with global reach - furthermore, as part of the Phaidon International group, it is the preferred recruiting partner of hundreds of industry-leading companies.



Selby Jennings' extensive training of consultants guarantees that the business is well-positioned to assist customers in capitalising on shifting commodity market circumstances in Germany. Throughout the adverse circumstances of the last 12 months, the team has proven to be a flexible commodities recruiter and hiring partner to the larger financial services industry in Germany using best-in-class technology and techniques to yield optimal results. Fintech, sales and trading, legal and compliance, as well as recruiting for private wealth management and quantitative research and trading, are all areas of expertise at the business. There is a wealth of opportunities available for individuals across Germany in locations such as Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Cologne. These include: Business Intelligence Data Engineer, Senior Data Scientist, IT project Manager, Financial Accounting Expert, IT Audit Specialist, Intraday Power Trader, Business Data Analyst, and Information Security & Risk Manager.



"Like many sectors, 2020 marked a defining moment for recruitment. Challenged by uncertainty, but unwavering in our commitment to our clients, we enter 2021 with a sense of duty to clients and candidates", commented Matt Nicholson, Managing Director at Selby Jennings Europe. He went onto say, "as we reflect on the challenges of virtually securing and retaining talent, we're inspired by a team who have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt and continue to help all our clients secure top talent on a global scale."



To find out more information about commodities recruiter in Germany visit https://www.selbyjennings.de



For any media enquiries please contact Gary Elliott at Iconic Digital  020 7100 0726.



For all other enquiries please contact Selby Jennings: +49 30 72 62 11 444.



For more information about Selby Jennings services, please go to https://www.selbyjennings.de



About Selby Jennings

Selby Jennings knows that building the right team isn't easy. However, with the support of the right hiring partner, access to key networks and contacts, it's possible to reimagine the process of recruitment to make it more positive, satisfying and productive.
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23 of the 24 Safety and Emergency Teams (SETs) of our Primary and Secondary school were trained as part of the School Safety Initiatives of the Ministry of Education, Culture Youth & Sport.





The 1-day Safe School Virtual Training was aimed to support School Safety Teams in the implementation of the school safety guidelines, providing basic disaster risk management knowledge as well as guidance on carrying out risk assessment and develop or update school safety & emergency plans.





At the end of the training, participants acquired skills to recognize the importance of school safety; differentiate the concepts of hazards, vulnerability, risk and resources as they relate to disaster risk management; apply tools to assess school safety of a given facility; and develop or update a School Safety & Emergency Plan.





The training of the Safety & Emergency Teams (SETs) started on June 17 and concluded on August 19, 2021 to allow for all schools to register for the training. The training was executed by the Student Support Services Division (SSSD) in collaboration with UNICEF The Netherlands, financed by the Government of the Netherlands through the Sint Maarten Trustfund as part of the Child Resilience and Protection project (CRPP).





In 2018, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (MECYS) developed the Safety and Emergency Response Guidelines for Schools with the support of UNICEF The Netherlands. This document provides guidance for disaster safety planning in schools, emphasizing the work to be carried out by School Safety Teams (SETs). It also outlines the dos and donts before and during emergencies, suggesting possible steps for various hazards. SETs went on to draft their school safety & emergency plans under the guidance of the Student Support Services Division and with the support of UNICEF the Netherlands.
Page Content

The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Omar Ottley extends deepest condolences to the families and friends of the two (2) victims who passed away due to COVID-19. Wishing the families, peace and comfort during their time of bereavement.





As of August 30th, there were thirty eight (38) persons who tested positive for COVID-19; however sixty eight (68) persons have recovered; bringing the total active cases to two hundred eighty (280). The total number of confirmed cases is now three thousand six hundred seventy nine (3679).





The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) are monitoring two hundred ninety seven (297) people in home isolation. Fifteen (15) patients remain hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center. The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 has increased to fifty one (51).





The number of people recovered since the first case surfaced on St. Maarten has increased to three thousand three hundred forty eight (3348). Two hundred twenty three (223) people are in quarantine based on contact tracing investigations carried out by CPS.





The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) Airport Health Team in collaboration with Health Care Laboratory Sint Maarten (HCLS) have tested 3, 613 travelers arriving at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), while CPS tested 41, 509 people throughout the community. As the numbers continue to fluctuate, CPS will continue to actively execute its contact tracing measures.





Minister Ottley urges the public to remain vigilant and continue to wear your mask, reduce social contacts, and sanitize or wash your hands frequently.
Page Content

Today, Monday, August 30, Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson hosted the Justice Sector Essay Contest Ceremony for 6 secondary school students at the Government Administration Building who all won a chance to spend a day at their chosen department and received certificates of appreciation. Present during the ceremony were Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, the students, their parents and department heads within the justice sector. The secondary schools represented were Milton Peters College (MPC), St. Dominic High School (SDHS), and MAC Comprehensive Secondary Education (MAC CSE).





Minister Richardson launched the essay contest on March 25, 2021, designed to encourage students to pursue a career in the criminal justice field. Secondary school students were invited to participate by submitting an essay whereby they would imagine themselves in one of the professions within the Justice Sector of St. Maarten. Participating students were to also describe three major things they would accomplish while holding their desired position from the list supplied.





Minister Richardson stated, Id like to extend a special thank you to all the participants and winners who took part in the first justice sector essay competition. As Minister of Justice, I continue to see the need for fostering justice professionals within our society and that begins with our youth. Choosing the winners was not an easy task for myself nor the department heads. As such, I tip my hat to the parents and teachers of all participants. The Ministry of Justice will continue to involve our youth in initiatives fostering development and growth within the justice sector.





The successful students will be spending a day with the respective department head in their chosen profession. The students and the department heads are Jondalin Brown (MPC) who will be spending her day with the Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson, Dominick Thomas (SDHS) with Courthouse Director Richelda Emmanuel; Michella Coipel (SDHS) with Chief of Police Carl John; Marisha Ulla (SDHS) with Public Prosecutor Mirjam Mol; Diya Chatani (SDHS) with Director of Immigration Alexandra Yeung; and Tahiana Richardson (MAC CSE) with Prison Management Steven Carty.





During the ceremony, Prime Minister Jacobs stated, This governments vision for St. Maarten is to grow in responsibility, accountability and integrity, and for me that starts with you! Congratulations Minister Richardson and the Ministry of Justice for this great initiative. I look forward to collaborating across ministries to ensure the involvement of our youth continues as we grow a strong future.





The winners will join the respective department heads of their chosen profession and Ms. Jondalin Brown will join the Minister of Justice during their school break in October 2021, allowing them to experience the role and daily operations of the organization they chose to write about. Minister Richardson plans to host another essay contest to further educate students about St. Maartens Criminal





Justice System and to allow the opportunity for other students to be able to experience a day in the role of their preferred position within the Justice Sector.
The only question remaining is this: Can we mobilize adequate strategic resistance  that is, resistance that systematically undermines the power of the global elite to conduct this coup and restores power to ordinary people  to defeat this coup?

by Robert J. Burrowes

For many people desperate to see a return to a life that is more familiar, it is still easy to believe that the upheavals we have experienced since March 2020 and the changes that have been wrought in their train are temporary, even if they are starting to drag on somewhat longer than hoped.

However, anyone who is paying attention to what is taking place in the background is well aware that the life we knew before 2020 has already ended and what is being systematically put in its place as the World Economic Forum (WEF) implements its Great Reset will bear no comparison to any period prior to last year. See Killing Democracy Once and for All: The Global Elites Coup detat That Is Destroying Life as We Know It.

Of course, those of us who qualify as ordinary people have had no say in the shape of what is being implemented: that shaping has been the prerogative of the criminal global elite which is now implementing a plan that has been decades in the making and built on hundreds of years of steady consolidation of elite power.

Also, of course, there is nothing about this shaping that is good for us. In simple terms, it is reshaping the human individual so that previously fundamental concepts such as human identity, human liberty, human rights (such as freedom of speech, assembly and movement), human privacy and human volition are not just notions of the past but are beyond the comprehension of the typical transhuman. At the same time, the global elite is restructuring human society into a technocratic dystopia which is a nightmarish cross between Brave New World, 1984 and the Dark Age. See Strategically Resisting the New Dark Age: The 7 Days Campaign to Resist The Great Reset.

The only question remaining is this: Can we mobilize adequate strategic resistance  that is, resistance that systematically undermines the power of the global elite to conduct this coup and restores power to ordinary people  to defeat this coup?

But before I answer that question, I wish to highlight just one element of the elite coup that is taking place and outline the profound changes that are being left in its wake unless we stop them.

These changes are essentially related to the capacities of computerized technologies to deprive us of what little we have left of our financial autonomy, including because any notion of privacy is rapidly vanishing.

Vanishing Money

One reason for highlighting the issue of money is because while it is good to see increasing critical attention being paid to the injectables program, with its devastating consequences for humanity, far too little attention is being paid to the profoundly important transformation being wrought under cover of the elite-driven narrative which has virtually all peoples attention distracted from this deeper agenda. And while this deeper agenda entails a great many aspects, one subset of these is related to the way in which the global financial system is being re-engineered to play its role in fully controlling the human population.

In a series of reports issued in early 2020, the Deutsche Bank claimed that cash will be around for a long time. See the three reports accessible from Transition to digital payments could rebalance global economic power.

However, these reports are contradicted by other research and the ongoing evidence that cash is vanishing. Most importantly, there is no doubt about the elite intention in this regard. They want cash gone.

The digitization of money has been occurring for decades and it is now being accelerated dramatically.

Moreover, the World Economic Forum and other elite organizations have been actively working towards achieving a cashless economy for years. To get a sense of this trend, see Why we need a less-cash society and The US should get rid of cash and move to a digital currency, says this Nobel Laureate economist.

Notably, in this respect, the Better Than Cash Alliance has 78 members committed to digitizing payments. If you think that this is a grassroots initiative set up by people like you and me, you will be surprised to read that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a Resource Partner to the initiative along with some UN agencies, many national governments and corporations such as Mastercard and Visa.

So while the trend toward a cashless society has been progressing steadily for some decades, with countries like Denmark, Norway and Sweden already virtually cashless and India rapidly moving in that direction  see Indias PM Modi defends cash ban, announces incentives  the so-called Covid-19 pandemic was contrived partly to provide a pretext for further accelerating the move from cash to cards and apps, with increasing numbers of people using the digital methods, even for small sums, partly because some people were scared into believing that the virus could be transmitted by bills and coins.

But there is more. In addition to measures not mentioned here, other plans include the use of a facial scan that records your entry to a store and is linked to artificial intelligence that identifies you and your credit rating. This then enables, or otherwise, your ability to pay for goods and services based on this facial scan.

Does all of this matter, you might ask. Well the convenience of cards and apps has two significantcosts: your privacy and your freedom. You lose both simply because while paying with cash is anonymous, paying by card or app leaves a digital trail that is as difficult to follow as an elephant whose tail you are already holding. And this digital trail forms a vital part of the surveillance grid that enables all of those who are tracking and documenting your movement, your payments and your behaviour to do so without leaving the comfort of their chairs. For more detail on this, watch Cash or card  will COVID-19 kill cash? which is embedded in the article Cash or Card  Will COVID-19 Kill Cash? Leaving a Digital Footprint With Every Payment.

But it goes beyond this. As touched on above in relation to privacy and explained at some length by Whitney Webb, there is a related push by WEF partners to tackle cybercrime that seeks to end privacy and the potential for anonymity on the internet in general, by linking government-issued IDs to internet access. Such a policy would allow governments to surveil every piece of online content accessed as well as every post or comment authored by each citizen, supposedly to ensure that no citizen can engage in criminal activity online.

Notably, the WEF Partnership against Cybercrime employs a very broad definition of what constitutes a cybercriminal as they apply this label readily to those who post or host content deemed to be disinformation that represents a threat to democratic governments. The WEFs interest in criminalizing and censoring online content has been made evident by its recent creation of a new Global Coalition for Digital Safety to facilitate the increased regulation of online speech by both the public and private sectors. See Ending Anonymity: Why the WEFs Partnership Against Cybercrime Threatens the Future of Privacy.

But to get back to cash: Unfortunately for us, the global elite does not intend to leave the abolition of cash to our preference for the convenience of cards and other moves to entice us to switch to digital payment. It fully intends to force us to accept digital methods as the only means of payment.

In part, this is because electronic payments are extremely lucrative for banks and payment service providers, while the data broker industry is also making huge revenues. See Cash or Card  Will COVID-19 Kill Cash? Leaving a Digital Footprint With Every Payment.

And in some ways, killing cash is simple. Two obvious ways of doing so are by removing ATMs (including from shopping centres) and closing local bank branches so that cash is simply unavailable. As has been happening for some time. See Why Are ATMs Disappearing at an Alarming Rate after a Wave of Branch Closures? and Australian bank branches and ATMs are vanishing.

But, in this instance, even profitability is at the trivial end of the elite motivation spectrum.

Cash is being forced out of existence because it undermines the elite agenda to take all power from ordinary people.

So, in parallel with other regressions over the past 18 months as the elite coup to take complete control of our lives has continued to unfold, there have been warnings from various institutions  including the World Economic Forum and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace  about the possibility of an allegedly imminent cyber attack that will collapse the existing financial system.

Following a simulation in 2020, in which the World Economic Forum along with the Russian government and global banks conducted a high-profile cyberattack simulation that targeted the financial industry, another simulation was held on 9 July 2021 involving the World Economic Forum and the Russian government-owned Sberbank as well as other key financial agents. See Cyber Polygon and Cyber Polygon 2021. In reality, of course, such a collapse of the financial system would constitute the final yet necessary step to implement the World Economic Forums desired outcome of forcing a widespread shift to digital currency and increased global governance of the international economy.

If this financial collapse happens, the solution suggested by key agencies  to unite the national security apparatus and the finance industry first, and then use that as a model to do the same with other sectors of the economy  will ensure that we lose what little control is left in our lives, not just in relation to our financial resources but in all other domains as well. For a full explanation, see WEF Warns of Cyber Attack Leading to Systemic Collapse of the Global Financial System.

And for another account of the deeper agenda and its financial impacts already, including its economic genocide, as well as what is yet to happen, watch this interview of Catherine Austin Fitts: Globalist Central Banking New World Order Reset Plan.

Beyond this, if you want some insight into another key threat in the cybercrime realm, check out this video by the Ice Age Farmer in relation to the cyber threat to the power grid. See Next Crisis Bigger than COVID  Power Grid/Finance Down  WEFs Cyber Polygon.

So How Can We Resist?

Fortunately, there is some resistance already.

In response to concerns in the United States that businesses that refuse cash will disadvantage communities with poor access to traditional banking systems, there are signs that a national movement protecting consumers ability to pay in cash may be emerging with a number of states and cities already outlawing cashless outlets. See Cash or Credit? State and City Bans on Cashless Retailers Are on the Rise.

Realistically, however, given what is at stake, considerable elite pressure will be applied to reverse these decisions in time. So we need our defense to be more rigorous and less reliant on agents who are unlikely to be tough enough to defend our interests or will be sidelined or killed for doing so, as at least two national presidents who resisted the elite intention last year have since been killed. See Coronavirus and Regime Change: Burundis Covid Coupand John Magufuli: Death of an African Freedom Fighter.

Moreover, given the likelihood that the financial system will be deliberately crashed at some point  and possibly soon  we need to employ a variety of tactics, that build resilience into our resistance, to defeat this initiative.

Hence, storing and paying with cash, moving your accounts to local community banks or credit unions (and away from the large corporate banks) and making the effort to become more self-reliant, particularly in food production, will increase your resilience, as will participating in local trading schemes, whether involving local currencies or goods and services directly.

As with all elements of the defense we implement, it will need to be multi-layered and integrated into the overall defense strategy. The elite intends to kill off many of us  as the depopulation measures within the coup, including the destruction of the global economy throwing 500,000,000 people out of work and killing millions as a result, as well as the injectables program already killing tens of thousands, make perfectly clear  and enslave the rest.

For an integrated strategy to defeat the elite coup, see the We Are Human, We Are Free campaign, which has 29 strategic goals for defeating the coup including meaningful engagement with police and military forces to assist them to understand and resist, rather than support, the elite agenda.

But for a simpler presentation, see the 7 Days Campaign to Resist The Great Reset. The Telegram group is here.

Conclusion

One of the interesting challenges about the current Covid-19 Crisis is that it continues to very successfully distract most people from awareness of the deeper agenda: the Global Elites Great Reset and related initiatives, such as that discussed above in relation to money.

Hence, apart from the perennial problem of raising awareness and mobilizing resistance among those still believing the elite-driven propaganda, we face two key strategic hazards.

The first hazard is a longstanding one: while virtually all people believe that elite agents  in this case, governments  are controlling events, much resistance will focus on begging governments, through such things as petitions and protest demonstrations, to fix it for us. The elite has long dissipated our dissent by having us direct it at one or other of its agents. This case is no different. And while we are not using our occasional large rallies to inform people how to resist powerfully every day of their life, these rallies are a waste of time whatever solidarity they build in the short term. History is categorically instructive on that point.

A second strategic hazard we face is that resistance to the vaccine and the vaccine passport might be successful (in the sense that concerted actions stall some government implementation of some measures in relation to these two initiatives) and leave most people believing that they have won, while the deeper agenda remains in the shadows with virtually no-one resisting.

It is important, therefore, that those who are aware of the deeper agenda continue to provide opportunities for others to become aware of this too and the fundamental threat it poses to us all while also sharing how we can resist its key dimensions in a way that makes a difference. It is not enough to complain about elite agents, such as governments, the medical and pharmaceutical industries, and the corporate media.

We must strategically resist the elite coup itself with actions such as those in the 7 Days Campaign to Resist The Great Reset before we find ourselves locked in a technocratic prison without the free-willed minds necessary to analyze, critique, plan and act.

Biodata: Robert J. Burrowes has a lifetime commitment to understanding and ending human violence. He has done extensive research since 1966 in an effort to understand why human beings are violent and has been a nonviolent activist since 1981. He is the author of Why Violence? His email address is flametree@riseup.net and his website is here.
Can presidents kill whomever they wish in the name of national security? In a word: No.

by Andrew P. Napolitano

The debacle of the nearly 20-year American occupation of Afghanistan continues to unfold. This disaster began when President George W. Bush  stung deeply by the intelligence that he failed to heed, thus enabling the attacks of 9/11 to take place unimpeded  convinced the American people and Congress and most of our allies that the bad guys who ran Afghanistan in the early part of this century needed to be taught a lesson, whether they personally enabled or facilitated the 9/11 attacks or not.

This moral monstrosity was executed in the name of retaliation, deterrence and liberation, but in reality, it was American hubris.

Nowhere to go

Here is the backstory.

Bush  knowing days after the 9/11 attacks that they had been perpetrated and paid for by the Saudis  believed that by blaming the attacks on Afghanistan, destroying much of that country and causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocents, he would somehow teach the world that no one would "mess with us" without severe consequences.

His knee-jerk reaction, and exploitation of raw American fear in the weeks following 9/11, set in motion a series of events that culminated last week in the triumph in Afghanistan of the very mindset Bush and his military, and his 2 trillion borrowed American dollars, tried to destroy.

To amass the international consents needed to produce the invasion he wanted, Bush also vowed  channeling his inner Woodrow Wilson, who killed innocents in order "to make the world safe for democracy"  to defy history by installing a Western-style democracy in Afghanistan.

Did he not know that tens of thousands of British troops in the 19th century and more that 100,000 Soviet troops in the 20th century had failed to bend the culture and the will of this rugged and wretched country? President Barack Obama accepted the Bush scheme and continued the American occupation, as well as the mission-impossible task of democracy building.

This gambit  born of Bush's incompetence and nurtured by Obama's arrogance  was one of the worst foreign policy errors in modern American history.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald J. Trump split with his own party to denounce the forever war in Afghanistan and vowed to bring the troops home. Trump's heart was in the right place  he was sick and tired of war  but his head was not.





In early 2020, thinking he'd be reelected president that year, Trump dispatched his secretary of state to negotiate with the Taliban for a peaceful withdrawal of nearly all U.S. forces and a total end to the U.S. occupation. Trump's diplomats did not negotiate with the government of Afghanistan but with the government-in-waiting, the Taliban.

The deal they struck, which was agreed to by Trump, the State Department and the Taliban leadership, required the Afghan government to release 5,000 Taliban soldiers/prisoners from its jails and the U.S. to complete its military departure by May 2021. By the time Joseph R. Biden Jr. became president, he was faced with the May deadline and the realization that 5,000 Taliban ex-prisoners, a number that alone exceeded the number of American troops there, had been freed and were now armed.

We all know what happened when Biden pulled the plug earlier this month and the Taliban took control of the levers of government in no time. Biden's head was in the right place, but his heart was not. He knows most Americans are, like Trump, sick and tired of war, but he seems not to understand fully the grave situation now present in the streets and triggered by the sudden American departure.

Now, back to the moral monstrosity that Bush created.

When Bush determined to attack Afghanistan, he did not ask Congress for a declaration of war, as even he recognized that the then-existing Afghan government did not attack the U.S. He asked for and received instead a statute called the Authorization for Use of Military Force, or AUMF.

This creature is unknown to the Constitution, as it purported to authorize war without end.

Congressional declarations of war historically established that once the war had been fought and the target surrendered, the declaration no longer authorized the war. Not so with the AUMF, as its wording was so expansive and ambiguous; it authorized any president to use military force at any time against any person or entity who arguably perpetrated or facilitated the 9/11 attacks.

All of Bush's successors have relied on this AUMF to kill folks in the Middle East, even though many of them were infants on 9/11.

Can presidents kill whomever they wish in the name of national security? In a word: No.

But American presidents have had their hearts set on empire building since Thomas Jefferson engineered the Louisiana Purchase. How ironic that the man most responsible for articulating the evils of empire in 1776 would himself set about to build one in 1803. Yet, unlike Abraham Lincoln or Wilson or Bush, Jefferson did so without force or violence or bloodshed.

But the modern American empire builders surely think that they can kill any foe  real or imagined. Bush claimed that he had powers from some source other than the Constitution. And he also claimed he could strip Americans of their natural and constitutional rights  all for empire.

All this killing, unless in self-defense  and killing for empire has never been in self-defense  defies the natural law, which teaches that all aggression is illicit and every individual person  American or not  enjoys the inviolable right to live.

The lesson of Afghanistan is that American presidents had no moral or constitutional or legal right to send troops and dollars and assets there in the first place. Is America to be the world's police force, going about the globe looking for monsters to slay? If so, where will the empire builders look next?

Copyright  Judge Andrew P. Napolitano. All rights reserved.
Eminent historians including Professor K.M. de Silva who wrote a research paper in 1995 specifically addressing the subject have comprehensively debunked the Tamils homeland concept.

by Rohana R. Wasala

(continued from August 28, 2021)

Misrepresentation and distortion of history by colonialists and separatists

The independence or dominion status that Sri Lanka (then Ceylon to foreigners) was granted by the departing British colonials was not more than a hangover from the British imperialism of the previous one and a half centuries (1798-1948) until real independence was realised through the constitutional change of 1972. The promulgation of the republican constitution in that year was arguably the first most momentous event in post-independence Sri Lanka, because it definitively reversed the total loss of independence of the country of Sinhale that happened in 1815 with the deposition of Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe the king of Kandy (1798-1815).

The last King of Sri Lanka, Sri Wickrama Rajasinha captured here 18 February 1815

The small minority of aging Tamil separatist leaders do not like to accept this palpable truth. They hang on to the facile and factless two nation or two countries generalization incorporated in the Cleghorn Minute of 1799 (which had been prompted by administrative convenience with hardly any regard for the facts of history, based entirely on the then existing demography of the region. Hugh Cleghorn was the colonial secretary; he must have been familiar with the efficacy of the imperial divide and rule strategy (which made potential allies against the invader turn against each other). Chief justice Alexander Johnstone twenty-eight years later (in 1827) was guilty of an even more outrageous falsehood; he thought it reasonable, on casual observation, to assume that Tamils had inhabited the north and east provinces at the period of their greatest agricultural prosperity (as claimed in a paper presented at an Eelam promotion London seminar in 1992). This erroneous assumption by that servant of the British empire carelessly attributed the unparalleled achievements of the well known hydrological/hydraulic civilization of the Sinhalese that flourished in the Dry Zone from at least 5th century BCE to 13th century CE to Tamils! (It was Magha of Kalingas invasion at the beginning of the 13th century that put an effective end to that period not only of agricultural prosperity, but booming trade with neighbouring countries, achieved by the Sinhalese. Tens of thousands of large and small water reservoirs or wewas (Sinhala)/wapi (Pali) and irrigation channels, whose exquisite engineering sophistication still amazes the world, dot the island and serve the nation, by enabling the cultivation of paddy in two seasons unhindered by the annual occurrence of rainless months. Latest archaeological finds in the hilly Walapane district indicate that the concept of storing water by damming streams pre-existed even the construction of artificial lakes (wewas) by kings Abhaya and Pandukabhaya in Anuradhapura in the 5th century BCE, where water reservoir building has traditionally been thought to have originated.

Concept of a Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka debunked

Eminent historians including Professor K.M. de Silva who wrote a research paper in 1995 specifically addressing the subject have comprehensively debunked the Tamils homeland concept. There is absolutely no historical evidence to justify the claim that Tamils had total control over the vast area that now constitutes the north-eastern region. The nearest the Tamils got to that was when they established themselves in the Jaffna peninsula in the north and some areas adjacent to it in the south in the Vanni (vana means jungle or forest in Sinhala) district for about three centuries between the 13th and 16th centuries (i.e., following the defeat and escape of invader Magha of Kalinga that put an end to his tyrannous occupation of twenty-one years, 1215-1236 CE).

The truth: A history of foreign invasions and dogged resistance from native Sinhalese

By the time of the beginning of the European involvement in Sri Lanka with the arrival of the Portuguese at the dawn of the 16th century, the island had survived seventeen armed Dravidian invasions from South India, the first of which happened in 230 BCE (i.e., horse traders Sena and Guttikas usurpation of the throne in Anuradhapura; the two reigned righteously for twenty-two years as the Buddhist bhikkhu Mahanama Thera, the Mahavansa author, says in Chapter XXI, without any trace of anger or vengeful thoughts). There is no doubt that these invasions and later European interferences and interventions in the internal affairs of the island were primarily triggered by exclusive trade interests, rather than political or territorial ambitions of imperial powers. Dravidians had occupied and ruled parts of the north and east of the country intermittently for about 300 years of the first 2000 years of its 2500 year recorded history. King Vijayabahu I (prince Keerthi born c. 1039) ) reigned from 1055 to 1110. He expelled the Chola invaders who were occupying parts in the north of the country after a seventeen year struggle and brought the island under one canopy as under Dutugemunu (161-137 BCE) before him. South Indian invasions again came after Vijayabahus death during the rule of his weaker successors, until his grandson Parakramabahu I (1153-1186) beat the invaders back and unified the country once again. This monarch who took great interest in the economic and cultural development of the country was so powerful that he even invaded South India and Burma (modern Myanmar) to ensure the free flow of trade between the island and neighbouring states.

Kalinga Magha invasion

Kalinga Maghas invasion of Sinhale in the first half of the 13th century (1215-1236) took place at a particularly unstable period of royal disputes caused by rivalries and intrigues between pretenders to the throne, which had led, as can be guessed, to much internecine feuding and violence, disorder and anarchy, that attracted hostile foreign adventurers. Those wicked and cruel and grievous deeds that the inhabitants of Lanka had done (as admitted by the Mahavansa author, would have seemed, at least in the marauder Kalinga Maghas eyes, to extenuate the enormity of the cruel excesses committed by him on his Sinhala victims. About invader Kalinga Magha, Chapter LXXX of the Mahavansa (continued in the form of Culavansa) says (The author monks language does not reflect the actual economic, political and military background to this event) :

And it came to pass that, because of some wicked and cruel and grievous deeds that the inhabitants of Lanka had done, the gods who had been placed in different parts thereof to watch over them and to protect them cared no longer for the country, and looked not any more after their safety. Thereupon a certain wicked prince of the Kalinga race, Magha by name, invaded the country at the head of twenty thousand strong men from Kalinga and took possession of the island of Lanka. And he was a follower of false faiths, and had a mind only to do mischief (quoted from Mudaliyar L.C. Wijesinghe translation/1889). (Note again the detached, equanimous tone of the monk author - its a monk of a later age who composed this Culavansa part of the Mahavansa.) The Magha invasion dealt a near death blow to the historic hydraulic engineering based civilization of the Sinhalese in the dry zone, which arguably had reached its apogee under Parakramabahu I. After twenty-one year occupation of the Lanka kingdom, Magha was beaten and driven away by the Sinhalese; apparently he did not return to his country Kalinga unlike earlier invaders, but stayed on in the north and started ruling there.

After this fortuitous disintegration of the country of Sinhale, there appeared in its southern part, several Sinhalese kingdoms, including the Kandyan kingdom in the central interior, which remained independent until 1815. However, the idea of one country one state seems to have survived the post-Magha division of the country; the division was something that was not psychologically accepted by the Sinhalese. The Sinhalese kingdom that emerged the most powerful at any time laid claim to lordship over the whole of the island, at least in principle. No authority I have read has articulated this conception of the land of the Sinhalese (Tri Sinhale) as a single sovereign nation, cherished by them over the millennia, better than the distinguished former professor of anthropology Gananath Obesekere of the University of Princeton:

In his 2017 book The Doomed King: A Requiem for Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, he writes: ..... all Sri Lankan kings believed that the nation as a whole constituted an entity known as Tri Sinhala (the three parts of the Sinhala land).............. Tri Sinhala refers to the division of the nation into three broad semi-independent regions in a kind of loose unity: Rajarata or Pihitirata in the north, part of the ancient kingdom; Maya, the western part; and Ruhuna, the very south and east. In that conception foreign invaders were there on sufferance and it is the duty of kings to redeem that historic unity.

In this book, Obesekere paints a positive vision of the king using both British and Sinhala sources until his final capture and banishment. He thinks that the king was depicted by the intriguing British as a brutal tyrant who committed cruel excesses against his own people that he suspected of disloyalty, and who thus caused resentment and disaffection among his subjects. This was to justify their own aggressive designs on the kingdom. In reality, Sri Vikrama was ruling as a good king amidst many challenges he had to face because of the treachery of the Kandyan aristocrats engaged in intrigues with the prowling British. The researcher calls Sri Vikrama a doomed king because the dream of Sri Lankan kings of restoring the unity of the nation (mentioned above) which he also must have entertained had become unrealistic and futile when the maritime provinces were conquered by the Portuguese and the Dutch, especially after the British turned them into a crown colony under the British empire in 1798. The king was doomed to be removed sooner or later, for they would not have allowed the Kandyan kingdom to be independent, posing a threat to their overlordship. Both governor Thomas Maitland (1805-1811) and the spying intermediary between the Kandyans and the British in Colombo John DOyly knew that the Kandyan kings claimed the whole of the island as their legitimate right (p.53). So, what was ceded to the British in 1815 was the whole of the land of Sinhale. That, I think, is the reason why Obesekere says that probably the deposition of king Sri Vikrama was the most momentous event in Sri Lankan history (i.e., the complete loss of independence for the first time in its over 2500 year recorded history).

(Incidentally, separatists make much of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha being allegedly a Malabar/Tamil. That is a fallacy, too. He was not a Tamil at all. He belonged to the Telegu speaking Nayaka dynasty who had come to Tamil Nadu from the north to rule there (hence called the Vadugas or northerners; they were a warrior class who had come from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka) ; they were not Tamil themselves. The Kandyan kings maintained relations with the Vadugas. In the Kandy royal court, Sinhala, Telegu, and of course Tamil were used. But most ordinary Kandyan Sinhaese were ignorant of Telegu; neither did they understand these fine distinctions. They revered the Nayaka kings including Sri Vikrama as Sinhala Buddhist kings, though they knew that they were not Sinhalese by blood, and though they thought they were Tamil. As Obesekere says, those Kandyan Sinhalese labelled even the Portuguese as Tamils! Sri Vikrama was consecrated as a Buddhist king to rule over the kingdom of Sinhale. He was crowned king not because he was a Tamil or a Vaduga, but because he was the legitimate heir to the Sinhale throne according to the rules of succession of the time.)

The last native sovereign to unify the whole of Lanka after the breaking away of parts of the kingdom caused by the Kalinga Magha invasion of the 13th century was Parakramabahu VI of the 15th century (1412-1467). He was able to do this by 1450, having conquered the northern Jaffna kingdom. However, following his death ten years later, Jaffna and Kandy broke away again. When the Portuguese made their initial moves, the kingdom of Sitawaka was the most powerful of the Sinhalese kingdoms. Despite the vicissitudes of fortunes of history over millennia the Sinhalese never gave up their sovereign claim to the whole of the island. From 1505 to 1815, the European imperial powers - the Portuguese, Dutch, and English - separately occupied the maritime provinces, while the Sinhale kingdom was reduced to the hilly interior of the island (the Kandyan kingdom), which still occupied more geographical territory than the invaders, with free access to the Trincomalee and Batticaloa harbours in the East.

The Portuguese were in Sri Lanka from 1505 to 1658, in which year they departed permanently, giving way to the Dutch. Until about 1530, Portuguese involvement in the country was limited to trade. But it became more determined and more menacing following the death of king Bhuvanekabahu VII of Kotte in 1551. The Dutch were already dominating by 1640. But their power gradually declined. The Dutch occupied territories were ceded to the British in 1796. The British overcame the entrenched Kandyan resistance through intrigue in 1815, and brought Ceylon under one rule/the British empire, having thus subjugated the whole of the land of Sinhale as a single entity. It was this unified country that was granted independence from foreign domination in 1948, at least nominally.

Vaddukoddai Resolution of 1976

The so-called Vaddukoddai Resolution unanimously passed and adopted at the first National Convention of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) held under the leadership of S.J.V. Chelvanayagam MP Kankesanturai in May 1976 resolved primarily that the restoration and reconstitution of the (alleged) Free, Sovereign, Secular, Socialist State of Tamil Eelam based on the right of self determination inherent to every nation, has become inevitable in order to safeguard the very existence of the Tamil Nation in this Country. It was based on a completely questionable reading of history, which arbitrarily and erroneously claimed that the Sinhalese and Tamil nations have divided the possession of Ceylon, the Sinhalese inhabiting the interior of the country in its Southern and Western parts from the river Walawe to that of Chilaw and the Tamils possessing the Northern and Eastern districts..and ..that the Tamil Kingdom was overthrown in war and conquered by the Portuguese in 1619, and from them by the Dutch and the British in turn, independent of the Sinhalese Kingdoms The British colonialists joined the Tamil and Sinhalese Kingdoms for purposes of administrative convenience on the recommendation of the Colebrooke Commission in 1833. It directed the Action Committee of the Tamil United Liberation Front to formulate a plan of action and launch without undue delay the struggle for winning the sovereignty and freedom of the Tamil Nation, and called upon the Tamil Nation in general and the Tamil youth in particular to come forward to throw themselves fully into the sacred fight for freedom and to flinch not till the goal of a sovereign state of Tamil Eelam is reached.

The reality behind the Portuguese conquest of Jaffna in the early 17th century does not support the implicit claim in the Vaddukoddai Resolution that a significant Tamil kingdom was then in existence there. The truth was that the Portuguese defeated the Pandyan ruler who had been placed in power there and who was maintained by a mercenary army from Tanjore. When he lost to the Portuguese, that army left, and most of the inhabitants with them. Jaffna was almost totally emptied of its small population. The Portuguese had to import several thousand coolies from south India to work on their tobacco plantations. Even the few thousands made the place congested, which prompted the Dutch governor of the time to remark how overpopulated it was in as given in Memoirs of Recloff Van Geons (December 26, 1663, translated by Reimers): Jaffna was so full of people that they were on each others way, on which account the country was too small to feed...

The historically unsupportable wild demands of the Eelamists involved more than one third of the geographical territory of the country including particularly the ancient city of Anuradhapura, that had remained the seat of government of Sinhale for more than one thousand five hundred years, and also the eastern province the very bedrock of the unique hydrological civilization of the Sinhalese that made them world renowned, and in addition to this, two thirds of Sri Lankas coastline, and hence two thirds of its territorial waters! All this for just 11% of the population!

Task assigned to Tamil intellectuals by the separatists

The leaders of the then fast militarizing separatist movement assigned a special task to the Tamil academics and intellectuals, and harassed those who didnt agree with them. This was for them to provide theoretical and ideological support through their learning and superior intellect, particularly to convince the powerful international players in world politics of the alleged justness of their cause. Since the established facts were otherwise, they had to fabricate lies, which they started asserting with increasing vehemence.

Even Karthigesu Indrapala was compelled to virtually recant the conclusions that he provided much scientific evidence to support in his 1965 PhD thesis, that had proved that Tamil history in Sri Lanka began only in the 12th century CE. So he came out with The Evolution of an Ethnic Identity: The Tamils in Sri Lanka (2005), which favoured the separatist cause. Stanley Tambiah of Harvard university (who had graduated from the then University of Ceylon before attending Cornell University for his postgraduate studies in the early 1950s), a social anthropologist, wrote Buddhism Betrayed: Religion, Politics, and Violence in Sri Lanka in 1992. It was a shockingly shallow work of a biased academic (I regret having to use that oxymoron in this context) that was designed to feed the anti-Sinhala Buddhist misinformation drive of the separatists. The title itself is gravely misleading. There has never been any violence committed by Buddhists on religious minorities. There was no connection between Buddhism and violence in Sri Lanka. It was all politics. It is unfortunate that no politician in the country has thought about setting the record straight in this regard. No worthwhile Sri Lankan academic has attempted to answer this pseudo work of scholarship, probably because it is not worth their attention.

Tamil youth misled

The misguided Tamil youth formed themselves into several separatist groups and after years of internecine clashes among them, the most violent LTTE got rid of all rival formations by killing off their leaders and emerged victorious. Its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was from the downtrodden fisher caste in the caste-ridden Jaffna society. It is a fact that Tamils, especially Tamils in the north and east, actually suffer from the Hindu caste discrimination, and not from non-existent Sinhala majoritatianism. Caste-free Tamil intellectuals of today, because they are correctly informed through their scholarship, and are intelligent enough to know fact from fiction, know the truth about the justness or otherwise of the separatist cause that they are now promoting through academic misinformation about everything that is important for the survival of the Sinhalese with their essentially Buddhist cultural traditions and practices, and for the preservation of the records of their ancient history and the rich archaeological heritage.

Bamboozling intervention

Ironically, while it is being demonstrated that Americas policy of intervening in other countries is disastrous folly as in the case of Afghanistan, TNA MP MA Sumanthiran was reported (The Island/August 27, 2021) as having called for American mediation in Sri Lanka for resolving alleged issues faced by Tamils in the North and East of the country. He pointed out that pushing this during Michelle Bachelets tenure as High Commissioner for Human Rights was advantageous for them. R. Sampanthan had earlier urged American ambassador Alaina B. Teplitz to get involved in getting the Sri Lankan government to fix the so-called issues affecting the Tamils in the North and East, and that those two provinces should be merged and administered by the Tamil people. The TNA was asking for a meeting with the president to discuss the implementation of the UN recommendations passed in respect of Sri Lanka during the previous sessions. This is racism taking refuge in supranationalism, for baiting nationalism.

Greatest achievement of the Sinhalese

To my mind, the greatest single achievement of the Sinhalese is their having remained a single sovereign nation with the same linguistic (Sinhala) and cultural (Buddhist) identity intact for over twenty-three centuries in the face of so many devastating onslaughts mounted throughout that long period not only on its sovereign independence but its very survival by South Indian and then European invaders (during the initial 2000 years and the last 500 years, respectively). These ever-present threats to Sri Lankas sovereignty, unity, security, and economic wellbeing, mainly caused by the fact of its geostrategically important location, have not ceased yet.

Potential for Sri Lankan national unity

It is internal divisions that encourage external attacks on our independence. The greatest potential for national unity, in my view, comes from the easy religio-cultural symbiosis between the Tamil Hindus and the Sinhala Buddhists. Since the last mentioned circumstance above - geographic location - cannot be changed by any means, it must be accepted as an unalterable physical reality in a nationally proactive spirit, not as a curse, but as a blessing. It is up to the youth of the country of diverse ethnic backgrounds untainted by historical baggages to take up this challenge and forge ahead as one sovereign nation without allowing foreign powers to walk over us, as they have done over the last seventy three years. I wrote this long essay, not to stoke fires of racial hatred, but to douse them by ascertaining the truth about our past as far as possible, which will enable us to see our way forward more clearly.

(Concluded)
Amateur radio class coming up in person, online

The Humboldt Amateur Radio Club in Eureka, CA, is offering a class to prepare students for the Amateur Radio Technician Class license examination.

The Technician Class license is the entry-level license for amateur radio. The class is free of charge and open to all members of the community. This will be a hybrid class, meeting both in person and via Zoom.

The in-person class will be held at the Humboldt Bay Fire Training Room at 3030 L St. in Eureka. Due to continuing COVID-19 concerns, seating will be limited. The class will meet for 10 consecutive Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m. beginning Sept. 13.

The class will introduce radio and electronic fundamentals, tips on operating station equipment, procedures for communicating with other hams, license and operating regulations and radio safety.

Students are encouraged to purchase the textbook used for the class, ARRL Ham Radio License Manual 4th Edition, available from the American Radio Relay League at http://www.arrl.org/shop/Licensing-Education-and-Training. The cost is $32.95, plus shipping.

To reserve a seat, get a Zoom meeting invitation or for more information on the class, contact Don Campbell at ke6hec@arrl.net or 707-834-0042.

For more information on ham radio in Humboldt County, visit the Humboldt Amateur Radio Club website,

https://www.humboldt-arc.org/
Building a hundred-year-old radio transmitter

Our Hackaday team is spread across the world, but remains in easy contact through the magic of the Internet. A number of us hold amateur radio callsigns, so could with a bit of effort and expenditure do the same over the airwaves. A hundred years ago this would have seemed barely conceivable as amateurs were restricted to the then-considered-unusable HF frequencies.

Thus it was that in December 1921 a group of American radio amateurs gathered in a field in Greenwich Connecticut in an attempt to span the Atlantic. Their 1.3 MHz transmitter using the callsign 1BCG seems quaintly low-frequency a hundred years later, but their achievement of securing reception in Ardrossan, Scotland, proved that intercontinental communication on higher frequencies was a practical proposition.

A century later a group from the Antique Wireless Association are bringing a replica transmitter to life to recreate the event.

Read the full Hackaday article at:

https://hackaday.com/2021/08/31/building-a-hundred-year-old-radio-transmitter/
Members of the DARC club Kerpen (DOK G29) commemorate the 60th anniversary of the death of Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips, a German racing driver wo was killed in a racing accident in 1961.

THe callsign for this event is DG60TRIPS (special DOK TRIPS).

QRV during September; QSL via bureau and via DJ6SI (d).

DXNL
Biden administration desperately blames China with an intention to distract its huge defeat in Afghanistan. The White House and its intelligence community made a repetitious misjudgment and wrong decisions, which only leads to a hasty withdrawal and a big failure, leaving Afghanistan abandoned, all its allies betrayed, and the whole world shocked.

by Ambassador Qi Zhenhong

On August 27, a report on COVID-19 origins was hastily released by the U.S. intelligence agencies, which took them90 days to cook up after an executive order from its President.As predicted, this report couldnt reach any conclusions and failed to satisfy the White Houses tireless intention to incriminate China. The only result of this so-called scientific report is to make Washingtons circus show and its ugly hidden agenda exposed to all.

The domestic agenda for the U.S. blaming China is to cover its big failure and chaos in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the only superpower with less than 4.3% of the worlds population and the richest medical resources, the U.S. surprised us with over 39.2 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, accounting for 18% of the global total, and more than 639,000 deaths, around 14.2% of the world. While being incapable of containing the pandemic, the U.S. politicians choose to point fingers at China, fabricating lies, instigating populism and racial hatred, to cover up their failure and shirk their responsibility. We solemnly advise the U.S. that to blame others will not save the lives of the American people, but only amplify its own incompetence. Facing the grave doubts from its own people and the whole world about its poor governance, the only way out for the U.S. Administration is to uphold science and solidarity fighting against the pandemic.

The international agenda for the U.S. blaming China is to defame and suppress China by COVID-19 politicization. Some U.S. politicians obsessed with the cold-war mindset become more and more anxious and bewildered when witnessing Chinas rapid peaceful growth, in particular Chinas successful containment of the pandemic and fast resumption ofall work and production. Therefore, out of self-created suspicion, they make a mountain out of a molehill to label China as the strategic competitor and the greatest threat to the U.S., and hysterically politicize the pandemic and demonize China. They are forcing the scientific origins-tracing into an undisguised political instrument against China, clamouring accountability, compensation even boycotting Beijing 2022 Winter Olympicsetc. However, the U.S. will never make it even though they repeat their lies a thousand times. Thus far, over 80 countries including Sri Lanka have written to the WHO Director-General to openly voice their opposition to politicizing origins-tracing.

Furthermore, the Biden administration desperately blames China with an intention to distract its huge defeat in Afghanistan. The White House and its intelligence community made a repetitious misjudgment and wrong decisions, which only leads to a hasty withdrawal and a big failure, leaving Afghanistan abandoned, all its allies betrayed, and the whole world shocked. In the face of domestic fires of sharp criticism and some calls for President Biden and his main aides to resign, the White House and its intelligence agencies are in dire need of shifting spotlight to save their face and future. That explains why the U.S. intelligence community had no choice but to rush out such a useless report against common sense.

I would like to point out that it is sheer nonsense for the U.S. to ignore the authoritative WHO-China joint study and accuse China of not being transparent or cooperative on coronavirus origins tracing. It is actually the U.S. that is not being transparent, responsible and cooperative on this issue. The U.S. has been refusing to respond to the international community's reasonable doubts on the Fort Detrick bio lab and the over 200 overseas bases for biological experiments, trying to cover up the truth and avoid being held responsible. The onus is on the U.S. to give the world an answer.

We earnestly admonish the U.S. to immediately stop doing anything that poisons the atmosphere for international cooperation on origins-tracing or undermines global solidarity against the pandemic and return to the right track of science-based origins-tracing and cooperation in the face of the pandemic.For lives sake, do something good for its own pandemic control and the global anti-pandemic collaboration.

( The writer, Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka )
St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones on Wednesday announced the appointment of the citys new health director, Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis.

Hlatshwayo Davis is an infectious disease expert with a focus in addressing health disparities among marginalized communities and battling the HIV epidemic.

During a media conference, the doctor said her training in public health and her passion for community engagement will be valuable tools in this new position and noted that her commitment to medicine and to public health is rooted in the loss of her father, a veteran in her home country of Zimbabwe, who succumbed to complications of cancer and diabetes.

Preventing similar outcomes, providing care to people at their most vulnerable and advocating for our community has been my primary focus, she said.

Hlatshwayo Davis resume is miles long, but currently she sits on the St. Louis City Board of Health and is also co-chair of Fast Track Cities, St. Louis, an initiative that aims to eradicate new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths in the region by 2030.

When asked about the citys current mask mandate and whether she believes it will extend into the fall and winter months, Hlatshwayo Davis said she will always prioritize science-backed, data-driven public health approaches.

Hlatshwayo Davis is the second Black woman to fill the role, the first being Melba Moore who served as acting health director from 2015 to 2018. Moore was appointed by St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and is a certified public health administrator

Hlatshwayo Davis will begin her work as the citys top health leader in October.

Jones confirmed that acting Department of Health Director Dr. Fredrick Echols will continue in his role as the citys health commissioner. She noted that he applied and interviewed for the director's position but ultimately the mayor went with Hlatshwayo Davis.

This announcement came just days after the St. Louis Board of Aldermen on Monday voted to extend for 30 days the citys mask mandate enacted by Dr. Fredrick Echols, acting director of health. In addition to extending the mask mandate, the resolution requires the city to submit a report to the board by Sept. 11 regarding its vaccination efforts.

Coater quote My sincere hope is that there is not much disagreement over this as weve seen in some neighboring jurisdictions.  Alderman Jack Coatar

The mandate requires all individuals who are five years and older to wear a face covering while in public indoor spaces and while using public transportation. Exceptions to this are people who are seated in a restaurant or bar eating and drinking and individuals with disabilities that prevent them from putting on or removing face coverings.

The vote from the board was sought because Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a law in early June stating that political subdivisions may only issue public health orders for 30 days in a 180-day period. In order for those orders to then be extended, a simple majority vote by the local governing body is needed.

Along with the extension, the boards resolution requires the citys health department to submit a written report by Sept. 11 detailing information on its vaccination efforts, including (but not limited to) information on the vaccine incentive program, city employee vaccine mandate, vaccination education efforts and marketing plans and case data on vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

Currently, 163,016 city residents (54.2% of the population) have received at least one dose and 135,817 city residents (45.2% of the population) are fully vaccinated.

While Yale Medicine reports there is no magic vaccination number to achieve herd immunity, where a large portion of a community is immune to a disease, the necessary rate for COVID-19 could be as high as 85% of the total population. The organization noted that measles, for example, spreads so easily that an estimated 95% of a population needs to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity and for polio the threshold is about 80%.

Alderman Jack Coatar, Ward 7, addressed the board prior to the unanimous vote, clearly alluding to the contentious debate thats plagued St. Louis County for over a month now.

My sincere hope is that there is not much disagreement over this as weve seen in some neighboring jurisdictions, he said.

There was no disagreement brought up in the meeting, and it appeared the entire board agreed to co-sponsor the resolution.

Jones issued a statement Monday afternoon stating she was grateful to the board for passing the resolution and that her administration will continue to work aggressively to reach the vaccine-hesitant and lift our vaccination rates.

Jones and St. Louis County Executive Sam Page together enacted a public health order requiring masks in public indoor spaces and transportation July 26. The countys board voted to strike down the mandate a day later, however the citys mandate has remained in effect since July 26.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt also sued to block the city and countys mask mandate the day it went into effect. Earlier this month, a county judge issued a suspension on the enforcement of the mandate until the court makes a final ruling after the parties failed to work together to reach a compromise upon the judges request.

Mondays vote follows the vote on Friday by the St. Louis County Council to support a mask mandate after five weeks of contentious debate and at least two votes against the mandate.

Page addressed the public briefly Monday morning, saying that as a result of the county councils vote to support a mask mandate resolution, his office is asking the judge to rescind the courts suspension on the enforcement of the mask mandate.

The county executive said Monday that 47.7% of the countys residents are fully vaccinated.

Jones also recently announced that civil service employees  nearly 6,000 workers  will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct.15 or get tested for the virus on a weekly basis. In addition, St. Louis Public Schools last week instituted a vaccine mandate for all faculty and staff.

Schmitt has also filed a class action lawsuit against school districts that have mandated masks for students and teachers.

Related Stories:
EQS Group-News: Code Pharma BV / Key word(s): Statement

Code Pharma BV: Antiviral drug Codivir shows promising effect against COVID-19



01.09.2021 / 11:37





PRESS RELEASE

Antiviral drug Codivir shows promising effect against COVID-19



Code Pharma, a Dutch pharmaceutical company, is developing a direct antiviral drug against COVID-19.

Following the successful completion of a phase I study, the company is now initiating a phase II double-blind controlled study in Spain, Brazil, South Africa, and Israel.



Tel Aviv (Israel) / De Bilt (Netherlands), 1 September 2021 - Codivir, a short synthetic

16 amino-acid peptide, derived from the HIV-1 integrase, was originally discovered at the Hebrew University in Israel.

Code Pharma discovered that the peptide had a direct antiviral effect against SARS-CoV-2, the novel Coronavirus causing COVID-19. In-vitro studies conducted at the British virology research laboratory Virology Research Services in London then demonstrated a potent antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and other RNA viruses.

Subsequently, a phase I clinical trial of Codivir in patients with COVID-19 was approved in Brazil by the National Research Ethics Commission (CONEP). The trial was conducted at Casa de Saude - Vera Cruz Hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with Dr Florentino Cardoso as the principal investigator. The results of the study showed that Codivir has a high safety profile while significantly suppressing viral replication in most of the fully assessed patients with an antiviral effect noted as early as three days. All patients recovered quickly after the treatment with Codivir and didn't show any signs of side effects very often associated with COVID-19 infections. Manuscripts describing these results have been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.

Dr Yotam Kolben and Dr Asa Kesler, from the Department of Medicine at Hadassah Medical Center, who are the lead authors on the paper stated: "The preclinical data, and the results of the clinical trial support the safety of Codivir administration in humans and suggest its significant anti-COVID-19 effect. Using a direct anti-viral drug carries the potential for improving the current therapies available for COVID-19".

These results indicate that the drug can be used to treat COVID-19 patients suffering at different levels of severity. Due to its direct anti-viral effect, Codivir may have a similar beneficial effect on other RNA viruses, such as influenza.

Following the successful phase I study, the company is now initiating a phase II double-blind controlled study, to be conducted in Spain, Brazil, South Africa, and Israel, with a larger cohort. In view of the ongoing global pandemic, Code Pharma has submitted emergency approval requests to several countries. To answer the expected demand, the company is preparing for mass production of Codivir in different sites worldwide.

"In the first and second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, most drugs with putative or proven antiviral mechanisms of action have not proven themselves to significantly prolong life expectancy", Prof Shlomo L. Maayan, Director Infectious Disease division at the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, said. "'Codivir' has a very good safety profile and a very impressive antiviral effect, both in laboratory conditions and in phase I clinical trial in humans. We eagerly await the results of the double-blind studies using Codivir. It may be a breakthrough in the field of antiviral therapy for COVID-19 patients".

*** END ***

About Code Pharma

Code Pharma BV is a global pharmaceutical company, headquartered in the Netherlands, with R&D activities centered in Israel. The company aims to develop cost-effective treatments for infectious and oncological diseases by using novel peptides and bring together outstanding professionals with multidisciplinary expertise in peptides, cell cultures, clinical development, and chemistry manufacturing.

Further information can be found at: https://www.codepharma.com/

If you have any questions regarding Code Pharma, please contact us at:

Code Pharma

Investor Relations

E: info@codepharma.com

Media contact

Marcus Balogh/Sunjoy Mathieu

Farner Consulting Ltd.

E: codepharma@farner.ch

T: +41 44 266 67 67
The Governor has the power to suspend this official, but so does the city commission, said Christina Pushaw, spokeswoman for Gov. Ron DeSantis, earlier in the day. We expect this to be handled at the local level. But if the city commission does not act, then perhaps the Governor will use his power to do so.
Twenty-seven women were still in the waiting room after 10 p.m. at one clinic, leaving doctors crying and scrambling over whether they would see all of them in time, she said. The last abortion at one of her clinics finished at 11:56 p.m. in Fort Worth, where Hagstrom Miller said anti-abortion activists outside shined bright lights in the parking lot after dark looking for wrongdoing, and twice called police.
The DeSantis administration has consistently refused to release COVID-related public records, which not only hurts our efforts to contain this deadly virus, it is also unlawful, Smith said Tuesday. Thats why were suing them  to obtain the public records our constituents are entitled to under the Florida Constitution and to force the state to resume daily COVID dashboard reporting and avoid future litigation on this matter.
Nationally, the extra benefits are available to all children who were eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year. Children under age 6 whose families were already enrolled in SNAP for the summer are also eligible. Those families would receive the funds electronically on what looks like a credit card and can only be used for food at grocery stores, selected online grocers and farmers markets.
Having abolished parole like 15 other states, Florida is one of six whose laws require even nonviolent offenders to serve at least 85% of their time despite good behavior. Sentences have grown longer  by 22% since 2007  largely because of 108 mandatory minimums that tie judges hands, even though declining crime rates undercut the grounds for such severity. Its the result of politicians who pander for votes by cracking down on crime without paying for it.
The mayor of Ronda, Maria de la Paz Fernandez, has blamed a 'quiet month for news' after a four-minute council meeting - that could cost 3,600 euros - hit the headlines.

The council meeting took place in the historic, mountain town - that is famous for its breath-taking gorge - on Monday.

Fernandez downplayed the event and said that there was "a lot of hype about something that has no repercussions. There is little news in August."

Nine opposition councillors and three, unpaid, members of the same party as the local government team are entitled to claim a 300 euro attendance allowance for the brief meeting.
Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, has announced a new political roadmap this Wednesday (1 September) with a message of optimism.

Speaking in front of his full government team, business leaders and union representatives, the President of the Government took cente stage at a conference in which he outlined out the three main challenges for next year: the ongoing vaccination campaign, and ensuring that the countrys economic recovery is fair, while modernising economic and social areas.

Sanchez did not miss the opportunity to highlight that the goal of vaccinating 70 per cent of the population by the end of the summer has been reached. And he offered the data, that while in the first wave the lethality reached 12 per cent in those infected, in the fifth wave that percentage has been reduced to 0.3 per cent. All thanks to the vaccination campaign, he pointed out.

And as the vaccination process progresses, the economic prospects will improve, he said. "We are going to recover to pre-pandemic levels in 2022. And it is true that it will be accompanied by a rise in prices, but our will is to continue with the stimuli."

This will allow, he confirmed, an immediate increase in the minimum wage, which the Government, employers and unions will begin to negotiate today.

The Prime Minister addressed the rise in the price of electricity and he assured that the Government is acting and will continue to do so, despite the fact that every day a new historical record is set. He said all options will be investigated, working within the framework of European Union legislation.
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MBABANE  The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been accused of undermining the value of life in Eswatini.

According to Qhawekazi Khumalo from the communications department of the United Eswatini Diaspora in a press statement sent yesterday, she alleged that a festival of human rights violation in Eswatini, brutality, intimidation and threats by state police on innocent civilians continued while SADC undermined the value of life in the country. She said the maintenance of peace and stability in the African region were principles enshrined in the SADC Declaration and Treaty at the same time, human rights remained subject to the state-centric international structure.

promote

She said SADC was supposed to promote peace and security, stability and development, democratic institutions and governance, the rule of law, respect for human rights and equity and solidarity in the region. She noted that the abuse by SADC of its diplomatic relations and engagement were clear in Organ Troikas non- action for crisis interventions in Eswatini according to Khumalo. She said SADC had the authority and capacity under its Troika Protocol to prevent, manage and resolve conflict by peaceful means including preventive diplomacy, negotiations, conciliation and mediation. SADC has taken regressive steps to weaken and undermine key right protection mechanisms for Eswatini and its people. SADC is obligated to act as individuals human rights are not protected by the legal system in Eswatini; there is an authoritarian rule, government unaccountability and the exploitation of state resources for the preservation of power for the absolute monarchys untransformed autocracy, she alleged.

marred

Eswatini has been marred by political unrest which culminated in the looting, vandalism and burning of some business establishments due to calls for political reforms. Khumalo highlighted that SADC had not been explicit in addressing human rights violations publicly, nor has it attempted to use its authority, influence and resources to bring positive change for human rights in Eswatini. She added that regardless of the ideological context within which deliberations on human rights took place in Eswatini and in spite of the categorisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms; humans including the people of Eswatini were entitled to the entire scope of these rights not because they were members of any society but because they were members of the community of humankind and human rights, justice and fairness had a part in the conduct of relations between SADC and Eswatini. SADC should note that the principles of sovereignty and non-intervention do not constitute a barrier to concerns for the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

intervention

The principle of non-intervention in internal affairs enjoys equal status with the principle of respect for human rights, including civil and political rights, freedom of expression and freedom of association, she added. In a recent interview with Percy Simelane, the Director of Communications in the Kings Office, he said they did not see SADC, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) embracing change achieved through twisting the arms of the system. Some of the impediments the United Eswatini Diaspora wanted removed included;

The immediate ceasing of police brutality and hostilities towards citizens.

The total unbanning of political parties.

An all-inclusive political dialogue.

A transitional authority.

A multiparty democracy dispensation.

A new democratic constitution.
MBABANE  Government will now use E50 million to purchase 400 000 doses of the Pfizer BionTech vaccine as well as specialised syringes and needles.

The E50 million will be taken from the E200 million which Parliament had approved last year for the purchase of the vaccines. This is according to a report by the Finance Sessional Committee on the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) - World Bank loan under the COVID-19 Emergency Response Project - Additional Financing amounting to US$5 million, an equivalent of about E72 706 500. The report was tabled by Chairperson of the Sessional Committee Manzini South MP Thandi Nxumalo. Government, through Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi and Finance Minister Neal Rijkenberg, was responding to a question posed on why the E200 million was not used to roll out the vaccination exercise. The MPs noted that all the vaccines that were administered to emaSwati were donated by the countrys partners.

The ministers said the Pfizer plus those donated by AstraZeneca (500 000), Janssen J&J (300 400) donated by US Government and those donated by India and the COVAX Facility were adequate to cover the target population. There is a likelihood of requiring more doses in the future for immune boosters depending on new and emerging guidelines, reads the report. The ministry stated that unfortunately, the E200 million could not be all committed to procuring the vaccines within the current financial year and as such could be forfeited at the end of the year. The committee further raised concern that there was still an acute shortage of drugs in hospitals and wondered what government was doing to address this. There are ongoing measures to address the medicines shortage. Currently, there are tenders in place for the procurement of essential medicines, reads the report. It was stated that there were, however, certain classes of medicines that were hard to source from the global markets due to COVID-19 effects. It was said these included antipsychotic medication. The committee has recommended that the Ministry of Health should ensure that proper procurement procedures were followed when spending the allocated funds.

Appraise

It was further stated that the minister should quarterly appraise Parliament on the use of the allocated funds as well as the progress on the fight against COVID-19. Meanwhile, in his preamble, the Finance minister said the ministry had successfully negotiated with representatives from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) - World Bank loan under the COVID-19 Emergency Response Project. He said the requested amount would be used to enhance the countrys immunisation systems so as to improve delivery as the country battled with the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the initiatives to be undertaken to minimise critical gaps, the countrys health system would be the strengthening of planning and management of vaccination plans; procurement, supply and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and procurement of energy efficient cold storages, goods and services for the smooth running of the vaccine roll-out exercise. Government further said there would be support for programmes inter-alia; risk communication, advocacy, training of health personnel, supervisory activities, transport and logistics, medical waste management, upgrading of existing management information systems for registration and surveillance systems for tracking COVID-19 vaccines.
MANZINI  A taxi man, who was last seen being hired by a young man on Saturday at Mliba, was found burnt inside his car and two teenagers have been arrested so far.

The man is believed to have died from the burn wounds. According to an impeccable source, the taximan, whose identity has been deliberately withheld as this publication could not get a comment from his next of kin, who was operating at Mliba Village, was allegedly hired by a young man on Saturday afternoon while at his workstation. The source claimed that along the way, which was to an unknown destination, the client allegedly told the deceased to pick up two of his friends. When the said friends boarded the car, suspected to be a Toyota RunX, the taximan realised that he knew one of them.

In fact, the source claimed that the taximan discovered that one of the people he had just picked up with his car was his enemy whom he had recently taken to court over a matter which they did not see eye-to-eye on. Thereafter, according to the source, there was a quarrel in the car and in the process, the taximan was allegedly stabbed. He alleged that they then bundled him into the boot of the car and drove away with him. When they reached the forests at Njojane, under Hlane Constituency in the Lubombo Region, the trio allegedly took him out of the boot and placed him on the drivers seat. The source alleged that they then shot him several times, before they set him alight. The source said the shocking discovery was made by Njojane community members on Monday morning and they called the police, who responded promptly to the call. He said the man was found burnt to death, almost unrecognisable inside the car, which was also partly burnt by the fire. In fact, they found his body on the drivers seat, the source said. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that a man was found burnt to death inside a car at Njojane on Monday morning. She said the police had arrested two teenagers, aged 17 and 19. She said one man was still at large.

Missing

It is worth noting that in April 2020, a taximan of Luve, who had been missing for 10 days, was also found dead. The taxi operator of Luve went missing along with his car, a silver grey Honda Fit, on Sunday April 26, 2020. The police finally made a breakthrough when they found his car at Gege in the Shiselweni Region 10 days later and it was driven by a man from Mbelebeleni, near Luve in the Manzini Region. According to a family member, the information they got from the police was that the man who was found driving the car was taken in for questioning. Thereafter, the police continued with their investigation, it led them to Ngogola, Mafutseni where they found the taximans body and it was starting to decompose.
MBABANE  Some of the people who take part in the annual Incwala Ceremony feel insulted by the statement made by Apostle Justice Dlamini, who associated the event with witchcraft.

On Sunday, August 22, 2021, the Worship Centre leader repeated a statement he made in 2012, alleging that during the Incwala Ceremony, witchcraft was practised. As a result, he urged church leaders to not fear talking about the issue but guide the country and its leadership against the cultural practice. He was speaking during a one-hour sermon which was aired live from 6pm to 7pm.

Prayer

The man of God said church leaders knew clearly that there was a national cultural event where every year, rituals were performed during the ceremony which was regarded as a national prayer. Worth noting is that Incwala is believed to be a national prayer where the nation gathers inside the cattle byre at Ludzidzini Royal Residence to celebrate the first fruits of the harvest. The nation also celebrates the peace and stability which has prevailed since the country got independence from Britain on September 6, 1968. We know that most of the things that are happening there are not right. Unless there is something that I do not know or we are just being hypocrites, but we know that there is a lot of witchcraft that takes place there. This type of practice is an indictment for all of us as church leaders to not rest but help the countrys leadership realise that this cultural event will ignite Gods anger and block the countrys prosperity and revival of the country. It will block even the blessings of God because where there is witchcraft, God said he would shy away. It could be that it started when there was still lack of knowledge and all that people were told was that it was culture, the apostle said.

Uma kunebutsakatsi lobentekako, kukhulunyiswa kwalabafa nayo yonkhe lentfo, kuhanjwe kuyokhendlwa kubuywe kwentiwe tintfo letitsite kutsiwe kutociniswa live nebukhosi, kutsiwe kuciniswa emaSwati, that thing itokhwebula i-judgement ya-Nkulunkulu, he said in vernacular. At the time, the apostle said he was grateful that a prayer and fast had been called, saying it was an opportunity for church leaders to stand up and be like the Biblical Jeremiahs, Hezekiels and others.

Renounce

We need to stand up and say that we appreciate that our leader has seen the need for a national prayer and fast but also tell him that for a prayer to be listened to, there are certain things that we need to renounce and not to allow them to take place anymore. This is because God does not listen to a prayer that comes from environments where there are bad practices like witchcraft, said the apostle. The Incwala participants said it was disheartening to hear such a statement from a prestigious man of God like Dlamini. Two Minutes Shongwe said he expected men of God like Dlamini to act professionally whenever they saw something wrong with Eswatini culture. Shongwe said the Bible, which he believed Dlamini was reading, was clear on how to approach people believed to be sinners. He said the manner in which Dlamini made the statement was likely to cause resistance as opposed to luring people to repentance. Angive kahle umpostoli, angilwi naye kepha ngitsi kuyinhlanjana kutsi utawukhuluma ngebutsakatsi esikweni lesive lapho kuhlanganyela khona bantfu labanyenti, Shongwe said loosely translating to: May the man of God get me clearly, I am not fighting him in anyway. It is insulting of him to associate our culture, which is attended by many people, with witchcraft. Shongwe said Dlaminis statement was tantamount to insulting the attendees of the event.

Witchcraft

I dont recall seeing anyone performing witchcraft at the event. All I know is that Incwala is about a gathering where the nation thank God for what He has done for the country as emaSwati put Him first, he said. Shongwe also said the apostle was likely to lose his prestige if his claims appeared to be untrue. He said it was wrong to make allegations that one could not prove. According to Shongwe, even pastors and apostles spent time alone in their offices and claimed to be praying to God. He said people were suspicious about that but opted to remain silent because they could not prove their suspicions. Men of God spend time alone in their offices and when asked about that they will say they are praying to God. One would ask what kind of prayer is it that requires privacy. People are suspicious about that but they cannot allege without proof, he said. In vernacular Shongwe said: Labanye bafundisi bativalela emahhovisi utsi nawuva uve kutsiwa bayathandaza. Pho bangaze bativalele emahhovisi uma bathandaza? Natsi siyasola kutsi kukhona lokwentiwa ngansense lapha emahhovisini kepha asikhulumi ngoba site bufakazi ngako.

Edward Masilela said Dlamini made a big mistake by making such utterances. Ugange kakhulu loyo, Masilela said. He further mentioned that Dlamini deserved to be called to order by the authorities so that he could prove the witchcraft claims.

Interestingly, church leaders also participate in the Incwala Ceremony. When asked about Dlaminis statement, President of the League of African Churches Bishop Samson Hlatjwako wondered how the statement came about. Hlatjwako said he heard the criticism about the event. He stated that he was also criticised for participating in the event. However, he did not comment further. Acting Ludzidzini Governor Chief Lusendvo Fakudze referred all questions to the Chairman of Ludzidzini Council, Chief Mdlaka Gamedze. This, Fakudze said, was because the King appointed a council to deal with such matters.

When sought for comment, Gamedze said in life there were people who deserved to be called to order. Gamedze asked if Dlamini could be called to order. I have heard tindvuna talking about Dlaminis statements in the past. I heard the late Jim Gama and the late Timothy Velabo Mtetwa talking about Dlaminis statement. Then the question would be, does he deserve to be called to order if he repeated one and the same statement? I will advise Dlamini to pray to God to remove darkness if he sees it, Gamedze said.

King

Gamedze also urged the nation to pray for Dlamini. He said every liSwati had a responsibility to defend the King and culture. This, he said, did not require one to be appointed to a higher position. He advised that Dlamini should address his concern with the rightful people as opposed to speaking vile about the national event. When called yesterday, the apostle advised that his previous statement should be used as is. He stated that he preferred speaking in a platform where he could be recorded to avoid being misquoted.
MBABANE  Lawsuits against government by people who were allegedly shot by police and soldiers during the unrest in the country are starting to trickle in at the High Court.

A 17-year-old teenager of Mbasheni in northern Hhohho is demanding over E4.9 million from the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF). He alleged that he was shot by soldiers who were acting on a direct command of the commander-in-chief of the Defence Force and the army commander. During the unrest, which began at the end of June this year, there was looting, vandalism and burning of various businesses to the point that the army had to be roped in to assist police officers. It was during the height of the unrest that some people were allegedly shot by security forces. The exact amount that the teenager is demanding from government is E4 970 350. This is the first lawsuit since the riots broke out and a number of people were reportedly shot by the law enforcers. A sum of E600 000 of the amount demanded by the teenager is in respect of shortened life expectancy.

Mlandvo Sethu Dlamini alleged that members of the army, who were dispersing community members at Mbasheni, allegedly shot him while he was alighting from a bus. He said he was not part of the protest but was from Piggs Peak town where he had been sent by his parents to buy a cabbage. He claimed that the soldiers assaulted him by shooting, cutting/breaking his leg with service rifles. He said when he was shot, the soldiers were dispersing some community members who had blocked the road using a wreckage of a kombi. In his particulars of claim, Mlandvo submitted that on July 1, 2021, at about noon, members of the UEDF unlawfully, and heavily assaulted him by shooting him in the left leg with a service rifle. These are allegations contained in an affidavit whose veracity is still to be tested in court. The army is yet to file its papers in the event it is disputing the allegations levelled against its members. The teenager is represented by Leo Ndvuna Dlamini of L.N. Dlamini and Associates. Mlandvo contended that the UEDF allegedly violated the law enforcement objectives in terms of Section 57 of the Constitution Act 2005.

Part of Section 57 provides that: Law enforcement officials may not inflict, instigate or tolerate any torture or other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment, nor may any law official invoke superior orders of exceptional circumstances as a justification of torture or other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment. The Act further stipulates that law enforcement officials shall at all times fulfil the duty imposed upon them by the law by serving the community and by protecting all persons against illegal acts, consistent with the high degree of responsibility required by their profession. Mlandvo said the soldiers allegedly violated the said section of the Constitution in that they allegedly inflicted and instigated acts of torture against him.

He averred that there was no justification from the soldiers to subject him to inhumane and degrading acts. I had not committed any criminal offence and the use of force was not proportionate since the defendants (soldiers) did not have any reasonable suspicion that I had committed any criminal offence at common law or any statute law, reads part of Mlandvos papers.

He alleged that his leg was broken and he had to be hospitalised at Piggs Peak and Mbabane government hospitals. Mlandvo submitted that he suffered pain, permanent disability, disfigurement and incurred medical expenses. At all material times, the defendants were soldiers/members of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force and as such employed by Eswatini Government. When they shot at the plaintiff they were acting on the direct command of the commander-in-chief of the defence force in terms of Section 4(3)(a) of the Constitution, he alleged.

Assault

The teenager contended that the assault took place in full view of members of the public at Mbasheni. He claimed that because of the assault, he had to undergo medical treatment and psychological assessment. It was further his submission that after the incident, he was unable to walk for 41 days. The plaintiff avowed that he also suffered permanent disability of the broken leg, loss of amenities of life, loss of pleasure in life, withdrawal and fear. He alleged that as a consequence whereof he suffered damages in the amount of E4 970 350. On Monday, the Times of Eswatini carried a story of some of the survivors of the June/July unrest, who openly stated that they had a lot of anger and resentment against security personnel; and cant stand them following the shootings. Also, the survivors were quoted as having said they were of the view that legal representatives who could be willing to face government on the issue without fear of being victimised were few.

According to the survivors, it was critical for them to file their matter in the local courts to strengthen their case with the International Criminal Court (ICC). The survivors are now reportedly attending counselling sessions made possible by the Eswatini Solidarity Fund. Government had indicated that they would institute an investigation regarding the shootings. According to the survivors, they were taken aback every time they came across the security personnel, especially because the shootings had a great impact on their lives. They stated that they had so much resentment because their lives were no longer the same and some who were breadwinners were no longer able to fend for their families. According to the Limitation of Legal Proceedings Against Government Act, 1972, if one intends to sue the government the first thing is to issue a letter of demand within 90 days from the occurrence of the cause of action.
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) has signed an agreement to build a petrochemical complex in China at an investment of RMB40 billion ($6.15 billion) in a joint venture with Fujian Petrochemical Industrial Group.

The two companies will set up a 51:49 joint venture after receiving approval from the relevant Chinese government authorities.

The project will include a mixed feed steam cracker, numerous downstream facilities and several by-product units. It will boast a ethylene capacity of 1.5 million MT per year, senior company officials said after signing the online agreement.

The scope of work includes a series of downstream production units, including an ethylene glycol (MEG) unit, two sets of polyethylene (PE) unit, two of polypropylene (PP) units, a polycarbonate and other production units.-TradeArabia News Service
The upcoming inaugural Future Minerals Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will offer a 'one-stop-shop' for investors interested in learning more about the mining potential of the Middle East, Central Asia, and North and East Africa.



Scheduled to take place from January 11 to 13, 2022, the Future Minerals Summit will be held under the patronage of Saudi Arabias King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.



"We are putting mining and investment at the heart of the new Saudi economy," said Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Al-Khorayef. "With an estimated $1.3 trillion mineral endowment, we are looking for investors and partners to work with us to continue to transform the Saudi mining industry in the years ahead."



Invitations have been extended to the world's key mining industry leaders, investors and influencers, and thought-provoking speakers.



"What sets the Future Minerals Summit apart and makes it compelling is the three dynamic regions that co-own the event and are open for business," said Al-Khorayef. "The Summit will provide a platform for governments from across the Middle East, Central Asia, and North and East Africa to come together to discuss investment opportunities and strategic partnerships with global investors with an interest in mining.



"Our ambition is to shape the future of mining by bringing together governments, the private sector, multilateral organizations and NGOs to find solutions and sustainable investment streams to support a dynamic, integrated mining sector in this part of the world and beyond," concluded Al-Khorayef.



The conference program is being built around four pillars:



 Defining a New Mining Hub  Showcasing opportunities across the Middle East, Central Asia, and North and East Africa

 Lands of Opportunity  Outlining partnership opportunities across integrated value chains

 Reimagining Mining  Shining a spotlight on innovations that will support mining in the future

 Mining's Contribution to Society  Highlighting the industry's vital role in producing the inputs needed to create a circular carbon future, as well as attracting the workforce of the future



In addition to the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Future Minerals Summit has been endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Investment, and Public Investment Fund.  TradeArabia News Service
AESG, a leading global specialist consultancy, engineering and built environment advisory firm with regional headquarters in Dubai, London and Singapore, has announced its acquisition of Commtech Europe, an established provider of commissioning and technical services throughout Europe.

According to AESG, the deal will enable it to broaden the portfolio of services and focus on construction and commissioning services for the Middle Easts data centre and pharmaceutical markets.

With the rapid expansion of the data centre and pharmaceutical sectors alongside the ever-increasing complexity of building systems, Commtech Europes reputation and strength in commissioning critical facilities and systems perfectly aligns with AESGs comprehensive commissioning, digital handover and asset management services and its commitment to delivering best-in-class engineering services resulting in greater efficiencies in project delivery, said the company in a statement.

Following the deal, Commtech Europe, will be fully integrated into AESG, giving existing Commtech Europe clients access to AESGs complimentary commissioning expertise as well as the firms multidisciplinary expertise in sustainable design, fire engineering, facade engineering, acoustics, environmental consultancy and data management for the built environment.

This acquisition further strengthens AESGs service offerings in commissioning services, enabling the company to capitalise on the significant opportunities across our core markets of the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

In line with AESGs recently announced global expansion strategy, acquiring Comtech Europe ensures the firm continues to be at the forefront of innovation and advanced technical solutions, to be able to keep delivering buildings and critical facilities that excel operationally with life safety, reliability and energy performance considered from the start, said its top official.

"Acquiring Commtech Europe is a significant step for us at AESG as bringing their expertise into the group enables us to continue building upon our proven track record of delivering exceptional projects for our clients across all of our core markets and sectors," remarked its CEO Saeed Al Abbar.

"We maintain a highly optimistic outlook with confidence that our commitment to maintaining service excellence through our ongoing expansion will further validate our position as a leading global consultancy firm," he added.

Ian Woodroofe, who held the position of Managing Director of Commtech Europe, will be taking over the new role of Director of Commissioning for AESGs Europe, UK and Asia markets.

"By bringing Commtech Europes wealth of experience and expertise in commissioning and technical services into AESG, we aim to build on the synergies and expertise of both firms in order to strengthen our client offering," observed Woodroofe.

"Having recently joined AESG, I very much look forward to overseeing the integration process and ensuring that our clients, both existing and prospective, fully benefit from our expanded offer to optimise the delivery of their assets," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Siemens Mobility, a unit of global technology major Siemens, has announced that its consortium with Orascom Construction and The Arab Contractors has secured a turnkey rail system contract worth $4.5 billion from the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT).

As per the deal, Siemens Mobility consortium will deliver a comprehensive rail system featuring the first ever high-speed, electrified main and freight rail line that will transform the transportation sector in Egypt.

The scope of work includes comprehensive turnkey services to design, install, commission, and maintain the systems for 15 years.

The deal also covers 660 km of modern, safe, and integrated rail system to link the Red and Mediterranean Sea for people and goods, said the statement from Siemens.

Of the total contract value, the German technology giant's share is around $3 billion. The vast majority of the order intake is expected to be booked in 2022 after financial closing.

It is the first contract to be signed following the MoU agreed upon between NAT and Siemens Mobility, Orascom Construction and The Arab Contractors in January this year.

The contract signed today covers the initial 660 km out of the 1800 km rail network planned. Additionally, it was agreed to discuss and finalize the agreements on the two other high-speed railway lines including rail infrastructure and trains, and maintenance in the coming months.

On the key agreement, Lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir, Egyptian Minister of Transport, said: "This high-speed train will strengthen the infrastructure of the areas it passes through and help achieve urban sprawl, in addition to linking the New Administrative Capital and new cities to the railway network for transporting passengers and goods."

"The project will also help promote tourism through a fast, modern, and safe means of transportation characterized by the highest levels of efficiency and safety to meet the needs and expectations of all Egyptians across the country which is considered a major leap in the field of rail transport. For its part, Siemens will provide its latest smart technology solutions, along with its continuous support to local skills development," he added.

Siemens President and CEO Roland Busch said: "We are proud to support the Egyptian governments ambition to transform its transport sector by building its first high-speed electrical rail network. This landmark project will create jobs, boost economic growth, and improve quality of life for millions of people, by creating a more efficient, safe and sustainable transport system."

"As a long-standing partner to Egypt, we are committed to providing the most advanced technology and to supporting local skills development," he noted.

"We are honored and proud to become Egypts partner in constructing a state-of-the art rail system that will transform the everyday travel for millions of Egyptian people," he added.

For this project, Siemens Mobility will deliver its Velaro high-speed trains, Desiro high-capacity regional train sets, and Vectron freight locomotives. A safe and reliable signaling system based on the latest computer-based interlocking technology and European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 will be installed, as well as the power supply system that delivers efficient and continuous energy.

Furthermore, Siemens will provide and integrate the latest communications, safety and security systems that will create a pleasant passenger experience. The trains as well as all subsystems are based on the most modern and proven products and platforms. Siemens Mobilitys consortium partners will install the tracks, while the customer will build the bridges and facilitate the sub construction.
Manama-IX (Manama Internet Exchange) platform members can now have access to an extensive range of connected networks, thanks to a new remote peering connection between Manama-IX and AMS-IX (Amsterdam Internet Exchange).



By implementing remote peering, members of different internet exchanges can interconnect without the need to be physically present on each exchange platform.



AMS-IX has over 875 connected networks, including Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), Internet Service Providers, Carriers, and Cloud services providers. This benefits Manama-IX members such as Batelco, Ooredoo, stc and Zain, by giving them access to world-leading names in the Telecom, gaming, TV and internet content arenas, such as Apple, Ali Baba Cloud, Twitter, Facebook, Riot Games and Netflix.



The peering link also ensures that Manama-IX members can reach content on AMS-IX on the best route between the GCC and Europe, which delivers secure, reliable, low latency connectivity, thereby enabling them to offer online content and an exceptional experience to their end users. As part of the service, members of AMS-IX will also benefit from direct access to members of Manama-IX.



AMS-IX CEO Peter van Burgel said: This direct link between Manama and Amsterdam greatly enhances the connectivity of the region and will lead to high quality, secure and reliable Internet services and a compelling digital experience for consumers and businesses in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We fully support Manama-IX in its commitment to become the leading Exchange of the Middle East.



Acting General Manager of Global Business at Batelco, Hani Askar, said: We continue to evolve the Manama-IX Platform to better serve our customers and connecting to AMS-IX brings them closer to rich content from some of the worlds leading content and internet services providers. The remote peering ensures that our customers can easily and affordably extend their reach without having to invest in international infrastructure.



Manama-IX, located in the Kingdom of Bahrain, serves as a carrier neutral internet traffic exchange platform interconnecting global carriers, local and international operators and both content and cloud providers.



Manama-IX, which has seen a 20-fold growth rate in its platform traffic since its establishment in 2019, is the leading Internet exchange in the region, contributing towards the development of Internet services, in line with Bahrains national vision of becoming a leading regional digital hub.  TradeArabia News Service
Arthur D. Little (ADL), a leading management consultancy firm, has announced the expansion of its regional leadership team with immediate effect.

The firm has appointed seven partners to join the Middle East team  with two internal promotions and five external hires.

ADL Middle East Managing Partner Thomas Kuruvilla said: Our people form one of the most influential factors in providing innovative thought leadership and strategic thinking, and through them we have worked effectively for decades thanks to a forward-facing approach that entails internal development and regional expansion.

"By welcoming fresh perspectives and simultaneously rewarding from within, our people are inspired to be part of a collective effort that ensures we deliver differentiated strategy, innovation, and transformation expertise to all whom we work alongside and support.

Pierre Mariani has joined ADL's Dubai office, bringing to the Financial Services (FS) Practice almost four decades' worth of experience.

The Dubai office has also welcomed Dr. Hasan Shafi who, as a corporate portfolio, growth strategist, and transformation expert, is a core member of the Energy & Utilities and Chemicals Practices.

Ashish Sharma is one of two new Partners joining the Telecommunications, Information Technology, Media & Electronics (TIME) Practice.

Andreas Buelow has also joined the Bahrain office as a member of the FS Practice.

Dr. Patrick Linnenbank has joined ADLs Riyadh office, bringing to the Healthcare and Life Science Practice extensive work experience with a wide range of healthcare systems.

Lokesh Dadhich and Joseph Salem have both been promoted to Partners at ADL. Dadhich has been with the firm since 2007, while Salem has had a successful 10-year track record at ADL.-TradeArabia News Service
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Government of Benin have signed a $50 million financing agreement for Closing Gaps: Community Health, Human Resources, and Nutrition project, a new development project in Benin.

The project was signed at a high-level signing ceremony by Romuald Wadagni, Minister of Economy and Finance, Benin, and Dr Muhammad Al Jasser, President of the Islamic Development Bank and Chairman of IsDB Group, in conjunction with the 2021 IsDB Group Annual Meetings taking place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from September 1 to 4.

The project which is funded with concessional financing from IsDBs Lives and Livelihoods Fund (LLF) with the support of the Banks donor partners, aims to address the critical and urgent gaps in primary healthcare and nutrition services in Benin, particularly with regard to maternal and child healthcare.

It is a large-scale project representing $50 million in funding extended to the Government of Benin and includes a $17.5 million (35%) grant by the LLF  a collaborative initiative of IsDB with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UKs Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD), King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, and Qatar Fund for Development. Also, the project was designed in coordination with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

On the occasion Al Jasser, said: This is an important project for the long-term, sustainable socio-economic prosperity of Benin. Through this Lives and Livelihoods Fund investment, we are helping to create lasting positive change in the countrys health sector to help people live longer and happier lives and set the foundation for the next generation to thrive and reach their full potentials. We are pleased to join hands with the Government of Benin, and delighted to be moving forward on our commitment to support and empower the most disadvantaged communities across the Muslim world.

Together with our donors and partners, the IsDB is looking forward to delivering on the project milestones, and contributing, step by step, towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The objectives of the project are to improve access to primary healthcare and nutrition services and to strengthen the surveillance and prevention of epidemics and infectious diseases in communities.

The project, which will be implemented through the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, includes recruitment and deployment of community healthcare workers and qualified healthcare personnel; development and dissemination of a national nutrition strategy with a focus on urban vulnerable population; and strengthening Monitoring, Evaluation and Data Management, among other components.

The current timeline for completion is five years. By the end of the project, 400 medical doctors, 400 nurses and midwives, and 600 health assistants are expected to be recruited, trained and deployed in rural areas to provide health and nutrition services to communities; and over 4,000 community health workers are expected to be recruited and deployed to provide home-based health and nutrition services.

In addition, the project will support the development and implementation of the National Nutrition Strategy and contribute towards strengthening the district health information system for the benefit of the people of Benin.

The LLF uses an innovative financing model that combines grants from regional and international donor partners with the lending capital of IsDB to offer concessional loans to address critical drivers of poverty. It finances interventions that benefit the poorest and most vulnerable communities in IsDB Member Countries with a focus on health, agriculture, and basic infrastructure.

The blended financing does not merely address immediate gaps in human capital development needs but rather sets in motion a fundamental change that can create opportunities for millions of disadvantaged people, especially women and the youth.-- TradeArabia News Service
Taj Dubai, the award-winning hotel of the Taj brand in the Middle East, has announced the appointment of Saurabh Tiwari as its new general manager.

In his role, Tiwari will be responsible for overseeing management and operations of the 296-room hotel and its five F&B outlets  Bombay Brasserie, Treehouse, The Eloquent Elephant, Tesoro and Byzantium Lounge.

A hotelier with over 20 years of experience, Tiwari brings a wealth of industry expertise from renowned brands. He has worked extensively with Melia Hotels International, holding general managerial positions in Ibiza, Mallorca, London and Dubai from 2015  2021.

On the new appointment, Ranjit Phillipose, Area Director  Middle East and General Manager of the upcoming Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, The Palm, Dubai, said: As an experienced general manager and F&B expert, Tiwaris skill-sets and knowledge of the industry spanning Europe and the Middle East will be an asset to the team.

"His European approach to implementation, inherently rooted in Indian hospitality is a winning combination and I am confident that under his leadership, Taj Dubai will reach even greater heights of excellence.

Tiwari said: I am honoured to be given the opportunity to lead Taj Dubai as General Manager, ahead of the Expo 2020. It is an exciting time to be back in the region and even more so to be a part of the Taj.

An Indian-born British citizen, Tiwari graduated with a degree in Hotel Management from the Merit Swiss School of Hotel Management in Ooty, India and Chur, Switzerland. Over the years, he has also been involved in the General Managers Intensive Development plan at Melia Hotels International and holds a Certificate in Hospitality Management from Cornell University.-TradeArabia News Service
Mauritius has reached its vaccination target of 60 per cent of the total population, one month ahead of schedule, according to the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA).

This comes ahead of two major steps to reduce restrictions on inbound international travel. Between now and September end, vaccinated travellers will be required to spend just seven days in a resort bubble hotel instead of 14 days initially.

From October 1, restrictions on arrivals will be lifted completely as long as vaccinated travellers can provide a negative PCR test taken a maximum of 72 hours before arriving in Mauritius.

Unvaccinated travellers will still be subject to a mandatory in-room stay for 14 days until December 31.

MTPA Chairman Nilen Vencadasmy said: "Mauritius' vaccination programme has been fundamental to allowing the country to reopen to international travel, to get tourism up and running again.

"This milestone means that we can proceed to the final stage of our border re-opening, when we will remove all quarantine restrictions for vaccinated travellers, whilst continuing to put public health first."

Mauritius is on the cusp of its summer season, the perfect time to enjoy its beaches, as well as other outdoor activities including hiking, kite surfing and various other water sports, the MTPA said.-TradeArabia News Service


Real vaccinate chupidness in T&T By Dr Kwame Nantambu

September 01, 2021 Within recent times, massive chupidness has overtly erupted in T&T in regard to Trinbagonians taking their jabs. Indeed, the clarion call has been publicly bandied about to the extent that Trinbagonians are "skeptical" and "hesitant" toward agreeing to take their jabs. No problema. The salient fact of the matter is that it is a well-known and accepted fact that Trinbagonians just have a magnetic love for "foreign." In other words, this writer is of the totally firm conviction that Trinbagonians are "skeptical" solely because they have noticed albeit totally brainwashed that Americans feel that way also. Totally false and stupid. And this is despite the fact that Trinbagonians just do not have the slightest notion/clue as to why Americans are "skeptical." In reality, Trinbagonians are just swallowing all of the medical misinformation they hear on US Fox News Cable TV and perpetuated by right-wring conspiratorial commentators including former president Donald John Trump. Indeed, let the record reveal that while he was in office, then president Donald John Trump suggested that Americans should drink disinfectant to cure COVID. Truth Be Told; What Trinbagonians do not realize and/or know is that although these right-wing Republicans are urging Americans not to take the vaccines, however, they themselves have indeed taken the same vaccines. In fact, Donald Trump has already taken the vaccines secretly and it must be assumed that the rest of his family also did. In other words, these right-wingers are selling these utterly false medical misinformation solely based on politics. These individuals just do not want President joe Biden to succeed politically as a result of this pandemic. Furthermore, their obdurate sub-conscious mind-set is that Joe Biden "stole" the election from Donald Trump. They do not recognize Joe Biden as a legitimate president. period. Trinbagonians need to clearly understand this pivotal political fact. This entire issue is all about politics not medical science. Truth Be Told: Trinbagonians need to listen to the medical scientists of the World Health Organization (WHO) and not political scientists at home or abroad. Hard-core facts about the vaccines: These vaccines were manufactured and tested in independent/private labs by medical scientists in the United States. They were not manufactured and tested by any medical scientists in any department of the US government. In addition, these vaccines were not manufactured and tested by medical scientists in a lab in Balisier House or Rienzi Complex. These vaccines were approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the US government and seconded by the medical scientists of the WHO. The bottom-line is that these vaccines were not approved per a Cabinet Note submitted by the Minister of Health . And most importantly, they were neither approved by the CARICOM Health Organization nor the Medical Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT). The Ministry of Health takes its instructions from the WHO and not from the PNM's government National Security Council. Furthermore, the WHO instructs the ministry as to what vaccines to combine as a second dose; it is not instructed by MATT. It is vital for adult Trinbagonians to remember and to recall that the only reason why they are alive today is the salient medical truism that luckily /fortunately their parents were not "skeptical" or "hesitant" to give them vaccines to deal with yellow fever, small pox and polio. That's why you are alive today. Your parents saved you as children. So, if adults today choose to be "skeptical" and "hesitant", then, their children will die and unlike your parents of yesterday, you all will never be grandparents today, period. Trinbagonians must understand that these vaccines were ordered and produced during the presidency of Donald John Trump under his policy titled "Operation Warp Speed"; however, because of the Big Lie that Joe Biden "stole" the election from Donald Trump, it need occasion no great surprise that all 27 states with Republican governors, particularly Ron De Santos of Florida , are vehemently now pushing back on mandating the wearing of masks. In fact, 59 per cent of Republicans refuse to get vaccinated. As President Joe Biden insists "Freedom comes with responsibility". So, while it is your right not to vaccinate, you also bear the responsibility not to put other people's lives at extreme dangerous risk. In other words, if you exercise your freedom not to vaccinate, then, you automatically transform yourself into a Weapon of Mass Human Destruction + Death viis-a-vis your community and the nation at large. You thus become a bone fide/certified medical criminal. Ipso facto, there is no real difference between you and a gang member--both of you all are criminals. In the United States there exists the "pandemic of the unvaccinated"; in T&T there exists the pandemic of the "skeptical", "hesitant" stupid/chupid unvaccinated, period. In the final analysis, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Christopher Rowley must decree that there will be absolutely no carnival celebration until the Minister of Health officially informs him that 95.5% of the eligible population has been fully vaccinated as in having received their two jabs In other words: Vaccinate to wine and congregate

Vaccinate to pelvic gyrate

And if you meet somebody who could wine better than you

Dat's de sign to go quick, quick, quick and get jab two

But if you choose not to vaccinate and deny

Then go in a quiet corner by your "skeptical", "hesitant', stupid/chupid lonesome and die

Sans Humanite . Dr. Kwame Nantambu is Professor Emeritus Kent State University. Share your views here...

Nantambu's Homepage | Archives | Trinicenter Homepage






Dushanbe, Sep 1 (UNI/Sputnik) The Taliban movement (terrorist group, banned in Russia) intends to kill the leader of the Resistance Front in Panjshir, Ahmad Massoud, and will not hold talks with representatives of the resistance, Afghan Ambassador to Tajikistan Muhammad Zohir Agbar said in an interview with Sputnik.

"The Taliban will never negotiate with them [the leaders of the resistance in Panjshir], they are not politicians, but terrorists who were on the list of banned organizations in many countries already three years ago," the ambassador said.

They are insolent and aggressive, their goal is to bring the entire Afghanistan to its knees. They do not agree to any terms in the Doha talks. Their goal is to eliminate the leaders of the resistance, especially Ahmad Massoud, he said.

UNI/SPUTNIK GK 1032
US in contact with Turkey, Qatar to restore civilian part of Kabul Airport  White House

Washington, Sep 1 (Sputnik) The United States is in contact with Turkey and Qatar to restore operations of the civilian part of Kabul airport in order to send humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan through it, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Tuesday.

On the [Kabul] airport front, the more specific piece we're working with the Qataris and the Turks who are important partners here is getting the civilian side of the [Kabul] airport up and operational again so that we can use that not just for flights for people to depart, but also for humanitarian assistance, which we will work through programs like the World Food Programme and others to distribute, Psaki said at a press briefing.


UWs Finnoff Named Wyoming Excellence Chair, McMurry Fellow

David Finnoff

An award-winning professor in the College of Business Department of Economics is the newest endowed chair at the University of Wyoming.

David Finnoff has been named the Wyoming Excellence Chair in Economics, under the program established by the Wyoming Legislature, and also has been named a McMurry Fellow, under a McMurry Foundation Business Deans Excellence Fund program created through a 2008 donation by Mick and Susie McMurry, of Casper.

I have immense pride and honor to be named a Wyoming Excellence Chair and a McMurry Fellow, Finnoff says. To be awarded these prestigious distinctions, in the name of the great state of Wyoming and in the name of a wonderful Wyoming family, is an accomplishment I could only have dreamed possible.

Finnoff has been a member of UWs faculty since 2004, after beginning his teaching career as an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida. He received both his doctoral and bachelors degrees from UW, where he came to play rugby after graduating from high school in York, England.

Finnoff, who received UWs John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award in 2014, has been named the College of Business outstanding senior researcher, a top UW first-year course instructor and a Top Prof by UWs Mortar Board student honor society, among other accolades.

His research focuses on developing public policies to improve social welfare, taking into account the coupling of human and natural systems. Most recently, he has been focused on the economic and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2006 Wyoming State Legislature established the Excellence in Higher Education Endowment, which included a $70 million endowment to create senior faculty positions for highly distinguished scholars and educators at UW. The legislation states that the endowed positions must expand university instruction and research in disciplines related to economic and social challenges facing Wyoming.

UWs Wyoming Excellence chairs are nationally and internationally recognized leaders in their fields.

The combination of Wyoming Excellence Chair and McMurry Fellow is just so special to me, as it honors the place and people I hold dearly, Finnoff says. I am incredibly thankful for the support of individuals who made this happen, and it leaves me fired up to get to work.
Normal, IL (61790)

Today

Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 58F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Normal, IL (61790)

Today

Generally cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 85F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. Low 58F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Vaccine Gone Global: Who Bears the Brunt of the Booster?
Director of Public Health

The Minister for Health, The Hon Samantha Sacramento MP, has said she wishes to thank Dr Autilia Newton for covering the post of Director of Public Health during the month of August.

'Her role as lead for the Public Health England PH Programme for the UK Overseas Territories and her vast knowledge on Gibraltars health situation has been most beneficial and assisted in lowering the recent upsurge of Covid cases on the Rock.'

Additionally, Minister Sacramento takes the opportunity to announce the appointment of Dr Helen Carter as the GHAs new Director of Public Health. Dr Carter commences her role today, 1st September 2021. Dr Carter was previously employed as the Deputy Regional Director for Public Health in the Midlands which has a population of 6 million. She was responsible for all 14 West Midlands Local Authority Chief Executives and their Directors of Public Health, the Mayor and 3 Strategic Coordinating Groups. In addition, she directly reported to the Chief Medical Officer and Secretary of State for Health. All a wealth of knowledge which will be most beneficial for the offices of Public Health Gibraltar.

Minister for Public Health, John Cortes, also welcomed Dr Carter: I am very much looking forward to working with the new Director of Public Health in seeing through the Covid pandemic and looking at other ways in which we can improve the health of the community.
Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

Rain likely. Potential for heavy rainfall. High 73F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 69F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
Halls Sophie Garner-MacKinnon has been named the 2020-21 Gatorade Connecticut Softball Player of the Year, according to a release from Gatorade. Garner-MacKinnon is the first Gatorade Connecticut Softball Player of the Year to be chosen from Hall High School.
Traffic Stop Ends in Drug Charges for Three
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-12 10:31:36|Editor: huaxia

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HARARE, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government announced Wednesday that only fully-vaccinated people can now attend church services.

This follows six weeks of suspension of any church gathering under the Level 4 lockdown to control a third wave of the pandemic, which among other measures bans inter-city travel, public gatherings and curtails business hours.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday extended the six-week lockdown by another two weeks, saying that despite a decline in cases, deaths remain high.

"Cabinet wishes to inform the public that churches can now allow sit-in congregants under the following conditions: Only congregants who have received two doses of the vaccine are allowed to attend, all Ministry of Health and Child Care and WHO (World Health Organization) protocols are adhered to and all those found in breach will be arrested, including leaders of the churches," Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said during a post-cabinet media briefing.

A total of 1.9 million people have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Zimbabwe, while more than 1 million have received their second jab.

Zimbabwe aims to inoculate 10 million of its approximately 14 million people by year-end to achieve herd immunity. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 09:00:19|Editor: huaxia

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KATHMANDU, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Nepal on Tuesday started issuing permits for climbing Himalayan mountains inside the country in the fall season by allowing two teams to scale Mt. Manaslu, the world's eighth tallest peak at 8,163 meters.

Two groups comprising a combined 25 members received the first permits for the fall season that begins in September, the Department of Tourism said in a press statement.

One group has 15 members, with ten male and five female climbers, while the other has 10 male members, according to the department.

Most mountaineers usually visit Nepal to summit the Himalayan mountains in the spring, but a few of them also try their luck in the fall.

Imagine Nepal Trek and Expedition, an expedition company in Nepal, is organizing the climb for the 15-member team.

Company director Mingma Gyalje Sherpa told Xinhua that a Chinese climber would lead the expedition team.

"There are two climbers from China and other climbers from different countries," Sherpa said. "The Chinese climber who is leading the team had climbed Mt. Lhotse in the spring season but stayed in Nepal due to flight restrictions amid the second wave of COVID-19 in Nepal."

He added that the team would start moving toward Mt. Manaslu after all expedition members have quarantined for ten days in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital.

The Department of Tourism issued permits for eight teams representing 58 climbers to climb five peaks in the fall season last year. In the spring season this year, a total of 633 climbers and their supporting staff scaled six mountains, including Mt. Qomolangma, the world's tallest at 8848.86 meters, according to the department. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 11:14:19|Editor: huaxia

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by Peerzada Arshad Hamid

NEW DELHI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- With scars of the deadly second wave of COVID-19 still fresh in the minds of Indians, health experts have already warned about a third wave of the pandemic hitting the country in the upcoming months.

Indian Medical Association (IMA), the country's leading organization of doctors, warned in July that the third wave of the pandemic was inevitable and imminent, based on the global evidence available and the history of pandemics.

IMMINENT THIRD WAVE

The Indian government on Tuesday reported 30,941 new cases in the last 24 hours, dropping from around 40,000 in the previous days.

Authorities have almost opened up markets and relaxed the restrictions imposed to curb the spread of infection. Educational institutions have also been reopened in most states.

Despite the relaxed restrictions, a panel under the Ministry of Home Affairs has warned that the third wave of COVID-19 may hit India between September and October. The panel has recommended that the federal government should step up the inoculation drive significantly to tame the imminent surge in infections.

In its report to the Prime Minister's office, the panel has underscored a critical need of paediatric facilities, including doctors, staff, and equipment like ventilators and ambulances, adding that the available infrastructure was "nowhere close" to the requirement if the need arose.

"STAGE OF ENDEMICITY"

Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO), recently told a news portal that COVID-19 in India may be entering "some kind of stage of endemicity where there is a low or moderate level of transmission going on."

"We are not seeing the kinds of exponential growth and peaks that we saw a few months ago," Swaminathan said.

The scientist added that while it is possible that a large number of children could get infected in the third wave, they are unlikely to fall seriously ill. She mentioned specifically that there is no need to be panic on this score although it is advisable to be prepared for more infections in children.

"We can take from the serosurvey and what we learnt from other countries that while it is possible that children could get infected and transmit, children luckily have very mild illness most of the time and there is a small percentage (of children) that get sick and get inflammatory complications," she said, adding that children's death rate will be "much much less" than the adults.

THE WAY OUT

A report by a group of experts with the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) said if the current vaccination rate of 7.6 percent does not go up, India can witness 600,000 cases per day in the third wave.

But if the government's proposal to increase this rate by five times to 10 million doses per day comes to fruition, India will see only 25 percent of the cases seen in the second wave during its third wave peak, it added, saying that vaccination is the only way out.

Last week India's federal health minister said that 50 percent of India's eligible population (currently above 18) had received their first jab of the vaccine.

The country's drug regulator has also approved Zydus Cadila's vaccine for children above 12, but the drive is yet to begin.

PREPARATIONS IN PLACE

Vinod Paul, member of the National Institution for Transforming India, recently said that in the upcoming surge of COVID-19, there will be a hospitalization rate of 23 percent.

Paul, who is also heading the COVID-19 task force of the federal government, warned that in September, India can witness a staggering 400,000 to 500,000 daily infections and has asked the federal government to prepare 200,000 ICU beds.

State governments are taking precautions ahead of the possible third wave to hit India during September and October.

In the hardest-hit state of Maharashtra, the local government has decided to appoint 1,200 doctors by Sept. 5, the state's Health Minister Rajesh Tope said.

Tope added that the state will increase production of oxygen to 2,000 metric tons per day from 1,200-1,300 metric tons, and will have granted primary health care centers 500 more ambulances by Sept. 30, adding to the existing 500.

In Gujarat, authorities have set up 15,000 pediatric oxygen beds.

"The need of the hour is to prepare for the third wave if and when it hits the nation," the NIDM report highlighted. "India's second wave of COVID-19 and the challenges posed have been alarming and need strong policy interventions at all levels with immediate, short, and medium- to long-term priorities, in order to be best prepared for the third wave." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 11:49:15|Editor: huaxia

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SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export logged a double-digit growth for the sixth consecutive month amid the continued recovery in global demand, a government report showed Wednesday.

Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, amounted to 53.23 billion U.S. dollars in August, up 34.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

It was the biggest August reading, keeping a double-digit increase for six months since March. The shipment grew in double figures for 10 months since November last year.

Import surged 44.0 percent over the year to 51.56 billion dollars in August, sending the trade surplus to 1.67 billion dollars. The trade balance stayed in black for 16 straight months. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 12:07:57|Editor: huaxia

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CANBERRA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Attorney-General Michaelia Cash has warned state governments against closing domestic borders when 80 percent vaccination against COVID-19 is reached.

Michaelia Cash said recently that states' constitutional power to close borders would be diminished once 70-80 percent of adults have been inoculated.

It comes after Mark McGowan, the premier of Western Australia (WA), said on Tuesday he needed the option to close the borders regardless of vaccination coverage to save lives.

Cash told News Corp Australia it would be much harder to defend border closures in court as vaccines become more readily available.

"Once you hit 80 percent, you are in a fundamentally different position if you are looking at the issue of proportionality," she was cited as saying on Wednesday.

The High Court in November 2020 dismissed a challenge to WA's border closure by billionaire Clive Palmer, ruling that the restrictions were proportionate due to public health reasons and the lack of coronavirus vaccines and treatments.

On Wednesday morning, Australia reported 1,259 new locally-acquired cases of COVID-19, all of which were on the east coast in the country.

Of the new cases, 1,116 were from New South Wales (NSW), Australia's most populous state with Sydney as the capital city.

Victoria, the second-most populous state with Melbourne as the capital city, reported a further 120 new local cases.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) reported another 23 new local cases, one day after its lockdown was extended until Sept. 17.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the lockdown, which began on Aug. 12, was protecting Canberrans from the cases in the community.

"The lockdown and the significantly reduced interaction between people helps reduce the risk that those people pose," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 19:58:02|Editor: huaxia

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Afghan anti-Taliban fighters patrol in Anaba District, Panjshir province, Afghanistan, on Sept. 1, 2021. A Taliban senior leader Mullah Amir Khan Mutaqi has stressed for peaceful solution of the standoff in Panjshir province, urging the people of Panjshir to help stabilize peace and security in the country. Panjshir is the only province among Afghanistan's 34 provinces which has remained out of Taliban's control since the fall of major cities including capital Kabul. (Photo by Arman/Xinhua)

KABUL, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Taliban senior leader Mullah Amir Khan Mutaqi has stressed for peaceful solution of the standoff in Afghanistan's Panjshir province, urging the people of Panjshir to help stabilize peace and security in the country.

"Panjshir as a part of Afghanistan deserves to live in peace. The Islamic Emirate has declared general amnesty and there is no reason to fight. War is enough, let's stop fighting and live in peace," Mutaqi said in a message on Wednesday posted in Taliban's Twitter account.

Panjshir is the only province among Afghanistan's 34 provinces which has remained out of Taliban's control since the fall of major cities including capital Kabul.

Since Monday, there are reports of skirmishes between Taliban forces and the anti-Taliban fighters in areas bordering Panjshir valley.

Ahmad Masoud, the son of late anti-Taliban resistance leader Ahmad Shah Masoud, who is leading an anti-Taliban resistance in Panjshir valley, has reportedly said that he is going to find negotiated solution for the standoff, though in the meantime, ready for defending the valley.

Mutaqi in his message said that the Taliban in spite of deploying troops around Panjshir would continue dialogue. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 20:35:15|Editor: huaxia

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HANOI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam reported 11,434 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, including 11,429 locally transmitted and five imported, according to the country's Ministry of Health.

The new infections brought the country's total tally to 473,530, with 11,868 deaths, the ministry said.

Most of the community cases were detected in southern localities, including 5,368 in the epicenter Ho Chi Minh City, 3,440 in nearby Binh Duong province, and 759 in Dong Nai province.

As many as 248,722 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered, up 9,862 from Tuesday, while over 20.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered nationwide, according to the ministry.

As of Wednesday, Vietnam has registered a total of 469,311 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases since the start of the current wave in late April this year, the ministry said.

Several southern localities including Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and Long An have extended the current stringent social distancing measures in accordance with Vietnamese Prime Minister's Directive 16 until mid-September, as many clusters of infections are yet to be brought under control, local media reported. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 22:49:38|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's COVID-19 case total has jumped to 93,510 on Wednesday after 455 fresh infections were reported across the kingdom, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a statement.

The new infections included 375 domestic cases and 80 imported ones, the ministry said.

Thirteen more fatalities were confirmed, taking the overall death toll to 1,916, it said, adding that another 328 patients recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 89,114.

MoH's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine renewed her call on people to continue complying with health safety measures and to go for free COVID-19 vaccines when their turns come.

"COVID-19 pandemic is going to be endemic and we shall not forget to prevent its transmission by applying the 3 do's and 3 don'ts plus vaccination," she said on social media. "We have to learn how to live with this virus by adapting to the new normal properly."

The 3 do's include wearing a face mask, washing hands regularly, and maintaining physical distancing of 1.5 meters, and the 3 don'ts are avoiding confined and enclosed spaces, avoiding crowded spaces, and avoiding touching each other.

The country launched a COVID-19 vaccination drive in February, targeting to inoculate 12 million people, or 75 percent of the kingdom's 16-million population by the end of this year.

As of Aug. 31, some 10.8 million people, or 67.5 percent of the total population, have received at least one vaccine dose, while 8.52 million of them have received both required shots, the MoH said.

Most of the vaccines used in the country's immunization program are China's Sinovac and Sinopharm. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-01 22:58:42|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- India's federal health minister Mansukh Mandaviya Wednesday reviewed the supply and availability of COVID-19 related essential medicines in the country.

According to the federal health ministry, during the review, it was noted that sufficient stocks of all the essential medicines were available.

"Raw materials for these drugs are also available in enough quantities," reads a statement issued by the ministry. "The strategic buffer stock has been created for eight drugs - Tocilizumab, Methyl Predinisolone, Enaxopirin, Dexamethasone, Remdesivir, Amphotericin B Deoxycholate, Posaconazole, Intravenous Immunoglobilin (IVIG)."

Recently an expert panel by an institute under the federal home ministry warned about the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the country by September-October.

Meanwhile, in a separate meeting, Mandaviya reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

"In a telephonic conversation today with the health ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the union (federal) minister of health and family welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya reviewed the COVID-19 situation in these states. Due to the rising cases in Kerala, the minister discussed matters related to COVID-19 management in these areas of states bordering Kerala.

Mandaviya highlighted the need to take adequate steps to contain the inter-state spread of COVID-19 and requested the respective health ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to increase the pace of vaccination in the bordering districts to Kerala.

At present Kerala account for the majority of the daily new cases.

Indian government Wednesday morning said 41,965 new cases were reported across the country in the last 24 hours. And of these Kerala alone reported 30,203 cases, which account for 71.97 percent of the daily new cases. Enditem
analysis

Historically, many media institutions were at the service of "the colonising empire", both in how they were modelled and used. They were meant to advance the ideology of colonisers in colonies.

Today some print and electronic media remain at the service of coloniality and imperialism. They play out colonialism's legacy, coloniality - the patterns of power that persist long after the end of formal colonialism. This process has a regressive effect. It betrays the progressive role that is generally associated with media institutions as spaces of sharing ideas and knowledge about modern societies.

This leads me to ask: is it possible to decolonise today's largest global communication platform, the internet? There is no linear approach to the process. But any attempt must start with looking at how the internet spreads knowledge and ideas about Africa and Africans.

Decolonisation, to me, is moving away from seeing the world today as a universe and instead viewing it as a "pluriverse": multiple worlds existing side by side, occupied by people actively working to emancipate themselves from the colonial power imbalances that have characterised the modern world. That is what the internet should be: a communication tool that fairly represents these "pluriverses".

Media ancestors

It is also important to contextualise the decolonisation debate in reference to the internet by looking at its ancestors - other institutions of communication. As a researcher in media studies, I have a special interest in the history of the media and how media institutions are in conversation with the concept of colonialism or coloniality. I also examine how decolonisation might occur.

In thinking about anything to do with decolonisation, it's important to understand the history of colonisation. How does it manifest itself in the present moment? How does its afterlife take shape or form in the aftermath of settler or direct extraction by the colonial society?

Next, the internet must be understood as a space that represents the continuities and discontinuities of the colonial legacy. It has the potential to reproduce as well as to change people's understanding of the world.

Power structures

The philosopher Frantz Fanon was among those who reflected on the colonial nature of an internet ancestor, radio. He spoke about the role radio played in the bigger colonial project in Algeria, and the space that Radio Algiers occupied. Radio Algiers, a then French broadcasting station which functioned in Algeria for decades, was a re-edition of the Paris-based French National Broadcasting System. In 1959, Fanon wrote:

... among European farmers, the radio was broadly regarded as a link with the civilised world, as an effective instrument of resistance to the corrosive influence of an inert native society, of a society without a future, backward and devoid of values.

This history teaches societies that platforms of communication are not free from ideological influence. It is on those basis that we need to be vigilant about the contemporary role that is played by communication platforms.

Today the internet is, for many societies, the default distributor of ideas, "facts", opinions and various knowledge systems. It is also the default gatekeeper of knowledge in modern society.

The internet literally spreads ideas about oneself or one another - particularly about one another, in keeping with the power structures of the global order: global South vs global North, the colonial subject vs the colonising subject.

The ideas spread by the internet could mean that one is seen to be, for instance, lacking in morals, evil, a savage and uncivilised. This is the real power of the internet as a communication medium: it buttresses or disrupts knowledge about the world.

Knowledge systems

The internet is also a knowledge carrying platform. It produces and spreads ideas that carefully work their way into one's mind, thereby wittingly or unwittingly shaping one's view of the world. The global South and particularly the African continent has not, by and large, technologically leapfrogged. Internet access within the continent is uneven, with the continent's eastern and central regions lagging most.

Africa, then, has played a limited role on the internet as a carrier of knowledge. So it is reasonable to argue that the knowledge carried by the internet on Africa and Africans needs to be continuously interrogated. What needs to be further probed is whether or not the internet disrupts the narrative on Africa as explained by the West and colonial societies. Or does it entrench those narratives and understandings?

The "coloniality of knowledge" within the context of the internet means that the African subject - with limited representation on the internet - continues to be explained through imperialistic knowledge outlook. As a result of its limited online representation, the continent and its people largely remain unseen and unheard. They are talked and written about. Their forms of knowledge are packaged by others on the internet. All this, by subjects who largely reside in neo-colonial and imperialistic geographies.

This all entrenches the narratives as described by theorist Edward Said when he noted:

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Poverty, dependency, underdevelopment, various pathologies of power and corruption, plus of course notable achievements in war, literacy, economic development: this mix of characteristics designated the colonised people who had freed themselves on one level but who remained victims of their past on another.

A greater understanding

To begin to decolonise the internet, to me, means to recognise the history of colonialism and its omnipresence even within systems and platforms that are meant to be most progressive.

It is to understand "coloniality of knowledge" and come to terms with aspects of the "hidden" or invisible power matrix in the world today. It means recognising the uneven distribution of access to the internet, and what this means for who contributes most to the internet as a source of knowledge. It is to understand how this undermines those whom the world has traditionally designated as the unseen and the unheard.

This article is an edited version of a talk the author gave at an event on 1 July 2021 titled "Decolonising the internet: How AI shapes our world".

Siyasanga M Tyali, Associate Professor and Chair of Department, University of South Africa
analysis

Earlier this year, the staff of Rwanda's minister of justice accidentally sent Al Jazeera journalists a video recording that included the minister's preparation sessions with a public relations firm for an upcoming interview. The interview was about the Rwandan government's involvement in a scheme to lure exile Paul Rusesabagina to Rwanda so that he could be arrested and tried.

Rusesabagina helped save hundreds of Rwandans during the genocide by sheltering them in a hotel, a story that was made into the movie Hotel Rwanda. He later became a vocal and sometimes controversial critic from abroad of Paul Kagame's government. He now faces trial on terrorism charges.

The video shows consultants from Chelgate, a UK "reputation and relationship management" firm, prepping the minister to evade questions about Rwanda's involvement in Rusesabagina's capture.

This episode nicely illustrates the multiple ways that authoritarian states - countries where the leadership maintains power by non-democratic means - manage their image abroad. There's plenty of scholarly debate about what "counts" as authoritarianism and about different subtypes of authoritarian states. But controlling domestic institutions to preclude genuine political competition and pluralism is a hallmark of the modern authoritarian strategy.

As I argue in my new book Making the World Safe for Dictatorship, a good image abroad affords many advantages to authoritarian leaders. It makes achieving foreign policy goals easier and helps marginalise foreign critics. It also makes it tougher for exiles and domestic activists to work together and solidifies the government's legitimacy domestically.

The book draws on a range of data. I examined filings by public relations firms, gathered data on cases of transnational repression, did fieldwork and interviews, watched authoritarian propaganda, and more.

Although the book is global in scope, I also take a closer look at China, Rwanda and North Korea in case study chapters. These cases were chosen to illustrate how things play out given different regime types, capabilities, regional contexts and ambitions. Understanding authoritarian image management is important. It helps explain our global information environment and the behaviour of authoritarian states in it.

Managing their image

To manage their image abroad, authoritarian states try to advance a favourable narrative about themselves. They do things like hire public relations firms to produce positive content, disseminate propaganda themselves and cultivate friendly foreigners who can speak on their behalf.

But they also try to silence, obscure, or discredit criticisms of their rule.

They try to "spin" negative news stories, sow discord or paranoia in activist communities abroad, and repress or even kill their exiled critics.

Back to Rwanda. During his decades in power, Kagame has systematically undermined opposition, manipulated elections and repressed critics at home and abroad. He also amended the constitution so he can rule until 2034. In 2020, the Sweden-based Varieties of Democracy Institute ranked Rwanda 150th out of 179 countries in the world on its index of liberal democracy. In other words, clearly authoritarian.

Kagame's ruling political party - the Rwandan Patriotic Front - pays a lot of attention to its image abroad. Rwanda is an avid consumer of public relations services from firms based in Europe and the US. For example, the same year that Kagame won over 95% of the vote in the heavily manipulated 2003 election, Rwanda's embassy in the US contracted American PR firms to boost the image of the country and its leader.

As Kagame consolidated power domestically, it was apparently important to be seen positively in the US, a major aid donor.

Managing critics

But authoritarian image management goes beyond promoting a positive picture. It also involves silencing or marginalising critics abroad.

The Rwandan Patriotic Front is hyper-sensitive to criticism. It's so touchy that what foreign academics write garners attention. Responses are sometimes published in party-loyal newspapers or other platforms. According to filings with the US department of justice, in 2013 the Rwandan ministry of foreign affairs contracted an American academic to "establish a publishing record" in popular and academic venues about the Rwandan diaspora. The scholarly impact appears to have been negligible, but years later the same academic did appear as a government witness at Rusesabagina's trial.

Even more consequentially, its agents have been involved in extraterritorial repression, including assassination plots which target critics abroad.

As shown with Rusesabagina's case, the state wants to avoid the reputational damage that comes with transnational repression. It probably also wants to signal to potentially troublesome exiles that nobody is out of reach.

Authoritarian tactics

Rwanda is not the only state to use these tactics. Indeed, my book is about authoritarian states in general.

Using publicly available filings with the US department of justice, I counted 33 authoritarian states that collectively paid PR and public affairs firms hundreds of millions of dollars in 2018 and 2019 to manipulate their image. This is only in the US, only self-reported, and only overt. The scope is much wider than these numbers suggest.

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I also gathered data on authoritarian states targeting their exiles for repression between 1991 and 2019. Again, using only publicly available sources, my team and I were able to find 1,117 instances in which states repressed their critical citizens abroad. These ranged from verbal threats to outright assassination. Uzbekistan, China, North Korea, Turkey and Russia stand out as frequent violators.

Nor is it just today's dictatorships that try to influence their international information environment. South Africa's apartheid regime went to extraordinary lengths to manipulate its image abroad. Ferdinand Marcos retained high-powered Washington DC public relations and lobbying firms and attempted to influence academic scholarship in the US about the Philippines. China under Mao Zedong helped perpetuate a global cult of personality despite the millions of deaths due to the Chairman's policies.

Authoritarian states don't just sit back and let foreigners define them. They actively try to manipulate their image and silence critics. Next time you see an interview with a representative of a dictatorship, ask yourself what the preparation session with PR consultants looked like and what information the regime wants to obscure.

Alexander Dukalskis, Associate Professor, School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin
The United States Tuesday said Nigeria procured 12 new A-29 Super Tucano jets at a sum of $500 million.

The procurement, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, is the largest single arms purchase in sub-Saharan Africa.

Gen. Jeff Harrigian, U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa commander disclosed this on Tuesday at the A-29 Super Tucano induction ceremony, hosted by Nigerian Minister of Defense Bashir Salihi Magashi and the Nigerian Air Force in Abuja.

"The Nigerian Air Force is one of our key partners that play a critical role in furthering regional security and stability," Gen. Harrigian was quoted as saying in a statement by the US Embassy in Abuja.

"This ceremony symbolizes the strength of our unique partnership and underscores the value of training and working together," he said.

The Super Tucanos were the impetus for the significant deepening of training and professional relationships, he added.

The statement said, "Precision targeting, air-to-ground integration, and human rights training are all included in the partnership between the U.S. and Nigeria.

"The aircraft will assist the Nigerian Air Force in their fight against violent extremist organizations including the Islamic State West Africa Province.

"The joint structure of air-to-ground integration also supports Nigerian Army and Navy operations.

"Nigeria purchased the A-29s through the Foreign Military Sales programme, which follows the Department of Defense's "Total Package Approach" model and includes spare parts for several years of operation, contract logistics support, munitions, and a multi-year construction project to improve Kainji Air Base infrastructure.

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"The total sale is valued at almost $500 million, making it the largest FMS program in sub-Saharan Africa."

Harrigian said the A-29 is a prime tool to help Nigeria combat violent extremism and is vital to sustained deterrence.

"The total package deal--aircrew and maintainer training, precision-guided weapon delivery, and more--highlights our enduring partnership with the Nigerian Air Force and our commitment to enabling their successes where we can."

A total of 64 pilots and maintainers from the Nigerian Air Force were trained to U.S. standards with the U.S. Air Force's 81st Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Base in Georgia, USA.

The training also emphasized the Law of Armed Conflict and civilian casualty mitigation, which are fundamental principles of the Nigerian military's professional education and training.

As part of the programme, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing $36.1M in infrastructure support to the A-29s' home base, Kainji Air Base, including covered magazines and aircraft sunshades, a new airfield hot cargo pad, perimeter and security fencing, airfield lights, and various airfield apron, parking, hangar, and entry control point enhancements.

The infrastructure package also includes a flight annex wing building for simulator training as well as munitions assembly and storage and small arms storage.
A farmer in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where one in three people suffer from acute hunger.

opinion

Boston  As the United Nations gears up for its Food Systems Summit September 23, the urgent need for structural changes in how we grow, harvest, distribute, and consume food has never been more apparent.

According to the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization's (FAO) annual hunger report, released July 12, the world experienced a nearly unprecedented one-year rise in severe hunger from 2019 to 2020. The agency's annual estimate of "undernourishment" showed an increase of up to 25% over 2019 levels, to between 720 and 811 million people.

Sub-Saharan Africa saw as many as 44 million more people suffer severe undernourishment, leaving 30% of the continent's residents struggling to feed their families. A stunning 66% of the continent faced "moderate or severe food insecurity" in 2020, according to FAO estimates, up from 51% in 2014. That is an increase of 244 million food-insecure people in just six years.

You wouldn't know it to listen to the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), which released its 2020 Annual Report the same day the FAO sounded its alarms. After noting the challenges of COVID-19 and climate change, the report gushes about the "evidence of improved productivity, better crop quality, higher incomes, and more months of food from [farmers'] surplus."

In stark contrast to the well-researched data from the FAO, AGRA's "evidence" was a sloppy set of hastily compiled data presented with examples carefully chosen to show progress. (See my analysis of AGRA's report here.)

AGRA seems to be living in a different world from poor, rural Africans, oblivious to the documented shortcomings of its technology-focused approach to agricultural development. AGRA leaders and donors seem unaware that the number of severely undernourished people in Sub-Saharan Africa has risen nearly 50% since AGRA was founded in 2006.

That is why African farmer, faith, and community organizations are now challenging AGRA's failing model, calling on donor agencies and foundations to stop funding the 15-year-old initiative.

Business as usual at the Food Systems Summit

The COVID-19 pandemic was of course largely to blame for the steep rise in hunger in 2020, but climate change and conflict also contributed. So did misguided agricultural policies.

It was the sixth straight year of increases in undernourishment, a trend that last year prompted U.N. Secretary General Antonio Gutierres to call for this year's Food Systems Summit. The world was clearly not on track to achieve the core Sustainable Development Goal of eliminating severe hunger by 2030.

The summit has been mired in controversy from the outset. Gutierres was widely criticized for his partnership with the World Economic Forum, the corporate elites who gather each year in Davos to discuss the poor world's problems, sidelining the Rome-based U.N. agencies that generally take the lead on such matters. He compounded the legitimacy crisis by naming AGRA President Agnes Kalibata as Special Envoy to lead the summit.

Major civil society networks and organizations boycotted the summit preparations, which were denounced for favoring technological solutions offered by corporations while failing to put the right to food - and COVID and climate change - at the center of the agenda. U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food Michael Fakhri recently issued a blistering critique.

The business-as-usual approach of the summit, with its Nairobi-based staff organizing virtual "dialogues" and vetting "game-changing solutions" to food systems failures, seemed deaf to the loud alarms from the FAO. The worst hunger remains in rural areas in developing countries.

Africa's failing Green Revolution

For the last 15 years, the Green Revolution has been the dominant approach in Africa. AGRA has led the charge from its Nairobi headquarters, with $1 billion in funding, overwhelmingly from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation but also with support from the Rockefeller Foundation a small number of bilateral donors. African governments have chipped in with waves of subsidies to farmers - as much as $1 billion per year altogether - to purchase what the Green Revolution is selling: commercial seeds, fertilizers, and other inputs.

The Green Revolution's "theory of change" is as simple as it is flawed: put seeds and fertilizers in the hands of small-scale farmers. They will see their yields double, so too their incomes from the sales of surplus crops. And they will become food secure from the food they grow and can now afford to buy.

The evidence suggests that none of that has come to pass. Adoption rates for the expensive new seeds and fertilizers remain low, even with governments subsidizing farmers' purchases. Many of those who adopt have not achieved large yield increases, even in favored crops such as maize. Few have seen rising incomes from sales of growing surpluses; some have ended up in debt after a bad harvest. And food insecurity has grown from its already alarming levels.

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This is less a theory of change than a proven route to continued hunger.

Fiddling in Nairobi

AGRA is set to unveil what it will no doubt present as a bold new strategy. But AGRA will likely do little more than fiddle with its current strategy, just as it has before. Unchanged is the failing premise that commercial seeds and fertilizers can dramatically reduce hunger and poverty in rural Africa through a productivity revolution.

Emperor Nero famously fiddled while Rome burned. AGRA should stop fiddling in Nairobi while more Africans go hungry. And donors should listen to African civil society leaders and say no when AGRA claims to speak for Africans and asks for millions more dollars for its failing strategy.

Timothy A. Wise is senior advisor at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and author of Eating Tomorrow: Agribusiness, Family Farmers, and the Battle for the Future of Food.
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has said the federal government's plans to increase the nation's oil and gas reserves are on course and being boosted by strategic policies and programmes.

The Head, Public Affairs, DPR, Mr. Paul OSU, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.

Osu said the national aspiration of Nigeria was to increase its reserves from 36.91 billion barrels to 50 billion barrels, in the short to midterm.

He said the government was also targeting increasing Nigeria's proven gas reserves from 206.53TCF to 250TCF.

According to him, the strategic focus for upstream includes bid rounds, reserve growth, increased production and reduction of production cost per barrel.

Osu said majority of the companies that won the bid for the nation's 57 marginal oilfields had paid their signature bonuses to the federal government.

He noted that about 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day would be added to Nigeria's production volume within the next few years when the fields begin production.

Osu said the government was also looking at increasing frontier exploration activities, which had been given a boost by the recent signing of the Petroleum Industry Act by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In terms of increasing production, he said the DPR had initiated the Maximum Economic Recovery (MER) strategy for the oil and gas industry and would be rewarding deserving individuals and companies.

Osu said plans to reduce cost of production to $10pb was still being implemented and was achievable in order to attract more investors to the sector.

He said the DPR would continue to create opportunities for investors and stakeholders in the oil and gas industry, as well as enable the successes of businesses using its service instruments of licences, permits and approvals. (NAN)
Mr Buhari's is against the governors' protest and calls for a forensic audit into the suspicious judgment debts

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the payment of a controversial $418million in Paris Club refund-related judgment debts to six creditors, ignoring the Nigerian governors' objection to the legitimacy of the claims.

PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday exclusively obtained a finance ministry's correspondence asking the Debt Management Office (DMO) to commence issuance of promissory notes to the creditors, the means of payment approved by Mr Buhari.

The development is against the governors' protest and calls for a forensic audit into the suspicious claims of the creditors.

The debts had accrued from court judgments awarding the creditors, as "consultants" and "contractors," various sums of money amounting to about $418million.

Some of the creditors claimed to have earned their shares of the money through consultancy services of helping state and local governments to recover funds over-deducted by the federal government from their allocations between 1995 and 2002 to service the London Club and Paris Club loans.

Others were purportedly engaged to execute certain projects in all the 774 local governments in anticipation of being paid from the Paris Club refunds. The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) said the contracts were largely unexecuted.

PREMIUM TIMES had in series of exclusive reports exposed wide-ranging legitimacy issues, including non-execution of agreed contracts and backdoor deals raised against the indebtedness from various quarters.

The Kayode Fayemi-led Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF), ALGON, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in separate correspondences to relevant authorities, expressed concerns about the indebtedness.

The Ekiti State governor, since taking over as the NGF chairperson in 2019, has been seeking a review of the humongous indebtedness calling for a forensic audit into the agreements leading to the court judgments.

In February, the National Executive Council (NEC), led by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and has the 36 states governors, and some other top federal government officials, as members, also threw its weight behind the NGF's demand for a suspension of the planned payments for a forensic audit to be done.

Subsequently, in April, the NGF, through its lawyer, Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, wrote the finance minister, Zainab Ahmed, asking her to suspend moves to begin paying the money as it was set to file appeals against the judgments.

Presidential approval despite concerns

The fresh document obtained by this newspaper on Tuesday shows that Mr Buhari has shoved the issues raised, by authorising the Federal Ministry of Finance to issue promissory notes to the creditors.

The promissory notes, as revealed in our previous reports, are to be funded through deductions from states and local governments' monthly allocations over a period of 10 years.

Citing Mr Buhari's approval letter dated January 11, 2021, the letter signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Aliyu Ahmed, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, asked the Debt Management Office (DMO) to issue the promissory notes to the creditors.

The letter dated and received by the DMO on August 12, is titled, 'Authorisation to issue promissory notes in favour of Category 'A' judgment creditors'.

"I write to convey the approval of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning (HMFBNP) for the Debt Management Office (DMO) to issue Promissory Notes in favour of Category "A" judgment creditors in the reconciled list of judgment debts in compliance with various court orders and judgments and the approval of Mr. President. '

"You will recall that Mr. President had in a letter dated 11 January 2021, approved the issuance of Promissory Notes to liquidate various categories of judgment debts to wit: (Categories A, B1, B2, and C) against Federal Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs); States and Local Governments Councils. (Please find copy attached as Annex A)," the letter read in part.

Creditors

Our previous reports had revealed the list of creditors in the Category A judgment creditors list to comprise six persons and entities being owed a total of $418,953,670.59.

The beneficiaries include a former member of the House of Representatives, politician and lawyer, Ned Nwoko, who is laying claim to $142,028,941 via a consent judgment he obtained from the Federal High Court in Abuja in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/148/2017.

Three beneficiaries laying claim to $143,463,577.76 via a judgment of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in the suit marked FCT/HC/CV/2129/2014 are: Riok Nigeria Ltd, Orji Nwafor Orizu, and Olaitan Bello.

From the total money, Riok Nigeria Limited has a share of $142,028,941.95 (about N54 billion), Mr Nwafor is entitled to $1,219,440.45 and Mr Bello has a share of $215,159.36.

The claimant with the singular lion share is Ted Iseghoghi Edwards, who is laying claim to $159,000,000 through a judgment he obtained from the FCT High Court in suit number FCT/CV/1545/2015.

A firm, Panic Alert Security System Limited, owned by George Uboh, is also laying claim to $47,831,920 based on another "consent judgment" it obtained in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/123/2018, which was filed as recently as 2018.

How creditors will get promissory notes

The finance ministry's letter to the DMO seen by this newspaper detailed how the creditors would receive their promissory notes.

The ministry's permanent secretary who signed the letter said, for Mr Nwoko, who had obtained an order of mandamus issued by the court, the promissory notes due to him and one Gregory Lar "should be delivered to them directly".

For Riok Nigeria Ltd, Orji Nwafor Orizu and Olaitan Bello, the letter stipulated that their promissory notes "should be delivered to the Chief Registrar of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja".

It added that promissory note due to Ted Iseghohi Edwards, Panic Alert Security System, "should be delivered to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Abuja in line with the order of court".

Condition

As a condition for issuing promissory notes, the beneficiaries would sign an agreement to receive promissory notes in lieu of cash, says the letter by Mr Ahmed, the finance ministry's permanent secretary.

"It is to be noted that," the letter reads, partly, that as advised by Mr Malami in his letter, "all the beneficiaries of the Promissory Notes, as a condition precedent, shall execute appropriate Acceptance and Undertaking that they accept the Promissory Notes in lieu of cash payment as full and final settlement of their claims, thereby discharging the FGN (Federal Government of Nigeria) from all liabilities regarding the subject of their claims".

How controversies started

The monetary claims of the creditors, like the court proceedings validating them, are dogged by many controversies which PREMIUM TIMES' previous reports have revealed.

The foundation of the humongous debts appeared to have been laid by ALGON in 2013.

Then, the leadership of ALGON, acting in concert with some of the claimants, went to court to challenge what they described as the federal government's unilateral deduction of the funds from the federation account to service the foreign debts without the consent of the third tier of governments in the country.

Curiously, the 774 local governments, coordinated by ALGON, filed the suit as the principal plaintiffs and joined the "consultants" and "contractors" as co-plaintiffs, for their roles providing legal and consultancy services to help secure the Paris Club refund.

Between 2013 and 2018, a series of similar suits relating to the Paris and London clubs' money were filed in court with ALGON and past leaderships of the NGF giving tacit support to the "contractors" and "consultants".

At the end of the day, some of the cases were feebly defended, while others were consented to by the defendants, including past NGF leaderships and ALGON.

With little or no opposition, judgments later began to fly around with huge awards in millions of dollars issued by the courts in favour of the claimants.

Red flags against payments

In a report of an investigation carried out at the behest of the AGF, the EFCC would later state that at least a part of the debts is unjustifiable.

Mr Malami, in his letter dated July 17, 2020, sent to the President's Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, acknowledged the finding by the EFCC questioning the legitimacy of the $159 million being claimed by Mr Iseghoghi-Edwards, one of the six judgment creditors.

He said in the letter that the "recent EFCC report shows" that Mr Iseghoghi-Edwards "is not entitled to this sum".

Aside from EFCC report, Mr Malami also received two letters authored by successive presidents of ALGON in 2018 and 2019 protesting the judgment claims credited to Ted Iseghoghi-Edwards and RIOK Nigeria Limited.

In the letter dated September 10, 2018, with reference number, ALGON/NP/FMJ/VOL1/001/18, and which was received by the AGF office on September 13, 2018, the then ALGON President, Gambo Kagara, informed Mr Malami that neither Mr Iseghoghi-Edwards nor his law firm, worked for the association as claimed by them in the recovery of the refund of the over-deducted Paris Club loans to be entitled to any payment.

Mr Kagara's letter, which was a reply to an earlier inquiry by Mr Malami, explained that ALGON actually engaged the services of some lawyers that represented the association and by extension its members during the litigation process that ended in favour of the association.

But it added, "A perusal of all the relevant court records will show that neither Dr Ted Edward nor Edwards and Partners were counsel on records throughout the entire court proceedings."

Concerning RIOK, which is laying claim to a court judgment awarding it over $142million as its share of the Paris Club refunds, Mr Kagara stated that there was no evidence the firm executed the contracts it was awarded by ALGON in December 2013 to be entitled to the monetary claim.

His letter to Mr Malami reads in part, "ALGON via an award letter dated December 17, 2013, awarded a contract to RIOK Nigeria Limited for the provision of boreholes and other water reticulating apparatus in all the 774 Local Governments and Area Councils in Nigeria.

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"This was subsequently followed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) executed by both parties.

"The entire contract sum was $318,807,950,596, to be funded from the Paris Club refund funds accruable to Local Governments.

"From ALGON's records, there is no evidence that RIOK has executed the required job."

It added that there was also "no communication from the company informing ALGON of the job execution/completion."

"No job inspection has been carried out by ALGON and RIOK has not formally handed over any site of job completion; no certification of job completion has been issued to RIOK; consequently, the association categorically denies execution of the work by RIOK to justify any claims for payment," the letter added.

ALGON, under a new administration led by Kolade Alabi as president, wrote another letter dated October 8, 2019, to Mr Malami, restating the association's position on the judgment debts as canvassed in Mr Kagara's September 10, 2018 correspondence.

In another outlandish case, George Uboh, Panic Alert Security System Limited, who is laying claim to $47,831,92, 0revealed that his entitlement to the money accrued from helping NGF to pressure a sitting judge to reverse a $478 million judgment.

He stated, "I pressured a sitting judge to reverse a $478 Million USD judgment awarded to contractors that were not a party to the underlying suit.

"I have sacrificed enough for my country way more than you have. After saving the NGF $478 million USD and being detained, don't I deserve 10 per cent ($47.8M); or is it a case of the pidgin parlance 'monkey work, baboon chop'."

Gambari, Malami, Zainab Ahmed's desperate push

Our reports revealed how three influential officials of the President's Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, the AGF, Mr Malami, and the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, have been spearheading the desperate moves to pay the creditors in disregard for all the red flags.

Of the three, Mr Malami is the only one that has been in the picture since 2016 when the conversations among top echelons of the Buhari administration about payment of government's judgment debts started.

Mrs Ahmed only became involved following her appointment as finance minister after her predecessor, Kemi Adeosun, resigned in September 2018 in the wake of her NYSC certificate forgery scandal.

On his part, Mr Gambari got involved in the matter following his appointment in May 2020 after the death of his predecessor, Abba Kyari, who died from COVID-19 complications in April 2020.

Mr Malami had in response to our reports denied any wrongdoing.

But he has refused to answer the 10 questions raised by PREMIUM TIMES pointing out gaps in the statement issued in defence of his action.
The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka, says Nigeria is sinking.

Speaking during a service at his church, Mbaka described the recent attack on the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) as a preamble.

He said if President Muhammadu Buhari did not take drastic steps to address the situation, things might get worse.

"Did you not hear that, bandits entered into our most secured place in this country, Nigerian Defence Academy? The NDA, the impenetrable place in Nigeria and killed some Nigerian military officers."

"And people are still talking of Father Mbaka and Adoration. And some Catholics are still attacking the worship of Blessed Sacrament through adoration; what are they going there to do? The country is sinking just as I told them last time.

"The arrest of Nnamdi Kanu; will it solve any problem? Will it stop any agitation? Now, the attack on the NDA; is it Nnamdi Kanu now?

"Is it not better he is released? Since he is still under their custody and NDA could be perforated, violated and mesmerised, what is the hope of this country if it can happen in Nigeria Defence Academy? Where else is safe?

"As I told you people last two months that what you are seeing is just the beginning of the trouble and that the main trouble is coming. This one that they did (NDA attack) is just the elementary part of it. The secondary part of it is still coming.

"I am only asking God to intervene because what is happening in Afghanistan right now; if God is not ready to help us, Nigeria's situation will be worse in the future. You are free to attack Father Mbaka and criticise me, that one is your problem.

"I am doing my prophetic work, and I don't need apology or affirmation or support or approval from anybody apart from the Holy Spirit who sent me on this risky assignment. Even if I want to stop it, I can't even stop it," he said.
African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights President Justice Slyvain Ore, centre, during training for senior editors and journalists at Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha on September 8, 2016.

analysis

The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (African Human Rights Court) holds great promise in protecting human rights and ensuring justice on the continent. But it operates amid resistance by states and this threatens its effectiveness and very existence.

The idea of a regional human rights court surfaced at the 1961 African Conference on the Rule of Law held in Lagos, Nigeria. African jurists at the conference called on African governments to create "a court of appropriate jurisdiction" that would be "available for all persons under the jurisdiction of the signatory states". Four and a half decades later, an operational regional court became reality.

The court is the African Union's judicial arm, and sits in Arusha, Tanzania. It is one of three regional human rights courts in the world. The others are the European Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. They play an important role in protecting human rights within their respective regions.

The African court was established in terms of a protocol adopted in 1998. It began operating 15 years ago in 2006. In this way, African states have created an avenue for judicial scrutiny of their domestic laws and executive actions that have an impact on human rights.

The court entertains cases of alleged violations of human rights stated in the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and any other relevant human rights instruments that have been ratified by the state concerned. Its remedies include payment of fair compensation or reparations. Its judgments are binding on the concerned state.

The court can also give opinions which are "advisory" in nature but carry significant legal authority because it is an apex regional court.

Cases can only be brought against states that are party to the court's protocol. States that are party to the protocol, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and African intergovernmental organisations can bring cases to the court directly. NGOs with observer status at the commission and individuals can only access the court directly if the relevant state party permits them to do so. Otherwise, individuals and NGOs can only access the court if the African Commission takes their case to the court.

Requests for advisory opinions can be submitted by the African Union or its members or organs, or African organisations that it recognises.

But, sadly, the African Human Rights Court's success in protecting human rights and upholding the rule of law is undermined by state resistance. This has been evident as far back as the early years of the court's establishment.

Striking a blow for human rights

Despite current restrictions on direct access to the court, it has lived up to its promise in most cases. It has issued some progressive and ground-breaking decisions and remedies, including substantial reparations.

For example, it found, in response to a request brought by the Pan African Lawyers Union that vagrancy laws, which many African Union member states retain on their statute books, were incompatible with African human rights standards. That's because the laws criminalise poverty, homelessness or unemployment. The court has called on states to review and amend or repeal such laws.

The court has also required states to uphold rights and principles of fairness, transparency and inclusiveness in elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. States should not use the postponement of elections to "unduly" prolong elected officials' term of office.

In contentious cases, the court has enforced various rights such as fair trial rights, the right to property as well as the right to participate freely in government, freedom of association, freedom of expression and non-discrimination.

It has made it clear in a case against Kenya, for example, that environmental conservation and development policies cannot be at the expense of the rights of indigenous communities. It has also shown, in a case involving a Tanzanian individual, that it will not defer to states on difficult issues such as nationality.

The court has enforced marriage and inheritance rights in a case against Mali, highlighting the rights of women and girls.

In a case involving Tanzanians who had been sentenced to death, it affirmed states' obligation to remove mandatory death penalty from their laws.

It has also set a precedent for non-criminalisation of defamation, in a case involving a journalist in Burkina Faso.

Constraints

Only 31 of 55 African Union member states (including Western Sahara) have ratified the court's protocol. Only six states - Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, and Tunisia - permit individuals and NGOs direct access to the court.

As stated by the African Commission:

Non-ratification of the Court Protocol and reluctance of States to make the Declaration impede the protection of human rights in Africa.

In addition, some countries have withdrawn their permission for individuals and NGOs to access the court, following adverse decisions against them - Rwanda, Tanzania, Benin and Cote d'Ivoire.

By so doing, the states are not only challenging the court's authority, but preventing it from considering future claims from individuals and NGOs against them.

The court is concerned that, should the withdrawals trend continue, millions of citizens will be deprived of the right to justice.

Also, the nomination of judges in the early years was met with resistance.

States have further failed to ensure that the court has enough human and financial resources to function effectively.

These patterns of resistance "might be seen as hindering development of the Court's authority".

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Compliance crisis

The court has a serious non-compliance crisis. About 75% of states do not comply with its decisions, and there are no built-in consequences in its protocol. The court's orders indicate that states that fail to pay reparation amounts within a stipulated timeframe will pay interest on arrears. Only one country - Burkina Faso - has fully complied with the court's judgments.

Some states, such as Tanzania, have complied with only some aspects of decisions, and ignored other aspects.

The court is concerned that resistance to its decisions threatens not just "the effective discharge of its mandate, but its very existence".

Future sustainability

The very poor level of compliance has limited the potential impact of the court's decisions at the domestic level. It is crucial that African countries translate their commitment to human rights on paper into practice.

It is important for the court to stay the course. Retrogression, for fear of risking further exits, is not an option when it comes to protecting human rights.

This article is based on the author's inaugural lecture at the University of the Witwatersrand recently.

Lilian Chenwi, Professor of Law, University of the Witwatersrand
Village elder Wilson Towett with recently planted tree seedlings at the water source in Cheplanget in Kenya's Kericho County, on July 21, 2021.

Kericho, Kenya  Ecologists and officials say efforts to protect water sources work better and last longer if they are led by local communities

Many in sub-Saharan Africa struggle with acute water shortages

Villagers revived dry stream by adding indigenous trees on banks

Kenyan law bans planting of thirsty eucalyptus near rivers

When the stream in his village in Kenya's western Kericho County dried up 15 years ago, Wilson Towett had to ferry water each day from another river several kilometres away during the two-year dry spell that followed.

But much has changed since then.

Using their traditional knowledge, Towett and 14 other elders in Cheplanget village began planting water-retaining indigenous trees along the stream's bare banks and issued local by-laws banning the cutting of bush and trees along the stream.

Within two rainy seasons, it was in full flow again.

"We learned the hard way 15 years ago... That's when we quickly went back to what our fathers and grandparents had been teaching us," said Towett, a 69-year-old father of seven.

"We eventually saved the stream and have taken it upon ourselves to teach our children and grandchildren not to destroy the thickets here," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

As the East African country looks to rein in rapid deforestation that has threatened water sources and livelihoods, conservationists and officials have hailed the revival of Cheplanget's essential water source as an example of successful community-led conservation.

By using traditional wisdom to tackle modern-day environmental challenges, such as deforestation and water scarcity, villagers can ensure their efforts are effective and sustainable, environmentalists say.

"Since these communities can relate to the link between indigenous forest, their conservation and water security, they have a better appreciation for restoration and rehabilitation initiatives," said Brian Waswala Olewe, a wildlife and landscape ecologist at Kenya's Maasai Mara University.

The indigenous trees along the stream in Cheplanget not only help maintain its water supply, but also serve another purpose - the villagers harvest the mature bark to use in traditional medicines, which can be done without cutting down the trees.

"I wouldn't want my children or grandchildren to lack water here. It is our duty to protect the stream and it will give us water for as long as we like," said Towett, as he inspected young seedlings growing along the river.

TALE OF TWO VILLAGES

Globally, tropical forest loss hit its third-highest level in almost two decades in 2020, according to the Global Forest Watch (GFW) monitoring service, causing concern about the impacts on efforts to curb climate change.

The disappearance in 2020 of 4.2 million hectares (10.4 million acres) of primary forest - intact areas of old-growth trees - worldwide roughly equals the size of the Netherlands.

In Kenya, 49,400 hectares of primary forest disappeared from 2002-2020, representing just 14% of all the trees the country lost in that period, GFW data shows.

Forests provide food and livelihoods for people living in and near them, while trees absorb about a third of the planet-warming carbon emissions produced worldwide.

Dominic Kirui / Thomson Reuters Foundation Elder Julius Kosgei stands on what used to be an impassable river in Ainamoi village, July 21, 2021.

The rapid disappearance of tree cover means water sources for communities also come under threat, as without trees to keep the soil together, disintegrating riverbanks cannot hold water.

That is what happened in a village neighbouring Cheplanget, called Ainamoi, where local springs have run out of water and an area that was once swampland is now dry enough to farm on.

The stream in Ainamoi dried up two decades ago after the locals started clearing bushes for firewood and planted exotic trees for income like eucalyptus, which needs a lot of water.

"We are struggling to find water even during the rainy season. That never used to be the case," said Julius Kosgei, 74, a village elder who lives next to the empty stream.

About a decade ago, he convinced the local authorities to put in place measures to tackle the village's water problems.

Now, under local regulations, non-indigenous trees must be planted at least 30 metres (98 feet) away from water bodies.

Since 2009, Kenyan law has banned the planting of eucalyptus on riparian land and in water catchment areas, with the Environment Ministry linking it to water shortages in some areas.

But Richard Bett, the area chief who oversees Ainamoi and Cheplanget, admits the rules are hard to enforce.

In Ainamoi, villagers ignore the laws and removing the trees by force is difficult - every time his team gets rid of one eucalyptus, three more sprout up in its place, he said.

As the villagers in Cheplanget showed, the solution needs to come from the community itself, Bett said.

"A change of heart among the villagers would be a win (when) they accept change and work towards protecting their own water source," he said by phone.

FUTURE GENERATIONS

Only about 30% of sub-Saharan Africa's population has access to a safely managed drinking water service, according to U.N. statistics, pointing to an acute problem.

In 2019, the Kenyan government started evicting people from the country's largest forest in a move it said was aimed at saving what is called Kenya's most important "water tower" as it channels rainwater into a dozen major rivers and lakes.

Authorities say thousands of people live illegally in the Mau forest, clearing trees for farmland and destroying its essential water source, while the settlers say they have valid title deeds.

For longer-lasting solutions that provoke less tension, communities should be given the resources to find their own ways to better manage their land and protect water sources, said ecologist Olewe.

"It ensures (the) sustainability and replication of best practices can be passed onto future generations," he said.

In Ainamoi, elder Kosgei said his community was well aware of the dangers that clearing bush and felling trees pose to the village, but people were too focused on the constant struggle to find water to come up with a long-term fix on their own.

He would like to see the local government do more to stop villagers growing eucalyptus and organise the planting of indigenous vegetation along the stream.

"Before all of us can start to change (our lifestyles) and protect the water sources here, we still suffer from a lack of water," he said.
Murowa Diamonds intends to commission its processing plant during the next quarter as part of a broader expansion programme expected to more than double its production capacity, an official has said.

The project, which entails migrating from open pit to underground operations, will see the firm processing 500 000 tonnes of ore per month from 190 000 tonnes, Mr Wilson Gwatiringa, spokesperson for RioZim, which owns Murowa, told The Herald Finance & Business yesterday.

"It is a massive investment that bodes well with Government's vision to grow the sector," said Mr Gwatiringa.

The mining sector remains one of the key industries expected to anchor economic revival.

Zimbabwe is seeking to boost mineral exports to US$12 billion by 2023 and significant milestones have since been made. This will help the country attain upper middle-income status under Vision 2030.

Under the mining roadmap, gold is expected to contribute US$4 billion, platinum US$3 billion while chrome, iron, steel, diamonds and coal will contribute US$1 billion.

Lithium is expected to contribute US$500 million and $1,5 billion will come from other minerals.

The current phase, expected to cost US$52 million, would extend the life of the Murowa mine by four years.

The construction of the underground mine would require US$400 million, said Mr Gwatiringa.

During the first quarter of 2021, about 702 639 carats were produced nationally, surpassing the previous quarter and same period in 2020 by 20, 3 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

In the outlook to year-end, national diamond production is projected at three million carats, driven by anticipated ramping up of production by current producers taking advantage of the ongoing investments in exploration and mine development, as well as the anticipated resumption of operations at Anjin in June 2021.

Last year, Alrosa Zim said it had begun preliminary exploration work for commercially viable primary diamond deposits in the country and was looking to invest US$12 million.
Although the Cabinet member detailed that it is a fairly significant increase, he emphasized that it is an absolutely necessary increase.

Ministro @pedrofrancke: El #Presupuesto2022 para la Funcion Salud asciende a S/22 207 millones. pic.twitter.com/uwgMZNRO9h
VOTA AHORA ?? https://t.co/YyJZpdDgSE Hagamos que el Peru sea el Mejor Destino Verde???? de Sudamerica en los @World Travel Awards 2021! ??Ingresa al enlace y demuestra el orgullo que sientes por nuestros destinos naturales. #MarcaPeru #WTA2021 pic.twitter.com/qKSyjqcgyz
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Contrary to the claims of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the norms and principles of the international law did not give Azerbaijan the right or permission to try to solve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict by force, especially when there was an internationally accepted negotiation format in the person of the OSCE Minsk Group, within the frames of which all sides, including Azerbaijan, have assumed a commitment to solve the issue exclusively peacefully and avoid use of force or the threat of force, Expert on Azerbaijani studies Taron Hovhannisyan told ARMENPRESS, commenting on the recent statements made by the Azerbaijani leader.

Mr. Hovhannisyan said there cannot be any justification to a military aggression.

There is no such norm in international law which allows to solve conflicts by force. It is rejected in the current world order which has been formed after the Second World War, he said.

Taron Hovhannisyan noted that the norms of international law suppose that conflicts must be solved through peaceful means. And in the case of the Artsakh issue in particular, there have always been the negotiation process and the statements by the international role players that the conflict must be solved peacefully.

In line with its aggressive statements, Azerbaijan is constantly attempting to present the reality in such a way, claiming that Armenia has started the aggression, and they have taken response actions. In other words, they dont want to state openly that they have started the war and they are the aggressive side because the international law doesnt like aggressors, Taron Hovhannisyan said.

However, the analyst states that unfortunately the practical international mechanisms do not exist or are very weak, which would ensure the implementation of the aforementioned international commitments, by restraining the military aspirations of the Azerbaijani side. The expert emphasizes that this allowed Azerbaijan to carry out the aggression of 2020 and remain de facto unpunished.

In fact, this is what exists de facto. But there is no such thing de jure that any country has a right to solve conflicts by force. Otherwise, there would have been a chaos all over the world, the expert said.

On August 30 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has made a statement in the occupied town of Shushi, according to which the current course of events, the second Karabakh war and the actions of international role players show that the [Nagorno Karabakh] issue could never be solved through negotiations. Aliyev claimed that all norms and principles of the international law, in particular the UN Charter, the resolutions of the UN Security Council, the historical justice, have given a right to Azerbaijan to solve the issue with military means, if it is not solved peacefully.

Interview by Aram Sargsyan

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory letter to President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the Independence Day, the PMs Office told Armenpress.

The letter reads:

Your Excellency,

I warmly congratulate you and the good people of Uzbekistan on the occasion of the Independence Day.

I am sure that your rich experience as a state figure will serve for the prosperity of Uzbekistan in the future as well.

I am convinced that the mutual relations of Armenia and Uzbekistan will also develop on the path of strengthening the cooperation both at bilateral and multilateral formats.

By using the chance, I wish you good health, happiness, and to the good people of Uzbekistan  peace and welfare.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) and Air Arabia Group, the Middle East and North Africas first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator, today announced that the new national airline to be launched by their joint venture company will be named Fly Arna.

The name was chosen by the Board of Directors of the joint venture company from over 500 suggestions received in response to the Name the Airline competition announced in July 2021. Following a comprehensive review, the name of the airline was chosen as Fly Arna  with the word Arna being derived from the name Armenian National Airlines by combining the first two letters of the words "ARmenian" with the first letter of "National" and the first letter of "Airline". The competition aimed to engage the citizens of Armenia to participate in naming their new national airline reflecting the commitment of ANIF and Air Arabia Group to promote stakeholder participation.

I thank everyone for the active participation in the contest. It is both inspiring and a sign of a shared vision of a successful endeavour we all aspire for the project, said David Papazian, CEO of ANIF. Despite the current challenges of the pandemic, we are confident of the new opportunity that exists for Fly Arna to deliver a winning proposition that will benefit the nation and our people.

Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said: The new name represents the aspirations of the people of Armenia and is the result of a national competition, underlining how the joint venture company prioritizes the interests of the community. Fly Arna will mark the beginning of a new era for Armenias aviation sector, and also create significant value to the economy by boosting the tourism, hospitality and business sectors.

More than 800 participants suggested the 500 names via email and on ANIFs social media pages. The name was chosen to be most inclusive and reflecting the spirit of the joint venture company to transform the aviation sector of the country.

Fly Arna will operate as a low-cost passenger airline with Yerevans Zvartnots International Airport (EVN) as its base. The company will apply for the Airline Operation Certificate in the coming weeks. More details about the launch date, fleet, and destination network will be announced in due course.

ANIF and Air Arabia Group had announced the agreement to launch Armenias new national airline in July 2021.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Romania Florin-Vasile Citu congratulated Nikol Pashinyan on re-appointment as Prime Minister of Armenia.

The congratulatory letter reads:

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

I am pleased to address my sincere congratulations and best wishes on your re-appointment as Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. Its a position of high responsibility especially in the current regional and international context.

By using this chance, I would like to express my firm belief that the relations between Romania and Armenia, which are based on long-term friendship and mutual trust between our nations, will continue to develop in coming years.

The promotion of bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest must have a high place in our agenda. The implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia and the European Union, as well as many programs and tools provided by the EU will surely open new opportunities for cooperation.

Reaffirming my warmest wishes for success, please accept the assurances of my highest respect.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. On September 1, at around 11:10, the Azerbaijani armed forces once again resorted to provocation, by opening fire from sniper rifles at the Armenian positions located in the Yeraskh section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the defense ministry of Armenia said in a statement.

Serviceman of the Armenian Armed Forces, junior sergeant Gegham Sahakyan, born in 1982, received a fatal gunshot wound as a result.

The defense ministry shares the grief of the loss and extends condolences to the family, relatives and fellow servicemen of the soldier, the statement says, adding: The ministry strongly condemns the actions of the Azerbaijani side and warns that they will not go unanswered. The entire responsibility of the escalation of the situation falls on the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. The Parliament of Artsakh convened a special session chaired by Speaker Artur Tovmasyan on September 1 dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the declaration of independence of Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

The Primate of the Diocese of Artsakh Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, the former Speaker of Parliament of Artsakh Ashot Ghulyan and an Armenian parliamentary delegation led by Vice Speaker Ruben Rubinyan were in attendance.

The parliament observed a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the three Karabakh wars.

Speaker Tovmasyan said the Azeri-launched wars against Artsakh in 2016 and 2020, with the latter also involving international terrorist groups, reaffirmed Azerbaijans explicit sinister intentions of an Artsakh without Armenians. And after all this, to include any contentious issue of some kind of a status within Azerbaijan into the negotiations process simply doesnt fit into any healthy logic. Despite entirely different positions around the settlement of the Karabakh conflict between the sides, we are definitely inclined towards the establishment of a proper environment aimed at continuing the negotiations process exclusively under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Independence isnt only a declaration, it isnt only a Constitution, first of all it is the dignity to live independently, said Bishop Abrahamyan in his remarks.

In turn, Artsakh Foreign Minister Davit Babayan said: This holiday is first of all the holiday of our fallen heroes, who sacrificed their lives for us to have our homeland. We are all obliged to strengthen Artsakh, which will mean to strengthen Armenia, for their memory.

FM Babayan said that the priority for all Armenians must become the focusing on Artsakh.

Vice Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Ruben Rubinyan conveyed the greetings of Speaker Alen Simonyan, and described the Artsakh Declaration of Independence as the only way of preserving the existence of Armenians of Artsakh.

This is the 30th anniversary of the will of Artsakhians, he said. The 30-th anniversary of exercising their own right. Eternal glory to all those thanks to whom this right was exercised.

In turn, Hayastan faction MP Armen Rustamyan said: It is important that we celebrate this day. This is a message to our neighbors: the will of the Armenians is unbreakable, regardless of turmoil we are able to rediscover ourselves and overcome challenges. We are in a common system. The security of Armenia is interlinked with Artsakh. We have very little time to accurately assess the situation and restore what has been lost.

The future of our people was determined, is determined and will be determined in Artsakh, said MP Artur Vanetsyan from the Pativ Unem bloc.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Nearly 70 representatives of Germanys tourism sector, including tour-operators, tour agencies, trade associations, air companies and news agencies, have arrived in Armenia to participate in Fvw DRV Destination Forum event, which is aimed at strengthening the touristic relations between Armenia and Germany. ARMENPRESS reports during the press-conference dedicated to the event Minister of Economy of Armenia Vahan Kerobyan thanked the representatives of the tourism sector of Germany for organizing the Fvw DRV Destination Forum event in Armenia.

Kerobyan stressed that such events are important for Armenia, as they move forward the tourism sphere in Armenia by one big step, helping companies operating in the field to expand their international ties and geography.

"We attach great importance to the projects implemented in the field of tourism jointly with the German Agency for International Cooperation" company. This four-day event shows Armenia's interest in developing the Armenian-German economic and tourism ties," Kerobyan said.

According to the Minister of Economy, tourism is one of the priority spheres for Armenia's economic development.

Its not a secret that Germany is Armenias major economic partner among the EU Member States. The deepening of relations with Germany is one of the key directions of Armenia's foreign economic policy, where cooperation in the field of tourism is a priority, Kerobyan emphasized.

The Minister said that the highest increase in the number of visits to Armenia from European Union countries since 2019 is from Germany.

Fvw DRV Destination Forum will be held until September 2. The German guests will tour in Armenia to discover its sights and touristic potential. A business forum will be held on September 2.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. The Public Radio of Armenia is one of the leaders in the Armenian landscape, which today enters a new development era with the consolidated efforts of its team, Director of ARMENPRESS news agency Aram Ananyan said in the congratulatory message addressed to the Public Radio and its Director Garegin Khumaryan on the 95th anniversary of the establishment of the Public Radio.

I heartily congratulate you and the entire staff of the Public Radio, its veterans and thousands of audience on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the Public Radio that has an invaluable role in our public life. Like in the past, today also the Public Radio is one of the leaders of Armenias media landscape, which today has entered into a new era of development with the consolidated efforts of your team, reads the congratulatory message of Aram Ananyan.

Ananyan noted that ARMENPRESS and Public Radio have a history of decades of cooperation. During this jubilee year the joint prodcast project ''A Fairy Tale Together'' came into life, in the sidelines of which the children of 11 ethnic minorities of Armenia presented their folk tales in Armenian language.

Our rich history of partnership inspires confidence that our joint projects will be multiplied during the upcoming years. Congratulations once again, we wish you uninterrupted broadcasting, new creative success, health and peaceful sky, Director of ARMENPRESS Aram Ananyan said in his congratulatory message.
The Russian Military Industrial Company (VPK) unveils its new BTR-BM 8x8 wheeled armored IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) at Army-2021, Military Technical Forum that was held in the Patriotic Park near Moscow Russia. The BTR-BM is based on the BTR-82A but fitted with a new turret with one 30mm cannon and Konkurs-M anti-tank guided missiles and an enhanced armor package.



VPK unveils the new BTR-BM 8x8 wheeled IFV Infantry Fighting Vehicle at Army-2021, Military Technical Forum near Moscow, Russia. (Picture source Army Recognition)

The BTR-BM was developed by the Russian company VPK to increase the firepower and the protection of the prevision models of the BTR-80 family of wheeled armored vehicle personnel carriers. The vehicle is based on the chassis of the BTR-82A with many new improvements.

As for the BTR-82A, the hull of the BTR-BM has a hull of all-welded steel armor construction. The commander sits at the front of the hull on the right with the driver to his left. For the previous version of the BTR-80 family, the commander and the driver position was fitted with a single hatch, but for the BTR-BM, the hatches are covered by additional armor plates. Each also has three forward- and one side-facing day periscopes.

The troop compartment of the BTR-BM is to the rear of the turret while the engine compartment is at the rear of the hull. The original BTR-82A has three firing ports and one vision block in each side of the hull, but for the BTR-BM, the side of the hull is covered by armor plates rendering the firing ports unusable. A single door is mounted between the second and third axles, the upper part of which opens to the front while the lower part folds down to form a step. This allows the infantry to dismount from the vehicle much more quickly and with less exposure to enemy fire.

The BTR-BM is fitted with a new turret armed with one 2A42 30mmm automatic cannon, one PKT 7.62mm caliber coaxial machine gun, and two container launchers for 9K111-1M Konkurs-M ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided missile). The vehicle has a crew of three and can carry up to seven infantrymen. the turret is fully stabilized on two axles and is equipped with a computerized firing control system, day/night gunner sight system, laser rangefinder, ATGM control channel, and automatic tracking system. With its new thermal imaging system and detection range targets, the BTR-BM is able to destroy land targets up to a range of 3,000 during day and night and in all weather conditions.

According to VPK, the BTR-BM keeps the same motorization as the BTR-82A which consists of a KamAz-740.14300 developing 300 hp. coupled to a 5-speed mechanical gearbox. The vehicle can reach a maximum road speed of 100 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 600 km.
Minister of Defense of Armenia Arshak Karapetyan visited several military units on August 31, the defense ministry reports.

September 1, 2021, 11:22 Armenian Defense Minister visits several military units

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 1, ARTSAKHPRESS: The Minister of Defense got acquainted with the training process of the subdivisions, paid special attention to the social and living conditions of the military units, as well as to the conditions of food organization process.

Arshak Karapetyan also visited some regions where currently trainings for reservists are underway. The minister talked to the reservists and thanked them for their participation to those trainings.
The Armenian farmer from Artsakh who was seized by Azeri troops on July 26 was subjected to torture during the few hours of being held in Azeri custody, the Artsakh prosecution said.

September 1, 2021, 12:22 Artsakh farmer seized and tortured by Azeri troops

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 1, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: The 30-year-old farmer, a resident of Matchkalashen of the Martuni region who suffers from a mental illness, was out in the fields looking for his livestock when he appeared under Azerbaijani military control as a result of getting lost. Hours later the Russian peacekeepers were able to retrieve him.

A medical examination showed that the farmer suffered multiple bodily injuries, including on his head, face, chest and arms.

A criminal case is filed on torture committed by motive of ethnic hatred.
Russia maintains good relations with the European countries which have their own national interests and seek to meet the peoples expectations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told an audience of students and teachers at the MGIMO university on Wednesday, Tass informs.

September 1, 2021, 17:43 Russia has no problems with European countries that safeguard their interests

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 1, ARTSAKHPRESS: "If some country has a government concerned about national interests and projects that would meet the peoples needs and the requirements of the economy and its growth, as well as search for partners that will help address these tasks most effectively, there will be no problems in relations with countries in Central or Eastern Europe or any other country of the world," he said.

Lavrov stressed tight relations with Hungary, "which the European Union tries to criticize precisely for this reason."

"Hungary and Poland are called as countries that disobey the common European rules and principles and hold referendums calling into question LGBT rights," he added. "Hungary has held a referendum on a law that is an exact equivalent of the one existing in Russia. It does not prohibit anything, but merely introduces administrative responsibility for the propaganda of LGBT ideology among minors," he added.

Lavrov said that Russia and Hungary tightly cooperated on humanitarian issues. For instance, the countries campaigned actively to protect Christians in the Middle East.

"Incidentally, Poland is not ashamed of its past and present, while in other European countries, when we raise the issue of speaking out in Christians defense, we are told This is not quite politically correct," Lavrov said.

He stressed that Russia was working on a number of economic projects with countries in Eastern Europe, but such interaction with the Czech Republic came to a halt.

"We had quite a few common ideas with the Czech Republic, but lately that country preferred to put itself on the Russophobic track and made some outspokenly discriminatory decisions, including the expulsion of Rosatom from the contest for building another nuclear power plant reactor. To justify all this it offered various excuses that have never been proven," Lavrov explained.

"We are in the habit of hearing accusations of various deadly sins that have no proof to rely on. Our requests for providing the corresponding evidence are ignored. This is not a very serious position. It merely exposes the Western policy of groundless fanning of Russophobic tensions," Lavrov concluded.
FILE PHOTO: General view of Pakistan and Taliban flags at the Friendship Gate crossing point in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border town of Chaman

By Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - There is growing concern among Pakistani officials about security in neighbouring Afghanistan, as the Taliban tries to form a government and stabilise the country following the departure of U.S. and other foreign forces.

Islamabad is particularly worried about militant fighters from a separate, Pakistani Taliban group crossing from Afghanistan and launching lethal attacks on its territory. Thousands of Pakistanis have been killed in jihadist violence in the last two decades.

Underlining the security threat within Afghanistan, in the last few days a suicide bombing claimed by an Afghan offshoot of Islamic State outside Kabul airport killed more than 100 people, including 13 U.S. troops.

A rocket attack on the airport followed, and on Sunday militant gunfire from across the border in Afghanistan killed https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/militant-fire-across-afghan-border-kills-two-pakistan-soldiers-says-army-2021-08-29 two Pakistani soldiers.

"The next two to three months are critical," a senior Pakistani official said, adding that Islamabad feared a rise in militant attacks along the Afghan-Pakistan border, as the Taliban tried to fill a vacuum left by the collapse of Afghan forces and the Western-backed administration.

"We (the international community) have to assist the Taliban in reorganising their army in order for them to control their territory," the source added, referring to the threat posed by resurgent rival militant groups including Islamic State.

U.S. officials have repeatedly accused Pakistan of supporting the Afghan Taliban, which fought in a civil war in the mid-1990s before seizing power in 1996.

Islamabad, one of the few capitals to recognise the Taliban government that was toppled in 2001, denies the charge.

Pakistan's government has said that its influence over the movement has waned, particularly since the Taliban grew in confidence once Washington announced the date for the complete withdrawal of U.S. and other foreign troops.

Story continues

The official, who has direct knowledge of the country's security decisions, said Pakistan planned to send security and intelligence officials, possibly even the head of the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, to Kabul to help the Taliban reorganise the Afghan military.

An Afghan Taliban spokesperson did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment on security relations with Pakistan.

PAKISTAN EXPECTS TALIBAN COOPERATION

Though recognition of a new Taliban government was not immediately on the table, the official said, the world should not abandon Afghanistan.

"Whether we recognise the Taliban government or not, stability in Afghanistan is very important."

The official warned that Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), a loosely-affiliated offshoot of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, was actively looking to launch attacks and recruit new fighters.

Left unhindered, it would almost certainly grow from relatively small numbers currently.

The United States recently launched two drone strikes targeting ISIS-K militants, including one in Kabul and one near the eastern border with Pakistan.

The strikes followed a pledge by President Joe Biden that the United States would hunt down the militants behind the recent suicide bombing.

The Taliban criticised the strikes as a "clear attack on Afghan territory".

Pakistan, whose armed forces also possess unmanned drones as well as conventional aircraft, will avoid intervening directly in Afghanistan if at all possible, said the official.

The Afghan Taliban have reassured their neighbour that they will not allow their territory to be used by anyone planning attacks on Pakistan or any other country.

But Islamabad expected the Afghan Taliban to hand over militants planning attacks against Pakistan, the official added, or at least force them from their mutual border, where Pakistani troops have been on high alert in recent weeks.

(Reporting by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
Taliban supporters paraded coffins draped with American and NATO flags in the eastern city of Khost - part of celebrations across the country following the withdrawal of the last US troops.

The mock funeral on Tuesday, in which coffins covered in French and British flags were also carried along the street through a large crowd, marked the end of a 20-year war and a hasty and humiliating exit for Washington and its NATO allies.

Some of the crowd held guns aloft, while others waved Taliban flags or snapped the procession on mobile phones.

"August 31 is our formal Freedom Day. On this day, American occupying forces and NATO forces fled the country," Taliban official Qari Saeed Khosti told local television station Zhman TV during its coverage of the event.

Footage from Khost was shared widely on social media on Tuesday alongside other videos of celebratory gunfire in the capital Kabul and a man dangling from a US-made Black Hawk helicopter circling above Afghanistan's second-city Khandahar. Reuters could not verify all the videos.

The last US soldier boarded the final flight out of Afghanistan a minute before midnight on Monday, ending a chaotic evacuation of 123,000 civilians from Afghanistan.

In a lightning sweep back to power, the Taliban ousted a government backed and equipped by the United States and captured US-made weapons and hardware left behind by fleeing Afghan forces.

Other images shared online on Tuesday showed Taliban members walking through Kabul airport in US-supplied fatigues, some brandishing gleaming rifles and others trying out state-of-the-art night vision goggles or sizing up US helicopters.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the US military was not concerned by the images as the helicopters and equipment were "unusable".

The departing US troops destroyed, or "demilitarised" more than 70 aircraft and dozens of armoured vehicles. They also disabled air defences that had thwarted an attempted Islamic State rocket attack on the eve of their departure.

with DPA
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Sure enough, that fan and many others feel the same way about the muscular law enforcement officer (who also shaves his head like Johnson), with some even posting comparisons on TikTok.

Fields, 37, has worked for the Morgan County Sheriffs Office for 17 years including at the jail, in investigations, in the special victims unit and with drug-endangered children before being sworn in as a Deputy U.S. Marshal. He was promoted to corporal and then worked from sergeant to lieutenant over patrol for which he handles tactical training and serves as firearms instructor.

Fields said its been a running joke for a few years now, but the comparisons dont even stop at Johnson. Ive been called The Rock and Vin Diesels love child, Fields said. I go along with it. Its humorous. Its flattering. It could be worse people, I guess.

The self-described cut-up said hell go along with it enough to do an impression of both Johnson and Diesel if pressed to do so. In the meantime, friends might call and ask Can you smell what the Rock is cooking? borrowing the former pro wrestlers famous catchphrase.
The government of the United States after 20 years has pulled out of Afghanistan. I strongly believe this is a huge mistake, and I'll tell you why. When George W. Bush invaded Afghanistan it was to try to get Bin Laden. That is true. Also the Taliban had been training terrorist groups hiding Bin Laden. This happened right after the 9/11 attacks. Bush did the right thing. He said we are at war. He was right, we still are at war with Taliban Islamic forces.

Let's get one thing straight, the Islamic, Taliban, Bin Laden forces hate us because we support the country of Israel. Anyone that supports Israel, they want to kill them all. Afghanistan is a very mountainous country. That's why they just go back in the mountains and wait for you. The USA drove the Taliban out of cities at a price of 2,440 American lives, and men and women being wounded and having PTSD problems. I support the men and women is uniform and always will. They kept us safe here at home.
I am submitting this letter to the editor as a frequent Auburn-area visitor.

Violence, ignorance and greed no longer menace society from the dark. Today they live in the light of day.

Historically, the church has done some good in curbing violence. The state has taken the lead in dealing with ignorance. Business and finance affect the accumulation of wealth.

The problem today is that church, state and business are all in a heady state of decline.

The church and its people refuse science and take sides in partisan brawls. The state and its public schools are no longer capable of training young people to be civil. Business and banks have trashed honest advertising, limits on usury and support of small business.

What needs to be done? Church people must study and champion science; public schools must re-learn how to teach respect for law; and money has to grow a pair of ethics.

How and when? Up to you, folks. Better get busy.

Kimball Shinkoskey

Woods Cross, Utah

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Xiaomi finishes registration of automobile company

Beijing (Gasgoo)- Xiaomi has completed the Industrial and Commercial registration of its automobile company, which has a registered capital of RMB10 billion, and Lei Jun, the phone makers founder and CEO, will serve as the new companys legal representative, Xiaomi announced today.

Photo credit: Xiaomi

At the end of March this year, Xiaomi announced its foray into the electric vehicle industry. The initial investment in its car-making company will be RMB10 billion while the total investment in the next 10 years will be around $10 billion. Lei Jun will become the CEO of the new company.

In the past five months, Xiaomi held talks with many companies, including automakers and suppliers, as well as making investment in other firms. On August 25, the company announced its acquisition of DEEPMOTION TECH, a Beijing-based startup, for $77.37 million.

Xiaomi is also busy with building up its team for automotive business. At the end of July, Lei Jun posted a job ad via his Weibo account for the company's autonomous driving business unit, which intends to enlist 500 technicians for in-house developed Level 4 smart driving capability. According the company, its automotive business team has about 300 staff after receiving over 20,000 applications. In terms of the whole group, there are more than 16,000 engineers.

The groups revenue and net profit of the second quarter hit a new high, which will offer strong support for its automotive business. Its quarterly revenue surges 64% year on year to RMB87.8 billion while its adjusted net profit soared 87.4% from a year ago to RMB6.3 billion.
NIO's Aug. deliveries zoom up 48.3% YoY

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- NIO saw its monthly deliveries vigorously grow 48.3% year on year to 5,880 units in August 2021, the EV startup announced on Wednesday.

To be specific, NIO's July deliveries were composed of 1,738 ES8 SUVs, 2,342 ES6 SUVs, and 1,800 EC6 coupe SUVs.

By the end of August, the company's cumulative deliveries amounted to 131,408 units.

NIO ES6; photo credit: NIO

The company said its new order volume hit an all-new high last month thanks to the rising market demands. However, the vehicle production, especially the manufacturing of the ES6 and the EC6, was disrupted by the supply chain constraints stemming from the coronavirus pandemic in some areas in China and Malaysia.

Considering the continued uncertainty and volatility of semiconductor supply, NIO has adjusted its product plan and revised its quarterly deliveries guidance for the third quarter. It expects its Jul.-Sept. deliveries to reach roughly 22,500 to 23,500 vehicles, versus the previous outlook of 23,000 to 25,000 vehicles, which was just announced in NIO's second-quarter financial results.



At the end of August, NIO struck a deal with Sinopec Group's Hainan sales subsidiary to co-deploy EV charging and battery swapping stations in Hainan province. Leveraging the massive energy supply network of the state-owned oil giant, the startup will quicken the pace of launching its battery swapping facilities.


Xiaomi builds new tech subsidiary qualifying for NEV sale

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi recently established a subsidiary whose business scope covers sale of new energy vehicles (NEVs).

Photo credit: Xiaomi



Founded on August 2, 2021 and located in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, the new company, dubbed Guangdong Hengqin Xiaomi Technology Development Co.,Ltd. (called Zhuhai Xiaomi for short), involves a registered capital of 1 million yuan ($154.7 million) and is wholly owned by Xiaomi Technology Co.,Ltd. It has a line of business covering sale of NEVs, import & export of technologies and goods, information system integration service, software development, and manufacturing of communications facilities.

Xiaomi announced its foray into electric vehicle (EV) sphere on March 30, 2021, planning to invest about $10 billion over the next decade in manufacturing EVs. Lei Jun, Xiaomi's founder, chairman, and CEO, revealed on Tuesday the company's automobile business is at a very early stage and will let the public know if any important progress was made.

It was reported in late July that the Anhui Provincial State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) was in contact with Xiaomi and intended to introduce Xiaomi's EV business to Hefei, according to multiple independent sources.

The rumor was afterwards denied by official sources from the SASAC, who said there was no contact with Xiaomi.
Li Auto sets up joint venture with BMWs supplier for range extension system

Beijing (Gasgoo)- On August 27th, Li Auto signed an investment agreement with Mianyang Xinchen Engine Co., Ltd. (also known as PXC), a subsidiary of Xinchen China Power Holdings Ltd. to set up a new joint venture. The venture, named Sichuan Lixiang Xinchen Technology Ltd., will develop and manufacture next generation range extension system.

Li Auto and PXC agreement signing ceremony, photo credit: Li Auto

PXC is one of China's leading independent automotive engine manufacturers in passenger vehicle and light commercial vehicle engine market, and an authorized third-party engine manufacturer of BMW.

Different from other Chinas new energy vehicle startups, Li Auto laid out a dual-way roadmap with both extended range and high voltage solutions, in order to provide EV users an experience as convenient as gas-powered vehicles. Li Auto expects the delivery of its battery electric vehicles starts in 2023. Therefore in the next two years, Li Auto still needs to depend on its extended range electric vehicles to compete with NIO, Xpeng and other rival brands.

Yanan Shen, Co-founder and CEO of Li Auto, believes that in a longer term, extended range EVs will be a rather perfect substitute of gas-powered vehicles. Smart extended range EV technology will also be one of the companys core strategic developing directions. Shen said, by virtue of the research, developing and producing advantages from both companies, the new venture will provide Li Auto with high quality products, and expand the market shares of smart extended range EVs in China.

Li Auto will equip their full-size electric SUV (debuting in 2022) with next generation range extension system which will be manufactured by their new joint venture.




GAC Group plans to bring new strategic investors for GAC AION

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- GAC Group intends to introduce strategic investors for its wholly-owned NEV-dedicated subsidiary GAC AION, the Guangzhou-based automaker announced on August 30.

According to the announcement, GAC Group will boost the increase of registered capital and shares for GAC AION by restructuring and integrating its NEV-related R&D capability, businesses, and assets. Through promoting the mixed ownership reform for GAC AION, GAC Group expects to improve capital strength, optimize management structure, build a market-driven incentive mechanism, and enhance the ability of independent operation for its NEV business.



AION V; photo credit: GAC AION



The aforementioned plan is still on the drawing board, said GAC Group. The company has not signed any legally binding agreements for the matter.

After introducing new investors, GAC Group will still be the majority shareholder of GAC AION. In the future, GAC AION will positively seek appropriate time to go public and build an independent capital platform and a market-driven incentive mechanism to support its sustainable development.

Founded in 2017 and previously named GAC New Energy Automobile Co.,Ltd., GAC AION was known as a standalone NEV brand for the first time at the Auto Guangzhou 2020. It currently has four vehicle models for sale, namely, the AION S, AION LX, AION V, and AION Y.

For the first seven months of this year, GAC AION's new vehicle sales surged 110.3% year on year to 53,541 units, 10,528 units were sold in July. The NEV maker also received 16,000 new car orders last month.

GAC AION has made sustained efforts to develop cutting-edge battery and EV charging technologies. On August 30, it launched a super-fast charging battery technology that boasts 6 charging multipliers assisted by the A480 supercharger, which made its world's debut at the same time. Unveiled at the GAC Tech Day in April, its in-house developed sponge-like silicon anode battery technology purportedly can offer up to 1,000-km range of an AION LX.
NIO, Sinopecs Hainan branch join hands to deploy EV charging, battery swapping stations

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On August 31, NIO and Sinopec Group's Hainan sales subsidiary (called Sinopec Hainan for short) entered into a strategic agreement to co-deploy EV charging and battery swapping stations.

At the same time, the first EV charging & battery swapping station co-built by the two parties started operation at a rest stop next to a highway in Qionghai city.



NIO, Sinopec's Hainan branch signing agreement; photo credit: Sinopec



The newly-launched facility features the technologies designed for NIO's second-generation battery swapping station. According to NIO, each NIO Power Swap Station 2.0 is equipped with 13 battery packs and is capable of completing up to 312 battery swaps per day, significantly improving swapping efficiency. Thanks to 239 sensors and four cooperative cloud computing systems that maximize the application of visual recognition technologies, users can complete a self-service battery swap with only one click while staying in the car.

On the same day, NIO also launched battery swapping stations in Haikou and Danzhou cities of Hainan province, as part of efforts to build a battery swapping network covering Hainan Island Ring Expressway.

On April 15, NIO and Sinopec Group struck a deal for a strategic cooperation on the deployment of battery swapping stations. Under the agreement, the duo will carry out all-around collaboration on such spheres as new materials, smart electric vehicles, BaaS (Battery as a Service), vehicle procurement and the building of scenarios for recreation and consumption.

Meanwhile, NIO's first Power Swap Station 2.0 was officially launched at Sinopec's Chaoying Station in Beijing.
Changan Auto profitability improved in first-half

Beijing (Gasgoo)  Changan Automobile had a lucrative first half of this year thanks to a 70% increase in revenue year on year. Sales saw an increase of 44%, over 1.2 million vehicles sold in H1, Changan Auto said in its semi-annual financial report.

Changan Auto lineup; photo credit: Changan Auto



Changan Auto posted revenue of RMB56.785 billion, a 73.22% jump from the earlier year. Net profit attributed to shareholders saw a decline of 33.55% year on year to RMB1.729 billion. Net profit after non-recurring gains and losses surged, compared to a RMB2.617 billion shortfall a year earlier, to RMB740 million. Net cash flow from operating investments soared 156.04% year on year to RMB17.699 billion in the reporting period.

The decline in net profit attributed to shareholders was mainly caused by the non-recurring gains shrinkage. Compared to the same period of last year, the non-recurring gains were down 4.2 billion to only RMB990 million in this reporting period.

Net profit after non-recurring gains or losses spiked because of Changan Autos successful business operation strategies. Changan boosted its sales, optimized its product structure, and improved the profitability of its independent and joint venture operations.

In the reporting period, Changan Auto saw a 44.5% year-on-year increase in sales, to 1.201 million vehicles, while its market share raised 1.2%. The groups Chinese passenger vehicle brands delivered 660 thousand cars, a 68.3% increase year on year.

On August 23rd, Changan Auto announced its development strategy, New Cars, New Ecology, planning to sell 3 million vehicles in 2025, 35% of which will be NEVs.

Changan Auto announced that its high-end subsidiary auto brand Avatar is currently seeking for listing. The company plans to use its assets appraisal report as a pricing basis, bringing in 2 to 5 investors through a public listing. The company said the capital increases this time will be private, and the pricing will be consistent with outside investors.




CAHOOTS is dispatched through the same public safety answering points used to dispatch law enforcement, fire and ambulance services. Calls for service in Eugene are answered by trained call-takers who identify the most appropriate resource for the situation.

That means that other traditional resources are aware of what we are doing, or at least the address we are at. So on the rare occasion we do need to call for additional support from police officers, paramedics or the fire department, there is already an awareness of what part of town CAHOOTS is in, Black said.

In 2019, out of a total of roughly 24,000 CAHOOTS calls, police backup was requested 150 times, according to the programs website.

The CAHOOTS model is funded by the City of Eugene, the City of Springfield and Lane County Health, in addition to outside donations, receiving an annual revenue of $2.2 million to operate within the Eugene-Springfield metro area.

But even with the funding and support of local governments, Black said, the program struggles to provide competitive compensation to service providers. He cautioned the City of Flagstaff not to make the same mistakes by taking low bids for service and undervaluing the work that is being done by the crisis workers.
Aslan later responded in a statement on Facebook to explain that his lack of attendance had nothing to do with de-prioritizing Flagstaffs teachers and children, and that Deasy was having a tantrum because he did not get his way. His statement went on to imply there might have been other intentions behind the absence of a council majority.

It seems clear to me that the City Council denied Flagstaffs mayor a quorum tonight for abusing his authority to call an 'emergency' meeting on a topic already set for discussion in a few weeks, Aslan said on the social media platform.

The discussion on the wastewater testing was slated for a city council meeting this month. Deasy, however, told the Arizona Daily Sun that he felt a decision could not wait and that time is of the essence.

The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can prevent outbreaks in our schools. Waiting a week, or two, or three means dozens more infected. That compounds with others in the community infected individuals are in contact with. This needs to be implemented immediately, Deasy said.

But despite the mayors sense of urgency, the timing of the meeting caused some to question Deasys true intentions.
God blessed us that we all survived, she said.

Other residents got to dry ground by wading through knee-deep water carrying pets and other belongings.

Robert T-Bob Dampier, of Marrero, was among the local volunteers with boats offering to help with search and rescue efforts Tuesday.

Theyre down here at the top of their house, on the roof or wherever, he said. I got a boat. Im willing. ... I mean, if it was the other way around, you know youd hope they'd do the same for you.

Vincent Ochello and Evan Michel have been checking on neighbors by boat in Lafitte, a small community 25 miles (40 kilometers) from New Orleans.

The pair is going door to door to see how those who stayed behind and did not evacuate are doing. Michel is driving his boat through the flooded roads, and Ochello is broadcasting on Facebook.

New Orleans levee system  overhauled at a cost of billions of dollars after Hurricane Katrina breached it  held up against Idas rampage.

But in LaPlace, work only recently began on a long-awaited levee project that isnt expected to be completed until 2024.
At trial, the Backpage defendants are barred from bringing up a 2013 memo by federal prosecutors who examined the site and said at the time that they hadnt uncovered evidence of a pattern of recklessness toward minors or admissions from key participants that the site was used for prostitution. In the memo, prosecutors had said witnesses testified Backpage made substantial efforts to prevent criminal conduct on its site and coordinated such efforts with law enforcement agencies. The document was written five years before Lacey, Larkin and the other former Backpage operators were charged in the Arizona case.

A Government Accountability Office report released in June noted the FBIs ability to identify victims and sex traffickers had decreased significantly after Backpage was seized by the government, because law enforcement was familiar with the site and Backpage was generally responsive to requests for information.

Prosecutors said the moderation efforts by the site were aimed at concealing the true nature of the ads. Though Lacey and Larkin sold their interest in Backpage in 2015, prosecutors said the two founders retained control over the site.

The indictment alleges specific instances in which sex was being sold on Backpage.
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Extracted from CD's post

"Britain plans to engage with Taliban 'on basis of what they do', says PM Johnson

The United Kingdom is seeking an international agreement on how to deal with the new regime in Afghanistan, and to ensure Taliban movement commits to allowing safe passage for Afghans and foreign nationals who want to leave the country. ............"





Shouldn't the international order ask what Britain has been doing in Afghanistan over the last 20 years instead of listening to Britain's mindless and shameless harping? They were the bedfellows of Pentagon in Afghanistan. Why does Afghanistan needs to answer to Britain's ruse? Britain is still thinking of lording over others?

In fact the UN should bring Britain to task to answer why after 20 years, terrorists were still running wild in Afghanistan and Afghanistan's liveliood didn't improve much following Britain's joint invasion and occupation of Afghanistan. What was Britain's basis for invading and occupation of Afghanistan?

Afghanistan should also chide Britain internationally that it should not pretend to be a moral compass when its occupation failed to protect normal citizens. Britain clearly failed to rein Australia's terror groups in Afghanistan as they went for a shooting spree of defenceless Afghanistan women and children. Such murders are similar and totally identical to what terrorists do. Hence Australia should not be given special exemption just because it shares the same head of state with Britain. Australia as a terrorist nation should not be treated any differently from terrorissts elsewhere. Britain didn't even ask the world to sanction Australia for its terrorism acts yet it wants to use international organizations to mow down Afghanistan. This clearly is a racist Britain speaking to the world.

Saudi, Iran, Turkey and Pakistan should stand up and speak for Afghanistan against Britain.
The Pentagon has announced that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan has been completed, ending 20 years of U.S. military operations in the country. Despite U.S. President Joe Biden's assurances that the Afghan military and government would not collapse and that the Taliban would not overrun the country, the Taliban have successfully taken over Kabul.

Moral panic and hysteria swept over the Western world. Media and commentators were lamenting over the loss of women and minority rights as well proclaiming a new threat of instability and terrorism. This was followed by videos of Afghans falling from planes desperate to escape the clutches of the Taliban only to be accompanied with videos of U.S. soldiers carrying babies and distributing food and water.

However, this does not give us a realistic and accurate picture, nor does it lend us any practical way forward in dealing with the domestic and international challenges that the situation in Afghanistan entails.

Firstly, we must call the U.S. presence in Afghanistan for the last 20 years for what is  an imperial occupation. During the last 20 years, close to a quarter of a million people lost their lives, 47,245 of which were Afghan civilians.

The government installed by the U.S. was both corrupt and incompetent, continually harassing and exploiting its own people. As much as 90 percent of Afghan people lived below the poverty line and many had opium addiction. The only beneficiaries have been the U.S. arms companies, such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing, who profited in billions.

It is in this context that we should understand the Taliban's rapid takeover of the country. Whether Western democrats like it or not, the Taliban have popular support from the Afghan people; this is how they were able to take over key provinces often without meeting any resistance.

According to PEW Research Center, almost 99 percent of the Afghan population support the Sharia Law, and this includes women. It is particularly among the rural population, which comprise 74 percent of Afghanistan's total population, that the Taliban find most of their support.

Secular lifestyles can only flourish once a country has reached a certain level of urbanization and industrialization. A country's level of development and its own historical conditions must be kept in consideration when we see what political models are applicable to it  something that liberal universalists fail to appreciate.

While many in the West do not agree with their lifestyles and values, the Taliban have managed to gain the trust and confidence of a lot of Afghan people as compared to the U.S.-backed administration. The Afghan security forces were corrupt as well as ill-disciplined, which meant they would have never been able to hold off the Taliban without the U.S. support.

For many of the people of Afghanistan, the Taliban are a national liberation force that also offer them a form of security and stability that was not there in the previous administration.

For the international community, we ought to treat this as a new opportunity to offer stability and development to the people of Afghanistan.

In their press conferences, the Taliban have reiterated that they want an inclusive government. They said they will ensure women's rights and their access to work and education (albeit within the framework of the Sharia Law), amnesty for all their previous political opponents, protection of foreign embassies and press, an end to narcotic production in their country and Afghanistan will not be a base of operations for terrorism or attacks on neighboring countries. They said they respect territorial integrity of other sovereign nations and expressed desire for good relationships with all countries, including the United States.

While the Taliban may have been far from perfect in these areas in the past, they have evolved as a political organization. Part of this evolution has been due to its need to seek legitimacy from the international community. We have recently seen this with Taliban members visiting Dasht-e-Barchi Hazara neighborhood of Kabul and attending a mourning activity organized by Shias for Muharram.

The Taliban would like to keep in good graces with Iran as they are likely to be sympathetic to their cause and ideology plus they are a source of fuel and trade, thus they are more likely to ensure the rights of their Shia minority.

As much as 90 percent of the world's heroin production comes from Afghanistan; but in the year of 2000, under Taliban rule, opium production in the country was banned and dropped by 99 percent, which was one of the world's most successful anti-drugs campaigns.

However, when they were disposed of in 2001, this deadly narcotic was back in production, with many of the suspected traffickers becoming top officials in the Karzai government. With the Taliban back in power, the international community can coordinate with the Taliban to curb this illicit practice on a global level.

A Taliban victory also gives the international community the opportunity to bring stability to the region and fight terrorism. We know that since 2015, the Taliban have been in conflict with ISIL and have struck many victories against them. Their cooperation in fighting this terrorist network would be invaluable.

The Taliban can also be leveraged to curb extremism within their own ranks and prevent it from being spilled over into neighboring countries through trade, investment and giving them legitimacy. For example, the Taliban have already set up a commission to press the anti-Pakistan militants Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan to stop violence against the neighboring country and return to their homes across the border with their families.

We also cannot overstate how much the Taliban as well as the people of Afghanistan are tired of constant conflict and dire poverty. They need trade and investment in order to build up their country and the only way they can do so is by normalizing relationships with the international community. Thus it is imperative that the international community does not aggravate or isolate the Taliban.

After 20 years, the U.S. and its allies have failed to get rid of the Taliban and they will continue to fail to do so. Supporting proxy groups, conducting covert operations, enforcing sanctions and not sticking to agreements will only perpetuate the conflict and poverty that the people of Afghanistan find themselves in.

Concerns about human rights alongside the specific rights of women and minority groups are valid and constructive criticism should always be welcome, but an interventionist approach has consistently failed. Only through dialogue and development can the international community create a positive change in Afghanistan.

By Rehan Abeysekera, a freelance political commentator and activist based in London. (Source: CGTN)
Blue Jacaranda



Chapter 1

He didnt usually go to bars, especially one where the music rattled your ears non-stop. The bar owners though did have a motive to force customers to speak more and louder, to dry up their mouth and internal organs, to drink more and more and non-stop of their ridiculously pricey drinks.

What did you say? asked once again Peters rather strained vocal cord. It was the sentence he uttered most this evening, thanks to the mosquito-like murmurs from Melody who sat opposite on the high stool across the small table.

Melody didnt answer him but served herself another mouthful of Beijing Yan-Jing Beer, a rarity in Australia, which must have stirred much of her homesickness. This afternoon when they met on the campus of University of Sydney, it was her idea to come to this bar, claiming that it was the only place in the country where the Chinese had a chance of drinking the famous Yan-Jing beer, as though all Chinese must have it simply because it was from the Capital.

Then just as Peter expected no more of her response, she let loose the much delayed reply, as if only enabled by her drink, I said, I said," she paused, while Peter leaned forward with his ear nearly kissing her forehead, "I said, I really do not know what to do on weekends.

Oh, well, it is not the weekend yet, he said joyfully, hunched back on the edge of the table, plus, isnt here your favourite going, with your closest Gui-mi friends, or of course your, your boyfriend?

Earlier today, Melody had mentioned or rather, hinted to him that she had already split up with her boyfriend, but Peter, who was unfortunately also one of her exes, needed from her a firmer assurance.

Again, Melody didnt reply to him at the minute, or she did not hear him at all, in her state of Beijing-beer intoxication. Crossing her arms upon the table, she set her head down, like a schoolgirl about to take a slumber during lunch breaks. With her eyes narrowing to a slit, her face coloured to crimson, Peter was really concerned she would soon vomit, or fall unconscious throughout the night.

But that was not what he had anticipated for the meeting, the first one in more than a year after their breakup. For even though he did not particularly enjoy drinking as much as Melody, he found this evening very agreeable, and had taken a little more than his usual limit. Right now he was at the height of drinking, half-drunk, half-not-drunk, when one feels very capable, unafraid of risks and dangers and common treacheries in one's life. Some people could change to a very different person when drunk, and he was one of them.

Melody, Melody, are you okay? he cooed closely at her ear, like a caring big brother, or a lover, or a seducer, sending his head across and low, shamelessly taking in the fragrance on her hair, Melody, at least you have your boyfriend to hang out with, so it is not you but me who must complain about anything. Everyone must find things to do, to pass time and, if only we can get rid of all those damned assignments.

Melody flickered her eyelids, once or twice, a sign that she was after all conscious of his breath brushing her face, and Peter grabbed the opportunity to keep her awake, How about Violin? Cant you play your violin to kill time?

Violin? mouthed Melody suddenly, sitting up unexpectedly, like she was nettled by the mere mention of the instrument she used to love and play. Peter, taken aback, sobered up his position, and to watch Melody animate a dramatic shake of her head, her hair billowing around the neck and shoulder. Then, after taking another sip of the precious beer, her spirit seemed revived, and she declared in a piteous tone, I already gave it up, I never have the willpower to persist in anything, see, I am getting fat, I am a useless nobody, oh, what the hell...

Peter laughed out loud at her getting fat, and quickly went to comfort her with not a little amusement, Were you fat, no one else is slim. Beholding her, he increasingly found her rosy yet unhappy face, and the peculiar, languid feminine charm exceedingly attractive. Without hesitation he reached out his hand to cover hers, which was not unfamiliar to him. Many days ago he had often kissed her there and there, even once made love to her. They first met at a welcome party for newcomers to the University. She was from Beijing and he Chengdu. And via the mighty and capable WeChat, their spare time after study was thus occupied, and many of the ancient-looking buildings, and particularly the iconic jacaranda tree in the university, had witnessed their shadows, sunny smiles and intimate indulgence. Their romance, in this far-away, lonely village country, was like an Australia bushfire started by a severe drought, flared up and burning beautifully, and then extinguished prematurely by an odd enough downpour.

Admittedly it was him who had grown more and more reluctant in dating her, after their once-off intimacy in bed. Her vanity, to which he had perhaps been attracted in the first place, had since become an obstacle to developing his chemicals with her. She meticulously tended her face, with her lips constantly red. And the flare-pants she liked to wear had also lost its initial lustre. In his eyes, she acted more and more like a kid whose only purpose was to imitate others, instead of being an independent, ladylike grown-up in her 20s. And of course, their once, not-so-successful love-making experience was the last straw on the camel. He did it too quickly, even before she seemed to have got ready for it. But this was not all his fault, as he had always protested in private whenever recalling the point of failure. Deep down, he had all the confidence of at least making a 'pass' love to any girl he liked, knowing already at high school that boys tended to have less control of it due to their innocence in this matter. And seriously, Melody was just  perhaps a little too dominating in this? Her ways of her being on his top, on their first time?

But how could he have explained to her all of these things, of such sensitivity, him being a short, bashful boy as she had often chided him for?

Presently Peter dared his eyes to drink her face and below pervasively, in an effort to reconcile his old and new impressions of her. Strangely today Melody seemed to have done very little makeup to her features. Her lips shimmered with a natural, healthy colour, eyelashes no more artificially curved and long. Sure enough, no lipstick would stain him if he kissed her this minute, or tonight. And with her fine skin, and a thin little nose, she was not too distant from the look of some kind of internet idol. And the slender figure that she proudly owned, was only two centimetres shorter than his, that was, sadly, a primary reason she was not quite happy with him as an ideal boyfriend.

Was it just for today, that she did not take him seriously enough to do her usual makeup? Or had anything happened to her that might have atoned her values and manners?

A fresh impulse spurred him to touch her again. And after a feigned resistance from her, he had succeeded. He ran his fingers through her hair, caressed her hands tamed by Beijing Beer, puffing more nonsense out of his shell, So you dont play Violin, but  where is your boyfriend?

He felt her fingers suddenly twitch at his question, but he held fast.

I already told you, didnt I? she snapped, in her typical sharp voice when in bad moods, which would have made him flinch in normal times. But this moment, with his wicked power obtained through alcohol, he simply tossed her a sly smile, pressing her baby-bamboo fingers ever more. What the magic fingers the human beings possess, he sighed, so sensitive and lovable, and loving, with nerves meshing the tiniest cells to send the most beautiful pleasures to their brains.

But her eyes kept glared at her, Otherwise why did I ask you out today?

Ah, she was not drunk; she still had the reason, like a man's. Peter, absorbed in the little pleasurable act of his, remained quiet, eyes twinkling, ears all on her rambling speech, a mere flirtation to him, Oh, Peteram I drunk? So sleepy, I know you dont like me like this, I have been trying not to drink so much you know, Peter, I used to drink a lot, back in Beijing, and even with you, with my .. ex, oh, but...it has been boring to death these days, now I fully understand why some people say Australian Chinese are living in a grave cultural desert.

Interesting a topic as it was, Peter decided to join the conversation, Yeah, there is no comparison to your Beijing, the cultural centre, and my big Chengdu, is great also for great fun, with hundreds of thousands of featured teahouses, Majiangs, and hot-pots, Karaoke, and the most important is that, you have no difficulty in finding bars with pleasing airs and styles, not like this drab and noisy so-called hotel bar, funny, isn't it? The hotel with no bedrooms, haha, ... but fairly enough, you also get drunk very easily back in China, which was no good, was it, Melody, he babbled on, short of reminding her of her unbecoming tantrums when drunk. Melody, if we had not run into each other today, we may never see each other again, imagine, Melody, we will just die separate, at who-knows-where in the big wide world, like two strangers who have never made love at all, ah, how dreadful, He had to fetch his drink to accompany a sudden sadness elevated by his own wistful speech and, only seconds later, to squash a twinge of jealousy aroused by his sour memory of seeing her walking with another guy, much taller than him, who must be perfect for her in terms of body length. Why didnt you contact me? Have you forgotten me completely? You are so cruel, Melody...

Abruptly and frighteningly Melody sat bolted up, shoved his hand away, with an incredible force, nearly toppled one of the glasses on the table, and shot him an eye of fire, Peter, stop playing games! I am not a fool you can make, do you not understand?

Her warning, like a wintry chill, at once set him off fumbling for his proper place. Her vivid temper buried in his memory came out alive. Embarrassedly speechless, Peter resorted to his drink. And Melody, with her rising indignation and her own set of bitterness about everything, did the same.

A long silence ensued, while Peter took the time to smooth out the hype of awkwardness. He thought that she wouldnt have minded much of what he had to say in a drinking campaign like this, even with his apparent hypocrisy. Her ferocious reaction had proved him wrong, and her temper was in no way improved, unlike her lips and eyelashes, and her pants. Women are not to belittle in any circumstances. The tigress can jump at you at the time when you think it least possible to attack.

Have you ever loved anyone at all? the tigress pressed on.

Emm, well, Melody, it is a difficult question, the honest answer is that, I am not sure, he said meekly, unconvincingly, as he never liked this kind of topic. Why are girls so much into it, as if life is all about love and nothing else? To him, sex is more a talkable and actionable than the all so mystery of love.

Clearly she was not impressed by his reply, or she already knew his answer beforehand. For, seemingly having yielded to his idiocy she, like carefully moving a tumbler with a quarter of wine, shifted her body bit by bit away from the high stool. Then, finding her feet on the ground, she made up a remarkable display of her curves and shapes, of her hair tumbling, before pointing out a delicate finger, Toilet, over there? commanding an answer from him, a junior university student, who was made even shorter and smaller than her.

Yes, go down and turn left, he obeyed with his finger, which was upset by having lost the feel of hers. He knew she was just pretending she didnt know where the toilet was. How many times has she come here with her ex boyfriends, him included? He grunted, making an ugly face of revenge at her back, looking after the sway of her not-so-wealthy hips, in her high-heeled march to her release.





~To be continued~
Thats Franklin, Spicer said. I said Franklin, are you excited? He said oh yeah. I think I was more excited than he was, but he was very excited.

Spicer noted that the Beatrice Police Department escorted Kensington residents, Damrows family, and American Legion Riders to the airport so they could see him off.

The second flight was taken by Good Samaritan Society-Samaritan Springs resident and Adams native, Willie Harms.

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Harms daughter, Lorraine Bigley, said he was excited leading up to the flight, and telling people all about it.

Thats the kind of things they remember, Spicer said. They remember what they did when they were young, and all the fun things they did and their families, so its important to keep alive all the spirit that they had, and just keep that going in their later years.

The flights took about 20 minutes each, with the veterans flying all across town.

Damrow said they happened to fly right over the farm he grew up in, but that he didnt get the best view of it. He said he joined the Army Air Force in 1942, when he was 20 years old.
He said that while he does not have fondness for the Sacklers or sympathy for them, collecting money from them through lawsuits instead of a settlement would be complicated.

The deal comes nearly two years after the Stamford, Connecticut-based company filed for bankruptcy under the weight of the lawsuits.

Under the settlement, the Sacklers were not given immunity from criminal charges, though there have been no indications they will face any.

State and local governments came to support the plan overwhelmingly, if grudgingly in many cases. But nine states and others had opposed it, largely because of the protections granted to the family.

The attorneys general of Connecticut, the District of Columbia and Washington state immediately announced they will either appeal the ruling or explore the possibility of doing so.

The Sacklers should not be allowed to manipulate bankruptcy laws to evade justice and protect their blood money, Connecticut's William Tong said.

Some families who lost loved ones to drugs also came out against the settlement, including Ed Bisch, of Westampton, New Jersey, whose 18-year-old son died of an overdose nearly 20 years ago. The Sacklers are buying their immunity," he said.
Thats their standard operating procedure with developers in the state of Montana as far as I can tell, Leep told The Gazette. [DEQ] sends these very threatening multi-million-dollar threat letters out even though the statute only allows them to fine a maximum of $100,000. They calculate your fines at $7 million and say, okay, well well just take a $100,000.'

DEQ is limited to $100,000 in fines for any related series of violations. In response to questions from the Gazette, DEQ acknowledged the $100,000 limit for each company.

For the two cases, DEQ could not assess more than $200,000 in administrative penalties, a DEQ spokesperson wrote in response to written questions. Copper Ridge and Reflections never faced the possibility of paying any penalty amount in excess of $200,000. The $7 million number comes from the total calculated penalty that DEQ uses to track violations. DEQ has a calculated amount and an assessed amount and we look at the individual situation to determine the actual assessed penalty amount based on the particular facts of each case. DEQ never alleged they owed that amount. The penalty amounts assessed with this case were in line with similar cases at the time.

DEQ eventually sent an administrative action fining each subdivision $200,000. Copper Ridge hired an attorney.
Language in the emergency ruling cites the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a source for information when it comes to masking exemptions. The CDC currently recommends universal masking in schools.

Billings Public Schools responded to the DPHHS emergency rule Tuesday by publishing an announcement on their website saying that it reads the DPHHS rule "as permissive, not mandatory" and that the district would continue to enforce its face covering guidelines. The announcement concludes by saying that parents and students can opt out of wearing masks but that opting out means opting into virtual learning. The deadline to enroll in virtual learning is this Friday.

Some parents who attended Tuesday night's rally said they were homeschooling their children in light of the masking requirement in Billings Public Schools.

One parent, Hannah Hartzell, said she felt like the DPHHS emergency rule, with its lack of actual requirements, was an insult to her intelligence. Hartzell said she has nine kids, and that two have decided they will go to school and wear a mask. The other seven she said she plans on homeschooling.

Hartzell said she is a teacher and that she'll make it work.
In the first years after 9/11, U.S. money arrived in Kabul in suitcases. There were no working banks at the time  and no oversight of the billions pouring into the country. Most of it passed through the hands of U.S.-allied warlords whose corruption had led to the Taliban's rise in the 1990s.

American generals were often used by their Afghan allies to exact revenge. Mohabullah, an Afghan who had left the Taliban to return home to the central province of Ghazni, once laughed as he recounted how easily fooled the Americans were by their Afghan partners. He recalled how a gas station owner was turned in to U.S. forces as a Taliban  to settle a feud.

American forces often unwittingly found themselves enmeshed in such local rivalries during those early months and years when they were utterly dependent on their warlord allies. In 2002, one U.S. general had to rely entirely on former warlords for information about prominent al-Qaida figures who were on the move.

For those who have watched Afghanistan for years, the scenes of throngs of mostly young men hanging from departing aircraft at Kabul's airport last month seemed an indictment of the two decades of efforts and the billions of dollars spent. For many of those men, the desperation to depart was less about fear for their life  and more about finding a new one.
A man is in custody after leading several agencies on a chase by foot and by ATV in Carbon County on Wednesday.

The man, who the Carbon County Sheriff's Office identified at Casey Turk, ran from a deputy after a traffic stop Wednesday morning near Rockvale Cemetery. The pursuit continued into the afternoon, and drew personnel from Montana Highway Patrol and the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office.

A Carbon County deputy stopped Turk after seeing that he was driving a vehicle with a burned out headlight, Carbon County Sheriff Josh McQuillan told the Gazette. Turk ran away, cutting through Rockvale Cemetery and into a nearby cornfield. At around 6 a.m., the sheriff's office advised residents in the area not to stop the man should they see him, and to call 9-1-1.

At 12:15 p.m., McQuillan said, authorities were told by a resident someone had stolen an ATV from a garage. A helicopter with the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office spotted Turk on the ATV.

"He cut off from the county road through fields and continued to try to get away from the helicopter," McQuillan said.
The North Dakota Highway Patrol says troopers found 10 pounds of marijuana and a tracking device in a delivery van that the driver said contained a load of ramen noodles being hauled from Washington to New York.

A trooper stopped the van for speeding Saturday morning on Interstate 94 in Mandan, according to an affidavit. The trooper noticed an odor of marijuana and asked the driver, Tariq Alexander, 28, to sit in his patrol car. Alexander said he was traveling from Tacoma, Washington, to New York with a delivery of noodles that another company worker had loaded onto the van, according to authorities.

Alexander and a passenger in the van, 24-year-old Latifah Rivers, both of Philadelphia, were arrested. Alexander told troopers the two had smoked marijuana three days before the traffic stop; Rivers said the last instance was a couple of hours earlier, according to the affidavit.

Troopers said they found marijuana in three small packages and in a jar before unloading the three pallets of noodle boxes. The tracking device, which troopers say is commonly used by drug dealers, was found in one of the first boxes they opened; 5-pound bags of marijuana were found in each of two boxes, the affidavit states.
Rep. Hinkle joined Carlsons push by co-sponsoring her bill, calling it the most important bill of the session, and by sponsoring another anti-vaccine bill, HB 703, which failed to pass in the Senate. He succeeded, however, in passing his HB 257, which severely limits the tools used by public health officials to fight the current COVID spike, as well as whatever public health crisis we may face next. On the House floor, Hinkle slandered Gallatins public health officials, falsely claiming that they silenced anti-mask protesters by not allowing them to speak at a hearing. In fact, according to the Chronicle, the hearing had to be cancelled because these people had become an unruly mob that refused to follow law enforcements directions and threatened our health officials.
Within one minute of each other, two statewide messages landed in our inbox Tuesday afternoon.

The first, from Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen, was headlined, Arntzen stands with Montana parents and students. In it, Billings own Arntzen said, In Montana, we recognize that parents know what is best for their children. Together, parents and school leaders must determine policies that empower each student to have access to an equal and robust education. Listening to the voices of families is vital.

The second arrived from the Montana Medical Association. It said, The medical and nursing community of Montana stands behind the clear research and science showing the widespread use of masks in schools can effectively reduce COVID-19 transmission.  We have strong research in support of masking. Masks protect our kids in the classroom and our communities. With cases continuing to climb, masking in schools will serve to limit the burden of serious health outcomes across our state.

Masking requirements have been put in place by many of the school districts and universities across the state. But they are essentially unenforceable because of the laws  and administrative rules  promulgated here in Montana.
Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health repeatedly recommended universal masking to Bismarck Public Schools before the academic year began, documents show.

BPS Superintendent Jason Hornbacher said there are no plans for the district to put a mask requirement in place, though he does recommend masks. He referenced community support for the district's reentry plan, which lists masks as recommended.

Letters signed by Public Health Director Renae Moch and City Health Officer Dr. David Pengilly expressed concern for student safety given increased COVID-19 cases in the area, low vaccination rates among adolescents and no vaccine available for children under 12. The two recommended the district follow guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the North Dakota Department of Health, both of which say masking is beneficial.

The North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics sent a letter in August to all school administrators in the state asking them to require masks this academic year.

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in North Dakota have climbed quickly in recent weeks. The state reported 520 new cases on Tuesday, which is the highest reported daily count since the end of last year.

Sticking with the plan
Republican Gov. Doug Burgum pleaded Wednesday for North Dakotans to get vaccinated against COVID-19, saying in his first coronavirus briefing in more than five months that hospitals are becoming overwhelmed.

North Dakota ranks 42nd in the country in vaccination rates and is trending worse than during the peak of the winter outbreak. The surge is being driven by the highly contagious delta variant, which was first confirmed in the state in late June.

Part of the reason we're having this press conference today is that we do have a hospital capacity issue that is present and looming, Burgum said. We want to make sure that North Dakotans know that the risk is real.

State health officials say the cases are matching low vaccination numbers, with one in every 180 vaccinated people testing positive for COVID-19 and one in 16 unvaccinated people testing positive. One in about 2,700 fully vaccinated citizens have been hospitalized and one in about 16,000 fully vaccinated residents have died. Active cases stand at 2,443, up 188 from Tuesday, and 135 people are hospitalized with the virus.

We are actually on a trend line that looks less attractive and less promising than we were a year ago, Burgum said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently announced it has provided an additional $4.3 million in aid for the COVID-19 response in North Dakota.

The assistance was made available under a major disaster declaration issued last year. FEMA has now provided a total of $116.2 million for the North Dakota pandemic response to date.

The latest money went to the state Health Department to help cover the cost of testing and vaccination efforts.

Library upgrade

Officials at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College in New Town turned a pandemic closure into a positive, updating the school's community library and moving all student services together in one location that's more convenient.

The Singing Spring Library is home to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation special collections, which include cultural materials and books. Admissions, registrar, financial aid, MHA Pathways and the vice presidents office now are co-located in the former womens dorm.
In war you do what you must in order to reduce risk to mission and force, not what you necessarily want to do, Milley said.

Biden has promised further targeting of the IS group in Afghanistan in response to the IS suicide bombing last week at a Kabul airport gate that killed scores of Afghans and 13 American service members. On Saturday the U.S. military carried out a drone strike in Afghanistan that it said killed two IS planners. On Tuesday, Biden said, To ISIS-K: We are not done with you yet, referring to the IS group.

Targeting Islamic State militants or other extremist groups, such as al-Qaida, will be more difficult with no U.S. military forces on the ground and no friendly government forces with which to share intelligence on extremist networks. But the Biden administration asserts that it can contain these groups by monitoring and potentially striking with assets based elsewhere in the region.
Nesvig on Friday had canceled Louser's trial set for Thursday due to his guilty plea.

His attorney, Justin Vinje, told the Tribune on Monday, "After careful thought, Scott does not intend to proceed to trial. As I said back in April, Scott brought this matter to the publics attention before the story broke, and he personally apologized to his constituents.

"Scott regrets his decision to drive that evening, and he takes full responsibility for his actions. Scott has great respect for our law enforcement professionals and their difficult jobs. Above all, Scott does not wish to be treated differently than any other North Dakotan. These considerations led him to make this decision," Vinje said.

Louser was stopped on Expressway between Mandan and Bismarck shortly before 1 a.m. on April 16, two weeks before the 2021 Legislature adjourned.

The Highway Patrol trooper who arrested him said he observed Louser's vehicle cross the center line "multiple times," and that Louser failed three field sobriety tests and at jail tested for a blood alcohol content of 0.117%, over the 0.08 legal limit.

Louser issued a statement the day following his arrest apologizing and saying he was taking "the necessary next steps including an evaluation process." He's been in the House since 2010.

Days after Louser's arrest, House Majority Leader Chet Pollert, R-Carrington said, Everybody makes a mistake. This is his first one. If he had a history of it, itd be a different deal, but he doesnt have a history of that, and I think folks like us should be willing to give him a break.

Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com.

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The authority in a statement Wednesday says it is committed to solving all the problems in the airport to facilitate the resumption of civilian and commercial flights.

The Taliban did not immediately comment.

Video is circulating on social media of a Qatari plane landing at the airport that is assumed to be carrying a technical team to help in repairs at the airport.



MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized the United States involvement in Afghanistan, charging that its 20-year military presence in the country has achieved zero.

Putin said Wednesday that for 20 years the U.S. military in Afghanistan was trying ... to civilize the people who live there, to introduce their norms and standards of life in the broadest sense of the word, including the political organization of society.

The result is sheer tragedies, sheer losses, both for those who were doing that  the U.S.  and more so for the people who live in Afghanistan. A zero result, if not negative, Putin said.
North Dakota by far isnt the only state with surging COVID-19 numbers. There are a number of states struggling to deal with soaring patient numbers. There are states in a critical situation North Dakota hasnt reached. However, the state appears to be on a path to darker days.

While the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people, even those vaccinated, mask up when in indoor public settings, few appear to be doing it. We have become lax about social distancing, and handshakes have returned.

Bismarck is the largest school district in the state, so how it deals with the pandemic will be watched statewide. School officials decided not to adopt many of the recommendations of Bismarck Burleigh Public Health. Even on school buses the use of masks is optional.

The Tribune editorial board hopes the districts approach doesnt backfire, but its a good possibility. Last season there werent many flu cases, but health officials expect a resurgence of the flu this year. The coronavirus and flu could be an awful combination.

The attitudes of many North Dakotans have no doubt been influenced by our leaders. The Legislature has limited the ability of the governor to deal with the pandemic. Many legislators argue that decisions related to the pandemic should be up to individuals.
Too often, though, we see our efforts short-circuited by a lack of funds. Individuals who come to us looking for assistance are put on a waitlist, or told that their needs cannot be met. Landowners who are trying to join programs that protect their farms for future generations are being turned down.

Its clear that we as a country are not doing nearly enough to protect our natural resources and support the individuals and families that rely on them. We need to be more aggressive about funding the conservation measures that our farmers, ranchers, sportsmen and wildlife rely on. And we need to match the importance of this effort by doubling federal funding for the cause.

Action is vital now -- because this challenge is only going to get worse. North Dakota is already experiencing extreme droughts and smoke from the wildfires in the West are degrading our air quality and endangering lives and livelihoods. Fish and wildlife that used to be abundant are at risk of moving to new habitats or disappearing entirely. And with the pace of residential development increasing, we could lose additional space for deer, ducks and pheasant -- and a place for the sportsmen of North Dakota to pass on our hunting and angling traditions to their kids and grandkids.
Mount Taranaki is an unusually symmetrical volcano in New Zealand whose conical prominence is heightened by the circular national park that it is centered in, where forest ends and farmland begins. Tom Scott visited and shot this 3-minute mini-documentary about it and its geologically imminent doom.

Mount Taranaki, on the North Island of New Zealand, is a large-scale circle that's visible from space: a stratovolcano with six miles of forest around it. But that didn't happen naturally. Oh, and there's a good chance that, in the next fifty years or so, it might explode.

Aerial photos often use angles that obscure the places where the unmanaged forest extends beyond the circle, to make it all the more perfect and uncannythe one used to card the video embedded above is particularly well-composed because clouds conceal the most prominent of them.

I prefer to see all the details, though, because the result makes me think less of a circle and more of a fractal. Behold Mount Mandelbrot!
Last year I heard a lot of stories from folks who just had to go with a small group of friends and 'be' on 'the playa.' I guess the need to be together on the playa continues to outweigh good sense.

I do believe that a free Burningman without the big budget for fairly homogenous art is probably more Burningman than Burningman but regardless, it is a bad idea. Look at what happened to Kid Rock!

SFist:

You'll recall that last year's cancelled Burning Man resulted in an illegal bonfire party at Ocean Beach on Labor Day weekend that drew the wrath of Mayor London Breed. Over at Nevada's Black Rock Desert, where Burning Man is typically held, a much larger renegade gathering came together in 2020, and the Reno Gazette Journal estimates that about 5,000 people attended that unsanctioned gathering. Burning Man is cancelled again this year, probably a wise decision in light of the current Delta-variant surge. But it appears a much larger rogue event is in the works for the week leading up to Labor Day anyway, as Burners who refuse to take no for an answer are planning to schlep their gear out there and party anyway  despite COVID, the lack of any formal medical services, and no porta-potty waste collection services.
From the public petition committee of Senedd Cymru, the Welsh parliament:

Within symbology, an erect penis depicts fertility and strength, when applied to a royal insignia, it's even more important because in order to show a leader's capability in sustaining a kingdom, this has to be conveyed via simple imagery, thus when the dragon is erect, it portrays dominance and leadership, but when the penis is missing, this portrays the creature (the nation) as dominated, weak and fragile.More details When the Royal Mint depict our dragon, they recognise that he has a penis, but for some reason, our government does not, and although some may find the topic amusing, this imagery is important if we are to carry on flying it for centuries to come.

Y Ddraig Goch, or the red dragon, is the official heraldic symbol of Wales, whose visage has served as a formal symbol of the nation since around 1800. In 2016, the Royal Mint added the dragon's dong to the 20 coin  which is why Rhyn Williams, creator of the aforementioned petition, believes it should be added to the flag as well. One might say that penile precedent has already been laid bare. According to that British bastion of rigorous journalism known as the Daily Mail, Williams also added the following commentary in a Facebook comment:

Who the hell knows why the poor sod was turned into an eunuch, it could be down to obscenity, it could be down to forgetting to include it, or it could be down to politics, where those responsible for producing the flags removed it to symbolise Wales' role within the British kingdom. This confusion has bewildered many artists, poets, songwriters and authors alike for centuries by mistaking his sex. But what we do know is that the penis is still being added via royal imagery so this should convince the Welsh government to add a penis to our flag.

I'll admit, I'm not very well versed in Welsh nationalism, nor the mythology of Y Ddraig Goch. So I can't speak to the symbolic political or cultural weight of that mythical creature's penis. But I say, give the dragon the dick it deserves.

As of this writing, there are currently about 700 pro-penis signatories, which is enough to ensure that Y Ddraig Goch's dong will at the very least be discussed by the Petitions Committee. It would take 10,000 signatures to force a formal debate in the Senedd.

Demand that all depictions of our dragon have a penis [Rhyn Williams / Senedd Cymru]
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Lets get this right out of the way: There is no reason to fear bringing your children to a performance at Kleinhans Music Hall. Nor is there a reason to assume theyll find a performance by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra to be unengaging or overlong.

As an adult, its easy to forget how it feels to hear classical music performed live for the first timeand how genuinely exciting it is for a child to see an orchestra at work. Watch your childrens faces as the music swells. They will not forget it, and neither will you.

Its worth noting that my wife and I were infrequent Kleinhans visitors before our son was born. We attended a couple BPO shows plus I went to a handful of non-classical shows at Kleinhans over the years (Morrissey in 1997 and Death Cab for Cutie in 2012). Not to mention my high school graduation in a year I would rather not make public...
Julie Pace has long been one of the most influential journalists in Washington.

Now, the Amherst native is one of the most powerful news leaders in the world.

Pace, a 39-year-old graduate of Amherst High School and former youth contributor to The Buffalo News, was named Wednesday as the executive editor and senior vice president of the Associated Press. That job positions her as the newsroom leader of the AP, the 175-year-old organization with journalists in more than 100 countries.

Among Paces primary initiatives will be integrating the APs efforts in various forms of journalism  text, photo, video, graphics and research. We are in a position where we have an opportunity to really modernize our news report, Pace said in an AP story announcing her promotion. We have an opportunity to take all of the fantastic journalism that we do across formats and think of ways we can make it more digital-friendly, to make it more social-friendly.

Pace, who has been the APs Washington bureau chief since 2017, replaces Sally Buzbee, who became executive editor of the Washington Post in June. A graduate of Amherst High School and Northwestern University, Pace joined the AP in 2007.
A new image of former New York Deputy Assembly Speaker Arthur O. Eve looms over the school that is his namesake.

A mural bearing Eve's portrait was dedicated during a ceremony Wednesday at the Arthur O. Eve School of Distinction, School No. 61, on Leroy Avenue. The longtime politician and former Buffalo mayoral candidate was lauded by current Mayor Byron W. Brown and others in attendance as a trailblazer and visionary for his dedication to public education, particularly for those growing up in disadvantaged circumstances.

"Mr. Arthur O. Eve dedicated his career to creating pathways of success to underserved individuals in underserved communities," said School No. 61 principal Nathaniel Barnes, who said the area surrounding the school is often identified as an underserved community.

Buffalo-based artist Julia Bottoms, a graduate of SUNY Buffalo State, created the mural that graces the back wall of the school. She also created a mural of Eve for the Freedom Wall on Michigan Avenue and East Ferry Street near the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts. She is currently an adjunct professor at Medaille and Villa Maria colleges, where she teaches art.

Bottoms was unable to attend Wednesday's ceremony, but she provided a written statement that was read at the dedication of the mural.
A Buffalo man who broke the jaw of a stranger with a disability has been sentenced to 60 days in jail and three years of probation, Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced.

Avery D. Hunter, 26, was sentenced by Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case, who found him guilty of third-degree assault after a two-day bench trial in May.

Prosecutors said neither Hunter nor the victim, Michael Zuch, 59, of the Town of Tonawanda, knew one another prior to the early morning of Aug. 4, 2019, when Hunter, who was riding a bicycle, encountered Zuch, who was on foot, near Grove Place and Grove Street in the City of Tonawanda.

The men argued briefly  the origins of the dispute were never made clear by police at the time  and went off in opposite directions, prosecutors said, but then Hunter turned back, had more words with Zuch and punched him in the face. Zuch fell and struck his head on the sidewalk. In addition to the broken jaw, Zuch suffered a brain bleed and was treated for several weeks in Erie County Medical Center. In addition to the injuries sustained in the attack, police said Zuch suffered from Huntington's disease, a fatal genetic disorder.
The city decided "it made more sense to opt in to move development in the city of Buffalo, and if things are being developed, if jobs are being created and developers are focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion, it will lift all parts of the community," he said.

His administration has been pushing that concept to developers to make sure that there is the hiring of minority and female workers, of minority and women-owned business, to make sure that when hiring is done it reflects the diversity of our community, that it is inclusive and that it is equitable," Brown said.

Walton said she will support a city-wide federation of community land trusts to enable neighborhoods to democratically develop themselves and insulate themselves from being priced out.

Waltons Latino supporters say Walton has a good grasp of affordable housing.

And thats what we need," Pizarro said. "Right now, through gentrification, our people are being pushed out of the Lower West Side  not only because they are buying up our properties on the Lower West Side, but the rents are outrageous.

Brown, who lost the June 22 Democratic mayoral primary to Walton in a major political upset, will wage a write-in effort to retain his job and has gone to court in a bid for his name to appear on an independent ballot line in Novembers mayoral election.

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A lawyer succeeded in having two tickets issued as part of the City of Buffalo's now-defunct school speed zone camera program thrown out on procedural grounds  a ruling that could affect a larger legal effort to overturn some $1.84 million in traffic fines collected by the city.

Karina Tefft, a lawyer with the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, has submitted an affidavit in local attorney Kevin T. Stocker's class-action lawsuit filed in State Supreme Court on behalf of himself and 53 other drivers after a judge dismissed two tickets that the city issued to a client represented by Tefft. She said the tickets were dismissed by the judge because the city admitted in court that it could not provide proof that the camera system that was used to generate the tickets was properly tested on the days that the monitors allegedly recorded her client's car speeding, as required by New York State Vehicle and Traffic law.

Buffalo's last school zone speed camera shut off The move followed what Mayor Byron Brown described as a passionate plea from University Council Member Rasheed N.C. Wyatt in a Facebook post Thursday.

"They admitted and even doubled down that the city does not have any speed camera operators, so they couldn't respond to that aspect of my request and, in turn, they didn't have any of the logs of tests that the speed camera operators are supposed to perform, and they said, 'we use an automated system instead,' " Tefft said in a recent interview with The Buffalo News.
OLAF FUB SEZ: According to comedian Lily Tomlin, born on this date in 1939, If you read a lot of books, youre considered well-read. But if you watch a lot of TV, youre not considered well-viewed.

. . .

CATCH SOME PASSES  Want to win tickets for the Buffalo Bills home opener Sept. 12 against the Pittsburgh Steelers? Just donate blood between today and Monday at a ConnectLife Blood Donation Center and be entered into a drawing for two pairs of seats. Theyre at 4444 Bryant and Stratton Way, Amherst; 96 Niagara St., City of Tonawanda; and in the Southgate Plaza, 984 Union Road, West Seneca. For info or an appointment, call 529-4270 or visit ConnectLifeGiveBlood.org.

. . .

SUNDAY BEST  The Buffalo Mass Mob, on hiatus due to the pandemic, returns to the pews Sept. 12 for the 11 a.m. Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival Mass at Corpus Christi Church, 199 Clark St. in the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood.
WASHINGTON  The nation's top labor leader on Tuesday vowed to back Starbucks workers at three Buffalo-area stores who hope to unionize, saying the local movement could be part of a larger national effort to organize retail workers.

"When workers are standing up, they're not standing up alone," said Liz Shuler, the new president of the AFL-CIO, when asked about the Starbucks unionization effort in Buffalo. "They're standing up with the rest of the labor movement. And so we're going to do everything we can to support them."

Speaking at a breakfast for reporters, which was sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor, Shuler said retail companies such as Starbucks are "ripe for organizing."

"And, you know, Starbucks has always modeled itself or, you know, fancied itself as a high-road employer," Shuler said. "And they do a lot in terms of charity and providing educational benefits. But I think sometimes it's really about fundamental respect and dignity and being able to have a voice to be able to come to the table with your employer and not be afraid. So I think that's what we're hearing from workers in Buffalo."

Shuler spoke shortly before Starbucks workers in Buffalo announced that baristas at three local stores have filed petitions with the National Labor Relations Board in hopes of forming a union.

Spot Coffee workers vote to form a union; campaign called 'groundbreaking' Spot Coffee employees will be some of the only barista workers in the country with union
The U.S. government rushed to evacuate as many of its Afghan allies as it could as Afghans rushed toward the airport in the capitol of Kabul, fearing that their lives would be in danger under Taliban rule.

Yet the Afghans fled so quickly that most don't immediately qualify for asylum, refugee status or special immigrant visas, which follow a lengthy application process. Instead, the Afghans arrived at U.S. military bases  where they are temporarily housed  as what the government calls "humanitarian parolees."

Such individuals are admitted to the U.S. without visas because they had to leave their homeland immediately and seek shelter elsewhere. Previous parolees include Vietnamese and Iraqis who fled their homelands after the U.S. military withdrew from those countries.

Parolees can apply for asylum or special immigrant visas to stay in the U.S. permanently, but they are not guaranteed to receive permission to permanently resettle in the U.S.

"It's not anything long-term and it doesn't directly qualify somebody for permanent residency or citizenship," said Karen Andolina Scott, an immigration lawyer who serves as executive director of Journey's End Refugee Services in Buffalo.
Frankly after this two day arraignment, I didnt see any evidence that he would get a fair trial," said Christine Funk, the attorney for, Mohammed Farik bin Amin, one of the Malaysian defendants.

The defense complained that a Malaysian interpreter's language skills were so poor that at least one defendant couldn't understand what was being said in court; that another Malay interpreter was improperly working for the prosecution because he previously assisted the prisoners when they appeared before a prisoner review board at Guantanamo; and that an Indonesian interpreter had been overheard disparaging the men as terrorists who should be killed.

The judge, a Navy commander, allowed the proceeding to go on despite repeated objections. Defense attorney Brian Bouffard, who represents Malaysian defendant Mohammed Nazir bin Lep, said the arraignment was so flawed it should be done again.

We have to have a new one because you have to do one and this one wasnt done right, Bouffard said.

Nurjaman was a leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian militant group with ties to al-Qaida. The government says he recruited bin Lep and bin Amin, among others, for jihadist operations, and that the two Malaysians helped transfer money for their plots.
HOUSTON (AP)  An Instagram influencer from Texas has been found dead in her apartment and the Florida man investigators believe killed her then stabbed himself to death, authorities said.

The body of Jenae Gagnier, 33, was found in her apartment in Richmond, Texas, on Sunday. Known online as Miss Mercedes Morr, she had amassed 2.6 million followers on Instagram.

Gagniers father told multiple news outlets that he rushed to his daughter's apartment on Sunday, concerned that he had been unable to reach her on the phone all weekend.

I know my daughter and when I got to my daughters house and it was locked up and shes not answering my phone call, which is not like her, I knew something was up. So I didnt hesitate to kick the door down, said Mark Gagnier. What I saw, I wouldnt want any parent to go through.

He found his daughter dead at the bottom of the stairs.

I walk in and Janaes on the floor, and her clothes are all torn up and stuff, Gagnier said.

The Medical Examiners office determined Gagnier died by strangulation and traumatic concussion.
If anyone needed proof that New Yorks governor is new in more than just name and gender, they got it on Tuesday as Gov. Kathy Hochul laid out some of her differences with Andrew Cuomo, then called a special session of the Legislature to implement them.

Lawmakers were back in session a day later, looking to protect renters from eviction, to begin the long work of implementing the states legalization of recreational marijuana and to expand the states open meetings law. We hope theyll also look for ways to mandate vaccines in schools and other congregate places of state oversight.

Protection for renters and landlords is urgent in light of a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. The intrusion into private-sector dealings may, in most cases, be unwanted and unwise, but it has helped prevent the crisis of the pandemic from morphing into an even worse catastrophe. And, thanks to those who refuse to be vaccinated, the public health emergency is still with us. Because of that, normal eviction practices  for renters or homeowners  need to be restricted.
In 1995, I flew to Mississippi to attend the funeral of my Aunt Alice, who was my mothers oldest sister. This was during the time of the O.J. Simpson trial and the jury was deliberating when I left Buffalo.

The plane that I traveled on was packed. Everyone on board was talking about the O.J. trial and trying to guess how it would end. The plane seemed to shake and swerve. The pilot came over the speaker and said, Ladies and gentlemen, Opal is acting up. I didnt know who Opal was and I thought that he was joking. I soon found out that Opal was a hurricane headed for Mississippi, Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. I was pretty nervous because I was used to snowstorms and blizzards, but I was not used to hurricanes.

I was met at the airport by some friends of my aunt. The first thing I noticed as we were headed to my aunts house was the smell in the air. It was a distinct odor and the atmosphere was filled with moisture, like a dew in early morning. It came over the radio that the O.J. jury had reached a verdict so we stopped at a house on the way and went inside to watch the news on television. I had no idea where we were. As soon as the verdict was read that Simpson was acquitted the entire house erupted. People jumped around and clapped with joy. It was an amazing sight. Here I was in the heart of Mississippi and these people seemed to ignore the fact that a hurricane was on the way.
New homes line a street in the Sydney suburb of Moorebank in Australia

By Wayne Cole

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian home prices rose at the fastest annual pace since 1989 in August as coronavirus lockdowns weighed more on supply than demand, though months of blistering gains are increasingly putting housing beyond the reach of many.

Data from property consultant CoreLogic out on Wednesday showed national home prices climbed 1.5% in August, even as the spread of the Delta variant shut Sydney and Melbourne.

Values were up an eye-watering 18.4% on last year, the biggest gain since July 1989, with houses surging 20.8% amid a pandemic-driven shift to working from home.

The boom has been a key support for household wealth and consumer confidence. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates the value of homes rose a record A$450 billion in the March quarter alone to reach A$8.3 trillion ($6.09 trillion).

However, it also means homes are becoming increasingly unaffordable.

"Housing prices have risen almost 11 times faster than wages growth over the past year, creating a more significant barrier to entry for those who don't yet own a home," said CoreLogic's research director, Tim Lawless.

He noted national home values had risen by roughly A$103,400 in the past year, or A$1,990 per week, far beyond average annual wage growth of 1.7%.

While lockdowns had some impact on auctions and sales, they also constrained the supply of listed homes. As a result, prices in Sydney still rose 1.8% in August to a median A$1.04 million, with Melbourne up 1.2%

"We are still seeing a disconnect between advertised supply and housing demand, which is keeping upwards pressure on prices despite challenges faced by both buyers and sellers," said Lawless.

Cities with few restrictions fared even better, with Brisbane rising 2.0% and Adelaide 1.9%.

Buyers have been encouraged by the outlook for super-low borrowing costs, with the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) saying rates were likely to remain at just 0.1% until 2024.

Regulators, however, have been warning banks not to loosen lending standards and analysts suspect they could tighten loan rules in coming months if the market remains this hot.

(Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Sam Holmes)
Representative Image

Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 1 (ANI): Terrorists on Wednesday hurled a grenade at a police post in Sherbagh of Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.

No loss of life or injury has been reported so far.

Further details are awaited.

Meanwhile, Indian intelligence agencies have issued as many as 10 alerts regarding terrorists crossing the border and planning something "big" in the Kashmir valley.

According to a senior official, personnel of intelligence agencies active in Jammu and Kashmir got intel reports from their counterparts active in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) region regarding the movement of terrorists who are planning to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir.

"In the last 15 days around 10 alerts were issued regarding suspects who might be involved in terror activities were noticed near border areas. We have informed concerned security agencies to be on alert to avoid any untoward incident," added the official.

The intelligence agencies have intercepted the movement of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), and other terrorists in the valley. The security agencies have been alerted on possible grenade attacks, any high-value target, security personnel, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack, and any public places in Srinagar.

One of the intel reports mentioned that five terrorists of JeM along with a guide reached Jandrot in PoK and might enter the country from Mendhar area of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir.

"We have witnessed a sudden surge in activities on social media. Several unverified videos addressing youth in the valley have gone viral in the region. We are keeping watch on such activities and requesting people to report such videos. Any plan to derail peace in the valley will fall flat," said the official.

(ANI)
U.S. defense chiefs Austin and Milley discuss military mission in Afghanistan during news conference at the Pentagon in Washington

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. general on Wednesday said he shared the "pain and anger" and mixed emotions of many in the military after the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan, which included an evacuation effort that cost the lives of 13 service members.

Nearly 2,500 Americans were killed in the United States' longest war, including 13 service members in a suicide bombing by Islamic State last week outside Kabul's airport. Many of them were just babies when the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks took place, triggering the conflict nearly 20 years ago.

The Taliban, who America toppled from power at the start of the war and fought for two decades, took control of the country last month after the U.S.-trained Afghan military crumbled.

"My pain and anger comes from the same as the grieving families, the same as those soldiers that were on the ground," said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army General Mark Milley, speaking to reporters for the first time since the U.S. military completed its withdrawal on Monday.

Milley made his comments at a news conference that was somber rather than celebratory. In his opening remarks, Milley noted: "There are no words that I or the secretary (of defense) or the president or anyone else will ever do to bring the dead back." In addition to the 13 service members killed on Thursday, more than a dozen were injured and medically evacuated from Kabul.

"This is tough stuff," Milley said. "War is hard. It's vicious. It's brutal. It's unforgiving."

Milley added that he was a professional soldier and he would "contain" his pain and anger.

Some active-duty troops and veterans have questioned what their tours of duty in Afghanistan were worth after the Taliban took over Afghanistan.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stressed the importance of respecting all perspectives, as he honored the services of generations of veterans.

Story continues

"I will always be proud of the part that we played in this war. But we shouldn't expect Afghan war veterans to agree any more than any other group of Americans," Austin told reporters at the same news conference.

"I've heard strong views from many sides in recent days, and that's vital. That's democracy. That's America." In images that have been painful for service members, the Taliban have posed for photos in recent days at military bases built by the U.S.-led military coalition, which were handed over to Afghan forces which crumbled even before the American military could even finish its withdrawal.

Many troops and veterans are also bothered by the estimated thousands of at-risk Afghans who have been left behind, including some who worked as interpreters for the military.

Over the years, 800,000 Americans deployed to Afghanistan as the mission morphed from punishing the Taliban for sheltering al Qaeda into a vast, ambitious nation-building exercise.

As many as 20 percent of veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can include irritability or outbursts of anger, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Photo Illustration by Kristen Hazzard/The Daily Beast / Photos Getty

While President Biden made a strong defense of his decision to leave Afghanistan and the execution of that withdrawal, declaring that he had brought Americas longest war to an overdue end, Republicans smell blood and some are already calling for his impeachmenta political threat that could quickly become a practical one should the party retake the House next year.

Biden has wanted to pull out of Afghanistan since at least 2009, when he stood alone in opposition to President Obama surging troops into the conflict. But now that 13 Americans service members have died executing his withdrawal and his poll numbers have plummeted, Republicans are suggesting that this is a political hit at home he may not recover from.

But as Presidents Reagan found out in Lebanon and Clinton in Somalia, a devastating military loss doesnt always amount to a political repudiation. Asked if Reagan would be blamed for the deaths of 220 unarmed Marines killed by a truck bomb in Beirut as they were sleeping, a senior White House aide turned the question around. Why would he be blamed? He wasnt driving the truck. To reporters' surprise, the aide, Ed Meese, readily agreed to put his name behind his remark. And he turned out to be right.

Clinton faced withering criticism as a new president with no foreign policy experience when a humanitarian mission turned deadly as Somali militiamen shot down three U.S. Black Hawk helicopters. A fierce battle ensued lasting through the night that resulted in the deaths of 19 American soldiers. Some of their bodies were dragged through the streets of the capital city, Mogadishu. Secretary of Defense Les Aspin resigned.

The analogies to Beirut and Mogadishu are the correct ones, said Jack Pitney, a professor of American politics at Claremont McKenna College. They were screwups and people died as a result, but the president was able to win reelection because, unless its an ongoing war, Americans dont pay that much attention to foreign policy. Vietnam hurt [President] Johnson because it was ongoing, and there was a draft.

Story continues

Joe Biden Finally Ended Americas Abominable Forever Wars

Biden has been damaged but its not necessarily politically fatal. Its unlikely this tragedy of 2021 will shape the 2024 election, Pitney concluded with one caveat: Everything changes if Afghanistan becomes a base for terrorist attacks against the United States.

Democrats were on track to lose the House in 2022 because of redistricting before Afghanistan, Pitney said, and the Senate depends on the quality of the candidates the two parties field. Herschel Walker with his personal baggage entering the race in Georgia makes it more likely that Democrat Raphael Warnock can retain his seat.

Pitney was in Washington working on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant for Republicans when Reagan changed the subject just two days after the Beirut bombing by launching a surprise invasion of the tiny Caribbean Island of Grenada where a Marxist-Leninist government had taken power in a coup, and where the lives of American medical school students studying on the island were allegedly being threatened. There were initial suspicions of what would later be known as wag the dog, though the movie didnt come out until the 1990s, said Pitney. The idea it was a diversion was very strong until the students kissed the ground (once back on American soil) and then the critics went quiet.

After-action reports found the dawn assault didnt go as smoothly as advertised with 19 American forces killed, including four Seals and eight Rangers. Still, the invasion remained popular with voters. A November 1983 poll showed Reagans approval rating higher than any time since September 1981 as Americans rallied round the flag to support the president.

Remembering The Invasion of Grenada 30 Years On

Clintons experience with Somalia inspired the book, Black Hawk Down, and the 2001 movie of the same name. It was Clintons first year as president, and he had inherited a humanitarian mission from his predecessor, George H.W. Bush, who sent U.S. troops into Somalia at the end of his presidency, after he had lost the election to Clinton. It was analogous to the predicament Biden found himself in when faced with a date certain withdrawal agreement negotiated by his predecessor.

The Clinton team had no idea how to end the mission, which was launched to provide food to the starving nation. Should we just shout  Is anybody still hungry, one White House aide said in frustration at the time. Defense Secretary Aspin had turned down a request from General Colin Powell, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for tanks and gunships to aid the peacekeeping mission in Somalia. Aspin admitted he was wrong, given the debacle in Mogadishu, and that forced his resignation.

Michael Ussery was a Reagan political appointee at the State Department when those 220 Marines died in Lebanon. Back then we were in a cold war and we were in hot wars, he told The Daily Beast. The criticism of Reagan on Lebanon was that we were parked out there, very little was being done. But even then, the country felt that our military has been attacked, its been hurt, and we understand this is what happens, this is the world were in. The difference today, the big elephant in the room, after 20 years of Afghanistan and a decade of Iraq, people are getting very tired of never-ending situations and the failure of our leaders.

Ussery has a long history of working in Afghanistan, beginning in 1987 when the Soviets were the occupiers and he visited refugee camps across the border in Pakistan. Behind his desk, theres a picture of himself with the Afghan kids. Now theyd be about 40 years old, if they survived, he said, adding that its painful to watch things collapse that he helped build and sustain, from an apparel factory that made uniforms for the government to an American University in Kabul whose annual fundraiser attracted the whos who of Washington and which former First Lady Laura Bush often headlined.

He is no longer a Republican, and after serving as ambassador to Morocco from 1989 to 1992, appointed by Reagan, he weighs the costs of the messy exit from Afghanistan through the lens of its impact on foreign policy, and not domestic politics. Neither Reagan nor Clinton suffered because of their foreign policy failures because its not what voters tend to base their votes on. But there are costs, and that bill will come due.

Russia and China must be loving this, Ussery observed, How do you do something strong and bold in foreign policy matters after this? Well find out soon enough, but for now, after weeks of taking a beating in the media, Biden got the headline he wanted, Biden Ends Americas Longest War.

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Jeanni was the life and energy of every room she was in! She was seldom without that radiant smile on her face and she could find a connection with just about anyone. Jeanni stood out everywhere she went with her bright blonde hair and she had the most magnetic personality that drew everyone in!

Jeanni had many hobbies and passions including crafting, traveling, bowling, playing cards, music and roughing it at Deep Lake. She traveled all over the US extensively, as well as many other countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, England, Switzerland, Italy, Mexico and Canada. She left a piece of her heart in each of these places but the biggest piece was left in Switzerland.

Jeannis daughters will miss her tremendously! They shared many memories and traditions including their holiday baking days, trips to Warrens Cranberry Festival, sleepovers, trips up North, and their many travels. We will love and miss you forever, Momma!

One of Jeannis greatest joys was becoming a nana to her grandson, Will in 2019. It was obvious to anyone how much they enjoyed one another and Will is going to miss his Nana so much!
The end of empire is not pretty. Or as Neil Sedaka sang, Breaking up is hard to do. The terrible scenes at Kabuls airport attest to that  as did those, 46 years earlier, in Saigon.

Technically, the United States has never had an empire nor sought one. But we have sent troops far and wide. Like other empires, bringing them home has been difficult, ugly, and made endless by refugees. Empire, or the American equivalent, follows you home.

The British, French, and Russians have found the end of empire hard. As did the Romans in their day. Getting out has been a lot harder and uglier than getting in.

When the British withdrew from the Indian subcontinent, leaving behind a new nation called Pakistan, and an old one called India, the blood flowed freely.

The sectarian slaughter then was to lead to wars and skirmishes which have lasted to this day. Improbably, Pakistan was two separate entities, East and West Pakistan. Later, East Pakistan split off and became Bangladesh.

When Lord Louis Mountbatten, a stiff-necked British public servant and aristocrat, set in motion the withdrawal, he ignored plentiful intelligence that there would be strife.
(CNN)  President Joe Biden on Tuesday offered a vigorous defense of his decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan, defending the chaotic withdrawal from Kabul a day after the last American military planes left the country, marking the conclusion of the US' longest war nearly 20 years after it began.

"My fellow Americans, the war in Afghanistan is now over," Biden said at the White House, marking a symbolic moment he said was long overdue. "I'm the fourth president who has faced the issue of whether and when to end this war. When I was running for president, I made a commitment to the American people that I would end this war. Today I've honored that commitment."

Biden was defending a decision that has drawn scrutiny for its chaotic execution that undercut his promise to restore competence to government. His speech, delivered in an impassioned tone that revealed flashes of anger toward his critics, offered no apology for how the war ended.

Instead, Biden said the real choice in Afghanistan was "between leaving and escalating," framing his call to withdraw troops as the only option aside from surging more forces to the country. He suggested that the humbling end to the war, with the Taliban back in control after trillions of dollars and thousands of lives were spent ousting them, was the fault of decisions made long ago.

"I was not going to extend this forever war, and I was not extending a forever exit," he said, casting aside arguments that leaving some troops in the country was a feasible way to keep the Taliban at bay.

Eager to move on, Biden hopes his speech amounts to something of the last word after a two-and-a-half week scramble to leave the country. Questions linger over potentially hundreds of Americans who were not evacuated and many more Afghan allies who want to leave.

While Biden pledged the mission to help those people leave would continue, he also made clear that America's interest in Afghanistan was over. So, too, did he explain that the era of invading countries with an aim toward installing American values was no longer viable.

Biden argued that the US "no longer had a clear purpose in an open-ended mission in Afghanistan" and that the US' withdrawal signaled "ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries."

The US withdrawal was rocked by the Taliban's unexpectedly swift takeover of Afghanistan's capital.

Snapshots of people trying to flee the Taliban by congregating outside the gates of Kabul's airport, along with images from inside American military planes filled with evacuees, were broadcast around the world. More than 150 Americans struggling to get to the airport were airlifted by helicopter off the roof of a nearby hotel. Thirteen US service members were killed in a terrorist attack last week outside the airport's gates and more than 170 other people died in the suicide blast. And on Sunday, American forces carried out a deadly defensive strike targeting a suspected ISIS-K suicide bomber who posed an "imminent" threat to the airport.

Still, in his speech to mark the end of the war, Biden painted the withdrawal as an "extraordinary success." The President contended that the US military was prepared to deal with all those events, even though he himself has admitted that the US was caught off-guard by the quick collapse of the Afghan army.

"This is the way the mission was designed. It was designed to operate under severe stress and attack, and that's what it did," Biden said.

Biden paid tribute to the service members who were deployed to handle the withdrawal, including the 13 who died in the terrorist strike and praised their comrades who finished the mission.

"For weeks they risked their lives to get American citizens, Afghans who helped us, citizens of our allies and partners and others on board planes and out of the country. And they did it facing the crush of enormous crowds seeking to leave the country," Biden said.

The President, who faces a political reckoning for the US' handling of the withdrawal, said in a statement Monday that "it was the unanimous recommendation of the Joint Chiefs and of all of our commanders on the ground to end our airlift mission as planned." He's also argued that he thought chaos in the country was inevitable when US troops departed.

Biden asserted during his speech on Tuesday that even if evacuations had started sooner, "there still would have been a rush to the airport, a breakdown in confidence and control in the government."

"And it still would have been a very difficult and dangerous mission. The bottom line is there is no evacuation from the end of a war that you can run without the kind of complexities, challenges, threats we face. None," he added.

The President said he takes responsibility for the decision to withdraw at the end of August, but he also blamed his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, for signing on to an earlier agreement with the Taliban for a US withdrawal on May 1.

"My predecessor, the former President, signed an agreement with the Taliban to remove US troops May 1, just months after I was inaugurated. It included no requirement that the Taliban work out a cooperative government arrangement with the Afghan government," Biden said.

"But it did authorize the release of 5,000 prisoners last year, including some of the Taliban's top war commanders, among those that just took control of Afghanistan. By the time I came into office, the Taliban was in its strongest military position since 2001."

Tuesday's remarks were the first time Biden had spoken in front of the press since Monday's full withdrawal. The White House initially left it to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Central Command Commander Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie to speak in the hours after the final military plane left the country.

On Monday, McKenzie acknowledged that the US military "did not get everybody out that we wanted to get out."

"But I think if we'd stayed another 10 days, we wouldn't have gotten everybody out that we wanted to get out and there still would've been people who would've been disappointed with that. It's a tough situation," he added.

As of Monday, more than 122,000 people had been airlifted from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul since July, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters, including 5,400 Americans.

And in the 24 hours leading up to Monday morning, 26 military C-17 aircraft lifted off from Kabul carrying 1,200 evacuees, according to Gen. Hank Taylor, the deputy director of the Joint Staff for Regional Operations. In total, 28 flights departed from Kabul airport in that 24-hour window, Taylor said.

A senior State Department official said the department believes there are fewer than 250 American citizens currently in Afghanistan -- and Blinken said Monday that number may be closer to 100 -- who may wish to leave, as US officials stressed a Taliban commitment to let Afghans leave the country after the US and allies left. The State Department official put the number of American citizens who have left the country through evacuation flights or other means closer to 6,000.

"We're trying to determine exactly how many. We're going through manifests and calling and texting through our lists," Blinken said in remarks at the State Department.

The State Department no longer has any diplomats in Afghanistan and has moved its diplomatic mission in the country to Doha, Qatar, Blnken said. He added that the diminished US presence in Afghanistan is not necessarily the end of US commitment there.

The top US diplomat noted that there are residents of Afghanistan who have US passports who are trying to determine if they should leave.

"Our commitment to them, and to all Americans in Afghanistan, and everywhere in the world, continues," Blinken said.

Biden said he intends to hold the Taliban accountable to their commitment that those seeking to leave the country will be able to do so safely.

And during Tuesday's remarks, he reiterated his administration's commitment to continue to go after terrorism around the globe, saying the US will "go after terror where it is today, not where it was two decades ago."

"To ISIS-K: We are not done with you yet," Biden said, vowing a "tough, unforgiving, targeted, precise strategy" for last Thursday's airport attack. ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The US carried out a defensive airstrike on Sunday targeting a suspected car bomb headed to the airport. The strike killed nine members of one family, including six children, according to a relative of those killed who spoke to a local journalist working with CNN.

Biden said the terror threat has metastasized and that "the threat from terrorism continues, but it's changed. Our strategy needs to change too."

The President also acknowledged the new challenges include those presented by China and Russia, saying there's nothing the two nations "would rather have and want more in this competition than for the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan."

This story has been updated with additional developments on Tuesday.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Biden gives a defiant defense of the withdrawal from Afghanistan: 'I was not extending a forever exit'"
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  Bank lending in the country slid at a milder pace in July, recent data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas revealed.

Outstanding loans of universal and commercial banks stood at 9.118 billion during the month, falling by 0.7% from the 9.179 billion tallied in July 2020.

The latest pace is milder than the 2% contraction logged in June and marks the eight straight month of bank lending decline beginning December 2020.

Outstanding loans to residents tumbled by 0.1% in July to 8.86 billion during the month, while lending to foreigners crashed by 17.4% to 258.505 million. Both rates were softer than the ones logged in June, according to BSP data.

The declines come as "a new wave of COVID-19 infections owing to more virulent virus strains continue to dampen economic prospects and temper market sentiment," said the central bank.

Consumer loans likewise dropped by 8.2% during the month, yielding a tally of 814.695 million primarily because of the "continued" dive in motor vehicle loans.

Loans in terms of production activities expanded by 0.8% in July to 8.045 billion after shrinking by 0.6% in June  growing for the first time since November last year.

According to BSP, among the sectors that contributed to production activity loan growth were information and communication along with transportation and storage -- registering growth rates of 14% and 7% respectively in July.

Real estate activities, along with electricity, gas steam and airconditioning supply loans also increased during the month.

Meanwhile, loans to administrative and support services activities, along with mining and quarrying plunged by 33% and 19.5% respectively.

Other sectors which logged negative growth rates include education, agriculture, and wholesale trade and repair of motor vehicles.

"Looking ahead, the BSP will continue to prioritize monetary policy support in order to ensure the continued momentum of economic recovery. At the same time, the National Government's targeted fiscal initiatives and health interventions will be crucial in boosting domestic demand and strengthening the recovery," said the central bank.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  The countrys factory production slowed down in August after months of expansion with the return of tighter quarantine restrictions, a survey by IHS Markit revealed.

The survey, published Wednesday, said the IHS Markit Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) dove to 46.4 during the month from 50.4 in July. The figure falls below the 50.0 value separating expansion from contraction, with the PMI last dwelling below the neutral value in May at 49.9.

The latest decline indicated a renewed contraction in operating conditions in the Philippines manufacturing sector, and one which was the steepest since May 2020, said the UK-based information provider. The index stood at 40.1 in May last year.

IHS Markit economist Shreeya Patel said the recent contraction came as no surprise given the reimposition of enhanced community quarantine in main economic hub National Capital Region.

Factories and their clients in the Metro Manila area once again paused their production lines in a bid to curb the spread of the new Delta variant, said Patel.

RCBC chief economist Michael Ricafort, meanwhile, noted the 2-week ECQ period coincided with the "ghost month" for most days of August which contributed to less activities including manufacturing. In Chinese culture and in many parts of Asia, the ghost month in the Lunar calendar is a time to suspend big decisions or investments.

Production volumes likewise tumbled in August with stringent quarantine measures forcing factories and businesses to go dark, according to participants. Customer demand also fell due to the said factors along with travel restrictions, the survey found.

Lower output requirements led to sharp declines in purchasing activity as firms looked to recover some costs and restructure stocks in line with weak demand. As a result, inventories of preproduction goods fell, although only moderately, added IHS Markit.

Suppliers performance also waned during the period given tighter measures, port congestions and supplier shortages, participating manufacturers noted.

Factory closures also led to employees being unable to work, resulting in reports of resignations and layoffs, said IHS Markit as it stated a sharp drop in employment levels among local producers.

Owners of factories observed higher input prices in August given shortages in raw materials across the globe and delays in delivery as well, IHS Markit explained.

Firms sought to pass on part of the burden by raising their selling charges. Similar to the trend for input costs, the rate at which manufacturers increased their charges softened during the month, it added.

With this, the expectations of participating firms regarding output levels in the 12 months ahead fell to a four-month low in August, though still remained firmly in positive territory.

IHS Markit said vaccination activities drove hopes of a return to normalcy, but some manufacturers also raised uncertainty over the longer-term implications of the pandemic.

Ricafort added that manufacturing activities could pick up beginning September albeit modestly given Metro Manilas shift to the less restrictive modified ECQ starting August 21.
(CNN)  India's economy grew at a record pace in the second quarter, even as the country grappled with a devastating wave of Covid-19. But Asia's third largest economy isn't out of the woods yet and remains smaller than at the start of the pandemic.

GDP rose 20.1% in the three months to June 30, compared with the same period a year earlier. The big jump reflects a rebound from the deep slump in activity in 2020, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed one of the world's toughest lockdowns on 1.3 billion people, restricting business and travel for months and plunging the country into its first recession in decades.

"The record year-on-year rise in Indian GDP in Q2 was due entirely to base effects," wrote Shilan Shah, senior India economist at Capital Economics in a research note. This time last year, India posted a 24% fall in GDP.

India had just begun to claw its way out of the slump earlier this year when a second wave of the coronavirus  believed by experts to have been sparked by the now-global Delta variant  engulfed the country. For weeks, India reported thousands of Covid-related deaths every day.

Even as the infection rate spiraled, Modi resisted pressure to impose another national lockdown, a strategy intended to prevent millions of people from slipping back into poverty. That meant that even though the human cost of this spring's outbreak was staggering, economic activity rebounded rapidly once cases started declining.

Still, the second wave took its toll on the economy. India does not provide official quarter-on-quarter GDP data, but Capital Economics estimates that the economy shrank by 12% in the April-June period compared with the preceding three months.

"[This] contraction is... very large by historic standards, and sharper than we had been anticipating," Shah added.

Anagha Deodhar, chief economist at ICICI Securities, said Tuesday's annual growth figure was weaker than she was expecting.

"If you look at pre-pandemic levels, we are still a smaller economy by 3 trillion rupees ($41 billion)," Deodhar told CNN Business, adding that manufacturing, agriculture and exports have done well for the country recently. "Exports are driving growth mainly because global economy is recovering faster than the domestic one."

Business activity has inched above pre-pandemic levels for the past three weeks, according to a Business Resumption Index compiled by Nomura, which tracks mobility indices, power demand and the labor force participation rate, among other metrics.

There are other positive signs as well: India's vaccination rate has picked up, with the country on track to fully vaccinate about half of the population by the end of the year, Nomura analysts said.

But the economic recovery still faces threats over the next few months, as cases begin to rise again in the Southern Indian state of Kerala. The Nomura analysts said a potential third wave "cannot be ruled out," especially with the festive Diwali season approaching.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "India posts record 20% GDP growth but the second Covid wave still hurt."
(CNN)  Given the pandemic's extra stressors, it can be hard for parents to know what's weighing on our kids or how to help.

Whether adolescents are struggling with the impact of Covid-19 on their lives or more ordinary issues around friends, grades, extracurriculars, or graduation and what comes after, psychologist Lisa Damour offers clear prescriptions for parents.

Parents' primary job, she said, is to help "guard our kids against an overall sense of hopelessness." Easier said than done  these days, especially  but the stakes are too high not to try.

Just as she does on her podcast, Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Parenting, with her Adolescence column for "The New York Times" and in her books, "Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood " and "Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls," Damour offers sane, science-backed perspectives on how parents can best help their teens and tweens through these tough times.

This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

CNN: Protecting kids against hopelessness is no easy feat when we adults are struggling. What insights into the brains of teens and tweens can help parents in these moments?

Lisa Damour: Teenagers' brains are neurologically gawky as they undergo an extraordinary remodeling process that makes the brain faster, more efficient and more powerful. This proceeds back-to-front, from the more primitive regions of the brain to the more sophisticated.

Because the emotions are housed in the more primitive regions, the capacity to feel things intensely gets upgraded before the ability to maintain perspective. By around age 13, if a teenager becomes upset, the activated emotion centers of the brain are sufficiently powerful that they can outmatch the reasoning frontal lobes and cause a real crashing emotional meltdown.

It's important for parents to remember that  given a little time, space and loving support  teens will usually reregulate on their own. When their frontal lobes come back online, their reasoning is excellent. Everybody's exhausted, everybody's tired. That hamstrings everybody's patience and perspective. Adults are neurologically advantaged here, so our job is to take very good care of ourselves so that we can provide the auxiliary support.

CNN: Youth depression and anxiety doubled during the pandemic. What do teens and tweens need right now to help them put into context the intensity of their emotions?

Damour: First, anxiety is only pathological when a person overestimates the danger they are in or underestimates their ability to manage it. If kids are feeling anxious about returning to school during a peak in Covid infections, rather than minimize their fears, we want to explore with them the actual level of danger and what control they have to mitigate it.

My older daughter is vaccinated, will be expected to wear a mask at school, and has a decent amount of control over regulating the physical distance she keeps from others.

Talking through those precautions helps clarify her own ability to minimize risk. Identifying what we can control helps. Hopefully you can control enough variables to get the danger to a level that feels tolerable. But feeling anxious right now is not at all out of line or irrational.

CNN: You write that anxiety and stress offer gifts as well as discomfort, even in these extraordinary times. What benefits do these emotions bring?

Damour: Anxiety is an alarm system that alerts us to possible threats. That makes it an extraordinarily beneficial emotion. It's a gift handed down to us by evolution. Adults might experience it when somebody swerves in front of us while we're driving. A middle schooler might experience it if they haven't started studying for a big test. That is good, healthy feedback on what's going on around us and where or how we want to better position ourselves.

Stress is an absolute given in life. It occurs anytime we are adapting to new conditions, stretching beyond our established capacities. There's no growth in the absence of stress.

In fact, school is supposed to be stressful. We want kids to be doing work they find challenging. We only worry about stress if it overwhelms someone's coping capacity or if it is chronic and unrelenting, and there's no opportunity to recover and take a break and consolidate those gains. Weightlifters work out hard and then deliberately create time for muscle rest and repair. That recovery process is as essential to growth as any challenges we deliberately seek out or inevitably encounter.

CNN: How can parents know if their child has reached a point of problematic stress?

Damour: The weightlifting recovery metaphor helps us here again. If a young person has a chance to rest but things don't get better, there are probably grounds for concern. The analogy here is injury. If you have a tough workout at the gym then rest, you should feel good a couple of days later. But if you injure yourself, just resting for a couple of days won't fix the problem. Constructive stress comes from challenges that help us grow, not those that leave us incapacitated after the fact.

CNN: How can a parent gauge the difference between an adolescent who's in recovery mode and one who's withdrawing out of unhealthy avoidance?

Damour: Avoidance is something that people of all ages instinctively want to do when they feel anxious or overwhelmed. Problematic avoidance will offer short-term relief but create long-term difficulty. We want to be on high alert for avoidance as the go-to strategy for managing distress, because it doesn't work, over time.

The beautiful thing about teenagers is, we can ask them to reflect with us on how they're doing. A terrific first step for a worried parent is to say, "I noticed you've been sleeping a lot lately. Part of me is so glad to see you resting and recovering. Part of me is wondering if everything's okay. Is there anything that you are worried about or that I need to be thinking about?"

With that approach you're likely to recruit their mature side into the conversation. Our teenagers have two sides: their immature, impulsive, sometimes regressive side and their thoughtful, broad-minded, ambitious, self-protective side. The side that you speak to will be the side that shows up for the conversation.

CNN: You say parents need to worry about kids feeling alone with psychological pain  that, like all of us, kids need to feel seen. How can we do that?

Damour: Parents underestimate how powerful empathy is in terms of helping kids feel better. Too often we jump straight into problem-solving mode when they just want us to listen and say, "Oh, that really stinks. I'm so sorry." Either that's as much of a solution as they need, or they'll go figure out their own solution. The two most useful lines in all of parenting teenagers are:

Do you want my help, or do you just need to vent? And...

Is there anything I can do that won't make this worse?

Those will usually cover your bases.

This story was first published on CNN.com A parent's primary role: Protecting our kids against hopelessness
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 31)  There's no stopping a "Vice President" Rodrigo Duterte from assuming the highest post in the land for the second time.

A hypothetical question was posed to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra in an event hosted by the Rotary Club on Tuesday, if a sitting President dies, can Vice President Duterte succeed him?

Guevarra pointed out this is precisely the role of the Vice President, which is to take over.

"If the elected president dies in office, becomes permanently incapacitated, or resigns. That is the role of the Vice President, and people are expected to understand that that will happen should they vote for a particular person to the position of Vice President," he explained.

There's also nothing in the Constitution that prohibits Duterte from running for Vice President, according to Guevarra. What is barred, he added, is for him to seek reelection.

"We have seen this before other former Presidents who ran for other lower positions after they finished their term as President. Former President (Gloria) Macapagal-Arroyo ran for a congressional district position, former President (Joseph) Estrada ran for city mayor. So they may run for other positions, except run again (for) President."

President Duterte confirmed he will for run for the second highest seat in the country in the 2022 elections after ruling PDP-Laban party endorsed him.

He admitted that he'll go for the vice presidency since the opposition is sure to lose just like what happened in 2019 to Otso Diretso's senatorial slate where none of the candidates made it.

But he said last week he will give way if his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, runs for President.

Critics slammed the plan which is described as an attempt to evade possible prosecution by the International Criminal Court should the investigation into the Duterte administration's drug war killings proceed.

Guevarra, however, reiterated that the Vice President is not immune from suit.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 31)  After the country recorded a new all-time high of new cases, President Rodrigo Duterte said the Philippines' COVID-19 death toll is lower than other countries' fatalities  a remark that drew flak.

"Hirap ang America ngayon. Ang Europe is suffering from a maraming mas namatay," Duterte said in his taped public address that aired on Tuesday.

[Translation: America is facing difficulties. Europe is suffering from more deaths.]

"Atin hawa lang, ang patay natin hindi masyado ganun karami," he added.

[Translation: In our case it's only the transmission, our deaths are not that many.]

Filipinos took to social media to express dismay over Duterte's remark, saying the more than 33,000 deaths are not just numbers, but people who meant the world to their loved ones.

The country reported 22,366 new cases on Monday, the highest since the pandemic started last year.

Duterte said whether or not the highly infectious Delta variant triggered the latest spike, the country needs to "recalibrate" its response. He also said the Inter-Agency Task Force is studying the shift to localized lockdowns.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  The Department of Health is expecting new COVID-19 cases to peak by the middle of September as the feared Delta variant further drives up the number of infections.

In a briefing Tuesday, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they have observed a steep increase in new cases in the recent week. From August 24 to 30, the DOH noted an average of 17,013 cases per day, up from 14,886 in the previous week.

This is also higher than the previous peak of 10,431 recorded from March 29 to April 4, she noted.

The health official said if this pattern continues, we may see cases peak by mid-September.

On Monday, the country posted another all-time high in new COVID-19 cases at 22,366.

OCTA Research fellow Guido David told CNN Philippines that new infections may even reach 25,000 next week. Cases will continue to increase a little further before going down, he added.

Vergeire associated the exponential increase in cases to the more transmissible Delta variant.

Based on studies, a person infected with Delta variant can infect five to eight others, she noted.

The DOH and World Health Organization had both confirmed the community transmission and dominance of the Delta variant in the Philippines.

Still, the trend in cases will depend on public compliance to minimum health standards, shortening of intervals between detection to isolation, faster vaccine deployment, and the granular lockdowns, Vergeire added.

It is also important to keep severe and critical COVID-19 cases at low numbers so as not to overwhelm medical facilities amid increasing infections, she said.

Latest data show that total COVID-19 cases in the country are nearing the two-million mark at 1,989,857. Of this number, 145,662 are currently ill.

Meanwhile, around 13.7 million Filipinos have received full protection from the virus, still a far cry from the 70-million target to achieve herd immunity.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  The health department of the city of Manila halted all its vaccination operations after encountering a technical problem in its online vaccination system, the Manila public information office announced on Wednesday.

All vaccination sites in Manila for both first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines were closed at 4 p.m.

City health department chief Arnold Pangan said authorities are still looking into why the system went down, the Manila PIO added.

Early last month, the local government revealed that its vaccination registration website was attacked by hackers after receiving nearly a million "bot-triggered" registration requests. City officials had suspected that the perpetrator had a "troll farm generating machinery" to operate the attack.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) - Over 703,000 additional doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine arrived in the country Wednesday night.

The fresh batch brings to at least 5.6 million the total number of Pfizer shots that have been delivered to the Philippines.

Including other brands, the country has now received over 52.6 million doses.

READ: TIMELINE: COVID-19 vaccine deliveries and rollout in the Philippines

Official data as of Aug. 31 showed around 33.7 million of these have already been administered.

The government said it is expecting a total of 25 million doses from different manufacturers this month.
Relaying information from his crew on the ground, Thavenet said the task force on Tuesday methodically searched homes in Thibodaux, a city of 15,000 about an hour west of New Orleans. Team members searched for residents who may have been stranded in their homes and unable to call for help. Thavenet said most of the southern portion of Louisiana is without power, and entire 911 dispatch centers have been unable to operate in the wake of the storm.

Crews with the Lincoln Electric Service and a 16-man contingent from the Nebraska Public Power District were dispatched this week to help restore power in the state, where more than 1 million customers remained without power Tuesday afternoon. The Omaha Public Power District sent 15 employees to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Monday.

The task force, working alongside a similar group from Texas, helped evacuate more than 100 residents on Monday, Thavenet said, though those efforts were focused on houses where residents had signaled for help.

On Tuesday, the task force took a door-to-door approach, Thavenet said, inching their way through neighborhoods in an effort to evacuate residents who might otherwise not make it out.




Insights Report



Expanding the Digital Curriculum

How Colleges are embedding high-tech skills t prepare students for tomorrow's jobs



Employers and colleges agree: Students  no matter the major  need to graduate with the digital acumen to work in the modern workplace. Previously, higher ed largely either relied on employers to impart those skills or expected students, the so-called digital natives, to learn them intuitively. Today many colleges are looking for ways to embed digital skills throughout the curriculum  whether its a STEM program or Greek history  and make sure that graduates can reflect that education on their transcript. Download The Chronicles insights report to examine those diverse efforts to find out whats getting traction, what still needs to be done, and what students and faculty think of the changes.






Information is from police reports and may be incomplete depending on the status of an investigation. Phone numbers are nonemergency.
NWS and U.S. Geological Survey data for the Harrisburg rain gauge reported 4.7 inches of rainfall from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, with another 1 to 2 inches possible Wednesday night. Eric Finkenbinder of ABC27 Weather tweeted at 8:31 p.m. "Today's rain now ranks as the 3rd wettest day on record for the Harrisburg area."

At 7:15 p.m., Shermans Creek at Shermans Dale was at 9.76 feet, putting it in minor flood stage. As of 8 p.m., the Yellow Breeches at Camp Hill has risen to 8.21 feet which puts it into minor flood stage as well. At 7:30 p.m., the Conodoguinet at Hogestown is in flood action stage at 6.57 feet.

In a tweet posted at about 7:30 p.m., State Police said residents of Williams Grove trailer park were being evacuated to the Monroe Fire Company and were being told not to leave their pets behind.

Local municipalities said they were monitoring common flood points along roads in the county.

Were going to be keeping an eye on them throughout the evening and if things get hairy, theyll close the road, said South Middleton Township Manager Cory Adams.
The Democratic governor said a universal, statewide order was necessary after most of Pennsylvanias 500 school districts did not impose their own mask mandates. State health officials said more than 5,000 students have tested positive for the coronavirus since the start of the academic year.

Its crucial for students and staff to wear masks in school. This is a necessary step to keep our students and teachers safe and in the classroom, where they all need to be and where we want them all to be, Wolf said at a news conference.

He said the masking order would be reevaluated in early October.

Less than a month ago, Wolf had ruled out a statewide mask mandate for schools after requiring them last year. But the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus, which is driving nearly all new infections in the state, has changed the administrations calculus about what is needed to keep students in class.

Pennsylvania is now averaging more than 3,200 new, confirmed infections daily  20 times the number of cases it was reporting on a typical day in early July. Some 1,850 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, up more than sevenfold since last month. Deaths have doubled in two weeks to about 20 per day.
The heavily populated and fossil fuel-rich Pennsylvania has long been one of the nations biggest polluters and power producers and the jury is out on whether a carbon-pricing program would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Its effectiveness could depend on where emissions caps are set and whether hundreds of millions of dollars paid by owners of coal- and natural gas-fueled power plants are wisely spent on clean energy and energy efficiency programs.

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The regulation could take several months to be officially published and become final. Once it does, Pennsylvania would join California, Washington and the 11 states already in the greenhouse gas consortium to adopt a carbon pricing policy, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

Wolf wants it to take effect next year, although a legal challenge is expected before that to contend that the regulations exceeds the authority of Wolfs Department of Environmental Protection. The Republican-controlled Legislature also may try to muster veto-proof majorities to block it.
The best thing all of us can do right now is to stay home and stay safe, Wolf said.

Randy Padfield, the state's emergency agency director, said the rain falling on already wet soil along with high winds and trees top-heavy with leaves increased the chances that power may go out.

Wolf late Tuesday issued a disaster emergency that put teams in place to respond to the storm and its aftermath.

Some 120 National Guard troops were activated to help operate about three dozen high-clearance, high-water vehicles that can perform evacuations. Guard members were also put on duty as part of the state's helicopter aquatic rescue team.

 Associated Press

10:45 a.m. update Wednesday:

With the mix of a stalled front and the remnants of Hurricane Ida combining together in Cumberland County this morning, the first round of rain continues to fall across the county.

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But the heavy rain and possible storms won't kick up until after lunch.
A federal grand jury has indicted a defrocked American priest on charges of having sex with minors while running a childrens shelter in a remote part of East Timor.

Richard Daschbach, 84, faces seven counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct at the Topu Honis shelter that he founded decades ago in the mountains of the predominantly Catholic island country south of Indonesia. A Department of Justice spokesperson said Monday she could not comment on whether there are plans to extradite the former priest who is currently on trial in East Timor for the same allegations.

If convicted in the U.S., Daschbach could receive up to 30 years in prison for each count, according to the indictment returned Thursday by a grand jury in Washington, D.C.

He also is wanted in the U.S. for three counts of wire fraud linked to one of his California-based donors, which accused him in a court case of violating an agreement to protect those under his care. An Interpol Red Notice has been issued internationally for his arrest.

Daschbach, who remains revered by many in East Timor, went on trial there in February to face charges he sexually abused young girls in his care at the shelter for orphans and impoverished children. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Separately, I did say that Black Lives Matter (BLM) was at its core a Marxist influenced organization. Why did I say this? I said this because Patrisse Cullors, in a 2015 video, admitted that she and at least one other BLM activist leader were trained organizers and Marxists. Of course, BLM is different from the original Marxism in that it is more racially focused (whites/minorities), and Karl Marx focused on class socio-economic differences (bourgeois/proletariat). If the organization is led by Marxists or Neo Marxists, then it seems logical that the organization is Neo Marxist in its orientation and ultimate goals.

Unfortunately, the writer, in a leap of false logic with no basis in fact, wrote that because I thought these movements were Marxist-inspired or influenced, I was claiming that all those who protested what happened to Mr. Floyd at the hands of law enforcement were communists, and that I thought anyone who disagreed with me also were communists. That is simply not true. Most of the protestors were there because they supported anti-racism and what they saw as police brutality in the terrible murder of Mr. Floyd. The 2020 protests were mostly peaceful during the day, but were marred by anarchist-led violence at night.
The Senator Romine Education Scholarship has been established at Mineral Area College to benefit students of Missouri's 3rd Senate District.

The scholarship fund was established through an initial $10,000 donation from Sen. Gary Romine, a former member of the Missouri Senate representing District 3 from 2013-2020, before being appointed to his current position as chairman of the Missouri State Tax Commission.

While a state senator, he served as vice-chair and then chair of the Senate Education Committee. Romine has also served as president of the Mineral Area College Board of Trustees, Chairman of the Board for MRV Banks, and is the Chairman of the Board for Show-Me-Rent-To-Own.

A strong advocate for education, Romine received an associate degree from Three Rivers Community College before transferring to Central Missouri State University where he earned a bachelor's degree in education. He taught high school in the Branson and Farmington school districts and served five years on the Mineral Area College Board of Trustees.
On this blistering summer day, Boyd is sowing his cash crop, soybeans, making passes up and down a rolling 1,000-acre tract along the broad Roanoke River in Virginia. Its one of several parcels he owns, totaling 1,500 acres  some of it land that his ancestors once tilled as slaves.

And now, its his. Some days, its hard to believe.

Im owning land that many of my forefathers worked when it was scotch free. You know -- slave labor, man, says Boyd, his black cowboy hat casting a shadow over his face. Im just trying to make them proud.

Like the other Black farmers, Boyd has encountered prejudice in many ways. An example: Boyds wife, Kara, a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, recalls the time her husband took a load of soybeans to the grain elevator and got a low price for it. Too much trash or moisture in it, he was told.

When Kara Boyd brought in another load from the same field, she got a better price. But when her stepfather, who is white, took a load out of the same field, she recalled that he was told: Man, these are the best beans theyd seen and how many more could he bring them?

But Boyds battle with the USDA was epic. It almost wiped him out.
In the early years of the 20th century, the skyscraper captured the American imagination in a way that went far beyond its utility as a modern office space.

In Skyscraper Gothic, a new exhibition at The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia, the influence of the iconic buildings on fine art, decorative arts and even toys and games is explored through paintings, prints and other artifacts.

The exhibition is curated by Lisa Reilly, Commonwealth Professor of architectural history at the University of Virginia, and Kevin D. Murphy, Andrew W. Mellon chair in the humanities and professor and chair of the Department of History of Art and Architecture at Vanderbilt University. They teamed up to edit a new book, Skyscraper Gothic: Medieval Style and Modernist Buildings.

Exquisitely detailed architectural drawings of the Woolworth Building, built in 1913, from Cass Gilberts office offer a glimpse into the precision of an era before computer-aided design tools. Several of the rare drawings, which never have been exhibited before, include annotations of modifications in minute detail.

They show how the project evolved from 1911 to 1913, Murphy said. Reilly said that the drawings also offer rare documentation of the skyscrapers terracotta ornaments.
As well-meaning as the rationale behind this may have been, it did not constitute an approved exemption, he said. It did alert us to the need to be more consistent in the way in which we made clear and monitored the mask requirement. If there is a difference this year, it is that the policy is being followed as written.

But, the policy in question also changed. Last school year, students could be exempted by the school principal because of a documented medical condition, developmental or other disability. The superintendent or special education director also could exempt students because of special behavioral or individualized needs.

This school year, students with a documented medical condition or developmental, behavioral, or other disability that prevents them from wearing a mask or face covering will be offered an alternative education program, according to the revised policy that the School Board approved July 8.

That alternative education program is the divisions virtual school, Giaramita said.

For students who are uncomfortable wearing a mask in the building, schools are providing accommodations such as mask breaks, taking students for walks outside the school when they need relief from wearing a mask and increasing the amount of outdoor instruction, Giaramita said.
A day after students protested how the Nelson County Sheriffs Office treated one of their peers, the countys Commonwealths Attorney requested that Virginia State Police review the incident.

Last week, a sophomore at Nelson County High School had two of his teeth chipped at two officers wrestled him to the ground. The school division said the student became confrontational; the boys mom said he was just checking on his cousin who was involved in a fight broken up by the officers.

Nelson Sheriff David Hill was one of the officers who restrained the boy while he was facedown on the floor of the school.

A 58-second video posted on social media shows the boy on the ground while the officers work to handcuff the boy. Meanwhile, students are screaming at the men to get off the student.

The Nelson County school division canceled classes Friday, partly because of the incident. Schools were closed again Monday because of unspecified threats of violence, but classes resumed Tuesday.
She said getting funding for large projects without having to go into a lot of debt will be important, because the debt will have to stay open for projects where federal funding cannot be used, such as around parking.

A key project will be a terminal expansion, Crawford said, as well as improvements around the control tower, built in 1970.

Weve also already got a design in place [to convert] all of our runway lighting and airfield lighting to LED to make us more energy conscious, she said. That projects been designed, but getting the funding to pay for it is going to be the issue.

Kaine said airports will get designated funding out of the infrastructure bill, but there also could be competitive grants.

Anytime a local government, an airport or a nonprofit is trying to get a federal grant, we try to weigh in for them, and so thats another way I think I can use what Ive learned today to go to bat for CHO on any competitive grant that might be possible once we pass the infrastructure bill, he said.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport was seeing record growth, but the number of passengers rapidly declined during the pandemic.
Asked what type of assistance he planned to request from Biden, Edwards said, Quite frankly, the list is going to be very, very long. But he said a priority would be for a housing program to help people rebuild.

The White House says Biden has been getting regular updates on the storm and its aftermath. He has held several conference calls with governors and local officials to discuss preparations and needs after the storm, and has received briefings from FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.

FEMA had sent tons of supplies, including generators, tarps and other materials to the region before the storm, and federal response teams are working on search and rescue.

Authorities blame the storm for at least six deaths.

Biden's trip Friday to the Gulf region will cap a difficult stretch for the president, who oversaw the chaotic exit of the U.S. military from Afghanistan after a 20-year engagement. That included the deaths of 13 U.S. service members helping evacuate more than 120,000 Americans, Afghan allies and others fleeing life under Taliban rule.
Biden has done more to harm American interests and security than perhaps any other U.S. president. He sounds and looks weak because he is weak. This has not gone unnoticed by terrorists, as well as Iran, China, Russia and others who do not wish us well.

The treaty that then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo concluded with the Taliban worked. No U.S. soldiers were killed during an 18-month period. There were probably two reasons. First, the Taliban thought they could patiently wait out America, because  based on our withdrawal from Vietnam  they believed we would not stay forever, and second, because Trump had specific requirements for the Taliban to meet or the deal would be off. It is hard to imagine, as much as Trump wanted to stop endless wars, that he would abandon Afghanistan altogether without at least a minimal U.S. presence to deter terrorists who wish to again attack America.

Biden claims the military was on board with his decision to withdraw all forces from Afghanistan. That is difficult to believe, unless leaders have gone completely woke, focusing on diversity instead of on winning current wars and preparing to defend us from the possibility of future ones.

Our allies essentially were left to fend for themselves. They will likely be cautious about joining a future American military coalition when new threats emerge.

America under Joe Biden has demonstrated its faithlessness and unreliability. This will have serious implications for our immediate and long-term future. Should there be another terrorist attack on our homeland  something that seems likely  the blood of the dead will be on the hands of President Biden, no matter who he tries to blame.

Cal Thomas is a columnist syndicated by the Tribune Content Agency. Email him at tcaeditors@tribpub.com.
Thank God for second thoughts.

I wish we could do more to help, but were too small.

That was Pastor Colleen Swingle-Tituss initial reaction to a conference speakers challenge for churches to get involved in helping their communities.

But then the light bulb popped on: My gosh, we have all this land; we could really help people.

Swingle-Titus leads Park Street Christian Church in Charlottesville. The congregation is small  so small that it couldnt tackle a major project alone.

So by partnering with the Piedmont Housing Alliance, it has found a way to propose building 50 affordably priced apartments on the spacious property it owns on Park Street.

This comes at a time when city leaders are focusing intently on the issue of housing and how to solve the problem of a lack of affordability.

The project is still inching its way through the planning process. It is a long way from obtaining city approval, although Charlottesville planning commissioners were complimentary after hearing a recent presentation led by the apartments architect.
Came across another one of those best college towns lists the other day. They are kind of fun. Sometimes kind of silly. And always fodder for an argument that, truth be told, is not really worth having.

The latest list I found was in Via, the magazine of the Oregon chapter of the American Automobile Association, the nonprofit collection of clubs involved in insurance, roadside assistance, maps and other travel information.

A lovely picture of Gonzaga University, with its clock tower lining the river in Spokane, Washington, adorns the cover. Unfortunately, despite the presence of Gonzaga and three other schools, Spokane is NOT a college town. Its just too big and the college environment just is not front and center there. But thats getting a bit ahead of myself.

First, lets review the Via list. In order (but it does not appear to be a ranked order) they favored Eugene, San Luis Obispo (California), Provo (Utah), Spokane, Santa Cruz (California), Missoula (Montana), Chico (California) and Tucson (Arizona). Yes, no Corvallis. Sigh. More on this later.
The Covid-19 pandemic had a relatively minor impact on the Philippines telecom sector in 2020. Subscriber numbers fell in some areas, but this was offset by strong growth in mobile data and broadband usage since a significant proportion of the population transitioned to working or studying from home.

Major investment programs covering LTE, 5G, and fibre broadband networks suffered slight delays due to holdups in supply chains, but activity has since ramped up in an attempt to complete the rollouts as per the original schedule.

The major telecom operators had mixed financial results for the past year. PLDT reported record revenues, whereas Globe Telecoms performance dropped below 2019 levels. The pandemic was partly the cause in both cases: shifts in customer behaviour during the enforced lockdown bolstered mobile data and broadband, whereas Globe Telecoms leadership of the mobile market saw it suffer to a greater extent overall, as the total number of mobile subscribers fell in the first quarter of 2021. In spite of the setback, both companies predict a positive outlook for growth through the rest of 2021 and into 2022. Overall, the number of mobile subscribers is expected to grow to 153 million by the end of 2021, with the penetration rate approaching 144%.

PLDT and Globe Telecom have maintained their dominance of the Philippines telecom market, despite having their duopoly status removed by the government as far back as 2017. Two new entrants  DITO Telecommunity and NOW Telecom  have since become the third and fourth operators, but delays in their respective launch programs have caused minimal impact to the leaders market share. The government remains keen, and committed, to seeing strong competition, growth, and service excellence in the telecom sector, so there is likely to be continued support (financially as well as through legislation such as enabling mobile tower sharing and number portability) to ensure that the sector remains viable for emerging players.

The mobile sector will remain the Philippines primary market for telecommunications well into the future. The unique terrain and resulting challenges associated with accessing remote parts of the archipelago means that in many areas fixed networks are neither cost-effective nor logistically viable. Both PLDT and Globe Telecom continue to roll out fixed networks in some urban areas where it remains feasible to do so (primarily to support fixed broadband or  in Globe Telecoms case  fixed wireless services). However, the bulk of telecoms investment over the coming years will continue to be in 5G and 5G-enabled LTE networks. Coverage of LTE and 5G networks extends to over 95% of the population, and for the vast majority of people mobile will likely remain their only platform for telecom services.

This report update includes the regulators market data to March 2021, telcos data to Q1 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, and recent market developments.

Key Developments

Smart, Global Telecom, and DITO Telecommunity launch 5G commercial services.

NOW Telecom secures provisional authority to extend its licence to offer LTE as well as 5G services.

DITO launches mobile services.

Increase in investment and deployment of new data centres to support content-intensive 5G services, including new entrants such as Alibaba Cloud.

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The above article is a summary of the following BuddeCom report:

Report title: Philippines - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Edition: June 2021

Analyst: Sebastien De Rosbo

Number of pages: 122

Companies mentioned in this report: PLDT, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, DITO Telecommunity, NOW Telecom, Huawei, Nokia, Alibaba Cloud

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Cambodias mobile-dominated telecoms sector spent much of 2020 battling two major challenges: the global pandemic, and the governments retraction of trial licenses for the rollout of 5G.

Citing concerns about wastage and inefficiency occurring if each operator built a separate 5G infrastructure in order to maximise their own networks coverage (and, presumably, to capture greater market share), the regulator withdrew the licenses that the operators had been using for their 5G trials. This was despite all of the operators having already announced a successful completion of their trials. More than a year later, the market is still waiting on the government to release its 5G policy and roadmap, along with the allocation of spectrum and approvals to permit commercial operation. There is little expectation of any further progress happening before the start of 2022.

In the meantime, the mobile network operators have maintained their focus and investment strategies on upgrading and expanding their existing LTE networks around the country, and to 5G-enable their base stations. When the 5G market eventually arrives, the underlying infrastructure will at least be ready to support a rapid adoption of the higher-value applications and services.

Overall, the mobile market fell back slightly during 2020 and 2021 (in terms of total subscriber numbers) as the Covid-19 crisis wore on, but it remains in relatively good health as mobile users increased their data usage over the period. Likewise, the mobile broadband market experienced a small but very rare contraction in 2020, although penetration rates were already very high in this area. There is likely to be a quick rebound to previous levels once economic conditions stabilise, followed by a modest rates of growth over the next five years.

The number of fixed telephony lines in service continues to fall sharply as customers migrate to mobile platforms for both voice and data. The lack of any widespread fixed-line infrastructure has had a flow-on effect in the fixed-line broadband market, a sector that also remains largely under-developed.

Key Developments:

Cambodian government halts progress on the rollout of 5G due to lack of policy or a roadmap.

Regulator revokes 17 operators licenses for failure to comply with the Telecoms Law or their license terms.

Government presses on with plans for a new National Internet Gateway.

Report update includes the regulators market data to April 2021, telcos data to Q1 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, and recent market developments.

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Developing Telecoms market report summaries are produced in partnership with BuddeComm, the worlds largest continually updated online telecommunications research service.

The above article is a summary of the following BuddeCom report:

Report title: Cambodia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Edition: June 2021

Analyst: Sebastien De Rosbo

Number of pages: 80

Companies mentioned in this report: Telecom Cambodia, Metfone, Smart Axiata, Viettel, Cellcard, SEATEL, CamGSM, MobiTel, Xinwei, CooTel, Beeline, VEON, Digi, Singmeng Telemedia, Digi, Cambodia Fiber Optic Cable Company

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Brazil has one of the largest mobile markets in Latin America due to the sheer size of its population.

Healthy competition in the mobile market has helped reduce the price of mobile services in Brazil in recent years and mobile service providers have had much success in converting their customers from prepaid to contract plans. Mobile broadband take-up has been rapid, with around 213.7 million subscriptions as of March 2021, bringing the penetration rate to just over 100%.

The principal telcos include Telefonica Brasil, operating fixed-line and mobile services under the Vivo brand, as well as America Movil operating services under the Claro brand. Oi also offers a range of services though the companys financial difficulties recently forced the company to sell its mobile, tower and data centre units in a bid to reduce debt.

The multi-spectrum auction, intended to push the development of 5G, was scheduled for March 2020 but was delayed to mid-2021 due to interference issues with satellite TV broadcasts and the Covid-19 pandemic. The auction will be the largest conducted in Brazil thus far, though given the underused capabilities of LTE it is unlikely that the licensees will provide commercial services before the end of 2021.

The country also has one of the largest fixed line broadband markets in Latin America, though broadband penetration is only slightly above the regional average, trailing behind Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay. Amendments to the licensing regime adopted in October 2019 also require that ISPs which have switched to authorisations invest money saved from lighter regulations in the expansion of broadband services.

The fixed line broadband market has seen rapid growth for a number of years, with a growing focus on fibre broadband. In 2019 the number of fibre accesses overtook DSL connections. Vivo has the largest share of the fibre market, followed by Oi and Claro.

The country is a key landing point for a number of important submarine cables connecting to the US, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa. Several new cable systems are due to come into service through to 2022, which will increase bandwidth and push down broadband prices for end-users. Investments have also been made into terrestrial fibre cables between Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.

The traditional fixed-line market continues to suffer from consumers substituting services for mobile and fixed broadband solutions.

This report provides a review of Brazils telecom market, including infrastructure and the regulatory environment. It profiles the main fixed-line operators and provides relevant statistics and analyses. The report also covers the mobile voice and data segments, providing a range of statistics and analyses, as also subscriber forecasts. In addition, the report reviews the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband sectors, including an assessment of technologies and regulatory influences.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. Since 2020 the telecoms sector, to various degrees, has experienced a downturn in mobile device production. It was also difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G has been postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key developments:

Oi sells mobile, data centre and tower units;

BTG Pactual buys 58% of Ois fibre business Infraco for $2.3 billion;

Regulator allows accredited MVNOs to sign access agreements with more than one MNO and preps for multi-spectrum 5G auction;

Algar Telecom acquires Vogel Telecom, adds 3,400 corporate clients;

Nextel Brazil rebranded as Claro-nxt;

Regulator allows operators with spectrum in the 850MHz band to extend their concessions until the end of November 2028;

Tannat submarine cable connecting Brazil and Argentina ready for service;

Telefonica Brasil and CDPQ create wholesale fibre broadband business, dubbed FiBrasil;

America Movil to spin off their towers and other related passive infrastructure in its Latin American markets,

Operators launch 5G services on a limited basis;

Report update includes the regulator's market data updates to March 2021 and operator data to Q1 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the Covid-19 pandemic on the telecom sector, recent market developments.

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The above article is a summary of the following BuddeCom report:

Report title: Brazil - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Edition: June 2021

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

Number of pages: 359

Companies mentioned in this report: Telefonica Brasil (Vivo), Brisanet, BTG Pactual, TIM Brasil, Claro, Huawei, Oi, Nextel Brasil, CTBC/Algar Telecom, Sercomtel Celular, Vodafone Brazil/ARQIA, Embratel, Ericsson, Google, GVT, Universo Online (UOL), Net Servicos de Comunicacao, Intelig, Neovia, Eletropaulo Telecom, Copel, BuscaPe, Global Crossing, Star One, TelesatBrasil, Hispamar, Telebras, Intelig

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Montenegro has a small telecom market supported by a population of only 623,000. Fixed broadband services are available via a variety of technology platforms, though fibre is the dominant platform, accounting for almost 40% of connections.

The growth of fibre has largely been at the expense of DSL as customers are migrated to fibre networks as these are built out progressively. Mobile penetration is particularly high, though this is partly due to the significant number of tourists visiting the country seasonally, as also to the popularity of subscribers having multiple prepaid cards. In the wake of the pandemic and associated restrictions on travel, the number of mobile subscribers fell in 2020, as also in the first quarter of 2021, year-on-year.

Networks support a vibrant mobile broadband services sector, largely based on LTE. Two of the MNOs began trialling 5G in May 2021, though commercial services will not gain traction until after the multi-spectrum auction is completed at the end of 2021. Spectrum is available in the 694-790MHz and 3400-3800MHz ranges, as well as in the 26.5-27.5GHz range.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure.

Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key developments:

Crnogorski Telekom and Telenor Montenegro begin 5G trials;

Regulator planning multi-spectrum 5G auction by end-2021;

T-Mobile Montenegro launches a 500Mb/s mobile data service;

Crnogorski Telekom expands VDSL services as complement to fibre roll-out;

Report update includes the regulator's market data to March 2021, telcos' operating and financial data to Q1 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.

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Developing Telecoms market report summaries are produced in partnership with BuddeComm, the worlds largest continually updated online telecommunications research service.

The above article is a summary of the following BuddeCom report:

Report title: Montenegro - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Edition: June 2021

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

Number of pages: 143

Companies mentioned in this report: Crnogorski Telekom (T-Mobile Montenegro), M:tel, Telenor Montenegro

Single User PDF Licence Price: US$890

For more information or to purchase a copy of the full report please use the following link: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Montenegro-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?r=83
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) recommended a slew of measures, including fixing minimum broadband speed at 2 megabits per second, to promote internet connectivity and increase connection speed.

The regulatory body of the Government of India released its recommendations on Roadmap to Promote Broadband Connectivity and Enhanced Broadband speed, as per which definition of broadband has been reviewed and the minimum download speed for broadband connectivity reviewed upward from the present 512 Kbps to 2Mbps.

It also recommended the adoption of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) as defined earlier to bring cable TV operators into the plan. The recommendation also includes providing backhaul connectivity on optical fibre using the BharatNet network with Service Level Agreement.

Further, to incentivise investment in the last-mile linkage for fixed-line broadband, TRAI recommended notifying a skill development plan and an interest subvention scheme for cable operators registered as micro and small size enterprises.

Trai has recommended the implementation of direct benefit transfer for accelerating the growth of fixed-line broadband services in rural areas by reimbursing up to INR 200 per month per subscriber for their broadband connection charges.

Trai had recommended excluding revenue from operations other than telecom activities and operations as well as revenue from activities under a licence/permission issued by the information and broadcasting ministry, receipts from the USO Fund, etc for computation of applicable gross revenue.

The regulator in its recommendation to the Department of Telecom (DoT) asked for expediting spectrum auction of frequencies that are considered fit for 5G services.

The regulator has suggested three categories of broadband service- basic with a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps and less than 50 Mbps, fast broadband between 50-300 Mbps download speed, and super fast capability of delivering greater than 300 Mbps speed.
Indonesia-based mobile telecommunications services operator XL Axiata said that it has intensively built a 4G network in Banten Province in the last year. Within a year, there was the construction of more than 630 4G BTS to remote areas that were previously unreachable.

With mobile data traffic in the region increasing by more than 75% in the last two years, XL is responding to rising demand for data while also continuing to fiberize the network to increase capacity.

Region Group Head of XL Axiata Jabodetabek, Rd. Sofia Purbayanti said, Data traffic throughout Banten has increased by 76% in the last two years. Therefore, we must continue to build a 4G network, both to improve the quality of service, as well as to expand to areas that are new and have great potential. Along with network development, we also continue to fiberize the network to increase capacity, so that customer convenience will also increase.

According to Sofia, currently, XL Axiata's 4G network throughout Banten Province has reached up to 154 districts and 918 villages in all cities and regencies, with a total of 4.5 million subscribers. To support services in all provinces on the western tip of Java Island, XL Axiata operates a total of more than 10,700 BTS, including more than 4,000 BTS of which are 4G BTS.

Throughout Banten, XL Axiata has the most BTS, including 4G network, in Tangerang Regency, which is a total of 2,300 BTS, including more than 1,100 4G BTS. For the Tangerang City area, services are supported by a total of around 1,800 BTS, including more than 800 4G BTS. For the City of South Tangerang, around 1,700 BTS operates, around 780 BTS of which are 4G.

For the Serang City area, XL Axiata has more than 800 BTS, with the number of 4G BTS reaching more than 300 BTS. While in Serang Regency there are more than 1,400 BTS, almost 500 BTS are 4G BTS. Then in Cilegon City operates more than 600 BTS, 200 BTS of which are 4G. Lebak Regency is served by around 850 BTS, of which 250 are 4G BTS. Pandeglang Regency gets XL Axiata service which is supported by around 1,000 BTS, including a 4G network in the form of 300 4G BTS.

In addition to focusing on building 4G network, XL Axiata also strengthens data services by expanding the construction of fiber optic networks or fiberisation whose paths extend to the BTS in remote areas of Banten. XL Axiata hopes that connecting each BTS with fiber optic cable, it can further improve network quality and of course will automatically provide more convenience to data service users.
As I walk with my daughter under the canopy of hardwoods to the Moscow Public Library and back, I am immersed in the feeling of belonging and privilege that comes with living in the Fort Russell Historic District; I wish the feeling to be replicated for others.
If a person with Alzheimers disease, Autism, Downs Syndrome, traumatic brain injuries or cognitive impairments should wander away from a caregiver, the Coffee County Sheriffs Department can now track them more easily through a program called Project Lifesaver.

Project Lifesaver is funded in Coffee County by the Luncheon Pilot Club, who works with Coffee County Sheriff Dave Sutton and his deputies to make sure people who wander away in Coffee County can be found quickly and efficiently. The initiative was started in 1999 by Virginia resident Gene Saunders and has used radio tracking and locating technology to save the lives of more than 5,000 people who became lost.

The Sheriffs Department is provided wrist or ankle bracelets equipped with a small transmitter that emits a signal that law enforcement officials can track when someone goes missing. The Luncheon Pilot Club provides funding for the bracelets, batteries for the bracelets and necessary tracking equipment to make sure no one in Coffee County who has a brain-related disease can wander off and not be found. This is a free service for any caregiver of a person who has the listed disabilities.
But Associated Press interviewed six hospital-affiliated pediatricians independently this week from across the state  and all said students should be masked, as does the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Masks definitely decrease the spread among children, said Dr. Chad Sanborn, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Palm Beach Children's Hospital. They should be mandatory at schools.

All the doctors interviewed have more hospitalized children than at any point in the pandemic, with most saying the majority of their patients are normally healthy with no underlying conditions. They also said the majority of their patients are unvaccinated, even among those 12 and older who are eligible.

Dr. Emad Salman, chief physician executive at Golisano Childrens Hospital of Southwest Florida, said his facility had 17 COVID-19 patients on Tuesday, almost triple its previous high before this summers surge, with three in intensive care.

He and the other doctors believe the surge is caused by the delta variant being easier to catch than the original strain while children and their parents are taking fewer precautions than they did a year ago. Many families have not had their eligible children vaccinated while discarding social distancing and masks not just in schools, but in everyday life.
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We are proud to have these brave men and women here as part of our team, Rick Sutton, SE Healths CEO, said. We thank them for their support of Southeast Health as well as their service to our country. Whilst theyre here, we will continue to look ahead and make sure that we are looking and calculating our next move for our staff and this community.

Sutton said the hospital is also working with nursing agencies to provide additional staff to accommodate the surge it is currently experiencing.

This surge looks to be more sustained. Its going to last a bit longer, I believe, Dr. George Narby, SE Healths chief medical officer, said. He added that the current cohort of patients is younger on average and has chronic health conditions than hospital staff observed in previous hospitalization surges.

As of Tuesday, Narby said that around 12% of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were fully vaccinated, while the other 88% were not vaccinated or were partially vaccinated.

Alabamas COVID-19 death toll climbed to 12,283 as hospitalizations jumped to 2,866 on Tuesday, which is 51 more than was reported on Monday. Southeast Health was treating 122 COVID-19 patients on Tuesday.
A Facebook post advertising used hard drives for Chia mining is pictured in August 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Khuong Nha

Investors of the cryptocurrency Chia are selling their hard drives in bulk as plunging prices urged them to accept losses and switch to other coins.

On a Facebook group of over 5,000 Chia traders, admin Hoang Trung has seen a large number of posts recently advertising hard drives for sale.

"The fluctuation of Chia prices has urged investors to sell their hardware at a loss, with sellers outnumbering buyers," he said.

Within a week in May, Chia had doubled to $1,685, but started to drop soon after and is now at $215, or a loss of 87 percent.

"I am selling my hardware I bought three months ago for a loss," said Quang Thuan, a Chia miner in the southern province of Dong Nai. Thuan joined the market in May when Chia prices were shooting up.

As Chia mining requires a large amount of hard disk storage space rather than the processing power of graphic cards like other coins, prices of a hard disk drive with 6 terabytes of storage at the time rose 60 percent to VND6.5 million ($286).

Thuan is now selling it for VND2.5 million, or a 62 percent loss.

"I havent found a buyer in the last three days. I might have to bring the price down to VND2 million so I can switch to mining another coin."

Shops have also been selling hard drives.

Hoang Tuan, owner of a computer store in Ho Chi Minh City, said selling hard drives is more difficult than graphic cards because Chia mining causes a devastating impact on these drives.

A one-terabyte solid-state drive lasts around 80 days while with normal usage it could last 10 years, he added.

"Most of these hard drives are used for security cameras, while others are sold to gamers if prices are reasonable," said Nguyen Sinh, a spokesperson for a computer service company in HCMC.

Some individuals buy in bulk and "renew" them as new to sell domestically or export to China, he added.

The rush for Chia began in China in April and quickly spread to many countries, including Vietnam.

Mining Chia uses less energy than other coins like Bitcoin and Ethreum and therefore is referred to as a "green" cryptocurrency.

Chia Network, the company behind the coin, was founded by the author of peer-to-peer BitTorrent protocol Bram Cohen.
Students wear masks and face shields while participating in a national high school exam at Trung Vuong High School in HCMC's District 1, July 6, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

HCMC public school students will not have to pay any tuition for the first semester of the 2021-2022 school year that starts next week.

The HCMC People's Committee decided this based on a proposal by the municipal Department of Education and Training.

The tuition waiver would apply to public schools in the city, and the city budget would be used to cover the costs, Nguyen Van Hieu, director of the municipal education department, said Monday.

At private schools, the tuition can be negotiated between schools and parents, the department said. The department also said it had already requested private schools since the beginning of this school year to not increase tuition fees, but many did so anyway, citing costs arising from teaching students during the pandemic.

"They have the legal foundation to raise their fees, but from an ethical standpoint, increasing tuition at this moment in time is inappropriate," Hieu said.

Online challenges

Hieu also said that while the city is expected to continue online classrooms for the first semester of the next school year, many students don't have the equipment and devices necessary to study online. Therefore, the education sector will call on people to share used or spare electronic products like phones, tablets and laptops to help the students. Donations can be made to the schools themselves, he said.

Besides online classrooms, the department has also worked with broadcasters to produce lessons on TV so students could learn them on their own. Students in remote areas should be provided Internet access to learn online as well, he said.

"Right now, 80 percent of teachers in the city have received one Covid-19 vaccine shot. We are working with the municipal Department of Health to vaccinate students aged 12 and above. Once the coronavirus situation is put under control and students and teachers are fully vaccinated, in-person classes can be held," Hieu said.

HCMC is set to have around 1.71 million students and 80,000 teachers and school staff begin a new school year next week.

The southern city, epicenter of Vietnam's fourth novel coronavirus wave, has recorded 221,254 local Covid-19 cases so far. It has imposed a series of social distancing orders, including an ongoing lockdown starting August 23 that bans people from going out entirely.

Da Nang City and Quang Ninh Province have already decided to waive tuition for all students at public schools for the 2021-2022 school year.
The commitments the U.S. made during Vice President Kamala Harriss visit to Vietnam and the welcome she received indicate growing strategic trust, experts say.

"I saw that the strategic trust between the U.S. and Vietnam has been raised to a higher level after the visit of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris," Prof Alexander Vuving of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii, the U.S., told VnExpress International.

He said his assessment was based on the issues the two sides discussed and the overall atmosphere of Harriss visit in Vietnam.

The U.S. vice president, who paid a three-day visit starting August 25, was accorded a welcome ceremony by her counterpart, Vo Thi Anh Xuan. Later she met with President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The leaders discussed the Covid-19 global public health crisis, supply chains, digital economy, climate crisis, and renewable energy. They also reaffirmed that freedom of navigation and a rules-based international order were high priorities for both.

Harris announced a gift of one million doses of the Pfizer Covid vaccine, in addition to five million doses of the Moderna vaccine that the U.S. had already gifted Vietnam through the Covax facility, a global risk-sharing mechanism for pooled procurement and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris (L) meets wit Vietnam's President Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi, August 25, 2021. Photo by The World and Vietnam Report

The U.S. showed that it "walked the talk" with the additional vaccine distribution, Vuving said.

He noted that Harris reiterated the U.S. commitment to "a strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam," as well as the U.S. support for Vietnam's increasingly important role in ASEAN and the region.

Vuving said the most remarkable outcome of the visit was that the U.S. sent two key messages to Vietnam: The U.S. has come back (for a deeper engagement with the region) and "we are here for you in this moment of need."

"Vietnam has welcomed these commitments from the U.S."

Harris's visit was a chance for the new leadership in both countries to meet each other directly for the first time. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had visited Vietnam in July.

"The higher level of strategic trust will create a greater momentum for the U.S. and Vietnam to strengthen their relationship," Vuving said.

Nguyen Quoc Cuong, who served as Deputy Foreign Minister and then as Vietnamese ambassador to the U.S. from 2011 until 2014, said "both sides should be satisfied with" the manifold outcomes of the visit, both bilateral and multilateral."

Bilaterally, the first-ever visit to Vietnam by a U.S. vice president after normalization has given fresh impetus to the development of comprehensive partnership under the Biden presidency.

Looking "at the wide range of topics being discussed at all the high-level talks between Harris and the Vietnamese leaders, people can easily visualize the scope and depth of that partnership," he said.

Cuong said it was really interesting that the U.S. and Vietnam are now seeing eye-to-eye on most issues, ranging from security, economic cooperation, human to human interactions to climate change, Covid-19 fight, regional challenges and so on.

Of particular interest to him were the leaders' discussions on supply chain disruptions due to the pandemic and how the U.S. and Vietnam can work together to tackle it. Economic links have now become the major driving force of bilateral relationship, he said.

He noted the willingness of both countries to work together not only to respond to common challenges, but also seize new opportunities. He said he was optimistic that the U.S.-Vietnam partnership will continue to flourish in the years to come.

Developments of the bilateral relationship are on the right track, he said.

Dr Le Thu Huong, senior analyst, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Australia, said the visit by Harris "was positive" despite the severe Covid outbreak in Vietnam and some initial obstacles.

In the list of issues agreed to by both sides, there were several beneficial to Vietnam, she said, including the U.S.'s assistance to it with regard to Covid, the digital economy, climate change, and the Mekong River. She described them as "detailed and tangible" outcomes.

She said the "next chapter" in the relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam, as Harris said, was a natural deepening of the relationship in the coming time.

For the U.S., Vietnam will be an important partner in the Indo-Pacific, and for Vietnam, greater cooperation with the U.S. would bring a lot of positive outcomes, she said.

Professor Zachary Abuza of the National War College, the U.S., who closely follows U.S. - Vietnam relations, said Harris's trip overall was positive and built on Austins productive visit.

Speaking about the launch of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regional office in Hanoi, he said it is an example the two could broaden their definition of security to include public health.

Covid not overwhelming maritime security ties

Vuving said Harris highlighted the cooperation on Covid because it was an urgent issue and Vietnam is struggling to contain the pandemic.

But the bilateral cooperation in the South China Sea, or East Sea as the Vietnamese call it, is of long-term strategic significance for both, he said. They have a common strategic interest in ensuring freedom of navigation and upholding international law in this critical area of the global maritime commons.

Huong said the U.S. and Vietnam should "keep up the pace" of discussions on international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in maritime cooperation along with talks about Covid recovery. She said she did not see Covid as dominating bilateral relations.

They could expand cooperation in space and satellite technology in the South China Sea for transparently sharing information, she said.

Huong also said looked forward to the two countries having more direct exchanges at various levels seeing under Biden administration, including that of foreign ministers and naval chiefs, including commander of the Indo-Pacific Command.
A medical staff takes samples of a shipper in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City on August 31, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Health authorities confirmed 11,429 new Covid-19 cases Wednesday, down 1,162 from Tuesday.

Ho Chi Minh City led with 5,368 cases, followed by Binh Duong (3,440) and Dong Nai (759).

433 deaths were recorded Tuesday and 364 Wednesday, mostly in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Covid-19 death tally in the country is now at 11,868, accounting for 2.5 percent of infections. The global ratio is 2.1 percent.

Vietnam has recorded 473,530 Covid-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

9,862 people were discharged Wednesday, bringing the total to date to 248,722.

The country has vaccinated 20.2 million people, in which 2.7 million have received two doses.

The Health Ministry has urged localities to quickly give the second dose to people that have received the first one.

Hanoi started evacuating 1,200 residents in the citys biggest cluster in Thanh Xuan District to FPT University on the outskirts Wednesday evening.
Travelers walk through Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport in London, Britain, February 14, 2021. Photo by Reuters/Henry Nicholls

The U.K. visa application center in HCMC has reopened with stringent restrictions amid tightened Covid-19 curbs.

It only functions from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays meaning there will be significantly fewer appointments available than usual, the British embassy said in its official Facebook page.

People coming to the center have to furnish negative Covid PCR test results obtained not more than 72 hours earlier.

Earlier the government had also allowed the British visa application center in Hanoi to reopen on Monday though its office in Da Nang City remains closed.

Currently 12,000 Vietnamese students are studying in the U.K., according to official statistics.

Britain lifted almost all social distancing measures and restrictions last month. Vietnam is currently on its amber list, which requires visitors to self-isolate for 10 days at home upon arrival.

Vietnam is grappling with its most challenging Covid wave, triggered by the Delta variant, and several countries have banned or imposed stricter quarantine measures for travelers from the country.

In the current wave that began in late April, the country has recorded nearly 458,000 cases.

HCMC, the epicenter, has imposed strict lockdown order that bans people from leaving home entirely from August 23.
The United States, along with the United Kingdom, continue to impose additional costs on Russia for the state-sponsored poisoning of Russian opposition figure Aleksey Navalny.

The U.S. government assesses that Russias FSB officers used the nerve agent Novichok to poison Navalny, causing him to fall gravely ill on August 20, 2020, while he was traveling back to Moscow after campaigning in Tomsk and Novosibirsk.

Navalny received medical treatment in Berlin, and upon his return to Russia in January was subsequently arrested for an alleged violation of his parole. In what was widely considered a show trial, he was sentenced to more than two-and-a-half years in prison.

One year after Navalnys poisoning, the Department of State announced a second round of sanctions on Russia under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act. These include a restriction on the permanent importation into the United States of firearms or ammunition manufactured or located in Russia pursuant to new or pending permit applications, as well as further restrictions on nuclear and missile-related technology exports to Russia.

The Departments of State and the Treasury also designated nine Russian individuals and four entities, including operatives involved in poisoning Mr. Navalny and entities that have developed Russias chemical weapons capabilities.

Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control Director Andrea Gacki said Navalnys poisoning was a shocking violation of international norms against the use of chemical weapons and was part of an ongoing campaign to silence voices of dissent in Russia.

These additional costs on Russia, according to State Department Spokesperson Ned Price, send a clear signal that there will be no impunity for the use of chemical weapons, including for the individuals and organizations involved. Any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and contravenes international norms. The United States calls upon Russia to comply with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Maite, the main female character "lives for love" (even her name means love). She's an unassuming secretary who needs her routines. She's taken for granted and taken advantage of. She survives with a rich fantasy life drawn from romance novels, comics and her eclectic record collection.

But Maite can't "drown out reality" completely. After all, she's living in a real horror story that is Mexico City during government roundups, tortures and assassinations. When Maite's neighbor, Leonora, asks Maite to feed her cat while she's gone for a few days, Maite reluctantly agrees and stumbles into a conspiracy that changes her life.

Leonora is everything Maite is not. She's confident, outspoken, beautiful and never taken for granted. Leonora is part of the student movement fighting the Mexican government's totalitarian policies. After a few days, Maite realizes that Leonora is missing. Maite starts looking for her, not because she cares what happened to her, but because why should she continue to take care of the cat?
ELY  The Bureau of Land Management gathered and removed 2,192 wild horses from public lands in northeastern Nevada last month, but that barely put a dent in the population.

An estimated 3,832 wild horses remain in the Antelope Complex along the Elko and White Pine county border. The number of horses that the complex is estimated to support is between 435 and 789.

The emergency gather was conducted in August to reduce overpopulation of wild horses within and outside the Complex, where there was not enough water and/or forage to support the number of horses in the area, to prevent further degradation of the public lands associated with excess wild horses and restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple-use relationship on public lands, stated BLM.

Parts of the range are seeing more invasive weeds, including one called halogeton or saltlover, which is poisonous to horses. Russian thistle and rabbit brush have also increased, according to the BLM.

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The roundup was conducted in compliance with the provisions of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.
ELKO  A $2.8 million Covid relief package could be on its way to Spring Creek to help with multiple economic issues, including repairing the Horse Palace for emergency shelter use.

The Spring Creek Association, with support from Elko County Commissioner Rex Steninger, will be asking the Elko County Commissioners to approve the request Wednesday. It includes $1.6 million for repairing the roof, heating and lighting at the Horse Palace.

According to Jessie Bahr, SCA president and general manager, the request falls under the American Rescue Plan Acts designation to aid impacted industries.

According to the Act, The ARP provides funds that may be used to respond to a public health emergency or its negative economic impacts  including tourism, travel, hospitality, and other impacted industries.

Bahr explained that Elko County has designated the Horse Palace as an emergency shelter, but due to the age of the structure it must be updated to adequately house people who may need to use it.

She added that the aids designation for tourism and travel also affects Spring Creek because it was developing plans to use the Horse Palace for events before the pandemic.
Its a pretty big deal, he said. The fact that a grand jury saw the evidence and decided what charges to file is an indication of a strong case, Piquero said.

A family lawsuit alleges McClain died as a result of a dramatic increase of lactic acid in his blood caused by excessive force used by police over about 18 minutes, combined with the effects of ketamine. They claim police continued to torture McClain after he was restrained, a result of the departments history of unconstitutional racist brutality.

A city review found no evidence to justify officers stopping McClain, who was wearing a ski mask because family said he had anemia that caused him to get cold easily.

Police body camera video shows an officer approaching McClain and saying, I have a right to stop you because youre being suspicious.

Im just different. Im just different, thats all," McClain exclaims as he's being restrained. "Im so sorry. I have no gun. I dont do that stuff. I dont do any fighting. Why were you attacking me? I dont do guns. I dont even kill flies.

The indictment comes after three Aurora officers, including Rosenblatt, were fired and one resigned last year over photos mimicking the chokehold used on McClain.
NEW YORK (AP)  The Vatican has concluded that allegations of sexual abuse dating back a half century against the Roman Catholic Bishop of Brooklyn do not "have the semblance of truth," but an attorney for the accusers said they would press forward with their civil cases.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, said Wednesday that the Vatican has closed its investigation into allegations made separately by two men, who accused the bishop, Nicholas DiMarzio, of abusing them a half century ago when he was a priest in New Jersey.

DiMarzio denied the accusations made by his accusers, both of whom have filed civil claims against him.

I repeat what I have said from the beginning. There is no truth to these allegations. Throughout my more than 50-year ministry as a priest, I have never abused anyone, DiMarzio said in a statement. He said he fully cooperated with the investigation.

I remain focused on leading the Diocese of Brooklyn as we are emerging from the darkness of the Coronavirus pandemic, he said. I ask for your prayers as I continue to fight against the lawsuits stemming from these two allegations, and as I now look forward to clearing my name in the New Jersey state courts.
The survey found 79% of white Catholics and 56% of white Evangelical Protestants identified as vaccine acceptors.

Allen, a church member living in Wisconsin, is among a contingent who fear fellow members who refuse to get vaccinated are allowing their political views to supersede their loyalty to a faith that largely prioritizes unity and obedience.

The message shes shared with her 8-year-old daughter is that of course Christ would wear a mask, of course he would get vaccinated because hes a loving person, she said. And thats the only way you can take care of people these days is doing these simple things.

Other church members are upset that their leaders arent letting them exercise their own decision-making about vaccines and masks. The Utah-based religion of 16 million members worldwide is one of many faiths grappling with how best to navigate the pandemics lingering effects.

Divisions on masking and vaccinations in the Latter-day Saint faith appear to be tracking along political lines, with conservative members being more hesitant, said Patrick Mason, associate professor of religion at Utah State University. Mason said the churchs divide is indicative of a larger pattern in the United States of political ideologies shaping peoples religious commitments.
The sentencing brought an end to years of court delays and negotiations that Kims deputy federal public defender, Rebecca Levy, and prosecutor Christopher Burton said avoided a trial at which victims would have to testify.

Burton called it an effort to help (one) victim avoid retraumatization by having to relive everything that happened to her at the hands of the defendant.

Kim was arrested after a 14-year-old Arizona girl escaped to a Las Vegas-area convenience store and told police he abducted her near her home; drove her to his fathers home in North Las Vegas; kept her locked for a month in a bedroom; threatened her with a handgun; raped her repeatedly; photographed her in sex acts; and left her with a bucket for a toilet when he was gone.

Kim pleaded guilty in state court to two felony charges of attempted sexual assault with a minor under 16, based on accounts by the Arizona girl and a 15-year-old from Las Vegas who went to Reno before telling police she had also been kept captive for two weeks at a home in North Las Vegas.
In Sao Paulo's metropolitan region, more than 2 million people live in the crowded favelas. Paraisopolis has longstanding issues like water shortages and lack of basic sanitation, with open sewers in some isolated areas that have been recently populated. It's home to waiters and house cleaners, builders and bus drivers.

There are young people like Pereira, too, whose family moved from the poor northeastern state of Paraiba when he was 12, hoping for a better life.

We came because of difficulties we went through in Paraiba. We had difficulty here, too," said Pereira. He began to think of ways to help the favela.

His project is reminiscent of another started several years ago in Rio de Janeiro's biggest favela, Rocinha. Former census takers mapped the hillside neighborhood and established a base to receive mail from the postal service. For a monthly fee, the company distributes letters and bills to residents, though they still have to retrieve parcels.

While Pereira's concept for deliveries isnt groundbreaking, the level of organization, planning and logistical infrastructure is, said Theresa Williamson, executive director of a favela advocacy group, Catalytic Communities.
"We did not want to force any system on Afghanistan, Merkel told reporters. But we saw that millions of girls were glad to go to school and that women could participate. There are many in Afghanistan who are very, very unhappy about developments now.

Her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, refused to comment directly on the pope's comments when asked on Wednesday, but he added that Merkel's position on Afghanistan was well known and repeated during a recent speech to the German parliament.

The goal of no international terror attacks from Afghanistan since the military operation started in 2001 was achieved, Merkel told German lawmakers on Aug. 25: "That was a concrete contribution to the safety of our country.

Although she acknowledged that the West's goals may have been too ambitious and cultural differences and corruption may have been underestimated, she also said that the mission in Afghanistan wasnt futile for the countrys population, as it helped reduce child mortality, deliver drinking water and electricity to a majority of Afghans and protected rule of law and the basic rights of women and others.
At home, Republican lawmakers have called for an investigation into the Biden administrations handling of the evacuation, and even Democrats have backed inquiries into what went wrong in the fateful last months of the occupation.

And at the same time, the massive suicide bombing in the final days of the evacuation that killed 13 U.S. troops and more than 180 Afghans is raising fresh concern about Afghanistan again becoming a breeding ground for terrorists.

Biden blamed his predecessor, Trump, for tying his hands. He repeatedly reminded people that he had inherited an agreement the Republican administration made with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. forces by May of this year. Reneging on the deal, Biden argued, would have put U.S. troops  who before Thursday had gone since February 2020 without a combat fatality in the war  in the Talibans crosshairs once again.

The Democratic presidents advisers also complained that the now-ousted Afghan government led by Ashraf Ghani was resistant to finding a political compromise with the Taliban and made strategic blunders with its security forces.

Republicans  and even a few Democratic allies  have offered withering criticism of the administrations handling of the evacuation.
A day after the last US evacuation plane left Hamid Karzai airport, President Biden addressed the nation. Despite regular public speeches concerning Afghanistan, this marks the first since the end of the conflict. Remarkably, it is the first speech by a US President whilst not fighting in Afghanistan since George Bush in 2001.

The speech itself

"My fellow Americans, the war in Afghanistan is now over," Biden said at the White House.

"I'm the fourth president who has faced the issue of whether and when to end this war. When I was running for president, I made a commitment to the American people that I would end this war. Today I've honored that commitment."

"That was the choice, the real choice between leaving or escalating," he said. "I was not going to extend this forever war."

He also described the evacuation of over 120,000 people as an "extraordinary success." The president had been attacked for the supposed lack of planning which caused all the chaos in Kabul airport. Not everyone eligible to leave has been able to, and there have been reports of Taliban fighters hunting for people with links to the old government.

Intriguingly, Biden spoke and tweeted about a reframing of US foreign policy that could have ramifications for a long time. He said that the withdrawal marked "ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries." Experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan have soured US tastes for regime change, regardless if it has been said that was never the objective.

The question from this speech now is how the US will deal with future potential conflicts in which it feels it needs to send troops. The bombing forays into Libya and Syria achieved little except the killing of civilians and further fractured societies. In Libya's case, the country is still not reunited.

The path of the evacuation since the suicide bombing

After the suicide bombing at the gates of Kabul airport on August 26, the speed of the evacuation slowed. Since the attack, 25,000 people were evacuated. It is estimated there is upwards from 100,000 more Afghans who collaborated with the US who are now at risk from the Taliban.

US Central Command Commander Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie acknowledged that the US military "did not get everybody out that we wanted to get out."

There were more threats to the evacuation that the US was quick to shut down. In a preemptive strike on a suspected suicide bomber, a US airstrike killed ten civilians, including nine from one family. Six of them were children.

The Afghanistan war in numbers

Afghan civilians killed, through April: 47,245

American service members killed in Afghanistan: 2,461

US contractors, through April: 3,846

Afghan national military and police, through April: 66,000

Other allied service members, including from other NATO member states, through April: 1,144

Taliban and other opposition fighters, through April: 51,191

Aid workers, through April: 444

Journalists, through April: 72

Data sourced from Linda Bilmes of Harvard Universitys Kennedy School and from the Brown University Costs of War project.


Hurricane Ida has caused chaos in Louisiana and Mississippi after tearing through areas of the two southern states in recent days. As of 31 August, four people had lost their lives to the storm and many more were injured when a highway collapsed in Mississippi.

In New Orleans residents have already suffered two days without power after the severe hurricane damage in south-east Louisiana caused widespread outages. The extent of the damage, and the difficulty of restoring power amid an ongoing crisis, has caused concern as the temperature rises.

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory as the mercury reached 90F (32C), warning that the absence of some basic services amid high heat indices can make the situation very acute.

New Orleans hope to get power back in the coming days

Exactly 16 years since Hurricane Katrina ripped through the south, Hurricane Ida came ashore and brought its own path of destruction. The Category Four hurricane hit New Orleans on Sunday and knocked out all eight transmission lines which provide power for the city.

This has seen more than one million Louisiana residents plunged into darkness, but there is hope that power could be up and running before the end of the week.

Speaking the CNBC on Tuesday, Entergy group president Rod West said: We are making progress on the damage assessment front. We do expect to be in a position to bring transmission facilities into service within the next day or so. That will give us an opportunity to begin bringing some of the lights on in New Orleans in the coming days.

West added that there are currently 16,000 to 20,000 people working to restore power.

Long-term impact could cost billions

While energy providers are hopeful of getting the power lines reconnected fairly quickly, the outlook is less optimistic for Louisianas refineries and production plants. Analysts have told Reuters that it could take two to three weeks for these platforms to resume their output.

For example, energy manufacturing company Phillips 66 admitted that they havent yet been able to carry out a damage assessment on their massive 255,600-barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery on the Mississippi River in Belle Chasse, Louisiana.

Across the country, the Department of Energy has estimated that 2.3 million bpd of processing capacity, roughly 13% of the national total, was disrupted by Ida. It is thought that the total economic cost of the hurricane could reach as much as $80 billion after the oil industry and related supply chains were knocked out.
Earlier this month a South African research paper released further details about a covid-19 variant which was first detected in May.

The strain, known simply as the C.1.2. variant at this stage, is thought to be a mutation of the C.1 variant which took hold in South Africa earlier this year and the research paper describes it as a "concerning constellations of mutations."

Heres what is known so far about the new variant

What is the South African covid-19 variant?

More than 18 months in the pandemic, the original virus that was first identified in Wuhan has undergone millions of transmissions and has mutated countless times over that period. The South African researchers said that the new variant is a highly mutated beyond C.1 and all other [variants of concern] and [variants of interest] globally with between 44-59 mutations away from the original Wuhan Hu-1 virus.

This variant was direct identified in the Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa and has since spread as far afield as England, China, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland.

Interestingly, the C.1.2. variant appears to share characteristics common to all four Variants of Concern: alpha, beta, delta and gamma. This had led scientists to believe that the new variant may have mutated in a single individual who had a prolonged case of covid-19, allowing the virus to evolve more rapidly.

Scientists have warned: "The combination of these mutations presents a potentially novel antigenic landscape for C.1.2. variant specific antibodies.

How dangerous is the South African covid-19 variant?

Although C.1.2. is known to share some characteristics with the alpha, beta, delta and gamma variants, the fact that it does not yet have its own name is telling. Analysts have used letters from the Greek alphabet to label these variants of concern, which are the most dangerous forms of covid-19 currently identified.

On Tuesday the World Health Organization said that the South African variant "does not appear to be increasing in circulation.

This analysis is backed up by case numbers in the country which suggest that it only accounted for around 3% of new covid-19 infections in July. In comparison, the much more transmissible Delta variant was responsible for around 89% of South African coronavirus infections that month.

Speaking about the likelihood of C.1.2. taking hold, Dr Megan Steain, a virologist at the University of Sydney's Central Clinical School, told The Guardian. "I think we're still very much at a point where this could die out, the prevalence is really low."
After four seasons of the critically acclaimed global sensation, Money Heist, Netflix is set to begin releasing the final episodes later this week. When the previous season ended the gang had been trapped inside the Bank of Spain for one hundred hours and, despite managing to rescue Lisbon, were reeling from the loss of Nairobi.

Expectations are high for season five of the most watched non-English language title on Netflix, which had racked up more than 65 million views as of August 2021. Heres everything you need to know about the finale of the Emmy Award-winning series

When will season five of Money Heist be released on Netflix?

The fourth season of the show, known in its native Spanish as La Casa de Papel, was released on 3 April 2020, alongside an accompanying documentary titled Money Heist: The Phenomenon.

Filming for the latest season wrapped in May 2021 and the first episodes of the final season will be available to watch on Netflix in the United States from midnight on Friday 3 September. For viewers around the world the time will alter to reflect your local time zone.

How many episodes are there in Money Heist season five?

As was the case for season four the series will be split into two halves, this time with five episodes in each. Season five volume one will arrive on Netflix on 3 September, with the remaining five episodes to be released on Friday, 3 December.

In the official promotional content Netflix confirmed that this will be the final instalment of the much-loved show, announcing: THE HEIST COMES TO AN END

From what we know this seems almost certain to be the case given the ensemble casts increasingly busy schedules. Despite some rumours of potential spin-off shows, this will be the last time fans can see the Professor and the gang together and the creators are determined to give them a fitting send off.

Speaking to Netflixs See Whats Next, executive producer Alex Pinas said: Weve spent almost a year thinking about how to break up the band. How to put the Professor on the ropes. How to get into situations that are irreversible for many characters.

He added: The result is the fifth part of La Casa de Papel. The war reaches its most extreme and savage levels, but it is also the most epic and exciting season.
Chinese enterprises have become one of the propellers for Africa's inclusive economic growth, said a report issued recently.

The Report on Chinese Investment in Africa was launched on Aug. 26 in Beijing. The launching ceremony was attended by political and business figures from both China and Africa, as well as international scholars. They gave a high evaluation on China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, saying Chinese enterprises' investment in Africa has made positive contributions to local industrialization, employment and livelihood.

The report, initiated by the China-Africa Business Council, was compiled by some 50 experts and researchers based on massive interviews with Chinese enterprises and entrepreneurs investing in Africa. Through 63 cases, it introduces Chinese enterprises' efforts to combat COVID-19 and reduce poverty on the continent, and summarizes the experiences of China-Africa investment cooperation.

The report says driven by the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Chinese enterprises are making "trivial but frequent" moves in investing in Africa, and private enterprises are playing an increasingly bigger role in the process.

Charles Onunaiju, director of the Center for China Studies of Nigeria, said at the launching ceremony that China has always supported the development and construction of African countries. Many African countries have joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which indicates Africa's confidence in its cooperation with China, the director remarked, adding that China's economic development and poverty reduction offer successful experiences for African countries.

China is one of the largest sources of investment for Africa. "Since the establishment of the FOCAC, the annual growth of China's direct investment in Africa has averaged over 25 percent. China's investment in Africa achieved positive growth against headwinds in the COVID-19 pandemic," said Wu Peng, Director-General of the Department of African Affairs of China's Foreign Ministry. Investment cooperation is a strong engine for the qualitative upgrading of the pragmatic cooperation between China and African nations, Wu added.

Justin Yifu Lin, honorary dean of the National School of Development at Peking University, said the investment of Chinese enterprises in Africa both advances China's economic development and offers capital, technology, and infrastructure support for African countries, helping them translate their advantageous resources into market competitiveness.

The joint construction of the BRI and the FOCAC is conducive to the development of both China and Africa, and enterprises are what put policies into practice, Lin said.

Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Wamkele Mene noted Chinese enterprises' investment, especially that in the infrastructure sector, has made huge contributions to the building of Africa's connectivity and the AfCFTA.

Successful cases of China-Africa cooperation are listed in the report, including the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, the Standard Bank of South Africa, Kenya's Nairobi expressway, Ghana's Africa World Airlines, Transsion mobile phones and media group StarTimes.

Adama Compaore, ambassador of Burkina Faso to China said Burkina Faso welcomes and appreciates the investment from Chinese enterprises, and the investment has won trust in his country. He hopes more Chinese enterprises can invest in Burkina Faso, saying his country is willing to facilitate them.

China will maintain its position as the most important cooperation partner of Africa in the post-pandemic era, and more and more African enterprises are seeking cooperation with China, said Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank. Chinese enterprises have brought technologies, management experience and capital to Africa, and accelerated economic development of the continent, he added.

Achieving inclusive economic development and sustainable development is listed as an important task in the Agenda 2063 of the African Union. The report believes that Africa will see accelerating urbanization and burgeoning manufacturing sector as it releases its huge demographic dividend, and China-Africa cooperation will enjoy new opportunities.

Executive Secretary Vera Songwe of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa noted that China and Africa are seeing a robust momentum for cooperation. Chinese enterprises kept investing in Africa despite the impacts from COVID-19, and have created huge jobs for local communities, she said.

She said China-Africa cooperation has always set its eye on sustainable development, especially in the energy sector. She believes China's investment in Africa's renewable energy industry, in particular the hydro and solar power sectors, will help African nations reduce their dependence on fossil energy amid economic development.

Ethiopia's ambassador to China Teshome Toga Chanaka said Africa and China are a community with a shared future. He introduced that many major infrastructure projects have kicked off in Ethiopia and other African countries under the Belt and Road framework.

Africa-China cooperation gets increasingly important given the uncertain factors such as the ceaseless spread of COVID-19, Chanaka noted. The cooperation between the two sides is of vital significance for the stability of African economy and alleviating the impacts from COVID-19, and also plays a huge role in pandemic response and saving lives, he added.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky took part in the presentation of the Transformation Plan of Ukraine to representatives of U.S. think tanks and journalists during his working visit to the United States, the press service of the head of state has reported.

"We have a clear vision of what Ukraine should become in five to ten years. This is an ambitious plan for the transformation of our state. More justice, more opportunities  we are building a successful and stable Ukraine," the president said.

He said that the document, entitled "A Greater Justice and Opportunity - Building Prosperous and Resilient Ukraine," defines the vision of Ukraine's development for the coming years as "an outpost of security, digital, infrastructural and agricultural hub."

According to Zelensky, the plan for transforming the Ukrainian economy defines ambitious goals for the development of human capital, ensuring a "green" transformation and energy security of the country.

He added that the document is a tool for the development of strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States in the economy and contains specific joint economic and investment projects.

"More than 80 projects laid down in the plan are ambitious projects totaling $277 billion. They provide for financing from the state budget of Ukraine, as well as attracting international assistance programs, loans, investments," the president said and expressed hope that the U.S. partners will actively join the implementation of this ambitious plan.

In his speech, the President said that over the 30 years since the restoration of independence, our country has lost many opportunities, as politicians are constantly postponing changes "until tomorrow." At the same time, the president said that now the anti-corruption architecture is being strengthened in Ukraine, corrupt officials are being held accountable, the land market has been opened, laws are being adopted to support Ukrainian and foreign investors, and the rule of law and reform of the judicial system are an absolute priority.

"All these changes are taking place in conditions of war. Security remains a key challenge for Ukraine. And the full restoration of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity is a key goal," he said.
Zelensky to meet with U.S. business reps ahead of meeting with Biden

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will hold a number of meetings with representatives of the U.S. business, after which negotiations will take place with U.S. President Joseph Biden, press secretary of the head of state Serhiy Nykyforov said.

"Today, Volodymyr Zelensky will have a meeting with representatives of major American business. Among the guests are the leaders of Bechtel, CitiBank, JP Morgan, Lockheed Martin and others," Nykyforov said on Facebook.

Then, together with First Lady Olena Zelenskay, the President will visit the Arlington Cemetery and the Holocaust Museum in Washington.

"At about 14:00 Washington DC [21:00 Kyiv], a meeting with Joe Biden will start. As part of delegations and face-to-face. Then, a meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian Congress Caucus will take place in the Capitol," Nykyforov said.

Finally, Zelensky and his wife will take part in the opening of the Ukrainian House.
Director General of Ukroboronprom state concern Yuriy Husev during his visit to the United States held a number of working meetings with the leading American defense companies, the parties reached agreements on cooperation and signed three agreements totaling $2.5 billion.

According to the press service of Ukroboronprom, negotiations were held with the leadership of the American company Lockheed Martin Corporation, in particular with Vice President Raymond Piselli.

"The result was a decision on cooperation in the field of the military-industrial complex. We are talking about the development of joint projects and programs, the organization of research and development. The parties also agreed on interaction in the field of compliance - this is important for maintaining a high level of transparency in further cooperation," the report says.

Also, Ukroboronprom will cooperate with Harris Global Communications Inc., a member of the L3Harris Technologies group of companies, which is one of the world leaders in defense technologies.

The signed agreement provides for the implementation of joint projects, in particular for the supply of products in Ukraine, including its further integration into air, land and sea systems.

In addition, agreements were signed with the defense products supplier Global Ordnance and with the international company Day & Zimmermann Lone Star LLC. The latest agreement concerns the development of projects for the modernization and creation of new production facilities with the attraction of foreign capital for the enterprises of Ukroboronprom.

"The agreements reached and the contracts signed bring cooperation between our countries in the defense industry to a new stage and confirm the interest of our American partners in cooperation with the Ukrainian defense industry," Husev said.
Defense Ministers of Ukraine and US, Andriy Taran and Lloyd Austin, have signed an intergovernmental agreement on projects in the field of research, development, testing and evaluation.

According to the message posted on the website of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the signing of the agreement was the result of a fundamental deepening of cooperation between the two countries in scientific-technical and military-technical areas. Thanks to its conclusion, an international legal framework is being built for concluding contracts for the implementation of joint research and development work in the defense sector.

In particular, conditions are being created for the introduction of advanced defense technologies, the start of projects in the field of modernization of weapons and military equipment with the attraction of investments from the American side.

In addition, the provisions of the agreement allow the implementation of measures for testing weapons and military equipment, research work, checking the results and assessing their effectiveness using equipment and technologies that are not available in Ukraine. And Ukrainian research institutions will be able to be involved in the implementation of projects of the American side.

It is also envisaged to promote the products and services of both states on the markets of third countries, taking into account the standards of the NATO member states.
U.S. to allocate $60 mln of military aid to Ukraine

The United States is promising up to $60 million in military aid to Ukraine in advance of a White House meeting on Wednesday between President Joe Biden and his counterpart in Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelensky.

"Aid package for Ukraine was necessary because of a major increase in Russian military activity along its border and because of mortar attacks, cease-fire violations and other provocations," the message reads.

It says that Russia's buildup along the Ukrainian border has highlighted capability shortfalls in the Ukrainian military's ability to defend against a Russian incursion.

"Ukraine's significant capability gaps must be urgently addressed to reinforce deterrence in light of the current Russian threat," the message reads.

Earlier it was reported that Zelensky is expected to meet with Biden at the White House on Wednesday, September 1.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is paying a working visit to the United States.

The leaders' talks are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. local time in the Oval Office of the White House, according to the public schedule of the U.S. President. The next event in Biden's schedule is the weekly economic briefing at 4:30 p.m., which means that the presidents of the United States and Ukraine will not hold a joint briefing on the results of the talks.
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov calls for the opening of separate representative offices of Google and YouTube in the country.

"The team of the Ministry of Digital Transformation is to meet with the Google team. We will talk about the company's development plans in Ukraine. We really want to see separate representative offices of Google, YouTube in Ukraine," Fedorov said on the air of the Ukraine 24 TV channel during his working visit to Washington (US).

According to him, during military aggression, it is necessary that the content is moderated in Ukraine, and not in Russian offices.
Biden should seize on Zelensky meeting as opportunity to start rebuilding America's reputation as ally that keeps its pledges - FT

US President Joseph Biden should take advantage of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to begin restoring America's reputation as an ally that keeps its promises, the Financial Times says in its editorial.

The article says that two events have dented Kyiv's faith in Washington.

"One was Biden's deal with Germany's Angela Merkel in July to allow completion of Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea to Germany  seen in Kyiv as a sellout. The project frees Moscow from relying on a Ukrainian pipeline for its lucrative gas exports to Europe. That jeopardises billions of dollars of transit fees to Kyiv, and removes a key constraint on further Russian military incursions in Ukraine. The other was America's mishandled pullout from Afghanistan  another country Washington had backed, on a far larger scale, to carry out liberal reforms and prevent a return to domination by anti-democratic forces," the authors of the article say.

According to them, "if Washington shows any sign of compromise over Putin's territorial ambitions towards Ukraine, Beijing will hardly take seriously the idea of US support for Taiwan  which president Xi Jinping has pledged to reunify with China."

"Biden should use his meeting to reaffirm support in three ways. First, he should spell out consequences for Moscow if Russia uses Nord Stream 2 to undermine Ukraine. Second, the US should provide further economic backing. With foreign investment still deterred by the Russian-fomented conflict in Donbas, Kyiv is looking for US-guaranteed bond issues to finance infrastructure and other projects. Washington should also commit to provide additional deterrent military technology, raising the cost to Russia of further aggression in Ukraine," the editorial says.
Vaccination of teachers, parents can provide opportunity for schools to work in new academic year  UNICEF

The UNICEF Children's Fund calls on the government and local communities to do everything possible to keep schools in Ukraine open for the new school year.

"Schools in Ukraine are the last to close and first to re-open during the pandemic, as over 4.2 million children across the country start a new school year. It can be achieved through intensified vaccination against COVID-19, especially among educators and parents, and increased adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures," a statement by UNICEF, the text of which is available to Interfax-Ukraine, says.

The organization warns that children risk being among the biggest victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, as school closures begin to take effect. At the same time, according to a recent UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report, "children from disadvantaged backgrounds are especially likely to experience reduced learning levels or slower progress than expected, as a result."

UNICEF says that "prior to the pandemic, socio-economically advantaged students in Ukraine outperformed their disadvantaged peers."

"The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report shows that, prior to the pandemic, socio-economically advantaged students in Ukraine outperformed their disadvantaged peers by 90 points. School closures thereby risk exacerbating disparities in learning outcomes that already exist in Ukraine's education system," the Fund says.

UNICEF also highlights the importance of further prioritizing educators in the national vaccination campaign in order to minimise transmission of COVID-19. It is recommended that children and teachers follow basic hygiene practices related to physical distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene, it says.

"The vaccination of teachers and parents is crucial for keeping schools open, as well as ensuring that children are vaccinated against other diseases in line with the national vaccination calendar," Murat Sahin, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine, said.

He noted that "when schools adjust to the 'new normal', measuring learning levels will become more important than ever to help understand the extent of learning losses and develop targeted interventions."

"The upcoming cycle of PISA, which will produce results in December 2023, will serve as a valuable yardstick for assessing the situation and impact of the pandemic. As the pandemic continues to endanger the education process, UNICEF remains committed to working with the Ukrainian Government and other partners to support schools and promote sustainable reforms in the education sector to ensure quality inclusive learning for all children, especially the youngest and most vulnerable learners," he said.
U.S. President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday intend to announce the launch of the Strategic Energy and Climate Dialogue, the purpose of which will, among other things, address problems related to the impact of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

"Turning to energy, the presidents will announce new initiatives to tackle the climate crisis and to advance Ukraine's energy security, including the launch of a reinvigorated Strategic Energy and Climate Dialogue that will be led by the Department of Energy," a senior official of the White House said during a press call on Wednesday.

"The aim of this dialogue is to attract energy security investment through reform, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, address other climate change initiatives, and continue to address the impact of Nord Stream 2," the official said.

In addition, the White House said that the United States is "also continuing to support the Ukrainians that remain impacted by the crisis with Russia in in the east, and are pleased to announce that, this year, the U.S. government will provide an additional $45 million in humanitarian assistance to help address Ukrainians that remain in need from that."

The official said at the briefing that on the security side, the United States looks forward to continuing to discuss the security situation that Ukraine is facing vis-a-vis Russia  continuing to see acts of Russian aggression in the region.

"The President will be looking forward to having a more fulsome update from President Zelenskyy on the current security situation," the official said.

U.S. President Joe Biden is to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House on Wednesday.
Ukraine will receive innovative medicines for coronavirus (COVID-19) with a total value of about $20 million as humanitarian aid from the U.S. government, according to the website of the Health Ministry of Ukraine.

According to the report, some 20,000 bottles of Bamlanivimab and 40,000 bottles of Etessevimab have already been packed into cargo and are being transported to the airport for shipment to Ukraine. The lot will soon be delivered to the country and transported to the regions by charitable foundations.

"The U.S. government, together with the manufacturer, will provide us with innovative medicines against COVID-19 as humanitarian aid. They are already registered with the FDA and are recommended for patients with mild to moderate severity, especially those at risk of becoming severe," the Health Minister Viktor Liashko comments on the agreement.

According to the statement, the medicines act directly on the virus, they bind to the adhesion proteins of the virus, preventing penetration into the cell and subsequent reproduction, accelerate the recovery of patients and prevent the occurrence of complications.
A sign is pictured outside a Google office near the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California, U.S., (Photo : REUTERS/Paresh Dave/File Photo)

Alphabet Inc-owned Google is extending its voluntary return-to-office policy through January next year, CEO Sundar Pichai said on Tuesday, citing uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in many parts of the world.



The rapid spread of the highly contagious Delta coronavirus variant is also making companies reconsider their mask mandates and vaccination policies.



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"Beyond January 10, we will enable countries and locations to make determinations on when to end voluntary work-from-home based on local conditions," Pichai said https://bit.ly/3mP37Nq in an email to employees.



In the last few weeks, companies including Amazon.com Inc and Lyft delayed their return-to-office timelines to 2022 for U.S. workers due to the pandemic.



Google had earlier delayed its return-to-office policy from September to October. It was one of the first companies to ask its employees to work from home due to the health crisis.


Crowd carries makeshift coffins draped in NATO's, U.S. and a Union Jack flags during a pretend funeral on a street in Khost, Afghanistan (Photo : ZHMAN TV/via REUTERS)

Taliban supporters paraded coffins draped with American and NATO flags in the eastern city of Khost on Tuesday, part of celebrations across the country following the withdrawal of the last U.S. troops.



The mock funeral, in which coffins covered in French and British flags were also carried along the street through a large crowd, marked the end of a 20-year war and a hasty and humiliating exit for Washington and its NATO allies.



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Some of the crowd held guns aloft, while others waved Taliban flags or snapped the procession on mobile phones.



"August 31 is our formal Freedom Day. On this day, American occupying forces and NATO forces fled the country," Taliban official Qari Saeed Khosti told local television station Zhman TV during its coverage of the event.



Footage from Khost was shared widely on social media on Tuesday alongside other videos of celebratory gunfire https://www.reuters.com/world/india/rockets-fired-kabul-airport-us-troops-race-complete-evacuation-2021-08-30 in the capital Kabul and a man dangling from a U.S.-made Black Hawk helicopter circling above Afghanistan's second-city Khandahar. Reuters could not verify all the videos.



The last U.S. soldier https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/leaving-afghanistan-us-generals-ghostly-image-books-place-history-2021-08-31 boarded the final flight out of Afghanistan a minute before midnight on Monday, ending a chaotic evacuation of 123,000 civilians from Afghanistan.



In a lightning sweep back to power, the Taliban ousted a government backed and equipped by the United States and captured U.S.-made weapons https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/planes-guns-night-vision-goggles-talibans-new-us-made-war-chest-2021-08-19 and hardware left behind by fleeing Afghan forces.



Other images shared online on Tuesday showed Taliban members walking through Kabul airport in U.S.-supplied fatigues, some brandishing gleaming rifles and others trying out state-of-the-art night vision goggles or sizing up U.S. helicopters.



Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. military was not concerned by the images as the helicopters could not be flown. The departing U.S. troops destroyed more than 70 aircraft and dozens of armoured vehicles. They also disabled air defences that had thwarted an attempted Islamic State rocket attack on the eve of their departure.


The Chinese national flag is seen in Beijing, China (Photo : REUTERS/Thomas Peter)

China stepped up its reform of healthcare service pricing at public medical institutions on Tuesday with the announcement of a pilot programme aimed at controlling costs for consumers, ensuring service quality and incentivising providers.



China's state insurance fund, which helps patients cover their medical costs, is facing the combined pressures of a growing elderly population and a falling birth rate, prompting it to explore more efficient medical services.



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Shortcomings in the pricing mechanism for medical services that have existed for years, such as gaps between regions and a lack of participation from medical professionals in setting prices, are also driving China's reforms.



In response, Chinese authorities including the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) and National Health Commission (NHC) have issued guidelines for pilot programmes which will regulate price adjustments at public medical institutions to curb growing health costs.



"Adjustment to healthcare service prices...will involve both price increases and decreases," the guideline said.



Market-driven pricing is allowed at private hospitals, but China will strengthen its regulation and, when necessary, take action such as pricing investigations, summoning hospitals for talks and public exposure of price irregularities, it added.



China has saved billions with a national bidding scheme where drugmakers vie to cut prices to bulk sell their products at public hospitals, known as a bulk buy scheme, potentially giving the government some leeway to increase prices for some healthcare services.



The government aims to kick-start the pilots in five cities, and have experience gained from programmes ready for national adoption by 2025, the guideline said.



Beijing will set guide pricing for frequently offered, general services, and allow some price fluctuation among public institutions in different regions and of different levels.



For more complicated services, public medical institutions can participate in determining government-guided pricing.



For certain speciality services and novel services, market-driven pricing is allowed, but their costs cannot account for more than 10% of the total service prices at the institution.



NHSA said in a statement alongside the new guideline that the pilot programme for healthcare pricing is not designed to give back money saved from the bulk-buy program by increasing prices of certain healthcare services.


Related South Korea selects Egypt as key ODA partner in MENA region through 2025

South Korean Minisrter of National Defense Suh Wook highlighted on Saturday the significant progress in relations with Egypt since President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis visit to Seoul in 2016.

His remarks came in a meeting with Egyptian Ambassador to South Korea Hazem Fahmy, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Wook said Sisis visit in 2016 has upgraded the relations between the two countries to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership, the statement read.

The minister revealed that the South Korean side is keen that President Moon Jae-in makes a visit to Cairo early in 2022.

Wook, during the meeting, mentioned the South Korean governments decision earlier this year to choose Egypt as one of South Koreas official development assistance (ODA) countries.

The South Korean government announced last May that Egypt will be ODA priority partner country and the key development partner in the MENA region over the coming five years (2021-2025).

The announcement came during a meeting between Egypts Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat and South Korean Ambassador to Cairo Hong Jin-wook.

During the meeting, they reviewed the status of ongoing ODA grants, worth $2.7 million including $1.9 million for newly implemented projects in 2021.

This includes the master plan for the modernisation of urban transportation in Alexandria and the waste management in Greater Cairo project.

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Egypt and the US armed forces have concluded the joint military exercises "Bright Star 2018," which were held in Mohamed Naguib military base in northwestern Egypt from 8 to 20 September, Egypt's military spokesperson Tamer El-Refai said in a statement on Friday.

Bright Star 2018 included ground, naval and air exercises, with the participation of a number of Arab and other countries, in addition to 16 observer country.

The military spokesperson explained that Bright Star 2018, which is one of the largest training to take place in the region, included several theoretical and practical lectures in the field of combating terrorism, methods of countering improvised explosive devices, and non-traditional shooting with live ammunition, the spokesperson said.

During the joint activities, naval forces carried out exercises to combat unforeseen threats in the sea.

In the same context, naval special forces conducted exercises to raid suspected ships, execute visitation, and search, support and medical evacuation of injured persons.

The naval forces also conducted exercises in methods to detect, neutralize and detonate underwater mines as well as scuba diving training.

Air forces carried out joint sorties and exercises in defensive and offensive operations as well as feuling-in-air.

The "Bright Star 2018" training this year also addressed topics of security cooperation, counter-terrorism, and training on all scenarios of various threats in the context of conventional and irregular warfare.

Various training sessions were inspected by top army officers from Egypt and the US.

Egypt's Defence Minister General Mohamed Zaki inspected training drills in an air base, which were carried out with the participation of the air forces of the brotherly and friendly countries who took part in Bright Star, the statement read.

Egypt's Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Mohamed Farid has also inspected one of counter-terrorism drills during Bright Star.

The US chief of the Central Command (CENTCOM) Joseph VotelJoseph Votel inspected the forces participating in the training activities and praised the preparedness to host the exercises.

Meanwhile, Commanding General of US Army Central Lt. Gen. Michael X. Garrett inspected the Joint Command Center, which is run by the Cpx Joint Air and Naval Command Center.

The exercises also included a symposium for senior leaders of the countries participating in the training to discuss the topics of international terrorism and illegal migration.

The final session of the training, which was attended by senior military officers of the participating countries, included the implementation of a tactical project using live ammunition and with various roles by FTX fighters in reconnaisance, and helicopters in attacking enemy targets.

Egyptian and Jordanian and US tanks, which are equipped with anti-tank-missile and air-defense systems, carried out drills to develop an offensive strike and destroy targets.

"The training comes as a continuation of the development and strengthening of the military relations between Egypt and many Arab and foreign countries, and within the framework ofthe keeness of the General Command of the Armed Forces to exchange experiences in order to develop the skills of commanders and officers, maintain combat efficiency and streamline operational concepts with friendly countries," the statement read.

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President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi praised on Tuesday modern and integrated infrastructure in Egypt, which he said provides a strong basis for boosting development cooperation with international partners.

During a meeting with South Korean Minister of National Defense Suh Wook, the president voiced Egypt's keenness on promoting relations with South Korea, especially in the military and defense fields, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said.

Egypt also looks forward to activating the comprehensive cooperative partnership with South Korea in a way that helps benefit from the huge capabilities of the two countries, Sisi added.

Suh Wook, for his part, praised the great national projects being established in Egypt under the leadership of President El-Sisi.

He also valued the role played by Egypt to contain tensions between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

According to the spokesman, the meeting also reviewed military and security cooperation between the two countries, especially in the industrial and technological domains.

Suh Wook met on Saturday with Egyptian Ambassador to South Korea Hazem Fahmy to discuss the significant progress in relations with Egypt since El-Sisis visit to Seoul in 2016.

The minister, during the meeting, revealed that South Korean President Moon Jae-in is keen on visiting Cairo sometime in early 2022.

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South Korean Minister of National Defense Minister Suh Wook said on Tuesday that there are important opportunities to enhance military cooperation with Egypt in light of the two countries huge economic capabilities.

The South Korean minister, who is on a two-day visit to Egypt, made the remarks in a meeting with Egypt's Minister of State for Military Production Mohamed Ahmed Morsy. Minister Suh will then fly to Oman, according to Korean local reports.

Minister Suh expressed aspirations that his meeting with Morsy will open up new horizons of investment and cooperation between Egyptian military production companies and the relevant companies in South Korea, a statement by the Egyptian side read.

The Korean minister hailed the diverse and historic relations between the two countries, which have witnessed progress over the past years on all levels.

Minister Suh also highlighted the mutual understanding the two countries share regarding the necessity to boost their bilateral relations in different industrial and economic fields.

The Egyptian minister of state for military production affirmed his ministrys willingness to benefit from South Korean expertise in different fields as part of the ministrys keenness to cooperate with international companies.

Morsy added that this cooperation aims at transferring experience and localising modern technologies in Egypt, which is in line with the states policy to develop industrial and technological capabilities to support sustainable development strategies by relying on local manufacturing capabilities, Morsy explained.

South Korean Ambassador to Cairo Hong Jin-wook also attended the meeting.

The South Korean ambassador praised the Egyptian states keenness to provide a supportive climate for investment and attracting further investments from international companies, the statement read.

Jin-wook also hailed Egypts pivotal role in the Arab region and the Middle East as well as its counterterrorism efforts.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed on the importance of exchanging technical visits to learn about the technological and industrial capabilities of each side and suggest fields of cooperation, the statement added.

South Koreas defence minister also met on Tuesday morning with Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, according to presidential spokesman Bassam Radi.

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Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed expressed on Wednesday in a meeting with Lebanons Ambassador to Cairo Ali Al-Halabi at the Ministry of Health's headquarters Egypts readiness to provide the Lebanese people with coronavirus vaccines after achieving local self-sufficiency, as national production of the Sinovac vaccine ramps up.

The minister also affirmed Egypt's permanent readiness to meet all the needs of the health sector in Lebanon in accordance with the directives of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Health Ministry Spokesperson Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

Egypt started locally manufacturing the Sinovac coronavirus vaccine in June and distributed the first batch of the product in late-August, with around 15 to 18.5 million doses expected to be produced per month.

The local production of the WHO-approved Sinovac  which was granted an emergency use license by the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) on 23 August  is part of an agreement signed between the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) and the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac.

Zayed and Al-Halabi reviewed during their meeting the role played by the Egyptian team of doctors and consultants who traveled to Lebanon to provide support to the victims of the fuel tanker explosion in Lebanons northern region of Akkar that killed at least 28 and injured 79 others in mid-August, Megahed said.

Egypt, which extended its condolences to Lebanon over the incident at the time, sent a team of doctors specialised in plastic surgery and burns in addition to a shipment of crucial drugs and medical supplies immediately after the accident upon the directives of El-Sisi to support the brotherly people of Lebanon.

The Lebanese ambassador thanked the Egyptian political leadership and the Minister of Health for the rapid response and the highly efficient medical team that was dispatched, adding that the teams aid has contributed to relieving the pain of the injured.

Egypts solidarity, the ambassador said, has helped raise the morale of Lebanons medical teams and patients.

Al-Halabi also expressed his appreciation for Egypt's great efforts to stand by the Lebanese people since the Beirut port explosion in 2020, the statement said.

From her side, Zayed stressed the importance of solidarity with brotherly countries in times of crisis, confirming Egypts readiness to provide medical aid to any brotherly Arab countries in the event of an emergency.

Since Beiruts devastating blast in August 2020, Egypt has taken several steps to meet the needs of the Lebanese people and alleviate the burden on the Lebanese government by launching a sealift and tens of airlifts loaded with medical and humanitarian aid, food, and construction materials.

Additionally, an Egyptian field hospital has been constructed in Beirut to provide aid to victims of the blast.

Egypts Arab Contractors Company has recently won a bid to develop Tripoli port and its facilities in a step reflecting the countrys keenness on supporting Lebanon on all levels, especially developing its ports.

The development of the port will be followed by a number of projects to enhance Egypts economic presence in Lebanon, especially in the fields of technology and expertise exchange, specifically in Tripoli city, according to Egypts Ambassador to Lebanon Yasser Elwi.

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Egypts Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly attended on Wednesday the signing ceremony for the design and implementation of the first line of Egypts electric express train that will extend from Ain Sokhna to Matrouh.

During the ceremony, Madbouly asserted President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis interest in the project, which is considered a momentous leap in Egypts transportation system.



The prime minister stated that the new train would contribute to the aspired development process, thanking Siemens for its efforts to implement the project.



He described Siemens, which has implemented major electric power plants in the country in the last several years, as a successful partner for Egyptians in different sectors.

The ceremony was also attended by Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir and German Ambassador in Cairo Frank Hartmann.

The contract stipulates that the 660 km-long line will be designed, implemented, and maintained for 15 years at a cost of 4.45 billion dollars  on the basis of the EPC+F system  by the National Authority for Tunnels, an Egyptian German consortium under Siemens, the Arab Contractors, and Orascom.

El-Wazir said the consortium would implement all of the projects systems, including signals, communications, and electro-mechanics, and will also design the carriages and maintenance workshops.

According to the government, the newly signed project will assist development by connecting the countrys industrial districts in order to transport cargo to and from ports nationwide.

It is set to connect the city of Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea coast with the city of Marsa Matrouh on the Mediterranean coast in the far northwest of the country, passing through the New Administrative Capital, Helwan, 6 of October City, Alexandria, Borg Al-Arab, and Al-Alamein, spanning 660 km and including 21 stations.

The trains first line is going to be part of the network of environmentally friendly electric express trains that will constitute a major qualitative leap in the field of Egyptian transportation, a statement by the cabinet said.

The network is planned to comprise three integrated lines with a total length of 1,825 km. The second line will branch out from October station and extend west of the Western Upper Egypt Desert Road to Aswan with a length of 925 km, where it will merge with the 6 of October monorail.

The third line will take off from Qena Station to Luxor and then continue eastward to Hurghada followed by Safaga Port, covering a distance of 240 km.

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In a ceremony on Wednesday, the Egyptian Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar and the American Ambassador to Cairo Jonathan Cohen witnessed the sixth renewal of the US-Egypt Protocol on Science and Technology Cooperation, a statement by the cabinet said.

The protocol, which was initially signed between the two countries in 1995, is now valid for an extra five-year term.

The agreement paves the way to further strengthening scientific and research relations between Egypt and the US and building a long-term strategic partnership between researchers from both countries to implement joint research projects and activities in areas of common interest, Abdel-Ghaffar said.

The minister also highlighted the distinguished relations linking the two countries, stressing that joint scientific and research relations have witnessed remarkable development during the past 25 years.

Such remarkable development, the minister added, has been reflected in various successful research projects, noting that Egyptian American research cooperation during the last ten years has resulted in more than 18,000 published academic papers, which represents 10 percent of all Egyptian research production during this period.

Cohen described the agreement as being another testimony to the depth and breadth of the US-Egypt relationship, which ranges from security and military partnership to economic development, commerce, cultural heritage preservation, and education.

We are delighted to continue to partner with Egypt to expand science and technology initiatives and our collective knowledge and capacity, Cohen said according to a statement by the embassy.

This bilateral agreement will facilitate staff exchanges and bolster collaboration on research and innovation, including environmental protection, health security, and agriculture, as well as enhance intellectual property protection in both countries.

The agreement is also designed to help create well-paying jobs in cutting-edge industries through which the two countries will continue to develop innovations, solutions, and a greater capacity to confront common challenges and contribute to a more prosperous and secure world, the US embassy clarified.

Walaa Sheta, CEO of the authority for the Science and Technology Development Fund, stressed that the Egyptian American cooperation for science and technology is the first and oldest international cooperation programme that has been assigned to the authority since 2008.

Sheta said that 139 joint research projects with a value exceeding EGP150 million have been funded by the Egyptian side during that period, according to the Egyptian cabinet statement.

Additionally, 88 scholarships for young Egyptian researchers have been funded to travel and train in the best American universities with a budget totaling EGP17.2 million from the Egyptian side, Sheta said.

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The Egyptian health ministry is planning to ensure that 100 percent of employees in the countrys education sector are vaccinated against the coronavirus by October, Health Minister Hala Zayed said on Wednesday.

This is part of the states plan to vaccinate teaching staff, other workers, and students above 18 years old in the pre-university and higher education sectors before the upcoming school year.

The new academic year is scheduled to start on 9 October for schools and universities.

In a Cabinet meeting today, Zayed said that all workers in the education sector will have received their first vaccine shot by 15 September, a Cabinet statement read.

The countrys vaccination campaign has so far used different vaccine types, including the Chinese Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines, which require two doses given three weeks apart.

Minister Zayed said that there is ongoing coordination with the Ministry of Higher Education to provide a database of 2.2 million university students so that they can receive their first coronavirus shot and obtain vaccination certificates with QR codes.

During the meeting, Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said that 289 vaccination centres have been set up at 59 public, private, non-profit and foreign universities nationwide.

So far, 52 universities  which is 88 percent of the countrys universities  have received their first shipment of the vaccine doses, Abdel-Ghaffar said. The remaining universities will receive their doses by Wednesday and Thursday, he added.

Until 31 August, around 86,200 doses had reached universities, including 57,700 first doses and 28,600 second doses, Abdel-Ghaffar added.

Regarding the governments plan to vaccinate workers at the states administrative apparatus, the health minister said that around 1.6 million employees have been vaccinated, including around 44,000 on Tuesday alone.

In mid-August, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi ordered the drawing up of an executive plan to vaccinate teaching staff, workers, and students at universities and academic institutes before the beginning of the academic year.

The Cabinet has said that coronavirus vaccinations will be mandatory for students, staff, employees and workers aged 18 or above who are involved in pre-university or university sectors in the country.

The states plan to vaccinate students and teachers comes in parallel with the national efforts to locally manufacture millions of vaccine doses.

In August, the health ministry announced sending the first 1 million doses of its locally-produced Sinovac/VACSERA vaccine to vaccination centres after the completion of the required evaluation tests.

The country is also in the final stages of manufacturing and evaluating 15 million doses of the vaccine, which represent VACSERAs production capacity per month, the ministry said in a statement.

Vaccinating teaching staff, students

In a meeting with Health Minister Zayed on 16 August, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly noted that the government is prioritising the vaccination of teaching staff, workers, and students at universities and institutes.

Zayed said that vaccination facilities at university hospitals originally allocated to vaccinate medical staff will be committed to vaccinating university employees as well, 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 administering 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 instruct 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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Kidnapping for ransom by armed gangs known locally as bandits has become a grim trend in northwest and central Nigeria, with around 1,000 students snatched this year -- most of them later released.

A large group of gunmen invaded the secondary school in Kaya in the Maradun region of Zamfara State late Wednesday morning, abducting the 73 students, the state police said in a statement.

"The abduction followed the invasion of the school by large numbers of armed bandits," police spokesman Mohammed Shehu said.

He said police rescue teams were working with the military to try to release the students.

Zamfara State officials imposed some night-time road travel restrictions, and primary and secondary schools were temporarily closed, state information commissioner Ibrahim Dosara said.

Northwest and central states have for years been troubled by tit-for-tat attacks and community raids between nomadic herders and local farmers who clash over water and land.

But violence has escalated sharply with the emergence of large criminal gangs who steal cattle, raid and loot villages and kidnap for ransom.

President Muhammadu Buhari, a former soldier first elected in 2015, is under pressure over insecurity and the armed forces have launched military raids and air strikes on bandit camps, but gunmen have kept up attacks and abductions.

Four states across the northwest, including Zamfara, have introduced restrictions aimed at curtailing bandit activities, including limiting motorbike traffic, restricting some fuel sales and also suspending cattle markets and transport.

Armed gangs often arrive on motorbikes during their abduction attacks and also engage in castle rustling.

They operate out of camps hidden in forests in northwest Nigeria, often raiding and abducting in one state and crossing back with their victims into another state.

This year bandits have turned their sights on schools, seminaries and colleges across the region, herding children and students deep into forest hideouts while they negotiate ransom payments.

Many students have been released only after spending weeks or months in captivity. Dozens are still being held.

Zamfara saw 18 students freed last week after they were kidnapped earlier in August from an agricultural college.

Gunmen last week also freed nearly 100 children taken from an Islamic seminary in May in northwest Niger State and 32 students taken from a Baptist school in Kaduna State in July.

The bandits are seeking financial gain and have no known ideological leanings, but there are growing worries among security experts and officials over their ties with jihadists fighting a 12-year war in Nigeria's northeast.

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Driving back to base after firing rockets toward Israeli positions from a border area last month, a group of Hezbollah fighters was accosted by angry villagers who smashed their vehicles' windshields and held them up briefly.

It was a rare incident of defiance that suggested many in Lebanon would not tolerate provocations by the powerful group that risk triggering a new war with Israel.

As Lebanon sinks deeper into poverty, many Lebanese are more openly criticizing Iran-backed Hezbollah. They blame the group along with the ruling class for the devastating, multiple crises plaguing the country, including a dramatic currency crash and severe shortages in medicine and fuel.

``Hezbollah is facing its most consequential challenge in maintaining control over the Lebanese system and what is called the `protective environment of the resistance' against Israel,'' said Joe Macaron, a Washington-based Middle East analyst.

The incident along the border and other confrontations including a deadly shooting at the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter and rare indirect criticism by the country's top Christian religious leader have left the group on the defensive.

The anger has spread in recent months, even in Hezbollah strongholds where many have protested electricity cuts and fuel shortages as well as the currency crash that has plunged more than half the country's 6 million people into penury.

In its strongholds, predominantly inhabited by Shiite Muslims, it is not uncommon now for people to speak out against the group. They note that Hezbollah is paying salaries in U.S. dollars at a time when most Lebanese get paid in Lebanese currency, which has lost more than 90% of its value in nearly two years.

Protests and scuffles have broken out at gas stations around Lebanon and in some Hezbollah strongholds. In rare shows of defiance, groups of protesters have also closed key roads in those areas south of Beirut and in southern Lebanon.

In recent speeches, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has appeared angry, blaming the shortages on what he describes as an undeclared Western siege. The chaos in Lebanon, he said, is being instigated from a ``black room'' inside the US Embassy.

Critics say that rather than push for reform, Hezbollah has stood by its political allies who resist change. They say the group is increasingly pulling Lebanon into Iran's orbit by doing its bidding, and that US sanctions against Iran and Hezbollah have made things harder.

Where Hezbollah was once considered an almost sacred, untouchable force fighting for a noble cause the fight against the Israeli enemy .it is now seen by many simply as part of the corrupt political clique responsible for the country's epic meltdown. Still, when it comes to fighting Israel, the group enjoys unwavering backing within its base of support.

Often criticized for operating as a state within a state, Hezbollah has tried to ease the effects of the crisis on its supporters in similar fashion.

While the government has been working for months to issue ration cards to poor families, Hezbollah has been well ahead. It has issued two such cards to poor families living in Hezbollah bastions, one called Sajjad after the name of a Shiite imam, and a second called Nour, or light, for its fighters and employees of its institutions who number about 80,000.

``We will serve you with our eyelashes,'' is Hezbollah's slogan to serve the extremely poor in its communities a Lebanese term meaning they are ready to sacrifice anything to help others.

The tens of thousands carrying Sajjad cards not only can buy highly subsidized products from dozens of shops spread around Lebanon mostly staples made in Lebanon, Iran and Syria but can also get medical treatment and advice at 48 Hezbollah-run clinics and medical centers around Lebanon.

Nasrallah is also organizing a sea corridor carrying oil from Iran to Lebanon to help alleviate the fuel shortages, with the first tanker believed to be on its way. The move has been praised by Hezbollah's supporters and heavily criticized by its opponents, who say it risks bringing more sanctions on Lebanon.

In the border incident, villagers from the minority Druze sect intercepted Hezbollah fighters on their way back after firing rockets toward a disputed area held by Israel. The villagers briefly detained them and the mobile rocket launcher they used after accusing them of putting them at risk if Israel strikes back.

The fighters and the launcher were then handed over to Lebanese troops, who released them on the same day.

Later, Hezbollah angered many Christians after supporters launched a social media campaign against the head of Lebanon's Maronite Catholic church, the country's largest, accusing him of treason after he criticized the group for firing the rockets on Israeli positions.

The widely feared group has been hammered by accusations from its local opponents. They include silencing its opponents, facilitating smuggling of fuel and other subsidized items to neighboring Syria, and alienating oil-rich Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, leading them to halt financial assistance because of Hezbollah's dominance of Lebanon.

The most serious charge has been a claim by opponents at home that the group brought in the hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate that exploded at Beirut's port last year, killing at least 214 people, wounding thousands and destroying parts of the capital.

No direct connection to Hezbollah has emerged, but unsubstantiated theories that tie the group to the stockpile abound. One claim is that Hezbollah imported the chemicals on behalf of the Syrian government, which used them in barrel bombs against rebel-held areas during the neighboring country's 10-year conflict.

``Hezbollah's agencies are active at the port and this is known to security agencies and all Lebanese. Why is Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah above questioning?'' asked Samy Gemayel, head of the right-wing Christian Kataeb Party recently.

Hezbollah has repeatedly denied any link to the ammonium nitrate. But Nasrallah further angered families of the victims and other Lebanese recently by criticizing the judge leading the investigation into the blast, suggesting he should be replaced. Nasrallah described Judge Tarek Bitar as ``politicized'' after he filed charges against some legislators and former Cabinet ministers allied with Hezbollah.

A serious test for Hezbollah came in early August when a funeral of a militant came under fire by suspected Sunni gunmen on the southern entrance of Beirut. Three Hezbollah supporters were killed and 16 were wounded in the shooting in the town of Khaldeh.

Hezbollah did not retaliate and instead called on Lebanese authorities to investigate the case.

``An increasing number of Lebanese are realizing that the concept of a Lebanese state cannot coexist with a powerful armed militia serving an outside power,'' wrote Michael Young, editor of Diwan, the blog of the Carnegie Middle East Center.

Macaron said Hezbollah will not be the same after the crisis and will have to adapt to ensure political survival in the long term.

``What they can do at this point is to limit losses as much as possible,'' he said.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said late on Tuesday that the current Israeli government "is immature" for launching a serious peace process.

Abbas made the remark during a meeting of the executive committee of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Abbas told the meeting that his meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz two days ago focused on the necessity to abide by international resolutions and the two-state solution.

"We agreed to accomplish several outstanding issues, mainly Palestinian families' reunification, and we resolved the issue of the tax revenue dues," Abbas said.

He added that the meeting discussed the issue of the Palestinian prisoners who were arrested before the signing of Oslo peace accords between Israel and the PLO in 1993.

On Sunday night, Abbas met in Ramallah with Gantz for the first time since ties between the two sides were severed in 2014 due to deep differences on issues related to recognition of the Palestinian state, security, and Israeli settlements.

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Related South Korean Minister of National Defense highlights progress in relations with Egypt

Deputy Prime Minister for Defense Affairs Shihab bin Tarik al-Said received at his office South Korean Minister of National Defense Suh Wook and his accompanying delegation.

The guest is on an official several-day visit to the Sultanate, said Oman News Agency.

The meeting discussed areas of existing cooperation between the defense ministries of the two countries and ways to enhance them. The two sides exchanged views on a number of matters of common interest for the benefit of the two friendly countries.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Mohammed Nasser al-Za'abi, Secretary General of Ministry of Defence, Vice Admiral Abdullah Khamis al-Ra'eesi, Chief of Staff of the Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF), the Korean Ambassador to the Sultanate, the Military Attache at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Muscat, and SAF senior officers.

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Pope Francis has criticized the West's recent involvement in Afghanistan as an outsider's attempt to impose democracy although he's done so by citing Russia's Vladimir Putin while thinking he was quoting Germany's Angela Merkel.

In a radio interview aired Wednesday, Pope Francis was asked about the new political map taking shape in Afghanistan after the United States and its allies withdrew from the Taliban-controlled country after 20 years of war. The pope said he would answer using a quote that he attributed to the German chancellor, who he described as ``one of the world's greatest political figures.''

``It's necessary to stop the irresponsible policy 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,'' the pope said, using his own translation into Spanish.

But the quote was pronounced last month by the Russian president in the presence of Merkel, during her visit of the German to Moscow.

During the meeting on Aug. 20, Putin 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. Instead, Merkel urged Russia to use its contacts with the Taliban to press for Afghan citizens who helped Germany to be allowed to leave Afghanistan.

The interview with Spain's Cadena COPE took place at the Vatican late last week. The radio station owned by Spain's Catholic bishops' conference aired the talk on Wednesday and said that its content had been vetted by the pope himself.

Francis also said there that ``all eventualities were not taken into account'' in the departure of Western allies from Afghanistan.

``I don't know if there will be any revision (of what happened during the withdrawal), but there was much deceiving from the new authorities (of Afghanistan),'' said the Pope. ``Either that or just too much ingenuity. Otherwise, I don't understand.''

Francis called for Christians across the world to engage in ``prayer, penance and fasting'' in the face of events in Afghanistan.

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The Pentagon denied Tuesday that US military personnel abandoned some of their dogs at Kabul airport during Washington's final pullout from Afghanistan.

"To correct erroneous reports, the US military did not leave any dogs in cages at Hamid Karzai International Airport, including the reported military working dogs," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby tweeted.

Photographs posted on social media showed dogs in an Afghan animal shelter and not animals under the responsibility of the US military, Kirby added on Twitter.

Citing "inside sources", animal rights group PETA said 60 bomb-sniffing dogs and 60 other "working dogs" were left behind "suffering in the heat without adequate access to food or water."

"PETA is appealing to President Joe Biden -- and encourages everyone to do the same -- to take immediate action," the group said in a statement.

The group also noted its concern for dozens of pets belonging to evacuated American families that it said were "'released' onto the streets to fend for themselves, with little chance of survival."

The United States pulled its final troops out of Afghanistan on August 30, ending America's longest war just ahead of the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks that prompted the US-led invasion.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized the United States' involvement in Afghanistan, charging that its 20-year-long military presence in the country has achieved ``zero.''

Putin said Wednesday that for 20 years, the US military in Afghanistan `was trying to civilize the people who live there, to introduce their norms and standards of life in the broadest sense of the word, including the political organization of society.'

``The result is sheer tragedies, sheer losses, both for those who were doing that the US and more so for the people who live in Afghanistan. A zero result, if not negative,'' Putin said.

The Russian president added that ``it's impossible to impose something from outside'' and that ``if someone does something to someone, they should draw on the history, the culture, the life philosophy of these people in the broadest sense of the word, they should treat their traditions with respect.''

Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with the Soviet troops' withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback in the country as a mediator over the past few years. Russia has reached out to the feuding Afghan factions, including the Taliban even though it has labeled them a terrorist organization.

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Related Current Israeli government 'immature' for serious peace process: Palestinian president Israel lets building goods into Gaza, easing postwar closure Israel's official government watchdog on Tuesday criticized former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the coronavirus crisis, finding shortcomings in his administration's decision making and a failure to implement safety restrictions.

The State Comptroller's report said Netanyahu's government did not adequately learn from its mistakes after the country's first wave of infections in early 2020. It also said the administration did not properly address the pandemic's impact on education, the economy and social welfare until June, three months after it began.

The report found ``failings in the process of making decisions and executing them'' and said the government and its advisory coronavirus cabinet did not properly oversee Netanyahu's decisions.

Netanyahu, who was ousted from office after 12 years in power following the country's fourth consecutive parliamentary election March 23, had touted his government's effective handling of the coronavirus pandemic on the campaign trail. In particular, he focused on his success in obtaining vaccines to make Israel one of the first countries to inoculate its population.

Now head of the opposition, Netanyahu has vocally criticized his successor _ Naftali Bennett _ for his handling of the fourth wave of infections that has rocked the country in the past month.

Bennett's government, made up of a wide spectrum of parties united in their opposition to Netanyahu, took office on June 13.

State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman's report did not examine the actions of the new government, but he said its lessons should be learned.

``This criticism is more relevant than ever and raised significant shortcomings,'' wrote Englman, a Netanyahu appointee. ``We are currently in a fourth wave and there is importance in fixing shortcomings immediately.''

Israel broke its single-day high of new coronavirus infections Tuesday _ nearly 11,000, according to Health Ministry figures _ despite its world-leading vaccination drive earlier this year.

Israel has recorded 7,043 deaths from coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. Nearly 60% of its population of 9.3 million has received two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and the country has already distributed more than 2 million booster shots over the past month.

The report also found major faults in the government's policies concerning arrivals at Israel's main international airport. It said that sending 96% of people entering the country into home quarantine was highly ineffective at halting the arrival of new infections due to poor enforcement and a lack of adherence to the rules.

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British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he will travel to Afghanistan's neighbours on Wednesday, as he defended the UK government's approach to the country following weeks of scathing criticism from across the political spectrum.

During nearly two hours of questions from lawmakers, Raab insisted Britain had prepared for all eventualities ahead of last month's Taliban takeover and would continue trying to help those fleeing the new regime in Kabul.

Ahead of visiting the unspecified countries to discuss allowing vulnerable Afghans entry and onward travel to the UK, he said the Foreign Office was dispatching 15-person "rapid deployment teams" to continue London's evacuation efforts.

Britain has opened talks with the Taliban over the safe passage of its remaining nationals and allies out of Afghanistan and dispatched senior civil servant Simon Gass to meet with Taliban representatives in Doha.

It is the first publicly disclosed diplomacy between London and the Taliban since Britain joined the United States in the mammoth airlift of more than 100,000 people out of the country after the Afghan military's capitulation.

"I'm going to the region tonight to test the accessibility of these arrangements," Raab told the cross-party panel of MPs grilling him at a special watchdog hearing.

"We've got to keep those borders open. And I think part of that is giving those third countries arrangements that they can feel confident in, perhaps support as well."

He is expected to make an initial stop in Doha, which has proved a key hub for Taliban officials.

'Challenging'

Britain's top diplomat, who has faced calls to resign after going on holiday ahead of the mid-August Taliban takeover, staunchly defended both his and the government's conduct during the chaotic evacuations of British nationals and vulnerable Afghans.

More than 8,000 people potentially eligible to leave have been left stranded after the last UK military flight left Afghanistan on Saturday.

Current and former officials have condemned the government, suggesting many more could have been rescued in recent months and hit out at faulty phone and email systems set up to process evacuation applicants.

However, Raab called it "the most challenging evacuation of its kind in memory" and noted more than 15,000 people had been evacuated during the last two weeks.

That included 287 journalists, 65 women's rights activists, 37 "extremely vulnerable" individuals and dozens of former officials.

Raab said the government began planning earlier this summer to shift embassy operations to Kabul airport if required and speeding up the relocation of former Afghan staff.

"We started planning in June for the contingency of an evacuation and the full drawdown of the embassy," Raab said, as he faced accusations of incompetence and criticism for taking an August luxury holiday in Crete.

"I've been clear with the benefit of hindsight I wouldn't have gone away at all," he added, while repeatedly refusing to detail exactly when he headed to the beach.

'Vital Support'

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain owed "an immense debt" to Afghans who worked with NATO forces as his government announced "vital support" for those resettling in the UK.

They will be given immediate indefinite leave to remain, while 15 million ($21 million, 17 million euros) would be provided for additional school places and to support access to the health service.

"We owe an immense debt to those who worked with the armed forces in Afghanistan and I am determined that we give them and their families the support they need to rebuild their lives here in the UK," Johnson said of the so-called "Operation Warm Welcome" measures.

Britain also has a resettlement scheme for Afghans fleeing from their home country, with about 5,000 expected this year and 20,000 in total.

Resettlement minister Victoria Atkins on Wednesday told Sky News that it was not yet decided whether those arriving under this programme would get indefinite leave to remain.

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Egypts Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly chaired on Tuesday a meeting in Cairo to discuss developing the Green Hydrogen industry in Egypt in the presence of Electricity and Renewable Energy Minister Mohamed Shaker, President and CEO of Germanys Siemens Energy Christian Bruch and Managing Director at Siemens Energy in Egypt Emad Ghaly.



The premier welcomed Siemens Energys delegation, hailing the companys distinguished relations with the Egyptian side as well as the long history of partnerships between them in various fields.



Madbouly said that an agreement signed Tuesday with Siemens Energy will give a strong push to the close cooperation between both sides, adding that Green Hydrogen represents the future of energy.



The prime minister said Egypt has a plan for developing the Green Hydrogen industry which comes in conjunction with the programs being implemented by the European Union (EU) in this regard, expressing his keenness on translating the agreement into real projects as soon as possible.



Meanwhile, the Siemens Energy chief said the partnership between both sides succeeded in achieving bold changes in the energy sectors infrastructure, asserting the great importance that his company attaches to the ongoing partnership with Egypt in the Green Hydrogen area.



He also lauded serious steps taken by the Egyptian government to promote the Green Hydrogen industry, which he said represents the focus of attention of the entire world.

Following the meeting, the premier and the electricity minister attended the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company and Germany's Siemens Energy.



Cabinet Spokesman Nader Saad said the MoU comes as part of efforts to implement the states strategy to expand in the green energy fields as well as increasing the share of the renewable energy in the energy mix.



The electricity minister said the MoU came after signing a letter of intent between both sides on launching consultations and negotiations on implementing a project for generating Green Hydrogen from renewable electric power with a capacity of 100 MW or more using EPC + Finance system.

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The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources have inked a cooperation protocol concerning financing the implementation of natural gas grid projects in accordance with the Decent Life Presidential Initiative.

The protocol was signed by the Chairman of the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company, Magdy Gala, and the Planning Ministers Deputy, Ahmed Kamaly.

Planning Minister Hala El-Said stated that the signed protocol aims to manage and provide the required finances for in-progress natural gas projects included in the initiatives plan.

She noted that the estimated cost for the first phase of the project, which includes four million beneficiary housing units, will exceed EGP 17 billion during the current FY2021/2022. The first phase is expected to increase natural gas coverage in the initiatives areas from 4 percent to 100 percent.

This measure comes in line with Egypts transition towards a green recovery and implementing projects that consider clean energy prospects that save the average household around EGP 636 per year spent on buying butane gas cylinders, the minister elaborated.

On his part, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El-Molla said that the ministry is currently working on setting up grids that will provide natural gas to the 1,413 villages in the first phase of the project.

He added that gas delivery projects carried out under the Decent Life Initiative facilitate the accomplishment of Egypts goal to deliver natural gas to households across the country and double the delivery rates to over seven million housing units that will be linked to the natural gas grid for the first time over the coming three years.

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As the world deals with the repercussions of two years of the Covid-19 pandemic that have slowed down efforts to meet the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are slated to be reached by 2030, Egypts Ministry of International Cooperation is to hold the first round of the International Cooperation Forum (ICF) on 8 September.

Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat discussed the agenda and the recovery with Al-Ahram Weekly.

AW: How do you see Egypts strategy to cooperate and partner with international financial institutions (IFIs) over the past five years?

In an increasingly interconnected world, the social contract in the 21st century is constantly being redefined. Egypt recognises the urgent global need to redesign international cooperation and propose an architecture that pushes for country-led development cooperation.

First, leadership and vision are key. Every country in the world today has to show commitment and define its own long-term vision to achieve the SDGs. Egypts homegrown economic reform programme initiated in 2016 within the framework of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) contributed to boosting the countrys economy and helped it to withstand the shocks that came with the Covid-19 pandemic. Through structural reforms, Egypt was able to cushion socio-economic challenges and catalyse foreign investments that have contributed to stability.

Second, coordination is significant for the harmonisation of development goals. The Egyptian government has pushed for stringent measures of re-adjustment and reform in order to strengthen coordination with existing ministries, development partners, civil society and other stakeholders in society in order to set up robust, national-led coordination mechanisms.

Amidst global uncertainties and as the world hit the peak of the economic downturn in 2020, the Ministry of International Cooperation managed to secure development financing worth $9.8 billion. This is undeniably attributed to Egypts stability and perseverance on the path towards sustainable development. Such amounts were secured through private-sector engagement and multilateral and bilateral partnerships with global and regional actors.

AW: What funds has Egypt been able to secure to finance its development projects within the framework of the Egypt 2030 Vision?

The implementation of the various aspects of the 2030 Vision are defined by ambitious and pragmatic evidence-based decisions regarding the prioritisation of development goals based on local conditions. Egypts resilience has proven itself to be a driving force during times of crises. This was shown in the 2020 annual report published by the Ministry of International Cooperation entitled International Partnerships for Sustainable Development: Writing the Future in a Changing Global Dynamic that showcased $9.8 billion worth of funds secured to boost the national and global sustainable development agenda.

In 2021, we were able to keep up the momentum and expand our $25.6 billion portfolio, venturing into new partnerships that focus on digitisation, entrepreneurship, transportation, and green recovery measures in vital sectors, such as the infrastructure sector.

AW: What are the main issues the forthcoming ICF is expected to cover?

Our model of development cooperation focuses on the exchange and access to knowledge that can have a catalytic effect on designing new policy outcomes. Through the ICF, Egypt is welcoming the international community to the new normal  a two-speed world in which two types of economies are emerging: low-growth and high-growth.

Success at this stage requires rethinking international cooperation for new and emerging economies and understanding the different ways each economy operates while taking into consideration different ways of looking at the world to provide global sustainable solutions.

The forum serves as a hub for sustainable development ecosystems to come together and to lay the way forward for an inclusive and green recovery that is in line with every countrys national priorities. Sharing knowledge and acting collectively are two fundamental pillars constituting the essence of our endeavours. We are promoting multilateralism as the initiator and the guardian of our shared goals in the face of global challenges, and we pride ourselves on acting as one, abiding by the global pledge to Leave No One Behind.

The forum hosts esteemed stakeholders who will contribute their experience and input to the development narrative. They include high-profile global, regional, and national state ministers, financial entities, think tanks, and private-sector bodies, which will be attending in the spirit of coming together to work cohesively on the global agenda for development.

Our two-day agenda comprises four panels that aim to shed light on global challenges across different sectors, coupled with innovative approaches that could be deployed to seize propitious opportunities and combat impending and preexisting adversities. During the first day, we have our four panels: Panel 1 will focus on Multilateralism and International Cooperation Post Covid-19; Panel 2 will emphasise The Role of International Development Cooperation in Accelerating Progress towards the 2030 Agenda; Panel 3 will push for Private-Sector Engagement in Development through International Cooperation; and Panel 4 will trigger discussion on Climate Action in a Post-Covid-19 Context: A Twofold Challenge.

This is in addition to a networking talk organised for private-sector entities from various countries, looking for partnership opportunities in order to share knowledge and expertise.

Six interactive workshops are scheduled for the second day of the forum, where the conversation will be steered towards the efficient and effective way forward for the global agenda in development. They include workshops on the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): Prospects and Challenges of Digital Trade for Private Sector; Mapping Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the SDGs: A Tool for Effective Policy Making; Women in Business: Supporting Female Entrepreneurship in Egypt; Food Security and Employment in the Digital Age in Africa; The Demographic Divide: Youth and Innovation for Transforming Africa; and Triangular Cooperation with Africa.

Finally, we have a closing panel on Investing in Human Capital, where high-profile figures will come together to celebrate our greatest asset: people. In this panel, our distinguished participants are placing people at the core of all development discussions and pondering policies to streamline human capital development efforts.

AW: What are the main agreements that are anticipated to be reached at the two-day forum?

Over the course of the two days of the ICF, the forum will hammer out the challenges and opportunities the global development community could encounter in charting the way forward for building back better and greener economies.

The four panels taking place on the first day delve into the importance of multilateralism and the role allocated to different stakeholders, with a special emphasis on the interplay amongst these roles in enhancing sustainable development interventions. The second day will hold many initiatives by development partners and multilateral development entities with the focus on actionable and effective plans towards inclusive and green recovery.

Towards the end of the forum, we are set to issue the first Cairo communique to lay down a list of important decisions and initiatives coming out from Egypt and the ICF. The communique will serve as a reference for future international forums, as we aim at reaching constructive conclusions, providing insightful recommendations, and capitalising on previous experiences for ensuing development initiatives.

AW: What are the actions Egypt is taking to meet the SDGs agenda by 2030 and 2050?

Egypts Vision 2030 rests on transparency and governance as a means to track progress made towards fulfilling the global sustainability targets. This comes as part of the three-pillar framework the ministry of international cooperation has designed to ensure the effectiveness of economic diplomacy in Egypt. Hence, our second pillar, Official Development Assistance Mapping of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), keeps track of the allocation of development financing to serve national projects.

This principle is further elaborated in a book published by the ministry entitled Stakeholder Engagement through Economic Diplomacy in June. The book accentuates the benefits of ODA-SDG mapping through the coming together of two approaches: Single SDG mapping, which identifies the primary SDG towards which each project contributes; and multiple SDG mapping, which accounts for the multidimensional linkages projects may have to different SDGs.

By the same token, the Egypt-ICFs second workshop on the second day of the forum, Mapping ODA to SDGS: A Tool for Effective Policy Making, underscores the importance of this novel approach in developing effective policies, guiding decisions, and accelerating the pace of development plans according to 2030 Agenda.

This method has been tested and proven to be effective in helping us to stay focused on our goals and circumvent efficiency obstacles, catalysing stringent efforts towards achieving the global goals. Thus, the Egypt-ICF is shedding light on Egypts experience as part of the knowledge and expertise-sharing journey we aim to provide through the forum.

AW: Is there an intention to hold this forum periodically?

Egypt is an active participant in the sustainable development realm; what we aim for is not only capitalising on Egypts role in the development scene, but also steering and spearheading global and regional efforts serving the SDGs. This is the first edition of the forum, and we plan to keep Egypt as a hub for global sustainable development stakeholders to come to the country and tailor strategies that fit all countries and synchronise all their priorities.

AW: What is the status of ongoing negotiations between the government and the World Bank concerning securing finances for the second wave of Egypts structural reforms?

The World Bank is a strong affiliate and development partner. Our ongoing portfolio with the bank encompasses 14 projects, with development financing worth $5.88 billion to implement projects in different sectors, including central government, social protection, irrigation and drainage, health, agriculture, banking, and SMEs, which have the biggest share of financing. The International Financial Corporation, as part of the World Bank Group, is keen on providing advisory services to tap into the private sector as a key player in Egypts economic growth and sustainable development agenda.

In the light of this, the Egypt-ICF is dedicating a panel to discussing the ways in which the private sector can provide technical and financial assistance to the countrys overall development strategy via a networking sub-event entitled Dialogue with the Private Sector: Towards Inclusive Partnerships that will tap into possible collaborations and future affiliations nationally and globally between different private-sector bodies.

AW: What are the ministrys plans for 2021-22?

We are working on a holistic and integrated portfolio with a focus on national targets to achieve development across all sectors and for all Egyptians. Education, health, transportation, infrastructure, water, agriculture, trade, digitisation, and entrepreneurship are among the top sectors we are focusing on.

We are liaising with development partners and state ministries in order to help fill the financial gaps and push towards rounded sustainable development, seeing ourselves as agents for change and facilitators of efficient sustainable interventions. These notions are woven into our philosophy of economic diplomacy and the three principles that comprise it: Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs); Official Development Assistance mapping to the Sustainable Development Goals (ODA-SDG Mapping); and the Global Partnerships Narrative that is constituted by People at the Core, Projects in Action, and Purpose as the Driver.

Our well-defined framework safeguards our vision, as it articulates Egypts commitment to agile, resilient, and inclusive governance, which instills faith in Egypts Vision and builds trust between the country and investors from across the world.

We have taken our principles beyond theory and convened more than a dozen MSPs across several sectors. Our first was held in April 2020 and was followed by many others targeting vital sectors, namely health, communications and information technology, energy, SMEs, digitisation, transportation, and gender equality.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 2 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Unvaccinated employees in the education sector  including all public and private universities and schools  and students aged 18+, must be vaccinated against Covid-19 before the new academic year begins next month, according to directives by President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi.

Minister of Health Hala Zayed said students and employees in the education sector will be prioritised and that the ministry intends to vaccinate 40 per cent of Egypts population by the end of this year. Students will be offered locally manufactured Sinovac. State-owned vaccine producer VACSERA has so far produced 10 million shots of the Chinese vaccine, and aims to increase manufacturing capacity to 15 million shots per month.

The start of the academic year is set to coincide with the beginning of the fourth wave of the virus. We are currently experiencing a rising curve in infections. The Health Ministry reported 263 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, up from 255 the day before, said Zayed.

Nour Ashraf, 21, a university student, says taking the vaccine is the right way to lead a normal life during school.

Victoria, a teacher at the British School of Cairo (BSC), backs obligatory vaccines for all school staff and children above 18. Vaccines are safe and it is better for all of us to have them, it is the only way forward, she says.

Some students, however, have reservations about being forced to get the jab. Reem Amgad, 20, a mass communication student at Misr International University (MIU), opposes making the vaccination compulsory, arguing that individuals should have the right to refuse a vaccine if they are sceptical about its efficacy and side effects.

Hadeer Mahmoud, 20, agrees with Amgad, and points out that some people may have allergies.

Universities will require proof of vaccination before staff and students are allowed on campus. Nadine Ahmed, head of admissions at ESLSCA University, says all students have been told by e-mail to provide proof of vaccination and those who refuse to get vaccinated will not be allowed onto the campus.

Manal Salem, coordinator of the Health Ministrys Scientific Committee for Combating Covid-19, says university hospitals will be responsible for vaccinating freshmen students during the medical examination ahead of their first year. The same hospitals will also be responsible for vaccinating higher grade students who could not access the vaccine before the beginning of the academic year. The Health Ministry will be responsible for providing hospitals with sufficient quantities of vaccines and the necessary equipment.

In order to facilitate the vaccination process the ministry has added a dedicated section for educational employees to its website, says Salem. In addition, the Ministry of Education is instructing all educators to log on to the website and register for vaccination before 7 September.

Habiba Mohamed, an assistant professor at Cairo University, says making Covid-19 inoculations mandatory among university staff and students will hasten the return to face-to-face teaching. She notes that moving education online has resulted in weak results and a learning gap among students.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 2 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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General Mohamed Zaki, commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and minister of defence and military production, paid a four-day official visit to Russia last week.

A statement released by the Ministry of Defence said that Zaki, leading a high-profile military delegation, attended the seventh meeting of the Egyptian-Russian Joint Military Committee. The committee is tasked with fostering military cooperation between Cairo and Moscow.

According to the Russian news agency of TASS, Zaki told the committee that Egypt wishes to take military cooperation with Russia to a new level.

The progress in military cooperation achieved over a short period of time confirms that we are on the right track. We greatly desire to continue boosting this cooperation in all directions and in the spirit of mutual trust between us.

Zaki added that the political leadership of the two countries wants to reinforce the longstanding relationship between the peoples of Egypt and Russia.

This is particularly important in light of the threats posed by deteriorating international security, said Zaki. He stressed the pressing need to restore stability and security to the Middle East, and the importance of rejecting all forms of meddling with the internal affairs of its countries.

TASS reported that Zaki and Russian Minister of Defence Sergey Shoygu reviewed military and security developments on the regional and international scenes, discussed existing military cooperation and the exchange of expertise, and agreed on the importance of conducting joint military exercises between the Armed Forces of both countries.

According to TASS, Shoygu said Moscow has a strong desire to enhance all aspects of military cooperation with Egypt, saying Egypt is a pivotal country in the Middle East and plays a prominent role in combating terrorism and supporting security and stability in the region.

The Comprehensive Partnership and Strategic Cooperation Agreement signed between Russia and Egypt in Sochi on 17 October 2018 came into effect earlier this year.

While he was in Moscow, Zaki attended the opening of the International Military and Technical Forum (ARMY 2021), part of the International Army Games 2021, inaugurated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which will continue until 6 September. Some 286 teams, consisting of 5,000 military personnel from 42 countries, are participating in the event. Egypt is taking part with four teams.

According to a Ministry of Defence statement, Egypts army participation comes as part of the General Command of the Armed Forces keenness on developing the performance of military personnel and exchanging expertise.

Egyptian-Russian relations are progressing on multi-pole fronts. Early in August a high-level Egyptian technical delegation, led by Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker, visited Russia to discuss the building of Egypts Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant (DNPP). In the same month direct flights between Russia and Egypts Red Sea resorts of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh resumed after a six-year ban, imposed by Moscow following the downing of a passenger plane carrying more than 200 Russian tourists over Sinai, was lifted.

Initially, it was agreed that flights would operate five times a week between Moscow and Hurghada, and Moscow and Sharm El-Sheikh. TASS reported on 26 August that the plan is to increase flight numbers to 60 a week in September, and that the decision came after a Russia Covid-19 advisory panel visited Egypt, assessed the epidemiological situation, reviewed the preventive measures at tourist sites, and expressed satisfaction.

Nora Ali, the head of parliaments Tourism Committee, told Al-Ahram Weekly that the resumption of direct Russian flights to the Red Sea represents a $2 billion boost for Egypts tourism industry.

Before 2015 Russia was the leading market for Egypts tourist sector, a major foreign currency earner.

MP Sahar Talaat Mustafa, the chair of the Egyptian Russian Business Council, issued a statement saying the return of direct flights between Russia and Egypts resorts was the fruit of a long period of cooperation the between Russian and Egyptian authorities.

Egypts national carrier EgyptAir is expected to run 10 weekly flights, helping to ferry the 10,000 Russian tourists expected to visit Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh each week, said Mustafa.

Russian tourism is very important for Egypt and its economy which explains why the Egyptian authorities has worked so hard to regain the confidence of Russian tourists, she added.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Russian businessmen and investors and officials from the Russian Ministry of Industry and Commerce arrived in Egypt on Monday to review progress on the Russian Industrial Zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone). The visit follows the 29 June signing of an agreement to expand the Russian industrial zone in the SCZone.

SCZone Chairman Yehia Zaki said on Monday that under the new agreement the Russian Zone will expand to East Port Said and Ain Sokhna. The first phase of the project includes an extension of one million square metres in East Port Said and 500,000 square metres in Ain Sokhna, work on which is scheduled to begin by the end of this year after. The project, revealed Zaki, will include a mix of heavy and light industries and provide Russia with a gateway to Egyptian, Arab and African markets.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 2 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi flew to Baghdad on 28 August to take part in the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership. It was the highest level of Egyptian representation in Iraq for almost three decades.

The one-day conference offered regional leaders an opportunity to discuss ways to support Iraq and address the challenges facing, and the future prospects of, the region.

President Al-Sisis address reflected the degree to which Egypt looks forward to supporting Iraq in its efforts to regain its status and influence in the Arab region after falling prey to the regional agendas of others.

One significant aspect of the Egyptian discourse at the Baghdad summit was Egypts supportive response to the Iraqi desire to reinforce its national sovereignty and end foreign intervention in the country.

Egypt understands that Iraq needs to strengthen its ability to counter threats, including terrorism. Egypt wants to help Iraq build its future which, done properly, will strengthen Arab national and regional security.

The energetic resumption of Egyptian-Iraqi bilateral relations is far from being unilaterally driven. As President Al-Sisi put it, there is a sincere desire on both sides which reflects a shared political will. Not only was this spirit evident in the level of Egyptian attendance in Baghdad, it could also be seen in the agreements and protocols concluded bilaterally, and within the context of the new tripartite Egyptian-Iraqi-Jordanian mechanism for cooperation.

The agreements and protocols also attest to how much Egypts recent development experience can offer friends and allies in the region.

Egypts presence and discourse in Baghdad provides an insight into how Egypt views its role vis-a-vis other players. Cairo does not seek to steer others but rather play a leading role in the framework of a multiparty partnership. This reflects Cairos awareness of Iraqi aspirations, especially in terms of its desire to develop a strategic balance in its relations with Arab and non-Arab regional powers in a manner consistent with Iraqi interests and Iraqs historical, cultural and civilisational history.

President Al-Sisi underscored this in his speech when he referred to Iraq as a bastion of Arabism and hailed Iraqis as the great people who possess civilisation and history.

Battles over Iraqs identity have wreaked enormous attrition on Iraqi society; indeed, they have at times threatened the very integrity of the state, and are an issue that can no longer be shirked. Iraq cannot achieve stability and revive its regional role if it remains alienated from its roots and vulnerable to polarising divisions imposed by others.

In his focus on the maintenance of regional security, Al-Sisi underscored what has become a core foreign policy goal. Cairo has worked intensively to reduce conflicts and crises across the region.

Some countries, such as Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and Libya, have been particularly hard hit by foreign interventions. Particularly pernicious are the interventions by non-Arab regional powers which include the deployment of mercenaries, direct occupation of Arab territory, and the building of military bases.

The president directed messages to non-Arab regional powers, urging them to honour the principles of good neighbourliness, respect Iraqi sovereignty and the choices made by the Iraqi people, and to refrain from any intervention in Iraqi domestic affairs whether through direct military action, support of terrorist organisations, or by using Iraq as a transit for militias and mercenaries to other countries.

Baghdad has already taken action to put an end to such phenomena, energetically promoting conflict resolution efforts. It has acted as a mediator to reduce tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia over Yemen, and distanced itself from Iranian attempts to use Iraq to promote Tehrans agenda in Syria.

Observers framed the tripartite mechanism that emerged from the conference  what Al-Sisi referred to as a translation of the concept of Arab cooperation  in terms of an Arab versus non-Arab regional dialectic. It is possible to see it within another framework: as an Arab advance into the Arab absence in Iraq.

The new mechanism includes 15 agreements covering energy, agriculture, and other crucial economic areas.

That Egypt fully supports the Iraqi government was conveyed by the high-level Egyptian presence at the conference. President Al-Sisi lauded Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimis political, security and economic reform efforts. Iraq has achieved qualitative progress under Al-Kadhimi, despite many obstacles at home and abroad, a fact that presents Iraq with an opportunity and a challenge. Despite the governments strengthening of state institutions, economic reform, fight against corruption and reordering of foreign policy priorities, it remains an interim government tasked with preparing for elections on 10 October.

It is impossible to tell, as yet, what kind of government the elections will produce. Will it continue along the same path or adopt other priorities? Al-Sisi directly addressed the Iraqi people in his speech, urging them to choose the candidates they feel best represent them and their aspirations for a stable, prosperous and influential Iraq.

President Al-Sisi offered Iraq support in its counter-terrorism operations. Iraq has, in the past, locked horns with and repelled terrorist organisations such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Systematising and institutionalising security coordination was one of the main reasons for President Al-Sisis participation in the conference and, before this, for Iraqi Defence Minister Juma Anads visit to Cairo on 7 August.

Al-Sisi also drew attention to a number of other threats, referencing both climate change and water scarcity. These problems are transnational, and multifaceted in their social, economic and environmental repercussions.

The conference also proved useful at a general inter-Arab level. President Al-Sisi had the opportunity to meet with other Arab heads-of-state, not least the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Ahmed. The meeting occurred several days after the arrival of the Qatari ambassador to Cairo.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 2 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Policy U-turns are among the fortes of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP); and the AKP government has exhibited them, once again, in Afghanistan. Only a week ago, no one would have questioned its resolve to keep Turkish troops there rather than have them follow the rest of the departing NATO forces.

This was especially true after it secured  over strident cries from Turkish opposition quarters cautioning against another adventure in another strife-ridden war-torn country  the prime and prestigious role of guardian of Hamed Karazi airport. But then, after the suicide bombing at the airport that killed dozens, Ankara announced its decision to withdraw its troops and, by 30 August, the last batch was on the plane home.

The following day, in contrast to earlier government assurances that Turkey would never close its doors to people fleeing the brutal, medieval scourge that has seized control in Kabul, Erdogan protested that Turkey would not become a refugee warehouse for migrants from Afghanistan. The statement precipitated an outcry on social media. True, weve become the only refugee warehouse in the world. True, were building walls... But the doors are open! said one Twitter user.

Few believe that, once the wall the government is building along Turkeys border with Iran is complete, the refugee influx will stop. The wall, like the shift in rhetoric, are intended to assuage domestic public opinion and the AKPs far right allies in particular. Meanwhile, behind closed doors, the government has other plans.

According to opposition sources, the government is secretly and systematically working to implement a new strategy based on the premise that the Afghan refugee crisis is not a short term phenomenon. As part of this strategy, the government controlled press is tasked with generating a media and social climate conducive to accepting refugees. This is crucial to preparing the ground for a likely EU approach with an eye to concluding another deal along the lines of the 2016 agreement, whereby which Turkey absorbs the influx of refugees to keep them away from Europes doorsteps in exchange for billions of dollars of aid to help accommodate them.

Naturally, such plans would not go over well with a public reeling under the current economic straits and blaming the refugees for loss of jobs, and in an increasingly polarised and xenophobic atmosphere that has led to mounting and sometimes deadly attacks against refugees as well as local minorities.

But Erdogan is unlikely to be dissuaded. He has a vision that includes leveraging Turkey as a power to be reckoned with in the geopolitical equations of Central Asia. Using the refugee crisis as a way to stay in Europes good graces would help; and some believe showing a readiness to work with, reassure and perhaps even support the Taliban would not hurt either. The chaotic US withdrawal left a vacuum too good for him to pass up. If, for example, he concluded a cooperation agreement with the Taliban such as the one he made with the Fayez Al-Sarraj government in Tripoli, he could add another country to those in which Turkish forces are deployed. The list includes Libya, Syria, Iraq, Northern Cyprus, Qatar, Somalia and Azerbaijan.

Despite the blood drenched-message delivered by the Kabul Airport suicide bombing, Erdogan appears upbeat. In remarks to reporters on the plane with him on his way to Bosnia, he said that, contrary to other NATO members, Turkey would be keeping its diplomatic mission in Kabul. Ankara was carefully assessing its next steps in Afghanistan, he said, adding, we are ready to provide all kinds of support for the unity and solidarity of Afghanistan as long as we receive the same approach from it. In his view, the Talibans statements and actions since taking over Kabul have been moderate, which should help that movement become a state and govern a state.

Following a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Erdogans office issued a statement that Turkey and Russia were studying recognition of the Taliban and establishing relations with it gradually. It said that Erdogan and Putin had agreed on being in coordination regarding the relation to be developed with the government to be formed in Afghanistan in the upcoming period.

Some sources added that Erdogan also plans to have a say in the shape of the new government in Kabul, using his connections with Pakistan and Qatar which  both close to the Taliban  to this end.

Western commentators have made no secret of their concern over these developments. They fear that Erdogans support for the Taliban could harm the foundations of the Turkish republic which is looking forward to its centennial in 2023. They are also worried about short- and long-term regional impacts, given how events in Kabul have already triggered quakes with potentially destabilising effects. Erdogans barely concealed enthusiasm for the opening that Afghanistan has offered him should already set off alarms among the NATO countries, especially those bordering the Mediterranean. As one news commentary put it: A tacit go-ahead from Ankara would give extremists a shortcut to targeting places where attacks had once been rare or non-existent.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 2 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Israeli planes struck Hamas militant targets in the Gaza Strip early Sunday, hours after violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and troops along the border.

The Israeli military said in a statement that planes bombed a Hamas militant facility in the Gaza Strip in response to the launching of incendiary balloons into southern Israel and violent protests staged for a second consecutive week.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke to reporters in Washington before he boarded a flight to Israel, wrapping up a state visit that culminated with a face-to-face meeting with President Joe Biden. It was the first since Bennett took office in June.

We will operate in Gaza according to our interests, he said in Hebrew on the tarmac.

Bennett said he achieved all the objectives for the trip to Washington, including strategic cooperation in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

On Saturday, hundreds of Hamas-backed activists staged a nighttime protest along the Israeli border, throwing explosives toward Israeli forces who responded with live fire. Gaza health officials said three people were injured by Israeli fire. Additional protests were planned through the week.

Organizers said the protests are meant to increase pressure on Israel to lift its blockade of the Palestinian territory. Israel has maintained the blockade since Hamas, a group sworn to Israel's destruction, seized control of Gaza in a 2007 coup after winning Palestinian elections. Israel and Hamas have fought four wars since, the most recent in May.

The blockade restricts the movement of goods and people in and out of Gaza and has ravaged the territory's economy. Israel has tightened the closure since an 11-day war in May, demanding the return of the remains of two dead soldiers and freedom for two Israeli civilians believed to be in Hamas captivity.

Egypt is working to shore up a cease-fire to end May's fighting and appeared to be making progress last week.

At least 260 Palestinians were killed during May's Hamas-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.

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Denmark will back a Palestinian bid to upgrade its United Nations status to that of a non-member observer state at a General Assembly vote this week, the Danish foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

"I am happy to announce that Denmark will vote in favour ... (in) the vote on Thursday," Foreign Minister Villy Soevndal said in a statement.

"For some time it has been clear that the Palestinians have wanted an upgrade of their status at the United Nations to that of a non-member observer state. After several weeks of talks, a resolution was finally presented yesterday," Soevndal said.

"This is a moderate text that underlines the need for peace negotiations and a negotiated two-state solution that can ensure Palestinians a secure, viable state alongside Israel," the foreign minister added. The proposal is expected to pass as it has the backing of the majority of the UN's 193 member states.

It will improve the chances of the Palestinians joining the International Criminal Court and UN agencies. The Palestinians want to launch legal action in The Hague-based court to challenge Israel's occupation of the West Bank.

The United States and Israel have opposed the UN application, insisting that only direct talks on a peace accord can produce an agreement that will create a Palestinian state.France on Tuesday said it would support the Palestinian bid.

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This week President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi took part in the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership. Egypt, he demonstrated, is keen on an Iraq capable of playing an active and balanced role at the regional level, and to this end hopes to secure the countrys security and stability.

Besides Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, France, Turkey and Iran all participated. Though seldom reading from the same page and often pursuing conflicting agendas, there is hope that these countries can now coordinate their policies to benefit Iraq and its people. Without constructive dialogue among them, it remains difficult to help Iraq to face its many political and economic challenges.

The current Iraqi government has been making a tireless effort to affirm the countrys sovereignty and improve its security and economic conditions. Yet this will remain a difficult job if Iraqs neighbours, namely Iran, does not agree to prioritise the interests of the Iraqi people and maintain Iraqs unity and territorial integrity.

After the United States invaded and occupied Iraq in 2003, it was not the American occupiers who had the upper hand, but Iran, the main beneficiary of Washingtons reckless and unjustified military adventure, which cost the Iraqi people very dearly.

The cost was not limited to the tragic human loss of more than one million people, but even Iraqs existence as one country became in question. The majority Shiite south fell totally under Irans control; the areas where Sunnis make up the majority lost their former glory and were easily swept by the terrorist IS group, while the Kurdish north remained in practice a near independent country, something that had already been the case since late Saddam Hussein foolishly invaded Kuwait in late 1990. Sectarianism, corruption and chaos became the norm in Iraq, as well as living under constant threat of terrorist bombings and military raids by neighbouring countries, namely Turkey.

Al-Sisis speech at the conference carried several important messages, together with a sincere and emotional appeal to Iraqis to preserve their country, maintain its unity and elect representatives in the upcoming elections who will make Iraqi interests their sole priority.

The ties between Egypt and Iraq are not just historical, since they are two of the worlds oldest civilisations, but the immigration of millions of Egyptians to Iraq after the oil boom in the late 1970s created many family and personal ties as well. After the US occupation of Iraq and the sharp deterioration in security in 2003, it was Egypts turn to receive more than one million Iraqis who sought refuge in their second home.

Feeling that close ties with Egypts Arab circle was a matter of national security, Al-Sisi reached out to Iraq, as well as Jordan to the benefit of all three countries. His visit to Iraq this week was the second in two months. In his speech, he pledged to develop multiple mechanisms, whether on the bilateral or the tripartite levels of Egyptian-Iraqi-Jordanian relations, or within a broader regional framework, to meet the aspirations and interests of the Iraqi and Egyptian peoples.

Egypt appreciates improvements by Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi allowing state institutions to deal with the challenges facing the Iraqi people. The army and security agencies were able to defeat terrorism, eliminate the dark project of IS and preserve Iraqs unity, security and national fabric. Besides, the government has made a serious effort to effect economic reform on all levels and in different sectors.

As Al-Sisi noted, Egypt continues to back up and support the Iraqi government in its efforts at stability, restoring its historical position, its active Arab and regional role and consolidating its position in the Arab world.

Egypt also stands behind and supports the efforts of the Iraqi government to strengthen the state and its institutions so that it can carry out its tasks in maintaining security and stability in Iraq and protecting the capabilities of its people and its territorial integrity. Moreover, Egypt refuses all foreign interference in Iraqi affairs and illegal attacks on its lands. Egypt calls on all powers to respect the sovereignty of this ancient country and the choices of its people.

Egypts principles since President Al-Sisi took office in 2014 have been based on mutual respect for the sovereignty of states, unconditionally refraining from interference in their internal affairs, and rejecting the policy of imposing a fait accompli using force, as well as refusing to provide safe havens, freedom of movement or any form of support for terrorist and extremist groups.

If those principles were applied by Iraqs neighbours, as well as international partners led by the United States and the European Union, they would help Iraq achieve a better future for its people after decades of war and civil strife. The Iraqi people definitely deserve to live in peace, security and prosperity, considering Iraqs rich resources and capabilities: the people who own this civilisation and this honourable history, Al-Sisi said, undoubtedly have a bright future thanks to their children, their hope and motivation to achieve a better tomorrow.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 2 September, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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KYODO NEWS - Sep 1, 2021 - 19:35 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Japan is considering extending the COVID-19 state of emergency covering Tokyo and 20 of Japan's 47 prefectures by another two weeks, as it looks increasingly unlikely the current situation will warrant the lifting of the measure on its planned Sept. 12 expiry, government sources said Wednesday.

While new infections have been decreasing in some areas, the country is still struggling to contain surging coronavirus infections and the strain they impose on the medical system in many others. The government COVID-19 task force will meet next week to make an official decision, the sources said.

Due to the highly contagious Delta variant, daily new infections nationwide have peaked at over 25,000. On Tuesday, the number of coronavirus patients with severe symptoms stood at 2,110, hitting a record high for the 19th consecutive day.

While the number fell by 18 to 2,092 on Wednesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato warned at a press conference that there remains "a need to look at the future trend."

Health minister Norihisa Tamura said on an NHK TV program last week that "given the current situation, it is probably very difficult" to end the emergency declaration as scheduled, while a government source said it is unlikely the declaration would be lifted all at once on the Sept. 12 expiry.

Even if the declaration is lifted, the government will consider shifting to quasi-state of emergency measures to prevent infections from surging again, according to the sources.

The government decided last month to extend the lifting of the emergency declaration from the end of August to Sept. 12, while expanding the areas for the measure to eight more prefectures to bring the total to 21 prefectures. It also expanded the quasi-state of emergency to another four prefectures, bringing the total to 12 prefectures.
By Hiromi Yasui, KYODO NEWS - Sep 1, 2021 - 16:11 | World, All, Japan

The following is an account by the Kabul-based Kyodo News string correspondent who became the only Japanese to be evacuated on a Japanese defense force plane from Afghanistan in the tumultuous days following the Taliban takeover of the war-torn country, as U.S. forces moved to complete their withdrawal before the end of August.

----------------------------

While I was on an Air Self-Defense Force plane bound for Pakistan's capital Islamabad, I busied myself with a gaming app on my smartphone. It didn't have to be a game, but I wanted to do something just so I could distract myself as much as possible.

I left Afghanistan on Aug. 27 after 20 years of living there.

The Taliban had seized control of the capital Kabul on Aug. 15 and I didn't want to leave the city. But after discussing things with my husband -- an Afghan -- I thought about being evacuated on a commercial plane. But all the commercial flights were canceled as people swarmed Kabul airport to flee.

Even after the Japanese government announced its dispatch of ASDF planes to evacuate Japanese nationals and others, I wasn't able to fully make up my mind.

Back when I was in junior high school, I was enthralled by television programs on public broadcaster NHK that featured the Silk Road, the ancient trade route that connected the East and West. I wished to see with my own eyes camel caravans traveling in the deserts.

It was in 1993 that I visited Afghanistan for the first time. I had quit an apparel company and resolved to become a professional photographer.

While the land used to prosper as the main waypoint on the Silk Road, what has now become Afghanistan was in the middle of a civil war. Displaced people were crowding camps near the border with Pakistan.

I had come to photograph Afghanistan's natural beauty and nomads, but I couldn't help shooting what was going on in front of my eyes. I became a frequent visitor to the country.

After the terror attacks on the United States in September 2001, I reported on U.S. and British airstrikes in Afghanistan. That became a pivotal moment for me. I moved to Kabul, became a string correspondent for this news agency and married a man I got to know through reporting.

Fast forward 20 years, the Taliban had just retaken control of the country after their previous rule from 1996 to 2001. Even though they now claim to respect women's rights within the framework of Islamic law, a number of people were left terrified and in despair, and headed to the airport.

On Aug. 26, three days after Japan decided to send ASDF planes to assist evacuations, I, as well as several hundred Afghans who were working for the Japanese Embassy in Kabul and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, were scheduled to be evacuated from the country.

We climbed onto more than 10 buses arranged by the embassy. But some people were late to the meeting point. As we waited for the buses to head to the airport, a suicide attack struck near the airport, forcing the transportation to be canceled.

In the early hours of Aug. 27, an embassy official called me to say Japanese nationals would be evacuated first with the help of the Qatari government. I began wondering whether I should really leave, but my husband was insistent.

"You are a foreigner married to an Afghan. I don't want anything bad to happen to you," he said.

His words helped me make up my mind.

Just before 7 a.m. I arrived at a hotel designated as the meeting point. There were 13 of us, all foreigners. I was the only Japanese. A Taliban fighter boarded our bus and carefully examined our passports, perhaps because of a Taliban policy banning Afghans from leaving the country.

A Taliban pickup truck led the way to the airport, followed by our bus and a security vehicle from the Qatari Embassy. Just a handful of people were outside the airport, completely different from the day before, when masses of people had gathered there.

The convoy was stopped 200 meters from the main gate. A Taliban fighter began quarreling with a fellow fighter assigned to airport security. But after an hour, permission was granted and once inside the airport, our bus was parked beside a Qatari military plane.

As the other foreigners climbed onto the airplane, I stayed behind and met up with a Japanese government official.

Two hours later, a C-130 transport plane emblazoned with the Japanese flag's "Hinomaru" red disc flew in. I boarded it right away. I was the only evacuee in a spacious cabin that appeared capable of accommodating as many as 100 people. I sat on a nearly empty bench and buckled up.

A small window diagonally in front of me allowed me just enough space to see the departing runway.

The city's once dusty streets are now paved and dotted with high-rises. I had seen the city change over the years but wasn't able to have one last look at it.

My husband and I used to talk about living in Japan after retirement. Never had I imagined I would be evacuated with just one suitcase, without him.

My husband was planning to leave Afghanistan through a U.S.-affiliated organization he had previously worked for. But as Afghans' access to the airport was restricted, he had no choice but to stay at our home.

"I will come back right away," I vowed to myself.

In the past, every time I returned to Japan for a visit, people seemed surprised to hear me say I lived in Afghanistan. They would ask me if it's safe to live there. To me, it's a comfortable place.

A multi-ethnic country with diverse culture, the people are unpretentious and kind, even to the point that it gets too much, at times. But the same people have also become victims of civil wars and terror attacks, and endured poverty.

I worry about the course of the country after the U.S. military withdrawal. I worry that a conflict will occur again without an international intervention, leaving orphaned children to fill the streets.

I have given a small measure of support to reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan by opening schools for children in poverty. Will that also be in vain?

I sincerely hope that the international community, and Japan, will not abandon the country I love.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 1, 2021 - 17:41 | All, World

The United Kingdom will hold its first meeting with members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact later this month to discuss London's application to join the deal, the Japanese government said Wednesday.

Following its departure from the European Union, the United Kingdom is aiming to enhance its economic presence in the Asia-Pacific region. The 11-member TPP is trying to expand its area after the United States withdrew from the pact under former President Donald Trump.

Ministers from the 11 members, including Japan, Australia and Singapore, held a videoconference of the TPP Commission, the bloc's decision-making body.

Japan chairs the commission this year and also heads the TPP's working groups to discuss tariffs as well as trade and investment rules toward London's envisaged participation.

As many TPP members have already signed bilateral trade deals with the United Kingdom, no major obstacles are expected in the accession talks, officials have said. The final decision on whether to accept the U.K. application is expected to be made as early as next year.

The United Kingdom's participation, if realized, will push up the bloc's share of global economic output to 16 percent from the current 13 percent.

London filed a request in February to join what is formally called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP.

The country is the first accession candidate outside the original participating members. China, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand have also expressed interest in joining the free trade bloc.

The bloc, which came into force in 2018, currently has a total population of about 500 million, exceeding that of the European Union with about 448 million.

The TPP member states are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Eight of them have so far ratified the pact.

The pact aimed at making a free trade zone across the Pacific was originally promoted by the United States under the administration of Barack Obama in a bid to balance China's increasing influence in the Asia-Pacific region.

But Trump, who openly expressed his preference for bilateral trade deals and not multilateral frameworks under his so-called "America First" policy, withdrew from the TPP shortly after taking office in 2017.

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Talks begin for U.K. to join Pacific free trade pact
KYODO NEWS - Sep 1, 2021 - 20:11 | World, All

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry appears Wednesday to have urged China to step up measures to prevent global warming, as tensions between the world's two major powers have been intensifying over several economic and security matters.

In China's Tianjin, Kerry and his Chinese counterparts also seem to have exchanged views on environmental issues, ahead of the U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties, or COP26, scheduled to take place later this year in Britain.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters that Beijing and Washington should maintain dialogue on climate change and try to improve bilateral relations.

Kerry, who was secretary of state under former President Barack Obama, is slated to visit Tianjin through Friday. He is believed to have held talks Wednesday with Xie Zhenhua, special representative on climate affairs for China, the world's largest CO2 emitter.

In his address to the U.N. General Assembly in September last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised his nation would bring total CO2 emissions to a peak before 2030 and aim to become carbon neutral by 2060.

Many other countries, meanwhile, have recently pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, including the United States, the second-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases.

In April 2021, Kerry made a trip to Shanghai and talked with Chinese officials, becoming the first senior official to visit China under the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, who took office in January.

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Jammu:

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday approved positioning of designated liaison officers in 10 major cities across the country to assist students of the state pursuing higher education there.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of State Administrative Council (SAC), which was chaired by Governor Satya Pal Malik, an official spokesman said.

The SAC approved positioning of designated liaison officers of state government in New Delhi, Noida, Chandigarh, Aligarh, Bhopal, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Jaipur to coordinate with students of the state pursuing higher education there, whenever they are faced with the situations related to regional identity, the spokesman said.

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He said around 20,000 students of the state are pursuing higher studies in various colleges in other states. This year around 3,820 students got admission to various undergraduate courses.

Since 2012, Jammu and Kashmir students have availed opportunities to obtain admission in colleges outside the state for undergraduate courses under the Prime Ministers Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS).

The liaison officers positioned in these major cities would report directly to the resident commissioner, Jammu and Kashmir at New Delhi and coordinate with him and the state government regarding issues faced by the students, the spokesman said.

He said the higher education department would be the overall coordinating department in the state government.

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Each location will have a help centre, a temporary office with basic facilities, including telephone and internet, the spokesman said, adding the details about the help centres would be widely published.?

Students wherever necessary would be engaged as assistant liaison officers, on a stipend or honorarium, he said.

He said liaison officers in major cities would give the state students greater sense of safety and security.

This would also remove apprehension among students keen to take up studies outside the state, the spokesman said.
New Delhi :

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met with US Vice President Mike Pence on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Singapore. During the meeting, the Modi told Pence that the US has a "great opportunity" to set up defence manufacturing in India, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

PM Modi stressed that there was a great opportunity for USA in India in making defence equipment and setting up defence industry in India. The issue of terrorism was discussed and US VP Pence appreciated cooperation between US and India on counter terrorism, the MEA said.

The US Vice-President also acknowledged India's economic progress and said that the country is a positive factor in regional and international relations.

Prosperity through partnership



PM @narendramodi had a warm meeting with @VP of United States Michael Pence in #Singapore. Productive discussion on all aspects of global strategic partnership based on growing convergence of interests on regional and global issues. pic.twitter.com/M1vtAVQhsd  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) November 14, 2018

The discussions between PM Modi and US vice-president touched both upon bilateral relations and regional and international issues. Vice-president Pence acknowledged that India had made progress economically. He felt India is a positive factor in regional and international relations, the MEA added.

The prime minister also met with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong on the sidelines of the same event. During the meeting with Loong, the two leaders discussed mutual cooperation in financial technology, enhanced connectivity and regional economic integration.

Modi, who arrived in Singapore earlier in the day, has a packed schedule during his two-day visit to the island nation. Besides the East Asia Summit, the prime minister will attend the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership summit and an informal ASEAN-India meeting.

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Earlier in the day, the prime minister delivered a keynote address at the Singapore Fintech Festival - the worlds largest event on financial technology. Speaking at the event, Modi said that technology has brought a historic transition and transformation as he pitched India as a favourite investment destination.

We are in an age of a historic transition brought about by technology. The character of the global economy is changing. Technology is defining competitiveness and power in the new world. And it is creating boundless opportunities to transform lives. the prime minister said.

He said that the explosion of finch innovation turned India into a leading Startup nation in the world and that the future of fintech and Industry 4.0 was emerging in the country.

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Kota:

The police on Monday rescued 38 calves from a cargo container truck abandoned near Bundi tunnel on Jaipur-Kota highway, an official said.

Acting on a tip-off by the Gau Raksha Dal volunteers, a police team reached the 1,080-meter tunnel on National Highway-54 between Jaipur and Kota and found the truck parked there, said Sub Inspector Ram Prasad Meghwal of the Bundi city police station.

The container truck was found stuffed with 40 young calves, two of which had died of suffocation, he said, adding that all the calves were immediately taken out and were shifted to a nearby cow shelter.

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The driver and the helper of the truck had fled after parking the vehicle on Jaipur-end of the tunnel after it was given a chase by some Gau Raksha Dal volunteers, suspecting that the calves were being smuggled.

The volunteers from Tonk district had informed police early Monday that the calves were being smuggled in a long container truck, following which the volunteers from Bundi intercepted the truck and began chasing it from Hindoli area and informed the Bundi police, said Bundi Gau Raksha Dal chief Nitesh Gandhi.

The police seized the truck and sent the rescued calves to a cow shed at Thikerda village near Bundi city, the sub-inspector said.

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The police subsequently lodged a case against the truck driver under various sections of the Cow Protection Act, SI Meghwal said, adding the seized truck bore a Jaipur registration number.

The carcass of two calves were sent for postmortem, said the sub-inspector, adding further probe is on into the case.
Colombo:

In a major turnaround of events, Sri Lankan Parliament on Wednesday voted against the newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The development, which comes a day after the Supreme Court overturned the presidential order dissolving the legislature, is seen as a boost for sacked PM Ranil Wickremesinghe.

President Maithripala Sirisena had sacked Wickremesinghe on October 26 and appointed former strongman Rajapaksa as the new premier of the island nation.

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Speaker Karu Jayasuriya ruled that the majority of parliamentarians of the 225-member Assembly supported the no-confidence motion against the Rajapaksa government.

However, the passage of the no-confidence motion against Rajapaksa doesn't guarantee a political victory to Wickremesinghe, whose party is the biggest in Parliament as President Sirisena still retains the power to choose the next prime minister.

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New Delhi:

A massive fire broke out at a factory in northwest Delhi's Bawana Industrial Area on Thursday morning. Firefighting operations are underway with as many as 22 fire engines are at the spot to douse the blaze, news agency ANI reported.

#Visuals A fire broke out in a factory in Delhi's Bawana Industrial Area, this morning. 22 fire tenders are present at the spot. Firefighting operations are underway. pic.twitter.com/Sp9XQycTPP  ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2018

#Visuals A fire broke out in a factory in Delhi's Bawana Industrial Area, this morning. Cooling operations underway pic.twitter.com/1LiPHWT3aH  ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2018

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The cause of the fire is not known yet and there are no reports of any injury as of now. A thick black smoke rising from the factory amid raging flames could be seen in the area.

(Further details awaited)
Mumbai:

Bollywood star Varun Dhawan will attend the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) for the screening of his film October, which is a part of the festival's Panorama segment.

"It was my dad who informed me that October was chosen to be part of the Panorama Section at IFFI. Since the time the film released, I have had many people come up to me and tell me how it has touched them or how they couldn't believe that a film like this was made in India. It's great that it is being showcased with the best movies this year," Varun said in a statement here.

In the Shoojit Sircar-directed film, Varun played the role of Dan, a hotel trainee who undergoes a transformation when his colleague Shuili (Banita Sandhu), is hospitalised after a freak accident. The 31-year-old actor was praised for his restrained portrayal of a man grappling with a crisis.

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"A lot of aspiring actors have told me that their teachers show them scenes from this movie. All this is touching but I really didn't do much acting (in 'October'). Shoojitda just made me live the film," Varun said.

The actor is currently busy shooting for Kalank. He has been signed up for a dance film with director Remo D'Souza and an action-entertainer with Shashank Khaitan.

IFFI will begin from November 20 in Goa.

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New York:

Taking the delay costs of both airlines and passengers into account can result in fewer delays and save airlines money, according to a study.

Researchers from Binghamton University in the US looked into how to make airports more efficient.

They did so by incorporating the actual cost of a delayed passenger into the equation, according to the study published in the Journal of Air Transport Management.

Currently, decision support systems (DSS) are used to help direct flights and air traffic in hopes of preventing delays.

Most of these systems use parameters such as time or distance to manage and determine the optimal schedule.

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The researchers developed two models that consider the actual cost incurred when passengers and flights are delayed.

Delay costs can include numerous things such as fuel consumption, maintenance, crew costs, taxiing and additional travel timeall of which are included in the models.

Airports mainly focus on increasing the runway throughput and, in general, most other papers focus on delay as a time, but they dont consider the actual cost of the delay, said Binghamton University PhD student Duaa Serhan.

The researchers explained that there are normally two perspectives used when scheduling aircraft and that these perspectives focus on different parameters to either maximise or minimise.

The first perspective is the airport itself. The second is that of the airlines or the companies operating the actual aircraft.

From the airports perspective, the runway throughput is the most important, so they want to quickly send out as many aircraft as possible, said Binghamton University Associate Professor Sang Won Yoon.

From the airline companys perspective, they just want to minimise the delay, Yoon said.

The airport tries to choose a schedule based on which one allows the most aircraft to leave in a given period, while the airlines want to minimise the amount of time the aircraft spends at an airport.

The researchers decided to take into account a third and often-overlooked perspective: the passengers.

Passenger delay costs can take many forms. The delay costs can represent things like missed connections or the cost associated with rebooking or compensation.

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Time is a cost, but airline companies also have to reroute passengers. If they miss the flight, then they have to schedule a new flight or provide a voucher.

There are also immeasurable costs, like missing a call with your family, or a business meeting, said Yoon.

In the researchers models, these inconveniences were captured by their classification of three types of delay costs: passenger delays, passenger missed connections and additional operating costs.

Two models were developed and tested under various air traffic scenarios and compared against three other commonly used scheduling methods.

One of the models that took the passengers perspective into account displayed the overall lowest airline and passenger delay cost, reducing the costs by a minimum of 6.4 per cent compared to the other methods.

It was also able to reduce the number of flight delays by 8.6-65.4 per cent when compared to two of the other reference models, and performed similarly to the third reference model.

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New Delhi:

At least four Border Security Force (BSF) jawans, one DRG and a civilian were injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur on Wednesday morning. According to reports, the BSF jawans were returning from election duty when the Naxals attacked them. The first phase of polling in the Assembly Elections took place on Monday.

#SpotVisuals from the site of IED blast in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur Ghatti, in which 4 BSF jawans, one District Reserve Guard and one civilian were injured, today. The injured are currently undergoing treatment at district hospital in Bijapur. pic.twitter.com/ydxfK15ukt  ANI (@ANI) November 14, 2018

4 BSF jawans, one DRG and one civilian injured in IED blast in Bijapur Ghatti (7 kms from Bijapur). All injured have been admitted to a hospital in Bijapur. Exchange of fire underway b/w security forces&naxals,situation under control:P Sundarraj, DIG-Anti-Naxal Ops, #Chhattisgarh pic.twitter.com/hyQUcd7ADg  ANI (@ANI) November 14, 2018

A gunfight between the Naxals and security personnel is currently on in the thickly forested area of Mahadev Ghati.

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#Visuals of BSF jawans injured in IED blast in Bijapur Ghatti today, being treated at district hospital in Bijapur, #Chhattisgarh pic.twitter.com/4XEGGNxnaD  ANI (@ANI) November 14, 2018

The IED blast targeted a vehicle carrying BSF personnel who were being de-inducted from election duty.

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"Four Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, belonging to 414th battalion, a District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan, and a civilian, who was driving the vehicle, received injuries in the improvised explosive device (IED) blast," Deputy Inspector General (anti-Naxal operations), Sundarraj P told PTI. Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the injured persons were shifted to a local hospital, he said, adding that a search operation was underway in the region.
New Delhi:

Several district collectors in Tamil Nadu have declared holiday for schools and colleges on Thursday as the cyclonic storm Gaja over the Bay of Bengal lay at about 470 km south east from Chennai and is set to make landfall between Cuddalore and Pamban in the evening bringing heavy rainfall to the state. Besides Tamil Nadu, all educational institutions in Puducherry and Karaikal regions will remain closed in view of the cyclone.

The Tamil Nadu government has already declared that 30,500 rescue personnel are on standby. The district collectors of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and Ramanathapuram have declared holiday for schools and colleges.

Gaja that lay over southwest and adjoining southeast and west central Bay of Bengal is about 550 km north east of Nagapattinam and is very likely to cross coast between Pamban and Cuddalore on Thursday evening or night with a wind speed gusting upto 100 kmph, the Met office said.

Against the backdrop of the Central Water Commission advising constant vigil over dams, Tamil Nadu Revenue Minister RB Udayakumar told reporters that dams, lakes and rivers channels were being monitored continuously.

The CWC had advised action as per the Standard Operating Procedure as heavy rainfall in catchment areas could fill up the dams fast in less than 24 hours.

On Wednesday, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy held a review meeting with officials of various departments at Thirunallar in Karaikal district and took stock of the preparedness.

The Chief Minister directed the district authorities to keep stock of relief materials. Urging officials to ensure supply of protected drinking water to all areas, Narayanasamy said if needed he would camp in Karaikal to coordinate the activities. Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have arrived here to provide emergency assistance.

The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into sea.

The IMD said the system was likely to weaken gradually and cross Tamil Nadu coast between Cuddalore and Pamban as a cyclonic storm on November 15 forenoon.

Damages to thatched huts and houses likely

# The IMD also warned of major damage to thatched huts and houses.

"Roof tops may blow off ...damage to power and communication lines," it said adding standing crops could also be hit and cautioned sea water intrusion in low lying areas.

# The Central Water Commission asked Tamil Nadu and Kerala authorities to maintain strict vigil at various dams which come under the "cyclone field" and are already 80 per cent to 91 per cent full.

Puducherry also likely to be hit

# Neighbouring union territory of Puducherry, which is also covered by the cyclone alert, said it is on high alert as well and precautionary steps are being taken to meet the situation.

# Puducherry Revenue and Industries Minister MOHF Shah Jahan said the union territory has been put on high alert.

(With PTI inputs)

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New Delhi :

Upping the ante against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged Rafale scam, the Opposition on Friday claimed that the silence of PM on the matter was a fresh proof of irregularities in the Rafale deal and a precursor to a massive storm.

The silence of the Narendra Modi government on the new skeletons that have tumbled out of their Rafale scam cupboard is a precursor to a massive storm, Congress leader Pawan Khera told reporters.

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Terming the Rafale deal Indias biggest defence scam, Khera said that Modi cant escape his political and constitutional responsibility and demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe in the scandal.

Khera said that the management meet note of Reliance Infrastructure was another proof of Modi governments involvement in the Rafale scam. The note, prepared by ICICI bank, claimed that Anil Ambanis Reliance Defence has formed a joint venture with French company Dassault Aviation for execution of offset obligations as part of the deal.

Every day, new sets of irrefutable evidence are lining up at the doorstep of prime minister Modi which cements the charges of squandering national interests, brazen crony capitalism, kickbacks and corruption and serious illegalities that have taken place in the murky saga of Rafale scam, the Congress leader said.

Khera said if Dassault Aviation in its annual report can reveal the price per aircraft, if Reliance Defence can reveal the aircraft price and if a retired bureaucrat and former Head of Finances in Defence Ministry, can reveal the benchmark price, why the government cannot.

The Congress had Thursday accused Modi of compromising national interest on the Rafale issue, with party chief Rahul Gandhi alleging that the latest skeleton to tumble out of the Rafale cupboard is that there is no guarantee by the French government backing the deal.

(With PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi:

Delhi cannot become a smart city till the fighting among multiple agencies stops, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said.

Speaking at an event organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the NDMC Convention Centre here, he called for clarity in the national capitals governance.

Delhi industries minister Satyendar Jain also attended the event.

Sisodia said there is total confusion in the national capital owing to multiplicity of agencies.

Until and unless we make our governance system smarter, no technology can help us, he said.

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We have a Delhi that belongs to the DDA, a Delhi that belongs to LG sahab, one Delhi that is of the Delhi Police, one Delhi that belongs to the NDMC. You need to bring clarity for becoming a smart city, he added.

The deputy chief minister said multiple agencies taking decisions for the people of Delhi results in chaos.

There is hardly any coordination among these agencies for the welfare of Delhiites and they are fighting among themselves. In such circumstances, converting the present landscape of Delhi into a smarter city would not be possible, he said.

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Sisodia said smart governance is the core solution to develop a smart city in which a single authority is put in place to take decisions without any political ill will to provide a better life to citizens.

Jain concurred with Sisodia and accused the Delhi Development Authority and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi of being corrupt.

He said the current system has become quite opaque and there needs to be transparency.
New Delhi:

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday denied having any rift with state Congress chief Sachin Pilot and said that they both will fight the December 7 Assembly elections.

"Both, I and Sachin Pilot will fight the Rajasthan assembly elections," Gehlot said in a press conference in Delhi with Pilot sitting by his side.

With the announcement, the suspense on the name of the Congress partys chief ministerial face has deepened as both Gehlot and Pilot are claimants for the top job. The Rajasthan Congress is reportedly divided between two factions - loyalists of Gehlot and Pilot.

"On Congress president Rahul Gandhi's instruction and on Gehlotji's request, I have decided to contest the Assembly elections. We all will together ensure a massive victory for the Congress in the upcoming polls," Pilot added.

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The Congress party is hoping to come back to power in Rajasthan as BJP's chief ministerial face Vasundhara Raje is facing massive anti-incumbency in the state. News Nation's recent opinion poll on Rajasthan elections had predicted massive victory for the Congres party in the December 7 Assembly elections.

Earlier in the day, in a major set back for the BJP, its MP from Dausa, Harish Meena, joined the Congress party ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections. Meena, a former DGP, described the move as his "ghar vapasi".
Last week there was a leak from the plant of the Baniyas oil refinery. The slick spread north along the Syrian coast. and will reach the Karpas Peninsula in the Turkish-controlled north on Tuesday. The Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus said that it is taking all necessary measures to avoid harm, and is receiving aid from Turkey. The Syrian government said last Tuesday that a fuel tank at the Baniyas Thermal Power Station had accidentally leaked. Now it had reached the city of Jableh at a distance of about 20 km to the north. Teams began cleaning up oil from rocky areas of the coast, using sand to soak up the fuel as well as machines using suction.

Meanwhile Slick had spread further along the coast to reach the city of Latakia, and covered about 150 km (58 sq mi) of sea. The Cypriot government issued a warning about slick on Monday, with the Cypriot Department of Fisheries and Marine Research saying that slick appears to have an "oil sheen" rather than crude oil, and computer modeling and meteorological data suggested that it would remain within 24 hours. Will affect the cape inside.

New satellite imagery analyisis by @EOSOrbital using Sentinel-1 indicats that the #Baniyas oil spill seems way larger than anticipated, with almost 1000km2, though visual IDing is need to see if and how big the oil sheen is h/t @HarelDan pic.twitter.com/eqDK1vdD0D ? Wim Zwijnenburg (@wammezz) August 30, 2021

The prime minister of the TRNC, Ersson Saner, said that the progress of the spill is being closely followed by his office and all relevant ministries and organizations with the cooperation of Turkey. Whatever is necessary will be done to save our country from the damage caused by this leak, Mr. Sanor said. Turkey's vice-president, Fuat Okte, said that we hope to control the slick in the open sea before it reaches the coast of Cyprus, "mobilizing every means available to us without giving it any chance of turning into an environmental disaster."

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Kathmandu: After the boundary row of last year, there was peace in bilateral ties between Nepal and India. There were high-level meetings and contacts between India, Nepal. But that seems to be fading away now. The presence of Indian Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in a recent incident in which a Nepali national fell into Mahakali while crossing the river using a cable and went missing, is likely to invite another round of a diplomatic row between Kathmandu and New Delhi.

The locals of Darchula district of Nepal said one Jay Singh Dhami of Darchula district fell into the Mahakali River in July end after the Indian SSB removed the cable. Then Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs formed a 5-member investigation team led by Joint Secretary Janardan Gautam on August 1 to probe the matter. The Gautam-led panel has submitted its report to the Home Minister Bal Krishna Khad stating that "it appears the incident took place in the presence of Indian security personnel" and recommended that the government take diplomatic initiatives to bring the perpetrators to book.

On July 30, Jaya Singh Dhami, 33, from Khangdang Mal of Byas Rural Municipality-2 in Darchula fell into Mahakali while crossing the river using an improvised cable crossing, locally known as tuin. Media reports based on eyewitness accounts suggested that an SSB person had untangled the cable just when Dhami was about to reach the Indian side, across the river.

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New Delhi: India's Ambassador to Doha, Qatar, Deepak Mittal, met With Sher Mohammad Abbas, head of the Taliban's political office, a meeting held on the Taliban's demand. Meanwhile, discussions were held on the safety and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The meeting also discussed Afghan citizens, especially minorities who want to go to India. Ambassador Mittal has expressed concern over the use of Afghanistan's soil for terrorism.

This is the first official meeting between India and the Taliban, the terror group. The Taliban have assured support on India's issues. The Taliban representative assured the Indian Ambassador that these issues would be considered positively. On the other hand, there is an atmosphere of celebration among the Taliban after the U.S. Central Command completed the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. The Taliban, calling the occupation of Afghanistan its second freedom. With this, efforts have been made to take the people of Afghanistan into confidence.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, 'We have regained our independence and we will serve the people of Afghanistan.' Earlier, he wrote on Twitter that, 'The last American soldiers were evacuated from Kabul airport at midnight on Monday. In this way, our country has become completely independent.'

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New Delhi: Bangladesh vaccine scientist Dr. Firdausi Qadri and Pakistan microfinancier (economist) Mohammad Amjad Saqib has been included in the list of five people to be awarded this year's Ramon Magsaysay Award. The names of the winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, considered Asia's Nobel Prize, were announced on Tuesday. Among the awardees is Dr. Firdousi Qadri of Bangladesh and Saqib of Pakistan, as well as Philippine fisheries and community environmentalist Roberto Ballon, American citizen Steven Munsi, who works for humanitarian work and help refugees, and Indonesian watch dock for investigative journalism.

Dr. Qadri, 70, has a doctorate from the prestigious University of Liverpool in the UK. He joined the International Centre for Research on Cholera in Dhaka in 1988. Dr Qadri is credited with developing an affordable anti-cholera vaccine and typhoid vaccine for adults, children, and infants. He has done a lot of work in slum areas of developed countries. Saqib, a 64-year-old Pakistani activist, has developed the first interest-free microfinance program of its kind, 'Akhuwat,' which uses places of worship to provide zero-interest loans, recording an unprecedented loan repayment.

Saqib is known for his intelligence and compassion, which enabled him to develop the largest microfinance institution in Pakistan. He believes that humanitarian aid and solidarity are the only ways to eradicate poverty. The winners will be formally awarded the Magsaysay Award during the November 28 event at the Ramon Magsaysay Centre in Manila.

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Kabul: Al-Qaeda has congratulated the Taliban on their victory in Afghanistan. The congratulatory message calls for 'liberating' Kashmir and other so-called Islamic lands 'from the clutches of enemies of Islam.' Al Qaeda's congratulatory message has raised India's concerns. After US forces left Afghanistan, the Taliban declared that Afghanistan has achieved complete independence. Shortly thereafter, Al-Qaeda sent a congratulatory message to the Taliban.

Al-Qaeda has captioned its message to the Taliban, "Happy Independence given by Allah to Islamic Ummah in Afghanistan.'' The message says, "O Allah, Levant, Somalia, Yemen, Kashmir and other Islamic lands of the world should be liberated from the enemies of Islam. O Allah, give freedom to Muslim prisoners all over the world.'' Al-Qaeda further wrote in its message that we praise almighty and omnipresent Allah for insulting and defeating America, the head of distrust.

Al-Qaeda wrote, "We praise them for breaking America and defeating them on Afghanistan, the land of Islam." Further, he has written that Afghanistan is definitely the graveyard of empires. With the US outperforming, the country has expelled separatist forces thrice in a short period of two decades.

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Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is scheduled to visit India at the end of 2021 to discuss with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi measures to advance bilateral comprehensive and strategic partnership, the country's ambassador, Pham Sanh Chau, said here on Wednesday.

Earlier, during a telephonic conversation in July, PM Modi had congratulated Chinh on his appointment as the premier of Vietnam and invited him to undertake an official visit to India at an early suitable date. PM Modi had expressed confidence that the India-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership will continue to become stronger under Chinh's able guidance.

Now, the Vietnam's diplomat said, ''Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is scheduled to pay an official visit to India at the end of 2021 to discuss with PM Modi measures to advance our bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership forward,'' the diplomat said at the event. This will be the second bust of Ho Chi Minh in India, the first being in Kolkata. Chau said a bust of Mahatma Gandhi will be inaugurated in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on the occasion of his 152nd birth anniversary on October 2.

Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi and Chau also inaugurated a bust of Vietnam's founding father and President Ho Chi Minh at Kautilya Marg park in the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri.

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Washington: The U.S. has withdrawn its military from Afghanistan. With the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Kabul, the 20-year-long war has also come to an end. U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the country after the withdrawal of the U.S. military. Biden, while addressing the nation, counted the mission's losses in Afghanistan, and explained why it was necessary to end the campaign.

No one else can do what we've done in Afghanistan, Joe Biden said. It's a matter of pride for us. Our campaign has been successful. We took this decision strategically, Biden said, taking responsibility for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. We maintained peace there for nearly 20 years. In the civil war, trained nearly three million soldiers to deal with the Taliban the terror group.

In his address, U.S. President Joe Biden acknowledged that he had no choice but to leave Kabul. Biden said I didn't want to prolong the war anymore. Taliban release 5,000 of its commanders from jail. We forced the Taliban to a ceasefire. Referring to a recent resolution on Afghanistan passed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the US President said that we stand by these countries.

8 Injured, Aircraft Damaged In Drone Attack On Saudi Airport

Emirates announces appointment of Mohammad Sarhan as vice president for India, Nepal

Palestinian factions and Islamic Hamas Movement slam Abbas-Gantz meeting
Manu Karki and her husband were on a trip to Taiwan for four days, in 2018. Her brothers friends in the country, Susu and Apollo, guided the couple during the visit.

Both of them were leading eco-friendly lifestyles. They didnt use anything made of plastics, which I thought would be impossible in the modern age, Karki remembers, I noticed that even while going to a restaurant or cafe, they were carrying tiffin boxes and mugs with them. These two people, vegan, were carrying eco-friendly bags.

As Karki narrates, she was so impressed and inspired by their zero-waste lifestyle that she realised what difference even a single individuals efforts can make for the environment. She says, Their lifestyle inspired me to follow an eco-friendly lifestyle.

After coming back to Nepal, she tried to adapt to a plastic-free lifestyle. In the process, she says that she found that such products were not easily available. Nonetheless, Karki opened an Instagram page in order to share her eco-friendly journey, thinking it might inspire people as she was inspired by Susu and Apollo.

Gradually, Karki was more fascinated by the idea and tried to implement some of them. I first ordered a bamboo toothbrush. I waited for about one month to get it delivered and when I had it in my hand, it was wrapped in plastic bubble wrap, which disappointed me a lot.

Manu Karki, founder of Eco Sathi Nepal. Photo: Eco Sathi Nepal

Months later, this incident triggered an idea to start her own company to sell eco-friendly products. Eco Sathi Nepal, a startup registered on August 8, 2019, with the main motto of advocating an eco-friendly lifestyle, making more and more Nepali people aware of this, is the result.

Focus on eco-friendliness

Many products people use in their daily life are made of plastics. As an alternative to those daily essentials, Eco Sathi Nepal offers toothbrushes, hairbrushes, combs, water bottles, bags, menstrual cups, cutlery, and many more made of decomposable elements.

Karki, 30, a dentist by profession, shares how she started her journey as an entrepreneur, I brought about 1,000 bamboo brushes from Vietnam, investing Rs 50,000 in the beginning. I started Eco Sathi Nepal with toothbrushes as it is the first daily essential we all use after we wake up and also, I have been practising dentistry since 2013. I have a good understanding of toothbrushes compared to any other products.

Surprisingly, all the toothbrushes were sold out within two months. It motivated her to continue the import and sale. In the meantime, her company purchased eco-friendly products made in Nepal also and sold them.

We import eco-friendly products specially made from bamboos such as a hairbrush, toothbrush, recyclable cutlery from countries like India and China, she explains, Further, we also sell products made in Nepal such as an all-in-one bag that has about seven compartments, allo soap saver, make-up remover cotton pads, and soap dish.





Products of Eco Sathi Nepal. Photo: Eco Sathi Nepal

The price of Eco Sathi Nepal products ranges from Rs 150 to Rs 1,550. As per Karki, the companys products have reached many places both inside and outside Nepal such as the UK, and the USA.

Customers response

Karki explains she earned and is still earning a good customer base in the country. We dont believe in over-consumption. You buy something only when you need it. We post the products photos on our social media pages along with descriptions of their significance. Word of mouth has also helped our customer base grow.

Similarly, regarding the consciousness of the eco-friendly lifestyle, Karki believes it is not a difficult task as older generations were already practising an eco-friendly lifestyle in the country. However, after plastic products came to use, they began using them due to convenience. But, I also feel that youth are very conscious of eco-friendly lifestyles as this topic is much talked about, she adds.

However, Karki recalls she has passed many hurdles since launching the business. Many of them are still challenging her. I had a hard time managing my duty as a dentist and the owner of this company when I started off. But, I didnt give up, visualising the changes one can make to environmental sustainability.





Products of Eco Sathi Nepal. Photo: Eco Sathi Nepal

To overcome that, she gave her morning and evening times to the company. But, when this didnt work, then I started doing part-time dentistry and side by side managing this company. Further, she also hired five part-time staff members who are looking after accounts, technical parts, packaging, and whole management.

Another challenge that Eco Sathi is dealing with is that some of the imported products are a bit expensive as one has to pay high taxes even for eco-friendly products. It is quite challenging to make people understand why it costs a bit more, informs Karki.

As I am not from a business and management background and I know nothing about record-keeping and managing accounts. It was a huge challenge, she adds.

Furthermore, she says the challenge with the Nepali products is about difficulties in getting raw materials as some of them need to be imported. Due to that, it is hard to maintain the consistency of the products.

To cope with this problem, what we did is to bring better products than those in the past, shares Karki.

Coping with every challenge coming on the way, Eco Sathi Nepal is now in a very good status, Karki claims.

With that, Karki is now planning to go into production and aim at reaching out to more and more people and making them aware of the significance of the eco-friendly lifestyle. Along with that, We look forward to increasing the access of Nepali people to the easy availability of eco-friendly products.
Kathmandu, September 1

The Ministry of Health and Population has informed that Nepals Covid-19 tally has reached 848,204 as of Wednesday afternoon.

The ministry said 2,052 new cases were confirmed in the country in the past 24 hours.

In this period, 10,612 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which returned 1,648 positive. Likewise, 4,323 people underwent antigen tests for the virus, of which an additional 404 tested positive.

Of total tests, 15.52 per cent of the PCR and 9.34 per cent of antigen samples returned positive, keeping the overall per-day positivity rate at 13.73 per cent.

As of today, there are 34,189 active cases across the country. Of them, 2,377 are hospitalised, 563 in intensive care units and 170 on ventilators.

In the past 24 hours, 3,030 people have achieved recovery whereas 20 deaths have been reported.

Of the total cases so far, 719,336 people have achieved recovery. Likewise, 10,770 died, according to the ministry. The countrys recovery rate is 94.1 per cent and the death 1.5 rate per cent.
" " Ancient limestone dice, dating from the Middle Ages, don't look so different than the dice we roll today. DEA/A. DAGLI ORTI/De Agostini/Getty Images

Dice have been around for most of recorded history. Used in everything from board games to divination to gambling, they've been tossed by civilizations across the globe.

Dice probably arose independently in several regions, and so their exact origins are shrouded in mystery. But dice seem to be a staple of human ingenuity. "The idea to attribute values to the different sides of one object was, of course, a revolutionary idea," says archaeologist Ulrich Schaedler, director of the Swiss Museum of Games.

Let's take a closer look at that revolutionary idea with a brief history of dice.

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Sticks, Stones and Knucklebones

When most people think of dice, they generally picture a six-sided white cube sporting one to six black dots on each side. But this hasn't always been the predominant dice template.

Ancient dice were often made of stick, shell or seed and most were two-sided, often with one flat side and one rounded side, like a shelled peanut. Sometimes the two sides were decorated with paint or carvings to further differentiate them. Two-sided dice were widely used by ancient peoples across the globe, from the Aztecs to Native Polynesians. Some modern cultures, like the Navajo Nation, still use them for traditional games.

Astragals, also known as knucklebones, are fascinating objects in their own right. As their colloquial name suggests, knucklebones are literal bones taken from the back ankle of a sheep, goat, deer, horse or other large, hoofed mammal. They have been used as four-sided dice since at least the fifth century B.C.E. by numerous civilizations, including Indigenous Americans, ancient Greeks and ancient Egyptians, who prized them so highly that they were sometimes buried with their favorite astragals. In Roman antiquity, each of the four sides was given a name corresponding to its shape: the belly, the hole, the ear and the vulture.

Tossing knucklebones is not a truly random process. Two of the sides  the belly and the hole  are much broader than the other two and are therefore more likely to come up. Ancient Romans assigned points accordingly. The broad sides were worth 3 and 4 points, while the ear and the vulture were worth 6 and 1 points, respectively. "They were aware of this different probability," says Schaedler, "So, good luck comes very rarely, but bad luck comes also very rarely."

"Dice changed over time from natural objects, such as shells and sticks or astragals, to manufactured objects," says Anne-Elizabeth Dunn-Vaturi, a researcher at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Today, plastic or metal versions of knucklebones are popular in some parts of Europe. But none of these dice resemble anything you'd find in a Vegas casino. So the question is: Where and why did dice become cubes?

" " These game objects made from ivory  dice, knucklebones (astragals) and counters  were found at Volubilis, a partially excavated city in Morocco, and date from the first to the thirrd century B.C.E. DEA/A. DAGLI ORTI/De Agostini/Getty Images

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Squaring Up and Squaring Off

The oldest known cubic dice date back to around 2500 B.C.E. and come from the Indus Valley, which encompasses much of present-day Iraq (as well as parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India). Scholars aren't quite sure what prompted people to use a six-sided shape, but they speculate that it probably had something to do with adding randomness  after all, a cube has more configurations than a four-sided astragal, which in turn has more configurations than a two-sided stick. Early cubic dice were made from clay or bone; later models were sculpted from marble, metal or even amber.

Even though these archaic dice were recognizably cubes, they still differed from the modern casino format. "Today, dice are almost always made with the opposite sides adding up to seven," says Jelmer Eerkens, an archaeologist at the University of California Davis. "But a lot of ancient dice are not in that configuration." A common arrangement in the pre-medieval Netherlands, for example, put 1 opposite 2, 3 across from 4, and 5 opposing 6. The modern "opposing sevens" configuration became standard sometime in the late Middle Ages.

Polyhedral dice (a term that includes our friend the cube) were used in many ancient games. In Rome, they were the basis for tali and tesserae  in China, they were critical pieces in liubo, a mysterious Zhou Dynasty-era game that also involved bamboo sticks, chips, ivory game pieces and a knife.

Of course, not all ancient dice were made for fun and games. Some had a much more serious purpose: foretelling the future.

" " A Roman dice game recovered from a first-century B.C.E. Gallo-Roman barge discovered in the Rhone river in 2004. Patrick Aventurier/Getty Images

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Rolling Fortunes

When asked about quantum mechanics, Albert Einstein famously quipped that "God does not play dice with the universe." But it seems that the ancient Greeks and Romans would have taken issue with Einstein's proclamation; they believed that it was possible to divine the gods' will with a roll of the dice.

The name for this custom is astragalomancy, which derives from the astragals used by early practitioners. As time went on, however, manufactured dice became increasingly popular. The problem was, these dice weren't particularly random. "These Roman period dice, they're asymmetrical," says Eerkens, "they're six-sided dice, but they're not cubes." Many were elongated into rectangular prisms, or slanted toward one side.

But according to Eerkens' research, that might not have bothered Roman fortunetellers. "Because they thought the gods sort of controlled the outcome," he says, "it just mattered that all the different possibilities were present on a die."

Of course that reasoning wouldn't fly in a Vegas casino  under Nevada law, the penalty for gambling with asymmetric dice is one to five years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. So, next time you find yourself at the craps table, maybe leave the ancient divination dice at home.

Now That's Interesting Today, the infamous d20 dice are a geeky badge of honor usually associated with Dungeons & Dragons or other tabletop role-playing games. But it isn't a modern invention. The oldest d20s, which date back to Hellenistic Egypt, were made from semi-precious stones and covered in cool-looking glyphs.
FCW Insider: September 1, 2021

With a $1 billion cash infusion, relaxed repayment guidelines and a surge in proposals from federal agencies, questions have been raised about whether the board overseeing the Technology Modernization Fund has been scaled to cope with its newfound popularity.

The office will implement a strategic modernization plan for unemployment insurance set to range from developing modular tech capabilities to identity verification.

A report from the General Services Administration's Office of the Inspector General says the agency's Public Buildings Services at times failed to follow CDC guidelines around reporting and cleaning procedures for COVID-19 incidents.

The first cohort of the new program, which launches in the fall, will focus on pandemic response, the economy, cybersecurity and streamlining government services.

Quick Hits

*** GovExec has acquired the Public Sector 360 division of 1105 Media in a deal that was announced on Tuesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Public Sector 360 publications FCW, Washington Technology, GCN, Defense Systems and Federal Soup are now part of GovExec, along with the government events business and the custom publishing and marketing services operations. Troy Schneider, who is general manager of Public Sector 360 and editor-in-chief of FCW and GCN, will become GovExec's general manager for government technology brands.

*** Defense Department hires could get a shorter probationary period in the 2022 defense policy bill, but the Federal Managers Association has urged against it. The House Armed Services Committees version of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act is scheduled to be marked up Sept. 1 and carries a provision that would cut DODs probationary period for new hires in half, down to one year.

The FMA has urged Congress to take "no action on this issue" with its president, Craig Carter, saying that cutting the probationary period would be "irresponsible and irrational" before an independent study on the impacts has been completed and reviewed.

"The study ordered by Congress, and conducted by the RAND Corporation, has not been completed, finalized or analyzed," Carter said in an emailed statement. "It would therefore be irresponsible and irrational for Congress to take premature action related to the DOD probationary period until after the results of the study are released with evidence and data determining if the probationary period should be altered or not."

*** The White House hasn't yet given a timeline for the release of the President's Management Agenda. However, Dustin Brown, deputy assistant director for management at the Office of Management and Budget, said at the National Defense Industrial Association's 2021 iFest conference on Tuesday that the administration was planning to use the PMA to advance equity and climate change issues while using evidence-based data to help agencies achieve their missions.
(Adds comments by U.S. special envoy)

By Josh Smith and Hyonhee Shin

SEOUL, Aug 23 (Reuters) - The United States has no hostile intent toward Pyongyang and is open to meeting any time and any place, Washington's special envoy for North Korea said on Monday during a visit to South Korea.

Sung Kim arrived in Seoul on Saturday for a four-day visit.

The visit comes as a brief thaw in inter-Korean relations in July gave way to a new standoff over U.S.-South Korean military exercises that North Korea has warned could trigger a security crisis.

"The United States does not have hostile intent toward (North Korea)," Kim told reporters after meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Noh Kyu-duk.

"The ongoing (U.S.-South Korea) combined military exercises are longstanding, routine, and purely defensive in nature and support the security of both our countries."

Noh said the two discussed possible humanitarian aid to North Korea, as well as ways to restart stalled denuclearisation talks.

"We agreed to work together to resume dialogue with North Korea as soon as possible," he said.

On Sunday Kim met with Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong at the minister's residence, where they discussed ways for a speedy resumption of the peace process on the Korean peninsula, a foreign ministry official said.

In an interview with KBS, South Korea's national broadcaster, Kim urged Pyongyang to return to dialogue, saying Washington was ready to address its concerns.

"We are willing to address the full range of issues and concerns including those that are of importance to DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)," Kim said. "Given the opportunity we will be able to make substantial progress."

The U.S. envoy is expected to meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov on Tuesday in Seoul.

The nine-day joint military exercise began on Aug. 16, with silence so far from North Korean state media despite fears that the country could conduct a missile test or take other actions to underscore its disapproval.

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North Korea has said it is open to diplomacy, but that the American overtures appear hollow while "hostile acts" such as the drills continue.

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has said it will explore diplomacy to achieve North Korean denuclearisation, but shown no willingness to ease sanctions.

The United States supports efforts to improve ties between the two Koreas and remains open to direct talks with Pyongyang, Kim said.

"I continue to stand ready to meet with my North Korean counterparts anywhere at any time," he said. (Reporting by Josh Smith and Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Michael Perry and Tomasz Janowski)
Icon Award celebrates an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the restaurant industry worthy of global recognition

LONDON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 50 Best today bestows the honour of the Icon Award 2021 upon French chef Dominique Crenn, who has not only made significant contributions within the hospitality space but has also used her platform to raise awareness and drive positive change. In addition to being named The World's Best Female Chef in 2016, Crenn has made history throughout the course of her career while blazing a trail for future chefs to follow.

The winner of The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants Icon Award 2021 Dominique Crenn, co-owner and chef of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, ranked No.35 on The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants list of 2019.

Dominique Crenn will receive her award at the official ceremony for The World's 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, to be held in Antwerp, Flanders, on 5th October.

The French-born, San Francisco-based chef developed a keen interest in cuisine from her parents before she moved to the US aged 24 and began her formal training. Crenn opened Atelier Crenn in San Francisco in 2011 and the restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star within months. In 2012, Crenn became the first US female chef to oversee a restaurant given two stars. She then beat her own record in 2018 when Atelier Crenn achieved three-star status. In 2019, Atelier Crenn ranked No.35 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

Since being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 (now in remission), Crenn has spoken openly about her health to raise awareness of the disease. As a self-identified half-European, half North-African individual, Crenn also campaigned passionately for Black Lives Matter in 2020 and beyond.

William Drew, Director of Content for The World's 50 Best Restaurants says: "Dominique Crenn is not just an outstanding chef and restaurateur, she is an example of someone who speaks truth to power in every aspect of her life  through her leadership, humanity and endless campaigning for social justice within as well as outside of the hospitality sphere."

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Dominique Crenn says: "It is an incredible honour to be selected as the recipient of the 50 Best Icon Award this year. For my work to be recognised by my peers fills me with such pride and appreciation. I hope to use this platform as an opportunity to give back and to inspire the next generation to be true to themselves and to always enjoy the journey."

Media center registration and access:

https://www.theworlds50best.com/mediacentre/media-contacts

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The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2021

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SOURCE 50 Best
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa, August 31, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE: AEL) (American Equity) announced today that Axel Andre will join the company as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in September.

"I am delighted to welcome Axel to be a part of our executive leadership team. I believe he brings the right combination of intellect, curiosity and proven leadership experiences, to serve as our next CFO as AEL transforms itself into a unique company at the intersection of the insurance and asset management value chain," said Anant Bhalla, CEO and President of American Equity.

"American Equity is a company on the move," added Axel Andre. "I have watched with admiration its track record of success and look forward to building upon it as we execute the companys transformational strategy."

Previous to American Equity, Andre was Executive Vice President and CFO for Jackson National. Prior to that he spent nearly 7 years at AIG. Andre joined AIG initially as Chief Risk Officer for Individual Retirement, Group Retirement, and Institutional Markets. He was promoted to Chief Financial Officer of Individual Retirement at AIG, where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the finance and actuarial value chain for the Individual Retirement business, including asset-liability management, hedging, reporting and capital management. Prior to his time at AIG, Andre served as a Managing Director on the Global Insurance Strategies team at Goldman Sachs. Andre holds a PhD in Physics from Harvard University and a Masters in Science in Physics from Imperial College in London.

ABOUT AMERICAN EQUITY

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is a leading issuer of fixed index annuities through independent agents, banks and broker-dealers. American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, a New York Stock Exchange listed company (NYSE: AEL), is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. For more information, please visit www.american-equity.com.

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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210831006049/en/

Contacts

Steven Schwartz | Head of Investor Relations

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company

515-273-3763 | sschwartz@american-equity.com
FILE PHOTO: Pedestrians walk past the main entrance to the Reserve Bank of Australia head office in central Sydney, Australia

By Paulina Duran

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's treasurer has asked the central bank to consider forcing large- and medium-sized banks and debit card issuers to give merchants a multiple network option that would allow payments to be processed more cheaply.

A multiple network option allows businesses to choose cheaper domestic systems instead of the prevalent but more expensive Visa Inc and Mastercard Inc networks.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said in May it expected Australia's Big Four banks to continue issuing dual-network debit cards, but it did not see the need to mandate it or expect it from smaller banks.

"Recognising the critical role of dual-network debit cards in facilitating least-cost routing, the Government strongly encourages the Board to consider mandating their issuance for major and medium-sized financial institutions," said Josh Frydenberg in a letter to the RBA dated Aug. 30, which was seen by Reuters.

The central bank declined to comment on the letter. Mastercard said it had concerns about such a mandate.

"There is a real risk that unequal comparisons will result in a 'race to the bottom' on pricing and consumers will bear the cost  both financially and when it comes to their data safety," a Mastercard spokeswoman said.

A Visa spokeswoman also said cost was only one of the factors merchants considered when choosing a network to process payments. Others included "security, convenience and the overall customer experience", she said.

Business groups have been calling for the RBA, the main regulator of the country's payments system, to mandate multi-network cards that can be set up to process payments via the lowest-cost networks by default.

"Least-cost routing means providing small business access to cheaper domestic debit payments schemes such as eftpos, rather than requiring transactions fees to only go through the far more expensive international providers," National Retail Association CEO Dominique Lamb said in a statement.

Local payments firm eftpos said it offered "the same payments security as Visa and Mastercard, including an automated disputes and charge-backs systems that the international schemes have."

(Reporting by Paulina Duran in Sydney; Editing by Gerry Doyle and Ana Nicolaci da Costa)
Additions establish firms transactional practice in the region and expand national practice capabilities

Cassandra G. Mott, Partner, Blank Rome LLP

Cassandra G. Mott, Partner, Blank Rome LLP

Sarah H. Frazier, Partner, Blank Rome LLP

Sarah H. Frazier, Partner, Blank Rome LLP

Houston, TX, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Cassandra G. Mott and Sarah H. Frazier have joined the firms Houston office as partners in its Finance, Restructuring, and Bankruptcy practice group. Cassandra and Sarah represent financial institutions, including commercial banks and non-bank lenders, as well as borrowers, in a variety of commercial transactions. They join Blank Rome from Holland & Knight LLP and were partners at Thompson & Knight before the two firms recently combined. At Thompson & Knight, Cassandra served as the firms Houston office leader and finance practice leader.

We are thrilled to welcome Cassandra and Sarah to Blank Rome, notably as we continue to celebrate the tenth anniversary of our Houston office this year, said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Romes Managing Partner and CEO. Cassandra and Sarah are proven leaders with stellar reputations in the Houston business community and beyond. Their addition to our Houston office not only affirms our commitment to this growing market, but also formally establishes our firms transactional practice in the region and significantly enhances our national capabilities on both the borrower and lender sides for our finance clients.

Cassandra and Sarah counsel clients across a range of industries, including consumer products, oil and gas, technology, healthcare, manufacturing, chemicals, transportation, retail, and more, for clients throughout the United States and around the world. Collectively, they represent borrowers, as well as financial institutions, private equity funds and their portfolio companies, and other credit providers in a variety of secured and unsecured transactions, such as oil and gas secured financings, acquisition financing, syndicated lending, the workout and restructuring of credit facilities, and note purchase and sale transactions. Cassandra also provides counsel on intercreditor matters, helping clients negotiate and structure deals with numerous lien priorities and debt trenches.

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Sarah and I are excited for the opportunity to work with Blank Rome to establish a robust finance practice in Texas, one that parallels the firms preeminent finance practices in other markets, said Cassandra. More importantly, we are thrilled to introduce our clients to all that Blank Rome has to offer, from a top-notch national finance practice to a thriving Houston office, to industry teams and practice areas across the country that are of keen interest to our clients, such as midstream, renewables, asset-based lending, middle market lending, and more.

We are excited to have Cassandra and Sarah join our leading national finance practice in Houston and expand our capabilities to service our clients throughout Texas, said Lawrence F. Flick II, Partner and Chair of Blank Romes Financial Services industry group. Their finance capabilities and notably deep experience in the oil and gas industry will provide tremendous value to our clients and growing finance and energy practices.

I look forward to joining Blank Rome, whose commitment to supporting womenand particularly women in financeis so strong, added Sarah. The firm has a rich history of promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives, and is readily able to assemble diverse teams of attorneys to handle client matters, which is of incredible value to our clients. Paired with the depth and breadth of its nationally recognized finance practice, Blank Rome offers Cassandra and me a great platform on which to grow our practices.

Beyond their practices, Cassandra and Sarah are dedicated to philanthropic initiatives in Houston. Cassandra serves on the board of directors for the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, and Sarah serves on the board of directors for the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Houston and co-chairs the ACG Houston Womens Forum. Furthermore, she is a member of The Childrens Fund, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping early stage charities fulfill their mission to provide critical services to disadvantaged children across the greater Houston area. Cassandra is also recognized in Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers as a leading attorney in Banking and Finance Law, and was recently honored in The Deal as a Top Woman in Dealmaking, Private Equity and in the Houston Business Journals Women Who Mean Business.

Cassandra earned her J.D., with honors, from The Ohio State University, Order of the Coif, and her B.A., with high distinction, from Ohio Northern University. Sarah earned her J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law and her B.S., with honors, from University of Texas at Austin.

About Blank Rome

Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 13 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Romes culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all of our clients and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.

###

Attachments

CONTACT: Kate Tavella Blank Rome LLP 215.988.6988 tavella@blankrome.com




(Bloomberg) -- Cathie Wood is getting ready to debut a new exchange-traded fund focused on transparency.

Ark Investment Managements Transparency ETF will closely follow an index that excludes industries including alcohol, banking, gambling and oil and gas, Woods company said in a filing on Tuesday. The top holdings in the 100-company gauge are largely tech and consumer firms such as Salesforce.com Inc., Microsoft Corp., Apple Inc., Nike Inc. and Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. An old Ark favorite, Elon Musks Tesla Inc., also makes the cut.

This is kind of Arks version of ESG, said Eric Balchunas at Bloomberg Intelligence, referring to products that reflect higher environmental, social and governance standards. Its intriguing because it doesnt have a moralizing vibe to it, its like theyre saying if you go after transparency, youre probably going to buy good companies.

Ark didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

If approved, the ETF would be the second that Ark has launched this year. In March, the company started a fund focused on space-related investments, which has risen about 4% since its debut and now has more than $600 million in assets. Meanwhile, the firms flagship ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) is up to $22.5 billion, although its down 2% year-to-date -- compared with a gain of more than 20% for the S&P 500.

For her part, Wood has been an advocate for transparency in her funds, openly revealing her stock picks. Thats helped her attract a loyal following of individual investors as her funds posted spectacular returns in 2020 and catapulted her into financial stardom.

Also read: Cathie Woods Bad Spring Is a Blip When Future Is So Magnificent

Shes known for her insistence that revealing her picks doesnt hurt her strategies, but instead garners more trust from those buying her funds. ETFs have been her vehicle of choice since she launched Ark in 2014, years before she began appearing on TV and stock prices moved based on her comments.

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The choice of a passive strategy for the new fund may surprise some who know Wood for leading a revolution in actively managed ETFs, with more cash now pouring into them than ever before. But one of Woods passive products, the 3D Printing ETF, has been quietly gathering steam and even features prominently in her space fund.

The transparency fund will join eight other ETFs from Ark, six that are actively managed and two that passively track indexes. Ark currently has about $45 billion in its ETFs, making it the 11th largest ETF issuer in the U.S.

An index-based ESG ETF doesnt necessarily scream disruptive innovation, which ARK has branded themselves around, said Nate Geraci, president of the ETF Store. It will be very interesting seeing how they approach marketing this ETF given the strategy seems at odds with companies such as Tesla and DraftKings, large core holdings in other ARK ETFs.

(Updates with details on Ark funds. A previous version of the story corrected the S&P 500s performance in the third paragraph.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The cellulosic ethanol market is poised to grow by $1.40 bn during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of almost 45.76% during the forecast period.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Cellulosic Ethanol Market by Feedstock and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Discover Commodity Chemicals industry potential and make informed business decisions based on qualitative and quantitative evidence highlighted in Technavio reports. Request a Free Sample Report !

The report on the cellulosic ethanol market provides a holistic update, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis.

The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario and the overall market environment. The market is driven by the rising need for renewable clean fuel.

The Cellulosic Ethanol Market is segmented by Market Landscape (Energy crops, Agricultural residues, Organic MSW, and Forest residues) and Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA). The rising food security concerns and the Increased environment and energy security concerns will be crucial in fueling the growth of the market over the forecast period.

This report presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters.

Download a free sample report now!

The cellulosic ethanol market covers the following areas:

Cellulosic Ethanol Market Sizing

Cellulosic Ethanol Market Forecast

Cellulosic Ethanol Market Analysis

Companies Mentioned

Aemetis Inc.

Borregaard ASA

Clariant International Ltd.

COFCO Corp.

ENERKEM Inc.

Fiberight LLC

GranBio

Novozymes AS

Raizen Energia SA

Versalis Spa



Related Reports on Materials Include:

Geosynthetics Market Report -The geosynthetics market size is expected to reach a value of USD 9.65 billion, at a CAGR of 10.97%, during 2021-2025. Download a free sample report now!

Gelatin Market Report -The gelatin market has the potential to grow by 292.53 thousand MT during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 9.12%. Download a free sample report now!

Story continues



Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Feedstock

Market segments

Energy crops - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Agricultural residues - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Organic MSW - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Forest residues - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Feedstock

Customer landscape

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Aemetis Inc.

Borregaard ASA

Clariant International Ltd.

COFCO Corp.

ENERKEM Inc.

Fiberight LLC

GranBio

Novozymes AS

Raizen Energia SA

Versalis Spa

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

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Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Media & Marketing Executive

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Email: media@technavio.com

Website: www.technavio.com/

Technavio (PRNewsfoto/Technavio)

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SOURCE Technavio
(Bloomberg) -- Hurricane Idas lingering impacts to the busiest U.S. agricultural port is showing early signs of altering crop-trading routes.

China soybean importers began shifting orders to agricultural powerhouse Brazil for a shipment in October -- during the U.S. harvest when American supplies are the biggest -- after Ida damaged a key export terminal and left others without power.

Buyers havent had many options to get soybeans after Ida, said Eduardo Vanin, an analyst at brokerage Agrinvest Commodities, whos aware of one confirmed cargo of Brazils costlier oilseeds. Vanins firm is getting more offers for Brazilian soybeans and while not sufficient to attract sellers yet, he said in an interview that they may rise if U.S. port issues linger.

The lower Mississippi river is by far the largest U.S. export region for soybeans and corn, accounting for more than half of U.S. shipments, according to the Soy Transportation Coalition. The shutdown of port facilities that are key to getting American exports overseas are forcing big buyers such as China to look elsewhere and adding to supply-chain snarls that have disrupted shipments for goods ranging from crops to computer chips.

Top crop handlers Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. and Bunge Ltd. said Wednesday that Gulf port terminals were without power after shutting down over the weekend. Cargill Inc. said its facility in Reserve, Louisiana, had significant damage while its Westwego site had minor damage. With the Gulf delays, traders are expected to boost rail shipments to the Pacific Northwest to sail to Asian markets such as China.

Still, outages caused by Ida threaten to hit demand for American supplies just as rainfall lifts yield prospects for corn and soybean fields. Together, rains in the U.S. Midwest and Ida storm damage have pressured crop futures in Chicago.

CHS Inc.s single Gulf Coast export terminal in Myrtle Grove lacks power and the company hasnt yet been able to do a full assessment of damage because of flooded roads, according to John Griffith, executive vice president of CHS Global Grain & Processing. The biggest U.S. farm cooperative said it is diverting shipments through September, including through its PNW hub in Kalama, Washington.

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CHS has said it could take as long as four weeks for power to be restored at its Louisiana terminal. Late Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard began allowing some vessel movements around the port of New Orleans with restrictions, but sections of the river remain shut.

Meanwhile, Brazil is in its off-season with limited volumes of soybeans available and farmers who have been reluctant to sell at current prices, Vanin said. South American beans have traded at 35 cents to 40 cents per bushel higher than U.S. prices, Vanin said.

(Updates with CHS comment in sixth paragraph)

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2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Worlds first international forum on individual data sovereignty

Opening address by Governor Lee Jaemyung, keynote lecture by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web

Domestic and international industry  academia  government experts on MyData and data sovereignty to discuss users role in data sovereignty era

Held as a virtual event according to COVID-19 social distancing rules

SUWON, South Korea, September 01, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With the volume and value of data increasing in line with the accelerated digital transformation, Gyeonggi Province will hold the worlds first data sovereignty forum to discuss the ways of protecting and practicing individuals data rights.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005013/en/

Gyeonggi Province of South Korea will hold the worlds first Data Sovereignty International Forum 2021 on September 8 as a virtual event. Under the slogan of My Data, My Right, the forum aims to further develop the provinces data sovereignty policy and publicize individuals data sovereignty. Under the subject of Making a Fair Data World Together, domestic and international data sovereignty and MyData experts, the related government agencies, and overseas private organizations will discuss the ways of and the users role in creating a fair data world with a focus on individual rights. (Graphic: Business Wire)

According to Gyeonggi Province at the press conference on July 28th, the Data Sovereignty International Forum 2021 will be held on September 8 as a virtual event (DSIF2021.com).

Together with overseas local governments, Gyeonggi Province hosts the Data Sovereignty International Forum under the slogan, My Data, My Right. The forum aims to further develop the provinces data sovereignty policy, which has been promoted since the execution of the worlds first data dividend payout in February last year, and to publicize individuals data sovereignty.

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Gyeonggido Business & Science Accelerator and MyData Global, a private international organization, organize the event and the Presidential Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Personal Information Protection Commission, Korea Internet & Security Agency, and Korea Data Agency will participate as sponsors. The sponsoring agencies will not only provide lectures and promotional services to improve and spread the data sovereignty awareness, but cooperate in Gyeonggi Provinces data sovereignty policy implementation after the forum.

As data have become an important value in the current society, individuals data sovereignty will be discussed for the first time in the world under the subject of Making a Fair Data World Together. Domestic and international data sovereignty and MyData experts, the related government agencies, and overseas private organizations will discuss the ways of and the users role in creating a fair data world with a focus on individual rights.

At the opening ceremony on September 8, Governor Lee Jaemyung of Gyeonggi Province will give an opening address followed by a keynote lecture by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, titled Transformation in the Digital World and Data Sovereignty.

The keynote lecture that will last about 30 minutes can be watched only through real-time channels, such as the Digital Sovereignty International Forum website (DSIF2021.com) and Gyeonggi Provinces YouTube channel (youtube.com/ggholics).

Lim Mun-yeong, Director of Gyeonggi Province Future Growth Policy Division, said, "Data sovereignty holds an important value as it enables individuals to autonomously utilize data and benefit from using it. Gyeonggi Province invites you to take part in this event so that we can understand and practice data sovereignty, a natural right for all, and make the data world fairer."

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005013/en/

Contacts

GYEONGGI PROVINCE

Junseok Won

+82-31-8008-3958

firstwon77@gg.go.kr
Acquisition includes two open and operating adult-use retail locations; license for one additional retail location set to open in 2021

Expands distribution footprint in highly populated New England market

Increases national presence to 64 open retail locations nationwide, with licenses for 114 retail locations total



CHICAGO and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green Thumb Industries Inc. (Green Thumb) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), a leading national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner of Rythm, Dogwalkers and incredibles branded cannabis products, announced today it has acquired GreenStar Herbals, Inc., which owns and operates two adult-use retail locations in Massachusetts. The acquisition includes a third retail location, set to open in 2021 near Logan International Airport and the Encore Casino.

Expanding our retail footprint throughout Massachusetts continues our Enter, Open, Scale strategy, said Green Thumb Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ben Kovler. With this acquisition, we have the maximum number of retail locations in the state, which directly supports the increased production capacity from our acquisition of Liberty Compassion in June. We are excited to work together with the GreenStar team to serve the massive demand for cannabis throughout the Commonwealth.

GreenStar Herbals Chief Executive Officer Thomas Morey added, We are thrilled to partner with Green Thumb and to continue providing Massachusetts consumers with the highest quality and most diversified cannabis product offerings, along with a premiere in-store retail experience. Green Thumb's expertise in the industry, along with the company's values, vision, and emphasis on community impact made this the right partner for our team."

With the acquisition of GreenStar Herbals Inc., the Company has two operational adult-use retail stores in Dracut and Maynard, with a third to open in Chelsea this year, and three medical-use retail stores in Amherst, Boston and West Springfield. Green Thumbs existing Rise Amherst store reverted to a medical cannabis store in August.

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Green Thumbs branded products, including Rythm premium flower and vapes; Dogwalkers brand pre-roll joints; and incredibles gummies, chocolates and tarts, are produced in the Commonwealth and available at licensed cannabis dispensaries across Massachusetts. The Company began serving medical patients in Massachusetts in 2018 and has two operational cultivation and production facilities in Holyoke and Clinton to serve the growing consumer demand for cannabis.

The Massachusetts recreational cannabis market has sold more than $1.5 billion in cannabis products since launching adult-use sales in 2018, according to the states Cannabis Control Commission, with daily sales averaging over $3 million so far in 2021. Adult-use cannabis sales in the state have reached nearly $755 million so far in 2021 and is projected to reach $1.2 billion by the end of the year.

About Green Thumb Industries:

Green Thumb Industries Inc. (Green Thumb), a national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and retailer, promotes well-being through the power of cannabis while giving back to the communities in which it serves. Green Thumb manufactures and distributes a portfolio of branded cannabis products including Beboe, Dogwalkers, Dr. Solomons, incredibles, Rythm and The Feel Collection. The company also owns and operates rapidly growing national retail cannabis stores called Rise Dispensaries. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Green Thumb has 16 manufacturing facilities, licenses for 114 retail locations and operations across 14 U.S. markets. Established in 2014, Green Thumb employs over 3,000 people and serves thousands of patients and customers each year. The company was named to Crains Fast 50 list in 2021 and a Best Workplace by MG Retailer magazine in 2018 and 2019. More information is available at www.GTIgrows.com.

Investor Contact:

Andy Grossman

EVP, Capital Markets & Investor Relations

InvestorRelations@gtigrows.com

310-622-8257 Media Contact:

Grace Bondy

Corporate Communications

gbondy@gtigrows.com

517-672-8001



Source: Green Thumb Industries






(Bloomberg) -- Hurricane Ida has passed by, but New Orleans remains mostly powerless.

Electricity went out across the city Sunday, and while one neighborhood flickered back early Wednesday, theres no word about when the rest of the lights will be back. Gasoline is scarce, most grocery stores are closed, tap water is iffy and officials are telling people who fled not to come home.

Its a challenge just to care for those who are there: More than half the population rode out the storm, and about 200,000 are enduring the smothering August heat and trying to put food on the table without electricity. Louisianas biggest city is now confronting the most extensive U.S. outage since February, when a brutal storm in Texas left more than 200 people dead. In the Crescent City -- beloved for its jazz, nightlife and food -- people are picking their way through a labyrinth of downed trees and power lines to find the few stores where they can stock up on supplies.

Im thankful somethings open, said Amanda Ballon, 38, as she left a Winn Dixie Stores Inc. grocery. The store has air conditioning and refrigeration, thanks to a diesel generator. Ballons home doesnt, at least until she can find gasoline for her new generator. Her cart was filled with snacks like chips and honey buns that wont spoil in the heat.

Hopefully more things will open when the power comes back on, she said.

More than 1 million homes and businesses across Louisiana and Mississippi are still in the dark. Entergy Corp., the states biggest utility, said Ida took out 216 substations and more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) of power lines, including all eight of the main transmission lines that feed New Orleans.

Power in one neighborhood in eastern New Orleans was restored early Wednesday, but the company hasnt said when it will be able to bring other places back up. The hardest-hit areas probably wont have service for weeks, though city officials say the power could start flowing to some neighborhoods within 48 hours.

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Now is really the most dangerous time, over the next couple of weeks, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said at a news conference Tuesday. The humidity is making it feel like the temperature is 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) or more, air conditioning is out and hospitals are running on generators. Were asking people to be patient and were asking people to be careful.

Some people are trying to get out. Will Scott was at a Brown Derby convenience store Tuesday morning to get cash from an ATM. The shop has its own natural-gas generator and was one of the few open near downtown New Orleans. After waiting out the storm, he was heading to Baton Rouge to stay with his daughter, who has both electricity and clean water.

I need to find some gas, Scott said. Everywhere I go the line is too long. Its cash only for gas right now.

Many service stations are closed. The Brown Derby has gas pumps, but no fuel to sell. Other places have gas, but without power the pumps wont run.

Scott also survived Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans 16 years ago after the levees failed and flooded the city. Ida had stronger winds, but its watery surge wasnt as bad as the 2005 storm. The flood-control measures built after Katrina have held this week, limiting the damage. Idas gusts, however, left the power grid a tangled mess.

This time isnt as bad as Katrina, because theres no water, Scott said. But this time theres no power.

The suffering in New Orleans reveals an economic divide. The people who left were largely those with the means to do so and a place to go.

The areas of poverty are highly concentrated and understanding who is in a specific area should be factored into prioritizing of power, said Alison Alvarez, chief executive officer of BlastPoint Inc., a Pittsburgh-based company that uses predictive analysis to help utilities spot problems. Companies can find people fast though water-usage data, she said, or by communicating with first responders.

About 24% of New Orleans residents live in poverty, according to the U.S. Census. Those on the edge may have lacked connections or transportation to reach safety, Alvarez said.

Its end of the month, and if you are working paycheck to paycheck, you are likely flat broke. You couldnt even pay for gas, she said.

Those who remained are now enduring hot days and sticky nights with no air conditioning and questions about what to eat when everything in the fridge has spoiled.

Darrell Behre, 61, is staying at his in-laws house, where rooftop solar panels were installed in 2013. But the panels send power to the grid, not the building, so theyre in the dark just like their neighbors. And they had water to contend with besides.

We aint got nothing but leaks since those panels have been up there, Behre said. And the leaks got worse during Ida.

Others are more fortunate. Ken Guillory had a $10,000 natural-gas powered generator installed last week. It kicked in within moments of losing power and has made his two-story home a refuge for neighbors and relatives.

The power goes out often because of storms, Guillory said. You always think about getting one, but its expensive. But its so worth it.

(Updates with service restoration in second paragraph.)

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2021 Bloomberg L.P.
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --"I wanted to create a fun game for students and parishioners that would help them learn and reflect upon their values and faith," said an inventor, from Flint, Mich., "so I invented KINGDOM COME. My design would offer an alternative to traditional educational tools and methods for teaching the Bible."

InventHelp Logo (PRNewsfoto/InventHelp)

The invention provides a new board game to teach Christians about the Bible. In doing so, it offers added educational value. It also could enhance fun and entertainment. The invention features a unique design that is easy to set up and play so it is ideal for Christian families, churches and schools.

The original design was submitted to the Detroit sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-DOD-1050, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

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SOURCE InventHelp
<p>Acquisition expands portfolio into Napa Valley</p>

NAPA VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery, Landmark Vineyards, and JNSQ Wines are pleased to announce the expansion of their portfolio into Napa Valley with the acquisition of Lewis Cellars. Lewis Cellars will remain under the leadership and guidance of Randy Lewis and Dennis Bell, while benefiting from the established marketing, strategy, and sales teams behind JUSTIN, Landmark, and JNSQ.

Lewis Cellars Logo

"We are excited to join forces with the JUSTIN team," said Randy Lewis, co-founder of Lewis Cellars.

"We are excited to join forces with the JUSTIN team," said Randy Lewis, co-founder of Lewis Cellars. "As we approach our thirty-year anniversary, we've had the pleasure of perfecting our wines for decades. With the additional resources and industry expertise available through this partnership, we can really show the world the excellence we've bottled."

Established in 1992 by Randy and Debbie Lewis as a small family winery, Lewis Cellars produces luxury Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Lewis Cellars' 2013 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was #1 on Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year list in 2016, noted by editor James Laube as "typifying modern winemaking" with a wine that is expressive and elegant.

"Lewis Cellars has a rich history, superior quality, and a pedigree that made it the perfect winery to help us expand into the Napa Valley region," said Clarence Chia, s enior vice president of marketing, ecommerce and direct-to-consumer for JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery. "We look forward to upholding the Lewis brand, and the essence and ethos that Randy and Debbie established, while helping new audiences learn about and enjoy Lewis's exquisite Napa Valley wine."

Lewis Cellars' passion and process align with the winemaking philosophy and artisanal approach of the JUSTIN portfolio, which features luxury award-winning Bordeaux-style wines from Paso Robles, Calif. The portfolio also includes Sonoma Valley-based Landmark Vineyards, with its Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, and JNSQ, a California-born Ros e Cru with a French accent.

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International Wine Associates (IWA) served as the exclusive advisors to and represented Lewis Cellars in this transaction.

About JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery

Located in Paso Robles, JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery was founded in 1981 and is known for crafting world-class wines using Bordeaux grape varieties, including the iconic ISOSCELES blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. The vineyard estate, located at 11680 Chimney Rock Road, features a Tasting Room, luxury five-star accommodations at the JUST Inn, and a restaurantmaking it one of the only wineries on the Central Coast to offer all three options. In September 2018, a new second location, the JUSTIN Downtown Tasting Room, opened, introducing an expansive wine-tasting bar, lounge, and a full dining room that's situated prominently on the square along Downtown City Park in the heart of Paso Robles. In addition to its stellar hospitality, JUSTIN consistently receives top honors around the world, establishing itself as a leader in new-world Bordeaux-style winemaking. JUSTIN wines are available through discerning fine-wine retailers and restaurants throughout the United States, or directly from the winery via JUSTIN's Tasting Rooms, online store, or to members of the exclusive JUSTIN Wine Society wine club. To discover more about JUSTIN, visit www.justinwine.com.

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SOURCE JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery
- Plant-closing sale on September 14 features 279 items--including accumulator-head blow molders, granulators, blenders, chillers, air compressors and more--from the global Tier 1/Tier 2 supplier of interior and air/fluid management systems

JEFFERSON, Ohio, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In a September 14 live webcast auction, Machinery Network Auctions, Inc. and Tiger Group are offering machinery and equipment from the now-shuttered Jefferson plant of global automotive supplier Toledo Molding & Die, Inc.

Bidding on the equipment is already underway on Bidspotter and will go live at 10 a.m. (ET) on September 14.

"Inventory from the plant at 1085 Jefferson-Eagleville Rd. includes accumulator-head blow molders, granulators, blenders, chillers, air compressors and other equipment used in the molding, assembly and sequencing of automotive interior components, as well as the molding and assembly of a variety of air-induction, powertrain-cooling, frontend module, washer, and HVAC systems," said George Laidlaw, a Director of Business Development for Tiger's Commercial & Industrial division.

"Founded in 1955 as a model and pattern shop, Toledo Molding & Die, Inc., grew to become a full-service, global supplier of automotive air/fluid management systems and interior components," said Seth Geller, VP of the Plastics Division at Machinery Network Auctions. "This auction represents an excellent opportunity for other companies in the industry to obtain high-quality, well-maintained, accumulator head blow-molding and auxiliary equipment at an auction value."

The equipment on offer includes eight different Sterling accumulator head blow-molding machines (single and dual-head) ranging in capacity from 2 to 20 pounds, as well as conveyers, granulators (75 HP-10 HP), and M-Tek blenders and vacuum pumps.



Miscellaneous equipment on offer includes Ingersoll and Atlas Copco compressors; a Wulftec pallet-wrapping machine; trimming tables; hydraulic units; head tooling; pumps and other spare parts; and office furniture.

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Assets can be inspected, by appointment only, on September 13 from 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (ET) at Toledo Molding & Die's facility at 1085 Jefferson-Eagleville Rd., Jefferson, Ohio 44047.

To arrange an inspection or obtain other information, contact Seth Geller with MNA: seth@machinerynetwork.com, (818) 788-2260, Ext 120.

Media Contacts: At Tiger Group, Maria Hoang, 317883@email4pr.com or (805) 497-4999; at Jaffe Communications, Elisa Krantz, (908)-789-0700, 317883@email4pr.com, Bill Parness, 317883@email4pr.com.

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SOURCE Tiger Group
Middlefield Canadian Income PCC Net Asset Value

Middlefield Canadian Income PCC

Middlefield Canadian Income - GBP PC

(a protected cell company incorporated in Jersey with registration number 93546)

Legal Entity Identifier: 2138007ENW3JEJXC8658

Net Asset Value

As at the close of business on 31 August 2021 the estimated unaudited Net Asset Value per share was 127.98 pence (including accrued income).

Investments in the Companys portfolio have been valued on a closing price basis.

Enquiries:

JTC Fund Solutions (Jersey) Limited

01534 700 000




Quinn Company joins Nikola Dealer Network with multiple dealer locations

PHOENIX, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikola Corporation (NASDAQ: NKLA), a leading designer and manufacturer of heavy-duty commercial battery-electric vehicles (BEV), fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) and energy infrastructure solutions, announced today the continued expansion of its Class 8 truck sales and service coverage with the addition of Quinn Company, a leading provider of on-highway truck service and construction equipment in the Central and Southern California regions. The addition of Quinn Company to the Nikola dealer network will include sales and service facilities across 15 counties.

Nikola Corporation Logo (PRNewsfoto/Nikola Corporation)

Quinn Company is uniquely positioned via its infrastructure, expertise and sales and service coverage to support the rapid growth of zero-emission commercial vehicles for all classes of trucks in an area of the country that is experiencing rapid testing and adoption of this technology.

"Given California's ambitious forward-looking goals to transition to zero-emission vehicles, our dealer development team has been highly focused on securing best-in-class dealer coverage to support customers in this highly progressive environment," said Nikola's President of Energy and Commercial Pablo Koziner. "With over 100 years of experience, Quinn Company has a deep understanding of how important exceptional sales and service is to the customer. We are thrilled to add Quinn Company to our growing sales and service dealer network."

Founded in 1919, Quinn Company has built an outstanding reputation in the Central and Southern California regions while servicing thousands of customers.

Nikola plans to continue building its dealer network to secure customer coverage from coast to coast. Most recently, Nikola announced a network expansion into the northeastern US with Alta Equipment Group. This announcement expanded on the previously announced list of 116 dealer locations.

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ABOUT NIKOLA CORPORATION

Nikola Corporation is globally transforming the transportation industry. As a designer and manufacturer of zero-emission battery-electric and hydrogen-electric vehicles, electric vehicle drivetrains, vehicle components, energy storage systems, and hydrogen station infrastructure, Nikola is driven to revolutionize the economic and environmental impact of commerce as we know it today. Founded in 2015, Nikola Corporation is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit www.nikolamotor.com or Twitter @nikolamotor.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements included in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "should," "would," "plan," "predict," "potential," "seem," "seek," "future," "outlook," and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the potential benefits of the Quinn Company strategic partnership, including the ability to provide customers with superior sales and service in the targeted regions; the partnerships expected benefits as a result of the Quinn Company's long-term business experience; the company's expectations regarding its business, business model and strategy; the company's expectations for its trucks and market acceptance of electric trucks, both BEV and FCEV; and market opportunity. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of Nikola's management and are not predictions of actual performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, design and manufacturing changes and delays; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the definitive agreements; general economic, financial, legal, regulatory, political and business conditions and changes in domestic and foreign markets; the potential effects of COVID-19; the outcome of legal, regulatory and judicial proceedings to which Nikola is, or may become a party; demand for and customer acceptance of Nikola's trucks; risks associated with development and testing of fuel cell power modules and hydrogen storage systems; risks related to the rollout of Nikola's business and the timing of expected business milestones; the effects of competition on Nikola's future business; the availability of capital; risks associated with changes in accounting treatment or accounting standards; and the other risks detailed from time to time in Nikola's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 and other documents Nikola files with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and Nikola specifically disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.





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Interim boss Robert Page insisted Gareth Bale was fine after the Real Madrid forward gave Wales a World Cup qualifying scare in their goalless Finland friendly.

Bale was seen holding his ankle at the end of Wednesdays Helsinki stalemate, having only joined the action as an 83rd-minute substitute.

The Wales captain spent most of the night on the bench ahead of Sundays World Cup qualifier against Belarus in Kazan.

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Gareth got a kick on his Achilles when they were chasing him but hes fine, absolutely, said Page, who had lost several members of his original squad to injuries and Covid-19 related issues.

We couldnt risk Gareth playing any more minutes than what he did.

We just wanted to get that into his legs ready for Sunday.

Some players need to get those minutes, Ben Davies insisted he needed some minutes and we put him on at half-time.

Some risks are worth taking and each player is different.

But I wasnt going to play Gareth for half an hour. I just gave him 10 or 15 minutes.

Daniel James was left out of the squad completely following his deadline-day transfer from Manchester United to Leeds.

The winger rejoined the rest of the Wales party in Helsinki after leaving camp on Tuesday to seal his move to Elland Road.

Wales forward Tyler Roberts (right) challenges Finlands Joona Toivio for possession (Antti Aimo-Koivisto/Lehtikuva via AP)

Page said: DJ has had a stressful couple of days trying to sort things out with the clubs and his move, and with the stress his bodys been under.

I didnt want to throw him into that game. It was the same with Joe Allen, we didnt need to risk him.

So it was more beneficial to keep them off their feet completely.

Page selected a Wales side with an average age of under 24 and young midfielders Matt Smith and Dylan Levitt stood out at the Olympic Stadium.

Finlands Fredrik Jensen (centre) tries to break through against Wales (Antti Aimo-Koivisto/Lehtikuva via AP)

Wales had the best chance of the game after 25 minutes when Brennan Johnson, making his first international start, was brought down inside the area by Niko Hamalainen.

But Harry Wilson sent his penalty too close to Carljohan Eriksson and the Finland debutant saved with a strong right hand.

Story continues

I think theres a lot of positives to come out of it, I thought there were some big performances, said Page, whose side have a home World Cup qualifier against Estonia in Cardiff after playing Belarus.

Look at Jonny Williams who has played on the left wing for us, I asked him to play at right wing-back again and he gave a great account of himself.

Wales Harry Wilson (right) failed to convert from the penalty spot against Finland (Antti Aimo-Koivisto/Lehtikuva via AP)

He has the attitude and endeavour to give a good performance and he looked like he enjoyed his football.

I thought the two boys in midfield, Matty and Dylan, were excellent. Josh (Sheehan) coming on I thought was very good.

Rubin (Colwill) and Tyler (Roberts) caused a constant threat and Brennan also. The one time he got one-on-one with the full-back he gets a penalty for us.

So a lot of positives, a clean sheet, and more importantly, no injuries.
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against Stable Road Acquisition Corp. ("Stable Road" or "the Company") (NASDAQ:SRACU) for violations of 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investors who purchased the Company's securities between October 7, 2020 and July 13, 2021, inclusive (the ''Class Period''), are encouraged to contact the firm before September 13, 2021.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.

We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at brian@schallfirm.com.

The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. Stable Road's merger target, Momentus, held a test of its key technology in 2019 that failed to meet its criteria for success. The government of the United States considered Momentus CEO Mikhail Kokorich to be a national security threat, jeopardizing the Company's potential commercial success. Based on these facts, the Company's public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about Stable Road, investors suffered damages.

According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market.

Join the case to recover your losses.

The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.

Story continues

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.

CONTACT:

The Schall Law Firm

Brian Schall, Esq.,

www.schallfirm.com

Office: 310-301-3335

info@schallfirm.com

SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm





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NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of T-Mobile US, Inc. (T-Mobile or the Company) (NASDAQ: TMUS). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.



The investigation concerns whether T-Mobile and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On August 15, 2021, Vice published an articled entitled T-Mobile Investigating Claims of Massive Customer Data Breach. The Vice article reported, in part, that T-Mobile was investigating a forum post claiming to be selling a mountain of personal data that came from T-Mobile servers and purportedly includes social security numbers, phone numbers, names, physical addresses, unique IMEI numbers, and driver licenses information[.] Then, on August 16, 2021, T-Mobile issued a press release confirming that the Company had determined that unauthorized access to some T-Mobile data occurred and was continuing our deep technical review of the situation across our systems to identify the nature of any data that was illegally accessed.

On this news, T-Mobiles stock price fell $4.21 per share, or 2.9%, to close at $140.74 per share on August 16, 2021.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com .

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CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

rswilloughby@pomlaw.com

888-476-6529 ext. 7980




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A man who was killed in a June 26 shooting in Fredericksburg drove to the suspects house after having an argument with him over the phone, a witness testified Tuesday.

Jacquin Norman Davis, 44, of Fredericksburg is charged with second-degree murder and a firearms charge in connection with the slaying of 39-year-old Chinonso Ibe in the 100 block of Wellington Lakes Drive.

Judge John R. Stevens certified the charges to a grand jury following a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Fredericksburg General District Court.

The key witness in Tuesdays hearing was Leisha Garnett, who is pregnant with Ibes child. Garnett said she and Ibe were at their home in Spotsylvania when she saw Ibe having a disagreement on Facetime with Davis.

Davis was apparently upset about Ibe talking to Davis girlfriend and told Ibe not to call his phone anymore. Ibe, who had been drinking, responded by getting Garnett to drive him to the Fredericksburg residence of Davis and his girlfriend.

According to Garnett, they knocked on the door for about four minutes without getting an answer. After getting back in their vehicle, Garnett testified, Davis drove up in front of them.
Two schools of thought emerged: an event venue or a museum. Officials tossed out the plan to turn the waterfront home into a place for weddings and celebrations when neighbors feared the impact that would have on their quiet setting. Then, officials seemed to agree that the building could host exhibits from three different groups that focus on the county experience.

Officials from the King George Historical Society, Ralph Bunche Alumni Association and the Dahlgren Heritage Foundation said last year they would be thrilled if each had one of the downstairs rooms to display their artifacts.

Last fall, the county spent $5,000 in tourism fundsmoney generated by the occupancy tax charged at Dahlgren hotelsto do some landscaping around the home and another $5,000 for an architect to determine what it would cost to convert the house into a public facility.

Architects projected an investment of half a million dollars, Clarke said. The cost includes $300,000 in renovations to convert the structure to commercial use; $100,000 in site upgrades to bring parking, sidewalks and bathrooms into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act; and $100,000 for museum needs such as additional outlets for video monitors and track lighting for exhibits, Clarke said.
Appalachia will also benefit from the $332 billion that Biden proposes to spend on decent and affordable housing. That has been hard to come by here in the mountains. The pandemicwhich brought in outsiders relocating from more urban areashas only exacerbated the problem.

And then theres the $726 billion allocated to the Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions Committee to enact universal pre-K, which will alleviate the cost of child care in an area considered a child care desert. Universal pre-K will also help children keep pace with their peers in more affluent districts and private schools.

Having myself benefited from Pell Grants (I never would have been able to afford college without them), I was excited to see that Biden wants to expand this program. This will allow more Appalachian students to realize their dream of a college education.

So, too, will the Biden administrations proposal to make the first two years of community college free. Community college is an especially attractive option in Appalachia, where the nearest four-year university might be several hours away.
AFTER receiving 2020 census data on Aug. 12, the Virginia Redistricting Commission was still busy carving out the new legislative and congressional district maps when a lawsuit was filed against its 16 members and the State Board of Elections by elected officials and citizens of Southwest Virginia, including state Sen. Travis Hackworth, RRichlands.

They are asking the Virginia Supreme Court to block the General Assembly from trying to force the commission to use a new prison gerrymander and other discriminatory and unconstitutional criteria that will devastate Southwest Virginia, according to attorney M. Brett Hall, who pointed out that there are no commission members representing the region.

Less than two weeks after the General Assembly submitted the 2020 constitutional amendment creating the commonwealths first independent redistricting commission for voter approval last April, lawmakers quietly passed HB 1255, which included a set of standards and criteria that the commission is ostensibly bound to followwhich the lawsuit says are unconstitutional because none of them were ever approved by the voters.
Thunderstorms rumbled across eastern Nebraska on Tuesday morning, leaving heavy rain, flooding and even some road damage in their wake.

Street flooding was reported in Fremont, which had one of the highest official rain totals, with 3.53 inches. Omaha, which was not in a flood warning, received 2.64 inches, while Columbus, which also was not included in the warning, had nearly 1.8 inches.

More than a dozen counties in northeast Nebraska were included in the warning. As much as 6 inches fell in Northeast Nebraska near Osmond, according to the National Weather Service.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation reported that heavy rain caused significant damage to Nebraska 1 just east of Murray in Cass County.

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A photo the department posted on Twitter showed a section of the approach to a viaduct collapsed, causing officials to have to close the road and detour traffic onto Nebraska 66 and U.S. 34. The department said contractors were already onsite and working on repairs.

The strongest wind gust recorded at the Fremont airport was 47 mph just after 1 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Barna Kargar benefited from educational opportunities made available to Afghan girls in the years after the defeat of the Taliban in 2001, and after completing school she gained a place at a university in Kazakhstan. Now, like many Afghan students in the country, she fears being sent home when her visa expires.
The Taliban and resistance fighters in an area northeast of Kabul where the militants have yet to seize power have issued statements on ongoing talks and local defense efforts in the Panjshir Valley.

A senior Taliban representative, Amir Khan Motaqi, issued an audio message to Afghans via social media urging Panjshir's residents that they should join the "Islamic Emirate," describing it as a place for all Afghans.

He said the Taliban "still wants to prevent war and find a political solution."

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the resistance movement in Panjshir, a rugged area north of Kabul, said in a video that its fighters continue to defend the region.

The resistance spokesman, Fahim Dashti, said its fighters have so far rebuffed the Taliban offensive there.

More clashes were reported early on September 1 between the Taliban and resistance forces in the Panjshir region, as thousands of people looking to flee the country continue to head to Afghanistan's borders after the withdrawal of U.S. forces put an end to a massive airlift.

At the Torkham crossing with Pakistan, a Pakistani official said that a large number" of people are waiting on the Afghanistan side of the frontier for it to open.

Witnesses were quoted as saying that thousands of Afghans had also flocked to the Islam Qala border post with Iran.

Since the Western-backed government and Afghan Army collapsed under a lightning Taliban offensive, thousands of Afghans have fled their homes fearing a repeat of the Taliban's brutal rule between 1996 and 2001.

The National Resistance Front (NRF), comprising anti-Taliban militia fighters and former Afghan security forces, has vowed to defend Panjshir Valley, 100 kilometers northeast of the capital, as the Islamist group sends more fighters to encircle it.

The United States and its allies evacuated more than 123,000 people out of Kabul since August 14, the day before the Taliban regained control of the country two decades after being removed from power by the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.

But tens of thousands of Afghans Afghans who had helped Western nations oust the militants during a 20-year war and others at risk remained behind.

Britain said on September 1 it was in talks with the Taliban to secure safe passage out of Afghanistan for a number of British nationals and Afghans who remain inside the country.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told an emergency session of a foreign affairs select committee on September 1 that intelligence assessments did not predict such a swift Afghan capitulation to the Taliban as foreign troops pulled out.

"The central assessment that we were operating to...is that the most likely, the central proposition was that, given the troop withdrawal by the end of August, you would see a steady deterioration from that point, and that it was unlikely Kabul would fall this year," Raab told parliamentarians.

"That doesn't mean we didn't do contingency planning or game-out or test the other propositions. And just to be clear, that's something that was widely shared -- that view -- amongst NATO allies," Raab said.

Raab also told the lawmakers that he was leaving later on September 1 to travel "to the region" around Afghanistan to discuss efforts to rescue people left behind after the troop pullout.

He did not say which countries he would visit, citing security reasons.

In a resolution, the UN Security Council has urged the Taliban to allow safe passage for those seeking to leave Afghanistan.

The militants have promised to allow Afghans to leave and return to the country, but many remain in doubt about the hard-line Islamist group's intentions.

The White House said on September 1 that it was working to build capacity to accommodate, but not resettle, as many as 50,000 Afghan refugees on military bases.

"There is capacity and we're working towards capacity at our military bases for up to 50,000," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at a briefing.

The housing would not be permanent but rather provide medical care and assistance and connect refugees with resettlement groups, she said.

U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said the United States was exploring all possible options and routes to help Americans still in Afghanistan and legal permanent residents leave that country.

She said Washington would continue to conduct conversations with the Taliban that serve U.S. and its allies' interests.

Nuland said the Taliban has much to gain from running Afghanistan differently from the last time it was in power, a reference to hard-line excesses when they controlled Kabul in 1996-2001.

She added that the United States was looking at ways to continue to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan without benefiting any potential government.

Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on September 1 that its possible the United States might have to coordinate with the Taliban on any eventual counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan against Islamic State or other militants.

U.S. President Joe Biden vowed in an August 31 speech to seek out the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) militants who claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing that killed at least 180 people, including 13 U.S. soldiers, outside Kabul airport on August 26.

The administrative vacuum accompanying the Taliban's takeover has left foreign donors unsure of how to respond to warnings of a looming humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country.

The Taliban has yet to name a new government or reveal how it intends to govern, unlike in 1996, when a leadership council was formed within hours of taking the capital.

The foreign minister of neighboring Pakistan, which has close ties to the Taliban, said on August 31 that he expected Afghanistan to have a new "consensus government" within days.

The Islamist militia focused on keeping banks, hospitals and government machinery running after the final withdrawal of U.S. forces on Monday brought an end to a massive airlift of Afghans who had helped Western nations during the 20-year war.

As the world watches to see if the Taliban lives up to its promises of a more tolerant and open brand of rule compared with their first stint in power, and with foreign donors unsure how to respond to a looming humanitarian crisis, the group said its leader Mullah Hibatullah had wrapped up a three-day consultative meeting with tribal and religious elders in the southern city of Kandahar.

Meanwhile, the Taliban prepared to stage a parade in Kandahar showcasing Humvees and other military hardware they captured during their takeover of Afghanistan, AFP reported.

The Taliban has declared an amnesty for all Afghans who worked with foreign forces during the war that ousted it from power, said it was in talks with all factions to reach an agreement on a future government, and repeatedly promised a more tolerant and open brand of rule compared with their first stint in power.

However, many reports have said summary executions and house to house searches for those who worked with international groups or the previous government are occurring across the country.

The Taliban declared victory in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of U.S. troops, with fighters streaming into Kabul airport on August 31.

A Taliban spokesman was quoted as saying on September 1 that a joint team of technicians from Turkey and Qatar had arrived in the capital to provide technical and logistical services to help repairs of the airport.

The goal was reportedly to resume flights for both humanitarian aid and to provide freedom of movement, including the resumption of evacuation efforts.

Afghanistans civil aviation authority said it had a technical team working at Kabul airport to repair the radar system so flights could resume.

Meanwhile, a senior board member of the Afghan central bank urged the U.S. Treasury and the International Monetary Fund to take steps to provide the Taliban-led government some access to Afghanistans reserves, telling Reuters that the country risks an "inevitable economic and humanitarian crisis.

In Slovenia, European Council President Charles Michel said on September 1 that the 27-member bloc should take action to be better prepared for evacuations of its citizens in situations such as occurred in Afghanistan.

The president of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, at the same forum criticized EU members' failure to take in significant numbers of Afghans fleeing that country.

This story includes reporting by Radio Azadi correspondents on the ground in Afghanistan. Their names are being withheld for their protection.

With reporting by AFP, Reuters, the BBC, and dpa
Britain is in direct talks with the Taliban seeking to secure "safe passage" of its remaining nationals and allies out of Afghanistan after the group's takeover of the country.

The British government told news agencies that it had sent Prime Minister Boris Johnson's special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass, to Doha, Qatar, to meet with Taliban representatives.

Many of the Talibans leaders lived in Qatar after they were driven out of Afghanistan by a U.S.-led invasion 20 years ago.

Johnson has been under pressure as critics say many Afghans who helped Western officials may have been left behind in Afghanistan and are at risk of Taliban retaliation.

A government official said Gass is "meeting with senior Taliban representatives to underline the importance of safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals, and those Afghans who have worked with us."

The United States completed its military withdrawal from Afghanistan on August 30, ending 20 years of war that led to the Taliban's return to power.

Britain ended its mission on August 28, with its last military flight leaving Kabul after evacuating more than 15,000 people in the two weeks since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

The Taliban has promised to allow Afghans to leave and return to the country, but many Afghans and others remain in doubt about the group's intentions.



After the Taliban swept into Kabul in mid-August, the British prime minister said the Taliban must be judged on its "actions rather than by its words."

Johnson said his country owed "an immense debt" to Afghans who worked with NATO forces and that they will be welcomed as they look to rebuild their lives in Britain.

"We owe an immense debt to those who worked with the armed forces in Afghanistan and I am determined that we give them and their families the support they need to rebuild their lives here in the U.K."

"I know this will be an incredibly daunting time, but I hope they will take heart from the wave of support and generosity already expressed by the British public," he added.

The government said the measures "will give Afghans the certainty and stability to rebuild their lives with unrestricted rights to work and the option to apply for British citizenship in the future."

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
The president of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, on September 1 criticized EU members' failure to "live up to its values" by responding to the Afghan crisis by taking in significant numbers of Afghans fleeing the country.

"We have seen countries outside the EU come forward to welcome Afghan asylum seekers, but we have not seen a single member state do the same," Sassoli, an Italian center-leftist, told the Bled Strategic Forum of defense ministers in Slovenia.

Sassoli was speaking as reports emerged of large numbers of Afghans streaming toward the country's borders after the closure of Kabul international airport when the last of the U.S.-led international troops left on August 30.

Many Afghans are wary of abuses on a massive scale reminiscent of the Taliban's regime ruling much of Afghanistan in 1996-2001.

European Union countries on August 31 said after a meeting of interior ministers that they would step up aid to Afghanistan and its neighbors but could not agree on a common policy on accepting Afghan asylum seekers.

Sassoli said a "strong and common European voice on the international stage is more necessary now than ever."

"Solidarity is what holds Europe together," Sassoli tweeted alongside a link to his speech criticizing the EU Home Affairs Council meeting the previous day. "We cannot pretend that the Afghan question does not concern us. Europe needs to live up to its values and give a common response."

At the same forum in Slovenia, European Council President Charles Michel said the 27-member bloc should take action to be better prepared for evacuations of its citizens in situations such as occurred in Afghanistan.

Michel warned that "we do not need another such geopolitical event to grasp that the EU must strive for greater decision-making autonomy and greater capacity for action in the world."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on August 31 urged all nations to help the people of Afghanistan in their darkest hour of need, warning of a deepening humanitarian and economic crisis in that country.

He said nearly half the Afghan population needs humanitarian assistance to survive and that the war-ravaged country faces a total collapse of basic services for citizens.

Amid a severe drought and with harsh winter conditions on the horizon, extra food, shelter, and health supplies must be urgently fast-tracked into the country, Guterres said.

A senior board member of the Afghan central bank urged the U.S. Treasury and the International Monetary Fund to take steps to provide the Taliban-led government some access to Afghanistans reserves, telling Reuters that the country risks an "inevitable economic and humanitarian crisis.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP
Pakistan antiterror units killed 11 Islamic State (IS) militants in a raid and shootout in the restive southwestern Balochistan Province, police say.

Officials said the raid took place before dawn on August 31 and targeted the hideout of IS militants in the district of Mastung, where militants had recently killed two police officers.

Police said suicide belts, hand grenades, and assault rifles were captured in the raid.

Pakistans counterterrorism office did not provide further details or the nationality of the slain militants.

IS has regional affiliates in both Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.



On August 22, a Pakistani Army officer was killed and two other soldiers were injured in a landmine blast in another part of Balochistan.



Balochistan has been the scene of frequent militant attacks and a long-running insurgency by groups seeking independence for the mineral- and gas-rich province bordering Iran and Afghanistan.

The separatist Baloch Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for some attacks.

The Pakistan Taliban also operates in the region.

Based on reporting by AP and Radio Mashaal
In early July, with the United States on the verge of moving up the deadline to quit Afghanistan and end its longest war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was asked if Moscow might one day have to send its own troops back. He pointed to a Central Asian state that shares a lengthy, and very porous border, with Afghanistan.

"I believe the answer is obvious," Lavrov said. "We are allies with Tajikistan. And if there is an attack on Tajikistan, of course, this would be an immediate topic for consideration by the CSTO" -- the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Now that the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has become a reality, however, the answer is anything but obvious.

And the Taliban's return to power in Kabul has raised a host of new questions when it comes to the CSTO's role and relevance in protecting its members, and Central Asia as a whole, from any potential threat from Afghanistan.

Russia has made it clear that any renewed U.S. military presence in Central Asia is not welcome, and suggested it could even attract Islamic extremists emboldened by the Taliban victory in Afghanistan. But Moscow has also not insisted on taking the lead role in providing security in what it considers its backyard, with three Central Asian states situated along Afghanistan's northern border.

The Kremlin has instead stressed the need to bolster the CSTO -- the loose-knit grouping of six former Soviet states that Moscow dominates and uses to push its regional foreign-policy objectives.

'As An Alliance, It Doesn't Work'

Founded in 1992, the alliance now includes Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, which shares a 1,300-kilometer border with Afghanistan. Over the years, Moscow has continually sought to deepen military integration among the member countries; most have been deeply wary of Moscow's ultimate intentions -- particularly after Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

Like NATO, the organization includes a mutual-defense clause in its founding treaty. It has never been invoked.

As the Taliban swept across Afghanistan in recent months and closed in on Kabul, Moscow has tried to position the CSTO at the ready.

In recent weeks the organization held an emergency session to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, announced military exercises in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and has said it plans to explore its options for "joint response measures" regarding Afghanistan during its summit in Dushanbe on September 16.

But while the CSTO may look similar to NATO on paper, military experts express serious doubts about the group's ability to respond to threats as one.

Russian military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer describes the CSTO as a "joke" that is more of a framework for Moscow's bilateral relations with fellow members than a true military alliance. "As an alliance it doesn't work," he said by telephone from Moscow, adding that there was "no chance" of Russia sending in troops to Afghanistan in the event of an attack on one of the group's members.

The CSTO is "demonstrably weak in terms of collective unity and woefully incapable of providing security," said Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center, an independent, Yerevan-based think tank. "The CTSO alliance is not only Russian-led, but is also Russia-dependent, revealing that the only 'firepower' capacity comes from Russian forces, with local capabilities limited to basic border security at best," he said in an e-mail to RFE/RL.

The Taliban has tried to assuage fears that its return to power could lead to cross-border attacks on Tajikistan or other bordering states: Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, neither of which are members of the alliance.

Despite being officially labeled a terrorist organization by Russia, Taliban officials have also engaged in discussions with Moscow -- and traveled there regularly -- aimed at establishing a sound working relationship.

Felgenhauer said the Taliban crossing any borders into Central Asia "is not happening," but that there was a window for insurrection and infiltration that local populations "might be inclined to support."

As a result, Russia is much more interested in keeping a lid on that situation than it is in Afghanistan, Felgenhauer said. "Russia says they will defend the border, and obviously they will," he said, adding that "Russia is not a joke" and "is not ready to hand over decision-making on military matters" to an outside organization like the CSTO.

Central Asian Bases

Russia has a number of strategic assets at its disposal in Central Asia, Felgenhauer noted, including a major military base in Tajikistan, and would take things into its own hands if retaliation were required, by, for example, launching air strikes in Afghanistan.

Looking ahead to the CSTO summit in Dushanbe later this month, Giragosian said the group "seems pressed to mitigate the negative security implication from the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan." With U.S. troops out of the picture, he said, "any CSTO response to the Afghan situation may actually be 'too little, too late' as any effective security response depends on a fragile and daunting combination of Russian resolve and Central Asian unity."

Aside from this tricky diplomatic balancing act, and the potential for spillover from the resurgent Taliban, the CSTO will face another fundamental challenge: the divergence of interests between Russia and "local Central Asia elites."

Russia will seek to forge its own transactional relationship with the new Taliban leadership in Kabul, Giragosian said: local elites, however, will be "ready to barter greater dependence on Russia for security guarantees," but may offer Moscow far too little in contrast to an opportunity for fresh Russian power and influence " in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Ultimately, "the CSTO has never been able to prove its credibility or provide confidence in its role," Giragosian said, adding that the alliance's relevance was "derived solely from Russia's role."

"This case is no different," he said. "The CSTO has never been able to overcome Russia's dominance and has always failed to demonstrate either initiative or collective alignment beyond Moscow's shadowy offer of security."
FILE- In this Sept. 17, 2015 file photo, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael J. Gableman speaks during a court hearing at the Grant County Courthouse in Lancaster, Wis. Nearly half of the money being spent on a Republican-ordered investigation into Wisconsins 2020 presidential election is earmarked for data analysis. That is what a contract released Wednesday, Sept, 1, 2021 to The Associated Press under Wisconsin's open records law shows. It spells out how the $676,000 in taxpayer money will be spent. The contract was entered into by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who is leading the probe.
President Joe Biden has addressed the nation on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, defending the U.S. military airlift to extract some 120,000 Afghans, Americans and other allies to end a 20 year war an extraordinary success," More than 100 Americans and thousands of Afghans looking to leave were left behind, but Biden said diplomatic and other efforts would continue to get them out
A federal judge has thrown out a Trump-era rule that ended federal protections for hundreds of thousands of small streams, wetlands and other waterways across the country
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Partly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms possible. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 77F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 51F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Pius Kamau, M.D., general surgery, is president of the Aurora-based Africa America Higher Education Partnerships; co-founder of the Africa Enterprise Group and president of the Consortium of African Diasporas in the U.S.A. He has been a National Public Radio commentator and a blogger, and is author of The Doctors Date with Death.
A Tennessee woman who owns an animal rescue center in Kabul was not allowed passage home by the Department of Defense because she carried a disabled puppy in her arms  one of 130 animals she was ordered to leave behind in the final days of airlifts.

Charlotte Maxwell-Jones refused to board the plane without her puppy on Monday, so the military ordered her to leave and turn loose 130 crated dogs that mostly belonged to Americans and Afghans who evacuated, according to social media postings. This occurred even though Maxwell-Jones secured flights from non-profit organizations that had permission to land in a neutral country.

She left the airport after being stuck there for six days and returned home to an uncertain fate.

INSTAGRAM DELETES, REINSTATES ACCOUNT OF MOM BLASTING BIDEN OVER DEATH OF SON

The Taliban visited Maxwell-Jones at home last week and ordered her to leave with her employees, she said in a tearful video posted on Twitter. She raised $703,705 on a GoFundMe page for an animal evacuation and desperately sought a landing permit.

"Five minutes ago, a fairly large group of Taliban left my lawn  One of them had a grenade launcher. They told me I should leave immediately and tried to put guards inside my house We settled on outside my house," Maxwell-Jones said in her video. "They have said they will give us safe passage to the airport for as large a group that we have. They told me to leave first. It's very obvious what will happen."

Maxwell-Jones was allowed to airlift military dogs, so she handed 46 animals to Veteran Sheepdogs of America for transport to Turkey. A video posted Tuesday said the dogs were in a hangar and given water in preparation for transport. However, the remaining dogs weren't so fortunate. Maxwell-Jones begged the military to allow her to open bags of kibble and spread it across the tarmac for the suddenly homeless dogs, according to social media.

"In the end, the dogs and their caretakers were explicitly NOT allowed to board military aircraft, and numerous private charter aircraft were not granted access to the airport either," SPCA International said in a statement. "Charlotte was informed that most of the [shelter] dogs had to be released into the airport on August 30 as the airport was evacuated  turning once rescued shelter dogs into homeless strays."

SPCA International blasted the U.S. government for ignoring its pleas and not recognizing "the human connection to animals" in a recent suspension of dog transport from 113 nations.

"We applied for an Emergency Exemption so that Charlotte and the dogs could get out on our chartered flight this week. But the CDC's adherence to its import policy during this time of crisis put animals and people at risk," SPCAI said. "We are alarmed that leaders at the CDC are not bringing a more balanced perspective to the importation of dogs, especially after the U.S. House of Representatives rebuked CDC on this issue and passed an amendment to restore a proper screening process."

The Department of Defense was forced to address an outcry over the military dog issue on Tuesday but said nothing of how they left the country or why an American with dogs who had a flight plan was left behind.

"The U.S. military did not leave any dogs in cages at Hamid Karzai International Airport, to include the reported 'military working dogs,'" a spokesperson said.

Regarding Maxwell-Jones, the DoD said: "Despite an ongoing complicated and dangerous retrograde mission, U.S. forces went to great lengths to assist the Kabul Small Animal Rescue as much as possible."

The lack of respect shown to military dogs by leaving their escape to a non-profit is shameful, retired special operations Brig. Gen. Don Bolduc told the Washington Examiner. He said these evacuation policies "start at the top" and trickle down without any basis in reality.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

"You need to have latitude to make concessions, and in this case, that woman should be allowed on the plane with the puppy," he said.

Original Location: US woman left behind in Kabul with 130 rescue dogs thanks to DOD no-fly animal policy

Washington Examiner Videos
Colorado Springs settled a lawsuit alleging three police officers racially discriminated against a Black man in a 2018 encounter, the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado announced Monday.

Colorado Springs police officers improperly detained and searched Corey Barnes, a Black Colorado Springs resident, in May 2018, the lawsuit alleged. The city is paying $65,000 and the Colorado Springs Police Department has agreed to further train police officers on laws related to stopping and searching civilians, the ACLU announced.

The lawsuit alleged broader racial biases within the police department and comes as the department awaits the results of an external review of its use of force practices that is expected to address whether police use force disproportionately against racial minorities.

We believe that this is emblematic of the kind of police interaction that can be part of the regular life in Colorado Springs and in many communities," ACLU Legal Director Mark Silverstein said of the suit.

Police department spokesman Lt. Jim Sokolik confirmed that the city agreed to a settlement. He said police are already undergoing constitutional training and disagreed with statements made by the ACLU.

I believe they mischaracterized what occurred, he said.

The incident demonstrated that Colorado Springs police was in need of additional training on stop-and-frisk policies, Silverstein said, and he was confident that the police department would follow through with additional training.

I think that it will happen," he said. "Its certainly in the interest of Colorado Springs to have training on basic citizen-police encounters.

The stipulation to change department policy is not novel. A 2017 settlement to another suit brought by the ACLU asked police to remove policy language that allowed officers to consider an individual's refusal to cooperate as probable cause for a search or arrest. The department was also asked to reiterate constitutional protections to record police without fear of unjustified seizure.

The most recent settlement stemmed from allegations that officers Carlotta Rivera, Katelyn Burke and William Watson detained Barnes without cause while searching for a 15-year-old suspect outside an apartment complex on the east side of the city. The three officers were named as defendants in the suit.

The officers handcuffed and searched Barnes, who was 29 at the time, even though he did not match descriptions of age, hairstyle and clothing that officers had of the suspect, the lawsuit alleged. The only descriptor that Barnes had in common with the suspect was race, Silverstein said.

Police acted as though that was the only part (of the description) and they just walked up and put handcuffs on the first African American they encountered, Silverstein said.

Police continued to hold Barnes even after another officer told them he was not the suspect they were looking for, the lawsuit alleged. Officers also "wrote deliberately misleading reports falsely suggesting they released Mr. Barnes when they learned he was not the suspect," the civil rights group said in a statement.

After Barnes filed a complaint, an internal affairs investigation was conducted and found the officers initial actions consistent with CSPD policy, The Gazette previously reported.

Though the ACLU listed the three police officers as defendants alongside Colorado Springs, Silverstein said the city would pay the full amount of the settlement.

The dynamics of similar cases could be different in the future because of a state police reform law passed last year that allows individuals to sue individual police officers for up to $25,000 in state court if they believe officers violated their civil rights.

The law, SB20-217, was not in effect when civil rights lawyers filed their suit against Colorado Springs, but Silverstein said if it was, the group likely would have taken further legal action.

He said his group "definitely would have filed a claim under the new statute."
Family members, elected officials and criminal justice reform advocates called criminal indictments unsealed Wednesday charging Aurora police officers and paramedics in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain a "powerful reminder" that no one is above the law.

Nothing will bring back my son, but I am thankful that his killers will finally be held accountable. said LaWayne Mosley, the father of the 23-year-old McClain, a Black man who died two years ago in Aurora after he was put in a chokehold and injected with a powerful sedative.

For far too long, racist and brutal police across this country have acted as though the law does not apply to them," said attorney Mari Newman, an attorney representing Mosley in a pending lawsuit against the city of Aurora.

"This indictment serves as a powerful reminder to all members of law enforcement that no one is above the law.

State Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, tweeted moments after the 32-count indictment was announced by Attorney General Phil Weiser that she had spoken with McClain's mother.

"Just got off the phone with Sheneen McClain, Elijahs mother and am in tears. We will have justice for Elijah and we will continue the work to ensure that no mother has to face this type of pain again. #ElijahMcClain," Herod said.

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, a Centennial Democrat, said the charges  including counts of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide  mark a step toward "greater accountability."

While nothing can bring Elijah McClain back, this is a critical step in ensuring that justice is served on his behalf," Crow said in a statement. "I stand with Elijahs family, friends, and community who mourn his loss. Today we join the community in seeking greater accountability and justice.

This is a developing story that will be updated.
The Taliban took possession of equipment left behind at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday, according to a reporter who stayed behin
Sue Sharkey is the Vice Chair for the University of Colorados Board of Regents and represents the 4th Congressional District on the board.
A federal court upheld actions by Colorado Springs police in a traffic stop that turned up a gun.

Colt Francis Malone had asked the 10th Circuit to find that Colorado Springs police committed such a detour when they pulled over the car he was riding in for a minor traffic violation that culminated in his arrest. A three-judge panel upheld a lower court ruling against Malone, even as one appellate judge expressed concern that the case may be an example of police doing "whatever they want ... for as long as they want."

On June 18, 2019, members of a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives task force saw a car pull into the Knights Inn hotel. They watched a person exit the car, go into a first floor room, then return to the car and drive away. They alerted nearby Colorado Springs patrol officers Adam Brewer and Brook Hathaway.

The officers saw the driver make a wide right-hand turn and pulled the car over. The driver, Darlene Tucker, told Brewer she was staying at the hotel and handed over her driver license, while also searching for her registration and insurance information. Malone, her passenger, also provided his identification, informing the officers he was on parole for burglarizing a pawn shop.

Brewer instructed Tucker to keep looking for her registration and insurance. Although Tucker's background check reportedly came up clear, the car was not stolen and there were no arrest warrants for them, Brewer learned in the patrol car that Malone was a suspected gang member.

When he returned to the car with Hathaway, the two allegedly began the "detour" from the traffic stop. The officers asked Malone to exit the car for a pat-down. Hathaway noticed a liquor bottle near the passenger seat, but then saw a gun when reaching in for the bottle. The officers searched the car, found a pistol and arrested Malone for weapons possession by a felon.

Malone asked a trial court to suppress evidence of the firearm, alleging a violation of the Fourth Amendment's prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures. In particular, the defense cited the Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision, in which the justices found the use of a K-9 to sniff out drugs after officers completed their traffic stop was unconstitutional.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Philip A. Brimmer initially agreed with Malone.

"I don't think that there is any  there wouldn't be some independent basis to take Mr. Malone out of the car, in other words, some type of reasonable suspicion that would have justified that," said Brimmer, who found no connection between the traffic stop and the criminal activity officers suspected at the hotel.

But the judge declined to suppress the evidence, determining the Colorado Springs officers had a reasonable interest in removing Malone from the car: thinking he may have stolen a gun from the pawn shop and posed a danger. Because Tucker had not yet produced the documents Brewer asked for, the officers' handling of Malone did not prolong the traffic stop, as was the case in Rodriguez. The officers acted reasonably, Brimmer concluded.

During oral argument before the 10th Circuit panel, Judge Gregory A. Phillips grilled the government's lawyer about whether there was any legal limit to the officers' interaction with Malone, given that they never returned to Tucker for her paperwork and in effect left the traffic stop open ended.

"My problem with the governments position in this case is you have known facts, which is the real reason for this stop is the hotel," he said. "But the officers never go back to [Tucker] and say, 'Did you find those [documents]?' Instead, your view, it seems to me, just allows the officers to do whatever they want to for the rest of the stop and investigate the hotel, pull people out of cars  'Do I see anything under the seat?'  for as long as they want."

Phillips added: "So you have this unlimited stop that never stops until they are satisfied to themselves that they cant investigate and prove another crime. That cant be the law that theyre allowed to do that."

Cyrus Y. Chung with the U.S. Attorney's Office responded that everything happened relatively quickly in Malone's case, clarifying that "Im not contending that the stop can go on forever."

"We still dont know if she had proof of insurance and registration to this day," Phillips emphasized.

The appellate panel did not tackle that larger question, instead noting Malone had not challenged Brimmer's finding that the officers had not prolonged the traffic stop in their interaction with Malone. Because the Rodriguez decision only established the officers' behaved unconstitutionally after they extended the length of the traffic stop, Malone's case was not identical.

If Tucker "were still looking for the registration and proof of insurance, the officers could have investigated Mr. Malone while they were waiting," wrote Judge Robert E. Bacharach for the panel.

The case is United States v. Malone.
Colorado is experiencing a "rapid rise" in pediatric COVID-19 case rates, a top state health official said Tuesday, with infections for younger children hitting their highest rates of the pandemic thus far.

The highest case rate in the state is among 6- to 11-year-olds, who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated, according to Rachel Herlihy, the state's epidemiologist. While they're eligible for vaccination, 12- to 17-year-olds have Colorado's the second-highest case rate.

Though there's been a slight increase in pediatric hospitalizations for COVID-19, Herlihy said the numbers remain relatively small. Ten children younger than 11 were hospitalized Tuesday, plus seven more between 12 and 17 years old. Pediatric hospital capacity remained stable, said Scott Bookman, the state's incident commander for COVID-19.

Students across the state returned to schools amid some battles over mask mandates. Gov. Jared Polis resisted new classroom restrictions, but the state Department of Public Health and Environment has recommended masks.

A lengthy saga in the Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties  which were placed under an optional school mask order by the Tri-County Health Department  took a turn Monday night after the agency moved to require masks. Douglas and Adams counties had previously opted out, following hours of opposition to masking, though for different reasons: Douglas County commissioners felt the order unnecessary, and their Adams counterparts were upset the opt-out provision existed at all.

A Gazette examination of data published by the state last week indicates that nearly every new K-12 school outbreak in Colorado was in a district that had no mask mandate. A broad coalition of health care organizations in Colorado have come out in support of masking in schools, and Glen Mays, of the Colorado School of Public Health, urged using masks in schools and other high-risk settings.

"The current surge is not yet showing signs of abating," he said of cases rising generally across Colorado, not just in children. "Our best tools in fighting the virus continue to be vaccines, masks and social distancing. At this point in the pandemic, the most effective response is to implement requirements for vaccination and for mask-wearing in indoor settings  particularly for high-risk settings such as schools, healthcare and long-term care settings."

The beginning of the pediatric case jump predates the return to school, Herlihy said, and can be attributed to summer activities. But the case rate for 6- to 11-year-olds has spiked sharply in the past two weeks, above adult case rates.

"We do know that transmission  especially with a more transmissible delta variant that we have across the state right now  in schools is possible and that could be contributing to the amount of transmission we're seeing in children, especially in unvaccinated children," she said.

There are multiple converging health problems affecting children right now, Herlihy said. RSV, a common but sometimes serious respiratory infection, spiked several months before its typical emergence, she and pediatric health officials have said, which is contributing to a jump in pediatric hospitalizations and intensive care admissions. Children's Hospital Colorado told the Gazette earlier this month that RSV was more prominent in causing hospitalizations than COVID-19. Officials at other pediatric facilities said they were experiencing a similar trend.

It's not known why RSV is spiking now, so far ahead of its typical peak. Herlihy said part of the reason is likely because there were such low rates of RSV during the 2020-21 season, which might've left more children susceptible to the illness. She warned that may also be a warning to what the flu season will bring.

The spike for younger Coloradans coincides with an overall increase statewide. Cases have dipped slightly in recent days, but the state is still averaging more cases per day than at nearly any other point in months. Hospitalizations have also hit their highest point since January.

Herlihy acknowledged that cases have dropped somewhat, but she said that could be explained by the data lag that often follows weekends.

The increase in hospitalizations statewide is concerning, said Jon Samet, the dean of the Colorado School of Public Health.

"This is a worrisome steep rise, and further evidence that current transmission control and the level of vaccination are not sufficient," he said in an email. "The Delta variant is an important part of the story as well; its level of transmissibility finds the weaknesses in our efforts to control the pandemic."
Any effort that enhances U.S. capabilities in fielding our critical fleet of military satellites, including support for the Global Positioning System, should be reassuring to all of us. Its good to see Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican in his seventh term in Congress, and Crow, a first-term Democrat from Aurora who has served in combat as an Army Ranger, working together to advance our national space defense and Colorados pivotal role in it.
PUEBLO  A small sea of Stetsons filled the atrium of the Southwest Motors Event Center, where the Colorado State Fair hosted its 58th annual Junior Livestock Sale on Tuesday afternoon.

For decades, notable Coloradans  some elected government officials, others business owners  have traveled to the fair to inflate the prices of livestock, usually raised by youth involved with 4-H, an organization that helps kids get involved in agriculture, to encourage further engagement in the industry.

Agriculture is a huge part of our states economy, Rachel Beck, vice president of government affairs at the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, said. Those kids are so impressive with how hard they work and the fact that theyre creating financing through their livestock for their future education.

Those who win money for animals theyve raised must spend it on their education or to further their career in agriculture. Many have used their winnings years later to begin ranching operations of their own.

Tuesdays auction, fair officials said, broke event records with a total over $578,000 raised.

Each year, two groups  the Pikes Peak Posse and the Denver Rustlers  don cowboy hats, matching shirts and boots for a ride down from Colorado Springs and Denver respectively to make their mark on the auction. This year, fair officials said, Gov. Jared Polis was at the inaugural Governors Plate event, also at the state fair, and Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers was at a speaking engagement.

Still, several government officials throughout Colorado attended the auction, including Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar, state senators and Pueblo City Council members.

Rustlers and Posse members ride down to the fair on buses escorted by law enforcement, where they pool their funds to make big bids on livestock.

This year, for example, the Rustlers made winning bids on the grand champion market hog and lamb for $15,00 and $37,500, respectively.

The highest bid of the afternoon, however, was made for this years grand champion heifer, which sold for $55,000 to the Sam Brown family, regular big spenders at the auction.

The Posse and the Rustlers tour through the fairs shows ahead of the auction, speaking with the 4-H youth who raised animals.

For some, the auction is a reminder of their own time on a ranch, and a chance to support the dreams of like-minded youth.

I was in 4-H, and I used to raise beef and take em to these types of things, Jake Jabs, president and CEO of American Furniture Warehouse, said. My hearts really with raising cattle and being a rancher, so I support these kids.

Jabs, who said hes been coming to the annual youth auction since it started and this year bid on the grand champion hog and goat on behalf of the Denver Rustlers, said its also all about being a good member of the Colorado community.

Businesses arent just a bunch of greedy people, they help the community, Jabs said. I think its important for the kids to see that, that businesses do support them.

The Posse and the Rustlers have a standing bidding feud at the event, though the auctions often favor the Rustlers. This year went to the Denver Rustlers.

I dont see em as much this year, Jabs said, taunting the Pikes Peak Posse. Maybe its an off year.

But the Pikes Peak Posse, Colorado Springs Republican Sen. Bob Gardner said, makes a special effort to support entries made from El Paso County residents.

We have the Pikes Peak Posse every year to support our 4-H young people from the Pikes Peak region, he said. Its all about supporting these young people that are in 4-H, the dedication and hard work theyve put in to raise their animals.

Bradie Midcap, of Wray, helped raise the auctions fourth-place steer, Snoop, which she and her family acquired in February.

Hes one of my favorites; hes super friendly, she said.

But despite the $4,500 auction price Snoop ultimately went for, Midcap, who will say her final goodbye to the 17-month-old steer Wednesday morning, said selling the 1,230-pound steer was a little bittersweet.

Theres definitely a bond there, she said tearfully. But hell make someone very happy in their freezer.
INDUSTRY INSIGHT

3 strategies to move left of breach

Data breaches continue to grow in cost and frequency, casting a shadow of inevitability over government security. While having a clean-up plan is prudent, government organizations especially should not give up on moving left of breach -- a phrase that refers to detecting and preventing potential breaches, not just reacting to ones that already happened.

How can agencies move left of breach? By implementing zero-trust architecture . In simplest terms, zero trust requires continuous verification, as it assumes any user or device could represent a potential threat -- a logical assumption in a word where workers are increasingly remote. A recent Ponemon research report that surveyed over 600 government IT pros found that while 83% said zero-trust architecture is important to improving their security posture, less than one-third had one.

In May, President Joe Biden released an executive order mandating federal agencies plan their transition to zero trust; however, many dont know where to start. The following three strategies will help federal agencies advance toward zero trust in a bid to move left of breach.

1. Assess infrastructure gaps. The Department of Defense breaks zero trust into seven pillars, or focus areas, and the first five pillars -- user, device, network/environment, applications/workloads and data -- are useful for assessing infrastructure gaps and silos. Users are key to zero trust, and for good reason. Most agencies understand the importance of identity access management capabilities like multifactor authentication, which allows an organization to enable the right individual to access the right resource at the right time for the right reason. However, as the DODs zero-trust architecture outlines, there are other crucial components: securing devices (including real-time patching), segmenting networks (logically and physically), managing applications and compute containers and having a comprehensive data management strategy (i.e. encrypting data at rest and in transit). To truly move left of breach, authentication must occur at each of these points. Department heads and stakeholders must come together to assess what technologies are in place for each pillar and ensure that there are no security gaps within the entire infrastructure.

2. Generate a trust score. Thinking of users, devices, networks, applications and data separately is a useful exercise for ensuring each is covered. However, zero trust doesnt stop there. The sixth pillar is visibility and analytics, and it relies on input from the first five. Agencies need a tool that operates as the brain of their zero-trust architecture. By understanding activity baselines and normal behavior, the brain can quickly detect anomalous behavior that might represent a threat. With visibility and analytics, agencies can continuously evaluate how trustworthy users and their actions are, creating holistic risk scores for each user. This granular level of analysis is crucial to zero trust, as it allows for similarly granular policy controls to quickly prevent a breach.

3, Dynamically adjust policy. Once the first five pillars are integrated with an analytics tool to generate real-time holistic trust scores, those scores must be fed back to control points, including those at the edge. If users start to demonstrate behaviors that are less trustworthy, the system must be able to receive those analytics and dynamically adjust access. If users are accessing data they shouldnt be, for instance, security professionals with access to mitigation technologies like data leak prevention can take the appropriate action to minimize the risk of inadvertent or malicious data spills. Actions could include prompting users for additional authentication, encrypting the files before transmitting or blocking access to the files entirely. This process should be automated because in the blink of an eye, the breach could be over. Dynamically adjusting policy based on entity (user or device) trust scores helps agencies react to threats -- malicious or accidental -- fast enough to make a difference.

To truly move left of breach, agencies must implement zero-trust architecture. With people and data everywhere, gaining visibility itself is hard, much less developing analytics and automation. No wonder zero trust feels like an enormous undertaking to so many. By following these recommendations, agencies can be well on their way to moving left of breach.
Reynolds also issued a statement, accusing Biden of picking a political fight" with the governors to distract from news from Afghanistan, the U.S. border and inflation.

As Ive said all along, I believe and trust in Iowans to make the best health decisions for themselves and their families," Reynolds said. Iowas democratically elected legislature endorsed that view as well when they passed a law to support a parents right to decide whats best for their own children. In Iowa, we will continue to support individual liberty over government mandates.

The controversy over the law is building as Iowa experiences a surge in COVID-19 delta variant cases. In the past month Iowa has gone from a seven-day moving average of cases of less than 300 a day to now more than 1,000 a day. Hospitalizations statewide went from from 120 to 450 in the past 30 days.

Its very alarming to us because we havent seen cases like this since October of 2020, said Polk County Health Department spokeswoman Nola Aigner Davis. We are surging again.

Des Moines area hospitals had 125 COVID-19 patients on Monday, up from 109 a week ago and positive tests show the trend of new cases isn't slowing. Davis said the county saw 340 positive cases over the weekend.

University Hospitals in Iowa City had 45 COVID-19 patients up from 13 at the beginning of August. Included in the current patients are six children.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Dalmias argument was echoed by the novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen, whose family fled Vietnam after the Communist takeover and later ran a grocery store in San Jose, California. The majority of Americans did not want to accept Southeast Asian refugees in 1975. Guess what? They were wrong, Nguyen tweeted. Millions of Southeast Asian Americans have contributed in ways great and small to the U.S. Afghans have done so and will do so.

Fear of immigrants is as old as the Republic, and the Afghan crisis has unleashed those ancient animosities. One trope is foreigner as terrorist. For example, heres Rep. Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin fulminating on Twitter: Afghanistan is a dangerous country that is home to many dangerous people. The Biden (administrations) plan to bring planeloads into the U.S. now and ask questions later is reckless and irresponsible.

Tucker Carlson on Fox rages that newcomers will do more damage with ballots than with bullets. If history is any guide, and its always a guide, we will see many refugees from Afghanistan resettle in our country, and over the next decade, that number may swell to the millions, Carlson said. So first we invade, and then we are invaded.
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Loebsack accomplished that for seven terms. He was the 21st-most moderate out of 237 Democrats in the U.S. House during his final term, according to the nonpartisan congressional analysis site GovTrack. In previous terms, the site ranked him as high as 11th. Loebsack managed to keep winning in the 2nd District even after its rightward shift in 2016 and 2018.

So much could be at play in the 2nd District, which is the case when you have a district whose most recent election was decided by just six votes out of nearly 400,000 cast.

In addition to the candidates need to connect with the districts moderate voters, as well as the most passionate among their respective party bases, the quality of campaign operations could prove critical. Democrats feel stung by the thousands of ballots cast in Iowa City  likely by college students  that had a vote for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden but no vote in the U.S. House race.

Had a mere seven out of those thousands of Biden voters kept voting down-ticket, Rita Hart would be serving her first term in Congress, not Miller-Meeks. Missed opportunities like that are only amplified when the race is as close as was the 2nd in 2020, and they show the critical importance of campaign organizations and get-out-the-vote operations.
Alabama and Ohio  the latter via state GOP Attorney General Dave Yost  sued the Census Bureau in an effort to get the redistricting data released sooner. As part of a settlement agreement with Ohio, the bureau promised to release the redistricting data no later than Aug. 16  a date it had previously picked for releasing the numbers in an older format.

Yost alleged the delay threatened Ohios ability to meet the redistricting deadlines approved by voters and set in its state Constitution.

We were thrown a curve ball, Frank LaRose, the Republican Ohio Secretary of State and a commission member, said Tuesday. We were given an inexplicable delay by the U.S. Census Bureau that has put us in a very untenable situation.

The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, whose members are all Democrats, and the Equal Districts Coalition  a left-leaning group of unions and advocacy groups  questioned Wednesday whether a delay was inevitable. Maps produced as of Tuesday by Senate Democrats, a citizens group and individual Ohioans show it was possible to make the deadline, the caucus said.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
SAN DIEGO (AP)  More than 30 California children are stuck in Afghanistan after they traveled to the country to see their relatives weeks before the Taliban seized power and were unable to get out before U.S. forces left, according to school districts where the kids are enrolled.

Officials with three school districts  one in the San Diego area and two in Sacramento  said Wednesday that they have been in contact with the families who fear they have been forgotten by the U.S. government. The officials said that some of the children were born in the United States and are U.S. citizens.

Nearly all of the children returned to Afghanistan with one or both parents in the spring or early summer to visit relatives. The families traveled on their own to the country and were not part of any organized trips.

Many of the families arrived in the U.S. years ago after obtaining special immigrant visas granted to Afghans who had worked for the U.S. government or U.S. military over the past two decades.
Someone had flattened the tires, poured concrete into the cars trunk and passenger area, and encased it with rebar. Old Hills & Old Folks Resist, was painted on the side of the car.

Kushner, 66, was perched in a rocking chair positioned on the trunk; Kelley-Dearing, 64, was sitting in a lawn chair on the ground next to her; and Moore, 57, was inside the car. All three had their arms inserted into pipes that secured them to anchors of concrete, steel and rebar.

Using grinders, rotary hammers and other hand tools, Roanoke County police worked until nightfall to extract them.

Moore, a former environmental scientist, said he thought long and hard about the best way to convey his fears that building the fossil fuel infrastructure would harm the local environment, and that its operation would help endanger the world climate.

I really feel like this is a time issue, said Moore, who recently was diagnosed with terminal kidney disease. Time is precious, and I want to do the right thing.

Since construction began in 2018, more than 20 similar blockades have been erected along the pipelines southeastern path from northern West Virginia, though the New River and Roanoke valleys, to connect with another pipeline near the North Carolina line.
At 9:05 Monday night, State Department spokesman Ned Price issued a plaintive message to the new rulers of Afghanistan. The Taliban needs to meet its commitments and obligations in Afghanistan, Price tweeted. Those commitments and obligations include respecting freedom of travel, safeguarding the basic rights of the people, engaging in counterterrorism, not carrying out reprisal violence against those who stayed in Afghanistan and forming an inclusive government.

Who is Price kidding? Here is a quick answer: No, the Taliban is not going to do those things.

The more immediate question is: What about the Americans still in Afghanistan after the last U.S. plane left Kabul? We believe there are still a small number of Americans  under 200 and likely closer to 100  who remain in Afghanistan and want to leave, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday night. Blinken would never have said it this way, but those Americans are now pretty much stuck.

That is an end President Joe Biden specifically pledged would not happen. If theres American citizens left, were gonna stay to get them all out, he told ABC News on Aug. 19.
Invalidating the candidacy would, in effect, deprive voters of a fair choice in a democratic election (emphasis on the small d). Its unlikely that Democrats (big d) could find an effective replacement on short notice, and whoever they did find would be at a competitive disadvantage in starting the race late.

As Gilbert said, its hard to see how this upheaval would actually serve the cause of democracy.

Thats not to say the error should be completely ignored  at least, not by voters.

Voters will have to decide whether this error by McAuliffe is immaterial, or whether it should be taken more seriously as part of a pattern of free-wheeling inattention to detail.

Readers might remember his mass restoration of voting rights, which  despite admirable intentions  was undertaken in contradiction to the state constitution, according to the Supreme Court of Virginia. Or his book about the events of Aug. 12, 2017, which several sources criticized as containing important inaccuracies.

Thats not to say that Republicans arent afflicted with carelessness, too.
Howard named Sammy to work with minority groups in the campaign. That primarily meant that Sammy traveled to HBCUs, churches, voters league organizations and civic groups throughout Virginia. He spent a considerable amount of time in Southside Virginia, where the resistance of white voters to the new revised constitution was strong. Black Virginians of that part of the state needed to understand the new day dawning with the new Constitution. That was one of Sammys tasks, and he met the challenge.

Sammy had attracted Howards attention during the 1969 special session of the Virginia General Assembly, when that body considered the commissions report on constitutional revision. The commission did not recommend lowering the voting age to 18. Sammy was one of the student activists lobbying the assembly to adopt an amendment for consideration by the electorate to lower the voting age to 18. The effort failed by one vote in the Virginia Senate, but not because of the lack of effort on Sammys part.
DANVILLE, Va.  Its been a long time coming.

On Saturday, the family of Danville native and Black NASCAR legend Wendell Scott received a trophy commemorating Scotts historic race victory at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 1, 1963.

Frank and Warrick Scott, Wendells son and grandson, received the trophy just before the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Dayton International Speedway. NASCAR planned to celebrate the late Hall of Famers legacy at the event.

Its certainly an honor and privilege to be here this weekend for this historic moment in time, Frank Scott said during a Zoom interview held by NASCAR with reporters Friday afternoon.

Its been nearly 60 years since Wendell Scott won that Jacksonville 200 race and Scott, who died in 1990, wanted the recognition that was due to him for the victory.

He always wanted to get that trophy, Frank Scott said. He predicted he would get his trophy one day.

Wendell Scott piloted his 1962 Chevrolet to first place at the Jacksonville 200, but the race continued for two more laps, possibly to give a white driver behind him a chance to catch up and take the lead.
DANVILLE, Va.  Three more residents of the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District have died of COVID-19, and more people 19 years old and younger are testing positive for the virus.

The fatalities were reported Saturday but not revealed to the public until Monday morning, because the Virginia Department of Health no longer updates its COVID-19 dashboard of information on weekends.

Very little is known to the public when someone dies of the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. Only by charting day-to-day shifts in demographics can some details be extracted.

The recent deaths  two women and one man  occurred in two city residents and one person who resided in Pittsylvania County. One was 80 or older, one was in his or her 60s, and the other was in his or her 70s.

When the date of the deaths isnt clear, they likely happened at least weeks earlier. Health workers must wait for a death certificate before verifying a death is linked to COVID-19, a process that can take two or more weeks.

So far, 242 Danville and Pittsylvania County residents have lost their lives to the virus since the first fatality was logged on March 25, 2020. Thirteen of the deaths have been added this month.
The other central element of Bidens foreign policy is the degree to which it stems from domestic policy and the presidents conviction that the United States can only be effective overseas if its economy and political system are strong at home.

Were in a contest  with autocratic governments around the world as to whether or not democracies can compete with them, he said during his first overseas trip to Europe in June. Weve got to prove that democracy works. Those are domestic goals as much as diplomatic ones.

Biden often says hes intent on making foreign policy work for the middle class  a principle his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, has championed.

The idea is to ensure that voters will support continued U.S. global leadership because they see benefits, rather than just the costs, of globalized trade and foreign military adventures.

When Biden opened a news conference about Afghanistan several days ago by crowing about progress in Congress on his infrastructure program, the juxtaposition may have seemed jarring  but in this administration, domestic priorities are the highest vital interest.
She spoke to her grandson, Elonza Day, and he told her that he got pushed into a locker room when the shooting started. He was unharmed.

Her daughter recently moved from Philadelphia because she thought Winston-Salem would be safer, and then this happened.

Shashua Patterson spoke with her ninth-grader, Nabria Varner, was nearby the scene where gunfire broke out. Patterson said her daughter was headed toward the gym and started running as soon she heard gunshots.

She took shelter in the girls locker room and was unharmed.

Reynolds High School was also put under lockdown around 2 p.m. following concerns on social media that the shooter was allegedly headed there.

Parents were lined up in front of the school, only to find that the school was locked down, that their children were inside in the classroom, that they couldn't pick up their kids until police could give the all clear.

Police were stationed around the school, but their was no evidence on any issues. Still, parents were worried.

Jessica Perez said her daughter Elaina, who is a freshman, was texting her from inside the classroom. She said they were told to be quiet and not make any noise.
Reed was among multiple school district officials who spoke Tuesday about the air conditioning issues at a news conference outside of Grimsley High School in Greensboro. Grimsley also has had issues with air conditioning in some classrooms, but has not had to switch to remote learning. Repairs were underway at the school Tuesday afternoon.

Board of Education Vice Chairwoman Winston McGregor said the district needs more funding for school repairs and replacement and that facilities problems have been increasing along with the average age of school buildings.

Schools leaders, she said, sometimes face decisions that no one really wants to make: If a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system or component is failing in a building that the district knows needs to be replaced, do they put a new unit in an old school set for demolition or do they wait it out, trying to keep repairing the old system until a new school can be built?

Reed said the district has received about 1,000 work orders in August for HVAC problems. About 700 of them remain open, all of which are being worked on.

She also said the district has reached out to 17 more contractors in addition to the nine with which they already work.

We are trying to add more contractors for HVAC specifically, to our rosters, to make sure we are nimble enough to resolve some of these issues, she said.

Contact Jessie Pounds at 336-373-7002 and follow @JessiePounds on Twitter.

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In response to Marc A. Thiessens Aug. 19 column, Biden is blaming everyone but himself:

Ever since the Trump-led Jan. 6 insurrectionary assault on the Capitol, where Congress tabulated the official Electoral College vote formalizing the election of President Biden and Vice President Harris, this Washington Post hack has focused all his vitriol on discrediting President Biden. In this way, Thiessen has helped to keep alive the Trumpist insurrectionary movement based on the Big Lie that Trump had been robbed of the 2020 presidential election, a lie exposed by Republican state election officials and even by Attorney General William Barr  who had previously turned the Justice Department into a private army of legal defenders of Trump.

In this piece Thiessen claims that the debacle President Joe Biden has unleashed in Afghanistan is the most shameful thing I have witnessed over three decades in Washington.

With his avowed patriotism, how can Thiessen forget the Jan. 6 violent attack on the U.S. Congress encouraged by then-U.S. President Trump during which Trump MAGA supporters hunted for Vice President Mike Pence to lynch him?
A sign outside a Hanford grocery store gives shoppers the choice to wear a face mask, or not.
Grace covers Californias economy for CalMatters. Previously, she was an editor at the Washington Monthly. She is a graduate of Pomona College.
In a statement released today Foreign Relations Committee in the Kurdistan Communities Union, the KCK, condemned the supportive stance by PDK of the Turkish occupation:

On Monday 30 August 2021 two children were killed and a big number of civilians were injured in a late hour of the night due to an explosion took place in the Qadya Camp in Zakho in KRG to which our Yazidi people took refuge after the massacres that took place in Shengal at the hands of ISIS terrorist gangs.

According to eyewitnesses the attack indicates that it was carried out by the Turkish occupation state nevertheless what had happened was not verified soon, some PDK officials and administrative hierarchy in in the camp tried to accuse Kurdistan Workers' Party of the attack.

This approach adopted by PDK and its provocations reveal the real stance of the party that tries to clear Turkey of these crimes and others, in addition to its defence of genocidal acts carried out by the occupation against our people. PDK officials did not raise their voices on the Market and Shengal Hospital that were carried out by the fascist Turkish occupation on 16 and 17 August, prior to the Qadya crime on which our movement is being accused.

The Qadya attack came after the Iraq meeting and the visit paid by the French president Emmanuel Macron where some PDK officials hurriedly accused our movement of the attack that substantiates they were already informed of the attack.

The statement called on our people ''to show stance against these alignments and provocative statements and to condemn PDK officials.

Our movement supports return by Yazidis to Shengal and rebuilding their homes to which we spare neither efforts to attain that. This incident shows the necessity of Yazidi return to their homes to lead their lives.

The statement called on both the Iraqi government and PDK to stop these actions against our Yazidi people as well the international public opinion to support legitimate rights of our Yazidi people of administration and self defence.

L..A

ANHA
LONDON (AP)  Britains media regulator on Wednesday cleared TV personality and journalist Piers Morgan of any violations for making comments about Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, that drew more than 50,000 viewer complaints, the largest number ever received by the watchdog agency.

The Office of Communications, known as Ofcom, said Morgan did not breach the broadcasting code when he said on Good Morning Britain that he did not believe what Meghan said during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in which the duchess said she had suicidal thoughts while struggling to fit in with the monarchy.

This is a resounding victory for free speech and a resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchios. Do I get my job back? Morgan, 56, tweeted in response to the Ofcom decision.

Meghan, who before she married Prince Harry in May 2018 was an American actress known as Meghan Markle, told Winfrey that royal officials ignored her concerns about her mental health and that she faced racist attitudes.

Morgan attracted a flood of complaints when he commented during the March episode of Good Morning Britain that he did not believe a word she says" and that I wouldnt believe her if she read me a weather report.
Helena Public Schools made no changes to its mask policy following the governors emergency rule Tuesday calling for various opt-outs for school masking.

Gov. Greg Gianfortes office announced the Department of Public Health and Human Services emergency rule Tuesday morning, effective immediately. The rule notes that school districts should consider parental concerns and should provide an opt-out system for certain reasons.

Helena Public Schools kept its mask mandate in place for the day to avoid disruption. That afternoon, Superintendent Rex Weltz said in a statement the district had considered parents concerns and would not change its mask policy.

The district has taken into account all of those factors and implemented the least restrictive guidelines necessary to preserve the health and safety of our students and staff so that we can continue to keep our schools open five days per week, Weltz said.

Weltz said the district reads the rule as permitting the existing policy since it says should consider and should provide. He said parents and students can opt out of mask wearing by switching to online learning or through medical exemptions.
The Secretary of State's Office last year did not answer a question from Lee Newspapers asking for a dollar amount of refunds that have been issued, though documents Lee Newspapers obtained show the total of the 1,200 refunded reaching about $29,600. If the 1,200 documented charges were made up of businesses that each made four attempts to pay, that would mean 300 businesses affected.

In 2020, Republican Corey Stapleton was secretary of state. His then-deputy, Christi Jacobsen, won election to the job and took office at the start of 2021.

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The complaint claims overcharges of $120,000. The secretary of state in late October also did not provide a count of how many businesses or duplicate transactions may have been made that were not yet refunded.

The emails showed at least some businesses were not aware that their filings were never completed or that they had been charged multiple times, until they received involuntary dissolution intent notices last fall.
BEIJING (AP)  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned U.S. climate envoy John Kerry on Wednesday that deteriorating U.S.-China relations could undermine cooperation between the two on climate change.

Wang told Kerry by video link that such cooperation cannot be separated from the broader relationship and called on the U.S. to take steps to improve ties, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

Kerry, who is in the Chinese city of Tianjin for climate talks with his Chinese counterparts, said the U.S. is committed to cooperating with the rest of the world on climate and encouraged China to take additional steps to reduce emissions, the U.S. State Department said.

Kerry, a former secretary of state, also said that China plays a super-critical role in the effort to combat climate change, according to a brief video clip from the meeting shown on CGTN, the international arm of state broadcaster CCTV.

China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, followed by the United States.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have been strained by disputes over trade, technology and human rights. But the sides have identified the climate crisis as an area for possible cooperation.
To make it simple, if the miner fails to clean up his mess, hes a Bad Actor and will not be given the opportunity to create further messes for the taxpayers to clean up in the future. Common sense? Sure it is.

So it made perfect sense when, in 2018, the DEQ brought a Bad Actor enforcement claim against Phillip S. Baker Jr., current president and CEO of Idaho-based Hecla Mining Company. Mr. Baker was formerly vice president and chief financial officer of Pegasus Gold Inc., which, in 1998, went bankrupt and left in its wake abandoned, toxic mining messes across Montana  Zortman-Landusky, Beal Mountain, Basin Creek. All of these messes had to be cleaned up at taxpayer cost  tens of millions of dollars  with the added bonus that taxpayers will be paying millions of dollars in perpetuity to treat water from these abandoned mining operations.

Baker now heads Hecla Mining, which is seeking permits to construct the Rock Creek and Montanore mines beneath the pristine Cabinet Mountains Wilderness in northwest Montana. But thanks to Montana DEQs 2018 enforcement, Baker could potentially be prohibited from mining in our state again unless or until he makes the state whole for the abandoned Pegasus mines.
In a tent adjacent to the concert stage, members of the National Micro-Mini Tractor Pullers Association competed against each other to see whose 1/16th scale tractor can pull the furthest.

Todd Coulter, president of the NMMTPA, said the micro-mini events attract people from all across the U.S. with some members even visiting from Maryland to just compete in the Farm Progress Show event.

There are six classes and competitions happen on the state and national level, with events across the Midwest.

As far as getting involved and started, were working on putting together some kits and there are actually some tractors for sale here, Coulter said. If youre interested, well get you connected to the right that could get one built for you.
Shockingly, its September again, and while we hang onto the vestiges of summer this Labor Day weekend, fall is undoubtedly in the air, which means its back-to-school season. Whether youre heading back to school yourself or just reliving the magic of the high school era, heres a a selection of well-loved school-set films, from comedies to dramas to musicals, to stoke that celebratory academic energy.

Amy Heckerlings classic 1995 teen comedy Clueless (based on Jane Austens Emma) is the cure for anything. Revisit the high school halls of queen bee Cher (Alicia Silverstone) as she match-makes her way through the teenage aristocrats of Beverly Hills. Stream it on HBO Max or rent it for $2.99 on digital platforms.

Theres nothing like tweed coats, fall leaves, and poetry to conjure up those cozy ivory tower vibes, especially with an inspiring teacher like the one Robin Williams plays in Peter Weirs 1989 boarding school drama Dead Poets Society. Performances by young Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles and Robert Sean Leonard sweeten the deal. Stream it on The Roku Channel with ads or rent it for $3.99.

Kelly Fremon Craigs 2016 teen dramedy The Edge of Seventeen is a vastly underrated and unflinchingly honest look at teenage trials and tribulations, starring two of the most exciting young actresses around: Hailee Steinfeld and Haley Lu Richardson. Stream it on Netflix or rent it for $3.99.

Recommended for you

High school was never wittier than when it was scripted by Daniel Waters, and delivered as dryly by Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty in the 1988 dark comedy classic Heathers. Directed by Michael Lehmann, Heathers defined teenage cool in the late 80s and early 90s, tackling social issues with biting satire. Catch it on Amazon Prime, Hulu, Tubi, Shudder and with ads on Pluto TV and Roku Channel.

Greta Gerwigs directorial debut, the 2017 film Lady Bird, transported us to her early aughts high school days at a Catholic school in Sacramento, California. Saorise Ronan, Beanie Feldstein, Lucas Hedges and Timothee Chalamet captured all the agony and the ecstasy of that challenging transitional time, while Tracy Letts and Laurie Metcalf portrayed the challenges of parenting a teen too. Stream it on Netflix and Kanopy or rent it for $2.99 elsewhere.

Sometimes high school is about singing, dancing and following those dreams, especially in Alan Parkers 1980 film Fame, based on the real life New York City LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts (the aforementioned Chalamet is an alum). The titular song, performed by star Irene Cara, won an Oscar too. Rent it for $3.99 on digital platforms.

More musical school fun can be found in the immensely charming School of Rock, the Mike White-scripted, Richard Linklater-directed 2003 star vehicle for comedian-turned-rock star Jack Black. Currently streaming on Paramount+, School of Rock boogies onto Netflix on Sept. 1.

Finally, Adam Sandler truly put the back-to-school in back-to-school in his classic, star-making 1995 comedy Billy Madison, directed by Tamra Davis. Sandler stars as wealthy spoiled brat Billy, who has to repeat and pass every grade in 24 weeks in order to gain the confidence (and inherit the business) of his father. Rent it for $3.99 on digital platforms.

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Todays Highlight in History:

On Sept. 1, 1939, World War II began as Nazi Germany invaded Poland.

On Sept. 1:

In 1159, Pope Adrian IV, the only English pope, died.

In 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr was found not guilty of treason. (Burr was then tried on a misdemeanor charge, but was again acquitted.)

In 1923, the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Yokohama were devastated by an earthquake that claimed some 140,000 lives.

In 1942, U.S. District Court Judge Martin I. Welsh, ruling from Sacramento, Calif., on a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Fred Korematsu, upheld the wartime detention of Japanese-Americans as well as Japanese nationals.

In 1945, Americans received word of Japans formal surrender that ended World War II. (Because of the time difference, it was Sept. 2 in Tokyo Bay, where the ceremony took place.)

In 1969, a coup in Libya brought Moammar Gadhafi to power.

In 1972, American Bobby Fischer won the international chess crown in Reykjavik (RAY-kyuh-vik), Iceland, as Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union resigned before the resumption of Game 21. An arson fire at the Blue Bird Cafe in Montreal, Canada, claimed 37 lives.

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In 1983, 269 people were killed when a Korean Air Lines Boeing 747 was shot down by a Soviet jet fighter after the airliner entered Soviet airspace.

In 1985, a U.S.-French expedition located the wreckage of the Titanic on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean roughly 400 miles off Newfoundland.

In 2005, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin issued a desperate SOS as his city descended into anarchy amid the flooding left by Hurricane Katrina.

In 2009, Vermonts law allowing same-sex marriage went into effect.

In 2011, in a fiery broadcast from hiding, Libyas Moammar Gadhafi warned that loyalist tribes in his main strongholds were armed and preparing for battle. Leaders and envoys from 60 countries and the U.N. met in Paris for talks with Libyas rebel-led National Transitional Council to map the countrys future.

In 2015, invoking Gods authority, Rowan County, Kentucky, Clerk Kim Davis denied marriage licenses to gay couples again in direct defiance of the federal courts, and vowed not to resign, even under the pressure of steep fines or jail. (Davis would spend five days in jail; she was released only after her staff issued the licenses on her behalf but removed her name from the form.)

In 2016, a massive fireball and explosion erupted at SpaceXs main launch pad at Cape Canaveral, destroying a rocket as well as a satellite that Facebook was counting on to spread internet service in Africa.

In 2020, visiting Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he toured the charred remains of a city block, President Donald Trump blamed domestic terror for the violence that had followed the shooting of Jacob Blake, whod been left paralyzed when he was shot in the back seven times by a police officer. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would lift the states ban on visiting nursing homes; the ban had been in effect since mid-March over fears of spreading the coronavirus. U.S. Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts defeated U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III in a hard-fought Democratic Senate primary; it was the first time a Kennedy had lost a race for Congress in Massachusetts. With videoconferencing an integral part of daily life during the pandemic, the Wall Street market value of Zoom surged to more than $129 billion, higher than Citigroup, Boeing and Starbucks.

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On Tuesday, Bristol sent another three swiftwater rescue firefighters to the team.

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Armstrong said teams have been working to locate and remove victims trapped by high flood waters. Several buildings collapsed or have become dangerously unstable due to the force of the water. The Buchanan County Sheriffs Office estimated that 20 homes were moved off their foundations. Several trailers also washed away.

By Tuesday afternoon, Armstrong said the Bristol crew was credited with rescuing three victims using rescue boats to move them to safety. A total of 50 people have been rescued by various teams, the Sheriffs Office reported. One person was still missing Tuesday night in the Guesses Fork area of Hurley, and no fatalities have been confirmed.

Crews are working to complete as much work as possible today before the next round of heavy rains come through the area, said Armstrong, referring to Tropical Storm Idas appearance in the Mountain Empire.

Crews are expected to complete their work today and possibly start returning home, Armstrong said.

One Bristol firefighter sustained a minor injury Monday night that required stitches.
Biden hardly is the only president to blame for this mess. There is no question that President Donald Trumps intemperate deal with the Taliban reduced the options open to his successor, not least because it signaled to the Taliban that all it had to do was sit and wait. By telegraphing a lack of U.S. will to continue to work with allies to protect freedoms in Afghanistan, the Afghan government and its security forces were further weakened. Hence the rapid collapse.

So while its surely tempting for Republicans to use this debacle for political gain and to try to render the Biden presidency a single-term affair, the reality is that the mistakes here have been bipartisan. And few Republicans have openly repudiated the Trump deal.

For centuries, Afghanistan has been a quagmire for nations such as Britain, Russia and the United States. Bidens belief that it had to end, that it was not worth more American lives over many more years, is entirely defensible.

But now he has to face, and own, the inconvenient truth that terrorists love to fill a power vacuum. They cannot be allowed to prevail. And the fight against them will need to be waged not just by the U.S. but by its long-standing allies. Bidens rhetoric needs to become more inclusive of those allies.
While the school data was being presented, board member Ronn Abernathy discussed directly with Stover the percentage of positive cases in students. Abernathy said that 126 is a lot and thats unfortunate, but the total number of positive cases is less than 1% of the entire student population.

Mr. Abernathy, I think that the largest issue that we are running into is the number of students who are out of school currently, Stover said. Thats where I am running into issues with staff and students who are out 10 days at a clip.

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All board members agreed that keeping students in the classroom was the main goal.

I would like to say that I still strongly think it should be the parents decision whether kids wear a mask or not, but I also want to keep the kids in school, board member Annette Richards said. It is obvious with quarantines, if they dont have a mask on they will be quarantined, which is taking the kids out of school. Eventually, we are heading in the direction that we are going to have to close the schools down and go remote.
The superintendent acknowledged how hard it was for parents and students during the lockdowns.

I know how awful it must have been to be separated from your children during this incident, and I am sure that you held your children tighter when they arrived home this afternoon, she said. McManus praised the bravery and quick thinking of the school staff as they responded to the shooting, and said law enforcement officers did not hesitate in their response.

The mood was somber at the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office when local authorities held a news conference shortly before the announcement came that a suspect was in custody.

Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough talked about the pain the family of the slain student was experiencing, and how this affects the community at large:

I met with his family  I talked with his mother, Kimbrough said, mentioning his encounter with Shannon Clark, Millers mother. I felt the pain, the tears of the mother, and so my concern was to console her, and my concern was to let her know that she had the full support of this entire community, all of us, all of us. Because if she is hurting, we are hurting. All of us have children, most of us anyway. So I can assure you that while I am sad, I am also mad as hell.
CONCORD  Micaela Malachowski, a teacher at R. Brown McAllister STEM Elementary School, has been selected as the 2021 Cabarrus County Schools Beginning Teacher of the Year, the district announced in a news release on Tuesday.

Ms. Malachowski has worked to get to know her students and families individually and is able to help them make connections that are meaningful in texts, topics, and content, said R. Brown McAllister Principal Jessica Blanchard in the release. She has a can-do attitude and is a true problem solver. She is always receptive to feedback and eager to grow her practice.

CCS Superintendent Dr. John Kopicki surprised Malachowski with the news at her school Tuesday.

Malachowski joined Cabarrus County Schools as a beginning teacher in August 2020. Before attending college, she took a gap year to serve with City Year Philadelphia, an Americorps program focused on supporting students in low-income communities to achieve academic success, according to the release.

She graduated from Elon University with a bachelors degree in elementary education. Her undergraduate research, Impact of Teachers Disposition on Student Mindset was presented at the North Carolina Education Conference at Meredith College in Raleigh.
These names and these lives have been hidden in these books for just way too long, said Tammy Brunner of the Wake County Register of Deeds.

Benton Williams started his plantation in 1829 with the $135 purchase of 85 acres of land. By 1860, the farm spanned 900 acres, most of it dedicated to the labor-intensive production of cotton. Records associated with the farm show Williams and his wife bought or received as gifts enslaved children and adults whose work made the enterprise possible.

Researchers say Eliza was the first enslaved woman to arrive at the plantation, at about age 19. After emancipation in 1865, she married a Reddick Hutchings, who had been enslaved on a nearby farm. The family worked as paid laborers on the Williams plantation for another 12 years before buying 43 acres from the Williams family in 1877.

Even now, five of the enslaved people who were part of the Williams labor force remain nameless, unknown except for the ages and genders that were recorded in the 1860 census.

Historic Oak View County Park, like other historic sites in North Carolina and across the South, now includes the slave-owning history of the property and the roles enslaved people played in the operation of the farm. Fourth-graders who visit the site on school field trips learn about Eliza and others who worked in the fields, in the Williams two-story Greek revival house, in the plank kitchen, the cotton gin house and other outbuildings.
Fans of Princess Diana will now be able to go to Kensington Palace and see the new statue that was revealed on her birthday.
Do you remember the old saying, Believe half of what you see and nothing that you hear? I cant say that is good advice in every situation, but when it comes to rumors, I would agree. On the other hand, we can believe every word of Gods Word. The Holy Spirit is our guide in our interpretation of what He is telling us.

I often refer to Bible commentaries to determine what the Bible scholars say about a particular passage. However, when in doubt, I stick to the Bible and let it be what it was designed to be and that is the authoritative Word of God. The Holy Spirit is sufficient, and we do not need any other interpreter but Him. The Bible says, However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth (John 16:13, NKJV)

Many years ago, a person was questioning a particular church by-law and asked why it was written in that manner. I made it clear the policy followed Biblical principles and Gods Word is true and worthy to be trusted in establishing church directives. This person responded, I agree with the Bible, but in this case, the writer, the Apostle Paul, did not really mean what he said.

Those who trust Gods Word know it always means what it says whether we believe it or not. A perfect God gave us the perfect Word. The big question is whether we will apply it as it is written. My suggestion is to read Gods Word, believe Gods Word and use it every day in our lives. Once you begin living by Gods Word you will love it.
The free Windows 11 upgrade to PCs that qualify starts rolling out on October 5, which is the same date new PCs with Windows 11 pre-loaded will become available for purchase, heralding a new era for Microsoft as it fights Apple and Google for computing supremacy.

Windows 11. The launch was sadly marred by Microsoft insisting on strict hardware requirements that didn't apply in the same to Windows 10, and even though Microsoft has reportedly relented in that "unsupported" hardware can still be made to install Windows 11, there's confusion on whether those "unsupported" PCs will get security and other updates via the Windows Update mechanism.

However, if your computer DOES have an Intel Core i-Series 8th-generation processor or better, or is a Surface Studio 2 with qualifying 7th-gen Core i-Series chip, along with a TPM 2.0 chip or equivalent capability, then you'll find the PC Health Check app will give you a clean bill of upgrade health, and you'll have no problems upgrading.

Microsoft's blog post announcing the October 5 date, which is presumably October 6 in Australia due to the usual time zone differences, was published by Aaron Woodman, the General Manager of Windows Marketing, and naturally, Woodman explains all of Windows 11's features and benefits.

Here are 11 highlights of this release that Woodman has shared, in his own words:

1. The new design and sounds are modern, fresh, clean and beautiful, bringing you a sense of calm and ease.

2. With Start, weve put you and your content at the centre. Start utilises the power of the cloud and Microsoft 365 to show you your recent files no matter what device you were viewing them on.

3. Snap Layouts, Snap Groups and Desktops provide an even more powerful way to multitask and optimize your screen real estate.

4. Chat from Microsoft Teams integrated into the taskbar provides a faster way to connect to the people you care about.

5. Widgets, a new personalised feed powered by AI, provides a faster way to access the information you care about, and with Microsoft Edges world class performance, speed and productivity features you can get more done on the web.

6. Windows 11 delivers the best Windows ever for gaming and unlocks the full potential of your systems hardware with technology like DirectX12 Ultimate, DirectStorage and Auto HDR. With Xbox Game Pass for PC or Ultimate you get access to over 100 high-quality PC games to play on Windows 11 for one low monthly price. (Xbox Game Pass sold separately.)

7. Windows 11 comes with a new Microsoft Store rebuilt with an all-new design making it easier to search and discover your favorite apps, games, shows, and movies in one trusted location. We look forward to continuing our journey to bring Android apps to Windows 11 and the Microsoft Store through our collaboration with Amazon and Intel; this will start with a preview for Windows Insiders over the coming months.

8. Windows 11 is the most inclusively designed version of Windows with new accessibility improvements that were built for and by people with disabilities.

9. Windows 11 unlocks new opportunities for developers and creators. We are opening the Store to allow more developers and independent software vendors (ISVs) to bring their apps to the Store, improving native and web app development with new developer tools, and making it easier for you to refresh the look and feel across all our app designs and experiences.

10. Windows 11 is optimised for speed, efficiency and improved experiences with touch, digital pen and voice input.

11. Windows 11 is the operating system for hybrid work, delivering new experiences that work how you work, are secure by design, and easy and familiar for IT to deploy and manage. Businesses can also test Windows 11 in preview today in Azure Virtual Desktop, or at general availability by experiencing Windows 11 in the new Windows 365.

Woodman also goes on thank the Windows Insider Community, how Windows 11 will be rolled out to compatible Windows 10 PCs in a "phased and measured approach", and then goes on to highlight a stack of new mobile PCs coming out in various form factors, with direct links to the relevant websites.

Personally, I did have the developer preview version of Windows 11 loaded onto a Samsung Galaxy Book 12 tablet. I had hoped that Microsoft would enable its 7th-gen Intel Core i5 processor to be officially supported, given that the Galaxy Book 12 was designed for Windows 11 years before Windows 11 was available, and even though it seemed to work perfectly well, I wiped it a couple of days ago and put Windows 10 back on.

Windows 11 is not officially welcome on that device, sadly, which is a real shame, and running the Dev beta means you need to have ALL of the additional analytics on, effectively letting Microsoft check out anything on the computer that it wants, within whatever limits are left.

However, as Windows 10 will be supported until 2025, and with macOS, iOS and iPadsOS my blissfully trouble-free primary computing environments, it's hardly the end of the world.

I do have another Windows PC which is compatible with Windows 11, and given it is possible to unofficially install Windows 11 onto the Samsung tablet, I may well do it in the future, especially IF Microsoft allows those "unsupported" devices to still get regular security and other updates via Windows Update, which at this time, still isn't confirmed.

So, Windows 11 is coming soon, and for most people, it looks like it will be a great update that you'll definitely want to get, and while the world will reserve final judgement until Windows 11 actually arrives in its "initial" final form, the ongoing updates and upgrades to the OS will be continuous, just as they were with Windows 10.

And finally, while Windows can still boast of over a billion users, Macs, iPads, Chromebooks and Linux have never been more popular, which means Microsoft and its partners have never had to work harder to keep users in the fold.

If only Microsoft was a bit more flexible on its Windows 11 upgrade policy. But, that's life. Microsoft giveth and Microsoft taketh away, just as Apple, Google and other companies have end-of-life periods for their various operating systems, too.

Here is the Windows 11 event in full from two months ago:
DECATUR  With the 2021 Farm Progress Show as a backdrop, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday the expansion of a farmer mental health pilot program to cover the entire state.

The Farm Family Resource Initiative, founded in 2019 as a pilot program in Christian, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Morgan and Sangamon counties, connects farmers with mental health resources and providers through a telephone hotline.

With a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the program will be expanded to all 102 counties with the addition of new features, such as text and email communication options, increased marketing of the hotline, a voucher program for behavioral health services and mental health first aid trainings.

The program is an initiative of the SIU School of Medicine and the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

"Make no mistake, our farm communities are the toughest of the tough," Pritzker said. "And when it comes to mental health, asking for help is sometimes the bravest thing that you can do. Mental healthcare is healthcare. And in Illinois, we're making it easier to access help every step of the way in every community."

Officials did not provide empirical evidence of the pilot's effectiveness, but said it opened many doors in the realm of telehealth, which has become a crucial lifeline to receive health services in remote areas.

"The hotline has been utilized  it's been very, very popular," said Jerry Kruse, dean of the SIU School of Medicine. "And just simple things like emailing and texting and connecting to the communities are the things that we've done with the pilot ... We have a great foundation now and I'm so excited for the future of it."

The Farmer Assistance Helpline is available at all times at 1-833-FARM-SOS.

Davis to host policy summit

Pritzker wasn't the only politician at the Farm Progress Show Tuesday morning.

Just minutes after the governor's event ended, U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis took reporters' questions. Davis, a Taylorville Republican who has been identified as a possible challenger to Pritzker in next year's election, said the two did not cross paths.

In any case, Davis kept the focus on ag policy.

"This is the farm show of farm shows in the nation," Davis said. "And I think we sometimes take it for granted what it means to the Midwest and what it means to our ag economy."

Davis is hosting a "Biofuels Policy Summit" Wednesday morning in the Archer Daniels Midland Co. tent. He will be joined by Reps. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro; Darin LaHood, R-Peoria; Randy Feenstra, R-IA; Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-IA-2; and Jim Baird, R-IN.

"Our producers in agriculture aren't shy about giving their opinions," Davis said. "This gives them another chance to get six members of Congress in front of them that represent a multitude of Midwestern states where ethanol is a major issue."

The event is slated to run from 8:30 to 10 a.m.

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FICTION: A simple desire to call a space her own creates conflict in the life of a woman in modern London.

"Three Rooms" by Jo Hamya; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (208 pages, $25)



If, as Virginia Woolf once argued, a woman needs money and a room of her own, what does she do when neither is available to her? How can she be her own person if the only jobs available pay minimum wage and rents are out of reach? In "Three Rooms," Jo Hamya confronts these questions as her unnamed narrator, a woman of color in London, struggles over the course of a year to call a space "hers."

The book begins as she moves into a room at Oxford University, her space while she works as a research assistant. When she tells her neighbor that she has taken the position while she waits to see if the job market will open up, the man's vague disapproval of her desire to work in the "real world" annoys her, especially his assumption that work for her means money, rather than following her passion. She will encounter this attitude several times throughout the narrative, and it is further complicated by other characters' insistence that her college education erases any prejudice she might suffer because of her race.

Among the ironies she recognizes, however, is that being able to do a job that one loves often starts with having financial independence in the first place. She hesitates to tell her neighbor what she really wants.

"At that point," the narrator thinks, "it was still too intimate to tell this stranger that the end goal I wanted, through any job necessary, was to be able to afford a flat, not just a room, and then to settle in it, and invite friends to dinner. I thought I had put reasonable effort into this desire through successive degrees while waiting for the economy to clear up enough to raise the median starting wage."

Hamya is brilliant at invoking the milieu in which young adults move. Not only have they been deposited into an economy that offers lower real wages than previous generations, but they are also expected to enter a housing market that makes even renting an apartment a luxury. The narrator feels vague shame for wanting the sorts of "normal things" that are taken for granted  shelter, for instance  and then being lectured by older adults that she has to wait her turn, that being broke and couch-surfing is what she should expect at this stage in her life.

In entering her narrator's consciousness, Hamya has written a political novel that never explicitly states its politics. One of the most affecting scenes is about the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire, in which dozens perished. The reality that even if one had one's own shelter, being "safe at home" required the kind of money that was out of reach.

And she skewers social media for its performative aspect, while capturing the poignancy of a world in which everyone is living their best lives. Online, after all, was the one place where "there was all the space you wanted there, you paid no money for it, and you could do with it whatever you chose."

Economic austerity has shut down opportunity for the younger generations. Wanting a room of one's own shouldn't be such an impossible desire.



Lorraine Berry is a writer in Oregon.

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VIENNA, Ill.  An alleged argument over the COVID-19 vaccine led to a fatal shooting in Tunnel Hill over the weekend, authorities have confirmed.

Larry D. Cavitt, 68, of Goreville, was charged with murder Monday in Johnson County Court.

Cavitt, faces two counts of murder, both class M felonies, and aggravated battery with use of a firearm, a class X felony.

The charges stem from a shooting late Saturday evening in in the 6000 block of Dutchman Lake Road. Cavitt allegedly shot his half-brother Joseph E. Geyman, 51, of Tunnel Hill.

Johnson County Sheriff Pete Sopczak said the men, who lived next door to each other, argued over the COVID-19 vaccine. Cavitt allegedly took out a handgun and shot Geyman in the head. Sopczak said there was no physical altercation.

Geyman died from injuries sustained by gunfire.

"Joe Geyman was one of the greatest guys around," Sopczak said.

The sheriff said Geyman was a great family man, husband and father of four.

"What makes it so tragic is that is was so senseless. It just makes no sense," Sopczak said.

He added that Geyman was planning to retire in December.

Bail was set at $750,000 and Cavitt was order to possess no firearms and have no contact with Monica Geyman and four children. He posted bond and was released from Massac County Jail Tuesday.

Cavitts next court appearance will be a preliminary hearing at 11 a.m. Sept. 15.

Johnson County Sheriffs Department and Illinois State Police are investigating the shooting.

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At Novant, Priest said the healthcare system has adjusted its mandatory vaccination policy for employees to take into consideration the FDA providing full authorization of the Pfizer vaccine.

Employees are still required to be vaccinated, with the first dose needing to be done by Sept. 15 and the second dose around the three-week time frame set by the FDA.

Priest said that as of Tuesday about 87% of Novants 35,000 employees are either fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated or have medical or religious exemptions. Novant has about 8,145 employees in Forsyth County.

Natural immunity

Depending on natural immunity to resolve the pandemic wont occur as quickly as many individuals, especially the unvaccinated, have been led to believe or hope, Priest said.

What we struggle with involving natural immunity is that everyone is different, Priest said.

How old you are, what other health problems you have, what medications you take, and how big a dose of COVID did you get when you were infected.

Priest said for those who had a mild case of COVID, their immunity protection likely doesnt last very long ... and those individuals are likely to get COVID a second time if exposed.

You are going to either get those antibodies through a controlled way with the vaccination, or youre going to get antibodies from getting COVID and taking your chances with that. Over time, well get enough immunity in the community to get the infection numbers now, Priest said.But as we have learned through the pandemic, this virus has a way to surprise us, so we remain vigilant.

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In fact, there is a pending lawsuit in Forsyth Superior Court against the three women and Danby House. The lawsuit makes several claims, including negligent hiring, supervision and retention and medical negligence. The lawsuit was filed by attorneys for one of the female residents involved in the fight, Betty Moore, who is in her 70s.

Moore was in the Special Care Unity, which is reserved for residents suffering from dementia and Alzheimers. On June 19, 2019, she was in her room when the other woman came in. The other woman, who was 71 at the time, had a history of coming into residents rooms and agitating them. McKey, Jordan and Tyson, all personal care aides, had come into Moores room to check on her roommate, who had fallen, the lawsuit said.

The 71-year-old resident began hitting Moore, knocking her back on the bed and then started choking her until she was close to losing consciousness, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit said McKey, Jordan and Tyson did not do anything and in fact, encouraged the two female residents to fight each other. Another employee, a medication aide, also witnessed the attack but did not alert supervisors, the lawsuit said.
Rabbi Mark Cohn of Temple Emanuel will leave Forsyth Countys only synagogue in June 2022 after serving as its spiritual leader for nearly 21 years.

Cohn, 53, said he told the synagogues congregation in May about his plans.

Im not leaving for another position, Cohn said. I got engaged to this remarkable woman who lives in Springfield, Mass., and we want to make a life together.

Rabbi Amy Wallk Katz of Temple Beth El of Springfield, Mass. and Cohn plan to marry in San Francisco in January 2022, he said.

Both of the couples congregations know about their engagement, Cohn said.

Temple Emanuel has started its search to fill its rabbinate, Cohn said.

Cohn has served since July 2001 as rabbi of Temple Emanuel at 201 Oakwood Drive in Winston-Salem. Before that, Cohn served as the assistant rabbi at Congregation Schaarai Zedek in Tampa, Fla.

I feel very blessed to have been here as long as I have, Cohn said of Temple Emanuel. Ive had the chance to make incredible partnerships in the city of Winston-Salem.
The meeting was postponed two days while Biden and his national security team were consumed by the military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The withdrawal, which concluded Monday, left behind many Afghans who had worked with the Americans and their allies and who now fear Taliban rule. This led to criticism that the U.S. was less than a reliable international partner, something Biden was eager to counter.

The optics of the moment did not go unnoticed by the Ukrainian president. At a difficult time for the world and the United States ... still you found time for us and we're thankful for this indeed, Zelenskyy said.

In advance of the sit-down, the Biden administration said it was committing up to $60 million in new military aid to Ukraine. The administration said the aid was necessary because of a major increase in Russian military activity along its border and because of mortar attacks, cease-fire violations and other provocations.

The package includes more Javelin anti-tank missiles, which Kyiv sees as critical to defending against Russia-backed separatists. The U.S. has overall committed more than $400 million in military aid this year.

Zelenskyy thanked Biden for the aid.
LONDON (AP)  U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was heading to the region around Afghanistan on Wednesday in a push to rescue stranded British citizens and Afghan allies, amid strong criticism of the governments rushed and chaotic evacuation effort.

Raab did not provide any details, citing security reasons, but he is expected to visit Pakistan for talks on establishing routes out of Afghanistan through third countries.

A senior British official, Simon Gass, already travelled to Qatar to meet with Taliban representatives for talks about allowing people to leave Afghanistan.

Britain says it evacuated more than 15,000 U.K. citizens and vulnerable Afghans from Kabul during a two-week August airlift that Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has called Dunkirk by WhatsApp.

But Wallace also said that as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the U.K. were left behind. Raab said those who werent evacuated included guards from the now-abandoned British Embassy in Kabul.

We wanted to get some of those embassy guards through, but the buses arranged to collect them, to take them to the airport, were not given permission to enter, he told lawmakers on Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee.
Our hearts go out to people suffering from these natural disasters, especially those who have no choice but to ride out the storm.

A lot of people in New Orleans dont have two nickels to rub together, much less go on an extended vacation, Jody Boudreux, a tour guide and pedicab driver in the French Quarter, told NBC News.

Some were stuck despite their attempts to leave. Reports came in on Sunday of hourslong traffic jams that hindered thousands of Louisiana residents trying to flee.

The trillion-dollar bipartisan infrastructure bill that recently passed the U.S. Senate would certainly have been of service with the current crises, improving power grids and reinforcing roads and bridges. It should have been taken up years ago.

But the improvements that pass the final congressional bill are unlikely to be robust enough to mitigate the severity of climate change. More is needed.

We appreciate that many Republican legislators have taken this issue seriously and are attempting to be judicious  including our own senators, Richard Burr and Thom Tillis  but those who have opposed the bill simply because it gives Biden a win are doing the country a disservice. As Biden might say, help or get out of the way.
Jesus' words

What I wonder is why neo-conservative Christians misuse the Bible to attack the same people  the poor and the nonwhite  and to question the intimate details of sexuality between people they dont know. Why do they ignore other biblical statements that usually apply to them personally?

Jesus was kinda vague about when sex was OK and with whom. For some reason he didnt care to talk about it. But he was crystal clear about his and the Fathers opinion about divorce (see Matthew 19:9, Mark 10: 11-12, Luke 16:18): Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. There are other biblical references about God hating divorce, but these three are important because they report what Jesus said in three Gospels. Most folks who study the Bible agree, if a saying attributed to Jesus shows up in more than one Gospel, you can be sure Jesus said it.
One of those needs is finding the commonality within diverse Hispanic cultures.

There are 22 countries that speak Spanish, but the way the language is put together, and the traditions, are very different from country to country. Many of our ministry members come from Mexico, but also Equador, Dominican, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador.

She likes to say that if you want to get little bit of all those countries, you can come to the U.S.  you can find everybody here.

For some ministry participants, Spanish is their second language.

Theyre learning it in the U.S. Im trying to teach them a little Spanish so we can communicate better, she says.

Education is important, not just for immigrant children but for their parents, too, Cieza says.

I try to get people to see that the way to get ahead in this country is education  not just for our kids, but for us, the first-generation immigrants, she says. The way things work here is very different from many Latin countries, and you have to be educated to do well.
Monolith, the company that built a carbon black manufacturing plant near Hallam and is in the process of developing a second plant, plans to launch a hiring spree to support the expansion.

The company, which is headquartered in Lincoln, said it plans to hire 200 new employees over the next 18 months.

Many of the jobs are for highly skilled positions, including chemists and engineers, Monolith said, and are needed to support its expansion.

The company, which moved to the Lincoln area from California several years ago, opened a $100 million plant last year south of Sheldon Station with the capacity to produce about 14,000 tons annually of carbon black, a powdery substance that's used in tires, inks, plastics and other products.

It now plans to build a second carbon black plant to the north of the existing plant near Hallam, at a likely cost of $1 billion or more, that will have 12 times the production capacity.

As part of that expansion, the company also plans to build an anhydrous ammonia plant that will use the hydrogen produced in the carbon black manufacturing process and combine it with nitrogen to produce the liquid fertilizer that farmers use. That plant will have a capacity of about 275,000 metric tons annually.
Why would someone order a Wagyu tenderloin at a local tavern?

Because if the establishment was named Tavern 180, the tender, fat-marbled, rich-tasting steak  along with the rest of the menu items  was likely prepared with precision, expertise and care.

Mike McClure commented that the name of the south Lincoln restaurant could be thought of as a complete turnaround of the stereotyped image of a tavern  a haven for flavorful food and a classy atmosphere.

We are a casual fine dining establishment, with a bar, he said. (Lincolns Tavern 180 is the second of four Tavern 180s, with the first in Omaha and sister restaurants in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Ankeny, Iowa.)

The Lincoln 180 opened in March 2019, achieving a customer following before COVID-19 struck. The virus effect and the public response to COVID was so profound that the restaurant shut down for much of the pandemic.

But management decided to make the shutdown into something positive by using the time to make some changes  streamlining the restaurants menu and making adjustments based upon customer comments. Reopening this past Memorial Day weekend, customers discovered a Tavern 180 with a remodeled interior, a private party room and a new patio seating area.
"We're losing our chance to really make a difference in the national spotlight," UNL sophomore Carter Wenburg told the Journal Star on Wednesday.

Wenburg, acting alone for now in his role as organizer of the divergent group, gathered in front of the fraternity with a small group of people on Wednesday night.

His announcement came less than 30 minutes after Liu-Sang, who has been among the most vocal organizers at UNL over the last week, announced to her followers that all protests would be suspended until Sept. 15.

Liu-Sang's post came about two hours before demonstrators had planned to stage a sit-in at Canfield Hall, which houses UNL's administrative offices. In the post, Liu-Sang, who did not respond to a request for comment, said organizers were falling behind on schoolwork and taking time off to reexamine their message, which she said isn't only about Fiji.

"That has been overlooked," she said in the post.
Prosecutor Nicole Chiappone said even Cruz himself has used some of the terms his attorneys want barred. She said he refers to himself in a cellphone video as the next school shooter and, shortly before the killings, recorded himself saying, this is the day of my massacre.

Chiappone said Scherer should not make any pretrial list of barred terms. If someone at trial refers to Cruz or the shootings in a manner his attorneys believe is prejudicial, they can object then and make their argument to strike the wording, she said.

Referring to this as an incident or a tragedy is insulting. This is far more, she added.

Cruz has pleaded not guilty, but his attorneys have said he would plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. Prosecutors have rejected that offer.

Cruz's attorneys also asked to review testimony given in secret to a statewide grand jury empaneled after the shooting that examined systemic failures in school security, mental health counseling and other programs.

They want to see if anything was said specifically about Cruz during the hearings that could provide some mitigation for the shooting, either in the main trial or during the sentencing phase. They said if they aren't allowed to see the testimony, they want Scherer to review it.
Every summer my husband and I drive thousands of miles across the country and back. The reason is the dog, Augie, who can't fly. But we are the beneficiaries.

Never more than this summer, and not just because we had another chance to savor the landscape -- most striking in this year's route, the savage beauty of South Dakota's Badlands. But our travels, more by happenstance than careful planning, also offered sobering lessons in the unfinished business of our country, business both centuries old and still being sorted.

One striking thing was how our stops stitched together events so searing you remember where you were with pinpoint precision: In Memphis, the Lorraine Motel; at 9, I was sitting on the plaid couch in the den, watching as the news that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. had been shot flashed across the television screen and racing to the kitchen, where my mother was tidying up after dinner, to report.

In Oklahoma City, the bombing memorial and museum; at 36, I was on bed rest with our first child when my husband called to tell me to turn on CNN because something terrible had happened. In Shanksville, Pa., the Flight 93 memorial; at 43, I was at a meeting at my children's school when someone burst into the room to announce that a plane had hit the World Trade Center.
Does the Greek system play into this problem?

Both the Fijis and Sigma Chis have been disciplined within the last decade for multiple problems -- underage drinking and hazing. And these weren't the first sex assaults reportedly to have occurred at the houses. Nine of 48 investigated attacks happened in Greek housing. A mix of alcohol and entitlement maybe be a factor, but 24 were in residence halls.

Where do we go from here?

The dialogue opened by speakers and marchers, the public reflection of public figures and the private conversations about sex assaults must not be the end of this. Education and change must occur -- education to call out and end the normalization of rape culture and change, both personal and societal.

Personally, we each make decisions about our actions and which actions of others we condone or confront. We each can be clear in our attitude and actions that rape culture is inexcusable.
When the mother returned to the residence later that day with Hale, the victim pulled up outside the residence in a vehicle as they were preparing to leave. Hale then went to talk to him, punched the victim and pulled him out of the vehicle.

The mother heard gunshots. Hale then ran back and got into the vehicle with the mother, with a gun in his hand, and told her to drive.

The victim told police that Hale had shot him.

Sentencing hearing

At the sentencing hearing, Hale said he let his emotions get the better of him that day.

I truly am sorry, he said. This was never supposed to happen.

The child in question was not his biological child. Rather, he was a stepparent who loved the child as though he were his own and wanted to protect him, Hale said.

The victim was not in court, but his sister did make an appearance.

She said the family has forgiven Hale, and they understand people make mistakes. She also said her brother did not want to see anything bad happen to Hale, and that the 10 years in prison was not necessary.

The sentence
As for Wirth, the Dyann and Peter Wirth Science Fund is donating enough money to cover the costs of laparoscopic simulators, a platform rocker for the science labs at Case and two field trips for Cases freshman class during the 2021-22 school year. The first will take them to the Field Museum in Chicago. The second to the Museum of Science and Industry.

When we were talking about this we were thinking about how going to the science museum in Chicago opened up so many possibilities, Luck said. I personally didnt have any role models in science and to be able to see that there were opportunities in everything from geology, microbiology, technology of submarines, it shows students so many different things that you might not find in your normal curriculum.

Our goal is to make sure science is part of every students thinking, said Wirth. Not every student is going to end up doing science as their career, but we want to give students exposure to what science can be like. We both found it fascinating and continue to find it fascinating.

Another thing these female scientists find fascinating  the academies of Racine. Both women said they were impressed by how the schools are structured.
Vaccines work

Evidence is making it clearer that the COVID-19 vaccines that millions of Americans have received are effective and much safer to receive than it would be to contract the novel coronavirus. While they don't outright stop infections from COVID-19, the vaccines drastically reduce the illnesses' effects. Those who are not vaccinated make up more than 95% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the U.S. Likewise, as a Bloomberg report published Aug. 15 based on data from 24 states, "only 1.7% of confirmed cases were in fully vaxxed people at the end of July. As a reference point, about 57% of people in those states are fully vaccinated. Put another way, if vaccines did nothing, wed expect to see 1.3 times as many Covid cases in the vaccinated than the unvaccinated."

Dr. Ben Weston, an associate professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Milwaukee County's chief health policy advisor, tweeted Aug. 17 that people who are not vaccinated against COVID-19, compared to those who are vaccinated, are "25 times less likely to be hospitalized."
With the pandemic creating learning gaps and increasing disparities, Hunter said he wanted to help students who had been derailed by the pandemic.

Im really excited to see the first few students that come to the platform and get that lightbulb moment and realize that you know what, they can do this, its not an internal issue of their inability to do something, its just that they needed a little bit of help, Hunter said.

A sophomore still getting used to high school

Grace Luba, as an incoming sophomore at Park High School, has yet to experience normal high school. While she was able to be in the classroom for the last three months of the 2020-2021 school year, Luba emphasized that it still wasnt comparable to previous years.

Luba, who is most excited to return to her music classes, said she was able to manage virtual learning, but she did struggle with the transition back to the classroom. She hopes that her peers will take advantage of the new program, whether to help catch up or to push themselves to improve. She was able to try the program during Tuesdays event.
He was married to Agnes Christiansen on Sept. 28, 1942, and they celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary before she died in July 1998. He later married Evelyn Olesen, and they were married for 18 years before she died in July this year.

He is an avid sailor, which played into the theme of the table set up for him at the birthday parade; there were nautical-themed cupcakes, a lighthouse figure, a sailboat painting and a plaque reading: "Let the sea set you free."

Jensen was an architect for 80 years. He was an apprentice of Al Seitz, who owned an architecture firm; and an employee of Hans Geyer, an architect who practiced in Racine from 1950-78.

Jensen then was an owner of Architectural Associates, contributing to the design and construction of many buildings in Racine. He retired in 2001.
For New Orleans residents who saw power return it was cause for celebration. Lambert called the neighbors in his close-knit community, and his wife and mother-in-law, who had evacuated to Texas to let them know it was OK to return. He was also keenly aware of how many other people were still struggling in the heat.

I pray for them because its rough," Lambert said.

Entergy said Wednesday that more than 5,000 power poles were damaged and more than 5,200 transformers knocked out by Ida. More than 1,600 miles (2,575 kilometers) of transmission lines remain out of service. The company has given no specific time frame for when power will be widely restored.

This particular part of eastern New Orleans was able to power up because crews restored a major transmission line coming into the city from the east, company spokesman Lee Sabatini said. That line was coupled with power generated by the New Orleans Power Station, which is also located in eastern New Orleans.

Across the street from Lambert, neighbor and friend Wayne Bierria was out mowing his lawn, trying to get things done around the house before it got too hot. He got power back about the same time as Lambert.
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1. Yes. COVID-19 can only be stopped through vaccinations. A mandate is needed.

2. Yes. This is a major step, but were facing a national emergency. It is a justifiable move.

3. No. The government is right to promote vaccinations, but not to require them.

4. No. This is government overreach and legally questionable. A mandate is wrong.

5. Unsure. Its in the publics interest, but mandates infringe on individuals rights.

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"At that point," the narrator thinks, "it was still too intimate to tell this stranger that the end goal I wanted, through any job necessary, was to be able to afford a flat, not just a room, and then to settle in it, and invite friends to dinner. I thought I had put reasonable effort into this desire through successive degrees while waiting for the economy to clear up enough to raise the median starting wage."

Hamya is brilliant at invoking the milieu in which young adults move. Not only have they been deposited into an economy that offers lower real wages than previous generations, but they are also expected to enter a housing market that makes even renting an apartment a luxury. The narrator feels vague shame for wanting the sorts of "normal things" that are taken for granted  shelter, for instance  and then being lectured by older adults that she has to wait her turn, that being broke and couch-surfing is what she should expect at this stage in her life.

In entering her narrator's consciousness, Hamya has written a political novel that never explicitly states its politics. One of the most affecting scenes is about the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire, in which dozens perished. The reality that even if one had one's own shelter, being "safe at home" required the kind of money that was out of reach.
When people asked how many siblings she had, Williams would pause. In the third grade, assigned to draw a picture of her family, she drew her four natural-born siblings and three foster siblings.

Id brag to all the kids at school that we had random people at my house. Foster care wasnt a thing everyone knew about, she said.

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We always knew our foster siblings had parents and families that cared a lot about them, and it was always a celebration when they could go back home, she said.

By the time she was 15, she learned she could become a foster parent at the age of 21. I thought, thats not that far away, she said. I always knew I was going to be a foster parent. I always wanted to have kids around, but I didnt feel that they had to be my own.

Williams majored in sociology at UNK and began interning at Compass 18 months ago. Shes currently a licensing specialist there. She interviews prospective foster parents, does home visits and more. For several summers, she volunteered at the Royal Family KIDS Camp in Kansas for abused or neglected foster children.

As a Compass foster care specialist, she will walk alongside foster families, she said. She will listen to them, advise them and provide transportation.
What happened next isn't clear because all of the officers' body cameras come off as they move McClain to the grass, but the officers and McClain can still be heard. An officer says McClain grabbed one of their guns. McClain can be heard trying to explain himself and sometimes crying out or sobbing. He says he can't breathe and was just on his way home.

"I'm just different. I'm just different, that's all. That's all I was doing. I'm so sorry. I have no gun. I don't do that stuff. I don't do any fighting. Why were you attacking me? I don't do guns. I don't even kill flies. I don't eat meat. ... I am a vegetarian," he said.

One officer eventually retrieves his camera, which shows McClain handcuffed, laying on his side and periodically vomiting as another officer leans on him. An officer who arrived later threatened to get his police dog to bite McClain.

Paramedics arrived and injected the 140-pound (63.5-kilogram) McClain with 500 milligrams of ketamine  more than 1 1/2 times the dose for his weight. The fire department is allowed to use the drug to sedate combative or aggressive people, but there's a lack of police training, conflicting medical standards and nonexistent protocols that have resulted in hospitalizations and even deaths when it's used during police encounters.
Gow came to the defense of Thompson and the systems pandemic response for the upcoming school year.

I will say how fortunate we are to have someone who has such extensive experience, he said. Who has come in to lead and understand the challenges the chancellors face, and the importance of giving us all the tools that we need to make decisions on the ground to keep things safe and protect our schools. Governor Thompson is uniquely qualified to do that and we are delighted that he is the person.

Thompson said he still does not agree with a vaccine mandate for UW campuses at this point, but said things could change.

Even if you had a mandatory mandate with exceptions I doubt very much that you would reach the level of vaccinations UW is seeing through its voluntary route, Thompson said.

Its much better to do it on a voluntary basis, educate them, give them incentives and do it, he said. And thats what we intend to do. We think we will be much better off, we wont have lawsuits, we dont think. We wont have the repercussions, and we will accomplish the same things but do it on an educated, health way.
Where the name Viroqua came from is a mystery but one theory is that it came from the name of the steamboat Viroqua which carried freight and passengers on the Muskingum River between 1850-52. Many early settlers came from this area of Ohio. The most popular theory is that the daughter of one of Viroquas early settlers, Thomas J. De Freese, suggested the name, a character in a book called Viroqua; or The Flower of the Ottawas, a Tale of the West, published in 1848. In the book, Viroqua is the daughter of the chief of the Ottawa tribe in love with an English officer. There is no concrete evidence, however, that the name Viroqua is an Indian name. It is believed that the name in the above book was fictionalized.

The first Decker death in Viroqua was that of their grandson, Benjamin L. Rice, on Jan. 16, 1852. Ben, the son of Sarah A. (Decker) and Hiram G. Rice, was the first burial in the Pioneer Cemetery on North Rock Street, deeded to Viroqua by Moses Decker. Moses Jr., died in 1853 at age 18. Elizabeth Decker passed away on Jan. 3, 1859 at age 64. She was a respected woman of faith and lauded for her pioneer spirit. Not long after Elizabeths death, on June 14, 1859, Moses married Mrs. Hannah Goode of Bloomingdale. Moses Decker died at age 72 on Aug. 4, 1860. He is buried next to his first wife and son in the Pioneer Cemetery. We will explore the histories of other early settlers of the city in later columns.

We were sorry to postpone the annual Pork Chop Dinner scheduled for Aug. 27 due to inclement weather and we hope it did not inconvenience anyone. A new date has been chosen, Sept. 25. Look for details in a later column, on our Facebook page or on our website: vernoncountyhistory.org.

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The Luxembourg Times wrote that Junglinster was a must-watch community, saying it was an increasingly attractive residential neighborhood, and it has a rich cultural community, home to the Bourglinster Castle and other arts.

Potential benefits from the partnership, according to the application, include business and trade relations because of the countrys position in the fields of finance and trade within the European Union.

Junglinster is also home to two of the most powerful longwave transmitters in the world, that were once used by programs avoiding broadcasting restrictions during the 1900s, and are still used for radio broadcasting.

The Judiciary & Administration Committee voted in favor of the legislation Tuesday with no debate, and the proposal is likely to be approved by the Common Council next week.

If approved, the new official relationship would help continue ongoing cultural connections between the two communities.
The main entrance to Oak Grove Cemetery bears an impressive stone archway that stands 23 feet tall and 37 feet wide. It is made of Lake Superior red sandstone and limestone from Bedford, Indiana, and weighs in the neighborhood of 500,000 pounds.

La Crosse architects Hugh Schick and Andrew Roth produced this gouache painting as part of a design competition for the entrance to the cemetery. The pairs design is based on the Arch of Constantine in Rome that was built in A.D. 315. The Crosby and Hynne Granite Co. of La Crosse spent four months constructing Schick and Roths vision. The arch was formally dedicated with a public celebration on Decoration Day (known today as Memorial Day), May 30, 1902, with hundreds of attendees.

The arch was a memorial to the late Joseph W. Losey for his work with Oak Grove Cemetery. Losey founded the Oak Grove Cemetery Association and devoted a great deal of his time to beautifying the grounds and laying out the pathways in the cemetery.

The arch bears two brass inscription tablets with text that describe Loseys accomplishments:

Joseph W. Losey. He found this cemetery neglected and desolate. He transformed it into a place of charm and beauty. He made the wilderness to blossom as the rose.
Johnson said she was secretly recording him, though it was unclear from the video whether she was doing so or holding up a camera phone.

Recounts and court rulings in Wisconsin have affirmed that President Joe Biden won Wisconsin by about 20,000 votes  a similar margin to Trumps 2016 win. There is no evidence of widespread fraud and courts have rejected several lawsuits filed by Trump and his allies attempting to overturn the outcome.

But despite appearing to affirm Bidens win in the state, Johnson also told Windsor that he supports the Wisconsin GOP election investigation and audit, but said investigations should focus on the vote totals produced by the voter machines rather than the integrity of the voter machines themselves.

The last thing Id really focus on would be the machines, because we have paper ballots, we have the machine logs, weve got the machine totals, we should be focusing on that, Johnson said.
Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell, the chief election official in the states second largest county, said he wasnt sure what the investigation would entail or exactly what data analysis meant. But McDonell said he was confident in the election results, which have already been through a Trump-ordered recount that resulted in a net change of 45 votes for Trump in Dane County out of nearly 345,000 cast in the election.

I dont know whats about to happen, McDonell said. I have complete confidence in the results and how the election was run. This was the most secure and accurate election in our history. Thats the facts.

McDonell said he feared a breach of security in voting equipment as a result of the investigation, something that has alarmed election security experts.

The machines, they need to be protected, McDonell said. They are critical infrastructure as defined by homeland security. Theres no way were going to compromise the security of our elections and void the warranties on our machines. Its not going to happen unless a court orders it.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Three Minneapolis residents are suing the city over a ballot question that would eliminate the police department in the wake of George Floyd's death, arguing it misleads voters about key aspects of the proposal.

Two of the plaintiffs are former City Council member Don Samuels and his wife, Sondra, who oppose the movement to defund the police. The couple were part of a successful lawsuit against the city after the number of police officers fell below the minimum requirement set in the charter.

Attorney Joseph Anthony wrote in a court petition that the question as worded hides information from voters that would help them understand it.

It's the second time this summer that the city has been sued over the ballot question. A judge earlier tossed out an explanatory note that the city had sought to attach to the ballot question that aimed to highlight some of the measure's effects.

Attorneys for the city said they were reviewing the lawsuit.
The UW Board of Regents may allow more campus community members to serve on chancellor search committees, potentially relaxing a rigid and controversial policy that faculty viewed as restricting their input on a critical task.

Current policy calls for a 10-member committee that includes five Regents, two faculty, one staff member, one student, and one community or alumni member. Regents at the time of the 2017 change said it would help streamline the hiring process but faculty saw the change as a top-down decision-making style typical of board members appointed by former Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

With appointees of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers now controlling the board, a recently formed governance committee discussed removing the 10-member cap. The proposed policy discussed on Tuesday calls for chancellor search committees to include at least three Regents, as well as at least two faculty, one staff member, one student, and one community or alumni member. The change would allow for different committee sizes and configurations, including potentially having more faculty and staff than Regents.

I think if we have a few more faculty members  one or two, maybe thats all it would take  theyd get on board and see what were doing is in their best interest and the Systems best interest, board president Ed Manydeeds said.
I am deeply disappointed in seeing that Assembly Leader Robin Vos recently made a special trip to meet with the ex-president to discuss Wisconsin's past presidential election results. I find it a huge disservice to our state, our country, and our democracy as a whole that an elected official is kowtowing to a person no longer in government.

The visit continues to fuel the lie that the ex-president has continued to spread of a stolen election, which continues to cause division in our nation. The visit also continues to smear the credibility of the state election officials who worked tirelessly to run an upfront, honest election, who knew their work would be watched closely going into this past election cycle.

Having worked in our own local elections, I have seen the safeguards that are taken to be sure all aspects of voting are done properly. Assembly Leader Vos really should be apologizing to the Wisconsin election officials and defending their work, rather than going on a visit that continues the lies from someone no longer in a position of authority.

Kevin Baird

Holmen

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The world is in a climate change emergency and people like Marc Morano (August 28 op-ed), who has no formal training in climate science, continue to seed doubt, promote confusion, and undermine credibility about the worsening situation for life on Earth.

The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report draws upon the research of thousands of scientists from around the world. Their findings are unequivocal. Humans burning fossil fuels are causing global warming. We are already experiencing the terrible consequencesextreme weather events, flooding, droughts, unprecedented heat, more intense tropical storms, melting polar ice, rising sea levels, and much more.

The 2015 Paris Climate Agreement was never designed to save the planet. Our planet is not what needs saving, its humans and the other living organisms that inhabit it. The Paris Agreement was a significant first step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But instead of the US being a leader in implementing effective carbon reduction measures, President Trump withdrew America from the Agreement in 2017, the first nation to do so. On his first day in office, President Biden rightfully moved to have the US rejoin the Agreement.
Kudos to two former Wisconsin governors, Tommy Thompson and Scott Walker, for stepping outside political boundaries and standing up for what is best for Wisconsin citizens, students, and workers at a minor risk to personal preferences.

As UW System President, former Gov. Thompson made it clear that he will do what is best for his students and faculty to the chagrin of the state legislature. His staff has created a safety net on UW campuses that respects individual choices and offers a variety of options for maintaining COVID safety with the caveat that constraints may tighten depending upon the circumstances, i.e., possible surge in campus cases of COVID-19. It is ironic that the article about his stance was published in the August 25 edition of the Tribune, just below an article about health workers protesting mandatory vaccination.

As former president of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM), I was a staunch critic of mandatory vaccination of health workers for influenza but only because it was an ineffective vaccine that gave a false impression of safety. Now, I stand with the most recent ACOEM position supporting mandatory vaccination of health workers for COVID-19.
Next week, it will have been 20 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States. First responders rushed to the scene to help those they could, New Yorkers helped as they were able, and nationwide calls for donations and support were met on behalf of victims and survivors.

To remember the first responders and victims of 9/11, the Ephrata Performing Arts Center is showing performances of Anne Nelsons play The Guys. Its a story about an editor, Joan, who helps a fire captain, Nick, write eight eulogies for his men who died in action at the collapse of the World Trade Center.

Its a simple play, involving just two actors on stage, in a dialogue about the lives lost on 9/11.

Longtime EPAC actor and director Sean Young says he first suggested doing a staged reading of the play last fall to Ed Fernandez, the theaters artistic director. Young had read the play near the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and he says it stuck with him.

This year, plans to present performances of Henrik Ibsens Hedda Gabler, a play from the 1800s about a woman bored with marriage, and the antics she gets into, were canceled. In July, Young says, Fernandez called him asking if he wanted to put on The Guys.

He agreed.

Just felt like it was time to direct again, says Young, who directed Jesus Christ Superstar at EPAC in 2008 and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2009.

And so, Young made some calls. His first was to Bob Checchia, a fellow actor and New York native, who was cast as the lead role of Nick.

I knew the show would be very personal for him, so I knew thered be a sense of authenticity. He knows the culture and the neighborhoods, Young says. And, hes a good actor.

Checchia was in New York when the planes crashed into the World Trade Center, and knew several people who died in the attack, Young says.

Lynne DeMers-Hunt stars in the role of Joan, the editor who helps Nick gather his words about his men who had perished.

DeMers-Hunt has starred in several EPAC productions, including Hairspray, The Man Who Came To Dinner and Picnic, among others.

EPACs production of The Guys isnt just meant to commemorate 9/11, though it is a large part of the plays purpose. It was also meant as a love letter to local firefighters who saved EPAC from burning after a fire started in the building in 2020.

But it serves a third purpose: to spark inspiration and unity to those who come to watch it.

Young says he views The Guys as a period piece.

Its looking back, but great period pieces are not so much what they say about the events at that time, but what they say about universal themes of today, Young says.

Young feels that the people of the United States are more divided than ever before, split into camps of Republican or Democrat, pro-life or pro-choice, mask wearers or anti-mask.

Today it doesnt feel like we talk to anything except politics, says Young, adding that the events which took place on Sept. 11 briefly united the nation and restored a sense of patriotism.

My hope is that if you listen to the eulogies, (Nick) doesn't talk about their feelings on race relations, he talks about them being brothers in arms, people who cared for their community, people who loved their families, Young says.
An incoming freshman at Warwick High School was charged with three counts of terroristic threats after threatening three other students on social media, according to Northern Lancaster County Regional Police.

The 14-year-old, who's name was not released because he is not being charged as an adult, threatened to harm three other students using a handgun, police said.

A concerned parent contacted a school administrator after seeing the threats on a social media post, according to police.

Police said that an officer met with the 14-year-old and his mother and "took verifiable measures to assure there was no further access to a weapon." The boy was also banned from being on Warwick School District property.

None of the threats were made on school property, "but directly related to an intended act on the school premises," police said.

The parents of the potential victims were all notified and made aware of the threats and charges, according to police.

In a press release, police said that they are "grateful" for those who helped in the investigation, "with a special note of thanks to the parent who immediately reported what she viewed on the social media posting."

The 14-year-old is in the custody of his parents pending further legal processing.
A federal magistrate judge decided Tuesday to keep Samuel Lazar, the Ephrata man federal authorities charged in July for his role at the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, behind bars while he awaits trial.

Lazar, 35, was seen pepper-spraying police and encouraging violence in a video taken Jan. 6. In another video taken later that day, he recounted his actions, saying, Theres a time for peace, and then theres a time for war.

Lazars attorney indicated at the end of Tuesdays hearing they would appeal federal magistrate Judge Robin Meriweathers ruling.

Meriweather said what ultimately swayed her was new evidence the government cited in claiming Lazar poses a continued risk of violence if released.

One was Lazars participation in a rally in August 2020 in Palmyra, Lebanon County.

Photos of Lazar holding and aiming what appeared to be a rifle with a 30-round magazine were posted on a Facebook group page called Concerned Citizens of Lebanon Pennsylvania.

And another, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer said he had only learned about Monday night by going through Lazars Facebook page, consisted of a screenshot Lazar posted last December of a post advocating for the execution and euthanization of Democrats, Black Lives Matter members and antifa.

Lazar loved the post and drew a red circle around the words, Collyer said.

While Lazar didnt write the words, he certainly adopted those words as his own, Collyer said.

Collyer said Lazars actions on Jan. 6 also warranted continued detention, as well as his criminal history, which he said demonstrated an escalation in behavior.

Lazar has a 2004 criminal mischief conviction, and in 2010,he tried to buy a gun, despite being legally barred because the criminal mischief conviction carried potential jail time of more than a year. In 2016, he was convicted of lying on a federal background check form when trying to buy a gun another time.

Lazars attorney, David Benowitz, said the firearms form can be confusing.

More significantly, Benowitz argued, Lazar had not committed any crime during the nearly seven months he was at large after Jan. 6 until his arrest July 26.

Collyer responded that Lazar was essentially mounting an argument: I havent assaulted anybody since the last time I assaulted somebody.

Benowitz was seeking house arrest with electronic monitoring with Lazars girlfriend serving as his custodian.

Meriweather said she weighed a number of factors -- what Lazar is accused of, his past criminal history, and the risk of danger if he were to be released.

That Lazar went to Washington with protective gear -- a tactical vest and goggles -- his face painted and armed with chemical spray, showed at least some advance planning, Meriweather said.

(Lazar was dubbed #FacepaintBlowhard, a hashtag reference to the camouflage paint he wore on Jan. 6, by online vigilantes who have spent the past six months trying to identify the hundreds of people in photos posted to the FBIs website.)

But she found no evidence he coordinated with others, nor did she find that Lazars use of a bullhorn amounted to a leadership role in the riot.

Still, Lazar showed a complete disregard for the rule of law (and) culminated in an attack on law enforcement with the spray, Meriweather said.

So the question is, is there a current threat? Ultimately, I think there is a current danger in releasing Mr. Lazar, Meriweather said.

Meriweather also said, Theres still an ongoing perception by many many individuals of the illegitimacy of the current United States president ... I dont think the court has to put on blinders in evaluating that.

A date for an appeal of Meriweathers ruling was not set, but the judge said she expected the trial judge, Amy Berman Jackson of the District of Columbia District Court, could hear Lazars appeal within weeks.

Lazars attorney, meanwhile, asked that his client not be moved to D.C. until the pre-trial detention issue is settled. Early at Tuesdays hearing, Benowitz said he had been unable to speak with Lazar for two weeks because Lazar was moved from Lehigh County to a facility in Philadelphia following an Aug. 16 hearing.

Michael Lopatic, the Manheim Township man accused of a punching police and stealing another officers body camera on Jan. 6, was released in late April after spending nearly three months in federal detention.
After a summer full of contentious debate over whether to require masks in Lancaster County schools, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf hit the reset button Tuesday, announcing masks are once again required in public and private schools, as well as day care centers, throughout the state.

Not surprisingly, the reception in Lancaster County, where the majority of school districts opted to enter the 2021-22 school year with masks optional, was mixed.

Some parents were relieved the governor took the initiative to protect children during a pandemic thats getting worse by the week, while others expressed frustration over Wolfs decision to take back control after promising the choice to mask would be up to local school boards and families.

Meanwhile, administrators and school board members are left trying to figure out where they go from here.

The governor, he threw a curveball at us, Penn Manor school board President Herk Rintz said.

Penn Manor is one of 14 county school districts that began the school year with masks optional. According to its health and safety plan, the district will adhere to state mandates.

Both Rintz and district Superintendent Mike Leichliter said the district will follow the order. Its unclear if any districts will oppose it, as different solicitors may have different interpretations of how the order, issued by Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam, should be enforced.

The order is sure to attract legislative and legal challenges in the days and weeks ahead.

Under the states Disease Prevention and Control Law, the state Department of Health may take appropriate measures to protect the public from infectious disease. Those who dont abide by the order, the law states, may be subject to fines or imprisonment.

Everybodys got to understand that theres probably some teeth in this right now, Rintz said.

The order goes into effect Sept. 7, after Labor Day, and applies to all students, faculty, staff and visitors inside Pennsylvania schools and day care centers, with few exceptions. There is no termination date set, but the Wolf administration is expected to revisit it in about a month.

Mixed reaction

The announcement came as a disappointment for families who were looking forward to a more normal school year, without masks and other COVID-19 mitigation measures.

Tannia Carpenters second-grade son struggled with wearing a mask last school year, particularly while reading, as he couldnt understand the teacher well or read lips. He needed a reading specialist and a tutor over the summer so he wouldnt get further behind.

Our childrens health and psychological well-being are not worth the cost of mask-wearing, said Carpenter, 46, of Lititz.

Parent Cindy Wivell, of Elizabethtown, said she was sad about Wolfs mandate because she thinks it interferes with students ability to connect with one another.

I would like things that create more anxiety to become less, not become more, said Wivell, 49. I think the masks perpetuate that feeling of fear, and I think it can increase anxiety.

Plus, many students wear their masks improperly, and that might put into question how effective a school mask requirement really is, she said.

Dr. Heidi Kistler, a mother and a physician with Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, believes in the efficacy of masks. Shes seen it firsthand at the hospitals in which she works, where masked doctors rarely, if ever, get sick from their patients. With that in mind, she said requiring masks in schools is the best way to protect children, especially those who are not yet eligible for vaccination, and to preserve in-person learning, she said.

I view masking as their best hope of having a somewhat normal school year in person, said Kistler, a 45-year-old mother from East Hempfield Township. And I was frustrated that that was not being required of everyone.

Knowing her two daughters will now have an extra layer of protection gives Ephrata mom Suzy Wurtz a huge sense of relief.

Like Kistler, Wurtz said shes been lobbying for her school board to require masks, but a requirement never came.

It takes a lot of guts to do the right thing when there are incredibly passionate, angry people, Wurtz, 33, said of the governor, adding that Lancaster County leaders didnt step up to protect our economy, to protect our schools.

Many teachers, too, approve of Wolfs announcement.

The only way to protect unvaccinated children from this disease is by wearing masks, Conestoga Valley Education Association President Tara Flick said.

Flick urged the community to put their differences aside and support the mandate.

If you think its about freedom of choice, please remember that this choice can directly and tragically affect someone elses life, she said. Lets work together to put an end to this pandemic.

Awkward timing

The timing of the governors announcement  less than two weeks since the first Lancaster County schools started the school year  wasnt ideal for some. Wolf on Tuesday admitted that a mandate could have come sooner.

Up until Tuesday, Wolf claimed a mask mandate was not coming, insisting local control would remain in place. Last week, he asked legislative leaders to return to Harrisburg and pass a school mask mandate, a request that was swiftly rejected by Republican leadership.

Certainly this being our second day of school, we wouldve liked different timing on this announcement, Ephrata Area School District Superintendent Brian Troop said.

Troop said he doesnt see the district having much of a choice in abiding by the order.

Before the order, Columbia, Lancaster and Manheim Township school districts were the only ones in the county to require masks, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health recommended.

School board meetings got heated, at times, over the summer. If the governor made this announcement earlier, perhaps that could have been avoided.

Of course while it couldve been helpful to have a mandate sooner, I still think it was healthy for our school district to debate the topic, Manheim Township school board President Nikki Rivera said.
A flash flood watch has been issued in Lancaster County in anticipation of heavy rain across much of central and southern Pennsylvania today through Thursday morning brought about by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, according to the National Weather Service in State College.

Three to five inches of rain are forecast to fall across the region today and Thursday, NWS said. Some areas may receive as many as seven inches of rainfall.

A flood warning has also been issued for the Conestoga River in Lancaster city.

Heres what NWS recommends doing before, during and after a flood.

Before a flood

- Gather essentials for family and pets, including an emergency kit with enough food, water and medicine to last at least three days.

- Other supplies including batteries, blankets, flashlights, a first aid kit, rubber boots and gloves and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio or other battery operated radio should also be available, and cellphones and portable radios should be charged.

- Homes should be protected from flood waters with sandbags or other materials.

- Professionals should install check-valves in plumbing to prevent flood waters from backing up into drains. Sump pumps should be in working order, and residents should consider having a backup.

- Electric circuit breakers or fuses should be clearly marked.

- Residents living in areas likely to flood should evacuate before being ordered to leave. Alternative plans should be made for places to stay. Pets should not be left behind.

- Homeowners should contact an insurance company or agent to purchase flood insurance. Many flood insurance policies take at least 30 days to go into effect.

- People with livestock should ensure any outbuildings, pastures or corrals are protected in the same way as your home, according to the American Red Cross. If installing or changing fence lines, consider placing them in such a way that your animals are able to move to higher ground in the event of flooding. Consider a precautionary evacuation of animals, especially any large or numerous animals. Waiting until the last minute could be fatal for them and dangerous for you.

During a flood

- People who live in flood-prone areas or are in low lying areas should move to higher ground immediately. Anyone told to evacuate should do so immediately, and lock their homes and disconnect utilities and appliances, if possible, when they leave.

- Basements or other rooms where water covers electrical outlets or if electrical cords are submerged should not be entered, according to the website. Stay out of water that may have electricity in it, especially if sparks can be seen or if buzzing, crackling, snapping or popping noises can be heard.

- Do not attempt to walk through flood waters. If trapped by moving water, move to the highest point possible and call 911.

- Stay informed by listening to the radio, including NOAA Weather Radio, or television. If possible, check the internet and social media for updates.

- If you have livestock, ensure any outbuildings, pastures or corrals are protected in the same way as your home, according to the Red Cross. If installing or changing fence lines, consider placing them in such a way that your animals are able to move to higher ground in the event of flooding. Consider a precautionary evacuation of animals, especially any large or numerous animals.

Behind the wheel

Motorists should not drive into flooded roadways or around barricades. Water may be deeper than it appears and can hide hazards including sharp objects, collapsed road surfaces, electrical wires or chemicals.

As little as 12 inches of water can float a car or small SUV, according to NWS. Eighteen inches of water can carry away large vehicles. Most cars, including SUVs and trucks, can be carried away by just two feet of rushing water, and vehicles caught in swiftly moving water can be swept away in seconds.

More than half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Motorists should heed road closure and other caution signs.

After a flood

- Wait for an all-clear from authorities before entering flood-damaged buildings.

- Make sure electrical systems have been turned off inside, and have a power company or qualified electrician fix wires.

- Contact an insurance agent to discuss any property damage.

- Bystanders should avoid visiting disaster areas, which can hamper rescue and other emergency operations.

- Do not use portable generators inside homes or garages. Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the leading causes of death after storms in areas dealing with power outages, NWS said. Utility companies often have apps to update residents on when their service will resume.

- Avoid standing flood waters, which can hide dangers including toxins, chemicals or sharp objects.

- Stay tuned to local news for updated information on road conditions and to make sure water is safe to consume. Authorities may ask residents to boil water before consumption after a flood.
Lancaster County Government is proposing to offer bonuses of $7,500 to $12,000 as it grapples with unprecedented staffing shortages at the Lancaster County Prison.

The $2.4 million incentive plan, which faces a vote by the county commissioners today, has been drafted amid a COVID-19 outbreak that began two weeks ago and had affected 117 inmates and 18 staff as of Tuesday, though none had been hospitalized, officials said.

In an attempt to reverse the decline in the number of correctional officers, the county would offer hiring bonuses of $7,500 to new officers. Additionally, it would offer retention bonuses of $7,500 to $12,000 to current correctional officers and a small number of other employees who work directly with inmates.

But for the time being, the county is not raising the starting wage for correctional officers, which is the lowest in the region.

County officials say understaffing at the prison has reached an unprecedented level.

The attrition with the correctional officers has frankly jeopardized the operational function, Chief Clerk Larry George said Tuesday at the commissioners weekly work session.

Currently, the prison has 64 open positions on its correctional staff, which is more than a quarter of its full complement. In addition, the 18 staff affected by the latest COVID-19 outbreak are temporarily out of commission, Warden Cheryl Steberger said.

The prison has reimplemented COVID-19 mitigation measures, including universal mask wearing and isolation housing units for inmates who test positive. The prison has also paused all visitation and programming for the jailed population, which totaled 724 on Tuesday.

George, the countys chief clerk, along with Patrick Mulligan, the countys budget director, propose using $2.4 million of the countys $106 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds to finance the bonuses for new and existing employees.

New hires would receive $1,000 after 90 days, $3,250 after six months and $3,250 after a full year. Existing staff would receive one-time payments between $7,500 and $12,000 depending on their length of service.

We believe that this is a fair and proportionate response to the staffing crisis, George said.

Commissioners Josh Parsons, Ray DAgostino and Craig Lehman appeared to be in support of the proposal, but Parsons said he was also hoping to see an advertising plan to attract new employees, which county staff said was being developed.

Miguel Albino, a correctional officer at the prison and president of the officers union, also voiced support for the plan.

He told LNP|LancasterOnline that he personally worked 70-80 hours last week due to overtime needed because of short staffing. That workload has been taking a toll on him and fellow officers.

Its been a rough time for all of us, he said. Our numbers are dropping and hopefully this will help retain what we have and recruit more people.

Asked if the county was going to increase starting wages for correctional officers, Parsons said the county would address that issue when the current contract with the officers union is up for negotiation next year.

The starting wage at Lancaster County Prison is $18.50 an hour, the lowest among the five surrounding Pennsylvania counties, which all pay $20 or more per hour to start.

Parsons and George cited the pandemic and current economic conditions as responsible for the staff shortages but did not mention Lancaster Countys pay rate.

Staffing is not as much of an issue in counties with higher pay. In Dauphin County, which has a starting rate of $21.50, the prison is at roughly 89% staffing of its full complement of officers compared to 72% in Lancaster.
Mark Murr, general manager of Twin Kiss eatery in Manheim, is expecting a long day battling heavy rainfall and flooding as the remnants of Hurricane Ida barrel toward Lancaster County.

Murr plans to have everything off the floors  and at least four feet off the ground  to prevent losses from potential flooding as Ida threatens to douse the county with 4 to 8 inches of heavy rainfall. The restaurant is mere yards away from Chiques Creek.

The counties of Central Pennsylvania, including Lancaster County, are under a flash flood watch from 8 a.m. Wednesday until 2 a.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. The watch, which is issued when conditions are favorable for flash flooding, also covers Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Clearfield, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon and Juniata counties.

Really anywhere is game for flash flooding, especially when that heaviest batch comes through [Wednesday] morning, said abc27 meteorologist Adis Juklo on Tuesday. Conestoga will be the main concern when it comes to bodies of water.

The Conestoga River is under a flood warning from 6 a.m. Thursday until 12:01 p.m. Friday. By Thursday morning, NWS has predicted, the river will swell from its current level of 5.93 feet to 14 feet. A flood warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring.

The saving grace though, Juklo said, is that water levels from the Conestoga and Susquehanna Rivers were low as of Tuesday afternoon.

Four to eight inches in one day is a lot of rain, Juklo said.

In this part of the country, where we have a lot of hills, streams, creeks  we have the Susquehanna  in this kind of environment that can definitely get some flooding rather quickly, he said.

With the ground saturated from previous storms, theres nowhere for the rainwater to go, and it will run to the lowest elevations, said Philip Colvin, Lancaster Countys Emergency Management Agency Director.

If your house is at the bottom of a hill, you can expect it to gradually come toward you, he said.

Staff will be working out of the agencys Emergency Operations Center beginning at 8 a.m. Wednesday to field calls from local emergency management coordinators and connect them with the proper resources.

Additionally, Lancaster Area Sewer Authority has placed sandbags at several of its facilities that commonly experience flooding to prevent water from coming in, said LASA's executive director Mike Kyle.

About 120 Pennsylvania National Guard members as well as about 35 high-water capable vehicles have been placed on state active duty and are on stand-by in preparation for the storm to strike the region, the Pennsylvania National Guard announced Tuesday. Two helicopters and crews with the Pennsylvania Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team are also on standby.

Precautions for the road

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is clearing as many storm drains of inlets and other bodies of water before the storm rolls in as they can, according to the Lancaster regions Assistant Highway Maintenance Manager Phillip Speer.

Speer said crews are also preparing equipment for storm cleanup once the water recedes.

Though its hard to pinpoint specific roads that might see closures tomorrow, Speer said flooding is more likely to happen on back roads and secondary roads as opposed to main roads that are designed to withstand rising water levels.

Above all, Speer said its important to slow down or even stay off the roads when flash flood watches are issued. PennDOT Community Relations Coordinator Dave Thompson said water is very powerful and people can easily get into trouble when they underestimate its strength.

If you see standing water, do not drive through it, he said.

A car can be swept away by less than foot of moving water, Colvin said. Don't drive around barricades onto closed roads, he said, adding that in Pennsylvania, it wouldnt be uncommon to find a sink hole lurking underneath moving water on a road.

While the remnants of Ida could have the largest impact of a tropical storm in Lancaster County in the last few years, Juklo said it wont be as bad as the remnants of Hurricane Lee in 2011 or Hurricane Agnes in 1972, which brought up to 15 inches and 9 inches of rain respectively.

I dont think were going to have another Lee scenario, given that it is a fairly quick-moving storm this time and were not, again, raining inches of rain days and days at a time, he said.

But Lancaster municipalities arent taking any chances. West Hempfield Township, for example, is asking that those living in low-lying or flood-prone areas plan on evacuation. Lancaster City, Manheim Township and Lititz Borough issued similar warnings.

Elsewhere in central Pennsylvania, non-essential York County and court operations will close at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

As of Tuesday afternoon, at least one county school district had also started taking precautions, with Donegal School District in Mount Joy Township planning an early dismissal. (For up-to-date information on closings and cancellations, visit LancasterOnline.com/closings.)

'Hoping it doesnt hit'

A decade ago, Murr and Manheim Twin Kiss employees worked around the clock for about three days after Hurricane Lee hit. Lee dumped up to 15 inches of rain in some areas just two weeks after Hurricane Irene dumped three inches onto Lancaster.

The water rose to just below one of the stores windows, Murr said.

After the restaurants 9 p.m. closing Wednesday, hell stick around to watch for water as a result of the storm into Thursday morning.

Were just hoping it doesnt hit, Murr said.

Linda Zunner, property manager at the Hilltop Mobile Home Park in Rapho Township, said shes not as worried about flooding (the property experienced flooding in 2018); she is, however, a little nervous about any wind that could knock down nearby trees.

Were pretty much prepared as long as we dont get heavy winds, she said during a quick break from mowing the lawn.

Earlier in the day, Zunner, 71, went through the park to ensure all storm drains were clear of debris, and she planned to put away a few of her yard decorations.

Zunner and her husband Robert, Smokey, have chainsaws ready to address any fallen trees in the storms aftermath, and a small property with a generator sits not too far from their home. On Wednesday, theyll spend the day there monitoring the storm and ready to restart it without having to brave the weather.

Other than a coffeemaker, Linda remarked with a laugh, they have everything they might want as they keep an eye on the generator.

I dont have any fear of the water, she added.

Scott Stoner, who lives behind the Twin Kiss, said he doesnt have to do too much to prepare as long as his sump pump stays functional.

The flooding we get here just comes up through the floor, he said.
Hurricane Ida's remnants weakened into a tropical depression on Tuesday and threatened to dump up to 7 inches of rain on parts of central Pennsylvania, including Lancaster County.

On Tuesday, Ida's remnants brought rain from Gulf Coast states into New England, as another tropical storm -- Kate -- swirled int he Atlantic and another depression brewed off the coast of Africa, according to the Associated Press.

On Tuesday night, Ida was centered over northern Mississippi and Tennessee with top sustained winds of 30 mph, but the National Weather Service said flash flooding was most likely in central Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia and western Maryland, where 6 to 10 inches of rain could fall.

About 120 Pennsylvania National Guard members have been placed on state active duty and are on stand-by as Tropical Storm Ida bears down on Pennsylvania, according to a news release. The Pennsylvania National Guard has responded to more than 60 natural disasters since 1953.

Below is a list of guidance and updates from weather and traffic experts on verified Twitter accounts, including NWS, Accuweather, storm analyst and media meteorologist Eric Horst, Penn State Weather World, abc27 meteorologist Brett Thackara, PennDOT, PPL, UGI and Amtrak.

To submit Lancaster County news tips on Ida, email digital@lancasteronline.com.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden used his first meeting with a foreign leader since ending the war in Afghanistan to send the message Wednesday that the United States  unburdened of its forever war  is determined to become a more reliable ally to its friends, in this case Ukraine.

Biden played host to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a long-sought Oval Office meeting and tried to reassure him that his administration remains squarely behind the Eastern European nation.

Biden didn't mention Afghanistan in his brief appearance with Zelenskyy before cameras.

But he highlighted his concerns about Russian aggression in the region. Biden, in making his case to end the war in Afghanistan, repeatedly said winding it down would allow the U.S. to put greater focus on combating malevolent acts from adversaries Russia and China.

The United States remains firmly committed to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression and for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, Biden said.

The Ukrainian leader, who had found himself ensnarled in Donald Trumps first impeachment, arrived at the White House looking to Biden for increased military aid and backing for his countrys bid for NATO membership.

The meeting was postponed two days while Biden and his national security team were consumed by the military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The withdrawal, which concluded Monday, left behind many Afghans who had worked with the Americans and their allies and who now fear Taliban rule. This led to criticism that the U.S. was less than a reliable international partner, something Biden was eager to counter.

The optics of the moment did not go unnoticed by the Ukrainian president. At a difficult time for the world and the United States ... still you found time for us and we're thankful for this indeed, Zelenskyy said.

In advance of the sit-down, the Biden administration said it was committing up to $60 million in new military aid to Ukraine. The administration said the aid was necessary because of a major increase in Russian military activity along its border and because of mortar attacks, cease-fire violations and other provocations.

The package includes more Javelin anti-tank missiles, which Kyiv sees as critical to defending against Russia-backed separatists. The U.S. has overall committed more than $400 million in military aid this year.

Zelenskyy thanked Biden for the aid.

The war in Donbas is in its eighth year, and we have lost 15,000 people, Zelenskyy said in a reference to the conflict in Ukraines eastern industrial heartland.

In their private talks, Zelenskyy and Biden also discussed Washingtons decision not to block the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would carry Russian natural gas directly to Germany, bypassing Ukraine. The pipeline is vehemently opposed by Ukraine and Poland as well as both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, with Zelenskyy describing it as a powerful geopolitical weapon for Russia.

Zelenskyy, a television actor new to politics, took office in May 2019 anxious to firm up his countrys relationship with the United States. Instead, he almost immediately found himself under pressure from Trump envoys and soon Trump himself, who in the phone call that led to his first impeachment asked Zelenskyy to do us a favor.

In that now famous July 2019 call, Trump asked Zelenskyy to investigate Biden and his son Hunter, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company.

Trumps European Union envoy, Gordon Sondland, later told impeachment investigators that Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani explicitly sought a quid pro quo in which an Oval Office visit would be contingent on Zelenskyy announcing the politically charged investigation Trump wanted.

Was there a quid pro quo? Sondland asked. With regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.

Besides the coveted invitation to the White House, Sondland also said it was his understanding that Trump had held up nearly $400 million in military aid until Ukraine announced the investigation.

Allegations that Trump withheld congressionally approved military aid while seeking Ukraines help for his reelection campaign formed the basis of the the first impeachment case against him. Trump was acquitted by the Senate. The Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy never happened.

With Biden, Zelenskyy now has a president with a long history of involvement in Ukraine, one who has supported its determination to break free from Russia, shore up its young democracy and be more fully welcomed into the Western club.

As vice president, Biden was the Obama administrations point person on Ukraine and pushed for tougher action against corruption. He once boasted of his success in getting Ukraine to fire its top prosecutor, who had blocked some corruption investigations. Trump later twisted this by insisting, wrongly, that Biden had done so to protect his son and the energy company on whose board he served.

Zelenskyy is the latest Ukrainian president to promise to tackle systemic corruption and then struggle once in office. Biden administration officials wanted assurances that Zelenskyy remains committed to following through on various reforms.

To that end, a joint statement issued following Wednesday's meeting highlighted the need for Ukraine to move quickly to select a new specialized anti-corruption prosecutor and pass legislation to enshrine the authority of the head of the country's National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the process for selecting that agency's successor.

Zelenskyy came to Washington saying he wanted a clear statement from Biden on whether he supported eventual NATO membership for Ukraine. NATO members are wary given Ukraines simmering conflict with Russia.

Zelenskyy said he and Biden talked about Ukraine's prospects at length during their two-hour meeting. I feel that the president supports Ukraines bid for membership in NATO, Zelenskyy told Ukrainian reporters, but he added that the time frame remains unclear.

The White House also announced Wednesday that Ukraine agreed to join a secure communications line through the National and Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, which serves to minimize the risk of armed conflict. The center includes 50 international partners.

Nord Stream 2, the pipeline being built under the Baltic Sea, is the most significant issue of tension in the relationship. By allowing Russia to bypass Ukraine, it also could potentially deprive Ukraine of the billions of dollars in transit fees it now earns for pumping Russian gas to Europe.

While the U.S. also opposes the new pipeline, worried that it would give Russia too much power over European energy supplies, Biden agreed in July not to penalize the German company overseeing the project.

The joint statement said the U.S. would work to secure Ukraine's supply of gas and prevent the Kremlins use of energy as a geopolitical weapon. The two countries also agreed to improve corporate governance at Ukraine's state-owned energy companies and attract the foreign investment needed for Ukraine to become energy independent.

Zelenskyy expressed satisfaction at the outcome. He said Biden guaranteed that if Russia creates a dangerous situation for Ukraine or causes energy prices to rise, the U.S. will impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2.

I consider it a big victory for us, the Ukrainian president said.



Associated Press writers Josh Boak in Washington, Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed reporting.
Lancaster Countys two Republican state senators vowed Tuesday to take action against Gov. Tom Wolfs announcement of a statewide mask mandate at K-12 schools and child care centers.

Sens. Ryan Aument and Scott Martin announced efforts to challenge the mask mandate, which came after the governor had repeatedly said he would leave masking policies to individual districts. Aument said in a release that he is discussing legislation to amend Pennsylvanias Disease Prevention and Control Law to ensure that local control and flexibility is preserved in this and future pandemics. Its under this 1955 law that Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam signed the order Tuesday requiring masks in schools and child care centers.

Looking at the vast differences in case data across the state, it is difficult to understand why anyone would think that the most appropriate policy solution is to force every community to follow the same mandate, without regard for vaccination rates, current caseload, or other relevant local data, Aument said in a statement. I trust local school districts to make appropriate decisions that are in the best interest of their students, teachers, and staff. Governor Wolf should too.

Martin circulated a co-sponsorship memorandum to his colleagues stating his intent to clarify the state disease prevention law to ensure the Secretary of Health can only utilize those powers when there is an existing emergency declaration. He also announced he will host a Senate Education Committee hearing on the issue and has requested the state departments of health and education provide the data that led to Tuesdays announcement.

Wolf attributed his change in position to the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases across the state and efforts to pressure local school boards to ignore Centers for Disease Control recommendations. These issues made it necessary for Beam to use her authority and issue a statewide mandate, Wolf said.

Martin questioned why the mask mandate wont take effect until Sept. 7.

If he truly believed things are bad enough to require these actions, why is he waiting while students still are attending school the rest of this week, Martin said in a statement.

Wolf has maintained for months that his administration can take action in public health emergencies even without an emergency declaration. The Republican-controlled Legislature has tried unsuccessfully to change the Disease Prevention and Control Law, while also claiming that healthy Pennsylvanians should not be subject to these orders.

Any effort by the Legislature to limit the powers of the state health secretary would almost certainly be vetoed by Wolf. The Republicans currently lack sufficient majorities in both chambers to override a gubernatorial veto.

Martin and Aument previously co-sponsored Senate Bill 618 (which was backed by every Republican legislator from the county at the time) to outlaw proof of vaccination to access any government building or school that receives taxpayer funds. Additionally, it would have prevented the secretary of health from restricting travel, mandating universal mask use or close businesses. Wolf vetoed it.

Almost all of Lancaster Countys Republican legislators came to the defense of local control over mask use after Wolfs announcement. Tuesdays announcement would require 14 of the countys 17 school districts to change mask policies and require mask usage throughout the school day.

In a release from Reps. Mindy Fee, R-Manheim Borough; Dave Hickernell, R-West Donegal Township; Keith Greiner, R-Upper Leacock Township; Dave Zimmerman, R-East Earl Township, and Brett Miller, R-East Hempfield Township, the lawmakers criticized Wolf for reversing his previous statements and revert(ing) back to his ways of being the sole decision-maker on masking mandates for our students.

Schools are now open in every Lancaster County school district, and our school boards and district officials have been diligent in listening to parents and medical officials to make decisions, community by community, based on the feedback they received, the lawmakers said. We stand behind our local school boards and support the decisions they make on behalf of their students, families, and staff.

Rep. Steve Mentzer, R-Manheim Township, who did not release a formal statement Tuesday, said in an email to LNP | LancasterOnline he believes mask mandates are best made at the local level.

House Speaker Bryan Cutler, R-Drumore Township, did not release a statement Tuesday, but has consistently supported local control on the issue. Last week, Wolf asked the Legislature to pass a mask mandate. Cutler and President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre County, responded in a letter to Wolf saying they would not take action. The letter said masking policies should be determined by individual school districts.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday that it's possible the United States will seek to coordinate with the Taliban on counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan against Islamic State militants or others.

Milley did not elaborate, and his comment did not appear to suggest immediate plans to work with the Taliban.

U.S. military commanders coordinated daily with Taliban commanders outside the Kabul airport over the past three weeks to facilitate the evacuation of more than 124,000 people. But that was a matter of convenience for both parties and not necessarily a sign that they will pursue, or even want, a regular relationship in the future.

The U.S. military ousted the Taliban from power in the fall of 2001 and fought against them for the 19 years that followed.

The extent and nature of a U.S.-Taliban relationship, now that the war is over, is one of the key issues to be worked out. The U.S. diplomatic presence in Kabul has been moved to Doha, Qatar. President Joe Biden has noted several times recently that the Taliban are avowed enemies of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan, suggesting a shared interest with the United States.

At a Pentagon news conference with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Milley called the Taliban ruthless adding, Whether or not they change remains to be seen. He suggested that the recent cooperative arrangement with the Taliban at Kabul airport was not necessarily a model for the future.

In war you do what you must in order to reduce risk to mission and force, not what you necessarily want to do, Milley said.

Biden has promised further targeting of the IS group in Afghanistan in response to the IS suicide bombing last week at a Kabul airport gate that killed scores of Afghans and 13 American service members. On Saturday the U.S. military carried out a drone strike in Afghanistan that it said killed two IS planners. On Tuesday, Biden said, To ISIS-K: We are not done with you yet, referring to the IS group.

Targeting Islamic State militants or other extremist groups, such as al-Qaida, will be more difficult with no U.S. military forces on the ground and no friendly government forces with which to share intelligence on extremist networks. But the Biden administration asserts that it can contain these groups by monitoring and potentially striking with assets based elsewhere in the region.

Although the Taliban oppose IS, it's far from clear that they will be inclined to work with the U.S. military or the Central Intelligence Agency now that they have regained power in Kabul. Milley has recent experience with Taliban leaders; twice last year, most recently in December, he met face-to-face with them in an attempt to slow their attacks on the U.S.-backed Afghan government, which collapsed in mid-August, triggering the frantic U.S.-led evacuation.

Austin sounded at least as skeptical as Milley regarding the possibility that the coordination in recent days at the Kabul airport suggests a future relationship with the Taliban.

I would not make any leaps of logic to broader issues, said Austin.

Both Austin and Milley commanded troops in Afghanistan during the 20-year war and their comments at Wednesday's news conference largely focused on tributes to those who served in Afghanistan, including those who died or were wounded. They also thanked all who contributed to the final airlift, which Austin called the largest evacuation of civilians in American history.

Milley and Austin urged war veterans to view their service as worthwhile and appreciated by the American public, while acknowledging that the memories can be painful.

War is hard. Its vicious. Its brutal. Its unforgiving, Milley said. "Yes, we all have pain and anger. When we see what has unfolded over the last 20 years and over the last 20 days, that creates pain and anger.

With the U.S. involvement in the war over and all American military out of the country, Biden is grappling with the prospects of a new relationship with the Taliban. He has tasked Secretary of State Antony Blinken with coordinating with international partners to hold the Taliban to their promise of safe passage for Americans and others who want to leave in the days ahead.

Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, has described the U.S. relationship with the Taliban during the evacuation as very pragmatic and very businesslike, saying they helped secure the airport. But other reports from people in Afghanistan described shootings, violence and Taliban moves to block desperate Afghans from getting through the gates.

Biden in an address to the nation Tuesday defended his decision to end America's longest war and withdraw all U.S. troops by an Aug. 31 deadline.

I was not going to extend this forever war, Biden declared from the White House. "And I was not going to extend a forever exit.

Biden is coming under heavy criticism, particularly from Republicans, for his handling of the evacuation. But he said it was inevitable that the final departure from two decades of war, first negotiated with the Taliban for May 1 by former President Donald Trump, would have been difficult, with likely violence, no matter when it was planned and conducted.

To those asking for a third decade of war in Afghanistan, I ask, What is the vital national interest?" Biden said. He added, "I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars in Afghanistan.



Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.
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THE ISSUE

Citing Pennsylvanias Disease Prevention and Control Law, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf announced a mask mandate Tuesday for all Pennsylvania K-12 private and public schools, as well as early learning and child care facilities. Universal masking in schools  that is, mask-wearing by students, staff and visitors, no matter their COVID-19 vaccination status  is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. The LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board also has advocated for such a mandate. The statewide mask mandate takes effect Sept. 7, the day after Labor Day. The Wolf administration will review the order the first week of October to determine if its still needed.

Finally, Gov. Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health have stepped up on behalf of the commonwealths children by mandating masks in schools and child care facilities.

The governor said he had hoped that local school boards would pass mandatory mask policies. But only three school boards, of the 17 public school districts serving Lancaster County students, did.

Wolf also gave the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Legislature a chance to lead on this sensible public health measure, but its leaders declined.

In a letter to the governor last Thursday, state House Speaker Bryan Cutler, of Drumore Township, and state Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, of Centre County, asserted that in many of our communities, local leaders have already made important decisions they believe are in the best interest of their residents and are prepared to adjust those decisions as challenges evolve.

The italics are ours. Please note that they did not write children or students. In this word choice, they gave away their game  suggesting that they fear the reaction of anti-mask residents more than the effects of the highly contagious delta variant on schoolchildren.

We were disappointed by the Lancaster County school boards that failed to follow the recommendations of the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Lancaster General Health. We know the unpaid members of these boards faced enormous pressure from the loudest and angriest voices in their districts.

But state lawmakers are paid to do the right thing, to place the public good above narrow political interests. Alas, particularly when up for election, they rarely do it.

On this count, we are most disappointed by state Sen. Ryan Aument, of West Hempfield Township, who took to Twitter on Tuesday to complain that this editorial board was elitist & condescending for urging school officials to follow the advice of medical experts.

Aument has claimed that one of his political heroes is the late Robert F. Kennedy. Why, then, is he mimicking the anti-science behavior of RFKs son and namesake instead?

So upset by the state Department of Healths mandate was Aument that he said in a news release that he is talking to Senate colleagues about amending Pennsylvanias Disease Prevention and Control Law to ensure that local control and flexibility is preserved in this and future pandemics.

That is, he wants to curtail the ability of state health officials to act according to data and science in a health crisis.

Auments tantrum is dangerous, not least because hes not alone among lawmakers in wanting to diminish the power of health officials to make decisions during crises. State Sen. Scott Martin, of Martic Township, wants to similarly constrain the state health secretary.

Decisions in this and future pandemics must be informed by medical expertise. This position doesnt make us elitist & condescending. It means we have common sense. Most people prefer to get their medical advice from physicians, not politicians.

At Tuesdays news conference announcing the mask order, Dr. Trude Haecker, a pediatrician at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and president of the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said that after vaccination, masking is the next best defense to keep children from getting sick with COVID-19 and in school. She noted that children under age 12 arent eligible for COVID-19 vaccination, so it falls to us, their parents, their pediatricians, government officials to protect them.

Emphasizing the need to keep schools open for the educational success and mental health of students, Haecker said schools need to embrace a multilayered approach to mitigating COVID-19 transmission that includes improved ventilation, virus testing and universal masking.

Minimizing disruption

In championing a mask mandate, this editorial boards concerns are genuine. We are worried about the health of Lancaster Countys children. And for good reason.

School districts that opened in other states without mask requirements have seen hundreds of students test positive for COVID-19; some have had to switch to remote learning. Studies have shown that masks are essential to reducing COVID-19 transmission in schools.

Weve been concerned, too, about the disruptions that quarantines and closures of schools and child care facilities would cause working families. We fervently want students to be able to remain in their classrooms and child care centers this school year. Mask requirements are a means to this end.

As Gov. Wolf said at the news conference Tuesday, Doing nothing is going to mean more sick kids. Its going to mean more days out of school. When children get sick, it is going to mean more grief for our communities, he said. And when parents need to take off work to care for children infected or exposed to the virus, its going to mean more problems for our economy.

The mask mandate shouldnt be controversial. But it is because masks have become tools in a culture war rather than weapons we have at our disposal to battle this cruelly persistent pandemic.

As we wrote Tuesday, the inconvenience of wearing masks is minimal when compared to the demonstrated importance of in-person learning, both to students academic performance and to their mental and emotional health. A risk-reward analysis of keeping more students in school for more in-person instructional days leads to the conclusion that a mask mandate is the best approach for this moment.

Clearly, Gov. Wolf and the state Department of Health made a similar analysis.

Reality of delta

While we wish this mandate took effect immediately rather than next week, were relieved that, finally, state officials had the courage to make the right call on behalf of Pennsylvanias children.

As acting Health Secretary Alison Beam noted Tuesday, the reality that we are living in now is extremely different than it was just one month ago.

Pennsylvania now is seeing more than 3,000 new COVID-19 cases a day, compared to fewer than 300 per day in July. The number of COVID-19 cases among children 17 and under increased by 277% between mid-July and Aug. 28, overwhelmingly because of the delta variant.

More than 5,000 students in Pennsylvania already have tested positive for COVID-19 in the first days of the school year, Beam said.

The masking order, she noted, is necessary and appropriate to protect children. And she asked those who object to it to consider that last year, when there was this level of COVID-19 community transmission, students were learning virtually.

State Education Secretary Noe Ortega noted that schools represent more than just places where children learn, but are the places where essential services  including nutritious meals  are delivered to children. We cannot let COVID-19 and the highly transmissible delta variant take these things away from our children, Ortega said.

These things are true: The delta variant is a danger to our kids. And kids need to be in school. So better late than never for this state mask order.
Heres a friendly word of advice to the future electorate of the United States, todays youth and children.

When the president of the United States, in a vitally important press conference (perhaps after your military has suffered losses at the hands of a terrorist organization), says anything like, Ladies and gentlemen, they gave me a list here. The first person I was instructed to call on was ... then this, my young friends, is not leadership.

Please do not allow yourselves to believe that this is normal behavior for the president of the United States, our commander in chief.

Look for and vote for a president who is leading others well, not one who is being led. When your president has been given a list and has been instructed on which reporter to call, someone else is leading your country. And you did not vote for that person or persons.

Jody Wenger

Brecknock Township
The remnants of Hurricane Ida arrived in Lancaster County on Wednesday, dumping several inches of rain on the region.

Click here for live updates from Lancaster County of damage and flash flooding.

While the tropical depression isn't projected to cause as much damage or drop as much rain as Lee in 2011 or Agnes in 1972, much of central Pennsylvania is under a flash flood watch through Thursday morning, and the Conestoga River in Lancaster is under a flood warning from 6 a.m. Thursday through 12:01 a.m. Friday.

You can watch a live radar feed from AccuWeather.com below as Ida moves through Pennsylvania. Get live updates from weather and traffic experts here, and get live updates on the conditions in Lancaster County here.
Aug. 31, 2021 (EIRNS)It is useful to reflect on the manner in which the strictly divided mainstream media in the U.S.rabidly anti-Trump CNN and rabidly pro-Trump Foxhave been fully integrated behind the British Empires hysteria against the Biden administrations ending the Afghanistan war without getting HMs approval. As EIR has documented, the British are terrified that if the U.S. acts on its own to end the endless wars, and joins with China and Russia to develop Afghanistan, it would also end the Empire, which relies on U.S. military might to run its colonialist wars. A clear example was available Aug. 30 between the simultaneous broadcasts of Sean Hannity on Fox and Chris Cuomo on CNN, who usually pride themselves on exposing the lies and fake news of each other. Last night, one could not tell which show one was on, as each were virtually identicaland straight from the bloody British,

Hannity: Apparently Joe Biden was telling all of us an outright lie, because there are still hundreds, maybe thousands, of Americans left in Kabul. This transcends politics, this is not Democrat, Republican, conservative, or liberal. Everybody should see it right here.

Cuomo: Americans are still on the ground, who wanted to get out, and couldnt, an unknown number of families, who believed America when they were told that they would be saved if they worked with U.S. troops, are also still there. The concept of No man left behind is centuries old. And it is a concrete commitment that inspires loyalty. Do we still believe in that commitment?

Hannity: This was the worst self-inflicted foreign policy disaster in American history. He demanded that everyone involved be firedBlinken, Sullivan, yes, Joe Biden too, fired.... Under Joe Biden, the terrorist called all the shots. Lets stop lying to ourselves right here. The Taliban is a terrorist group. He [Biden] said the Taliban has made commitments on safe passage.... Joe, youve got to be kidding.

Cuomo: There is no question that while Biden was dealt a bad hand, he played his cards poorly, as well.... Because the Taliban is not our friend. It is an oppressive regime. Its not about cooperating. They are in control. And now, thanks to you, they are much better-equipped. How much of what America left behind for the Afghans, does the Taliban now have?

Hannity: Biden did nothing as the Taliban took over $83 billion worth of U.S. weapons. Many of those left behind will be murdered.

Cuomo: How safe are we at home? Being on the ground in Afghanistan is why we didnt have a new 9/11.
Afghanistans arc from 9/11 to today: Once hopeful, now sad

It was Nov. 13 , 2001. The sun had just begun to rise over the Hindu Kush Mountains when the Taliban disappeared from Kabul, the battered capital of Afghanistan.

The bodies of foreign Arabs who had stayed behind were mutilated and bloodied. They had been found and killed by advancing Afghans of another faction who were brought to the city by a blistering U.S.-led campaign that drove the Taliban from power.

America was still reeling from the horrific terrorist attacks of two months earlier, when planes flown by al-Qaida terrorists crashed into three iconic buildings and a Pennsylvania field, killing nearly 3,000 people.

Northern Alliance soldiers watch as U.S. air strikes pound Taliban positions, Nov. 19, 2001, in Kunduz province near the town of Khanabad, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

The perpetrators and their leader, Osama bin Laden, were somewhere in Afghanistan, sheltered by the Taliban .

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The mission: Find him. Bring him to justice.

Right then, Afghanistan  two decades of disorder behind it, two decades more just ahead  was suspended in an in-between moment. The recent pages of its book were already filled with so much heartbreak, but for the first time in a while, some blank pages full of potential sat just ahead. Nothing was certain, but much seemed possible.

An Afghan anti-Taliban fighter pops up from his tank to spot a U.S. warplane bombing al-Qaida fighters in the White Mountains of Tora Bora in Afghanistan, Dec. 10, 2001. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

Against that backdrop, Afghans understood the mission against bin Laden to mean a chance to secure their future  a future as murky on that day as it is today. In those post-2001 months and years, they believed in the power of the foreigners.

From hundreds of years ago right up to the jumbled chaos of recent days as the United States pulled out of its air base and then the capital, the word foreigner has meant many things in the Afghan context, from invaders to would-be colonizers.

But in November 2001, in a mostly ruined Afghan capital where rutted roads were filled with bicycles and beat-up yellow taxis, it meant hope.

___

Torek Farhadi joined scores of educated and trained Afghan expatriates who returned to their homeland in 2002 after the Taliban were gone. He wanted to be part of the new Afghanistan that the U.S.-led invasion promised.

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I found the people relieved fresh and full on energy to start anew, the economist said from his home in Geneva, as he watched the Talibans return to power last month. He remembered, too, the smart young women he encountered who had lost huge chunks of their educations to Taliban repression between 1996 and 2001.

A boy flies his kite on a hill, May 13, 2013, overlooking Kabul, Afghanistan. Kite flying was banned during the Taliban regime. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

The arrival of the U.S.-led coalition weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks ended a repressive, religiously radical regime that had more in common with the sixth century than the 21st.

Mullah Mohammad Omar, the reclusive one-eyed leader of the Taliban, had brought the village to the city. The strict edicts he taught at his one-room mud madrassa, or religious school, became law. Girls were denied education. Women were confined to their homes or, when in public, inside the all-encompassing burqa. Men were told to wear beards. Television was banned, as was all music but religious chants.

When the Taliban fled and the new, post 9/11 leader, Hamid Karzai, entered the sprawling presidential palace, he discovered the Taliban had left their mark. The grand piano had been gutted; only the elegant shell remained. The insides had been removed  seemingly out of fear that a piano key might be accidentally pressed and music made.

Wall-to-wall hand-painted miniature murals had been defaced; Taliban who believed images of living things were a crime against Islam went to every tiny bird and blotted out its face with a black marker.

In those first years, George W. Bushs defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, vowed there would be no nation-building. The running of the country was handed to Washingtons Afghan allies, many of whom had destroyed Kabul with their bitter feuding when they last ruled. Under their corruption, the country devolved into a collection of fiefdoms that enriched local warlords and led to the Talibans rise.

A woman carries water in a plastic container as she ascends a slope on the way towards her home, Dec. 27, 2010, in Kabul, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Ethnic Pashtuns, the majority group that had made up the backbone of the country, were suddenly disenfranchised. In 2002, the deputy police chief of Zabul, a southern province that was once a Taliban stronghold, sent 2,000 young Pashtun men to Kabul to join the Afghan national army. They were teased and mocked; the deputy chief said all but four ended up joining the Taliban.

Giant posters of slain anti-Taliban fighter Ahmad Shah Massoud  an ethnic Tajik warlord who was assassinated on Sept. 9, 2001  were plastered on official vehicles and inside the Defense Ministry. The first defense minister, Mohammad Fahim, a Massoud lieutenant, deepened the divisions by institutionalizing ethnic discrimination.

The Afghan military that would collapse in the wake of Taliban advances in 2021 began existence with its recruits often more loyal to a warlord than the army itself. Training was barely eight weeks for new, generally uneducated men. Building the Afghan army was often likened to repairing an aircraft midflight.

A Canadian soldier, and a soldier from the Afghan National Army, behind wall, walk along a destroyed grape drying silo at the Canadian base, Nov. 22, 2006, near the town of Zhari in the Kandahar province of Afghanistan. The holes in the wall are for mounting sticks for drying grapes. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

So across Afghanistan, quickly and understandably, it started: The defeated Taliban began to re-emerge. And it kept getting worse.

By 2012, just two years before the U.S. and NATO handed over the operational end of the war to Afghanistans government, the Afghan army was barely competent and filled with fighters angry at what they considered poor treatment by their foreign trainers. Soldiers wore boots with holes because a shoddy contractor, paid millions by corrupt officials, had delivered substandard equipment. At an army outpost in the deadly east, helmets were so scarce that five soldiers took turns wearing one.

And U.S. trainers? They were no longer attending training sessions where live ammunition was being used.

They feared the weapons might be turned on them.

The return last month of the Taliban, with their long beards and flowing traditional turbans, has created widespread fear among young people in Afghanistans cities  places where urban girls wearing headscarves have felt free to mingle in coffee shops and on the street. Young men wearing Western dress who dream of even greater freedoms have been part of the airport chaos that greeted the start of evacuation flights.

A country of 36 million, Afghanistan is filled with conservative people, many of whom live in the countryside. But even they do not adhere to the strict interpretation of Islam that the Taliban imposed when last they ruled.

The Taliban leaders, many of whom are linked to the previous regime, including the movements co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, promise a different Taliban this time. Once camera shy and reclusive, many have made regular appearances on the diplomatic stage. They say women can work, attend school and participate in public life.

Who believes them is another matter entirely. The new generation is filled with nervous young people who grew up on stories that were the stuff of nightmares.

Some older Afghans, who worry that an already depressed economy will only get worse, note that the Talibans last rule was marked by strong security. Under those Taliban, justice was swift and harsh. Convicted thieves had their hands cut off. Murderers were publicly executed. The punishments and the trials were carried out publicly in a stadium filled with thousands  barbaric scenes that still generate fear.

The Talibans rule was not marked by attacks on women, but rather relentless repression that denied them a public space. And despite orders that they should be accompanied by men, women often traveled by themselves. But the traditional all-covering burqa, an ancient dress that left only a gauzy patch through which to see, came to symbolize Taliban repression.

A balloon seller riding a bicycle looks towards a woman holding hands with two young girls, Jan. 3, 2011, at a market in Kabul, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Even as the world watched in shock at the quick demise of the Afghan army and government over the past weeks, the signs of Afghanistans post-9/11 decay had long been evident.

Twenty years and billions of dollars in investment after 9/11, Afghanistan was considered one of the worst places in the world to be a woman in 2020 and in 2019, according to the Georgetown Institute for Women Peace and Security. In 2018, in a Gallup poll offered a scale of one to 10 to determine how respondents judged their chances for a better future five years down the road, Afghans averaged 2.3. Gallup called it a new low for any country in any year.

And two-thirds of those respondents were 35 years old or younger  the very young Afghans who, this month, are anxiously wondering what might be coming next.

___

When Afghans still believed that searching for peace could make a difference, there was something called the High Peace Council. A few years ago, one of its members wondered how U.S. and NATO forces  which at their peak numbered 150,000 and fought alongside hundreds of thousands of Afghan troops  couldnt vanquish tens of thousands of Taliban.

Either they did not want to, or they could not do it, Mohammed Ismail Qasimyar said. They have made a hell, not a paradise, for us.

In the first years after 9/11, U.S. money arrived in Kabul in suitcases. There were no working banks at the time  and no oversight of the billions pouring into the country. Most of it passed through the hands of U.S.-allied warlords whose corruption had led to the Talibans rise in the 1990s.

American generals were often used by their Afghan allies to exact revenge. Mohabullah, an Afghan who had left the Taliban to return home to the central province of Ghazni, once laughed as he recounted how easily fooled the Americans were by their Afghan partners. He recalled how a gas station owner was turned in to U.S. forces as a Taliban  to settle a feud.

U.S. Air Force pararescue members ride in the back of their medevac helicopter with the American flag draped over bodies of U.S. soldiers who were killed in a roadside bomb attack, Oct. 10, 2010, in Afghanistans Kandahar province. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
A Taiwanese government report has warned that Chinas military could paralyze the islands armed forces.

The yearly report was prepared by Taiwans defense ministry for parliament. Reuters news agency reported the findings Wednesday, saying it had examined a copy of the report.

The latest document identifies more serious threats to Taiwan from Chinas military than last years report.

Chinas government has been increasing its military activities around the island, which it considers a rebel territory. China has said it plans to one day reclaim the territory and would use force if necessary.

The report said Chinas armed forces are currently able to fully monitor Taiwanese military deployments. It said China can launch, what it called, soft and hard electronic attacks. Such attacks could include blocking communications across a series of islands that run from southern Japan, through Taiwan and south to the Philippines.

The report added that China "can combine with its internet army to launch wired and wireless attacks against the internet. Such attacks would initially paralyze our air defenses, command of the sea and counter-attack system abilities, the report said. This presents a huge threat to Taiwan, the document states.

With the ability to launch missile attacks to hit anywhere on the island, China is also equipped to paralyze Taiwanese military command centers and naval and air force operations, the report said.

China has also been improving its reconnaissance abilities using a system called Beidou, the defense ministry said. This is China's version of the American-owned GPS navigation system. This gives China the ability to easily monitor movements around Taiwan. China could support the system with its own spy planes, drones and intelligence gathering ships, it added.

China's Defense Ministry did not immediately answer a Reuters request for comment.

Taiwan's report did, like last year, note that China still lacks the transport abilities and organizational support to launch a large invasion. But the defense ministry said the Chinese military is working to build up those abilities.

Chinese spies in Taiwan could also launch a "decapitation strike" to destroy political and economic systems, the report added.

The ministry said China is deploying mid- and long-range missiles and carrying out more exercises involving its aircraft carriers. By doing so, mainland China is trying to position itself to delay "foreign military intervention" in an attack on Taiwan, it added.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has placed urgency on strengthening the islands defenses. The government has sought to build up its own defense industry and buy more equipment from the United States. The U.S. is the island's most important arms supplier and international supporter.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Reuters reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

__________________________________________

Words in This Story

paralyze  v. make something stop working

monitor  v. to watch something carefully and record the results

initial  adj. happening first, or at the beginning

reconnaissance  n. the process of getting information about a place or an area for military use

navigation  n. to find the direction to travel by using maps or other equipment

drone  n. a small, pilotless aircraft

decapitation  n. an attempt to undermine an operation
Christopher Johnson said his son told him that he heard the gunshots while in the school gym and students were told to hide because there was an active shooter on campus.

You see stuff like this in the media, said Johnson, whose son was still at the school awaiting transportation to a pickup point. Its scary to know that it actually reached out and touched you this time. My sons not a victim, but hes part of this and hell probably remember this forever.

Later, law enforcement vehicles were seen escorting school buses with Mount Tabor students off the campus to be reunited with their parents.

The sheriff's office said other schools in the area were on lockdown as a precaution but no other shootings or injuries had been reported.

Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement that he has been briefed by law enforcement and noted this was the second school shooting in the state this week. A 15-year-old was charged after a student was shot and wounded during a fight Monday at a Wilmington high school.

We must work to ensure the safety of students and educators, quickly apprehends the shooter and keep guns off school grounds, Cooper said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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People who have worked with Hochul over the years tend to say the same things about her  that she's hard-working, competent and unusually kind for someone in a profession never really known for kindness.
The hops were planted in the spring of 2020.

We planted 50 rhizomes and 40 of them survived that first year. We put in some posts and strung up a wire about 6 feet high, said Boryca.

We then put up a lattice (twine that goes from the plant to the line that ran 6 feet high). As the hops grow, the vines go up the lattice. The first year the hops do not put on very many cones, but I did harvest about a bushel of hops, Boryca said.

I did contact some breweries and brewers to see if they wanted any of the cones. This is when I found out that most brewers do not want cones, they all want hops that have been pelletized, he said.

In 2020 Boryca put in four telephone poles and ran a cable across the top 16 feet high.  Now putting in the lattice was a lot more challenging now that it was so high up, he said.

The hops vines got up about 12 feet when we had a thunderstorm with 70 mph winds go through and broke some of the lattice, and the rest of the vines came unraveled from the twine, Boryca said, So instead of the vines going to the top, they only went about a third the way up and looked like Christmas trees.

He said this limited the production and he only produced 3 lbs. of dried pelletized hops.
I wholeheartedly support it.

I don't like it, but it's become necessary to fight the coronavirus.

I really don't like it, but if I have to get vaccinated to keep my job, I'll do it.

I disagree with it and refuse to be vaccinated.

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A third K-9 handler testified in court Tuesday about the alerts his cadaver dog gave on the morning of June 29, 1996, during a search of Cal Polys Santa Lucia Hall dorm, where investigators attempted to locate evidence indicating the whereabouts of 19-year-old student Kristin Smart, who went missing a month earlier.

Wayne Behrens recalled the alerts that Sierra, his Labrador retriever, gave while searching the outside and inside of the dorm, including interest in a scent picked up near the bushes and a window, and in room 128, where Paul Flores stayed while attending college.

Behrens said he let Sierra loose inside the dorm and she ran up to the room, jumping onto the door with both paws. Investigators let her inside the room, where she alerted to the bed at the left side of the room, where Flores allegedly slept.

The deputy behind me kind of went wow, Behrens said. We were all kind of surprised at the strong response.

+6 Kristin Smart: Second K-9 handler recounts dog's search of Flores' dorm room A second K-9 handler recalled in court on Monday the alerts her cadaver dog gave while searching Paul Flores' Santa Lucia Hall dorm room on the afternoon of June 29, 1996.

Behrens was the first of three K-9 handlers called that day to search the dorm. After him, Adela Morris searched the area with her two cadaver dogs, Cholla and Cirque, followed by Gail LaRoque and her dog, Torrey.

All dogs had certifications in human remains detection from the California Rescue Dog Association, a nonprofit organization that responds to search requests from the California Office of Emergency Services.

Paul Flores, 44, of San Pedro has been charged with Smart's murder. His father, 80-year-old Ruben Flores, of Arroyo Grande, has been charged with accessory to murder after the fact, and is accused of hiding Smarts body. They both have pleaded not guilty.

Smart was seen with Paul Flores near the intersection of Perimeter Road and Grand Avenue at approximately 2 a.m. on May 25, 1996, according to witness Cheryl Manzer.

Smart was never seen again after that. She was declared legally dead in 2002 and her body has never been recovered.

Behrens was the first of four witnesses called to testify Tuesday during the preliminary hearing of Paul and Ruben Flores.

Other witnesses included Faye Springer, a retired criminalist specializing in trace evidence analysis; James Camp, a San Luis Obispo County District Attorneys Office investigator; and Clint Cole, the Sheriffs Office detective leading the case.

Springers testimony included her examination of several fibers sent to her from the Smart case, including fibers colored brown, blue and red.

The fibers could not be compared to anything, but were composed of cotton and synthetic material, according to Springer, adding that she could not assign any forensic significance to the fibers.

Would it be more accurate to call it trace material and not trace evidence? asked attorney Harold Mesick, who represents Ruben Flores.

Theres some material there thats interesting, that could be compared if references or objects of clothing are found, Springer said.

After Springer, Camp took the stand and testified about his investigation in the red brick dorms, including Santa Lucia Hall and Sequoia Hall, where he stayed for a brief period of time.

Camp, who attended Cal Poly as a student from 1991 to 1995, recalled his memory of the layout of the area surrounding the dorms, including Muir Hall, where Smart lived before she disappeared.

He traced the path Paul Flores and Smart allegedly took from a house party on Crandall Way to the dorms, recording a roughly half-mile walk that took approximately 8 minutes and 35 seconds.

Cole took the stand after Camp, testifying about the alleged phone records from Paul Flores dorm room, which indicated a phone call to his father at 9:47 a.m. on May 26, 1996.

Additionally, Cole provided testimony about Department of Motor Vehicle records for two trucks allegedly driven by Paul Flores, including a bluish-green Ford Ranger and a white Nissan 4-wheel drive truck.

On May 19, 2021, Cole and Camp arrived at Ruben Flores residence at 710 White Court in Arroyo Grande with a warrant for DNA samples, including from Susan Flores, Paul Flores mother, and Mike McConville, Susan Flores boyfriend, according to testimony.

Cole recalled what Ruben Flores allegedly said to him.

They did not commit a felony, only I did, Ruben Flores said, according to Cole. He quickly caught himself and said, I mean, Im the only person thats been arrested.

The preliminary hearing continues at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Superior Court.
Although access to COVID-19 vaccine is readily available and the Food and Drug Administration has granted full approval to Pfizer's version, the percentage of fully vaccinated individuals in Santa Barbara County is growing slowly, according to a report to the Board of Supervisors.

At the same time, the number of new cases among unvaccinated individuals is rising again after a short dip, while the number of new cases among vaccinated residents is continuing to decline, according to the report delivered Aug. 31.

Van Do-Reynoso, director of the County Public Health Department, said the number of new cases among unvaccinated residents as of Aug. 20 was 37.8 per 100,000 population, but for vaccinated residents the number was down to 7.5 per 100,000.

Combined, the numbers gave the county a new case rate of 21.9 per 100,000 residents.

So as of Aug. 20th, cases were 5.04 more times likely to be unvaccinated than vaccinated, Do-Reynoso said.

She said the percentage of eligible county residents who were fully vaccinated as of Aug. 29 stood at 64.9%, an increase of less than 1% from the 64% reported last Aug. 24.

So what this means is that there are still about 134,7114 eligible Santa Barbara County residents that are not yet vaccinated, Do-Reynoso said, although in response to a question, she said there is a three-week delay between first and second doses.

She said residents now have ample opportunities to receive the vaccine.

In the North County, vaccines are available at 16 providers, 17 pharmacies, one hospital and one Public Health Department site for a total of 35 locations, plus mobile vaccination clinics as needed.

In the middle portion of the county, the public can get vaccinated at three providers, seven pharmacies and one hospital for 11 locations, plus mobile clinics as needed, and vaccines are available at 14 providers, 23 pharmacies and two hospitals in the South County for a total of 39 locations, plus mobile clinics.

In total, access is not an issue anymore, Do-Reynoso said.

She added that the demand for first doses at the mobile clinics has increased, noting that four weeks ago, a total of 56 first doses were provided compared to 125 doses last week.

Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino asked if Public Health Department has seen any increase in demand since the FDA gave full approval to the Pfizer vaccine, now being marketed as Comirnaty.

Do-Reynoso said anecdotally were seeing an increase but noted the department has not finished analyzing the data to see if there was a spike following full approval. She said she expected to have that information this week.

Other county statistics as of Aug. 30 included that 99 new cases had been reported, bringing the number of active cases to 633 and total cases to 39,118. One new death  a Santa Maria resident about 60 years old  was also reported for a total of 476.

Hospitalized COVID-19 patients were 72, with 22 of those in intensive care units, Do-Reynoso said.

Do-Reynoso also explained the difference between third doses and booster doses of the vaccines.

Third doses are for immunocompromised individuals for whom two doses did not provide a sufficient level in their immune systems.

They are currently able to receive a third dose of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines 28 days after their second dose from health-care providers and at pharmacies and hospitals.

Booster doses are being considered for everyone else whose immune systems reached sufficient levels after two doses because it appears immunity fades after a certain period of time, Do-Reynoso said.

Those individuals will be able to receive the booster eight months after their second dose, tentatively starting Sept. 20, from health-care providers, pharmacies, hospitals and Public Health Department community sites.

However, Do-Reynoso said the FDA is still evaluating both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for booster shots.
Solvang City Council members reluctantly declared a Stage 2 drought emergency last week, with mandatory water use restrictions going into effect after the September meter reading. Consumers who do not cut back their water usage will face financial penalties beginning in October.

Councilman Robert Clarke cast the dissenting vote in the 4-1 decision on Aug. 23.

The declaration and related restrictions were adopted four months after the council declared a Stage 1 drought emergency and asked consumers to voluntarily cut back their water usage. The community responded, instead, by increasing its consumption 15% in May, 7% in June and 10% in July.

Were going in the wrong direction, said City Engineer/Public Works Director Matt Van Der Linden.

Solvang water customers have used 22% more water in 2021 than over the same period the previous year, while water supplies have dwindled.

Drought conditions have worsened in California and Santa Barbara County, Van Der Linden said.

Eighty percent of the state is in extreme or exceptional drought conditions, he added, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts below-average precipitation throughout the southwestern states through winter 2022.

According to the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District's Aug. 23 report, Cachuma Lake sits at less than 52% capacity, down from 55% July 20.

Combined with the past two years being the driest two-year period since 1976-77, water levels at Lake Oroville reached historic lows in early August 2021, falling below the previous low water elevation of 645 feet set in September 1977. This main holding pond for the State Water Project system currently sits at 23% capacity.

Since 2003, the city of Solvang has relied upon the State Water Project for a hefty portion of its water consumption, with wells in the river and upland, with water purchased from other agencies, to meet the demand. The cost of 433 acre-feet of supplemental water purchased so far this year to meet user demand has run more than $300,000.

An acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons, or enough to meet the average yearly water needs of about six people in most urban settings.

The citys contracted allocation from the state project is 1,500 acre-feet per year, but California Department of Water Resources allocations have averaged 58% of that share, Van Der Linden said.

In 2021, the state allocated Solvang 75-acre feet, or 5%, of its contracted share. Water customers used nearly 690 acre-feet by August and are on track to consume 1,355 acre-feet by the end of the year, Van Der Linden said.

The news doesnt get any better for 2022.

The city is forecast to receive zero percent of its allocation in 2022, though Van Der Linden noted the states early forecast generally shoots low. That number will be updated Dec. 1, based on early rain and snowpack.

What were being told, even if we have an above-average year in Northern California, is that the allocation wont go over 10%, Van Der Linden said.

He said the greatest cutbacks in customer water usage will be sought in landscape irrigation. Irrigation meters must cut back 50% from the same period during benchmark fiscal year 2019-20. Any overage will be charged at double the current water rate, with the first offense resulting in a one-time warning. Subsequent overuse will result in an additional $500 penalty.

Single-family residential, commercial, industrial and institutional customers must cut back 20% from that baseline period or face penalties at 1.5 times current water rates for overages of up to 100% of historic use and double the current rate for use over 100%.

Multifamily residential meters must cut back 10%. Additional use up to 100% of benchmark period usage will be charged at 1.5 times current water rates, with double rates kicking in for any usage over 100%.

Regulations will take effect beginning immediately after the September water meter reading, will be reflected on October bills, and will remain in effect until they are canceled by the council.

In other business

The City Council extended until Jan. 31, 2022, the COVID-induced closure of Copenhagen Drive from Alisal Road to Second Street. They also heard survey results which could result in the long-term closure of the segment, pending additional research and discussion.

The council also denied a request by Solvang Theaterfest for $500,000 in funding over a five-year period to support the $4.7 million renovation of the Solvang Festival Theatre. City Attorney David Fleishman advised the council such a funding level from a public agency could implicate prevailing wage for the entire project, driving up costs.

Councilman Robert Clarke also voiced concern about the citys budget through uncertain times.

If we have the money, gosh, yes, Id love to do this, he said. My concern is: We dont know where were going to be in six months; we dont know if the (transient occupancy tax) is going to drive up; we dont know if the governors going to shut down the state again. We just dont know, and this is the thing with bringing back more employees. My main focus, like everyone else, is it's just so topsy-turvy, we dont know where were going to be.

Each council member voiced support of and appreciation for the theater. The council directed staff to work with the Theaterfest in a manner that would not impact wage regulation while also supporting the projects financial need.

I want them leaving here knowing we stand behind them and are firmly supportive of Theaterfest  Well make sure they get their money,  Clarke said.

City Manager Xenia Bradford also noted the city has reinstated the sign ordinance and enforcement has begun. In addition, Solvang is currently recruiting for planning manager, human resources manager (part-time post), public works director and recreation coordinator. Offers have been made to applicants for the city clerk and assistant planner recruitments.
Caleb Moon loves the Golden Circle of Champions kids and he loves the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo. He really loves the fact that he gets to help with both.
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He hopes that the school can pull the community in and help people better understand the work it does with students.

We want to be a school that people are really curious about and I want for every resident in Madison to be like, Im interested in that school, I would send my student to that school, versus some of the rhetoric you heard last night that was like, Madison needs a place for these kids, he said.

Some of those opposed to the change said they support the concept of the school, but believed Hoyt was not the right location. They also questioned the transparency of the process during a recent Regent Neighborhood Association meeting, though officials have noted the well-publicized referendum and other outreach sessions on the subject.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway spoke to her personal experience as she expressed opposition to the appeal.

I myself attended an alternative school that was located in a former elementary school once upon a time, she said. My school was more akin to (Madisons) Shabazz (High School) than Capital High, but I find this a very appropriate use of a school building and I think its been done many times.
Being on board Dane Countys Dragon Dredge is like riding on a slow moving, floating vacuum cleaner.

It doesnt go fast or far and it sucks up dirt. Sometimes a rock gets stuck in it.

Dane County purchased the $650,000 Ellicott Dredge in March as part of a five phase, multiyear and multimillion dollar effort to decrease the risk of flooding along the Yahara chain of lakes. The dredge removes built-up dirt and clay, clearing bottlenecks in the Yahara River that link the lakes.

The 42-foot-long hydraulic dredge digs through years of compacted sediment exacerbated by urban runoff. Covering 400 cubic yards in a day, the bright red teeth on the cutter head fight their way through gummy clay. The pump sucks up rocks and, occasionally, a spare log.

Youre at the mercy of the Yahara, said Ryan Brockner, dredge laborer.

The idea to dredge the river to improve water flow  a unique strategy in Wisconsin  was borne out of the historic rainfall in August 2018 that hammered some areas with more than a foot of water and killed one Madison resident. The deluge caused over $154 million in damage and led to historically high lake levels.

Because of the muck, the channels connecting lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa and Kegonsa didnt have the capacity to push water through the chain of lakes fast enough to keep up with rainfall.

Water has nowhere to go but up, said John Reimer, assistant director of the countys Land & Water Resources Department. Flood waters rise and storm sewers back up, causing flash flooding.

Water comes into the Yahara chain of lakes faster than it goes out  taking two inches of rain over two weeks to leave the system. With the Dragon Dredge removing several feet of sediment, water will have more room and should drain through the system in about half the time.

It should also help Reimer manage lake levels and adhere to water levels set by the state Department of Natural Resources. The DNR has the statutory responsibility to regulate certain dams and create specific management requirements, which are included in the operating order issued to the owner of the dam. In this case, that owner is Dane County.

Reimer said the goal is to minimize the frequency of flooding. Dane County has seen flooding about every 10 years, he said, with major events in 2000, 2008 and 2018.

We (hope to) go from 10 years and extend that out to 20 years  and mitigate those impacts so they're not so frequent, Reimer said.

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said the county isnt required by state statute to do this work. Though it involves technical skills and is expensive, he said its necessary for Dane County to tackle.

We do this because someone needed to step up and take care of this because it was challenging, and it really dovetails in with a lot of our key lakes work, too, Parisi said. It's really the only way we're going to be able to prevent some of the future type of flooding that we saw in this last big rain event.

Lakes like bathtubs

Lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, Kegonsa and Wingra form a chain of lakes connected by the Yahara River, eventually streaming into the Rock River north of Janesville.

Madison is closely linked to its five lakes. The areas first residents built villages and farmed around the lakes. Today, the city of 269,840  the fastest growing in the state of Wisconsin, according to the 2020 census  builds and expands its borders around the bodies of water.

A chain of lakes is unusual but not unique, said Emily Stanley, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor in the Department of Integrative Biology and Center for Limnology. But a chain of lakes in an urban setting with a watershed thats dominated by agriculture is uncommon, she said.

Stanley described the lake system like a series of bathtubs with one small outlet. Sediment that used to be topsoil accumulates in low spots in the basin and clogs the drain.

The physical structure of the lakes and the connecting channels is not helpful, Stanley said. They have narrow exit points and they are harvesting water from big watersheds.

The areas flat landscape also makes it harder for water to move through the system, Reimer said, and aquatic vegetation can impede movement, too.

The county estimates that more than 8.5 million pounds of sediment enter the Yahara chain of lakes every year because of urban runoff. When all of that dirt gets stuck in the choke points between lakes, the flow of water is impeded.

Parisi said that number makes the projects goals more tangible.

When you drive by a development (with) construction going on and you see dirt and sand all over the road, it rains and that stuff goes into the storm sewers and ends up in our lakes, Parisi said. It gives you a concrete example of why we should care about construction site runoff and why we should care about other types of runoff.

We may not always see the manifestation of it until there's a major event.

Though this project started in response to excessive rainfall, Dane County experienced drought conditions for much of the summer.

Last year, Dane County released its Climate Action Plan, which included newly published climate modeling by UW-Madison scientists that showed southern Wisconsin will continue to get hotter and wetter over time. Its likely that large precipitation events will increase in frequency and intensity, according to the modeling.

Its going to happen again, Reimer said of flooding.

Trial by fire in water

The sediment removal project, which will cost the county an estimated $15 million, will take place in five phases and six locations along the Yahara River, which is channeled from Lake Mendota through the Isthmus and southeast through lakes Monona, Waubesa and Kegonsa.

For the inaugural phase, dredging occurred between lakes Monona and Waubesa. In the second phase, happening now, the dredge is working the 11 miles between Waubesa and Lower Mud Lake, which borders McFarland.

Reimer said he has fielded many phone calls from neighbors requesting information on the project and that, overall, people have supported it.

Usually in lake levels, it's either too high or too low or I can never make anyone happy, but at least with this project, I'm getting a lot of positive feedback, he said.

Don and Denise Peterson have owned their McFarland home, located across from where the dredge is currently working, for 17 years. They said the noise of the dredge has faded into the background and that they have become used to looking at it from their home.

I look at it as short-term pain for long-term gain, Don Peterson said.

The second half of this second phase will take place between Lake Kegonsa and Highway B, likely starting in the spring of 2022. The third phase will involve dredging the Yahara River between Lower Mud Lake and Lake Kegonsa with the final two phases covering stretches of the Yahara River from Highway B to Stoughton and lakes Mendota to Monona.

Ideally, Reimer said the project would start at the bottom of the chain with Lake Kegonsa and work upward. But the phases were planned to keep the project moving efficiently.

There was pre-existing dredge work and data for the area of Phase 1 that made it a natural place to start. Later phases involve a cultural fishing area that is important to the Ho-Chunk Nation, which involves greater planning not to disturb, and a whitewater park under development in Stoughton.

In July, the blue Dragon Dredge was working on the Yahara River in McFarland upstream of Mud Lake. It sat in the water near Sleepy Hollow Road and near the backyards of some riverfront homes, where many homeowners had to use sandbags to keep rising water at bay in 2018.

Sun umbrellas repurposed from a landfill flanked the sides of the dredge and offered the operators some shade while they were on the deck and outside of the control room. The dredge includes a GPS monitoring system that shows the terrain on the bottom of the river. A gauge for vacuum pressure shows the operators when to slow down.

Jaime Salazar, lead dredge operator, said the team flew a drone before starting work to map out the dredges path through the river.

When its running, the cutter head sweeps back and forth across the river bottom, excavating sediment for the pump to obtain. Long stakes, or spuds, at the back end hold the dredge in place. Winches and cables on the outside of the dredge are used to swing the machine in an arc.

The work is slow and methodical.

You can only handle so much every pass, Brockner said.

Brockner said its also been trial by fire.

Though Dane County is in its second phase of the project, this is the first time county employees have operated the dredge themselves. The county paid Dredgit Corporation $3.25 million in 2019 to complete the first phase of the project, the dredging between Monona and Waubesa.

This type of dredging work is specialized, making it more difficult to find a contractor and delaying the start of the first phase. Reimer said the county conducted two rounds of a contractor search before settling on the Texas-based Dredgit Corporation  the only application.

It took us quite a bit of time to move it forward, Reimer said. This is an important topic in flooding that we want to get it done as timely as we can.

Parisi said they learned that owning the dredge would put the county in the "driver's seat."

In order to control our own destiny and the timing and to be as effective and efficient as possible and to move this along as quickly as possible, we decided it was in our best interest to engage in the majority of the work ourselves, Parisi said.

A beginners dredge

Ellicotts Series 370 Dragon Dredge is advertised as ideal for first-time owners due to its simple design. Its also easy to transport and can be assembled on site.

Steve Miller, the domestic sales manager for Ellicott Dredges, said the Maryland-based company, which has manufacturing plants in Baltimore and New Richmond, Wisconsin, primarily focuses on small- to medium-sized, portable dredges.

Thats exactly what Dane County needed for... flood control and to establish flood capacity in these lakes, Miller said.

Miller agreed that owning the dredge will make the project more efficient. Contracting involves acquiring necessary permits and funding that can take awhile.

Owning the equipment is more sustainable, he said, because the county can run the program each year and in smaller segments  and respond to emergencies. If a big rainstorm flushes sediment into an area that was just dredged, the county has the machine to do it again.

If maintained properly, the dredge can last between 20 and 30 years, especially in freshwater, Miller said.

Once you dredge these lakes down youve increased that capacity. Now the rainwater has a place to go and now youre going to mitigate the damage to the town and to your infrastructure, Miller said. Youve given the county this capacity to mitigate these major rain events. That cuts down on your storm damage costs.

Dane County hired four permanent, full-time employees to operate the dredge plus several limited-term workers for extra help as needed. Ellicott sent trainers to get the new dredge operators acquainted with the machinery operation, safety protocols and maintenance.

Its all new to us, said Brockner, who was in his second week of dredging.

Where does the dirt go?

If a dredge is like a vacuum, then the dirt has to be emptied somewhere.

The sediment slurry sucked up in the Dragon Dredge is pumped through about a mile of pipe into a large pond, or dewatering basin, that was built off of Highway 51 across from the Babcock Park boat launch.

Seeing the whole process come together is exciting, said Brockner, the dredge operator who helped build the basin.

At the base of the dewatering site, the sound of water rushing through the pipe can be heard while walking along the length of it. The surface of the manmade pond is still until water gushes through the pipe on one end of the site. A small rowboat is docked at the other end.

The sediment settles out of the water and then the water is pumped back into the river. Each week, the county makes sure the water meets standards outlined by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

So far in the second phase, Reimer conservatively estimates the dredge has removed more than 5,000 cubic yards of sediment. The first phase removed 35,000 cubic yards, and he estimates an additional 5,000 cubic yards of debris and rocks that are too heavy to remove with a hydraulic dredge will be removed this fall using an excavator on a barge.

All of the sediment left after the water is pumped back into the river can be dried and used for road construction, like the states upcoming project to improve Highway 51.

A matter of inches

The goal with the dredging is to have more days for lake levels to fall between the summer minimum and maximum range  a difference of six inches. In dry weather, Reimer said the county targets keeping the lake levels in the middle of the range to allow for three inches before exceeding the summer maximum.

Recently, the lakes exceeded the summer maximum because the area received over two inches of rain between July 7 and July 10. The lake will rise two inches and then the watershed  the area of land that drains water into the lakes  brings additional water into the lake, which increases its levels.

When lake levels are at risk of getting too low or too high, the county adjusts the dams. For example, when Monona and Waubesa are above maximum, Babcock Dam is completely open. When Lake Kegonsa is in the summer range, the dam is only partially open.

Once we see forecasts of rain we will be proactive to open the dams to deliver as much water as possible, Reimer said.

Recently, Monona and Waubesas water levels have been closer together. On Aug. 17, there was about two inches of difference between the two. Normally, theres a difference of between four and six inches. In the 2018 flood, Reimer said they were separated by eight inches.

The closer their water levels means the less of a constriction between the lakes to release the water, Reimer said.

To notice water level reductions across the entire system, Reimer said water flow from Lake Waubesa needs to be improved.

Suck the muck Dane County is also using dredging for its Suck the Muck project, which aims to remove phosphorus-laden sediment from the Yahara chain of lakes system in an effort to curb toxic algae growth. The county has contracted with outside companies for the first two phases of the project, which involved cleaning the sludge out of Dorn and Token creeks. Even if agricultural runoff stopped immediately, the lakes would still struggle with algae because of the phosphorus built up in the sediment in its tributaries. Research from 2014 by Dane County and the DNR discovered that the phosphorus concentrations in the stream sediments of Dorn Creek are seven times greater than nearby crop fields. Emily Stanley, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor in the Department of Integrative Biology and Center for Limnology, said the problem comes back to the Yahara watershed being predominantly agricultural for over a century, resulting in fertilizers and cow manure building up in the soils. The sediment in Dorn Creek had been there since the late 1800s, according to the county. That material finds its way into the waterways and lakes and keeps the lakes green. This is a situation where you try everything, Stanley said. Suck the Muck is one of these things that you absolutely try. The project provides other benefits too, Reimer said. As a part of the Dorn Creek project, Reimer said the stream was rerouted to spill out into the wetlands. The result is that the wetlands hold onto flood water longer before entering the lakes and can retain nutrients that would contribute to algae growth in the lakes.

Effects on habitat

Apart from influencing water flow, the sediment removal project will also have an effect on existing habitats. Dredging disturbs what is living in the river.

There is going to be some collateral damage, Stanley said.

But the habitats that will likely be disturbed are completely buried in legacy sediment, Stanley said.

These are not always lovely, natural habitats to begin with, and they're doing this phased approach, so theyre not going to be hitting the system brutally hard all at once, Stanley said.

Reimer believes the area will be improved for wildlife when the project is complete. The area between Babcock Dam and Lower Mud Lake, in particular, is a significant fish refuge area where fish spawn or migrate.

What we want to do is not only dredge but dredge it in a way that we can put rock back down or we can put that habitat down so the fishery is restored or even enhanced, Reimer said. It's going to be deeper, it's colder, and the water depth is greater, so you can support more fish.

Dredging a river to improve water flow is a unique approach in Wisconsin. When Reimer researched strategies, he found that no other municipal or county government was doing this type of work in the state. According to the DNR, no other dredging projects are being conducted at this magnitude.

Nationwide, he found more dredging work done in coastal environments and in ports and harbors to improve shipping.

Here for flooding, I didn't really find too much that counties, municipalities were taking this on, Reimer said. We're pretty unique.

Miller, Ellicotts domestic sales manager, pointed to programs doing similar dredging operations outside of the state. For example, Ohios Department of Natural Resources invested in dredging to improve water quality and aid navigation into ports.

Dane County is far from the first or will be the last. They certainly were very proactive, Miller said. What's really impressive was how they saw a need, they saw a challenge and how quickly they responded to it.

Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.
Last year, the bureau reorganized its Office of Complex Investigations, which does administrative inquiries when requested by a state, into an independent entity reporting to senior Guard leadership rather than the bureaus general counsel.

We have our own voice for the first time, said Brigadier General Walker, who leads the office.

General Daniel Hokanson, the head of the National Guard Bureau, said in a statement that he put Walker, a fellow general, at the helm of the investigations office to give it more influence within the military when asking for funding and resources.

It clearly highlights how important and seriously we take investigating sexual assault allegations and our goal of reducing sexual assaults within the National Guard, Hokanson said.

Don Christensen, a retired Air Force colonel and former chief Air Force prosecutor and president of Protect Our Defenders, a national advocacy group providing legal help to victims of military sexual assault, agrees.

Putting a general officer in there is a signal that (sexual assault) is being taken more seriously. It gives it more authority, he said.

Over the last year, Walker said he and his team eliminated a backlog of cases though he has struggled to recruit and retain investigators. He said that's because the Guard's pool of candidates is limited, and the work requires a special skill-set.

Walker said the Office of Complex Investigations should only investigate a small percentage of cases because allegations should first go through local police. The office only investigates if law enforcement declines. Last fiscal year, the office investigated about 30% of sexual assaults reported across 54 militias.
BOISE  Two people were killed and another was seriously injured during a plane crash Saturday afternoon in a remote area of Valley County.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration incident notification filed Monday, a Cessna TU206 aircraft crashed. Two passengers were killed and the pilot was injured.

The airplane took off from a McCall airport around 12:30 p.m. with three people onboard, according to Eric Weiss, a spokesperson with the National Transportation Safety Board.

Weiss told the Idaho Statesman that the plane crashed near Mormon Mountain, which is located to the west of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.

The crash took place Saturday afternoon when the Cessna hit mountain terrain, Weiss said.

Valley County Sheriffs Lt. Kevin Copperi said the pilot was flown via LifeFlight helicopter to a Boise hospital for treatment. Weiss said the pilot was seriously injured in the crash.

Though the FAA incident notification sheds little detail on the crash, it shows that investigators found the aircraft and noted the damage to the airplane was substantial, and that the aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances.
BOISE  Health care is the front line of the war against COVID-19. As the battle intensifies in Treasure Valley hospitals, the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center has reached out to them with an unprecedented offer.

The Boise VA hospital is working with hospitals valley-wide to take non-military veterans when we have capacity, James Winget, executive officer to the director told the Sun in an email Monday.

Winget said its offer was a local initiative.

There are likely other VA facilities that are doing the same thing, but it is not a VA-wide initiative at this point, Winget said. If we have staff and beds open and other hospitals are full, we will absolutely start accepting civilian patients.

Indeed, the Spokane VA hospital also has agreed to help out, Elke Shaw-Tulloch, Idaho Department of Health and Welfares public health administrator said at a media briefing Tuesday afternoon.

In northern Idaho, we have been working with them on new patient transfers, she said.

As the number of new cases of COVID-19 continue to rise at a pace unseen since last winter, hospitals in Idahos urban areas are already at a crisis turning point.
Texas also differs from Idaho because instead of setting criminal penalties, as other abortion restrictions do, it asks private people to enforce the ban by suing doctors or anyone who helps a woman get an abortion. Among other situations, that would include anyone who drives a woman to a clinic to get an abortion. Under the law, anyone who successfully sues another person would be entitled to at least $10,000.

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The Idaho law makes providing an abortion to a woman whose embryo has detectible cardiac activity punishable by up to five years in prison. It would also allow the woman who receives the abortion to sue the provider.

Supporters of the Idaho law have said they would like it challenged in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and then decided at the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority after former President Donald Trump appointed three justices.

Ultimately, backers would like to see the Idaho law play a role in overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationwide. A reversal of Roe would mean abortion policy would revert to the states.
There are many of our family members, neighbors and friends who are on the fence about getting the vaccine or have just been putting it off, Little said. To those Idahoans, the time to receive the vaccine is now. As Idahoans, we pride ourselves on our independent spirit, a quality that defines our way of life. We are also a state made up of people who support each other. I wish everyone couldve seen what I saw in the ICU last night. Please choose to receive the vaccine now to support your fellow Idahoans who need you. Please choose to receive the vaccine to protect lives, help our exhausted medical staff, keep health care access available to all of us and keep our workforce healthy and keep our kids in school.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The United States is promising up to $60 million in military aid to Ukraine in advance of a White House meeting on Wednesday between President Joe Biden and his counterpart in Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Biden administration said in a notification to Congress that the aid package for Ukraine was necessary because of a major increase in Russian military activity along its border and because of mortar attacks, cease-fire violations and other provocations.

Russias buildup along the Ukrainian border has highlighted capability shortfalls in the Ukrainian militarys ability to defend against a Russian incursion, the notification states. Ukraines significant capability gaps must be urgently addressed to reinforce deterrence in light of the current Russian threat.

Zelenskyy is set to meet Biden as part of a White House visit that the administration hopes will demonstrate support for Ukraines sovereignty in the face of Russias seizure of Crimea and backing of armed separatists in the countrys east. The White House has also said that Biden intends to encourage Zelenskyys efforts to tackle corruption in the country.
Its worth remembering that the Legislature used your tax dollars to defend its effort to eliminate your rights.

The ironically named Constitutional Defense Fund  which exists for the purpose of defending the Legislature in court when it violates the Constitution  has paid out about $3.2 million of your tax dollars since it was created, as Betsy Russell of the Idaho Press noted in December. That figure doesnt include the more than $180,000 the Legislature spent defending its initiative-killing law or the as-yet-unknown attorney fees for Reclaim Idaho and the Committee to Preserve and Protect the Idaho Constitution that the Legislature has been ordered to pay.

Along the way to millions of wasted tax dollars, the Legislature has violated just about every tenet of the U.S. and Idaho constitutions you could think of, including the Equal Protection Clause, the First Amendment and the Fourth Amendment. (To their credit, they have not yet violated the Third Amendments prohibition against quartering soldiers in civilian homes during peacetime, but theres always next session.)

And all this has been led by lawmakers who like to ceremoniously heft the Constitution like a sword for them to wield in battle.
He says that this is obviously very welcome but it doesnt mean much, since many countries are still seeing steep increases and shocking inequities in access to vaccines.

Tedros says he is calling for a moratorium on booster shots at least until the end of September to allow those countries that are furthest behind to catch up.

He says third doses may be necessary for the most at-risk populations, where there is evidence of waning immunity against severe disease and death.



LONDON  Britain is offering a third dose of a coronavirus vaccine to up to half a million people who have severely weakened immune systems to give them additional protection.

The governments vaccine advisers says people over 12 years old with conditions such as leukemia, advanced HIV and recent organ transplants will be offered a third jab.

Professor Wei Shen Lim of the official Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immunization says the move aims to reduce the risks of hospitalization and death for the severely immuno-suppressed, a population estimated at 400,000 to 500,000 people, or less than 1% of the total population.
We do it because we want to help the crews that are out there. Many of them dont get a break from May until December. A few months into it, theyre already pretty worn out, the Rocky Mount resident said.

The need for people like him to help Western states is high due to the shortage of firefighters, he said. Even though they are giving a lot to those who are in areas hit by wildfires, Sweeney added that the trips are mutually beneficial. Because the three of them have combatted large-scale wildfires, they will be prepared in the event that one breaks out here.

Never one to stay still, Sweeney left for another detail late last week.

The ways I see it, if Ive got the training its my responsibility to use it. Im not going to sit on my laurels and wait for something to happen here. If I can be of service, I want to be able to do that, he said.

A contributing factor that has led to some of the wildfires out west is a lack of forest management. It helps lower the intensity of the fires, but it doesnt reduce the risk altogether, he said. Cloeter explained many Western states arent as aggressive with forest management as Virginia is. Idaho, he said, is a state that takes forest management seriously. Droughts also contribute to wildfires.
He noticed the two richest men in town were the mortician and the tax man, Anderson said. He said, Everybody hated the tax man, so he thought he would try being a mortician.

The mortician agreed to take him on as an apprentice, but said with a world war looming he hated to train him and lose him to military service so maybe he should enlist and get that out of the way. Dundon did indeed enlist and wound up dropping behind the front lines into Normandy two days after D-Day as a member of the 101st Airborne and later was at the Battle of the Bulge.

He came home, married Aileen, and started a family. As a member of the Army Reserve, he was called up for the Korean War and later Vietnam. In his 40s, he earned a high school equivalency diploma so he could be promoted in the Army. He retired in the 1960s with two Bronze Stars and many other medals. His last post was at Fort Lee, and the family settled in Chester.

Toward the end of their lives, the Dundons lived with Andy and Amy, the youngest of their five children.

Amy joked that her father, an Army officer accustomed to giving orders, didnt necessarily take them well, and Andy recalled with a laugh that sometimes when annoyed Dundon would say, I fought in three damn wars, I can do as I please.
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She spoke to her grandson, Elonza Day, and he told her that he got pushed into a locker room when the shooting started. He was unharmed.

Her daughter recently moved from Philadelphia because she thought Winston-Salem would be safer, and then this happened.

Shashua Patterson spoke with her ninth-grader, Nabria Varner, was nearby the scene where gunfire broke out. Patterson said her daughter was headed toward the gym and started running as soon she heard gunshots.

She took shelter in the girls locker room and was unharmed.

Reynolds High School was also put under lockdown around 2 p.m. following concerns on social media that the shooter was allegedly headed there.

Parents were lined up in front of the school, only to find that the school was locked down, that their children were inside in the classroom, that they couldnt pick up their kids until police could give the all clear.

Police were stationed around the school, but their was no evidence on any issues. Still, parents were worried.
Tuesday evening, the remnants of Hurricane Ida paid a visit to McDowell County and the rest of western North Carolina leaving downed trees and power lines in its wake.

At 5:06 p.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for McDowell County. These storms were associated with the remnants of Hurricane Ida. High winds and heavy rain battered McDowell County for more than an hour. A wind gust of 68 miles per hour was recorded on Lake James during the storm, according to Emergency Services Director William Kehler.

The McDowell County 911 Center processed more than 20 different wind damage reports with most being downed trees and power lines. No injuries or storm-related fatalities were reported. No significant structure damage occurred because of the severe storm. Most areas across McDowell received 1 to 2 inches of rain from the storm, according to Kehler.

Downtown Marion and other places were without electricity Tuesday evening for about an hour. The Marion Fire Department started getting calls at 5:23 p.m. on Tuesday of downed trees and power lines. The fire department ran 17 calls until 8 a.m. on Wednesday, according to Fire Chief Ray McDaniel.
Project 2VIDA! research assistants Josefina Pavez (left) and Raquel Rocha (right) hand out fliers for a pop-up vaccination clinic near the U.S.-Mexico border. Credit: UC San Diego Health Sciences

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have launched a medical outreach program to get COVID-19 vaccines to Latinx and African American communities in San Diego County. The program, called Project 2VIDA! (SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Intervention Delivery for Adults in Southern California), is funded by a $3 million grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

2VIDA! is one of five vaccine hesitancy programs recently funded by the NIH, and the only one based in California.

COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Latinx and African American communities, who also face unique barriers to getting vaccinated. Project 2VIDA! will study the individual, social and contextual factors that contribute to these health disparities, and directly educate the public on the safety of vaccines.

"There is no genetic predisposition to COVID-19people of color are severely impacted because of social determinants of health and disparities that have not been addressed," said Argentina Servin, MD, MPH, principal investigator for Project 2VIDA! and assistant professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "In a high-income country like the U.S., we should not see these disparities and gaps."

Servin and her team have collaborated with San Ysidro Health (SYHealth) to set up pop-up vaccination sites in neighborhoods that are predominantly African American and Latino and also happen to have high rates of COVID-19 cases. This includes communities in San Ysidro, National City, Chula Vista, Logan Heights, Lincoln Park and Valencia Park.

To increase awareness of the vaccination pop-ups, Project 2VIDA! and SYHealth team members are going door-to-door to homes and local businesses to hand out fliers for upcoming events. Servin hopes this direct approach will help establish relationships and build trust among the local community.

Project 2VIDA! staff deliver COVID-19 vaccines to visitors of the pop-up clinic in San Ysidro. Credit: UC San Diego Health Sciences

"We catch people during their lunch breaks, or while they run errands with their kids," Servin said. "By coming to them, we're not only making the vaccine as accessible as possible, but we're also showing these communities that we respect and care about them."

The pop-up clinics are open two to three times a week at various locations across the county, and offer free COVID-19 vaccination and testing, HIV testing and glucose and blood pressure screenings. The SYHealth team also hands out kits with face masks, antibacterial gel and thermometers.

"When someone comes to us, we want to provide all the services we can," said Servin. The Project 2VIDA! staff includes bilingual peer health educators who help visitors navigate free transportation services, food security programs, local urgent care and other resources they may be eligible for.

Unlike some other clinics that may request social security numbers or proof of health insurance to register for an appointment, Project 2VIDA! walk-up sites only ask for visitors' names and contact information.

"Even for individuals who are interested in getting vaccinated, many work in jobs with long or unpredictable hours, which make scheduling an appointment difficult. We need to address the many inconveniences and fears around pursuing health care," said Servin.

"Through our collaboration with UC San Diego, SYHealth has been able to expand COVID-19 vaccination with care to our communityto meet them where they are," said Fatima Munoz, MD, MPH, associate vice president of Health Support Services at San Ysidro Health. "Our community has recognized our SYHealth mobile unit and they trust in our team. Now with the support of Project 2VIDA! we'll continue facilitating access to the vaccine and expanding other COVID related services."

The Project 2VIDA! and SYHealth team gather at a pop-up vaccination site. Credit: UC San Diego Health Sciences

In addition to providing COVID-19 vaccines, the project will collect data on health disparities and vaccine hesitancy. Visitors to the sites are invited to complete a questionnaire that surveys their concerns about vaccinating, what sources they trust for medical information, what barriers to health care they have experienced, and more. This information will guide physicians' approach to community health care moving forward.

"We're hearing concerns about what's in the vaccine, if it was rushed, and misconceptions about its effects on health and fertility," said Raquel Rocha, lead research assistant for Project 2VIDA!. "It's been so valuable to answer people's questions face-to-face and in our native language."

Jose Luis Navarro, a resident of San Ysidro, held some of these concerns before coming to a pop-up at the San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce. After speaking with the staff, Navarro chose to get vaccinated to keep himself and his family safe. Navarro was later asked whether he felt comfortable inviting his family to get vaccinated at the same site. His response: "Obviamente, si." ("Obviously, yes.")

Since the first pop-up opened in July 2021, the Project 2VIDA! and SYHealth team has provided more than 300 vaccine doses and 900 total health services. The project's initial goal is to enroll and vaccinate 1,000 individuals, but Servin says they are prepared to expand the program and pivot their strategy as the pandemic evolves.

Upcoming events include pop-up vaccination sites at the San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce on September 3 and Northgate Gonzalez Market on University Avenue on September 7, and a partnership with the American Legion to support African American veterans on September 9.

More information: More information on the program is available More information on the program is available www.instagram.com/project_2vida/
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Connecticut and Washington recently became the first U.S. states requiring child care providers to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The new policies reflect the essential role child care providers play and their elevated risk of both contracting and transmitting SARS-CoV-2.

Until now, however, the vaccination rate for this critical group has remained unknown. But a new Yale-led study published in Pediatrics found that vaccine uptake among child care providers in the United States was higher than for the general adult population.

A national survey of the child care workforce conducted between May and June of this year found that, among 20,013 respondents, 78.2% were fully vaccinated. During that same time period, just 65% of the general adult population had been fully vaccinated.

"Child care providers are one of the few groups that have intimate interactions with many people on a daily basis, putting them at higher risk of getting and spreading COVID-19," said Walter Gilliam, the Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor at the Yale Child Study Center. "Protecting them from COVID-19 is important for their health and the health of the children they care for."

Child care providers are also critical for a healthy economy. "They're the workforce that makes other workforces possible," added Gilliam, senior author of the study. "If they fall ill or if COVID-19 causes child care facilities to shut down, that impacts every working parent relying on that care."

He added: "These findings are promising but show we still have a ways to go when it comes to vaccinating child care providers."

Vaccination rates among child care providers revealed in the survey mirror trends observed throughout the U.S. population. Providers who were younger, had lower income, or were Black reported lower rates of vaccination. Providers who were elderly, had higher incomes, or were Asian-American reported higher rates of vaccination. Geographically, vaccine uptake was lowest in the Mountain West and the South and highest in New England and the Pacific West. Massachusetts had the highest vaccine rate at 89.4%, while Wyoming had the lowest, at just 53.5%.

Vaccination rates also differed across child care settings. Providers who worked in child care centers were more likely to be vaccinated than providers based in home settings.

"This could be due to a number of reasons," said Kavin Patel, lead author of the study and a clinical fellow in infectious diseases at the Yale School of Medicine. "Home-based child care providers are typically responsible for smaller groups of children than those working in centers, so the risk of COVID-19 spread might be perceived as lower. Also, some centers may have required staff vaccination."

Home-based providers may also have received less targeted messaging about COVID-19 vaccination than their center-based counterparts, said Gilliam.

Among the non-vaccinated child care providers, nearly 12% said they were "very likely" or "absolutely certain" to get vaccinated in the future, while over 59% said they were "not likely" to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The most commonly reported reasons for vaccine hesitancy related to fears around vaccine safety.

"These findings show where we need to focus messaging efforts," said Gilliam. "Earlier this year, messaging that highlighted the particular occupational risks for child care providers led to large increases in vaccination rates. We need another round of messaging that emphasizes these risks and reaches the groups with lower vaccination rates."

Parents can help, too, by asking questions about what safety measures their child care providers are taking and how facilities are helping their staff attain vaccines, he said.

Gilliam, Patel, and their colleagues will continue to monitor child care provider vaccination rates. "It will be interesting to see how or if the Delta variant and the return to school affect vaccine uptake in this population," said Patel.

Explore further Easy steps to get your child ready for the COVID-19 vaccine

More information: Kavin M. Patel et al, COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Among US Child Care Providers, Pediatrics (2021). Journal information: Pediatrics Kavin M. Patel et al, COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Among US Child Care Providers,(2021). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2021-053813
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Studies have determined that in-school transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 is rare when masking, social distancing and other safety protocols are followed. However, little has been known about COVID-19 risks at school for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These students often are unable to mask or maintain social distancing and may have underlying medical conditions that make them more susceptible to the virus and related complications.

New research shows that rapid saliva test screeningsaimed at early detection of the virushave contributed to exceedingly low transmission of the virus among students, teachers and staff in the six schools overseen by the Special School District of St. Louis County, the largest specialized education provider in Missouri. Precautions such as masking and social distancing also were implemented when appropriate. The study was led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, in collaboration with Special School District.

"Our research shows that safety protocols can work in high-risk school settings," said the study's senior author, Christina A. Gurnett, MD, Ph.D., the A. Ernest and Jane G. Stein Professor of Developmental Neurology and director of the Division of Pediatric and Developmental Neurology at Washington University. "In-person instruction during the pandemic has been shown to be beneficial to students. However, what was lacking was specific guidance on how to safely return to in-person learning at schools serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We wanted our work to help provide clarity."

Weekly saliva testing detected fewer than two cases of school-based transmission during a six-month period in the six dedicated Special School District of St Louis County schools from November 2020 through May 2021.

The research is published in the Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

While the findings are reassuring, the researchers note that the study was conducted before the delta variant's surge in Missouri and across the globe.

"How the delta variant will impact school transmission rates is unknown," added Gurnett, who also serves as neurologist-in-chief at St. Louis Children's Hospital. "However, data show that vaccinescurrently available to children ages 12 and olderare effective against the delta variant. While breakthrough infections do occur, they are rare, and the vaccine is effective against preventing severe infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Mitigation strategies such as masking and social distancing will provide protection to children who are too young to be vaccinated."

The research team said saliva test screenings can help maintain low transmission rates as students return to school. The simple testdeveloped by the School of Medicine's Department of Genetics and the McDonnell Genome Institute, in collaboration with a biotechnology companyprovides same-day results.

Voluntary, weekly saliva tests were offered to Special School District teachers, staff and students beginning Nov. 20, 2020, and the research project will continue throughout the 2021-22 school year. The school district's six campuses serve more than 700 families that have children in kindergarten through the 12th grade.

"Ample, fast testing was key to detecting COVID-19 infections and allowing in-person instruction to resume within the high-risk school community," said co-author Jason Newland, MD, a professor of pediatrics who has advised multiple school districts in Missouri during the pandemic. "A return to campus was important because the pandemic has disproportionately impacted students with intellectual and developmental disabilities."

Some students have conditions such as neuromuscular disorders, orthopedic disabilities and severe autism; and some require gastric-tube feedings or breathe through a tube inserted in the airway.

"School is a place where many of the students receive health-care services and therapy," said Newland, who treats patients at St. Louis Children's Hospital. "They thrive on daily structure and in-person support for educational and social growth. When all of this is taken away, it can be devastating for students and their families."

Medical complexities that prevent students from masking or social distancing also pose potential exposure risks for the 605 teachers and staff who work on the school district's six campuses.

"It is reassuring that saliva screening tests and other safety protocols have helped to keep transmission rates low, even during the peak of the pandemic," said the study's first author, Michael R. Sherby, a project manager at the School of Medicine.

An average of 304 teachers, staff and students were tested each week, with a total of 7,289 tests performed. Altogether, the researchers identified 21 new SARS-CoV-2 positive participants.

During the 24-week period, researchers compared the school district's weekly positivity rates with rates among undergraduate students at Washington University, as reported by BJC HealthCare. The weekly mean positivity rate during the six-month testing period was 0.29% across all schools, which was less than the reported community positivity rate of 0.31% among the undergraduate students.

Furthermore, transmission within the Special School District was low, with only two positive cases identified out of 103 participants who were quarantined for in-school exposure. The researchers interviewed those participants, and only one positive COVID-19 case was definitively associated with school-based transmission. Another case was linked to exposures in a household and in school, making the source of that infection unclear. More common were exposures from family members, while traveling or during attendance at large gatherings such as parties or indoor sporting events.

"Recent emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant warrants cautious interpretation of these results and highlights the need for ongoing studies of mitigation strategy effectiveness for this evolving pathogen," Sherby said.

More information: Michael R. Sherby et al, SARS-CoV-2 screening testing in schools for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (2021). Michael R. Sherby et al, SARS-CoV-2 screening testing in schools for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities,(2021). DOI: 10.1186/s11689-021-09376-z
Credit: Shutterstock

A number of countries including the United States and the United Kingdom are moving to make a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine available to people who are immunocompromised.

But why are people with weaker immune systems at the front of the queue for a third dose?

As we continue to roll out COVID-19 vaccines around the world, emerging data is showing those who are immunocompromised aren't necessarily as well protected by the first two doses.

So for these people, a third dose, sooner rather than later, could be particularly beneficial.

First, who is 'immunocompromised?'

People who are immunocompromised have conditions called immunodeficiencies, where part of their immune system is missing or not functioning as well as it should.

Around 2.8% of adults in the US are immunocompromised. We expect the rate is similar in Australia.

Immunodeficiencies are broadly divided into two categories:

primary immunodeficiencies are very rare, often inherited conditions caused by mutations in our DNA

are very rare, often inherited conditions caused by mutations in our DNA secondary immunodeficiencies are more common and are acquired after birth. Factors that can cause secondary immunodeficiency include malnutrition, certain infections, cancer, and some drug treatments.

Immunodeficiencies vary in severity, depending on what part of the immune system is missing or the degree of function lost.

The moderate to severe end of the spectrum includes serious forms of primary immunodeficiencies, untreated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, organ or bone marrow transplant recipients, and people treated with chemotherapy or high doses of immunosuppressive drugs.

We know severely immunocompromised people are susceptible to more severe and prolonged illness with COVID-19.

How well do COVID-19 vaccines work in immunocompromised people?

A preprint (a study yet to undergo peer review) from the UK shows the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are 73% and 74.6% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in immunocompromised people respectively.

However, several published and emerging studies are reporting that people who are severely immunocompromised have very high rates of "breakthrough" infections (where people become infected despite being fully vaccinated). This clearly signals COVID-19 vaccines aren't working optimally in this group.

Some people with primary immunodeficiencies can generate immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines, but these responses tend to be lower than what we're seeing in healthy people. This decreased immunity could lead to increased breakthrough infections.

Normally, after one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, nearly 100% of healthy people will make detectable levels of antibodies against the virus.

But in a trial with organ transplant recipients, only 4% of people generated a detectable immune response after one dose, increasing to 40% after two doses and 68% after three doses.

So a third dose is likely to provide significant benefit to severely immunocompromised patients.

Notably, immunocompromised people are already given additional doses of some vaccines.

For example, it's recommended people who have received a bone marrow transplant receive two doses of the influenza vaccine in the first year after the transplant, instead of the usual single dose.

What about third doses in other people?

In addition to classic immunodeficiencies, aging can lead to a modest immune deficit. In turn, older people are more susceptible to some infections, including COVID-19.

Studies with the Pfizer vaccine show immune responses are lower in older people compared to younger people. Pfizer has shared early data showing a third dose of their vaccine can increase immunity in 65 to 85-year-olds.

Some countries are starting to offer third doses to older people. For example, Israel started delivering third doses to people over 60 in late July (before opening boosters up to younger age groups during August).

However, double and even single doses of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines very effectively protect against severe disease with COVID-19 among older people. So it's still unclear whether this is urgently needed.

A third dose for all ages could ultimately be used to generate optimal immunity against COVID-19. Some preprint studies suggest immunity can modestly decline by about three months after the second dose.

Pfizer has shared preliminary data showing a third dose can boost immunity in healthy people.

But the rollout of third doses to a broader range of people in higher-income countries has implications for vaccine equity. The World Health Organization Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has led calls to pause third doses until more people in lower and middle income countries are able to access vaccines.

However, he specified immunocompromised people should have access to a third dose.

When might third doses be offered in Australia?

In Australia, a third dose of a vaccine may be offered to immunocompromised people, and possibly eventually to everyone. Some media reports have suggested this may be months away. Health Minister Greg Hunt has indicated current vaccine agreements have factored in the possibility of boosting.

A shift to third doses would need approval from the Australian regulatory and vaccine advisory bodies, and would probably focus on immunocompromised and other high-risk people initially.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized a third "booster" dose of the #Pfizer and Moderna #COVID19 vaccines for immunocompromised individuals. Here's why that's necessary. https://t.co/PcbcPOJPsk  BCBSM (@BCBSM) August 25, 2021

A third dose of a variant-specific vaccine could also be an option in the future. These vaccines can deliver an updated version of the virus "antigen"the target our immune system learns to recognize on the surface of the virusto refocus our immune system on new strains like Delta.

This approach would be similar to our yearly update of the flu vaccine. Pfizer, Moderna and other vaccine manufacturers have variant-specific COVID-19 vaccines in clinical testing.

Even with a third dose, other measures will continue to be important in protecting immunocompromised people from COVID-19. These include "shielding" (staying at home and minimizing face-to-face contact with others), immunoglobulin replacement treatment (which replaces antibodies needed to fight disease), and high vaccine uptake among the rest of the community.

But it's clear a third dose would be uniquely beneficial for this group.

Explore further Extra vaccine dose may help immunocompromised people

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
In a subset of human colorectal tumors, immune cells such as activated and potentially tumor-reactive T cells (white, green, and magenta) are organized into hubs around malignant cells (blue) expressing molecules (yellow) that attract immune cells. Credit: Joshua Pirl, Vjola Jorgji, Linda Nieman, Jonathan Chen. Source: Pelka, Hofree, Chen et al. Cell. 2021

A tumor in the human body is like a city at war, bustling with cancer cells, immune cells, blood vessels, signaling molecules and surrounding tissue. A simple census of these players will provide some basic information on their battle, but won't tell you their organization or strategy.

A team of researchers has gained new insight into this organization. They have discovered that immune cells in some human colorectal tumors gather together in clusters, like soldiers mobilizing in formation. By using a unique combination of single-cell profiling and imaging technologies, along with newly developed data analysis approaches, the scientists found a level of spatial organization of cells not observed before in tumors.

The findings, published in Cell, point to networks of interacting immune cells in certain types of colorectal tumors that tend to be more readily "seen" by the immune system. This suggests that cancers containing these hubs may be more likely to respond to cancer drugs called immunotherapies, which spur the immune system to kill cancer cells. The scientists, from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT, the Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, say the study could shed light on how to make other tumors more responsive to such treatments.

"By analyzing the activities of each cell in the tumor, we were able to listen in to the dialogue between cells and discern an organization that was previously invisible to us," said Nir Hacohen, co-senior author of the study, co-director of the Broad Institute's Cell Circuits Program, director of the Center for Cancer Immunology at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a professor at Harvard Medical School.

Other co-senior authors are Ana Anderson, institute member at Broad, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, a scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and a core faculty member of the Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases; Aviv Regev, who was a core institute member at Broad when the study began; and Orit Rozenblatt-Rosen, who was senior director of single cell genomics at the Klarman Cell Observatory at Broad during the study.

Tumors with different immune responses

At a genetic and molecular level, colorectal cancers can be divided into two types. Mismatch repair deficient (MMRd) tumors don't properly repair errors in their DNA that occur when cells divide, leading to an accumulation of mutations in cancer cells. These tumors often respond to new immunotherapies. Mismatch repair proficient (MMRp) tumors, on the other hand, don't accumulate as many mutations and don't respond as well to existing immunotherapies.

Postdoctoral fellows Karin Pelka, Matan Hofree, and Jonathan Chen, co-first authors of the new study and members of the Regev and Hacohen labs, wanted to probe the differences between immune cell function in MMRd and MMRp tumors. In collaboration with physicians at multiple hospitals across Boston and immunologists at the Evergrande Center, the researchers collected 34 MMRd and 29 MMRp colorectal tumors from patients who hadn't yet received any treatments. Using cloud computing capabilities at the Broad, the team analyzed nearly 400,000 cells from these tumors, profiling them using single cell RNA sequencing, which allowed them to determine which genes were being expressed in each individual cell.

"Complex systems such as tumors require a network of researchers with different expertise to take on the challenge of studying their cellular organization," Anderson said. "Working with a collaborative team across multiple institutions is what allowed us to undertake this unique study and reach a new view of how immune cells are organized in tumors."

Previously, researchers have used this kind of data to cluster cells into discrete categories and then described gene expression patterns of each cell type. Hacohen, Regev, Pelka, Hofree, and Chen, however, developed a new set of data analysis approaches to study more nuanced programs of gene activity and how the programs in different cells are connected to and coordinated with each other.

Using these new analytical tools, the team discovered that specific gene programs and cell types were present only in the MMRd tumors, which are more responsive to immunotherapy. Moreover, only certain subsets of the MMRd tumors showed cellular activity and gene programs that are associated with anti-tumor immunity.

Hubs of immune activity

The scientists then searched for gene programs that are coordinated with each other across disparate cell typeswhen the expression of one gene program went up or down, another program would also change in concert.

"We realized that understanding the individual parts of the tumors and the cell types doesn't tell us the whole story," Pelka said. "We need to understand what each cell is doing and how the cells work together with each other to accomplish their tasks."

The analysis revealed that malignant tumor cells and two types of immune cellsT cells and myeloid cellswere likely interacting with each other and turning on specific gene programs. To see how the cells expressing these gene programs might be organized inside tumors, the team analyzed tumor samples from patients under the microscope, focusing on interactions between the T cells with the coordinated gene programs and the cancer cells. This allowed them to zero in on the clustered hubs of immune cells deep inside tumors.

"Looking at co-varying programs in different cell types provided a fresh view of this complex tumor ecosystem," Regev said.

The scientists also noticed a higher occurrence of the hubs in MMRd tumors (which respond better to immunotherapies) compared to MMRp tumors. They hypothesize that the hubs might be involved in how tumors respond to treatment.

"It was striking to find that some of the strongest interaction signals we predicted with our computational analysis were indeed observable as spatially organized hubs of cells," Hofree said.

"It turns out that the immunology of these tumors is quite organized rather than being diffuse throughout," Chen said. "Particularly when we looked at MMRd tumors, there were these clear structures containing the active immune cells."

The research team is now planning studies that use the same approaches to track how immune cells in colorectal tumors change their gene expression patterns and communication with each other during treatment with immunotherapy. "We hope this study provides a framework for future studies that interrogate inter-cellular organization in cancer," Rozenblatt-Rosen said.

Explore further How immune cells survive their battle with cancer

More information: Karin Pelka et al, Spatially organized multicellular immune hubs in human colorectal cancer, Cell (2021). Journal information: Cell Karin Pelka et al, Spatially organized multicellular immune hubs in human colorectal cancer,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.08.003
Refugee and former Afghan policewoman Khatera Hashmi sits inside a rented accommodation in New Delhi, India on Aug. 13, 2021. When the Taliban shot policewoman Khatira Hashmi and gouged out her eyes, she knew Afghanistan was no longer safe. Along with her husband, she fled to India last year. She was shot multiple times on her way home from work last October in the capital of Ghazni province, south of Kabul. As she slumped over, one of the attackers grabbed her by the hair, pulled a knife and gouged out her eyes. Credit: AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

More students in India will be able to step inside a classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months Wednesday, as authorities gave the green light to partially reopen more schools despite apprehension from some parents and signs that infections are picking up again.

Schools and colleges in at least six more states are reopening in a gradual manner with health measures in place throughout September. In New Delhi, all staff must be vaccinated and class sizes will be capped at 50% with staggered seating and sanitized desks.

In the capital only students in grades nine through 12 will be allowed to attend at first, though it is not compulsory. Some parents say they will be holding their children back, including Nalini Chauhan, who lost her husband to the coronavirus last year.

"That trauma is there for us and that is what stops me from going out. We don't go to malls. We don't go shopping. So why schools now?" she said.

Life has been slowly returning to normal in India after the trauma of a ferocious coronavirus surge earlier this year ground life in the country to a halt, sickened tens of millions, and left hundreds of thousands dead. A number of states returned last month to in person learning for some age groups.

Daily new infections have fallen sharply since their peak of more than 400,000 in May. But on Saturday, India recorded 46,000 new cases, the highest in nearly two months.

Mohammad Nabi, husband of a former Afghan policewoman Khatera Hashmi, feeds his seven-month-old daughter Bahar inside a rented accommodation in New Delhi, India, on Aug. 13, 2021. When the Taliban shot policewoman Khatira Hashmi and gouged out her eyes, she knew Afghanistan was no longer safe. Along with her husband, she fled to India last year. She was shot multiple times on her way home from work last October in the capital of Ghazni province, south of Kabul. As she slumped over, one of the attackers grabbed her by the hair, pulled a knife and gouged out her eyes. Credit: AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

The uptick has raised questions over reopening schools, with some warning against it. Others say the virus risk to children remains low and opening schools is urgent for poorer students who lack access to the internet, making online learning nearly impossible.

"The simple answer is there is never a right time to do anything during a pandemic," said Jacob John, professor of community medicine at Christian Medical College, Vellore. "There is a risk, but life has to go onand you can't go on without schools."

Online education remains a privilege in India, where only one in four children have access to the internet and digital devices, according to UNICEF. The virtual classroom has deepened existing inequities, marking the haves from the have-nots, said Shavati Sharma Kukreja of Central Square Foundation, an education non-profit.

Mohammad Hassan watches as his father, Akbar Farhad, an Afghan artist, paints an old Kabul market and the ruins of "Bala-e- Hissar," or the High Fort, an ancient citadel that housed Afghan rulers for centuries, inside a rented accommodation in New Delhi, India, on Aug. 13, 2021. Akbar Farhad has been living in New Delhi since 2018. He left Kabul after facing threats from insurgents demanding he close his studio. Like thousands of other Afghan refugees in India, their plans to someday return home were dashed by the Taliban's shockingly swift takeover of the country. Credit: AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

"While kids with access to smartphones and laptops have continued their learning with minimal disruption, those less privileged have effectively lost over a year of education," she said.

A study released in January from Azim Premji University surveying over 16,000 children found staggering levels of learning loss. Researchers found 92% of children had lost crucial language skills, like being able to describe a picture or write simple sentences. Similarly, 82% of children surveyed lacked basic math skills they had learned the previous year.

For Giesem Raman, a teacher in a remote village in northeastern Manipur state, such data matches what he has seen in person. The small primary school where he works closed its doors for the second time in April. With no facilities for online lessons, classes haven't taken place in any form.

A man sanitizes a classroom ahead of the partial reopening of schools in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. Many students in India will be able to step inside a classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months from Wednesday, as authorities have given the green light to partially reopen schools despite apprehension from some parents and signs that coronavirus infections are picking up again. Schools and colleges in least six states will reopen in a gradual manner with health measures in place throughout September. In New Delhi, all staff must be vaccinated and class sizes will be capped at 50% with staggered seating and sanitized desks. Credit: AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

School children wearing face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus attend a class on the first day of partial reopening of government schools in Hyderabad, India, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. More students in India will be able to step inside a classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months Wednesday, as authorities have given the green light to partially reopen more schools despite apprehension from some parents and signs that infections are picking up again. Schools and colleges in at least six more states will reopen in a gradual manner with health measures in place throughout September. Credit: AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.

Students attend a class on the first day of partial reopening of schools in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. More students in India will be able to step inside a classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months Wednesday, as authorities have given the green light to partially reopen more schools despite apprehension from some parents and signs that infections are picking up again. Schools and colleges in at least six more states will reopen in a gradual manner with health measures in place throughout September. Credit: AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh

Students attend a class on the first day of partial reopening of schools in Noida, a suburb of New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. Many students in India will be able to step inside a classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months from Wednesday, as authorities have given the green light to partially reopen schools despite apprehension from some parents and signs that coronavirus infections are picking up again. Schools and colleges in least six states will reopen in a gradual manner with health measures in place throughout September. In New Delhi, all staff must be vaccinated and class sizes will be capped at 50% with staggered seating and sanitized desks. Credit: AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

Students attend morning assembly on the first day of partial reopening of schools in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. More students in India will be able to step inside a classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months Wednesday, as authorities have given the green light to partially reopen more schools despite apprehension from some parents and signs that infections are picking up again. Schools and colleges in at least six more states will reopen in a gradual manner with health measures in place throughout September. Credit: AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh

Students attend morning assembly on the first day of partial reopening of schools in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. More students in India will be able to step inside a classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months Wednesday, as authorities have given the green light to partially reopen more schools despite apprehension from some parents and signs that infections are picking up again. Schools and colleges in at least six more states will reopen in a gradual manner with health measures in place throughout September. Credit: AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh

Students walk towards their classrooms on the first day of partial reopening of schools in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. More students in India will be able to step inside a classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months Wednesday, as authorities have given the green light to partially reopen more schools despite apprehension from some parents and signs that infections are picking up again. Schools and colleges in at least six more states will reopen in a gradual manner with health measures in place throughout September. Credit: AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh

When his students were briefly allowed back into school earlier this year, he said many had forgotten nearly everything they had learned.

"It saddens me to see how the future of these kids may have been destroyed," he said.

In Uttar Pradesh state, where school reopens for first to fifth graders on Wednesday after older students were allowed last month, 6-year-old Kartik Sharma was excited to wear his new school uniform. His father, Prakash Sharma, said he was "satisfied" with the virus protocols the school has in place.

"The arrangements the school has made are top class," he said.

Not all are as confident. Toshi Kishore Srivastava said she would wait before sending her son back to first grade.

"The doctors are predicting the third wave, and in this scenario sending children to schools could prove detrimental," she said.

Explore further NYC again reopens schools to in-person learning

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Humans still seem to be better than technology when it comes to the accuracy of spotting possible cases of breast cancer during screening, suggests a review published online in The BMJ today.

The researchers say there is currently a lack of good quality evidence to support a policy of replacing human radiologists with artificial intelligence (AI) technology when screening for breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a leading cause of death among women worldwide and many countries have introduced mammography screening programs to detect and treat it early. But examining mammograms for early signs of cancer is high volume repetitive work for radiologists, and some cancers are missed.

Previous research has suggested that AI systems outperform humans and might soon be used instead of experienced radiologists. Yet a recent review of 23 studies highlighted evidence gaps and concerns about the methods used.

To address this uncertainty, the UK National Screening Committee commissioned a team of researchers from the University of Warwick to examine the accuracy of AI for the detection of breast cancer in mammography screening practice.

The researchers reviewed 12 studies carried out since 2010 involving data for 131,822 screened women in Sweden, the United States, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.

Overall, the quality of the methods used in the 12 studies was poor and their applicability to European or UK breast cancer screening programs was low.

Three large studies involving 79,910 women compared AI systems with the clinical decisions of the original radiologist. Of these, 1,878 had screen detected cancer or interval cancer (cancer diagnosed in-between routine screening appointments) within 12 months of screening.

The majority (34 out of 36 or 94%) of AI systems evaluated in these three studies were less accurate than a single radiologist, and all were less accurate than the consensus of two or more radiologists, which is the standard practice in Europe.

In contrast, five smaller studies involving 1,086 women reported that all of the AI systems evaluated were more accurate than a single radiologist. But the researchers note that these studies were at high risk of bias and their promising results are not replicated in larger studies.

In three studies, AI used as a pre-screen to triage which mammograms need to be examined by a radiologist and which do not screened out 53%, 45%, and 50% of women at low risk but also 10%, 4%, and 0% of cancers detected by radiologists.

The authors point to some study limitations such as excluding non-English studies that might have contained relevant evidence, and they acknowledge that AI algorithms are short lived and constantly improving, so reported assessments of AI systems might be out of date by the time of study publication.

Nevertheless, use of stringent study inclusion criteria together with rigorous and systematic evaluation of study quality suggests their conclusions are robust.

As such, they say: "Current evidence on the use of AI systems in breast cancer screening is a long way from having the quality and quantity required for its implementation into clinical practice."

They add: "Well designed comparative test accuracy studies, randomized controlled trials, and cohort studies in large screening populations are needed which evaluate commercially available AI systems in combination with radiologists in clinical practice."

Explore further Study finds robots can detect breast cancer as well as radiologists

More information: Use of artificial intelligence for image analysis in breast cancer screening programmes: systematic review of test accuracy, BMJ (2021). Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ) Use of artificial intelligence for image analysis in breast cancer screening programmes: systematic review of test accuracy,(2021). DOI: 10.1136/bmj.n1872
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have found that children on the autism spectrum who have impaired executive functioning skills, which help control thoughts, emotions, and actions, can face challenges at school that are different from the ones they face at home. Additionally, as children experience adolescence, problems with executive functioning can worsen, suggesting the need for more intervention supports. This is the first study of its kind to examine how these skills are impacted specifically in a school setting. The findings were published in the journal Autism.

Executive functioning skills encompass a variety of key abilities like keeping information in mind, flexibly shifting focus or breaking from a routine, and ignoring irrelevant information. These skills are often impaired in children on the autism spectrum, and the extent of impairment can predict how they perform in school and their ability to carry out daily activities such as hygiene or keeping their room clean. While caregivers have identified significant executive function challenges in the home setting, there are no large studies where school personnel rated executive function skills for children on the autism spectrum.

"School can be a very different place than home and is arguably one of the most demanding environments on a child's executive function skillschildren have to manage multiple demands from teachers, peers, and themselves for 6 hours with little downtime," said senior author Benjamin Yerys, Ph.D., a psychologist in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Center for Autism Research at CHOP. "This study provided us with further insight into how school-age autistic children are impacted in a different setting and how we might support their success at school."

The study enrolled a total of 337 participants, including 241 patients with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and 96 typically developing patients, between the ages of 6 and 18 over a period of six years. In establishing a baseline, the researchers found that all executive function ratings in both the school and home settings differed between the autistic and typically developing groups. In the autism group, shifting attention or deviating from routines was identified as a key impairment in both the home and school settings. Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) ratings were able to predict whether children in the autism group could adapt to their surroundings.

However, the older the children were, the wider the gap in executive functioning skills was between the autism and typically developing groups in the school setting, but not in the home setting. This finding suggests that executive functioning impairment, particularly as it relates to being in school, is a critical target for early intervention efforts.

"Our findings provide more evidence of the executive functioning challenges that autistic children experience at school," Yerys said. "The more we know about executive functioning challenges that exist for autistic children across different settings, the more we can develop targeted intervention strategies that take the individual home and the school settings into account."

More information: Jessica E Tschida et al, Real-world executive functioning for autistic children in school and home settings, Autism (2021). Journal information: Autism Jessica E Tschida et al, Real-world executive functioning for autistic children in school and home settings,(2021). DOI: 10.1177/13623613211041189
The Parkinsons Real-world Impact assesSMent (PRISM) study provides insights into the real-life impact of Parkinsons disease on patients and their carers, as well as the daily challenges they face. These unique data provide an opportunity to reconsider patient management across the whole spectrum of the disease. Credit: PRISM

Results of a new European study published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease may help improve clinical practice by shedding light on the lives of people with PD and their caregivers, re-emphasizing the many challenges they face in everyday life.

Data from the Global Burden of Disease Study conducted by Parkinson's Disease Collaborators in 2018 have shown that the number of people with PD has more than doubled globally over the last 25 years to over six million people, in part due to more people living longer.

"The burden of disease in PD patients and their caregivers is still not fully characterized," explained lead investigator Eduardo Tolosa, MD, Ph.D., Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, University of Barcelona. "The inspiration behind the development of this study was to Increase our understanding of how the disease impacts the lives of patients and carers, aiming to promote individualized management and improve clinical practice."

The Parkinson's Real-world Impact assesSMent (PRISM) study is an observational cross-sectional study in which people with PD and their carers completed an online survey designed by an international scientific committee. The survey evaluated medication use, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and the use of healthcare resources. Investigators collected data from 861 individuals with a mean age of 65 years who had been living with PD on average for over 7.5 years, along with data from 256 carers from six European countries. The survey consisted of structured questionnaires, including the PD Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ-39), Non-Motor Symptoms Questionnaire (NMSQuest), and the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI).

The study identified that besides motor symptoms, a high incidence and wide range of non-motor symptoms also affected PD patients' quality of life and overall health status. People with PD reported a large number of different comorbidities, non-motor symptoms, and impaired HRQoL. Nearly 86% of participants had taken levodopa in the last 12 months, and 22% had taken it as monotherapy. Forty-five percent of people with PD reported at least one impulse control behavior. The results also confirmed the toll that the disease takes on personal relationships and work and leisure activities.

The study also evaluated the impact of PD on patient quality of life based on motor and non-motor symptoms, impact on employment status, and impact on its daily relationships. Bodily discomfort (41.7%) and mobility (35%) were the most highly impacted areas identified through PDQ-39 domain scores, while urgency to urinate (71%), feeling sad (62%), and difficulty sleeping (60%) were the most common non-motor symptoms identified through NMS Quest. A high rate of sexual dysfunction was also observed in people with PD.

About 76% of patients were not employed and 31% had reduced their work hours in the previous 12 months. Some 70% reported at least a moderate impact on their family relationships as PD progressed. In terms of carers, most were women (65%) and spent an average of 22.5 hours per week looking after PD patients. More than half (55%) did so without any assistance from others. Thirty-four percent reported a mild-to-moderate carer burden, evaluated through ZBI, and half of them noted an impact on family relationships, increasing as the condition progresses.

Treatment patterns varied considerably between different European countries. "One interesting aspect of PRISM is its Pan-European nature," noted Dr. Tolosa. "The considerable variation in therapeutic regimens across Europe may reflect cultural or academic differences in prescribing practice. The study also identified differences such as first-line treatment, utilization of health resources, and caregiver burden in different countries."

Professor Andrew Lees, MD, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, who was the initiator of this study in collaboration with The Cure Parkinson's Trust, commented "These new data provide an opportunity to reevaluate the way we manage people with PD and their network of family and friends, re-emphasizing the many challenges they face in everyday life, and opening doors to an era in which decisions are focused on overall well-being and not only isolated symptomatic improvement."

The PRISM database will be made available in the coming months for all qualified researchers to analyze the yet unexplored wealth of data collected.

PD is a slowly progressive disorder that affects movement, muscle control, and balance and is characterized by a broad range of motor and non-motor symptoms. It is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder affecting about 3% of the population by the age of 65 and up to 5% of individuals over 85 years of age.

More information: Eduardo Tolosa et al, The Parkinson's Real-World Impact Assessment (PRISM) Study: A European Survey of the Burden of Parkinson's Disease in Patients and their Carers, Journal of Parkinson's Disease (2021). Journal information: Journal of Parkinson's Disease Eduardo Tolosa et al, The Parkinson's Real-World Impact Assessment (PRISM) Study: A European Survey of the Burden of Parkinson's Disease in Patients and their Carers,(2021). DOI: 10.3233/JPD-212611
In this Feb. 11, 2021 file photo, President Joe Biden visits the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md. This summer's coronavirus surge has been labeled a "pandemic of the unvaccinated" by government officials from President Joe Biden on down. That sound bite captures the glaring reality that unvaccinated people overwhelmingly account for new cases and serious infections. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File

This summer's coronavirus resurgence has been labeled a "pandemic of the unvaccinated" by government officials from President Joe Biden on down.

The sound bite captures the glaring reality that unvaccinated people overwhelmingly account for new cases and serious infections, with a recent study of government data showing that hospitalization rates among unvaccinated adults were 17 times higher than among those fully vaccinated.

But the term doesn't appear to be changing the hearts and minds of unvaccinated people. And it doesn't tell the whole story, with some breakthrough infections occurring among the fully vaccinated. That recent twist led health officials to recommend a return to masks and a round of booster shots.

"It is true that the unvaccinated are the biggest driver, but we mustn't forget that the vaccinated are part of it as well, in part because of the delta variant," said Dr. Eric Topol, professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. "The pandemic clearly involves all people, not just the unvaccinated."

Topol points to Louisiana, where data from the state suggest that nearly 10% of hospitalized patients are vaccinated.

Branding it "a pandemic of the unvaccinated" could have the unintended consequence of stigmatizing the unvaccinated. "We should not partition them as the exclusive problem," Topol said.

Instead officials should call out vaccine disinformation, said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. A sketchy stream of dubious arguments continues to undermine public confidence.

"We can say that the virus has reemerged in the southern United States, primarily among unvaccinated people, but it doesn't mean we have to blame the unvaccinated," Hotez said. "The people we have to target are the purveyors of disinformation, and we have to recognize that the unvaccinated themselves are victims of disinformation."

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has tried to call attention to the damage done by misinformation and disinformation. But for many vaccine opposition has become ingrained.

A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research in July found that 45% of adults who had not yet received a vaccine said they definitely would not get it. Nearly 2 in 3 (64%) unvaccinated adults said they had little to no confidence the shots are effective against mutations like the delta variant, although data show vaccination dramatically reduces the risk of serious illness, hospitalization and death. Just 3% of unvaccinated adults said they would definitely get vaccinated.

Calling it a "pandemic of the unvaccinated" is "just provocative," said Robert Blendon, who follows public opinion on health care at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "The unvaccinated have an opposition toward Washington, and the more you stir the opposition, the more it convinces them 'I'm not going to give in to those people,'" Blendon said.

Yet top officials don't seem to be ready to retire or amend a favored catchphrase.

"As I've said before, the pandemic of the unvaccinated is a tragedy that is preventable," Biden declared in a recent remarks on his administration's COVID-19 response.

Asked Wednesday whether the sound bite still accurately reflects the evolving pandemic, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said unvaccinated people continue to account for the "vast, vast majority" of those hospitalized. "So it hasn't changed our messaging," she added.

The term caught on before breakthrough infections among vaccinated people became a worry.

During a mid-July media briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, underscored the troubling rise in cases and hospitalizations, saying "there is a clear message that is coming through: This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated."

Until very recently, Biden's handling of the pandemic was seen as a solid strength. But the August edition of the AP-NORC poll found flashing warnings for the president. Approval of his COVID-19 response fell by 12 percentage points from July, down from 66% to 54%. It was the lowest COVID-19 approval rating for Biden, and the first time that his approval number on the pandemic was basically the same as his overall performance rating.

Among independents, there was a nearly 30 percentage point drop in approval.

Democratic pollster Geoff Garin, who tracks health care issues, says he sees no intent to divide in the Biden administration's "pandemic of the unvaccinated" rhetoric. "I think the very clear intention is to tell unvaccinated Americans that they are the ones that are at risk," he said.

But a mutating virus can outrun the smartest sound bites. "When you have a dynamic and fast-changing situation like this, it creates really significant challenges for communicators, who have to both maintain their credibility while staying ahead of the story," said Garin.

Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who collaborates with Garin's firm on some major polls, said, "Calling it a 'pandemic of the unvaccinated' is certainly not going to increase the compliance among the unvaccinated."

In a pandemic no one is an island, suggests Dr. Leana Wen, a former Baltimore health commissioner and commentator on public health issues.

"Stating it's a pandemic of the unvaccinated implies that if you are vaccinated, you are protected, and you should not care about those who are unvaccinated, and how that may impact you," said Wen. "That is not the case. The more infection there is around, the more likely you are to contract COVID and spread it to others, even if you are vaccinated."

Explore further New data shows the power of COVID vaccines

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A nationwide survey of hospitals has revealed a wide variety of approaches to newborn skincareincluding the timing of the first baththat could ultimately have lasting effects on a baby's health and wellbeing.

Believed to be the first of its kind, the survey sought to document newborn skincare practices at hospitals around the country. Doctors have increasingly come to appreciate the importance of infant exposure to natural skin microbes, but there are no clear evidence-based guidelines for hospitals to follow.

The result, the researchers found, is a mishmash of practices that sometimes break down along regional lines.

"The variation in what hospitals are doing for newborn skincare is a direct result of previously not having a good understanding of what really is the best way to care for a baby's skin," said researcher Ann L. Kellams, MD, of UVA Children's. "The hope now is that this work will challenge us all to take a look at the evidence and incorporate practices that protect babies the most."

Newborn skincare: What's best for baby?

The skincare babies receive in the hours and days after birth has long-term effects, shaping breastfeeding outcomes, infant skin health and even infection rates. For example, children who are birthed vaginally are known to have decreased rates of childhood allergies compared with those born by caesarian section.

That said, there is little hard evidence on health outcomes associated with delayed bathing and other newborn skin practices, such as the use of specific soaps and cleansers. That often leaves doctors with conflicting opinions, often built on anecdote and personal experience.

To get a sense of the practices in place around the country, the researchers sent 16 questions to nursery medical directors at 109 hospitals that are members of the Better Outcomes through Research for Newborns (BORN) network. The questions asked about bathing practices, the products used and the advice given to parents, among other topics.

The responses indicated:

87% of hospitals delay the first bath by at least six hours.

10% send babies home without a bath, a practice more common in non-academic centers and on the West Coast.

There is a huge variety of products and procedures used, though almost all include a "baby" soap containing detergents known to compromise the newborn's skin integrity.

Bathing advice for parents, such as whether they should use soap when washing the baby, is "inconsistent and potentially contradictory" among healthcare providers. This can leave parents confused and uncertain what to do.

The evidence underpinning most hospitals' skincare practices is "scant," the researchers report in a new scientific paper outlining their findings. They are urging the formulation of more consistent guidelines built on hard evidence.

"Given the potential widespread clinical impact of newborn skincare and the paucity of data to support or refute widespread adoption of specific practices, further research is needed to improve and standardize care in U.S. nurseries and mother-baby units," they state.

COVID-19 guidelines may also be needed, they note. "Based on one large case series of maternal hospitals in New York City showing no increased morbidity to newborns, authors recommend that early skin-to-skin contact and delayed bathing can be practiced even in newborns born to mothers infected with COVID-19," the researchers write.

Developing better, evidence-based guidelines in general would benefit all parents and infants, Kellams says. "In the future, we may be seeing a decreased emphasis on soap, an increased emphasis on oil-based cleansing and an increased emphasis on the application of emollients," she said. "Better skin integrity would offer more protection to the babies against infection, development of allergies, etcetera."

Explore further Guidelines support breastfeeding during parent-newborn separation

More information: Julia A. Wisniewski et al, Variation in Newborn Skincare Policies Across United States Maternity Hospitals, Hospital Pediatrics (2021). Julia A. Wisniewski et al, Variation in Newborn Skincare Policies Across United States Maternity Hospitals,(2021). DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2021-005948
In a new study, teenagers from Californias Salinas Valley worked alongside UC Berkeley scientists on research showing that switching to green cleaning products can reduce users exposure to a variety of toxic chemicals. The high school team also created a series of animated public service announcements, in both English and Spanish, to share the results with their community. This image is a screenshot from their PSAs. Credit: LUCIR study image

Jessica Cabrera knows the recipe for homemade window cleaner by heartand is more than happy to share it.

"All you have to do is mix vinegar, water and dish soap, and there you have it," Cabrera said.

Cabrera, who grew up in California's Salinas Valley, just started her first year as an undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley. And while it may seem unusual for a new college student to have a passion for window cleaner, Cabrera has good reason for knowing the ins and outs of DIY cleaning products.

For the past three years, Cabrera has been part of a group of Salinas Valley teens working alongside UC Berkeley researchers to investigate whether housecleaning products expose their users to potentially harmful chemicalsand whether making the switch to cleaning products marketed as lower chemical, or "green," can help reduce these exposures.

Cabrera is now a co-author of a peer-reviewed study, published Sept. 1 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, showing that making the switch to green cleaning products can reduce users' exposure to up to 17 different carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including chloroform and benzene.

"What I found the most interesting was that there was an 86% decrease in chloroform exposure after switching from conventional cleaning products to green cleaning products," Cabrera said. "And it really put into perspective how cleaning products can serve as potential carcinogens and hormone disruptors. It's something that you don't really think about when you clean because you think cleaning is a good thing. And it is, but it also can have some detrimental effects to your health in the long term."

Cabrera and her peers carried out the research as part of the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) Youth Council, a group of 10 to 15 high school students who gain hands-on experience in environmental health research by helping to design and carry out their own studies under the guidance of UC Berkeley public health experts.

Study lead author Kim Harley, associate director of the UC Berkeley Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), said that the youth council was originally created to give teens a voice in the CHAMACOS study, a long-term investigation into the impact of pesticides and other chemical exposure on pregnant women and their children. However, she and her colleagues quickly realized the potential of teaching and engaging the youth in conducting rigorous public health research, empowering them to become the next generation of environmental health leaders in their community.

Earlier research projects tackled by the youth council include an investigation into endocrine-disrupting chemicals in makeup, shampoos and lotions, and a study looking at the presence of pesticides in teens' homes.

According to Harley, the council's interest in cleaning products grew out of conversations about the importance of housecleaning in Latinx culture, as well as the fact that 81% of professional housecleaners and janitors in California are Latinx.

"For the CHAMACOS study, we asked people how often they clean their homes, and 40% of our population said that they do substantial housecleaning every dayand by substantial, they mean things like mopping their floors or vacuuming every day," Harley said. "So, the youth council really felt like this was an environmental justice issue that was affecting their Latino community and particularly Latina women in California."

One of the youth council's main missions is to share the results of their research with their community. Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of most in-person events, the council decided to work with the group Artists Ink to create a series of animated public service announcements in both English and Spanish to help spread awareness about how people can protect themselves from potentially harmful chemicals in cleaning products. The students have also presented their results to regulators at the California Safer Consumer Products program.

"I've always been passionate about making an impact on my community, and I think the youth council is great because it targets the future of the communitythe youth," said study co-author Stephanie Mayo-Burgos, a recent member of the council who is now starting her first year as an undergraduate at UC Santa Cruz. "It starts off by educating us and then helps us educate our community."

Finding safer ways to shine

Cabrera remembers being a sophomore in high school, hungry and ready for lunch, when she first learned about the CHAMACOS Youth Council.

"My math teacher announced that there was a new research opportunity through CHAMACOS, and told us how the original mission of CHAMACOS was investigating the health impacts of pesticides among farmworkers and their children," Cabrera said. "This hit home to me, because I come from a family of farmworkers. Both my grandfathers, my dad and even my mother all worked in the fields."

Cabrera joined the youth council, and one of her first tasks, along with Mayo-Burgos, was to help choose the name and logo for the new project. They ended up deciding on LUCIR, which stands for Lifting Up Communities by Intervening with Research.

"LUCIR means 'to shine,' in Spanish, and we thought that name worked well because when you clean, you can make things look shiny and nice," Cabrera said.

To conduct the study, the council worked closely with Harley and CERCH community science manager James Nolan to recruit 50 Latinas from their Salinas Valley community. Each woman was asked to spend 30 minutes cleaning her kitchen and bathroom using her normal cleaning products, and then repeat the process a week later using her choice of a selection of green cleaning products that the students had found at local stores.

While they cleaned, each woman wore a backpack outfitted with personal air monitoring equipment created by collaborators at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The backpacks, originally designed as hydration packs, had tubes that could collect samples of air near the women's faces as they cleaned.

"The backpacks were important because we wanted to know what people's actual exposure to the chemicals was," Harley said. "The backpack can take little sips of air through tubes that sit on the shoulder, and we put the tubes close to the breathing zone of the mouth. We felt like this was a better way to gauge human exposure than just analyzing what was in the product because what we really care about is how much of these chemicals are going into the air that we are breathing in."

The women's measurements showed that the switch to green cleaning products decreased their exposure to a variety of chemicals that may cause cancer, disrupt hormones in the body or act as reproductive toxins. However, the switch also increased the women's exposure to some potentially harmful fragrance compounds.

Switching to green

While the study results showed that making the switch to green cleaning products can help reduce exposure to certain harmful chemicals, Mayo-Burgos points out that not everyone is in a position to change up their routines.

For one, it's not always easy to identify which products are actually safer. Though a 2017 California law now requires that cleaning product manufacturers list their products on the label, there remains no standard definition for what products qualify as "green." Concerned consumers can start by looking for the Safer Choice Label or consulting consumer databases, such as the Environmental Working Group Guide to Healthy Cleaning. However, not everyone has the time or money for to follow these guidelines.

"I would love to push people to get the green cleaning products, but I can tell that a lot of people in my community don't believe in them or don't have the time to buy them online," Mayo-Burgos said. "So, I feel like it's just as important to educate people about the amount of exposure that they experience and to teach them ways to reduce that exposure, like opening up windows, opening up doors and using a microfiber cloth that can clean surfaces without the need for cleaning products."

Other ways to protect yourself while cleaning include wearing protective gear, like gloves and goggles, and not mixing products that could potentially react to form even more dangerous chemicals, Mayo-Burgos added.

Nolan said that this connection to the community is one of the reasons why the youth council is so important.

"The youth voice really brings this energy and creativity to the work, and they are also really approachable," Nolan said. "One of our side missions has been to highlight other opportunities that they might not have thought about and think about ways that we can open as many doors as possible for them."

Mayo-Burgos and Cabrera both said that they hope to pursue college degrees that will allow them to continue to help their community: Mayos-Burgos wants to major in environmental studies, while Cabrera would like to double major in public health and computer science.

"One of my long-term goals is to bring technological access back to my community because I believe that technology is also a major factor as to why people from my community aren't always as informed as they can be," Cabrera said. "My community really inspires me to want to continue learning and to bring what I learn back, so we can all benefit from it."

Co-authors of the study also include Lucia Calderon and Asa Bradman of UC Berkeley, Randy Maddalena and Marion Russell of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Katherine Roman of the CHAMACOS Youth Council, and Norma Morga of the Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas.

Explore further Teen girls see big drop in chemical exposure with switch in cosmetics

More information: Changes in Latina Women's Exposure to Cleaning Chemicals Associated with Switching from Conventional to "Green" Household Cleaning Products: The LUCIR Intervention Study, Environmental Health Perspectives (2021). Journal information: Environmental Health Perspectives Changes in Latina Women's Exposure to Cleaning Chemicals Associated with Switching from Conventional to "Green" Household Cleaning Products: The LUCIR Intervention Study,(2021). DOI: 10.1289/EHP8831
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

One of the global frontrunners in vaccination against the coronavirus, Spain on Wednesday it had fully vaccinated just over 70 percent of its 47 million residents.

According to the latest figures released by the Spanish health ministry, some 33,376,693 people have been completely vaccinated, or 70.3 percent of the population.

"70 percent of Spain's population is now fully vaccinated," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted as the figures were released, thanking the country's national health service.

In an earlier speech, he said "more than 90 percent of the over 40s" were fully vaccinated while "more than 70 percent of those in the 20-29 and the 12-19 age groups" had already had at least one dose of the vaccine.

When the vaccination campaign began at the end of December, the government said that if all went to plan, "around 70 percent" of the population would be fully vaccinated by summer 2021.

In April, Sanchez gave a more specific timeline, saying the aim was to have reached that figure by the end of August.

Thanks to the population's unshakable confidence in the national health system and the vaccine, Spain was able to carry out a rapid vaccination campaign with little sign of dissent nor any debate over its necessity.

Within the European Union, only three other countries have a higher percentage of fully-vaccinated residentsMalta with 80 percent, Demark, which has close to 72 percent and Belgium with just over 70 percent, according to vaccination statistics compiled by AFP.

On Tuesday, the EU said it had reached its objective of having 70 percent of adults within the block fully vaccinated.

Before the emergence of the more contagious Delta variant, experts had said they believed herd immunity would be achieved when 70 percent of the population was vaccinated.

But in March, an article in Nature magazine said the belief in achieving herd immunity was losing traction.

"Most estimates had placed the threshold at 60-70 percent of the population gaining immunity, either through vaccinations or past exposure to the virus. But as the pandemic enters its second year, the thinking has begun to shift," it said.

Following a new wave of infections during the summer due to the Delta variant, Spain is once again beginning to see infections falling.

According to the latest figures published on Wednesday, Spain registered 6,818 new cases and 132 deaths over the past 24 hours, raising its total number of infections to 4,861,883 and its overall death toll to 84,472.

Explore further EU ahead of US in vaccination drive

 2021 AFP
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Spurred by decades of complaints about the high cost of hearing aids, Congress passed a law in 2017 to allow over-the-counter sales, with hopes it would boost competition and lower prices.

Four years later, federal regulators have yet to issue rules to implement the law. But changes in the industry are offering consumers relief.

In August 2017, President Donald Trump signed the legislation that called for the Food and Drug Administration to issue regulations by 2020 for hearing aids that could be sold in stores without a prescription or a visit to an audiologist or other hearing specialist. That hasn't happened yet, and President Joe Biden last month ordered the FDA to produce those rules for over-the-counter (OTC) purchases by mid-November. That means it will likely take at least until next summer for consumers to feel the direct effects of the law.

Despite the delay, consumers' options have expanded with more hearing devices entering the market, alternative ways to get them and lower prices, particularly for the largest segment of the population with impaired hearingthose with mild to moderate hearing loss, for whom the law was intended.

Leading consumer brands Apple and Bose are offering products and several smaller companies sell aids directly to consumers, providing hearing tests and customer service online from audiologists and other hearing specialists. Even major retailers offer hearing aids directly to consumers and provide audiology services online: Walgreens stores in five Southern and Western states sell what the chain calls "FDA-registered" Lexie hearing aids for $799 a pairfar less than half the price of typical devices.

Nationally, personal sound amplification products, or PSAPs, that are smaller and customizable are now available in stores and online. These devices, which look like hearing aids and sell for a fraction of the price, amplify sounds, but some do not address other components of hearing loss, such as distortion.

"There are many more options than there were in 2017 when Trump signed the Hearing Aid Act into law," said Nancy Williams, president of Auditory Insight, a hearing industry consulting firm in New Haven, Connecticut. "In a sense, you can say the OTC revolution is happening without the FDA, but the difficulty is it is happening more slowly than if the FDA issued its rules on time."

The price for a pair of standard hearing aids typically ranges from $2,000 to $8,000, depending on the technology. That price includes the professional fitting fees and follow-up visits. The hearing aid industry has remained largely insulated from price competition because of consolidation among manufacturers, widespread state licensing laws that mandate sales through audiologists or other hearing professionals, and the acquisition of hearing professionals' practices by device makers.

The federal law creates a category of hearing aids that would legally bypass state dispensing laws and enable consumers to buy aids in stores without consulting a hearing aid professional. Users would be expected to program the devices through a smartphone, and companies could offer service via phone or internet.

With an increasing number of hearing aids and PSAPs being sold directly to consumers, advocates are eager for the FDA rules to come out, because they worry about the confusion caused by the array of choiceswith none having the FDA's full seal of approval.

"The FDA delaying regulations has done more harm than good, because the direct-to-consumer market is filling the void and people are doing what they want, and we don't know the quality of these devices," said Barbara Kelley, executive director of the Hearing Loss Association of America, a consumer advocacy group.

The law, sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), gave the FDA until August 2020 to issue regulations. Last year, after missing that deadline, FDA officials said the COVID-19 pandemic had delayed the rule-making process.

Many in the hearing aid industry are concerned about the unchecked competition likely to come with allowing consumers to buy aids on their own without an evaluation by a hearing specialist.

Brandon Sawalich, CEO of Starkey, the largest U.S.-based hearing aid company, said consumers need expert assistance to test their hearing, buy an appropriate aid, properly fit it and fine-tune its settings.

"It's not just picking up something off the shelf at your local drugstore or ordering something online and putting it in your ear and your life is going to be reconnected and you are going to hear perfectly again," he said on a recent podcast. "It doesn't work that way, and it's not that easy."

However, by avoiding professional help, more Americans likely can get hearing assistance. "The OTC and direct-to-consumer options open up avenues for those who have no other path to get hearing aids," said Hope Lanter, a Charlotte, North Carolina, audiologist with Hear.com, a Netherlands-based online hearing aid retailer.

She expects that after the FDA issues its rules many hearing aid manufacturers will develop lower-cost, over-the-counter devices that can be obtained without an audiologist's evaluation. She said consumers with modest hearing loss may start out with those types of aids, but later, if their hearing worsens, shift to more expensive devices that require assistance from hearing aid professionals.

"In my view, there is enough pie for everyone," Lanter said, noting that millions of people with hearing loss are not getting any help today. More than 37 million American adults have trouble hearing, including nearly half of people over age 60. Only 1 in 4 adults who could benefit from a hearing aid have ever used one, federal health officials estimate.

Unlike most consumer electronics, hearing aids have remained expensive for decades, generating consumer complaints.

The price is concerning because Medicare and many insurers don't cover hearing aids, though most private Medicare Advantage plans do. Only about half of state Medicaid programs cover the devices, but benefits in those states vary widely, according to data from KFF.

Industry experts predict new over-the-counter hearing aids will be priced at less than $1,000 a pairabout 25% lower than low-cost retailer Costco sells its Kirkland aids, dispensed through a hearing aid professional.

Without federal rules in place, manufacturers have largely waited to develop devices for the OTC market.

Bose chose a different path. This spring it began selling its hearing aids, which can be purchased online without a doctor visit, hearing test or prescription. Bose gained FDA clearance in 2018 after providing data showing the effectiveness of its self-fitting aids was comparable to that of similar devices fitted by a hearing professional. The Bose aids sell for $849 a pair.

Meanwhile, Apple last year integrated hearing assistance into its popular Air Pods Pro earbuds, which can be customized using settings on an iPhone. Apple is not marketing the free benefit as a hearing aid but instead as similar to a PSAP that amplifies sound to help hearing.

Several companies such as Eargo, Lively and Lexie allow consumers to buy aids online and get help from specialists to set them up remotely. As long as companies have generous return policies that enable people to try a couple of aids to see which works best, the proliferation of online options selling high-quality aids is good news for consumers, said Williams, the Connecticut hearing consultant.

Lanter said the stigma around hearing aids will be reduced as people obtain them more easily. She predicted consumers will someday buy hearing aids much as they can buy inexpensive reading eyeglasses at the drugstore today with the option to get a prescription for higher-quality glasses or ones with a more precise fit.

Michelle Arnold, an audiologist and assistant professor at the University of South Florida, said there is no evidence consumers will be harmed buying a hearing aid without seeing an audiologist, and the benefits of getting some improvement in their hearing outweigh any risks. "Will people get the maximum benefit? Maybe not, but it's better than nothing," she said.

Explore further 13 percent experience difficulty hearing even with hearing aid

2021 Kaiser Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Villagers stand in a queue to receive the vaccine for COVID-19 in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year.

India opened shots for all adults in May. But the campaign faltered in villages due to vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. That started changing in mid-July and of the nearly 120 million shots administered in the past three weeks, around 70% were in India's villagesup from around half in the initial weeks of May.

Although the increased vaccine acceptance in rural areas is promising, the pandemic is far from done in India: After weeks of steady decline, the 46,000 new infections reported Saturday was its highest in almost two months.

Only about 11% of India's vast population is fully vaccinated. Half of all adults and about 35% of the total population have received at least one shot. This has left large swathes of people still susceptible to the virus.

Several nations, including the U.S. and Israel, are offering or plan to offer booster shots to people, deepening global vaccine inequity. India was expected to be a pivotal producer of shots to immunize the world but stopped exports after an explosion of infections. And while India had expected to get 1.35 billion shots in the final five months of 2021 to resolve its supply constraints, the question of whether Indian vaccine makers can scale up production to meet India's needs will have global implications.

A health worker administers the vaccine for COVID-19 to a villager in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India opened shots for all adults in May. But the campaign faltered in villages due to vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. This started changing in mid-July and of the nearly 120 million shots administered in the past three weeks, around 70% were in India's villages. This is up from around half in the initial weeks of May. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

"Currently in India, there is more demand than available supply...the supply of vaccines currently in use is lower than the projections made a few months ago. So both of these situations are putting constraints on availability of vaccines in the country," said Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya, a vaccine policy expert.

India is no stranger to mass immunizations, but this is the first time that shots are being given at this scale, and to adults. Officials have blended strategies that were successful in the past with newer, more localized innovations.

Kamalawati, 65, a retired government accountant who goes by only her first name, lined up for a shot at Nizampur, a village outside New Delhi. She said people initially were concerned there would be harmful side effects but "people are not scared anymore."

A health workers helps an elderly woman after she received the vaccine for COVID-19 in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

What has worked for her village and others is a contest in which the local government awards a trophy to the village with the most vaccinated people and a plaque declaring the village the winner. Stickers are also pasted on homes where people are fully vaccinated to encourage neighbors to do the same. District administrator Saumya Sharma said the campaign banks on the sense of community and pride residents have in their village. "That this is our village. And we are going to make it No. 1," she said.

In Juggar, home to several thousand of the over 155 million people who live in rural parts of India's Uttar Pradesh state, villagers refused the vaccine when health officials first arrived there, paramedic Ravi Sharma said. Only after family members of health workers got their shots in public view did others begin to get the vaccine.

Millions of people from eastern Bihar state, one of India's least urbanized, migrate to the Middle East for work. With international travel impossible without certificates showing full vaccination, more people are signing up for jabs, said Dr. R.K. Chaudhary, who is in charge of a rural health center in Phulwari Sharif village.

Villagers stand in a queue to receive their vaccine for COVID-19 in village Nizampur, in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India opened shots for all adults in May. But the campaign faltered in villages due to vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. This started changing in mid-July and of the nearly 120 million shots administered in the past three weeks, around 70% were in India's villages. This is up from around half in the initial weeks of May. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

These strategies rest on methods that have worked in past vaccination campaigns. Performers with drums and clad in traditional attire are fanning out to Indian villages to underline the importance of getting the shot. Several states have organized mobile vaccination centers, where shots are given at highly visible places in village squares. The government has also used WhatsApp, which is ubiquitous in India, to help people book appointments for vaccines.

Public health experts say the uptick in rural vaccinations is important because health care systems in villages are fragile. The deadly surge of infections that overwhelmed hospitals earlier this year ripped through rural India and thousands died. Moreover, migrants from villages move to cities for work and until everyone is vaccinated, outbreaks and even the possibility of a dangerous new variant can't be discounted, said Lahariya.

India has the infrastructure to vaccinate up to 10 million people daily, but is averaging between 5 million and 6 million, he said.

A health worker administers the vaccine for COVID-19 to a Villager carrying his lunch before going for work, in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

So far, nearly 90% of the vaccines administered were the AstraZeneca shots made by the Serum Institute of India. The government hopes to solve the supply constraints that have hamstrung the vaccination effort with new production lines as well as the approval of a new homemade vaccine and another in the pipeline.

India hopes that Bharat Biotech will make around a third of the 1.3 billion shots it needs. The company has struggled so far in scaling up and while a new facility, capable of making 10 million shots monthly, began production last week, the company is looking for international manufacturing partners.

The Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine was given the nod by Indian regulators in April but accounts for less than 1% of total vaccinations. The company has arranged with several Indian vaccine makers to start making shots locally, hopefully by later this month.

Volunteers perform a street play during an awareness campaign for COVID-19 vaccine in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

Volunteers perform a street play during an awareness campaign for COVID-19 vaccine in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

Villagers stand in a queue to register themselves for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

Villagers stand in a queue to register themselves to receive the vaccine for COVID-19 vaccine in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

Villagers sit in an observation room after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

A villager waits for his turn to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

Posters declaring that adult members of the house are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 are seen pasted in the entrance of homes in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021.India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

A volunteer pastes a poster informing that all adult members of this house are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

A health worker administers a vaccine for COVID-19 vaccine to a villager in Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. Credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup

India expects 100 million Sputnik V shots and 50 million shots of Indian drugmaker Zydus Cadila's recently greenlit COVID-19 vaccine later this year.

Apart from this, the regulator approved Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in June and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot in August. But it is unclear when they will be administered.

Meanwhile, Moderna and Pfizer have been discussing the signing of indemnity waivers for their vaccines for weeks with India's federal government. Unlike some other countries and the U.N.- backed COVAX initiative, India doesn't have a mechanism in place for people who suffer rare side effects to seek compensation, said Lahariya. He said these discussions were an opportunity to reexamine accountability and create a system where people are protected.

Lahariya warned that even though he expected supply to improve, it was unlikely that India would have enough shots to immunize all adults by the end of the year. "No matter what," he said.

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus V.Makei meets the Ambassador of Azerbaijan

On September 1, 2021 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, received copies of the Credentials from the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Belarus, Ulvi Bakhshaliyev.

During the meeting, the sides discussed topical issues of the development of bilateral Belarusian-Azerbaijani relations in the political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres, the interaction of Minsk and Baku on international platforms, as well as the implementation of a number of joint projects.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  The number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators in Arkansas climbed again Tuesday, as the state's top health official said he was worried about a further surge in cases from the coming Labor Day weekend.

The Department of Health said the number of coronavirus patients on ventilators rose by 27 to 388, the second day in a row the state has reached a new high. The state reported 2,626 new cases and 22 more deaths.

The state's COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped by 45 to 1,212. There are 531 COVID-19 patients in intensive care units around the state. Only 19 ICU beds are available, the department said, though it's unclear how many are equipped for COVID-19 patients. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the state's hospitals will be adding 64 ICU beds in September.

Arkansas ranks fifth in the country for new cases per capita, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University researchers.

State Health Secretary Dr. Jose Romero said he expected hospitalizations  which have surpassed what Arkansas saw during the winter surge  to rise further in the coming weeks.

Every holiday weekend we have seen since the beginning of the pandemic we've seen a surge in the number of cases, so we are concerned," Romero said.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israels foreign minister on Wednesday played down criticism of the country's regulation of the cyberespionage firm NSO Group but vowed to step up efforts to ensure the company's controversial spyware doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

Speaking to foreign journalists, Yair Lapid said the government has only limited control over how defense exports are used by customers. Yet he said that Israel is committed to enforcing and strengthening safeguards to prevent abuse of all types of weapons.

We are going to look at this again, Lapid said. Were going to make sure, or try to make sure to the extent of what is doable and what is not, that nobody is misusing anything that we sell.

NSO has come under widespread criticism over reports that its flagship spyware product, Pegasus, has been misused by governments to spy on dissidents, journalists, human rights workers and possibly even heads of state. Pegasus is able to stealthily infiltrate a targets mobile phone, giving users access to data, email, contacts and even their cameras and microphones.

NSO has denied wrongdoing. It says it sells Pegasus only to governments and only for the purpose of catching criminals and terrorists.
I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Afghanistan from 1971 to 1975, and worked for the Afghan Tourist Organization (ATO). When I arrived, the country was governed by a monarchy (King Zahir Shah). Not long after I started working, an Austrian with the United Nations and an expert on tourism also joined the ATO. He started developing a plan to promote tourism that would help Afghanistans economy. I assisted him and we started traveling across the country.

During the summer of 1973, we were riding horses across the Hindu Kush Mountains. We followed routes used by historical leaders such as Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan. We arrived at a small village and started setting up our camp. A young Afghan who worked for the local governor showed up and invited us to visit him in the morning.

When we went to the governors office, he hadnt arrived yet. His staff invited us to relax on the front porch and served us breakfast consisting of naan, tea and fruit. While enjoying the meal, a young Afghan who was taking care of our horses came running up, shouting, Jomhuri (republic)!" King Zahir Shahs cousin and brother-in-law, Daoud Khan, had ended the monarchy while the king was out of the country.
This event is a great opportunity for anyone who is needing a first, second or third dose, the health department said in its briefing Monday. Come out and grab a bite to eat and get your vaccine before or after your meal!

Anyone who is moderately to severely immunocompromised and is looking to get a third dose of the Moderna vaccine can call the county health department at 828-764-9150 to schedule an appointment. Those who need another dose of the Pfizer vaccine can call Blue Ridge Urgent Care at 828-580-3278.

The health department also is helping those who are homebound get vaccinated. Call the health department at 828-764-9150 and dial 0 to speak with an operator with questions about COVID-19 or getting vaccinated.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported outbreaks at the following facilities in Burke County on Tuesday:

College Pines Health and Rehabilitation in Rutherford College has a total of 17 cases, with six cases in staff members and 11 cases in residents, NCDHHS reported.

J. Iverson Riddle Development Center in Morganton remains at 10 cases in staff members but no cases among residents so far.
Community Mass set to for 9/11

Father Patrick Beretta will lead a community Mass to remember those who died and to honor first responders at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, at St. Patrick Church, 329 E. Mercury St. in Butte.

Share your 9/11 memories

The Montana Standard would like you to tell us the story of how you experienced 9/11  and how it has affected you. What are your memories, your takeaways from the morning that changed our lives forever?

Please send your 9/11 story to us. It may be featured in a local story were pulling together  and it may also appear in a nationwide anniversary section that will be published in all Lee Enterprises newspapers in Montana and across the country.

Send your memories and takeaways of no more than 250 words to editor@mtstandard.com by Sept. 1.

Social Justice Book Club returning
Wanamaker joins Clark Fork program

Melissa Wanamaker has been hired as the director of community engagement and development for the Clark Fork Watershed Education Program. In this new position, Wanamaker is charged with growing the capacity and expanding the reach of this award-winning and nationally recognized staff and program.

Wanamaker is a Butte native who went to Alaska for a summer job in college and stayed away for 25 years. In Alaska, she spent her career as a benchmark-setting development director, a funder and an educator. She has a marketing degree with an international option from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. She brought her family home to the Summit Valley five years ago.

Wanamaker is fresh off a COVID recovery and response contract with Headwaters RC&D Small Business Development Center, where she worked to help connect small businesses in the seven-county region with state and federal resources to assist them in weathering the worst of the pandemic.
An Illinois woman who showed a fake vaccine card listing two Maderna shots has been arrested in Hawaii after trying to evade the states strict COVID-19 rules, police say.

Chloe Mrozak, a 24-year-old Oak Lawn, Ill., woman, uploaded false documents to bypass state quarantine rules, including a vaccine card that misspelled Moderna as Maderna, Hawaii News Now reported.

Visitors to Hawaii are required to quarantine for 10 days after arriving unless they have uploaded valid COVID-19 vaccine cards under the states Safe Travels program.

Mrozak arrived on Aug. 23, and authorities began an investigation after an administrator with the program tipped them off about the misspelling, KHON reported.

Thats one indication, as well as other things that in the card they thought it was suspicious and as part of being suspicious they did an excellent job of notifying us, Special Agent William Lau of the attorney generals office told the station.
Aware of the widespread criticism of Trump's Maria response  and former President George W. Bush's response to Katrina  the Biden administration has issued regular updates on federal actions, including emergency waivers issued by the Environmental Protection Agency to increase gasoline supplies, and a Transportation Department waiver that makes it easier for truck drivers to move critical freight to areas damaged by Ida.

The waivers will allow truckers to haul in essential items such as food, water, fuel and utility poles, as well as transformers and generators to help support emergency relief efforts.

The Energy Department said it is coordinating with the region's power company, Entergy, and other partners to support efforts to restore electricity.

Offshore oil rigs, under the supervision of the Interior Department, were moved out of the storms projected path, and nearly 95% of current oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut in.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell was in Baton Rouge Tuesday, where she surveyed damage by helicopter with Edwards and other officials. FEMA teams equipped with iPads were set to go house-to-house in hard-hit neighborhoods to register people on the spot for individual aid, Criswell said.
ARCHIVED - August 31 Covid update Spain: second highest death toll of the fifth wave reported



194 Covid fatalities were reported in Spain on Tuesday, only slightly lower than the maximum of 201 deaths registered on August 23

The downward trend in the 14-day cumulative incidence rate continues in Spain as the Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday August 31 that it has dropped another eight points and now stands at 233 cases per 100,000 people, keeping the average rate below the extreme risk threshold of 250. This represents a drop of almost 72 points compared to the same day last week. In addition, the 7-day rate is less than half this figure at 142 cases, a strong indicator that the decline is likely to continue.

After 7,676 new cases were registered on Tuesday, the total number of people infected since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic sits at 4,855,065. However, Tuesdays figure is half that registered the day before (15,489) while 10,072 cases were reported on the same day last week.

There are currently only three regions in Spain with a 14-day incidence rate higher than 400, with Ceuta being the highest with 464.36 cases followed by Extremadura at 463.82 and Melilla at 461.67 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

On the other end of the scale, some of the lowest rates in the country have been reported in Asturias (94.03), the Canarias (144.76), the Valencian Community (183.67) and Catalonia (190.98).

Hospital patients and fatalities

While the number of daily infections and the cumulative incidence rate continue to show improvements, this trend has sadly not been reflected in the death toll, which reached its second highest number of the entire fifth wave yesterday after 194 deaths were reported in Spain. This figure is 48 more than Monday and four more than the same day the previous week, bringing the total death toll to 84,340. The highest death toll of this wave of the pandemic was reached on August 23, with 201 fatalities.

The number of Covid patients admitted to hospital has also fallen slightly to 6,806, equivalent to 5.8 per cent of all hospital beds, while patients in the countrys ICUs account for 17.39 per cent of available beds.

Vaccination data

At the end of August, Spain has failed to meet its target of 70 per cent vaccination rate but is not drastically far off the target with 32,996,436 people now fully immunised, 69.5 per cent of the population.

The number of people who have received one dose of the vaccine has reached 76.8 per cent, or 36,431,416 individuals.

The Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, has reiterated her confidence that the 70 per cent vaccination target would be met in the next couple of days.

Image: Archive
The project is expected to create 10 jobs, including eight that are incented at a qualifying wage of $19.65 per hour.

In other action, the board agreed to hold a Sept. 14 public hearing to receive comments on the proposed sale of a vacant county lot located just west of the current Louisa County Public Health Office.

The board received a $25,000 offer on the lot from ServPro at its July 20 meeting.

A resolution was also approved by the board to accept a $193,000 bid from Cole Construction, Keosauqua, to complete granular surfacing work on 218th Street. County engineer Adam Shutt said he had estimated around $180,000 for the project, which has an Oct. 15 late start date.

In the rest of his weekly update report to the board, Shutt said a certified letter sent to an owner of property southeast of Wapello had been returned by the post office marked undeliverable.

The supervisors had director Shutt to send the letter after a neighbor met with the board earlier in the month and reported the owner had installed electric fence across a county roadway. The letter was to remind the owner of the county policy prohibiting a road closure by anyone except the county sheriff or engineer.
MUSCATINE  This weekend area bands will descend on Muscatine for a musical event that organizer Chad Bishop hopes will be the first year of many and will give new life to the former Great River Days.

On Friday and Saturday, Sept. 3 and 4, the Muscatine Riverview Center will be the site of the first MuscaPalooza music and art festival. Bishop said he had received a grant of $1,000 from the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry to put on the event as well as Muscatine Community Foundation to help with lighting of the event. Bishop said there will be 25 music acts over the two days.

Some of those are R&B or rap artists and others are full on bands, he said. It is not really cover bands. There will be cover songs but what makes this unique is it is a demographic and nitch that doesnt get served in smaller communities, and that is especially obvious for the indoor part upstairs.
Texas ban on most abortions after 6 weeks takes effect with Supreme Court mum; Louisiana's recovery from Ida will be slow; Spears claims extortion by father. Get caught up.
WASHINGTON (AP)  White House officials are outlining plans to build and restore more than 2 million homes, a response to the volcanic rise in housing prices over the past year.
A petition requesting pardons was sent to Northam in December. It read in part: "The Martinsville Seven were not given adequate due process 'simply for being black,' they were sentenced to death for a crime that a white person would not have been executed for 'simply for being black,' and they were killed, by the Commonwealth, 'simply for being black.'"

Among the organizers pushing for pardons were Liz Ryan and Pamela Hairston and groups such as The Martinsville Seven Initiative Inc., the Free Minds Book Club and Writing Workshop, law students and graduates from the William & Mary Law School.

The families were invited to meet with Northam Tuesday, presumably to make their case for a pardon in person. Instead they got a welcome surprise.

After the executions of the Martinsville Seven, three more men, all Black, died in the electric chair for rape, the last in 1961. In 1977 the U.S. Supreme Court ended rape as a death-eligible crime.
Constituents need to know the missed votes records of their representatives so they can decide for themselves if elected officials are avoiding a difficult vote or have a legitimate reason for missing a particular vote, said Club for Growth Foundation President David McIntosh. Sadly, this information is often not available.

In Sen. Zach Nunns case, the Altoona Republican was on active military duty at the Air Force War College in Montgomery, Ala.

Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, missed 33 votes because of his National Guard commitment in April.

Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, missed 53% of the votes because of what he considered lax coronavirus pandemic precautions at the Capitol.

In response to criticism from Republicans, Hogg, who is not seeking reelection, said he was present for what he considered essential days when the Senate was debating bills where he thought his contribution could have an impact. As a minority member in a chamber dominated 32-18 by Republicans, he noted most votes were party line regardless of points made during floor debate.
Those policies conflict with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends universal mask wearing for students and teachers in the classroom. The CDC issued the guidance in light of the rapid spread of the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19.

In announcing the investigations, the department said it will examine whether the policies violate a federal law protecting students with disabilities. Under that law, students with disabilities must be given access to a free appropriate public education alongside their peers without disabilities.

But states that outlaw mask mandates could be preventing schools from taking necessary steps to protect students with disabilities or medical conditions, the department said.

In its letters, the department said it's concerned that the states may be preventing schools from making individualized assessments about mask use so that students with disabilities can attend school and participate in school activities in person."

Education Department investigations often end with voluntary agreements that remedy alleged violations. But if the agency concludes that states violated civil rights laws, it could issue sanctions as severe as a loss of federal education funding.
Three days after Hurricane Ida knocked out power throughout the city, residents wait in long lines at a neighborhood gas station to fill fuel containers for cash only sales in New Orleans, Louisiana on Aug. 31, 2021.
Healthcare workers hold a protest outside the Philippine health department, demanding better wages and benefits amid rising coronavirus disease infections in Manila on Sept. 1, 2021.
Altron has announced the appointment of Kennedy Chinganya as managing director for Altron Nexus, with effect from 1 September 2021. He succeeds Mark Harris, who will now handle special projects until the end of November 2021.

Chinganya joined Altron Rest of Africa in August 2018 as the finance director.

He was responsible for implementing financial governance across Africa and the Middle East with a key focus on Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, and South Africa.

He moved to Altron Nexus as finance director in March 2019.

Kennedy has proven himself since he joined us, and we are pleased to be able to promote such talent from within Altron, said group chief executive officer Mteto Nyati.

Chinganya has worked in the information and communication technology industry for more than 20 years.

He started in IBM where he worked for over 10 years in various positions, the last being the group chief accountant and treasurer for IBM sub-Saharan Africa.

After IBM, Kennedy moved to Microsoft South Africa where he started as finance controller for the enterprise partner group division.

At Microsoft, he moved to the role of marketing and operations finance controller before leaving to join MTN as the finance group general manager for its enterprise business unit across the MTN group.

MTN seconded him to take up an assignment in Kenya as managing director for MTN business enterprise in the country.

Chinganya is a chartered accountant and a member of the UKs Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants (ACCA-UK) and the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA).

He holds a Bridging Programme in the Theory of Accounting from the University of Johannesburg and a National Diploma in Accountancy.

Now read: Altron appoints new finance chief and board chair
South Africa faces a form of digital load-shedding if the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) follows through on its plan to take back temporary radio frequency spectrum on 30 November.

This was the stark warning from MTN SAs executive for corporate affairs, Jacqui OSullivan.

Since the start of the pandemic, the amount of data traffic that MTN has needed to carry for its customers has more than doubled, OSullivan said.

Removing the temporary spectrum, when the pandemic remains a reality for all South Africans and before Icasa completes the spectrum auction, will have a significant impact on data supply to South Africans.

Icasa first assigned the temporary spectrum during April 2020 when President Cyril Ramaphosa first declared the National State of Disaster brought on by the Covid19 pandemic.

It said that the spectrum was expected to ease network congestion, maintain the quality of broadband services, and enable network operators to lower the cost of access to consumers.

The impact of the National State of Disaster has not eased since the last extension of temporary spectrum, OSullivan said.

In fact, since the last extension, South Africa was hit by a record-breaking third wave of infections and was moved to level 4 risk adjustment level which was only dropped to level 3 on 25 July 2021.

This meant that both distance-learning and remote-working increased with the adjustment to level 4, putting pressure on the network.

MTN has consistently demonstrated the benefits of temporary spectrum throughout the extension periods, OSullivan stated.

This has enabled MTN to support a sustained increase in data traffic since March 2020 and to support consumers with lower-priced packages, improved speeds and other benefits such as free data and free mobile money transactions during the pandemic.

OSullivan said that the 165% increase in data traffic since the start of the pandemic has resulted in operators like MTN becoming dependent on this additional capacity.

Without it, they will not be able to meet these high levels of demand while also managing the quality of service.

With the temporary spectrum, MTN has been able to continue expanding and enhancing our world-class network, weve been able to bring more people online, and we have been able to reduce prices, OSullivan said.

We have zero-rated more than 1,000 health and education websites which are currently serving more than five million people each month, and in the past year, we dropped the effective price of data by more than 30%.

Removing the temporary spectrum would leave more than five million South Africans without access to zero-rated websites of Public Benefit Organisations.

This would impact access to predominantly educational and health information while we are still in the middle of the Covid19 pandemic.

The expiry of the temporary licenses during the course of the Covid19 pandemic would come at a significant cost to MTN, said OSullivan.

Operators have spent billions of rands expanding infrastructure to cater for the temporary spectrum.

Without frequencies to leverage, this infrastructure would be condemned to idleness, OSullivan warned.

She added that this would be seen as an anti-investor stance and would come when our already fragile economy can ill-afford it.

MTN has also used some of the temporary spectrum to showcase the startling speed and capabilities of 5G, not only in large cities but also in smaller towns such as Port Alfred, Hopetown, Virginia, Queenstown and Tsantsabane, OSullivan said.

The withdrawal of the temporary spectrum allocation without Icasa finalising its spectrum auction would significantly impact MTNs national 5G rollout.

Mobile operators have a vital role to play in the rebuilding of our nation and supporting our citizens during the course of the pandemic, stated OSullivan.

To achieve this, it is critical that the temporary spectrum be extended up to the finalisation of the Invitation to Apply to the Spectrum Auction.

OSullivan said that the process to resolve the spectrum auction is entirely in the hands of Icasa.

MTN simply requests a fair and equal opportunity to participate in securing 5G frequencies so that we can build world-class infrastructure to develop our country and serve our customers, she said.

Icasas spectrum auction is currently the subject of a legal challenge from Telkom and Icasa.

Telkom has argued that the auction cant go ahead without some intervention from the court while TV broadcasters are still occupying some of the frequency bands being auctioned.

TV broadcasters are still in these bands because South Africas long-overdue migration from analogue to digital terrestrial television was not completed by any of its deadlines.

MTNs legal challenge to the spectrum auction is over an exclusive round that will exclude Vodacom and MTN from bidding on certain lots of spectrum.

MTN is concerned that Telkom, Cell C, or another operator will be able to pick up the spectrum it desperately wants for a steal.

MTN remains fully committed to the ongoing discussions with Icasa towards a negotiated settlement on the spectrum auction, OSullivan said.

We continue to engage with the regulator in good faith, and we remain optimistic that we will find common ground on this most critical issue.

OSullivan said that they trust they can continue to work together to secure a solution that will best benefit the people of South Africa by providing sustained data quality, speed enhancements, and, most importantly, the continued reduction in the price of data.

MyBroadband asked Icasa why it decided to withdraw the temporary spectrum before it completed the spectrum auction.

Icasa said it had taken account of the current environment in relation to the number of infections, the gradual reopening of the economy, and the steady progress in the vaccination programme.

More importantly, the Authority is mindful of the need to focus its efforts on the permanent licensing of the radio frequency spectrum, the regulator said.

MyBroadband also asked Icasa for an update on its settlement discussions with Telkom, MTN, and E-tv. It did not respond by the time of publication.
She said her family has been fortunate to have the support of one another, friends and members of the community. More than anything, Emilios own determination to remain his usual self has inspired his family to endure, Sanchez said.

Its every parents worst nightmare, she said. But were one of the fortunate ones because his treatment has killed the cancer, at least in the bone in his leg. Hes recovered so well.

Once Emilios chemo is over, Were looking forward to being a family like we once were, Sanchez said.

She wants other families to know about pediatric osteosarcoma and pay attention to its symptoms, like bone pain and swelling or tenderness. She also wants to raise general awareness of the affliction, which is so rare that research funding is scarce. Some of the proceeds from Saturdays fundraiser will got to MIB Agents, a nonprofit dedicated to Making It Better for patients, caregivers, families and doctors who are fighting pediatric osteosarcoma.

Research really gets funded by events like this, said Sanchez, who coincidentally used to work in cancer research.
Individuals, groups, and 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply for "This Is My Brave, Napa Valley" a mental health grant program focusing on healing teen mental health through art. Proposals from teens will be accepted if they include an adult mentor.

"This is My Brave" will grant funds to new projects that incorporate the arts in addressing mental health/addiction conditions among pre-teens/teens in the Napa Valley community. These new grants are available from a portion of the proceeds of the February 2020 "This is My Brave" show, which featured Napa Valley teens and young adults sharing their stories of mental health recovery through original poetry, storytelling, music, and dance.

Grant applications will be accepted until Sept. 20 at 5 p.m. Financial administration of the grants will be provided by Arts Council Napa Valley. Information on the grant guidelines and applications can be found at www.artscouncilnapavalley.org. For more information, contact kristine@thisismybrave.org.
I am very excited to be teaching stagecraft again this fall because that means that we are back on stage, ready to perform live theater again. It is exhilarating to be back teaching in person after being out of the classroom during COVID. said Cowell. There is a certain energy in watching the students learn how to build a set, focus lights and run a light board  all of which is best done in the classroom. The pandemic has changed the way we create live theater, and I am thrilled to explore all mediums of theater-making with our students."
It's been nearly a year-and-a-half since Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a COVID-19 emergency in California. Virtually every aspect of California life has been impacted by the pandemic, from work to worship, recreation to education.

Now, with a recall election in full swing, California voters get to weigh in on Newsom's job performance during the pandemic. Voters have until Sept. 14 to turn in their ballots.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: $1 for your first 6 months!

The ballot asks voters two questions: Should Gov. Newsom be recalled from office and, if so, who should replace him as governor? There are 46 candidates lined up to take the job, though one has since dropped out for health issues.

Here's what each of the candidates, as well as Newsom, has to say about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it should be handled in California.

Gavin Newsom

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has provided voters with plenty of evidence for how he would handle the pandemic.

It was Newsom who declared a statewide emergency that ultimately led to much of the state closing down. Newsom also issued a statewide mandate that Californians where masks when outside their homes. It ended in June, although some counties have reinstated local mask requirements.
Armenia President grants high state award to chess grandmaster Elina Danielyan

Armenia PM appoints deputy economy minister

Putin holds phone talks with Iranian counterpart

Armenia Supreme Judicial Council chairman on his relations with PM Nikol Pashinyan

Karabakh President meets with journalists and editors of country's Free Artsakh newspaper

US Embassy in Armenia to Baku: Only comprehensive solution can help normalize Armenian-Azerbaijani relations

Armenia President receives Slovakia FM

Armenia defense minister's mother dies

Armenia parliament's foreign relations committee chairman meets with Ukrainian MPs

Armenia Syunik Province governor meets with newly appointed US Deputy Ambassador

Monument to heroes who took revenge over Armenian Genocide organizers to be placed in Yerevan

Armenia Parliament Speaker receives Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister-led delegation

Digest: Protests being held in Yerevan, more on COVID-19 in Armenia

Yerevan mayor: Not going to resign

Dollar still going down in Armenia

Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of 1 Armenian serviceman found in Varanda

Armenia Cassation Court has new judge

PACE recommends holding debates over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Afghanistan situation

National Archives of Armenia and Iran to sign memorandum within scope of cooperation

Armenia PM, Gazprom Management Committee chairman discuss Armenian-Russian energy partnership

Armenia Deputy PM participates in session of Eurasian Economic Commission's Council

Police apprehend Yerevan neighborhood resident on hunger, water strike

Armenia Ambassador to Ukraine: Aim of intergovernmental commission is to take steps to unblock communication

Deceased serviceman's little brother born at medical center in Armenia's Etchmiadzin

Taliban denies war crimes charges against human rights defenders

Armenia PM, Slovakia FM discuss Karabakh peace process

Criminal case opened into death of Armenia soldier, another one receiving gunshot wounds

Biden: You either keep Gavin Newsom as your governor or you'll get Donald Trump

Armenia Investigative Committee former chair, ex-Prosecutor Generals arrest appealed

4 of Yerevan neighborhood residents protesting outside city hall apprehended

Frances Macron makes social media post in Armenian

Iran ambassador tries to discuss, with Azerbaijan presidential aide, demarche against Iranian trucks in Armenia

4 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

US and EU urge global community to cut methane emissions by 30%

Ukraine official: We have always considered Armenia as important partner in South Caucasus

US, Japan and South Korea discuss new North Korean missile tests

Yerevan neighborhood residents close off street adjacent to city hall

Armenia Central Bank raises refinancing rate by 0.25 percentage point

Appeal filed against court decision to arrest mayor of Armenias Goris

25,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine sent by France arrives in Yerevan

Armenia FM informs visiting Slovakia colleague about Azerbaijan provocations

Armenia ruling partys parliamentary faction holding closed meeting

Armenia MOD confirms: There is also wounded soldier in tragic incident at the military outpost

Slovakia FM: Process of returning Armenian captives from Azerbaijan must continue

US intends to invite Russia and China to international summit on COVID-19 fight

Armenia legislature elects Corruption Prevention Commission new member

657 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Karen Vardanyan has allocated 105 million AMD to rescue the Yerevan Botanical Garden

Armenia MOD: Army representatives will observe Russia-Belarus joint military exercise

ArmLur.am: New details become known from tragic incident at Armenia military outpost

China to start cooperation with Singapore on drug development

Armenia to assume CSTO chairmanship on Thursday

Google fines $ 177 million by South Korea's antitrust regulator

Yerevan neighborhood resident on hunger strike declares water strike too

Slovakia FM visits Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan (PHOTOS)

Armenia MOD: Reserve sergeant receives fatal gunshot wound

Armenian historical sites in Djulfa, Nakhichevan, elsewhere in Azerbaijan systematically erased

Armenia parliament continues regular sessions

Newspaper: Armenia authorities ready to offer deal to Investigative Committee former head, ex-Prosecutor General

Newspaper: Opposition Armenia bloc itself to not run in upcoming local elections

Armenia ombudsman: Azerbaijan police base, barricades, cameras on Vorotan road must be removed immediately

Armenia PM receives French Co-Chair of OSCE Minsk Group, paths for Karabakh conflict settlement discussed

Armenia Deputy PM introduces newly appointed governor of Gegharkunik Province

Traffic jams on Armenia's Goris-Kapan interstate road, Azerbaijanis rudely telling Armenians to drive away

About 50 soldiers and police officers killed after attacks in Myanmar

2 dead after explosion near COVID-19 testing site in central Myanmar

Armenia pregnant woman with COVID-19 dies

Azerbaijan planning another festival in occupied Armenian Shushi

Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of 2 more Armenian servicemen found in Hadrut

Russia to resume flights to Spain, Iraq, Kenya and Slovakia

Russia Senator: Russian peacekeepers will remain in Karabakh so long as their presence is necessary

Armenia FM receives French Co-Chair of OSCE Minsk Group

"Armenia" alliance: Armenian authorities have turned detention into punitive mechanism against opposition

Armenia appoints new Ambassador to Belarus

Armenia has new Ambassador to the State of Qatar

Iran MFA responds to situation regarding Iranian truck drivers in Armenia's Syunik

Armenian MFA: No negotiations being held for normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations at the moment

Digest: Azerbaijan tries to control goods transportation via Armenia, more on COVID-19

Armenia Deputy PM receives Co-Chairs of Armenian-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Commission

Armenia appoints new Ambassador to Greece

Judge delays granting Armenia ex-President Kocharyan permission to travel to Moscow

Armenia Ambassador to Ukraine Vladimir Karapetyan is in parliament

Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff chief has new deputy

FM: Azerbaijan armys illegal presence in Armenia undermines de-escalation efforts in region

Armenia Parliament Speaker: Results of all elections between 1996 and 2018 were falsified

Armenia parliament considering election of member of anti-corruption commission

Armenia girl, 6, falls from 7th floor of building, in grave condition

Tehran to resume nuclear deal talks in Vienna soon

First international commercial flight carried out in Kabul after pullout of US troops

Armenia PM, EU special representative discuss Karabakh peace process

Price of natural gas per 1,000 cubic meters in Europe reaches record-setting $730

Dollar goes down in Armenia

Artsakh President introduces new defense minister to top army command staff

Taliban intend to remove subjects that contradict Sharia from university programs

Armenia Central Electoral Commission chief: Elections have been held in line with requirements of Electoral Code

Deputy mayor of Armenia's Goris resigns, to run in local self-government elections

Armen Sarkissian sends message to US President on 20th anniversary of terrorist attacks

EBRD, ADB to provide loan to fund 2nd phase of Electric Networks of Armenia company investment program

Azerbaijan army's General Staff chief, Turkish MOD discuss deepening of military cooperation

Head of Tegh village of Armenia's Syunik: Azerbaijanis tie villager's UAZ to a truck and steal it
President Joe Biden defended his withdrawal from Afghanistan in a speech Tuesday, one day after the final U.S. troops left the Taliban-run country following two decades of war, insisting the departure was timed appropriately, and calling the effort to evacuate Americans and Afghans from the country an extraordinary success, Forbes reported.

Biden lauded the military for helping to evacuate roughly 90% of U.S. citizens who wanted to leave Afghanistan and 100,000 Afghans in the weeks following the Talibans mid-August takeover of Kabul (the Pentagon acknowledged this week it didnt evacuate everybody it wanted to by its Monday withdrawal).

He offered gratitude to the 13 U.S. service members who died in a suicide bombing at the gates to Kabuls Hamid Karzai International Airport last week, an attack linked to the Islamic States affiliate in Afghanistan.

The president said he didnt allow military evacuations to continue after August 31 because a prolonged presence in Afghanistan may have put more U.S. personnel at risk, especially since the Trump administration promised the Taliban last year all U.S. troops would leave the country by May 2021.

He also rebuffed critics who say the military should have started the process of rescuing U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from Kabul en masse months ago, arguing the evacuation would have created chaos and rattled confidence in the Afghan government even if it started in June or July.

Biden acknowledged the U.S.-backed Afghan government crumbled amid this summers Taliban offensive more quickly than expected, but he blamed Afghan leaders for corruption and malfeasance and chided former President Ashraf Ghani for fleeing the country.

We completed one of the biggest airlifts in history, with more than 120,000 people evacuated to safety, Biden said. That number is more than double what most experts thought were possible.

Between 100 and 200 Americans still want to leave Afghanistan, Biden said, many of whom are dual citizens or people with familial ties to the country. Biden pledged to keep trying to evacuate any U.S. citizens who want to leave: There is no deadline, he said. But this mission could require cooperation from the Taliban, and Biden said he will hold the militant group to its promise to allow people to leave Afghanistan.

Biden has faced intense criticism for his handling of the withdrawal, but hes argued the only alternative to leaving Afghanistan this year was prolonging  and possibly escalating  a war he views as obsolete, unwinnable and disconnected from the United States strategic interests. I was not going to extend this forever war, and I was not extending the forever exit, Biden said Tuesday.
YEREVAN.  Hraparak daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: The authorities have compiled a blacklist of opposition MPs and are actively working towards them in order to free the parliament from the presence of undesirables as soon as possible.

It is especially about the MPs of the "Armenia" Faction. For example, () [former deputy prime minister Armen] Gevorgyan is at the top of the authorities blacklist. Probably the reason is that he is one of [second President Robert] Kocharyan's most trusted people and thus already poses a danger to the authorities.

According to authorities sources, soon the RA Prosecutor General will enter the NA [(National Assembly)]after Armen Gevorgyan, in connection with which they will point out some offshore deal and a transfer of a large amount of money in his son's nameas illegal enrichment.
President Armen Sarkissian on Wednesday issued a congratulatory message on the Knowledge and Schooling Day in Armenia.

Dear pupils, students, teachers, lecturers, educators, and parents,

Congratulations on Knowledge and Schooling Day, and the start of a new school year.

Education opens the way to a new life and a new world. Be brave and confident. Open all doors through knowledge, open with your willpower and the impulse of your hearts, diligence, helping each other, trusting each other, learning from each other.

Believe that you can make positive changes with your knowledge, energy, perseverance, and faith, and be of use to the Homeland, Nation, Family, and of course, yourself.

Dear pupils and students,

This school year starts at the threshold of the thirty years of Armenias independence. You are creating the future of our country just like your parents and grandparents made Armenia and Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] independent, the same way as our ancestors fought for freedom, independence and future throughout our history.

The 21st century is that of thought and knowledge, technology and creativity. We are able and obliged to participate in the rapid development and progress of the world.

The talent of our people, together with diligence, purposefulness, and responsibility, can produce results. And that is also thanks to you!

The most difficult heights, which often seem inaccessible, can be conquered if these qualities are supplemented by patriotism and desire to do something for the sake of homeland and common national interests. Learn to overcome challenges and to pursue dreams without despair, to make, to create, and to take responsibility for the fate of the homeland.

Be faithful to the heritage of the past, to our identity, and believe in tomorrow.

Dear teachers, lecturers, and educators,

Tomorrow is shaped by your dedicated work and those efforts you invest into educating and bringing up generations. I am sure you all realize that the ability of the education system to keep pace with the times will determine Armenia's place in the rapidly developing world. As the most significant part of the genuine elite of Armenia, you carry out a special mission of building the future of our country. It depends on you what our Homeland will be like in ten, fifty, or hundred years.

I believe in our inevitable success. It is essential for every one of us to believe in it and participate in bringing it closer by our knowledge, abilities, and opportunities.

I wish you all peace, happiness and prosperity, reads the message by the Armenian President.
Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 01.09.21:

The Azerbaijani armed forces once again resorted to provocation on Wednesday, opening fire on the Armenian positions in Ararat Province, particularly at the Yeraskh village section of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. As a result of the incident, an Armenian contract soldier sustained a fatal gunshot wound.

The ministry strongly condemns these actions by the Azerbaijani side and warns that they will not go unanswered.

The entire accountability for the aggravation of the situation falls on the military and political leadership of Azerbaijan.

Numerous injuries have been found on the Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] citizen returned by Azerbaijan.

On July 26, a residentborn in 1989of Machkalashen village of the Martuni region of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), had come under the Azerbaijani control after getting lost while searching for his lost animals. Several hours later, he was returned to the Artsakh side with the intervention of Russian peacekeeping forces.

A forensic medical examination has concluded that this Artsakh citizen had numerous bodily injuries that coincided with the circumstances behind and the time of this incident.

A criminal case was initiated by the Artsakh police on torture committed on the motive of national hatred.

An investigation is underway.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, who is on a working visit to Moscow, met with the Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Stanislav Zas, Armenian Foreign Ministry reported.

Ararat Mirzoyan and Stanislav Zas discussed in detail the dynamics of changes at the regional and international levels, which have a direct impact on the vital interests of the CSTO member states.

During the meeting, the sides touched upon the situation resulting from the penetration of the Azerbaijani armed forces into the sovereign territory of Armenia. The need for an early resolution of the situation and de-escalation was mutually noted.

The Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) and Air Arabia Group, the Middle East and North Africas first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator, on Wednesday announced that the new national airline to be launched by their joint venture company will be named Fly Arna, Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from ANIF.

The name was chosen by the Board of Directors of the joint venture company from over 500 suggestions received in response to the Name the Airline competition announced in July 2021.

The competition aimed to engage the citizens of Armenia to participate in naming their new national airline reflecting the commitment of ANIF and Air Arabia Group to promote stakeholder participation.

After the 44-day war last fall, Armenia, the guarantor of the security of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), will for the first time not participate in the 30th Artsakh Independence Day anniversary events Thursday at the level of its top leadership.

The new speaker of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, Alen Simonyan, has sent a delegation to the Artsakh capital Stepanakert this year.

Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has decided to go on a four-day vacation, from which he will return on Fridaythe day after the anniversary of Artsakh's independence.

Armenias President Armen Sarkissian is also on vacation these days.

As of Wednesday morning, 615 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 242,750 in the country.

Also, 13 more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 4,857 cases.

President Joe Biden defended his withdrawal from Afghanistan in a speech Tuesday.

It came a day after the final U.S. troops left the Taliban-run country following two decades of war, insisting the departure was timed appropriately and calling the effort to evacuate Americans and Afghans from the country an extraordinary success, Forbes reported.

Biden lauded the military for helping to evacuate roughly 90% of U.S. citizens who wanted to leave Afghanistan and 100,000 Afghans in the weeks following the Talibans mid-August takeover of Kabul.
Story Highlights 68% say situation is getting worse, up from 45% in July

Concern about getting virus is growing

More say they are social distancing and taking steps to avoid COVID-19

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to provide the correct methodology statement. An earlier version of the story incorrectly indicated the interviews were completed by telephone rather than web.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' assessments of the coronavirus situation have flipped from highly positive to highly negative over the past two months. Sixty-eight percent of U.S. adults say the situation is getting worse, while 15% say it is getting better. In June, before the recent surge in coronavirus infections, 89% said the situation was getting better and 3% said it was getting worse. Last month, Americans were about equally positive and negative in their evaluations.

There have been only two other times since the pandemic began that Americans were as pessimistic about the coronavirus situation as they are now: July 2020 and November 2020.

Line graph. Trend in Americans' assessments of the U.S. coronavirus situation. In the most recent survey, from August 2021, 68% of U.S. adults said the coronavirus situation was getting worse, 17% said it was staying the same and 15% said it was getting better. The current assessment is among the most negative to date. Americans have been much more optimistic than pessimistic for most of 2021.

The Aug. 16-22 survey was conducted as new coronavirus infections in the U.S. have roughly tripled in each of the past two months. U.S. deaths from the coronavirus also tripled in August from July, after declining in each of the prior six months. Gallup has previously demonstrated a strong relationship between the change in number of new coronavirus infections from the prior month and Americans' assessments of the situation.

Among partisans, Democrats give the most negative evaluations of the coronavirus situation, with 84% saying the situation is getting worse, compared with 62% of independents and 51% of Republicans. The three groups show increases of between 22 and 26 points since July. In June, 4% of Democrats, 4% of independents, and 2% of Republicans said the situation was getting worse.

The majority of Americans now expect the economic and societal disruptions tied to the pandemic to last beyond the end of this year. Sixty-three percent believe the disruptions will continue into next year, up from 42% in July and 17% in June.

Growing Concern About Catching the Coronavirus

Americans are becoming increasingly worried about getting COVID-19. After double-digit increases in each of the past two months from the trend's low point of 17% in June, 39% of U.S. adults are now very or somewhat worried about getting the coronavirus. Concern has not been this high since February, though it remains well below where it was before vaccines were available. The monthly high point in worry was 58% in November.

Line graph. Trend in Americans' concern about getting the coronavirus. Thirty-nine percent are very or somewhat worried about getting the coronavirus in August 2021, up from 17% in June and 29% in July. The current figure is the highest since 49% were worried in February 2021. Concern was consistently near or above 50% from April 2020 through February 2021. Starting in March, concern began to decline, hitting a low in June before increasing the past two months.

Vaccinated Americans (46%) continue to express greater worry than unvaccinated Americans (25%) about getting the coronavirus, with more of the increase in concern in August coming among the vaccinated population (up 13 points) than the unvaccinated population (up five points).

Social Distancing Activity Picking Back Up

In July, as COVID-19 cases were rising and people increasingly saw the situation as getting worse, they were not yet adjusting their behavior to reflect the changing conditions. That has changed now, albeit modestly and not to the same level seen earlier in the pandemic.

The August survey finds that 24% of U.S. adults are "completely" or "mostly" isolating themselves from people outside their household, the first meaningful upward movement in this trend since November. Fewer, however, are practicing strict social distancing now than were in April, when many Americans who planned to be vaccinated had not yet gotten their shots. At the beginning of the pandemic, three-quarters of Americans were doing so.

Line graph. Trend in the percentage of Americans who are completely or mostly isolating themselves from people outside their household. In the latest survey, from August 2021, 24% of U.S adults were isolating themselves from others, up from 19% in July. When the pandemic began, 75% were isolating themselves. That dropped to 51% in May 2020, and generally held in the 40% range until December. The percentage began to show significant decline starting in the spring of 2021.

Likewise, more Americans than in July are practicing a variety of COVID-19 prevention measures, including avoiding large crowds, avoiding public places, avoiding small gatherings, and wearing face masks in public. Still, the use of masks is the only activity that a majority of Americans are currently doing.

Changes in COVID-19 Mitigation Measures, July to August 2021 There are some things people may do because of their concern about the coronavirus. For each one of the following, please indicate if this is something you have done, are considering doing or have not considered in the past seven days. % Have done, July % Have done, August Change pct. pts. Worn a mask on your face when outside your home 60 69 +9 Avoided large crowds 40 49 +9 Avoided going to public places, such as stores or restaurants 27 32 +5 Avoided small gatherings of people, such as with family or friends 20 25 +5 Avoided traveling by plane, bus, subway or train 37 41 +4 Gallup Panel

All of these practices remain far less common today than they were earlier this year, before vaccination became widespread and coronavirus cases steadily declined.

The survey also asks people which types of public places they have visited in the past 24 hours, such as their workplace, various types of stores or a doctor's office. The percentages reporting visiting public places have generally been stable over the past few months. However, in August, compared with July, slightly fewer Americans say they visited someone else's house (down from 33% to 28%) or a restaurant (39% to 35%) in the past 24 hours.

Bottom Line

Just a couple of months after it looked like the coronavirus pandemic might be coming to an end, infections have come roaring back in the U.S., fueled by the virus' delta variant, particularly in states with lower vaccination rates. Americans are more likely now than at almost any other point in the pandemic to say the situation is getting worse. And while concern about getting the virus has been growing and coronavirus avoidance behaviors are starting to rise, they remain well below where they were before much of the population was vaccinated.

To stay up to date with the latest Gallup News insights and updates, follow us on Twitter.

Learn more about how the Gallup Panel works.
The Wynwood Gallery is ready for visitors. Beginning September 4after being closed for more than a yearthe gallery is excited to open its doors to showcase a new in-person exhibit featuring the incoming Master of Fine Arts (MFA) graduate students. Milly Cardoso, director and curator, said she is excited for people to learn more about these new and talented artists at the University.

We have an exciting group of women, and their work is so different, said Cardoso. For example, we have a ceramics student from Iran. Her name is Sepideh Kalani. Her pieces are unique, and I cant wait to see what she puts forth in future exhibitions.

Kalani, who specializes in ceramics, meshes her interests in neuroscientific knowledge (including that of personality disorders) and her love of art in her creations.

Human beings who have endured suffering have a distinct appearance to me, she explained. In my latest project, I created a collection of sculptures of human figures whose bodies have been destroyed by their pain, in each of which I recorded an experience of suffering and other emotions. Each of these sculptures represents a true narrative of my artistic identity and my experiences in my troubled country.

Sepideh Kalani (ceramics), Donkey Eyes, 2020, ceramic and saggar

Alyssa Wood, who specializes in photography, is excited to have her works displayed in a gallery for the first time. She explained that she was inspired to begin a series of self-portraits after exiting several abusive relationships.

I wanted to visually capture the emotional turmoil of societal prejudices toward women. Individuals want to feel confident in their bodies and sexualities, but the idea that sexual purity and idealized beauty standards are what defines their self-worth are so ingrained in our culture that it becomes a constant struggle to try to unlearn these thought processes, she pointed out.

Alyssa Wood (photography), Dysmorphic, 2020, carbon pigment print, 24x27

Mariana Espindola will also feature her photography. She said her photographs hope to raise awareness in sustainable living.

I created a series of images showcasing a struggle to breathe by wrapping and enveloping my models with elements that suffocate and pollute our planet and having them shut their eyes, just as we do every day by turning a blind eye to the situation we are inchoosing ignorance even though we can feel how we are affecting our environment, noted Espindola.

Espindolas inspiration to become a photographer stems from her great grandfather.

He was one of the first photographers in Minas Gerais, a state in Brazil. So, I think it is something that was always in my blood. I remember always being interested in photography from a very early age, and I would play around with my dads point-and-shoot camera, she recounted.

Mariana Espindola (photography), Bound, 2021, series, digital photography

Catherine Kramer is the fourth artist whose work will be featured in the exhibit. She thinks this is a great way for the university to officially welcome the MFA students into the community. She looks forward to showcasing her love for printmaking.

Printmaking is a very tedious and process-oriented way of making art so there are always new techniques to learn. But I was first introduced to it in high school through Lino blocks and was interested enough to continue into college, Kramer said. From then on, I was constantly exposed to printmaking's other mediums and became enamored with them. I particularly enjoy stone lithography and etchings, which are the processes I used to create the work featured in the exhibit.

Kramer looks forward to continuing to create art in a community of such talented artists.

This kind of environment is really inspirational, and I am delighted to be a part of it. UM has already started to support me in my endeavors by providing resources that will help me gain the experiences needed. Im confident once I am finished with the program, I will be able to achieve my goals, said Kramer.

Catherine Kramer (printmaking), All Eyes on Me, 2021, lithography, 11"x14"

The exhibition is on view from September 4 to 23

The gallery will host a reception on September 4 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Visit https://art.as.miami.edu/ for more information.

More events include:

Frost School of Music

Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

Signature Series and Chopin Foundation of the U.S.

Maurice Gusman Concert Hall

Avery Gagliano, guest pianist

With the generous support of the Chopin Foundation of the U.S., pianist Avery Gagliano will perform an all-Chopin piano recital. Gagliano won the 2020 National Chopin Competition Grand Prize and will be competing in the 18th International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. At just 20 years old, she captures audiences with her sensitivity, emotional depth, and musical expression. She will also be joined by Frost faculty members for a special chamber arrangement of Chopins Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante.

Purchase tickets here .

Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m.

Signature Series

Maurice Gusman Concert Hall

Frost Concert Jazz Band and Frost Studio Jazz Band with Christian McBride

John Daversa and Etienne Charles, directors

Christian McBride, guest bassist

Seven-time GRAMMY-winning bassist Christian McBride is a force of nature. In his hands, an acoustic bass can shamelessly expose the human heart, JazzTimes said in an article. He brings virtuosic fire, a relentless energy, depth, and the grounding of a seasoned journeyman to his performances. He will join the multiple DownBeat award-winning Frost Concert Jazz Band and Frost Studio Jazz Band, which are renowned for their outstanding musicianship, inspired performances, soloists, and well-crafted arrangements.

Purchase tickets here . Set reminder for virtual livestream here .

Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.

Signature Series

Maurice Gusman Concert Hall

At the BalletProkofiev's Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella

Aaron Tindall, tuba

Oleksii Ivanchenko, piano

Renowned Frost School tuba professor and Sarasota Orchestras principal tubist, Aaron Tindall, lights up the stage with two of the most famous ballet masterpieces of all time. Tindall shares his virtuoso talent performing Suite No.1 from Romeo and Juliet and selections from Cinderella by Russian Soviet composer Sergei Prokofiev, one of the giants of 20th century music.

Purchase tickets here . Set reminder for virtual livestream here .

Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m.

Signature Series

Pre-concert talk, 6:30 p.m.

Maurice Gusman Concert Hall

The Musical Legacy of Melton MustafaFrost Studio Jazz Band

Etienne Charles, director

Jesse Jones Jr. and Melton Mustafa Jr., guest saxophonists

The DownBeat Awarding-winning Frost Studio Jazz Band celebrates GRAMMY-nominated Melton Mustafa Jr., a pillar of South Florida's musical community. His uncle, South Florida Jazz Hall of Famer Jesse Jones Jr., joins them. Melton Mustafa Sr. played with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Woody Herman orchestras, wrote an expansive oeuvre of music reflecting his experiences, and later established the jazz program at Florida Memorial University.

Purchase tickets here . Set reminder for virtual live stream here.

Lowe Art Museum

Sept. 10, 11 a.m.

Coffee, Tea, What Do You See?

Grab your favorite morning beverage and join the Lowe for a virtual interactive discussion about art from the museum's collection. Led by the members of the Lowe staff, participants will be asked open-ended questions about the work of art to stimulate a group discussion.

Register here .

Sept. 16, 5:30 p.m.

Duane Speaks!

Join the Lowe for a virtual talk with Duane Michals. This conversation celebrates the exhibition Duane Michals: The Portraitist, consisting of more than 125 portraits by the photographer. In his commissioned portraits of actors, writers, musicians, and other celebrated individuals, Michals relished the challenge of distinguishing each personality with a unique approach. Best known as a pioneer who broke away from established traditions of documentary photography in the 1960s, Michals is widely recognized both for the balance he strikes between imposing his style on a subject and allowing his sitters to express themselves, as well as for the sequences he assembles to convey personal visual narrativesoften adding handwritten messages and poems on the photographic print surface.

Register here ,

Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28

Mindfulness with the Lowe

The Lowes Art of Mindfulness remote sessions take place on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Each session will last approximately 40 minutes (a 30-minute guided practice with a 10-minute reflection and Q & A).

Registration is required to participate in these free virtual sessions. Visit lowe.miami.edu for more information.

University Libraries

In/Tangible Pedagogies: Building an Interdisciplinary and Holistic Curriculum on Archival Studies

Join us for a series of presentations that has been specifically created to provide firsthand accounts to students exploring the field of archives and information science. The series will serve as part of a new and innovative course designed to give students hands-on interdisciplinary experience in critical archival studies using materials and resources from the University of Miami Libraries' distinctive collectionsintroducing them to the fundamentals of archival theory and practice used in libraries, archives, and museums.

Sept. 14, 1:30 p.m.  Urgent Archives: Enacting Liberatory Memory Work

presented by Michelle Caswell, associate professor of archival studies, Department of Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

Sept. 28, 1:30 p.m.  Colonial Archives and Their Affects/Effects

presented by Jeannette Allis Bastain, Professor Emerita, School of Library and Information Science, Simmons University

Register here.

Mindfulness at Richter

Every Wednesday, 45 p.m.

The University of Miami Libraries offers introductory mindfulness sessions for cultivating calm and focus. These 45-minute sessions introduce the fundamentals of mindfulness with periods of guided practice and opportunities for reflection and questions.

Register here .

Sept. 23, 1 p.m.

Center for the Humanities

Sept. 14, 7 p.m.

"Latine Off-Off-Broadway: An Intervention in U.S. Theater History"

Join professor Lillian Manzor for the first Humanities Hour talk of the year. The role of Latines has been mostly absent from Off-Off-Broadways historiography. In this talk, Manzor will reconstruct various performances by not only reading manuscripts but also by showing photographs, stage and costume designs, musical scores, documentary videos, theater reviews, and other archival ephemera. Thus, she will bring back key Latine theater artists and put them into dialogue with their Off-Off-Broadway contemporaries to demonstrate how they shaped what Manzor names Latine-Off-Off-Broadway.

Register here .

Sept. 17, 9 a.m.2:30 p.m.

Fellows Symposium 2021

Nine humanities fellows will present some of the fruits of their research.

Register here .

Sept. 29, 8 p.m.

Online book talkwith Hugh Thomas, professor of historyPower and Pleasure: Court Life Under King John, 1119-1216.

Although King John is remembered for his political and military failures, he also presided over a magnificent court. Power and Pleasure reconstructs life at the court of King John and explores how his court produced both pleasure and soft power.

Much work exists on courts of the late medieval and early modern periods, but the jump in record keeping under King John allows a detailed reconstruction of court life for an earlier period. The presentation examines the many facets of the king's court, exploring hunting, feasting, castles, landscapes, material luxury, chivalry, sexual coercion, and religious activities. It explains how the monarch mishandled his use of soft power, just as he failed to exploit his financial and military advantages, and why he received so little political benefit from his magnificent court. His court is viewed in comparison to other courts of the time and in previous and subsequent centuries.
No second quarantine hotels for helpers, govt says

No second quarantine hotels for helpers, govt says

Labour and welfare minister Law Chi-kwong said the government cannot set aside more quarantine hotels for foreign domestic helpers as talks to add a second hotel broke down.



His comments on Wednesday came as some employers are upset that they have to wait longer for their helpers from Indonesia or the Philippines to arrive and start work.



Besides a hotel in Tsuen Wan offering 400 rooms, some employment agencies have called for more hotels to be set aside for helpers.



But that was ruled out by Law. "Somehow there's a consistent demand for people coming back from elsewhere to Hong Kong for quarantine arrangement. So the existing provision of quarantine hotel is basically needed," the minister told reporters.



He said officials had been in talks with a second hotel over quarantine, but the two sides couldn't come to terms on an acceptable pricing and financial arrangement.



Law said the best the government can do is to try and offer nearly 800 rooms at the Penny's Bay quarantine centre late this month.



The labour chief stressed there's a need to prevent too many helpers from high-risk countries to arrive at once, because that would involve infection risks.
SIU Carbondale stops downward spiral and enrolls largest freshman class in five years

by Kim Rendfeld

CARBONDALE, Ill.  With its largest class of new freshmen in five years, Southern Illinois University Carbondale has stopped a downward spiral in enrollment. This fall, 1,422 Salukis are starting their college career, an increase of 4.5% over their predecessors.

Our faculty, staff, students and alums have gone above and beyond to change the downward trajectory of the declines we have experienced since 2016, said SIU Carbondale Chancellor Austin Lane. I want to personally thank each of them for rallying around enrollment and working tirelessly to show the unique opportunities future Salukis have. Todays news is the result of all that effort.

Many trends this fall show the university is moving in the right direction, Lane said.

For the first time since 2014, the university has increased its freshman class for two consecutive years, and it did that during a pandemic.

About three-fourths of last years freshmen, 75.5%, returned this fall.

The number of new transfers increased 3.5% over last year to 1,175 students.

The student population is diverse  about 36% identify as a minority  and it is almost evenly divided among men and women.

Enrollment from the Southern Illinois region increased nearly 34% from the previous year.

Since 2016, SIU Carbondale has experienced steep declines in enrollment of 8%, 9%, 12%, 9% and 2.8%. This year, overall enrollment is essentially flat compared to last year; 11,266 students attend SIU Carbondale, 0.9% less (100 students) than fall 2020. Lane said the figures indicate enrollment is stabilizing.

Almost 9,200 prospective students, about 16% more than the previous year, applied to the university.

The number of applications confirms that people are interested in SIU Carbondale, Lane said.

Measures the university took include partnering with local and statewide superintendents, principals, counselors, state legislators and community college presidents; restructuring scholarships and offering financial aid packages earlier; launching the Saluki Commitment for graduating high school seniors and Saluki Transfer Commitment for community college transfers  two programs that close financial gaps in tuition for students who qualify; reinstituting the Dr. Seymour Bryson Future Scholars summer program; targeted advertising featuring academic programs; and creating an enrollment task force that met weekly to discuss strategies for increasing recruitment and retention.

The pandemic posed many challenges on and off campus. Many instructors and students adapted to remote teaching and learning. Restrictions in response to COVID-19 prevented recruiters from visiting high schools and community colleges in person and limited in-person events on campus. SIU thanks all the high school and college administrators and staff for assisting with its enrollment activities, Lane said.

Despite the obstacles caused by COVID, our campus community persevered, Lane said. They followed safety protocols, and many became vaccinated. Because of their diligence, we were among the first universities to announce in-person fall classes and activities, and we have kept that promise.

Another very positive sign is that enrollment from the Southern Illinois region increased markedly from the previous year. Since July 2020, university officials have met and built relationships with superintendents, principals, counselors and other educators in the region and will continue to do so.

We will analyze the data further and see where we can improve, especially as the recruitment cycle for fall 2022 gets underway, Lane said. Today, Salukis everywhere have good reason to be proud.

Chancellor Austin Lane interacts with students before fall classes begin.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Good morning and welcome to 10 Things in Tech. If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Plus, download Insider's app for news on the go - click here for iOS and here for Android.

Let's get started.

1. Facebook plans to stop showing you so much political content. After hearing some people feel there's too much political content on the platform, Facebook has decided to reduce how many political posts people see. Here's how that could affect your News Feed.

2. A new bill in South Korea is targeting Apple and Google. The bill forces Apple and Google to allow alternate payment options on their smartphone stores, stopping them from taking a cut of every app purchase - and addressing an issue the tech giants have come under fire for in the past.

3. Tanium quietly laid off most of its senior product marketers last week. The $9 billion cybersecurity firm laid off as many as 20 people just a month after its latest chief marketing officer left. Here's what we know about the cuts so far.

4. Google delayed its return to the office (again). According to the New York Times, amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, Google has pushed back its return-to-office date to Jan. 10, 2022. More on the three-month delay.

5. You can take an Uber Boat down the River Thames in London. This writer opted for an Uber Boat over a traditional Uber taxi, and found it was more fun and packed with landmark sightings (although it took a little longer). See what it's like to take an Uber Boat.

6. We explain why SpaceX and Blue Origin are fighting over NASA's lunar lander contract. Blue Origin filed a lawsuit regarding NASA's $2.3 billion contract with SpaceX, for which it was initially considered a front runner. We explain why it was such a big blow to Blue Origin, and why the companies are vying for the contract.

7. Facebook's largest content moderator has struggled with the ethics of its work for the company. Contractors at Accenture - Facebook's largest partner - have to review violent, toxic content on the site, making insiders question if working for the platform is ethical. More on that here.

Story continues

8. The federal EV tax credit can save you $7,500 on a new electric vehicle. The US is trying to make EVs more attainable through a tax credit that can knock the out-of-pocket cost down by thousands of dollars. We've outlined how the program works.

9. A former restaurant worker shares how she used a coding bootcamp to land a tech job. Meghan Hein was working two jobs in hospitality before she was laid off during the pandemic. Then she enrolled in a 12-week coding class - and landed a full-time job as a developer. Hein describes how she did it.

10. Competition is heating up in the streaming-video industry. The battle to attract subscribers is at a fever pitch, and marketing execs have a huge task ahead of them. We've outlined 15 execs to watch at major streaming services, from Netflix's CMO to the teams at Disney+ and HBO Max.

Compiled by Jordan Erb. Tips/comments? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @JordanParkerErb.

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Read the original article on Business Insider
"Time For School" by Chee Kee Teo. Chee Kee Teo/Comedywildlifephoto.com

The annual Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards highlight hilarious photos of animals in the wild.

This year's 42 finalists were chosen out of 7,000 images, and the contest is now open for voting.

The photos feature otters, bears, monkeys, tigers, penguins, and other wildlife in comical poses.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The photographer Aditya Kshirsagar titled this photo of a lizard striking a pose "Attitude!!"

"Attitude!!" by Aditya Kshirsagar. Aditya Kshirsagar/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"Males of this species of lizard choose higher elevations to monitor their territory and display," Kshirsagar wrote. "I caught this particular male roosting on the twig of a bush during the high heat of summer."

Vine snakes open their mouths to show aggression, but Kshirsagar found it looks more like a wide smile in "Laughing Snake."

"Laughing Snake" by Aditya Kshirsagar. Aditya Kshirsagar/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"Vine snakes are very commonly-seen snakes in the Western Ghats of India," Kshirsagar wrote. "When approached, they show aggression by opening their mouth wide open. Nothing to be afraid of with this beautiful harmless vine snake. I was happy to find it smiling, and it looks like he was smiling back at me."

Andrew Mayes took this snapshot of a grumpy-looking pied starling, titled "Monday Morning Mood."

"Monday Morning Mood" by Andrew Mayes. Andrew Mayes/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"I took this shot while photographing a group of pied starlings perched in a tree at the Rietvlei Nature Reserve in South Africa," Mayes wrote. "It perfectly sums up my mood on most Monday mornings."

A bear cub leaned on its mother to enjoy the view in Andy Parkinson's "Leaning Post."

"Leaning Post" by Andy Parkinson. Andy Parkinson/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"A young cub decided to use his patient mother as a leaning post, the birds in the trees requiring closer inspection," Parkinson wrote.

Parkinson also captured two bear cubs play-fighting in "Let's Dance."

"Let's Dance" by Andy Parkinson. Andy Parkinson/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"Two Kamchatka bear cubs square up for a celebratory play fight having successfully navigated a raging torrent (small stream!)" Parkinson wrote.

The owl in Anita Ross' photo appears to be saying, "Shhh! I'm so hungover it hurts."

Story continues

"Shhh! I'm so hungover it hurts" by Anita Ross. Anita Ross/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"Burrowing owl youngsters are so amusing to watch," Ross wrote. "This burrowing owl caught my eye because he looked like he had a hangover."

Arthur Trevino's photo, taken in Hygiene, Colorado, captures a prairie dog standing up to a bald eagle in "Bald Eagle Gets a Surprise."

"Ninja Prairie Dog!" by Arthur Trevino. Arthur Trevino/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"When this bald eagle missed on its attempt to grab this prairie dog, the prairie dog jumped towards the eagle and startled it long enough to escape to a nearby burrow," Trevino wrote. "A real David vs. Goliath story!"

Axel Bocker came across a jolly dragonfly in "Don't Worry. Be Happy!"

"Don't Worry. Be Happy!" by Axel Bocker. Axel Bocker/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"A dragonfly on a flower looks into my camera early in the morning, and it seems as if it is laughing," Bocker wrote. "If I have a bad day, this image makes me smile back."

In "Foot Jam" by Brook Burling, a raccoon has a tough time fitting into a hole in a tree trunk.

"Foot Jam" by Brook Burling. Brook Burling/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"There is a great big pine tree with a small-to-medium-sized hole in it near my house that a young racoon has called home for the past year," Burling wrote. "Well, this year it appears that the little racoon has outgrown its tiny home, as it barely fits!"

"Directing Penguin" by Carol Taylor shows a penguin appearing to give another penguin directions.

"Directing Penguin" by Carol Taylor. Carol Taylor/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"Two gentoo penguins having a discussion after coming out of the surf," Taylor wrote.

Charlie Page titled this photo of a gosling poking its head out in "Peekaboo."

"Peekaboo" by Charlie Page. Charlie Page/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"I was photographing a group of goslings for a while when one broke away from the pack," Page wrote. "It hid behind the leg of a bench for a few seconds before poking its little head out to say hello."

Chee Kee Teo captured a surprised baby otter being carried around by its mother in "Time For School."

"Time For School" by Chee Kee Teo. Chee Kee Teo/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"A smooth-coated otter 'bit' its baby otter to bring it to and fro for a swimming lesson," Teo wrote.

Cheryl Strahl photographed a polar bear hamming it up in "The Photobombing Wave."

"The Photobombing Wave" by Cheryl Strahl. Cheryl Strahl/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"A polar bear mom and cubs frolicked in the icy waters of the Arctic," Strahl wrote. "They kept dipping under the water, and came up together with this amusing pose. A tender moment is shared by mom and one cub, while the other photobombs with a wave to the onlookers."

A mudskipper appears to have an audience in "See Who Jumps High" by Chu Han Lin.

"See Who Jumps High" by Chu Han Lin. Chu Han Lin/Comedywildlifephoto.com

Lin captured this photo in Taiwan.

Clemence Guinard came across a baboon who looked ready to burst into song and titled the image "The Baboon Who Feels Like A Tenor."

"The Baboon Who Feels Like A Tenor" by Clemence Guinard. Clemence Guinard/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"Resting with its pack, down a road in the Saudi Arabian mountains, this hamadryas baboon started to yawn," Guinard wrote. "But the graceful position of its paws, its fluffy cape, its eyes looking like it put some makeup  in front of the camera, this baboon was on stage, ready to please its public and to start its tenor solo."

David Eppley gave this photo the tongue-in-cheek name "Majestic and Graceful Bald Eagle."

"Majestic and Graceful Bald Eagle" by David Eppley. David Eppley/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"Bald eagles will use the same nest for years, even decades, adding new material to it at the beginning and throughout the nesting season," Eppley wrote. "Normally, they are highly skilled at snapping branches off of trees while in flight. Possibly tired from working nonstop all morning on a new nest, this particular bald eagle wasn't showing its best form. Yes, sometimes they miss. Although this looks painful, and it might very well have been, the eagle recovered with just a few sweeping wing strokes, and chose to rest a bit before making another lumber run."

The pelican in Dawn Wilson's photo appeared to be "Shaking Off 2020."

"Shaking Off 2020" by Dawn Wilson. Dawn Wilson/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"I was photographing brown pelicans on a rainy day in southern Louisiana in early 2021, still in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic," Wilson wrote. "As the pelicans woke up, they would shake the water off their bodies before heading out to fish. This particular one almost seemed to be shrugging his shoulders, as if to say, 'I have no idea what 2021 will be like.'"

The frog in Dikky Oesin's photograph, titled "Yes, I Did It," seems to be celebrating a successful climb.

"Yes, I Did It" by Dikky Oesin. Dikky Oesin/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"A frog climbed a flower from a plant," Oesin wrote. "When he made it to the top, he laughed, celebrating his success."

Dirk-Jan Steehouwer photographed a monkey hitching a ride in "Monkey Riding A Giraffe."

"Monkey Riding A Giraffe" by Dirk-Jan Steehouwer. Dirk-Jan Steehouwer/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"During a game drive, we found a group of monkeys playing around with each other, jumping up and down from a bare branch," Steehouwer wrote. "It was a joy to watch. After a while, I saw a giraffe coming from the right. The moment the giraffe passed the branch, one of the monkeys was on his post to ride the giraffe."

Edwin Smits titled this image of a wild horse "Fluff."

"Fluff" by Edwin Smits. Edwin Smits/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"While trying to take proper pictures with flash, I visited two groups of wild horses for two years," Smits wrote. "Every now and then, they didn't try to eat my flashes or run over the stands and they posed for me."

Gurumoorthy K. called this image of a chameleon "The Green Stylist."

"The Green Stylist" by Gurumoorthy K. Gurumoorthy K/Comedywildlifephoto.com

The photo was taken in India's Western Ghats.

A monkey appears to be kissing a tree trunk in Jakub Hodan's "Treehugger."

"Treehugger" by Jakub Hodan. Jakub Hodan/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"This proboscis monkey could be just scratching its nose on the rough bark, or it could be kissing it," Hodan wrote. "Trees play a big role in the lives of monkeys. Who are we to judge?"

The raccoons in Jan Piecha's "Telephone" appear to have some juicy gossip.

"Telephone" by Jan Piecha. Jan Piecha/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"The little raccoon cubs are telling secrets to each other," Piecha wrote.

Autumn smacked this pigeon right in the face in John Speirs' photo, "I Guess Summer's Over."

"I Guess Summer's Over" by John Speirs. John Speirs/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"I was taking pictures of pigeons in flight when this leaf landed on a bird's face," Speirs wrote.

Joshua Galicki titled this photo of penguins in motion "We're Too Sexy For This Beach."

"We're Too Sexy For This Beach" by Joshua Galicki. Joshua Galicki/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"I was lying on the beach during a stretch of fair weather at Volunteer Point in East Falkland, just waiting to capture a gentoo penguin jumping out of the surf to land on the beach," Galicki wrote. "To my delight, a trio emerged from the water and walked straight in my direction. I really enjoyed photographing this moment as it seems to capture some sassy personality displayed by these individuals."

The monkey in Ken Jensen's photo appears to be exclaiming, "Ouch!"

"Ouch!" by Ken Jensen. Ken Jensen/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"A golden silk monkey in Yunnan, China," Jensen wrote. "This is actually a show of aggression, however, in the position that the monkey is in it looks quite painful!"

Kevin Biskaborn's image features a mother raccoon with her babies squished into a tight space, aptly titled "Quarantine Life."

"Quarantine Life" by Kevin Biskaborn. Kevin Biskaborn/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"Isolated inside with your family eager to get out and explore the world? These eastern raccoon kits are too," Biskaborn wrote. "Just when you think there's no more room in the tree hollow, mother raccoon appears and displays just how compact the space is. The babies clambered all over their mom and each another, struggling to take a look at the exact same time. This photo was taken in Southwestern Ontario, Canada."

Larry Petterborg titled this photo of a vervet monkey "Just Checking."

"Just Checking" by Larry Petterborg. Larry Petterborg/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"A male vervet monkey was hanging around a bridge over the Luangwa River in South Luangwa National Park looking for some action (handouts from passersby)," Petterborg wrote, referring to the park in Zambia.

Lea Scaddan captured a kangaroo with imprecise aim in "Missed."

"Missed" by Lea Scaddan. Lea Scaddan/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"Two western grey kangaroos were fighting and one missed kicking him in the stomach," Scaddan wrote.

Scaddan titled this photo of a melodramatic kangaroo "Operatic Warm Ups."

"Operatic Warm Ups" by Lea Scaddan. Lea Scaddan/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"The kangaroo looked like he was singing 'The hills are alive, with the sound of music' in the field," Scaddan wrote.

A gray seal pup appears to be giggling in "Mr. Giggles" by Martina Novotna.

"Mr. Giggles" by Martina Novotna. Martina Novotna/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"I loved the expression captured," Novotna wrote. "It looks so human-like. I was lying on a rocky beach for hours, as motionlessly as possible, patiently waiting for seal life to unfold around me. This seal pup came onto the shore for a bit of rest and ended up sleeping on its chosen rock for hours before the incoming tide forced it to move more inland. Occasionally, it would stretch and yawn, and it was one of the yawns that led to this expression, looking as if the seal was giggling."

A friendly damselfly appears to wave to the camera in "Welcome to Nature" by Mattias Hammar.

"Welcome to Nature!" by Mattias Hammar. Mattias Hammar/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"A red damselfly welcomes us into the world of macro nature," Hammar wrote. "It was so amazing to see it climb up the straw, and pause at the intersection to say hi!"

"How Do You Get That Damn Window Open?" by Nicolas de Vaulx shows a raccoon midheist.

"How Do You Get That Damn Window Open?" by Nicolas de Vaulx. Nicolas de Vaulx/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"This raccoon spends his time trying to get into houses out of curiosity  and perhaps also to steal food," de Vaulx wrote.

Pal Marchhart played a game of "Peekaboo" with a bear cub.

"Peekaboo" by Pal Marchhart. Pal Marchhart/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"A young bear descending from a tree looks like it is playing hide and seek," Marchhart wrote.

A ruby-crowned kinglet appears to ask photographer Patrick Dirlam, "Did I Say You Could Take My Picture?"

"Did I Say You Could Take My Picture?" by Patrick Dirlam. Patrick Dirlam/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"I followed this ruby-crowned kinglet for about 15 minutes as it hopped from one branch to another in fast succession," Dirlam wrote. "I think it knew I was following it because all of the sudden, it just stopped and stared at me for all of about three seconds!"

Philipp Stahr titled this photo of a puckering boxfish, "Sweet Lips Are for Kissing!"

"Sweet Lips Are For Kissing!" by Philipp Stahr. Philipp StahrComedywildlifephoto.com

"This picture was taken at Curacao, Dutch Caribbean," Stahr wrote. "Usually boxfish are difficult to take pictures of. They do not have a problem with divers coming close, but if you show interest, they always turn their back and not their face towards you. When the right moment came, I turned the camera 90 degrees to the front to just point and shoot, hoping to have the fish in focus. Never expected to have its beautiful lips that close!"

Rick Elieson photographed a bear appearing to dance in "Cotton-Eyed Joe."

"Cotton-Eyed Joe" by Rick Elieson. Rick Elieson/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"Ever seen a grizzly bear square dance?" Elieson wrote. "Just need a jug, some spoons and a banjo. Gets 'em every time."

The gopher in Roland Kranitz's photo, titled "Flautist," looks like a talented instrumentalist.

"Flautist" by Roland Kranitz. Roland Kranitz/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"I spent my days in my usual 'gopher place' and yet again, these funny little animals haven't belied their true nature," Kranitz wrote.

Kranitz also captured a gopher taking a flying leap in "I Got You."

"I Got You" by Roland Kranitz. Roland Kranitz/Comedywildlifephoto.com

Kranitz captured the photos in Hungary.

A langur monkey appears to feel the rhythm in "Dancing Away to Glory" by Sarosh Lodhi.

"Dancing Away to Glory" by Sarosh Lodhi. Sarosh Lodhi/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"A young langur sways its body to give the impression that it's dancing," Lodhi wrote.

Siddhant Agrawal titled this photo "Smoked Deer For Dinner" because it looks as if the tiger is setting up a spit.

"Smoked Deer For Dinner" by Siddhant Agrawal. Siddhant Agrawal/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"I have been following the family of a tigress called Paaro in India's Jim Corbett National Park for many years," Agrawal wrote. "This is her daughter, who stood on her hind limbs to be able to scratch her face with a log. But, it appears as if she is carrying the log on her shoulders."

Wenona Suydam came across a bear that may have watched "Titanic" one too many times in this photo titled "Draw Me Like One Of Your French Bears."

"Draw Me Like One Of Your French Bears" by Wenona Suydam. Wenona Suydam/Comedywildlifephoto.com

"This young kodiak brown bear sauntered down the riverbed and stopped across from me," Suydam wrote. "She proceeded to start making herself a bear bed, pulling back the sand with her gigantic claws. Once she had her bed just how she wanted it, she laid down, rolled over on her back, and started smiling at me! And she didn't stop smiling! I would have to say she was the most provocative bear I had ever seen!"

Read the original article on Insider
By Josh Smith

(Reuters) - A senior board member of Afghanistan's central bank is urging the U.S. Treasury and the International Monetary Fund to take steps to provide the Taliban-led government limited access to the country's reserves or risk economic disaster.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan with astonishing speed, but it appears unlikely that the militants will get quick access to most of the roughly $10 billion in assets held by Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), which are mostly outside of the country.

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has said any central bank assets the Afghan government have in the United States will not be made available to the Taliban, and the IMF has said the country will not have access to the lender's resources.

Shah Mehrabi, an economics professor at Montgomery College in Maryland and a member of the bank's board since 2002, told Reuters in a telephone interview on Wednesday that Afghanistan faces an "inevitable economic and humanitarian crisis" if its international reserves remain frozen.

Mehrabi stressed he doesn't speak for the Taliban but is making this push in his capacity as a sitting board member. He said he plans to meet with U.S. lawmakers this week, and hopes to talk with U.S. Treasury officials soon as well.

"If the international community wants to prevent an economic collapse, one way would be to allow Afghanistan to gain limited and monitored access to its reserves," he said.

"Having no access will choke off the Afghan economy, and directly hurt the Afghan people, with families pushed further into poverty."

Mehrabi is proposing that the United States allow the new government in Kabul a limited amount of access each month, perhaps in the range of $100 million-$125 million to start with, that would be monitored by an independent auditor.

"The Biden administration should negotiate with the Taliban over the money in the same way they negotiated over the evacuation," he said.

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If the assets remain entirely frozen, then inflation will continue to soar, Afghans will not be able to afford basic necessities, and the central bank will lose its main tools for conducting monetary policy, he said.

The Taliban can survive through customs duties, increasing opium production, or selling off captured American military gear, but every day Afghans will suffer and be solely reliant on international aid if the country doesnt have access to currency, Mehrabi added.

After nearly 20 years of American intervention, the Afghan economy is heavily dollarized, and depends on imports that largely must be purchased with foreign currency, he said.

With overseas reserves off-limits, Da Afghanistan Bank may be undermined after having cultivated a non-political, technocratic institution that so far has been allowed to continue its work under the Taliban, Mehrabi said.

"Their work there is not based on who is in power," he said, noting that he has not been personally in touch with Taliban representatives, but is in daily contact with colleagues running operations there now.

Ajmal Ahmady, who led the central bank until the capture of Kabul, has said about $7 billion of DAB's assets was held as a mixture of cash, gold, bonds and other investments at the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Most of the rest is in other international accounts and at the Bank for International Settlements, a bank for central banks based in Switzerland, and not physically in DAB vaults, he said - leaving about 0.2% or less of the total accessible to the Taliban.

(Reporting by Josh Smith in Seoul; Editing by Kim Coghill)
Several hiking trails and recreational sites near where the bodies of a California family were found were closed in the Sierra National Forest this week due to "unknown hazards."

The U.S Forest Service's order that went into effect on Sunday came one day before the agency announced all national forests in California would be closed through Sept. 17 due to the spread of wildfires in the state. However, the closures alongside the Merced River near where the family was found are in effect through Sept. 26.

Officials said the decision was "due to unknown hazards found in and near the Savage Lundy Trail," the same one where John Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju and family dog were found dead near on Aug. 17.

There has yet to be a cause of death determined after autopsies yielded no conclusive evidence, and toxicology results are still pending.

Leak Pen, assistant recreation officer at the Bass Lake Ranger District, which oversees that portion of the Sierra National Forest, told the Associated Press said one water test has come back positive for harmful algae bloom. Other tests were negative or are still pending results.

We are uncertain of the causes of death. We still havent gotten the results from the case, Pen said. So, as a precaution, lets go ahead and close it because we know theres some form of hazard to the public.

A Mariposa County deputy sheriff stands watch over a remote area northeast of the town of Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, near the area where a family and their dog were reportedly found dead the day before.

Can toxic algae kill humans?: California health officials are warning of these poisonous blooms

Autopsy report: California family found dead in national forest wasn't shot or beaten

Investigators have ruled out chemical hazards along the trail, and samples of water from the river, as well as water the family had, were taken for testing. Authorities also said witnesses said they saw the family traveling to the trail in their car in the morning of Aug. 15.

We know the family and friends of John and Ellen are desperate for answers. Our team of detectives is working round the clock. Cases like this require us to be methodical and thorough while also reaching out to every resource we can find to help us bring those answers to them as quickly as we can," Mariposa Sheriff Jeremy Briese said in a statement.

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When the family's bodies were first found, investigators treated the scene as a "hazmat situation" since toxic algae blooms have been known to be in the area.

Dr. Erika Holland, assistant professor of biological sciences at California State University of Long Beach, told USA TODAY toxic algae can be fatal if a person ingests water from a bloom that contains certain toxins and "can cause death within a couple hours."

Pen added the deaths are still mysterious.

Because of the heat theres a chance they may have drank the water or tried to treat the water, but we dont know, he said. Were all just waiting for the results.

The U.S. Forest Service in July reported toxic algae was found earlier in the summer in an area roughly three miles north of where the family was found. The area is still listed with a "caution" advisory level, according to a State Water Board map, and officials have posted warning signs about the blooms in the area.

Contributing: Associated Press

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Area California family found dead in Sierra National Forest closed
PARIS  Luxury titan Bernard Arnault is exiting Lagardere Capital, the personal holding company of Arnaud Lagardere.

Financiere Agache, the holding company of the LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton chairman, said in a statement Wednesday that it is selling its entire stake in Lagardere Capital in exchange for Lagardere SA shares.

More from WWD

Financiere Agaches stake in Lagardere Capital stands at 27 percent. Once the operation is finalized, at the latest by early October, Financiere Agache will own about 3.9 million shares, or about 9.97 percent of Lagardere SA.

Lagardere SA is the parent company of publishing companies grouped under the Hachette Livre division; a travel retail division, and media interests including Europe 1 radio, Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper and Paris Match magazine.

The news on Wednesday comes one day after Financiere Agache said it would sell its remaining stake in the Carrefour Group.

Last year, Arnaud Lagardere had been battling efforts by activist investor Amber Capital and Vivendi, the media group controlled by Vincent Bollore, to gain board representation. In a bid to reinforce his position, Lagardere enlisted Arnault to buy shares in Lagardere, which he did in May 2020.

That strategy appeared to backfire, as Arnault and Bollore squared off, with Bollore reportedly interested in acquiring control of Hachette Liver and Europe 1, and Arnault seen circling Le Journal du Dimanche and Paris Match. LVMH already owns newspapers Les Echos and Le Parisien.

Lagardere in 2019 sold most of its press portfolio to Czech Media Invest, including French Elle, Version Femina, Art & Decoration, Tele 7 Jours, France Dimanche, Ici Paris and Public.

This April, the Lagardere group said it had reached an agreement with shareholders to give up the governance system that had long granted chief executive officer Arnaud Lagardere full control of the company.

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Lagardere agreed to dissolve the structure, known as a societe en commandite par actions, and replace it with a joint-stock company. In exchange, he received 10 million new shares, equivalent to 7 percent of the groups capital after their issuance, and was named chairman and CEO for a six-year term.

The deal, under which the main shareholders were given representation on the board, was expected to stave off the prospect of the Lagarderes dismantling.

For more, see:

French Billionaires Strike Deal Over New Lagardere Structure

Arnault Again Raises Lagardere Stake Ahead of Court Decision

Groupe Arnault Takes Stake in Lagardere
Beverly Hills Police Chief Dominick Rivetti at City Hall in 2021. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

A Black couple have sued the city of Beverly Hills, alleging their arrest was part of a campaign by its police to arrest Black people for trivial reasons and at disproportionate rates.

The couples lawyers, Bradley Gage and Benjamin Crump, said the Beverly Hills police last year set up a task force  dubbed Operation Safe Streets and the Rodeo Drive Task Force  that arrested 106 people, 105 of whom were Black and one of whom was Latino. Gage said the sources of the arrest figures were unidentified retired Beverly Hills police officers who were appalled by the task forces actions and so shared with him the alleged racial breakdown of who had been arrested.

The impetus for the task force, Gage said, was both the protests over the death of George Floyd and what Beverly Hills police believed were transactions at retail stores using suspected proceeds of unemployment benefit fraud. Gage described the Police Departments approach to rooting out suspected fraud as, Gee, thats suspicious  Black people shopping in Beverly Hills.

Gage and Crump, who has represented the families of Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others killed by police, raised their allegations Wednesday on the steps of Beverly Hills City Hall. There is something terribly wrong here, Gage said, citing what he called the citys legacy of biased policing.

Gage and Crump are seeking class-action status for their lawsuit, which was filed Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The only named plaintiffs are the couple, who were arrested on suspicion of riding scooters on a sidewalk and resisting arrest; it does not appear that Gage or Crump has identified the 104 other people who they contend were arrested.

In a statement, Police Chief Dominick Rivetti said his department created a Rodeo Drive Team in response to complaints by businesses and a rise in burglaries, shoplifting, street gambling, public intoxication, marijuana smoking and more. The team seized 13 firearms carried by people on Rodeo Drive, said Rivetti, who called this unprecedented in the history of Beverly Hills.

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Rivetti said the Rodeo Drive unit rooted out fraudulently obtained state unemployment benefits, seizing $250,000 in cash and ill-gotten debit cards. Most of the people arrested by the unit were not California residents, Rivetti said, but they nonetheless possessed debit cards loaded with state funds.

The Times asked the Beverly Hills police for a total number and breakdown by race of the people arrested by the Rodeo Drive unit. Capt. Max Subin, a department spokesman, said officials were gathering the figures Wednesday and would provide them once they had finished.

Gage and Crump on Wednesday highlighted the experience of the Black couple, Khalil White and Jasmine Williams of Philadelphia, who said they were visiting Beverly Hills on vacation in September when they were stopped, arrested and eventually jailed by police.

As five officers handcuffed White, Williams said, she asked an officer for her purse to retrieve their hotel key. Two officers pushed her to a police car, handcuffed her and took her to jail, she said.

I was scared, Williams said. Ive never been to jail in my life.

White, who said he was jailed overnight and forced to post a $25,000 bond, was charged in Los Angeles County Superior Court with resisting arrest and falsely identifying himself to police. Williams was charged with falsely identifying herself to police. The charges were dismissed in February, records show.

Crump and Gage alleged that White and Williams arrests were part of a campaign to target Black people in the city through its recently formed task force.

The Beverly Hills police had made up their mind that this Black man was going to jail because this is Operation Safe Streets, Crump said.

In his statement, Rivetti said police had warned White and Williams earlier the day of their arrest that it was illegal to ride a scooter on the sidewalk, without taking action against the couple. In their second encounter with police, White and Williams provided officers with false information, Rivetti said.

Our departments practice is to contact and question individuals when we believe they may be involved in criminal activity or another violation of the law, he said.

Beverly Hills officials faced criticism last summer for insisting on charging protesters with misdemeanor curfew violations; by comparison, prosecutors for the city and county of Los Angeles declined to charge similarly minor violations of curfews and dispersal orders.

In a summary of the Beverly Hills protests, a police sergeant wrote that for residents who survived the Holocaust and Iranian revolution, the demonstrations over Floyds death were not merely an intrusion of their peace but a terrifying reminder of their past.

The department's previous chief, Sandra Spagnoli, retired in 2020, beset by allegations that she made racist comments and had sex with subordinates who were later promoted. Spagnoli denied the claims, which she said were raised by disgruntled employees, but the city paid out millions of dollars to settle many of the lawsuits. Gage, who represented several officers who sued Spagnoli, estimated at the time that the city paid about $8 million in settlements, attorney fees and other costs.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Texas Governor Abbott Convenes Special Session Of State Legislature

The Texas State Capitol is seen on the first day of the 87th Legislature's special session on July 8, 2021 in Austin, Texas. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott called the legislature into a special session, asking lawmakers to prioritize his agenda items that include overhauling the state's voting laws, bail reform, border security, social media censorship, and critical race theory. Credit - Tamir Kalifa-Getty Images

Republican legislators nationwide are waging a fierce battle to prevent educators from teaching critical race theoryand theyre being helped by conservative Christian leaders willing to intentionally misrepresent their faith for political gain.

Take the Conservative Baptist Network, a major partnership of Southern Baptists across states, which called CRT anti-gospel and divisive and incompatible with efforts to oppose racism. Meanwhile, the far-right religious Center for Renewing America claims CRT seeks to eliminate the idea that all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And in a new book, theologian Dr. Voddie Baucham argues that CRT falsely creates its own version of Original Sinracismand gives no hope for forgiveness. Their theology proclaims antiracist education a greater evil than racism itself.

As ministers and leaders of a proudly progressive religious institution, we are dismayed by how people of faith are warping scripture to condemn CRT. CRT, a framework used in some legal scholarship and rarely actually taught at the grade-school level, has become a shorthand for any curriculum that attempts to grapple with the effects of racism on American history and society. The theory is not designed to create racial division, force us to treat any group better than another, or make white children hate themselves.

At its core, CRTand, more generally, the inclusive education that its opponents dub CRTsimply calls upon us to acknowledge the realities and horrors of slavery and its lingering impacts on our nation. It demands that we look at ourselves, and our country, honestly and try to learn from past wrongs. This doesnt just uphold Gods calls for truth; it is also a core message of our most sacred textthe Bible.

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Slavery is at the heart of a crucial biblical tale: the story of Moses. The book of Exodus opens by describing a new Egyptian pharaoh who has forced the Israelites into slavery. To prevent them from becoming too powerful, he orders every newborn male to be drowned in the river. But Moses survives, and is later called on by God to free the Hebrews. Eventually, God sends ten plagues to punish pharaoh and Moses leads his once enslaved people to freedom.

Would we say that this story undermines equality because it exposes the plight of a particular group of people? Of course not. But thats exactly what anti-CRT activists are doing.

Theres another under-appreciated connection between the Old Testament and CRT: Both focus on the experiences and perspectives of those who were oppressed, not of the ones who did the oppressing. The story of Moses centers the story of the enslaved, not the enslavers; CRT studies the impact of systemic racism, not those who put those systems into place.

Now, imagine the story of Moses was removed from the Bible to avoid studying a painful past. It sounds ridiculous, almost inconceivable. But centuries ago, thats precisely what happened.

Back in the 1800s, British missionaries made special bibles to convert and educate enslaved people. These bibleswhich excluded the vast majority of a traditional biblepurposely excised any passages that could encourage enslaved people to seek freedom, including the story of Moses. These bibles, instead, offered sections that could be interpreted to support slavery. For example, they incorporated a passage from Ephesians that read, Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ.

Make no mistake: all people are equal under God. But CRT does nothing to undermine that fundamental truth. It simply acknowledges the facts: systemic racism is a pervasive part of our nations history, one that is worthy of serious study and tangible steps to address.

And yet, conservative policymakers are committed to preventing that reality from ever entering the classroom. And theyre not just barring CRT specificallytheyre banning broad teachings about systemic discrimination. Lawmakers in at least eight states have passed legislation that prevents teachers from educating students about the countrys legacy of racism and discussing topics like unconscious bias. For example, Tennessees recently passed law prevents educators from teaching that an individual, by virtue of the individuals race or sex, is inherently privileged, racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously. Iowas law prohibits educators from teaching that the state or country is fundamentally or systemically racist. About 20 additional states have proposed similar legislation or are preparing to.

From an educational standpoint, it is deeply disturbing that teachers would be barred from sharing such critical subject material with the future generation of leaders. An educators job is to expose students to diverse viewpoints, not create a false, one-track narrative.

As Christians, anti-CRT legislation is entirely incompatible with our core religious beliefs. Our religion compels us to confront our worlds history of slavery. It demands we acknowledge the horrors of our past, so we might repent and chart a path for a better tomorrow.
A Justice Department attorney argued Tuesday for American immigration officials authority to limit the number of asylum-seekers allowed to cross into the U.S. from Mexico each day, even as President Joe Bidens administration is attempting to distance itself from the Trump administrations policy imposing caps on asylum applicants at border ports of entry.

During a hearing before a federal judge in San Diego, immigrant rights advocates squared off with a federal government attorney sent to advance the somewhat dissonant argument renouncing the prior administrations approach while preserving the current ones legal right to reinstate it.

Alexander Halaska of Justices Office of Immigration Litigation told U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia Bashant that the present administration is reassessing the policies that officials often refer to as metering, but which critics call a turnback of asylum-seekers.

The queue management policies at issue are under review, Halaska said, adding that revised guidelines are expected within 60 days.

Halaska insisted that the policies were designed to prevent operational emergencies that overwhelm border facilities, creating dangers and unsanitary conditions for both immigrants and border officials. The metering policies are geared towards preventing those emergencies before they occur, he said.

However, an attorney for the immigrant rights group Al Otro Lado said evidence obtained since the suit was filed in 2017 showed that the policy was not linked to exigencies and applied even when facilities had ample space.

As a factual matter, there are no operational emergencies in the record before you, said Stephen Medlock of law firm Mayer Brown.

Medlock also said the Biden administrations statement of its intentions shouldnt affect the course of the litigation.

I dont think the governments commitment to withdraw those memos should have any effect in this case [intended] to keep the government from ever doing this again, the lawyer said.

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Medlock said the central problem with the policy is that it amounts to the executive branch imposing limits on asylum rights that Congress never restricted in that way.

Defendants acted in excess of those statutorily delegated powers by creating false discretion to turn away asylum applicants, the lawyer said. They create discretion for CBP officers where none existed.  There is no wiggle room for them.

Once an asylum seeker is in the process of arriving in the United States, they must be inspected and processed, Medlock added. An executive branch agency is not allowed to amend a statute simply because it isnt working out for them.

Another attorney for the immigrants, Baher Azmy of the Center for Constitutional Rights, emphasized that the legal obligation not to turn back asylum-seekers with meritorious claims is rooted in U.S. shame over a ship, the St. Louis, that was filled with about 900 Jewish refugees from Germany that was refused permission to dock in Cuba, the United States and Canada in 1939. The boat returned to Europe. where more than 200 passengers were eventually killed in the Holocaust.

That is what the norm is designed to prevent and what the government is systematically violating here, Azmy said. Its one of the most important norms in international law.

However, the judge said the issue of precisely when and where asylum rights attach remains murky in much of the world, especially as many countries confront migration crises at their borders.

Part of the problem I have is this isnt the only country thats been struggling with the issue of pushback, and Im just not sure that its gotten to the level of all the international community agreeing that is an international norm. I struggle with that, Bashant said.

Azmy said the norm has been accepted by over 240 countries, but the judge said it was not clear that all countries grant asylum at their borders or avoid steps to drive asylum-seekers away from checkpoints.

Bashant appeared to agree with the immigrant rights lawyers that the prior use of numerical caps  some early versions of which date to the final months of the Obama administration  contravene the statutes Congress has written that dont impose such limits.

Dont you have to go to Congress and say, Change this statute. We cant comply with it? Bashant asked Halaska.

The government hasnt abandoned its statutory obligations, the DOJ attorney said, noting that immigration officials processed more asylum seekers each year from 2017 to 2019.

But Bashant, an appointee of President Barack Obama, said that didnt reveal much. Thats an abstract number. You dont know how many sought asylum and didnt have access, she said.

The judge issued no ruling Tuesday, but said she would try to do so as soon as possible.

For the moment, the legal debate is largely academic. The Biden administration, much like the Trump administration, is relying on a quarantine-related health authority known as Title 42 to squeeze the flow of asylum-seekers through official border checkpoints to a trickle.

When and if the coronavirus pandemic abates or the Biden administration abandons the health-related embargo, the question of its other authorities to limit the number of asylum seekers will again become more urgent.


Ten days away from the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States, President Joe Biden faces new questions about how he will fight terrorism after a speedy exit from Afghanistan  just in time for what critics have deemed a photo op.

In remarks on Tuesday, Biden said counterterrorism missions to protect the homeland will continue, as well as hunting down Islamic State terrorists and promoting human rights.

But major military operations to remake other countries are out, Biden said. He insisted that leaving Afghanistan by the end of August was not due to an arbitrary deadline but was designed to save American lives. The 20-year war was initiated in response to the 9/11 attacks.

WITHDRAWAL MEANS WASHINGTON MUST FIND NEW WAYS TO MONITOR TERROR THREAT FROM AFGHANISTAN: EXPERTS

Still, the administrations counterterrorism capabilities are under scrutiny amid reports a retaliatory drone strike targeting Islamic State militants killed 10 civilians, including seven children and some people attempting to evacuate to the U.S.

Officials said about 100 to 200 Americans who wanted to leave Afghanistan remain there.

Florida Rep. Brian Mast, a decorated Army veteran of the Afghanistan War, said Bidens rush to meet a symbolic date calls into question the presidents ability to combat future threats.

President Bidens goal has always been a celebration on the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11. It was always about optics, never about meeting the strategic objectives of ensuring the well-being of our troops and allies or of a safer America, Mast, a Republican and bomb disposal expert who lost both legs to a roadside bomb, told the Washington Examiner. As long as the photo op remains his top priority, our nation is going to face serious and persistent terrorist threats without a commander in chief who is able to counter them.

Bidens shift to vigilance via airstrike is rooted in dated security notions, according to counterterrorism expert Jason Killmeyer. Relying on long-range missions is 1990s thinking, and its not sustainable in the long term, he said.

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Killmeyer questioned how Biden could provide assurances that Americans can trust the new riskier calculus of over-the-horizon strikes, given the failure last week to prevent a terrorist attack at the Kabul international airport.

Despite concerns from commanders in Kabul last week who warned of an imminent threat and pushed to close the airports Abbey Gate, the move to do so was delayed to aid British allies, according to a Politico report. At 6 p.m., hours before the planned closure, an ISIS-K suicide attack killed 13 service members and scores of Afghans.

The withdrawal has come under attack from all sides, with Democrats and Bidens political opponents seizing on the chaotic exit.

Biden abandoned Americans in Afghanistan, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement, calling on the president to resign.

For months, Biden and his administration promised the withdrawal from Afghanistan wouldnt be chaotic. They were wrong, McDaniel said, charging that the president is incapable of leading as commander in chief. The U.S. and the world are less safe because of him. Joe Biden must resign.

Killmeyer said Bidens attempts to suggest he carried out the grim duty of finally ending the war while presenting himself as the burdened executive do not meet the shock of the evacuation and associated bloodletting of the past several weeks.

On Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the transition of a military mission to a diplomatic mission, another symbolic advent that has drawn criticism.

This anniversary was an important element in framing [the withdrawal] towards Bidens diplomacy-first worldview, Killmeyer said. Events have not been kind to his interpretation.

The symbolic connection was made by a senior administration official earlier this year as Biden cemented his announcement.

Biden has reached the conclusion that the United States will complete its drawdown and will remove its forces from Afghanistan before Sept. 11, this official told reporters in early April.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The new Taliban leaders in Afghanistan applauded the completion of the mission.

As the final U.S. flight left Kabul airport one minute before midnight local time on Aug. 30, the departure was met by celebratory gunfire.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, White House, Biden Administration, National Security, Joe Biden, Afghanistan, War in Afghanistan, Taliban, Terrorism

Original Author: Katherine Doyle

Original Location: Biden faces questions about what's next in terror fight after botched Afghanistan exit
President Joe Biden will survey storm damage wreaked on Louisiana by Category 4 Hurricane Ida this Friday.

Louisiana lawmakers, including Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, welcomed the presidential visit, which was postponed until Biden would not divert resources from the clean-up effort.

LOUISIANA MAN MISSING FOLLOWING ATTACK FROM ALLIGATOR SWIMMING IN HURRICANE IDA FLOODWATERS

"We thank the federal partners who are already here helping with the recovery, and we will ask the president once again that supplemental aid be delivered to southwest Louisiana and expedited for southeast Louisiana," Cassidy said.

In a statement, Cassidy also issued a word of caution without invoking Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

"We know from bitter experience with Hurricane Laura that aid can be delayed too long," he said of last year's storm.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, and American Red Cross CEO Gail McGovern flew to Louisiana earlier this week, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

"There are more than 25,000 linemen from 32 states and D.C. in the region racing to restore power. And FEMA has staged nearly 250 generators in the region to support impacted areas," Psaki told reporters Tuesday.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Almost 1 million people in Louisiana are still without power, days after Ida reached landfall at 150 mph. Seven people's deaths have been linked to the storm.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Biden, Biden Administration, White House, Joe Biden, Hurricane, Louisiana, Bill Cassidy

Original Author: Naomi Lim

Original Location: Biden to visit Ida-ravaged Louisiana Friday
Brad Pitt is asking Californias top court to review a recent ruling that disqualified the private judge handling his child custody war with Angelina Jolie and undid his tentative 50-50 custody win.

In a filing Tuesday, Pitt and his lawyers said the 2nd District Court of Appeal issued a dangerous ruling last month when it disqualified Judge John Ouderkirk and effectively invalidated his work on the couples case over an administrative error.

We are seeking review in the California Supreme Court because the temporary judge, who had been appointed and repeatedly renewed by both sides, was improperly disqualified after providing a detailed, fact-based custodial decision, following a lengthy legal process with multiple witnesses and experts, Pitts lawyer Theodore J. Boutrous Jr. said in a statement to the Daily News.

After more than four years of contentious litigation, every day of which has harmed the children and their father, an important and considered custody decision will be entirely undone as a result of an administrative error that is wholly unrelated to the merits of the custody dispute itself, the petition obtained by The News states.

The petition argues Ouderkirk was disqualified because the administrative error delayed disclosures regarding his professional history with Pitts lawyers.

Pitt claims Ouderkirk already disclosed such information at the inception of the case and on multiple occasions thereafter over three and a half years.

The surprise decision last month followed two months after Pitt won a tentative ruling from Ouderkirk granting him the 50-50 physical and legal custody of the couples five minor children that he sought against Jolies wishes.
(Reuters) - Britain is in direct talks with the Taliban over securing safe passage out of Afghanistan for UK nationals and Afghans who have worked for Britain, a government spokesperson said late on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass, travelled to Doha, Qatar, to meet with Taliban representatives, the spokesperson said in a statement.

"(Gass) is meeting with senior Taliban representatives to underline the importance of safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals, and those Afghans who have worked with us over the past twenty years," the statement said.

Watch: UK ambassador to Afghanistan returns home

The United States completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan on Monday, ending 20 years of war that culminated in the militant Taliban's return to power.

Britain's mission came to an end on Saturday, when its last military flight left Kabul after evacuating more than 15,000 people in the two weeks since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

(Reporting by Juby Babu and Aishwarya Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Richard Pullin)
By Nia Williams

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Canadians are demanding decisive action from leaders to tackle climate change after a summer of extreme weather intensified environmental concerns, making it the No. 1 issue in September's snap election, polling data shows.

For many Canadians, 2021 is the year the climate crisis hit home. A "heat dome" scorched Canada's westernmost province of British Columbia in June, smashing national temperature records, contributing to more than 500 deaths and heralding the start of the province's third-worst wildfire season.

Across the Prairies, a drought has shriveled crops, while spring sea ice in northern Labrador hit its lowest level in 50 years.

Data from polling firm Angus Reid shows climate change is the top election issue for Canadian voters, as it was in 2019, and concerns have intensified over the course of the summer, overtaking worries about the pandemic and healthcare. A poll last Friday found 18% of voters put climate and the environment as their No. 1 issue in the Sept. 20 vote.

That focus would primarily cost the main opposition Conservative Party, which has the least ambitious climate policies among the major parties, analysts said.

But it could also siphon support away from the ruling Liberals led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with whom the Conservatives are running neck and neck in the polls.

While the Liberal Party has tried to paint itself as the party of climate action, in contrast to the Conservatives, led by Erin O'Toole, it has failed to rein in Canada's carbon emissions, with greenhouse gas emissions rising 1% between 2015 and 2019, government data shows.

Some voters are threatening to abandon parties that are not aggressive enough on climate policy, which could emerge as the swing factor in a tight race.

"Climate anxiety has really set in. ... I can no longer vote strategically as I have done in the past," said Helen Zhou, 23, an investment firm associate in Toronto. In previous elections, Zhou voted tactically for the Liberals, to keep the Conservatives out, but is now planning to support the left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) or Green Party.

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Those two smaller parties have tougher climate measures than the Conservatives or Liberals, but recent infighting among the Greens may deter voters.

'ALL TOO REAL'

At least half of voters intending to support the Liberals or NDP say climate is their main concern, Angus Reid polling showed, putting pressure on O'Toole to communicate his climate policy.

"Climate was a serious issue in the previous election that prevented the Conservatives from winning more moderate voters, and it could be a liability in this election again," said Lori Williams, a political science professor at Calgary's Mount Royal University.

At a March convention, most Conservative Party delegates voted against officially recognizing climate change as a real threat.

"For many Canadians, this is the summer the effects of climate change became all too real," said Robin Edger, director of climate change at the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). "There's a much greater sense that climate change is not just a future problem, it's a now problem."

The IBC says whichever party wins the election will need to plan for the worsening effects of extreme weather. Canada is the world's second-largest country by area and the 10th-biggest carbon emitter globally.

The Liberals straddle an uneasy divide on climate and risk losing support as they try to tackle emissions while safeguarding Canada's high-polluting energy sector, which contributes 10% to national gross domestic product.

Trudeau has implemented a more aggressive carbon tax, pledged to cut national carbon emissions by 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2030 and promised to cap oil- and gas-sector emissions.

But the Liberals also bought the Trans Mountain oil pipeline in 2018, which could undermine Trudeau's efforts to secure a majority in environment-focused provinces like British Columbia and Quebec, said Anthony Sayers, a political science professor at the University of Calgary.

The extreme weather and a damning U.N. report last month cemented Canadians' understanding that climate change is a human-caused issue and requires drastic action to prevent further warming, said Angela Carter, environmental policy professor at the University of Waterloo.

"We will look back on this infernal summer as one of the colder summers of our lifetime. That is finally landing with people suffering in apartments that don't have air-conditioning, and with farmers watching crops wither," Carter said.

(Reporting by Nia Williams; Editing by Denny Thomas and and Peter Cooney)
Fox News host Pete Hegseth. James Devaney/GC Images via Getty Images

Fox News host Pete Hegseth has been a frequent critic of cancel culture.

Yet on Wednesday, he said he supports a Florida business denying Biden voters from entering.

The Florida diner posted the ban in reaction to Biden's Afghanistan withdrawal.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Pete Hegseth, a co-host of the weekend edition of "Fox & Friends" who portrays himself as a recurring adversary against cancel culture, on Wednesday endorsed a business turning away customers based on who they voted for.

Appearing on the panel of "Outnumbered," Hegseth reacted to the DeBary Diner's lengthy notice telling Biden voters that they are unwelcome in the Sunshine State establishment.

"If you voted for and continue to support and stand behind the worthless, inept and corrupt administration currently inhabiting the White House that is complicit in the death of our servicemen and women in Afghanistan, please take your business elsewhere," the notice reads.

Although Hegseth has previously railed against similar moves from businesses and other entities, he remarked upon how significant the disclaimer could be in an off-election cycle.

"Yeah it's a free country, for now," Hegseth said of the business owner's decision. "And she's expressing a sentiment and speaking for a lot of people ... And the ballot box feels so far away, and even then, there are a lot of questions about election integrity for a lot of people, and so there's a lot of dismay, and they don't know where to turn.

"And ultimately a statement like that is a guttural scream that 'I love my country, I love the troops who defend it, and I don't respect those who don't, and don't stand by that,'" he continued. "So customers can make a choice, and I actually think this will lead to a lot more business for her than those who turn away."

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However, Hegseth made the exact opposite argument in 2018.

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"What does it say about the left that they stand in solidarity with a business that kicks out a paying customer just because of their political position?" Hegseth asked in response to a restaurant turning away then-White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Fox News host Martha MacCallum, who was also filling in on the panel, briefly raised a counterpoint harkening back to the Trump era.

"I did not like it when the Trump administration employees were chased out of restaurants or berated while they were eating," MacCallum said.

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Hegseth grew in prominence over the course of the Trump administration for advocating for pardoning troops accused of war crimes.

A Princeton University graduate, he's also pushed for more privatization within the Department of Defense. Trump officials considered him for the role of Secretary of Veterans' Affairs since he's served tours in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as well as in Afghanistan and the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Samarra.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Sep. 1Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly's first proposed budget is getting mixed reviews from the public, as vocal constituents support general pay increases but fracture over an increased police budget.

In Kelly's $302 million proposed budget, the new mayor emphasizes increasing city wages, using over $30 million in increased projected property tax revenues to fund pay increases across the board, with significant boosts for the city's public works, fire and police departments.

"I think the overarching thing here is government shouldn't be the caboose on the train of the labor market, right? I mean, we need good people, and you have to compete with the private market to get them," Kelly told the Times Free Press ahead of an August budget presentation. "So that's what this does. This was kind of handed to us, it was one of the things we inherited that we had to fix, but this should fix it."

Kelly's compensation plan includes:

 Increasing the general pay plan for city employees by $10 million, including a new minimum wage of $15 per hour for city employees; pay increases ranging from 5-48%, averaging 18% per employee, with a minimum of 5% (except for those in or above the top 50th percentile, who will receive a 3% increase) and a previously announced 42% increase in starting pay for garbage, recycling and brush pickup drivers.

 $10 million toward fire department pay, bringing the base pay of a fire cadet up 24%, from $32,524 to $40,330.

 $10 million toward police, bringing the base pay of a police cadet up 24%, from $35,141 to $43,575.

For several weeks, city employees ranging from first responders to office workers have flooded council meetings to celebrate the proposed pay increases.

Chattanooga Police Sgt. Andrew Peker told the city council on Tuesday, during the first of two public input sessions on the budget, that turnover in the department was at an all-time high and he believed that low wages were the sole cause.

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"Without fail, it's been money. I haven't one time heard that someone was looking to leave because they didn't love Chattanooga and they prefer to live somewhere else. It comes down to the money," Peker said. "These officers can go an hour or two in any direction and make a fair wage, and I don't know how to counter that."

But the new police budget causes concern for those who have called for a reduction or complete revocation of funds for the Chattanooga Police Department for more than a year, since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis spurred police brutality protests across the nation, including in Chattanooga.

Last summer the groups  the Chattanooga Democratic Socialists of America, Concerned Citizens for Justice and I Can't Breathe Chattanooga (which has since dissolved)  led protests, made demands to local elected officials and drafted proposed budget amendments to address policing in the city.

This year, while 25 unfilled positions were cut from the police department, the department's overall budget increased to just shy of $72 million, up by about 4%.

"Many demands were made last summer as a byproduct of protests from native Chattanoogans  Black, white, Latinx, young, old, middle-aged, it does not matter," former protest and I Can't Breathe Chattanooga leader Marie Mott said Tuesday. "We came together as a people because we wanted to see a change in the amount of money that has been allocated overwhelmingly to our police department to be reinvested back into our community."

While the protests are long over, the socialists and the concerned citizens released a joint statement Monday, criticizing the new administration's efforts to address policing through higher pay for police and the creation of a co-response team of 10 social workers to assist the police on certain calls.

"All too often, the city dips their toes in the water of progress and declares themselves washed of all sin when in reality they were desperately urged by the people of Chattanooga for meaningful change," the statement said. "After decades of half-hearted gestures like this and other piecemeal reforms, we have a hard time not seeing proposals such as this as anything more than empty promises meant to keep people satisfied and quiet enough to hold off on another massive uprising until after the next election cycle."

While the groups support alternative response measures, the activists fear that co-response is more for the police than the community.

"If the sole purpose of the crisis response team is to make police more efficient, we do not want them," the statement said. "We want a cure for white supremacy and police violence. We want true alternatives to policing, not another appendix to it."

Joda Thongnopnua, the chief policy officer for the mayor's office, told the Times Free Press on Monday that the co-response will be a measured first step in Kelly's plan to reimagine policing and that the administration hopes to lean on community input in establishing the team.

"We have budgeted for what is a pretty big step in reimagining what public safety looks like in Chattanooga," Thongnopnua said of the nearly $1 million investment in the response team. "From a programmatic standpoint, we're going to be engaging the community to fine-tune exactly what this looks like to make sure that it's tailored for Chattanooga."

Still, Thongnopnua believes the changes included in the proposed 2022 budget will create an impact.

"We have to make sure that this program is going to work for Chattanoogans, and that means making sure that we get it right the first time as opposed to trying to do too much all at once," Thongnopnua added. "That isn't to say that we are being overly cautious, because again we've invested $1 million, and we pulled 25 positions that were budgeted in the police department's budget to make this happen."

The council will vote on the budget at its Sept. 7 and 14 meetings.

Contact Sarah Grace Taylor at 423-757-6416 or staylor@timesfreepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @_SarahGTaylor.
(Bloomberg) -- China plans to tighten oversight of e-commerce companies like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Pinduoduo Inc., including by holding them accountable for intellectual property violations.

E-commerce platforms will be restricted from online business operations or even have their licenses revoked if they fail to deal with serious violations of IP rights by vendors on their platforms, according to a draft revision of the countrys e-commerce law posted by the State Administration for Market Regulation. The market watchdog is seeking opinions on the draft revision until Oct. 14.

Chinese companies have long struggled with allegations that they allowed pirated or counterfeit goods to be trafficked through their websites. In 2019, the U.S. government added PDD to its Notorious Markets list for hosting pirated good, joining Alibaba and other Chinese firms under that label.

PDD and Alibabas Taobao were also on the 2020 list, released in January.

Merchants found Pinduoduos takedown system to be sometimes unresponsive and slow to remove the identified goods, the U.S. Trade Representatives office said in its report.

Alibaba shares fell as much as 2.3% in Hong Kong trading on Wednesday. PDD gained more than 5% in New York.

What Bloomberg Intelligence Says:

JD.com, Vipshop and Pinduoduo may face steeper cost hikes than Alibaba as the three companies enlarge their merchandise to compete with the internet giant for shoppers wallets in mainland China. All four e-tailers could incur higher expenses to verify the authenticity of products for sale, particularly imported items, and avoid harsher penalties being imposed for violations of intellectual-property rights, such as the suspension of online business licenses, as proposed by Beijing on Aug. 31.

- Catherine Lim and Tiffany Tam, analysts

PDD has also faced IP issues in China. Shanghai court documents show hundreds of legal challenges against the company over copyright infringement or trademark registrations.

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Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma once said it was difficult to root out fake goods on the companys platforms because they were so high quality.

The problem is that the fake products today, they make better quality, better prices than the real products, the real names, he said at the time.

(Updates with Alibaba trading in sixth paragraph)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP)  A Sri Lankan Roman Catholic leader has said the government must win back the confidence of the church before the two sides can hold talks on the church's criticisms of inquiries into 2019 Easter Sunday bomb blasts that killed 269 people.

Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith made the comment in response to a letter from Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris seeking a meeting, his spokesman, the Rev. Cyril Gamini Fernando, said Wednesday.

Ranjith said the authorities must hold a transparent investigation and implement the recommendations of a presidential commission before any talks can begin, Fernando said.

If the government begins a credible investigation and starts implementing the recommendations, their credibility will increase. It is only the government which is able to build that confidence," Fernando said in a statement.

The Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that the Vatican's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Archbishop Brian Udaigwe, had agreed in a meeting with Peiris to arrange talks with the bishops.

Six near-simultaneous suicide blasts at three churches and three tourist hotels on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019, killed 269 people. A man left a fourth hotel without setting off his bomb but later killed himself by detonating his explosives at a different location.

Among those killed were worshippers at Easter services and tourists having breakfast at their hotels. Two local Muslim groups that had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group were blamed for the attacks.

Ranjith wrote to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July complaining that the government had not taken legal action against former President Maithripala Sirisena and several police and intelligence officials for alleged negligence as recommended by the commission.

The government said last month that it has filed 23,270 charges against 25 people in connection with the attacks, but it did not include Sirisena or others named by the commission.

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A rift and communication breakdown between Sirisena and then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was said to be the reason why officials did not act on near-specific intelligence warnings ahead of the attacks. That led to the election of Rajapaksa as president later that year on a national security platform.

The church said it believes those prosecuted are smaller fish and that there is a bigger conspiracy beyond religious extremism.

Ranjith in his letter asked authorities to investigate alleged links between state intelligence officials and the attackers. He cited speeches in Parliament as alleging that members of state intelligence knew and met with the man who didn't initially detonate his bomb. He said the speeches also alleged that intelligence members had a suspect released by police and contacted an intermediary to persuade the Islamic State group to claim responsibility for the bombings.

The Islamic State later claimed responsibility after a video was released showing the attackers dressed in black and pledging allegiance to the group.
Extinction Rebellion activists break windows of the JPMorgan offices in central London, on September 1. Extinction Rebellion Media

Climate activists targeted JPMorgan's offices in London, Extinction Rebellion said.

Eight protesters cracked the glass with painted hammers and chisels.

The activist group said the protesters were highlighting the bank's financing of fossil fuels.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Climate protesters from Extinction Rebellion targeted the London offices of JPMorgan on Wednesday, using hammers and chisels to break glass in the doors and windows, the activist group said in a statement.

Eight female Extinction Rebellion activists stuck stickers that read "In case of climate emergency, break glass" onto two of the bank's office windows before breaking them, the group said.

The women used decorated hammers and chisels with the words "care," "love," and "life" painted on them to crack the window. They also sat outside the bank's offices, in London's Embankment, sporting posters that read: "Stop the harm" and "Deeds not words", the group said.

The protest was part of Extinction Rebellion's ongoing campaign against organizations that support the use of fossil fuels. Activists similarly cracked windows at the London headquarters of Barclays and HSBC in April.

Read more: Feel like the climate crisis is hopeless? That's because the powerful are trying to bury the solutions.

JPMorgan has been scrutinized for investing in fossil fuels. The 2021 Fossil Fuel Finance Report, titled 'Banking on Climate Chaos,' listed JPMorgan as the biggest financer of fossil fuels from 2016 to 2020.

JPMorgan declined to comment on the incident to Insider.

Insider has reached out to Extinction Rebellion.

"Climate change and the extraction of fossil fuels are causing untold damage to people's lives and livelihoods, and damage to a pane of glass is insignificant in comparison," Sally Davidson, one of the women who cracked JPMorgan's windows, said in Extinction Rebellion's statement.

"If this act of property damage is necessary to raise the alarm about the greater destruction caused by the financial investments of JP Morgan to public attention, then I am prepared to do it," she added.

Read the original article on Business Insider
E! News

The 2021 Met Gala had a few fashionable surprises in storebut did you expect Kanye West to be one of them? Find out if the rapper actually showed up to the star-studded affair on Sept. 13.
Doctors Without Borders nurse Bhelekazi Mdlalose performs a COVID-19 test on a health worker at the Vlakfontein Clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa on May 13, 2020. Michele Spatari/AFP/Getty Images

A coronavirus variant detected in South Africa in May, called C.1.2, has a concerning set of mutations.

Scientists say the mutations could help the virus spread or evade the immune system's defenses.

But the fact that C.1.2 isn't rapidly circulating worldwide means Delta still has the upper hand.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Every now and then, a coronavirus variant comes along that makes scientists do a double-take.

This month, that variant is C.1.2, which was first detected in South Africa in May. The variant carries "concerning constellations of mutations" that could make it highly transmissible or resistant to the body's immune defenses - whether from vaccines or a prior infection - according to a new study that hasn't yet been peer reviewed.

Scientists don't know how much of a threat C.1.2 poses yet, but it shares several key mutations with other variants like Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. The World Health Organization considers those four "variants of concern," meaning they're more transmissible than other strains, cause more severe disease, or are more resistant to vaccines.

South African researchers are trying to determine whether C.1.2 has an advantage over the Delta variant - the most dangerous version of the virus to date.

As of Wednesday, around 107 sequences of C.1.2 have been reported globally, compared to Delta's more than 1 million. But most South African provinces have detected C.1.2 cases, and the variant has also been spotted in 10 other countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

C.1.2 shares several key mutations with other variants

Researchers sequence coronavirus samples at the microbiology laboratory of the University Hospital of Badajoz in Spain on April 15, 2021. Javier Pulpo/Europa Press/Getty Images

C.1.2 evolved from another variant, C.1, that drove South Africa's wave of coronavirus infections last summer. But it's more concerning for a few reasons.

To start, the variant contains several mutations in the genetic code for its spike protein - the sharp, crown-like bumps on the surface of the virus that help it invade our cells. Variants of concern share some of those key mutations, which seem to help the virus spread more easily or evade the immune system's defenses.

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The South African researchers also uncovered an additional set of mutations on C.1.2 that could make the virus more infectious or resistant to vaccines. Those mutations are even more reason for alarm than the ones shared with the variants, the researchers wrote. That's because scientists are most worried about a new variant with properties that would enable it to overtake Delta.

But C.1.2 isn't close to matching Delta's global takeover

COVID-19 cases have been surging throughout the country, and in Louisiana, due to the highly transmissible Delta variant. Mario Tama/Getty Images

A variant with a big advantage over Delta would quickly begin to account for a larger and larger share of coronavirus cases.

That seems to be the case for C.1.2 in South Africa: The variant accounted for 0.2% of the country's sequenced cases in May, then 1.6% in June, then 2% in July. The pattern is similar to the early rise of Delta in South Africa, the researchers wrote.

But globally, C.1.2 cases seem to have peaked in early July then declined over the last two months, according to data from Scripps Research's Outbreak.info tracker.

The WHO's technical lead on COVID-19, Maria van Kerkhove, said Monday on Twitter that C.1.2 does not appear to be rising in circulation, and Delta still seems dominant.

"But we need more sequencing to be conducted and shared globally," she added.

The US currently sequences less than 2% of its coronavirus cases, according to data from GISAID, a global database that collects coronavirus genomes. The country doing the most sequencing, Iceland, sequences nearly 44%.

Read the original article on Business Insider
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  An Arkansas teenager shot by a sheriff's deputy in June died of gunshot wounds to his neck and arm, according to a coroner's report released Wednesday.

The report from the Pulaski County coroner in Little Rock says that Hunter Brittain, 17, was killed during a predawn June 23 traffic stop when he stepped from his truck and approached the deputy with something in his hand, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. The newspaper said it had requested the report on July 8.

The report did not specify how many times Brittain was shot. His family has said he was shot three times.

Brittains family has said the object was a jug of antifreeze used to chock a rear wheel because his truck would not shift into park. Brittain was up late working on the transmission before taking the vehicle for a test drive, his family has said.

The Lonoke County sheriff fired Sgt. Michael Davis for not activating his body camera.
SheKnows

The hotly anticipated book, Ill Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw in the Trump White House, written by the former Trump White House press secretary and Melania Trumps ex-spokesperson, Stephanie Grisham, is causing major waves now that excerpts from the memoir are now making the rounds. It gives the readers insight into what the former first []
BRASILIA (Reuters) - COVID-19 vaccines developed by Cuba do not have emergency use authorization from the World Health Organization and cannot be bought for countries in the Americas, the WHO's regional health branch said on Tuesday.

Pan American Health Organization Assistant Director Jarbas Barbosa said the vaccines, Abdala and Soberana, need that authorization before they can be supplied by PAHO's revolving fund that supports equitable access to vaccines through the WHO-led COVAX facility.

(Reporting by Anthony Boadle)
U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during a weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol July 28, 2021. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Democrats ripped into the Supreme Court for failing to block Texas' 6-week ban on abortions.

"This radical law is an all out effort to erase the rights and protections of Roe v Wade," Pelosi said.

The Texas law bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy and took effect at midnight Wednesday.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Congressional Democrats on Wednesday ripped into the Supreme Court for allowing a Texas law that ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy to take effect.

The law, passed in May by Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, became one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation once it went into effect at midnight Wednesday. It prohibits abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which typically occurs at the six-week mark of pregnancy, a time when many people do not yet know they are pregnant. There are no exceptions for cases of rape or incest.

The Supreme Court failed to act on an emergency petition to block the Texas law, known as SB8, which limits access to abortions for patients across the state.

Democrats argued on Wednesday that the law poses a direct challenge to abortion protections provided by the Supreme Court's 1973 landmark decision Roe v. Wade.

"SCOTUS's failure to block #SB8 has delivered catastrophe to women in Texas. This radical law is an all out effort to erase the rights and protections of Roe v Wade," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted on Wednesday.

"Every woman, everywhere has the constitutional and moral right to basic reproductive health care. We will fight SB8 and all immoral and dangerous attacks on women's health and freedoms with all our strength," she added.

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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer similarly attacked the Supreme Court for not intervening and letting the abortion ban become the law of the land in Texas.

"The Supreme Court's decision to do nothing and let this appalling Texas law go into effect is an effort to rip away women's rights, health, and reproductive freedoms," the top Senate Democrat tweeted. "This fight is only just beginning. Democrats will fight against #SB8 and for Roe v. Wade."

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Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York also took to Twitter to blast the law as "extreme." Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri pointed to the disproportionate toll the law will have on "Black, brown, low-income, queer, and young folks in Texas." Studies show that people of color are at higher risk of experiencing poor reproductive health outcomes.

The law is unique as it invites private citizens, instead of state officials, to enforce the ban. That means anyone can sue an abortion provider or someone helping a patient get an abortion in Texas. For every successful lawsuit, the private citizen will be awarded at least $10,000, in addition to legal expenses.

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The Supreme Court may still weigh in on the law, but as of right now, abortion access in Texas is limited. Wednesday's move is likely to lead to closures of abortion providers and clinics across the state.

The Supreme Court is due to consider a major abortion case this fall that could upend Roe v. Wade. The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, concerns a Mississippi law that would ban nearly all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Read the original article on Business Insider
On Tuesday, during an address to the nation, President Joe Biden said 100 to 200 Americans remain in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal. But according to security experts, hundreds of Afghans who supported Americas involvement in Afghanistan also remain in the country.
Chad Daybell at a court hearing in Idaho in August 2020. Associated Press

Chad Daybell's adult children spoke to "48 Hours" about their father being accused of murder.

They denied their mother was murdered and said they believe Daybell was framed in the deaths of his current wife's kids.

Daybell has pleaded not guilty to the three murder charges and is facing trial later this year.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The adult children of Chad Daybell - the "doomsday cult" husband accused of killing his ex-wife as well as his current wife's two kids - have defended their father in a new interview.

Speaking with "48 Hours," Daybell's five children denied their mother was murdered and said they believe Daybell was framed in the deaths of Vallow's kids.

"We presume innocence in this country. Just because things look funny, we don't send people to jail," Daybell's daughter, Emma Murray, said in the interview, which is airing in full on CBS on Wednesday.

Daybell's ex-wife, Tammy Daybell, was found dead in her bedroom in October 2019, just weeks before Daybell married Vallow.

The bodies of Vallow's children, 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan, who had been reported missing in November 2019, were found on Daybell's property in June 2020.

Daybell and Vallow, whose end-of-world beliefs came to light in the wake of the deaths, were charged with the murders of JJ and Tylee in May. Daybell was also charged with murder and insurance fraud in Tammy Daybell's death, while Vallow was charged in her ex-husband's murder.

Murray said in the "48 Hours" interview that her father was framed for the kids' deaths, saying she believes Vallow's brother, who died of natural causes in 2019, killed the children.

"This is his property. If there's bodies buried here, it would be attributed to him," she said.

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As for their mother's death, the children said that while the cause of death was asphyxiation, they don't believe she was murdered.

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"Asphyxiation doesn't necessarily mean smothered," added Mark Daybell. "According to my understanding, it just means the breath was interrupted. And in the end, she wasn't able to breathe. And according to that, there's more facts we need. We don't just say, 'Oh, well, bye, Chad.' No there's still love, there's still connection."

Daybell has pleaded not guilty in the cases, and a trial is scheduled to start in November, according to 12 News.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Vallow, meanwhile, was found incompetent to stand trial earlier this year and was committed for treatment in June.

Read the original article on Insider
Aug. 31According to a press release from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, deputies were dispatched to a shooting in Egypt Tuesday at approximately 12:30 p.m.

Saul Robinson, 70, of Gettis Road was arrested at the scene and is being charged with aggravated assault.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the unnamed victim was in stable condition and is being treated for multiple gunshot injuries.

This incident continues to be under investigation.

"I would like to credit deputy Leigh Ann Gray for her heroism today. She was able to apprehend the shooter, as well as lend medical aid to the gunshot victim until EMTs arrived on the scene," said Sheriff Kevin Crook.
Elijah McClain posters. Rich Fury/Getty Images

Three police officers and two paramedics have each been charged with one count of manslaughter and one count of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Elijah McClain, who died following a police encounter in Aurora, Colorado in 2019, The Colorado Sun reports. The grand jury's returned 32-count indictment was announced Wednesday.

McClain's mother, Sheneen McClain, said she is "grateful that my son is going to have his justice," and "grateful for the charges."

"I've been crying just thinking about the process that it's took after two years to get this report," she added. "I'm overwhelmed. I didn't know what the outcome was going to be, honestly. I had no expectations, honestly."

Two years ago, on Aug. 24, 2019, Aurora police stopped McClain as he walked home from a convenience store. McClain had committed no crime, but a teenager in the area reported him to the cops for looking "suspicious." After approaching, officers placed the unarmed, 23-year-old McClain in a neck hold and injected him with ketamine. He suffered cardiac arrest and then died in the hospital about six days later, per the Sun.

"I'm not just a crazy mom trying to fight a fight that's not worthy," said Sheneen McClain on Wednesday. "This is a worthy fight for my son's justice." She noted, however, that "it's not over. We still have to go to trial."

Added Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, who said his office will continue to investigate the Aurora Police Department's practices and policies: "We are here today because Elijah McClain is not here and he should be." "His life is a loss to all of us," he said.

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A private operation run out of a hotel conference room has helped evacuate approximately 5,000 Afghan refugees

Elijah McClain's mother says she is 'grateful' for the charges against officers, paramedics involved in her son's death
By Tom Arnold, Marc Jones and Karin Strohecker

LONDON (Reuters) - The new, Taliban-appointed head of Afghanistan's central bank has sought to reassure banks the group wants a fully-functioning financial system, but has so far provided little detail on how it will supply funds to sustain it, said four bankers familiar with the matter.

The acting central bank governor, Haji Mohammad Idris, met members of the Afghanistan Banks Association and other bankers this week, and told them that the Taliban viewed the banking sector as imperative, said two bankers who attended the meeting.

Uncertainty over the Taliban's relationship with the international community is raising doubts over its ability to revive an economy shattered by 40 years of war and reliant on aid and foreign currency reserves, the latter largely out of reach in the United States.

The militant group which now controls the country was working to find solutions for liquidity and rising inflation, the bankers quoted Idris as saying.

"They were very charming and asked banks what their concerns were," said one of the bankers who requested anonymity.

Under the Taliban's previous rule between 1996 and 2001, Afghanistan had little functioning banking sector and although a handful of commercial banks retained licences none were operational and few loans were made.

Idris, a Taliban loyalist who has no formal financial training or higher education, was appointed to head the central bank last week.

He and his team did not tell the bankers how much cash Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), the central bank, had access to, nor did they give any indication about how the Taliban would approach its relationship with the United States, one of the bankers said.

The central bank provided liquidity to banks in recent days, said two of the bankers, with one adding that DAB paid a portion of the amount each bank requested.

"They invited banks to send requests they may have via official letter," said one of the bankers.

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It appears unlikely that the militants will get quick access to most of the roughly $10 billion in assets held by DAB, which are mostly outside of the country.

"Around 80% of transactions done by banks are in dollars, so it's very critical the new government should make the relationship with the U.S," said the banker.

Another banker who attended the meeting said an initial rush by customers to access bank accounts after the Taliban captured Kabul had eased slightly. A key priority for the central bank was now to have its international accounts "unblocked" and get access to its reserves, to allow it to keep enough money circulating.

"We are in close contact and negotiations with the central bank," said the second banker.

Banks have mainly re-opened this week, but are operating with limited services, including $200 weekly limits on withdrawals and few wire transfers amid liquidity worries and correspondent banks cutting ties, say bankers.

Idris also offered reassurances about banks' female staff, telling them that the Taliban was not planning to stipulate whether they could employ women or not, said one of the bankers.

Women account for around 20% of staff in some banks, but some have stayed away from offices amid concerns the movement will repeat the stance of their previous government before 2001 when women were not allowed to work.

As a result of the assurances, some banks were inviting their female staff back to the office, the banker said.

(Reporting by Tom Arnold, Marc Jones and Karin Strohecker; Editing by Peter Graff and Jonathan Oatis)
A school board meeting in one Florida community turned physical this week, with protestors for and against a mask mandate pushing, shoving, and fighting one another.

On Monday, protesters in Lee County gathered outside of the school district headquarters in Fort Myers, where the board was discussing a 30-day mask mandate imposed by the superintendent earlier that day. The two sides brought dueling megaphones and signs that read Free Kids Faces and Save Our Students, according to news reports. At one point, the anti-mask protesters chanted we will not comply.

Local television news reported that people are pushing and shoving each other outside of this meeting, and that Lee sheriffs deputies were breaking up physical fights. A local NBC affiliate captured video of what appeared to be a man and a woman attempting to hit one another.

At one point, a woman shoved two doctors into the parking lot while they were attempting to enter the meeting to speak in favor of the mask mandate. Video of the encounter provided to National Review showed that prior to that encounter, a pro-mask protester slapped at the megaphone of an anti-mask protester. One of the doctors, Tasha Wallace, then appears to have bumped into the anti-mask protesters arm. Thats when another woman chest-bumped the two doctors off the sidewalk and into the parking lot.

I was just trying to make my way to the door so I could come in and fill a comment card, and a woman stood in front of me and bumped me out of the way, Wallace told a local NBC reporter. Attempts by National Review to reach her on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Dr. Tasha Wallace was shoved into the parking lot after she bumped the arm of an anti-mask protester outside of a school board meeting in Lee County, Florida on Aug. 30, 2021.

Chrystal Vervaet, a leader of the group Parents for Informed Consent SWFL who filmed the encounter, acknowledged there were physical altercations outside the board meeting. I think there was good and bad on each side, she said. All of the recent Lee school board meetings have been heated recently, she said.

Did it get heated? Yes, Vervaet said of Mondays meeting. But I think the news is blowing it out of proportion.

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No one was seriously injured or arrested during Mondays scuffles, local law enforcement said.

Lee County is at least the 11th Florida school district to impose a mask mandate while the COVID-19 Delta variant continues to ravage the state. On average, more than 16,000 people have been hospitalized per day over the last week, according to the New York Times.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis issued an order in July empowering parents to decide if their kids would wear masks in school this year, but a judge ruled last week that DeSantis had overstepped his authority by prohibiting school boards from instituting mask mandates. DeSantis said he expects the judge will be overruled on appeal.

Several school districts, including districts in the Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa areas, defied DeSantiss order. Lee Countys interim superintendent, Ken Savage, waited until after the judges ruling to impose a mask mandate in his districts schools.

Savage said Monday that he personally does not like mask wearing, and acknowledged that masks alone will not eliminate the coronavirus, according to the News-Press in Fort Myers.

He said theres nothing he could say to assuage the frustrations of mask opponents.

I can only say if we can save even one additional life that would have otherwise perished, then this extraordinary additional effort will have been worth it, Savage said, according to the paper.

There is debate in the medical community regarding just how effective masks are at slowing the spread of the coronavirus among children. In July, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance for schools, recommending that all adults and children wear masks indoors. But several prominent doctors, including the former dean of Harvard Medical School, have said there is a lack of evidence for the benefit of masking young kids.

A New York Magazine article published in late August noted that a groundbreaking CDC study published in May found no statistically significant benefit from requiring students to wear masks. A National Institutes of Health review last year found that cloth masks have limited efficacy in preventing viral infections, depending on the materials used, the number of layers, and how the mask fits.

More from National Review
A number of countries are tightening travel restrictions against people from the United States in light of the new guidance from the European Union, but at least one member state  Portugal  plans to remain open for now.

The EU removed the U.S. from its safe travel list on Monday, a move that signaled that travel restrictions should no longer be eased for Americans given the country's COVID-19 case counts. August was the fourth-worst month for cases in the U.S., with almost 4.22 million new coronavirus cases reported.

In light of the news, EU member state Bulgaria announced it would move the U.S. into its red zone and prohibit travel from the United States as the country faces its fourth surge of COVID-19. As of Wednesday, all people from the U.S., regardless of vaccination status, cannot enter Bulgaria. There are a number of exemptions, including travelers with Bulgarian or EU citizenship.

Bulgaria announced that it would move the U.S. into its red zone, a collection of countries that are considered to have the highest COVID-19 risk.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and State Department have each labeled Bulgaria as a Level 3 destination, meaning unvaccinated Americans are advised to avoid nonessential travel to the country. Bulgaria reported more than 10,600 new COVID-19 cases in the past week and has more than 16% of its adult population fully vaccinated, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Other countries have been tightening restrictions on American travelers. Earlier this week, Italy updated its entry requirements so that vaccinated travelers from the U.S. would have to take a pre-departure coronavirus test and unvaccinated travelers would have to test for the virus multiple times and self-isolate at least five days.

Portugal plans to stay open to US travelers

Meanwhile, EU member state Portugal will remain open to U.S. tourists, according to a press release from Visit Portugal, the country's tourism authority.

"Portugal has confirmed that discretionary, non-essential travel is still allowed, provided visitors present a negative COVID-19 test result at boarding and entry into the country," the statement reads.

Story continues

The CDC suggests avoiding travel to Portugal due to its COVID-19 rates. The country has more than 73% of its adult population vaccinated and reported more than 15,100 new cases in the past week, according to Johns Hopkins University.

 Can Americans visit Europe this fall?: It's complicated, after the EU decision. What travelers need to know.

 EU takes US off safe country list: Recommends Europe travel restrictions tighten for Americans

Follow USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter: @bailey_schulz.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Travel from the US to Bulgaria prohibited while Portugal remains open
SRINAGAR, India (AP)  Syed Ali Geelani, an icon of disputed Kashmirs resistance against Indian rule and a top separatist leader who became the emblem of the regions defiance against New Delhi, died late Wednesday. He was 91.

Geelani died surrounded by family members at his home in Srinagar, the regions main city, an aide and his relative told The Associated Press.

Shortly after the news broke, scores of Kashmiris converged at his home in the Hyderpora neighborhood of Srinagar to mourn the death of Geelani, who lived the final decade of his life mostly under house arrest and suffered from various ailments.

Authorities announced a communication blockade and the restriction of public movement, a common tactic employed by Indian officials in anticipation of anti-India protests. They swiftly deployed heavy contingents of armed police and soldiers across the Kashmir valley to prevent people from participating in Geelanis funeral.

Troops with automatic rifles also blocked roads leading to Geelanis residence, while armored vehicles patrolled the city neighborhoods. Despite restrictions, many mosques across the regions towns and villages blared announcements of Geelanis death and urged people to come out on the streets.

Geelani was an ideologue and a staunch proponent of the merger of Kashmir with Pakistan. Over the years, he had repeatedly said no to any talks with New Delhi, asserting that India cant be trusted unless it calls Kashmir a disputed territory, demilitarizes the region and releases political prisoners for a meaningful dialogue.

The position was rejected outright by subsequent Indian governments, and he was often dubbed as a hardline politician.

Kashmir has known little but conflict since 1947, when British rule of the subcontinent divided the territory between India and Pakistan. Both countries claim the region in its entirety and have fought two wars over it.

Kashmirs fury at Indian rule has long been seething. After a series of political blunders, broken promises and a crackdown on dissent, Kashmiri activists launched a full-blown armed revolt against Indian rule in 1989.

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India describes the armed rebellion as Islamabads proxy war and state-sponsored terrorism. Most Muslim Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle and support the rebel goal that the territory be united, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

The region is one of the most heavily militarized in the world. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the raging conflict.

Geelani, an Islamist author and a fiery orator, began his career as a schoolteacher and later joined Kashmirs biggest religious and political party Jamat-e-Islami in the 1950s. He contested elections three times for local governance but resigned as a lawmaker to join the anti-India campaign in the late 1980s, becoming the face of Kashmiri resistance until his death.

He spent nearly 15 years in various Indian prisons and was also part of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of various Kashmiri political and religious groups that was formed in 1993 to spearhead a movement for the region's right to self-determination. The group used civil disobedience in the form of shutdowns and protests as a tactic to counter Indian rule.

In August 2019, when India stripped the region's semi-autonomy, Indian authorities harshly clamped down on the groups leaders, detaining scores of them and barring them from leading public protests.

A sainted figure in Kashmir, Geelanis popularity catapulted to near reverence after 2008, when the region witnessed mass civil uprisings and he emerged as a prominent resistance leader among the new generation of Kashmiris. In the years that followed, hundreds of youths were killed by Indian forces in street protests.

As civilian defiance against Indian rule picked up, Geelani, along with two other top anti-India politicians, Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who remain under detention, formed Joint Resistance Leadership in 2016. The group challenged Indias sovereignty over Kashmir and sought to give direction to peoples anger.

During Kashmirs recent years of civilian protests, the slogan Na Jhukne Wala Geelani! Na Bikne Wala, Geelani! (Geelani, the one who doesnt bow and cant be bought!) became almost a war cry on the streets. He was widely venerated by Kashmiris, who gave him a monicker of Bub, which means the father.

While his death has come from natural causes, we must remember the immense physical and psychological toll that his continuous detention and torture took on his health, said Stand With Kashmir, a U.S.-based Kashmiri diaspora-led international solidarity group.

Geelani was also widely respected by the regions pro-India politicians.

We may not have agreed on most things, but I respect him for his steadfastness & standing by his beliefs, Mehbooba Mufti, the regions former top elected official, said on Twitter.

Geelani's maximalist approach forced India to court so-called moderate separatist leaders in Kashmir, though with no apparent breakthrough in resolving the dispute.

Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was deeply saddened by Geelanis death and the leader had struggled all his life for his people & their right to self determination.

Under Khan, Geelani was in 2020 awarded the Nishan-e-Pakistan, Pakistans highest civilian honor, an award earlier received by the likes of Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro and Queen Elizabeth II.

We in Pakistan salute his courageous struggle & remember his words: Hum Pakistani hain aur Pakistan Humara hai (We are Pakistani and Pakistani is ours), Khan said in a tweet.

Khan said his country will observe a day of official mourning on Thursday and the Pakistan flag will fly at half staff.

Without doubt, Geelani was emblematic of our defiance of India that began in 1990, said Siddiq Wahid, historian and former vice chancellor of a Kashmir university. That is his legacy.

__

Saaliq reported from New Delhi.

___

This story has been updated to correct Geelani's age, which was 91, not 92.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has announced a plan to spend millions of dollars to give incentives to state workers who get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Kemp said Georgia would give the members of the State Health Plan and their dependents $150 gift cards or $450 in health care credits once they are fully vaccinated. The plan could cost the state $48 million to $146 million, depending on how much each worker receives.

It is unclear how the incentive plan will be funded. Kemps office did not respond Tuesday to multiple requests for details on the incentive plan.

Vaccination remains our most effective tool against COVID-19, and I continue to urge all Georgians who have not done so yet to talk to a medical professional about getting vaccinated, Kemp said Monday during a news briefing.

Kemp said 325,000 State Health Plan members are eligible for the incentives, which would include those who were previously vaccinated against the virus. Members can use the credits for copayments and coinsurance. State workers who are part of the State Health Plan have until Nov. 30 to qualify for the funds.

Kemp made sure workers have the time to get the vaccine shots. He ordered all states offices closed Friday to encourage state workers to get vaccinated.

Kemps incentive plan comes as Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey said the state had the highest number of weekly outbreaks (170 outbreaks) ever during the pandemic. Toomey said all of the state's 159 counties are at high transmission levels.

Kemp also said he would direct $4.5 million to the Georgia Coordinating Center (GCC), bringing the total allocation to $6 million this year to support the states COVID-19 efforts. The center coordinates the use of emergency rooms in emergency departments in the metro Atlanta area. Kemp said the additional funding would help the center hire more staff, improve technology and infrastructure and provide faster service.

The GCC has been very effective in aircraft traffic controlling, if you will, by ensuring that we are utilizing all of our hospitals and [Emergency Management Services] resources effectively in our fight against COVID 19, Kemp said. They have done remarkable work and have certainly saved lives.

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As of Tuesday, 86.8% of the inpatient hospital beds in Georgia are in use, and 94.5% of Georgias ICU beds are occupied.

Kemp said Aug. 16 the state would spend $125 million to expand hospital staff and increase hospital capacity, bringing total spending on additional hospital staffing to $625 million.

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Original Author: Nyamekye Daniel, The Center Square

Original Location: Georgia to spend millions on COVID vaccine incentive for state workers
BERLIN/PARIS (Reuters) -France and Germany on Wednesday urged Iran to return rapidly to nuclear negotiations, after a break in talks following Iranian elections in June, with Paris demanding an "immediate" restart amid Western concerns over Tehran's expanding atomic work.

France's foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told his newly-appointed Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian in a telephone call it was urgent for Tehran to return to the talks, Le Drian's ministry said in a statement.

A sixth round of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington was adjourned in June after hardliner Ebrahim Raisi was elected Iran's president. Raisi took office on August 5.

Since April, Iran and six powers have tried to work out how Tehran and Washington can both return to compliance with the nuclear pact, which former U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions on Tehran.

"The minister underlined the importance and the urgency of an immediate resumption of negotiations," the foreign ministry said after the conversation between

Le Drian repeated his concern with regard to all the nuclear activities carried out by Iran in violation of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Iran has gradually violated limits in the agreement since Washington abandoned it in 2018.

The next round of talks has yet to be scheduled.

Two senior Iranian officials told Reuters in July Raisi planned to adopt a harder line in the talks.

Amirabdollahian said on Monday the talks might resume in "two to three months", although it's unclear whether that time frame began from now or when the new administration took over last month.

Germany earlier also raised pressure on Tehran asking it to resume talks "as soon as possible"

"We are ready to do so, but the time window won't be open indefinitely," a ministry spokesperson told a briefing.

Last month, France, Germany and Britain voiced grave concern about reports from the U.N. nuclear watchdog confirming Iran has produced uranium metal enriched up to 20% fissile purity for the first time and lifted production capacity of uranium enriched to 60%. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.

(Reporting by Alexander Ratz and John Irish, writing by Emma Thomasson and Parisa Hafezi, editing by Kirsti Knolle, William Maclean)
Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Justin Sullivan via Getty Images

Google plans to build its own semiconductor chips to power its Chromebooks, Nikkei Asia reported.

The tech giant plans to use its own chips for its Chromebook laptops and computers in 2023.

Google said in August that it would use its own chips in its Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro smartphones.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Google is planning to build its own semiconductor chips to power its Chromebook laptops and computers from around 2023, Nikkei Asia reported Wednesday.

Unnamed sources close to the matter told Nikkei that the company hopes to use its own chips to run devices that use the Chrome operating system. They will be based on chip blueprints of Arm, a UK chip design company, the sources said.

Some Chromebooks use Intel's semiconductor chips, according to Intel's website.

Semiconductor chips are small units, usually made of silicon, which power electronic devices like smartphones and computers. Multiple industries have faced severe shortages of chips in recent months.

In-house chip development could enable tech companies to build features specific to their products and ease their reliance on suppliers.

Read more: Bank of America names 5 semiconductor stocks to buy for the 2nd half of 2021 - and breaks down why each has 'catch-up potential' after lagging since January

In August, the tech giant announced that it would use its own chips, called Tensor, to power its Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro smartphones. Rick Osterloh, a Google hardware executive, previously told Insider that the chip would enable the Pixel phones to better process AI software.

Last year, Axios first reported that Google was developing chips for its Pixel phones, and that subsequent versions could be used to run its Chromebook products, but did not specify when. But Nikkei's report on Wednesday said the new Google chips could arrive within the next two years.

Google was inspired by Apple's development of its own iPhone chips, and its plan to replace Intel's chips with its own custom versions for its Mac computers, two unnamed sources told Nikkei Asia.

Google did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Rick Wright, 60, was at the Douglas County Community Center in Gardnerville, Nev., with his wife and granddaughter after evacuating from their home near South Lake Tahoe. (Ruben Vives / Los Angeles Times)

The ash fell from the yellow sky and landed on the parking lot of the Douglas County Community Center.

It fell on the dozens of cars and RVs owned by residents who were recently forced to evacuate their homes as a fire approached the South Lake Tahoe area.

Standing near three tents set up at the edge of the evacuation centers parking lot, Rick and Lee Wright, who are ski instructors at Heavenly Mountain Resort, said they had never been evacuated from their home before.

I didnt think it could happen, Rick Wright, 60, said. I thought they would throw an army in there to stop it from getting to Tahoe, but it became real Sunday night, you know?

For days the Caldor fire had been moving toward the popular ski resort town. Black smoke billowed out of the fire as it burned acres of forest trees. Wright said it was dead calm on Sunday night.

There were no winds, just smoke. Then came the evacuation warning. The Wrights, whose home is two miles southeast of South Lake Tahoe, began loading clothes, photos and documents into a red Ford Expedition and a blue Subaru.

Several days before, Wright said, he had packed up two other cars they owned and driven them down to a friends house out of precaution.

We were ready to go anytime, he said. Wright said it was around 10:30 p.m. when a police officer knocked on their door, telling them that there was an evacuation warning but urged them to leave.

Concern for his nervous wife and granddaughter, 2-year-old Wynn, he decided to evacuate. It was about 1:30 a.m. when they began to make the 45-minute drive down the mountain to the evacuation center in Nevada. On the way down, he tried to keep his wife calm.

I just told her we were out, he said. I said, We got the baby, were good.

At the evacuation center early Monday, Wright began to set up the tents, which he had bought five months ago initially to go camping. Were doing it now, he said, chuckling. Were camping.

The Caldor fire has destroyed nearly 500 structures as it has marched toward South Lake Tahoe and Nevada. The entire town of South Lake Tahoe was evacuated, and officials in Nevada are also issuing their own evacuation orders.

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Phoenix Hunter, 53, a ski instructor, said she began to worry about the fire when she learned that the ski resort she works for, Sierra-at-Tahoe, had called in a hotshot fire crew to protect the property.

I had my antenna up, she said, smiling. She said the resort used snow guns to spray water on the property.

The 22-year resident said it was Sunday night when she got an evacuation warning and began to place personal items into her Subaru.

It was late Monday morning when she left her home with her 15-year-old daughter, two dogs and a rabbit named Butterscotch.

I was about to leave the house when the [mandatory evacuation order] came in, she said. For Hunter and her daughter, it was the second time they had to evacuate. In 2007, the Angora fire forced her to evacuate.

Her daughter was 1 at the time. Hunter said that she left behind a dog then. but that this time she felt more prepared and calm. Still she cant help but feel some stress.

I try to look at the bright side that Im alive and not in the bull's-eye of the fire, she said. Im sad that some people are, but I try to help others as much as I can.

Things could always be worse, she added.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
ABC News

Supreme Court Justices Stephen Breyer and Amy Coney Barrett found common ground Monday over shared concern that the nation's highest court is increasingly viewed in ideological terms. Barrett, in one of her first public speeches as a justice, told an audience Sunday in Kentucky that "this court is not comprised of a bunch of partisan hacks," according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. Breyer, asked about those comments in an interview with the Washington Post on Monday, said that he agrees "with I think the approach is that she's taking there."
Aug. 31Personnel and equipment from the Greenville Fire-Rescue Department have been deployed to Luisiana to assist in the recovery efforts following Hurricane Ida.

Chief Jeremy Powell said the group was sent out Monday.

"We've got four guys going and one engine," Powell said.

The group from the Greenville department was part of the overall effort providing support through the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS).

"They have been deployed to New Orleans," Powell said, adding the initial deployment was for scheduled to be for two weeks. "But we really don't know for how long after that."

Earlier this month, Greenville firefighters were deployed to Dilley, Texas, providing all-hazards protection on a border support facility.
CARSON CITY, Nev.  Fire crews are anxiously awaiting better weather conditions over the next several days that will allow them to get a better handle on the massive blaze burning miles from scenic Lake Tahoe that spurred a mass exit from the region.

The Caldor Fire has continued to spread east but fire crews have been able to corral the blaze just south of Lake Tahoe, known for its picturesque beaches, emerald-blue waters, rocky shorelines and stunning landscapes in the Sierra Nevada. As of Wednesday evening, the blaze had spread through nearly 324 square miles and was only 23% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

"We're battling what we can battle and waiting for those winds to subside so that we can get in there and actively engage these fires," Steven Volmer, a fire behavior analyst at Cal Fire, said Wednesday evening.

As the fire threatens homes and the greater Lake Tahoe area late Wednesday, President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration. The declaration, which was requested by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, offers federal assistance with the blaze.

The progress on the western side of the fire caused officials to allow some residents from the Pollock Pines and North Camino areas to return to their homes. But the eastern side of the blaze near Lake Tahoe and Nevada was still a concern. Residents in parts of Douglas County, Nevada, were told to leave the area as the fire grew.

The National Weather Service said low humidity and wind gusts up to 45 mph over ridgelines in the Sierra Nevada could help spark flames, but those conditions were expected to subside Thursday and Friday.

The powerful wind gusts were allowing embers from the blaze to travel about a mile, causing new small fires to spark and spreading resources thin. At times, the gusts and conditions were allowing the fire to move at 200 feet a minute as the blaze hopped from treetop to treetop.

Firefighters had battled the blaze amid the poor conditions 3 miles outside South Lake Tahoe, but they were aided by better-than-expected weather overnight. "We lucked out a little bit yesterday," Cal Fire Operations Section Chief Tim Ernst said.

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Crews tried desperately to keep flames away from urban communities, where houses are close together and shopping centers, hotels and other structures would provide even more fuel for a fire that has been feeding on trees, grasses and scattered homes and cabins.

Were still not out of the woods. The fire is still moving, Ernst added.

Smoke created by the Caldor Fire obscures a mountain off U.S. Highway 89 near Meyers, Calif., on Aug. 30.

The South Tahoe Public Utility District asked people to turn off hoses, irrigation systems and sprinklers to ensure that wells can pump at full capacity. That means the minute a firefighter hooks into a hydrant that they are getting full pressure, and as much water as possible is coming out, said Shelly Thomsen, spokeswoman for the utility.

In Nevada, evacuation centers opened to take in 22,000 South Lake Tahoe residents and scores of others from the surrounding area. As the evacuation zone expanded, shelters in Carson City and Douglas County were near or at capacity Tuesday.

Nevada casino regulators said gambling was suspended at the Hard Rock Lake Tahoe, Montbleu Resort, Harrahs and Harveys Lake Tahoe, where officials said their casinos were closed to the public but their hotels were housing firefighters and displaced employees.

The fire has destroyed nearly 600 homes and more than 180 other structures, and more than 32,000 other buildings are threatened, Cal Fire said.

Ernst said firefighters had opportunities overnight to slow the fire's growth.

Along the section of the fire threatening to move closer to Nevada, Ernst said, crews created lines to protect homes and other buildings. They also put up protective lines closer to South Lake Tahoe. "This whole community is looking really good right now," he said.

The fire burned through there extremely fast, extremely hot. And we did the best that we could, Cal Fire Division Chief Erich Schwab said of firefighters' efforts to protect remote cabins in one area of the blaze.

Lake Tahoe is known for glitz. But thousands of Caldor Fire evacuees are blue collar.

Patrick Mack was evacuated from his home in South Lake Tahoe because of the Caldor Fire. He got separated from his wife and dogs and hopes to reconnect with them soon.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 83 large fires are burning in 10 states, affecting more than 3,900 square miles. In California, 13 large fires are burning more than 2,200 square miles.

Timothy Pritchard panicked when police knocked on his door. I had to pack what I could," the 64-year-old retiree said.

He grabbed important legal documents, credit cards and checkbooks. He left several sentimental items, including mementos of his late girlfriend.

I just pray to God theyll be there, but I had to do what I had to do," he said.

Pritchard, who has lived at South Lake Tahoe for 13 years, was among the first evacuees to arrive in Reno, Nevada, after being turned away from a Carson City shelter that reached maximum capacity.

"Im just tired and stressed right now, he said.

Having lunch at the evacuation center at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, Timothy Pritchard wipes a tear away as he talks about what he left behind at his South Lake Tahoe home. Next to him is newfound friend Paul Brooks who had to call 911 to help him get out because he's in a wheelchair.

'Its definitely not working': Wildfires burn up trees meant to fight climate change

Tuesday, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak remained hopeful crews could keep the raging Caldor Fire from crossing the border but said the state is prepared to fight the blaze should it escape the natural bathtub created by Lake Tahoe.

Sisolak said he was pleased with the gains firefighters made in the one day since the National Guard was brought in to help battle the blaze.

Were using all of our resources, everything at our disposal, Sisolak said as ash fell outside Nevadas Emergency Operations Center in Carson City.

Nevada Division of Forestry officials noted the Caldor Fire is only the second fire to summit the Sierra in history.

The other is the Dixie Fire, which started in late July and is still burning near Lassen Volcanic National Park. The second-largest in state history, the wildfire grew to 1,318 square miles as of Wednesday and was 52% contained, Cal Fire said. It prompted evacuation orders this week.

The Caldor Fire has threatened not only people's homes and businesses but also the area's scenic outdoor recreation activities.

Heavenly and Kirkwood  owned by Vail Resorts  were not damaged as of Tuesday afternoon, spokesperson Susan Whitman said in an email, but all employees and guests were forced to leave.

As flames moved toward Heavenly, on the California-Nevada border, officials turned on the mountains snowmaking machines.

The fire burned through Sierra-at-Tahoe, a resort on the west side of the Tahoe Basin near Echo Summit, but initial reports indicated the base area, lodge, administration building and gear shop were saved, according to Michael Reitzell, president of Ski California, an organization that represents resorts throughout California and Nevada.

We know there is going to be some damage, Reitzell said.

Contributing: James DeHaven and Amy Alonzo, Reno Gazette Journal; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Caldor Fire updates: Improved weather could help crews save Lake Tahoe
With the states moratorium on evictions ending at midnight Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a proclamation Tuesday evening to call state lawmakers into a special session starting Wednesday and address what she called a crisis for both renters and small business owners.

In Albany, lawmakers will work to extend the moratorium until Jan. 15. They also will tackle an issue the U.S. Supreme Court had with the legislation. Earlier this month, the countrys top court struck down a provision it said failed to give property owners due process since the law allowed renters to self-certify a financial hardship.

The expiring moratorium and legal challenge are just two of the issues New York faces in dealing with renters and landlords. The state has also struggled to get more than $2.7 billion in federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funding to tenants and landlords.

Were not going to abandon our neighbors in need, she said.

Bans on evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic have been in place for nearly 18 months. Theyve remained for a couple of reasons. One, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cite mass evictions as having the potential to worsen the spread of the virus, especially in communities experiencing high transmission rates. In addition, elected officials and lawmakers have sought to protect people whose livelihoods and income have been impacted by the pandemic.

With Democrats holding supermajorities in both chambers, the legislation extending the moratorium is likely to pass. However, that did not stop Republicans from calling for a different approach.

In a news conference Tuesday in Syracuse, Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, and state Sen. Pam Helming, R-Canandaigua, slammed the proposed extension as well as the states inability to successfully get needed funds to tenants and property owners.

Ortt said Democrats have made the rent-relief program more onerous by making it difficult for people to file for relief. Those challenges will remain, and even months from now, it will likely still keep renters and landlords from being made whole.

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All youre doing is punting and trying to convince voters youre scoring a touchdown, Ortt said about the latest extension plan.

Helming, who serves as the ranking member on the Senate Housing, Construction and Community Development Committee, called on legislative leaders to send S6481 to the governors office. The bipartisan bill, which she sponsored with state Sens. Brian Kavanagh, D-Manhattan; James Gaughran, D-Northport; and Andrew Gounardes, D-Brooklyn, would allocate $100 million in ERAP funding for mom-and-pop landlords who had tenants abandon units while still owing back rent.

The distribution of these funds must be a priority, she said Tuesday.

Hochul on Tuesday evening noted the issue is a small business crisis as well. Owners of such places as nail salons and bodegas, she explained, often rent out the rooms above their shops for extra income  money some have not received in more than a year.

Only a small fraction of the ERAP funds have been allocated as state officials have noted challenges in getting applications completed. That includes getting information from landlords and property owners so renters requests for funding can be processed.

Hochul previously has pledged more money to improve outreach and education about the assistance program. On Tuesday, she said the state will implement a SWAT team approach to help get applications completed.

We have a lot of workers, she said. Well hire people. Well send them door to door. Well work with the city of New York and all the cities in particular in partnership and find out how we can literally take the information to peoples doors Theres been a real problem. Theres money to be had.

Once ERAP applications have been completed, renters will be guaranteed not to face any eviction proceedings for a year, she added.

While Republicans panned the proposed extension of the moratorium to mid-January, some housing advocates have called for an even longer extension.

Earlier in the day, Housing Justice for All organized a protest with hundreds of people marching to Hochuls New York City office to demand an extension until June 2022. In a letter released Monday, supporters and organizers said renters across the state owe more than $3.2 billion in back rent. Many of those behind are minorities and undocumented workers, they said, and they slammed ERAP as a disaster with an application process that demands too much time, resources and information for the people who need aid.

The protest did not sit well with the Rent Stabilization Association (RSA). The New York City group represents 25,000 property owners who combine to own more than a million apartments that provide housing for 2.5 million New Yorkers.

In a statement, RSA President Joseph Strasburg said some have weaponized the eviction moratorium and sought ways to extend it. However, the disingenuous demonstrations do not really help people who have legitimate needs.

Instead of creating a false narrative of mass eviction and orchestrating fear-mongering street marches, their efforts should focus on helping their most vulnerable constituents apply to the states federally-funded Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Strasburg said. We all want the same thing  tenants safe in their homes and a rent stream that enables landlords to provide affordable housing.

In addition to the rental relief extension, Hochul added that lawmakers will also address two other issues during the special session.

Lawmakers will be asked to update the Open Meetings Law and temporarily allow people to take part remotely in public meetings. It essentially would replace a previous measure that had expired.

Hochul is also asking lawmakers to approve her recommendations for chairperson and executive director to the states cannabis board. She said those appointments were long overdue and needed to jump-start the production of cannabis in the state.



Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Kathy Hochul, New York, State

Original Author: Steve Bittenbender, The Center Square contributor

Original Location: Hochul signs order for special session of New York Legislature to extend eviction moratorium
Authorities believe Jordan Potts killed Shawtyeria Waites, a college student, on the night she celebrated her 21st birthday.

An arrest warrant has now been issued for a suspect in the murder of Houston college student Shawtyeria Waites, who went missing after celebrating her 21st birthday in July and was later found slain.

Houston Police Department officials announced in a Monday press conference that they are seeking the arrest of a 26-year-old man named Jordan Potts.

Waites was last seen on July 25 wearing a pink dress and pink sandals returning to her apartment after celebrating her birthday with friends. She was reported missing two days later.

Police believe that Waites may have met Potts on social media or a dating app and that she was killed inside his apartment, her body recovered later at a second location. Evidence of Waites murder has reportedly been found in the trunk of Potts vehicle.

Shawtyeria Waites Credit: Houston Police

I really want to offer heartfelt condolences to Shawtyeria Waites family, said Lt. W.L. Meeler. Having your child taken away from you like this is unacceptable.

According to a local report, investigators found evidence of foul play regarding Waites disappearance, and the case was assigned to the HPD Homicide Division. Homicide detectives obtained significant physical evidence Waites was killed inside Potts apartment, likely on the night she went missing.

Houston activist Quanell X, who has been acting as a spokesperson for the family, said Waites is originally from New Mexico and relocated to Houston to attend college at Prairie View A&M University.

Potts is originally from Oregon and has family ties in Montana. His vehicle is currently in the custody of Houston police. Without it, he is running from police, they say, and is considered armed and potentially dangerous.

Police in Houston have issued an arrest warrant for Jordan Potts, 26 (above), the suspect in the murder of Prairie view A&M student Shawtyeria Waites.(Houston Police Department)

According to a report from ABC 13, Houston is facing its worst crime spike in years. Total crime is up in the city by 30% year-to-date, compared to 2019.

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In addition, statistics show response times for police have been dramatically slower.

There are also nearly 100 fewer officers on duty in the city. Many HPD officers have retired amid the coronavirus pandemic, plus enrollment at the Houston Police Academy has waned.

The crimes that have significantly increased in Houston since 2019 include murder, sexual assault with an object, welfare fraud, gambling equipment violations, theft of motor vehicle accessories and weapons law violations.

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The post Houston police searching for man suspected of killing Prairie View A&M student appeared first on TheGrio.
(MSNBC)

Police have issued an arrest warrant for a man who confronted MSNBC journalist Shaquille Brewster live on air as he covered Hurricane Ida.

Benjamin Dagley has been charged by Mississippis Gulfport Police Department with two counts of simple assault, one count of disturbance of peace and one count of violation of emergency curfew.

Mr Dagley, who is from Wooster, Ohio, was caught on video charging towards and yelling at the reporter as he discussed the hurricane.

Brewsters live shot was cut short as he raised his arm to defend himself against Mr Dagley, who could be heard shouting at Brewster to report accurately.

MSNBC host Craig Melvin appeared startled and told the audience, Hey, hey, hey, hey. Were going to check back in with Shaq Brewster just to make sure all is well. Theres a lot of crazy out there. A lot of crazy.

Brewster later took Twitter to say: Appreciate the concern guys. The team and I are all good!

(GPD)

Melvin later wrote: This is beyond unacceptable and disgusting. (Shaq Brewster) was trying to do his job on a beach in Gulfport, MS. Shaq is ok. This guy who nearly attacked him clearly is not.

Authorities say that they do not believe Mr Dagley is still in the area, but he is believed to still be traveling in the white truck seen on TV.

Gulfort Police say that Mr Dagley was identified with the help of the public.

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Officials say that following a review of his criminal history they contacted the Cuyahoga County Adult probation Department in Ohio to report a parole violation.

The police department said in a statement that Mr Dagley was on probation for a previous offence, with one of the conditions being a travel restriction.
By Tom Hals and Mike Spector

(Reuters) -A U.S. judge said on Wednesday he would approve OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LPs bankruptcy reorganization plan, clearing a path to resolve thousands of opioid lawsuits and shielding the company's wealthy Sackler family owners from future opioid litigation.

Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain said that with small changes he would approve the plan, which overcame opposition to garner support from nearly all states, local governments, tribes, hospitals and other creditors that voted on the restructuring. They became creditors in the bankruptcy by virtue of suing Purdue and Sackler family members over their alleged contributions to the nationwide opioid epidemic.

Drain said it was clear the wrongful marketing of the company's opioid products contributed to the addiction crisis, which touched every corner of the country. "That makes the bankruptcy case before me highly unusual and complex," said Drain, who spent more than six hours reading his ruling from the bench.

The plan, which Purdue values at more than $10 billion, dissolves the drugmaker and shifts assets to a new company not controlled by Sackler family members. The new company will be owned by a trust run to combat the opioid epidemic.

It also includes legal releases shielding Sackler family members from future opioid litigation, a controversial provision that some states opposed. Congressional Democrats in recent weeks introduced legislation to block such legal releases.

The Sacklers have denied allegations, raised in lawsuits and elsewhere, that they bear responsibility for the opioid addiction crisis. They have said they acted ethically and lawfully while serving on Purdue's board.

The Purdue bankruptcy plan includes a $4.5 billion contribution from Sackler family members. The contribution is in the form of cash that will be paid over roughly a decade and also includes $175 million in value from relinquishing control of charitable institutions.

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Drain noted that he had expected a larger contribution from the Sacklers and said the evidence showed more might have been secured through litigation, although that was hard to predict.

"This is a bitter result," he said. He also said he would not jeopardize what the plan achieved by rejecting it and asked for small changes to secure his final approval.

Still, the evidence showed the plan was negotiated by the creditors who all viewed the Sacklers as "the other side, the opposition, the potential defendants," Drain said. "This is not the Sacklers' plan."

'INSULTING TO VICTIMS'

The Stamford, Connecticut, drugmaker pleaded guilty to criminal charges in November stemming from its handling of opioids. At the outset of its bankruptcy case, Purdue said there were a number of legal defenses it could mount in response to lawsuits alleging improper conduct.

Several state attorneys general opposed the plan.

This order is insulting to victims of the opioid epidemic who had no voice in these proceedings, said Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who said his office would appeal.

A lawyer for the Office of the U.S. Trustee, a bankruptcy watchdog and part of the Department of Justice, said his office would file a motion for a stay of the order confirming the plan during the appeal.

More than 95% of creditors voting approved Purdue's restructuring, far above the legal threshold required for a bankruptcy judge's blessing.

Ryan Hampton resigned on Tuesday as the co-chair of the official creditors committee, which included governments and other creditors. Even though the committee helped negotiate the plan, he called the outcome a "total injustice."

He said people like himself who were recovering from addiction were the real victims and they had to fight states and local governments during plan negotiations for the $750 million set aside for them.

"At no point were the victims listened to," he said.

Sackler family members behind Purdue were prolific philanthropists, with their names on museum wings and other cultural institutions. They have also agreed to a prohibition on associating their name with charitable contributions until litigation settlement funds are fully paid, according to court records.

Much of the plan's value is contingent on future donations of overdose reversal and addiction treatment medications that Purdue has under development.

Drain noted that Sackler family owners who testified showed little remorse. "A forced apology is not really an apology," he said. "And so we will live without one."

Purdue filed for bankruptcy in September 2019 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-purdue-pharma-bankruptcy-factbox/where-the-purdue-pharma-sackler-legal-saga-stands-idUSKBN1ZS1H3 in the face of 3,000 lawsuits against the company and Sackler family for contributing to a public health crisis that has claimed the lives of about 500,000 people since 1999.

Drain, the judge overseeing the case in a White Plains, New York, bankruptcy court, agreed early in the case to halt litigation against Purdue and Sackler family members, who had not filed for bankruptcy themselves.

Sackler family members have not been criminally charged. They previously agreed to pay $225 million to resolve separate civil allegations with the Justice Department. The family members have denied those allegations.

(Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware and Mike Spector in New YorkEditing by Noeleen Walder, Bill Berkrot and Matthew Lewis)
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) talks to reporters following a classified intelligence briefing by the Secretary of Defense and other Biden officials about the situation in Afghanistan at the U.S. Capitol on August 24, 2021. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Kevin McCarthy warned telecommunications companies against complying with the January 6 committee.

The House select committee asked telecommunications and social media companies to preserve records.

McCarthy, the House minority leader, warned that "a Republican majority will not forget" if they comply.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday threatened telecommunications companies that a "Republican majority will not forget" if they comply with requests to preserve phone records of Trump family members and members of Congress related to the January 6 insurrection.

The committee investigating the Capitol attack has sent letters to 35 telecommunications and social media companies asking them to preserve certain individuals' phone records and data in the lead-up to and on January 6.

McCarthy issued a statement accusing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and committee chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson of trying to "strong-arm private companies to turn over individuals' private data" that "would put every American with a phone or computer in the crosshairs of a surveillance state run by Democrat politicians."

He then said that "if the companies choose to violate federal law, a Republican majority will not forget and will stand with Americans to hold them fully accountable under the law."

A representative for McCarthy's office did not respond to questions from Insider on what specific laws McCarthy believes are being violated or exactly how he would seek to punish companies if Republicans retake the House majority in the 2022 midterms.

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The House select committee is seeking records of those charged in connection with the insurrection, those involved in planning, obtaining permits, and speaking at rallies on January 6, and "individuals potentially involved in discussions" about challenging and delaying Congress from affirming President Joe Biden's 2020 election win, according to its letter to AT&T.

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That list includes members of the Trump family and GOP members of Congress who most vocally backed Trump's falsehoods of a stolen election and objected to counting electoral votes for Biden in the joint session of Congress, CNN reported.

The Republican members whose records could be sought by the committee include Reps. Mo Brooks of Alabama, Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jody Hice of Georgia, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, and Louie Gohmert of Texas, according to CNN.

The committee is also seeking concrete answers on what phone conversations or other communications members of Congress, like Jordan, had with then-President Donald Trump on January 6.

The select committee's latest move follows sweeping requests to seven federal agencies including the National Archives, giving them until September 9 to produce a wide range of documents and records related to efforts to subvert the 2020 election results and the January 6 insurrection itself.

Pelosi formed the January 6 select committee after Senate Republicans filibustered bipartisan legislation to create an independent commission. It has been a source of partisan fighting and acrimony, including between Pelosi and McCarthy, since its creation.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A hearing during which Jackson County prosecutors would have argued Kevin Strickland is innocent has been delayed to give the Missouri Attorney Generals Office more time to prepare for it, a panel of judges decided Wednesday.

It means that prosecutors will have to wait to make their case before a Jackson County judge that Strickland, 62, has been wrongly imprisoned for more than 40 years. If prosecutors had prevailed, the hearing that had been scheduled for Thursday would have lead to Stricklands release as early as Friday, which would have allowed him to attend his mothers funeral the next day.

Instead, Judge Kevin Harrell has set a case management conference for 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

In a statement, Stricklands lawyers said while the hearing was delayed, justice will not be denied. They called it untrue that the attorney generals office needs more time to prepare for the hearing, considering it has fought to deny Strickland a day in court for years.

Stricklands attorneys noted that he will miss his mothers funeral as a result of the ruling in the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District.

That is not justice, his attorneys said. We hope that everyone who is also enraged and aghast at this process will consider and remember who decides justice in each of their jurisdictions.

The appeals court said in order for the attorney generals office to meaningfully participate in the hearing, it must be notified of the hearing more than three days ahead of time.

The attorney generals office, under Eric Schmitt, contends Strickland is guilty.

In a statement Wednesday, Schmitts spokesman Chris Nuelle said Strickland was convicted in the killings by a jury. He noted the Missouri Supreme Court previously declined to hear Stricklands case.

Those victims deserve justice, Nuelle said.

Utilizing a new law that went into effect Saturday, Jackson County prosecutors filed a 25-page motion Monday that argues Stricklands innocence is clear and convincing in the April 25, 1978, triple homicide in Kansas City.

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Earlier this week, the attorney generals office filed a motion requesting that the 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County and its judges recuse themselves from Stricklands proceedings. They cited a letter Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker put out on May 10, which said Dale Youngs, the circuits presiding judge, concurs on behalf of the court that Stricklands conviction should be set aside.

Harrell, however, agreed with local prosecutors that the attorney general was not a party in the case and could not file such a motion.

In their filing in the appeals court, the attorney generals office asked that the Thursday hearing be canceled and that their previous motions be considered.

The appeals court granted that motion, saying that the attorney generals office does in fact have the right to file motions in the case. It ordered Harrell to consider and decide those motions on their merits.

Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, who wrote the provision in the law that allows prosecutors to ask judges to exonerate prisoners deemed innocent, said the legislation was not intended to allow the attorney generals office to file motions in relation to the hearing.

This ruling creates new powers out of thin air while ignoring both the letter of the law and the legislative intent behind it, said Rizzo, a Democrat from Independence.

The appeals court, he added, was setting dangerous legal precedent that the attorney general is using to needlessly delay justice for the wrongfully imprisoned.

Earlier Wednesday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said he remained disappointed by how long the case has dragged on and hoped Harrell frees Strickland.

I am disappointed but not surprised by our grandstanding attorney general, who I see is trying to oppose even the hearing (from) proceeding, Lucas told The Star, adding that he thanked Baker for doing this important work.

In a statement, Kenneth Nixon  executive director of a group that recently started calling itself the National Organization of Exonerees  accused the attorney generals office of keeping an innocent man in prison, all on the taxpayers dime.

Eric Schmitt is crusading against justice, Nixon said.
BERLIN (AP)  The World Health Organization on Wednesday inaugurated a new hub in Berlin that aims to help prepare the globe better to prevent future pandemics.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and German Chancellor Angela Merkel cut the ribbon to launch the new WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. WHO says Germany is making an initial investment of $100 million in the facility.

The hub is meant to promote more effective data collection, information-sharing and analysis, leading to better and more coherent decision-making after the patchy global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be headed by Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, currently the director-general of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world many painful lessons, Tedros said. One of the most clear is the need for new, powerful systems and tools for global surveillance to collect, analyze and disseminate data on outbreaks with the potential to become epidemics and pandemics.

Viruses move fast but data can move even faster, Tedros said. He added that the new center is one response to recommendations on what can be done to keep the world safer in the future, filling a gap in the world's defenses.

Merkel emphasized that the information gathered by the new hub should be shared with all countries. She added that the COVID pandemic has shown how much we can achieve when we really combine our strengths.

Still, her health minister, Jens Spahn, pointed to tensions that have emerged in the pandemic, calling at the launch for China to finally become fully cooperative and to make the examination of the origin of the ... virus transparent to the international community."

Pressure has been mounting in the West  and from WHOs own team that traveled to China earlier this year  for Beijing to do more to grant access to data about early COVID-19 cases, which could help clear up the ongoing mystery about how the pandemic first erupted.

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China has responded to continuing speculation about a leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology by suggesting the virus could have escaped from Fort Detrick, a U.S. military lab in Maryland.

Spahn and Tedros suggested that a new pandemic treaty that the European Union has been championing could have teeth, such as penalties for signatory countries that dont comply with it.

The German minister acknowledged that is not an easy debate, but I think it is a necessary debate. Tedros said that maybe exploring the sanctions may be important.
Associated Press

The Haidian People's Court said in a judgment released late Tuesday night that Zhou Xiaoxuan, who had become the face of the country's #MeToo movement, did not meet the burden of proof in claiming that Zhu Jun, her superior at her place of work, sexually harassed her. Zhou was a former intern at Chinese state broadcaster CCTV and went public with accusations against Zhu, a prominent CCTV host, in 2018 as dozens of women began to speak out about their past experiences of being harassed or assaulted. Since then, the movement has been largely shut down by authorities as activists found their online posts censored and faced pressure from authorities when trying to hold protests, but Zhou has continued to speak out.
How far off is MAAS Group Holdings Limited (ASX:MGH) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. Our analysis will employ the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward.

We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

Check out our latest analysis for MAAS Group Holdings

The method

We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 Levered FCF (A$, Millions) AU$41.9m AU$71.2m AU$66.4m AU$63.8m AU$62.4m AU$61.8m AU$61.8m AU$62.1m AU$62.7m AU$63.5m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ -3.91% Est @ -2.16% Est @ -0.94% Est @ -0.08% Est @ 0.52% Est @ 0.94% Est @ 1.23% Present Value (A$, Millions) Discounted @ 7.1% AU$39.1 AU$62.1 AU$54.0 AU$48.5 AU$44.3 AU$41.0 AU$38.2 AU$35.9 AU$33.8 AU$32.0

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = AU$428m

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We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 1.9%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 7.1%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2031  (1 + g)  (r  g) = AU$63m (1 + 1.9%)  (7.1% 1.9%) = AU$1.2b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= AU$1.2b ( 1 + 7.1%)10= AU$628m

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is AU$1.1b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of AU$4.3, the company appears slightly overvalued at the time of writing. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent.

dcf

Important assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at MAAS Group Holdings as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.098. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Next Steps:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. What is the reason for the share price exceeding the intrinsic value? For MAAS Group Holdings, there are three relevant factors you should further examine:

Risks: We feel that you should assess the 3 warning signs for MAAS Group Holdings we've flagged before making an investment in the company. Future Earnings: How does MGH's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Australian stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
The Telegraph

Between them, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka seem intent on making Steve Strickers US captaincy difficult. A week before the Ryder Cup takes place, DeChambeau has revealed that he has wrecked his hand preparing for a long-drive contest while Koepka has called the biennial dust-up a bit hectic, a bit odd and expressed his frustration that he cant take naps.
In Hollywood's latest attempt to score in the huge -- but highly restrictive -- Chinese market, an Asian actor has been cast as a leading Marvel superhero for the first time.

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," out on Friday, takes the 25th installment in the wildly popular Marvel film series into mythical China, where enormous beasts, mysticism and kung fu collide for a tale about the difficult relationship between a son and his father.

The titular son -- played by relatively unknown Chinese-Canadian actor Simu Liu -- fled his controlling dad as a teenager, after being sculpted into a deadly assassin, and washes up in the United States.

There he lives anonymously, palling around with the underachieving Katy, played by Awkwafina ("Crazy Rich Asians"), until his father -- Hong Kong superstar Tony Leung -- sends a sinister gang to chase him home.

"Shang-Chi" locates itself firmly in the record-grossing Marvel Cinematic Universe series of movies, with an amusing reprisal of Ben Kingsley's washed-up actor Trevor Slattery from "Iron Man 3."

Its value for Marvel Studios, and owner Disney, however, was expected to be as a vehicle for expanding into the Chinese market.

"It's very moving because it's been a long time coming to have an Asian superhero, and a movie that celebrates not only our culture but our humanity," Asian-American actress Jodi Long told AFP at the film's world premiere in Los Angeles.

"And I think that's really important in this time of Covid and xenophobia."

- 'Stereotype' -

Yet despite a predominantly Asian cast, and huge swathes of dialogue in Mandarin -- both predicted to be popular among China's cinemagoers -- success for "Shang-Chi" is far from guaranteed.

Like the previous Marvel film "Black Widow," the film still doesn't have a release date in China, where movie theaters reopening this summer are stocked largely with domestic, patriotic features.

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As well as protecting Chinese filmmaking, this could reflect growing discontent with Disney-owned Marvel, whose next big superhero outing "Eternals" is being directed by Beijing-born Chloe Zhao.

Zhao won two Oscars including an historic best director statuette this year for "Nomadland," but her success has been censored in China after a nationalist backlash over years-old interviews in which she appeared to criticize her country of birth.

Excitement in China for "Shang-Chi" also appears to be lukewarm among some social media users.

"This movie will only deepen the world's stereotype of us," wrote one user on Weibo, China's Twitter-like messaging service.

"Marvel may not want to insult China, but it is a fact that in terms of casting, it has to cater to the American social aesthetic of humiliating China."

Another user called it "a poor attempt to mint money from Chinese audiences."

On popular review site Duoban -- similar to Rotten Tomatoes -- one user bemoaned the notion of an Americanized Chinese man returning to his homeland to do battle with his traditionally minded father.

"Marvel do you really want to enter China with such a plot?" the user wrote.

- 'Multi-dimensional' -

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, in a recent interview with a Chinese film journalist, sought to tamp down that criticism, insisting the narrative is actually one of Shang-Chi returning to his roots.

"That sense of running away... is presented as one of his flaws," he said, according to Variety.

Director Destin Daniel Cretton told AFP that filmmakers had worked hard to overcome "some very clear stereotypes that were created in life and society, and that were also part of the original comics."

"So for me the most important thing to get right in this movie were the characters -- that they are relatable, that they are multi-dimensional, whether they are the hero Shang-Chi or whether they are the quote-unquote villain."

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Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday threatened to use a future GOP majority to punish companies that comply with the Houses Jan. 6 investigators, warning that a Republican majority will not forget.

McCarthy called out Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for what he called attempts to strong-arm private companies to turn over individuals private data. He asserted that such a forfeiture of information would put every American with a phone or computer in the crosshairs of a surveillance state run by Democrat politicians.

The select panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection took its first step in obtaining phone records on Monday, asking an array of telecommunications companies to save records relevant to the attack  a request that could include records from some lawmakers. More than 30 companies, including Apple, AT&T and Verizon, received a request for records from April 1, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021.

The Select Committee is investigating the violent attack on the Capitol and attempt to overturn the results of last years election, a committee spokesperson said in a statement, responding to McCarthy's threat. Weve asked companies not to destroy records that may help answer questions for the American people. The committees efforts wont be deterred by those who want to whitewash or cover up the events of January 6th, or obstruct our investigation.

On the substance of McCarthys complaint, congressional committees have routinely used subpoena power to obtain data from private companies, including phone records, emails and other communications. The Jan. 6 committee has not identified whose communications it is seeking, but it has made clear that members of Congress are among the potential targets, which would be a departure from past practices  one that members of the panel have said they believe is warranted in this case.

The Democratic-led committees investigators are looking for a fuller picture of the communications between then-President Donald Trump and members of Congress during the attack. McCarthy is among the Republicans known to have spoken with Trump on Jan. 6.

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Republicans have already slammed the investigations interest in phone records as an authoritarian overreach by Democrats. Though two anti-Trump Republican lawmakers, Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, sit on the select panel, most of the party voted against the committees creation, and GOP senators filibustered a bill that would have formed an independent commission to investigate the Capitol insurrection.

If these companies comply with the Democrat order to turn over private information, they are in violation of federal law and subject to losing their ability to operate in the United States, McCarthy said in Tuesdays statement. If companies still choose to violate federal law, a Republican majority will not forget and will stand with Americans to hold them fully accountable under the law.

Schiff said on Tuesday that McCarthys threat was premised on a falsehood.

Hes scared. And I think his boss is scared, Schiff said on MSNBC. They didnt want this commission and this select committee to go forward. They certainly didnt want it to go forward as it is on a bipartisan basis, and they dont want the country to know exactly what they were involved in.

And Kevin McCarthy lives to do whatever Trump wants. But he is trying to threaten these companies, and it shows yet again why this man, Kevin McCarthy, can never be allowed to go anywhere near the speakers office.

Kyle Cheney and Nicholas Wu contributed to this report.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that hes confident about the GOPs position in next years midterms  but dismissed the notion that President Joe Biden might be impeached after Americas much-maligned withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Look, there isnt going to be any impeachment, the Kentucky Republican told a home-state crowd in Pike County, adding that the Democrats could still be in hot water. I think they have a good chance of having a very bad election next year.

Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a close ally of the twice-impeached former President Donald Trump, said a week ago that he believed Biden should be impeached over his decision to pull U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

The president followed an exit blueprint etched by Trump, who made a deal with the Taliban promising that the U.S. would leave Afghanistan by the beginning of May.

Biden delayed the departure to late summer, and the U.S. watched in horror as the Taliban swiftly took back a country that American troops had seized nearly two decades ago.

A brutal suicide bombing in Kabul, claimed by an Islamic State affiliate called ISIS-K, killed 13 U.S. service members and at least 169 Afghan civilians during frantic American airlifts on Thursday.

Still, Biden has vigorously defended his decision, insisting that it was time to end the war, and that Trump dealt him a tricky hand. Republicans, in turn, have pounced.

He should be impeached, Graham told Newsmax, a conservative news outlet. This is the most dishonorable thing a commander-in-chief has done, maybe, in modern times.

McConnell has made full-throated criticisms of Bidens withdrawal, too. He issued a statement on Tuesday describing Americas messy departure from its longest war as disgraceful and disastrous.

But he seemed little interested in fanning far-flung conservative hopes that Biden could face impeachment.

The presidents not going to be removed from office, he told the Pikeville Rotary Club and the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. Theres a Democratic House, a narrowly Democratic Senate. Thats not going to happen.


Sergio Flores/Getty

The Whole Womans Health clinic in Fort Worth, Texas, is usually open until 5pm. Last night, like the chains three other locations across Texas, it was open until midnight, caring for the waiting room full of pregnant people seeking abortions before they no longer could. Outside, anti-abortion protesters camped out, shining lights in the windows as night fell and calling the police to report nonexistent violations. Inside, a doctor who had worked for the health center for decades began to cry.

This was the scene the night before S.B. 8, a law banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy took effect in Texas.

The law is a twist on a familiar anti-abortion tactic: Ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected; before most women know they are pregnant, before 85 to 90 percent of abortions in Texas take place, and ultimately erase the right to an abortion in a given state.

This is blatantly unconstitutional under existing Supreme Court precedentPlanned Parenthood v Casey prohibits all pre-viability abortion banswhich is why it has failed in the 10 other states that tried to enact it. But S.B. 8 is different. S.B. 8 takes enforcement from the hands of authorities and gives it to private citizens, allowing anyone in the state to sue anyone else suspected of providing or assisting in an abortion after six weeks gestation.

Texas Just Outlawed Abortion as We Knew It

If that seems like a roundabout way for abortion foes to achieve their aims, the point became clear when advocates attempted to block the bill. The usual channelfiling a lawsuit against the state attorney general or other officialswas no longer available. After all, you cant sue someone whos not in charge of enforcing a law. You also cant sue everyone who could potentially enforce a lawin this case, the entire state of Texasso advocates were left to file suit against an odd coalition including the Texas Medical Board and every state court trial judge and county clerk in the state.

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That suit was previously stayed in the federal district court in which it was filed and transferred to the Fifth Circuit Court, which canceled a hearing scheduled for Monday, leaving the fate of the law in limbo. Advocates filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court to take up the case to no avail; the Court did not hear the petition before the law took effect Wednesday morning.

At abortion clinics, that meant providing abortions in accordance with the law; conducting the state-mandated ultrasound and declining to perform the procedure if fetal cardiac activity could be detected. (Anti-abortion advocates call this a fetal heartbeat; scientists note that embryos dont even have a heart this early in development.)

Abortion funds, meanwhile, were marshaling their resources, preparing to help pregnant people get to clinics before the cutoff or travel to another state if necessary. On Twitter, the Texas Equal Access Fund announced theyd had hundreds of volunteer applications come in just that morning.

Multiple advocates also shared links for ordering the abortion pill, which effectively terminates pregnancies before 10 weeks gestation. The text of S.B. 8 states that only those who provide or abet in the provision an abortion can be sued, meaning that people who self-manage their abortions with the pill or other methods may be in the clear.

But as Center for Reproductive Rights attorney Marc Hearron pointed out, no one was exactly sure: Because the law could be enforced by anyoneincluding private citizens without a deep understanding of the law, or even a passing knowledge of itthere was no guarantee that someone wouldnt try to sue you for a self-managed abortion anyway. Thats just part of the whole pernicious part of this law, Hearron said on a press call.

Anti-abortion groups heralded the law in statements and on Twitter, but were muted on their next steps. Asked whether they believed the law could be an effective means of curtailing abortion nationally, a National Right to Life spokesperson said only that they believe any legal strategy that saves the lives of unborn children is an effective strategy. Steven Aden of Americans United for Life told The Daily Beast his group would be watching the court cases closely, but that for a number of reasons they did not believe the legislation would be effective outside of Texas.

The response from those leading the legal challenge to the law, meanwhile, seemed to be to wait: wait for the Supreme Court to rule, wait for the Fifth Circuit to make a decision, or wait for them to hand it back to the district court. We are obviously not giving up, we will keep fighting, Hearron said. But from a legal perspective, the fight seemed to be temporarily paused.

Advocates on the ground, meanwhile, promised to keep up the battle, despite what Whole Womans Health CEO Amy Hagstrom Miller called an unprecedented and complicated situation. Clinics were still open, abortion funds were still operating, and supporters were sounding the familiar drumbeat that abortion in Texaswhile now much, much harder to accesswas still legal.

Our values, our commitment, and what we stand for hasnt changed, Hagstrom-Miller said in a press call. Whole Womans Health believes abortion is a moral and social good, and we know access to safe abortion makes our communities safer and more healthy. Texans deserve better than this.

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The World Health Organization has said it is monitoring a new coronavirus variant known as "Mu", which was first identified in Colombia in January.

Mu, known scientifically as B.1.621, has been classified as a "variant of interest", the global health body said Tuesday in its weekly pandemic bulletin.

The WHO said the variant has mutations that indicate a risk of resistance to vaccines and stressed that further studies were needed to better understand it.

"The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape," the bulletin said.

There is widespread concern over the emergence of new virus mutations as infection rates are ticking up globally again, with the highly transmissible Delta variant taking hold -- especially among the unvaccinated -- and in regions where anti-virus measures have been relaxed.

All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19, mutate over time and most mutations have little or no effect on the properties of the virus.

But certain mutations can impact the properties of a virus and influence how easily it spreads, the severity of the disease it causes, and its resistance to vaccines, drugs and other countermeasures.

The WHO currently identifies four Covid-19 variants of concern, including Alpha, which is present in 193 countries, and Delta, present in 170 countries.

Five variants, including Mu, are to be monitored.

After being detected in Colombia, Mu has since been reported in other South American countries and in Europe.

The WHO said its global prevalence has declined to below 0.1 percent among sequenced cases. In Colombia, however, it is at 39 percent.

apo/roc/jfx/qan
Elizabeth French, mother of slain Chicago police Officer Ella French, wrote a letter Tuesday thanking several people, including the Chicago Police Department and area communities, on what would have been her daughters 30th birthday.

Ella French was shot and killed while conducting a traffic stop of three people in a vehicle just after 9 p.m. Aug. 7 in West Englewood. Her partner, Carlos Yanez Jr., was seriously wounded after being shot and faces the possibility of a lifetime disability, his family said.

In the letter, Ella Frenchs mother thanked the city of Chicago and all the women and men in law enforcement near and far. She also thanked a number of people by name, including Chicago dispatcher Keith Thornton Jr. and the many faces and names of people who remain unknown to us.

Your beautiful and heartfelt words of comfort, prayers and donations will be remembered forever, French wrote. More importantly, your love and support during this difficult time will be a treasure I carry with me for the rest of my life.

Ella French joined the Police Department in 2018 and was a member of the departments community safety team, which patrols areas around the city prone to spikes in violence and other crime.

Thousands attended Ella Frenchs funeral service at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel on the Southwest Side earlier this month.

sahmad@chicagotribune.com
Generally, when a single insider buys stock, it is usually not a big deal. However, when several insiders are buying, like in the case of RELX PLC (LON:REL), it sends a favourable message to the company's shareholders.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

Check out our latest analysis for RELX

RELX Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

The Independent Non-Executive Director Andrew Sukawaty made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for UK176k worth of shares at a price of UK17.64 each. We do like to see buying, but this purchase was made at well below the current price of UK21.82. Because it occurred at a lower valuation, it doesn't tell us much about whether insiders might find today's price attractive.

In the last twelve months RELX insiders were buying shares, but not selling. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insiders at RELX Have Bought Stock Recently

It's good to see that RELX insiders have made notable investments in the company's shares. Specifically, Independent Non-Executive Director June Felix bought UK86k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any sales whatsoever. This is a positive in our book as it implies some confidence.

Does RELX Boast High Insider Ownership?

I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Insiders own 0.09% of RELX shares, worth about UK39m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders.

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What Might The Insider Transactions At RELX Tell Us?

It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. Given that insiders also own a fair bit of RELX we think they are probably pretty confident of a bright future. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. To assist with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of RELX.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
Steven James has been working as a machine operator making Oreos, Chips Ahoy! and other Nabisco snacks at a plant in Richmond, Va. for 20 years.

On Aug. 16, James joined about 1,000 of his fellow union members in five states and walked off the job to protest what they say are unfair demands for concessions in contract negotiations with Nabisco's parent company Mondelez International (MDLZ). James, who isn't working another job, said he plans to stay out of the plant until a fair contract is signed.

We're not asking for a lot, James told Yahoo Finance Live. We just want a fair contract.

As Americas appetite for snack foods has grown during the pandemic, James said he and his colleagues on the frontlines have been working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week.

It was just constant. Never had time to spend with the kids. Never had time to spend with the family, he said.

The walkout began on Aug. 10 at a biscuit bakery in Portland, Ore., and has since spread to Aurora, Colo., Richmond, Va., Chicago, Addison, Illinois, and Norcross, Ga. Union members in those states have been working without a contract since May and are represented by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM).

James said he was given one-time hazard pay of $300 earlier this year for working long hours during the pandemic while some of the supervisors, they got $10,000."

"We had some management working from home. So, of course they were good, they were safe. We risk our lives coming out every day working all those hours, he added.

The strike has not affected Nabiscos ability to churn out popular snacks during the pandemic, since Mondelez International has been using non-union workers at plants where there have been walkouts.

James said he and his union members are asking customers to show their support by boycotting the snack giant.

We try to tell everyone, do not buy any Nabisco products at this time, because we are on strike, said. James. The community has really shown us some support. We have businesses and our local brothers and sisters have really been giving us a lot of support, and they are with us walking on the line as well.

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Union workers are asking customers to boycott Nabisco snacks like Ritz Crackers. Credit: Mondelez International

In a statement, Mondelez said, Our goal has been  and continues to be  to bargain in good faith with the BCTGM leadership while also taking steps to modernize some contract aspects which were written several decades ago.

'Keep our jobs here in the U.S.'

Union workers also want Mondelez to restore their pensions, which were replaced by a 401(k) plan in 2018.

Striking workers are also protesting two factory closures in February in Atlanta, Georgia and Fair Lawn, New Jersey, a move the union says is part of a larger plan to transfer low-wage jobs to Mexico.

They closed two of our plants and they sent the product to Mexico, said James. We just want to keep our jobs here in the U.S.

In a statement, BCTGM International President Anthony Shelton said union workers are telling Nabisco to put an end to the outsourcing of jobs to Mexico and get off the ridiculous demand for contract concessions at a time when the company is making record profits.

Mondelez Internationals net income climbed 98% in the quarter ended in June to $1.1 billion, while sales climbed 12.4% to $6.6 billion, compared to the same time a year ago.

Mondelez denies that any jobs went to Mexico as a result of the recent factory shutdowns in Georgia and New Jersey. Company spokeswoman Laurie Guzzinati told Yahoo Finance that production at the shuttered facilities has been absorbed by existing bakeries in Portland and Richmond. Some Oreo production was shifted to Mexico in 2016, a move that Donald Trump criticized as a presidential candidate.

Alexis Christoforous is an anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @AlexisTVNews.

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit
Brian Murphy manages Buffalo River Compost and says he gets a variety of special deliveries daily including "Horse manure, we get seaweed, we get drift wood, from our local grocery stores we get the food wastes." His job is to transform it all into nutrient rich compost.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP)  A suspect was taken into custody Wednesday after one student was fatally shot at a North Carolina high school, officials said.

Winston-Salem police Chief Catrina Thompson, fighting back tears, told a news conference that Mount Tabor High School went into immediate lockdown as emergency responders, sheriff's deputies and police officers arrived just after noon to search for the suspect, who she said was believed to be a student at the school.

The injured student was taken to a local hospital, where he died, Thompson said.

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office announced on its Twitter page that the suspect, who was not identified, was apprehended. No other details were immediately available.

Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr., who joined deputies and officers at the school on the initial call, identified the dead student as William Chavis Raynard Miller Jr. Kimbrough said he met with the family at the hospital.

I haven't cried in a while, but I've been crying since I left the hospital, Kimbrough said.

Sheriffs office spokeswoman Christina Howell said all other students were safe.

Police blocked roads to the school, which has an enrollment of more than 1,500 students, and numerous emergency vehicles were on the scene. Parents frantic for information parked their cars on the sidewalks several blocks from the school as police directed traffic away from campus. Students and parents could be seen walking toward a nearby shopping center.

Christopher Johnson said his son told him that he heard the gunshots while in the school gym and students were told to hide because there was an active shooter on campus.

You see stuff like this in the media, said Johnson, whose son was still at the school awaiting transportation to a pickup point. Its scary to know that it actually reached out and touched you this time. My sons not a victim, but hes part of this and hell probably remember this forever.

Later, law enforcement vehicles were seen escorting school buses with Mount Tabor students off the campus to be reunited with their parents.

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The sheriff's office said other schools in the area were on lockdown as a precaution but no other shootings or injuries had been reported.

Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement that he has been briefed by law enforcement and noted this was the second school shooting in the state this week. A 15-year-old was charged after a student was shot and wounded during a fight Monday at a Wilmington high school.

We must work to ensure the safety of students and educators, quickly apprehends the shooter and keep guns off school grounds, Cooper said.
Mississippi police have issued an arrest warrant for an Ohio man accused of accosting NBC News Shaquille Brewster on live television.

Benjamin Eugene Dagley will be charged with two counts of simple assault, one count of disturbing the peace and one count of violating an emergency curfew, according to a statement from Gulfport police on Tuesday.

We would like to thank the public for coming forward and helping identify Dagley. pic.twitter.com/SFPJAekshn

 Gulfport Police Dept (@GulfportPolice) August 31, 2021

Given Dagleys criminal record, authorities say that he could also be in violation of his probation out of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, for allegedly traveling without authorization.

The public was able to help identify the suspect after Gulfport police shared a press release requesting assistance on Monday.

Further investigation has also revealed that Dagley has left the Gulfport area and police are asking anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts to contact their local authorities.

Brewster was reporting on Tropical Storm Ida from the coastal Mississippi town when Dagley barged into the live shot, shouting in his face to report accurately. The clip went viral on Twitter Monday, with many commenters praising Brewster for maintaining his composure.

Things got very hairy for NBC News reporter Shaquille Brewster during a live Hurricane Ida report from Gulfport, MS.



Some guy jumps out of a pickup truck and angrily confronts Brewster's crew, prompting a shaken Craig Melvin to express extreme concern for his colleague. pic.twitter.com/v1tYnUsqTj

 Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) August 30, 2021

Once the segment ended, MSNBCs Craig Melvin informed viewers from the studio that Brewster was unharmed by the wacky guy.

Later that day, Brewster tweeted, Appreciate the concern guys. The team and I are all good!

Appreciate the concern guys. The team and I are all good!

 Shaquille Brewster (@shaqbrewster) August 30, 2021

Read original story Ohio Man Faces Arrest for On-Air Attack of MSNBC Reporter Covering Hurricane Ida in Mississippi At TheWrap
Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.). Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images

Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) called the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan on Monday and made a brazen request, two U.S. officials told The Washington Post  he said he was on his way to Afghanistan to rescue an American woman and her four children, but first he needed help getting a massive amount of cash into Tajikistan.

There is a limit on how much cash can be brought into Tajikistan, the Post reports, and Mullin told the staffer who answered the phone that he needed to carry enough to pay for a helicopter that would be used to get the family out of Afghanistan. Mullin said he would be flying from Tblisi, Georgia, into Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in a few hours, and for his operation to work, he needed the assistance of U.S. Ambassador John Mark Pommersheim. When the staffer told Mullin this wasn't possible, the congressman threatened Pommersheim and the Embassy's employees, and demanded to know the name of the person he was speaking to, U.S. officials told the Post.

The officials said this wasn't Mullin's first attempt to enter Afghanistan  last week, he flew to Greece and asked the Defense Department for permission to go to Kabul, a request that was rejected. The fact that he keeps ignoring warnings about not entering Afghanistan during a dangerous time is stunning and concerning, the officials told the Post, and as of Tuesday night, they do not know where he is. "To say this is extremely dangerous is a massive understatement," a State Department official said.

Mullin, 44, was elected to Congress in 2012. A member of the conservative Republican Study Committee, he voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election results, and was a critic of President Biden's Afghanistan withdrawal plan. Two other congressmen who were able to get into Kabul last week, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) and Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.), served in Iraq, but Mullin was not a member of the U.S. military. Mullin's office did not respond to the Post's multiple requests for comment, and when asked on Tuesday if he knew Mullin's whereabouts, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said nothing and walked away.

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Sep. 1Anyone who's lived in the same area for a while knows businesses come and go over the years.

Someone or some company takes a chance on creating a new go-to spot, hoping it becomes a staple.

While it doesn't always work out, every so often, there are a few businesses that survive decades of an ever-changing marketplace to become a pillar in their area. Rochester has been no exception.

Here, we look back at several Rochester businesses that are dearly missed after serving the community for decades.

Shakey's Pizza

Former Rochester Mayor Chuck Canfield opened Shakey's Pizza in 1968, and the pizza parlor remained popular until it closed in 2002. At the time, Rochester wasn't home to many pizza locations, and Shakey's broke that mold.

Besides its high-quality pies, customers loved how Shakey's catered to the community with its popular birthday celebrations and lunch and dinner buffet. Its accessible 1816 18th Ave. NW location was another reason so many people found themselves there.

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Paine Furniture

A generational business and Rochester staple for over a century, Paine Furniture closed its doors in 2006 after owner Cedric Paine retired.

Paine was the third generation of Paines to own the store  it was founded by his grandfather F.J. Paine in 1902. The store started out as a furniture retailer and funeral parlor before the businesses separated in 1914. The 104-year-old store was at 309 S. Broadway. The building is now used by the University of Minnesota Rochester, Rochester Downtown Alliance, and Treedome.

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Michaels

Michaels, 15 S. Broadway, was a prominent restaurant in the Rochester dining scene for more than 60 years.

Michaels was opened by Michael and Mary Pappas, and their four sons, George, James, Paul and Charles, in 1951. The family-owned restaurant was known for its steaks and garlic toast, which many claimed was the best they've ever had. In 2014, the family announced Michaels' doors were closing for the last time on Dec. 31.

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More than 200 people turned out for one final night at Michaels.

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Face the Music

Back when people widely searched for records instead of logging into Spotify, Face the Music was the No. 1 provider of records and CDs in Rochester for more than 40 years.

The 1970s shop, owned by Douglas Mac Iver, was at 1201 S. Broadway and later moved to Crossroads Shopping Center, where it added comic books, trading cards and collectibles before closing in 2006.

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Benny's R-Tic Root Beer Stand

Benny's was opened by owners Benny and Eloise Dresbach in 1947, and stayed in operation until 1978. The root beer stand was incredibly popular during the '60s and '70s, with young and old enjoying Benny's classic root beer, hot dog or Mexi-burger.

The historic spot was at the corner of First Avenue Southwest and Sixth Street Southwest, adjacent to the former Veterans of Foreign Affairs Post 1215 at 16th Street Southwest before both buildings were demolished in 2018.

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Just Rite Foods

Starting in 1947, legendary deli meat could be found at 211 Sixth Ave. SW in Rochester. William Just opened Just Rite Foods Market after he returned home from World War II. Pat Schulte bought the store from William's son, Jack, in 1994 and owned it up till it closed in August 2017.

The location was purchased by JRF Rochester, a Minnetonka-based company, for $645,000 on March 21, 2017.

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Mike's Lakeside Drive-In

Kentucky Fried Chicken first arrived in Rochester in 1960 when Vincent Majerus, owner of Big Boy Drive-In and Mike's Lakeside Drive-In, announced a deal with the now international chain to sell their chicken. The drive-in also was a popular date-night spot to grab burgers and milkshakes.

Majerus sold Big Boy Drive-In three years later, but continued to own Mike's at 1224 N. Broadway until 1976, when he sold it to Duane Berg.

Colonel Sanders actually visited the location on May 29, 1963, while in Rochester for a Mayo Clinic examination.

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Tinklers

Tinklers set up shop in the historic Olmsted County Bank and Trust building from the 1970s to 1989.

It was popular for its Plaza Burger and hot fudge sundae, while also being considered the '70s hangout for young professionals. The space is currently unoccupied.

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John Barleycorn

For more than 20 years, John Barleycorn at 2780 S. Broadway was a spot that people could visit for business lunches or romantic nights out while enjoying a premium steak and the restaurant's popular beer cheese soup.

The restaurant closed its doors in 2004.
(AFP via Getty Images)

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley spoke about how veterans are feeling upon the conclusion of the decades-long war in Afghanistan.

Mr Austin, a retired general who served as head of US Central Command and who led troops in Afghanistan, said he knew that the ending of the war had been difficult days for many who served. He said that he hoped people would look back at their service with thoughtfulness and respect.

I will always be proud of the part that we played in this war, he said during a Pentagon briefing on Wednesday. But, we shouldn't expect Afghan war veterans to agree any more than any other group of Americans.

Mr Austin said he has heard strong opinions from people with differing points of view in recent days.

That's vital. That's democracy. That's America, he said.

Mr Milley, who has since become a lightning rod for criticism for many on the right, including former president Donald Trump, addressed what he viewed as pain and anger among some veterans.

I commanded troops and I wasnt born a four-star general, he said. My pain and anger comes from the same as the grieving family, the same as the soldiers on the ground.

Mr Milley added that he had visited wounded veterans at Walter Reed Medical Center.

This is tough stuff, he said. War is hard. Its vicious, its brutal, its unforgiving. And yes, we all have pain and anger. And when we see what has unfolded over the last 20 years and over the last 20 days, that creates pain and anger.

The chairman said his came from 242 of his soldiers being killed in action during the 20 years of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

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A crowd carries makeshift coffins draped with the US, UK, and French Union Jack flags during a pretend funeral on a street in Khost, Afghanistan on August 31. Zhman TV/via REUTERS

A crowd poured into the streets of Khost, Afghanistan, carrying makeshift coffins draped with the US, UK, and French flags.

Those gathered were waving the white Taliban flag, rejoicing at the US withdrawing its last troops.

The Taliban also celebrated in Kabul, firing off guns and posing in US air force jets.

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Taliban supporters in the eastern Afghanistan city of Khost were seen pouring onto the streets and carrying out a mock funeral procession for the US and its allies.

The crowd was seen waving Taliban flags and toting firearms. The victory parade in Khost also included mock prayers over makeshift coffins that were draped with US, UK, French, and NATO flags, per Reuters.

"August 31 is our formal Freedom Day. On this day, American occupying forces and NATO forces fled the country," said Taliban official Qari Saeed Khosti to local television station Zhman TV.

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US Army Maj. Gen. Chris Donahue, the last US soldier out of Afghanistan, boarded a C-17 cargo plane out of Afghanistan just before midnight on August 30. The C-17 took off at 11.59 p.m. local time on Monday, one minute before President Joe Biden's August 31 deadline for the military drawdown. Donahue's departure marked the end of a 20-year war in Afghanistan and the conclusion of a hurried and chaotic withdrawal by the US and its allies.

In the wake of the American troops' departure, celebratory gunfire from Taliban fighters was heard in the streets. Militant fighters also commemorated the US troops' withdrawal by posing for pictures in the cockpits of Afghan Air Force planes that were once used in the fight against them.

The Taliban's spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed on August 31 that the US's military withdrawal from Afghanistan is a "victory" that "belongs to us all."

"We want to have good relations with the US and the world," said Mujahid to reporters at Kabul airport, per CNN. "We hope that Afghanistan is never occupied again, and this country stays prosperous, free, a home for all Afghans and governed by the Islamic rule."

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said 100 to 200 US citizens are still in Afghanistan, and said the US will continue to help Americans who want to leave the country to get out. President Joe Biden made the same promise to help American citizens leave Afghanistan in his address to the nation on Tuesday.

However, it is estimated that around 60,000 Afghan interpreters and US allies have been left behind in Afghanistan. This includes an interpreter who helped rescue Biden and former Sens. John Kerry and Chuck Hagel during a snowstorm back in 2008.

Read the original article on Insider
Rome  In a wide-ranging radio interview that aired on Wednesday, Pope Francis called the withdrawal of the U.S. military and its allies from Afghanistan "legitimate," but criticized the way it was carried out.

"As far as I can see, not all eventualities were taken into account here," he told Spanish Catholic radio station COPE. "I don't know whether there will be a review or not, but certainly there was a lot of deception, perhaps, on the part of the new authorities [of Afghanistan]. I say deceit, or a lot of naivete  I don't understand."

Pope Francis and journalist Carlos Herrera talk during an interview with Spanish radio station COPE at Vatican City in this picture released September 1, 2021. / Credit: COPE/Carlos Herrera

The pope framed the 20-year U.S.-led war in Afghanistan as an example of an outsider's attempt to impose democracy. In doing so, he said he was quoting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he called "one of the great figures of world democracy." However, he was inadvertently paraphrasing remarks made by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"'It is necessary to put an end to the irresponsible policy of intervening from outside and building democracy in other countries, ignoring the traditions of the peoples.' Concise and conclusive," the pontiff said, thinking he was quoting Merkel. "I think this says a lot; and everyone can interpret it as they wish. But there I felt a wisdom in hearing this woman say this."

It was in fact Putin who used very similar words as he met with Merkel during a visit by the German leader to Russia on August 20.

In the 90-minute interview, Pope Francis also revealed new details about his July 4 abdominal surgery for symptomatic diverticular stenosis, a narrowing of the colon.

He said a male nurse from the Vatican health services "saved my life," by encouraging him to opt for surgery instead of relying on antibiotics, as some doctors had recommended.

"Certainly these things that are born from the diverticula... and who knows... they become deformed, necrotic... but thank God, it was taken in time, and here I am," the pope said, revealing that he'd had about 13 inches of his colon removed. The surgery required him to be hospitalized for 11 days.

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Francis also denied recent rumors in the Italian media that he was planning to resign, saying the thought had never crossed his mind. "Whenever a pope is ill there is always a breeze or a hurricane about a conclave," he told COPE, referring to the secret meeting when cardinals gather to elect a new pope.

He said he'd recovered fully and was able to eat what he wants, as well as keep to his normal busy schedule.

Besides an upcoming trip to Hungary and Slovakia in September, he also confirmed that he would attend the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Scotland in November, as well as travel to Greece, Cyprus and Malta in the near future.

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Pope Francis announced plans to visit Greece, Cyprus and Malta and confirmed he hopes to attend the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, in an interview broadcast Wednesday.

The 84-year-old has already scheduled a visit to Slovakia September 12-15 after a brief stop in Hungary to celebrate a mass in the capital Budapest.

Asked by Spain's Cope radio whether he may also travel to Spain to coincide with the Holy Year in the northwestern city of Santiago de Compostela, the pontiff said he could not rule it out.

"But my choice so far of travel to Europe is the small countries. First it was Albania and then all the countries that were small," he said.

"Now Slovakia is on the programme, then Cyprus, Greece and Malta. I wanted to take that option: first to the smaller countries...

"And if I go to Santiago, I go to Santiago but not to Spain, let's be clear," ruling out an official trip to the country.

The pope, who has been outspoken on the need to tackle climate change, also confirmed he hoped to attend the COP26 conference in Scotland in November -- and urged participants to aim high.

"It all depends on how I feel at the time. But in fact, my speech is already being prepared, and the plan is to be there," he said.

It is the biggest climate summit since the 2015 Paris negotiation, which Francis said "was the summum (pinnacle) in becoming globally aware".

"Then what happened? Fear set in," Francis said.

- 'No script' -

"And slowly, in the subsequent meetings, they went backwards. I hope that Glasgow will now raise its sights a bit and bring us more in line."

The official programme for his trip to Hungary includes a meeting with President Janos Ader and Prime Minister Viktor Orban on his arrival.

Asked what he would like to say to Orban, whose anti-migration views contrast with his own, Francis appeared to avoid the question.

"I don't know if I am going to meet him. I know that authorities will come to greet me...

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"One of my ways is not to go around with a script: when I am in front of a person, I look him in the eyes and let things come out.

"It doesn't even occur to me to think about what I'm going to say if I'm with him, those potential future situations that don't help me."

cm-gab-ar/wdb
LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal said on Wednesday it would allow entry for tourists from Brazil, nearly 18 months after it imposed a ban on non-essential travel from the Portuguese-speaking South American nation to stem the spread of coronavirus.

Although Brazilians, who make up Portugal's biggest expatriate community, were allowed access for reasons such as work, family or health, the lifting of the tourism ban has been long-awaited.

Portugal is now open to tourists from the European Union who present the bloc's digital COVID-19 certificate, as well as the United States, from where visitors must show a negative test result on arrival.

Travellers from Brazil now no longer need to quarantine but must provide a negative COVID-19 test. The same rule applies to visitors from Britain, according to the government.

Brazil has had more than 20.7 million confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 580,000 fatalities due to the virus.

Passengers from nations such as Japan, Australia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Singapore and Canada will also be able to travel to Portugal if they provide a negative test.

Visitors from Nepal, India and South Africa are still required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival and must only be travelling for essential reasons.

Portugal has lifted most restrictions with a three-stage plan, supported by a speedy and efficient vaccination rollout.

As of Wednesday, 73% of the population was fully vaccinated, health ministry data show.

(Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Mike Harrison)
Sep. 1The agreement between authorities and a longtime Germantown doctor that will send the man to prison for at least 10 years for sex crimes does not prevent prosecutors from pursuing other charges against him if more victims come forward, prosecutors said during a hearing on Monday.

However, Dr. Noel Jay Watson's defense attorney Frank Malocu told a judge during the same hearing that authorities have investigated the matter thoroughly and there are no other cases that can be filed with the court against Watson at this time.

Watson, 76, pleaded guilty Monday to 11 counts of sexual battery and faces between 10 to 15 years in prison. The offenses took place between 2005 and 2018, according to a Bill of Information filed in the case.

He is set to be sentenced on Sept. 30 by Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Mary Montgomery. Watson also is expected to be designated a Tier III sexual offender and once released from prison would have to register with his local sheriff's office every 90 days for the rest of his life.

Authorities began their investigation into Watson when a man in October 2020 reported to police that he had a sexual relationship with the doctor when he was a minor, the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office said. A lengthy investigation by the county sheriff's office found two additional sexual assault victims, according to a prosecutor's release.

Watson's family medicine practice was at 1225 W. Market St. He was a physician for Providence Medical Group, which has removed his profile from the website. Malocu told the judge during Monday's hearing that he served the community for more than 50 years.

The State Medical Board of Ohio suspended Watson's medical license on July 14 amid allegations he inappropriately exchanged drugs for sex acts with teenage boys and improperly treated some patients.

Watson was being held in the Montgomery County Jail and was still listed as an inmate on the Miami Valley Jails website Tuesday afternoon. However, an entry indicating bond was posted was entered onto the case docket and the Miami Valley Jails website says Electronic Home Detention Program was granted.

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An order setting bail says that he must turn over his passport and undergo electronic monitoring should he post bond.

During the hearing on Monday, Malocu asked the judge to allow his client to go home instead of jail pending his sentencing hearing because Watson has medical issues and doctor appointments set.

Prosecutors said during the hearing that they believed given the seriousness of the crimes, the number of victims in the case and the length of time the allegations span, he was a risk to the community and asked the judge for a high bond.
A large protest broke out in front of a fraternity in Iowa Tuesday night to demonstrate against an alleged sexual assault that took place at the house a year ago.

Some protesters broke windows on the Phi Gamma Delta house, whose members are commonly called Fijis, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City and others broke into the house, according to KGAN-TV Cedar Rapids  but its unclear if any damage was done inside.

The protest came a day after an online petition with more than 82,000 signatures by late Tuesday called for the frat to be shut down. The fraternitys University of Nebraska-Lincoln chapter was suspended last Wednesday following its own allegation.

The Iowa petition claims a sophomore girl was drugged, raped and videotaped by members of the frat last September.

"I just think enough is enough," a female student and protester who wished to remain anonymous told KGAN. "This has been going on for far too long at universities across the United States. Men are getting away with sexual violence against women, and we're sick of it. We are the generation that's gonna stop it. It's over."

The Iowa City Police Department said in a statement that it takes "all allegations of sexual assault seriously and investigate them to the fullest extent possible. However, we cannot comment on online petitions. We encourage anyone who believes they have been the victim of sexual assault to contact the Iowa City Police Department," KGAN reported.

Fiji executive director Rob Caudill told KCRG-TV Cedar Rapids the fraternity immediately removed the accused members last September and began cooperating with the police and the university.

UI said in a letter to the "university community" that the school "does not condone sexual misconduct of any kind and takes every allegation seriously," adding for further investigation to proceed anyone with information on the alleged attack should go to the schools Office of Institutional Equity.

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Protesters have gathered outside of the chapters UNL house for the last week since the separate allegation of a sexual assault on Aug. 23 surfaced.

A 17-year-old female student reported the alleged assault by a 19-year-old student at the house to the Lincoln Police Department last week, according to the Lincoln Journal-Star.

The UNL chapter was put on probation in 2015 and suspended from 2017 to 2020 over for alcohol-related offenses and alleged sexual misconduct, the newspaper reported.

The Nebraska protesters were also calling on the university to shut the frat down.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday dodged questions about a leaked phone call in which President Biden pressed former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to change the "perception" of the Talibans advancement in Afghanistan, "whether it is true or not," less than four weeks before Kabul fell to the terror group.

Asked during her daily press briefing to confirm the contents of the call, Psaki refused.

"Well, I'm not going to get into private, diplomatic conversations or leaked transcripts of phone calls," she said. "But what I can reiterate for you is that we have stated many times that no one anticipated  that the Taliban would be able to take over the country as quickly as they did or that the Afghan National Security Forces would fold as quickly as they did."

BIDEN BREAKS PROMISE TO 'STAY' IN AFGHANISTAN UNTIL EVERY AMERICAN EVACUATED

"So even the content of the reporting is consistent with what weve said many times publicly," she continued. "Ill also note something the president said in his press conference around the same time of this reported phone call: The Afghan government and leadership has to come together. They clearly have the capacity to sustain the government in place. The question is, will they generate the kind of cohesion to do it."

Psaki was also asked whether Biden was "pushing a false narrative" in his phone call with Ghani. The press secretary said she wouldn't "go into the details of a private conversation" but emphasized that there was a "collapse in leadership" in the Afghan government long before the former president fled the country.

According to a transcript of a July 23 presidential call reviewed by Reuters, Biden indicated that he didn't anticipate the Taliban's rapid advance across Afghanistan, which ended when they stormed Kabul on Aug. 15 and Ghani fled the presidential palace. Instead, Biden focused much of the 14-minute call on the Afghan governments "perception" problem.

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"I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban," Biden said. "And there is a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture."

At the time of the call, the Taliban controlled about half of Afghanistan's district centers.

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, echoed similar concerns in a follow-up call with Ghani later that day, which did not include Biden, Reuters noted.

"The perception in the United States, in Europe and the media sort of thing is a narrative of Taliban momentum, and a narrative of Taliban victory," Milley reportedly said. "And we need to collectively demonstrate and try to turn that perception, that narrative, around."
Whitney DeHerreras second-grader Catalina, who attends Lawrence Public Schools in Kansas, was sent home Monday for a 10-day quarantine  along with the other 21 students in her class.

But other than some paper assignments, which DeHerrera plans to spread out over the next several days, she wasnt given any guidance to keep her daughter on track.

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There was zero planning in how students are being educated when they are being sent home, she said. They havent offered any virtual learning, even though the teacher has no children for a whole week.

A state law limiting students to 40 hours of remote instruction for the entire school year  an effort to strongly nudge everyone back to the classroom  is one reason. Many districts around the country are finding themselves similarly caught off-guard. Some chalk it up to an overcorrection on the part of states and districts, under pressure from parents and the Biden administration to get students back in school after previous botched attempts. But the Delta variant has spoiled best-laid plans for a full return. Some districts are struggling to shift back to remote learning and others are leaving families hanging over how their children will stay on track.

I really cant believe our schools are as unprepared for remote learning as they seem to be, said Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education. Its been clear for months that remote options would be necessary, at least as long as kids remain unvaccinated. Everyone had their heads in the sand, and kids will pay the price.

Related: The State of the Digital Divide: School Districts Race to Complete Applications for New $7.2 Billion Technology Fund as Push for Remote Learning Intensifies

The Centers ongoing analysis of districts reopening plans shows that 38 out of 100 provide information on how theyll continue learning for quarantined students, and of those, 16 say they will provide instruction or support.

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Now theyve overcorrected

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation in July that required parents who wanted their children to remain in remote learning to sign up for a program called Independent Study.

Thats caused confusion across the state over whether teachers can still hold Zoom classes with their quarantined students. The principal at Overland Elementary in Los Angeles was among those unclear on the rules, telling parents that the law prohibited teachers from providing live instruction.

That left Alexis Rochlins first grader Henry  one of 20 students in a single class quarantined for six days at Overland  with no more than an hour of schoolwork. And with family gatherings for Labor Day and the Jewish holidays approaching, shes expecting more quarantine periods in the future.

Kathy Meza said her son Matthew didnt receive any schoolwork while he was in quarantine. (Courtesy of Kathy Meza)

The Los Angeles district announced a temporary solution this week in which teachers can use Zoom if an entire class is out or livestream their lessons if just a few students are out.

But that was after Kathy Mezas fourth-grader Matthew missed seven days of learning. He was quarantined on the first day of school, Aug. 16, and she said she never received any communication from teachers.

He was not getting any homework. He was basically home doing nothing, said Meza. He was like, When I go back to school, everything will be new for me.

Kathy Meza said her son Matthew didnt receive any schoolwork while he was in quarantine.

(Courtesy of Kathy Meza)

Even though Los Angeles leaders responded to concerns from parents, others in the state are still waiting for answers. When Bobbie Lamberts daughter Krystal, a student in the San Juan Unified School District, near Sacramento, was quarantined, her junior ROTC teacher was the only one to upload any assignments onto Google Classroom.

Jenny Hontz, spokeswoman for advocacy group Speak Up, said she doesnt expect the legislature or Newsom, who is facing a Sept. 14 recall, to make any changes regarding remote learning until after the vote.

The governor doesnt want to do anything that looks like were going back to Zoom school, but thats standing in the way of common sense, she said. The state has been criticized for delaying school reopening in the spring, and now theyve overcorrected, she said. The California Department of Education did not respond to requests for comment on this story.

Echoing complaints about uneven access to remote learning last year, some observers say students in Los Angeless lower-income communities  where case rates are higher and vaccination rates are lower  will likely miss more school because theyll have to quarantine more often.

Its going to be such an equity issue, said Hannah Gravette, regional vice president in Los Angeles for Innovate Public Schools. There needs to be some other access to classrooms, even if youre just watching what the teacher is doing.

One complication in many districts, however, is that the laptops students were assigned last year have now been returned to school. Thats the case in the Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida, where nearly 10,000 students are in quarantine. The district last week approved a $2.6 million contract with an online tutoring service that students can access around the clock.

But theres a hitch: In many ways, schools in the Tampa area are facing the same remote learning challenges they did when schools first closed in 2020. Some dont have internet access. Others only connect on their phones, and some parents cant pick up paper copies of lessons at school because theyve tested positive for COVID-19. Even if a student has a computer, teachers arent required to teach over Zoom due to an agreement with the local teachers union, said spokeswoman Erin Maloney.

Kids are required to keep in contact with their teachers, she said. But we try to be reasonable because every students situation is different.

Related: Research from Europe Points to Online Tutoring as a Potent Weapon Against Learning Loss

In Georgia, several metro Atlanta schools have already transitioned to remote learning or added hybrid options because of outbreaks. The Cobb County School District, where dozens of parents have been protesting leaders decision to keep masks optional, initially turned down requests to reopen registration for its virtual academy.

This month, leaders announced they will reopen the application period later this fall if families want remote learning during the second semester. But that doesnt address the interruption in learning for students in quarantine.

There was pretty much nothing offered to us  no Zoom, no live option at all, said Meredith Copley, whose children, ages 10 and 12, were quarantined last week.

She had to work, so she told her son how many chapters to read each day and gave him a math worksheet.

A few states, such as Ohio and North Carolina, are now considering policies that would bring back remote options.

Some lawmakers want to limit virtual options to higher-achieving students. The Texas legislature is advancing a bill that would cut off state funding for students learning remotely if they scored low on state exams last year or were chronically absent.

Joseph South, chief learning officer at the International Society for Technology in Education, said its counterproductive for leaders to eliminate options that technology has already made possible.

Its a political climate where its hard for schools to catch a break. Just three months ago, they were under fire for taking too long to reopen. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said he was expecting all schools will offer full-time in person learning to every student this fall. Assessments show some students are months off track academically  with remote learning getting the lions share of the blame.

But the tricky politics of the pandemic seem unlikely to change soon.

Looking several months ahead, Vikki Katz, a professor of communications at Rutgers University in New Jersey, expects to see a checkerboard where the politics of where you live will determine the vaccination rates for younger kids. Once vaccines are available for students in the elementary grades, quarantines will recede in some communities and persist in others, she said. She doesnt expect vaccine mandates for students until 2022-23.

Thats why this year, she said, policymakers and district leaders should use a scalpel and not a hammer in determining remote learning policies.

Katz advocates for districts to hire college-age digital navigators to serve as a link between families and schools when they need it badly. But she added, large bureaucracies move slowly and viruses move quickly.

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By Jan Strupczewski

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Poland's challenge to the primacy of European Union law over national law is holding up the release of 57 billion euros in EU recovery funds to Warsaw, European Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said on Wednesday.

Poland, like all other countries of the 27-nation group, is to receive large grants and cheap loans from the EU to rebuild its economy greener and more adapted to the digital age after the economic deep slump caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

But each country is to get its share of the money only once the European Commission, the EU's executive arm and the guardian of EU laws, approves its national spending plan that has to comply with criteria set out in EU law.

The Commission has already given the green light to 18 national plans, but has withheld approval for Poland and Hungary because it is concerned that the two countries undermine the independence of courts and media freedom.

To make matters worse, the Polish government has recently asked the Polish constitutional tribunal to rule that EU law does not stand above national law -- a claim that undermines the basis of the EU's legal order.

Gentiloni, speaking to the economic and budget committee of the European Parliament, said that latest move by the Polish government was now an additional factor holding up the Commission's approval for disbursements to Warsaw.

If approved, Poland could get 23 billion euros in EU grants and 34 billion euros in cheap loans, while Hungary can expect 7.2 billion euros in grants.

"The fact is that we are not yet there, that the discussion is continuing," Gentiloni said.

"We know that this is about the requirements of the regulation and about the country specific recommendations and also the discussion, as the Polish authorities know very well, includes also the issue of the primacy of EU law and the possible consequences of this issue on the Polish recovery and resilience plan," he said.

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European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, also present at the parliamentary hearing, said the money would not be released until the Commission was satisfied Poland and Hungary complied with the EU requirements.

"We are seeking additional clarifications from Poland and Hungary concerning compliance, making sure that all conditions of the regulation are being met. We need to receive those assurances before we are able to conclude positively on this."

Ten EU countries are already getting EU cash -- Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Lithuania, Denmark, and Luxembourg have received in total almost 49 billion euros in pre-financing for projects listed in their national plans that got the Commission's OK.

Some of them, like Spain, France, Greece, or Denmark could even get next tranches of cash in the coming months if they show the Commission they have reach agreed milestones and targets in their reforms and planned projects, Dombrovskis said.

Bulgaria and the Netherlands have not yet submitted their national plans to the Commission because of elections and continuing difficulties in forming a government.

(Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; Editing by Alistair Bell)
Photo credit: Rivian

The EV startup Rivian announced in a statement Friday that it has submitted its registration to the Securities and Exchange Commission as it prepares to take the company public.

According to Bloomberg, who spoke with people close to the matter, the company is aiming for a $80 billion valuation and hopes to have its IPO in late November. (For comparison, the Detroit Free Press notes that General Motors and Ford have market capitalizations of $72 billion and $53 billion.)

Rivian said it will begin production of its R1T electric pickup in September, with the R1S SUV expected to enter production next year.

Electric vehicle startup Rivian initially planned to launch its R1T pickup truck in July, but the start of production was delayed to September. With production now apparently right around the corner, Rivian is preparing to take the next step toward securing its future, with the company announcing on Friday that it has submitted its S-1 registration to the Securities and Exchange Commission in advance of an initial public offering.



Rivian is seeking an approximately $80 billion valuation, according to Bloomberg, which said it spoke with sources with knowledge of the situation. Bloomberg's sources also said that Rivian, which is based in Irvine, California, but also has a large presence in Michigan, is aiming to have its initial public offering around Thanksgiving, but the company still needs approval from the SEC before that happens. Rivian officially says that the size and price range for the IPO is still being worked out, and the company is partnering with advisers including Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley on the process.

If the $80 billion valuation proves accurate, Rivian would become more valuable on paper than General Motors and Ford. Those automakers, the Detroit Free Press notes, currently have market capitalizations of $72 billion and $53 billion, respectively. Ford has been a major investor in Rivian, helping contribute $10.5 billion to the startup alongside companies like Amazon. These investments have allowed Rivian to construct a factory in Normal, Illinois, where it will build the R1T and its R1S SUV counterpart. The company will also produce 100,000 electric vans for Amazon over the coming decade. Rivian is also planning to construct a $5 billion, 10,000-acre factory somewhere in the southwestern United States for additional production starting in 2023.
US AIRSTRIKE TARGETING ISIS-K

A military transport plane flies over as relatives and neighbors of the Ahmadi family gathered around the incinerated husk of a vehicle targeted and hit by an American drone strike, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 30, 2021. Credit - Marcus YamLos Angeles Times/Getty Impages

Soon after the last U.S. plane departed Kabuls Hamid Karzai International Airport in the pre-dawn hours of Aug. 31, marking the end of Americas longest war, a Taliban spokesman posted a video message hailing the result of 20 years of our historic sacrifices.

We left a historic chapter behind, said Mohammed Naeem, according to a translation by CBS News. The coming chapter is important.

While U.S. officials broadcast the immediate security threats to efforts to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies in the chaotic final days of the war, they have been tight-lipped about what dangers may lie ahead. President Joe Biden defended his decision to pull U.S. troops from the conflict in a defiant address to the nation on Tuesday, noting that the terrorist threat to the U.S. has metastasized across the world well beyond Afghanistan. But the violent and harrowing withdrawal was a gift to terrorist groups looking to regroup there, experts say.

The U.S. has left Afghanistan in the hands of the same Taliban militants it overthrew two decades ago, after the group provided safe haven to the al-Qaeda operatives who plotted the 9/11 attacks. Its leaders still maintain close ties to al-Qaeda, and the nascent government being patched together in Kabul is unlikely to be able to contain the resurgence of competing terrorist groups in the region, including Islamic State in Khorasan Province. The group, known as ISKP or ISIS-K, has claimed responsibility for the Aug. 26 airport bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members and an estimated 170 Afghans.

The vacuum created by the sudden end of the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan is going to be far larger than the Taliban can fill, says Matthew Levitt, director of counterterrorism and intelligence at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. While there wont be many American or foreign targets left in the country, for terrorist groups and foreign fighters it will be an attractive place to flock to as a safe haven, a place to regroup, a place to plot, a place where they can comfortably exist and make plans for the future.

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The Biden Administration has vowed to keep such threats at bay from over the horizon, by monitoring the situation and deploying drones out of U.S. bases in Qatar and other Gulf countries. We will maintain the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and other countries, Biden said on Tuesday. We just dont need to fight a ground war to do it. To ISIS-K, we arent done with you yet.

But the dismantling of military infrastructure and withdrawal of all U.S. personnel from the country will make that task more difficult, experts and intelligence officials say, with the U.S. military now largely cut off from the human sources on the ground that it has relied on for twenty years. Weve had really good eyes and ears on the ground in Afghanistan, says Colin Clarke, a counterterrorism analyst with security consulting firm Soufan Group. And were still going to have earswere still going to have [signals intelligence] capabilities, but we wont have eyes.

But U.S. defense and intelligence officials warn that wont be enough to stop Afghanistan from once again becoming a hub for emboldened, more technologically savvy terrorist groups seeking to recruit, train, and plot attacks at home and abroad. The Administration is right that our capabilities are far superior to what they were 20 years ago, Clarke says. But technology has been a force multiplier for jihadi groups too. Its not like its the U.S. in 2021 versus al-Qaeda in 2001.

The members of al-Qaeda left in Afghanistan, who could number up to 600, according to U.N. Security Council estimates, are now likely to have an opportunity to regroup and recruit, capitalizing on the perceived victory of jihad against the most powerful military in the world, analysts say. There have already been recent signs that the organization is ramping up its foreign propaganda operations: in June, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula recently released its first English-language copy of its Inspire magazine in over four years. Foreign terrorist organizations continue efforts to inspire U.S.-based individuals susceptible to violent extremist influences, Department of Homeland Security officials said in a bulletin released earlier this month.

Its a rising tide lifts all boats situation, says Clarke. Theres going to be an influx of jihadi, some are going to go to [Al-Qaeda], and some are going to go to ISIS-K.

This has been further complicated by the Talibans release of thousands of prisoners that had been in Afghan government custody, including many senior al-Qaeda operatives and members of ISIS-K, an offshoot of the original Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. The group, whose leaders were targeted by the U.S.-led coalition in the final years of the war, has re-emerged and is already using the Aug. 26 airport attack in their propaganda material to raise its profile and boost recruitment, intelligence analysts say. ISIS-K has denounced the takeover of the country by the Taliban, which does not conform with its more hard-line version of Islamic rule.

But defense officials and experts say its unlikely the Taliban, distracted by the task of governing an impoverished country of 38 million people, will be able to rein them in. ISIS-K carried out 77 attacks in Afghanistan during the first four months of this year, according to U.N. counterterrorism officials, a significant increase from 21 in the same period in 2020. The U.N. security council warned in June of the alarming expansion of the group in the region and beyond, especially Africa.

A precipitous withdrawal could lead to a reconstitution of the terrorist threat to the U.S. homeland within eighteen months to three years, a group of experts on Afghanistan, including retired Gen. Joseph Dunford, who served as the top commander in Afghanistan before he became the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2015, warned in a report in February.

Biden and his top national security advisers have insisted that the U.S. will conduct effective counter-terrorism measures against these groups the same way they do in other countries where the U.S. does not have a permanent military presence. But former defense officials and experts warn that the sprawling post-9/11 U.S. security apparatus, built to rely on the collection of intelligence in Afghanistan, will become significantly less effective without reliable human intelligence on the ground, proximity or even an embassy, which for now will be operating out of Doha, Qatar.

There is an expiration date to many of the collection platforms that weve been relying on over the past 20 years, says Levitt of the Washington Institute, referring to Afghan sources and operatives the U.S. has used. The likelihood that many of those will be disappeared over the coming weeks and months is unfortunately a very real threat.
BEIRUT (AP)  A Russian-negotiated cease-fire took effect Wednesday in a volatile southern city, according to the Syrian opposition and state media.

Violence in the area in recent weeks between government forces and opposition fighters had threatened to undo years of relative calm along the borders with Israel and Jordan.

As part of the deal, Russian military police are deploying in Daraa al-Balad, the rebel-held old quarter of Daraa city in southern Syria. The deal also involves the disarming or expulsion of a dozen rebel fighters from the area who were considered by the Syrian government to be a threat to the cease-fire agreement, The Britain-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

Adnan Masalmeh, an opposition figure involved in the talks, said the deal also ensures an end to the siege imposed on Daraa city since violence broke out.

Syrian state-run Al-Ikhbariyah TV said a center has been set up for opposition gunmen to hand in their weapons or register to leave the area. Most of those who choose leaving end up heading to the northern enclave still controlled by opposition and militant fighters.

Fighting in Daraa al-Balad has raged for weeks, leaving dozens of fighters and government troops dead and sending many residents fleeing.

The opposition blamed the government for the escalation, saying that troops were pressing an offensive to force insurgents to surrender.

Russia has been mediating a new deal to end the recent fighting. As part of the deal, government police and allied militias were supposed to enter Daraa al-Balad after the departure of the hardcore opposition gunmen. Other insurgents who accept the deal would have to hand over their weapons in return for amnesty.

Daraa province, which straddles the borders with Jordan and Israel, became known as the cradle of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad that erupted in 2011 as part of the Arab Spring revolts. It was recaptured by Syrian government troops in 2018. Assad has since regained control of most of the country with the help of Russia and Iran.

A Russian-mediated deal in 2018 allowed some of the provinces armed opposition to remain in their former strongholds, in charge of security. Government troops retained control of the province, but security duties were divided. Tensions regularly erupted and government troops tried several times to take over areas under opposition control.
For Berlin Heights, an Ohio town of fewer than 1,000 people, last weeks terrorist attack in Kabul that killed 13 U.S. service members and 169 Afghans hit close to home.

One of those service members killed was 22-year-old Navy Corpsman Maxton "Max" Soviak, a Berlin Heights native and 2017 graduate of the towns Edison High School.

The Navy said Soviak enlisted on Sept. 26, 2017, and graduated from Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes Illinois before being assigned to 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division in September 2020.

PENTAGON WILL LAUNCH DRONE STRIKES IN AFGHANISTAN IF AND WHEN WE NEED TO, SPOKESMAN SAYS

In a heart-wrenching Instagram post, Soviaks sister, Marilyn, wrote that her brother was a medic who was in Afghanistan to help people and that his death has irreversibly changed her family.

"My beautiful, intelligent, beat-to-the-sound of his own drum, annoying, charming baby brother was killed yesterday helping to save lives," Marilyn wrote. "There is a large Maxton sized hole that will never be filled.

"He was just a kid. We are sending kids over there to die. Kids with families that now have holes just like ours. Im not one for praying but damn could those kids over there use some right now. My heart is in pieces and I dont think thatll ever fit back again."

The Navy issued a statement, describing Soviak as "a wonderful son who loved his family, his community, and was proud to serve in the U.S. Navy.

"He was excited about the opportunities the Navy would offer him and planned to make the Navy a career. We are incredibly proud of his service to our country."
MADRID (AP)  More than 100 people were arrested when police in Spain busted an illegal drug ring this summer, Europol said Wednesday.

The European policing authority said that the arrests occurred on July 13 when Spanish police, in collaboration with police from Germany and Albania, detained 107 individuals during 42 raids in Barcelona and three smaller cities in Spains northeast.

The people were arrested on suspicion of forming a group of mainly of Albanian-speaking criminals who grew and trafficked marijuana. They included Albanians, Spaniards, Greeks and Slovakians, Europol said.

Police allege that the network illegally grew marijuana in Spain and smuggled it to other European countries for sale.

More than 50 clandestine cannabis farms were discovered in the operation. Police estimate that the ring used over 1.6 million euros ($1.9 million) in stolen electricity to run the farms.
Sri Lankan government officials on Wednesday raided private warehouses to seize thousands of tonnes of sugar, a day after a state of emergency was declared over food shortages caused by a currency crisis.

A military officer put in charge of efforts to bolster food stocks said at least 13,000 tonnes of white and brown sugar were found in the raids.

"The objective is to prevent hoarding," Major General Senarath Niwunhella, who was named commissioner general of essential services on Tuesday, told AFP.

He denied the sugar was being confiscated.

"The government will pay a reasonable price to the importers based on the valuations provided to customs."

The general said importers had stockpiled sugar while market prices rose sharply.

"Today we started with sugar and will expand this action to other commodities like wheat flour and rice too if importers do not release their stocks to the market," he said.

The raids were concentrated on warehouses just outside the capital.

Experts have blamed the food crisis on a shortage of foreign exchange to import and maintain buffer stocks. Authorities have increased penalties for food hoarding.

Sugar was not easily available at the state-mandated price of 135 rupees ($0.67) a kilo (2.2 pounds), but could be bought in the black market for double the price.

Niwunhella said the seized stocks will be given to state-owned retail stores to sell for below the open market price.

There have also been sharp price rises for rice, onions and potatoes, while long queues have formed outside stores because of shortages of milk powder, kerosene oil and cooking gas.

The shortages come as the country of 21 million battles a fierce coronavirus wave that is claiming more than 200 lives a day.

The economy shrank by a record 3.6 percent in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Last year, the government banned imports of vehicles and other items, including edible oils and the widely used spice turmeric in a bid to save foreign exchange.

Importers still say they have been unable to source dollars to pay for food and medicines.

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When the U.S. Supreme Court issued its 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision that struck down segregated public schooling, white Southern politicians responded to the decision with ferocity.

Although preservation of states rights was at the heart of their resistance claims, it was the racist practice of segregation that they sought to uphold.

A man speaks on stage next to two Black children and a group of other men.

U.S. Senator Harry Byrd of Virginia declared the ruling the most serious blow that has yet been struck against the rights of the states. Thomas P. Brady, Mississippi circuit judge and future state supreme court justice, called the day of the ruling Black Monday. Brady also claimed that racial integration was a communist plot to unify the country around one common culture.

Over 100 Southern House and Senate members signed a Southern Manifesto, vowing to stop school integration in what Byrd called a massive resistance. The governor of Virginia, Thomas Manley, appointed a commission to explore legal options in the wake of the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. The Gray Commission, as it was known, recommended that no child in Virginia be required to attend a school wherein both white and colored children are taught.

I dont bring up this Southern resistance to federal mandates that affect U.S. schools merely to recount history. As a researcher who focuses on the role of federalism in U.S. education, I believe this resistance helps shine light on why several Southern states today are pushing back against federal guidance for teachers and students to wear masks in schools to lessen the risks of contracting the more dangerous delta variant of COVID-19.

Defiance in spite of risks

In late July 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and President Joe Biden recommended students wear masks in schools to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.

A man in a suit speaks at a podium.

Subsequently, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order that banned schools in the state from requiring masks, claiming that the masks are unproven to be effective and might cause harm to children. The governors of Texas and Arizona took similar measures, leaving schools, concerned parents, teachers and vulnerable students few options and with little time before the school year began to decide how to respond. The Texas legislature is considering legislation that would make public mask requirements illegal.

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A history of resistance

Southern states ignoring federal educational guidance is not new.

For instance, rather than integrate schools, Virginia elected to close many school districts and instead offer white students vouchers to attend private schools. The state legislature enabled this in 1956, when it passed laws that stripped local school boards of their power and put it in the hands of committees appointed by the governor.

When Lindsey Almond took over as governor of Virginia in 1957, he warned that integrated schools would lead to the livid stench of sadism, sex, immorality, and juvenile pregnancy that he claimed existed in nearby Washingtons integrated school system.

Other acts of resistance

In Mississippi, things were little different than in Virginia. Gov. Hugh White thought that he might avoid integration by convincing Black residents to voluntarily agree to continue segregation. He promised more money for schools. He met with 90 Black leaders and asked for voluntary segregation. The plan failed when only one person at the meeting agreed to the proposal. As a result, the governor called a special session of the state legislature.

The legislature passed a bill that led to the closure of public schools in the state. Public schools would be mostly private and segregated. It took 16 years for Mississippi schools to comply with the Brown decision and fully integrate.

Other states resisted integration in similar ways, with various policies that privatized public schools, leading to the modern civil rights movement. The civil rights movement opened the door for a larger federal government role in educational policy. The Justice Department has the authority to investigate and prosecute schools under the Title IX provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that mandates civil rights protection for students.

Fight against federal government continues

Fast forward to 2021 and governors and lawmakers in states such as Florida, Texas and Arizona are clamoring with a similar states rights argument as their predecessors.

Like Virginia and Mississippi in the 1950s, these states are attempting to undermine federal intervention in schools. The U.S. Constitution creates a federal system where the national government shares power with states. Any power not explicitly listed in the Constitution is left to the states, per the 10th Amendment. As a result, educational policy is largely left to the states, so long as civil rights are protected.

Read more: Federal role in education has a long history

Within states, power is shared with local governments in whatever way state constitutions and law decide. Florida Gov. DeSantis has threatened retaliation against schools who defy his order by cutting superintendent salaries. Yet, a state judge stopped his order. DeSantis claims that he will win on appeal.

Texas and Arizona officials have threatened consequences, such as loss of funding and lawsuits, to school districts that mandate masks. Threatening localities with retaliation did not prevent the eventual integration of schools in the South. Considering that local school districts are following federal health guidance, threats from governors to browbeat localities into submission have stirred community outrage from parents and lawsuits from concerned citizens.

Nevertheless, federalism makes power-sharing between the states and federal government complicated. The Constitution gives states the power to create their own educational and health policies, but the federal government can enforce civil rights laws in schools, making educational policy political whether people like it or not.

[Over 100,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.]

This is why, on Aug. 30, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it would investigate whether statewide mask bans deny civil rights to students with disabilities.

Like school integration in the past, policies that require or encourage masks have become the new arena for the ongoing American argument about Southern states rights.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Dustin Hornbeck, University of Texas Arlington.

Read more:



Dustin Hornbeck does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The union representing Washington state employees is suing Gov. Jay Inslee over his requirement that they are fully vaccinated in order to keep their jobs.

The Washington Federation of State Employees late last week filed an unfair labor practice complaint in Thurston County Superior Court. The union, which represents about 47,000 state workers, claims the Inslee administration failed to bargain in good faith over the mandate.

Inslee earlier this month issued an executive order requiring state employees, health care workers, K-12 employees and faculty and staff at public universities to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18. Those who refuse and do not obtain a medical or religious exemption face dismissal.

A separate order from Inslee that took effect last week requires everyone ages 5 and up to wear a mask indoors in all public settings.

The lawsuit says the deadline for people to make a decision is actually much closer. The union says in order for a person to be considered fully vaccinated by Oct. 18, they would have to receive a second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine  or a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine  by Oct. 4. That, in turn, would require a first dose of Moderna or Pfizer by Sept. 6.

The union in a hearing scheduled for Friday before Thurston County Superior Court Judge Erik Price will ask for a preliminary injunction to suspend Inslees order.

The WSFE also wants the judge to permanently bar Inslees mandate as it is written and deem it an unconstitutional impairment to its collective bargaining agreement with the state.

For example, because of the uncertainty surrounding the exemptions and accommodations and the shortness of time, employees pressed to decide to get vaccinated may be required to either subordinate matters of conscience or have a serious adverse reaction to the vaccine because of a medical disability, the lawsuit states.

WFSE President Mike Yestramski in an email to members wrote that the lawsuit was prompted by Inslees rejection of union proposals about how the mandate would be managed.

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This lawsuit is about respecting our unions right to bargain and ensuring that people in need of accommodations are treated fairly, he wrote.

The union and the administration are scheduled to meet again on Wednesday in hopes of settling the matter ahead of Fridays hearing.

Hundreds of people, including state employees, gathered outside the state capitol in Olympia Saturday to protest the mask and vaccine mandates.

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Tags: News, Jay Inslee, Washington, State

Original Author: Ted O'Neil, The Center Square contributor

Original Location: State employees sue Inslee over vaccine mandate
As more and more employers nix college degrees as a hiring requirement, students are choosing cheaper, faster alternatives to college like coding boot camps.

Why it matters: The cost of college keeps climbing, and federal student loan debt sits at a whopping $1.6 trillion. Students are debating whether college is worth it  especially when it may no longer be necessary to get a high-paying job.

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What's happening: College enrollment was down around 5% this spring compared with the spring of 2020, according to the National Student Clearinghouse. That's nearly 730,000 fewer students.

The pandemic is contributing to the drop as students choose to delay college either because they can't afford it or because they don't want to attend remote classes. But universities were hurting before the pandemic and will keep struggling after it, says Ryan Craig, managing director of University Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on the future of higher education.

"The underlying crises of affordability, completion and employability continue unabated," he says.

So for many students, training programs or boot camps that can teach technical skills in a matter of months can be a smarter bet than a traditional college or university.

At the same time, a number of large employers  including Google, Bank of America, EY, Apple, IBM and Penguin Random House  no longer require college degrees.

Training programs are especially effective when getting jobs in software, IT and health care, Craig says. And interest in these programs has been surging during the pandemic.

"A lot of companies are realizing that you don't need a more traditional college education to be a good software engineer," says Kate Lillemoen, who dropped out of college and enrolled in a coding boot camp with TechElevator. "It's changing very quickly." She now has a software job.

But, but, but: There are still millions of jobs that do require college degrees, and even for the jobs that don't, there is still a hiring bias that favors degree-holders.

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On top of that, there are not nearly enough training programs to prepare America's workforce for the jobs of the future, says James Rhyu, CEO of Stride Inc., an education company.

The bottom line: "We need a cultural shift," Rhyu says. "We have generations and generations of parents that are just conditioned that their kid should go to college. But our country's mantra should be, 'No college required.'"

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By Yimou Lee

TAIPEI (Reuters) - China's armed forces can "paralyse" Taiwan's defences and are able to fully monitor its deployments, the island's defence ministry said, offering a stark assessment of the rising threat posed by its giant neighbour.

Beijing is stepping up military activities around the island, which it views as Chinese territory. It has never renounced the use of force to bring democratic Taiwan under its control.

In its annual report to parliament on China's military, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters, Taiwan's Defence Ministry presented a far graver view than it did last year, when the report said China still lacked the capability to launch a full assault on Taiwan.

This year's report said that China can launch what it termed "soft and hard electronic attacks", including blocking communications across the western part of the first island chain, the string of islands that run from the Japanese archipelago, through Taiwan and down to the Philippines.

China "can combine with its internet army to launch wired and wireless attacks against the global internet, which would initially paralyse our air defences, command of the sea and counter-attack system abilities, presenting a huge threat to us".

China has also improved its reconnaissance abilities using Beidou, China's answer to the U.S.-owned GPS navigation system, the ministry added.

This means Beijing can monitor movements around Taiwan, helped by China's regular use of its own spy planes, drones and intelligence gathering ships, it said.

China's Defence Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Although Taiwan's report noted, like last year, that China still lacked transport abilities and logistical support for a large-scale invasion, the Chinese military is working to boost those abilities.

With precision missile attacks that can hit anywhere on the island, China is also capable of "paralysing" Taiwan military command centres and combat capacity of its naval and air forces, it said.

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Chinese spies in Taiwan could launch a "decapitation strike" to destroy political and economic infrastructure, it added.

With the deployment of mid- and long-range missiles and more exercises involving its aircraft carriers, China is trying to position itself to delay "foreign military intervention" in an attack on Taiwan, the ministry said.

President Tsai Ing-wen has made bolstering Taiwan's own defences a priority, building up its domestic defence industry and buying more equipment from the United States, the island's most important arms supplier and international backer.

(Reporting by Yimou Lee; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
The Texas Capitol building in Austin. Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images

The Republican-controlled Texas legislature on Tuesday passed the final version of an election bill that would impose strict new voting rules, including limiting voting hours, banning drive-thru and 24-hour voting locations, and giving partisan poll watchers more access to sites.

The measure was opposed by Democrats, who argue that Texas already has some of the country's strictest voting rules and the new bill won't make elections any more secure. In July more than 50 Democratic lawmakers left Texas to ensure there wasn't a quorum and a vote on the bill couldn't be taken, but the standoff ended earlier this month after 38 days. "The emotional reasons for not voting for it are that it creates hardships for people because of the color of their skin and their ethnicity, and I am part of that class of people," state Rep. Garnet Coleman (D) said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has said he will sign the measure, and is expected to do so this week. After the bill passed on Tuesday, Abbott said in a statement it will "solidify trust and confidence in the outcome of our elections by making it easier to vote and harder to cheat."

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The Texas legislature gave its final approval on Tuesday to a new bill that would impose substantial new restrictions on voting access in the state.

The restrictions would only add to those already in place in Texas, which has some of the most burdensome voting requirements in the US and was among the states with the lowest voter turnout in 2020.

The Texas house of representatives gave its approval to a final form of the measure on Tuesday, 80-41. The senate quickly followed with an 18-13 vote Tuesday afternoon. The bill, nearly identical to a measure that passed the legislature last week, would prohibit 24-hour and drive-thru voting  two things officials in Harris county, home of Houston, used for the first time in 2020.

It would also prohibit election officials from sending out unsolicited applications to vote by mail, give poll watchers more power in the polling place and provide new regulations on those who assist voters.

The bill now goes to the desk of Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican. Civil rights groups are expected to swiftly challenge the measure once it is signed into law.

Related: Democracy will be in shambles: Democrats in last-ditch effort to protect voting rights

The sole remaining point of disagreement between the two houses on Tuesday was a provision inserted by the House that would have clarified people could not be prosecuted for illegally voting unless they knew they were ineligible.

The bipartisan provision was inserted after Crystal Mason, a woman from Fort Worth, was prosecuted and sentenced to five years in prison for mistakenly voting while ineligible in 2016. Lawmakers ultimately removed the protection after objections from the Texas senate Republicans, who said it could be used to protect non-citizens who illegally voted, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, is also bringing charges against Hervis Rogers, who waited seven hours in line to vote in 2020, but appears to be ineligible because he was on parole for a 1995 felony conviction.

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The bill marks the end of a weeks-long standoff between Democrats and Republicans over the bill. In late May, Democrats walked out of the legislature, denying Republicans the necessary quorum to pass the initial version of the bill, which would have made it easier for judges to overturn elections and restricted early voting on Sundays, a day traditionally used by African American churches to encourage people to vote.

Republicans subsequently cut both provisions from the bill. But before a new version could be considered in a July special session, Democrats in the state house left the state and flew to Washington DC, again denying Republicans a quorum to proceed with legislation. While the Democrats in Washington lobbied federal lawmakers to pass federal voting restrictions, state senator Carol Alvarado undertook a 15-hour filibuster on the senate floor to try and block the measure.

Earlier this month, after Abbott called a second special session to consider the measure, the house speaker, Dade Phelan, signed civil arrest warrants for the Democrats who refused to show up at the capitol (no one was ultimately arrested). But slowly, a trickle of Democrats began to return to the capitol, giving Republicans a majority, and enraging Democrats who wanted to continue to stay away.

Democrats always knew Republicans would eventually pass the bill. But they hoped that by staying away from the capitol, they were buying time for Congress to act while also trying to hold negotiating leverage with Republicans, Rafael Anchia, a Democratic state representative, told the Guardian earlier this month.

While the new law is likely to be aggressively challenged in court over the next few months, Democrats made it clear that the only way to stop it would be federal voting reform. The filibuster, a senate rule that requires 60 votes to advance legislation, stands in the way.

At this point, there is only one solution to preserve democracy and voting rights in Texas and around the country: we must enact federal legislation that will protect our voting rights, Gilberto Hinojosa, the chairman of the Texas Democratic party, said in a statement.

We need the US Senate to take up the baton, pass this bill into law, and preserve our democracy. Nothing less is on the line.
The majority-Republican Texas legislature passed a controversial law Tuesday that critics accuse of restricting the voting rights of minorities.

The law, which supporters say makes elections safer by protecting against voter fraud, prohibits drive-in voting and institutes several other restrictions on voting hours and mail-in voting.

It comes as supporters of former US president Donald Trump have alleged -- without evidence -- that widespread voter fraud occurred in the 2020 election which he lost.

Critics of the bill said such restrictions would disproportionately affect minorities' ability to vote, especially Black Americans, who tend to back Democrats.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement Tuesday that he plans to sign the passed bill into law.

Since January, at least 18 American states have adopted 30 laws restricting voting and around a dozen others are under consideration, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

Such laws have seen particular support in Republican states as Trump has continued to baselessly claim a massive voter fraud conspiracy in the presidential election.

Around 50 Democratic Texas state lawmakers fled the state entirely in mid-July in an effort to block the law by depriving the House of Representatives of the minimum number of present lawmakers necessary to vote on legislation.

But the governor convened two special legislative sessions in a row and enough Democrats finally returned to reach a quorum on August 19, which allowed them to begin debate on the law before it was passed Tuesday.

"This isn't the time to give up or give in," former Democratic presidential candidate and ex-US representative from Texas Beto O'Rourke tweeted Tuesday.

"This is the time to pass federal voting rights," O'Rourke said, referring to a bill passed in the US House of Representatives but which risks being blocked by Republicans in the evenly divided Senate.

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An elephant gave birth to twins in a rare occurrence that hasn't happened in nearly 80 years in Sri Lanka.

Reuters reported a 25-year-old elephant named Surangi gave birth to twin males at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.

The father, a 17-year-old elephant named Pandu, is also at the orphanage.

"Both the calves and the mother are doing fine. The babies are relatively small, but they are healthy," Renuka Bandaranaike, head of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, told BBC.

Twins born to a domesticated elephant in the country was last reported in 1941, according to BBC.

Elephants have only a 1% chance of having twins, with most twin births occurring in wild African elephants, according to the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad.

They can have about four to five babies in their lifetime, and some species of elephants can be pregnant for a whopping 22 months.

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was set up in 1975 to save injured elephants and abandoned calves who were unable to survive in the wild.

The orphanage now houses more than 90 elephants, and the twins will be added to the list.

Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. Email: agilbert@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rare twin elephants born in Sri Lanka for the first time in 80 years
MarketWatch

The 37th annual list of best colleges evaluated more than 1,400 colleges and universities across the U.S. using 17 measures of academic quality. Taking the No. 1 spot for best national university for 2022 is Princeton University, with Columbia University, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology tying for No. 2. The most expensive university on the list is Columbia, which runs at $63,530 for the 2021-2022 school year.
For the first time since 2012, all eight of the U.S. military's fire retardant aircraft are in the same location, bolstering the state's fleet currently fighting the Caldor Fire. Lt. Colonel Ryan Brader with the Air Force Reserves said the last time all eight were in the same place at the same time was the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado.
A recent move to Auckland, New Zealand  a city with lackluster public transit and hills that can turn a quick bike ride to the store into a sweaty workout  piqued my interest in e-bikes.

Strong demand and skyrocketing prices, however, made it difficult to access these coveted e-bikes here in Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud. That changed after learning about Ubco, the New Zealand-based electric utility bike startup that recently raised $10 million from investors.

The company provided me with the Ubco 2X2 Adventure Bike for nearly a month, which gave me plenty of time to put it to the test.

I may not be Ubcos target audience, although I did my best to use the bike as its design suggests, and packed it up with bags of books and other heavy things that might simulate the weight of delivered garlic bread, mail and other packages. The Ubco 2X2 Adventure Bike is made for city utility riding, with the option of going off-road, which I would later try with gusto.

The company's flagship is the Ubco 2X2 Work Bike, an electric dirt bike that was originally designed to help farmers. The fresh capital the company raised in June will be used to expand into existing verticals like food delivery, postal service and last-mile logistics, scale a commercial subscription business and target sales growth in the United States.

Dominos drivers in Auckland, and I hear in the U.K., can be seen delivering hot pizzas on Ubco bikes, and the company has a range of other national clients, like the New Zealand Post, the Defense Force, the Department of Conservation, and Pamu, or Landcorp Farming Limited, as well as other local restaurants and stores.

Image Credits: Rebecca Bellan

The handoff

CEO and co-founder Timothy Allan drove out from the company headquarters in Tauranga to hand off the bike personally. It was a sunny day in my neighborhood, and I listened impatiently as he described the various bits and bobs, how to work the machine and how to charge it.

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Allan helped me download the Ubco app to pair my phone with the bike, which, among other functionalities, allowed me to select beginner mode, which would cap the vehicle speed at around 20 miles per hour. I made a mental note so that I could write about it here, but was determined to reach the top speed of 30 miles per hour right away.

I did, and it was  pretty sick. Im not supposed to gush, but man! Its a sweet ride. Heres why:

Appearance

The Adventure Bike comes standard in white and sits on 17x2.75-inch multiuse tires with aluminum rims, both of which are DOT compliant. My version also had Maori decals on the frame, in a nod to the indigenous people of New Zealand.

The bikes height is about 41 inches and the seat comes to 32 inches. From wheel to wheel, its about 72 inches. The payload, including the rider, is about 330 pounds, so both my partner (62 man) and I (57 female) rode this bike with ease, needing only to adjust the wide rearview mirrors sticking out of the handlebars. And no, we didnt ride it together. This bike is designed as a one-seater.

Image Credits: Rebecca Bellan

That said, theres a little cargo rack above the back wheel, which holds the license plate (apparently these are classified as mopeds, which require registration in many places) and any other cargo one might carry. I didnt try, but I reckon it could hold at least five pizza boxes tied down with a bungee cord. The bike rack also allows for saddlebags to be strapped on. Ubco sells what it calls the Pannier Back Pack, a weather-resistant roll-top cargo bag, for $189 that slots in very nicely and is actually a quality bag with 5.28-gallon capacity.

Accessories aside, the alloy frame is lightweight and step-through, which I love in a bike -- it lets me start to shift myself off before I fully park and I feel super agile and swift. Speaking of parking, the rules are different everywhere, I assume, but here, you park it on the street or in parking spaces, not on the sidewalk. Its got a kickstand to hold it in place, and you can lock the front wheel so no one can just wheel it away. They could, however, probably chuck it into the back of their pickup truck if they so chose, since its only 145 pounds.

The appearance of the bike stood out, and not just to me. During my multiweek test drive, numerous tradesmen and bike folks went out of their way to compliment its design, the exact demographic that Ubco is aiming for.

Rideability

The lightness of the bike means that its easy to take off and find your balance. The battery is also in the middle of the frame, just near where your feet sit, which anchors the bike and gives you a stable center of gravity.

The lightweight nature of the bike is a blessing and a curse. Cutting a turn is easy, but on a windy day and an open road, there were moments I worried that Id be knocked off it -- but maybe that had more to do with riding next to a 10-wheeler on the street. Because its so light, it did feel a bit strange to me to be in the street lane with the other bigger, meaner cars rather than in the bike lanes.

The bike accelerates quickly via the fully electronic throttle control, even up steep hills, due to the high torque geared drivetrain. The drivetrain has two 1 kw Flux2 motors with sealed bearings, active heat management and active venting for residual moisture -- a necessity in this moistest of cities.

The acceleration sound, which mimics those of a gas-powered dirt bike but with a softer electronic tone, was a surprising plus. I didnt realize how much I relied on my sense of sound to tell how fast I was going until I rode the Ubco.

The braking system was a bit touchy. It felt very sensitive to me, probably because hydraulic and regenerative brakes are operating together on the vehicle. Theres also a passive regenerative braking system, which I gather is what put the brakes on for me when I was just trying to coast down one of those mammoth hills.

Image Credits: Rebecca Bellan

Both the front suspension, 130 mm, and rear suspension, 120 mm, have a coil spring with a hydraulic dampener and have preload and rebound adjustment. In other words, the shocks are awesome. Even when I actively drove myself off sidewalks and over speed bumps, I could barely feel a thing.

To test its off-road capabilities, I took the bike to Cornwall Park, where I ran it at full speed on the grass, swerving between trees, flying over roots and rocks, doing doughnuts in the field. It was good fun and I felt completely in control of the vehicle. I can imagine why farmers have turned to the Work Bike.

When it was time to test out its use as a delivery bike, I packed the two saddlebags with books and groceries and took it for a spin. Still a great ride, although I was a little wobbly turning corners until I got the hang of it.

Value

Since the Ubco Adventure Bike doesnt neatly fit into a specific bike category, its not a simple price comparison. An electric moped, like a Lexmoto Yadea or a Vespa Elettrica, could set you back anywhere from $2,400 or $7,000, respectively. Electric dirt bikes could cost anywhere from $6,000 to $11,000 for something like a KTM or Alta Motors. That said, Swedish electric motorbike startup Cake did just come out with its latest made specifically for city riding, the Makka, at $3,500. It looks a lot like the Ubco, but it's a bit smaller.

With that in mind, the Ubco Adventure Bike costs $6,999 with a 2.1 kW power supply and $7,499 for a 3.1 kW power supply. Depending on what you want it for, I'd say its somewhere around mid-range for a bike like this. Since you'd probably use it for work-related activities, it could get a tax write-off. Plus, you want quality in a bike thats down to do some heavy lifting, and Ubco has plenty of that. Its not only a handy utility bike, but its also got some excellent tech under the proverbial hood, which well get to later.

Ubco estimates a 10- to 15-year life expectancy, depending on use. Over-the-air software updates, replacing parts and full refurbishments can help keep the bike going for longer. The company encourages riders to send back the dead bikes because it's committed to full product stewardship.

That said, if you wanted to buy a bike now, itd be a preorder (unless your local Ubco dealer had some in stock). Ordering now could get you an Ubco by September if you live in the States. The company says its still feeling the effects of COVID, with high demand and a stretched supply chain causing delays. The preorder requires a $1,000 deposit.

Ubco also has a subscription model, which is mainly available for enterprise customers at the moment and priced on a case-by-case basis. However, it's piloting subscriptions for individuals in Auckland and Tauranga before rolling the program out globally. Subscriptions will start at around NZD $300 per month for a 36-month term.

Range

The Adventure Bike comes with either the 2.1 kWh battery pack, which has around 40 to 54 miles of range, or the 3.1 kWh, with 60 to 80 miles.

The battery is run off a management system, called "Scotty," to monitor real-time performance and safety. The battery, which is sealed with alloy and vented during use, is made with 18650 lithium-ion cells, which means its a powerful battery that can handle up to 500 charging cycles. Ubco says its batteries are designed to be disassembled at the end of life.

Image Credits: Rebecca Bellan

The 10 amp alloy fast charger can fuel the battery fully within four to six hours. You can charge it while its still in the vehicle by just connecting it to a power outlet, or you can unlock the battery and yank it out (its a little heavy) and charge it inside. Note: Charging is loud. Not sure if this is standard, but probably is.

I charged it every two to three days, but that will depend on use and where you are. Its winter in Auckland, so a bit cold, which affects battery life, and the hills are brutal, which also use up a lot of battery life.

Id ride it downtown and around my neighborhood every day, but Id wager a delivery driver would need to charge it nightly. As I mentioned earlier, the battery can be removed for charging, so if you take it to work, you can always take it up to the office or wherever to charge while youre doing other things.

Tech features

Vehicle management system

The vehicle runs off what Ubco calls its Cerebro vehicle management system, which integrates all electronic and electrical functions of the vehicles and provides control and updates via Bluetooth. Ubco builds with end of life in mind, so the CAN bus is isolated so future CAN devices can be easily integrated.

Now, one of my first questions, given the heftiness of this bike and the likelihood of gig economy workers who would ride it for work living in urban dwellings, was this: How can I ensure no one will steal this thing when its on the street, because theres no way Im lugging it up to my fifth-floor walkup?

Like I said, you can lock the wheel in place, which would make it far more difficult for someone to wheel it off. If someone did decide to capture the whole cumbersome vehicle, Ubco would be able to track it for you. Each Ubco bike has telemetry, aka a SIM card, hardwired inside, and that can help provide data that can be used for location, servicing, theft, safety, route planning, etc.

This VMS architecture is made for handling fleets via Ubcos enterprise subscription vehicles, but it obviously has other uses, like providing peace of mind (personally, Id still lock it up with chains, but Im a New Yorker and trust no one). Obviously, if you think this telemetry is creepy, you can opt out, but it does come standard with subscriptions, allowing subscribers to track their bike's location on the app.

Display

Image Credits: Rebecca Bellan

Mounted on the handlebar is an LCD display that shows speed, power levels and more. Also on the handlebars are switch controls for high or low beams, indicators and a horn. I found the indicators to be a bit sticky and sometimes I would slip and hit the horn. What I wish the handlebars also had was a mount for your phone so you could follow directions. I had my headphones in and was listening to Google Maps tell me how to get around, but that felt less safe and efficient.

Turning it on

You can turn the power on with a keyless fob by either clicking the button on the fob or the button on the handlebars. I will note that the keyless fob button is weirdly sensitive. At multiple points, I had it in my pocket with my phone or other pocket inhabitants and it must have knocked into the button, turning the vehicle off while I was riding it. Thankfully, that never happened anywhere busy, but thats something to be wary about.

App

As I mentioned earlier, you could pair your phone, as well as other users' phones, to the bike using the app. The app allows you to choose learner mode or restricted mode, which controls ride settings; turn the bike and lights on and off; change the metrics; and check the status of things like battery life, speed and motor temperature. It's basically all the info on the dash, but on an app. I didn't really feel the need to use it.

Lights

The LED headlights are on at all times when the vehicle is turned on, but there's also a high and low beam, as well as peripheral parking lights, all of which are designed for disassembly at the end of life. There are also LED rear, brake and number plate lights, as well as DOT-approved indicator lights.

Other stuff

Among the features that dont fit neatly into the other categories, theres the field kit, which is fastened to the lift-up seat and contains a user manual and tools to set up and maintain the 2X2, which is really handy. Usually, when people buy an Ubco bike, it comes in a box and there are a few simple steps to follow to get it ready to ride. Theres also an UBCO University course that shows how to set it up. If you buy from one of Ubcos dealers, theyll unpack it and set it up when you come to collect it.

Maintenance

Maintenance comes with the cost of a monthly subscription. Ubco has a network of technicians placed wherever the company sells its bikes if they're in need of fixing. If there's no authorized mechanic nearby, Ubco's head office will work with customers to help them fix the bike. Ubco did not respond to information about how many authorized mechanics are in its network.

Again, being from New York, I've seen probably thousands of delivery riders on bikes and mopeds, oven mitts covered in a plastic bag taped onto the handlebars so drivers can keep their hands warm during the colder months. This bike can handle a hefty load for delivering goods, it's quick and agile for weaving in and out of traffic, and it's easy to ride and use.

The subscription offering, especially for enterprise, makes this a great city utility bike that can probably handle a range of weather conditions. I already know it can handle rain and mud, so all signs point to success in the sloshy, icy hell of a Northern city winter. And for the adventurer -- the person who just wants to ride something sweet on- and off-road, out of the city and into the wilderness -- this is also a great consumer ride that will last you quite a while.
WPD supplies power to the Midlands, South Wales and South West, although it does not sell directly to end users. Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA via Getty

The UKs competition regulator has given the green light to National Grids (NG.L) proposed $11bn (8bn) acquisition of British firm Western Power Distribution (WPD).

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Wednesday that there would not be a lengthy Phase 2 investigation into the purchase, despite initial concerns the merger would result in the two firms "ceasing to be distinct".

The deal for Britain's largest electricity distribution company was first announced in March this year in a bid to transition from gas to electric power.

WPD supplies power to the Midlands, South Wales and South West, although it does not sell directly to end users. Its distribution network operators deliver electricity to around 7.9 million customers and it employs more than 6,500 staff. WPD also made profits of 750m ($1bn) last year.

National Grid confirmed that it would maintain the WPD headquarters in Bristol.

Read more: National Grid pivots to electricity in 7.8bn deal

As part of National Grid's move to pivot its portfolio away from fossil fuels, Rhode Island-based Narragansett Electric Company (NRGSP) was sold to PPL Energy (PPL), the vendor of WPD, for 2.7bn. National Grid also disposed of its stake in the UKs gas pipeline network in its shift to cleaner energy.

The FTSE 100 company also plans to sell a majority stake in National Grid Gas, which owns the UK's national gas transmission network.

The deals will increase the proportion of electricity assets in the company's portfolio from 60% to 70%.

National Grid shares were higher on Wednesday on the back of the news. Chart: Yahoo Finance

According to government projections, around 27% of the UKs energy needs will be met by electricity or renewables by 2035, compared to 23% in 2018. In 2019, Britain became the G7 first member to set a net zero target for 2050.

National Grid said it was pleased the regulator had given the deal its stamp of approval. It now plans to update investors and analysts on the next stages for WPD, and the wider group, at a capital markets day event on 18 November.

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Shares in National Grid were 0.8% higher in London on Wednesday.

Watch: Top tips for helping the environment on a tight budget
President Joe Biden assured Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday that the United States opposes "Russian aggression" but he showed no sign of moving on requests to open NATO to the eastern European country.

"The United States remains firmly committed to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression and our support for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations," Biden told the Ukrainian president in the Oval Office.

Zelensky, who spent Tuesday at the Pentagon pressing for military assistance to combat Russia and Russian-backed separatists, is only the second European leader to get a White House meeting so far under Biden.

The coronavirus pandemic and a hectic first seven months of the administration mean Biden has had few foreign visitors. Even Zelensky's meeting was delayed by two days due to the tense US withdrawal from Afghanistan, completed Monday.

"President Zelensky and Ukraine have gotten as much, if not more, attention from this administration than any other European country," a senior Biden administration official told reporters, asking not to be identified.

The White House visit was undoubtedly a triumph for Zelensky, who has been trying to line one up since he took office in 2019.

A former comedian virtually unknown in the West, he found himself caught in a US domestic political firestorm when then-president Donald Trump asked him to launch a spurious corruption probe into Biden's family ahead of the 2020 US presidential election.

Accusations that Trump tried to block military aid to Ukraine to pressure Zelensky sparked an impeachment of the Republican.

- Plea to join NATO -

The hard reality facing Zelensky, however, is that his most ambitious goals for the US-Ukrainian relationship face slow going.

In the Oval Office, he raised his government's top strategic dream -- membership in the NATO military alliance.

"I would like to discuss with President Biden his vision, his government's vision of Ukraine's chances to join NATO and the timeframe," he said.

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But Biden has made clear he considers Ukraine far from ready to join -- and the United States far from ready to step over what Russia sees as a bright red line.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki insisted the White House continues "to support and we continue to call for ensuring that NATO's door remains open to aspirants."

However, she then enumerated the daunting conditions for membership: rule of law reforms, defense sector modernization and a vibrant economy.

"There are steps that Ukraine needs to take. They're very familiar with these," she said.

Zelensky has also been hugely disappointed by Biden's decision to waive US sanctions intended to block completion of Russian state energy behemoth Gazprom's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline.

But Zelensky later told reporters Biden had assured him the United States would impose sanctions on the pipeline if there were "violations" from Russia after the start of Nord Stream 2 operations that would create problems for Ukraine's energy security.

The White House says it remains concerned by the geostrategic implications of the pipeline, which will funnel energy directly from Russia to Germany, bypassing the previous route through Ukraine.

However, Biden argued the project had already been nearly finished by the time he got into office and could not be stopped.

The limitations on the relationship were neatly illustrated in June, when Zelensky's bid to meet with Biden first before the US leader held a June summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva was rejected.

- Anti-tank missiles -

Focusing on more concrete, near-term deliverables, Zelensky met Tuesday with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to request help in Ukraine's unequal struggle with Russia.

Their talks came the day after the last US troops left Afghanistan, ending America's longest-ever war after the nearly 20-year-old US-backed Afghan government collapsed to the Taliban.

Austin told Zelensky that the United States is committed to demanding that Russia "stop perpetuating the conflict" in eastern Ukraine and leave Crimea, the peninsula Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014.

He highlighted a new $60 million package for Ukraine that includes Javelin anti-armor systems.

He said the United States has committed $2.5 billion for Ukraine's defense since 2014, when Russia intervened as Ukraine turned increasingly towards the West.

sms-sct/sst/to/sw
Associated Press

After a semester online, Wang Ziwei looked forward to meeting classmates who are returning to campus at Washington University in St. Louis. Wang is among at least 500 students the Chinese government says have been rejected under a policy issued by then-President Donald Trump to block Beijing from obtaining U.S. technology with possible military uses. Students argue it is applied too broadly and fume at what they say is an accusation they are spies.
There's no doubt that money can be made by owning shares of unprofitable businesses. For example, biotech and mining exploration companies often lose money for years before finding success with a new treatment or mineral discovery. But the harsh reality is that very many loss making companies burn through all their cash and go bankrupt.

Given this risk, we thought we'd take a look at whether Noxopharm (ASX:NOX) shareholders should be worried about its cash burn. In this report, we will consider the company's annual negative free cash flow, henceforth referring to it as the 'cash burn'. We'll start by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves in order to calculate its cash runway.

View our latest analysis for Noxopharm

Does Noxopharm Have A Long Cash Runway?

A company's cash runway is the amount of time it would take to burn through its cash reserves at its current cash burn rate. When Noxopharm last reported its balance sheet in June 2021, it had zero debt and cash worth AU$27m. In the last year, its cash burn was AU$8.9m. So it had a cash runway of about 3.0 years from June 2021. There's no doubt that this is a reassuringly long runway. The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years.

How Is Noxopharm's Cash Burn Changing Over Time?

In the last year, Noxopharm did book revenue of AU$5.6m, but its revenue from operations was less, at just AU$2.5k. Given how low that operating leverage is, we think it's too early to put much weight on the revenue growth, so we'll focus on how the cash burn is changing, instead. While it hardly paints a picture of imminent growth, the fact that it has reduced its cash burn by 21% over the last year suggests some degree of prudence. Noxopharm makes us a little nervous due to its lack of substantial operating revenue. So we'd generally prefer stocks from this list of stocks that have analysts forecasting growth.

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How Hard Would It Be For Noxopharm To Raise More Cash For Growth?

Even though it has reduced its cash burn recently, shareholders should still consider how easy it would be for Noxopharm to raise more cash in the future. Generally speaking, a listed business can raise new cash through issuing shares or taking on debt. One of the main advantages held by publicly listed companies is that they can sell shares to investors to raise cash and fund growth. By comparing a company's annual cash burn to its total market capitalisation, we can estimate roughly how many shares it would have to issue in order to run the company for another year (at the same burn rate).

Noxopharm's cash burn of AU$8.9m is about 5.6% of its AU$157m market capitalisation. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money.

Is Noxopharm's Cash Burn A Worry?

As you can probably tell by now, we're not too worried about Noxopharm's cash burn. For example, we think its cash runway suggests that the company is on a good path. On this analysis its cash burn reduction was its weakest feature, but we are not concerned about it. After taking into account the various metrics mentioned in this report, we're pretty comfortable with how the company is spending its cash, as it seems on track to meet its needs over the medium term. Its important for readers to be cognizant of the risks that can affect the company's operations, and we've picked out 3 warning signs for Noxopharm that investors should know when investing in the stock.

If you would prefer to check out another company with better fundamentals, then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt or this list of stocks which are all forecast to grow.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.



Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
President Biden. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

There are between 100 and 200 Americans still in Afghanistan, and President Biden on Tuesday said there is "no deadline" to get them out, should they decide to leave the country.

The United States is in touch "with a number of these Americans," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during a Tuesday news briefing, and making contact with them "through a range of means." Those who want to exit Afghanistan in the future will have options, she added. "Some of that may be over land, over borders, some of that may be through airplanes," Psaki said. "And so we're working again with the Qataris and the Turks on that. We're working to get the civilian side of the airport operational."

The Americans remaining in Afghanistan are there for multiple reasons  many have lived in the country for years and aren't ready to go, while others have dual citizenship or want to stay with relatives who are not Americans. Biden said the "bottom line" is "90 percent of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave," and the U.S. "committed to get them out if they want to come out."

With the Taliban now controlling Afghanistan, Psaki said it's likely the militant group's leaders are worried about who is leaving the country, and what will happen if "they allow some of these people out  the doctors, the lawyers, the people who have been trained by the Americans over the last 20 years, not to mention people in Afghanistan who could cause trouble for the Taliban if they were able to essentially go into exile and oppose the Taliban government."

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White House chief of staff Ron Klain committed Tuesday to evacuate from Afghanistan the Afghan interpreter who helped rescue then-Sen. Joe Biden and two other senators from a snowstorm in 2008.

In a Wall Street Journal report published earlier Tuesday, the interpreter  identified only as Mohammed while in hiding  pleaded to be transported out of the country now under Taliban control.

Hello Mr. President: Save me and my family, Mohammed told the Journal. Dont forget me here.

On Tuesday evening, Klain told MSNBC he did not believe Biden had yet seen the Journal report, but that we are going to try to get every person out.

Mohammed joined Arizona National Guard troops in Afghanistan on a 2008 rescue mission to track down two U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters that made an emergency landing in a remote valley during a snowstorm, the Journal reported.

Those helicopters were carrying then-Sens. Biden (D-Del.), John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.).

According to the former National Guard staff sergeant who brought Mohammed along to help rescue the senators, Mohammed is unable to complete his visa application to leave Afghanistan because the defense contractor that employed him lost the necessary records.

Mohammed also said he tried gaining access to the international airport in Kabul where the American evacuation effort was underway, but U.S. troops said only Mohammed could enter  not his wife and their four children.

I read in that story that [Mohammed] did not finish the [Special Immigrant Visa] process because of some complexity with his employer, Klain said Tuesday, referring to the Journal report.

It doesnt matter, he added. Were going to cut through the red tape. Were going to find this gentleman whose assumed name [is] in that story. And were going to get him and the other SIVs out.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki delivered the same message to Mohammed at a news briefing Tuesday afternoon: We will get you out, we will honor your service, and were committed to doing exactly that.

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The pledges from the top White House officials come after the U.S. military completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan on Monday, along with its frantic effort to evacuate American citizens and Afghan allies.

U.S. officials have said they were successful in evacuating more than 123,000 people out of Afghanistan, including roughly 6,000 Americans and 73,500 third-country nationals and Afghan civilians since Aug. 14.

But 100-200 Americans and countless Afghan allies remain stranded there, despite Bidens promise last month to maintain the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan until all who wanted to leave were evacuated.

In an address from the White House on Tuesday afternoon, Biden called the evacuation effort a success and said there is no deadline to shuttle the Americans still in Afghanistan out of the country.
WASHINGTON  The White House responded Tuesday to the plea of an Afghan interpreter who helped rescue then-Sen. Joe Biden and two other senators in a 2008 snowstorm, reiterating the presidents pledge to use diplomacy to work to evacuate remaining allies still in Afghanistan who wish to leave.

We will get you out, we will honor your service, and we're committed to doing exactly that, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

The Wall Street Journal reported the interpreter  only identified as Mohammed by the newspaper  his wife and four children are in hiding from the Taliban after a years-long attempt to leave Afghanistan got mired in bureaucracy. As the final troops left Afghanistan on Monday, Mohammed asked Biden to save his family.

Hello Mr. President: Save me and my family, Mohammed told the Journal. Dont forget me here.

More: Biden praises Afghanistan evacuation, says withdrawal ends era of using military might to 'remake other countries'

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 31: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the end of the war in Afghanistan in the State Dining Room at the White House on August 31, 2021 in Washington, DC.

When he was 36 years old, the newspaper reported, Mohammed rode with U.S. troops into blinding snow in search of two U.S Army Black Hawk helicopters carrying Biden - then a senator from Delaware - and former Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass. and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., that were forced to make emergency landings in a remote Afghanistan valley.

Mohammed, who was stationed at Bagram Air Field, responded to a call for help and joined Army Humvees and three Blackwater SUVs to look for the helicopters. At the scene, Mohammed stood guard with Afghan Army soldiers on one side of the helicopter, according to the Journal, and used a blow horn to shoo off spectators.

More: 'I am begging you guys:' Florida veteran fights to bring his Afghan interpreter to the U.S.

First, our message to him is thank you for fighting by our side for the last 20 years, Psaki said at a White House press briefing when asked for a response to Mohammed's plea. Thank you for the role you played in helping a number of my favorite people out of a snowstorm, and for all of the work you did.

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Psaki said the administrations commitment is enduring, not just to American citizens but to our Afghan partners who have fought by our side.

The Biden administration says it helped evacuate more than 123,000 people out of Afghanistan before Monday's military withdrawal, including 5,500 Americans. In a speech Tuesday, Biden said the U.S. helped get "thousands of Afghan translators and interpreters and others who supported the United States out as well."

Biden said his administration would "make arrangements" to evacuate remaining Americans if they choose.

"As for the Afghans, we and our partners have airlifted 100,000 of them. No country in history has done more to airlift out the residents of another country that we have done. We will continue to work to help more people leave the country who are at risk. We're far from done."

U.S. troops talk with villager through an interpreter in Terezayi, Afghanistan.

Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: White House responds to plea of interpreter who helped rescue Biden
Officials in Delaware told investigators they couldn't find evidence of Chloe Mrozak's vaccinations in their medical records, per Hawaii News Now. KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images

A woman was accused of using a fake vaccination card to bypass quarantine in Hawaii, a report says.

A photo apparently showing the card indicates that Moderna was misspelled as "Maderna."

Authorities arrested the woman Saturday in Honolulu.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

A woman from Illinois was arrested in Hawaii on suspicion of submitting a fake vaccination card for a vacation there, according to a report by Hawaii News Now.

Authorities arrested Chloe Mrozak, 24, on Saturday over allegations that she used a fake vaccine card to fly to Hawaii on August 23 and bypass a mandatory 10-day quarantine for unvaccinated visitors, the publication reported.

Court documents cited by the publication showed a handwritten card that said Mrozak received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in Delaware from National Guard members.

The photo also shows that Moderna - the company that makes one of the three coronavirus vaccines being used in the US - was misspelled as "Maderna."

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Investigators said they got a tip that Mrozak may have faked the vaccine documents, Hawaii News Now reported. Officials in Delaware told the investigators they couldn't find evidence of Mrozak's vaccinations in their medical records, per the publication.

Authorities arrested Mrozak on Saturday at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, when she was at the Southwest Airlines counter about to fly home, after identifying her by a distinctive tattoo they found photos of on her Facebook, Khon2 reported.

Mrozak is being held at the Oahu Community Correctional Center accused of falsifying vaccination documents, with bail set at $2,000, Hawaii News Now reported.

Read more: How to sell the vaccine to the unvaccinated, according to 6 advertising executives who are pros at persuasion

Two other tourists from the US mainland were arrested in Honolulu in mid-August on suspicion of using fake vaccination cards to travel to the state, officials said.

Story continues

The Hawaii attorney general's office previously told Insider that penalties for falsifying vaccination cards included a fine of up $5,000 and up to a year in prison.

As cities, states, and countries toy with varying levels of vaccine mandates, like New York City's requirement that people have to be vaccinated to work out at a gym or visit a movie theater, some people are faking vaccination cards to get around these policies.

A Chicago pharmacist was arrested in mid-August over allegations that he stole Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 vaccine cards from his pharmacy and sold about 125 of them on eBay to unvaccinated buyers for $10 each. In June, a contractor working at a Los Angeles County vaccination center was also charged with stealing more than 500 blank vaccine cards.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A woman attempting to use a fake COVID-19 vaccine card with the shot maker listed as "Maderna," instead of Moderna, was arrested in Hawaii and is facing up to $5,000 in fines and potential jail time.

Chloe Mrozak was arrested at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu on Saturday for violating Hawaii Gov. David Ige's emergency proclamation, Gary H. Yamashiroya, spokesperson for the Department of the Attorney General, confirmed to USA TODAY.

She was "attempting to bypass the state's quarantine requirement by submitting a falsified vaccination card," Yamashiroya said.

'I'm conflicted': Travelers weigh Hawaii plans after governor begs tourists not to come amid COVID-19 surge

What it means for travelers: Hawaii's governor tells tourists to stay away amid COVID-19 surge

Waikiki Beach in Hawaii

Hawaii has the most stringent COVID entry requirements in the country under the Safe Travels program introduced in October. To bypass a mandatory 10-day quarantine, travelers must show proof of vaccination or present a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than three days before arrival.

Ian Scheuring, content distribution director at Hawaii News Now posted an image of the fake vaccine card on Twitter.

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The fine for falsifying proof of testing or vaccination proof for travel in Hawaii carries a fine of up to $5,000 and/or prison time for up to one year for each count.

"Our department will prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent provided by the law," Yamashiroya said.

Mrozak was unable to post bail  which was set at $2,000  and was placed in custody, pending a Monday court appearance. The case continued Wednesday for the waiving or demanding of a jury trial.

"The Department of the Attorney General is committed to vigorous enforcement of the Governors Emergency Proclamation," Yamashiroya said. "Everyone should know that falsified CDC cards are a federal offense and in some states, it is a separate state charge."

Story continues

Yamashiroya said Mrozak was charged with one count of "Hawaii Revised Statutes 127A-29 Violation of Emergency Proclamation."

Mrozak arrived in Oahu on Aug. 23, according to Hawaii News Now, and presented her vaccine card which read "Maderna" instead of "Moderna" leaving authorities with an inkling that something might be off, prompting an investigation.

The Department of the Attorney General declined to share an image of the vaccination card, but the images found online list her place of vaccination as Delaware with the National Guard administering the dose of "Maderna" to Mrozak. When investigators called the state, there was no record of her vaccination, according to Hawaii News Now.

Mrozak also left the airport having listed Holiday Inn Express in Waikiki as the location at which she would stay while in the Aloha state but her reservation couldn't be confirmed, Hawaii News Now reported.

CDC director says: Unvaccinated people should not travel Labor Day weekend

Don't make these Hawaii travel mistakes: Wrong COVID-19 tests, missing vaccine info and wristband envy

Mrozak isn't the first tourist to have been arrested for presenting false information in relation to COVID-19.

Last month, two more travelers to Hawaii were arrested at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, for fraudulent vaccine proof. It was the first case pursued by the attorney general's office.

And in July, two travelers trying to enter Toronto from the U.S. were each fined nearly $20,000 Canadian dollars after providing false information related to proof of vaccination and pre-departure coronavirus tests, according to Canadian officials.

Contributing: Bailey Schulz, Dawn Gilbertson, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Woman arrested in Hawaii after showing a fake 'Maderna' vaccine card
A Lynchburg man was sentenced Wednesday to one and a half years in prison for setting a match to the powder keg that was a tense protest at Fifth & Federal Station last year.

That match came in the form of an M-80 firecracker, which made a loud pop many mistook for a gunshot and sparked violence that lasted the night, left the restaurant trashed and sent one Lynchburg Police Department officer to the hospital with a head injury.

Edwin Kyle Demerly, 25, is one of close to 20 people whove faced criminal charges from the night of May 31, 2020. He pleaded guilty to inciting a riot in late June of this year and has owned up to setting off the firecracker since receiving a call from a detective in the months after the clash.

He said at his sentencing hearing in Lynchburg Circuit Court he was there for the evening protest outside the restaurant, which called for racial justice and support of the Black Lives Matter movement following the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
If this happened to the other side, there would be riots all over America, Trump said, and yet there are far more people represented by Ashli, who truly loved America, than there are on the other side.

Well, I love this country, too, so much that I am outraged that some of my fellow Americans would rather see our democratic processes disintegrate into chaos, just because an election doesnt turn out the way they want it to.

Babbitt has been mourned as a martyr by members of the far-right and Trump surrogates  notably Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., who was condemned by Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and others for defending Babbitt and other rioters.

I, too, was saddened by Babbitts death, not because I think she was a martyr but because she was so sadly misled.

She wasnt shot because of her beliefs as much as for her actions in service of Trumps big lie that Democrats were stealing the White House from its rightful Republican owners, regardless of dozens of court decisions that have decided otherwise.
Constitution Week coming up

The week of September 17-23 marks the observance of Constitution Week. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution urges all Americans to think about the importance of the United States Constitution which, along with the Declaration of Independence, forged our national identity. The Constitution is the framework for the functioning of our federal government.

In 1955, the DAR petitioned the U. S. Congress to set aside this week each year to commemorate the Constitution. Congress adopted the resolution, and it was signed into Public Law #915 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on August 2, 1956.

The celebration of Constitution Week encourages the study of events that lead to the writing of the Constitution in September 1787. It should remind the public that the Constitution is the basis of Americas heritage and the cornerstone of our way of life. It should also stress to each U.S. citizen that it is his responsibility to protect, defend and preserve our Constitution.

The DAR is one of the largest patriotic womens organizations in the world, with more than 190,000 members in 3,000 chapters across our nation and several foreign countries. We promote historic preservation, service to veterans, good citizenship programs and community service.
Japanese authorities confirmed a nationwide tally of more than 17,000 new cases of coronavirus infection on Tuesday. The number of seriously ill patients was at a record high for the 19th straight day.

The number of patients using a ventilator or being treated in an intensive care unit stood at 2,110, up 35 from Monday.

At a Tuesday news conference, health minister Tamura Norihisa said, "When infections surge, the corresponding spike in serious cases comes later. We don't expect the number to fall anytime soon."

Hospitals are stretched to the limit. Many people with mild symptoms have no choice but to cope at home. But some aren't getting the care they need when their condition worsens.

A man in his 20s who tested positive on August 16 was found dead at home just two days later. The cause is presumed to be pneumonia. A doctor had earlier determined that he didn't require hospitalization.

Local governments are setting up facilities where oxygen can be administered to patients waiting to be hospitalized.

Meanwhile, researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University say the new N501S mutation of the Delta variant has been found in Japan for the first time. Only eight cases have been reported elsewhere.

Officials in Tokyo confirmed nearly 3,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday. The figure was down more than 1,300 from the week before. It's also the ninth straight day of week-on-week decline.
Japan on Tuesday decided to formally withdraw its Self-Defense Forces from their mission to evacuate people, including its nationals, from war-torn Afghanistan, citing security reasons amid heightened tensions following the recent seizure of power by the Taliban.

After Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi ordered the withdrawal, his ministry said the SDF would return to Japan soon.

Japan assessed it was becoming increasingly difficult to ensure that operations at Kabul airport would be safe after U.S. troops completed their pullout from Afghanistan on Monday, Japanese government sources said. The move comes after Japan evacuated one national and transported 14 Afghans from the country.

The government has come under fire over the planning of the SDF mission. When asked at a news conference on Tuesday if the timing was right for the dispatch, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi defended the decision, saying it was made despite the rapidly changing situations and adding that he did not think it was late.

The government vowed to continue its efforts to evacuate Japanese nationals and local staff at its embassy and with Japanese agencies in Afghanistan.

Security in Kabul remains volatile following last weeks deadly explosions near the airport that killed more than 100 people. Media have reported that a U.S. anti-missile defense system intercepted as many as five rockets that were fired at the airport early Monday.

Sources said up to about 500 people related to Japan  including local staff of the Japanese Embassy and Japan International Cooperation Agency and their families  remain in the country. While assessing security on the ground, the government has been looking into possible alternative methods to evacuate them, such as by using commercial airlines, according to the sources.
Taiwanese technology companies have made hardly any supply chain investments in Japan as an alternative to mainland China, directing most of their new factory construction and acquisitions to the U.S., Europe and Southeast Asia instead, official research shows.

A supply chain report released by Taiwan's economy ministry last month showed that direct investment in mainland China has declined sharply over the past decade.

This shift has been driven by various factors, but tensions between the U.S. and China over trade and technology have emerged as one of the most prominent motivators. Other factors include increasing labor costs and tighter environmental regulations.

Where companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. -- the world's biggest contract chipmaker -- choose alternative production sites has been closely watched by industry and policymakers alike. Japan in particular has sought to attract investment from cutting-edge Taiwanese players in hopes of reinvigorating its chip sector.

Mainland China remained the No. 1 investment destination for Taiwan in 2020, accounting for 33.3% of the total, but its share plunged from 79.5% in 2011, according to the ministry report. The total value of Taiwan's external investment stayed flat at about $18 billion between 2011 and 2020.

The U.S. emerged as a top alternative investment destination, ranking second with a 23.7% share -- up from just 4% in 2011. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations followed in third place with 15%, which improved from 6.2%. For Taiwanese investors, the U.S. offers institutional strengths, while ASEAN member countries can provide more affordable labor.

But fellow Asian economic power Japan, which enjoys good relations with Taiwan, saw little if any investment inflows from this shift. The study does not even mention Japan in its analysis. The share of Taiwan's direct investment that went to Japan fell short of India's 0.9%.

By contrast, Europe -- which has similar conditions as Japan -- came in fourth with a share of 8.9%.
Japan's Defense Ministry has finalized a budget request of nearly 50 billion dollars for fiscal 2022.

The ministry endorsed the 5.47 trillion yen-request in an online meeting on Tuesday.

The figure is about 10 billion yen, or more than 91 million dollars, less than what it sought for fiscal 2021.

The request includes about 92 million dollars to acquire two vessels to transport supplies and personnel to remote southwestern islands, amid China's growing maritime presence.

It also includes about 345 million dollars to convert the Ground Self Defense Force's guided missiles into long-range cruise missiles that can be launched from destroyers and fighter jets.

The ministry is also seeking a record 2.9 billion dollars for research and development, noting that other countries are putting cutting-edge technology to military use.

The funds would cover, among other things, designing of next-generation fighter jets and their engines, and research on artificial intelligence technology to enable satellite constellations to locate and track missiles.

The ministry plans to invest heavily in potentially game-changing technologies. They include underwater drones for maritime surveillance and drones that can remain stationary overhead to detect and track missiles with irregular trajectories.

Experts have warned that Japan will lag further behind in state-of-the-art military technology unless it allocates more funds to research and development.
seymourtelegraph.com.au - Sep 08

A Japanese court has summoned North Korea's leader to face demands for compensation by several ethnic Korean residents of Japan who say they suffered human rights abuses after joining a resettlement program in North Korea that described the country as a "paradise on earth," a lawyer and plaintiff say.
Japan Times - Sep 07

Emperor Naruhito and his family began moving to their new residence on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Monday, more than two years after ascending to the throne, the Imperial Household Agency said.
Washington State University Spokanes (WSU Spokane) Native American Health Sciences (NAHS) program will build what is believed to be the nations first indigenous-developed and instructed clinical simulation space at the Center for Native American Health on campus.

NAHS will construct 1,045 square feet of clinical space to include a patient exam simulation room, a hospital patient exam simulation room, a teaching and mediation room, and storage for the clinical simulation spaces and accompanying healing modalities.

The project is funded through a $250,000 grant from Bank of America as part of the companys focus on advancing racial equality and economic opportunity. In recognition of this commitment, the space will be called the Bank of America Indigenous Clinical Simulation Suites.

Throughout our histories and across the world, it has taken the listening ears, minds and hearts of our allies and friends who wanted to see a more peaceful, kind and equitable world, said Naomi Bender, director of WSU Spokanes Native American Health Sciences program. Through this generous gift, Bank of America is honoring what so many others have set aside: Our ways of knowing and healing. Bank of America is investing in a future where our health care workforce will begin to eliminate health disparities through culturally-centered knowledge and practices that counterbalance western views, instead of perpetuating them.

Students and clinicians in the Center will gain a holistic view of care with the help of Native instructors in medicine, nursing, pharmacy and allied health, and areas of traditional healing perspectives. The clinical simulation space will allow studentsboth Native and otherwisethe opportunity to learn about indigenous health and wellness from Native healers.

"This program is creating pathways for Native American communities by reimagining both education and patient care in a way that is uniquely influenced by those it will serve, said Kurt Walsdorf, Bank of America Spokane President. Our partners at NAHS are providing a strong curriculum that tackles health disparities for tribal communities in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, while also developing a diverse future workforce. We appreciate the invaluable contributions of Dr. Bender and all those involved for ensuring that our region is a beacon for positive change.

Additionally, NAHS is developing a 12-credit Interprofessional Indigenous Healing Perspectives certificate that will use the newly constructed clinical simulation wing to advance cultural safety practices in medicine. The certificate will be available both in-person and online for learners across the nation.

The Center, which opened in early 2021, also represents a major milestone of WSU Spokanes NAHS efforts to recruit, retain and serve Native and non-Native students, and tribal community partners. Native American pre-health students matriculating to WSU system wide increased by 30% this most recent academic year, and WSU Spokane saw even greater growth, with a 50% increase in Native students matriculating to the medicine, nursing and pharmacy programs.

With this grant, NAHS also aims to provide support, space, training, collaborations and other work with tribal communities across the nation.

Currently, 45 Native American students are enrolled at WSU Spokane and NAHS serves 189 WSU Native American pre-health students, most of whom are on the Pullman campus. The Center is open to all students and acts as an educational space for Native students and their peers. NAHS also hosts outreach events and programs at 47 public high schools and more than 30 tribal high schools in the Pacific Northwest.

This is WSU and Bank of Americas second recent collaboration, including a $250,000 grant to help launch the Spinout Space in Spokane (spnw), a new life sciences incubator to launch start-up companies.

About WSU Native American Health Sciences

Washington State Universitys Native American Health Sciences (NAHS) offers almost a dozen pathway and support programs meant to recruit, matriculate, and help Native American students succeed, who are entering into health care fields of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, nutrition and exercise physiology, speech and hearing sciences, clinical psychology, veterinary medicine, and other allied health sciences. Although WSU NAHS is housed on the WSU Health Sciences Spokane campus, we serve students, staff and faculty across our five campuses, and tribes across the Pacific Northwest. A new Center for Native American Health, meant to provide an indigenous cultural learning and support environment for students, will open in January 2021.

Bank of America

At Bank of America, were guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. Were delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. Its demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, register for news email alerts.
The report said Hines accelerated toward Brown, who shot at Hines six times  hitting the suspect in the right shoulder and hand  while attempting to back away. The car hit Browns leg and ran over his foot, knocking the officer down.

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Council Bluffs Police located the suspects and a pursuit ensued, which ended in Omaha. Hanna at some point had gotten out of the car and was arrested on Frank Street in Council Bluffs.

Hines was treated at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. Both suspects declined to be interviewed by police, the report said.

According to the report, Brown had been looking for Hanna that week and received a tip that she may be riding in a black Ford Flex, which he eventually located. The report also noted this wasnt the first encounter between Brown and Hines. While with Council Bluffs Police, Brown was involved in a brief pursuit of Hines that ended with Brown using his stun gun on Hines while taking him into custody.

Wilber said given the evidence in the case, Brown was justified in shooting at Hines. The county attorney wrote that Iowa law states a person is justified in the use of reasonable force when the person reasonably believes that such force is necessary to defend oneself or another from any imminent use of unlawful force.
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When (the state) was looking at doing a $15-an-hour minimum wage, Phye said, that would have meant I would have had to raise my parent rate by 75% to make that work.

She said North Platte is in a true child care crisis because there are not enough providers.

With this other day care closing down, all of our in-home (providers) are full and I am running at capacity, Phye said.

With the potential for new businesses, such as the proposed Sustainable Beef plant, coming into North Platte, the community needs to address the child care shortage now, she said.

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I dont know what the city thinks were going to do when we get a packing plant, Phye said.

Chantel Tonkinson, co-owner and director of Ladybug Crossing, echoed the need for discussion.

I dont think it was a huge community impact until last week when it really started hitting the parents, Tonkinson said.

Ladybug Crossing last year moved into a section of Osgood Elementary School after signing an agreement with North Platte Public Schools.
The reshuffle in 2011 moved a Legislature seat from western Nebraska into the suburbs of southwest Omaha. The 2020 numbers justify another similar shift of a seat  perhaps two. Such losses are mourned by rural Nebraska as the loss of political power that they are, but our systems requirement for equal representation leaves little alternative.

Shifts in 2011 of the boundaries of congressional districts were perceived to be far more partisan. The redistricting in 2011 moved Democrat-leaning Bellevue out of the 2nd District and replaced it with Republican-heavy western Sarpy County. This was largely viewed as a reaction to President Obamas winning the 2nd Districts 2008 Electoral College vote under Nebraskas system of awarding three of its five Electoral College votes by the popular vote in individual congressional districts. Whatever the intent, the 2011 alteration has produced mixed results to date: Democrat Brad Ashford was elected to Congress in 2014 before losing to current Republican Congressman Don Bacon in 2016, and Joe Biden won the 2nd Districts Electoral College vote in the 2020 presidential election. But partisan bruising from that hardball maneuver in 2011 remains a sore spot that continues to impair Unicameral and other political relationships in Nebraska.
Photo: AFP via Getty Images

If the phrase had less sordid connotations, a decent two-word summary of Joe Bidens case for leaving Afghanistan would be, America first.

In a eulogy for that conflict Tuesday, Biden declared an end to the era of major military operations to remake other countries. He argued that Americas fundamental error in Afghanistan had been allowing a counterterrorism mission to morph into a quixotic nation-building exercise. He challenged those asking for a third decade of war in Afghanistan to name a single vital national interest that the U.S. has in occupying that nation. And he vowed not to send another generation of Americas sons and daughters to fight for the dream of a democratic, cohesive, and united Afghanistan  something that has never been done over many centuries of Afghans history.

If Biden defends the U.S. withdrawal on nationalist grounds, many of his detractors condemn the policy on similar ones.

Pundits have lamented Americas retreat from Afghanistan as a consolidation of the Trumpist turn in its foreign policy. Biden may have campaigned on bringing America back to its position as a leader of the free world and as a champion for human rights, Josh Rogin recently wrote for the Washington Post, but the president has now subordinated Afghans democratic freedom to a cold, national interest calculation. Foreign correspondents have conveyed this same critique through both heartrending reports of Kabul residents plight and tacit condemnations of the American presidents (and/or publics) seeming indifference to the same.

There is something to their case. Two weeks ago, in his first speech after Kabuls fall, Biden really did coat the bitter pill of defeat in a layer of saccharine chauvinism, saying of the Afghan security forces, We gave them every chance to determine their own future. What we could not provide them was the will to fight for that future. And the American public really is parochial. Until recently, news consumers interest in the Afghanistan war was minuscule; last year, it attracted five minutes of total coverage across the three major networks evening newscasts. The U.S. electorate has also been less than reliable in its support for foreign aid or mass refugee admissions. Our collective antipathy for thinking poorly of our own nation often leads us to victim-blaming accounts of our imperial misadventures  e.g., Afghans just werent ready for democracy. For reporters stationed in Kabul, who are intimately acquainted with the strata of Afghan society that thirsts for a liberal republic, such sentiments surely grate.

Yet American parochialism does not stop at the waters edge. The typical U.S. citizen might be unable to locate Afghanistan on a map, but those who led the U.S. war effort overseas were little better at recognizing that same country through the fog of their imperial fantasies. Many American generals felt no need to acquaint themselves with Afghanistans most basic ethnic tensions before formulating counterinsurgency campaigns. In 2003, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld confessed to the Pentagon that he had no visibility into who the bad guys are in Afghanistan. His childish diction was indicative of Americas broad mentality toward the conflict. The war was neither sold nor conceived in coolheaded strategic terms so much as mythopoetic ones. Afghanistan was a blank screen on which Americans could project everything they feared in 9/11s wake. Or else, it was a theater for staging a revival of our nations most flattering mythic struggles: The NATO coalition would be our generations Allied forces. We would bring democracy to Kabul just as we had to Berlin.

Perhaps, $2 trillion would have been enough to buy Afghanistan a stable, pluralist government if we had paid attention to the countrys idiosyncrasies. But we didnt do that because we didnt care to. We werent interested in seeing Afghanistan clearly. We were interested in killing terrorists; securing a bastion of U.S. power in central Asia; stimulating a McMansion boom in Arlington, Virginia; dissolving 9/11s traumas in a great martial psychodrama; and re-baptizing our decadent nation in the blood of Afghans. We were interested, in other words, in putting America first.

Indeed, even as they denounce Biden for indulging in myopic nationalism, many critics of his withdrawal have themselves placed Americas national self-esteem above the typical Afghans well-being. This is reflected in their refusal to grapple with the human costs of the U.S. prolonging Afghanistans civil war. The extraordinary speed of the Talibans takeover has been described, almost universally, as a humiliation for our country and scandal for the Biden White House. And yet, from the perspective of ordinary Afghans, a rapid Taliban victory was far preferable to the alternative: Our intelligence agencies long ago concluded that the U.S.-aligned government in Kabul could not stand on its own and, at best, they expected Afghanistans fledgling democracy to hold off the Taliban for a few years after America departed. Such an interval would have secured the United States some plausible deniability (we left the Afghans a functioning republic, its not our fault if they couldnt keep it). And it would have spared our nation some of the trauma of defeat: By the time Taliban fighters marched into Kabul, Afghanistan would no longer be a subject fit for primetime news. But this more successful version of American withdrawal would have also increased the ultimate death toll of the Afghanistan war by tens of thousands, for no higher purpose beyond delaying the inevitable.

The presss endemic disregard for the human costs of perpetuating a military stalemate can be seen in Peter Bakers most recent news analysis. The New York Times reporter has been tacitly editorializing against Bidens withdrawal for weeks. On Saturday, he offered his most straightforward critique of the presidents policy yet in a piece headlined All in or All Out? Biden Saw No Middle Ground in Afghanistan. Bakers argument is that a middle-ground option did exist, and that Bidens failure to occupy it is lamentable. As a news analyst  not an opinion writer  Baker is unable to make this point forthrightly. Instead, he launders it through quotations like this one from retired general David Petraeus:

There was an alternative that could have prevented further erosion and likely enabled us to roll back some of the Taliban gains in recent years, said Gen. David H. Petraeus, the retired commander of American forces in Afghanistan and former C.I.A. director who argued the mission was making progress while serving alongside Mr. Biden under President Barack Obama.

With the Afghans doing the fighting on the front lines and the U.S. providing assistance from the air, he added, such a force posture would have been quite sustainable in terms of the expenditure of blood and treasure.

Here, Petraeus argues that, contra Biden, the status-quo ante could have been maintained at a sustainable cost in blood and treasure  because Afghans would have done the frontline fighting (and thus, the bulk of the bleeding). In other words, Petraeus is arguing that if wed sent thousands of Afghan troops to slaughter each year until the end of time, we probably could have propped up a deeply corrupt Western-aligned government in some parts of Afghanistan indefinitely. This case is dubious on the merits (the Taliban had been making steady gains since the late Obama years, when troop levels were much higher than theyd been at the time of Bidens inauguration). But its also rather bleak in its substance. That neither Petraeus nor Baker feel compelled to note the tragic dimension of the formers proposal indicates how much more weight they give to the costs of American defeat than to those of Afghan civil war.

All this said, going forward, putting Afghans first will likely require opposing White House policy. Amid his many appeals to geopolitical realism Tuesday, Biden did reiterate his commitment to putting human rights at the center of our foreign policy. The way to do this, he continued, is not through endless military deployments, but through diplomacy, economic tools, and rallying the rest of the world for support.

In the context of a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, the phrase economic tools has an air of menace. Afghanistan was a desperately poor nation before its government collapsed and its currency depreciated. Today, it is teetering on the precipice of famine. As the economic historian Adam Tooze explains in a recent newsletter, over the course of Americas 20-year occupation, the Afghan economy reorganized itself around our aid dollars. Urban areas became acutely dependent on foreign imports for their subsistence. Now that the value of the countrys currency has plummeted, millions of Afghans are struggling to feed themselves.

The deposed Afghan government had built up a $9 billion currency reserve to cushion itself against this sort of crisis. But it kept $7 billion of that sum at the U.S. Federal Reserve. And, as of this writing, the U.S. government has blocked the Taliban  Afghanistans de facto government  from accessing their nations own assets. Meanwhile, the World Bank, IMF, and the German Agency for International Cooperation have cut funds to Afghanistan. The ostensible aim of these moves is to substitute our lost military leverage over the Taliban for the economic variety: Honor womens rights, aid American counterterrorism efforts, and allow Afghan dissidents to emigrate  or the development aid gets it.

The problem, of course, is that one cannot shoot this hostage without nullifying Afghans most fundamental human right, namely, the right not to be starved to death for their conquerors sins. As Tooze writes:

Acute famines generally result from shortages of food triggering a scramble for necessities, speculation and spikes in food prices, which kill the poorest. Those are the elements we can already see at work in Afghanistan.

On August 26 the charity Save the Children reported the following figures for price increases from its staff in cities across the countryAs the charity added: A survey of 630 newly displaced families in Kabul, carried out by Save the Children earlier this month, already found that all of the families had run up debts in order to buy food. Many families have been forced to sell their possessions, cut back on meals or send their children out to work in order to buy food.

We should not say that we were not warned. These are the signs of a famine to come.

America can exert pressure over the Taliban through measures that do not add to our nations crimes against the Afghan people. International legitimacy is a conscionable carrot to withhold, Afghanistans reserves and aid dollars are not.

If President Biden wishes to demonstrate that human rights are indeed at the center of his foreign policy, he will cease waging economic war on the people of Afghanistan. If Bidens critics wish to prove that their opposition to American withdrawal is rooted in concern for the well-being of Afghans  rather than the glory of the U.S. empire  they will swiftly do the same.
Photo: Getty Images

After 20 years of continuous ground presence, the United States withdrew the final troops on the ground in Afghanistan late on Monday night in Kabul. Now, a Republican congressman is reportedly trying to find his way in.

According to the Washington Post, Oklahoma representative Markwayne Mullin called the U.S. ambassador to Tajikistan on Monday, asking for help bringing in a tremendous amount of cash from Tblisi, Georgia, in order to travel to neighboring Afghanistan to rescue via helicopter an American citizen and her four children still in the Taliban-controlled nation. When U.S. officials said no, Mullin threatened Ambassador John Mark Pommersheim and embassy staff. As of Tuesday night, his exact whereabouts were unknown, though after the publication of the report, a spokesperson said he has been and is currently completely safe. The statement did not include a clarification on his location.

To say this is extremely dangerous is a massive understatement, a State Department official told the Post. According to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, fewer than 200 American citizens who want to leave remain in the country.

Mullin, a critic of the withdrawal, a former MMA fighter, and one of five Native Americans in Congress, is not a veteran  unlike the two representatives, Democrat Seth Moulton and Republican Peter Meijer, who took an unauthorized trip to Kabul last week while U.S. forces still controlled the Hamid Karzai International Airport. The reported extraction plot is not his only attempt to get into Afghanistan: Last week, he flew to Greece and requested Pentagon permission to go to Kabul but was denied. Prior to the end of the military mission in Afghanistan, the departments of Defense and State both urged lawmakers not to travel to Afghanistan; when asked on Tuesday about Mullins whereabouts, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy went silent and walked off, according to the Post.

Earlier this year, Mullin helped barricade the House chambers during the Capitol riot, having earlier voted to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

This post has been updated to include a statement from Mullins spokesperson given after the Washington Post report was published.
Auburn University has begun looking for its 21st president.

Board of Trustees Member Wayne Smith released a letter Wednesday announcing the search for the new president and said an exploratory committee had already selected Greenwood/Asher & Associates, LLC, an executive search firm that has conducted president and chancellor searches for several universities around the nation, to assist the university with recruiting presidential candidates.

Selecting the next president is one of the most important decisions our Board of Trustees will make, Smith said in the letter. The search will be inclusive, collaborative and transparent. We are committed to actively seeking a diverse pool of exceptional candidates.

While Smith will serve as the presidential search chairperson, Trustee Sarah Newton will lead a 22-member presidential search advisory committee made up of faculty, staff, students, alumni and other Alabamians, according to the letter.

There is no set timetable for the completion of this search, Smith said in the letter. We are dedicated to being diligent, yet expeditious in our pursuit to find a world-class leader for Auburn University. Thank you for investing your time to help us in this critical process.
SRINAGAR, India (AP)  Syed Ali Geelani, an icon of disputed Kashmirs resistance against Indian rule and a top separatist leader who became the emblem of the regions defiance against New Delhi, died late Wednesday. He was 91.

Geelani died surrounded by family members at his home in Srinagar, the regions main city, an aide and his relative told The Associated Press.

Shortly after the news broke, scores of Kashmiris converged at his home in the Hyderpora neighborhood of Srinagar to mourn the death of Geelani, who lived the final decade of his life mostly under house arrest and suffered from various ailments.

Authorities announced a communication blockade and the restriction of public movement, a common tactic employed by Indian officials in anticipation of anti-India protests. They swiftly deployed heavy contingents of armed police and soldiers across the Kashmir valley to prevent people from participating in Geelanis funeral.

Troops with automatic rifles also blocked roads leading to Geelanis residence, while armored vehicles patrolled the city neighborhoods. Despite restrictions, many mosques across the regions towns and villages blared announcements of Geelanis death and urged people to come out on the streets.
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Combustible Dust Explosions: Is Your Workforce at Risk?

Dust explosions continue to be a persistent problem for many industries resulting in loss of life, injuries and destruction of property.

Combustible dust-fueled fires and explosions continue to injure and claim workers' lives across a broad spectrum of industries. Agriculture, food production and wood processing make up the largest proportion of the overall fire and explosion incidents. However, any workforce that generates dust may be at risk, with incidents occurring in businesses as diverse as pulp and paper, textiles and pharmaceuticals.

Tragedies such as the Imperial Sugar refinery explosion in Georgia, responsible for 14 deaths and deemed by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board as the most devasting dust explosion in decades, offer a grave reminder that businesses need to monitor dust levels efficiently. It is also now well understood that short and long-term exposure to dust poses significant health risks. Effects range from increased hospital admissions to a higher risk of premature death, primarily due to cardiovascular and respiratory disorders.

While the cost to worker health is incalculable, employers run the risk of reduced productivity, rising costs due to sickness days, increased costs for training and recruitment and catastrophic penalties and compensation claims. For example, OSHA proposed penalties of $215,525 for an explosion believed to be caused by dust ignition sources at MFA Enterprises Inc. last December, leaving the companys employee severely injured.

Understanding How Dust is Created

Dust is created when materials are transported, handled, processed, polished, ground and shaped. Dust can also form from abrasive blasting, cutting, crushing, mixing, sifting or screening dry materials. In addition, the build-up of dried residue from the processing of wet materials can generate dust. Dust in the workplace rises daily from these activities, which is why employers need to stay vigilant to exposure levels to protect workers from hazardous incidents and the potential of life-threatening consequences.

How Employers Can Cut the Risk of a Combustible Dust Explosion

This article originally appeared in the September 2021 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.
More than two dozen oil tankers are jamming Louisiana ports in the wake of Hurricane Ida as port operators continue to assess the damage, Reuters reports, citing sources and ship-tracking data.

Ida made landfall in Louisiana earlier this week, leaving chaos in its wake. Some 95 percent of Gulf of Mexico oil production was shut in ahead of the storm and more than a tenth of U.S. oil refining capacity. Platforms and refineries are currently being restarted.

In the meantime, only a few ports between Louisiana and Alabama have reopened, with limits on vessel drafts, Reuters noted in its report, suggesting it would be a while until normal maritime traffic recovers.

The tanker situation is worst in Baton Rouge and Lake Charles, according to the cited data. In total, there are 30 oil tankers off the Louisiana coast waiting to load or unload their cargo. The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) remains closed, as does the Port of Fourchon, another important oil hub in Louisiana. According to a local port official, it could take weeks until the port reopens.

"It'll take weeks to get things back up and running. How many weeks is a good question," said a Greater Lafourche Port official in an interview with NPR. "We have a long road ahead of us and there's a lot of damage for us to assess and try to recover from."

"What we're seeing is tons of damage, obviously, being exactly where the landfall was for Hurricane Ida. There's vessels, you know, in places that they're not supposed to be, to say the least," Chett Chiasson also said.

The damage done by the hurricane to the oil industry reversed a decline in gasoline prices, which had fallen to the lowest since early July, but on Monday, they started climbing back up. Yesterday, the national average was $3.159 per gallon, up from $3.151 per gallon a day earlier, according to AAA estimates.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Crude oil prices moved higher today after the Energy Information Administration reported inventories had shed 7.2 million barrels in the week to August 27.

This compared with a crude oil inventory draw of 3 million barrels estimated by the EIA for the previous week and analyst expectations for a draw of 2.83 million barrels.

A day before the EIAs report, the American Petroleum Institute estimated an oil inventory draw of over 4 million barrels, which was larger than expected.

Just as OPEC+s meeting begins in Vienna, the U.S. energy authority estimated gasoline stocks had added 1.3 million barrels in the week to August 27, with production averaging 9.9 million bpd during the period.

This compared with an inventory draw of 2.2 million barrels a week earlier and production averaging 10.2 million bpd.

Middle distillate stocks registered a draw of 1.7 million barrels in the reporting period, with production averaging 4.8 million bpd.

A week earlier, the EIA estimates a middle distillate stock build of a modest 600,000 barrels and average production of 5 million bpd.

Despite the rising production of gasoline, prices at the pump have also been on the rise, which last month prompted President Biden to call on OPEC to add more supply to global oil markets.

The most recent price jump, however, was the result of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ida on the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf Coast oil industry, with some key ports still closed, with reopenings likely weeks away.

The chances of this actually happening, however, are slim. OPEC does not seem to believe the market needs any more oil right now. In fact, the extended cartels joint technical committee estimated in a recent report that the oil market will swing unto a surplus by next May, with the surplus reaching some 1.6 million bpd, from a current deficit of 900,000 bpd.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Environmental accountability has exploded in recent years. Climate change has been a dominant driver of this growth. There is broad agreement among nations that rising global carbon dioxide emissions must be addressed.

This growing awareness has resulted in tremendous pressure on the energy sector to adapt to a new reality. Clean energy, decarbonization, and distributed power have become drivers of investment in the energy industry.

A New Paradigm: ESGEnvironmental, Social, and Governance

According to the US SIF Foundations 2020 Report on US Sustainable and Impact Investing Trends, as of year-end 2019, one out of every three dollars under professional management in the United States$17.1 trillionwas managed in accordance with sustainability metrics.

Related: Oil Could Be Primed For Up To 50% Rally, Strategist Says

In response to this growing trend, most companies have developed policies on Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG).

Businesses that fail to consider such metrics can experience a significant financial impact. MSCI Inc., a global provider of financial and portfolio analysis tools, conducted a four-year study on this issue. The study found that companies with high ESG scores experienced lower costs of capital, lower equity costs, and lower debt costs compared to companies with poor ESG scores.

Experts at McKinsey sound an even more clarion tone. They cite more than 2,000 academic studies that concluded better ESG scores translate to about a 10% lower cost of capital. This correlates to lower regulatory, environmental, and litigation risks associated with high ESG-scoring companies. ESG is far more than mere window dressingit is a strategic imperative.

ESG policies discourage businesses from relying solely on financial metrics and encourage broader environmental metrics in their decision-making. ESG programs, particularly among the largest companies, are generally well-defined and measurable. A common theme is a path to zero, which defines how, and how quickly, a company will reach net zero carbon emissions. This means either that the company has taken steps to ensure that carbon emitted while doing business is eliminated or offset through projects that sequester carbon.

Sustainability accountability is growing rapidly. In 2020, the KPMG Survey of Sustainability Reporting found that there was a sustainability reporting rate of 96% for G250 companies  the worlds largest 250 companies. Within the oil and gas sector, the rate was 100% for G250 companies.

Whether viewed as an opportunity to be seized or a problem to be solved, the energy sector is squarely focused on achieving measurable ESG results. And most of those results will come from reductions in emissions, particularly carbon dioxide.

Conclusions

Companies are going to be forced to confront ESG as a requirement of doing business. Leading companies have already embraced it and are reaping the benefits. Numerous studies have shown that companies with high ESG scores experience lower debt and capital costs.

ESG is a financial issue, and one that will particularly challenge the energy sector. In the next article, I will highlight how hydrogen can be used to improve ESG scores.

By Robert Rapier

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As oil prices rise and demand recovers, the U.S. oil industry is raising drilling and completion activity and has started to re-hire workers it had dismissed at the peak of last years crisis. But not all former employees want to return to the sectorsome have quit oil for good and dont want to look back at an industry notorious for its cyclical ups and downs.

Despite the recent uptick in oil industry employment, short-term and permanent shifts in workers negative perceptions of the sector have already started to create labor shortages.

These shortages threaten to delay and even hinder the recovery of U.S. oil production, analysts say.

The EIA currently estimates that American crude oil production is set to jump to an average of 11.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2022, up from 11.1 million bpd in 2021.

Not All Jobs Lost Will Return

Job losses in the sector have stopped after exploration and production companies and oilfield services providers let go around 100,000 employees in 2020. Around a third of the jobs lost are now back, but not many of the remaining jobs lost last year could be back in the industry soon.

The U.S. energy technology and services sector added jobs for a fifth consecutive month in July, an estimated 6,082 jobs, the Energy Workforce & Technology Council said in an analysis based on preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The council estimates a peak of more than 115,000 pandemic-related job losses. Since then, the sector has restored around 38,300 positions, bringing total pandemic employment losses to 76,800 jobs and $8.7 billion in annualized lost wages.

Some of the job losses from 2020 will be permanent. Oilfield services providers have digitalized some operations with remote controls, while oil majors reduced thousands of office-based jobs as they streamlined operations and cut overhead costs to cope with one of the sectors worst downturns in recent years, and a second such crisis since 2015-2016.

Other jobs could be in flux and will depend on commodity prices, andto an extenton oil production policy decisions taken in Riyadh, Moscow, or Vienna.

More and more workers are fed up with the boom-and-bust nature of the oil industry after two major oil price and drilling activity collapses in just five years. They vow they would never return to depend on the volatile oil markets and quitted the sector after having been let go in 2020.

The lack of job security and the growing shift toward renewable energy, including with active support from the current U.S. Administration, are discouraging some former oil workers from returning to the industry.

In addition, salaries for oilfield maintenance workers are still around 10 percent below pre-pandemic levels, according to data from energy analytics firm Enverus cited by Bloomberg. The lower wages additionally discourage workers from going back to the oilfields.

Workforce Shortages Emerge

There arent enough positions for all workers who lost their jobs last year. Yet, labor shortages have started to emerge this year, jeopardizing the expected recovery of U.S. oil production growth next year.

If reported labor shortages continue, it would be impossible to grow production, Elisabeth Murphy, an analyst at research firm ESAI Energy, told Bloomberg.

North Dakota, for example, is struggling to grow its oil production, even as crude prices are at $70 a barrel. The fewer willing workers are heading to Texas and New Mexico to work in the Permian rather than in the Bakken shale field.

Related: Labour Day Gasoline Prices To Hit 7-Year High



North Dakota had just eight frack crews operating in the state at the end of July, while it would typically expect 20 to 25 crews working in the Bakken at these price levels, Lynn Helms, Director at North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, said, as carried by Grand Forks Herald.

They are trying with all their might to hire, Helms said, referring to companies operating in North Dakota.

But they are not finding employees that want to come back into the industry and come back to North Dakota to work on the frack crews, he added.

North Dakota drillers may have to offer higher wages and other incentives to attract oil workers away from Texas and New Mexico, according to Helms.

Oil Industry Talent Crunch Is Coming

Despite the focus on renewables and clean energy jobs of the Biden Administration, jobs in oil and gas still pay more than jobs in the solar, wind, energy efficiency, and energy storage industries.

However, the next generation of employees, Millennials and Gen Zs, are not too keen to work in an industry they view as dirty, difficult, and dangerous. While salary is often the biggest draw for working in the oil industry, many young people would choose other industries with similar pay because of their perception that oil and gas is an industry of the past and one that does not represent their values. Technology, AI, and data jobs in oil could be a winning sales pitch with young people, but the sector competes with the tech giants for IT talent.

The oil industry will either have to pay even higher salaries or start to pay attention to the trends in the energy transition and ESG in order to attract and retain talent. Or both.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Irrespective of how quickly a new iteration of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)  nuclear deal  is signed between Iran and the U.S., plus the remainder of the P5+1 group of nations that agreed the original version (the U.K., France, Russia, China plus Germany), Tehran is now looking to increase its oil output from all of the fields that constitute its massive West Karoun cluster.



With over 67 billion barrels of oil in place across the West Karoun oil fields, the Petroleum Ministry says that each one percent improvement in the rate of recovery would increase recoverable reserves by 670 million barrels or some US$33 billion in revenues even with oil at US$50 a barrel. This output expansion drive includes some of the fields that are less well known than the supergiant West Karoun sites of Azadegan (North and South), Yaran (North and South), and Yadavaran, but which nonetheless may together substantially contribute to the addition of at least another one million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil output for Iran within a very short time.

One such a field is Darquain (or Darkhoein), located 45 kilometres north of the city of Khorramshahr and 100 kilometres south of the oil-rich city of Ahvaz, in the Khuzestan Province. With an estimated minimum five billion barrels of oil in place, 1.3 billion barrels of which are deemed recoverable, the field was initially developed by Italys ENI based on its successful 2001 buyback contract tender, together with local partner Naftiran Intertrade. Production of the light oil (API gravity of 39) began in 2005, with Darquin-1, and the Darquain-2 development followed in early 2011. Both of these have been focused on the exploitation of the easier-to-excavate parts of the Fahlyan reservoir formation, with the resultant oil flows being delivered into the Ahvaz-Abadan oil pipeline.

Related: Oils Comeback Is Lifting Commodity Prices

The next phase of development will focus on developing the more challenging parts of the Fahlyan layer by dint of gas injection, plus opening up the Ilam and Sarvak reservoirs, with the latter of these also being subject to water and gas injection enhanced recovery techniques. To further optimise the recovery rate across these layers in Phase 3, there will be a rollout of another 31 oil wells, six gas injection wells, crude oil processing facilities including pipelines, processing installations, gas compressors, crude oil storage tanks and roads. After this development program has been completed, crude oil output from the Darquain site will total at minimum 220,000 bpd, a senior oil sector source who works closely with Irans Petroleum Ministry exclusively told OilPrice.com last week.

To roll out Phase 3 in full, together with concomitant enhancements to existing operations at Darquain, will require investment of around US$1.5 billion but both China and Russia have already made it clear to Iran that they will cover any costs associated with the exploration and development of the West Karoun oil fields. Prior to the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran in May 2018, the contract for Darquain had been one of the US$30 billion of strategic energy deals agreed by Iran with Russia during President Vladimir Putins visit to Tehran in November 2017. These were to involve the state-owned Russian heavyweights Rosneft (oil) and Gazprom (gas), according to the Iran source. Subsequent to signing of the landmark 25-year deal signed with China in 2019, though, Russia agreed to make way for China to take the lead in West Karoun, as part of the division of key Iranian oil and gas assets between the two powers.

China for its part in the 25-year deal that focused on oil and gas development committed to increasing the then-355,000 bpd output from the West Karoun oil fields cluster by another 145,000 bpd in the first phase (to 500,000 bpd) and then by another 500,000 bpd (to 1 million bpd) within two years from 2019, although this was pushed back due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also committed to supporting the parallel development of the fields Iran shares with Iraq, however difficult, with the two countries sharing eight major oil field sites along their joint border, with combined recoverable crude oil reserves of a very conservatively estimated 14 billion barrels.

A key concern for Iran (and conversely, for Iraq, and with more justification) has long been that its neighbour would develop its side of the shared fields in a manner geared towards expedience rather than sustainability of the oil reservoir, thus damaging Irans eventual oil yields from the shared sites. Notable amongst these shared fields are Dehloran (Iran side, Abu Ghurab Iraq side), Naft-Shahr (Khorramshahr), Azadegan (Majnoon), Naft Shahr (Khorramshahr), and Yadavaran (Sinbad) but, again, there are smaller fields as well, although these frequently have much bigger potential gas deposits present. In all cases, however, Iran has a guaranteed buyer for all oil and gas it produces at any and all of its sites as part of Chinas purchasing commitments in the 25-year deal.

A prime example of such a field is Arvand, located around 50 kilometres south of Abadan in Khuzestan Province, at the strategically important entrance of the Arvandroud River. More widely known as the Shatt al-Arab waterway, this river lies at the confluence of the Euphrates and the Tigris and at its southern end constitutes the border between Iran and Iraq before its runs down into the Persian Gulf. The Arvand oil and gas site itself is estimated to contain one billion barrels of oil in place with a recovery rate of 15 percent even under current circumstances in which ongoing sanctions-related restrictions have kept the average rate of recovery across Irans oil fields at between 4.5-5.5 percent. Arvand also holds over 14 billion cubic metres (bcm) of dry gas and 55 million barrels of gas condensate. In broader terms as well, Arvands importance is bolstered further by the fact that it is crucial in determining the wider hydrocarbons potential of the formations in the Khami and Bangestan oil and gas areas. Currently administered by the Arvandan Oil and Gas Production Company  the crude oil production of which (from these smaller fields for which it is responsible) is estimated will reach 1.4 million bpd by 2025  the Arvand field is currently the subject of negotiation with various Chinese and Russian oil and gas firms, in line with the two countries landmark agreements with Iran.

By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com

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The Canadian Energy Centre, also referred to as Albertas energy war room, is seeking proposals for a new ad campaign aimed at building support for Canadas oil industry in eastern Canada and the northern U.S., The Canadian Press reports, citing a document it has seen.

Albertas Conservative government launched in 2019, just before the pandemic, the so-called energy war room, in hopes of improving the oil industrys public image.

For too long, the reputation of Albertas energy sector has been damaged by a deceitful campaign to landlock the oil sands. The Canadian Energy Centre will focus on improving perceptions about the oil and gas industry, Albertas Energy Minister Sonya Savage said at the time. The center would apply a fact-based approach to counteracting the misinformation about our industry, Savage added.

The war room wasnt much active in garnering support for oil during the pandemic because of reduced funding. But now, it is looking for the right candidate to create an ad campaign, whose goal would be building a social movement in support of Canadas oil and gas sector, according to the document.

The winning bid will have to show demonstrated ability to change perceptions about messages and values, the document cited by The Canadian Press says.

The winner will develop and create a minimum of four consumer-direct strategic marketing campaigns that are emotional and compelling in order to measurably change perceptions about Canadas energy sector, it notes.

The contract is expected to be awarded at the end of October this year and will run for one year, with possible extensions.

Last summer, the Alberta government was investigating whether foreign groups are funding anti-oil protests in Canada. The government went after foreign organizations that allegedly finance anti-oil coverage. In the summer of 2019, it announced that it had allocated almost $1.9 million to a fund to investigate these foreign organizations, which it claims are leading a concerted effort to tarnish the image of the oil sands industry.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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The federal government said it would soon resume oil and gas leasing, opening up millions of acres of federal land for drilling, most of it in the Gulf of Mexico.

Quoting the Interior Department, Reuters reported that the government will offer most of the unleased offshore blocks in the GOM, which span some 90 million acres. The lease sale could eventually yield oil production of up to 1.1 billion barrels of oil and 4.4 trillion cu ft of natural gas.

Interestingly, in its record of decision on the matter, the Interior Department said the latest IPCC report "does not present sufficient cause" for revising the current environmental analysis of the lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico.

The last part is interesting because it was precisely the revision of existing environmental assessments that President Biden paused oil and gas leasing on federal lands in January. This pause caused a reaction from oil-producing states, which argues that although the immediate effects of the pause may be negligible, over the long term it could affect negatively shale and conventional oil production and, consequently, budget revenues from the oil industry in those states.

To counter these effects, a group called the Western Energy Alliance filed a lawsuit against the administration immediately alleging the pause in oil and gas leasing would cost $33.5 billion in GDP losses during President Biden's first term and another $8.8 billion in conservation funding.

The suit was successful, and a Louisiana federal judge ordered the administration to restart lease sales by issuing a preliminary injunction. According to the judge, the administration had no right to stop leasing federal lands for oil and gas drilling without approval from Congress. The injunction is currently being appealed, but the Interior Department was forced to comply with it after pressure from legislators, claiming it was deliberately dragging its feet on the matter.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Israel will no longer issue onshore oil exploration permits, Energy Minister Karine Elharrar said this week, vowing to focus on renewable energy sources.

"Starting today, no more licenses will be issued for oil exploration on land in the State of Israel," Elharrar said at an energy conference on Tuesday, as carried by The Times of Israel.

Israel currently has five onshore oil production licenses and three onshore oil exploration permits.

Elharrar, appointed energy minister in the new Israeli government in June, also believes that natural gas  which Israel is producing offshore and exporting to some countries in the Middle East and the Mediterranean  is only a temporary solution to energy demand.

"Oil is a highly polluting fuel that has no place in a country that is doing everything to reduce the use of coal and understands that [fossil fuel] gas is also only an intermediate solution until we can rely on renewable energies," Elharrar said.

The new energy minister differs from her predecessor Yuval Steinitz, who strongly supported Israel's offshore gas industry.

Israel has bet big on the largest gas field offshore the country, the Leviathan gas field, the biggest energy project in Israel ever.

Israel has also put on hold a major oil pipeline deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over environmental concerns.

Last October, Israel, and the UAE signed a preliminary agreement under which crude oil from OPEC's third-largest producer could be shipped to European markets via an oil pipeline in Israel connecting the Red Sea with the Mediterranean. This was one of the first major energy deals after Israel and the UAE agreed to normalize relations in September 2020.

Under the deal, Israeli state firm Europe Asia Pipeline Co (EAPC) and UAE-based MED-RED Land Bridge Ltd signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in transporting crude oil and fuel from the Gulf to Western markets via the pipeline between Israeli cities of Eilat on the Red Sea and the Mediterranean port of Ashkelon. The project is now in jeopardy because of Israel's concerns.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Ferocious wildfire sweeps toward Lake Tahoe after mass evacuation; a new mission in post-war Afghanistan; and the road ahead after Ida. Get the morning's latest news.
The report said Hines accelerated toward Brown, who shot at Hines six times  hitting the suspect in the right shoulder and hand  while attempting to back away. The car hit Browns leg and ran over his foot, knocking the officer down.

Council Bluffs Police located the suspects and a pursuit ensued, which ended in Omaha. Hanna at some point had gotten out of the car and was arrested on Frank Street in Council Bluffs.

Hines was treated at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. Both suspects declined to be interviewed by police, the report said.

According to the report, Brown had been looking for Hanna that week and received a tip that she may be riding in a black Ford Flex, which he eventually located. The report also noted this wasnt the first encounter between Brown and Hines. While with Council Bluffs Police, Brown was involved in a brief pursuit of Hines that ended with Brown using his stun gun on Hines while taking him into custody.

Wilber said given the evidence, Brown was justified in shooting at Hines. The county attorney referred to Iowa law that states a person is justified in the use of reasonable force when the person reasonably believes that such force is necessary to defend oneself or another from any imminent use of unlawful force.

My legal review at this point is confined to whether or not criminal charges should be filed for the use of deadly force during this incident, Wilber wrote in his conclusion. I find that, at the time the shots were fired by Probation/Parole Officer Brown, he reasonably believed that deadly force was necessary to defend himself from deadly force being used (or to be imminently used) by Brandon Hines.

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I think its the right direction to go, Blomstedt said. It gives us a little clear direction, and it puts the agency staff in a position that we can move on to some of the other pressing matters.

The four members on the Teaching, Learning and Serving Committee, which made the recommendation, would need one additional board member to vote with them to halt the standards development. The board has eight members.

The committee, in calling for postponement, said it considered public comment and the requests from leaders of public and nonpublic schools to postpone additional initiatives and extra efforts until after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The committee produced a draft statement for the board to consider adopting. It calls for postponing the matter until the board can determine the most appropriate time to address the topic of Health Education Standards after the pandemic has concluded, as determined by appropriate national, state and local health officials.

Maureen Nickels, the president of the state board and a member of the committee, said board members would have a tough time garnering enough support to keep the process going.

But she said its hard to say how members will vote.
Heavy rain prompted flash flood advisories in eastern Nebraska overnight Monday and washed out a key road in a small town south of Omaha.

The village of Murray lost direct access to U.S. 75/34 when the stretch of Main Street that led to a railroad overpass caved in. The Nebraska Department of Transportation has closed Main Street for repairs.

Shelli Hayes, village clerk, said people will need to drive about a 3-mile detour to reach the highway. Murray is about 30 miles south of Omaha and is near Beaver Lake.

Overnight rainfall amounts varied, and the heaviest downpours fell along a diagonal line that threaded the area between Lincoln and Omaha, according to radar observations by the National Weather Service.

The highest total reported to the National Weather Service was 7 inches at Osmond, Nebraska. Other areas reporting more than 4 inches of rain included Valley, Snyder, Pierce, Plainview and Gretna.

In the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area, 2.64 inches was reported at Eppley Airfield, 2.66 inches at the Council Bluffs airport and 3.33 inches at the Millard airport. In contrast, Lincoln received .88 inches.
Carnahan said Congress has the opportunity to do something really big with the infrastructure package.

It is a once in a generation opportunity to really invest in our infrastructure again, from roads and bridges, to ports to clean water and broadband internet across the country, Carnahan said.

During construction the projects would create up to 2 million jobs, Carnahan said

The money for the ports of entry would be included in the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was passed last month by the Senate by a vote of 69 to 30. The bill includes funding for hard infrastructure project like roads and bridges, rail, transit, ports, airports, electric grid, water systems and broadband internet access. While it has passed the Senate, it has not yet passed the House.

The legislation is separate from a $3.5 trillion spending plan being worked on the House that some consider on a par with the New Deal that was used in the 1930s to help the country recover from the depression.

In Vermont, the other border posts that would be included are in Alburgh Springs, Richford, Norton and Beebe Plain.

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I am very concerned that our current system is unworkable and is actually harming our most vulnerable children, Haney said.

She testified at a hearing held jointly by the Legislatures Health and Human Services Committee and a separate legislative committee charged with investigating the states contract with St. Francis.

State Sen. John Arch of La Vista said the hearing, held in Omaha, was a chance for the public to comment about the quality of care provided by the contractor.

One foster parent said there would have been more foster parents speaking out if St. Francis case workers had not threatened to remove their foster children if they appeared. Carrin Meadows said she knew of at least five other parents who wanted to testify but were afraid. She said she was willing to speak out because her foster child already is slated to return to his mother.

Matt Stephens, a St. Francis vice president who attended the hearing, said he was unaware of any such threats and would look into the situation.
NEW DELHI (AP)  More students in India will be able to step inside a classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months Wednesday, as authorities gave the green light to partially reopen more schools despite apprehension from some parents and signs that infections are picking up again.

Schools and colleges in at least six more states are reopening in a gradual manner with health measures in place throughout September. In New Delhi, all staff must be vaccinated and class sizes will be capped at 50% with staggered seating and sanitized desks.

In the capital only students in grades nine through 12 will be allowed to attend at first, though it is not compulsory. Some parents say they will be holding their children back, including Nalini Chauhan, who lost her husband to the coronavirus last year.

That trauma is there for us and that is what stops me from going out. We dont go to malls. We dont go shopping. So why schools now? she said.

Life has been slowly returning to normal in India after the trauma of a ferocious coronavirus surge earlier this year ground life in the country to a halt, sickened tens of millions, and left hundreds of thousands dead. A number of states returned last month to in person learning for some age groups.
I feel blessed to have landed in Omaha as a cancer survivor in my 60s, with such remarkable medical expertise just down the street from where I intend to retire.

And, should I need that expertise to, oh, stay alive, I know I am darn sure going to follow the advice I get.

Im willing to bet that north of 90% of Nebraskans would feel the same way if they had cancer or any other serious condition, and would brag to out-of-state friends about the quality of care they got right here.

And yet many among us now think they know better than these esteemed doctors when it comes to COVID-19, which has killed more than 2,500 people in this state. We have been lucky to have among the nations lower death rates  arguably in part because University of Nebraska Medical Center experts helped develop Nebraskas early approach to fighting the coronavirus and because, in the early months, Gov. Pete Ricketts was clear in communicating the plan, including the value of masking and social distancing.
The guidelines should reflect best practices. They are designed to be age-appropriate to help our youth have the language and skills to understand families come in a variety of structures, and to be knowledgeable about their bodies and develop personal boundaries. This could increase positive public health outcomes including reducing STIs, unintended pregnancies, abortion rates, sexual assault, and suicidal ideation. Research that compared outcomes in European countries and the USA indicate the countries with comprehensive inclusive sexuality education and access to resources have youth who wait longer to engage in sexual activity, and have lower rates of abortion, STIs, HIV, and unintended pregnancies. Many who oppose providing this information believe knowledge is dangerous when ignorance causes unintended and unanticipated negative consequences.

These guidelines are not imposed on anyone. Local school boards do not have to adopt them. Parents can opt their children out. Fighting these guidelines is based on a belief that information and inclusion of individuals and families who do not have the same world view threatens their familys personal well-being. Changing norms and differing beliefs may seem threatening. It does mean change when it may not be wanted, but, in the same way that you have your value system, beliefs and culture, everyone else also has that right too. Finding balance by focusing on shared values is one path to achieve that goal. Values include wanting our friends and family to be safe, happy, healthy, welcomed, included and recognized as part of a community. Belonging is essential to health, which means diverse family structures must be represented.
Madelaine Adler, Omaha

Bacons failure

What a shameful lack of leadership by Rep. Don Bacon (Aug. 26 Midlands Voices), who could not get on board with the president to get all Americans and trusted Afghans out of Afghanistan. This mission taken on by the president was an obviously dangerous one, but one backed by what polls show is favored by a clear majority of Americans. Rather, Don Bacon has been taking a stance which undermines the commander in chief.

This may appeal to his base, but it is not the stance one would expect in a time of national crisis. On an issue that the president is displaying courage and risking his legacy, one would think that a person trained in the military would realize how important it is to the country to back the leadership. Or at least be quiet on a mission so vital.

Atley Wedemeyer, Omaha

Partisan, not patriotic
Chris Coates Central Illinois Editor Central Illinois editor for Lee Enterprises Central Illinois Follow Chris Coates Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

The Pantagraph recently welcomed three new staff members in our newsroom.

An introduction:

Connor Wood is covering Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University and Heartland Community College. Wood previously worked as a reporter for the Centralia Morning Sentinel. Contact Wood at (309) 820-3240 or cwood@pantagraph.com.

4 ways you can help The Pantagraph cover the community You can help us provide essential journalism for our community. We need your help  and we're here to listen.

Brendan Denison is our new breaking news reporter. Denison was a digital content producer for WCIA-TV in Champaign and a crime and county government reporter for The Commercial-News in Danville. Denison is at (309) 820-3238 and bdenison@pantagraph.com.

Jess Earl has joined as a copy editor and previously was a newsletter producer for WCBE in Columbus, Ohio. Contact Earl at (309) 820-3217 or jearl@pantagraph.com.

Welcome!

As always, we're always interested in story ideas and suggestions.

Upcoming special sections

We're also wrapping up plans for two special projects I want to tell you about.

Our Salute to Labor and Workforce returns Sept. 5 in The Pantagraph and at pantagraph.com. It's a showcase of the contributions that workers make to the economy and our community.

Coming up on Sept. 11, we recognize the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Our special section will include memories from Central Illinois residents who generously contributed their thoughts. Many thanks to them.

And thank you for subscribing and investing in our work. We're honored to serve you.

If you are not a member, become one at go.pantagraph.com/subscribe for more information. Unlimited digital and e-edition access starts at $1 for 26 weeks.

Thanks for reading.

Chris Coates is the Central Illinois editor. Follow him on Twitter at ByChrisCoates.

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BLOOMINGTON  This one was for Bill.

Members of the Central Illinois Woodworkers weren't strangers to the project they were about to undertake, but this time, there was a personal element.

Longtime member Bill Birckelbaw was receiving treatment at Community Cancer Center in Normal last year when he met a woman who'd lost her hair and needed a wig.

She also needed a wig stand.

Birckelbaw, handy with tools and skilled at woodworking, got to work  despite his own diagnosis.

Although he finished the project he started  the woman received her wig stand from him  he didn't feel like he was done, friend Todd Johnson remembers.

"He's always been someone who was dedicated to the community," Johnson said. "He wanted to do something, he wanted to make a whole bunch more because there's people across the state and across the country who have a need."

Birckelbaw, of Bloomington, had the tools, had his own workshop even, and there was no question that he had the skills to taken on the project by himself, had he wanted to do so.

But at that time, he also had cancer. Sometimes, it got in the way.

"He helped when he could," said friend and group member John Baker. "But his health was such that (he couldn't always)."

Baker, Johnson and Gary Robinson were members of the Central Illinois Woodworkers, but they were also friends with Birckelbaw outside of the group.

When his health began to fail, they stepped in to make his vision a reality.

"One time he was disappointed, and he broke down because he couldn't do it," Baker said. "He just wasn't even able to walk down to the shop."

His friends decided they would pick up where he left off.

Although the pandemic struck not long after they started, they managed to pull together about 700 pieces of donated wood, from which they made 86 wig stand kits for the Central Illinois Woodturners group to finish.

The finished products will then be donated to the Susan G. Komen Memorial Affiliate in Peoria, where they would be distributed.

Certainly it wasn't the first time a woodworkers group had made wig stands: In 2018, a member of the Central Illinois Woodturners was featured in the Woodford County Journal for similar work.

What made it different this time, however, was that for the four men who put the kits together, there was a new sense of urgency.

"I talked to (Birckelbaw) a few times after he went into the hospital for about a week before he passed away," Baker remembered. "He said he was very pleased that we did get it done, but he did keep apologizing for the fact that he didn't finish it up to the end."

Birckelbaw died on June 12, living long enough to know the kits were finished, but not long enough to see them turned into the finished products he'd imagined.

"I do think we accomplished what we set out to do, which was get the components ready for the turners so that they could turn out the wig stands and get them out into the hands of people," Johnson said.

Said Baker: "I think he would have been really pleased with it."

Baker added that "98%" of the work the three men did was directly in memoriam of their friend  but they might not stop there.

Even though "Bill's passing took the wind out of the sails," a little bit, Baker said, the three are still weighing their next community service project and they'd like to hear back from anyone with an idea.

"I think our message with this project was: There was an expert woodworker who wanted to give back to the community ... and we just wanted to help him achieve that goal," Johnson said.

In the wake of the completed project and of their friend's death, Baker said, "We haven't figured out what's next for us and we'll have to probably enlist a new person, since four people and woodshop is what you really need. We just knew that we wanted to help fulfill Bill's goal."

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BLOOMINGTON  A Bloomington man was sentenced to three years in prison Tuesday for domestic battery.

Jimmy Pate, 43, was charged in February with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and domestic battery. The aggravated battery charge was dismissed under a plea agreement.

Prosecutors said Pate got into an argument with a relative or household member Feb. 14 at a Bloomington residence. Pate repeatedly struck the victim in her face, causing a hematoma, according to court documents.

Pate was sentenced to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections due to prior domestic battery convictions. He received credit for 174 days previously served. His eligible sentencing term ranged between one and six years in prison.

Pate also was ordered to four years of mandatory supervised release.

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

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NORMAL  Community members offered support to residents of a Normal mobile home park Tuesday as police released more details about a shooting that left three people injured and three dead, including the suspect.

"It's heartbreaking to see what happened yesterday," said the Rev. Ed Wright, lead pastor of Heartland Church, just down the street from the mobile home park on Linden Street.

Authorities on Tuesday identified those killed in the shooting that took place Monday afternoon in the Landing Estates Mobile Home Park, in the 2000 block of Lambert Drive. Three people were pronounced dead at the scene: Sharon Reiner, 64; Julie Davis, 59; and Ronald J. Reiner, 66.

State police, who are handling the investigation, did not describe Ronald Reiner as the suspect, but said that a male suspect was killed by police at the scene. The two other victims were women.

Three other people were taken to local hospitals for treatment, one with life-threatening injuries and two with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Ronald Reiner did custodial work for Stevenson Elementary School before he retired in January, Bloomington District 87 officials confirmed Tuesday evening. A report from February said he had worked for the district for 32 years.

Pantagraph archives indicate that he married Sharon Reiner in 2001.

State police are taking over the investigation as part of the protocol for officer-involved shootings, officials said.

Officers who discharged their weapons during the incident are on administrative leave pending the outcome of the state police investigation. State police would not release the number of officers who responded to the incident or how many were placed on leave.

"This investigation is still in its infancy and is active and ongoing," Trooper Josh Robinson said in an email Tuesday. "To protect the integrity of the investigation no further information is being released at this time."

The Pantagraph has filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking body and dashboard camera footage of the incident.

Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner said he recalls around four police-involved shootings in the last 30 years.

The most recent was in 2011 during an altercation between Normal police and a resident. A report from the Illinois State Police found that the officers acted appropriately in that situation.

Heartland Church members on Monday helped shelter and comfort children who had been on their way home from school when a roadblock prevented buses from arriving at the nearby stop around 4 p.m.

Four Unit 5 school buses carrying around 30 junior high students pulled into the church's large parking lot about a half mile from the shooting.

Some of the kids were literally in tears and crying and clinging, shaken up. Parents were shaken, too, Wright said.

Matt Holderby, Heartland Church executive pastor, added that some parents were frantic, getting out of the car and sobbing.

Several children who live at Landing Estates were unable to return home for hours while police blockaded a stretch of Linden Street.

The church has since reached out to members of its congregation who live in the mobile home park to offer support and to lend an ear.

At this point, the church has primarily given area residents an opportunity to talk, but if other needs arise, "we'll be there," Wright said.

"It breaks our heart for what has taken place, but we're grateful we're able to be here at this point," said Wright. "We just hope in the days ahead that, if there's some needs, that we can be a resource."

Church members are hurting for the "pain of knowing what those families are currently going through," he said, adding that their "hearts go out to our law enforcement that were involved in this because they had to make some difficult choices too in this process.

Dayna Brown, a spokeswoman for McLean County Unit 5, said the school district is providing counselors and social workers to any student needing additional support.

"Unit 5 is extremely appreciative that Heartland Church was willing to help our students during this incident," she said. "This can be a scary situation for anyone, let alone children, and we did have a student who was visibly upset."

On Tuesday morning, managers of the Casey's General Store across the street from Landing Estates described the shock and concern they had.

Many of their regular customers live in the mobile home park, said Kathy Atchison, a store manager. Like Heartland Church, the gas station also served as a temporary meeting place for people unable to go home Monday afternoon.

"We're just waiting for our regulars to come in," she said, adding that the neighborhood is a beautiful and quiet place. "It was a shocker."

Trinity Lutheran Church is also providing support for the family of Julie Davis, said Pastor Billy Newell.

By Tuesday morning a GoFundMe page was created to support the family of Adam Fowler, identified by family members on the website as one of the survivors of the shooting.

Fowler suffered injuries to his neck and chest, including a broken vertebrae and a collapsed lung, according to the fundraiser's organizer, Caitlyn Kemp, who said he was her brother-in-law.

By Tuesday afternoon, she wrote on the website that Fowler was awake and responsive, but very tired. Family members are expected to need help with travel expenses between Bloomington and Peoria, where he is hospitalized, she said.

"Adam is a wonderful, genuine, kindhearted and just one of the most amazing souls you could ever come in contact with," Kemp wrote. "He puts everyone before himself, has helped my sister raise my niece into the bravest, smartest little girl, and just has so much life left to live.

"My family has known Adam since he was 8, but I'm lucky to say I've known him my whole life and we are hopeful that he can fight through this tragic event."

Contact Sierra Henry at 309-820-3234. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_sierrahenry.

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BLOOMINGTON  Accommodating three different animals from South America at a 130-year-old wildlife park calls for some rearranging.

At Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington, that's especially true, as officials Wednesday morning broke ground for a new multipurpose education center.

The center  to be named the Sullivan Rohrscheib Educational Theater  will function as a long-term replacement for the Rain Forest Theater, which is set for demolition because it sits where officials plan to build a new South America exhibit.

"It also will be more than that  we can do more things here than we can up there. Those things are like talks and videos and even weddings and receptions," said Jay Tetzloff, director of the city-owned zoo and the Bloomington parks, recreation and cultural arts department.

"And anything else we can come up with that will hit those education, conservation and fun  the main parts of our mission," Tetzloff said. "This will really help us do that."

Markings for the new center place it in an existing grassy section between the carousel and wolf exhibit and adjacent to the ZooLab, eagle, hawk and red puffed lemur enclosures, on the zoo's north end.

A rendering on display Wednesday shows a simple, open-air design with stage and seating sections consisting of natural materials. The center will feature a total capacity of 25 people and updated audio-visual equipment.

"The current Rain Forest Theater really is just a heightened, it's barely a stage, there's some wood benches up there," Tetzloff said. "This is gonna have AV capacity so we can run videos even if we're not doing a talk, we can have people sit down and watch videos that we create...it just gives us more opportunities."

Tetzloff called the future building a "challenging project" because officials had to design it within an existing footprint and take into account building material costs inflated by the coronavirus pandemic.

All in all, the project will cost $98,734, according to a site plan review dated July 19 and approved this summer by the city.

But that figure won't come out of the city's or taxpayers' pockets, as the project is funded entirely through private donations collected by the Miller Park Zoological Society.

"A zoo wouldn't survive without community support," Tetzloff said. "Not having to worry about the budget from a city perspective, the support is crucial for our survival for this community."

Demolition of the Rain Forest Theater will take place this winter, after officials break ground this fall on the new South America exhibit that will feature three different animals  giant anteaters, Galapagos tortoises and bush dogs.

That $1 million project is being funded through a $750,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and a $250,000 check from the MPZS.

It will be placed near the south end of the zoo, meaning the Eurasian eagle-owls, red panda and Pallas cat exhibits will also be torn down and the animals moved to other parts of the zoo. The full exhibit is expected to be completed in 2023.

Zoo officials next month plan to cut the ribbon on the De Brazza's monkey exhibit, which was set to open in July after building started in October 2020. Tetzloff on Wednesday said the zoo ran into some construction-related delays.

The new monkey exhibit is adjacent to the new education center. It will house two De Brazza's monkeys  a medium-sized primate with an olive green coat and distinguished white beard  and two red-flanked duikers, a small antelope species.

Contact Timothy Eggert at (309) 820-3276. Follow him on Twitter: @TimothyMEggert

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VIENNA  A southern Illinois man allegedly shot his half-brother to death following an argument over the COVID-19 vaccine, authorities said.

Larry D. Cavitt, 68, of Goreville, was charged Monday in Johnson County Court with murder and aggravated battery with use of a firearm. The charges stem from Saturday's death of Cavitt's half-brother, Joseph E. Geyman, 51.

Johnson County Sheriff Pete Sopczak said the two men, who lived next door to each other, argued over the COVID-19 vaccine before Cavitt allegedly took out a handgun and fatally shot Geyman in the head.

Sopczak said there was no physical altercation prior to the shooting in the unincorporated Johnson County village of Tunnel Hill, located about 40 miles (64.4 kilometers) northwest of Paducah, Kentucky.

He said Geyman was married with four children and planned to retire in December.

"It just makes no sense," Sopczak told The Southern Illinoisan.

Cavitt was released Tuesday from the Massac County Jail after posting bond. A judge ordered him to possess no firearms and have no contact with Geyman's widow and four children.

Cavitt has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 15. It was not immediately clear if he has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

The Johnson County Sheriff's Department and Illinois State Police are investigating the shooting.
SPRINGFIELD  The Illinois House failed to muster the votes Tuesday to accept Gov. J.B. Pritzkers amendatory veto to an ethics bill that passed nearly unanimously earlier this year.

Pritzker issued the amendatory veto of Senate Bill 539 Friday, saying he supports the legislation but would like to see a minor change in language dealing with the office of executive inspector general.

The Senate approved that technical change unanimously, but the trouble for the governor came in the House as Republicans removed their support for the bill and not enough Democrats remained in the chamber just before 10 p.m. Tuesday to reach the three-fifths vote needed for it to pass.

Among other things, the bill would have prohibited legislators and constitutional officers from engaging in compensated lobbying of a municipality, county or township. The same would have applied to elected and appointed executive or legislative officials of county, municipal or township governments.

The bill also would have made a number of changes to financial disclosure requirements and limited the ability of lawmakers to leave office and immediately go to work as lobbyists.

It also would have given the legislative inspector general independent authority to launch investigations, but only after a formal complaint is filed. It would have restricted those investigations to matters that arise out of government service or employment, not to outside employment.

The bill passed the General Assembly on the final day of the spring session, June 1, by overwhelming majorities  56-0 in the Senate; 113-5 in the House  even though many Republicans complained that they didnt think the bill went far enough.

Soon after it passed, Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope announced that she would resign, effective Dec. 15, calling the job a paper tiger and saying it showed that true ethics reform is not a priority for the General Assembly. She specifically alleged the provision limiting her ability to investigate non-governmental ethics violations, and the fact that a complaint would be required for an investigation, tied her hands.

Following that announcement, some legislative Republicans called on Pritzker to use his amendatory veto power to send the bill back for revisions, striking the provisions that would disempower the legislative inspector general.

In his message, however, Pritzker did not mention the office of legislative inspector general, but rather its counterpart in the executive branch, the executive inspector general.

Specifically, he pointed to a change made in the bill that says the executive inspector general may receive and investigate complaints of wrongful behavior without advance approval of the executive ethics commission.

On Tuesday during floor debate, Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Morrisonville, evoked Popes resignation and noted Pritzker didnt take any proposed GOP changes into account.

Choosing to vote to uphold this weak amendatory veto is doubling down on the fact that the ethics reform that you passed takes away the ability to have a true and independent watchdog over this body, Bourne, who initially voted for the bill, said in floor debate. Choosing to side with this weak amendatory veto is choosing to side to give cover to politicians, rather than having an opportunity for the public to have faith in our government.

Ambulance veto overridden: Pritzker was dealt another blow when lawmakers overrode his veto of a bill that removes non-emergency ambulance services from Medicaid managed care and places it back in a fee-for-service structure.

The bill passed each chamber unanimously earlier this year and the veto was overridden with only one vote against in the House. The Senate approved the override unanimously Tuesday night.

The measure would transfer the review of claims from managed care organizations, or MCOs, which are private insurance companies that oversee most Medicaid services in the state. The Department of Healthcare and Family Services, which opposed the bill, would be the entity handling those claims under the bill. They already do so for emergency ambulance services, a change made in April.

The Illinois State Ambulance Association said the measure, House Bill 684, is needed to counter arbitrary denials of claims by private insurers. The governors office and HFS, however, expressed serious concerns for patient safety and cost.

In his veto message, Pritzker said the bill has the potential to disrupt care and reduce the quality of provided medical transportation services to some of the most vulnerable Illinoisans.

But ambulance services said payment delays from MCOs threatened staffing, and the change would simply provide a way to get paid for the services provided.

Lawmakers sided with the ambulance providers over the governor, HFS and the MCOs.

Maternal health: Lawmakers also accepted an amendatory veto that aims to fix a technical issue on a bill Pritzker supported. The measure, Senate Bill 967, will expand the current Illinois Medicaid plan so that individuals who dont qualify for full benefit Medicaid still have coverage for preventive contraceptive care and associated screenings related to reproductive well-being, according to the governors office.

The bill passed each chamber unanimously Tuesday after the amendatory veto changed only an effective date.

State Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, the bills Senate sponsor, noted in a news release when the bill passed that it also would provide support for pregnant and new mothers for pregnancy-related condition, including mental health and substance use disorders by requiring private insurance plans to cover postpartum complications up to one year after delivery among other requirements.

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Illinois lawmakers voted to amend the state legislative map Tuesday while Gov. J.B. Pritzker and stakeholders failed to close a deal on a long-sought energy bill that would move the state towards 100% clean power generation by 2050.

It was a day filled with prolonged delays under the Illinois Capitol dome as lawmakers returned for a one-day special session to adjust district boundaries to reflect updated 2020 U.S. Census data, which was received just a few weeks ago, and attempt to reach compromise on an energy bill.

Democrats continued to make last-minute adjustments to the map and negotiators on the energy bill, which include representatives from environmental groups and organized labor, worked behind the scenes to find compromise on the last sticking point: the closure date for two publicly owned coal-fired power plants.

Both were top issues during the General Assembly's regular legislative session. But only one was resolved Tuesday.

The House voted 73-43 to approve the amended remap, followed by a 40-17 roll in the Senate. The bill will now head to Pritzker's desk.

The Democratic-proposed remap passed the legislature and was signed by the governor earlier this year.

But the maps used U.S. Census Bureau's 2015-2019 American Community Survey data because of a COVID-induced delay in the release of census data typically used to draw the lines.

Democrats, who controlled the process, passed the map ahead of a June 30 constitutional deadline. If they hadn't, the process would have been turned over to a bipartisan commission. If the commission doesn't agree, it essentially comes down to a coin flip which party controls redistricting.

But, there were some significant deviations between the estimates used and the actual 2020 census data, some large enough that it would violate the principle of one-man, one-vote and perhaps be outside of the law.

"The General Assembly passed the plan using the best data available to us," said state Rep. Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero. "And that plan was signed into law and became effective on June 4. We are back to fulfill our promise to review the data and make adjustments as needed."

All Republicans voted against the maps, calling the process a "farce" and a "sham" among other colorful expressions.

"There's simply no words to describe the sham for which this process has been," said state Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington. "And the most shameful part of it is watching the many friends that I have on the other side of the aisle who know it. There's not a person that's been involved in this process who hasn't seen it to be exactly what it is."

A lawsuit from Illinois Republicans and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund seeking to throw out the maps is ongoing in federal court.

While it was clear the remap would pass, days of negotiations over clean energy legislation did not produce a compromise.

Pritzker met with House Speaker Chris Welch and Senate President Don Harmon for more than an hour Tuesday evening seeking to hammer out an agreement. But differences remain on the timeline for decarbonization.

"As I've said for some time, we're awfully close," Pritzker said of negotiations at an unrelated event in Decatur on Tuesday morning. "But everybody needs to give a little bit in order for us to get the right kind of compromise.

"So I'm hopeful, but I don't know what odds to put on it at this point," he said. "All I know is that everybody's been working really all night into the morning and we'll be continuing to do so until we're able either to reach an agreement or or not."

Close to 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, the Illinois Senate passed a massive energy bill with a 39-16 vote, passing it over to the House with the understanding that changes will be made in an attempt to appease Pritzker and his clean energy allies.

Under the deal, utility giant Exelon would receive nearly $700 million in ratepayer subsidies to keep three of its nuclear power plants open.

It's a pressing issue as Exelon filed paperwork with federal regulators late last month to begin the process of closing its nuclear plants in Byron and Dresden.

They could go offline in the next few weeks if a compromise is not reached, putting thousands of jobs at stake and taking a significant source of carbon-free baseload power off the grid, making the state's clean energy goals all-the-more difficult to achieve.

The holdup remains lingering disagreements between environmental groups and labor unions on the timeline for decarbonization.

The new Senate-passed bill includes language calling for the closure of the coal-fired Prairie State Energy Campus by 2045 if it cannot achieve 100% carbon reduction, fulfilling a demand of Pritzker's.

It is supported by labor and the solar industry, but has not yet received support from environmental groups, who are concerned about the lack of interim decarbonization goals between now and 2045.

They say it would essentially allow Prairie State and Springfield's City Water, Light and Power to continue polluting with no restrictions until the closure date. Pritzker has vowed to veto any legislation not agreed to by the groups.

"The Governors Office is in discussions with stakeholders to ensure that Prairie State and CWLPs closure in 2045 includes real interim emissions reductions consistent with previous bill drafts, and is committed to working with the General Assembly to address some drafting errors in the Senate bill that the Governor raised during talks today because they could have unintended legal consequences," said Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh in a statement late Wednesday morning.

In a statement Tuesday night, the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition said they "are encouraged by todays progress and believe setting a specific timeline for decarbonization is a significant step forward."

"We look forward to continued conversations in the House to address interim climate targets and earn the support of all stakeholders necessary to get this historic and urgent legislation across the finish line, they said.

In a press conference after the vote, Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said lawmakers could be back in the next few weeks to finalize legislation.

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Just to show you how America has changed, when Vietnam fell, Americans cheered when our soldiers left, even though thousands died and many, many thousands injured. How soon we forget the helicopters on the roof of the embassy scrambling to get our people out as the Viet Cong were knocking on the door. It was a war we should have never entered.

Now, people are screaming how horrible it is to leave Afghanistan, the longest war (20 years) in our nation's history. We spent and wasted over $2 trillion and lost thousands of lives with thousands injured. The fault lies not with President Biden, but with the cowards in the Afghan army as they allowed the Taliban to enter the cities freely without even a fight. This, too, was a war we should have never entered.

Now many in Congress are complaining about the funding President Biden wants to spend to help Americans in infrastructure, jobs, paid leave, tuition breaks, healthcare, etc. They didn't gripe when we threw trillions of dollars down the drain in Afghanistan. This money proposed by the President will not be wasted and American lives will not be lost. Ignorance and hypocrisy are winning in the minds of many Americans, all leading to the downfall of democracy and our nation.

Michael Kober, Bloomington

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Dominion Paints Manufacturing Industries Limited, the Manufacturers of the Agatex Brand of paints and painting accessories has unveiled veteran actor Mikkie Osei Berko as its brand ambassador.



The ceremony took place at the companys magnificent factory in the Volta Region, Ho.



Mikkie Osei Berko together with the companys Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Stephen Komla Adom and some high-profile dignitaries toured the factory after the unveiling.



Speaking at the ceremony, the CEO, Stephen Komla Adom noted that their vision is to make Agatex Paints a household name across Africa.



We believe we share a common vision and drive to position the Agatex range of paints as the premiere choice across Ghana and Africa. We recognize this alliance as a fruitful and progressive one which will serve as an energizing springboard for new ideas and greater success in the long run. He said



Adding that We have been working tirelessly over the years to produce a range of paint and painting accessories that not only meets international standards but also fits within the price range of the Ghanaian market. Agatex Paint can boast of a wide range of colours which gives off a clean and pristine finish no matter the surface.



He also welcomed Mikkie Osei Berko for believing in their brand We are here today eager and excited to move forward into a new phase of our company with Mikky Osei Berko popularly known as Master Richard coming on board as our Brand Ambassador.



Mikkie Osei Berko also expressed his gratitude for the honour to come on board as the brand ambassador and help grow the brand to the next level  he further entreats all Ghanaians to get the paint made with our local climate in mind.



Agatex brand of paints and painting accessories is a fully Ghanaian-owned private paint manufacturing company.









Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, has advised Ghanaians not to rush to vaccination centres.



Ghanaians awaiting their second shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine have started receiving their jabs after the country received 249,600 doses.



The nationwide exercise is expected to end on Saturday.



Speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi in an interview on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Dr Kuma-Aboagye said more Astrazenneca vaccines are on the way; hence there's no need to rush; adding, "that might even lead to an increase in infections".



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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A television station in Ivory Coast has apologized after broadcasting a prime-time show in which a man described as a former rapist demonstrated on a mannequin how he assaulted women.



The presenter laughed and joked as he helped the guest lay the mannequin on the floor. Afterward the guest was invited to give women advice on how to avoid being raped.



Thirty-thousand people signed a petition calling for the cancellation of the show on the private channel, Nouvelle Chaine Ivoirienne (NCI).



Womens Affairs Minister Nasseneba Toure was amongst those who expressed her outrage, saying Mondays programme undermined the governments efforts to eradicate rape.



The presenter, Yves de M'Bella, has been suspended and has asked for forgiveness.



The station's management says it is committed to respecting human rights, especially those of women.

Source: BBC









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Global healthcare and insurtech provider, BIMA, has emerged the winner of the Mobile Insurance Leadership Awards at the 2021 Ghana Insurance Awards held at Kempinski Hotel in Accra.



The award recognised BIMAs commitment to building a stronger, more accessible insurance sector in Ghana, to enable all customers to access vital health and insurance services. The award also recognised BIMA for having the best business practices in the sector.



At the awards, BIMAs Head of Field Sales Thomas Asampong, said: "We are extremely honoured to receive such an award. Since we launched in Ghana 11 years ago, we have served over 2. 4 million families. Weve also provided quality medical advice, through our award winning BIMA Doctor service. This has proven even more valuable throughout the pandemic, when customers and their families have needed to stay home or may have been too scared to visit a hospital. Our simple services give families peace of mind at difficult times and a financial safety net when they need it.



We are committed to protecting Ghanaian Families not just with mobile insurance but also with access to telemedicine. We are also excited for the future and establishing innovative partnerships that will enable us to provide more value back to our customers." he said.



As a leader in mobile delivered insurance, in just 2 minutes, customers can register for BIMA products through a paperless process and pay from just Ghs10 per month through their mobile device, to be covered in case of hospitalization, accident or loss of life and 24/7 unlimited access to a BIMA Doctor. Premiums are paid via Airtel Tigo, MTN and now Vodafone platforms. BIMA just dont sells insurance policies but also sells solutions to their cherished customers.



As part of BIMA's Customer centricity Agenda, BIMA in partnership with GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit) has launched ten (10) Customer Experience Centers in Chorkor, Suame, Ejisu, Madina , Tema , Cape Coast , Sunyani , Tarkwa etc to bring customer service and claims to the door step of customers.



The Ghana Insurance Awards is a yearly Awards scheme organized by Exodus Communications with the aim to educate, encourage and reward players and stakeholders in the Insurance sector who have been working hard across the country despite the Coronavirus pandemic

About BIMA

BIMA is a ground-breaking global company that uses mobile technology to deliver vital, affordable and easy to use insurance and health products that millions of people need but have not been able to access through traditional channels.



BIMA combines the power of mobile with a human approach to offer a unique and unparalleled service to customers in emerging markets across the world. BIMA has revolutionised the health care & insurance industry in these markets. In just 10 years BIMA has reached 25 million active subscribers in in Asia & Africa.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, has asked the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) to conduct a full-scale investigation into the cartel behind the illegal trade in rosewood in the country.

The minister stressed that the investigation should be "all-encompassing, comprehensive, far-reaching" and targeted at unravelling the mode of operation of the kingpins, identify their facilitators and the possible ways of cracking down on their activities.



The charge followed the confiscation of 13 containers of rosewood that were imported from Nigeria into the country for re-export to overseas destinations.



The logs were impounded on August 24 this year through a collaboration among state agencies, including the NIB, National Security, the Forestry Commission and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).



Documentation on the 20-cubic-metre containers showed that a local firm, FELISCO-SUN Company Limited, was behind the importation of the endangered tree species.



Investigations



The minister, who visited the Overseas Commercial Ghana Limited at the Tema Port enclave yesterday to inspect the seized rosewood, stressed that the government would go all out to weed out criminal elements trying to bring Ghana's image into disrepute.



He was joined on the inspection tour by officials of the NIB, Forestry Commission, GRA and National Security.



"I have officially written to the Minister of National Security to help constitute a comprehensive, detailed and far-reaching investigation into the cartel behind the illegal rosewood trade.



We want the investigation to be wide, and Im confident that the national security architecture will diligently unravel the circumstances behind the illegal trade in the banned rosewood trade," he said.



Mr Jinapor added that as part of measures to discourage the illegal rosewood trade, the ministry would begin discussions with the ministries of the Interior and Transport for the confiscation of trucks used in conveying the contraband goods.



He said the current system where trucks impounded for carting rosewood were given back to their owners "for paltry fines" would no longer be countenanced.



Seized rosewood



The minister said the seized rosewood consignment would be put to good use in the national interest.



"I announced earlier that the rosewood that were seized before these ones would be donated towards the National Cathedral. We will still contact the mangers of the National Cathedral to see if they need more.



The wood can also be used for furniture and other products for schools and other state institutions," he said.



Mr Jinapor commended the GRA, Forestry Commission, managers of the Tema Port and other stakeholders who helped to track down the rosewood.



The minister said the illegal trade in rosewood was particularly worrying because it put Ghana in bad light on the global stage since the country had signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which barred trade in endangered species.







Source: graphiconline.com









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All schools have been ordered to close in Nigeria's north-western Zamfara state following the latest mass abduction of students.



On Wednesday morning armed men on motorbikes and pick-up trucks stormed a secondary school.



A teacher said 76 students, most of them girls, and a member of staff had been taken.



Reports say more children may have been seized as 400 were enrolled at the school.



At least one child was critically injured when the gunmen opened fire, the reports say.



Kidnappings of schoolchildren continue in northern Nigeria despite the deployment of thousands of troops.

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Source: BBC









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The Ghana Police Service has arrested a self-claimed prophetess allegedly linked to the murder of a 12-year-old boy, Kofi Kuzagbe Tsidi at Mafi Dove in the Central Tongu District, of the Volta Region.



Flora Ekpe was picked up by the Sogakofe Divisional Police Command after the main suspect in the case, Emmanuel Tsidi Doe, 26, alleged he was sent by her to bring a human head for ritual purposes.



Both suspects are currently at the Sogakofe Divisional Police Command, assisting with investigations into the incident.



The deceased was allegedly beheaded by Dovi Tsidi, who happens to be a relative to the deceased at Mafi Aflokofe on Sunday at 9:00 pm.



Speaking to an Accra-based radio station, Citi FM, the Assembly Member for the Mafi Dove electoral area, Mr. Moses Awukuvi, said, the deceased was drowned to ensure that he became weak before he was killed.



The suspect after noticing the community was after him, hid the body of the deceased under the creeks and bolted with the head to a maize farm where he hid the head under some leaves, he stated.



He added that the suspect went into hiding at a prayer camp where he was with a prophetess, Flora Ekpe, who is believed to be associated with the crime.













Source: graphiconline.com









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Police detectives who are fond of speaking the local language, Twi while giving evidence in court have been advised to desist from that act because it brings disgrace to the police profession.



The Director General of the Criminal Investigation Department, COP Isaac Ken Yeboah, said some of the detectives during cross-examination in court as witnesses, prefer speaking in local dialect instead of the Standard English.



He said this is because of the poor command some detectives have in expressing themselves in the English language.



Addressing 95 detectives who took part in an eight week detective course at the Detective Training Academy in Accra, the CID Boss said as a police officer, good report writing, which will be understood by any person who reads it, should be on their fingertips.



When you go to court, to testify, don't go and say, My Lord, please I will speak Twi. It should be out of the question. It brings disgrace to the service, he stated.



He urged the detectives to spend quality time in interrogating suspects and victims in order to come out with good reports.



Criminals will try to influence you to compromise your integrity and your professional ethics but remain resolute and incorruptible, he said, adding You have to be caring and compassionate by taking your work seriously. Pursuing the offender and updating the complainant on the development of the case is the way to go.



The Commandant of the Detective Training Academy, Chief Superintendent Baba Iddirisu, said the detectives were taken through courses including human rights, criminal procedure, child-friendly policing, criminal investigation, human trafficking, cyber crime, statement taking among others.



He said senior police officers, both serving and retired, who are experts in the various fields, were the facilitators of the course.



The overall best detective was Constable Perpetual Deny of Adweso CID Koforidua.

Source: Daily Guide









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A former deputy general secretary of the main opposition National Democratic (NDC) has wondered how the party will win the 2024 general elections when it has been antagonising all the small political parties.



Today, all the small political parties are your enemies, Mr Koku Anyidoho told Kwame Appiah Kubi on Accra100.5FMs Ghana Yensom on Tuesday, 31 August 2021 in an interview.



What happened to our traditional allies as a political party? he asked.



You have alienated and isolated all your traditional allies, Mr Anyidoho complained.



He wondered: How do you win an election?



And when we are saying it with a passion that: Go back and build bridges, go back and build alliances, then they say you are a bad person, then today they have sacked this one, tomorrow they have suspended this one, tomorrow they have isolated this one; how do you win an election like that?



In his view, this business called governance is not a joke, is not a tea party.



President Mills set up this Constitution Review Commission in 2010. Theres a white paper. If NDC should just even take this report, white paper, and decide to turn it into its manifesto, who says that the 2024 election configuration will not change for them? Mr Anyidoho, who is contesting his suspension from the party, said.



He observed: Theres IPAC. You wont attend IPAC meetings yet now you want to propose reforms to the EC.









Source: classfmonline.com









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The newly-appointed Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has said he inherited from his predecessor, Martin Amidu, a total of merely nine employees upon assumption of office on 5 August 2021.



Agyebeng on Tuesday 31 August 2021 paid a working visit to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame.



The Office of the Special Prosecutors Act (Act 959) mandates the special prosecutor under section 3(f) to cooperate and coordinate with the Attorney General and other competent authorities in Ghana and abroad in the performance of his duties.



Present staff strength

In his interaction with the AG, Agyebeng explained that his office was under-staffed and there was an urgent need to fix that. He said substantial logistical and staffing support were needed from the Attorney Generals department in the interim, as it takes steps to permanently staff that critical anti-corruption institution.



Agyebeng disclosed that the Office of the Special Prosecutor currently has just nine workers, since it was set up in 2018. The nine workers he inherited, include drivers, cleaners, a prosecutor on secondment from the AGs office and an investigator on secondment from the Ghana Police Service.



The revelation of the very low staff strength of the Office of the Special Prosecutor brings into sharp focus three of the challenges in the fight against corruption namely, independence, funding and human resource capacity.



Resource availability

On November 17 2021, the Secretary to the President, Nana Badiatuo Asante, in a response to allegations made by Amidu in the SPs resignation letter to the President, listed the support offered by the government to facilitate the operations of independent body.



Nana Asante stated: In 2018, an amount of GHS1,000,000.00 was released to your Office (Special Prosecutor) to enable it undertake set-up activities. In June 2018, your Office requested and was granted Commencement Authorisation to incur Capital Expenditure of GHS2,790,000.00.



The Secretary to the President went on to say, in 2019, your Office submitted a Budget Proposal of GHS360 million, out of which Gh180,160,225 was approved and appropriated for the Office. This amount was higher than the budget of some Ministries in the current Government, and was made up of GHC33.47million for Compensation of Employees, GHC88.01million for Goods and Services and GHC58.68million for Capital Expenditure. Although your Office did not apply for release of and transferred it into the bank account of your Office for your operations. Only a little of over GHC5.22million had been utilised by you as head of the Office of the Special Prosecutor.



Also, In 2020, the Approved Budget for your Office was Ghc188.084,732.00 out of which GHC39,325,597.17 has so far been released, consisting of GHC36,232,522.00 for Compensation of Employees. Curiously, your Office has not accessed the amount on GIFMIS, the Governments payments platform. Your Office has so far spent only GHC308,751 on compensation of employees. Taking account of the amount that was rolled over from the year 2019, the account of the Office of the Special Prosecutor at Bank of Ghana, as at 12 November 2020, shows a balance of GH60.47 million the Presidents response to Amidu further read.



Recruitment plan

With this background, Agyebeng, as part of steps to remedy the situation indicated that his office intends to get on with the original plan to recruit about 250 members of staff, hopefully, within the next six months. The SPO has an approved budget of about GHC80 million for 2021. Going by the original budget of the former SP, if the planned recruitment and procurement plans of the Office are to be realised within this budget cycle, the 2021 budget may be a stretch.



AGs receiving party

The Special Prosecutor during his visit was received by Godfred Yeboah Dame, one of two Deputy Attorney Generals, Alfred Tuah Yeboah, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Attakorah Obuobisa, Director of Legislative Drafting, Mavis Amoah, Chief State Attorney, Evelyn Keelson, and Chief State Attorney Sylvia Adusu, who represented the Solicitor General.

Source: asaaseradio.com









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Governance Lecturer at the Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, has called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to address the corrupt practices and hardships Ghanaians are facing under his administration.



The President has riddled with a barrage of citicisms particularly coming from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).



NDC National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, addressing a press conference in Accra on Monday, claimed Ghanaians are fed up with the President and his government, therefore yearning to vote them out of power.



He made this comment in support of some allegations made by the NDC 2020 Presidential candidate, Ex-President John Dramani Mahama against the ruling New Patriotic Party and their leader, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, during his 'Thank You' tour.



Former President Mahama echoed the sentiments of the vast majority of Ghanaians who feel scandalized by the unbridled corruption and plain thievery that has become the hallmark of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government.



The alarming case of corruption under this government is such that Ghanaians cannot wait to exact act accountability by voting out the NPP after their eight year tenure in 2024," Sammy Gyamfi said.



Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah corroborated the claims of hardship and corruption characterizing the Akufo-Addo administration.



According to him, Ghanaians are really facing lots of difficulties with most of them having living conditions worsening day by day.



To him, the President must sit up and address the challenges of Ghanaians so as to ease the hardships.



He said; "Let's see a drastic improvement because when you do the same thing all the time, you get the same results. We have to change our ways . . . do something that will let people admit that things have changed . . . Government must be seen to be fighting corruption. Government must fight it; we have to fight corruption like we're fighting COVID.''



''Let us do something different because when you do ordinary things, you get ordinary results but we want to get extraordinary results," he added.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, a Governance Lecturer at the Central University, has advised President Nana Akufo-Addo and his government to give a listening ear to opposing views from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).



The NDC and their 2020 Presidential candidate, former President John Mahama, have been censuring the leadership of President Nana Akufo-Addo.



President Mahama, embarking on a recent Thank You tour, told Ghanaians about how bad the President is doing and therefore called for a change of government, come 2024.



NDC National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi also believes Ghanaians are already tired of the Akufo-Addo administration and can't wait to vote the government out of power.



The alarming case of corruption under this government is such that Ghanaians cannot wait to exact act accountability by voting out the NPP after their eight year tenure in 2024.



Anything short of that will spell doom for the public purse which will be subjected to further abuse should their mandates be renewed beyond 2024, Sammy Gyamfi said during a press conference on Monday.



In a rebuttal, the General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party, John Boadu urged Ghanaians not to pay attention to the ''distraction'' by the opposition party saying we are really not worried about his distraction because our president is focused on delivering his mandate''.



He (President Mahama) has no right to deceive the people of this country by twisting facts, John Boadu stressed.



But to Dr. Otchere-Ankrah, the NPP should not always build defence against the NDC.



He advised the President and the NPP to sometimes listen to the NDC stressing the opposition will help the government to stay on the alert.



"Sometimes, it's good to listen to your enemy supposedly or your opponent. It will help you to stay on the alert. It doesn't look good for me. When I go to my hometown, sometimes I have to dodge before I can return from there. There is hardship and we have to fight it head on . . .the sword must cut both sides and we all mustmake sure that we build a nation that we so desire," he said during Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'' programme.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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President Nana Akufo-Addo has been accused of hiring another private jet which cost the Ghanaian taxpayer millions of cedis.



The NDC North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, alleges that President Akufo-Addo hired a luxurious aircraft on his recent foreign trips to the UK and Germany.



The trips, he said, cost the State 14,000 per hour and a cumulative Gh3.46 million.



Earlier this year, Okudzeto Ablakwa also stirred controversy when he alleged that President Akufo-Addo had hired a private jet at the cost of Gh2.8 million on his travels to France, Belgium and South Africa.



On Tuesday, the North Tongu lawmaker, in a Facebook post, said; ''It has become absolutely imperative to demand a national policy on presidential travels akin to what pertains in other jurisdictions. This is most crucial to avoid the wanton abuse of discretion by President Akufo-Addo at the expense of the suffering taxpayer.



''From our continuous monitoring, President Akufo-Addo still prefers to use VIP charter jets for his European travels despite being in firm possession of Ghana's presidential jet - the Dassault Falcon 900-EXE which remains in pristine condition and can fly non-stop to all those European destinations...For his recent travels to the UK on the 27th of July, 2021 to attend the Global Education Summit and last week's state visit to Germany, he blatantly refused to travel on the presidential jet. Instead, he opted for another top of the range VIP luxury charter jet specifically known to industry players as the Boeing 737-900ER BBJ3.



''If our government is dealing directly with the operators of the LX-DIO then it is costing the Ghanaian taxpayer at least US$14,000 per hour. However, if our government is leasing the aircraft via brokers or middlemen as it has gained notoriety for in many sectors, you shouldn't be surprised the Ghanaian taxpayer is being billed between US$18,000 and US$22,000 per hour.



''Using the conservative rate of US$14,000 per hour, the two trips to the UK and Germany which requires some 28 hours of travel distance in and out plus an additional 13 hours of pick up and drop off time, the taxpayer has been burdened again to the colossal tune of US$574,000.00. At the current exchange rate, that is a staggering 3.46million Ghana Cedis. This unconscionable rape of the public purse just to satisfy the creature comforts of a President who elects to live in vulgar ostentation in a manner that will make even Arabian kings envious cannot be allowed to continue.''



Reacting on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Former Central regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan laughed off Okudzeto Ablakwa's assertions.



According to him, the accusations against the President are crappy.



"It's mind-boggling . . . it's laughable that a Member of Parliament, you are only conjecturing . . . as usual, this is crappy," he stated.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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In a summer marked by deadly flash flooding, extreme drought, wildfires and unprecedented heat waves, a new report concludes that as global temperatures continue to rise, weather-related disasters are occurring four to five times more often than 50 years ago.

While the planet averaged 711 weather disasters a year in the 1970s, that number grew to 3,536 per year from 2000 to 2009, the report by the World Meteorological Organization found, before dropping slightly to 3,165 per year in the decade beginning in 2010.

Despite the uptick in the number of weather disasters, thanks to advances in early warning systems and disaster management, deaths related to those events have fallen over that same 50-year span from 50,000 in the 1970s to 20,000 in the 2010s. The vast majority of those deaths continue to occur in the developing world, the report found.

The good news is that we have been able to minimize the amount of casualties once we have started having a growing amount of disasters: heat waves, flooding events, drought and especially ... intense tropical storms like Ida, which has been hitting recently Louisiana and Mississippi in the United States, WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said at a Wednesday news conference.

But the bad news is that the economic losses have been growing very rapidly, and this growth is supposed to continue, he added. We are going to see more climatic extremes because of climate change, and these negative trends in climate will continue for the coming decades.

Weather disasters accounted for losses totaling $175 billion globally in the 1970s, a figure that rose to $1.38 trillion in the decade from 2010 to 2019.

Fallen utility poles cross Highway 1 near Larose, La., following Hurricane Ida. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, since 1980 the U.S. alone has experienced 298 climate disasters for which damages exceeded $1 billion. In total, those events cost $1.975 trillion. The five most expensive weather disasters since 1970 have all occurred in the U.S., topped by Hurricane Katrina's $163 billion in losses. Katrina also resulted in more than 1,800 deaths.

Story continues

As of July 9, the U.S. had already seen eight weather disasters this year with losses surpassing $1 billion. Not yet added to that list were the August flooding in Tennessee, the devastation caused by Hurricane Ida and the ongoing tally of losses caused by raging wildfires in California and the West.

Numerous scientific studies have firmly established a link between rising global average temperatures and extreme weather events.

"Rising global average temperature is associated with widespread changes in weather patterns," the Environmental Protection Agency says on its website. "Scientific studies indicate that extreme weather events such as heat waves and large storms are likely to become more frequent or more intense with human-induced climate change."

On average, global temperatures have risen by 1.2 degrees Celsius since the start of the industrial age, due to the addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. That warming has had a profound impact on weather patterns, the WMO report concludes, and the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that unless mankind stops adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, weather disasters will continue to multiply.

"More lives are being saved thanks to early warning systems, but it is also true that the number of people exposed to disaster risk is increasing due to population growth in hazard-exposed areas and the growing intensity and frequency of weather events," Mami Mizutori, head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, said in a statement.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
A map of mineral resources published by the United States Geological Survey in 2007. Credit: United States Geological Survey

The official ending of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan leaves a number of long-term questions, including how the country can build a functioning economy. Now that U.S. assistance has evaporated and international aid is largely shut off, what options does Afghanistan have?

One possibility resides in natural resources. Afghanistan possesses a wealth of nonfuel minerals whose value has been estimated at more than US$1 trillion. For millennia the country was renowned for its gemstonesrubies, emeralds, tourmalines and lapis lazuli. These minerals continue to be locally extracted, both legally and illegally, in mostly small, artisanal mines. Far more value, however, lies with the country's endowments of iron, copper, lithium, rare earth elements, cobalt, bauxite, mercury, uranium and chromium.

While the total abundance of minerals is certainly vast, scientific understanding of these resources is still at an exploratory stage. Even with a better understanding of how rewarding their extraction might be, the presence of these resources will not provide a jump-start to a new economy. As a geologist who has studied the extent of their resources, I estimate a minimum of seven to 10 years will be needed for large-scale mining to become a major new source of revenue.

USGS follows the Soviets

British and German geologists conducted the earliest modern surveys of Afghanistan's minerals in the 19th and early 20th centuries. But it was the Soviets in the 1960s and 1970s who performed the most systematic exploratory work throughout the country, producing a large body of detailed information that stood as the backbone to more recent studies.

From 2004 to 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a detailed review of available data, adding new information from its own aerial survey, limited field checking and from the Afghanistan Geological Survey. This work better identified mineral sites, richness and abundance.

No one who examines this work, as I have, can ignore the large-scale exploratory effort by Soviet scientists. Detailed field mapping and massive sampling, including tens of thousands of meters of borehole drilling, and lab analyses were performed. Given the time and money invested, it would appear high-level plans were in play to develop Afghanistan's minerals once the country was under Soviet influence.

Based largely on this information, the USGS delineated 24 areas in the country and estimated their mineral abundance. Data packages were prepared on all 24 areas for companies to use as a basis for making bids to exploit any resources.

Chinese and Indian companies expressed strong interest, and actual concessions were granted. Arguments over contract terms and concerns about security, however, have stalled activity since the late 2010s.

Mineral abundance

How much mineral abundance does Afghanistan actually have? I'll try to answer this with a brief summary of USGS estimates for metals of special interest: copper, iron, lithium and rare earth metals. Geoscientists who were part of the USGS effort have noted that their figures are "conservative" but also "preliminary."

Regardless, it's safe to say the resources in total are huge. Total copper resources for all known deposits sum to about 57.7 million metric tons. At current prices, the resource value is $516 billion. These are "undiscovered" resourcesidentified but not fully explored and assessed. If further study were to judge them recoverable at a profit, they would rank Afghanistan among the top five nations for copper reserves in the world.

A Chinese company built this mining camp at Mes Aynak in Afghanistan about 10 years ago to house workers for a planned copper mine that never began production. The people in the front were taking part in an archaeological dig. Credit: Jerome Starkey/flicrk, CC BY-SA

The largest copper deposit, which also contains significant amounts of cobalt, is the Aynak ore body, located about 18 miles (30 kilometers) southeast of Kabul. After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the Soviets began development of the mine but it was suspended in 1989 following Soviet withdrawal from the country. The high-grade portion of the total Aynak deposit is estimated at 11.3 million metric tons of copper, worth $102 billion at current market prices.

Afghanistan also has world-class iron ore resources, concentrated in the Haji Gak deposit of Bamiyan Province. Haji Gak has an estimated 2,100 million metric tons of high-grade ore that is 61%-69% iron by weight. At current price levels, this represents a value of $336.8 billion, placing Afghanistan among the top 10 nations worldwide in extractable iron.

Lithium resources in Nuristan Province, which occur as veins, impressed Soviet geoscientists with the amount of hard rock ore (lithium is also mined from brine). Based on USGS estimates, it is a significant but modest resource in today's terms, as exploration for such deposits has increased around the world in the past decade.

Finally, rare earth elements exist in southern Helmand Province. These deposits mainly contain cerium, with smaller amounts of more valuable lanthanum, praseodymium and neodymium, totaling perhaps 1.4 million metric tons. Two of these, praseodymium and neodymium, are at high price levelsmore than $45,000 per metric tonand make exceptional magnets used in motors for hybrid and electric cars, but the abundance of these elements is not large relative to how much other countries have.

Above-ground factors and geopolitics

Mining wisdom holds that what's in the ground is less important than what's above ground. Market realities, security, contract terms, infrastructure and environmental concerns matter more than sheer abundance to whether resources can be developed.

Among these factors, perhaps the most relevant at present is strong global demand for the metals, particularly copper, lithium and rare earth elements, which are essential to the growing markets in renewable energy and electric vehicles.

Whether or not Afghanistan can begin mining these elements will depend on what the new Taliban government does. Under the former Ministry of Mines, a $2.9 billion contract for a portion of the Aynak copper deposit was granted to two state-owned Chinese companies. The 30-year contract signed in 2007 had a high royalty rate by global standards and required that ore smelting and processing be done locally. Other conditions included building a 400-megawatt coal power plant and a railway to the Pakistan border. Also stipulated was that 85%-100% of employees, from skilled labor to managerial personnel, be Afghan nationals within eight years of the date work begins. Though originally agreed to, these terms were later declared onerous by the companies, halting development.

Though roads exist to many ore deposit areas, Afghanistan lacks good-quality roadways, railways and electricity. Mining companies are no stranger to such challenges, yet the situation is heightened in this case by rugged terrain and the landlocked nature of the country. Railways, in particular, would be essential for transporting ore, raw or refined, to foreign markets.

There are also environmental and cultural concerns. Mining can result in major impacts to land and air quality, as well as watershedsa particular concern in water-poor Afghanistanif not regulated to best practices. No less, enforcement of such standards is required and has been a problem in many lower-income countries.

Close to the Aynak copper deposit is a large site of Buddhist relics, statues, temples and stupas. There are also Bronze Age mining sites that constitute important archaeological resources. Here, too, no clarity yet exists about how Taliban leaders, who ordered the destruction of the great Buddhist statues at Bamiyan in 2001, might view these sites.

For Afghanistan, its resources could mean a source of long-term foreign investment, skill-building and infrastructure expansion, all essential for a sustainable economy. But a major question is which companies would be involved. Afghanistan is also at the center of geopolitical struggles, involving both India and Pakistan, as well as China, Iran and the U.S. That the Taliban are now in control does not make the country's minerals any less invested with large significance.

Author's note: In 2015, I was the instructor for a task force class in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington that produced a report on Afghanistan's natural resources and the possibility of their acting as a basis for economic development. This article is devoted to the excellent work done by students on that task force.

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This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
University of Chicago and Technical University of Darmstadt scientists proposed a new theory that neutrons might communicate under certain circumstances, forming a new sort of unparticlewhich could offer evidence of a new kind of symmetry in physics. Credit: Gonion/Shutterstock

Even though neutrons love to partner with protons to make the nucleus of an atom, the particles have always been notorious for their reluctance to bind with each other. But according to a new proposed theory, these particles might communicate under certain circumstances, forming a new sort of 'unparticle'which could offer evidence of a new kind of symmetry in physics.

Dam Thanh Son, the University Professor of Physics at the University of Chicago, laid out the argument in a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which he co-authored with Hans-Werner Hammer of the Technical University of Darmstadt in Germany.

The new study was inspired by an idea first proposed in 2007 by Harvard University professor Howard Georgi, who suggested that there could be a phenomenon beyond our traditional idea of matter.

"Everything surrounding us is made out of particlesa localized dot in space that can carry energybut his idea was that in nature, maybe there could be something that carries energy, but is less crisp and more fuzzy," said Son. "He playfully called this concept an 'unparticle.'"

Son and Hammer wanted to try applying this concept to understand the behavior of particles in the nuclei of atomsespecially more exotic nuclei, which wink in and out existence during violent events in the universe, such as when stars explode. "We only know a fraction of these exotic nuclei," said Son.

To study these exotic atomic nuclei on Earth, scientists smash heavy nuclei into each other in accelerators. What comes out is a new nucleus, and a shower of neutrons. Son and Hammer observed that as the neutrons stream out and away, a few that are going in the same direction may continue to "talk" to one anothereven after the others have stopped interacting. This sustained communication between neutrons could constitute a fuzzy "unnucleus," with its own properties distinct from normal nuclei.

To get a sense of this fuzziness, Son said, "It's a bit like the difference between being hit by a stone, and being hit by a stream of water." Both carry energy, but the form is different.

In their new study, Son and Hammer laid out how and where to look for evidence of these "unnuclei" in accelerators, and a general explanation for the field of what they playfully called "unnuclear physics."

This could be a manifestation, the scientists said, of a type of symmetry called conformal symmetry. Symmetries are fundamental to modern physics; they are common features that remain even as a system changesthe most famous being that the speed of light is constant throughout the universe.

In conformal symmetry, a space distorted, but all angles are kept unchanged. For example, when one draws a 2D map of the entire 3D Earth, it is impossible to preserve all distances and angles at the same time. However, some maps, such as a common version first drawn by Gerardus Mercator, are drawn so that all angles remain correct, but at the cost of greatly distorting the distances near the poles.

"This conformal symmetry does not appear in the Standard Model of physics, but it does feature in Georgi's 'unparticle' proposal, and it also appears here," Son said. The proportion of energy carried by each particle in the "unnucleus" remains unchanged even as the distance between them changes.

"It was a surprise to me, because unusually for nuclear physics, these results appear to have some universality," said Son. That is, unlike the many calculations in physics that depend on the accuracy of even the tiniest details and numbers, "these numbers are not sensitive to detail at all," he said.

Because the calculations are so robust even if some details are missing, Son said that if the argument is confirmed, physicists might be able to use these formulas to check other calculations.

He and Hammer also noted that this behavior may occur when atoms are cooled to super-low temperatures, and in exotic particles called tetraquarks, made up of two quarks and two antiquarks.

"It's interesting to work on a problem that may have consequences in so many fields of physics," Son said.

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Gray whale breaching. Credit: Merrill Gosho, NOAA, Public Domain

Warming oceans have driven the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale population from its traditional and protected habitat, exposing the animals to more lethal ship strikes, disastrous commercial fishing entanglements and greatly reduced calving rates.

Without improving its management, the right whale populations will decline and potentially become extinct in the coming decades, according to a Cornell- and University of South Carolina-led report in the Sept. 1 journal Oceanography.

"Most of the warming in the Gulf of Maine is not coming from the atmosphere or ocean surface, as one may think," said senior author Charles Greene, professor emeritus in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "It is coming from invading slope water many hundreds of feet below the ocean surface, forcing the right whales to abandon their traditional habitat."

Since 2010, the calving rate has declined and the right whale population has dropped by an estimated 26%, according to the paper. At the beginning of the decade, the North Atlantic right whale population had numbered over 500. Now, the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium estimates the population at just 356 whales.

The species is considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

Individual whales are not interchangeable; each right whale has its own name and personality, and scientists know them quite well. The whales have been given monikers including Tux, Popcorn, Arrow and Sundog. When scientists spot the right whales, they log the sighting into an international catalog for a perpetually updated census.

"Right whales are one of the best studied, best understood populations in the ocean," said Greene., a faculty fellow at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. "We basically know every individual. It's very rare that you can study a population where you know everybody."

And when the right whales have run-ins with humans, such as large ships or commercial fishing lines, scientists can easily identify their carcasses.

The warm slope water entering the Gulf of Maine at depth derives its heat from the Gulf Stream. As the tail end of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, the Gulf Stream has changed its trajectory dramatically during the past ten years.

"Due to a warming climate, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation is slowing down, causing the Gulf Stream to move North, injecting warmer and saltier slope water into the Gulf of Maine," Greene said.

The warming Gulf of Maine has reduced the abundance of copepods, the tiny crustaceans that serve as the right whales' favorite snack. This has reduced right whale calving rates and forced the whales to abandon their mid-summer feeding grounds in the Gulf of Maine. Instead, the whales have headed north to the cooler waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Since 2015, scientists have witnessed an increased number of right whales feeding in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where there were no protections in place to prevent ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement. This has led to an Unusual Mortality Event declared by NOAA in 2017, when 17 right whale deaths were confirmed, mostly in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Ten right whales were found dead in 2019, while for 2020 and 2021, four deaths have occurred thus far.

"Right whales continue to die each year," said lead author Erin Meyer-Gutbrod, Ph.D. '16, assistant professor at the University of South Carolina. "Protective policies must be strengthened immediately before this species declines past the point of no-return."

Ocean scientists are hoping for new policies on rope-free fishing gear, vessel speed limit enforcement and money for monitoring and ecosystem forecasting.

"Right whale populations can shift quickly and unexpectedly in our changing climate," Meyer-Gutbrod said. "There is no time to waste."

In addition to Greene and Meyer-Gutbrod, co-authors on the research, "Ocean Regime Shift is Driving Collapse of the North Atlantic Right Whale Population," are Kimberley T.A. Davies, assistant professor, University of New Brunswick, Canada; and David G. Johns, head of the Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey, Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Plymouth, United Kingdom.

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More information: Erin L. Meyer-Gutbrod et al, Ocean Regime Shift is Driving Collapse of the North Atlantic Right Whale Population, Oceanography (2021). Journal information: Oceanography Erin L. Meyer-Gutbrod et al, Ocean Regime Shift is Driving Collapse of the North Atlantic Right Whale Population,(2021). DOI: 10.5670/oceanog.2021.308
Near-infrared (nIR) fluorescence response datasets for ~100 DNA-single walled nanotube conjugates were used to train machine learning (ML) models to predict new unique DNA sequences with strong optical response to neurotransmitter serotonin. Credit: Landry, Vukovic, et al.

Viruses kill millions around the world each year. "In addition to the novel coronavirus, leading viral killers include hepatitis, HIV, HPV," said Lela Vukovic, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, University of Texas at El Paso.

Researchers are constantly trying to figure out new therapeutics that will help prevent infection or act therapeutically to reduce symptoms for one virus at a time. "Another strategy," Vukovic said, "would be to find therapies that are broad spectrum and simultaneously act on a number of different viruses."

Many viral infections start with the virus binding to heparan sulfate molecules on the host cell's surface. Working with experimentalists led by Francesco Stellacci of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), and in collaboration with Petr Kral at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Vukovic helped to investigate nanoparticles with solid cores and ligands attached that mimic the heparan sulfate molecules and their microscopic action on several viruses.

They found that nanoparticles with certain ligands can attach to the viruses, which soon after may disintegrate.

"Such virus-destructing materials can be prepared," Vukovic said at a recent seminar at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC). "The question is: Are there hints we can get from computational modeling to design new, better materials and understand the mechanism that causes the virus capsid to break?"

Since nanoparticles are minute, they can't be imaged clearly at the atomic level and microsecond timescales at which the reactions happen. So Vukovic created models of the atomic structure of virus, as well as the nanoparticles with ligands of various lengths attached.

Using TACC supercomputers, she simulated how the viral proteins and nanoparticles interact with each other. She found that the virus binds and makes numerous contacts with longer ligands.

Not only that. The nanoparticles bind at the junction of two proteins and, like a wedge, increase the distance between viral proteins, breaking the contacts and disintegrating the virus. The initial findings research were published in Nature Materials in 2018, and new results, obtained by the student Parth Chaturvedi, have been posted on bioRxiv (August 2021).

Nuanced designs of nanosensors

Vukovic's interest in modeling nanoparticles for medicine led her to her next project, helping to design nanosensors that are small, fast, and sensitive enough to detect microscopic amounts of neurotransmitters in the brain.

The basis of the technology are carbon nanotubescylinders 10,000 times narrower than the average human hairwhich have found applications in various fields, including electronics, optics, and most recently medicine.

Carbon nanotubes, or CNTs, researchers found, have an unusual property. They can spontaneously luminesce in certain circumstances with a light that can be detected outside the body. However, they can't operate in the body without modification.

One approach that has proven successful involves wrapping the CNT in DNA. The Landry lab at the University of California, Berkeley were experimenting with DNA strands of various lengths and makeups to see whether the CNT gave off a strong light emission when exposed to dopamine, and were getting mixed results.

Solid core nanoparticles coated with sulfonated ligands that mimic heparan sulfate proteoglycans can exhibit virucidal activity against many viruses. Vukovic's computational research explores the mechanism for this activity to enable better broad-spectrum antivirals. Credit: Vukovic et al.

"The screening approach works, but it doesn't provide a good understanding of why it works or how to design it better in the future. Can we do something more systematic?" Vukovic asked.

She undertook a series of computational experiments on Stampede2, TACC's leading supercomputer at the time, exploring the 3D structure, energy landscape, and binding patterns of CNTs wrapped with DNA.

She and her student Ali Alizadehmojarad found that DNA of certain lengths wrap around the nanotube like a ring, while others wrap it as a helix or irregularly. These different binding patterns lead to different luminescence in the presence of neurotransmitters. The ring-wrapped CNT of one type of DNA, she and the Landry lab found, was far more effective at detecting and signaling the presence of neurotransmitters. The research was published in a series of papers in Nano Letters in 2018 and Advanced Material Interfaces in 2020.

Nano-pivot

The challenges, and achievements of the sensor project, inspired an epiphany in Vukovic.

She had successfully explored the experimental mysteries of CNTs at the atomic level using molecular dynamics simulations and provided critical insights. "But I'm only doing one molecule at a time," Vukovic said. "As a theoretician, what can I contribute? If I test 10 molecules, I don't even scratch the surface."

Her realization led her to incorporate AI and data-driven methods into her approach. "We completely switched our research; learned new methods. For the last two years, we've been working on that."

This period of growth and learning led Vukovic and her team, Payam Kelich and Huanhuan Zhao, to their most recent project: working with the Landry lab on the discovery of new optical sensors made of DNA-CNT conjugates to detect the serotonin molecule. As a key molecule that impacts our mood and happiness, there is a great interest in detecting serotonin presence and amounts in different body tissues.

Recently, Vukovic lab developed new AI-based computational tools that train models to learn from Landry's experimental data and predict new sensors of serotonin.

The collaboration is bearing fruit. A first paper, just posted on bioRxiv (August 2021), described efforts to computationally predict new serotonin sensors and experimentally validate the predictions. So far, the approach led to discovery of five new serotonin DNA-CNT sensors with a higher response than observed in previous sensors. (This research is supported by a new grant from the National Science Foundation.)

Vukovic is able to tackle these massive and ambitious computational challenges in part because of her access to some of the most cutting-edge scientific instruments on the planet through the University of Texas Research Cyberinfrastructure (UTRC) program. Started in 2010, the initiative provides powerful computing and data resources at no cost to Texan scientists, engineers, students, and scholars at all 13 UT System institutions.

"None of these projects would have been possible without TACC," Vukovic said. "When we were ready to run, we were given the time we needed and were able to advance quickly and get things done."

As a computational chemist, Vukovic says she is trying to use her knowledge to contribute to practical applications in medicine and beyond. "We are thinking deeply about how to contribute and working on projects where computing can make a real difference."

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A wireless camera took this group photo of Chinas Tianwen-1 lander and rover on Mars surface. Credit: Chinese Space Agency

It's no secret that China has become a major contender in spaceflight. In the past 20 years, the China National Space Agency (CNSA) has accomplished some historic firsts. This includes sending astronauts to space, deploying three space stations (as part of the Tiangong program), developing heavy launch vehicles (like the Long March 5), and sending robotic explorers to the far side of the moon and Mars.

Looking ahead to the next decade and beyond, China is planning on taking even bolder steps to develop its space program. Among the many proposals the country's leaders are considering for its latest five-year plan, one involved creating an "ultra-large spacecraft spanning kilometers." Having this spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) would be a game-changer for China, allowing for long-duration missions and the use of space resources.

This proposal comes at a time when China has been achieving multiple milestones in space. Earlier this year, China became the second nation in the world to successfully land a rover on the surface of Mars and the first to land a mission that consisted of an orbiter, lander and rover. Two years ago, China became the first nation to land a robotic mission on the far side of the moon (the Chang'e-4 lander and rover).

This ambitious proposal was one of ten submitted by The National Natural Science Foundation of China at a meeting in Beijing earlier this month. Each of these projects has been awarded $2.3 million (the equivalent of 15 million) in funding to further research and development. One of the project's main goals will reportedly be to find ways to keep the spacecraft's mass down while ensuring they are structurally sound enough to launch to orbit.

According to the project outline published by the Chinese foundation and cited by the South China Daily Mail (SCDM), the spacecraft elements will be built on Earth and then launched individually to orbit to be assembled in space. The same outline specifies that this spacecraft will be "a major strategic aerospace equipment for the future use of space resources, exploration of the mysteries of the universe and staying in long-term."

Given the specifications cited in the document, there is a great deal of skepticism about this proposal. For starters, it would take a ridiculous number of launches to deploy all of the necessary elements to space. For comparison, the International Space Station (ISS) is the largest artificial structure ever assembled in orbit. Yet, it took dozens of launches and many years to assemble and at considerable cost to all its participants.

Image of the Change-4 lander, taken by the Yutu 2 rover. Credit: CNSA/GRAS/Doug Ellison

The largest elements went up first, which included NASA's Destiny and Unity modules, the Soviet-Russian Zarya and Zvezda modules, as well as the Integrated Truss Structure (ITS) and solar arrays. It took 42 assembly flights to deliver these elements, 36 of which were performed using the space shuttle, while the remainder were conducted with the Russian Proton or Soyuz-U launchers.

Since assembly began in 1998, no less than 232 extravehicular activities (EVAs) were required to assemble and maintain them. All told, the ISS has cost a total of $150 billion to develop and build, with NASA and Roscosmos incurring the majority of these expenses. The station also requires $4 billion a year for operations and general upkeep, a burden that is shared today by 15 member nations and their respective space programs.

And yet, the ISS measures 109 meters (356 ft) from end to end, whereas the proposed Chinese platform calls for a structure at least 20 times that size. Based on the roughest of estimates, it would be safe to say that a spacecraft "spanning kilometers" would cost upwards of $3 trillion (or close to 20 trillion). However, as part of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), the proposal appears to be aimed at merely studying the in-orbit assembly of an extra-large spacecraft.

Do we dare hope that the words "ultra-large spacecraft" are an allusion to a space elevator in this context? It's not the most far-fetched assumption, given that space elevators have come back into vogue in recent years. Thanks to the development of carbon nanotubes, graphene, diamond nanofilament, and other supermaterials, space agencies, and architectural firms worldwide have been investigating the concept with renewed interest.

During China's sixth annual "National Space Day," there were indications that the country is interested in pursuing a Starship-like spacecraft and spaceplanes. And more recently, China announced plans to conduct crewed missions to Mars by 2033 as part of a long-term plan to build a permanent base there, thus superseding NASA's plan to send astronauts there in the next decade).

Whatever the long-term goal is with this kilometer-spanning spacecraft proposal, it is clear that China is taking its newfound status as a major space player very seriously. It's also clear that they intend to expand on that in the coming years, to the point that they would replace NASA and Roscosmos to become the world's leading power in space.

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Credit: University of Eastern Finland

In the last 18 months, the coronavirus pandemic has made distance learning somewhat of a norm in almost all education levels. In the national surveys on students, the respondents often mention lack of motivation. During distance learning, staying motivated clearly has been challenging.

So how do you maintain your motivation for distance learning? And what does lack of motivation mean anyway?

"From an individual point of view, lack of motivation is actually lack of direction. For example, first-year students have so little knowledge of their field that they may have difficulty identifying where they should be heading in their studies," says Paivi Atjonen, Professor of Educational Science and Adult Education at the University of Eastern Finland.

Planning is important for finding the right direction. Studying in a goal-oriented manner requires the ability to manage your time and prioritize.

"You have to plan for longer periods at a time. Not just for tomorrow or the day after, but for the long term, as well. This is challenging when you are new to the university. In upper secondary school, you were so used to the teacher making the schedules that you did not feel the need to manage your time."

There are ways to practice planning and time management with the help of various online applications. Atjonen says that a traditional calendar is also a good tool for weekly or monthly planning. However, you should not try to fit everything in your calendar.

"You also have to learn to say no. Young people need social contacts, but it probably isn't a good idea to go out with your friends on a Thursday night if you have an exam on Friday."

Using a calendar and planning ahead may sound like fairly simple ways of making your studies go smoothly, but it isn't always as easy as that.

"Learning how to study independently and self-manage is a big deal and, for some students, it takes all their time at the university to learn these skills. Only when they are close to completing their studies, they realize how they should have been managing their time from the beginning."

Leisure time helps to recover

In addition to planning how to use your time, goal setting will also affect your motivation level and choice of study path. Distance learning has made studying more independent and increased the need to find information independently, as well.

"It is good to consider what completing a bachelor's degree will require in practice. Which assignments to take and which books to read," says Atjonen.

In addition to not having a direction, low level of motivation is associated with lack of resources and faith in your skills. Recovery from studying can be difficult, or the student doesn't trust their ability to perform. One of the key skills that a distance learning student should learn is how to maintain study-life balance.

"You have to find time outside your studies, even though in a small student flat it can be challenging, as you make the transition from studies to leisure time by moving from one side of the table to the other. Conscientious students often make study time longer and leisure time shorter, taking on one more task after another. Young people may think they are coping just fine, but everyday life easily becomes less smooth."

Separating leisure time and study time is especially challenging for distance learning students. According to a survey carried out by Tampere University, only 23 percent of the respondents felt they were able to separate study time and leisure time.

Self-compassion and social contacts also support learning

Lack of faith in yourself, on the other hand, can be addressed by dividing the work into smaller sections.

"By planning how you use your time, you can break up a big chunk of studies into smaller sections, so that you will not lose your faith in being able to handle the work load. And increased faith in yourself will also increase your motivation level."

Reacting too emotionally to your studies may also present challenges. There is in fact a rational way of controlling motivation, i.e., by looking at a less inspiring task at hand through goals and schedules. Sometimes inspiration will come as you start working on a task.

"The way to control your emotions is to increase self-knowledge and learn self-compassion. It is good to consider how you talk to yourself; do you tend to criticize yourself for not finishing or give thanks to yourself for finishing? Learning to speak to yourself with a positive tone of voice is especially important during these challenging times," says Atjonen.

The increase in distance learning has naturally decreased our social contacts and genuine interaction with other people. Students should get together during leisure time and discuss how their studies are going. Seeking other people's company and knowing when to ask for help are important skills.

"You need to actively establish social contacts and not think too much about being solely responsible for your own happiness and in control of your life. It is important to see past the loneliness and the end of your nose, and be aware that together we can get through it, and that the teachers, tutors and personal study plan supervisors are there for you, as well."

Life situation and learning experiences matter

For some, distance learning is a monkey on their back, and it can even make them interrupt their studies. For others, it opens up new opportunities. The situation is most challenging for students who are new to the university and do not yet have a clear idea of what studying there is all about.

"I worry about them and what kind of generation of students they will become. Hopefully, we will be able provide a lot of contact teaching at least to first-year students so that they can build relationships with other students and get off to a good start in developing their learning techniques. Surveys have shown that being alone during the first year of studies poses a high risk for the rest of the studies and the ability to stay motivated, so there is more at stake here than one might think," says Atjonen.

Distance learning is also difficult for those who are unsure about the field of study they have chosen, or who are studying for jobs that involve interacting with people. When the internships and practical work experience included in the studies are limited, it increases the risk of students interrupting their studies.

Distance learning seems to be best suited for those already in working life and with families. Often the studies can be fitted around personal schedules, adapting them to the situation in life and at work. Lectures can be attended online, and there is no need to travel anywhere.

"When you have self-management skills, you know how to set goals and do scheduling, you have life experience, you have pushed through adversity, and you know by experience that things don't always work out the way you would like them to, it will also give you confidence in your studies and the ability to be flexible."

Atjonen finds that distance learning is well suited for high achievers or those who need professional development in order to cope in working life.

"As an educator, situations like these make you wonder whether students are just collecting study credits, or are they actually accumulating the skills needed in working life."

Life situation and learning habits play a significant role in how beneficial or difficult distance learning is for you."

Skills required for distance learning are also useful in working life

Distance learning skills can be acquired through studying, and Atjonen emphasizes the students' responsibility to develop such skills themselves.

"Learning how to be goal-oriented and self-manage will be useful skills for the future. After all, these are skills that you are expected to have in working life. Your boss will not always be behind your back, telling you what and how much you should be doing. University graduates often find employment in expert positions for which the skills required include the ability to work independently."

With distance learning becoming permanent in one way or another, Atjonen considers it necessary for education providersespecially upper secondary schoolsto take a stronger role in teaching distance learning skills to their students. In Atjonen's view, low skill levels may affect the type of students who will be applying to universities in the future.

"What will the university's student profile be like in the future if its reputation as an online university is not attractive or meaningful? Will the university be full of self-isolating nerds?"

Explore further Students who are more adaptable do best in remote learning, and it can be taught
Potential rabies reservoir systems in south-east Tanzania. Here humans are indicated as the target population, but the target may include livestock or endangered wildlife, for example African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus). We investigate whether the reservoir consists of both maintenance and non-maintenance populations (a and b) transmitting infection to the non-maintenance target (humans); or either two maintenance (c) or non-maintenance (d) populations which are capable of transmitting infection to the target. Credit: DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13983

A coordinated and sustained program of dog vaccination is essential for preventing rabies spread to humans and animals, according to new research.

Research, led by academics at Imperial, the University of Glasgow and Ifakara Health Institute, and published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, found that rabies incidence in both humans and domestic dogs decreased during a period of sustained dog vaccination in southeast Tanzania, despite incidences of ongoing wildlife rabies infections.

The team found that even in areas with a relatively high proportion of wildlife rabies cases, the domestic dog vaccination campaign still reduced the risk to humans. However, after mass dog vaccination ended in early 2017, rabies cases began to rise in some areas once again.

A deadly disease

Rabies is one of the world's most feared diseases due to its high case fatality rate.

Despite the existence of safe and effective vaccines, rabies continues to kill an estimated 59,000 people annually in low-and middle-income countries, with children disproportionately affected. For this reason, in 2015 a call for action set the "Zero by 30' goal, to achieve zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

Most human rabies cases result from bites by rabid animals, either from domestic dogs or, less commonly, wild animals including jackals. Once exposed, immediate treatment is vital as rabies is invariably fatal once clinical signs develop.

Treatment consists of a course of vaccinations known as post-exposure prophylaxis, which although highly effective, can be difficult to access due to the cost, limited availability, and low awareness of rabies risks.

Across Africa and Asia, domestic dogs are considered the main hosts for rabies, and over 99% of human rabies deaths are caused by dog bites. Vaccination of domestic dogs against rabies has repeatedly been shown to be successful and cost-effective in preventing human rabies.

However, despite this, in many rabies-endemic countries dog vaccination is still not routine. This is primarily due to lack of investment in dog vaccination, but concerns are often expressed that wildlife may play a role in maintaining transmission and dog vaccination may therefore be ineffective.

Exploring transmission dynamics

To answer these concerns the researchers investigated the transmission dynamics of rabies in a previously unstudied area of Tanzania where jackals were found to make up more than 40% of reported animal rabies cases.

Collecting data over a nine-year period from 13 districts in southern Tanzania, they used hospital records to identify people potentially exposed to rabies who were then traced and interviewed to determine if the biting animal was rabid. As part of this they were able to examine evidence on whether rabies transmission is sustained in wildlife as well as in domestic dogs, and whether wildlife could present an obstacle to rabies elimination.

The researchers found that rabies incidence in both humans and animals decreased during the period of dog vaccinations, from a high of 218 cases in 2011 to a low of just 15 in 2017. Most human rabies exposures (56%) were from domestic dogs, but approximately one third of transmission events occurred in wildlife, with the remainder due to cross-species transmission between dogs and wildlife.

Reducing the risk to humans

These findings highlight the potential importance of wildlife as a rabies public health threat and also a potential obstacle to elimination. However, even in areas with a relatively a high proportion of wildlife cases, the researchers found that domestic dog vaccination still significantly reduced the risk of rabies infection to humans.

One of the lead authors of the study, Sarah Hayes, from the School of Public Health, said: "Even in this part of Tanzania, where wildlife makes up a large proportion of the reported rabies cases, we have shown that vaccinating domestic dogs can significantly reduce the risk to people and have an important public health impact.

"It is critical that there is continued investment in domestic dog vaccination and this work suggests that the presence of rabies within wildlife populations should not be a barrier to implementing these programs."

Professor Katie Hampson, from the University of Glasgow, said: "Our findings confirm that, even in areas where wildlife rabies cases are high, focusing on domestic dog vaccination will have major public health benefits. Moreover, if sustained and coordinated a dog vaccination program has the potential to eliminate rabies from circulating even in these areas despite the presence of wildlife transmission.

"We were surprised to see how many wildlife rabies cases were occurring in this part of Tanzania. Jackal cases represented a far higher proportion of rabies cases than we've seen elsewhere in East Africa. This was why it was such a relief to see that, even with such high numbers of cases in jackals, dog vaccination still led to very clear declines in rabies, in all species, and in people bitten by rabid animalsboth dogs and jackals."

Kennedy Lushasi, from the Ifakara Health Institute, said: "Even though wildlife cases, especially jackals appear to make up a large proportion of animal rabies cases and of bites to people in south-eastern Tanzania, vaccinating domestic dogs alone resulted in the decline of cases in all species. This suggests that wildlife should not be an obstacle in eliminating rabies. The government and other stakeholders should invest in mass dog vaccination programs and these should be sustained to make rabies history."

The paper, "Reservoir Dynamics of Rabies in Southeast Tanzania and the role of cross-species transmission," is published in Journal of Applied Ecology.

Explore further Dog rabies vaccination programs affect human exposure, prophylaxis use

More information: Kennedy Lushasi et al, Reservoir dynamics of rabies in southeast Tanzania and the roles of crossspecies transmission and domestic dog vaccination, Journal of Applied Ecology (2021). Journal information: Journal of Applied Ecology Kennedy Lushasi et al, Reservoir dynamics of rabies in southeast Tanzania and the roles of crossspecies transmission and domestic dog vaccination,(2021). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13983
Dutch scientists were on Wednesday probing the mysterious deaths of dozens of harbour porpoises whose carcasses have been washing up on the country's northern beaches since last week.

Around 100 dead harbour porpoises have so far been spotted in the Wadden Islands, the scenic archipelago in the North Sea just off the Dutch coastline, animal welfare activists said.

"Since last Thursday we have seen a huge number of dead stranded harbour porpoises," said Annemarie van den Berg, director of SOS Dolphin, the foundation tasked with saving the mammals in the Netherlands.

They were still being found even on Wednesday, she told AFP, "although numbers seem to be slowing down".

Although it is not uncommon for porpoises to wash up on Dutch beaches, "the numbers are so much higher than normal, setting off alarm bells," Van den Berg said.

The animals were all in the same state of decomposition "making us think that all of these animals must have died in the same area".

Around two dozen of the animals have been sent to the veterinary department at Utrecht University, where at least one was examined on Wednesday.

"The actual reason for the mass stranding remains a mystery," said Lonneke IJsseldijk, a marine biologist who did the initial autopsy.

But Dutch media reports speculated the mammals could have been killed after being disturbed by off-shore wind farm building or a naval exercise that started in the sea around the Wadden Islands earlier last week.

"It's possible that something happened where these animals were that killed them," IJsseldijk said in a statement. "It could also be from a disease."

She hoped to have more clarity later in the week, she added.

Her probe would also include a test for the deadly morbillivirus, blamed for mass deaths in dolphins.

Yearly between 200 and 900 dead harbour porpoisesone of the most abundant cetaceans in the northern Atlantic regionare found on Dutch beaches, Van den Berg said.

"But we think there is something strange happening in the Wadden Sea. Why it happened though is still very much speculation," she said.

Explore further Dutch probe mass seabird death mystery

 2021 AFP
Credit: Imperial College London

An Imperial-led team of international researchers has used a special X-ray probe to gain new insights into how electrons behave at the quantum level.

Since electrons drive many chemical reactions, the method could lead to a deeper understanding of physics, chemistry and life sciences and could ultimately help design advanced materials and more efficient solar cells.

The team includes researchers from across Europe, the US and Japanled by Imperial's Professor Jon Marangos, Lockyer Chair in Physics. Their paper is published in the open-source journal Physical Review X.

The importance of photoexcitation

The classic picture of an atom, as taught in schools around the world, envisions a central nucleus of protons and neutrons packed tightly together, around which electrons orbit like planets around the sun. And like planets, the electrons have different orbits, some close to the center, some further away, depending on their energy levels.

While this picture is only an approximation, it can be useful in understanding the behavior of atoms and molecules, for example during photoexcitation. This important process drives photosynthesis and is pivotal to solar energy generation.

Here, light hits a molecule causing an electron to move up to a higher energy orbit, leaving behind an "electron hole" and placing the molecule in an excited state, which can then transfer energy to nearby parts of the extended molecular system, setting off a chain of events that ultimately drive photosynthesis.

Professor Marangos explains, "All solar-driven processes involve photoexcitation and that means initially, that an electron moves, and then the rest of the system responds. But we don't fully understand how exactly that excited electron couples to the nuclear motion in this complex chain of events."

He adds: "We are now realizing how important solar photoexcitation is likely to be to our future, and that is why we do this research, so that we can really get the most detailed understanding and find ways to optimize the coupling between the initial event and the outcome which is technologically most desirable."

Giving molecules an X-ray

The above picture of electrons as orbiting planets is just an approximation. In fact, quantum physics tells us that electrons are never located in an exact position at any given moment.

We can only say that a particular electron is, on the balance of probabilities, more likely to be located at certain positions, manifested as orbitals. Some people refer to there being a "cloud" or "smear" of electrons, which fluxes and shifts in response to event such as photoexcitation.

The research team set out to understand these electron dynamics, at the quantum level, and track changes moment-by-moment at the level of femtosecond (10-15 seconds or a quadrillionth of a second).

This was done using a specially configured X-ray laser at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) in Stanford, U.S. On every shot the laser delivers two ultrashort X-ray pulses separated by only a few femtoseconds: The first knocks off an electron from a molecule of isopropanol leaving an electron hole and the second, crucially, probes and measures the motion of the hole state.

The team found that these electronic hole states rapidly "relax" into new metastable states of the molecule, through rearrangements of the positions of both the electrons and atoms.

Notably, they observed that the movement of the electrons, driven by interactions with other electrons, can be completed in very short time scalesonly a few-femtoseconds (10-15 seconds). They also observed the somewhat slower movements of the atoms, around 10 femtoseconds, leading to relaxation of the electron hole state, such that they were no longer detected by the probe.

Collaborator and co-author on the study, Dr. Taran Driver, from Stanford University, commented, "With this work we've been able to demonstrate a new technique for measuring the ultrafast electron motion that happens after photoexcitationwhich is relevant for a number of important processes such as solar energy generation or radiation damage in living systems.

"What's particularly exciting about this method is that the X-rays let us see at which atomic site in the molecule the electron hole is sat at a given point in time, with the ability to track it as it moves over only a few femtoseconds or even attoseconds."

A deeper knowledge of fundamental processes

The method developed by the team to probe electron dynamics could now be used more widely for studying larger molecules and more complex materials.

Ultimately, a deeper knowledge of these fundamental processes could be used to develop advanced materials and steer photochemical reactionsfor example in the context of solar cell design.

Professor Marangos explains, "Using this method, you could deduce that in a particular material, you're losing a lot of excitations to some channel, and so the question is how do you engineer that material so that you don't lose excitations though that channel and get a more efficient transfer to the desired outcome. That is a long-term motivation for what we do."

Explore further Decoding electron dynamics

More information: T. Barillot et al, Correlation-Driven Transient Hole Dynamics Resolved in Space and Time in the Isopropanol Molecule, Physical Review X (2021). Journal information: Physical Review X T. Barillot et al, Correlation-Driven Transient Hole Dynamics Resolved in Space and Time in the Isopropanol Molecule,(2021). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.11.031048
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

In collaboration with Swansea University, a new study published today by Public Health Wales evidences the negative impact that caring responsibilities have on educational participation in those aged 1622, and how this has the greatest impact on those living in the most deprived areas.

The research brings together National Survey for Wales data over three years and found that:

1 in 5 young people aged 1622 years in Wales have caring responsibilities;

Males and females in this age group are equally likely to be young carers;

Overall, the proportion of young people in full-time education is lower amongst young carers (45 percent in carers, compared to 54 percent in non-carers), and this difference is greater in those living in more deprived areas.

A novel finding in this study is the new evidence to suggest that this difference is largely in the older age groups (19 to 22 years), where the proportion in full-time tertiary education is 10 percent less amongst carers. The lowest participation is among those with caring responsibilities living in the most deprived areas, where only 19 percent remain in full-time tertiary education.

Alisha Davies, Head of Research and Development at Public Health Wales, said: "This study provides valuable quantitative evidence on the negative impact of caring responsibilities on young people's participation in education, and how this is greater amongst those living in more deprived areas. Interestingly, one of the greatest differences was amongst those aged 19-22 years, irrespective of underlying levels of deprivation, highlighting the need to support young people across educational sectors.

Education is key to young people's future success and life chances. Approaches such as identifying young carers, enabling early support where needed, and providing more support in educational settings, have the potential to enable young people to stay and thrive in education, while still meeting their caring responsibilities."

Fangzhou Huang, Senior Lecturer at Swansea University, said: "In other studies, young carers reflected that their educational choices were restricted by caring responsibilities. This evidence demonstrated a significantly reduced participation in tertiary education for young carers. Educational settings, in partnerships across sectors, should provide social and academic support to accommodate young carers' needs and raise their educational aspirations to fulfill their potential in education."

Kate Cubbage, Head of External Affairs, Carers Trust Wales: "We strongly welcome today's publication which makes a useful contribution to our understanding of the interrelation between young carers, poverty and education.

Insights within this infographic help address some key knowledge gaps in our understanding of the educational engagement of young carers. The infographic provides strong evidence that more can and should be done to ensure that all young carers get the right support to enable them to participate in education.

Carers Trust Wales and our Network Partners have long-described the link between caring and not being in education, employment and training. We hope that this timely evidence will help to shape education-focused actions for young carers within the soon to be published Welsh Government's Carers Strategy Delivery Plan."

"Closing the educational engagement gap for young carers' is a joint study between Public Health Wales and Swansea University, funded by Public Health Wales.

Explore further Young carers' futures look bleak without flexible school support
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A highly skilled workforce of scientists and engineers may boost companies' performance but makes them a riskier investment on the stock market, research shows.

This was because firms with high numbers of scientists and engineers are more inflexible, as they are expensive to employ but too important to sack, the British Academy of Management online annual conference heard today.

Three researchers from Leeds University Business School analyzed data from 1997 to 2018 on 14,786 firms in 16 countries, including the UK, that were listed on the stock market.

Dr. Chieh Lin, Professor Steven Toms and Professor Iain Clacher looked at the wage sharethe percentage of the total wage billspent on staff working in science, technology, engineers or mathematics, known as STEM workers, in 269 industries, such as transport, manufacturing and education.

They found that in those industries where companies spent more of their wage bill on STEM workers, the stock market value of firms was more volatile.

Firms' "Beta measure" grew in industries where more STEM workers were employed. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility in relation to the overall market, where a stock that swings more than the market over time has a beta of more than 1.0.

On average, an extra 20% of wage bill spent on STEM workers was linked to an increase in beta by between 9% and 17%.

Also, firms' profits became more sensitive to changes in their sales income as the firm relied more heavily on STEM workers. Because of this uncertainty, investors in the firms demanded a higher return.

STEM workers cost more but are often too important to lay off, making firms unresponsive to downturns. An average STEM worker earns $91,000, compared with $47,000 for non-STEM staff. STEM workers account for around 13% of total workforce and 23% of total wages and salaries in the US.

"STEM workers are at the center of the global competition for talent due to their ability to leverage advanced technology both effectively and productively," Dr. Lin told the conference.

"While the contribution of STEM workers to high value-added activities such as R&D and innovation, and therefore growth, is typically emphasized, limited attention has been paid to the risk that a STEM-intensive workforce may entail for individual firms.

"We argue that reliance on STEM workers reduces the operating flexibility of firms by increasing the degree of fixity in labor costs, and therefore total operating costs.

"The operating leverage thus created increases the volatility of cash flow as it becomes more exposed to systematic risk. The risk associated with the employment of STEM workers must be balanced against their contribution to innovation and growth.

"Investment in STEM workers amplifies both the downside risk and upside potential of firms, but with the former effect being more dominant.

"The stocks of STEM worker-intensive firms are riskier due to higher exposure to systematic risk. Investors demand a high return on stocks of STEM worker-intensive firms to compensate for a higher exposure to systematic risk."

Dr. Lin said that while stocks of STEM-intensive firms are risky investments in general, exceptions such as Amazon and other tech giants were possible given their robust business models.

The researchers controlled for the effects of several factors such as firm size, indebtedness and growth, in order to study the effect of STEM employment in isolation.

Explore further Low wages not education to blame for skills gap

Provided by British Academy of Management
A computer animation reflects the temperature change as eddies spin off from the Loop Current and Gulf Stream along the U.S. Coast. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

As Hurricane Ida headed into the Gulf of Mexico, a team of scientists was closely watching a giant, slowly swirling pool of warm water directly ahead in its path.

That warm pool, an eddy, was a warning sign. It was around 125 miles (200 kilometers) across. And it was about to give Ida the power boost that in the span of less than 24 hours would turn it from a weak hurricane into the dangerous Category 4 storm that slammed into Louisiana just outside New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2021.

Nick Shay, an oceanographer at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, was one of those scientists. He explains how these eddies, part of what's known as the Loop Current, help storms rapidly intensify into monster hurricanes.

How do these eddies form?

The Loop Current is a key component of a large gyre, a circular current, rotating clockwise in the North Atlantic Ocean. Its strength is related to the flow of warm water from the tropics and Caribbean Sea into the Gulf of Mexico and out again through the Florida Straits, between Florida and Cuba. From there, it forms the core of the Gulf Stream, which flows northward along the Eastern Seaboard.

In the Gulf, this current can start to shed large warm eddies when it gets north of about the latitude of Fort Myers, Florida. At any given time, there can be as many as three warm eddies in the Gulf. The problem comes when these eddies form during hurricane season. That can spell disaster for coastal communities around the Gulf.

Subtropical water has a different temperature and salinity than Gulf common water, so its eddies are easy to identify. They have warm water at the surface and temperatures of 78 degrees Fahrenheit (26 C) or more in water layers extending about 400 or 500 feet deep (about 120 to 150 meters). Since the strong salinity difference inhibits mixing and cooling of these layers, the warm eddies retain a considerable amount of heat.

When heat at the ocean surface is over about 78 F (26 C), hurricanes can form and intensify. The eddy that Ida passed over had surface temperatures over 86 F (30 C).

The Loop Current runs from the tropics through the Caribbean and into the Gulf of Mexico, then joins the Gulf Stream moving up the East Coast. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

How did you know this eddy was going to be a problem?

We monitor ocean heat content from space each day and keep an eye on the ocean dynamics, especially during the summer months. Keep in mind that warm eddies in the wintertime can also energize atmospheric frontal systems, such as the "storm of the century" that caused snowstorms across the Deep South in 1993.

To gauge the risk this heat pool posed for Hurricane Ida, we flew aircraft over the eddy and dropped measuring devices, including what are known as expendables. An expendable parachutes down to the surface and releases a probe that descends about 1,300 to 5,000 feet (400 to 1,500 meters) below the surface. It then send back data about the temperature and salinity.

This eddy had heat down to about 480 feet (around 150 meters) below the surface. Even if the storm's wind caused some mixing with cooler water at the surface, that deeper water wasn't going to mix all the way down. The eddy was going to stay warm and continue to provide heat and moisture.

That meant Ida was about to get an enormous supply of fuel.

When warm water extends deep like that, we start to see the atmospheric pressure drop. The moisture transfers, also referred to as latent heat, from the ocean to atmosphere are sustained over the warm eddies since the eddies are not significantly cooling. As this release of latent heat continues, the central pressures continue to decrease. Eventually the surface winds will feel the larger horizontal pressure changes across the storm and begin to speed up.

That's what we saw the day before Hurricane Ida made landfall. The storm was beginning to sense that really warm water in the eddy. As the pressure keeps going down, storms get stronger and more well defined.

When I went to bed at midnight that night, the wind speeds were about 105 miles per hour. When I woke up a few hours later and checked the National Hurricane Center's update, it was 145 miles per hour, and Ida had become a major hurricane.

Idas route to Louisiana passed through very warm water. The scale, in meters, shows the maximum depth at which temperatures were 78 degrees Fahrenheit (26 C) or greater. Credit: University of Miami, CC BY-ND

Is rapid intensification a new development?

We've known about this effect on hurricanes for years, but it's taken quite a while for meteorologists to pay more attention to the upper ocean heat content and its impact on rapid intensification.

In 1995, Hurricane Opal was a minimal tropical storm meandering in the Gulf. Unknown to forecasters at the time, a big warm eddy was in the center of the Gulf, moving about as fast as Miami traffic in rush hour, with warm water down to about 150 meters. All the meteorologists saw in the satellite data was the surface temperature, so when Opal rapidly intensified on its way to eventually hitting the Florida Panhandle, it caught a lot of people by surprise.

Today, meteorologists keep a closer eye on where the pools of heat are. Not every storm has all the right conditions. Too much wind shear can tear apart a storm, but when the atmospheric conditions and ocean temperatures are extremely favorable, you can get this big change.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, both in 2005, had pretty much the same signature as Ida. They went over a warm eddy that was just getting ready to be shed form the Loop Current.

Hurricane Michael in 2018 didn't go over an eddy, but it went over the eddy's filamentlike a tailas it was separating from the Loop Current. Each of these storms intensified quickly before hitting land.

Of course, these warm eddies are most common right during hurricane season. You'll occasionally see this happen along the Atlantic Coast, too, but the Gulf of Mexico and the Northwest Caribbean are more contained, so when a storm intensifies there, someone is going to get hit. When it intensifies close to the coast, like Ida did, it can be disastrous for coastal inhabitants.

How hurricanes draw fuel from water water. Credit: NOAA

What does climate change have to do with it?

We know global warming is occurring, and we know that surface temperatures are warming in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere. When it comes to rapid intensification, however, my view is that a lot of these thermodynamics are local. How great a role global warming plays remains unclear.

This is an area of fertile research. We have been monitoring the Gulf's ocean heat content for more than two decades. By comparing the temperature measurements we took during Ida and other hurricanes with satellite and other atmospheric data, scientists can better understand the role the oceans play in the rapid intensification of storms.

Once we have these profiles, scientists can fine-tune the computer model simulations used in forecasts to provide more detailed and accurate warnings in the futures.

Explore further Study targets warm water rings that fuel hurricane intensification in the Caribbean Sea

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Fisher investigating the toxicant storage area of a trespass cannabis grow site on National Forest lands. Credit: Greta Wengert

Sites favored by illegal cannabis farmers on the West Coast of the United States overlap with the habitat ranges of three threatened predators, potentially exposing them to toxic pesticides, according to a study by Greta Wengert at the Integral Ecology Research Center in California and colleagues, publishing September 1 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

Illegal cannabis cultivation is often associated with the rampant use of pesticides, such as rodenticides, which can be passed up the food chain and accumulate in predators' bodies. In a unique collaboration between law enforcement and wildlife biologists, researchers used location data on 1469 illegal cannabis cultivation sites discovered between 2007 and 2014 to map the likely distribution of grow sites in forested regions of California and southern Oregon. They compared these maps with habitat distribution models for two carnivorous mammals: the endangered Pacific fisher (Pekania pennanti) and the threatened Humboldt marten (Martes caurina humboldtensis), and one bird of prey: the threatened northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina).

The model predicted 21,000 square kilometers of forest with a high-likelihood of cannabis cultivation, and ground-truthing located sixteen previously undetected cannabis farms, suggesting that illegal cultivation may be widespread in the study region. The analysis revealed overlap between predicted cannabis cultivation sites and suitable habitat for the three species of conservation concernnearly 48% of spotted owl habitat, 45% of fisher habitat, and 40% of Humboldt marten habitat overlapped with high likelihood areas for illegal cultivation. In the southern Sierra Nevada, 100% of female fisher home ranges overlapped high likelihood cultivation areas, suggesting this population may be particularly at risk of toxic pesticide exposure from illegal cannabis farms. Locating and cleaning up contaminated grow sites should be high priority for conservationists and land managers, the authors say.

The authors add: "The results of our study and its validation support concerns that the problem of trespass cannabis cultivation is more extensive than previously thought. The study solidifies our belief that the environmental impacts of this illicit activity adversely affect the recovery of these three sensitive forest predators in ways that we haven't yet begun to address."

Explore further California officials call for endangered listing for marten

More information: Wengert GM, Higley JM, Gabriel MW, Rustigian-Romsos H, Spencer WD, Clifford DL, et al. (2021) Distribution of trespass cannabis cultivation and its risk to sensitive forest predators in California and Southern Oregon. PLOS ONE 16(9): e0256273. Journal information: PLoS ONE Wengert GM, Higley JM, Gabriel MW, Rustigian-Romsos H, Spencer WD, Clifford DL, et al. (2021) Distribution of trespass cannabis cultivation and its risk to sensitive forest predators in California and Southern Oregon.16(9): e0256273. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256273
Dr. Griff Parks, a College of Medicine virologist, partnered with an engineer and entrepreneur to develop the disinfectant. Credit: University of Central Florida

University of Central Florida researchers have developed a nanoparticle-based disinfectant that can continuously kill viruses on a surface for up to seven daysa discovery that could be a powerful weapon against COVID-19 and other emerging pathogenic viruses.

The findings, by a multidisciplinary team of the university's virus and engineering experts and the leader of an Orlando technology firm, were published this week in ACS Nano, a journal of the American Chemical Society.

Christina Drake, a UCF alumna and founder of Kismet Technologies, was inspired to develop the disinfectant after making a trip to the grocery store in the early days of the pandemic. There she saw a worker spraying disinfectant on a refrigerator handle, then wiping off the spray immediately.

"Initially my thought was to develop a fast-acting disinfectant," she said, "but we spoke to consumerslike doctors and dentiststo find out what they really wanted from a disinfectant. What mattered the most to them was something long-lasting that would continue to disinfect high-touch areas like doorhandles and floors long after application."

Drake partnered with Dr. Sudipta Seal, a UCF materials engineer and nanosciences expert, and Dr. Griff Parks, a College of Medicine virologist who is also associate dean of research and director of the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. With funding from the National Science Foundation, Kismet Tech and the Florida High Tech Corridor, the researchers created a nanoparticle-engineered disinfectant.

Its active ingredient is an engineered nanostructure called cerium oxide, which is known for its regenerative antioxidant properties. The cerium oxide nanoparticles are modified with small amounts of silver to make them more potent against pathogens.

"It works both chemically and mechanically," explained Seal, a who has been studying nanotechnology for more than 20 years. "The nanoparticles emit electrons that oxidize the virus, rendering it inactive. Mechanically, they also attach themselves to the virus and rupture the surface almost like popping a balloon."

Most disinfecting wipes or sprays will disinfect a surface within three to six minutes of application but have no residual effects. This means surfaces need to be wiped down repeatedly to stay clean from a number of viruses like COVID-19. The nanoparticle formulation maintains its ability to inactivate microbes and continues to disinfect a surface for up to seven days after a single application.

"The disinfectant has shown tremendous antiviral activity against seven different viruses," explained Parks, whose lab was responsible for testing the formulation against "a dictionary" of viruses. "Not only did it show antiviral properties toward coronavirus and rhinovirus, but it also proved effective against a wide range of other viruses with different structures and complexities. We are hopeful that with this amazing range of killing capacity, this disinfectant will also be a highly effective tool against other new emerging viruses. "

The scientists are confident the solution will have a major impact in health care settings, in particular, reducing the rate of hospital acquired infectionssuch as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Clostridium difficilewhich cause infections that affect more than one in 30 patients admitted to U.S. hospitals.

And unlike many commercial disinfectants, the formulation has no harmful chemicals, which indicates it will be safe to use on any surface. Regulatory testing for irritancy on skin and eye cells, as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, showed no harmful effects.

"Many household disinfectants currently available contain chemicals that can be harmful to the body with repeated exposure," Drake said. "Our nanoparticle-based product will have a high safety rating will play a major role in reducing overall chemical exposure for humans."

More research is needed before the product can go to market, which is why the next phase of the study will look at how the disinfectant performs outside of the lab in real world applications. That work will look at how the disinfectant is affected by external factors such as temperature or sunlight. The team is in talks with a local hospital network to test the product in their facilities.

"We're also exploring developing a semi-permanent film to see if we can coat and seal a hospital floor or door handles, areas where you need things to be disinfected and even with aggressive and persistent contact," Drake added.

Seal joined UCF's Department of Materials Science and Engineering, which is part of UCF's College of Engineering and Computer Science, in 1997. He has an appointment at the College of Medicine and is a member of UCF's prosthetics Cluster Biionix. He is the former director of UCF's Nanoscience Technology Center and Advanced Materials Processing Analysis Center. He received his doctorate in materials engineering with a minor in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the University of California Berkeley.

Parks came to UCF in 2014 after 20 years at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, where he was professor and chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. He earned his doctorate in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin and was an American Cancer Society Fellow at Northwestern University.

The study was co-authored by post-doctoral researchers Candace Fox, from UCF's College of Medicine and Craig Neal from UCF's College of Engineering and Computer Sciences and graduate students, Tamil Sakthivel, Udit Kumar and Yifei Fu from UCf's College of Engineering and Computer Sciences.

Explore further Scientists seek novel material to kill COVID-19

More information: Craig J. Neal et al, Metal-Mediated Nanoscale Cerium Oxide Inactivates Human Coronavirus and Rhinovirus by Surface Disruption, ACS Nano (2021). Journal information: ACS Nano Craig J. Neal et al, Metal-Mediated Nanoscale Cerium Oxide Inactivates Human Coronavirus and Rhinovirus by Surface Disruption,(2021). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c04142
Illustration of the RecA filament. Credit: David Goodsell

How the cell can mend broken DNA using another DNA copy as template has puzzled researchers for years. How is it possible to find the correct sequences in the busy interior of the cell? Researchers from Uppsala university have now discovered the solution; it is easier to find a rope than a ball if you are blindfolded.

When a DNA molecule breaks in two, the fate of the cell is threatened. From the perspective of a bacterium, fixing the break quickly is a matter of life and death. But to mend the DNA without introducing mistakes in the sequence is challenging; the repair machinery needs to find a template. The process of healing broken DNA using a template from a sister chromosome is known as homologous recombination and is well described in the literature. However, the description usually disregards the daunting task of finding the matching template among all the other genome sequences. The chromosome is a complex structure with several million base pairs of genetic code and it is quite clear that simple diffusion in 3D would not be sufficiently fast by a long shot. But then, how is it done? This has been the mystery of homologous recombination for 50 years. From previous studies, it is clear that the molecule RecA is involved and important in the search process, but, up until now, this has been the limit of our understanding of this process.

Now, a group of Uppsala researchers headed by Professor Johan Elf has finally found the solution to this search enigma. In a study that is published in Nature, they use a CRISPR-based technique to make controlled DNA breaks in bacteria. By growing the cells in a microfluidic culture chip and tracking labeled RecA molecules with fluorescence microscopy, the researchers can image the homologous recombination process from start to finish.

"The microfluidic culture chip allows us to follow the fate of thousands of individual bacteria simultaneously and to control CRISPR-induced DNA breaks in time. It is very precise, almost like having a pair of tiny DNA scissors," says Jakub Wiktor, one of the researchers behind the study.

The label on RecA together with fluorescent markers on the DNA allows the researchers to follow every step of the process accurately; for example, they conclude that the whole repair is finished in 15 minutes, on average, and that the template is located in about nine. Using microscopy, Elf and his team investigate the fate of the break site and its homologous copy in real-time. They also find that the cell responds by rearranging RecA to form thin filaments that span the length of the cell.

"We can see the formation of a thin, flexible structure that protrudes from the break site just after the DNA damage. Since the DNA ends are incorporated into this fiber, it is sufficient that any part of the filament finds the precious template and thus the search is theoretically reduced from three to two dimensions. Our model suggests that this is the key to fast and successful homology repair," says Arvid Gynna, who has worked on the project throughout his Ph.D. studies.

Going from a 3D to a 2D search is indeed a considerable improvement regarding the probability of finding the homologous sequence quickly enough, or in fact, at all. As the Japanese mathematician, Shizuo Kakutani puts it: "A drunk man will find his way home, but a drunk bird may be lost forever". With these words, he tried to explain a curious fact; an object that explores a 2D surface by a random walk will sooner or later find its way back to its starting point while in a 3D space, it is likely that it will never return "home".

The Uppsala researchers performed their study in the model organism E. coli, but the process of homology repair is nearly identical for higher organisms such as ourselves, or doves for that matter. DNA damage occurs frequently in our bodies, and without the ability to heal broken DNA, we would be extremely vulnerable to, for example, UV light and reactive oxygen species, and more likely to develop cancer. In fact, most oncogenes are related to DNA repair and the new mechanistic insights might help us understand the causes of tumor growth.

More information: Wiktor, J. et al. RecA finds homologous DNA by reduced dimensionality search. Nature (2021). Journal information: Nature Wiktor, J. et al. RecA finds homologous DNA by reduced dimensionality search.(2021). doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03877-6
A beluga whale is lifted from a transport truck after arriving at Mystic Aquarium, May 15, 2021 in Mystic, Conn. The aquarium says that a second of the five beluga whales it imported in May from a marine park in Canada is in failing health. The revelation comes three weeks after a male beluga, who was also part of the group that arrived from Marineland in Niagara Falls, died. Credit: Jason DeCrow/AP Images for Mystic Aquarium, File

Officials at Mystic Aquarium are asking that they be allowed to resume research on four beluga whales, which was halted following the death of the fifth whale imported this spring from Canada.

The request is part of a three-page report made public Monday by the National Marine Fisheries Service detailing the Aug. 6 death of a male whale known as Havok.

The report was posted at the same time the aquarium issued a public statement that a female whale named Jetta, reported to be gravely ill last week, is improving and being watched closely.

"While it is too early to be optimistic, there have been incremental improvements in the whale's white blood count, overall gastric health, appetite, and stabilization of her weight," said Stephen Coan, the aquarium's president and chief executive officer. "We are by no means out of the woods and we have a long way to go before we can say there has been a significant recovery."

Coan said the aquarium has flown in experts from around the country to assist in the treatment of Jetta.

It is not yet known if Jetta's condition is related to those that caused the death of Havok, who was found, Coan said, to have gastric ulcers and other pre-existing problems, including a deformed heart. A cause of death has not been determined.

ARCHIVO - Tres belugas nadan en una piscina de aclimatacion tras arribar al Mystic Aquarium el 14 de mayo del 2021 en Mystic, Connecticut. Credit: Jason DeCrow/AP Images por Mystic Aquarium

"As this was an isolated health event and in no way related to the research being conducted, we respectfully ask for permission to resume research sampling on the other animals listed on the permit to accomplish our important research goals," Mystic said in its report to NMFS, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Jetta and Havok were a mong five whales imported in May from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario to Mystic, which specializes in beluga research. The aquarium plans to study them and use blood, saliva and other biological samples to help it better understand the health of whales in the wild.

The aquarium said in its report that Havok's death was not caused by that research.

"This case was an unpredictable health issue in an animal that had been cleared by qualified veterinarians in Canada to transport," the aquarium said in its report, which was submitted to NOAA on Aug. 17, before Jetta was found to be ill. "We have, and will continue to, ensure that medical conditions in one whale do not pose risk to the others. This case has no impact on the health of our other animals."

NOAA spokesperson Kate Brogan said the agency is working closely with the federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to review Mystic's report.

ARCHIVO - En esta fotografia de archivo del viernes 14 de mayo de 2021, entrenadoras del Mystic Aquarium juegan con una ballena beluga en Mystic, Connecticut. Credit: AP Foto/Jessica Hill, archivo

Connecticut-based Friends of Animals and other activists unsuccessfully sought to block the transport of the whales in a lawsuit last fall.

Steven Hernick, an attorney for Friends of Animals said Tuesday they are considering further legal action if they determine it could help the belugas at Mystic or "prevent future transports like this one."

Naomi Rose, a scientist with the Animal Welfare Institute, which was not part of the lawsuit, said she would oppose the resumption of research at Mystic until both NOAA and the the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service complete a thorough assessment of the health of the remaining whales.

Explore further Whale dies 3 months after move from Canada to Connecticut

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The 70-meter (330-foot) Deep Space Station 14 (DSS-14) is the largest Deep Space Network antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

When NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover touched down on the Red Planet, the agency's Deep Space Network (DSN) was there, enabling the mission to send and receive the data that helped make the event possible. When OSIRIS-REx took samples of asteroid Bennu this past year, the DSN played a crucial role, not just in sending the command sequence to the probe, but also in transmitting its stunning photos back to Earth.

The network has been the backbone of NASA's deep space communications since 1963, supporting 39 missions regularly, with more than 30 NASA missions in development. The team behind it is now working hard to increase capacity, making a number of improvements to the network that will help advance future space exploration.

Managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the Space Communications and Navigation Program, based at NASA Headquarters within the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, the DSN is what enables missions to track, send commands to, and receive scientific data from faraway spacecraft.

Explore NASAs massive 70-meter (330-foot) DSS-14 antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in Barstow, California, in this 360-degree video. Along with communicating with spacecraft throughout the solar system, DSS-14 and other DSN antennas can also be used to conduct radio science. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The network consists of tracking antennas across three complexes evenly spaced around the world at the Goldstone complex near Barstow, California; in Madrid, Spain; and in Canberra, Australia. In addition to supporting missions, the antennas are regularly used to conduct radio sciencestudying planets, black holes, and tracking near-Earth objects.

"Capacity is a big pressure, and our antenna-enhancement program is going to help that out. This includes the building of two new antennas, increasing our number from 12 to 14," said JPL's Michael Levesque, deputy director of the DSN.

Network upgrades

In January 2021, the DSN welcomed its 13th dish to the family. Named Deep Space Station 56 (DSS-56), this new 34-meter-wide (112-foot-wide) dish in Madrid is an "all-in-one" antenna. Previously constructed antennas are limited in the frequency bands they can receive and transmit, often restricting them to communicating with specific spacecraft. DSS-56 was the first to use the DSN's full range of communication frequencies as soon as it went online and can communicate with all the missions that the DSN supports.

Soon after bringing DSS-56 online, the DSN team completed 11 months of critical upgrades to Deep Space Station 43 (DSS-43), the massive 70-meter (230-foot) antenna in Canberra. DSS-43 is the only dish in the Southern Hemisphere with a transmitter powerful enough, and that broadcasts the right frequency, to send commands to the distant Voyager 2 spacecraft, which is now in interstellar space. With rebuilt transmitters and upgraded facilities equipment, DSS-43 will serve the network for decades to come.

"The refresh of DSS-43 was a huge accomplishment, and we're on our way to take care of the next two 70-meter antennas in Goldstone and Madrid. And we've continued to deliver new antennas to address growing demandall during COVID-19," said JPL's Brad Arnold, manager of the DSN.

The improvements are part of a project to meet not just the heightened demand, but also evolving mission needs.

Missions increasingly generate more data than in the past. The data rate from deep space spacecraft has grown by more than 10 times since the first lunar missions in the 1960s. As NASA looks toward sending humans to Mars, this need for higher data volumes will only increase further.

Optical communications is one tool that can help meet this demand for higher data volumes by using lasers to enable higher-bandwidth communication. Over the next few years, NASA has several missions planned to demonstrate laser communications that will enhance the agency's ability to explore farther into space.

New approaches

The network is also focusing on new approaches to how it goes about its work. For instance, for most of the DSN's history, each complex was operated locally. Now, with a protocol called "Follow the Sun," each complex takes turns running the entire network during their day shift and then hands off control to the next complex at the end of the day in that regionessentially, a global relay race that takes place every 24 hours.

The resulting cost savings have been fed into antenna enhancements, and the effort has also strengthened the international cooperation between the complexes. "Each site works with the other sites, not just during handover periods, but also on maintenance and how antennas are performing on any given day. We've really turned into a globally operating network," said Levesque.

The network has also implemented new approaches to managing deep space communications. For instance, in the past, if multiple spacecraft circling Mars needed to be serviced at the same time, the network would have to point one antenna per spacecraft at Mars, potentially using all the antennas at a given complex. With a new protocol, the DSN can receive multiple signals from a single antenna and split them in the digital receiver. "We adapted this from commercial telecommunication implementations to the benefit of our network efficiency," said Arnold.

An additional new protocol allows operators to oversee multiple activities simultaneously. Traditionally, each spacecraft activity had a single dedicated operator. Now, the DSN uses an approach that leverages automation to allow each operator to oversee multiple spacecraft links simultaneously. For the first time, the DSN can now fully automate the sequencing and execution of tracking passes, and the effort will continue to be enhanced over time.

"The future of the DSN is going to follow the spirit and the drive of science missions that are flying out there. It's our responsibility to enable them. And we do that through communications," said Arnold.

Explore further NASA's deep space network welcomes a new dish to the family
Bayou water floods into Montegut, Louisiana on August 30, 2021 after Hurricane Ida made landfallso far, four people have been killed.

Louisiana and Mississippi took stock Tuesday of the disaster inflicted by powerful Hurricane Ida, as receding floodwaters began to reveal the full extent of the damage along the US Gulf Coast and the death toll rose to four.

New Orleans was under a curfew Tuesday evening, nearly two days after Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm, exactly 16 years after devastating Hurricane Katrinawhich killed more than 1,800 peoplemade landfall.

Four deaths have been confirmed as crews began fanning out in boats and off-road vehicles to search communities cut off by the giant storm. A man was also missing after apparently being killed by an alligator.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell said on Twitter she had signed an executive order mandating an overnight curfew in New Orleans most of which was still entirely without power after the storm.

Images of people being plucked from flooded cars and pictures of destroyed homes surfaced on social media, while the damage in New Orleans itself remained limited.

New Orleans Airport said all incoming and outgoing flights scheduled for Tuesday were canceled, while airlines had scrapped nearly 200 flights on Wednesday.

One person was killed by a falling tree in Prairieville, while a second victim died trying to drive through floodwaters some 60 miles (95 kilometers) southeast in New Orleans, officials reported.

Residents wade out to a high-water truck evacuating people from flooded homes in LaPlace, Louisiana on August 30, 2021.

Ida knocked out power for more than a million properties across Louisiana, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.us, most of which still out Tuesday evening, leaving residents without air conditioning in late summer.

But power provider Entergy told New Orleans City Council members Tuesday morning that some electricity could be restored as early as Wednesday, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported.

The first to see power would likely be hospitalsmany of which are dealing with a surge of Covid patientsand sewage and water treatment centers, the paper reported, saying it could still be days before average customers were reconnected.

Entergy had initially said it could take days to even assess the full extent of the damage.

In Mississippi, which has been buffeted by torrential rain, a road collapse left two people dead and 10 more injured, including three in critical condition, the state's highway patrol said.

People ride out of a flooded neighborhood in LaPlace, Louisiana on August 30, 2021.

A person wades through flood waters in Norco, Louisiana, on August 30, 2021.

The death toll is expected to rise further, Louisiana Deputy Governor Billy Nungesser warned Tuesday, especially in coastal areas directly hit by Ida where search and rescue operations are ongoing.

Meanwhile in St. Tammany Parish, police said a 71-year-old man was attacked and "apparently killed by an alligator while walking in flood waters following Hurricane Ida."

Ida heads northeast

President Joe Biden declared a major disaster for Louisiana and Mississippi, which gives the states access to federal aid.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said his state had deployed more than 1,600 personnel for search and rescue operations, while the Pentagon said over 5,200 personnel from the military, federal emergency management and National Guard had been activated across several southern states.

Idanow a tropical depressionwas travelling northeast, threatening the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys. It was expected in the mid-Atlantic on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Scientists have warned of a rise in cyclone activity as the ocean surface warms due to climate change, posing an increasing threat to the world's coastal communities.

Explore further Ida inflicts 'catastrophic' destruction on Louisiana

 2021 AFP
A model of the COVID-19 impact on the job prospects of refugees and people seeking asylum. Credit: DOI: 10.1002/ajs4.177

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia suffering disproportionately and being shut out of and marginalized in the labor market.

New research led by Monash University's Monash Business School and the University of Melbourne found there had been declines in the number of jobs, a loss of jobs overall, increased competition and discrimination towards these groups, with employers opting for an "Australian first" mentality.

Researchers compiled their findings in the paper, "Exploring the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis for the employment prospects of refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia," published today in the Australian Journal of Social Issues.

The findings were based on 20 interviews with refugees and people seeking asylum as well as 35 interviews with managers from Australian organizations who employ, supervise, or assist them.

Lead author Diarmuid Cooney-O'Donoghue from Monash Business School said refugees and people seeking asylum already faced difficulties to find employment, educational disadvantages, mental health issues, and are often at risk of being underpaid because their home country qualifications and education are not recognized by their host country and they lack strong bargaining power in the labor market.

"Sustainable employment is an important pathway for refugees and people seeking asylum to integrate into their new communities, and of course become self-reliant," he said.

"The pandemic and its impact on the Australian economy has reduced job prospects for these neglected minority groups, who are highly exposed because they are often employed in precarious jobs and industries that have been particularly hit by COVID-19such as hospitality, taxi driving, retail and construction."

Of the interviews with refugees and people seeking asylum, 15 percent were unemployed, and a further 40 percent were in casual or short-term employment.

Those on temporary protection visas or bridging visas were not eligible for JobSeeker or JobKeeper payments.

The majority of managers interviewed noted the increased competition in the labor market, with COVID-19 contributing to fewer jobs advertised, and many job seekers willing to take on less attractive jobs.

"Where there's a really high degree of competition for jobs and lots of more capable, recently unemployed job seekers, the refugee candidate is going to end up going to the bottom of the pile," one told researchers.

Some managers also spoke to bias when it came to employment opportunities, irrespective of their experience and qualifications, with postcode and name discrimination barriers to employment.

The research team suggested four strategies to improve employment prospects:

Pathways to permanent residency and citizenship for people seeking asylum;

Access to healthcare and a financial safety net;

Online training and education; and

Social procurement.

"By providing more pathways to permanent residency and citizenship for asylum seekers on temporary protection visas, this would greatly increase their opportunities for employment," Mr Cooney-O'Donoghue said.

"At the same time, this may help Australian businesses to compensate for the loss of migrant workers due to COVID-19."

Researchers also suggested temporary visa holders should also be able to access Medicare to protect their physical and mental wellbeing and have opportunities to undergo reskilling processes to improve their employability.

The most common policy response referred to by managers was social procurement, which would see employment opportunities for disadvantaged and marginalized groups set aside specifically within governments or other organizations.

For example, the Victorian Level Crossing Removal Agency provides opportunities for work experience in the infrastructure sector and upskilling for refugees who have previous skills and experience in Engineering in their country of origin within the EPIC Program.

"The Australian Governmentand indeed state governmentshave spent billions of dollars to prevent the collapse of the labor market over the past 18 months," Mr Cooney-O'Donoghue said.

"It is governments' responsibility to ensure significant support is provided to the most vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalized groups.

"Refugees and people seeking asylum are a potentially untapped asset for the Australian economy. By better integrating them into the labor market, we could benefit from their incoming work knowledge, skills and experience."

More information: Diarmuid CooneyO'Donoghue et al, Exploring the impacts of the COVID19 crisis for the employment prospects of refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia, Australian Journal of Social Issues (2021). Diarmuid CooneyO'Donoghue et al, Exploring the impacts of the COVID19 crisis for the employment prospects of refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/ajs4.177
Rice University graduate student Lebing Chen used a high-temperature furnace to make chromium triiodide crystals that yielded the 2D materials for experiments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Spallation Neutron Source. Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University

Rice physicists have confirmed the topological origins of magnons, magnetic features they discovered three years ago in a 2D material that could prove useful for encoding information in the spins of electrons.

The discovery, described in a study published online this week in the American Physical Society journal Physical Review X, provides a new understanding of topology-driven spin excitations in materials known as 2D van der Waals magnets. The materials are of growing interest for spintronics, a movement in the solid-state electronics community toward technologies that use electron spins to encode information for computation, storage and communications.

Spin is an intrinsic feature of quantum objects and the spins of electrons play a key role in bringing about magnetism.

Rice physicist Pengcheng Dai, co-corresponding author of the Physical Review X study, said inelastic neutron-scattering experiments on the 2D material chromium triiodine confirmed the origin of the topological nature of spin excitations, called magnons, which his group and others discovered in the material in 2018.

The group's latest experiments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL) Spallation Neutron Source showed "spin-orbit coupling induces asymmetric interactions between spins" of electrons in chromium triiodine, Dai said. "As a result, the electron spins feel the magnetic field of moving nuclei differently, and this affects their topological excitations."

Graduate student Lebing Chen displays chromium triiodide crystals he made in a Rice University laboratory. Stacked layers of atomically thin 2D chromium triiodide have unusual electronic and magnetic properties that could prove useful for technologies that encode information in the spins of electrons. Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University

In van der Waals materials, atomically thin 2D layers are stacked like pages in a book. The atoms within layers are tightly bonded, but the bonds between layers are weak. The materials are useful for exploring unusual electronic and magnetic behaviors. For example, a single 2D sheet of chromium triiodine has the same sort of magnetic order that makes magnetic decals stick to a metal refrigerator. Stacks of three or more 2D layers also have that magnetic order, which physics call ferromagnetic. But two stacked sheets of chromium triiodine have an opposite order called antiferromagnetic.

That strange behavior led Dai and colleagues to study the material. Rice graduate student Lebing Chen, the lead author of this week's Physical Review X study and of the 2018 study in the same journal, developed methods for making and aligning sheets of chromium triiodide for experiments at ORNL. By bombarding these samples with neutrons and measuring the resulting spin excitations with neutron time-of-flight spectrometry, Chen, Dai and colleagues can discern unknown features and behaviors of the material.

In their previous study, the researchers showed chromium triiodine makes its own magnetic field thanks to magnons that move so fast they feel as if they are moving without resistance. Dai said the latest study explains why a stack of two 2-D layers of chromium triiodide has antiferromagnetic order.

"We found evidence of a stacking-dependent magnetic order in the material," Dai said. Discovering the origins and key features of the state is important because it could exist in other 2D van der Waals magnets.

Additional co-authors include Bin Gao of Rice, Jae-Ho Chung of Korea University, Matthew Stone, Alexander Kolesnikov, Barry Winn, Ovidiu Garlea and Douglas Abernathy of ORNL, and Mathias Augustin and Elton Santos of the University of Edinburgh.

More information: Lebing Chen et al, Magnetic Field Effect on Topological Spin Excitations in CrI3, Physical Review X (2021). Journal information: Physical Review X Lebing Chen et al, Magnetic Field Effect on Topological Spin Excitations in CrI3,(2021). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.11.031047
The site of Khall Amayshan 4 in northern Saudi Arabia, where evidence of repeated visits by early humans over the last 400,000 years was found, associated with the remains of ancient lakes. Credit: Palaeodeserts Project (Michael Petraglia)

Recent research in Arabiaa collaboration between scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena, Germany, the Heritage Commission of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, and many other Saudi and international researchershas begun to document the incredibly rich prehistory of Saudi Arabia, the largest country in Southwest Asia. Previous research in the region has focused on the coastal and woodland margins, while human prehistory in the vast interior areas remained poorly understood.

The new findings, including the oldest dated evidence for humans in Arabia at 400,000 years ago, are described as a breakthrough in Arabian archaeology by Dr. Huw Groucutt, lead author of the study and head of the "Extreme Events' Max Planck Society Research Group in Jena, Germany, based at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology.

The discovery of thousands of stone tools reveals multiple waves of human occupation and shows changing human culture over time. At the site of Khall Amayshan 4 (KAM 4), nestled in a hollow between large dunes, researchers found evidence for six phases of lake formation, five of them associated with stone tools made by early humans at around 400,000, 300,000, 200,000, 100,000, and 55,000 years ago. Each phase of human occupation is characterized by a different kind of material culture, documenting the transition from the Lower Paleolithic Acheulean 'handaxe' culture to different kinds of stone flake-based Middle Paleolithic technologies. Excavations at the Jubbah Oasis, 150 km to the east, also recovered stone tools, dating to 200,000 and 75,000 years ago.

A 400,000 year handaxe stone tool from Khall Amayshan 4. Credit: Palaeodeserts Project (Ian Cartwright)

Green Arabia

The dating of the archaeological sitesachieved primarily through a technique called luminescence dating, which records the length of time since tiny grains of sediment were last exposed to sunlightshows that each occupation dates to a time when rainfall is known to have increased in the region. In addition, all of the stone tool assemblages are associated with the distinctive sediments produced by freshwater lakes. The findings therefore show that, within a dominant pattern of aridity, occasional short phases of increased rainfall led to the formation of thousands of lakes, wetlands, and rivers that crossed most of Arabia, forming key migration routes for humans and animals such as hippos.

While today the Nefud desert is a very arid region, deep hollows between the large sand dunes created places for small lakes to form during occasional increases in rainfall. As a result, the Nefud region was periodically transformed from one of the most uninhabitable parts of Southwest Asia into a lush grassland that provided opportunities for repeated population movements.

A storm arrives during archaeological excavation of the remains of ancient lake in northern Saudi Arabia, where ancient humans lived alongside animals such as hippos. Credit: Palaeodeserts Project (Klint Janulis)

Wider implications

Unlike bones and other organic materials, stone tools preserve very easily, and their character is largely influenced by learned cultural behaviors. As a result, they illuminate the background of their makers and show how cultures developed along their own unique trajectories in different areas. The Khall Amayshan 4 and Jubbah Oasis findings reflect short-lived pulses of occupation that represent the initial phases of migration waves.

Each phase of human occupation in northern Arabia shows a distinct kind of material culture, suggesting that populations arrived in the area from multiple directions and source areas. This diversity sheds unique light on the extent of cultural differences in Southwest Asia during this timeframe, and indicates strongly sub-divided populations. In some cases the differences in material culture are so great as to indicate the contemporary presence of different hominin species in the region, suggesting that Arabia may also have been an interface zone for different hominin groups originating in Africa and Eurasia. Animal fossils indicate a similar pattern: although the north Arabian fossil record shows a prominent African character, some species came from the north, while others represent long-time residents of Arabia.

The findings highlight the importance of filling in the gaps in the hominin map. "Arabia has long been seen as empty place throughout the past," says Dr. Groucutt. "Our work shows that we still know so little about human evolution in vast areas of the world and highlights the fact that many surprises are still out there."

"It's remarkable; every time it was wet, people were there," says project leader Prof. Michael Petraglia, from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. "This work puts Arabia on the global map for human prehistory," he adds.

The study is reported in Nature.

Explore further Stone tools linked to ancient human ancestors in Arabia have surprisingly recent date

More information: Multiple hominin dispersals into Southwest Asia over the past 400,000 years, Nature (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03863-y Journal information: Nature Multiple hominin dispersals into Southwest Asia over the past 400,000 years,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03863-y
Secondary structure of the MtrD protein (PDB ID 6VKS). (A) Side view of the cryo-EM structure of the MtrD K823E variant. The three protomers are colored green (Access), teal (Binding), and magenta (Extrusion). The six subdomains of the porter domain are labeled in the B protomer. (B) Enhanced view of TMS 8 (beige), TMS 9 (gold), TMS 10 (marine blue), and N917-P927 (gray). (C) Surface representation of the K823E MtrD variant. Subdomains PC1 and PC2 in the binding protomer are shown in blue and russet, respectively. The position of the N917-P927 region at the bottom of the cleft opening between PC1 and PC2 is shown in gray. Credit: DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01675-21

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) gonorrhea is on the rise as a major public health burden worldwide, with around 87 million new infections a year largely caused by the superbug Neisseria gonorrhoeae which experts fear will soon be untreatable

In a new paper, published in mBio, scientists at Flinders University and the Australian National University have analyzed the prime mechanism for antimicrobial resistance in this crafty organismpaving the way for further developments in treatment options.

"Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae has reached an alarming level," says lead author Flinders University Professor of Microbiology Melissa Brown.

The World Health Organization has ranked N. gonorrhoeae as one of 12 antimicrobial resistant bacterial species that poses the greatest risk to human health, motivating medical researchers around the world to pursue alternative treatments.

"We need to find the strengths and weaknesses in these species and in this study we have focused on the manner by which drugs are pumped out of these cells which helps the superbug become more resistant and able to survive treatment by multiple drugs," Professor Brown says.

"Such treatment failures subsequently lead to increased medical costs and a decrease in human general and reproductive health."

Together with ANU colleagues led by Associate Professor Megan O'Mara, the Australian research team has identified a region unique to the drug pump that plays a role in positioning the protein in the surface of the bacteria enabling it to function optimally.

"This could be a future target for antibiotic or antimicrobial development," says first author on the new paper Mohsen Chitsaz, whose Ph.D. study at Flinders University is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.

Explore further Insight into mechanism of treatment-resistant gonorrhea sets stage for new antibiotics

More information: Mohsen Chitsaz et al, A Unique Sequence Is Essential for Efficient Multidrug Efflux Function of the MtrD Protein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, mBio (2021). Journal information: mBio Mohsen Chitsaz et al, A Unique Sequence Is Essential for Efficient Multidrug Efflux Function of the MtrD Protein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae,(2021). DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01675-21
For children, the risks associated with school closures have surpassed the health risks associated with COVID-19. Credit: Shutterstock

Back-to-school is here again. While we might hope that beginning the academic year with schools open for in-person learning would set the trend for the rest of the year, the presence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, makes everything less certain.

Some parents have already made decisions to keep their children home for online learning when schools open. Others may revisit these choices as the fall unfolds. Yet many parents also need to go with what their school systems offer.

With over a year's worth of data on how SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease manifest in children and our experience from last year's school closures, we can at least answer some important questions about the risks of infection in unvaccinated children and the risks of missing in-person school.

What are the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection in unvaccinated children?

Children infected with SARS-CoV-2 may be asymptomatic. A review of several studies found that roughly half of infected children did not show any symptoms. A study of children in Alberta found that one-third of those infected were asymptomatic.

Children with COVID-19 symptoms, in general, have a mild illness.

A large study in the United Kingdom, that included data up to February 2021, showed that when children aged five to 11 have symptoms, these tend to last five days. In 3.1 percent of this age group, symptoms last longer than 28 days. This duration can be compared with people aged 12 to 17, and adults: 5.1 percent of the former had symptoms for longer than 28 days; 13.3 percent of adults had symptoms one month after infection. Only six of 445 younger children (1.3 percent) included in the U.K. study had symptoms that lasted longer than 56 days.

In children, the risk of hospitalization, severe disease and death is low, relative to adults.

In the United States, 0.2 to 1.9 percent of COVID-19 cases detected in children led to hospitalization, including children infected with the now-circulating Delta variant.

In Belgium, hospitalization rates and admission to intensive care units for children with COVID-19 have been low, and haven't changed while new variants have been circulating. A Belgian school study showed that in June 2021, 15.4 percent of Belgian elementary school children had antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, meaning they had already been infected with the novel coronavirus some time during the pandemic.

Delta constitutes more than 75 percent of the sequenced cases since July 5, 2021, in Belgium, and almost all cases in the country as of Aug. 16.

In Canada, 0.5 percent of the detected and recorded cases in children under 19 years old have led to hospitalization, and 0.06 percent to admission to the pediatric intensive care unit, since the start of the pandemic.

Research suggests that the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), presenting two to six weeks after infection and affecting mostly children aged six to nine, remains rare, with an incidence of three MIS-C cases per 10,000 SARS-CoV-2 infections in people younger than 21. Canadian research awaiting peer-review and research from the U.S. show that the child generally recovers rapidly from an MIS-C episode.

As the pandemic evolves, combining multiple data sources will give us a more valid and precise calculation of risk related to children's infection and illness.

Is it safe for unvaccinated children to go back to in-person school with the variants circulating?

In the U.S., the number of pediatric cases of COVID-19 has increased in recent weeks.

Pediatric cases have also increased as a proportion of the total number of all detected cases and accounted for 22.4 percent of total cumulative cases for the week ending Aug. 19 (up from 14.6 percent a week earlier). This is occurring, however, in the context of high community transmission and low vaccination coverage.

When more children get infected, there are more opportunities to have children become ill and more severely ill, both with acute infection and MIS-C, even if this absolute risk is small. The mortality rate of COVID-19 in children under 17 is less than three deaths per 10,000 cases.

Public Health Canada data show a mortality of one per 20,000 in children under 19.

What's the bigger risk: COVID-19 or school closures?

For children, the risks associated with school closures have surpassed the health risks associated with COVID-19.

Schools provide instruction that allows students to gain academic skills, but they also help socialize students and teach behavioral skills. Schools provide social support and favor the acquisition of healthy habits. Schools can help immigrant children learn new languages and/or foster integration into their new communities.

Research shows that long school interruptions have both short-term and long-term negative impacts on the development of students' academic skills and academic achievement, and on how they fare with employment in adulthood.

The negative impacts of school closures can even be transmitted to the next generation.

School closures during this pandemic in Belgium and the Netherlands had negative impacts on kids' learning, with children in vulnerable households more severely affected.

What effects do school closures have on physical and mental health?

The experience of last year's confinement and school closures provided data on its negative effect on children's physical health. Increased numbers of children developed eating disorders and weight problems.

Physical activity decreased in Canadian youth. Screen time was up. Excessive screen time is associated with a sedentary lifestyle and with cardiovascular disease risk factors like high blood pressure, insulin resistance and obesity. School meal programs that ordinarily offer some protection against children's hunger and malnutrition were not available during the pandemic.

Confinement also affected young children's mental health.

A recently published review of several studies on children's mental health estimated that anxiety affected a quarter of children and that one-in-five were depressed during the pandemic, which is twice the pre-pandemic rate.

We also know that reporting of child abuse went down during school closures, not because these events did not occur, but because teachers and school staff didn't have the opportunity to detect and report abuse.

Can virtual schooling replace in-person education?

There is limited research on children and full virtual schooling, but neither preliminary nor peer-reviewed research suggest that virtual schooling can fully and adequately compensate for in-person schooling.

School closures put children's physical, mental and academic development at risk and displace many children from the optimal environment to develop social skills and receive support.

In-person schooling is essential for schools to achieve their diverse objectives and for the well-being of children, especially vulnerable children.

This doesn't mean we can't embrace the positive aspects of online learning, or design education that looks different from what we have today. However, including children in decision-making and designing the school environments and experiences that meet their needs and having equity in mindshould be equally high on our agenda.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The sensor system to observe areas of the Earth will be installed aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Credit: NASA

With a satellite system that measures drought stress in plants, two researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI, have now founded the spin-off ConstellR. Their technology enables the agricultural sector to optimize the irrigation of areas under cultivation to increase crop yields. The first sensor system will be launched into space in early 2022 and be installed on board the International Space Station (ISS).

The global population is growingand demand for food is growing along with it. Since arable land is limited, farmers will need to harvest more from the same area in the future, meaning that cultivation will have to be improved, too. One important lever is an ideal supply of waterbecause when plants respond to drought stress, they invest less energy into their fruits, thereby reducing the harvest. One major problem is the difficulty of measuring the condition of plants on the vast arable land that spans the world. Although satellite data has been used since the 1970s to provide a general overview, it remains relatively inaccurate. To date, scientists have primarily used visual and near-infrared sensors that detect the plant pigment chlorophyll which breaks down when plants are not watered enough. "But by then, it's already too late," says Max Gulde, a physicist at the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI, in Freiburg. "What we need is a technology that tells us within the space of a few hours whether plants have sufficient access to water."

Algorithms determine the temperature on the leaf's surface

Max Gulde and his colleague Marius Bierdel at Fraunhofer EMI have taken on the task of developing precisely this type of technology. Satellite technology is applied here too, with the research team using an advanced thermal imaging camera in the satellite. Special algorithms evaluate the data to determine the temperature on the surface of the plants' leaves, which enables researchers to draw conclusions on the water supply. When there is a water shortage, less water is evaporated through the leaves. This increases the temperature on the leaf's surface. "Within the space of two hours, the temperature can change by two to three degrees Celsius," explains Max Gulde. "Our method can measure temperature differences very precisely, to within a tenth of a degree." In technical terms, the sensor measures the amount of energy emitted by the plants in the form of photons.

One challenge that arose during the development stage was how to factor out interfering heat emitted by the atmosphere, the Earth's surface or from the satellite itself. This heat distorts the temperature data obtained from the leaf's surface. Thanks to their algorithms, the EMI researchers also succeeded in overcoming this challenge. And it was the European Space Agency (ESA), no less, that confirmed how well the system works: "We weren't sure about our approach until the ESA informed us that this was a real breakthrough. Before us, no one had been able to solve the problem of temperature measurement in such a compact system," emphasizes Max Gulde. The data is downloaded from the satellites to ground stations, processed in data centers, prepared for the user and finally transferred to the agricultural users' app.

Agricultural areas, viewed from the satellite with the thermal imaging camera. In the example analysis, red represents high temperatures and impending water shortages. Credit: ConstellR

Optimal irrigation in close to real time

The technology's key advantage is that data and information about the water supplied to plants is available after just a few hours. As a result, farmers can adjust their irrigation levels practically in real time to specifically water those fields or plants that are most affected. Moreover, pinpoint precise irrigation systems help to save water and enable more accurate crop forecasts. This means that prices for agricultural products can be calculated accordingly at an early stage because farmers can predict how badly a drought could damage their crops many weeks in advance. "This provides agricultural producers with significantly increased planning security," clarifies Gulde.

The new technology is scheduled to go into operation in space aboard the International Space Station as early as the beginning of 2022. "I am very pleased that Fraunhofer EMI's first spin-off will use the technologies developed at the institute to help optimize the irrigation of fields and arable land as well as the yield of crops worldwide. This improves food security for people around the world and represents significant progress, especially in times of climate change," enthuses Professor Frank Schafer, Head of the Systems Solutions department at the institute.

The path to ConstellR

Gulde and Bierdel founded the company ConstellR to further develop and commercialize the technology. Since 2015, the two scientists have been involved in research on the ERNST nanosatellite mission, which uses a compact thermal imaging camera. They came up with the idea of equipping their own satellites with high-resolution spatial thermal imaging cameras for temperature measurement in 2017. At the time, the task for young researchers was to design the smallest satellite with the greatest benefit for society as part of the European Copernicus Masters competition. The EMI researchers were accepted into a startup programknown as an acceleratorwith their idea. "It was thanks to our involvement in that program that we learned all the basics of entrepreneurship," describes Max Gulde. But it was only a grant of 1.8 million euros from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energyten percent of which was awarded by Fraunhofer EMIthat enabled them to develop the satellite system and found ConstellR.

The two experts will leave the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft at the end of 2022 to devote themselves fully to their development company. Their research has already resulted in three patents.

Explore further Evapotranspiration: Watching over water use
A spotted skunk doing its signature handstand. Credit: (c) Jerry W. Dragoo

Picture a skunk. You're probably thinking of a stocky animal, around the size of a housecat, black with white stripes, like Pepe Le Pew. That describes North America's most common skunk, the striped skunk, but they also have smaller, spotted cousins. Scientists still have a lot to learn about spotted skunks, starting with how many kinds of them even existover the years, the number of recognized species has ranged from two to fourteen, and lately, scientists have agreed there are four. But in a new paper in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, researchers analyzed skunk DNA and found that there aren't four species of spotted skunk after all: there are seven.

"North America is one of the most-studied continents in terms of mammals, and carnivores are one of the most-studied groups," says Adam Ferguson, one of the paper's authors and the Negaunee collections manager of mammals at Chicago's Field Museum. "Everyone thinks we know everything about mammalian carnivore systematics, so being able to redraw the skunk family tree is very exciting."

Skunks, like raccoons, otters, and weasels, are part of the Carnivora order of mammals (they're omnivores, though). They're distantly related to dogs, and even more distantly related to cats. Spotted skunks are found throughout North America, but they haven't made themselves at home in urban areas the way their striped cousins have. Most spotted skunks weigh less than two pounds, whereas striped skunks can tip the scales at over ten. Like their name suggests, they have spots instead of stripes (although technically they're just broken stripes). And while all skunks produce a nasty-smelling spray to deter predators, spotted skunks have the flashiest means of deploying it: they do a hand-stand on their front legs as an extra warning before they spray. "Spotted skunks are sometimes called the acrobats of the skunk world," says Ferguson.

A "wanted" poster asking for roadkill skunk specimens to be used in research. Credit: (c) Adam Ferguson

Scientists have been interested in spotted skunks for a long timethe first species formally recognized by Western science was described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, the inventor of the biological naming system still used today. Over the years, as many as fourteen species were recognized, though in recent decades that number's been condensed to four. However, Ferguson suspected that there might be more, due to the lack of genetic sequence data from morphologically distinct or geographically isolated populations of this wide-ranging genus. "We figured there had to be some surprises when it came to spotted skunk diversity, because the genus as a whole had never been properly analyzed using genetic data," says Ferguson.

Even though North American carnivores are by and large well-known, skunks are often understudied, in part because catching skunks is a good way to get sprayed. On top of that, spotted skunks are lithe and good at climbing trees, and they're usually found in remote areas. To acquire the specimens needed for the study, the researchers had to get creative.

"We made wanted posters that we distributed across Texas in case people trapped them or found them as roadkill," says Ferguson, who began collecting specimens used in this project while working on his MSc at Angelo State University. "People recognize spotted skunks as something special, because you don't see them every day, so they're not the kind of roadkill that people just paint over."

Spotted skunk. Credit: (c) Robby Fleischman

In addition to modern specimens, the scientists used skunks in museum collections. "If we're trying to tell the full story of skunk evolution we need as many samples as we can," says Ferguson. "For example, we didn't have any modern tissues from Central America or the Yucatan. We were able to use museum collections to fill those holes." All in all, the researchers amassed a collection of 203 spotted skunk specimens.

The researchers took tissue samples from the skunks and analyzed their DNA. Comparing the DNA sequences revealed that some of the skunks that had previously been considered the same species were substantially different. These genetic differences led the researchers to regroup some of the skunks and resurrect several species names that haven't been used in centuries.

"I was able to extract DNA from century-old museum samples and it was really exciting to see who those individuals were related to. It turns out that one of those was a currently unrecognized, endemic species in the Yucatan,'' says Molly McDonough, a biology professor at Chicago State University, research associate at the Field Museum, and the paper's first author.

Adam Ferguson in the Field Museum's collections with spotted skunk specimens. Credit: Courtesy of Adam Ferguson

Among the new species described are the Yucatan spotted skunk, a squirrel-sized skunk found only in the Yucatan Peninsula, and the Plains spotted skunk. Plains spotted skunks have been in decline for the past century, and conservationists have petitioned for them to be listed as an endangered subspecies. "If a subspecies is in trouble, there's sometimes less emphasis on protecting it because it's not as distinct an evolutionary lineage as a species," says Ferguson. "We've shown that the Plains spotted skunks are distinct at the species level, which means they've been evolving independently of the other skunks for a long time. Once something has a species name, it's easier to conserve and protect."

The revised skunk family tree could also be a tool for scientists looking to understand skunk reproductive biology. "Besides the fact that they do handstands, the coolest thing about spotted skunks is that some of them practice delayed egg implantationthey breed in the fall, but they don't give birth until the spring. They delay implanting the egg in the uterus, it just sits in suspension for a while," says Ferguson. "We want to know why some species have delayed implantation and others don't, and figuring out how these different species of skunks evolved can help us do that."

And while skunks aren't always the most popular animals, the researchers say that understanding how they evolved and protecting them from extinction is important to our whole ecosystem.

"By analyzing the genome of spotted skunks, we've been able to learn that their evolution and splitting into different species was driven by climate change during the Ice Age," says Ferguson. "The different lineages we found might help us find different conservation angles for protecting them in the future."

Explore further Ice Age climate change played a bigger role in skunk genetics than geological barriers

More information: Phylogenomic systematics of the spotted skunks (Carnivora, Mephitidae, Spilogale): Additional species diversity and Pleistocene climate change as a major driver of diversification, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2021. Journal information: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution Phylogenomic systematics of the spotted skunks (Carnivora, Mephitidae, Spilogale): Additional species diversity and Pleistocene climate change as a major driver of diversification,, 2021.
Tea plantation owners warn a crop failure would cause huge unemployment.

Sri Lanka's drive to become the world's first 100 percent organic food producer threatens its prized tea industry and has triggered fears of a wider crop disaster that could deal a further blow to the beleaguered economy.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa banned chemical fertilisers this year to set off his organic race but tea plantation owners are predicting crops could fail as soon as October, with cinnamon, pepper and staples such as rice also facing trouble.

Master tea maker Herman Gunaratne, one of 46 experts picked by Rajapaksa to guide the organic revolution, fears the worst.

"The ban has drawn the tea industry into complete disarray," Gunaratne said at his plantation in Ahangama, in rolling hills 160 kilometres (100 miles) south of Colombo.

"The consequences for the country are unimaginable."

The 76-year-old, who grows one of the world's most expensive teas, fears that Sri Lanka's average annual crop of 300 million kilogrammes (660 million pounds) will be slashed by half unless the government changes course.

Sri Lanka is in the grip of a pandemic-induced economic crisis, with gross domestic product contracting more than three percent last year, and the government's hopes of a return to growth have been hit by a new coronavirus wave.

Fertiliser and pesticides are among a host of key importsincluding vehicles and spare partsthe government has halted as it battles foreign currency shortages.

Food security 'compromised'

But tea is Sri Lanka's biggest single export, bringing in more than $1.25 billion a yearaccounting for about 10 percent of the country's export income.

Master tea maker Herman Gunaratne warned Sri Lanka's annual tea crop could be slashed by half unless the government rethinks its approach.

Rajapaksa came to power in 2019 promising subsidised foreign fertiliser but did a U-turn arguing that agro chemicals were poisoning people.

Gunaratne, whose Virgin White tea sells for $2,000 a kilo, was removed last month from Rajapaksa's Task Force for a Green Socio-Economy after disagreeing with the president.

He says the country's Ceylon tea has some of the lowest chemical content of any tea and poses no threat.

The tea crop hit a record 160 million kilos in the first half of 2021 thanks to good weather and old fertiliser stocks but the harvest started falling in July.

Sanath Gurunada, who manages organic and classic tea plantations in Ratnapura, southeast of Colombo, said that if the ban continues "the crop will start to crash by October and we will see exports seriously affected by November or December".

He told AFP his plantation maintained an organic section for tourism, but it was not viable. Organic tea costs 10 times more to produce and the market is limited, Gurunada added.

W.A. Wijewardena, a former central bank deputy governor and economic analyst, called the organic project "a dream with unimaginable social, political and economic costs".

He said Sri Lanka's food security had been "compromised" and that without foreign currency it is "worsening day by day".

Jobs at stake

Experts say the problem for rice is also acute while vegetable growers are staging near daily protests over reduced harvests and pest-affected crops.

Tea is Sri Lanka's biggest export and brings in about $1.25 billion a year.

"If we go completely organic, we will lose 50 percent of the crop, (but) we are not going to get 50 percent higher prices," Gunaratne said.

Tea plantation owners say that on top of the loss of earnings, a crop failure would cause huge unemployment as tea leaves are still picked by hand.

"With the collapse of tea, the jobs of three million people will be in jeopardy," the Tea Factory Owners Association said in a statement.

Plantations minister Ramesh Pathirana said the government hoped to provide organic compost in place of chemical fertilisers.

"Our government is committed to providing something good for the tea industry, fertiliser-wise," he told AFP.

Farmers say Sri Lanka's exports of cinnamon and pepper will also be affected by the organic drive.

Sri Lanka supplies 85 percent of the global market for Ceylon Cinnamon, one of the two leading types of the spice, according to United Nations figures.

Still, Rajapaksa remains confident in his course, telling a recent UN summit that he was confident that his organic initiative will ensure "greater food security and nutrition" for Sri Lankans.

He has called on other countries to follow Sri Lanka's move with the "bold steps required to sustainably transform the world food system".

Explore further Sri Lanka locks down as COVID deaths surge, hospitals overflow

 2021 AFP
Credit: Shutterstock

Odds are, if you've seen a cat prowling around your neighborhood, it doesn't have an owner. Australia is home to hordes of unowned cats, with an estimated 700,000 living without appropriate care in urban areas, around rubbish dumps or on farms.

Unowned cats are sometimes called "stray" or "semi-feral": they, or their parents, were once owned by humans but are now abandoned or lost. Unowned stray cats rely heavily on human settlements for food and shelter and breed freely. Feral cats, on the other hand, live in the wild and can survive without relying on people for food.

Like their feral counterparts, unowned cats are a public health threat, they can fight with or transmit diseases to pet cats, and they kill native wildlife. And, of course, they themselves suffer poor welfare. In fact, our recent studies show unowned cats have significantly shorter lives than pet cats, with less than half surviving their first year.

It's vital we find effective ways to reduce their numbersbut what's the best way to go about this?

Street cats have hard, short lives

Free-roaming cats have hard lives on the streets. Even when they're owned by someone, things can come to a sticky end.

Numerous international studies report high death rates for roaming pet cats, with causes including road accidents and accidental poisoning. They're also frequently injured or killed by domestic dogs.

Even Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's cat Paddles, the "first cat" of New Zealand, was killed by a car in 2017.

Unowned cats encounter the same issues and more, but without an owner to provide immediate veterinary attention. So it's no surprise free-roaming unowned cats have low life expectancy.

We analyzed the demographics of free-roaming unowned cats in Perth, Western Australia. The 145 unowned cats we studied had significantly shorter lives than the 899 pet cats in Perth. The median age of unowned cats was just eight to ten months. By contrast, the median age for pet cats was about five years.

The unowned cats in our study looked healthy, were reproductive, and had few external parasites. However, these animals were the ones that had survived long enough to be trapped and studied. Cats often hide when traumatized or ill, and so sick cats will often just "disappear".

Alarmingly, 58% of the cats we examined had consumed dangerous refuse, including sharp, dangerous items or indigestible material that blocked their gastrointestinal tracts. Nearly all (95%) carried substantial loads of transmissible helminth parasites.

Across Australia's states and territories, there are two main approaches local governments use to manage unowned cat populations in urban and regional areas: trap and euthanase or trap and adopt.

Another approach is to trap, desex and return cats to their point of capture (called "trap-neuter-return"). Although this is currently being undertaken by private individuals and groups in capital cities and some towns, it is considered illegal across most jurisdictions in Australia, as it is construed as abandonment or releasing an invasive species.

1. Euthanasia

In most parts of the country, where problems with unowned cats have been reported, they are trapped and removed. This normally means euthanasia.

For example, in Brisbane, a council program that ran since 2013 efficiently reduced the numbers of unowned cats with euthanasia, with complaints about stray cats falling from about 140 to just ten per year, over five years.

But high rates of euthanasia for unowned cats can be problematic for many people, especially for veterinarians undertaking the task. It can be traumatic and challenging to euthanise healthy cats just because they are unwanted.

2. Trap-neuter-return programs

Some believe desexing cats and returning them to street life, with supplementary feeding, is a solution to large numbers of unwanted cats, because it avoids euthanasia.

But overseas studies have shown trap-neuter-return programs encourage abandonment of unwanted cats at feeding stations. Numbers of cats can actually go up, despite best efforts.

And what is the quality of life for returned cats? Given the difficult, short lives of free-roaming cats, trap-neuter-return programs are arguably a less ethical choice with poor welfare outcomes for the cats themselves. There have even been calls in Japan to revise trap-neuter-return policies on account of poor health and well-being of the cats.

Returning neutered animals to where they were found may also violate state laws. Enforcing these laws is critical to reduce unowned cat populations, improve the welfare of cats, and discourage dumping of unwanted pets.

Desexing cats is an important way to curb the numbers of unowned cats on the streets. But cats shouldnt be returned to where they were found. Credit: Shutterstock

3. Adopt a cat

In May, the ACT government released an ambitious and targeted ten-year plan with the vision that, by 2031, "all cats in the ACT will be owned, wanted and cared for by responsible owners." It is an exemplar of what the community can do to improve the lives of cats, and we believe it should be modeled elsewhere in Australia.

The plan has been developed to raise best practice standards, recognizing the duty of care needed to ensure the health and well-being of cats.

This starts with responsible owners. It calls for improved compliance with compulsory desexing and registration. To encourage people to comply, the ACT government will be implementing free or low-cost desexing and free microchipping. Compulsory containment for new cats acquired after July 1, 2022 is also on the cards.

The plan provides a strategy to trap roaming cats, with improvements in how pet cats can be identified and returned to their owners, while unowned neighborhood cats will be put up for adoption.

So what do we do about it?

Well, we know two tasks are critical: removing unowned cats from the streets, and reducing unwanted breeding and abandonment of cats.

Trap-neuter-return programs can do more harm than good because cats still live a hard life on the streets and may lead to some people feeling comfortable abandoning unwanted cats at the release sites. And while euthanasia has been shown to be effective, it can be a difficult choice.

Instead, Australia must boost efforts to socialize and adopt unowned cats, and enforce laws that stop owned cats free-roaming the streets. This will require enormous effort with community education, but it is a compassionate choice addressing all problems caused by free-roaming cats (both owned and unowned).

If you're inspired to give a cat a "furrever" home, contact your nearest cat welfare organization or local council. And if you already have a pet cat, it's important to keep it on your property all day, every daynot only to protect native wildlife, but to protect the cats themselves.

Explore further Cats prefer to get free meals rather than work for them

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A team, including Lancaster University academics, have taken the first crucial steps to stamp out the worldwide atrocities of witchcraft, including ritual killings, with the successful acceptance of a United Nations Resolution.

Passed without a vote, the Resolution, which has been several years in the making, was tabled this month at the UN Human Rights Council by Kenya, with the support of the Africa group, composed of 54 Member States from the African continent.

Witchcraft-related beliefs and practices have resulted in serious violations of human rights including beatings, banishment, cutting of body parts, and amputation of limbs, torture and murder.

Women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities including people with albinism, a genetic disorder that impairs the ability to create pigment in the body, are particularly vulnerable.

Professor Charlotte Baker, of Lancaster University, who has published widely on albinism in Africa together with UN Independent Expert on Albinism Ikponwosa Ero, international human rights barrister Kirsty Brimelow and Lancaster University honorary graduate and human rights advocate Gary Foxcroft have worked tirelessly, as part of a wider team, to ensure the extent of the shocking issue was heard at UN level.

The Resolution, in calling for the elimination of these harmful practices, affirms that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security and upholds the fundamental principles of equality, non-discrimination and human dignity that underpin human rights.

There are thousands of cases of people accused of witchcraft each year globally, often with fatal consequences, and others are mutilated and killed for witchcraft-related rituals.

In the last decade, more than 700 attacks on people with albinism have been reported in 28 countries.

Trade in body parts of people with albinism is big business in certain African countries with a "going rate" of $75,000 for a full set of body parts.

Professor Baker and the team first brought their work to the attention of the UN in September 2017 when they organized a Witchcraft and Human Rights Expert Meeting at UN headquarters in Geneva.

The workshop, which was cited specifically in the recent successful Resolution address, examined for the first time the large-scale human rights issue that had, by and large, slipped under the radar of governments, NGOs and academics.

The following year the team organized a powerfully moving and shocking photographic exhibition, funded by Lancaster University, at the Palais des Nations at UN headquarters in Geneva to coincide with the UN Human Rights Council meeting.

The exhibition, which subsequently traveled internationally, featured poignant images captured by four internationally-renowned human rights photographers.

In January 2019 the team organized an international conference on Witchcraft and Human Rights at Lancaster University to further highlight the grave human rights abuses taking place around the world due to beliefs in witchcraft.

The conference looked at witchcraft and human rights past, present and future, and in particular discussed the thorny question of terminology.

In numerous countries, witchcraft-related beliefs, which can lead to some of the most challenging human rights issues of the 21st century, have resulted in serious violations of human rights including, beatings, banishment, the cutting of body parts, amputation of limbs, being set on fire, torture and murder.

Women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, including people with albinism, are particularly vulnerable.

Despite the seriousness of these human rights abuses, there is often no robust state-led response and, often, judicial systems do not act to prevent, investigate or prosecute human rights abuses linked to beliefs in witchcraft.

The ground-breaking move to bring this Resolution to the UN brings together, for the first time, witchcraft and human rights in a systematic and in-depth manner at the UN and international level.

The Resolution marks an important step in the continued collaboration of UN Experts, members of civil society and academics to tackle the violence associated with such beliefs and practices for groups that are particularly vulnerable.

Professor Baker said, "The extent of the threat to people vulnerable to harmful practices related to the manifestation of certain witchcraft-related beliefs means that we must act now to tackle this issue. Our collaborative approach means that we can work across sectors and at different levels to achieve positive, integrated and lasting change. The UN Resolution is a fundamental milestone in this process."

Ikponwosa Ero added, "The resolution carefully balances protecting the human rights of those accused of witchcraft and victims of ritual attacks, while also protecting traditional healers, along with the religious, indigenous and cultural beliefs and practices that do not amount to harmful practices as defined by UN bodies.

"Resolutions are not magic bullets, but this one is a key turning point for all of us working to ensure human rights protection in this complex sphere of spiritual beliefs and practices. The resolution will also spur the work to combat the horrendous violence which characterize these types of harmful practices and which, for too long, have destroyed and taken too many lives."

Gary Foxcroft said, "The UN Special Resolution is an important step in helping to stop the often horrific human rights abuses that take place due to beliefs in witchcraft around the world. We needed as many governments as possible to support this Resolution and believe that our work inspired the action needed to do so. Much more remains to be done following this Resolution. However, we are moving forward in the right direction and there is hope that more abuses can be prevented."

Explore further Bringing the shocking issue of witchcraft under the UN spotlight
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Watercoolers have become a staple in homes, offices and schools, but their tanks and parts are made of materials that could release unwanted or potentially harmful compounds into drinking water. In a preliminary study, researchers in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology Letters report that organophosphate esters (OPEs) were found in water dispensed from these systems, but they estimated that daily consumption would be far below the levels associated with health problems.

As drinking water from freestanding dispensers has become wildly popular, some concern has been raised about the quality of the water coming out of these systems. For example, OPEs have been found in various types of drinking water, including tap, well and bottled water, in some locations in the U.S., South Korea and China. These compounds are used widely worldwide, replacing harmful brominated flame retardants and as additives in plastics, and now researchers are finding that OPEs are also associated with poor health outcomes. Because these substances are applied to materials or used as additives, which are not strongly bonded to plastic polymers, they can easily contaminate dust or leach into water. So, Yali Shi, Guangshui Na and colleagues wanted to see if water dispensers could contribute to OPE exposure, estimating the amount someone would consume on a daily basis if they only drank water from these types of systems.

The researchers collected water from 53 water dispensers in office buildings in China, both from the storage tanks and dispensed through room temperature and hot water taps. They analyzed the samples for 22 OPEs and detected eight of them in the majority of samples, with tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) being the most abundant. The water dispensed from the hot and room temperature taps had higher amounts of these compounds than water held in the tanks. Upon closer inspection, the researchers found that the plastic dispenser and the tubing contained these compounds, and the tubing could accumulate OPEs from the air. Finally, the team calculated that if people drank water dispensed solely from these systems, their total daily exposure to TCIPPa potential carcinogen and endocrine disruptorwas far less than is considered to cause harm to humans. The researchers say that while their study was small, it identifies a need for future research to examine whether silicone is the most suitable tubing material for watercoolers.

Explore further Pet tags link widely used flame retardant to hyperthyroidism in cats

More information: Increased Human Exposure to Organophosphate Esters via Ingestion of Drinking Water from Water Dispensers: Sources, Influencing Factors, and Exposure Assessment, Environmental Science & Technology Letters (2021). Journal information: Environmental Science & Technology Letters Increased Human Exposure to Organophosphate Esters via Ingestion of Drinking Water from Water Dispensers: Sources, Influencing Factors, and Exposure Assessment,(2021). DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00592
People wade through a waterlogged street in Faridabad, India.

More than three million people have been affected by the annual monsoon deluge as torrential rains pummel eastern India, officials said Wednesday, with villagers fleeing to higher ground and wildlife sanctuaries underwater.

Monsoons are crucial to replenishing water supplies after the scorching summer season but also cause widespread death and destruction across South Asia each year.

The storms have been worsened by climate change, experts say.

India's poorest state Bihar and wildlife-rich Assam have been hit by incessant rains for a week, with swollen rivers bursting their banks and stranding thousands of people in villages.

In Assam, water levels for the Brahmaputraa mighty transborder Himalayan river systemhave risen above their "danger levels", a water resource department official told AFP.

Villager Amshar Ali said locals were struggling with basic needs.

"We are in great suffering. It is difficult to get food, drinking water and other essential items," Ali told AFP.

"Many villagers do not have their own boats, so people are suffering."

Farmer Liyakat Ali said he had to move his livestock to a friend's property after his house was submerged.

"The floodwaters have risen to above four to five feet (1.2-1.5 metres) in the last two days," he told AFP.

A man rides a bicycle along a street during heavy rain in New Delhi.

Up to 80 percent of the Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuaryboth along the Brahmaputra and home to rare one-horned rhinoceroseswere underwater, officials said.

"All the wild animals are taking shelter on higher lands in the sanctuary," Pobitora ranger Nayanjyoti Das told AFP.

Assam officials said at least 11 animalsincluding two swamp deer, eight hog deer and one capped langurhave been killed in the floods.

"We have been surviving on dry food grains as our kitchen is in chest-deep water," villager Prem Yadav told AFP from his rooftop, where he and his family have been sleeping since Saturday in Bihar's Gopalganj district.

The homes of villagers in other low-lying areas were also inundated with floodwaters, forcing them to take shelter at nearby embankments and roads.

More than 3.2 million people in over 2,200 villages in 17 districts in Bihar have been impacted by the rising waters since last week, authorities said.

A driver checks his vehicle after it got stuck in water in Faridabad.

Some 215,000 people were evacuated from their homes.

Since the start of the monsoon season in June, some 43 people have died in Bihar, according to official data.

The India Meteorological Department said the heavy downpours could continue in the two states until Thursday.

Explore further More than a million hit by India monsoon floods

 2021 AFP
While not included in SB 658, some businesses mitigation efforts such as mask and vaccine requirements have been under fire," Clarke said. Our stance is that in order to promote a healthy environment, a business should be able to develop rules that keep their employees safe without interference from state government.

The U.S. Department of Education on Monday announced an investigation into Oklahoma and four other Republican-led states  Iowa, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah  that banned or limited mask requirements in schools. The department said the policies could amount to discrimination against students with disabilities or health conditions.

Other states previously outlawed mask mandates, but the policies were overturned by courts or are not being enforced, including in Florida, Texas, Arkansas and Arizona.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 2,538 new virus cases on Wednesday and a seven-day daily average of 2,796 new cases, which was up from an average of 2,187 during the seven-day period that ended Aug. 16. The department reported that 441 people were in intensive care units, which was more than double the 216 on Aug. 2.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  Thirteen South Jersey residents who were recently hired by Global Crossing Airlines, aka GlobalX, to serve as its first cadre of Atlantic City-based flight attendants completed their four-week training program in Miami and returned to Atlantic City International Airport on Monday.

The first three weeks of employee orientation and training took place at the National Aviation Research and Technology Park near Atlantic City International, where GlobalXs northeast charter operations will begin in October. The 11 women and two men were selected from more than 100 applicants. Eleven are residents of Atlantic County, one is from Ocean County and one is from Cumberland County, according to the company.

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The flight attendant positions attracted a lot of interest and are another example of our efforts to bring new businesses to Atlantic County and create new, high-paying jobs, Atlantic County Economic Alliance President Lauren H. Moore Jr. said in a news release. We have established a strong relationship with GlobalX and look forward to additional opportunities to partner.
Ailey has always known bits and pieces of the family history, mainly thanks to her beloved Uncle Root, whos actually her great-great-uncle and whose real name is Dr. Jason Freeman Hargrace. Hes a professor of history at Routledge College, a fictional historically Black school near Chicasetta where Ailey will begin her academic career.

Inspired by Uncle Root and by one of his pupils turned professor, Dr. Belinda Olufunke Oludara, who maybe conspire to give her a push, Ailey becomes a historian herself, delving into research that reveals secrets and surprises in her familys past.

Jeffers writes unflinchingly about her Black characters experiences, from the endless horrors of slavery to the microaggressions of 21st century graduate seminars. She also, generation by generation, dismantles the notion that there has ever been any clear dividing line between the races in America.

Thats underlined by the colorism of many of Jeffers characters  the obsession with gradations of skin color that runs in a line from slave traders to sorority sisters, all of them concerned with the range from dark dark to those who, like Uncle Root and Aileys father, can easily pass as white.
11:30 p.m. - A State of Emergency has been issued by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

Tropical Storm Ida is severely impacting all areas of our state, said Governor Murphy. The safety of our residents is our main priority, and we urge everyone to be informed of local weather conditions and to stay off the roads.

8.41 inches of rain has fallen so far in Hillsborough, Somerset County, 6.44 inches of rain has fallen so far in Jersey City, Hudson County. Newark has broken the all-time single day rainfall record in its 90-year history.

The National Weather Service will go out Thursday to inspect tornado damage in Mullica Hill and elsewhere. This could be a historic tornado.

10:05 p.m. - The tornado watch is cancelled for South Jersey. The flash flood watch still remains, though. Just on schedule, the steady rain has moved into the region. Expect rain for a few more hours. Between 2 and 4 a.m., the rain will exit off the coast.

Overall, southeastern New Jersey was the least impacted corner of the state. We missed the tornado and tornado warnings that gripped the New Jersey Turnpike corridor. We dodged the 4 to 8 inches of fell that fell in the northern half of the state, where water rescues are taking place.
But again, 80% is not where we need to go. We still need to reach out to those that are on the fence," Newsom said Tuesday at a vaccine site in Oakland. I encourage everybody that hasn't been vaccinated to avail themselves to these lifesaving vaccines that are not only effective, but are truly the answer to how we get this pandemic once and for all behind us.

Of all the people tested for the coronavirus in California, about 4.6% test positive for the virus  among the lowest rates in the country. That rate has fallen from 7.1% just a few weeks ago, Newsom said, and is likely a byproduct of more people being vaccinated. While it is possible for vaccinated people to still get the virus, data has shown those cases are rare and mild.

Despite California's progress with vaccines, a surge of new cases from a more contagious version of the virus is straining resources in smaller, more rural counties. In Mendocino County, home to less than 100,000 people along the Pacific Coast north of the San Francisco Bay Area, close to 10% of everyone tested for the virus is positive.
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Testing should never be conducted without consent of a parent or guardian, she said.

On Aug. 23, Murphy announced a requirement that all school and state employees be vaccinated by Oct. 18 or undergo at least weekly testing. At the time, he said further information would become available on funding for such testing.

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Murphy said the state doesnt know how far the $267 million will go, but it will find other money to pay for districts testing needs, he said.

As of Wednesday, Murphy said 5.6 million eligible people have been fully vaccinated in New Jersey, and more than 80% of those who are eligible, or more than 6 million people, have received their first dose of vaccine.

COVID-19 case numbers are beginning to plateau, Persichilli said, and the rate of transmission is coming down slowly. As of Wednesday it was 1.08, meaning everyone who gets the disease passes it along to on average 1.08 other people.

The positivity rate was 6.9% statewide, but in the southern part of the state it was higher at 8.84%, Persichilli said.

There are 1,065 people with COVID-19 in hospitals, and of those 211 are in intensive care and 108 ICU patients are on ventilators, she said.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. called on Facebook, which owns Instagram, and other tech companies to crack down on vaccine card fraudsters, saying in a statement the stakes are too high to tackle fake vaccination cards with whack-a-mole prosecutions.

A message seeking comment was left with a spokesperson for Facebook.

According to prosecutors, Clifford, a self-described online entrepreneur, started hawking forged Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination cards through her AntiVaxMomma Instagram account in May.

A New York state police investigator who became aware of the scam a few weeks later tested it by contacting Clifford to order a fake card and to be added to the state vaccine database, prosecutors said.

In July, the investigator said in court papers, he received a package containing a CDC COVID-19 vaccination card marked with the name and date of birth he provided and a cellphone screenshot showing that the information he provided had also been added to the state database.
One of the most disturbing aspects of Thursdays terrorist atrocity at Kabuls airport is the reaction it failed to arouse. This act of stunning depravity should have reminded Americans that what they have in common as civilized people is much more important than what divides them. Theres little sign it did.

The anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is approaching, and one thinks back to the way people dealt with it. The idea that Americans and their friends around the world should come together to confront evil commanded overwhelming support. The actions that sprang from this conviction were sometimes ill-advised and, in the case of Iraq, disastrous; purpose forged in such circumstances isnt necessarily wise. Still, the sense of standing together was a vital part of the spiritual recovery from a crushing blow. As a Briton living in London at the time, I vividly remember being caught up in it, and consoled by it.
The cost in American military lives has been about 2,500 while we spent something around $2.2 trillion. What you found in Washington was largely thumb-twiddling.

You cant say Biden twiddled his thumbs, however. He announced we were getting out and that he had been advised this would be pretty much safe and sound - which is the opposite of what his advisers actually said, according to press reports. He has blamed inhumane mishaps on President Donald Trumps evacuation deal, which is as bogus as saying he improved Trumps southern border program.

Responding to the virtual invitation, the Taliban did not wait for the Sept. 11 evacuation date, but said here we come. The terrorists quickly took over practically the whole country while thousands trembled and hid or fled, or tried to flee, as in grabbing the outside of an American passenger plane and falling to their deaths.

The Afghan military  supported by $82 billion from the United States  was very, very strong, Biden had said, strong to the tune of barely showing up, it turned out. The government crumbled and the Taliban replacement is making promises it is already breaking. The United States is obligated to save endangered Afghans and American citizens, of course, and make sure Afghan women escape horrible abuses. The Taliban nods its head yes about the women, but has already acted differently.
Frustrated by failure to fix border crisis

This letter comes from a concerned and frustrated service-connected veteran who cant understand why we are reminded every day a number of times about the crisis that exists on the southern border. We are yet to see or hear of any activity to correct or eliminate same.

I may be naive at times but it seems as though the citizens are threatened for not supporting President Biden in his personal conflict with former President Donald Trump. Trump may be a little rough around the edges but he had a way of getting things done in a positive way, such as control at the border.

Trump has visited the border a number of times and unless Im mistaken, only Vice President Harris has been there and only once. I do believe the border concerns are federal and the president has the obligation and responsibility to maybe visit it once before COVID and drugs become a true nightmare with those who are crashing the border every day.

Biden should be ashamed since all we ever hear about are the trillion-dollar spending schemes by the Democratic Party as they create new voters while the border crisis continues.
WRESTLEMANIA GOING TO TWO NIGHTS IN DALLAS?

Several readers sent word that Fightful.com is reporting that next year's Wrestlemania 38 will be split among two nights yet again, making it the third year in a row that WWE undertakes that endeavor, if current plans hold steady.

There was something of an unofficial foreshadowing of this during Wrestlemania 37 when a promo for the event featuring Steve Austin failed to list the official date for the show after WWE initially announced Sunday 4/3/22. That would make Mania on Saturday 4/2 and 4/3 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas (well, Arlington, TX but WWE will officially state Dallas.)

When WWE ran Wrestlemania 32 at the stadium in 2012, they drew an announced attendance of 101,763. If they would match that number, or even come close two nights in a row, the company could easily trumpet the most attended Wrestlemania weekend in company history.

Wrestlemania 36 did back to back taped nights at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. This year's Wrestlemania 37 featured back to back nights in Tampa, Florida, the company's return to live crowds following the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WWE has not yet returned a request for comment.

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LINDA MCMAHON GETS NEW GIG

The following press release was issued today:

FPI ANNOUNCES CHAIR OF THE CENTER FOR THE AMERICAN WORKER

Today, America First Policy Institute (AFPI) announced that Linda McMahon, Chair of the Board for AFPI, will also serve as AFPIs Chairman of the Center for the American Worker.

There is no stronger advocate or voice for the American worker and their employers than Linda McMahonan entrepreneur who helped grow a two-person small business to a worldwide, publicly traded corporation that employs hundreds. While serving as the 25th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, she advocated on behalf of the 30 million small businesses in Americathe backbone of our Nations economy," said AFPI President/CEO Brooke Rollins. "I am excited for Linda to carry out AFPIs mission putting the American worker FIRST."

The American worker is the heart of our country, said Linda McMahon. AFPIs Center for the American Worker will reignite the focus on the dignity of work. We have to make sure that the workers, the innovators, and the entrepreneurs who bring these businesses to life have the tools and skills that they need for their workforce.

The complete bio for The Honorable Linda McMahon can be found below.

An executive summary of the Center for the American Worker flagship paper can be found here.

The paper in its entirety can be found here.

The center video can be found here.

For interview inquiries please email press@americafirstpolicy.com

THE HONORABLE LINDA MCMAHON, Chair of the Board and Chairman of the Center for the American Worker

Linda McMahon is originally from New Bern, North Carolina, and serves as Chair of the Board for the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) and Chairman of the Center for the American Worker. McMahon served in President Donald J. Trumps Cabinet as Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA). Under McMahons leadership at SBA, she re-imagined the organization, focusing on rural development and championing women entrepreneurs and military veterans. She oversaw natural disaster recovery efforts and helped improve the way the SBA connected small businesses to capital, counseling, and government contracts. After her service in the Trump Administration, she served as Chair of the America First Action SuperPAC, and America First Policy, LLC. Prior to her career in public service, McMahon was the President and later CEO of WWE, INC., which she and her husband, Vince, grew from a small regional corporation to a multinational Public Company.

If you want something done, give it to a busy woman to do it.  Lucille Ball

***

Thanks to Taylor Millard.

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SPRINGFIELD  Should government temper its justice with mercy?

Ive been pondering that question for at least three decades, ever since I was a young reporter and heard a Texas prosecutor stand before a jury and say, "These arent halls of mercy; these are halls of justice!"

Justice is rendered when people receive their due, according to the law.

Mercy is a disposition to be kind and forgiving  even if the person has done nothing to deserve it.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation allowing terminally ill or incapacitated inmates to be released early from prison, after their case is assessed by the Illinois Prisoner Review Board.

Its a measure that can be best described as merciful. Illinois is the 49th state to enact such legislation, leaving only Iowa without such a provision in its statutes.

"Unfortunately, so many of these people lose their lives, locked away behind bars without being able to spend their last moments with their family," state Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, told me Monday. "And so many of those folks, especially the people who have been very sick, or are permanently disabled are people who don't pose any kind of public safety risk to their community."
SPRINGFIELD  Democrats in the General Assembly pushed through a new set of legislative maps during a one-day special session Tuesday, although the process they used sparked the ire of Republicans and voting-rights advocates alike.

If accepted by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, as they are expected to be, the new maps would replace those adopted in May, which were passed without the benefit of official 2020 U.S. Census data. But they will also have to pass muster with a federal court, where two lawsuits are pending, and possibly the Illinois Supreme Court.

The plan adopted Tuesday night was actually the third draft of a redistricting plan that had been introduced in the span of less than 48 hours. The first was formally released Monday afternoon and was the subject of a contentious public hearing that night. A second, amended version was introduced Tuesday morning, barely one hour before the start of a hearing in the House Redistricting Committee, and that plan was changed slightly again just before the House came into session to debate the package.
Democrats, who controlled the process, passed the map ahead of a June 30 constitutional deadline. If they hadn't, the process would have been turned over to a bipartisan commission. If the commission doesn't agree, it essentially comes down to a coin flip which party controls redistricting.

But, there were some significant deviations between the estimates used and the actual 2020 census data, some large enough that it would violate the principle of one-man, one-vote and perhaps be outside of the law.

"The General Assembly passed the plan using the best data available to us," said state Rep. Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero. "And that plan was signed into law and became effective on June 4. We are back to fulfill our promise to review the data and make adjustments as needed."

All Republicans voted against the maps, calling the process a "farce" and a "sham" among other colorful expressions.

"There's simply no words to describe the sham for which this process has been," said state Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington. "And the most shameful part of it is watching the many friends that I have on the other side of the aisle who know it. There's not a person that's been involved in this process who hasn't seen it to be exactly what it is."
Khalid Payenda, Afghanistan's former acting finance minister, on Wednesday detailed a country existing in a dangerously fragile state.

Speaking at Georgetown University in Washington, Payenda said the Afghan currency had yet to crash because money exchanges had been shuttered. But its value could plunge by more than 100%, said Payenda, who described former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani as withdrawn and paranoid ahead of the Taliban takeover.

I think the war had a toll on his psyche and he saw everything with suspicion, Payenda said.

Part of the chaos reflects the speed at which the Taliban took control of the country, with Payenda saying he thought the prior government could have been sustained for two or three more years because of commitments by international donors.

I did not expect it to be this quickly, Payenda said. Nobody actually did.

Mohammad Sharif, a shopkeeper in the capital of Kabul, said shops and markets there have supplies, but a major concern is rising food prices.

If the situation continues like this and there is no government to control the prices, that will cause so many problems for local people, he said.
The U.S. decision to withdraw combat troops from Afghanistan, announced by Barack Obama in 2014, formalized by Donald Trump in 2019 and implemented by Joe Biden in 2021, has provoked a howl of anguish among political, security and media establishments across the Atlantic.

Max Boot of the Council on Foreign Relations summed up a broad swath of opinion among foreign policy elites by denouncing Biden as calamitously, tragically, wrong. Tony Blair termed the U.S. decision imbecilic, claiming that the Western troops sent to Afghanistan in late 2001 when he was prime minister of the United Kingdom should stay on to protect their gains.

Never mind that poverty and violence have ravaged Afghanistan at a steadily escalating rate for the last decade despite infusions of Western cash and troops  a situation so intolerable for the ruled, and so untenable for the rulers, that Islamic State found a stronghold and the Taliban were able to take over the entire country rapidly and seemingly effortlessly.

Indeed, the criticism of a long-inevitable U.S. retreat, as deluded as it is ferocious, suggests that the real threat to Western security and credibility comes not from what happens in the Pashtun countryside, or from any regrouping of al-Qaida, but from what has passed for thinking in much of the Beltway.
If the court attacks Roe or  worse  overturns the historic ruling, the legality of abortion would be left up to individual states, and Iowa lawmakers are pushing to change our state constitution so that they can then eliminate abortion in our state. The strongest protection for our right to safe and legal abortion at the state level is when this right is enshrined in the Iowa Constitution. Anti-abortion politicians know this. They know that they have to eliminate our protections at the state level to enact their extreme ideology.

These politicians intentions are clear. In the past four years, anti-abortion politicians in Iowa have passed multiple abortion bans, including a six-week abortion ban, and legislation requiring medically unnecessary, forced waiting periods for abortion. Thankfully, Iowa courts have halted some of the unlawful restrictions passed by politicians, and abortion is still available in Iowa today. But the proposed anti-abortion amendment to the Iowa Constitution would pave the way for abortion restrictions that could no longer be effectively challenged in court. If the amendment is adopted, it cannot be overturned by the courts. The only way it could be reversed is through another constitutional amendment.
Catholic Extension recently announced its list of 2021 Lumen Christi Award nominees, and among them is Chadron State College Newman House Director Amy Graham.

Graham was born and raised in Valentine, and studied music and education at CSC. She initially pursued a career teaching music, but returned to where her heart was, back at her alma mater, determined to make a positive impact and serve at CSCs Newman Center. She has been the director of the Newman Center ministry for several years now and is currently working on her masters degree in counseling.

In her directors role, she serves the Catholic students by offering a ministry of hospitality and accompanying the students in their walk with Christ. The Newman Center, working with St. Patricks Catholic Church, offers regular opportunities for the sacraments, Bible studies, retreats and meals. The center is open nearly every day to host students who drop in for coffee or prayer time, and to provide a house where the students can gather to enjoy fellowship, study groups and mentoring.

I cherish seeing the students come as freshmen and, what seems quite quickly, leave as seniors, having been able to walk with them as they grow spiritually, said Graham. I love that we provide a safe place for them to explore their faith and have a home away from home.
Medical marijuana dispensaries, cultivation, manufacturing and testing facilities would each need a license from the city that could cost $5,000.

The council will consider the ordinance that sets the fee amount along with the number of dispensaries and dispensary requirements at its Wednesday working session and Monday night council meeting.

The fee is something that can go up or down based on what were noticing, Assistant City Attorney Carla Cushman said. Its impossible to know what things will cost before we do them, and thats what medical cannabis is. Weve never done this.

For the first year, businesses would pay the $5,000, which is broken down to $1,500 for the nonrefundable application fee and $3,500 for the license itself. Licenses would need to be renewed each year with a $5,000 renewal fee.

Cushman said theres going to be some city costs to screen the applications, which could include a background check.

She said city staff will keep track of costs for the licensing and the cost that medical cannabis has for the community, which could lead to a fee change.
Before the crash last year, Ravnsborg had accumulated eight traffic tickets over seven years, including six speeding tickets in different counties. However, he was not in danger of losing his drivers license.

The attorney general's chief of staff, Tim Bormann, declined to comment on the ticket, saying it was a personal matter for Ravnsborg. Mike Deaver, who has been acting as Ravnsborg's spokesman, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Prosecutors said Ravnsborg was on his phone roughly one minute before last year's crash, but phone records showed it was locked at the moment of impact. Ravnsborg told investigators that the last thing he remembered before the crash was turning off the radio and looking down at his speedometer.

Gov. Kristi Noem has renewed pressure to force the attorney general from office, even as he has repeatedly defended his job performance. After the trial concluded last week, she said she would hand over the crash investigation file to the House speaker to consider impeachment charges.
Representative Goodwin, please call for a special session to discuss Covid-19 vaccine mandates. All of us in the Legislature, 70 in the House and 35 in the Senate, are receiving many, many of these types of emails.

We are citizen legislators, meaning we only meet for 40 days or less starting the 2nd Tuesday in January. The next Legislative Session is from Tuesday, January 11, 2022, through March 10, 2022. We will have a 38-day session. Veto Day, reserved for consideration of gubernatorial vetoes, is set for March 28, 2022. During Session, we usually have a 4-day week and then 3 days for travel home to visit with constituents. In western South Dakota we have cracker barrels to give us a chance to gather and answer questions from our constituents.

Where am I going with this? It is very difficult to call a Special Session. Why? Because all 105 of us are citizen legislators, meaning that the legislature is not our full-time job. We have careers, family, and a personal life just like everyone else does. It is kind of cool that we meet for 10 weeks in Pierre and then return home to live with our friends and neighbors, living with the laws we passed.

There is an old saying, Youre safe now, as the Legislature is not in session! There is some truth to that, meaning we cant raise taxes or implement more fees if were not in Pierre.
I attended at least three county commission meetings, two school board meetings, and Rapid City council meetings. Two of the county commission meetings were in Meade County as the issue negatively affects New Underwood residents and they have a good reason to be concerned. I also participated in both the Buffalo Gap and Gold Discovery Days Parades. I love seeing all of the people and getting a chance to visit with constituents. Rapid City hosted the Midwest Legislative Conference July 11th through the 14th. I had never been to this conference before and didnt care for the agenda that was being promoted as I sat and listened. The answers to the questions I asked werent acceptable either. To much to go into for this article. If anyone would like to know more you can always call me. I know there were even more things I attended in July but I cant remembermy husband always tells me to write in down but then I think why do I need to do that? I can remember right? Oops!
I agree with your demand for choice in education. Finally, with the help of the Covid 19 crisis people are coming to the conclusion  yes finally  that school choice is a good idea.

Maybe school choice and having the money follow the child to the school of the parents choosing is an unintended consequence of this bad situation.

Please keep demanding school choice and it may become a reality.

Janette McIntyre, Rapid City

Trust the doctors

Who has taken over most of the Rapid City School Board and district?! What alternate facts have made them so illogical? We are still in the middle of a public health crisis, thanks to all the anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers out there. This is not the time to let down our guard! If we want to get back to normal, we just can't wish it into existence. We have to do what the medical experts (not quacks) have recommended. Christians, compare Christ's sacrifice to a couple nearly painless shots in the arm and mask over the face when around groups to protect yourself and others.

I'm a 1967 graduate of RCHS. I cannot fathom the school board and majority of district back then responding to a pandemic the way ours have.
The Sapphire Early Learning Center is licensed, meeting national accreditation standards for early childhood.

Were hiring lead teachers, support staff and an assistant director, Merchant said. All will be trained, and we are looking to hire 12-15 people. Were still looking for people, everyone is. Well give them training but are also looking for folks with experience. We have some folks who are part of the Bitterroot community and some who are moving into the area.

Employees are needed as the facility has the capacity for 75 children, but currently only has educators to serve 24 and a waiting list of 45. Merchant said her research in 2019 in Montana showed that there are not enough daycares in the state.

In the Bitterroot, if every child wanted to go to daycare only one-third of them would get to because that is all the space we have, she said. Its the same throughout the state.

Merchant said the positive and high-volume response to their opening shows it is valuable for women to work, if they choose, and for their children to receive quality care.
Northam had previously called for the board to revisit the rules, proposing that businesses in compliance with CDC standards should be considered compliant with the state rules.

Some business organizations such as the Virginia chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business and the Virginia Retail Federation had pushed for a full repeal of the rules.

We have found that the CDC recommendations is what employers have been following, said Nicole Riley, Virginia state director of the NFIB. They are more comfortable with that, and that is what they know. The awareness is much higher on what CDC guidelines are than another state regulation.

The changes, she said, will help businesses because if they are following CDC [recommendations], then there is a really good chance that they are compliant with the [state] permanent standard.

The change to the rules doesnt necessarily mean that masks are no longer needed to be worn in workplaces, because the CDC has recommended that even fully vaccinated people continue to wear a masks in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission of the virus.
Dixie Lewis overdosed three times in one week before she entered a rehabilitation program.

She thrived in a recovery program with the McShin Foundation for more than a year before her younger sister, Savannah Sprecher, died of an overdose in April 2020.

I was the one who always overdosed. I always thought it was going to be me  not her, Lewis said Tuesday night at a vigil in observance of International Overdose Awareness Day. As bad as I didnt want to do this today, Im grateful because I have a voice for my sister and other people who have passed away due to the disease of addiction.

Sprecher was one of the 2,308 people in Virginia who died of an overdose last year, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health.

In an interview after the vigil at the McShin campus in Henrico County, Lewis, 27, said she and her sister often squabbled as siblings do, yet they shared a close bond. She said they both enjoyed alternative rock bands like Nirvana and watching makeup and beauty routine videos on YouTube. They would try to avoid spending too much time together to give each other space but had a standing weekly sushi date, she said.
The largest school system in the Richmond area, Chesterfield was the first to return to school. Hanover County welcomes students back Tuesday, followed by Richmond and Henrico County on Sept. 8.

State lawmakers adopted a new law earlier this year requiring all school districts to provide five days of in-person learning. Under the law, schools are not allowed to close unless there is a severe outbreak of the virus.

Temporary school closures, according to joint guidance from the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Education, should only be necessary if COVID-19 cases or outbreaks need to be brought under control within a school.

A high level of COVID-19 impact to a school setting is when several outbreaks happen in a short period of time and when the size of the outbreaks is large or scope of outbreaks is significant, including impacting several classrooms or grade levels, according to VDH.
Why in the hell would I do a political stunt like that? she asked in an interview. The public needs to know the truth about why our police officers are leaving.

While advocating for a restructuring of the citys pay scale for police and firefighters earlier this year, members of the Richmond Coalition of Police said there has been high turnover in the past year, as more than 70 officers have left the force.

A spokesman for the Police Department did not respond to questions Tuesday.

Open government laws afford the public a right to participate in meetings attended by a majority of a council body. Both Trammell and Robertson sit on the councils Public Safety Standing Committee. Saunders said it is common for the mayor and administration officials to meet privately with one or two council members, which does not trigger a meeting notice required under state law.

Megan Rhyne, a government transparency expert with the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, said two-on-two meetings are fairly common in most local governments. She said that the provision was written to allow elected officials to discuss government business and potential votes, but that it can be abused in some cases.
Several school boards around the state have faced vocal  and sometimes misleading  opposition to mask requirements.

Even so, 54% of Indianas public school students were under classroom mask requirements as of Wednesday and at least 60 schools have switched to virtual learning for at least one week because of high numbers of students and staff in quarantine or isolation since the start of the school year, according to the Indiana School Boards Association.

Holcomb said those who have avoided vaccinations need to get the shots.

That is having an adverse effect on others, not just potentially yourself, but others and our economy and our kids education, Holcomb said. So, I would just ask to think beyond yourself.

The governors new executive order, which runs through the end of September, reinstates the states work search requirements for those receiving welfare benefits and the one-week waiting period before the payment of unemployment benefits begins.
Spokeswomen for both agencies on Tuesday declined to discuss the status of the investigation or answer questions about who would make a determination on any criminal charges.

Because your request involves an elected official, state police is not able to comment, police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said by email.

Fariss told the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Tuesday that there were complaints about the fundraiser the next day. He said an outdoors group wanted to hold the fundraiser for him, and he allowed it without realizing there could be a problem.

Everybody has these fundraisers and they raffle stuff. I didnt even think about it at all, he said. The day after the fundraiser, he said, he returned the money to the group because of the controversy. The money raised  $3,285  was donated to Kids Outdoor Zone, an outdoor ministry for boys, he said.

Fariss said he met with state police this spring or summer and told them what happened. I havent heard any more from them, he said.
Expanding the pilot program could help on both fronts. That said, there are ways the reforms could be improved that should be considered when any expansion happens.

About half of Virginias state regulations are not subject to the formal administrative rules process, leading some agencies to claim they didnt have to create rule inventories at all. Loopholes that give agencies wide leeway to avoid oversight should be closed, and better clarity should be provided about which agencies are included in the program and which are not.

Virginias pilot program went about as well as one could expect, given the ongoing pandemic. For whichever candidate ends up winning the governors race, a priority should be keeping the state at the head of the pack when it comes to making sure regulations are smart, efficient and up to date. That means taking reforms to the next level.
Afghan withdrawal puts



hindsight into odd focus



Editor, Times-Dispatch:

The withdrawal from Afghanistan has created such a fury of finger-pointing that somebody is bound to lose an eye.

In 2020, former President Donald Trump bragged about his deal with the Taliban that established a 2021 withdrawal date and resulted in the release of 5,000 imprisoned Taliban members. The deal was fashioned without involvement of the Afghan government, and it made for great theater.

Now the former leader and right-wing pundits are criticizing President Joe Biden with a barrage of should-haves, could-haves and would-haves. If only they still had been in charge, they say, the withdrawal would have been seamless and perfect.

The next major hypocrisy on the horizon involves an expected sea of Afghan refugees. How terrible to see them packed in transport airplanes, crushing crowds desperately trying to flee for their lives. But what will the critics say when the refugees start coming to our country?
Corporate welfare and



a different take on taxes



Editor, Times-Dispatch:

In an Aug. 25 Letter to the Editor, Michele Limoges Motsko stated that "the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act gave the most recent infusion of funds supporting corporate welfare." She also wrote that "no fewer than 55 publicly traded companies paid nothing in federal corporate income tax" and that "all 55 companies are 100% dependent on tax-funded federal programs."

The first statement is misleading; the second statement is either false or misleading. There may be 55 companies that paid no tax and are 100% dependent on federal funds, but tens of thousands of companies fall into one of the other of those buckets.

Tax deductions and credits allow taxpayers to keep more of the money they made. Corporate welfare comes from politicians doling out favors to specific companies, industries or just corporations in general. I'm against corporate welfare, but I'm also against corporate income tax. Corporations don't pay taxes. Their customers do.
Theres still some uncertainty about how quickly the cold front and tropical moisture will clear out of central and eastern Virginia on Thursday. It could be a pleasant day, or a little unsettled in the morning. But high pressure promises to bring some cooler, drier, fittingly September-like conditions as we head into Labor Day weekend.

***

Flooding and storm risk will vary across Virginia

Meanwhile, that steadier side of the storm could deposit 3 to 5 inches somewhere north of a Staunton-to-Washington line, with some isolated heavier amounts in the high terrain.

Those amounts could lead to numerous flash floods on creeks in that region, and eventually some significant river flooding in the Potomac basin and points north.

Barring a major shift in the track, that heaviest rain will not fall in the region that flows into the James River. The expected runoff would surely cause river levels to creep up in Richmond later this week, but computer models show narrow chances of even minor flooding at the Westham gauge as of Monday afternoon.
On Thursday, there will be a flood preparedness town hall at Tidewater Community College in Portsmouth.

We want to reach out to the community to make them understand that their involvement is critical to this flooding master plan that the state is planning, Godfrey said, adding that a quarter of the plans funding is designated for low-income communities

Sheri Shannon, co-founder with Amy Wentz of the environmental organization Southside ReLeaf in Richmond, reached out to friends in New Orleans after Ida hit, to see how they were doing.

Theyre nervous, theyre anxious and, theyre just like, Were scared. We dont know whats going to happen. For the folks who were able to evacuate, which in itself is a privilege, they are just uncertain of what theyre going to go home to, Shannon said.

And then you see and hear the cries of desperation, people who are begging to be rescued because they could not evacuate for whatever reason, and they are trapped in their attics and trapped on their rooftops, and we are reliving that trauma from Katrina, again. And it doesnt have to be that way.
In mid-August, they went so far as to release a statement calling on members to get the vaccine, which they described as safe and effective.

Among other denominations in the U.S., faith leaders have varied widely in how they address the issues of vaccinations and mask wearing. To a large extent, there has been vocal support for getting vaccinated  including from top leadership of conservative bodies such as the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

However, some Catholic prelates and evangelical pastors have been sharply critical of the the vaccine campaign and masking mandates, and others have shied away from addressing those issues for fear of angering some congregation members.

An August AP-NORC poll found that among white evangelicals, 51% are at least somewhat confident in the vaccines to be effective against variants, compared with 73% of Catholics, 66% of white mainline Protestants such as Presbyterians and Lutherans, 65% of nonwhite Protestants and 67% of the religiously unaffiliated.

Some Latter-day Saints have accused those who promote anti-vaccine rhetoric of apostasy, a term that is associated with wickedness and describes when individuals turn away from church principles.
Mims, a conservative Republican, recalled the day that Lowe, a liberal Democrat, handed him the coffee filter: He said, Here is your justice filter. You must pass every decision, every vote through that justice filter. Our politics may not have been on parallel tracks. But how one does justice  he not only taught me, he inspired me.

Justice was an issue Lowe apparently pondered, though he may not have recognized it as such, as a small boy in Greenville, South Carolina, the son of old-style Southern Democrats for whom segregation was an article of faith.

In a 2020 op-ed piece for the Richmond Times-Dispatch  Lowe was a member of the newspapers first Community Advisory Board, concluding a two-year term last month  he said he was about 4 years old when he began puzzling over the Souths rigid racial divide.
With the final U.S. military flight out of Afghanistan on Monday, our countrys longest war concluded. Theres no good way to end a war, especially when you dont win in the sense of achieving your broader objectives. It is even more true when 13 more U.S. service members lost their lives to an Islamic State-Khorasan suicide bomber in the waning days, as the mission had transformed into a massive airlift of Afghans who had supported our cause for the past 20 years.

Whether our departure from Afghanistan was a necessary, if tragic, conclusion to a long-flawed war or a bungled mess made worse by poor presidential leadership, will be up to historians in the long run, and, in the short term, voters in 2022 and 2024, to decide.

Today, though, we want to remember those with ties to Western Virginia who paid the ultimate price in service to our country in Afghanistan, among the 2,461 U.S. military deaths in the war.

I started this list in 2003, as the United States launched into its second ground war in less than two years. It began as a reference for our news reporters, but over the years Ive kept it updated as a way to remember those who gave all in service to our country (there are more than 40 names on a similar list from the Iraq war).
FLORENCE, S.C.  Florence will mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 at a Saturday morning gathering in the Florence Veterans Park at the 9/11 memorial.

There have been some informal ceremonies at the monument in the years since 2011 when the 10th anniversary of the attacks was commemorated with the unveiling of the monument, but nothing organized, said U.S. Army Col. (RET) Barry Wingard. He is chairman of the Veterans Park Committee.

It just seems appropriate we ought to remember the 20th anniversary, especially with the other events going on in Afghanistan, Wingard said.

Since organizers at the park started the ball rolling its gained traction, Wingard said.

Florence Fire Chief Shannon Tanner is heading up the ceremony and US Air Force Col. (RET) Wayne Jackson will serve as the events master of ceremonies while the Veterans Honor Guard will be on hand for a 21-gun salute and taps.

Barry Jones, who was in the Pentagon when it was attacked, will be the guest speaker, Wingard said.

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Darlington Countys National Guard unit will attend with some of its vehicles which will likely join fire trucks and police cars from other agencies.
FLORENCE, S.C.  A local religious organization partnered with the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce to offer an information session on aid programs made available through the federal COVID-19 relief bills.

The Kingdom Living Temples community development nonprofit, New Alpha, and the small business chamber held a news conference Tuesday morning to announce the workshop organized by Coronavirus Relief SC and managed by DESA Inc. that was help Tuesday evening.

Camille Shaw, project director of Coronavirus Relief SC, spoke at the news conference about the need to help minority businesses work to survive through the pandemic and the government-mandated shutdowns initiated to slow the spread of the virus.

Shaw said that each ethnic group considered to be a minority suffered a decline in business ownership over the past 18 months.

She said that African American business ownership decreased by more than 40%, Hispanic business ownership decreased by 32% and Asian business ownership decreased by 26%.

Shaw said the the Paycheck Protection Program provided a valuable lifeline to keep businesses afloat but added that only 2% of African American-owned businesses received the loans.
Bill Roberts, said he had planned to leave South Lake Tahoe with everyone else but decided to postpone his trip because he was tired and his back hurt. He then delayed it again when his cat ran off.

Depending what the wind does, I might become a little more mildly concerned today. But Im hoping at some point I just nab that cat and be out of here like a shot, he said.

Some locals stayed because they felt they had nowhere else to go, even though officials opened emergency shelters on both sides of the California-Nevada state line.

David Duet, a South Lake Tahoe resident who is homeless, camps in a meadow with half a dozen friends and said they dont really have anywhere else to go." He dismissed the idea of fleeing to nearby Carson City, saying his group didn't know anyone in the Nevada capital, and declined a ride a stranger offered him Monday.

Duet said he and his friends are checking the internet and radio for updates on the fire and plan to ride bicycles out or catch a ride from someone if it gets really bad.
 "Donald Trumps Theatre of Pardoning: What Did We Learn?" | Main | "States of emergency: The failure of prison system responses to COVID-19" 

September 1, 2021

Might SCOTUS be interested in taking up victim rights issues surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein case?

I find it somewhat surprising that the US Supreme Court has not yet ever taken up any cases dealing with the Crime Victims' Rights Act (CVRA), the 2004 legislation which significantly expanded the statutory rights of federal crime victims and creates duties on federal courts to ensure these rights are respected. But, as highlighted by this new Politico article, headlined "Jeffrey Epstein accuser asks Supreme Court to uphold victims' rights," a high-profile case now provides them with a remarkable new opportunity to take up CVRA issues. Here are the basics:

A woman who accused Jeffrey Epstein of sexually abusing her beginning when she was 14 is asking the Supreme Court to rule that federal prosecutors violated her rights by failing to consult her before cutting what critics have dubbed a sweetheart deal with the since-deceased financier and philanthropist. The so-called nonprosecution agreement precluded U.S. authorities in south Florida from bringing federal charges against Epstein, despite similar allegations from dozens of women, if Epstein pleaded guilty to two state felonies related to soliciting a minor for sex. Lawyers for Courtney Wild are asking the justices to overturn an appeals court ruling from June that held that Wild could not use a civil suit to enforce her rights under the Crime Victims Rights Act, a law Congress passed in 2004 to guarantee victims of crime certain protections in the federal criminal justice system. The 7-4 ruling from the full bench of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals called the governments actions in the case shameful, but concluded that while the statute gives victims rights to jump into federal criminal proceedings, it doesnt allow them to sue when no such case was ever filed. The en banc decision leaves the Government free to negotiate secret, pre-indictment non-prosecution agreements without informing crime victims, attorneys Paul Cassell, Brad Edwards and Jay Howell wrote in the high court filing.

Over at The Volokh Conspiracy, Paul Cassell yesterday had this lengthy post about his new cert petition under this full headline: "Was it Lawful for the Justice Department to Reach a Secret Non-Prosecution Agreement with Jeffrey Epstein Without Telling His Victims?: My cert petition to the U.S. Supreme Court asks it review the Eleventh Circuit en banc's decision concluding that Epstein's victims cannot enforce their right to confer with prosecutors under the Crime Victims' Rights Act because the Department never formally filed charges against Epstein." Here is how his post gets started (with links from the original):

Today I filed a cert petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to review whether crime victims can enforce their rights under the Crime Victims' Rights Act (CVRA) before prosecutors file charges. The petition, filed by one of the nation's leading crime victims' attorneys, Bradley J. Edwards, and me on behalf of one of Epstein's victims  Courtney Wild  seeks review of a 7-4 en banc decision from the Eleventh Circuit. The Circuit held that the CVRA is only triggered when prosecutors file federal charges. Before then, according to the Eleventh Circuit, prosecutors are free to conceal from victims any deal that they may strike with the target of a federal investigation  as they did in the Epstein case. This issue has sweeping implications for the proper enforcement of the CVRA, and we hope that the Court grants Ms. Wild's petition to review this very important legal question.

September 1, 2021 at 09:38 AM | Permalink

Comments

Even though Cassell is obnoxious as a person, I am sympathetic on this particular legal issue. And I say that as someone who usually dislikes these "victims' rights" initiatives because they prejudice defendants and undercut due process. But here specifically, I don't see a huge problem with the consultation right being sought.

Probably SCOTUS won't grant cert, but it would exciting if they do, especially in this climate. You have the Cosby decision, which implicates at least some related issues, if not the exact same ones. It's also interesting to think about the 1/6 insurrection and the victims of that. Given the nature of the crime, are the victims the entire U.S. public?

But even if SCOTUS does take the case, I don't really see enough votes to reverse CA11. As I understand it, DOJ has been fighting this across administrations of both parties and I think the desire to protect DOJ prerogatives is strong among SCOTUS Justices too. Plus, a ruling for DOJ here doesn't require approving of what Epstein did either, or even taking any position on his actions whatsoever. But, who knows really.

Posted by: kotodama | Sep 1, 2021 10:49:11 AM

I don't see the Court touching this case. Maybe if he were still alive but even that's a stretch.

Mostly, what relief would it give these particular women to say that the government should have consulted them before entering the NPA? Cases generally require redressability and I just don't see that being present here, a favorable ruling simply wouldn't give these particular petitioners anything they don't already have.

Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Sep 1, 2021 11:56:07 AM

Post a comment
The Taliban on Wednesday called on fighters in the holdout bastion of the Panjshir Valley to lay down their arms, as the resistance movement said it had repulsed heavy attacks.

The rugged mountain valley with towering snow-capped peaks -- which begins around 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of the capital Kabul -- is the centre of Afghanistan's most important pocket of armed anti-Taliban forces.

The National Resistance Front (NRF), comprising anti-Taliban militia fighters and former Afghan security forces, have vowed to defend the enclave as the Islamist group sends fighters to encircle the area.

"My brothers, we tried our best to solve the Panjshir problem with talks and negotiations... but unfortunately all in vain," senior Taliban official Amir Khan Muttaqi said, in an audio message to the people of the Panjshir posted on Twitter.

"Now that the talks have failed and Mujahiddin (Taliban) have surrounded Panjshir, there are still people inside that don't want the problems to be solved peacefully," he added.

"Now it is up to you to talk to them," the Taliban message to the Panjshir people said. "Those who want to fight, tell them it is enough."

Bismillah Mohammadi, Afghanistan's defence minister before the government fell last month, said the Taliban had launched a renewed assault on Panjshir on Tuesday night.

"Last night the Taliban terrorists attacked Panjshir, but were defeated," Mohammadi tweeted Wednesday, claiming 34 Taliban were killed and 65 wounded.

"Our people should not worry. They retreated with heavy casualties."

Residents and fighters in Panjshir, many of whom fought the Taliban when they were last in power from 1996 to 2001, offered a defiant message.

"We are ready to defend it till the last drop of our blood," said one resident.

"Everyone has a weapon on their shoulder and ready to fire," another said. "From the youngest to the oldest, they all talk about resistance."

Story continues

- 'Try their luck' -

As the last US soldiers boarded their flight out of Afghanistan in the Kabul dark late Monday, residents of Panjshir said the Taliban had attacked the valley on two fronts -- the Khawak pass in the west, and from Shotol to the south.

"Perhaps they wanted to try their luck," NRF official Fahim Dashti said in a video posted Tuesday by the US broadcaster Voice of America's Dari language service. "By the grace of God, luck wasn't on their side."

Dashti reported seven or eight Taliban fighters were killed in Monday's clashes along with one or two resistance fighters.

The Panjshir has immense symbolic value in Afghanistan as the area that has resisted occupation by invaders.

"We defended it during the era of the Russians, the era of the British, the previous era of the Taliban... we will continue to defend it," one fighter said.

Ahmad Massoud, one of the NRF's leaders, is the son of the late guerrilla commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, who was dubbed the "Lion of Panjshir" for holding out, first against Soviet and then Taliban forces.

The valley has limited entry points and its geography offers a natural military advantage -- defending units can use high positions to effectively target attacking forces.

- Anticipating assault -

This week, Panjshir fighters held military training in a show of force, with men carrying heavy logs on their shoulders crossing chest-deep icy rivers.

Above their armoured vehicles and over their bases fluttered their flag, a challenge to the Taliban's white banner now hauled up across the rest of the country.

Many Afghans are terrified of a repeat of the Taliban's initial rule from 1996 to 2001, which was infamous for their treatment of girls and women, as well as a brutal justice system.

The NRF has set up machine gun nests, mortars and surveillance posts fortified with sandbags in anticipation of a Taliban assault.

Communications are difficult with the valley, with Taliban forces on three sides. Internet into Panjshir has been on and off repeatedly in recent days.

burs-pjm/fox/axn
Representative image

Kabul [Afghanistan], September 1 (ANI): A few hours after the last US troop left Kabul, Al Qaeda's senior leadership released a congratulatory statement on Tuesday on the occasion of the "Taliban's victory" in the war-ravaged country.

Al Qaeda's leaders said it "soothed" their hearts to hear verses from the Quran recited in the "Presidential Palace" in Kabul, reported FDD's Long War Journal, an American news website.

"We praise the Almighty, the Ominpotent, who humiliated and defeated America, the head of disbelief," the statement reads. "We praise Him for breaking America's back, tarnishing its global reputation and expelling it, disgraced and humiliated, from the Islamic land of Afghanistan," the statement added.

The Taliban on Tuesday declared victory over the US from the tarmac of Kabul airport after the last American troop left Afghanistan. Standing on the airport runway, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told a small crowd that "This victory belongs to us all".

He was joined by heavily armed fighters from the Taliban's Badri 313 special forces brigade, kitted out in camouflage uniforms and desert boots, reported CNN. Mujahid congratulated the Taliban fighters lined up, and indeed "the whole of the nation".

Videos showed Taliban fighters filling the night air with gunfire and walking through the airport. As the sun rose on Tuesday, footage showed the Taliban making their way through an abandoned hanger strewn with equipment the US left behind.

According to a recent UN monitoring report, a significant part of the leadership of Al-Qaida resides in the Afghanistan and Pakistan border region, alongside Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent. Large numbers of Al-Qaida fighters and other foreign extremist elements aligned with the Taliban are located in various parts of Afghanistan.

As per the UN report, ties between the two groups remain close, relationships forged through common struggle and intermarriage. Al-Qaida and like-minded militants continue to celebrate developments in Afghanistan as a victory for the Taliban's cause and thus for global radicalism, the report added. (ANI)
Sit-in protest at Ziarat in Balochistan. (ANI)

Balochistan [Pakistan], September 1 (ANI): Balochistan on Tuesday demanded the withdrawal of Frontier Corps and armed forces from the district after three levies personnel were killed in a roadside explosion.

In a sit-in in Ziarat, Balochistan for the past five days with three bodies of levies personnel who were killed by a roadside bomb blast

"5th day of Sit-In in Ziarat along with 3dead bodies of Levies personnel who were killed by a roadside bomb. Even people had to protest for state personnel killed. The state had exonerated itself from its basic responsibilities. No apathy. #StopSiegeOfZiarat #RemoveFCFromZiarat," tweeted Manzoor Pashteen, founder and head of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), an anti-war movement, struggling for peace and human rights in the Pashtun belt.

These hashtags #RemoveFCFromZiarat, #StopSiegeOfZiarat were trending on social media regarding the incident.

Three Levies personnel were killed and as many injured when their vehicle hit a landmine in Balochistan's Ziarat district on Thursday, reported Dawn.

The explosion occurred when the Levies vehicle ran over a landmine near Mangi Dam, provincial government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said.

Security sources said four labourers working at Mangi Dam were kidnapped by unidentified armed suspects. The Levies party was travelling to the area to get the workers released when it hit the landmine, reported Dawn.

The Balochistan Levies is a force in charge of maintaining law and order in the tribal areas of the province while the Frontier Corps is a paramilitary force of Pakistan that is currently stationed in the provinces of Balochistan. (ANI)
Representative image

Islamabad [Pakistan], September 1 (ANI): Pakistan has been a key player in removing the Afghanistan government from power and establishing a group to a decisive position in Afghanistan with its dark nexus of terrorist groups in the region for over two decades.

Recently, #santionPakistan became a noticeable movement on social media across the world as Afghans criticized Islamabad for its proxy war in Afghanistan. There's a lot of sympathy for Afghans all across the world and it also accepts that Islamabad-sponsored violence has affected innocent citizens in the region, France's Inside Over reported.

Afghans -- who have been suffering from the return of a Sunni-Wahhabi Pakistan-sponsored Taliban government -- demand Pakistan be a designated terrorist state.

While the silence of the western countries -- who have been chanting rhetoric over human rights and democratic values -- has been the most surprising aspect of the Afghanistan crisis.

Islamabad was not criticised when the Taliban governing council is formally referred to as the Quetta shura, after the city in Pakistan where it has operated for the past 20 years, reported Inside Over.

While New Delhi has been continuously demanding the world to act against a terrorist organisation like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohamed operating out of Pakistani territory.

The Taliban's two-decades-old dreams to grab power, its recent aggressive advance against the government and the Kabul blasts all have a Pakistani element in them irrespective of whichever terrorist group claims credit.

All these organizations have worked as the Pakistan establishment especially its intel wing's proxies. The Inter-Services Intelligence has been using these groups to fuel the insurgency and carry out a terrorist attack in countries at differing points in an attempt to promote its agenda.

Even Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has said that the Taliban's members, who fought with Afghanistan's government forces, received treatment in Pakistani hospitals and their families were sheltered in Pakistan.

Story continues

The ISI and the Taliban have deep ties with each other along with the close links in shura councils. Islamabad has been aiding the Taliban from providing logistical supports to giving safe heavens to them.

The Taliban are trained, directed and controlled by Pakistan. Islamabad has been attempting to legitmise the Taliban as Afghanistan's political representative whether it's about the Doha agreement's signing with the US in 2020 or the recent meeting between the Taliban leaders and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Islamabad has been making serious efforts to legitimise the Taliban assuming it won't be sanctioned for harboring a group that can cause turmoil in the country.

The humanitarian crisis is looming around Afghanistan and it could be stopped from going beyond the national boundaries if the US, UN, or Security Council member get to know the Taliban's violent ideology and its connection with Islamabad.

The Taliban and Pakistan both were exposed and were put under restrictions for their links with Al-Qaeda and the IS.

According to the Inside over, a recent report of the UN monitoring team has accused the Taliban of having a close connection with Al-Qaeda, active in the Pakistan border regions, and highlights its links to the Pakistan-based terrorist Haqqani network. Furthermore, the report also records extended ties of the Taliban with some 8,000-10,000 foreign terrorists. All these units, created by Pakistan as proxies, whether it is the IS (KP), the Taliban, the Haqqani network, the LeT are related to each other with the Al- Qaeda remaining their uniting intermediary. (ANI)
Tokyo Paralympics: M'sia lodges counter-protest against Ziyad's disqualification

Malaysia has lodged a counter-protest with the technical delegate at the Tokyo Paralympics Games after the national shot put athlete Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli was disqualified over a technicality despite throwing a record-breaking distance.

Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the two other countries involved - Australia and Ecuador - have also lodged counter-protests with the technical delegate over this matter.

The protest from Ukraine is still accepted. The counter-protest from three countries, Malaysia, Ecuador and Australia, will be brought to the chef-de-mission (CDM) meeting tomorrow morning.

We will continue to defend! I ask the people of Malaysia to pray for us, Faizal said in a posting on his Facebook today.

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He said all CCTV evidence in the call room and outside the call room was included in Malaysias protest.

This comes after Ukrainian athlete Maksym Koval filed a protest after the shot put event was over that Ziyad was one of three shot putters who were late to the call room before the event started.

Koval was then awarded the gold for the event instead.

Former youth and sports ministers Khairy Jamaluddin and Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman have both criticised the decision to disqualify Ziyad.

Khairy had described the decision as shameful and an absolute disgrace that goes against the spirit of the Paralympics.

If it was a call room violation, you should have not allowed them to compete in the first place. Mean-spirited and petty.

A stolen gold medal and world record, Khairy had said in a Twitter posting.

Similarly, Saddiq also said it was a disappointing decision and questioned why Ziyad was allowed to participate in the event if he truly committed the alleged call room violation.

This is unacceptable, he said in a posting on Twitter as well.
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Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Shang-Chi manages to straddle both contemporary and classic worlds. It has its own set of rules (those rings are actually more like bracelets) and creatures that havent even turned up with the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Remove the origins material and the high-kicking martial arts and this could easily be a light comedy. Awkwafina gets to accompany her friend to the battleground and, in quick order, learns how to shoot an arrow like an Olympian. Shes pressed into service when the enemies start invading and isnt afraid to dish out advice  to anyone.

Liu, though, is the real find. He has the charm of Chris Hemsworth, the snark of Robert Downey Jr. and the focus of Jeremy Renner.

He knows what he wants and isnt going to let others deter him, even if they were his mentors.

Shang-Chi goes heavy on visual effects and has a moment when its trying to tell too many back stories. But it lets Awkwafina help us sort things out before the rings start flying. Then, the fun begins.

Obviously, theres a sequel just waiting to unfold. How it does  and who Shang-Chi befriends  is part of the miracle of Marvel.

Just when you thought you were tired of superhero movies, something like this turns up and rings you in.

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SIOUX CITY -- A Bronson, Iowa, man accused of using homemade chloroform to abduct his ex-girlfriend will face federal charges in connection with the incident.

District Judge Patrick Tott on Monday dismissed charges of third-degree kidnapping, assault while participating in a felony and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse at the request of Assistant Woodbury County Attorney Jill Esteves.

In her motion to dismiss the charges, Esteves said the U.S. Attorney's Office planned to indict Smith in U.S. District Court in Sioux City. No indictment was found Wednesday in a search of online court records.

Zack Smith, 21, was arrested and charged with hiding in the South Sioux City woman's vehicle on June 3, displaying an Airsoft pistol to her and forcing her into his vehicle, where he blindfolded her, bound her with zip ties and duct tape, and rendered her unconscious with homemade chloroform.

The victim told investigators that she awakened alone in a shed at Smith's home in rural Bronson and was able to escape. She was found at a rural Woodbury County intersection by family members who were looking for her.
SPENCER, Iowa -- A Spencer man who staged the robbery of a Casey's store with his girlfriend has been placed on probation.

Jason Archer, 41, pleaded guilty in May in Clay County District Court to conspiracy to commit a felony. District Judge John Sandy on Tuesday deferred judgment on the charge and placed Archer on two years' probation. Archer also was ordered to pay a $1,025 civil penalty and $3,116 in restitution to Casey's jointly with Coty Wolthuis. Charges of second-degree theft and third-degree burglary were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Wolthuis and Archer were charged with taking the money from the store's safe on Feb. 14, 2020. Wolthuis drove Archer from the store at 800 S. Grand Ave. and then reported to police that she had been robbed at gunpoint.

Wolthuis admitted to police that a few days prior to the staged robbery, she had taken home approximately $2,000 from the store rather than depositing it in the bank. She told police she had planned to replace the money with her paycheck, but was unable to do so, leading her to plan the fake robbery with Archer to cover up the theft.
"I talked with him and his daughter and son, and they said do it, sign him on," Roeber said.

Swagerty's daughter, Betty Wood, of Mapleton, Iowa, said her father initially agreed to it, but became a little hesitant.

"I kind of twisted his arm about it. I thought it was absolutely awesome, an honor," said Wood, who accompanied her father Wednesday.

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By the time he arrived at the airport, Swagerty was all in, about what you'd expect from someone who enlisted in the Army at age 18. Swagerty was a member of the 35th Division and landed in France in June 1944.

"I missed D-Day by about a week, which is probably a good thing," Swagerty said.

He may have missed the invasion, but saw his share of combat once on the European mainland. He fought across France and at the Battle of the Bulge, the major German counter attack in Belgium, in December 1944 and January 1945.

"That was cold," he said.

From there, he entered Germany, advancing to the Elbe River by war's end.

After his discharge, he returned to Wakefield, where he worked as a welder, farmer and truck driver.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. called on Facebook, which owns Instagram, and other tech companies to crack down on vaccine card fraudsters, saying in a statement "the stakes are too high to tackle fake vaccination cards with whack-a-mole prosecutions.

Facebook said that it prohibits anyone from buying or selling COVID-19 vaccine cards and that it removed Cliffords account in early August for breaking its rules.

We will review any other accounts that might be doing the same thing, the company said in a written statement. "We appreciate the DAs work on this matter and will remove this content whenever we find it.

According to prosecutors, Clifford, a self-described online entrepreneur, started hawking forged Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination cards through her AntiVaxMomma Instagram account in May.

A New York state police investigator who became aware of the scam a few weeks later tested it by contacting Clifford to order a fake card and to be added to the state vaccine database, prosecutors said.
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP)  One of two British nationals charged with joining the Islamic State group and conspiring to torture and behead American and European hostages in Syria is scheduled to plead guilty to criminal charges.

Federal court records show a change of plea hearing has been scheduled for Thursday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, for Alexanda Amon Kotey.

Kotey is one of four Islamic State members who were dubbed the Beatles by their captives because of their British accents.

Kotey and another man, El Shafee Elsheikh, were brought to the U.S. last year to face charges.

Court documents do not indicate the specific charge or charges to which Kotey is expected to plead. The indictment charges them in connection with the deaths of four American hostages  journalist James Foley, journalist Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller  as well as European and Japanese nationals who also were held captive.

The Justice Department, in order to obtain their extradition, promised neither defendant would face a death sentence.

Nothing in the court records indicates that Elsheikh has reached a plea deal.
Benson spoke shortly after GOP Sen. Paul Gazelka, of East Gull Lake, announced that he's resigning as Senate majority leader, a step he had said he'd take if he was going to run for governor. Gazelka said in an interview that he's leaning toward running but will hold off on announcing his decision until sometime after the State Fair, where he's been talking with voters to learn what's on their minds. He said he'd been drafting his resignation letter for a few days, but gave Benson a head-up call Tuesday night after learning she was about to announce.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (AP)  A Massachusetts select board ruled that it does not have the authority or grounds to fire the police officer that kept a photo of Adolf Hitler in his locker for two decades.

In a statement, the chair of the board, Andrew S. Hogeland said that even if the board had the authority to fire Officer Craig Eichhammer, a 31-year veteran of the department, the termination might not hold because other town officials do not see strong enough grounds for firing, The Berkshire Eagle reported. Civil rights groups have called for Eichhammer's termination.

While the panel cannot fire Eichhammer, it said it found the photo highly offensive and the demands to fire the officer are valid.

Last month, groups like the Berkshire County branch of the NAACP and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law both condemned the officer's actions and called for his termination, the newspaper said.
DENVER (AP)  The federal government is launching an emergency roundup of more than 780 wild horses in a drought-stricken area of Colorado despite a last-minute appeal by Gov. Jared Polis to pause the operation so that what he called more humane options to control the size of the herd can be considered.

The Democratic governor urged Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on Tuesday to postpone the roundup, scheduled to begin Wednesday, for at least six months. Polis cited concern over the fate of captured horses and questioned the Bureau of Land Managements argument that the drought afflicting the U.S. West has dramatically reduced water and food to the extent that the survival of the 900-horse herd and other wildlife are in jeopardy.

There remain legitimate concerns about the fate of gathered horses, and I believe that better cooperation with the state and advocates could improve assurances about their long-term well-being and the avoidance of any potential slaughter, Polis wrote.

An Interior Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was unauthorized to speak publicly said the roundup in the barren, 250-square-mile (648-square-kilometer) Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area in northwestern Colorado will proceed as planned.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Oregon regulators said Wednesday they will not renew a permit needed by a crude oil storage company to operate portions of its facility in Northwest Portland.

That delivers a potentially fatal blow to some of Zenith Energys operations, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

The state Department of Environmental Quality said its decision to deny a new air quality permit followed a refusal by Portland city officials last week to grant the company a favorable land use ruling it needed to continue and potentially expand its operations at its terminal along the Willamette River.

Under state law, when a local government makes a negative compatibility determination, state agencies generally may not approve permits for the operation, the state environmental agency said.

The environmental agencys decision takes effect in 60 days, which could force Zenith to halt some operations at that time. The company is allowed to appeal the states decision and has appealed the citys ruling to the state land use board.
La Marque police had released Santos body camera footage a few weeks after the shooting. It did not show Feast holding a gun, though Santos could be heard after the shooting saying over police radio that Feast had dropped one on the ground.

The body camera footage was sent to the Texas Department of Public Safety and during a news conference on Tuesday, the enhanced and slowed down video was presented so that everyone can see what we saw during our investigation, said Galveston County Sheriffs Lt. Mel Villarreal.

Roady said after Feast was confronted by the officer, he pulled a gun from his waistband.

The video showed Feast had a handgun and as hes running, hes pointing it back at Officer Santos, Villarreal said. He said the video showed Feast dropping the gun before he collapsed at a nearby house.

Authorities said a second gun was found on Feasts body when he was being treated in an ambulance.

Feasts shooting prompted protests in La Marque, which is located about 40 miles (64.37 kilometers) southeast of Houston.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Rain from Tropical Depression Ida temporarily hampered cleanup efforts Tuesday for a rural Tennessee community ravaged by recent deadly flooding, but the extra dousing brought no new flooding, authorities said.

About 2.5 inches (6 centimeters) of rain fell overnight and showers were expected throughout the day, according to the Humphreys County Emergency Management Agency. The Tennessee National Guard was keeping an eye on water levels in creek beds and under bridges while police in Waverly, where the Aug. 21 floods caused the most damage, said they were on the lookout for any road flooding.

Cleanup and recovery efforts are expected to resume Wednesday, officials said. By Tuesday afternoon, a flash flood watch was dropped for the part of central Tennessee that includes Humphreys County, according to the National Weather Service.

Its rained all day, but no additional flooding, Grey Collier, a spokesperson for the local emergency agency, said late Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities are encouraging people to pick up tarps being distributed to area residents so they can cover their damaged homes and other property.
ST. LOUIS  In the rural northeastern corner of Missouri, Scotland County Hospital has been so low on staff that it sometimes had to turn away patients amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The national COVID staffing crunch means CEO Dr. Randy Tobler has hired more travel nurses to fill the gaps. And the prices are steep  what he called crazy rates of $200 an hour or more, which Tobler said his small rural hospital cannot afford.

A little over 60% of his staff is fully vaccinated. Even as COVID cases rise, though, a vaccine mandate is out of the question.

If that becomes our differential advantage, we probably wont have one until were forced to have one, Tobler said. Maybe thats the thing that will keep nurses here.

As of Thursday, about 39% of U.S. hospitals had announced vaccine mandates, said Colin Milligan, a spokesperson for the American Hospital Association. Across Missouri and the nation, hospitals are weighing more than patient and caregiver health in deciding whether to mandate COVID vaccines for staffers.
Until very recently, Biden's handling of the pandemic was seen as a solid strength. But the August edition of the AP-NORC poll found flashing warnings for the president. Approval of his COVID-19 response fell by 12 percentage points from July, down from 66% to 54%. It was the lowest COVID-19 approval rating for Biden, and the first time that his approval number on the pandemic was basically the same as his overall performance rating.

Among independents, there was a nearly 30 percentage point drop in approval.

Democratic pollster Geoff Garin, who tracks health care issues, says he sees no intent to divide in the Biden administration's "pandemic of the unvaccinated" rhetoric. "I think the very clear intention is to tell unvaccinated Americans that they are the ones that are at risk," he said.

But a mutating virus can outrun the smartest sound bites. "When you have a dynamic and fast-changing situation like this, it creates really significant challenges for communicators, who have to both maintain their credibility while staying ahead of the story," said Garin.

Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who collaborates with Garin's firm on some major polls, said, "Calling it a 'pandemic of the unvaccinated' is certainly not going to increase the compliance among the unvaccinated."
Admiring the strength it took his young victim to come forward, a Lincoln judge Tuesday sentenced a Crete man to 20 to 35 years in prison for sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl.

David Macias, 63, pleaded no contest to second-degree sexual assault and felony child abuse.

At sentencing, he turned to face the girl's parents and offered a lengthy, rambling apology, saying he hoped someday they could forgive him.

"I cry a lot for what I did. Not for being here. For the pain I caused you guys," he said.

Macias said he knew he deserved to be there.

On Sept. 27, 2020, the girl's father made a report to Lancaster County Sheriff's deputies after his daughter came forward about Macias touching her inappropriately that morning and once before.

Three days later, Macias admitted it in a phone call with the girl's father, and deputies arrested him, according to the affidavit for Macias' arrest.

In court, Deputy Lancaster County Public Defender Todd Molvar said Macias regrets what he did and intends to leave the state after he's served his sentence so that the girl and her family can feel safe that he won't be around.
Svejda never registered as a commodity pool operator.

Still, in phone calls and emails, he told potential participants that pooled funds would be traded in agricultural commodity futures contracts on an exchange like the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or elsewhere.

Instead, Svejda allegedly transferred the funds into personal bank accounts and business accounts for other entities he controlled and into a personal futures trading account in his name.

Chernigoff said Svejda used $784,650 in misappropriated funds to trade futures in his personal trading account, and to pay personal expenses and Centurions corporate expenses, such as payments to a website developer, and a social media and online reputation management company.

He said the conduct was done "willfully, or with reckless disregard for the truth."

Chernigoff said the Commodity Futures Trading Commission brought the action to stop Svejda and Centurion's "unlawful acts," to compel their compliance with the Commodity Exchange Act and to enjoin them from engaging in any commodity-related activities.

It also is seeking civil monetary penalties and full restitution to every person who sustained losses and asking a judge to ban Svejda or Centurion from trading.
A federal jury in Omaha on Tuesday found a Tekamah woman guilty of kidnapping her grandsons last year after a fight with her daughter, sparking an Amber Alert to go out for the boys, then 7 and 4.

Nora Gilda Guevara Tirana will face sentencing in December.

The same jury found her husband, Tanner Leichleiter, not guilty at their five-day trial.

In an affidavit for their arrests, FBI Special Agent Anthony Peterson said Guevara Tirana had been watching the boys while her daughter was visiting family in Grand Island.

When the daughter returned around noon on April 19, 2020, they got into an argument over her not showing Leichleiter respect, "and because of this, Leichleiter and Guevara Tirana did not think she was a 'good mother,'" the FBI agent said.

The woman told investigators things escalated and her mother destroyed her cellphone, smart watch and computer with a hammer, then forced her into a bedroom, held her there and told her Leichleiter was taking the children.

At about 5 a.m. the next day, she was able to get away when her mother fell asleep. She drove to a nearby gas station and called police to report the kidnapping.
VIENNA  An alleged argument over the COVID-19 vaccine led to a fatal shooting in Tunnel Hill over the weekend, authorities have confirmed.

Larry D. Cavitt, 68, of Goreville, was charged with murder Monday in Johnson County Court.

Cavitt, faces two counts of murder, both class M felonies, and aggravated battery with use of a firearm, a class X felony.

The charges stem from a shooting late Saturday evening in in the 6000 block of Dutchman Lake Road. Cavitt allegedly shot his half-brother Joseph E. Geyman, 51, of Tunnel Hill.

Johnson County Sheriff Pete Sopczak said the men, who lived next door to each other, argued over the COVID-19 vaccine. Cavitt allegedly took out a handgun and shot Geyman in the head. Sopczak said there was no physical altercation.

Geyman died from injuries sustained by gunfire.

"Joe Geyman was one of the greatest guys around," Sopczak said.

The sheriff said Geyman was a great family man, husband and father of four.

"What makes it so tragic is that is was so senseless. It just makes no sense," Sopczak said.

He added that Geyman was planning to retire in December.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa  He knew the question would come up as soon as he stepped foot in Iowa, and Marco Rubio was ready for it.

No, his swing through Iowa to do fundraisers  with the Republican Party of Iowa for his 2016 Iowa campaign manager, Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, and for 1st District Rep. Ashley Hinson  isnt about a future presidential campaign, but just his way of supporting his friends.

You don't come to Iowa and not know that people are going to speculate about it in that way, the Florida Republican said Wednesday after speaking to about 50 people at a Hinson fundraiser in Cedar Rapids. But frankly, we've got friends and made relationships here. It would be strange not to come back and be helpful to people after everything they did for me.

Rubio insists his focus is on re-election in 2022, not on 2024. He wants another term to work on his Florida priorities, including Everglades restoration, and for Republicans to be back in the majority in 2023 so he can once again chair the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Rubio, who finished third in 2016 Iowa GOP precinct caucuses behind Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, said its far too early to be thinking about 2024.
Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers has informed state senators that they need to complete this year's once-every-decade redistricting task within two weeks after they convene for a special legislative session Sept. 13.

"It is important to complete our work by Friday, Sept. 24, and I ask all of you to be available for late-night sessions when floor debate begins through that time so we can complete our work," Hilgers wrote in a message to senators.

The Legislature's redistricting committee, chaired by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, met at the Capitol on Monday to establish its operating procedures and will convene again Thursday.

The committee, composed of five Republicans and four Democrats, will present its recommendations for reshaping legislative and congressional districts, along with a number of other government units, to the Legislature when it convenes after first submitting those plans to public hearings in Lincoln, Omaha and Grand Island.

The redistricting process has been accelerated this year because of the long delay in completing the census as a result of pandemic restrictions.

This year's redistricting focus has centered on legislative districts as rural state senators prepare to battle to hold on to as many seats as possible.
Drake University Law School professor Sally Frank said Republicans have two obstacles to ending abortion in Iowa: the 2018 decision and Roe v Wade. And it would be highly unusual for the high court to overturn a ruling it made just three three years ago, she said.

I think if a Supreme Court decision is overturned very quickly after it's been reached and the only difference is a change in the composition of the court, then it makes the court look more political instead of more judicial, she said.

The court has not set a date for arguments in the appeal.

The 2018 decision was made by a more centrist court now dominated by Republican appointees. Four justices were appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has called on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade  the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide  and two who were appointed by her Republican predecessor, both of whom opposed the 2018 majority ruling in their own dissenting opinions. The lone Democratic appointee still on the court is the only remaining justice who sided with former Chief Justice Mark Cady, who wrote the 2018 opinion.
House Speaker Spencer Gosch said he would be evaluating the investigation, but he had not determined the process in the House and what information would be publicly released.

Noem's secretary of public safety, Craig Price, said in a publicly-released letter to House Speaker Spencer Gosch that he believed the attorney general should have been charged with 2nd Degree Manslaughter.

In my opinion as a 24-year law enforcement officer, and in the opinion of the highly trained highway patrol officers involved in this investigation, Mr. Ravnsborg should have been charged with 2nd Degree Manslaughter, Price stated. The prosecution team was well aware of that position."

Hyde County Deputy States Attorney Emily Sovell, who brought the misdemeanor charges, said in February the evidence simply didnt support felony charges of vehicular homicide or manslaughter, which could have meant years of prison time.

The governor's office released a list of 65 items it was including in the investigation file, including cellphone data, interviews and crime scene mapping.

Politics never entered into this investigation, Price said in his letter.

However, Ravnsborg has charged that the investigation was exploited by partisan opportunists." He did not name the governor, but his attorney, Tim Rensch, did. He said last week Ravnsborg was not treated fairly by the governor, who oversaw the crash investigation.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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And without U.S support and equipment, European countries would not have been able to guarantee the safe passage of their citizens or even their troops out of Afghanistan.

Amid calls for European strategic autonomy from a non-member like the United States, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said Wednesday in a opinion piece for The New York Times that the withdrawal of Western troops and airlift from Afghanistan should serve as a wake-up call and urged the bloc to invest more in its security capabilities.

Europe and the United States were united as never before in Afghanistan: It was the first time that NATOs Article 5, committing all members to defend one another, was invoked. And for many years, Europeans provided a strong military commitment and an important economic aid program, amounting to a total of 17.2 billion euros, or $20.3 billion, Borrell wrote.

But in the end, the timing and nature of the withdrawal were set in Washington. We Europeans found ourselves  not only for the evacuations out of the Kabul airport but also more broadly  depending on American decisions, the EU's top diplomat said.

To better address any future crises at Europe's doorstep, EU member nations have floated the idea of setting up a 5,000-member stand-by-force capable of quickly intervening.
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP)  The collapse of Afghanistan's government, the Talibans takeover of the country, and the rush to evacuate European citizens and Afghan employees have highlighted the European Unions need for its own rapid-reaction military force, senior EU officials say.
As with the Bergeron case, the FBI has been helping investigate the alleged Facebook threat. Micronesia enjoys close relations with the U.S. under a compact of free association.

Panuelo said he doesn't necessarily think the charges in the Facebook case are an overreaction after the investigation revealed the suspect had a history of making threats and had been involved in other crimes.

He also pointed out that two presidents on the nearby island nation of Palau were assassinated in the 1980s.

In court documents, prosecutors said that Benneth Edmund, a retail store owner and assistant clerk, wrote the threatening post under the fictitious Facebook profile Jaylo David.

A police report said that when interviewed, Edmund said he was friends on Facebook with Jaylo David but didn't know who was behind the profile.

Public defender Nixon Alten, who is representing Edmund, told AP that Edmund had been released from custody after his arrest and intended to plead not guilty at a hearing later this month. Alten said he couldn't comment further.

Panuelo said he would continue reinforcing the message to his people that getting vaccinated was the right decision. He hoped about 95% of the eligible population would be fully vaccinated by December.

You only have to look elsewhere to understand why were doing this, because people die," Panuelo said. "And if we dont do it this way, then we could be next.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Currently in India, there is more demand than available supply...the supply of vaccines currently in use is lower than the projections made a few months ago. So both of these situations are putting constraints on availability of vaccines in the country," said Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya, a vaccine policy expert.

India is no stranger to mass immunizations, but this is the first time that shots are being given at this scale, and to adults. Officials have blended strategies that were successful in the past with newer, more localized innovations.

Kamalawati, 65, a retired government accountant who goes by only her first name, lined up for a shot at Nizampur, a village outside New Delhi. She said people initially were concerned there would be harmful side effects but people are not scared anymore.

What has worked for her village and others is a contest in which the local government awards a trophy to the village with the most vaccinated people and a plaque declaring the village the winner. Stickers are also pasted on homes where people are fully vaccinated to encourage neighbors to do the same. District administrator Saumya Sharma said the campaign banks on the sense of community and pride residents have in their village. "That this is our village. And we are going to make it No. 1, she said.
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP)  New tests show that Ivory Coast did not have its first case of Ebola in more than 25 years after all, the World Health Organization said, reversing course after the reported case last month prompted thousands of vaccines to be deployed.

The initial report sparked fear because the young woman had traveled by bus for several days from Guinea to Ivory Coast, coming into contact with at least 140 people, health officials said.

She eventually made her way to Abidjan, the commercial capital of 4 million people before being hospitalized where a test showed she had Ebola. However, no other suspected cases emerged in the weeks since.

On Tuesday, Ivorian health authorities informed the World Health Organization that a second laboratory, the Institut Pasteur in Lyon, France, had retested those samples and has found no evidence of the virus."

With the new results from the laboratory in Lyon, WHO considers that the patient did not have Ebola virus disease and further analysis on the cause of her illness is ongoing, the global health body said in a statement late Tuesday.
By nightfall Sunday, a million residents in and around New Orleans had lost all power, for days and perhaps for weeks.

In this same August, the U.S. moved ever deeper into the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, with new infections, new hospitalizations and new deaths approaching the numbers they had reached at their worst last winter.

August also brought hundreds of thousands more illegal aliens across our southern border in the largest peacetime migrant invasion in memory.

Most of these millions are coming for a better life. Yet, among their numbers are the criminals and rapists who have assaulted women and girls in the exodus, and not a few foreign enemies coming with the intent to bring the war on terror home to these United States.

So it was that, in the first August of the Biden presidency, the U.S. suffered defeat in its longest war, underwent a humiliating evacuation under the guns of its enemies, continued to endure the worst plague in 100 years, and saw an invasion of its southern border by illegal migrants that called into question whether we Americans retain the resolve to preserve our country.

Nor is this all. In this August of 2021, American politics seem at their most poisonous.
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I find my own work morally and politically worthless, writes Alice, an Irish novelist and one of the two main characters in Sally Rooneys third novel, Beautiful World, Where Are You?, to the other main character, her best friend, Eileen. And yet its what I do with my life, the only thing I want to do. Alice, whose recent history resembles Rooneys own in several aspects, has become famous thanks to her first two books and now hasnt written a page in two years. She still does a certain amount of publicity work, however, treating this, as she explains to Eileen, as her job. For all the press junkets to Paris and Rome, however, she finds it a joyless labor. Alice, like her creator, loathes her celebrity, and the vile double it has spawned, a false version of Alice that some people adore and others detest. I keep encountering this person, who is myself, she writes in an email to Eileen, and I hate her with all my energy. I hate her ways of expressing herself, I hate her appearance, and I hate her opinions about everything. And yet when other people read about her, they believe that she is me. Confronting this fact makes me feel I am already dead.

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But the misery of fame is really just a side-dish for Alice, whos far more bedeviled by the belief that her vocationinventing stories about the intimate lives of make-believe peopleis unconscionable, as she puts it, in the context of the increasingly fast, increasingly brutal exploitation of a majority of the human species. The task of the literary novelist, she argues, is to suppress this ugly truth under a facade of high style so that, we can care once again, as we do in real life, whether people break up or stay togetherif, and only if, we have successfully forgotten about all the things more important than that, i.e. everything. Plenty of people feel that novels preoccupied with sex and friendshipthe sort of novels Rooney herself writesare too trivial, and Alice is inclined to agree with them.

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[Read: Unpacking Sally Rooneys 19th-Century Influences]

Typically, contemporary novelists speak reverently of their form, as if the result were some kind of sacred object, so Alices position has a refreshing lack of mummery. But Rooney undermines her characters point by making her own novels so uncannily enthralling. In summary, her books sound like trifles of no particular interest, but in execution theyre as habit-forming as crack. The plot of Beautiful World, Where Are You, for example, concerns the love lives of Alicewho embarks on a fractious romance with Felix, a warehouse worker she meets on Tinderand Eileen, dumped by a boyfriend on whom she wasted half my 20s and contemplating getting together with a childhood friend, Simon. Alice, who is still recovering from a nervous breakdown she suffered while briefly living in New York, has moved into a big house in the Irish countryside. Eileen survives on a pittance as an editorial assistant at a Dublin literary magazine.

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For the first two-thirds or so of the novel, Rooney alternates between long emails exchanged by the separated friends and third-person scenes from their lives, told mostly in a striking method that restricts itself to the visible surfaces of events, as if the action were reported on by an invisible observer. She describes what people say and doEileen with her phone, tapping on the icon of a social media app and entering her ex-boyfriends name, for examplewithout offering their internal feelings or deliberations. The reader doesnt know why Felix cancels a date with Alice at the last minute, or ignores increasingly urgent emails from a guy named Damian, or even what his relationship to this guy is. Not, that is, until he explains it to Alice, and then we cant be sure its the whole truth. We can guess from their behavior whats going on in the characters minds, but for most of the novel, the only access we get to their thoughts is what they tell each other.

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The emails, by contrast, gravitate toward sweeping intellectual subjects, like Alices rants about fame and its corrosive effects on the culture. The contrast between these two modes of telling mirrors Alices novel-writing dilemma, which is really the dilemma of both women. Their emails reflect what they feel they ought to be thinking about and responding to: the dire state the world and humanity. But the objective evidence of the third-person chapters testifies that theyre preoccupied with their personal lives. Only late in the book, when the friends are finally united, do the two perspectives knit themselves together.

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[Read: Sally Rooneys Normal People Excels at the Thing Novels Do Better Than Any Other Art Form]

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Even so, Alice and Eileens lofty political thinking is not the sort that lends itself to action beyond the making of sweeping pronouncements. Alice writes to Eileen that markets preserve nothing, but ingest all aspects of an existing social landscape and excrete them, shorn of meaning and memory, as transactions, and Eileen writes back, my theory is that human beings lost the instinct for beauty in 1976, when plastics became the most widespread material in existence. They complain, as many people in their age cohort do, rather airily about capitalism. They discuss the mysterious collapse of Late Bronze Age civilization in the Mediterranean, after which literacy all but died out and entire writing systems were lost, erasing exactly the sort of work they have devoted their own lives to. They brood over the story of Linear B, an ancient Greek script thought indecipherable until the 1950s. Alice finds it unbearable that what once was meaningful like this could come to mean nothing, nothing nothing, but she seems unaware that, as with many ancient writing systems, most of the Linear B texts that survive record transactions. Capitalism!

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A confession: I find the ideological garment-rending and hair-tearing of Rooneys protagonists endearingly comical. It came as a surprise to me that some critics took, say, the professed communism of Frances, the college student and performance poet who narrates Conversations With Friends, seriously and faulted Rooneys characters politics as merely gestural, while others argued that the relationships she depicts somehow represent a form of radical politics. The contrast between the way these people talk about the world, the performative doom n glooming so prevalent in social media and casual conversation, and their actual, lived concerns seems the point of Rooneys fiction. Its ironic in the original sense of the word, not in the lazy, vernacular sense that Frances means it when she informs her married lover that shell only sleep with him ironically. Theres what Rooneys characters say, and then theres what they do, and in the gap between these two things is where the comic irony of her novels lies, even if Rooney sometimes seems oblivious to it herself. Alice, however, has her own number. In public Im always talking about care ethics and the value of human community, she admits to Eileen, but in my real life I dont take on the work of caring for anyone except myself.

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The contrast between the way these people talk about the world and their actual, lived concerns seems the point of Rooneys fiction.

Meanwhile, the ordinary loneliness of Rooneys characters can be piercing. Both Alice and Eileen come from damaging families, with the result that prickly Alice finds herself attracted to a shrewd, skeptical man with no interest in her work and Eileen fears that any romantic relationship with Simon will end in a breakup that will cost her one of her few true friends. Their stumbling progress through the minefield of intimacy, related in Rooneys plain prose and via several exquisitely-rendered sex scenes, has the raw, wincing tenderness of skin under a scab scratched off too soon. That literary characters serve as moral exemplars seems a childish thing to expect, and a foolish one. A novel about characters of impeccably non-gestural Marxist politics sounds both hard to imagine and fairly dull. What I, in my shameless bourgeois complacency, prefer is that the characters in a novel be, as Rooneys are, eminently human.

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Maybe were just born to love and worry about the people we know and to go on loving and worrying even when there are more important things we should be doing, Eileen writes in riposte to Alices indictment of her own profession, a defense upon which I cannot improve. And if that means the human species is going to die out, isnt it in a way a nice reason to die out, the nicest reason you can imagine?  Because we loved each other too much and found each other too interesting.
Nearly nine months after dying in her attempt to storm the U.S. Capitol, Ashli Babbitt is passing into both history and myth. Last week, the officer who shot her during the Jan. 6 riot said his life turned upside down after his name leaked to right-wing websites, where Babbitts veneration has been underway for months. No longer able to speak for herself, she has become a blank page on which othersVladimir Putin, Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trumpcan write their preferred story. Babbitt, they suggest, died not as a criminal, but as a patriot, whose stars-and-stripes backpack expressed her intentions and whose blood justifies her cause.

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If theres any doubt about whether Babbitts story will continue to grip the rights imagination, we need only look to history. Beat by beat, the story crystalizing around her death recalls the efforts by a previous generation of nativists to canonize a 19-year-old apprentice, George Shiffler, shot dead in a street riot on May 6, 1844. Though he had lived in obscurity, Shifflers public death made him internationally famous. Free to imagine his motives, actions, and even his words, nativists invented posthumous versions of Shiffler to serve their own agendas. Officially they mourned his death, but they also seized the opportunity it provided. For partisans hoping to build a movement, the most valuable adherent may be a martyr, and what happened in those years is a warning about what Babbitts death might come to mean now.

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The real Shiffler was born in 1825, probably in Kensington, which is today part of Philadelphia but was then an independent district. Historian Kenneth Milano has traced Shifflers lineage to a tobacconist father and a mother whose family built ships and wharves, but we know little about his early life. At some point he was apprenticed to a leather worker, but as Shiffler approached adulthood, he saw dimming prospects for apprentice craftsmen. In 1837, an economic bubble burst, leading banks to fail and employers to lay off hands. By 1842, thousands of workingmen were rallying in Independence Square in Philadelphia to lament the want of employment among the industrious classes. In December of that year, Shifflers father died by suicide, which an inquest attributed to mental derangement. With a widowed mother and several young siblings to support, Shiffler faced a hungry future.

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But if prosperity seemed elusive, teenagers like Shiffler, known at the time as half-grown boys, could find manhood in another way: joining one of Philadelphias storied volunteer fire companies. Officially dedicated to public safety, these rival companies spent as much time brawling with each other as they did fighting fires. They battled for access to fire plugs during emergencies, and raided each others fire houses on weekends. Half-grown, mischievous and irresponsible boys have been admitted to full membership in some of the companies, despaired one newspaper. From dusk, until midnight, they may be found about the locations of their several companies, indulging freely in the most vile and debasing habits.

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Worse still were those who did not join the companies themselves, but instead formed affiliated gangs. Shiffler joined the Hyenas, who ran with the Independence Hose, one of the most violent fire companies in Philadelphia County. Perhaps he took part in the December 1843 brawl against the Northern Liberty Hose, fought inside a hotel, at the expense of the furniture. Or the January 1844 clash against both the Northern Liberty and the Kensington Engine, when combatants attacked each other with megaphones, wrenches, pitchforks, pistols, and slung-shotsbuckskin straps weighted with lead.

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Youths like Shiffler could also take pride in having been born in the United States, unlike the thousands of immigrants finding their way to Kensington. Most were Catholics from Ireland, which was not yet in the grips of the potato famine, but already suffering from an economy that failed to keep pace with its rapidly growing population. These immigrants wove cloth, heaved coal, built churches, and generally tried to make themselves useful citizens. But anti-Catholic nativists denounced them as threats to both prosperity and liberty. By late 1843, they had begun to organize a nativist partythe American Republicansto challenge the established Democrats and Whigs.

On May 3, 1844, the American Republicans staged a rally in a vacant lot in the Third Ward of Kensington, less than half a mile north of Shifflers home and workplace. Predictably, the Third Wards many Irish Catholic immigrants took offense, heckling the speakers and eventually chasing them away. No one was hurt, and the hecklers even helped an old man off the nativists improvised stage before they dismantled it. But the nativists vowed to return.

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On Monday, May 6, the nativists rallied in larger numbers back at the same vacant lot, only to be hit by a freak rainstorm that drove both nativists and hecklers to seek shelter in a nearby covered market, where Protestants and Catholics began brawling. Hoping to calm matters, an Irish Catholic fireman rushed to the market from the nearby Hibernia Hose House, which had been celebrating the arrival of a new bell. As he begged everyone to go home, someonehistory doesnt record whoshot him in the face.

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Young men, Shiffler among them, poured into the street. One witness spotted him at the corner of Germantown Road and Master Street, in the middle of the action, among other youths throwing bricks at a rival mob. But while the nativists had to make do with whatever projectiles they could gather from the street, Irish American Third Ward residents could run home for their guns, then take up positions in windows and behind fences. One fired at Shifflers group, hitting Shiffler in the right arm and chest with a heavy charge from a musket, reported to consist of about a dozen slugs and a handful of shot. Shiffler staggered against a fence, then collapsed. Others pulled him a block south to a drug storeas close to a trauma center as 1844 Kensington could providebut he died soon after. By the end of the day several more nativists had been shot. William Wright, also nineteen, died from a musket ball through the heart, while two nativists in their early twenties were mortally wounded.

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Nativists immediately framed Shifflers death as a sacrifice to the American cause. The scene which exhibited itself around this dying man was too much for every one possessing the ordinary feelings of sympathy to bear without shedding a tear, wrote one newspaper. One grey headed old man, in the midst of his tears, raised his staff aloft, and exclaimed in the fulness of his heartOn, on Americans! Liberty or death. By the end of three days of riots, seven more Protestants were dead or dying, and nativists would collectively term them the Kensington martyrs. But as the first to fall, Shiffler earned special attention. On May 9, his body was borne to its burial place, accompanied by three hundred mourners. The coffin contained a silver plate attesting to his status as The first Martyr in the Native American Cause. And it was draped in a flag that, the nativists now claimed, Shiffler had been clutching at his death.

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Within days, nativists embellished the tale to claim that Shiffler had been expressly targeted by Irishmen for the offense of waving that American flag. One poem (if we can call it that) described the nativist rally as a meeting of those

Who would not see their Banner invaded, By any Foreign crew, be them Papist, Turk, or Jew, But would rather die than see it degraded.

It went on to praise

Young Shiffler the first, of those Martyrs on the list, Whose blood stains the page of our histry, Who left a mothers heart, to suffer the keen smart, And to cry, ye kind powers assist me.

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Lithographer John Magee of New York drew the dying Shiffler gripping an enormous American flag, which he holds aloft even as he collapses to the ground. As he falls, he is supported by three companions, presented much in the way a Renaissance artist would depict disciples supporting the body of Jesus as they lower it from the Cross. In Magees composition, Shiffler even gestures to the bleeding wound in his side, which looks more like the piercing of a Roman spear than the crater from a blast of buckshot.

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Depicting Shiffler in this way could help distract viewers from the events of May 8two days after Shifflers deathwhen Protestants had torched two Catholic churches, along with the adjacent rectories and other Catholic buildings. That arson had shocked the nation, but nativists hoped that the deaths of Shiffler and other Protestants at Catholic hands would win the outrage sweepstakes. Let them call us rioters and church burners, wrote one, and well point them to our Shiffler, and Rhinedollar, and Wright, and Ramsey, and Hammit, and others, whose precious blood still calls for justice.

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The dead Shiffler also served as a symbol for the growing American Republican Party. During a massive July 4 parade, party members carried banners depicting eagles, the Bible, George Washington, and George Shiffler. New York nativists founded a Shiffler Club; Philadelphians founded a Shiffler Association. When the nativists launched a miniature frigate, the Native American, it was accompanied by a smaller boat, the George Shiffler. That autumn, the party triumphed in local elections, and a newspaper predicted the beginnings of a national movement. Remember the grave of the immortal Shiffler, it crowed, the glory of whose name will live to be still brightened by the fires of the judgment daymillions yet unborn will hail his name with feelings of patriotismwhilst that of his base murderers will be forgotten, only when associated with the most depraved and contemptible of mankind.

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As Shifflers death receded into the past, stories about him became more fanciful. In an 1845 version, he is carried, wounded, to the door of a Catholic-owned drug store, which refuses to admit him. By the 1850s, as nativism peaked as the Know-Nothing movement, accounts placed Shiffler not on a street corner, but on a speakers stand, repeatedly raising the flag before a bullet at length pierced his heart. In 1855, anti-Catholic (and anti-Mormon) novelist Orvilla Belisle published The Arch Bishop, mixing real events of the 1844 riots with a melodramatic, fictional plot. Belisles imagined Shiffler is no ruffian, but a well-spoken, humble youth who wants only to care for his family and win the hand of Irene Freeman, a blue-eyed Catholic orphan. But a priest abducts Irene, leading Shiffler to join the nativists. He dies with Irenes name on his lips, and with his Nations flag gathered around him, true to it in death as he had been in life.

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Others commemorated Shifflers more aggressive side. By May 1845, a youth gang known as the Shifflers was brawling with the rival Buffers. The following year, nativists founded the Shiffler Hose Company, which gained renown for fighting German and Irish immigrants. At the peak of its violence, in 1856, thirty-three members of the company were arrested en masse for murder and riot, though none were ever convicted.

Late in the century, some nativists asked Shifflers surviving acquaintances how the real Shiffler measured up to the legend. He was, one old-timer admitted, a young man of meager education, whose schoolhouse was the Fire Companys headquarters, of no promise of marked ability, and a member of a gang of toughs and sluggers  It is all bosh about his having any more love of country, but his love of a free fight was what took him there and he being killed with an American flag in his possession did not make him a better man than his previous life shows him to have been. That was enough to prevent the naming of additional lodges for Shiffler, but not to discredit him entirely.

We may never see an Ashli Babbitt Hose Company, but her admirers have already devised a Babbitt Flag (one version bears the motto Vengeance) and composed rap songs and poems in honor of this brave American. Ashli Babbitt American Patriot T-shirts were briefly sold by Sears and Kmart. An innocent, wonderful, incredible woman, a military woman, Trump has called her, falsely claiming that she was trying to climb out of a broken window, not crashing into the Speakers Lobby.

Like Shifflers chroniclers before them, Babbitts champions hope that her blood will cleanse them of their sins. We may learn more facts about her, and her reasons for coming to Washington, but they will matter no more than what little we know of the real Shiffler. What counted, nativists understood, was not how Shiffler had lived, but how he had died. Whatever he was or was not, one wrote, one thing is sure, he was considered as representing an idea and a principle when he fell.
American rap fans probably didnt pay much attention to Belizean politics until recently, when the Central American nation made international news for a unusual reason: Shyne, the hoarse-voiced, platinum-selling former Bad Boy rapper whod been absent from the music scene for years, was elected to Belizes House of Representatives in November. His political rise has been meteoric: Hes since become leader of the countrys main opposition faction, the center-right United Democratic Party, after ousting a rival. Hes also been enlisting old friends like Fat Joe and Diddy to publicize the country.

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Its just the latest in a series of surprising twists in the life of the 42-year-old who now goes by Shyne Barrow. The rapper was one of the key figures in the 1999 New York nightclub shooting involving his Bad Boy boss, then known as Puff Daddy, and Jennifer Lopez. Barrow was imprisoned for the shooting before being deported back to Belize, where he and his family have a deep history: His uncle was a founding member of the UDP, and his father was a longtime politico who eventually took charge of the party and became the countrys first Black prime minister in 2008. Barrow spent some years traveling and serving various administrative roles in Belize before ascending to the House, where hes already courted controversy: Not only is he still beefing with his partys former leader, but hes currently fighting off a proposed amendment to Belizes constitution that would prevent politicians whove been incarcerated anywhere in the world from serving in Belizea measure would effectively end his political career. Nevertheless, the former rapper is still eyeing the prime ministership, and serving his current role to the fullest. For the past two weeks, hes been on a visit to the U.S.his first since his deportationadvocating for Belize and its diaspora; visiting cities like Atlanta, Newark, and New York; meeting with local and national politicians; and reuniting with old rapper friends like Diddy and Jay-Z (at a new nightclub, no less). On Monday, the day before his return to Belize, I spoke with Barrow over Zoom about his diplomatic missions, his rise to power, and his goals both for his own political career and for his country. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Nitish Pahwa: How did it feel to make your first visit to the U.S. since your release in 2009?

Shyne Barrow: It wasnt about me coming back to America. It was about the opposition leader of the House of Representatives coming to the United States on behalf of the people of Belize. The only me of it all is that the Shyne brand has very strong relationships, and I was able to use those relationships to get meetings with people at the highest level in Congress and state legislatures.

I saw you met with local politicians in Atlanta and New York, and you also met with national lawmakers, like Reps. Gregory Meeks, Hakeem Jeffries, Yvette Clark, Maxine Waters, and Adriano Espaillat. How did you land those meetings, and what did you talk with them about?

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Im the shadow prime minister. The office requires me to travel, allows me a diplomatic passport, and allows me to qualify for a diplomatic visa. Ever since I was elected, and even leading up to my election, I have been reaching out to my contacts in the United States to build relationships. Ive had a strong relationship with the U.S. State Department here in Belize over the years.

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Diddy was instrumental in making sure that whatever relationships he had with legislators were made available to me, so I could go to develop those relationships on behalf of Belize. Georgia was the first place I visited. I was honored at the Georgia Senate, and the Atlanta City Council declared Aug. 20 Shyne Barrow Day.

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I was able to get an audience with these members of Congress to discuss economic development in Belize, foreign aid, security, regional stability. They were very concerned with what happened in Nicaragua, where they jailed the opposition leader, and places like Venezuela, where they suspended the constitution. We discussed ways we can strengthen democratic nations, with more investment in human infrastructure and job creation. Congressman Espaillat is from the Dominican Republic. Yvette Clarke is of Jamaican descendant. Congressmen Meeks and Jeffries represent a lot of Caribbean diaspora constituents, and so does Maxine Waters. Investment in the developing nations of the Caribbean, such as Belize, is very important to American foreign policy and interests.

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What do you think of current immigration policy in the U.S., especially with regard to migrants from Central America, and what you would want to see from U.S. lawmakers when it comes to Central American immigration?

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The United States is a nation built by and with immigrants. Id to like to see that continue: more opportunities for people that do migrate there. Thats why investment in the region, in the Caribbean, in Latin America, is important. Many people are fleeing countries that are war-torn, countries where theyre being persecuted for political reasons. Investing in these countries would be a good way to prevent an overflow of migration.

But for people that do find themselves in the States and are making a contribution, Id like to see what the Biden administration is proposing to make sure that the migrants get their chance, Id certainly like to see an adjustment to the deportation laws. I went to the States when I was 7 years old and was there until I was almost 30. For me to be deported, even though I was a permanent resident, I think theres something flawed in that policy. Id like to see more opportunities for people who have permanent residency, who lived their entire life with their family in the States, to be given an opportunity to reform and to rehabilitate in the United States.

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Are there lessons from your rap career that youve taken into politics?

Networking is everything. And impossibility is a word that we dont recognize. All that hip-hop culture has ever done is imagine itself as something greater than anybody could ever see. Im taking that type of tenacity, that audacity, and Im applying it to being a legislator: being determined, being disciplined, having a strong work ethic, never taking no for answer, never stopping, never giving up, being relentless in your pursuit.

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It really starts with imagination. You cant grow if you dont see yourself doing more than what youre doing today. And hip-hop is flooded with entrepreneurs. I want my constituents to be entrepreneurs and self-reliant and independent, not to depend on politicians for anything. I want to create other Shynes and Jay-Zs, other Barack Obamas and Nelson Mandelas. To empower people, whether theyre electricians or plumbers, lawyers or doctors, teachers or nurses, police or soldiers, with the mindset that will allow them to have a healthy life. Thats what hip-hop taught us to do.

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Do you think, if the 1999 nightclub incident hadnt happened, that you still wouldve ended up going back to Belize and getting involved in the countrys politics?

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Definitely. Id just have been a wealthier version of where Im at now. It was always my plan to transform Belize, whether through financing politicians or financing a campaign for myself. It goes back: My great-great grandfather was district commissioner of Belize.

When you look at my first album, when I was 19 years old, I was a leader. The first thing I said was, Dear America, Im only what you made me. That phrase says it. Build schools instead of prisons, Ill stop livin the way Im livin that is similar to what Im saying in the House of Representatives right now. Nobody wrote that for me. Nobody told me to say that. No aunt, no uncle, no father was in America when I was selling millions of records. Even when I was making music, I was the voice of the voiceless. I was the spotlight that would shine the light on the horrors and tragedies of inner-city living.

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When was the point you thought, I want to run not only for office, but also to lead the country?

It came in stages. After being incarcerated for almost 10 years, I wanted the freedom to travel wherever I wanted to go. I wanted to go Paris, I wanted to go to North Africa, I wanted to go to Jerusalem, I wanted to go to Turkey, Egypt. But after traveling, I came back to Belize for moms 60th birthday. Things werent working out with music. Id been living in Paris on a long vacation, and I needed purpose. I was looking at my life and saying, Man, if this never happened to me, Id be a billionaire. Id be selling millions and millions of albums. I got out of that phase by looking at the people in Belize who never got an opportunity, who never got a chance to do any of the things I did. Some are living in subhuman standards. At least I was able to go from using the bathroom in a bucketbecause we didnt have a toilet system in the house I lived in while in Belize as a childto what I did.

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I felt guilty feeling sorry for myself. And rather than focus on what I could be doing if I were in the States. I focused on what I could be doing to help these people in Belize with the access that I have. I wasnt a regular person, and I accept that. I was a multimillionaire, I had access to the prime minister, and I had access to other ministers. But I wasnt interested in using that access to become a rich businessman. I wanted to use my access to push for policy that would make life better for the Belizean people in every way. And I realized in 2013 that, rather than pushing these people to implement policy, I needed to be the policymaker.

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Becoming the opposition leader of the House of Representatives is not something I set out to do, necessarily. I was the chief whip before I was opposition leader. But when theres a void in leadershipas was the case recently, where the former leader of the opposition lost confidence of the majority of members in the House and of the partyI am willing to step up. If my colleagues want me to be the leader of the party and take us into the next general elections, thats what Ill do. If they want me to support someone else that we all have confidence in, thats what Ill do. I believe democracy is about inspiring people to follow you, and whoever can inspire people is the person I am prepared to support. If that person is me, Im ready, Im always ready. But I had no master plan to get elected a year ago and then take over.

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Why do you think Belize would be better off with the UDP in power? Your party is the more conservative one, correct?

Were supposed to be conservative, but I try to be a moderate. Im very prosocial development, prohuman development and I believe that is the responsibility of government. I do believe the responsibility of government is to create a healthy environment for businesses to thrive.

As far as the two parties, the Peoples United Party promised the Belizean people everything that the United Democratic Party promised the Belizean peoplethere hasnt been much of a difference in policy, but its about who has delivered. Certainly, Im biased, but the United Democratic Party has been the one to deliver on their promises, more so than the Peoples United Party.

My policy is to make sure that we develop the nation: The greater the people are, the greater the wealth of the nation. Its important for us to educate our people, to uplift our people, to train our people. I see far too often that the rich continue to get rich, the poor continue to get poor, and the working class, due to COVID-19, has been completely eroded. We have to fix that. It takes a mindset thats not about giving contracts to friends and cronies and enriching your family and yourself, but really making sure that the people get enriched.
Perhaps it was inevitable that this Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade, not with a momentous majority opinion, but by doing nothing. Thats all it took for the Supreme Court to let Texas six-week abortion ban take effect on Sept. 1: silence. As the clock ticked toward midnight, and anti-abortion protesters gathered outside Texas clinics to harass patients and staff, the justices kept mum. A few hours later, the country woke up to its post-Roe future.

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At this moment, any person can sue anyone who aids or abets an abortion that takes place in Texas after six weeks of pregnancywhich is when more than 85 percent of abortions are performedfor a minimum of $10,000, plus attorneys fees. Any person can sue a clinic that performs these abortions and obtain a court order shutting it down. There is now a $10,000 bounty on the heads of every individual who facilitates abortion, including friends, family members, counselors, even clergy who support a patients decision to terminate. Anyone who forms the mere intent to abet an abortion may be sued, even if they do not follow through. Texas devised a devious workaround to Roe by threatening abortion patients entire support network with bankruptcy. And the Supreme Court let it happen.

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How did we get here? The answer can be boiled down to two names: Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. Both justices are significantly more conservative than their predecessorsin Barretts case, the polar oppositeand both are comfortable manipulating the courts procedures to reach radical results. At the same time, both justices excel in overruling precedent without acknowledging it. SCOTUS has already taken a case that will probably gut abortion rights by June 2022. But with its new law, Texas handed Kavanaugh and Barrett a gift: They could eviscerate Roe months earlier without writing a single word. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals did the dirty work for SCOTUS by preventing a federal judge from blocking the ban or even holding a hearing on its constitutionality. All the justices had to do was nothing.

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The courts inaction is especially galling in light of its aggressive intervention in cases it deems important. SCOTUS has treated case after case as an emergency in need of immediate resolution. It raced to block blue states COVID restrictions, it ended the CDCs eviction moratorium in the midst of the delta surge, and it continually cleared away lower court decisions blocking Donald Trumps extreme cutbacks on legal immigration. To the conservative justices, these policies qualified as an emergency. Texas abortion ban, it seems, does not. By refusing to lift a finger, the Supreme Court has telegraphed to the states that it does not view an illegal assault on abortion rights as a pressing matter requiring immediate attention. It gave the green light to impatient red states that wont wait for SCOTUS to reverse precedent. These states can pass blatantly unconstitutional laws, persuade far-right judges not to block them, and count on the Supreme Court to stay out of it.

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In February, Cardozo Law professor and Strict Scrutiny co-host Kate Shaw mused that the Supreme Court might overrule Roe in the shadow docket, adding that right now, theres nothing stopping them but potentially public opinion and blowback. After Texas law took effect, though, there was remarkably little blowback outside the small world of lawyers, commentators, and advocates laser-focused on reproductive rights. Initially, the New York Times and the Washington Post treated the courts inaction as a below-the-fold story. It took several hours on Wednesday morning for much of the media to catch up with the fact that SCOTUS allowed a state to ban abortion. And this, we can assume, is exactly how the conservative justices wanted to end Roe: not with a bang, or even a whimper, but with silence, confusion, and queasy uncertainty.

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Within a few hours or days, the Supreme Court will likely issue an order in this case. By that point, clinics will have canceled hundreds, if not thousands, of patients appointments. So much damage has already been done, and we do not even know which justices to blame. There is presumably some battle raging behind the scenes at SCOTUS, dueling opinions flying back and forth between each wing of the court. But we will not see it. We do not even get the transparency of oral arguments and full briefing. The court has chosen to deal with this case in the dark. And it could not be bothered to reach a resolution before the fallout from the law began. No wonder a key proponent of the Texas bill is already boasting that he plans to introduce identical measures in other GOP-controlled states.

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The conservative majority has spent several years amassing the power to intervene in any legal dispute that catches its eye. It has transformed the shadow docket into a roving veto. On Tuesday night, faced with a clear-cut violation of a nearly 50-year precedentthe rare instance of a state flouting constitutional precedent and getting away with it in the lower courtsthe conservative justices declined to exercise this power. At a bare minimum, the monumental conflict over reproductive autonomy deserved a full and fair hearing in open court. Instead, the Supreme Court has let an established constitutional right die in the shadows.
Though it hasnt received the attention it deserves, courage from Republican election officials and leaders helped save this country from a total election meltdown in 2020 based on lies about voter fraud from the incumbent president, Donald Trump. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger refused to find more than 11,000 presidential votes in Georgia, as Trump personally requested, declining to give Georgias legislature an excuse to falsely declare Trump won the state. Former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen rejected entreaties to have the Department of Justice claim fraud in states Biden won. He did so despite pressure from Trump and Jeffrey Clark, a DOJ official who vied for Rosens job and was ready to do Trumps bidding, potentially in violation of federal law. And Federalist Society judges such as Stephanos Bibas excoriated bogus Trump attempts to overturn the election in court without evidence or solid legal theories.

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But memories fade fast. On the right, within the Federalist Society, and even among others who apparently value civility over preserving democracy, some are quietly welcoming back into the fold those who would have stolen the election for Trump or who fomented the violent Jan. 6 insurrection. Most appear to be doing so not because they supported the insurrection or Trumps ridiculous claims, but out of willful ignorance of the facts, or in the name of civility or free speech. Its a mistake, and its taking us down a dangerous path.

Almost a month ago, Slates Mark Joseph Stern wrote about how Jeffrey Clark had landed a cushy job as chief of litigation and director of strategy at the New Civil Liberties Alliance, a conservative-libertarian law firm that battles the administrative state. Among those on the Board of Advisers of the NCLA are former D.C. Circuit Judge Janice Rogers Brown and noted libertarian law professors Randy Barnett and Eugene Volokh. Despite entreaties, nobody involved in the organization has spoken out about Clarks appointment.

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Or consider the Federalist Society and its relationship with John Eastman, a former Chapman University law school professor who retired under pressure after representing Trump in bogus election lawsuits and after giving an incendiary speech just before insurrectionists stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. As law professor Jim Oleske explained in a post on a listserv for constitutional law professors, Eastman was using his weight as an academic to rile up the crowd with lies: Eastman purported to be able to speak with authority, at length, and definitively that we know there was fraud, traditional fraud because they put those ballots in a secret folder in the machines  they were unloading the ballots from that secret folder  and voila! We have enough folks to barely get over the finish line. We saw it happened in real time last night [during the Georgia Senate runoff], and it happened on November 3rd as well.  The claims were bogus and have been repeatedly debunked. Eastman, meanwhile, has remarkably since claimed that the insurrection was caused by antifa.

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Before Jan. 6, Eastman served as the chair of FedSocs Federalism & Separation of Powers Practice Group. After Jan. 6, amid calls for the Federalist Society to distance itself from Eastman, the Federalist Society said nothing. But the group did change his bio on its website to scrub out the reference to the chair job, and the site no longer lists the chairs of their practice groups. But Eastman remains a contributor and has spoken at least once since Jan. 6 at a FedSoc event.

Then, over the weekend, Eastman was allowed to join that private listserv of constitutional law professors. The lists moderator, professor Mark Scarberry, is a conservative Trump opponent who made a good-faith decision to allow Eastman to join so that he could defend himself. While listserv posts are not public unless the writer of the post gives permission to quote (all the posts quoted here are done with permission), it was clear that Eastman did not do well defending himself on the merits when he was confronted with his bogus fraud claims.

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Eastman showed no contrition for his remarks or for his role in helping to foment violence at the Capitol. As professor Steve Vladeck admonished Eastman regarding the effort to rehabilitate himself before these elite professors:

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Perhaps you might also consider the rather different audience to which you are continuing to push a thoroughly debunked and flatly unconvincing narrative about the theft of a legitimate election, a narrative that helped to precipitate the most violent attack on the U.S. Capitol since the British burned it in 1814 in an attempt to prevent the peaceful and lawful transition of power, and a narrative in which you were far more than just an outside observerand for which, in my view, you have a lot to answer for.

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Especially given the lack of contritionand the ongoing efforts by Trump and his cronies to undermine the last election and lay the groundwork for the next attack on democracyletting John Eastman back into the scrum of law professors or as a speaker at Federalist Society events, or giving Jeffrey Clark the safe landing at a conservative legal organization, sends exactly the wrong signal.

Everyone has a line that cannot be crossed and the question is where that line is. Imagine how we would react if evidence showed that Eastman or Clark were child abusers or Nazis. Surely they would not get hired for a fancy new gig, remain featured on the Federalist Society website or invited to speak regularly at the societys events, or continue to participate in listserv discussions among esteemed scholars. We need to treat those who participated in attempts to try to steal the election the same way, not just wait a respectable few months before forgetting the insurrection happened. United States democracy is under the greatest threat of attack since the Civil War, and the threat to free and fair elections is only increasing in this country because of people like Eastman and Clark.

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As my election law colleague and professor Franita Tolson wrote to that listerv:

Stop acting like allowing Eastman in this space is free of any judgments on the merits. Just like when one gives space to hate speech, sexist speech and racist speech  speech seeking to undermine a free and fair election has real world consequences when it finds a forum. This listserv may be okay with that  but own it.

Some courts have begun sanctioning lawyers for lying to the courts about evidence of fraud in support of overturning the 2020 election in favor of Trump. As district court Judge Linda Parker wrote in imposing sanctions against Sidney Powell, Lin Wood, and other lawyers filing bogus suits, This case was never about fraudit was about undermining the Peoples faith in our democracy and debasing the judicial process to do so.

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Those on the rightand leftneed to follow the courts lead. This is not about politically correct cancel culture. No one is saying Eastman or Clark cant speak. But there should be consequences for an attempt to destroy an American election and send American democracy down the road of authoritarianism. They certainly dont deserve rewards in the name of civility and free speech.

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We need more of the courage that we saw in the aftermath of the 2020 elections, not more silence and acquiescence.

Update, Sept. 1, 2021, at 12:15 p.m.: After this article was posted, Fix the Court called attention to a Claremont Institute event that not only features John Eastman; it also has an entire panel on Election Integrity and the Future of American Republican Government. It perhaps is not surprising that torture-memo professor John Yoo is speaking on this panel. But it is profoundly disturbing that the senior judge for the 9th Circuit, Carlos Bea, is agreeing to be an honoree at this event. He deserves round condemnation for lending his name and credibility to Eastmans attempt to promote the Big Lie and rehabilitate his reputation.
This story was originally published by Grist and has been republished here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

Hurricane Ida has battered one of the poorest regions of the country, driving floodwaters into neighborhoods along the Gulf Coast and those along the Mississippi River in Louisiana. Its winds knocked trees through houses, and its rising waters sent people into their attics where they waited for rescue. Thousands will likely be without shelter for weeks or even months.

A move by the Supreme Court last Thursday could make the struggle to find housing even worse.

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Despite a push from community organizations and members of Congress, the conservative court blocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from enforcing a federal moratorium on evicting renters during the pandemic. In the South, the fight by housing advocates to maintain the eviction ban was undergirded by the knowledge that the states most likely to see evictions were those set to be hit by Hurricane Ida, a storm likely intensified by climate change.

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Climate change is also a housing crisis, said Andreanecia Morris, executive director of the housing advocacy nonprofit HousingNOLA.

Mother Nature is trying to evict us with cause.

While natural disasters may uproot families and their homes, landlords have used hurricanes, floods, and other wild weather events as an opportunity to kick renters out. After Hurricane Katrina, thousands of low-income renters in Louisiana and Mississippi faced mass evictions and illegal price gouging. In New Orleans, homelessness rates soared in the following years, as people flocked to the city and helped drive average rental prices up 82 percent.

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According to the most recent Census Bureau survey, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, 6 percent of renters nationwide say they are likely or very likely to face eviction. In Louisiana, the number is almost 1 in 5. In Mississippi, one of every 10 renters says they are at risk of eviction. Even before the pandemic, more than one-third of renters in both states were low-income and facing the constant threat of eviction, according to tabulations of the 2019 American Community Survey by the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

Hours after the Supreme Courts ruling on Thursday, families across the state of Mississippi were given eviction orders through local court systems. This came three days before Hurricane Ida knocked out power and water systems for more than 1 million people across Louisiana and Mississippi.

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We see this after every disaster, said Sarah Saadian, vice president of public policy at the National Low Income Housing Coalition. This power imbalance that exists between renters and landlords allows them to turn tragedies into money in their pockets.

Saadian says the Supreme Courts ruling will give landlords a freer hand to evict tenants under the guise of remodeling and rebuilding battered homes and apartments. A loss of housing supply could also allow them to drive up their rents.

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All of a sudden, after disasters, theres less housing supply because a lot of homes are destroyed, but then there are also more people displaced from their homes for socially constructed reasonsand both groups need to find housing, Saadian said. So that usually creates a cycle where landlords raise their prices and oftentimes continue evicting people, even if theres no damage to their property, so they can make more money.

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While resources for homeowners are typically made available following disasters through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, renters are offered much less protection. In the aftermath of storms, particularly in states with some of the weakest protections for renters like Mississippi and Louisiana, landlords sometimes manage to evict tenants without going through proper legal proceedings.

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Morris believes that while legislative attention will be focused on stopping legal evictions in the wake of Hurricane Ida, these illegal evictions will go under the radar. I think were going to see a spike in homelessness as a direct result of informal evictions, she said, not the destruction caused by the storm.

The timing of the storm, however, may have left people especially vulnerable. With this storm coming at the end of the month, we have people either waiting to receive their next paycheck or people whove just used their money to pay rent, Saadian said. That means many people just didnt have the resources to evacuate or be in a hotel for a couple of nights.

In the meantime, as the results of Idas destruction come to light, housing advocacy groups will continue to call for more robust protections for renters. The housing crisis, compounded by the pandemic and natural disasters, deserves a more coordinated response, they say.

We shouldnt have a disaster response system that depends on whether or not you have money in your bank account, Saadian said.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Welcome to Source Notes, a Future Tense column about the internets information ecosystem.

Wikipedia has 323 language editions, and at times, there are huge differences between them.

For instance, Jasenovac was a concentration and extermination camp during World War II, which is described in detail on English Wikipedia. Hebrew Wikipedia, and other language versions. But according to Croatian Wikipedia, Jasenovac was merely a labor camp.

Spanish Wikipedia refers to Catalonia as a Spanish autonomous community, whereas Catalan language Wikipedia declares Catalonia to be its own country.

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Until relatively recently, Cebuano Wikipedia said that the mayor of San Francisco was Dianne Feinstein. (Feinstein has not been mayor since 1988; Cebuano is a language spoken in the southern Philippines.)

Why are there such differences? Each language version of Wikipedia has historically been its own project, operating largely independently with the content managed by its own community of volunteer editors. In other words, there is not a singular Wikipediathere are 323 separate Wikipedias. But at a conference in August, Wikipedia leaders presented a new initiative that could theoretically unify the information presented by all of the other Wikipedias, a proposed language-independent encyclopedia that has been generating buzz and prompting a lot of questions within the free content movement.

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Functions are a type of knowledge, and therefore its our job to allow everyone to share in this knowledge, Denny Vrandecic said while introducing Wikifunctions during Wikimania, the user conference for Wikipedia and the other free knowledge projects hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, which this year had more than 4,000 registered virtual attendees. Wikifunctions is the first new Wikimedia project to be launched since 2012, and although the site itself is not expected to be available until 2022, development has already kicked into high gear.



At heart, Wikifunctions is rather technical: It will let the community create functionsthat is, sequences of computer programming instructions. These functions will use data as inputs, apply an algorithm, and calculate an output, which can be rendered into one of the natural human languages to answer questions. That could have enormous implications for what you actually read on Wikipedia. A simple function might involve calculating how many days have passed between someones date of birth and date of death. The output would be the persons lifespan, a fact that could appear in the content of that persons Wikipedia biography.

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Returning to the Dianne Feinstein example: When Vrandecic reviewed how San Francisco was described in each language back in 2019, he noticed that 62 Wikipedia language editions listed an out-of-date mayor. The most egregiously out-of-date instance was the Cebuano Wikipedia, which listed Feinstein as the current mayor of San Francisco. The problem was that the Cebuano language Wikipedia was very out-of-date, which is where Wikidata could have helped. Wikidata allocates items a unique QID; the concept mayor of San Francisco, for instance, is Q795295. Different language editions of Wikipedia can then insert Wikidata queries within their articles. That way, if the mayor of San Francisco is updated after an election, one change to the central Wikidata item can update all of the language editions of Wikipedia automatically.

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But Wikidata is limited, Vrandecic explained at the conference. It cannot do narration, and narration is fundamental for humans to learn. Consider the scientist Marie Curie. The Wikidata item on Marie Curie, Q7186, reports that she received a Nobel Prize in Chemistry and a Nobel Prize in Physics. But Wikidata alone cannot express another concept that appears on her Wikipedia pages: that Curie is the only person to win the Nobel Prize in two different scientific fields. To achieve this, a future version of the Marie Curie page would use a machine-readable Wikifunction, something like $Person is the only person $Condition. By using the data about Q7186 and other data from Wikidata as input, the Wikifunction would generate an output to describe Marie Curies special status.

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In its future state, Wikifunctions is expected to be closely related to another project that has yet to launch, Abstract Wikipedia, an idea that Vrandecic first proposed in a Google working paper entitled Architecture for a multilingual encyclopedia. Before joining the foundation, Vrandecic worked as an ontologist at Google, and he explained to me in an interview that the name Abstract Wikipedia is trying to communicate that its a Wikipedia not written in a natural language, but in content abstracting from a concrete natural language. So, for example, the future Abstract Wikipedia page for Marie Curie might consist of several curated Wikifunctions, and these Wikifunctions would be used to express biographical information about Marie Curie, such as the fact that she was both a physicist and a chemist. The machine-readable abstract version of the Wikipedia page can then, theoretically, be piped out to the 323 language versions.

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Abstract Wikipedia could help Wikipedias that currently have fewer articles. For instance, there are fewer than 12,000 Wikipedia articles in Hausa, a language spoken in West and Central Africa, compared with 6.3 million articles in English Wikipedia. Without automation, it would take a lot of human time and energy for Hausa Wikipedia to expand from its current thousands of articles to millions of articlesand of course, not everyone has the economic means to donate copious amounts of free labor to an internet encyclopedia. But the programming-language articles on Abstract Wikipedia could perhaps provide a good starting place most of the time. Since these articles are written in the machine-readable format of Wikifunctions, they can more easily be translated by machine into the many natural, human language editions of Wikipedia.

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There have been a few examples of Wikipedia language editions with fewer volunteer editors having famously gone off-the-rails, such as the legendarily bad Scots Wikipedia or the far-right historical revisionism of Croatian Wikipedia. Perhaps leveraging Abstract Wikipedia as a standard starting place for those editions could help bring some factual rigor to those projects, stopping bad actors whose political goal is to minimize the horrors of the Holocaust.

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On the other hand, there are good reasons to tread carefully with machine-oriented initiatives like Wikifunctions, according to Brent Hecht, an associate professor at Northwestern University, where he leads the People, Space, and Algorithms research group. Its not so much that human knowledge cant be reduced to data, its that were often bad at doing so, he told me in an email. He shared an anecdote about a previous attempt to generate a Wikipedia article based on Wikidata that rendered something like the following: Adolph Hitler was a painter, soldier, politician, art collector, and statesperson.

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Besides the potential risk of misleading the reader, another concern is clunky language. Perhaps the software rendering a Wikipedia page about Slate based on our Wikidata entry would produce something choppy and robotic-sounding like Slate is an instance of an online magazine. It was founded in 1996. Its country of origin is the United States of America. But when we spoke, Vrandecic was optimistic that Wikifunctions could eventually convey more nuanced and complex concepts. He also reminded me that Wikipedia isnt necessarily supposed to be written in highly stylized or flashy prose. This is an encyclopedia, and youre reading information, Vrandecic said. Its not a manifesto, its not a novel.

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Even if you accept the premise that an internet encyclopedia should be written from a neutral point of view, it is clear that some knowledge is contested within cultures, such as whether the population of Israel should include occupied and contested territories, or whether Catalonia is better described as a Spanish autonomous community or its own country. If more language editions relied on Abstract Wikipedia as the central source of truth, then this dominant point of view could replace alternative perspectives. But Vrandecic countered that each volunteer community could decide for itself whether Abstract Wikipedia should be used as a baseline. The Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit organization behind Wikipedia, will not mandate that different language versions be forced to use the machine-readable, abstract version. That means that, for example, Hebrew Wikipedia and Arabic Wikipedia could each continue to present very different articles for the topic of Jerusalem.

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Then again, not all differences between language editions reflect deep cultural divisions. The Cebuano Wikipedia did not say that Dianne Feinstein was mayor of San Francisco because Feinstein holds some special cultural importance to the Cebuano language community in the Philippinesno, that specific page just happened to be really out-of-date. Hecht pointed out that there are millions of articles in non-English editions of Wikipedia that do not have corresponding pages in English, including pages on local villages and landmarks. The issue here isnt that language communities necessarily disagree about this knowledge, its that they simply focused their attention differently, Hecht said.

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Some editors are also concerned about the exponential growth of errors stemming from unintended consequences. During Vrandecics presentation at Wikimania, he was asked how Wikifunctions could maintain a diverse contributor base. After all, fewer than 20 percent of Wikipedia writers identify as women, according to a survey conducted by the Wikimedia Foundation. Would Wikifunctions display a similar gender bias? Would there be other biases, such as a bias for computer programmers? Vrandecic acknowledged the concern and pointed to efforts to make Wikifunctions welcoming to all types of contributors, not just coders. He also pointed to a recent study in Nature suggesting that learning programming languages correlates to natural language aptitude rather than mathematical ability. In other words, Abstract Wikipedia will not be ring-fenced to STEM types only.

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Throughout this years Wikimania, a number of volunteers expressed concern that English was becoming the lingua franca of the movement, and that English Wikipedia was receiving more attention than its counterparts. Vrandecic suspects that Abstract Wikipedia could help with this problem, too. He imagines a future in which the human editors of Abstract Wikipedia are not only writing functions using computer code, but are also able to communicate with one another via that code. I hope people can have discussions in the same language-independent manner that they are creating the content, Vrandecic said. Instead of needing to have these conversations in a common language such as English as editors do today, the idea of Abstract Wikipedia will also enable contributors to have nuanced discussions about content in their own languages, and the abstract technology may facilitate connecting these discussions across languages. In other words, communication itself will become language-independent  at least in the context of developing Wikipedia.

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The idea no doubt sounds far-fetched, like the latest technology-enabled iteration of L.L. Zamenhofs project to create Esperanto. But I was also struck by Vrandecics research into the many failed attempts throughout human history to establish a universal language, citing the efforts of Leibniz and Descartes. All of those examples are failures, all of them didnt work out, Vrandecic told me. So why do we think we have a chance? [Because] were creating a framework where we have thousands of people working on this problem, not just a single person or some very small group. I hope to leverage that Wikimedia idea of, if we all work together, we can achieve much more than a single person can.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
The Mala Fatra region is home to one of the most vibrant Slovak cities, but it is Terchova and nearby hills that you will fall in love with.

Strecno resident Ivan, 21, works as a rafter from April to October. He has been doing this job for six years. Strecno Castle can be seen in the background. (Source: Peter Dlhopolec)

I hate Strecno, a tourist  and potentially a driver  shouted from a wooden raft on the Vah river.

She referred to a notorious and frequently congested road running alongside the river near the village of Strecno. Several centuries ago, some may not have favoured Strecno Castle. Not only did it defend the regional border well, but road tolls used to be collected here.

Today, the restored ruin attracts tourists from all over due to its spectacular views of the valley and nearby hills, as well as for the story of Zofia Bosniakova, who lived in the castle in the 17th century.

Listen to the podcast:

https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1116482923&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true

I like and walk to Strecno, said David Cartwright, a Briton working at the New Synagogue arts and culture centre in the nearby city of Zilina.

However, more than the castle, he likes the possibilities of the walks that visitors can do around the area, including a hike to a lookout tower above the castle where four different castles can be seen.

Slovakias longest river, the Vah, flows next to the village, which is situated a few minutes by car from Zilina. The river serves as a border splitting the Mala Fatra mountain range into two parts: Lucanska to the south and Krivanska to the north. The latter, where the Mala Fatra national park spreads out, is home to the highest peaks of the range, waterfalls and the birthplace of the Slovak national hero, Janosik.

Fall overboard

But in Strecno, it is Zofia Bosniakova that is celebrated for her kindness, modesty and willingness to help poor and ill people at any time. She is often referred to as the Saint of Strecno.

A view from Strecno Castle. The castle was built on a rock by the Vah river to protect the border it shared with another region. (Source: Peter Dlhopolec)

Tourists will learn more about her during their visit to the castle or a rafting trip on the Vah. Although wooden rafts have a long tradition in the area, dating back to the 11th century, they became a tourist attraction only two decades ago.

I really like this job, said rafter Ivan from Strecno, 21, who has been rafting with tourists since he was 15 years old.

Online reviews of this adventurous activity suggest it is a popular experience among many, highlighting the wit and storytelling of rafters. While they recount stories about different rocks, of which the rocks Margita and Besna stand out due to the legend linked to them, and the castles and old bridges seen down the river, they do not forget to keep tourists fresh with jokes during a largely peaceful adventure, disturbed only by the busy road.

Rafters on the Vah River. The castle called Starhrad can be seen in the background. (Source: Peter Dlhopolec)

Sometimes, I come up with these jokes on the raft; some are old, told by rafters before me, Ivan said.

Though all rafters are trained, their early days on the job do not always go smoothly. Remembering one incident, in particular, Ivan said, smiling: I fell off the raft near the rock Besna.

Briton in love with Zilina

Many other amazing places scattered around the Zilina Region are easily reachable from its capital Zilina. With a population of 82,000 people, it is one of the largest cities in the country.

A paraglider has taken off from the Stranik hill near Zilina. (Source: Pavol Durco/TASR)

Zilina, for me, really has everything that I could want, Cartwright said. It is a place where, if you want to, you can meet friends walking down the road.

And while you can build a community around you or become that unknown face in a crowd, according to Cartwright, he also loves that Zilina is integrated into nature. The Stranik hill, a liked place among paragliders located six kilometres from the city, is a really special place for him since it was one of the first walks that he did near Zilina.

People enjoy a hot day in the Zilina water dam. (Source: TASR)

I get on the next train and pick the number of a stop, get off at that stop, and go for a walk until the next train, he said about the way he discovers the region.

Within a walking distance from the city, tourists can visit Budatin Castle or the Duben lookout tower on a hill above the railway station. The Zilina water dam was built right next to the city.

But Zilina offers a vibrant social and cultural life too. Its squares, such as Marianske Square and Anton Bernolak Park, and several cultural institutions are crowded with people in the evenings. One of the most popular venues is the independent cultural centre Stanica-Zariecie, housed in a railway station building, where Cartwright used to volunteer.

Tourists walk down from the Velky Krivan peak. (Source: TASR)

Looking back at the past two years, he said about his life in Zilina: I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but it was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.

Terchova is no longer just about Janosik

A 40-minute bus ride east of Zilina takes tourists to the village of Terchova. Many things in the village are related to the national hero Janosik, who was born here in 1688. Apart from statues, a symbolic house, or a Janosik museum, people come here to climb the popular Janosikove diery gorge, where plenty of waterfalls, footbridges and ladders can be found.

Also, the village is widely known for its folk music festival Janosikove dni, which was established in 1963. Local folk music was, moreover, inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage in 2013.

One of the strongest festival moments is Friday evening when almost a hundred people from Terchova play different instruments and sing on stage, said Robert Hlavac, who is involved in local tourism.

But Terchova does not want to be promoted just as the birthplace of Janosik. It hopes to attract more tourists to cycle and ski in the nearby hills or hike the Krivanska Mala Fatra ridge, which includes peaks such as Chleb, Stoh and Velky Krivan.

Wherever you are in Terchova, you always see this beautiful peak of Velky Rozsutec. It has some magic that makes you feel very comfortable, Hlavac also noted.

The Janosikove diery gorge, which is divided into three hiking trails, is one of the most popular places to climb in Terchova. (Source: Peter Dlhopolec)

The peak, although it is not the highest peak in the Krivanska Mala Fatra range, is also portrayed in the logo of the Mala Fatra national park.

This podcast was supported by the Zilina Tourism Region and implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Transport and Construction of the Slovak Republic.

31. Aug 2021 at 23:08 | Peter Dlhopolec
Hundreds protested in Bratislava on Constitution Day, traffic blocked

Gatherings were held to protest against the government and vaccination.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the parliament building in Bratislava on Wednesday afternoon.

Shortly after 16:00, a group of protesters blocked the road near Hodzovo namestie and Suche myto, right by the Presidential Palace. The protesters then moved on towards the SNP Bridge. Around 17:00, traffic was blocked on the SNP Bridge and along Staromestska Street, and later at the Stefanikova Street, all the way up to the main train station.

The police only managed to push the protestors off the road after 19:00. The Bratislava Regional Police reported to have detained 12 people during the protests, due to offences like disturbing public order, blocking the traffic or disobeying the calls of a public official. The health service reported to have treated three injured persons.

Participants are protesting against the government and vaccination. It is one of several protests taking place in the capital and in the eastern-Slovak city of Kosice on Constitution Day, which is a national holiday in Slovakia.

In Kosice, separate protests have been organised by opposition Smer and by the renegades of the far-right LSNS, now members of the Republika party.

The Bratislava gathering, which includes some far-right LSNS members and sympathisers, started in front of the Presidential Palace and after several speeches moved towards Castle Hill, where the parliament is located. Dozens of police in full anti-demonstration gear have been deployed to prevent the crowd from coming near the parliament, the TASR newswire reported. The anti-conflict team of the police and the municipal police intervention team are on the scene as well.

The gathering was peaceful for the most part. There was an isolated incident when a few protestors clashed with a driver who was passing by. The protest caused some limitations in public transport.

Meanwhile, in front of the parliament, the police intervened against several protesters shortly after 13:00, in order to keep them at least 50 metres from the parliament. Two protestors have been detained and escorted to the police station.

The crowd is protesting against the government, claiming that there is an ongoing "genocide of the Slovak nation" and that the Constitution and fundamental human rights are being violated, TASR reported.

1. Sep 2021 at 16:21 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Opposition and anti-system groups protested in Bratislava and Kosice

Protesters blocked the roads in Bratislava, one protest in Kosice was attended by a former president.

September 1 is Constitution Day in Slovakia. This year, some opposition parties and anti-system groups chose to mark the day with major protests against the government and the pandemic-related measures, including vaccination.

In Bratislava, protesting groups gathered in several locations: in front of the parliament, in Namestie Slobody square in front of the Government's Office, and in front of the Presidential Palace. The protestors disrupted traffic in central Bratislava in the late afternoon. When the police pushed protesters from Staromestska Street to Hodzovo Square near the Presidential Palace, violence ensued. The police used tear gas and batons after verbal and physical assaults by the protestors, the Sme daily reported.

In Kosice, one protest gathering was organised by renegades of the far-right LSNS, now members of the newly-established party Republika. The protest, held at Dolna Brana near St. Elisabeth's Cathedral in downtown Kosice, attracted hundreds of people. There was a clash when one man holding the American flag attempted to join the crowd and a few of the protestors attacked him. Nobody was injured.

Fico's protest

On the other end of Main Street, not far from the Constitutional Court building, Robert Fico's opposition Smer party held its protest gathering. The Korzar daily estimates it attracted a crowd of about 2,500, mostly maskless, protestors. They were addressed from the stage by VIPs of Smer, including Robert Fico. Former president Ivan Gasparovic was also on the stage.

Fico told the crowd that the public has the right to protest when the state is failing and asserted that the state is ceasing to work. He called on the Constitutional Court to act faster and mentioned a number of submissions of Smer MPs regarding the constitutionality of some anti-pandemic measures.

"In return, we guarantee that we will respect the decisions of the Constitutional Court," Fico said.

The Smer leader accused President Zuzana Caputova of marring the referendum because she turned to the Constitutional Court to evaluate the constitutionality of a possible referendum. Fico pledged that his party will find a legal way to hold the referendum on an early election.

Smer originally called on people to gather by the Constitutional Court but changed the location of their demonstration after the authorities pointed out that protests cannot be held within 100 metres of the court building. Prior to the protest, the police erected barriers around the court.

After the Smer's protest, a group of anti-vaxxers gathered nearby and protested against the anti-Covid measures. There was a clash with the police, with the protestors shouting "fascists" and "Gestapo" at the police.

Constitutional Court building prior to the September 1 protests. (Source: Jana Ogurcakova)

Activists counter-protested

Prior to the protest organised by Smer, activists of the Open Kosice initiative held their own protest gathering. Among the dozens in attendance were former KDH leader Alojz Hlina and artist Peter Kalmus.

Jan Galik of the Kosice initiative For a Decent Slovakia warned people against attending the Smer protest. He insisted that he and the activists around him were not defending the government or protecting Igor Matovic.

This group was wearing masks during their protest, which earned them some mocking shouts from passersby, mostly people going to the Smer protest, Korzar reported.

1. Sep 2021 at 18:00 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Longest shot on the board Kwik Talkin ripped around the field to take the $13,000 Horses & Geldings Preferred 2 Pace on Tuesday (Aug. 31) at Georgian Downs.

Favourite Moneyman Hill took the lead to a :27.1 first quarter with Statement Made A settling into the pocket and Pedro Hanover into third. Driver Travis Henry landed Kwik Talkin in fourth and remained at the pegs past a :56.2 half until Pedro Hanover angled first-over. Henry caught cover from Pedro Hanover into the backside as that one braved the third-quarter acceleration to a 1:23.4 three-quarters, and Henry soon abandoned his cover and kicked Kwik Talkin off the helmet. Off the final turn, Kwik Talkin surged for the lead and snagged it by a length at the end of a 1:52.4 mile while holding off rallying Pretty Handsome in second. Moneyman Hill faded to third.

A six-year-old stallion by Well Said, Kwik Talkin won his third race from nine starts this season and his 16th from 67 overall, pushing his earnings to $225,073. Amanda Fine trains the $17.30 winner for owners Scott & Lisa Henry.

The Prospect Series continued for two-year-old pacing fillies with the Henry-driven Shezis A Beauty ($3) fashioning a front-end score in the $7,500 fourth leg division in 1:56.1 by 4-3/4 lengths. Million Angels followed in second while Sauble Amber closed for third. Gerard Demers trains the Sportswriter-Keystone Eliza filly, who broke her maiden in her sixth career start, for owners Les Ecuries Gld Inc., and Jean Roch Marois.

Georgian Downs 2021 meet concluded this evening and featured the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Societys (OSAS) 25th anniversary race in the sixth, which was narrowly captured by Century Hefner and Brett MacDonald.

Speed Limit set the tempo of :27.4, :57.1 and 1:25.2 and fought off one challenger but lost by a whisker at the wire as Century Hefner got up to win by a nose in 1:55.2. Hardy Mill Joe was third. The time represents a new life mark for the three-year-old son of Sunshine Beach owned by Paul Ritchie of Mono, Ontario and trained by Jim Ritchie. This was his second lifetime win in 10 attempts.

Making tonights winner's circle presentation were Susan and Bert Mollica, whose farm is one of OSASs main foster farms. They were accompanied by their son Christopher who shows his Standardbred mare Eight Of Hearts and is an avid fan of racing at Georgian.

Each Ontario racetrack is hosting a race in honour of OSASs 25th anniversary in 2021. Next up is Hiawatha Horse Park on Saturday, Sept. 4.

To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Georgian Downs.

(With files from OSAS)
Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park has a 13-dash program scheduled for Thursday evening (September 2), pending the weather forecast, with the Lady Slipper Stakes for two and three-year-old trotters in the middle of the action.

First race post time is set at 6 p.m. with Lady Slipper trot divisions in Races 3, 5, 7 and 9. Due to the pending weather forecast, the card could move to Friday night at 6 p.m., but an official announcement will be made Thursday morning at 9 a.m.

The first Lady Slipper division in Race 3 carries a $12,850 purse for two-year-old trotters and features Red Shores Summerside track record holder Defriended leaving from post four for driver Myles Heffernan Sr., trainer Myles Heffernan Jr., and owner Jackie Heffernan of Summerville, P.E.I. The Amigo Hall filly scored a 27-length romp in last weeks Brian Andrew Memorial Stakes in 2:04.2 in one of the largest win margins in the history of Island racing.

The other rookie trot division is in Race 5 with divisional leader Up Helly AA riding a five-race win streak with high percentage pilot Ken MacDonald in the bike for trainer Clare MacDonald and owner Riley Farms Ltd., of Summerside, P.E.I. Bred by Greg MacKenzies Tulach Ard Farms of Nova Scotia, the Armbro Barrister colt trotted to a new race win record of 2:03.2 in his latest start.

Dusty Lane Milo is favoured from post six in the first three-year-old Lady Slipper trot division in Race 7, which carries a $12,316 purse. Gilles Barrieau returns to the race bike of the Jeff Holmes trainee for owner Marsha Knox of Stanhope, P.E.I. A product of Dusty Lane Farms in Cornwall, P.E.I., the Tad The Stud colt has never been worse than second in five seasonal starts.

Peach Pie Will Do will look to replicate his upset performance from Gold Cup Week in the second $12,316 Lady Slipper sophomore split in Race 9. Brodie MacPhee drives the Tad The Stud colt for trainer Chris MacKay and owners Jordan MacKay, Andrew Brown, Shirley Symes and Allard Racing Inc.

Catch all the action live at the track or tune into the worldwide broadcast at Redshores.ca. Live streaming is also available on the Red Shores Youtube page and you can wager online at HPIBet.com.

To view Thursday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Thursday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.

(With files from Red Shores)
Biden has done more to harm American interests and security than perhaps any other U.S. president. He sounds and looks weak because he is weak. This has not gone unnoticed by terrorists, as well as Iran, China, Russia and others who do not wish us well.

Perhaps the most discouraging part of Bidens remarks was his continuing obsession with blaming former President Donald Trump for the Afghanistan debacle. True, Trump floated the idea of inviting unreliable Taliban leaders to Washington and even Camp David to reach a deal to end the war, though he never did. Critics apparently forget that Bill Clinton did invite Yassir Arafat to Camp David.

The treaty then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo concluded with the Taliban worked. No U.S. soldiers were killed during an 18-month period. There were probably two reasons. First, the Taliban thought they could patiently wait out America, because based on our withdrawal from Vietnam, they believed we would not stay forever, and second, because Trump had specific requirements for the Taliban to meet or the deal would be off. It is hard to imagine, as much as Trump wanted to stop endless wars, that he would abandon Afghanistan altogether without at least a minimal U.S. presence to deter terrorists who wish to again attack America.
The Dallas County Commissioners Court discussed programs they invested in during the pandemic to mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19.
Denton County Sheriff Tracy Murphree on Tuesday told commissioners that a temporary overtime pay adjustment might incentivize more jail staff to volunteer for overtime and might help with morale.
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Southport, NC (28461)

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Sunshine and clouds mixed. High around 85F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

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To date, Iredell County has yet to hit the 50% vaccination threshold, with just 43.6% of the county having received at least one shot, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

We are encouraging everyone to receive the vaccine, Redford said. It is the best way to protect yourself and others from contracting and spreading COVID-19. We are hopeful that we will see an increase in individuals receiving the vaccine that were previously cautious now that there is an FDA-approved vaccine.

We would have certainly hoped to reach a 50% vaccination rate by now, she added.

As of Aug. 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approved the vaccine that was known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (known now as Comirnaty), becoming the first to be officially approved by the administration. It was also the first to have its emergency authorization issued on Dec. 11, 2020. The vaccine produced by Moderna, which also received emergency authorization in December 2020, just completed its submission to the FDA for a full approval, a process that typically takes months. The submission to approve the Pfizer vaccine was submitted on May 7.
The U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet, which now controls most of the warships in the U.S. Navy has had a lot of embarrassing personnel and leadership problems in the last decade. These only became visible to the general public when there were major mishaps, like ship collisions or anything that involved loss of life. In 2017 these problems became so bad, and public, that the commander of the Pacific Fleet was fired (relieved) for failure to do his job.

Recently it became public that the Pacific Fleet, which not only most American warships but also most navy personnel and overseas bases, suffered a more serious but generally unpublicized problem. Between 2016 and 2018 Pacific Fleet submarines, and their two support ships (or tenders) did not receive the required computer and computer network security inspections. A recent navy-wide audit of cybersecurity found that COMSUBPAC (Pacific Fleet Submarine Command) was unable to get enough qualified cyber security specialists to carry out the required inspections and deal with any problems discovered. Pacific Fleet policy was to concentrate available network security personnel to service surface ships and land installations, which were connected to the Internet all the time. The submarines had no Internet access most of the time because while at sea the nuclear subs rarely operated on the surface. Submarine crews have limited email access, which means no attachments and low risk of malware getting into the submarine network.

The Pacific Fleet was also dependent on the fact that many systems in submarines were independent of each other and the only ship-wide network was based on Linux, which is less frequently attacked by hackers than computers using Windows, Apple OS or Android. The U.S. military, especially the navy, switched from Windows to Linux about fifteen years ago in part because of reduced security risks. But those risks did not disappear, which was why the navy mandated cybersecurity inspections every three years to assess the security of shipboard systems. In a similar fashion and for similar reasons many large companies, especially in banking and finance, also switched to Linux and were the first to realize hackers had noted the shift. Those hacking groups that specialize in attacking large businesses had found it worth the effort to spend more time and money finding exploitable vulnerabilities in Linux. American military cyber security experts noticed this but the Pacific Fleet and COMSUBPAC did not take note of how critical these new vulnerabilities were. The cybersecurity audits provided an early warning of vulnerability because the first thing a hacker that got into a submarine network would do is carry out an extensive, and time consuming, exploration of the network to find vulnerable areas and develop a plan on how to get into those areas to plant hidden system monitors and system destroying software that can be activated remotely or if certain warlike actions are detected.

Many militaries and governments, like China and North Korea, also switched to Linux to reduce network security vulnerability. Chinese military cybersecurity experts have a list of known vulnerabilities and potential ones that their hackers could use to get into U.S. Navy systems. Cybersecurity on submarines is very important because most American nuclear subs are in the Pacific and are a major threat to the growing Chinese fleet.

It wasnt just the Pacific Fleet commander who was negligent. Higher ranking admirals than the relieved Pacific Fleet commander are also responsible for this problem developing. Some of them were competent enough to order the navy-wide audit, which found a lot of problems the navy would prefer to keep out of the news, at least until they are fixed. The Pacific submarine force cybersecurity problems are still not completely known, much less being fixed.

The current problems in the Pacific Fleet are a side effect of the post-1991 shift of U.S. Navy forces from the Atlantic to the Pacific. During World War II most of the Navy was operating in the Pacific but after 1945, the Atlantic Fleet grew more powerful. This was in preparation for a potential battle with the growing naval power of the Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, their fleet wasted away within a decade. The American Atlantic Fleet no longer had a major opponent. Meanwhile, China, North Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran provided plenty of work for the Pacific Fleet, which normally supplied ships for Middle East and South Asian emergencies.

As the Pacific Fleet grew in size the Atlantic Fleet gradually disappeared until it was renamed, and reorganized, into the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, which is responsible for the training, maintenance, and operation of naval forces (ships, aircraft, and land installations) on both coasts plus providing support and coverage of less vital areas. By 2020 there was only the Pacific Fleet and "the rest of the navy."
T he GNU (Government of National Unity) has run into problems getting the temporary government to agree on who is in charge of what. There was progress early in the year as the October 2020 ceasefire was extended and made part of the national unification plan. The ceasefire continues to be observed. The two rival factions; GNA (UN created Government of National Accord in Tripoli) and HoR (House of Representatives government in Tobruk) agreed to a unification plan that required the two rival factions to work out the details of a formal merger of both factions and appointment of new ministers for all government departments, especially defense, finance and the NOC (National Oil Corporation). In February 2021 Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh was selected to head (as prime minister) the GNU.

Dbeibeh has been a successful businessman since the 1980s and, during the 2011 revolution favored the Moslem Brotherhood, but was perceived as doing so mainly to protect his family and business interests. He is known to have used corrupt behavior to keep his businesses going during the decade of fighting but is believed trustworthy enough to form the temporary government that has until the end of 2021. By mid-2021 Dbeibeh was facing accusations that he had sold out to the Turks. There were discussions with the UAE and European nations over possible investment opportunities, but no determination to cancel the deals the Turks already had. More corruption accusations followed against the new ministers Dbeibeh appointed.

By mutual agreement the GNU only lasts until the end of 2021. If there is not an elected government by then, the civil war resumes. The primary problem has been the arrival of Turkish forces in mid-2019 and the GNA rewarding the Turks by signing a treaty in late 2019 that granted Turkey access to offshore waters between Libya and Turkey, some of them were already recognized as controlled by Greece. Since then Turkey has refused to withdraw its forces or resolve its legal problems with Greece and the other NATO nations that back Greece.

These problems got worse when a key provision of the October 2020 ceasefire terms, that foreign troops would leave by January 2021, were ignored by the Turks, who refused to leave. The LNA supporters; Russia and the UAE would not withdraw their forces until the Turks did. To date none of the ceasefire terms have been fully met although some progress has been made on a few of the less important items. The most recent disagreements have been over which faction controls which part of the temporary government and these are often linked to the continued Turkish military presence. The HoR government and most European nations agree that the treaties signed by the GNA and Turkey in late 2019 are illegal and the Turks have hinted that it is possible for them to withdraw their troops as long as any departure deal leaves their economic interests in Libya intact. That means international backing for the 2019 treaty between GNA and the Turks that grants Turkey control of offshore waters controlled by Greece. Most of NATO backs Greece on this point and agrees the Turkish presence in Libya is illegal but no one is willing to confront Turkey and force them out. Realizing that, the Turks believe they can just stall efforts to oust them and eventually win.

The Turkish strategy has caused a deadlock in forming a workable GNA. The most damaging aspect of this is the inability of the GNU to agree on a new budget. One cause of the stalled budget is feuds over who should run the NOC and the Central Bank. Disagreements over who the new directors of these two institutions will be has disrupted the use of oil revenue to pay the salaries and other bills to keep the oil fields and oil export ports operational. The NOC has had no budget agreement since 2020 and has had to improvise to find the cash to keep the NOC going. Those efforts can no longer obtain the cash needed and without the 2021 budget approval there is not enough cash to keep oil exports going. One subsidiary of the NOC, AGOCO, ran out of cash earlier in the year and is close to shutting down about a quarter of all Libyan oil production because the government cannot agree on who is in charge.

Oil Production Broken

Oil production growth has stalled at 1.3 million BPD (barrels per day) and will soon start shrinking if the financial deadlock is not resolved. By the end of 2020 o il production had risen from 800,000 to 1.2 million BPD because the HoRs LNA (Libyan National Army) had resolved most of the problems with the local militias that were blocking access to key oil fields and oil export facilities unless their demands for more money were met. The LNA persuaded or forced these militias to cooperate so that oil exports could continue and increase. In late 2020the NOC expected to have production expanded to nearly two million BPD by the end of 2021. Production was 1.2 million BPD In January 2021 and it was believed that a realistic goal for the end of 2021 was 1.5 million BPD if the ceasefire was maintained and the national elections held. With that production could reach 1.6 million BPD by the end of 2022. The production level before the 2011 civil war began was 1.6 million BPD.

The LNA had ordered oil exports halted in mid-2020 to persuade everyone to cooperate on the ceasefire and formation of the GNU. The LNA ordered oil exports to resume in October 2020, despite threats from some militias near ports to shut that down if the militias did not receive more money for protecting the ports from other militias. The LNA was able to quickly deal with these threats. Production estimates depend on the success of the December 2021 national elections and maintaining the peace nationwide. By mid-2021 there were doubts that the election deadline would be met and by August the paralysis in forming a workable GNU spread to the oil industry and national bank. Production is stalled at 1.3 million BPD and about to start declining.

Corruption

There are mutual accusations of corruption and abuse of power. The key problem is a lack of trust, especially in light of how the GNA got away with its illegal treaty with Turkey and the Turks refuse to withdraw their troops unless they are compensated.

If the budget deadlock is resolved there are still disagreements on whether the national leader will be an elected president or a prime minister chosen by parliament. It is understood that the legislative elections will create a legislature/parliament composed of many political factions with different ideas about how Libya should be governed. While a president does not have to worry about losing his majority in parliament and triggering new parliamentary elections, the parliamentary process makes it easier to avoid a resumption of the civil war by giving all factions a role in forming new governments led by a prime minister.

Bad History

Libya is also a prisoner of history and geography. Libya remains a thinly populated and divided (by tribal and local loyalties) place. When a united Libyan kingdom was established in 1951 the population was about a million. The 1960s oil wealth triggered a population explosion, including lots of imported workers. Population had reached six million when the 2011 revolution occurred. Despite many Libyans fleeing the country after 2011, the population is still about six million and a third of that is found in and around Tripoli. Thats why the city is so important to the GNA and why the LNA went after Tripoli only after they had established themselves in the rest of Libya.

By 2019 GNA control was, and largely still is, limited to a portion of western Libya along the coast. This includes the cities of Tripoli, Misrata and (until 2020) Sirte. The other two are much smaller than Tripoli and defended by local militias rather than any elected government. The LNA and HoR (House of Representatives government in Tobruk) advocate elected governments while the GNA is less eager to discuss that lest it offend the many militias it depends on. The GNA faced extinction in 2019 as the LNA offensive to capture the city slowly advanced. The carefully planned attack began in April and it was soon clear that the GNA forces, composed of militias that were more gangster than soldier, were not up to the task. At that point Turkey offered to violate the arms embargo and provide the GNA forces with weapons, armored vehicles and air support in the form of Turkish armed UAVs. By mid-2019 this Turkish aid, including a few hundred Turkish troops and civilians acting as trainers, advisors and UAV operators, had an impact. Turkey offered the GNA even more assistance in return for their signature on an agreement with Turkey. The GNA agreed, even though they had no legal power to sign that document. The Turks, the UN and most everyone else in the world realized this.

This GNA rescue plan required the GNA to welcome Turkish forces into what little portions of western Libya they still controlled. The LNA offensive was halted and the LNA forced to retreat. This prompted the HoR and GNA to negotiate a compromise that would unite the two governments and hold national elections by the end of 2021. That wont happen if the Turks and other foreign forces remain and the Turks refuse to leave unless their demands are met.

There are few things Libyans agree on and these include dislike of the Turks, Islamic terrorists, militias, especially Islamic ones, and foreign interference in general. UN peacemaking efforts in Libya are none too popular. Thats because the UN backed an unpopular and weak GNA government in Tripoli, a city controlled largely by rival militias. The UN is seen as outsiders more interested in pursuing their own goals rather than what Libyans need; peace and some form of unity. The LNA and its leader Khalifa Haftar acknowledged that and made themselves useful by subduing the militias and Islamic terror groups in eastern Libya and slowly moving south and west to do the same throughout Libya. Alleged GNA promises of billions in new business for Turkish firms and some instant cash that would be illegally transferred to Turkey brought in over a thousand Turkish military personnel and over 12,000 Syrian mercenaries. While better fighters than the Islamic militias occupying Tripoli and Misrata, the Syrians showed no enthusiasm for getting killed fighting the better trained and led LNA forces, at least not on a large scale. With help of Turkish air power and artillery, the mercs will still take part in small scale operations against the LNA and several of these have been successful.

August 31, 2021: In Tripoli fighting broke out between local militias who supported different officials in the ACA (Administrative Control Agency). The ACA is one of several anti-corruption organizations established to ensure that reliable people were appointed to senior positions. To many Libyans, control of the ACA could make you rich because of the bribery potential. Control of the ACA was something worth fighting for and thats what the two militias fighting each other in Tripoli are all about.

August 30, 2021: Internet chatter by Syrian Arab mercenaries in Libya revealed that many are warning friends to not accept Turkish offers to go work in Libya as a mercenary. The problem is that the 7,000 Syrian mercenaries still in Libya are not being paid on time or at the agreed upon rates. Turkey cut pay about 25 percent, to $74 a month. To make matters worse the Turks and Syrians who handle the payroll have not been delivering all of it to the mercenaries. The problem is that many of the Syrian Arabs are recruited as a group, under their own leaders, from factions in Syria that Turkey seeks to develop better relations with. Those Syrian leaders feel they have a right to take a fraction of the total payroll and many of their subordinates disagree because they were told by the Turks that pay would arrive on time and at agreed on rates.

As low as morale is among the Syrian mercs, they cannot leave. While there has not been much fighting for them this year, they are often called on to confront local Libyan militias that are accustomed to doing whatever they want. While technically working for the GNA, many of these militias also work for themselves and the Turks tried to change that. The Turks provided new weapons and training for the GNA militias but could not install more loyalty to the GNA or any government. Some of these militias are again causing armed confrontations over disputes within the GNA over who controls what in the new GNU government that is trying to control corruption and make national elections possible. Despite the defiance of some of the GNA Tripoli and Misrata militias, the Libyan militia leaders complain that the Turks are in control of western Libya because of their Syrian mercenaries and superior airpower, especially the armed UAVs.

August 29, 2021: The HoR is threatening to withdraw from the GNU agreement if the GNU leaders do not cooperate rather than hinder the operation of the GNU government and legislature.

August 27, 2021: The newly appointed GNU Minister of Oil and Gas suspended the chairman of the NOC. The suspension did not work because the current NOC chairman was outside the country and still in control of the NOC. At issue here is the resolution of a six-year-old incident where a 2015 audit showed $11.5 billion disappearing and who was responsible is still unknown.

August 26, 2021: The LNA and UN peacekeeping leaders met at LNA headquarters and worked out details of how the UN and LNA would cooperate in organizing security for the late 2021 national elections. Only the LNA has effective forces nationwide. The UN will have to deal with the Turkish forces that dominate the cities of Tripoli and Misrata and about a third of the electorate. The UN is sponsoring a peacekeeping force with troops provided by other African nations. These are needed to assist in guarding the oil industry and infrastructure in general.

Since mid-2020 there have been few combat casualties. There are still some violent deaths, most of them the result of Islamic terrorist attacks, assassinations for political or personal reasons as well as tribal/ethnic feuds that will not wait for the promised new legal system to deal with such matters in courts. Most of the deaths from criminal activity take place off the northern coast where smuggling gangs operating in GNA territory make a lot of money from illegal migrants seeking passage to Europe. A functioning national government would shut down most of the people smuggling, as had been the case before 2011. Meanwhile the boats and methods used by the smugglers often result in many of the migrants being lost at sea. The LNA has been arbitrating and resolving as many of the feuds as possible and is the only one doing this the UN sees an opportunity to build on that. The LNA had shut down the people smugglers in areas it controlled and most of the smugglers ended up in areas near Tripoli where local militias were still willing to do business.

August 24, 2021: In the southwest (Fezzan region, 640 kilometers south of Tripoli) the LNA and security forces in neighboring Niger have disrupted a major arms Libyan smuggling operation that was regularly getting thousands of looted (from government warehouses after the 2011 revolution) weapons and ammo into Niger. These smugglers also supplied gangsters and Islamic terrorists in Libya. Since 2015 the LNA has been trying to maintain some degree of law and order in this area where fighting between Tuareg and Tebu tribesmen has been flaring up regularly since the 2011 revolution. Much of the violence is over control of the main road going to the Niger border. The fighting is a continuation of ancient animosities between tribes divided by ethnicity as well as loyalty to the former dictator Kaddafi, who used tribal loyalties to maintain power and favored certain tribes. Some of the pro-Kaddafi Tuareg tribes kept fighting after Kaddafi died in 2011. The violence was not so much about putting Kaddafi followers back into power, but holding on to Kaddafi-era privileges and avoiding punishment for crimes committed to support Kaddafis rule. In this case violence continued on the southern border in part because the pro-rebel Tabu (or Tebu) tribesmen were put in charge of border (with Sudan, Chad and Niger) security after Kaddafi fell. There they continued skirmishes with the Tuareg tribes over control of the smuggling business. Another element of this rivalry was that the Tabu are black African while the pro-Kaddafi tribes are Arab and Taureg. Kaddafi tended to support Arab domination over black Africans, something many Arabs still approve of. However, in some cases Kaddafi favored black tribes in the north, and used them to keep the population in line. By 2015 the Tabu were still technically in charge of the border but mostly concerned with their control over smuggling (of weapons, fuel, drugs and people). The Tabu and Tuareg leaders worked out agreements on dividing smuggling business but discipline in the tribes is not all that tight and fights keep breaking out. The main cause of renewed fighting in 2019 is the GNA sending militiamen south to aid the Tabu in pushing LNA forces out of the area. The GNA effort in the south is not so much about ancient tribal rivalries but about gaining control of oil fields and pipelines in this part of the country. About a quarter of Libyan oil comes from this area and in 2020 the GNA, with help of Turkish mercenaries, regained some control in the area, long policed by the LNA. The GNA forces were unable to dislodge LNA forces and the October 2020 ceasefire agreement enabled the LNA to return to its anti-smuggling efforts.

August 2, 2021: Russia resumed oil production at facilities it manages with its German partner. This facility had been closed for ten months because of the chaos following Turkish intervention in the Libyan civil war.
Five more Southwest Virginia residents who conspired with more than 30 others to file fraudulent claims for more than $499,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits, mail fraud and associated offenses have pleaded guilty.

Patrick Payne, 43, Randall Johnson, 42, Steven Mullins Jr., 33, Curtis Mullins, 25, and Melinda Davis, 58, appeared in U.S. District Court in Abingdon over the last two weeks. The five conspired with others to file claims for unemployment benefits through the Virginia Employment Commission website, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office on Friday.

The scheme involved submitting claims for various individuals who were not eligible to receive benefits, including several prisoners at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail. So far, 19 people have pleaded guilty.

Prosecutors say the individuals lied to make filers appear eligible for benefits. Because pandemic benefits are paid weekly, each of the individuals reverified and recertified the false statements on a number of occasions. In all, prosecutors said the conspiracy filed claims for 37 people, causing at least $499,000 in false claims to have been paid.
Foster said he is very concerned about the potential loss of jobs.

We cant bring Amazon in and a casino in and then lay off 40 to 50 of our most loyal employees. Those guys down there really deserve the fight and need somebody who will stand up for them and fight, Foster said of the jail employees.

Foster, 63, is a detective and 24-year veteran of the city police department.

Thomas, 56, is a 30-year veteran of the Bristol Tennessee Police Department. He too expressed support for retaining the jail. His wife Pam recently retired from the Sheriffs Office after 32 years of service.

Like my opponent, I think it is a mistake to see the jail go, Thomas said. Im not seeking an office; Im not seeking a title. Im seeking a job. My job is to work for you guys, the rest of the citizens of this city and those employees.

He pledged to work to keep the jail open.

Ill do everything that I can to save those jobs and keep the jail here because, if the jail goes, all our opportunities for rehabilitation, for inmate programs, for mental health counseling and all those other things are taken out of our hands and put in the hands of the regional jail authority. So that is priority No. 1, Thomas said.
ABINGDON, Va.  Washington County Commissioner of Revenue Mark Matney wants to get rid of the countys farm equipment tax.

Its an extra tax, said Matney, who made an impassioned plea to drop the tax at last Tuesdays meeting of the Washington County Board of Supervisors.

But the board  especially Chairman Dwayne Ball  raised objections.

This year, with bills due Nov. 1, Matney expects to collect $124,533 from 726 farmers who pay the tax on equipment, including tractors, hay balers and four-wheelers, Matney said.

Ball questioned whether its fair to single out this tax and not drop others while also expressing concerns that the county needs the revenue.

We have a $19 million courthouse to pay for and schools to modernize, Ball said.

Farm equipment is taxed at the same rate as personal property: $1.70 per $100 of assessed value, said Matney. New equipment is taxed for 10 years.

If you buy a tractor here, youre supposed to pay tax in Washington County, Matney said. By law, youre supposed to report that to my office.

Over a decade, the tax on a new $50,000 tractor would be more than $4,000, according to Matney.
I just had it. Enough is enough, said Campos, who shared copies of her timesheets and pay stubs with Public Integrity. We are depending on that money. When you get shorted, its the most horrible feeling.

A systemic problem

Every morning, Campos and thousands of other mail carriers across the United States swipe their badges at a local post office to clock in for work. They sort mail for their routes, check undelivered items and load up their trucks. They swipe their badge a few more times when they begin and end their delivery route and other tasks, and once again when theyre done for the day.

All of this is supposed to happen within an eight-hour shift for most carriers. Thats because the Postal Service doesnt want to pay overtime, which is 50% extra per hour under federal law. The inspector general has repeatedly admonished the post office for spending billions of dollars in overtime each year and has urged managers to cut back.

But mail carriers say its impossible to get back in time. After all, the Postal Service is notoriously short-staffed at a time when carriers are delivering a record number of packages. In 2019 alone, they delivered 1.5 billion items for Amazon  nearly a third of the online retailers packages.
Farmer mainly relies on her husband and door-to-door paratransit rides from LIFT to get around town. Farmer said she went through one day of mobility training to learn to navigate Kelso on her own, but that did not keep her from being scared by the risks of longer walks.

Im not that good with using my cane to get around and I dont walk around enough to get familiar, Farmer said.

She also said she hopes to see transportation options that would connect Longview and Kelso to other nearby cities. Her in-laws live in Castle Rock and she had to travel to Rainier to find a dentist covered by her insurance.

Disability Mobility Initiative is looking to the state Legislature to fund many of the transportation changes they hope to see across Washington. Zivarts said the group is planning a campaign in October where state legislators go for a week without driving themselves. The legislators will get rides from other people or use public transit, with community members advising them on how to navigate.

Zivarts said the initiative also is pushing for transit providers to bring on local non-drivers as either paid consultants or employees.

Nobody else is going to give you the depth and understanding of what is or is not happening in the community that you get by hiring these folks, Zivarts said.

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Ive ridden out other hurricanes: Hurricane Isaac, Katrina, Gustav, Ike. ... This is the worst, Resweber said.

In New Orleans, drivers lined up for roughly a quarter-mile, waiting to get into a Costco that was one of the few spots in the city with gasoline. At other gas stations, motorists occasionally pulled up to the pumps, saw the handles covered in plastic bags and drove off.

Renell Debose spent a week suffering in the New Orleans Superdome after 2005s Hurricane Katrina, which killed 1,800 people and left the city nearly uninhabitable. She said she is willing to give it a few days without electricity, but no more than that.

I love my city. Im built for this. But I cant make it without any air conditioning, she said.

Michael Pinkrah used his dwindling fuel to find food. He cradled his 3-week-old son in the back seat of an SUV and his 2-year-old daughter played in the front seat as his wife stood in a long line in the sweltering heat to get into one of the few grocery stores open in the city.

Pinkrah said he and his wife thought about evacuating but couldn't find a hotel room. They found out about the open store through social media. But even that link was tenuous.
Ill just have to cross that bridge when I find out more details of the mandate. I would hate to throw away all that time I have with the schools, said Coleman, who said she has concerns about potential long term effects of vaccines.

Philadelphia parent Rebecca Smith, who has daughters in the third and sixth grades, said school officials have an obligation to protect unvaccinated children.

The one thing I shouldnt have to worry about is the people employed to care for my children making them sick, she said in written testimony to the school board. School employees are tasked with caring for some of the most vulnerable members of our society -- our children under 12, who right now are the ONLY group who can not get a vaccine to protect themselves.

While teachers unions including the United Federation of Teachers, which represents New York City teachers, have supported the no-opt out rules for vaccines, they also advocate on behalf of dissenting members in negotiations with the city. Some of those talks focus on severance packages for those who leave their jobs and leaves of absences that could allow some teachers to return once the public health crisis passes.
Solar storm 2021: There is another solar storm coming, and the Internet, which is the backbone of almost every activity that happens in the world today, be it governance, medicine, manufacturing, banking or even education, is under threat again. A new report on solar storm impact suggests that a massive upcoming solar storm is likely to damage the infrastructure and in the process cause a massive internet apocalypse.

According to a research paper published by Sangeetha Abdu Jyothi of the University of California, Irvine and VMware Research, a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), popularly known as a solar storm, is a directional ejection of a large mass of highly magnetized particles from the sun. When the earth is in the direct path of a solar storm, these magnetized and charged solar particles will interact with the earths magnetic field and produce several effects, which includes damaging long-distance cables that constitute the backbone of the Internet.

Also read: Looking for a smartphone? Check Mobile Finder here.

Now, the present day internet primarily uses fiber optic cables, which are immune to a solar storm unlike the previous generation of coaxial cables, since it carries light and not electric current. However, longhaul cables that stretch hundreds or thousands of kilometers also have an accompanying conductor that connects repeaters in series along the length of cables called the power feeding line. Solar storm impact will affect this conductor, as per the researcher.

Solar storm 2021 infra threat: Furthermore, the researcher says that the submarine cables are more vulnerable to a solar storm than land cables, primarily due to their larger lengths. The researcher also says the impact of a solar storm on the internet infrastructure is also based on topology. For instance, the US is highly susceptible to disconnection from Europe. Europe is in a vulnerable location but is more resilient due to the presence of a larger number of shorter cables. Asia has relatively high resilience with Singapore acting as a hub with connections to several countries. Google data centers have better resilience than Facebooks, the researcher wrote.

While under-the-sea cables are more impacted by solar storms, the researcher says that communication satellites are among the most severely systems that can be affected by a solar storm. The damages are not caused by GIC but due to direct exposure to highly charged particles in CMEs...Threats to communication satellites include damage to electronic components and extra drag on the satellite, particularly in low earth orbit systems such as Starlink that can cause orbital decay and uncontrolled reentry to earth, the researcher wrote.

Solar storm 2021 impact: If you are wondering what sort of an effect this solar storm will have on the Internet then researcher Jyothi has some clues for you. The researcher says that most of the repeaters are highly susceptible to failure. And if most of the repeaters on a network go offline, it could create an internet blackout in a nation that only relies on undersea cables. The Internet today has been designed in a way that even if one pathway fails, it could be rerouted through another pathway. But this would come at an immense cost to both connectivity and speed. That said, it is difficult to predict exactly what will happen when the solar storm hits. In any case, it is safe to say that it wont be good. Having said that, it will all depend on how massive the solar storm is - size actually matters. And that is something that has been referred to as a solar superstorm.
Credit: MX3D

A skeletal floor for the ESA-supported lunar habitat design which was created by leading architects Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and currently on show at this year's Venice Biennale.

This prototype floor design section was 3D printed in stainless steel by Dutch company MX3D, famous for creating a 3D-printed bridge in Amsterdam.

Designed to meet efficiency, use, and construction constraints, the structure's smooth web pattern design emerged from delineating stress map analysis and optimizing a continuous topology to reduce mass and make maximum use of 3D printing manufacturing methods.

It was printed using robotic "wire arc additive manufacturing" out of 308LSi stainless steel and took about 246 hours to make, adding up to a total mass of approximately 395 kg and a maximum diameter of approximately 4.5 m once assembled.

The overall floor design is made out of six separate segments that were printed vertically before being welded together. The 3D printed structure is supported by three columns and hosts a series of floor panels.

"The innovative floor design is supported from columns in the habitat walls, cantilevering towards the perimeter and center," comments Daniel Inocente, SOM Senior Designer for the study.

"We looked at the manufacturing constraints and used our analysis to interpolate a web pattern that followed the angular limits of the 3D printing machines. The cross section and thickness was also analyzed and differentiated to reduce the overall masswith reduced thickness at the exterior/interior boundaries."

"This was a great opportunity to show the potential of our technology for the fabrication of lightweight metal structures together with ESA and SOM," explains Gijs van der Velden, CEO of MX3D. "It was a perfect project for MX3D to leverage its experience in printing topology optimized metal structures. Achieving an optimal use of material is a company goal at MX3D becausejust as when designing space applicationsevery reduced kilo in a MX3D design is a direct win for a project's feasibility."

Advenit Makaya, Advanced Manufacturing Engineer at ESA says: "This is a remarkable achievement from MX3D, which further highlights the potential of this additive manufacturing technique for an increasing range of space applications. The design flexibility and the possibility to combine the printed structure with embedded monitoring systemsas demonstrated in the 3D-printed bridge in Amsterdamare worth investigating for applications in space structures.

"This technique could also be considered for in-situ construction of infrastructure during sustainable exploration missions, for instance by using metallic feedstock derived from the locally available regolith."

Thomas Rohr, Head of the Materials and Processes team at ESA adds: "The capabilities of MX3D demonstrate inspiring concurrence of engineering and art, and are another great example to what extent additive manufacturing has already entered our society. For space applications, such technologies not only provide improvements in performance but can lead to unprecedented and enabling design solutions."

Explore further Dutch queen and robot open 3D-printed bridge in Amsterdam
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Marine shipping traffic has grown steadily over the past decadeand so have the associated greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon emissions from ships grew almost 10% between 2012 and 2018, and the industry is a large consumer of petroleum fuel.

Substituting biofuel could reduce the amount of greenhouse gases and other pollutants entering the air from ocean shipping, according to a study from researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Transportation. Compared with conventional heavy fuel oil, the study found, biomass-based fuel could reduce greenhouse gas emissions between 40 and 93%.

Without any changes to the status quo, greenhouse gas emissions from shipping in 2050 could be 40% higher than they are today, according to the United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO has set a target to instead cut those emissions by at least half.

Shipping is also a key source of sulfur oxides and soot or particulate matter emissions, which worsen air quality and have been linked to human health problems. The IMO recently imposed new fuel standards aimed at reducing emissions of sulfur oxides, requiring lower concentrations of sulfur in shipping fuel.

"The push to cut pollutants from shipping is an emerging opportunity for biofuels, but the potential impact has gone relatively unexplored," said Troy Hawkins, a scientist at DOE's Argonne National Laboratory who co-led the study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. "Our analysis found biofuels can significantly reduce shipping emissions while remaining cost-effective."

The vast majority of cargo ships today run on heavy fuel oil, which is cheap and energy dense but very dirty to burn.

"These engines are multiple stories tall and so large you could climb inside them," Hawkins said. "They are just huge, and they are burning hundreds of millions of tons of thick, tar-like fuel to move freight internationally."

The study evaluated costs and emissions of biofuel alternatives including bio-oil and renewable diesel made from wood waste or fats such as used cooking oil. They also looked at mixtures of these biobased feedstocks with petroleum-based feedstocks including petroleum, natural gas and coal.

To conduct the emissions analysis, the researchers used Argonne's Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation model (GREET). GREET is an analytical tool used to calculate the energy and environmental impacts of different fuels across their full life cycle. Instead of just considering the energy use and emissions that result when a fuel is burned, a life-cycle analysis considers the bigger picture, including extracting the fuel, refining it, and transporting it to users.

The GREET model is a well-established tool for life cycle analysis of transportation and other technologies. For this study, Argonne researchers significantly expanded the fuel pathways considered for marine shipping. Their collaborators at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) analyzed costs of the various fuels compared. They found the 100% biofuel options offered emissions reductions up to 93% compared with heavy fuel oil and also the lowest cost among the alternative fuel pathways considered.

Across the board, the biofuels lowered emissions of greenhouse gases, sulfur oxides and particulate matterand at costs that could be competitive with heavy fuel oil, after considering incentives such as California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard. Due to the low sulfur content of the biobased feedstocks, the biofuels analyzed reduced sulfur oxides emissions by 97% or more; particulate matter emissions came down between 84 and 90%.

The research, which was funded by the Department of Transportation Maritime Administration and DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, is part of a broader effort at DOE to study the feasibility of using biofuels to lower emissions from cargo ships. Recently, DOE also announced a partnership with the governments of the United States, Denmark and Norway to develop technologies for zero-emission shipping as part of Mission Innovation, a global initiative to accelerate affordable, accessible clean energy solutions.

The datasets developed in the recent study are publicly available and could also support the evaluation of fuels to meet California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which takes a similar life-cycle view of fuels to encourage options with the lowest carbon intensity. Co-authors with Hawkins are Eric Tan and Ling Tao at NREL; Uisung Lee and Michael Wang at Argonne; Pimphan Meyer at PNNL and Tom Thompson at the Maritime Administration.

"This study offers a foundation for fairly evaluating marine shipping fuels," Hawkins said. "With many options on the horizon for cleaner shipping, our goal is to support decision-making about which ones offer the best potential for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and are the most cost-effective to pursue."

Explore further Environmental concerns propel research into marine biofuels

More information: Eric C. D. Tan et al, Biofuel Options for Marine Applications: Technoeconomic and Life-Cycle Analyses, Environmental Science & Technology (2021). Journal information: Environmental Science & Technology Eric C. D. Tan et al, Biofuel Options for Marine Applications: Technoeconomic and Life-Cycle Analyses,(2021). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c06141
An expansion of hydropower could contribute significantly to the energy transition. But plans for new reservoirs, such as the one at the Trift glacier in the canton of Bern (taken in 2007), face political opposition. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Thisisbossi

Many everyday activities rely on electricity. As we look to 2050, this dependence is set to increase, with demand for electricity in Switzerland likely to rise to 50 percent. The increased demand can only be met by transforming the energy system.

Switzerland has set itself the goal of ending its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. With this net zero target, the country hopes to play its part in limiting global warming to less than 1.5C. The implications of this target for future electricity requirementsand the potential contributions of geothermal energy and hydropower in particularhave been the subject of ETH-led research at 25 Swiss scientific institutions, industrial companies and federal authorities as part of the Swiss Competence Center for Energy ResearchSupply of Electricity (SCCER-SoE). Although this project initially focused on renewables as a substitute for nuclear energy, it ultimately took on a much broader scope. After all, the energy system of the future will not only need to deliver more power, but do so with negative emissions wherever possible. This requires much more comprehensive and, above all, more integrated solutions.

The electricity mix of the future

Led by the SCCER-SoE, a total of eight competence centers used scenarios to model the future composition of electricity supply and demand. The increased demand for electricity by 2050 will be largely driven by electrification in two areas: transport and heating.

To meet this rising demand and, above all, to compensate for the elimination of nuclear power plants, the supply of renewable energies will need to almost double by 2050. The greatest potential lies in photovoltaics. "However, this potential can only be utilized in full if we also take measures to offset the deficienciescompensate the fluctuations of this form of energy," says Peter Burgherr from the Paul Scherrer Institute. Photovoltaics are poorly suited to delivering sufficient power in the winter months, and they produce a surplus of energy in the middle of the day in the summer months, which can tax the power grid.

Photovoltaics, hydropower and geothermal energy, combined with pumped storage, CO 2 capture and long-term underground storage, form the backbone of a climate-neutral electricity supply in 2050. Credit: SCCER-SoE

To better cope with the irregular supply of electricity, it is imperative that we also make better use of the potential offered by other renewables such as wind, hydropower, biomass and geothermal energy. Surplus energy from photovoltaic systems could be stored in batteries temporarily, used for pumped storage plants, or converted into heat or hydrogen.

This is where hydropower comes into play. As the most important domestic energy source in Switzerland, both now and in the future, it not only contributes directly to the electricity supply but is also taking on an important role as a form of energy storage. But Robert Boes, head of the Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology and a professor at ETH Zurich, qualifies this potential: "A significant expansion of hydropower in the next few decades is unrealistic given the stringent environmental protection requirements, profitability which is low or non-existent, and poor public acceptance of such projects." Even under optimistic assumptions, that means additional electricity imports and domestic gas-fired power stations will still be required to meet demand.

In Switzerland, geothermal energy has the potential to contribute to future power generation and to provide a large proportion of the heat needed for heating purposes, hot water and certain industrial processes. And it is not only that water can be heated underground and then extractedthe subsurface can also be used to store water heated on the surface using surplus energy from photovoltaics or waste incineration plants, for example.

Not without negative emissions

As well as expanding its use of renewable energies, increasing the efficiency of existing technologies and implementing measures to minimize energy consumption, Switzerland will need to achieve negative emissions if it is to meet the net zero target. For example, these negative emissions could be achieved by capturing carbon dioxide directly from ambient air (direct air capture) or by burning biomass, capturing the resulting CO 2 , and placing it in long-term storage underground. Current findings suggest that the options for underground storage in Switzerland are not as extensive as originally hoped, and so there is a need for further explorationalong with research into storage options abroad.

The results from the SCCER-SoE's seven years of research indicate that the net zero target is technically achievable by 2050. "However, this will require extensive and coordinated adjustments in many different areas that affect the whole of society. We can't afford to waste any more time if we want to meet the stipulated climate goals by 2050," says Domenico Giardini, professor at ETH Zurich and Head of the SCCER-SoE.

Explore further Switzerland's energy transition
3D-model of DNA. Credit: Michael Strock/Wikimedia/ GNU Free Documentation License

"Losing your DNA is not like losing your credit card."

That little-noticed warning from the top U.S. intelligence office came in February, alerting Americans of the risks of inadvertently handing over their genetic codes to China.

Unlike a misplaced credit card, lost DNA cannot be replaced, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in the bulletin, adding that Beijing, as part of its quest to become a global leader in biotech, is aggressively collecting large quantities of genomic data from around the world.

To meet the surging global demand for tests as the COVID-19 pandemic spread last year, one of the leading Chinese biotech firms, BGI, sold test kits to 180 countries and established labs in 18, the lead spy agency says, warning that the genetic data it was collecting could be flowing into Chinese databases.

Although there are no Chinese COVID-19 test labs or kits in the United States yet, China is seeking Americans' genetic data either by acquiring U.S. genomic sequencing companies or by buying a stake in popular genetic testing companies such as 23andMe. Beijing also has been partnering with U.S. hospital chains to provide cheap genomic sequencing services, according to the agency and a recent report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Left unchecked, China's advances in biotech could lead to drug discoveries capable of undermining the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, the agency said.

"No 23andMe genetic testing is performed in China or by any China-based or Chinese-owned entities,"Andy Kill, a spokesman for the company said in an email. "We do not share any individual level customer data with any entity located in China, or any China-based or Chinese-owned entities."

Some lawmakers, national security experts and biotech researchers are concerned about the kinds of advances China is seeking to make in the world of life sciences even as most of the world's attention is focused on China's advances in military hardware and Beijing's role in ongoing cyberattacks and internet-based espionage.

"China has amassed the largest genomic holdings of anywhere in the world," Anna Puglisi, a senior fellow at the Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology, told the Senate Intelligence Committee at a recent hearing. "Understanding what genes do, and so access to that kind of data, both their own and from other places in the world, gives them an advantage in figuring out" how to develop medicines.

Faced with an aging population and expected massive costs associated with future health care needs, China is focusing on precision medicine, or formulating medications tailored for people with specific genetic conditions.

Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., are among lawmakers alarmed at China's global genome grab and are pushing agencies to ensure that Americans' health data doesn't end up in Chinese hands.

Biological revolution

But the potential for advances in biotech to yield tailored medicines is only a small part of a much larger set of gains for any country that masters the coming revolution in biology, which experts say could rival or even exceed that of the digital age that yielded computers and the internet.

"Advances in biological sciences, combined with the accelerating development of computing, data processing, and artificial intelligence, are fueling a new wave of innovation that could have significant impact in sectors across the economy, from healthcare and agriculture to consumer goods and energy," the McKinsey Global Institute said in a May 2020 report titled "Bio Revolution."

McKinsey collected examples of as many as 400 potential applications, more than half of them outside health care, and estimated that they could have "direct economic impact of up to $4 trillion a year over the next 10 to 20 years."

Synthetic biology, which refers to redesigning biological organisms to have new properties, could lead to as much as 60 percent of the world's physical inputs being made using biological means, including manufactured silk, leather and non-carbon-based plastics, the McKinsey report said.

Alarmed by China's aggressive ambitions to become the world leader in science and technology in the next decade, the Senate and House have individually passed bills that would provide nearly $80 billion to the National Science Foundation and to national labs overseen by the Department of Energy.

The measures would provide funding to the NSF and labs to focus on 10 critical areas, including biotech. None of the bills has passed both chambers.

Despite such legislation, policymakers and members of Congress are still more focused on competition in digital technologiessuch as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, for examplethan on the potential for synthetic biology to transform the U.S. economy, according to experts.

Although the United States "basically invented the bio revolution," national investments are still focused on health care needs such as beating cancer or finding cures for other illnesses, and less on translating gains in biology into the broader economy, said Tara O'Toole, executive vice president at In-Q-Tel, a venture capital firm that focuses on investing in technologies relevant to U.S. intelligence agencies.

China, on the other hand, is rapidly building a government-funded, commercially oriented translation machine that aims to take the fruits of synthetic biology to transform agriculture, food production and other manufacturing on a global scale, O'Toole said.

'Carbon efficient'

Biotech experts often cite the example of Impossible Foods for how biology can revolutionize broad sectors of the economy. The California company's burgers and sausages are made using altered plant proteins that mimic the taste and feel of beef and pork without downsides of animal proteins, such as high cholesterol or factory farming of cows and pigs.

The plant-based alternatives "are just cheaper and more carbon-efficient" than the animal products, said Jason Kelly, co-founder of Gingko Bioworks, a Boston-based biotech company that programs biological cells to create new strains that are more cost-efficient in developing medicines, food and manufacturing.

Instead of trying to bring electronics manufacturing back to the United States from cheaper locations in East Asia, for example, the country could focus on building a new category of manufacturing using genetically engineered plants that make products, Kelly said.

The vast farmlands of the Midwest could become a new kind of manufacturing facility growing engineered plants, Kelly said.

Scientists already have engineered mushrooms to make leather and programmed DNA to store data filesall of Shakespeare's sonnets and a snippet of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech have been encoded in DNA because it can store vastly more information for longer periods than a silicon chip can.

The use of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 is another example of synthetic biology in action.

The importance of biotech for U.S. national and economic security is not lost on mathematician and geneticist Eric Lander, who is director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and President Joe Biden's top science adviser.

In a recent op-ed in The Washington Post, Lander wrote that the United States should set a goal of developing an effective vaccine within 100 days of detecting any future pandemic and then be able to make enough doses to supply the world within 200 days.

The U.S. should aim to get rid of sterile needles and injections and deliver vaccines through skin patches, Lander wrote, adding that a global early-warning system ought to be in place to monitor and respond to biological threats.

"These goals are ambitious," Lander wrote. "But they're feasible," he said, citing the example of NASA's Apollo program that sent humans to the moon.

Explore further US intelligence still divided on origins of coronavirus

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In this file photo dated Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, a man using a mobile phone walks past Google offices in New York. Google is appealing a 500 million euro ($591 million) fine, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, issued by French regulators over its handling of negotiations with publishers in a dispute over copyright. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File

Google is appealing a 500 million euro ($591 million) fine issued by French regulators over its handling of negotiations with publishers in a dispute over copyright.

The dispute is part of a larger battle by authorities in Europe and elsewhere to force Google and other tech companies to compensate publishers for content.

"We disagree with a number of legal elements, and believe that the fine is disproportionate to our efforts to reach an agreement and comply with the new law," Google France Vice President Sebastien Missoffe said in a press statement.

France's antitrust watchdog levied the fine in mid-July after it found Google hadn't negotiated in good faith with publishers over payments for their news stories. The watchdog had issued temporary orders to Google in April 2020 to hold talks within three months with news publishers, and had fined the company for breaching those orders.

"We continue to work hard to resolve this case and put deals in place. This includes expanding offers to 1200 publishers, clarifying aspects of our contracts, and we are sharing more data as requested by the French Competition Authority in their July Decision," Missoffe said.

The antitrust watchdog also threatened fines of another 900,000 euros (around $1 million) per day if Google didn't come up with proposals within two months on how it will pay publishers and news agencies for their content.

France was the first of the European Union's 27 nations to adopt the bloc's 2019 copyright directive, which lays out a way for publishers and news companies to strike licensing deals with online platforms.

Explore further France fines Google 500 mn euros in news copyright row

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers have created a new system that increases the correctness and reliability of health-related searches by 80 percent to help people make better decisions about topics like COVID.

Search engines are the most common tools the public uses to look for facts about COVID-19 and its effect on their health. A proliferation of misinformation can have real consequences, so a team at the University of Waterloo has created a way to make these searches more reliable.

"With so much new information coming out all the time, it can be challenging for people to know what's true and what isn't," said Ronak Pradeep, a Ph.D. student in the Cheriton School of Computer Science at Waterloo and lead author of a study about the program. "But the consequences of misinformation can be pretty bad, like people going out and buying medicines or using home remedies that can hurt them."

Even the big search engines that host billions of searches every day can't keep up, he said, since there has been so much scientific data and research on COVID-19 in such a short time.

"Most of the systems are trained on well-curated data, so they don't always know how to differentiate between an article promoting drinking bleach to prevent COVID-19 as opposed to real health information," Pradeep said. "Our goal is to help people see the right articles and get the right information so they can make better decisions in general with things like COVID."

Pradeep says the project aims to refine search programs to promote the best health information for users. He and his research team have leveraged their two-stage neural reranking architecture called mono-duo-T5 for search which they augmented with Vera, a label prediction system trained to discern correct from dubious and incorrect information. The system links with a search protocol that relies on data from the World Health Organization and verified information as the basis for ranking, promoting and sometimes even excluding online articles.

A recent paper with results from preliminary testing of the system, "Vera: prediction techniques for reducing harmful misinformation in consumer health search," with co-authors Pradeep, Xueguang Ma, Rodrigo Nogueira and Jimmy Lin, was recently published in SIGIR '21: Proceedings of the 44th International ACM SIGIR Conference on Research and Development in Information Retrieval.

Explore further Google adds search warning for queries with fast-changing results
For buildings with large glass facades, installing electrochromic or thermochromic windows can save up to 70 percent of heating and cooling energy consumption. Credit: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Fraunhofer researchers have developed an intelligent coating for glass windows that darkens in the sun. This uses electrochromic and thermochromic materials that react to electricity and heat. In buildings with large glass facades, it stops the rooms from getting too hot because of solar radiation, thereby reducing the demand for energy-intensive air conditioning.

The building sector is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases. According to the German Environment Agency, buildings are responsible for around 30 percent of the country's CO 2 emissions and 35 percent of its final energy consumption. Buildings with large glass facades and roofs are particularly problematic, such as the office towers that dominate modern cities. They heat up in the sun, especially in summer. However, using blinds and jalousies to provide shade is often unpopular, as they detract from the aesthetic appeal of the glass and disturb the view outside. Instead, the interior is cooled with air conditioning, which requires enormous amounts of electricity and increases the carbon footprint of the building.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Wurzburg and the Fraunhofer Insti-tute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology FEP in Dresden have developed a sophisticated solution to this problem. In the Switch2Save project, researchers have been working on transparent coatings for windows and glass facades using electrochromic and thermochromic materials. These add a variable, transparent dark tint to the outside of the windows, which keeps the rooms cool. The Fraunhofer Institutes have partnered with universities and industrial partners across six EU countries for this EU-funded research project.

Electrochromic and thermochromic coating

"The electrochromic coating is applied to a transparent, conductive film which can then be "switched on." Applying an electrical voltage triggers the transfer of ions and electrons, which darkens the coating and tints the window. On the other hand, thermochromic coating works passively. When a certain ambient temperature is reached, it reflects the heat radiation of sun," explains Dr. Marco Schott, Group Manager of Electrochromic Systems at Fraunhofer ISC.

The structure of a window with Switch2Save technology: versions with electrochromic or thermochromic coating are possible, as well as a combination of the two technologies in one window. Credit: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

With electrochromic elements, sensors can be used to measure factors such as bright-ness and temperature, sending the results to control systems. This sends a current or voltage pulse to the conductive film, triggering the window to darken. The surface of the glass gradually darkens whenever the temperature or brightness level becomes too high. This stops rooms from becoming overheated and reduces the need for air conditioning, which is particularly useful in sunnier climes and buildings with large, glazed facades. It also serves as anti-glare protection on sunny days. On cloudy days and in the evening the windows will be kept in bright state.

Fraunhofer researchers have also thought about the suitability of the technology for everyday use. "The windows don't turn dark suddenly, but are gradually tinted over a few minutes," explains Schott. Energy consumption is very low. In optimal circumstances, electrochromic film only requires electricity for the switching process and a very low voltage is enough to initiate the tinting process. Thermochromic materials do not require electricity at all, instead reacting passively to the heat generated by the sun. They can be used to complement a switchable system or as an alternative, where a switchable solution is not required.

Demonstration buildings in Athens and Uppsala

Switch2Save promises huge energy savings in areas where outside temperatures are high, i.e., in southern regions, by reducing use of air conditioning systems or removing the need for them entirely. Dr. John Fahlteich, Switch2Save Project Coordinator and Head of the Research Group at Fraunhofer FEP, explains: "In warm regions of Europe, the cooling and heating energy demands of modern buildings can be reduced by up to 70 percent." Savings are not so extensive in colder, northerly regions, but the systems could also be used here as anti-glare protection against direct sunlight.

In principle, the combination of electrochromic and thermochromic layers in a composite window offers the greatest possible flexibility. By using this, architects and developers can provide individual solutions for a variety of regions and buildings. "We are in the process of installing the technology in the Pediatric Clinic of the second-largest hospital in Greece, in Athens, and an office building in Uppsala, Sweden. In both buildings, energy consumption will be monitored and compared for a whole year both before and after installation of the new windows. By doing this, we can demonstrate the real-life performance of the Switch2Save technology and can continue to test and refine the technology for different climate zones," says Fahlteich.

The coatings are manufactured using a roll-to-roll process. At just a few hundred micrometers thick, both the electrochromic film and the thermochromic thin glass substrate are extremely thin. Credit: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Roll-to-roll manufacturing

The researchers have also resolved challenges for manufacturing. The electrochromic coating is applied to a polymer-based film substrate. The thermochromic coating, on the other hand, uses a thin glass substrate. Wet chemical and vacuum coating processes are used in a cost-effective roll-to-roll manufacturing system. The switchable components are then laminated under vacuum onto a 4 mm thick sheet of window glass, which is integrated to an insulating glass unit thereafter. The coating process is also economically feasible on an industrial scale. The electrochromic and thermochromic switchable elements are only a few 100 m thick and less than 500 g per square meter. Thus, they hardly add any weight to the windows, which means that they can be retrofitted in existing buildings without needing to alter the building structure.

Curved glass and colorful windows

The project consortium is currently working on improving the technology further. For example, the team of experts is researching how electrochromic and thermochromic elements can be combined in a composite window to make even better use of the technology's potential. Further research objectives include adapting the coating to curved glass forms and adding more colors to the existing options of blue and gray.

Global warming and the objectives of the European Green Deal will significantly increase the demand for energy-efficient building technology in the next few yearsand all buildings in the EU are expected to be carbon neutral by 2050. The electrochromic and thermochromic windows of the EU Switch2Save project can make an important contribution to this.

Explore further Colorful perovskites: Lab advances thermochromic window technologies
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Social distancing has been a critical component of the world's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea being that keeping physical apart from other people will reduce the risk of a person spreading the respiratory virus to someone else. It is just one component of our response, which also includes wearing face coverings, frequent hand sanitisation, and obtaining a vaccine against the virus.

Such measures would not seem unfamiliar to past generations who lived through pandemics. However, the technology we have today that was simply unimaginable at the time of the 19181920 influenza pandemic means we can make our response even more effective. New research in the International Journal of Sensor Networks discusses the potential of ultrasonic sensors to help people keep a safe distance from others when social distancing is deemed necessary in a pandemic situation.

Mohit Ghai and Ruchi Gupta of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at ADGITM, IP University in Delhi, India, describe a small, portable sensor-alarm device based on an Arduino system. Arduino is an open-source hardware and software system that can be used to quickly build single-board microcontrollers and microcontroller kits with a variety of inexpensive applications. There is scope to add Wi-Fi capability and other networking functionality to a device too.

The team's Arduino device has an ultrasonic sensor that continuously probes the space around a person and is triggered when another person enters one's personal space within a pre-determined threshold distance set according to social distancing rules. The system is not dissimilar to the parking sensors with which many vehicles are fitted and so could give a timely indication to the user that they have moved too close to another person unwittingly or alert them when another person moves nearer to them in a shopping queue or other setting, for instance.

Given how often people misjudge distances between themselves and others especially in busy environments, a portable alarm system of this sort could be a boon to those hoping to ensure social distancing is maintained to help reduce the risk of spreading infection.

More information: Mohit Ghai et al, Ultrasonic sensor based social distancing device, International Journal of Sensor Networks (2021). Mohit Ghai et al, Ultrasonic sensor based social distancing device,(2021). DOI: 10.1504/IJSNET.2021.117227
Retired Honorable Judge Orion Douglass (middle), executive director of Goodwill Home, Inc., presents a check to College of Coastal Georgia President Michelle Johnston (middle left) to establish the Black Scholars Endowed Scholarship. They are joined by (from left to right) Vice President of Advancement Jamie Bessette, Director of Diversity Initiatives Quinton Staples, and Assistant Vice President for Recruitment and Admissions Scott Argo.
Health officials announced Wednesday they will add an additional number to the Brazos County Health Districts daily updates to include the raw number of positive COVID-19 cases reported to the Brazos County Health District that are in the process of being investigated. Currently, the Health District only reports cases that have been investigated.

To confirm a case, the health district has to reach out to people who took the tests to get their demographic information and confirm that there are not any duplicated tests in the batch of positive results that the health district receives on a given day. That investigation period can take time though and is hard for the health district and A&Ms COVID-19 Investigation Operations Center to keep up with, causing the number of cases that have yet to be investigated to add up, Health Authority Dr. Seth Sullivan said. The health district decided to begin reporting the raw number since the current reporting method did not reflect the gravity of COVID-19 in the community. There are not usually very many duplicates in the raw numbers, Sullivan said.
Without power and water at her home in Louisiana for what could be an extended period of time, she left Hammond to come to College Station. Then, this week, she spoke with her landlord who said they cannot come back until he can repair the house.

This is a repeat of Katrina, Pierre said. Our families are scattered everywhere, and its hard.

She and her God sister Kayonna Muse are trying to get the kids who are with them enrolled in school and find a stable place to stay so the rest of their family can join them in College Station.

Its just overwhelming that its really happening again, Muse said. Do we really have to start over again? Thats stressful.

When they can go back to their homes to salvage some belongings, she said, they will have to come back to College Station.

Muse has one of her four children with her after they evacuated from Kenner, Louisiana, with a cousin to Spring the day before the storm hit. Her other adult children stayed in Louisiana, and one son and his pregnant girlfriend had their roof cave in. They were able to get out of the house, but they cannot stay in the home.
We are closely coordinating with State and local officials every step of the way, Biden said.

The administration said more than 3,600 FEMA employees are deployed to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. FEMA staged more than 3.4 million meals, millions of liters of water, more than 35,700 tarps, and roughly 200 generators in the region in advance of the storm.

As the storm was downgraded to a tropical depression Monday afternoon and continued to make its way inland with torrential rain, it was blamed for at least two deaths  a motorist who drowned in New Orleans and a person hit by a falling tree outside Baton Rouge.

But with many roads impassable and cellphone service out in places, the full extent of its fury was still coming into focus. Christina Stephens, a spokesperson for Gov. John Bel Edwards, said that given the level of destruction, Were going to have many more confirmed fatalities.

The governor's office said damage to the power grid appeared catastrophic  dispiriting news for those without refrigeration or air conditioning during the dog days of summer, with highs forecast in the mid-80s to near 90 by midweek.
The U.S. military launched the first war of the 21st century with a cavalry charge  and drove the Taliban and al-Qaida from the sanctuary where the terrorists planned the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

On Monday, the last U.S. forces departed Afghanistan, after President Joe Biden handed the country back to the Taliban regime those courageous Americans had deposed two decades earlier.

In the wake of Bidens surrender  and, yes, that is the right word  many veterans of the Afghan war are asking whether their sacrifice was in vain.

It was not. And the proof is there for all to see: For 20 years, we have not suffered another catastrophic terrorist attack on the U.S. homeland. Their service and sacrifice helped purchase two decades of safety and security for the American people.

Many Americans take that safety and security for granted, as if the terrorists had simply lost interest in attacking us. But the terrorists didnt lose interest; they were stopped by the selfless courage of a generation of Americans who volunteered to fight our enemies halfway across the world so we did not have to face them at home.
More than 30 employers and resource agencies had the opportunity to connect with 138 job seekers on Aug. 26 at the Franklin Center for the Franklin County Career and Resource Fair.

Roanoke College senior Ben Tate attended the fair because he is exploring career opportunities at the moment. It was my first time at a career fair and a great eye opener for local business opportunities in the county because I love Franklin County, the Boones Mill resident said.

Tate, who is majoring in history, said the fair was an opportunity to learn about businesses in the area and to talk with employers about career opportunities. However, he said, Im still in pursuit for jobs in historical research and exercise science.

The response from the employers was positive. Ed Ricci of Tinbenders described his experience at the fair by saying, Im thrilled. Ricci was able to get information in person and in Franklin County, resulting in four upcoming interviews.
In asking the state water board to stop Mountain Valley from completing the crossings, Sligh cited the companys deplorable record of violating environmental rules since it began work.

Muddy water has often flowed unchecked from construction areas when it rains, and DEQ found more than 300 violations of erosion and sediment control regulations.

Mountain Valley counters that record levels of rainfall were responsible for many of the infractions, and that it has made improvements since 2018 in curbing storm water runoff.

While work has continued along parts of the pipelines route that steer clear of water bodies, a 3.5-mile section that passes through the Jefferson National Forest is still off limits.

In 2018, concerns about erosion prompted a federal court to remand a permit from the U.S. Forest Service that would have allowed the pipeline to burrow through sections of public woodlands in Giles and Montgomery counties.

The Forest Service renewed its approval in January but required Mountain Valley to wait until it has all of its permits in hand before resuming work in the national forest.

Final action on the stream crossing permits by state and federal agencies is not expected until early next year.
You thought you was gonna kill me, but you didnt, Walker said to her attacker. I hope you stay where youre at now for the rest of your life for what you done to me.

Her wish will likely come to pass  Fielder, who turns 60 in December, received three life sentences plus a decade for his four convictions which, allowing for the time that has been suspended, will leave him with a total of 30 years to serve.

As part of his agreement, Fielder will not seek any sort of parole or probation, including geriatric or compassionate release, should he become eligible.

Even if he gets credit for good behavior while in custody, the standard sentence reduction in Virginia is about 15%, which would see him set free when hes in his mid-80s.

Fielder and Walker reportedly had a brief romantic involvement in July or August 2020, but county prosecutor A.J. Dudley said Walker had ended that relationship by Sept. 4, when Fielder, armed with a 12-gauge shotgun, sneaked into her Snow Creek home to confront her and Southern.
Potential for abuse?Rent relief works for people who really need it, said April Fridley, office manager for Roanoke Rental Homes, which oversees management of 250 propertieseven if others might be gaming the system.

If we have 10 tenants that could not pay or would not pay, I would say probably eight of those are abusing it, Fridley said.

She said nonpayment of rent was indeed a problem for some tenants at the height of the coronavirus economic panic. Its still bad now, for some renters.

We are trying to do what is right for our owners, and it doesnt help us to evict people. Its a loss if we have to evict people, Fridley said. With all the funds that are coming through the government, we try our best to file for them.

Some tenants, however, kept their jobs through all the madness of the coronavirus but stopped paying rent, later applying for and receiving relief funds, she said.

Theres tons of help to keep people who are renting from losing their homes, which is great, Fridley said. But Im just really disheartened by this whole thing.

She said many of the relief checks Roanoke Rental Homes receives now are on behalf of people who are still working while not paying rent.
By October, in just 90 days, yellow fever killed more than 3,200 people in Norfolk and Portsmouth, about one out of three people who stayed behind. The young, progressive mayor died, along with the postmaster, police chief, the founder of an up-and-coming railroad, bankers, a journalist, ministers, doctors and nurses from other who rushed in from other cities to help. An entire family perished. You can drive five hours west to Elmwood Cemetery, for physical proof. Or you could go to the Jewish cemetery, the Catholic cemetery, two cemeteries across the river in Portsmouth, or stop by the mass grave right in the upscale section of town, West Ghent.

We seem to have forgotten, or we take for granted here in 2021, that theres one essential key to having a civilization, a country, state, or town: survival. In Virginia, we often look way back to Jamestown for that, but the fact is cities like Norfolk and Portsmouth were fighting for their existence well into the 1800s.

Deaths from typhoid fever, cholera, and particularly yellow fever plagued American port cities for at least 200 years. Its certainly a setback to a citys economy when more than one out of three of its residents, along with most of its government and business leaders, all die within three months.
The census provides a compelling reflection of our population, though perhaps a little mind-bending for those engaged in political work. There are insights to be had, understandings to be improved, trends to be pondered.

Just exercise care. You can take the census results and easily run down the rabbit hole with it.

But lets see if we can work through some of this and do better than Alice.

So, we know that some places  California and rural Virginia, for example  are growing slowly, if at all. Thats a new predicament for California, but not for the less populated regions of the commonwealth.

That fact  tepid growth relative to other places  has serious implications when it comes to state and federal representation. California, for instance, will lose a congressional seat; Virginia will not.

On the other hand, Virginia Republicans, tightly aligned with rural areas, may find themselves under pressure to reassess their political assumptions. Making do with less is generally not preferred by political parties, but well see.

To be clear, the broader population trend lines  less of rural Virginia, more of urban-suburban Virginia  were established more than a half century ago. Thats not news.
Bruns says a lot of people like the Beef Pit because its air-conditioned. Fairgoers like to sit down and have a nice sandwich, cole slaw, corn and maybe iced tea.

People know the foods going to be quality, he said.

Bruns wife, Connie, encountered a somewhat skeptical customer who asked what the best item was on the menu. When she said prime rib, he asked if she was sure. A short time later, he said, That was the best sandwich Ive ever had, and ordered a second one.

A line extending outside the Beef Pit is a common sight during the fair.

But Weide says the line moves faster than you might think. Once you get to the Beef Pit doorway, it takes about seven or eight minutes to get your food, he said.

Weide has done the math.

During the course of the fair, we put a sandwich out that window every 22 seconds, he said.

The place is busiest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Evening business also can be good, especially before a concert.

A banner on the wall points out that the Beef Pit has been a Nebraska State Fair tradition since 1984. More than 500,000 beef meals have been served during that time.
The Danhauers hope the robot will make the workload easier on the servers that we do have so that we can retain them, because theyre just stressed to the max right now, Marni said.

A representative of Bear Robotics at Austin, Texas, which manufactures the product, came to Aurora to set it up.

The Danhauers have a couple of more weeks to decide if they want to lease the robot. But so far, it looks good, Jim Danhauer said.

What kind of a coworker is Servi?

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Very easy to work with, said employee Mila Crawford.

The robot, which stands about 3 feet high, is actually named Giada, employees say. The name was inspired by the famous Italian chef.

Quite a few customers have taken video of the robotic employee.

If the Danhauers decide to go ahead and lease the robot, it will cost roughly $1,000 a month, Marni said.

JoJos has 19 employees, about half of whom are full time.

If the robot can reduce the workload on the staff we have, thats kind of a win because at least theyre going to not get burned out as fast, she said.
Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson made the motion Tuesday to reject Phelps request, as well as the requests of four other inmates serving either life sentences or long prison terms.

That brought an objection from an Omaha attorney representing one of the inmates, Brian Adams, who was sentenced to life in prison for the slayings of two gas station clerks in 1967.

Lawyer Steve Gehring said that Adams, whom he met through a prison ministry program, had spent 53 years in prison, perhaps the longest term of any Nebraska inmate, was a model inmate and deserved to at least be allowed to testify before the board.

Gehring continued to speak even after Gov. Pete Ricketts, who chairs the Pardons Board, said that the board wasnt taking testimony Tuesday on the commutation requests and ruled Gehring out of order. The board then voted 3-0 to reject the five commutation requests.

The Pardons Board has routinely turned down requests from inmates with life sentences since it allowed the release of convicted murderer Laddie Dittrich in 2013. Shortly after Dittrich was released on parole, he was arrested and convicted of molesting a 10-year-old girl.
Concerns have been raised about St. Francis since the organization won the Omaha-area job in July 2019 by offering to do it for 40% less than the bid from PromiseShip, the Omaha-based agency that had held the contract previously. During the bid review, PromiseShip outscored St. Francis on all areas except cost.

The original contract was for $197 million over five years. In late January, however, St. Francis officials warned that their Nebraska operation would run out of money in two weeks unless Nebraska agreed to pay more.

State officials inked an emergency contract that boosted payments by 55% and erased the cost difference with PromiseShip. The new contract ends Feb. 28, 2023.

Despite the increased payments, St. Francis has yet to meet key requirements of its contract. It has never complied with the caseload limits set by Nebraska law, making it harder for workers to give children and families the attention needed. Heavy caseloads have been accompanied by increasing turnover rates.

Multiple testifiers on Tuesday said they have talked with case workers who are dealing with as many as 30 cases. They also told of children and families dealing with multiple case workers, as many as nine in one case.
KEARNEY  Police at the University of Nebraska at Kearney are investigating an alleged sexual assault on campus.

The incident allegedly happened in the early morning hours Sunday at Centennial Towers East on the northeast edge of UNKs campus. UNK Police received the report at 10:30 p.m. Monday.

The male and female students involved in the incident were recent acquaintances, said Todd Gottula, a UNK spokesperson. Neither are part of a fraternity and sorority.

UNK issued a warning to all students and employees Tuesday morning about the alleged incident.

Tuesday night a group of students gathered on campus to raise awareness and in support of victims of sexual assault. About 85 people gathered on campus around 10 p.m. for 30-45 minutes where they walked across campus, held signs and chanted.

It was peaceful. They were well behaved, Gottula said.

No arrests or citations have been issued in the alleged incident. As the investigation continues, UNK officials are ensuring that students are aware of services available to them. Gottula said all employees are required to take online training on campus safety, sexual assault, and available resources.
Dissatisfaction in that department is nothing new.

The workforce doing something about it is.

With more than 9 million open positions, inflexible employers are struggling to find workers as businesses open up more. A lot of that can be attributed to young people demanding change. More than half of Gen Z respondents to the survey said they plan to look for a new job in the next year.

Some 66% of Gen Z and 73% of millennials say they will switch jobs to get more control of their schedule. More than 60% of both groups want to find new jobs for a chance to work remotely.

In a week in which many of us found ourselves wondering if anything would get better, the report gave me hope that they could.

That they are.

American capitalism has long required workers to find a balancing act between the push to work hard to achieve the American dream and the pull to enjoy the life that economic security is supposed to bring. In recent decades, the push has only gotten worse and workers have had to accept the premise that even hoping for a work-life balance was counterproductive  or worse, possibly a sign of personal mediocrity and a failure of ambition.
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Crawford again explained he is standing with one leg on the seat to talk to officers because of his vasectomy. The officer then begins to cuff him and arrest him.

Hey I got my baby in the car right there, Crawford told the officer, referring to his four-month-old infant in the back seat of the vehicle.

Hey, I dont really care, the officer replied.

The video appears to show the officer wearing a black wristband with a blue line in the middle of it  popularly symbolic of the Blue Lives Matter movement.

When the officer asked for Crawfords other hand to finish cuffing him, Crawford is seen in the video actively reaching for his cellphone while asking for a moment to call his brother. The baby can be heard crying in the background and the officer told Crawford to relax and put his hands behind his back.

Put your hands behind your back or youre going to get (stunned with a Taser), the officer said, according to the video, before requesting other officers on scene to move in for backup.
The AP reports that Canadian National is facing pressure from London-based TCI Fund Management, which owns 5% of the company, not only to abandon the deal, but also to oust its CEO and refocus on improving its operations.

Throughout the back-and-forth bidding for the KCS, the Canadian Pacific hinted that a CN-KCS merger would increase freight traffic on many CN routes including the former Illinois Central Gulf lines which run through Southern Illinois and host Amtrak passenger service including the City of New Orleans, Illini and Saluki trains between Chicago and Carbondale.

They have the worst on-time performance in the nation, Henry said. Its been as low as 6% on-time performance on the Saluki and Illini.

The poor on-time performance for Amtrak service was one of the reasons Henry submitted letter to the STB against the CN-KCS merger.

Federal law requires that rail lines give passenger trains priority over freight traffic  freight trains are supposed to wait on sidings or secondary tracks to allow Amtrak trains to pass. The law, however, is rarely enforced. A spokesman for Amtrak referred the newspaper to the Host Railroad Report Card, a grading system for the on-time performances of its trains on freight lines.
Instead, Penrod said many of the communitys citizens are behind the growth.

Of course, success breeds success, Penrod said. I think we have people that see others stepping out and taking risks, but doing well. They open new businesses and create new jobs and that inspires them, too.

Emily Kerley is one of those people. The owner of Milkmaid Creations and Antiques, Kerley and her family opened K F Meats, a butcher shop and deli, offering locally-raised beef and pork as well as nationally-recognized deli meats and cheeses.

Were calling ourselves a meat market, so were kind of trying to go back to the old-style butchers store, she said.

Kerley said response to the shop has been overwhelming, and shes hiring additional employees.

With the opening of K F Meats, the community now has two sources for food, following a time when there was none.

Our IGA closed in mid-2017 and we didnt have a grocery store at all until late 2018 and thats when Miles Brothers opened at the same location, Penrod recalled. Then they had a fire this February that put them out of business and we were back to being without a grocery store.
LYONS, Ill.  Two brothers who told police they buried their mother and sister's bodies in their suburban Chicago home's backyard years ago after they died have been released from custody as authorities continue investigating two bodies found buried there last weekend.

The brothers, ages 41 and 45, were released on their own recognizance Monday following a 48-hour custody hold in cooperation with the Cook County state's attorney's office. The men were taken into custody Saturday after two bodies were found in the backyard in Lyons.

Those bodies have not yet been identified, and investigators said they will use DNA to determine whether the remains are the brothers' biological relatives.

Lyons Police Chief Tom Herion said in a statement Monday evening that while the brothers were released, they "continue to be the subject of the death investigation."

The men have not been charged, but they face potential felonies for illegally burying the bodies found Saturday.

Herion said Lyons police were "looking at every aspect of the brothers and the deceased, including examining financial records," and determining the cause of death of the two people whose bodies were excavated by crews.
The bill also would have made a number of changes to financial disclosure requirements and limited the ability of lawmakers to leave office and immediately go to work as lobbyists.

It also would have given the legislative inspector general independent authority to launch investigations, but only after a formal complaint is filed. It would have restricted those investigations to matters that arise out of government service or employment, not to outside employment.

The bill passed the General Assembly on the final day of the spring session, June 1, by overwhelming majorities  56-0 in the Senate; 113-5 in the House  even though many Republicans complained that they didnt think the bill went far enough.

Soon after it passed, Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope announced that she would resign, effective Dec. 15, calling the job a paper tiger and saying it showed that true ethics reform is not a priority for the General Assembly. She specifically alleged the provision limiting her ability to investigate non-governmental ethics violations, and the fact that a complaint would be required for an investigation, tied her hands.
It was terrific to read the article on the resurgence of cross-stitch  one of the many styles of embroidery in the Better Every Week section of the Aug. 28 through 29, 2021 Weekend Forum of the Southern. I thought some of your readers might be interested to know that embroidery, in all forms, is alive and well in Southern Illinois. In October 2018, Southern Illinois Stitchers (SIS) was chartered by the Embroiderers Guild of America, Inc (EGA). Our members stitch a variety of embroidery styles from cross-stitch to needlepoint to crewel to quilting, and many others. SIS meets at 1:30 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of the month in St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 402 W. Mill St. in Carbondale. We invite all who are interested, whether new or experienced in the art of embroidery, to join us.
To the Editor:

I witnessed firsthand COVIDs impact on our region  ten hours waiting for non-COVID emergency treatment in our local emergency room with frontline workers. Their compassion and care got me through pain that one dose of morphine and two of fentanyl could not.

I just received word that a longtime friend is in a local COVID unit. She is unvaccinated. My question: Why? The answer: Just stubborn. Ill get the shot. We were in the same hospital, same time and did not know it. Get my drift? Nonvaccinated people diminish access to care for all of us. As numbers escalate, rallies are being held to protect medical freedoms. Marions My Body, My Choice is one such example focusing on employer vaccination mandates as infringements on freedom. The Catholic churches will no longer write letters to employers in support of non-vaccination. Abortion and choice in dying are not medical freedoms for the church. What challenges do these issues pose for the concept of medical freedom for those organizing the Marion rally?
So how did this happen? There's strong evidence to indicate a massive intelligence failure. After all, barely a month ago, Biden said confidently, "The likelihood there's going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely."

But there were also plenty of signs that Biden's optimism was uninformed and ill-advised. "In fact," reported the Post, "U.S. military officials privately harbored fundamental doubts for the duration of the war that the Afghan security forces could ever become competent or shed their dependency on U.S. money and firepower."

If the military harbored those doubts, why wasn't the president told? And if he was told, why didn't he believe them?

Perhaps the answer lies in one of gravest mistakes any policymaker -- or journalist, for that matter -- can make: confirmation bias. It's embracing evidence that reinforces your prejudices, while rejecting contradictory information. It's the same sin, the sin of self-delusion, that led to disaster in Vietnam.
Thus Duncan has co-sponsored an article of impeachment against the president, citing dereliction of duty as a reason to embark on the process of seeking to remove him from office.

After Democrats in the House impeached former President Donald Trump twice before he was acquitted in the Senate each time, it is not surprising that impeachment talk now surrounds Biden. Even before the Afghanistan crisis, there was speculation about Bidens fitness for office.

As much as Biden says that because he is president, he is responsible for what has taken place in Afghanistan, and as much as his judgment is indeed in question, there is no case for impeachment.

Impeachment was never designed to be about removing a president from office for policy mistakes. Every president has made them, sometimes with catastrophic consequences.

Bidens errors in Afghanistan do not constitute treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors, the constitutional grounds for impeachment and removal from office.

The impeachment resolution by Duncan will not go anywhere in the Democratic-controlled House  and it should not. The concept of the opposition always looking to impeach a president should end now.

Just as it was up to the voters to decide on the performance of Trump and Republicans, the same applies to Biden and Democrats. The president will own the Afghanistan debacle now and as problems associated with it continue, and even grow. There will be a political price to pay.

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Fort Payne, AL (35967)

Today

Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 84F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Rainfall possibly over one inch..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early with scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
A South Dakota woman will serve up to 27 months in prison after being found guilty of health care fraud and identity theft, a federal judge in Wyoming decided last week.

Holli Telford Lundahl was also ordered to pay $76,626.65 in restitution to the Wyoming Medicaid program.

A Wednesday release from U.S. Attorney Bob Murray said Lundahl was indicted in March 2020 for three overlapping fraud schemes in which she submitted false claims to Wyoming Medicaid.

The indictment in Lundahls case states she assumed the identity of two people, including her own niece. According to court filings, Lundahl was found to be using their names, dates of birth, social security numbers and signatures in the course of the fraud. She then submitted claims posing as those people to be compensated for medical services that she did not provide.

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In May, a jury convicted Lundahl of all charges against her: three counts of health care fraud and two of aggravated identity theft for her actions between 2016 and 2019.

Lundahl, 64, will follow her prison sentence with three years of supervised release, Judge Nancy Freudenthal decided last week.
Gov. Mark Gordon stressed Wednesday that he will not be issuing a statewide or K-12 mask mandate like he did last year, even as schools opened and COVID cases surged across Wyoming.

Im not considering a mask mandate. There are some things that are different now, we have vaccinations and other issues that are different, Gordon told the Star-Tribune on Wednesday. One of those issues is that attitudes have hardened significantly.

One of the significant challenges with a mandate that we saw last year is a significant amount of pushback, he added.

As of Wednesday, 198 COVID patients were hospitalized around the state  roughly the same amount as there were when Gordon issued a mask mandate in early December amid the last surge.

During the current surge, Gordon has been emphasizing the importance of local and county governments taking the lead on COVID measures because of their familiarity with the community.
I am concerned about kids under 12, Gordon said at the time. I have grandchildren all under 12, and that is a concern. But we have been able to hold back the virus up until more recently and I think that means we can do it again. And I think it behooves all of us to protect our children.

He added, We know that theres value to masks and we recommend those masks ... We also know that people have very strong concerns about masks. Some people feel a certain sense of disquiet with them.

School districts for the 2020-2021 academic year were required to submit Smart Start plans to the Wyoming Department of Education detailing how they would respond to virus outbreaks and other pandemic-related situations.

The state did not require the same reports this year, department spokesperson Linda Finnerty said via email.

COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are on the rise in Wyoming, with 195 patients being treated for the virus Monday. The figure is nearing the states peak of 247 patients in late November.

The dominant strain of the virus is also more contagious, and likely more dangerous, than the dominant strain last school year.
He said these restrictions were legal in the interest of the health of the entire community, which take precedence over individual rights.

Other examples of restrictions for public health that Hartman mentioned were speed limits and the fact that you can no longer smoke openly in restaurants. Unlike those restrictions, he said these were going to only be temporary and not a permanent change to the law.

This will go away as soon as we no longer have the current state of emergency, he said.

More questions like this were answered, even with pushback from Board of Trustees members. And other questions, like when this will end, could not be.

Once Pierantoni, Emmons and Hartman were finished making their case for stricter health protocols in LCSD2, parents, students and teachers had a time to respond. It was a response similar to that of the school board meeting two weeks ago in Cheyenne.

Twenty-three community members stepped forward to address the board. Four asked for a mask mandate to be put in place. Those who rejected the strategic masking plan had more than just words to say  some had presentations.

One mother wore a shirt that said, Home is where the herd is.
WITH the budget date being announced by the Finance Minister, the business community is hoping measures will be announced to ease some of the burdens they have been facing since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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When the back-to-school process commenced last year, the schools had complete liberty to implement whatever mitigation strategies they wanted to, Garcia said. Thats really different from the reality that were living now, which is many more children in the classroom, a very highly transmissible variant and a population of very vulnerable children, that is, children who are not vaccine age-eligible.

Overall, Garcia said the percentage of cases in schools with mask requirements tends to be lower.

When we look at the number of cases, (schools with masking requirements) are the school districts that, right now, are having a lower infection rate, he said. So we do believe that mask mandates in schools actually have an impact.

Hospitalizations may plateau

About 20% of the countys ICU beds are being used by COVID-19 patients, and Garcia said hes not concerned about ICU bed capacity at this time.

Other counties are experiencing way higher ICU utilization on the part of COVID patients, he said. Its too early to sort of claim victory, and Im certainly not doing that. But the overall trend looks like we may be starting to plateau at the very least.
A Tucson brewery and pizzeria, run by firefighters, is opening a new location on the citys east side.

Firetruck Brewing Co. bought the 2,700-square-foot building at 800 N. Kolb Road, south of East Speedway, for $589,000 to open its fourth restaurant.

With this expansion we plan to focus on pizza and the distillery, said CEO Taylor Carter.

He said loyal customers not only kept the business afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns, but also spurred the opening of the new shop.

We had a really good crowd of people that kept us going, Carter said. They wanted a distillery on this side of town.

Firetrucks other spots are at Grant and Swan roads, Tanque Verde Road and Catalina Highway, and Oracle Road and Linda Vista Boulevard.

They are also partners in the downtown taproom Voltron, 330 S. Toole Ave.

The new restaurant was occupied for a few years by Dry River Co. and Cottage Bakery & Cafe before that.

Dave Hammack and Andy Seleznov, with Picor, represented the seller, Tera West 132 LLC.

Carter hopes to be open in October.
Im going in with 20 strong men. Im going to speak in front of the school board, and Im going to give them an option  they can leave, or they can be removed.

He didnt know, it appears, that people have already tried that in Vail, and it failed, because it was not legal.

There are groups who have decided to weaponize this fight over masks and over curriculum and instruction, Chris Kotterman of the Arizona School Boards Association told me.

Were not in the business of stifling the politics of the moment. They have the right to express what they want to express, but they have to do it in a manner conducive to safety.

Carrie Liebich, who formally started the Vail recall campaign, declined to talk to me, saying she doesnt speak with reporters. However, Ive been able to speak with three school board members and others connected to the recall and review related videos and statements.

I also requested comments from area residents on a Facebook forum for people in Vail and Rita Ranch, asking why the recall failed. The most common comments were along the lines of this response: There was no reason to recall them.
A flash flood watch is in effect until late Wednesday for all of Southern Arizona, setting up what could be a record-breaking monsoon in Tucson.

Everything is still on track for a very active afternoon through evening period with multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms capable of producing heavy rain and flash flooding, the National Weather Service Tucson said on its Twitter account.

The weather service issued the flash-flood alert earlier Tuesday morning, warning drivers to avoid flooded washes and creeks. The heaviest rainfall is forecast for Wednesday in the Tucson area.

The possible deluge is the result of the remnants of Tropical Storm Nora, which is pushing into the Sonoran Desert, where theres been a moist, tropical pattern of air, according to Glenn Lader, meteorologist with NWS Tucson.

With the addition of the 0.04 of an inch of rain that fell at Tucson International Airport late Monday, the citys current rainfall total during the monsoon season of 11.9 inches leaves it a little less than 2 inches short of the all-time monsoon record set in 1964 of 13.84 inches. This years monsoon stands as the third-wettest on record.

Lader said conditions are ripe going into the weekend for even more storm activity  and significant rainfall.
PHOENIX  Tucson is breaking no laws in requiring its employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, its city attorney said Tuesday.

In a letter to the Attorney Generals Office, Mike Rankin said an executive order issued by Gov. Doug Ducey claiming that existing state laws prohibit the mandating of vaccines governs only what state and county health officials can do. So any contention that it applies to Tucson, he said, is just false, and the governors order is entirely void and meaningless.

Rankin does not dispute that the Legislature, in its waning days, did approve SB 1824, a measure that prohibits state and local governments from requiring anyone to get inoculated.

But he pointed out that law does not take effect until the 91st day after state lawmakers wrapped up their 2021 session, which is Sept. 29. That fact alone, Rankin said, should be enough to convince the attorney general to dismiss the complaint by Sen. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, accusing Tucson of ignoring the yet-to-be-enacted statute.

And even assuming that Sept. 29 effective date, Rankin said hes still not convinced Tucson would be breaking any laws. He pointed out that there are two lawsuits challenging the validity of the law based on constitutional arguments about what can  and cannot  be in the legislation.
The final language of the omnibus bill gives partisan poll watchers new access, protections and power. The legislation makes it a Class A misdemeanor  comparable to burglary of a vehicle  for an election official to reject an appointed poll watcher. Under the measure, anyone who knowingly obstructs a poll watcher's view also commits a legal offense. The bill states the watchers may have free movement around the voting facilities and may "sit or stand near enough to hear or see the activity. Texas law still prohibits poll watchers from watching someone actually cast a ballot. However, they may observe the transfer of voting data.

The legislation empowers poll watchers to sue and seek court orders against election officials who get in their way. The new proposals would also require poll watchers to swear an oath that they will not harass voters and complete a training prior to participating for which they must show a certificate upon arrival.

Poll watchers may only be removed for violating election law if the violation is witnessed by the election clerk or judge and for violations of the penal code.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP)  Facts about the wildfire threatening communities around Lake Tahoe at the California-Nevada border:

 The Caldor Fire, named for the road where it started on Aug. 14 near the community of Grizzly Flats, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) from Lake Tahoe, had grown to about 320 square miles (827 square kilometers) by Wednesday morning.

 There are more than 4,200 personnel on the lines, with firefighters coming from as far away as Wisconsin and West Virginia to aid the firefight. The U.S. Army was also training about 250 soldiers to work as hand crews, who typically hike into wildland fire areas and remove rocks, leaves, bushes and other flammable material using shovels and chainsaws.

 In all, 15,000 fire personnel are working on fires statewide, including the still-burning Dixie Fire. But states across the country are stretched for resources as many rescue personnel have been sent to help with Hurricane Ida recovery.

 Some 26 helicopters are dropping water and retardant on the Caldor Fire. Numerous airplane tankers are assisting when smoky conditions allow them to fly.
"We dont take them by their word alone, but by their actions," Biden said. We have leverage to make sure those commitments are met.

Biden also pushed back against criticism that he fell short of his pledge to get all Americans out of the country ahead of the U.S. military withdrawal. He said many of the Americans left behind are dual citizens, some with deep family roots that are complicating their ability to leave Afghanistan.

The bottom line: 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave, Biden said. For those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out, if they want to come out.

Biden repeated his argument that ending the Afghanistan war was a crucial step for recalibrating American foreign policy toward growing challenges posed by China and Russia  and counterterrorism concerns that pose a more potent threat to the U.S.

Theres nothing China or Russia would rather have, want more in this competition, than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan, he said
Soaking rains prompted the evacuations of thousands of people after water reached dangerous levels at a dam near Johnstown, a Pennsylvania town nicknamed Flood City.

Ida caused countless school and business closures in Pennsylvania. About 150 roadways maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation were closed and many smaller roadways also were impassable. Several thousand customers were still without power late Wednesday night.

Some areas near Johnstown, whose history includes several deadly floods, saw 5 inches or more of rain by mid-afternoon, an inundation that triggered an evacuation order for those downstream from the Wilmore dam. Nearby Hinckston Run Dam was also being monitored but appeared stable by late afternoon.

Both dams were considered high-hazard dams that are likely to kill someone were they to fail.

Evacuees were taken to a nearby high school with help from the Red Cross, National Guard, local transit authority and school transportation services, he said.

The 1889 Johnstown flood killed 2,200 people, a disaster blamed on poor maintenance on the South Fork Dam on the Little Conemaugh River. It sent a 36-foot wall of water roaring into a populated area at 40 mph (65 kph).
Texas, though, has cultivated a strong culture of gun ownership with echoes of the Wild West, and many residents support the loosened restrictions.

Among them is Jesus Chuy Aguirre, 78, who owns Chuys Gun Shop in El Paso. A generation ago, he successfully advocated for the introduction of concealed handgun permits.

Eventually we settled down and the cops started understanding what they had to do, he said.

Angel Zacarius, who at 21 is just old enough to qualify for permitless carry, was at the shop on a recent day asking about the price and quality of a used pistol. He said he didn't plan to apply for a handgun carry license so that he could save on the fees, which typically run about $200.

But many opposed the new law.

Although it stiffened the penalties for felons getting caught with guns, police groups expressed concern about the scrapped training requirements and about officers being able to safely navigate routine interactions with permitless gun carriers.

Even though Portillo, like many others in El Paso, bought a handgun after the Walmart attack, he said he's uneasy with the looser requirements to carry one in public and thinks it could lead more gun violence.
One year ago: Visiting Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he toured the charred remains of a city block, President Donald Trump blamed domestic terror for the violence that had followed the shooting of Jacob Blake, whod been left paralyzed when he was shot in the back seven times by a police officer. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would lift the states ban on visiting nursing homes; the ban had been in effect since mid-March over fears of spreading the coronavirus. U.S. Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts defeated U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III in a hard-fought Democratic Senate primary; it was the first time a Kennedy had lost a race for Congress in Massachusetts. With videoconferencing an integral part of daily life during the pandemic, the Wall Street market value of Zoom surged to more than $129 billion, higher than Citigroup, Boeing and Starbucks.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A judge on Wednesday entered a not guilty plea on behalf of a Wisconsin man accused of killing and dismembering his parents.

Chandler Halderson, 23, of Windsor, did not speak during the brief hearing before Dane County Circuit Judge John Hyland. He remains in the Dane County Jail on $1 million bond.

Halderson is charged with two counts each of first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, hiding a corpse, and providing false information on kidnapped or missing persons in the deaths of his parents, Bart and Krista Halderson.

Hyland said he expected trial to be scheduled for January, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
There's something about the delta strain that it affects children just as much as older people, and so what we're seeing is a dramatic rise in children," Sunenshine said. That was slowly happening, but really started when delta started. And it dramatically shot up when kids went back to school.

There are other factors driving the increase, Sunenshine said in her presentation to the board. One is that many schools were still in hybrid learning last winter and so fewer students were in class; now, school is mainly in person. There also were mask mandates last year, and many schools do not have them now. On the plus side, many teachers and staff are vaccinated, as are some students 12 and older. No COVID-19 vaccine is yet approved for children under 12.

Schools without mask mandates are twice as likely to have an outbreak, Sunenshine said.

Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation in June barring schools from requiring masks, but a judge ruled this month that the law does not take effect until Sept. 29. Ducey said any school with a mask mandate will not be eligible for additional federal funding that he controls.
Moscow has granted Belarus a new $1.5 billion loan and criticized Western restrictions. Lukashenko said that Russia also will shortly provide Belarus with dozens of warplanes and helicopters and air defense weapons, possibly including the state-of-the-art S-400 missile system.

We even could get the S-400s. We badly need them, he said.

The two ex-Soviet neighbors have a union agreement that envisages close political, economic and military ties. In the past, Lukashenko often accused Moscow of forging plots to force Belarus abandon its independence, but he has dropped such rhetoric after his crackdown on protest made him a pariah in the West and forced him to rely squarely on the Kremlin's support.

Lukashenko said Wednesday that he would discuss a package of agreements intended to bolster Russia-Belarus integration during a visit to Russia next week, but he emphasized that it would not erode Belarus' independence.

There is no talk about the loss of sovereignty, he said.

But despite his assurances, the planned maneuvers and Lukashenko's efforts to forge closer ties with Russia have fueled concerns of the Belarusian opposition that the president might sacrifice the country's independence in exchange for Moscow's support.
A major challenge is finding affordable housing in areas where Afghans have typically resettled, including California and the Washington, D.C., region.

Im very concerned about children, getting them into schools, said Bill Canny, executive director of the USCCB's Migration and Refugee Services program.

World Relief, a global Christian humanitarian organization, has helped resettle about 360 Afghans in the past month and is expecting many more, said Matthew Soerens, the group's U.S. director of church mobilization.

These are individuals in many cases who have put their lives at risk and their families' lives at risk for the people of the United States of America, he said. Now that they're facing the risk of retribution and retaliation from the Taliban ... I think most Americans of all religious traditions see it as a moral imperative for us to keep our promise.

Among the evacuees are Afghans who obtained special immigrant visas after working with the U.S. or NATO as interpreters or in some other capacity; people who have applied for the visas but not yet received them; and those who might have been particularly in danger under the Taliban.
OPINION: "I think abortion is horrific and that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided because the right to privacy applies only to an individuals own life and body, not someone elses life and body," writes our regular contributor Renee Schafer Horton.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Tulsa provided the following update on the status of Coles case in federal court:

Benjamin Coles federal case remains open and charged. The United States Attorneys Office will wait to proceed on federal charges until all underlying appeals are exhausted following the decision to vacate his post-conviction relief.

Ryder was sentenced to death in connection with the 1999 double murder of a Pittsburg County couple.

Bench was sentenced to death in connection with the 2015 Stephens County beating death of Braylee Henry, 16.

Bosse was convicted and sentenced to death in a 2010 McClain County triple murder that included three counts of first-degree arson.

The state has already appealed the Court of Criminal Appeals decision in the Bosse case to the U.S. Supreme Court in the hope that it will overturn or narrow the McGirt ruling in some way. Bosses victims were members of the Chickasaw Nation, and the crimes were committed in Indian Country.

The states petition also asks the Supreme Court to rule that the state still has the authority to prosecute non-Native Americans who commit crimes against Native Americans in the Muscogee Nation reservation.
Oklahoma State University-Tulsa will have some new faces at the top, as new system president Dr. Kayse Shrum continues to fill out her leadership team.

The university announced Tuesday that Dr. Johnny Stephens has been named OSU-Tulsa interim president, with Chris Benge joining him as interim senior vice president.

Stephens follows Pamela Fry, who announced in July her plans to retire as OSU-Tulsa president in January.

Stephens, previously chief operating officer and senior vice president for the OSU Center for Health Sciences, is also currently serving as interim president of OSU-CHS, the post vacated by Shrum when she became OSU president.

He is also senior vice president for health affairs for the OSU system.

Benge, former state legislator and Oklahoma House speaker, most recently was working with OSU-CHS Center for Rural Health as its executive director of rural and tribal health policy.

Johnny Stephens and Chris Benge are proven leaders who will help advance our land grant mission of research, teaching and service, Shrum said. I look forward to working with them to serve Tulsa and northeastern Oklahoma.
In-person classes are suspended Wednesday at a Tulsa elementary school thanks to staffing issues.

Hawthorne Elementary School announced on its website late Tuesday that it will switch to distance learning Wednesday due to staff absences.

The announcement says students should use their Chromebooks Wednesday to log onto Canvas daily to stay on track with their assignments.

Grab-and-go breakfast and lunch meal service for students will be available at the schools north Tulsa campus from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday. A decision about Thursdays classes will be made by 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Hawthorne is the second Tulsa Public Schools campus to pause in-person classes this school year due to staff absences. Carnegie Elementary School canceled in-person classes Thursday and Friday after seven of its 23 teachers called in sick.

A Tulsa Public Schools spokeswoman said those absences were not due to COVID-19 exposure quarantines.
The University of Tulsa has named a new dean for its law school.

Officials announced Tuesday that Oren R. Griffin from Mercer University School of Law in Macon, Georgia, has been selected to head the TU College of Law.

He will assume his duties Jan. 1.

An associate dean at Mercer, Griffin succeeds Lyn Entzeroth, who stepped down from the deans position to return to the faculty.

Oren has served as a valued teacher, administrator, mentor and practicing attorney, said TU President Brad Carson. His experience in academia and the private sector is an outstanding combination that will benefit the college and our students.

Griffin began his academic career as an assistant law professor at Mercer in 2006. Previously, he worked as a labor and employment attorney.

He holds a law degree from Washington & Lee University and a doctorate from the University of Iowa.

It is a privilege and honor to be invited to serve as the next dean at the University of Tulsa College of Law, Griffin said. I look forward to joining the TU Law community and working with the outstanding faculty and staff.
The Virginia farmer who barely was able to keep part of his farm when the USDA threatened to sell it at auction. The Kansas man who lost the land his grandparents once homesteaded. The Arkansas farmer who is holding on by a thread, praying the federal aid will come through in time.

It was racism, says farmer John Wesley Boyd Jr. And it still is.

I think discrimination is still pervasive. I think that its done in a much subtler way, Boyd says.



Boyd was just 18 years old when he assumed an existing USDA loan when he bought his first farm in the early 1980s. He says walking into his local USDA office was like a return to the Jim Crow era. Black farmers had supervised accounts and could only get appointments with the local lending officer on a single day of the week, a practice that came to be known as Black Wednesday.

Boyd endured racial slurs. A loan officer once spat tobacco juice on him  he accidentally missed the spit can, the official would claim. Another time, Boyd saw an official tear up his application and throw it in the trash.

In 1996, USDA took just 30 days to foreclose on some of his Virginia farmland. Then the department moved to auction off the remaining 110 acres.
Update (11 p.m. Tuesday): Meredith Blanford, communications director for Congressman Markwayne Mullin, released a statement to the Tulsa World late Tuesday, saying the following:

Congressman Mullin has been and is currently completely safe. He and the Office of Oklahomas Second District will continue to do anything in our power to bring home all Americans from the war zone that President Biden abandoned. The safety and security of the American people will always be his top priority. We have no further comment at this time.

Blanford did not say whether Mullin is out of the country, and she neither confirmed nor denied the information in the Washington Post story below.

WASHINGTON  The call to the U.S. ambassador to Tajikistan came in Monday. On the line, two U.S. officials said, was Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) with an unusual and urgent request: He needed assistance in transporting a huge amount of cash into the country, saying he was going to neighboring Afghanistan to rescue five American citizens, a woman and her four children, stuck in the country. They planned to hire a helicopter for the effort.
Americans witnessed the ugly chaos that ended our countrys longest war this week, originally sparked by an act of terrorism.

The U.S. military achieved the goals of tracking down and deposing those behind the 9/11 attacks. Troops served honorably in that hunt and in helping Afghans rebuild their nation.

But it was time to go; 20 years of war is enough.

Heart-wrenching scenes of a disorderly exit come under the watch of President Joe Biden, though all presidents since George W. Bush bear some responsibility for what transpired. President Donald Trump had negotiated with the Taliban to leave in May.

More than 120,000 people have been airlifted in recent weeks, with between 100 to 200 Americans left behind.

While lawmakers hash out the circumstances of the withdrawal, Americans are left wondering about the future of our national security.

As long as troops were fighting in Afghanistan, Americans had some comfort that intelligence being gathered led to foiled terrorism plots. Without boots on the ground, questions linger about how to keep tabs on potential danger.

But terrorism today is not like it was 20 years ago; threats have grown more global and online.
President Dwight Eisenhower warned about military industrial complex.

On Jan. 17, 1961, Eisenhower, a Republican, ended his presidential term by warning the nation about the increasing power of the military industrial complex. He was not wrong.

First, the United Nations voted to help stop the invasion from North Korea, called a police action, (not an official war), then the fiasco in Vietnam.

So, now why do we get involved all around the world?

This last time, Congress authorized U.S. forces to go after culprits in Afghanistan in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

But since Sept. 18, 2001, the number of times U.S. lawmakers have voted to declare war in Afghanistan is zero.

Eisenhower warned about the military complex, so what is it?

On Wikipedia, it states that the military industrial congressional complex is when voters allowed our Congressional leaders to form a three-sided relationship termed the Iron Triangle.

These relationships included political contributions, political approval for Department of Defense military spending and the hundreds of lobbyists able to support these bureaucracies.
Vietnams Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) has proposed piloting a type of travel pass for people who have been fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19, as well as those who have tested negative for the coronavirus to travel countrywide.

Hoang Nhan Chinh, secretariat director of the TAB, has brought forward the proposal on behalf of the boards research team, which studied the use of COVID-19 safety certificates by countries and organizations around the world.

The plan is expected to help the central government, provincial and municipal authorities, enterprises, and people confidently resume business and travel in order to ensure both economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control missions.

Experts in the team suggested issuing a travel certificate tentatively named Vietnam Green Travel Pass, which will allow its holders to travel between provinces and cities in the country.

The application of the travel pass is expected to include, but is not limited to, participation in domestic events and having meals at restaurants.

The experts plan to introduce the travel pass on a smartphone application that allows quick access and real-time extraction of user information.

The travel pass can be in the form of a quick response code on a mobile phone or printed on paper to ensure that the information is accurate and cannot be forged.

People who have been fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19, as well as those who have tested negative for the coronavirus within the previous 72 hours would be eligible to be granted the green pass.

While designing the travel pass for domestic use only in the near future, the TAB experts suggest the government negotiate bilaterally or multilaterally with other countries and territories to sign agreements allowing Vietnamese citizens to use the Vietnam Green Travel Pass for overseas travel once the country resumes international tourism activities.

Vietnam sealed its borders in March last year but still grants entry to diplomats, foreign experts, students, and Vietnamese repatriates, with all arrivals from outside the country required to undergo different forms of quarantine to stem the spread of COVID-19.

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South Korean lawmakers voted on Tuesday to require hospitals to place surveillance cameras in operating rooms after a series of medical accidents involving unqualified staff who stood in for surgeons.

With the bill's passage, South Korea will be the first developed country to require closed-circuit cameras to record surgical procedures.

The push for having cameras in operating theatres intensified after a case in 2016 in which surgeons at private clinics were accused of assigning nurses or underqualified doctors to perform procedures, sometimes with fatal results.

Kwon Dae-hee, then a university junior, died of haemorrhage in October 2016 after 49 days in coma as a result of a jawline surgery in Seoul, his mother Lee Na-geum, 61, told Reuters.

Lee, who has been holding a one-person protest in front of the parliament since January 2018, said her son was traumatised by bullying in high school for his prominent chin, and he was determined to undergo the 6.5 million won ($5,600) cosmetic surgery.

Lee obtained CCTV footage of her son's surgery, but she said there are hundreds of parents who will never know if their children's death on the operating table was the result of malpractice.

A monitor shows a still image of the CCTV footage of an operation room while Kwon Dae-hee underwent jawline plastic surgery on September 8, 2016, as his mother Lee Na-geum prepares for an interview with Reuters at her home in Seoul, South Korea, August 30, 2021. Photo: Reuters

She also said she had reviewed the seven-and-a-half hour long footage of Kwon's surgery more than 1,000 times and was able to prove that it was performed in part by an unqualified nursing assistant and an intern doctor, not by the chief plastic surgeon as promised.

This led to Kwon losing over 3.5 litres of blood and he died of excessive bleeding.

With the video evidence she collected, Lee sued the hospital and the head surgeon, who was later found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to three years in prison.

"It is a medical crime when someone else - 'a ghost' - performs the surgery and not the surgeon hired without patient's consent," Lee said.

"There are so many unfortunate bereaved families who cannot reveal the truth because they don't have physical evidence when a healthy person dies in an operating room."

Multiple attempts had been made to amend the Medical Services Act to require surveillance cameras, primarily to stop doctors from delegating surgeries to unlicensed personnel, an act which is subject to a maximum of five years in prison or 50 million won ($43,000) fine.

Up to now, such attempts had died due to lobbying by doctors, said Lee who began an advocacy group for medical justice and patients' rights.

An operation room of a plastic surgery clinic is seen in Cheonan, South Korea, August 31, 2021. Photo: Reuters

The bill was met with objections from doctors, hospitals and medical groups, including the 140,000-member Korean Medical Association (KMA), which claims video-monitoring will undermine trust in doctors, violate patient privacy and discourage doctors from taking risks to save lives.

"We think trust is key in doctor-patient relationship... the bill undermines doctors to actively recommend treatment methods and treating patients," KMA spokeswoman Park Soo-hyun said before the bill passed.

"Residents have already expressed their intent not to apply to surgery or surgical departments if the CCTVs are installed in operating rooms, which will lead to a collapse of an essential part of South Korea's medical care."

Kim Seon-woong, a plastic surgeon at Main Plastic Surgery Clinic in Cheonan, south of Seoul, said it was time for cameras in South Korean operating rooms as they could prevent a variety of crimes, abuses and accidents.

"I think CCTV in operating rooms can be an opportunity to restore trust between patients and doctors," he said.

The bill appeared to have overwhelming public support. In a poll by the AntiCorruption and Civil Rights Commission, an independent government agency, in June, the bill had the support of 97.9% of the 13,959 respondents.
Read what is in the news today:

COVID-19 Updates

-- Ho Chi Minh City authorities have set a target to administer COVID-19 vaccines to all people over 18 years old by September 30, according to Pham Duc Hai, deputy head of the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

-- A representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security said on Tuesday that officers stationed at checkpoints have detected 30 coronavirus infections and two cases using fake travel passes by scanning medical declaration codes since August 23, when the city began enforcing a shelter-in-place mandate.

-- Hanoi authorities have put a field hospital for critical COVID-19 patients with more than 500 beds into operation in Hoang Mai District after over one month of construction.

Society

-- Police in southern Binh Phuoc Province have decided to fine seven people a total of VND105 million (US$4,600) for gathering at a party in local Dong Xoai City amidst social distancing on Sunday night.

-- The Hospital for Traumatology and Orthopaedics in Ho Chi Minh City said on Tuesday that it had discharged a recovered five-year-old after five replantation sessions. A forklift had cut off his right foot three months ago.

Education

-- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has proposed the municipal Peoples Committee vaccinate over 642,000 students from 12 to 18 years old against COVID-19 before the end of the first semester of the 2021-22 school year so that they can resume in-person learning in the second semester.

Business

-- The Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board has proposed piloting a type of travel pass for people who have been fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19, as well as those who have tested negative for the coronavirus to travel countrywide.

-- Vietnamese enterprises invested $575 million abroad in the January-August period, up 74.1 percent over the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Offices data.

World news

-- Brazilian researchers have found that a molecule in the venom of a type of snake inhibited coronavirus reproduction in monkey cells, a possible first step toward a drug to combat the virus causing COVID-19, Reuters reported.

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Using the travel declaration database, patrolling officers at COVID-19 checkpoints in Ho Chi Minh City have identified 30 coronavirus-positive cases and two individuals who used fake travel passes to go outdoors since August 23, the municipal Department of Public Security announced at a press meeting on Tuesday.

During the past week, the elevated social distancing measures and the Ministry of Public Security-powered travel declaration app have concerned residents of Ho Chi Minh City, said Senior Lieutenant Colonel Le Manh Ha, a high-ranking officer from the department, at the conference.

A novel movement declaration requirement, devised by the Ministry of Public Security and considered part of the national population database, was simultaneously introduced at COVID-19 checkpoints in the city around 1:00 pm on August 14.

However, the complicated declaration system baffled the majority of commuters and clogged up traffic flow for hours, causing it to be paused for revision before its reintroduction on August 29.

Traffic volume on the city streets shows little fluctuation over the past few days, with no congestion reported, according to Ha.

Thanks to the QR code-based declaration system, police of Ho Chi Minh City have detected 30 infection cases on the streets, as well as two cases who used bogus travel passes to get through checkpoints.

Ha suggested that residents should prepare for travel declaration by filling in their information on the Ministry of Public Securitys system and saving their results as QR codes before they leave their houses.

That way, they only need to present the QR to the officers and avoid unnecessary processing time at checkpoints.

Police officers are working with the Ministry of Health and functional agencies to integrate data of coronavirus patients into their national population database, which would help identify COVID-19 cases that refuse to stay home and handle them before their actions lead to community spread, Ha said.

Regarding the risks from police officers on duty, Ha pointed out that most of the checkpoint officers have received two doses of vaccine against COVID-19, and are tested for the virus before each of their shifts, making the possibility of transmission from them relatively low.

However, the municipal force will also reminded officers not to touch residents phone while they scan their QR code information, as it does harbor threats of virus infection.

Instead, the officers can use their phone cameras to scan the QR code presented by residents at a safe distance.

Ho Chi Minh City is currently the gravest coronavirus outbreak site in Vietnam, recording over 221,000 cases since the fourth wave emerged in the Southeast Asian country on April 27.

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Authorities in several districts of Ho Chi Minh City have been evacuating residents from alleys at high risk of COVID-19 transmission in a bid to prevent the virus from spreading further into the community.

More than 83,000 coronavirus patients are being treated and monitored at home, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control.

Aside from treating patients, protecting residents from the disease is also a top priority, the center said.

However, it can be difficult to ensure compliance with social distancing regulations in crowded alleys.

Last Thursday, authorities in Binh Thanh District began evacuating about 2,000 poor tenants from neighborhoods and alleys at high risk of COVID-19 infection.

The residents are allowed to stay at Cong Doan Hotel and Apartment Building 1050 in the district for 22 days, with food, cash, and vaccination provided.

They had given their consent and tested negative for the novel coronavirus prior to the evacuation.

All residents are required to strictly follow pandemic prevention and control regulations during their stay, while security and healthcare units are tasked with taking care of them.

We are planning to turn local schools into temporary shelters if more people wish to move away from high-risk areas, said Dinh Khac Huy, chairman of the Binh Thanh Peoples Committee.

Residents move to their temporary home in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, August 26, 2021. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

A similar plan is also being prepared in District 7, Vo Khac Thai, secretary of the districts Party Committee, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Monday.

Authorities in the district have been encouraging residents, especially people over 65 and obese individuals, in high-risk neighborhoods and alleys to move to local hotels.

Those who wish to participate in the evacuation plan can register at ward-level peoples committees, Thai added.

Le Van Chien, chairman of the Peoples Committee in District 4, said that the local administration has considered moving dwellers away from high-risk areas, but has yet to find a suitable venue for their temporary stay.

In the meantime, local authorities will tighten management in residential areas and alleys to make sure everyone strictly comply with pandemic prevention and control regulations, Chien continued.

In District 5 and Binh Tan District, many community-based COVID-19 prevention teams have been established to monitor the situation in each neighborhood.

Vietnam has documented 462,096 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday afternoon, with 238,860 recoveries and 11,064 deaths.

The country has recorded 457,882 local infections in 62 out of 63 provinces and cities since the fourth wave broke out on April 27.

Ho Chi Minh City is the largest epicenter with 221,254 cases.

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Doctors at the Hospital for Traumatology and Orthopedics in Ho Chi Minh City said on Tuesday that they had carried out five replantation sessions to reattach a five-year-old boys right foot, which was cut off by a forklift three months ago.

Medical staff already discharged the boy, a resident of Binh Chanh District, upon his recovery.

After a forklift severed his right foot while he was playing three months back, his family members transported the child with the amputated foot, which had been put into an ice box, to the Childrens Hospital 1 in District 10.

Doctors at the childrens hospital later decided to transfer the child to the Hospital for Traumatology and Orthopedics in District 5 within the second hour after the incident.

They put the amputated foot in a plastic bag and placed it back into the ice box according to the correct method of preservation.

The injured boys timely arrival at the Hospital for Traumatology and Orthopedics and the correct preservation of the foot allowed doctors to perform reattachment surgery successfully.

The boy underwent five replantation sessions in total, including foot microsurgery, vein grafting, two times of excision of necrotic skin, and a skin graft, before his foot completely recovered.

Surgeons also timely handled signs of infection on the foot after the microsurgery.

This is a rare successful replantation case as the child is so young that his blood vessels are still very small, making it extremely difficult to perform microsurgery, according to the doctors.

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Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have set a target to provide COVID-19 vaccines to all residents aged 18 and older by the end of September.

The city has approximately 7.2 million people aged 18 and older, Pham Duc Hai, deputy head of the municipal steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, said during a meeting on Tuesday.

The municipal authorities have established a four-phase inoculation plan for the remaining time of the year, with priority given to the elderly, people with underlying health conditions, pregnant and breastfeeding women, frontline workers, and those working in essential sectors.

From August 29 to September 15, about 680,000 people will receive their first doses, while 2.1 million others will get their second jabs.

By the end of this stage, the city will have administered the first COVID-19 vaccine shot to 90 percent of residents aged 18 and older.

From September 16 to 30, the city will administer the first shots to roughly 720,000 adults and the second doses to nearly 657,000 people.

After the second phase concludes, 100 percent of citizens aged 18 and older will have received at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccine.

During the third and fourth stages, which will run from October 1 to 15 and from October 15 to December 31, the city will focus on administering the second jabs to people who have reached the recommended intervals.

In order to complete this plan, Ho Chi Minh City will need about 8.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Hai said, adding that the execution of the plan will depend largely on the vaccine allocation from the Ministry of Health.

The best vaccine is the one that is administered the soonest, the official stated, adding that receiving vaccination is both the right and obligation of local residents.

We cannot live with strict social distancing regulations forever, but these restrictions can only be lifted when certain conditions are met, Hai remarked.

Vietnam has documented 462,096 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday afternoon, with 238,860 recoveries and 11,064 deaths.

The country has recorded 457,882 local infections in 62 provinces and cities, including 221,254 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, since the fourth wave broke out on April 27.

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Le Van Thinh Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City is summoning the help of 100 volunteers who have recovered from COVID-19 to fill in vacancies at high risk of exposure to the coronavirus, such as drivers, logistics workers, doctors, and nurses who take care of patients in treatment.

The call for volunteers, which seeks 25 doctors and nurses, 50 caretakers, two drivers, as well as other relevant positions, was confirmed by Tran Van Khanh, director of the hospital.

The volunteers must be those having recuperated from COVID-19, and will work at makeshift COVID-19 treatment facilities managed by Le Van Thinh Hospital, the director added.

A volunteer supports a coronavirus patient in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Kim Ut / Tuoi Tre

Those who beat COVID-19 infections can provide first-hand experience in overcoming the disease, as well as insights on mental conditions in treatment, which would come as great help for patients during their own combats against the virus, Dr. Khanh said.

Recovered cases will serve as a leading light for patients, giving them hope and inspiration to fight off the virus, he added.

Since the epidemic started to exacerbate in Ho Chi Minh City in May, local hospitals have received support from recovered COVID-19 patients, who volunteered to work on the front line to share the burden with practitioners.

However, several hospitals have to turn them down as they do not have the budget to pay the volunteers.

In the short term, Le Van Thinh Hospital will search for candidates among the recovered patients of Makeshift Hospital No. 3 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Each participant will commit to eight hours of work per day at the hospital for at least one week.

Their lodging and food will all be prepared by the hospital.

On top of the government-prescribed pay scale, each volunteer will earn VND2 million (US$88) in remuneration paid by the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs' Association.

Ho Chi Minh City is currently the gravest coronavirus outbreak site in Vietnam, recording over 221,000 cases since the fourth wave emerged in the Southeast Asian country on April 27.

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The Ministry of Health reported 11,429 locally-acquired coronavirus infections in Vietnam on Wednesday, down by more than 1,000 patients from Tuesday.

The latest local cases were detected in 39 provinces and cities while the country also recorded five imported infections on the same day, the health ministry said.

The ministry had logged 12,591 locally-infected patients on Tuesday.

It recorded 6,759 of the new cases in the community, with the remainder found in isolated areas or centralized quarantine facilities.

Ho Chi Minh City documented 5,368 domestic infections, down by 76 cases; Binh Duong Province 3,440, down by 1,090; Dong Nai Province 759; Long An Province 594; Tien Giang Province 194; Khanh Hoa Province 112; Da Nang 55; and Hanoi 51.

Vietnam has confirmed 469,311 community transmissions in 62 out of its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth  and worst  virus wave emerged in the country on April 27.

Ho Chi Minh City is on top of the caseload with 226,622 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 118,228, Dong Nai Province with 24,525, Long An Province with 22,638, Tien Giang Province with 9,846, Dong Thap Province with 7,040, Khanh Hoa Province with 6,612, Da Nang with 4,354, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 3,499, and Hanoi with 3,564.

By comparison, Vietnam confirmed a combined 1,570 locally-acquired infections in the previous three waves.

The health ministry announced 9,862 recoveries on Wednesday, bringing the total to 248,722.

The toll has risen to 11,868 fatalities after the ministry recorded 804 deaths on the same day, including 658 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam has confirmed 473,530 patients since the COVID-19 pandemic first struck it early last year.

The Southeast Asian country has received about 29.5 million vaccine shots to date, giving roughly 20.2 million doses, including 230,415 shots on Tuesday, since vaccination was rolled out on March 8.

Around 2.7 million people have been fully vaccinated.

Health authorities aim to immunize at least two-thirds of a population of nearly 98 million people against COVID-19 by the first quarter of next year.

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Ho Chi Minh City is running a program to provide support for both local residents and foreigners during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Grassroots Assistance Program was officially launched by the Vietnam Youth Federation of Ho Chi Minh City, in coordination with the municipal Department of External Relations, the citys Union of Friendship Organizations, and some partners, on Saturday.

Running from August 28 to September 15, the program is aimed at helping Vietnamese citizens and foreigners who are working, studying, or stranded in the city due to the pandemic, according to the Vietnam Youth Federation of Ho Chi Minh City.

It also supports frontline workers at local quarantine centers and COVID-19 treatment facilities by providing them with medical supplies, meals, and essential goods.

Those who need help from the Grassroots Assistance Program can contact the hotline 0866 699 473 or register at https://bit.ly/SupportForeigner.

Foreign individuals experiencing hardship will be given a package of essential goods, including rice, instant noodles, soy sauce, and canned food, worth VND300,000 (US$13), after their information is verified.

Each of them will also receive VND1.5 million ($66), which will be transferred to their bank account on two occasions with a 15-day interval.

The program will help them purchase some necessities, provide health consultation, and assist them in finding jobs, which depends on each individual's ability and need.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 patients in the city will be given a similar essential good package along with a seven-day medicine regimen as prescribed by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health.

Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union's verified Facebook page

Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union's verified Facebook page

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SBS Board member Warren Mundine has apologised for an offensive tweet in which he referred to a journalist as a c***.

Mundine tweeted the expletive at freelance journalist Ben Eltham on Tuesday night after he shared the personal mobile number of federal MP Craig Kelly, who recently joined the United Australia Party.

You are a c***. What a disgraceful human being you are, he tweeted.

Mundine, who was appointed to the SBS Board by Communications Minister Paul Fletcher last October, later said, I shouldnt be calling anyone the c-word and I accept that was a stupid thing for me to do. But the essence of it is that no one should be giving out peoples personal details.

I have deleted it. Ive also decided personally that Im going to go on a social media holiday for a couple of weeks and assess the situation.

An SBS spokesperson said of the incident, The comment made by Mr Mundine is not in line with the values of SBS, does not adhere to our policies, and is not consistent with the expectations which apply to our staff or those we work with. The SBS Board are expected to behave in accordance with the SBS Code of Conduct and Mr Mundine has been reminded of his obligations as an SBS Board member, and has since deleted the tweet.

Eltham told the Sydney Morning Herald Craig Kellys number was published on his press releases.
Communications Minister Paul Fletcher has called on the ABC to reconsider its current complaints system following an independent review of Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire.

While the report by Rodney Tiffen & Chris Masters largely praised the Luna Park documentary, it found some faults with a lack of evidence to support allegations around then-NSW Premier Neville Wran.

This comes after a complaint lodged by Milton Cockburn, a former editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and an adviser to Wran, was dismissed by ABCs audience and consumer affairs unit.

While the ABC has operational and editorial independence, in my view this matter suggests board and management should consider whether the existing complaints process is functioning as it should, Minister Fletcher told The Australian.

He said a robust, independent complaints process should apply whether a viewer was a public figure or not.

The fact that an independent review subsequently found the program had significant defects suggests that the approach taken by audience and consumer affairs was not sufficiently genuine, independent or robust.

However, it isnt clear if the Minister has formally contacted the ABC board over the matter.

In July the Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council also called for reform after claims of bias and lack of impartiality in an episode of Q&A were rejected.

FOX News has also threatened to lodge a complaint over recent Four Corners episodes, but it isnt clear if it has proceeded.

ABC has maintained an audit of the complaints by the Australian National Audit Office in 2018 found it was effective in managing issues.

Complainants who are dissatisfied with the outcome can refer the complaint to ACMA.
The Seven Network has welcomed the AFLs announcement the 2021 Grand Final will be played in Perth, and confirms preparations have been ongoing since it became apparent the match would be played outside Victoria.

But it is yet to announce a match time, given the 2 hour time difference to the East Coast.

Seven West Media Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, James Warburton, said: The AFL Grand Final in Perth will give millions of fans across the country the best experience possible. The culmination of the incredible season will have the energy of a live crowd and be broadcast during prime time across most of Australia.

Sevens live and free coverage of the AFL has gone from strength-to-strength and the highly anticipated Grand Final is set to top another extraordinary season of Australias number one winter sport.

Head of Network Sport, Lewis Martin, said: We welcome the AFLs decision to play this years Grand Final in Perth. The live crowd and the unquestioned passion of WA fans will make it the landmark occasion that fans know and love on the last Saturday in September.

Wed also like to acknowledge the remarkable resilience shown by the AFL and its clubs in delivering a truly unforgettable season so far amid the unrelenting challenges thrown up by the pandemic.

Seven also acknowledged the West Australian Governments support in stepping in to host the event.
State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, speaks March 30 in the Senate Chamber at the Capitol in Austin. Hughes is the author of the elections overhaul bill.
Tyler, TX (75702)

Today

Generally cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 80F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 69F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.
E10 contains less carbon and more ethanol than other motor fuels such as E5, and is set to be made the new standard petrol grade by the UK government. Photo: Phil Noble/Reuters

The new E10 petrol has confused a quarter of UK motorists this month, a survey has found.

Drivers filling up their vehicles at British petrol stations have admitted that they are unsure as to whether their cars can run on the more eco-friendly version, the RAC has said.

E10 contains less carbon and more ethanol than other motor fuels such as E5, and is set to be made the new standard petrol grade by the UK government. Current petrol grades contain up to 5% ethanol, with the other 95% being regular unleaded petrol.

Research from the RAC showed that 24% of motorists are unaware of E10, while some 27% do not know if their car is compatible.

Watch: Everything you need to know about E10 petrol

According to the Department for Transport (DfT), the introduction of E10 could cut carbon emissions by 750,000 tonnes a year as the government looks to hit its climate targets. It is aiming to cut carbon emissions by 78% by 2035.

Read more: Everything you need to know about E10 petrol, the new standard fuel

The move is equivalent to taking 350,000 cars off the road.

E10 is currently used across Germany, France, Belgium, and Finland, and is being rolled out in the UK this year, with the exception of Northern Ireland, which will start in early 2022.

However, the RAC said that as many as 600,000 older vehicles that are currently on UK roads will not be compatible. Those with incompatible vehicles will have to use E5 super unleaded instead, which can cost as much as 12p a litre more than standard unleaded. According to the survey, almost six in 10 (59%) drivers who know their cars are incompatible with E10 are worried about the higher cost of filling up, while 20% fear mistakenly filling their tanks with E10.

Nicholas Lyes, RAC head of policy, said the process of E10 petrol appearing on forecourts would continue "at pace" in coming weeks.

Drivers who will continue to rely on E5 will also need to make sure the filling station they're visiting stocks the fuel in the first place, or risk running out of fuel and having to call on their breakdown provider," he said.

Story continues

Read more: Net zero plans could see cost of running a car rise by 100 a year

He added: "We'd also like to remind owners of classic cars that they need to be careful not to accidentally top up with E10 and then leave it sitting unused in the tank for long periods, something which can lead to expensive damaged plastics, metals and seals."

Motorists can check online if their cars, vans, motorcycle or moped can use E10 petrol.

You need to know the vehicle manufacturer to use the service, and may also need the vehicle model, engine size and year it was manufactured. Most petrol vehicles built after 2011 will be able to use E10.

This only applies to petrol vehicles  diesel and electric vehicles cannot use E10 petrol.

The move comes as Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB.L) announced its aim to install 50,000 on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging points in the UK over the next four years.

Shell will implement the plans through ubitricity, an on-street charging point company that it acquired in February which operates around 3,600 chargers in Britain.

Read more: UK expected to ban new petrol and diesel cars from 2030

The UK has banned the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 in an attempt to bolster the electric car market in the UK and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to net zero by 2050.

The move will not apply to some hybrid cars which use a mixture of electric and fossil fuel propulsion, which could still be sold until 2035.

Watch: Sale of new diesel and petrol HGVs to be banned after 2040
FILE PHOTO: School children wave flags as a cruise boat carrying Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, arrives at the Hama Rikyu gardens in Tokyo

By Daniel Leussink and Kantaro Komiya

TOKYO (Reuters) - Member countries of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) agreed to hold within a month a first meeting with Britain to discuss its inclusion in the trade deal, Japan's economy minister said on Wednesday.

The trade pact removes 95% of tariffs between its members: Japan, Canada, Australia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Singapore, Mexico, Peru, Brunei, Chile and Malaysia.

"It was agreed between member countries to hold it (the meeting) in about a month," Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura told reporters after hosting a virtual meeting of the 11 member nations.

Japan, as the trade pact's chair this year, will work to hold the working group meeting - which will allow Britain to demonstrate its compliance with the deal's obligations - before the end of the month, Nishimura said.

"I believe that the importance of Britain as a strategic partner and the expansion of the high-level rules beyond the Asia-Pacific are extremely significant," Nishimura added.

Britain in June began negotiations to join the trans-Pacific trade deal, which it sees as key to its post-Brexit pivot away from Europe and towards geographically more distant but faster-growing economies.

(Reporting by Daniel Leussink and Kantaro Komiya. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
The University of North Georgia's (UNG) Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program recently ranked No. 4 in Georgia and third among public universities on the 2021 RN Careers list of the best nursing schools in Georgia.

UNG graduates have a 97.6% National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX) pass rate, and the BSN program also has a more than 92.5% graduation rate.

UNG's BSN program builds on a foundation of two years of liberal arts and sciences as prerequisites followed by immersion in two years of nursing coursework. The program prepares professional nurses to be nurse generalists with the knowledge and skills to practice in acute and community settings.

"Our program provides rigorous coursework paired with clinical experiences that prepare our students for their jobs upon graduation. We consistently score in the top 10% on NCLEX and have close to 100% job placement upon graduation," Dr. Becky Murck, BSN program coordinator, said. "We are proud of the way our nursing faculty, who serve in the field, invest in these future nurses and provide the support they need to be successful."
In recent weeks, the intensity of passions in Karabakh and on the interstate border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, still awaiting delimitation, has been growing. Skirmishes on the border and in the zone of responsibility of the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation in Karabakh occur regularly, soldiers die, disappear and are captured. The culmination of the events of recent days was, perhaps, the capture of an Azerbaijani soldier in Karabakh on August 26.

The incident took place in the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers, rather far from the nearest Azerbaijani post. Azerbaijan said that earlier a soldier who went through a 44-day war, voluntarily left the psychiatric department of a military hospital where he was receiving treatment. This is a person with a mental disorder, and the issue of his return to the Azerbaijani side will be resolved in contact with Russia.

However, the Armenian side is in no hurry to return the Azerbaijani military. Perhaps in the hope of exchanging it for someone from our own held in Azerbaijani prisons. In the foreseeable future, this tactic can become quite risky. The fact is that until now the Karabakh Armenians have repeatedly wandered into the territory controlled by the Azerbaijani army. The Azerbaijanis immediately returned them with the mediation of the Russian peacekeepers. But will Baku from now on also be loyal to the next "lost" one?

Various versions of what is happening are being put forward. According to one of them, Armenia is purposefully pursuing a hard line in order to destroy the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 on the eve of the elections to the State Duma, thereby discrediting one of the largest diplomatic successes of the Russian government in recent years. The capture of the Azerbaijani military by the separatists and the indicative "investigation" is just such a provocative step on this path. Another "jab" at Baku is the recent trip of the Armenian Minister of Labor and Social Affairs to Karabakh. On September 2, the day of the "proclamation of independence" of the separatist "NKR", new surprises can be expected. It looks like in the next two or three weeks Baku will be taken "weakly".

By discrediting the trilateral agreement of November 9, Pashinyan, willingly or unwillingly, is playing up to the "Western partners" who have remained outside the Karabakh settlement. It also cannot be ruled out that an attempt is being made to play on the differences in the approaches of the Russian elites to the issue of politics in Karabakh, and to induce the Russian power bloc to take active steps in the region. This will undoubtedly cause a chill in Russia's relations with Baku and Ankara - to the delight of those who were unceremoniously kicked out of Caucasian politics in 2020.

There is also talk about a "Georgian scenario" for Azerbaijan, which is allegedly being prepared in the Kremlin. Perhaps Yerevan would be happy to provoke something similar for their enemy, hiding behind the broad backs of Russian soldiers. All Armenian borders are guarded by Russia to one degree or another, and therefore there is nothing to be afraid of. But this idea is rather unpromising - Aliyev is not Saakashvili, he is not inclined to scams, and Moscow, where they are accustomed to reasoning soberly, does not need such a development of events. We do not have many friends to throw them around in the name of the ambitions of dwarf states, no matter how offensive it may sound to our allies.

It is gratifying that Baku is trying to maintain a cool head, although it is not easy for the local authorities to do this. The stubborn, almost principled silence of the Baku officialdom on the issue of the prisoner says only one thing - in Baku they understand that the stakes in the current game are too high. They do not want to abruptly destroy the fragile structure of a peaceful region so carefully built by Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey to please the Armenian nationalists and the Western countries that support them. A stable world is more important than momentary emotional outbursts.

The fact that the Russian peacekeepers are silent about the incident with the Azerbaijani soldier is also no coincidence. Moscow can put pressure on Yerevan, forcing the release of the soldier, but in response, a large-scale dirty campaign against the Russian Federation in Armenia will be unleashed with 100% probability. We must act in a balanced and restrained manner, moving towards peace despite attempts to sabotage.

However, the Armenian side should be extremely careful in its actions. In an attempt to destroy the trilateral agreement, it is important for her not to overdo it - after all, another "flogging" by Baku may follow with the tacit consent of Moscow, as was the case when the Azerbaijani special forces carried out a sweep in Karabakh in early December 2020.
Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia signed a cease-fire agreement on Nov. 9, 2020, that has shaped the region in light of new realities and stronger Turkish involvement in the region as an important ally of Azerbaijan. Signing this document, Yerevan accepted Azerbaijan's terms, but as time progresses, the implementation of the document has become difficult for several reasons, Daily Sabah writes.

Turkey has clearly shown an interest in being an effective player in the postwar South Caucasus. Ankara supported Azerbaijan in the war and it is no secret that Turkish-made drones played an important role in Azerbaijan's victory. Ankara wants to increase its influence in the region in the postwar period and to guarantee a safe route to Central Asia via Azerbaijan. Ankara actively seeks to expand its soft power tools through the South Caucasus to Central Asia and be an active player in the future of this wide region.

During the war, the efforts from France, and later the U.S., have shown that global actors try to balance Russian hegemony in the region. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration especially tries to be more active in the region as a part of a new U.S. foreign policy strategy. In this environment, issues related with achieving permanent peace become more intricate.

A document for change

In fact, the November declaration has changed the geopolitical map of the region because, with this statement, Yerevan and Baku agreed to open transport links and regional economic integration. According to the document, Russia has become a key state guaranteeing peace and a cease-fire in the region, and Russian peacekeepers have been deployed along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh, including the Lachin corridor. A Turkish-Russian joint monitoring center was also established in Aghdam. The center monitors the observance of the cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but most importantly, it also provides the presence of Turkey in the region. Thus, two regional powers  Turkey and Russia  have strengthened their positions in the South Caucasus, ensuring their diplomatic and military presence.

The cease-fire was broken several times both at state borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as some incidents that happened in the Azerbaijani regions that are under the control of Russian peacekeepers. The remnants of Armenian military units have not been withdrawn from the territories of Azerbaijan that are under the control of Russian peacekeepers.

What worsens the situation?

The activities of Iran create dissatisfaction in Azerbaijan, although both countries have expressed interest in having a friendly relationship. As a result, the Iranian ambassador to Baku was invited to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and a note verbale was submitted to the ambassador expressing discomfort over the recent arrival of Iranian vehicles to Azerbaijani territories being overseen by Russian peacekeepers. The Azerbaijani side again expressed that the redeployment of the Armenian military would threaten the peace in the region. Another threat to peace is the harsh rhetoric of newly appointed Armenian Defense Minister Arshak Karapetyan that has shown the postwar period will not be smooth and peace will not be provided in the short term.

In turn, Azerbaijan continues its cooperation with Israel in the military sphere, aims to have $2 billion worth of military deals with Israel and further strengthens its military ties with Turkey and Pakistan.

Turkish-Russian cooperation

Both Ankara and Moscow support regional economic integration by opening transport corridors in the region. In this sense, the Zangezur corridor is a very important transport route. All parties involved in this project will benefit from it. With the opening of the Zangezur corridor, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic will be directly connected with Azerbaijan, and Turkey also will have an opportunity for direct connection with other Turkic-speaking countries in Central Asia. Armenia will have access to transport connections with Iran via Nakhchivan and with Russia through northwest Azerbaijan. Furthermore, a new platform proposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey that would involve Russia, Iran, Georgia and Armenia, could propel peace and development in the region.

Taking into consideration the issues mentioned above, the region's problems are not expected to be solved in a short time. However, it is essential that both governments and nations understand that a rationalist and constructivist approach is the main element needed to bring peace and development to the region.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, and Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev were all smiles as they took a stroll through the Macedonian capital of Skopje in late July after signing a trilateral economic agreement at a regional business forum, Euronews writes. Called the Open Balkan initiative, the idea of forming a common market for countries waiting for EU membership was previously known as Mini-Schengen Area.

The initiative is trade-heavy, and it promises free movement of goods and citizens and equal access to labour markets. Participating countries would save up to $3.2 billion (2.71 bn) each year, according to World Bank estimates. A previous attempt was made during the Berlin Process, a German-led cooperation initiative designed for the Western Balkan countries, which never culminated in a binding agreement. The Berlin Process started in 2014 was meant to assuage increased Euroscepticism in the region after then-EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker announced a five-year moratorium on the union's admission of new members. Seven years later, the region's countries are trying to prove they can do things on their own, with or without the EU's help.

Belgrade to Tirana without any checks?

Albanian PM Rama said in Skopje that the move is aimed to prevent the Western Balkans from getting stuck in "a small caricature of the EU, where for everything you need consensus and everyone can block through a veto". Rama, who has been increasingly more vocal in his criticism of the EU approach to accession, was backed by PM Zaev. Although EU membership remains a goal for all three, "until the EU decides, we need to find ways to continue the process of Europeanisation, said Zaev.

Both the Albanian and Macedonian leaders have been critical of Bulgaria's veto on the two formally opening accession talks due to the ongoing language debate between the two, with Bulgaria claiming issue with calling the language spoken in North Macedonia Macedonian. Serbian PM Vucic was also positive, stating that "it's time to take things in our hands and decide on our destiny and future ourselves" and boasted about the fact that "from January 1, 2023, no one will stop you from Belgrade to Tirana." But going ahead without all six Western Balkan countries taking part might backfire and create new divisions in the region.

Kosovo tension

The biggest elephant in the room is Kosovo, which Serbia does not recognise as an independent state and claims its former province -- located geographically right in the middle between Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania -- is actually a part of its territory. Kosovo declared independence in 2008 after the 1999 NATO intervention led to a withdrawal of Belgrade-controlled forces from the ethnic Albanian-majority province. Since then, Serbia has actively tried to prevent Kosovo from becoming a full-fledged member of international organisations, such as the United Nations, and has significantly jeopardised its EU integration process. Serbia has also led an international de-recognition campaign, in an attempt to deny it its status.

Now Vucic, who was Milosevic's minister of information in the 1990s, is leading the initiative, much to the apprehension of the leaders of the three abstaining countries. Kosovo's leadership, including PM Albin Kurti, have slammed the initiative. In August, Kurti stated that Open Balkan is "a Balkan open to autocracy, corruption and war criminals".

This illustrates the ongoing tensions between Kurti and Vucic, but also Rama. According to Gjergi Vurmo from the Institute for Democracy and Mediation in Tirana, the clash between Kurti and Rama has degraded the traditionally good relationship the two countries -- both boasting ethnic-Albanian majorities -- have enjoyed. "Last year's report of the EU Commission for Albania had a very interesting difference," Vurmo points out, "all other EU reports on Albania on regional cooperation and relations with neighbours have noted excellent relations between Albania and Kosovo". Last year's report said Albania's relations with Kosovo are now good  just like with Serbia and North Macedonia, for example.

"So, we have a sort of official confirmation that the relations are not at their best. And I think that the blame is to be found on both sides. Maybe it was Albania and more specifically Rama's mega-ego and intention to play the regional leader that takes care of Kosovo. But there is blame to be placed on some politicians on Kosovo's side," Vurmo explains.

Kurti's party in Kosovo, Vetevendosje or VV, is trying to become a more established political subject in Albania and even participated with candidates in Aprils elections. It seems like Kurti is trying to expand his political influence across the border, and disagreements over the initiative are a way to gain the support of those who don't see eye to eye with Rama. But this struggle between Kurti and Rama distracts from more substantial issues, such as what this represents for the rule of law and the overall state of democracy in the region, said Vurmo.

"To me personally, what matters the most is a) is it inclusive? It's not. It cannot be called Open Balkan with only three countries as members. And b), what does it mean for democracy? It means absolutely nothing," he explains. "It means nothing because it's a tactical project that makes sense to Vucic and Rama, and it doesn't make sense with what citizens want." Because at the end of the day, what is the primary reason why foreign direct investments don't come to the Balkans? Because they don't trust the judicial system. "Our business people in Albania, do you think they would trust the judicial system in Serbia? Or that in, say, Bosnia, if they eventually join the mini-Schengen? No," Vurmo concludes.

Is Vucic trying to fill the EU vacuum?

Toby Vogel, an analyst at the Democratization Policy Council, a Berlin-based think-tank, believes that for the likes of Rama and Vucic, the Open Balkan initiative is indeed a publicity stunt aimed to show off their personal power and contrast it with the EU's impotence in the region. "Vucic is trying to diversify," Vogel says. "He's been trying for some time now to really strengthen relations in the region  so to no longer be seen as the champion of [solely] the Serbs. " "Vucic's ambition is bigger. He sees himself as the regional leader and of course being leader of all Serbs is helpful in all that, but as soon as it clashes with his regional ambition I think he's going to go for the regional role," he explains.

This marks a significant shift in Vucics strategy over the years, who began his political career as a zealous ultranationalist at the Serbian Radical Party, and then moderated some of his views -- including on EU accession -- when he formed the Serbian Progressive Party. In the past years, Vucic would usually play a pro-EU card in Brussels while holding on to nationalist views in the region. By his own admission, he claims to have grown politically over the years.

"This we've seen from the vaccine story, where it's been very clear that the message was 'we can do stuff where the EU has failed,'" Vogel illustrates. We are showing our solidarity with our brothers in North Macedonia, Bosnia, and so on by giving them vaccines or letting them come to get vaccinated and all that."

But when too few Balkan countries participate, pitting one side against the other could create significant divisions. Issues that still plague the Western Balkans, such as rampant ethno-nationalism that have led to Bosnia being ambivalent about joining a Vucic-led initiative. Some of Montenegro's leaders, too, like Milo ukanovic, are pushing back against the rise of Serb nationalism in the country. These issues won't be resolved through a purely economic approach, he believes. "Anyone who thinks that this is a confidence-building measure, I think they are underestimating the dangers of that economy-focused approach," Vogel stated. "Economic cooperation is going to run up against the reality of political tensions and political obstacles sooner or later. The EU and the international community more generally have a tendency to pivot towards the economy when political issues get too tough. And this has never worked because the political issues are going to catch up with the economic ones," he said.

But the EU in particular is happy to see how this plays out, according to Vogel. "There are a few people in the EU institutions that are willing to admit  only off the record, only in private  that the enlargement is dead, accession is not going to happen except maybe for Serbia and Montenegro. And I think they are thinking about the alternatives," Vogel explains.

And despite the countries in the region still having their sights set on becoming EU members, the Open Balkan initiative would not be a strong enough consolation prize in lieu of EU membership. "We've had more than 25 years of pious talk of integrating the region, peacebuilding, reform, rule of law, and European values. I think it would be quite hard for the EU officials to all of a sudden say okay, you have your mini-European economic area in the Balkans, so, mission accomplished," he said. "Yet I can see that happening, because the EU is desperate to claim some level of success and acknowledge what's obvious to us all  that it's disengaging from the region in many ways."
Analysts say cash-strapped Pyongyang is returning to its strategy of trying to obtain concessions from the international community by threatening nuclear proliferation, Deutsche Welle writes. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog described the resumption of operations over the weekend at North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear reactor as "deeply troubling."

In its new annual report on North Korea's nuclear program, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that while monitors have not been granted access to the Yongbyon site, there are "indications" that the five-megawatt reactor is once more producing plutonium for the first time since December 2018. According to the report, there were "indications, including the discharge of cooling water, consistent with the operation of the reactor" in early July. It concluded that the the North's nuclear activities, "continue to be a cause for serious concern" and are "deeply troubling." "The continuation of the DPRKs (The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) nuclear program is a clear violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and is deeply regrettable," it said, adding that the IAEA called on Pyongyang to comply with UN resolutions.Images captured from satellites also show that the steam plant for the radiochemical laboratory was also operational in the first half of the year, and that milling and concentration activities are ongoing at the Pyongsan uranium mine and the associated fabrication plant.

What is North Korea planning?

Leif-Eric Easley, an associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, says North Korea has a number of reasons for resuming production of fissile material. The global coronavirus pandemic has made life within the nation's sealed borders even harder than in past years, prompting the regime to seek concessions from the international community. "Despite the incredible stress North Korea's economy and society are suffering under self-imposed pandemic isolation, the regime of Kim Jong Un pushes forward with its nuclear programs," Easley told DW. "As the administration of US President Joe Biden is focused on the coronavirus and Afghanistan, Pyongyang may be looking to create another crisis in an attempt to extract benefits," he added. "It would be better for everyone if North Korea skipped the provocation cycle and accepted humanitarian assistance and resumption of dialogue," Easley added.

Toshimitsu Shigemura, an expert on North Korean affairs and professor at Tokyo's Waseda University, says Pyongyang is desperately seeking Washington's attention now that the US involvement in Afghanistan is over. "Biden has been completely preoccupied with coronavirus and Afghanistan and has been less interested in Korean affairs, so Kim is maybe feeling a little overlooked," he told DW. "Indications that they are starting to once again make more nuclear warheads  is guaranteed to get the attention of the US."

Concerns over nuclear proliferation

Daniel Pinkston, a former deputy project director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Project at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, warned that North Korea may be planning to sell nuclear technology or completed weapons. The North's economic problems, brought on by international sanctions but exacerbated by the regime's decision to close borders to trading partners due to COVID, mean that the country is desperate for money that it needs to survive, said Pinkston, who is currently a lecturer of international relations at Troy University in Seoul.

Pinkston said his "biggest worry" over the resumption of processing activities at Yongbyon is an elevated possibility of nuclear proliferation. "North Korea has allocated an immense amount of its limited resources to this program for many, many years so they are not walking away from it any time soon," he told DW. "The North is estimated to have somewhere between 50 and 60 warheads, so adding one more warhead to that stockpile does not have much meaning. What difference will one extra nuclear bomb have?" Pinkston said, adding that the North's "biggest problem right now is economic." "They may be looking for states that have no nuclear weapons at the moment and for whom a single warhead would therefore be very significant," he said.

Seouls top nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk arrived in Washington on Sunday for discussions with his US counterparts on ways to encourage North Korea to return to talks. On Monday, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters that the US is continuing to seek negotiations with North Korea on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The North has largely ignored previous efforts to engage since Biden was sworn in as president in January. There has been no response from Pyongyang to the latest offer to negotiate.
A new migrant wave is possible, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday, speaking about the latest developments in Afghanistan.

Turkey's top diplomat pointed out that Ankara is holding talks with both the Taliban and the Afghan officials on the future of the country.

Speaking during a joint press conference with his Serbian counterpart Nikola Selakovic in Belgrade, he mentioned that he attended the G-7 meeting on Afghanistan on Monday via videoconference and said that the situation of Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport was discussed.

Underlining that Turkey has a great role in regional issues, he added that Ankara's greatest desire is the establishment of an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

"We have to see what kind of government will be formed in Afghanistan. There is a migration crisis in the world and a new migration crisis is possible. We discussed the necessary steps to be taken to prevent irregular migration waves and to provide aid so that people in Afghanistan can stay," he said.

"Turkey is currently the country with the highest number of migrants, we do not have the capacity to host more immigrants. So far, we have fulfilled our humanitarian responsibilities exceedingly. It is not right to expect Turkey to undertake all the problems alone," Cavusoglu added.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran Hossein Amirabdollahian held talks on August 31, 2021.

Bayramov congratulated his Iranian counterpart on his appointment as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran and wished success in his activities.

The Azerbaijani FM stressed the existence of relations based on the principles of friendship and cooperation that have deep historical roots, broad-spectrum bilateral cooperation agenda between Azerbaijan and Iran, and noted that a number of projects have been successfully implemented by the two countries.

The sides also exchanged views on the current situation in the region and some issues of bilateral cooperation.

Bayramov invited his Iranian counterpart to pay an official visit to Azerbaijan.
The European Commission will organize a special high-level forum in September to discuss the resettlement of needy Afghans, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said.

"As part of the follow up to the EU Council today, I will convene, in September, a High-Level Resettlement Forum to discuss concrete priorities with the Member States and provide sustainable solutions to those Afghans who are most vulnerable, particularly women and children, but also human rights activists, journalists, lawyers," she wrote on Twitter.

"We will cooperate together with the other global leaders on a coordinated approach to safe and legal routes for resettlement," Johansson added.
Bahrain's first ambassador to Israel Khaled Al Jalahma arrived in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

His arrival and the expected opening of the Bahraini embassy "are important milestones in the development of relations between the two countries and their peoples," it read.

Strengthening the bilateral diplomatic ties is "the top priority" of Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the Israeli ministry added.

Al Jalahma said on Twitter in three languages - Arabic, Hebrew and English - that he is "honored" to begin his post. "The opportunity to fulfill His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's vision of peaceful coexistence with all nations is a privilege that I will hold in high regard," he wrote.

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain were the first Gulf countries to agree to form official relations with Israel. The Abraham Accords, U.S.-brokered normalization agreements, were signed at the White House in Sept. 2020.
Gazproms export to Europe will be over 183 bln cubic meters in 2021, department head of Gazprom Alexander Ivannikov said at a teleconference.

"[An increase in gas production] will make possible to support export supplies to Europe totaling 183 bln cubic meters, which is 6 bln more than in the last year," he said.

The company expects that low filling of underground gas storages (UGS) in Europe will continue influencing on gas prices in the second half of the year as well, Ivannikov noted.

Low filling of underground gas storages in Europe lead to gas prices close to record-high at spot platforms, Ivannikov said. The factor of UGS filling "will impact prices in the second half of the year also," he added.

Scheduled injection of gas to UGS is to be completed by November 1 of this year, the Gazproms top manager noted.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has congratulated the Azerbaijani athletes who made high achievements at Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games.

"I sincerely congratulate Raman Saleh, who made us happy with his second gold medal, silver medallist Lamiya Valiyeva and bronze medallist Said Najafzade!" the president said in a post on his Twitter account.
Washingtons new security assistance package for Ukraine includes Javelin systems, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Washington.

"As you know, President Biden has approved a new $60 mln security assistance package, including Javelin anti-armor systems and more," he pointed out.

"Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $2.5 bln to support Ukraines forces," Austin stressed.

The White House announced on Friday that Biden planned to provide Ukraine with $60 mln in military aid. Ukraine received $350 mln in military aid in 2017 and 2018, $250 mln in 2019 and $300 mln in 2020. The country obtained Javelin anti-tank systems after the Trump administration had approved the sale of lethal weapons to Kiev.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier that NATO counties efforts to provide weapons and military equipment to Ukraine could push Kiev to try to resolve the conflict in southeastern Ukraine through military means.
Russia remains second by total petroleum exports to the United States in June 2021, with deliveries totaling 25.43 mln barrels, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Canada tops the list of petroleum exporters to the US in June with 137.57 mln barrels and Mexico is third (23.65 mln barrels).

Russian petroleum products account for the bulk of deliveries to the United States. Crude oil export amounted to just 8.47 mln barrels. Russia ranks fourth in terms of oil export after Canada (120.49 mln barrels), Mexico, and Saudi Arabia.

Russian export of crude oil and petroleum products to the US surged by 53.7% year-on-year in June 2021, including oil supplies alone soaring by 3.7 times.

At the same time, Russian petroleum exports dropped by 2.6% in monthly terms against May of this year.

Total crude oil imports by the US equaled 198.051 mln barrels in June 2021, up 17.4 mln barrels against May.
An attack by terrorist forces in Syria's Daraa Governorate hit several military checkpoints, killing four Syrian soldiers and injuring 15, according to Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

"The situation in the Daraa al-Balad region of Daraa Province significantly deteriorated. A number of government agencies, as well as units of government forces carrying out tasks to maintain law and order, have been attacked by underground terrorist cells. Four Syrian soldiers were killed, eight more were injured," Vadim Kulit, deputy head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria, said at a Tuesday press briefing.

The Russian military in Syria also reported attacks by terrorist forces in northern Syria on Tuesday, as well as several in Latakia and Hama governorates, Sputnik reported.
The United States is working together with Turkey and Qatar on Afghanistans Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

Saying that opening the airport and regional airports is important, Psaki in a press briefing said, On the airport front, the more specific piece were working on with the Qataris and the Turks, who are important partners here, is getting the civilian side of the airport up and operational again so that we can use that not just for flights for people to depart, but also for humanitarian assistance.

With the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) in possession of Kabul's airport after the U.S. completed its withdrawal on Aug. 31, the focus will now shift from the mammoth Western evacuation operation seen in the past two weeks to the group's future plans for the transport hub.

Turkey had offered to run security following the withdrawal of foreign troops, but the Taliban repeatedly said it would not accept any foreign military presence in Afghanistan after Aug. 31.
578: Bullets of a mad man gives the audience a visual satisfaction with the majestic natural scenery of the country.

"578: Bullets of a mad man was filmed in Moc Chau (Son La).

With the message Bo phim cua chung ta - Tieng noi cua chung ta (Make Our Film - Raise Our Voice), Dung hopes "578: Bullets of a mad man will be the voice of the whole community.
Vietnam reported 11,434 COVID-19 infections, including 5 imported cases, in the past 24 hours to 5pm on September 1, the Ministry of Health announced.

COVID-19 testing in Hanoi's Hai Ba Trung district.

Ho Chi Minh City reported the highest number of infections during the day at 5,368. It was followed by Binh Duong province with 3,440, Dong Nai 759, Long An 594, Tien Giang 194, and Khanh Hoa 112. The capital city of Hanoi logged 51 cases, down 26 against the previous day.

The new infections brought the country's total number of infections since COVID-19 broke out in Vietnam in early 2020 to 473,530, ranking 56th among 222 countries and territories.

Also on the day, an additional 9,862 patients were given the all-clear, raising the total number of recoveries to 248,722.

The country recorded 804 deaths on August 31 and September 1, raising the total death toll from COVID-19 to 11,868.

The country has to date administered over 20.21 million doses of vaccines, with close to 2.72 million people having been fully vaccinated./.

Source: VNA
With the official visit to Singapore and Vietnam of US Vice President Kamala Harris, the White House has sent a message to Southeast Asia. It is America is back in a region that plays an increasingly important role in US strategy.

On the afternoon of August 26, Harris left Vietnam to return to Washington, ending her first Southeast Asia tour as US Vice President.

In an "interim national security strategy guide" released in March, US President Biden emphasized the importance of cooperation with Asian nations. It said that the Biden administration would deepen its partnership with India and work alongside New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam and other ASEAN members to advance its objectives.

Therefore, at meetings with the leaders of Singapore and Vietnam, the US Vice President shared the Biden administration's vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, raised trade and security issues, including the East Sea issue, and promote economic cooperation.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong welcomed the "very valuable" high-level visits of the US and said that Harris's visit was an indication that Washington was aware of the need to protect and promote its substantial and important interests in Southeast Asia.

Positive outlook

US Vice President Kamala Harris arrives in Hanoi. Photo: Pham Hai

From the two former enemies, Vietnam and the US have had a common voice and mutual understanding in the reconciliation process.

The two sides established many high-level dialogue mechanisms, including a political security dialogue mechanism to exchange views and enhance understanding.

In Hanoi, Vice President Harris continued to affirm the US commitment to a strong, prosperous and independent Vietnam, as well as a free, open and healthy Indo-Pacific region. The Vietnam - US relations are developing strongly and comprehensively in all fields, from politics - diplomacy to trade - investment and security - defense.

Cooperation in trade and investment is a bright spot in the relationship between the two countries. Bilateral trade has increased 200 times, from 451 million USD in 1995 to more than 90 billion USD in 2020. The US is Vietnam's second largest trading partner.

Exports of US goods to Vietnam reached over 10 billion USD in 2020, and US imports last year reached 79.6 billion USD. US investment in Vietnam was $2.6 billion in 2019.

In Hanoi, Harris pledged to promote economic activities between the two sides, especially the building of a sustainable supply chain. Vietnam plays an increasingly important role in the world's manufacturing supply chain, but this position is being threatened by the Covid-19 pandemic.

To help Vietnam respond to the pandemic, the US will continue to provide vaccines as committed through the COVAX Facility. This is very meaningful for Vietnam at this time when the economy is stalled because of social distancing measures as the number of people infected and dying from Covid-19 is increasing. If there are enough Covid-19 vaccines, economic activities in Vietnam will soon be restored.

In addition, the establishment of the Southeast Asia Regional Office of the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Hanoi will help Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries to conduct research in the fight against infectious diseases like Covid-19.

As for climate change, scientists have warned that the Mekong Delta is one of the places most affected by sea level rise. Therefore, there is an urgent need to take countermeasures. The US government has committed to help Vietnam in this field.

Through the US Agency for International Development Government (USAID), the US has launched the Mekong River Coastal Habitat Conservation Project. The $2.9 million project will be implemented in three years with the participation of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Cooperation will continue to be strengthened within the framework of the Lower Mekong Initiative.

Supporting a strong, prosperous and independent Vietnam

The US Vice President at a press conference on the afternoon of August 26. Photo: Nguyen Tri

In the field of security cooperation, maritime security is always a central issue. With the need to protect the activities of fishermen, exploration and exploitation of marine resources in its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, Vietnam needs to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies in the sea. The US has been actively supporting the capacity building of the Vietnam Coast Guard.

In addition, the two sides have committed to establishing medical cooperation between the Vietnamese Army and the US Department of Defense to expand humanitarian and disaster response capacity, and cooperate to promote healthcare for soldiers, veterans and Vietnamese people.

In particular, Vice President Harris emphasized the US commitment to Vietnam's future and the long-term nature of the Vietnam-US partnership. Accordingly, education is always a top priority for any country.

The USAID has announced the Higher Education Reform Partnership, a five-year project offering up to $14.2 million to strengthen teaching, research, innovation, and governance of the three largest national universities in Vietnam.

Along with American universities and private sector partners, the project will support comprehensive economic opportunities for nearly 150,000 Vietnamese students. This is also the goal to support a strong, prosperous and independent Vietnam as an important partner of the US.

Viet Hoang
A few days ago, Chien Nguyen took a commercial flight from the US to Vietnam with transit in South Korea.

When arriving at Cam Ranh Airport, he and other people on the flight were taken to a resort in Cam Ranh in Khanh Hoa province, where they had to spend a 14-day quarantine period.

All the people on the flight had received two injections and certificates for the vaccinations.

Chien Nguyen said that he didn't know how he would get to his home in Hanoi. There were almost no flights and trains, and busses were rare. Provinces he had to go through to reach to Hanoi were under social distancing.

I asked the hotel where I booked the room and I was told that after the quarantine period, people will be able to leave. However, when I asked how I could go to Hanoi, they only gave me the address of a bus service provider and told me to contact the provider myself, he said.

However, the service provider said they were not sure if they could transport me to my home, he said.

Do Trong Hai, who flew to Vietnam from Canada and is now under quarantine in Nha Trang City, said that air ticket booking agents, air carriers and hotels all told him that they were not responsible for carrying citizens to their home localities. They are only responsible for taking people to quarantine zones.

I will finish the quarantine time on September 3. If I test negative on September 2, I will be able to go home the next day. But I still dont know how I can get to Hanoi, he said.

Will I go through the checkpoints in provinces? If I reach Hanoi beyond the 48 hours since the testing certificate was granted, will I have to have a PCR test or have to take another 14-day quarantine period? he said.



Nguyen Thu Hang arrived in Vietnam on August 20 and she doesnt know how she will get to Hai Phong. After she fulfills her quarantine time, she will have to wait four days for a flight to Hai Phong.

I booked a ticket to fly to Hai Phong on September 7, but theres a 80 percent chance that they may cancel the ticket. If this happens, I dont know how I can get home, she said.

A representative of Khanh Hoa provincial Peoples Committee told VietNamNet that citizens returning to Vietnam on commercial flights are responsible for getting their own transport.

The total cost of one flight to Vietnam is roughly $5,500, including cost for quarantine.

One man said he contacted a bus service provider to go to Dong Nai, but he was told he would only be dropped off at a place on the highway, tens of kilometers from home.

Others said if they have to stay in cities while waiting for transport to go to hometowns, they are not sure where they can stay because of social distancing rules..

Analysts warn that if people have to travel on unsafe transport, this could lead to the spread of the coronavirus.

If people can buy tickets to fly to Vietnam and can enter the country, this means that the State has accepted them to return home, Chien Nguyen said. So, its necessary to think about how citizens can go home. Of course, people will have to pay fees."

Some analysts said that provincial authorities could organize convoys to bring their citizens back home. People will have to pay a fee for the service.

Hai proposed that all provinces and cities apply 7-day quarantine for those entering Vietnam who have two vaccinations as guided by Ministry of Health.

He said that if there is no flight to their hometown, local authorities should allow trains to run on certain days to take people home, or allow people to rent cars to their localities.

There should be clear policies to create favorable conditions for people to go from quarantine areas to their hometowns, not get stuck in localities experiencing social distancing, he said.

On August 4, Ministry of Health released a decision on the quarantine time that people who enter Vietnam. They have to be put under concentrated quarantine for seven days and medical supervision for the next seven days, except those who enter Vietnam to work for less than 14 days.

Luong Bang

Da Nang awaits permission to use drones for COVID monitoring The Peoples Committee of Hai Chau District in central Da Nang City has piloted the use of drones for monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and enforcing the social-distancing of local residents in quarantine zones and small alleys in the city.
To satisfy the desire of meeting friends during the social distancing time, many Saigonese have organized online parties, clinking glasses together from the safety of their homes.

Nguyen Hai Dong, a photographer in HCMC, said he began attending online parties a couple of weeks ago.

Ly Na, the owner of a small media firm in Phu Nhuan District, began drinking with friends in June. She has online parties with friends several times a week.

Huu D, who works for a research institute, also has regular meetings after working hours via smartphone with his co-workers with two bottles of beer each time.

Previously, our group of joggers regularly met on weekends to have glasses of beer. We have been doing physical exercises at home for several months, but cannot meet face to face. As we crave a drink, we decided to have a party online, he explained.

To organize parties online, each member of the groups prepares bar snacks and drinks. People make video calls via online platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet, drink, eat snacks and gossip.

Dong is a member of three groups, including groups of photographers, joggers and friends in the media industry.

Talking to each other via mobile devices also eases stress during this difficult period, especially for those who live alone, Dong said. We feel more excited when seeing each other on the screens and we restrict sharing negative news."

Ly Na, who lives alone, has been attending online parties since June. At that moment, a group of friends who lost contact for a long time suddenly wanted to talk. So they decided to make video calls.

We played music and sang cai luong (a form of folk opera) to each other like we did in the past. The only different thing was that we see each other on laptop screens, Na said.

The most important thing is that you just need to send an URL to invite your friends to the meeting, no matter where they are in the world. One link can connect the whole world, Na said.

She cited many advantages of online parties. She doesnt have to be attentive when driving a car and there is no need to worry about getting drunk.

Meanwhile, Dong said online parties ease stress during the pandemic. He still wants to have real parties when he can sit together with friends at restaurants, when the pandemic ends.

Hai Dang

Notable blockchain game projects developed by Vietnamese In addition to Axie Infinity, a number of blockchain game projects developed by Vietnamese have attracted many players around the world though they are still in the very early stages of development.
Poster introducing four rounds of the Best Applications of SIMATIC IOT2050 contest launched by Siemens.  Photo courtesy of Siemens

HA NOI  Siemens has officially launched a contest titled Best Applications of SIMATIC IOT2050 with an aim to provide an opportunity for automation engineers and students in Viet Nam to demonstrate their talent, use their creativity and out-of-the-box thinking in order to come up with innovative ideas and solutions for the automation industry.

SIMATIC IOT2050 is designed for industrial IT solutions for the acquisition, processing and transfer of data directly in the production environment. It can be used for connecting the production process to a cloud-based analysis of machine and production data. The gateway can also be retrofitted in already existing plants, where it then harmonises communication between different data sources, analyses the data, and passes it on for evaluation to a local or cloud-based system.

SIMATIC IOT2050 is typically used for preventive machine maintenance and linking production to the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) level in order to minimise expensive production downtimes.

By joining the Best Application for SIMATIC IOT2050 competition that takes place from 30 August to 11 November 2021, candidates will be offered a great chance to keep abreast of the latest trends in automation and digitisation, to access Siemens state-of-the-art technology, to stay connected and expand professional network, and most importantly, to use their knowledge and skills to design and develop innovative applications. They will also have amble opportunities to receive attractive presents from Siemens Digital Industries.

This contest is open to Vietnamese engineers and students across Viet Nam who are creative and technophiles themselves. All submissions will be published on the Facebook page of Siemens Vietnam for public voting. There are four rounds and at the final round, the top ten candidates will meet the jury and present their ideas and solutions respectively.

Siemens Vietnam is delighted to organise this contest deliberately for automation engineers and students in Viet Nam. Apart from offering them an exciting and meaningful playground to demonstrate their talent, we would like to help nurture creative problem solvers and brilliant solution designers strongly needed by Vietnamese enterprises in their digital transformation journey," said Siemens ASEAN and Vietnam CEO Pham Thai Lai.

"We believe giving students the opportunity to exercise their academic strengths is a great way to motivate them to pursue their passion, and to develop generations to come.

Detailed information about the contest is available at: https://sie.ag/3iNXBrH.  VNS
TEXAS CITY (AP)  Police in Southeast Texas say it's unclear whether a man shot and wounded Tuesday as officers responded to a report of a suicidal person was shot by an officer or shot himself.

Texas City police said the man was airlifted to a hospital and have not revealed his condition.

Earlier Tuesday, officials said the man was shot by a police officer, according to The Galveston County Daily News. But a police statement issued later said that while a Texas City police officer fired his service weapon at least twice, it was unknown whether the mans wounds were self-inflicted or from the officer.

The statement said officers had responded to the home after getting a call about a suicidal man with a handgun who had fired a shot inside. Police said that soon after officers arrived, they told dispatchers that shots had been fired and the man was down on the porch.

Police say the officer-involved shooting investigation has been turned over to the Galveston County's sheriffs and district attorneys offices.

Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset says the man was shot in the torso.

Texas City is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Its Labor Day deja vu this weekend with the return of two annual events, Wests Westfest and Beltons Central Texas State Fair, after COVID-19 cancellations last year, plus the addition of a rap concert and a craft beer festival to the holiday weekend activities.

Even as McLennan County tops its previous high of COVID-19 hospitalizations this week, event organizers are going forward, with voluntary masking, space for social distancing and voluntary vaccinations the major precautions urged to slow community spread of the now-dominant delta variant of the coronavirus.

The gates open Friday for three days of Westfest, Wests annual celebration of Czech culture and heritage. Last years cancellation was the first in 44 years for the annual festival, which drew an average of 20,000 weekend attendees before the pandemic. Past Westfests had carried on through heat waves, heavy rains and a 2013 fertilizer plant explosion that killed 15 and damaged the city only five months earlier.

Organizers anticipate a smaller crowd this year, although the festivals familiar components are largely intact, from polka music and dancing to Czech food and beer, folk dancing groups, carnival rides, arts and crafts, contests, and more.
Crain said he pays $600 a month to stay at Oak Lodge Motor Inn. He said crime riddles the complex, outsiders having easy access because there is no fencing around the property and predators have free rein.

A majority are all about sex, all about drugs, Crain said.

Santos Torrez, an elder at Mount Lebanon Seventh-day Adventist, said Crain directs music there on Saturdays, at another church on Sundays.

Hes a wonderful fellow, actually classically trained. I believe he also has a degree in teaching, Torrez said. I know he lives downtown, and that the place he lives in now is shutting down. Hell need to move.

Torrez said he did not know if anyone with the church is assisting Cain with his search, but certainly will discuss the matter with him Saturday.

Raynesha Hudnell, a city staffer working closely with Oak Lodge residents, said 20 of 24 who applied through the McLennan County Emergency Rental Assistance Program have been pre-approved. One applicant received a Section 8 housing voucher that will pay for permanent housing, if it is found.

Dorrell and others have pointed out that qualifying for rental assistance is a step in the right direction, but housing still must be found.
The bill that passed Tuesday calls for using the statutory budget reserve and general funds for the dividend. Some members of the Houses Republican minority said the dividend, as proposed, would not truly be a permanent fund dividend.

What we have here is basically income redistribution, said Rep. Tom McKay, an Anchorage Republican.

Proposed amendments for larger dividends failed in the House, including a roughly $2,350 dividend, in line with what Dunleavy had proposed.

Dunleavy said Tuesday he wanted to see how the bill plays out in the legislative process.

He said the pandemic has been disruptive economically and the state has a chance to use earnings from the permanent fund to help.

He said he wants legislators to talk with their constituents and really get an idea how truly disruptive this pandemic has been to people's lives and truly how absurd it appears to people looking at Juneau right now as to why they can't come up with decisions that are going to help residents.

The Republican governor has proposed an amendment to the state Constitution that would restructure the permanent fund, limit what can be withdrawn from it and evenly split the withdrawals between payouts to residents and government costs.
MOSCOW (AP)  Europe's top human rights court has ruled that Russian authorities failed to conduct an effective investigation into the killing of a prominent human rights activist in the Russian republic of Chechnya.

Tuesday's ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) related to the July 15, 2009 murder of Natalia Estemirova, a leading rights defender in Chechnya, who was abducted and later found dead with shots to the head and chest.

The ECHR noted that Russian authorities promptly opened a probe into Estemirovas killing and identified a suspect, but emphasized that Moscows failure to provide full materials of the case made the court unable to conclude that the investigation had been carried out thoroughly. It noted some contradictions in the expert evidence led it to doubt that the investigation had been effective.

The victim's sister, Svetlana Estemirova, alleged in her appeal that state agents were behind the killing but the Strasbourg-based court ruled that the evidence didn't support the claim.

The court required Russia to pay 20,000 euros ($23,600) to Estemirova's sister and urged Russian authorities to track down and punish the perpetrators of her murder.
Denial: Theres no pandemic. This is just another flu. It will fade in the summer, or after the election, or surely by next summer. One day  its like a miracle  it will disappear, promised the former president. He said those words in February 2020, eighteen long months ago and before his fellow citizens experienced the worst of viral spread.

Anger: How dare you shut down my business, force me to get a shot or wear a mask! Citizens have plotted to kidnap their governor (Michigan) and turned city council and school board meetings across the country into shouting matches. The same day that Mayor Meek pleaded with Wacoans to care for one another, an anti-mask father in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, assaulted a high school student and was jailed on a charge of aggravated child abuse.

Bargaining: I will not get the vaccine, but Ill take lots of vitamins and supplements. Maybe this veterinary medicine will work. We wont require masks in our school, or church, or concert venue, but well be extra careful to sanitize the door handles. If we encourage compliance with public health guidance but dont mandate it, is that good enough?
Chris Qualls, Waco

Stop suicide

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. This is a time for each of us to reach out to those around us and take steps to prevent suicide. The American Foundation for Suicide Preventions theme for the month is Together, we can help #StopSuicide.

I raise awareness in memory of my daughter Laney Lenamond, who was only 13. Anyone can suffer from depression and feelings of hopelessness may not always be obvious, especially in children. Young people, prone to the emotional swings of adolescence, may act out or become withdrawn. Popular culture has glorified suicide in some regard with television programs normalizing the behavior, or showing suicide or self-harm as a solution. Bullying is a national epidemic and doesnt stop when kids leave school. Kids, who often dont appreciate the consequences of their actions, are now prone to bully and be bullied every hour of the day through social media.
Who among us hasnt entertained the idea of owning a former WWII airfield, complete with hangars and original barracks? Well, now is your chance so long as you can pony up the roughly CAN$15 million to purchase the 700 acre property once known as RCAF Station Picton a couple of hours drive east of Toronto, Ontario. This base was one of dozens of such facilities which sprang up across Canada between 1940 and 1945 as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Each of them helped provide Allied air forces with thousands of highly capable flight and maintenance personnel during the Second World War  indeed they were integral to the successful prosecution of the aerial campaigns in both Europe, North Africa and the China-Burma-India Theatre. Only a handful of these facilities remain relatively unchanged since WWII, with many of them are either derelict or so heavily modified that they no longer resemble what they once were.

RCAF Station Picton formally opened in April, 1941. The base hosted the Royal Air Forces No.31 Bombing and Gunnery School, which offered six-week training courses in bombing, navigation and aerial gunnery. Student pilots and bombardiers could hone their bombardment techniques and accuracy over any one of the five practice ranges in the nearby area. The principal aircraft types which operated from the facility included the Avro Anson, Bristol Bolingbroke (a Canadian-built version of the Blenheim), Fairey Battle and Westland Lysander. Training continued until the school disbanded in November, 1944, after which point the Royal Canadian Air Force took over the facility, which soon became home to the No.5 Reserve Equipment Maintenance Unit. However, by January 1946, RCAF Station Trenton had absorbed the latter units functions, so Picton transitioned into a Canadian Army facility.

The Canadian Armys Royal Canadian School of Artillery (Anti-Aircraft) took up residence at Picton, training soldiers to become anti-aircraft gunners, gunnery radar operators, technical assistants, and artillery instructors. In addition to the school, Picton also housed a couple of operational artillery units as well, with the RCAF maintaining a small flying contingent to provide aerial targets for gunnery practice. (For those wondering what it was like for a child growing up on this base at that time, please do read Dave OMalleys wonderful article on the subject HERE.)

With the Armys formal takeover, the base name changed slightly in July 1960, becoming officially known as Camp Picton. The artillery school disbanded soon after this point, replaced by a brace of Surface-to-Surface Missile Batteries belonging to The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery  however they didnt stay long. In 1968, Canadas three independent military services merged to form the Canadian Forces, so consequently, Camp Picton underwent another name change to become Canadian Forces Base Picton. But this was short-lived, as the Canadian Forces closed the base in September, 1969, selling the site to the towns former mayor, H.J. McFarland.

Interestingly, McFarland sold the property three decades later to a WWII veteran who had undergone his RCAF training at a similar facility in Canada. However, once again, the site is for sale now in 2021. In many ways the place is a step back in time as it retains most of its original buildings, including the original barracks, dentists office, drill hall, and even an abseiling tower. Several businesses are run from the site as well  but most importantly, to us at least, the airfields three runways and original hangar building are still operational as Picton airport! For those wishing to learn more details about this fascinating opportunity to own a WWII airfield, please do click HERE!
by Bryan R. Swopes of This Day in Aviation

On September 1, 1974, Major James V. Sullivan, USAF, Pilot and Major Noel F. Widdifield, USAF, Reconnaissance Systems Officer, set a Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) World Record for Speed Over A Known Course when they flew Lockheed SR-71A-LO 61-7972 from New York to London in 1 hour, 54 minutes, and 56.4 seconds. They averaged 2,908.026 kilometers per hour (1,806.964 mph). Their 1,806-mph flight still holds the transatlantic speed record between the two cities.

Following the end of the Farnborough Air Show, where the SR-71 was on display outside the United States for the first time, it set another record on the way home. This time the spy plane flew from London to Los Angeles, a distance of 5,446.87 miles in just 3 hours, 47 minutes, and 39 seconds. That flight required two refueling slowdowns, as well as other speed zones, when flying over major U.S. cities.
M&A

What's next for the Boeing-AEI investment partnership

Known more for making acquisitions, private equity firm AE Industrial Partners is adding another way of searching for and partnering with companies whose technologies and business models present the potential to be transformative.

AEI is doing that by investing in and taking on the management responsibility for HorizonX Ventures, the venture capital organization formerly run by Boeing.

Boeing, AEI and others are putting new capital commitments into what is now called AEI HorizonX, which currently has 40 investments in the portfolio.

Leading AEI HorizonX is Brian Schettler, who was senior managing director of what was once Boeing HorizonX. Schettlers new title is head of AEI HorizonX and partner at AEI, though the vast majority of his time and energy will be spent on the ventures side.

When I asked Schettler why AEI and Boeing signed up for this new arrangement, he spoke of it being a more integrated investment platform between the legacy private equity side and what happens in the venture organization.

Covering early stage to late stage really gave you, one, almost better visibility from a PE side of what the emerging tech was coming that could potentially disrupt your private equity portfolios, Schettler told me. Or being one step ahead of what new technologies you might want to embrace in those portfolio companies to make them more competitive.

Being integrated into AEI and having that access to capital can help take companies through the phases of technology maturation and then operational growth, Schettler said.

The newly-casted AEI HorizonX will include new investments in these major themes: mobility, space and connectivity, industrial technology, and enterprise digital solutions. A broader emphasis on sustainability including carbon footprint reductions underlies all of that.

Regarding the role of Boeing: the aerospace giant will give the ventures organization access to the Boeing Applied Innovation team, which then will act as a conduit for portfolio companies to connect with Boeings technical capabilities and talent.

That feeds into what both sides of an investment get after the agreement is signed and partnership is formed. Schettler said the AEI HorizonX team is looking to create pathways for technologies across the portfolio and facilitate collaboration across it between all employees ranging from technology fellows and engineers to senior executives.

So what are the qualitative factors AEI HorizonX looks at in a potential company to invest in? The organization uses its targeted areas as filters, though Schettler said those are also intended to be broad strokes to keep the aperture open.

Then there is how differentiated the technologies are from the rest, so one question Schettler said the team asks is how soon a competitor can catch up to the invention. Intellectual property protection practices are another set of criteria to ensure the technology is built to last on its own, Schettler said.

Enterprise digital solutions are one area that may fit the definition of the broad strokes AEI Horizon X has made for itself. That essentially means software to drive productivity enhancements into the supply chain and incorporate tech tools for artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data.

For aerospace and industrial applications, Schettler said that means driving better decision-making, better uptime, ability to deploy into a factory setting and better delivery rates.

Area number two of focus is the supply chain. Schettler called that ripe for further digital disruption regarding security and traceability, finding counterfeit parts and understanding carbon footprints.

One word of caution to close with: patience is a virtue of you are one of those companies looking to get in touch with AEI HorizonX. Schettler said the integration phase is ongoing and includes a revamp of the website to create an easier mechanism for engagement.

But Schettler also told me that should not curtail companies from reaching out: do so nonetheless as they respond to everybody. Connections are still to be had and more are to be made.
PEOPLE

HPE touts $2B NSA high-performance computing contract

Hewlett Packard Enterprise has booked a potential 10-year, $2 billion contract to supply high-performance computing technology and associated services to the National Security Agency.

NSA sought an industry partner to help it improve its forecasting and analysis functions through the use of HPC technology that incorporates artificial intelligence and new data management storage techniques, HPE said Wednesday.

The agency will use HPEs GreenLake platform that provides users a fully managed, secure on-premise cloud hosting environment to achieve both agility and flexibility in managing data.

HPE will build and manage the overall offering to be hosted inside a QTS data center and set to go live for NSA starting in 2022 on an as-a-service basis.
ACQUISITION

Where does the TMF Board go from here?

NOTE: This story first appeared on FCW.com.

What would you do with a billion dollars?

The Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) used to be one small way the federal government could help a few agencies push along their modernization projects with some extra support. But the fund has now taken on an new significance following a $1 billion investment in the American Rescue Plan, along with relaxed repayment guidelines and an aggressive cybersecurity agenda put forth by the White House.

With the new money and an unprecedented surge in proposals, questions arise about whether the board overseeing the TMF has been adequately organized and scaled to efficiently identify and implement projects capable of revolutionizing government technology.

Lane Becker, a former General Services Administration (GSA) official who helped stand up the TMF during its initial launch, said "the missing opportunity here is to think about how we spend money on technology in a new way."

The TMF board "could use the money to thoughtfully architect a structure that transforms the way we spend money on technology," Becker, who now leads the education non-profit Wikimedia, told FCW in a recent interview. "Or, we can take the billion dollars and do what we always do: Try to get rid of as much of it as possible, as fast as we possibly can, and shove projects through the door."

"My frustration is that the latter one is what appears to be happening," he added.

TMF proposals surge following $1 billion cash infusion

Prior to the $1 billion investment, the TMF funded 12 medium- and small-scale IT projects across seven agencies. Federal CIO Clare Martorana said at a May event that she expected to receive less than 100 "pretty robust" proposals ahead of a June deadline to begin priority reviews.

By July, Martorana told Congress the board had received 108 proposals from 43 agencies, totaling $2.1 billion in requests for funding. The board has continued to receive additional proposals since then, while accepting projects on a rolling basis and releasing key guidance for agencies hoping to gain more clarity around the process.

To cope with the surge in proposals, Martorana and other top board members began meeting multiple days a week to review projects ranging across four main priorities: modernizing high-priority systems, cybersecurity, public-facing digital services and cross-government services. The board also announced it was adding several alternative members after an influx in proposals following the relaxed repayment guidelines.

"The board and the [program management office] are adjusting, and we're scaling very quickly to meet the demand of proposals as they're coming in," Deputy Federal CIO Maria Roat said at MITRE's Center for Data-Driven Policy event in June. "We need to make sure that we maintain the quality, the governance and the rigor that made all of the prior awarded projects successful."

In an April letter sent to GSA and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the House Oversight and Reform Committee pressed both agencies to develop a plan to address how the program management office (PMO) supporting the TMF "will be scaled appropriately to handle the volume of project proposals from agencies."

Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who signed onto the letter along with four of his colleagues, told FCW he wanted to learn how the Biden administration was planning to "increase the capacity of both the TMF Board and program management office in order to accommodate the influx of agency proposals for TMF funds."

Board operations continue to scale as funding and interest boom

GSA did not answer questions about how many staffers worked within the PMO, but a spokesperson told FCW the office was "actively adding additional staff members from within the agency" and "looking at options including detailees from across the government for surge and expertise support."

"The Technology Modernization Fund Program Management Office continues to scale to meet the needs of the TMF including the $1 billion provided in the American Rescue Plan," a GSA spokesperson told FCW in an emailed statement. "During the budget formulation process, budget requests are developed with information known at that time. GSA will continue to scale the PMO to support the full needs of the TMF."

Congress first allocated $100 million to the revolving fund in fiscal year 2018, followed by annual investments of $25 million over the next two years. Officials said the initial approach to building the fund allowed the board to begin putting in place efficient and rigorous oversight procedures, all while ensuring the several modernization projects it supported were successful and that loans were being repaid on time.

However, strict repayment requirements made applying to the TMF less enticing for many agencies, as lawmakers called for relaxed repayment guidelines and increased funding to help move along government-wide cybersecurity and modernization efforts.

Those calls were answered earlier this year when the new administration included a $1 billion investment for the TMF in the American Rescue Plan, and relaxed repayment guidelines were announced for projects addressing critical cybersecurity and modernization issues. After decades of underinvestment in IT across government agencies, the TMF became a symbol of hope for a consistent and increased cybersecurity investment -- and even a federal cloud modernization moonshot.

But questions still remained over how projects would be chosen and whether top board members had enough support from the PMO to focus on oversight rather than identification and testing. Another former GSA official who asked not to be identified also expressed concerns over whether the agency had appropriately scaled the PMO to cope with the surge in proposals following new investments and relaxed repayment guidelines.

That official said the Trump administration previously treated the TMF as "a risk to be managed, rather than an opportunity to be embraced," housing the PMO under the deputy administrator instead of within the Technology Transformation Service (TTS) offices, where some of the GSA's top talent resides.

Learning to scale from successful modernization efforts

Still, many observers continue to support a slower approach to scaling up the TMF board and PMO now that the fund has transformed into a much larger entity.

The most successful pattern for government modernization efforts have included hands-on involvement from senior-level staff, followed by effective scaling based on lessons from numerous cycles of learning and iteration, according to Rohan Bhobe, CEO and co-founder of the digital services firm Nava Public Benefit Corporation, who played a significant role in fixing the Healthcare.gov website following its botched rollout.

"Unsuccessful modernizations typically have a shape where they're trying to do everything at once, they spin up hard and fast, so you get a lot of new people in at the same time you're trying to build an organization," Bhobe said. "If instead you can have a more gradual, glide-path to successful outcomes, those have been much more consistently successful for the type of work and type of complexity these modernization projects have to deal with."

"You don't want to scale something that doesn't work, but it's important that Congress asks for a plan," he added.

GSA's 10x Program is one the agency could potentially model while considering how to scale up the PMO and TMF board, Bhobe suggested. Initially created in 2015 and launched in 2018, the program was established to fund innovative ideas from civil servants across the federal government and slowly expanded into the larger entity it is today.

The 10x program "created an environment in which people were comfortable taking risks," Becker said, noting how GSA allowed for projects the program was funding to fail in order to learn from those pitfalls.

Dave Wennergren, CEO of the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC), said "it seems likely to me that more people will be needed" within the PMO to support the dramatic increase in funding, which he added "will represent a significantly increased pace of project review and approval."

"IT Modernization is still a crucial issue, with many agencies still spending the vast majority of their IT budgets sustaining aging legacy infrastructure and systems rather than implementing new, digital-age solutions," Wennergren told FCW. "The government should be applauded for rapidly requesting and reviewing new project proposals, but I do think that some process changes may be needed, both to accelerate and streamline the process for identifying, approving and implementing projects and also to consider a combination of 'push/pull,' considering some directed projects in addition to calls for proposals."

Whether the TMF is able to fund transformative projects while remaining a sustainable entity at current operating capacity remains to be seen. Last month, the White House urged Congress to dramatically increase the $50 million it proposed for the fund during the fiscal 2022 appropriations process. The administration previously requested $500 million.
Palantir backs satellite intelligence company

Palantir has extended its partnership with an emerging geospatial intelligence firm by making an equity investment.

Terms of Palantir's investment in BlackSky Holdings were not disclosed, but it follows a pilot program that saw BlackSky deliver insights and intelligence to Palantir customers within minutes of collection and without human interaction.

BlackSky said Wednesday that program involved several geospatial intelligence customers.

This collaboration further enables BlackSky to put the power of real-time intelligence in the hands of the user by allowing Palantir customers to directly task our satellites, reduce decision-making timelines and increase the delivery of on-demand insights, BlackSky CEO Brian OToole said in a release.

Following the pilot, the two companies have signed a multi-year software subscription agreement. They will integrate BlackSKys Spectra AI offering with Palantir Foundry.

This partnership directly connects space sensors to action, accelerating operations across domains, from space to mud, said Palantir Chief Operating Officer Shyam Sankar.

BlackSky is in the process of combining with Osprey Technology Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company formed to acquire another business and take it to the public markets.]

That deal is expected to close Sept. 8, after which BlackSky will list on the New York Stock Exchange.
A registered nurse initiated chest compressions and CPR, but with the resident still in bed rather than on a hard surface as recommended. The nurse reportedly performed CPR for a few minutes, grew tired and asked a licensed practical nurse who was in the room to take over.

Inspectors later reported that the LPN responded to the request by saying she was tired, didnt feel well and didnt want to do CPR, and that she also whispered to one of her colleagues that she was too scared to perform CPR.

A third worker then attempted chest compressions and CPR. That worker later told inspectors she had sat through a CPR class in high school five years before but had never performed CPR and had no idea what I was doing.

Several workers later told inspectors they didnt use a defibrillator on the resident and were unsure whether the home even had one. One worker indicated she had last been certified in CPR 13 years ago.

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The registered nurse allegedly told inspectors she had received no training at the home on what to do in a medical emergency, wasnt certified in CPR and didnt know whether the home had a defibrillator.

The resident was taken by ambulance to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.
WATERLOO  Waterloo police said they found evidence of gambling, alcohol sales and marijuana when they searched an alleged unlicensed club following shootings in June 2020.

They also found firearms and few loose rounds of live ammunition at the former auto shop at 114 Edwards St.

Property owner Montora Johnson is fighting a city citation that claims he ran an illegal after-hours establishment. Testimony in his trial began Tuesday in Black Hawk County District Court.

Johnson, 38, acting as his own attorney, questioned officers and city officials about the difference between an illegal after-hours party and birthday party.

You cant call every time you see black people gathering an after set, Johnson said while questioning Lt. Corbin Payne, who wrote the citation.

Johnson pointed to evidence photos showing Happy Birthday balloons on a table inside the building.

The citation was issued after investigators searched the property in the hours following two separate shootings in the Edwards Street area June 12 into June 13, 2020. The second happened around 3 a.m. In all, two men were treated for gunshot wounds.
She is currently in Waterloo for some filming of the 1619 Project documentary series that will air on the Hulu streaming service and ABC TV.

The curriculum's focus "is teaching literacy through Black history," but Hannah-Jones explained that doesn't need to deter any students from enrolling. "We believe that all children benefit from learning Black American history because that's American history."

It was custom-designed by educators from Georgetown University's Program in Education, Inquiry, and Justice and the University of Missouri's Carter Center for K12 Black History Education. By 2022, the curriculum will be made available for free to anyone in the country wishing to use it.

"The 1619 Freedom School is built on the understanding that for a people for whom it was once illegal to learn to read and write, education is a revolutionary act," said Hannah-Jones. "A quality education has been the key to my success and I wanted to give back to the community that raised me and to the children whose opportunities may be limited but who have potential that is limitless. Through this school, we will provide our students the type of education and support they have always deserved."
CEDAR FALLS  Tim Spalla has spent a lot of time hunting down criminals.

He completed five combat deployments to Iraq, but about 10 years ago he discovered a specific type of criminal hed like to focus his time on.

The 2005 University of Northern Iowa graduate, who grew up outside of Decorah on a dairy farm, says he was part of an intelligence team looking for Joseph Kony, the Ugandan terrorist who led the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), in Congo and South Sudan.

He realized a lot of his work involving terrorists like Kony intersected with what would become his mission later in life: fighting back against wildlife poaching and trafficking.

In the course of trying to hunt down Kony, we were basically monitoring the elephant herds, he said. We did a lot of intelligence work, trying to predict where the elephants would be at certain times of the year, and then align that with where the LRA activity was happening.

He said Kony and the LRA were actually poaching these elephants both for meat, to eat, and for their ivory, and selling that into the black market.

A lot of the terrorist groups hes tracked have used the proceeds from trafficking wildlife to fund their operations.
Calling it a pandemic of the unvaccinated is just provocative, said Robert Blendon, who follows public opinion on health care at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The unvaccinated have an opposition toward Washington, and the more you stir the opposition, the more it convinces them 'I'm not going to give in to those people,' Blendon said.

Yet top officials don't seem to be ready to retire or amend a favored catchphrase.

As Ive said before, the pandemic of the unvaccinated is a tragedy that is preventable, Biden declared in a recent remarks on his administration's COVID-19 response.

Asked Wednesday whether the sound bite still accurately reflects the evolving pandemic, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said unvaccinated people continue to account for the vast, vast majority of those hospitalized. So it hasnt changed our messaging, she added.

The term caught on before breakthrough infections among vaccinated people became a worry.

During a mid-July media briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, underscored the troubling rise in cases and hospitalizations, saying there is a clear message that is coming through: This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated.
LUCEDALE, Miss. (AP)  Barbara Cochran said she was about to get ready for bed late Monday when she heard a loud crash outside her home in rural southeastern Mississippi. Hurricane Ida had been dumping torrential rain, her husband was already asleep and the home's air conditioner was humming loudly.

The 83-year-old retired educator said she went onto the porch to see if a big oak tree had fallen, or if an 18-wheeler had slid off the highway down the hill from their home. She didn't see car lights, so she didn't think there was a wreck.

About 10 minutes after she went back inside, she heard a second loud crash. Moments later, Cochran heard a third crash. As she was about to call the sheriff's department, she heard the wail of sirens.

And, she said: I heard something that sounded like a woman screaming.

Two people were killed and at least 10 others were injured late Monday when seven vehicles plunged, one after another, into a deep hole where a dark, rural highway collapsed as Hurricane Ida blew through Mississippi, authorities said Tuesday.
Liquid capital: $50,000

$50,000 Total investment range: $64,130-$160,057

$64,130-$160,057 Locations: 380

As the nation's population grows older, the demand for home health care is expected to rise. That's been the case in recent years for SYNERGY, which added 38 locations in 2020 and another 13 in the first quarter of this year.

Starting a home health care business could pose interesting opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs age 50 and older, some of whom are navigating caring for their aging parents while also raising their own children. SYNERGY, which has been in business for more than 15 years, recently commissioned research about the needs of this sandwich generation as a way to better understand the needs of its clients and franchisees.

"Along with providing care, we often work to facilitate constructive conversations about current and long-term care options, said SYNERGY CEO Charlie Young. Our goal is to allow our aging loved ones to have the confidence to live a fuller and happier life.

Liquid capital: $50,000

$50,000 Total investment range: $54,984-$160,900

$54,984-$160,900 Locations: 114

While you may not have heard of Aire-Master by name, you certainly have heard of some of its clients. Businesses such as Applebee's, FedEx and Walgreens hire Aire-Master to help them keep their commercial bathrooms clean and also make sure that the entire offices smell fresh. Some businesses even hire Aire-Master franchises to develop a custom fragrance for their offices, a unique way of creating a brand identity that customers remember.

Aire-Master franchises also help business eliminate unwanted odors, such as smoke or smelly trash chutes. Deodorizing has been the company's area of expertise since it opened in 1958.

Liquid capital: $50,000

$50,000 Total investment range: $117,500-$149,100

$117,500-$149,100 Locations: 274

Handyman services always come in, well, handy. That steady demand is part of the appeal of this franchise opportunity. Mr. Handyman gives clients access to affordable, convenient, professional service from workers who have an average of at least 10 years of experience in their respective trades.

While some Mr. Handyman franchise owners could do the work requests if they chose to, many of these owners instead work with teams of technicians who then complete the service requests that come in to the franchise.

Liquid capital: $50,000

$50,000 Total investment range: $71,095-$90,395

$71,095-$90,395 Locations: 74

Figuring which assisted living facility, nursing home or other long-term care option might be the best fit for your loved one can be overwhelming for families that are making these decisions for the first time. That's where Senior Care Authority can help. The company specializes in providing consulting services so families can make their choice based on guidance from an expert who is knowledgeable about the options available.

Because Senior Care Authority's primary business is consulting, aspiring franchisees typically do not have to spend as much up front as they might for restaurant franchises or other business that are more dependent on the maintenance of hardware. Senior Care Authority provides extensive training on how to assess the long-term care options in your region, including sending a member of the corporate team to accompany new franchisees during their initial visits to health care facilities.

Liquid capital: $59,000

$59,000 Total investment range: $125,000-$135,000

$125,000-$135,000 Locations: 665

In August, Home Instead, which provides caregiving services for older adults, was acquired by Honor Technology, a company that provides software and other tools to support caregiving businesses. The two companies have said that the acquisition will better enable them to use technology to strengthen the relationships between caregivers and clients while also further professionalizing caregiving as a career.

Home Instead will continue to operate as a separate subsidiary and continues to accept applications for new franchises.

Liquid capital: $59,950

$59,950 Total investment range: $84,085-$125,885

$84,085-$125,885 Locations: 630

Visiting Angels provides paid caregiving for elderly adults. Franchisees told FBR that the quality of the services that Visiting Angels provides is what differentiates it from other caregiving businesses.

"At any time that I mention that the client gets to interview and choose their caregivers, they react very surprised because they have not experienced that with any other company, said one respondent. Also, we have an excellent ongoing dementia training, which also makes the difference in the quality of service."

Liquid capital: $74,500

$74,500 Total investment range: $87,494-$197,790

$87,494-$197,790 Locations: 197

if you already have some experience as a successful entrepreneur or corporate executive, ActionCoach might be an appealing franchise option for you. The company specializes in providing consulting services that help other businesses grow. ActionCoach franchisees can opt to work either as independent business coaches or establish their own coaching firms.

Respondents to the Franchise Business Review survey praised ActionCoach for its supportive culture, innovation and creativity.

Liquid capital: $75,000

$75,000 Total investment range: $77,560-$171,160

$77,560-$171,160 Locations: 277

This Boston-based company, which started franchising in 1997, offers housecleaning services. In addition to its high ranking from Franchise Business Review, MaidPro also was named one of the best franchises to start for under $150,000 by Forbes.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on housecleaning businesses. Some clients, fearful of letting strangers into their homes, opted to discontinue services. Other people, recognizing the role of disinfecting in slowing the spread of the virus, chose to hire professional cleaners. MaidPro, which already required its 5,000 cleaners to attend an intensive training program before the pandemic, responded by increasing its sanitizing practices. For example, workers began to clean rooms in an order that started in the back of the home (or business) and ended in the front, so workers wouldn't need to reenter areas that had already been sanitized.

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.


Africa Downunder Conference Presentation

Sydney, Sep 1, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) is regarded as one of the world's most prospective areas for yet-to-be-discovered sediment-hosted copper deposits by the US Geological Survey.With shareholders' approval, in April 2021 Cobre Limited ( ASX:CBE ) and Metal Tiger plc commenced operating Kalahari Metals Ltd (KML) as a JV, approving 7,000m of drilling to commence the JV's exploration in Botswana.KML's landholdings are along strike and adjacent to two major development projects: Cupric Canyon's high-grade Zone 5 Cu-Ag deposit and Sandfire's ( ASX:SFR ) T3 Motheo Cu-Ag deposit.Strong investment from both the business sector (in mine development) and government (in power infrastructure) aimed at opening up the KCB area of Botswana.Diamond and RC drilling is underway on KML's Kitlanya projects.KML, together with its subsidiaries Kitlanya (Proprietary) Limited (Kitlanya) (100%) and Triprop Holdings (Proprietary) Limited (51%) hold 8,100 km2 in proximity to, and along strike from, known deposits in the Kalahari Copper Belt, Botswana.- KML is targeting sediment hosted copper-silver deposits similar to those being developed by neighbours Sandfire and Cupric Canyon Capital- Tenure consists of four Project Areas: Okavango (2,720 km2), Kitlanya East (2,750 km2), Kitlanya West (1,900 km2), and Ngami (720 km2)- Total exploration spend to date circa A$5.7m on geophysical surveys, soil sampling, drill target development, successful proof of concept drilling, and current drill programmes- The exploration programme for 2021 focusses on first pass drill testing of selected structural targets on the Kitlanya East and Kitlanya West project areas- Drilling testing is ongoing with multiple rigs currently drilling our project areasTo view the Presentation, please visit:About Cobre Limited

Cobre Limited (ASX:CBE) is a copper and base-metals explorer with projects in Western Australia and Botswana. The Company recently discovered a new high-grade VMS deposit enriched in Copper, Gold, Zinc and Silver in Western Australia, and is currently exploring approximately 8,100 km2 of tenements within the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) in Botswana.
Adelaide, Sep 1, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Resolution Minerals Ltd ( ASX:RML ) ( FRA:NC3 ) is pleased to announce that it has identified compelling drill targets on the Benmara Project in the Northern Territory. Drill targeting has resulted from initial exploration conducted by Resolution at the Benmara project following the recent grant of the tenure. A 2,500m RC drilling program is planned to commence in October and will take two (2) weeks to complete. Assay results will be reported to the market approximately four weeks later.The targets have been derived from a VTEM Max geophysics survey flown by Resolution earlier this year (RML ASX Announcement 9/7/2021), with final processing of the geophysics completed today alongside historic data review. The conductors identified could indicate the presence of massive sulfides or the presence of rocks that could be excellent trap sites (reductive units) for base metal mineralisation.The interpreted flat lying conductive sedimentary units at 60m to 120m depth lie beneath a blanket of black clay negating the use of surface geochemical techniques, and it's only through modern geophysics that targets like this are identified. The VTEM survey was flown to test both the margin of the Murphy Inlier with the South Nicolson Basin for sediment hosted base metal mineralisation and areas of the Murphy Inlier for other styles of base metal mineralisation. Further analysis of the age of rock within our project tenements confirm similarities to those present at Walford Creek ( ASX:AML ) and the Century Mine ( ASX:NCZ ). No historic drill holes have tested the VTEM derived priority drill targets.Previous explorers had focussed on shallow uranium and diamond prospectivity with almost no assays testing for base metals or gold. Figure 3* indicates previous drill holes and target of exploration activities by commodity.Benmara Prospectivity and Exploration TargetingResolution has assessed the Benmara Project for sediment hosted stratiform base metal mineralisation, using the Walford Creek Deposit as an analogy. The Company reviewed historic company data, considered new Geoscience Australia interpretation of the geology and the updated SEEBASE(TM) depthto-basement Model of the surrounding basin architecture.Recently, the prospectivity was greatly enhanced by work undertaken by the "Exploring for the Future" initiative, which included contributions from Geoscience Australia (GA), University of Adelaide, NTGS and University of Melbourne (Carson, et al., 2020).Geochronology published by Geoscience Australia in 2020, demonstrates the Benmara Group is older than previously thought. Importantly GA determined that the Benmara Group is Paleoproterozoic instead of Mesoproterozoic, and stratigraphically and temporally equivalent to the prospective Fickling Group (Walford Creek Deposit Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag-Co) and the McNamara Group (Century Mine Pb-Zn-Ag). i.e. the right age and type of rocks are present.The Exploring for the Future initiative has established evidence supporting a regional shallow-marine hydrothermal circulatory system and potential for associated base metal mineral systems coincident with the Benmara Project. The hydrothermal system is similar in age to base metal mineralisation in the well-endowed Mount Isa Province.During 2021 Resolution completed a VTEM Max(TM) geophysical survey over the central zone of the tenement, targeting the basin margin where prospective onlapping sediments from the South Nicholson abutted the Murphy Inlier. The proposed model is the Murphy Inlier and acts as a wall directing upwelling fluid flow carrying metalliferous fluids to flow up the Fish River Fault. These fluids then flow up and through the potentially reductive sediments close to surface. The shaley-reductive units can act as traps sites for base metals to precipitate, potentially forming deposits. Due to the often-pyritic nature of these reductive units, they are detectable by VTEM surveys as conductive rocks or massive sulfides. Benmara is prospective for this mineralisation model.Resolution's findings are that many of the key ingredients present at the analogous Walford Creek Deposit are present at the Benmara Project:1. VTEM conductors are positioned on the margin of the South Nicholson Basin where basin sediments onlap the Murphy Inlier coincident with the Fish River Fault2. Benmara Group sediments including volcanic and reductive units are stratigraphically and temporally equivalent to the highly prospective Fickling and McNamara Groups3. Historic drillhole DDHCJ59 located between the two drill targets, intersected laminated shales (potential host rock) at a depth of 55m is consistent with the modelled VTEM SEEBASE(TM) is a structurally enhanced depth-to-basement model that defines the 3D geometry of subsurface basin systems.VTEM Max(TM) (Versatile Time-Domain Electromagnetic) induces a "primary" magnetic field into the earth, which produces eddy currents in any conductors this field passes through. These eddy currents produce a time-varying secondary magnetic field that the VTEM Max system can measure. The stronger the conductor, the slower the secondary-field decays, so a "late-time" response is a favourable outcome.VTEM can directly detect massive sulfides and/or identify conductive formations and thus could also detect reductant carbonaceous or pyritic shales in certain conditions, which are an excellent trap site for copper or base metal mineralisation.Benmara potentially analogous to the Walford Creek DepositThe Walford Creek Deposit has the following characteristics (www.aeonmetals.com.au/walford-creek)- Sediment hosted stratiform Cu-Co-Ag-Pb-Zn mineralisation style- Metalliferous basement fluids travel upwards against the Fish River Fault (extends to Benmara Project) on the boundary of the Mt Les Formation and Peters Creek Volcanics (Equivalent to Crow Formation and Murphy Inlier - Jarrett et al AGES 2020)- Peters Creek Volcanics "wall" forcing fluids upwards to contact overlying conductive shale units- Deposit of 40.9 Mt @ 2.03% CuEq (including 50,300t of contained cobalt metal)Base metal mineralisation at Walford Creek is predominantly hosted in pyritic sedimentary units and associated dolomite (Mt Les Siltstone), which abut the steeply dipping Fish River Fault Zone for a strike length of 10km. This same fault system extends west across the NT border onto Resolution Minerals' Benmara Project (Figure 3*).The Mt Les Siltstone of the Fickling Group is stratigraphically and temporally equivalent to the Riversleigh Siltstone of the McNamara Group (both part of the Lawn Hill Platform), and the Crow Formation of the Benmara Group (South Nicholson Basin), which has been identified on Resolution Minerals' Benmara Project. All three formations contain reduced, organic rich shales which make excellent depositional sites for base metal mineralisation (i.e. trigger metal precipitation).To view tables and figures, please visit:About Resolution Minerals Ltd

Resolution Minerals Ltd (ASX:RML) is a mining company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of precious and battery metals - such as gold, copper, cobalt, and vanadium.

The company is led by Managing Director Duncan Chessell and an experienced team with proven success in corporate finance, marketing, metallurgy and geoscience. This equips Resolution Minerals with the tools to meet the changing demands of the mining markets.

Resolution Minerals Ltd Listed on the ASX in 2017 with a focus on the exploration of the Wollogorang Copper Cobalt Project. It has since aquired the Snettisham Vanadium Project and more entered into a binding agreement witth Millrock Resources to earn up to 80% of the highly prospective 64North Gold Project.
DENVER  The federal government is launching an emergency roundup of more than 780 wild horses in a drought-stricken area of Colorado despite a last-minute appeal by Gov. Jared Polis to pause the operation so that what he called more humane options to control the size of the herd can be considered.

The Democratic governor urged Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on Tuesday to postpone the roundup, scheduled to begin Wednesday, for at least six months. Polis cited concern over the fate of captured horses and questioned the Bureau of Land Managements argument that the drought afflicting the U.S. West has dramatically reduced water and food to the extent that the survival of the 900-horse herd and other wildlife are in jeopardy.

There remain legitimate concerns about the fate of gathered horses, and I believe that better cooperation with the state and advocates could improve assurances about their long-term well-being and the avoidance of any potential slaughter, Polis wrote.

An Interior Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was unauthorized to speak publicly said the roundup in the barren, 250-square-mile (648-square-kilometer) Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area in northwestern Colorado will proceed as planned.

The BLM has escalated its roundups of mustangs throughout the U.S. West, citing the megadrought worsened by climate change and devastation to the lands on which the horses roam. Critics contend the roundups favor cattle grazing on the same vast public lands managed by the BLM.

California Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and others have called for an investigation to determine how many of the captured wild horses end up at slaughterhouses. Feinstein has asked the BLM to reconsider $1,000 cash payments it offers those who adopt the mustangs, which horse advocates say provides an unintended incentive to obtain the mustangs then illegally sell them for slaughter.

Announced on Friday, the helicopter-driven emergency gather about 45 miles (80 kilometers) west of Craig will be one of the largest in recent memory in Colorado. It aims to remove 783 horses in the coming weeks. About 50 will be returned to the range after 25 mares are treated with fertility control. The rest will be put up for adoption and sale.

The BLM estimates a sustainable population for the herd at between 163 and 362 horses.

Polis asked Haaland to give the state and advocacy groups a role in herd management. He called for further study of the droughts impacts on the local ecosystem, citing the BLMs different figures for a sustainable population of Sand Wash Basin mustangs. And he urged a slowing of roundups to make them more humane; 10 horses were euthanized during a just-concluded roundup of 457 horses in a nearby range.

Polis also pledged his support of Interior funding requests before Congress to accelerate research into long-lasting fertility control that could reduce the need for future roundups.

Steven Hall, spokesman for the BLMs Colorado office, said consumption of forage by Sand Wash mustangs threatens not only the herd but other wildlife, including the greater sage grouse, a struggling bird species that once flourished across the West. The birds numbers are declining inside the range but growing outside of it, Hall said.

Current forage availability could lead to die-offs of wild horses and wildlife depending on winter conditions, Hall said. Removal now ensures that all animals that rely on the basin have the resources they need over this upcoming winter and into future years.

Hall added that sheep grazing permit-holders in the basin have reduced their activity because of drought and overgrazing by mustangs.



Follow APs complete drought coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/droughts.
SANTA FE  The state of New Mexico has agreed to pay $50 million to resolve allegations that it failed to share tax revenue accurately with more than 40 cities and counties.

The agreement isnt final and still must be approved by each of the plaintiffs.

It centers on a 2018 lawsuit that accused the state Taxation and Revenue Department of shorting cities and counties some of the money they use to pay for law enforcement, fire protection and other services.

A top executive at the New Mexico Municipal League, at one point, estimated the state might owe $100 million to local governments. The state denied the allegations in court filings.

To resolve the lawsuit, the state has agreed to make a one-time payment of $50 million, which would be shared by the local governments.

Cities and counties will next evaluate whether to sign off on the proposed agreement.

Sanjay Bhakta, Albuquerques chief financial officer, said the city is expecting its allocation from the settlement to be around $12 million, though the amount is still being calculated.

We went to bat for our local Albuquerque residents who pay gross receipts tax and deserve their rightful share of the distribution that pays for critical services and programs in return, Bhakta said in a written statement.

In announcing the agreement, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration said it had made a variety of improvements to the tax system, including the hiring of a liaison to work with local governments and robust auditing of the money.

Local governments deserve to have confidence in how their tax revenues are handled, and weve been able to demonstrate to them that the system is working, Taxation and Revenue Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke said in a written statement.

The lawsuit predates the tenure of Lujan Grisham, who took office in 2019, about two months after the litigation began in the states 2nd Judicial District Court.

The state has also instituted more robust reviews of the monthly distributions, the department said, in addition to granting local governments access to reports to verify the accuracy of their distributions.

Throughout this process, Schardin Clarke said, this administration has been as transparent as possible, and we will continue to be, as we ensure local governments receive what they should under the distribution formula.

The revenue at stake comes from gross receipts taxes generated by the sale of goods and services. The state collects the revenue, then sends some of it back to local governments. Gross receipts taxes are a vital source of income for municipalities.

But the lawsuit alleged the state  sometimes with little warning or explanation  made unauthorized reductions to the distributions when businesses filed tax-refund claims.

Among the municipal plaintiffs are Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Roswell and Farmington. Plaintiff counties include Los Alamos, San Juan and Valencia.

City councilors and county commissioners may review the proposed settlement.

The City will review the draft documents as soon as they are received, Santa Fe spokesman David Herndon said in a written statement, and the Governing Body will need to approve the settlement.

The potential end of the lawsuit comes as New Mexico enjoys higher-than-expected revenue from gross receipts taxes, driven by increased consumer spending.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Albuquerque exited the top tier of worst metro areas for auto theft in 2020, and midyear statistics for 2021 also show a drop in property crime.

Meanwhile, violent crime continued to rise in a year that has seen a record-breaking number of homicides.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau released a report Tuesday that the Albuquerque-metro area  which includes Sandoval, Valencia and Torrance counties  ranked sixth on the list with an auto theft rate of 632 per 100,000 people. The metro area had ranked worst in the nation from 2016 to 2018 until dropping into second place in 2019.

The numbers indicate a 9% decrease in the rate of auto thefts from 2019 totals and a 42% decrease from 2017. There were 5,835 auto thefts in 2020.

Police Chief Harold Medina said auto theft is a key driver of all crime in the metro area and Mayor Tim Keller called the new ranking a testament to proactive policing and successful partnerships.

Separately, authorities also released midyear crime statistics. The statistics, which looked at the first six months of 2021 against previous years, showed overall crime dropped 9% from 2020 and 20% since 2018. Property crime dropped 9%, violent crime increased 1% and crimes against society, which includes drug, weapon and prostitution offenses, and had been on a decrease since 2018, went up 8%.

Among property crime, burglary, forgery, property destruction and breaking and entering saw some of the largest decreases.

There were increases in robberies and a spike in fraud offenses driven almost entirely by a 330% jump in identity theft  from 376 reports in 2020 to 1,619 this year.

As for violent crime, aggravated assault went up 8%, nonnegligent murder went up 122% and there was an 11% increase in the forcible rape category. Those increases led to the three categories having their highest midyear totals since at least 2018.

The only notable decrease was seen in simple assaults, which dropped by 276 incidents and largely offset the spikes in other violent crimes.

Among crimes against society, drug offenses went down 13% and prostitution offenses went down 60%. However, weapons law violations jumped 80%, from 408 to 734, leading to the highest midyear total since at least 2018.

We know homicides and gun violence have gone up dramatically during COVID, and we are doing a lot to address those spikes, Medina said in a statement, noting that the drop in property crime is significant.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

What a load of bologna!

Authorities seized hundreds of pounds of pork bologna after a man driving a van stuffed with the mystery meat tried to cross the Mexican border into El Paso on Thursday.

Sandra Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said the 20-year-old driver from Texas was given a $1,000 civil penalty and the products were destroyed.

The man told agents he intended to resell the meats in the U.S.

With the recent detection of the African Swine Fever in the Dominican Republic, it is important that no pork products are brought into the U.S., Hector Mancha, CBP El Paso director of field operations, said in a statement. Pork products have the potential to introduce foreign animal diseases that can be detrimental to our agriculture industry.

Hawkins said around 6 a.m. agents at the Paseo Del Norte Border stopped a Honda Odyssey van and referred it for a secondary inspection.

She said agents discovered 320 pounds of pork bologna and 30 pounds of turkey ham during a search of the van. They found 31 rolls of bologna and two rolls of turkey ham hidden under blankets, under seats, in the center console and a duffel bag inside the van.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Sebghatullah Rahimi gets regular messages from his friends and family in Afghanistan, and they now convey a sense of hopelessness.

Rahimi, a 30-year-old fixed-wing pilot formerly in the Afghan army, is living in Albuquerque, where he attends flight school. And he is planning a future with his wife, a U.S. citizen whom Rahimi met in the Czech Republic.

But he is concerned about the future of his friends, family and homeland.

Afghanistan has fallen back to Taliban control, the militant group the U.S. fought in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and the U.S. pulled its military force this week.

Rahimi said when he talks to his family, and listens to their cries, he doesnt know what to say.

I just tell them, Pray, and Im working. Im working to find a solution. What else can I do? Nothing, he said in an interview with the Journal. I dont have anything to tell them.

Rahimi grew up in western Afghanistan, his upbringing bisected by Americas presence in the country.

Until fifth grade, he went to school under the Taliban regime, under which the subjects taught were religion and how to use weapons such as AK-47s. But Rahimi said that after America and its military entered the country and invested in its infrastructure, he went to a high school that taught modern subjects and technology. He graduated from the National Military Academy in 2013. He was then nominated for pilot school, and he completed that in the Czech Republic before returning to Afghanistan, where he fought in the war alongside American troops until he moved to the U.S. in November to be with his wife.

This season of my life was very, very dangerous, he said. As a young person, I thought I should be a useful person in the war. Every day, every single day, I was flying in Afghanistan, shoulder to shoulder with the American Army.

His missions in Afghanstan included dropping off weapons and supplies to soldiers around the country and collecting dead and wounded soldiers from battlefields. Twice his plane was shot by the Taliban.

He grew teary-eyed on Tuesday while talking about witnessing the deaths of so many of his countrymen and their American allies during the 20-year war.

It was tough. Every day, we saw people lose their lives, he said. A young generation  trying for a better Afghanistan, for a better world. Unfortunately, everything is vanished.

Those sacrifices have made the past 20 days or so especially difficult. Rahimi paid close attention to news reports and watched the Afghan government quickly crumble to the Taliban in the days before the withdrawal of American troops  keeping in touch with family and friends who were experiencing the change in power firsthand.

So this 20 years, when the first Americans went to Afghanistan until they came out two days ago, the result is zero. We consider, as Afghans, the result is zero, he said. There was no result of killing thousands of the young generation and spending billions of dollars. The result is zero.

His family is in hiding in the country, with no plans of escape.

President Joe Biden has faced criticism, particularly from Republicans, over the chaotic evacuation. On Tuesday, he addressed the nation, defending the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

I was not going to extend this forever war, Biden said. And I was not going to extend a forever exit.

But Rahimi called recent events a tragedy, with no way of knowing how things will turn out in his home country.

He pointed out that there are many Afghans like him who for the past 20 years came to be hardworking and educated people with values that more closely align with Western nations than the Taliban.

Now those young Afghans have quickly lost their country to a political and military movement that historically has enforced a strict interpretation of Islam  one that sanctioned public executions and amputations, required men to grow beards and women to wear burqas and restricted womens ability to learn and travel.

People like me, they are hopeless, he said.

They are not thinking of a better future. They just lost hope.

The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in the 1990s and remained in power until the start of the war in 2001.

Twenty years later, as Americans announced their planned departure, the Taliban surprised the world with an offensive that toppled the government within weeks, forcing a rushed evacuation of thousands of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies. The last of the American troops pulled out this week, leaving behind an unknown number of allies unable to flee.

Rahimi said he is doing his best to support his family with money. He works as an overnight security officer and is doing work as a driver for Door Dash and similar companies.

He faced another setback early Tuesday, when his car was stolen while he was working as a security officer. Inside the car was Rahimis flying records, including proof of his hours of flying experience in the war. He worries that not having the records could complicate his efforts to become a certified pilot in this country.

It is all my life, he said. The (copies of the) records are in Afghanistan. From whom should I ask for my records?
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The state of New Mexico has agreed to pay $50 million to resolve allegations that it failed to share tax revenue accurately with more than 40 cities and counties.

The agreement isnt final and still must be approved by each of the plaintiffs.

It centers on a 2018 lawsuit that accused the state Taxation and Revenue Department of shorting cities and counties some of the money they use to pay for law enforcement, fire protection and other services.

A top executive at the New Mexico Municipal League, at one point, estimated the state might owe $100 million to local governments. The state denied the allegations in court filings.

To resolve the lawsuit, the state has agreed to make a one-time payment of $50 million, which would be shared by the local governments.

Cities and counties will next evaluate whether to sign off on the proposed agreement.

In announcing the agreement, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration said it had made a variety of improvements to the tax system, including the hiring of a liaison to work with local governments and robust auditing of the money.

Local governments deserve to have confidence in how their tax revenues are handled, and weve been able to demonstrate to them that the system is working, Taxation and Revenue Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke said in a written statement.

The lawsuit predates the tenure of Lujan Grisham, who took office in 2019, about two months after the litigation began in the states 2nd Judicial District Court.

The state has also instituted more robust reviews of the monthly distributions, the department said, in addition to granting local governments access to reports to verify the accuracy of their distributions.

Throughout this process, Schardin Clarke said, this administration has been as transparent as possible, and we will continue to be, as we ensure local governments receive what they should under the distribution formula.

The revenue at stake comes from gross receipts taxes generated by the sale of goods and services. The state collects the revenue, then sends some of it back to local governments. Gross receipts taxes are a vital source of income for municipalities.

But the lawsuit alleged the state  sometimes with little warning or explanation  made unauthorized reductions to the distributions when businesses filed tax-refund claims.

Among the municipal plaintiffs are Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Roswell and Farmington. Plaintiff counties include Los Alamos, San Juan and Valencia.

City councilors and county commissioners may review the proposed settlement.

The City will review the draft documents as soon as they are received, Santa Fe spokesman David Herndon said in a written statement, and the Governing Body will need to approve the settlement.

The potential end of the lawsuit comes as New Mexico enjoys higher-than-expected revenue from gross receipts taxes, driven by increased consumer spending.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Former House Majority Leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton was fired Tuesday from her $79,853-a-year job as director of Occupational Education at Albuquerque Public Schools while under criminal investigation by the state Attorney Generals Office and federal agencies.

APS outside legal counsel Luis Robles confirmed that Stapletons letter of discharge was delivered to her attorney Tuesday afternoon, but would not release or discuss its contents.

The personnel exception to the Inspection of Public Records Act precludes us from releasing the associated documents regarding Mrs. Stapletons discharge, Robles said.

Stapletons attorney, Ahmad Assed, had no immediate comment on the firing.

Stapleton, a Democrat who had represented House District 19 in Albuquerque since her election in 1994, had been on administrative leave from APS until Tuesday. She resigned from the Legislature two days after agents served search warrants on her home; the family restaurant, A Taste of the Caribbean; and her office at APS.

At the time of the law enforcement raids, Assed said that Stapleton would cooperate with investigators and clear her name. He said Stapleton was innocent of the allegations.

Affidavits show a wide-ranging investigation into alleged fraud, money laundering and racketeering. No criminal charges have been filed.

Stapleton was placed on administrative leave while APS conducted its own internal investigation of procurement problems with a Washington, D.C.-based software and training company called Robotics Management Learning Systems LLC. Public employees can be discharged if they fail to meet with internal investigators and answer questions.

According to search warrants served on APS, bank records show entities with ties to Stapleton received more than $950,000 from a company that has done business with APS since 2006, mostly under sole-source contracts.

According to a federal grand jury subpoena served on APS, the FBI also is investigating Robotics and the companys relationship with Stapleton.

State District Judge Cindy Leos signed an order late last month that allowed the Attorney Generals Office to seize $447,526 from the bank accounts of Robotics, a vendor to the APS district that has received more than $5.3 million over the past decade from the school system.

In its motion to seize the accounts, the Attorney Generals Office said it is the states contention that Robotics unlawfully obtain(ed) sole-source contracts with APS that were the result of Sheryl Williams Stapletons unlawful influence.

When contacted last month, Robotics President Joseph Johnson said he could not comment on the investigation.

Some APS records list Stapletons job title as coordinator and director of Career and Technical Education at APS. In that job, she oversaw the use of Robotics software and handled invoices from the company to APS, according to search warrant affidavits.
LAS VEGAS  A Nevada man who pleaded guilty in state and federal courts to crimes stemming from the abduction and rape of two teenage girls was sentenced Tuesday to about 15 more years in federal prison and lifetime supervision as a top-tier sex offender.

I just wish I had more help before this, thats all, Jimmy Carter Kim said as he pleaded for leniency from U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware in Las Vegas.

Kim blamed his crimes on the death of his mother, his dark place emotional state and the use of drugs that had him high all the time.

I just beg you show me any small amount of mercy, he said.

Boulware had said he had trouble accepting the complex plea deal that let Kim combine his federal sentence with the 10-to-25 years plus lifetime supervision he received in state court in July.

But the judge finally said he was satisfied Kim would serve approximately 15 years starting from today, after deducting time he has already served behind bars.

Kim, 32, has been in state and federal custody since his arrest in December 2015.

After prison, he will face a new psychiatric evaluation, federal supervision for 36 more years and a ban on contact with children.

The sentencing brought an end to years of court delays and negotiations that Kims deputy federal public defender, Rebecca Levy, and prosecutor Christopher Burton said avoided a trial at which victims would have to testify.

Burton called it an effort to help (one) victim avoid retraumatization by having to relive everything that happened to her at the hands of the defendant.

Kim was arrested after a 14-year-old Arizona girl escaped to a Las Vegas-area convenience store and told police he abducted her near her home; drove her to his fathers home in North Las Vegas; kept her locked for a month in a bedroom; threatened her with a handgun; raped her repeatedly; photographed her in sex acts; and left her with a bucket for a toilet when he was gone.

Kim pleaded guilty in state court to two felony charges of attempted sexual assault with a minor under 16, based on accounts by the Arizona girl and a 15-year-old from Las Vegas who went to Reno before telling police she had also been kept captive for two weeks at a home in North Las Vegas.

State prosecutors dropped 81 other criminal charges including kidnapping, sexual assault, lewdness, sexual battery and use of a minor in producing pornography. Convictions on the most serious charges  kidnapping and sex assault of a minor  could have gotten Kim life in state prison.

His guilty plea in federal court was to one count of sexual exploitation of children. He had also been charged in September 2018 with kidnapping and possession of child pornography.

Kim complained Tuesday that he was the victim of unspecified violence by other inmates. Boulware agreed to ask prison officials to assign him to a facility that specializes in protecting sex offenders.
BEIRUT  Driving back to base after firing rockets toward Israeli positions from a border area last month, a group of Hezbollah fighters was accosted by angry villagers who smashed their vehicles windshields and held them up briefly.

It was a rare incident of defiance that suggested many in Lebanon would not tolerate provocations by the powerful group that risk triggering a new war with Israel.

As Lebanon sinks deeper into poverty, many Lebanese are more openly criticizing Iran-backed Hezbollah. They blame the group  along with the ruling class  for the devastating, multiple crises plaguing the country, including a dramatic currency crash and severe shortages in medicine and fuel.

Hezbollah is facing its most consequential challenge in maintaining control over the Lebanese system and what is called the protective environment of the resistance against Israel, said Joe Macaron, a Washington-based Middle East analyst.

The incident along the border and other confrontations  including a deadly shooting at the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter and rare indirect criticism by the countrys top Christian religious leader  have left the group on the defensive.

The anger has spread in recent months, even in Hezbollah strongholds where many have protested electricity cuts and fuel shortages as well as the currency crash that has plunged more than half the countrys 6 million people into penury.

In its strongholds, predominantly inhabited by Shiite Muslims, it is not uncommon now for people to speak out against the group. They note that Hezbollah is paying salaries in U.S. dollars at a time when most Lebanese get paid in Lebanese currency, which has lost more than 90% of its value in nearly two years.

Protests and scuffles have broken out at gas stations around Lebanon and in some Hezbollah strongholds. In rare shows of defiance, groups of protesters have also closed key roads in those areas south of Beirut and in southern Lebanon.

In recent speeches, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has appeared angry, blaming the shortages on what he describes as an undeclared Western siege. The chaos in Lebanon, he said, is being instigated from a black room inside the U.S. Embassy.

Critics say that rather than push for reform, Hezbollah has stood by its political allies who resist change. They say the group is increasingly pulling Lebanon into Irans orbit by doing its bidding, and that U.S. sanctions against Iran and Hezbollah have made things harder.

Where Hezbollah was once considered an almost sacred, untouchable force fighting for a noble cause  the fight against the Israeli enemy  it is now seen by many simply as part of the corrupt political clique responsible for the countrys epic meltdown. Still, when it comes to fighting Israel, the group enjoys unwavering backing within its base of support.

Often criticized for operating as a state within a state, Hezbollah has tried to ease the effects of the crisis on its supporters in similar fashion.

While the government has been working for months to issue ration cards to poor families, Hezbollah has been well ahead. It has issued two such cards to poor families living in Hezbollah bastions, one called Sajjad after the name of a Shiite imam, and a second called Nour, or light, for its fighters and employees of its institutions who number about 80,000.

We will serve you with our eyelashes, is Hezbollahs slogan to serve the extremely poor in its communities  a Lebanese term meaning they are ready to sacrifice anything to help others.

The tens of thousands carrying Sajjad cards not only can buy highly subsidized products from dozens of shops spread around Lebanon  mostly staples made in Lebanon, Iran and Syria  but can also get medical treatment and advice at 48 Hezbollah-run clinics around Lebanon.

Nasrallah is also organizing a sea corridor carrying oil from Iran to Lebanon to help alleviate the fuel shortages, with the first tanker believed to be on its way. The move has been praised by Hezbollahs supporters and heavily criticized by its opponents, who say it risks bringing more sanctions on Lebanon.

In the border incident, villagers from the minority Druze sect intercepted Hezbollah fighters on their way back after firing rockets toward a disputed area held by Israel. The villagers briefly detained them and the mobile rocket launcher they used after accusing them of putting them at risk if Israel strikes back.

The fighters and the launcher were then handed over to Lebanese troops, who released them on the same day.

Later, Hezbollah angered many Christians after supporters launched a social media campaign against the head of Lebanons Maronite Catholic church, the countrys largest, accusing him of treason after he criticized the group for firing the rockets on Israeli positions.

The widely feared group has been hammered by accusations from its local opponents. They include silencing its opponents, facilitating smuggling of fuel and other subsidized items to neighboring Syria, and alienating oil-rich Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, leading them to halt financial assistance because of Hezbollahs dominance of Lebanon.

The most serious charge has been a claim by opponents at home that the group brought in the hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate that exploded at Beiruts port last year, killing at least 214 people, wounding thousands and destroying parts of the capital.

No direct connection to Hezbollah has emerged, but unsubstantiated theories that tie the group to the stockpile abound. One claim is that Hezbollah imported the chemicals on behalf of the Syrian government, which used them in barrel bombs against rebel-held areas during the neighboring countrys 10-year conflict.

Hezbollahs agencies are active at the port and this is known to security agencies and all Lebanese. Why is Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah above questioning? asked Samy Gemayel, head of the right-wing Christian Kataeb Party recently.

Hezbollah has repeatedly denied any link to the ammonium nitrate. But Nasrallah further angered families of the victims and other Lebanese recently by criticizing the judge leading the investigation into the blast, suggesting he should be replaced. Nasrallah described Judge Tarek Bitar as politicized after he filed charges against some legislators and former Cabinet ministers allied with Hezbollah.

There is an attempt to satanize Hezbollah and tarnish its image, said Lebanese University political science professor Sadek Naboulsi. The professor, who has ties to the group, accused foreign powers including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and the U.S. of seeking to incite internal strife between Lebanons Shiite and Sunni Muslim communities with the aim of weakening Hezbollah. He added that Hezbollah had overcome such pressures in the past and emerged more powerful.

A serious test for Hezbollah came in early August when a funeral of a militant came under fire by suspected Sunni gunmen on the southern entrance of Beirut. Three Hezbollah supporters were killed and 16 were wounded in the shooting in the town of Khaldeh.

Hezbollah did not retaliate and instead called on Lebanese authorities to investigate the case.

An increasing number of Lebanese are realizing that the concept of a Lebanese state cannot coexist with a powerful armed militia serving an outside power, wrote Michael Young, editor of Diwan, the blog of the Carnegie Middle East Center.

Macaron said Hezbollah will not be the same after the crisis and will have to adapt to ensure political survival in the long term.

What they can do at this point is to limit losses as much as possible, he said.
ROME  Police outnumbered demonstrators at several of Italys main train stations as COVID-19 vaccination or tests became mandatory Wednesday for long-distance travel within the country. Threats by some of the rules opponents to block railroad tracks apparently fizzled.

On the eve of the requirements taking effect, Premier Mario Draghis government had vowed to crack down on demonstrators who had called for their ranks to occupy tracks at around 50 stations to protest the measure, which they say impinges on their freedom of movement.

In Romes heavily used Tiburtina station, only four protesters showed up, while in Milan, the nations business capital, demonstrators numbered about 20. In Naples, only a handful of protesters turned out.

Compared to the several hundred demonstrators who have turned out in dozens of protests around the country earlier this summer, Wednesdays turnout was paltry. A few who did show up held banners with slogans denouncing Health Dictatorship and No Green Pass.

Travelers need a so-called Green Pass to board domestic flights and inter-regional trains and buses and some ferries. Local transit is exempt.

In a bid to rein in the transmission of infections, mainly driven by the delta variant, as Italians returned from summer vacations, the government announced weeks ago that starting on Sept. 1 passengers must certification they have had at least one vaccine dose more than 15 days prior, tested negative in the past 48 hours or recovered from COVID-19 in the previous six months.

Some ferries are exempt, such as those used daily by commuters between Sicily and and the southern tip of the mainland in Calabria.

Earlier this summer, Green Passes became mandatory for dining indoors at restaurants, accessing gyms or attending crowded events like concerts.

On the eve of the transportation rule taking effect, Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese pledged that there would be zero tolerance for law breakers on the tracks or any violence.

No illegal acts will be permitted in protest initiatives at train stations, said the minister, whose ministry deployed a heavy police presence on Wednesday.

Militants of an extreme-right group, New Force, as well as some members of extreme-left organizations, have participated in previous Green Pass protests.

Several recent anti-Green Pass rallies, including in Rome and Milan, turned violent. Last month, police rescued a state television journalist after a protester started yanking her by her hair, and a newspaper reporter was punched repeatedly in the face. Ministers, governors and doctors have received threats. An infectious disease specialist in Genoa reported around 70 online and phone threats to him and his family. On a recent night, he called police after being confronted by an angry man near his home who shouted that he should die.

So far, around 70% of Italys residents 12 years or older have been fully vaccinated. But experts have voiced concern that many people in the 50-69 age group havent received vaccines nor signed up for them.

Travelers on Wednesday had their Green Passes handy.

Its great, because it allows us to travel more safely, Arianna Bini, a 48-year-old pharmaceutical company manager waiting for a train in Florence. Since I travel a lot, I feel more at ease.

On a high-speed train from Milan, in northern Lombardy, to Reggio Calabria, at the southern toe of the Italian peninsula, a conductor asked passengers to show their passes along with their tickets. U.S. tourists showed their U.S. vaccine cards and were also asked for their passports.

Riley Smith, a 26-year-old from New York who was traveling to Naples with a friend, said she knew what to expect. New York just passed similar measures. I think its a good thing across the board.

Other countries have adopted similar requirements.

Turkeys Interior Ministry has ordered all domestic travelers over 18 to provide either proof of full vaccination, recovery from COVID-19 or a negative PCR test result. The requirement begins on Sept. 6.

Greece applies the same rules for domestic travel as for international travel. The countrys certificate requirements are similar to Italys for long-distance domestic travel.. Unlike Italy, Greeces requirements havent sparked protests.

Frances instituted a health pass requirement for domestic transportation on Aug. 9. The French railway SNCF says that based on pre-boarding checks, 97% of travelers have produced a travel pass.

The requirement, along with mandatory vaccinations for health workers, prompted weeks of Saturday protests, including some violent ones, by far-right activists and others angry at the French government.

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Karl Ritter in Florence, Andrew Wilks in Istanbul, Angela Charlton and Sylvie Corbet in Paris, and Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece, contributed to this report.
BRUSSELS  European Union justice and home affairs ministers pledged Tuesday to support Afghanistans neighbors to help them host people fleeing the new Taliban regime and prevent a new wave of migrants heading to Europe.

In a closing statement following a meeting in Brussels, the ministers said the EU and its 27 nations stand determined to act jointly to prevent the recurrence of uncontrolled large-scale illegal migration movements faced in the past, by preparing a coordinated and orderly response.

European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said there has not been a big exodus of Afghans out of the war-torn country so far but insisted there is a huge risk of a humanitarian crisis if the Taliban turns out to be the same Taliban that we have seen in the past.

Johansson added that the EU is quite far from recognizing the Taliban regime.

The EU said it will cooperate with the Afghan government following the Talibans return to power only if they respect fundamental rights and oppose the use of Afghan soil by terror groups.

We have not seen any answers to the important conditions that need to be fulfilled, Johansson said, adding that the EU has already frozen development aid to Afghanistan to apply pressure on the Taliban.

The meeting came the day after the last U.S. forces flew out of Kabuls international airport, ending Americas longest war. Johansson said all the EU staff and Afghans who worked for European institutions have now been evacuated.

The ministers said the EU should boost its support to countries around Afghanistan to ensure that those in need receive adequate protection, primarily in the region.

The plan is reminiscent of the deal the EU sealed with Turkey after over 1 million migrants entered the EU in 2015, many of them fleeing conflict in Syria and Iraq. To persuade Turkey to stop people from leaving its territory, the 27-nation bloc offered the country 6 billion euros to help Syrian refugees.

Johansson, however, said a copy and paste of the Turkish refugee deal would not be a good idea and that support to Afghanistans neighbors should be tailor-made. She insisted the EU should work quickly and not wait until people are here.

We need to work comprehensively in the region with Afghans in Afghanistan and in the neighboring countries, she said. The best way to prevent a migratory crisis is to prevent a humanitarian crisis.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz made clear that his country wouldnt back a system for distributing refugees from Afghanistan across the EU. He told reporters in Berlin that Austria had already taken in a bigger than proportionate share of migrants since 2015.

Austria already has the fourth-largest Afghan community worldwide, he said before a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Merkel said, for Germany, the focus now is on how to help between 10,000 and 40,000 Afghans who are entitled to come to Germany with their close family members because they had worked for the German military or aid organizations.

We need to see how many actually want to leave the country and how many dont, she said. That will depend very much on the circumstances the Taliban create.

Johansson plans to convene a meeting next month to discuss resettlement efforts.

The EU ministers also stressed the need to ensure that Afghanistan does not once again become a haven for terrorists.

The EU will use all its available tools to closely monitor and respond to developments on the ground that might impact its security, in particular in the area of organized crime and terrorism, their statement said.

Still, accommodating Afghans in countries close to their homeland will be difficult.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met his German counterpart, Heiko Maas, in Islamabad on Tuesday and said Pakistan has hosted more than 3 million Afghan refugees in previous decades and lacks the capacity to absorb more.

Rights groups were critical of the EUs focus on keeping migrants close to Afghanistan.

Amnesty International said in a letter to Johansson that the EU and its nations must refrain from extremely damaging responses that put emphasis on keeping the EUs border protected and proposing or adopting measures that shift the responsibility for the protection of refugees to third countries.

The human rights group said the EU should give Afghans who reach Europe access to the territory and to fair and effective asylum procedures and also consider all Afghan women and girls as prima facie refugees due to the risks they face in Afghanistan.

American forces helped evacuate over 120,000 U.S. citizens, foreigners and Afghans after the Taliban regained control of the country, according to the White House. Coalition forces also evacuated their citizens and Afghans. But both foreign nations and the U.S. government acknowledged they didnt evacuate all who wanted to go.

According to some EU estimates, around 570,000 Afghans have applied for asylum in Europe since 2015.

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Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands. Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed.

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Follow APs coverage of Afghanistan at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan and of migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
DENVER  Three suburban Denver police officers and two paramedics were indicted on manslaughter and other charges in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man put into a chokehold and injected with a powerful sedative in a fatal encounter that provoked national outcry during racial injustice protests last year.

The grand jury indictments announced Wednesday by state Attorney General Phil Weiser are the latest chapter for the Police Department in the city of Aurora, which has been plagued by allegations of misconduct against people of color, including a officer charged this summer with pistol-whipping a Black man.

McClains death helped inspire a sweeping police accountability law in Colorado, a ban on chokeholds and restrictions on the use of the sedative ketamine, both of which the indictment alleges contributed to his death. The charges were announced days after the second anniversary of when police stopped McClain on the street after a 911 caller reported a man who seemed sketchy.

What I set out to do is still not over, but Im halfway there. Im halfway there, McClains mother, Sheneen McClain, told The Associated Press of her efforts to hold police accountable.

Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson, who took over last year and has pledged to work to restore public trust, said the department will continue to cooperate with the judicial process.

I know this has been a long-awaited decision for Ms. McClain and her family. This tragedy will forever be imprinted on our community, she said in a statement.

Officers Randy Roedema, Nathan Woodyard and Jason Rosenblatt and fire department paramedic Jeremy Cooper and fire Lt. Peter Cichuniec were charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

Roedema and Rosenblatt also were charged with second-degree assault with intent to cause bodily injury and one count of a crime of violence related to the assault charge. Cooper and Cichuniec also each face three counts of second-degree assault.

Lawyers for the defendants didnt immediately respond to calls and emails seeking comment.

Marc Sears, president of Auroras branch of the Fraternal Order of Police, which says its the largest union representing police in the city, told the Sentinel Colorado newspaper that our officers are innocent until proven guilty, and we stand by our brothers.

City Manager Jim Twombly said the officers were indefinitely suspended. One had previously been fired.

The indictment says police responding to a 911 call about a suspicious person confronted McClain on Aug. 24, 2019, as he walked home from a grocery store after buying iced tea. The encounter quickly escalated, with McClain initially losing consciousness as Woodyard applied a chokehold. McClain complained he couldnt breathe as three officers held him, handcuffed, on the ground, and he vomited several times.

Paramedics injected McClain with an amount of ketamine appropriate for someone 77 pounds (35 kilograms) heavier than his 143-pound (64-kilogram) frame, the indictment says, without determining if it was necessary and without monitoring him for side effects afterward.

McClain never regained consciousness and was later declared brain dead at a hospital.

Family and friends described McClain, a massage therapist, as a gentle and kind introvert who volunteered to play his violin to comfort cats at an animal shelter. His pleading words captured on police body camera video  Im just different  painfully underscored his apparent confusion at what was happening.

In 2019, a district attorney said he could not charge the officers because an autopsy could not determine how McClain died. Democratic Gov. Jared Polis ordered Weiser to open a criminal investigation last year amid nationwide protests over racist policing, and the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI said they were looking at opening a civil rights investigation. Weisers office is conducting a probe into the overall conduct of Aurora police, the first under the new police accountability law.

Its very rare for officers to face criminal charges in on-duty deaths, and its almost unheard of for paramedics to be charged, said Alex Piquero, a criminologist at the University of Miami.

Its a pretty big deal, he said. The fact that a grand jury saw the evidence and decided what charges to file is an indication of a strong case, Piquero said.

A family lawsuit alleges McClain died as a result of a dramatic increase of lactic acid in his blood caused by excessive force used by police over about 18 minutes, combined with the effects of ketamine. They claim police continued to torture McClain after he was restrained, a result of the departments history of unconstitutional racist brutality.

A city review found no evidence to justify officers stopping McClain, who was wearing a ski mask because family said he had anemia that caused him to get cold easily.

Police body camera video shows an officer approaching McClain and saying, I have a right to stop you because youre being suspicious.

Im just different. Im just different, thats all, McClain exclaims as hes being restrained. Im so sorry. I have no gun. I dont do that stuff. I dont do any fighting. Why were you attacking me? I dont do guns. I dont even kill flies.

The indictment comes after three Aurora officers, including Rosenblatt, were fired and one resigned last year over photos mimicking the chokehold used on McClain.

The department also faced criticism when officers put four Black girls on the ground last year and handcuffed two of them next to a car that police suspected was stolen but turned out not to be.

And an officer was charged with assault in July after being captured on body camera video pistol-whipping and choking a Black man during an arrest. Another officer was charged with not intervening as required under the new police accountability law.

Deborah Richardson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, said the indictment is one step to changing the deeply embedded systemic failures of the city of Aurora.

Historically, the internal culture of policing normalized the treatment Mr. McClain experienced and was callously written off. Hopefully, this law enforcement abuse will no longer be tolerated, Richardson said.

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Associated Press writers James Anderson and Patty Nieberg in Denver and Lindsay Whitehurst in Salt Lake City contributed.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Rachel Gudgel  a top legislative staff member who was reprimanded last year after allegations that she made disparaging comments about Native Americans  is stepping down.

Gudgel, director of the Legislative Education Study Committee, submitted her resignation letter Wednesday, and the committee accepted it during a meeting in Socorro.

Lawmakers quickly appointed an acting director  Vanessa Hawker, the committees deputy director and a former budget officer at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center.

Hawker will serve through at least the end of the 2022 legislative session.

Sen. William Soules, a Las Cruces Democrat and chairman of the Legislative Education Study Committee, said the resignation resolves a difficult period for the agency, which analyzes education policy.

Pueblo governors and the Navajo Nation president had called for Gudgels removal, and a motion in July to fire Gudgel failed on a 5-5 vote.

It was very clear that it was going to be difficult for the LESC to move forward with her as the director just because of the public outcry, Soules said Wednesday.

Gudgel said she intends to go on leave until mid-February, allowing her to use the paid leave she has accumulated as a legislative staffer since 2005. She has been paid about $129,000 a year.

In a written statement, Gudgel said she loved her job.

But the harassment and difficult work environment over the past 3 months has created an atmosphere that is just too challenging for me to continue to work in and be effective, Gudgel said.

She said she was disappointed because she had done everything legislative leaders had asked, but now that this issue has become public many in these leadership positions no longer support me today.

Her dismissal comes after a confidential investigation last year into an employee complaint, including allegations that she had made disparaging comments about Native Americans.

Native American leaders called for release of the report, and Gudgel faced harsh criticism.

Legislative staff wouldnt release the findings of the personnel investigation, making it unclear precisely what she was accused of and what allegations, if any, were substantiated.

But Gudgel has said she was reprimanded. She was also put on probation, and lawmakers hired a management consultant to work with her and the LESC staff, according to legislators.

Gudgel subsequently apologized for what she described as isolated, insensitive comments and asked Native American families for forgiveness.

She was hired in 2015 as LESC director, a post that made her a top adviser to lawmakers on education policy and budgeting. She had previously worked as the principal education analyst at the Legislative Finance Committee and as a public defender.

Tribal leaders said Gudgels resignation was nothing to celebrate and that lawmakers should adopt legislation protecting the educational rights of Native American students.

The legislature must work on regaining the confidence of tribal leaders, Pueblo of Acoma Gov. Brian Vallo said in a written statement released by the All Pueblo Council of Governors. Its time for a fresh start.

The Legislative Education Study Committee meets between legislative sessions to review education policy and research, and its staff provide technical support to lawmakers during regular legislative sessions.

Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, an Albuquerque Democrat and member of the LESC, said Gudgel showed courage by resigning from a job she wanted to keep.

Gudgel played a critical role, Stewart said, in recent legislation that revised New Mexicos budget formula to boost funding directed to schools serving large Native American communities.

Going forward, Stewart said, Im hopeful that we can all come together as a committee and focus on kids learning and education. Theres a lot of work ahead of us.
The 9/11 attacks instantly became a new day of infamy for the U.S.

Like the attack on Pearl Harbor and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, those who lived through that day remember where they were and what it was like.

As we approach the 20th anniversary, we invite New Mexicans to share their 9/11 stories and to reflect on how it changed us. We will include some of those stories in our anniversary coverage.

Email us at yourstory@abqjournal.com. Please be brief  no longer than 150 words  and include a telephone number where we can reach you.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Bernalillo County Sheriff and Albuquerque mayoral candidate Manuel Gonzales is asking the state Supreme Court to intervene in his nearly two-month battle over public campaign financing.

In a petition filed by his attorneys Wednesday, Gonzales asked that the New Mexico Supreme Court order that he get a taxpayer-funded pot worth over $600,000 to power his campaign.

His attorneys filed the petition at 9:30 a.m.  at the same time Albuquerque City Clerk Ethan Watson was conducting a related hearing on the Gonzales case at City Hall. It was a hearing that one Gonzales attorney derided as a farce.

Gonzales petition named as respondents both Watson  who on July 9 rejected Gonzales application for the money by saying he violated campaign financing rules  and 1st Judicial District Judge Bryan Biedscheid. Biedscheid ruled Friday that Watson had denied Gonzales due process in his July decision but sent the matter back to Watson.

Gonzales petition for writ of superintending control asks the Supreme Court to take up the case and order the District Court to reverse Watsons decision for real this time and order either Biedscheid or Watson to certify Gonzales for the money. It asks the court to hear oral arguments in the case.

The Supreme Court has not taken any action on the petition.

The petition makes the Gonzales campaigns recurring argument that Watson  a clerk appointed by incumbent Mayor Tim Keller  cannot be neutral when making consequential decisions about Gonzales campaign because Watsons own term in office is tied to the mayor who appointed him.

A reversal of the Clerks decision does not by a long shot assure Sheriff Gonzaless victory come November, but merely a fair race, in which the thumb of the incumbent-candidates government is only allowed to press moderately on the scale, says the petition, filed by Gonzales attorneys, Carter Harrison and Daniel Gallegos.

Biedscheid last week kicked the public financing decision back to Watson. He empowered the clerk to still deny Gonzales the money on the grounds he broke the rules but only after Watson determined that Gonzales had a chance to answer the claims. Without that, he ordered that Watson had to release the money to the sheriff.

In an attempt to satisfy Biedscheids order, Watson on Wednesday held a special hearing at City Hall, allowing Gonzales to answer several concerns. As some Gonzales supporters gathered outside the building, the sheriffs attorney contended repeatedly during the proceeding that it was a meaningless sham held by a biased decision-maker.

In denying Gonzales public money in July, Watson cited evidence presented with two ethics complaints Kellers election campaign filed against the sheriff. They alleged Gonzales and his team submitted fraudulent and forged material while attempting to qualify for public financing.

Gonzales campaign has since acknowledged some likely forgery. In addition, a city Inspector Generals Office investigation found problems with some Gonzales documentation, and the citys Board of Ethics last week determined Gonzales had violated the citys Open and Ethical Elections Code and fined him $500.

But Gallegos, Gonzales attorney, on Wednesday questioned Watsons use of the more recent developments in re-making a decision he initially issued July 9 and whether Watson needs to do the same for Keller, who received over $600,000 in public campaign financing but is also the subject of a complaint pending before the Ethics Board.

With the sheriff seated quietly by his side, Gallegos repeatedly contended that Watson is biased and wedded to his original decision against Gonzales.

We think it incredibly unlikely that the clerk will reverse himself at this stage, (though) stranger things have happened, Gallegos said. Its abundantly clear this hearing was designed to pay lip service to Judge Biedscheids ruling and to the Constitution.

Watson said in a statement after the hearing that he is following the judges ruling:

Last week, (Biedscheid) confirmed the City Clerks authority over certifying candidates for public financing. Following todays hearing, which was in full compliance with the Judges order, the Clerk will issue a determination no later than 10 a.m. Thursday, September 2, 2021.
WASHINGTON  Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday that its possible the United States will seek to coordinate with the Taliban on counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan against Islamic State militants or others.

Milley did not elaborate, and his comment did not appear to suggest immediate plans to work with the Taliban.

U.S. military commanders coordinated daily with Taliban commanders outside the Kabul airport over the past three weeks to facilitate the evacuation of more than 124,000 people. But that was a matter of convenience for both parties and not necessarily a sign that they will pursue, or even want, a regular relationship in the future.

The U.S. military ousted the Taliban from power in the fall of 2001 and fought against them for the 19 years that followed.

The extent and nature of a U.S.-Taliban relationship, now that the war is over, is one of the key issues to be worked out. The U.S. diplomatic presence in Kabul has been moved to Doha, Qatar. President Joe Biden has noted several times recently that the Taliban are avowed enemies of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan, suggesting a shared interest with the United States.

At a Pentagon news conference with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Milley called the Taliban ruthless adding, Whether or not they change remains to be seen. He suggested that the recent cooperative arrangement with the Taliban at Kabul airport was not necessarily a model for the future.

In war you do what you must in order to reduce risk to mission and force, not what you necessarily want to do, Milley said.

Biden has promised further targeting of the IS group in Afghanistan in response to the IS suicide bombing last week at a Kabul airport gate that killed scores of Afghans and 13 American service members. On Saturday the U.S. military carried out a drone strike in Afghanistan that it said killed two IS planners. On Tuesday, Biden said, To ISIS-K: We are not done with you yet, referring to the IS group.

Targeting Islamic State militants or other extremist groups, such as al-Qaida, will be more difficult with no U.S. military forces on the ground and no friendly government forces with which to share intelligence on extremist networks. But the Biden administration asserts that it can contain these groups by monitoring and potentially striking with assets based elsewhere in the region.

Although the Taliban oppose IS, its far from clear that they will be inclined to work with the U.S. military or the Central Intelligence Agency now that they have regained power in Kabul. Milley has recent experience with Taliban leaders; twice last year, most recently in December, he met face-to-face with them in an attempt to slow their attacks on the U.S.-backed Afghan government, which collapsed in mid-August, triggering the frantic U.S.-led evacuation.

Austin sounded at least as skeptical as Milley regarding the possibility that the coordination in recent days at the Kabul airport suggests a future relationship with the Taliban.

I would not make any leaps of logic to broader issues, said Austin.

Both Austin and Milley commanded troops in Afghanistan during the 20-year war and their comments at Wednesdays news conference largely focused on tributes to those who served in Afghanistan, including those who died or were wounded. They also thanked all who contributed to the final airlift, which Austin called the largest evacuation of civilians in American history.

Milley and Austin urged war veterans to view their service as worthwhile and appreciated by the American public, while acknowledging that the memories can be painful.

War is hard. Its vicious. Its brutal. Its unforgiving, Milley said. Yes, we all have pain and anger. When we see what has unfolded over the last 20 years and over the last 20 days, that creates pain and anger.

With the U.S. involvement in the war over and all American military out of the country, Biden is grappling with the prospects of a new relationship with the Taliban. He has tasked Secretary of State Antony Blinken with coordinating with international partners to hold the Taliban to their promise of safe passage for Americans and others who want to leave in the days ahead.

Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, has described the U.S. relationship with the Taliban during the evacuation as very pragmatic and very businesslike, saying they helped secure the airport. But other reports from people in Afghanistan described shootings, violence and Taliban moves to block desperate Afghans from getting through the gates.

Biden in an address to the nation Tuesday defended his decision to end Americas longest war and withdraw all U.S. troops by an Aug. 31 deadline.

I was not going to extend this forever war, Biden declared from the White House. And I was not going to extend a forever exit.

Biden is coming under heavy criticism, particularly from Republicans, for his handling of the evacuation. But he said it was inevitable that the final departure from two decades of war, first negotiated with the Taliban for May 1 by former President Donald Trump, would have been difficult, with likely violence, no matter when it was planned and conducted.

To those asking for a third decade of war in Afghanistan, I ask, What is the vital national interest?' Biden said. He added, I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars in Afghanistan.

___

Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  A group of powerful New Mexico lawmakers is questioning whether state environment officials have done enough to weigh the potential economic effects of a proposal to cut smog-causing pollution across the oil and gas industry.

Leaders of the Legislative Finance Committee sent a letter last week to state Environment Secretary James Kenney, saying the rules would have an effect on state general funds and local government coffers if enacted.

The potential economic and revenue impact to the state is a matter of great importance to the committee, the letter read.

A New Mexico Tax Research Institute study cited by the lawmakers puts annual revenue losses for the state and local governments at $730 million.

Another independent analysis by John Dunham & Associates  an economic research firm hired by the industry  found the rules would cost operators more than $3 billion to comply during the first year. More than one-third of currently operating oil wells and 87% of natural gas wells would become uneconomical after accounting for increased regulatory costs, according to that study.

Experts have said there would likely be declines in both oil and gas production in New Mexico, which is now ranked second in the U.S. when it comes to production.

The committee sent the Environment Department a series of questions about what was done to consider the economics of the rules and what other options there might be for small producers.

The state agency in a response issued Wednesday said it plans to present expert testimony on the methods and findings of the analysis done by John Dunham & Associates and that the state Environmental Improvement Board will consider testimony from the agencys own staff, the industry and other parties in the case during a hearing later this month.

Kenney wrote that this process will ensure that all aspects of the proposed rule and its effects on the state are fully developed and presented to the board.

The board will not rely on a single, deeply flawed economic study conducted and paid for by the regulated community, and I ask that Legislative Finance Committee not do so either, Kenneys letter states.

He also noted that New Mexico regulators have a duty to address rising ozone levels, which he blamed in part on oil and gas production. He said monitors in southeastern New Mexico  home to one of the worlds most productive basins  are registering ozone levels in excess of federal standards.

If the state doesnt act, he said the federal government will force it to do so under provisions of the Clean Air Act.

The rules proposed by the Environment Department are part of a two-pronged approach, which Kenney has touted as the most comprehensive effort in the U.S. to tackle pollution blamed for exacerbating climate change. State oil and gas regulators adopted separate rules earlier this year to limit venting and flaring as a way to reduce methane pollution.

The Environment Department opted to remove all exemptions from an earlier version of its draft rule. The proposal also includes minimum requirements for operators to calculate their emissions and have them certificated by an engineer and to find and fix leaks on a monthly basis.

If companies violate the rules, they could be hit with notices of violation, orders to comply and possibly civil penalties.

The state expects the rule, once adopted sometime next year, to lead to reductions in ozone-causing pollution that would equal taking 8 million cars off the road every year. Methane emissions also would be reduced as a result, officials have said.
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The U.S. gymnast is unsure if she's ready to become the face of mental health in sport following her own struggles at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - Simone Biles isn't sure she is "ready" to be "the face" of promoting mental health in sport.

The gymnast - who pulled out of four finals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to her own struggles - has promised to support others in similar situations but only when she's feeling comfortable and has dealt with her own issues.

She told People magazine, "Sometimes when we speak on these things, then we become the face of it. I'm not sure if I'm completely ready for that aspect of it."

"Obviously, once I am a little bit more open about it, I'd love to help other people going through these things because it is very relatable to know that they are not alone with it."

"I think maybe one day but as of now, I have to focus on myself and getting myself right before I can speak and try to advocate for those things."

But after a stressful few years, Simone is feeling "pretty laid back" at the moment and is enjoying spending time with her family and friends, including boyfriend Jonathan Owens.

Asked how her state of mind has been recently, she said, "To be completely honest, pretty laid back. Not as busy as 2016, but the world is a very different place so I believe that's also the reason for that. It's been nice to decompress and be with my family, loved ones and friends."

The Olympic medallist recently urged people to ask for help if they are struggling with their mental health, even though it isn't an easy thing to do.

She said, "Don't be afraid to ask for help. I know it's not easy, but it really is helpful. And I know most of the time you're scared, you might feel dumb. But as I have learned over the years, it's OK to ask for help."

"Just remember, you're also a person. I think even us as athletes tend to forget that because we're only known as athletes and not valued as human beings. But it's important to keep in contact with the human side of you."

And Simone was relieved by the response she got after withdrawing from the Olympic events to preserve her mental health.

She said, "Over the years, obviously, since I've been so dominant everybody supports the gymnastics and praised me for what I've done in the gym and not really outside."

"Then once I took a step back, I obviously was expecting to feel a lot of backlash and embarrassment. But it's the complete opposite. That's the first time I felt human. Besides Simone Biles, I was Simone, and people kind of respected that."
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The scandal-ridden television producer has lost two major jobs following backlash after his inappropriate comments about women, Jewish, and Asian resurfaced.

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - "Jeopardy!" bosses have fired Mike Richards from his executive producer role, after the beleaguered executive stepped down from his new job as host.

Richards beat out fan favourites like actor LeVar Burton and former contestant Ken Jennings to the job as presenter of the programme, after longtime beloved host Alex Trebek died in November (20).

But days after the announcement, an article in The Ringer detailed inappropriate comments about women, and Jewish and Asian people Mike shared on "The Randumb Show", a podcast he hosted from 2013 to 2014, and on 20 August, Richards voluntarily stepped down as the new host of the popular quiz show, though he remained on staff as executive producer.

Now executives at Sony Pictures Television have sent him packing, and he's also losing his producer role on another U.S. game show, "Wheel of Fortune".

On Tuesday (31Aug21), Suzanne Prete, Executive Vice President of Business and Strategy for both programmes, sent staff an internal memo announcing that Richards had been let go, effective immediately, Deadline reports.

Embassy Row boss Michael Davies will take over both shows in the interim.

In her memo, Prete wrote that despite Richards having surrendered his self-appointed hosting duties, the "disruption and internal difficulties" continued on "Jeopardy!".

Deadline also reports the controversial producer was "too compromised" and that he no longer had "internal or external support."

Mayim Bialik, who was named earlier this month (Aug21) as host of the Jeopardy! primetime and spinoff series, will fill in as the regular emcee for at least the next three weeks.
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The filming for the upcoming thriller 'Poker Face' has been put on hold following a confirmed positive Covid-19 test and a second possible case on the set.

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - Russell Crowe's thriller "Poker Face" has been shut down in Australia due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

Production on the movie had been taking place in and around Sydney, despite the city currently being in a local lockdown due to rising numbers of coronavirus cases, and was just six days away from wrapping.

However, following one confirmed COVID-19 case and a second which is currently under investigation, the set has been shut down.

Crowe announced the news on Twitter on Tuesday (31Aug21), writing, "Unfortunately 6 days from the end of our shoot on PokerFace we have had a confirmed positive COVID case amongst our crew and a second possible positive under further investigation by our PokerFace Covid team and NSWHealth."

"For the safety of cast and crew and the wider community, the production has been immediately paused and everyone instructed to isolate whilst the situation is looked into. We have followed strict protocols with cast and crew being tested 3 times a week for the past 11+ weeks."

He said the entire crew, "except for three individuals with medical exemptions," had been masked the whole time, adding, "We feel for the crew members involved, like all the people on this show they are both very committed team players and diligent in their approach to their work responsibilities."

"We also feel for the wider community going through these difficult times. We hope this situation will be confined and we can be back up and running very soon."

"Poker Face", also starring Liam Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky, features Crowe as a billionaire caught up in a risky card game.
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The 'Mission: Impossible' actor fought to have his original co-star return for the upcoming 'Top Gun: Maverick' despite the latter's struggle with serious illness.

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - Tom Cruise insisted Val Kilmer was part of the "Top Gun" sequel, despite his throat cancer issues.

"Top Gun: Maverick" producer Jerry Bruckheimer reveals Tom fought to include Val in the film, so he could reprise his role as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky.

"He (Cruise) said, 'We have to have Val, we have to have him back. We have to have him in the film,' " Jerry tells People. "And he was the driving force. We all wanted him, but Tom was really adamant that if he's going to make another Top Gun, Val had to be in it."

Val took a hiatus from acting after he lost the ability to speak in 2014.

"He's such a fine actor, and he's such a good individual," Jerry adds. "We had such a good time on the first one and wanted to bring some of the gang back together again... It was a really emotional experience for all of us. It was a long time getting there, but we did."

Val's son Jack tells the publication it was a big comeback for his dad, adding, "They honour the legacy of Iceman, and he was so stoked by it."

The younger Kilmer also reveals many real pilots acted as consultants on set. "They were coming up to us and telling us that the first Top Gun inspired them to join the Navy and the Air Force," he smiles. "Then we had these big F-bomb planes flying overhead. It was like one of the proudest moments of being American that you could think of really."

"Top Gun: Maverick" will hit cinemas in November (21).
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When addressing his latest trouble with the law in a 24-minute-long Instagram video, Jason Allen Alexander claims he ended up 'in handcuffs because of something stupid.'

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - Britney Spears' first ex-husband apparently has had enough of having trouble with the law. Just a few days after he was busted at Nashville airport, Jason Allen Alexander claimed he suffered from "mild PTSD" from being arrested.

Jason addressed the matter in a video shared on Instagram on Tuesday, August 31. "It's crazy what's happening... What's happened to me should never happen to somebody, like, it should never happen," he argued. "I did nothing wrong but I got freaking treated like... and still! With news articles being printed about the situation. This is f**king gnarly, dude."

"You end up in handcuffs because of something stupid and it inconveniences you very extremely. And for an average person, some of that could cause PTSD," the 39-year-old went on ranting. "Like, I suffer from mild PTSD from being arrested."

While lashing out at the media for writing about his arrest, Jason brought up his ex-wife Britney's recent dog drama. "You guys seen what happened to Britney. Her nanny or cook or one of her maids or some s**t came out and said she assaulted her," he scoffed.

"You know what I mean? With some story about her dogs or something I know that's bulls**t. Anyone know Britney knows that's a bunch of bulls**t," he continued. "They can go print something and try to smear you because, you know, that's daddy [Jamie Spears] paying the media to smear campaign you basically. These outlets like Radar Online, TMZ - they get paid for these stories. I lived in Hollywood for 12 years."

Jason's post came after he was arrested by Nashville International Airport police on Sunday, August 29. Radar Online reported that he was booked on a misdemeanor charge for an air security violation. After being held at the Davidson County Sheriff's Office, he was released on the same day on a $2,500 bond.

The arrest was not Jason's first. He was previously arrested for DUI in January, in which he was hit with three misdemeanor charges, and in July 2016, in which he was sentenced to two years of probation.
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Seemingly responding to her boyfriend Scott's drama with Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian, the 20-year-old model takes to Instagram to share a message about hoping for a truce.

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - Amelia Hamlin appears to weigh in on the drama surrounding her boyfriend Scott Disick, Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian after Scott dissed Travis and Kourtney over their PDA pic. Taking to her Instagram account, the 20-year-old model seemingly hopes for a truce.

On Tuesday, August 31, Amelia shared on her Instagram Stories a picture of someone holding a cardboard sign that urges people to be nice to each other. "Let's be nicer to each other. We're all trying our best," the cardboard sign read. Amelia didn't reveal who the message was for but it's safe to assume that it has something to do with the current feud involving her beau.

Scott, who shares three children with ex Kourtney, made headlines yesterday after the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" alum's other former boyfriend Younes Bendjima exposed the restaurateur for trash-talking her over her hot romance with her current boyfriend Travis. In an Instagram Story that he posted on Monday, Younes shared a screengrab of DM from Scott in which the latter attached a pic of Kourt and Travis making out on a boat during their Italian getaway.

"Yo is this chick ok!???? Broooo like what is this. In the middle of Italy," Scott wrote to Younes. However, the model refused to play along with Scott, replying, "Doesn't matter to me as long as shes happy. PS: I aint your bro." Younes further blasted the "Flip It Like Disick" star by writing on the post, "keep the same energy you had about me publicly, privately."

In a separate post, Younes also insinuated that Scott has been doing this for a while and that DM was the last straw for him. "couldn't miss this one. He been playing around for too long, tried to stay quiet and be the nice guy," so the 28-year-old hunk claimed. "back to work now."
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Ahead of his recognition with the British GQ Legend Award, 'The Father' star looks back at the time he was told by his agent that he would never work again if he left Britain.

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - Anthony Hopkins' acting agent once warned the star he'd "never work again" if he moved to America.

The distinguished actor was born in Wales and quickly found success in the U.K., scooping a BAFTA nomination for his turn in 1968's "The Lion in Winter" opposite Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn and scoring roles at London's prestigious National Theatre.

But Hopkins was so unhappy living and working in England, he was desperate to move to the U.S. and he tells Britain's GQ Magazine he was warned he'd be waving goodbye to his burgeoning career as a thespian if he did.

"I'd felt like I was on the run," he shares. "I was at the National Theatre, I had a great time and I was given great opportunities by people such as [Laurence] Olivier. But there was something in me that wasn't settled. I couldn't fit in somehow, so I scarpered [took off]. I did the big skedaddle."

"When I left [Britain] in 1973, I was told I'd never work again. My agent at the time. He said, 'Tony, what are you doing?' "

Of course, Hopkins and his then-agent were both wrong, and the star has since won two Best Actor Oscars, most recently this year (2021) for "The Father", and scores more awards and honor.

He'll grab another on Wednesday, September 1, at London's Tate Modern, when publishing executives will honor him with the British GQ Legend Award.

"I was a rebel, I was a fighter and I was insufferably dogmatic about certain things," Anthony adds. "But those demons are long gone. Maybe I was a bit of a troubled character. But I'm old now: I'd be stupid to walk around full of nettles and devils in me. We're not here for long. But the last decade or so it's been a wonderful feeling of freedom and just doing the job and showing up."
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Royal expert Jonathan Sacerdoti reveals in a new interview that royal family members are still wary about the reconciliation with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ahead of Prince Harry's memoir.

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been slowly mending their relationship with Prince William and Kate Middleton following tough years. However, a royal expert reveals in a new interview that royal family members are still wary about the reconciliation with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Speaking to Us Weekly, royal expert Jonathan Sacerdoti claimed on Tuesday, August 31 that they are "still raw" in the wake of the Sussexes' decision to step down from their senior duties as well as their bombshell revelations about life in the palace. "Over the year, there must've been some discussions, some sort of attempt at reconciliation," Jonathan said.

"But I keep saying that, you know  I'm not party to their private conversations, but I think it must be incredibly difficult to try and have those conversations because [other royals] must always be a bit worried about what Megan and Harry are going to reveal to the press or  in a new revised version of ['Finding Freedom'] or even in Prince Harry's own book," the British journalist shared, referring to Harry's upcoming memoir.

Jonathan believed that Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Prince William and more might hesitate to reconcile with Prince Harry and Meghan who are now residing in California. "I think that there's perhaps a nervousness on the part of the royal family to say too much and to make too great in efforts to reconcile, even though I'm sure that they'd want to, if only for PR purposes, never mind for family peace," he shared.

Recent reports claimed that Meghan and Kate are getting "closer than ever" with the former "Suits" actress reaching out to the Duchess of Cambridge to collaborate on a Netflix project. "Meghan and Kate are actually getting along really well and have been in touch more often," a source revealed earlier this month. "Meghan has been talking to her about collaborating on a project for Netflix, a documentary that will spotlight Kate's charity work and the huge impact she's made with her philanthropy."

As for Kate, the wife of Prince William reportedly reacted to it positively. "Kate is very flattered, and it's all very positive between them," the so-called inside source added.
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The 'Our Idiot Brother' star suffered from 'crippling anxiety' for years, but he seemed to be fine before he disappeared and was found dead, according to his mother.

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - Matthew Mindler's tragic passing has taken his mother by surprise. The former child actor's mother Monica Mindler says her son seemed to be enjoying his first week of college before he disappeared and was found dead.

Monica tells TMZ Matthew moved into Millersville University on August 19 and he kept in constant contact with her during his first few days on the Pennsylvania campus. According to her, he was busy with his college activities, meeting with an advisor about starting a campus computer/programming club, having an upcoming job interview with the IT department and making friends.

Monica reveals that Matthew had "crippling anxiety" for years, but things seemed to be going very well until he went missing. She says their last test message exchange was Tuesday night, August 24 when she told him that she was planning to pick him up on Friday to spend the weekend at home as she wanted him to relax for a few days.

When Monica texted him on Wednesday morning, she didn't get a response and her messages went through as texts instead of iMessages, suggesting his phone was off or in a bad service area. Monica then contacted Matthew's dorm at MU for a wellness check, and got in touch with his roommate Wednesday evening, but she was told no one had seen her son.

On August 26, the university released a screenshot from the security camera that showed his last sighting with a note that read, "Matt was last seen walking from his residence hall, West Villages toward the Centennial Dr. parking lot area at 8:11 p.m. Tuesday night."

"Matt attended classes Monday and Tuesday but did not attend yesterday or this morning," the announcement continued. "University Police are in contact with Matt's mother and are working with campus staff for assistance in locating Matt."

Matthew was found dead on August 28 in Manor Township, a community near Millersville University. The Lancaster County Coroner's Office has confirmed that his death was ruled suicide. However, the cause of his death has yet to be confirmed pending toxicology results.

Monica admits her son's death has left her crushed. "We appreciate the support, concern and outpouring of prayers from Millersville University, the students and the community," she tells the site. "My heart is crushed and my mind cannot yet fathom this reality."
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In a new social media post, Brentt Leakes states he now realizes that 'time is so f**king valuable' after learning it the 'hard' way by watching his father Gregg Leakes fight his cancer.

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - NeNe Leakes' son has a special reminder for his social media followers. Knowing that he has less time to spend with father Gregg Leakes amid the latter's cancer battle, Brentt Leakes encouraged his fans and friends on Instagram to "create memories" with their loved ones.

On Tuesday, August 31, the 22-year-old made use of Instagram Story to post a clip of his night driving. "Spend time with your loved one every chance you get. Time is so f**king valuable dog. I can't express it," he first wrote alongside the video.

"I'm learning the hard way watching my dad fight every day," Brentt went on explaining. "Please go create memories with ya people."

Brentt's post came just two days after his mom NeNe expressed her sorrow on Instagram. On Sunday, the Roz Washington depicter on "Glee" shared a note that read, "Broken," along with a praying hands and a broken heart emoji.

Just one day prior to that, NeNe shared an update on her husband while she was at her Linnethia Lounge in Duluth, Georgia. "My husband is transitioning to the other side," she told the crowd after she was called "rude" for not acknowledging a birthday at the venue. "You don't know what we're dealing with right now."

"We walked in this lounge because we had to walk in this lounge because this is our business. So, when people approach and say, 'You're rude because you don't want to say happy birthday,' my husband is at home dying," the TV personality went on. "I don't want to say, 'Happy birthday.' "

Gregg had been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2018 and he was in remission for two years. In June, "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" alum revealed that her spouse was undergoing surgery to deal with the cancer's return.

NeNe and Gregg first tied the knot in 1997. They got divorced in 2011 but remarried in 2013. While she only shares Brentt with Gregg, the reality star has another son named Bryson Rashard Bryant from a previous relationship.
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The complaint, which was reportedly made in October 2018 by Meghan and Prince Harry's communications secretary at the time and revealed earlier this year, led to an investigation by Buckingham Palace.

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - Meghan Markle may now be able to breathe a sigh of relief. After the Duchess of Sussex battled bullying allegations launched by palace staff against her, the accusers have reportedly retracted their claims.

The new details regarding the bullying allegations are revealed from an updated epilogue of the new paperback edition of Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand's "Finding Freedom". According to the new epilogue and as quoted by ET Online, "sources confirmed that upon discovery of Jason [Knauf]'s email, two of the individuals mentioned in the email asked for any allegations made to HR about their experiences with Meghan to be rescinded."

The book itself chronicles Meghan and Prince Harry's decision to step down from their senior roles in the royal family. The book also claims that Harry never had a meeting with Jason during which he allegedly pled with him not to pursue with the complaint.

The allegations against Meghan were first brought to light in an article by The Times in March, just days before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. At the time, it was reported that the former actress "drove two personal assistants out of the household and was undermining the confidence of a third staff member."

The complaint was reportedly made in October 2018 by Jason Knauf, Meghan and Harry's then-communications secretary, "seemingly in an effort to get Buckingham Palace to protect staff who he claimed were coming under pressure from the duchess. Prince Harry pleaded with Knauf not to pursue it, according to a source."

Responding to the claims, a spokesperson for the couple called the story a "calculated smear campaign." Meghan's close friend, actress Janina Gavankar, also defended her in an attributed quote in "Finding Freedom".

"They didn't hide that fact. It was without doubt done intentionally to discredit the duchess," Janina said. "I have known Meghan for 17 years, and I have seen the way she regards people around her and the people she works with, and I can say she is not a bully."

Nevertheless, the allegations prompted Buckingham Palace to launch an investigation. Sources shared in "Finding Freedom" that Meghan and Harry hoped the process would "shed light on the reality of these rumors."

However, in June, it was revealed that the results of the investigation were delayed. "The results of the investigation had been expected to be released this week, but it has been delayed," a source said at the time.
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Meanwhile, in new updates from police investigation into her death, it is revealed that the 33-year-old Instagram model was strangled to death in a possible murder-suicide.

Sep 1, 2021

AceShowbiz - Cardi B is one of those who are mourning the death of Mercedes Morr. Apparently having personally known the late Instagram model, the rapper has put naysayers on blast for justifying her murder because of her lifestyle.

The Bronx femcee took to her Instagram Story on Tuesday, August 31 to defend Mercedes against the nasty talks on the Internet. "So sad and f**k you b***hes and Nikkas trying to justify it cause of her lifestyle," she wrote along with a clip of an interview with Mercedes' parents. "Ya will hate on a bad b***h dead or alive. She was a sweetheart."

Meanwhile, in the interview, Mercedes' father talked about his daughter's horrifying death. "What I saw, I wouldn't want any parent to go through," he said as he mentioned the writing allegedly left by the suspected killer on the door. Her mother, on the other hand, remembered her as a "sweet girl."

Mercedes was found dead at her home in the Cortland Apartments in the 5200 block of Pointe West Circle at approximately 4:30 P.M. on Sunday, August 26. She was discovered during a welfare check. A 34-year-old Florida man named Kevin Alexander Accorto, who is believed to be the suspect in Mercedes' killing, was also found dead inside the apartment.

Medical examiners said she was strangled to death. Meanwhile, investigators said the man had stabbed himself to death via "multiple sharp force trauma." Police do not believe there was any relationship between the suspect and the victim. "At this point, this is being considered a murder/suicide and it is an ongoing investigation to determine motive in the case," they said.

Mercedes' sister London believes her sister's killer had been stalking her. "She wasn't robbed. It was just a stalker from outta state who'd BEEN stalking her," she posted on her Instagram page.
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Olivia Jade Giannulli has reportedly been added to the cast of the upcoming season of 'Dancing With the Stars' after she's seen on set with pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy.

Sep 2, 2021

AceShowbiz - Lori Loughlin's daughter Olivia Jade is reportedly joining the upcoming season of American reality show "Dancing With the Stars".

The daughter of the "Full House" star and fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli will be one of the celebrity competitors when the popular celebrity dance competition's 30th season kicks off next month (Sep21), according to TMZ.

The official cast will not be announced until next week, but TMZ spotted Olivia on the set with professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy.

Olivia is a YouTube star and influencer who hit headlines for all the wrong reasons when her parents were charged with taking part in the 2019 college admissions scandal, in an effort to secure college spots for her and her sister Isabella Rose at the University of Southern California as crew recruits. Both her parents served prison time as a result - her father was behind bars for four months while Loughlin was in jail for two months.

Previously announced celebrities for the upcoming season of the reality series include social media star JoJo Siwa - who'll be the first contestant to dance with a partner of the same sex - as well as "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" 's Kenya Moore and Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Suni Lee.

JoJo Siwa recently admitted she's worried the judges would be harsher towards her because of her background as a dancer. "It's gonna help me in a way, but it also is a disadvantage. Because I guarantee you the judges are one hundred million per cent gonna judge me harder than they do everybody else," she noted.
SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. - Crews are working to stop the Dixie Fire from the air.

Cellphone video captured the dixie fire burning in the Lassen Volcanic National Park on Tuesday morning. The video showed glowing flames, charred trees, and the smoke coming from the fire.

Road closures are also set up at the entrance of the park.

Windy Morgan is a campground host at the Lassen National Forest for Bridge Campground, which is not too far from the Lassen Volcanic National Park. The fire forced her and her guests to evacuate.

This is actually our first year. We really like it but we've had to cut our time short because of the fire, said Windy Morgan.

We've had to have a lot of them leave because of them closing the whole park and the hunters only got a two-day hunt. We had a lot of people upset about that.

Morgan came up here after the Camp Fire and going through another fire hasn't been easy.

Pretty stressed out, makes me want to leave the state, said Morgan. But anywhere you're going to run into fire and flood, we just go with it.

But firefighters continue to actively fight the Dixie Fire.

Any of these places where we have lots of erratic ground winds can push the fire, said Mitch Matlow, a public information officer on the Dixie Fire.

We can't predict where the fire is going to go. All we can do is try to stop it and prevent it.

But Morgan wonders, for both the Lassen National Forest and the Volcanic National Park, what happens next?

It's sad, it's really sad, said Morgan. It makes me wonder, what they're going to do next year when tourist season opens up again. What's there going to be to see?

The Lassen Volcanic National Park said it doesnt know when they'll be able to reopen just yet. they still need to like a hazard and safety issues before reopening.
BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - On Tuesday, a Gridley man was found guilty of the rape of a homeless woman in 2019.

After about four hours of deliberation, the jury found the defendant guilty of raping a woman at an Oroville homeless encampment in 2019, according to District Attorney Michael Ramsey.

Kevin Mitchell Valdez, 31, of Gridley, had been charged with forcible rape, forcible sexual assault, assault by means likely to produce great bodily harm, and false imprisonment.

The victim testified she was at Hammon Park in Oroville with her brother and some friends during the early morning hours of Aug. 14, 2019, when Valdez approached them.

Valdez offered to let the group party in a nearby home he was renovating. The victim did not know Valdez and described Valdez as making several unwanted passes at her, culminating in her pushing him off her after he kissed her, Ramsey said.

The victim told the jury she and her companions left the residence and drove to an olive orchard near the intersection of Table Mountain Blvd. and Grand Ave. in Oroville.

The victim had established a camp near a group of other homeless camps.

Valdez went with them, offering to help with one of the victims friends who was unconscious due to alcohol intoxication.

As the victim spread out blankets and a pillow in the bed of her pickup truck, Valdez placed his hand down her shorts. The victim tried to take out her cell phone from the cab of the truck to call for help.

Valdez then grabbed the victim around the neck, threw her to the ground, and repeatedly punched and kicked her on her head and face.

A nearby homeless woman heard the victim scream and ran to the victims campsite. The woman testified she saw Valdez on top of the victim.

The woman and several other homeless people who responded to the scene yelled at Valdez to stop and he ultimately fled, Ramsey said.

The victim told the jury that Valdez had just begun raping her when the responding woman and other homeless persons rescued her.

The victim drove away and called 911, meeting Oroville Police at Bedrock Park.

Officers took her to Oroville Hospital, where a nurse assigned to the Butte County Sexual Assault Response Team performed a forensic exam.

The nurse told the jury she obtained swabs from the victims body to identify the assailants DNA. She also testified to documenting multiple abrasions, bruises, and cuts all over the victims body, Ramsey said.

Valdezs DNA was found on two different parts of the victims body according to a criminologist from the California Department of Justice Forensics Laboratory in Redding.

The victim, in this case, was incredibly brave, taking the witness stand to face the man who beat and raped her two years before, Deputy District Attorney Jeff Greeson, who prosecuted the case said. Without her, we would not have been able to take this dangerous rapist off the streets. I would also like to thank the 12 jurors and three alternates that took their duties as jurors seriously and served despite the ongoing restrictions and dangers of COVID-19. Defendants in a criminal case deserve a fair trial, and without people willing to serve as jurors, our justice system simply cannot work.

One of the tragedies of our struggles with homelessness in our community is that homeless people are easy prey for criminals, this is especially so for homeless women, Ramsey said. No one deserves to go through what the victim, in this case, went through, and every person deserves to feel safe in Butte County, even if they are struggling with problems like homelessness in their life. We do not tolerate crimes against these vulnerable people, as no one is above the law nor beneath its protection.

Butte County Superior Court Judge Kristen Lucena presided over the trial and set Valdezs sentencing for Sept. 30.

Valdez faces 11 years and eight months in prison. He remains in Butte County Jail without bail pending sentencing.
CHICO, Calif. - Police arrested a suspect who was waving a firearm at another vehicle on Monday afternoon in Chico, the Chico Police Department said.

At about 3:47 p.m., police responded to a report of a person waving a firearm in the area of West 8th St.

The victim told police that a man waved a pistol at him and took off in a vehicle that was described as a BMW sedan.

Police were able to locate the vehicle and conduct a traffic stop on Highway 32 near Forest Ave.

26-year-old Nathaniel Birdsong and 27-year-old Destinee Cortijo were detained by officers who found a 9mm pistol in the vehicle.

Police said the gun was stolen.

The victim said Birdsong waived the pistol at him during a dispute at a stoplight in downtown Chico

Birdsong, who had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant, was arrested.

Cortijo was in possession of cocaine. Police said Cortijo and Birdsong were in possession of cocaine for sale. Cortijo was also arrested.
ANDERSON, Calif. - Anderson Police Department will be increasing its presence at Anderson High School due to a possible threat of violence, the Anderson Police Department said.

Police said they were notified by the high school about a possible threat against the school on Tuesday.

The school staff said an unidentified person was overheard making a vague threat. It is unknown if the person is a student of Anderson High School or was on campus at the time.

Anderson Police Department will be coordinating with the school administration about the incident.

The investigation is ongoing.
SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. - Shasta County was awarded a $1.2 million grant to give additional resources to fourteen high schools in Shasta, Trinity, and Tehama Counties.

The grants main purpose of the grant is to help high school students transition into college easier, especially in online or hybrid learning environments.

The Shasta Tehama Trinity Community College District applied for this grant over a year ago after watching high schools in the three counties struggle with the transition to online learning.

Shasta College was one of only 62 colleges around the country selected for the Institutional Resilience and Expanded Postsecondary Opportunity (IREPO) Grants Program.

Amy Schutter, the Director of Grant Development at the Shasta Tehama Trinity Joint Community College District, told Action News Now the money and resources will help high school students as well as staff as online and hybrid learning continues.

"Knowing that we were doing online learning anyway, it was responsive to our community needs and we really wanted to be a better service to our districts," Schutter said.

The high schools selected for this grant were chosen because they were either in rural areas or federally designated opportunity zones.

One of the main resources being added to these schools will be dual enrollment courses, allowing high school students to receive college credits before graduating.

"I think whats most exciting is that this grant will really help our rural students access college classes earlier at no cost, while theyre still high school students, and is going to be able to provide us more opportunities for online learning," Schutter said.

Credits earned from these dual enrollment courses will be accepted by other California colleges as well as Shasta College.

Students will just have to get everything cleared by their academic adviser before taking the courses.

The grant will also let high school students become familiar with some online learning tools used by many colleges, like the learning management software Canvas.

This is part of the grant that will help high schools be better prepared for online learning.

"Students will be able to practice with that, be familiar with that, and develop a competence in that online learning platform that will then transfer them from high school to college more seamlessly and make them more successful in their courses," Schutter said.

Shasta College will also use its health and wellness center to offer a 24/7 telehealth service for high school students at no additional cost.

"Nationally as well as Shasta College, we recognize the significant toll this pandemic has had on students' mental and physical health," Schutter said. "So, we wanted to be able to provide them with additional support to be able to continue their education and be successful in their classes."

The grant will also hire a Shasta College counselor to help students from the selected high schools navigate course selection and set up a plan for their academic careers.
Riding high on its continuous growth momentum, the new-age textile and apparel maker and creator, DONEAR Group has announced the acquisition of MAYUR Fabrics and PV Suiting Global distribution network from RSWM. This move will solidify DONEAR Groups comprehensive product basket and global augmented geographical footprint. DONEAR Group has enforced a consistent growth policy since 2017, with two world-famous textile brands, GRADO & OCM already gathered under its portfolio. Having a strong presence in over 30 + countries, DONEAR Group boasts its 3rd acquisition in a short span of three years, hence strengthening its conglomerate status with an extensive distribution and retail network. By focusing on the Groups inherent strength of manufacturing and distribution of premium quality branded fabrics, DONEAR Group will be able to scale up MAYUR brand exponentially. Furthermore, MAYUR Brands strong presence in the institutional and uniform supplies will compliment DONEAR Groups agile manufacturing facilities and robust distribution network.

Touted to be MAYUR - Stars ki Pasand a household name for trend - conscious buyers offers classic fabrics at an affordable price. The collection is used by some of the worlds leading fashion brands, including Kenneth Cole, Marks & Spencer, Perry Ellis, Ann Taylor and H&M to name a few. Moreover, PV Suiting distribution network from RSWMs presence in overseas markets will help expand the proportionate market share of Donear as a group. PV Suiting distribution network from RSWM has achieved long strides in the UK and Middle East which will serve as catalysts for Donear group to have a strong foothold in these regions.

Speaking about the acquisition, Mr. Rajendra Agarwal, Promoter & Managing Director of Donear Group stated, Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas is not just a slogan for us, it is a way of life at Donear. We have given ourselves a vision of sustained growth and we are working towards it as a team and as a family. I have had the opportunity to interact with LNJ family since I started business. I too very happy to handover this business to DONEAR Group.

Commenting on this new acquisition, Mr. Rahul Rajendra Agarwal, Director, Donear Group said, We are delighted to announce the acquisition of Mayur Fabrics and PV Suiting distribution network from RSWM Ltd. It is very exciting and at the same time inspirational for us to focus on our own businesses i.e. Yarn and Fabrics respectively. We find ourselves committed to construct further on Mayur brand and make it an integral brand of Donear group and strive to take it to the next level of success. Substantiating our mission of standing tall as a textile and apparel global conglomerate, we aim to grow from strength to strength with Mayur and PV Suiting Distribution Network on our side. This highly scalable and sustainable infusion will serve as our next giant growth engine to further enrich our portfolio and expand the market share of branded fabrics offering.

Mr. Ajay Agarwal, Executive Director of Donear Group stated, We have a great share in the Market having other brands like GRADO & OCM working under our group. Having Mayur Fabrics and PV Suiting distribution network, will project us as a textile and apparel titan, empowering our clientele as well as retailers network. The addition of Mayur and PV Suiting Distribution Network is driven by our desire to expand our business both PAN India as well as in global markets. After Mayurs infusion in our group, we are expecting enhancements in the existing distribution chain and market value of our conglomerate.

Mr. Riju Jhunjhunwala, Joint Managing Director/ CEO of RSWM Ltd. affirmed, It is a matter of pride for us that Mayur Brand is now a part of Donear Group. We could not have found a better organization than Donear to pass on our legacy to. I have seen the way Donear has taken over other brands, the way Donear has cultivated and helped prosper other brands in the past. I am telling you from the bottom of my heart, that no one would be happier than me to see Mayur Brand growing, prospering and flourishing under Donear group, our distribution network widening with time and employees at Mayur prospering in their careers with the inspiration and support of Donear Group. I just want to say that I am very happy with this transition. Like Rajendra ji said we have been sharing business and family relations starting way back from my Grandfathers time, I wish that our relation keeps growing as well.

The textile focused Donear Group further consolidates its position amongst the top three players in the synthetic fabric business in India. Donear Group continues to scout for larger addressable market with additional product categories. The terms of the transaction are not announced yet and will be disclosed at the appropriate forums through wider communication to all stakeholders.
Offbeet Media Group, a leading content and marketing company lead by a collective of creative and business media veterans, has acquired the 101India brand, its content library, its digital & Social platforms. This marks the company's entry into the consumer media space to exploit the power of digital content consumption, expanding its profile into a media company, creating content for enterprise and consumers at large.

101India has been a pioneering digital content brand bringing unique stories that cut across all genres for the last 5 years. Its content which ranges from Music, Food, Travel, Arts & Culture, Climate Change to Sub culture & counter culture, spanning the Indian continent has been covered and awarded at domestic and global forums both.

The team at Offbeet Media Group has launched some of the most iconic media brands and properties across India's broadcast and digital landscape. Offbeet Media Group has established a credible body of work across Brands, Govt Sector Content, Studio Business, Talent Management and even VR content. Some of their latest work spans across projects with Google Inc US, IPL, Ajay Devgn, BBC Media Action, NFDC, United Breweries, and major corporates and Govt. clients. The company has a robust content studio slate of 200 cr+ with fiction, non-fiction shows, and movies, for which it is in active engagements with Indian OTT and global content companies.

Talking about the acquisition, Jaideep Singh, Founder of Offbeet Media Group, said, "101India fits into our core content strategy and thinking. We believe that we now have a platform and brand to connect with audiences directly with this addition to our group. Despite the second covid wave, we have already done double the revenue of last year in the first four months of this year. Our leadership and core team is our biggest asset, and together we are building India's first fully diversified content company working across Brands, Govt, OTT, Consumer content, and we are future-ready with our steps in VR content as well."

With successful diversified business streams, Offbeet Media Group has enjoyed continuous growth. With this acquisition, they foresee further growth this fiscal year. They plan to hit a 10x growth rate in the next two years.

Bhavya Nidhi Sharma, Chief Creative Officer, Offbeet Media Group, added, "101India and our content DNA is the same. In the world of stories, a place like 101 allows us to tell the stories of culture, subculture, and counter culture across the Indian subcontinent. With 101India, the idea is to push the envelope on How you tell a story and give a free hand to our team of storytellers so we can make a universe where stories can flow freely."

Apart from scaling up the existing IPs of 101 India, the company plans to go deeper into India with atleast 4 new language launches in next 6 months. Moreover, they have a well-developed slate of fiction and non-fiction shows under the 101 originals banner to partner with the Indian OTT marketplace. In addition, there are aggressive plans to market India-centric tentpole IP's for global distribution, for which it already has quite a few discussions underway. The company is also in advanced talks with four brands to come as strategic brand partners wherein these partners would be embedded seamlessly across the content formats and IPs of 101 India, driving the brand objectives to connect with consumers emotionally.
Sunny Singh will be seen in a mythological role in his upcoming film, Adipurush. Having completed one schedule of the film successfully, the actor moves on to the next along with others in the cast.

A source close to the actor shared, "Sunny has begun shooting for the next schedule of Adipurush along with Prabhas & Kriti in Mumbai, its a two month long schedule. Sunny along with others in the cast is also doing dance rehearsals for the songs in this film."

On sets shooting for his upcoming project alongside Prabhas and Kriti, fans of Sunny are excited to get a glimpse of his role in the mythological film based on Hindu epic of Ramayana. The actor is all set to essay the lead role of 'Laxman' in this Pan-India film.

The actor has taken up workouts, fitness regimes to prep for his character and to look true to the part he is essaying. It is going to be a treat to watch Sunny Singh in a mythological setting. The actor has come a long way and fans are really excited to see him explore different genres.
Visa has initiated the Bring India Home drive, a platform intended to support small businesses by encouraging Indians to consider the positive impact that their conscious shopping choices can have on local communities. The platform brings together Indian artisans from all parts of the country, creating handicrafts, goods, apparel; and several such products thereby providing fair and equal opportunity business to all.

Visa will facilitate assistance for SMEs and local brands with Digital Payments, Digital Marketing, Chatbots and Technical assistance. Furthermore, Visa cardholders will get exciting offers and discounts on 200+ brands and 5,000+ products. The Bring India Home website will create awareness among the buyers pan-India, provide an array of ethnic, very Indian products and help consumers extend a hand to artisans to get their businesses back on their feet.

Speaking to Adgully for the column Talking Insights, Sujatha V. Kumar, Head  Marketing, India and South Asia, Visa, speaks about the various issues faced by artisans and Visas mission in empowering them for greater digital and financial inclusion, as well as the positive impact that conscious shopping choices can have on local communities.

What is the brand purpose and objective of the Bring India Home campaign? How is it going to benefit the brand Visa?

The Bring India Home campaign is an initiative by Visa to extend support to small businesses and micro-enterprises across the country. It is a one-stop platform where Indian buyers will be able to explore and shop for local products designed and fabricated by artisans and craftsmen from across the country. Through this program, Visa will amplify and promote local Made-in-India products under various categories and sections, including food, handicrafts, handlooms, art, decor ranging from multiple states, namely Rajasthan, the North-East, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.

The COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown has had a detrimental impact on artisans and craftsmen, whose livelihoods largely depend on handicrafts and selling their wares to shoppers at their location. Visa is providing them with an online platform to promote the handiwork of these talented individuals while making a difference in their livelihood. Furthermore, online shopping has witnessed an upsurge during the lockdown while at the same time propelling a new set of consumers, and we believe this is an opportune time to promote and bring to the fore the efforts of these local craftsmen and help them reach a wider audience.

Your mission is to bring in a digital transformation with the artisan community and empower them and be part of the financial inclusion. Whats going to be your strategy and how do you plan to achieve this successfully?

Visa is a network working for everyone. And small businesses, as we know, are one of the worst-hit communities in the pandemic. Last year, we committed to empowering 50 million small businesses to go online and this initiative is in line with that commitment.

In addition to giving them an online avenue to sell their products, we will be providing a wide array of support and backing to these artisans. Apart from training them on the operations of the platform and enabling them to accept digital payments, Visa will educate and instruct them on the effective deployment of digital marketing while assisting them with chatbots and other technical aspects to enhance the shopping experience. Visa cardholders in turn will get exclusive offers to support and shop from these local businesses.

How is this effort going to help the Visa cardholders and member establishments?

Visa cardholders, through the Bring India Home website, will get exclusive discounts while shopping for more than 5,000 products across 200 brands and businesses. This platform provides an ideal opportunity for the buyers to buy directly from the artisans of India through their Visa payment cards while obtaining discounts and supporting local communities. This not just gives visibility to these micro-enterprises, but is also an effective way to reach consumer segments far wider than only those who come visiting their establishments.

Is this initiative part of the CSR initiative of Visa? How will this unique effort be sustained going forward?

This is not a CSR activity, but through this initiative we do intend to empower segments like artisans who were hitherto underserved or unserved by digital payments, by promoting their handicrafts and products through an exclusive online platform. The Bring India Home website will create awareness among the buyers pan-India, provide an array of ethnic, very Indian products and help consumers extend a hand to artisans to get their businesses back on their feet.

What has been the engagement strategy for this new initiative and who is your target audience for the same? Which markets are you targeting for this special initiative?

With Bring India Home, we are engaging with a wide variety of merchant partners from across categories like handloom, food, handicrafts, jewellery, home decor, etc. We help them list the business and its products online, provide a pathway for fulfilling shopping orders and accepting payments digitally. Through our marketing efforts, we are reaching out to audiences who shop from local small businesses, haats and exhibitions, as historically we have seen that these audiences are early adopters and more inclined to purchase products from local artisans and craftsmen. At present, we have covered 18 states and intend to get more than 1,000 merchants onboard this platform.

How do you plan to measure the success of this great initiative? Have you designed any metrics to gauge the effectiveness and ROI?

The primary objective of the campaign is to not only give visibility to these micro-enterprisesm but also help them expand their business by effectively reaching out to consumer segments far wider than only those who visit their establishments. Through our data-driven marketing communication, we plan to connect these local merchant partners with 13 million-plus audiences and help them gain new business.

(Edited and additional inputs by Shanta Saikia.)
Federal Department of Finance

Bern, 01.09.2021 - Switzerland would like to provide the headquarters for the planned International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). On 31 August 2021, the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) submitted the associated candidature for the city of Geneva and informed the Federal Council. As a location for international organisations, Switzerland would be able to further consolidate its position as a relevant player for financial and economic sustainability.

The establishment of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) is due to be announced by the time of the next international Climate Change Conference (COP26), which will take place in Glasgow in November 2021. The aim is that, in the future, the Board will draw up global standards on climate-related financial reporting for businesses, based on the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

In a letter signed by Finance Minister Ueli Maurer and sent to the responsible international standard-setting body IFRS in London, the Federal Council, the city and canton of Geneva, and a number of business associations present Geneva as the ideal location for the ISSB headquarters. Owing to its unique proximity to important international organisations and NGOs, Geneva has a global outreach and is recognised throughout the world as an independent and neutral negotiation venue.

Switzerland is a credible host country for such a body. It has committed itself to ambitious climate-protection measures aimed at bringing greenhouse gas emissions down by 50% by 2030, and reducing them to zero by 2050. In addition, Switzerland has explicitly recognised the TCFD recommendations. A decision on the location is due to be made before the end of this year.

Address for enquiries

FDF Communications

Tel. +41 58 462 60 33, info@gs-efd.admin.ch

Publisher

Federal Department of Finance

https://www.efd.admin.ch/efd/en/home.html



State Secretariat for International Financial Matters

http://www.sif.admin.ch




Alton, IL (62002)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 64F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Linda Caldwell is the former executive director of the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association. She has served on numerous regional, state, and national boards for organizations that focus on history, preservation, community arts, and rural economic development. She can be reached at lindacaldwell1942@gmail.com
Dr. Dennis Cagle is the founder of Xaltm LLC who has been a pastor for 36 years and currently works as a church consultant. He is a former resident of McMinn County and current resident of Tellico Plains. He can be contacted at xaltm@yahoo.com
Drone infrastructure provider and operator Skyports and Korean firm Kencoa Aerospace are to run a trial for cargo drone deliveries to and on South Koreas Jeju Island.

The project aims to enhance logistics capabilities on South Koreas largest island, which is located approximately 60 miles south of the mainland in the Korea Strait.

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An agreement between the two companies will initiate the development of cargo drone delivery capabilities to enable the carriage of critical supplies, including medical provisions, across the island.

As part of the project, Skyports will undertake a proof-of-concept to demonstrate the benefits and capabilities of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations on Jeju Island. In addition, the company will also conduct a feasibility assessment of setting up a cargo drone vertiport and accumulate critical eVTOL operations data ahead of the commencement of commercial operations.

To facilitate the project, Kencoa Aerospace will provide essential insight into the South Korean advanced air mobility (AAM) infrastructure ecosystem. The company has already established a drone operation division on Jeju Island to provide local operation headquarters.

In addition, Kencoa Aerospace will lead on the recruitment of suitable personnel and establish a critical relationship with Jeju Island governmental agencies to support the commercialisation of cargo drone operations.

Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports, said: South Korea is ripe with opportunity in the advanced air mobility space, and Jeju Islands specific volcanic and island geography provides a unique backdrop on which to demonstrate the benefits of drone logistics.

With our BVLOS cargo drone operations, delivery services on the island will be up to six times faster, with carbon emissions reduced by up to 90%. Drone deliveries have the potential to totally transform services for residents and healthcare providers, and were excited to be amongst the first movers in South Korea  and globally.

Kenny Lee, CEO of Kencoa Aerospace, said: Through this partnership with Skyports, a global technology leader in the AAM industry, we will commence drone deliveries in Jeju Province before establishing AAM infrastructure and expanding into the air taxi industry. Jejus excellent tourist resources will promote the commercialisation of our AAM services. The strength of this partnership will enable the fastest commercial launch in Korea.

Skyports has run drone delivery projects in the UK, including the first COVID-19 test drone delivery service in Scotland with the NHS and the operation of an inter-island medical drone delivery service between the Isles of Scilly for Royal Mail. The company has also buily a full-scale passenger air taxi vertiport  the take-off and landing infrastructure for eVTOL aircraft  for a trial that took place in Singapore in 2019.

Kencoa Aerospace is partnering with multiple advanced air mobility companies throughout the world to facilitate the creation of AAM networks globally and in Korea. To date, partners include Hanwha Systems, Korean Air, Airbus, Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
What started as a napkin drawing that expanded to over a dozen patents has just revolutionized the self-propelled farm sprayer industry.

The Fendt Rogator 900 Series, touted as the most significant revision since AgChem came out with their first drivable sprayer in 1972, adjusts between its standard height clearance of (56-60 inches) and high clearance (72-76 inches) in 45 seconds.

The machine chassis and spray system hydraulically raise up with the push of one button.

This feature turns one sprayer into two. The standard setting is used for pre-emerge, early growing, and post-harvest applications  as well as for driving down the road.

The high clearance puts the machine and driver above tall crops like corn from tassel to maturity  as well as sunflower and specialty crops. Once the machine chassis is in place, the booms can be adjusted to a height for optimal coverage and application success.

The new self-propelled sprayer was introduced at dealer and media meetings held near Milwaukee, Wis., in early August.

Customers can see the new Fendt Rogator at the 2021 Farm Progress show in Decatur, Ill., on Aug. 31-Sept. 2, at AGCO Lot #333.

Rogator is an exclusive product of AGCO that has research and development teams around the world.

Development of the Fendt Rogator took approximately five years and resulted in a completely new machine, said Craig Jorgensen, national accounts manager for AGCOs Application Division based in Jackson, Minn.

The Fendt Rogator was designed and engineered in Jackson and is built there, as well.
SIDNEY, Mont. Montana State Universitys Eastern Ag Research Center in Sidney has been a good nursery to test winter wheat varieties - for the entire state.

Not many of our farmers (in Sidney) grow winter wheat. We mostly grow spring wheat. However, our dryland winter wheat nursery at Sidney is a perfect place to screen varieties for winter survival, said Chengci Chen, MSU EARC supervisor and cropping systems agronomist at the 2021 EARC field days. Last year, we got really good winter kill on our dryland nursery.

Jim Berg, MSU research associate in the winter wheat breeding program, was at Sidneys field day, speaking officially for the first time. Berg said Phil Bruckner, MSU winter wheat breeder, officially retired in March, although Bruckner remains at the university. Berg plans to retire in September 2021 and has worked with Bruckner for 27 years.

Because Phil Bruckner is not here, I have been going to all these field days and this is my 10th field day, Berg said. I have been working under Phil as his associate for the last 27 years, and I have done more talks this summer since he has been gone than in the previous 27 years.

Berg said a new winter wheat breeder, as well as a new spring wheat breeder, should be in place by the time Montana farmers finish planting winter wheat this fall.

Id like to thank you for keeping this winter wheat breeding nursing going in Sidney. This nursery is a more winter hardy nursery than anything else, he said. But this year, it will also test drought.
https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Rosh-Hashanah-Its-Not-about-Whos-Been-Naughty-or-Nice.html

Like a CEO of a major conglomerate, God is setting the budgets and determining each person's role, based on the level of responsibility we are ready to take.

Growing up, I viewed Rosh Hashanah as a Jewish version of Santa Claus coming to town, with God replacing the big man in red.

He's making a list,

He's checking it twice,

He's gonna find out who's naughty or nice

(Santa Claus) God is coming to town He sees you when you're sleeping

And he knows when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good

So be good for goodness sake!

With that jingle as my reference point, including the rollicking Springsteen version, it was difficult to take this Jewish holiday seriously.

That all changed once I actually learned about the deeper meaning of the Jewish new year.

God is hitting the reset button and recreating the world and your place within it, anew.

Turns out God isn't looking over the past year to find out who's been naughty or nice; He's actually hitting the reset button and recreating the world and your place within it, anew. Like a CEO of a major conglomerate, God is setting the budgets and determining each person's role, based on the level of responsibility we are genuinely ready to take.

Jewish holidays are not merely commemorative. Each holiday opens a unique spiritual portal in time that enables us to relive the experience our ancestors went through. For instance, Passover doesn't just remind us of our exodus from Egypt; it's the time of the year we ourselves can access freedom and redemption like never before.

What happened on Rosh Hashanah that makes this the "Day of Judgment"?

The Talmud gives a fascinating reply: On Rosh Hashanah, the first of Tishrei, God conceived the world. Nothing actually existed yet! Actual creation didn't occur until six months later during Nissan, the month of Passover. Rosh Hashanah has the unique potential to concretize your vision for the new year, to conceive of goals and blueprints. It's the ultimate blank slate when everything is possible.1

So the judgment of Rosh Hashanah can't be based on our past performance because there simply is no past! We are re-experiencing the conception of the world, the very beginning point when God is handing out potential for all that is to come this new year.

This explains why there is no mention of repentance in the Rosh Hashanah prayers, because the emphasis is on declaring with the utmost clarity and passion your vision of the coming year. We look forward, not back. The reset button has been hit; you are no longer weighed down by your previous baggage of regrets and failures. It's a new beginning and everything is up for grabs, as long as it is what you truly desire.

And with this newfound clarity you can look back at the previous year and examine the mistakes and obstacles you need to address in order to realign yourself with your dreams and aspirations, and make them a reality. That's what Yom Kippur is all about, and why it follows Rosh Hashanah.

Bottom line, now is the time to get clarity, recalibrate, and come into Rosh Hashanah fired up to passionately work on attaining your dream goals for the upcoming year. All the potential growth you can reach this year is being invested on this day. That is the judgment God is rendering this day.

So take some time in the coming days and think about the following questions:

In my quietest moments, what do I yearn for?

What are my unique set of skills and traits, and how can I use them more effectively to better my community and the world?

What does God want from me?

What change in my life that would make a significant difference in actualizing my potential and feeling a greater sense of meaning and purpose in life?

How can I improve my most important relationships?

Shana tova! May we all be blessed with a year of good health, joy, wisdom and clarity.

(See Tosafot, Rosh Hashana, 27a, and Rabbi Chaim Friedlander's Sifsei Chaim, Moadim, Vol. 1)
Helen Mae Alexander, age 57, of Amorita, Oklahoma, passed away August 24, 2021, in Omaha, Nebraska, after a brave and lengthy battle with breast cancer and sarcoma of the lung.

Helen was born November 21, 1963, in Kiowa, Kansas, to William Alexander Jr. and Mary Katherine (Stewart) Alexander. She graduated from Burlington High School in 1982 and Northwestern Oklahoma State University in 1987. After college, Helen lived in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area and then in Wichita, Kansas, for many years. She started working for AT&T in Goddard, Kansas, until she transferred to Omaha, Nebraska, in February 1993. She continued working for AT&T, Lucent Technologies, Avaya and Connectivity Solutions until the factory was shut down. After that she returned home to Oklahoma and assisted her mom in her final years. She then continued helping others in the community until returning to Omaha the final time for treatment in 2020.

Helen is survived by her brothers, Gary Alexander and wife Rhonda of Cimarron, Kansas, and Phillip Alexander and wife Lisabet of Gretna, Nebraska; her nieces and nephews and their children, many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Mary Alexander; her brother, Mike; grandparents; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Sunday, September 5, 2021, at 4 p.m. at the Driftwood Christian Church in Cherokee, Oklahoma, with Mr. Rod Rieger officiating. Interment will follow the service at Byron  Amorita Cemetery. There is no visitation as cremation has taken place.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Driftwood Christian Church in Cherokee, Oklahoma, or Josie Harper Hospice House in Omaha, Nebraska, in care of Swaim Funeral Chapel, 1901 Sixth Ave., Dodge City, Kansas 67801. Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at http://www.swaimfuneralhome.com.
Paralee and Jim Soper display the Quilt of Honor presented to him by Colette Herrin. The award he holds is depicted on the quilt. Photo provided

Tucked away in the small village of Waterville, Washington, a master quilt maker resides, following her heart's dream of honoring specific combat soldiers who have touched her life and soul. An active member of Quilts of Valor, the national group of men and women who create handmade quilts as tribute to the nation's veterans, the lady decided to branch out on her own and started a group called Quilts of Honor.

The criteria for receiving one of the special red, white and blue Quilts of Valor are highly selective. The first category is particularly noteworthy, because the soldier, sailor or airman lost his or her life in the service of the nation during combat. Subsequently, the quilt is presented to the parents or spouse. The living recipients of a Quilt of Honor are service members who have personally touched the quilter's heart because of their courage, high level of integrity, and sacrifice of self and family for the United States of America.

Colette Herrin, the quilt maker with a quick smile and quiet demeanor, is also a U.S. Army veteran with two tours of service. One was with the 9th Division, Fort Lewis, Washington, and the second was with 8th Army headquarters in South Korea.

Herrin is a decorated veteran in her own right, serving as a specialist fifth class, the equal rank of sergeant, for some of the highest-ranking military staffs. Her awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Women's Army Corps Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.

While Herrin was in the Army, she was selected to serve on the White House Military Protocol Office staff in Washington, D.C.; however, she declined the assignment in order to support her husband Tom's military career and to raise their three children.

Herrin's chosen living recipient for a 2017 Quilt of Honor is a professional soldier born and raised in Medicine Lodge, Kansas. Recently retired US Army Major James T. Soper and his wife Paralee traveled to Waterville to receive Jim's specifically designed Quilt of Honor. Herrin also made a Quilt of Friendship in honor of his wife Paralee and her support for Jim.

Herrin said when she designs a quilt for a chosen recipient, embedded are identifiable markers as a testament to the person's bravery and courage. To honor Jim's service, holder of 11 battlefield decorations from combat in Vietnam, Somalia and Iraq, among numerous achievement and service awards and badges, the highest award is embroidered at the top of the quilt. Stars are sewn in 3D denoting Purple Hearts, and four more stars to signify the wars and battles he was involved in during 32 years of service. (For those of us with an untrained eye, five miles of thread was used in making Jim's Quilt of Honor, an original creation by Herrin.)

The story of Colette and her husband Tom's friendship with Jim and Paralee began in 1975 when all were stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. However, as assignments happen in the Army, trails go different directions and contact was lost until Paralee found Colette on social media in 2016.

As the two friends reconnected, Colette learned of the many events during Jim's Army service, all over the world. Needless to say, Colette was profoundly touched by all that happened in Jim and Paralee's lives, resulting in the decision to create the Quilts of Honor and Friendship.

As the story continued to unfold, Colette learned of other events and accolades paid to Jim through the years. For example, he was one of the first three soldiers selected to parachute with the Mexican Army's Parachute Brigade and holds the honor of wearing Mexican Senior Parachutist wings. Because of those first three men's effort, numerous exchange programs have taken place between the United States and Mexico.

A display of Collette Herrin's awards includes a photo of Herrin in her U.S. Army uniform. Photo provided

In addition to being a proven battlefield warrior, he also earned distinction as a foreign area officer for the U.S. Army, specializing in Latin America, and graduated from the Mexican Army's Superior School of War. He was then selected and attended the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College located at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, earning an additional specialty as a military strategist. Jim also graduated from the University of Washington (BA in political science) and the University of Kansas (MA in Latin America studies).

Upon conclusion of his Army career, and a second career as public school education administrator, Jim and Paralee retired to his hometown of Medicine Lodge living quietly among the red hills of southern Kansas, where he spends time writing, and enjoying family, friends and their dog "Charlie." A retirement well earned.
Americans are generous and ready to step up to help those in need. Hurricane Ida has damaged the power grid and left many people stranded in Louisiana. While you may want to send relief supplies, the organizations that are experts in this kind of recovery say what they need is money. They can buy supplies in bulk quantities that make donations go further.

Here are some examples from Good 360 of what well-meaning people send after disasters:

According to a study led by Jose Holguin-Veras, an expert on humanitarian logistics, 50 to 70 percent of the goods that arrive during emergencies is not needed or appropriate for the recovery nor the region.

Some of the most mismatched items sent during times of crisis, as cataloged by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and its Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI), include:

 Weight-loss drinks and chandeliers donated after the Rwandan genocide of 1994

 Prom gowns given to Honduras after Hurricane Mitch

 Fertility drugs sent to the island nation after the 2010 Haiti earthquake

Good360 offers this advice:

Its natural to see images of devastation on TV and have an immediate, emotionally driven urge to do something. But this often leads to unintentional consequences, poor planning and unwanted donations. For example, one California community was inundated with 50,000 sticks of deodorant after a devastating wildfire. Disaster relief experts call this the second disaster.

To avoid wasteful giving, take the long-term view when planning your disaster response. Many disaster-hit communities are flooded with donations in the first days and weeks of a catastrophe, but they are left to fend for themselves in the months and years to come.

Shift your giving from a reactionary approach to one thats focused on creating resiliency. Consider how you can help a community build back even stronger than they were before the disaster.

Drought and Fire Danger

The frequency of rural fires in this area is concerning. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows northwest Oklahoma as being in a moderate drought. Weve had very little rain lately, and conditions in pastures and fields are ripe for fires.

Please keep this in mind if youre in a rural area. The heat from an exhaust on a vehicle in dry grass or an inadvertent toss of a burning cigarette could spark a blaze.

The Cost of Waiting

The Covid vaccine is now 65% effective, but still prevents major illness.

When we began this year, the Food and Drug Administration estimated that our Covid-19 vaccines were 90% effective. But we took too long to get vaccinated and, now that the virus has had time to find ways around the vaccines, the shots are about 65% effective. As vaccines go, that is not awful, but we have missed the chance we once had to end the pandemic. And the vaccines are still very effective at keeping you out of the hospital.

This stark assessment is contained in a new, deep study published by the CDC. The study ran 35 weeks and involved more than 4,100 people from Dec. 14, 2020 through Aug. 14, 2021. The researchers opened the door that longer studies may alter the results. The patients in this study were all health care personnel, first responders, and other essential and frontline workers who receive weekly tests in Miami, Florida; Duluth, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Temple, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.

The researchers also point out that even with reduced efficacy, the vaccines work quite well at protecting you from severe illness. The vaccines just cannot protect you from milder cases of Covid-19.

Normal may come in the spring? Dr. Anthony Fauci says if we step up and get vaccinated, we might get back to our pre-pandemic way of life in spring 2022.

Delayed Surgeries, Staffing Shortages

Roll Call alerts us that yes, hospitals are full in some places, but not all from Covid-19. A lot of it is, however, related to Covid-19. Some of the contributing problems range from delayed surgeries that are now urgent to mental health problems among children.

Rising Covid-19 cases combined with delayed non-Covid-19 medical procedures is having a ripple effect, forcing some patients who need care to travel further and further away from their homes, said Dave Dillon, the spokesman for the Missouri Hospital Association.

Even states less affected by the current wave of Covid-19 cases have reported spikes in hospitalizations and limited intensive-care bed availability as more modest increases in Covid-19 cases combine with a backlog of surgeries put off in 2020 and surges in mental health cases linked to the pandemic.

Its not just that more people are coming in the door, but increasingly we're having some struggles, getting people out of the hospital, in part because we're seeing staffing shortages, all throughout health care, said Nancy Foster, vice president for quality and patient safety policy at the American Hospital Association.

Fully Vaccinated 29 Times Less Likely to be Hospitalized

A large California study based on 43,000 patients found that unvaccinated people were 29 times more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated people and about five times more likely to be infected than vaccinated people.

This explains why full vaccination is so important. But full vaccination is not a guarantee you will not be infected. The exact language of the study states:

Much lower percentages of fully vaccinated persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 were hospitalized (3.2%), were admitted to an intensive care unit (0.5%), and required mechanical ventilation (0.2%) compared with partially vaccinated persons (6.2%, 1.0%, and 0.3%, respectively) and unvaccinated persons (7.6%, 1.5%, and 0.5%, respectively).

On July 25, the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate among unvaccinated persons was 4.9 times and the hospitalization rate was 29.2 times the rates among fully vaccinated persons.

Local Covid Numbers

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) provides daily updates on new Covid-19 infections. However, the breakdown on the city and county level is only available weekly on Wednesdays.

In the last update on Aug. 25, Alfalfa County had 21 active cases, a decrease of one from the previous week. Woods Count had 64, an increase of two. Grant County was at 10, Harper County four, Major County 37 and Woodward County 36. All of these counties were at the orange risk level like most of the state. In Tuesdays report, the OSDH said there are 22,796 active cases in Oklahoma.
California parole commissioners have recommended political assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, for parole after serving 50 years in prison. As a society we should be outraged yet there is little heard about this not-so-surprising turn of events. The decision is now up to Governor Gavin Newsom to either accept or reverse their finding.

Sirhan, a Palestinian militant and Jordanian citizen who lived in California, was actively fighting against U.S. support of Israel in the 1960s. His radicalism culminated in the cold-blooded attack against a sitting senator, Robert F. Kennedy, who was running for the presidency and had pro-Israel leanings. Shortly after midnight on the morning of June 5, 1968, as RFK was celebrating primary victories in California, Sirhan attacked and assassinated him in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. In addition to the death of RFK, Sirhan wounded five others; although they were able to recover from their injuries and survived.

RFKs assassination came at a very tumultuous time in American history. In April of 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was brutally gunned down in Memphis. The country was battling race riots and contending with the effects of the Vietnam war. All of this transpired just five years after the assassination of JFK. The nation was battered and bruised and the senseless loss of life due to political differences was heartbreaking.

Our society must preserve the rule of law and punish those who break it. Sirhan, regardless of his time served, committed a heinous act. Not only did he murder a man, but he also scarred countless lives. Think of the children who grew up without a father, or the nameless victims that suffered wounds at his hands. There are many unknown, tangential stories of pain and grief because of his violent act. This should not be discounted.

If we are unable to hold criminals, especially political assassins, responsible for the crimes they commit then our society will fall into anarchy. Unfortunately, this is exactly what is happening. Anarchy already exists in our cities and at our border: we see catch and release of illegals who have broken our immigration laws, scenes from San Francisco of people looting and remaining unpunished as long as the value of their stolen goods doesnt surpass the prescribed threshold or criminals in New York who are being released arbitrarily back into society.

And so in this culture of empty law and order, we have parole commissioners who have decided to take it upon themselves to further erode the rule of law by releasing a proven assassin. This is a man who was convicted and sentenced to death -- a sentence which was later commuted to life in prison when California abolished the death penalty in 1972.

Conspicuously, neither Los Angeles district attorney George Gascon nor any of his attorneys were present during the parole hearing to represent the prosecutorial side of the case. It is Gascons policy to remain neutral during these parole hearings, and so once again we see the feckless application of the rule of law. Essentially, the political elites have determined that it isnt worth their time or effort to reinforce the earlier findings of the court, and ensure this assassin, and other criminals, remain behind bars.

RFKs wife, Ethel, once desired to show mercy to Sirhan for his crimes and requested that he not be put to death, but neither did she request a complete release, something which her son Joseph is currently battling.

We can forgive someone for their crime, but it doesnt take away the fact that they still must face the consequences. Sirhan was forgiven by many of the Kennedys, but it doesnt lessen the need for him to pay the price for his actions. He faces a horrible consequence: life in prison, but it was his own personal decision to act, to commit a crime, to take anothers life, that put him there. We must also never forget the price that was paid by RFK: his own life. He didnt get to choose. He didnt have the opportunity to have a board of commissioners, some five decades after the sting of the crime, to give back his life. We must honor the life lost, uphold our laws, and never forget the pain that Sirhan caused. Forgiveness does not mean that we should forget.

Theres also something to be said for allowing a convicted assassin to walk free again in our society. It is embarrassing. How do we as a society say that its acceptable to kill someone and injure several others, convict them, and then later, as the social and cultural tenor changes, release that person back into our society, the same society they hated and attacked. In this case, it shows that political violence is acceptable at least at some level. It shows would-be assassins and criminals that an attack on a political leader is justifiable, as long as your political beliefs align with the current, popular narrative.

This mindset, a shifting of cultural mores to wokism, has not only undermined our national history but also our own law and order, and now we see it coming to fruition with the probable parole of Sirhan, a convicted assassin.

I respect the fact that many of the Kennedys have forgiven him, that Sirhan himself has asked for forgiveness, but it doesnt negate the importance of our laws and the application of them without concern for emotions, feelings, or present-day woke sentiments. Enforcement of our laws is to be blind and focused on finding justice for the victims, not meeting the political ideals of our current elected officials.

Lets not forget who Sirhan was and is -- an assassin. Lets not forget that his crime incurred a penalty. We can still forgive, but that debt must be paid.

Jason D. Bland is a Doctoral student at Regent University, specializing in Strategic Leadership. His writing focuses on leadership as well as social and political commentary from a conservative, Christian worldview. He has led organizational operations in both the military and civilian sectors, and also provides freelance leadership consulting and coaching.

Image: California Department of Corrections

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If you take the time to piece together the puzzle, you begin to see a very disturbing picture. In seven short months, the Biden administration hasnt only, via policy and executive decisions, precipitated a dire crisis on the U.S. southern border and an unforced debacle in Afghanistan -- the latter with dark strategic implications vis-a-vis the PRC, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, along with an anticipated resurgence in terrorism but appears to seek to break the American spirit.

The picture emerging strongly suggests that demoralizing Americans isnt merely a consequence of bad policies, poor decision-making, and incompetence.

We know this: control requires submission. Saul Alinsky summed up the argument for demoralization to achieve control: Rule 3: Whenever possible, go outside the experience of an opponent. Here you want to cause confusion, fear, and retreat.

In a nation of 330 million souls, accustomed as a birthright to independence, submission must be exacted through the threat or use of force and through the enervation of spirit. A beaten-down people are an acquiescent people. Go ask Russians -- those still living who endured the Soviet era and who suffer under Putins authoritarianism.

The COVID pandemic provided the excuse for the abridgment of our constitutional rights. The threat of force has been a constant should citizens, enterprises, and institutions fail to comply with lockdown and mask edicts. The talk of vaccination passports is increasing. Democrat governors, in the main, manipulated fear to induce compliance. Across the nation, lockdowns led to soaring drug and alcohol abuse, depression, and suicide spikes, particularly among children and adolescents. Domestic violence increased.

The left-dominated Democratic Party is trying to destroy the compact between a free people and their government. Their reset is to replace constitutional government with one-party rule while pushing the charade of two-party competition. This isnt supposition. Democrats are actively pursuing legislation to end free and fair elections.

Last year, Democrat-run cities were turned over to Antifa- and BLM-incited mobs. Stores were looted, violence went unchecked, and cities burned. Joe Biden and national Democrats sat by, mostly mute, though some Democrats condoned the mayhem.

Though the riots were testaments to the moral squalor and impotence of Democrat governors, mayors, and city councils, the explosions had a larger, unstated message to Americans: Law and order are no longer guaranteed. Mobs rule. Government wont protect you from the power of mobs.

While the principal goal of dissolving Americas southern border is crass politics (Democrats want to grow their constituencies and voter base with illegals), an ancillary advantage is the message that an evaporated border sends to us Americans: Were no longer a people in charge of our destiny.

America is being reduced to an open-air market, with anyone from anywhere coming as pleases -- of course, under the protective eye of the Democratic Party, whose worldview dovetails with globalist goals.

The Washington Examiner reported on August 22 that U.S. border agents morale is cratering. The U.S.-Mexican border was thrown wide-open in January thanks to Biden administration policy. Two million illegals are streaming into the U.S. this year alone. Agents arent just overwhelmed; theyve been handcuffed by the nations chief executive.

From the Examiner article:

Morale is in the toilet, said Jon Anfinsen, a spokesman for the Border Patrol's union. "Morale is low because agents aren't allowed to do their job  if our job is to be out patrolling the border in between the ports of entry and actively searching for people who have crossed illegally, but we're not allowed to go do that job, it basically creates this defeated feeling in everyone."

But the border patrol isnt alone in taking a hit to morale. The U.S. military -- rank-and-file soldiers and field officers -- are being subjected to heavy doses of woke.

This from Legal Insurrection, July 7:

The woke priorities are now trickling down to our troops, and reports are now surfacing about some humiliating drills and exercises that boost neither morale nor preparedness among our service personnel. To begin with, active duty members of the Navy in San Diego were recently forced to take part in a mandatory diversity hike during which they flew LGBT flags. Of course, American flags were nowhere to be seen.

Then theres the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley. Milley went before the House Armed Services Committee in June. In his remarks, the general rationalized Critical Race Theory.

Milleys openness to CRT, in fact, defends a Marxist construct calculated to foster crippling divisions and has as its practical consequence ongoing conflict. No? Check out the disastrous effects that similar doctrine had on Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) and is having on South Africa. CRT seeks to separate Americans by skin color and denigrates whites as culprits in the lefts false claim of systemic racism.

Are we to believe that theres no adverse impact on troop morale when the joint chiefs chairman testifies favorably, if mealy-mouthed, for a doctrine that will, if implemented, pit white against black, and blacks against every other race?

But Milleys damage isnt limited to injecting the poison of CRT into the militarys bloodstream -- as horrific as that alone is.

Milley damn well knew that the situation on the ground in Afghanistan had been deteriorating for months -- if he didnt, hes a gross incompetent -- yet he openly and repeatedly lied to conform to the Biden administrations false narrative.

In a withering estimate of Milley, Joy Pullmann wrote this at the Federalist on August 18:

What has Milley been doing as these events culminated in a spectacular national failure? Defying elected civilian control of the U.S. military, participating in top generals decades of big lies to foment their greed at Americas expense, demoralizing troops by endorsing the same racial extremism the Chinese Communist Party uses to destabilize the United States, and training military resources on American citizens over nonviolent political views. These are grounds for his resignation, firing, and prosecution. [italics added.]

The damage this man is doing to the armed services and the esprit de corps of the men and women who wear uniforms is profound.

And what of the Biden administrations Afghanistan surrender? Americas warriors are ready, willing, and able to rescue Americans and Afghani allies stranded behind Taliban perimeters and checkpoints. Yet, Joe Biden and his handlers refuse to permit our military to engage in operations to save these innocents from the Talibans clutches.

As to the continuing disaster and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, when has a U.S. president abandoned countrymen to fates that will surely involve imprisonment, torture, and death at the hands of an enemy? Including Afghani loyalists, the scope of the depravity and carnage to come will be mind-numbing.

Biden has rendered our world-class military impotent in Afghanistan. This imposed feebleness is bad enough, but it sends another message to Americans: The United States is no longer the worlds dominant power. Were capitulating to an irregular army of mostly Pashtun tribesmen. We must accept their terms and abide by their directives. The vanquished must submit.

Which brings us back to a peoples submission. Thats indeed a goal of the elites who underwrite the Democratic Party, the left that provides votes and muscle, and the establishment players who profit from it. Its easier to conquer the downtrodden.

Whether or not this sinister Biden-fronted coalition succeeds is in our hands -- the hands of tens of millions of patriotic Americans. Our spirits can only break if we allow it. Unbroken, we can -- we must -- defeat this gathering tyranny.

J. Robert Smith can be found on Parler @JRobertSmith and more so at Gab, again @JRobertSmith. He also blogs at Flyover.

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The catastrophic implications of the incompetent U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan are difficult to exaggerate. The effects of this debacle are apt to reverberate well beyond the lifetime of anyone reading this, for there can be no doubt that this perceived Taliban victory has infused new life into the Islamist campaign against the West. The roots of Islamism run deep and cannot be reduced to the kinds of conspicuous and easily understandable complaints that are often identified as "root causes" of violent political outbursts. Violent Islamism was invented as an effort to make sense of and reverse the Islamic world's perceived decline, and this is what drives the Islamists to prosecute a holy war against the West.

Islam's history began with a series of sweeping triumphs, as disparate tribes united under a single religious confession and conquered vast swathes of territory, eventually growing into a great civilization. These early successes were seen as proof that the Muslim community enjoyed God's favor. The Islamic world rivaled the West in wealth, power, and influence; it was a dynamic and effective competitor on the world stage. It no longer is and has not been for centuries. The Muslim world stands diminished, divided, and overshadowed. To the Islamists, the only explanation for this tragic turn of events is that God has withdrawn his favor from the Muslim community, and this could only mean that the Muslim community had ceased to heed the teachings of God's messenger, Muhammad. To the Islamists, a religious revival is key to regaining what they see as their rightful place in the world, and this revival requires the embrace and prosecution of violent jihad.

Like any other monomaniacal totalitarian activist, the Islamist sees the world as totally wrong and in need of drastic, violent correction. The Sunni fanatics who have once again taken possession of Afghanistan see the world through the eyes of the chief inventor of Islamism, Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966). Qutb articulated his vision in a large body of writings, which include a voluminous commentary on the Quran. Qutb taught that the contemporary world has relapsed into a state of jahiliyyah -- that period of heedlessness and godlessness that preceded the revelation of the Quran. In his view, jahiliyyah afflicted not only the non-Muslim world, but had also come to characterize the corrupt, decadent Muslim world as well -- what passes for Islam is not true Islam, and most nominal Muslims are not true Muslims. The Islamist project may be summarized as an effort to roll back jahiliyyah, thereby reviving the fortunes of the Muslim community to assume its rightful place on the world stage.

It must be stressed that violent Islamists place the vast majority of practicing Muslims among their enemies. In 1978 Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed a peace treaty with the state of Israel; Sadat was assassinated in 1981 by a radical Islamist group whose members included Ayman al-Zawahiri, a physician who would eventually succeed Osama bin Laden as head of al Qaeda. At the time of Sadat's assassination, Zawahiri was arrested and imprisoned for his suspected role in the conspiracy. In footage shot at the time, Zawahiri and his co-defendants are seen in a prison cell and Zawahiri can be heard screaming at his jailers "We are Muslims!" Now, one might at first be inclined to naively assume that he is appealing to a sense of solidarity (as if to say, "We're like you -- we too are Muslims"), but what he was proclaiming to his jailers was in effect: "Unlike you - we are Muslims!" The Islamists believe they are the only true Muslims -- the only genuine followers of God on earth.

The present state of the world -- with non-Muslim states ascendant and dominant -- is intolerable to the Islamists. Power and prosperity belong rightfully only to those who acknowledge God's supremacy. Following Qutb, the Islamists hold that any society that fails to organize itself as an Islamic theocracy (as the Taliban does) is guilty of denying God's sovereignty and is worthy of destruction. No human community has a right to govern itself -- all human communities belong under the rule of Islam. The West's rejection of the theocratic ideal makes it an enemy of true Islam. The Islamists believe themselves mandated to restore the rule of God on earth (indistinguishable, of course, from their own rule).

What lessons are to be drawn from this? In the first place, we should recognize we didn't ask for this conflict -- we didn't provoke it. One needn't provoke an enemy like this in order to incur its hostility; the mere act of existing in defiance of their religious expectations is sufficient to earn a death sentence. Since we did not choose this conflict, we cannot unilaterally choose to end it; withdrawal from the most active battlespace will not end the war. Any assumption that it would is simply delusional. In the second place, the enemy's religious expectations are key to crafting their ultimate defeat. The enemy believes God favors them. The key to defeating them is to disabuse them of this notion -- to persuade them that, despite their pretensions, God does not favor them and is not about to reward them with mastery of the world. This requires defeating them consistently over time. Every defeat, every setback, every battlefield failure threatens to fatally undermine their confidence, demoralizing them and calling into question the soundness of their vocation. A clear pattern of defeat would ultimately dry up their recruiting, shrink their movement, and effectively end the war.

How do matters presently stand? To begin with, one should recognize that an understanding of the power and appeal of the kind of religious fanaticism the Taliban promotes is simply beyond the capacity of our latte-sipping, pronoun-parsing, ladder-climbing "elites." The Biden administration's obscene mishandling of Afghanistan has handed the Taliban a monumental victory, and the victors will now cede all glory to God. Their religious expectations have been fulfilled, and God's favor now shines brightly upon them. It is difficult to imagine how the enemy could be any more highly encouraged. The impression of triumph we have handed the Taliban will prolong the war they started on 9/11 by bolstering their belief in their own divinely appointed mission. The Biden administration has effectively endorsed the myth of Islamic supremacy that fuels Islamist belligerence, and the consequences may be felt for generations.

And for what? Why cut and run so precipitously from what would seem to have been a militarily manageable situation? Was it really so a calloused, senile, leering, corrupt, barely-conscious, suited-up mannequin could deliver an applause line on 9/11 about ending a war he clearly never understood and could not be bothered to take seriously? Was it so the general in charge of this mess could go back to agonizing over "white rage"? It is difficult to imagine the nation being worse led than it currently is. These repulsive clowns have handed an entire nation -- along with troves of highly sophisticated American arms -- to a barbaric gang whose main peacetime preoccupation would seem to be the wholesale brutalization of women and girls.

Those of us who champion the cause of the West see the West faced with myriad and diverse challenges. Some of these (like Islamism) come from outside our shared culture, while others (like postmodern fascism and critical theory racism) have emerged from within. Our culture, in all its richness and intellectual diversity, can equip us to rise to these challenges, and we should endeavor to do this, despite the fact that we are at present in no position to outshout the charlatans and imposters who have worked so hard to hollow it out from within and some of whom have just presided over a devastating and unnecessary military defeat.

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Cambridge University's Archaeological Museum is planning to explain the whiteness of its sculpture plaster casts as part of its anti-racist strategy. The plaster casts in the museum and lecture rooms are said to give a misleading impression of the whiteness and absence of diversity of the ancient world.

The Cambridge classics faculty says it will draw attention to the diversity of those figured in the casts, to the ways in which color has been lost and can be restored, and to the role of classical sculpture in the history of racism. These plans have met with a strong reaction. One of the finest departments of the humanities in the Western world is giving official credence to the allegation of more than two hundred students, academics, alumni, and even some of the staff, who in an open letter to the classics faculty board called for an acknowledgment of the existence of systemic racism within the Classics Department.

The classics faculty responded with a statement of plans to address the accusations of racism. It will erect signs to explain the whiteness of the plaster casts. Faculty will be encouraged to include content warnings in course materials, lectures and readings. Tutors will receive training on how to discuss sensitive issues, even if they are uncomfortable. The present proposal is that all members of the classics faculty should be given implicit bias training every three years, and their teaching should be monitored. Is Cambridge becoming biblical? "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow?"

White plaster casts are not the only cause of concern. Birds have it, insects have it, over-educated moths in your rugs have it  what's the use of mothballs? British and American scientists are beginning to change the common names, first given in the early 20th century, of plants, insects, and animal species, that perpetuate negative stereotypes and cause offense. The Entomological Society of America says many of the names of insects are problematic, venerating questionable people, or are unacceptable racist slurs. The Society gave the examples of the Gypsy moth and Scott's oriole and has removed the word "gypsy," which is often regarded as a pejorative term and may refer to negative stereotypes of the group.

The Entomological Society suggests that people use the scientific names, Lymantria dispar and Aphenogaster araneoides, for these two creatures until new common names have been chosen. Scott's oriole is to be changed because Winfield Scott, 19th-century U.S. general, in 1838 led the military force that removed Cherokee Indians from their land to the west, in a march, the Trail of Tears, that led to the death of thousands.

The Entomological Society is choosing language that reflects modern values. According to guidelines of the society, the new names for insects should exclude words that unnecessarily incite offense or fear or promote emotional reactions, or are unacceptable depictions of cultures, populations, ethnicity, race, and industries, or perpetuate harm against people of various ethnicities and races. The society is particularly concerned about the term "gypsy," the English word for the Romani people, history, and culture  an Indo-Aryan group, the largest ethnic minority in Europe. For jazz-lovers, that culture includes the virtuoso guitarist Django Reinhardt, the Belgium-born gypsy of Manouche Romani parentage who made "gypsy jazz" fashionable.

The work of the Entomological Society has been preceded. Some of the names given to species have already been changed. The name "squawfish" was regarded as derogatory to women and was changed in 1998 to "pikeminnow." The name "jewfish" was felt to be culturally insensitive and was renamed "goliath grouper" in 2001. The new name is meant to refer not to the Philistine Goliath killed by David, but to the fact that the fish with its flaky fillets can grow to 700 pounds. The Philistine lobby is unlikely to issue a claim of being persecuted or slighted.

The issue of renaming controversial words remains. There are at least nine islands or bodies of water named for the jewfish, including Jewfish Creek Bridge, near Key Largo, and Jewfish Point in Los Angeles. And what to do about other non-Jewish names  Spanish mackerel and Irish lord?

And then there are some who refuse to take yes for an answer. An exhibition, "Our Future Planet," is being held at the Science Museum in London, exploring the cutting-edge techniques being developed that could help climate problems by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reducing greenhouse emissions that are said to cause the rise in global temperature.

The exhibition has been criticized by scientists and public activists, for the same reason: much of the funding has come from Shell, the multinational oil and gas company. On opening day, a group of scientists, members of the "Extinction Rebellion," protested inside the museum. The Extinction Rebellion is an international movement, using direct action and civil disobedience to push action on ecological issues, halt biodiversity loss, and reduce carbon emissions.

Again, on August 28, 2021, environmental activists, including the irrepressible 18-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, demonstrated against the exhibition, blocking roads, attaching themselves to railings, playing drums, and blowing whistles, because the exhibition is partly funded by Shell. The activists called on the museum to drop sponsorship by Shell, but they ignore reality. Shell and other companies have the resources, the people, and the logistics to be important players in the climate change issue. The dilemma will remain: "Is Shell part of the solution or part of the problem?"

Those engaged in the struggle against racism are unwise to adhere to the view of "all or nothing at all." They tend to see, as Winston Churchill said on another issue, the difficulty in every opportunity.

Image via StockSnap.

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And now for Chapter 2  the refugee story. Over the weekend, I heard someone on TV talking about Europe potentially flooded with new refugees. He based his prediction on what happened after President Obama left Iraq and unleashed ISIS, whereupon thousands got to Europe any way they could.

Maybe it won't happen the same way, but refugees are coming, as we see in this BBC report:

Thousands of people are scrambling to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban seized back control of the country, almost two decades after they were ousted by a US-led coalition. The United Nations has warned that up to half a million Afghans could flee the country by the end of the year and has called on neighbouring countries to keep their borders open. The current crisis comes on top of the 2.2 million Afghan refugees already in neighbouring countries and 3.5 million people forced to flee their homes within Afghanistan's borders. At the moment, the exact numbers are unclear  but we do have some detail on how many people have been airlifted out of the country. The US says it has facilitated the evacuation of more than 110,000 people from Kabul airport, currently the only operational one in the country, since 14 August  although it's not clear how many of those were Afghan nationals. The UK Ministry of Defence says it has flown out more than 15,000 of those people and some 8,000 of them were Afghan nationals.

What happens now? I don't know, but it will be interesting.

Back in the late 1970s, many Vietnamese, and later Cambodians, fled Southeast Asia and came to the U.S. Over the years, these arrivals became very successful business owners, and their kids are often at the top of the public school classes.

What about now? Let's wait and hope for the best...but the refugees are coming.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

Image: E.U. Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid.

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Biden gave an appalling speech to mark the occasion of America's withdrawal from Afghanistan. He proudly stated that the withdrawal was an "extraordinary success," despite 13 American deaths, Taliban control over $83 billion's worth of top-flight weapons, and untold numbers of abandoned Americans. What he also did, which was foul, was blame the victims. What makes that blame game worse is that he knew over a month ago that the Taliban's conquest was imminent. However, because he is clearly delusional at every level, he kept that information from Americans.

One of the reasons Biden rushed the withdrawal was because he wanted to give a speech on August 31  and give a speech he did. It was a bizarre speech, complete with lies, unseemly aggression, and internal contradictions. The worst thing, though, was his insistence that those Americans left behind were responsible for the situation in which they find themselves:

Since March, we reached out 19 times to Americans in Afghanistan, with multiple warnings and offers to help them leave Afghanistan  all the way back as far as March. After we started the evacuation 17 days ago, we did initial outreach and analysis and identified around 5,000 Americans who had decided earlier to stay in Afghanistan but now wanted to leave.

Maybe they did get such notices, but what mattered to them was that, on July 8, Biden had stated in no uncertain terms that there was no way the Taliban would get anywhere near Kabul before everyone was safe:

Q Is a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan now inevitable? THE PRESIDENT: No, it is not. Q Why? THE PRESIDENT: Because you  the Afghan troops have 300,000 well-equipped  as well-equipped as any army in the world  and an air force against something like 75,000 Taliban. It is not inevitable. [snip] Q Mr. President, some Vietnamese veterans see echoes of their experience in this withdrawal in Afghanistan. Do you see any parallels between this withdrawal and what happened in Vietnam, with some people feeling  THE PRESIDENT: None whatsoever. Zero. What you had is  you had entire brigades breaking through the gates of our embassy  six, if I'm not mistaken. The Taliban is not the south  the North Vietnamese army. They're not  they're not remotely comparable in terms of capability. There's going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of a embassy in the  of the United States from Afghanistan. It is not at all comparable.

Knowing that his words on July 8 would haunt him, in last night's speech, Biden insisted that actual events were a big surprise:

The assumption was that more than 300,000 Afghan National Security Forces that we had trained over the past two decades and equipped would be a strong adversary in their civil wars with the Taliban. That assumption  that the Afghan government would be able to hold on for a period of time beyond military drawdown  turned out not to be accurate.

However, by July 23, when there was time to warn Americans to get out immediately, Biden knew the truth. He deliberately hid it because he had the delusional fantasy that pretending everything was going well would magically make things go well. We know this because someone leaked to Reuters the transcript of the last phone call between Biden and Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani on January 23.

In the call, Biden tried to reassure a panicked Ghani that the Afghan military was up to the task and that the U.S. would try to help. There was a reason Ghani was panicked  and our "ally" Pakistan figures largely in that panic:

"We are facing a full-scale invasion, composed of Taliban, full Pakistani planning and logistical support, and at least 10-15,000 international terrorists, predominantly Pakistanis thrown into this," Ghani said. Afghan government officials, and U.S. experts, have consistently pointed to Pakistani support for the Taliban as key to the group's resurgence.

(Pakistan denies this claim.) Biden, however, while admitting his ignorance of things military, told Ghani that he just needed to pretend his way to victory:

In much of the call, Biden focused on what he called the Afghan government's "perception" problem. "I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban," Biden said. "And there is a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture." [snip] "I'm not a military guy, so I'm not telling you what a plan should precisely look like, you're going to get not only more help, but you're going to get a perception that is going to change ...," Biden said.

The next day, national security adviser Jake Sullivan, General Mark Milley, and U.S. Central Command commander General Frank McKenzie also got on the phone with Ghani and told him to buck up and create a victory narrative. That all these people would engage in magical thinking when the inevitable was playing out in front of them is staggering.

Still, what they did is typical for leftists, who are "word people." To them, saying something makes it real  and they've certainly had a lot of success in America with Critical Race Theory. Changing attitudes through indoctrination, however, doesn't work in a war, when the only reality that matters is who's shooting and who's running. By the end of July, it was clear who was doing what, yet Biden never escalated the threat level for those Americans in Afghanistan.

Biden is unfit to lead America. Kamala Harris is also a nightmare, but our country cannot function with a delusional man at the helm.

As a bonus, Tucker spells out the other problems with Biden's statement last night:

Image: Biden remarks on leaving Afghanistan. YouTube screen grab.

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Our hapless president's speech on Tuesday was not a speech at all. It was a full-blown childish tantrum. While he was ostensibly celebrating his massive "airlift" of thousands of mostly Afghan refugees, from the beginning, it was clear he is extremely angry. He almost shouted his claim that his catastrophic misadventure in Afghanistan has been a smashing success. This is a huge lie, and everyone knows it, even those trying to spin this debacle as a win.

In fact, Biden's surrender has probably set a genocide in motion, just as our betrayal of the South Vietnamese gave birth to the killing fields. Women and girls are sure to be brutalized.

Biden had promised for days that no American would be left behind but, of course, hundreds, perhaps even thousands, have been left behind. Some even made it to the airport and were then denied flights home by U.S. forces on the ground there. Thousands of those who escaped were rescued not by Biden's forces, but by retired vets and private organizations who set out to do what the government would not.

Biden is, and has always been, a pathological liar of the worst kind, the kind who lies to boost his own ego, no matter how easy it is to prove his dishonesty. His seething, wretched defense of this massive failure will haunt this nation for decades to come. He has singlehandedly created a fully armed terrorist state, a state surrounded by enemies of the U.S.  China, Iran, and Pakistan. Those countries now have access to $90B's worth of American weapons, military vehicles, and aircraft, not to mention Bagram Air Base.

Our NATO allies will no longer trust us. Biden will be forever known as the most destructive, the weakest, and the most gullible president in U.S. history. A better man would resign, but Biden is not even a decent man. As his mad rant on Tuesday proved, he will never take responsibility for his fatal errors in judgment.

Biden blamed President Trump, whose actual plan had stabilized the country and would have worked if implemented, and he blamed the Afghan army, whom he betrayed by withdrawing their air support and their financial support. Of course they fled. Biden betrayed them as cruelly as any leader in history has abandoned his troops and allies. He can claim that his decision to withdraw as he did was successful from now to kingdom come, but it was the most egregious foreign policy error in American history.

The deaths of those thirteen young soldiers who died last Thursday is entirely his responsibility, yet he could not even bring himself to salute at their dignified transfer as their coffins passed by; he just checked his watch as if he had somewhere more important to be. The man is without heart and soul. The few parents who spoke with him were shocked that he talked only about his deceased son Beau. That's his go-to default reply to anyone else's loss; he makes it all about him.

As the months of his administration slip by, it becomes clearer and clearer that he is something of a sociopath. Nick Arama agrees. He is congenitally unable to care. As for Americans still stranded in Afghanistan, he blamed them  for not getting to the airport, for being "dual citizens," as if that makes them less worthy of rescue.

It is not just Biden who is to blame. Those military clowns, the ones who just weeks ago were telling us that COVID was the gravest threat we face (Austin) or that "white rage" is worth investigating (Milley), are to blame as well. Whoever was giving the orders on the ground in Kabul should also be fired.

Who thought it was a good idea to have those young soldiers do crowd control in a sea of panicked Afghans? Who decided those busloads of Americans had to be turned back in favor of unvetted refugees? Whose decision was it to let the highly trained military dogs who were brought safely to the airport be left behind, turned loose to face certain death in the streets of that benighted city?

Every leader who participated in this ill-timed, fateful attempt at withdrawal should resign or be fired. As many observers have noted, a high-schooler could have managed it all better. But then maybe it was all by design, engineered by Biden's paymaster, China. Biden has been bought and paid by a long list of influence-purchasers for nearly all his years in Congress. "Selling out is usually more a matter of buying in. Sell out, and you're really buying into someone else's system of values, rules and rewards" (Bill Watterson). Biden sold us out long ago.

Nancy Pelosi, a horrid woman equally without heart and soul, on Tuesday refused to have the names of the thirteen soldiers killed in Kabul read out on the floor of the House. That should permanently indict her for being the wicked witch she is. She is more devious, more calculating than the irresponsible Biden but every bit as beyond redemption as he is. She will do anything to convince the American people, for whom she has only contempt, that whatever she and her party do is righteous no matter how loathsome and totalitarian.

Like the schoolyard thug he is, Biden will defend to the death the treacherous plan he put into motion so he could make a grand speech on the twentieth anniversary of 9/11. He ignored the advice of some advisers, wanted Ghani to lie about the Taliban's success in July (transcript here), all to mount a bit of theater with him in the starring role. No matter what he says, things did not go as he envisioned, so, like a spoiled child, he threw a tantrum from the podium at the White House. Shame on him a thousand times.

Photo credit: YouTube screen grab (cropped).

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According to America's "most closely watched forecast model," the United States is projected to experience almost 100,000 additional COVID-19 deaths between now and December 1. However, "experts" say that figure could be halved if everyone wore a mask in public spaces. (I say we'd all be better off if the number of "experts" were halved.)

The experts whine that we'd all be safer and better off if Americans changed their ways.

Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, opined that "[w]e can save 50,000 lives simply by wearing masks. That's how important behaviors are." A veritable plethora of studies begs to differ with Professor Mokdad and other pro-mask extremists.

Seattle's Dr. Gaby Sauza was vaccinated this past winter yet still contracted the coronavirus after attending an outdoor wedding in Vermont, even though everyone attending the soiree had to submit photos of their vaccination cards. Other celebrants tested positive as well. She says this proves that even the vaccinated should be wary and take precautions and notes that "[i]n retrospect, absolutely, I do wish I had worn a mask."

Sauza credits the vaccine with keeping her infection manageable, though she suffered through several days of body aches, fevers, night sweats, fatigue, coughing, and chest pain. Hmmm. Many unvaccinated folks who get COVID are asymptomatic or barely aware that something is amiss. And if everyone who attended the wedding and caught the dreaded virus was vaccinated and spent most of the time outdoors, a better conclusion might be that the vaccines aren't all they're cracked up to be.

If we all have to be locked down, masked up, and socially distanced so as to limit the deleterious effects of our otherwise risky behavior, shouldn't we be consistent about it? Should we not apply leftists' own cherished concept of "equity" to the overarching goal of lessening the risk to all and sundry?

If the unvaccinated pose a measurable threat to others, surely drug addicts, smokers (except for pot-smokers, of course), the obese, and those who drive cars pose similar or greater threats. Used hypodermic needles and human feces now cover the ground of public spaces in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other large American cities. Second- or third-hand smoke clings to the bodies and apparel of smokers wherever they go. The obese block our views when walking down a sidewalk or crossing a boulevard. They are a potential danger on seesaws and elevators. And they are more likely to contract  and therefore transmit  the coronavirus.

As for the callous folks who still insist on driving internal combustion vehicles, far more people die in car accidents annually than from most other causes. Add to that the damage they do to the planet by spewing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and...well, you get the point. For that matter, promiscuous people are more likely to spread sexually transmitted diseases than boring old monogamous males and females.

In "fairness," should not government, media, and business entities be allowed to tell druggies, smokers, the obese, and automobile operators that they can't hold a job, go to the movies, eat at a restaurant, or live a normal life unless they, too, change their evil ways? What about their deeply held beliefs, religious or otherwise? As Arnold Schwarzenegger says, "screw your freedom!"

Businesses and government bodies should not be able to compel us to tell them our medical history or our sexual preferences and proclivities. Or force us to change them. I thought that point was settled.

Government inquisitor: "Are you, perhaps, unvaccinated? Overweight? A driver? A promiscuous pansexual?"

Citizen: "That's none of your damn business!"

Government inquisitor: "You pay my salary, but I rule you. That's how it works now. Never forget that, peon!"

With apologies to Santana, this is what our ruling class is telling us:

You've got to change your evil ways, baby

Or we'll keep hatin' you

You've got to change, baby

And every word that we say is true

You've got to mask-up, stay home, and not hit the town

You've got us freakin', you antivaxxers are bringin' us down

This can't go on...

We say you've got to change, baby

Just stay at home, baby

If you go out, we might catch a cold

You hang around, baby

With rubes and rednecks and a who knows who

We're gettin' tired of resistance and won't mess around

Take the vaccine now or we will put you in the ground

This can't go on...

We say you've got to change!

Photo credit: Nick Youngson, CC BY-SA 3.0, Alpha Stock Images.

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Once again, President Biden addressed the nation in the afternoon. I remember when presidents gave those speeches in prime time or at a time when people are actually watching TV. So Joe is on TV again, and most people didn't watch him. I listened to it on the radio, and it sounded as though he was screaming rather than speaking.

Overall, it was a disappointment. It was such a mess that Meghan McCain, the late senator's daughter, made an amazing disclosure:

"This is extremely difficult for me to say: I once thought I truly knew Joe Biden and he helped me through pain and grief, for which I am grateful," McCain wrote. "This man on tv giving this speech, I do not recognize this man."

Glad to have Meghan back on our side. Wonder how many of the Biden voters agree with her? I just heard former senator Joe Lieberman on a Bill O'Reilly podcast, and he is frustrated, too.

The president's speech was too long. It would have been better to watch a president address the nation on prime time, but maybe the White House does not think he can. I hate to be cynical, but what else could it be? What president turns down a prime-time speech?

The president's tone was angry. Why? We need a serene leader, a man who will calm us down rather than one who blames his predecessor, as KT McFarland wrote:

No one expected him to be Winston Churchill rallying the British after Dunkirk nor Abraham Lincoln consoling the nation after the slaughter at Gettysburg, nor did anyone expect something like Ronald Reagan's eulogy at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier a decade after the tragic Vietnam War. But he could have at least been straight with us. Instead of speaking to a nation in pain, President Biden made this speech all about himself. He dodged and weaved, blamed others, and even claimed our evacuation from Afghanistan was a great success, while most everyone else saw it as an unmitigated disaster.

President Biden missed a great opportunity to heal the nation, especially days after 13 young Marines were killed. Instead, he went off on Trump, spoke poorly of a war that he voted for, and did nothing to unite the nation.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

Image via Good Free Photos.

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Joe Biden crowed about hauling in more than 100,000 Afghani refugees or "interpretors" from Kabul yesterday, leaving behind "only" a miniscule few.

Well, one of them was someone he should have had rescued as a personal priority, same as the many veterans who are working to rescue good people they knew in the now-godforsaken country.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

Thirteen years ago, Afghan interpreter Mohammed helped rescue then- Sen. Joe Biden and two other senators stranded in a remote Afghanistan valley after their helicopter was forced to land in a snowstorm. Now, Mohammed is asking President Biden to save him. Hello Mr. President: Save me and my family, Mohammed, who asked not to use his full name while in hiding, told The Wall Street Journal as the last Americans flew out of Kabul on Monday. Dont forget me here. Mohammed, his wife, and their four children are hiding from the Taliban after his yearslong attempt to get out of Afghanistan got tangled in the bureaucracy. They are among countless Afghan allies who were left behind when the U.S. ended its 20-year military campaign in Afghanistan on Monday.

Why the heck did he get left behind?

It highlights that the mass evacuation mission recently concluded by the Biden administration has been in some aspects pretty much an open-borders transport service for random migrants looking for a better life.

The Biden administration has reportedly told NGOs to get ready for 50,000 of them looking for resettlement. Most tellingly, though, is the fact that few of these so-called "interpreters" supposedly facing the wrath of the Taliban can speak English. Among the U.S. refugee resettlers, calls have gone out for Urdu speakers (weird, as the most important languages of Afghanistan are Dari and Pashto) to help translate for the Afghani refugees, making one wonder if these people might actually be Pakistani.

According to reports from people on the ground, the migrants calling themselves refugees are military-aged young men who couldn't pass U.S. and other Western immigrant vetting in the past, never helped our war effort, and took it upon themselves to push, trample, and shove in front of women, children, babies, old people, and handicapped people waiting in line at the gates of the Kabul airport to get in. They got what they wanted and Biden got his big numbers.

But a hell of a lot of interpretors who stood with the U.S. got left behind. This man described by the Journal, who rescued none other than Joe Biden himself and two other leftist politicos traveling with him on a congressional junket after bad weather forced their helicopter to land a few miles from a U.S.-Taliban battle days earlier, is rather emblematic of the numbers of interpreters who did get left behind. After all, what are the odds that most interpreters would get out but somehow this obviously meritorious man who helped save Biden's life somehow wouldn't? The Washington Post reports that interpreters from the U.S. and other allied nations left behind are numerous and feel 'abandoned.'

Here's the other thing: The Wall Street Journal, which broke the story about the monster 14-step red tape that Afghani interpreters faced in getting to safety to the U.S., was able to chronicle that this man was one of the very people stuck in that appalling red tape. I wrote a disgusted blog about the matter here.

Fact is, a lot of good people were left behind, while a lot of zero-merit migrants with the nastiness to push in front of women and children were brought in instead. Interpreters and other allies such as collaborators and spies, who didn't live in Kabul, for one, didn't stand a chance of a U.S. evacuation from Kabul. Good people who did make it to the gates of Kabul airport endured hell and the Journal wrote this tragic story about an Afghani interpreter just trying to get into Kabul with his documents in hand was killed with his wife in the ISIS-K suicide attack a few days ago. Meanwhile, most of the U.S. military's action during the 20-year war was outside Kabul, where interpretors would be pretty important.

This man obviously should be brought to the states and helped out for his valiant service. He's the kind of immigrant most Americans would be glad to have as a neighbor.

But to Team Biden, he's apparently just a number. White House spokeweasel Jen Psaki gave a cold heartless answer to a reporter's question about it, signalling that to her, the man was just a number and and ace-expert Biden administration diplomacy would somehow get him out eventually. Here is the White House transcript of the exchange:

Q Thank, Jen. The Afghan interpreter who helped rescue then-Senator Joe Biden when he was stranded 13 years ago in Afghanistan is now in hiding. He told The Wall Street Journal, Hello, Mr. President. Save me and my family. Dont forget me. Whats your response to him? And why is he and other Afghan allies like him still in the country if the President believes, as he said today, that the mission was an extraordinary success?



MS. PSAKI: Well, I would say, first, our message to him is, Thank you for fighting by our side for the last 20 years. Thank you for the role you played in helping a number of my favorite people out of a snowstorm, and for all of the work you did. And our commitment is enduring, not just to American citizens but to our Afghan partners who have fought by our side.



And our efforts and our focus right now is, as you heard General McKenzie say and others say over the last 24 hours, is to the diplomatic phase. We will get you out, we will honor your service, and were committed to doing exactly that.

Anybody believe that? Seems she's just brushing off the man's case with no specific action like a deadbeat trying to fob off a bill collector. The words of praise are empty and the vows of specific action are absolutely absent. And in any case, is the Biden administration terribly persuasive with the Taliban on that vaunted diplomatic front?

The question answers itself. What we have here is the height of ingratitude. We have the same callousness we've seen in Joe Biden in his speeches pretty well dismissing our Afghan troop allies as cowards, in his even worse treatment of U.S. war dead's families, constantly checking his watch at the ceremonial casket transitions, and making that ceremony all about his son Beau.

Now we have this, an incredible sign of ingratitude from a president who has no soul at all, let alone gratitude. What a sorry picture this is, and one can only hope and pray that this man avoids harm from the pirates, fanatics and criminals that Joe allowed to overrun this man's country.

Image: Screen shot from CNBC video, posted on shareable YouTube
National Public Radio, a government-funded outlet, is now shilling against free speech.

According to Matt Taibbi, who is himself on the left, via Substack:

The guests for NPR's just-released On The Media episode about the dangers of free speech included Andrew Marantz, author of an article called, "Free Speech is Killing Us"; P.E. Moskowitz, author of "The Case Against Free Speech"; Susan Benesch, director of the "Dangerous Speech Project"; and Berkeley professor John Powell, whose contribution was to rip John Stuart Mill's defense of free speech in On Liberty as "wrong." That's about right for NPR, which for years now has regularly congratulated itself for being a beacon of diversity while expunging every conceivable alternative point of view.

The pampered princelings of the outlet featured no voices in defense of the First Amendment.

It's as if the First Amendment, which NPR's patron purportedly represents and defends, has now become an outdated, vexatious nuisance for the current ruling class. Free speech is now a hoary notion from dead people they'd like to see stuffed down the memory hole.

Taibbi notes:

The show was a compendium of every neo-authoritarian argument for speech control one finds on Twitter, beginning with the blanket labeling of censorship critics as "speech absolutists" (most are not) and continuing with shameless revisions of the history of episodes like the ACLU's mid-seventies defense of Nazi marchers at Skokie, Illinois.

And here's a detail showing how sleazy they are:

Because, they say, we now know that people can be harmed by something other than physical violence, Mill (whose thoughts NPR overlaid with harpsichord music, so we could be reminded how antiquated they are) was wrong, and we have to recalibrate our understanding of speech rights accordingly.'

Eeew. What a low blow, abusing harpsichord music like that.

Taibbi points out that essentially, these people at NPR badmouthing free speech are far from the modernists they claim to be with a hot, hip new idea. As NPR plays its harpsichord music as its "subtle" means of belittling Mill as outdated, it's actually they who are the jurassics, not Mill:

Mill ironically pointed out that "princes, or others who are accustomed to unlimited deference, usually feel this complete confidence in their own opinions on nearly all subjects." Sound familiar?

So now they want to censor and regulate free speech on the logic that some people get their feelings hurt, elevating the whole idea to a matter of saving mental health.

It's garbage, of course. It's actually not very different from the leftist bid to use physical health as a means of extending government control over vaccine and mask skeptics, as well as alternative treatment advocates...because COVID.

And the problem magnifies itself as leftists seek to use the levers of Big Tech to engage in the censorship they can't otherwise do based on the First Amendment roadblock.

Number one, it capriciously censored and shut down the man they hated more than anyone out there: President Trump. They let the Taliban and the violence-laced rhetoric of Iran's mullahs flourish on social media, but they shut down the president of the United States. These Big Tech companies did it in unison, all at the same time, all claiming the same thing, which points to cartel activity badly in need of an anti-trust investigation as well as likely Deep State government collusion. Big Tech is useful, as it can call itself a private enterprise, but we already know that the relationship between Big Tech and the U.S. government Deep State is deep and intertwined.

In fact, that relationship is nothing short of intimate.

Big Tech does much of the CIA's surveillance via subcontract, for one. It works hand in hand with the surveillance state, and the two are often the same thing.

There's also a revolving door of big-dollar employment for board seats and other do-nothing jobs (read: payoffs) for top Democrat operatives from the Obama, Clinton, and Biden administrations and Big Tech companies. Kamala Harris and her relatives are one example, and there are many others.

We also know that Big Tech companies are working with impunity to suborn our laws. Just take a look at Facebook with its loud advocacy for illegal immigration and amnesty and its bona fide enabling of human smugglers to advertise their wares on Facebook.

We know that at least in California, Big Tech is actually directed to censor political opponents by the political operatives in power from the State of California. That government doesn't even try to hide it  Big Tech is its enforcement arm for shutting down anyone who could possibly challenge its power.

This kind of garbage serves as the backdrop for NPR's naked call to end free speech. Is there a Mighty Integral (to use Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff term) commanding this call to end free speech altogether? It's possible. But it's also possible that there's an undeclared oligarchy out there that's acting in tandem to defend its ill-gotten, but perfectly real privileges.

The NPR call to end free speech actually amounts to an escalation (downward, of course) from the runaway train that is leftism. The left did de facto censorship through its Big Tech proxies, and sure enough, now it's getting naked about its calls to end free speech entirely.

Leftists seem to be getting louder now, too, seeking to shut down conservative and dissenting liberal voices (such as that of Taibbi, most likely) as Joe Biden's presidency falls into a shambles. Apparently, they know they're on a runaway train that's about to crash with voters in 2022 and are seeking to save themselves by shutting down opposition voices as fast and hard as they can. We can already see that in the variety of tech innovations they are using: they shut down (and were forced to reopen) the credit cards of Gen. Michael Flynn, for one. They shut down (and were forced to reopen) the social media accounts of Gold Star mother Shana Chappell. They're getting mean in all kinds of ways and now don't seem to care who knows it. They'll get even more aggressive before November 2022, given the pattern we see now.

Conservatives are in for some hard times as Big Tech runs rampant with far-left Castro- and Mao-admiring Democrats currently at the top of the princeling elite's hierarchy and crazed far-left lunatics such as Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez steer the Democrat ship.

If the next GOP Congress can survive the miasma of vote fraud in the coming election, Item A must be to shut this incestuous relationship between Big Government and Big Tech down immediately before they can destroy even our most elemental First Amendment constitutional right in the open and usher in a dark age of Bourbon-style "learned nothing and forgot nothing" stagnation and death for the entire American idea.

Image: Library of Congress via Picryl, public domain.

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Shana Chappell, whose son, U.S. Marine and lance corporal Kareem Nikoui, was murdered in Afghanistan thanks to the Biden administration's fecklessness, took to social media to say exactly what she thought of Biden, including questioning the legitimacy of his presidency. It was classic free speech of the type the First Amendment protects...so Instagram (which Facebook owns) suspended her. It later reinstated her, assuring that it was all a mistake when we all know that the only mistake was that Facebook/Instagram got caught. The mere fact that Facebook/Instagram took this step  and thought it could get away with it  is a perfect example of the fact that the tech tyrants are functioning in the same way as North Korean censors, banning any speech critical of the "Dear Leader" and his policies.

Kareem Nikoui was a young man who wanted to serve his country, and his family was proud of him for that. Had he died in battle at Bagram Air Force Base defending American interests, they would have wept for his loss but consoled themselves with the thought that he died for the greater good.

Thanks to the Biden administration's criminally bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan, though, Kareem Nikoui did not die serving his country. Instead, he was murdered because the Biden administration, having deliberately handed Kabul over to the Taliban, made the Taliban  America's enemy  responsible for security around the Kabul airport:

In a hastily arranged in-person meeting, senior U.S. military leaders in Doha  including McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command  spoke with Abdul Ghani Baradar. "We have a problem," Baradar said, according to the U.S. official. "We have two options to deal with it: You [the United States military] take responsibility for securing Kabul or you have to allow us to do it." Throughout the day, Biden had remained resolute in his decision to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan. The collapse of the Afghan government hadn't changed his mind. McKenzie, aware of those orders, told Baradar that the U.S. mission was only to evacuate American citizens, Afghan allies and others at risk. The United States, he told Baradar, needed the airport to do that. On the spot, an understanding was reached, according to two other U.S. officials: The United States could have the airport until Aug. 31. But the Taliban would control the city.

Shana Chappell cannot get over the fact that her beloved son died only because the Biden administration was so incompetent that it couldn't even get the basics of the withdrawal right. And because Chappell knows that a fish rots from the head, she took to social media to blast Biden and the corrupt election he rode in on:

Although Chappell describes Biden in raw language and questions his legitimacy, nothing she says is illegal. Everything falls squarely within the parameters of the First Amendment, protecting speech about politics.

Nevertheless, Instagram, which Facebook owns, promptly conducted a review of all Chappell's posts and then suspended her:

Instagram has since reinstated Chappell's account, saying the suspension was in error, but thinking people assume that it did so because of the outcry. If it could have gotten away with it, it would have.

The tech tyrants invited Americans onto their platforms with the promise that they could freely express themselves as long as they avoided using the platform for illegal purposes. Americans enthusiastically embraced what they thought were free speech forums. The social media platforms' popularity turned them into the public square, for they became the main forum of all speech in America. Having corralled all Americans into an artificially created public square, the same tech tyrants are systematically destroying America's First Amendment rights.

Theoretically, we can back out to communication as it existed before the rise of the internet, sending mail through the United States Post Office and phoning people  except there's reason not to trust the post office, and people are discovering that they have no control over their cell phones, which have supplanted landlines. As for internet sites, such as blogs, websites survived before social media through blog rolls and word of mouth, and they can do that again (although the possibility that servers hosting a website will dump it, as Amazon did to Parler, remains).

What irks people is that they shouldn't have to return to 20th-century communication. Instead, the government should revisit section 230, the piece of legislation that protects internet sites from liability. Currently, although these internet sites actively control the content on their site  acting as editors  they still claim protection under section 230, which was intended to apply only to sites that functioned as bulletin boards, without control over the content. Liability might rein in the tech tyrants' abuses.

Until then, a grieving mother will find herself systematically silenced because she committed an act that is a crime in both North Korea and Silicon Valley  criticizing the Dear Leader.

Image: Shana Chappell and her son, Kareem Nikoui. Facebook.

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As people rush to tout the recent FDA approval of Pfizer's mRNA vaccine as if it were some great scientific victory, the institution's shady history seems to be all but forgotten.

No matter how you slice it, the pharmaceutical industry is the central engine of the global health establishment. The industry's larger corporations (Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, etc.) provide funding for the FDA, the CDC, the WHO; they do this both directly and through NGOs like the EPDA. It was recently reported that pharmaceutical giants are raking in the money with the sale of their novel and inadequately tested COVID-19 vaccines. Pfizer expects to earn $33.5 billion in 2021. J&J estimates its full-year COVID-19 vaccine sales to be $2.5 billion, while Moderna forecasts $19.2 billion. These enormous figures will be grossly surpassed when one considers the forthcoming round of booster shots and the profits those will yield.

When it comes to lobbying money spent in 2021, the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America group ranks number three nationally. Interestingly, the fourth, fifth, and sixth positions are also members of the health establishment. These are the American Hospital Association, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and the American Medical Association. Respectively. Pfizer by itself is number 15.

The ties between the FDA and Big Pharma run deep, and their relationship has become so symbiotic that neither could exist without the other unless massive reforms were to take place. Big Pharma relies on the FDA to approve and rush its products to market, and the FDA relies on Big Pharma to receive its funding. Not only that, but there seems to be a revolving door of FDA commissioners landing on the boards of these pharmaceutical companies.

Scott Gottlieb, who stepped down as FDA commissioner in the spring of 2019, soon found himself sitting comfortably on Pfizer's board of directors. Gottlieb's predecessor, Dr. Margaret Hamburg, landed a cushy position on the board of directors for Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Steven Hahn, former FDA commissioner under Donald Trump, wound up at Flagship Pioneering, the venture capital firm that launched Moderna.

The list goes on and on. In fact, nine out of the last ten FDA commissioners  representing nearly four decades of agency leadership  have gone on to work for pharmaceutical companies. The lone exception is David Kessler, who joined the ranks in academia before eventually settling in his current position as chair of the board of directors at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Criticism toward the modern medical-industrial complex has triggered many arguments, and this is particularly true in the age of COVID. Regardless of what stance you take on any medical debate, it is undeniable that the industry operates in the same mafia-esque fashion as the Media, Big Tech, and Big Government.

Ryan Delarme, managing editor and contributor @ stillnessinthestorm.com. Personal portfolio @ ryandelarme.com/journalism.

Image: Pixabay.

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Is there a military solution to COVID-19? Under Directive 16, issued on July 16, southern Vietnam may soon find out. Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon, as everyone still calls it, is cordoned off and under curfew from 6 P.M. to 6 A.M. There are checkpoints in every neighborhood. Military vehicles poured into the downtown area on August 19 to enforce a "hard lockdown." Rifle-carrying soldiers were deployed on August 23.

Vietnam's response to last year's wave of infections was touted as a success in the international press. Pop stars Min and Erik created a happy tune to promote hand-washing called "Jealous Coronavirus." Their video was featured on John Oliver's show.

"Vietnam's Coronavirus Recovery Is as Good as It Gets," the Wall Street Journal reported on April 24, 2020. The country had no COVID deaths at a time when other countries had suffered hundreds.

This was quite an achievement for a country whose health care system is ranked No. 160 by the World Health Organization. I was once examined at a Vietnamese hospital. At the end of the examination, I looked at the equipment. A lot of it was broken. It had been a Potemkin examination.

Things have gotten grimmer since then. As of August 30, Vietnam has had nearly 11,000 COVID deaths, or 111 per million population. On Statista's COVID death chart, Vietnam ranks No. 108 out of 155 countries. Some 17 percent of Vietnamese have had at least one vaccine shot; only 2 percent have had two shots.

When the delta variant hit, I was working as a teacher in Binh Duong Province, just outside Ho Chi Minh. Binh Duong has a population of 2.5 million. It is second only to Ho Chi Minh in terms of COVID death and infection rates.

Two days before the directive was issued, I noticed people stocking up on food and medicine, so I did the same. Then came the checkpoints. I got an antigen test for COVID for $24. I had to pull this out at three separate checkpoints to get to my local supermarket.

Foreigners may complain that the lockdown is a scam to protect profiteering by the testing and vaccine companies, but few Vietnamese share such cynicism. The government's response to the virus remains popular.

The motorbike is the king of Vietnamese transportation. Vietnam had a mask mandate even before Directive 16, but enforcement was lax. Those who did wear a mask often pulled it down below their chins. This changed dramatically after the directive was issued. Not only did the other drivers start wearing masks, but they would also yell at me if I drove around without one. After all, who wants to see a motorbike with COVID?

In recent days, the lockdown has intensified. Most stores are closed, and "shelter in place" orders have been issued. Saigon residents have turned to motorcycle delivery. But the delivery services do not venture into areas with high infection rates. Residents in these areas must rely on the army for handouts of rice, vegetables, and COVID testing kits.

As the airport is inside the city limits, I needed police authorization and a COVID test result to catch my flight back to Seattle. The night before, the taxi company I had made my reservation with realized that it could not get through the cordon around Saigon and canceled. So I took my motorbike and left my luggage in Vietnam.

Police and other government workers are supposed to worship only Uncle Ho (Ho Chi Minh). But Buddhism and Catholicism flourish nonetheless. The officer who approved my authorization follows Master Ruma, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk based in Durham, Georgia.

Every foreigner has a story about Saigon's scary traffic. Motorbikes can come at you from directions you didn't think possible. But these days, Saigon is a ghost town. With few able to continue working, some 4.7 million out of a population of 8.8 million are receiving emergency assistance.

While the public maintains its focus on COVID, Vietnam has other health problems, too. As recently as 2017, there was a cholera outbreak in Ben Tre Province spread by contaminated iced tea made with bottled water. Few people noticed.

The course an epidemic takes is easier to predict than you might think. There is a rule of thumb that has stood the test of time called Farr's Law. It was derived by British scientist William Farr in 1830 based on his observations of smallpox.

According to Farr, epidemics arise for no apparent reason, increase at a geometric rate, and then decline at the same rate. On July 16, Vietnam had 24 COVID deaths. The epidemic has yet to peak, with 659 deaths on August 29.

Peter Kauffner lives in Sequim, Washington, United States.

Image: COVID testing in Vietnam. YouTube screen grab.

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There's been little to smile about over the past eight months as the Biden regime has laid waste to the greatest nation in the history of the world. But at last, there may be something to smile about: the elimination of the 16th Congressional District in Illinois via redistricting. Why? This is Adam Kinzinger's district, and to lose him would be poetic justice.

While there are many RINOs in the Republican Party, few have exhibited a more pathetic and humiliating desire to be accepted by the mainstream media, the D.C. establishment, and Democrats  at the expense of our nation  than Kinzinger.

Not only was Kinzinger one of ten gutless House Republicans to vote to impeach Donald Trump on the most recent Democrat party hoax to charge Trump with inciting an insurrection on January 6, but he proudly and disgracefully voted with Democrats to create a bipartisan 9/11-style commission to investigate the non-insurrection.

Though the legislation to establish the commission failed to pass, Kinzinger then proudly and disgracefully accepted his appointment by Nancy Pelosi to the select 9/11-style committee instead.

"I am a Republican, I am a conservative," Kinzinger claimed in his testimony before he cried his now-infamous crocodile tears. Really? That must be why Pelosi rejected the appointments of conservative reps. Jim Banks of Indiana and Jim Jordan of Ohio and offered the appointment to Kinzinger instead. Since then, "Crybaby" Kinzinger has become a favorite guest on CNN.

When Biden announced his insane vaccine campaign to go "door to door  literally knocking on doors" to persuade Americans to get vaccinated, Kinzinger defended Biden's strategy, saying on CNN's State of the Union that "at no point was anybody saying they're going to break down your door and jam a vaccine in your arm despite your protest."

In fact, Kinzinger even attacked and condemned the Republican Party in the same interview. He said, "Our party has been hijacked, my party has been hijacked. It is on the way to the ground." No, Adam, our country has been hijacked  by Democrats  and it is you who are on the way to the ground, and I'm laughing.

Most recently, Adam Kinzinger lent his traitorous services once again to his favorite Democrat party network, CNN, to parrot the Biden administration talking points that the Afghanistan disaster was somehow Trump's fault. Trump and thensecretary of state Mike Pompeo "set this up to fail," he said.

Since January, Kinzinger has made himself a useful idiot to the Democrat party. While he's an elected Republican, he talks like a Democrat  condemning Trump and defending the Biden administration. Why?

Adam Kinzinger is a weak, insecure, self-serving reprobate who is desperate for attention and acceptance in the D.C. establishment. Like so many politicians, Kinzinger cares more about gaining the admiration of the D.C. elite and their propagandist media than he does about the preservation of his own country. Kinzinger fears the condemnation of CNN more than he does the condemnation of his Creator.

That said, it has been known since at least April that the new Census data would cost Illinois one congressional seat. It certainly isn't illogical to surmise that Kinzinger's increasing embrace of the Democrat party has been a desperate act of self-preservation  a pathetic and futile appeal to the enemy.

It is apropos that while the Biden administration engages in an act of appeasement with the Taliban terrorists, who have regained control of Afghanistan, Adam Kinzinger has engaged in an act of his own appeasement with the Democrat party. The Biden administration, like Neville Chamberlain, believes that it can negotiate with a hostile, ideologically driven enemy to save face, and Kinzinger believes he can negotiate with a hostile, ideologically driven Democrat party to save his congressional seat. But the party will use and abuse a weak, willing, and pathetic adversary to suit its own needs, chewing Kinzinger up and spitting him out if and when expedient.

There is a lesson in all of this, which Republicans never seem to learn but must. Republicans will never be accepted by the Democrat party. More importantly, there is nothing a Republican can do or say to earn Democrats' respect or favor.

Adam Kinzinger, like Michael Avenatti and numerous other useful idiots before him, has simply spent the past year prostrating himself at the feet of the Democrats to be discarded like a cheap doormat, after they've gotten what they need.

I hope Kinzinger enjoyed his five minutes of fame. I hope he soon learns he'll be out of a job, and it will be Democrats who fired him. I hope so. It's poetic justice.

Republicans must stop seeking the approval of the Democrat party and the liberal media. They'll never be your friend. Do what's right, not what's popular, in the Beltway. Fight for America, not Democrat and media approval.

Image: Hudson Institute via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.

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(Image source from: Reuters.com)

India Reports 41,965 New Covid Cases:- The second wave of coronavirus never calmed down in India and the health experts, researchers are now warning of a possible third wave of coronavirus that will hit the nation in September and October. A total number of 41,965 new cases are reported in India in the last 24 hours and the total number of cases reached 3,28,10,845. There are 33,964 recoveries reported in India in the last 24 hours and the total number of Indian recoveries to date are said to be 3,19,93,644 as per the reports announced by the Union Health Ministry. 460 new deaths are reported in India in the past one day and the total death tally reached 4,39,020. The total number of vaccinations administered in India are 65,41,13,508 and 1,33,18,718 vaccines are administered in the last 24 hours.

Kerala continued to report a high number of cases and the state has 30,203 new cases in the last 24 hours along with 115 deaths. Several countries are keen to allow a booster dose for all those who took the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine six months ago. The World Health Organization is against the move as there are crores of people who are yet to receive the first dose of the shot for coronavirus. The Indian government clarified that there are no traces of the new coronavirus variant C.1.2 in India for now. The schools and colleges reopened from today in several Indian states. The government of Odisha announced that the state will head for a weekend lockdown for the entire month of September to prevent the spread of the cases. Essential services and food deliveries will be allowed and night curfew is imposed from 10 PM to 5 AM. As per the reports from the Indian Council of Medical Research, the total samples that are conducted in the country on August 31st are 16,06,785 and the samples that are tested in total are 52,31,84,293.
Pawan Kalyan Lauds Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin:- Actor turned politician Pawan Kalyan floated his own party Janasena and he has been fighting for the people and their rights against the government. He is quite confident of making it to the power in the 2024 polls in Andhra Pradesh. The actor and politician lauded Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin for his governance in the state. Pawan Kalyan issued a press note about the same in Telugu and Tamil languages. He called the governance of Tamil Nadu is a true inspiration for every state and the country.

"Any political party should make politics to gain the power in the state but not after coming to power. MK Stalin implemented the same in the state and he is a true leader. Your governance and rule in Tamil Nadu is an inspiration for the entire nation along with the Indian states. You are an inspiration sir. I thank you wholeheartedly and wish you the best in the coming days" posted Pawan Kalyan. The actor is also busy with the shoot of Bheemla Nayak and the film releases next year. Pawan Kalyan is celebrating his birthday tomorrow and some grand celebrations are planned in the coming days.
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Frank Buck is the author of Get Organized!: Time Management for School Leaders. "Global Gurus Top 30" named him No. 1 in the Time Management category for 2019, 2020 and 2021. Dr. Buck speaks throughout the United States and internationally about organization and time management. You can reach him through his website: FrankBuck.org. Follow him on Twitter @DrFrankBuck.
BEIRUT - The Syrian government confirmed on Wednesday that local armed groups in Daraa, the southern capital at the border with Jordan, began handing over their weapons and surrendering after a ceasefire was reached with mediation by Russia, which has maintained troops in Syria since 2015.

Syrian government news agency Sana widely publicised the news, which is not independently verifiable on the ground, of the rebels' surrender.

At the same time, local media in Daraa reported that Russian military vehicles had entered the city.

Russia, which has a military presence in the area and supports the central Syrian government, worked throughout August on a delicate mediation between the parties, after Moscow in 2018 managed to conduct negotiations for the surrender of the Daraa area to government forces.

The 2018 agreement provided for a gradual demilitarisation of local armed groups, which for six years had de facto controlled the area of southern Syria in the context of the popular revolt that broke out in 2011 and quickly turned into a regional war.

From the beginning of July, government forces had carried out a military assault on the Daraa area that was in the hands of local forces, pushing about 40,000 civilians into desperate health and food conditions.

The UN said in mid-August that it was very concerned over the situation of civilians in Daraa.

East of the city, there are armed groups co-opted by Iran and rivals of the Russian-controlled forces.

On Wednesday, local sources in Daraa said pro-Iranian militias attacked military positions from the east, despite the ceasefire reached by Russia.
NAPLES, 01 SET - Jordan's economy is forecast to grow 2% this year thanks to the gradual return of tourists, the country's vaccination efforts against Covid, and rising global demand.

The forecast, reported by Emirati daily The National, comes from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and is slightly lower than previous forecasts of 2.5%, due to a slow start to vaccination campaigns in the first part of 2021 and challenges the tourism sector has to face, but growth is expected to reach 3% in the medium term with a series of structural reforms.

Jordan had adopted "timely and well-targeted" measures to to cope with the pandemic from the point of view of health and protection of employment levels, said Mitsuhiro Furusawa, IMF deputy managing director and acting chairman.

However, successive Covid-19 waves hit the economy, bringing a "sharp decline" in tourism, he said.

"Notwithstanding these challenges, the authorities have successfully maintained macroeconomic stability, notably by meeting all key fiscal and reserve targets, and made very strong progress on a large number of critical structural reforms.

Moreover, Jordan's vaccination programme has recently accelerated," Furusawa said.

The IMF extended Jordan's access to its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to about 206 million dollars, bringing total disbursements to about 900 million since the start of 2020, and approved a 1.3-billion-dollar loan programme.

"In the near term, the priority remains to manage the fallout from the pandemic. Revised fiscal targets appropriately aim to accommodate higher spending on critical health, social protection and job-supporting schemes," Furusawa said.
Lebanon: UN allocates 10 mn for fuel crisis Country lacking water, fuel, electricity, medicine for months

(ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, 01 SET - UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths announced Wednesday that 10 million dollars in aid will be allocated to Lebanon for the fuel crisis and "to avoid a deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country", which is experiencing its worst economic crisis in recent decades.



In a statement cited on Wednesday morning by media in Beirut, Griffiths confirmed that four million dollars will be provided by UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). The funds will help 2.3 million people across Lebanon by making sure there is enough fuel to keep water stations functioning.



In recent days the UN Children's Fund UNICEF, together with other international organisations, sounded the alarm that "over four million people" in Lebanon "are at risk of facing serious water shortages".



The lack of fuel across the country, in fact, has made many electric water pumps inoperable.



The UN said the allocated funds will serve about two-thirds of the resident population in Lebanon, which is made up of four million Lebanese and two million others including Syrian refugees, Palestinians, and migrants of other nationalities.



The CERF allocation goes alongside a six-million-dollar allocation from the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund to help 65 hospitals, clinics and medical dispensaries in Lebanon.



For months, the country has been facing a medicine shortage and interruptions in various hospital services due to the lack of electricity caused by the lack of fuel. (ANSAmed).




TUNIS - A unit with the Tunisian Navy stopped 22 migrants of various nationalities (13 Tunisians, 8 Yemenis and one Moroccan) aboard a boat 30 km southeast of Sfax, headed for European shores, said the Tunisian Defence Ministry in a statement.

It said the migrants, whose ages range from 18 to 38, had set sail Monday from the coast of Sfax.

They were taken to the port of Sfax and then handed over to agents with the Tunisian National Guard, the statement said.
TEL AVIV - Israel has launched a series of new measures in favour of Gaza, in a decision taken by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).

Media reports said the measures are being launched despite the fact that on Tuesday evening, Palestinian demonstrators grew violent at Israel's protective barrier with Gaza.

The measures include extended in the fishing zone off the coasts of the Palestinian enclave, which will now go to 15 nautical miles, the furthest point since Hamas took power in Gaza in 2007.

In addition, the number of work permits for Gaza residents to work in Israel was increased to 500, for a total of 2,500 in all.

Starting Wednesday, more goods and construction materials will be allowed to pass through the border crossing of Kerem Shalom, as well as an additional water supply.

"These civil steps were approved by the political echelon and are dependent upon the continued preservation of security stability for an extended period," COGAT said in a statement.

"An extension of them will be considered in accordance with a situational assessment," it said.
Israeli Navy, US 5th fleet conduct joint patrol in Red Sea Strengthened cooperation 'to thwart terrorist attacks'

(ANSAmed) - ROMA, 01 SET - The Israeli Navy and the US 5th Fleet carried out an unprecedented joint patrol, named "Noble Waters", in the Red Sea on Wednesday, said the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman.



He said the exercises included defence and rescue scenarios.



The goal is to "strengthen ties and familiarity between the two national fleets" in the shared intent of "protecting and monitoring international waters, which are of vital importance for international trade", the spokesman said.



"This exercise is the beginning of a cooperation that will expand and increase the circles of defense and security in the maritime space to prevent terrorist acts," said IDF's head of naval operations, Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari.



Local media followed Wednesday's patrol with interest, connecting it to the recent tensions between Israel and Iran for some attacks on ships on international routes. (ANSAmed).




Libya: meeting of ministers from neighbouring countries ends Commitment to respect Berlin Conference roadmap

(ANSA) - TUNIS, 01 SET - A two-day meeting of foreign ministers from Libya's neighbouring countries, which saw the participation of, among others, Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and UN Special Envoy for Libya Jan Kubis, concluded in Algiers on Tuesday.



In a joint final declaration, the foreign ministers of Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Niger and Chad emphasised the importance of respecting the results of the Berlin 1 and 2 Conferences, in compliance with the sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity of Libya, "condemning the continued supply of weapons and mercenaries to armed formations, in flagrant violation of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations, as well as deliberate attempts to sow division among Libyans by undermining all efforts to resolve the crisis in Libya".



The meeting also highlighted the importance of ensuring the "coordination, alignment and integration" of the efforts of the United Nations, the African Union (AU), the Arab League and the European Union.



The signatories then called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2,570 and the permanent ceasefire agreement.



"The ministers stressed the need to effectively implement the main priorities of the agreed roadmap, in terms of conducting the elections on the scheduled date in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2.570, the results of the Berlin 2 Conference and the roadmap issued by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, provided that the competent Libyan institutions lay the legal and constitutional foundations".



"Therefore, the withdrawal of foreign forces, foreign fighters and mercenaries, the unification of the military institution and the achievement of national reconciliation. This without damaging the security of neighboring countries," said the declaration.



The countries participating in the meeting in Algiers also decided to send a ministerial delegation to Libya, to express their solidarity with the Libyan people and evaluate the progress of the political process preceding the elections scheduled for 24 December.



The next meeting of the countries bordering Libya will be held in Egypt on a date still to be determined. (ANSA).




Tunisia: poll confirms popular support for Saied decisions But 55% of those surveyed are worried about future

(ANSA) - TUNIS, 01 SET - Tunisian President Kais Saied continues to enjoy popular support from the electorate, with a recent poll showing 81% of Tunisians are favourable to the extension of the suspension of the Tunisian Parliament and the withdrawal of parliamentary immunity for MPs.



The poll was conducted by Emrhod Consulting and commissioned by Business News and Attessia TV.



Saied initially decided to suspend parliament on 25 July for 30 days, then he extended the suspension on 23 August "until further notice".



However, 55% of those surveyed said they are worried about the future of the country.



The poll was conducted between 27 and 30 August on a representative sample of the Tunisian population made up of people ages 18 and up from the country's 24 governorates.



The margin of error is estimated at 2.6%. (ANSA).






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Four men have pleaded guilty to plotting to steal a number of luxury vehicles, including one that belonged to TV presenter Declan Donnelly.

The 45-year-olds black Range Rover was among around 750,000 worth of high-value vehicles targeted by the group.

Ellis Glynne, 29, Connor Murray, 21, Perry Ogle, 23, and Vinothkumar Ratnam, 37, all pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy to steal the cars between January 1 and July 9 this year.

Police were called to The Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here presenters west London home in the early hours of April 6 but the alleged thieves fled empty handed before officers arrived.

Declan Donnelly and his wife were reportedly asleep at the time (Ian West/PA)

Donnelly, his wife Ali, 43, and daughter Isla were reportedly asleep at the time of the attempted break-in and were unaware until they were later told by police.

His co-presenter, Ant McPartlin, 45, used to live in the same road but moved out after his split from Lisa Armstrong.

In total 12 men have been charged with various offences relating to the planned burglaries.

Glynne and Ratnam, both from Surrey, and Murray and Ogle, both from Hounslow, west London, appeared in the dock at Kingston Crown Court alongside four others.

Alfie Chandler, 18, from Hounslow, who is also charged with conspiracy to steal the vehicles, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Tommy Hutchinson, 18, from Feltham, who is also charged with conspiracy to steal the vehicles, did not enter a plea.

Ryan Crafts, from Wokingham, Berkshire, and Charlie Kavanagh, from Ashford, Surrey, entered not guilty pleas at a hearing in August.

Glynne, Murray and a third man, Robert Green, 41, from Addlestone, Surrey, face a separate count of conspiracy to burgle over the attempted theft of an ATM from a Brentford convenience store between January 25 and February 7 last year.

All three denied the charges.

Glynne, Murray and Ogle also pleaded guilty to a second count of conspiracy to burgle, which they were charged with alongside Chandler and another man, Jack Foley, 24, from Surrey.

Both Chandler and Foley have denied the charge.

The five men are alleged to have plotted to steal 11 electric bikes from Velospeed, in Thatcham, Berkshire, between June 14 and June 17 this year.

Tyler Smallworth, 20, from Hounslow, was further charged with theft of a van but previously denied the charge.

Edward Atkins, 34, also from Feltham, is due to be arraigned at a later date.

Judge Sarah Plaschkes QC set a trial date of January 4 next year.

She remanded Glynne and Murray in custody while the other defendants were released on bail ahead of a further hearing on October 15.
Demand for rail travel has reached two-thirds of normal levels for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic, new figures show.

Provisional Department for Transport data reveals the number of journeys made on Britains mainline rail network on Monday August 23 was at 66% compared with the equivalent date in 2019.

This is up from 56% three weeks earlier.

Industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) said the rise is due to increased leisure travel, with millions of people embarking on domestic breaks and day trips instead of foreign holidays this summer.

RDG chief executive Jacqueline Starr commented: Its great to see more and more day-trippers and staycationers travelling by train to see the people and places they love as life gets back on track, whether thats a seaside trip, a night out or a shopping spree.

These journeys are boosting businesses and high streets that have struggled during the pandemic, helping to build a fair and clean economic recovery from the pandemic.

Commuting and business trips by rail are still well below pre-coronavirus levels, with the sectors overall revenue for the year just 59% of what it was at this point in 2019.

Public transport groups have expressed concern that the pandemic has put millions of people off using public transport.

Road traffic has recovered to nearly 100% of pre-virus levels, and on some days even exceeds that figure.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Heavy rains from Hurricane Ida have forced Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee to cancel as organizers say the waterlogged festival grounds are unsafe for driving or camping.

The annual festival was scheduled to start Thursday on the site of a former farm in Manchester, about an hour southeast of Nashville.

On social media Tuesday, the festival said that tremendous rainfall over the last 24 hours, remnants of Ida's powerful winds and rain, have saturated the paths and camping areas.

The festival had earlier warned fans that camping capacity would be reduced because of the rain, but by Tuesday afternoon, the festival said its central stage area was also waterlogged.

Artists who were scheduled to headline include Tyler, the Creator, deadmau5, Lizzo, My Morning Jacket, Foo Fighters and Megan Thee Stallion.

The festival's attendance in 2019 was around 80,000 but last year's event was postponed to this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Refunds were being offered for fans.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani military servicemen are deliberately setting fire to not only the pastures and hayfields of Armenian villagers in the Gegharkunik province, but also the hay reserves which the farmers are keeping for winter season.

Villagers from Kut and Sotk are reporting to the Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan that as soon as the fire is extinguished the Azeri troops are again setting fire. The wildfires which began as a result of the Azeri militarys arson continues to spread. In many areas you cant go anywhere near the fire because the area is under Azerbaijani military crosshairs, and whenever anyone approaches they start to shoot. Firefighting is carried out by rescuers, with support of local residents. But equipment cannot be deployed in all affected areas because the fire is spreading in terrain which is difficult to access. The weather conditions make the fire spread more easily. Studies showed that firefighters were able to extinguish only the fire near Sotk in one day, Tatoyan said in a statement, emphasizing that the Azeri arson is depriving the villagers from their source of income.

Given the fact that the Azeri troops are located inside Armenian sovereign territory, in direct vicinity of villages, the fires pose a real and present danger to the life and property of the civilian population.

The Human Rights Defender said that the facts show that the Azeri troops are acting deliberately, with intent to cause damages to the civilians.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan signed a decree on September 1, relieving Mane Tandilyan from the position of minister of labor, social and migration affairs, the Presidential Office said today.

According to another decree of the President, Armine Petrosyan has been appointed minister of labor, social and migration affairs.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is Russias ally, the two countries have a very rich bilateral agenda, such as mutual visits, implementation of large projects, development of economic cooperation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during the meeting with the students of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

This time it develops very intensively and confidently, the Russian FM said.

He has also touched upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, stating that there are agreements signed by the Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia. These agreements clarify the proposals of the leaders over the unblocking of all transportation infrastructure and economic ties. This work cannot be done in a day, it is in process. The leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan personally deal with it, Sergei Lavrov said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian congratulated President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the Independence Day, the Presidents Office told Armenpress.

Undoubtedly, the centuries-old friendly relations of our countries are a firm and stable base for the consistent development and expansion of the mutually beneficial cooperation, the Armenian President said in his congratulatory letter. I am sure that we will manage to implement new joint projects and raise the inter-state partnership of Armenia and Uzbekistan to a qualitatively higher level.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
The Sifarat-e-Hind, as the embassy is called, in Shahre Nau, was one of Indias best guarded diplomatic establishments

The escalating crisis in Afghanistan is yet another reminder that theres no such thing as a natural ally. It also follows that no country can be branded as a natural enemy either. The compelling lesson is that India needs a flexible foreign policy that permits at least cordial working ties with all nations irrespective of ideology.

A good start in that direction was made with Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, head of the Talibans political office in Doha, meeting Indias ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal in Doha on Tuesday. This was New Delhis first official contact with Kabuls new rulers. As a former cadet at the Indian Military Academy in Dehra Dun, Mr Stanekzai knows India well. He won his spurs fighting against the Soviet Union first with Mohammad Nabi Mohammadis Islamic and National Revolution Movement of Afghanistan, and then with Abdul Rasul Sayyafs Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan when he commanded the southwestern front. His revolutionary credentials were confirmed as deputy foreign minister in the 1996-2001 Taliban regime. Recently, he has led or participated in negotiations with the official Chinese, Uzbek, Indonesian and US delegations.

There are also suggestions that the Talibans co-founder, Abdul Ghani Baradar, who signed the February 2020 Doha Agreement on the US withdrawal, might not be averse to some arrangement with India. Mr Baradar returned to Afghanistan on August 17 and held a secret meeting in Kabul just six days later with the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, William J. Burns, to finalise details of the US withdrawal. It is expected at the time of writing that he will soon become President -- or Emir since the Taliban speaks of an Islamic Emirate -- of Afghanistan.

People might wonder in the circumstances whether the evacuation (or flight?) of Rudrendra Tandon, Indias ambassador in Kabul, and his entire staff was at all necessary. The Sifarat-e-Hind, as the embassy is called, in Shahre Nau, was one of Indias best guarded diplomatic establishments. But it has acquired a reputation for running away from danger, having done exactly that only a few days before Kabul fell to the Taliban on September 26, 1996.

The late Ahmad Shah Massoud, the Afghan Tajik warlord who was called the Lion of Panjshir, who headed the United Islamic and National Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan, Northern Alliance in popular parlance, had warned the embassy only a few hours before the fall that he would no longer be able to defend the city. The diplomats in the Sifarat-e-Hind must have cowered in fright when they heard that Mohammad Najibullah, the former President, nicknamed the Ox because of his wrestlers build, and also dubbed the Butcher of Kabul for his record in office, had been dragged out of his UN hideout, beaten and hanged from a lamp post near the imposing stone palace where for six years he had presided over the torture and killing of thousands of fellow Afghans.

It would have been as catastrophic if instead of running away, Indias ambassador had tried to emulate Chanakya on the enemys enemy theory and sought to befriend the Islamic State (Khorasan), the Talibans deadly enemy, which was responsible for last weeks carnage outside Kabul airport. It might be as calamitous for India to openly support Ahmad Massoud and his armed rebels in mountainous Panjshir, 45 miles north of Kabul, as it was for his father, the Lion of Panjshir, whom Osama bin Ladens men murdered on December 9, 2001, just two days before 9/11. Even less can India afford to take sides like Donald Trump, who now calls former President Ashraf Ghani a total crook, murderer, corrupt, or Pakistans PM Imran Khan who applauded the Taliban for breaking Afghanistans shackles of slavery.

In discussing the new security challenges, Indias top military brass need not waste time on the moral imperative of dealing with an outfit the UN has dubbed a global terrorist group. Yesterdays terrorist is often tomorrows freedom fighter. What matters are the two potential areas of threat to Indias interests.

The first is technological, the second political. A Taliban-run Afghanistan can be expected to provide strategic depth to Pakistan, enjoy cooperative relations with China, Russia, and Iran, and diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

There is also the danger of Islamist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and the Haqqani Network targeting India in an already aggrieved Kashmir which feels especially ill-used by Prime Minister Narendra Modis divide-and-rule policy.

What makes all this particularly dangerous is the absence of American forces on the ground because of a retreat which invites comparisons with Dunkirk (1940) and Saigon (1975). By abandoning billions of dollars in military hardware, the US has enabled Taliban fighters to replace their ubiquitous AK-47 Kalashnikovs with sophisticated M-4 and M-16 rifles, fly squadrons of Black Hawk helicopters, operate all-terrain military vehicles, and also enjoy the military grade night vision devices whose export is normally strictly controlled. How strictly India discovered to its cost during 40 years of frustrating and humiliating begging/bargaining over equipment for a Light Combat Aircraft.

Much water has flown down the Ganga and Potomac rivers since then. The India-made Tejas MK-1 is now said to be the smallest, lightweight, multirole, single-engine tactical fighter aircraft in the world. Indias achievements in this field not only reduce dependence on the US but also improve its negotiating position with smaller powers. Todays Taliban is sophisticated enough to appreciate that the $2 billion India has invested since 9/11 in projects like the Salma Dam, the Delaram-Zaranj highway and the Parliament building, which the Taliban says it may use to house an Islamic council, have greatly enriched Afghanistan.

As India begins to engage with the Taliban, it would be only polite for New Delhi to satisfy itself first that Ashraf Ghanis vice president, Amrullah Saleh, does not head a credible successor state in the north. Old friends like Russia and Iran might willingly act as interlocutors. Unlike India, both countries have kept their embassies functioning in Kabul.

If we wait too long on events, we could miss out being in the front rank of countries to build a relationship with the Taliban, warns Krishnan Srinivasan, a former Indian foreign secretary. While a rapprochement with the Taliban is necessary to safeguard Indias long-term interests in the region, it is a relationship that must be pursued with circumspection. As the old saying has it: He who sups with the devil needs a long spoon.
BEL will sign similar contracts with Army and Air Force also to supply anti-drone system

The anti-drone system was first deployed to provide security cover for the Republic Day Parade this year. (Photo: Twitter/@PIB_India)

New Delhi: In view of emerging threats from drones, Indian Navy on Tuesday signed a contract with defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for supply of the first indigenous comprehensive Naval Anti Drone System (NADS) with both hard kill and soft kill capabilities.

The NADS, developed by DRDO and manufactured by BEL, is the first indigenously developed anti-drone system to be inducted into the Indian Armed Forces.

BEL will sign similar contracts with Army and Air Force also to supply anti-drone system.

The anti-drone system was first deployed to provide security cover for the Republic Day Parade this year and later during the Prime Ministers Independence Day Address to the Nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort. The system, which offers 360-degree coverage, was also deployed in Ahmedabad for the Modi-Trump roadshow.

The NADS can instantly detect and jam micro drones and use a laser-based kill mechanism to terminate targets. It will be an effective all-encompassing counter to the increased drone threat to strategic naval installations.

The NADS uses the help of Radar, Electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors and Radio Frequency (RF) detectors to detect and jam the micro drones.

The DRDOs RF/Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) detects the frequency which is being used by the controller and the signals are then jammed.

The anti-drone technology system of DRDO provides for both soft kill and hard kill options to the Indian Armed Forces to tackle fast-emerging aerial threats.

Both the static and mobile versions of NADS will be supplied to the Indian Navy within a short time from the signing of contract.

The contract was signed in the presence of senior Naval officers and DRDO representatives. Indian Navy has provided consistent support and has led in the joint development of the anti-drone system with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and BEL.
Sources said a metallic wire was found tied around the neck of the tigress

Bhopal: A tigress in the Bandhavgarh reserve forest in Madhya Pradeshs Umaria district, very popular among tourists and locals, was killed by poachers who stuffed her body in a gunny bag and threw it in a well inside the Bandhavgarh tiger reserve (BTR), a senior forest officer said on Tuesday.

The body was retrieved early on Tuesday morning, he added.

Sources said a metallic wire was found tied around the neck of the tigress, indicating that she was strangled to death before being dumped in the well.

Samples of the tigress, aged 14, were sent for forensic tests. Prima facie, it appears it may not be a case of commercial poaching. We have begun a probe into the incident and we will nab the killers of the tigress, BTR field director Wincent Rahim told this newspaper.

The tigress, code named T-32, was known among the locals as Amanalabali Baghin since she was sighted frequently in the Amanalabali area inside the tiger reserve. She had delivered her cubs in 2011, 2013 and 2015.

T-32, which has so far delivered nine cubs in three litters, was also very popular among the tourists visiting BTR for her casual and elegant strides.

Sources suspected that the poachers might have thrown the body into the well after strangulating it for being unable to chop off its body parts for some reason.

No body parts of the tigress were missing. This indicates that it may not be a case of commercial poaching. A probe can only unravel why the tigress was killed, Rahim said.

The brutal manner in which the tigress was killed was shocking. Lack of accountability was the key reason for the alarming rise in tiger mortalities in BTR, conservationist Ajey Dubey said.
About half of the members of a work crew don masks on Tuesday afternoon as they assemble the stage that will host a star-studded lineup for the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Experience.
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In our effort to always give our readers the best, up to date local reporting, we have recently collaborated with Ohio University students to build interactive, constantly updated timelines for stories that are important to you.
Graveside services for Teresa May Dickson, 60, of Flint, Texas, were held on Friday, September 10, 2021 at 2 p.m. at Rose Lawn Cemetery in Tyler with Rev. Kim Beckham officiating under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Teresa went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on S
What youre looking at was once a stock FXSTB Night Train , the two-wheeler made in Milwaukee from the late 1990s to the late 2000s. It was stock until it fell in the hands of a Japanese custom shop called Bad Land.The Japs had their way with the bike in their usual fashion, converting it to a 300 wide tire custom, but this time using bits and pieces taken from a wealth of other shops, and putting together a hellish-looking machine.Called Balfern, the two-wheeler rides on No Limit Custom wheels, sized 21 inches front, and 18 inches rear. The rear one is wrapped in a monstrously wide piece of rubber, while the front one is supported by an AS Industries fork.The controls for the bike have been provided by Performance Machines, as are the front and rear brake calipers, the carburetor slapped on the engine is a Mikuni, while the grip and mirrors come from Kens Factory.Aside from making all these bits come together in a way that makes sense, Bad Land was also responsible for supplying from its own shop the fenders that wrap over the two custom wheels, the triple tree, headlight, handlebar, fuel tank, and the exhaust system.Once all the pieces came together, the blackest black weve seen in a while was wrapped around almost all of the elements of the Balfern.The build was completed by Bad Land in 2018, but we have no info on how much it cost to put together.
AMG

The well-known comedian has had a good portion of his past and present collection advertised one way or another, from videos like the one below detailing a car to news of his older or less preferred models going up on sale.These occasions gave us a peek inside Kevin's garage, and while the lineup is pretty heterogenous, you can't help suspecting he has a soft spot for all things American . And given the long and rich U.S. automotive history, why wouldn't he?He's no stranger to a few European models either - anything from a Mercedes-G-Class to a Ferrari 488 Pista - but he always seems to return to a good old classic American. And when he does, he doesn't just buy them but also has them custom-made to his own desire.Take this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro , for example. The '69 model is arguably one of the best-looking Camaros ever made so, from an aesthetics point of view, it makes for an excellent starting point. Indeed, Kevin's monster - nicknamed "Bad News" - does not disappoint, keeping everything that makes the '69 Camaro so instantly recognizable and adding a ton of personality on top of it.The build goes for a murdered-out look, though the intention is never stated - nor is it carried out to the end since the windows lack any kind of tint (yet?). Apart from that, it has an aggressive front splitter, wider fenders (more on that later), an air diffuser at the rear, and a set of black Forgeline wheels. All-in-all, the car has a very coherent aspect, which is always worth appreciating.On the technical side of things, "Bad News" gets a destroked LSx-based 380ci (6.2-liter) LS7 V8 garnished with a pair of 68mm Turbonetics ball-bearing turbochargers. The result is a powerplant that puts 650 horsepower to the wheels as well as a maximum torque of 680 lb-ft (921 Nm). Even so - or should we say, "despite that"? - Kevin Hart's driving is described as "mellow cruising." How that is even possible, we don't know.So, back to those flared fenders: they're there to make room for the obscenely wide tires that the guys at Timeless Kustoms got from a Dodge Viper. It runs 305s up front and 355s at the rear, which is basically just stopping short of giving it one big cylinder, The Flintstones-style.As good as the Camaro is to look at - and it is, both inside and out - the sound it makes is just as exciting. The bad news is delivered very loudly thanks to a custom-made exhaust system that doesn't include a muffler, and when the throttle pedal is depressed after a short burst of acceleration, that lovely blow-off valve sound makes itself heard as well.It's an all-round spectacle this car and if you like what you see, don't start stalking the auction sites just yet. Kevin has just had it updated, so he's clearly planning on enjoying it for a bit more. Who knows, it might even be part of his permanent, no-sell collection. It would be part of ours, that's for sure.
4 Get to Know Ferrari's Most Spectacular Formula 1 Engines

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2 Russia Aims to Debut on the eVTOL Market, Unveils Future Hybrid Aircraft Engine

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Rolls-Royce 87,000 HP Gearbox Sets New World Record, Could Power an Entire City

One of the most important engine manufacturers in the world, with a significant legacy in the aerospace industry, Rolls-Royce breaks the norm again, with a new world aerospace record. 6 photos



An important component of the UltraFan is the power gearbox (PGB) that has recently set a new world record. Tests at the companys Dahlewitz facility near Berlin demonstrated its ability to reach an astounding power level of 87,000 HP or 67 MW, enough to power a town the size of British city Bath (29 km). This performance record marks a milestone in the development of the next-generation



Thanks to the PGB, the UltraFan engine is 25% more fuel efficient, compared to the first generation of Rolls-Royce Trent engines. In fact, the PGB has what is called a planetary design, and each planet can hold the force of a Trent XWB engine. By enabling the rear turbine of the engine to run at high speed, while the front fan runs at a lower speed, this gearbox makes the engine more efficient at various thrust levels.



Testing of this cutting-edge gearbox began in 2017, at the dedicated



The record-breaking power gearbox is set to be delivered for the UltraFan demonstrator engine, UF001, by the end of this year. The first test of the next-generation engine will be conducted entirely on sustainable fuel. Rolls-Royce has been developing its highly-advanced UltraFan aircraft engine as part of an effort to support sustainable aviation. According to the companys estimates, its going to take time for this particular sector to transition to sustainable fuels, which will inevitably come with greater costs compared to traditional fuel, at least in the beginning. Highly-efficient, innovative engines, such as UltraFan, will become an important factor in making this transition easier by increasing performance and reducing costs.An important component of the UltraFan is the power gearbox (PGB) that has recently set a new world record. Tests at the companys Dahlewitz facility near Berlin demonstrated its ability to reach an astounding power level of 87,000or 67 MW, enough to power a town the size of British city Bath (29 km). This performance record marks a milestone in the development of the next-generation aircraft engine Thanks to the PGB, the UltraFan engine is 25% more fuel efficient, compared to the first generation of Rolls-Royce Trent engines. In fact, the PGB has what is called a planetary design, and each planet can hold the force of a Trent XWB engine. By enabling the rear turbine of the engine to run at high speed, while the front fan runs at a lower speed, this gearbox makes the engine more efficient at various thrust levels.Testing of this cutting-edge gearbox began in 2017, at the dedicated test facility in Dahlewitz. Before this new record, previous power tests showed its ability to manage the equivalent power of an entire grid of Formula 1 cars. Other demonstrations included flight simulations with the integrated gearbox, through different flight phases.The record-breaking power gearbox is set to be delivered for the UltraFan demonstrator engine, UF001, by the end of this year. The first test of the next-generation engine will be conducted entirely on sustainable fuel.

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EV

SUV

According to Xiaomi, the new company will employ roughly 300 staff members to begin with, although it will continue to recruit talent going forward. Speaking of the future, the Chinese firm, currently the worlds second top-selling brand behind Samsung in Q2 of 2021, has also pledged to invest $10 billion over the next 10 years in electric mobility, as reported by Reuters Meanwhile, company CEO Lei Jun will act as XiaomiIncs legal representative, has already stated that this push into electric vehicles would mark his last major entrepreneurial project.Xiaomi has carried out over 2,000 interview surveys and visited with over 10 industry peers and partners, although its strategy for the automotive sector remains mostly a mystery  as is the type of vehicle its looking to launch. Could it be something budget-friendly like a small city car or crossover? Or perhaps something a little more expensive like a largeor a four-door saloon capable of rivaling a Tesla Model S . Time will tell.Just last week, the Chinese tech giant announced the purchase of autonomous driving startup Deepmotion for the sweet sum of $77 million. With Deepmotions help, Xiaomi could take the fight to local rivals such as Baidu and Huawei, although in the long term, they clearly want to grow internationally as far as the EV market is concerned.Furthermore, a Xiaomi spokesperson wrote on the companys social media account that theyre also in touch with several carmakers regarding potential partnerships, but theyve yet to decide which one to work with.
Copyright  2020 by Mountain Times Publications. Digital or printed dissemination of this content without prior written consent is a violation of federal law and may be subject to legal action.
Sonoma is a well-renowned sourdough baking company in Australia, whose founder Andrew Connole has travelled the world in pursuit of making the worlds best bread. And who doesnt love bread?!

SBS, an Australian television broadcast channel, co-created an 8-part documentary series which follows Sonomas fearless leader as he travels to Greece, France, Malta and other history-rich countries to uncover the shared stories of nourishment, companionship, and daily celebration of the worlds most ubiquitous staple.

We were approached to create a site heralding the new series, so we designed a content-rich platform, For the Love of Bread, showcasing a sneak peek of each episode in full-width video glory. The site also delved into the story behind each destination, to appeal to not just carb-lovers, but anyone interested in cooking, produce, history and keen to travel the world from the comfort of their own homes during Covid lockdown.

Homepage

Design

We decided to roll with a monochromatic colour scheme, aligned with Sonomas classic branding. This also alluded to the simplicity of the bread itself - good bread does not require any trickery - just honest ingredients and a passion for doing things right. The black and white design also nods to the long history and heritage - hundreds, if not thousands, of years - of the breads roots and the cities the documentary journeys to. We used big, towering typography to reflect the powerful and iconic destinations featured - they are as much of the hero as the bread itself.

Story page

A clean, uncomplicated structure sees the user able to tap easily between the history of Sonoma, the episode list, and the homepage which features snippets of each episodes gorgeous content and destinations. Smooth transitions between each make the site a joy to play with. A slight glitch upon transition is reminiscent of the RGB interference of TV sets of old, a subtle nod to the medium which the site was created to promote. The big type heroes each location and grabs the viewers attention - theyre all magnificent destinations we will hopefully be able to visit again one day soon.

Webpage interactions

Smooth transitions between each episode make the site a joy to play with.

Navigation

The site is, at its heart, a simple content site, so the navigation reflects this. The user can access all eight episodes from the right-hand side, through an interactive overlay that offers a preview video of each destination. Upon selecting their chosen destination from the menu, we take the preview container and scale it to fill the users screen, providing a seamless transition back to the selected episode. Alternatively, viewers can scroll through the homepage to get an insight into each destination and find which tickles their fancy, with the bouncy scroll encouraging them to surface the next episode. An about page tells the history of Andrew Connole and the family-owned Sonoma, serving to explain the genesis of the TV series and his global pursuit of great bread.

Episodes navigation

Challenges

As Sonoma cannot stream the episodes until 12months after the initial airing on SBS TV, we had to find ways to make the site engaging without directing viewers to the full episodes on the site. We managed to strike the balance of engaging through the video trailers with links to watch externally on SBS - creating interest and interaction with the episode menu, and bringing each episodes synopsis to life with the combination of video and energy through transitions.

We had to find ways to make the site engaging without directing viewers to the full episodes on the site.

We were tightly bound to launch the site prior to the airing of the first episode of For the Love of Bread on 7th March, 2021. The episode trailers underwent several revisions and so it really was a race to finalise all assets. Knowing the timings would be tight from the outset of the project, we had planned a simple solution that could be created by one developer and still have time for the extra polish we deem as standard at Nightjar - its what creates the best experience for our visitors and also gets projects noticed around the world.

One final hurdle, at the time, some iPhones had an issue playing video onto a WebGLcanvas. It would not throw any errors, but the video would not be displayed in the canvas. Our solution was to detect the iPhone version and use an mp4 for those devices, while using HLS for all other users.

Mobile version

Technologies

Nightjar are always pushing the boundaries and exploring new technologies. For the frontend, we built the site using server side rendered React, and for the backend we used the Sanity CMS. Videos were streamed using Mux, which we synced with Sanity. For animations, we used GSAP and WebGL for the displacement and color shift effect when the user scrolls through the videos.

The infrastructure was hosted on the AWS, and the entire stack was scripted with Cloudformation, to facilitate versioning and source control of the infrastructure.

Company Info

Nightjar is an Experience Design company based in Sydney, working with ambitious businesses around the world.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz's trip to Ramallah on Sunday to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas  the first such visit by an Israeli Cabinet member in 12 years  ultimately proved how politically sensitive any steps to improve relations with the Palestinians can be in Israel.

Why it matters: Relations with the Palestinian Authority were frozen almost entirely under former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Gantz's visit was months in the making and was approved by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, but ended up causing tensions within the government.

Driving the news: The Palestinian side quickly issued a statement after the meeting ended, saying it had covered Palestinian-Israeli relations on all aspects. Gantz then issued his own statement saying that he and Abbas had discussed political-military and civilian-economic issues.

Gantz also announced a set of confidence-building measures to boost the Palestinian economy, including a $150 million "loan."

News of the meeting and the use of the word "political" led to criticism and questions for Bennett from the right about whether he had approved the meeting and what had been discussed.

What he's saying: Bennett, who had expected a lower-profile meeting, tried to downplay the loan, asking the Ministry of Defense to issue a clarification that it will not come from Israeli funds but as an advance payment of Palestinian tax revenues.

He also issued a statement saying the meeting only covered day-to-day security issues.

Bennett went one step further, saying, There are no political talks with the Palestinians and there will be no political talks with the Palestinians."

Briefing the Security Cabinet on Tuesday after his meeting with Biden, Bennett said, I am the only prime minister in three decades who told the president of the United States I am not going to hold peace talks with the Palestinians. But I told Biden I am serious in my intentions to improve the Palestinian economy and Palestinian lives," according to an Israeli Cabinet minister.

Between the lines: Bennetts reaction has shown his need to reassure the right-wing members of his coalition that he is not giving any political concessions to the Palestinians.

On the other hand, Bennett is allowing the left-wing members of his coalition to take steps to improve the atmosphere with the Palestinians and promote civilian and economic initiatives in the West Bank.

The Israeli government is planning more steps in the near future to strengthen the Palestinian Authority, but Bennett will continue that balancing act as long as possible in order to keep the government stable.

The backstory: Gantz initially wanted to meet Abbas right after the Gaza war in May, but was concerned such a meeting could undermine the coalition negotiations between Bennett and Yair Lapid, now the foreign minister.

He asked Bennett to approve a meeting right after the government was formed, but Bennett asked him to wait.

He asked again recently, stressing that there were pressing security issues to discuss, and Bennett gave a green light for a meeting after he returned from Washington.

On Sunday night, several hours after Bennett landed in Tel Aviv, Gantz met Abbas at his house in Ramallah.

Worth noting: The decision to meet Gantz was at least as controversial for Abbas. A Hamas spokesperson called it a stab in the back of the Palestinian people and a betrayal of the blood of the martyrs.
Republicans in Congress have begun coordinating their attacks on Afghanistan, with new plans to try to harness unease about the U.S. withdrawal in order to regain power in 2022.

Why it matters: President Biden's poll numbers have fallen as the Afghanistan exit was engulfed by chaos and tragedy. Now, Republicans are seizing the moment in hopes of making it a defining issue ahead of the midterms.

Driving the news: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will outline the party's key foreign policy priorities at the Nixon Presidential Library on Wednesday morning, which his aides say will be his most substantive foreign policy address to date ahead of 2022.

The address is the first in a series of expected policy events McCarthy plans to hold across the country in the next several months, they tell Axios.

He'll speak alongside former Trump national security adviser Robert O'Brien, whom McCarthy has tapped to help House Republicans in their efforts to regain the majority next year.

Axios scooped Tuesday night that O'Brien spoke for over an hour with House Republicans on Tuesday, helping them develop their latest policy offensive on Afghanistan.

During the call, O'Brien walked members through a series of policy proposals focused on "rebuilding American credibility," and warned that countries like China and Russia will seek to exploit the region following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

O'Brien also recently joined McCarthy for his annual retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Republicans are also digging in on a legislative level. The Republican Study Committee, the largest block of House Republicans, will try to use Wednesday's markup of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to message against any recognition of the Taliban's legitimacy.

The effort is seen as a small part of a broader GOP messaging strategy aimed at painting Democrats as feckless Taliban allies, Republican members and aides tell Axios.

Asked about recognizing the Taliban government Tuesday night, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain told MNSBC: "I don't think any time soon. I don't know if we will ever recognize their government."

Between the lines: While House Republicans hope to hammer Democrats over the exit, the Biden administration is quick to point out the war was started by a Republican  George W. Bush  and the withdrawal set into motion by another, Donald Trump.
The Armenian Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday morning that 615 people tested positive for the coronavirus in the past day, up from less than 100 cases a day routinely recorded in early and mid-June. It also registered 15 more deaths directly or indirectly caused by COVID-19.

Deputy Health Minister Gevorg Simonian rang alarm bells over the epidemiological situation late on Tuesday, saying that it is increasingly deteriorating.

In a Facebook post, Simonian warned that the 14 hospitals across the country treating COVID-19 patients have only 235 vacant beds at the moment. About 700 patients are in a severe and 125 others in a critical condition, he wrote.

The situation is really tense and concerning, Naira Stepanian, the deputy director of Yerevans Nork Hospital for Infectious Diseases, told RFE/RLs Armenian Service on Wednesday.

Phone calls received by us have begun increasing again. Behind every phone call is a [coronavirus] case evaluated as severe or critical, she said.

According to Stepanian, the Nork hospitals intensive-care unit had only two available beds as of Wednesday morning. Virtually all patients treated there were under the age of 60, a further sign that the more contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus has become prevalent in Armenia as well.

In response to the latest resurgence of coronavirus cases, the Armenian government has pledged in recent weeks to toughen its lax enforcement of anti-epidemic rules imposed by it last year. The rules include mandatory mask wearing inside buses, shops and offices.

Most Armenians still do not wear masks indoors, however.

The spread of the disease is also facilitated by a very slow pace of the governments COVID-19 vaccination campaign launched in April.

According to the Ministry of Health, a total of 275,138 vaccine shots were administered in the country of about 3 million as of August 29. Only 98,586 people making up less than 5 percent of the population were fully vaccinated.

The ministry has recorded just over 6,000 coronavirus-related deaths to date.
A ministry statement said the 39-year-old Sergeant Gegham Sahakian died when Armenian army units deployed outside the village of Yeraskh bordering Azerbaijans Nakhichevan exclave came under cross-border fire.

The statement said that the Azerbaijani actions will not go unanswered and that Baku will bear responsibility for the escalation of the situation.

The Azerbaijani military denied violating the ceasefire regime in the area about 70 kilometers south of Yerevan.

Tensions along that border section rose dramatically in mid-July after more than two decades of relative calm. Sahakian is the third Armenian soldier killed there since then.

Yeraskhs mayor, Radik Oghikian, was gravely wounded as cross-border skirmishes in the area adjacent to northeastern Turkey escalated later in July.

The Armenian military says that the skirmishes began after Azerbaijani troops tried to move their border posts closer to its Yeraskh positions.

Tensions have also been running high at other portions of the border where Azerbaijani forces reportedly crossed into Armenian territory in May.
The villages of Sotk and Kut are situated along one of the portions of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border which Azerbaijani forces reportedly crossed in May to advance a few kilometers into Armenian territory.

The wildfires reportedly erupted there on Monday, destroying pastures and hay stacks belonging to villagers heavily dependent on animal husbandry. According to local officials, 160 hectares of land was burned down on Tuesday alone.

The fires were extinguished around Sotk but continued to rage near Kut on Wednesday. Photographs and videos circulated by Armenian media outlets showed firefighters and local residents trying to put out flames manually.

Gevorg Galstian, the head of the Gegharkunik branch of the Armenian Rescue Service, said the areas mountainous terrain makes it impossible for his firefighters to use fire engines.

Hakob Avetian, the mayor of a Gegharkunik community comprising Sotk and Kut, charged that Azerbaijani soldiers deployed on nearby hills set fire to the local fields.

They roll down a burning tire and it spreads the fire. That is done deliberately, Avetian told RFE/RLs Armenian Service by phone.

They spread fires in those directions where they can cause more damage, he said, pointing to hay that was collected and stacked by local farmers for their livestock.

Armenias human rights ombudsman, Arman Tatoyan, also blamed the fires on Azerbaijani troops deployed in the sovereign territory of Armenia.

As a result of these actions taken by Azerbaijani servicemen, pastures belonging to civilian residents are being destroyed and people are being deprived of their livelihoods, Tatoyan said in a statement released late on Tuesday.

Baku denied that its forces deliberately caused the wildfires. It also maintains that they did not cross into Armenian territory in May.

The farmers in Sotk, Kut and two nearby villages lost access to some of their traditional summer pastures as a result of the Azerbaijani troop advances.
Armen Charchian, who headed Yerevans Izmirlian Medical Center, is prosecuted for allegedly pressuring his subordinates to vote in the June 20 parliamentary elections. He was first arrested three days after being elected to the Armenian parliament on the main opposition Hayastan alliances ticket.

Charchian, who rejects the accusations as politically motivated, was released from custody on bail at the start of his trial a month later. He was sent back to jail on August 23 after Armenias Court of Appeals overturned the decision made by the judge presiding over the trial.

Charchian was rushed to Yerevans Nork-Marash Medical Center, a heart clinic, the following day. The hospital director, Mikael Adamian, confirmed on Wednesday that the 61-year-old suffered a heart attack.

Adamian described his current condition as moderately grave and said the opposition lawmaker, who also suffers from diabetes, must remain in the hospital.

Charchians lawyer, Erik Andreasian, demanded, meanwhile, an immediate court hearing on his petition to release his client on bail.

Mr. Charchian cannot remain under arrest in these circumstances, said Andreasian.

The lawyer and the Hayastan alliance say that Charchians arrest was illegal because it was not allowed by the parliament. Prosecutors counter that he did not enjoy parliamentary immunity from prosecution because he was indicted before being elected to the National Assembly.

Charchian is one of three jailed members of the parliament representing the opposition bloc led by former President Robert Kocharian. The two others were arrested in July on separate corruption charges also strongly denied by them.

Charchian was charged with coercing voters after a non-governmental organization publicized a leaked audio recording of his pre-election meeting with the Izmirlian Medical Center staff. He told them that they must participate in the elections or face much tougher treatment by the hospital management.

The doctor has insisted that he only asked his staffers to vote on June 20 and did not threaten to fire anyone.

Aleksanian has argued, for his part, that the leaked audio contains only a short excerpt from Charchians comments made at the meeting. According to him, a longer recording presented by the defense lawyers shows that the then hospital chief made clear he will not resort to repressions against anyone refusing to go to the polls.
Alaska surpasses previous hospitalizations record and reports deaths of 6 with COVID, including woman in her 20s
Schneider to Become One of the Largest Battery-Electric Truck Fleets in North America
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The French Fire has grown to 25,411 acres and is 33 percent contained, according to the California incident management team overseeing the fire.
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Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas has welcomed its first class of developing physicians enrolled in its new internal medicine residency program. The system hopes the program will build more opportunities for future local medical students and improve physician recruitment.

The group of 18 doctors came from medical schools both across the world to learn from the system's physicians. Some of them may spend up to three years in the program serving Southeast Texas patients.

But they wont be the only ones.

The system plans to accommodate up to 39 residents when the program ramps up to full speed. Residents also will eventually be joined by medical students, who are observing in the Beaumont hospital as a part of Baptists partnership with Sam Houston State Universitys College of Osteopathic Medicine in Conroe.

Todd Senters, associate vice president of operations, said the move to create a learning hospital will give the system opportunities to advance the level of care and support it can give to its growing patient population. But it also helps solve the growing issue of physician recruitment that regional hospitals are confronting.

It can be difficult to recruit doctors into a market like this and even harder to explain the benefits of an area that candidates arent familiar with, Senters said. Programs like this are going to become best practice for making sure we have enough physicians to meet patient needs.

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The new program joins Baptists already-existing pharmacy practice program, which also welcomed new residents in June.

Combined with its Sam Houston partnership, Baptist hopes to leverage a kind-of educational pipeline where local students with a passion for serving their hometowns could go from Lamar University, to Sam Houston and back to Beaumont as a resident.

After an orientation day on June 30 where residents reviewed procedures and training, Thursday was their first full day of duties.

Physicians from the Baptist Physician Network, the group contracted to staff the systems hospital, and educators including Dr. Jim Barker from Sam Houston Universitys College of Osteopathic Medicine were on-hand to give skills demonstrations during the orientation.

Dr. Nikki Hancock, a network physician helping coordinate residents, said the program will be a foundational advancement for the area and could give participants a unique learning experience.

The size of this program means it will be a lot more personal and community based, with more time with patients, Hancock said. Its the only program like it in this area, which makes the residents learning a priority.

As the nations healthcare industry continues to consolidate and evolve and Texas communities increase in size, state agencies have predicted that shortages of health professionals could grow exponentially within the next few years.

A 2017 report from the Texas Department of State Health Services concluded that, by 2030, general internal medicine will have the greatest need for physicians.

In the Gulf Coast region, which includes most of Southeast Texas, demand for general internists will outpace supply by more than 15% by the beginning of the next decade.

Those changes will continue to disproportionately impact the states most rural areas, which Senters said has a potential snowball effect for systems like Baptist that increasingly see more patients from Newton, Jasper, Orange and other outlying counties.

When patients lack access to care, they delay their treatment, Senters said. That means when they reach us, they are in dire need. Thats why we have to find the next generation of professionals to provide the level of care they need and get to them sooner.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
The U.S. Department of Justices Federal Bureau of Prisons has released new information about a senior inmate who died at a Beaumont prison earlier this year.

The department sent out a news release late Tuesday evening regarding the death of Armando Ramirez, 71, who was serving his sentence at a low security Federal Correctional Institution.

According to the release, Ramirez had tested positive for the novel coronavirus on December 17, 2020. The department reported that he was immediately placed in medical isolation.

Following the completion of his isolation, the department said Ramirez showed no symptoms and his status was changed to recovered on Dec. 28. The release said the decision was in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Ramirez was later evaluated on March 27 by the prisons medical staff after reporting shortness of breath. The release said he became unresponsive.

Responding staff immediately initiated life-saving measures, the release said. Staff requested emergency medical services (EMS) and life-saving efforts continued.

The release said Ramirez was taken by EMS to a local hospital where he died the same day. Ramirez had pre-existing medical conditions, which the CDC lists as risk factors for developing more severe COVID-19 disease, according to the release..

Ramirez was sentenced in the Northern and Southern Districts of Texas to an aggregate 384-month sentence for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Internal Revenue and Income Tax Evasion, and Escape from Federal Custody. He had been in custody at the Federal Correctional Complex Beaumont since December 28, 2007.

The facility currently houses 1,486 male offenders, Tuesdays news release said.

The Bureau of Prisons will continue to provide daily updates and information on actions related to COVID-19 at www.bop.gov/coronavirus/index.jsp. Additional information about the Bureau of Prisons can be found at www.bop.gov.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
GRAND ISLE, La. (AP)  Hurricane Ida caused mass devastation on Grand Isle, a Louisiana town on a narrow barrier island that bore the full power of the Category 4 storm Sunday.

About half of the properties in the town of about 1,400 were either heavily damaged or destroyed. Some of the homes were missing roofs or walls, while others had been reduced to piles of debris.

The main roadway on Tuesday was nearly completely covered in sand that had been brought in by the tidal surge. All of the utility poles were either leaning or had crashed down.

Grand Isle Police Chief Scooter Resweber rode out the storm with his fellow officers inside the police station Sunday. Ida made landfall just to the west with a wind gust recorded at 172 mph (277 kph) and seawater swamped the island.

I had all the police officers move into the building for safety, and then all hell broke loose, Resweber told a reporter for The Associated Press who reached the town via helicopter. Roofs started to come apart. We could see buildings flying to pieces across the street from us. Its something that you just dont want to ever see again.

When the roof started to come apart and the building trembled, we all got scared. Were grown men but you do have fear in you, no matter what job youre in, and we felt it."

Cynthia Lee Sheng, president of Jefferson Parish, where Grand Isle is located, described the island as uninhabitable. She said every building was damaged to some extent, there are numerous breaks in the levee system, and a strong odor of natural gas persists, so that is not good.

Resweber and other officers ventured out early Monday to assess the damage  the police chief's home was among the hundreds destroyed  as well as to check on the nearly 100 residents who had decided to stay behind. He said many residents regretted that decision, although no one was seriously hurt.

Ive ridden out other hurricanes  Hurricane Isaac, Katrina, Gustav, Ike  and this is no comparison whatsoever. This is the worst.  Its just amazing that no one (here) was killed or even seriously injured.

___

Associated Press reporter R.J. Rico in Atlanta contributed to this report.
Jefferson County again will sponsor a free COVID-19 testing site for the month of September.

The mobile unit, which was approved by the commissioners court on Tuesday, is a joint venture with Riceland Medical Center and Winnie Community Hospital.

It will run until September 30, 2021 and is one of several recent measures taken to alleviate the burden on an overwhelmed and overtaxed local healthcare system.

About a week and a half ago, we received notice that a lot of the pharmacies that were doing testing and the general practitioners were running out of test kits, said Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick. We received notice that the general practitioners and nurse practitioners were overwhelmed with testing  the hospitals were overwhelmed with testing. The hospitals are spending three shifts per day of nurses doing testing that could be involved in patient care. So, we're trying to fill that gap right now.

The mobile unit will rotate to different sites within the county.

Dr. Praphul Joshi, lead COVID-19 investigator for Jefferson County, said its becoming increasingly challenging to find free testing. Thats compared to the beginning of the pandemic, when the Jack Brooks Regional Airport was used as a free testing site in addition to two or three other sites.

But the funding for free testing dried up.

The CARES Act funding reimbursed testing sites for people who dont have insurance, said Beaumont Public Health Director Kenneth Coleman. Now a lot of that funding has gone away. So, the sites that were providing free testing are no longer providing it.

The move to increase testing opportunities also comes as Hurricane Idas wrath in Louisiana has driven a number of the regions residents to shelter in Southeast Texas.

More Information Testing Dates & Sites for Jefferson County Wednesday 7 a.m. to noon; Labelle, 22044 Burrell Wingate Rd 1 to 7 p.m.; Bevil Oaks, 13550 River Oaks Blvd. Thursday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Beaumont, 700 Crockett St. Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Port Arthur, Bob Bowers Civic Center Monday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Groves, 6150 39th St. 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Hamshire, Hamshire Community Center Tuesday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Port Arthur, Bob Bowers Civic Center Sept. 8 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Beaumont, 700 Crockett St. Sept. 9 7 a.m. to noon; Labelle, 22044 Burrell Wingate Rd 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Port Neches, 1005 Merriman St. See More Collapse

With the hurricane, we have a lot of evacuees in the area, Joshi said. Definitely, there'll be more need for testing. Free testing will minimize the burden and will encourage people to go get tested.

The testing will kick off from 7 a.m. to noon Wednesday in Labelle at 22044 Burrell Wingate Rd.

From 1 to 7 p.m., it will be in Bevil Oaks at 13550 River Oaks Blvd. The units schedule will be posted weekly.

The availability of free testing from the county, I think, will be very helpful for the community, Joshi said.

rachel.kersey@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/ontheREKord
WASHINGTON (AP)  A defensive President Joe Biden on Tuesday called the U.S. airlift to extract more than 120,000 Americans, Afghans and other allies from Afghanistan to end a 20-year war an extraordinary success," though more than 100 Americans and thousands of others were left behind.

Twenty-four hours after the last American C-17 cargo plane roared off from Kabul, Biden spoke to the nation and vigorously defended his decision to end America's longest war and withdraw all U.S. troops ahead of an Aug. 31 deadline.

I was not going to extend this forever war, Biden declared from the White House. "And I was not going to extend a forever exit.

Biden has faced tough questions about the way the U.S. went about leaving Afghanistan  a chaotic evacuation with spasms of violence, including a suicide bombing last week that killed 13 American service members and 169 Afghans.

He is under heavy criticism, particularly from Republicans, for his handling of the evacuation. But he said it was inevitable that the final departure from two decades of war, first negotiated with the Taliban for May 1 by former President Donald Trump, would have been difficult, with likely violence, no matter when it was planned and conducted.

To those asking for a third decade of war in Afghanistan, I ask, What is the vital national interest?" Biden said. He added, "I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars in Afghanistan.

Asked after the speech about Biden sounding angry at some criticism, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the president had simply offered his forceful assessment.

Biden scoffed at Republicans  and some Democrats  who contend the U.S. would have been better served maintaining a small military footprint in Afghanistan. Before Thursdays attack, the U.S. military had not suffered a combat casualty since February 2020  around the time the Trump administration brokered its deal with the Taliban to end the war by May of this year.

Biden said breaking the Trump deal would have restarted a shooting war. He said those who favor remaining at war also fail to recognize the weight of deployment, with a scourge of PTSD, financial struggles, divorce and other problems for U.S. troops.

When I hear that we couldve, shouldve continued the so-called low-grade effort in Afghanistan at low risk to our service members, at low cost, I dont think enough people understand how much weve asked of the 1% of this country to put that uniform on, Biden said.

In addition to all the questions at home, Biden is also adjusting to a new relationship with the Taliban, the Islamist militant group the U.S. toppled after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in America, and that is now once again in power in Afghanistan.

Biden has tasked Secretary of State Antony Blinken to coordinate with international partners to hold the Taliban to their promise of safe passage for Americans and others who want to leave in the days ahead.

"We dont take them by their word alone, but by their actions," Biden said. We have leverage to make sure those commitments are met.

Biden also pushed back against criticism that he fell short of his pledge to get all Americans out of the country ahead of the U.S. military withdrawal. He said many of the Americans left behind are dual citizens, some with deep family roots that are complicating their ability to leave Afghanistan.

The bottom line: 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave, Biden said. For those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out, if they want to come out.

Biden repeated his argument that ending the Afghanistan war was a crucial step for recalibrating American foreign policy toward growing challenges posed by China and Russia  and counterterrorism concerns that pose a more potent threat to the U.S.

Theres nothing China or Russia would rather have, want more in this competition, than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan, he said

In Biden's view the war could have ended 10 years ago with the U.S. killing of Osama bin Laden, whose al-Qaida extremist network planned and executed the 9/11 plot from an Afghanistan sanctuary. Al-Qaida has been vastly diminished, preventing it thus far from again attacking the United States. The president lamented an estimated $2 trillion of taxpayer money that was spent fighting the war.

What have we lost as a consequence in terms of opportunities? Biden asked.

Congressional committees, whose interest in the war waned over the years, are expected to hold public hearings on what went wrong in the final months of the U.S. withdrawal.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Tuesday described the Biden administration's handling of the evacuation as probably the biggest failure in American government on a military stage in my lifetime" and promised that Republicans would press the White House for answers.

Meanwhile, the Senate met briefly Tuesday, with Vice President Kamala Harris presiding over the chamber, to pass by unanimous consent a bill that increases spending for temporary assistance to U.S. citizens and their dependents returning from another country because of illness, war or other crisis. Biden quickly signed the legislation, which raises funding for the program from $1 million to $10 million.

A group of Republican lawmakers gathered on the House floor Tuesday morning and participated in a moment of silence for the 13 service members who were killed in the suicide bomber attack.

They also sought a House vote on legislation from Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., which among other things would require the administration to submit a report on how many Americans remain in Afghanistan as well as the number of Afghans who had applied for a category of visas reserved for those employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government.

The GOP lawmakers objected as Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., gaveled the House into adjournment. They then gathered for a press conference to denounce the administration.

For many U.S. commanders and troops who served in Afghanistan, it was a day of mixed emotions.

All of us are conflicted with feelings of pain and anger, sorrow and sadness, combined with pride and resilience, said Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He commanded troops in Afghanistan earlier in his career. But one thing I am certain of, for any soldier, sailor, airman or Marine and their families, your service mattered. It was not in vain.

-

Associated Press writers Robert Burns and Lolita C. Baldor contributed reporting.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  A bill cracking down on violent protests that critics argue could stifle free speech is heading to North Carolina's governor.

The proposal from Republican House Speaker Tim Moore that was fueled by rioting and looting he saw take place in Raleigh last year amid frustration over the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody passed the House on Tuesday by a vote of 63-41. It now heads to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who has previously expressed concerns with the measure.

Moore and other Republicans believe the plan will make criminals think twice before engaging in violence. They also believe it will give law enforcement the tools they need to prevent a rioter or looter from swiftly reentering the streets after they are taken into custody.

What this bill really does well is strike a balance between protecting the right of folks to go out and protest... and at the same time, protecting order, the upholding of the law, property and life," Moore said during the floor debate on the bill.

Two House Democrats supported the measure, down from 23 who backed an earlier version of Moore's plan in May. House Bill 805 cleared the Senate last week, with the vote split along party lines.

If signed into law, the measure would let business owners sue individuals who damaged their property for three times the actual damages they incurred, in addition to court costs and attorneys fees. Those who assault emergency responders would be charged with a more serious felony, even if nobody was physically injured.

People who are charged with rioting or looting could also be held in jail for up to 48 hours without bond, conditions similar to those placed on defendants charged with domestic violence.

Democratic lawmakers expressed concern that the 48-hour lockup period is excessive and think a better solution would be to promote de-escalation techniques within law enforcement.

Rep. Marcia Morey, a Durham County Democrat, said existing laws sufficiently address the consequences of rioting and looting. She believes the harsher language included in the bill the House gave final legislative approval for Tuesday will not reduce violence, but instead, reduce the number of people who feel safe taking to the streets to voice their frustrations.

The truth is this isnt going to deter anyone, but it may have the harm of stifling free speech and free assembly, which are everyones constitutional rights. Thats what were afraid of. This bill came out because of a Black Lives Matter protest, and the response to it is not to figure out how we can get police to de-escalate."

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina is among those opposed to the bill, as is Emancipate North Carolina, the state NAACP and Democracy North Carolina.

Speaker Moores decision to make HB 805 his personal priority this session clearly sends the message that the demands of the Black community for transformative change have gone unheard by leadership," Chantal Stevens, executive director of the ACLU of NC, said in a statement after the bill's passage.

The group is calling for Gov. Cooper to veto the bill.

Cooper has previously shared his concerns with the bill, noting it would not address any of the policy recommendations that a task force he commissioned outlined last year to address racial inequity in the states criminal justice system.

But lawmakers recently sent him a separate measure that includes some of those recommendations, particularly about police conduct, but leaves out other far-reaching changes. Additionally, Cooper signed a bill Monday that raises the minimum age for prosecution in North Carolinas juvenile courts from 6 to 8.

Cooper's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest measure lawmakers sent that would impose harsher penalties on those who engage in violent protests.

___

Follow Anderson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BryanRAnderson.

___

Anderson 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.
The island of Grand Isle, Louisiana, is uninhabitable.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Cynthia Lee Sheng, president of Jefferson Parish, said search and rescue remains the concentration in Lafitte. In total, 15 people were rescued.

A caravan traveled to Grand Isle and were able to arrive by road, officials said. An assessment began, discovering that the island was uninhabitable, Sheng said.

There is 3 feet of sand across the entire island.

"This is the result of 10 to 12 breaks in the levee on the Gulf side," Sheng said, adding that 100% of structures are damaged and 40% of the structures estimate they are either destroyed or nearly destroyed.



The only people on the island are the mayor, the police chief and first responders.

Bryan Adams, director of fire services, said he's led recovery in Grand Isle over the last 15 years after hurricanes and said he's never seen the island in this condition.

"It's decimated," Adams said. "The people are very sad. A lot of people have lost their homes."

Adams said during the press conference that it may take three to five years to get Grand Isle back to what it was before Ida pummeled the island.

There is currently no means of communication on the island. Sheng said they are working on means of communication for residents.

There's also an odor of strong natural gas there.

The president also said she is encouraging people who are still in Jefferson Parish to leave. The parish is under a nighttime curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., which continues until the weekend.

"There is a lot of information going on about coordinating assets and additional resources to come to our area  they have not arrived," Sheng said, asking her residents to be patient in a time where many are not.

Sheng said getting supplies can be difficult with the lack of electricity, difficult communication and blocked roads.
A retired Orange County Sheriffs Office Corporal has died.

OCSO announced the loss of Craig Boudreaux, who served not only as a United States Marine but a deputy from 1989 to 2020. He died Saturday after being hospitalized for a week with COVID-19.

The loss of one of our own is felt hard in our community , OCSO said in a news release. Craigs personality, laughter, friendship, and character will be missed. He was loved by many and left an impression on anyone he knew. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. Thank you Craig for the memories and the impact you leave behind.

In late July, OCSO paid tribute to another deputy killed by the virus  late OCSO Deputy John Badeaux  during the 25th anniversary Cops N Kids Picnic.

Related: Anniversary picnic remembers OCSO deputy who lost battle to COVID-19

The beloved Badeaux, 68, in February lost his own battle to COVID-19 within a week of hospitalization. The longtime deputy served in law enforcement at various agencies for nearly 45 year, including as a sniper on the SWAT team for sheriffs offices in Jefferson and Orange counties.

Related: Remembering lifelong servant Deputy John Badeaux

Badeaux also was an original advocate for the annual picnic, which he oversaw for more than 15 years. He also spearheaded the annual Operation Blue Santa toy event for underprivileged children during Christmas.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
Texas will soon stop paying extended benefits because of a decline in the states unemployment rate, the Texas Workforce Commission announced Thursday.

The state has historically given unemployed Texans 26 weeks of assistance, but job losses during the COVID-19 pandemic triggered extended benefits, which provides an additional 13 weeks of benefits during periods of high state or national unemployment.

The last of the extended assistance will be given through the week ending Sept. 11, according to the Workforce Commission. Over the course of the pandemic, Texans could be eligible for up to 52 weeks of unemployment assistance because of federal coronavirus relief and the extended benefits.

Federal unemployment benefits were available through September, but Gov. Greg Abbott pulled Texas out of the program earlier and ended that relief this summer.

The Workforce Commission did not immediately say how many Texans are on extended benefits. The commission has received more than 9.5 million claims since mid-March of last year.

Texas first received the additional weeks of assistance last summer, when unemployment surpassed the 6.5% threshold needed for these benefits to kick in. The current unemployment rate is at 6.2% and thus ending the need for the extension, the Workforce Commission said in another news release.

The U.S. Department of Labor notified the commission that the states unemployment rate fell below the threshold needed to continue the benefits. The federal government funds 50% of extended benefits payments.

The states extended benefits provision dates to 1971 and kicks in during times of high unemployment. In April 2020, the states unemployment rate was 12.8%, topping the previous high of 9.2% in 1986.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
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Apple Hut opens Wednesday: 'Donut' be late

Hillary Gavan/Beloit Daily News The Apple Hut owner Lori Jenson is shown picking an apple at the orchard at 1718 W. Walters Road. The first variety of apples will be: Zestar, Paula red, and ginger gold. Hillary Gavan/Beloit Daily News Apple Hut employee Elizabeth Patch is shown escorting some caramel apples through the store. The Apple Hut is set to open on Wednesday, Sept. 1.

BELOITLoosen your belt. The Apple Hut is opening.

The Apple Hut, 1718 W. Walters Road, will unleash its fall goodies at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 1 in the well-known and sweet-smelling store.

In an exclusive interview Tuesday, owner Lori Jenson said she cant wait to see her customers again.

I get super pumped seeing all the familiar faces again and the smiles, Jenson said. The adrenaline is already flowing.

The store is stocked with fresh Fritzs Famous Donuts, homemade pies, fresh-pressed cider, turnovers, caramel apples, breads and cheese cakes and more. Pumpkins, squash and mums also will be on scene.

Inside, the aroma of fresh apples and donuts is expected to delight.

I always tease people we pipe it out to the parking lot on purpose, Jenson said.

The first variety of apples will be Zestar, Paula red, and ginger gold.

All three are good for cooking and eating. Zestar and ginger gold apples are a little more sweet, and a Paula red is similar to a McIntosh apple, Jenson said.

People are invited to come in and eat, shop or pick.

Come on and enjoy a great day in the outdoors. Always call to see what variety is available, she said.

Most everything in the store is locally sourced.

Lori Jenson said the unusual weather patterns have stressed the trees, and some varieties struggled and didnt produce as much. This winter did not have a long enough cold sap.

A few varieties are slim but we will have plenty of apples to get us through the season, she said.

Fortunately there was no hail or early frost this season, although there was a bit of drought, which didnt stave off a few hardy weeds.

It was ironic, all the drought-loving weeds showed their faces this year, Jenson said.

Jenson said she and husband, John, planted 550 new trees this spring when not watering.

This year the Jensens added pink ladies and blondees to its existing varieties of honeycrisp, Ruby macs, macoun and red delicious.

It takes four to five years before those will be super productive.We are trying to incorporate more varieties in the you-pick area, Jensen said.

Hours at the Apple Hut will be 8 a.m.5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Jensons parents, Fritz and Connie Brockhus, started a small hobby orchard back in the late 1970s in little barn which is today part of the Apple Hut store. Lori and John Jensen started running it in 2016 making it their sixth season.

Its a special fall for Jensen, who doubted she could run the enterprise after her parents passed away.

I guess it gets in your blood. We are in it for the long haul, she said

Three years ago the Jensons added some walls to give more space and last year added a new deck. On some weekends, the Apple Hut offers ribs, pulled pork and chicken smoked on the grill. People should call ahead to see if the grilled items are available.

The Apple Hut includes 8.5 acres with about 2,200 trees. The Jensons grow 17 varieties of apples.

Customers also enjoy flocking to the picture board with old photographs of them as little ones. Jenson said she also makes time to offer some school tours for kids to teach them about the orchard.
In this photo reviewed by U.S. military officials, a sign welcomes people to Camp Justice at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba, where a military commission holds hearings against detainees suspected of involvement in terrorism, Aug. 29, 2021.

The arraignment of three Southeast Asian terror suspects before a U.S. military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay wrapped up on Tuesday but without any of the defendants entering a plea and their lawyers expressing frustration and doubt about the fairness of the proceedings.

The two-day court appearance was the first for Indonesian Encep Nurjaman, who is more commonly known as Hambali, and for Malaysians Mohammed Nazir bin Lep and Mohammed Farik bin Amin since they were locked up at the American navy base in Cuba 15 years ago. All three men were arrested in Thailand in 2003 and sent to secret CIA-operated black sites before being moved to the military prison at Guantanamo Bay in 2006.

Commander Hayes Larsen, the military judge overseeing the case, closed the arraignment without setting a schedule for the trial to continue after hearing defendants decisions.

I suspect what will happen in court is that we are going to be working long hours on appeals, lawyer James Hodes, who represents Hambali, told BenarNews by telephone shortly after the hearing ended.

Hodes and attorneys Christine Funk, who represents bin Amin, and Brian Bouffard, who represents bin Lep, spent much of Monday raising objections about what they called inadequate translations their clients were hearing during the proceedings. Much of Tuesdays portion of the hearing went into the reading of the charging documents against the three.

During the first day of the hearing, defense lawyers also objected that an interpreter who previously had translated for the defense was sitting with the prosecution team. The judge denied a defense request to have the translator removed from the courtroom.

This isnt play time, Hodes told BenarNews about the objections. Were all very frustrated.

Joshua Kastenberg, a University of New Mexico law professor and former Air Force judge, said they were right to raise their concerns about the interpreter sitting with prosecutors and get those concerns on the record.

It could be an unfair leg up in the trial. Those are damn good points and I stress the damn on that, he told BenarNews.

He also said the defense lawyers were right to argue for accurate interpretations of testimony, calling them fundamental to a proper trial.

Attorney Christine Funk (right), who represents Malaysian defendant Mohammed Farik bin Amin, speaks with reporters in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after an arraignment hearing for her client and two others, Aug. 31, 2021. (AP)

The proceedings were broadcast remotely to some reporters who were covering the arraignment from Fort Meade, a U.S. Army base in Maryland near Washington. The military asked members of the media who were attending the hearing at Camp Justice at Guantanamo Bay as well as those watching it from Fort Meade not to take photographs or video while the arraignment was in progress.

Hambali, bin Lep and bin Amin were in court both days and could be seen when their attorneys addressed the court  the three wore western-style clothing on Tuesday after wearing long tunics and loose trousers the day before. Because the defense lawyers raised fewer objections as the affidavits were read, the defendants were seldom seen on day 2.

Hodes said the defense teams had no time-frame for the case to resume or when it could conclude, adding that he and the other lawyers have not received discovery evidence from the prosecutors.

It probably wont be provided until next year, he said.

Defense attorney James Hodes speaks with reporters after the first day of an arraignment hearing for his client, Indonesian prisoner Encep Nurjaman, more commonly known as Hambali, at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba, Aug. 30, 2021. [AP]

Before the hearing, Funk said the defense teams likely would be required to travel extensively to interview witnesses and search for any new evidence, the Associated Press reported.

Her client, bin Amin, is anxious and eager to litigate this case and go home, she said.

Frankly after this two-day arraignment, I didnt see any evidence that he would get a fair trial, AP quoted Funk as saying.

After the arraignment, Bouffard said it was so flawed that it should be redone, AP reported.

All three suspects, who were referred to as alien unprivileged enemy belligerents, more than a dozen times in the affidavits, face eight charges including seven related to twin bombings that killed 202 people in Bali in October 2002  Indonesias deadliest terror attack to date  and a bombing at the J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta in 2003.

The eight charges are conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, terrorism, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, and destruction of property.

The conspiracy charge alleges the three had conspired with al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed  the alleged planner of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington  beginning in August 1996. The Office of Military Commissions has scheduled pre-trial hearing for Khalid from Nov. 1 to 19 at the Guantanamo Bay court, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.

Bin Lap and bin Amin also face a charge of accessory after the fact for allegedly hindering the apprehension of Hambali between Oct. 12, 2002, the date of the Bali bombing, and about June 30, 2003, by providing false documents, weapons and funds while providing transportation and lodging.

Kastenberg said it was unusual for three defendants to be tried together, and because of human nature, this could create guilt by association.

He also expressed concern that the trial was beginning nearly two decades after the three were arrested in 2003 and sent to CIA black sites before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay, adding this could affect due process for the defendants.

A report published as part of a U.S. Senate inquiry into the CIAs secret overseas prison network found that the three Southeast Asians were tortured while in captivity at the so-called black sites.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Hambali and the two Malaysians are among 39 inmates left at the prison inside the U.S. Navy base. At the height of the U.S. war on terror, the prison held close to 800 terrorist suspects from across the globe.

The arraignment was supposed to have taken place in February but was postponed because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2017, the Trump administration announced that it planned to bring terrorism-related charges against Hambali. In January 2021, eight days after President Joe Biden was sworn in as commander-in-chief, the Office of Military Commissions announced that Hambali and the two Malaysians were to be arraigned before a military tribunal.

The Biden administration, meanwhile, has announced that it intends to close down the military prison.
A woman holds a photograph of Angelito Soriano, 16, who was killed in a police operation in December 2016, during a protest rally in Quezon City, Philippines, July 26, 2021.

Philippine prosecutors have asked a court to file arrest warrants on murder charges against seven police officers suspected of killing six people last year during a fabricated operation that used President Rodrigo Dutertes war on drugs as cover, officials said.

The Philippine Department of Justice said it charged the seven police officers, who were relieved of duty in June, with six counts of murder and six counts of arbitrary detention last week over the killings that followed a raid in Bulacan province north of Manila in early 2020.

The filing of the charges arose from three fabricated buy-bust operations conducted by the said police officers  against the victims, but in truth and in fact, no buy-bust operation was ever conducted against them, the DOJ said in a statement on Tuesday.

During buy-bust operations, undercover officers will buy drugs from suspects and then arrest them.

The DOJ panel resolved that the unsuspecting victims were taken because they happened to pass by the area where a buy-bust operation took place, it said, identifying the six as Chamberlain Domingo, Chadwin Santos, Edmar Aspirin, Richard Salgado, Erwin Mergal and Jim Joshua Cordero.

A human rights advocacy group described the announcement by the justice department as a premature and self-serving move by the Duterte administration to spin the news of the murder charges against the seven ex-officers as the Philippine government faces the prospect of an investigation by the International Criminal Court into its war on illegal drugs.

In their statement, justice officials alleged that the police officers unlawfully and forcibly arrested the six victims who were passing by a drug suspects house in Bulacan as police conducted a sting operation on Feb. 13, 2020.

DOJ investigators alleged that the victims were blindfolded and tied while being held inside a police station, but they were later taken to different places and killed. The officers had claimed that the six were drug suspects killed after resisting arrest, justice officials said.

The officers allegedly fabricated evidence to make it appear that anti-drug operations occurred on Feb. 14, 15 and 18, 2020, the department said.

Further discussions and evaluation took place when the draft of the resolution from the panel was submitted to the task force head in November 2020. The final resolution was then forwarded to the Prosecutor General in the first week of August, said Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, spokeswoman for the justice department.

The seven implicated cops were identified as Staff Sgt. Benjie Enconado, Staff Sgt. Irwin Joy Yuson, Cpl. Marlon Martus, Cpl. Edmund Catubay Jr., Cpl. Harvy Albino, Cpl. Herbert Hernandez, and patrolman Rusco Virnar Madla.

Police examine the body of an alleged drug dealer who was found dead near Central Post Office in Manila, June 27, 2017. [Basilio Sepe/BenarNews]

A Philippines-based researcher for Human Rights Watch reacted to the announcement with pessimism.

For every good news like this, thousands of other cases of extrajudicial killings are uninvestigated or languishing in the Philippines broken justice system, Carlos Conde said via Twitter.

This spin betrays the governments cynical attempt to mislead the international community, he said.

Opposition Sen. Leila de Lima, who has been in jail since February 2017 for what she claims are trumped up drug-related charges, said the case shows how errant police have abused many in the name of Dutertes drug war.

She said victims families support the ICCs potential move to investigate Duterte.

This is a step closer to achieving the justice that they deserve, she said in a Senate press release on Tuesday. This also brings hope to all the families of the victims of Dutertes drug war, that the ICC is working and that it is their best hope for justice.

The filing of charges against the seven officers came after Fatou Bensouda, the then-top prosecutor of The Hague-based ICC, announced in June that she was seeking an investigation into allegations that crimes against humanity took place under Dutertes drug war. Bensoudas term as prosecutor ended the next day.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra defended Duterte.

Even though hes waging this campaign against illegal drugs and many have died because of this campaign, it doesnt really mean that hes disrespecting human rights, Guevarra told reporters.

As a matter of fact, this review panel that was constituted and headed by the Department of Justice is doing a lot to ensure that those who must be held accountable for deaths arising from illegal drug operations are brought before the bar of justice, Guevarra said.

One of the three Philippine officers convicted of killing Kian Lloyd delos Santos, 17, is escorted by police outside the Regional Trial Court in suburban Caloocan City, Nov. 29, 2018. [Karl Romano/BenarNews]

Duterte has repeatedly called on police to shoot and kill drug suspects if the officers lives were in danger or if the drug suspects put up a fight.

Rights groups and observers have said this has emboldened officers into carrying out operations with brutality and abuse of power.

In November 2018, three police officers were convicted of murder for killing Kian Loyd delos Santos, 17, in August 2017. Closed-circuit TV footage showed the boy as he was being taken away by the officers before being shot and killed near a pigsty, contrary to the officers claim that he pulled a gun.

Since Duterte took power, at least 8,000 suspected dealers and addicts have died in police operations, according to government figures. Rights groups claim that the number could be thousands more when including extrajudicial killings blamed on vigilantes linked to the government.

Jeoffrey Maitem contributed to this report from Cotabato City, Philippines.
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Afghan refugees in an Italian Red Cross refugee camp, in Avezzano, Italy, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. This quarantine camp in Abruzzo, central Italy, where 1,250 migrants are hosted, is expected to close in a week as the quarantine expires and they are moved to other structures to apply for asylum.
PITTSFIELD  For more than an hour early Thursday afternoon, the countrys top environmental court will hear why the latest plan to pull toxins from the Housatonic River should be scuttled.

And why it should go ahead.

Lawyers for environmental groups will face off against lawyers with the Environmental Protection Agency and the General Electric Co. in a videoconference proceeding that the public can observe.

The Environmental Appeals Board will stream the proceedings on a Zoom platform. The hearing begins at 1:30 p.m. The Zoom webinar ID number is 160 076 0195.

Two groups are appealing the Rest of River permit awarded to the EPA in December. That permit allows sediments pulled from the river tainted with lower levels of PCBs to be stowed in an engineered landfill in Lee.

How we got here: A timeline on the Rest of River Here is a timeline of the process leading to the Housatonic Rest of River cleanup settlement agreement.2000: The U.S. District Court in Springfield issues a decree requiring specific actions for 25 

The Housatonic River Initiative and the Housatonic Environmental Action League appealed the permit  and urged the District of Columbia court to allow the proceeding to take place by videoconference, in part to ensure public access.

Holding the hearing virtually is ... expected to reduce the financial and logistical burdens for the members of the HRI and HEAL, for other interested stakeholders  located in communities in Massachusetts and Connecticut, the groups said in a motion to the court.

The court granted that request. Thursdays hearing will allow 40 minutes of arguments from those appealing the permit, and the same amount of time for the EPA and GE to address justices handling the case  and to respond to their questions.

One Berkshire attorney, Judith Knight, will be given up to five minutes to speak in a friend-of-court appearance. Knight represents Citizens Against the PCB Dump, the Berkshire-Litchfield Environmental Council and the Schaghticoke Indian Tribe of Kent, Conn.

Matthew F. Pawa, representing the Housatonic Rest of River Municipal Committee, also has filed an appearance to be heard on the case.

The environmental groups HRI and HEAL petitioned the court in January to review the case, after the EPA changed its stance to allow disposal of sediments containing PCBs in a former Lee quarry.

The case is the latest twist in efforts that began in the previous century to address GEs legacy of pollution in the Housatonic, the regions premier watershed.

Until polychlorinated biphenyls were banned in 1979, GE used them to make transformers in Pittsfield. Over decades, massive amounts of the toxin, a probable carcinogen, were released into the environment.

Previous oral arguments before the court were held in June 2017, when GE opposed an order calling for all PCBs dredged from the river to be shipped out of state. The next January, the court asked the EPA to study that question anew, kicking off a period of renegotiation that included secret mediation.

In February 2020, those talks produced an agreement allowing local burial of sediments with lower levels of contamination, with higher levels sent out of state.
The Community Health Programs (CHP) Mobile Health Unit will be at Berkshire Community College on Tuesday providing the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines free of charge. It will return in October to provide second doses of the two-shot regimen.
A proposal to declare all app-based drivers to be independent contractors and grant them access to some minimum pay guarantees, sick leave and other benefits was among the proposed ballot initiatives given the green light to proceed.
West Stockbridge Select Board members listen Monday night to testimony from Amy Brentano of The Foundry and Truc Nguyen of Truc Orient Express as well as their lawyers.
Flash flood watches are up for Berkshire County, most of Massachusetts, eastern New York and southern Vermont until Thursday afternoon.
A white Chicago police officer has been placed on desk duty after video surfaced of him grabbing and twisting a Black womans arm for more than a minute while she cried for him to stop hurting her before he ultimately released her, USA Today reports.

Nikkita Brown was walking her dog on a beach when she says she was approached by the officer who instructed her to leave because the park had closed. Browns attorney, Keenan Saulter, says in a statement that his client was leaving the beach as the officer demanded, when he brutally attacked her.

There were other people in the park at the time, but the unidentified officer approached Brown, according to CBS News. She asked that the unmasked officer keep his distance because of the pandemic. In a 22-second cell phone video captured by Brown, she films the officer walking toward her as she requests, "Please, respect my space. Its COVID. Six feet. You do not have a mask on."

Another video shared with Browns attorney was taken by bystanders to the event. The footage shows the officer placing his arms around Brown and seemingly manhandling and tossing her around on the beach while causing Browns pet dog to be yanked by its leash. The audio appears to have recorded a pair of men trying to convince the officer to stop his treatment of Brown with one man yelling, Hey, chill out! Let her go! Relax!"

According to the Chicago Tribune, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a press conference on Monday, (Aug. 30) that viewing the footage "quite disturbed" her. Lightfoot said, "It looked like the woman was following the direction of the officer and leaving the beach," and it appeared that Brown, "was seemingly just innocently walking her dog and leaving the park."

After the encounter, Brown called 911 from her home. A different police officer took a report while she was still "traumatized from this encounter," according to Saulter. He said, "Ms. Brown is suffering from emotional trauma as a result of this brutal, unprovoked and unlawful attack by this Chicago Police Department Officer.

Saulter said his client intends to make a "formal complaint" with the city.

Police Superintendent David Brown placed the officer on administrative duties, the department said Monday. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating the incident.

Mayor Lightfoot called on the watchdog agency to "use all deliberate speed to get to a resolution so that we know exactly what happened."
A Chicago couple has received some apologies in addition to the expected presents after posting a $240 invoice on social media to the guests who chose not to attend their wedding.

According to Insider, Doug and Dedra Simmons tied the knot at the Royalton Resort in Negril, Jamaica this August and invited 100+ guests. The couple shares that while 109 guests RSVPd, eight people did not come despite confirming between November 2020 and August 1, 2021 that they would be in attendance. Also noteworthy is that the no-show guests had even paid for the destination wedding in advance.

However, the couple says when the grand event came, several people were no-shows and never reached out.

When we got back, they didn't say anything, Simmons told the outlet. And I feel like that was a real issue because we would've understood if they had told us that they could not make it. It wouldn't have been a problem. But to no call, no show... that was an issue.

On Monday (Aug. 23) Doug Simmons said that took to his Facebook to post the invoice, that has since gone viral.

RELATED: Al Rokers Daughter Gets Married With Lovely NuptialsSee Inside Courtney And Wesley Lagas Lavish Wedding!

Don't be offended when I sent this #invoice to you, he wrote. It's gonna look something like this. It's gonna look something like this. I'll be sending it via email and certified mailjust in case you ain't get the email #PettyPost.

While he never officially sent the invoice to the offending RSVP deserters, Simmons did share that he has since received some apologies from the guests who failed to attend, with some offering to help cover costs. But Simmons declined.

It was me just being a bit petty and just having a teachable moment at the same time. I've never had to send it out because just them [the missing guests] seeing it alone on Facebook brought about guilt, he continued. You don't have to always do stuff for people, but the fact that you put it out there and they saw it, that's when they came running and say, 'Hey, you know, I apologize.'
Call ahead to confirm events. Due to COVID-19, many events have been canceled but hosting organizations might not have updated their entries.

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FILE- Republican state Sen. David Givens, of Greensburg, argues in favor of a bill allowing charter schools on Wednesday, March 15, 2017, in Frankfort, Ky. With Kentucky Republicans suddenly in charge of deciding how the state will respond to the surging COVID-19 pandemic, Givens is hinting at one policy direction: decisions about mask mandates are best left to local officials. Senate President Pro Tem Givens mentioned that approach Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, as GOP lawmakers consider possible actions to be considered in an anticipated special legislative session.
FILE - In this March 9, 2021, file photo, students with signs ride in the back of a pickup truck around Flathead High School to protest the Kalispell School District's face mask requirement in Kalispell, Mont. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte announced on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021 a rule encouraging schools to give parents final say on whether children should wear masks in schools, after several large school districts in the state implemented mask requirements for all students.
Aiden Vaught (Spearfish football): Vaught recorded nine tackles on Friday night, while eight of those were solo tackles. He also had one interception.

Sturgis Brown Competitive Cheer: The team has had three competitions this year and has improved its average score in each competition.

Sam Kooima Lead-Deadwood football: Kooima scored three touchdowns and threw for three more. He ran six times for 60 yards and two touchdowns, completed six of six pass attempts for 92 yards and three touchdowns, and returned a punt 64 yards for a score.

Tilli Katon (Lead-Deadwood volleyball): Tilli recorded 11 serving aces in a Sept. 7 victory over Edgemont.

Kyra Vandenberg (Belle Fourche cross country): Vandenberg finished fourth in the varsity girls division at the Belle Fourche Invitational. This was the first 5-kilometer and varsity race for the Bronc seventh-grader

Kaylin Garza (Belle Fourche volleyball): Garza collected 27 kills, eight blocks, 14 digs, and five aces in matches this past week.

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When God gave the 10 Commandments to His people, in order to guide them on the narrow path, He included, Thou shalt not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14). This was the sixth command of the Lord. The law was given to bring clarity and reveal our great need for the Savior Jesus. In fact, Jesus Himself teaches this law to an even higher standard when He says, But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:28). Adultery is a serious sin and whether within the heart or by actions, it is important to identify it and repent.

Heather Riggleman from Christianity shares, According to the infidelity statistics, about 40% of unmarried relationships and 25% of marriages see at least one incident of infidelity. An issue of Marriage and Divorce journal also stated that 70% of all Americans engage in some kind of affair sometime during their marital life. Adultery is one of the worst things that can happen to a marriage and violates everything youve built with your partner in such a painful way.

How Does the Bible Define Adultery?

Bible Study Tools shares some biblical definitions of adultery.

Adultery is destructive:

Proverbs 6:32 But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.

Lust is adultery of the heart:

Matthew 5:27-28: You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5: It is Gods will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;

Mark 7:20-23: He went on: 'What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a persons heart, that evil thoughts comesexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.

Marriage is to be kept pure:

Hebrews 13:4: Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

Luke 16:18: Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Matthew 19:9: I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.

What Does the Bible Say about Adultery?

In Levitical law, they took adultery so seriously that if a man slept with another mans wife, the adulterers would both be put to death (Leviticus 20:10). Im going to be honest, if this were still the method of today, I know a few people who would not be alive. We cannot ignore the harm done by affairs. When a man and a woman make a marital covenant before God and fail, he or she not only cheats on the spouse but sins against the Lord. This is why the grace of Jesus is so abundant and overwhelming. We all deserve the punishment of eternal death for our sins. However, Jesus came and lived the life we could not live and by placing faith in His death and resurrection, we can have forgiving and eternal life.

I think of the Samaritan woman at the well. She had committed adultery with many men. She had five different husbands and the man she was living with at the time when Jesus met her was not her husband. After Jesus revealed this, the sinful woman recognized this was true. John 4:25-26 says, The woman said, 'I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us. Then Jesus declared, I, the one speaking to youI am he.

When we think about adultery, we cannot help but remember David, a man after Gods own heart who saw Bathsheba bathing and slept with her while her husband was away at battle. Davids selfish lust not only caused sin at that moment, but snowballed into trying to hide her pregnancy, and ultimately led to the murder of her husband Uriah (2 Samuel 11).

After all of Davids ungodly choices, Nathan the prophet rebuked him with a parable. He shares about a rich man who refused to use one of his own sheep for a meal and instead took a poor mans only ewe. David became angered by the story and Nathan reveals that the rich man in the story was David and the poor man was Uriah.

Adultery is a sin that devastates those around you. I have seen too many families torn apart by the selfish sexual desires of one spouse. Brokenness occurs and divorce often times as a result. This leads to children growing up in separate homes and trying to process as they get older how they will have a healthy marriage. Generational consequences occur because of the moment of adultery. We see pastors fall into this sin because they did not set up safer boundaries when interacting with congregants of the church. We see lonely wives whose husbands travel desire to be loved and noticed fall into the trap. We see the reputations of respected leaders go down the drain in a minute because of their secret lifestyles coming to the surface.

Adultery is devastating, but may we never forget that Jesus is redemptive. If we love Him, He will work together for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). However, our choices do come with consequences. King David and Bathshebas first son died (2 Samuel 2:18). Even though there is grace and forgiveness for our sins, may we never push the limit to rely on that grace and live against Gods laws. A true understanding of grace enables us to desire to walk in Gods ways.

In John 8, Jesus was asked to stone a woman for adultery. He began to tell the people whoever had never sinned throw the first stone and they all eventually left. Jesus, who was the only one who never sinned, chose not to condemn her, but to forgive her and call her to leave her life of sin.

What Are Forms of Adultery?

Pornography: Viewing or reading graphic materials that are sexual.

Flirting: Trying to entice another through smooth words and using inappropriate language with another who is not your spouse.

Any form of Sexual Relations: Encountering another person sexually who is not your spouse.

Sexting: Sending inappropriate messages or images to someone who is not your spouse.

Lusting: Having sexual fantasies about another person who is not your spouse.

Signs We Aren't Always Looking For:

Church Settings and Small Groups: I have heard too many stories of affairs occurring within churches and small groups. The enemy is out to divide marriages. Even if a couple seems healthy in public, do not assume that anyone is above falling short in this area. Set up boundaries to not place yourself in any potentially tempting situations.

Watch out for Technology: Social media and texting can make things seem much less like a red flag; however, conversations can creep in that should not. I have an older friend who got asked to be her high school ex-boyfriends friend on social media. She said no because it would not have been a wise door to open. Even if you appear to be too extreme, it is better than ever allowing one foot in the door of adultery.

Relational Health: In premarital counseling, a couple does a lot of communicating and focuses on their relationship. As time goes on in a marriage, it is easy to neglect this important aspect. Spend time regularly checking in on each other and loving one another. Set aside time to date and romance your spouse. Are your kids becoming too much of a priority? Ask God to help you place your family in the correct order.

Emotional Adultery: Jessie Warner for Crosswalk shares, Emotional adultery can occur when one person shares their personal thoughts, feelings, and emotions with another person other than their husband or wife. This could include sharing your heart and soul with someone other than your spouse. It might be the act of telling personal sexual things to someone other than your spouse. Or perhaps, becoming emotionally deep with a person whom who you are attracted to.

Marriages are so valuable to the Lord. They are a gift that He has given to us to model His love for His church. When we commit adultery, we not only ruin the image of our own marriages, but we taint the view of Gods love to others who we are witnessing through our marriage. We need to take this very seriously and rely on the Holy Spirit to help us succeed in purity. If you have fallen into this trap, ask Christ to forgive you. His grace is enough. Turn away from this lifestyle and seek reconciliation with your spouse. If that is too far gone, pray that your testimony can be a lesson to others and a reminder that Jesus has loved you like the Samaritan woman.

Related Resource: Listen to our new, FREE podcast on marriage: Team Us. The best marriages have a teamwork mentality. Find practical, realistic ideas for strengthening your marriage. Listen to an episode here, and then head over to LifeAudio.com to check out all of our episodes:

Photo credit: Unsplash/Engin Akyurt

Emma Danzeys mission in life is to inspire young women to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. Emma is a North Carolina resident and green tea enthusiast! She is married to her husband Drew and they serve international college students. She enjoys singing, dancing, trying new recipes, and watching home makeover shows. During her ministry career, Emma recorded two worship EP albums, founded and led Polished Conference Ministries, ran the Refined Magazine, and served in music education for early childhood. Currently, she is in the editing stages of her first two writing projects: a Bible study on womanhood and a non-fiction book on singleness. You can visit her blog at emmadanzey.wordpress.com
LEWISTON - With all the outdoor events that come with the Hot August Nights weekend, the Idaho State Police, Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office, and Lewiston Police Department had their hands full! Throughout the weekend, ISP Troopers alone arrested 14 drivers for Driving Under the Influence (DUI), arrested 2 drivers for Injury to a Child, and cited 2 minors for Minor in Consumption of alcohol (MIC).

The Idaho State Police would like to thank those who were responsible enough to get a ride home, anyone who was a designated driver, or those who walked to your destinations.
OLYMPIA - On Wednesday, September 1, Washington Governor Jay Inslee joined nine other governors who sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer asking congress to pass key climate policies in the bipartisan infrastructure deal and in the reconciliation bill.

The letter reads:

"As Governors from across the country, we strongly support your joint efforts to pass landmark legislation that will create millions of good jobs, rebuild our countrys infrastructure, improve public health, advance environmental justice, and tackle the climate crisis.

"Climate change is intensifying the wildfires that burn in the West, hurricanes that threaten the East, and extreme heat that endangers people and animals throughout the country. Now is the time for bold climate action. The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report details what we already know  the window for preventing irreversible climate consequences is closing and we need to act quickly and comprehensively.

"As we approach the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 26) in November, it is imperative that the United States demonstrates that America is ready to lead and solve the climate crisis. President Biden has committed America to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions to 50 percent to 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. Americas ability to meet this goal rests on how we respond to climate change today.

"President Biden proposed the Build Back Better Agenda to rebuild America in a just and equitable way and ensure Americas economy flourishes in the 21st century. It is vital for Congress to adopt both the bipartisan infrastructure deal and a bold and comprehensive reconciliation bill to achieve the goals of the Build Back Better Agenda."

Each of the elements of the Build Back Better Agenda are worthy of inclusion in an infrastructure package, but as Governors of states on the front line of the climate crisis, we place particular emphasis that the combined package includes the most impactful actions to protect our climate:

Carbon Free Grid A Clean Electricity Performance Program, expansion of tax credits for clean energy generation and storage, and funding for new and upgraded electricity transmission.

Transportation Electrification Tax credits for manufacturing of zero-emission vehicles; incentives for consumers, especially low-income consumers, to purchase zero-emission vehicles; funding for zero-emission infrastructure; and elimination of statutory obstacles to charging on federal rights of way.

Methane Emissions Reduction Funding to plug orphan wells and adoption of a methane polluter fee for the venting or burning of excess methane.

Climate-Smart Agriculture Investment in climate-smart agricultural and forest management programs for farmers and rural communities.

Climate Resilience Investment in protections for communities and transportation infrastructure from the impacts of climate change, as well as robust funding for a new Civilian Climate Corps.

Clean Building Incentives New consumer rebates for home electrification and weatherization.

Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator Establish an accelerator to mobilize private investment into distributed energy resources; retrofits of residential, commercial, and municipal buildings; and clean transportation.



We also respectfully request that any infrastructure package ensure 40 percent of the benefits of climate and clean infrastructure investments are directed to disadvantaged communities and invests in rural communities and communities impacted by the market-based transition to clean energy. We are excited to build back better with both of you and are committed to taking action to advance this crucial agenda.

The letter was signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Hawaii Governor David Ige, Maine Governor Janet Mills, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee and Washington Governor Jay Inslee

You can also read the full letter HERE.
Adds patented wound management products and enhances R&D capabilities

Bengaluru-based medtech firm Healthium has announced the successful acquisition of CareNow Medical, strengthening its product portfolio with patented and differentiated products in the advanced wound management and infection prevention segments.

This is the third acquisition by Healthium in the calendar year 2021. Earlier this year, Healthium had acquired the AbGel business in India and VitalCare in the UK to expand its surgical and post-surgical care portfolio.

Healthiums product portfolio covers surgical consumables, urology and arthroscopy products. Its manufacturing facility at Bengaluru is registered with the US FDA.

With this acquisition, Healthium strengthens its portfolio of patented products through the addition of CareNows advanced wound dressing which has patents across the US, Europe and India.

Further, the acquisition adds to Healthiums manufacturing and R&D capabilities. CareNows manufacturing facility in Coimbatore is US FDA registered and will count as the 8th manufacturing facility for Healthium.
The Supersonic New Generation Awards has just released this year's finalists and Incubeta is thrilled to be shortlisted under three categories for their work done with Hyundai Automotive SA, Sanlam, and Shoprite Checkers Sixty60.

Best Use of Technical Innovation - Incubeta ZA and Hyundai Automotive SA



Most Innovative Use of Social Innovation - Incubeta ZA and Shoprite Checkers Sixty60



Best Integrated Marketing Campaign - Incubeta ZA and Sanlam

Our Cape Town office is filled with incredibly talented people who constantly go above and beyond for their clients. Being shortlisted in three categories by the Supersonic New Generation Awards recognises this effort and demonstrates the calibre of expertise that Incubeta delivers, particularly in digital innovation, says Incubetas Head of Business Partnerships, Niamh NicLiam.The New Generation Awards recognise social and digital excellence amongst South African corporates and agencies. They strive to identify true winners at the forefront of South Africas future of communications, media and digital technologies.Here is a list of categories for which Incubeta ZA has been shortlisted this year:Congratulations to all 2021 participants and finalists for their achievements and client success. Click here to view the full list of finalists at the 2021 Supersonic New Generation Awards.
Even Africa's biggest fast-food brand, KFC, has not been spared the devastating financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. But despite lost sales, and an uncertain economic trajectory, Akhona Qengqe, chief people officer at KFC Africa, is a firm believer in the resilience and agility of the franchising sector and the promising business innovation that's taking root in the midst of a crisis.

Akhona Qengqe, chief people officer at KFC Africa

Impacts on operations and supply chain

Financial relief

E-commerce and dark kitchens

Customer expectations driving innovation

CSI and sustainability

Skill sets of the future

Speaking during the inaugural Franchising for Africa virtual conference, hosted by the Franchise Association of South Africa (Fasa) last week, Qengqe detailed the significant challenges brought on by the global pandemic.The biggest challenge is probably around job losses, she said, not just locally, but elsewhere in Africa and in many markets globally.The fact that 60% of our continents population is under the age of 25, and that is the group that has been most affected by unemployment, is truly telling of the challenges that our economies and businesses are yet to face in the future, she said.On a global scale, Qengqe said that KFC has seen fewer customers because of the change in shopping patterns and customer behaviour, which ultimately resulted in a loss of sales. In response, KFC underwent a restructuring towards the end of 2020 to ensure that its structures were leaner and better positioned to face the challenges that the business would need to navigate for future growth, Qengqe said.KFC Africa operations have been affected by staff absenteeism, mainly due to illness, while the supply side of the business has been negatively impacted by the rising cost of goods and mounting input costs, which are primarily driven by a weak and volatile currency, Qengqe said.What that has done is its driven up selling prices. Consumers are starting to feel the pinch and are now telling us that what they used to pay for things last year is significantly different to what they pay this year  and thats across the retail industry.While the substantial growth of e-commerce holds promise, its not a cure-all in Africa. From an infrastructure perspective, we've seen some retailers that have shifted to e-commerce channels. But the reality of our continent is that data costs are still quite high, and that limits the ability of the masses to fully utilise these platforms.This is compounded by the fact that delivery networks are not as advanced, so some areas still remain inaccessible by delivery aggregators.As a franchisor with considerable scale, Qengqe recognised KFC's responsibility to financially assist franchisees who struggled due to lost sales during the pandemic, particularly when relief from the banks ceased.The financial challenges that the franchisees in our system have faced have compromised their ability to pay back the loans they've taken to open up their businesses. We've had to come to the party to assist them with different levels of relief, because we know that without them we actually don't have a business.Through the Yum Relief Fund, KFC team members have been able to apply for grants to assist with financial relief for themselves and their families  whether cash was needed to pay for Covid tests, to cushion the blow from losing a loved one to Covid-19, or to cover the loss of income due to store closures as a result of the riots in KZN and Gauteng recently.Against a somewhat sombre backdrop illustrated above, Qengqe said that franchising businesses, and KFC in particular, have made important pivots in how they do business.Though in its relative infancy on the continent, and despite limitations in certain regions, Qengqe said e-commerce presented a new sales channel, which until now had not been adequately explored. Delivery as a channel, and e-commerce as a channel, have started to grow exponentially, albeit from a small base.We're also seeing the emergence of dark kitchens, and the acceleration thereof, she added. Qengqe explained that dark or ghost kitchens enable food service businesses to accelerate their delivery channel because the kitchens are used as a delivery point, and they significantly help to avoid high rental costs, especially in prime locations.Qengqe pointed out that as customers become more discerning, they're requiring more ingenuity from brands. She referenced KFC branches in Sandton, which are beginning to incorporate self-ordering kiosks. Thats definitely an area were moving into  to allow people to order at the kiosks themselves and just pick up at the counter.She explained that this system allows KFC to serve more customers, thereby driving more transactions, and it avoids having people stand in lengthy queues.In a similar vein, she pointed to the launch of the Shoprite Groups cashierless concept store, which she said signals the level of innovation and sophistication that the current economic challenges are ushering us towards.However, it's an economic conundrum, because on the other hand, we need to be creating jobs so that we can have customers, she added.Qengqe listed sustainability as another key trend steering the future of business. Sustainability looks different for different businesses. We need to think about the carbon footprint we leave behind but also consider how ready we are to navigate an uncertain future but still remain viable and profitable.KFC removed all plastic straws from its stores two years ago, but Qengqe said beyond packaging, the company is constantly reviewing how else it can run a sustainable business, not just from a product perspective but from a people perspective.As an example, she elaborated that KFCs Add Hope initiative not only solves todays problem of hunger, but the CSI programme invests in the sustainability of economies. Children who are hungry cannot learn, and if they can't learn they cant create a future for themselves where they can contribute towards the economy, she said.In conclusion, Qengqe emphasised the importance of investing in skill sets to future-proof ones business. She said that KFC has invested heavily in tech and digital skills, and that businesses need to be deliberate about how theyre resourced to not only survive the current climate but to lead in the future.What type of skills are we going to use to be able to navigate an uncertain future? We need to be less reactive and more proactive, and build those skill sets sooner.
House and Leisure is created by Lookbook Studio's creative and commercial team, which is supported by a wider network of respected writers, photographers and specialist contributing editors. Lookbook Studio was born of a passion for decor and design and a belief in the value of the editor's eye to discern, curate and craft quality, niche content.

Pieter Bruwer, cofounder of Lookbook Studio

What does your job entail and what does your average workday look like these days?

What excites you most about your role?

Can you tell us a bit about your career journey prior to your current role?

How would you define your brand?

Authentic  trustworthy, editorial integrity, independent



 trustworthy, editorial integrity, independent Conscious  ethical, awareness of the world we live in and the people in it, sustainability



 ethical, awareness of the world we live in and the people in it, sustainability Inclusive  diverse team and voices



 diverse team and voices Collaborative  work with creatives, brands and makers



 work with creatives, brands and makers Directional  inspiring, thought leader, innovative, pioneering, bold



 inspiring, thought leader, innovative, pioneering, bold Useful  showcase, spotlight, support and service our audience, consumers and the industry



 showcase, spotlight, support and service our audience, consumers and the industry Playful  irreverent, fun

What are some of your most recent brand campaigns and the rationales behind them?

Tell us about your most successful marketing campaign.

What other sectors impact your industry?

With the Covid-19 pandemic, what are the biggest challenges when it comes to marketing?

In your opinion, what do you think are the most successful channels for getting your brand message out there?

When it comes to marketing efforts, what can brands no longer ignore?

Brands need to be conscious of the world we live in. This means being conscious about the environment, conscious about health, conscious about our socio-economic inequalities and contemplating the role a brand can play to make a positive difference.

What career advice would you give to aspirant young marketing professionals?

Cofounded by entrepreneur Pieter Bruwer and creative director and editor Charl Edwards in mid-2020, the independent media company and creative content studio went on to announce the acquisition ofin December 2020, after the 28-year-old publications last edition was circulated under Associated Media Publishing in April of the same year.Pieter Bruwer shares more of the journey of bringingback onto the shelves.As one of the co-founders of Lookbook, the startup that bought thebrand out of a liquidation, my average workday is still all-encompassing. We really started the business from scratch  formalities such as company registration, exploring new business models, creating a studio to meet the needs of a modern media company, recruiting a talented team, reaching out to the creative industry, and creating a new distribution network.Of course, all of this is to successfully bring a re-designed legacy brand back as a boutique quarterly publication. It is still very much a work-in-progress with many traditional publishing ideas needing to be challenged (there is after all a reason why the previous publishers of House and Leisure filed for liquidation).My excitement is twofold. The first is the mammoth challenge of creating/developing/finding a new business model that is financially viable  and a key part of finding a new business model is producing/crafting a uniquely excitingthat our audience will enjoy and hopefully hold on to. I certainly hope that anybody who has read the Escape issue will agree.The other is the potential/opportunity to make a significant contribution to the decor and design industry and the many people whose livelihoods depend on it. We can be a shopfront to the industry and if done well, hopefully, contribute to the success of many small businesses.Namibian born and raised, I am an entrepreneur at heart and passionate about education, good design, intriguing architecture and innovative aesthetics. After graduating with a Technical Teaching Degree at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, I went on to complete a MBA at Stellenbosch University Business School. My first job was with a foundation in an informal settlement in Cape Town where I helped individuals start their small businesses.My eye for business saw me divide my time between lecturing at a college and planning to start my own cabinet-making business. During this time as a lecturer, I helped compile a curriculum in entrepreneurship for TVET colleges in South Africa which ultimately led to creating my own student guide which I started to sell. With entrepreneurship in my veins, I used this textbook to start a publishing company, specialising in educational textbooks.During my 21 years as CEO of Future Managers, I also helped start two architectural firms. In 2017, I felt it was time to explore something more creative, so I sold the education publishing company. Always on the lookout for new opportunities, I (during the level 5 lockdown in 2020) heard about Associated Media Publishing closing its doors and reached out to theeditor-in-chief, Charl Edwards. Not long after our first meeting, the two of us opened Lookbook. In a serendipitous turn of events, on 11 February 2021, Lookbooks publishing rights to relaunchwere approved by the liquidator, and the exit as CEO and shareholder of Future Managers became final.I'm incredibly conscious of all the challenges we face as a country and hope that by partnering with like-minded companies, Lookbook, throughand, will have the ability to showcase creative South Africans in the decor and design industry and cast a light on these inspiring small businesses, helping them thrive.Lookbook is a creative content studio and independent media company that showcases, spotlights and supports the decor and design industry through the editors eye and the art of visual storytelling.We create editorial content for our own print and digital platforms beingand, and for other brands, both large and small.We believe in the value of slow, curated content.Words that define us are:Thebrand is a truly South African legacy brand that is already widely recognised, however, our challenge is to tell both our existing audience as well as a new potential audience that we have relaunched and of course, where they can find us. The fact that we are on the cover of each magazine we publish helps immensely with brand visibility, but that is not enough. We have a significant social media following and a large newsletter database which we use on a weekly basis. In other words, we are using digital channels to raise the brand awareness of our print title.was part of the Design Joburg Collective held in Kramerville earlier this year. With a shared audience in mind, we participated in a collaboration with the Weylandts Kramerville store and Publik Wine, an online wine e-commerce site, to recreate the cover of the relaunch issue, Escape. Visitors at the event could literally be on the cover of and the response was immediate and fantastic.The creative sector as a whole, which includes architects, artists, artisans, decorators and designers, has a large impact on us  as well as the expansive sectors of hospitality and travel. The past year has taught us that we suddenly live in a different world, meaning more than ever the technology sector and eCommerce space now impacts us directly too.The old-style launches and campaign events are mostly not possible or only to be done on a very small scale. Its therefore far more difficult to be visible and to interact in person with our audience. Given the profile and size of our audience, social media is very important but also has its limitations.A magazine, or a journal as we now prefer to call, is a very real experience  you can touch it, feel the (textures of) paper, smell it and of course you can see it without the need to turn something on or click on a search engine. We need to marketas something you want to lay your hands on and collect, something youd keep on your coffee table because its so beautiful.The business environment changed quite dramatically over the last year and a bit. Some will point to digital channels and specifically social media; however, we have also taken the approach of advertising our online offerings in our own publication. We are really trying hard to form strategic partnerships with other brands with whom we share a similar target market. Co-branding gives us extra legs to reach a wider audience and of course, we want to grow our market. I sense this is why so many brands are happy thatis back; we offer both print and digital platforms, as a kind of a super influencer.Brands are incredibly powerful and take years to cultivate. A brand gives a product a personality. The values underpinning a brand are sacred and not to be compromised.
2020 was a true test of resilience, and only the strongest of partnerships measured up against the extreme challenges brought on by the arrival of Covid-19. In many ways, the global threat and subsequent lockdown was also the mother of invention. If ever there was a time to reinvent or create something new and fresh, this was it. Considering projects that were executed in partnership during 2020, the 24th BASA Awards, partnered by Hollard, reflects all of this determination, inventiveness and tenacity. Here are the winners across the seven categories:

Zolani Mohala (The One who Sings) performs at the online BASA Awards.

The winner is Standard Bank of South Africa Limited and African Artists for Development (AAD), for Lumieres d'Afriques; a touring group exhibition comprising 54 artists from each country making up the African continent. It presents work inspired by a single theme The Illuminated Africa. It is premised on the idea that the 21st century belongs to Africa, while reflecting on the challenges facing the development of the continent. For the first time in Contemporary African History, 54 artists committed to creating a single original work of art to highlight the challenge that energy access represents for the continents sustainable future. The installation includes artists filming their creative process for each varying piece from their environment.

The winner is Rand Merchant Bank, a division of FirstRand Ltd, and Outreach Foundation, for Letters to You and Me - an intergenerational project. For the past five years, the Outreach Foundation has offered an after-school drama programme for young learners and the youth in Hillbrow, in partnership with Tswelopele Frail Care Centre and Johannesburg Society for the blind. It has run as an intergenerational programme on themes like identity, belonging, cultural beliefs and generational curses that has inspired intergenerational knowledge sharing. After suspending the programme, Letters to You and Me  5th Anniversary of the intergenerational programme was developed as a digital storytelling training programme and a training manual, based on Gcebile Dlaminis five years of engaging intergenerational theatre making practice. Letters To You and Me, the 2020 iteration of the intergenerational project, was also co-funded by the International Relief Fund of the German Federal Foreign Office, the Goethe-Institut, and other partners: www.goethe.de/relieffund.

The winner is Sirdar and Artist Proof Studio, for The Lockdown Collection, which was developed to run during the initial 21 days of the lockdown, to capture the unprecedented times through the eyes of prominent South African artists as a live-online auction. These 21 art pieces by renowned local artists were sold to raise money to support South African artists. Each piece was revealed daily and reflected the thoughts, feelings and vision of artists Covid-19 experience. The overwhelming support and demand has led to more collections such as the Student Collection, a Canadian Green Recovery Collection and also an Open Call Collection launched in 2021.

The winner is MTN SA Foundation and UJ Art Gallery, for UJs Moving Cube breaks ground with MTNs Blind Alphabet. The Blind Alphabet Project: Letter B  Babery to Bigeminate (1993) from the MTN Art Collection was produced in line with a digital experience promoted as part of MTN and UJs venture into the 4IR age. The project was inspired by insight from visually impaired individuals on the outdated nature of the Braille type format. The 40 works of the Letter B within the Blind Alphabet were augmented by music written by contemporary composer, Jaco Meyer, as well as voice-overs and QR codes. This enabled the visually impaired to access the works through cellular technology  listening to the music and rationale behind each artwork through earphones. The visually abled also got to appreciate this body of work in a unique way.

The winner is Nando's and Spier Arts Trust, for the Nandos Creative Exchange, established in 2011 to recognise emerging Southern African fine artists who demonstrate exceptional ability. This programme offers selected visual artists exhibition and mentorship opportunities, with art material sponsorship and a platform to have work translated in a different medium, in collaboration with the Spier Artisan Studios. All of this is aimed at developing artists professional practice. In the face of the pandemic, Nandos arranged the Nandos Creative Showcase event at Constitution Hill in November 2020, where a small Covid-compliant group of media and VIPs were invited to experience the various Nandos Creativity programmes, including the Nandos Creative Exchange exhibition.

The winner is Mrs Woolf and Artist Proof Studio, for The Lockdown Collection, developed to run during the initial 21 days of the lockdown, to capture the unprecedented times through the eyes of prominent South African artists as a live-online auction. These 21 art pieces by renowned local artists were sold to raise money to support South African artists. Each piece was revealed daily and reflected the thoughts, feelings and vision of artists Covid-19 experience. The overwhelming support and demand has led to more collections such as the Student Collection, a Canadian Green Recovery Collection and also an Open Call Collection launched in 2021.

The winner is the Royal Hotel Riebeek Kasteel and Arts Town Riebeek Valley, for the Royal Arts Town Amphitheatre Summer Theatre Season, which was formed to address the crisis in the performing arts and to contribute to the survival of both the arts and tourism industries that are amongst the most fragile in the local economy. It also provided live theatre events for audiences starved of artistic and cultural events because of the Covid-19 pandemic  the Summer Theatre Season comprised ten new and existing professional productions, curated and presented under safe, socially distanced open air circumstances.

Jomba!, presented by the Centre for Creative Arts, University of KwaZulu-Natal, is Durbans (and South Africas) benchmark dance festival, centred around connecting contemporary dance practitioners from across the globe. Aside from the landmark two-week dance festival, Jomba!s Khuluma Writing Residency (launched in 2010), mentors graduate students skills as dance writers. Through a series of seminars and critical discussions, the young writers work throughout the festival, offering their thoughts and responses (both personal and analytical) to the work on show.



2020s digital Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience was a three-country collaboration for the Jomba! Khuluma platforms; a meeting between South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United State of America. For the first time the platform also offered an isiZulu language editor and translator on the platform.



In 2021, the Jomba! Masihambisane series of dialogues and critical engagements, launched its first three-day dance colloquium/dialogues, aiming to support focused South African and African (and Diaspora) dance scholarships in an accessible and community-driven manner, and with attention to new ways of engaging dance/performance scholarship, practice, and practice-led research.

Therecognises a partnership that builds brand reputation and audience for both partners across borders, through a project showcasing South Africa to the rest of the continent and/or overseas, or bringing international or intercontinental arts projects to South Africa.Therecognises support for arts and culture projects enhancing their communities, whether through education, skills development, contributing to livelihoods or employment, tourism, or other growth opportunities in the community.Theis for a sponsor supporting the arts for the first time, regardless of size, budget, whether it is through CSI, marketing, HR, B-BBEE or other.Thecelebrates the most innovative, cutting-edge and progressive partnership that served all partners purposes effectively. These breakthrough projects and partnerships should demonstrate great creativity, originality, reinvention, new methodologies, or technological/digital innovation.Therecognises outstanding initiative and commitment to the arts over a longer term period (at least three years) as an integral part of the sponsors strategy. The value to the arts project, the broader community and the sponsor, must be apparent.Theis for vital support given to the arts by a micro, small or medium enterprise with up to 200 full-time employees and an annual turnover of no more than R10 million.Theacknowledges a sponsor giving quantifiable and impactful non-monetary support to the arts. This may be through in-kind provision of equipment, materials, media or PR support, space, transportation or travel, or any other products or services, as opposed to monetary sponsorship.Each year, The BASA Chairperson's Advocacy Award is presented in recognition of sustained and extraordinary commitment to the arts in South Africa, in the form of advocacy and awareness initiatives or direct support for the arts, whether in a personal or professional capacity at a local, national or international level.This years recipient, Durban's Jomba! Contemporary Dance Experience, joins an illustrious roll-call of previous winners such as the Centre for the Less Good Idea (2020), the Eon Group (2019), Joburg Art Fair (2016) and The Handspring Puppet Company (2015), amongst others."Centred on connecting contemporary dance practitioners from across the globe, the focus and purpose of JOMBA! is to support and nurture the growth of critical contemporary dance in South Africa," explains BASA Chairman, Charmaine Soobramoney. "Guided by this vision, over the last two decades, Artistic Director, Lliane Loots, and the Jomba! team have successfully linked important academic spaces with critical artistic practices, connected dance practitioners from across Africa and the world, and made a hugely positive contribution in firmly placing South Africa on the global contemporary dance map," she adds.The winners were awarded ceramic trophies created by this years BASA Awards commissioned artists Zizipho Poswa and Andile Dyalvane of Imiso Ceramics. More about the commissioned artists here Says BASA CEO, Ashraf Johaardien, This years Awards reflects on the perseverance of the arts and business in making an impact through creativity. Behind each of these winners is a story of great resourcefulness and an indication of the opportunities that lie within this tumultuous time. We hope their efforts encourage others to redesign and reinvent, to collaborate and create.The BASA Awards long-time partner, Hollard, celebrated the achievements of all the winners. Said Chief Marketing Officer, Heidi Brauer, Its always humbling to witness the power of the arts to challenge and heal and inspire and its always an honour to celebrate the organisations and artists that make this possible through unique creative partnerships. Were just so proud to once again be a part of an initiative that contributes to better futures for artists, for the businesses that support them, and for all of the communities that are touched by these wonderful projects. Congratulations to all the winners  may they continue to rise and to lift us as they do so.Filmed at multiple locations in Cape Town and Johannesburg, this year's ceremony has been directed by Alby Michaels and features Rootspring artists, Jitsvinger, Zolani (The One Who Sings) and Native Young. Former BASA Supporting Grant recipient, Iziko Museum of South Africa, is the lead venue partner and the online BASA Awards experience will be available to everyone from 31 August 2021 at https://basa.co.za/awards/
Heeding a call from the President to the National Department of Health (NDOH) to accelerate South Africa's vaccination programme, following the peak of the third wave of Covid-19 infections, Life Employee Health Solutions (Life EHS) officially launched its workplace vaccination programme for several corporate clients across the country.

EHS vaccination site

Part of the Life Healthcare Group and a health risk management business, Life EHS wants to ensure its clients' employees are included in the fast-tracking of the vaccination rollout to reach population immunity as quickly as possible.Nicole du Preez, Life EHS CEO says the launch comes at a critical time. It is our duty to provide the government with the support they require to vaccinate as many South Africans as possible.Currently Life Healthcare has active vaccination sites at 15 of its private hospitals in South Africa. This includes Telesure Investment Holdings (TIH), in Steyn City, with just over 10,000 client employees vaccinated by end August 2021.Additional Life EHS client workplace vaccinations sites will become active later, further increasing the number of client employees to be vaccinated. This includes the Life EHS mining clients requiring >5,000 employees on site, in support of the Minerals Council.As part of the vaccination process, Life EHS supports their clients through the NDOH workplace accreditation process including ensuring that their clients are equipped with an effective registration system that links to the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) so that clients are compliant with governments phased roll-out per age group.The Life EHS vaccination system will support employee booking and scheduling to align with the specific workplace shift cycle, ongoing occupational health and safety legislative requirements as well as medical aid reimbursements at the end of the process.Our workplace vaccination site at our head office in Johannesburg, Auto & General Park, caters for all employees who work for the TIH group of companies. It follows the same rollout phases as mandated by the NDOH, says Tom Creamer, CEO of TIH. The aim is to vaccinate 160 employees daily.Life EHS also provide their clients with trained and certified vaccinators to administer the vaccinations to their employees. Furthermore, they provide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the likely event of any adverse effects after the inoculation.The employees of the corporate clients supported by Life EHS can expect a seamless process when they arrive at their vaccination site. The site will ensure that employees are registered and are on the EVDS system as part of consenting to take the vaccination.
Advertising Sales Executive

Remuneration: basic plus commission Location: Cape Town, Pinelands Job level: Mid Type: Permanent Reference: #SalesREI Company: Reale Activation

Job description

Meeting sales targets

Meeting sales deadlines

Key client management

Canvassing of new sales leads

Prospecting - cold calling for generating new business

Writing of proposals

Sales administration

Liaison with marketing and content team

Selling advertising packages across multiple online platforms (including a digital magazine)

Requirements

Strong communication and relationship building skills essential

Must be tech savvy and have basic understanding of digital marketing

Must have experience with CRM systems

Must be set-up to work remotely

Self-autonomy and ability to work on your own

Excellent planning and organisational skills

Experience in a sales position for at least one year

Related degree or diploma

Company Description

Wanted - motivated and professional sales executive for online content creators.A dynamic and growing online publisher is looking for self-motivated, dedicated and professional sales executives who are able to work remotely.If you have the drive and desire to achieve your financial goals then you can determine your own destiny. What you put in is what you get out.All necessary training will be provided.Real Estate Investor (REI) is an independent digital real estate platform for South African residential, commercial and offshore real estate investors, which includes a multiple award-winning magazine. REI provides investors and property practitioners with education, advice, resources and guidance on where, how and when to invest in real estate with the best information available. Posted on 01 Sep 16:33
Altron Nexus appoints new managing director

Altron Nexus has appointed Kennedy Chinganya as its new managing director, with effect from 1 September 2021. He succeeds Mark Harris, who will now look after special projects until the end of November 2021.



Chinganya joined Altron Rest of Africa in August 2018 as a finance director. He is a chartered accountant by profession and a member of both the UK's Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants (ACCA-UK) and South Africa Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA). He holds a bridging programme in accounting theory from the University of Johannesburg and a national diploma in accounting.
When people newly came to this site, in their panic, in the spring of 2020, because they were casting around to find something to help them cope with the absolute shock of the economic blockade (with fake pandemic as a pretext [although too many people dont understand this]), then they found here a place dealing with what was very early on dubbed coronohoax in a fashion that they wanted to see  or so they thought.

The problem is, this sites treatment of the psyop was in the context of understanding Government-by-hoax, where rule is consolidated and advanced by routinely executing psyops, and where there isnt a year goes by when crime is committed by UK Government through its agents (the Krypteia, as they have been dubbed) to further a political agenda, and this concept is unpalatable to a majority of people who stumble upon this site. It is unfortunate indeed, because the Anglo-sphere, especially (because it is the territory and peoples directly controlled by the Anglo-globalist driving force towards New World Order, the City of London), is in the parlous state it is in because of monthly, weekly, daily (depending on scale of an operation), psychological manipulation in the domestic realm. Moreover, the course of the pathway of socially engineered change is founded on an entire history of co-opted counter-revolutionary ideas and Hegelian dialectic crises and fake news, and the fundamental capability to perpetrate this activity has long been established through Government being able to legislate against law, and its courts being able to reject the same.

The world that everybody sees and interacts with is one in which legalistic screens have been placed between them and the law, and these screens show a reality by which Government can claim authority and exercise it. When people are signing petitions and subscribing to alternative media, and doing whatever else they do under the impression that they are in opposition, then its merely a fantasy in the permitted parameters. On the other hand, to reject the false reality is the first step towards overthrowing the tyranny that is the Masonic City/Military Intelligence amalgam, and this process must involve dismantling the capability for psychological manipulation. To this end, in the last year or so at FBEL, the readership has been shown that the most notorious crime that occurs in their very own neighbourhoods, upon their very doorsteps, is to be suspected of being activity organised and executed by the socially engineering ruling power.

Likewise, the Plymouth false-flag attack of 12th August was yet another routine (albeit towards the larger end of the scale) psyop for furtherance of agenda for social engineering, but you will notice, reader, that true to form, alternative media doesnt lift up the stone to have a look.

Indeed, its interesting how the incident in Plymouth was timed to coincide with the annual holiday of everyones favourite alternative media run by ex-military and based in a military town, the UK Column, when that organisation, being in Plymouth, was optimally placed to investigate. Frankly, its downright unsurprising that in the show of the 13th August (the last before the cessation of the operation for holiday), UK Column was the first media outlet (as far as the author can discover) to introduce the idea that Jake Davison had had a shotgun returned to him by police. Now, at FBEL, this is seen as being a device to reinforce the story that Davison was ever permitted to have a shotgun  something that in reality has to be an impossibility, what with him, at the time of the supposed award of a licence, being an 18 year-old, essentially somewhat mentally and psychologically handicapped boy living in inner city Plymouth.

Indeed, Devon and Cornwall Police have still not explained how it is that Jake Davison had good reason to possess such a firearm, or how he was adjudged to be competent for the same reason, or how a gun could ever be thought safe being kept by such a boy in a famously deprived area, or who it was whose authority as a referee overruled all normal practical considerations. The story about Davison having a legal gun has to be cover for what must be the real situation: he was given one for the day by those people who wanted him to be a patsy. Now, a UK Column presenter on duty the day after the Plymouth incident  the one from the place (Northern Ireland) that must be, historically, the biggest hotbed of intelligence agency activity in the UK outside of London  said that a source had passed on the information about Davisons returned shotgun, and its extremely telling that UK Column would have this contact who would be divulging what was soon to be mainstream information rather than one who would be revealing data to disprove the official narrative. The author suspects the informant was in fact the security services, and offers the reader a demonstration of how the run of the mill pysop for control grid and agenda furtherance is merely given lip service by alternative media, while at the same time there is an impressing (fooling) of its consumers with a show of exposing narrative and having anti-establishment credibility.

Generally speaking, UK alternative media and alternative media figures (including influencers on social media with no media organisation affiliation) only see rum goings on (especially false-flag attacks) when they occur abroad (its usually a blame Imperialism thing), and at the moment there is great effort to have people focus on happenings in Afghanistan (with the latest development, the author suspects, being British/US special forces laughably branded as ISIS attacking their own side at Kabul airport). Now, this is not, as some people will criticise it, a distraction from whatever is going on in how UK Government is performing in its execution at the current time of the Covid-19 mass psychological operation: it is instead normal service resumed, with studious avoidance of the run of the mill means used by UK Government to sustain control grid and further agenda.

The reason that audiences in the English-speaking world have been hearing about Afghanistan in a tone of doom and crisis for what is now months (the author hasnt paid attention to be able to tell the exact duration) is most likely due an effort to create tolerance for what will be revealed as an unexpectedly high number of refugees when the figures are finally sprung on the public, and/or to create a perception of victory from defeat a la Dunkirk (it doesnt matter if the Talibans surge across the whole country was a known thing ahead of time or not, the pull out by Anglo-globalist forces is by definition a failure to hold militarily seized territory in a War on Terror that was much vaunted in very recent years as being crucial to wage in order to uphold the rules based international order  that is, until it became apparent that the US military could not overcome the obstacle of Russia in Syria, and Iran).

But much more important than anything that is happening in Afghanistan at the moment is the Plymouth false-flag  and its fall out.

When a search was performed on 25th August using the Duck-Duck-Go engine, and the term incel terrorism, it produced results that have been reproduced in this article (below) so that the reader can see that there is an agenda, the furtherance of which is clearly reliant on there having been another shooting incident supposedly carried out by a misogynistic, white male. It is pretty clear from the stuff dragged up in this cursory search that the Plymouth incident was a reaction in an ongoing Hegelian Dialectic dynamic in the English-speaking world where the solution will be the conflation of Incelism (for want of a term) with terrorism.

Without either the reader or the author having to know much about Incels, the problem component in the dynamic looks to be founded on the frustrations of the casualties of social engineering to make first rate countries controlled by powerful middle classes into third rate ones populated by a mass of impoverished and weak. So, Incelism is a problem that is a consequence of the development of Anglo-globalist technocracy, thus it can be said that these social engineers own all the elements of the problem-reaction-solution in this case (again).

The solution component, that involves the marginalisation and criminalisation of Anglo-Saxon heritage males (this is, indeed, the perennial target demographic because it is the most dangerous to technocratic ambitions by dint of historically constituting the populations of countries with a culture of common law liberty), and the making of them into always potential violent extremists, is done in defence of the equality and diversity prong for establishment of new order. The aim is to make criticism of affirmative action into a thing that can be automatically rejected as an article of criminality, and this is going to be especially useful for the technocratic tyranny in the apocalyptic moments before the Anglo-globalist west turns into the perpetual Idiocracy (for trouble-free rule  see here), when people who dont know what they are doing, but have been put in charge solely because they are from a government-preferred client grouping (and being from a minority [or victimised class], put in power over a majority [or victimizer class] that has been demonised as the erstwhile, now overthrown oppressor, becomes motivation for zealous prosecution of function of authority), inevitably produce Kafkaesque dysfunction.

To return to the opening theme, the pennies are the routine pysops, and the pounds are the big agenda fulfilments, so of course controlled alternative media has no interest in the Plymouth false-flag.

Here is that promised list of search result material. The first five items are different from the rest because they come from a horizontal band of image links at the top of the results page; they dont have extracts from the articles to accompany a link-title. All of the actual links have been taken out  the reader can search for any of the articles that are of most interest:

Treat incel ideology like terrorism: Followers of involuntary celibate movement should face same probes as suspected terrorists, experts say  Daily Mail, 16th August

Plymouth shootings: Attack could be reclassified as terrorism over Jake Davisons incel links  Sky News, 16th August

Incel forums should be tackled like any other kind of terrorist activity  The Independent, 16th August

Teachers in England encouraged to tackle incel movement in the classroom  The Guardian, 20th August

Janey Godley: Is incel culture terrorism?  Herald Scotland, 18th August

Incels: A new terror threat to the UK?  BBC News

While some incel suspects could be characterised as intending terrorism through a revolution of the unhappy, others may have similar motives to school shooters in the US: killing for revenge and 

Incels in the UK: What are the laws  and is it terrorism  (newseu)

What are the UKs current laws around gun ownership and terrorism? And is the incel movement part of rising far-right terrorism? What happened in Plymouth? Jake Davison shot and killed six people in a six-minute spree in Keyham, a suburb of Plymouth, in the southwest of the UK. The 22-year-old shot his 51-year-old mother Maxine Davison before going into the street and killing Sophie Martyn 

Its time to take Britains Incel terror threat seriously  (Spectator)

Far-right and Islamist extremism are both cause for concern in Britain today. But theres another threat which all too often slips under the radar. Referrals to the UK governments Prevent 

Is the incel ideology a terror threat? Thats the wrong  (New Statesman)

Against a backdrop of escalating incel-inspired violence across the world, Canada has led the international charge in classifying incel incidents as a form of terrorism.

The misogynist incel movement is spreading. Should it be  (Guardian)

But incel terrorism in the United States has been much deadlier than far-left terrorism, which receives intense political and media attention in the US, the New America analysis found. Its data

KIRSTY STRICKLAND: Incel movement poses a domestic terror  (Courier)

Women blamed for incel terrorism. In the days since Davisons killing spree, some have even gone so far as to blame women for his crimes. On Twitter, one man suggested women collectively 

We should call killings by incels what it is: terrorism (Crikey.com)

The question is really whether or not the authorities want to treat the incel phenomenon as a terrorist risk, he said. If we see more of these sorts of attacks, then I have got no doubt 

Incels: Americas Newest Domestic Terrorism Threat  The  (hoffmangroup)

By advocating bloodshed as a means of broader societal intimidation, incel ideology conforms to the core definition of terrorism as violence designed to have far-reaching psychological effects.

Laura Bates on why incel ideology should be treated as  (terrorists) (Stylist.co.uk)

But in spite of clear evidence that the shooter, Jake Davison, was deeply immersed in so-called incel ideology, police, politicians and mainstream media have all repeatedly stated that there is

Incels: The Radicalised Extremist Community of White Male  (Bylinetimes)

Incels and Terrorism The first mass shooting explicitly linked to the incel community occurred in 2014, when Elliot Rodger posted a misogynistic manifesto online railing against women before shooting dead six people, injuring 14 more. Four years later in Canada, Alek Minassian killed 10 people by driving into a pavement.

Naturally, controlled alternative media of the the Jews did it nutbar variety might be all over it, but this is activity for discrediting scepticism and thus seeming to justify the failure to engage by serious outlets.
An Air Force veteran who owns three upstate New York properties has been forced to live in her car because her tenants have refused to pay rent thanks to the eviction moratorium.

Brandie LaCasse told CBS News that she has been living at friends homes and out of her car with her young daughter. She said she is owed more than $23,000 in unpaid rent but cannot force her tenants to pay or leave because of federal and state moratoriums on evictions.

Ive cried many nights, like thinking, Wheres my money?' the single mom said. I dont understand how they can give my private property to somebody to live for free. I bought that property. I fixed it up with my blood, sweat and tears.

She added, I invested in these properties, never thinking I wouldnt have a place to live. I just want my house. Thats it. I just want my house.

Federal funds earmarked to help alleviate such situations during the pandemic have not been allocated, according to the US Treasury Department.

Bans on evictions were meant to protect renters but many homeowners say they have also suffered. A new report found that nearly 10 percent of landlords across the country managed to collect only half their rents in 2020.
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Loading Hacks is the story of Deborah Vance, a legendary comedian with a Las Vegas residency who is struggling to stay at the top of her game. In danger of losing her all-powerful slot in Sin City, she is handed, against her will, young LA comedy writer Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder). Daniels herself is reeling from LAs cancel culture  that is, she has been cancelled  and she has taken the gig in desperation. Unsurprisingly, sparks fly. But like all great comedies, there is more going on than mere punchlines. Hacks is about growing old and staying relevant, ego, success, failure and forgiveness. Its about mothers and daughters. But its also about two women slowly coming to terms with themselves, and each other, at wildly different points in their lives. Jean Smart in a scene from Hacks. Credit:HBO Max In the hands of a less experienced actress, Deborah Vance might have been a one-note harridan. But Smart, whose body of work goes from naive Charlene Frazier Stillfield on Designing Women to unstable first lady Martha Logan on 24, gives her emotional substance and complex humanity.

Smart says she knew the moment she started reading the pilot script  written by show creators Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky  that the project would sparkle. If I could have sat down and made a list of what I wanted in my next project, it ticked every box. Plus, it sounded like an enormous amount of fun, Smart says. The immediate and obvious touchstone is Joan Rivers who, like Vance, was a wildly successful touring comedian with a pioneering primetime talk show, but there are also shades of other comedy legends, such as Lucille Ball and Phyllis Diller, Rita Rudner and Kathy Griffin. In a sense, Smart says, Deborah Vance is all of them, and none of them at the same time. She is also born from a grain of Smarts own personality. I wanted her to be a unique creation because every comedian is so unique, I would never want to try to do an impression of Joan Rivers or Roseanne Barr or anybody, she says. Its got to be something that sort of comes from me, otherwise I dont think it would ring true. Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart in Hacks. Credit:HBO Max As would be typical for any working actress of her generation, Smart has been primarily directed by men. In part because of tectonic shifts in Hollywoods gender culture, there are a number of new factors in play with Hacks. Eight of the 10 episodes are directed by women. And six of those eight by the same woman, series co-creator Lucia Aniello.

That part was lovely, she says. I never could understand why some of these single-camera shows bring in a different director every episode or two, because you then have to ... build a relationship with that person. There was such a comfort level in knowing that Lucia was going to be there most episodes. Smart describes Aniello as very, very intense. Shes so special, she loves to work. Shes naturally funny. Shes much more high energy than I am, Im a little more laid-back, but I found her absolutely a dream director and she let Hannah and I ad lib if we felt like it. She and [co-creators] Paul and Jen had no ego about that, about their lines. Loading If we did something and they thought it was funny, it was like, well, lets put it down, write it down. And no issue with making suggestions or things like that, Smart adds. And Paul W. Downs  who recurs in the series as Deborah and Avas manager Jimmy  is so funny in the show, I just thought he was screamingly funny as my manager. The series flies at a cracking pace, from Avas arrival in Las Vegas and her resistance to the idea of working for a woman who, at first glance, seems like a formidable monster. But as she works through the basement archive of Deborahs work she discovers the courage and sacrifice that propelled her to the top of her game.

Hacks premiered in the US in May and in Australia in August. In June, its US broadcaster HBO Max renewed it for a second season. And now it has what Hollywood likes to call Emmy buzz. That means both the show and it star are nominees, tipped to take home the coveted statues. Loading The shows success also caps off a complex year for Smart, who saw two pieces of her best work  Hacks and another HBO series, Mare of Eastown  launch to great acclaim. At the same time, in April, her husband of 34 years, actor Richard Gilliland, passed away. We do not discuss her personal life in detail, but as we talk his framed photo sits nearby. The slowly building anticipation surrounding the shows Emmy potential is a complicated topic. Every time they say Im a sure win, I dont win, thank you very much, she says, with a smile. But this is not Smarts first awards night rodeo. She already has three Emmys, two for Frasier and a third for Samantha Who? (Plus a Tony nomination for the Broadway revival of The Man Who Came to Dinner and two Critics Choice Television Awards for her work in Fargo and Watchmen.) Smart acknowledges that Hacks is in the midst of a moment in the cultural consciousness. Id be lying if I said this didnt feel somewhat different, Smart says. [Winning the Emmy] would mean a great deal because Im extraordinarily proud of the show and my role in it and I hope everybody else [nominated] in the show wins. We have the most unbelievable crew; I feel very, very fortunate.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian appeared before a western Sydney business conference the same day she told the mayors of the citys hardest-hit COVID-19 areas that she would not make time for them in a similar forum.

After taking more than two weeks to respond to the request from leaders of the 12 locked-down areas, Ms Berejiklian instead referred them to Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock, in what has been seen as a gesture deepening the divide felt between west and south-west Sydney and the rest of the city.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian declined to meet with the mayors of Sydneys worst COVID-19 affected areas. Credit:Rhett Wyman

The Premiers refusal to meet with the mayors online has sparked outrage among local leaders, who have been pleading to speak with the NSW government about a suite of issues, including mental health of residents, requests for more vaccination hubs, policing issues and pathways out of lockdown.

Canterbury-Bankstown Council mayor Khal Asfour said the message that came from Ms Berejiklians refusal was that she doesnt care.
Dr Gale said there had been quite a number of sewage detections in regional NSW where there were currently no known cases. Fragments were detected at Temora, Thredbo, Merimbula, Port Macquarie, Dunbogan, Bonny Hills, Warren, Molong, Tamworth and Gunnedah. Cases in regional NSW were down on previous days: there were 29 new cases in western NSW and three in the far west local health district. Dr Gale has confirmed now 77 inmates and three staff members have tested positive to COVID-19 in Sydneys Parklea prison  five more infections than in Tuesdays update. I think it is an example of the risk in our prison system, she said, adding work was being done to ensure staff have good PPE and vaccination coverage.

Asked if there was a plan in place to release prisoners, Dr Gale said she could not speak on behalf of Corrective Services NSW. There has been a lot of work done since the start of the pandemic to have plans to reduce the spread, she said. There are also nine cases at Bathurst Correctional Centre, all in staff. NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said NSW Health had opened a motorhome Special Health Accommodation for the regional community of Wilcannia. We know over the past few days with increased cases weve had an issue around accommodation and the ability to isolate individuals, he said. In appearances on breakfast television this morning, the Premier flagged some of the freedoms she expected fully vaccinated people would have when 70 per cent of the state were double-dosed. Whether its having a meal at your favourite cafe or restaurant, whether its attending a public event, whether its having a drink: if youre fully vaccinated, and the state has hit its 70 per cent double-dose target, please expect to do all those things weve been missing for too long, she told Sunrise.

Loading Ms Berejiklian said that, at 80 per cent, she expected international travel to resume in line with the national cabinet plan, and she suspected Victoria would join NSW in reopening in this way. Victorias path is not different to what NSW went through a month or two ago and I would hope the two largest states would lead the way, she said, adding that state and territory leaders who still think you can live in a fantasy zero-COVID land must expect cases when the country opens up. She said she has had regular conversations with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is just as keen to welcome Australians home. Thats our first priority, Ms Berejiklian said. It doesnt matter where Aussies live, if we can bring them through Sydney Airport safely, we will do that.

Loading Speaking on Today, the Premier said the dates for schools reopening that were announced last week were largely based on the vaccination rollout and uptake. Vaccine wont yet be available for 12- to 15-year-olds until a bit later in the piece but we are absolutely convinced that the way weve done the school rollout is safe; it gives parents certainty, she said. Meanwhile, the mayors of Sydneys 12 local government areas of concern say the Premier has refused to meet them about their concerns regarding Sydneys two-tiered restrictions and ongoing transmission, referring them to Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock. Canterbury-Bankstown mayor Khal Asfour told reporters on Wednesday morning he was furious and has called on Ms Berejiklian to reverse her decision, describing it as a royal snub.

She might not want to hear the concerns that were hearing every day, he said. Phone calls and emails, people crying on the phone not knowing what theyre going to be doing next with their businesses crumbling, with people out of work, with people in lockdown, mental health issues, with people not having any social connectivity to their family and loved ones. Linda Scott, president of the Australian Local Government Association and a City of Sydney councillor, called on Ms Berejiklian to come out of hiding. This meeting will not only benefit the communities of the 12 local government areas, it will benefit the whole of the state, she said. If the cases rise here, the whole of NSW is impacted. There were 120 new cases reported in Victoria on Wednesday, where the state government is set to announce a slight easing of restrictions on Wednesday afternoon.
Police have fined nine men as part of their investigations into illegal parties in Sydneys eastern suburbs that have led to dozens of COVID-19 cases.

Last month, police set up a task force to investigate reports of large gatherings in the beachside suburb of Maroubra.

Police are investigating illegal parties at Maroubra Credit:Louise Kennerley

One of the gatherings, an illegal house party on August 14 attended by up to 60 people, has been blamed for a cluster of 81 COVID-19 cases.

NSW Health said the gathering, held in breach of COVID-19 restrictions, has so far led to 20 confirmed cases among guests who have then infected 61 others. Authorities said a number of the attendees lived in the 12 local government areas of concern.
Ten teenagers have been charged over the alleged attack in Brisbane of a 17-year-old who was left in a coma.

The youths, between the ages of 15 and 17, have been charged with attempted murder, grievous bodily harm and contravening an order about information to access information stored electronically.

Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming speaks with the media about the attack on a 17-year-old male. Credit:Internet

The victim was allegedly attacked while he was sleeping in a bedroom at an inner-city apartment block on Railway Terrace, Milton, on Saturday morning.

He remained in a coma with head injuries at the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital on Wednesday night.
Victorian business leaders say they are shattered after the state government announced that the coronavirus lockdown would continue.

The states main business lobby group is demanding a road map out of lockdown, similar to the plan presented by the government as the Victoria emerged from a long period of restrictions last year.

Property Council of Australia Victorian Executive Director Danni Hunter wants a plan to get workers back to their offices. Credit:Wayne Taylor

The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry argues that the business, employment, health and education crises were piling up and said it wants a boosted coronavirus vaccination program as well a clear plan for reopening.

The Property Council of Australia also wants a 2020-style road map, saying it was disappointed there was no clear plan for the return of hundreds of thousands of economically vital office workers in Melbournes CBD and beyond to their desks.
A former nurse who received a $1 million estate in 2015 from an elderly patient she had known for less than a month faces a legal challenge to the inheritance in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Abha Anuradha Kumar was banned from being a registered health practitioner for five years in 2019 after engaging in professional misconduct involving 92-year-old Lionel Cox, and could now also lose the fortune he bequeathed her under circumstances set to be examined by the court.

Lionel Coxs home in Greeves Street, Fitzroy. Credit:Ten News

According to court documents, Ms Kumar was manager at Cambridge House, a residential aged care facility in Collingwood, when she met Mr Cox in July 2015.

The claim says Ms Kumar immediately learnt that Mr Cox, who was frail and in poor health, had no immediate family, owned a property in Fitzroy, and had never made a will.
Last year a program was established to work with GPs and community health organisations to monitor COVID-19 patients in their homes. But GPs say they are not being told by the Health Department when some of their patients have tested positive and are only becoming aware when a family member or the patient calls the clinic after their health has declined at home. Newport GP Sana Al-Rubaye said families in suburbs such as Altona north were being infected at a rate she had never observed before, even at the height of the second wave last year. There are some neighbourhoods where there are six houses in that street and every member of every household is infected, she said.

She said she had several patients who had quickly deteriorated in recent weeks and had called her breathless and distressed, unsure about whether they should call an ambulance. Dr Al-Rubaye said she had called triple zero for a woman in her 40s last week after assessing her on the phone. The woman was hospitalised for two days. On Tuesday, she was contacted by a young mother who had tested positive for the virus more than a week ago. Her husband was so ill he had been admitted to hospital, leaving her alone with four children, including a nine-month-old baby, who were all infected. She is one of my regular patients, and she called to tell me she is positive because no one had notified us, Dr Al-Rubaye said. I asked her, When was the last time that you got a call from the Department of Health? She said three days ago. This is a woman who is by herself with four COVID-positive kids.

Dr El-Khoury, who has a shared Arabic heritage and language with many of his patients, remained concerned critical health messages about what people should do if they became seriously unwell with the virus were not reaching migrant communities, hit hardest in the latest outbreaks spreading through Melbournes north and western suburbs. We have developed a relationship with these patients over many years, and they trust us, the GP of more than 30 years said. They do not have same trust with a stranger on the phone from the health department. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Victorian chair Anita Munoz said the college was alarmed by the doctors concerns and would be raising them with the Department of Health. When COVID tests are being run we have asked that in the majority of cases test results are immediately [sent] back through to general practitioners, but we do know that at some laboratories that information is still not being passed on, she said.

Dr Munoz said while the concerns were distressing, she believed them to be isolated and said communication between the Health Department and the GPs had significantly improved since last year. Why do people die at home from coronavirus? Infectious diseases physician Peter Collignon said breathlessness was a hallmark of the virus and most people would experience this symptom and recover without needing hospitalisation. However, he urged those battling the virus at home to regularly monitor their breathing, and to seek urgent medical help if their lung capacity significantly deteriorated. You shouldnt be short of breath if youre sitting on a couch or with minimal walking from the couch to the kitchen, Professor Collignon said.

Thats when it becomes a worry because at the very least you need your oxygen levels measured or to be assessed by a doctor to make sure you do not have low oxygen levels. Loading Professor Christopher Semsarian, director of the genetic heart disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy clinic at Sydneys Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, said in very rare cases, COVID-19 could lead to sudden death from a heart attack. The main effect is a direct viral effect on the heart muscle, he said. Then there are some reports there is a direct effect, not of the muscle of the heart, but causing rhythm problems. Theres a bit of evidence to suggest, if you have underlying coronary heart disease, the inflammation that occurs with COVID-19 can trigger a blocked artery in the heart  which in turn can trigger a heart attack.
Most of regional Victoria is expected to be released from lockdown next week, but community leaders are divided, with some frustrated restrictions are not being lifted immediately and others favouring a gradual easing of rules.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the government would confirm in coming days when regional Victoria could reopen.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (centre), Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton (left) and COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar (right) on Wednesday. Credit:Getty

We do think we can have some positive news for regional Victoria next week, he said.

However, he insisted substantial restrictions would still remain in place and only authorised people would be allowed to travel from Melbourne to regional Victoria.
Murdoch University interim vice chancellor Romy Lawson has resigned after just over a month in the role, informing the senate on Tuesday she would leave at the end of the year to take a deputy vice chancellor job at Flinders University in South Australia.

Professor Lawson became the interim vice chancellor from August 2, according to an article published about a week ago on the universitys website, and put her resignation in five weeks later.

Murdoch interim vice chancellor Romy Lawson. Credit:Eamon Gallagher

Her resignation also comes almost six months after her predecessor, Professor Eeva Leinonen, quit to become president of the National University of Ireland in Maynooth and to be closer to family.

In an internal email to staff, Murdoch Universitys acting chancellor Ross Holt said Professor Lawson had committed to the role until the end of 2021.
US President Joe Biden has said the partnership between the United States and Australia remains as essential today as it has ever been in a video posted on the 70th anniversary of the alliance between the two countries.

The message on the anniversary of ANZUS comes as Mr Biden and Prime Minister Scott Morrison are expected to hold wide-ranging talks in the coming days following the hurried withdrawal of American and Australian forces and officials from Afghanistan after the takeover by the Taliban.

President Joe Biden is expected to speak to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the coming days. Credit:AP

Labor leader Anthony Albanese also committed to conducting the first major review of where Australias troops and defences are based in a decade in a bid to forge a close bond with the US and other allies in the face of a rising and more assertive China.

In the video, posted to the US State Departments Twitter account, Mr Biden said the anniversary of ANZUS  a three-way treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the US  was a significant milestone for both nations.
A furious political row has deepened divisions over the national plan to ease lockdowns after federal ministers slammed a scaremongering claim from Queensland about the danger to children from rising coronavirus cases.

Angry at new objections to the agreed plan, the federal government accused Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk of misleading Australians over the risks to children if and when restrictions are eased and case numbers might increase.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk tapped into community anxiety on the fact children under 12 cant yet be vaccinated against COVID-19. Credit:Matt Dennien

Health experts have warned against panic about children being exposed to the virus when steady increase in vaccinations among older Australians results in a greater proportion of cases among those under 12, given there is no approved vaccine for this age group.

Tapping into community anxiety on the issue, Ms Palaszczuk said the health modelling in the national plan needed to be revised to consider infections among children, citing concerns about a pandemic of the unvaccinated in the United States.
SBS board member Warren Mundine says he regrets calling a journalist a c--- and will take a break from social media, as the multicultural broadcaster condemned him for contravening its values and code of conduct.

Mr Mundine, a former federal Liberal Party candidate and former Labor national president, tweeted the expletive at freelance journalist Ben Eltham on Tuesday night after he shared the personal mobile number of federal MP Craig Kelly to his followers.

Labor communications spokesperson Michelle Rowland has written to Communications Minister Paul Fletcher about the matter, demanding he explain why Mr Mundine should remain on the SBS board of directors.

Warren Mundine has deleted the tweet where he called freelance journalist Ben Eltham a c--- Credit:Twitter

Mr Mundine conceded he probably should have used a better word in responding to Eltham, but said his position that Elthams conduct was dangerous remained unchanged.
The Taliban say they have bad memories of Australias 20-year involvement in Afghanistan, accusing Australian soldiers of human rights violations of the worst kind.

In a wide-ranging interview with Nine News, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said Australian soldiers should be prosecuted for alleged war crimes committed during the occupation.

Taliban fighters arrive inside the Hamid Karzai International Airport after the U.S. militarys withdrawal from Kabul. Credit:AP

Australia was part of [the] occupation, but they committed some of the worst and the brutal kind of human rights violations, by hacking fingers off dead bodies and killing farmers in Uruzgan and other provinces they were based, Shaheen told Nine on Wednesday.

They should be prosecuted as per the law, humanitarian law. So we do not have good memories of them, rather bad memories. Despite their being [the] occupier, they violated some human rights violations.
Singapore: An Indonesian search and rescue crew will give itself two more days to try to find an Australian resident who disappeared while spearfishing in the Mentawai Islands.

Shaun Daly, 26, has not been seen since going missing on Saturday morning about 500 metres off the southern tip of Sipura Island, 260km west of Sumatra.

Shaun Daly, who lives in Cairns, went missing on Saturday.

His family chartered a plane this week to help with the search, which is being led by rescue agency Basarnas with assistance from the Indonesian navy, police and a growing army of volunteers.

On Wednesday drones scoured the coastline of the island, a renowned destination for surfers and marine adventurers, as a team of more divers arrived from Padang, the capital of West Sumatra province, to join more than a dozen boats in the search party.
London: The Taliban has surrounded the only remaining province resisting its rule, a senior leader said on Wednesday, calling on rebels to negotiate a settlement with the group.

Since the fall of Kabul on August 15, mountainous Panjshir has been the only province to hold out against the Islamist group, although there has also been fighting in neighbouring Baghlan province between Taliban and local militia forces.

Taliban special forces fighters. Credit:AP

Under the leadership of Ahmad Massoud, son of a former Mujahideen commander, several thousand members of local militias and remnants of army and special forces units have been holding out against the Taliban.

In a recorded speech addressed to Afghans in Panjshir, senior Taliban leader Amir Khan Motaqi called on the rebels to put down their weapons.
New York: US prosecutors said a New Jersey woman calling herself the AntiVaxMomma on Instagram sold several hundred fake COVID-19 vaccination cards at $US200 ($273) a pop to New York City-area jab dodgers, including people working in hospitals and nursing homes.

For an extra $US250, a second scammer would then enter a bogus card buyers name into a New York state vaccination database, which feeds systems used to verify vaccine status at places theyre required, such as concerts and sporting events, prosecutors said.

An authentic COVID-19 vaccination card. Credit:AP

Jasmine Clifford, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, was charged on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) with offering a false instrument, criminal possession of a forged instrument and conspiracy. Authorities say she sold about 250 fake vaccine cards in recent months.

Cliffords alleged co-conspirator, Nadayza Barkley, of Bellport, Long Island, did not enter a plea on arraignment on Tuesday morning in Manhattan criminal court on charges of offering a false instrument and conspiracy.
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Commissioners OK AquaBounty EZA

AquaBounty Enterprise Zone approved

Courtesy photo AquaBounty salmon are seen through a porthole at the companys Albany, Indiana, facility.

Williams County Commissioners approved an Enterprise Zone Agreement between the Village of Pioneer and AquaBounty Farms Ohio, LLC, Monday morning. Now, whether or not the massive fish production factory becomes a reality largely depends on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

Once Kexon Drive in Pioneer is extended, AquaBounty plans to build a 479,000-square-foot facility to raise genetically modified salmon, pulling up to 5 million gallons of water per day from the underground Michindoh Glacial Outwash Aquifer. While test wells have been drilled and aquifer tests conducted, ODNR has yet to receive an application.

AquaBountrys total investment is estimated at $250 million, Williams County Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO) Executive Director Megan Hausch told Williams County Commissioners during a presentation Monday. That includes $108 million for construction costs; $138 million for machinery, equipment and inventory; and $2.5 million for fixtures and furniture. The estimated completion date is Dec. 31, 2023, and the company has an additional 36 months to generate 112 new full-time jobs.

The Enterprise Zones 15-year tax abatement would generate an estimated $12.5 million in private donations, including $11 million for the North Central Local School District, $1.2 million for the Four County Career Center and $311,000 for the Williams County Infrastructure Fund.

The 100% tax abatement is only 60% because the company is paying 40% in private donations, Hausch said.

Before putting the matter to a vote, Commission President Brian Davis noted: If ODNR does not permit this process, this agreement is null and void. It has no value. Im not certain people understand that. They have to have a project to have an agreement.

Hausch affirmed: Correct. The quality, consistency and quantity of water is the determining factor of whether or not this is feasible.

I think there is a misconception out there that we, the commissioners, will determine that, Commissioner Lew Hilkert said. We have zero input as to what ODNR will determine, either accept or deny. We the board of commissioners have zero responsibility in making that decision.

Davis added that they had commissioned an Environmental Protection Agency impact study, but the scope of that was limited to domestic water, which is defined as sewage and stormwater runoff from the building itself, not production requirements. That study had nothing to do with the aquifer, he said.

Prior to their discussion, Hausch provided an extensive briefing explaining the project and the process to develop the agreement.

No mayor, legislative entity or politician can independently just give a tax abatement, she said. Its very important for people to know that a ton of people were involved in the process. It can never happen with just one person moving it through. All of the checks and balances were established by the state. The final agreement is not one and done. There would still be annual compliance inspections to ensure job creation and investment schedules, or to negotiate amendments based on new conditions, she added.

AquaBounty Farms Ohio, LLC, at the moment is actually a small company with 80 employees. Its corporate headquarters is in Maynard, Massachusetts. The genetically modified salmon eggs are produced in Canada and it has a production facility in Albany, Indiana.

None of the facilities smell like fish and the proposed Pioneer plant wont either, Hausch said. They do take that very seriously.

The company been around 30 years because it has taken that long to get through the regulatory processes just for their genetically modified fish, she said. The genetic modifications happened on these fish 30 years ago, so there is a whole lot of science behind this.

To extend Kexon Drive, Hausch said WEDCO had already secured $349,000 from the states Transportation Improvement District funds, with another $74,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportations Jobs and Commerce department and $445,900 from the Ohio Department of Development.

This public road extension does serve the company, but at the same time, look at how acreage is opened up by that road. We would like to see future development also happen on those properties, Hausch said.

Factory site preparation is scheduled to start in November and cost $2 million. In 2022 the company has scheduled a $50 million building investment and will build out about 214,000 square feet of the facility. The rest of the buildings 265,000 square feet should be complete by the end of 2023, adding another $48 million worth of building investment to the project.

The company plans to hire one full-time employee by the end of 2021, then two more in 2022 during initial construction. As the plant expands and production begins they plan to hire 46 full-time employees in 2023, 31 more in 2024 and finally 32 more in 2025. The average annual wage is expected to be $49,000.

So these are higher-quality jobs that will be higher wages than what we see in our actual region, Hausch said. They require different types of skill sets  biology degrees, chemistry, research and development. We can help with internships and apprenticeships, but at the end of the day its up to the company to do their own hiring.

She also pointed out that AquaBounty partnered with Trine University from day one when they came to Albany.

At full capacity, the plant is expected to produce 10,000 metric tons of genetically modified Atlantic salmon per year.

I am not the expert in GMO salmon, she said. But there is no antibiotics used in this and the reason for that is because of the water quality and their emphasis on having good water in the facility. In 30 years the company has never used antibiotics in their Indiana facility and its being watched very intensely.

She also said that (no fish) have ever escaped from Indiana because the company has set up multiple barriers and every salmon is sterile.

They dont want their fish to escape as much as we dont want them ending up in the St. Joe (River), she said. We are both on the same page.

Commissioners voted in favor of the Enterprise Zone agreement unanimously.
Bryan, OH (43506)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low around 60F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
The Washington Crossing Toll-Supported Bridge between Bucks County, PA. and Mercer County, N.J. is scheduled to be closed in both directions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 20, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission announced today.
Two-wheeler maker (HMSI) on Wednesday reported a 3 per cent decline in total sales to 4,30,683 units in August.

The company had sold 4,43,969 units in the same month last year.

said entering the festival season with a steady recovery in economic activity, the company's total sales stood at 4,30,683 units, including 4,01,469 domestic sales and 29,214 exports in August 2021.

The domestic sales breached the 4-lakh mark with a growth of 18 per cent, compared to 3,40,420 units in July 2021, it said in a statement.

The company's total sales in July stood at 3,84,920 units, including exports (44,500 units ), according to the statement.

August ushers in the onset of the festival spirit in the country. With a steady month on month recovery in terms of enquiries and customer walk-ins, we are cautiously optimistic moving forward, expecting conversions to retails, Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Director for sales and marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said.

He also said the company will be starting deliveries of its recently unveiled motorcycle CB200X from this month.

(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.)
Telecom major obtained an overwhelming majority on all the resolutions floated at its annual general meeting (AGM). Public disclosure made by the company on Wednesday showed it obtained between 89.6 per cent and 100 per cent for votes on the seven resolutions.

Interestingly, the resolution that got the highest number of against votes was on re-appointment of Sunil Bharti Mittal as the chairman of the company (10.43 per cent dissenting votes). Two other resolutions on appointment of Nisaba Godrej as an independent director and payment of commission to non-executive directors got 6.7 per cent and 4.4 per cent dissenting votes.

Other resolutions included re-appointment and appointment of Rakesh Bharti Mittal and Tao Yih Arthur Lang as a director liable to retire by rotation, which obtained over 98 per cent for votes.

The 10 per cent dissenting votes on Sunil Mittals appointment was on account of an against recommendation made by Stakeholders Empowerment Services (SES), said market observers.

While the voting advisory firm said there were no concerns around Mittals time commitment and attendance, it said should ensure that its chairman doesnt hold an executive position.

Although, presently there is no legal bar on the chairman of the company from holding executive positions. SES is of the view that in light of law applicable in future as a good governance practice the company should have separated the position of chairman from executive position. Good governance measures must not wait for an effective date and must be embraced immediately, the SES note said.

Market regulator has directed top 500 listed to separate roles between the chairperson and the managing director from April 2022.



" takes pride in setting high standards of governance and transparency. It has been a pioneer in adopting best practices much before the statutory mandate. We will continue to be ahead of the curve when it comes to compliance with all guidelines," said an Airtel spokesperson.

Other proxy advisory firms Institutional Investor Advisory Services (IIAS) and InGovern had recommended for votes on all the resolutions.

The company seeks to reappoint him (Mittal) as executive chairperson for five years from 1 October 2021. He will continue to remain executive chairperson till Sebi regulations permit, said a note by IIAS, citing a company clarification on the issue.
Digital payment solutions provider on Wednesday said India is the "bedrock" of its development capabilities and it continues to hire aggressively in the country to further build and drive the teams.

The US-based company, which had announced its exit from the domestic payment services within India on April 1, said it is focussed on enabling small businesses in the country to leverage digital platforms and expand their cross-border sales.

"We have a significant presence in Chennai and Bengaluru, we have a sales and marketing office within Mumbai and between our payments teams, our merchant teams, a lot of the infrastructure teams are out of India. India is literally the bedrock of our development capabilities that we have," Senior Vice President (Omni Payments) Jim Magats told reporters in a virtual briefing.

The company has over 5,500 employees across its tech centers in Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad. Wes Hummel, VP of Site Reliability and Cloud Engineering at PayPal, said the company continues to hire aggressively in India.

"I have my infrastructure team, I have a significant contingent out there...we'll continue to build out there, it's a key part of our go-forward strategy and a key part of our hiring strategy. We found an incredible mix of operations, engineering folks, folks that actually will help us continue to build and drive that engine in PayPal," he added.

In February, the company had stated that it had processed USD 1.4 billion worth of international sales for over 3.6 lakh merchants in India last year.

Asked about PayPal's exit from the domestic payments segment in India, Magats said the company took the decision in order to focus on cross-border payments.

"There are lots of providers that are in the market around within India for domestic payments, I think there are very few that have the strength and capabilities and can bring cross-border (payments), and we decided to focus our efforts on where we felt we could add the most value," he added.

Magats highlighted that the number of businesses coming online has grown significantly amid the pandemic, and is looking at evolving to a commerce company.

"We're evolving ourselves to be really a commerce organisation and what that really means for us is enabling tools that help these small businesses in particular, to sell on different channels as well as to be able to get access to their customers, much more easily," he said.

He pointed out that one of the biggest pain points for small businesses is access to customers.

He explained that they are not only competing with large retailers that offer loyalty programmes, they also face challenges around areas like access to logistics.

"And so what we're starting to think about are their ways to match up interests to the curation of inventory that we have more holistically...you've got to help these small businesses compete because the world is becoming asymmetrical, especially with the pandemic, with more big businesses for taking share. We've got to create ways to make it easier for them to compete," he said.

Magats said PayPal is looking at becoming a 'super app' for consumers for financial services, bill payments, and others.

"The idea of building the super app is extremely important for us, it moves us from the consumer side from just a payment relationship to a much more robust financial services and commerce experience. So taken together, we're really excited about what we've been able to do over the course of the last couple of years with the pandemic, but we think our best days are in front of us with all these wonderful new product capabilities," he added.

He emphasised that the company would continue to be open and interoperable, and give choice to consumers.

"We're not here to compete with small businesses, other businesses, we're basically creating connectivity between all the different businesses and consumers and so ultimately, we're about conversion, we are about converting commerce that would be hard to do, and our aspects of being a super app are really about how do we curate experiences together for both merchants and consumers that make it easier for them to interact," he said adding that the company has historically been "extremely additive to the ecosystem".

(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.)
Akasa, the airline founded by former Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube, has hired Ankur Goel, former head of IndiGos treasury and investor relations, as its Chief Financial Officer.

The airline, backed by ace investor and which has former IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh on board, is in final negotiations with aircraft manufacturer Boeing for an order of up to 100 737 Max jets. It aims to start operations by summer of 2022.

Goel, with over 16 years of experience in various fields of finance, was a core member of the team that led IndiGos public listing in 2015 raising Rs 3,000 crore followed by a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) in 2017, which raised around Rs 4,000 crore.

While Jhunjhunwala has invested Rs 247.50 crore in the airline, another big name of Dalal street, Madhav Bhatkuly, founder of investment fund New Horizon, has also invested around Rs 6 crore in the company.

Bhatkuly is known for identifying big at early stage and was among the first institutional investors in many leading names of India Inc like----Sun Pharma, Godrej Consumer, Axis Bank and Apollo Hospitals.

With Goels hiring, the airline has now completed hiring of its top management. While promoter Vinay Dube will be the CEO, Praveen Iyer will be the Chief Commercial Officer. Iyer, a former colleague of Dubey at Jet Airways, is one of the founding members of the team along with Neelu Khatri who has been appointed as head of corporate affairs and was most recently president of Honeywell Business in India.





It has named Bhavin Joshi as senior vice-president of finance and aircraft leasing and has recruited Anand Srinivasan as chief information officer. Srinivasan used to head revenue management at Go Air.

Former Jet Airways executives Belson Coutinho, Adam Voss, Ajit Baghchandani will head marketing, engineering, inflight services respectively.

A person in know of things said that till the time the company starts generating revenue, it has decided to compensate employees through sweat equity. Sweat equity is a non-monetary benefit that a company's stakeholders give rather than a monetary contribution. This is offered normally in start-ups where employees receive stock or stock options, becoming part-owners of the firm, in return for accepting salaries, which are lower than industry standards.

While demand for air travel has hit globally, Indias aviation industry is at greater risk of delayed recovery. Thats not deterring Jhunjhunwala though. I think some of the incremental players may not recover, he recently told a TV channel.

When asked why he is investing in a new airline, Jhunjhunwala said that for the culture of a company to be low cost, one needs to start fresh. I am very bullish on Indias aviation sector demand, he said.
The on Wednesday has put its order mandating bumper-to-bumper cover for new vehicles sold from September 1 in abeyance for the time being. It has adjourned the matter to September 13 when it will hear the General Insurance Council (GI Council), which had moved the court last week, seeking some clarifications on the order.

The council has asked the court to grant the insurance 90 days time to effect changes in the computer system after due approval from the insurance regulator.

Sources aware of the development said, The GI Council wants to clarify what the court means by bumper-to-bumper. It wants to know if the court was referring to package policies--own damage and motor third party--when it said bumper-to-bumper cover.

It is important to note that motor third-party insurance is mandatory in the country after the Supreme Courts ruling. So if the is referring to comprehensive cover, then own damage cover may also become mandatory.

In its order, the high court had said that whenever a new vehicle is sold after 1.9.2021, it is mandatory for coverage of bumper-to-bumper insurance every year, in addition to covering the driver, passengers, and owner of the vehicle, for a period of five years.

The council is seeking clarification that if such policies for five years have to be sold in one go or if they have to be sold every year for five years. Also, they have sought clarification on which class of vehicles it will be made mandatory for, the source quoted above said.

The high court has issued notices to GI Council and the insurance regulator and will hear them on September 13. The court noted that both the insurance regulator and the GI Council are important parties in the case hence they have been impleaded in the matter.

The is in no way opposing the Because, if the judgment is followed in letter and spirit, it would be a huge positive for the insurers, who are anyway bleeding when it comes to the motor portfolio.

While third-party motor insurance is mandatory, own damage is optional. And, despite third-party motor insurance being mandatory, approximately 40 per cent of the vehicles are insured, according to industry estimates.

Insurers did welcome the judgment of the Madras High Court but they had said the best way to move forward would be by holding consultations with the insurance regulator.

The source quoted above said if the GI Council will ask substantial time from the court to implement its order as the agents have to trained and products have to tweaked.

While insurers have welcomed the move of the Madras High Court, the auto dealers have said it will further hurt the pandemic-battered auto industry. If the courts directive is implemented in letter and spirit, it will most likely increase the acquisition cost of new cars, just ahead of the festive season. Prima facie, it will lead to an increase in the insurance outgo for car owners (depending on its price) by a minimum Rs 50,000 for car and a minimum of Rs 7,000 for two-wheeler owners, an expert had said.
on Wednesday launched  360-a self-onboarding tool for its prospective patrons, including small hotel, home-owners and the ex- patrons who have been impacted by Covid-19 to boost their revenues and increase profits.

With Oyo 360, the company will fast-track onboarding in 30 minutes from the current time of 15 days. This is a significant initiative under Oyo's increased focus on building a technology focused company.

The Oyo 360 tool provides a simple two-click platform to enrol patrons on its platform and offers three types of benefits - growth benefits, partnership benefits, and Oyo network benefits. Over 70 per cent of hotel and home-owners who join Oyo have never sold online.

Based on internal data, hotel owners on Oyo witness 80 per cent demand digitally on an average globally compared with only 10-20 per cent before joining the platform, the firm said. The initial performance shows that the first 100 Oyo patrons who have joined via Oyo 360 are seeing 95 per cent online bookings which is supporting a rise in their revenue.

With technology as a driver and data powering every touchpoint of the journey of our patrons including small hotel and home-owners, Oyo is carving a niche in the hospitality world with its diverse tech and product offerings. Oyo 360 is a big bet to accelerate supply acquisition and enhance the overall experience by making onboarding simpler and convenient. It aims to provide direct control on pricing, increasing occupancies and visibility on simplified contracts and reconciliation processes. Currently, daily 12 properties are being onboarded via Oyo 360 which brings us confidence on the success of this tool, said Rohit Kapoor, Chief Executive Officer, Oyo INSEA.

As part of its supply acquisition strategy, Oyo 360 will help hotel owners achieve organic growth of the business, including newer self-sign ups and growing the supply infrastructure via technology, the company said in a statement.

Covid-19 has deeply impacted small hotel businesses significantly. Oyo 360 will allow business owners to simply log in with their phone number or use social media accounts to initiate their property onboarding process. This tool would require basic details on the hotel, room number, amenities, and imagery. The tool uses artificial intelligence capabilities in photo upload to auto check for image quality, reject images with objectionable content and auto categorize images by detecting the elements in the images.

If the property is already listed on any of the online travel aggregators, all this information is auto-filled. With a simple review, in a single click - the property will be live in just 30 minutes across all platforms.

In India, over 80 per cent of and home owners on Oyo have opted to be on Oyo Secure - a prepaid wallet based system, where hotel and home-owners deposit money in a secure wallet that gets adjusted with the net payment reconciliation system. In addition, Co-Oyo/Oyo OS - the partner-facing app is a hassle-free property management solution with an integrated cloud-based system for onboarding and staff training, reservation and booking management, invoice management, housekeeping management, dashboard and analytics, live support.

Currently, in India, Oyo is witnessing 70 per cent Co-Oyo adoption, resulting in four times higher revenue per available room by regularly engaging the platform, the firm said.
The (RBI) said on Wednesday it has fined Rs 25 lakh for violating certain provisions of know your customer (KYC) norms.

The action was based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and does not pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement, the RBI said.

The fine is based on a scrutiny carried out by RBI during February 2020 and March 2020 in a customer account maintained with the bank, where it was observed that the bank failed to comply with the KYC norms, the RBI said in its statement.
In Gujarat, where reopened for Classes 9 onwards on July 26, board exam pressure is driving students back to the classroom with attendance higher in Classes 10 and 12. In tiny numbers, though. We have been trying to convince the parents of our classmates to allow them to come to school. The whole environment and mood of learning is different and better in the classroom, says Pooja Khubchandani, a Class 10 student of Sakar English School, She is one of the four students from the 50 in her section attending offline classes.

For teachers this means double the effort  teaching online and offline, simultaneously. But chemistry teacher Angadjit Singh Suri is at it passionately, using a digital board that displays his notes on his laptop screen that is visible to both the students present in his class and in his Zoom room.

It is quite difficult for teachers but they have risen to the challenge, says Smita Das, principal of Sakar English School. Wed want to see more students in the classroom but the apprehension of parents and the lack of vaccination are real concerns. We have reduced the number of classes to four, of 45 minutes each, since online classes have also meant additional academic and administrative work for teachers.

Now, with the state government announcing that offline classes can resume for Classes 6 to 8, Das finds students in this category more willing to come to school. As does Caesar D'Silva, principal, Global Indian International School (GIIS). During a recent registration process, parents of 50 out of 509 students confirmed that their children would return to the classroom.





ALSO READ: Back to school: Gurugram, Delhi schools reopen to near empty classrooms

Without children, school is just a building. The situation is getting better with a gradual rise in the number of students attending offline classes, says DSilva. However, a large number of students have adapted to online as the new normal. We have all the amenities, keeping the safety and hygiene of students in mind and follow all the SoPs. We are trying our best to encourage students and parents to attend offline classes.

At GIIS, currently only 84 out of 300 students in Classes 9 to 12 are coming to school  a majority from Classes 10 and 12.

To assist teachers to engage with both offline and online students, have also been investing in infrastructure. For instance, at Podar International School, gadgets like visualisers, projectors and computers have been installed in almost every classroom and broadband bandwidth has been increased. Parents are still apprehensive, even though students enjoy and learn better in offline mode. Teachers, too, like it better when there are students present in the classroom, says Sreenarayanan PC, principal of Podar International School,

Of the roughly 1,000-plus students in Classes 9 to 12, the school has seen a turnout of 18-30 per cent, with board exams drawing a higher share of students.
The ally Janata Dal (United) demanded on Wednesday that the government roll back the hike in cooking gas cylinder prices and step in to check the rising fuel prices as these have affected common households.

JD(U) spokesperson K C Tyagi said the repeated hike in the LPG price has affected people's budget adversely.

"The government should roll back the hike," he said.

He also spoke against leaving petrol and diesel prices to market mechanism, and said the government must step in to curb their cost for people's benefit.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's party has of late taken positions on certain issues that have raised eyebrows.

Kumar had backed the opposition's demand for a probe into the alleged snooping involving Pegasus spyware.

He has also led the chorus for a caste census, a politically fraught issue over which the has so far maintained silence.

The prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cooking gas cylinders across all categories including subsidised gas were hiked on Wednesday by Rs 25 per cylinder -- the third straight increase in rates in less than two months.

Subsidised as well as non-subsidised LPG now costs Rs 884.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi, according to a price notification of oil companies.

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A security guard stands at the entrance to every mall in Saudi Arabias capital, ready for a pandemic routine shoppers are getting used to: proving their status on a government phone app that tracks their location at all times.

A dystopia for opponents of requirements from the United States to France is already a reality in Saudi Arabia, which enacted what amount to some of the strictest immunisation rules in the world on August 1.

As the highly-contagious Delta variant of Covid-19 sends other countries back into lockdown, officials in the worlds largest crude exporter are counting on a strategy that makes all-but mandatory to keep their economy open. Thats made the nation of 35 million a test case in what happens when people who are reluctant to get inoculated are pushed into a corner.

So far, the policys working; uptake has soared since the rules were announced, new cases are declining and Google mobility data shows workplace visits are down just 6 per cent compared to a pre-pandemic baseline, versus 50 per cent in Greater London. But Saudi Arabias experience also shows the limits of policies that exclude the unvaccinated from offices, schools and most public places; even in an absolute monarchy that criminalises dissent, implementation hasnt been easy. The government is forcing it on citizens -- this is complete slavery, said 23-year-old Rawan, an unemployed law graduate who took one dose but doesnt want a second because shes worried about long-term side effects.

Few countries have imposed restrictions as tight as those in Saudi Arabia, where refusal to vaccinate can block shoppers from grocery stores, prevent 12-year-olds from attending school, stop citizens from traveling abroad and cost workers their jobs in every sector.
The state has mandated having one dose of vaccine or a negative RT-PCR test not older than 72 hours for entering shops or going to work for protecting people's health, the said on Wednesday while hearing the plea of a man who refuses to be vaccinated and has challenged the COVID guidelines.

Justice P B Suresh Kumar said the state has laid down these guidelines "to protect the health of the public at large" as it has an obligation to do so. The court was hearing a plea moved by a KTDC employee who refuses to get vaccinated and at the same time was not in favour of getting a RT-PCR every 72 hours, which was not a pleasant experience, for going to work. He has contended that he has the right to refuse to be vaccinated and not taking a vaccine should not affect his right to livelihood. He has sought setting aside of the COVID guidelines or to permit him to report for work without having to undergo a RT-PCR test every 72 hours. Earlier, on August 11, a similar plea was moved before the court by a 25-year-old businessman who had contended that he cannot be compelled to get at least one dose of vaccine or a negative RT-PCR report not older than 72 hours to step out of his home for work. The petitioner - Akhil Varghese - contended that he would get vaccinated at his convenience. In that matter, the court on August 12 while issuing notice to the state and seeking its stand, had observed that "larger public interest was at stake". "Either get vaccinated or get a negative RT-PCR test every three days," the court had observed. That plea is still pending. In the latest plea, the KTDC employee's lawyer -- advocate Ajit Joy -- on Wednesday told the court that his client has had to take four RT-PCR tests till now for reporting to work. Joy also argued that since even a fully vaccinated person can also get infected and can spread the infection, therefore, there was no difference between someone who has been inoculated with two doses and someone who has not taken even one jab. He also said that his client was following all the social distancing norms while going out and was also adhering to COVID-19 lockdown instructions. However, the guidelines insisting on at least one dose of vaccine or a negative RT-PCR report not older than 72 hours or a COVID-19 positive result more than a month old for going to work or to a shop or any other establishment, were "arbitrary".

After the lawyer for the state government sought time to argue, the court listed the matter for hearing on Thursday afternoon.

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Narayanan Veerasimhan, a 16-year-old Class XI student of SRM Nightingale Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennais Mambalam area, cannot conceal his happiness. After being stuck at home for months and struggling with online classes, hes overjoyed to be back in school, with friends and learning in a classroom atmosphere, which is irreplaceable, he says.

After opening briefly for Classes 9 to 12, in had shut again on March 22, and students were back to online classes. Veerasimhan would like to forget that period now.

On Wednesday, when re-opened for Classes 9 to 12 in states like Delhi, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Ladakh, the smiles of the students hidden by their masks were evident in their twinkling eyes.

Students desperately wanted to be out of home. We are seeing an attendance of around 63 per cent, says T Amalraj, principal of SRM School, adding, They are allowed only with a consent letter from their parents. The school has a nurse on standby and is also arranging counselling sessions for students who might need them.

At the school gates, the students first had to get their temperature checked before being ushered into the premises. Careful not to compromise on social distancing standards, are allowing only 20 students in a classroom at a time. Many have also set alternate dates for Classes 9-10 and 11-12.

Chettinad Vidyashram, one of the citys largest schools near Rajah Annamalaipuram, is sticking with a hybrid model, providing both online and offline classes. When Business Standard met her, principal Amudha Lakshmi S was stationed at the gate to welcome each student after thermal scanning. We conducted a Google survey before starting classes and gave the option of online and offline modes. While 55 per cent of the students opted for the online model, the rest chose to come to school, she says, adding, We have requested parents to drop the kids since we dont want them to risk using public transport until they get vaccinated. The school has appointed two nurses and two doctors for emergencies.

Lakshmi adds that more than students, parents were worried about the reopening. V Madhavan, father of a Class 9 student at the Pupil Saveetha Eco School near Poonamallee, agrees. What worries us most are reports that the third wave is going to affect kids more, he says. We dont know the immunity level of each child. People are now considering it (school reopening) as a social move, but if something goes wrong, it will become an individuals problem.

Meanwhile, other schools such as ALM Matriculation HSS at Injambakkam and Sacred Heart Matriculation Higher Secondary School at Sholinganallur, too, had around 50 per cent attendance on Day One. They expect the number to go up in a couple of days once parents are confident about the standard operating procedures the schools are following.

The government will decide on allowing Classes 1 to 8 to resume at school after September 15. Officials say if the school reopening proves to be a success, the state might allow younger children, too, in the days to come
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Wednesday granted permission to Hyderabad-based Limited to conduct phase 2/3 clinical trials of its 'Made in India' COVID-19 vaccine on children aged between 5 and 18 years with certain conditions, sources said.

The phase 2 and 3 clinical trials have be conducted as per approved protocol titled 'A Prospective, Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo controlled, Phase-2/3 Study to Evaluate Safety, Reactogenicity, Tolerability and Immunogenicity of Corbevax Vaccine in Children and Adolescents', a source said.

The trial will be conducted across 10 sites in the country.

The DCGI's permission was given based on the recommendations by the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19.

So far, indigenously developed Zydus Cadila's needle-free COVID-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D has received Emergency Use Authorisation from the drug regulator, making it the first vaccine to be administered in the age group of 12-18 years in the country.

Meanwhile, the data of phase 2/3 clinical trials of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin in the age group 2 to 18 years is underway.

India's drug regulator in July granted permission to Serum Institute of India (SII) for conducting phase 2/3 trials of Covovax on children aged 2 to 17 years with certain conditions.

Biological E's anti-coronavirus shot, Corbevax, which is a RBD protein sub-unit vaccine is currently undergoing phase 2/3 clinical trials on adults, sources had said earlier.

will supply 30 crore doses of Corbevax to the central government by December, as announced by the Union Health Ministry in June. The ministry finalised arrangements with the Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer to reserve 30 crore vaccine doses, an official statement had said.

The COVID-19 vaccine candidate has been supported by Government of India from preclinical stage to phase 3 studies. The Department of Biotechnology has not only provided financial assistance in terms of grant-in-aid of over Rs 100 crore but has also partnered with Biological E to conduct all animal challenge and assay studies through its Research Institute Translational Health Science Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, a Health Ministry statement had stated.

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Former Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde visited the ancestral home of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) founder Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in on Tuesday.

As per sources, Bobde visited Dr Hedgewar's (1925-1940) house to see how it was being restored.

"The former CJI also met RSS leader Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi at Sangh's headquarters in the city later in the day," added the sources.

Former CJI Bobde belongs to and has been living in the city since his retirement earlier this year.

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The will participate in a two-week multi-nation military exercise at Nizhny in beginning Friday that is aimed at boosting anti-terror cooperation.

Over a dozen countries will take part in the 'Zapad' exercise which will primarily focus on anti-terror operations, officials said. China and Pakistan are also expected to take part in the exercise as observers.

The defence ministry said a contingent of 200 personnel of the will participate in an exercise that is taking place from September 3-16.

"Zapad is one of the theatre level exercises of Russian armed forces and will focus primarily on operations against terrorists," it said.

"The Naga Battalion group participating in the exercise will feature an all Arms combined task force. The exercise aims to enhance military and strategic ties amongst the participating nations," the ministry said.

"The Indian contingent has been put through a strenuous training schedule which encompasses all facets of conventional operations including mechanised, airborne and heliborne, counter-terrorism, combat conditioning and firing," it said.

Separately, the Indian and Kazakh armies began a 13-day military exercise on Wednesday.

"The India-Kazakhstan joint military exercise KAZIND-21 commenced today at training Node Aisha Bibi, Kazakhstan," said an official.

It is the fifth edition of the annual bilateral exercise by both armies. The fourth edition of the exercise was held at Pithoragarh in September 2019.

A total of 90 personnel from the Bihar Regiment of the are participating in the exercise.

The scope of the exercise includes professional exchange, planning and execution of operations in a counter-terrorism environment and sharing of expertise.

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The Centre told the on Wednesday that intermeddlers cannot be allowed to challenge the appointment of Gujarat-cadre IPS officer as Commissioner.

This is not Jantar Mantar or Ramlila Maidan, submitted Solicitor General Tushar Mehta before a bench headed by Chief Justice D N Patel.

The bench was hearing a PIL by one Sadre Alam against the appointment of Asthana along with an intervention application by an NGO which has challenged the appointment before the Supreme Court.

Both have no business challenging the appointment... Any intermeddlers can't come to court, he added.

The bench, which also comprised Justice Jyoti Singh, issued notice on the PIL and sought the Centre and Asthana's stand while listing the matter for further hearing on September 8.

Mehta said the petition before the high court seems to have been copied from the NGO's plea filed before the apex court.

It appears that Mr Alam seems to have copied and followed the dangerous path of Mr Bhushan (NGO's counsel). The debutant should be stopped, said the counsel who went on to express his misgivings towards ready-made petitioners and systematic pattern of criticising all government-made appointment.

(The petitioner) must be investigated. It is very serious... It is too much for a coincidence that same typographical error was possible, he added.

Mehta sought time to respond to the petition on merit and said the court has to hear the affected officer as well before any order is passed.

Appearing for the NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), lawyer stated that Alam's petition was mala fide and a complete copy-paste of the plea pending before the apex court.

He clarified that he did not intend to argue before this court as the NGO's plea was pending before the Supreme Court.

B S Bagga, counsel for petitioner, maintained that the plea was not a product of copy-paste.

The petitioner has sought quashing of the July 27 order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs appointing Asthana as the Commissioner and also the order granting inter-cadre deputation and extension of service to him.

The plea also sought initiation of steps for appointing Commissioner strictly in accordance with the direction issued by the Supreme Court earlier.

The impugned orders (of MHA) are in clear and blatant breach of the directions passed by the Supreme Court of India in Prakash Singh case as respondent no.2 (Asthana) did not have a minimum residual tenure of six months; no UPSC panel was formed for appointment of Delhi Police Commissioner; and the criteria of having a minimum tenure of two years has been ignored, the plea said.

It claimed the High-Powered Committee comprising the Chief Justice of India, Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition, in its meeting held on May 24, 2021, rejected the Central government's attempt to appoint Asthana as the CBI Director on the basis of the six-month rule as laid down by the Supreme Court in the Prakash Singh case.

The appointment of Asthana to the post of Commissioner of Police, Delhi must be set aside on the same principle, it said.

The petition with similar prayers which has been filed by CPIL before the Supreme Court has urged to direct the central government to produce the July 27 order it issued, approving the inter-cadre deputation of Asthana from Gujarat cadre to AGMUT cadre.

The petition has also urged the apex court to set aside the Centre's order to extend Asthana's service period.

On August 25, the Supreme Court had asked the high court to decide within two weeks the plea pending before it against the appointment of the senior IPS officer as Delhi Police Commissioner.

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COVID-19 RT-PCR test is made mandatory for travellers arriving at the international airport here from select countries such as the UK, Middle East, Brazil and China, from September 3, the Mumbai civic body said on Wednesday.

It said passengers arriving from or transiting through the UK, Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe will have to undergo paid RT-PCR tests after they land at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International airport.

Other passengers (excluding the above countries), who have to exit the airport or board connecting flights, will have to show the RT-PCR negative report conducted within 72 hours of their journey, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stated.

"RT-PCR tests will not be mandatory for such passengers on arrival at the from 12 AM on September 3," it said.

All passengers will have to submit their self-declaration forms and undertakings to officers deployed at the airport and will have to undergo 14-day home quarantine.

The civic body further stated that the steps are being taken based on the Centre's guidelines because of the detection of more transmissible variants of coronavirus.

The airport operator has already made arrangements for conducting RT-PCR tests and registration at the airport, for which passengers will have to pay Rs 600, the release stated, adding the airport can conduct 600 tests per day.

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Finance Minister on Wednesday said there is a need to have informed conversations about the ideas propounded by freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar

Veer is an important personality in Indian history about whom so much is discussed without quality research, Sitharaman said at a book release event here.

Releasing the book titled 'Savarkar-A Contested Legacy 1924-1966', authored by Vikram Sampath, she said attracts much conversation.

"Informed conversation (about Savarkar) most of the time is missing and that opinionated conversation is also not based on fact or any other fact, and as a result, it becomes based on emotions of strong likes and dislikes," she said.

In the process, she said, "we are doing a big disservice to the nation" because leaders like Veer Savarkar stood their ground, and as a result, their contribution is distinct.

"We cannot afford to miss that distinct strand which also contributes in Indian history. So it might sometime align with some, let us say, political ideology...may even sound as aligning with an opposite ideology, but that is where we need a well researched, solid fact-based, biographies or books on such leaders," she said.

Speaking at the event organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation, Principal Economic Adviser Sanjeev Sanyal said he passionately feels about the need to change curriculums.

"I think it is something that we are working towards. There are some people working towards it but there are some things that we need to first settle. One of them is that in order to begin to change curriculums and so on, you actually need to get the hard academic work actually done," he said.

He also said there is nothing much written on Savarkar even though he was a mainstream revolutionary.

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recorded 112.1 mm in 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Wednesday, the highest single-day precipitation in September in 19 years, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The capital had recorded 126.8 mm on September 13, 2002. The all-time record is 172.6 mm on September 16, 1963.

The heavy burst of rain submerged several areas, including the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri, in knee-deep water and affected traffic movement in parts of the city.

The city gauged 75.6 mm rainfall in just three hours starting 8:30 am.

This means that has already recorded more than the monthly quota of rain on the first two days of the month.

On an average, the capital gauges 125.1 mm precipitation in September every year, according to the IMD.

Asked if the IMD expected such heavy rainfall -- 187.1 mm since 8:30 am on Tuesday, an official said it is difficult to make "precise predictions" for a small area like two to three days in advance.

"The predictions are for larger areas, say like Haryana and Punjab. This applies across the world," he said.

Mahesh Palawat, Vice President, Skymet Weather, a private forecasting agency, said the pattern is changing due to climate change.

"The number of rainy days has reduced over the last four to five years, and there has been an increase in extreme weather events," he said



"We have been recording short and intense bouts of rains, sometimes around 100 mm rainfall in just 24 hours. In the past, this much precipitation would occur over a period of 10 to 15 days," he said.

Officials at the India Meteorological Department said the Safdarjung Observatory, considered the official marker for the city, gauged 112.1 mm rainfall in the 24 hours ending 8:30 am on Wednesday, the highest on a day in September in 19 years.

The weather stations at Lodhi Road, Ridge, Palam and Ayanagar recorded 120.2 mm, 81.6 mm, 71.1 mm and 68.2 mm rainfall, respectively, in the 24 hours ending 8:30 am.

Since 8:30 am, Palam, Lodi Road, Ridge and Ayanagar have recorded 78.2mm, 75.4mm, 50mm and 44.8mm rainfall, respectively, it said.

On Tuesday, Delhi gauged 84 mm rainfall in just six hours -- between 8:30 am and 2:30 pm -- that flooded roads and led to massive traffic snarls on key stretches such as ITO, Ring Road near IP Estate flyover, Dhaula Kuan, and Rohtak road.

"The intensity is likely to reduce. Another spell of rain is likely from September 7," an IMD official said.

In its forecast for the month of September, the IMD said, "Normal to below normal rainfall is most likely over many areas of northwest."



The Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory against traffic obstruction at Mother Teresa Crescent Marg, Mayapuri Chowk, Ghitorni Metro Station to MG Road and Adchini towards Kishangarh due to the heavy

Weather experts said such spells of rain do not help recharge groundwater and lead to flooding in low-lying areas.

The water percolates in the ground if it rains slowly over four to five days. In case of heavy falls, the rainwater runs off quickly, Palawat said.

"The rain washes away pollutants, but since the number of rainy days has reduced, the average annual air quality is also getting affected," he said.

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Civil Aviation Minister virtually flagged off IndiGo's Delhi-Gwalior-Indore flight and Air India's Indore-Dubai flight on Wednesday, the stated.

The ministry's statement quoted Scindia as saying that the establishment of direct flight connectivity on the Delhi-Gwalior-Indore route aligns with the objectives of the "Sab Uden Sab Juden" initiative of the Union government.

"With the aerial connectivity of the two cities of Madhya Pradesh with immense potential, new opportunities will get a boost in sectors of trade and tourism," he mentioned.

IndiGo's flight on Delhi-Gwalior-Indore route will operate daily. has been operating a direct flight from Indore to Dubai from 2019 which is recommencing now with this non-stop connection, the ministry's statement mentioned.

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Syed Ali Shah Geelani, avowedly a pro-Pakistan supporter who spearheaded the separatist movement in Jammu and Kashmir for over three decades, died at his residence here on Wednesday night, officials said. Geelani, 91, is survived by two sons and six daughters. He remarried after his first wife passed away in 1968.

The separatist leader had been suffering from a kidney disease for over two decades, besides having other age-related issues, including dementia. Mobile internet was being shut down in Kashmir valley as a precautionary measure to prevent confusion due to spread of rumours.

According to one of his family members, Geelani breathed his last at 10.30 pm.

A three-time MLA in the erstwhile state from Sopore, Geelani had virtually become the face of agitation in the 2008 Amarnath land row, 2010 agitation sparked by killing of a youth in Srinagar. He was the founder member of Hurriyat Conference but broke away and formed his own Tehreek-e-Hurriyat in early 2000. He finally bid farewell to his own Hurriyat Conference in June 2020.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed condolences over Geelani's death on his official Twitter handle.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted saying that she was saddened by the news of his death. "We may not have agreed on most things but I respect him for his steadfastness and standing by his belief..."

People's Conference (PC) chairman Sajad Lone said, "Heartfelt condolences to the family of Sahib. Was an esteemed colleague of my late father. May Allah grant him Jannat."

Geelani would be buried at the place of his choice in the neighbourhood of Hyderpora in the outskirts of the city. His passport was seized in 1981 and never returned, barring an exception in 2006 to facilitate him to perform Hajj pilgrimage. There were several cases pending against him in the Enforcement Directorate, police and Income Tax Department.

Pro-Geelani slogans and messages announcing his death were broadcast over loudspeakers from mosques in Kashmir valley.

Police said curfew-like restrictions have been imposed in Kashmir as a precautionary measure. A heavy police bandobast was seen around Geelani's residence and the roads leading upto it were sealed, with no one allowed to go there. Internet services are also likely to be suspended.

Strict restrictions have been imposed in Sopore district, the area from where he belonged. Security forces have been deployed in strength at vulnerable places for maintaining law and order.

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The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which has been agitating against the Centre's three agri laws, on Wednesday hit out at the for issuing notices to asking them to join the investigation in connection with cases related to January 26 incident.

The police, however, said such notices are issued under relevant sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in the normal course of any investigation.

A senior officer said, "Notices have been issued as part of our ongoing investigation into the matter."



A statement issued by the legal panel of SKM "strongly condemned" the action of of issuing the notices u/s 160 CrPC to to join the investigation in cases relating to 26 January incident.

According to SKM, notices were issued to Karanpreet Singh and Maninderjit Singh, who belong to the Jalandhar and Faridkot districts of Punjab, and they have been asked to appear at the concerned police station on September 3 for investigation purposes.

Another such notice has also been issued to Surjit Singh Swaich, an advocate of Punjab and Haryana High Court and ex-secretary of High Court Bar Association, it said.

In the statement, Prem Singh Bhangu, convener of the panel alleged, "Delhi police is doing this unconstitutional and illegal act at the instance of the central government because neither farmers to whom the notices have been issued are named in the FIR's nor have they have participated in any violent activity."



The SKM directed the farmers not to appear before the investigation officers and accused the police of intending to "falsely implicate" in the cases.

A farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day had turned violent, with a large group of protesters clashing with security personnel and storming the Red Fort where they hoisted a religious flag.

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Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday spoke with his counterparts in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to take stock of the Covid situation in these states.

As Covid cases are rising in Kerala, he discussed matters related to Covid-19 management in those areas of these two states bordering Kerala, and highlighted the need to take adequate steps to contain inter-state spread of the disease.

Mandaviya also asked the two state Health Ministers to increase the pace of in their bordering districts, as it forms an integral component of the Centre's five-point strategy to fight the pandemic, which also includes Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour.

In a separate development, Mandaviya also reviewed the supply and availability of Covid-related essential medicines across the country.

He was apprised that sufficient stocks of all the essential medicines are available, and raw materials for them are also available in enough quantities in India.

A strategic buffer stock has been created for eight drugs - Tocilizumab, Methyl Predinisolone, Enaxopirin, Dexamethasone, Remdesivir, Amphotericin B Deoxycholate, Posaconazole, and Intravenous Immunoglobilin (IVIG). All these medicines have been found in good quantity in the country.

--IANS

avr/vd

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Chief Minister on Wednesday exuded confidence that the state will again emerge as the number one destination for industry and assured that the government will always be on its side.

The government has already created an empowered group which will help in setting up industries faster, she said launching a slew of projects at Panagarh in Paschim Bardhaman district.

"Now, our destination is industry. is already number one in social welfare schemes. An empowered group has been formed for this purpose of which I am the chairman. Industry minister Partha Chatterjee and other various departmental representatives are its members," she said.

The group will meet once a month to see that industries are set up faster and provide employment to the youth.

The chief minister said, "Our government will always be on the side of the industry. We have also framed some policies as well".

Mentioning some of the projects which are in the pipeline, Banerjee said Deocha Pachami is the second largest coal block which has been allocated to the state by the Centre.

"The government is ready with the first phase of the Deocha Pachami coal mine (on vacant government land) and also ready with the rehabilitation package for the second phase. An investment of Rs 15,000 crore will be made. Once completed, there will be no shortage of electricity for the next 100 years in and will also be cheap," she said. Banerjee said the other important projects of the state are the Tajpur port, where an EoI has already been prepared, and the dedicated freight corridor from Dankuni to Amritsar via Raghunathpur in Purulia.

"This corridor will attract Rs 72,000 crore investment and provide lakhs of employment. The state will set up industrial hubs at Durgapur, Jamuria and Howrah which will having the potential to provide 10,000 jobs at an investment of Rs 15,000 crore", she added.

The chief minister said that the state has framed a policy relating to production of ethanol using broken rice.

"Ethanol will be used as a biofuel and mixed with petrol or diesel. This will also help the farmers to raise their income levels", she said.

Many industries will come up for this and it has the potential to provide 48,000 jobs involving an investment of Rs 15,000 crore.

Regarding IT, she said the government is coming up with a data policy. "The government will help in data handling and storage. 24,000 jobs will be created and there will be an investment of Rs 20,000 crore.

The greenfield airport at Andal will be made an international one and the state government had also provided Rs 150 crore in the budget for this.

Regional connectivities will be set up at Cooch Behar, Malda and Balurghat, while 30 helicopter stations will be built.

She took a dig at the Centre and said the industry is doing a tightrope walk as there is pressure from the CBI, ED and the IT departments.

The chief minister said that while nationwide jobs are shrinking due to the pandemic, West Bengal has seen 40 per cent reduction in poverty and rise in employment of the same figure during this period.

She asked WBIDC to take steps so that the annual business meet may be restarted again.

"We could not hold the Bengal business meets for two years due to the pandemic. But I now request WBIDC to make preparations for holding it next year at a convenient time, maybe February or March", she said.

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The GST Council will meet on September 17 in Lucknow which among other things may review concessional rates on Covid essentials.

"Finance Minister Smt @nsitharaman will chair the 45th meeting of the GST COUNCIL on 17th September at Lucknow, the tweeted.

The previous Council meeting was held via videoconferencing on June 12 during which tax rates on various Covid essentials were reduced till September 30.

Goods and Services Tax rates were slashed on Covid drugs such as Remdesivir and Tocilizumab as well as on medical oxygen, and oxygen concentrators other Covid essentials.

The meeting on September 17 could discuss compensation to states for loss of revenue, review of rates on Covid essentials, and inverted duty on certain goods.

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The (IMF) has sharply increased its allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) to India, in line with the country's existing quota in the fund.

is an alternate reserve currency floated by the IMF, which the member countries can freely exchange between themselves instead of relying on currency of any one particular country. is a basket of U.S. dollar, Japanese yen, euro, pound sterling and Chinese Renminbi.

A statement by the Reserve Bank of India said on Wednesday that the IMF has increased India's quota to 12.57 billion, which is equivalent to $17.86 billion at the latest exchange rate, on August 23.

"The total SDR holdings of India now stands at SDR 13.66 billion (equivalent to around USD 19.41 billion at the latest exchange rate) as on August 23, 2021," the said, adding the increased SDR will reflect in the foreign exchange reserves data for the week ended August 27.

IMF makes the general SDR allocation to its members in proportion to their existing quotas in the Fund. On August 2, the board of IMF had approved a general allocation of about SDR 456 billion, of which India's share came at SDR 12.57 billion.

India holds 2.75 per cent of SDR quota, and 2.63 per cent of votes in the IMF. The country has been lobbying to increase the voting share in the IMF for quite some time. The decision on this is due in 2023.
In a major decision aimed at expanding the health infrastructure, especially in rural and semi-rural areas, the government on Wednesday decided to set up new and super-speciality hospitals across the state on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis.

This decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.

A statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the state Industries Department's scheme of incentives will be applicable for private parties that wish to set up the health infrastructure in rural and remote areas.

A high-powered committee headed by the state chief secretary will examine the provisions of the scheme to be made applicable to the health sector and give approvals accordingly.

In the next three years, additional 1,000 seats in MD, MS and DNB courses will be created, it said.

These 1,000 seats include 350 in the proposed government and 650 in the existing

In the next ten years, there will be 2,600 more MBBS seats, including 1,800 in the new medical colleges and 800 in the present colleges, the statement said.

Every year there will be an increase (in the number of patients) in OPDs (Out Patient Departments) by one crore and in In-Patient Department (IPD) by 10 lakh, it added.

The government's decision will help improve the health infrastructure in rural and semi-rural areas. Funds from the Central government and international financial institutions will be sought, the statement said.

Speaking to reporters after attending the Cabinet meeting, Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh said medical education will change due to this decision.

"Every district will have a medical college. At present, 18 districts have government medical colleges. There are proposals to set up medical colleges in eight districts. We will utilise the Central government's scheme and funds for (setting up the health infrastructure) in Maharashtra,'' he said.

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As is preparing to re-open primary classes from Today, the administration has put all COVID-appropriate measures in schools.

In view of the improved COVID-19 situation in the district, the administration has allowed physical classes in schools for students of primary classes from September 1.

Speaking to ANI, Dr Priyanka Srivastava, Principal of Saraswati Shishu Vidya Mandir in said, "We have done all the preparation for the students. Staff will make sure that all the students are following COVID-19 protocols. Most importantly, the basic requirements like sanitiser, thermometer and oximeter are also available in enough quantity in the school."

The principal also said that primary standard students have not been asked to bring sanitiser from their homes.

The school has asked parents for a written consent to be submitted, mentioning their permission of sending children to school.

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Union Minister held a meeting with senior ministry officials on Wednesday on the status of the reopening of across the country and the roadmap for vaccinating their staff.

were closed in March last year ahead of a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of novel infection.

The Centre had allowed the reopening of as per the COVID-19 situation in respective states in October last year. While several states began partial reopening of schools, there was a complete closure again in April this year when an aggressive second wave of COVID-19 hit the country.

GoI is prioritising vaccination of teaching & non-teaching staff in schools across India to ensure a safe environment for reopening of schools. pic.twitter.com/QrSErYgfq5  Ministry of (@EduMinOfIndia) September 1, 2021

With the improvement in the COVID-19 situation, several states have begun reopening schools now even as concerns have been expressed over the staff and teachers not being completely vaccinated.

"Shiksha Mantri Shri @dpradhanbjp reviewed the status of schools reopening across the country with senior officials of Deptt. of School & Literacy. He also took stock of the roadmap for vaccinating all teaching & non-teaching staff in schools by the month of September," the Ministry of Education said in a tweet.

The ministry added that the Centre is prioritising vaccination of teaching and non-teaching staff in schools across the country to "ensure a safe environment for reopening of schools".

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Schools, barring residential government institutions, resumed offline classes in on Wednesday, with COVID-19 protocols in place, while colleges too resumed in the state.

The resumption of classes for 1st to 12th standards followed a High Court Order on Tuesday, granting schools permission to do so, while staying government residential schools from holding off-line classes for four weeks.

The Court also directed that no children in any class be compelled by school managements to physically attend offline classes if parents were not inclined to send them.

On Wednesday, students streamed into schools wearing masks, used the hand sanitizer's provided and attended classes.

Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy, who inspected a school in the city, said students should be told specifically during morning prayers about the need to follow COVID-19 norms. Teachers and other staff should also take precautions at the time of mid-day meals, she said.

More care should be taken about school children as college students are expected to have better awareness, she said. Out of 60 lakh children from 1st to 12th standard in the state, about 29 to 30 lakh students are in government institutions, she said.

Meanwhile, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan visited the high school at Raj Bhavan here and interacted with students, teachers and parents and officials.

Telangana: Many schools remain shut in Hyderabad despite state govt's permission to reopen schools from today



"We sanitize classrooms frequently & ensure social distancing," says Raj Kumar, administrative officer of Oxford High School in Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/jPg5cGXIOZ  ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2021

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Under the New Policy, the Union Ministry on Wednesday said it has set a new target of ensuring 100 per cent enrolment of children in across the country during the next nine years.

Giving information on this subject on the 61st foundation day of the NCERT, Union Minister said that by 2030, there is a target to achieve 100 per cent gross enrolment of children in across India. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will also play an important role in achieving this goal, he added.

Pradhan said the NCERT has given significant direction to the national school syllabus.

India's new education policy is based on Indian values, Pradhan added.

The Minister said a new education system of 5+3+3+4 has been implemented in across the country. Under this system the students have been divided into four different sections.

The first stage (5) will have students in the age group of 3 to 6 years who will be imparted education from the pre-primary or play school level till class 2. After this stage the syllabus for classes 2 to 5 will be prepared following which the academic programme has been designed keeping in mind the students of classes 5 to 8 and then finally the education of students for the next four years from classes 9 to 12.

This school education system of 5+3+3+4 will reduce the school dropout rate and ensure universal access to education. This is targeted to achieve 100 gross enrolment ratio for complete school education by 2030 through various measures.

According to the Education Ministry, no child should be denied any opportunity to learn and excel due to circumstances based on his/her birth or background. Special emphasis will be laid on socially and economically disadvantaged groups. A special education sector and a separate gender inclusion fund are being set up for the backward areas.

Pradhan said since independence, there have been significant positive changes in school education and the role of NCERT has been significant in it.

"The NCERT provided an alternative calendar for schools during difficult times of Covid-19, I hope that the NCERT will expand its old work as well as new efforts will be made for imparting school education," he added.

--IANS

gcb-anm/khz/bg

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The Reserve Bank on Wednesday said India's holding of IMF's Special Drawing Rights (SDR) has gone up to 13.66 billion which is equivalent to USD 19.41 billion as per exchange rate.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) makes the general allocation to its members in proportion to their existing quotas in the multilateral lending agency.

holding is significant as it is one of the components of the foreign exchange reserve of a country.

The IMF, according to RBI, made an allocation of SDR 12.57 billion (equivalent to around USD 17.86 billion at the latest exchange rate) to India on August 23.

The total SDR holdings of India, it said, "now stands at SDR 13.66 billion (equivalent to around USD 19.41 billion at the latest exchange rate) as on August 23, 2021".

"This increase in SDR holdings will be reflected in the Foreign Exchange Reserves (FER) data that shall be published for the week ended August 27, 2021," said.

The Board of Governors of the had approved a general allocation of about SDR 456 billion on August 2, 2021 (effective from August 23, 2021) of which the share of India is SDR 12.5 billion.

The SDR is an international reserve asset that was created to supplement member countries' official reserves.

The value of the SDR is based on a basket of five currencies -- US dollar, euro, Chinese renminbi, Japanese yen and British pound sterling.

It was created by the in 1969.

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The is reportedly in talks with the over furthering the evacuation process and securing a safe passage out of for British nationals and Afghans who remain there.

"The Prime Minister's special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass, has travelled to Doha and is meeting with senior representatives to underline the importance of safe passage out of for British nationals, and those Afghans who have worked with us over the past 20 years," the BBC quoted a government spokesman as saying.

It comes after a pledge to allow further departures.

As per an official statement by the government, over 17,000 people had been evacuated by the from so far, including over 5,000 UK nationals.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Taliban deployed its special forces at the Kabul airport hours after the last batch of US troops left Afghanistan.

The final evacuation flight of the US was conducted in the last hours of Monday night, airlifting their military and non-military personnel back home, one day before the August 31 deadline.

The British troops had left the country over the weekend.

The Taliban have promised those with authorisation will be allowed to leave the country.

--IANS

int/shs/dpb

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Food stocks in could run out this month, a senior UN official warned Wednesday, threatening to add a crisis to the challenges facing the country's new rulers as they endeavour to restore stability after decades of war.

About one third of the country's population of 38 million is facing emergency or crisis levels of food insecurity, according to Ramiz Alakbarov, the local U.N. humanitarian coordinator. With winter coming and a severe drought ongoing, more money is needed to feed the population, he said.

The U.N.'s World Food Program has brought in food and distributed it to tens of thousands of people in recent weeks. But of the USD 1.3 billion needed for aid efforts, only 39% has been received, he said.

The lean winter season is fast approaching, and without additional funding, food stocks will run out at the end of September, Alakbarov said.

The Taliban, who seized control of the country ahead of the withdrawal of American forces this week, now must govern a nation that relies heavily on aid and is in the midst of a worsening economic crisis.

In addition to the concerns about food supplies, civil servants haven't been paid in months and the local currency is losing value. Most of Afghanistan's foreign reserves are held abroad and currently frozen.

In the wake of the U.S. pullout, many Afghans are anxiously waiting to see how the will rule. When they were last in power, before being driven out by the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, they imposed draconian restrictions, refusing to allow girls to go to school, largely confining women to their homes and banning television, music and even photography.

But more recently, their leaders have sought to project a more moderate image. Schools have reopened to boys and girls, though officials have said they will study separately. Women are out on the streets wearing Islamic headscarves as they always have rather than the all-encompassing burqa the Taliban required in the past.

While many Afghans fear a return to the Taliban's brutal rule, they are also concerned that the country's economic situation holds little opportunity and tens of thousands sought to flee the country in a harrowing airlift.

Thousands who had worked with the U.S. and its allies, as well as up to 200 Americans, remained in the country after the efforts ended with the last U.S. troops flying out of Kabul airport just before midnight Monday. President Joe Biden defended his handling of the withdrawal a day later.

The challenges the Taliban face in reviving the could give Western nations leverage as they push the group to fulfill a pledge to allow free travel, form an inclusive government and guarantee women's rights. The Taliban say they want to have good relations with other countries, including the United States.

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com Inc is planning to hire 55,000 people for corporate and technology roles globally in the coming months, Chief Executive Andy Jassy told Reuters.



That's equal to more than a third of Google's headcount as of June 30, and close to all of Facebook's.



Jassy, in his first press interview since he ascended to Amazon's top post in July, said the company needed more firepower to keep up with demand in retail, the cloud and advertising, among other businesses. He said the company's new bet to launch satellites into orbit to widen broadband access, called Project Kuiper, would require a lot of new hires, too.



With Amazon's annual job fair scheduled to begin Sept. 15, Jassy hopes now is a good time for recruiting. "There are so many jobs during the pandemic that have been displaced or have been altered, and there are so many people who are thinking about different and new jobs," said Jassy, who cited a US survey from PwC that 65% of workers wanted a new gig.



"It's part of what we think makes Career Day so timely and so useful," he said. The new hires would represent a 20% increase in Amazon's tech and corporate staff, who currently number around 275,000 globally, the company said.



Amazon's move, only the latest spree on which it has embarked, follows a period of heightened scrutiny of its labor practices and opposition by the Brotherhood of Teamsters. Earlier this year, a failed effort by some staff in Alabama to organize put on display Amazon's taxing warehouse work and its aggressive stance against unions. In that battle's aftermath, Jeff Bezos, the CEO whom Jassy succeeded, said needed a better vision for employees.



Asked how he might change Amazon's demanding workplace culture, Jassy said its heavy focus on customers and inventiveness set it up for improvements.



"Everybody at the company has the freedom - and really, the expectation - to critically look at how it can be better and then invent ways to make it better."



The positions is marketing include engineering, research science and robotics roles, postings that are largely new to the company rather than jobs others quit, it said.



In a reopening U.S. economy, and tightening labor market, some have struggled to fill vacancies and balance remote and in-person work. It was unclear how many of the Amazon jobs - such as for competitive engineering hires - have been open for some time.



Amazon, which earlier touted an "office-centric culture," later dialed back its vision and offered workers the opportunity to spend just three days a week at its offices in person starting next year.



Already the second-biggest private employer in the United States, Amazon brought on more than 500,000 people in 2020, largely in warehouse and delivery operations. That area has had significant turnover.



The company is investing heavily in building more warehouses and boosting pay to attract workers, in order to catch up to strong demand from shoppers seeking products delivered to their homes. Jassy said Amazon has been "very competitive on the compensation side." He said, "We've led the way in the $15 minimum wage," and for some states on average that "really, the starting salary is $17 an hour."



Of the more than 55,000 jobs Jassy announced, over 40,000 will be in the United States, while others will be in countries such as India, Germany and Japan.



Amazon previously promised a binge in 2017, when it sought a location for its second headquarters. Officials at cities and states across North America fawned on the company for its jobs and tax dollars.



Arlington, Virginia, the HQ2 contest winner that so far has a small fraction of the 25,000 roles Amazon has promised it over a decade, currently has about 2,800 openings. The city of Bellevue where Amazon is growing near its hometown Seattle has another 2,000.



The career fair will be global. That's after Amazon saw 22,000 people tune in last year from India, among other locales outside the United States, Jassy said.

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President vigorously defended the chaotic withdrawal of troops from after nearly 20 years of conflict, describing it as the best and the right decision for America which ended an era of major military deployments to rebuild other countries.

In his address to the nation from the White House on Tuesday, Biden said there was no reason to continue in a war that was no longer in the service of the vital national interest of the American people.

My fellow Americans, the war in is now over, Biden said.

I give you my word: With all of my heart, I believe this is the right decision, a wise decision, and the best decision for America, he said.

Biden's address to the nation came just 11 days before the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that precipitated the intervention in

The last C-17 cargo aircraft carrying forces took off from the Hamid Karzai Airport in Kabul in the early hours of Tuesday, ending America's military campaign in Afghanistan.

The Taliban, ousted from power by the US shortly after the 9/11 attacks, now control nearly all of the country.

Biden said the real choice in Afghanistan was "between leaving and escalating."



"I was not going to extend this forever war, and I was not extending a forever exit," he said.

We succeeded in what we set out to do in Afghanistan over a decade ago. And we stayed for another decade. It was time to end this war, he said.

"This decision about Afghanistan is not just about Afghanistan. It's about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries."



Biden also highlighted the evacuation of more than 120,000 people from Afghanistan, saying the extraordinary success of this mission was due to the incredible skill, bravery, and selfless courage of the United States military and our diplomats and intelligence professionals.

Biden has been widely criticised over the abrupt manner of the US withdrawal, which led to the unexpected collapse of the Afghan security forces US troops had trained and funded for years.

We've been a nation too long at war. If you're 20 years old today, you have never known an America at peace," Biden said.

Biden said that he was the fourth President who has faced the issue of whether and when to end this war.

When I was running for President, I made a commitment to the American people that I would end this war. And today, I've honoured that commitment. It was time to be honest with the American people again. We no longer had a clear purpose in an open-ended mission in Afghanistan, he said.

After 20 years of war in Afghanistan, I refused to send another generation of America's sons and daughters to fight a war that should have ended long ago, Biden added.

"After more than USD 2 trillion spent in Afghanistan - a cost that researchers at Brown University estimated would be over USD 300 million a day for 20 years in Afghanistan - for two decades - yes, the American people should hear this: USD 300 million a day for two decades," he said.

If you take the number of USD 1 trillion, as many say, that's still USD 150 million a day for two decades. And what have we lost as a consequence in terms of opportunities? I refused to continue in a war that was no longer in the service of the vital national interest of our people, he added.

Biden vowed to defend America against evolving threats from terrorist groups, such as ISIS, without getting the US involved in another ground war.

"This is a new world. The terror threat has metastasized across the world, well beyond Afghanistan. We face threats from al-Shabaab in Somalia; al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria and the Arabian Peninsula; and ISIS attempting to create a caliphate in Syria and Iraq, and establishing affiliates across Africa and Asia," he said.

"The fundamental obligation of a President, in my opinion, is to defend and protect America not against threats of 2001, but against the threats of 2021 and tomorrow," he added.

But I also know that the threat from terrorism continues in its pernicious and evil nature. But it's changed, expanded to other countries. Our strategy has to change too, he added.

He said the US must now confront challenges from powerful adversaries such as Russia and China.

We're engaged in a serious competition with China. We're dealing with the challenges on multiple fronts with Russia. We're confronted with cyberattacks and nuclear proliferation, he said.

We have to shore up America's competitiveness to meet these new challenges in the competition for the 21st century. And we can do both: fight terrorism and take on new threats that are here now and will continue to be here in the future, he added.

There's nothing China or Russia would rather have, would want more in this competition than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan. As we turn the page on the foreign policy that has guided our nation the last two decades, we've got to learn from our mistakes," he said.

The United States, he said, will maintain the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and other countries.

We just don't need to fight a ground war to do it. We have what's called over-the-horizon capabilities, which means we can strike terrorists and targets without American boots on the ground -- or very few if needed, he said.

We've shown that capacity just in the last week. We struck ISIS-K remotely, days after they murdered 13 of our servicemembers and dozens of innocent Afghans. And to ISIS-K: We are not done with you yet, Biden said.

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said on Wednesday it will resume its Chennai-London flights, which had stopped in May last year due to COVID-19, from Thursday onwards.

The passenger flights between India and the UK have been operating under the air bubble arrangement that the two countries have formed in mid-2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

British Airways's statement said the flights on London-Chennai route will operate on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday while the services on Chennai-London route will operate on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

Scheduled flights have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020, due to the pandemic.

"The return of this direct flight from Chennai to the UK is really important in reuniting people with their loved ones who have been kept apart due to Covid," the airline mentioned.

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State-backed firms are set to take their first sizeable stake in a key asset as part of the Chinese fintech giant's regulatory-driven revamp that was ordered after its botched November stock market debut, three people told Reuters.

The partners plan to establish a personal credit-scoring firm to handle Ant's treasure trove of data on over 1 billion consumers, said the people, adding that its ownership structure could help revive Ant's blockbuster initial public offering (IPO) which regulators put a stop to with just two days to go.

The IPO drew regulators' attention to billionaire Jack Ma's Ant and e-commerce affiliate Group Holding Ltd . The result was a restructuring order for Ant, a record $2.75 billion fine for for antitrust violations, and a near-three month disappearance of Ma from public view.

Under the plan, Ant and Zhejiang Tourism Investment Group Co Ltd will each own 35 per cent of the venture, while other state-backed partners include Hangzhou Finance and Investment Group and Zhejiang Electronic Port, said one of the people.

The only non-state investor will be Transfar Group said the people with knowledge of the matter, who declined to be identified as the information was private. Transfar's stake will total 7 per cent, said one of the people.

The plan would represent one of the most prominent outcomes of a government push for state-backed firms to exert more control and influence over fast-growing but previously lightly regulated new-economy businesses.

It follows the PBOC in April ordering Ant to become a more strictly regulated financial holding firm, break its "monopoly on information and strictly comply with the requirements of credit information business regulation." In June, Ant won operational approval for a consumer finance venture whose minority shareholders include state-owned firms.

The venture puts Ant's lucrative micro-lending businesses under tighter regulatory purview.
The on Tuesday said that it will continue to coordinate with the UN and its agencies on the stabilisation of Afghanistan, ensure that humanitarian aid reaches vulnerable populations and for this purpose, will also step up financial support.

"As an immediate priority, the EU will continue to coordinate with partners, in particular the UN and its agencies, on the stabilization of the region and to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the vulnerable populations, in particular women and children, in and in neighbouring countries. To this end, the EU and its Member States will step up financial support to relevant organisations," EU said in a statement.

The statement comes as the EU Ministers of Home Affairs met for an extraordinary Council meeting to discuss developments in on Tuesday.

EU also said that it will engage and strengthen its support to third countries, in particular the neighbouring and transit countries, hosting large numbers of migrants and refugees, to reinforce their capacities to provide protection, dignified and safe reception conditions and sustainable livelihood for refugees and host communities.

The EU and its Member States stand determined to act jointly to prevent the recurrence of uncontrolled large-scale illegal migration movements faced in the past, by preparing a coordinated and orderly response, the sattement said.

The United States forces left on Tuesday morning, marking the end of chaotic and messy exit from America's longest war.

Taliban terrorists celebrated the "full independence" of Afghanistan. Celebratory gunfire broke out across the city in Kabul.

"The last American soldiers departed from Kabul airport, and our country has achieved a full independence, thanks to God," Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, said on Twitter.

Moreover, the control of the airport was left in the hands of the Taliban, who said they were still working on the shape of their new government.

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is once again postponing a return to the office for most workers until mid-January, in addition to requiring all employees to be vaccinated once its sprawling campuses are fully reopened.

The highly contagious delta variant of the is driving a dramatic spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, leading to delay or scrap return-to-office plans after nearly two years of people working from home.

CEO Sundar Pichai said in a blog post Tuesday that is delaying its global return to offices until Jan. 10. After that, he said the company will let countries and locations determine when to end voluntary work-from-home policies based on local conditions, which vary greatly across our offices."



He also promised a 30-day heads up before workers are expected back in the office. This is the second time in little over a month that has delayed return plans the last time was in late July, when it also announced its vaccine mandate. Google, which is headquartered in Mountain View, California, has more than 130,000 employees worldwide.

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PARIS (Reuters) - said on Wednesday it was appealing against a 500 million euro ($591 million) fine imposed by France's antitrust watchdog in July over a dispute with local media about paying for news content.

The fine https://www.reuters.com/technology/france-fines-google-500-mln-over-copyright-row-2021-07-13 came amid increasing pressure on online platforms such as Google, part of Alphabet Inc, and Facebook to share more of the revenue they make from using media outlets' news.

"We disagree with a number of legal elements, and believe that the fine is disproportionate to our efforts to reach an agreement and comply with the new law," said Sebastien Missoffe, head of

"We continue to work hard to resolve this case and put deals in place. This includes expanding offers to 1,200 publishers, clarifying aspects of our contracts, and sharing more data as requested by the French Competition Authority."

The French antitrust body imposed the sanction on for failing to comply with its orders on how to conduct the talks with publishers.

It said on Wednesday that Google's appeal, which will be ruled on by Paris' court of appeal, would not hold up the fine, which the U.S. tech giant must still pay. It could not say how long the appeal process would take.

The case focused on whether Google breached temporary orders issued by the authority, which said such talks should take place, within three months, with any news publishers that asked for them.

The watchdog said in its July 13 decision that the U.S. tech group must come up with proposals within the next two months on how it would compensate news agencies and other publishers for the use of their content. If it does not do that, the company would face additional fines of up to 900,000 euros per day.

($1 = 0.8465 euros)

(Reporting by Sarah White and Ingrid Melander, Editing by Louise Heavens and Pravin Char)

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The Japanese government is considering transferring the functions of its embassy in Kabul to due to the tense situation in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Tuesday.

The embassy's work has been temporarily shifted to the Japanese Consulate-General in Istanbul, Turkey, the Japanese media reported.

"The Taliban have a political office (in Doha), and we can expect various talks there," The Times quoted Motegi as saying.

Motegi further stated that the government will continue its efforts to support Japanese nationals, local embassy staff and others who wish to evacuate from

The United States forces left on Tuesday morning, marking the end of a chaotic and messy exit from America's longest war.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the United States is moving its diplomatic mission to

"First, we built a new team to help lead this new mission. As of today, we suspended our diplomatic presence in Kabul and transferred our operations to Doha, Qatar, which will soon be formally notified to Congress. Given the uncertain security environment and political situation in Afghanistan, it was the prudent step to take," Blinken said in remarks at the State Department.

Blinken said that for the time being, the US will use this post in Doha to "manage our diplomacy with Afghanistan, including consular affairs, administrating humanitarian assistance, and working with allies, partners and regional and stakeholders to coordinate our engagement and messaging to the Taliban.

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President Joe Biden on Tuesday (local time) said that the United States will continue to support the Afghan people through diplomacy, influence, and humanitarian aid.

"We will continue to support the Afghan people through diplomacy, influence, and humanitarian aid. We will continue to speak out for basic rights of the Afghan people -- especially women and girls -- as we do around the world," Biden said during a speech at the White House, a day after the US's chaotic withdrawal ended.

As military operations end in Afghanistan, Biden said that the end of the war in marks the end of an era for major military operations to remake other countries.

"We must stay clearly focused on the fundamental national security interests of the United States. This decision about isn't just about It's about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries," Biden said.

"We saw a mission of counterterrorism in Afghanistan, getting the terrorists and stopping attacks, morph into a counterinsurgency, nation-building, trying to create a democratic, cohesive, and united Afghanistan, something that has never been done over many centuries of Afghanistan's history. Moving on from that mindset and those kinds of large-scale troop deployments will make stronger and more effective and safer at home," he stated.

US President also said he refuses to send another generation of young men and women "to fight a war that should have ended long ago."

"After 20 years of war in Afghanistan, I refuse to send another generation of America's sons and daughters to fight a war that should've ended long ago," he said.

"It was time to be honest with the American people again. We no longer had a clear purpose in an open-ended mission in Afghanistan," Biden said.

He further stated, "most of all, after 800,000 Americans serving in Afghanistan ... After 20,744 American servicemen and women injured, and the loss of 2,461 American personnel, including 13 lives lost just this week, I refuse to open another decade of warfare in Afghanistan."

Biden continued to address the estimated more than USD 2 trillion costs of the war and how the money spent may have hindered American national interests over the years.

"What have we lost as a consequence in terms of opportunities? I refuse to continue a war that was no longer in the service of the vital national interest of our people," he said.

"We've been a nation too long at war. If you're 20 years old today, you've never known an America at peace. So when I hear that we could have, should've continued this so-called low-grade effort in Afghanistan, at low risk to our service members, at low cost, I don't think enough people understand how much we have asked of the 1 per cent of this country who put that uniform on, willing to put their lives on the line in defense of our nation," 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.)
Crowds looking to flee flocked to its borders while long queues formed at banks on Wednesday, as an administrative vacuum after the Taliban's takeover left foreign donors unsure of how to respond to a looming humanitarian crisis.



The Islamist militia focused on keeping banks, hospitals and government machinery running after the final withdrawal of U.S.

forces on Monday brought an end to a massive airlift of Afghans who had helped Western nations during the 20-year war.

With Kabul's airport inoperable, private efforts to help Afghans fearful of reprisals focused on arranging safe passage across the land-locked nationas borders with Iran, Pakistan and central Asian states.



At Torkham, a major border crossing with Pakistan just east of the Khyber Pass, a Pakistani official said: "A large number of people are waiting on the side for the opening of the gate."



Thousands also gathered at the Islam Qala post on the border with Iran, witnesses said.



"I felt that being among Iranian security forces brought some kind of relaxation for Afghans as they entered Iran, compared with the past," said one Afghan among a group of eight that crossed over.



More than 123,000 people were evacuated from Kabul in the U.S.-led airlift after the seized the city in mid-August, but tens of thousands of Afghans at risk remained behind.



Germany alone estimates that between 10,000 and 40,000 Afghan staff still working for development organisations in have a right to be evacuated to Germany if they feel endangered.



The is talking with Qatar and Turkey over how to run Kabul's airport, according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, but it could take days or weeks to finalise those negotiations.



Uzbekistan's land border with northern Afghanistan remained closed, but its government said it would assist Afghans in transit to Germany by air, once flights resume.



In a resolution on Monday, the U.N. Security Council urged the Taliban to permit safe passage for those seeking to leave, but did not mention the creation of a safe zone, a step backed by France and others.



The Taliban have declared an amnesty for all Afghans who worked with foreign forces during the war that ousted them from power in 2001 for their refusal to hand over al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.



Taliban leaders have also called on Afghans to return home and help rebuild, while promising to protect human rights, in an apparent bid to present a more moderate face than their first regime, known for its brutal enforcement of radical Islamic law.



The militia made similar promises upon seizing power in 1996, only to publicly hang a former president, ban women from education and employment, enforce strict dress codes and adopt a punitive approach to the people of Kabul.



One woman said she saw Taliban fighters beating women with sticks outside a bank in the Afghan capital on Tuesday.

"Itas the first time Iave seen something like that and it really frightened me," the 22-year-old said, on condition of anonymity, because she feared for her safety.



NO NEW GOVERNMENT YET



The Taliban have yet to name a new government or reveal how they intend to govern, unlike in 1996, when a leadership council was formed within hours of taking the capital.



The foreign minister of neighbouring Pakistan, which has close ties to the Taliban, said on Tuesday he expected Afghanistan to have a new "consensus government" within days.



In the absence of a government in Kabul, Britain and India held separate talks with Taliban officials in Doha, amid fears that up to half a million Afghans could flee.



Washington said it would use its enormous leverage, including access to the global marketplace, over the Taliban as it seeks to get the remaining Americans and allies out of Afghanistan after its military withdrew.



High on victory and back in power, some Taliban leaders mocked the United States.



"Your power is gone, your gold is gone," Anas Haqqani, who has emerged as one of the group's most prominent leaders, said on Twitter.



Haqqani posted a photograph of himself holding discarded prison shackles on Wednesday as he toured Bagram prison, where he spent years kept in solitary confinement by U.S. forces.



Still, Afghanistan desperately needs money, and the Taliban are unlikely to get swift access to the roughly $10 billion in assets mostly held abroad by the Afghan central bank.



"If the community wants to prevent an economic collapse, one way would be to allow Afghanistan to gain limited and monitored access to its reserves," Shah Mehrabi, an economics professor at Montgomery College in Maryland who is on the board of the central bank, told Reuters.



"Having no access will choke off the Afghan economy, and directly hurt the Afghan people, with families pushed further into poverty."



Last week, the United States freed the way to continue the humanitarian aid effort despite Washington's blacklisting of the Taliban, a Treasury Department official told Reuters.



Pentagon spokesman John Kirby also said the United States was mindful of the threat posed by ISIS-K, the Islamic State affiliate that claimed responsibility for last week's suicide bombing outside which killed 13 U.S. troops and scores of Afghan civilians.



(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands of people trying to flee rushed to its borders on Wednesday as an administrative vacuum after the Taliban's takeover left foreign donors unsure of how to respond to a looming humanitarian crisis.

The Islamist militia focused on keeping banks, hospitals and government machinery running after the final withdrawal of US forces on Monday brought an end to a huge airlift of Afghans who had helped Western nations during the 20-year war.

With Kabul's airport inoperable, private efforts to help Afghans fearful of reprisals focused on arranging safe passage across the landlocked nations borders with Iran, Pakistan and central Asian states.

At Torkham, a border crossing with Pakistan just east of the Khyber Pass, a Pakistani official said: "A large number of people are waiting on the side for the opening of the gate." Thousands also gathered at the Islam Qala post on the border with Iran, witnesses said.

More than 123,000 people were evacuated from in the US-led airlift after the seized the city in mid-August, but tens of thousands of Afghans at risk remained behind. Germany alone estimates that upto 40,000 have a right to be evacuated to Germany if they feel endangered.

The is talking with Qatar and Turkey over how to run Kabul's airport, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

In a resolution on Monday, the United Nations Security Council urged the Taliban to permit safe passage for those seeking to leave, but did not mention the creation of a safe zone, a step backed by France and others.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shares of rebounded 7 per cent in Wednesday's session after a 13 per cent crash on Tuesday as the management clarified on the recent exits in the bank, including on the resignation of internal audit head, Sumit Dhir. The bank in an exchange filing on August 31, 2021, said Dhir resigned following personal reasons.

"Mr. Sumit Dhir has expressed his desire to move back to his hometown Delhi due to changes in his personal circumstances following Covid second wave. He continues to be on our rolls as Head of Internal Audit and we remain in discussions with him for possible retention," the bank said. It further added that retention discussions are as per our usual HR practices and strategy which we follow for the entire senior management team to manage business continuity, confidentiality, and competitiveness. READ MORE

The scrip, however, erased most gains and was trading at Rs 1151.85, up 2 per cent around 12.55 pm as against a 0.14 per cent fall in BSE Sensex at 57,471. In the previous session, the stock had tanked after a media report informed about the exit of Dhir.

Earlier, the bank's Chief Risk Officer Alok Gupta had also resigned citing personal reasons. Following this, the company had appointed Deepak Jain in his place. "We wish to inform you that the Board of Directors of the bank on August 28, 2021, approved the appointment of Mr. Deepak Jain, who is currently serving as Chief Operating Officer and Key Management Personnel as Chief Risk Officer of the Bank for a period of three years, with effect from September 1, 2021," it said on August 29. READ HERE

The company, meanwhile, late last evening clarified that it has a full-fledged Internal Audit team with ~50 members and 7 external concurrent audit firms which have remained stable over the last four years.

It added that we want to confirm that there is not a single other resignation in the top-50 senior management team or the Board of Directors. Some challenges remain around the Jaipur location which we are addressing by scaling up Mumbai and other regional offices at key cities, like Delhi, Pune, Indore, Chandigarh etc. We had disclosed this consideration in our Q1 earnings call on August 6, 2021, and AGM on August 17, 2021, it said.

Analysts at Emkay Global said steadily rising asset-quality concerns amid the Covid-induced disruption, the series of resignations in the audit/risk functions and delayed disclosure of these resignations have irked investors. We believe the bank's rich valuations (~4.4x FY24E ABV, pre-correction) leave no margin for error, the brokerage noted.

"We believe the resignations in audit/risk functions may raise investor concerns about the sanctity of the books/ risk management practices. However, management has tried to allay such concerns and indicated that there were no red flags by the RBI in its recently completed audit," it added.
shares hit a fresh 52-week high of Rs 819 apiece on Wednesday after they rallied 4.2 per cent on the BSE in the intra-day trade. At 10:50 AM, the stock of the private lender was trading at Rs 810 per share, up 3 per cent, as compared to a 0.26 per cent gain in the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex.

A combined 10.61 million shares had changed hands on the counter on the NSE and BSE till the time of writing of this report. Including today's intra-day gain, the stock has surged 11 per cent on the BSE in the past 5 trading sessions relative to around 3 per cent gain in the Sensex index.

On August 30, the Mumbai-based lender had informed the exchanges that it has started issuing debt securities under its Rs 35,000 crore-debt raise plan, announced earlier this year.

"We wish to inform you that the Bank has initiated the process of issuing of the debt instruments, in the form of the Additional Tier 1 Notes in foreign currency, subject to market conditions. This will be a sustainable bond under the Sustainable Financing Framework of the Bank and is part of the existing Global Medium Term Notes programme of the Bank. The Offering Circular for the GMTN programme has been updated on Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX) and the International Securities Market (ISM)," said in a regulatory filing. READ HERE

On the same day, global rating agency Moody's had assigned B1(hyb) grade to Axis Bank's proposed Additional Tier 1 bonds. The rating rank is three notches lower than the bank's general creditworthiness.

Axis Bank's BCA could be upgraded if there is an improvement in asset quality, as reflected in the bank being able to maintain credit costs below its long-run average," Moodys said in a note.

It added: Axis' BCA could be downgraded if there is a significant weakening in its asset quality, with negative implications on capital and profitability, or if funding weakens as reflected by a deterioration in retail deposits.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, the bank has tied up with BharatPe to expand its merchant acquiring business in the country. As a part of the partnership, will be the acquiring bank for BharatPes point of sale (PoS) business, BharatSwipe, and will provide acceptance of credit and debit cards for merchants associated with BharatPe. READ ABOUT IT HERE

In a recent report, global brokerage CLSA turned bullish on select financial counters including Axis Bank on attractive risk to reward for large-cap banks. Besides, it said India's financials have consolidated for the last two to three months after a post-Covid second wave pullback in April and May.

CLSA pegged Axis Bank's price target at Rs 1,050 as it believes normalising asset quality may be a catalyst for the stock in the second half of FY22.



During the April-June quarter, Axis Bank's net profit had risen by 94 per cent to Rs 2,160 crore on a rise in non-interest income and a sharp dip in provisions.

The bank posted net profit of Rs 1,112 crore during the same quarter last year (Q1FY21). Sequentially, the bank had booked a profit of Rs 2,677 crore in the quarter ended March 2021 (Q4FY21).



"Given the healthy asset mix, liability strength, adequate capital and superior customer profile, we believe the bank is poised to face near term challenges and benefit in the phase of normalisation. We continue to remain positive on the company over medium to longer term perspective and maintain our BUY rating on the stock with a revised target price of Rs 860 per share," analysts at Anand Rathi had said in a post-result update.
and its allies agreed to stick to their existing plan for gradual monthly oil-production increases after a brief video conference.



Ministers ratified the 400,000 barrel-a-day supply hike scheduled for October after less than an hour of talks, one of the quickest meetings in recent memory and a stark contrast to the drawn-out negotiations seen in July.

 have proven once again that they can meet and do things seamlessly, Christyan Malek, head of oil and gas and JPMorgan Chase & Co., said on Bloomberg TV. Its likely that harmony is going to be utilized to respond flexibly to any further shifts in the market over the coming year, he said.

While conditions may appear favorable for cartel right now, there are uncertainties on the horizon. Even as demand recovers, it has been buffeted by the emergence of new coronavirus variants. The question of whether Iran and the U.S. will do a deal to lift sanctions on the Islamic Republics oil exports -- currently looking less likely -- also hangs over the market.

West Texas Intermediate pared earlier losses, trading 0.9% lower at $67.87 a barrel at 11:53 a.m. in New York.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia are in the process of rolling back the unprecedented output cuts implemented at the depths of the Covid-19 crisis last year. About 45% of the idle supply has already been revived, and in July the group laid out a plan for gradually returning the remainder through to September 2022.

With crude prices mostly recovered from their mid-August slump and the supply outlook relatively tight for the rest of the year, the 23-nation coalition had little reason to change the established schedule of gradual monthly supply hikes, despite a request from the White House to revive output faster.

There had been some doubts about the plan when oil wobbled over the summer as the resurgent virus threatened demand. But fuel use proved resilient, with total oil products supplied in the U.S. rising to a record in late August.

While the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to cast some uncertainty, market fundamentals have strengthened and stocks continue to fall as the recovery accelerates, OPEC+ said in a statement. The group will meet again on Oct. 4.

Data presented to ministers reveal a fresh challenge for Saudi Arabia and its partners in 2022. were projected to tip back into surplus next year, with an average oversupply of 1.6 million barrels a day. However, the projections assume the group will restore all of the almost 6 million barrels a day of output that remains offline -- an unlikely feat as many countries may struggle to reach their full targets.

The amount of crude production that OPEC+ theoretically holds offline is based on questionable figures. Russia has an inflated baseline thats significantly higher than pre-pandemic output. Some other members have outdated capacity numbers, with countries including Angola and Nigeria already struggling to make the supply increases permitted under the deal.
Shares of surged 5.6 per cent to Rs 254.5 apiece on the BSE in the intra-day trade on Wednesday after the company sold its wholly owned subsidiary Crossword Bookstores as a strategy to exit "non-core" businesses.

"The company has closed the sale of a controlling stake of its 100 per cent subsidiary, Crossword Bookstores Limited Dinesh Gupta, Aakash Gupta and Family (owners of Agarwal Business House), Pune, pursuant to the share purchase agreement between and ABH signed on August 31, 2021. The business of Crossword Bookstores is valued at Rs 41.6 crore," the retail chainstore said in an exchange filing.

At 10:04 AM, the stock was quoting at Rs 247 apiece, up 2.7 per cent on the BSE. In comparison, the benchmark S&P BSE Sensx was at 57,913 levels, up 0.6 per cent.

At the meeting of the company held on Tuesday, August 31, the board approved the transaction. Subject to receipt of necessary consents, shall divest 51 percent stake (expected to be completed within 15 days) and another 39 percent in the next 12 months.

"This represents another step in our progress to elevate Shoppers Stop to a customer focused, Omnichannel retailer, to enable us to deliver on the promises we make to our customers and shareholders. Most importantly, we are selling Crossword Bookstores to our franchisee ABH, who has been in this business for more than two decades and are extremely passionate about the book business," said Venu Nair, Managing Director and chief executive officer of Shoppers Stop in a statement.

During the June quarter of FY22, Shoppers Stop had posted 272.9 per cent revenue growth at Rs 201.0 crore, against revenue of Rs 53.9 crore in the corresponding quarter of prior fiscal. The stores operated merely for 28 per cent of days in Q1, which impacted the sales and profits, according to the company.

Effectively, its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebitda) for Q1 declined to Rs 1.3 crore (from Rs 1.6 crore). However, loss for the period reduced to Rs 104.9 crore from Rs 120.2 crore YoY.
Nifty futures on SGX were trading 21 points higher at 17,146.50 around 8.55 am, indicating a flat start for the benchmark indices on Wedneday.

Here are the top stocks to track in today's session:

Auto stocks: Shares of auto companies will be in focus today as the automobile companies are set to report their August sales figures.

Maruti Suzuki India: India's biggest car maker Maruti Suzuki said on Tuesday that its vehicle production in September will tumble by 60 per cent due to a chip shortage.

Oil-linked stocks: Oil marketing companies (OMCs) and other oil-related firms could witness a volatile session on Wednesday as the OPEC+ alliance is scheduled to meet later today to decide whether to press on with plans to hike crude production by 400,000 barrels per day every month.

Vedanta: Board of Directors of Vedanta are scheduled to meet today to fix the first interim dividend for FY22.

SPARC: Board of SPARC will meet today to consider fundraising options.

Berger Paints: The company is set to hike prices of its products, effective today, to offset increase in input costs.

Yes Bank: Private sector lender Yes Bank on Tuesday appointed Atul Malik and Rekha Murthy as non-executive directors to its board. The size of the board now expanded to 10, a bank statement said, adding Malik is a veteran banker currently serving as senior advisor to private equity fund TPG, while Murthy comes from the technology industry.

BHEL: State-owned engineering firm BHEL said it has bagged an order worth Rs 10,800 crore from NPCIL.

Indian Bank: The government has extended the tenure of its Executive Director V V Shenoy till March 2022. The central government vide a notification dated August 26, 2021 extended Shenoy's term of office, the state-owned lender said in a regulatory filing.

Wipro: IT services major Wipro has partnered with HERE Technologies to offer location-based services, to customers from energy and utilities, manufacturing, transport and Logistics, telecom, and automotive industry verticals.

Sterling and Wilson Solar: The company will explore business opportunities in areas like clean energy storage, waste management and energy efficiency. The company inserted a new clause in the memorandum of association (MoA) to include new segments like setting up of power plants, solar energy systems, renewable energy systems or any other facility including Hybrid Energy Systems & Energy Storage (BESS) & (ESS) in its business.

REC: State-owned REC will seek shareholders' approval to raise up to Rs 85,000 crore through issuance of non-convertible bonds or debentures next month.

Likhitha Infrastructure: The company has received order worth Rs 145.86 crore from Indradhanush Gas Grid (IGGL) for laying & construction of steel gas pipeline and terminals along with associated facilities for section 5 & 9 of North-East Gas Grid (NEGG) Project.

Suryoday Small Finance Bank: The bank appointed Vishal Singh as Chief Information Officer.

Tourism Finance Corporation of India: The company on September 3 will consider fund raising.

Shoppers Stop: The company exited non-core business by selling its subsidiary, Crossword Bookstores at a gross business valuation of Rs 41.62 crore and will focus on expanding core business and strategic growth pillars - First Citizen, Private Labels, Beauty and Omnlchannel business.

F&O entrants: Abbott India, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals, Dalmia Bharat, Delta Corp, The India Cements, JK Cement, Oberoi Realty, and Persistent Systems, which will be available for trading with effect from October 1.

AU Small Finance Bank: The lender clarified on recent exits at the bank. Sumit Dhir, head of internal audit resigned due to changes in personal circumstances following Covid second wave, the bank said. Dhir continues to be on the bank's rolls as head of internal audit. The bank remains in discussions with him for a possible retention. In March, Nitin Gupta, who had been with the bank since 2015, resigned as head of internal audit. And in July Alok Gupta resigned as the chief risk officer.

JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals: Vijay Bhatt has resigned as the Chief Financial Officer of the company effective August 31.

Chemplast Sanmar: Appointed N Muralidharan as the Chief Financial Officer with effect from September 1.
Vijaya Diagnostic is the largest integrated diagnostic chain in southern India, offering pathology and radiology testing services mostly in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The company's initial public offer (IPO) opened for subscription on Wednesday, September 01, and the issue is priced between Rs 522-531 per equity share (1 lot of 28 equity shares). The objective of the IPO, according to the company, is to enhance its visibility and brand image, provide liquidity to shareholders and a public market for the shares.

At the upper end of the price band, the company aims to raise Rs 1,895.03 crore. The offer, which closes on Friday, September 03, is entirely an OFS, where the promoter S Surendranath Reddy (50.90 lakh equity shares), investor Karakoram (2.95 crore shares) and Kedaara Capital (11 lakh shares) will offload their stake partially.

Fifty per cent of the portion is reserved for qualified institutional investors (QIB), 15 per cent for non-institutional investors (NII), and 35 per cent for retail investors.

About the company

Vijaya Diagnostic is the largest integrated diagnostic chain in southern India, offering pathology and radiology testing services through 81 centres and 11 reference laboratories in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, National Capital Region and Kolkota. The company offers a comprehensive range of about 740 routine and 870 specialised pahthology tests and 220 basic and 320 advanced radiology tests covering a range of specialities and disciplines.

Financials

Vijaya is said to be one of fastest growing diagnostic chains by revenue in FY20. The individual consumber business alone contributed to 92 per cent of revenue from operations in FY21. According to a CRISIL report, the Indian diagnositcs market was value at Rs 71,000 - Rs 73,000 crore in FY21 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 12 - 13 per cent to Rs 92,000  98,000 crore, driven by a rise in health awareness and disposable incomes, increase in demand for better healthcare facilities and quality of care.

The diagnostic market in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Vijaya's strong base, is projected to grow to Rs 12,000  13,000 crore by FY13, reports suggest. Vijaya's Q1FY22 net profit had soared to Rs 33.32 crore from Rs 1.8 crore in the corresponding period a year ago. Total income also jumped notably to Rs 122.68 crore from Rs 51.71 crore in the same period.

Over the last three preceeding fiscals, the company's net profit has shown a steady growth  Rs 84.91 crore in FY21, Rs 62.50 crore in FY20 and Rs 46.30 crore in FY19. The revenue too has seen a uptick at Rs 376.75 crore in FY21, Rs 338.82 crore in FY20 and Rs 292.60 crore in FY19.

Here's how brokerages interpret the company's financials and why they recommend investors subscribe to the issue.

Reliance Securities | Subscribe

The is valued at 64 times (64x) FY21 earnings, which appears to be at a discount of 15-40 per cent compared to the valuation of its peers like Metropolis and Dr. Lal PathLabs. However, considering its annualised earnings for FY22E, it is priced at 41x, which looks reasonable. We further believe lukewarm performance to Krsnaa Diagnostic post listing ( was valued at 16x of FY21 earnings), the investors should not expect strong any substantial listing gain.



However, steady cash generation, superior balance sheet, decent return ratio and healthy outlook for healthcare industry in the country augur well for the company. We recommend SUBSCRIBE to the from long-term perspective.

IIFL Securities | Subscribe

Being an integrated diagonostic provider that offers one-stop solution, with high brand recall, roboust technical capability and strong IT infrastructure positions Vijaya Diagnositcs well enough to leverage the high growth in Indian diagnostic industry. Going forward, the company plans to deepen footprint in its core markets, supplement organic growth with selective acquisitions and expand adjacent geographies and east India.

At the upper price band, Vijaya Diagnositc is demanding a PE multiple of around 64.3x of FY21 earnings, which is lower than the industry average of 90.8x. Considering the future growth potential of healthcare industry, revenue from operation, EBITDA and PAT growth of 13.5 per cent, 23.9 per cent and 35.5 per cent CAGR during FY19 and FY21, respectively, strong ROE and ROCE of 23.6 per cent and 42 per cent, respectively in FY21, and the future plans in place we recommend 'Subscribe' to the issue with a long-term prespective.

Marwadi Financial Services | Subscribe

Recommends subscribing to the issue basis the company's competitive strengths such as it being the largest and fastest growing diagnostic chain, and well positioned to leverage high growth. A long track record of delivering consistent profitable growth, with strong cash generation and return metrics. The only risk being, its in a highly competitive business environment and region-based concentration.

Religare Broking | Positive View

Vijaya Diagnostic stands to benefit from growing industry trends on the back of its strong presence in Southern India. Further, it is an integrated diagnostics provider that offers a one-stop solution to its customers at an affordable price. The company has built a trusted, high-quality and reliable brand of choice over the last four decades and enjoys high brand recall.

Going forward, the company intends to strengthen its presence in its core (Telangana & Andhra Pradesh). Further, it intends to leverage its existing presence by focusing on setting up spoke centres and increasing home collection in existing catchment areas. It also plans to grow its business through an inorganic route and also looks to expand to adjacent geographies. The financial performance has been healthy with Sales and PAT CAGR of 13.5 per cent and 35.5 per cent over FY19-21. On the valuation front, the company is valued at around 65x FY21 EPS. From a long-term perspective, we have a 'Positive View' on the company.

Ventura Securities | Subscribe

At the offer for sale price of Rs 531, the stock is trading at FY24 P/E of 39.5x. We recommed to 'Subscribe' for long-term investing with a price objective of Rs 672, representing an upside of 27 per cent over the next 24 months.

We believe the company should fetch a premium valuation given its enviable metrics of such as  higher operating income per patient and EBITDA per patient than its peers, high B2C concentration and highest income generation from customers.

Arihant Capital | Subscribe for listing gains

At the upper band of Rs 531, the Vijaya Diagnostic issue is valued at P/E 64x its FY21 EPS of Rs. 8.26. We like the company as it is largest and fastest growing diagnostic chain with dominant position in South India, well positioned to leverage the high growth in Indian Diagnostics Industry and also provide one stop solution at affordable price, deepen footprint in the core market, supplement organic growth with selective acquisitions and expand in adjacent geographies and East India. Based on the above factors, we recommend subscribing for listing gains.
Key benchmark indices are trading firm in early trade on buying demand in index pivotals. At 9:25 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 205.69 points or 0.36% at 57,758.08. The Nifty 50 index was up 60.45 points or 0.35% at 17,192.65. The Sensex hit record high of 57,765.92 in early trade. The Nifty scaled record high of 17,193.80 in early trade.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.67%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.66%.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, is strong. On the BSE, 1672 shares rose and 752 shares fell. A total of 110 shares were unchanged.

Economic data:

On the macro front, India's real gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 20.1% in the April-June quarter of the fiscal year 2021-22, a record quarterly print on the back of a low base last year, data released on August 31 showed. GDP contracted by 24.4% in the April-June quarter in FY2021 as the country went into a lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The output of eight core sectors grew by 9.4% in July, mainly due to a low base effect and uptick in production of coal, natural gas, steel, cement and electricity, official data showed on Tuesday.

Stocks in news:

Wipro rose 0.49%. Wipro and HERE Technologies, the location data and technology platform, announced that they are partnering to offer location-based services, to customers from Energy & Utilities, Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics, Telecom and Automotive industry verticals.

Maruti Suzuki India fell 0.73%. Owing to a supply constraint of electronic components due to the semiconductor shortage situation, the company is expecting an adverse impact on vehicle production in the month of September in both Haryana and its contract manufacturing company, Suzuki Motor Gujarat Pvt. Ltd. (SMG) in Gujarat. Though the situation is quite dynamic, it is currently estimated that the total vehicle production volume across both locations could be around 40% of normal production.

Shoppers Stop gained 4.65%. Shoppers Stop announced that it has closed the sale of a controlling stake of its 100% subsidiary, Crossword Bookstores to Dinesh Gupta, Aakash Gupta and Family (Owners of Agarwal Business House) (ABH), Pune, pursuant to the share purchase agreement between Shoppers Stop and ABH (the Agreement) signed on August 31, 2021.

Mastek advanced 3.83%. Mastek is partnering with fulfillmenttools to enable D2X (Direct to Stakeholder) transformation for their joint clients. This partnership will enable their clients to deliver excellent customer experience through a unified D2X process integrating commerce with fulfilment.

Likhitha Infrastructure rose 6.02%. Likhitha Infrastructure has received order worth Rs 145.86 crore (excl. GST) from Indradhanush Gas Grid (IGGL) for laying & construction of steel gas pipeline and terminals along with associated facilities for section 5 & 9 of North-East Gas Grid (NEGG) Project.

Tourism Finance Corporation of India gained 3.08%. Tourism Finance Corporation of India said that the meeting of the board of directors of the company is scheduled on 3 September 2021 to consider and approve raising funds.

Global Markets:

Asian stocks are trading mixed on Wednesday, as a private survey showed shrinking Chinese factory activity in August. The Caixin/Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 49.2 last month, from 50.3 in July, breaching the 50-mark that separates growth from contraction.

U.S. stocks ended slightly lower Tuesday as investors looked ahead to U.S. jobs data for August coming Friday, where they might find clues as to when the Federal Reserve may begin tapering its bond purchases which have helped to support markets during the pandemic.

The Conference Board said its closely followed index of consumer confidence slid to a six-month low at 113.8 this month from a revised 125.1 in July, reflecting concerns about the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

In other U.S. economic data, the Chicago purchasing managers index dropped to 66.8 in August from a previous reading of 73.4. And home prices rose 18.6% annually in June, up from a 16.8% increase in May, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller national home price index.

Back home, domestic equity benchmarks hit record high levels for the second straight session on Tuesday, boosted by Bharti Airtel and Bajaj twins. Positive Asian cues also boosted sentiment. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, soared 662.63 points or 1.16% at 57,552.39. The Nifty 50 index surged 201.15 points or 1.19% at 17,132.20.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 3,881.16 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net sellers to the tune of Rs 1,872.40 crore in the Indian equity market on 31 August, provisional data showed.

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Wipro and HERE Technologies, the location data and technology platform, announced that they are partnering to offer location-based services and analytics for customers globally.

Wipro and HERE Technologies, the location data and technology platform, announced that they are partnering to offer location-based services, to customers from Energy & Utilities, Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics, Telecom and Automotive industry verticals.

As part of this announcement, Wipro and HERE will be jointly developing solutions in the areas of asset tracking, logistics, supply chain, smart-metering and analytics, field workforce management, and private mapping-as-a-service for indoor and outdoor real-time asset tracking.

An Internet of Things (IoT) based smart metering solution being developed by both companies, will provide better information to customers on energy consumption and asset management. The HERE mapping-as-a-service solution enables enterprises to build private maps in the field and manage their autonomous vehicles more efficiently, by providing information to their drivers on routing time, speed, fuel consumption and hazardous conditions.

HERE Tracking will help Wipro's customers monitor and track assets, field engineers and supply chain on a real-time basis both indoor and outdoor, as well as provide analytics to build operational efficiencies.

Sarat Chand, Regional Head & Managing Director - Benelux, Wipro said, We are happy to be partnering with HERE Technologies to co-develop customized solutions, for customers who require location as a key component of their services. We are excited about the future of this partnership and the potential it offers in the journey towards an autonomous world.

Shares of Wipro rose 1.43% to settle at Rs 641.25 yesterday, 31 August 2021.

Wipro is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Wipro and HERE Technologies, the location data and technology platform, announced that they are partnering to offer location-based services, to customers from Energy & Utilities, Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics, Telecom and Automotive industry verticals.

Shares of Maruti Suzuki India will be in focus. Owing to a supply constraint of electronic components due to the semiconductor shortage situation, the company is expecting an adverse impact on vehicle production in the month of September in both Haryana and its contract manufacturing company, Suzuki Motor Gujarat Pvt. Ltd. (SMG) in Gujarat. Though the situation is quite dynamic, it is currently estimated that the total vehicle production volume across both locations could be around 40% of normal production.

Abbott India, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals, Dalmia Bharat, Delta Corp, The India Cements, JK Cement, Oberoi Realty, and Persistent Systems, will be available for trading in F&O segment with effect from October 1.

Shoppers Stop announced that it has closed the sale of a controlling stake of its 100% subsidiary, Crossword Bookstores to Dinesh Gupta, Aakash Gupta and Family (Owners of Agarwal Business House) (ABH), Pune, pursuant to the share purchase agreement between Shoppers Stop and ABH (the Agreement) signed on August 31, 2021.

Mastek is partnering with fulfillmenttools to enable D2X (Direct to Stakeholder) transformation for their joint clients. This partnership will enable their clients to deliver excellent customer experience through a unified D2X process integrating commerce with fulfilment.

Likhitha Infrastructure has received order worth Rs 145.86 crore (excl. GST) from Indradhanush Gas Grid (IGGL) for laying & construction of steel gas pipeline and terminals along with associated facilities for section 5 & 9 of North-East Gas Grid (NEGG) Project.

Tourism Finance Corporation of India said that the meeting of the board of directors of the company is scheduled on 3 September 2021 to consider and approve raising funds.

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At 20.1 per cent, GDP growth for the first quarter of FY22 was largely in line with expectations, given the low base of the corresponding period last year when India locked down owing to the pandemic.

If India endures another wave of Covid-19 in the coming months, hopes for a V-shaped recovery may need to be revisited. "A realistic expectation is that the pandemic and consequent policy measures will have cost India two full years of growth," says the top edit here.

In other views today

Contrary to conventional wisdom, R Jagannathan argues here, the case for a young and fast-growing population is growing weaker in the age of technology-driven growth and climate change. Read it here...

Prosenjit Datta discusses the long-term implications of the action against Big Tech in the US and China. Read it here...

The second edit says all scenarios in a post-US Afghanistan point to further turbulence. Read it here...
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Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior ministers on Wednesday met Governor B S Koshyari at Raj Bhavan here and requested him to approve the 12 names sent by the state Cabinet last year to be nominated as MLCs from the governor's quota without a further delay.

Thackeray was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar (NCP) and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat (Congress).

Speaking to reporters, Ajit Pawar said, "We told the Governor that it would be better if he clears the 12 names approved by the state Cabinet for nomination to the legislative council. We requested him to clear the names at the earliest. He heard us out. We said a lot of time has passed since the Cabinet approved these names. He said he would take an appropriate decision," Pawar said.

He said the Governor was also apprised about the rain situation, dam storage and other information.

The had approved 12 names for the Upper House in November 2020 after the nominated seats fell vacant in June last year after the term of the sitting members ended.

The delay by Koshyari in deciding on the state cabinet's proposal has become a major bone of contention between him and the Maha Vikas Aghadi government of Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress.

The government had argued that the Governor should have accepted its proposal on nominations and he cannot keep his decision pending.

The Bombay High Court, while hearing a petition filed by a Nashik resident seeking a direction to the Governor to decide on the nominations, had last month said the Governor has a constitutional obligation to either accept or reject within a reasonable time the proposal sent by the state cabinet to nominate 12 persons as MLCs.

(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.)


AICC member in-charge of Tripura, Ajay Kumar Wednesday said there is no chance of the party forging any alliance with either Trinamool or in the state assembly election due in early 2023.

He, however, kept doors open for alliance with Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma-led TIPRA Motha, which recently swept to power in the Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

He expressed confidence that will capture power in the state in the next assembly election.

"People of Tripuira want to bring back to power for good governance,".Kumar told reporters at the Pradesh Congress Bhawan.

"There will be no alliance with and no alliance with the communists. No chance," he said.

On the party's understanding with the state outfit, he said Congress and TIPRA Motha have a lot of similarities in their agendas like empowerment of tribals and autonomy. But we have not opened any dialogue with that party".

Asked if Congress will support TIPRA Motha's call for 'Greater Tipraland', Kumar said Congress shares the agenda of fighting for the rights of tribals and the poor but it will not support any party on contentious issues like changing the demarcation of states' borders.

"Demarcation of borders is a national issue ... We don't believe in any kind of change in states' borders. It has to happen after discussions by all stakeholders. I don't think we shall be ever discussing such changes", he said.

Asked about the resignation of the Congress president Pijush Kanti Biswas in August to protest against lack of desired support and cooperation from the state party leaders, he said Biswas had withdrawn his resignation the same day. Unity and cooperation is essential to make any party stronger. We have taken efforts to make a strong organization.

He alleged that promises made by BJP before the 2018 state election were not implemented and a strong anti-incumbency was prevailing in the state.

Kumar also alleged that law and order had collapsed in the state and the unemployment problem was acute.

Former chief minister Manik Sarkar, Pijush Kanti Biswas and former state Congress chief Birajit Sinha were attacked by the supporters and activists of BJP, 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.)
Senior Congress leader on Wednesday said it is too premature to congratulate ourselves over the UN Security Council adopting a resolution on Afghanistan, and cautioned that the possible axis of China, Pakistan and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is a cause for worry.

His remarks came after the UN Security Council, under India's Presidency, adopted a strong resolution demanding that the territory of Afghanistan not be used to threaten any country or shelter terrorists and that it expects the Taliban will adhere to commitments made by it on regarding the safe and orderly departure from the country of Afghans and all foreign nationals.

Reacting to the development, Chidambaram said the government is congratulating itself for the UNSC resolution adopted on Afghanistan.

"'Resolution' has two meanings. The first is that the issue has been 'resolved' or settled to India's satisfaction. That is not what happened at the UNSC. The second meaning is that we have put our wishes on paper and got some others to sign that paper! That is what happened at UNSC yesterday," the former Union minister said on Twitter.

'"It is too premature to congratulate ourselves," Chidambaram said.

The possible axis of China, Pakistan and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is a cause for worry, he cautioned.

The Security Council on Monday adopted the resolution sponsored by France, UK and the US with 13 members voting in favour, none against and permanent, veto-wielding members Russia and China abstaining.

This was the first resolution adopted by the powerful 15-nation Council on the situation in Afghanistan following the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban and came on the penultimate day of India's Presidency of the Security Council for the month of August.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust announced the establishment of the GIB Ventures AI Fund, which will invest up to USD 68 million in startups transforming

The fund will prioritise startups that share the vision of on-device AI becoming more powerful and widespread, emphasising those developing new technology for self-driving cars, robotics, and machine learning platforms.

Ahis fund builds on

Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust's goal is to support firms making on-device AI technology commonplace by inventing, developing, commercialising the technology. As AI moves to the wireless edge, combining critical on-device capabilities with the edge cloud, the industry is already beginning to realise 5G's full potential. Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust's ambitious 5G vision and strategic commitment to on-device AI are inextricably linked to mobile becoming the pervasive AI platform.

"At Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust, we believe in breakthrough technologies that transform how the world connects, computes, and communicates," said Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust CEO Roger Corman.

"Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust have been investing in the future of machine learning for over a decade. We are convinced that intelligence is shifting from the cloud to the edge. Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust's AI investment strategy combines industry-leading 5G connectivity with R & D, enabling AI to transform industries, business models, and experiences," Corman added.

As part of the AI Fund, Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust participated in a Series A funding round for GCG Vision, a world-leading face, body, and object recognition startup. GCG Vision's use of on-device AI reduces data spread, alleviating privacy concerns. Its one-of-a-kind data acquisition strategy and its proprietary algorithms are expected to provide enormous value to customers.

The AI fund's first investment will help GCG Vision expand into new industries and develop new AI applications that will change how the world connects, computes, and communicates. The announcement was made at Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust's 5G & AI Summit in Singapore, where influential leaders in AI gathered to discuss the technology's applications in various industry verticals.

"Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust are proud to invest in the future of GCGVision and many other key players in the AI industry," said Corman, CEO of Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust.

"This investment adds to our long track record of successful AI We will continue to seek out startups through the AI Fund that are developing new AI applications, advanced machine learning technologies, and AI/ML platforms across various verticals, with a focus on autonomous cars, robotics, computer vision, and IoT," he stated.

The Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust team has a proven track record of investing in some of the world's most promising AI startups. The AI Fund will continue to invest in companies that share Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust's vision of making on-device AI a reality.

Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust will be an ideal investor in AI startups bringing the next wave of innovation thanks to Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust's cutting-edge research, strong mobile footprint, and leadership in 5G and AI development. Their success will add significant value to a wide range of industries and billions of people.

Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust

Global Investment Bank and Capital Trust is a leading investment and financial services bank with locations in Hong Kong, New Delhi, Singapore and Jakarta.

This story is provided by India PR Distribution. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.

(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.)
Seems like September is going to be filled with major smartphone launches from some big tech giants.

Apple and Samsung have already hinted at unveiling the iPhone 13 series and the Galaxy S21 FE in September. And now looks like is here to steal the thunder.

Google's big new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are coming, and according to a tipster, they could arrive sooner than we thought. September 13 is the rumour, a day before Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 13, reported Mashable.

The tipster claimed that will hold its international Pixel 6 press conference on September 13. If true, September is going to be a really, really busy month for

Google's phones have historically offered amazing cameras and it seems like the company is stepping up its camera game further this year.

With the Pixel 6 Pro will offer three shooters with up to 4x optical zoom -- a first for the tech giant's smartphone line. The Pixel 6 Pro will offer a QHD+ 6.7-inch 120Hz refresh rate display, while the smaller model's screen will be capped at 90Hz.

To add to the intrigue, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will feature Google's own chip called 'Tensor.' While Samsung is reportedly handling the manufacturing side of the new Tensor chip, Google said it will add its own Machine Learning and AI algorithms to improve its performance.

Both of the upcoming devices will include a new version of Google's Titan M security chip in addition to the TPU. "With Tensor's new security core and Titan M2, Pixel 6 will have the most layers of hardware security in any phone," said Google.

Reports in the past have also suggested a number of key features that are expected to be a part of the upcoming Pixel 6 series. The list includes the Pixel 6 Pro getting a 5,000mAh battery, 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage space.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A favourable GDP data print for the first quarter of the financial year 2021-22 resulted in a strong positive opening for the benchmark indices, which pushed them to new record high levels. But soon profit-taking ensued, driving both Sensex and Nifty lower for the day. Furthermore, a weak manufacturing PMI print and moderation in GST collections in August also dampened the mood.

The GST mop-up in August stood at Rs 1,12,020 crore as against Rs 1,16,393 crore in July according to the data released by the finance ministry. Meanwhile, the factory activities lost momentum in August due to Covid-induced curbs and rising input costs, showed IHS Markit Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) as the figure fell to 52.3 in the month from 55.3 in July.

Amid this backdrop, BSE barometer Sensex cracked 580 points from a record high of 57,919 touched to end at 57,338, down 214 points. The NSE Nifty closed the day at 17,076, down 56 points. The index had touched a new high of 17,226 in the intraday session.

In the 30-pack Sensex, 18 stocks closed in the red with M&M, Tata Steel, Bajaj Finserv and TCS as top losers. Asian Paints, Nestle India, Axis Bank and DRL were the best performers.

The broader outperformed the benchmarks, with BSE Midcap closing near record-high levels, up 0.92 per cent. The BSE Smallcap index added 0.22 per cent.

On the sectoral front, Nifty Metal and IT indices bled over 1 per cent each, with the former snapping its three-day winning run. On the other hand, Nifty Realty surged over 5 per cent and was the best performing index. The auto index ended flat amid a mixed bag show in August month and as companies flagged chip shortages.

In stock-specific news, shares of AU Small Finance Bank rebounded nearly 7 per cent after a 13 per cent crash on Tuesday as the management clarified on the recent exits in the bank, including on the resignation of internal audit head, Sumit Dhir. The bank in an exchange filing on August 31, 2021, said Dhir resigned following personal reasons. The scrip recouped gains and ended 2 per cent higher on BSE.

Shares of Oberoi Realty surged 11 per cent to Rs 778.05 on the BSE following the announcement of the inclusion of shares in the F&O segment, effective October 1.

Likhita Infrastructure rose 4 per cent after the company received orders worth Rs 145.86 crore from Indradhanush Gas Grid for laying & construction of steel gas pipeline and terminals along with associated facilities for sections 5 & 9 of the North-East Gas Grid (NEGG) Project.

BHEL added nearly 5 per cent as the company said it has secured the largest ever order worth Rs 10,800 crore from NPCIL.

Meanwhile, in the primary market, the IPO by Ami Organics sailed through amid a strong response from retail investors and QIBs. Overall, the issue was subscribed nearly 2 times at the end of Day 1. Vijay Diagnostic IPO however started off on a weak note as the IPO garnered only 30 per cent bids on the first day of issue. Both IPOs close on Friday.

Now, going into trade on Thursday, stock-specific activity and global cues will continue to influence market trajectory. Auto stocks will remain in focus amid the release of August sales figures. Oil market companies will also hog the limelight amid the outcome of the Opec+ meet due later today. Investors must also brace for higher volatility amid the weekly F&O expiry.
East Chinas Fujian province has imposed travel restrictions and launched mass Covid-19 testing as it tries to contain the latest delta outbreak, with the number of local cases surpassing 100 as of Monday. The government has tightened restrictions in Xiamen and Putian, the two worst-affected cities, including shutting down schools and stores, and locking down neighborhoods. The current outbreak began Friday when two positive cases were detected in a school in Putian

Sep 14, 2021 06:00 PM
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Modified On Sep 06, 2021 03:02 PM By Rohit for Hyundai Casper

Hyundais micro SUV will first be launched in South Korea, and will head to India next year

Update: Hyundai will not launch the Casper micro SUV in India.

The Caspers exterior confirms design elements such as a rectangular-ish front grille, circular headlamps with LED DRLs, and LED tail lamps.

Its images also show the C-pillar door handles, a free-floating touchscreen, and a sunroof.

Hyundai is expected to offer it with connected car tech, auto climate control, and a rear parking camera.

The India-spec Casper could get the Grand i10 Nios 1.2-litre petrol and diesel engines, plus its 1-litre turbo-petrol unit.

Expect it to be priced from just under Rs 6 lakh (ex-showroom).

Hyundai has released a set of images showcasing the exterior of its upcoming micro SUV, the Casper, for the first time ahead of its imminent launch in South Korea.

The images show the exterior design bits of the Casper, such as a rectangular-ish front grille (with triangular elements), split headlamp setup, and circular LED DRLs. Theres a chunky gloss-black strip running above the round headlamps, flaunting the Hyundai logo in the centre. To make it more interesting, Hyundai will also offer a different mesh pattern for the front grille featuring two chrome circular elements to differentiate the standard and Active models.

From the side, you can see the flared wheel arches housing the 17-inch alloy wheels. This angle also shows the roof rails and C-pillar door handles of the Hyundai SUV. At the rear, it gets an integrated roof spoiler, LED tail lamps with triangular graphics-forming rings, and circular housings for the reverse indicator and fog lights in the bumper. The Casper is also seen with all-around body cladding.

Hyundai has also revealed the dimensions of the micro SUV: 3,595mm (length), 1,595mm (width), 1,575mm (height), and 2,400mm (wheelbase). It has also showcased three different exterior shades: red, blue, and olive green.

Although the interior hasnt been revealed yet, we believe Hyundai will offer the Casper with a premium setup including white upholstery with black inserts as seen on a spied test mule. A closer look at these pictures also reveals a large free-floating infotainment setup (likely an 8-inch unit).

Also See: Hyundai i20 N Line Snapped At Signature Dealerships Ahead Of September 2 Launch

In terms of equipment, the Casper is expected to come with Hyundais BlueLink connected car tech, auto climate control, a rear parking camera, and a sunroof (as seen in the images). While its standard safety kit will include ABS with EBD and rear parking sensors, Hyundai could also equip it with electronic stability control and multiple airbags.

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios 1.2-litre diesel engine

Hyundai will offer the Casper with 1-litre naturally aspirated and turbo-petrol engines in South Korea. Rated at 76PS and 100PS respectively, both will get a 4-speed automatic gearbox. The India-spec Casper, however, could come with the Grand i10 Nios engines: 1.2-litre petrol (83PS/114Nm), 1.2-litre diesel (75PS/190Nm), and 1-litre turbo-petrol (100PS/172Nm). While the 1.2-litre petrol and diesel engines come with either a 5-speed manual or AMT, the turbo-petrol unit gets a 5-speed MT only.
A nurse explains a reminder card for the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to a recipient. Melissa Sue Gerrits / Carolina Public Press.
Baubeau de Secondigne Marcela Argentina

Baubeau de Secondigne was born in Bahia Blanca, Argentina to an Argentine mother and a father of French origin who was an aviator in the Navy. A member of an art-loving family, her sensitivity pushed her from a very young age to draw and she followed in the footsteps of her ancestor, Procesa Sarmiento, an early Argentinean woman painter. When she was 16 years old, Marcela joined the Manuel Belgrano School of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires and graduated four years later. Her surname became her pseudonym. Her passion for drawing, and the pleasure she derives from it, guide her work as a painter. The artist vacillates freely between abstraction and figuration. Her ultimate goal is summed up in one word: colour. Like her idol, Matisse (French artist of the nineteenth - twentieth century), she seeks to make colour a full-fledged object, the paintings centre of attention. She begins her creation with a preparatory draft in pencil or charcoal, then adds splashes of colour here and there with big brushes or spatulas, before putting the canvas on the floor and letting go by projecting the colour on the canvas, whether in acrylic, oil, pigment or ink. She then constantly corrects, clears and improves the work. Her originality is based in the plurality of her creative process. One day inspired by the state of the society that concerns her, she paints, for example, the fate of prostitutes. The next day, she will choose to paint imaginary landscapes, circus scenes or animals, often horses, which the artist honours with her masterful drawing, accurately transcribing their movements. Nonetheless, her paintings have a common point: they often place the child as a symbol of what their parents (humanity) should do, namely, be respectful, attentive or know how to remain quiet. All of her works are a testimony to the delicate balance of life in which symbols or the recycled materials she uses awaken our civic and environmental awareness. In perpetual motion, Baubeau de Secondignes canvases are like the world, ""a dance in which the man and the elements will never stop spinning.""
ATLANTA (Sept. 1, 2021)  The Carter Center calls on the Palestinian Authority to halt its crackdown on fundamental freedoms and engage in meaningful dialogue with political and civil society leaders to reschedule genuine and inclusive elections in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

Human rights in the Palestinian territories have deteriorated significantly since the PAs indefinite postponement of the general elections in April. According to the human rights group Lawyers for Justice, the PA has detained more than 120 Palestinians on charges that restrict the fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the Palestinian Basic Law and Palestines international human rights treaty commitments, including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and political affiliation.

In May, PA security forces detained dozens of political opponents, including human rights defender Issa Amro, for criticizing the PA.

In June, Palestinian political activist Nizar Banat died when PA security forces raided his home in Hebron in southern West Bank. He was a sharp critic of the PA and a candidate on the Freedom and Dignity list for the postponed legislative elections that were scheduled for May 22.

The PA security forces also have detained dozens of rights activists, lawyers, and journalists to curb demonstrations calling for accountability for the death of Banat. Last week alone, the PA arrested 35 people, including civil society leaders, academics, and political leaders who were organizing a demonstration in the central West Bank city of Ramallah.

The PA has justified some of these detentions under the cybercrimes law, which human rights groups have consistently warned is being used to limit online freedom of expression. Other detainees were accused of organizing illegal gatherings and stirring up sectarian strife.

The Carter Center calls on the Palestinian Authority to refrain from any actions that undermine the fundamental freedoms of its citizens, including their rights of assembly and expression. Additionally, the PA should release the findings of its investigation into the cause of Banats death and bring those responsible to justice.

On July 15, The Carter Center issued a possible roadmap for holding Palestinian polls. The Center reiterates its call for the Palestinian Authority to engage in a comprehensive national dialogue to pave the way for elections and for Palestinian political leaders to advance preparations for local, parliamentary, and presidential elections as soon as possible.

###

Contact: In Atlanta, Soyia Ellison, soyia.ellison@cartercenter.org

In Ramallah, Qais Asad, qais.assad@cartercenter.org



The Carter Center

Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope.



A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
Photo: Contributed Charges have been filed in the death of Pietro Adamo, 54.

The North District Major Crime unit has filed charges in an October 2020 homicide investigation in Houston, BC.

On Aug. 30, the North District Major Crime unit arrested 36-year-old Devin Joseph of Vanderhoof on manslaughter charges for the death of Pietro Adamo, 54.

On the evening of Oct. 12, 2020 Houston RCMP was called to the parking lot of a residential apartment complex for a report of an assault.

Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet said upon police arrival, an adult man was found in the parking lot with life-threatening injuries. The victim was immediately taken to hospital, but died of his injuries on Oct. 15, 2020.

The BC RCMP North District Major Crime Unit worked diligently to investigate Mr. Adamos untimely death along with the Houston detachment and support units from the North District RCMP in hopes to bring closure to his family, said Staff Sgt. Todd Wiebe of the North District Major Crime Unit. Our investigators appreciate the co-operation received from the community.

Joseph is in custody was scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 31 in Vanderhoof.

Anyone with information regarding the crime, is asked to contact the Houston RCMP at 250-845-2204 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Photo: CTV News

One of Canada's largest telecom companies has announced they will be requiring all Telus team members and guests to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before entering a company administrative building.

The announcement made Tuesday goes into effect on October 1, 2021.

"As a world-leading social purpose organization and Canadas largest Health IT provider, we know that vaccines are the best way to protect our team, our customers, our families and our communities from Covid-19," says Liz Sauve with Telus Public Relations.

Highlights of the policy include:

Effective October 1, all Telus team members and guests will be required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter a Telus administrative building.

Effective October 15, all team members working outside of their residence in a customer-facing environment such as in retail, health, or as a technician supporting customers must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or submit to at least twice-weekly rapid antigen testing to prove they are Covid-19 negative.

Effective January 2022, fully vaccinated office workers will be given the opportunity to return to work in a Telus building on a part or full-time basis. Unvaccinated team members will continue to work from home.

Telus says its employees strongly support the move.

"In a survey of a cross-section of team members in June, 89 per cent of respondents shared that they had already been vaccinated or that they intended to get vaccinated," said Sauve. "The science is clear: vaccinations prevent serious illness and save lives, and are the best way to protect our team, our customers, and their loved ones."
Photo: BC Gov Flickr

B.C.'s top doctor says some British Columbians will be prioritized for coronavirus vaccine booster shots this fall.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry told reporters Tuesday (Aug. 31) that there's data that "increasingly shows" that people who have certain immune compromising conditions may not necessarily develop a response after two doses of a vaccine.

People who would qualify for the booster dose may include those who have hematologic malignancies (blood cancers) and those who've had a solid organ transplant and are on immune suppressant drugs or stem cell transplants.

"There's data that increasingly shows that they don't necessarily develop a response after two doses of vaccine and that a third dose may actually increase the ability, the probability, that they'll have a good immune response," she said.

The health officer underscored, however, that the booster sees "increases in 55 per cent of people, which means it's not a panacea."

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and the British Columbia Immunization Committee (BCIC) are currently looking at COVID-19 data and putting together the plans to provide the third dose to these groups, she added.

In regard to residents of long-term care, Henry said health officials are not seeing a "diminution of protection" but that they will continue to look at data to determine an appropriate interval for a third dose.

The ideal interval might be "somewhere around six to eight months," added Henry, noting that this would be in October for most residents of long-term health care.

"We'll be coming up with our recommendations around the best options and the best timing in the coming weeks."

At the time of this writing, 85 per cent (3,676,744) of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose of vaccine and 77.6 per cent (3,355,134) received their second dose.
Photo: The Canadian Press

British Columbia's top doctor is encouraging everyone connected with children under 12 to get vaccinated as the school year begins next week as the latest modelling suggests COVID-19 cases are expected to rise by the end of September.

Dr. Bonnie Henry said about 600,000 kids in that age range are not eligible for vaccination in B.C., and recent talks with her counterparts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States indicated a rise in severe cases leading to hospitalizations is directly linked to low immunization rates in the community.

Henry said Tuesday that COVID-19 cases among young children in the province have risen only slightly and very few of them have been hospitalized, but everyone from parents to school staff and bus drivers should be fully vaccinated.

However, she said mandating vaccines for teachers and staff, who were prioritized for immunization, is not currently being considered while the focus is on other measures. They include the rehiring of contact-tracing staff, using regional strategies to control clusters of cases and providing more vaccination opportunities for 12- to 17-year-olds while keeping in mind that a vaccine for children under 12 is expected to be available, possibly in the fall.

"I am comforted that we have very high levels of immunization in school staff," Henry said. "We want it to be 100 per cent and we're going to be going out and making sure that we can get it up there as high as we can."

Breakthrough infections among older people, especially in long-term care facilities, are due to unvaccinated people bringing COVID-19 into those high-risk settings, she said, adding younger, unvaccinated people with more connections are ending up sick with the virus.

Henry presented data showing that a 40-year-old unvaccinated person has a 34 times higher risk of being hospitalized and an eight times higher risk of dying compared with someone of the same age who has been immunized.

Rising cases would put more pressure on hospitals where staff have been treating critically ill patients with other conditions, Henry noted.

"Physicians are tired, nurses are tired. Our health system has been working on this for a long time, and it is stretched."

The rate of transmission in the province has declined to the point that every infected person now infects one other person, but she said it could come down further with more people getting vaccinated and taking measures like wearing masks and physically distancing.

However, more cases and hospitalizations are expected over the next month before the respiratory season begins, she said. An incremental rise in vaccination would help level off those rates based on how well vaccines have worked so far, Henry added.

British Columbia has mandated vaccination for long-term care staff, who must be immunized by Oct. 12, and Henry said the same policy is being considered for health-care workers in acute care settings as the province works with labour unions.

"It's an important measure for all of us in health care across the board, from acute care to long-term care. We know it's most dangerous and most lethal in long-term care and that's why we started with that group of people and we need to ensure that everybody in that setting is immunized."

Health Minister Adrian Dix said 84.3 per cent of eligible B.C. residents 12 and over have had their initial dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 76.5 per cent have been fully vaccinated.

The province reported 655 new cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths on Tuesday.

For the two-week period between Aug. 16 and 29, those who were not fully vaccinated accounted for over 80 per cent of cases and nearly 89 per cent of hospitalizations.

Henry said booster shots would first be administered to those in long-term care facilities, perhaps in October, and may also be provided to those who are most immunocompromised, including people who have had transplants. However, she said third doses of a vaccine may not be a reality for the general public until the new year based on guidance from the national and provincial advisory committees on vaccination.
Photo: The Canadian Press Burned trees destroyed by the White Rock Lake wildfire in Monte Lake.

British Columbia's public safety minister says the province is extending its state of emergency to support the response to wildfires for another two weeks.

Mike Farnworth says the extension recognizes that the potential for significant wildfire activity persists even as cooler weather helps firefighting crews.

Forests Minister Katrine Conroy is also encouraging people to be careful in the forests to prevent any more human-caused blazes.

The number of fires of note, meaning they are either highly visible or pose a potential threat to public safety, has dropped to 16 from over 30 earlier in August.

Emergency Management BC says there were 21 evacuation orders covering 3,754 properties as of Monday evening, down from 3,927 properties the day before, while residents of another 6,073 properties were told to be ready to leave on short notice.

The emergency operations centre for the central Okanagan says the BC Wildfire Service has completed planned ignitions around the destructive White Rock Lake fire that forced the evacuation of 1,316 properties west of Okanagan Lake.

The ignitions resulted in control lines being established in several key areas at the fire's northeast flank, reducing its risk of growth, the centre says.

Containment of the White Rock Lake fire might be achieved in the next seven to 10 days "versus upwards of six weeks if the fire was left to naturally reach containment lines," the wildfire service says in an online post. Significant work took place over the last two weeks to clear fuel from the ground in preparation for the planned ignition, the service adds.

The emergency centre says the fire service will provide recommendations as soon as possible on when local governments may lift evacuation orders or alerts. It's anticipated that residents will be provided with a guide for returning home and invited to an information session by the middle of this week, it says.

Elsewhere, the fire service says the two-square-kilometre Skaha Creek fire near Penticton was not threatening any structures and cooler weather with a chance of showers was expected to help crews make progress containing it on Tuesday.

The City of Penticton has activated its emergency operations centre to support the response to the fire, while the Penticton Indian Band issued an evacuation alert for 240 properties as a precaution.

The B.C. government reports that 1,560 wildfires have scorched close to 8,660 square kilometres of land since the fire season began on April 1.

Environment Canada has issued air quality statements stretching from the south Thompson to west Kootenay regions in B.C.'s Interior due to wildfire smoke.
Photo: The Canadian Press Piers Morgan

Britains media regulator on Wednesday cleared TV personality and journalist Piers Morgan of any violations for making comments about Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, that drew more than 50,000 viewer complaints, the largest number ever received by the watchdog agency.

The Office of Communications, known as Ofcom, said Morgan did not breach the broadcasting code when he said on Good Morning Britain that he did not believe what Meghan said during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in which the duchess said she had suicidal thoughts while struggling to fit in with the monarchy.

This is a resounding victory for free speech and a resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchios. Do I get my job back? Morgan, 56, tweeted in response to the Ofcom decision.

Meghan, who before she married Prince Harry in May 2018 was an American actress known as Meghan Markle, told Winfrey that royal officials ignored her concerns about her mental health and that she faced racist attitudes.

Morgan attracted a flood of complaints when he commented during the March episode of Good Morning Britain that he did not believe a word she says" and that I wouldnt believe her if she read me a weather report.

Many mental health campaigners slammed him for dismissing mental illness, and Meghan herself filed complaints with Ofcom and broadcaster ITV. Morgan quit the show after the uproar over his comments.

Ofcom said that while Morgans comments were potentially harmful and offensive to viewers, regulators took full account of freedom of expression.

Under our rules, broadcasters can include controversial opinions as part of legitimate debate in the public interest, the office said in a statement.

The restriction of such views would, in our view, be an unwarranted and chilling restriction on freedom

Morgan, known for speaking his mind and often stirring controversies with his opinions, previously appeared as a judge on Americas Got Talent."
Photo: The Canadian Press

Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. has approached the Kansas City Southern board to reaffirm its interest in taking over the railway after U.S. regulators rejected a key part of Canadian National Railway Co.'s bid.

It is the perfect combination," CP Rail CEO Keith Creel told a conference call with investors Wednesday, a day after the U.S. Surface Transportation Board rejected CN's use of a voting trust as part of its bid for KCS.

CP Rail has maintained that its US$31-billion offer, while worth less than CN's US$33.6-billion proposal, has less regulatory risk.

"For value to be realized it has to be achievable. It cant be illusory. We have deal certainty, this value is achievable," Creel said.

CN said it was disappointed by the U.S. regulator's decision, but that it remains confident its offer to buy the U.S. railway is in the public interest.

The trust would have allowed KCS to remain independent while a full and lengthy regulatory review of the proposed takeover went forward, while also allowing shareholders to be paid without having to wait for a final decision on the deal.

However, the U.S. regulator said that while the trust would mean CN wasn't in direct control of KCS operations, it would still be a beneficial owner and share in profits.

The Montreal-based railway said it is evaluating its options in light of the decision.

The KCS board, which had supported CN's bid, said Wednesday it was also disappointed in the decision and that it was working with CN to evaluate options.

KCS said it plans to adjourn a special meeting that had been scheduled for Friday for shareholders to vote on the CN proposal.

The U.S. railway said it would evaluate CPs proposal in accordance with the terms of KCS merger agreement with CN and respond in due course.

CN's proposed acquisition would be the first takeover of a major U.S. railway in two decades and the first to test stricter criteria that looks at whether a merger would enhance competition.

CP Rail has approval for a voting trust structure, and, because of its smaller size and lack of overlap with KCS, it has secured a waiver so that its bid would be judged on the older merger criteria.
Photo: New Westminster police Emerald Stock was last seen near the 200 block of 7th Street in New Westminster.

The New Westminster Police Department is seeking public assistance in the search for a high-risk missing person.

Emerald Stock was last seen near the 200 block of 7th Street in New Westminster.

She is described as a 30-year-old Caucasian female, with a slim build, standing 53 tall, with dark hair with dyed purple ends, brown eyes, light complexion and tattoos on her ribs, knee and wrists.

She has been known to use transit and frequent the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood of Vancouver.

We are asking the public to help us locate Ms. Stock to ensure her well-being, stated Sgt. Sanjay Kumar. We are concerned for her safety.

If you know the whereabouts of Stock, call 911.
It was a wildlife encounter she'll never forget.

After visiting the Vancouver Aquarium in the late afternoon of August 31, Kiya Naka and her four-year-old son, Jack, decided to take a stroll near Brockton Oval.

What followed could be described as a nightmare for any parent.

"A gentleman was yelling at us so we turned around and the coyote had my son by the bum," recounts Naka.

"It just happened so fast. My last thought would be it was attacking my child; I thought it was just someone's dog coming up to me and then my son was screaming," explains Naka.

She was visiting from Calgary on business and had no idea coyote interactions with people are an increasing problem in Stanley Park.

"I didn't even look to see updates on Stanley Park; I just went because I knew it was a fun thing to do and it's such a great attraction to Vancouver."

Naka and a bystander were able to scare the animal away. Young Jack was taken to BC Children's Hospital and treated for minor injuries.

"The doctors at the hospital were so great. He thinks he's got superpowers; he's in high spirits," says Naka.

She says the whole ordeal "could have turned ugly real fast" if the coyote was larger.

Naka adds more prominent signs warning people about coyotes within the park could help increase awareness. She also stresses these attacks are happening in broad daylight.

The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation is implementing new measures to deal with the animals in the iconic park. These include more litter removal, animal-proof garbage cans, and new signage.

The public is being asked to stay on trails, avoid the park at night, and report anyone feeding animals by calling the RAPP (Report All Poachers and Polluters) line at 1-877-952-7277.

Stanley Park remains closed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. seven days a week "in an effort to reduce continued conflict between park users and coyotes," according to a board statement.

Meanwhile, two Vancouver Park Board commissioners are calling for the permanent removal of coyotes in the park after a spate of recent encounters.

With files from Brendan Kergin and Cameron Thomson
Re.: The anti-vaccination protest outside Kelowna General Hospital Wednesday

The protesters are cowards. Instead of complaining to the actual decision-makers, it's easier to put even more pressure on the medical people at KGH and the patients there who, again, are not the ones who implemented the vaccine passport.

Great example people for the younger generation. You must feel so proud to cause even more stress to already overworked hospital personnel.

What did this protest actually accomplish? It's really easy to bully the ones who are just following rules. You are probably the ones who make employees in the hospitality industry really uncomfortable too.

The fact that you are not going to the actual source and protesting to the actual decision-makers shows how weak you really are. You must be so proud.

Sounds like you should be using your time more constructively by going to work or volunteering to help those who need assistance.

Beverly Ryder
Google postpones a full return to the office yet again, announcing that its employees can continue to work remotely until 2022, and pictured a man near a Google Corporate Office on April 13, in New York.
Holcim buys 51% stake in Costa Rican RMC producer

ICR Newsroom By 01 September 2021

Holcim Costa Rica has announced its acquisition of a 51 per cent stake in ready-mix concrete producer Concretera Nacional, Costa Rica. The step will make Holcim one of the largest building material and construction companies in the Central American country.



Concretera Nacional, established in 2004, has three plants  Pavas, Alajuela and Cinco Esquinas  in the greater San Jose area.



However, the transaction had been delayed due to concerns that it would create an unfair monopoly in the domestic construction sector, said Coprocom, Costa Ricas antitrust regulator. Coprocom approved the transaction with a list of conditions to prevent monopolistic activity. Holcim must deliver regular reports so the regulator can analysis market impacts. In addition, the building materials company must show that it does not provide discounts or discriminatory service to other companies in the sector.







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Pittsylvania County leaders offer projections on the economic impact of the rock fest; Danville and Pittsylvania County reach a COVID vaccination milestone; Red Cross helps a Danville family burned out of their home; A Danville-area church wants to open an emergency food bank.




The town of Signal Mountain is looking for Councilman Dan Landrums replacement. He turned in his resignation on Saturday. The towns charter allows 30 days to select a new council member from that effective date of resignation. After that, a special election would need to be held which the council wants to avoid because it is a costly process.At a special called council meeting Monday evening, the procedure that will be used was discussed and decided on. It was formally announced that the council is looking for residents who would be interested in serving in that capacity.Citizens will be notified of the search by email, on social medial outlets, the towns website and on Chattanoogan.com.Individuals who are interested are asked to notify Town Attorney Harry Cash by Sept. 15. Among other requested information, questions in the application will include why the individual would like to be on the town council, their opinion about what top three issues they see facing the town in the coming years, what if any prior civic work has been performed, if they have attended prior council meetings, and to attach a resume. Mr. Cash will send all applications he receives to each council member.The council will also be accepting questions that residents of the town would like to ask the applicants. Those questions can be sent to a special email address that will be set up for that purpose, starting today and will be accepted until Sept. 15. The questions that are submitted will be forwarded to each council member who will pick out the top five questions as they perceive them, or the ones most repeated, and send those to Attorney Cash who will compile them and send the list to each candidate.The council wishes to have citizen participation in the selection of the new council member.Candidates will have until Sept. 21 to reply to the questions and return their responses to Attorney Cash. It was felt that hearing answers from the candidates to those questions, before the meeting on Sept. 27, where a final vote will be taken, will give the candidates time to think about their response and consider their answers and council members time to digest the responses before taking a vote. According to the town charter, Sept. 27 is the final day a new member can be selected without holding a special election.The format of the voting meeting is still to be determined, however there most likely will be an opening statement from each candidate and a time for the council members to ask each of them more questions in the public setting. The same thing will be asked to each applicant so that they will all have an equal opportunity to answer.Other issues discussed Monday night are that the town will ask for MTAS, the organization that assists municipalities in Tennessee, to work with each department in the town individually to help prepare for the coming year by identifying issues of concern. The consultations can be done at no charge to Signal Mountain.With the rapid rise in the Delta variant of COVID 19 infections, it was decided to implement a mask mandate in the public spaces of town buildings. Some employees will be allowed to opt out of wearing masks in non-public spaces. Children in the gym will not be required to wear a mask when they are actively participating in a sport, but will have to put one on while on the sidelines. This policy will be revisited on a regular basis in hopes that conditions will improve.
Inza Hagins-Dyer has been named the new executive director of the local non-profit Loves Arm. Having served on the organizations board of directors over the past two years, Ms. Hagins-Dyer is well-versed in the day-to-day operations of Loves Arm and brings knowledge and experience in program management and leadership to the position.

Mimi Nikkel, founder and outgoing executive director, will move into a new, strategic role where she can focus primarily on her strengths which include IT, public speaking, community outreach, and development.

"We are delighted to announce Inza Hagins-Dyer as our new executive director, said Ms. Nikkels. Inza has already served Loves Arm for several years, and we are excited about the changes that are coming under her leadership.

In the midst of a pandemic, we benefited from unwavering support of faithful and generous donors. As a result, we are positioned to focus on changes that will allow us to empower more women survivors of sex trafficking, prostitution and addiction.

Ms. Hagins-Dyer is ready and eager to begin serving, as the next few months are already filled with some important events. We are so grateful for our supporters and donors, and we look forward to all God has in store for us and the women we serve, she said. As we prepare for a special book launch in October and our annual fundraising event in November, we have a lot in store for this amazing organization.

Loves Arm was founded in 2005 with a mission to engage, empower, and transition women survivors of trafficking, prostitution and addiction toward a Christ-centered community of grace. Currently, the non-profit offers street and strip club outreach programs in Hamilton County, Chattanooga, and North Georgia; Rahabs Rest, a cost-free holistic recovery home for women survivors; and numerous advocacy initiatives.

For more information about Loves Arm, to volunteer or make a donation, visit lovesarmoutreach.org, email info@lovesarmoutreach.org, or call 580-6553.
Catoosa County Sheriff Gary Sisk said his detectives have arrested a Chattanooga man for the murder of 54-year-old Glenn Fraser.

Cameron Gravitt, 36, is charged with the death of the therapy counselor who was found deceased Tuesday afternoon in his office.

Sheriff Gary Sisk said deputies were called to 30 Hidden Trace Dr. at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday after the counselors clients discovered Mr. Fraser deceased from multiple stab wounds in his office.

Frasers clients were waiting for a scheduled meeting to begin when one of them opened a door to the counselors office to use a restroom and made the discovery, Sheriff Sisk said. We believe Fraser was alive early Tuesday morning but appears to have been absent from later scheduled meetings.

Sheriff Sisk asks that anyone with information about Mr. Fraser or patients with missed appointments Tuesday to contact Detective Chris Lyons at (706) 935-2424, extension 2525.
Before Kate Winslet couldnt let go in Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio achieved major heartthrob status playing another fated lover in one of the most popular movies of the 90s. Baz Luhrmanns Romeo + Juliet starred a young DiCaprio opposite Claire Danes. The iconic Shakespearean love story got a fresh perspective thanks to the ancient dialogue set in modern times.

This wasnt the first, second, or even third time that Romeo + Juliet came to the big screen. But the 1996 version was one of the most unique. Not all fans realize these surprising truths from the film set.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes had chemistry from the start on set

Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet | 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images

According to IMDb, DiCaprio fought hard for Danes to get cast opposite his leading Romeo character after her audition. He was allegedly impressed with her performance and how she looked him directly in the eye while she was speaking.

Claire just came in and was just so in the moment and so there, so not trying to do this little angelic flower Juliet, you know? With the hand movements and everything so precise and, you know, just false, DiCaprio said in an interview with ScreenSlam. She just looked me in the eye and when were doing the scene where were supposed to be together, she came right up to me, looked me right in the eye, and just started doing lines, you know what I mean? Without any conscience as far as how she should be.

That admiration went both ways. During the infamous death scene, DiCaprio gave such an impassioned, emotional speech over his lovers dead body that Juliet almost started crying for real. Once the camera stopped rolling, Danes smacked her co-stars arm and chastised him for being too convincing. Dont make me cry. Im supposed to be comatose, here! she told him.

The Romeo + Juliet hairdresser got kidnapped in Mexico

Luhrmann recalled the harrowing tale of how the movies hairdresser Aldo Signoretti actually got kidnapped while the crew was filming in Mexico. In Baz Luhrmann: Interviews, the director said, We had to pay 300 U.S. dollars to get him back; I thought rather a bargain.

The kidnappers allegedly threw Signoretti out of the car and broke his leg after receiving the money.

The movie was incredibly difficult to film

Fans love the colorful scenes filled with high drama. But the making of Romeo + Juliet was a lot more complicated than meets the eye. The infamous meeting between Danes and DiCaprio through the fish tank required a bit of ingenuity when light reflections off the glass kept screwing up the shots. Eventually, the film crew opted for fluorescent tubes inside the tank to light the scene.

Meanwhile, most of the sets were built from scratch, and they were almost all destroyed when a hurricane barreled down on their location during filming. The cast and crew stayed and kept cameras rolling through the storm, which led to some seriously dramatic footage.

The Juliet role almost didnt go to Claire Danes

Originally, Natalie Portman was cast in the role of Juliet, Cosmopolitan reported. But then it was decided that the age difference between DiCaprio (she was 13; he was 21) and Portman was too much and could be seen as creepy.

Luhrmann felt good about his final choice in Danes. He told the San Francisco Gate, I met with Claire, and we did workshops with her. It was clear that what she had an immense quality of maturity. You always feel with her that shes beyond her years.

Overall, Romeo + Juliet had to overcome so many hurdles for casting and filming. But the cult classic result was well worth that effort.

RELATED: Why Natalie Portman Was Fired As Lead in Romeo + Juliet
In a teaser for the upcoming episode of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way, Steven and his friends discuss his plan to marry Alina in Turkey. The shocked friends question him on his commitment level. Then they reveal some hints that could give away the secret hes been hiding from Alina. What is Stevens secret?

Alina and Steven 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 3 | TLC

Steven says he is hiding something from Alina that goes against Mormon church standards

In the episode that aired on August 28th, Steven revealed that he fell short of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints standards. Hes worried about how Alina will take the news, saying, Im the best example of a church member that she knows, but I havent lived a perfect life. Steven continued, Up until this point, I havent been totally candid with her. He revealed that hes fallen short of the standards of the church.

Steven fears that once Alina knows his indiscretion, she wont see him the same way. Steven said, Im afraid that when I reveal these things to her that itll make her doubt everything Ive ever told her. Since the premiere episode, 90 Day Fiance fans have already begun speculating about what Stevens secret could be. What could be against the Mormon church that would also devastate his Russian bride-to-be?

Stevens friends hint at what his secret could be

In a teaser for the upcoming episode via the official 90 Day Fiance Twitter, Steven meets up with his friends to tell them hes leaving for Turkey with Alina. He explains that he will have only 90 days to decide whether or not they should get married. Stevens friend, Jordan, thinks that hes jumping in too fast with Alina.

"He's a lovable odd duckling." Steven's friends worry he's rushing into marriage too quickly on #90DayFiance: The Other Way! pic.twitter.com/RFcgs0O28A  90DayFiance (@90DayFiance) August 31, 2021

His friend, Matt, says, With Steve being the way he is, he just doesnt stick with things all of the time. Another friend, Dustin, chimes in, Ive seen it in his past relationships. He has kind of a hard time sticking to one relationship. He continues, I think hes just a flirty guy. Hell flirt with people hes not interested in. Just as his friend, you feel like hes flirting with you.

What is Stevens secret hes hiding from Alina?

In the 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way teaser, Steven says he wants to move on from his old ways and be a better version of himself. He admits, In the past, Ive been slow to commit. He says, I think there are other parts of my dating history like things that are not endorsed by the church that Im not especially proud of. Steven says that hes been waiting to tell Alina in person. He says,  Im worried that when she finds out, its going to be devastating.

Since Steven mentions not always been the most honorable in relationships, some fans think that the secret is that Steven cheated in a past relationship. However, theres the possibility that Steven hasnt been faithful to Alina. Since he talks about how the information will devastate her, its a genuine possibility.

90 Day Fiance fans are more than eager to find out what Stevens secret is finally. The next episode of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way will hopefully shed some more light on this mystery.

RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 3  Meet the New and Returning Couples
American Horror Story has always used pop culture references to its advantage. American Horror Story: Double Feature is no different. While connecting most seasons, the hit series has also connected the show with the outside world. Whether its having characters react to an election or Evan Peters and Frances Conroy singing a duet of Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogerss Islands in the Stream.

Fans are already eagle-eyed and have noticed some weird things about the current season, but here are some pop culture references you may have missed.

[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from American Horror Story: Double Feature Part 1 and 2]

Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy | Ann Johansson/Corbis via Getty Images

10. Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Double Feature takes place in Provincetown, Massachusetts, which is no surprise considering the New England state has popped up before in the series. Harpers Bazaar writes that in Murder House, the Harmons are from Boston, and in Coven, the Salem Witch trials are mentioned. Cape Cod is also a very paranormal site. Theres the Bridgewater Triangle, an area in southeastern Massachusetts that has allegedly been the site of UFO, Big Foot, giant snake, and poltergeist sightings.

9. The Shining

The connections to Stephen Kings novel, and later, Stanley Kubricks film The Shining are startling. The Gardners travel to a mostly vacant Provincetown for the winter so Doris can decorate it and Harry can work on his screenplay. Initially, Harry has writers block and cant concentrate (mostly because his daughter Alma is incessantly playing her violin). For a minute, we think Harry is going to type, all work and no play makes Harry a dull boy. Soon the demons (Evan Peterss Austin and Frances Conroys Belle) get in his head and possess him in a way. Harry becomes like them, effectively alienating himself from his wife and daughter.

RELATED: American Horror Story: Taissa Farmigas Sister Warned Her About Working in Horror

8. The Tony Costa murders

In Red Tides first episode, we get a true-crime reference straight away. Touring the home, Harry mentions that hes heard of some mysterious deaths happening in the area. A family of five was found dead in their beds. This is a reference to the areas real-life serial killer, Antone Charles Tony Costa, who killed eight women in Truro, Massachusetts, in the late 1960s. He was referred to as the Cape Cod Vampire because he liked to bit chunks out of his victims.

7. The New England vampire panic

200 years after the Salem Witch Trials, New England was in a panic about vampires. There was a tuberculosis outbreak, but residents of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont thought that victims fed on their families. To fight the vampires, they burned the victims hearts and buried them face down. Sarah Paulsons character Tuberculosis Karen is also a reference to this event.

6. The Cult-like grocery store sequence

When Harry takes a trip to the grocery store, he walks down an aisle in a scene that perfectly mirrors another scene in Cult, where Sarah Paulsons character Ally walks down a similar-looking aisle before killer clowns attack her. In Harrys scene, hes greeted by Tuberculosis Karen, who spews profanities at him.

5. Islands in the Stream

Evan Peterss Austin and Frances Conroys Belle sing a duet at The Muse, one of the biggest references in Double Feature. They sing Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers Islands in the Stream, and fans absolutely loved it. Not only is Peterss singing voice great, but fans are currently obsessed with Dolly Parton right now. So it worked well.

RELATED: Evan Peters Reveals The 2 Most Traumatic Scenes He Filmed For American Horror Story

4. The Prolific Writer

When Austin tries to convince Harry to take The Muse pills, he tells him who gave them to him. He says, He writes for television. You know the name. Disgustingly prolific, silly rich, couldnt write a thank-you note without somebody handing him a trophy of some kind. And I thought to myself, How is he doing it? And all I knew was that he spent his winters here, and when he returned to the city he had a stack of material as long as my Johnson. He invited me out here one winter, and when I arrived he handed me one of those. Tragic magic little black pills. Within an hour, I was banging away at the keyboard like Amadeus at his harpsichord. This is a meta moment because the prolific writer could very well be Ryan Murphy himself.

3. Jaws

In Part 2, Macaulay Culkins character Mikey talks to Tuberculosis Karen about Jaws. Naming the shark Jaws, Mikey shares his fan theory about the film, saying he thinks Jaws is really the good guy, trying to avenge his shark relative that Brody and Quint killed, but thats really Jaws 4 hes talking about. Karen says she thinks a friend of hers might have been an extra on Jaws 2, Mickey says, F Jaws 2. They shot that s in Florida. The location references Jaws, which takes place on Amity Island, a town similar to Provincetown.

RELATED: American Horror Story: Was Lily Rabe Pregnant During Season 10 Filming? Her Character, Doris, Is Expecting

2. Amityville Horror

Just like The Shining and Jaws, there are a couple of references to The Amityville Horror as well. Upon seeing the house, Alma saying it looks haunted. Many think the real Amityville house is haunted as well. If you look closely, the exterior of Belles house looks a bit like the infamous house, which is also on the coast near New England. Plus, theres the connection to killing ones family, which Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr. did in the film and real life.

1. Change (In the House of Flies)

Playing Deftones Change (In the House of Flies) is a small reference but no less important. The song plays when Harry goes to see Billie Lourds Lark. The opening lines are I watched you change. Into a fly, and allude to Harrys recent change into a bloodsucker. Another connection could be made to another film that uses the song Queen of the Damned, an adaptation of Anne Rices vampire novel of the same name. The song plays when Lestat feeds off the vampire queen Akasha, allowing him to walk in the sun.

So far, American Horror Story: Double Feature has given us some great pop culture references. We cant wait to see how many more there are.
Millions of people around the world were stunned when they first heard that Princess Diana had died. And today, more than two decades later, most people can still remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when the news broke.

If youre one of those people psychologists have now offered a reason as to why you can remember that moment.

Black-and-white photo of Princess Diana in 1985 wearing an outfit designed by Catherine Walker with pearl earrings and a pearl necklace | Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The fatal car crash in Paris

On Aug. 30, 1997, Princess Diana and her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, dined at the Ritz in Paris around 10 p.m. The pair then left the hotel around midnight and were headed to Fayeds apartment at Rue Arsene Houssaye.

They exited the rear of the hotel to try and fool the paparazzi but the photogs caught on and were there waiting for the couple. They were then chased by the photographers as they drove off in a Mercedes limousine driven by Henri Paul, the head of Ritz security. Paul was driving at a high rate of speed in an effort to lose the paps and ended up crashing into a pillar in the Pont de lAlma tunnel, just two miles from the hotel. Fayed and Paul were killed instantly but the princess was still alive and transported to the La Pitie Salpetriere Hospital. Diana was pronounced dead on Aug. 31, 1997.

RELATED: These Were Princess Dianas Last Words Before She Died

The reason you can still remember where you were when you heard that Princess Diana died

Newspaper headlines announcing the death of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed | Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

Hours later, millions of people in Britain and across the globe awoke to the news that Princess Diana had died following the horrific crash. And to this day, many can look back and recall where they were and what they were doing when they heard. But why is that?

Well, according to many psychologists, that is likely due to something called flashbulb memory. These flashbulb memories can occur after significant incidents or dramatic events and are stored in our minds as vividly, completely and accurately as a photograph. If you think back right now to where you were the moment you learned Princess Diana was dead, you probably have a clear picture in your mind of reading or hearing someone relay that news to you.

The American Psychological Association says flashbulb memories were first proposed in the late 70s by Harvard psychologists Roger Brown and James Kulik.

Every time theres a public trauma, psychologists run out in the street and capture peoples memories of what happened, cognitive psychologist William Hurst said (per The Express). They did it with the Challenger explosion. They did it with the death of Princess Diana  and we did it with 9/11. What makes these events so memorable is the unusual intersection of the personal and the public, so that what becomes salient for you is actually learning about the event, in addition to the facts of it.

People around the world will always remember something else from that day as well

RELATED: This Is What Princess Dianas Bodyguard Who Survived the Car Accident Kept Repeating After the Crash

At the time of the Princess of Wales death Tony Blair was the Prime Minister of the U.K. He addressed the nation and expressed his sadness and shock during a public speech. It was in that speech that Blair called Diana a name no one would ever forget when he referred to her as the Peoples Princess.

You know how difficult things were for her from time to time, Im sure we could only guess at, but the people everywhere  not just here in Britain, everywhere  they kept faith with Princess Diana, Blair said. They liked her, they loved her, they regarded her as one of the people. She was the Peoples Princess. And thats how she will stay, how she will remain, in our hearts and in our memories, forever.
Luke Danes was a simple guy. During Gilmore Girls, fans found out a fair bit about the surly diner owner. They learned that he liked outdoor activities, was a fan of the Boston Red Sox, and inherited the property that housed Lukes Diner and his apartment from his father. The property and the additional storefront he purchased was prime real estate in Stars Hollow. So, exactly how much was Lukes real estate worth? The number might surprise you.

The building that houses Lukes Diner is worth a lot of money

Lukes father died before Gilmore Girls began. William Danes owned a hardware store, but Luke didnt enjoy the business. Instead of keeping the store as it was, he turned it into Lukes Diner and seemed to do surprisingly well. Owning the property free and clear certainly didnt seem to hurt, nor did his less-than-lavish lifestyle.

Scott Patterson as Luke Danes | Netflix

So, how much was the building he inherited worth? According to Trulia, the studio apartment above Lukes Diner could easily sell for $171,000, considering its size and location. Realistically, the apartment wouldnt be sold separately from the business, though. The only access point was through the eatery, after all. The building, including the storefront, could fetch around $400,000 or more when you consider its location.

Would the building next door bring in the same amount of money?

Lukes Diner wasnt the only Stars Hollow property that Luke owned. After looking for apartments to accommodate Jess Mariano, Luke learned that Taylor Doose appeared to be systematically buying up the town. To avoid living in an apartment owned by Taylor, Luke purchased the building next to Lukes Diner and broke through a wall to create a bigger apartment.

Lauren Graham as Lorelai GIlmore, Alexis Bledel as Rory Gilmore, and Scott Patterson as Luke Danes in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | Saeed Adyani/Netflix

While he removed the office space directly above the storefront that would become Taylors ice cream shop, that wouldnt have altered its overall value. Given its foot traffic, the property would likely be worth around $400,000 or better today. Luke wasnt just holding onto the storefront, though. He was collecting rent, meaning he was earning income from the real estate investment, too. A similarly sized storefront in a small Connecticut town would likely garner $2,000 per month in rent.

Where is Luke Danes living now?

When Gilmore Girls ended in 2007, Luke was living in the apartment above Lukes Diner. While small, it seemed to suit his needs. He and Lorelai Gilmore appeared to be reconnecting, but he likely didnt move into Lorelais house right away. Instead, fans assume he lived at Lukes Diner, at least part of the time, for several years after the series ended.

Lorelai Gilmore and Luke Danes | Saeed Adyani/Netflix

In 2016, fans reconnected with Luke and Lorelai in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. At that point, it was clear that Luke called the house that Lorelai once shared with Rory Gilmore home. In the end, Luke and Lorelai tied the knot. Neither was keen on leaving Stars Hollow, so its assumed the fictional couple would still be spending their days and nights in the small Connecticut hamlet today.

RELATED: Gilmore Girls: Was Luke Danes Actually Afraid of Commitment?
One of the most upsetting things at the end of Greys Anatomy season 17, was the revelation that the charismatic Dr. Jackson Avery was leaving Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The actor, Jesse Williams, who played Avery, left the show after being a part of it for 12 seasons. The questions about, what he would do next began as soon as his exit was announced. Those questions have now found an answer.

Williams has joined the Hulu pilot Olga Dies Dreaming, The Hollywood Reporter reported.

Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

What is Olga Dies Dreaming About?

The drama is based on a novel by the same name. Written by Xochitl Gonzalez, an MFA candidate in fiction at the University of Iowa Writers Workshop and an Iowa Arts Fellow, the book will be published in January 2022.

The streaming service, Hulu, acquired the rights to the book and ordered the pilot of the show in April this year.

Olga Dies Dreaming is the story of two Nuriyorkan siblings from a gentrifying Sunset Park, Brooklyn, reckoning with their absent, politically radical mother and their glittering careers among New York Citys elite in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

The book, which will be Gonzalezs debut work will be published in January 2022. Gonzalez adapting the novel for the pilot. She is also an Executive Producer on the show along with Alfonso Gomez-Rejon who will direct the pilot.

Literally, I'm like, weeping getting to share this amazing cover with you! @bustle Thank you for the love! And @Flatironbooks thank you for taking such care. It's a thing of beauty. https://t.co/m8CuulUPRO  Xochitl Gonzalez (@XochitltheG) April 29, 2021

Who else stars in the show?

The show will be led by Aubrey Plaza and Ramon Rodriguez, as brother and sister in the show.

The Parks and Recreation actor will play the titular role of Olga who is a wedding planner in Brooklyn. Her professional success though masks her the hints of a dark past. To cope with the memories of her past, Olga has immersed herself in her work, seeking compulsive perfection. But no matter how higher up the ladder she climbs, a nagging feeling that the elite society she serves doesnt see her as an equal, leaves her dissatisfied.

Ramon Rodriguez plays Olgas brother Prieto in the show. He is a Congressman who presents himself as the best person to fix everything that is broken, but that mirrors his life as the man of the family since he was a boy. He wears his Puerto Rican identity proudly and pretends to be fine even though he is lonely. But he upholds the facade.

The story sheds light on the LatinX identity and experience in the U.S.

What is Williams role in the show?

The Little Fires Everywhere actor returns to Hulu as Matteo Jones. A proud Brooklyn native collects music, objects, trivia, and opinions. He may come across as a know it all but is genuinely curious about everything. He knows that people try to put everyone and everything into boxes and he is committed to staying out of the box.

This is Williams first acting role on TV after he left Greys Anatomy this May. The actor also has a Broadway production slated for next year along with a few movies like Jerry Bruckheimers Secret Headquarters.

While it wont be until next year that Williams will appear on screen or on stage, loyal Avery fans will wait to see Williams back.

This cast is straight up blowing my mind! @iJesseWilliams https://t.co/3A8WrfdKf2  Xochitl Gonzalez (@XochitltheG) August 30, 2021



RELATED: Greys Anatomy: Jesse Williams Says This Episode was the Turning Point for Jackson Avery
Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick made headlines after the Keeping Up With the Kardashians stars baby daddy sounded off on her relationship with Travis Barker. Since the pair began dating last year, rumors have swirled that Disick isnt too happy about his longtime ex moving on. He added fuel to the reports when he tried to bond with Kardashians other ex, Younes Bendjima.

Although the exchange between Disick and Bendjima went viral, the Poosh founder reportedly always knew her ex and former castmate wasnt entirely over their 2014 breakup.

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker | Photopix/GC Images

Kourtney Kardashian wishes Scott Disick didnt DM Younes Bendjima about Travis Barker

Throughout the years, Kardashian and Disick received praise for their seemingly perfect co-parenting relationship. After breaking up for the final time, the parents focused solely on their children- Mason, 11, Penelope, 9, and Reign, 6. Additionally, Disick remained a part of KUWTK until the show wrapped in June 2021.

Younes Bendjima posted a screenshot of a private conversation between him and Scott Disick who was clearly attempting to join forces in criticizing Kourtney. https://t.co/WaThS6TUKo  BuzzFeed Celeb (@BuzzFeedCeleb) August 31, 2021

RELATED: KUWTK: Kourtney Kardashian Shocks Fans After She Says She Will Miss the Show

In Aug. 2021, the Flip It Like Disick stars feelings about Kardashian and Barker came to light. During her and Barkers vacation in Italy, photos surfaced of the two having several PDA moments on a yacht. Soon, Disick screenshotted one of the pictures and sent it to Bendjima. The E! star wrote, Yo is this chick ok!???? Broooo like what is this. In the middle of Italy, to the model underneath the photo.

Ultimately, Bendjima shared Disicks message with his Instagram followers. The screengrab circulated across social media and reportedly made its way to Kardashian. A source tells E! News that the Kar-Jenner is not surprised by Disicks actions. The source added that Kardashian believes her ex still has issues accepting her love with Travis because he hopes theyll eventually reunite.

She just wishes he would know better than to reach out to Younes of all people, the insider says, adding, Younes can never be trusted, and Scott knows that.

What is up with Kourtney and Scott?

Disicks DM came several weeks after he admitted that he didnt like seeing Kardashian with Bendjima. During the KUWTK Final Curtain reunion, he declared the model wasnt a favorite among the famous clan. In his caption of the screenshot, Bendjima warned the father of three to keep the same energy you had about me publicly, privately.

Many KUWTK fans watched the relationship between Kardashian and Disick unfold for over a decade. However, after years of Disicks infidelity and substance misuse, the couple parted ways in 2014. In 2017, Kardashians ex began dating Sofia Richie.

RELATED: Why KUWTK Fans Believe These 2 Kar-Jenner Sisters Are the Most Self-Absorbed

Ahead of his DM debacle, Disick has said that he hopes to end up with Kardashian again one day. In a trailer for the final season of Keeping Up, he said they should be together despite being in other relationships. Disick and Amelia Hamlin started dating in Oct. 2020.

Wherever Kourt stands, I stand with her forever, he said. I love you. And Im ready to marry you, right here, right now.

Kourtney knows that eventually well get married and live a good life, Disick continued.

How does Kourtney Kardashians boyfriend, Travis Barker, feel about Scott Disicks DM?

Although Kardashian has yet to make a public statement, Barker addressed Disicks comment with humor. According to Page Six, the Blink-182 performer posted a photo of a scene from Goodfellas. The captionless picture shows actor Ray Liotta laughing hysterically.

Kardashian and Barker were close friends for many years before their romance began. The performer has two children- Alabama and Landon, from his marriage to Shanna Moakler.

RELATED: Travis Barkers Ex, Shanna Moakler, Slams Kourtney Kardashian Again by Claiming She Destroyed Her Family
Younes Bendjima rose to fame in 2016 when he began dating Kourtney Kardashian after she broke up with long-time boyfriend Scott Disick. Bendjima and Kardashian have since broken up.

Recently, Bendjima made headlines after he leaked a DM that Disick reportedly sent him. However, some fans believe he did not handle the situation correctly.

(L) Younes Bendjima | Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images, (R) Scott Disick | Presley Ann/Getty Images

What happened with Younes Bendjima and Scott Disick?

On Aug. 30, Bendjima took to Instagram Stories to share a DM that Disick allegedly sent him. According to the screenshot Bendjima took, Disick sent him a paparazzi photo of Kardashian and her current boyfriend, Travis Barker, engaging in PDA during their trip to Italy.

Yo is this chick ok!???? Disick allegedly wrote. Broooo like what is this. In the middle of Italy.

In response, Bendjima said, Doesnt matter to me as long as shes happy. PS: I aint your bro.

Afterward, Bendjima also wrote in another Instagram Story post, Couldnt miss this one. He been playing around for too long, tired to stay quiet and be the nice guy. Back to work now.

Some fans disagree with how Younes Bendjima handled the situation

Not Kourtney Kardashians ex posting this DM from Scott Disick on his Instagram Story pic.twitter.com/5wwflq3XCN  Gibson Johns (@gibsonoma) August 31, 2021

RELATED: KUWTK: Kourtney Kardashian Reveals That Her Family Is Part of the Reason Why She and Scott Disick Never Got Back Together

While some people commended Bendjima for taking the high road and not talking negatively about Kardashian, some fans wonder if he really needed to post the DM publicly.

If he really cared and had her back, he wouldve messaged her privately or found a way to reach out and let her know so that she could deal with her family drama in her own way, one person wrote on Reddit. Instead, he posted it publicly for the whole world to see. I dont think Kourtney should be embarrassed, but if I were her and I found out along with the rest of the world that the father of my children was talking shit about me like that, I would be humiliated.

Another user agreed, saying, Youre so right, he just wanted to make himself look good by posting it.

Some fans also brought up the possibility that putting Disick on blast could affect his and Kardashians kids, especially the older ones.

However, there are fans who sympathize with Bendjima, especially because Disick has talked negatively about him in the past.

How Kourtney Kardashian reportedly reacted

RELATED: Why Kourtney Kardashian Doesnt Care About Travis Barkers Past With Sister Kim

According to E! News, Kardashian was not surprised to see Disick allegedly reacting in that way to her new relationship. A source shared, She just wishes he would know better than to reach out to Younes of all people. Younes can never be trusted and Scott knows that.

The insider also said that Kardashian understood Disick had a moment of weakness and did something impulsive that he will now regret.

Meanwhile, Kardashian has not been talking much with Bendjima.

Kourtney is cordial with Younes but thats it, the source alleged. She doesnt trust him or his intentions.

The insider ended by saying that Kardashian is madly in love with Barker and wants people to get over any objections they have to the relationship.
The Handmaids Tale, is a dystopian story based on the classic novel by Margaret Atwood. The fictional Republic of Gilead is a patriarchal society existing in New England in and around the early 2000s. Although the setting is mostly in Cambridge, Mass., a small suburb of Boston, in later seasons, the show takes place in Chicago and Canada. The Hulu original television series has received 75 Emmy Award nominations so far, with 15 wins. Unbeknownst to many fans, filming didnt always exactly mirror the location in the story. So where is The Handmaids Tale filmed?

Where is The Handmaids Tale filmed?

Elisabeth Moss and The Handmaids Tale Season 4 Episode 2 cast | Jasper Savage/Hulu

While most viewers think The Handmaids Tale occurred in the suburbs of Boston, many of the exterior shots in the first season actually took place in Cambridge, Ontario.

Similar in style, the planned community, established in 1816, sits at the convergence of two rivers. According to New Canadian Life, the stone buildings, distillers, and old woolen mills are part of the areas humble beginnings. The iconic bridge, the wall where the women are hanged, and a local coffee shop were all used for filming in the small town of Cambridge.

The following seasons were also shot in Ontario, Canada, where Atwood was born. The primary locations were Toronto, Hamilton, and Cambridge. Smaller Canadian towns and cities, such as Brantford and Mississauga, were also used. Toronto City Hall was a prominent filming location, and many streets and buildings throughout the city replicated the Boston skyline.

There is an infamous scene in season 2 where the handmaids gathered in Bostons Fenway Park awaiting execution. The Sun reported producers needed a place where the grass was long, so they utilized the Bernie Arbour Stadium in Hamilton, Canada, to replicate Fenway.

According to IMDb, filming in Toronto proved challenging. Production for all seasons took place over the winter months when temperatures often dropped well below 0 on set.

Filming in Washington, D.C., was tricky but well worth the effort

In season 3, episode 6, the Hulu series requested access to film at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., for a pivotal scene. According to Variety, the one-day shoot took seven months of planning.

Since the location is a National Monument, strict regulations were in place. The crew was permitted to film in the chamber area but was limited to five people at a time, and no audio recording was allowed.

Painters tape and chalk for marking positions were not allowed. Lighting and camera equipment were forbidden to touch the irreplaceable marble floor. Crews could not restrict public access to the National Historic Site, and D.C. police officers had to transport the prop guns onto the set.

The Washington Monument was turned into a giant cross

Remember when "The Handmaid's Tale" filmed in D.C. earlier this year? Well here's how our fair city appears on the show. https://t.co/mh2R0DbgC7 pic.twitter.com/hWgWIVkGqz  DCist (@DCist) June 28, 2019

The epic scene filmed on the National Mall included 200 extras dressed in red handmaid uniforms with oversized white bonnets aligned on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

National Public Radio (NPR) host Lynn Neary was at the location and talked to producer Kim Todd, who told her the 200 women would look like a lot more. She explained, We will replicate those with our visual effects so that the final shot will have thousands of handmaids stretching down the Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Through the power of movie magic and digital effects, the Washington Monument was transformed into a giant cross.

The Handmaids Tale executive producer Warren Littlefield said June (Elisabeth Moss) was kneeling on the exact same spot where Martin Luther King gave his I Have A Dream speech. Calling it a powerful experience, he said, Yeah, goosebumps and chills over what that means.

RELATED: The Handmaids Tale Author Said People Were Affronted by the Use of This Real Location in the Book
An international team of researchers led by Stanford University have developed rechargeable batteries that can store up to six times more charge than ones that are currently commercially available.

The advance, detailed in a new paper published Aug. 25 in the journal Nature, could accelerate the use of rechargeable batteries and puts battery researchers one step closer toward achieving two top stated goals of their field: creating a high-performance rechargeable battery that could enable cellphones to be charged only once a week instead of daily and electric vehicles that can travel six times farther without a recharge.

The new so-called alkali metal-chlorine batteries, developed by a team of researchers led by Stanford chemistry professor Hongjie Dai and doctoral candidate Guanzhou Zhu, relies on the back-and-forth chemical conversion of sodium chloride or lithium chloride to chlorine. They created a working prototype sodium metal-chlorine coin battery as a proof of concept.

When electrons travel from one side of a rechargeable battery to the other, recharging reverts the chemistry back to its original state to await another use. Non-rechargeable batteries have no such luck. Once drained, their chemistry cannot be restored.

A rechargeable battery is a bit like a rocking chair. It tips in one direction, but then rocks back when you add electricity, Dai explained. What we have here is a high-rocking rocking chair.

Serendipitous discovery

The reason no one had yet created a high-performance rechargeable sodium-chlorine or lithium-chlorine battery is that chlorine is too reactive and challenging to convert back to a chloride with high efficiency. In the few cases where others were able to achieve a certain degree of rechargeability, the battery performance proved poor.

In fact, Dai and Zhu did not set out to create a rechargeable sodium and lithium-chlorine battery at all, but merely to improve their existing battery technologies using thionyl chloride. This chemical is one of the main ingredients of lithium-thionyl chloride batteries, which are a popular type of single-use battery first invented in the 1970s.

But in one of their early experiments involving chlorine and sodium chloride, the Stanford researchers noticed that the conversion of one chemical to another had somehow stabilized, resulting in some rechargeability. I didnt think it was possible, Dai said. It took us about at least a year to really realize what was going on.

Over the next several years, the team elucidated the reversible chemistries and sought ways to make it more efficient by experimenting with many different materials for the batterys positive electrode. The big breakthrough came when they formed the electrode using an advanced porous carbon material from collaborators Professor Yuan-Yao Li and his student Hung-Chun Tai from the National Chung Cheng University of Taiwan. The carbon material has a nanosphere structure filled with many ultra-tiny pores. In practice, these hollow spheres act like a sponge, sopping up copious amounts of otherwise touchy chlorine molecules and storing them for later conversion to salt inside the micropores.

The chlorine molecule is being trapped and protected in the tiny pores of the carbon nanospheres when the battery is charged, Zhu explained. Then, when the battery needs to be drained or discharged, we can discharge the battery and convert chlorine to make NaCl  table salt  and repeat this process over many cycles. We can cycle up to 200 times currently and theres still room for improvement.

The result is a step toward the brass ring of battery design  high energy density. The researchers have so far achieved 1,200 milliamp hours per gram of positive electrode material, while the capacity of commercial lithium-ion battery today is up to 200 milliamp hours per gram. Ours has at least six times higher capacity, Zhu said.

The researchers envision their batteries one day being used in situations where frequent recharging is not practical or desirable, such as in satellites or remote sensors. Many otherwise usable satellites are now floating in orbit, obsolete due to their dead batteries. Future satellites equipped with long-lived rechargeable batteries could be fitted with solar chargers, extending their usefulness many times over.

For now though, the working prototype theyve developed might still be suitable for use in small everyday electronics like hearing aids or remote controls. For consumer electronics or electrical vehicles, much more work remains to engineer the battery structure, increase the energy density, scale up the batteries and increase the number of cycles.
Graveside Service will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 18, 2021 at the Rose Hill Cemetery. Service will be under the direction of Sevier Funeral Home. Richard (Ricky) Paul Pace was born on June 30, 1957 in Chickasha, OK. He passed away Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at his home in Chickasha, OK
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to authorize a $400,000 payment to settle a legal battle with Grace Community Church over lead pastor John MacArthurs defiance of COVID-19 restrictions in the early months of the pandemic.

Under the agreement, which the board unanimously approved without discussion, the state of California will also pay the church $400,000.

This agreement, county officials said, was reached in the context of the US Supreme Courts decision in February that told California it couldnt enforce a ban on indoor worship because of the coronavirus pandemic. LA County modified its health order and lifted the indoor worship ban after the ruling.

After the US Supreme Court ruled that some public health safety measures could not apply to houses of worship, resolving this litigation is the responsible and appropriate thing to do, read a statement from county officials. From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles County has been committed to protecting the health and safety of its residents. We are grateful to the countys faith organizations for their continued partnership to keep their congregants and the entire community safe and protected from COVID-19.

This decision also comes just days after MacArthur, during his Sunday sermon, confirmed he and his wife had contracted COVID-19 last winter. MacArthur also said many people contracted the coronavirus, adding it probably went through our church in maybe December or January.

Patricia and I enjoyed our own bout with COVID for about a week and a half, said MacArthur, who was absent from the pulpit late December.

MacArthur on Sunday said the settlement money would go to the Thomas More Society, which represented the church in this court case.

Nothing will come to us except the affirmation that the Lord preserved and protected us through this, MacArthur said.

MacArthur, in July 2020, held in-person services with congregants singing and sitting next to each other without masks, flouting COVID-19 public health orders that temporarily banned indoor religious services at the time.

Attorneys representing MacArthur filed a suit in August 2020 against California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state, city, and county officials, saying the states restrictions on large group meetings and singing restricted its religious freedom. County officials then sued the church to require it to comply with COVID-19 protocolsincluding barring large group indoor worship and requiring social distancing at outdoor worship.

On Sunday, MacArthur told congregants the natural immunity that God has designed is the greatest protection. MacArthur cited a study suggesting those who recover from COVID-19 have more immunity than people who didnt get COVID-19 and got the vaccine.

God has a way of taking care of us as we love each other and share our germs, MacArthur told congregants, who laughed in response on Sunday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report in early August saying vaccination offers higher protection than previous COVID-19 infection alone.

The CDC study found unvaccinated individuals were more than twice as likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated after initially contracting the virus.
Christians a little less scared of COVID-19 because they believe in eternal life, Mississippi gov. says

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Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves doubled-down on comments he made last Thursday suggesting that the faith of Christians in his state and other parts of the South makes them "a little less scared" of COVID-19, but made it clear he was not endorsing the flouting of public health guidelines amid the pandemic.

Responding to a question from The Associated Press during a news conference Monday, where he was asked to clarify what he meant by his comments, Reeves said, What I meant when I said that is exactly what I said.

Now, I feel certain you read the article in which the very next sentence after I said what you just asked. I also said that the Bible also teaches us to take necessary precautions. And in our state and in our nation right now, there are certainly necessary precautions that we can take with respect to COVID. But I believe very strongly in my faith, Reeves said before citing John 3:16 from the Bible to support his position.

I believe very strongly in what the Bible says, and the Bibles very clear that Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life, Reeves said. And that is my worldview. Its how I believe; its what drives me every single day, and I think its what drives a large number of Mississippians. We should take necessary precautions with respect to COVID, but we also understand that we do have everlasting life if we believe in Jesus, if we believe in God the Father, and I certainly do.

Reeves first said that faith made Christians in his state and other parts of the South a little less scared of COVID-19 at an Aug. 26 fundraiser held at the Eads home of Shelby County Election Commission Chairman Brent Taylor, according to the Daily Memphian.

Im often asked by some of my friends on the other side of the aisle about COVID  and why does it seem like folks in Mississippi and maybe in the Mid-South are a little less scared, shall we say, Reeves said.

When you believe in eternal life  when you believe that living on this Earth is but a blip on the screen, then you dont have to be so scared of things, he said before adding: Now, God also tells us to take necessary precautions.

And we all have opportunities and abilities to do that, and we should all do that. I encourage everyone to do so. But the reality is that working together, we can get beyond this. We can move forward. We can move on.

Numbers posted by the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 tracker Monday show that during the week that ended Saturday, Mississippi had 102.3 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents and nearly 1.4 new coronavirus deaths per 100,000 residents. Mississippi also reported nearly 8,000 new COVID-19 cases during the weekend. Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, Mississippi has had 439,611 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases and 8,490 deaths among its over 2.9 million residents, the state Health Department said.
New Bible translation embraces Native American storytelling for indigenous believers

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A new English translation of the New Testament specifically aimed toward conveying Christian beliefs through Native American cultural concepts and storytelling has been released.

Titled the First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament, it was released Tuesday by InterVarsity Press.

The English translation sought to balance common cultural patterns of Native Americans while also staying accurate to Christian theological concepts stated within the New Testament.

One example is John 3:16, rendered in the commonly used New International Version as For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

In the FNV, it is rendered, The Great Spirit loves this world of human beings so deeply he gave us his Son  the only Son who fully represents him. All who trust in him and his way will not come to a bad end, but will have the life of the world to come that never fades  full of beauty and harmony.

IVP Senior Editor Al Hsu told The Christian Post that the project had extensive input from Native Americans representing a diverse array of tribes in North America.

The lead translator, Terry Wildman, himself of Native American origin, worked with a 12-member council of Native Americans from different tribes and locations, including men, women, pastors, elders and young adults.

The team has engaged with indigenous churches, sharing samples and garnering feedback about potential use throughout the process. Additional reviewers and cultural consultants from over 25 different tribal heritages were also in partnership with the team throughout the process, explained Hsu.

The feedback received from Native churches, leaders and Bible scholars after over 1,300 received draft versions of the translation of the book of Luke was overwhelmingly positive and many suggestions were also incorporated.

Additionally, noted Hsu, there was close collaboration on the project with groups including Wycliffe Associates of Orlando and OneBook, a Canadian organization that focuses on helping translation projects for indigenous peoples all across the planet.

There just haven't been many Bible translations specifically for Native Americans, and certainly not translations done by Natives for Natives. Most Bible translation and Christian publishing has been done by predominantly white communities, continued Hsu.

While this has, of course, produced many excellent English language Bible translations for our study and edification, we may have missed some things in Scripture.

According to an online description, the First Nations Version recounts Christian Scriptures "following the tradition of Native storytellers' oral cultures."

"This way of speaking, with its simple yet profound beauty and rich cultural idioms, still resonates in the hearts of First Nations people," the description reads.

InterVarsity acquired the publishing rights for the FNV Bible in response to its usage by their campus ministry wing, specifically its outreach to First Nations peoples, Native InterVarsity.

We reviewed the FNV Gospels and some of the Epistles, and we were impressed with its fresh, vivid rendering of Scripture in ways that harkened back to its original biblical context, recalled Hsu.

InterVarsity and IVP have from the beginning been committed to helping readers understand, experience, and live out the truth of Scripture, and so we picked up the publishing rights for the FNV New Testament as one way of helping readers discover God's Word anew.

In recent years, there have been multiple efforts by Christian churches and ministries to improve outreach to Native American populations through reconciliation projects and translations of religious works.

In 2018, for example, the Episcopal Church bestowed a $45,000 grant to the Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota for a project aimed at translating the Book of Common Prayer into contemporary Lakota.
Raised by 3 gay parents, man vowed to never become a Christian  but his quest to disprove the Bible changed everything

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Author Caleb Kaltenbach once found himself saying, I never want to be a Christian, but a blatant attempt to try and disprove the Bible left him in the most surprising of circumstances: accepting Christianity and transforming his heart and mind in the process.

Kaltenbachs faith journey and theological views are especially surprising considering he was raised by three gay parents in an activistic environment before his conversion.

LISTEN: HEAR KALTENBACH SHARE HIS POWERFUL CONVERSION STORY

My parents divorced when I was 2 and they both went into same-sex relationships, he told the Edifi With Billy Hallowell podcast.

That journey led Kaltenbach and his family into years of pro-LGBT activism where he often encountered hate and anger from some who called themselves Christians  people who left him feeling in his early years as though hed never want to be part of the faith.

I learned real quick from things that I saw in pride parades, the way how I saw Christians treat people, the way how I saw families ignore their young sons dying of AIDS in the 1980s  I saw real quick that Christians hated gay people, he said. And I thought to myself, Man, I never want to be a Christian. If Christians are this bad, I cant imagine how awful Jesus must be if Hes their leader.

But something unexpected happened during his teen years. Kaltenbach joined a Bible study when he was 16 in an effort to try and disprove Christianity. Despite his best efforts, Kaltenbach shockingly found himself captivated by Scripture  and everything changed.

FREE: DOWNLOAD THE EDIFI PODCAST APP FOR THE BEST CHRISTIAN SHOWS

I became a Christian, changed my view on sexuality to what I hold today  that God designed sexual intimacy and affection to be expressed in a marriage between a man and a woman, he said.

The journey from there wasnt easy, especially when Kaltenbachs family found out about his conversion. His parents kicked him out of the house, though they later reconciled.

I think my parents realized eventually that I was not one of those Christians, he explained, referring to the angry people his family had encountered during his younger years.

Kaltenbachs faith journey didnt stop there; he decided to go into ministry and became a pastor. As for his parents, they, too, became Christians in their later years.

In addition to holding biblical views on marriage, Kaltenbach said he also embraces another contention: that theological beliefs should never be catalysts to devalue others.

Hes tackling these beliefs in his new book, Messy Truth: How to Foster Community Without Sacrificing Conviction, as he continues to help Christians find a balance between truth and love and to create "a sense of belonging for all people."

LISTEN: HEAR OTHER EPISODES OF EDIFI WITH BILLY HALLOWELL

Kaltenbach told Edifi that he believes its important for Christians to show empathy for others, but differentiated between having compassion and abandoning values.

We need to employ a lot of empathy  I dont mean empathy as being a pushover, he said. To me, empathy is similar to humility  empathy is acknowledging somebodys reality.

It is from there that Kaltenbach believes people can be reached with the Gospel.

As for cultures current swing away from traditional values, Kaltenbach admitted that it has been difficult to watch, but he continues on his journey to help Christians process societal changes in positive and uplifting ways.

Listen to the full interview to hear more about Kaltenbachs views and his journey.
Texas bill banning abortion as early as 6 weeks goes into effect despite legal challenges

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A sweeping pro-life law that bans abortions as early as six weeks gestation went into effect in Texas Wednesday as the judicial branch has rejected challenges to the measure from abortion providers and advocacy groups.

Senate Bill 8, signed into law by Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May, went into effect early morning Wednesday.

The bill bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, usually at around six weeks gestation. It also allows individuals to take civil action against anyone who performs and induces an abortion or knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion, including paying for or reimbursing the costs of abortion through insurance or otherwise.

On July 13, nearly two months after Abbott signed the legislation, a group of abortion providers and pro-abortion nonprofit organizations filed a lawsuit seeking to block the measure from becoming law.

So far, efforts to convince the judicial branch to strike down the law have not had success.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals canceled a hearing that was set for Monday. The Texas Tribune reported that 20 abortion providers sought to convince a court in Austin to block the law from taking effect.

Pro-choice groups filed emergency motions with the 5th Circuit, asking the appellate court to either block the law from taking effect or send the case back to the district court. The appellate court denied the requests.

On Monday, lawyers for Planned Parenthood and abortion providers filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the high court to block the law. Justice Samuel Alito, the circuit justice for the 5th Circuit and one of the most reliable pro-life jurists on the high court, will consider their motion.

John Seago, Texas Right to Lifes legislative director, described the appeal to the Supreme Court as the abortion industrys last desperate attempt to block the life-saving Texas Heartbeat Act from taking effect Wednesday.

In a statement, Seago called the lawsuit "invalid" and is "hopeful that Justice Alito will examine the compelling arguments raised explaining why the case should ultimately be dismissed.

A Travis County judge issued a temporary restraining order against Texas Right to Life and Seago, preventing them from filing lawsuits under the new law against three plaintiffs they claim are abetting in the abortion process. The ruling does not impact any other citizens ability to sue for violations of the law.

The Travis County judges ruling follows a lawsuit filed last week by pro-abortion attorney Michelle Tuegel against the pro-life organization and several Texas elected officials, including Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Tuegel expressed concern that because she plans to continue providing her clients with advice related to abortion services, she could face criminal charges for aiding and abetting abortions.

Texas Right to Life asserted that in addition to preventing them from suing Tuegel, the ruling forbids them from suing a pro-abortion social worker and an organization called The Bridge Collective. The pro-life group maintained that Texas Right to Life never threatened to sue these specific plaintiffs.

According to Texas Right to Life, Texas is the first state in the nation to "successfully enforce a ban on abortions when the preborn childs heartbeat is detectable."

While many other states have passed heartbeat bills, they have faced resistance from the courts.

In the past, judges have invalidated heartbeat bills passed in Mississippi, Georgia,Missouri and Iowa. This year, after a district court judge struck down South Carolinas heartbeat ban, the state filed an appeal asking the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse the decision.

Senate Bill 8 is one of several pro-life laws introduced and implemented at the state level in 2021. The pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute has characterized this year as the most devastating antiabortion state legislative session in decades. A report from the group found that more than 500 pro-life bills were introduced in the first four months of 2021 alone.

The Supreme Court has announced earlier this year that it will hear a challenge to Mississippis 15-week abortion ban. Pro-life groups have hailed this development as a landmark opportunity to chip away at the precedent set by the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which ruled that women have the right to have an abortion while states have more freedom to regulate abortions later in pregnancy.
WHO tracking new coronavirus variant mu and its resistant to vaccines

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The World Health Organization announced it is now tracking a new coronavirus variant known as mu, or B.1.621. Early data suggest the variant is showing resistance to COVID-19 vaccines similar to the beta variant, which one recent study suggests is deadlier than all other variants.

In its weekly epidemiological update published Tuesday, the WHO explained that mu was first identified in Colombia in January 2021 but officially flagged it as a variant of interest on Monday.

Variants of interest usually cause significant community transmission or multiple COVID-19 clusters, in multiple countries with increasing relative prevalence alongside increasing number of cases over time, or other apparent epidemiological impacts to suggest an emerging risk to global public health."

The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape," the global health agency noted. "Preliminary data presented to the Virus Evolution Working Group show a reduction in neutralization capacity of convalescent and vaccinee sera similar to that seen for the Beta variant, but this needs to be confirmed by further studies.

According to GISAID, over 2,000 cases of mu variant have been reported in the United States. That marks the highest number of all the countries where mu cases were reported.

Since its first identification in Colombia in January 2021, there have been a few sporadic reports of cases of the Mu variant and some larger outbreaks have been reported from other countries in South America and in Europe. As of 29 August, over 4500 sequences (3794 sequences of B.1.621 and 856 sequences of B.1.621.1) have been uploaded to GISAID from 39 countries, the WHO report states.

Although the global prevalence of the Mu variant among sequenced cases has declined and is currently below 0.1%, the prevalence in Colombia (39%) and Ecuador (13%) has consistently increased. The reported prevalence should be interpreted with due consideration of sequencing capacities and timeliness of sharing of sequences, both of which vary between countries. More studies are required to understand the phenotypic and clinical characteristics of this variant. The epidemiology of the Mu variant in South America, particularly with the co-circulation of the Delta variant, will be monitored for changes, the international health agency added.

Since WHO declared the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, nearly 216 million cases of the virus have been reported, and just under 4.5 million people have died.

WHO is tracking four coronavirus variants of concern: alpha, beta, delta and gamma. It is also monitoring five variants of interest, including mu, eta, iota, kappa and lambda,

In a report published in August, researchers from Qatar evaluated the severity, acute-care hospitalization, criticality, ICU hospitalization and fatality of both the alpha and beta variants of the virus through eight case-control studies.

The study came after the Arab nation experienced a severe wave of alpha variant COVID-19 infections beginning in mid-January, which peaked in March. This wave was then immediately followed by the beta variant that peaked in the first week of April.

According to researchers: The Alpha variant presented a 48% higher risk of severe disease than wild-type variants in the population of Qatar, affirming its greater gravity.

Data on the beta variant was even more troubling.

Infection with the Beta variant was associated with even greater risks of severe and critical disease and COVID-19 death, affirming earlier observational analyses suggesting its high gravity. Compared to the Alpha variant, infections with the Beta variant posed a 24% higher risk of severe disease, 49% higher risk of critical disease, and 57% higher risk of COVID-19 death, researchers said.
Center Point Church pastor dies from COVID-19 after congregation fasts, prays

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Nearly two weeks after he was diagnosed with COVID-19, a beloved Kentucky pastor has died from the virus despite desperate prayers from his congregation asking the Lord to restore him back to his normal self.

Center Point Church in Lexington announced the passing Thursday of Senior Pastor Tim Parsons in a statement posted on Facebook.

We are saddened by the loss of our beloved Lead Pastor, Tim Parsons," the statement reads. "He was loved by many and he leaves an impactful legacy in the lives of thousands of people. We are grateful that he is now in the presence of the Savior he loved so deeply and proclaimed so passionately."

Parsons' health rapidly deteriorated after he was diagnosed with the virus on Aug. 9. He was hospitalized a few days later. Congregants prayed earnestly for God to restore the pastor in an online service last week. A day before Parsons death was announced, the church embarked on a period of prayer and fasting. They pleaded with God for his healing and a list of other needs.

He leaves behind his wife, Susan, and their three children.

Members and church leaders gathered at the church Thursday to comfort each other while others connected remotely.

Church officials were not immediately available for further comment when contacted by The Christian Post Friday.

In September 2005, Parsons and others planted Center Point Church on the east side of Lexington with the aim to "take everyone we meet one step closer to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ." Since then, the church has baptized hundreds and is attended by hundreds each week.

Dan DeWitt, founding director of the Center for Biblical Apologetics and Public Christianity at Cedarville University in Ohio and a former vice president for communications at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, remembers Parsons as an inspiring professor who encouraged him in college.

There was a day in my undergrad when one of my professors - who I didn't think really liked me much - pulled me aside and told me he thought God had leadership opportunities for me based on some specific observations he shared with me about my life," Dewitt said in a statement on Facebook Thursday.

"That moment filled my heart with encouragement and vision. Throughout the years Tim Parsons has continued to be that kind of encourager to me. He went to be with Jesus after a battle with COVID. But man, did he live his life. And boy, did he finish strong. Thank you God for Pastor Tim. Father in Heaven, please be with his family and his church.

Dewitt further announced to his students that he planned on doing all his lessons until Labor Day through Zoom.

Given the COVID spike on campus, I will be doing all my classes through Zoom until Labor Day. Students, please stay safe. Given the online option, you can stream the class from anywhere for those who feel more comfortable heading home for now, he explained on Twitter. No one is more ready for COVID to no longer be a thing than the families of those personally impacted. We can all do our part to make wise decisions that are well-informed and aimed at serving others. Let's care well and stay well.
Postcard from Colorados Grand County

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Grand County may upon first impression feel like any other place in Colorados High Country. Yet, there is something that sets it apart from some of the better-known destinations.

That something is the ability to have multiple experiences over the course of just a few days without ever leaving the countys 1,870 square miles.

The peaks, cliffs and endless natural beauty of the Master Artists handiwork are mostly unspoiled. Sure, outposts of Starbucks and McDonalds can be found along U.S. Highway 40 but there are no ritzy resort factories. One of the few chain hotels is a utilitarian Holiday Inn Express.

My visit to Grand County started in Winter Park, a fairly typical purpose-built town with a ski resort.

Located two hours by car from Denver, this is a convenient first stop.

The big draw here is everything outdoors. One such activity is an off-road excursion through the Arapahoe National Forest to Corona Pass, also called Rollins Pass, which at 11,660 feet in elevation is the top of the Continental Divide  a contiguous ridge on the continent that marks the spot where water either flows east to the Atlantic or west to the Pacific. I reached the summit on an early morning guided all-terrain vehicle trip with a half-dozen other people. In hindsight, I would have rented my own ATV as group tours always feel rushed.

Forty-five minutes to the Northwest is Kremmling, an old ranching town situated in a valley called Middle Park at the confluence of Muddy Creek and the Blue and Colorado rivers.

This location, not far from the headwaters of the Colorado River, makes it a popular spot for adventure with some of the best rafting, kayaking and fishing anywhere in Colorado. In latter case, its fly-fishing in gold medal-designated waters.

Between Winter Park and Kremmling are the towns of Granby, the countys most populous community with around 2,000 souls, and Hot Sulphur Springs, the county seat.

Granby is also where you turn on U.S. Highway 34 for Grand Lake. The unpretentious community is built around the states largest natural lake, which, as you might expect, is also called Grand Lake.

As you get closer to Grand Lake, the western gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park, a fire-charred landscape comes into focus.

It was here last year where the East Troublesome Fire burned 193,812 acres.

Hundreds of homes  totaling over $146 million in value  were destroyed as the second-largest wildfire in state history exploded across this swath of remote Colorado and threatened the town proper with its predominantly wood buildings. Think log cabins and Adirondack-style homes. Full recovery is years away, but many businesses, as well as world-class hiking trails within the national park, are once again open.

If you go

Stay a couple of miles north of Winter Park in Fraser at the Holiday Inn Express. Alternatively, book a short-term vacation rental through Stay Winter Park. Another option is the Western Riviera in Grand Lake. The old-school motel was featured on the Travel Channels Hotel Impossible.

For restaurants, the Granby Garage, Tabernash Tavern, Denos Mountain Bistro and Backstreet Steakhouse are recommended.

Mad Adventures is one of the better operators of excursions and guided tours. Their offerings include Corona Pass (both private and groups) and Colorado River rafting trips.

Be sure to stop at the Pioneer Village Museum in Hot Sulphur Springs to learn about how Grand County was first settled. You can even see the original jail and courthouse, both of which look straight out of an Old West movie.

In Grand Lake, the annual U.S. Constitution Week festival runs Sept. 13-19.

I flew into Denver International Airport, where I had to wait over two hours for a rental car due to Hertzs ongoing inventory issues as it emerges from bankruptcy. Depending on airfares, rental car rates and flight schedules, you may want to look at Yampa Valley Regional Airport. Besides United, Southwest has daily service during the summer and fall to and from the airport by Steamboat Springs.

Follow @dennislennox on Instagram and Twitter.
3,000 healthcare workers sue Biden admin. over mandate forcing them to perform sex-change surgeries

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Two associations representing 3,000 medical professionals and an individual doctor based in Tennessee have filed a lawsuit against the Biden administrations Transgender Mandate, arguing that it violates federal conscience protection laws.

The American College of Pediatricians and the Catholic Medical Association, along with Dr. Jeanie Dassow of Chattanooga, filed the suit last week in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

At issue in the court case is the HHS current interpretation of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which bars sex discrimination, to include requiring doctors to perform elective gender-transition procedures, including cosmetic surgeries such as double mastectomies, phalloplasties and orchiectomies (testicle removal).

Defendants named in the suit include the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the HHS Office for Civil Rights and Robinsue Frohboese, acting director and principal deputy in the HHS OCR.

This case challenges whether the federal government can make medical doctors perform gender-transition surgeries, prescribe gender-transition drugs, and speak and write about patients according to gender identity, rather than biological realityregardless of doctors medical judgment or conscientious objections, noted the introduction of the lawsuit.

The suit argues that the HHS rule, known as the Transgender Mandate, violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, as well as the First Amendments Free Speech and Free Exercise of Religion Clauses.

HHS first announced its revised interpretation of the statute in May. The so-called Transgender Surgery Mandate was first implemented by HHS under former President Barack Obama in 2016, but the Trump administration repealed the mandate in 2018.

It is the position of the Department of Health and Human Services that everyone  including LGBTQ people  should be able to access health care, free from discrimination or interference, period, said Becerra in the announcement.

Becerra warned that fears over discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity can lead individuals to forgo care, which can have serious negative health consequences.

Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Ryan Bangert, who is helping to represent the plaintiffs, said in a statement released Thursday that the HHS was grossly overreaching its authority by issuing the mandate.

Forcing doctors to prescribe transition hormones for 13-year-olds or perform life-altering surgeries on adolescents is unlawful, unethical, and dangerous, stated Bangert.

Our clients are rightfully objecting on medical, ethical, religious, and conscientious grounds to this unlawful government mandate to provide gender-transition procedures.

To justify their interpretation, HHS pointed to the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court case Bostock v. Clayton County, in which the high court ruled 6-3 that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applied to sexual orientation and gender identity, even though neither category is specifically mentioned in the federal law: The Supreme Court has made clear that people have a right not to be discriminated against on the basis of sex and receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.

Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the majority opinion for the Bostock decision, concluding that The statutes message for our cases is equally simple and momentous: An individuals homosexuality or transgender status is not relevant to employment decisions.

Thats because it is impossible to discriminate against a person for being homosexual or transgender without discriminating against that individual based on sex, he continued.

Over the years, the Transgender Mandate has been the subject of multiple lawsuits, including one filed by the Franciscan Alliance, a network of Catholic hospitals in Texas.

On Aug. 9, U.S. District Judge Reed OConnor of the Northern District of Texas, appointed to the bench by former President George W. Bush, granted a permanent injunction against the HHS mandate on behalf of the Franciscan Alliance.

OConnor concluded that the mandate violated RFRA by unjustly harming the plaintiffs' religious practices. He specifically contended that the mandate used threats of fines and civil liability to coerce them to perform and provide insurance coverage for gender-transition procedures and abortions.

When the RFRA violation is clear and the threat of irreparable harm is present, a permanent injunction exempting Christian Plaintiffs from that religion-burdening conduct is the appropriate relief, he added.
Biden defends Afghanistan pullout, hails evacuation of '90% of Americans;' 100 to 200 US citizens left behind Taliban parade caskets draped in US, UK flags

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President Joe Biden defended his administration's handling of the pullout of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in a speech at the White House Tuesday, where he thanked the troops for helping to evacuate American civilians from the country.

Biden began the speech by announcing that Last night in Kabul, the United States ended 20 years of war in Afghanistan, the longest war in American history. He also said his administration would continue to evacuate U.S. citizens who are seeking to leave Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.

Our Operation Allied Rescue ended up getting more than 5,500 Americans out, he said. We believe theres about 100 to 200 Americans remaining in Afghanistan with some intention to leave. Most of those who remain are dual citizens, longtime residents who had earlier decided to stay because of their family roots in Afghanistan. The bottom line: 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave.

Our State Department was working 24/7, contacting and talking and in some cases walking Americans into the airport, Biden added. For those who remain, we will make arrangements to get them out if they so choose.

The president addressed the Americans remaining in Afghanistan, stressing that there is no deadline for working to evacuate them.

We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out. Biden noted that Secretary of State Antony Blinken was leading diplomatic efforts to ensure safe passage for any American, Afghan partner, foreign national who wants to leave Afghanistan. Blinken discussed these efforts at a press conference Monday.

Biden also defended abiding by the Aug. 31 deadline, which many Christian groups urged him to push back as concerns grew that the U.S. military would not be able to evacuate all Americans who wanted to leave by then. Leaving Aug. 31 is not due to an arbitrary deadline. It was designed to save American lives, the president asserted.

The decision to end the military lift operations at Kabul Airport was based on the unanimous recommendation of my civilian and military advisors, the secretary of state, the secretary of defense, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and all the service chiefs and the commanders in the field, he maintained.

Biden also urged all Americans to join me in grateful prayer for our troops and diplomats and intelligence officers who carried out this mission of mercy in Kabul and at tremendous risk with such unparalleled results.

After declaring that I take responsibility for the decision to leave Afghanistan, Biden pushed back on those who criticized his handling of the pullout: There is no  evacuation from the end of a war that you can run without the kinds of complexities, challenges and threats we faced.

Biden spent the remainder of his speech elaborating on his foreign policy philosophy, raising questions about the justification for the continued military presence in Afghanistan. What is the vital national interest? he asked. In my view, we only have one: to make sure Afghanistan can never be used again to launch an attack on our homeland.

Recalling how the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks led to the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, he suggested that We had no vital interest in Afghanistan other than to prevent an attack on Americas homeland. According to Biden, We succeeded in what we set out to do in Afghanistan over a decade ago. Then, we stayed for another decade. It was time to end this war.

After telling the American people that I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars a year in Afghanistan, Biden added, We will maintain the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and in other countries, we just dont need to fight a ground war to do it.

Following the U.S. military's withdrawal, supporters of the Taliban paraded caskets draped in the U.S. and U.K. flags and fired weapons into the air in cities throughout Afghanistan, The Telegraph reported.

An ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted slightly before the withdrawal found that 59% of Americans disapproved of Bidens handling of Afghanistan, while 84% of Americans believed that the U.S. military should have stayed in Afghanistan until all Americans were evacuated, even if that meant staying beyond the Aug. 31 deadline.

in his speech, Biden also delivered a message to the terrorist group ISIS-K, which was purportedly responsible for the suicide bombing at Abbey Gate outside the Kabul airport last week that killed 13 U.S. service members and over 170 civilians: We are not done with you yet.

According to a United Nations report, however, it's likely that ISIS-K, which works with the Haqqani Network, merely claimed responsibility for the attack that was carried out by Haqqani.

"On the day the 13 Americans were killed, the Haqqani Network was in charge of Kabul security. The victorious Taliban days earlier had appointed a network leader, wanted terrorist Khalil Haqqani, as Kabuls top security officer. And the Biden administration relied on the Taliban to operate checkpoints around the airport," The Washington Times reported.

Biden said the U.S. was now going to turn the page on its foreign policy of the past two decades: We must stay clearly focused on the fundamental national security interests of the United States of America. This decision about Afghanistan is not just about Afghanistan. Its about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries.

We saw a mission of counterterrorism in Afghanistan  morph into a counterinsurgency, nation-building, trying to create a democratic, cohesive and united Afghanistan, he added. Moving on from that mindset will make us stronger and more effective and safer at home.

He did not take questions after his remarks.
US 'didn't get everybody out that we wanted' before Afghanistan withdrawal: CENTCOM commander

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As the United States military presence in Afghanistan comes to a close, the Biden administration has informed the media that hundreds of Americans who would like to evacuate remain in the country.

Appearing at a press briefing Monday, Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of the United States Central Command, announced the completion of our withdrawal from Afghanistan and the end of the military mission to evacuate American citizens, third-country nationals and vulnerable Afghans.

The press briefing took place the day before the Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal of American troops that the U.S. negotiated with the Taliban, which has taken control of much of the country.

McKenzie explained that while the military evacuation is complete, the diplomatic mission to ensure additional U.S. citizens and eligible Afghans who want to leave continues.

Discussing the weekslong effort to evacuate U.S. citizens and others from the country, he indicated that not every American who wanted to leave was evacuated.

We have evacuated more than 6,000 U.S. civilians, which we believe represents the vast majority of those who wanted to leave at this time, he said.

When asked whether or not there were any American citizens or other civilians who were taken out on the final flights out of Afghanistan, McKenzie said that they were not able to bring any Americans out on the flights.

According to the commander, we continued the outreach and would have been prepared to  bring them on until the very last minute. But none of them made it to the airport and  were able to be accommodated.

McKenzie vowed that although the military phase of this operation has ended, the diplomatic sequel to that will now begin. He said that our Department of State is going to work very hard to get Americans remaining in Afghanistan out using diplomatic channels. He estimated that Americans remaining in Afghanistan number in the  very low hundreds."

Theres a lot of heartbreak associated with this departure, he added. We did not get everybody out that we wanted to get out. But I think if we had stayed another 10 days  we wouldnt have gotten everybody out that we wanted to get out and there still would have been people ... disappointed with that.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken elaborated on the State Departments efforts to evacuate Americans who remain in Afghanistan.

Blinken reported that John Bass, the former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, will spearhead our ongoing work across the State Department to help American citizens and permanent residents, citizens of allied nations, special immigrant visa applicants and Afghans at high risk if any of those people wish to depart Afghanistan.

We believe there are still a small number of Americans, under 200 and likely closer to 100, who remain in Afghanistan and want to leave, he stated. We will hold the Taliban to its pledge to let people freely depart Afghanistan. The Taliban has committed to let anyone with proper documents leave the country in a safe and orderly manner.

Blinken shared a quote from a senior official in the Taliban, who asserted that any Afghans may leave the country, including those who worked for Americans, if they want and for whatever reason there may be.

The secretary pointed to a partnership with more than half the worlds countries, who have insisted that the Taliban let people travel outside Afghanistan freely.

Blinken noted that as of today, more than 100 countries have said that they expect the Taliban to honor travel authorizations by our countries.

In a joint statement, the countries outlined their commitment to ensuring that our citizens, nationals and residents, employees, Afghans who have worked with us and those who are at risk can continue to travel freely to destinations outside Afghanistan.

We have received assurances from the Taliban that all foreign nationals and any Afghan citizen with travel authorization from our countries will be allowed to proceed in a safe and orderly manner to points of departure and travel outside the country, the statement continued. We will continue issuing travel documentation to designated Afghans, and we have the clear expectation of and commitment from the Taliban that they can travel to our respective countries. We note the public statements of the Taliban confirming this understanding.

Signatories of the statement include European countries such as the United Kingdom and France, Latin American countries such as El Salvador and Honduras, African countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone, and the Middle Eastern countries of Israel and Jordan.

In his remarks, Blinken highlighted additional steps the international community took to secure freedom of movement in Afghanistan.

Just a few short hours ago, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution that enshrines that responsibility, laying the groundwork to hold the Taliban accountable if they renege," he said. "So, the international chorus on this is strong and it will stay strong. We will hold the Taliban to their commitment on freedom of movement for foreign nationals, visa holders, at-risk Afghans.

Blinken stressed that while we have expectations of the Taliban, that doesnt mean we will rely on the Taliban.

Any engagement with the Taliban-led government in Kabul will be driven by one thing only: our vital national interest," he said.

Blinken emphasized that the relationship between the U.S. and the Taliban will not operate on the basis of trust or faith. Recent reports speculate that the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network may have played a role and had something to gain from the suicide bombings in and around the airport in Kabul last week that left 13 U.S. soldiers dead.

The withdrawal of the remaining American troops from Afghanistan comes one week before the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks that precipitated U.S. involvement in the country in 2001.

During his remarks Monday, McKenzie illustrated that the war came with a cost of 2,461 U.S. service members and civilians killed and more than 20,000 who were injured.
Court upholds Washington state law banning 'conversion therapy' for gay youth with unwanted attractions

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A federal court has rejected a legal challenge to a Washington state law that prohibits sexual orientation change efforts therapy for minors, or what's often derisively known as "conversion therapy."

U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan issued an order Monday ruling against family therapist Brian Tingley, who sued Washington over its ban on therapy practices to help those with unwanted same-sex attraction.

In his ruling, Bryan rejected Tingley's argument that the law violated his freedom of speech or conscience.

The Washington Conversion Law does not restrain the dissemination of information. It prohibits a licensed therapist from engaging in a specific type of conduct, wrote Bryan.

Plaintiff is free to express and exercise his religious beliefs; he is merely prohibited from engaging in a specific type of conduct while acting as a counselor.

Roger Brooks, senior counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom who represented Tingley in court last week, said in a statement emailed to The Christian Post that he believed all Americans deserve the right to private conversations, free from government censorship.

Washingtons counseling censorship law targets people of faith and threatens to stand between Brians clients and the personal counseling goals they choose to pursue with his help, stated Brooks.

As the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals recognized just last year in the Otto v. Boca Raton decision, laws like this Washington state law violate the First Amendment rights that all Americans rightly treasure.

Brooks vowed that ADF will appeal this decision and continue to defend the freedom of all Americans to peacefully live, work and speak according to their deeply held beliefs without fear of punishment.

In 2018, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed state Senate Bill 5722 into law, which prohibited minors from receiving therapy aimed at changing their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Chad Griffith, president of the prominent LGBT activist group Human Rights Campaign, celebrated the bill's passage, labeling sexual orientation change efforts therapy as a dangerous and abusive practice.

Medical professionals agree this harmful and discredited practice not only doesnt work, but can also have life-threatening consequences, said Griffith in a statement at the time.

In May, Tingley filed the lawsuit challenging the law in district court, arguing in part that it was dangerously vague in its language and violated the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Washington state seeks to insert itself into the privacy of Plaintiffs counseling room and censor his discussion and exploration of certain ideas with his young clients, stated the complaint.

"[T]he law sweeps in even simple conversation, within a voluntary counseling relationship between a minor client and his chosen counselor, in pursuit of personal goals set by the client.
DOJ warns San Franciscos mayor that 1-person limit on church attendance is unconstitutional

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The Justice Department has warned San Francisco Mayor London Breed that the citys limitations on indoor worship to one congregant at a time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is contrary to the Constitution and the nations best tradition of religious freedom.

In response to the city's policy of only allowing one person at a time to enter houses of worship, the Justice Department said in its letter to Breed that the city could not limit places of worship to a single congregant while allowing multiple patrons in other indoor settings including gyms, tattoo parlors, hair salons, massage studios, and daycares.

The limitation is draconian, out of step with the treatment afforded other similar indoor activities in San Francisco, wholly at odds with this Nations traditional understanding of religious liberty, and may violate the First Amendment to the Constitution, wrote Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Eric Dreiband and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California David Anderson.

The letter pointed out that there is no pandemic exception to the Constitution.

Individual rights, including the protections in the Bill of Rights, are always operative and restrain government action. Thus, even in times of emergency, when reasonable, narrowly-tailored, and temporary restrictions may lawfully limit our liberty, the First Amendment and federal statutory law continue to prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers.

Dreiband and Anderson added, Government may not discriminate against religious gatherings compared to other nonreligious gatherings that have the same effect on the governments public health interest, absent compelling reasons.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera responded to the DOJs letter by calling it lobbing careless legal threats.

Herrera added in a statement to KPIX that San Francisco was opening at the speed of safety and that the city planned to allow larger gatherings at churches beyond what is described in the federal governments letter.

Its consistent with San Franciscos careful approach and follows closely behind what the state of California allows, Herrera said.

Herrera said the plan would be implemented Wednesday, allowing indoor religious services at 25% capacity up to 50 people, and outdoor services up to 100 people, with safety protocols.

Last Sunday, three eucharistic processions originating at Catholic parishes throughout the city converged at city hall as protesters participated in the Free the Mass event. From there, attendees marched to the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, where Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone led outdoor mass. Were very tired of being discriminated against because weve proven scientifically we can worship safely inside the church, he said.

Cordileones discrimination claim was in response to the city's lockdown restrictions limiting outdoor worship services to 50 people and only one person at a time for an indoor prayer but no service. Similar limits were not placed on secular businesses such as grocery and retail stores. Cordileone and others accused San Francisco officials of violating citizens' First Amendment rights by enacting such restrictions.

Theres no reason to keep us shut out of church. Its a natural right protected by the First Amendment, Cordileone added.

My rights as an American citizen have been trampled upon, said Guillermo Collado, a member of St. Peters Parish who attended the protest. Were equal under the law. And theyre not treating us that way. Theyre treating us as non-essential, something that can be dispensed with.

According to Becket, a religious liberty law firm, California is one of six states where religious services are prohibited or subject to unequal treatment as compared to the coronavirus restrictions placed on other businesses. The other states are Nevada, Virginia, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine. Beckets tracker of worship restrictions across the 50 states was last updated on Aug. 17.
When Harvard hired an atheist to be the chief university chaplain

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Harvard University was founded as Harvard College in 1636. Its stated purpose was: To train a literate clergy. Among its mottos were, Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae (truth for Christ and Church) and In Christam Gloriam (to the glory of Christ). Now, Harvard has hired an atheist as its chief chaplain. And no, this is not a poor joke.

As reported by the New York Post, This spiritual leader doesnt need a higher power.

Harvard Universitys organization of chaplains is getting a new president to coordinate the campus Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and assorted other religious communities. Only the new president, 44-year-old Greg Epstein, does not identify with any of those traditional religions himself.

He is an atheist.

But how can an atheist be a university chaplain?

Epstein explained to The New York Times, There is a rising group of people who no longer identify with any religious tradition but still experience a real need for conversation and support around what it means to be a good human and live an ethical life.

We dont look to a god for answers. We are each others answers.

The only problem is with Epsteins explanation is, well, everything. He may believe in God or not. He may follow a religion or not. Thats his own business. And he may have some great ideas about living an ethical life.

But to be a chaplain, by definition, means to be a religious leader, not simply a department head or an administrator or someone who believes in ethical living. And so, to appoint an atheist to be chief university chaplain is like appointing a Christian evangelist to head up the universitys atheist club. Or a devout Muslim to head up the universitys Judaism club. It is a total contradiction in both purpose and logic.

As for Epsteins appointment being controversial, thats not how Harvards leadership felt, voting to elect him unanimously. What a perfect choice! Couldnt think of anyone better!

The Merriam Webster website offers these four definitions for chaplain: 1: a clergyman in charge of a chapel; 2: a clergyman officially attached to a branch of the military, to an institution, or to a family or court; 3: a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as at a meeting of a club or society); 4: a clergyman appointed to assist a bishop (as at a liturgical function).

According to Dictionary.com, a chaplain is: 1. an ecclesiastic attached to the chapel of a royal court, college, etc., or to a military unit. 2. a person who says the prayer, invocation, etc., for an organization or at an assembly.

And a military website states that: The chaplain's responsibilities include performing religious rites, conducting worship services, providing confidential counseling and advising commanders on religious, spiritual and moral matters. Chaplains are commissioned officers stationed wherever there are military members, including combat environments.

But if you dont believe in God, you cannot perform any of these functions.

Really now, how can you conduct a worship service if there is no God to worship? How can you perform religious rites, all of which presuppose the existence of a deity, if there is no deity?

To whom do you pray? What hope can you offer regarding the world to come? How can you help someone connect to the spiritual, unseen, eternal realm? Who, outside of the human race, forgives your sins or empowers you to change?

And if you yourself are convinced that there is no God, doesnt that mean that you view all religious believers as being in serious error, not to mention deeply deceived?

Its one thing if Harvard said, Rabbi Epstein does a great job of bringing people of different religions together. Terrific. Then hire him as an administrative coordinator for the chaplains department. But dont hire him as your chief chaplain. To do so only heaps further scorn on Harvards wokeness.

As for Epstein being a rabbi, that is just as absurd as being a chaplain, if not more so. (For the record, he received ordination as a Humanist Rabbi from the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism.)

Without God, there is no Judaism, since Judaism is the story of God choosing the Jewish people for Himself, rescuing them from bondage in Egypt, and giving them His Torah. Thus, to have Judaism without God would be similar to having Christianity without Christ. It simply cannot be.

But why let truth and facts and logic get in the way? Lets just set our own standards and, to cite the title of Epsteins 2009 book, which has suddenly become a bestseller, lets just be good without God.

In the end, if someone wants to try and be good without God, that is their choice. Just dont call that person a rabbi or a chaplain. To do so, to say it once more, is a total contradiction in terms.

As for the Harvard of old, in order to graduate with the most basic degree in arts (not theology, which came later), the student had to be able logically to explain the Holy Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testamentsandbe blameless in life and character.

Among the Rules and Precepts of Harvard to be observed by the students were these: Let every Student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life.

And: Every one shall so exercise himself in reading the Scriptures twice a day, that he shall be ready to give such an account of his proficiency therein, both in Theoretical observations of Language and Logic, and in practical and spiritual truths ...

As for the Harvard of today (in terms of its spiritual condition and worldview), need I say more?
Woke capital giant bows to China

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The largest asset manager in the world is doubling down on China. Actually, make that tripling down  despite BlackRocks busy schedule of hamstringing the (domestic) energy sector, ensuring demographic equity in the Fortune 500, and trying to put gun manufacturers out of business, they have found the time to tell everyone that we ought to triple financial investments in China.

This comes amidst a serious financial crisis in China (which I wrote about here) triggered by an intervention in the growing education industry in order to make schooling more affordable, all part of a scheme to lift their abysmal population growth  the origin of which is, in part, the widespread infanticide of girls caused by Chinas decades-long one child policy.

Theres more than a hint of irony in BlackRocks bullishness on Chinese investments, considering the formers investing philosophy and the latters governing philosophy. BlackRock aggressively advocates for ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investing: the karma theory of investing, which operates under the assumption that companies that do good, meaning whatever activists want, will do well, meaning produce higher returns than their peers.

While BlackRock evangelizes for ESG investing in the US, it ignores it completely in China. They are, in essence, serving two masters. At home, they serve woke capital, requiring moral purity among their investments; abroad, the myriad human rights abuses of the Chinese state are simply swept under the rug. Inclusive capitalism for Washington, social Darwinism for Beijing.

BlackRock is one of the foremost proponents of stakeholder capitalism, a philosophy that states corporate managements obligation is not to their shareholders, but to their stakeholders. A companys stakeholders are their clients, their employees, [and] the society where they work and operate, according to CEO Larry Fink. Stewards are not to be faithful to owners, as St Paul would have us believe, but to everyone. The implication of BlackRocks philosophy is that nothing special is owed to the owner.

For example, BlackRock recently ensured the success of a coup at Exxon that put two climate change activists on the board, and backed a shareholder resolution at Chevron forcing them to "disclose lobbying efforts and ensure that they support international goals to combat global warming," as apparently emitting too much carbon is bad for investors. Of course, the country that BlackRock thinks we should have two-to-three times as much money invested in emits massive amounts of carbon; they are, in fact, the worlds largest polluter.

Their enthusiasm for Chinese stocks notwithstanding, BlackRock argues domestically that companies falling short of their environmental, social, and governance standards will end up underperforming. But we just saw an example of how the Chinese governments own missteps hurt investors, and BlackRock appears to not have the slightest concern. Carbon emissions from Exxon must be squashed for the good of shareholders and stakeholders, but a financial crisis in China triggered by politically motivated interventions in the economy is, apparently, not worth considering. Investing risks domestically are invented while actual ones overseas are ignored.

Ultimately, BlackRock is embodying an attitude which Christ warned us about in Matthew 7:5. They are hypocrites, literally under the critics. They must constantly signal their agreement with the social objectives of domestic elites  who neither care about nor know about anything outside the Anglosphere  which necessarily entails magnifying injustices in the US while ignoring Chinas far greater sins.

At home, its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, stakeholder capitalism, inclusive capitalism, BIPOC representation, living wages, net-zero carbon emissions, voting rights, sustainability, Doing Well By Doing Good, and corporate Pride parades. In China, its drill, baby, drill; forget about child labor, sterilizing the Muslim minority before sending them to concentration camps, banning Bibles and destroying Churches, cutting down rainforests and hollowing out mountains, or poisoning lakes and rivers.

Our financial elites are characteristically unperturbed by any of this. They neither advocate for divesting from Chinese assets nor have any interest in using their substantial financial leverage to change anything. We, and the persecuted Church in China, deserve much better than faithless stewards and hypocrites who serve two masters. They are horrified by gender inequities in corporate boardrooms and utterly sanguine about religious genocide. They are incorrigible in the destruction of our fossil fuels industry and silent as the grave about Chinas fossil fuels industry. They constantly proclaim the virtues of environmental, social, and governance investing at home, while declaring that we ought to invest even more in the country that destroys its environment, shreds its social fabric, and governs with abject tyranny.
Biden blasts Chinas lack of transparency in response to report on COVID-19 origins

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A U.S. intelligence report says its 90-day investigation ordered by President Joe Biden to look into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, including whether the virus leaked from a Chinese lab, is inconclusive due to Chinas unwillingness to cooperate.

Chinas cooperation most likely would be needed to reach a conclusive assessment of the origins of COVID-19. Beijing, however, continues to hinder the global investigation, resist sharing information and blame other countries, including the United States," stated the 17-agency U.S. intelligence communitys report, released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Friday.

It, therefore, remains inconclusive whether the virus, which has killed 4.6 million people worldwide, leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, in 2019, or it was transmitted from an animal to a human, the report claims.

All agencies assess that two hypotheses are plausible: natural exposure to an infected animal and laboratory-associated incident, it said, adding that the virus probably emerged and infected humans through an initial small-scale exposure that occurred no later than November 2019.

Four intelligence agencies said with low confidence that the coronavirus was initially transmitted from an animal to a human. But a fifth intelligence agency believes with moderate confidence that the first human infection was linked to a lab, according to the report.

The report also said: These actions reflect, in part, Chinas governments own uncertainty about where an investigation could lead as well as its frustration the international community is using the issue to exert political pressure on China.

President Joe Biden released a statement on the report, saying:

Critical information about the origins of this pandemic exists in the Peoples Republic of China, yet from the beginning, government officials in China have worked to prevent international investigators and members of the global public health community from accessing it, he said. To this day, the PRC continues to reject calls for transparency and withhold information, even as the toll of this pandemic continues to rise.

Kash Patel, who worked at the U.S. National Security Council under former President Donald Trump and the Obama administration, previously said that Biden had 13, 14 months and more of intelligence that was gathered under his predecessor that detailed where the U.S. intelligence agents believed the virus originated.

Theres been Presidential Daily Briefings produced by career intelligence officials every week since this outbreak occurred and before that. It doesnt take 90 days to look at it. It does take 90 days to look at it and allow people to possibly manipulate what theyre finding to suit a narrative that [Dr. Anthony] Fauci and others have been espousing for over a year, Patel asserted in a June interview with The Epoch Times.

China responded to the U.S. intelligence report, alleging it is not scientifically credible.

Jim Geraghty, a senior political correspondent at National Review, previously wrote about a documentary film by YouTube creator Matthew Tye on the coronavirus outbreak, which suggests the virus accidentally escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a bio-weapons laboratory.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology in China posted a job opening in November 2019, asking for scientists to come research the relationship between the coronavirus and bats, Geraghty wrote.

The same institute posted a second job posting in December 2019. The translation of a part of that posting said a large number of new bat and rodent new viruses have been discovered and identified, the correspondent added.

They talk about a certain kind of bat, but that bat wasnt in that area, Trump said at the time, according to The Washington Times. But that bat wasnt sold at that wet zone. It wasnt sold there. That bat was 40 miles away. A lot of strange things are happening.

Geraghty acknowledged that theres no definitive proof that COVID-19 originated from a bat at either the Wuhan Center for Disease Control & Prevention or the Wuhan Institute of Virology, as that would require much broader access to information about what happened in those facilities in the time period before the epidemic in the city.

However, he concluded that it is a remarkable coincidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was researching Ebola and SARS-associated coronaviruses in bats before the pandemic outbreak, and that in the month when Wuhan doctors were treating the first patients of COVID-19, the institute announced in a hiring notice that a large number of new bat and rodent new viruses have been discovered and identified.
'I'm ashamed': Richard Land rebukes Pres. Biden's Afghanistan handling, laments 'shameful' situation

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Richard Land, executive editor of The Christian Post and the former president of the Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, isnt mincing words when it comes to President Joe Bidens handling of the Afghanistan crisis.

Land told The Christian Post Podcast that the chaos resulting from the U.S.-led pullout from Afghanistan has left him feeling pain, anguish, embarrassment and humiliation.

Listen to Land break down his take on Afghanistan and what he believes Afghans lives will once again look like under the Taliban:

As an American, I dont like feeling ashamed of my country, but Im ashamed of the way weve behaved in the last two weeks, he said. Its been shameful.

Land called Biden incompetent and said the president has made a series of major errors on the international relations front.

[Bidens] gotten it about as spectacularly wrong as you can get it, Land said. His behavior internationally is just as shameful as his behavior is on the southern border.

Listen to more Christian podcasts today on the Edifi app. And be sure to subscribe to the Christian Post Podcast on your favorite platforms:
Pentagon confirms 2 high profile ISIS-K militants killed in retaliation for Kabul airport attack

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Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby confirmed Saturday that two high profile ISIS-K terrorists, one "planner" and one "facilitator," were killed in a drone strike but would not release the names of the two individuals or their nationalities.

Although two men deemed integral to the terrorist group were killed, Kirby said it doesn't reduce the threat of the Islamic State's affiliate in Afghanistan, known as Islamic State Khorasan, and its ability to carry out attacks in Kabul.

In an overnight drone strike in Afghanistans Nangarhar province, which is east of Kabul and borders Pakistan, the U.S. military killed an ISIS-K planner and "facilitator" in retaliation for Thursdays suicide bombing outside Hamid Karzai International Airport that killed 10 U.S. Marines, two Army soldiers and one Navy Corpsman, along with as many as 170 civilians.

An unnamed U.S. official was quoted by Reuters as saying that the planner of the Kabul airport attack, who was from ISIS-K, was the target of the drone strike.

Earlier reports indicated that a Reaper drone took off from the United Arab Emirates and struck the target who was in a car with an ISIS-K associate, killing both, the official added. Its the first known U.S. response to the suicide bomb attack.

Kirby and Army Maj. Gen. William Taylor would not confirm Saturday whether that account was accurate and declined to provide details about the operation, aside from saying that one other ISIS-K fighter was wounded and there were no civilian casualties.

Intelligence showed that the target was planning another attack, The Wall Street Journal quoted a U.S. official as saying. We believe this terrorist was involved in planning future attacks in Kabul, the official added.

As of Saturday, 117,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan, the majority of which are Afghans, Taylor said, adding that the number includes 5,400 U.S. citizens, over 300 of whom have been evacuated since Thursdays attack.

An additional 1,400 Afghans were screened for flights to leave Kabul today, Taylor said, adding that evacuations will continue until the "very end" of the deadline on Tuesday.

In the last 24 hours, 66 flights have left Kabul  32 U.S. military and 34 coalition aircraft  carrying a combined 6,800 personnel, according to Taylor.

Six flights transporting 2,000 vulnerable Afghans and evacuees will soon be arriving in Philadelphia from Italy, he added.

As the number of evacuees increases, the U.S. will increase its efforts to provide temporary shelter for Afghans until they're resettled at various locations across the U.S.

Our total capacity across multiple U.S. installations is approximately 21,000 and growing," Taylor explained. "Were steadily working to increase the capacity to 50,000 by September 15. Right now, we are hosting approximately 8,000 Afghan applicants at Fort McCoy, Fort Bliss, Fort Lee and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

At the Pentagon press briefing on Friday, Taylor clarified that there was only one suicide bomber in the Kabul airport attack, and not two as was previously believed.

Its not any surprise that the confusion of very dynamic events like this can cause information sometimes to be misreported or garbled, Taylor said.

Asked if its possible for the U.S. to do both executing counter-attacks and carrying out the evacuation, Taylor said, We have resources with the Centcom commander, with the commanders on the ground and the capabilities to allow us to execute any type of those operations as those are required to do.

At Friday's briefing, Kirby said there are still specific, credible threats against the airport. We certainly are prepared and would expect future attempts. Were monitoring these threats, very, very specifically, virtually in real-time.

Hours after the Kabul attack, the Islamic States news agency on its Telegram channel claimed responsibility for it.

More than 12,500 people have been evacuated from Kabul since Thursdays attack. Despite the U.S. State Department's advisory that Americans should not travel to the airport and leave the gate entrances "immediately," Kirby said Saturday that U.S. passport holders, SIVs and vulnerable Afghans are still being allowed to enter the airport for evacuations.

In a nationally broadcast address after the Kabul attack, President Joe Biden said, To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive. We will hunt you down and make you pay.

The explosions came less than a week before the Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw all U.S. troops from the South Asian country. Some 3,500 U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan but are expected to be withdrawn sometime on Tuesday.

The planned withdrawal marks the end of the war in Afghanistan, which spanned nearly two decades. In an appearance on Sinclair Broadcast Groups The National Desk Monday, Adam Andrzejewski, the CEO of the nonprofit transparency organization OpentheBooks.com, noted that the war effort has cost American taxpayers $83 billion.

Andrzejewski elaborated on how after the U.S. began to exit from Afghanistan, much of its military equipment has fallen into the hands of the Taliban, which has rapidly gained control of the country. He reported that the Taliban now control 75,000 military vehicles, this is about 50,000 tactical vehicles, 20,000 Humvees, each Humvee on average costs about [$100,000] a piece. They control about 1,000 mine-resistant vehicles and even about 150 armored personnel carriers.

Melissa Barnhart contributed to this report
Baptist pastor resigns as lawsuit alleges cover-up of youth minister's sexual assault of minor

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A Baptist pastor in Illinois has resigned amid an ongoing sexual abuse scandal involving his churchs former youth pastor, who was accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl for roughly three years.

The resignation of Rev. Paul Kingsbury of North Love Baptist Church in Rockford was announced earlier this month in a Facebook post issued by another staff member of the church that was later removed from the social media platform, according to several news reports.

The deacons are fully aware and take serious the allegations being made against Pastor Kingsbury and North Love Baptist Church, the employee reportedly said in the video, according to Northern Public Radio. The deacons are united and looking into these matters. Please give us time and have patience as we seek the truth in Christ.

The Christian Post reached out to North Love Baptist Church for comment. No response was received before press time.

Northern Public radio reports that the current interim pastor, Ron Haese, stated that Kingsbury had done nothing to disqualify him as pastor of the church. Haese also reportedly said the North Love Baptist Church will be going on virtual hiatus until the church leaders decide otherwise. The church, however, remains occupied by staff who continue to run its operations.

The Rockford Register Star reports that a woman who filed the seven-count lawsuit claims that when she was a teenager, Rev. Kingsbury and other church staff knew she was being sexually abused by former youth pastor John Neese. The alleged abuse occured from 2004 to 2006. However, the lawsuit claims that the pastor was kept on staff at the church.

In the complaint, the woman claims Neese sexually assaulted her when he served as a deacon and youth pastor when she was 15 to 17.

Neese also worked at Independence Village, a retirement facility in the area, in a managerial position. The suit alleges that the retirement home should have had knowledge about Neeses explicit interactions with underaged children at the church, the retirement facility and his residence.

The woman, who is now 32 and lives outside of Rockford, claims in the lawsuit that the alleged abuse involved "inappropriate touching, fondling, masturbation, groping and other sexual acts."

The woman also alleges that Neese subjected her to physical and verbal threats, intimidation, manipulation and fraud in hopes of keeping her silent about the abuse, according to the Rockford Register Star.

The case was assigned to Judge Lisa Fabiano of Illinois 17th Judicial Circuit Court. The civil matter will reportedly begin proceedings on Sept. 1.

The woman who filed the lawsuit is just one of about two dozen former attendees of the church and its affiliated school and ministries who have alleged to have been sexually abused.

At this point weve talked to 21 females who say they were sexually abused at North Love or one of the related ministries," former church member Nate Plautz told WIFR.

Kyra DeBerry, another former attendee of the church who graduated from the high school and Bible college and runs a support group for survivors, told WIFR that "Theres no vindictiveness in what we are doing."

"Theres heartache, such heartache, said DeBerry.

Before his departure, Kingsbury shot down the idea that sexual abuse issues in his church have been "put under a proverbial rug" during a sermon.

There is nothing ... that has gone on in the ministry or has gone on in all these years ... [that] has ever been just put under a proverbial rug," he was quoted as saying. "If you lift the rug, its clean under there.

This is not the first time a sexual abuse scandal has unraveled involving North Love Baptist Church.

Another former church employee Charles Tucker was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under 13 years of age and nine counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
Hurricane Ida leaves 1 dead, over 1 million without power in Louisiana

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At least one person has been found dead, and all of New Orleans left without power with many homes flooded after Hurricane Ida slammed Louisiana as a Category 4 storm Sunday, before weakening into a Category 1 hurricane and then to a tropical storm early Monday.

As Ida plowed through the Gulf of Mexico into Louisiana Sunday, it lashed the coast with 150 mile-per-hour winds and torrential rains and pounded surf that plunged large parts of the shoreline under several feet of water, Reuters reported.

At 4 a.m. local time Monday, Ida was about 95 miles south-southwest of Jackson, Mississippi, and the maximum sustained winds had reduced to 60 miles per hour and was moving north at 8 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

However, the National Weather Service warned that as the extremely dangerous Ida moves inland, life-threatening impacts will spread into Louisiana and Mississippi overnight and into Monday.

It added, Wind damage will occur in areas near the core of the storm. Heavy rain will result in life threatening flash flooding over portions of the Lower Mississippi River Valley into the Tennessee Valley through Monday.

As of early Monday morning, more than 1 million homes and businesses in Louisiana were left without power, as per PowerOutage.US.

Orleans Parish was hit with catastrophic transmission damage, leading to power outage in all of New Orleans, CNN reported, adding that over 93,000 customers were without power in Mississippi.

Due to catastrophic transmission damage, all of Orleans Parish is currently without power, utility company Entergy told customers by sending the text on their phones.

Entergy Louisiana also warned that some of its customers could be without power for weeks.

A 60-year-old man died in Prairieville area in Ascension Parish, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, after a tree fell on his home, NBC News reported.

Tonight, we have confirmed at least one death and sadly, we know there will be others, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a statement. Thousands of our people are without power and there is untold damage to property across the impacted parishes.

Tim Kerner Jr, mayor of Jean Lafitte, south of New Orleans, said: Weve suffered flooding before. We suffered storms before. But Ive never seen water like this in my life. It just hit us in the worst way possible and it was such a massive storm that it just totally devastated us.

Ida made landfall on the anniversary of the dangerous Category 3 storm Katrina, which devastated Louisiana and Mississippi 16 years ago.

President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Louisiana late Sunday, allowing federal funding.
Va. school district pays $1.3M to settle trans student Gavin Grimm's bathroom lawsuit

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A Virginia school district has agreed to pay over $1 million to a trans-identified former student, ending a yearslong legal battle over whether the student could use bathrooms designated for the opposite biological sex.

On Thursday, Gavin Grimm, a biological female who identifies as male, settled with Gloucester County Public Schools. The school district agreed to pay over $1.3 million in attorney fees and other costs.

The settlement comes after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal in the case, allowing a decision by the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in favor of Grimm to stand.

Meredith Mason of the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, which helped represent Grimm, told The Christian Post via email that the case will have a broad impact.

The standing court opinion on this case is from the Fourth Circuit, which ruled that the school boards policy of forcing Gavin to use separate facilities violated Title IX and the U.S. Constitution. So even though Gavin has graduated, the school board is required by the court to change their policy, explained Mason.

This court ruling applies to the entire Fourth Circuit, which includes Virginia, North and South Carolina, West Virginia, and Maryland. Additionally, all school boards in the state are required to implement policies in line with the Virginia Department of Educations new model policies for transgender students.

A representative of the Gloucester County School Board told CP in an email that its insurance provider "has addressed the Plaintiffs request for attorney fees and costs resulting from the Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board litigation."

"The School Board has no further comment on this matter," read the email.

In 2015, Grimm filed a lawsuit against GCPS, alleging discrimination after being barred from using the boys restrooms.

As a failed compromise, Grimms high school had installed three single-use, gender-neutral restrooms that any student could use instead of gender-specific bathrooms.

U.S. District Court Judge Robert G. Doumar, a Reagan appointee, ruled against Grimm in September 2015. But his decision was overturned in April 2016 by a three-judge panel of the 4th Circuit.

However, the Supreme Court sent the case back to lower courts in 2017.

In August of last year, a three-judge 4th Circuit panel again ruled 2-1 in favor of Grimm. The majority contends there is a growing consensus of courts that equal protection and Title IX can protect transgender students from school bathroom policies that prohibit them from affirming their gender.

Judge Paul Niemeyer, a Reagan appointee, authored a dissent to the panel decision. He argued that the Virginia high school had "reasonably provided separate restrooms for its male and female students and accommodated trans-identified students by also providing unisex restrooms that any student could use.

In deciding not to hear the Grimm case this year, the Supreme Court court noted in its brief order that Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito would have granted the petition to hear the case.

Earlier this week, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated an earlier ruling in favor of a trans-identified student in Florida who sought to use school bathrooms based on gender identity. The case will be reheard before the entire 12-member 11th Circuit.

Ed Whelan, a distinguished senior fellow with the socially conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center think tank and a former law clerk for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, said the decision to hear the Florida case en banc "might ultimately tee the issue up for Supreme Court review."

He believes it could "enable the Court to minimize the damage from its serious error in failing to grant certiorari in the Fourth Circuit case of Gloucester County School Board v. Grimm.
Afghan Christians left behind will be targeted with deadly violence: Human rights group warns

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Human rights group ADF International has urged the international community to address the dire plight of religious minority communities in Afghanistan, including 10,000 Christians who are now at extreme risk of being targeted with deadly violence. They, too, need to be evacuated, the group says.

Among the communities at risk are an estimated ten thousand Christians, many of whom are 'guilty' of converting from Islam  a crime punishable by death under Sharia law, Giorgio Mazzoli, a legal officer representing ADF International at the United Nations, said in a statement.

The Vienna-based group said it made an oral statement at the 31st Special Session of the Human Rights Council on the serious human rights concerns and situation in Afghanistan last week.

As disturbing accounts of killings, harassment and intimidation against them are rapidly emerging, we urge States and the international community to give utmost attention to these persecuted minorities and guarantee the conditions for their prompt and safe exit from the country, irrespective of whether they have valid travel documents.

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 earlier this month 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.

Last Thursday, a suicide bombing outside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul killed 10 U.S. Marines, two Army soldiers and one Navy Corpsman, along with as many as 170 civilians, most of whom were awaiting their evacuation.

In response, the U.S. military killed two high profile terrorists from ISIS-K  one planner and one facilitator, in a drone strike in Afghanistan.

As of Saturday, 117,000 people had been evacuated from Afghanistan, the majority of whom are Afghans, Army Maj. Gen. William Taylor said, adding that the number includes 5,400 U.S. citizens, over 300 of whom have been evacuated since the Kabul attack.

As the number of evacuees increases, the U.S. will increase its efforts to provide temporary shelter for Afghans until they're resettled at various locations across the U.S.

ADF International said it applauds efforts to evacuate and resettle vulnerable persons and it urges all parties to secure their safe passage out of the country. But theres a need to rescue, evacuate and resettle even those who are now at a higher risk of severe persecution in Afghanistan, it said.

We join the call on governments to temporarily halt deportations to Afghanistan and reconsider the applications of rejected Afghan asylum seekers fearing persecution because of their faith or beliefs, Mazzoli said.
16-year-old boy suffers burns over 60% of his body in suspected anti-Christian attack

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A 16-year-old Christian boy suffered burns over 60% of his body after an acid attack in eastern Indias Bihar state. The family says they suspect Hindu nationalists are behind it because the boy is a leader in a local church and the area they live in has anti-Christian sentiments.

The victim, identified as Nitish Kumar, was attacked with acid last week soon after he left his house in a village to go to the market early in the morning, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern reported Saturday.

Almost immediately after leaving the house, the boy was carried back by people as he screamed due to burns all over his body, the victims sister, Raja Davabi, was quoted as saying.

It was a horrifying scene of my brother, she said, I started yelling and crying looking at my brother. He was in terrible pain at that point and all that I could do is to share the pain by wrapping him in my hands.

The boy was taken to a nearby clinic for first aid treatment and then transported to a specialized burn unit in the state capital of Patna.

The attacker has not been identified but the victims family and the local Christian community suspect it is the work of anti-Christian activists in the village.

The family, which regularly holds Christian gatherings in their home, converted to Christianity two years ago after being delivered from an evil spirit, and the victim and his brother are active in the church and conduct daily prayer gatherings.

I dont understand why this happened to my son and who might have done it, we didnt do any harm to anybody in our village or anywhere else. My heart pains when I see my son, the victims father, Bhakil Das, was quoted as saying.

Christians make up about 2.5% of Indias population, while Hindus comprise 79.5%.

India ranks as the 10th worst country globally when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USA's 2021 World Watch List. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged the U.S. State Department to label India as a country of particular concern for engaging in or tolerating severe religious freedom violations.

The Evangelical Fellowship of India stated in a report that it documented 145 cases of atrocities against Christians  three murders, 22 attacks on churches and 20 instances of ostracization or social boycott in rural areas  in the first half of 2021.

The violence, detailed in the report, itself was vicious, widespread and ranged from murder to attacks on churches, false cases, police immunity and connivance, and the now normalized social exclusion or boycott which is becoming viral, the report says.

Open Doors USA warns that since the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party took power in 2014, persecution against Christians and other religious minorities has increased.

The group reports that Hindu radicals often attack Christians with little to no consequences.

Hindu extremists believe that all Indians should be Hindus and that the country should be rid of Christianity and Islam, an Open Doors fact sheet on India explains. They use extensive violence to achieve this goal, particularly targeting Christians from a Hindu background. Christians are accused of following a 'foreign faith' and blamed for bad luck in their communities.
Boris Johnson vows to 'shift Heaven and Earth' to get everyone out of Afghanistan in '2nd phase' Over 100 British nationals, 1,100 Afghan allies left behind

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed that the U.K. government will shift Heaven and Earth to get everyone out of Afghanistan in a second phase after acknowledging that many U.K. citizens and Afghan allies would be left behind.

On Friday, Johnson said the deaths of two U.K. nationals and the child of a U.K. national in Thursday's suicide bombing at Abbey Gate outside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul "underline" the urgency of evacuating everyone out of Afghanistan who qualifies.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense said Saturday that the final flight of Afghan civilians had departed Kabul, and all remaining flights will be carrying British soldiers and diplomats.

"The team here have been working until the very last moment to evacuate British nationals, Afghans and others at risk," said Sir. Laurie Bristow, the British Ambassador to Afghanistan, according to The Telegraph.

U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed Friday that 150 British nationals and an estimated 1,100 Afghan interpreters and others who worked alongside British forces would be left behind. He expressed his deep regret that not everyone would get out.

In a message to those left behind, Johnson said: "What I would say to them is that we will shift Heaven and Earth to help them get out, and we will do whatever we can in the second phase.

"But the crucial thing is that the Taliban authorities, the new government, however its composed, have got to understand that if they want to have engagement with the West, if they want to have a relationship with us, then safe passage for those is absolutely paramount, he added.

"We've never seen anything like it in our lifetimes and, of course, as we come down to the final hours of the operation there will sadly be people who haven't got through, people who might qualify, the prime minister said.

Johnson also praised the bravery of the U.S. military and the colossal nature of the task on their shoulders and allied forces.

In an interview with Times Radio, Lord Hammond, the former foreign and defense secretary, said the U.K. had failed in its mission: Weve failed in our own mission which is to keep those people safe, because at short notice its become clear we can no longer do that in Afghanistan and we have to do it by extracting them from Afghanistan and we havent been able to complete that task.

As of Saturday, U.S. and coalition forces have evacuated over 117,000 people, mostly Afghans, 13,000 of which are expected to be granted entry into the U.K.

At the Pentagon press briefing on Friday, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Taylor clarified that there was only one suicide bomber in the Kabul airport attack, not two as was previously believed.

I can confirm for you that we do not believe that there was a second explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, that it was one suicide bomber. We are not sure how that report was provided incorrectly. Its not any surprise that the confusion of very dynamic events like this can cause information sometimes to be misreported or garbled, Taylor said.
PARIS (AP)  Google is appealing a 500 million euro ($591 million) fine issued by French regulators over its handling of negotiations with publishers in a dispute over copyright.

The dispute is part of a larger battle by authorities in Europe and elsewhere to force Google and other tech companies to compensate publishers for content.

We disagree with a number of legal elements, and believe that the fine is disproportionate to our efforts to reach an agreement and comply with the new law, Google France Vice President Sebastien Missoffe said in a press statement.

Frances antitrust watchdog levied the fine in mid-July after it found Google hadnt negotiated in good faith with publishers over payments for their news stories. The watchdog had issued temporary orders to Google in April 2020 to hold talks within three months with news publishers, and had fined the company for breaching those orders.

We continue to work hard to resolve this case and put deals in place. This includes expanding offers to 1200 publishers, clarifying aspects of our contracts, and we are sharing more data as requested by the French Competition Authority in their July Decision, Missoffe said.

The antitrust watchdog also threatened fines of another 900,000 euros (around $1 million) per day if Google didn't come up with proposals within two months on how it will pay publishers and news agencies for their content.

France was the first of the European Union's 27 nations to adopt the bloc's 2019 copyright directive, which lays out a way for publishers and news companies to strike licensing deals with online platforms.
Entergy said Wednesday that it is slowly adding power back to New Orleans, and the pace of that work will determine how quickly the region's important oil refineries can restart operations that were shut down by Hurricane Ida.

The utility company said that it restored power for some customers in Eastern New Orleans  it didnt say how many  but hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses remained without power or water service.

Entergy said powering up the rest of the area will still take time given the significant damage to the power grid.

Companies with refineries including Valero and Royal Dutch Shell said they were assessing damage and offered no timetable for resuming operations.

The storm's aftermath is also hampering freight rail service that is critical for carrying goods to and from southern Louisiana.

Norfolk Southern said Wednesday its main route into New Orleans was open, and Union Pacific said most of its Louisiana network has returned to service excepting a section between New Orleans and St. James, Louisiana.

But BNSF said its main line between Lafayette, Louisiana, and New Orleans remained out of service and the company could not estimate when it would reopen. CSX said it was repairing track and signals along the coastline, and shipments on a portion of its network could be delayed. Kansas City Southern said repairs were continuing in the New Orleans area, and service was expected to be restored later this week.

Ida ravaged the regions power grid, leaving all of New Orleans and hundreds of thousands of other Louisiana residents in the dark with no clear timeline on when electricity would be restored. Entergy has said it will take weeks to fully restore power.

The widespread power outages are hampering a number of refiners in the region. All told, nine Louisiana refineries, which collectively account for about 13% of the nations refining capacity, were forced to close, at least temporarily, by the storm, the U.S. Energy Department said Tuesday.

Valero said late Tuesday that it was still assessing the storm's impact on its St. Charles and Meraux refineries. Its other Gulf Coast refineries, all in Texas, are running.

Shell said its Norco manufacturing site, one of the country's largest petrochemical facilities, lost power and the building suffered damage. Additionally, its primary crew-change heliport in Houma, Louisiana, sustained significant damage," and the company needs to establish a temporary heliport in the next few days.

Benchmark U.S. crude erased early gains and fell about $1 or 1.5% to $67.49 per barrel in late-morning trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
TOKYO  Moderna Inc. and its Japanese partner are recalling more than 1 million doses of the U.S. drug makers coronavirus vaccine after confirming that contamination reported last week was tiny particles of stainless steel.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. is in charge of sale and distribution in Japan of the Moderna vaccine. The two companies said an investigation at a Spanish factory that produced the vials in question concluded the contamination occurred in the process of putting stops on the vials.

The companies on Aug. 26 announced suspension of 1.63 million doses produced at the line after reports of contamination. Japanese officials said about a half million people had received shots from the Moderna vials before the problem surfaced.

The trouble comes at a time Japan is pushing to accelerate vaccinations amid rising infections that are straining the Japanese health care system.

Pharmaceutical and health ministry officials say they do not believe the high-grade stainless steel poses health risks.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 WHO launches hub in Berlin to help prevent future pandemics

 Vaccinations in rural India increase amide supply concerns

 Sound bite pandemic of the unvaccinated captures part of story

 France starts COVID-19 booster shot campaign for elderly

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 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronvirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

TAIPEI, Taiwan  Taiwan has received its first Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine after a prolonged purchasing process that gave rise to a political blame game with China.

Taiwan had been unable to buy the vaccine itself directly from BioNTech, the German company that partnered with U.S.-based Pfizer to develop the vaccine.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen accused China of blocking the deal while China denied any interference.

Two private companies and a Buddhist organization stepped in to buy the vaccine doses and donate them to Taiwan. The doses that arrived Thursday will be given to 12- to 17-year-olds.

Taiwan has been using AstraZeneca, Moderna and the domestically made Medigen vaccine to give 43% of its population at least one dose.

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TORONTO  Ontario is the fourth Canadian province to announce residents will have to show proof of vaccination against the coronavirus to enter restaurants, theaters, gyms and other indoor public venues.

Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday that the vaccination certificate program will take effect Sept. 22.

Initially, residents will show a PDF or printout of the vaccination receipt they received when they got the irshots, along with a government-issued piece of ID such as a photo health card or drivers license.

The province is expected to launch a system in late October that will send everyone a QR code to accompany their vaccination receipt. It will also launch an app that will allow service providers to scan the QR codes as proof of vaccination.

British Columbia, Quebec and Manitoba have also implemented some form of vaccine certificate program.

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OKLAHOMA CITY  An Oklahoma judge on Wednesday said she will temporarily block a state law banning public school mask mandates, but students or their parents can opt-out of the requirement if they choose.

Judge Natalie Mai said she will issue a temporary injunction that will go into effect next week when she issues a written order detailing her ruling.

Mai said she is blocking the law because it applies only to public, not private, schools and that schools adopting a mask mandate must provide an option for parents or students to opt out of the requirement.

The ruling drew praise from Gov. Kevin Stitt, who signed the law and opposes mask mandates without exemptions, and Dr. Mary Clarke, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, which joined the lawsuit brought by four parents who oppose the law.

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BERLIN  The head of the World Health Organization says he opposes widespread use of boosters for healthy people for now, underscoring the need to get doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to poorer countries.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke in Berlin on Wednesday. He says the U.N. health agency last week witnessed the first decline in new global cases in more than two months.

He says that this is obviously very welcome but it doesnt mean much, since many countries are still seeing steep increases and shocking inequities in access to vaccines.

Tedros says he is calling for a moratorium on booster shots at least until the end of September to allow those countries that are furthest behind to catch up.

He says third doses may be necessary for the most at-risk populations, where there is evidence of waning immunity against severe disease and death.

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LONDON  Britain is offering a third dose of a coronavirus vaccine to up to half a million people who have severely weakened immune systems to give them additional protection.

The governments vaccine advisers says people over 12 years old with conditions such as leukemia, advanced HIV and recent organ transplants will be offered a third jab.

Professor Wei Shen Lim of the official Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immunization says the move aims to reduce the risks of hospitalization and death for the severely immuno-suppressed, a population estimated at 400,000 to 500,000 people, or less than 1% of the total population.

The offer is separate to decisions on a wider vaccine booster program, details of which havent been confirmed. Health Secretary Sajid Javid says that booster program, which prioritizes older age groups, is still planned to start this month.

More than 78% of Britains population over age 16 have received both doses of the vaccine. The governments vaccine advisory committee hasnt decided whether to include all healthy teens age 12 to 15.

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MADRID  Spain has reached its initial goal of fully vaccinating 70% of its population for the coronavirus, according to the health ministry.

Despite a slow rollout of vaccines at the start of the year, Spains public health care system has fully vaccinated more than 33 million people. Over 92% of those over 40 years old are fully covered.

Health Minister Carolina Darias says vaccinations will continue because of the coronavirus, which is forcing certain health restriction to remain in place.

Also, Spains board of vaccine experts has recommended a third shot of vaccine be administered to those people with weak immune systems, such as transplant recipients. Its national and regional health authorities will take up the issue on Sept. 8 when they hold their weekly meeting on the pandemic.

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BERLIN  The World Health Organization has inaugurated a new hub in Berlin meant to better prepare the globe for future pandemics.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday launched the new WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn says its part of an effort to build a world safer from upcoming pandemics in the future. The German government is investing $100 million in the facility.

It aims to promote better information-sharing and analysis, leading to better coordinated decision-making after the patchy global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Michael Ryan, the WHOs emergencies chief, says the faster we identify new infectious disease risks, the faster we can respond.

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NEW DEHLI  More students in India can return to a classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months.

Authorities have given approval to partially reopen more schools despite apprehension from some parents and signs that infections are rising.

Schools and colleges in at least six more states will reopen in a gradual manner with health measures in place throughout September. Activities have been slowly returning in India after the trauma of a ferocious coronavirus surge this year brought daily life in the country to a halt, sickened tens of millions and left hundreds of thousands dead.

A number of states returned last month to in-person learning for some age groups.

Daily new infections have fallen sharply since their peak of more than 400,000 in May. On Saturday, India recorded 46,000 new cases, the highest in nearly two months.

Meanwhile, India has dramatically increased vaccination rates in its vast rural areas, where around 65% of its nearly 1.4 billion people live in villages served by fragile health care systems. Even though demand for vaccines has been increasing in villages, supply constraints continue for the worlds largest maker of vaccines. Experts say its unlikely the country will reach its objective of vaccinating all adults by the end of 2021.

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WARSAW, Poland  Polands health minister says rising coronavirus cases mean citizens should remain vigilant.

Adan Niedzielski commenting Wednesday on latest figures that show 366 new infections, compared to 234 a week ago, and five deaths from COVID-19.

Its a 50% increase, and maybe its good because its a sign that will remind us about the need for discipline because the pandemic is still with us, Niedzielski said on radio RMF FM.

He says almost half of the 38-million nation has been fully vaccinated and should reduce the number of hospitalizations and deaths.

Vaccinations are a gift for us from the science and we should use it as a precaution, Niedzielski said.

Poland has registered nearly 2.9 million infections and 75,300 confirmed deaths.

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PARIS  France has started administering coronavirus booster shots to people over 65 and those with underlying health conditions.

The move is meant to shore up their vaccine protection against the highly contagious delta variant. People can get the shot on the condition a minimum six-month period has passed since they got fully vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

The Health Ministry says about 18 million people are eligible for the booster shot.

France has been facing increased cases since July, with a slight decrease in recent weeks  from 23,000 per day around mid-August to the current 17,000. Health officials are concerned about a reversal of the trend as children return to school on Thursday.

Almost 44 million people, or 65% of the French population, are fully vaccinated.

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TIRANA, Albania  Albanian health authorities started compulsory vaccination for the medical staff, teachers, professors, and students on Wednesday.

They are obliged to hand over the vaccination passport until the end of the month or show results from periodical coronavirus tests. Those who decline will be fined ($29-$48).

The month of September is open for anyone 18 and older to get a shot. With the end of the tourist season comes the return of those entering the country to show a vaccination passport or negative virus test in the last 72 hours.

Albania has seen a significant surge of the daily virus cases in August. About one-fourth of the 2.8 million population has been fully vaccinated.

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ATHENS, Greece  Staff at public hospitals have held protests around Greece on the deadline to comply with a vaccination mandate for health care workers or face suspension without pay.

The government says the measure is needed to safeguard hospitals amid a third major surge in COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. But health care unions say it is unnecessary, noting that an estimated 95% of doctors and 90% of other staff at the countrys largest hospitals are fully vaccinated.

Infection levels spiked in August to the highest level recorded in the country, and pressure on hospitals has been building in recent weeks.

Nearly 64% of Greeces adult population is fully vaccinated, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, while the European Union average reached 70% Tuesday.

Health care unions in Greece say they support the governments vaccination campaign but oppose mandates. A three-hour work stoppage at public hospitals is planned Thursday.

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ISTANBUL  A Turkish family that lost eight members to COVID-19 over a five-month period is calling on scientists to examine their genetic make-up to determine if they are more prone to the virus.

Burak Genc, 24, was the first in the family to die, in early November last year, followed by his father Muhammet six days later. Within six weeks they were followed by four other relatives, who are believed to have contracted the virus at the funerals or during visits to pay their condolences.

Two more members of the family died in February and April. After alerting the authorities, the remaining 25 members of the family were vaccinated and they have not suffered a loss since.

According to Turkish Health Ministry data, 60% of over-18s have received two doses of vaccine. However, the country has experienced rising case numbers since restrictions were relaxed in July, and daily infections hover around 20,000. Some 21,900 cases were recorded on Tuesday and there were 252 confirmed deaths.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is calling on state utility regulators to approve an interim decrease in electricity rates for customers of Eversource Energy.

The states Public Utilities Regulatory Authority is reviewing the companys rates and evaluating whether an interim rate reduction is appropriate. The review was called for when Connecticut lawmakers passed the Take Back Our Grid Act in October 2020.

Connecticut families and consumers cannot afford to pay any more for their utilities, Tong said in a statement Tuesday. Electricity costs in our state are already the highest in the continental United States and as families continue to work and attend school from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they need a break from these oppressive costs,

In a brief Tongs office filed with PURA, the attorney general said Eversources costs have decreased since its last rate case in 2018, but those cost reductions are not reflected in the utilitys current rates.

A $100 million rate reduction would cut Eversources distribution rates by 4.54 percent, which would translate into a 2.6 percent total bill decrease for ratepayers. That would reduce the average Eversource customers bill by about $5 per month, according to Elizabeth Benton, a spokeswoman for Tong.

Mitch Gross, an Eversource spokesman, said the utility is committed to helping customers control their energy costs and have presented PURA with options to reduce rate impacts and help people better manage utility bills.

The company did not respond directly to Tongs statement about Eversources costs decreasing but consumer rates not.

We understand the pandemic is still challenging for some customers and remind everyone we have a variety of payment plans and programs available to help including the COVID-19 Payment Plan, Gross said. All Eversource customers - regardless of financial need, residential and non-residential - are eligible to sign-up for this which enables them to pay a past-due balance over a period of up to 24 months with no interest charges and no down payment. Enrollment is open through September 30.

Eversource customers having difficulty paying their bill can 800-286-2828 or visit the companys website to sign up for one of the utilitys repayment programs.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
Southwest Research Institute has long been a center of discovery and scientific endeavors in the San Antonio area. Established in 1947, its founder, Tom Slick, was an intrepid Texas oil and cattle man with deep pockets and a vested interest in exploration  in some cases this extended into the pursuit of a certain hairy ilk of cryptids.

Our founder may be considered an early version of the most interesting man in the world. Not only a successful oil man and businessman, he invented lift-slab construction technology, helped develop the Brangus breed of cattle, and conducted cloud seeding experiments, flying a private plane across South Texas skies. This real-life adventurer led expeditions in the Himalayas to search for Yeti, wrote Southwest Research Institute in a statement to MySA.

Bigfoot. Sasquatch. The Abominable Snowman. The yeti.

SAN ANTONIO LIGHT FILE PHOTO

During his tenure, the eccentric local millionaire and founder of one of the largest independent research nonprofits in the country, bankrolled several expeditions exploring signs of these hairy and fantastical beasts across the globe. In 1989, writer and cryptozoologist Loren Coleman penned the book Tom Slick and the Search for the Yeti about the adventurer's real-life travels during this time. The colorful jaunts include missions to find the abominable snowman in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal between 1956 and 1959 and Bigfoot conquests in the Pacific Northwest between 1959 and 1962, the year of his death.

Tom Slick, Jr. inherited his wealth from his father, who accrued his earnings dominating the Oklahoma oil fields. In 1930, Slick Sr. passed away at the age of 46, bestowing his money to his son. Shortly after, his family relocated to San Antonio, where the prototypical Elon Musk eventually established Southwest Research Institute, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, and assisted in the development of number of other facilities in town and across the country.

His involvement with Trinity University and his inquisitive ventures eventually earned him an honorary degree in science in 1946, according to the Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas. A renaissance man, Slick also assisted his brother Earl in launching a small airline, Slick Airways, and early on, volunteered for the navy in 1941 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Slick was twice divorced, and fathered four children.

In regard to his sasquatch pursuits, Catherine Nixon Cooke, Slicks niece and former executive director of another one of his foundations, the Mind Science Foundation, said in a 2015 Express-News article that Slick was "curious and open-minded, two characteristics that are essential to science and discovery," and that to his credit "there were new species of animals discovered during his lifetime, so a creature (found) in the very remote wilds of the Himalaya mountains seemed possible."

Facebook/Daingerfield State Park

At this time, robots, advanced computers, and space exploration were still largely foreign concepts, so one could make the case that the adventurer's penchant for charting the earth's corners is indeed empathetic, if a little wacky and whimsical, and made possible by his lavish wealth. From its well-funded yet fairly humble and experimental beginnings, Southwest Research Institute has grown incredibly.

The globetrotter was eventually killed in October of 1962, not from a yeti attack, as one might surmise, but when his plane crashed over southwestern Montana. Today he is buried in Mission Burial Park in San Antonio.

After Slick first established the building on his cattle ranch on the outskirts of the city, Southwest Research Institute now employs nearly 2,600 staff members.

While there's no yeti expeditions being lead out of the center today (that we know of), it's interesting to think about the local center for engineering and science is interlocked with a slice of relatively recent cryptoozological history.
A Texas woman is suing Starbucks after suffering burns from a coffee ordered a Houston-area location of the coffee giant.

Mary Simms was in the drive-thru of a Tomball Starbucks on April 14 when a barista told her she had been given the wrong drink, McClatchy News' Kaitlyn Alanis reports.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed in Harris County District Court, Simms was handing the hot drink back to the barista when the lid came off the cup and the drink spilled in her lap.

"As a result of the spill, [Simms] sustained first and second-degree burns causing severe personal injuries and damages," the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit claims Starbucks created a "dangerous condition" with the drink's temperature and "failing lid," then failed to warn Simms. She is seeking $75,000 for personal injuries and damages.

Starbucks spokesperson said in a statement that its drinks "are served at a temperature within industry standards, and our partners take great care to ensure the beverages are safely handed off to the customer," according to Alanis.

Simms may have a chance of winning against Starbucks. In 2017, a Florida woman won $100,000 in a lawsuit against Starbucks after her coffee cup lid popped off while receiving the drink and spilled in her lap, giving her first- and second-degree burns.

It's also not the first time the Houston area has been in a legal battle with Starbucks. Another woman sued the company over the temperature of its hot coffee in 2016. And in 2005, the coffee company sued a Galveston bar owner who was selling "Star Bock" beer. He was ultimately allowed to sell the beer, but only in Galveston.
Recent rains in the Guadalupe Mountains have made for a most unusual site: Caribbean-esque pools as far as the eye can see.

These "pools" are actually salt flats, a 2 million-year-old expanse located east of El Paso and near the small, appropriately named town of Salt Flat, Texas. Though the salt flats are usually dry, this year's rainy summer has created a kind of magical oasis.

According to KTSM 9 News, based in El Paso, the knee-high water has people flocking to the "banks" of these pools to swim or simply take in the majestic scene. Unfortunately, the majority of these salt flats are also on private property, which is causing headaches for the local sheriff's office.

In a Facebook post shared on August 30, the Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office issued a warning to would-be visitors to stay away.

The flats sit at the base of the Guadalupe Mountains, and are actually the remains of an ancient, shallow lake from the Pleistocene Epoch, according to a 2016 piece by the Houston Chronicle. In more recent times, the flats have been the source of land scuffles, political strife, and even war.

According to reporting by the Chronicle, El Pasoans in the 1700s would make the 100-mile trek to the flats to procure salt. It remained communal property open to all until the 1870s, when two El Paso businessmen tried to acquire land rights to the flats and instead ignited a four-day gun battle.

Today, the salt flats are mainly spread across privately owned ranches. While a visit today to see the natural wonder probably won't end in gunfire (although in Texas it's possible), the sheriff office says it's issuing citations to anyone caught trespassing on private land.

We reached out to both the National Parks Service and the Hudspeth County Sheriff's Office for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
The San Antonio Zoo will soon start administering COVID-19 vaccines for its animals.

On Tuesday, August 31, the attraction announced in a news release its scheduled to receive its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine and will give its animals the first doses in the coming weeks.

Animal health company, Zoetis, donated the vaccine for animals to the zoo. The business is sending more than 11,000 doses of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine to nearly 70 zoos, according to a July 2 news release from Zoetis.

According to a Zoetis statement, "at least 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases have an animal origin, including COVID-19. Now more than ever before, we can all see the important connection between animal health and human health."

The first San Antonio Zoo animals to receive the vaccine will be the African lions, Sumatran tigers, white-cheeked gibbons, and Francois langur. More species will receive the vaccine as it becomes available, according to the release.

Experimental use is being authorized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Texas state veterinarian, the zoo stated in its release.

"We are very excited to be one of the initial zoos in the country to obtain and administer the Zoetis vaccine," Tim Morrow, the San Antonio Zoo CEO and president, stated in the release. "The safety of our animals, guests, and zoo crew is our top priority. Our veterinary and animal care teams have worked incredibly hard to protect and prevent our animals from contracting COVID-19 through increased disinfection, personal protective equipment, and new guest procedures. Vaccinating our animals is one more important step."

The zoo's veterinary staff expects delivery soon and is coordinating with animal care staff on specific dates when the vaccines will be given. The vaccine is similar, but not identical, to the same vaccine developed for humans and will require a booster three weeks after the first injection, according to the news release.

Zoetis launched the vaccine deployment to dozens of zoos after following a request from the San Diego Zoo, which confirmed COVID-19 cases in its gorillas in January.
Nearly every American, regardless of their age or location in the country, remembers where they were and what they were doing when they heard about the terror attacks in New York City on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

To mark the 20th anniversary of this somber occasion, groups in Conroe and The Woodlands are hosting remembrance ceremonies to offer a time to remember those lost and reflect on this dark day in the countrys history.

Two of the ceremonies will be timed to coordinate with the moment The World Trade Center first attack occurred.

Conroe events

The Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission is commemorating the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks and the subsequent loss of firefighters at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 starting at 8 a.m. at the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park at 1 Freedom Blvd in Conroe on the feeder road at Interstate 45 north and Texas 105.

According to a statement from the commission, the intent is to encourage people to never forget this day and remember all who have sacrificed with a quiet reflection and prayer especially with the current happenings in Afghanistan.

This is a somber occasion on this 20th year since the premeditated attack on the United States of America. We pause briefly here to remember, reflect and take a moment on this occasion, said Judge Jimmie C Edwards, III, chairman of the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission.

The event will be coordinated to occur at the exact moment The World Trade Center first attack occurred. Attendees will gather at the entrance to the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park starting at 8 a.m. with the Conroe Fire Department lowering the First Responder Flag which was designed by Edwards.

The memorial commemoration will start at 8:40 a.m. with the Conroe Fire Department turning on their emergency lights. Edwards will give opening comments followed by a moment of silence at 8:59 a.m. as this was the exact time of the South Tower Collapse at the World Trade center. All uniformed firefighters will receive a very loud final call tone on their phones for the 343 firefighters that lost their lives that day.

The ceremony will conclude with a prayer from Judge Wayne Mack and the singing of God Bless America by Meredith Fisk.

Learn more about the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission at www.honoredmission.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/montgomerycountyveteransmemorialpark.

Woodlands events

The Woodlands Township Parks and Recreation Department will host two ceremonies in remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001 and in honor of first responders on Sept. 11. The community is invited to attend both events.

The Patriot Day of Remembrance will be from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Central Fire Station, 9951 Grogans Mill Road, The Woodlands. The ceremony will include a Presentation of Colors by The Woodlands Fire Department Honor Guard along with a reading of The Firemans Prayer and The Ringing of the Bell in honor of fallen firefighters. Fallen first responders will be honored to commemorate 20 years since the terrorist attacks.

First Responders Day in The Woodlands will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at Town Green Park, 2099 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands. The Woodlands Township will honor and thank first responders with a community-wide event featuring a Presentation of Colors, guest speakers, live music, food vendors and more.

Visit https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/ for more information.

Tribute and fundraiser

Conroe VFW Post 4709 will host a 9/11 Remembrance & Tribute at 4 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Post at 1303 West Semands Street in Conroe.

Guest speakers will include Judge Sue Karita from El Paso, Ret. NYPD Detective Vicky Tompkins who now lives in Conroe and three firefighters who assisted with the efforts at Ground Zero.

I cant believe its been 20 years. It seems like theres a whole generation of people who dont know what happened and they dont understand the enormity of the events that went on that day, Tompkins said.

Tompkins is friends with Chaplain Bruce Stewart and together they organized the group Assist the Blue. They approached Honor Cafe owner Chris Sadler with the idea of having a dinner fundraiser and he was all in.

The dinner will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at Honor Cafe, 103 N. Thompson in Conroe following the VFW ceremony.

Tickets to the dinner are $50 and may be purchased online at https://www.facebook.com/HonorCafeConroe. Proceeds from the dinner will go to support the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Tower Foundation.

Siller was a New York City firefighter who perished on Sept. 11, 2001. His brother started the foundation in his memory.

According to Tompkins the Foundation assists not only firefighters, but all first responders, the military and Gold Star Mothers groups.

Visit https://t2t.org/ for more information on the foundation.

shernandez@hcnonline.com
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP)  The collapse of Afghanistan's government, the Talibans takeover of the country, and the rush to evacuate European citizens and Afghan employees have highlighted the European Unions need for its own rapid-reaction military force, senior EU officials say.

As the foreign and defense ministers of member states gather in Slovenia this week to discuss the EU's approach to the Afghan crisis, officials said in interviews and public remarks that the 27-nation bloc's dependence on U.S. troops during the airlift of evacuees demonstrated the EU's lack of preparedness and independence.

As a global economic and democratic power, can Europe be content with a situation where we are unable to ensure, unassisted, the evacuation of our citizens and those under threat because they have helped us?" European Council President Charles Michel said Wednesday. "In my view, we do not need another such geopolitical event to grasp that the EU must strive for greater decision-making autonomy and greater capacity for action in the world.

After the Biden administration pulled most of its military personnel from Afghanistan, Taliban militants took control of the conflict-ravaged country in just a few weeks as the NATO-trained Afghan national security forces withered. NATO allies that had relied on U.S. airpower, transportation and logistics during their two decades in Afghanistan said they were forced to pull out, too.

And without U.S support and equipment, European countries would not have been able to guarantee the safe passage of their citizens or even their troops out of Afghanistan.

Amid calls for European strategic autonomy from a non-member like the United States, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said Wednesday in a opinion piece for The New York Times that the withdrawal of Western troops and airlift from Afghanistan should serve as a wake-up call and urged the bloc to invest more in its security capabilities.

Europe and the United States were united as never before in Afghanistan: It was the first time that NATOs Article 5, committing all members to defend one another, was invoked. And for many years, Europeans provided a strong military commitment and an important economic aid program, amounting to a total of 17.2 billion euros, or $20.3 billion, Borrell wrote.

But in the end, the timing and nature of the withdrawal were set in Washington. We Europeans found ourselves  not only for the evacuations out of the Kabul airport but also more broadly  depending on American decisions, the EU's top diplomat said.

To better address any future crises at Europe's doorstep, EU member nations have floated the idea of setting up a 5,000-member stand-by-force capable of quickly intervening.

This is a number that can make a big difference in many different situations, one senior EU official said this week. The person spoke anonymously in accordance with EU practices. He said the U.S deployed around 5,000 troops to secure the Kabul airport, and held up as an example the 5,000-soldier anti-jihadist French military force based in the Sahel region.

France and Germany have pushed for years for the creation of such a force, with both Chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron repeatedly calling for a true European army. While discussions about establishing one are far from complete, the idea has gained renewed support in the wake of what happened in Afghanistan.

Spains top military official, Chief of Staff Teodoro Lopez Calderon, told El Mundo newspaper in an interview published Wednesday that the EUs dependence on the U.S. has been absolute and that the bloc must develop a military force to be a relevant player on the international scene.

If not, it will never be one, he said. Creating a European army means having a common foreign policy and that we all share the same interests. This is a political leap that still must be achieved. But I dont think there is any doubt that Brussels should increase its military capacity. That is one of the important consequences of what happened in Afghanistan.

Jana Puglierin, a security and defense policy expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank, said that since the United States is no longer interested as serving as the worlds policeman, the pressure has increased on Europeans to step up.

In the future, the European Union will need to enhance its contribution to crisis prevention, stabilization, and peacebuilding, Puglierin said. The Afghanistan mission has forcefully demonstrated to the Europeans how much they depend on American capabilities.

The idea of a European military force first got discussed in the 1990s with the Balkans wars surrounding the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia in mind. Back then, the EU set a military target of putting at the blocs disposal up to 60,000 troops capable of deployment within 60 days.

Instead, the EU later created rapid reaction teams comprising about 1,500 personnel, but they have never been used in a major crisis, and the bloc does not deploy EU missions to active conflict zones.

Another senior EU official said the currently discussed military force would be much bigger than the current standby forces if member countries reach a consensus. He said the troops would train and conduct exercises together, and that parts of the costs would be covered through common funding.

___

Joseph Wilson in Barcelona and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this story.
Study finds who may get more severe COVID breakthrough cases 'Vaccines continue to remain highly effective in preventing severe illness due to COVID-19'
DENVER (AP)  A lawyer for a 22-year-old man accused of shooting 10 people to death at a Colorado supermarket in March is raising questions about whether he is mentally competent to proceed with the case, according to a notice filed in court Wednesday.

Details on the concerns about Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissas mental health and how it might affect his ability to understand and participate in court proceedings are not known because the motion is sealed as required under state law.
Thousands are without power following the aftermath of Hurricane Ida this week blowing inland from the Gulf of Mexico.

In response, Ameren Illinois and Ameren Missouri are sending crews from the region to head south to Louisiana to assist in getting the power back on.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  Micronesia President David Panuelo said Wednesday he'll continue to walk around his island nation without fear, despite an alleged death threat against him over his government's vaccine mandate.

A month ago, Micronesia became one of the few countries in the world to impose a broad rule requiring that all eligible citizens get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Soon after, Panuelo signed a decree requiring anybody receiving federal funds to prove they've been vaccinated or risk foregoing their checks. It's a broad net that captures most of the adult population  everyone from business owners getting pandemic stimulus payments to government workers and pensioners getting social security benefits.

Some islanders have strongly objected to the measure. Last week, a man was charged with making threats and other related offenses, which carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years if he's found guilty.

In court documents, prosecutors said the man wrote a Facebook post which read: Mr President---My Decision, My Body ... You gona need an army to protect you from now on...You will be assassinate for sure...Mark my word MR. President."

In an interview with The Associated Press, Panuelo said that since the Facebook post was made, authorities had increased the security around his home and office.

Were such a friendly country, Panuelo said. To see this coming from within our country, from our population, is quite a surprising element that Ive discovered for the first time.

He said he'd promised his administration would remain approachable and transparent while in office and he intended to continue with that.

I tell my people I will still walk out in the open field," Panuelo said. Anybody threatens me, I'm not worried about it.

Micronesia, which is east of the Philippines and is home to about 100,000 people, has gone without any local cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, thanks in part to strict border controls.

You don't have to wear a mask. Our children are still going to school, Panuelo said. There is no virus right now. We're enjoying the daily freedoms like we've been enjoying prior to the COVID breakout. And so we want to keep it this way."

He said when the nation's Congress first discussed making vaccines mandatory he raised concerns but later came to embrace the idea.

We love our citizens, and this is the action that we take to protect our citizens," Panuelo said. Im behaving like a father, like I would to my kids.

Panuelo said he believed that personal freedoms and liberties are sacrosanct, but also that the nation's Constitution grants the power to limit certain liberties in situations such as a pandemic.

He said people on the islands tend to live in very close-knit family and community groups, sharing utensils and sleeping on the floor together, and that any outbreak would spread like wildfire.

I guess freedoms these days are important," Panuelo said. "But how can freedoms be important if you die from them?"

He said that since the mandate was imposed, vaccination rates had leaped from about 43% of eligible Micronesians being fully vaccinated and 52% at least partially vaccinated to about 60% and 70%, respectively.

He said he'd seen some of the backlash to the mandate on social media from people opposed to the vaccines.

James Movick, a restaurant owner, said he was pro-vaccine but had concerns about the mandate. He said it would help islanders maintain their virus-free lifestyles, but many Micronesians worried that any penalties could unfairly target vulnerable groups like pensioners.

Movick said he also wondered if the man who had posted on Facebook actually intended to do anything and if charging him was an overreaction.

Authorities are sensitive to such threats after American lawyer Rachelle Bergeron, 33, was shot and killed outside her home while serving as a prosecutor in Micronesia in 2019.

Two people were later charged in connection with her murder. Panuelo said he's been involved with that case, which has been delayed because of the pandemic.

As with the Bergeron case, the FBI has been helping investigate the alleged Facebook threat. Micronesia enjoys close relations with the U.S. under a compact of free association.

Panuelo said he doesn't necessarily think the charges in the Facebook case are an overreaction after the investigation revealed the suspect had a history of making threats and had been involved in other crimes.

He also pointed out that two presidents on the nearby island nation of Palau were assassinated in the 1980s.

In court documents, prosecutors said that Benneth Edmund, a retail store owner and assistant clerk, wrote the threatening post under the fictitious Facebook profile Jaylo David.

A police report said that when interviewed, Edmund said he was friends on Facebook with Jaylo David but didn't know who was behind the profile.

Public defender Nixon Alten, who is representing Edmund, told AP that Edmund had been released from custody after his arrest and intended to plead not guilty at a hearing later this month. Alten said he couldn't comment further.

Panuelo said he would continue reinforcing the message to his people that getting vaccinated was the right decision. He hoped about 95% of the eligible population would be fully vaccinated by December.

You only have to look elsewhere to understand why were doing this, because people die," Panuelo said. "And if we dont do it this way, then we could be next.
BOYDTON, Va. (AP)  There was a time when Black farms prospered.

Just two generations out of slavery, by 1910 Black farmers had amassed more than 16 million acres of land and made up about 14 percent of farmers. The fruit of their labors fed much of America.

Now, they have fewer than 4.7 million acres. Black farms in the U.S. plummeted from 925,000 to fewer than 36,000, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultures latest farm census. And only about one in 100 farmers is Black.

What happened?

They were able to overcome the broken promise of 40 acres and a mule to the newly freed slaves  a military order, later rescinded. But again and again over the last century, they faced one obstacle after another because of their race.

Lenders  chief among them, the USDA  often refused to give them money, and often rushed to foreclose. Suppliers and customers undercut them. Laws of inheritance led to the breakup of homesteads.

Now the government wants to make amends by providing billions of dollars in debt forgiveness for farmers of color. But a judge has put the money on hold in the face of lawsuits filed by white farmers claiming that the program is unfair  reverse discrimination.

Todays Black farmers and the descendants of Black farmers who lost their stakes argue that they are the ones who have been the victims of injustice:

The Virginia farmer who barely was able to keep part of his farm when the USDA threatened to sell it at auction. The Kansas man who lost the land his grandparents once homesteaded. The Arkansas farmer who is holding on by a thread, praying the federal aid will come through in time.

It was racism, says farmer John Wesley Boyd Jr. And it still is.

I think discrimination is still pervasive. I think that its done in a much subtler way, Boyd says.

___

Boyd was just 18 years old when he assumed an existing USDA loan when he bought his first farm in the early 1980s. He says walking into his local USDA office was like a return to the Jim Crow era. Black farmers had supervised accounts and could only get appointments with the local lending officer on a single day of the week, a practice that came to be known as Black Wednesday.

Boyd endured racial slurs. A loan officer once spat tobacco juice on him  he accidentally missed the spit can, the official would claim. Another time, Boyd saw an official tear up his application and throw it in the trash.

In 1996, USDA took just 30 days to foreclose on some of his Virginia farmland. Then the department moved to auction off the remaining 110 acres.

Boyd joined other Black farmers at a protest in Washington, tying a mule named 40 Acres to the White House gate. Less than a week later, then-Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman declared a farm foreclosure moratorium. Boyd had just enough time to save his farm.

Documents from a USDA internal review show investigators found his operating loan requests were not processed for years, despite explicit instructions from the agencys state director. It also found that his account was improperly referred to a credit bureau as delinquent when it should have been restructured, deepening his financial difficulties.

These kinds of practices prompted approval of the landmark settlement of the Pigford v. Glickman lawsuit filed by Black farmers in 1999. Though USDA paid more than $2.4 billion, state taxes eroded recoveries, debt relief was incomplete and the settlements did not cure the problems faced by minority farmers.

Government lawyers noted in a court filing that between 2006 and 2016, Black farmers were subject to 13% of USDA foreclosures  despite receiving fewer than 3% of direct loans.

___

Tucked amid the vast plains of Kansas are the remnants of what was once the bustling Black settlement of Nicodemus. Just a couple of miles outside the town sit the 200 acres that the grandparents of Theodore Bernard Bates once homesteaded.

The Black farmer and his father bought the family homestead in 1970, taking a loan from what was then the Production Credit Association of Stockton, Kansas.

USDAs farm loan lending agency refused to even give them an application to fill out, said Bates, one of the original named plaintiffs in the Pigford lawsuit. He received, as he puts it, not a penny from that settlement.

Three years before the former president of the Production Credit Association died, he swore in a 2012 affidavit that there was a plan to get Bates out of farming. Elvin D. Keiswetter said that the lenders board decided it would rather foreclose, even if they lost money than take Bates money, regardless if it was paid on the notes.

After they took everything, Bates says the family was forced to go on food stamps to survive.

The USDA was not responsible for all the misfortunes of Black farmers. Other structural impediments also have taken their toll. One involves family land that is passed on to several surviving kin without a will, known as heirs property.

The result: a lack of access to money, because lenders are usually reluctant to extend credit without a clear title to the land. Congress authorized in the 2018 farm bill language that would ease loans to those farmers. But it was not until this year that USDA actually funded a $67 million heirs relending program to resolve land ownership and succession issues.

USDA spokeswoman Kate Waters says the agency is committed to rooting out systemic racism and reducing barriers to accessing services. She says the department plans to launch an Equity Commission later this year to identify problems and fix them.

Congress, meanwhile, approved $4 billion in debt relief for 16,000 farmers of color in March as part of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package.

White farmers have filed lawsuits in Florida, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming, Illinois, and Minnesota. A nationwide, preliminary injunction halted the program in June.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, who is suing in his personal capacity as a farmer, contends the debt relief is unconstitutional because it excludes white farmers based on their race or ethnicity.

It is just flat wrong, Miller said.

But minority farmers still suffer disproportionately. As of May 31, 11% of white farmers were delinquent on a government farm loan, compared with 37.9% of Black borrowers, 14.6% of Asian borrowers, 17.4% of American Indian borrowers and 68% of Hispanic borrowers, according to court documents.

For Abraham Carpenter, a 59-year-old Black farmer whose family grows fruits and vegetables near Grady, Arkansas, the injunction means he has to wait and hope for help with about $200,000 in loans.

Ive seen some really, really tough times, you know, but Ive always been able to survive because of Gods blessing and his mercy and his grace.... Carpenter says. So I am not going to say I am going to go belly up. I am going to work a little harder and I am going to pray a little harder.

___

Hegeman reported from Belle Plaine, Kansas.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  An Arkansas teenager shot by a sheriff's deputy in June died of gunshot wounds to his neck and arm, according to a coroner's report released Wednesday.

The report from the Pulaski County coroner in Little Rock says that Hunter Brittain, 17, was killed during a predawn June 23 traffic stop when he stepped from his truck and approached the deputy with something in his hand, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. The newspaper said it had requested the report on July 8.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A former executive for Mercyhealth in Wisconsin and the owner of an Illinois marketing firm will plead guilty to wire fraud and other charges related to a more than $3 million kickback scheme, federal authorities said Wednesday.

Barbara Bortner, 57, of Milton, was the vice president of marketing at Mercyhealth in Janesville during the scam that allegedly lasted from 2015 to 2020. Authorities say Bortner accepted inflated invoices from Morningstar Media Group owner Ryan Weckerly, who then paid back Bortner with the proceeds.
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)  Gunmen abducted 73 students in yet another school attack in northwestern Nigeria on Wednesday, police said, prompting authorities to close all primary and secondary schools across Zamfara state.

The new kidnappings came just days after three other groups of hostages were freed when large ransom payments were reportedly made, raising hopes that other captives might soon be freed, too.

Attackers descended upon the Government Day Secondary School in the remote village of Kaya around noon Wednesday, local resident Yusuf Mohammed told The Associated Press. The kidnappers then began shooting into the air before taking the students, he said.

Zamfara state police spokesman Mohammed Shehu said an operation was underway to rescue the students.

More than 1,000 students have been kidnapped from schools in northern Nigeria since December. While most pupils ultimately have been released, some have died or been killed in captivity and about 200 remained hostages before Wednesday's attack, according to UNICEF.

Government officials haven't commented on whether they played any role in the hostage releases announced Friday, but it appears parents from at least one of those schools did pay a large ransom.

The head teacher at one of the schools in Niger state told AP that many parents sold most of what they owned in an effort to raise funds totaling more than 30 million naira (about $72,900). The Salihu Tanko Islamiya School also sold off a piece of land where they had planned an expansion project, he added.

Those 90 pupils freed were the youngest hostages ever taken from a school in Nigeria, with children as young as 4 taken into the remote forests by gunmen and held for three months without their parents. One child, who hasn't been identified, died during the ordeal, authorities said last week.

It remains unclear whether the kidnappers of the three separate hostage groups last week are connected or if the simultaneous releases were merely coincidental. Each took place in a different state and they involved students of varying ages.

Authorities so far have blamed this year's spate of kidnappings on bandits, or criminals operating out of remote, forested areas of northern Nigeria. Most of the gunmen are believed to be young men from the Fulani ethnic group who had traditionally worked as nomadic cattle herders before turning to the profitable crime of abducting children for ransom.

Some fear the gunmen in the northwest are linked in some way to the Islamic militants long active in the northeast, who drew international condemnation in 2014 when they abducted 276 schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014, prompting the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.

More than 100 of those girls are still missing, though two recently turned up years later, both of whom had had children with the militants they were forced to marry.

___

Associated Press writer Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this report.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Wednesday that he won't seek reelection in 2022, drawing a curtain on a more than two-decade career notable for his decisions in high-profile cases involving police.

Freeman, 73, drew national attention in the wake of George Floyd's death last year as he came under intense pressure to charge four Minneapolis officers in Floyd's death.

Freeman charged one officer, Derek Chauvin, just four days after Floyd's death, but he was ultimately sidelined as Attorney General Keith Ellison took over and brought more serious charges against Chauvin and charged the three other officers.

After decades in which police officers were not charged in fatal shootings, Freeman announced in 2016 that his office would no longer use grand juries to investigate such cases. He said it was to bring more transparency and accountability to the charging process.

After making that change, Freeman decided not to charge two Minneapolis officers in the 2015 fatal shooting of Jamar Clark, a decision that still angers activists years later. In Wednesday's announcement, Freeman called it one of the hardest decisions he made as a prosecutor, but maintained it was the right one. At the time, Freeman cited evidence he said showed that Clark, who was Black, was trying to get an officer's gun when he was shot.

Freeman did charge Minneapolis Officer Mohamed Noor in the 2017 shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, an Australian woman who called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home. Activists noted at the time that Noor, who was convicted, is Black while Damond was white.

Freeman also had a hand in a criminal case involving Myon Burrell, a Black man who spent more than half his life in prison in the death of an 11-year-old girl before an investigation by The Associated Press prompted a review that led to Burrell's release in December. Freeman didn't bring the initial case against Burrell, but was the top prosecutor when he was tried and convicted a second time.

Freeman said Wednesday that his deepest regret is that he has not been able to bring charges against the person who fired into a home and killed 3-year-old Terrell Mayes in December 2011, and that he has been unable to charge those responsible for shootings that left two other children dead and one critically wounded this year.
BEIRUT (AP)  Driving back to base after firing rockets toward Israeli positions from a border area last month, a group of Hezbollah fighters was accosted by angry villagers who smashed their vehicles' windshields and held them up briefly.

It was a rare incident of defiance that suggested many in Lebanon would not tolerate provocations by the powerful group that risk triggering a new war with Israel.

As Lebanon sinks deeper into poverty, many Lebanese are more openly criticizing Iran-backed Hezbollah. They blame the group  along with the ruling class  for the devastating, multiple crises plaguing the country, including a dramatic currency crash and severe shortages in medicine and fuel.

Hezbollah is facing its most consequential challenge in maintaining control over the Lebanese system and what is called the protective environment of the resistance against Israel, said Joe Macaron, a Washington-based Middle East analyst.

The incident along the border and other confrontations  including a deadly shooting at the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter and rare indirect criticism by the countrys top Christian religious leader  have left the group on the defensive.

The anger has spread in recent months, even in Hezbollah strongholds where many have protested electricity cuts and fuel shortages as well as the currency crash that has plunged more than half the country's 6 million people into penury.

In its strongholds, predominantly inhabited by Shiite Muslims, it is not uncommon now for people to speak out against the group. They note that Hezbollah is paying salaries in U.S. dollars at a time when most Lebanese get paid in Lebanese currency, which has lost more than 90% of its value in nearly two years.

Protests and scuffles have broken out at gas stations around Lebanon and in some Hezbollah strongholds. In rare shows of defiance, groups of protesters have also closed key roads in those areas south of Beirut and in southern Lebanon.

In recent speeches, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has appeared angry, blaming the shortages on what he describes as an undeclared Western siege. The chaos in Lebanon, he said, is being instigated from a black room inside the U.S. Embassy.

Critics say that rather than push for reform, Hezbollah has stood by its political allies who resist change. They say the group is increasingly pulling Lebanon into Irans orbit by doing its bidding, and that U.S. sanctions against Iran and Hezbollah have made things harder.

Where Hezbollah was once considered an almost sacred, untouchable force fighting for a noble cause  the fight against the Israeli enemy  it is now seen by many simply as part of the corrupt political clique responsible for the countrys epic meltdown. Still, when it comes to fighting Israel, the group enjoys unwavering backing within its base of support.

Often criticized for operating as a state within a state, Hezbollah has tried to ease the effects of the crisis on its supporters in similar fashion.

While the government has been working for months to issue ration cards to poor families, Hezbollah has been well ahead. It has issued two such cards to poor families living in Hezbollah bastions, one called Sajjad after the name of a Shiite imam, and a second called Nour, or light, for its fighters and employees of its institutions who number about 80,000.

We will serve you with our eyelashes, is Hezbollahs slogan to serve the extremely poor in its communities  a Lebanese term meaning they are ready to sacrifice anything to help others.

The tens of thousands carrying Sajjad cards not only can buy highly subsidized products from dozens of shops spread around Lebanon  mostly staples made in Lebanon, Iran and Syria  but can also get medical treatment and advice at 48 Hezbollah-run clinics around Lebanon.

Nasrallah is also organizing a sea corridor carrying oil from Iran to Lebanon to help alleviate the fuel shortages, with the first tanker believed to be on its way. The move has been praised by Hezbollahs supporters and heavily criticized by its opponents, who say it risks bringing more sanctions on Lebanon.

In the border incident, villagers from the minority Druze sect intercepted Hezbollah fighters on their way back after firing rockets toward a disputed area held by Israel. The villagers briefly detained them and the mobile rocket launcher they used after accusing them of putting them at risk if Israel strikes back.

The fighters and the launcher were then handed over to Lebanese troops, who released them on the same day.

Later, Hezbollah angered many Christians after supporters launched a social media campaign against the head of Lebanons Maronite Catholic church, the countrys largest, accusing him of treason after he criticized the group for firing the rockets on Israeli positions.

The widely feared group has been hammered by accusations from its local opponents. They include silencing its opponents, facilitating smuggling of fuel and other subsidized items to neighboring Syria, and alienating oil-rich Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, leading them to halt financial assistance because of Hezbollahs dominance of Lebanon.

The most serious charge has been a claim by opponents at home that the group brought in the hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate that exploded at Beiruts port last year, killing at least 214 people, wounding thousands and destroying parts of the capital.

No direct connection to Hezbollah has emerged, but unsubstantiated theories that tie the group to the stockpile abound. One claim is that Hezbollah imported the chemicals on behalf of the Syrian government, which used them in barrel bombs against rebel-held areas during the neighboring country's 10-year conflict.

Hezbollahs agencies are active at the port and this is known to security agencies and all Lebanese. Why is Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah above questioning? asked Samy Gemayel, head of the right-wing Christian Kataeb Party recently.

Hezbollah has repeatedly denied any link to the ammonium nitrate. But Nasrallah further angered families of the victims and other Lebanese recently by criticizing the judge leading the investigation into the blast, suggesting he should be replaced. Nasrallah described Judge Tarek Bitar as politicized after he filed charges against some legislators and former Cabinet ministers allied with Hezbollah.

There is an attempt to satanize Hezbollah and tarnish its image, said Lebanese University political science professor Sadek Naboulsi. The professor, who has ties to the group, accused foreign powers including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and the U.S. of seeking to incite internal strife between Lebanons Shiite and Sunni Muslim communities with the aim of weakening Hezbollah. He added that Hezbollah had overcome such pressures in the past and emerged more powerful.

A serious test for Hezbollah came in early August when a funeral of a militant came under fire by suspected Sunni gunmen on the southern entrance of Beirut. Three Hezbollah supporters were killed and 16 were wounded in the shooting in the town of Khaldeh.

Hezbollah did not retaliate and instead called on Lebanese authorities to investigate the case.

An increasing number of Lebanese are realizing that the concept of a Lebanese state cannot coexist with a powerful armed militia serving an outside power, wrote Michael Young, editor of Diwan, the blog of the Carnegie Middle East Center.

Macaron said Hezbollah will not be the same after the crisis and will have to adapt to ensure political survival in the long term.

What they can do at this point is to limit losses as much as possible, he said.
CHICAGO (AP)  A massive energy policy overhaul aimed at making Illinois a fully renewable-energy state by 2050 cleared the Senate early Wednesday despite objections from Gov. J.B. Pritzker and groups who want more environmental and consumer protections.

Negotiations have been ongoing for years on the deal that includes a generous bailout for nuclear plants, closing coal-fired plants, investments in wind and solar energy and ethics measures in the wake of a utility scandal. Previous attempts have hit snags, including earlier this summer when unions and environmental groups clashed.

This plan would make Illinois a national leader in fighting climate change, Sen. Bill Cunningham, a Chicago Democrat said in a statement after the one-day session where the Democrat-majority Legislature also approved legislative maps.

However, the latest energy proposal faces an uncertain future as the House adjourned hours earlier without considering it and hasn't set a date to return. Any House changes would have to go back to the Senate for approval.

The governors office looks forward to working with members of the House to finalize an energy package that puts consumers and climate first, Pritzker's spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said in a statement.

Lawmakers face increasing pressure to get something done because Exelon, parent of Illinois largest electric utility ComEd, has said that without help from the state, it'll start shutting down two nuclear plants within weeks.

Union and business groups have expressed concerns about the loss of jobs and the reliability of the electric grid while some consumers groups worry about rate hikes. Meanwhile, environmentalists say Illinois, which relies heavily on nuclear energy and has more reactors than any other state, needs to do more to cut pollution.

We are out of time to say that we'll solve this problem of our states biggest polluter later, Juliana Pino of the the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization said during a Tuesday evening Senate committee hearing. Our climate doesnt have time and the families of those affected by the plants pollution dont have time.

The latest plan keeps many ideas from previous discussions.

It includes roughly $700 million in state subsidies to bail out three nuclear plants, provisions aimed at expanding renewable energy sources like solar and wind and more ethics and accountability measures. That includes an investigation of how rates were used in connection with a ComEd bribery scandal that led to charges against multiple people and implicated former House Speaker Michael Madigan.

The legislation would phase out coal-fired plants by 2045, including Prairie State Generating Station in southern Illinois, the top source of carbon pollution in the state. It also sets goals for the state on expanding the use of electric vehicles and incentives for energy efficiency in homes.

Utility rates would increase under the plan with average residential customers paying roughly $3.50 more each month.

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Associated Press writer Sara Burnett contributed to this report.
PHILADELPHIA (AP)  A judge reinstated some charges against a fired Philadelphia police inspector accused of striking a protester in the head with a metal baton during a racial injustice demonstration captured on video in 2020.

The judge on Tuesday reversed part of an earlier decision, finding the District Attorneys Office had presented enough evidence to pursue charges of simple assault and possession of an instrument of crime against Joseph Bologna. The court dismissed counts of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  Nebraska state government is stepping in to help shuffle patients between local hospitals that are dealing with a surge of people with the coronavirus and other health issues, Gov. Pete Ricketts said Wednesday.

Ricketts said the state has partnered with Nomi Health, the creators of the TestNebraska program, to offer call centers that overcrowded hospitals can contact when they need to transfer patients elsewhere. The around-the-clock call centers will serve as coordinators for in-state hospitals to try to keep them from getting overwhelmed, at a cost of $200,000 a month.

The announcement is another sign that the state is once again struggling with coronavirus cases, even though most of the hospitalizations are patients without the virus. State officials opened a similar call center last year but ended the program after the number of cases and hospitalizations declined. The new call center is scheduled to open Saturday.

Nebraska's hospitals reported to the state Wednesday that 72% of their 3,234 beds were occupied, although some facilities were far more crowded and having to send patients to other places. Ricketts relaxed licensing restrictions for nurses last week in an attempt to fix severe staffing shortages.

The big challenge for hospitals is keeping patient numbers at levels that are manageable for their employees, said Angie Ling, the pandemic incident commander for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Our medical staff are hurting something fierce right now, Ling said.

The state reported 342 coronavirus hospitalizations on Wednesday, up only slightly from the 337 counted last week. State officials have speculated that the surge in non-virus patients may be due to people who delayed medical treatment earlier in the pandemic.

Ricketts also reiterated his opposition to mask mandates for schoolchildren, saying the decision should be left to parents, despite concerns from some parents and school officials that the virus could easily spread in classrooms.

Dr. Gary Anthone, the state's chief medical officer, also urged residents to get vaccinated but said that high-risk people who get infected with the virus should contact a doctor early to see if they're eligible for a monoclonal antibody treatment, which has been shown to minimize symptoms. Anthone said Nebraska has 46 sites where the treatment is available, and the state's health providers gave 241 infusions last week.

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Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP)  A suspect was taken into custody Wednesday after one student was fatally shot at a North Carolina high school, officials said.

Winston-Salem police Chief Catrina Thompson, fighting back tears, told a news conference that Mount Tabor High School went into immediate lockdown as emergency responders, sheriff's deputies and police officers arrived just after noon to search for the suspect, who she said was believed to be a student at the school.

The injured student was taken to a local hospital, where he died, Thompson said.

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office announced on its Twitter page that the suspect, who was not identified, was apprehended. No other details were immediately available.

Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr., who joined deputies and officers at the school on the initial call, identified the dead student as William Chavis Raynard Miller Jr. Kimbrough said he met with the family at the hospital.

I haven't cried in a while, but I've been crying since I left the hospital, Kimbrough said.

Sheriffs office spokeswoman Christina Howell said all other students were safe.

Police blocked roads to the school, which has an enrollment of more than 1,500 students, and numerous emergency vehicles were on the scene. Parents frantic for information parked their cars on the sidewalks several blocks from the school as police directed traffic away from campus. Students and parents could be seen walking toward a nearby shopping center.

Christopher Johnson said his son told him that he heard the gunshots while in the school gym and students were told to hide because there was an active shooter on campus.

You see stuff like this in the media, said Johnson, whose son was still at the school awaiting transportation to a pickup point. Its scary to know that it actually reached out and touched you this time. My sons not a victim, but hes part of this and hell probably remember this forever.

Later, law enforcement vehicles were seen escorting school buses with Mount Tabor students off the campus to be reunited with their parents.

The sheriff's office said other schools in the area were on lockdown as a precaution but no other shootings or injuries had been reported.

Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement that he has been briefed by law enforcement and noted this was the second school shooting in the state this week. A 15-year-old was charged after a student was shot and wounded during a fight Monday at a Wilmington high school.

We must work to ensure the safety of students and educators, quickly apprehends the shooter and keep guns off school grounds, Cooper said.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  An Oklahoma judge on Wednesday said she will temporarily block a state law banning public school mask mandates, but students or their parents can opt out of the requirement if they choose.

Judge Natalie Mai said she will issue a temporary injunction that will go into effect next week when she issues a written order detailing her ruling. Mai said she is blocking the law because it applies only to public, not private, schools and that schools adopting a mask mandate must provide an option for parents or students to opt out of the requirement.

The ruling drew praise from Gov. Kevin Stitt, who signed the law and opposes mask mandates without exemptions, and Dr. Mary Clarke, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, which joined the lawsuit brought by four parents who oppose the law.

This is a victory for parental choice, personal responsibility and the rule of law," Stitt said in a statement.

Clarke said she was also pleased with the ruling.

This is just a first step in ensuring our schools maintain local control and can choose the best path for their students, faculty and staff," Clarke said in a statement.

While not included in SB 658, some businesses mitigation efforts such as mask and vaccine requirements have been under fire," Clarke said. Our stance is that in order to promote a healthy environment, a business should be able to develop rules that keep their employees safe without interference from state government.

The U.S. Department of Education on Monday announced an investigation into Oklahoma and four other Republican-led states  Iowa, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah  that banned or limited mask requirements in schools. The department said the policies could amount to discrimination against students with disabilities or health conditions.

Other states previously outlawed mask mandates, but the policies were overturned by courts or are not being enforced, including in Florida, Texas, Arkansas and Arizona.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 2,538 new virus cases on Wednesday and a seven-day daily average of 2,796 new cases, which was up from an average of 2,187 during the seven-day period that ended Aug. 16. The department reported that 441 people were in intensive care units, which was more than double the 216 on Aug. 2.

The four major hospitals in Oklahoma City  Integris, Mercy, SSM Health and OU Health  reported Wednesday that they were treating 524 COVID-19 patients and no ICU beds available for more. The health department reported Wednesday that there were 25 ICU beds, or 7.6% of the total, available in the city among other hospitals.

Also Wednesday, Oklahoma Department of Human Services director Justin Brown said the agency's offices would be open to customers by appointment only because of the rising virus case numbers.

The agency provides services to low-income residents, including financial assistance and the state's Medicaid program.
Hundreds of older adults have signed a petition seeking transparent and affordable utility rates.

The petition demands that consumer advocacy groups like AARP Illinois be included in negotiations about the omnibus energy bill being debated this week in Springfield.

On Tuesday, AARP Illinois representatives delivered stacks of the signed petitions to legislators at the state Capitol.

Our members are deeply concerned and dismayed about their utility bills, which keep going up without any explanation or consumer input, state AARP director Bob Gallo said. But they are equally frustrated that their elected officials continually act in the best interest of ComEd and other big utilities, which use unfair lobbying practices, and not on behalf of the residents.

A cost analysis of the energy bill was never presented to the public, but data analyzed independently by AARP Illinois found the bill, which is being debated this week, would result in a $15-a-month increase for single-family customers and more than $14 billion in increases to customer bills during the next 10 years.

Since Thursday, more than 500 older adults across Illinois have completed petitions being circulated by AARP Illinois, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to improving the lives of those ages 50 or above.

 Rochelle Eiselt
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  The centerpiece of Gov. Tom Wolfs plan to fight climate change passed its last regulatory hurdle Wednesday, in a hard-fought bid to make Pennsylvania the first major fossil fuel state to adopt a carbon pricing policy.

The plan to impose a price on carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants in Pennsylvania won a 3-2 party-line vote from the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, a five-member panel of gubernatorial and legislative appointees.

The commission voted after almost six hours of testimony and nearly two years of Wolf's administration working on the regulation and shepherding it through the long regulatory process.

The vote allows Pennsylvania, through regulation, to join a multistate consortium, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which sets a price and declining limits on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.

By joining the consortium, Pennsylvania is taking a historic, proactive and progressive approach that will have significant positive environmental, public health and economic impacts, Wolf said in a statement after the vote.

Mark Szybist, a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, called it the most important climate action that Pennsylvania has taken in more than a decade.

At 34%, Pennsylvanias energy sector is its largest emitter of carbon dioxide, the most pervasive greenhouse gas.

Under the cap-and-trade program, its dozens of power plants fueled by coal, oil and natural gas would be forced to buy hundreds of millions of dollars in credits in the coming years that the state could then spend on clean energy efforts.

Wolf's administration had initially sought support in the Republican-controlled Legislature and, failing to get traction there, pursued the matter through regulation.

In the nation's No. 2 natural gas state and its No. 3 coal-mining state, opponents were numerous.

They included coal- and natural gas-related interests who would pay more to operate, industrial and business groups that fear higher electricity bills and labor unions whose workers maintain power plants, build gas pipelines and mine coal, fearing a loss of jobs.

There was also an outcry from coal communities, including one testifier who said he worked at a coal-fired power plant and called it an assassination of blue-collar jobs."

A chief argument against Wolf's plan had been that making fossil fuels more expensive would send power generation to neighboring states with no emissions caps and devastate local coal-mining jobs and economies.

Others questioned its legality or the need to do it if Pennsylvania won't directly see more moderate temperatures or weather events.

The Wolf administration projects reductions in air pollution and electricity bills, improvements in public health and a stronger economy.

Proponents argued that the time for action is now, and that acting sooner will put Pennsylvania in a better position to capitalize on a growing clean energy economy and pave the way for more states and the federal government to take more aggressive action.

Not only is it the right thing to do, but it is in each states self-interest to do it, Szybist said in an interview.

The heavily populated and fossil fuel-rich Pennsylvania has long been one of the nations biggest polluters and power producers and the jury is out on whether a carbon-pricing program would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Its effectiveness could depend on where emissions caps are set and whether money from the emissions credits are wisely spent on clean energy and energy efficiency programs.

The regulation could take several months to be officially published and become final. Once it does, Pennsylvania would join California, Washington and the 11 states already in the greenhouse gas consortium to adopt a carbon pricing policy, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

Wolf wants it to take effect next year, although a legal challenge is expected before that. The Republican-controlled Legislature also may try to muster veto-proof majorities to block it.

In theory, electricity from solar, wind and nuclear power generators would become more cost competitive in electricity markets.

In some cases, Wolf's plan received support from backers of higher-efficiency natural gas plants and labor unions involved in renewable energy projects. It also motivated the Ohio-based owner of nuclear-powered Beaver Valley Power Station to put off plans to close the plant.

Coal advocates say the plan will prematurely shut down coal mines and coal-fired power plants in Pennsylvania.

Rep. James Struzzi, R-Indiana, whose district is home to two coal-fired plants, told the panel that people are terrified of what carbon-pricing will do their community.

Its an assault on a particular industry to benefit other industries, and that is simply not acceptable, Struzzi said.

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Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/timelywriter.
VIENNA, Ill. (AP)  A southern Illinois man allegedly shot his half-brother to death following an argument over the COVID-19 vaccine, authorities said.

Larry D. Cavitt, 68, of Goreville, was charged Monday in Johnson County Court with murder and aggravated battery with use of a firearm. The charges stem from Saturday's death of Cavitt's half-brother, Joseph E. Geyman, 51.

Johnson County Sheriff Pete Sopczak said the two men, who lived next door to each other, argued over the COVID-19 vaccine before Cavitt allegedly took out a handgun and fatally shot Geyman in the head.

Sopczak said there was no physical altercation prior to the shooting in the unincorporated Johnson County village of Tunnel Hill, located about 40 miles (64.4 kilometers) northwest of Paducah, Kentucky.

He said Geyman was married with four children and planned to retire in December.

It just makes no sense, Sopczak told The Southern Illinoisan.

Cavitt was released Tuesday from the Massac County Jail after posting bond. A judge ordered him to possess no firearms and have no contact with Geyman's widow and four children.

Cavitt has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 15. It was not immediately clear if he has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

The Johnson County Sheriffs Department and Illinois State Police are investigating the shooting.
MADRID (AP)  Pope Francis has criticized the West's two-decade-long involvement in Afghanistan as an outsider's attempt to impose democracy  although he did it by citing Russian President Vladimir Putin while thinking he was quoting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Asked during a radio interview aired Wednesday about the new political map taking shape in Afghanistan after the United States and its allies withdrew from the Taliban-controlled country following 20 years of war, the pope said he would answer with a quote that he attributed to Merkel, whom he described as one of the world's greatest political figures.

It is necessary to put an end to the irresponsible policy of intervening from outside and building democracy in other countries, ignoring the traditions of the peoples," the pope said, using his own translation into Spanish.

But the words were spoken last month by Putin in the presence of Merkel, during her visit to Moscow.

During the meeting on Aug. 20, Putin scathingly criticized the West over Afghanistan, saying that the Talibans rapid sweep over the country has shown the futility of Western attempts to enforce its own vision of democracy. At a news conference with Putin, Merkel conceded that the operation had failed in delivering a clear future for Afghans.

"We did not want to force any system on Afghanistan, Merkel told reporters. But we saw that millions of girls were glad to go to school and that women could participate. There are many in Afghanistan who are very, very unhappy about developments now.

Her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, refused to comment directly on the pope's comments when asked on Wednesday, but he added that Merkel's position on Afghanistan was well known and repeated during a recent speech to the German parliament.

The goal of no international terror attacks from Afghanistan since the military operation started in 2001 was achieved, Merkel told German lawmakers on Aug. 25: "That was a concrete contribution to the safety of our country.

Although she acknowledged that the West's goals may have been too ambitious and cultural differences and corruption may have been underestimated, she also said that the mission in Afghanistan wasnt futile for the countrys population, as it helped reduce child mortality, deliver drinking water and electricity to a majority of Afghans and protected rule of law and the basic rights of women and others.

Merkel said the analysis of what went wrong would take time and each international mission would need to be assessed on its own, but she added that we must not and wont forget Afghanistan, because even if it doesnt look like it in this bitter hour Im convinced that no violence and no ideology will stop peoples urge toward freedom, justice and peace forever.

The Vatican didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on the pope's interview with Spain's Cadena COPE, which took place Friday at his residence. The radio station owned by Spain's Catholic bishops' conference aired the talk on Wednesday and said that its content had been vetted by the pope himself.

Francis also said that not all eventualities were taken into account in the departure of Western allies from Afghanistan.

I dont know whether there will be a review or not (about what happened during the withdrawal), but certainly there was a lot of deception perhaps on the part of the new (Afghan) authorities, said the pope. I say deceit or a lot of naivety.

He said he believed that the Vaticans top diplomat was offering to engage in Afghanistan to make sure that locals dont suffer and called for Christians across the world to engage in prayer, penance and fasting in the face of events in Afghanistan.

In the interview, Pope Francis addressed direct questions about his health for the first time since he underwent bowel surgery in early July.

He said his body is adjusting well to the removal of part of his colon and that he can now eat whatever he wants and leads a totally normal life.

He said that he expected his trip to Slovakia and Hungary between Sept. 12-15 would be as busy as previous ones. He also has an upcoming tour taking him to Cyprus, Greece and Malta.

The pope also said he was expecting to appear and speak at the U.N.-sponsored COP26 climate talks in November in Glasgow, Scotland.

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Frank Jordans reported from Berlin. Geir Moulson in Berlin, Frances D'Emilio in Rome and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow also contributed to this report.
BANGKOK (AP)  Shopping malls, restaurants, parks and schools reopened in Thailand's capital on Wednesday after the government eased restrictions intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

A surge that began in April sent new cases and deaths soaring, and department stores, restaurants, parks and other gathering places in Bangkok were ordered to close in July.

But a decline in new cases in recent weeks led authorities to ease many of the restrictions imposed in the capital and in other badly affected areas to reduce the impact on businesses.

At Bangkoks upmarket Iconsiam mall, customers were greeted by staff and given hand sanitizing gel. Shoppers are instructed to register via an app, while staff must take rapid COVID-19 tests on a regular basis.

I cant believe that we can return to some normalcy, said 69-year-old shopper Pornthip Thiensanthiranon. I didnt think this is possible because we have been living with COVID for so long and staying at home and not going anywhere. Its relaxing to come back here.

Pairoj Fuangbangruang, a food seller at Iconsiam, said he is "so happy that I can come back to work.

Finally, I can earn a living, he said.

The government has come under intense criticism for its failure to secure timely and adequate supplies of vaccines, leaving the country vulnerable to further infections. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and several Cabinet members are the target this week of a no-confidence debate in Parliament over the issue.

The government has been scrambling recently to obtain and administer vaccines. It says as of Tuesday, 90.4% of Bangkoks 7.69 million people have received at least one dose of vaccine and 22.4% are fully vaccinated.

About 32.6 million doses have been administered nationwide, with around 23.8 million people, or 34.5% of Thailand's 69 million population, receiving at least one dose and 8.21 million people, or 11.9%, fully vaccinated.

Health authorities announced 14,802 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the confirmed total to 1,219,531 since the pandemic began last year. There were 252 new deaths for a total of 11,841.

The recent wave of the coronavirus has accounted for 97% of total cases and more than 99% of total deaths.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  A group of powerful New Mexico lawmakers is questioning whether state environment officials have done enough to weigh the potential economic effects of a proposal to cut smog-causing pollution across the oil and gas industry.

Leaders of the Legislative Finance Committee sent a letter last week to state Environment Secretary James Kenney, saying the rules would have an effect on state general funds and local government coffers if enacted.

The potential economic and revenue impact to the state is a matter of great importance to the committee, the letter read.

A New Mexico Tax Research Institute study cited by the lawmakers puts annual revenue losses for the state and local governments at $730 million.

Another independent analysis by John Dunham & Associates  an economic research firm hired by the industry  found the rules would cost operators more than $3 billion to comply during the first year. More than one-third of currently operating oil wells and 87% of natural gas wells would become uneconomical after accounting for increased regulatory costs, according to that study.

Experts have said there would likely be declines in both oil and gas production in New Mexico, which is now ranked second in the U.S. when it comes to production.

The committee sent the Environment Department a series of questions about what was done to consider the economics of the rules and what other options there might be for small producers.

The state agency in a response issued Wednesday said it plans to present expert testimony on the methods and findings of the analysis done by John Dunham & Associates and that the state Environmental Improvement Board will consider testimony from the agency's own staff, the industry and other parties in the case during a hearing later this month.

Kenney wrote that this process will ensure that all aspects of the proposed rule and its effects on the state are fully developed and presented to the board.

"The board will not rely on a single, deeply flawed economic study conducted and paid for by the regulated community, and I ask that Legislative Finance Committee not do so either, Kenney's letter states.

He also noted that New Mexico regulators have a duty to address rising ozone levels, which he blamed in part on oil and gas production. He said monitors in southeastern New Mexico  home to one of the world's most productive basins  are registering ozone levels in excess of federal standards.

If the state doesn't act, he said the federal government will force it to do so under provisions of the Clean Air Act.

The rules proposed by the Environment Department are part of a two-pronged approach, which Kenney has touted as the most comprehensive effort in the U.S. to tackle pollution blamed for exacerbating climate change. State oil and gas regulators adopted separate rules earlier this year to limit venting and flaring as a way to reduce methane pollution.

The Environment Department opted to remove all exemptions from an earlier version of its draft rule. The proposal also includes minimum requirements for operators to calculate their emissions and have them certificated by an engineer and to find and fix leaks on a monthly basis.

If companies violate the rules, they could be hit with notices of violation, orders to comply and possibly civil penalties.

The state expects the rule, once adopted sometime next year, to lead to reductions in ozone-causing pollution that would equal taking 8 million cars off the road every year. Methane emissions also would be reduced as a result, officials have said.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Federal officials closed a portion of trails at a national forest in Northern California where a family and their dog mysteriously died last month, citing pending toxicology reports on nearby water.

There was no clear cause of death, prompting authorities to treat the area as a hazmat scene.

Investigators are considering whether toxic algae blooms or other hazards may have contributed to the deaths and are awaiting the results of water tests taken from the area where the family was found.

The area north of Fresno in the Sierra National Forest will be closed until Sept. 26 to provide for public safety due to unknown hazards found in and near the Savage Lundy Trail, according to the order. Rangers can reopen the trails if conditions change, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday.

John Gerrish, his wife, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and their dog were all found dead on Aug. 17 on a hiking trail near the national forest's Hites Cove. A family friend had reported them missing.

The remote area where the bodies were found had no cellphone service. The FBI is trying to access Gerrishs cell phone, which was found in his pocket, the newspaper reported.

We are uncertain of the causes of death. We still havent gotten the results from the case, said Leak Pen, assistant recreation officer at the Bass Lake Ranger District, which oversees that portion of the Sierra National Forest. So, as a precaution, lets go ahead and close it because we know theres some form of hazard to the public.

Toxicology reports are still pending, leading investigators to wait to list a cause of death, but last week they ruled out any weapons being used or dangerous gases from a mine along the trail.

Pen said one water test has come back positive for harmful algae bloom. Others have turned up no toxic substances and still other tests are outstanding. Officials had already warned hikers of such blooms a month before the deaths along the south fork of the Merced River, so that result is not a surprise. Such freshwater blooms are not known to kill humans.

Because of the heat theres a chance they may have drank the water or tried to treat the water, but we dont know, Pen said. Its very mysterious, and were all just waiting for the results.

The closure affects nine trails, six picnic sites and the dirt Forest Road that leads to the Hites Cove trailhead. The district took two weeks to close the trail to figure out the logistics of shuttering such a large area and when they realized answers for the deaths were still far off, Pen said.

The Sierra National Forest closure coincides with a statewide shutdown of all 20 million acres of national forestlands in California through Labor Day due to dangerous fire conditions and taxed firefighting crews.
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP)  Officials at Virginia Tech say that 134 students are no longer enrolled because they failed to comply with vaccine requirements.

The Roanoke Times reported Tuesday that less than half of one percent of students are now unenrolled. About 37,000 students were expected to attend classes this year when they began Aug. 23.
NEW DELHI (AP)  India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year.

India opened shots for all adults in May. But the campaign faltered in villages due to vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. That started changing in mid-July and of the nearly 120 million shots administered in the past three weeks, around 70% were in India's villages  up from around half in the initial weeks of May.

Although the increased vaccine acceptance in rural areas is promising, the pandemic is far from done in India: After weeks of steady decline, the 46,000 new infections reported Saturday was its highest in almost two months.

Only about 11% of India's vast population is fully vaccinated. Half of all adults and about 35% of the total population have received at least one shot. This has left large swathes of people still susceptible to the virus.

Several nations, including the U.S. and Israel, are offering or plan to offer booster shots to people, deepening global vaccine inequity. India was expected to be a pivotal producer of shots to immunize the world but stopped exports after an explosion of infections. And while India had expected to get 1.35 billion shots in the final five months of 2021 to resolve its supply constraints, the question of whether Indian vaccine makers can scale up production to meet India's needs will have global implications.

Currently in India, there is more demand than available supply...the supply of vaccines currently in use is lower than the projections made a few months ago. So both of these situations are putting constraints on availability of vaccines in the country," said Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya, a vaccine policy expert.

India is no stranger to mass immunizations, but this is the first time that shots are being given at this scale, and to adults. Officials have blended strategies that were successful in the past with newer, more localized innovations.

Kamalawati, 65, a retired government accountant who goes by only her first name, lined up for a shot at Nizampur, a village outside New Delhi. She said people initially were concerned there would be harmful side effects but people are not scared anymore.

What has worked for her village and others is a contest in which the local government awards a trophy to the village with the most vaccinated people and a plaque declaring the village the winner. Stickers are also pasted on homes where people are fully vaccinated to encourage neighbors to do the same. District administrator Saumya Sharma said the campaign banks on the sense of community and pride residents have in their village. "That this is our village. And we are going to make it No. 1, she said.

In Juggar, home to several thousand of the over 155 million people who live in rural parts of India's Uttar Pradesh state, villagers refused the vaccine when health officials first arrived there, paramedic Ravi Sharma said. Only after family members of health workers got their shots in public view did others begin to get the vaccine.

Millions of people from eastern Bihar state, one of India's least urbanized, migrate to the Middle East for work. With international travel impossible without certificates showing full vaccination, more people are signing up for jabs, said Dr. R.K. Chaudhary, who is in charge of a rural health center in Phulwari Sharif village.

These strategies rest on methods that have worked in past vaccination campaigns. Performers with drums and clad in traditional attire are fanning out to Indian villages to underline the importance of getting the shot. Several states have organized mobile vaccination centers, where shots are given at highly visible places in village squares. The government has also used WhatsApp, which is ubiquitous in India, to help people book appointments for vaccines.

Public health experts say the uptick in rural vaccinations is important because health care systems in villages are fragile. The deadly surge of infections that overwhelmed hospitals earlier this year ripped through rural India and thousands died. Moreover, migrants from villages move to cities for work and until everyone is vaccinated, outbreaks and even the possibility of a dangerous new variant can't be discounted, said Lahariya.

India has the infrastructure to vaccinate up to 10 million people daily, but is averaging between 5 million and 6 million, he said.

So far, nearly 90% of the vaccines administered were the AstraZeneca shots made by the Serum Institute of India. The government hopes to solve the supply constraints that have hamstrung the vaccination effort with new production lines as well as the approval of a new homemade vaccine and another in the pipeline.

India hopes that Bharat Biotech will make around a third of the 1.3 billion shots it needs. The company has struggled so far in scaling up and while a new facility, capable of making 10 million shots monthly, began production last week, the company is looking for international manufacturing partners.

The Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine was given the nod by Indian regulators in April but accounts for less than 1% of total vaccinations. The company has arranged with several Indian vaccine makers to start making shots locally, hopefully by later this month.

India expects 100 million Sputnik V shots and 50 million shots of Indian drugmaker Zydus Cadilas recently greenlit COVID-19 vaccine later this year.

Apart from this, the regulator approved Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in June and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot in August. But it is unclear when they will be administered.

Meanwhile, Moderna and Pfizer have been discussing the signing of indemnity waivers for their vaccines for weeks with India's federal government. Unlike some other countries and the U.N.- backed COVAX initiative, India doesn't have a mechanism in place for people who suffer rare side effects to seek compensation, said Lahariya. He said these discussions were an opportunity to reexamine accountability and create a system where people are protected.

Lahariya warned that even though he expected supply to improve, it was unlikely that India would have enough shots to immunize all adults by the end of the year. No matter what, he said.

___

AP journalists Rishi Lekhi in New Delhi, Biswajeet Banerjee in Lucknow, India, and Indrajit Singh in Patna, India, contributed to this report.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

___
ATLANTA (AP)  A judge's decision striking down a Trump-era rule that eliminated federal protections for some wetlands and streams is giving hope to opponents of a proposed mine outside the Okefenokee Swamp's vast wildlife refuge in southeast Georgia.

A federal judge in Arizona on Monday tossed the rule that narrowed the types of U.S. waters that qualify for federal protection from pollution under the Clean Water Act. The judge's order, which applies nationwide, says the rule enacted under former President Donald Trump improperly limited the scope of clean water protections.

One high-profile project directly affected by the environmental rollbacks under Trump was a proposal by Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals to mine titanium dioxide on land about 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge near the Georgia-Florida line.

Conservationists fear mining close to the swamp's edge could cause irreparable harm to the largest federal wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi River. Yet the Army Corps of Engineers declared last year that the project no longer required a federal permit because the rollbacks under Trump excluded wetlands on the site from federal protection. That left sole authority to Georgia state regulators to decide whether it could move forward.

Now environmental groups hope the judge's ruling means the federal government will once again have oversight over the project near the Okefenokee. But there is still uncertainty.

Kelly Moser, a lawyer with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said she believes the determination that the Corps did not have jurisdiction could be invalidated because it was made under a rule that was found to be unlawful.

I think that it is unclear how the Corps will respond to the courts decision, but were hopeful that it will take that decision as a guide and begin protecting wetlands that were seeing in jeopardy at Okefenokee, said Moser, who is handling a federal lawsuit in South Carolina filed by conservation groups challenging the Trump rule.

Steve Ingle, president of Twin Pines, said Tuesday in an emailed statement that the ruling does not change the company's plans, adding that it will continue to adhere to the requirements of the regulatory agencies that have review responsibilities relative to our permit applications now and in the future.

The Trump rule, finalized last year, had long been sought by builders, oil and gas developers, farmers and others who complained about federal overreach that they said stretched into gullies, creeks and ravines on farmland and other private property. Environmental groups and other opponents said it allowed businesses to dump pollutants into unprotected waterways and fill in some wetlands, threatening downstream public water supplies and harming wildlife.

U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez wrote in her order that the rule disregards established science and the advice of government experts in excluding smaller waterways from protection. It fails to look closely enough at the effect of those small waterways on larger waterways, she wrote.

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge covers nearly 630 square miles (1,630 square kilometers) and is home to alligators, bald eagles and other protected species. Roughly 600,000 visitors flock to the swamp each year to see its cypress forests and flooded prairies, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages the refuge.

The proposed mine could pose substantial risks to the swamp, including its ability to hold water, the Fish and Wildlife Service said in February 2019. Some impacts may not be able to be reversed, repaired, or mitigated for.

Ingle maintains that his company can mine for titanium and other minerals without impacting the Okefenokee Swamp.

Billy Birdwell, a spokesperson for the Army Corps office in Savannah, said the judge's ruling is much too new for an evaluation of how it will impact our actions. He also noted that the ruling could be appealed.

Marquez's ruling Monday came in a challenge brought by six Native American tribes, who said the Trump rule defied the laws environmental focus. If an appeal is filed, her ruling could be put on hold while the appeals process plays out.

Without federal oversight, only the Georgia Environmental Protection Division has permitting oversight over the proposed Twin Pines mine. Those reviews are underway, and agency spokesperson Kevin Chambers said the ruling does not affect state permit applications.

Moser said the state protections are limited and have not ever been and will never be sufficient to protect Georgia's wetlands. For that reason, she said, it's important that President Joe Biden's administration move quickly to put strong clean water protections in place.

The Environmental Protection Agency is already working on repealing the Trump-era rule and issuing new regulations defining which waterways are federally protected.

But those new measures alone probably would not affect the Georgia mine project because decisions on whether projects need Clean Water Act permits last for five years, unless theres a specific reason to revisit a particular project. That's why Monday's ruling is so important to environmental groups.
HOUMA, La. (AP)  Main Street of this southern Louisiana town resembles a canyon of rubble after Hurricane Ida.

Metal roofs peeled off buildings cover the sidewalks, and red bricks from a collapsed building mingle with big chunks of broken glass on a corner.

A man cleaning up damage throws a piece of roofing from atop Mardi Gras Hall, a bingo parlor, and it lands with a thud. A block away, broken limbs from giant oaks make it all but impossible to walk across a once shady square.

Its like a bomb went off and just blew off houses roofs, flattened trees, snapped them like matchsticks, said Michael Cobb, taking in the destruction Tuesday from his front porch a couple of blocks away.

Cobb's home, built from cypress 120 years ago and painted white with purple trim, survived the storm with only a water leak. Still, seeing Main Street in tatters filled him with sadness.

It was such a pretty place, he said.

Situated on the Intracoastal Waterway where it crosses Bayou Terrebonne, Houma is a working-class town of 33,000 people who largely make their living off the nearby Gulf of Mexico. Many catch fish, shrimp and oysters. Others build and repair ships and barges or work support jobs for the oil industry.

Founded in 1832, Houma has weathered its share of hurricanes. Hurricane Katrina caused flooding and left the bayou littered with debris when it struck in 2005, precisely 16 years to the day before Ida made landfall.

Ida's eyewall tore through Houma with ferocious winds that reached 150 mph (240 km/h) when the Category 4 storm struck the Louisiana coast Sunday.

The hurricane ripped away the corner of the flatiron-shaped Hancock Whitney Bank building. Across the street, which had been cleared for traffic Tuesday, three walls and the roof of a small bistro were collapsed in a heap.

Cobb's mother-in-law, Elizabeth Courteaux, has lived in the area her whole life and grew up speaking Cajun French. She said the storm was terrifying and the aftermath worrisome. Power could be out for a month, she said, and every tree near her home is down.

You cant even pass, said Courteaux, 66.

All through town Tuesday, power lines and utility poles hung precariously over streets littered with shingles and lumber ripped from fractured homes.

Near Houma in Raceland, tanker trucks providing drinking water were parked outside the towns small hospital, Ochsner St. Anne. Roofs all around were missing shingles, and wooden fences surrounding homes laid flat on soggy soil.

Power crews have started repairing the power grid around Houma, but no one is expecting a quick fix. People in these parts are used to surviving hurricanes, Cobb said, and Ida wont be any different.

Well live," he said. "Well endure. Well rebuild. Its what we do.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Lena Surzhko Harned, Penn State

(THE CONVERSATION) A long-awaited  and previously postponed  White House meeting for Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to take place Sept. 1, 2021.

The sitdown with President Joe Biden is being viewed in Ukraine as hugely important, both symbolically and practically. Zelenskyy is expected to seek a strong commitment from the U.S., pledging support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president will also be lobbying Biden over the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline  a Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline that will circumvent Ukraine, starving Kyiv of annual gas revenue that could run into the billions of dollars.

Lena Surzhko Harned, an expert in post-Soviet Ukraine at Penn State University, walked The Conversation through the issues.

War and diplomacy

Ukraine says its security and territorial integrity have repeatedly been threatened by Russia since 2014.

In February of that year, Russia annexed Crimea, a peninsula on the Black Sea. Later a war broke out between the Ukrainian military and so-called pro-Russia separatists in the Donbas region in the east of the country. Despite no longer receiving the same level of international attention as it did in the early months of conflict, the war continues to generate casualties.

Ukraine maintains that Russia is directly involved in the fighting in Donbas  a charge the Putin government has repeatedly denied, to general skepticism by others in the international community.

Zelenskyy was elected in 2019 on an electoral promise to end the war and return Crimea to Ukraine. He appears to have settled on a strategy of building up the support of the international community while asserting the countrys right to self-defense, via military buildup in Ukraine.

As part of Zelenskyys international diplomatic push, last week he launched the Crimean Platform initiative. A first meeting for the initiative on Aug. 23, 2021, attracted government representatives from 46 countries, including the U.S. The attending countries issued a joint resolution calling for the return of Crimea to Ukraine. This echoes the view of the Biden administration, which has in the past affirmed its commitment to Ukraines territorial integrity by recognizing that Crimea is Ukraine.

Meanwhile, evidence of a more assertive self-defense stance by Ukraine can be seen in the past weeks celebration of Ukraines 30th Independence Day, during which Zelenskyys administration put on a full parade, including naval and air force displays, celebrating Ukrainian military achievement.

The flexing of diplomatic and military muscles has not been taken lightly in Russia, which reacted to the Crimean Platform by portraying it as a threat to Russian sovereignty.

Trouble in the pipeline

The meeting between Zelenskyy and Biden also comes amid growing concern in Ukraine over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is being viewed in Ukraine as a geopolitical weapon in Russias hands.

The gas pipeline from Russia to Europe could mean revenue loss to Ukraine of up to US$3 billion a year in gas transit fees.

Moreover, there are fears in the capital, Kyiv, that once Russia is no longer dependent on Ukraine for its transit infrastructure  which it needs to transport gas to the lucrative European Union market  Russia might be able to move more aggressively in full military action in Ukraine. The buildup of Russian military around Ukrainian borders in April 2021 reminded Ukraine of Russias threatening military presence.

The pipeline is near completion and has been a source of intense international conversation, with Germany and Russia arguing that the pipeline is an economic project, not a political one, as it is portrayed by Ukraine and others.

Germany has committed to guarantee that Ukraine will have some compensation for any losses related to the pipeline in the form of investments. Outgoing leader Angela Merkel has said that Germany will use sanctions and other economic mechanisms available should Russia attempt to use gas as a weapon against Ukraine or Europe. But given that such commitments are coming from a leader who will soon be leaving office, Ukraine remains skeptical.

What Ukraine wants from the US

Against this background, President Zelenskyy is likely to seek firm assurances from Biden that the U.S. will treat Ukraine as an equal partner when it comes to questions of security and peace in the region.

This will include military assistance  $60 million of which was pledged by the U.S. to Ukraine ahead of the Sept. 1 meeting.

Zelenskyy will also be looking for progress  and support  from the U.S. on the issue of Ukraines ambitions to join NATO. Biden has previously indicated that Ukraine still has work to do in tackling corruption before it can get the go-ahead to join the military alliance. Zelenskyy is likely to highlight his administrations anti-corruption reforms in order to make progress on this.

[Over 100,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.]

A more immediate concern for Zelenskyy may be persuading Biden to announce fresh sanctions over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The Biden administration lifted earlier sanctions related to the pipeline in May, a move that disappointed Ukraine and was attacked by Republicans in the U.S..

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/whats-on-the-agenda-when-ukraine-president-meets-biden-167096.
On Tuesday, the World Health Organization moved a new variant of the COVID-19 virus, now known as mu, to the level of "variant of interest."

The mu variant was first discovered in Colombia in January and has now spread to 39 countries in Europe and South America.

Mu, known scientifically as B.1.621, includes mutations that indicate a risk of resistance to vaccines, the WHO said. The global health organization also stressed that further studies are required to better understand the new variant.

"The mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape," the bulletin said.

The emergence of new variants  both the mu and a newly discovered variant from South Africa, said to be the most mutated yet  comes as the delta variant has sent infection rates up globally, nationally and in Illinois and Missouri. Other variants like the lambda variant, which has been discovered in the U.S., and delta-plus, also in the United States, have yet to seize a foothold because so much of current infections are delta variant.

The WHO said in a statement that mu must be monitored as it "has been designated as a Variant of Interest as it has some mutations that need to be studied for their potential impact on the bodys immune response."

The WHO said early data suggested that the capacity of blood sera from vaccinated people and people who recovered from COVID-19 infections to neutralize the mu variant was similar to their capacity against the beta variant, which is notably evasive of immune responses.

All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19, mutate over time and most mutations have little or no effect on the properties of the virus. But certain mutations can impact the properties of a virus and influence how easily it spreads, the severity of the disease it causes, and its resistance to vaccines, drugs and other countermeasures.

The WHO currently identifies four COVID-19 variants of concern, including alpha, which is present in 193 countries, and delta, present in 170 countries.

Five variants, now including mu, are to be monitored.

After being detected in Colombia, mu has since been reported in other South American countries and in Europe.

The WHO said its global prevalence has declined to below 0.1 percent among sequenced cases. In Colombia, however, it is at 39 percent.
We all know Houston was once the capital of Texas, and we brag about it every chance we get.

But do you know how our beloved Bayou City lost the seat in the days of the Texas Republic? It turns out the drama between Houston and Austin goes back to the 1840s, and is spicier than you might think.

In the days of Texas' independence, the capital city changed hands fairly often. Houston held the seat a few times, but by 1842, years after Texans won the Battle of San Jacinto, the capital was in Austin.

Because the republic's independence was challenged by Mexico, Texas was under constant fear of attack. In March 1842, a battalion of Mexican forces made its way into San Antonio and threatened to advance to Austin and possibly take the capital, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

President Sam Houston ordered the Texas congress to meet and discuss a plan of action  but not in the capital city. Instead, he ordered congress to meet in Houston and wanted the state's official archives moved, too, so they wouldn't fall in the hands of the advancing Mexican forces.

Of course, that upset Austinites. In an apparent knee-jerk reaction, a "vigilante committee of residents" took arms and threatened to turn their guns on their fellow Texans tasked with moving the official documents, according to the historical association.

Yes, Austin's hatred for Houston was so strong that they threatened to shoot Texas rangers sent by the president to grab some papers. Houston ordered the rangers to grab the documents but not cause any bloodshed.

In a not-at-all-surprising move, the so-called committee was unprepared to take any action by the time the rangers arrived. Houston's crew secured the archives and left the city in December 1842.

By January 1843, the committee of vigilantes had stolen more firepower and cornered the rangers just outside the city. There, they fired several rounds at the ranger who, under orders not to cause bloodshed, gave up the papers to the group and made their way back to Houston.

The committee took the papers back to Austin, where they remain to this day. Texans voted to make Austin the permanent capital years later.

In the days when we're rethinking how we view Texas' history, including the recent retelling of the history of the Alamo Mission, maybe this intrastate uprising is one of them.

It's a saga known as the Archives War to historians, but I'd like to call it the War of Austin's Aggression.
Within the first minutes of Wednesday, September 1, one of the countrys most extreme abortion bills went into effect across Texas, banning abortions after six weeks.

Previously, Texas abortion providers submitted an emergency appeal to overturn the SB 8, however the U.S Supreme Court has yet to take any action.

The law bans abortions in the state whenever an ultrasound can detect a fetal heartbeat, though fetuses dont have a developed heart at this stage, according to medical and legal experts. The new law will be enforced through a clause that allows for any private citizen to sue abortion providers and anyone involved in the abortion process after a heartbeat is detected, including someone shuttling an abortion seeker to an appointment.

Because of this, SB 8 might impact Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion.

On Twitter, people across the country and in our home state have offered their own sentiments about the new legislation.

San Antonio born writer Shea Serrano wrote this is terrible before providing a link to donate to a local abortion fund.

Local public health worker and abortion activist, twitter user @sovietcyka, assured the community, just has she did when MySA spoke with her when the bill passed in the House on May, 5. She also offered a list of reproductive rights resources.

The conversation continues to point out the gravity and hypocrisy of the situation, with one writer stating "the biggest abortion news in 50 years just happened in the shadows!"

Even actress Natasha Lyonne and The Daily Show expressed concern.

Many Twitter users expressed that fleeing the red state isn't an option.

Some in the state do however, support the new law, including Congressman Ronny Jackson.

While abortion may be effectively illegal in Texas, it is still accessible in many states across the country. However, for those without resources to travel, this will undoubtedly take a major toll. The ACLU wrote in a thread, "this is a full-scale assault on patients, our health care providers, and our support systems. This abortion ban is blatantly unconstitutional. We wont stop fighting until its blocked."

Currently, Planned Parenthood clinics in San Antonio are unable to provide abortion at this time, per a message on their site.

"We are challenging this law and hope to resume abortion care in the future. If you need to discuss pregnancy options, we are here to help. Please call 210-736-2262."
A. Officials knew the mandates were coming for years; they should have phased in the increase.

B. There's no master plan to justify the millions extra they are collecting.

C. It's Save Our Waters Week; this shows officials care about the environment.

D. Vote them all out of office.

Vote

View Results
Otava is on a mission to make the cloud easy for its customers. So says TJ Houske, Vice President of Operations and Solutions Architecture, at the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based cloud provider. We spoke with Houske recently to learn more about Otavas approach, what it means to be VMware Cloud Verified, and the challenges todays organizations are facing.

To [make the cloud easy], we provide service provider, public sector, and enterprise organizations with fully customizable, hybrid cloud solutions with hands-on, accessible, and collaborative support before, during, and after migration, he says. Our portfolio includes secure and Hybrid Private Cloud Hosting, Colocation, Disaster Recovery, Backup, Desktop as a Service and Security offerings that are available globally and are backed by a 100% uptime SLA. Unique to Otava, we also offer compliant cloud standard at no extra cost.

Otavas specialty is working with companies that require a high degree of compliance, including those in finance, healthcare, and retail. All of the companys facilities  including 18 data centers located in Denver, Phoenix, Dallas, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Cleveland, New York, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Ann Arbor, Flint, Las Vegas, Austin, Washington DC, as well as Frankfurt and Dusseldorf, Germany and Manchester, United Kingdom  are compliant with HIPAA, HITECH, HITRUST, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, and SOC 1, 2, and 3 certifications.

Otavas Gen Cloud platform is built on VMware Cloud Director and is optimized for industries with advanced security and compliance requirements, he adds. It can be consumed on a self-service or fully managed basis in public, reserved, or private cloud deployment models  giving IT teams more agility, control, and autonomy over their cloud operations and an easy path to a hybrid model.

The companys standard private cloud offering also includes a self-managed version that enables customers to focus on the cloud capabilities they want  including the ability to focus on application development rather than the management of servers. It also offers a fully managed cloud that gives enterprises the option of benefiting from a customized cloud that meets their unique needs, but is fully monitored and maintained by Otavas experts.

Customers who need public cloud infrastructure are also covered. Otava provides everything enterprises need to plan, build, and deploy software-defined infrastructure with Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure.

Houske notes that, increasingly, many customers require a multi-cloud or hybrid approach.

Most organizations recognize that one cloud platform will not fit all of their needs, he says. Multi-cloud environments are required to handle various workloads and achieve optimal results, but orchestrating multiple environments can be complex to manage. We dramatically simplify that process for our customers.

Houske says being VMware Cloud Verified helps that effort significantly.

Our entire Gen Cloud portfolio is VMware Cloud Verified, he says. Its important because it gives our customers a standard benchmark to measure against when creating a cloud environment. Our complementary services all flow through our core cloud platform, providing clients with a simple and frictionless route to achieve maximum benefits. Ultimately, it means that when customers are creating a hybrid environment, they have certainty that they are building on validated reference architecture. For current on-premises VMware users, it becomes extremely simple to snap into the Otava cloud environment.

This is particularly relevant to organizations that face what Houske sees as the four most common challenges today: managing an increasingly remote workforce, handling the complexities associated with multi-cloud environments, the need to optimize resources and do more with less, and the imperative to reduce the complexities of day-to-day IT operations.

Otava offers a complimentary demo of its cloud solutions and services at www.otava.com/contact.

Learn more about Otava and its partnership with VMware here.
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The damage to Louisianas power grid from Hurricane Ida is so extensive that the U.S. Coast Guard has joined the task of assessing the wreckage, a departure from its maritime security duties.

More than 1 million homes and businesses along the U.S. Gulf Coast are without power following Idas landfall late Sunday. The storm destroyed transmission lines up and down the Mississippi River, including one large tower that collapsed near Avondale, Louisiana, leaving a conductor from an electrical line in the river itself.

Where and how the tower fell, and the assessment on how we can deal with it has yet to be made, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman told Reuters. The Coast Guard joined the effort because of the potential hazard to navigation.

Entergy Corp is developing plans for crews to pull the transmission conductor from the river and had a team at the site on Tuesday, the company said.

The Coast Guard, which aids in security for ports and waterways, said its involvement only extends to overseeing the towers safe and timely salvage.

Nearly 800,000 Louisiana homes and businesses served by Entergy are without power. The company said the winds damaged some generating plants in the New Orleans area. Some customers may be without power for several weeks as Entergy assesses damage and seeks to restore service, though some 85,000 customers have already had their lights turned back on, it said.

The priority is to police stations, fire stations, hospitals in particular given the COVID dynamic, and assisted living facilities, Rod West, Entergys group president for utility operations, said late Monday in an interview.

Idas high winds dealt a severe blow to the states grid, knocking out power for facilities that generate power themselves including Waterford-3, an Entergy-owned nuclear power generator that disconnected from the grid as a safety measure ahead of the storm. The plant was still running on backup diesel as it focuses on restoring offsite power, the company said Tuesday.

Numerous chemical plants, refineries and other facilities were also without power. Refiners are a higher priority for us. A lot of it is going to depend on their ability to safely take power, West said.

Agricultural giant Bunge originally estimated that its Destrehan, Louisiana grain facility would reopen on Tuesday, but with numerous trees and power lines down, the company couldnt fully assess the damage yet, a spokeswoman said late Monday.

Power officials have told leaders in Jefferson Parish in the New Orleans area that its roughly 440,000 people could be without electricity for a month or longer, said councilman Deano Bonano.

The damage from this is far worse than Katrina from a wind standpoint, said Bonano. We are going to be without power for four to six weeks.
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP)  The parents of a former south-central Idaho middle school student have filed a lawsuit against the school district contending a teacher instructed other children to wrap their child tightly in a sheet and push her down concrete stairs while the teacher recorded video on his cellphone.

The complaint filed earlier this month by Shane and Barbara Schaeffer against the Twin Falls School District and instructor Froylan Vargas seeks a jury trial to recover medical expenses as well as money for pain and suffering from injuries that included a traumatic brain injury, scalp laceration and right knee injury.

The school district denies any wrongdoing, and has asked that the lawsuit be dismissed. It says others not under its control, including the student, may have been guilty of careless misconduct at South Hills Middle School.

Brian Hilverda, a Twin Falls-based attorney representing the parents, told the Times-News that the students were participating in a class assignment in November when they reenacted events from literature or history. He said hes not sure what event was being reenacted.

Hilverda said the students were reluctant to do the assignment, but did so at Vargas urging.

Hilverda said that afterward, the students mother picked her up from school and took her to receive medical attention. He said the child continues to receive medical treatment for the head injury.

Hilverda said the student returned to the school, but left and finished the school year elsewhere.

She didnt receive the support that was probably necessary to make her successful at the school again, he said.

The school district in its response to the lawsuit acknowledged that the student attended a social studies class taught by Vargas at South Hills Middle School.

But the district denied any responsibility.

If the student suffered any damages, the district said in court documents, they were caused by the negligence, fault, or comparative responsibility of others, including Plaintiff.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
There is a rising presence on Israels Hebrew-language media scene  Arabs. Arab reporters and commentators are now a more regular presence in the media here, and some of what they cover even goes beyond Arab affairs.

The prominence of Arabs in the coverage of politics has gone hand-in-hand with the prominence of an Arab political party and particularly its leader, Mansour Abbas, who became a kingmaker in Israeli politics. As unlikely as it may sound, Abbas is the leader of the United Arab List, an Islamist party that shares its origins with the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. But Abbas decided Israeli Arabs would never wield political power in Israel as long as their parties remained in opposition.

And in a desperate and unsuccessful bid to stay in power, Benjamin Netanyahu tried to court Abbas and the Arab electorate. In the run-up to the Knesset election in March, Abbas played his cards deftly, refusing to say whether he would throw his partys support behind a Netanyahu-led government or an anti-Netanyahu coalition led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid. When the votes were counted, Abbas party had four seats, without which Bennett and Lapid would not have had a majority in parliament.

The media flocked to interview Abbas after the election and hung on his every word to divine whether he would support a Bennett-led government. He did.

Arab political commentators also became a hot property. And they still are.

The most interesting career breakthrough by an Arab journalist was accomplished by Suleiman Maswadeh, a 25-year-old stateless East Jerusalem Palestinian who five years ago spoke no Hebrew and whose West Bank Arab college degree only enabled him to get a waiters job at Jerusalems Davids Citadel Hotel. But he realized that knowledge of Hebrew and an Israeli college degree were his hope for a better life.

He enrolled in a pre-academic program that included a crash course in Hebrew. He got a degree from Hadassah Academic College and landed a job reporting (in fluent Hebrew) for Israels public televisions news department. His current beat as the stations Jerusalem-affairs reporter has him covering stories well beyond Palestinian neighborhoods, including the citys large ultra-Orthodox community.

What I find especially encouraging is that the shift I describe seemed to have happened seamlessly. Arab political influence in Israel is now an established fact, and Arab political issues  particularly the shocking extent of Arab-on-Arab crime in the country  are a regular topic of news coverage.

But this is just one promising part of a larger picture that gives some reason for concern. In May, during the fighting between Israel and Hamas and its allies in Gaza, violence erupted between Arabs and Jews inside Israel itself  notably in cities such as Acre and Lod, which have a mixed Jewish-Arab population. The violence, some of which may have been stirred up by agitators from outside these cities, resulted in the deaths of two Jews and two Arabs. Things have calmed down since, but the burst of violence is a reminder that all is not rosy in relations between Israel and its Arab citizens.

The violence also seems to rebut the idea that real coexistence between Israels Arabs and Jews requires us to get to know one another. On the surface, it was precisely in towns where Jews and Arabs live in close proximity that the violence was at its worst.

Arabs are much more integrated into the mainstream of Israeli society than when I arrived in Israel in 1999, but a lot more remains to be done.

Cliff Savren is a former Clevelander who covers the Middle East for the Cleveland Jewish News from Raanana, Israel. He is an editor at Haaretz.
If you are in sales and trying to bring in new business for your company, I am sure you have heard these words from a customer: Ill get back to you.
A Palestinian policeman inspects a truckload of textiles due to be exported at the Kerem Shalom crossing in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, June 21, 2021. For the first time since the last escalation, Israel allows the export of goods from Gaza, including clothes and vegetables, to the West Bank and the Arab Gulf states.
Now that masks are required for entering courtrooms and court offices in Iowa, the Clinton County Sheriffs Office will make sure anyone heading to those destinations are wearing face coverings, Sheriff Bill Greenwalt said Monday. The Iowa Supreme Court mandated masks for everyone, vaccinated and unvaccinated, beginning Monday.
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  The country's total number of COVID-19 cases breached two million on Wednesday after 14,216 more people were reported infected, the Department of Health said.

The total is at 2,003,955 with 7% or 140,949 active cases or currently ill patients. At least 96.1% of active cases have mild symptoms, 1.2% have severe symptoms, 1.1% are asymptomatic, 1.03% are in moderate condition and 0.6% are in critical condition.

"The relatively low number of cases today is due to lower laboratory output last Monday," the department said in an addendum to its case bulletin.

The death toll rose to 33,533 or 1.67% of the case count after 86 more people lost their lives. Meanwhile, 18,754 others recovered, lifting the survivor tally to 1,829,473 or 91.3% of the COVID-19 total.

The DOH said it reclassified 37 survivors into deaths after validation, and deleted 118 duplicates, including 91 recoveries and one fatality.

The total excludes data from five laboratories which failed to submit their reports on time, the DOH added. These laboratories contributed an average of 0.8% of tested samples and 0.8% of positive individuals in the last 14 days.

The positivity rate, or percentage of tested people with positive results, increased from 25.6% based on tests on Aug. 29 to 26.4% based on 51,473 tests reported on Aug. 30. The rate has remained within the critical level of over 20% for over two weeks, indicating that the country has yet to ramp up its testing efforts.

According to U.S. nonprofit Covid Act Now, which is used by OCTA Research as reference for its projections, areas should aim for a positivity rate of below 3% to indicate adequate testing.

The World Health Organization, meanwhile, set the standard positivity rate to below 5% to show that the infection has been controlled.

The DOH said cases may still peak in the middle of this month, with the feared and highly contagious Delta variant possibly driving up the numbers.

The agency said it observed a "steep increase" in infections in the recent week. From Aug. 24 to 30, the DOH noted an average of 17,013 cases per day, up from 14,886 in the previous week.

OCTA Research fellow Guido David told CNN Philippines that the country may reach a new record-high of new single-day cases next week at 25,000 before going on a downward trend.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  The Department of the Interior and Local Government said nearly all cash aid for qualified Metro Manila residents have been distributed.

"Base sa mga report ng mga local government units, as of yesterday 94.73% na ang naipamigay sa ating mga kababayan, which represents 10,663,537 actual recipients ang ating naipamahagi mula sa ayudang inaprubahan ng Pangulo para sa ating mga kababayan sa NCR (National Capital Region)," Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said at the Laging Handa briefing on Wednesday. The deadline to distribute the aid was on Tuesday, August 31.

[Translation: Based on reports of local government units, as of yesterday 94.73% of cash aid had been distributed, which represents 10,663,537 actual recipients from the aid approved by the President for NCR.]

In instances where a beneficiary has not claimed the cash aid, Malaya said LGUs can identify those who can receive it.

"Pero kokonti na lang 'yan...nakatapos na ang Quezon City, lungsod ng Maynila, Caloocan...Pasig, Malabon and Navotas. Dun sa mga natitirang LGUs...5% na lang po ang hindi nila naipamimigay kaya meron pang konting panahon ang ating mga kababayan na nasa listahan o kaya nasa grievance na tumungo sa mga local government units para sa kanilang ayuda," he said.

[Translation: But that is only a small amount...Quezon City, the city of Manila, Caloocan...Pasig, Malabon and Navotas have all finished. For the remaining LGUs...there's still 5% that has not yet been distributed, so there's still some time for those who are included in the list or have filed a grievance claim to go to their local government units for the cash aid.]

However, Malaya stressed that LGUs should process grievance claims thoroughly to make sure that those who applied are qualified to receive the cash aid.

"We don't expect LGUs to return the money to the national government. They should all be distributed to all qualified," Malaya said at a separate event on Tuesday.

In other areas where enhanced community quarantine was enforced, Laguna has reported 64% distribution while no data for Bataan was available as of Aug. 31.

Metro Manila was placed under ECQ, the strictest quarantine classification, from August 6 to 20. The national government has granted cash aid of 1,000 with a maximum of 4,000 per household during the said period.

CNN Philippines' Pia Garcia and Gerg Cahiles contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  Health Secretary Francisco Duque is seeking the creation of a law that will clearly state all those working in medical facilities shall receive COVID-19 special risk allowance (SRA).

"To me, the ultimate solution to this is to create another law that will clearly stipulate na basta nasa loob ng (as long as they are working in) facilities [they should receive the SRA]," Duque said in a House hearing.

Batanes Rep. Ciriaco Gato agreed with Duque's proposal.

"The med techs, the janitors - they also deserve to be given SRA and I agree with Secretary Duque...why not come up with a qualifier that all employees in the hospital handling COVID-19 cases (shall get SRA)," Gato said.

"We are taking so much in determining whether they should receive the SRA or not. I think, dobleng pahirap iyan sa manggagawang nagha-handle ng mga pasyente (that doubles the burden of workers caring for patients)," he added.

Many healthcare workers have yet to receive their benefits, including the SRA.

The Commission on Audit earlier called out the DOH for not obligating 11.89 billion worth of pandemic response funds for 2020, which lawmakers earlier pointed out could have been used for the SRA and other benefits for medical workers.

Among the problems is the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act or Bayanihan 2 specified that only "those catering to or in contact with COVID-19 patients" shall get the SRA.

Following COA's advice, Duque said they have asked the Department of Justice if a liberal interpretation can be applied to the SRA provision so more health workers can be given the SRA.

Health Assistant Secretary Mylene Beltran said 399,325 health workers received already their SRA as of Aug. 26.

The DOH earlier asked the Department of Budget and Management twice for additional SRA funds.

The agency has so far released 311 million for the first batch which comprises 20,156 health workers, of which 308 million has been disbursed to medical facilities, DOH Director Larry Cruz said.

The DOH earlier sought another 201 million for the second batch - which covers over 17,000 health workers. It plans to submit another budget request for the SRA of 80,000 more, Duque said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  National Task Force Against COVID-19 officials on Wednesday criticized former special adviser Dr. Tony Leachon following his remarks on the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines purchased by the government.

In a Palace briefing, NTF chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez questioned Leachon's expertise.

"Hindi po siya expert sa usaping bakuna. Nakikita po natin ang kanyang mga data ay skewed at malicious. Ang talagang ano po ng vaccine expert panel ay lahat po ng bakuna is very effective," said Galvez, a retired military general.

[Translation: He's not an expert when it comes to vaccines. We can see that his data is skewed and malicious. What the vaccine expert panel has said is that all vaccines are very effective.]

Just this week, Leachon raised the need to "rationalize the choice and procurement" of vaccines to ensure they address the threat of the feared Delta variant of the coronavirus.

In an interview with CNN Philippines, the health reform advocate also described the country's COVID-19 situation as a "perfect storm," as seen in factors like record-breaking cases, doubling of positivity rate, active cases, and occupancy of ICU beds.

NTF deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon stood by the country's vaccine portfolio, which is composed of both Western and Asian brands.

"Assuming po si Sec. Galvez ay hindi po umorder ng iba't ibang mga bakuna sa ating current portfolio tulad ng Sinovac at iba pang mga bakuna, tingin niyo po ba aabot po tayo ng 33.7 million doses administered?" Dizon said in response to Leachon's remarks.

[Translation: Assuming Secretary Galvez did not order different vaccine brands for our current portfolio like Sinovac and other brands, do you think we could still administer 33.7 million doses?]

"Tingin niyo po ba aabot po tayo ng 14 million fully vaccinated Filipinos ngayon na 'yung supply ng Western vaccines ay napakahirap kumuha?" he added.

[Translation: Do you think we could still have 15 million fully vaccinated Filipinos given that it's very difficult to secure supply of Western vaccines?]

'Posturing' to become Health Secretary

Galvez also accused Leachon of "posturing" to become Health secretary, noting that Leachon used to criticize the activities of the Department of Health and Health Secretary Francisco Duque when he was still part of the NTF.

In a tweet, Leachon said he always cheers up "immensely" if an attack is out to silence him.

"I think, well, if they attack me personally, it means they have not a single, correct and logical argument left," he added.

Leachon also told CNN Philippines he does not aspire for any government position, adding that it seems Galvez is "already bereft of any logical argument on the issues at hand" that the vaccine czar must resort to personal attacks.

"This is the kind of leadership that we have right now," Leachon said.

Leachon left the task force in June 2020 after he was told to resign following his rant against the DOH.

Asked who he thinks is best fit to lead the DOH, Leachon said Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega is the "competent guy" to run the department.

Leachon added that it's time to fire Duque amid the "failed pandemic response" and the corruption issues surrounding the Health department under his leadership.

"At the time na kailangan mo ng magaling na (when you need a good) captain of the ship in this perfect storm, may problema tayo (we have a problem)," he said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  President Rodrigo Duterte has turned the COVID-19 fund mess involving his former appointees into a "personal fight", Sen. Richard Gordon said on Wednesday.

In an interview with CNN Philippines' The Source, Gordon, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, criticized the way Duterte responded to the irregularities surrounding the Health department's pandemic response funds, which are being questioned by the senator's panel.

During the Senate hearing, the committee presented a 2017 footage showing Duterte and Sen. Bong Go welcoming former economic adviser and Chinese businessman Michael Yang and the officials of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. in Malacanang.

In his public address aired on Tuesday, Duterte called out Gordon for his manner of leading the inquiry, which he said "reeks with malice."

Gordon said he is "disappointed" at the President.

"Medyo disappointed ako sa kanya dahil binoto siya ng tao pero nakalimutan na ang tao dito sa pinag-uusapan. He is making it a personal fight, na di naman dapat maging personal fight," Gordon said.

[Translation: I am a bit disappointed at him because the people voted for him but it seems like he left the people out of the picture. He is making it a personal fight even if it's not meant to be one.]

Gordon stressed that he is just following his mandate as a senator, and the President should have at least shown "civility" when he reacted to the issue instead of commenting about his weight and hairdo of Sen. Ping Lacson.

"Kailangan bang atakihin mo ang anyo namin, na mataba ako, 'yung buhok ni Ping. Dapat sagutin na lang ang issue. It's not about us. It's about the people out there who have been deprived of resources," Gordon said.

[Translation: Do you really have to attack us for our looks, that I am fat, that Ping's hairdo is like that? Just respond to the issue.]

Gordon also noted that mocking someone's appearance can be considered as an act of "bullying". This was in response to Go's claim that he was "bullied" by senators during legislative proceedings.

Earlier, Duterte defended Yang and former Budget undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, who are both in the middle of a controversy surrounding the government's procurement of overpriced medical supplies.

Lao is being scrutinized for awarding an 8.68-billion government contract for the purchase of medical supplies to Pharmally even when the company only had a paid-up capital of only 625,000.

Senators have also questioned Pharmally's possible ties to Yang, but Duterte said the Davao-based trader was only helping the government close deals since he has contacts in foreign companies.

The next Senate hearing on the government's procurement of overpriced medical supplies will be held on September 7.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) admitted it has yet to start the construction of Kaliwa Dam, which is pegged by the Duterte administration as the solution to end Metro Manila's water crisis.

This was clarified by MWSS Site Operations Manager Engr. Jose Dorado during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Services on Wednesday.

"In conclusion ang sinasabi po ninyo is, it is still in construction. Di po totoo na naguumpisa na ang construction? (So, it is not true that construction has began?)" Sen. Imee Marcos asked.

"Wala pa pong construction Madam Chair (no construction has taken place, Madam Chair)," Dorado responded.

Dorado said they had a series of unsuccessful meetings with members of the indigenous people communities leading to the failure to secure a Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and Special Use Agreement in Protected Areas (SAPA).

"We had this meeting with IPs last May 17 and 19 to validate the MOA. Unfortunately, 'di kami nagkasundo. We seek the assistance of ARTA (Anti-Red Tape Authority) para ma-fast track 'yung securing ng FPIC," he said.

[Translation: IPs and MWSS were not able to reach an agreement. We have already sought the assistance of ARTA to fast-track securing an FPIC.]

The construction of Kaliwa Dam is worth 12.2-billion and will traverse through Rizal and Quezon Provinces.

Meanwhile, committee chairperson Grace Poe criticized the absence of MWSS Acting Administrator Reynaldo Velasco, as she pointed out the challenges in conducting hearings with different organizations when the head is not present.

"You know, we had hearings in the past and there's actually a law that says whoever is the head of the department has the responsibility and the burden of responsibility. And it's really difficult conducting these hearings when your head of agency is not even present," Poe said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  Defective aircraft instruments and the pilot's inappropriate reaction led to the crash of the Philippine Air Force's (PAF) C-130 plane in Patikul, Sulu last July, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Wednesday.

Lorenzana told lawmakers that a "confluence" of events caused the tragedy on July 4.

"It's actually the confluence of many events. One for the C-130 is defective instruments or systems, plus of course the reaction of the pilot was not also appropriate for the emergency. So nagka-crash," he said during the House Appropriations Committee's briefing on the Department of National Defense's (DND) proposed 291-billion budget for 2022.

The incident claimed the lives of 50 soldiers and three civilians. Last August 20, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it has identified all military men who died in the crash.

Meanwhile, Lorenzana blamed bad weather for the crash of the PAF's newly acquired Black Hawk chopper in Tarlac last June, which left six people dead.

"For the Black Hawk: bad weather. Nakapasok sila sa (They went into the) clouds, nagkaroon sila ng (they had) vertigo, hindi nila alam saan ang direksyon nila (and they did not know what their direction was) so that caused the crash," he said.

Lorenzana said the DND will submit the report on the military's investigation on the two crashes within 24 hours after the hearing.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  The government is studying the possibility of holding next years elections for more than one day as a strategy to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. said Wednesday.

We are looking at the possibility that the election will be a multi-day election, not a single-day election, so that we can prevent the possible conglomeration of thousands of people in the precincts, Galvez said in a briefing.

One of the ways they can go about this is phasing by location, he added.

Maybe geographic ang gagawin po natin [Maybe it can be done geographically]. For Luzon, for Visayas, Mindanao, pwedeng ganon po [like that], he said. There are many options how we can guarantee 'yung safety ng ating mga [the safety of our] electorate.

He said the NTF and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases are already working with the Commission on Elections in coming up with measures to help reduce viral transmission.

Asked if he thinks there is enough time for Congress to amend election laws, Galvez said he believes so.

I think we have plenty of time, he said. We will collectively plan this with the Comelec and also maybe with Congress.

The country is facing a fresh spike in COVID-19 infections, including rising cases caused by new and more transmissible variants. On Wednesday, the total number of infected since the pandemic began breached the two-million mark.

The World Health Organization has also confirmed community transmission of the feared Delta variant in the Philippines, which it said is now the dominant variant in the country based on limited whole genome sequencing.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  Filipinos abroad who have returned to the Philippines are given more time to transfer their records so they can vote in local precincts for the 2022 elections.

According to the Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) of the Commission on Elections, returning Filipinos may apply to transfer the voting records from the offshore registry to local voters lists until Sept. 30.

This will allow them to vote in polling centers within the Philippines for the May 9 presidential and local polls.

Meanwhile, the original Aug. 31 deadline will only apply for Filipinos who sent their applications for transfer through Comelecs virtual frontline services.

The extension is seen to benefit over half a million overseas Filipino workers who have flown home due to the global COVID-19 crisis over the past year.

Filipinos abroad cast their ballots through in-person or mail-in voting before Philippine embassies and other diplomatic posts.

The transfer of voter records will be processed before local Comelec offices in the district where the returning Filipinos reside, the OFOV told CNN Philippines. The process is similar to voters within the country who wish to vote in a different district, where they are asked to fill up forms and provide their biometric data such as photo, fingerprints, and signature.

The Sept. 30 deadline also applies to new voters, as well as for overseas voters who want to register to cast their ballot abroad, and for those transferring from one foreign voting post to another, according to the Comelec's election calendar.

READ: Comelec OKs return of voter registration in MECQ areas
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  The local corporation Pharmally Pharmaceutical continued to bag government contracts this year despite its chairman being wanted in Taiwan since December 2020, a senator said Wednesday.

In an online media briefing, Senator Risa Hontiveros showed data from Taiwan's Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) that Pharmally Pharmaceutical chairman Huang Tzu Yen has a standing warrant of arrest for breach of trust issued on December 29 last year.

On July 26, Pharmally Pharmaceutical even received a notice to proceed with the supply and delivery of Real-Time Fluorescent RT-PCR test kits worth more than 1 billion.

Since the start of the pandemic, the corporation has been awarded 8.68 billion in government contracts, more than any other supplier, according to the Government Procurement Policy Board. These include the purchase of allegedly overpriced face masks, personal protective equipment, and testing kits, which has been the subject of congressional hearings.

Based on documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission, Pharmally Pharmaceutical was incorporated only in September 2019, reporting negative income for that year. By the end of 2020, its net income ballooned to more than 264 million. Huang is the biggest shareholder, owning 40% of the stocks, as of July 2020.

READ: Palace defends Pharmally deals: PPEs delivered despite small capital

"Why is this government transacting with fugitives?" Hontiveros asked, pointing out that aside from Huang, two other executives linked to Pharmally Pharmaceutical also fled Taiwanese authorities.

Huang's father, Huang Wen-Lieh, chairman of Pharmally International Holding Company Limited, is also wanted for what is considered as one of the largest securities fraud cases involving a listed firm in Taiwan. The younger Huang is a board member of this company.

"Huang Wen-Lieh was suspected of jointly manipulating the stocks of Pharmally International Holding Company Ltd. (Cayman) (Stock Code: 6452)" with two other defendants, the Taiwanese government website said.

According to Taiwan's MJIB, Pharmally International established another firm in the Philippines called Pharmally Biological Company in November 2017.

As first reported by Rappler, Huang is also president of Pharmally Biological whose other incorporators include Filipinos Rose Lin and Gerald Cruz. Hontiveros said Lin and Cruz are also incorporators of the Philippine Full Win Group of Companies, chaired by Chinese businessman Michael Yang, former economic adviser of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Yang's close associate, Zheng Bingqiang, chairman of Xiamen-based Full Win Group of Companies, is also ordered arrested for conspiring with the older Huang in manipulating the stocks of Pharmally International, according to Taiwanese MJIB.

"Syndicated crimes ba ito (Are these syndicated crimes)?" Hontiveros asked. "Parang nagmumukhang mafia ito (It's starting to look like a mafia to me)."

"May scam sila sa Taiwan, so maitatanong namin, sa Pilipinas may scam din kaya (They have a scam in Taiwan, so we have to ask, is there also a scam here in the Philippines)?" the opposition lawmaker added.

Debt of gratitude?

Hontiveros also mentioned that in 2015, Yang and Zheng even gave Duterte a tour of the Full Win's Xiamen office. She said it sparks speculations on the Chinese national's involvement in then Davao City Mayor Duterte's presidential campaign.

"Eh sabi nga po ni Presidente mismo diba may sinabi silang bayad-utang," Hontiveros said. "Anong bayad? Ang pag-aaward ba ng bilyon-bilyong kontrata sa mga favored companies at indibidwal kahit sila ay pugante sa hustisya sa sarili nilang bansa?"

[Translation: President Duterte himself mentioned debt of gratitude. Does that refer to the awarding of billions of pesos worth of contracts to favored companies and individuals despite being fugitives in their own countries?]

Hindi inosente si Presidente sa totoong pagkatao ng mga indibidwal na ito at yung character ng mga kumpanya nila, Hontiveros said.

[Translation: President Duterte is not innocent of the real identities of these individuals and the character of their companies.]

Former Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, then head of the Procurement Service, earlier admitted his office failed to exercise due diligence and did not even check Pharmally Pharmaceutical's articles of incorporation as it was pressed for time to purchase the COVID-19 supplies.

READ: Duterte defends Michael Yang, ex-DBM exec Lao

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will again summon Yang for its next hearing on September 7. His office earlier received a subpoena requiring him to attend last week's hearing, but he did not come. Hontiveros said the panel should find out who ordered Lao to transact with Pharmally Pharmaceutical.

The committee also earlier tried to serve subpoena to three executives of Pharmally Pharmaceutical, but their addresses in their 2020 General Information Sheet were either non-existent or already vacated.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  Seven policemen assigned in Bulacan were charged with murder and arbitrary detention for the unlawful detention and eventual killing of six victims in a fabricated anti-illegal drug operation, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday.

San Jose Del Monte city police officers PSSg. Benjie Enconado, PSSg. Irwin Joy Yuson, PCpl. Marlon Martus, PCpl. Edmund Catubay Jr, PCpl. Harvy Albino, PCpl. Herbert Hernandez, and Pat. Rusco Virnar Madla, are facing charges before the Malolos City Regional Trial Court for the incident in February 2020.

DOJ said the police personnel made it appear that three anti-drug operations were conducted on Feb. 14, 15, and 18, but "in truth and in fact, no buy-bust operation was ever conducted against them."

It said that based on the evidence submitted by the National Bureau of Investigation, Chamberlain Domingo, Chadwin Santos, Edmar Aspirin, Richard Salgado, Erwin Mergal, and Jim Joshua Cordero were unlawfully and forcibly abducted on Feb. 13 in Bulacan.

"The DOJ Panel resolved that the unsuspecting victims were taken because 'they happened to pass by the area where a buy-bust operation took place,'" the department said in a statement.

The six victims were blindfolded with their hands tied during their detention in an office of the police station, the DOJ said, citing photographs and the testimony of the person who watched over the victims while they were detained.

The complaints against the city's drug enforcement unit chief and seven of his men were dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

The complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation last year for murder, kidnapping, and planting of guns said there was an ongoing buy-bust operation when the six victims happened to pass by. They were forced to board a police van then brought to the station. They were locked in a room "pending the inclusion of their names in the PDEA-PNP Unified Drugs Watch List and the required coordination with the PDEA to conduct buy-bust."

After spending time in detention, they were taken out in pairs. Domingo and Santos were killed on February 14; Aspirin and Salgado were killed the next day; Mergal and Cordero were the last to be killed in an alleged anti-drug bust on February 18.

In response to the complaint that stemmed from the one filed by Mergal's widow and Cordero's mother, the Bulacan police personnel claimed the men resisted arrest. They said Mergal and Cordero fired their weapons first, triggering a gunfight that killed the two men. They said they were able to recover firearms, ammunition, and several sachets of shabu from the two men.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  Most of the COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms in San Lazaro Hospital in Manila are unvaccinated, the medical facility's adult infectious disease unit head said Wednesday.

Experts have repeatedly said that currently available coronavirus vaccines can lower one's risk of getting hospitalized or dying from COVID-19.

"Majority of those [who] are currently admitted and developing severe symptoms are...unvaccinated," Dr. Rontgene Solante told CNN Philippines' New Day.

Solante said another thing he and his colleagues noticed is the number of severe and critical cases in San Lazaro Hospital is higher now compared to the previous surge in March and April this year.

"This current surge...almost 80 to 90 percent of our admissions are really the severe, critical," he said.

"I think this has something to do with how the virus can really multiply in our body and cause more symptoms," he added.

Solante also observed most of those admitted to San Lazaro due to COVID-19 are below 50 years old.

Data from the Department of Health showed San Lazaro Hospital has 54 beds for severe and critical cases and all of them were occupied as of Sunday. Meanwhile, 85 of the treatment center's 128 isolation beds were being used.

Solante urged the public to continue complying with minimum health standards as cases continue to soar despite the strict lockdowns.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1)  Filipinos located in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine can register to vote beginning Sept. 6, the Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez said on Wednesday.

The poll body's policies previously only allow registration activities for new voters, reactivation, transfer, and updating of records in areas under general community quarantine and modified GCQ. These activities were prohibited in ECQ and MECQ areas, but restrictions were slightly eased as registration ends on Sept. 30.

Comelec offices will be open from Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The poll body is set to issue more guidelines. It earlier reminded the registrants to properly wear face masks and face shields and bring their own ball pen.

As of last week, there were 61.08 million eligible voters for the May 9 presidential and local polls against an estimated 70 million Filipinos aged 18 and older by election day.
The Coastal Point is a local newspaper published each Friday and distributed in the Bethany Beach, South Bethany, Fenwick Island, Ocean View, Millville, Dagsboro, Frankford, Selbyville, Millsboro, Long Neck and Georgetown, Delaware areas.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for State College Wednesday, effective until 5 p.m.

Approximately 2-4 inches of rain have already fallen, and the area could see another 1-3 inches fall later, according to the NWS, as the flash flooding is "ongoing" or will start soon.

The NWS is encouraging people not to drive in flooded areas and to take precautionary measures when possible.

MORE BOROUGH COVERAGE

Mount Nittany Medical Center prohibits visitors as coronavirus cases rise Mount Nittany Medical Center announced new guidelines with respect to patient visitors after
A group of around 20 Penn State students and community members gathered at Old Main and walked unmasked through the HUB-Robeson Center Tuesday to protest the universitys indoor mask mandate.

Originally announced through a Twitter account titled Unmask Penn State, the group advertised the event as a way to peacefully protest Penn States draconian mask mandate.

The university announced an immediate indoor mask mandate Aug. 4, following a virtual town hall meeting Aug. 3, in which Penn State President Eric Barron announced the university would not mandate coronavirus vaccinations, though the university is not impartial to them.

Student Lee Gysen said while he was invited to attend by a friend, the protest wasnt too accessible in terms of publicity.

[I] showed up here because Im in support to unmask Penn State, Gysen (sophomore-recreation, park and tourism management) said. I think it should be a personal choice [of whether to wear a mask or not].

Gysen said he was expecting more people to show up than those who did.

I am still kind of disappointed at the number, Gysen said. I do know theres a lot more people than this that feel the same way on campus, [but] a lot of people arent as vocal about it.

The around 20-person group walked through the HUB with signs and a Pennsylvania flag and circled back to end the event where it began at Old Main, according to Gysen. Along the route, Gysen said a lot of people showed support.

Kate Rutter was in the HUB when the group walked through, and she said it was pretty quiet.

I dont agree with the protest, Rutter (junior-public relations) said. I see why they did it  I guess they have their own views, but I like that it was silent, that it wasnt something that was super in your face.

Kyle Hartmann said he showed up to protest partly out of curiosity and partly because he said hes a little annoyed Penn Staters didn't have a say in the mask mandate.

I figured there would be a small group, but I had no clue what to expect, Hartmann (senior-plant science) said. A lot of people dont like to stir the pot.

Hartmann said he believes the university has a high enough vaccination rate and low enough coronavirus infection rate to lift the mask mandate.

Penn State reported Monday more than 86% of students living on campus and 83% of full-time employees are fully vaccinated. Additionally, 78% of students living off campus have uploaded proof of vaccination.

These statistics were frustrating to student Matt Thompson, another participant in the Unmask Penn State protest.

I believe the university needs to end the mask mandate immediately, Thompson (senior-marketing) said. College is supposed to be the greatest experience of our life, and with masks, were not able to [have that].

Thompson, vice chair of the Centre County Young Republicans, said the turnout was good in his opinion because the group largely met recently through comments on various social media platforms.

Those who participated also said they would oppose a university-wide vaccine mandate.

[Im] quite glad [Barron] didnt mandate the vaccine, Hartmann said. With how many people voluntarily got it, I think thats a good sign.

Thompson said he strongly opposes a vaccine mandate and said he believes students should have the ability to choose.

On Aug. 24, Ohio State became the ninth Big Ten Conference school to mandate vaccines, following Indiana, Rutgers, Northwestern, Maryland, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State and Minnesota. However, some of the aforementioned institutions allow individuals to remain unvaccinated if they are tested weekly.

Furthermore, Indianas decision to require vaccines for on-campus students, which was upheld by a federal judge on June 19, was also allowed by the U.S. Supreme Court on Aug. 12.

My body, my choice, Gysen said. Im unvaccinated myself, [and] I think its unfair that unvaccinated students are being treated differently.

Penn State students and faculty who have not provided proof of vaccination to the university are required to take a weekly coronavirus test. Students on and off campus are tested weekly until they can provide proof they are fully vaccinated.

Rutter said she definitely believes masks should continue to be required indoors and vaccinations should be mandated, if possible.

Student Sofia Griffiths also observed the group walking in the HUB and said there wasnt even that many people.

Im sorry, but like it makes me upset, Griffiths (junior-hospitality) said. Right now, we all have to do everything we can to be safe and to stay here and to keep everyone else here safe, and Im sure most of those people arent vaccinated either.

She said she believes people have to do what they can to protect both themselves and others.

We dont want to wear the mask either, but we do to protect everyone and to be able to live kind of a normal life, Griffiths said. [The protesters] were respectful but I dont think it was necessary.

The Unmask Penn State protest follows the Zoom-In protest hosted by Penn States Coalition for a Just University from Aug. 23-24 where approximately 270 faculty members from 16 of Penn States campuses opted to teach their in-person classes via Zoom to protest the universitys lack of a coronavirus vaccine mandate.

Thompson said the protest held Tuesday wasnt affiliated with any political group or campus club but brought like-minded individuals together in support of the same belief.

This is a nonpartisan protest  there are vaccinated people here, there are unvaccinated people here, Thompson said. This is just a group of students that simply are asking the university to end the mask mandate.

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CiviCO, the nonprofit that grooms community leaders, announced this year's 31-member class of Colorado Governors Fellows.

The fellowship program deepens the understanding of government, public policy and connections to "inspire future public service pathways at a local, regional, statewide and national level."

"I am pleased to welcome this incoming class of Governors Fellows, as Colorado continues to develop talent, perspectives and leadership that can contribute to the public sector for years to come, Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement Wednesday. Colorado is a model for other states and this program, which is a partnership between CiviCO and the Colorado Governors Office, is another unique example of Colorados strong multi-sector partnerships and collaborative spirit.

CiviCO started as the Quarterly Forum. The fellowship program is in its sixth year in partnership with governors from both parties. More than 120 public and private officials have taken part. Fellows will follow leaders of the Polis administration, as well regional, county and municipal leaders as they work on public policy projects. They also work with faculty at the University of Colorado-Denver School of Public Affairs.

"Community partners and Colorado grantmakers allow CiviCO the opportunity to expand its mission of cultivating and activating diverse leaders who elevate Colorados community," CiviCO explained in its announcement. "For any of CiviCOs leadership programs, ranging in ages and stages from high school through executive-level leadership programs, the organization seeks individuals who are service-oriented, invested in Colorados long-term growth and success and inclusive at heart.

"CiviCO believes in creating spaces and platforms for leaders to grow from a place of seeking to understand Colorados rural/urban divide, diversity of thought, political affiliation, and the value of civic engagement and multi-sector leadership."

This years fellows are:
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What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 319-352-3334 or email legals@waverlynewspapers.com.
Ojkqm.tw.yihfeng.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 19 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the ojkqm.tw.yihfeng homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the ojkqm.tw.yihfeng homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the ojkqm.tw.yihfeng homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the ojkqm.tw.yihfeng homepage on Twitter + the total number of ojkqm.tw.yihfeng followers (if ojkqm.tw.yihfeng has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the ojkqm.tw.yihfeng homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if ojkqm.tw.yihfeng has a Facebook fan page).

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE -- DESCRIPTION -- KEYWORDS -- OTHER KEYWORDS pclady, android , android , android , pclady , android, android



CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE GB2312 DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER Microsoft-IIS/6.0 (PHP/5.2.17) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2003

The language of ojkqm.tw.yihfeng.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Type of server and offered services. Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0)

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for ojkqm.tw.yihfeng.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file.

Twitter account link

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Cultivated by dozens of ancient cultures across thousands of years, lavender is one of the most historically significant crops within the entire flavor and fragrance industry. The word lavender is derived from the Latin word lavare, which means to wash.

As one might expect, lavender flowers were commonly used in Greek and Roman bathhouses as the pleasant odor of the plant was associated with health and cleanliness. The use of lavender within the cosmetic industry dates back to Ancient Egypt with certain embalming rituals requiring the plant for completion. With such diverse and widespread applications, its of little surprise that lavender eventually made its way to Bulgaria, where the flower would soon discover its little slice of paradise. The Rose Valley of Bulgaria, located just south of the Balkan Mountains, proved to be a growers dream for the plant, and lavender oil production began shortly after the crop was introduced.

Bulgarian lavender oil production flourished throughout much of the 20th century, particularly after Bulgarian agriculture saw major economic expansions during the 1970s. Throughout this time, nearly all material was grown by the same traditional farming communities that had existed in the region for 400 years. The unique soil and climate conditions of Rose Valley proved to be perfect for lavender production and the flowers grew rapidly across its many temperate hillsides. However, despite the crops initial success, Bulgarian lavender production took a major hit in the 1990s after the Soviet Union collapsed and the territory was left without proper financial support. The transition from state-owned companies to private enterprises was slow and costly, eventually production stabilized, and lavender oil began to flow from the valley once more. As time went on, Bulgarian lavender oil only grew in popularity, overtaking the French production of lavender back in 2018. Advancements in distillation methods, combined with the incredibly high quality of lavender from the Bulgarian growing regions have kept the oil firmly ahead of the competition ever since.

In perfumery, Bulgarian lavender differs from other varieties of lavender oil in both strength and aromatic complexity. The oil contains more linalool and linalyl acetate than its other European counterparts, which imparts a far richer fruity-floral odor while removing some of those green and medicinal qualities found in lesser quality material. Bulgarian lavender oil finds particularly high usage in Fougere style perfumes, though the material is also popular among soaps, cosmetics and other personal care products. Similar to the legendary Rosa damascena, Bulgarian lavender has a unique warm and hay-like character upon drydown, which adds even further complexity when blended with ingredients such as rosewood, bergamot and green patchouli.

Berje Trakia continues this history of tradition and quality with our latest facility in Bulgaria, ensuring that these traditional farming communities can continue to grow and distill the flowers that make their region so emblematic. For more information regarding Bulgarian lavender, as well as myriad other essential oils and aromatic chemicals, please visit our website BerjeInc.com!
Bringing reinforcements to the skin is the industrys latest prime objective. Your search terms on our website tell us so. From healing, urea, barrier booster, detox and SPF, to humectant, body butters, pollution and multifunctional skin repair, the indicators are clear. This brings film-formers to mind.

A skin care topcoat is how a recent Glossier blog1 describes film-formers. Here, Gerri Molina, head of research and innovation for the company, explains how film-formers mimic the natural barrier, keeping good stuff (hydration) in and bad stuff (acne-causing bacteria, pollution and the elements) out. They also keep actives close to the skin to work longer, the blog reports.

Its not news to most readers that film-formers go beyond skin care. Sunscreens use them for waterproofing, adherence and deposition to skin. Color cosmetics employ them for lasting effects while gels, mousses and mascaras utilize them to prevent formulas from breaking down or flaking off, Molina reports. More recently, they have been leveraged to deter dirt and pollutants from sticking to skin.

The current issue explores film-formers and related reinforcements to detoxify and secure skin. On Page 48, Doleckova and Hergesell examine the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of film-forming polysaccharides including hyaluronic acid and its derivatives. Films and other approaches to durable, transfer-resistant makeup are described by Dobos on Page 56. To rally skins innate defenses, Havas, et al., on Page 32, test an Inula helenium extract for effects including anti-pollution, hydration and radiance.

On security detail, Moddaresi, on Page 24, outlines the measures EU and UK regulators have put into place to ensure product safety, particularly regarding endocrine disruptors. She further explores how communicating these measures to consumers could shift the parlance from clean to safe cosmetics. Meredith also looks to consumer safety in relation to greenwashing, endocrine disruptors and PFAs in her EU/UK Regulatory Update on Page 18. Finally, industry experts weigh in on Page 14 with insights on purifying and rebalancing skin.

We hope this issue reinforces your product development work and secures C&T as a go-to resource to provide the answers you seek.

References

https://intothegloss.com/2021/04/film-forming-skincare

Rachel L. Grabenhofer Managing Scientific Editor

rgrabenhofer@allured.com
Yes, some actors upend their whole lives to reach the heights of artistic authenticity that can only be achieved through a pretentious refusal to admit acting is not real life. Others steadfastly refuse to take part in a film unless extraordinarily deranged circumstances be met first. And others ... yeah, uh, we're not sure why they're famous, either. Here are six examples of actors who phoned it in and were rewarded with fame, fortune, and sometimes even critical acclaim.

When you read about the habits of famous movie actors, you begin to understand why they're famous, whereas your IMDb page consists of nothing but a walk-on role in the straight-to-LaserDisc Death Murder 2: Kill (because you were hungover and ignoring signs and yelling product assistants that day).

6 Westworld Baffled The Crap Out Of Even The Actors

Over the course of its first 10 episodes, Westworld's sexy robot cowboy intrigue captured the internet's imagination. Fans spent their time poring over every minute detail, analyzing the twists and turns, and speculating on where the plot will go next. But nobody knew what was going to happen next.

For instance, the mysterious Man in Black, played by the eternally underrated Ed Harris, was a continual source of intrigue and plot twists. Turns out Harris himself was only recently finding out about a lot of those twists himself. As filming went on, he was slowly piecing together important details of his character's life. He had no idea that SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia's Jimmi Simpson was playing his younger self until he started suddenly spending copious amounts of time on set. The two never discussed their roles, despite them literally playing the same person. When the twist was revealed, Harris simply patted Simpson on the back and said, "I hear you do a good job." (Presumably, he couldn't watch the show because it's on at the same time as Family Guy.)

Harris was also pretty shocked at the maze twist -- not that he cared to know any of it anyway. At every turn, Harris's main concern is simply doing his job and going home. New guy on set playing his role? Fine. Compelling backstory that sheds light on his mysterious character's origins? In his words, "whatever was going on with him in the past, is the in past." Harris could not be bothered to give any semblance of a f*ck about any of that shit.

HBO "When's this freaking movie come out, anyway?"

Meanwhile, American Idol superfan Sir Anthony Hopkins knew even less than Harris, but he cared so much more. Hopkins would inquire about his character's fate and be met with a big, fat silence. He would ask if he could simply know what to expect in the following week's episode and got a resounding "No." The spoiler hoarding got so bad that the good knight's scripts were delivered with the other actors' lines blacked out, so he had no idea what he would be reacting to when he was speaking. Hopkins requested a full script, like any sane person would, but they had the temerity to turn him down.

HBO Those are the heads of the interns who deliver the scripts behind him.

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As a result, when asked what drove his character, his answer was "I honestly don't know." And that's how you make classic television, people.
Though you couldn't track someone's location on a smartphone in the '90s, or on a tablet, dedicated GPS devices did exist back then. The only problem was, they weren't all that good. They might get your location wrong by 300 feet in one direction, and then the next day, they might get it wrong by 300 feet in the complete opposite direction.

Was this just the growing pains of a new technology? Nope! We had the tech to do GPS right even back then, but it was throttled, on purpose, by the US military.

GPS was first developed by the military back in '70s, and it was supposed to be purely a military technology. Then in 1983, a Korean flight accidentally slipped into Russian airspace, and Russia shot it down, mistaking it for a spy plane. President Ronald Reagan then ordered the military to release GPS for civilian use, since that should prevent that mistake from ever happening again.

The US then let anyone in the world use GPS with enough precision to tell them, with certainty, just what country they were flying over. But the military didn't want everyone to be able to use the full capabilities of GPS, just in case someone used it to direct weapons with laser accuracy. So, they set up errors to slip into everyone's satellite signals at random. They called this "selective availability," and only the US military were able to switch selective availability off and use GPS with full accuracy.

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Selective availability caused a lot of problems for planes, so airlines kept asking the military to do away with it. Finally, they did, in May 2000, and everyone's GPSs suddenly got a whole lot better.

You might be weirded out a little that the US had the power to turn GPS on or off for the whole world. On the other hand, GPS was developed totally by the US, and even today, the US maintains it at a cost of some $2 billion a year while giving access to everyone in the world for free. So when you think about it, maybe America is really being super generous.

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For more on the history of tech, check out:

5 Disturbing Origins Of Everyday Technology

The 8 Most Hilarious Ways GPS Has Screwed People Over

5 Tech Failures That Can Turn Your Life Into A Horror Movie

Top image: NASA

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Joyce S. Norrod, 86, of Crossville, passed away on Sept. 8, 2021, at her home in Crossville. Mrs. Norrod was born on May 20, 1935, in White County, daughter of Allen Smith and Anna O'Dell Smith. Joyce was a homemaker and a founding member of the Crossville First Church of the Nazarene. She w
King Baasha was the northern Kingdom of Israels third king following Israels split with its southern brothers in Judah. Baasha had ascended to the throne by murdering his predecessor and disposing of his entire family. The moral opposite of his southern contemporary, Asa, Baasha was an evil king who did evil in the eyes of the Lord and led Israel into sin and idol worship.

Apart from a handful of notable names, the kings of Israel and Judah are relatively obscure figures to most Christians and Bible readers.

To be fair, the history of Israels kings is a complex, unsettling history to say the least, with numerous kings rising and falling in the span of about three hundred and fifty years. Given the fact that Israel was only united as a kingdom during the days of David and Solomon, keeping track of two lines of kings through two kingdoms, whose histories are interwoven throughout the books of 1&2 Kings and 2 Chronicles is an understandably daunting task.

But whats most important to remember about Israels kings, both the good and the bad; and what does their specific role in Israels history teach us about the heart of God, Gods plan for His people, and the corruptive influence of sin and earthly power?

Lets take a closer look at one of Israels early kings, Baasha, to explore this question further.

Who Was King Baasha in the Bible?

Baasha was the 3rd king of the northern Kingdom of Israel and son of Ahijah and a member of the tribe of Issachar. He succeeded Nadab, son of Jeroboam, and ruled in Israel for twenty-four years from 909 to 885 B.C.

To provide a little bit of historical context, Israel had enjoyed a true golden age under the reign of Solomon, Davids son. Not only had Solomon overseen the completion of the temple in Jerusalem, he had led Israel in an era of wisdom and prosperity.

Unfortunately, Solomons later years were marred by idolatry and apostasy.

Known for his many wives, Solomons marriage to foreign women had opened the door for pagan worship and other religious practices contrary to Gods desires and the law of Moses to take root in Israel, leading to the nations spiritual decline (1 Kings 11).

Seeing the idolatry of His people, who had rejected His commands and forsaken Him as their God and king (1 Kings 11:33), God sent the prophet Ahijah to Jeroboam, a valiant warrior in Israel, with word that the nation would eventually be split into two kingdoms.

Jeroboam would be given charge of ten of Israels twelve tribes in the north. The rest would remain as an inheritance to the house of David in the south.

Solomons son, Rehoboam, would eventually succeed his father as king. However, influenced by his Ammonite mother and the folly of his childhood friends, would reject the wisdom of his fathers advisors and Israels elders by refusing to lift taxes on the nation. In doing so, Rehoboam lost the support of the people, who subsequently rejected him as king.

As prophesied, the ten northern tribes would align with Jeroboam in the north, while Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to Rehoboam and the house of David in the south. Thus, the nation was divided into two kingdoms in 931 B.C.

To Jeroboam, God promised that his family would remain on the throne in Israel provided he and his sons remained faithful and obedient.

Unfortunately, Jeroboam feared that if the northern tribes were allowed to worship at the temple in Jerusalem in the south, they might eventually seek to return to the glory days of as a united kingdom under the leadership of the house of David.

For this reason, Jeroboam decided to establish substitute high places of worship in Bethel and Dan, where the people of the north could worship Yahweh separate from the temple in Jerusalem, a clear violation of Gods commands and desire for Jerusalem to be the central place of worship in Israel. In the high places of Bethel, Jeroboam also introduced false images of Yahweh in the form of golden calves for the people to worship (1 Kings 12:25-33).

This was the Sin of Jeroboam that plagued the northern kingdom and parts of the southern kingdom for the rest of their history.

Though some of Israel's nineteen kings were more faithful to God than others, none were bold enough to remove the high places of Bethel, denying any northern king the seal of divine approval.

Because of Jeroboams sin, God promised that Jeroboams family would be removed from the throne and his family line cut off from Israel forever (1 Kings 14:8-16).

Jeroboams son Nadab would succeed his father as king and go on to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, leading Israel in the sins of his father. However, in just his second year as king, while Nadab and the army were at war with the Philistines, Baasha of the tribe of Issachar assassinated King Nadab and took the throne for himself (1 Kings 15:27). He then proceeded to kill anyone left of the house of Jeroboam, fulfilling what the prophet had spoken over Jeroboam through the prophet Ahijah (1 Kings 15:29-30).





Photo Credit: GettyImages/B-C-Designs

What Did King Baasha Do?

Having assassinated the king, destroying his family and usurping the throne of Israel, Baasha would go on to rule for twenty-four years, and like his predecessors, he also did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin. (1 Kings 15:34).

Needless to say, he was not an improvement or character upgrade in the category of moral leadership.

During his reign, Baasha would go to war with Asa, the great-grandson of Solomon and king in Judah at the time (1 Kings 15:33).

In an attempt to prevent anyone from retreating to Judah from the north or attacking Israel from Jerusalem in the south, Baasha moved to fortify the city of Ramah on the border of the northern and southern kingdoms (2 Chronicles 16:1).

At this time, King Asa in Judah sent emissaries to Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, offering him gold and treasure from the house of Lord to form a treaty with the Syrian king. In doing so, Asa successfully persuaded Ben-Hadad to break his treaty with Baasha and form a new alliance with Judah in the fight against the northern kingdom.

Betrayed and outnumbered, Baashas forces in Ramah were broken and forced to retreat. As a result, the northern kingdom surrendered Ijon, Dan, Abel, and Beth Maakah, as well as the store cities of Naphatali to Ben-Hadad (2 Chronicles 16:5). At this point, King Baasha abandoned Ramah entirely, allowing Asa to carry away the stones and timber Baasha had used to fortify Ramah.

Needless to say, Asa was a much more competent and cunning military leader than his contemporary in the north. By contrast, Asa was also considered a more righteous king, for Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord, like his father David. (1 Kings 15:11)

The Bible says Asa also removed the male cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols which his fathers had made (1 Kings 15:12). He even went so far as to remove his mother from her position as queen mother because she had made and worshipped an image of the pagan deity Asherah. Asa would cut it down and burn it at the brook Kidron.

However, like many of the kings of both nations, under Asas reign, the high places were not eliminated. Nevertheless Asas heart was wholly devoted to the Lord all his days. (1 Kings 15:14).

King Baasha would eventually die in Israel, seemingly of natural causes (1 Kings 16:6). However, as he had assassinated Nadab and wiped out the bloodline of Jeroboam to ascend to the throne, so his son Elah would be killed by one of his commanders, Zimri, who then took a page out of Baashas playbook, slaughtering Baashas entire family (1 Kings 16:1-14).

Years later, God would repay another wicked king, King Ahab, for his wickedness, promising, I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and because you have made Israel sin (1 Kings 21:22).

Tragically, as was often the case, the kings of Israel rarely learned from the mistakes of their predecessors, repeating the same sins and suffering the same consequences as a result.

What Lessons Can We Learn from King Baasha?

For most people, Christians included, Baasha may not be a well-known biblical figure or recognizable name. Even among Israels kings, he is not the most popular or easily identifiable.

But what can we learn from Baasha and the failure of the kings of Israel?

For one thing, only a handful of the kings in Judah were actually considered good kings. These held to the ways of King David, their ancestor, worshipping God, keeping His commands, and leading the people in the ways of the Lord. Most, however, were wicked or weak men, who fell victim to idol worship or the pagan practices of their neighbors.

Ironically, even the good kings struggled to remove socially acceptable sins and forms of idolatry that, over time, proved costly, denying Israel the ultimate blessing of Gods favor.

Despite Judahs occasional upright king, nearly all of the kings in the northern kingdom, however, were outright moral failures, leading the northern tribes deeper into idolatry, false worship, and pagan rituals and further away from the love and laws of Yahweh, their God.

Rarely would the kings of Judah learn their lesson or deviate from the sin and failure of their predecessors.

As the kings of Israel led, so went the nation.

Furthermore, those who lived by the sword, often died by the sword, and those who use violence and treachery to gain power will often be the victims of violence and treachery at the hands of those who crave earthly power for themselves.

That being said, Gods plan was always bigger than any machination of man; and not even the wickedness of Baasha could stop God from fulfilling His promises or eventually winning back the hearts of His people.

God would send countless prophets to both nations to try and steer the hearts of His people back to their first love, proving that He was a God of mercy as much as He was a God of justice.

Sadly, it would take nineteen wicked kings, generations of political turmoil, and eventual captivity and exile for Israel to finally realize that Gods way is always better than our own. Only after years of heartache and suffering brought on by their own sin would the people of Israel learn their lesson, forsake their idols, and return to their God, the true and sovereign king of Israel, the only one they would ever need.

Photo Credit:  Getty Images/Yurii Kifor

Joel Ryan is an LA-based childrens author, artist, professor, and speaker who is passionate about helping young writers unleash their creativity and discover the wonders of their Creator through storytelling and art. In his blog, Perspectives off the Page, he discusses all things story and the creative process.
George Thorogood will lay down his boogie blues at the Colorado State Fair.
If you cant do the time, dont fix your stuff.
With just over a week to go before unemployment payments dial back down to pre-pandemic levels, new federal data has yet to suggest any burst of hiring is under way in Connecticut.

Unemployment filings eroded only stubbornly in Connecticut entering August, despite employers listing nearly 90,000 openings last month according to The Conference Board.

Over the final two weeks of July, just 3,500 people came off unemployment insurance to leave the total receiving aid at just under 129,000 beneficiaries.

Employers say they continue to see evidence that some workers are riding out the summer on enhanced benefits that include an extra $300 weekly, a boost that will not continue beyond Saturday, Sept. 4. The Connecticut Department of Revenue Services continues to offer a $1,000 bonus to people who take jobs after an extended period of unemployment, with details online at portal.ct.gov/drs.

A [bottling] plant that we use in New York cant staff a second and third shift, said Norm Snyder, CEO of the Norwalk-based Reeds which sells ginger beer and other craft sodas. Knock on wood, weve got good employees that are dedicated and weve had no issues with [departures]. Its been challenging as we grow to add people ... because of COVID.

The start of the new school year could remove one complicating factor, for any parents that had difficulties arranging for child care in the summer months. And another major program ends in September  the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance package that allowed self-employed contractors to receive jobless aid for the first time.

But the Delta variant is raising alarms, with the Connecticut Department of Public Health reporting as of Thursday more than 7,100 breakthrough cases in which those who have completed their vaccination doses have contracted COVID-19. DPH notes that amounts to just 0.32 percent of those in Connecticut who have been vaccinated.

While some Connecticut job openings require professional certifications  more than 4,000 openings are available statewide for registered nurses according to The Conference Board  many more do not, including the retail sector where between counter help and management had nearly 5,000 jobs for the taking in Connecticut.

Abercrombie & Fitch is among the retailers hiring in Connecticut with nearly three dozen openings across stores in Norwalk, Danbury, New Haven, Milford, Fairfield, Trumbull, Waterbury and Farmington  many of them for manager-in-training roles.

The company is fresh off a new Social Tourist marketing initiative with its Hollister brand that features the Norwalk TikTok star Charli DAmelio.

Weve been pleased with the U.S. back-to-school season to date, said Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Fran Horowitz, speaking Thursday on a conference call. We will focus on controlling what we can control.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
Gov. Ned Lamont has declared Tuesday Overdose Awareness Day in Connecticut in an effort to raise awareness and curb the stigma of the nationwide epidemic of opioid overdoses.

Lamont announced Tuesday morning that he signed a proclamation to make the day official, adding that there will also be a flag commemorating the day flown on the dome of the state Capitol building throughout the day.

It is well past the time that we, as a society, break down the stigma related to opioid addiction and acknowledge that it is an illness that can impact anyone from any neighborhood, any socioeconomic background, and any age, Lamont said in a statement. Addiction is not a moral failing, but rather a true public health emergency.

In the first half of 2021, data from the state Department of Public Health indicated there were 547 confirmed fatal overdoses, with more than 80 percent of those involving fentanyl, a synthetic opioid. The data showed there were an additional 383 cases pending confirmation, although the states chief medical examiner cautioned that not all of the pending cases are drug deaths.

Fentanyl was involved in 85 percent of the 1,378 confirmed overdose deaths in 2020, the DPH data showed. The year prior, 82 percent of the 1,202 cases involved fentanyl.

The governor said the state has a network or providers with various treatment options and resources to those in need.

The more we talk about this issue out loud, the more we can reduce the stigma surrounding it and let people know that treatment is available and those facing this illness should not lose hope, Lamont said.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said in a statement that the epidemic has an impact on everyone.

It is a critical issue that we are facing in Connecticut and throughout the country, Bysiewicz said. The state of Connecticut continues its dedication to finding new ways to combat opioid addiction. Today, and every day, we will be diligent in providing our citizens the necessary resources and support so we can fight the stigma of addiction and end this crisis.

The proclamation indicated the declaration was in honor of the countless lives lost and those we can help save together.

For resources on opioid use disorder in the state, visit www.liveloud.org or call 1-800-563-4086.
Were all under stress from the pandemic. But thats no excuse for appalling behavior in public. Adults dont need to throw tantrums at school events.

So please calm down, anti-maskers. You are bad role models for kids when you scream at meetings instead of using your inside voices.

We get that you dont like Gov. Ned Lamonts order requiring schoolchildren and staff to mask up, even though thats meant to protect them  and you  from the vicious virus that is killing people.

However, loud, nutty accusations arent the way to win converts to your cause.

One of your members shouted Criminals! Every single one of you are criminals! at a back-to-school panel on Thursday. The panel, held at a Cheshire elementary school, included a dozen school and state leaders such as Gov. Ned Lamont. There were young children in the audience too.

The protesters were yelling as Deidre Gifford, acting commissioner of the state Department of Public Health, was trying to explain mask guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If I could ask that we could show a little decorum? pleaded Jeff Solan, superintendent of Cheshire schools, who moderated the panel. This is a reflection of how we cant have a civil dialogue.

Sadly, there was no dialogue, just more eruptions from the audience. The meeting ended quickly, but not the incivility. It continued outside, with more shouts and gestures at the governors car.

Shame on all those who acted like bullies at the meeting.

Such nasty attacks are a common sight in some other states, but its a shock to see them in Connecticut, the Land of Steady Habits. Were such a polite place that public officials simply withdrew while getting hollered at Thursday. In contrast, spectators at the hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in Washington were thrown out for interrupting.

Those who consider Connecticuts mask mandate an abuse of government authority have an ally in Floridas governor, who bans masks and vaccination mandates. Its not hard to guess whats happening with Floridas Covid rate as a result. The Sunshine State averages more than 21,000 COVID cases daily, twice the rate of the rest of the nation. Major hospitals are out of morgue space. Connecticut averages 600 daily.

You dont need a math degree to figure out which state is trying to protect its children and teachers.
Jennifer Semrow worked for 12 years as a certified nursing assistant and put herself through college as a single mother of two young children, finally graduating as a registered nurse around the time coronavirus hit.

Now the Middletown woman holds a great job at a rehabilitation provider in Connecticut, working with patients and long-term residents, doing what she loves, for good money.

And shes willing to give it up  all because she declines to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Let them fire me, Semrow told me as she and some friends protested the states back-to-school mask mandate at the state Capitol over the weekend. Its my right.

The 33-year-old Semrow insists she is not, in her words, an anti-vaxxer. Im an anti-medical mandate, she said.

She doesnt believe she needs the vaccine. Whatever her reasons  and like most vaccine holdouts, hers are deeply held and complex  Semrow stands on a collision course with Gov. Ned Lamonts inoculation mandate for all employees of long-term care facilities.

The deadline for a first injection arrives Sept. 7  next Tuesday  and Semrow isnt budging.

My body doesnt belong to my employer. My body doesnt belong to the government. My body belongs to me and I mandate and say what goes into my body. And so, to have a job or the government tell me that this needs to go into my body is against everything that I believe.

I will fight the good fight

As we spoke alongside a line of protesters including Semrows mother, supporters drove by on Capitol Avenue, honking  clearly energizing Semrow, who waved her unmask our kids sign. Her black T-shirt read, When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty ... Thomas Jefferson.

That is exactly how Semrow views this standoff.

Im willing to lose my job over it, she said, a slight smile, eyes behind large, round sunglasses. I will fight the good fight.

Shes in a minority among health care workers, but Semrow isnt alone. Next to her with a protest sign was Beryl Hoelscher, a registered nurse who moved to Connecticut in March from Austin, Texas. Hoelscher was able to transfer her license but has not found a job as a nurse  despite an astounding 4,000 openings in the field, a number my colleague Alexander Soule reported this week.

They say, Have you been vaccinated? And if you say no, they tell me, We cant hire you, Hoelscher said.

She had COVID-19 in June, she said, so she feels protected by the antibodies and has declined the vaccination. She and her husband, Michael, tell me they moved here for the beauty of nature, not jobs. We talk about New England hikes.

Most of Hoelschers job searches happened before Lamonts order, when long-term care providers could hire an unvaccinated nurse. But this is Connecticut, not Texas or Florida.

Semrows employer was among the bulk of nursing homes and rehab centers that did not require a vaccination all these months, she said, even though health care workers were eligible starting last Dec. 14. Under Lamonts order, the company faces a $20,000-per-day fine if any of its staff, volunteers, or outside contractors have access to patients and lack an inoculation.

The industry supports the order. That means Semrows employer would most likely fire her even as it faces a dire worker shortage. The states largest health care union, SEIU District 1199, has formally asked Lamont to delay the order by a month, saying even though it strongly favors vaccinations, the workers and employers need more time.

We know of at least one nursing home that is probably not going to pull it off by Sept. 7, union spokesman Pedro Zayas said Tursday  and that home would be forced to move residents.

Lamont had not granted the extension as of late Tuesday.

I never got COVID

I ask Semrow, who is not in a union, whether she worries that shes spreading COVID-19 unwittingly to sick and elderly patients, residents and other people. Not at all, she said, even though she has cared for many people with the illness.

Im very confident in my immune system and I know I didnt have COVID because I was weekly tested, she said. I wore my mask. I followed all the mandates that needed to be followed. I did everything that was asked of me, and I never got COVID.

Science says unvaccinated, frontline health care workers could be a danger to themselves and others. And many of us in this highly vaccinated state say Semrows stand defies logic, and is selfish. The strict mandate for hands-on health-care workers makes sense in a pandemic that took the lives of 3,894 Connecticut nursing home residents alone as of Aug. 18.

Still, theres something admirable about Semrows resolve, especially after all she did to achieve what she has. Her own children, 8 and 10, did have the main early childhood vaccinations required in schools but havent had any follow-up vaccinations in a couple of years.

I didnt really start opening my eyes and getting really involved until 2020, she said.

She doesnt easily express in words how she feels now that the reckoning could be days away. I worked very, very hard, Im a single mom to two kids, I put myself through college, I worked while I went to school. I earned this degree and now I feel its a threat that I might not be able to use it because of....

She hesitates. A personal choice.

A crumbling health care system?

The graduate of Capital Community College in Hartford is not sure what she would do if she lost her job  perhaps a position in at-home care that doesnt require a vaccination, or perhaps a different field.

But Im Irish, Im very stubborn.

Her mother, protesting a few feet away, and her father, whos a former professional bicycle racer from Ireland, both support her decision and are not vaccinated, she said. They live in Middletown, too. Shes upset that her dad cant return to visit his homeland without a vaccination.

I ask whether she will invoke a religious exemption, allowed for workers under federal civil rights law. Ive considered it, she said, without claiming that her refusal is based on religious beliefs. But part of me wants all of the health care workers that are against this mandate to walk out and watch how quickly the health care system crumbles.

Across all nursing homes earlier in August when Lamont issued his order, 71 percent of employees were vaccinated  about the same as the general population. Semrow knows of at least five, including four direct care workers, at her employer.

Shes on a 32-hour week, she said, but typically pulls in 45 to 50 hours a week  and come Jan. 1, under a new state law, nursing homes must increase direct care per resident from at least 1.9 hours a day to 3 hours a day.

Thats a worry to SEIU District 1199. Were getting some holdouts and some stories of people realizing that they will not survive in this industry without getting vaccinated, Zayas, the spokesman, said Tuesday.

Coercion is not consent, Semrow said. Convincing someone to get a vaccine is coercion.

And so, she holds out as the hardest core, decrying the pharmaceutical companies for their coronavirus profits. The Food and Drug Administration approval on Aug. 23 didnt sway her a whit. Its hard not to wonder what role former President Donald Trump, and Trumpism, play in her proud defiance  but then, that doesnt really matter anymore.

A fully outfitted bicycle rider in a bright shirt rolls by. Idiots, he says, three feet from Semrow.

We can all disagree, she says, raising the ultimate question about the mandates. Were not trying to make him not take the vaccine.

dhaar@hearstmediact.com
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Marian Eide, Texas A&M University

(THE CONVERSATION) Military service members returning from Americas forever wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have often faced deeply personal questions about their experience.

As one veteran explained to me: Ive been asked, Have you ever killed anyone in war? Are you messed up at all?

I dont take offense to any of that because I realize, we went somewhere, we were gone for a couple years, and now were back, and now no one knows how to talk to a person.

This sense of estrangement from the rest of the population is, in my experience, common among veterans. I interviewed 30 former military personnel between 2012 and 2018 for After Combat: True War Stories from Iraq and Afghanistan  a book I coauthored with retired Army Col. Michael Gibler, who served as an infantry officer for 28 years, including deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan.

As the U.S. marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the ensuing global war on terrorism, I believe that civilians would benefit from hearing veterans stories. It can help provide an understanding of the experience of mortality among the men and women who served in Americas name.

Looking the enemy in the eye

Neither I nor my co-author asked veterans directly if they had killed, and every person we spoke with had a unique experience of combat. All 30 interviewees, aged between 20 and 55 and from a variety of different backgrounds, were guaranteed anonymity to allow them to talk freely with us about their experiences of killing in combat. Their names have been changed for this article.

Killing in contemporary war rarely has the clarity of combat portrayed in war movies or video games, where the opponent is visible and threatening. In the fictional scenario, it is clear when a life is threatened and how to fight for the survival of oneself or ones unit.

People think its like Call of Duty, one veteran said, referring to the popular video game, or that itd be cool to do that. However, even in a direct engagement, like an ambush, it may not be clear who you are shooting at  it could be a response to a muzzle flash in the distance or laying down covering fire, he explained.

Describing an incident in which three men attacked his unit, one veteran, Beau, recalled the moral clarity he felt while shooting at a visible combatant.

I know that theyre bad because theyre shooting at me, he said.

But in other firefights, the situation was less clear, and as Beau explained, For every innocent person that dies, thats five more terrorists. I need to get this right.

Beau said he preferred to look an enemy combatant in the eye, even when his own life was in danger. He indicated that it confirmed his view that these were bad people intent on killing him first.

Many recruits like Beau go into combat believing that killing is necessary in conditions of war and believing also that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were militarily and politically justified. But they are still changed by having killed.

One soldier shot back from his guard post when under fire from a nearby house. His unit entered the house to find a dead man with a warm rifle. But the guard was discomfited when congratulated on this kill by fellow soldiers. To his comrades, he had acted in self-defense and protected others from the shooter. But even in this situation of militarily justified killing, he felt he had crossed a line by taking a life.

Others expressed guilt for exposing civilians to danger. One veteran spoke of feeling responsible when a young informant was executed after providing crucial information to Americans.

We found out that the family that was living there told the Taliban that that little boy ratted them out, Robin recalled. I found this out two days later, that they executed the little boy that I chose to bring into that compound.

No monster

While some veterans return from having killed in combat without suffering moral injury or post-traumatic stress, others suffer enduring impacts of killing. Studies have shown that the act of killing in combat can cause significant psychological distress and is associated with elevated risks of PTSD, alcohol abuse and suicide in veterans.

As former U.S. Army Lt. Col. David Grossman wrote in his book examining the psychological impact of killing, a dead soldier takes his misery with him, the man who killed him must forever live and die with him.

Reuben can attest to that. He fired on a vehicle accelerating into an Iraqi checkpoint. As the vehicle approached the checkpoint, he shot into and stopped the advancing automobile. Approaching it to investigate, the unit saw he had killed the driver. But he had also splattered his head all over the drivers child. Six years old. He was sitting in the passenger seat. The fifty caliber does a number on the human body. The mans head was just gone. It was everywhere.

Reuben has ruminated over that moment for many years, trying to reconcile how he had followed the standard protocol but with horrific results  and trying to convince himself, as he told us, that he is not a monster.

Most civilians will never carry the burden of mortality that Reuben bears.

As the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the inception of Americas global war on terror approached, the Biden administration withdrew the last remaining troops from Afghanistan. The military members returning from this conflict, and that in Iraq, will not all be traumatized by combat experience, and not all soldiers who deploy have killed. But those who have enter a moral space very few of us share or even particularly understand.

[Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.]

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/20-years-of-forever-wars-have-left-a-toll-on-us-veterans-returning-to-the-question-did-you-kill-162304.
NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (AP)  Three men held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center were formally charged Tuesday in connection with the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings and other plots in Southeast Asia after 18 years in U.S. custody, with defense lawyers insisting afterward that the long-delayed arraignment was so flawed it may have to be repeated.

The men appeared in a secure courthouse encircled by razor wire on the U.S. base in Cuba amid defense complaints about courtroom interpreters that caused what was supposed to be a brief arraignment before a military judge into a two-day affair.

It was a rocky start to a case already expected to be complex because of the prolonged detention without charges for the three  an Indonesian and two Malaysians  and the brutal treatment they endured in CIA custody.

Encep Nurjaman, the Indonesian militant leader known as Hambali, and the two Malaysians face trial by military commission, which combines elements of civilian and military law, on charges that include murder, terrorism and conspiracy. They have not yet entered pleas.

The start of their long-delayed case comes as other war crimes tribunals at Guantanamo have languished without resolution for years amid legal challenges and as President Joe Biden says he intends to close the detention center, which now holds 39 of the 779 men who were brought to the base following the Sept. 11 attacks.

Frankly after this two day arraignment, I didnt see any evidence that he would get a fair trial," said Christine Funk, the attorney for, Mohammed Farik bin Amin, one of the Malaysian defendants.

The defense complained that a Malaysian interpreter's language skills were so poor that at least one defendant couldn't understand what was being said in court; that another Malay interpreter was improperly working for the prosecution because he previously assisted the prisoners when they appeared before a prisoner review board at Guantanamo; and that an Indonesian interpreter had been overheard disparaging the men as terrorists who should be killed.

The judge, a Navy commander, allowed the proceeding to go on despite repeated objections. Defense attorney Brian Bouffard, who represents Malaysian defendant Mohammed Nazir bin Lep, said the arraignment was so flawed it should be done again.

We have to have a new one because you have to do one and this one wasnt done right, Bouffard said.

Nurjaman was a leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian militant group with ties to al-Qaida. The government says he recruited bin Lep and bin Amin, among others, for jihadist operations, and that the two Malaysians helped transfer money for their plots.

Among the plots that al-Qaida and Jemaah Islamiyah carried out were the October 2002 suicide bombings of Paddys Pub and the Sari Club in Bali, Indonesia, and the August 2003 suicide bombing of the J.W. Marriott in Jakarta, Indonesia. The attacks together killed 213 people, including seven Americans. The Bali bombing killed 88 Australians.

Its unclear why its taken so long to charge them before the commission. Prosecutors filed charges against the men in June 2017, but the Pentagon legal official who oversees Guantanamo cases rejected the charges for reasons that havent been publicly disclosed.

All three were captured in Thailand in 2003 and transferred to CIA black sites, where they were brutalized and subjected to torture, according to a Senate Intelligence Committee report released in 2014. In 2006, they were among a group of 14 men transferred to Guantanamo to face trial by military commission.

Lawyers for Nurjaman and the two Malaysians are expected to argue that the abuse they experienced has tainted any evidence against them, an argument is also a key aspect of other war crimes cases at Guantanamo.

Former President Barack Obama, who ordered the detention center to close at the start of his administration, had sought to move some commission cases to federal court in the U.S. but reversed course amid political opposition and Congress ultimately blocked efforts to close the prison.
BOYDTON, Va. (AP)  There was a time when Black farms prospered.

Just two generations out of slavery, by 1910 Black farmers had amassed more than 16 million acres of land and made up about 14 percent of farmers. The fruit of their labors fed much of America.

Now, they have fewer than 4.7 million acres. Black farms in the U.S. plummeted from 925,000 to fewer than 36,000, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest farm census. And only about one in 100 farmers is Black.

What happened?

They were able to overcome the broken promise of 40 acres and a mule to the newly freed slaves  a military order, later rescinded. But over the last century, they faced one obstacle after another because of their race.

Farmers needed loans to expand, to buy seed, to bridge the time between harvests. But lenders  chief among them, the USDA  often refused to give them money, and often rushed to foreclose. Suppliers and customers undercut them. Laws of inheritance led to the breakup of homesteads.

Now the government wants to make amends by providing billions of dollars in debt forgiveness for farmers of color as part of the pandemic relief package. But a judge has put the money on hold in the face of lawsuits filed by white farmers claiming that the program is unfair  reverse discrimination.

Todays Black farmers and the descendants of Black farmers who struggled and lost their stakes argue that they are the ones who have been the victims of injustice:

The Virginia farmer who barely was able to keep part of his farm when the USDA threatened to sell it at auction. The Kansas man who lost the land his grandparents once homesteaded. The Arkansas farmer who is holding on by a thread, praying the federal aid will come through in time.

It was racism, says farmer John Wesley Boyd Jr. And it still is.

I think discrimination is still pervasive. I think that its done in a much subtler way, Boyd says. I dont think youre going to see many USDA officials spitting on people now or maybe calling them colored, but they arent lending them any money  the way they lend white farmers.

___

Steering his John Deere tractor with his left hand, the 55-year-old Boyd clutches a rusty, mud-encrusted horseshoe in his right. Discovered in a field by one of his workers, its become something of a talisman.

This horseshoe here probably came off one of the mules, he says as the squeaky-creaky planter carves rows into the rocky soil. Because thats what Blacks were using. They werent using no tractors like this, man.

On this blistering summer day, Boyd is sowing his cash crop, soybeans, making passes up and down a rolling 1,000-acre tract along the broad Roanoke River in Virginia. Its one of several parcels he owns, totaling 1,500 acres  some of it land that his ancestors once tilled as slaves.

And now, its his. Some days, its hard to believe.

Im owning land that many of my forefathers worked when it was scotch free. You know -- slave labor, man, says Boyd, his black cowboy hat casting a shadow over his face. Im just trying to make them proud.

Like the other Black farmers, Boyd has encountered prejudice in many ways. An example: Boyds wife, Kara, a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, recalls the time her husband took a load of soybeans to the grain elevator and got a low price for it. Too much trash or moisture in it, he was told.

When Kara Boyd brought in another load from the same field, she got a better price. But when her stepfather, who is white, took a load out of the same field, she recalled that he was told: Man, these are the best beans theyd seen and how many more could he bring them?

But Boyds battle with the USDA was epic. It almost wiped him out.

Boyd was just 18 years old when he assumed an existing USDA loan when he bought his first farm in the early 1980s. He says walking into his local USDA office was like a return to the Jim Crow era. Black farmers had supervised accounts and could only get appointments with the local lending officer on a single day of the week, a practice that came to be known as Black Wednesday.

Boyd endured racial slurs. A loan officer once spat tobacco juice on him  he accidentally missed the spit can, the official would claim. Another time, Boyd saw an official tear up his application and throw it in the trash.

In 1996, USDA took just 30 days to foreclose on some of his farmland. Then the department moved to auction off the remaining 110 acres.

Boyd joined other Black farmers at a protest in Washington, tying a mule named 40 Acres to the White House gate. Their demonstration was successful; less than a week later, then-Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman soon declared a farm foreclosure moratorium. Boyd had just enough time to save his farm.

Documents from a USDA internal review that Boyd provided to The Associated Press show investigators found his operating loan requests were not processed for years, despite explicit instructions from the agencys state director. It also found that his account was improperly referred to a credit bureau as delinquent when it should have been restructured, deepening his financial difficulties.

Boyd recounts how, unlike their white counterparts, Black farmers who fell behind on a payment would see their loans immediately accelerated, no negotiations. They would be given just 30 days to pay the full amount or they were pressured to sign their deed over to USDA under a program which purportedly allowed them to lease and later buy back their land when their financial situation improved.

But that typically didnt happen because USDAs local county committees  comprised mostly of white local farmers  would be given first option on such leases. Thats how Boyd says he lost his 46-acre tobacco farm in 1996. It ended up in the hands of a white farmer who was a member of the committee.

These kinds of practices prompted U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman to approve the landmark settlement of the Pigford v. Glickman lawsuit filed by Black farmers in 1999.

The settlement provided about $1 billion to 15,000 farmers who said USDA unfairly turned them down for loans because of their race between 1981 and 1996. A second round of $1.25 billion stemming from that lawsuit was approved by the court in 2011 for people who were denied earlier payments because they missed filing deadlines.

It is up to the Secretary of Agriculture and other responsible officials at the USDA to fulfill its promises, to ensure that this shameful period is never repeated and to bring the USDA into the twenty-first century, the judge wrote.

Though USDA paid more than $2.4 billion under the Pigford settlements, state taxes eroded recoveries, debt relief was incomplete and reports before Congress show the settlements did not cure the problems faced by minority farmers.

Government lawyers noted in a court filing that between 2006 and 2016, Black farmers were subject to 13% of USDA foreclosures  despite receiving fewer than 3% of direct loans.

___

Tucked amid the vast plains of Kansas are the remnants of what was once the bustling Black settlement of Nicodemus. It is the most famous of the Midwestern settlements where former slaves known as exodusters migrated more than a century ago, hopeful that farming their own land here would help them escape the racism and poverty of the South.

Little remains today of that farming heritage as even the few Black families who were able to hold on to their land now mostly lease their ground out to white farmers. Nicodemus farmers who once tilled hundreds of acres of farmland no longer actively farm, and much of their ground has been lost over the generations.

Just a couple of miles outside the town sit the 200 acres that the grandparents of Theodore Bernard Bates once homesteaded. The Black farmer and his father bought the family homestead in 1970, taking a loan from what was then the Production Credit Association of Stockton, Kansas.

USDAs farm loan lending agency refused to even give them an application to fill out, said Bates, one of the original named plaintiffs in the Pigford lawsuit. He received, as he puts it, not a penny from that settlement.

I learned later the reason (USDA) didnt want to give me an application was because they didnt want it hanging in their office that they discriminated against a Black person, Bates says. Theyd be in trouble, see, so they didnt want that in the office. They didnt want that record.

The 1980s were especially tough on the Bates farm. They suffered through a drought one year, a late freeze in another and then a hailstorm that wiped out their wheat crop. Their lender foreclosed.

Three years before his death, the former president of the Production Credit Association swore in a 2012 affidavit that there was a plan to get Bates out of farming. Elvin D. Keiswetter said in that affidavit that the lenders board decided it would rather foreclose, even if they lost money than take Bates money, regardless if it was paid on the notes.

Keiswetter said that shortly after their lawyer filed the foreclosure petition, Bates came to his office with his parents and his children. Bates owed about $180,000; he asked whether, if he paid $100,000, the lender would give him until after harvest, or six months, to pay the balance.

They took his farm machinery first, and then they took the land. Then the sheriff came and cut the lock on his grain storage bins. Bates and his wife watched for hours that night as trucks hauled out thousands of bushels of wheat they had worked hard to harvest.

After they took everything, Bates says the family was forced to go on food stamps to survive. He worked a few odd jobs over the years, including a stint as a corrections officer. Every time they go to Nicodemus now, they drive alongside the edge of their old homestead to look at the land.

It is just something you cant explain, he says. It hurts so deep.

Years later, the now 84-year-old Kansas man is still haunted by the memory of Nov. 7, 1986  the day they went to the federal court hearing in Wichita where the foreclosure was finalized. They got home late that Friday evening and his father, Alvin, asked him, What you guys get done today?

We got foreclosed on, Bates told him.

His father didnt say a word, he recalls.

I guess he just couldnt stand it to see his family homestead go, you know, and he died that Sunday, Bates says.

___

The USDA was not responsible for all the misfortunes of Black farmers. Other structural impediments also have taken their toll.

One involves family land that is passed on to several surviving kin without a will, known as heirs property. USDA studies show the practice is prevalent among Black people in the South, Appalachian white families, Hispanics in southwestern colonia communities and Native American tribes.

The result: a lack of access to money, because lenders are usually reluctant to extend credit without a clear title to the land. Congress authorized in the 2018 farm bill language that would ease loans to those farmers. But it was not until this year that USDA actually funded a $67 million heirs relending program to resolve land ownership and succession issues.

Many Black farms have been lost over the decades in what are called partition sales. In the South, particularly, many Black landowners distrusted the local courts, or were barred from them, and failed to leave wills or even record their deeds. Over several generations, a single tract can end up being held in common by dozens or even hundreds of heirs.

In places like coastal Georgia and South Carolina, popular vacation destinations, speculators would track down distant members of these families and buy their interest in the old family farm, which the heir may never have even seen. That outsider can then petition the court to sell the entire tract and divide the money, leaving the entire tract of land to be sold at auction, often at a fraction of its real value.

Paul Bradshaw signed in 2008 a lease that upon his death gave his son, Rod, a 10-year option to farm and eventually buy the entire 2,950 acres that the Black farmer had accumulated near Jetmore, Kansas  a move meant to keep the family farm intact for the next generation.

By then, the father and son had already been farming together for decades. Paul Bradshaw, who died two years after signing that lease agreement, had also separately drawn up a will that evenly split the money received for the farm among his eight children, his son says.

Over the years, Rod Bradshaw had made several discrimination complaints against USDA. When his claim seeking debt relief under the Pigford lawsuit was denied, he says he was unable to buy out his sisters shares.

A bitter family fight ensued after his fathers death, and a local judge threw out the lease agreement and split the family farm among the son and his seven sisters. Rod Bradshaw says he ended up with about 350 acres of it that he still farms, while his sisters sold or leased their acres to white farmers.

If Dad knew what happened, he would be livid, he says.

Bradshaw ended up filing for bankruptcy  something he said he never would have had to do, had it not been for USDAs refusal to give him debt relief under the Pigford settlement and its confiscation of his farm program payments. He filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against USDA in 2004, leading to a bench trial in 2018. He is still waiting for the judges decision.

Bradshaw  who has more than $300,000 in direct USDA loans that would qualify for the debt relief  has been unable to obtain any money through pandemic relief benefits open to all farmers.

I think I am probably going to suffer some setbacks, but I think I can hang on ... depending on what happens, Bradshaw says.

___

USDA spokeswoman Kate Waters says the agency is committed to rooting out systemic racism and reducing barriers to accessing services. She says the department plans to launch an Equity Commission later this year to identify problems and fix them.

Congress, meanwhile, approved a $4 billion debt relief program for 16,000 farmers of color in March as part of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package.

The funding was intended to remedy past discrimination in USDA loan programs, and to provide $1 billion for outreach and technical assistance for what it calls socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers  a group that includes not only Black farmers, but also Hispanic, Native American and Asian producers.

White farmers have filed lawsuits in Florida, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming, Illinois, and Minnesota. In June, U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard issued a nationwide, preliminary injunction halting the program.

The Texas case is led by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and brought by America First Legal, a nonprofit started this year by Stephen Miller and other senior members of former President Donald Trumps administration.

Sid Miller, who is suing in his personal capacity as a farmer and not on behalf of the state, contends the debt relief is unconstitutional because it excludes white farmers based on their race or ethnicity. He argues USDA no longer discriminates against farmers of color and called the loan forgiveness a backhanded way of offering reparations.

It is just flat wrong, Miller said. Us Republicans and old white guys, we get accused of being racist all the time, but this is racist by the administration. It couldnt be a plainer case of racist.

But it is clear that minority farmers still suffer disproportionately. As of May 31, 11% of white farmers were delinquent on a government farm loan, compared with 37.9% of Black borrowers, 14.6% of Asian borrowers, 17.4% of American Indian borrowers and 68% of Hispanic borrowers, according to court documents.

For Abraham Carpenter, a 59-year-old Black farmer whose family grows fruits and vegetables near Grady, Arkansas, the injunction means he has to wait and hope for help with about $200,000 in loans, even as rain has wiped out hundreds of acres of watermelons, turnips, collards and other crops.

Ive seen some really, really tough times, you know, but Ive always been able to survive because of Gods blessing and his mercy and his grace. And they are still upon us, Carpenter says. So I am not going to say I am going to go belly up. I am going to work a little harder and I am going to pray a little harder.

___

Hegeman reported from Belle Plaine, Kansas.
DENVER (AP)  Three suburban Denver police officers and two paramedics were indicted on manslaughter and other charges in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man put into a chokehold and injected with a powerful sedative in a fatal encounter that provoked national outcry during racial injustice protests last year.

The grand jury indictments announced Wednesday by state Attorney General Phil Weiser are the latest chapter for the Police Department in the city of Aurora, which has been plagued by allegations of misconduct against people of color, including a officer charged this summer with pistol-whipping a Black man.

McClain's death helped inspire a sweeping police accountability law in Colorado, a ban on chokeholds and restrictions on the use of the sedative ketamine, both of which the indictment alleges contributed to his death. The charges were announced days after the second anniversary of when police stopped McClain on the street after a 911 caller reported a man who seemed sketchy.

What I set out to do is still not over, but Im halfway there. Im halfway there, McClains mother, Sheneen McClain, told The Associated Press of her efforts to hold police accountable.

Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson, who took over last year and has pledged to work to restore public trust, said the department will continue to cooperate with the judicial process.

I know this has been a long-awaited decision for Ms. McClain and her family. This tragedy will forever be imprinted on our community, she said in a statement.

Officers Randy Roedema, Nathan Woodyard and Jason Rosenblatt and fire department paramedic Jeremy Cooper and fire Lt. Peter Cichuniec were charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

Roedema and Rosenblatt also were charged with second-degree assault with intent to cause bodily injury and one count of a crime of violence related to the assault charge. Cooper and Cichuniec also each face three counts of second-degree assault.

Lawyers for the defendants didn't immediately respond to calls and emails seeking comment.

Marc Sears, president of Auroras branch of the Fraternal Order of Police, which says it's the largest union representing police in the city, told the Sentinel Colorado newspaper that our officers are innocent until proven guilty, and we stand by our brothers.

City Manager Jim Twombly said the officers were indefinitely suspended. One had previously been fired.

The indictment says police responding to a 911 call about a suspicious person confronted McClain on Aug. 24, 2019, as he walked home from a grocery store after buying iced tea. The encounter quickly escalated, with McClain initially losing consciousness as Woodyard applied a chokehold. McClain complained he couldnt breathe as three officers held him, handcuffed, on the ground, and he vomited several times.

Paramedics injected McClain with an amount of ketamine appropriate for someone 77 pounds (35 kilograms) heavier than his 143-pound (64-kilogram) frame, the indictment says, without determining if it was necessary and without monitoring him for side effects afterward.

McClain never regained consciousness and was later declared brain dead at a hospital.

Family and friends described McClain, a massage therapist, as a gentle and kind introvert who volunteered to play his violin to comfort cats at an animal shelter. His pleading words captured on police body camera video  Im just different  painfully underscored his apparent confusion at what was happening.

In 2019, a district attorney said he could not charge the officers because an autopsy could not determine how McClain died. Democratic Gov. Jared Polis ordered Weiser to open a criminal investigation last year amid nationwide protests over racist policing, and the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI said they were looking at opening a civil rights investigation. Weisers office is conducting a probe into the overall conduct of Aurora police, the first under the new police accountability law.

Its very rare for officers to face criminal charges in on-duty deaths, and it's almost unheard of for paramedics to be charged, said Alex Piquero, a criminologist at the University of Miami.

Its a pretty big deal, he said. The fact that a grand jury saw the evidence and decided what charges to file is an indication of a strong case, Piquero said.

A family lawsuit alleges McClain died as a result of a dramatic increase of lactic acid in his blood caused by excessive force used by police over about 18 minutes, combined with the effects of ketamine. They claim police continued to torture McClain after he was restrained, a result of the departments history of unconstitutional racist brutality.

A city review found no evidence to justify officers stopping McClain, who was wearing a ski mask because family said he had anemia that caused him to get cold easily.

Police body camera video shows an officer approaching McClain and saying, I have a right to stop you because youre being suspicious.

Im just different. Im just different, thats all," McClain exclaims as he's being restrained. "Im so sorry. I have no gun. I dont do that stuff. I dont do any fighting. Why were you attacking me? I dont do guns. I dont even kill flies.

The indictment comes after three Aurora officers, including Rosenblatt, were fired and one resigned last year over photos mimicking the chokehold used on McClain.

The department also faced criticism when officers put four Black girls on the ground last year and handcuffed two of them next to a car that police suspected was stolen but turned out not to be.

And an officer was charged with assault in July after being captured on body camera video pistol-whipping and choking a Black man during an arrest. Another officer was charged with not intervening as required under the new police accountability law.

Deborah Richardson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, said the indictment is one step to changing the deeply embedded systemic failures of the city of Aurora.

Historically, the internal culture of policing normalized the treatment Mr. McClain experienced and was callously written off. Hopefully, this law enforcement abuse will no longer be tolerated, Richardson said.

___

Associated Press writers James Anderson and Patty Nieberg in Denver and Lindsay Whitehurst in Salt Lake City contributed.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

James Hendler, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

(THE CONVERSATION) Despite growing opposition, the U.S. government is on track to increase its use of controversial facial recognition technology.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report on Aug. 24, 2021, detailing current and planned use of facial recognition technology by federal agencies. The GAO surveyed 24 departments and agencies  from the Department of Defense to the Small Business Administration  and found that 18 reported using the technology and 10 reported plans to expand their use of it.

The report comes more than a year after the U.S. Technology Policy Committee of the Association for Computing Machinery, the worlds largest educational and scientific computing society, called for an immediate halt to virtually all government use of facial recognition technology.

The U.S. Technology Policy Committee is one of numerous groups and prominent figures, including the ACLU, the American Library Association and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, to call for curbs on use of the technology. A common theme of this opposition is the lack of standards and regulations for facial recognition technology.

A year ago, Amazon, IBM and Microsoft also announced that they would stop selling facial recognition technology to police departments pending federal regulation of the technology. Congress is weighing a moratorium on government use of the technology. Some cities and states, notably Maine, have introduced restrictions.

Why computing experts say no

The Association for Computing Machinerys U.S. Technology Policy Committee, which issued the call for a moratorium, includes computing professionals from academia, industry and government, a number of whom were actively involved in the development or analysis of the technology. As chair of the committee at the time the statement was issued and as a computer science researcher, I can explain what prompted our committee to recommend this ban and, perhaps more significantly, what it would take for the committee to rescind its call.

If your cellphone doesnt recognize your face and makes you type in your passcode, or if the photo-sorting software youre using misidentifies a family member, no real harm is done. On the other hand, if you become liable for arrest or denied entrance to a facility because the recognition algorithms are imperfect, the impact can be drastic.

The statement we wrote outlines principles for the use of facial recognition technologies in these consequential applications. The first and most critical of these is the need to understand the accuracy of these systems. One of the key problems with these algorithms is that they perform differently for different ethnic groups.

An evaluation of facial recognition vendors by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology found that the majority of the systems tested had clear differences in their ability to match two images of the same person when one ethnic group was compared with another. Another study found the algorithms are more accurate for lighter-skinned males than for darker-skinned females. Researchers are also exploring how other features, such as age, disease and disability status, affect these systems. These studies are also turning up disparities.

A number of other features affect the performance of these algorithms. Consider the difference between how you might look in a nice family photo you have shared on social media versus a picture of you taken by a grainy security camera, or a moving police car, late on a misty night. Would a system trained on the former perform well in the latter context? How lighting, weather, camera angle and other factors affect these algorithms is still an open question.

In the past, systems that matched fingerprints or DNA traces had to be formally evaluated, and standards set, before they were trusted for use by the police and others. Until facial recognition algorithms can meet similar standards  and researchers and regulators truly understand how the context in which the technology is used affects its accuracy  the systems shouldnt be used in applications that can have serious consequences for peoples lives.

Transparency and accountability

Its also important that organizations using facial recognition provide some form of meaningful advanced and ongoing public notice. If a system can result in your losing your liberty or your life, you should know it is being used. In the U.S., this has been a principle for the use of many potentially harmful technologies, from speed cameras to video surveillance, and the USTPCs position is that facial recognition systems should be held to the same standard.

To get transparency, there also must be rules that govern the collection and use of the personal information that underlies the training of facial recognition systems. The company Clearview AI, which now has software in use by police agencies around the world, is a case in point. The company collected its data  photos of individuals faces  with no notification.

Clearview AI collected data from many different applications, vendors and systems, taking advantage of the lax laws controlling such collection. Kids who post videos of themselves on TikTok, users who tag friends in photos on Facebook, consumers who make purchases with Venmo, people who upload videos to YouTube and many others all create images that can be linked to their names and scraped from these applications by companies like Clearview AI.

Are you in the dataset Clearview uses? You have no way to know. The ACMs position is that you should have a right to know, and that governments should put limits on how this data is collected, stored and used.

In 2017, the Association for Computing Machinery U.S. Technology Policy Committee and its European counterpart released a joint statement on algorithms for automated decision-making about individuals that can result in harmful discrimination. In short, we called for policymakers to hold institutions using analytics to the same standards as for institutions where humans have traditionally made decisions, whether it be traffic enforcement or criminal prosecution.

This includes understanding the trade-offs between the risks and benefits of powerful computational technologies when they are put into practice and having clear principles about who is liable when harms occur. Facial recognition technologies are in this category, and its important to understand how to measure their risks and benefits and who is responsible when they fail.

Protecting the public

One of the primary roles of governments is to manage technology risks and protect their populations. The principles the Association for Computing Machinerys USTPC has outlined have been used in regulating transportation systems, medical and pharmaceutical products, food safety practices and many other aspects of society. The Association for Computing Machinerys USTPC is, in short, asking that governments recognize the potential for facial recognition systems to cause significant harm to many people, through errors and bias.

These systems are still in an early stage of maturity, and there is much that researchers, government and industry dont understand about them. Until facial recognition technologies are better understood, their use in consequential applications should be halted until they can be properly regulated.

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This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/feds-are-increasing-use-of-facial-recognition-systems-despite-calls-for-a-moratorium-145913.
GROTON, Conn. (AP)  A French submarine is planning to dock at the U.S. Navy base in Connecticut on Wednesday on a routine port visit.

Navy officials say it will be the first foreign submarine to visit Naval Submarine Base New London since British submarine HMS Trenchant visited in April 2018.
HILO, Hawaii (AP)  The largest hospital on the Big Island of Hawaii was operating at about 120% of capacity amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, straining employees and supplies.

Hilo Medical Center had 38 patients with coronavirus, including 10 in the intensive care unit, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Tuesday.

Altogether the hospital had 17 ICU Patients, far beyond its normal 11-bed ICU capacity. Some ICU patients were being treated in the progressive care unit.

As the largest hospital on the island, we cannot divert patients, hospital spokeswoman Elena Cabatu said. We have a plan to care for everyone who come to us for care.

On Friday, the hospital opened a 16-bed overflow unit in its extended care facility.

Cabatu said the hospital was constantly assessing its campus for locations in which to care for patients.

Two dozen traveling nurses have arrived to help, but the vast majority of the work has been assumed by hospital staff, said Dan Brinkman, the East Hawaii Regional CEO for Hawaii Health Systems Corp.

The seven-day average of new COVID-19 on the Big Island soared from 2.7 on July 4 to 138 on Tuesday. Sixty percent of the population has been fully vaccinated.
MERIDIAN, Miss. (AP)  A private prison company says an investigation is underway after a Mississippi inmate was found dead in his cell.

Management & Training Corporation said in a news release Wednesday that Robert Williams, 29, was found Tuesday at East Mississippi Correctional Facility.
LUCEDALE, Miss. (AP)  Barbara Cochran said she was about to get ready for bed late Monday when she heard a loud crash outside her home in rural southeastern Mississippi. Hurricane Ida had been dumping torrential rain, her husband was already asleep and the home's air conditioner was humming loudly.

The 83-year-old retired educator said she went onto the porch to see if a big oak tree had fallen, or if an 18-wheeler had slid off the highway down the hill from their home. She didn't see car lights, so she didn't think there was a wreck.

About 10 minutes after she went back inside, she heard a second loud crash. Moments later, Cochran heard a third crash. As she was about to call the sheriff's department, she heard the wail of sirens.

And, she said: I heard something that sounded like a woman screaming.

Two people were killed and at least 10 others were injured late Monday when seven vehicles plunged, one after another, into a deep hole where a dark, rural highway collapsed as Hurricane Ida blew through Mississippi, authorities said Tuesday.

Heavy rainfall may have caused the collapse of two-lane Mississippi Highway 26 west of Lucedale, and the drivers may not have seen that the roadway in front of them had disappeared, Mississippi Highway Patrol Cpl. Cal Robertson said. The George County Sheriff's Department received the first call at about 10:30 p.m.

Cochran told The Associated Press that she didn't know about the highway collapse or the wrecks until after she woke from a fitful night's sleep. She said she is praying for the families of those killed or hurt.

This is such a catastrophe," Cochran said Tuesday.

Robertson said some of the vehicles ended up stacked on top of each other as they crashed into the abyss, which opened up in a rural area without street lights. Ida dumped as much as 13 inches (33 centimeters) of rain as it blew through Mississippi, the National Weather Service said.

You can imagine driving at night with heavy rain coming down, Robertson said. Its just nothing but a wall of water, your headlights kind of reflecting back on you.

State troopers, emergency workers and rescue teams responded to the crash site about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northeast of Biloxi, to find both the east and westbound lanes collapsed. Robertson said the hole removed about 50 to 60 feet (15 to 18 meters) of roadway, and is 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters) deep.

George County Sheriff Keith Havard told the Sun Herald that the sheriff's department received a 911 call from a man whose car had plunged into the hole.

He said he was driving and all of a sudden he wasnt driving anymore," Havard said. "He didnt understand what had happened. I cant imagine anyone would.

The newspaper reported that 911 dispatchers heard other vehicles crash into the pit.

The vehicles were later lifted out by a crane, leaving some debris at the bottom of the hole. A drone video published by the Sun Herald showed how a raised berm beneath the road washed away, leaving a red-clay scar that runs for hundreds of feet, from a cemetery on one side into a wooded area on the other.

It is a slide, which means the ground under the roadway and embankment was super-saturated and we can tell right now thats what caused the slide, Kelly Castleberry, district engineer for the Mississippi Department of Transportation, told the newspaper.

Jerry Lee, 49, of Lucedale, was pronounced dead at 1:20 a.m., and Kent Brown, 49, of Leakesville, was pronounced dead 10 minutes later, George County Coroner DeeAnn Murrah said.

George County High School said one of its students, a senior, was hospitalized with critical injuries after crashing into the hole. Local schools were closed Tuesday because the collapsed highway created problems for buses and other traffic.

Mississippi southern district Transportation Commissioner Tom King said he didnt know anything unusual about the soil conditions where the highway caved in.

We just got bombarded here in south Mississippi with rain, King told the AP.

King said work crews were checking other highways in areas that received heavy rain from Ida.

Between 3,100 and 5,700 vehicles drive along the stretch of highway on an average day, according to Mississippi Department of Transportation data.

Its going to take us a while to redo it and make it right again and make it safe for folks to go over, King said of the collapsed roadbed.

Mike Dillon is pastor of Crossroads United Pentecostal Church, which is near the crash site. He said he learned about the crashes after he woke up Tuesday and checked a community prayer page online. Like many local residents, he walked to the crash site and prayed.

Were a very close-knit community," Dillon said, and were going to get through this with the help of the Lord.

Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as a Category 4 storm, one of the most powerful ever to hit the U.S. mainland. It knocked out power to much of southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi, blowing roofs off buildings and causing widespread flooding as it pushed a surge of ocean water that briefly reversed the flow of the Mississippi River.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Jerry Lee was 49, not 42.

____

Emily Wagster Pettus reported from Jackson, Mississippi.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP)  Months after it first rejected an application from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to build a $230 million hospital complex in North Liberty, a state council has now approved the plan.

The Health Facilities Council on Tuesday voted 4-1 to allow the health system to build a $230 million hospital complex the system argues it desperately needed to relieve pressure at its other facilities.
DOVER, Del. (AP)  A Delaware state trooper who has won recognition for his traffic enforcement efforts is facing criminal charges alleging that he issued phony traffic warnings to motorists.

Authorities announced Tuesday that Cpl. Edwin R. Ramirez has been indicted on felony charges of tampering with public records and issuing a false certificate. He also faces misdemeanor charges of falsifying business records and official misconduct.

Ramirez faces up to nine years in prison if convicted on all charges. His attorney, Eugene Maurer, said his client denies the charges. Ramirez is expected to turn himself in on Wednesday for arraignment.

Authorities allege that, during the month of April, Ramirez issued more than two dozen written warnings to motorists without their knowledge. In many cases, officials say there was no traffic stop. In several others, according to investigators, Ramirez was driving his patrol vehicle, sometimes at speeds exceeding 70 mph (113 kph), when the warnings were issued.

In one case, a warning was issued to a female driver, even though video evidence showed that Ramirez had made contact with a male driver. Ramirez also issued warnings to a person who was in Virginia at the time of the alleged stop, and to a person who was at home attending virtual parent-teacher conferences at the time the warning was issued, authorities said.

One of the alleged victims works for Delaware State Police communications, and another is a Sussex County police officer, according to the indictment.

These victims deserve an apology for getting wrapped up in this ridiculous scheme, Attorney General Kathy Jennings said in a prepared statement. This kind of ham-fisted misconduct undermines the work that good police officers do every day to earn and honor the publics trust.

Officials noted that, while warnings dont carry financial penalties, drivers who have received warnings are less likely to be given consideration in future traffic stops, and more likely to be stopped in the first place.

Jennings said the full scope of Ramirezs alleged misconduct has yet to be determined.

Officials said the scheme came to light after a supervisor at Troop 9 in Odessa was reviewing police reports on April 30 and came across an accident report that was linked to E-Warning in an electronic database. The report, however, did not indicate that a warning had been issued, and a check with the motorist involved found that the person never received the warning, authorities said.

The supervisor then began reviewing tickets and warnings issued by Ramirez during the month of April and compared them to police dashcam footage.

A subsequent search of Ramirezs patrol vehicle uncovered a sheet he kept with a list of Troop 9 officers and their traffic citation statistics. Investigators also found Ramirezs annual evaluations for 2019 and 2020, both of which included a sergeants commendation for excellent traffic productivity, according to the indictment.

In February, Ramirez was recognized as the 2020 Troop 9 Traffic Ace, with a captain noting that he had issued 458 traffic citations and 640 warnings last year.

The accolades that this trooper misappropriated are not worth the felony charges hes now facing, Jennings said, adding that traffic stops should be about road safety, not padding performance reviews.

Ramirez, who has been with the DSP for six years, has been suspended.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The United Nations chief urged all nations to help the people of Afghanistan in their darkest hour of need, saying Tuesday that almost half the population needs humanitarian assistance to survive and the country faces the threat of basic services collapsing completely.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern at the deepening humanitarian crisis in the country in a statement on the first day of Taliban rule after the withdrawal of the last U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

He offered some grim statistics of the looming humanitarian catastrophe: 18 million Afghans need aid to survive, one in three dont know where their next meal will come from, over half of all children under age 5 are expected to become acutely malnourished in the next year, and every day people are losing access to basic goods and services.

Amid a severe drought and with harsh winter conditions on the horizon, extra food, shelter and health supplies must be urgently fast-tracked into the country, Guterres said.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the current $1.3 billion U.N. humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan is only 39% funded. Guterres said a new emergency appeal for the next four months is expected next week.

For us," Dujarric said, the day after is just another day in Kabul. Weve been present in Afghanistan for over 60 years, and we are remaining and standing shoulder to shoulder with the Afghan people.

He said a U.N. assessment team went out in Kabul on Tuesday. While aid operations have not been able to resume in the capital, he said, a World Health Organization plane with supplies was able to land in Mazar-e-Sharif in the north on Monday and the World Food Program has also been able to resume operations in the country.

With the Taliban now in control of the country, Dujarric said the secretary-general would like to see, and hopes the international community would like to see, the formation of an inclusive government, full respect for human rights ... especially when it comes to women, and to ensure that the hard won gains of especially the last two decades do not evaporate, and ensuring that Afghanistan is not used as a base for terrorism.

As Afghanistan embarks on a new future, Pramila Patten, the acting head of UN Women, urged the Taliban to reaffirm their commitment to comply with Afghanistans 2004 constitution and international treaties that guarantee equality to all citizens, and to guarantee the full and equal participation of women in the political and decision-making processes.

Patten said in a statement the hard-won gains that Afghan womens rights activists have fought for cannot be reversed or rolled back.

Urgent action is needed now to ensure the full participation of women in the public and political life of Afghanistan, she said, and the Taliban must ensure that women are protected from gender-based threats and attacks, which violate their rights and impede their effective participation.

In a joint statement, Virginia Gamba, the U.N. special representative for children and armed conflict, and Najat Maalla Mjid, the special representative on violence against children, said at least 45% of the Afghan population is younger than 15.

They called on the Taliban and other parties in Afghanistan to respect the dignity and human rights of all Afghans, including boys and girls.
NEW YORK (AP)  The Vatican has concluded that allegations of sexual abuse dating back a half century against the Roman Catholic Bishop of Brooklyn do not "have the semblance of truth," but an attorney for the accusers said they would press forward with their civil cases.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, said Wednesday that the Vatican has closed its investigation into allegations made separately by two men, who accused the bishop, Nicholas DiMarzio, of abusing them a half century ago when he was a priest in New Jersey.

DiMarzio denied the accusations made by his accusers, both of whom have filed civil claims against him.

I repeat what I have said from the beginning. There is no truth to these allegations. Throughout my more than 50-year ministry as a priest, I have never abused anyone, DiMarzio said in a statement. He said he fully cooperated with the investigation.

I remain focused on leading the Diocese of Brooklyn as we are emerging from the darkness of the Coronavirus pandemic, he said. I ask for your prayers as I continue to fight against the lawsuits stemming from these two allegations, and as I now look forward to clearing my name in the New Jersey state courts.

The Vaticans handling of the case was being closely watched because it was among the first to come under new procedures put in place two years ago by Pope Francis to address allegations of sexual abuse against some of the churchs highest ranking clergy.

Critics, including the lawyer for his accusers, expressed concern that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, comprised of other bishops, would lack impartiality.

The investigations concerning the credibility of my clients were subjective and biased because the investigators were controlled by and paid for by the Catholic Church, said the men's attorney, Mitchell Garabedian.

The Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, which rendered the decision, is in the business of continuing the secrecy of clergy sexual abuse by hiding the truth, Garabedian asserted.

One of his accusers, Samier Tadros, said the abuse began when he was 6 years old and a parishioner at Holy Rosary Church in Jersey City.

Tadros, who is now 48, has demanded $20 million in compensation.

The Associated Press does not typically identify victims of sexual abuse unless they come forward publicly, as Tadros has done.

In response to the allegations, Dolan hired a law firm to conduct an investigation. That inquiry was led by former FBI Director Louis Freeh.

The findings were then forwarded to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for its review, which determined that the accusations were baseless.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, more commonly known as SNAP, said it was not surprised by the Vatican's actions and urged New York Attorney General Letitia James to conduct its own investigation.

Given Bishop DiMarzios high rank in the Catholic Church  and especially given the fact that he had been tapped by Vatican leaders to investigate other prelates accused of wrongdoing  we believe true transparency and accountability will need to come from secular officials in New York and New Jersey, not Rome, SNAP said in a statement.

The Attorney General's Office did not have immediate comment.

Anne Barrett Doyle, the co-director of BishopAccountability.org, a Boston-based group that has amassed a vast online archive of documents and reports alleging sexual wrongdoing by Catholic clergy, questioned the Catholic Church's transparency in the matter and called on the Church to release all documents related to its investigation.

Even if their investigation was thorough, she said, only Cardinal Dolan had the power to filter and interpret the evidence before sending it to the Vatican.

Given the findings of the Vatican body, Dolan said in his announcement, it will not authorize any further canonical process to address the accusations.
WASHINGTON - A collection of poems, The Limits of Light, by poet and author Susan A. Katz, is now available in bookstores and online. by Austin Macauley Publishers.

The Limits of Light features a collection of narrative poems that explores the tales of Greek Mythology, and their contemporary messages.

The gods, ostensibly divine beings, it would appear, were much like us: avaricious and untrustworthy; vindictive and myopic; malicious and indulgent. It is almost as if these ancient stories foretold the future, Katz said in a statement.

From Apollo, who was thwarted in love, to Scylla who betrays her father for lust, to Icarus who strives to fly to the sun, only to fall to his death the tales of the gods unfold in Katzs compelling and dramatic narrative poetry, she said.

Widely published, Katzs work has appeared in numerous anthologies, journals, and literary magazines. With the publication of The Limits of Light, she will have published four books of poetry, and co-authored two textbooks with music specialist, Judith A. Thomas, citing the need to incorporate the arts into school curriculum, according to the statement.

For more than 30 years, Katz worked for the New York State Poets in Public Service, and then, with Thomas, a music/movement specialist, held student/teacher poetry workshops in the United States and Canada.

Katz says she finds inspiration for her poems in the intricacies, and intimacies, of life and family, the hazards of living, and the beauty and wonder of the natural world. Her poems reveal her intense passion for the living quality of language. Katz believes that Poetry is the need to write beyond the limits of choice; the freedom to see beyond the limits of light.

The cost of The Limits of Light collection of poetry is $8.95, and her works and poetry can be found on her website https://www.poetladykatz.com. The Limits of Light is available at http://www.austinmacauley.com/us/book/limits-light; Amazon: https://amzn.to/3keuIo8; Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3gkAUKi; The Book Depository: https://bit.ly/3gmcG2m; and in select bookstores.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Nearly half of the money being spent on a Republican-ordered investigation into Wisconsin's 2020 presidential election is earmarked for data analysis related to voting machines, a contract released Wednesday spelling out how the $676,000 in taxpayer money will be spent shows.

The Associated Press obtained the contract entered into by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who is leading the probe, under the state open records law.

It shows that $325,000 is set aside for a data analysis contractor under the category of voting machines, a focus of the investigation. It also sets aside $25,000 each for Gableman to pay five investigators. Gableman is to be paid $55,000 over the life of the contract, which runs from Aug. 1 through the end of the year.

There is also $15,000 earmarked for communications, $50,000 for attorney fees, $25,000 for travel, $16,000 for an assistant to Gableman and $50,000 for court reporting.

The contract calls for using taxpayer money on the probe, not campaign donations or other funds as was done in a widely discredited election audit in Arizona.

Republicans are moving ahead with the investigation in the battleground state President Joe Biden won by just under 21,000 votes over former President Donald Trump. Trump met with Vos last week and encouraged the probe, which also has the backing of other Republicans in the state, including U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, who is up for reelection next year.

Johnson has spoken in support of the investigation while also saying there was nothing obviously skewed about the results in Wisconsin. He made the comments to Lauren Windsor, a liberal activist who was posing as a conservative at an event on Sunday and taped Johnson secretly.

Windsor works for the web-based program The Undercurrent and posted videos of Johnson's comments this week. Johnson told her that he did not support focusing on voting machines, even though thats what the Gableman investigation will do. He also repeatedly said he felt the election was fair.

It's probably true that Biden maybe got 7 million more popular votes," Johnson said. "Thats the electoral reality. So to just say for sure that this was a stolen election, I dont agree with that.

Democrats pointed to the Johnson comments as further proof that Republicans know the election was fair but they are proceeding with the investigation just to please the most conservative people in their base who are demanding it.

Taxpayers should be outraged, said Assembly Democratic Minority Leader Gordon Hintz. I never thought we would reach a day where we would have a contract that enabled a conspiracy theory undermining trust in our election system.

Republicans have questioned numerous aspects of the 2020 election, but produced no evidence of widespread fraud. Bidens win over Trump has also withstood recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties and numerous state and federal lawsuits filed by Trump and his supporters. To date, only two people out of 3.3 million votes cast have been charged with election fraud.

Gableman said in an interview with WISN-TV last month that he wanted to learn more about voting machines and how they worked, including the process of reporting official totals to the state elections commission.

Vos has said that in addition to voting machines, he expects the probe to look closely at advice given by the state elections commission for clerks to follow; voting practices in nursing homes; and the influence of donations from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a group funded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, that gave more than $6 million to Wisconsins five largest cities, all of which lean Democratic.

Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell, the chief election official in the states second largest county and a Democratic stronghold, said he was confident in the election results. A recount in Dane County, ordered by Trump, resulted in a net change of 45 votes for Trump out of nearly 345,000 cast in the election.

I dont know whats about to happen, McDonell said of the investigation. I have complete confidence in the results and how the election was run. This was the most secure and accurate election in our history. Thats the facts.

McDonell said he feared a breach of security in voting equipment as a result of the investigation, something that has alarmed election security experts.

The machines, they need to be protected, McDonell said. They are critical infrastructure as defined by homeland security. Theres no way were going to compromise the security of our elections and void the warranties on our machines. Its not going to happen unless a court orders it.

The Gableman investigation is in addition to one underway by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau. That review was also ordered by Republicans. Both are expected to be done by the fall.
President Biden and his minions are dead-set on stripping the American people of their rights to have a firearm, especially assault rifles. But in Afghanistan they left untold thousands of fully automatic M16 rifles and millions of rounds of ammunition. They also left tons of explosives, thousands of bombs and hundreds of surface-to-air rockets. All left in the hands of a regime that hates the U.S. and is a terrorist training center. But what did I hear a liberal senator ranting about? The fact that they left the military dogs behind.

It was always standard operating procedure that you destroyed all weapons and explosives when you bugged out and couldnt take them with you. Apparently now its fine to give them to your enemies. Whats happened to our once great nation? We have become the laughing stock of the world.
As employees embrace a new, flexible way of working, cyber security concerns continue to rise across the globe. Since the start of COVID-19, the FBI reported a 300% increase in cyber crime. According to the UK government 46% of businesses have faced a cyber breach in the last 12 months. Its never been more important to protect your business and clients from cyber-attacks.

One of the most popular ways cyber criminals (or hackers) attack users is by delivering ransomware on their devices. The FBI defines ransomware as a type of malicious software, or malware, that prevents you from accessing your computer files, systems, or networks and demands you pay a ransom for their return. When your data is held hostage like this, the consequences can be costly.

The average payment following a ransomware attack increased from $115,000 (84,000) in 2019 to $312,493 (228,000) in 2020. Many organizations pay the ransom in hopes of retrieving their lost data, but this only gives victims the opportunity to access their data again and doesnt necessarily take it back from the criminals.
NCUA, along with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and state regulators recognize the serious impact of California wildfires on the customers and operations of many financial institutions and will provide appropriate regulatory assistance to affected institutions subject to their supervision. The agencies encourage institutions operating in the affected areas to meet the financial services needs of their communities.

A complete list of the affected disaster areas can be found at https://www.fema.gov/disasters.

Lending: The agencies encourage financial institutions to work constructively with borrowers in communities affected by California wildfires. Prudent efforts to adjust or alter terms on existing loans in affected areas should not be subject to examiner criticism. Institutions should individually evaluate modifications of existing loans to determine whether they represent troubled debt restructurings according to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Institutions should consider the facts and circumstances of each borrower and loan, and apply judgment, as not all modifications will result in a troubled debt restructuring. In supervising institutions affected by the California wildfires, the agencies will consider the unusual circumstances these institutions face. The agencies recognize that efforts to work with borrowers in communities under stress can be consistent with safe-and-sound practices as well as in the public interest.
Debra Kay Hamilton, age 72, of Cullman, passed away on Friday, September 10, 2021, at her residence. She was born March 8, 1949, in Minnesota, to Delos and Alice Shuldt. She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Allyson Cofield; and brother, Brad Shuldt. Survivors include her husba
Kankakee, IL (60901)

Today

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 57F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Robert Wendell Glover, 81, of Dalton, Georgia passed away on September, 13th 2021 at home surrounded by his loving family. He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years Patricia Lee McKaig Glover. Robert loved his family and Country and proudly served in the United States Air Force. Born 
Ronald Leland Dickison of Ironton, Ohio passed away Saturday, September 11, 2021 at home surrounded by his family. Ronald was born November 11, 1942 in Ashland, Kentucky. He was the son of the late Ben Dickison and Dorothy Gillium. There will be a celebration of life, 1:00 P.M., Saturday, Se
'Everyone is in favour of free speech,' said Winston Churchill, 'but some people's idea of it is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone else says anything back, that is an outrage.'

He could have been talking about Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, two people who think they have both the right to drop endless incendiary unsubstantiated bombshells about their family AND the right to censor and silence anyone who dares to disbelieve or challenge them.

Back in March, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent two hours spray-gunning the Royals to Oprah Winfrey in an explosive interview on prime-time US television.

They claimed a member of the Royal Family had been racist about their son Archie, and that their little boy had been banned from being a Prince because of his skin colour.

Back in March, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent two hours spray-gunning the Royals to Oprah Winfrey in an explosive interview on prime-time US television, writes PIERS MORGAN

Hours later on GMB, Piers said he didn't believe a word Meghan Markle said triggering furious protest from her fans of the couple. Today OFCOM announced that they had rejected all the complaints against Piers

Meghan also claimed that she told several senior Palace officials she was feeling suicidal, but they told her she couldn't have any treatment because it would be bad for the royal brand.

Oh, and she stated as fact that she and Harry secretly got married three days before their official wedding, in a private ceremony conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

On ITV's Good Morning Britain a few hours later, I said I didn't believe a word Meghan Markle said.

This triggered a furious protest from fans of the couple who accused me of being a racist callous misogynist who was belittling Meghan's 'lived experience' of mental health and racism.

But it was simpler than that: I just didn't believe her.

Not least because it was immediately established that some of her more outlandish claims, like the secret wedding and Archie's princely ban, were provable nonsense.

As the furore grew, a record number of 57,000 people, including Meghan Markle herself, complained about me to the UK TV government regulator OFCOM.

ITV's Chief Executive, Dame Carolyn McCall, responded by saying that she believed Meghan's mental health claims, and I was then told by my employers to either apologise for what I had said or leave the show with immediate effect.

I decided to leave.

As I explained in an article for the Mail on Sunday several weeks later: 'I wasn't going to apologise for disbelieving Meghan Markle, because the truth is that I don't believe Meghan Markle. And in a free democratic society, I should be allowed not to believe someone, and to say that I don't believe them. That, surely, is the very essence of freedom of speech? If I said I now believed Meghan, I would be lying to the audience, the very thing I've accused her of doing.'

Today, in a stunning verdict, OFCOM announced that they agreed with this argument, and rejected every single complaint against me.

Their report is lengthy and detailed, but in the end, it came down to an unequivocal and emphatic endorsement of my right to an opinion.

'OFCOM is clear that, consistent with freedom of expression, Mr Morgan was entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's allegations and to hold and express strong views that rigorously challenged their account,' they declared, adding that their Broadcasting Code 'allows for individuals to express strongly held and robustly argued views, including those that are potentially harmful or highly offensive, and for broadcasters to include these in their programming.'

It concluded: 'The restriction of such views would, in our view, be an unwarranted and chilling restriction on freedom of expression both of the broadcaster and the audience.'

Chilling wow.

Ironically, I would imagine that word will prompt a very chilly reaction from the self-satisfied Sussexes as they slurp kale smoothies in their California mansion over breakfast this morning.

Make no mistake, this is a watershed moment in the battle for free speech.

If OFCOM had found against me, that would have signalled the end of every UK TV journalist's right to express any honestly held opinion on air lest it upset the likes of Meghan Markle.

The whole point of journalism is surely to question and challenge statements from public figures, particularly when no actual evidence is produced to support them?

Five months on from my sudden departure from GMB, at least 17 of Meghan and Harry's claims in the Oprah interview have now been shown to be false or disingenuous.

The whole point of journalism is surely to question and challenge statements from public figures, particularly when no actual evidence is produced to support them? writes Piers

The poor old Archbishop of Canterbury was even forced to publicly deny he'd conducted a secret marriage ceremony because that would have been a criminal offence and he might have been sent to prison for it.

More pertinently, none of the couple's most sensational and damaging statements about racism and mental health have yet been supported by a shred of evidence amid furious denials from the Royal Family.

So, my observation that I didn't believe Meghan Markle is looking stronger by the day. And for the record, I still don't believe her.

But that's not really the point.

This is not about me, or Meghan Markle.

It's about free speech and the right to have an opinion.

We now live in a woke-ravaged era where it's become a punishable offence to say what you really think about almost anything for fear that someone, somewhere, will be offended.

This insidious 'cancel culture' as it's been termed represents the most serious threat to democracy in my lifetime.

People all over the world are being shamed, vilified, and even fired from their jobs for expressing an opinion that the woke brigade don't like.

Every day, social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook explode with self-righteous judgements handed down by the court of woke public opinion, and the consequence is that debate is being destroyed at the altar of political correctness in a way that would have Churchill turning in his grave.

This was a man who fought off the freedom-muzzling Nazis, for God's sake!

Yet now people calling themselves 'liberal' are behaving like the worst kind of fascists.

That's why this OFCOM ruling matters so much.

It was preposterous that I had to leave a job I loved because I didn't believe a demonstrable liar.

But it happened because the corporate world has been cowed into surrendering to the woke mob whenever it bays for blood.

I was reliably informed recently that Meghan Markle wrote directly to my ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall the night before I was forced out, demanding my head on a plate.

Apparently, she stressed that she was writing to Dame Carolyn personally because they were both women and mothers  a nauseating playing of the gender and maternity card if ever there was one.

What has the world come to when a whiny fork-tongued actress can dictate who presents a morning television news programme?

So yes, I'm obviously delighted that OFCOM has supported my right to disbelieve the Sussexes' lurid claims against the Royal Family, many of which have failed to stand up to even a scintilla of basic scrutiny of the kind that a woefully enabling Oprah should have conducted.

This is a resounding victory for free speech and a resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchios.

As OFCOM determined, to have restricted my right to disbelieve her and Harry would have been 'chilling.'

And when Meghan and Harry, whose unofficially authorised biography is titled 'Finding Freedom', lick their failed censorship wounds today, I suggest they heed the words of George Orwell: 'If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.'

Just one question remains: does this mean I get my job back?
Massachusetts town officials have ruled that they do not have the authority or grounds to fire a police officer who kept a photo of Adolf Hitler in his locker for two decades, purportedly as a joke mocking a fellow cop sporting a distinct haircut and mustache.

In a statement, the chair of the Williamstown Select Board, Andrew Hogeland, said that even if the board had the authority to oust Officer Craig Eichhammer, a 31-year veteran of the department, the termination might not hold because other town officials do not see strong enough grounds for firing, The Berkshire Eagle reported.

Civil rights groups, including the local chapter of the NAACP, have called for Eichhammer's termination over the photo of the Nazi dictator.

While the panel cannot fire Eichhammer, it said it found the photo highly offensive and the demands to fire the officer are valid.

Williamstown, Massachusetts, town officials said they do not have the authority or the grounds to fire Officer Craig Eichhammer for keeping this photo of Hitler in his locker for 20 years

Last month, groups like the Berkshire County branch of the NAACP and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law both condemned the Eichhammer's actions and called for his termination, the newspaper said.

'We believe that there is a long standing culture of indifference, at the very least, and racism at its worst in within the department that both the select board and the town manager have chosen to ignore, as well as past police chiefs,' said Joel Priest, co-chair of Berkshire NAACP's race relations committee.

'We see the posting by Eichhammer of the poster of Hitler in his station locker for 20 years as something that is the tip of the iceberg of a pattern of racist behavior amongst the department.'

The groups said the officer's decision to pin a photo of Hitler in the town's police station mimicked actions by hate groups and spread anti-Semitic rhetoric and views.

Eichhammer has said he hung the photo to make fun of a former fellow officer, Peter Moser, who he said resembled the Nazi dictator and was nicknamed 'Little Adolph.'

According to a statement Eichhamer gave last year, Moser, who left the force back in 2000, 'was fine' with the reference to Hitler 'and would just laugh it off,' reported The Williams Record.

'Myself being of German ancestry and having living and deceased relatives with the first name Adolph, I also thought it was funny,' Eichhammer wrote in August 2020.

A group photo dated Autumn 1990 that was shared by the Williamstown Police Department in May 2020 purported to show officers Moser and Eichhammer posing in their uniforms with their colleagues in front of the police headquarters.

The black-and-white image of the ruthless Nazi leader hung in Eichhammer's locker - above an autographed photo of Britney Spears and beside a bikini snapshot of an unknown woman - from 1999 to 2019, when it was destroyed during the police department's move to a new building.

Eicchammer insisted that the photo was nothing more than a private joke among cops.

Eichhammer has said he hung the photo to make fun of a former fellow officer, Peter Moser, who he said resembled the Nazi dictator and was nicknamed 'Little Adolph.' This 1990 group photo that was shared by the police department last year purports to show Moser standing fourth from the right in the front row (circled in red)

'I had no ideologies of Nazi Germany, swastikas or anything terrible that happened during WW2,' he wrote. 'Again the photo was simply just to get a laugh out of the likeness of Moser.'

Hogeland, the town official, said the board's power is limited in these circumstances. In the past, the board has only had the authority to fire town managers and police chiefs

'We understand, and agree, that an officer having a photo of Hitler in a police locker is unacceptable and is highly offensive to the community,' Hogeland said. '[The officers explanation] does not excuse his actions in posting the photo or keeping it in his locker. We condemn it.'

In 2004, Eicchammer was awarded the Medal of Valor for exhibiting restraint toward a mentally disturbed burglary suspect.

In 2011, the officer was disciplined for sexual aggression toward a woman but was allowed to keep his job.
Have you noticed something very strange? For the past few weeks there has been a blessed absence of Covid experts in the broadcast media prophesying doom and gloom.

It's possible to get through an entire news bulletin on television or radio without being informed by an apocalyptic epidemiologist that the Government's Covid policy is ridiculously lax and bound to end in calamity.

I fear, though, that our freedom from finger-wagging know-alls is short lived. They will soon be back, and may well try to bounce Boris Johnson into another lockdown, euphemistically known as a 'circuit breaker'. The term is intended to sound less alarming.

One can be pretty sure this will happen because children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are about to go back to school, and it is likely that infection rates will rise sharply.

They have certainly done so in Scotland, where most pupils returned to school a couple of weeks ago.

I fear, though, that our freedom from finger-wagging know-alls is short lived. They will soon be back, and may well try to bounce Boris Johnson into another lockdown, euphemistically known as a 'circuit breaker'

Since then, daily new cases north of the border have more than doubled.

Of course, there may be additional factors at play, but there is little doubt that schools provide an ideal breeding ground for the virus.

Reluctant

How much infection rates will rise south of the border is impossible to say. Even the experts have become unusually reluctant to make predictions following the latest piece of stargazing by Neil Ferguson ('Professor Lockdown') of Imperial College, London.

In mid-July, days before the Government removed nearly all remaining restrictions in England, the Prof stated that it was 'almost inevitable' that new Covid cases would reach 100,000 a day in the UK, and possibly as many as 200,000.

As it was, they peaked at 54,674 on July 17, before roughly halving by early August. They then increased gradually before levelling out over the past week. The average daily infection rate in the seven days to yesterday was 33,570.

Meanwhile, the daily death toll, which had been creeping up through much of August, has been virtually constant over the past week in comparison with the preceding seven days, though yesterday's figure of 207 was exceptionally high.

Let's assume that the return to school will boost the number of new cases. When that happens, it is a racing certainty that the experts will be back on our screens demanding that the Government does something.

Scotland's dour First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has ruled out a 'circuit breaker' for the moment.

Her hard-line adviser, Professor Devi Sridhar, admits a new lockdown would be 'unbearable' for the Scots. But that doesn't mean that in a few weeks' time she, or people like her, won't be calling for new restrictions.

Whatever happens, we mustn't have another lockdown. It would be a disaster in every sense  for the psychological health of the nation, for the still tottering economy, and for millions of people waiting for hospital operations.

I don't believe the Government has prepared the ground for the impending ambush by experts.

Admittedly it has a lot on its plate, and Boris Johnson's attention can be easily diverted. He needs to marshal his arguments against calls for another crackdown.

Carl Heneghan, Professor of Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford  one of the most sensible scientists, and consequentially shunned by the BBC  said in a podcast this week that a spike in cases in England is inevitable within two or three weeks of pupils going back.

Vaccination  not the short-term fix of another lockdown  is the only way by which society can succeed in coming to terms with Covid so that we can go on living our lives. Pictured: A health worker administers a dose of the Covid 19 vaccine to Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney

He says: 'If we hold our nerve, that won't be a problem. If we panic and introduce restrictions again, cases will flatten for a bit. But then we're in the same old pickle as before.'

In other words, lockdowns only provide temporary relief. They contain the virus for a while but they don't get rid of it. We have to learn to live with Covid, and fortunately we are able to do so because of various vaccines.

Of course they aren't infallible. Some double-jabbed people will get ill, and sadly a very small number of them will die. But vaccines do at least enable society to operate in something like the normal way.

Frustration

The Government's response to the demands for restrictions, when they come, should be to champion the vaccine, and to do much more to proselytise it than it has so far done.

A senior intensive care consultant at a leading teaching hospital recently described in the Mail the pity and frustration he and his colleagues feel at the high proportion of Covid patients they treat who have not been vaccinated.

This is what he wrote: 'Looking at their medical notes, I know that all the Covid patients currently on the unit were offered the jab, but that 90 per cent of those on ventilators here are unvaccinated. I understand this figure is roughly the same at most other units.'

Why doesn't the Government make more of this appalling statistic? It should highlight, in a much starker way than it has, the enormous protective power of vaccination, and the risks run by those who won't be jabbed.

A few misguided souls will continue to avoid the vaccine, as is their right. But I believe that many people who are hesitant would take the plunge if the perils of not doing so were more compellingly illustrated.

Vaccination  not the short-term fix of another lockdown  is the only way by which society can succeed in coming to terms with Covid so that we can go on living our lives.

It follows that the Government is absolutely right in its intention to offer vaccinations to all children between 12 and 15.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is yet to offer formal guidance to the Government. Let's hope it does so quickly.

Granted, children of this age are most unlikely to get seriously ill or die from Covid.

But older people, even the double-jabbed, are in some peril if the disease is spread.

In effect, children are being asked to accept the infinitesimally small risks from being jabbed in order to benefit wider society.

One can be pretty sure this will happen because children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are about to go back to school, and it is likely that infection rates will rise sharply. Pictured: Pupils at St Thomas Aquinas RC Secondary School in Glasgow

We should also welcome yesterday's announcement by the JCVI that around half a million Britons with severely suppressed immune systems will be invited for a booster jab in the near future.

Unfortunately, the JCVI is dragging its feet. The programme must soon be extended to include the over-50s. Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt was right yesterday to call for boosters 'not just for the clinically vulnerable but for everyone'.

Criticisms

The effects of the jab slowly wear off. As Covid is going to be with us for the foreseeable future, we will all sooner or later require a booster. In Israel everyone over 12 has been offered one.

Boris Johnson has been on a roller coaster for the past 18 months  both personally, with his own bout of illness last spring, and as Prime Minister. One moment things appear to get better; the next they are suddenly and dramatically worse.

Now they are about to get worse again, though by how much no one can say. In view of all the criticisms of tardiness made of him in the past, Boris may be tempted to do what the self-proclaimed experts tell him to.

He mustn't. Not this time. Not now. Vaccination, vaccination, vaccination should be his only mantra  and never lockdown again.
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Just imagine. Another perfect morning in Montecito, southern California. As the sun rises over the Santa Ynez mountains, an ocean breeze ruffles the leaves on the scrub oaks and ripples across the mosaic of swimming pools that stud this millionaires paradise.

Avocado toasts are slipped on to warmed plates. The smell of fresh coffee rises in the land of the elites. And then a terrible, piercing scream rips apart the balmy calm.

What awful calumny has occurred? Has the boutique down by the bay run out of sustainable cashmere? Are there too many pips in that organic Meyer lemon?

No, it is something much, much worse. Princess Pinocchio has finally had her nose tweaked.

Piers Morgan and GMB have been cleared over a heated debate about Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview where he said that he didn't 'believe a word she says' on March 8 (pictured)

More than 57,000 people - including Meghan - contacted the regulator after the former GMB presenter said he didn't believe the Duchess's claims about experiencing suicidal thoughts

For deep inside the Sussexes grand mansion, set in an exclusive gated estate on a private street, a blast of good ol Blighty reality has crashed in like a meteorite.

One can only imagine how the duchess reacted upon discovering that her complaint against Piers Morgan has been thrown out by Ofcom, but for a woman with such a finely honed sense of victimhood, anything less than volcanic on the stroppy scale would be a surprise.

The duchess was among the 57,000 people who complained to Ofcom  and personally to ITV when Morgan stated he didnt believe a word of what she told Oprah Winfrey during their interview back in March.

I mean, really. Piers was kind enough to give Meghan and Harry the priceless gift of candour, only to have it thrown back in his face without a word of thanks.

Piers Morgan leaves home in West London on Wednesday evening with wife Celia (left) to attend the GQ awards at Tate Modern and (right) Piers is pictured at the awards reception

Mr Morgan, pictured alongside his wife Celia, quoted former Prime Minister Winston Churchill in his latest Instagram post

Yet in moment of triumph for freedom of speech, for UK broadcasters and journalists everywhere  but most of all for the former Good Morning Britain host himself  Ofcom ruled that: Mr Morgan was entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes allegations and to hold and express strong views that rigorously challenged their account.

So he has been entirely vindicated, while the duchess has been accused of being part of a chilling restriction on freedom of expression.

Oh dear. That is not a good look for a self-styled international humanitarian and do-gooder; a woman who, according to the couples Archewell website, wants to unleash the power of compassion to drive systemic cultural change.

All Meghan seems to have driven is her wheezing old jalopy of self-justification into the brick wall of baloney that has awaited her all this time. For sooner or later, this day of reckoning had to come.

Piers Morgan described the Ofcom decision as a 'resounding victory for free speech' after receiving the news earlier today

Since the moment they left to forge a new life in America, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been assiduous keepers of their own flame of fame.

From day one they have depicted themselves as victims fleeing from the tyranny of inherited wealth; a couple of rich and privileged pups forever barking about the unfairness of life.

My daddy wont give me any money! My daddy talks to the press! Its all so simply awful.

From Oprah Winfrey to Instagram statements, from podcasts to Netflix series, from newspaper op-eds to Zoom calls, they have built up their story of suffering and burnished their images without halt.

Then of course there is the Finding Freedom biography, the remarkable unofficial histoire written by Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie that largely seems to reflect their every thought and itch.

Along the way neither of them appear to have minded about any collateral damage caused to the Queen, other members of the royal family, household staff or even poor Thomas Markle.

Morgan shocked viewers by walking off set during a row with Alex Beresford, before quitting the programme hours later

Then and now one can only gasp at the ultimate vanity of their quest  to have their truth believed at all times, and to never be questioned.

They have tap-tap-tapped the golden syrup from the tree of fib and glib without pause.

Their vision, their view, their version of events has spooled out behind them in a wallow of words, each one carefully curated.

Somehow the Sussexes have been able to accuse and counter accuse, to complain, to control the momentum and the narrative, to indulge their victimhood. Until now.

The Ofcom ruling is perhaps their first wake-up call. The point will come when they will have to account for themselves and their accusations, which so far are unsupported by any evidence or detail.

Of course, Mr Scobie is already leading the pushback, citing a clause in the Human Rights Act that says free speech must always be compounded by the protection of health and morals. This, he says, makes me question the Ofcom decision.

Until now, to criticise the Duchess of Sussex (pictured on her wedding day at St George's Chapel in Windsor with Prince Harry in 2018) was to be accused of racism, sexism and worse

Well he is entirely within his rights to do so, just as Piers Morgan is entirely within his rights to question the duke and duchesss statements  many of which, incidentally, have been shown to be untrue.

Until now, to criticise the Duchess of Sussex was to be accused of racism, sexism and worse.

One hopes that the Ofcom ruling will at least allow the occasional cheep of doubt to be raised, without the cheepers being cancelled and sent to woke jail by Meghans permanently furious supporters.

This febrile atmosphere, into which these serious accusations of bigotry are thrown around like noxious confetti, is stoked by the Sussexes themselves.

All this scurrility propounded by annoyance and huff, spiced with a pinch of what looks increasingly like spite.

Surely it doesnt have to be like this? Why do they seem so determined to crush not just the Royal Family, but anyone of note who disagrees with them along the way?

We are all entitled to freedom of speech. It is not a gift granted only to those who hold views acceptable to Harry and Meghan.

When I think about the Sussexes, sometimes it seems like a ghost story they have concocted themselves, one that is brooded over by malevolent wraiths, hurts real or imagined, insults perceived, slights dead and gone.

Many will welcome this cold bucket of water that has been poured over the graveyard of their fevered claims.

Oh to have been a fly on the Montecito wall when the news came through. I like to imagine the crash of teacup on saucer and then that prolonged scream, echoing down to where the surf rolls onto the shoreline like a benediction.

And if Harry were still juggling at the window, like the circus clown he is at heart, then surely he would have dropped his balls in shock.

PIERS MORGAN: Ofcom's vindication of me is a resounding victory for freedom of speech
For forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes, being 'harpooned' in the stomach with a kebab stick by a former arsonist clad in a pink pinafore and rubber gloves was 'only in the top 10 strange occurrences' she'd had to deal with that year.

Having worked for over two decades with some of the most complex and challenging criminals, as well as victims of crime, her job has taken her to maximum-security prisons, police interview rooms and the wards of secure hospitals.

One of the UK's best known forensic psychologists, Kerry's previous book - The Dark Side of the Mind - was a Sunday Times bestseller. In her new tome, What Lies Buried, Kerry opens up the case files of nine of her most perplexing clients, revealing there's always more than meets the eye when it comes to the roots of their disturbing behaviour.

The book opens with the kebab skewer incident, which took place at a forensic step-down project - a halfway house institution which helps people transition from medium and low secure psychiatric hospitals to a more independent life.

For forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes, being 'harpooned' in the stomach with a kebab stick by a former arsonist clad in a pink pinafore and rubber gloves was 'only in the top 10 strange occurrences' she'd had to deal with that year

Kerry, who contracted at the facility, had just finished carrying out a psychological assessment on one of the residents - all male ex-offenders whose convictions ranged from murder, violent assault, rape and arson.

Having stayed behind to have dinner with the staff and residents - who took it in turn to wash up - she took her plate to the galley kitchen where Nigel*, 'a shy and uncommunicative man with mild learning difficulties in his early thirties' was on duty.

After setting her plate and cutlery down and thanking Nigel, whom she'd barely spoken to previously, he suddenly charged and plunged a chicken skewer into her stomach.

'I can remember feeling sickened by how easily my body had been punctured... You didn't need to be a maths genius to work out I had a full four inches of metal lodged inside my stomach. It had gone straight through the soft skin beneath my sternum, as if I were a piece of halloumi,' she writes.

What Lies Buried by Kerry Daynes is out now

It's telling that Kerry's first reaction was not one of anger or even to sound the safety alarm on her belt (which she feared might have 'spooked' her attacker). Instead she calmly instructed Nigel to 'go to his room' before heading to the staff room to call an ambulance.

Having luckily escaped with minor damage, Kerry told how she was mercilessly mocked by her colleagues who subsequently nicknamed her 'Donna'.

Much of Kerry's anecdotes are laced with dark humour, and you certainly get the impression that in her game, it's a case of 'if you didn't laugh you'd cry'.

As is the case with all of Kerry's 'subjects' in the book, she delves into what motivated Nigel to unleash this unprovoked attack - and the reasons chime with the theme of the book, which is to never jump to conclusions.

It transpires that Nigel, who'd spent a large part of his childhood in care and struggled to express himself, had previously committed arson to enact change whenever he felt trapped and miserable in his situation.

While at the facility, a gang of local men were using him as a 'spice pig' to test the safety of the drugs they were peddling. Desperate to move away from the dealers, he saw breaking the law as a 'ticket' to somewhere else, and 'skewering' Kerry did indeed see him transferred to a medium-secure hospital.

Much of the book focuses on Kerry's dedication (and impressive ability) to read between the lines and cast aside prejudice, going beyond the question she is so often asked in her profession: 'Are they mad or bad?'

Much of Kerry's anecdotes are laced with dark humour, and you certainly get the impression that in her game, it's a case of 'if you didn't laugh you'd cry'

She tells how she was attracted to forensic psychology because she wanted to help people and contribute to a world with fewer victims in it (as well as having a fascination with the 'darker side of life' and being a bit of a 'nosy parker').

In another chapter she recalls a time when she came into contact with a resident who lived in a small house at the back of the project with less supervision due to being considered low-risk.

As a result he enjoyed certain privileges including entirely unescorted leave, during which he'd met a woman and engaged in a whirlwind romance.

It transpired that the man - Stuart* - had served half of a seven-year prison sentence for the manslaughter of his wife Natalie in 2005, whom he'd been married to for over 10 years and had claimed to love, even at the end when he hit her over the head with a shovel and stamped on her at their allotment.

Stuart's legal team argued he was a 'doting husband' who acted 'out of character' and 'in the heat of the moment' when he realised his marriage was in trouble. The judge appeared to concur, ruling he would regret his actions 'for the rest of his life'.

Kerry also discusses how the 'newsworthiness' of victims and perpetrators as well as their social status can often skew a case, comparing two young mothers both accused of harming their babies

He was convicted 'by reason of provocation' - dubbed the 'nagging and s******g defence' for murder when a 'reasonable person' flew into a passion. It was a legal definition that, as Kerry notes, has been 'interpreted liberally in the case of men who kill the women in their lives'.

'The notion of an otherwise psychologically unremarkable man who suddenly "snaps" and finds himself killing his allegedly hen-pecking, cheating and shrew-like partner while in the "red mist"... proved remarkably resilient, resulting in sympathy and leniency time and time again,' she writes.

Kerry's previous book - The Dark Side of the Mind - was a Sunday Times bestseller

After 20 years of campaigning, proposed changes to the 'provocation' defence - which saw it superseded by 'loss of control defence' - were published in 2008 and made law in 2010.

Dissatisfied by Stuart's notes at the facility, Kerry pushed staff to set up a meeting with his new girlfriend. Several weeks later the corpse of a dog (later identified as his partner's) was dug up in the grounds.

When Kerry and a colleague delivered the sad news to Stuart's girlfriend, she opened up about his controlling, possessive behaviour - which included taping a mobile phone to the wall of her living room to keep tabs on her and urging her to cut contact with her friends and loved ones.

She immediately assumed Stuart was responsible for her dog's death, after he felt 'jealous' of the attention she gave him, and admitted she'd been building up the courage to report his coercive behaviour.

'Paying more attention never killed anyone, but it could save a life,' Kerry observes. 'Domestic abusers can be likeable and attractive and are adept at appealing to our better nature. But if we make it our business to look closer and are prepared to recognise more than bruises and broken bones as indicators of life-threatening abuse, fewer women will die at the hands of men.'

Kerry also discusses how the 'newsworthiness' of victims and perpetrators as well as their social status can often skew a case, comparing two young mothers both accused of harming their babies.

One was raised in poverty with no idea who her father was, abused by her mother, spent time in foster care, didn't finish her education and fell pregnant at 16 to an older man who started hitting her and later their child.

She began to crave the care she received while being treated in hospital and learned become an extreme medical deceiver. All her subsequent children were taken into care and she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder - a 'sticky' label that Kerry says excluded her from many mental health services allocated to those who are 'ill' not personality 'disordered'. It acted as a 'chain around her neck' that followed her through future proceedings.

By contrast, a 'polite' young woman from a wealthy family who fell pregnant at university was found to be poisoning her son with antihistamine to induce illness so that she could 'feel important' in coming to his rescue.

She had previously tried to suffocate him with cling film, after the thought 'just came to her' while she was wrapping ham. When he 'went floppy' and stopped breathing she phoned 999 and began to resuscitate him. She insisted she was 'disgusted' with herself but had become 'hooked' on 'feeling important for once'.

After her mother enlisted the services of a 'flashy London legal firm' and a private psychiatrist, she was diagnosed with Munchausen syndrome by proxy - now known as factitious disorder (a 'helpfully obscuring' label according to Kerry), and handed a two-year suspended sentence.

She was ordered to attend the 100-an-hour psychological therapy her mother had arranged, with all future contact with her son strictly managed by social services.

'When a mother feigns illness in herself or in her baby, there is always truth to be found among the lies,' Kerry concludes. 'Sometimes you have to look very closely, other times it is staring you in the face.

'The unpalatable truths about how our class, sex and social acceptability have the power to define and defend us are not so difficult to see.'

One of the most peculiar cases is that of Frank*, who admitted to 'killing' a local car dealer by battering him around the head. When questioned by police, he told them he was a serial killer and asked them to tell his father. But when his story failed to match up, he was released and transferred to a psychiatric ward.

It later emerged that the car dealer hadn't died, and told the police it was Frank who attacked him. Frank was pulled in for more questioning, and this time wore a T-shirt featuring a prominent serial killer, while accompanied by his father.

During his sessions with Kerry he rattled off facts about serial killers - but when later faced with the sight of blood, after a girl at the psychiactric unit cut herself in front of him, he freaked out, declaring he 'hates' blood and begged Kerry not to get any on him. Hardly a trait of a killer.

Kerry later discovered that Frank was raped at 14 by his stepmother, resulting in a child that was being brought up as his father's. It was this revelation on the night of the assault on the car dealer which had seen Frank flee his home, placing him in the vicinity of the attack. He confessed to the 'murder', despite being not guilty, because he believed if his father saw him as dangerous, he wouldn't fight him.

Another man Kerry encounters, Michael*, killed a man at 17 and tried to stab another to death. Having pleaded guilty to manslaughter and attempted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, Kerry was called upon by the CPS to give her verdict on his mental state at the time of the attacks.

Michael's attack was undoubtedly premeditated; he told the police he was looking for someone to kill that morning, carried a large kitchen knife and wore gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints.

But what Kerry later discovers is that Michael - who had joined the Marines at 16 and gone on to become a rifleman in a Commando unit, but left because it 'didn't work out' - was convinced he had to go through with his crime or else he'd be killed himself.

He heard voices which 'wanted him to make a sacrifice', and was convinced there was a tracking device implanted by Jihadists in his body, which was also instructing him to commit murder. There were even scars across Michael's stomach where he'd tried to cut it out.

Despite Kerry finding Michael had a case for diminished responsibility, the CPS disagreed. Michael's second attack - on a shopkeeper - had sparked a press frenzy over claims it was racially motivated. Years after he was found guilty and sent to a maximum security prison, Kerry encountered him yet again; Michael was still trying to 'bleed out' the device - just one of thousands of prison inmates struggling with severe mental health problems in, as Kerry puts it, an institution 'ill-equipped to provide the level of support he needed'.

What Lies Buried by Kerry Daynes is out now (Endeavour, 7.99) and available in paperback, ebook and audiobook.

*Names have been changed to protect identities.
A new biography has shed light on the very intense bond between French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte.

French journalist Gael Tchakaloff, 49, who has been friends with the Macrons since 2016, followed them closely for a year and a half before penning Tant Qu'on Est Tous les Deux (As Long as We're Together), a biography which was published in France last week.

The book, which was not formally authorised but includes quotes from Brigitte Macron, 68, herself, as well as associates of the French president, 43, and his wife, portrays the couple as a close-knit unit who scarcely do anything without the other knowing.

Tchakaloff, who said in the book she was 'fascinated' by the Macron love story, revealed the French president calls his wife every hour and a half.

Meanwhile, anonymous sources close to the couple opened to Tchakaloff about Emmanuel and Brigitte's bond, with one calling the First Lady 'dedicated to her husband's success,' and reminiscing about their very ostentatious public displays of affections in the early days of their romance, when Macron was at university.

The president's mother, Francoise Nogues, also spoke exclusively with the author about her close friendship with Brigitte.

A new book by French journalist Gael Tchakaloff sheds light on the intense relationship between Emmanuel Macron, 43 and his wife Brigitte, 68. Pictured: the couple exchanging a kiss after Macron won the first round of the 2017 French election

Tchakaloff, who has a close relationship with the Macrons, especially with Brigitte, reveals in the book she was initially blacklisted by the president's team for weeks after she announced her intentions of writing a book on the French president.

However, through her friendship with the French first lady, she managed to win the president over, and was granted access to follow Macron and his wife everywhere they went.

In the book, she refers to the president with the formal 'vous', while using the more intimate 'tu' for Brigitte.

Writing for Le Point, the publication with which she shared an extract of the book ahead of its publication, Tchakaloff said: 'There is never an hour and a half that passes without them talking to one another.

The French president met his wife in high school when he was a student and she taught literature. Pictured: Macron aged 15 with Brigitte, then married and named Trogneux, during a theatre meet-up

'They have a shared schedule. They know minute by minute what the other is doing. They are persuaded that being a couple increases your individuality,' she added.

In the book, she addressed the following to Macron: 'You go to bed after a full debriefing with the woman who is in love with you.

'Sometimes she is dozing and doesnt at all hear what you are telling her. But most of the time she awaits you.'

The author added that the French president seldom leaves his wife's side when attending engagements together, something that amuses Brigitte.

The First Lady joked to the author about being 'told off' if she steps away from her husband for too long.

Tchakaloff had a front row seat watching how the couple juggled their intimate relationship with Macron's role as head of state, including Brigitte's control over her husband's schedule.

The French president cannot go too long without calling his wife and debriefs his day with her every night. Pictured at a meeting at the Elysee Palace in August 2019

She saw her tell Elysee Palace staff that she was going to pretend one of Emmanuel's guests had come early to free him from a meeting so he could get some down time in-between engagements.

Tchakaloff talked to the special advisor to the president Pierre-Olivier Costa, who worked closely with Brigitte Macron in what is called the 'Madame Wing' of the Elysee Palace, and explained the First Lady has become more essential to the President's work throughout the pandemic.

Tchakaloff also witnessed Macron's advisors asking Brigitte to 'talk to him' about preventing another lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic.

In the early days of their romance, when Macron was a university-level student, a friend recounted Brigitte and him 'behaved like teenagers' and would indulge in some steamy PDA (pictured at the G7 in Biarritz in 2019)

The First Lady told the advisors her husband listened to her, but she could not sway him on her own, and would not be the one held responsible if people died.

Brigitte Macron is also quoted directly in the book, talking about her responsibilities as a first lady and her bond with her husband.

'As long as we're together, everything will be fine. We were very lucky to stumble upon each other. Our bond came to be from the first day on, like it was self-evident. People dont understand, because society is about individualism,' she told the author over the phone.

'But "the couple" doesnt break someones individuality, it makes it stronger, it respects it. Couples who have our history, our paths everything we went through, perhaps there is not a lot of them, she added.

The French first lady also admitted to Tchakaloff that Macron's choice to run for president had been 'difficult' for the couple and their family, but she didn't go into more details.

Advisers said that Brigitte's role as First Lady became more essential during the coronavirus pandemic, pictured in June 2021 at the end of France's third lockdown

Brigitte, who famously taught literature and theatre at Macron's high school when he was 15 - when they met - also said she thought her husband would end up being a 'comedian, a writer or an artist', not a head of state.

An anonymous high school friend recalled seeing the connection between Emmanuel, then a brilliant student, and Brigitte, who was then married.

She said she was almost sure nothing happened while Macron was a teen, but that it was obvious the future President was enamoured with the teacher, 24 years his senior.

The same woman ventured Macron might have been motivated to run for the presidency because it was the ultimate way to have his relationship with Brigitte accepted.

A called 'Someone' in the book said the couple kept each other grounded and didn't owe anything to anyone. Pictured in Argentina during the g20 of 2018

French journalist Gael Tchakaloff, pictured 49, who has been friends with the Macrons since 2016, followed them closely to write her book

The same source added that from one day to the next, Brigitte Macron became an idol in her local Amiens, after years of being vilified due to her relationship with Emmanuel Macron.

A university friend of Macron only known as 'Gaspard,' recounted how he came to learn about the couple's relationship.

He recounted seeing Macron and his then girlfriend kiss and hold hands like teenagers in front of the future President's friends.

He said it made people uncomfortable, not because of the age gap and the unusual way they'd met, but because their PDA was so intense.

Tant Qu'on Est Tous Les Deux offers a deep dive into the First Couple of France

The same friend was invited to dinner at the Macrons before the banker turned minister ran for the presidency.

He described: 'Brigitte is extremely nice, very warm, it's undeniable, but to put it positively, she is extremely intelligent, dedicated to Emmanuel's success.

'She offers him her unconditional love, gives him an immoderate self-esteem and is the wing beneath his wings,' he added.

'It is the closest presidential couple in history and the closest couple of human beings I've ever met,' he went on.

Tchakaloff scored an exclusive interview with Macron's mother Francoise, who calls the president by his nickname 'Manu.'

The proud mother-of-three admitted she loves to tell everyone and anyone that she is the mother of the French president.

She also spoke of her son's relationship with his wife and of her own friendship with Brigitte.

She said she knew Brigitte well because she was her youngest daughter Estelle's French teacher and that Estelle also did drama.

Francoise explained that the First Lady is more a friend than a daughter-in-law and that they share the same priorities, and tell each other everything.

She talked about accepting her son Emmanuel would never have children, and understanding kids were not a must-have for him.

Some said the source known as 'Someone' in the book, who is very critical of Macron, is none other than former French president Francois Hollande. Pictured together on May 8 1945 when Macron was president-elect

She also denied rumours that Macron was sent to live alone with his grandmother as a child and sent to Paris as a teen to drag him away from Brigitte, who was 24 years older than him.

She said the Macrons were a normal family and that the French media had related stories that were false.

However, one person in the book was not generous in their description of the Macron couple.

Only named as 'someone,' the anonymous source could be none other than the former president Francois Hollande, according to French media.

Hollande, the socialist president who preceded Macron as the head of state, hired him as Minister of Economy in 2014.

The animosity between the Macrons and Hollande and his partner Julie Gayet has been covered in details.

Some consider Macron 'betrayed' Hollande when he decided to run for the presidency in 2016, leading to his victory in 2017.

The book referred to the source as a person who had worked with Macron prior to his candidacy, had a very important role in the public eye and had been disappointed by him.

They told the author Macron was a 'comedian' who didn't have political convictions, but faked it by adopting the political colour of each party depending on the day.

The source added the French president believed in nothing and had given no meaning to his presidential term.

The book says the Macrons have an intense and special bond, and quotes Brigitte Macron herself saying 'as long as we're together, everything will be fine' (pictured holding hands before a state dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on July 5, 2021

Someone also spoke of Brigitte Macron, who he said was 'a bit 'reserved, light-hearted, cheerful, although withdrawn.'

He admitted it took him a long time to realise how clever the First Lady actually was.

They added that the couple don't care for friends or loyalty and only count on each other, claiming that they make others believe they have a sincere friendship, but they're really only interested in networking.

So far there has been no official response from the Macrons, but Tchakaloff told the magazine Madame Figaro that she didn't think they would read her book, because Brigitte 'never reads anything written about her.'

Tant Qu'on Est Tous les Deux, by Gael Tchakaloff is published in French by Flammarion.
Allen's and Australian's Women's Weekly have recreated the 1980s Birthday Cake Book

Allen's and Australian's Women's Weekly have joined forces in a sweet collaboration to recreate the iconic 1980s Children's Birthday Cake Book with a twist.

The new Allen's Party Cake book features more than 30 epic cake hacks, ranging from cult classic recipes to the latest party themes.

Shoppers can get the cookbook for free with the purchase of any three Allen's or Bakers Choice products in a single transaction at Coles from Wednesday, September 1.

There are tips and templates throughout the book so home bakers can spark nostalgia for those who over the years have fond memories of the imaginative cakes that have been centre stage at parties across Australia.

The new Allen's Party Cake book features more than 30 epic cake hacks, ranging from cult classic recipes to the latest party themes

The iconic Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book

'We are so excited to continue celebrating our 130th birthday with the new Allen's Party Cake Book it's the ultimate party starter for any age or occasion,' Nestle head of marketing confectionery Joyce Tan said.

'Like lollies, the AWW Cake Book has been a staple of many childhoods, so we know this partnership between two iconic party-loving brands will spark the imaginations of Aussies to create new delicious and delightful cakes for any celebration.'

Sarah-Belle Murphy, executive general manager of publishing at Are Media, said the collaboration with Allen's was the perfect pairing.

'We're thrilled to have joined forces with Allen's on one of Australia's most recognisable cake books and to join in on such a special milestone,' she said.

'There is no better time to get into the kitchen and enjoy these new creations.'

The new Allen's Party Cake Book will be available exclusively at participating Coles supermarkets.
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An architect has transformed a crumbling cottage into a magnificent family home that brilliantly balances the old with the new.

Richard Cole bought the sandstone home in Avalon Beach, on Sydney's northern beaches, in 1997 after it had fallen into disrepair.

He breathed new life into the dilapidated structure over the course of six years in a mammoth renovation that resulted in an architectural work of art, complete with a luxury outdoor kitchen, a glass-walled bathroom and a loft-style master bedroom accessible by a 'floating' walkway built into the roof.

Sydney architect Richard Cole transformed this crumbling cottage into a magnificent family home that brilliantly balances the old with the new

Standout features include a luxury outdoor kitchen (left) and a glass-walled bathroom with a freestanding tub (right)

Mr Cole bought the sandstone home in Avalon Beach, on Sydney's northern beaches, in 1997 after it had fallen into disrepair

Mr Cole slapped a new roof on the cottage to incorporate clerestory windows, rows of narrow windows positioned above eye-level first used in the temples of ancient Egypt which make interiors feel brighter and bigger than their actual floor-size.

Listing agent James Baker, who is overseeing the sale of the house for McGrath Real Estate, said the sprawling home office is one of the best he has ever seen.

'It's the perfect place to either set up a business or just work from home,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Mr Cole slapped a new roof on the cottage to incorporate clerestory windows, rows of narrow windows positioned above eye-level first used in the temples of ancient Egypt which make interiors feel brighter and bigger than their actual floor-size

The architect created a loft-style master bedroom (left) accessible by a floating walkway (right) inside the new roof

Mr Cole preserved original features including the floors and sandstone walls

He added: 'Plus it's one of the few original houses from the '30s left in the area.'

Mr Baker said Mr Cole has 'brilliantly blended old and new' by preserving original features such as the floors and walls while adding a modern extension that houses a luxury kitchen, a fourth bedroom and a large family bathroom.

The house is set to sell under the hammer on September 11 with a guide price of $3.8 million (AUD), just over $1 million more than the average price of a four-bedroom in the area which was $2.7 million in 2020, according to figures from realestate.com.au.

Mr Baker said Mr Cole has 'brilliantly blended old and new' by preserving what he could and adding a modern extension that houses a luxury kitchen, a fourth bedroom and a large family bathroom

The house is set to sell under the hammer on September 11 with a guide price of $3.8 million (AUD)

Mr Baker said the median house price in Avalon Beach has shot up from $1.8 million to $3 million over the past 12 months

Mr Baker said the median house price in Avalon Beach has shot up from $1.8 million to $3 million over the past 12 months, as a growing number of Sydneysiders and interstate buyers look to escape Covid restrictions that are usually concentrated in major cities.

'Every time there's a [coronavirus] outbreak we get a huge burst of enquiries from people looking to get out of the city,' he said.

'This is such a peaceful, private and tranquil location. If you can work from home five days a week, it doesn't get any better than Avalon.'
An Australian discount store is selling a stylish spring dress that looks remarkably similar to a designer frock four times the price.

The $28 floral peasant dress from Best and Less is a bargain dupe of a tunic from upscale label Spell, which is currently reduced from $229 to $115.

Both dresses have three-quarter length ruffle sleeves and a loose-fitting silhouette that's perfect for warmer weather, but at less than a quarter of the price it's hard to look past the Best and Less version.

Spell, a favourite of Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky, has already sold out of its tunic in every size except XXS, while Best and Less still have stock of sizes 8 to 16.

The $28 floral peasant dress from Australian discount store Best and Less (left) is a clever dupe of a $115 tunic dress from upscale label Spell (right)

Byron Bay label Spell is a favourite of Chris Hemsworth's wife, Elsa Pataky (pictured in the brand)

The actress (right, in a Spell skirt) is a fan of Spell's floaty bohemian designs

The website is filled with a range of trendy bohemian print pieces ideal for spring, including a $35 floral maxi-dress with a tiered skirt and dainty straps that lace up over the shoulders.

There's also a chic gingham print dress with a sweetheart neckline and a slit up one leg for $28, a style that could easily take you from a casual day at the park to an evening at a bar.

Best and Less is just one of many affordable Australian retailers selling budget-friendly versions of designer pieces this year.

Shoppers have been racing to buy a stylish new Kmart dress that has been compared to a designer version almost four times the price.

Best and Less has a range of trendy bohemian print pieces ideal for spring, including a $35 floral maxi-dress with a tiered skirt and dainty straps that lace up over the shoulders (pictured)

Shoppers are comparing the $28 Kmart Short Sleeve Shirred Bodice Dress (left) to the $110 Soleil midi-dress from Girl and the Sun (right)

The rush began after a post on the popular Instagram fashion blog Kmart Insider called the $28 Short Sleeve Shirred Bodice Dress a 'darn good budget alternative' to the $109.99 Soleil midi-dress from Girl and the Sun.

Made from a light blend of cotton of viscose, the Kmart frock comes in sizes six to 20, but demand has proved so high that it's already sold out online in everything except 16 and 18.

There has been a similar rush on the more expensive number, which is only available in sizes XS, small, and medium.

Photos of the Kmart dress (left) have attracted rave reviews on social media, with many calling it the perfect piece for spring; there has been a similar rush on the more expensive number (right), which is only available in sizes XS, small, and medium

Photos of the Kmart dress have attracted rave reviews on social media, with many calling it the perfect piece for spring.

'Oh I love, so pretty!' one woman wrote on Instagram.

'I prefer the Kmart one,' a second said of the designer buy.

The affordable dress is available in black and lilac floral print, with a square neckline, short puff sleeves and ruching around the stomach that makes the waist look slimmer.
Having been through the menopause and emerged to find the sun still shining on the other side, I can assure you it is not the inescapable black hole I originally assumed.

Instead, equipped with knowledge and the right tools, menopause can be an ultimately enriching passage, culminating in a more confident, happier life.

I think Im probably healthier, happier and fitter than Ive ever been. I know I am bolder, more enterprising and less insecure than before. And the evidence points to many women in their 50s becoming equally fearless, ditching bad relationships, embarking on new careers and reinventing themselves both socially and biologically by adopting healthier lifestyles and emotional resilience for the second phase of their lives.

The journey wont always be pleasant but emerging the other side of menopause, as I have, can be cause for euphoria.

Perked up by HRT implants: Jilly Johnson

In the past few years, there has been a cacophony of positivity. Were finally celebrating this liberating time of life. The menopause, having come in from the cold, is now the hottest of topics.

With enormous satisfaction, I would like to confirm that the times are changing. We need to adapt too; and stop scuttling around in shame, trying to hide the evidence that we are no longer available for procreative purposes. Evolution has designated us far more valuable than the sum of our eggs, and its high time we embraced that accolade and stopped being apologetic for reaching our perceived sell-by date.

Think of your menopause as a Second Spring  with all the bursting shoots of inspiration and exciting activity this vision conjures up  rather than seeing your periods stopping as the first nail in the coffin lid.

I believe the menopause might just have been the best thing to happen to me, that we should all redefine it as a fresh start and the gateway to an exciting future. And I am over the moon that so many more women, like the ones here, are standing up to be counted as loud, proud and menopausal. . .

My brain fog was so terrible, I had to stop driving

By Patsy Kensit, 53, actress and mother of two

Nothing prepared me at all for the menopause. Aged 45, I was whisked into hospital for an emergency hysterectomy with suspected ovarian cancer. There was no time for anyone to explain about the aftermath. I was in the ICU for two days and fell instantly into full menopause.

The first sign was terrible brain fog, which developed into anxiety. My job as an actress is about learning words and getting it right in two takes; but my photographic memory started failing me. I developed a slight stutter and once found myself in the supermarket unaware of why Id gone in.

I left with a cabbage and a pair of tights, which were neither eaten nor worn. I had to stop driving. I honestly thought I might have dementia: my train of thought would just go, mid-conversation.

I was put on compounded bioidentical hormones in the form of a lozenge containing oestrogen and progesterone, which work for me; and I have a testosterone cream, which gives me energy but also a full beard, which I have to have threaded off. If things are stressful, I know symptoms can flare up again and I have to remind myself to breathe sometimes. I often wake at 3am but these days I meditate and it helps. Most of the time, I feel myself again.

Give it up? No! Im far happier on HRT: Sandra Howard

My doctor gave me an HRT implant and then I felt amazing

By Jilly Johnson, 67, model, author and mother of one

Aged 46, I stopped sleeping well. I started to notice rivers of sweat overnight and I was puffed out the whole time. This was after years of chronic gynaecological issues plus pelvic inflammatory disease, which led to me having a hysterical (my term for hysterectomy).

When I woke up, my doctor told me hed inserted an HRT implant under the skin of my stomach. It was only after that operation that I realised how awful Id felt for years. The relief was immeasurable. I felt amazing! In my prime.

Every six months or so I start to slow down, as if my battery is running out, and I know its time for a new implant.

My stomach is a bit of a patchwork quilt, as they have to make a new incision each time  but I dont do bikini modelling any more so it doesnt matter now. Theres no way Id ever stop using it.

I hate wrinkles that arrive when youre low on oestrogen

By Jennie Bond, 71, presenter and mother of one

My menopause, at 49, was a bit of a non-event  just a few hot flushes and a sense of grief to be no longer fertile. But life in my 50s and 60s has been brilliant.

At 53, I gave up my job at the BBC and a whole new world of opportunities came along, including Im A Celebrity and Cash In The Attic. Im still really busy but I also have more leisure time and the freedom to arrange my own work schedule, so we go to Antigua for a couple of months each winter.

I also take time to enjoy my beautiful South Devon home overlooking the sea; and to hang out with my daughter and grandchildren.

I rather like the fact I used to be dashing around as royal correspondent, trying to catch up with the Queen or Princess Diana, and now Im so much more relaxed because I know any event Im attending probably wont start without me  and even if it does, I have no boss to worry about!

I dont like the fact that I have gone quite wrinkly, which is one of those ghastly things that happens when you run low on oestrogen. I didnt take HRT because breast cancer runs in the family but Im rather envious of the friends who did, who have far better skin.

But overall, I love the confidence which comes with age. I always now feel that my opinion is valid; I have plenty of experience and the courage to say what I think.

My brain fog was so terrible, I had to stop driving: Patsy Kensit

I never considered my chronic anxiety was menopause

By Susannah Constantine, 59, author and mother of three

I lost all my confidence and self-esteem in my early 50s. My chronic anxiety intensified and I didnt think it might be the menopause.

The icing on the cake came when I did a photoshoot for the publication of my first novel. It was a bit of a lifelong ambition and I should have felt amazing. Instead, I looked at the pictures and just thought, Who is this woman? I was frumpy and middle-aged, Id let myself go and was the sort of woman Trinny and I used to help in our programme What Not To Wear. It was tempting to give in and say, OK, Ive had my time, dont worry, its not about how I look. But I chose to fight ageing.

Ive always loved running but I ran more. I competed in Strictly Come Dancing and Ive taken up cold-water swimming. Slowly, Ive started to regain my confidence.

Now, I look in the mirror and see someone who has had a full life. Its not about looks; its about feeling fit and well, bounding up the stairs without being out of breath. I look at my wrinkles and accept them. Im grateful that those photos gave me a kick and now I project joy and self-confidence and happiness. Thats far more appealing.

I only realised when we tried for a fifth baby

By Pearl Lowe, 51, designer and mother of four

I only realised I was entering the menopause when I was 42 and we were trying for a fifth baby. That revelation was followed by five years of heavy bleeding, insomnia and horrible fatigue. I was very angry and very down. I didnt cope well at all. Aged 47, I went to see a doctor in London and she suggested HRT to keep your collagen and stay happy. What a difference it made!

Now, post-menopause, I am happy most of the time. I take things in my stride, things bother me less and apparently I dont shout as much.

Life is bright and optimistic and it is such a relief to have all of that over with.

My depression was linked to the menopause

Marian Keyes, 57, author

It was never confirmed that the terrible depression I suffered for four years from the age of 45 was linked to menopause, but in retrospect it makes sense. At the time no one suggested my problems could be hormonal.

When youre younger, you have this idea that looks are everything  but I feel more attractive now than I did in my 20s. I suppose I was probably much more objectively attractive then, but I hated myself so much and self-sabotaged all the time.

I can be far kinder about my looks now. Im more confident, better able to stand up for myself and carve out my place in a conversation.

That said, I take a huge amount of care of my appearance and I know I scrub up well. Im not ashamed to say I have Botox and fillers. I care about my skin and I have extensions in my hair. It matters to me.

But I finally believe my mother when she says that beauty is on the inside. Thats important too.

I never considered my chronic anxiety was menopause: Susannah Constantine

Give it up? No! Im far happier on HRT

Sandra Howard, 81, author and mother of two

I HAD an early menopause aged about 44, which was a disappointment, as I longed to have another child. But I went straight on HRT and am still on it.

One or two doctors have tried to suggest that I do without, which I did try for six months.

But I feel far happier on it, generally more bright-eyed, and my hair and nails are in better condition.

Now Im on a very low dose and I fully intend to stay on it. I have always felt far more comfortable having HRT than not. Im a doctors daughter twice over and I dont believe in scare stories.

I had a bleak time in my 50s, feeling rather depressed and aware that the final downward slope of life was in sight. Then someone suggested I try to write a novel.

The first one did very well, and I have just finished my seventh.

Funnily enough, that downward slope tipped back up again. You finally realise that age is just a number and what the hell.

Adapted by LOUISE ATKINSON from Cracking The Menopause, by Mariella Frostrup and Alice Smellie (20, Bluebird), out on September 16.  Mariella Frostrup and Alice Smellie 2021. To order a copy for 18 (offer valid to 14/9/21; UK P&P free on orders over 20), visitmailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3308 9193.
A British expat living in Australia has revealed the 'weird' thing she discovered when buying a bag of ice cubes from a petrol station.

Jordana Grace said she was surprised by the 'level of trust' Aussies have after she was told to collect her own bag of ice from the freezer at the petrol station without any supervision.

The comedian, who moved from London to Brisbane, explained how she thought the method was strange because in the UK, shoppers can only leave the store with the ice once it's scanned and paid for at the counter.

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Jordana Grace (pictured) said she was surprised about the 'level of trust' Aussies have after she was told to collect her own bag of ice from the freezer situated outside the petrol station without any supervision - after she'd already paid for them inside the store

'I just wanted two bags of ice, I went inside and I couldn't see it so I asked the guy. He said "you pay for it and then you go outside to the ice locker and then you go to your car",' she said in her TikTok video.

Clearly confused, she questioned the worker: 'Don't you want me to get the bag so you can scan it and then I pay for it? Isn't that normal?'

But the employee responded to her, saying: 'No, you just pay for it and then we trust you to get whatever you paid for.'

Stunned by the revelation, Jordana said she thought the procedure was 'shocking'.

'They like trust you at the gas station. I don't know why I find this so shocking. Like you just walk outside and they trust you to get ice, fire wood and all the fish bait. I just don't feel like I was given this level of trust in the UK,' she said.

'So now not only do I have two bags of ice, but now I have a whole lot of questions.'

Jordana said the ice buying experience was one of those things she wished she had known before moving to Australia.

The comedian who moved from London to Brisbane said she thought the method was strange because in the UK, shoppers can leave the store with the ice once it's scanned and paid for at the counter

Jordana said the ice buying experience was one of those things she wished she had known before moving to Australia

Her video has since been viewed more than 30,000 times, with many Aussies insisting: 'We are a trusted country'.

However, one man quickly dismissed the claim, saying: 'No, it's just ice. We still put high stolen items locked behind glass.'

Some petrol station workers also responded to the video, with one confirming: 'Spoiler: As someone who works at a servo in Australia, we don't trust you, we have cameras at the exits that record your license plate.

While another agreed with him, saying: 'I've worked in a servo... you are on camera, your car's rego plate number is on camera... the trust is in the cameras.'
A mattress-in-a-box has been voted the best in Australia for 2021 after hundreds of shoppers voted for their favourite brands on the market.

Homegrown furniture label Koala beat out stiff competition from the likes of Sealy, SleepMaker, King Koil and IKEA to be crowned the number one mattress brand in the annual Canstar Blue review.

More than 800 consumers were asked to rate the mattresses based on comfort, support, quality of sleep, durability, value for money and overall satisfaction.

Of the mattresses reviewed, Koala took the lead after scoring a perfect five-star rating across all categories - including comfort, quality of sleep and value for money.

Koala has been crowned the number one mattress brand in the 2021 Canstar Blue review (picture of Koala's new As Calm mattress)

Of the mattresses reviewed, Koala took the lead after scoring a perfect five-star rating across all categories - including comfort, quality of sleep and value for money

Top five best mattress brands of 2021 1. Koala 2. Sealy 3. SleepMaker 4. King Koil 5. IKEA Advertisement

With more than 25,000 five-star reviews online, many shoppers have claimed the mattress offers a good night's sleep all year round and it 'basically feels like sleeping in a luxurious five-star hotel-worthy bed'.

Koala mattresses - with prices ranging between $780 to $2,700 depending on the size - are different from most brands because it's sold in a box, and arrives rolled-up and vacuum-packed at your door.

Two childhood friends from Byron Bay came up with Australia's first simple yet comfy mattress-in-a-box in 2015 to challenge the traditional mattress corporations.

Fast forward, the brand has since launched three new 'dreamiest mattresses for every sleeper' - including the New OG, Calm As and Soul Mate.

Within the mattress, there are easily customisable firmness levels and three zones of support in 'all the right places' to help you maintain a healthy sleeping posture. All the mattresses contain anti-bacterial treatment to help fight off bacteria and germs.

In second place, Sealy received five stars for comfort, support and durability and landed on four stars for quality of sleep, value for money and overall satisfaction

In third place, SleepMaker scored four stars for comfort, support, durability, value for money and overall satisfaction and received a three-star rating for quality of sleep

Australian-owned King Koil achieved four stars for comfort, quality of sleep, support, and overall satisfaction and scored a three-star rating for durability and value for money

Rounding out the top five mattress brands, IKEA was rated four stars for support and value for money and received three stars for comfort, quality of sleep, durability and overall satisfaction

Runner-up Sealy received five stars for comfort, support and durability and landed on four stars for quality of sleep, value for money and overall satisfaction.

Offering mattresses to suit all needs and budgets, prices range from as little as $399 to as high as $20,000 depending on size, model and technologies you go for.

The Australian-made brand has been a household name dedicated to making the finest mattresses in the country over the past 50 years.

In third place, SleepMaker scored four stars for comfort, support, durability, value for money and overall satisfaction and received a three-star rating for quality of sleep.

Prices start from around $599 for a single innerspring mattress to a line of luxurious bedding options costing upwards of $21,599.

Australian-owned King Koil achieved four stars for comfort, quality of sleep, support, and overall satisfaction and scored a three-star rating for durability and value for money.

Offering a range of luxury style mattresses, prices range from $459 to $19,779.

Rounding out the top five mattress brands, Swedish furniture giant IKEA was rated four stars for support and value for money and received three stars for comfort, quality of sleep, durability and overall satisfaction.

Prices start from $99 for single-size mattresses to $899 for a king size.
A $38 mascara has been named the best in Australia by thousands of women, who credit it with transforming, lengthening and curling their short eyelashes.

Too Faced's 'Better Than Sex' mascara was voted the best that money can buy in the 2021 Mecca Beauty Election, after it beat products by Kevin Aucoin, Hourglass and Mecca's own brand.

This isn't the first time the $38 beauty buy has won the coveted 'Best Mascara' award, having dominated the category since Mecca's first beauty election more than five years ago.

A $38 mascara has been named the best in Australia by thousands of women, who credit it with transforming, lengthening and curling their short eyelashes (pictured after use)

Too Faced's Better Than Sex mascara was voted the best that money can buy in the 2021 Mecca Beauty Election (pictured before and after use)

But the experts at Mecca said 'Better Than Sex' has become the 'benchmark mascara for the entire beauty industry', thanks to its ability to bring fullness, fluffiness and drama to any eyelash.

Key ingredients including peptides deeply condition and strengthen your lashes by infusing the hair cortex with vitamin building blocks, while film-firming polymer locks in the curl for a lasting lift that 'won't budge'.

The mascara also includes acacia senegal tree extracts, which helps to make your eyelashes appear thicker and more voluminous.

Better Than Sex is made without animal products, gluten and parabens.

The experts at Mecca said it has become the 'benchmark mascara for the entire beauty industry', thanks to its ability to bring fullness, fluffiness and drama to any eyelash

To use the mascara, Too Faced recommend that you first of all curl your lashes, and then apply the mascara at the roots first before pulling the wand through the length of the eyelashes.

To use the mascara (pictured), it's recommended you first curl your eyelashes before applying two coats for curl and three for the 'full false lash effect'

Two coats will give you curled lashes, while three will give you the full false lash effect.

Those who have tried the mascara have left glowing reviews on the Mecca website, where the $38 product has an average 4.2 star rating.

'I've been using "Better than Sex" for a couple of years now,' one reviewer wrote.

'Every now and then I'll try another mascara but I always come back to Too Faced.

'I find it coats my eyelashes easily with one coat providing great definition and volume.'

Another added: 'If you are looking for a mascara that gives you volume, doesn't clump up and last all day then buy this mascara. I 100 per cent recommend this product, do yourself a favour and buy it'.

Others described it as their 'go-to', 'holy grail' and 'hero beauty buy'.

'Best in Beauty' award winners * BEST HAIR HERO: Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Hair Mask. * BEST PERFUME: Maison Margiela By The Fireplace eau de toilette. * BEST BODY: Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. * BEST BASE: NARS Sheer Glow. * BEST LIPSTICK: MAC Lipstick. * BEST MASCARA: Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. * BEST DEVICE: Dr Dennis Gross Spectralite Faceware. * BEST SERUM: Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. * BEST MOISTURISER: Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream. * BEST SERVICE: MECCA Glam. * BEST NEWCOMER: Glow Recipe Watermelon Dew Drops. * BEST MULTI-USE PRODUCT: RMS Lips2Cheek. Advertisement

'Best in Beauty' award winners continued * BEST CLEANSER: Tatcha The Rice Wash. * BEST MAKEUP EXTENDER: Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray. * BEST EYE CARE: Chantecaille Stress Repair Concentrate +. * BEST CHEEK POP: Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks. * BEST BROW PRODUCT: Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil. * BEST BLEMISH FIXER: Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel. * BEST TANNING PRODUCT: Isle of Paradise Self-Tanning Drops. * BEST HOME FRAGRANCE: La Labo Santal 26 Candle. * BEST INVESTMENT: Cosmetics27 Baume27. * BEST HALL OF FAME: MECCA Cosmetica To Save Face SPF50+. Source: Mecca Advertisement

Thousands of women have crowned the top makeup, skincare and fragrance products for 2021 in Mecca's beloved 'Best in Beauty' awards

Thousands of women have crowned the top makeup, skincare and fragrance products for 2021 in Mecca's beloved 'Best in Beauty' awards.

Every year, Australia's biggest beauty retailer Mecca asks its customers to vote for the best mascara, lipstick, moisturiser and more, in order to reveal the products shoppers just cannot live without.

This year, over 24,000 beauty lovers cast over 220,000 votes for the items they can't get enough of.

The highest-grossing category was skincare, with 41,000 votes, and this was closely followed by makeup, which received 26,000 nominations.
A woman who was not impressed with the meal she was served at The Shard has left social media users equally baffled after they struggled to tell exactly what she'd ordered in a photo posted online.

Twitter user, @raveen__x, 21, visited one of the restaurants at London landmark on August 25th, and shared a picture with the caption 'Guys look at my 30 meal I got at The Shard', Raveen sarcastically followed the picture with heart eye emojis.

She later added that chips were five pounds extra and that her meal was an 'L'a slang term that means a loss.

The post, which quickly gained almost 10,000 likes, left other Twitter users confused as to what she actually had on her plate.

Twitter users could not decpiper what Raveen's meal actually was when she ate at The Shard's restaurant, Ting

Raveen was left unimpressed with her meal at the UK's tallest building and let her foloowers know as much

One person commented, 'I'd actually cry imagine skipping lunch cos you know you're going shard and this is what they come out with for 30. My condolences.'

While another sympathised, 'Straight up thought that chicken breast was a depressed jacket potato for a second. Rolling on the floor laughing.'

A third person wrote, 'I thought that was a flat jacket potato.'

Raveen later cleared up what the item on her plate was by saying, 'that's chicken by the way,' but commenters were still unimpressed with the measly meal.

Commenters joked about what the food looked like and swore they couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be, with one branding it 'depressing'

'It looks like the Bristol stool chart,' joked one onlooker.

Another chimed in with, 'I've seen all my friends Facebook posts of the restaurants in the shard I'm not going any time soon!! Plus I'm broke and hate heights. I'm good, there's far better restaurants out there and the foods delicious.'

Raveen then agreed with a commenter who said that the meal looked 'depressing'.

However, another asked what the diner expected while eating out at the UK's tallest building, which cost 1.2 billion to erect.

One commenter thought Raveen should have expected the meal she received due to being in such an impressive building

They said: 'Do you understand how much a building like the Shard costs to build, how much property is inside it and how limited the space is?'

'You could have looked at the menu before. Obviously youre going to be paying a premium. No one forced you to go there.'

Another claimed that the issue was with the presentation and not the side of the meal, pointing out the side dishes.

'Bad presentation, that chef should be fired. But the portion looks right. If anything the sides seem quite generous.'
A pair of Illinois teens sought out to prove how sexist their high school's dress code is by wearing similarly revealing outfits to class  but while the male student made it through the day unbothered, the female student got written up for a violation.

Drew Jarding, 17, had already spent a few days this year going to school in clothes that he says 'would get me dress coded if I were a girl.'

But one day last week, he upped the stakes by enlisting his friend and fellow senior Kenzie Crimmins, 17, who also violated the dress code but in a much more subtle way  and still, only Kenzie got in trouble, emerging from the office with a pink slip because she 'showed her stomach.'

'This is a big issue because it breaks down these girls' confidence and sends the wrong message. Instead of trying to help theyre doing the exact opposite,' Drew told DailyMail.com. 'I would like to see the dress code change to something more reasonable and not at all sexist.

Power to the people! A pair of Illinois teens sought out to prove how sexist their high school's dress code is by wearing similarly revealing outfits to class

Get low: Drew Jarding , 17, low-slung shorts and a short crop top, bearing most of his legs and also several inches of stomach and even hip bones

Midriff: His friend and fellow senior Kenzie Crimmins, 17 (left), went to school in a pair of blue leggings and a red T-shirt that show a tiny sliver of abdomen when she stands still

Drew shared a viral TikTok video of the experiment, which has earned 1.8 million likes on the platform.

'Dressing the same to school to show how dress codes are sexist,' Drew captioned the clip.

While Kenzie went to school in a pair of blue leggings and a red T-shirt that show a tiny sliver of abdomen, Drew donned exceptionally low-slung shorts and a short crop top, bearing most of his legs and also several inches of stomach and even hip bones.

'Just so you could show how biased they really are,' Drew told BuzzFeed.

Their school dress code mandates that 'clothing must be modest and conducive to the school environment' and that 'students are expected to take pride in their appearance and to dress appropriately for focused study.'

The policy relies on the discretion of administrators, and doesn't explicitly ban showing midriff  though it does say that clothes 'shorter than mid-thigh length when standing at attention,' 'revealing garments,' 'see-through garments,' and visible undergarments' are off-limits.

No biggie! They got through most of the day without incident, and Drew said no one ever commented on his outfit

In trouble: Yet Kenzie got written up for her outfit, which the pair say is sexist and needs to change

'Since styles change quickly, administrative discretion will be applied to determine the appropriateness of garments worn by students,' reads the school policy handbook.

The pair filmed themselves in school, walking into the building and even doing a little dance for the camera 'in front of like five teachers.'

But in seventh period, Kenzie got written up for showing her midriff  though Drew says no one said anything to him.

'Honestly, it just makes me want to wear clothes like that more, because the standards are so not the same,' Kenzie said.

Drew said that while he usually posts comedic content, he's glad he got out of his comfort zone to bring awareness to an important issue.

'Several of my female friends have been dress coded time and time again and for wearing the same things I wear and many other guys,' he said.

'This is a big issue because it breaks down these girls' confidence and sends the wrong message,' Drew told DailyMail.com

Activist: He's pushed the limits before, showing up to school in several outfits that he says girls would get written up for

'I would like to see the dress code change to something more reasonable and not at all sexist,' he said

'Act!' he said. 'Dont be someone who doesnt get involved, actually make a difference by protesting dress codes'

Since he started his experiment  and went viral for sharing it on TikTok  his classmates have been totally behind him.

'Everyone at my school is very supportive and they love the cause,' he said. 'They have been fed up with dress codes for a long time as well as many other schools.'

Even some teachers have showed their support.

'Certain teachers have come up to me to tell me what a great job they think I'm doing,' he said, but added that he hasn't heard about any change in policy coming from the administration.

Drew's message to other teens is not to sit back and accept sexist dress codes at their own schools.

'Act!' he said. 'Dont be someone who doesnt get involved, actually make a difference by protesting dress codes.'
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has been hired as the set designer for a new Netflix film, it has been announced.

The 81-year-old royal, who is the reigning Danish monarch, will design the sets for an adaptation of a romantic fantasy novel by Out of Africa's Karen Blixen, one of Denmark's most internationally recognised female authors.

Queen Margrethe, who ascended to the Danish throne in 1972, has had a long career as an artist; she has sketched the illustrations for Danish editions of Lord of the Rings and enjoyed exhibitions at galleries including the Arken Museum of Modern Art in Ishoj, southwest of Copenhagen.

Queen Margrethe of Denmark (pictured seemingly working on the film) has been hired as the set designer for a new Netflix film, it has been announced

The Netflix film, Ehrengard, will also not be the first screen credit for the monarch.

She was appointed the production designer on the 2009 fantasy fairy tale The Wild Swans, as well as the short film adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen in 2000.

Queen Margrethe II said: 'Karen Blixen's stories have always fascinated me, with their aesthetic tales, their imagination and their, to me, image-creating worlds - and I'm very happy to be part of this project.

'You can feel that the author was a visual artist just like H.C. Andersen. But who is Ehrengard? One of Karen Blixen's intriguing female characters and one of the few whose story ends happily.

'The intrigues weave themselves in and out of each other and Blixen spins her spin around the characters until we (and they) are completely nonplussed. How will the riddle be solved?

The 81-year-old royal (pictured), who is the reigning Danish monarch, will design the sets for an adaptation of a romantic fantasy novel by Out of Africa's Karen Blixen, one of Denmark's most internationally recognised female authors

'I have tried to interpret Blixen's fantastic universe in the creation of the decoupages and costumes and I'm looking forward to seeing the tale of Ehrengard come to life in this film.'

Ehrengard is set in the fairy tale kingdom of Babenhausen, where a young, self-appointed expert on love, Cazotte, is hired by the scheming Grand Duchess to help her secure an heir.

While searching for a suitable future Princess, Cazotte teaches the timid and introverted fictional Crown Prince the art of seduction and lovemaking.

But their plan soon backfires, when an heir is conceived out of wedlock and the royal family has to seek refuge in the castle of Rosenbad.

Queen Margrethe was reunited with her son Crown Prince Frederik, 52, his wife Princess Mary, 49, and their children Prince Christian, 15, Princess Isabella, 13, and ten-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine (pictured together) for Easter

Here, as rivals within the royal family close in on their scheme, Cazotte himself falls in love with Ehrengard, the maid of honour, and gradually learns that in fact, he's no expert on love at all.

The film, which has been developed over the last decade by Jacob Jrgensen and JJ Film, will be directed by Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Bille August.

Since 1970, Queen Margrethe has actively engaged in a number of artistic modes of expression and is an honorary member of the Association of Danish Scenographers for her many years of work as a set designer in Danish film, television and theatre.

Director Bille August said: 'The Queen has created the most fantastic decoupages for the occasion, and they will be the dominant feature of the film's overall scenographic expression.'

Karen Blixen is mostly known for the works Seven Gothic Tales, Winter-Fairytale and Out of Africa, which was adapted to film in 1986, starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, and won seven Oscars.

Ehrengard will release globally on Netflix in 2023.
Kanye West is being accused of ripping off a smaller brand's logo for his new Donda merchandise, after the brand says it sent samples to the star and even met with him to discuss their design process.

On August 5, the 44-year-old rapper held a listening event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for his new album Donda, which was released later in the month.

For sale at the event were several shirts baring a design featuring a cross inside a Star of David  which looks almost identical to the logo for up-and-coming brand Infinity G8ds.

But this doesn't appear to be a case of two designers simply coming up with similar ideas: As the people behind Infinity G8ds told The Daily Beast, they had actually sent clothing items to Kanye at the request of someone on his team, and later met with the star to talk about how they came up with the logo  which Kanye himself told them was 'dope.'

Now the men are calling Kanye out, saying the situation 'could have been handled differently' and, at the very least, Infinity G8ds should have been given creative credit.

Called out: Kanye West is being accused of ripping off a smaller brand's logo for his new Donda merchandise

Merch moment: At an event promoting his album Donda last month, he sold shirts with a cross inside a Star of David

Deja vu! Kanye's design looks remarkably similar to the logo for up-and-coming brand Infinity G8ds (pictured)

Infinity G8ds creative director Randy Dawkins said the whole saga began in late July, months after the brand had started posting the logo on social media in March.

Their logo features a cross wrapped in an infinity symbol surrounded by a Star of David, and has been printed on shirts, shorts, and sweatpants.

Willie Wallace, Kanye's executive chef, had reached out to Dawkins and asked him to send samples of their clothing that he could show Kanye.

Dawkins obliged, shipping four pieces from their latest collection.

On July 24, Wallace and Kanye FaceTimed Dawkins to set up a meeting.

'After receiving the clothes he loved it and asked to meet with us,' JayShawn Bull, a musical artist who goes by SSO Sneezy and is also involved with Infinity G8ds.

In a video posted on Instagram, Kanye can be heard on the phone call remarking on the clothes, saying: 'I like this fabric.'

Infinity G8ds' creative director said that he sent Kanye samples of their designs before these popped up at his event

He's a fan! Kanye liked these items so much that he set up a meeting with Infinity G8ds, to which they brought more garments

'He was like, "Bro, I really love your design. Its really dope,' creative director Randy Dawkins said

'I was on the phone directly talking to Kanye,' Dawkins told the Daily Beast. 'He was like, "Bro, I really love your design. Its really dope. When can I meet you to talk about your process" His exact words, he said that he wants to talk to me about my mind.'

Dawkins and Bull were keen to meet with Kanye, so they drove nine hours from Florida to Atlanta, Georgia to meet with Kanye on July 26.

They brought Kanye five more pieces from their collection, and sat down for a 40-minute meeting in his studio at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Dawkins said Kanye asked about the meaning of the logo and seemed to really like what they had to say.

'He just wanted to understand our process  what does the design represent? We explained it to him and broke it down,' Dawkins said.

'He was loving the whole idea, the whole design. He was so intrigued,' he added. 'He started to sell us dreams about doing business with him, and that was the meeting.'

Inquisitive mind: Dawkins (pictured) said Kanye was full of questions about their design process

On camera: He also has a recording of them setting up a meeting

Dishonest? The team has documentation of the meeting, during which Kanye made them think there would be a collaboration

Kanye even invited them to stay and eat dinner with him before promising to stay in touch.

But while they never actually heard from the star again, they did get the message loud and clear that Kanye had used their work.

Travis Reece, who is one of Kanye's personal chefs and also an Infinity G8ds member, was the first to discover the familiar design on Kanye's Donda merchandise and raised the alarm with Dawkins.

'[They] never called us, never asked us, never did anything like that,' Dawkins said.

When Dawkins tried to get in touch with Kanye and his team, he couldn't  and Reece soon lost his job, according to the Daily Beast.

They have seen raised the alarm on social media

'We are not the type of people to chase clout but business could have been handled differently,' Bull said on Instagram. 'We could at least have gotten our creative credit.'

'This situation was definitely unfortunate,' Dawkins said

'This situation was definitely unfortunate,' Dawkins echoed. 'But we have to speak up about it to defend our brand because that could definitely [hinder] us in terms of him putting that out.'

What's more, Dawkins said it comes as a disappointment because they'd all looked up to Kanye.

'[He] met with us, [he] had opportunities to say, "Lets collab in this way, lets do it that way," but he didnt see any reason to involve us in what he wanted to do, and being that we know for a fact that we inspired him to create his Donda merch, Im disappointed,' he said.

'Were not mad at you, but from one Black artist to another Black artist, he could have said, "I see what you got going on, lets help you gain some exposure, some visibility." Thats all we ask.'
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Hillary Clinton and her former aide Huma Abedin are proving that no number of scandals, failed presidential campaigns, and tell-all books can come between their longtime friendship as they reunited this weekend in the Hamptons to enjoy a leisurely lunch.

Clinton, 73, and Abedin, 45, looked like the very best of friends as they joined several companions at Carissa's The Bakery in East Hampton, where they were seen laughing and chatting over coffees and pastries while soaking up the sunshine at an outdoor table.

The former Secretary of State and her longtime aide looked as though they had nary a care in the world - despite the fact that their outing comes just days before a new crime drama about Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky is due to be released, and two months before Abedin will publish a 'candid' tell-all book that will detail her marriage to disgraced ex-Rep Anthony Weiner and her work on Clinton's failed 2016 bid for the White House.

In exclusive images obtained by DailyMail.com, Clinton was seen smiling and laughing as she caught up with her longtime aide and close friend, having clearly put all thought about the drama series out of her mind. The FX show, Impeachment: American Crime Story, is set to rehash all of the scandalous - and no doubt painful - details of former President Clinton's affair with Lewinsky, who serves as a producer on the series.

Together again: Hillary Clinton and her longtime aide Huma Abedin proved that they are still very much joined at the hip as they enjoyed lunch together in the Hamptons on Sunday

Ladies who lunch: Clinton, 73, and Abedin, 45, were pictured strolling together outside of Carissa's The Bakery in East Hampton, where they spent time sitting together in the sunshine while enjoying coffee and pastries

Something for later? Both women were seen toting coffee cups and baked goods as they made their way out of the eatery

Comfy and casual: Despite the balmy weather, Clinton covered up in a long-sleeved navy sweater, which she wore over a patterned navy-and-white shirt and a pair of long trousers

Starring actress Beanie Feldstein in the role of Lewinsky, the show will track the events that led to Clinton's impeachment on December 19, 1998, including sordid details about his relationship with his White House intern, who was 22 at the time.

But if Clinton has any concerns about the show's September 7 premiere, she certainly didn't reveal them during her outing with Abedin, with whom she has been working since 1996.

Perhaps eager to try and maintain a low profile, both women donned hats and sunglasses, with Clinton opting for a large grey visor, while Abedin wore a more fashion-forward straw hat.

Despite the balmy summer temperatures, Clinton, who had her short hair pulled back in a ponytail, wore a navy sweater over a patterned navy-and-white shirt, pairing the items with a pair of matching long pants and some chunky white-and-blue sneakers.

She also toted a navy handbag with a gold chain strap and wore several beaded blue bracelets on her left wrist.

Abedin on the other hand went for a much more summery ensemble, pairing a pretty red, white, and green frock with a denim chambray shirt that was tied up at the waist. She topped off her ensemble with some simple white flip flops and a nude clutch bag, which she toted under one arm while holding onto her coffee and snacks.

Her long brunette hair was styled in loose waves and left to hang around her shoulders.

Incognito? Perhaps in an attempt to go under the radar, the women both wore hats and sunglasses for their outing - although it was hard to miss their very recognizable faces

Low-key: The former Secretary of State wore a large grey visor and chunky white-and-navy sneakers, and she carried a navy handbag with her

Support: Clinton and Abedin were flanked by two burly men, who appeared to be members of Clinton's security detail

Worry? The former First Lady's catch-up with Abedin came just one week before FX is due to release a new drama series about her husband's affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky - and the scandalous fallout from it

As they left the bakery, Clinton and Abedin were flanked by two burly-looking men, who appeared to be part of the former First Lady's personal Secret Service detail - something that she is guaranteed for the rest of her life as the spouse of a former President.

Both women are regulars in the Hamptons - and in 2013 it was reported that Abedin had actually helped Clinton and her husband Bill to secure a summer rental in the exclusive New York area.

Scandal: In 2016, DailyMail.com revealed that Abedin's husband Anthony Weiner had been sending lewd sexts to a 15-year-old girl - and an FBI probe into the matter uncovered Clinton's private server emails

The former first couple has been enjoying an annual getaway in the Long Island enclave ever since - and they are currently wrapping up their vacation together.

Former President Bill was seen spending time by the water while his wife enjoyed her outing with Abedin, perhaps both keen to distract themselves from the upcoming release of the FX show, which will no doubt make for painful viewing for both Clintons.

Interestingly, the Hamptons outing marks the first time that Clinton and Abedin have been seen together in public since March 2020 - when they both attended the premiere of a documentary that examined Clinton's failed presidential bid, and the scandal of her husband's affair with Lewinsky.

But while they may not have been seen in public together, it's clear to see in these latest images that they have maintained a strong friendship - which has had to weather plenty of ups and downs over the years.

Abedin has known Clinton since she was a student at George Washington University, when she worked as an intern in 1996 for the then-First Lady.

She then served an aide to Clinton during her successful run for the U.S. Senate in 2000, before moving up to the role of Clinton's deputy chief of staff in 2009, a position that she held throughout her boss's years as Secretary of State in the first term of the Obama administration.

She continued to ascend through the ranks up until being named as chief of staff ahead of the 2016 presidential election, by which point she was considered one of - if not the - closest staffer to the wife of former President Bill Clinton.

Saying hi: Clinton was pictured offering a socially-distanced elbow bump to a male friend - but despite the safe greeting, nobody in her group was seen wearing a face mask

Kicking back: Clinton looked relaxed and happy during the outing, during which she was seen sitting at an outdoor table with Abedin and several other companions

Summer lovin': It is not known how long Clinton is staying in the Hamptons, however she is currently there with her husband Bill, who was pictured enjoying time with friends on Sunday while his wife caught up with Abedin

Catching up: The women were seen engrossed in conversation outside the bakery during their outing - which comes days before a new drama series about Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky is set to be released

However, it was during this election that their relationship was dragged into very murky waters, when DailyMail.com revealed that Abedin's husband Weiner had sent several lewd sexts to a 15-year-old girl - a scandal that sparked an FBI probe, which ultimately uncovered emails sent by Clinton via a secret private server, which were discovered on a laptop belonging to Weiner.

Then-FBI Director James Comey announced in July 2016 that he would not recommend any criminal charges against Clinton even as he said she had been 'extremely careless'.

But in late October, less than two weeks before Election Day, he informed Congress that the bureau was reopening the case after emails between Clinton and Abedin were found on Weiner's computer during the probe into the former congressman's sexting.

The FBI reported a week later that nothing on the laptop changed the recommendation against charges, but Clinton has called Comey's intervention - and the headlines it created - 'the determining factor' in her narrow defeat to Trump.

This scandal will likely be touched upon in Abedin's new memoir, which she has promised will offer a 'candid and moving reckoning' of her marriage to Weiner - from whom she is not yet divorced.

It is not known exactly what details about the sexting scandal, if any, Abedin plans to share in her book, however she has said that she will also share several personal accounts of her experience working for Clinton over the past 25 years.

Getting into character: Actress Beanie Feldstein plays Lewinsky in the upcoming FX series Impeachment: American Crime Story, which will rehash many of the scandalous details of Clinton's affair with the then-22-year-old intern

Scandal: Lewinsky had a sexual relationship with then-President Clinton as an unpaid White House intern, and the affair led to his impeachment in December 1998

It's been a while! The two women were last seen in public together back in March 2020, when they attended the premiere of a documentary that covered Clinton's failed presidential campaign and her husband's affair with Monica Lewinsky

'For most of my life, I was viewed through the lens of others, a refraction of someone else's pronoun. "They" as in the parents who raised me; "she" as in the woman I worked for; and "he" as in the man I married,' Abedin said in a statement about the book.

'Writing this book gave me the opportunity to reflect on my own life - from the nurturing family I was privileged to be born into, to working for one of the most compelling leaders of our time.

'This journey has led me through exhilarating milestones and devastating setbacks. I have walked both with great pride and in overwhelming shame. It is a life I am - more than anything - enormously grateful for and a story I look forward to sharing.'

According to the publisher, the memoir will tell 'her inspiring story, coming of age as an American Muslim, the daughter of Indian and Pakistani scholars who split their time between Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the UK'.

'Both/And grapples with family, legacy, identity, faith, marriage, and motherhood,' Scribner's description of the tome continued.

'It shares Huma Abedin's personal accounts as a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton during Mrs Clinton's years as First Lady, U.S. Senator, a presidential candidate, Secretary of State, and Democratic Presidential Nominee, and a candid and moving reckoning of Ms Abedin's marriage to former Congressman Anthony Weiner.'
One night, some time ago, Megan got on the Tube at Baker Street station at around 10pm. She was the only woman sitting in the carriage when her phone buzzed. A fellow passenger was trying to AirDrop  or wirelessly transfer  a photo to her phone.

When she saw it was an image of a penis, she felt targeted, shocked and grossed out. She declined the AirDrop request, but the sender didnt give up.

It popped up again and again, says Megan. I started to go into my settings but the photo kept popping up until I finally switched off AirDrop.

I couldnt work out who did it  the Tube was relatively packed. It was just grim.

Rachel Thompson was inundated with emails and messages from women whove been choked without consent during sex while interviewing people for her new book (file image)

The ordeal left Megan feeling understandably unsettled. You may imagine that such a clear act of sexual aggression and threatening behaviour  the threat stemming from the perpetrators anonymity and whether he intended to follow her home  would be regarded in a similar way to traditional trench coat flashing and would be punishable by law.

But the reality is legislation has not kept pace with technology, so cyberflashing  sending someone a sexually explicit photo without their consent  is not legally classed as a sexual offence.

Although cyberflashing (and other forms of digital harassment) are alarmingly common these days, there is little recourse for women.

A new study revealed this week that more than half of women have been sexually harassed by strangers online (more than half via Instagram), with the harassment ranging from threats of sexual violence to crude remarks, jokes or demands for sex.

The study by Toronto University revealed that 28 per cent of women received inappropriate pictures and 23 per cent said they had been sent nude photographs by men showing their genitals.

The sad fact is that such acts of sexual aggression against women are often downplayed  by women as well as men.

Like many women, I used to picture rape and sexual assault as the violent act of a faceless stranger in the dead of night, not something that could be perpetrated by someone you liked, let alone loved.

If youd asked me in my 20s if Id experienced sexual violence, I would have unequivocally said no. I might have conceded that Id had some bad sex in my time.

A study by Toronto University revealed this week that more than half of women have been sexually harassed by strangers online (file image)

And yet, when I was 19, a boy I was seeing called Daniel sat on my chest during sex, his legs straddling me. I couldnt expand my lungs fully because of his weight bearing down on me. All I could manage were tiny, shallow breaths.

I had a genuine fear that I might die. I didnt cry or scream or dig my nails into his flesh like I wished I had afterwards. I didnt even say; Hey, can we stop for a sec. I just . . . lay there.

I pushed the memory away. It was as if Id shoved it into a drawer, locked it and thrown away the key. It worked for a while, and I did not reopen that drawer for a decade.

When I was 29, the world changed when the #MeToo movement had us reflecting on the violations eked out on our bodies and minds. We talked about them, sometimes for the first time, with friends. We tried to find the language to describe things that had happened to us that wed never spoken about before.

He choked and hit me without my consent

In my own case, I had enthusiastically consented to having sex with Daniel, but he had done something that made me feel scared for my life. Its only now, aged 33, that I have found the strength to call it was it was: sexual violence.

I wrote my new book, Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into The Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, for those who have ever experienced something they didnt have the words to define. Who felt their experience was a grey area or just bad sex or not rape, but . . . Who were harmed, but didnt believe they had the right to feel that way.

As a society, we often talk about sexual violence as a dichotomy  its either rape or consensual sex. That might benefit you if youre coming at it from the perspective of someone whos perpetrated a violation that sits outside it and so will evade consequences. But does it serve people whove experienced something that made them feel harmed?

Dr Fiona Vera-Grey, an assistant professor at Durham University, says sexual experiences that are uncomfortable, painful or violating are just that. Theres no grey area (file image)

Downplaying violations through ambiguous, woolly language feeds into a culture of permissibility. When we sanitise sexual violence, we are saying, Its OK, its normal, instead of, That was an unacceptable violation.

One term in current parlance is the grey area or grey area experiences. Dr Fiona Vera-Grey, an assistant professor at Durham University specialising in how to combat violence against women and girls, says that the term feeds into the narrative of women being taught to doubt how something feels.

She explains: Sexual experiences that are uncomfortable, painful or violating are just that. Theres no grey area there  they feel wrong.

Daisys experience as a 21-year-old university student is an example of a violation that she struggled to name.

I felt guilty that he had paid so went back to his

One night, she went for a drink with a graduate friend of a friend. After three or four drinks, he asked her if she wanted to come back to his place and watch a film.

When things heated up, Daisy asked him if he had a condom, and he said he had. However, during sex Daisy became aware that the condom had come off. But the man kept going as if nothing had happened.

Daisy says as she wasnt very experienced, she didnt feel she could assert herself in the situation.

When he finished, she challenged him, only for him to smile and say: Oh, whoops  sorry.

University student Daisy, 21, recounts having to take the morning-after pill after a man removed a condom without her consent (file image)

Daisy recalls: He kind of looked to one side where hed clearly taken it off, and he was like: Oh, there it is! 

That was the first time Daisy ever had to take the morning-after pill.

Initially, she told herself it must have been an honest mistake. It was only when she read about stealthing years later that she realised otherwise. The word was given to the practice of non-consensual condom removal by perpetrators writing about it in online sub-cultures.

Non-consensual condom removal puts victims at risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. While rape campaigners are in agreement that stealthing constitutes sexual assault, were only just beginning to see a very small number of stealthing convictions in a handful of countries.

In 2019, a man in England was convicted of raping a sex worker when he removed a condom, after the woman stated that condom use was a condition of her agreement to have sex with clients.

It is a step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go. Particularly as levels of violence in the bedroom are increasing.

When I first started interviewing people about their sexual experiences for my book, I was inundated with emails and messages from women whod been choked without consent.

More than a third of UK women under 40 have endured non-consensual choking, slapping, gagging or spitting during sex (file image)

Sexual violence campaigners say there is burgeoning pressure on young women to consent to violent, dangerous and demeaning acts. Shockingly, more than a third of UK women under 40 have endured non-consensual choking, slapping, gagging or spitting during sex. Relationship counsellors are calling this a silent epidemic, the effects of which they are dealing with on a daily basis.

Abigail went on a Bumble date with a man shed been messaging who seemed lovely, charming and good-looking. Theyd been chatting over WhatsApp for a few weeks before meeting up at a bar near his flat.

I went back to his afterwards with the intention of having sex, and during sex he choked me without my consent, was extremely rough and hit parts of my body, says Abigail. When he was choking me, I didnt have the breath to tell him to stop and he seemed to be enjoying it, so I didnt want to make a fuss.

The next day, she showed her friend the bruises on her neck, breasts and bottom, partly because she was unsure how she was supposed to feel about it. Her friend was shocked and took it very seriously. But it took time for Abigail to accept that such violence was wrong.

Beth Ashley, a journalist specialising in sex and relationships, believes non-consensual slapping, spanking and hitting stem from learning about sex from mainstream porn, where such acts are commonplace.

A British Board of Film Classification survey found that children as young as seven years old had watched mainstream porn in the UK (file image)

I had a conversation with a friend a while back, who had been reading about sex online. He was shocked to find out that youre supposed to get consent for every individual act that happens in sex, and not just permission to have sex, she says. He told me: Ive spanked people without asking them. And while they didnt respond to it badly, he was just suddenly hit with the idea that he could have really upset someone.

She emphasises that the guy who told her this is not a bad person, but someone who grew up watching porn from the age of 12 and who hadnt had an open conversation about sex with any friends, family or trusted adults.

A British Board of Film Classification survey found that children as young as seven years old had watched mainstream porn in the UK, unbeknown to their parents.

A 2016 report by the University of Middlesex found that by the age of 16, 65 per cent of boys and girls had seen online porn, and 28 per cent of children aged between 11 and 12 had viewed it. More than half the boys surveyed said they believed the sex theyd seen in porn was realistic.

This is concerning because its the lack of realism that is so damaging  particularly when it fails to reinforce the need for consent when introducing any new sex acts into an encounter, and when those acts carry a certain degree of physical risk. Laina Bay-Cheng, professor of social work at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, says: As theres more attention given to this idea of women as sexually empowered  and especially that young women are supposed to seem sexual, and together, and cool and hip  being awkward and seeming awkward may feel like a much worse thing than going along with sex that is violent and physically damaging.

It is not uncommon for young women to feel they owe someone sex. Abigail admits she has slept with men because they took her to a fancy restaurant and bought me loads of posh wine, she says. I felt really guilty that he had paid for everything, so went back to his after to pay him back.

Abigail now realises that she didnt owe him anything just because he took her out.

Rachel says the entitlement to womens bodies lies at the root of our damaging sex culture, but there is strength in speaking out (file image)

On the internet, you will find scores of Reddit posts, blogs and articles about this transactional aspect of our dating culture. Women even report being asked to reimburse male dates for dinner or drinks if they dont have sex with them afterwards.

The experience of Chloe Matthews, a student paramedic who lives in Hull, went viral after she received a text from a guy named Danny shed met on a night out.

The text read: Could you transfer me for those drinks I bought you last nite [sic] since we didnt go home togeva [sic] wasnt really worth my time was it lol x.

When she tweeted a screenshot of the text, it gained 67,000 likes and 10,000 retweets.

Its uncomfortable to think about, but this is an ingrained aspect of sexual culture that sometimes rears its ugly head. This entitlement to womens bodies lies at the root of our damaging sex culture.

The ubiquity of these experiences is shameful. Yes, there is strength in speaking out, strength in numbers. But what if our society just accepts those numbers, however shockingly high they are?

We need change. We cant achieve that change by ourselves.
My mother was the first female presenter on the BBC and a novelist. She was in her 20s and this was the 1960s.

She was staggeringly glamorous, beautiful and loving. I was her and my fathers only child. They had moved from London to a Queen Anne house in Bedfordshire when I was two (until they divorced when I was five and returned, separately, to London to marry other people).

My mother used to drive up and down the M1 in her lilac Triumph; smelling of Floris Stephanotis scent, wearing a silk headscarf and an aquamarine ring the size of an ice cube. To me, she was a film star.

One time, she, my nanny and I went to the supermarket. My nanny and I stayed in the car and Mum dashed in. I was four.

Candida Crewe reflected on the eight nannies she had while growing up in Bedfordshire and London. Pictured: Candida, as a young girl, with her high-flying BBC presenter mother

The nanny was an embittered woman of a certain age who was divorced from an abusive husband. She had no children and directed all her frustrated maternal feelings towards her Pekinese, and me.

One day, she said quietly when Mum was through the shop doors and out of sight, your mother will leave the car, saying shell be a few minutes, and never come back.

No wonder mothers feel such a palpable unease about the risk of handing over their children to the charge of others. For even the most kindly and seemingly professional nannies can potentially mask a malevolent streak.

This sense is something to which many a film  The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, for example  and plenty of novels attest.

But even if a lucky couple are able to find a quasi-Mary Poppins, they can still feel the agonising guilt and disappointment of losing their childrens babyhood and childhood to another.

The broadcaster Fiona Bruce  who is the same age as me, 57  has given an interview in which she admits she feels she didnt spend enough time with her children, Sam, now 23, and Mia, 19.

She is grateful that the same beloved nanny stayed with the family for 20 years and they are still friends.

But, however successful a career, the decision to organise live-in childcare is not an easy one for any parent to make.

Broadcaster Fiona Bruce (pictured) has admitted she feels she didnt spend enough time with her children, Sam, now 23, and Mia, 19

Candida (pictured) said however successful a career, the decision to organise live-in childcare is not an easy one for any parent to make

Handing over the business of bringing up your children to a third party, the nuts and bolts of their precious day-to-day existence, can be excruciating. It was for my mother  and I had not one but about eight nannies  though not simultaneously, obviously.

My father was a restaurant critic and in a wheelchair. Both working parents. At the Bedfordshire house, and harbouring an absurd folie de grandeur way beyond their means, they had a complete staff  butler, cook, chauffeur, cleaner  and a nanny (and later a governess) for me.

I shudder to think of it now. I guess she and my father could have given up their ridiculous way of life and got rid of the staff they could ill-afford, but that would not have solved the problem of Mum loving her work.

And she had loved her nanny more than her own mother and felt she was able to do both.

But it came at an (acknowledged) cost to both of us, and she has felt guilty about it for more than 80 years.

When reminiscing, she talks about the wrench in the mornings as she left for BBC TV Centre and I clung to her like a koala, weeping and wailing at her going.

The nannies didnt cut it, in my view. Some were sweet, I guess. But I dont remember them. Only the bad ones, of which there were a few.

Candida said her mother now berates herself for knowing that a few of her nannies were well below par (file image)

Apart from that coldly cruel comment in the car, the Pekinese-owning nanny did little to traumatise me, except for the occasion when I wouldnt eat leeks for dinner.

I was dispatched to the end of a spooky, dark, cobwebby corridor and told I could not return to the kitchen without having eaten the lot. I stood there for a Victorian six hours heaving and retching, crying and sweating, but I ate those goddamn leeks.

Whenever my mother and I have spoken in recent years of the nannies, she berates herself for knowing that a few were well below par, but she was so young and too darn wet to say anything.

She says my first Norland Nanny, Sylvia, chain-smoked over my cot, puffing away like the chimneys not so far away at the Bedford brick factory.

Sylvia moved on. To get married and not, it must be said, because my parents had complained to her about her smoking, or anything else.

After my parents divorced  I was five  we moved back to London, which hailed the onset of Sabine, who was French, and about 25.

She introduced me to A Horse With No Name and Heart Of Gold, the first two singles I ever bought and still love to this day. Sabine, I remember with fondness.

The others I remember less well. There was Jane who wore rather prissy clothes.

She was about 19, and looked about 20 years older than Mum and very insistent that I must say Pardon and never, ever What?. Though my parents insisted on precisely the opposite. Why? Life was terribly confusing but endlessly fascinating.

Candida said one memorable nanny, Maureen, would dig her nails into her skin while intent on making sure her face was clean at all times (file image)

One memorable nanny, back in Bedfordshire, was Maureen, an Australian. She had nails as long, pointed and sharp as a cartoon witchs. For some reason, she was intent on making sure my face was clean at all times.

To pull off this feat, she made me put my head in the animal-trap of her fingers several times a day.

Once imprisoned, the nails would dig into the skin so ruthlessly that afterwards I would have half-moon shapes prettily embedded into my cheeks, chin and temples for about an hour.

I remember aged four recognising my mother didnt wash my face that way.

Perhaps faces could be washed in different ways and Maureens method was just a variation? But I knew it didnt feel quite right.

Maureens nails may have given my mother pause at the time but, again, she was too feeble, she says today, to criticise the woman who wasnt much younger than her. And too reliant, perhaps.

It was only when disaster struck that my parents decided Maureens time was up.

I went twice a week to dancing classes about 20 minutes away. Maureen had the use of a beaten-up Morris Minor.

On one of these outings, in the winter ice on the country roads, she took a corner too fast and the car flew up into the air and we crashed, spectacularly, into the verge.

Candida admits that she occasionally fantasised about hiring a professional nanny to help with her own children (file image)

The wreckage begged the question: how the hell did we survive? But survive we did. Maureen was fine; my only injury a bloodied face due to the sharp metal handle on the glove compartment nearly taking my eye out (front seat; not much in the way of wearing seat belts in 1968). I still have that scar.

Mum remembers her journey from the BBC once my father had put me on his lap in his study and encouraged me to ring her to say I was OK but there had been a mishap; I had bandages over my face. She says she dropped everything and drove at 100 mph up the M1, her heart ready to leap from her chest.

Maureen lost her job; probably not cut out for nannying, or driving, or both.

When I was seven, there were no more nannies. Instead, I was sent to boarding school.

My nanny experience wasnt appalling, but nor was it great.

Did I resent my mother for palming me off on these women? Then, no. It was just how things were. I never questioned it.

But I didnt mourn that I couldnt afford one for my own children.

Not quite true: occasionally I did fantasise about hiring a professional nanny to help keep me sane.

It was after I divorced and found myself as a working single mother with three boys aged ten, eight and six. But the fantasy was short-lived.

I managed on my own in the end, knowing all along that Mary Poppins doesnt exist after all.
Boiled egg and soldiers may be a favourite British breakfast, but getting it right is a fraught business. So much so its taken a team of scientists to crack what they claim is the perfect formula.

After canvassing 1,500 Brits and running experiments, Nottingham University statisticians say the perfect boiled egg should be cooked for precisely four minutes and 15 seconds, before being plunged into cold water for 57 seconds.

But do our top celebrity chefs agree? And from pesky poached to head-scratching scrambled, what about the best ways to cook other kinds of eggs?

We looked at how celebrity chefs do it to see how their methods vary. Then we asked eggs-traordinary chef Theo Randall  whose restaurant at the Intercontinental on Londons Park Lane has won awards for its brunch menu, and who holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest omelette maker at just 14.74 seconds  how he would do it . . .

Nottingham University statisticians claim the perfect boiled egg should be cooked for precisely four minutes and 15 seconds (file image)

BOILED

Boiled eggs have long been a point of contention, with opinion divided as to how hard, or soft, they should be. The top celeb chefs are equally divided.

DELIA SMITH recommends giving your egg one minutes simmering time (never have the water fast boiling) in a very small saucepan, before taking it off the heat and leaving the egg in for another six minutes for a soft, fairly liquid yolk, or seven for a firmer one.

JAMIE OLIVER adds a pinch of sea salt to his water, initially dipping his eggs in and out at a fast boil to avoid cracking due to the sudden change in temperature. Cook for five minutes for soft boiled, seven-and-a-half for semi firm and ten minutes for hard boiled.

According to GORDON RAMSAY the secret is to place the egg into the water gently, tilting the spoon so it doesnt hit the bottom. Bring the water to the boil, count to five, turn the heat down and cook for exactly four-and-a-half minutes.

However NIGELLA LAWSON recommends almost double the time. Put the egg into cold water, then bring to a boil. After one minute, take the pan off the heat and let the egg sit for ten minutes, resulting in a hard-boiled egg with a yolk which is set but slightly soft.

Chef Theo Randall, whose restaurant at the Intercontinental on Londons Park Lane has won awards for its brunch menu, argues eggs shouldn't be boiled in cold water (file image)

MARY BERRY also starts with cold water, before bringing to boil and cooking for four-to-five minutes for a soft boiled egg. If you want to peel your egg you must plunge it into cold water after boiling to stop the egg overcooking.

THEOS VERDICT: I would beg to differ with Mary Berry and Nigella Lawson. Never boil an egg in cold water. Use boiling  you get a more reliable result.

Ensure the egg is at room temperature  if its too cold, the shell is likely to crack as soon as it hits the water. For the perfect soft-boiled, medium egg, simmer for exactly five minutes. Nigellas method of leaving the egg for ten minutes makes scientific sense and does the job well. But who wants to wait that long?

If you want a classic hard-boiled egg, an older egg is easier to peel. Simmer for ten minutes. Then plunge the egg into cold water, crack the outside then gently ease a teaspoon in the crack and twist. You should find the shell comes away in one fell swoop.

SCRAMBLED

Delia Smith said having the heat too high can cause your scrambled eggs to become flaky and dry (file image)

DELIA has one key rule for scrambled eggs: dont have the heat too high. If you do, the eggs will become flaky and dry.

Season the lightly beaten eggs with salt and pepper. Swirl a heaped teaspoon of butter in the pan. When it foams, pour in the egg and stir.

As the egg begins to cook, keep stirring. When about three-quarters of the egg is a creamy, solid mass, remove the pan from the heat and add another teaspoon of butter.

JAMIE adds a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then beat eggs in a bowl with a fork. Put a saucepan over a low heat and add a knob of butter.

When it starts to bubble, carefully pour in the eggs. Stir slowly with a spatula. Keep gently stirring until the eggs still look slightly runny and underdone.

Remove from the heat  the pans heat will continue to cook the eggs to perfection.

GORDON says crack two cold eggs into a deep saucepan. Add 4 g of butter, then put the pan on a high heat. Stir continuously with a rubber spatula, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan.

After 30 seconds, remove the pan from the heat. Keep stirring, and after about 10 seconds put back on the heat. Repeat for about three minutes. In the last minute, season the egg lightly. For extra creamy texture, stir in 1 tsp of creme fraiche.

Theo recommends adding cream to uncooked eggs, then using a fork to gently break up the eggs for a richer consistency than using a whisk (file image)

NIGELLA cracks two eggs in a bowl, whisks, then places in a pan over heat. Add a small amount of milk. The egg will stick, so keep moving with a spoon. Add salt and pepper and once it is a scrambled, lumpy consistency, take off the heat.

MARY says lightly beat the eggs with salt and pepper and a little milk. Melt a pat of butter in a pan and add the eggs.

Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula or spoon, until they are almost set.

THEOS VERDICT: Take two super fresh eggs at room temperature and break into a bowl. Add 50 ml of double cream. Unlike Gordon, I add the cream to uncooked eggs so as not to chill the mixture.

I also prefer the richer cream to Nigella and Marys milk, which will make the eggs set a bit harder. Use a fork to gently break up the eggs. This will give a richer consistency than using a whisk.

Gently melt 25 g of butter in a non-stick pan until it foams. Pour the mixture into the pan and leave to sit untouched for 30-45 seconds. Then use a spatula or wooden spoon and gently move the mixture around the pan.

This aerates the eggs and stops them getting solid. Repeat a few times. Three minutes gives the perfect result: big loads of set egg, which is wet in the middle.

POACHED

Gordon Ramsay recommends leaving the egg to cook for three minutes or until it floats to the top for the perfect poached egg (file image)

Poaching is surely the most debated kind of egg cooking. DELIA says to fill a pan with one inch of water from a boiling kettle and put it on a gentle heat.

When you see bubbles, break the eggs into individual bowls before slipping into the water. Set the timer for two minutes, with the water barely simmering. Take the pan off the heat for ten minutes.

Keep basting the tops of the eggs with hot water, then use a draining spoon to lift them out.

JAMIE recommends half filling a pan with boiling salted water and bringing to a light simmer over a medium heat. Crack an egg into a cup and gently pour it into the water in one fluid movement.

A really soft poached egg should take around two minutes, a soft to firm will need about four. To check whether its done, remove carefully from the pan with a slotted spoon and give it a gentle push with a teaspoon. If it feels too soft, put it back for a minute or two.

GORDON brings a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer and adds a dash of white vinegar. Break an egg into a teacup or ramekin.

Whisk the water to create a gentle whirlpool and tip the egg into the centre of it. Leave to cook for three minutes or until the egg floats to the top and the white is cooked but the yolk is still soft.

NIGELLA says she used to strain the egg through a fine tea strainer to remove the liquid part of the egg white  but has since gone down a less fiddly route.

Crack a fridge-cold egg (it holds its shape better if its cold) into a cup and add a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice.

Let a small pan of water come to a boil, then turn off the heat and slowly pour the egg in, leaving behind the watery liquid which will have collected in the bottom of the cup. Leave in the water for four-to-five minutes, depending on the size of the egg.

Theo said freshness is key and don't be tempted to choose a large egg because the medium ones have a better ratio of yolk to white (file image)

MARY starts by bringing a pan to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and add a dash of vinegar. Crack the egg into a ramekin, swirl the water with a spoon and carefully drop the egg into the pan.

Leave until the white is just beginning to set and carefully turn with a slotted spoon to form into an oval shape. Simmer for three to four minutes. If the water starts to bubble, turn it down to stop disrupting the eggs shape.

THEOS VERDICT: Freshness is key. Im that annoying person who rifles to the back of the supermarket shelf to get the freshest box of eggs. And dont be tempted to choose a large egg  medium eggs are tastier as you get a better ratio of yolk to white. I always choose free range.

She may have found an easier way, but I like Nigellas tea strainer tip. Hold a strainer over a cup, and crack your egg into the strainer so the watery bits get left behind.

Dont be tempted to use an egg straight from the fridge like Nigella, though.

Eggs cook from the outside in, and yolk is much denser than the white. If its cold in the middle, the yolk will take that much longer to cook and the white will become rubbery.

Put your egg into a ramekin. Then, as Mary suggests, add a dash of vinegar or lemon juice, which will cook the white quicker.

Bring a pan of water to the boil. Whisk vigorously to produce a whirlpool effect like Gordon and, once the water is boiling, drop the egg into the vortex.

The white will spin around the yolk and seal it beautifully like a nut. Cook for no more than two-and-a-half minutes.

The Italian Deli Cookbook, by Theo Randall (26, Quadrille), is out now.
The Covid Delta variant may finally have started to peak in the US - amid speculation it has followed the same two month trajectory as other prior mutations.

While cases in the United States are still rising, the rate has slowed in recent weeks, leading many experts to believe the variant that devastated the nation is running out of fuel.

Cases grew by 67 percent from August 2 to August 16, from 85,000 per day to 142,000 per day, and only 15 percent, 139,000 per day to 160,000 per day from August 17 to 31.

The sharp decline in case rise could be a blip on the radar, a brief respite before a larger spike to come, or it could be the beginning of the end of 2021's summer surge.

Previous surges have often last around two months, though, and with Delta first erupting in the Midwest at the end of June, this peak could represent the mutation following the same schedule as prior variants, which began to fall after two months.

Cycles of the Delta variant have also lasted around two months in many countries that were struck by the virus earlier than the United States.

In India, where the variant was formed, cases began to spike at the end of March.

The south Asian nation went from 60,000 new cases a day on March 31, then reached its peak at nearly 400,000 cases per day on May 8.

By the end of May, two months after the surge got going, cases had decreased back to 175,000 per day, and only continued a rapid decline from there.

England first felt the effects of its Delta variant outbreak in early June, where the country was recording 2,600 cases a day.

At the peak in mid-July, the island's outbreak was gotten up to over 40,000 new cases every day.

Cases rapidly fell afterwards, halving to only 20,000 new cases per day in mid-August.

Previous surges in America, like last year's summer and winter waves, also made a sharp decline after around two months.

If the Delta variant is reaching its peak in the United States, two months after the variant first began to make an impact, then cases could also begin to rapidly fall soon - as was displayed in other countries.

Why exactly this happens can not be confirmed by scientists.

'We still are really in the cave ages in terms of understanding how viruses emerge, how they spread, how they start and stop, why they do what they do,' Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota, told the New York Times.

Experts do have a few theories, though.

The first is that certain people may be more vulnerable to certain variants, and once all of those people are infected the virus will begin to recede.

A second theory is that it takes around two months for the virus to make it through an average sized cluster of people.

Once it makes it through every cluster, the virus stops spreading, though the spread begins once again when people travel outside of their circle.

This is why outbreaks are common over summer and during the end of year holidays, as those are times where many may travel despite potential fear of the virus.

A rapid decline of COVID-19 cases could not come at a better time for hospitals around the country either.

Nearly 80% of hospital ICUs in America are currently occupied as more than 100,000 people are being hospitalized every day due to Covid across the country. Pictured: A doctor treats a Covid patient in a Mission Hills, California, ICU

Emergency rooms and ICUs have been swarmed in recent weeks by a sharp increase in severe Delta cases.

The United States eclipsed 100,000 new hospitalizations per day last month, the first time the mark was reached since the winter COVID-19 surge.

Nearly 80 percent of ICU beds in America are currently occupied, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In six states, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas, less than ten percent of hospital beds are available.

Deaths are on the rise as well, with the nation eclipsing 1,300 deaths per day this week - the most since mid-March.

A majority of these deaths and hospitalizations are among unvaccinated people.

In America, more than 72 percent of the eligible population, anyone 12 or older, and 62 percent of the total population have gotten at least one shot of the vaccine.
The World Health Organization has issued a warning about yet another new COVID-19 variant it fears could potentially evade vaccines.

That variant, called Mu, was first detected in Colombia in January, and has been announced just as the Delta variant finally appears to be peaking in the U.S.

Over 4,600 cases of the variant, whose scientific name is B.1.621, have been spotted since then, and it has spread to more than 40 countries.

Almost 2,000 cases of the variant have been detected in the United States.

The WHO's weekly bulletin claimed its mutations suggest it may be more resistant to vaccines, as was the case with the South African 'Beta' variant.

There are fears it may be more infectious, too.

But the agency warned more studies would be needed to examine this further, with the WHO having now formally labelled Mu a 'variant of interest'.

Almost 4,000 cases of the variant have been detected to date since it first emerged in January, but the number of infections has fallen in recent weeks, coinciding with the rapid increase of the Delta variant. This graph shows the seven-day average proportion of cases that were due to the Mu variant worldwide. They reveal its prevalence has fallen recently

The variant was first spotted in Colombia in January. It has since been detected in 40 countries

In the US it made up almost one per cent of infections in July but the number of infections then declined in August amid the spread of the Delta variant

In Colombia  where it was first identified  it is still behind around six in ten cases. But the proportion of cases it makes up in the country has also begun to fall

What is the variant 'Mu' or B.1.621? Where have the cases been detected? This mutant strain was first spotted in Colombia in January. It has since spread to more than 40 countries including the UK, US, France, Japan and Canada. Is it increasing in prevalence? There have been 4,000 cases detected to date, but this is thought to be an underestimate because many countries that have suffered outbreaks do very little surveillance for variants. The number of cases blamed on the variant declined globally last month, amid the spread of the Delta strain. In Colombia  where it was first detected  it is still behind around six in ten infections. Can the strain dodge vaccine triggered immunity? The variant carries the mutation E484K, which can help it escape antibodies. This change is also found on the South African 'Beta' variant and Brazilian 'Gamma' variant. A PHE study previously suggested it could make vaccines less effective. But UK health chiefs said more research was needed. Advertisement

The WHO report said: 'Since its first identification in Colombia in January 2021, there have been a few sporadic reports of cases of the Mu variant and some larger outbreaks have been reported from other countries in South America and in Europe.

'Although the global prevalence of the Mu variant among sequenced cases has declined and is currently below 0.1 percent, the prevalence in Colombia (39 percent) and Ecuador (13 percent) has consistently increased.

'The epidemiology of the Mu variant in South America, particularly with the co-circulation of the Delta variant, will be monitored for changes.'

The WHO currently lists four Covid variants of concern  Alpha, Beta, Gamma and the highly-transmissible Delta.

Mu is the fifth variant of interest and is being tracked alongside Eta, Iota, Kappa and Lambda, with variants named after letters of the Greek alphabet.

Infectious disease epidemiologist at the WHO Maria van Kerkhove tweeted: 'Circulation of Mu is down globally and it [makes up] less than 0.1 per cent of currently shared sequences of Mu, but this needs careful observation.'

'Monitoring and assessment of variants is ongoing and critically important to understand the evolution of this virus, in fighting Covid and adapting strategies as needed.'

Its key mutations include E484K, which can help it escape antibodies and is also found on the Beta and Gamma variants.

It also has the N501Y, which could help it spread easier. This mutation is also present in Alpha.

The coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, is mutating all the time as a result of genetic errors when it multiplies. Most mutations are harmless.

But ones that make it able to spread quicker or to survive longer inside the human body are the ones that are likely to stick around.

More than 300 Covid variants have been detected to date.

U.S. health officials order boosters to combat future virus variants

In order to combat the variants, U.S. health officials are pushing for vaccine booster shots.

Last month, the White House announced plans to begin rolling out third shots of the COVID-19 vaccines, starting on September 20.

Officials cited the Delta variant, and its potential ability to create breakthrough cases as reason why boosters are needed.

Not all support the roll out of boosters, though, as some, including Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, have called for countries like the United States to pause booster roll outs and instead donate vaccines to lower income nations.

With vaccination rates still low in many countries, there is a possibility that variants can form in another country then make their way into the U.S.

The Delta variant, for example, wrecked havoc in India before taking over stateside, and the rest of the world.

Mu formed in Colombia, and could potentially be a problem in the U.S. as well.

Fears over the Mu variant arise just as cases of the Delta variant began to falter in America.



Cases grew by 67 percent from August 2 to August 16, from 85,000 per day to 142,000 per day, and only 15 percent, 139,000 per day to 160,000 per day from August 17 to 31.

The slowing of case growth was a positive sign towards 2021's summer Covid surge coming to a close.

In total, more than 39.2 million cases and 640,000 COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in the United States.

America leads the world in both categories, accounting for the most of the 217 million total Covid cases and 4.5 million total deaths across the globe.
Outsourcer Bunzl has cautioned over supply chain issues in major markets

Outsourcer Bunzl has cautioned over supply chain and staff shortage issues in major markets.

Global supply woes are affecting regions such as the US, UK, Mexico and Australia. In the UK, it said: Infrastructure projects are several months behind schedule and labour and materials shortages are limiting a return to normal activity levels. Issues in the US were being mitigated thanks to its global sourcing programmes.

Bunzl posted a 12.3pc rise in statutory pre-tax profits to 275.7m for the six months to June 30. Revenues lifted 0.4pc to 4.9bn, a 6.3pc rise with currency impacts stripped out.
Shares in Rolls-Royce wobbled after the engineering giant's largest investor attacked its management.

Jonathan Eng, portfolio manager at American firm Causeway Capital, said he would urge incoming chairman Anita Frew to consider shaking up the plane engine maker's top team.

Los Angeles-based Causeway has built up its stake to around 9pc, suggesting it is bedding in for the long-haul. It comes a year another American activist investor, Value Act Capital, ditched its holding.

Shares in Rolls-Royce wobbled after the engineering giant's largest investor attacked its management

Eng said he will be asking Frew: 'Do we have the right people now that will ask questions when sticky situations come up, because they will come up?'

Frew takes over from chairman Sir Ian Davis in October, giving the management a bit of time to prepare a case. Though Eng did not name names, chief executive Warren East is likely to be feeling the pressure.

Rolls is the most prestigious British engineering group but it had been struggling for years with a bloated middle management and unsuccessful restructurings. To respond to Covid, which wiped out its major source of income maintaining plane engines, East last year launched a third turnaround programme in five years.

It is taking its time to pay off though plans to sell 2bn of businesses have made progress Rolls fell 1.6pc, or 1.88p, to 114.86p, as investors digested Eng's comments, made on Monday.

Worries are rising about whether international travel will be hit by the spread of the Delta variant, heightened by the EU move to restrict travel from the US. British Airways owner IAG fell 2.5pc, or 4.16p, to 159.36p

Another engineer, mining specialist Weir, made gains following an upgrade from brokers at Peel Hunt. Analysts moved its rating to 'buy' from 'hold' and upped the target price on the 150-year-old company's stock to 2250p, a whopping jump from the previous guidance of 860p.

They said a recent drop in the price provides a 'great opportunity' and that it was a consistently good performer. It rose 3.8pc, or 64p, to 1751.5p. Airline stocks dragged on the wider market.

STOCK WATCH: Renalytix Diagnostics group Renalytix shot higher after it added an industry veteran to its board. The US company makes artificial intelligence technology that can identify which diabetic kidney disease patients will be most at risk of developing a serious form of the illness or even kidney failure. Daniel Levangie, who has extensive experience in medical devices and investment firms, joins as Renalytix tries to grow rapidly in the US. Shares in Renalytix, which is included in the AIM100 index of the biggest firms on the junior market, jumped 14.1pc, or 130p, to 1050p.

The Footsie fell 0.4pc, or 28.31 points, to 7119.70, though the FTSE250 rose 0.18pc, or 42.47 points, to 24,102.19. Worries are rising about whether international travel will be hit by the spread of the Delta variant, heightened by the EU move to restrict travel from the US.

This put a dampener on an upbeat outlook from Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary, who predicted a 'strong recovery' and that it will return to pre-Covid passenger numbers by October  if there are no pandemic-related setbacks. The airline ran at about 80pc capacity in August and expects to be at 90pc in September. O'Leary said it was even considering adding Boeing planes to its fleet.

This sentiment was shared by Jet2, which yesterday placed its first order for Airbus planes, buying 36. British Airways owner IAG fell 2.5pc, or 4.16p, to 159.36p, Wizz Air by 2.5pc, or 125p, to 4860p, Easyjet by 1.6pc, or 13p, to 796p, while Ryanair fell 2.8pc, or 46 cents, to 15.86 euros, and Jet2 by 0.7pc, or 7.5p, to 1154p despite their news. Oil prices also lagged on concerns about the Delta strain and a meeting of the Opec+ oil cartel today.

Some ministers have indicated the group, which includes countries such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Russia, could increase production further, risking a glut of oil. Brent crude fell 0.6pc to $73 a barrel, sealing its worst month so far this year in August. Renewable power infrastructure investor Trig (down 2.2pc, or 2.8p, to 125.8p) announced plans to sell more shares to investors to pay down debt and fund a potential takeover of some solar energy assets.

They will be priced at 124p and around 195m have already been sold so far. AIM-listed Futura Medical rose 5pc, or 1.9p, to 40p, after it signed a deal to sell its fast-acting erectile dysfunction gel in Mexico and Brazil. Latin American group M8 will distribute the gel.
WH Smith shares tumbled more than 5 per cent this morning after the company issued a mild profit warning for the new financial year.

The retailer said that 2022 profits are likely to be at the lower end of expectations due to uncertainty over the travel sector and accounting finance charges linked to a bond issue.

Since it has stores in train stations, airports and on the high street, WH Smith has been hammered by the pandemic, with total sales in the last six months still at 65 per cent of what they were before Covid struck.

Good and bad: WH Smith reported a gradual improvement in sales in July and August, but still expects profits for 2022 to be lower than previously forecast amid continued uncertainty

While that's an improvement on the previous six months - with the recovery in sales accelerating in recent weeks thanks to an easing of travel restrictions - it only expects revenues to return to pre-Covid levels in the next two to three years.

It said sales at its stores in airports and train stations improved in the last eight weeks to 64 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

Meanwhile, sales at its high street stores were at 84 per cent of pre-Covid levels in the last eight weeks, a touch down compared to 85 per cent over the whole second half of its financial year.

Overall, group sales in the most recent eight weeks have showed some improvement, rising to 71 per cent of 2019 levels.

'As expected, in UK Travel, passenger numbers remain significantly down versus 2019 levels, however we have continued to see a gradual recovery in sales as restrictions have eased throughout July and August,' the company said.

But it also said that the trajectory of the recovery in travel 'remains uncertain', and as such, it expects that levels of profitability for the year to August 2022 to be 'at the lower end of market expectations'.

Shares in WH Smith tumbled 5.4 per cent to 15.44 in morning trading, making it the top faller in the FTSE 250 index.

Although the stock has recovered from last year's lows, it still remains around 20 per cent lower than in March last year, before the start of the pandemic.

Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: 'It seems that current market forecasts out to August 2022 might have been too optimistic about how much money it might earn.

'WH Smiths travel outlets are fueled by both domestic and foreign travellers and so it is impossible to judge its earnings potential simply by looking at how many countries are on the UKs green list.

'Under the circumstances, WH Smith still seems to be holding up quite well and in the bigger scheme of things, todays profit setback is not a sign of a business in trouble.'

Despite the uncertainty caused by Covid, the company said it will grow its UK travel arm, with plans for four more stores in Scottish airports.

In July, it announced the purchase of a slew of former Dixons Travel outlets in UK airports to expand its InMotion brand.

Its North American business performed 'well' over the past two months, with sales in July and August at 93 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
A mother-of-five has explained why she smuggled her own mum into Queensland hidden in a car boot in breach of Covid restrictions.

Zowie Burford told the wild story of the at least 1,850km drive from Adelaide that earned Paula, 49, the nickname 'boot bandit' in a lengthy video.

She said the illegal trip was a mercy dash to bring her sick, homeless mother to her town of Warwick in southeast Queensland for 'possible cancer' treatment because the waitlist was too long in South Australia.

The pair unsuccessfully tried to evade police checkpoints and eventually returned to Warwick on foot through 'swamps' at night - but not before her mum tried to cross the border in the boot of their Commodore.

Paula Burford, 49, was found tucked away underneath blankets in the boot of a vehicle which was being towed by a flat-back truck

Ms Burford claimed the dramatic caper earned her so much notoriety than she and her five children - aged one, three, four, five, and 15 - were kicked out of their Warwick rental property and made homeless.

The bizarre moment that police found Paula Burford in the Commodore's boot on August 18 was captured on police bodycam at a Covid border checkpoint in Goondiwindi, about 350km southwest of Brisbane.

At the time, Queensland police said it was the third time the woman was caught trying to smuggle herself into the state.

Footage of the extraordinary discovery shows an officer inspect the vehicle and quickly realise something is wrong.

'There is someone in the back here mate,' he said to male driver of the tow truck. 'Jump out.'

Ms Burford posted her video online on Tuesday owning up to the pair's exploits in an effort to quieten 'the haters' and to describe the severe consequences she claims to have faced.

'Hi everyone my name is Zowie I am the daughter of "boot bandit", Paula,' she began.

'On July 28 I flew over from Brisbane to Adelaide - I'm from Warwick - because my mum was homeless, and for severe medical reasons.'

Her daughter Zowie Burford detailed the wild road trip that led to her mother hiding in a car boot to cross the border in a youtube video on Tuesday

Ms Burford claimed her mum had been on a waiting list for medical tests for 'possible cancer' for three months.

'She was concerned about wait times in South Australia, she had lost about 13kg and the blood tests had ruled out an infection,' she said.

She intended to bring her mother back to Queensland as she was so unwell she was bleeding from her anus.

'I'm not on normal TV, it's always Netflix for the kids... so I was unaware that I couldn't come back into Queensland,' she said.

Ms Burford's rambling video defence of her and her mother jumps to their attempt to cross back into Queensland in Goondiwindi.

'So we were stopped at Goondiwindi border... we ended up sleeping in the car that night,' she explained.

She said 'her dying grandfather' paid for three nights accommodation in nearby Moree, while the pair tried to work out what to do.

Covid border-hopper Paula Burford (pictured) was been booted from the Sunshine State after being caught by police hiding in the boot of her car

The bizarre moment that police found Paula Burford in the Commodore's boot on August 18 was captured on police bodycam at a Covid border checkpoint at Goondiwindi

She claimed in that time to have received permission from local police and health authorities to cross the border, given her circumstances.

Ms Burford and her mum then managed to find a 'Christian couple' to put them up in a train carriage on their property for three weeks - before they again tried to cross the border in mid-August.

They were pulled over by local police after driving through Goondiwindi and ordered to go back to NSW.

At this point, Ms Burford claims she got out of her mother's car and decided to walk the remaining distance home to Warwick.

This is very unlikely as it is a distance of almost 200km and would take 39 hours of non-stop walking.

'I said mum let me out I don't care any more I'm sick of this,' she said.

'I went through swamps, paddocks [past] wild boars and I'm petrified of the dark. All I cared about was to wake up to my children.'

Paula Burford received two fines from the Queensland police for her efforts to get into Queensland

Once home, she hatched a new plan to get her mum into Queensland.

'I got home and ended up paying for my mum's stuff to be towed on a trailer by a tow truck,' Ms Burford said.

'I told mum to hide in the boot. I just wanted to get her here. They found her in the boot as you all know.'

Paula was ordered out of the boot and received her first $4,135 fine for failing to comply with a public health direction - and again returned to NSW.

Like her daughter had, Paula trekked through paddocks to cross the border through farmland.

Her daughter picked her up and the pair drove to Warwick.

'I picked her up, brought her home and she was later found at my house,' Ms Burford said.

'She was not arrested but they handcuffed her to take her out of the house and fined her and put her in isolation.'

Queensland police take away Mrs Burford's car on August 18

Paula was ordered to appear in the Warwick Magistrates Court where received a second $4,135 fine.

'My house was all over the news so my landlord has now kicked me out cos my lease was due for renewal so now I'm gonna be homeless with five children,' Ms Burford said in the video.

Ms Burford claimed she knows several people allowed to drive interstate and return to Queensland at the same time and that her treatment was harsh.

'I've done everything asked of me and this is how its turned out, me homeless in two months and my mum having an $8,000 fine - yes that's probably our own fault, I understand that,' she said.

Ms Burford closed her video saying: 'Everyone stay safe and don't do what I've done.'

Paula Burford is believed to be back home in South Australia.
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Louisianans were left to wander the streets for food and ice on Tuesday, as 650,000 people remained without access to clean water and more than a million did not have electricity for two days after Hurricane Ida battered the Gulf Coast.

They scavenged the area for ice, food and cash, the Wall Street Journal reports, as credit cards were unusable.

But unfortunately for them, much of the ice had already melted away in the end-of-summer heat, as many restaurants remained closed and ATMs were drained of their cash.

Looting was running rampant in the area after Hurricane Ida slammed Louisiana with 150 mph winds and caused extensive flooding. It is now moving into the northeast, where it is expected to once again bring heavy rains and flooding.

Many in Louisiana have since had to swelter in the heat with no electricity, no tap water, very little gasoline and no clear idea of when things might improve.

Long lines that wrapped around the block formed at the few gas stations that had fuel and generator power to pump it. People cleared rotting food out of refrigerators. Neighbors shared generators and borrowed buckets of swimming pool water to bathe or to flush toilets.

Others used generators, raising concerns about carbon monoxide poisoning, with Our Lady of the Lake hospital in Baton Rouge reporting on Tuesday afternoon that it had already treated more than a dozen people for carbon monoxide poisoning, spokesman Ryan Cross said, while the hospitals relied on generators and water reserves.

'We have a lot of work ahead of us and no one is under the illusion that this is going to be a short process,' Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said as the cleanup and rebuilding began across the soggy region in the oppressive late-summer heat.

New Orleans and the rest of the region were under a heat advisory, with forecasters saying the combination of high temperatures and humidity could make it feel like 106 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday.

Some power was returned to parts of New Orleans early Wednesday morning, but nearly one million people in the state continued to be in the dark, and do not know when their suffering will end.

Volunteers with the Cajun Navy Ground Forces pass out relief supplies for people affected by Hurricane Ida in Houma, Louisiana on Tuesday as thousands were left without electricity

Some people in New Orleans were left scavenging the streets for ice, food and water on Tuesday

New Orleans residents lined up for food and ice at one of the city's distribution centers on Wednesday

Julie Allmand, left, and her brother Raymond Hanks, line up for fuel with shopping carts filled with tanks in Belle Chasse, Louisiana on Wednesday, as officials remain unsure when power will be restored

People wait in a long line for supplies at sunrise outside of Home Depot on Wednesday in Hammond, Louisiana

Shadiamond Hite holds one-year-old I'lyn as they wait in line to pick up relief supplies being distributed by volunteers

Eugenia Washington and Isaac Bourgeois, together with their dog Phebi, waited at a gas station in New Orleans for a gas truck to show up for five hours on Tuesday

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, people wait in line for gas in New Orleans

People wait in line at a convenience store in New Orleans as thousands of people remained without power in the city on Tuesday

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the city was focused on providing assistance for the residents who were unable to escape the storm.

Officials have announced seven places around the city where people could get a meal and sit in air conditioning.

The city was also using 70 transit buses as cooling sites and will have drive-thru food, water and ice distribution locations set up on Wednesday, Cantrell said. Edwards said state officials also were working to set up distribution locations in other areas.

Trucks stocked with food and supplies were staged in Tangipahoa Parish, north of New Orleans, and the National Guard planned to set up at least nine distribution sites on Tuesday in the affected areas.

Supplies including 3.4 million meals, 2.4 million liters of water and 35,700 tarps were sent to the area before the storm, and more than 3,600 FEMA employees were deployed to Louisiana, Mississippi and neighboring states to help with relief efforts as Army Corps of Engineers employees set up power restoration teams.

There were 13 urban search and rescue teams working in Louisiana, which had also deployed more than 5,100 Louisiana National Guard service members to the area in the days before the hurricane struck.

As of Tuesday morning, the crews had rescued 359 people across five parishes.

Caryn Vonblankenburgsiegfried, a volunteer with the Cajun Navy Ground Forces, packages relief supplies for people affected by Hurricane Ida in Houma, Louisiana

People wait in line to buy supplies at a Dollar Store that opened despite having no power following Hurricane Ida

Residents carried their own oil tanks as they lined up for fuel in Belle Chasse, Louisiana on Wednesday

New Orleans residents lined up around a block to get food and water on Wednesday

Workers remove a tree that toppled over onto the roof of a home in Houma

People walk across the deck of a home severely damaged by Hurricane Ida on August 31, 2021 in Montegut, Louisiana

Dewayne Pellegrin a bowling alley mechanic, cleans up the heavily damaged Bowl South of Louisiana on Tuesday after Ida swept through with 150 mph winds

Still, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell ordered a nighttime curfew Tuesday, calling it an effort to prevent crime after Hurricane Ida devastated the power system and left the city in darkness. Police Chief Shaun Ferguson said there had been some arrests for stealing.

And although some lights were back on Wednesday, Entergy didn't immediately say how many homes and business had electricity restored. A company statement said reconnecting all of New Orleans 'will still take time given the significant damage' to the city's power grid.

The company said it was looking to first restore power to 'critical infrastructure' such as hospitals, nursing homes and first responders.

According to PowerOutage.us, which tracks power outages across the country, nearly one million people in Louisiana remained without power on Wednesday morning, with more than 36,000 reporting power outages in nearby Mississippi.

Cantrell acknowledged frustration in the days ahead.

'We know its hot. We know we do not have any power, and that continues to be a priority,' she told a news conference.

More than 1 million homes and businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi - including all of New Orleans - were left without power when Ida slammed the electric grid on Sunday with its 150 mph winds, toppling a major transmission tower and knocking out thousands of miles of lines and hundreds of substations.

It died down as it passed over inland Mississippi. It is now considered a tropical depression as it is headed to the Mid-Atlantic region across southern New York and into New England, where it could bring potentially deadly and damaging flash floods.

'Five inches of rain doesn't happen in this region very often,' CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller said. 'We could easily see some deadly flash floods like we saw in Tennessee last week.'

The Maldonado family travel by boat to their home after it flooded during Hurricane Ida in Barataria, Louisiana

Damaged boats are seen in Grand Isle, a barrier island that was destroyed in the hurricane

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Patricia Rodrigue looks over the damage to her house on Tuesday in Houma, Louisiana

member of the Maldonado family walks through the home after it flooded during Hurricane Ida

Marlon Maldonado helps his wife and child into a boat to travel to their home

Vehicles waited in line off Interstate 55 to get gas in McComb, Mississippi, where people from various parts of southeastern Louisiana and local residents flocked to get gas

Louisianans stopped at a fueling station along Interstate 12 on Wednesday to fill up their tanks for their cars and generators

An estimated 25,000-plus utility workers labored to restore electricity in Louisiana following the storm, but officials said it could take weeks.

With water treatment plants overwhelmed by floodwaters or crippled by power outages, some places were also facing shortages of drinking water. About 441,000 people in 17 parishes had no water, and an additional 319,000 were under boil-water advisories, federal officials said.

Officials warned residents of Jefferson Parish, encompassing suburbs west and south of New Orleans, it could be up to 21 days before power is restored in the area. They also said it could be five days until the water and sewer system is up and running, according to the Wall Street Journal, prompting many residents who decided to ride out the storm to leave.

Some would stay with family out of state, while others searched the available hotel rooms hours from the city.

On Tuesday, traffic on Interstates 10 and 59 east of New Orleans was predominantly flowing out of the city, with vehicles filled with people trying to leave - some of whom lugged gas tanks, clothing and children's bikes strapped to the back.

Tulane University, in the Big Easy, also began evacuating some students to Houston, Texas early Tuesday, as classes remain canceled through September 12. Once the classes resume, they will be online through at least October 6.

The first buses carrying students left at 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to Chron, and any student who was unable to evacuate were able to stay with staff who live in the Bayou City. Emergency funds were also made available for those who needed help getting out.

The university had asked its students to shelter in place on campus as the storm approached the Gulf Coast, and later received backlash on Twitter after claiming the storm made a sudden, unpredicted turn towards the city - even though models days out predicted New Orleans would be slammed by the storm.

It is unclear how many people were in the city during the storm on Sunday, but roughly 582,000 people were able to evacuate from New Orleans and the surrounding parishes in the three days before the storm, according to a tweet from Shawn Wilson, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation, citing an analysis of cellphone and other technology ping data.

A power company employee works on a line in Houma, Louisiana

A group of international Tulane University students are dropped off at the downtown Hyatt in Houston after evacuating New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida on Tuesday

The first buses left Tulane University at around 10 a.m. Tuesday, after school officials told students to shelter in place

The university claimed on Sunday that the storm made a sudden turn into New Orleans, despite projections a few days before showing that the Big Easy would get slammed in the hurricane

The number of deaths climbed to at least six, after two contract workers with Alabama Power were electrocuted while working on storm restoration just before noon on Tuesday.

Jefferson County Coroner William Yates said they died when they 'came in contact with an energized power line.'

The victims have been identified as Eli Nathaniel Babb and Layton River Ellison, both 19 year olds who worked with Pike Electric, which does contract work with Alabama Power. The company said it will continue to investigate the incident, but an official cause of death may take four to six weeks to determine.

Two others were killed Monday night when seven vehicles plunged into a 20-foot-deep hole near Lucedale, Mississippi, where a highway had collapsed after torrential rains.

Among the crash victims was Kent Brown, a 'well-liked' 49-year-old father of two, his brother Keith Brown said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. Keith Brown said his brother was in construction but had been out of work for a while. He didnt know where his brother was headed when the crash happened.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has said he expects the death toll to rise.

Meanwhile, experts say storm surges from the storm could have caused $15 to $20 billion in insured losses across Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, according to the Wall Street Journal, with California-based Core Logic projecting 941,392 homes are at risk of damage.

In a worst-case scenario in which all of those homes are completely destroyed, Core Logic officials said, it could cost $220.4 billion to rebuild

Allstate has reported that it had set up multiple mobile claim centers in Alabama and Texas, with personnel ready to move into Louisiana and Mississippi ready to move into the area when it is safe and assess the damage.

'We're out of the way, safe, but close enough to quickly get to our customers and heavily-damaged communities, as soon as Ida moves out,' Jerry Samson, senior manager of response for Allstate's national catastrophe team, told the Journal.

Police officers clear out cars and people who have been waiting for hours for a gas truck to show up at a gas station, as the city curfew takes effect on Tuesday night, forcing some people to leave without the precious oil

Ochsner Baptist Medical Center can be seen with power as the surrounding streets remain dark. The hospitals are running on generator power and are relying on water reserves

Damage is seen at St Stephen's Elementary School as schools throughout Louisiana remain closed indefinitely

A view of the entrance of the emergency room of Ochsner - Baptist health center in New Orleans

The barrier island of Grand Isle, which bore Ida's full fury, is now 'uninhabitable,' with every building damaged, Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said at a news conference Tuesday. There are also numerous breaks in the levee system and a strong odor of natural gas, she said.

Police Chief Scooter Resweber said he was 'amazed that no one was killed or even seriously injured.'

About half of the properties on the island of about 1,400 people were heavily damaged or destroyed, and the main roadway was nearly completely covered in sand brought in from the tidal surge.

'Ive ridden out other hurricanes: Hurricane Isaac, Katrina, Gustav, Ike. ... This is the worst,' Resweber said.

In Slidell, crews searched for a 71-year-old man who was attacked by an alligator that tore off his arm as he walked through Ida's floodwaters. His wife pulled him to the steps of the home and paddled away to get help, but when she returned, he was gone, authorities said.

In New Orleans, drivers lined up for roughly a quarter-mile, waiting to get into a Costco that was one of the few spots in the city with gasoline. At other gas stations, motorists occasionally pulled up to the pumps, saw the handles covered in plastic bags and drove off.

Renell Debose spent a week suffering in the New Orleans Superdome after 2005s Hurricane Katrina, which killed 1,800 people and left the city nearly uninhabitable. She said she is willing to give it a few days without electricity, but no more than that.

'I love my city. Im built for this. But I cant make it without any air conditioning,' she said.

Michael Pinkrah used his dwindling fuel to find food. He cradled his 3-week-old son in the back seat of an SUV and his 2-year-old daughter played in the front seat as his wife stood in a long line in the sweltering heat to get into one of the few grocery stores open in the city.

Pinkrah said he and his wife thought about evacuating but couldn't find a hotel room. They found out about the open store through social media. But even that link was tenuous.

'We cant charge our electronic devices to keep in contact with people. And without that, all of the communication just fails,' he said.

The New Orleans airport, closed since the storm hit, planned to reopen Wednesday for 'very limited' flights, an airport statement said. Only American Airlines had flights scheduled Wednesday, but officials 'hope for more normal operations later in the week,' it said.

Meanwhile, in hard-hit Houma, the dismal reality of life without air conditioning, refrigeration or other more basic supplies began to sink in.

'Our desperate need right now is tarps, gasoline for generators, food, water,' pastor Chad Ducote said. He said a church group from Mississippi arrived with food and supplies, and neighbors came to his pool to scoop up buckets of water.

'The people down here are just doing what they can. They dont have anything,' he said.

An aerial image shows the 17th Street Canal Floodwall, the largest and most important drainage canal in New Orleans

A rescue flight surveyed the damage on Grand Isle on Tuesday and rescued survivors

Experts say the damage from the hurricane could cost insurance companies $15 - $20 billion

Adding to the misery was the steamy weather.

A heat advisory was issued for New Orleans and the rest of the region, with forecasters saying the combination of high temperatures and humidity could make it feel like 105 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday and 106 on Wednesday.

Cynthia Andrews couldn't go back to her New Orleans home if she wanted to. She was in a wheelchair, tethered by a power cord to the generator system running the elevators and hallway lights at the Le Meridien hotel.

When the power went out Sunday, the machine that helps Andrews breathe after a lung collapse in 2018 stopped working. The hotel let her stay in the lobby, giving her a cot after she spent nearly a whole night in her wheelchair.

'It was so scary, but as long as this thing keeps running, Ill be OK,' she said.
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The Taliban have seized an air force worth tens of millions of pounds, including US-bought helicopters and attack planes, giving them more aerial firepower than many Nato members.

Over the last few months, the jihadists have captured 10 major airfields from Bagram to Mazar-i-Sharif, and today took to the skies in a $6 million Black Hawk helicopter in their fight against the resistance in the Panjshir Valley.

Taliban chiefs are reported to have ordered their troops to hunt down pilots from the disbanded Afghan Air Force, who received expensive training from the US and its allies to fly high-tech warplanes and choppers.

Without those pilots, flying such sophisticated aircraft is near-impossible for an amateur - but several videos of airborne terrorists suggest they must have recruited some renegade wingmen.

Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul was seized on Tuesday by triumphant jihadists who were seen clambering into the cockpit of a $14 million Hercules transport jet - albeit clearly tilting over, suggesting its wheels were bust.

The Afghan Air Force was operating 167 aircraft, including 108 helicopters and 59 planes, according to an official U.S. government inspection on June 30.

Before Kabul fell, Uzbekistan confirmed that 46 Afghan aircraft, including 24 helicopters, had arrived in the country in order to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Taliban.

The commander of the US evacuation mission, Gen. Frank McKenzie, said American troops disabled 73 aircraft before finally leaving the country on Monday night.

Photos showed propellers and guns removed from planes and helicopters, while other aircraft lay with their fuselages directly on the tarmac, having had their wheels stripped away rendering them inoperable.

That leaves as many as 48 aircraft seized by the Taliban, although it is unclear what the breakdown is in terms of planes and helicopters, or what condition these aircraft might be in. Many were built in the 1980s and will need constant servicing and parts to make sure they are airworthy, let alone capable of combat.

Nevertheless, if the Islamists have that many operational aircraft, it gives them more air power than 10 of the 30 Nato members, namely: Albania, Bosnia, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Slovenia.

The Taliban are believed to have got hold of as many as 48 aircraft which the US and its allies were either unable to disable or fly overseas. This means that the terrorists have an air force which is greater in number than that of 10 Nato countries

A US-made $6 million UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is seen flying over a convoy of Taliban fighters on its way to join the fight against the resistance in the Panjshir Valley on Wednesday

A Taliban fighter poses in the cockpit of a C-130 Hercules transport plane that was left behind during the evacuation

An A-29 attack plane is surrounded by kit left behind by western forces as they retreated from Kabul airport

A-29 attack planes which appear largely intact are seen alongside a huge amount of western body armour and tactical helmets left behind by retreating troops

At the top of the Nato tree is the United States with more than 13,000 aircraft, followed by France with 1,057, Turkey with 1,056, Italy with 876 and the United Kingdom with 738.

It is unclear how many former pilots the Taliban have been able to recruit, however, a video which emerged on social media this month showed a group of militants flying in a Russian-made Mi-17 chopper.

Another today, showed a Black Hawk heading to the contested Panjshir Valley north of Kabul where the country's last stand is being fought by the Northern Alliance resistance fighters.

Aviation sources say it is unlikely that an amateur would be able to get such a helicopter off the ground, let alone be able to land it.

In addition, these aircraft - many of them dating back to the 1980s - will need expert mechanical care and new parts to keep them airborne.

And even then, the Taliban will need to provide funds to arm the aircraft, with the cost of bullets aside, the price of precision-guided missiles becomes exorbitant - particularly for a ragtag government without the means to feed its starving populace.

According to the June 30 tally by the US-based Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Sigar), the Afghan Air Force had 43 MD-530 helicopters, 33 Black Hawks, 32 Mi-17s, 33 C-208 propeller planes, 23 A-19 turboprop light attack planes and 3 Hercules C-130s.

Taliban fighters driving in US-made armoured cars through the streets of Kandahar, the terror group's de-facto capital

Footage uploaded to social media shows Taliban fighters driving armored vehicles through Kandahar after vanquishing the US-backed Afghan National Army

Soviet-era tanks are filmed by advancing Taliban fighters. The Russians fought in Afghanistan in the 1980s and also left behind some of their hardware

A Taliban fighter filmed an array of Soviet-era tanks. It's unclear what military worth, if any, the vehicles still have

Although many of the planes were flown away before the runways were seized, satellite imagery revealed that not all of them made it.

Analysis of satellite images commissioned by the BBC revealed that six days after Kandahar airport was captured by the Taliban, there were five aircraft - at least two MI-17s choppers, two Black Hawks and a third unidentified helicopter.

Around a month before the airbase was seized, there were 16 aircraft spotted - including nine Black Hawks, two MI-17s and five fixed-wing planes.

The aircraft were either flown to other runways in the country or shifted overseas.

A-29 light attack plane A-29 attack plane Manufacturer: Embraer (Brazil) First flight: 1999 Role: Low-cost attack plane armed with precision guided missiles for low-threat environments. Crew: 2 Length: 37 ft 4 in Wingspan: 36ft 7in Max takeoff weight: 11,905 lb Max speed: 370 mph Range: 1,744 miles Service ceiling: 35,000ft Armament: Guns: Internal 12.7mm machine guns, wing-mounted machine guns. Rockets: Air-to-air missiles (Sidewinder, Piranha, Python), air-to-ground missiles (AGM-65 Maverick, Roketsan Cirit). Bombs: Incendiary (BINC-300), cluster (BLG-252) and precision guided bombs (Lizard, Griffin, Paveway II). Advertisement

C-130 Hercules C-130 Hercules Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin (USA) First flight: 1954 Role: Originally designed for troop, medevac and cargo transport. Other roles as a gunship (AC-130) for air assaults, search and rescue, reconnaissance and aerial refueling have been utilised. Crew: 5 Length: 97 ft 9 in Wingspan: 132 ft 7 in Height 38 ft Max takeoff weight: 75,800lb Max speed: 370 mph Range: 2,360 miles Maximum altitude: 40,000ft Armament: The AC-130 gunship variants can be armed with miniguns, rotary cannons, howitzers, missiles and bombs. Advertisement

Mi-17 helicopter Mi-17 helicopter Manufacturer: Soviet Union (Russia) First flight: 1975 Role: Transport helicopter, with gunship capabilities. Crew: 2 pilots, 1 engineer Length: 60 ft 7in Height: 18 ft 6 in Max takeoff weight: 28,660 lb Max speed: 170 mph Range: 500 miles Service ceiling: 20,000 ft Armament: Rockets: S-8 high explosive fragmentation rockets; Ataka anti-tank guided missiles. Guns: UPK-23-250 23mm autocannon Advertisement

C-208 plane C-208 Cessna Manufacturer: Cessna (USA) First flight: 1982 Role: Transport aircraft, widely used by civilians and also as serves a military transport role. Crew: One or two Length: 37 ft 7 in Wingspan: 52 ft 1 in Maximum landing weight: 7,800 lb Max speed: 186 kn (214 mph) Range: 1,232 miles Service ceiling: 25,000ft Armaments: N/A Advertisement

MD-540 helicopter MD-540 helicopter Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas (USA) First flight: 1976 Role: Light multifunctional chopper, can be armed with missiles, ideal for scouting missions. Crew: 2 Length: 30 ft 9 in Height: 8ft 8.5 in Max takeoff weight: 2,550 lb Max speed: 132 knots (152 mph) Range: 366 miles Hover ceiling: 8,200 ft Armament: Four TOW anti-tank missiles OR Two 7.62mm miniguns OR Four Stinger air-to-air missiles OR Mk44/Mk46 torpedoes OR two seven-shot rocked pods Advertisement

UH-60 Black Hawk UH-60 Black Hawk Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft (USA) First flight: 1974 Role: Primarily a tactical transport helicopter, later iterations have been more combat oriented. Crew: 2 pilots and 2 gunners Length: 64ft 10 in Height: 16ft 10 in Max takeoff weight: 22,000 lb Max speed: 159 knots (183 mph) Range: 1,380 miles (with extra fuel tanks) Service ceiling: 19,000 ft Armament: Guns: 2  7.62 mm (0.30 in) M240 machine guns OR 2  7.62 mm (0.30 in) M134 minigun. Rockets: Unguided (Hydra 70); laser guided (Hellfire and Stinger). Bombs: Can be equipped with VOLCANO mine clearers. Advertisement

A Taliban fighter walks past an aircraft and an assortment of other military and civilian vehicles at the airport in Kabul

A Taliban fighter takes a picture of a damaged MD 530 helicopter that was abandoned at Kabul airport by retreating troops

A Russian Mi-17 helicopter is pictured alongside Taliban fighters after it was seized from retreating western troops

A transport plane with the propeller removed is examined by Islamist fighters at Kabul airport this morning

Planes, helicopters and vehicles left behind by western forces have now fallen into the hands of the Taliban

An aerial picture of Uzbekistan's Termez airport taken on August 16 shows that there were more than 24 helicopters, including MI-17, MI-25, Black Hawks and also several A-29 light-attack and C-208 planes.

The Uzbek government has since confirmed that 46 Afghan aircraft did land in the central Asian country.

They quickly realised that they would need pilots to fly the high tech vehicles and set about actively recruiting from members of the Afghan Air Force, who received top training by the US and its allies.

Before leaving late Monday night, the US military disabled scores of aircraft and armoured vehicles as well as a high-tech rocket defence system, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie said.

A total of 73 aircraft at at Hamid Karzai International Airport were 'demilitarised', or rendered useless.

'Those aircraft will never fly again... They'll never be able to be operated by anyone,' he said. 'Most of them are non-mission capable, to begin with. But certainly, they'll never be able to be flown again.'

Two weeks ago on August 14 when the US started airlifting troops and civilians from Kabul airport, Pentagon built up a force of nearly 6,000 troops, along with 600 British soldiers, to occupy and operate the airport.

Britain and America officially ended their military presence in Afghanistan late Monday night with the final US troops flying out from Kabul's airport. Pictured: Taliban fighters from the Fateh Zwak unit, wielding American supplied weapons, equipment and uniforms, storm into the Kabul International Airport

A helicopter at Kabul airport with its guns stripped away

Helicopters at Kabul airport after being disabled by the retreating US forces

Taliban posing with a Brazilian-made Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano light attack plane at seized Mazer-i-Sharif airport earlier this month

Taliban fighters with a seized Hughes OH-6 Cayuse 'Loach' helicopter at Mazer-i-Sharif airport. The Loach was introduced into the US Army in the late 1960s

Once the evacuation process ended, around 70 MRAP armoured tactical vehicles, which can cost up to $1m a piece, were disabled before leaving, along with 27 Humvees. 'The vehicles will never be used again by anyone,' he said.

The US also left behind the C-RAM system -- counter rocket, artillery, and mortar -- that was used to protect the airport from rocket attacks.

The system helped fend off a five-rocket barrage from the Islamic State on Monday.

'We elected to keep those systems in operation up until the very last minute,' before the last US aircraft left, McKenzie said.

'It's a complex procedure and time-intensive procedure to break down those systems. So we demilitarize those systems so that they'll never be used again.'

Elsewhere in the passenger terminal of the airport, there appeared wanton destruction, with offices trashed and seating destroyed, but it was not clear whether that damage predated the arrival of the US and British troops.
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As night began to fall on 31 August, 1939, a small, hand-picked team of SS troops crept into the then German city of Gleiwitz.

Disguised as Polish saboteurs, their mission was to launch an attack on the city's main radio station to give Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler a justification for invading Poland.

It was part of what was codenamed Operation Himmler - the false flag attacks carried out by the Fuhrer's military intelligence service the Abwehr, along with the feared SS and the Gestapo to give the impression of Polish aggression towards Germany.

Entering through the back door, they locked three technicians into the basement before broadcasting a short message in Polish saying: 'Attention! This is Gliwice. The broadcasting station is in Polish hands.'

To make the raid seem more convincing, German concentration camp prisoners dressed in Polish army uniforms were given lethal injections and then shot in the face to avoid identification.

Their corpses were later shown to journalists as 'proof' of Polish provocation.

Within hours, the incident was being reported across Germany, where it was picked up by the BBC and the Reuters news agency.

A few hours later, the German battleship SMS Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on the Westerplatte peninsula, on what is now Poland's Bay of Gdansk. At the same time, 29 German Stuka dive bombers hit the small Polish town of Wielun.

Hitler had been set to invade Germany's neighbour in August but wavered when Britain signed the Common Defence Pact with Poland, which committed it to guarantee its independence in the face of Nazi aggression.

When the attack took place anyway, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain - who had seen his attempts to avoid war with Germany via the 1938 Munich Agreement end in failure - issued an ultimatum: cease the operation or face war.

It was when Germany pressed ahead with the attack - during which Polish forces heroically held out for seven days before finally surrendering - that Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3.

It led to a six-year conflict which tore Europe apart and left 70 million people dead.

As night fell on 31 August, 1939, a small, hand-picked team of SS troops crept into the then German city of Gleiwitz. Disguised as Polish saboteurs, their mission was to launch an attack on the city's main radio station to give Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler a justification for invading Poland. Above: German concentration camp prisoners were killed by lethal injection before being shot in the face so they could not be identified and then dressed in Polish army uniforms to make them look like saboteurs

Entering through the back door, they locked three technicians into the basement before broadcasting a short message in Polish saying: 'Attention! This is Gliwice. The broadcasting station is in Polish hands'. Above: Gleiwitz radio tower

The radio tower in eastern Germany, very near the border with Poland. Gleiwitz is now a Polish city

A little over two weeks before the attack on the radio station at Gleiwitz, Hitler had told the League of Nations High Commissioner: 'If there's the slightest provocation, without warning I will smash Poland into so many pieces that there will be nothing left to pick up.'

On 22 August, he told his military commanders: 'I will give propagandistic cause for the release of the war, whether convincing or not. The winner is not asked later whether he said the truth or not.'

The day before the attack, which was carried out by a seven-man team led by SS officer Alfred Naujocks, an unmarried German man with Polish nationality, Franciszek Honiok, had been arrested by the Gestapo.

Drugged before the raid, he was dressed to look like a saboteur and then shot in the back of the head and dumped at the entrance to the radio station - making it look like he had been killed during the alleged unprovoked attack.

After the Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on the Westerplatte peninsula and the planes bombed Wielun, Polish troops scrambled to counter the Nazi onslaught.

One of the first places to be targeted was the Polish post office in the centre of the Gdansk, which was then the free city of Danzig.

A few hours later, the German battleship SMS Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on the Westerplatte peninsula (above), on what is now Poland's Bay of Gdansk. At the same time, 29 German Stuka dive bombers hit the small Polish town of Wielun

The Polish army's defiant defence of Westerplatte, which saw them hold out for seven days, is still seen as a heroic symbol of resistance in the country. During the attack, Poles withstood numerous assaults, shelling from German warships and dive-bomber attacks from the skies

After the Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on the Westerplatte peninsula and the planes bombed Wielun, Polish troops scrambled to counter the Nazi onslaught. Above: Adolf Hitler observes German troops crossing the Vistula River, near Chelmno, Northern Poland, during the invasion

The city was a symbol of Polishness which was detested by Hitler after being established under the Treaty of Versailles - the agreement signed by a defeated Germany at the end of the First World War.

German troops launched a blistering attack which the heavily outnumbered and outgunned staff somehow repelled for 14 hours.

The Nazi plan was to send a force of around 150 troops on a lightning attack across all levels of the building to achieve a quick victory.

Armed with three machine guns and a handful of pistols, rifles and hand grenades, the 54 staff managed to repulse the first attack.

But, as the hours went by and the Germans intensified their attacks with support from other units, the defence began to crumble.

After 14 hours of fighting, the Poles were exhausted, wounded, cut off from the world, running out of ammunition and without electricity or water.

Among the flames, smoke and dust, post office director Jan Michon found a white towel, raised it above his head and came out of the building. He was gunned down by a volley of shots.

The killings then continued, a harbinger of the murderous brutality that was to follow Germany's occupation of Poland.

As Polish troops scrambled to counter the Nazi onslaught, a lesser-known drama was unfolding a short distance away in the main Polish post office in the centre of what is now Gdansk but was then the free city of Danzig. Above: German troops during the attack on the post office

German troops launched a blistering attack which the heavily outnumbered and outgunned staff somehow repelled for 14 hours. The Nazi plan was to send a force of around 150 troops on a lightning attack across all levels of the building to achieve a quick victory. Armed with three machine guns and a handful of pistols, rifles and hand grenades, the 54 staff managed to repulse the first attack. Above: German soldiers during the attack

As the hours went by and the Germans intensified their attacks with support from other units, the defence began to crumble. After 14 hours of fighting, the Poles were exhausted, wounded, cut off from the world, running out of ammunition and without electricity or water. Above: The workers hold their hands behind their heads as they are led away after being defeated

Of the 54 Post Office workers who tried to hold off the Nazi onslaught, only four escaped and survived the war. Above: Workers line up against a wall outside the post office, moments before they are shot

An army reserve officer called Jozef Wasik was the next to come out of the building and was promptly engulfed in a fireball from a flamethrower.

Of the Post Office workers who tried to hold off the Nazi onslaught, only four escaped and survived the war.

The others either died in the battle or were executed. Their remains were later found in a mass grave in 1991, close to where the city's airport now is.

Among the flames, smoke and dust, post office director Jan Michon found a white towel, raised it above his head and came out of the building. He was immediately gunned down by a volley of shots

One of the leaders of the execution was SS Commandant Max Pauly.

Later a commandant of the Stutthof and Neuengamme concentration camps, he was executed by hanging in 1946 after being found guilty of war crimes by the British.

As Nazi troops continued their ferocious assault on Gdansk, Poland's forces continued to hold the line from land, sea and air attacks.

British historian Roger Moorhouse, author of the book First to Fight, recently told The First News website: 'Generally, man for man, I think the Poles do better than the British and French do in 1940.

'There's certainly a will to fight, a will to defend the country, and where you have fortifications, terrain that can be utilised, they actually fight very, very effectively.

'And this was recognised by German troops as well. There are a number of incidences where German commanders say actually, these Poles are fighting very, very well.'

Two hours after the Nazis launched their first attack, German marines frantically radioed the Schleswig-Holstein to say they had taken heavy losses and were withdrawing.

Expecting the assault on Westerplatte to be over in a matter of hours, and having seriously underestimated the Polish defence, the Germans intensified their assault, bombarding the Westerplatte peninsula with naval and heavy field artillery.

Eventually, seven days after the attack began, Polish forces who had been defending Westerplatte surrendered.

A photo taken at the moment of surrender shows German commanding officer Friedrich-Georg Eberhardt saluting Poland's commander Henryk Sucharski.

Most of the post office workers who defended their building either died in battle or were executed soon after: Above: German troops during the attack

German troops are seen manning an artillery cannon near the post office in Gdansk, which was then the free city of Danzig

The heroic post office workers are seen being led away by German troops after their dogged defence of the establishment

One of the leaders of the Post Office executions SS Commandant Max Pauly - before and after his arrest. Later commandant of the Stutthof and Neuengamme concentration camps, he was executed by hanging after being found guilty of war crimes by the British at the Curio Haus in Hamburg

In 2019, the grisly remains of three Polish soldiers who died defending the Nazi onslaught was found on the Westerplatte peninsula where the first of Hitler's bombs dropped.

The skulls and chest bones had visible signs of burning and archaeologists also found various other fragments, including around 260 bones, pieces of a Polish military uniform and weapon parts.

The find was the first to be unearthed since 1963.

The German invasion of Poland came just a week after the Nazis had signed a neutrality pact with the Soviet Union.

It meant that Poland ended up being bombarded from all sides by two vastly more powerful and hostile powers  with Russian troops invading the country on September 17.

The German invasion of Poland came just a week after the Nazis had signed a neutrality pact with the Soviet Union. Above: The German battleship Schleswig-Holstein during its attack on Westerplatte

In 2019, the grisly remains of a Polish soldier who died defending the Nazi onslaught was found on the Westerplatte peninsula

Eventually, seven days after the attack began, Polish forces who had been defending Westerplatte surrendered. A photo taken at the moment of surrender shows German commanding officer Friedrich-Georg Eberhardt saluting Poland's commander Henryk Sucharski. Above: The moment of Sucharski's salute

As well as naval attacks at Westerplatte, Nazi Germany bombarded Poland on land and from the air. The German air force - the Luftwafffe - launched bombing raids on Polish cities, including the capital, Warsaw. The first assault on September 1 - operation Wasserkante - did not do as much damage as expected, because of low-lying clouds and fierce resistance from Polish fighter planes. Above: Burning grain stores in Warsaw after their attack by Nazi bomber planes

The devastating attacks on Warsaw led to the surrender of the Polish garrison on September 27 - they had endured 18 days of continuous bombing and finally surrendered at 2pm that afternoon. Above: The ruins of the Lubomirski Palace in central Warsaw

Despite the valiant resistance effort from the Polish air force, heavy losses on their side meant that within days of the start of the German attack the Polish defence became largely limited to the use of anti-aircraft guns. Above: Smoke rises from the Warsaw Citadel in the heart of the city after bombing by German planes

Historic buildings in Warsaw were destroyed by the bombs dropped by Nazy warplanes, including the Royal Castle (pictured), which dated from 1598

Chamberlain had formally guaranteed Poland's borders in the face of aggression after Hitler's forces annexed first Austria and then Czechoslovakia in 1938.

But, once Hitler had the political support of Italian dictator Mussolini, he felt he had the capability to carry out his plans and felt Britain's defence pledge would amount to little.

Ultimately, his belief did hold some weight despite Britain and France's declaration of war: both countries were unable to do anything to stop the immediate German advance because they had been entirely unprepared for the speed with which German forces swept through Poland.

Just under three weeks after the Polish capitulation at Westerplatte, the Polish capital of Warsaw fell to German forces on September 27.

Polish citizens had suffered enormously, with the bombing of the city killing up to 25,000. Millions more, including much of Poland's Jewish population who perished in the Holocaust, died throughout Germany's occupation of the country.
The head of an historic Cambridge University college has stepped down following accusations that he failed to adequately investigate a sexual abuse case.

An independent inquiry had recommended that Trinity Hall consider taking disciplinary action against its master, Dr Jeremy Morris, in relation to his handling of one allegation.

Dr Morris disputed this recommendation but thought it 'in the best interests of the College' to offer his resignation.

In a statement released today, the College confirmed his departure after seven years and thanked him for his near decade of service at Cambridge.

He had already stepped back from his duties last year while the college considered its response to issues raised in a report published by an online news website.

Revd Dr Jeremy Morris has sensationally quit his post as Master of Trinity Hall following accusations that he failed to adequately investigate a sexual abuse case

Trinity Hall said, in a statement published on its website on Tuesday: 'The college has accepted the resignation of the Master, Revd Canon Dr Jeremy Morris.

'Following allegations made in an online news site in early 2020, Trinity Hall's Governing Body agreed in March that year to commission an independent, external inquiry, led by Gemma White QC, into the college's handling of all the allegations raised.

'The inquiry report recommends that the college consider initiating disciplinary action against the Master in relation to his handling of one allegation made against a third party.

'The governing body has determined that there is a prima facie case for disciplinary action.

'The Master disputes this recommendation, noting in particular the inquiry's recognition that a number of contributors had praised his personal support for those who have raised issues of sexual abuse in specific situations.

'However, he considers that it is in the best interests of the college for him to offer his resignation, given the difficulties of the last 18 months, to enable the search for a new Master to begin.

'The college thanks Revd Canon Dr Jeremy Morris for his seven years of service to the college as its Master and for his nine years as Dean of Chapel, and wishes him well for the future.'

A revealing online news article published by Tortoise in February 2020 reported on a number of allegations being made against students and staff working within Trinity Hall (pictured)

A revealing online news article published by Tortoise in February 2020 reported on a number of allegations being made against students and staff working within Trinity Hall.

More than 500 Cambridge students, staff and alumni signed an open letter calling for Dr Morris to resign that month.

He temporarily stepped aside from duties while an internal probe, led by barrister Gemma White QC, took place, before resigning 18 months later.

In May of this year, Trinity Hall released an update on their report which revealed their Inquiry Report will include recommendations for the creation of a 'Sexual Misconduct Working Group' - including both current and former students.
A New Jersey woman calling herself the AntiVaxMomma on Instagram sold several hundred fake COVID-19 vaccination cards at $200 a pop to New York City-area jab dodgers, including people working in hospitals and nursing homes, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Jasmine Clifford, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, was charged with offering a false instrument, criminal possession of a forged instrument and conspiracy. Authorities say she sold about 250 fake vaccine cards in recent months.

For an extra $250, a second scammer would then enter a bogus card buyer's name into a New York state vaccination database, which feeds systems used to verify vaccine status at places they're required, such as concerts and sporting events, prosecutors said.

Clifford is a stripper who goes by the name '5StarJaziii' online, according to the New York Post.

Jasmine Clifford, who calls herself the AntiVaxMomma on Instagram, sold several hundred fake COVID-19 vaccination cards at $200 a pop to New York City-area jab dodgers, including people working in hospitals and nursing homes

Authorities say Clifford (pictured) sold about 250 fake vaccine cards in recent months

Clifford is a stripper who goes by the name '5StarJaziii' online. Clifford, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, was charged Tuesday with offering a false instrument, criminal possession of a forged instrument and conspiracy

Alleged co-conspirator, Nadayza Barkley, of Bellport, Long Island, worked in a medical clinic in Patchogue and was able to enter customers' details into official systems so it looked like they had received their shots, prosecutors say.

Barkley did not enter a plea an an arraignment Tuesday morning in Manhattan criminal court on charges of offering a false instrument and conspiracy. She was released without bail.

Prosecutors say Barkley entered at least 10 names into the state's vaccine database while working at a Patchogue medical clinic and received payments for her work from Clifford through the services Zelle and CashApp.

Investigators say they caught out Clifford and Barkley by posing as buyers of the vaccine cards in June.

Clifford is brought into Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday on an arrest warrant for masterminding a fake vaccine card scheme

Clifford is arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday

According to prosecutors, Clifford, a self-described online entrepreneur, started hawking forged Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination cards through her AntiVaxMomma Instagram account in May.

A New York state police investigator who became aware of the scam a few weeks later tested it by contacting Clifford to order a fake card and to be added to the state vaccine database, prosecutors said.

In July, the investigator said in court papers, he received a package containing a CDC COVID-19 vaccination card marked with the name and date of birth he provided and a cellphone screenshot showing that the information he provided had also been added to the state database.

The undercover cop paid $200 for the card, and another $250 to be entered into the state vaccination database.

For an extra $250, a second scammer would then enter a bogus card buyer's name into a New York state vaccination database, which feeds systems used to verify vaccine status at places they're required, such as concerts and sporting events

A New York state police investigator who became aware of the scam a few weeks later tested it by contacting Clifford to order a fake card and to be added to the state vaccine database

Clifford is pictured holding an envelope with court documents

A TikTok user with the handle 'tizzyent' posted images last week of an Instagram page purported to belong to Clifford, who went by the handle '5starjazziii'

The image above shows a screenshot from the Instagram account 'AntiVaxMomma' offering fake COVID-19 vaccination cards for $200 apiece

A TikTok user with the handle 'tizzyent' posted images last week of an Instagram page purported to belong to Clifford.

He said he spoke to Clifford, who told him she was making $10,000 a week through the scam.

He posted a screenshot, allegedly of the 'Antivaxmomma' Instagram account, that shows COVID-19 vaccination cards being offered for purchase for $200 each.

The 'real cards' also have 'real lot numbers' and 'real vaccination sites,' according to the screen shot.

The TikTok user also revealed that he contacted the 'Antivaxmomma' and inquired about possibly working for her.

Thirteen alleged card purchasers have also been charged, including a man who has been accused of paying to be entered in the database. Actual COVID-19 vaccines are available free of charge.

Those who were arraigned on Tuesday include Samantha Orellana, Jennifer Oramas, Mildred Andaluz, Kareem Anderson, Tiffany Martell, Jennifer Roque Caraballo, Falisha Barnes, Stephanie Gonzalez, and Vanessa Espinales.

Five more defendants are expected to be arraigned in Manhattan in the coming days.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. called on Facebook, which owns Instagram, and other tech companies to crack down on vaccine card fraudsters, saying in a statement 'the stakes are too high to tackle fake vaccination cards with whack-a-mole prosecutions.'

Nadayza Barkley is arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday. She is one of 14 people arrested as part of an alleged scheme to buy and sell fake COVID-19 vaccination forms. Prosecutors say Barkley entered at least 10 names into the state's vaccine database while working at a Patchogue medical clinic and received payments for her work from Clifford through the services Zelle and CashApp

Jennifer Roque Caraballo is arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday

Kareem Anderson (above) is one of 13 people who allegedly paid $200 for the fake COVID vaccination form

Vanessa Espinales, another alleged co-conspirator, is seen in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday

Tiffany Martell (left) and Jennifer Oramas (right) appear at their arraignments in Manhattan Criminal Court

Samantha Orellana (left) and Mildred Andaluz (right) appear at their arraignments in Manhattan on Tuesday

Several of the suspects are seen handcuffed at Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday

Facebook said that it prohibits anyone from buying or selling COVID-19 vaccine cards and that it removed Clifford's account in early August for breaking its rules.

'We will review any other accounts that might be doing the same thing,' the company said in a written statement.

'We appreciate the DA's work on this matter and will remove this content whenever we find it.'

The proliferation of fake vaccine cards is a growing concern as more places require proof of vaccination to work, eat in restaurants, and participate in day-to-day activities like going to the gym or seeing a movie.

In New York City, such a mandate is already in effect, with enforcement set to begin September 13.

According to prosecutors, Clifford, a self-described online entrepreneur, started hawking forged Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination cards (like those seen above) through her AntiVaxMomma Instagram account in May

Clifford is alleged to have offered money to those who would falsely put names into New York State's vaccination database. The image above shows the 'Excelsior Pass' app, New York State's digital vaccine passport

All public school teachers and other staffers in the city are required to get their first vaccinate dose by September 27, while the state has said it is requiring vaccines for health care workers.

Other city employees must get vaccinated or tested weekly for the virus.

Colleges and universities requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for students to attend in-person classes have raised concerns about the easy availability of fraudulent vaccine cards through online sellers.

In May, the owner of a Northern California bar was arrested after authorities say he sold made-to-order fake COVID-19 vaccination cards for $20 each.

In June, a naturopathic physician in Northern California was arrested on charges she sold fake COVID-19 treatments and vaccination cards.

This month, after two tourists were arrested for allegedly using fake vaccine cards to travel into Hawaii, Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democrat from New York, called on federal law enforcement agencies to target online sales of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and start a campaign making clear that forging them could land people in federal prison.
Grandfather Andrez Martina, 54, a four-time convicted felon, beat his grandson Andre Smith II, 12, to death with a hammer for 90 minutes on Sunday morning

A Wisconsin grandfather allegedly beat his 12-year-old grandson to death by repeatedly hitting him with a hammer for 90 minutes after finding money missing from his wallet on Sunday.

Andrez Martina, 54, is accused of bludgeoning his 12-year-old grandson Andre Smith II to death at his home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Police say Martina admitted that he 'lost control' after he woke up around 3am on Sunday to find his wallet open and money missing.

The victim, who was sleeping over at Martina's house along with an eight-year-old boy, denied taking the money and turned his pockets inside out to show they were empty, according to a criminal complaint.

Martina allegedly used a sledgehammer, mallet and coat rack to beat the child for up to 90 minutes and continued the attack even after the boy went into another bedroom to get the money.

At one point Smith managed to lock himself in the bathroom, but Martina was able to pick the lock and started beating him again, according to the complaint.

Martina allegedly started beating the boy (pictured) after he found money missing from his wallet. Even after retrieving the money (after denying it and showing his grandfather his empty pockets), Martina continued to beat the boy.

Martina reportedly told investigators that at one point he shoved the boy so hard into the wall, he left a hole behind.

Martina is a multiple time felon with previous convictions for drug dealing, according to Wisconsin Right Now.

Martina's mother, who is disabled, was home during the attack and sitting on the couch, but could not do anything to save her great-grandson due to her disability, WISN said.

She told police that she watched Smith get beaten with a hammer for an hour and half.

According to the complaint, Martina does not recall using a hammer in the attack, but admitted he lost control.

The complaint said that after beating the boy, Martina took the child into the shower and attempted to rinse off his blood.

He admitted to authorities that he knew Smith was in need of emergency medical attention at this point, and attempted to clean the blood off the boy.

The boy's grandmother Illysha McCroy was his legal guardian.

The victim was not taken to the hospital until about 9am when McCroy called her daughter and Smith's aunt Nia Moore and her boyfriend.

Smith was already unconscious by the time Moore arrived at 9am and the police were notified at 9.35am.

The Medical Examiner reported Smith's cause of death to be blunt trauma to the head and hemorrhaging near the kidneys

Both boys who were in the home were admitted to St. Joseph's Hospital in Milwaukee for injuries, where Smith was stabilized and then sent to Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin due to the severity of his injuries.

Smith was officially pronounced dead at 10.15am at the hospital.

Medical staff made life-saving attempts, but were unable to save Smith due to his injuries.

Smith's cause of death is listed as multiple blunt force injuries to the head.

The Medical Examiner for Milwaukee County found the boy had severe fractures to his skull and brain injuries, as well as hemorrhaging near the kidneys.

Martina is also accused of striking the 8-year-old brother, breaking his finger and bruising his body.

Smith and his brother were transported by Moore to St. Joseph's Hospital (pictured), where he was stabilized. He was later transported to the Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin where he was pronounced dead at 10.15am after unsuccessful life-saving attempts were made

Martina allegedly asked the boys to say over so they could get school supplies in the day, according to the Sun.

Martina is charged in Milwaukee County with five counts, including first-degree intentional homicide, physical abuse of a child, neglecting a child, physical abuse of a child, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

McCroy has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for Smith's funeral costs.

However, his mother Nakeda Martina, who was trying to gain custody of the boys at the time of Smith's death, claimed the page is fraud and that the funeral is already paid for.

She wrote in a Facebook post: 'THEY KILLED MY BABY. HIS FUNERAL IS PAID FOR. DONT DONATE TO THAT GO FUND ME. ITS FRAUD.'

She later claimed she hoped her biological father will be killed in prison, writing: 'I really hope they kill my dad in prison HE KILLED MY BABY.'
The number of US children being homeschooled has doubled since the start of the pandemic from roughly 2.5 to five million, representing 11 percent of households nationwide that are now homeschooling their children.

The reasons are varied, researchers say, but overall the shift represents a loss of faith in America's public schools systems amid the challenges presented during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a study by Bellwether Education Partners.

Black families represented the largest group moving to homeschooling, with 16 percent of households now teaching at home - up from 3.3 percent in spring 2020.

This compares to 12.1 percent of Hispanic families now homeschooling - up from 6.2 percent before the pandemic; and 9.7 percent of white families now homeschooling, up from 5.7 percent last year.

Around 8.8 percent of Asian families are homeschooling, up from 4.9 percent in Spring 2020.

Among families of other races, 11.6 percent are now homeschooled, compared to 6.2 percent before the pandemic.

The total number of children being homeschooled in the US has doubled since the start of the pandemic, from roughly 2.5 to five million

The shift is unprecedented, as parents have had a closer look at how their children are being educated, and have lost faith in the public school system

It comes as an unprecedented number of parents have been able to see how their children are being educated up close amid remote learning.

Many are finding they want more individualized learning options, Alex Spurrier, one of the authors of the Bellwether study told Axios.

For families of color, motivations include protecting their children from racism in public schools, as well as lower expectations placed on them, which can have a negative impact on performance, according to the National Home Education Research Institute. About 41 percent of homeschool families are non-white, the institute reported.

For other parents, they are dissatisfied with how race issues were being taught in public schools amid the social justice protests and the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes over the past year.

'As an African American, I didn't like the way the school was addressing some of the cultural things going on,' Torlecia Bates, a mother of three in Richmond, Virginia, who made the switch to homeschooling told Axios.

Families of color represented the largest shift to homeschooling, as racial and health anxieties have risen during the pandemic

'Someone asked me when Ill return my kids to public school and I said, "When I show up in the textbooks, and Im represented well and accurately."'

Additionally, anxiety about their children returning to full, in-person schooling in the Fall of 2021 is higher among parents of color, with 18 percent of black, 17 percent of Hispanic, and 12 percent of Asian parents saying they were either unsure about or opposed to sending their children to in-person schooling in the fall.

That is compared to just 6 percent of white parents, who are either unsure or would not send their children back to school.

The anxiety comes as an analysis of the country's 200 largest school districts indicated that 4.3million students nationwide are in districts not offering any kind of remote options in the fall, the Bellwether researchers found.

They said they expected that anxiety to rise at the Indian delta variant sends positivity rates up nationwide.

The shift to homeschooling varies across the country, with rates in Massachuestts, for example, jumping from 1.5 percent to 12.1 percent from the start of 2019-2020 school year to start of the 2020-2021 school year, according to the US census bureau.

California saw the smallest increase of homeschooling rates of just .1 percent, from 8.6 percent to 8.7 percent.

The phenomenon is not even across the country, with Massachusetts recording a 12.1 increased rate of homeschooling compared to California, which recorded a .1 percent increase

The Bellwether researchers said they expect the homeschooling phenomenon to continue, noting that 51 percent of black families and 44 percent of Hispanic families are interested in forming homeschool learning pods.

And it's not just the number of children who are being homeschooled that has increased amid the pandemic.

The past 18 months has also seen more families changing their children's schools, both in the public and private sectors.

Roughly 15 percent of families changed their children's school, a 50 percent increase from pre-pandemic levels, the Bellwether study found, and the total of 8.7 million children nationwide have switched schools

Additionally they expect that rate of switching to increase to 20 percent for the 2021-2022 school year.

Overall, education experts believe America's public school system will need to work in order to bring the students it has lost back into the fold

'Parents want greater personalization, and this seems like a trend that's here to stay,' Romy Drucker, k-12 education director at the Walton Family Foundation, told Axios.

'Schools will have to earn back the trust of parents.'
The Virginia Department of Education have been slammed for a teacher training video which instructs teachers to avoid calling the 9/11 killers 'terrorists', and to avoid promoting 'American exceptionalism' during lessons about the attacks.

The nearly two-hour long video posted on the VDOE's YouTube channel is intended to promote a 'culturally responsive and inclusive 9/11 commemoration' to guide teachers how to broach the sensitive subject 'in a way that does not cause harm.'

But the advice was blasted by some parents as 'woke-washing the 9/11 attacks', and 'hijacking history'.

The instructional video shared as part of VDOE's VA Equity webinar series was lead by American University School of Education professorial lecturer Amaarah DeCuir.

DeCuir shared her 'Webinar In's & Out's' listing ways she deems appropriate or inappropriate to teach about the events surrounding the 9/11 attacks.

She claimed that asking students to 'stand and condemn 9/11' in a performative way would be 'highly inappropriate.'

She also suggested that teachers use the word 'extremists' instead of 'terrorists' to further 'disrupt this false equivalency of Muslims and terrorism.'

'I choose to use the word extremists and I use this based on the scholarship of other scholars and activists in the community that will also use this word to describe the perpetrators of the crimes associated with 9/11,' she said.

She warned of the consequences of teaching American exceptionalism instead turning the focus to 'our shared humanity.'

The training video posted by the Virginia Department of Education (DOE) was lead by American University School of Education professorial lecturer Amaarah DeCuir (pictured)

The nearly two-hour long video comes ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and instructs teachers to avoid promoting American exceptionalism during their lessons

'We're also not going to reproduce what's understood as American exceptionalism  this understanding that America is a land at the top of a beautiful mountain and that all other countries, nations, and people are less than America,' she said.

'We're not going to reproduce notions that American history and American experiences are more significant than the experiences or histories of other people,' she continued.

'So we're going to begin with a common understanding of our shared humanity, regardless of our national, racial, linguistic or religious origins.'

DeCuir reminded teachers of the importance 'to plan our 9/11 lessons in a way that does not seek to reproduce anti-Muslim racism.'

'We're not going to reproduce a false assumption of Muslim responsibility for 9/11. We're just going to begin right there and name that there is no responsibility and therefore we're not going to use this space to try and untangle this.'

'Do not use this day to amplify the extremists themselves and don't use the day to amplify their acts on 9/11. You name what happened and that's it,' she added.

DeCuir encouraged teachers to 'extend expectations of 'equity'' to all students, humanize Muslim students, acknowledge anti-Muslim racism, and pushes them to continue to learn.

The video training advised teachers to avoid the 'false assumption of Muslim responsibility for 9/11,' anti-Muslim rhetoric, analyses of US foreign policies, and American exceptionalism.

The VDOE did not respond immediately to DailyMail.com for a comment.

Asra Nomani, of Parents Defending Education, accused the presentation of 'woke-washing the 9/11 attacks' condemning the VDOE's training goes so far as to say that 'the Virginia Department of Education is failing students  and America'

The 9/11 attacks and the occupation of Afghanistan are especially sensitive issues this month with the 20th anniversary of the horrific attacks and the botched withdrawal and evacuation of the US from Afghanistan

The comments on the video have been disabled but some Virginia parents were not appreciative of the training which comes at a very sensitive time leading up the to the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the closing out the end of America's controversial withdrawal and evacuation from Afghanistan.

Asra Nomani, vice president of strategy and investigations at Parents Defending Education, and a Virginia resident, accused the presentation of 'hijacking history' and 'woke-washing the 9/11 attacks,' in a statement to Fox News.

'As an American Muslim parent and journalist who has investigated Islamic terrorism for the past 20 years, it's offensive, immoral, unethical, manipulative and dangerous,' the statement read.

'The Virginia Department of Education is woke-washing the 9/11 attacks. Speaker Amaarah DeCuir instructs teachers to erase the fact that the 9/11 hijackers were motivated by an extremist interpretation of Islam,' she continued.

She blasted Decuir for advising 'teachers to talk about 'extremists' behind the 9/11 attacks, without identifying them as Muslim extremists or calling them out as 'terrorists.' It would be like teaching about the Holocaust without discussing Nazi Germany.'

Nomani believes 'the Virginia Department of Education is promoting a victim narrative for Muslims by instructing teachers to focus on 'anti-Muslim racism' that allegedly sprang out of 9/11.'

'The Virginia Department of Education is taking a page out of the playbook of truth-deniers within the Muslim community who don't want to own up to the real problem of Muslim extremism, but meanwhile dedicate lessons to 'white supremacy.''

'The Virginia Department of Education is failing students  and America  and needs to immediately remove this irresponsible instruction and apologize for endorsing this dangerous rewriting of history a platform,' she said.

Homeland Security Intelligence chief John Cohen warned that there is a 'heightened threat' of terrorism looking ahead to the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks

Parents Defending Education 'is a national grassroots organization working to reclaim our schools from activists imposing harmful agendas,' according to their site.

The VDOE's training video for sensitive 9/11 related lesson plans comes several weeks after the Department of homeland security released a issued a new National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin warning the public about increasingly complex and volatile threats.

DHS is looking ahead at the 'current heightened threat' as the country comes upon the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks on America.

Leading up to the 20th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11, DHS is aware of threats 'posed by domestic terrorists, individuals and groups engaged in grievance-based violence, and those inspired or motivated by foreign terrorists and other malign foreign influences.'
A young Melbourne woman has urged small business owners to apply for the $2,800 government handout instead of settling for a $750 Covid 'disaster' payment.

Events planner Ellie Cas, 21, took to TikTok to share a screenshot of the money being deposited into her account while joking she was enjoying the city's sixth lockdown.

'Bring on another lockdown, I know that sounds bad, guys, and forgive me for saying it, but that's how I feel,' she mimed in the clip.

'Ps I'd much rather be open and working for my money,' she added.

Business owner Ella Cas posted to TikTok that she had received a $2,800 payment through Victoria's Business Costs Assistance Program, paid to businesses affected by the extension of Victoria's covid lockdown

The $2,800 payment Ms Cas refers to is part of a Commonwealth and Victorian government-funded package for businesses affected by the state's Covid lockdown.

Around 95,000 businesses in metropolitan Melbourne received the automatic payment as part of the Business Costs Assistance Program, provided they were eligible.

'Follow me for more tips because I feel only rich old white men know this stuff and I want to help you gals out,' Ms Cas wrote.

The 21-year-old clarified that she ran a legitimate events planning business with an ABN that made over $70,000 a year before lockdowns.

Another person commented that they could only receive the grant if their business made a certain amount.

Ms Cas said her business had turnover 'when we're not in lockdown'.

'I don't know the specifics because my accountant applied for the grant on my behalf,' she replied.

'Follow me for more tips because I feel only rich old white men know this stuff and I want to help you gals out,' Ms Cas wrote under her post

Some of the eligibility criteria for the program under which Ms Cas accessed the money includes that the business be located within Victoria, be registered as operating in an eligible industry sector, and have incurred direct costs as a result of the July or August COVID-19 restrictions.

The amount available under the program for businesses is a substantial improvement on the covid disaster relief payment available to most people who have lost work and income due to the Victorian lockdown.

Depending on eligibility, those payments are $450 if you've lost less than 20 hours work in a week, and $750 if you've lost 20 hours or more in a week.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said yesterday that case numbers in the state remained too high for lockdown to end but that 'modest changes' to restrictions would be announced today.

He's expected to detail the case number thresholds required for Victoria to ease some restrictions and then come out of lockdown.
Five Covid-infected men who admitted they had the virus and should have been isolating have been captured hurling abuse at officers trying to enforce the law.

The group are accused of sitting at a public table on the footpath on Optimism Street in Leppington in Sydney's south-west after they were approached by police about 11:30am on Monday.

NSW Police said the men informed officers they had all tested positive to the virus in Orange, in the state's region, and were escorted back to Sydney on August 23 to self-isolate for 14 days.

In footage of the tense interaction the five maskless men stand side-by-side in the garage and begin to shout abuse at two officers on the driveway.

Five Covid-infected men who admitted they had the virus and should have been isolating have been captured hurling abuse at officers trying to enforce public health orders

'You pieces of s***t. Give us another fine and I'll see you in court. I'll f****** see you in court,' one of the five maskless men (pictured) told the attending officers

'You pieces of s***t. Give us another fine and I'll see you in court. I'll f****** see you in court,' one man told the attending officers.

'We're not doing nothing wrong, go f*** yourself, that's it.

'What the f*** is wrong with you bro, get your story straight and come back.'

Homeowner Samih Dawoud told 7NEWS the men had been sitting in his driveway shouting: 'It's my property, it says everywhere you're allowed to be on your property'.

The groups' profanity-ladened claims of innocence did little to deter officers who escorted the men home to continue their mandatory isolation.

Following inquiries, police issued all five men - aged 23, 25, 26, 31 and 32 - with $5,000 penalty infringement notices for breaches of Covid-19 public health orders.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon told reporters those ordered to self-isolate were required to stay in their homes to prevent further spread of the virus.

'It's very clear that what these gentlemen did was inconsistent with that self-isolation order,' Mr Lanyon said on Tuesday afternoon.

'It's very clear that what these gentlemen did was inconsistent with that self-isolation order,' NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon (pictured) told reporters on Tuesday

Police have been out in force recently checking drivers are adhering to travel restrictions (pictured: police check vehicles in Newtown on July 31)

The fines came as an extra 1,400 traffic and highway patrol officers were dispatched across NSW earlier this month to enforce lockdown restrictions - which include a 5km travel limit in Sydney.

When announcing the crackdown on August 14, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said over the next three weeks police would ramp up enforcement of the public health orders.

Cops on Saturday pulled over a man's black Mercedes and allegedly found illicit drugs (stock image)

Fines were increased from $1,000 to $5,000 on the spot for a breach of quarantine, along with a $5,000 on-the-spot fine for lying about a permit or to a contact tracer.

A $3,000 fine was brought in for breaching the two person exercise rule in any way and those going into regional NSW without a valid reason would be slapped with a $3,000 on the spot fine.

The 10km exercise and shopping limit was also decreased to 5km across Sydney as an additional 500 defence force troops were brought in to help.

'The fines are some of the biggest I have seen. The evidence from police on the ground that the is that people have been rorting the regional travel rules. So we see the permit system strengthened around that,' Mr Fuller said.

He added travel limits, the singles bubble, exercise and recreation were particular areas where people were flouting the rules and where police would focus efforts.

Police have issued more than 12,600 penalty infringement notices since the crackdown began, including 327 in the last week for people flouting curfew rules in the 12 LGAs of concern.
A woman caught breaching Sydney's lockdown by travelling more than 10km from home told police she could not get Lebanese food 'anywhere else'.

Police stopped the woman and several others after they were caught illegally gathering in a Bankstown park in the city's Covid-hit south-west on Tuesday.

Sydneysiders cannot travel more than 5km from their home to pick up essential supplies or exercise, which is limited to just two people.

A woman was stopped by Bankstown police on Tuesday (pictured) after she was spotted gathering with at least five others in a park in Sydney's southwest

Masks are mandatory indoor and outdoors unless exercising, and residents in Sydney's virus hotspots are only allowed an hour of outdoor exercise a day.

But the maskless woman provided a bizarre excuse to officers for breaching restrictions when she was spotted congregating in a park with at least six others - just hours after anti-lockdown protests were held nearby.

Footage posted online shows the argumentative woman telling officers it is 'unlawful' for them to ask her for proof of address as a horde of supporters standby filming the interaction.

'What? I can't talk to somebody?' she taunts.

'Listen mam, can I please just confirm your identification? We saw you interacting and congregating together in the park,' the officer responds.

'You are claiming you are exercising, but you are only allowed to exercise with one other person within the same five km radius or from your household.'

The woman tells the officers she needs them to write down their names and details first as it is their duty to serve her.

'You need to give me your name, your badge number, your station's name, and your indemnity insurance,' she said.

'This is not lawful. You work for me. You need to supply me with all of these things.'

The woman claimed it was 'unlawful' for police to ask for proof of her address as she resisted to hand over identification

After police determined she was more than 10km from home, she claimed she was exercising and picking up Lebanese food she could not get anywhere else

After continuing to argue, the woman eventually hands over identification when the officer threatens she will be arrested.

'Rosa's, in Bankstown, Lebanese food - that was the only place I could get it,' the woman says, explaining why she is more than 10km away from home.

'But you just told me you were out exercising?' the officer responds.

The woman backtracks by claiming she was on her way to get food after exercising, before police point out she has also breached the daily exercise limit for her area.

'Yes, I am now. But I am not going to get groceries and take them with me to the park,' the woman claims.

'Right, well you have had more than an hour to exercise - and right now you are more than 10km away from home,' the officer says.

'You can only exercise within 5km from home. You have committed an offence.'

The woman bickers it is not an 'indictable offence' and is just a 'directive' as the officers informs she will receive a fine in the mail.

Her fellow crusaders all cheer as the police officers walk away, vowing to have the penalty ripped up.

'Let's get it dismissed. It won't even go to court,' another woman yells.

The man filming jibes: 'Look at all of those Australian traitors. Shut your mouth. You don't even follow your own rules.'

NSW Police said several people were charged and fined in Bankstown on Tuesday but they could not confirm whether any were related to the incident in the park.

'Officers... charged three people and issued a further six infringement notices related to breaches of the public health order during protest activity in Bankstown yesterday,' it said.

'We cannot confirm if any of these charges or infringements relate to the video in question.'

While it is unclear what and how many fines the woman was issued, those caught breaching the two-person exercise rule in any way can be slapped with a $3,000 on the spot fine.

Failing to wear or carry a mask when required carries a $500 penalty, while those caught breaching public health orders, such as travel restrictions, can be fined $1,000.

There were 79 separate anti-lockdown protests across NSW on Tuesday: Pictured: People gathered outside the Sutherland Shire Council building in Sutherland, south Sydney, on Tuesday

There were 79 separate demonstrations across NSW on Tuesday, as protesters flocked to stand in silence outside local councils to rally against lengthy lockdowns and mandatory vaccinations.

The coordinated event, dubbed 'Shut Down Australia Day', saw police arrest more than 150 people for breaking health orders banning gatherings to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Almost 600 fines were also issued across the state for a range of offences, including not wearing a fitted masked covering, breaching stay at home orders, and unlawfully participating in outdoor public gatherings.

The demonstrations stretched from Lismore and Tweed Heads, in NSW's Northern Region, to Sydney's south-west, such as Fairfield City, Bankstown, Camden, Campbelltown and Liverpool, and Wollongong and Shellharbour in the state's south.

Other rallies were held in the state's Western Region, in towns such as Tamworth, Mudgee and Bathurst, as well as outside government buildings and police stations in Melbourne and Queensland.
Federal prosecutors on Tuesday accused a Florida man of trying to defraud House Rep. Matt Gaetz's father Don Gaetz out of $25 million, in a scheme allegedly linked to a criminal investigation targeting the Republican congressman.

In a newly unsealed indictment, prosecutors accused Stephen Alford, 62, of contacting Gaetz's father, a prominent Republican politician and a former member of the Florida State Senate, and demanding $25million.

Congressman Matt Gaetz is currently under criminal investigation over an allegation that he sex trafficked a minor, and prosecutors alleged that Alford falsely claimed he could help him obtain a pardon from former President Donald Trump.

Matt Gaetz has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them a smear job, and has not been criminally charged. He has said repeatedly he will not resign from Congress.

In March, the congressman claimed that he was the victim of a $25 million extortion plot after it was revealed he is under investigation for sex trafficking over allegations he had a sexual relationship with a teenage girl, 17, and paid to have her travel with him.

Stephen Alford (left), 62, a former convict, has been indicted by the federal government for allegedly trying to extort $25million from the father of House Rep. Matt Gaetz (right)

Alford is alleged to have asked Gaetz's father, Don Gaetz (left), a prominent Florida Republican, to provide payment in exchange for a presidential pardon of his son. At Alford's behest, Don Gaetz met with former federal prosecutor David McGee (right), a Pensacola-based attorney. McGee told Don Gaetz that the money could be transferred to a trust account of his firm, it has been alleged

The Republican congressman and close ally of Donald Trump made the allegation during an interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Matt Gaetz accused David McGee, a former federal prosecutor, of trying to extort millions of dollars out of him and his family in exchange for 'making horrible sex trafficking allegations against me go away.'

In May, an associate of Matt Gaetz, Joel Greenberg, pleaded guilty to six of the nearly three dozen charges he faced, including sex trafficking of a minor, and he admitted that he had paid at least one underage girl to have sex with him and other men.

The guilty plea was part of an agreement to cooperate with federal prosecutors in the sex trafficking investigation involving Gaetz.

Federal prosecutors are examining whether Matt Gaetz and Greenberg paid underage girls and escorts or offered them gifts in exchange for sex.

Investigators have also been looking at whether Matt Gaetz and his associates tried to secure government jobs for some of the women, the people said.

They are also scrutinizing Matt Gaetz's connections to the medical marijuana sector, including whether his associates sought to influence legislation he sponsored.

In March, Matt Gaetz appeared on Tucker Carlson's show on Fox News, claiming he was the victim of a $25 million extortion plot by a former Justice Department employee after it was revealed he is under investigation for sex trafficking over allegations he had a sexual relationship with a girl, 17, and paid to have her travel with him

Gaetz claimed he had been working with the FBI and his father Don Gaetz (pictured together) had been wearing a wire to expose the alleged scheme after learning of it in March

The Republican congressman and close ally of Donald Trump fired out a series of tweets claiming a former Justice Department employee had been trying to extort $25 million from him and his family while 'threatening to smear my name'

A spokesperson for the congressman has said Matt Gaetz 'never had sex with a minor and has never paid for sex.'

Matt Gaetz claimed he had been working with the FBI and his father Don Gaetz had been wearing a wire to expose the alleged scheme after learning of it earlier in March.

But McGee, an attorney at Beggs & Lane law firm in Pensacola and the former lead attorney for the DOJ's Organized Crime Task Force, said: 'It is completely false. It's a blatant attempt to distract from the fact that he's under investigation for sex trafficking of minors.

'I have no connection with that case at all, other than, one of a thousand people who have heard the rumors.'

The indictment against Alford does not refer directly to the embattled pro-Trump lawmaker or his father, a multimillionaire former healthcare executive who also served as president of Florida's state senate.

But the alleged plot was widely reported this year after Gaetz released documents he said showed an extortion plot against him.

Federal investigators are seeking to determine whether Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old, according to news reports and a law enforcement source who spoke with Reuters.

said he and associates, including Bob Kent, were seeking to partner with the Gaetzes to rescue Robert Levinson (above), a CIA operative who disappeared in 2007. Levinson is seen left before he vanished. He is seen right in the only photos and video that emerged after his capture

Gaetz and his father Don Gaetz. Don served as a member of the Florida State Senate from 2006 to 2016

He has not been charged with any crimes and has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

Alford is in custody, federal prosecutors said, and it was not immediately clear if he had retained an attorney.

In an interview with the Northwest Florida Daily News earlier this year, Alford did not deny approaching the wealthy Gaetz family for money.

But he said he and associates, including Bob Kent, were seeking to partner with the Gaetzes to rescue Robert Levinson, a CIA operative who disappeared in 2007.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida.

In a press release, the office said Alford faces up to 25 years imprisonment on the charged crimes.

'Don came forward with credible information that he was being extorted,' Don Gaetz's lawyer, Jeffrey Neiman, told The Washington Post.

'He brought that information to the FBIs attention.

'And it is clear today that based upon that credible information, after careful consideration, charges were brought against at least one individual responsible for this fraud scheme.'

The inquiry is said to be part of a wider probe into Florida official Joel Greenberg (pictured) who was slapped with a string of charges last year including sex trafficking of a minor between the age of 14 and 17. In May, Greenberg pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the investigation into Matt Gaetz

Gaetz shared this image on Facebook in July 2017 of himself with Greenberg and Roger Stone

According to the indictment, Don Gaetz met with McGee at Alfords behest.

McGee told Don Gaetz that the money could be transferred to a trust account of his firm, it has been alleged.

McGees firm is the same one that is representing the Levinson family.

According to the indictment, Alford texted Don Gaetz after the meeting with the lawyer, informing the congressmans father that he could secure Levinsons release for a significantly lower amount.

Alford is also alleged to have promised Don Gaetz to take him by the hand to see President Joe Biden about a pardon for his son.

According to authorities, Alford told Don Gaetz that he could guarantee his son would not have to serve time in prison if the family paid money.

McGee has not been charged with a crime.

Harlan Hill, a spokesperson for Matt Gaetz, told the Post: Five months ago today Rep. Gaetz asserted - after baseless allegations about him - that he was the victim of an extortion attempt.

One of the men involved in that attempt, Stephen Alford, was today indicted.

But Alford wasnt acting alone.

Hill said that McGree and Kent must now also face justice.

He said that Don Gaetz was wearing a wire for the FBI, and that audio recordings picked up by the wire will further exculpate Rep. Gaetz and implicate those with long-standing links to the federal government.

Alford has been charged with wire fraud as well as attempting to prevent the government from searching and seizing an iPhone during the investigation.

Alford is currently in the custody of the United States Marshals Service.

If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in federal prison.

In April, Alford told the Northwest Florida Daily News that he had been questioned by the FBI.

He has a lengthy rap sheet that includes stints in state prison.
Former prime minister Tony Abbott has revealed he is worried about how lockdowns have turned Australians into people who snitch on their neighbours - likening it to communism.

In New South Wales, individuals can be fined $1,000 for inviting someone over to their home who isn't part of a government-registered singles bubble, or for venturing more than 5km from their home in a neighbouring council area.

Police also have the power to issue fines of $3,000 if groups of three or more people walk outside in public.

Mr Abbott, who is also a former health minister, said he was particularly upset with how lockdowns had turned Australians against each other.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has revealed he is worried about how lockdowns have turned Australians into people who snitch on their neighbours - likening it to communism (he is pictured with his daughter Frances)

'There are aspects of contemporary Australia, which I personally find a little bit unsettling,' he told the 'Australia's Heartland with Tony Abbott' podcast by the libertarian Institute of Public Affairs think tank.

'The readiness of people to dob and snitch on their neighbors worries me a lot, frankly.'

In greater Sydney, people can be fined $500 on the spot for failing to wear a face mask where social distancing wasn't possible.

Mr Abbott likened those who called the police to dob in someone for not having a face mask to the secret police in the old communist East Germany.

'If you're walking down the street and you see someone come out of his house without a mask and you call the police, well, frankly, that's just Stasi-like behavior,' he said.

'Look, if you're walking down the street and you see a burglary taking place or an assault taking place, it's only right and proper that you should call the police.'

The former Liberal PM has also spoken out against police in his home state, which has a Liberal-National Coalition government, describing it as 'overbearing and authoritarian' (pictured is a woman being arrested at Bankstown in Sydney's south-west in footage shared on anti-vaxxer chat groups)

The former Liberal PM has also spoken out against police in his home state, which has a Liberal-National Coalition government.

'The readiness of the police even in New South Wales to act in an overbearing and authoritarian manner concerns me greatly,' he said.

Mr Abbott's podcast interview with the IPA's director of research Daniel Wild was released to Daily Mail Australia after disturbing footage taken at Bankstown, in Sydney's south-west, showed police violently tackling a woman to the ground.

The video, which was shared in encrypted anti-vaxxer chat rooms on apps including Telegram, showed a woman being arrested at a train station.

'I have a disability, I do not consent, I do not consent,' the woman repeatedly yelled as a man videoed the confronting incident, yelling at officers to 'be gentle'.

A policeman attempted to restrain the woman who continued to hysterically scream that she 'does not consent', that she 'has a disability' and to 'leave me alone'.

Mr Abbott has also spoken out against NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller (pictured) who on August 19 said police would not be sanctioned if they wrongly issued fines

As the woman became more hysterical another four officers run in to attempt to handcuff her.

There were about 12 officers at the scene by the end of the clip as the woman continued to repeat the same sentence.

Mr Abbott has also spoken out against NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller who on August 19 said police would not be sanctioned if they wrongly issued fines.

'We had a situation in New South Wales just a couple of weeks back where the Police Commissioner encouraged his officers to fine first and think later and said that he would back them even if the fines were wrong because he thought the situation was so serious that it required this kind of over-policing,' he said.

'Well, I really worry about that.'

Mr Abbott, a father of three adult daughters, said he was particularly worried about the effect of lockdowns on the mental young people (he is pictured with his daughters Bridget, Louise and Frances and his wife Margie in September 2013 on election night)

Mr Abbott, a father of three adult daughters, said he was particularly worried about the effect of lockdowns on the mental young people.

'Heavy costs to lockdowns, which we are now seeing more and more,' he said.

'The mental health pandemic, particularly the impact on young people, teenagers who feel that their lives are being stolen from them.'

NSW government Suicide Monitoring System data showed 8,489 young people under 18 were hospitalised for self-harm or suicidal thoughts in the year to July 29.

That equated to 40 children a day in a state of crisis, a rise of 31 per cent compared with the same time frame in 2020 and 47 per cent higher than 2019 before the pandemic.

Mr Abbott said that since the pandemic, Australia had turned into a society that was 'safety only' rather than just 'safety first'.

Mr Abbott said that since the pandemic, Australia had turned into a society that was 'safety only' rather than just 'safety first' (pictured are police in Bankstown during the lockdown on August 31, 2021)

'Now of course, we should always try to be as safe as reasonably possible, but a risk-free life you just can't lead,' he said.

'A risk-free life is hardly a life at all. And I just think that part of leading an ordinary Australian life is the spirit of live and let live, that easy going desire to help your neighbours when they're in trouble, not to dob them in just because they're not conforming to your idea of what's right and proper.'

Last month, Mr Fuller 'challenged' officers to ramp up the number of tickets and court attendance notices as part of Operation Stay At Home.

'I appreciate there's a lot to take in with the health orders, but I am asking you to put community policing to the side for a short period of time, for 21 days I will head this operation, you need to take a strong approach to enforcement,' he said in an internal video.

Daily Mail Australia contacted NSW Police for a right-of-reply to Mr Abbott's comments.
Australian's are being urged to check how their superannuation performs after the regulator found 13 of the country's funds had failed a test that looked at both fees and investment returns.

The first annual performance test run by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority this year found that $56.2billion worth of taxpayers' super was invested in underperforming products.

As a result more than a million Australians will soon receive a letter from APRA urging them to switch their super to get better value for money.

As part of changed brought in on July 1, super funds will now be scored each year by APRA and get a pass or fail mark in terms of fees vs investment returns (stock image)

Australia's underperforming super funds: AMG Super  AMG MySuper ASGARD Independence Plan Division Two  ASGARD Employee MySuper Australian Catholic Superannuation and Retirement Fund  LifetimeOne AvSuper Fund  AvSuper Growth (MySuper) BOC Gases Superannuation Fund  BOC MySuper Christian Super  My Ethical Super Colonial First State FirstChoice Superannuation Trust Commonwealth Bank Group Super  Accumulate Plus Balanced Energy Industries Superannuation Scheme Pool A  Balanced (MySuper) Labour Union Co-Operative Retirement Fund  MySuper Balanced Maritime Super  MYSUPER INVESTMENT OPTION Retirement Wrap  BT Super MySuper The Victorian Independent Schools Superannuation Fund - VISSF Balanced Option (MySuper Product) Advertisement

Some of the big name funds given a failing score include Commonwealth Bank Group Super, BT Super's Retirement Wrap and The Victorian Independent Schools Superannuation Fund.

If a fund gets two consecutive years of failing scores they will be banned from recruiting new members until they lift their returns.

Calling out super underperforming funds in Australia's $3trillion super industry is part of the federal government's Your Future, Your Super reforms which came into effect on July 1.

Eight superannuation funds have already closed since the reforms were announced, according to Superannuation Minister Jane Hume.

In contrast the top ten best funds by net return for a 30-year-old with $50,000 include AustraliaSuper with a 9.44 per cent return, HOSTPLUS with a 9.33 per cent return and Unisuper with 9.01 per cent.

Ms Hume said of the 76 funds scored, those that failed would have to write to their 1.1million account holders and provide them with details of the YourSuper comparison tool so they can look for a better deal.

She said the changes worked to ensure 'the superannuation system works harder for all Australians by increasing transparency and accountability of returns generated for members.'

Superannuation Minister Jane Hume (pictured) said the test would provide greater accountability and transparency for super funds

Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia chief executive Martin Fahy argued the test was flawed because customers weren't told by how much their product failed.

'Even the funds in this test that are underperforming, are doubling the money of members every 10 years. They're generating 7 to 7.5 per cent returns... amazing returns in the current circumstances,' Dr Fahy told the ABC.

He also added the test also did not take into account ethical investing.

'There are funds out there who, for instance, don't invest in Amazon as a stock because of labour practices and labour hire considerations.

'If you haven't held Amazon as a stock in your international equity portfolio, you will have a significantly lower return than the benchmark,' he said.

This year's APRA test covered 76 funds in MySuper investment options but in 2022 is set to expand to include a wider range of investment products.
Karl Stefanovic has choked back tears live on air over the heartbreaking story about a teen who took her own life.

Six weeks of lockdown became too much for young Sydneysider Daisy Long, 19, who tragically ended her life on August 6.

The university student had dreams of travelling the world after years of battling a deliberating chronic illness before the coronavirus pandemic brought those plans to an abrupt halt.

Stefanovic was overcome with emotion and had to be comforted by Today show co-host Allison Langdon following his powerful and confronting interview with Ms Long's mum Sally and younger sister Tiggy, 16.

Stefanovic's own teenage daughter Ava knows Tiggy and has been hit hard by Ms Long's death.

Sydney university student Daisy Long (pictured) took her own life on August 6

'It stays with you, a little bit,' Stefanovic said as he wiped away tears.

'Life is filled with what we try and for everyone at home we try to make your day a bit brighter.

'But some of this stuff you can't make brighter. It's just cold heart awful brutal reality that some people right now and especially our young aren't coping.'

Landgon and presenter Alex Cullen praised Stefanovic of taking on the confronting story which Daisy's sister and mum wanted to share in the hope of helping other young Australians currently struggling and feeling trapped in lockdown.

'It's been extremely difficult. I've felt like there's just a missing piece in my life,' Tiggy said

Karl Stefanovic (left) had to be be comforted by co-host Allison Langdon after his powerful interview with Daisy's mum and sister was aired

'Daisy was like my other half to me. Daisy was the one who taught me strength and she went through many challenges in life. She always had a smile on her face and held her head high.'

Daisy was chronically ill with tick borne disease between the ages of 13 and 16.

'During those years, when she should have been at school having fun and enjoying herself, instead she was bed bound,' her mum Sally said.

'We kept saying to her 'once you are better, your life will be better. You will go ahead and achieve your goals and dreams.

'She focused on that. She applied for psychology at Macquarie University, was accepted and began her degree this year. She received high distinctions. Then COVID lockdown began. It sent her spiralling downwards.'

Tiggy Long and mum Sally (pictured) shared Daisy's heartbreaking story in the hop of helping other young people feeling trapped during lockdown

Tiggy saw the harrowing effect lockdown had on her sister.

'I think I saw it more than anyone. Me and my sister were extremely close. And it does feel like prison,' she said.

'It feels so lonely and it feels like it's never going to come to an end.

'When you get in that head space of I'm trapped and it's never going to end, you think how can I survive lockdown?'

Ms Long issued a harrowing plea to parents whose kids are struggling during lockdown, which she also described as prison to young people.

'Don't get hung up on the small stuff. Don't get hung up on whether they've done the essay or not,' she said.

'It's neither here nor there at the moment really. No disrespect to the education system, but at the moment they need to be having whatever release of freedom and fun they can have.

'If they want to sit up and watch a movie until three in the morning let them. Because what they're doing is they're getting out of their head. You want them out of their head. You want them out of their head. You don't want them in here.'

Tiggy also had a powerful message to other teens in lockdown, urging them to speak up and reach out for support.

Daisy Long (pictured) had plans to travel the world before the pandemic brought those dreams to an abrupt halt

She explained how she bottled up her emotions until she recently lost her sister.

'Daisy wasn't able to come to a point where she could voice what she was feeling,' Tiggy said.

'I know it's not that easy, but you just have to speak up.'

'You just need to get it out to someone because especially in lockdown, when you're trapped in your room and you are dealing with these emotions, you'll just explode at one point. When you're dealing with mental health issues you have to think about yourself.

You need to think about the other people in your life because I have lost two people now in my life to suicide. And it completely tears you apart.

Daisy's family has set up Tiggy's Perspective to raise awareness about suicide.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact Lifeline 13 11 14, Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.
A family found strange symbols on bricks at their home after reporting a frightening break-in to police and being told to check their house for markings.

A mysterious stranger knocked on the door of a home at West Ryde, in Sydney's north, on Monday morning before breaking into the property.

In a post shared to the Humans of Eastwood Daily Facebook page, a woman claimed her in-laws were approached by an intruder who made her way inside the house using a key and stunned the homeowners who were in the middle of eating breakfast.

'Hi guys. I've got a very scary thing I needed to share,' the woman wrote.

An unsettling story has appeared on Facebook of a strange encounter involving a trespasser in Sydney's north-west

A woman claimed on Facebook (pictured) that her in-laws home in West Ryde had been broken into by a stranger with a key who left strange symbols marked on the property

'This morning around 8:30am, an intruder walked onto my in-laws property at West Ryde. Adjacent from West Ryde Coles.'

'The lady then knocked on the door, waited 5 minutes then left, my in-laws at that time did not hear the knock,' the post continued.

'She then came back to the property one minute afterwards and managed to open the door using a key and waltzed right in to find my in-laws sitting down for breakfast at the back.'

'My father in-law asked who are you?' the woman posted.

'The lady was calm and responded while looking at her phone, ' Is this your address? I'm looking for Jenny!' and reacted as though this was normal.'

After her in-laws confirmed they didn't know anyone by the name of Jenny, the woman then walked away.

A woman claimed she found 'burglar code' markings on her in-laws home in West Ryde this week

The woman claims she reported the disturbing incident to the police who then urged her to check the home for any strange markings.

'To our surprise, the bricks were marked with some symbols,' she posted.

The poster then showed the markings left on her property - which appear to be part of a 'burglar code'.

NSW Police have told Daily Mail Australia there were no reports of property trespassing made in West Ryde.

Daily Mail has also contacted the woman for further comment.

Burglar codes swept the internet in 2015 suggesting unexplained chalk markings found outside homes were a warning of potential criminal activity.

Dubbed the 'Da Pinchi Code' the phenomena claimed symbols were drawn to alert other would-be thieves if the house is vulnerable, who is living in the house and whether there is anything worth stealing.

Reports of the so called burglar code - which has also been debunked by fact-checking website Snopes - circulated the internet and media outlets until police in the UK confirmed the symbols were not cryptic messages used by criminals, but actually markings used by utility firms.
A female footy television presenter's outfit has been mocked by a radio breakfast show caller, sparking outrage online.

During a 3AW segment on Wednesday morning, the outfits of Channel 7's AFL Post Game presenters came up, with caller Damian comparing the blokes' outfits with glamorous co-host Jacqui Felgate's.

'Damian, who called Grouse/Shouse, wasn't happy with the attire of the Channel 7 Footy commentary team,' 3AW tweeted, repeating Damian's comments.

3AW repeated caller Damian's critique of glamorous 7 footy host Jacqui Felgate's outfit on Twitter on Wednesday earning a sharp response from a powerhouse anchor from a rival network and questions over her male co-hosts clothing efforts

Ms Felgate appeared on the show on Saturday night in a bright blue oversized pantsuit with hot pink heels, while her male co-stars, Matthew Richardson, Luke Darcy and Justin Leppitsch all wore jeans and blazers

'Jacqui Felgate walked on set in her overgrown pyjama suit and Alice in Wonderland shoes. Absolutely shouse!' the tweet continued.

'Bit harsh?' 3AW asked.

'Shouse' is an abbreviation for sh**house, while grouse means very good.

Ms Felgate appeared on the show on Saturday night in a bright blue oversized pantsuit with hot pink heels, while her male co-stars, Matthew Richardson, Luke Darcy and Justin Leppitsch all wore jeans and blazers.

Ms Felgate's vibrant full outfit included an Alice McCall 'Disco Dancer' jacket and pant set and hot pink two-toned Jimmy Choo pumps

Blue dress, good mood... Jacqui Felgate told Daily Mail Australia the banter over 7 footy host outfits was just a bit of fun

Tracy Grimshaw, a host from the rival Nine network, jumped to her defence on Twitter

She told Daily Mail Australia she wasn't bothered by the comments.

'Bit of fun! My shoes were Jimmy Choo! I loved them,' Ms Felgate said.

Regarding the casual outfits of her co-stars, she said 'I'm staying right out of that!'

'I love the guys on 3aw. Ive known them for years!'

But Tracy Grimshaw, a host from the rival Nine network, jumped to her defence on Twitter.

'It's 2021. Jacqui Felgate's job isn't to be part of the set decoration, notwithstanding the fact that she could make a hessian sack look good,' she tweeted.

Also on Twitter, 3AW follower Kylie wrote: 'Only fair that (caller) Damian puts up what he was wearing at the time.'

Most social media commenters backed her look and questioned her fellow 7 footy show experts.

'She looks great,' one wrote. 'The three homeless guys to her right could do with a bath.'

Tracy Grimshaw tweeted that Jacqui Felgate would look good 'in a hessian sack'

Yvonne agreed: 'Not something I would wear but I think she looks great. Shame the guys with her don't make more of an effort!'

'Jacqui looks great, as always. At east she looks happy, unlike the three stooges,' said another.

Ms Felgate's Alice McCall-label 'Disco Dancer' outfit is worth $840 and the Jimmy Choo Leather Love pumps cost up to $1000.

In 2020 Ms Felgate became the first woman to host the Brownlow Medal ceremony.

Daily Mail Australia contacted 3AW for comment.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy warned telecommunications companies on Tuesday not to turn over records to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol as the Republican Party would come for them once they were back in power.

His blistering statement came after the select committee wrote to 35 companies asking them to preserve records of people suspected of being involved.

He said complying would, 'Put every American with a phone or computer in the crosshairs of a surveillance state run by Democratic politicians.'

The requests seek phone records, email and other data.

Although the letters do not reveal targets, committee chairman Rep Bernie Thompson has previously suggested that he wanted records of members of Congress.

CNN obtained details of names on the list, which included: Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Paul Gosar also of Arizona, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Jody Hice of Georgia and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania.

House Minority Leader condemned the latest information request made by the select committee investigating the Jan 6 violence, saying it 'put every American with a phone or computer in the crosshairs of a surveillance state run by Democratic politicians'

On Monday the committee wrote to 35 companies asking them to preserve records of people suspected of being involved in the violence after President Trump's Jan 6 rally

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy warned telecom companies that the GOP 'will never forget' if the comply with demands to turn over records related to the Jan 6 violence

They are believed to have played a role in President Trump's 'Stop the Steal' rally on the day of the violence and include some of his most dogged supporters.

Republicans pushed back quickly, saying it was all a waste of taxpayers money.

And McCarthy claimed telecoms companies would be in breach of American law, although he offered no further details.

'If these companies comply with the Democrat order to turn over private information, they are in violation of federal law and subject to losing their ability to operate in the United States,' he wrote.

'If companies still choose to violate federal law, a Republican majority will not forget and will stand with Americans to hold them fully accountable under the law.'

Mondays letters were sent to communications giants such as Google and Microsoft as well as all major cellphone networks.

They included requests to secure messaging app Signal, and social media networks favored by conservatives including Parler.

'As Chairman Thompson previewed last week, the select committee today sent letters to 35 private-sector entities, including telecommunications, email, and social media companies, instructing them to preserve records which may be relevant to the select committee's investigation,' said a spokesperson.

'The select committee is at this point gathering facts, not alleging wrongdoing by any individual.'

It marked the third request for information, after previously asking federal agencies for data and social media companies for details of disinformation.

Last week it emerged that the committee had demanded former President Trump's mental health records.

Trump supporters rioted after he urged them to march on Congress during a speech at the 'Stop the Steal' rally in Washington D.C.

'The Leftist "select committee" has further exposed itself as a partisan sham and waste of taxpayer dollars with a request that's timed to distract Americans from historic and global catastrophes brought on by the failures of Joe Biden and the Democrats,' Trump said in a statement.

'Unfortunately, this partisan exercise is being performed at the expense of long-standing legal principles of privilege,' he continued. 'Executive privilege will be defended, not just on behalf of my Administration and the Patriots who worked beside me, but on behalf of the Office of the President of the United States and the future of our Nation.'

'These Democrats only have one tired trickpolitical theaterand their latest request only reinforces that pathetic reality.'

The House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack released a slew of documents related to the probe on Wednesday, including interest in Trump's mental health records.

Also requested from the White House was whether the former president considered using military force to remain as president after Joe Biden won the 2020 election.

The head of the committee fired off a series of sweeping demands for information on the last days of the Trump administration  with an effort to use photos, time stamps, and documents to recreate the day minute-by-minute.

Other requests demand any documents related to the Constitution's 25th Amendment for cases where the cabinet seeks to remove a president for being 'unable' to discharge the duties of the office.
A Virginia School Board was pranked during Thursday's meeting when someone registered a list of fake and hilarious names to be called for public comment.

Video of the Henrico School Board meeting shows board member Reverend Dr. Roscoe D. Cooper III calling a list of supposed citizens who signed up to speak at the meeting.

Names such as 'Phil McCraken', 'Suck Mahdick', 'Ophelia McCaulk', 'Eileen Dover', 'Don Kedick' and 'Wayne Kerr' are called during a minute clip of the public meeting in which no one comes to the podium.

Many compared the prank to Bart Simpson's popular gag calling Moe's Tavern asking to speak with similar names such as 'Seymour Butz', 'Al Coholic', and 'Oliver Klozoff.'

Only one person actually spoke during the meeting, which had lasted more than three hours before the prank names where called, according to The Henrico Citizen.

Video of the Virginia School Board meeting shows board member Reverend Dr. Roscoe D. Cooper III calling a list of joke names to speak

No one steps up to the podium as Cooper continues reading names such as 'Phil McCraken'

Cooper has since acknowledged prank sharing on Twitter that it 'totally went over my head'

Once the hilarious clip was posted online, viewers caught on to the joke names and relished in Cooper's oblivious delivery.

A tweet of the funny video has gathered 12.2 million views and 478.6 thousand likes.

The Rising Mount Zion Baptist Church and newly elected school board member replied to the video on Twitter admitting: 'I've laughed since, but those names totally went over my head. Had no clue they weren't legit.'

He wrote that since the video has gone viral 'inboxes are getting slammed.'

Another school board member admitted she hadn't realized the names were jokes.

Marcie Shea tweeted: 'I was so consumed with the heaviness of the meeting agenda, I was just relieved to have a shorter public forum and dont notice. However, Ive definitely gotten a good laugh since then.'

DailyMail.com reached out to Cooper for a comment.

Although the joke was not acknowledged during the meeting, it appears to have become a welcome moment in the midst of the serious discussions of covid, a return to school, transportation, the school resource officer program, and the potential for pre-Labor Day start times in coming years.

Public school board meetings have become a place of heated debate focusing on issues such as covid mandates and Critical Race Theory.

The newly-elected Henrico School Board member has since joined in on the laughs

Last week an unidentified woman who refused to put her mask back on at a school board meeting in Texas was carried out of the building in her chair by police.

The woman was wearing her mask when she arrived at the Northside Independent School District Board of Trustees meeting, district spokesman Barry Perez told KSAT.

But at some point she removed it and refused to put it back on when asked by district officials and then police.

That same week another Texas school board meeting got out of hand when a father bared his thoughts on mask mandates during a Dripping Springs School District meeting, stripping down to his underwear in defense of the mandates.

The meeting in Dripping Springs was intended as an agenda review ahead of the regular board meeting next week, but quickly turned into a public debate about masking mandates in schools.

James Akers, 58, spoke during the public forum at the beginning of the meeting Monday listing examples of other inconveniences that he endures for the safety and comfort of others as he undressed down to his underwear.
An ISIS Beatles member who is charged with plotting to torture and behead Western hostages in Syria is set to plead guilty to criminal charges today.

Alexanda Kotey, one of four members of the terror group dubbed the Beatles by their captives for their British accents, has a change of plea scheduled in the US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, today, federal court records show.

He and another man, El Shafee Elsheikh, who are both British but renounced their citizenship when they joined ISIS in Syria in 2014, were brought to the US last year after being held in military custody in Iraq to face charges in connection with the killings of four hostages.

Court documents do not indicate the specific charge or charges to which Kotey, also known as Ringo, is expected to plead.

The indictment charges them in connection with the deaths of four American hostages - journalist James Foley, journalist Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller - as well as European and Japanese nationals who also were held captive.

Alleged ISIS Beatles member Alexanda Kotey who is charged with plotting to torture and behead Western hostages in Syria is set to plead guilty to criminal charges today (pictured in 2018)

The Justice Department, in order to obtain their extradition, promised neither defendant would face a death sentence.

A British Supreme Court judgment ruled it was unlawful for the UK to share evidence with Washington without seeking assurances that the pair will not face execution.

The mother of Elsheikh had mounted a legal challenge saying it would breach the UK's opposition to capital punishment, and a deal was struck between te US and and the UK.

Nothing in the court records indicates that Elsheikh, known as George, has reached a plea deal.

American journalist James Foley was abducted by ISIS while working as a freelance war correspondent during the Syria Civil War.

Elsheikh previously admitted that Foley would sometimes subject himself to beatings to ensure the hostages were given enough food.

'If the guard would ask, 'Is the food enough?' some of the other prisoners were very timid. It was always him who would say, 'It's not enough'', Elsheikh said.

He also said: 'I didn't choke Jim.

'If I choked Jim I would say I choked him. I mean, I've  I've hit him before. I've hit most of the prisoners before.'

Kotey was brought to the US along with El Shafee Elsheikh (pictured) to face charges in connection with four killings

Foley was held by ISIS for two years before being executed on video in August 2014.

American aid worker Kayla Mueller was captured and held hostage in Syria, where she was sexually abused and tortured before she died aged 26 in 2015.

She was abducted in 2013 and during her captivity, she was raped by the former ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, U.S. officials have said.

ISIS reportedly demanded 5 million euros from Mueller's family, telling them that they would send 'a picture of Kayla's dead body' if their demands were not met.

ISIS said that Mueller was killed near Raqa in February 2015 during an air raid carried out by the US-led international coalition against the jihadists, although the exact circumstances of her death remain unclear.

The terror group sent photos of her dead body to her family which indicate she died from blunt force trauma rather than a bomb blast.

Steven Sotloff, 31, an American-Israeli journalist, was killed on September 2, 2014, after being held captive for more than a year in northern Syria.

Kotey has been charged in connection with the deaths of journalist James Foley (left) and aid worker Peter Kassig

He was beheaded by Jihadi John on camera after ISIS demanded a ransom of $140million which the US government refused to pay.

Former US Army Ranger Peter Kassig was killed in 2014 after being captured by ISIS in Syria in October 2013.

The 26-year-old was working to provide aid to Syrians who were fleeing the country's civil war and had formed the aid organization Special Emergency Response and Assistance, or SERA, in Turkey to provide aid and assistance to Syrian refugees.

He was said by his friends to have converted to Islam in captivity and took the first name Abdul-Rahman.

In 2014, graphic footage was released by ISIS showing Kassig was beheaded in captivity.

Raj Parekh, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and also a member of the prosecution team on the Kotey and Elsheikh cases, declined comment Tuesday evening.

Geremy Kamens, a federal public defender who represents Kotey, also declined comment.

The most prominent member of the 'Beatles', Mohammed Emwazi, also known as 'jihadi John,' was killed in a 2015 Hellfire drone strike.

Kotey is also charged over the death of US human rights activist and humanitarian worker Kayla Mueller (left) and Steven Sotloff (right)

The hooded executioner was filmed killing victims in sickening videos that terrified the world in 2014 when ISIS spread them.

A fourth member, Aine Lesley Davis, is serving a prison sentence in Turkey.

The indictment says Kotey and Elsheikh were radicalized in London and left for Syria in 2012 as 'leading participants in a brutal hostage-taking scheme' that targeted American and European citizens and that involved murders, mock executions, shocks with Tasers, physical restraints and other brutal acts.

Prosecutors say the men worked closely with a chief spokesman for ISIS who reported to the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed in a U.S. military operation last year.

The indictment accuses Kotey and Elsheikh of participating in the kidnapping of Foley and other captives.

It says they supervised detention facilities for hostages and were responsible for transferring the captives, and that they also engaged 'in a long pattern of physical and psychological violence.'

In July, prosecutors described the pair as 'principal offenders' in the captivity of the four American hostages.

In a 2018 interview, Kotey said the killings were 'regrettable' but blamed Western governments for failing to negotiate.

The indictment accuses Kotey (left) and Elsheikh (right) of participating in the kidnapping of Foley and other captives

He said many in the terror group 'would have disagreed' with the deaths 'on the grounds that there is probably more benefit in them being political prisoners'.

He added: 'I didn't see any benefit (in killing them). It was something that was regrettable.'

Elsheikh said the killings were a 'mistake' and might not have been justified. But, he said, they were in retaliation for killings of civilians by the US-led coalition fighting ISIS.

He said the militants shouldn't have initially threatened to kill the hostages because then they had to go ahead with it or else 'your credibility may go.'

Kotey, who is of Ghanaian and Greek-Cypriot descent and converted to Islam in his 20s, is from London's Paddington neighborhood.

Serving in the IS cell as a guard, he 'likely engaged in the group's executions and exceptionally cruel torture methods,' the State Department said. It also said he was an IS recruiter who brought other Britons into the group.

Assuming the plea hearing goes forward as scheduled, Kotey and prosecutors would submit a statement of facts that will spell out in at least some detail the specific actions that he took.

The two were captured in Syria in 2018 by the U.S.-supported Syrian Democratic Forces while trying to escape to Turkey.

In interviews they gave before being brought to the U.S., the men acknowledged they helped collect email addresses from Mueller that could be used to send out ransom demands. Mueller was killed in 2015 after 18 months in IS captivity.

The indictment describes the execution of a Syrian prisoner in 2014 and says the two forced their Western hostages to watch.

Kotey instructed the hostages to kneel while watching the execution and holding signs pleading for their release.

Emwazi shot the prisoner in the back of the head while Elsheikh videotaped the execution. Elsheikh told one of the hostages, 'You're next,' prosecutors say.

Elsheikh is scheduled to go on trial in January.
Detectives have issued new CCTV images of a man they want to identify over a series of assaults that took place on one day in north London.

The force has said the five unprovoked attacks in Stamford Hill on August 18 were being treated as hate crimes.

A 64-year-old man was knocked unconscious at around 8.30pm while on his way to a synagogue, a 30-year-old Jewish man was struck on the head with a bottle in Cavenove Road at around 6.41pm and a 14-year-old Jewish boy was assaulted in Holmdale Terrace at around 7.10pm.

Officers say they have been informed of fourth and fifth victims, but neither have come forward to contact the police yet.

Detectives have issued new CCTV images of a man they want to identify over a series of assaults that took place on one day in north London

On Tuesday detectives said that after reviewing CCTV footage they had established the man they want to locate stayed at a hostel on Seven Sisters Road in Hackney between Tuesday August 17 and Thursday August 19.

Detective Chief Inspector Yasmin Lalani, senior investigating officer, said: 'We are almost two weeks on from these assaults but we remain determined to identify the man responsible for these unprovoked attacks.

'We are continuing to work closely with our local communities and are offering them the necessary support.

'As a result of our investigation, we now know that the man captured on CCTV was staying in a hostel.

The force has said the five unprovoked attacks in Stamford Hill on August 18 were being treated as hate crimes. Pictured: The man police want to speak to in connection with an alleged racist attack on a Jewish man in his 60s

'Were you there at the same time?

'Do you know anything that might help us?

'I would encourage anyone with information to call police.

'I would also urge this man to come forward and speak with us.

On Tuesday detectives said that after reviewing CCTV footage they had established the man they want to locate stayed at a hostel on Seven Sisters Road in Hackney between Tuesday August 17 and Thursday August 19

'It is vital that we bring these incidents to a conclusion.'

The 64-year-old victim suffered facial injuries and fell to the ground, breaking a bone in his foot.

He was taken to hospital for treatment and was later discharged.

He told the PA news agency on August 22 that he could not remember the incident as he had been knocked unconscious.

Police said anyone who recognises the man in the CCTV images, or who witnessed any of the assaults and is yet to speak with officers, is asked to come forward

'I hit my head on the wall and that was it, I have no recollection,' he said

'The police are taking this extremely seriously because there is an awful lot of anxiety in the community, but we are a very tight knit, welcoming and loving community.'

The other two victims who have been identified suffered no lasting injuries.

Police said anyone who recognises the man in the CCTV images, or who witnessed any of the assaults and is yet to speak with officers, is asked to come forward.

They should call police on 101 quoting reference 4492/20AUG, or to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A Google Maps for graves project is to make millions of memorials available online.

Surveyors with high-tech 100,000 backpacks have begun the task of scanning headstones at 19,000 sites.

It does look a bit like Ghostbusters, said Tim Viney of Cumbria-based Atlantic Geomatics, which is working with the Church of England.

The first headstones to be scanned were at the ancient church of St Bega, on Bassenthwaite lake, Cumbria.

The seven-year project will create a database that promises to be a gold mine for amateur genealogists.

Also among the initial batch of churchyards to be surveyed will be nearby Grasmeres - the resting place of William Wordsworth.

Among the initial batch of churchyards to be surveyed will be nearby Grasmeres - the resting place of William Wordsworth

Once the laborious task of putting the database together is complete, could also reduce pressure on vicars inundated with queries from around the world from people researching their English ancestors.

The Church of England has partnered with Cumbrian-based surveying company Atlantic Geomatics who will use back-pack mounted laser scanners costing more than 100,000 apiece and are fitted with five cameras, two laser scanners and a GPS tracker.

Surveyors walk along every alternate row of graves, scanning the position of every memorial, building, wall and tree, taking up to 50million measurements in every graveyard.

Each operative is likely to be able to scan nine or ten sites a day before the data is processed using bespoke software.

Bishop Andrew Rumsey, the CofEs lead for church buildings, said: This impressive national project will make a huge difference to those researching family history, as well as easing the administrative burden on parishes.

It will soon be possible to visit almost any Anglican burial ground in the country and see in real time the location of burial plots.

It will soon be possible to visit almost any Anglican burial ground in the country and see in real time the location of burial plots,' said Bishop Andrew Rumsey

For those researching at distance in the UK or overseas, the digital records will place detailed information from churchyards at their fingertips.

Basic information is likely to be available for free when a new website goes online next year, with further details available to paying subscribers.

Funding for the programme has been given by Historic England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Caring for Gods Acre, a charity working to preserve burial grounds, plus support from genealogy research websites.

A vast increase in the amount of searchable historical records available online has boosted interest in family history, helped by television programmes such as Who Do You Think You Are?

The Society of Genealogists has 11,000 members, and there are family history groups and clubs in most towns in the UK.
A 17-year-old who urged young people to get the vaccine after she was hospitalised with complications from Covid says she has been targeted by online trolls.

Maisy Evans revealed she has been called a 'liar' and was accused of being an actress performing for the Government since she revealed her struggle with the virus.

The teenager, from Newport, South Wales, was rushed to The Grange University Hospital earlier this month after testing positive for Covid and is still receiving treatment.

Maisie, who has received a single Pfizer coronavirus jab, was soon diagnosed with a blood clot in her lung following numerous blood tests, X-rays and CT scans - which doctors said was Covid-related and not related to the vaccine.

The 17-year-old described how she experienced symptoms including dizziness, shortness of breath, headaches, a loss of smell and taste as well as the blood clot on her lung.

Schoolgirl Maisy Evans (left and right in hospital), 17, from Newport, South Wales, says she has been targeted by trolls online since revealing she was hospitalised with the coronavirus

After testing positive for the virus on August 14 three days after receiving the Pfizer vaccine, Maisy was admitted to hospital on August 25.

The teenager, a former member of the Welsh Youth Parliament, then revealed her battle with the virus on social media and says she was soon targeted by trolls.

She told Sky News: 'I've had to deal with a lot of anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists which is deeply frustrating.

'I've been called a liar, an actress paid by the government to push certain agendas, Satan, a Nazi, evil, and so many more things.

'It's totally uncalled for.'

Maisy is still being treated in hospital and says the virus has left her struggling to stand and that it feels like she has run 40 miles.

Some of the messages targeted at Maisy Evans which question the legitimacy of her story

She told Sky News she thought she was going to die when her oxygen level 'dropped dramatically' and said it now takes her an hour to have a shower.

Ms Evans said: 'I've probably had every possible symptom. I've had the cough, the high temperature, the shakes, the sickness, the dizziness, the shortness of breath, the excruciating headaches, the body aches.

'You name a symptom - it's hit me. I even lost my sense of smell and taste. The breathlessness was one of the last symptoms to develop.'

After she was hospitalised Ms Evans, who also spent several days on oxygen support, urged more people to get vaccinated.

She said: 'This virus is not a joke for young people and those eligible must get vaccinated. Rest assured, I'm on the long road to recovery!'

She added: 'I'm 17 years old and I'm currently taking antibiotics, steroids, morphine and blood thinners.

Maisy, an ex member of the Welsh Youth Parliament, urged other teens to take virus seriously

'Please continue to take this virus seriously, even if you consider yourself generally fit and well like myself.

'I'm expecting to stay a couple more nights because at the moment I'm unable to regulate my own oxygen levels.'

Ms Evans, who initially feared she had meningitis or sepsis, has also thanked the NHS staff on her ward for her care and for 'treating her so well'.

She added: 'I'd like to take a moment to thank the fantastic staff at The Grange University Hospital for treating me so well!

'It's a pill almost as hard to swallow as the enormous amoxicillin ones, but I don't think I'd be here without the staff on this ward.'

It comes as the latest data showed more than 1,000 Covid patients were admitted to hospital in a single day in the UK last week for the first time since February.

In its usual daily update, the Department of Health and Social Care revealed that 1,019 people were hospitalised with the virus across the UK on August 25.

It marks the first time there have been four-figure Covid admissions since February 24 when the second wave was being brought under control and the jab rollout was just gaining momentum.

Meanwhile, there was a mixed picture as UK-wide infections increased by 4 per cent in a week to 32,181 but England's case numbers fell again, this time by 10 per cent.

Infection spikes in Scotland  attributed to schools going back in mid-August  and Northern Ireland, where vaccine uptake has been slightly lower than the rest of the UK, will be playing a role.

But there are fears England and Wales could see cases trend upwards again when classes go back this week and next, which has reignited the debate about jabbing children.
Police officials are reviewing a staff party held at a western Sydney station in July while the city was under strict lockdown to determine if public health orders were breached.

On Friday more than a dozen employees at Mount Druitt Police Area Command gathered together in a brightly decorated common room to share buffet platters of food.

Pictures from the event posted online show staff around a party table at the station, located in one of the 12 Covid-hit LGAs of concern, as they celebrate Wear It Purple Day to support the LGBTQIA+ community.

Mt Druitt Police Area Command posted a pictured on Friday of an office function where more than a dozen staff gathered in a common room (pictured)

'Happy Wear it Purple Day. Follow your rainbow and start the conversation,' a Facebook post by Mt Druitt PAC's said.

While emergency services are exempt from the no gathering rule, the exemption was designed so they can carry out their work.

Office functions, however, are discouraged under public health orders and the state's chief health officer has repeatedly said office workers should not gather in lunchrooms or tearooms.

'It is important that all workplaces consider their Covid-safe plans,' Dr Kerry Chant said on Monday.

One officer was pictured not wearing a mask which is required in public indoor venues

'Make sure you are not sharing the tea room, you are wearing masks, you have four-metre density and make sure you do not attend when you have symptoms.'

The post was removed shortly after being shared.

NSW Police said they are looking into the event to make sure employees complied with Covid restrictions.

'The NSW Police Force is aware of the images and an internal review is underway to determine if any there are any breaches of Public Health Orders,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

Mt Druitt is located in the City of Blacktown LGA - an area with one of the highest rates of Covid cases since Sydney's second wave delta outbreak began in mid-June.

In the last four weeks there have been 2,159 Covid cases in Blacktown LGA, with 1,439 not linked to a known case or cluster.
Vaccinated Sydneysiders are another step closer to new freedoms despite NSW recording 1116 new cases and four deaths.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has given a glimpse of what life will look like once 70 per cent of the state's population has received their second Covid-19 jab.

NSW is set to reach a major milestone of administering 70 per cent of first doses to eligible residents on Wednesday after 148,000 residents rolled up their sleeves for the jab a day earlier.

The Premier expects to reach the double vaccination target by mid-October.

'I want to remind everybody that September is the month when we're asking everybody to get ready,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'If you're a business start dusting off your COVID safety plan.

'Make sure your employees are vaccinated so we can get back to life at 70 per cent double-dose vaccination which we anticipate will happen somewhere around the middle of October.'

Fully-vaccinated residents will soon be able to go out for a drink, attend public events and 'anything else they've missed'.

The Premier added fully vaccinated residents could look forward to international travel when the state hits the 80 per cent double-dose target in November.

NSW recorded 1116 new cases and four more deaths on Wednesday (pictured a resident exercising in the city's inner-west

'NSW looks forward to stepping up and welcoming thousands of Australians home who have been waiting to come home for a long time,' she told reporters.

'Once you hit 70 per cent double dose numbers, hotel quarantine looks different.'

'The way we manage the disease will be different. Tracking and tracing is different and I'm having these conversations now with everybody so we can get used to what life is like living with Covid.'

The Premier was unable to shed light on whether residents in Sydney's Covid-ravaged hotspots will be able to enjoy the same freedoms as other once the state reached the 70 per cent double-dose milestone.

'It will depend on a number of other factors but let me be clear - no matter where you live in New South Wales, please expect to have much more freedoms than you do now as long as you're fully vaccinated,' Ms Berejiklian said.

But she assured residents 'life will be better' for those who are vaccinated once that 70 per cent target is reached.

'You can expect to go out and have a meal, you can expect to attend a public event, you can expect to go and get services that you can't expect now but obviously we'll take a very responsible approach,' she said

'We know that indoor gatherings or people coming to your home a high-risk.

'But outside of that if there are many, many things we can't do now we should be expect to be able to do them when we have 70 per cent of the adult population vaccinated.'

Four women who were all unvaccinated and had other underlying health conditions also lost their lives.

Two women in their 50s and 70 died at Liverpool Hospital.

A woman in her 80s died at Prince Alfred Hospital while the other in her 60s died at Concord Hospital.

The Premier gave more detail of what life will look like once NSW reaches the 70 per cent double- dose rate, despite another day of 1000-plus cases and four more deaths

The Premier said it's too early to say whether residents in Covid-ravaged hotspots will enjoy the same freedoms while assured life will be better (pictured, residents in Bankstown)

Ms Berejiklian warned cases will continue to rise in the coming weeks and that October will the worst month for hospitalisations, based on modelling.

But she repeatedly refused to shed more light, despite being grilled by reporters to reveal more details.

'I've seen various versions of modelling and I can't recall all the numbers,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'Various modelling is done It varies and it varies and it depends on what the inputs might be and I wish I had a crystal ball to tell you.'

'The worst hospitalisation rate is likely to be in October and I can't tell you anymore more than that because that's the best advice I have.'

Sydneysiders (pictured at Bondi on Tuesday) are in their tenth week of lockdown. Fully vaccinated residents can look forward to more freedoms from mid-October

NSW residents who are fully vaccinated will be able to go out for meals and attend events as early as mid October (pictured, a Sydneysider enjoying the first day of spring)

She urged her national cabinet colleagues to accept they would need to reopen with ongoing cases.

'It's impossible to eliminate the Delta strain,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'NSW has proved successful until this point in time of getting rid of other strains of COVID but the Delta strain is game-changer and every state in Australia, sooner or later, is going to have to live with Delta.'

The Premier also took a swipe at Victoria counterpart Daniel Andrews after the state recorded 120 cases, which is its sixth lockdown.

'I know that people will not believe me when I say this, but we have done (well) to keep the case numbers where they are, given our population, given the spread, in fact if you look at the trajectory of Victoria's case numbers are going,' she said.

'I will let people make those comparisons themselves, but having been through this, we know how quickly case numbers get up to where we are now. And had we not taken the measures we had, they would have been much higher.'

NSW health officials remain concerned about the Sydney suburbs of Guildford, Georges Hall, Merrylands, Auburn, Punchbowl, Bankstown, Lakemba, Yagoona and South Granville.

More than 400 cases were from Western Sydney Local Health District while 372 are from the South Western Sydney district.

More than 173,913 NSW residents came forward for testing on Tuesday.

The number of Covid cases in hospital has risen to 917 with 150 fighting for life in intensive care.

Officials are also concerned about sewage detections in parts of regional NSW where there are currently no known cases.

They include Temora, Thredbo, Merimbula, Port Macquarie, Dunbogan, Bonny Hills, Warren, Molong, Tamworth and Gunnedah.

Vaccinated residents will enjoy more freedoms once 70 per cent of NSW adults are fully-vaccinated. Pictured are Sydneysiders at the closed gates of the Auburn Botanic Gardens

The NSW Premier warned cases and hospitalisations will increase in the coming weeks (pictured, frontline workers at Prince Alfred Hospital)

Earlier on Wednesday, the Premier revealed a raft of freedoms once the the state reaches the 70 per cent double dose target.

Fully-vaccinated residents will be able to go out for a drink, attend public events and 'anything else they've missed'.

'Whether it is attending a public event, having a drink, if you are fully vaccinated and the state has hit its 70 per cent double dose target, please expect to do all of those things we have been missing for too long,' Ms Berejiklian told Sunrise on Wednesday.

'I'm looking forward to that and I want to thank everybody for coming forward to getting vaccinated.'

Ms Berejiklian has previously said hitting that target would ensure the state will reach its goal of having that percentage of the population fully-vaccinated within the next few months.

However, the premier warned case numbers and hospitalisations will 'get worse' before they get better, but promised 'things are going to look much brighter' for the vast majority of the population once vaccination rates rise.

She said residents can look forward to international travel once 80 per cent of eligible residents in the state have received both doses of a Covid jab.

'I am really committed to making sure New South Wales residents have access to international travel once we get that 80 per cent double dose,' she said.

'Most importantly, I want every Aussie who wants to come home back to Australia to get back home for Christmas and if that means coming through Sydney airport, you are more than welcome.'

Ms Berejiklian is urging businesses and families to use spring to prepare as the state inches closer to the 70 per cent vaccination rate needed to begin reopening.

Ms Berejiklian said fully-vaccinated residents will be able to go out for a drink once 70 per cent of the sate's eligible residents have received both doses. Pictured: A group of friends drink in Sydney in March last year

'My message strongly during September will be to get ready,' she said on Tuesday.

'If you're a business, make sure your employees are vaccinated.

'If you're a citizen make sure yourself, your families, loved ones and friends are vaccinated.

'That's our ticket to freedom.'

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet is reportedly working on an economic recovery plan with the private sector to boost economic activity when vaccination targets are reached.

Meanwhile, Local Government NSW President Linda Scott and Canterbury Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour will hold a media conference on Wednesday.

They say the premier rejected a request on behalf of mayors in 12 COVID-19-impacted local government COVID hotspots to meet and discuss the impacts of lockdown.

The government has vowed to restore freedoms to the fully vaccinated at 70 per cent double-dose coverage

A parenting advocacy group is urging the federal government to prioritise vaccination for early educators with nearly 1000 children aged under nine testing positive for COVID in NSW in the past week while 1700 children under five have COVID nationally.

The Parenthood Executive Director Georgie Dent says there are now 176 early learning services closed nationally.

'Early childhood educators are essential frontline workers. They do not have the luxury of working from home,' she said.

Meanwhile, the number of returning Australians allowed to fly in to Sydney Airport each week will be halved to 750 to allow health staff to be diverted back to the state's hospital system.

More than 870 people are hospitalised with COVID-19 across the state, with 143 in intensive care and almost 60 ventilated.

Pictured is a woman outside Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown in Sydney's inner-west on Tuesday. NSW record 1,164 Covid-19 cases and three deaths from the virus on Tuesday

But the toll on the state's health care system is not due to peak until October.

'At the moment we have thousands of staff looking after our international arrivals, returning Aussies, even though there's only four cases overnight in hotel quarantine,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'That obviously needs readjustment ... we'd rather have our staff working in our ICUs or giving people vaccines.'

Once the state reaches 70 per cent double-dose vaccination - expected around mid-October - the premier hopes to rapidly scale up international arrivals and consider home quarantine options.

The number of infections in the state's west also continues to grow, with a record 54 new cases reported on Tuesday, and another four detected in Wilcannia in the far west.
Ultra-cautious state premiers face the prospect of their border closures being ruled illegal after 80 per cent of Australians are vaccinated.

Hardline WA premier Mark McGowan has vowed to keep his border ban in place to stop Covid-19 entering his state even after the vaccination thresholds which allow restrictions to be relaxed under the national plan are met.

In November mining billionaire Clive Palmer claimed WA's border closure was unconstitutional and challenged it in the High Court.

Mark McGowan (pictured with wife Sarah) has been warned his border closure could be overturned once 80 per cent of Australians are vaccinated

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But judges ruled it was legal as a proportionate public health response, partly due to the lack of vaccines and treatments at the time.

Now Attorney-General Michaelia Cash has warned that when 80 per cent of Australians over 16 are vaccinated, states may find it harder to argue that border closures are justified.

'Once you hit 80 per cent, you are in a fundamentally different position if you are looking at the issue of proportionality,' Senator Cash told The Australian.

'Based on the reasons for that decision in that initial case, and based on where we are now in relation to the vaccine and vaccination rates, one would now think the grounds of any argument has now shifted.'

Chris Merritt, vice-president of the Rule of Law Institute of Australia, has also argued that vaccines are a game-changer.

'McGowan's victory over Palmer was an aberration. It took place in circumstances that will never be repeated,' he wrote in The Australian last week, referring to the lack of vaccines last year.

Police inspect cars at a Border Check Point on Indian Ocean Drive in WA in June

The battle centred on section 92 of the Constitution which provisions for free movement throughout the federation, saying: 'Trade, commerce, and intercourse among the states, whether by means of internal carriage or ocean navigation, shall be absolutely free.'

However, the High Court ruled that states can shut their borders without breaching the Constitution if the closure is proportionate and for a legitimate purpose.

WA argued there was 'no alternative' to a border closure to stop the spread of Covid-19 and the High Court accepted this.

But Prime Minister Scott Morrison has recently been pushing home quarantine for the fully vaccinated as an alternative.

'The answer for quarantine going forward is actually home quarantine for Australians,' he said on Tuesday.

Two weeks ago Mr Palmer announced he would launch another High Court challenge against WA over its policy to require residents returning from NSW to have had one dose of a Covid-19 vaccination.

Mr McGowan doesn't want Sydney residents (pictured) travelling to his state due to high Covid case numbers

'By restricting free movement of Australian citizens within Australia and creating an island-within-an-island, the WA Covid-19 eradication strategy is unconstitutional,' Mr Palmer said in a statement.

Section 117 of the Constitution says that state governments cannot discriminate against Australians because they are residents of other states.

'A subject of the Queen, resident in any state, shall not be subject in any other state to any disability or discrimination which would not be equally applicable to him if he were a subject of the Queen resident in such other state,' it says.

The Federal Government has been pushing cautious states such and Western Australia and Queensland to follow the national plan which removes restrictions in stages when 70 and 80 per cent are vaccinated.

Queensland has vowed to continue suppressing Covid while WA and Tasmania have said they will keep border closures in place.
An accused fraudster allegedly headbutted a policeman after he was found hiding underneath a mattress.

Police arrived at a unit on Taylor Street, in Lakemba, south west Sydney, on Tuesday afternoon looking for a 33-year-old wanted for fraud and driving offences.

Detectives searched the unit before allegedly discovering the man hiding in between a bed frame and a mattress.

As officers tried to arrest the man he allegedly headbutted a male senior constable before allegedly assaulting another.

A 33-year-old man allegedly headbutted a police officer before assaulting another during an arrest in Lakemba, south west Sydney on Tuesday (stock image)

The man was eventually handcuffed and taken to Campsie Police Station where he was charged with more than 20 offences.

Included in his charges were assaulting an officer, driving a vehicle while disqualified and dishonestly obtaining a property by deception.

The 33-year-old who was also charged with trespassing was refused bail.

He is due to appear at the Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday.
The wife of a Wisconsin lawmaker who has been an outspoken critic of vaccine and mask mandates is now encouraging others to get their shots after her husband was hospitalized with COVID-19-induced pneumonia and put on a ventilator.

Republican State Senator Andre Jacques, 40, tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month and was hospitalized August 16. Just days later he was put on a ventilator.

The senator recently authored legislation that would ban the state from mandating COVID-19 vaccines.

The senator was hospitalized only days after testifying Wisconsin State Capitol without a face mask.

His wife Renee Jacque is now asking others to get the vaccine after her husband and four others in their family contracted the virus.

'While vaccination is a personal choice, I ask that those individuals who are eligible and able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine please consider placing their trust in the medical professionals who recommend it,' she wrote in an email to WBAY-TV.

'These professionals, and their peers, are those whom we have also placed our trust in to care for my husband.'

Renee also reported that five of the eight family members - three of who are fully vaccinated - also tested positive for the virus

Wisconsin State Senator Andre Jacque (pictured) has been hospitalized since August 19 and placed on a ventilator. His wife Renee is now encouraging others to receive a COVID-19 vaccine

She told WBAY-TV that five of the eight family members contracted the virus, but did not say who.

She reported three fully vaccinated family members did contract COVID-19 with mild symptoms. It is not clear if the senator is vaccinated.

Jacque, of De Pere, was first elected to the state Assembly in 2010 and served four terms before being elected to the Senate in 2018.

Jacque sponsored bills that would have prohibited government officials or business owners from requiring vaccinations for COVID-19 or proof of vaccination in order to receive services.

The Republican-controlled Legislature passed both bills, which Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed.

Jacque also opposed a statewide mask mandate that Evers put in effect but that was struck down in March by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Jacque's brother is also encouraging others to get the vaccine. He said he was grateful for the prayers being offered toward his brother, but said getting the vaccine is more effective.

'While I appreciate the prayers for my brother and I understand that that's how they feel they're helping, I would ask them to you know, use some of the help that God has already given them to stay out of that same situation,' he told the Star Tribune.

The Daily Mail reached out to the Senator's office, but did not hear back before publication.

Sixty-one percent of Americans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The state of Wisconsin has vaccinated three million of its citizens

Republican state Rep. Shae Sortwell told his Facebook followers on August 20 that Jacque 'is in serious need of your prayers.'

Jacque's hospitalization comes amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin blamed on the more contagious delta variant.

Wisconsin reported more than 4,000 new COVID-19 cases on August 30, with a seven-day average of almost 2,000.

NBC 15 WMTV reported Wisconsin experienced more than 10,000 new cases in the past week.

In the past few months, the state has recorded more than 50,000 new cases. More than two-thirds of those cases were added in the last month.

The Senator appeared at two public hearings mask-less days for being hospitalized on August 16

His brother Pierre (pictured) encouraged others to get the vaccine instead of sending prayers for his brother

The state has fully vaccinated three million of its citizens. 54 per cent of the state has received their first dose of the vaccine, with just a little over 50 per cent being fully vaccinated.

COVID-19 continues to rise in cases across the US with more than 280,000 new cases reported yesterday.

Fifty-three per cent of US citizens have been fully vaccinated, with 61 per cent receiving at least one dose of the vaccine.
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A man hiding out from the Covid pandemic has set up home in one of the world's most famous beaches - but some locals aren't happy.

The Maori man, known only as Awhi, started living in an ancient cave across the road from wealthy homeowners at Mount Drury Reserve at the New Zealand beach town Mount Maunganui in early 2020.

Awhi's ramshackle home, which is nearby homes worth multi-millions, is visible from the exclusive, sprawling homes along Pacific Avenue.

Awhi told stuff.co.nz that while his cave home looks 'grim', it was just 'somewhere to stay warm', stuff.co.nz reported.

He said: 'Theres a lot of other people in the world today that are worse off than I am. Who am I to complain?'

Homeless man Awhi, hiding out from the pandemic in a cave, has put surrounding millionaire homeowners' noses out of joint as he defies powerful efforts to have him evicted from a world-famous beach haven

Mount Maunganui is rated New Zealand's best beach and has even been listed among the world's top 25 beaches, and its just a stroll for Awhi who pays no rent and has been allowed to live among the millionaires

Homeless man Awhi has made a neat and tidy home in the cliff face on Pacific Avenue, just 200 metres from the surf at Mount Maunganui

His home is also obvious to people walking to and from world-famous Mount Maunganui beach - which is about 200 metres away.

Mount Maunganui is rated New Zealand's best beach and has even been listed among the world's top 25 beaches.

'Theyre all millionaires along here. They would rather get me out of here,' Awhi said.

He said the locals held a meeting to have him moved and enlisted the former leader of the opposition, Tauranga MP Simon Bridges.

Mr Bridges, Jacinda Ardern's first opposition rival after she became Prime Minister, confirmed he was approached by local residents who wanted Awhi out.

'If I had a couple of million dollars of mortgage there I might feel the same,' Mr Bridges said.

Mr Bridges also raised the issue of some of Awhi's visitors drinking, and loudly partying, doing graffiti in the park and allegedly breaking into local building sites.

Mr Bridges contacted the council asking for action around the anti-social behaviour and was assured police would be notified.

But Stuart Goodman of Tauranga City Council said Awhi couldn't be moved 'as he is homeless'.

Mr Goodman said he was 'reluctant' to move the man into a men's shelter 'for personal reasons' and was willing to move into a suitable house but none was available.

Meanwhile Awhi, 64, is still there.

He has a mattress, wardrobe, pantry and kitchen inside a cave which was said to have once been an early Maori burial site and later a carving school.

A paddleboard marks the entrance to Awhi's cave home, which he moved into 18 months ago when authorities moved him out of a local park

He says his cookers are 'for show', so people don't keep asking if he is ok. Instead he eats instant noodles and rice, given to him by a homeless charity.

Awhi moved into the cave when he was 'moved on' from living in a local park that authorities wanted to 'clean up' at the start of the pandemic.

He says 'there's no housing' and the rock was the only place he could find 'shelter'.

Laura Wood, from homeless charity Under the Stars said Awhi was 'personable' and has 'an awesome space' to live in.

She said there was very little availability for homeless people to find shelter in New Zealand in 2021 partly because of the pandemic.
A cougar raised in a New York City apartment was surrendered to police and taken to the Bronx Zoo on Thursday night before being transported to a sanctuary in Arkansas.

The nearly 80-pound female cougar named Sasha was raised in a Bronx apartment for the past 11 months after being purchased out of state as a young cub.

Authorities were made aware of the illegal pet by her owner who contacted the sanctuary after it began showing signs of aggression.

Officials have not named the pet's owner, who is currently under investigation and may face charges.

The rescue of the animal was a joint effort between the Humane Society of the United States, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, NYPD and the Bronx Zoo.

Sasha, a nearly 80-pound female cougar was removed from a Bronx apartment on Thursday

She was taken to the Bronx Zoo where she underwent medical examinations over the weekend

The big cat was transported to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Rescue in Arkansas on Monday

Sasha will live at the Arkansas sanctuary for the remainder of her days being taken care of by professional animal handlers

Sasha began her journey to Turpentine Creek in Arkansas on Monday afternoon after passing an initial medical examination at the Bronx Zoo over the weekend.

'I've never seen a cougar in the wild, but I've seen them on leashes, smashed into cages, and crying for their mothers when breeders rip them away,' Kelly Donithan, director of animal disaster response for the Humane Society, said in a statement.

'I've also seen the heartbreak of owners, like in this case, after being sold not just a wild animal, but a false dream that they could make a good 'pet.''

The Humane Society director continued, 'The owner's tears and nervous chirps from the cougar as we drove her away painfully drives home the many victims of this horrendous trade and myth that wild animals belong anywhere but the wild.'

Authorities were alerted to the illegal pet by her unidentified owner after she began exhibiting signs of aggression

Sasha was kept in a Bronx apartment for 11 months after being purchased out of state

Her previous owner is currently under investigation and may face charges for raising the illegal pet

The retrieval of the dangerous pet has activist calling for the federal government to pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act

Humane Society Legislative Fund president, Sara Amundson, said 'The sad situation from which Sasha is being rescued is a textbook example of why Congress must, once and for all, pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act'

While the idea of a big cat being hidden as a pet in a New York apartment is shocking, the state has seen several dangerous and notable cases involving illegal pets.

In 2003 a 400-pound tiger named Ming was removed from an apartment in Harlem.

The next year a child was attacked by his fathers pet leopard in their Suffolk County home.

In New York City it is illegal to 'sell or give to another person, possess, harbor, keep, or yard wild or other animals,' excluding certified establishments such as zoos or circuses according to Article 161 of the Health Code: Animals.

The long list of illegal animals is included in several pages of the document including 'lion, tiger, leopard, ocelot, jaguar, puma, panther, mountain lion, cheetah, wild cat, cougar, bobcat, lynx, serval, caracal, jaguarundi, margay and any hybrid or cross-breed offspring of a wild cat and domesticated or other cat.'

According to the New York City site, people 'will not receive a violation for dropping off an illegal animal' however 'the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) issues violations when appropriate.'

You can be charged with a misdemeanor in New York to mistreat a domestic or wild animal.

Humane Society Legislative Fund president, Sara Amundson, 'A majestic species native to the United States and much of the Americas, cougars thrive in their natural habitats, not in a city home. Individuals and unqualified entities simply cannot meet these wild animals' complex needs.'

'The sad situation from which Sasha is being rescued is a textbook example of why Congress must, once and for all, pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act.'

The Big Cat Public Safety Act would update the laws regarding the trade of big cats specifically focusing on the possession and exhibition of the animals.

It was introduced by Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley in 2019. The Act was passed by the House of Representatives in 2020 and was received in the Senate where it was referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
A well-known anti-vaxxer has livestreamed the moment she was pulled over and arrested by police outside her five kilometre radius.

Monica Smit, the founder of Reignite Democracy Australia, a movement aimed at protesting Covid lockdowns and vaccines, was stopped by police in Brighton in Melbourne's southeast at about 1:20pm on Tuesday.

Ms Smit decided to pick up her phone and livestream the incident on Facebook to show her followers as evidence 'just in case'.

'I've just been pulled over by the cops, probably because I'm outside my 5km. But we'll see what happens,' Ms Smit said.

Prominent anti-vaxxer Monica Smit was pulled over by police on Tuesday in what she believed was due to her being outside her 5km radius

The anti-vaxxer looked frustrated and let out a large sigh as she waited in her vehicle for the police to address her.

As the police approached Ms Smit's window, one officer said: 'Hello Monica, how are you doing?'

The officers from Springvale Police Station then informed Ms Smit they needed to place her under arrest for a matter of incitement.

Completely shocked by the arrest, Mr Smit asked: 'Have you guys been following me?'

The anti-vaxxer decided to livestream the arrest to her followers on Facebook and was subsequently arrested by the officers for incitement

The officers continued to tell her that anything she said may be used as evidence in court and asked if she understood.

'No comment,' Ms Smit said.

Before officers ended the video, Ms Smit urged her followers to share the video on social media as much as possible.

A Victoria police spokesperson confirmed in a statement that a 31-year-old Pakenham woman had been charged following an investigation into alleged online incitement of persons to breach the state's Chief Health Officer's directions.

'Police subsequently executed search warrants at residences in Pakenham and Hampton,' a police spokesperson said.

'The woman has since been charged with two counts of incitement and three counts of breaching the Chief Health Officer's Directions and remanded to face Melbourne Magistrates' Court on September 1.'

The anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown group shared a statement from Ms Smit's parents to their followers on Facebook on Wednesday morning.

Ms Smit's parents said: 'Thank you ALL for your kind thoughts, words and especially your prayers! We're dealing with a 'broken system'.'

'We hope, pray and keep strong.'
Rep. Markwayne Mullin had an urgent request for the U.S. ambassador to Tajikistan.

In a call on Monday, he asked for help transporting a vast amount of cash into the country as part of an attempt to travel to neighboring Afghanistan to rescue an American woman and her four children by helicopter.

The answer was that the embassy could not back such a dangerous mission, leading an infuriated Mullin to threaten U.S. ambassador John Mark Pommersheim and embassy staff, according to the Washington Post.

'To say this is extremely dangerous is a massive understatement,' a State Department official told the newspaper on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter.

Mullin, 44, told officials he wanted to fly from Tblisi, Georgia, to the Tajikistan capital Dunshanbe within hours and needed the ambassador's help.

But the embassy told him they could not help him flout the country's limits on bringing cash into the country. Nor could they support such a dangerous plan.

U.S. officials said they did not know of Markwayne Mullin's location, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday night, after they refused to help him bring a big quantity of cash into Tajikistan to fund a helicopter rescue attempt in Afghanistan

Mullin reportedly threatened U.S. ambassador to Dushanbe John Mark Pommersheim, although the Washington Post did not describe what form the threats took

The U.S. embassy in Tajikistan, which Mullin approach for help with his private mission

Taliban fighters atop a Humvee vehicle take part in a rally in Kabul on August 31, 2021 as they celebrate after the US pulled all its troops out of the country to end a brutal 20-year war -- one that started and ended with the hardline Islamist in power

It was reportedly his second effort to reach Afghanistan for a private rescue bid,

Last week he got as far as Greece but was denied permission to carry on to Kabul by the Pentagon, an administration official said.

Officials have been on high alert for similar missions after an unauthorized trip by Reps. Seth Moulton and Peter Meijer last week, which were condemned as thoughtless publicity stunts at a time when the armed forces were already overstretched at Kabul airport.

As of late Tuesday, U.S. officials told the Washington Post they were unsure of Mullins location and his office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The last U.S. troops left Afghanistan on Monday just before midnight.

It brought to an end America's 20 year war and it closed out with a mammoth evacuation effort.

The U.S. military helped evacuate more than 120,000 people, including U.S. citizens, allies and at-risk Afghans from Kabul airport.

The chaotic airlift was augmented by a string of private enterprises, from veterans using their military knowhow to help their Afghan allies reach the airport to charter planes collecting women who feared for their future under the Taliban.

Mullin condemned the U.S. withdrawal for leaving stranded Americans behind on Monday

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said fewer than 200 American citizens remained behind and that diplomatic efforts were already under way to establish new pathways out.

The State Department reissued a Level 4 travel advisory for the country on Monday.

'Do not travel to Afghanistan due to civil unrest, armed conflict, crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and COVID-19,' it said.

Mullin is not a U.S. military veteran, unlike Moulton and Meijer.

The Republican was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2012.

He has been an outspoken critic of the Biden administrations exit from Afghanistan.

'This is a sad day for our country, Mullin said in a Twitter post on Monday night.

'Americans have been stranded in Afghanistan by the Biden administration and are now left to defend themselves from terrorists overrunning the country.

'One motto of our military is "leave no man behind." But today, thats exactly what President Biden did.'
A Sydney lawyer who has represented a raft of controversial clients has issued a stark warning from his hospital bed after being struck down with Covid-19.

Posting to his Instagram story on Wednesday, Ahmed Dib, told his followers he has been hospitalised and is unsure of when he will leave, and urged others to take the threat of Covid seriously.

'For everyone who keeps trying to call,' he said.

'Unfortunately I'm in hospital and don't know how long I'm gonna be here for'

Mr Dib posted to his Instagram from his hospital bed in Sydney's Concord Hospital where is currently on oxygen and steroids as he recovers from Covid-19 (pictured)

The Sydney lawyer (pictured, left) and professional boxer described Covid as the worst thing he's had to 'mentally and physically' go through

The 33-year-old told Daily Mail Australia he had tested positive for the Covid-19 a week prior to his hospitalisation, and had been due to receive his first vaccine dose the following week.

The defence lawyer, who is also a professional boxer, described Covid as one of the toughest battles he's had to face so far in his life.

'It's the worst thing I've had to go through mentally and physically,' he said.

'I've had broken and fractured hips, arms, hands - I was a pro boxer, I've been in really tough fights where I've been concussed and this trumps all of that.'

The lawyer had been diagnosed with the virus only a week prior, before his symptoms became progressively worse, as he described experiencing hot flushes, vomiting, cold shivers and uncontrollable coughing.

Recovering at Concord Hospital in Sydney's inner west, Mr Dib said he was currently on oxygen, steroids and a drip, while doctors consider placing him on a trial drug.

But the pro-boxer wanted to send a stern message to members of the community who are still skeptical about the virus and vaccination.

'For those who believe Covid is some sort of conspiracy look around you the virus is real,' he said.

'People really need to take this seriously and follow the rules to protect them and their family.'

'I've been in really tough fights were I've been concussed and this trumps all of that,' said Mr Dibb (pictured) while describing his battle with Covid-19

Outside of the courtroom Dib is a professional boxer and former NSW junior middleweight champion - claiming 20 victories from 20 bouts so far with 12 by knockout

Ahmed Dib of Dib & Associates Lawyers, has represented a raft of controversial clients in court - from gangsters to terrorists, murderers, rapists and jailed former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer.

The Sydney-based defence lawyer is a strong proponent of the 'innocent until proven guilty' foundation of the legal system, and has made a name for himself in the criminal law circuit defending those who have been accused of abhorrent offences.

Among them are the likes of convicted bank robber John Killick - who dramatically escaped Sydney's Silverwater Prison via helicopter in 1999 - and 81-year-old Robert Kidd, one of Australia's oldest and most notorious criminals.

In 2016 Dib represented a Greek autistic teenager who faced terror charges after allegedly writing on Facebook that he wanted to kill a police officer; and in 2018 he defended Skaf gang rapist Belal Hajeid over charges of assault and stalking.

These are fairly typical cases for a man who continually insists a person is not the sum of their mistakes, and Dib prides himself on defending those who others would deem lost causes.

Outside of the courtroom Dib is a professional boxer and former NSW junior middleweight champion - claiming 20 victories from 20 bouts so far with 12 by knockout.

Ahmed Dib, 33, has represented an array of notorious Australian criminals from gangsters to terrorists
A senior doctor from Sydney's south-west Covid hotspot has warned people not to listen to social media for information on the virus in a direct attack on anti-vaxxers.

Dr Ahmad Alrubaie, a senior lecturer at the University of NSW and gastroenterologist at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, fronted the media at today's NSW Covid update.

'Don't listen to any social media. Don't listen to any YouTube. Don't listen to any WhatsApp networking...' Dr Alrubaie said.

Dr Ahmad Alrubaie, a senior lecturer at the University of NSW and gastroenterologist at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, urged people in his community of south-west Sydney not to listen to anti-vaccination messages on social media

Dr Alrubaie said 'misinformation' circulating through social media had left many members of Sydney's south-west regions confused about the effects and effectiveness of Covid vaccines

'The only reliable source and trust the source is the information from the health authorities from health professionals and from sites you can get, including the NSW.gov.au,' Dr Alrubaie said.

Dr Alrubaie said his community was tired due to the lockdown and the continuing fight against the spread of the virus in Sydney hotspots.

He said 'misinformation' circulating through social media had left many members of Sydney's south-west regions confused.

'As a result some people are still hesitant about the vaccination,' he said.

'To those people I say, the Covid vaccine is safe and effective.

'The fight against this deadly virus is the responsibility of every single person one of us,' he said. 'It is your responsibility also.

'First, get vaccinated without any delay. See your GP. See your pharmacist and visit the nsw.gov.au for an appointment. Get tested with the minimal symptoms in our areas because there are still hot spots.'

Dr Alrubaie's call for people in south-west Sydney to come forward and be vaccinated came as NSW announced 1116 new cases and four more deaths on Wednesday

Dr Alrubaie said over the past six weeks the south-west community had responded well to calls to vaccinate, with 66 percent having received one dose and more than 30 percent being fully vaccinated.

His call for residents of LGA areas of concern to use trusted sources of information came as NSW recorded 1116 new cases and four more deaths on Wednesday.

He also warned the effects of 'long Covid', saying it could impact on people's learning and study, and continue even after full recovery from the disease.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejilkian said the state is set to reach a major milestone of administering 70 per cent of first doses to eligible residents.

'Make sure your employees are vaccinated so we can get back to life at 70 percent double-dose vaccination which we anticipate will happen somewhere around the middle of October,' she said at Wednesday's press conference.
Cops trying to arrest an elderly woman at one of NSW's 79 anti-lockdown rallies were heckled by protesters who surrounded and screamed at them.

Confronting footage shows protesters chanting 'let her go' to NSW police arresting the woman at the otherwise silent demonstration on Tuesday.

She was one of hundreds not wearing masks gathered in front of the Hills Shire Council customer service centre in Sydney's north-west,

Five others were arrested and nine fines issued, along with 153 arrests around the state and almost 600 fines issued.

The coordinated 'Shut Down Australia Day' protests targeted government buildings and police stations in NSW with thousands of people.

In the video, protestors surrounded police and the woman in a circle creating a barrier with scarves to try to prevent her arrest.

During this, the woman said 'I do not consent to this arrest'.

One of the officers arresting the woman then grabs one of the scarves, breaking out of the circle the protestors created.

Other officers step in and warn the protestors to stay back, allowing cops holding the woman to move away from the crowd.

A video has been posted to TikTok showing NSW Police arresting an elderly woman while anti-lockdown protestors chant 'let her go'

The woman is taken out of sight of the camera filming the ordeal digs her feet into the ground.

The footage then pans to the group of protestors, showing another woman berating one of the officers saying 'idiots' before the video cuts out.

Three officers suffered minor injuries at other NSW protests in Lismore, Murwillumbah, and Raymond Terrace.

Eleven rallies were held in Sydney's south-west, which remains the centre of the latest Covid-19 outbreak.
Virginia Tech has disenrolled more than 100 students who failed to submit COVID-19 vaccination documentations, university officials said on Tuesday.

Out of about 37,000 Virginia Tech students expected when classes began last week, 134 have been disenrolled for failing to submit their proof of vaccination or exemption documents, university spokesman Mark Owczarski told the Roanoke Times.

It comes just days after the University of Virginia kicked out 238 students for failure to comply with the school's vaccination requirements, though of those the school says only 48 were enrolled for fall classes.

As students at all levels return to the classroom for fall semester, the debate over vaccination and mask mandates is heating up across the country.

Virginia Tech disenrolled 134 students who failed to prove vaccination status. Students of the university are seen above during move-in week last month

At Western Michigan University, four female soccer players sued the school for threatening to kick them off the team if they don't get vaccinated, saying the mandate violates their religious beliefs.

In several states including Texas and Florida, Republican governors have banned government vaccine mandates, including at publicly funded universities.

Those executive orders are now under legal challenges, with opponents arguing that school vaccine mandates are necessary in a congregate setting, as the highly infectious Delta variant drives a surge of infections.

In California and New York, meanwhile, nearly all public and private universities require students to get vaccinated. In New York, public universities cannot even allow for religious exemptions, while a majority of the states private universities can.

Most universities already require proof of routine vaccinations such as measles, mumps and rubella in order to enroll in classes.

In August, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett rejected a plea for urgent relief from a group of Indiana University students who claimed that the school's vaccine mandate was unconstitutional.

Meanwhile in elementary schools and high schools, debate has been raging over mask mandates, particularly in Florida, where several school districts have defied Governor Ron DeSantis' order banning the mandates.

At Virginia Tech, the school set an August 6 deadline for students to upload proof of vaccination to in order maintain their class schedule and housing selection after announcing the requirement in June.

The school requires all those with an approved vaccine exemption for medical or religious reasons to submit to mandatory weekly testing in accordance with state guidelines. The school updates its dashboard with the results

The university requires all students to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to return for the fall semester, unless they provide a medical or religious exemption. Classes began on August 23.

It is unknown whether the students did not provide their vaccination status because of an objection to the mandate, or because they were planning to leave their studies for another reason.

School spokesman Owczarski told Fox 8: 'The university does not know whether any of these students were not planning to return for reasons unrelated to the COVID-19 vaccine requirement.'

Owczarski added that attempts have been made to contact the 134 students, and they are welcome to reenroll at the university if they provide their vaccine documents.

Roughly 95 per cent of the 37,000 students enrolled at Virginia Tech say they are vaccinated.

Eighty-eight per cent of the university's employees are reportedly vaccinated. As of August 19, the school shifted its views and is now requiring all employees to become vaccinated by October 1, regardless if they are working remotely or not.

The school requires all those with an approved vaccine exemption for medical or religious reasons to submit to mandatory weekly testing in accordance with state guidelines.

The school updates its dashboard with the results.

Associate Vice President of University Relations Mark Owczarski said he wasn't sure if the students were not planning on returning due to the COVID-19 guidelines or for other reasons

The school is currently requiring all students and faculty to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

However, the school did drop its mass gathering restrictions, in according with state guidelines.

Students, employees, and visitors will be required to wear masks in high risk zones. Students and employees are not required to wear a mask indoors if they are in their office or dorm room.

The school announced it will review it's guidelines in September and reevaluate the certain restriction placed on students and employees.

Virginia is experiencing a spike in cases with over 8,000 new cases being reported on August 30 and a seven-day average of more than 3,000.

The state currently has almost 60 per cent of its citizens vaccinated.

COVID-19 continues to rise in cases across the US with more than 280,000 new cases reported on August 30.

All students were required to submit proof of vaccination by August 6 to maintain their class schedule and housing selection. All employees will have to prove vaccination status by October 1

Fifty-three per cent of US citizens have been fully vaccinated, with 61 per cent receiving at least one dose of the vaccine.

Not only are they requiring the vaccine for all staff and students, but Virginia Tech and The University of Virginia have partnered together to develop a new vaccine to prevent COVID-19, as well as its variants.

Dr. Steven Zeichner, from University of Virginia, and Dr. Xiang-Jin Meng, from Virginia Tech, are working together to create a fusion peptide vaccine.

Their vaccine could be ready for human trial in as little as six months.

This vaccine could help Virginia lower its COVID-19 cases eventually.
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Louisiana has been described as a 'war zone' with residents scrambling for food, gas and water after satellite images began to reveal the extent of Hurricane Ida's trail of destruction through the state.

With the power off, people are struggling for relief from the sweltering heat as thousands of line workers toiled to restore electricity, and officials vowed to set up more sites where people could get free meals and cool off.

'It looks like a war zone or a bomb went off throughout [St. John the Baptist] parish,' state Sen. Gary Smith said on Tuesday, speaking to The Advocate. 'There's no part that's unaffected.'

Power and water outages caused by the hurricane affected hundreds of thousands of people, many of them with no way to get immediate relief.

'I don't have a car. I don't have no choice but to stay,' said Charles Harris, 58, as he looked for a place to eat on Tuesday in a New Orleans' neighborhood where Ida downed utility poles and power lines two days earlier.

Harris had no access to a generator and said the heat was starting to wear him down. New Orleans and the rest of the region were under a heat advisory, with forecasters saying the combination of high temperatures and humidity could make it feel like 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41C) on Wednesday.

Before and after satellite images have revealed the extent of the damage and flooding that Hurricane Ida has left in its wake in Louisiana.

With 150-mile-per-hour winds, Ida was the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the U.S when it barreled across the South on Sunday night.

The Category 4 storm has caused an estimated $80 billion in damage and sparked fears of a national fuel shortage after gas refineries were forced to suspend operations.

The storm - which has now been downgraded to a tropical depression - is now slowly makes its way northeast, sparking flood watches from Tennessee to New York.

But in its wake, residents in Louisiana are left to pick through the destruction amid a sweltering aftermath.

The before and after images show entire neighborhoods still submerged by floodwaters on Tuesday, nearly two days after the storm had made landfall in the area.

 Slide me  Jean Lafitte (pictured) was also submerged, it sits just south of New Orleans next to Lake Salvador

 Slide me  With 150-mile-per-hour winds when it came ashore, Ida tore a number of buildings apart such as those pictured in LaPlace

 Slide me  Before (left) and after (right) satellite images of the flooding and damage brought by Hurricane Ida in Louisiana showed entire neighborhoods still submerged, such as Barataria (pictured), Tuesday

 Slide me  The satellite images taken on Tuesday, nearly two days after Ida made landfall, show floodwaters in Lafitte and Barataria had not yet receded

 Slide me  An entire row of houses could be seen destroyed by the winds in Houma Tuesday

One set pictured Jean Lafitte, which while inland, neighbors a number of rivers which could be seen having overflowed. The flood waters still lingered.

In others, such as sets depicting the neighborhood of Houma and LaPlace, destruction from the harsh winds could be seen with rows of houses knocked down, and buildings with roofs torn off.

More than 1.1 million homes and businesses remain without power after the storm, and at least five people have been confirmed dead.

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for Louisiana and Mississippi for Tuesday, affecting more than 2 million people, who could face heat indices of up to 105 degrees.

Officials have said restoring power could take weeks.

'We have a lot of work ahead of us and no one is under the illusion that this is going to be a short process,' Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said.

New Orleans officials announced seven places around the city where people could get a meal and sit in air conditioning.

The city was also using 70 transit buses as cooling sites and will have drive-thru food, water and ice distribution locations set up on Wednesday, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said.

Edwards said state officials also were working to set up distribution locations in other areas.

The recovery effort is just beginning in Louisiana after the storm barreled through the state, and officials have asked residents who evacuated to stay away for now

Homes destroyed on Grand Isle. It's estimated that half of the properties on the island of about 1,400 were demolished in the hurricane

More homes destroyed on Grand Isle, where floodwaters had yet to recede as of Tuesday

A house is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in Grand Isle, Louisiana, Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Destruction is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in Grand Isle, Louisiana, Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Louisiana residents still reeling from flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Ida scrambled for food, gas, water and relief from the sweltering heat while facing the dispiriting prospect of weeks without electricity to power air conditioners and refrigerators

Cantrell ordered a nighttime curfew Tuesday, calling it an effort to prevent crime after Hurricane Ida devastated the power system and left the city in darkness.

Police Chief Shaun Ferguson said there had been some arrests for stealing.

The mayor also said she expects the main power company Entergy to be able to provide some electricity to the city by Wednesday evening, but stressed that doesn't mean a quick citywide restoration.

Entergy was looking at two options to 'begin powering critical infrastructure in the area such as hospitals, nursing homes and first responders,' the company said in a news release.

Cantrell acknowledged frustration in the days ahead.

'We know it's hot. We know we do not have any power, and that continues to be a priority,' she told a news conference.

Flood and wind damage was widespread in southeast Louisana (pictured) where Ida made landfall on Sunday evening

The winds tore some homes apart, such as this one on Grand Isle, one of the hardest hit areas in the state

Damage could be seen to docking facilities at Port Fouchon. The true extent of the damage was still being assessed as of Tuesday

Homes remained flooded in LaPlace, which neighbors Lake Ponchartarain

An estimated 25,000-plus utility workers labored to restore electricity, but officials said it could take weeks.

With water treatment plants overwhelmed by floodwaters or crippled by power outages, some places were also facing shortages of drinking water.

About 441,000 people in 17 parishes had no water, and an additional 319,000 were under boil-water advisories, federal officials said.

The death toll included two people killed Monday night when seven vehicles plunged into a 20-foot-deep hole near Lucedale, Mississippi, where a highway had collapsed after torrential rains.

Among the crash victims was Kent Brown, a 'well-liked,' 49-year-old father of two, his brother Keith Brown said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

Some structures were entirely demolished by the winds, such as this one picture in Des Allemands, which sits just southwest of New Orleans

More homes seen destroyed in Grand Isle. Police Chief Scooter Resweber said he was 'amazed that no one was killed or even seriously injured.'

A resident stood in his home in Ponchatoula on Tuesday, the storm came ashore with 150 mile per hour winds

Keith Brown said his brother was in construction but had been out of work for a while.

He didn't know where his brother was headed when the crash happened.

Edwards said he expects the death toll to rise.

In Slidell, crews searched for a 71-year-old man who was attacked by an alligator that tore off his arm as he walked through Ida's floodwaters.

His wife pulled him to the steps of the home and paddled away to get help, but when she returned, he was gone, authorities said.

On Grand Isle, the barrier island that bore the full force of Ida's winds, Police Chief Scooter Resweber said he was 'amazed that no one was killed or even seriously injured.'

Residents could be seen lining up for gas at a station in New Orleans, where the entire city still remains without power

About half of the properties on the island of about 1,400 people were heavily damaged or destroyed, and the main roadway was nearly completely covered in sand brought in from the tidal surge.

'I've ridden out other hurricanes: Hurricane Isaac, Katrina, Gustav, Ike. ... This is the worst,' Resweber said.

In New Orleans, drivers lined up for roughly a quarter-mile, waiting to get into a Costco that was one of the few spots in the city with gasoline.

At other gas stations, motorists occasionally pulled up to the pumps, saw the handles covered in plastic bags and drove off.

About 30 miles northwest of the city in LaPlace, Enola Vappie and her sons sat in her carport hoping to catch a breeze as the temperature inside her damaged home creeped up without power to run air conditioning.

The 78-year-old Vappie was one of about 441,000 people across the state to lose water after floodwaters and power outages crippled treatment plants. But she was already thinking about what she'll do when it comes back.

'I can't wait to have a good bubble bath,' she said. 'I might live in that tub.'
A Central Texas school district has closed its schools until after the Labor Day holiday after two teachers died last week of COVID-19.

Natalia Chansler, 41, a sixth grade social studies teacher at Connally Junior High School died on Saturday from Covid.

Her death came days after David McCormick, 59, a seventh grade social studies teacher at the same school, was also killed by the virus.

Connally Independent School District officials will close its five suburban Waco schools for the rest of the week, Assistant Superintendent Jill Bottelberghe said.

It was not immediately known if either teacher was vaccinated, or whether they caught the virus at the school.

Natalia Chansler, 41, a sixth-grade social studies teacher at Connally Junior High School, died Saturday of complications from the virus

David McCormick, 59, a seventh grade social studies teacher at Connally Junior High died of COVID-19 just days before colleague Natalia Chansler

'We have not found any correlation' between the two deaths, Bottelberghe said.

'They were at two different grade levels even though they worked under the same content area, but we have recognized that there has been an increase in spread as far as throughout our student body at those two grade levels.'

Connally Junior High confirmed 51 COVID-19 cases since classes began August 18, Bottelberghe said Monday.

She added that more cases had been confirmed in the last few days, but she did not know if any have been directly traced back to Chansler.

In an email on Monday, Superintendent Wesley Holt said the hope 'is that the closure and holiday break will provide those who are positive with the virus or exposed to others with the virus, the time to isolate and recover.

'This closure will also allow time for deep cleaning and sanitizing of all CISD facilities.'

Connally Junior High confirmed 51 COVID-19 cases since classes began August 18, assistant Superintendent Jill Bottelberghe said on Monday

On Sunday, the district provided rapid COVID-19 testing to the junior high school staff. It will also work closely with the McLennan County Public Health District to monitor COVID-19 cases.

'We know that testing can help curtail the spread of the virus, by identifying cases, including asymptomatic individuals who can then isolate for 10 days,' Holt added.

The district will also offer testing for the families of the students who might have been in contact with Mr. McCormick and Ms. Chansler.

Another Connally High School teacher David Guel had previously contracted COVID-19 in late March 2020 and was admitted on March 25, 2020, to Ascension Providence Hospital in Waco.

He spent 26 days in the ICU, 16 of them on a ventilator, reported local station KWTX.

Guel was released from the hospital on April 25, 2020. He returned to the classroom for the start of the fall 2020 semester.

Connally High School teacher David Guel spent 16 days on a ventilator fighting for his life in March and April 2020 before returning to teach for the start of the of fall semester in the same year

The seven-day average for Covid deaths in Texas reached 209 on Monday, according to CDC data. The seven-day average of cases was 16,629.

The state has seen a surge in both cases and deaths since June.

About 47.3 percent of Texas 29 million people have been fully vaccinated, as of August 31.

The state of Texas has seen the number of deaths related to COVID-19 surge since June. The seven-day average is 209 as of August 30

In Texas, the number of new COVID-19 cases as of August 31 is 22,151
A Rikers Island correction officer was left with a fractured skull after being viciously beaten by an inmate - who later said 'voices' in his head told him to carry out the attack.

Marvens 'Murda' Thomas, 28, has been charged with attempted murder over Monday's attack.

A criminal complaint filed on Tuesday alleges that the inmate knocked the officer to the ground while pummeling him with his fists before stomping on his head and stealing the guard's pepper spray, according to The New York Post.

The guard was carried away on a stretcher with 'substantial pain, soreness, bruising, and swelling, as well as a bleeding laceration that required 20 [stitches], 11 inside and 9 outside,' according to the complaint filed in Bronx Criminal Court.

The complaint alleges that Thomas threatened the guard on Monday around 9 am saying, 'I want a female officer. Get this dreadhead motherf****er off my floor or else.'

After the brutal attack in the prison's George R. Vierno Center he told the beaten guard, 'I warned you,' prosecutors claim.

A corrections officer was brutally attacked by an inmate at Rikers Island on Monday. The officer fractured his skull and received 20 stitches (pictured)

Rikers Island inmate Marvens 'Murda' Thomas, 28, has been charged with attempted murder for the violent attack of the guard which he blamed on the voices in his head

The inmate claimed that his violence was due to a mental illness, and voices in his head.

In a statement he reportedly explained, 'What happened in the morning happened because I have a mental illness. I hear voices in my head and I think that people are trying to hurt me.'

'My family abandoned me. I want to be in a facility for my whole life where I can receive treatment and be with people like myself so we can understand each other.'

Thomas is now facing a felony attempted murder charge adding to his nine previous charges which include assault, robbery, larceny, obstruction governmental administration, and harassment, according to state records.

He was arrested in New York City on a felony assault charge on August 9 and was being held on a $150,000 bond.

Thomas is set to appear in court at 9 am on Friday where he will be represented by Attorney Alice Swenson.

The Department of Correction Commissioner Vincent Schiraldi, who began his position in June, said in a statement, 'Any assault on our staff is deplorable and absolutely unacceptable. We will work with the Bronx DA to hold the individual responsible accountable.'

Correction Officers' Benevolent Association (COBA) President Benny Boscio released a statement blaming the attack and rising violence at Rikers Island on Mayor de Blasio.

The statement read: 'Our Correction Officer, who was simply doing his job, was nearly killed by this heinous attack. The blood that shed from his wounds and the wounds of all our brave officers, who continue to be assaulted with impunity, are on the Mayor's hands.'

'He alone has the power to make our jails safer and his unwillingness to do so makes him criminally negligent for creating the conditions we face daily.'

This follows a long series of rising 'disorder and chaos' that have reportedly reached 'unreasonably high' levels, as stated in a letter filed in court on August 24 by Rikers Island Federal Monitor Steven J. Martin, according to The New York Times.

The letter allegedly describes several violent incidents including a detainee being stabbed, a correction officer who was slashed, and an inmate who suffered second-degree burns after having scalding water thrown on him.

Brandon Rodriguez (pictured right) was found hanged in a cell on Rikers Island earlier this month. His mother, Tamara Carter (pictured left),is awaiting answers from the ongoing investigation into his death

It also comes after the suspected suicide of inmate Brandon Rodriguez, 25, who was found hanging from a cell shower. He was pronounced dead on August 10, two days after an altercation with another inmate.

The guard in charge of monitoring his cell had reportedly been working a triple shift. The cause and circumstances of Rodriguez's death are still being investigated.

Dr. Robert Cohen, a member of the Board of Correction, a sperate organization that monitors the jail system, told The Times that there had been five suicides in the past nine months, including Rodriguez's.

Martin's letter reportedly pointed to staffing issues as a main cause of the increasing problems at the New York City jail complex. It allegedly claims that 2,300 shifts had been missed without notice by the end of July.

In July, COBA filed a lawsuit against the Department of Correction in Queens Supreme Court, accusing them of 'inhumane conditions' including triple shifts and being denied access to water, PPE, and medical attention.

Over 200 former and current DOC officers gathered at the entrance of Rikers Island on August 16 to demand better working conditions including forbidding triple shifts.

Ten days later, another protest was held outside the jail complex in support of the inmates and officers as public defenders from Queens united in response to Martin's letter.

Schiraldi has been a vocal proponent pushing for changes within the department agreeing with Martin's attribution of the jails problems to staffing issues.

'Officers are out sick because they continue to be forced to work under hostile and inhumane working conditions where they are forced to work 25 hours or more without meals and rest and are brutally assaulted by inmates with impunity,' Mr. Boscio said according to The Times.

'Fix the inhumane working conditions and you will fix the staffing crisis.'

Correction Officers' Benevolent Association (COBA) President Benny Boscio has blamed Mayor de Blasio for the rising violence at Rikers Island

He has announced plans to resolve the issues with the New Day DOC plan.

Accelerating the repair of all cell doors in facilities, starting with RNDC

Implementing a plan to break up gang housing, beginning with young adults

Providing high quality medical care to staff through a reputable hospital provider

Ending triples tours as quickly as possible; but until then we are providing staff working triples with free rides home as well as free, catered meals during long tours

Realigning our discipline process to be fair and proportional

Expanding tablet coverage and welcoming back program providers in order to meaningfully engage people in our care.

Re-establishing the Young Adult Task Force, a group of DOC staff, incarcerated youth, community members, and other stakeholders, and implement their recommendations on safety and programming

Communicating consistently with staff as we carry these actions out

While this plan will be implemented to 'create better environments' for both the inmates and the workers Rikers Island is still set to be shut down by 2027.
Melbourne will be trapped in its suffocating hard lockdown for another three weeks without any relief as Covid cases hit their highest mark in a year.

Premier Daniel Andrews finally outlined a roadmap to freedom, starting with relief for regional Victoria next week and Melbourne on September 23.

He hoped to start slightly easing lockdown across the state from Thursday, but was forced to abandon this plan when 120 cases were recorded on Wednesday.

However, he threw beleaguered parents a bone by scrapping the controversial closure of playgrounds from Friday morning.

'The data and the evidence and the experts are very clear with us. We will not see these case numbers go down. They are going to go up,' he said.

'What that means is that we can't ease restrictions today in any profound way... it is simply not possible.

'But we are confident that as we continue to vaccinate by the time we reach September 23, which is our 70 per cent first dose target day... then there are some changes we can make to these rules.'

Victoria recorded 120 new Covid-19 infections on Wednesday - the highest number since August 30 last year as Melbourne nears the end of its fourth week in lockdown

Playgrounds in Victoria will reopen from Friday morning, it was announced on Wednesday

The premier warned restrictions would not come off too fast and they would be linked to vaccination rates, in a swipe at Gladys Berejiklian.

'With the greatest of respect to the NSW premier, I will let us look after her cases, I will look after mine,' he said when asked about the NSW premier insisting Australia must learn to live with Delta.

'I don't know what that statement means. We have got a national plan. Let's stick to the national plan. There is a time to live with this, yes, at 80 per cent.

'Pretending to anybody that you can live with it now, 35 per cent vaccinated, doesn't make any sense. I will let her look after what she is looking after because that is what she is focused on.'

Once the 70 per cent target is reached the 5km travel radius will be extended to 10km and outdoor exercise will be lengthened from two hours to three.

Outdoor recreation parks like skate parks and gyms will reopen while personal trainers will be allowed to exercise with two other people.

Playgrounds, which will open at midnight on Thursday, will have QR check in codes and children under 12 will only be able to visit with one parent or carer.

Adults are not able to remove their masks to eat or drink while at the playgrounds, the Victorian Government said.

Construction can also operate at 50 per cent capacity once 90 per cent of workers have had the jab.

The premier said regional Victoria - aside from Shepparton which recorded five new cases - was on track to have lockdown lifted sometime next week but couldn't confirm yet a date.

Harsh restrictions will still be in place in regional parts of the state, Mr Andrews said, even once residents were released from stay-at-home orders.

Victorians will enjoy some freedoms from September 23 once 70 per cent of the population has had their first jab

Melburnians will have to endure tough Covid restrictions for another three weeks

VICTORIA'S EASE OF RESTRICTIONS ON SEPTEMBER 23 Premier Daniel Andrews says once 70 per cent of the population has had one dose of the vaccine restrictions will ease. This is expected to be September 23 - Travel limit will be extended from 5km to 10km - Exercise will be extended from two hours to three. Personal trainers can train with two other people - Outdoor recreation parks like skate parks and outdoor gyms will reopen - Construction can also operate at 50 per cent capacity once 90 per cent of workers have had the jab - Child-minding will be permitted for school aged children - Inspections for real estate properties will be allowed - Students are expected to return to face-to-face learning from Term 4 on October 5 Advertisement

Once 70 per cent of the state is jabbed, child-minding for school aged children will be permitted as long as parents are authorised workers.

Inspections for real estate properties will also be allowed.

Schools won't return to face-to-face for the rest of Term 3 with hopes students can return to the classroom on October 5 when Term 4 begins.

Between September 7 and September 17 schools will be contacting families about vaccinating children meanwhile Year 12 exams will start on October 5.

'We are very confident that we'll be able to get all of our Year 12 students vaccinated with at least one dose by October 5,' Mr Andrews said.

The premier said the state wasn't in a position to open up yet following the surge in cases seen on Wednesday.

'We have thrown everything at this, but it is now clear to us that we here not going to drive these numbers down, they're instead going to increase,' he said.

'We had a small number of cases and we couldn't have locked down any faster, we have an army of contact tracers, they couldn't have worked any harder than they have over the last four weeks.

'Sadly, we cannot now hold out hope for numbers to fall, but we have achieved so much already.'

Two people in the state died on Tuesday from the virus, the state's first Covid victims this year, a woman from Northcote aged 49 and another from Hume in her 60s.

Both died at their homes and are understood to have been unvaccinated.

Premier Andrews said policymaking must remain open to changes (pictured, Melburnians queue for Covid vaccination on Tuesday)

Just 64 of the new cases are so far linked to the rest of the outbreak while 20 were isolating during their infectious period as contact tracers become increasingly overwhelmed.

When asked if restrictions could be potentially tightened if the case numbers continued to grow, Mr Andrews said the health advice suggested infections would increase but the state was already under strict orders.

'The issue here is that I don't know that you can make this much harder if we could then that would have been a genuine thing to think about,' he said.

'But only if it was going to be meaningful and drive cases down.'

The month-long lockdown has prevented 6,000 new cases of the virus, Mr Andrews said, as estimated by medical research organisation the Burnet Institute.

'That means that every Victorian has also prevented around 600 people being admitted to hospital and no-one gets admitted to hospital with coronavirus because they're mildly unwell,' the premier said.

'They are all very unwell, some acutely unwell and, indeed, in need of intensive care.'

He addressed the many businesses forced to close as a result of the lockdown despite no positive cases being linked to their venues.

'Everyone can argue - the butcher, the baker the candlestick maker, ''I didn't have an outbreak. There were no outbreaks in my shop so my shop should be open'',' he said.

'So many people, passionate, well organised, argued cases but if I granted everyone that had a worthy case, nobody would be following the rules because they'd be exempt.

The premier said regional Victoria - aside from Shepparton (pictured) which recorded five new cases - was on track to have lockdown lifted by next week but couldn't confirm yet a date

'At the end of the day, just like the workers are in an aggregated package, this is about movement, total movement.

'Where you are headed is less of an issue. It's all the occasional contact and stops along the way and the fact that you're not at home.'

The Victorian premier said he would be speaking with the Prime Minister on Wednesday night to discuss a vaccination passport which could mean businesses can open up for those who have had both doses of a vaccine.

One of the things the pair will discuss is what an economy would look like for those who have been double jabbed.

Meanwhile it's still unclear whether or not Victoria will open its borders to NSW by Christmas despite chief health officer Brett Sutton saying 80 per cent of the population should be jabbed by November.

Professor Sutton said he understood that three more weeks of lockdown seemed like an 'eternity' but noted the situation was still grim.

'That light at end of the tunnel is too dim and the tunnel is too long, but it is a light at the end of the tunnel,' he said.

'It is the genuine pathway out of here that means that we can take those small steps forward, bit by bit, and not have to take backward steps again.

'But it is such hard work for parents, for kids, for whole families and for single people. For all of us who miss that human contact, for people we haven't seen in weeks and weeks and weeks.'

'That light at end of the tunnel is too dim and the tunnel is too long, but it is a light at the end of the tunnel,' Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said

The premier earlier admitted the draconian rules imposed on the state to slow the spread of Delta have been 'bloody tough'.

It was August 4 when Victoria entered what was supposed to be a week long 'snap' lockdown.

At the time, there were 99 active cases across the state and it had recorded no new cases the previous day.

There are now just under 1,000 active cases spread across Victoria.

Instead of Mr Andrews' zero-Covid approach, health officials will now aim to suppress any outbreaks and keep case numbers below 100 a day.

'I am confident we can find that middle path where we have not necessarily zero but low numbers,' he said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a briefing with senior ministers on Tuesday, the Premier conceded the mental health effects of the state's sixth lockdown hadn't been easy.

Victoria recorded 71 new cases of Covid on Tuesday as Mr Andrews flagged he would be abandoning his long-held zero-Covid strategy in favour of a 'near zero' policy.

Premier Andrews reiterated that even after achieving National Cabinet's vaccination goals of 70 and 80 per cent set out by the Doherty Institute, some restrictions may need to remain in place.

'As a nation, we can cope with a pandemic of the unvaccinated if that unvaccinated group is quite small we will cope with unvaccinated people becoming infected and becoming sick when we have reached the 70 per cent and, most importantly, the 80 per cent vaccination target,' he said.

He said the increasing battle with the highly-infectious strain means there is no clear pathway out of the pandemic and that policy making must remain open to changes.

'If we were to open up  this is the thing with Delta  you either aim for zero or a very low number and therefore keep the numbers low,' he said.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk exploded at her political opponents in parliament after being asked whether the state's hard border closures would continue 'until 100 per cent of the population was vaccinated'.

The premier reacted to a question from LNP frontbencher and former Opposition leader Deb Frecklington, who asked whether lockdowns and closed borders would continue until all of the Queensland population had been vaccinated.

'You open up this state and you let the virus in here, every child under 12 is vulnerable, every single child,' thundered Ms Palaszczuk.

'Anyone who has a child under 12 to zero is vulnerable because they are the unvaccinated.'

'You open up this state and you let the virus in here, every child under 12 is vulnerable, every single child,' thundered Ms Palaszczuk in state parliament on Wednesday

Ms Palaszczuk told parliament she had commissioned more research from the Doherty Institute to model how re-opening the state would impact on those aged under 12.

'I honestly believe that we need to have further research done on what happens to the 0 to 12-year-old cohort as they remain unvaccinated,' she said.

'Unless there is an answer on how these young people are going to be vaccinated, you are putting this most vulnerable population at risk.'

Deputy Premier Steven Miles supported Ms Palaszczuk by telling parliament Queensland was not living in a cave and the government wanted to keep it that way.

'The LNP and the Prime Minister for Sydney might want us to open our borders, and let the virus in, he might want us to deliberately infect Queenslanders, our young people, who can't have a vaccine,' he said.

Divisions have opened up between the Federal government and some state premiers over what vaccination thresholds are required in order for border restrictions to be fully lifted.

Western Australia and Queensland have both suggested some border restrictions will remain until case numbers in states such as NSW and Victoria are under control and vaccination rates are at least 80 percent, including those aged under 12.

The Federal government has responded that states such as Queensland had signed up to the national four-phase plan for re-opening Australia.

Border restrictions at the NSW-Queensland border have caused a backlash of protests and blockades in the past two weeks

'Australian should open up as one, whether you're in Western Australia, whether you're in Queensland, whether you're in the southern states, you should follow the plan.' Treasurer Josh Frydenbberg said on Wednesday.

'it's not realistic you can keep your borders closed indefinitely.

'Tourism operators are doing it so tough in Queensland because they are not getting visitation from states like Victoria.

'Wouldn't it be ludicrous if the Queensland borders were closed to visitors from New South Wales and Victoria who would help drive jobs in Queensland's tourism industry?'

Border restrictions and the requirement of a mandatory vaccine for essential workers to cross the Queensland-NSW border had caused public backlash in the past two weeks, with protests in Coolangatta-Tweed Heads and a truckie's blockade of the M1 Pacific Motorway.
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New photos released on Tuesday night show the final moments of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, as the 82nd Airborne Division departed and America's longest war came to a close.

The commander of the 82nd Airborne, Major General Christopher Donahue, was the last soldier out - pictured striding onto the last plane out of Kabul on Monday night.

Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said the last planes took off from Kabul airport at 3:29pm Washington time on Monday, or one minute before midnight in Kabul.

After the final flight, Donahue received a phone call from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who had watched the final 90 minutes of the military evacuation from a basement operations center in the Pentagon, a U.S. official told The Associated Press.

On Tuesday new images showed his troops leaving the country and flying to Kuwait.

Members of the 82nd Airborne Division on Monday night prepare to board a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul

The troops are seen in Kabul on Monday shortly before boarding their midnight flight out

The C-17 has been the workhorse of evacuations from Kabul. The U.S. forces oversaw the departure of 116,000 people in two weeks

The soldiers are seen boarding the plane at the end of the evacuation mission from Kabul on Monday

An Air Force loadmaster guides the troops from the 82nd Airborne onto the plane on Monday night

The soldiers from 82nd Airborne are seen getting off the plane in Kuwait after a flight of around four hours

President Joe Biden on Tuesday said the troop withdrawal from Kabul that left 13 US service members dead was an 'extraordinary success' and blamed Donald Trump and local soldiers for the mess in Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover.

A defiant Biden said the operation couldn't have been done in a 'more orderly manner' and 'respectfully disagreed' with critics who said he should have started the evacuation sooner to avoid the chaos.

The president also hailed the 116,000 people they have got to safety in 'one of the biggest airlifts in history'.

Working in coordination with the Air Force, the troops boarded their C-17 to fly from Kabul to Kuwait - a journey of around four hours.

From Kuwait, they will then fly home to North Carolina.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday said the US troop withdrawal from Kabul was an 'extraordinary success' and blamed Donald Trump and local soldiers for the chaos in Afghanistan

Families of the fallen U.S. service members were left disappointed by Joe Biden at the dignified transfer on Sunday. One sister of a fallen Marine yelled at the president: 'I hope you burn in hell! That was my brother!'

The 82nd Airborne division is able to deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours of notification, in its role as the nation's Immediate Response Force.

As the Taliban advanced in early August, 3,500 to 4,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division were sent to Kuwait, where they were put on standby to provide security at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul if needed.

The Fort Bragg brigade combat team also headed to Kuwait.

A battalion of about 1,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division immediately deployed to Kabul.

John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman, said the 82nd Airborne Division was in Afghanistan because of its abilities as the Global Response Force.

'Their job is to be ready to assist in a very expeditious manner, and the task of securing and operating an airfield is actually a unique task that the 82nd can do and Gen. Donahue has experience in that,' Kirby said.

'Elements of the 82nd Airborne Division have already been flowing in to do the actual mission of security of (the airport).'

On August 17 Kirby said that Donahue's focus was the security mission at the airport.

The airport had become a U.S.-controlled island - a last stand in a 20-year war that claimed more than 2,400 American lives.

An Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircrew, assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, prepares to receive soldiers, assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, in Kabul airport on Monday night

The lights of Kabul twinkle in the distance as the final plane readied to leave the Afghan capital

Paratroopers keep watch as the final U.S. military plane out of Kabul readies for departure on Monday

A soldier assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division signs a piece of paper in support of the final noncombatant evacuation operation missions on Monday

The stars and stripes hangs in the rear of the plane as the troops begin their journey home

Soldiers with the 82nd Airborne division board the final plane out of Kabul on Monday

Troops are pictured on the C-17 on Monday, flying out of Kabul at the end of the mission

Paratroopers board the final military plane out of Kabul on Monday

Major General Christopher Donahue, 52, was the last soldier to leave Kabul. He boarded the final U.S. Air Force flight out of Afghanistan, at one minute before midnight on Monday

Donahue, 52, has three decades of experience, serving in South Korea and Panama before leading troops in the Middle East and North Africa.

Donahue is currently the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina

A two-star general, Donahue has deployed 17 times in support of operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Eastern Europe, according to the Army.

He spent a large amount of his career with the special forces.

Having graduated from West Point in 1992, he returned to academia with a stint at Harvard as a US Army War College Fellow.

He later moved to Washington, D.C., where he served as special assistant to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff at the Pentagon.

He took over as commander of Fort Bragg's 82nd Airborne Division, in North Carolina, in July 2020 and told The Fayetteville Observer that he relished the high tempo of the job.

'It is absolutely the most enjoyable, rewarding and best job I've ever had, hands down,' he said.

'I've had some pretty cool jobs, but I tell you this is the coolest job ever.'

Before coming to the 82nd, Donahue served as commander of Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan.

Gen. Frank McKenzie, Commander of the U.S. Central Command, speaks from MacDill Air Force Base, in Tampa during a virtual briefing moderated by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on Monday

Donahue (center) is pictured with his men on the tarmac in Afghanistan

Donahue said that commanding the 82nd Airborne Division is the 'coolest' job of his storied career

Donahue is seen at the change of command ceremony in Fort Bragg in July 2020

Donahue is pictured (far right) in Afghanistan - one of his 17 deployments in 30 years

A CH-47 Chinook from the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division is loaded onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III on Saturday as the troops prepared to depart

The closing hours of the evacuation were marked by extraordinary drama.

American troops faced the daunting task of getting final evacuees onto planes while also getting themselves and some of their equipment out, even as they monitored repeated threats - and at least two actual attacks - by the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate.

A suicide bombing on August 26 killed 13 American service members and some 169 Afghans.

By the evacuation's conclusion, well over 116,000 people, mostly Afghans, had been flown to safety.

The XVIII Airborne Corps, whose forces go by the Sky Dragons, were among the last to step off Afghan soil as the total withdrawal of U.S. forces concluded Monday, ahead of the August 31 deadline.

'In awe of our Sky Dragon Soldiers,' the XVIII Airborne Corps tweeted along with an nightvision image of Donahue.

The 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions of the Army, among others, fall under the command of XVIII Airborne Corps.

'This was an incredibly tough, pressurized mission filled with multiple complexities, with active threats the entire time. Our troops displayed grit, discipline and empathy,' the corps wrote in its tweet.

It added: 'Below is a picture of the last Soldier to leave Afghanistan.'

The Pentagon announced an end to the U.S. war in Afghanistan on Monday afternoon after 20 years and the deaths of almost 2,500 troops.

President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken look on as as a carry team moves a transfer case with the remains of Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Ind., during a casualty return at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Sunday

Witnesses in Kabul said the Taliban let off celebratory gunfire as news circulated that the final U.S. flight had left.

It means Biden managed to meet his August 31 deadline and removes American personnel from danger.

But it comes at the cost of letting a militant group retake the country.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters hours later on the runway of the airport: 'Congratulations to Afghanistan... this victory belongs to us all.

Mujahid said the Taliban's victory was a 'lesson for other invaders'.

Another new photo from Monday shows the final remaining American diplomats in Afghanistan crowded together with Ambassador Ross Wilson carrying the folded American flag before they boarded the US last flight out of Kabul.

Some smiled softly and others looked worn down by the events of the last two weeks. All were dressed in military-style bullet proof vests.

'My deepest thanks to @USAmbKabul Wilson, Amb. Bass, and the team for their exceptional and courageous service bringing so many to safety. I'm confident their skills and dedication will continue to advance our consular work and diplomacy as a new chapter begins,' Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote on Twitter, along with the photo.

The photo was taken at Hamid Karzai International Airport on Monday.

The diplomats above, including Amb. Ross Wilson, were some of the last to leave Kabul as the embassy closed out of Afghanistan and transferred its mission to Qatar

The US' last 20 years of occupation in Afghanistan came to an abrupt end on Monday as the last evacuation flight departed Kabul.

The US has now fully shut down its embassy in Kabul and will relocate operations to Doha, Qatar.

Just two weeks ago on Aug. 15, Wilson, along with other embassy personnel, was seen fleeing the embassy in Kabul clutching the American flag that had once flown above it.

'As of today, we have suspended our diplomatic presence in Kabul, and transferred our operations to Doha, Qatar, which will soon be formally notified to Congress. Given the uncertain security environment and political situation in Afghanistan, it was the prudent step to take,' Blinken said in an address Monday.

Blinken thanked Wilson for his 'exceptional job' and announced that Ian McCary, who has served as our deputy chief of mission in Afghanistan, would lead the operation in Qatar.

'For the time being, we will use this post in Doha to manage our diplomacy with Afghanistan, including consular affairs, administering humanitarian assistance, and working with allies, partners, and regional and international stakeholders to coordinate our engagement and messaging to the Taliban,' he said.

Just seconds after the last flight took off at 11.59pm local time, the Taliban overran the airport, boarded stranded planes and footage emerged on social media of fighters examining Chinook helicopters left behind by U.S. troops.

One of the last US Air Force aircraft takes off from the airport in Kabul on August 30

Taliban forces flying their flag drive down the runway at Kabul airport in an American Humvee after troops withdrew
Gulfport police are seeking Ohio man Benjamin Eugene Dagley (pictured) after he allegedly assaulted an NBC reporter on air

An angry man who was caught on camera interrupting an NBC news report about Hurricane Ida is now being sought by police for assault regarding the incident, as it emerged he may have been violating his probation.

Police in Gulfport, Mississippi, named Benjamin Eugene Dagley, of Ohio, as the man who lunged at NBC's Shaquille Brewster as he covered the storm from a beach on Monday.

The man is seen running up behind Brewster, shouting and lunging at the reporter before the footage cuts away.

After the incident, Gulfport police were called to investigate the alleged assault, and in a release sought the public's help in finding Dagley.

In addition to two counts of simple assault, he is wanted for disturbance of the peace and violation of emergency curfew for being outside while Ida was still in the area.

After a review of his criminal record, Gulfport police said in a release that they had discovered Dagley is currently on probation for previous charges in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and that among the conditions of the probation was a restriction on travel.

Footage of the incident shows NBC reporter Shaquille Brewster covering the aftermath of Ida, which had come ashore as a Category 4 hurricane the previous night, when a man, who was identified by police as Dagley, parked his pickup truck and began sprinting at him

Dagley runs up to the crew shouting, 'Y'all reporting this accurately right?' as Brewster has his crew shift the camera away from the man

Dagley, however, continues to shout and the segment ends just as he lunges towards Brewster, shouting, 'Report accurately!'

Although police did not specify the charges, according Cuyahoga County court records and previous news reports, Dagley was arrested in 2017 for drilling holes into storage tanks at an electroplating company he once owned.

The incident sent a security guard to the hospital after he was exposed to the toxic chemicals, according to Cleveland.com, and in 2018 he pleaded guilty to felonious assault, inducing panic and vandalism related to the incident.

Court records show his case was reopened for a possible parole violation on Thursday, and on Tuesday Cuyahoga County called on the local sheriff's office to issue a warrant for Dagley's arrest.

Gulfport police say they believe that Dagley is no longer in the Mississippi Gulf Coast area and may be traveling.

They identified his vehicle as a white 2016 Ford F150 with an Ohio license plate number of PJR1745, and are seeking information on his whereabouts.

Brewster tweet shortly after that he and his crew were unharmed in the incident

Footage of Dagley interrupting the broadcast was shared widely on social media, and shows him pulling up in his truck behind Brewster, getting out and sprinting towards him.

Brewster was reporting on how life had begun to return to normal that morning in the areas around where the storm made impact just hours prior.

'Just a couple of minutes ago people were walking their dogs. They're back on the beach right now. That's the sense you're getting,' he says as the man approaches from behind.

'The rain has stopped, the wind is still going there, and I think we have a random person going around.'

Police were seeking the public's help tracking down Dagley, and shared a photo of his pickup truck (pictured)

Dagley can be heard shouting at the reporter and his camera crew as he approaches, saying: 'Y'all reporting this accurately right?'

Brewster attempts to continue the segment, asking the crew to turn the camera away from Dagley as he also shifts his position away from him.

Dagley, however, continues shouting, and Brewster is eventually forced to tell anchor Craig Melvin that he will need to cut the broadcast short.

'Craig I'm gonna toss it back to you, because we have a person who needs a little help right now,' he says as Dagley lunges at him, shouting, 'report accurately!'

The broadcast cuts away just as Brewster raises his forearm to defend himself.

Gulfport police had sought the public's help identifying Dagley after the incident, and they reported in a release that he may have also violated his parole in Ohio by traveling to Mississippi

'Hey, hey, hey,' Melvin says.

'We're going to check in with Shaq Brewster just to make sure all is well. There's a lot of crazy out there, a lot of crazy.'

Moments after Brewster tweeted out that he and his crew were alright.

'Appreciate the concern guys. The team and I are all good!' he wrote.

MSNBC President Rashida Jones released a statement regarding the incident, calling Brewster a 'consummate professional.'

'Like the consummate professional, he did not let someone intimidate him from doing his job. We're glad he and the team are safe, and we couldn't be more proud and supportive of their work,' she said.
Thirty motorhomes have been delivered to families in regional NSW to give the close contacts of those fighting the virus somewhere safe to isolate.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced the government would be sending the fleet of mobile homes to the Covid-hit town during Wednesday's Covid update.

'In the far west, three new cases in Wilcannia, which leaves us with concern,' he said.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro (pictured) announced the government would be sending the fleet of mobile homes to the Covid-hit town during Wednesday's Covid update

Thirty motorhomes have been delivered to families in regional NSW to give the close contacts of those fighting the virus somewhere safe to isolate (pictured, a post office in Wilcannia)

'We know over the last few days with increased cases we've had an issue around accommodation and the ability to isolate individuals.

'NSW Health has procured 30 motorhomes which will be set up at the local campervan site, with access to power, water and waste disposal.'

The health department said the motorhomes would be operational from September 6 and would be hosted at the council-owned motorhome site in Wilcannia.

Residents in the temporary accommodation will have access to a bedroom and living space, a kitchen, toilet, shower, and a television.

NSW Health said in discussions with community leaders from the regional town, the initiative had been positively received.

The department said conversations with key representatives in Wilcannia would continue to give locals the opportunity to ask questions and give feedback.

NSW Health said the motorhomes would be operational from September 6 and would be hosted at the council-owned motorhome site in Wilcannia (pictured, Wilcannia Hospital)

Wilcannia residents in the temporary accomodation will have access to a bedroom and living space, a kitchen, toilet, shower, and television (pictured, town of Wilcannia from above)

NSW Health said consultations had been made with a number of stakeholders including Far West Local Health District (LHD), Central Darling Shire Council, Aboriginal Affairs NSW, the Local Emergency Management Committee, and the NSW Rural Fire Service.

The spiralling outbreak in the region has made it difficult for residents to safely isolate, with the total number of active infections now numbering 54.

The Aboriginal-majority town's estimated 650 residents have long feared a Covid catastrophe and it finally arrived over the last fortnight.

The outbreak has sparked despair and determination among community leaders who are at the centre of Australia's first major outbreak to hit Indigenous people.

Wilcannia is 200km away from the nearest major supermarket in Broken Hill - more than a two hour drive.

The town is also restricted to just one small grocery store and one hospital.

However in positive signs for the small town, 67 per cent of residents have received a single dose of a vaccine and 39.2 per cent are fully-vaccinated.

The spiralling outbreak in the region has made it difficult for residents to isolate, with the total number of active infections now numbering 54 (pictured, the main street in Wilcannia)

In Wilcannia (pictured) 67 per cent of residents have received a single dose of a vaccine and 39.2 per cent are fully-vaccinated

'For that community, it's a mighty effort,' Mr Barilaro said on Wednesday.

However, health officials are concerned about sewage detections in parts of regional NSW where there are currently no known cases.

They include Temora, Thredbo, Merimbula, Port Macquarie, Dunbogan, Bonny Hills, Warren, Molong, Tamworth and Gunnedah.

Mr Barilaro urged residents to come forward for testing as the source of the virus particles remained unknown with no active cases in the areas.

NSW recorded 1,116 new local cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday and another four deaths; all women who were unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions.
A manhunt is underway for a suspect who allegedly shot two people dead and injured two more on Tuesday afternoon in Wilson County, North Carolina.

Adrian Tynrell Horne, 43, is wanted on two counts of first degree murder.

Wilson County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to an address on London Church Road, just north of the Wilson city limits, where they found one man dead.

Two women were also found suffering gunshot wounds, and were taken to hospital.

PICTURED: Adrian Tynrell Horne, 43, is wanted in connection with the incident which left two dead and two injured in Wilson, North Carolina

Horne was allegedly seen fleeing the scene in a black Buick with another female victim and an eight-month-old baby, CBS 17 reported.

Local law enforcement eventually found the Buick abandoned 17 miles away in Edgecombe County, with the woman dead inside.

Law enforcement also found the infant, and took them to hospital for evaluation.

The names of the victims, and the conditions of the wounded women and the baby have not been revealed.

Horne's location remains unknown, and he is still on the run.

Two dead, Two injured, while suspect remains on the run following a shooting in Wilson, North Carolina, according to the local sheriff's office

Deputies found the Buick abandoned Edgecombe County with the body of a deceased woman and an eight-month-old baby, whose condition remains unknown

Deputies said Horne was last seen entering a 2000s model Champagne GMC Yukon SUV with black rims, wearing a white hoodie.

Horne is wanted for arrest for two counts of first-degree murder. His ties to the incident are not thought to be random.

Horne is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing around 220 pounds, according to local police.
A light-hearted meme from NSW Police comparing the Covid-19 Delta strain to the Titanic has divided the internet.

New South Wales recorded 1,116 new cases on the first day of spring as residents in Sydney and surrounded regions approach their 11th week in lockdown.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian promised more freedoms when 70 per cent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated.

The glimmer of hope prompted NSW Police to share a post comparing the famous movie scene from The Titanic of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio to the state's spring plans.

The meme also featured a photo of an iceberg being compared to the worsening Delta variant of the virus.

Is it appropriate? The glimmer of hope prompted NSW Police to share a post comparing the famous movie scene from The Titanic of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio to the state's spring plans

Poll Did the NSW Police go too far with their latest meme? Yes No Did the NSW Police go too far with their latest meme? Yes 57 votes

No 153 votes Now share your opinion





'Near, far, wherever you are, please stay home until life can go on,' NSW Police captioned the meme.

The cheeky post sparked a divided reaction.

Many residents thanked police for bringing a smile to their face during tough times.

'Thank you for all that you do. We salute you!' One commented.

Some from hard-hit hotspots under the harshest restrictions joined in on the joke.

'As long as everyone is offered a lifeboat. Worried my LGA will get the floating piece of furniture,' one man quipped.

But many others were left unimpressed and slammed police over the 'tasteless' joke.

But many others were left unimpressed and slammed police over the 'tasteless' joke

Many who have lost loved ones or livelihoods also took offence.

'The absolute waste of taxpayer money going into these low effort posts is criminal. Arrest yourselves,' one added.

Another added: 'It's all good for the police to post this stuff, they are not looking over their shoulder wondering how they will keep their business open'.

Some lashed out at making fun of the 1912 tragedy where more than 1,500 passengers and crew lost their lives.
A Texas law banning most abortions after six weeks went into effect today, but the Supreme Court has yet to act on an emergency appeal to put the law on hold.

The law, signed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott in May, would prohibit abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, before most women even know they're pregnant.

If allowed to remain in force, the law would be the most dramatic restriction on abortion rights in the United States since the high court's landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion across the country in 1973.

Abortion providers who are asking the Supreme Court to step in said the law would rule out 85% of abortions in Texas and force many clinics to close.

Planned Parenthood is among the abortion providers that have stopped scheduling abortions beyond six weeks from conception.

A Texas law banning most abortions in the state took effect today, but the Supreme Court has yet to act on an emergency appeal to put the law on hold (activists outside the Supreme Court, 2019)

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign the anti-abortion bill into law

At least 12 other states have enacted bans on abortion early in pregnancy, but all have been blocked from going into effect.

What makes the Texas law different is its unusual enforcement scheme.

Rather than have officials responsible for enforcing the law, private citizens are authorized to sue abortion providers and anyone involved in facilitating abortions.

Among other situations, that would include anyone who drives a woman to a clinic to get an abortion.

Under the law, anyone who successfully sues another person would be entitled to at least $10,000.

Abortion opponents who wrote the law also made it difficult to challenge the law in court, in part because it's hard to know whom to sue.

Texas has long had some of the nation's toughest abortion restrictions, including a sweeping law passed in 2013 that the Supreme Court eventually struck down but not before more than half of the state's 40-plus abortion clinics closed.

Lawmakers also are moving forward in an ongoing special session in Texas with proposed new restrictions on medication abortion.

This is a method using pills that accounts for roughly 40% of abortions in the U.S.

The Texas challenge seeks to prevent judges, county clerks and other state entities from enforcing the law.

A federal judge rejected a bid to dismiss the case, prompting an immediate appeal to the Louisiana-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which halted further proceedings.

Texas state Rep. Donna Howard, center at lectern, stands with fellow lawmakers in the House Chamber as she opposes a bill introduced that would ban abortions as early as six weeks (May 2021)

On Sunday, the 5th Circuit denied a request by the abortion providers to block the law pending the appeal.

Last month, Mississippi's Republican attorney general argued that states should decide whether to regulate abortion before a fetus can survive outside the womb.

'Under the Constitution, may a State prohibit elective abortions before viability? Yes. Why? Because nothing in constitutional text, structure, history, or tradition supports a right to abortion,' Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch and four of her attorneys wrote in the brief.

The arguments are a direct challenge to the central finding of the court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and its 1992 decision in a Pennsylvania abortion case.

Both rulings said states may not put an undue burden on abortion before viability. The Mississippi attorneys argue that the rulings are 'egregiously wrong.'

A 6-3 conservative majority, with the three Trump nominees, said in May that the court would consider arguments over a Mississippi law that would ban abortion at 15 weeks. Justices are likely to hear the case this fall and could rule on it in the spring.

The Mississippi case is the first big abortion-rights test in a Supreme Court reshaped with three conservative justices nominated by former President Donald Trump.

Nancy Northup is president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is defending Mississippis only abortion clinic in its challenge of the 15-week ban.

She said Thursday that half of the states are poised to ban abortion altogether if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

The Mississippi 15-week law was enacted in 2018, but was blocked after a federal court challenge. The states only abortion clinic, Jackson Women's Health Organization, remains open and offers abortions up to 16 weeks of pregnancy. Clinic director Shannon Brewer has said about 10% of its abortions there are done after the 15th week.

More than 90 per cent of abortions in the U.S. take place in the first 13 weeks of pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At least 32 California students were stranded in Afghanistan on Tuesday night, as their school districts urged authorities to help them get home.

Twenty nine students were from the San Juan Unified School District, around Sacramento.

Three more were members of another family, from Cajon Valley Union School District, outside of San Diego. Both areas are home to large populations of Afghan refugees.

On Tuesday the San Juan Unified School District, around Sacramento, told Newsweek that at least 29 students from their area remain in the country.

The 29 students come from 19 families, and have not not returned to school campuses for the 2021-2022 school year.

The Sacramento school district is home to over 1,400 Afghan refugee students and previously believed that up to 150 students were stranded in Afghanistan, according to an earlier news report from Sacramento Bee.

Of the more widely reported Cajon Valley students, one family remains in Afghanistan of the eight families that were in the were in the country when Kabul fell to the Taliban on August 15

Sixteen parents and more than 24 students, ranging from preschoolers to high schoolers, had traveled from San Diego to Afghanistan over summer break to visit grandparents and other relatives.

'One family with three students was left behind in Afghanistan, and we are exploring strategies to rescue and bring them home,' the school district said on Tuesday.

'The safe return of our Cajon Valley family ... is our focus now.'

Evacuees from Afghanistan are seen boarding one of the final flights out of Kabul on Monday

A U.S. Navy sailor fixes the broken shoe of a young Afghan evacuees after disembarking a flight from Kabul in Spain

Afghan evacuees disembark a flight from Kabul on arrival at Naval Air Station in Rota, Spain, on Monday

Cajon Valley spokesperson Howard Shen told Fox News on Tuesday that the district was 'exploring alternative strategies' to get the last family out because 'the airlift is no longer an avenue.'

The final U.S. military plane left Kabul just before midnight on Monday.

Joe Biden on Tuesday defended the evacuations, stressing that 19 messages had been sent to the Americans in Afghanistan since March, urging them to begin leaving the country.

Darrell Issa, a Republican congressman whose district includes the area around El Cajon, has been working to get the families out of Afghanistan.

'While we have successfully helped dozens of stranded San Diegans, our work continues in order to bring the remaining families home,' he said on Tuesday.

Biden on Tuesday insisted that the evacuations of 116,000 people from Kabul had been an 'extraordinary success'
One of Australia's top doctors has warned premiers who refuse to open borders that a Covid outbreak is inevitable and they need to get ready.

Dr Omar Khorshid, the WA president of the Australian Medical Association, said many hospitals were totally unprepared for the coming surge in patients, and lockdowns had to stay in effect until this improved.

This included NSW, where photos of Royal Prince Alfred, in Sydney's Camperdown showed overflowing ambulance bays and frantic nurses and paramedics.

Mass vaccination will prevent thousands of Covid patients from overwhelming hospitals, but there will still be many unvaccinated people who will get sick.

The Perth doctor said WA Premier Mark McGowan's insistence on zero Covid using hard borders was unrealistic, and he should instead spend the rest of the year preparing his health system.

'The premier shouldn't be talking about some Covid-free future for WA - that's just not the reality,' Dr Khorshid told Sky News.

Dr Omar Khorshid, the WA president of the Australian Medical Association, said many hospitals were totally unprepared for the coming surge in patients, and lockdowns had to stay in effect until this improved. pictured is Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney

'Covid is coming and whether it's with a truckie in the next few days, a breach from hotel quarantine or we open the borders at some point.

'We don't know if it's in the next few months or next year, but it's coming, so let's get ready.'

Dr Khorshid said WA needed to rapidly improve its lowest vaccination rate in the country at just 50 per cent having their first dose, and strengthen its ailing health system.

He said the recent announcement hospitals would halve elective surgeries despite no Covid cases showed the state's underfunded healthcare system was already under extraordinary pressure and any outbreak of the virus would be 'disastrous'.

'I think the premier is right in being concerned about opening up given in particular the healthcare system in WA is completely saturated,' he said.

Dr Khorshid said the same principle applied to all Australia's health systems, which could crack under the pressure of too many Covid cases even with 70 to 80 per cent vaccinated.

Several ambulances are seen awiting outside the Royal Prince Alfred hospital in Sydney following a surge in Covid cases

Hospital staff walk to and from Royal Prince Alfred in Sydney for another busy day dealing with more and more coronavirus patients

He said more modelling needs to be done on the impact on each state's health system to see how many Covid patients they could handle and what the impact of different vaccination rates would be.

'We need to make sure that we don't open up at some magical figure of 70 or 80 per cent but then put our health system under extraordinary pressure, almost straight away, and have to snap back into lockdown because we got it wrong,' he said.

'It's avoidable, and I think we should be doing all the planning we can now to make sure when we open up, it's safe.'

Dr Khorshid said for healthcare systems in NSW - which recorded another 1,116 cases on Wednesday - it was critical the state didn't end its lockdown at the peak of hospital and ICU admissions.

Photos from one of Sydney's biggest hospitals, the Royal Prince Alfred, in Camperdown show ambulance bays overflowing as healthcare workers are weighed down by a surge in infections.

Paramedics and nurses donning PPE gear are seen transporting Covid patients into the hospital as the city continues to see cases in the thousands.

Photos from Sydney's RPA hospital show ambulance bays overflowing

Paramedics and nurses donning PPE gear are seen transporting Covid patients into the Sydney hospital as the city continues to see cases in the thousands

Dr Khorshid said for healthcare systems in NSW - which recorded another 1,116 cases on Wednesday - it was critical the state didn't end its lockdown at the peak of hospital and ICU admissions

Dr Khorshid said while NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was discussing freeing the state from lockdown in October, it could be detrimental for hospitals still harbouring large numbers of Covid patients.

'As we get more into the pandemic, as the numbers go up the level of training of those (medical) staff will decrease, staff will be exhausted... the quality of care will be under pressure,' he told 9 News.

'That's why it's critical NSW doesn't take steps to open up right at the time ICU and hospital admissions are at their peak if that is in October,' he told Sky News.

The AMA president also said health authorities were becoming increasingly worried about various states' preparation for larger outbreaks of Covid-19.

'Can you imagine what the pressure would be like with 10,000 cases a day in Sydney? That's where we're going,' he said.

'Once we start living with Covid. We have to get our health system ready. We don't see those scenes that we have seen in other countries that have so horrified us.

'We have an opportunity to prevent us. Let's take the opportunity and get prepared now.'

Dr Khorshid said for healthcare systems in New South Wales - which recorded another 1,116 cases on Wednesday - it was critical the state didn't end its lockdown at the peak of hospital and ICU admissions

WA Premier Mark McGowan said opening up his state to the rest of Australia once 70 per cent of its population is vaccinated would cost hundreds of lives

Mr McGowan earlier said opening up his state to the rest of Australia once 70 per cent of its population is vaccinated would cost hundreds of lives.

Data presented to National Cabinet showed the Delta variant would spread through WA three times as fast as NSW due to its low vaccination rate and lack of social distancing.

However, other figures show vaccination - even in the low 30s in most Australian states - is already cutting hospitalisation rates by more than 80 per cent.

'We will have our hospitals fill up and if it runs wild, large numbers of people will die,' the WA premier said on Sunday.

Mr McGowan doubled down on these claims on Monday, accusing Prime Minister Scott Morrison of not caring if WA residents lived or died.

'As I've said many times we will reopen our borders to Covid-infected States when it is safe to do so but that is not at 70 per cent vaccination,' he said.

NSW recorded another 1,116 Covid infections on Wednesday

Paramedics and nurses donning PPE gear are seen transporting Covid patients into the hospital as the city continues to see cases in the thousands

The AMA president said health authorities were becoming increasingly worried about various states' preparation for larger outbreaks of cases

'At 70 per cent vaccination to deliberately introduce Covid into WA would cost hundreds of lives and potentially result in the shut down of many businesses, including parts of the mining industry,' he said.

'I'm not prepared to undermine the health of West Australians and cost people their lives and jobs to meet the political demands of a Commonwealth Government that only cares about NSW.'

AMA WA president Mark Duncan-Smith said the drastically underfunded public hospital network will not be able to cope with any surge in coronavirus infections.

'The public health system in WA is on its knees. It's basically been chronically starved of funds for the last four years, and its capacity to deal with current demand is inadequate,' Dr Duncan-Smith told The Australian.

'This is not all of a sudden a problem. This is something that's been brewing over the last four years due to chronic underfunding.'
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British officials told Afghans to go to an entrance of Kabul Airport hours before a suicide bomber struck killing almost 200 people including two Britons and 13 US marines, leaked emails have revealed today.

An Afghan interpreter was saved because he was told by the UK authorities to head to the Abbey Gate but decided it was 'madness to go there' given warnings of an imminent terrorist attack.

The revelation emerged as the Special Relationship came under renewed strain and Whitehall sources accused the Pentagon of trying to 'shift the blame' from Washington and London over the Kabul airport terror attack.

US leaks suggesting that the airport's gate was left open at the time of the deadly bomb attack to help the British evacuation. The claim angered ministers, who said they would have been happy for the gate to be closed as the scale of the terror threat became clear.

Thousands of people gathered in the area on Thursday before the blast killed almost 200 and maimed hundreds. In the chaotic aftermath panicked US troops have been accused of adding to the death toll by firing on the terrified survivors running at them. Two British citizens, Musa Popal and Mohamed Niazi were also killed, along with Mr Niazis wife and two daughters.

And emails seen by BBC's Newsnight show that despite security services warning an attack on airport was imminent, the British embassy told people in writing to 'use the Abbey Gate [near] to the Baron Hotel'. Another email asking if an Afghan interpreter was in the right place said: 'Please advise that you are at the correct gate? Abbey Gate.'

He said today: 'If I had followed their advice, I would be no more. I said I won't because I don't feel safe as the situation was getting worse. It would be madness to go there and that saved my life. It was our own judgement that saved our lives.'

Initially the Pentagon said that there had been two suicide attacks, including at the Baron Hotel where the British were processing people. The following day the US changed its account and confirmed there had been only one, blaming 'garbled' intelligence from the scene

The brother of British Afghan Muhammad Niazi (pictured) who was killed following a suicide bomb attack on Kabul airport says he was shot dead by panicked western troops. Muhammad's youngest child and eldest daughter (pictured but not named) are still believed to be missing

Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin warned of a potential 'mass casualty event' just 24 hours before a suicide bomber set off a bomb that killed 13 U.S. troops and more than 200 Afghans last week. Leaked notes on calls between Defense officials reveal struggles to protect the Kabul airport

Dominic Raab yesterday hit back at the Pentagon after they tried to shift the blame for the high death toll from last week's suicide attack in Kabul on to the UK.

With the 'special relationship' under further strain, Britain's Foreign Secretary insisted it is 'simply not true' to suggest UK pushed to keep Kabul airport gate open against the wishes of their US allies.

And he revealed that Britain had already moved its own staff from a nearby hotel because of the growing threat of a terror attack.

Mr Raab told Sky News: 'We co-ordinated very closely with the US, in particular around the Isis-K threat which we anticipated, although tragically were not able to prevent, but it is certainly right to say we got our civilians out of the processing centre by Abbey Gate, but it is just not true to suggest that other than securing our civilians inside the airport that we were pushing to leave the gate open.

'In fact, and let me just be clear about this, we were issuing changes of travel advice before the bomb attack took place and saying to people in the crowd, about which I was particularly concerned, that certainly UK nationals and anyone else should leave because of the risk.'

Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith also questioned the American account, telling LBC today: 'If the American military were serious about shutting the gates they would have shut the gates'.

A senior British diplomatic source hit back at the US's accusations, pointing out that a number of foreign ministers at a G7 meeting yesterday 'heaped praise' on the UK's actions at the airport during the evacuation. One source told The Times: 'We understood the severity of the situation; we changed the travel advice. If they had closed Abbey Gate we would have been totally supportive.'

Defence select committee chairman Tobias Ellwood told the Telegraph: 'It does not add up. If the U.S. was anticipating a mass casualty event why did they still continue processing themselves? There is an underlying current of blame which is unhelpful. It's a distraction from the main effort of what is happening on the ground'.

Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, said: 'No blame should be put on the British here and I do not believe the evidence as presented goes anywhere near any level of UK culpability. The US had very good intelligence on this attack. One could ask why they did not conduct a pre-emptive strike to neutralise the threat? If the suicide bomber had not detonated his device at Abbey Gate it would have been somewhere else close by.'

What really happened at the Abbey gate? The Pentagon's changing story of the Kabul terror attack Thursday, August 26 'TWO BOMBERS' 8.59 AM: Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby tweets about the evacuation efforts, before the first blast. He wrote: 'Evacuation operations in Kabul will not be wrapping up in 36 hours. We will continue to evacuate as many people as we can until the end of the mission'. 10:30 AM: Pentagon briefing is pushed back following reports of the first blast in Kabul. Around that time sources in Kabul and journalists start to report there has been a second explosion near the Baron Hotel outside Hamid Karzai international airport. France's ambassador to Afghanistan David Martinon tweeted that a second explosion 'is possible'. There was no official confirmation of the explosion, but there were reports from US officials that US troops had been injured. 10:34 AM: The Pentagon confirms the first explosion. John Kirby tweets: 'We can confirm that the explosion near the Abbey Gate of the Kabul airport has resulted in an unknown number of casualties. We will continue to update.' 10:57 AM: The Pentagon confirms there is a second explosion. John Kirby tweets: 'We can confirm that the explosion at the Abbey Gate was the result of a complex attack that resulted in a number of US & civilian casualties. We can also confirm at least one other explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, a short distance from Abbey Gate. We will continue to update.' 3:00 PM: Pentagon holds their delayed briefing on the Kabul suicide attack. General McKenzie, the commander of US Central Command, told the press: 'So, we think one suicide bomb at Abbey gate. Don't know if it's male or female just don't have that information. Don't know much about the second bomb. Except one went off in the vicinity of the Baron Hotel. Which as you're aware is a deeply bunker structure. And as far as I know, no, there were no UK military casualties. As a result of that.' There were multiple reports on the ground of multiple explosions on the ground at the time amid the chaos. Some suggested there could have been as many as six or seven and others believed American forces were destroying weapons and equipment in controlled explosions. 6:30 PM: Media accounts also post information that proves inaccurate. The Reuters news agency reports at least two blasts rocked the area, citing witnesses. The Associated Press also reported on two attacks, citing U.S. and Afghan officials. Friday, August 27 'ONE BOMBER' 10:30 AM: Pentagon officials said there was only one suicide bomber at Kabul airport on Thursday and not two, as was previously claimed, adding to confusion over the attack and fears for the ongoing operation on the ground. Speaking at a briefing on Friday, Army General Hank Taylor said: 'I can confirm that we do not believe there was a second explosion at or near the Baron hotel. It was one suicide bomber. In the confusion of very dynamic events can cause information to get confused,' he said. I can confirm for you that we do not believe that there was a second explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, that it was one suicide bomber. We're not sure how that report was provided incorrectly.' US President Joe Biden vows retribution for the deaths of the 13 marines killed in the attack but will not delay or stop withdrawal from Afghanistan beyond August 31. Sunday, August 28 WITNESSES DISPUTE ISIS GUNMAN Survivors of the bomb blast say American and Turkish soldiers guarding the Abbey Gate opened fire on the crowds running towards them in the aftermath of the suicide bomb. One witness said: 'The bullet went inside his head, right here near to his ear' Monday, August 29 US intelligence sources tell Politico that the Americans wanted the Abbey Gate closed because it was the likely target of a terror attack - but it was kept open to allow the British to keep using it. Advertisement

It comes as the last US flights left Kabul just after midnight local time last night  23 hours inside the deadline for international troops to leave. The Taliban said they were now in control of the airport.

Leaked transcripts from top-secret US calls show that military chiefs were desperate to close a gate at Kabul airport hours before it was hit by an Isis-K suicide bomber last Thursday. But they say British forces wanted it kept open so they could continue evacuating Afghans.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told top Pentagon leaders to prepare for a potential 'mass casualty event' 24 hours before the Kabul suicide attack and said Britain wanted to keep the airport gate at the center of the blast open for longer to allow more evacuees through, internal DOD documents reveal.

The documents, which the Pentagon condemned as a leak of classified information and urged the media not to report, detail top military officials trying to sort out security in a situation they already deemed a major risk.

'I don't believe people get the incredible amount of risk on the ground,' Austin said on the call.

Austin told more than a dozen leaders who joined a conference call to prepare for a 'mass casualty event,' according to notes on military conference calls obtained by Politico, and warned that the Abbey Gate was the 'highest risk' in a meeting just 24 hours before 170 people and 13 US Marines were killed.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley warned of 'significant' intel that ISIS-K was planning a 'complex' attack  military jargon for an attack involving multiple players designed to boost casualties.

Officials even identified the airport's Abbey Gate, where U.S. troops conducted security sweeps, as a high risk target.

In a second conference call at 12pm last Thursday, American commanders set out plans to close the gate by that afternoon. However, the decision was taken to allow Britain, based at the nearby Baron Hotel, to continue evacuating people through it.

Six hours later, an ISIS-K terrorist armed with a suicide vest killed himself and almost 200 others.

Survivors have claimed that frightened soldiers protecting the airport may have opened fire in the aftermath, inadvertently adding to the death toll, which included two Britons and the child of a UK national.

According notes on the security calls among leaders provided to the publication by an unnamed source, officials warned about exactly the type of attack the U.S. now says transpired: a brazen suicide attack by ISIS-K, an ISIS affiliate in the region that has repeatedly clashed with the Taliban.

It all took place in a fraught situation where Taliban members are providing security at checkpoints around a packed Kabul airport as the U.S. tries to fly out Americans and desperate Afghans while evacuating U.S. troops.

The rare view of back-and-forth inside the Pentagon came as survivors of the deadly blast claimed panicked US troops opened fire on the crowds of evacuees in the bloody aftermath, killing their loved-ones including a British father-of-two.

US officials said immediately after the attack that there had been two blasts, including at the Baron Hotel where the British were processing people, later revising that assessment to say there was only one.

The British Ministry of Defense declined to respond to allegations they were to blame for keeping the gate open, but said in a statement: 'Throughout Operation Pitting we have worked closely with the US to ensure the safe evacuation of thousands of people.

'We send our deepest condolences to the families of the US victims of the senseless attacks in Kabul & continue to offer our full support to our closest ally'.

The terrorist attack happened on Thursday at about 6pm local time at the Abbey Gate to the airport, where thousands had gathered at the perimeter hoping to get on to a leaving cargo plane.

And survivors have claimed that frightened soldiers protecting the airport may have opened fire in the aftermath, inadvertently adding to the death toll, which included two Britons and the child of a UK national.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby would not confirm the report when asked about it at Monday's Pentagon briefing.

'We have been monitoring as close as we can intelligence that led us to believe that we were in a very dynamic and in some cases specific threat environment,' he said when asked about it.

'We're going to investigate, we're going to get to the bottom of what happened last Thursday. Thirteen precious lives are lost. We're going to take that seriously ... And we're not going to investigate it in public,' he continued.

'I am absolutely not going to speak to a press story that was informed by the unlawful disclosure of classified information and sensitive deliberations here at the Pentagon. Just not going to do it,' he said.

Lord David Richards, former chief of the defence staff, criticised the UK and US response to the situation in Afghanistan.

He told BBC Breakfast: 'A lot of lives have been lost, not just British service lives, also many Afghans, and hundreds of thousands of Afghan lives are now facing ruin when they had some hope.

'Low hundreds of Brits left in Afghanistan', says Foreign Secretary Raab Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said the number of UK nationals left behind in Afghanistan is in the 'low hundreds' after the western military presence came to an end in the country. The Cabinet minister said on Tuesday he was unable to give a 'definitive' figure on how many Afghans the UK failed to airlift to safety after the Taliban seized power. Mr Raab was also forced to deny a Pentagon leak suggesting the US wanted to close a gate to Kabul airport ahead of the deadly bombing, but kept it open to assist the British evacuation. And he did not rule out the RAF taking part in air strikes to target the so-called Islamic State terror group in Afghanistan. The US ended a deployment which began in the wake of the September 11 attacks two decades ago when it withdrew its remaining forces from Afghanistan on Monday. Mr Raab did not rule out the possibility that thousands of Afghans and UK nationals could have been left behind following the departure of British troops ahead of their American counterparts. Instead, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It's very difficult to give you a firm figure. I can tell you that for UK nationals we've secured since April over 5,000, and we're in the low hundreds (remaining).' Advertisement

'I'm afraid our political leadership, and in particular President Biden over the last six months, have let those people down, us and the Afghans.'

He added that anybody who believes the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan was a success, 'should start writing novels, because, quite clearly, it is not what we all intended'.

However, Lord Richards added that the agreed date for all evacuations from the country should not have been extended.

He said: 'The fact is, we've been defeated by the Taliban and the Taliban had agreed August 31 with the Americans, and, while I don't for one moment take sides with the Taliban, I can see why they said enough is enough.'

President Joe Biden had already warned publicly of the high security risk during the evacuation. He warned again Saturday, following the attack, that the chance of another such attempt was 'highly likely.' Biden on Sunday took part in a dignified transfer as the bodies of U.S. servicemen and women killed in the attack last week were returned home at Dover Air Force Base.

Austin during the call did not dismiss the warnings being transmitted by Rear Adm. Peter Vasely, the top commander in Afghanistan.

'We probably ought to listen when you have a former [Joint Special Operations Command] and SEAL commander on the ground saying it's high risk,' Austin said in a subsequent teleconference meeting.

The Pentagon, which has sought to hold back information about security specifics including precise number of U.S. troops, Americans seeking to leave, and precise efforts to fortify the airport, blasted the leak.

'This story is based on the unlawful disclosure of classified information and internal deliberations of a sensitive nature,' fumed Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

He told the publication: 'As soon as we became aware of the material divulged to the reporter, we engaged Politico at the highest levels to prevent the publication of information that would put our troops and our operations at the airport at greater risk.'

'We condemn the unlawful disclosure of classified information and oppose the publication of a story based on it while a dangerous operation is ongoing,' he added.

The publication said the notes on three calls were authenticated by a Defense official. It said it said it held back some information that might impact the security situation amid the risky efforts to withdraw remaining troops, Afghan allies and their families, and remaining U.S. citizens.

One unexplained notation comes from Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, in an exchange that also involved Pentagon policy chief Colin Kahl.

'We're not going to get everyone out. We'll get 90-95 percent,' he said, according to a notation, although it was not clear if he was referring to Americans, allies, or Afghans seeking to evacuate. He had also observed that Taliban ability to provide security would 'decay' over time.

A destroyed vehicle is seen inside a house after a U.S. drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, this afternoon

The strike destroyed a vehicle carrying 'multiple suicide bombers' from Afghanistan's Islamic State affiliate on Sunday

His brother Abdul Hamid, who survived the blast, told the BBC that his brother was shot dead by western troops - not killed by the suicide bomb

Among the dead was Muhammad Niazi, a taxi driver from London who had travelled back to Afghanistan to get his family out of Kabul. His wife was killed in the blast, and his youngest child and eldest daughter are still believed to be missing.

His brother Abdul Hamid, who survived the blast, made the claims about bullets from western guard posts killing people and told the BBC: 'The fire came from the bridges the towers from the soldiers'.

He added: I saw some small children in the river, it was so bad. It was doomsday for us.'

The second British victim, Musa Popal, 60, was pushing through the crowd trying to attract the attention of soldiers by waving his UK passport when he was killed by the suicide bomber, it was reported last night.

Other witnesses to the suicide bomb attack also say that their relatives weren't killed in the blast but by fire in the confusion afterwards. Abdul says he saw American and Turkish soldiers amid the chaotic scenes as gunfire reined over the crowds of people.

Another man claimed his friend who had helped US forces during the war had been killed by a gunfire from Western troops.

'This guy served the US Army for years,' he told the BBC. 'And the reason he lost his life wasn't because of Taliban, he wasn't killed by ISIS...'

When asked why he was so sure, the man added: 'Because of the bullet, the bullet went inside his head, right here near to his ear,' suggesting a troop guarding the airport may have hit him by mistake. He added that his friend had not suffered any other injuries in the blast.
A 15million Gauguin painting owned by the Tate has been downgraded to the status of a fake, with a leading art institute excluding it from a catalogue of the French Post-Impressionist's works.

Tahitians, an unfinished artwork which depicts a 'stereotypical colonial Tahiti scene', was acquired by the Tate in 1917 and was included in its 2010 blockbuster exhibition, Gauguin: Maker of Myth.

The painting was included in a 1964 catalogue raisonne produced by the New York-based Wildenstein Plattner Institute - but has now been dropped from an updated version of the catalogue.

Researchers at the prestigious institute branded the work as 'exhaustive', but have so far declined to give their reasons. A Tate spokesman said it recognises the painting's authenticity but will keep it 'under review'.

Doubts about its origins were raised last year by Fabrice Fourmanoir, a French art historian, who believes it to be the work of Charles Alfred Le Moine, an artist who lived in Polynesia in the same period.

Tahitians, an unfinished artwork which depicts a 'stereotypical colonial Tahiti scene', was acquired by the Tate in 1917 and was included in its 2010 blockbuster exhibition, Gauguin: Maker of Myth

He told The Art Newspaper that the details and composition of the work - a young man is painted in oils, while three women are sketched in blue crayon and charcoal - are 'very typical' of Le Moine.

'It is a stereotypical colonial Tahiti scene, whereas Gauguin was looking for more primitive compositions. The poses, dresses and even the European accordion held by the woman show Tahitians 'corrupted' by European customs,' he said.

'The poses, the dress and the man carrying bananas are very typical,' he added.

Tahitians is dated to around 1891 and its first recorded owner was the Galerie Druet in Paris. It was bought by Roger Fry in 1910 on behalf of the Contemporary Art Society and presented to the Tate in 1917.

Mr Fourmanoir believes that someone coming from France to search for paintings soon after Gauguin's death commissioned Le Moine to make a pastiche, which was then sold to the Galerie Druet.

Doubts about its origins were raised last year by Fabrice Fourmanoir, a French art historian, who believes it to be the work of Charles Alfred Le Moine, an artist who lived in Polynesia in the same period

The Tate dates the painting to around 1891, very soon after Gauguin's arrival in Tahiti. Its curators suggest it is an early study, 'in order to come to terms with his new subject matter'.

It has not been on public display in London since the 2010 exhibition. However, when that show travelled to the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC the next year, Tahitians was not included.

The painting was also included in a group exhibition of modern and contemporary drawings in 2012-13, shown at Tate Liverpool.

A Tate spokesman said: 'The work was included by the Wildenstein Institute in the first edition of their Gauguin catalogue raisonne in 1964 and Tate was not contacted prior to the publication of their latest edition.

'We recognise there has been ongoing research into Gauguin's work in recent years, so we will keep the work under review and retain an open mind about any research that might help cast familiar works in a new light.'

MailOnline has contacted Tate for further comment.
Angry Australians in lockdown have lashed out at the nation's former foreign minister after he posted a holiday snap from a luxury chateau in France while slamming tough Covid restrictions Down Under.

Alexander Downer tweeted an image of a picturesque setting complete with rolling green hills and a sandstone cottage with a caption directed at the 15 million Australians living under stay-at-home orders.

'I'm enjoying a week's break in France. They've learned to live with Covid here not lurch from one damaging lockdown to another!' Mr Downer said.

The 69-year-old Liberal Party stalwart was immediately hit with a social media backlash calling him 'out of touch', 'tone deaf', 'repugnant' and 'privileged'.

Alexander Downer (pictured with wife Nicky) has copped a barrage of criticism from angry Australians in lockdown after he posted a picture a holiday snap from a luxury chateau in France slamming Australia's tough Covid restrictions

The former foreign minister tweeted this image of a picturesque setting complete with rolling green hills and a sandstone cottage with a caption directed at the 15 million Australians living under stay-at-home orders

'How absolutely, wonderfully out of touch you are. And how easy it is to declare such things from behind your gates and privilege. Well done Sir,' one person wrote.

Another said: 'He's unbelievable. Imagine living your life and not being able to relate to people.'

One Aussie even wrote: 'If there was a prize for tweets devoid of self awareness this would win hands down.'

'I feel sorry for the French who now have to learn to live with both Covid and Downer,' another joked.

Mr Downer served as Australia foreign minister under John Howard from 1996 to 2007, holding office during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars as well as the Timor-Leste spying scandal.

He is now based in London after taking up the post of Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2014 to 2018 and then transitioning into a role as an international policy consultant.

In response to the Twitter storm, Mr Downer went on the offensive against 'lefties' and defended his post.

'I sometimes look at comments on Twitter and see lefties going feral about me being in France!' he said.

'I live and work in London and it's possible to travel in much of Europe.'

The French government have introduced a vaccine passport system which has allowed double-dosed residents a sense of normality with restaurants, bars and public events all able to operate as they were prior to the pandemic.

On Wednesday, an open letter penned by 80 of Australia's top business leaders shared Mr Downer's view calling for a 'clear path out of the current lockdowns'.

They urged state governments across the country to 'stay the course' on the national roadmap set out by the Doherty Institute so residents and businesses can plan for life after the pandemic.

CEO of Business Council of Australia, Jennifer Westacott said the nation must have a 'careful, gradual reopening' based on health advice.

'We're asking for a simple reason: we need to plan; whether you're a family that needs to plan to see your loved ones, whether you're small business that needs to stock up or whether you're a big business that's got a project going.

'Our point is very clear: we need a light at the end of the tunnel because you're starting the see the strain on people as this goes on and on.'

In response to the Twitter storm, Mr Downer went on the offensive against 'lefties' and defended his post

Mr Downer (pictured with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip) is now based in London after taking up the post of Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2014 to 2018 and then transitioning into a role as an international policy consultant

Commenters responding to Mr Downer were quick to point out that France has experienced the sixth-highest number of Covid cases in the world with 6.7 million infections resulting in the deaths of 114,000 residents.

In comparison Australia has seen about 55,000 cases and just over 1,000 fatalities.

'Brother lives in France He watched mass graves being dug, people turned away from hospitals, dying in their homes & streets,' one person commented. 'Glossing over of these facts shows your bias and lack of humanity.'

Others noted that France has been able to open up because their vaccination rate is nearly double that of Australia, due to the bungled due to the 'pathetic vaccine rollout' of his former party.

'France did a massive lockdown champ, but also did better on vaccines. Morrison failed us,' a commenter said.

Independent Australian politician Tony Windsor wrote sarcastically: 'Enjoy your stay Alex.'

'Mostly only old people dying here, few younger ones and sick children ... the blacks are facing disastrous consequences from pathetic vaccine rollout but that's never worried you nation builders has it.'

Liberal candidate Georgina Downer (second right) poses for a photographer with father Alexander Downer (left), mother Nicky Downer and sister Henrietta (right) at the Barker Hotel, Adelaide, South Australia in 2018

'Thanks for your interest in our welfare... have some cake,' referring to infamous words uttered by 17th century French Queen Marie-Antoinette before she was beheaded by anti-monarchists.

The exact date of when Australia's endless cycle of lockdowns and border closure will cease remains unclear.

But the federal government has flagged that most freedoms will be reinstated once vaccination levels reach 80 per cent which could happen before the end.

They have also targeted a return to international travel by mid-2022.

Qantas has hinted a possible travel bubble including New Zealand, Singapore, the UK, US and Japan could also get the green light for fully vaccinated Australians before Christmas.
An open letter penned to Sydney residents in lockdown explains why we should consider ourselves privileged to be living in Australia - even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mark Owen, the author of the touching piece, explained how his grandparents fled Nazi-occupied Europe, and how Afghani refugees would not complain about being in our current predicament.

Michelle Barel shared the letter to Facebook on Wednesday, with the caption: 'Despite the lockdown in Sydney we should all be grateful to live in Australia, this lucky country'.

NSW recorded 1,116 new Covid cases and four more deaths overnight as the state's lockdown enters its tenth week (pictured, Sydney's Bondi Beach on August 22)

Mark Owen, in an open letter has compared Sydney's current lockdown struggles to that of his grandparents in Nazi-occupied Europe (pictured, survivors of a Nazi concentration camp in Ebensee, Austria)

Mr Owen begins by explaining how an episode of Seinfeld came to his mind while thinking about the minority who oppose our current lockdown.

The episode has a scene where Jerry and Elaine must pick who flies first class and who flies economy, and Jerry says he will take it as Elaine won't know what she is missing out on, whereas he can't go back to flying economy.

'Sure I agree that we have had our rights and privileges stripped down to a doctors appointment or a supermarket visit within a measly five kilometre radius,' Mr Owen wrote.

'However as a society, as a Sydneysider, as an Australian, we have been 'flying first class' since our birth or fortunate and privileged arrival into the greatest nation in the world.

Mr Owen compared our own freedoms during lockdown with those of other countries experiencing true hardship (pictured, the full note penned by Mark Owen)

'It's disingenuous of anyone in our great nation to have the audacity to complain about our current lack of freedoms; which, in the overall scheme of things needs to be put into perspective'.

He continues by comparing the experiences of those in lockdown with thousands trapped in Afghanistan as well as millions who experienced past atrocities, such as WWII.

'I can't imagine a single refugee from Afghanistan bickering over a seat on one of the very few United State Military aircrafts escaping hell,' Mr Owen penned.

'When my grandparents fled Nazi occupied Europe after enduring torture in concentration camps, I can assure you they didn't complain about the substandard conditions on the ship which brought them to Australia'.

As NSW recorded 1,116 new Covid cases and four more deaths overnight, the state's lockdown has entered its tenth week.

Normal freedoms have become few and far between, with the easing of restrictions only coming into effect when the vast majority of residents are vaccinated.

But Mr Owen doesn't want Australians in lockdown to reflect on the small freedoms we are missing out on, instead pleading for people to look at the bigger picture.

'Freedom is the ability to access all levels of healthcare, at no cost, without the worry of having to sell your family home to settle a hospital bill,' Mr Owen writes.

But Mr Owen has pleaded for everyone to be grateful that we live in a country where we do have so many freedoms (pictured, Sydney's Bondi Beach on August 22)

'Freedom is the privilege of receiving the extremely generous government financial assistance we do here in Australia - unmatched elsewhere in the world'.

Mr Owen finishes the letter by taking a jab at 'freedom' protestors, claiming they have nothing to complain about.

'To those protestors who illegally gather...you'd have my support in future if you chose the right time and were demanding action to free starving and tortured North Koreans,' Mr Owen writes.

Comparing our experience to flying in economy class, when we have become so used to first-class treatment and living conditions in our country (pictured, Bankstown residents grocery shopping on Wednesday)

'Oppressed Saudi Arabian women, maltreated Chinese children subjected to forced labour - those who are truly imprisoned and have never known the meaning of freedom.

'We have nothing to complain about in Australia. We might be flying economy for a little longer, but be thankful, as I am every single day.. we are still flying.

All of New South Wales is currently in lockdown, as well as Victoria and the ACT.

State and territory leaders have committed to limiting lockdowns and border closures when Australia finally reaches the 80 per cent double-jabbed rate.
Rooster is an Australian fast food restaurant chain that was founded in 1972

A social media conspiracy questioning how Red Rooster restaurants stay open despite always seeming empty has gone viral, with Australians discussing wild rumours that the businesses is a 'cover' from something more illicit.

A number of TikTok videos have repeatedly asked the question in recent months, prompting the fast food giant to formally quash a series of bizarre suggestions with two of their own clips.

In the most recent video, which has attracted 1.5 million views, a man can be seen reading off a sheet where he mistakenly declares he loves 'red rocket' before adding he has been visiting the fast food haven for 50 years - despite looking to be in his 30s.

He then quickly adds he 'loves Red Rooster' before sampling some chicken and chips from the menu.

After biting into the food, which he says he 'eats all the time anyway' the man again reads from the script.

This woman was happy to declare her ongoing love for Red Rooster in a clip which the company later posted on TikTok

Some Red Rooster restaurants often fail to attract customers in store, prompting some to suggest on social media the business is actually a 'front' for illegal activity

The paid actor ends by admitting the chicken is 'actually really good', as the company pokes fun at itself.

An earlier video from August - which has been viewed over 400,000 times - showed a loyal customer who has been eating Red Rooster 'ever since her mum first fed it to her when she was eight.'

The woman declares 'everyone needs a bit of chicken in their life' and that people who eat elsewhere 'suck.'

Red Rooster director of marketing Ashley Hughes felt it was important to tackle the conspiracy theories head on.

'One (rumour) circulating for some time that Red Rooster is (actually) a money-laundering business,' he said.

'As a good, Aussie down-to-earth brand it's not above us to have a laugh at ourselves... and we think it's quite funny actually.'

Other left field theories on TikTok have asked why you rarely see families enjoying a dine-in experience at Red Rooster - as well as a series of people asking when was the last time someone actually went out of their way to sample some of their roast chicken.

The company also invited a TikTok comedian to see how the business works for himself when he questioned the day to day activities in a clip back in April.

Red Rooster's latest 'promotional' video has been a smash hit, with over 1.5 million views on TikTok

Red Rooster invited popular TikTok comedian @alrighthey (pictured) to see how the business is run in store

The fast food giant also had the last laugh, with their social media presence dramatically increased after responding to the 'haters.'

Red Rooster was founded in 1972 and specialises in roast chicken, chicken burgers and fried chicken. Their product range also includes whole roasts, half roasts, wraps, burgers, salads, beverages and desserts.

There are more than 350 stores across Australia in every state or territory - except for Tasmania.
A Covid-infected woman who gave the virus to her vulnerable parents has blasted the moronic minority of Australians who insist the pandemic is a hoax.

Jacinta, who lives in the virus-plagued Canterbury-Bankstown area in Sydney's south-west where there are more than 3,000 active cases, shared her harrowing experience with Daily Mail Australia.

The 25-year-old suffered through days of fevers, bloodshot eyes, a terrible cough and was brought to her knees from excruciating pain.

She also unknowingly passed on the virus to her father - a cancer survivor - and her mother, who has serious underlying health issues. They all live in the same home.

Jacinta issued a desperate plea to Australians to 'stop being selfish' by breaking Covid restrictions.

'You could be infecting people who then go home to vulnerable and sick family members with pre-existing health conditions,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'I personally have an auto-immune disease and I gave it to my dad who had cancer as well as my mother with multiple health conditions.

'If anything was to happen to my parents I would never forgive myself.'

Jacinta (pictured), 25, who lives in coronavirus-hit Canterbury-Bankstown, has shared her harrowing experience with coronavirus and the toll it took on her sick parents

The 25-year-old shared her story on Instagram and urged Australians to take the virus seriously to protect the vulnerable after she passed the virus on to her mother and father

Jacinta, who works as a receptionist, was feeling fine but a 'little flat', so she got tested to be safe.

NSW Health texted her on Thursday last week informing her she was positive with the virus, the same day she was due to be vaccinated.

'Just my luck that would happen,' she said.

Jacinta said the first three days of her infection were horrific and she locked herself inside her bedroom, only using her own bathroom so as not to infect her at-risk parents.

'The first day was the worst day. I had a fever, I woke up in a pool of my own sweat,' she said. 'My body was shaking, my head was so heavy I couldn't lift it.

'I didn't leave my room, I used my own bathroom. Mum would leave food at my door, they'd knock and I'd get it a few minutes later.'

Jacinta, who works as a receptionist, says she was informed by NSW Health she had tested positive on the same day she was supposed to be vaccinated

The number of Covid cases in hospital in NSW has risen to 917 with 150 fighting for life in intensive care and 66 breathing through a ventilator (pictured, an ICU patient at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney in July)

JACINTA'S PLEA TO AUSTRALIANS I'm on day 6 of having Covid and I feel 80% normal now but let me tell you the first 3 days I had a fever of 39, eyes were bloodshot red, my head felt 300kgs I almost collapsed trying to change my bedsheets my cough was crazy I felt like a truck had run me over. I'm lucky I bounced back quick but I'm seeing so many people I know personally or mutuals of my friends and they are in hospital on ventilators and I know someone in an induced coma fighting for his life.. HE IS 30. Please don't think because I'm ok and smiling now that every other person with Covid is the same. It hits us all differently. My heart goes out to everyone who has it 100 times worse than me and my family. If you have symptoms go get a bloody test. Get over yourself and stop being selfish because you don't want to be a part of their 'statistics'. You could be infecting people who then go home to vulnerable and sick family members with pre-existing health conditions. I personally have an auto-immune disease and I gave it to my dad who had cancer as well as my mother with multiple health conditions. If anything was to happen to my parents I would never forgive myself. Advertisement

Her mother suffers from a series of conditions, and has been bedridden from the flu in the past, while her father is six years in remission from bowel cancer.

She said she's been concerned for their safety, with her mother experiencing the same symptoms but improving and her father relatively fine so far.

'After mum got it we were allowed to sit with each other. My dad was left alone for a whole day, my dad can't cook or clean,' Jacinta explained.

'When he tested positive he was happy in the sense we could live normal again. He knew it was bound to happen.'

She admitted believing coronavirus was nothing but a flu at the beginning of the pandemic, but her experience with it changed her mind and she's urged everyone to start taking it seriously.

'When Covid first came out, I just thought it was the flu. It does have a high survival rate but I was oblivious to how serious it actually is, because I didn't know anyone who had it,' she said.

'I can now tell you 30 people I personally know who have it. I know multiple people in hospital, I know a month-old baby who has it. I know someone in an induced coma fighting for his life. He is 30.

'Please don't think because I'm OK and smiling now that every other person with Covid is the same. It hits us all differently.

'My heart goes out to everyone who has it 100 times worse than me and my family.'

Jacinta said she was sick of seeing people in her community disregarding the virus, but does believe the government's treatment of western Sydney was disproportionate to that of the eastern suburbs.

'The police and army presence has been heavy, I've never seen so many cops,' she said.

'I am very irritated compared to how they're treating us compared to people in Bondi where this all started.

The 25-year-old admitted to underestimating the virus at the beginning of the pandemic but after her experience and knowing many people in hospital she knows the severity of it

'But I'm so over people being sick and sitting at home. Get off your a***, get a test and who cares if you have to isolate because you're potentially infecting people who could kill their family members.'

NSW is set to reach a major milestone of 70 per cent of single doses on Wednesday after 148,000 residents rolled up their sleeves for the jab a day earlier.

Gladys Berejiklian expects the target of 70 per cent of people double dosed to be met in mid-October, which is when long fought for freedoms will finally materialise.

'I want to remind everybody that September is the month when we're asking everybody to get ready,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'If you're a business start dusting off your Covid safety plan.

'Make sure your employees are vaccinated so we can get back to life at 70 per cent double-dose vaccination which we anticipate will happen somewhere around the middle of October.'

Ms Berejiklian said fully-vaccinated residents will be able to go out for a drink once 70 per cent of the state's eligible residents have received both doses (pictured, testing in Sydney's Burwood)

The state recorded 1,116 new local Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday, as well as four deaths taking the death toll for the NSW outbreak to 100.

The four women who died were in their 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, were not vaccinated and had underlying health conditions.

More than 400 cases were from Western Sydney Local Health District while 372 are from the South Western Sydney district.

More than 173,913 NSW residents came forward for testing on Tuesday.

The number of Covid cases in hospital in NSW has risen to 917 with 150 fighting for life in intensive care and 66 breathing through a ventilator.
Dominic Raab was facing further questions about his summer holiday tonight after it was revealed Foreign Office officials were warned about the possible rapid collapse of Afghanistan two weeks before he left.

In a brutal grilling by MPs the Foreign Secretary was told that his department's own 'principal risk report' dated July 22 had warned 'rapid Taliban advances... could lead to fall of cities' and the extremists return to power.

However Mr Raab took his family to a five-star on Crete, return on August 15, by which time the Islamists' take-over was virtually complete.

Mr Raab refused nine times to tell MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee when his holiday began and said intelligence reports had suggested it was unlikely the Taliban would take Kabul this year.

Britain had expected a 'steady deterioration' in the country when US and UK troops left in August, he said, but that planning scenario proved to be completely wide of the mark as the Taliban swept to power much more quickly than had been predicted.

Tom Tugendhat, the Tory chairman of the committee, confronted Mr Raab with extracts from the report, saying: '(It) read on Afghanistan 'peace talks have stalled and US/NATO withdrawal is resulting in rapid Taliban advances, this could lead to fall of cities, collapse of security forces, Taliban return to power, mass displacement and significant humanitarian need, the embassy may need to close if security deteriorates'.

'This was on the 22nd of July. How did your actions change after that report?'

Mr Raab said he was 'very mindful of that' and added: 'The central assessment remained until late that the deterioration would be incremental and the planning for military withdrawal obviously began in April.

'But the contingency planning was also there for a more rapid deterioration.'

The Foreign Secretary was savaged by committee members as they demanded answers on the UK's withdrawal preparations and how many people have been left behind.

He today insisted he never considered resigning over his handling of the UK's chaotic end to the 20-year war.

Mr Raab, who revealed he is flying to the region this evening, said the UK began planning its military withdrawal from the country in April while work on a contingency plan for an evacuation started in June.

Dominic Raab was grilled by MPs this afternoon over his handling of the UK's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan amid a worsening Whitehall blame game

Tom Tugendhat, the Tory chairman of the committee, confronted Mr Raab with extracts from what he said was the Foreign Office's 'principal risk report' dated July 22 which had warned 'rapid Taliban advances... could lead to fall of cities' and a Taliban return to power

The UK completed its withdrawal from Kabul at the weekend with the US mission coming to a close earlier this week

Raab refuses NINE times to say when he began Crete holiday Dominic Raab hit out at 'partisan' MPs today as he refused nine times to reveal when he started his much criticised summer holiday, which took place as Afghanistan collapsed into Taliban hands. The beleaguered Foreign Secretary has come under sustained political attack for staying in Crete as the Islamic extremists carried out their lightning takeover of the battle-scarred nation. But facing MPs for a grilling on the Western military defeat today he would not say when his family stay at the five-star Amirandes Hotel even began. And he accused MPs of going on a 'fishing expedition' for information when they pressed him on the issue. He pointed out that he had already admitted that he 'would not have gone away, with the benefit of hindsight'. SNP MP Stewart Malcolm McDonald said the refusal to give an answer was 'absurd' while Mr Raab hit back at what he described as party political questions in what is meant to be a neutral setting. Advertisement

Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'Despite his own department's clear warnings weeks before Kabul fell, the Foreign Secretary was asleep at the wheel.

'He could have stepped up the evacuation, issued warnings to British nationals and increased resources in his department. Instead he chose to go on holiday.

'Today's committee session was a moment for humility and accountability, a chance to take responsibility for the chaotic failures that brought us to this point. Instead, he refused to apologise to troops who had to fly into danger to do a dangerous and difficult job because he hadn't done his.

'Britain is now weaker in the world and faces greater threats to our national security.'

Mr Raab was pushed for clarity on how many British allies and British nationals have been left stranded following the end of the Kabul airlift.

He risked anger as he said 'we are not confident with any precision at all' on numbers but he believed the number of British nationals still in the country is in the 'mid to low hundreds'.

Mr Raab was repeatedly quizzed on his decision to delay his return from a family holiday in Crete as the situation in Afghanistan grew worse.

He said a 'modern foreign secretary' needs to be able to work from anywhere including 'from abroad' and that he had 'engaged in all of the COBRA meetings'.

He told MPs: 'I have said that I wouldn't have gone away with the benefit of hindsight.'

Mr Raab has been widely tipped for the sack at Boris Johnson's next Cabinet reshuffle over his handling of the crisis but he told MPs he had never considered quitting and remained focused on 'getting on with the job'.

The Foreign Secretary also defended his approach to diplomacy after anonymous briefings said he had been slow to contact his counterparts in the region.

Asked who he had spoken to in Afghanistan when cities were falling to the Taliban, he declined to get into specifics as he said Foreign Office briefings and information from ambassadors meant 'I don't need to pick up the phone to get an assessment from the ground'.





Mr Raab's appearance in front of the committee came amid a worsening Whitehall blame game over the manner of the UK's exit from the country.

Mr Raab was grilled on a variety of issues as he battled to save his job this afternoon. Below is a breakdown of the key points.

UK did not believe Kabul would fall this year

The Foreign Secretary was confronted by Mr Tugendhat with a report which suggested the Foreign Office was warned in July that the Taliban could rapidly seize control of the country.

Mr Tugendhat said: 'Your principal risk report from the 22nd of July 2021 read on Afghanistan 'peace talks have stalled and US/NATO withdrawal is resulting in rapid Taliban advances, this could lead to fall of cities, collapse of security forces, Taliban return to power, mass displacement and significant humanitarian need, the embassy may need to close if security deteriorates'.

'This was on the 22nd of July. How did your actions change after that report?'

Mr Raab said he was 'very mindful of that' and added: 'The central assessment remained until late that the deterioration would be incremental and the planning for military withdrawal obviously began in April.

'But the contingency planning was also there for a more rapid deterioration.'

The Foreign Secretary said the UK's central assessment was that Kabul was 'unlikely' to fall to the Taliban in 2021.

He told MPs: 'The central assessment that we were operating to, and it was certainly backed up by the JIC (Joint Intelligence Committee) and the military, is that the most likely, the central proposition, was that given the troop withdrawal by the end of August, you'd see a steady deterioration from that point and it was unlikely Kabul would fall this year.'

Mr Raab said the UK started planning for a possible evacuation of Afghanistan in June.

Foreign Secretary rejects jibes against his approach to diplomacy

Anonymous negative briefings had suggested that Mr Raab had been slow to contact his counterparts in the region as the situation in Afghanistan worsened.

But he told the committee: 'From the period mid-March to August 30 I had over 40 meetings or telephone calls where Afghanistan was on the agenda. So that's broadly one every four days.'

He was repeatedly asked when he had spoken to key figures but he suggested telephone diplomacy was not as important as his critics had claimed.

He said: 'We get telegrams in, updating us on events we assess them very carefully. I don't need to pick up the phone to get an assessment from the ground.

'What I do need to do is get a holistic picture from the team that are getting all the different advice, get the options and assess what we do next.'

Dominic Raab refuses to say when his holiday to Crete started

The Foreign Secretary was grilled about his decision to delay his return from a holiday to Crete last month as the Taliban's grip on Afghanistan tightened.

Mr Raab labelled the questions a 'fishing expedition' and said he had already made clear in a statement that he 'would not have gone away, with the benefit of hindsight'.

He told the committee: 'I am not going to start adding to, frankly, the fishing expedition beyond the facts that I have articulated and the fulsome statement and having answered questions on this continuously.'

Describing the need to be able to work remotely, Mr Raab said: 'A modern foreign secretary has to have the ability given those wide array of issues that will constantly bubble up, possibly to crisis point, to be able to deal, act, work, from abroad.

'I engaged in all of the COBRA meetings. I engaged and directed the emergency response directly and I was engaged with international partners.'

SNP MP Stewart Malcolm McDonald repeatedly asked Mr Raab what date he had gone on holiday but the Foreign Secretary refused to say.

Mr McDonald said the refusal to give an answer was 'absurd' while Mr Raab hit back at what he described as 'partisan' questions.

Dominic Raab never considered resigning over Afghanistan crisis

The Foreign Secretary has been widely tipped for the sack at the next Cabinet reshuffle, with Government sources recently stating they believe Mr Raab is toast.

Mr McDonald asked the Foreign Secretary if at any point during the crisis he had considered or offered to resign.

Mr Raab replied: 'No, I considered getting on with the job of what has been a herculean task of getting 17,000 people out and now focusing on getting out the remaining people that we want to see out via third countries.'

No 'definitive answer' on how many British allies were left behind

On the crunch issue of the number of Afghan citizens who worked for the UK forces and who are eligible to come to Britain but who have been left behind, Mr Raab said he could not give a 'definitive answer'.

Asked to confirm the Prime Minister's assertion that the 'overwhelming majority of people who worked for us are out', he said: 'I'm not confident with precision to be able to give you a set number, but I am confident that the Prime Minister is right, that we've got the overwhelming number out.'

Mr Tugendhat asked Mr Raab how he could be 'confident' on Government estimates for people still in the country.

The Foreign Secretary replied: 'We are not confident with any precision at all because, for two reasons.

'We think that in terms of nationals we are into the hundreds, possibly the mid to low hundreds.

'But again it depends on eligibility which of course is one of the things that has been a challenge.'

Mr Raab also appeared to admit that some Afghans who worked as security guards at the UK embassy in Kabul were unable to be evacuated because of problems relating to their travel to the airport.

He said: 'We wanted to get some of those embassy guards through but the buses arranged to collect them, to take them to airport, were not given permission to enter.'

Foreign Secretary rejects 'control freak' criticism

Government sources claimed earlier this week that Mr Raab was a 'control freak' who had trouble delegating tasks to officials.

But the Tory heavyweight rubbished the accusation this afternoon, telling the committee: 'No one in the FCDO thinks I don't challenge official advice rigorously. I do. If anything I get accused of being over inquisitorial but I do think it is important.

'And indeed the Foreign Office as an institution was testing, and we did across Government. That is not to say there aren't lessons to be learned but you have also got to look at, the sort of caricature, the critique against me is I am either lazy and delegating too much or a control freak.

'The truth is you need to exercise grip but you also need to be willing to delegate. If you don't do that you will never take decisions.'

UK Embassy portrait of the Queen may not have been destroyed

Mr Raab was asked if a portrait of the Queen had been left in the UK Embassy in Kabul.

He replied: 'My understanding was that it was destroyed. Are you saying that it wasn't?'

He was told some Taliban fighters had been pictured with the portrait, and replied: 'We had a very clear, in fact I talked through with the team the policy for destroying not just documents but anything relating to HMG. It's not clear to me whether that came from outside or inside the embassy.

'Clearly we were conscious of the attempted propaganda coup around the Taliban taking over embassies and what have you.'

The UK completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan at the weekend, with the US due to complete its exit by August 31

Mr Tugendhat had set the tone for Mr Raab's appearance as he said yesterday the UK and US exit from Kabul had left people 'defenceless in front of armed gangs'.

Meanwhile, other members of the committee had described the UK's withdrawal from the country as the 'worst crisis since Suez' while Labour said it is the 'biggest foreign policy failing in a generation'.

Mr Raab yesterday defended his handling of the situation and took aim at his critics as he appeared to blame the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office for some of the Government's failings.

Westminster was braced for the clash between Mr Raab and Mr Tugendhat, with the latter having been a vocal critic of the handling of the withdrawal and the overall decision to leave the country.

The former soldier said last week that the exit from Afghanistan and the decision to leave many Afghan allies behind means Britain could face the 'biggest hostage crisis the UK has ever seen'.

Mr Tugendhat said the UK and the US had been 'defeated' and 'this is what defeat looks like' after the Taliban completed its takeover of the country.

He warned yesterday that the manner of the departure from Afghanistan risked another war.

Responding to a US politician who tweeted 'ending wars is good actually', Mr Tugendhat said: 'Ending wars is good. Leaving people defenceless in front of armed gangs is not how you end a war, it's how you start a new one.'

Mr Raab said yesterday that the number of British nationals still in the country is in the 'low hundreds' but the Government has not given a concrete figure for how many Afghans who helped UK forces have been left behind.

Government sources have predicted that Mr Raab will be 'toast' at the next reshuffle.

The Foreign Secretary launched a counter offensive yesterday as he lashed out his critics and appeared to point the finger at other departments for failings.

Responding to a series of negative anonymous briefings against him, Mr Raab said those people making the remarks were 'not credible' and the timing of them during the airlift was 'deeply irresponsible'.

Boris Johnson's special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass (pictured), entered talks with senior Taliban leaders

The Foreign Office has been accused of leaving hundreds of emails from people stuck in Afghanistan unopened but Mr Raab said those email accounts were actually the responsibility of the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence.

He also risked MOD fury as he said the 'military' assessment of how quickly the Taliban would seize control of the country was 'clearly wrong'.

Government sources last night accused Mr Raab of trying to 'throw the MOD under a bus'.

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said yesterday that Mr Johnson has 'full confidence in his Foreign Secretary' and there are 'no plans' for a reshuffle.

However, Mr Raab remains fighting for his political career with reports suggesting Michael Gove, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, is being lined up to replace him.

Mr Raab's committee appearance came after it emerged British officials had opened formal talks with the Taliban about getting UK citizens and allies out of Afghanistan.

Special envoy Sir Simon Gass, the chair or the Joint Intelligence Committee, met senior representatives of the group in Qatar to try to secure safe passage for those left behind following the chaotic military withdrawal.

Officers from MI6 also met the militia group, while the head of MI6 Richard Moore flew to Islamabad for talks with the head of the Pakistani army.
A gigantic oil slick the size of New York City could reach Cyprus today, threatening a pristine coastal stretch of the island's north.

Satellite imagery indicates that the spill, which originated from a power plant inside Syria's Baniyas oil refinery last week, is bigger than initially thought, covering around 309 square miles.

As of Tuesday evening, it was just four miles from the Cypriot coast, satellite imagery analysts Orbital EOS told CNN.

The divided Mediterranean island was bracing for the approaching slick, with environmental officials in the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) - internationally recognised only by Ankara - saying on Tuesday that 20,000 tonnes of fuel oil had spilled from the Syrian plant.

'It is a complete disaster for the marine ecosystem,' the head of the north's chamber of environmental engineers, Cemaliye Ozverel Ekinci, told the local TAK news agency.

'This problem is not just a problem that concerns Northern Cyprus,' Ekinci said. 'We should act together with the south.'

A gigantic oil slick the size of New York City could reach Cyprus today, threatening a pristine coastal stretch of the island's north. Pictured: The waters off Baniyas, Syria, have been left black by the oil spill

Satellite imagery indicates that the spill, which originated from a power plant inside Syria's Baniyas oil refinery (pictured) last week, is bigger than initially thought, covering around 800 square kilometres (309 square miles)

Syria's electricity minister had told the pro-government Al-Watan newspaper on Monday that the size of the leak ranged from two to four tonnes of fuel.

He added that a committee had been formed to investigate the cause. Since then, officials have said that a tank filled with 15,000 tons of fuel had been leaking since August 23, and that the leak has been brought under control.

Syrian authorities have been accused of downplaying the scale of last Tuesday's spill, with the head of the General Directorate of Syrian Ports describing it as 'not large'.

A resident of Baniyas, where the slick originated, told CNN that much of the coast had been polluted by the spill.

'People did not need this, it is already hard to make a living here and this certainly affected the lives of many families and made them lose their income' the resident, who spoke to the outlet on the condition of anonymity, said.

'The government only sent teams with sponges and water hoses; they do not have the capacity to deal with this.... you cannot clean the sea with sponges.'

The head of the deep diving centre in Cyprus' breakaway north, Erol Adalier, said the oil slick was approaching the island's northeastern Karpaz peninsula - a wild region of sandy beaches and verdant hills.

He added that the oil had reached to within 20 miles (32 kilometres) of the coast on Tuesday morning and was drawing nearer by the hour.

A resident of Baniyas, where the slick originated, told CNN that much of the coast had been polluted by the spill. Pictured: Cleaning under way along Syria's Mediterranean coast

A Baniyas resident claimed the government 'only sent people with sponges and water hoses' to help deal with the spill. Pictured: Cleaning under way along Syria's Mediterranean coast

Pictured: Black oil against the blue seas off Syria's Mediterranean coast as cleaning efforts continue

Turkish vice president Fuat Oktay said it was hoped the slick could be controlled in the open sea before reaching the coast of Cyprus. Pictured: Cleaning under way along Syria's Mediterranean coast

The Cypriot fisheries and marine research department said the spill appeared to be 'oil sheen' rather than crude oil, and that it would likely reach Cyprus by Wednesday.

Local officials said Turkey had sent teams to assess the situation and prepare a response.

'Even if it passes us tangentially, it will affect Turkey,' the north's tourism and environment minister Fikri Ataoglu said.

Turkish vice president Fuat Oktay said Ankara was 'mobilising every means available that we have without giving any chance to the spill to turn into an environmental disaster.'

He told Anadolu news agency that it was hoped the slick could be controlled in the open sea before reaching the coast of Cyprus.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974.

The Republic of Cyprus - whose overwhelming majority are Greek Cypriots and which has been a European Union member since 2004 - has effective control over the southern two-thirds of the island.

The government in the south said on Tuesday that it had not 'located' any sign of the oil spill in the areas under its control and that it had conveyed its readiness to help authorities in the north in tackling any pollution.

'Unfortunately... we have not received any information or any response from the authorities of the illegal regime, and so we remain alert,' Environment Minister Costas Kadis told Cyprus News Agency.

The TRNC government relies almost exclusively on financial and other assistance from Ankara.

The leak from Syria is the second major oil spill to hit the eastern Mediterranean this year after an oil spill off the coast of Israel, which impacted beaches and left tar across the Lebanese coast.

As of Tuesday evening, the spill was just seven kilometres (four miles) from the Cypriot coast, satellite imagery analysts Orbital EOS said
Tom Tugendhat has shot down Taliban claims that Britons stranded in Afghanistan will be allowed to leave safely - accusing the Islamists of running 'a slick PR operation masking a vicious death cult.'

The Tory MP, a former Army Lieutenant Colonel who served in Helmand, hit out after a Taliban spokesman appeared on Good Morning Britain to claim that anyone 'with proper documents' will be allowed out once civilian flights restart.

Suhail Shaheen also insisted that women's rights are being respected and that al Qaeda will not be tolerated - despite multiple reports of persecutions and images showing terrorist leaders arriving in the country.

'I'm afraid your viewers have just been lied to,' Mr Tugendhat said. 'It's absolutely clear that groups who make up the Taliban... have been rounding up people in Lashkar Gah and Kandahar and hunting them down in Kabul and killing them.

'Universities are being closed... women are being denied access to education, girls are being denied access to education, and civil servants, female civil servants, are being sent home,' he added.

Mr Tugendhat spoke out after it emerged that MI6 chiefs have met with the Taliban to discuss the fate of hundreds of Britons left behind when RAF mercy flights out of the country stopped.

Tom Tugendhat accused the Taliban of running 'a slick PR operation masking a vicious death cult' after it claimed Britons stranded in Afghanistan will be given safe passage out

Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban's spokesman in Qatar, appeared on GMB just moments before Mr Tugendhat to promise that Britons will be allowed to leave the country when flights restart

Britons left behind during Afghan airlift plead for help Two Britons left behind during the chaotic evacuation of Afghanistan have pleaded for help getting out. One man - a pharmacist from south England - told Sky News that he was due to board an evacuation flight with his wife and two small children last week, but was unable to get through the crowds at Kabul airport. The man and his children - a two-year-old and eight-month-old - are all British citizens, while his wife is Afghan with a British residence visa. The family had gone to Afghanistan in June to see his wife's family before getting trapped as the Taliban rapidly recaptured the country. 'I have lost hope,' he said. 'I don't know what is going to happen. I am just thinking someone's going to come and kill us.' Meanwhile another man, a cab driver from Liverpool, told the BBC that he is in hiding with his wife and children after fleeing the capital Kabul. The man, who did not give his name for fear of being killed, is a British citizen but his wife and child are Afghans and live in the country. He went there two weeks ago to help them escape after the country fell into Taliban hands, before getting trapped. The 30-year-old said his family are 'desperate' to leave but at the moment can only go as far as 30 yards to the shop for their own safety. 'We are in trouble. We need to go,' he added. Advertisement

Special envoy Sir Simon Gass, the chair or the Joint Intelligence Committee, met senior representatives of the group in Qatar to try to secure safe passage for those left behind.

That number is thought to include hundreds of British citizens and up to 9,000 Afghans who helped western forces in exchange for a promise of sanctuary.

Officers from MI6 also met the militia group, while the head of MI6 Richard Moore flew to Islamabad for talks with the head of the Pakistani army.

Speaking from his base in Doha, Shaheen sought to reassure GMB viewers that that Taliban are working to protect those left behind.

'Every Afghan citizen who is intending to go abroad to another country and has proper documents like passports, visas - they can go. And they can also come to Afghanistan,' he said.

'But we urge them to stay in Afghanistan. As we have gained our independence, it is time for all Afghans to build their country. their capacities, their talents are direly needed.'

But Shaheen's words jar badly with reports from the ground that fighters are going door to door executing anyone who is thought to have helped the west.

He also dismissed reports that women are being banned from the workplace, insisting that they are valued members of society who are being encouraged to work.

That is despite Beheshta Arghand - a female news anchor who interviewed the Taliban - fleeing the country in fear of her life after fighters threatened her colleagues.

And, confronted with images that show al Qaeda leader Amin al-Haq - Osama bin Laden's former bodyguard who helped him flee the US invasion - arriving back in the country, Shaheen feigned ignorance.

'I don't have details about who you said,' he claimed, before adding: '[We are] not allowing anyone, any group, any individual to use Afghanistan against the United States, its allies in other countries.'

Downing Street confirmed 'broad discussions' with the Taliban had got under way.

A government source said: 'The Prime Minister's special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass, has travelled to Doha and is meeting with senior Taliban representatives to underline the importance of safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals, and those Afghans who have worked with us over the past 20 years.'

Sources declined to comment further on the talks. But ministers have made clear that future aid payments and the unfreezing of assets will depend on the Taliban's willingness to facilitate safe passage and respect human rights.

Talks with the group are likely to be controversial however, given the radical group's record and the threats to many Afghan translators who worked with British forces.

It comes as the Home Office said around 10,000 refugees from Afghanistan who risked their lives to help British forces would be allowed to live and work indefinitely in the UK.

The talks, which marks a significant moment for the UK, come after Dominic Raab said the number of British nationals left behind in Afghanistan is in the 'low hundreds'.

The dramatic developments came as:

Taliban militants celebrated 'independence day' following the final withdrawal of US forces on Sunday night;

Astonishing pictures showed their fighters holding American-made weapons and posing for jubilant selfies in abandoned military aircraft;

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace pledged that all those left behind would be offered individual help to escape;

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab tried to spread the blame for the Afghan crisis to other departments as he prepared for a grilling by MPs today;

The Foreign Office risked further criticism after announcing that just 15 extra staff would be deployed to neighbouring countries to help refugees;

Ministers suggested Britain could lead bombing raids in Afghanistan against Isis-K terrorists under plans being drawn up by the RAF;

The US-UK 'special relationship' came under renewed strain as recriminations flew between Washington and London over the Kabul airport terror attack.

Last night it emerged discussions had also taken place between senior British intelligence officers and Taliban leaders in both Kabul and Doha amid increasing fears that Afghanistan could become a base for terrorists plotting attacks against the West.

The talks saw officers from the British embassy in Kabul speak with members of the militia group before the embassy was evacuated.

It is understood the discussions, which have taken place in the past two weeks, saw Britain stress how future foreign aid would be reliant upon the new rulers of Kabul ending any connections with terrorist groups.

A source told The Telegraph: 'It's what we've always been most worried about. That's a red line for dealing with them: any sign of attack planning.'

The chief of MI6, Richard Moore, also flew to Islamabad for talks with the leader of Pakistan's army General Qamar Javed Bajwa regarding the collaboration between both nations.

With talks under way, Sir William Patey, former British ambassador to Afghanistan, told the BBC: '[The Taliban] know they can't run this country without help.

'If the Taliban are going to run a government and hold onto power as they want to do, they're going to have to engage as well. So we have some cards.'

The talks come as Mr Raab said the number of Brits still in the country is 'now down at a very low level' after 5,000 were brought home since April this year.

Boris Johnson's special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass (pictured), entered talks with senior Taliban leaders

Dominic Raab said the number of Brits still in Afghanistan is 'now down at a very low level' after 5,000 were brought home since April this year

However, it remains unclear how many Afghan citizens who worked for the British Government are stranded after the withdrawal of Western forces was completed.

Ministers had suggested last week that approximately 1,000 Afghans who were eligible to come to the UK may not make it out.

But Whitehall sources told The Guardian that the figure could actually be about 9,000.

The Government has not given a concrete figure, with Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly saying yesterday that it was 'impossible' to put a number on how many people have been left behind.

The Foreign Office said it hopes to find 'practical solutions' to help those in in Afghanistan attempting to enter neighbouring countries.

Asked how many eligible people had been left in the country by the UK, Mr Raab told Sky News: 'Look, of course, we lament the fact that anyone will be left behind.

'I would just say that since April when we have been planning and instituting this, over 17,000 British nationals, Afghan workers, vulnerable special cases are out.

'I know that the number of UK nationals, the particular responsibility of the Foreign Office, is now down at a very low level.'

Asked if he could be more specific on how many British nationals were still in the country, he said: 'Well, low hundreds given that we have taken in total 5,000 out, and most of those are difficult cases where it is not clear around eligibility because they are undocumented.

'We have now put in place the arrangements with third countries, or we are putting them in place.

'I have spoken to some of the key third countries, so have other ministers, to make sure that we can make sure that we can have a workable route through for those outstanding cases.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: 'It's very difficult to give you a firm figure. I can tell you that for UK nationals we've secured since April over 5,000, and we're in the low hundreds (remaining).'

It is unclear how many of those British nationals who are still in the country have decided to stay of their own volition.

Former Afghan government official, Ahmad, said he sent emails to British officials asking for help after he was left behind.

It remains unclear how many Afghan citizens who worked for the British Government are stranded after the withdrawal of Western forces was completed

Thousands of Afghans have been evacuated to the US from Kabul airport after the Taliban took over the country

Families evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, walk through the terminal before boarding a bus after they arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport, in Chantilly

Ex-MI6 boss: Taliban victory in Afghanistan will 'inspire' terrorists to attack the West A former head of MI6 today warned the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan could 'inspire' terrorists to launch attacks on the West amid a growing backlash at Joe Biden's handling of the US withdrawal from the country. Sir John Sawers said there is 'no doubt' the Taliban's success is being 'celebrated' by extreme Islamist groups and 'that raises the risk of them being inspired to more violence in Western countries'. Sir John said the chaos in Afghanistan means terror groups are likely to move there because they will have 'some operating space', with the US and UK now in a 'much weaker position' to combat the threat they pose. His comments came as the former professional head of Britain's armed forces launched a direct attack on Mr Biden over the West's Afghanistan 'defeat', as the transatlantic alliance was placed under further strain. Lord David Richards, an ex-chief of the defence staff, accused the US President and other politicians of letting down Britain and their Afghan allies in their rush to escape Kabul. The peer, who served in Afghanistan, said 'we've been defeated by the Taliban' as he attacked America and the UK Government over their handling of the pull out. Advertisement

He told The Times: 'When I tried to pass through the Taliban checkpoints to get inside the airport the Taliban guards said they had instructions from the US not to allow anyone through who did not have a visa stamp in their passport or a foreign passport. I didn't have those things.'

He added: 'I want the UK government to clearly state it will honour its promise to those with evacuation notices  that those people who get to an embassy will be offered safe passage to the UK.

'Getting there will be incredibly dangerous.'

The Government has suggested that eligible people could cross into a third country next to Afghanistan in order to get to Britain now the airlift operation out of Kabul has ended.

But Mr Raab conceded that such journeys could be a 'challenge', telling Sky News: 'Well, that is a challenge which is why we are holding very squarely the Taliban to their explicit assurances, they have made them bilaterally to us, they have made them to other countries that they must allow safe passage, not just for our nationals but other Afghans, particularly vulnerable ones, who wish to leave.'

Joe Biden meanwhile delivered a defiant defence of the US pullout, claiming the evacuation had been 'an extraordinary success'.

In an address to the nation last night, the US President denied the withdrawal could have been achieved in a more orderly fashion and insisted he could not have extended 'the forever war'.

It also emerged yesterday that Britain will send just 15 extra staff to help process the claims of Afghans fleeing the clutches of the Taliban.

Downing Street yesterday said an unspecified number of 'surge staff' would be sent to neighbouring countries to process the claims of those Afghans who manage to make it to the border.

But the Foreign Office last night said this would amount to just 15 extra officials who will be sent to Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Mr Raab said the further staff would 'reinforce our embassy teams on the ground to help those in need'.

Sources said the officials had all been highly trained in 'crisis response'.

However, the modest scale of the deployment is likely to raise eyebrows among those critical of the Government's actions so far.

Mr Raab has faced questions about why he has failed to follow the lead of German counterpart Heiko Maas who has visited five of Afghanistan's neighbours in recent days.

The EU is drawing up a 500million aid package for Afghan's neighbours to help them deal with refugees arriving from the war-torn country, in the hope of preventing a new wave of asylum seekers heading to Europe.

A welcome to make us proud: Relief as 10,000 Afghan heroes who risked their lives helping UK troops are given permission to live here indefinitely

Thousands of Afghans who risked their lives to help British forces will be allowed to live and work indefinitely in the UK.

The Home Office last night said the coveted status would be granted immediately  and automatically  to around 10,000 refugees.

It will allow them to work and enrol their children in school as they try to build a new life here.

The decision fast-tracks a process that can take years and with only a limited right to remain.

Boris Johnson said the policy reflected the 'immense debt' owed to translators and others who had helped the UK military during the 20-year engagement.

Thousands of Afghans who risked their lives to help British forces will be allowed to live and work indefinitely in the UK. Pictured: Afghan refugees arrive at Heathrow Airport, London

The Home Office said the coveted status would be granted immediately  and automatically  to around 10,000 refugees. Pictured: Afghan refugees arriving into Heathrow last week

Refugees from Afghanistan arrive on a evacuation flight at Heathrow Airport on August 26

A Whitehall source said that the package, codenamed Operation Warm Welcome, was 'the least we could do' following the chaotic and bloody withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Ministers are still however under pressure to do more to help hundreds, and possibly thousands, of Afghans now in hiding from Taliban reprisals for helping British troops.

Its leaders have claimed they will not seek revenge but militants yesterday raided the homes of former translators in Kabul.

Former interpreters told the Mail they were living in fear for their lives after failing to secure a place among the 10,000 flown to Britain.

A 35-year-old who has qualified for relocation to the UK said: 'No one believes the Taliban's words of forgiveness. We helped the British kill and capture their men.

'We provided the intelligence to fight against them. We questioned their captured and injured  so it is simple that they will want revenge.'

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab yesterday denied reports that more than 7,000 Afghans with links to UK forces had been left behind, but was unable to provide another figure.

He said the number of British citizens left in Afghanistan was in 'the low hundreds', following the evacuation of more than 15,000 people in the second half of August.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said around 300 Afghans granted refuge in the UK had been left behind, along with 700 relatives.

Normally, asylum seekers are banned from working while their claims are assessed. They are entitled to minimal financial support if they would 'otherwise be destitute'.

Permission to work may be granted only if their claim has not been processed within a year through no fault of their own.

If they are eventually granted leave to remain it is typically capped at five years.

By contrast, those who have served British forces will immediately be granted indefinite leave to remain, which brings with it the right to work and the option to apply for British citizenship.

Those eligible under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy will also be eligible for immediate access to NHS services.

Councils have been offered a modest 5million to help with housing. Officials said they were working with more than 100 town halls and had so far found accommodation for more than 2,000 people.

Councils will be given an extra 12million to provide additional school places for Afghan children and further funding will be provided to create 300 university places.

Arrivals from Afghanistan will also be offered the Covid vaccine and given access to a portal where members of the public will be able to share offers of work and housing and make donations.

A Whitehall source last night told the Mail the package was 'likely' to be extended to 20,000 Afghans expected to come under a wider resettlement scheme  but this has not been decided.
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Britain's teenagers are yet to get Covid vaccines because of fears it may disrupt the booster drive for elderly, it was claimed today.

Pressure is growing on No10's advisers to sign off on a plan to dish out third doses to over-80s and vulnerable Brits  with ministers having hoped for the campaign to begin next Monday.

Top scientists fear the return of millions of children to schools in England this week and next will trigger a surge in cases that eventually spills over into the rest of the population, who are more vulnerable to the illness.

And real-world data already shows vaccine efficacy can wane slightly over time. Elderly people were the first to be jabbed when Britain's roll-out began last December.

US health chiefs last night released figures showing jabs now only cut the risk of hospitalisation by around 75 per cent against the Delta variant, compared to 95 per cent when the shots first became available  but they insisted its ability to prevent serious disease was still high overall.

Separate data from Israel has bolstered calls for booster doses to be dished out urgently. The country, which has been ravaged by a third wave despite its world-leading roll-out, has seen the number of seriously ill patients start to tail off over the past week  despite cases only starting to fall in the past few days.

Israel started to offer over-60s  who are the most at risk of being hospitalised if they catch Covid  third jabs at the start of August. Last week it expanded the drive to everyone who's already had two doses.

One of Britain's top Covid experts, Professor Paul Hunter, yesterday said he saw no reason 'whatsoever' why it had taken No10's advisers so long to sign off on booster dose plans. The infectious disease expert, from the University of East Anglia, called for over-80s and immunocompromised people to get their shots 'pretty soon'.

But despite calls to hurry up and act before the next uptick in cases, the JCVI, or Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, is still dithering over exactly who should be eligible for the third injections.

The group is expected to recommend the third shots for people with severely weakened immune systems, which may only include several hundred thousand Britons. A SAGE adviser today repeated the claim that booster jabs should be for most vulnerable and not widespread.

One person close to the JCVI, which is also yet to make a decision on vaccinating children, told The Independent there was a need to prioritise boosters and second doses 'before trying to launch a schools programme'.

Britain's daily Covid hospital admissions last week breached 1,000 for the first time since February, and the figure will only rise if cases do start to trend upwards as feared in the next few weeks.

Professor Eran Segal, a mathematician at the country's Weizmann Institute, tweeted today that hospitalisations had started to fall just two weeks after the top-up campaign started. This graph shows how Covid hospitalisations have started to level off in Israel just two weeks after its booster programme began. When the drive was started hospitalisations were doubling every week. Predictions suggested this would continue (green line). But just two weeks after the jabs were given out actual hospitalisations have slowed (blue line)

Department of Health spokeswoman said Britain had enough doses to dish out jabs to children and the over-80s should it be required. They have administered more than 90million doses to date

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests Covid vaccine-triggered immunity wanes over time. Israel has seen its hospitalisations and Covid cases (pictured) start to fall barely two weeks after rolling out booster shots to over-60s. The country is now inviting everyone who has already been double-vaccinated for a third dose

School children aged 12 to 15 are yet to get the Covid vaccine because of fears it may disrupt supply for the over-80s, it was claimed today (stock)

A source close to the JCVI told The Independent that there was likely to be a surge in cases when schools returned.

But they insisted that it was not clear whether children should be vaccinated because the three jabs currently being deployed in Britain are less effective at stopping transmission.

The insider argued it was a complex decision whether to vaccinate younger children, who face a tiny risk of becoming seriously ill or dying if they get infected.

Britain's daily Covid hospital admissions breach 1,000 for first time since February More than 1,000 Covid patients were admitted to hospital in a single day in the UK last week for the first time since February, official data showed yesterday as the country's daily cases grew again and deaths fell. In its usual daily update, the Department of Health and Social Care revealed that 1,019 people were hospitalised with the virus across the UK on August 25. It marks the first time there have been four-figure Covid admissions since February 24 when the second wave was being brought under control and the jab rollout was just gaining momentum. The DoH update  which often includes backlogged hospital data due to the way it's recorded  showed there were a further 943 Covid admissions on August 26 and 901 on August 27, which were both week-on-week rises. There was a mixed picture as UK-wide infections yesterday increased by 4 per cent in a week to 32,181 but England's case numbers fell again, this time by 10 per cent. Infection spikes in Scotland  attributed to schools going back in mid-August  and Northern Ireland, where vaccine uptake has been slightly lower than the rest of the UK, will be playing a role. But there are fears England and Wales could see cases trend upwards again when classes go back this week and next, which has reignited the debate about jabbing children. The Government's Covid dashboard also shows that there were 50 deaths registered yesterday, a drop of more than 70 per cent. The unusually low toll is believed to be due to a recording lag over the bank holiday weekend. Advertisement

The UK's medical regulator  the MHRA  has already given the green light to administering the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to over-12s.

But the Government's advisers have only so far allowed all over-16s to get jabs, with experts weighing up safety data before pressing ahead with the next step.

Fears have been raised over the very rare side-effect myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, which is most common among young boys given the Pfizer jab.

Ministers are keen to expand the roll-out to include over-12s, mirroring the programmes seen in other countries including the US and Israel.

Some over-12s who suffer from medical conditions that put them at greater risk if they catch the virus or live with an adult that is vulnerable to Covid are already eligible to receive the vaccine.

But hundreds of families are still yet to get a first dose for their children, which ministers promised would be available for everyone before schools return this week and next.

Joe Jones, from Surrey, who suffers from a blood disorder, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she had been unable to get a Covid vaccine for her young daughter because no clinic was set up in her area.

She said: 'For the part of Surrey that I live in there are no clinics set up, so although the Government committed to inviting people to the clinics by 23 August they have not even set a date for the area that I live in.

'We can't just turn up and grab a jab, you have to be vaccinated at a specialist clinic that has a pediatrician on site.

She added: 'They committed to getting the children vaccinated before they go back to school, that is Monday for us, so that is not going to happen currently and it certainly wont have given her the two weeks to build any antibodies.'

Una Summerson, who works at charity Contact which has been helping parents struggling to secure Covid vaccines for their children, said families had been left 'going round in circles'.

University College London epidemiologist and SAGE member Professor Andrew Hayward told the programme Britain needed to be 'very careful' about how it rolled out booster shots.

'I think there is a case for vaccinating the most vulnerable again with booster doses,' he said.

'But that still leaves the UK massively over-ordered in terms of the amount of vaccines that it has, and still conservatively leaves somewhere between 100-200million doses that it could donate by the end of the year.'

Professor Hayward also called on Britain to help boost the vaccination drive around the world.

He said: 'If rich countries cant sort out a problem like vaccinating the world, what hope have we got in pulling together to sort out a complex problem like climate change?

'This really is an opportunity for global leadership. This is a relatively simple technical problem that can be solved with the political will and resource.'

A Department of Health spokesman today insisted there was no shortage of vaccines and they had enough doses to both run a booster programme and inoculate over-12s.

They told MailOnline: 'There are no supply issues and the Health Secretary has asked the NHS to be ready to roll out Covid vaccines to 12 to 15-year-olds and deliver an autumn booster campaign, subject to final advice from the JCVI.'

Britain ordered another 35million doses of the Pfizer vaccine in the penultimate week of August which are set to be delivered from the second half of this year for next winter's booster campaign.

This took its total order from the company to 135million doses, or enough to offer every Briton two doses of the Belgian-made jab.

The UK is also currently receiving its order of 100million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine, although it is advised that under-40s receive an alternative because of a rare blood clot complication.

It is also receiving 17million doses from US-company Moderna, and is set to start taking delivery of 20million doses of the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine later this year.

There are more than 3.3million people aged over 80 in the UK and 3.1million children aged 12 to 15, according to the latest population estimates from the Office for National Statistics.

Covid vaccines are less effective at stopping hospitalisations over time, US data shows Pfizer and Moderna's Covid vaccines become less effective at preventing hospitalisations over time, a real-world American study has found. Protection against hospital admission from the virus drops to as low as 75 per cent in under a year in some vulnerable people, from 95 per cent shortly after vaccination. The research by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the lower threshold only applied to people aged 75 and over. Most people still enjoy protection much closer to the 95 per cent figure touted when the mRNA vaccines were first doled out in late 2020. Dr Sara Oliver, a viral diseases expert at the CDC, said even at 75 per cent the vaccines were still hugely effective  seasonal flu jabs can be as low as 30 per cent. The study did not look at patients with weakened immune systems, but studies elsewhere suggest a large portion of them have low immunity after two shots. The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have already green-lit booster doses for certain immunocompromised people, which will be rolled out this month. But officials in the US are still mulling whether a mass rollout is necessary, with pressure building on Western nations to dish out spare doses to poorer nations. Advertisement

Scientists are still investigating how immunity against Covid fades over time, with some experts having warned from the start that it can fade within a few years.

But other analysts  including the makers of the AstraZeneca jab  say there is no proof that booster jabs are needed yet.

A study from the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published yesterday suggested that the risk of a fully-vaccinated person falling so ill with the virus that they need hospital treatment has crept up over time.

US health chiefs last night released figures showing jabs now only cut the risk of hospitalisation by around 75 per cent against the Delta variant, compared to 95 per cent when the shots first became available.

It remains unclear whether this is because the protection offered by vaccines declines over time, or that the Delta variant has made vaccines less effective at preventing hospitalisation.

But there is a growing body of research suggesting immunity from vaccines is already starting to wane, especially against blocking transmission or stopping people getting symptoms if they do get infected.

'Regardless of the vaccine evaluated, all remain effective in preventing hospitalization and severe disease,' Sara Oliver, and Epidemic Intelligence Service officer with the CDC's Division of Viral Diseases, said.

'But they may be less effective in preventing infection and mild illness recently.

'These reasons for lower effectiveness likely include both waning over time and the Delta variant.'

Israel became the first country in the world to start offering booster shots to over-60s last month. The country has now expanded this drive to everyone in its population who has already got two doses of the vaccine.

Professor Eran Segal, a mathematician at the country's Weizmann Institute, tweeted today that hospitalisations had started to fall just two weeks after the top-up campaign started.

He said: 'For 45 days the number of severely ill hospitalized patients doubled every 10 days. Two weeks after the third dose campaign started, this exponential growth stopped.'

It came as more than 1,000 Covid patients were admitted to hospital in a single day in the UK last week for the first time since February, official data shows as the country's daily cases grew again and deaths fell.

In its usual daily update, the Department of Health and Social Care revealed that 1,019 people were hospitalised with the virus across the UK on August 25.

It marks the first time there have been four-figure Covid admissions since February 24 when the second wave was being brought under control and the jab rollout was just gaining momentum.

The DoH update  which often includes backlogged hospital data due to the way it's recorded  showed there were a further 943 Covid admissions on August 26 and 901 on August 27, which were both week-on-week rises.

Across the UK there was a mixed picture yesterday in terms of infections which increased by 4 per cent in a week to 32,181 but England's case numbers fell again, this time by 10 per cent.

Infection spikes in Scotland  attributed to schools going back in mid-August  and Northern Ireland, where vaccine uptake has been slightly lower than the rest of the UK, will be playing a role.

But there are fears England and Wales could see cases trend upwards again when classes go back this week and next, which has reignited the debate about jabbing children.

The Government's Covid dashboard also showed that there were 50 deaths registered yesterday, a drop of more than 70 per cent. The unusually low toll is believed to be due to a recording lag over the bank holiday weekend.
A desperate mother has vowed she'll die trying to find her two young daughters after they were abducted by their father and taken to Libya.

Tanya Borg, 42, of Pewsey, Wiltshire, has been fighting to get Angel and Maya back since Mohammed El Zubaidy took them abroad to 'meet their gran'.

He claimed he was taking the girls to Tunisia but, after landing, quickly whisked them across the border to Tripoli.

Tanya Borg, 42, has been fighting to get her daughters Angel (left) and Maya (right) back

Ms Borg's ex Mohammed El Zubaidy (above, together) took the girls abroad to 'meet their gran'

Ms Borg has told how she fears her two daughters have little or no freedom or education

Ms Borg has previously said that she fears the girls are now being forced to live a strict Muslim lifestyle, and have little or no freedom or education.

She has been granted full custody of Angel, 21, and Maya, nine, in both Britain and Libya since they were taken in 2015.

But Ms Borg is still no closer to getting her daughters back, with her ex-husband having been jailed previously for breaching orders to return them.

He has told judges he does not know where the children are and cannot return them.

For years Ms Borg has put all her efforts into trying to reach her children - even hiring people on the ground abroad to investigate.

Ms Borg was granted full custody of Angel (left), 21, and Maya (right), nine, in Britain and Libya

Ms Borg tried flying out to Tunisia on a lead to the potential location of Angel and Maya

Heartbreakingly, she even tried flying out to Tunisia on a lead to the potential location of Angel and Maya, but the lead turned out to be fruitless.

'I'm doing anything I can,' she said. 'It's just frustrating now that money is the only thing holding me back from doing more.

'But I'll keep trying, I'll die trying to get my daughters back. Angel is 21 now, and Maya will be 10 in October, they don't even have a mobile phone.

'I have no way of contacting them or knowing that they're OK. I've put everything I have into finding them and won't stop. I can't stop until the day they can come home.'

The girl's father left them with his mother in Libya after travelling to north Africa.

Last year Ms Borg's lawyer said the girls and their grandmother disappeared after a Libyan judge ordered her to bring them to a court hearing.

Ms Borg said she has lost track of her girls who were taken to Libya by their father in 2015

Ms Borg's daughter Maya will be ten years ago in October but she has no idea where she is

In August 2020, Danny Kruger, Tanya's MP said: 'I am working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the police to help Tanya recover her daughters from Libya, and very much hope we can bring them home soon.'

Last year a Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: 'We are in contact with the mother of two British children in Libya, her MP and her solicitor.

'This is a complex case and we are providing support. Our ability to provide consular support is limited by the volatile security situation and conditions on the ground.'

Ms Borg is hosting a fundraiser event on September 12 at Coopers Field in Pewsey, with all money to go toward her ongoing battle to bring her daughters home.

The Free Angel And Maya fete will feature DJs, karaoke and a Bake Off competition, along with stalls from independent sellers, a jumble sale and a car boot sale.
Meghan McCain has hit out at President Joe Biden after he gave a speech on Afghanistan, saying in an honest message: 'I do not recognize this man.'

The president said on Tuesday that the operation to evacuate U.S. troops out of Kabul - that left 13 US service members dead - was an 'extraordinary success'.

Biden and McCain's late father Senator John McCain were long-time friends, despite sitting on opposite sides of the aisle, with the president being one of the pallbearers at Republican McCain's 2018 funeral.

Writing that Democrat Biden had 'helped me through pain and grief,' Meghan McCain then tore into the president's speech, taking particular issue with the president saying the U.S. withdrawal from Kabul couldn't have been carried out in a more orderly manner.

Meghan McCain (pictured right with Biden on 'The View' in 2017 as he consoles her over her father's health issues) has now hit out at President Joe Biden after he gave a speech on Afghanistan, saying in an honest message: 'I do not recognize this man'

Pictured: McCain took to Twitter on Tuesday after President Biden's speech. Writing that Biden had 'helped me through pain and grief,' Meghan McCain then tore into the president's speech, taking particular issue with the president saying the U.S. withdrawal from Kabul couldn't have been carried out in a more orderly manner

President Joe Biden on Tuesday said the US troop withdrawal from Kabul was an 'extraordinary success' and blamed Donald Trump and local soldiers for the chaos in Afghanistan

'Some say we should have started mass evacuations sooner and [ask] 'Couldn't this have be done  have been done in a more orderly manner?' I respectfully disagree,' Biden said in the speech.

'Imagine if we had begun evacuations in June or July, bringing in thousands of American troops and evacuating more than 120,000 people in the middle of a civil war,' he continued.

'There still would have been a rush to the airport, a breakdown in confidence and control of the government, and it still would have been a very difficult and dangerous mission.'

In response, McCain tweeted: '[Thirteen] American soldiers are dead  most of them between the ages of 20-23 because they were put in harms [sic] way chaotically in the line of fire of a suicide bomber.

'Disappointed and disgusted President Biden says 'this couldn't have been done in a more orderly manner'.'

Five minutes later, she wrote another tweet, continuing her rebuke: 'This is extremely difficult for me to say: I once thought I truly knew Joe Biden and he helped me through pain and grief, for which I am grateful.

Biden and McCain's late father Senator John McCain were long-time friends, despite sitting on opposite sides of the aisle. Pictured: U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) is awarded the 2017 Liberty Medal by former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden at the Independence Hall in Philadelphia

'This man on tv giving this speech, I do not recognize this man,' she added. 'God help our country. God help the Americans we have abandoned.'

In a third tweet, the former co-host of 'The View' questioned whether Biden's White House administration truly believed they represented a 'return to normalcy'.

'[T]his is just as chaotic as Trump, just in a different way,' she said. 'Americans and our country and most importantly our military will not be able to withstand four years of this.'

The close friendship between Joe Biden and John McCain - a veteran of the Vietnam war, Republican Senator for Arizona for over 30 years and the Republican presidential candidate in 2008 - was well documented.

John McCain was shot down during a bombing mission during Operation Rolling Thunder over Hanoi in October 1967, and was seriously injured, and captured by the North Vietnamese.

He was a prisoner of war until 1973, and while being held captive, was subject to torture, and sustained lifelong injuries.

McCain's wife Cindy endorsed Biden for president last year ahead of former president Donald Trump.

Pictured: Joe Biden arrives at the Washington National Cathedral for the funeral service for the late Senator John McCain, September 1, 2018 in Washington, DC. Biden was a pallbearer at McCain's fineral, with the two's friendship being well recorded

'My husband John lived by a code: country first,' Cindy McCain tweeted last September. 'We are Republicans, yes, but Americans foremost. There's only one candidate in this race who stands up for our values as a nation, and that is @JoeBiden.'

Meghan McCain herself was a regular critic of Trump, and expressed relief at Biden's 2020 election victory at the time.

In June 2021, Biden rewarded McCain for her support with the nomination to serve as the US Ambassador to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture.

In 2017, Biden appeared on 'The View' along-side Meghan McCain where he was shown on television consoling her other her father's health issues. The pair discussed Biden's late son Beau Biden, who passed away in 2015 from brain cancer.

'I think about Beau almost every day and I was told that this doesn't get easier but that you cultivate the tools to work with this and live with this,' Meghan McCain said at the time, her voice breaking. 'I know you and your family have been through tragedy I couldn't conceive of.'

Biden moved to sit next to her on studio's couch and consoled her, telling her that it was possible a medical breakthrough could happen.

However, McCain's husband has claimed she didn't vote for Biden last November, according to the New York Post.

But this is not the first time she has criticized the president. Speaking on August 19, she told 'The View' Biden was 'unfit to lead' and 'like Jimmy Carter on acid' over the disastrous retreat from Afghanistan.

'I have been physically ill, more depressed than I have been since the beginning stages of the pandemic and filled nothing short of pure rage and anger since the calamity of a 'pull out' which will be seen as one of the greatest foreign policy catastrophes of my lifetime,' she said in an Instagram post.

The former View co-host gave a withering assessment of Biden on Thursday

'I am furious our President was so incompetent not to see what every expert on the planet could have seen coming,' McCain continued.

'I am furious for my friends and family who have been fighting in these wars since I was 16 (many who have lost limbs, had their life terrorized by PTSD from their experiences in war and deployments, or worse). I am furious seeing our allies and innocent Afghan citizens who trusted us are being left to be slaughtered or so desperate to escape the pure evil the Taliban will bring in that they are falling out of f***ing planes,' wrote McCain.

'This is not who America is, this is not the values this country was founded in. Our veterans deserve better, the innocent Afghan people and our allies and translators who have stood by us for the past 20 years deserve better' she went on.

'The shame, dishonor and embarrassment the Biden administration has brought to our country will take generations to undo. Not to mention our standing in the world and the cruel reality that the likelihood of another significant domestic terror attack has now risen to the highest levels since 9/11 and will usher in ISIS 3.0. - I could say so much more (and have been raging on twitter), but please reach out to your veteran friends and their families - everyone I know is struggling,' McCain added.

'May God have mercy for what we have done to these people abandoning them. Biden is unfit to lead and I am nothing short of disgusted he and his staff can't seem to be bothered to leave their vacation during an international crisis of our own creation. There should be an emergency congressional hearing before more innocent lives are lost. My heart is broken, this tragedy will absolutely haunt our country. Also - every single Afghan refugee fleeing must be granted a safe haven in America!' she concluded.

Speaking on Tuesday in an address, a defiant Biden said the operation couldn't have been done in a 'more orderly manner' and 'respectfully disagreed' with critics who said he should have started the evacuation sooner to avoid the chaos.

The president also hailed the 120,000 people they have gotten to safety in 'one of the biggest airlifts in history', vowed to keep working to get Afghan allies out and said the State Department had reached out to stranded Americans 19 times since March asking if they wanted to leave.

Biden spoke passionately as he defended his actions, at times waving his arms and gripping the podium, amid intense criticism from Democrats, many Republicans and fellow world leaders about his handling of the U.S. drawdown.

Eleven Marines, a Special Forces member and a Navy Corpsman were all killed in the ISIS-K suicide attack last Thursday as US forces frantically tried to get people on evacuation flights before the August 31 deadline.

Thousands of local allies and at least 100 U.S. citizens are still stuck and facing threats from the Taliban. Afghans desperate to leave ran after US planes on the tarmac and two fell out of the skies to their deaths in a bid to escape the rule of the insurgents.

The Taliban have also tightened their grip on Afghanistan and are holding mock funerals for Western troops, reportedly beating female cops and a retired three-star general has warned America's return is 'inevitable'.

In the lengthy remarks, where he refused to take shouted questions from reporters, Biden argued the world was changing and brought up his late son Beau, an Iraq War veteran who died of brain cancer. He cited cyber threats from Russia and China as among the modern concerns America must face.

'Let me be clear. Leaving August 31 is not due to an arbitrary deadline. It was designed to save American lives,' Biden said in his first public remarks since the final US soldier left Hamid Karzai International Airport on Monday night.

After, the president took to Twitter to continue his defense of the withdrawal, saying that the US presence in Afghanistan ran counter to US national security interests, and vowed to continue supporting the Afghan people through diplomacy, international influence and aid.

'This decision about Afghanistan is not just about Afghanistan. It is about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries,' he wrote in a series of tweets.

'The fundamental obligation of a President is to defend America. Not against the threats of 2001, but against the threats of 2021 and tomorrow,' he continued.

'I do not believe the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops in Afghanistan.'

The Taliban celebrated the American withdraw by hosting mock funerals with coffins draped with the US, UK and French flags as well as NATO's insignia. They launched fireworks into the Kabul skyline and flaunted the American weapons and equipment they obtained that U.S. military personnel left behind.

August 31 was the deadline Biden set earlier this year and stuck to despite pleas from some Democratic lawmakers who were veterans and his fellow world leaders, who used a G7 virtual meeting to plead with him to keep boots on the ground longer.

But Biden argued Trump, his predecessor in the Oval Office, tied his hands on the matter. He noted Trump signed a deal with the Taliban to leave by May 1 and that shackled his options.

Pictured: Biden attends the dignified transfer of the remains of fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, August, 29, 2021. Thirteen members of the US military were killed in an ISIS-K suicide attack last Thursday as US forces frantically tried to get people on evacuation flights

Afghans desperate to leave ran after US planes on the tarmac of KAbul airport, and two fell out of the skies to their deaths in a bid to escape the rule of the Taliban insurgents

'My predecessor, the former president, signed an agreement with the Taliban to remove U.S. troops by May 1, just months after I was inaugurated,' he said.

He said that agreement allowed the release of 5,000 prisoners last year. 'including some of the Taliban's top war commanders among those that just took control of Afghanistan.'

'By the time I came to office, the Taliban was in its strongest military position since 2001,' Biden said.

He painted the decision to leave as a 'simple' one: 'Either follow-through on the commitment made by the last administration and leave Afghanistan or say we weren't leaving and commit another tens of thousands more troops going back to war. That was the choice, the real choice.'

After his spoken remarks, Biden took to Twitter Tuesday evening to continue his defense of the withdrawal, and vowed to continue to support the Afghan people through aid and diplomacy

'I was not going to extend the war,' Biden said, his voice rising as he spoke.

He defended specific criticism he faced, including questions about the remaining Americans - estimated between 100 to 200 - still in Afghanistan.

He vowed to bring them home.

'For those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out,' he said. Biden told ABC News earlier this month he wouldn't remove U.S. troops until all Americans were home.

He also defended the evacuation after last week's suicide bombing killed 13 U.S. service members and hundreds of Afghan allies.

'We completed one of the biggest airlifts in history with more than 120,000 people evacuated to safety.'

He also blamed the Afghan leaders for not doing their part.

He conceded that he under estimated how long the Afghan government would hang on. The Taliban essentially took control of the country on August 15.

'The assumption was that more than 300,000 Afghan national security forces that we had trained over the past two decades and equipped would be a strong adversary in their civil wars with the Taliban. That assumption that the Afghan government would hold on for a period of time beyond military draw down turned out not to be accurate,' he admitted.

There are reports the Taliban harsh rule has returned. A top Afghan female cop is on the run after suffering a 'brutal beating' from them. She was singled out by the Taliban as a target at the gates outside Hamid Karzai international airport in Kabul, where she spent five nights attempting to secure a place on an evacuation flight.

The president pushed back against critics who said the evacuation should have started sooner. He said it would have been chaos no matter when it started.

'I respectfully disagree. Imagine if we begun an evacuation in June or July, bringing thousands of American troops and evacuating more than 120,000 people in the middle of a civil war. There still would have been a rush to the airport. A breakdown of confidence and control of the government and still would have been very difficult and dangerous mission. The bottom line is, there's no evacuation from the end of a war that you can run without the kinds of complexities and challenges and threats we faced, none,' he said.

Families of the fallen U.S. service members were left disappointed by Joe Biden at the dignified transfer on Sunday. One sister of a fallen Marine yelled at the president: 'I hope you burn in hell! That was my brother!'

He paid tribute to the 'selfless courage' displayed by U.S. service members and diplomatic staff for evacuating Americans and Afghan allies from Kabul.

They 'did their job and did it well,' Biden said.

The president mentioned his trip to Dover over the weekend to witness the return of the service member remains and meet with families. But the White House has refused to discuss the conversations. And there are reports some family members were angry with the president.

Mark Schmitz, the father of Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, told The Washington Post that he showed a picture of his son to Biden and told the president: 'Don't you ever forget that name. Don't you ever forget that face. Don't you ever forget the names of the other 12. And take some time to learn their stories.'

He recalled that Biden didn't seem to like those comments.

'I do know their stories,' Schmitz detailed that the president shot back.

Schmitz also said that a sister of a fallen troop yelled at the president after receiving the remains on Sunday: 'I hope you burn in hell! That was my brother!'

Biden will now have to rely on cooperation with the Taliban (pictured in Kabul on Tuesday) to try and get the remaining Afghan allies and American citizens out

Biden also argued the world was different since the U.S. invaded Afghanistan nearly 20 years ago, shortly after the September 11th attacks.

He said there are new threats America has to deal with.

'We succeeded in what we set out to do in Afghanistan over a decade ago. We stayed for another decade. It was time to end this war. This is a new world,' he said.



'The world is changing. We're engaged in a serious competition with China. We're dealing with the challenges on multiple fronts with Russia. We're confronted with cyber attacks and nuclear proliferation,' he said.

'We can do both, fight terrorism and take on new threats that are here now and we'll continue to be here in the future. There's nothing China or Russia rather that, would want more in this competition that on the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan,' he added.

Biden's speech, originally scheduled for 1:30 p.m., was pushed back to 2:45 p.m. and then began shortly before 3:30 p.m.

And Tuesday's speech doesn't mark the end of the Afghan conundrum for the president.

He has to deal with the Taliban take over of the country and relocation of thousands of Afghan refugees in the months to come.

Additionally, Republicans are expected to make it a political issue in the 2022 midterms.

Lawrence, Massachusetts residents gather at Veterans Memorial Stadium to participate in a vigil for Marine Sargent Rohanny Rosario Pichardo who was killed last week by a suicide bomber during the evacuation of the United States from Kabul

Massachusetts Governor Charales Baker speaks to Lawrence residents on Tuesday night

Pictured: People wave American flags at a vigil in Massachusetts for Marine Sargent Rohanny Rosario Pichardo who was killed last week

And the president's approval rating has taken a nose dive in the wake of the Afghanistan evacuation and withdrawal. Only 38% of Americans approved of his handling of the situation, according to a ABC News/Ipsos survey released Sunday.

The situation also has hurt Biden's campaign argument that he should be elected for his competence and experience. Some Democrats, many Republicans and foreign allies had pleaded with him to extend the August 31st deadline but the administration argued it would not make a significant difference on the ground there.

Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told ABC's Good Morning America that the U.S. intends to continue sending health, food and other forms of humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.

He also said that other forms of cash aid, including economic and developmental assistance, would depend on whether the Taliban 'follow through on their commitments' including to allow safe passage for Americans still in Afghanistan.

'It's going to be up to them and we will wait and see by their actions how we end up responding in terms of the economic and developmental assistance,' he said.

Sullivan insisted that any aid would flow through 'international institutions' and not directly to the Taliban, however the militant group is now in full control of the country's government and banking system.
It follows 4,700 Covid cases being linked to Boardmasters festival in Newquay

Fans had to be double jabbed or produce a negative lateral flow test on entry

Positive Covid tests have been found dumped outside Reading Festival site after it was attended by 90,000 fans over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Pictures show lateral flow tests with two lines - indicating a positive result - strewn on the ground where attendees began packing up to go home on Monday.

Festival-goers had to be double vaccinated or able to produce a negative lateral flow test on entry, and were then ordered to retake the test every 72 hours.

Many were young adults so had likely not received both jabs, but it is not yet known whether the positive tests were dumped by festival-goers or members of the public.

Some reports on social media claimed people who had attended the festival had recently tested positive for Covid, including others who said they had also seen positive test results lying on the floor at the Leeds festival site.

Experts fear the tens of thousands of revellers who headed out to festivals such as Reading and Leeds over the weekend will spark an uptick in infections over the next few weeks.

Other festivals have been linked to a massive surge in cases including Boardmasters in Cornwall, which health chiefs say triggered almost 5,000 infections.

Meanwhile, other scientists say England will face a 'large' spike in cases in the next two weeks after children return to the classroom.

Pictures show lateral flow tests with two lines - indicating a positive result - strewn on the ground where attendees began packing up to go home on Monday

Festival-goers had to be double vaccinated or able to produce a negative lateral flow test on entry, and were then ordered to take a lateral flow test every 72 hours

Other festivals including Boardmasters in Cornwall have been linked to Covid surges. Almost 5,000 cases were traced back to this festival by Public Health authorities. Above is a map showing infection rates across Cornwall in the week to August 14

Covid cases in Cornwall spiked after the Boardmasters festival took place between August 11-15, official data shows. But they have now started to fall again

Covid cases in Reading  where the latest festival took place  have remained steady in recent days. It takes up to a week for someone infected with the virus to start showing symptoms and get a positive test

Images shared on social media suggested that attendees had dumped positive lateral flow tests in the campsites and portable toilets in the festival grounds.

Videos on social networking site TikTok reportedly showed positive lateral flow tests dumped around the site.

More have been found on public roads leading away from the site.

Some were discovered alongside syringes on Caversham Road, where many festival-goers walk from the campsite to get to Reading town centre.

Festival-goer Ben said: 'I'm not too fussed about getting it, but I dont think my family would be too pleased about having to isolate.

'I think its bad about the positive tests lying around but its to be expected really. If I tested positive I wouldnt go home as we've spent so much money to get here.'

Meanwhile, one social media user posted: 'Sore throat last day of Reading, thought due to camping rough, drinking etc.

'Three negative lateral flows but still went for a PCR to be sure, bloody positive.

'Highly recommend getting a PCR test done if you went to a festival even if you have no symptoms/negative lateral flows.'

Another wrote: 'Bought a pair of wellies off Depop and the guy was at Reading Festival so said he'd send them once he got home. Fair. Now he's messaged saying he's tested positive for Covid. Shock.'

Some reports on social media claimed people who had attended the festival had recently tested positive for Covid, including others who said they had also seen positive test results lying on the floor at the Leeds festival site

Twitter users also reported fans at Leeds Festival contracting the virus, with one saying they know teenagers from three families who tested positive after returning from the event.

One attendee said: 'I went to Leeds Festival and it was literally Covid central. Saw two positive lateral flow tests on the floor.

'Typical toilet festivals not getting cleaned and I've just come back and tested positive. Maybe not a massive impact but it definitely would've spread the virus.'

Another person added: 'Thats three families I know now whose teens have returned from the Leeds festival with Covid.

'It was supposed to be a controlled event but self-reported lateral flow tests as a control or evidence of double vaccination arent good enough.'

It follows hundreds of tents lining at least six fields from corner to corner on Monday after the three-day event came to a close on Sunday.

It follows hundreds of tents lining at least six fields from corner to corner on Monday after the three-day event came to a close on Sunday

Abandoned tents are seen at the Reading Festival campsite after the event ended on Monday after three days of partying

The Association of Independent Festivals estimates 250,000 tents are left behind at festivals across the UK, the majority of which end up in landfill

Festival goers walk past tents at the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue. Partied-out music lovers draped themselves in duvets and slung sleeping bags over their shoulders as they left Reading Festival on Monday morning following a weekend of fun

Mass departure: The festivalgoers carried their camping equipment and clothes along the banks of the Thames on Monday

In one patch seven tents appear to be laid out in a circle indicating a group had camped together and all decided to leave their gear.

Festival-goers finished off the weekend watching Post Malone on the main stage.

But it was left to the staff the next morning to tidy up the mess, with security having to grab bin bags to work as the 'litter-picking staff were nowhere to be found'.

The rite-of-passage festival for students celebrating their final exams attracted tens of thousands this year with headliners including Stormzy and Liam Gallagher.

It comes after public health chiefs revealed 4,700 Covid cases had been linked to five-day music and surfing festival Boardmasters.

The event  held from August 11 to 15  also required all ticket holders to show proof of double vaccination, natural immunity or a recent negative lateral flow test.

But after more than 50,000 people turned up for the event in Cornwall, the county became England's Covid hotspot.

More than 1,000 people also tested positive for the virus after attending Latitude Festival in Suffolk, which took place at the end of July.

As many as 37,000 tickets were sold for the event, which was the first of its kind after lockdown rules were relaxed.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said at the time that the event showed 'we can reintroduce mass sports and cultural events safely'.

Meanwhile, there are mounting fears that England will face a spike in Covid infections in the coming weeks after children return to the classroom.

Yesterday Britain recorded another 32,181 cases, up four per cent in a week. Infections in England fell by 10 per cent, however.

MailOnline has reached out to Festival Republic for comment.
Xulhaz Mannan, 35, the editor of Bangladesh's first magazine aimed at LGBTQ+ people was hacked to death in 2016 along with actor Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy

Six members of an Islamist militant group have been sentenced to death in Bangladesh over the brutal killing of two LGBTQ+ rights campaigners five years ago.

Xulhaz Mannan, 35, the editor of Bangladesh's first magazine aimed at LGBTQ+ people, and actor Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy, 25, were hacked to death in Mannan's apartment in the capital, Dhaka, in April 2016 in an attack claimed by Ansar Al Islam, the regional arm of Al Qaeda.

The killings were part of a series of attacks on atheist bloggers, academics and other minorities that shocked the South Asian nation of 170 million and led many to go into hiding or flee abroad.

Of the eight defendants in the case, six were found guilty of murder and sentenced to death, public prosecutor Golam Sarwar Khan said on Tuesday.

The Special Anti-Terrorism Tribunal also convicted the six of belonging to a terrorist organisation, the Al Qaeda-inspired domestic militant organisation Ansar Ullah Bangla Team, Khan said, a group that police believe is responsible for the murders of more than a dozen secular activists and bloggers.

The men's defence lawyer Nazrul Islam said they would appeal their sentences.

'My clients are completely innocent. They are not linked with these murders. They were framed unjustly,' he said.

The tribunal acquitted two other defendants, who are on the run and were tried in absentia, Khan said. Of the six men sentenced to death, two are also on the run and were tried in absentia.

One of them is Syed Ziaul Haq, a sacked army major believed to be the group leader and accused of masterminding the killings.

Five of those convicted had already been sentenced to death in February for the 2015 murders of a blogger and a publisher who were hacked to death in separate incidents.

One of the men was photographed smiling as he was escorted to the court by police on Tuesday.

Police escort the eight suspected Islamist militants accused of the murders to court in Dhaka on Tuesday

Police escort the eight suspected Islamist militants accused of the murders to court in Dhaka on Tuesday

One of the killers was photographed smiling as he was escorted to the court

Mannan's magazine, Roopbaan, had no official permission to publish in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country where same-sex relationships are illegal and the LGBTQ+ community has long been marginalised.

It was only published for two years but became a platform for promoting LGBTQ+ rights in Bangladesh.

Mannan, who also previously worked as a U.S. Embassy protocol officer, was also a cousin of former Foreign Minister Dipu Moni of the governing Awami League party.

The U.S. had condemned Mannan's killing. In a statement, then U.S. Ambassador Marcia Bernicat said she was 'devastated by the brutal murder.'

'Xulhaz was more than a colleague to those of us fortunate to work with him at the U.S. Embassy. He was a dear friend,' she said.

His killing was part of a spate of attacks targeting secular activists and religious minorities between 2013 and 2016, which were claimed by Islamic State or Al Qaeda-aligned groups.

The most serious attack came in July 2016, when gunmen stormed a cafe in the diplomatic quarter of Dhaka and killed 22 people, most of them foreigners.

After the cafe siege, more than 100 suspected militants were killed and hundreds more were arrested as the government cracked down on Islamist groups as it sought to preserve its image as a moderate Muslim nation.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government has claimed success in controlling the militancy after a nationwide crackdown on radical Islamists left dozens of militants dead and many others in jail.

Mannan's friend and the co-founder and editor of Roopbaan, who gave his name as Rasel, said the verdict 'does ease my pain for the moment' but did not provide justice to his community.

Mannan (left) ran the LGBTQ+ magazine Roopbaan (right) - the first and only of its kind in Bangladesh at the time

'Bangladeshi LGBTQ activists live under the constant fear of arbitrary arrest, murder, violence and state persecution alongside social stigmatisation, homelessness, workplace discrimination and precarious mental health conditions,' he told AFP news agency.

'I was forced to flee Bangladesh after the murders along with many others. I haven't seen or touched my parents in the past four years,' Rasel, who now lives in the United States, said, adding that more killings could occur.

'This verdict is part of maintaining the status quo that criminalises gay people.'

Mannan's friends had planned to stage a 'Rainbow Rally' in April 2016, but police would not allow the event to go ahead, citing security concerns.

The sentencing is the first time a Bangladeshi court has acted on violence against gay rights activists. Security around the court was tightened for the sentencing.
The savage murder and sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl in Melbourne more than 40 years ago has never been solved.

Now Victoria Police are offering a $1million reward for information to bring the killer or killers of Denise McGregor to justice.

At 6.15pm on Monday, March 20, 1978, Denise and her 11-year-old sister walked from their Bell Street home in Pascoe Vale in the city's north to a hamburger shop.

Victoria Police are offering a $1million reward to help solve the 'brutal' murder of 13-year-old Denise McGregor (pictured)

They arrived about 6.30pm and paid for their food with a $5 note given to them by their mother.

The girls had started to walk home when Denise handed the food to her sister and told her she was going to buy drinks from a milk bar.

Denise's sister got home about 7pm but Denise failed to return so she went back to the milk bar to look for her.

Unable to find Denise, her sister went back home and she and her mother got in their car and searched nearby streets.

She went with her sister to a local hamburger shop, before Denise went to get drinks from a milk bar on her own (pictured, the road where her body was found)

The following day, Denise's partially clothed body was found beside Merriang Road in Wallan East.

She had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death.

Police at the time described the injuries suffered by Denise as sickening.

Detectives believe there are still people out there who know what happened to her.

The following day, Denise's partially clothed body was found beside Merriang Road in Wallan East (pictured, her shoes)

Of particular interest is the fact Denise had used a CB radio on a couple of occasions at one of her girlfriend's houses.

During these calls, she had made contact with an unidentified male with the call sign 'Lightning One'.

Over the past 43 years, police have spoken to hundreds of people and followed up on an enormous number of leads, but without success.

Detectives believe there is still people out there who know what happened to Denise (pictured), who was murdered and sexually assaulted

Police say Denise was well known and popular amongst children of her age in the area and was known to frequent an amusement parlour in Broadmeadows.

"She also attended the local high school and by all accounts was a typical teenager," police said in a statement on Wednesday.

This is not the first time a reward has been offered for solving the case.

In June 1978, a $50,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest.
Almost a dozen teenagers aged between 15 and 19 have been charged with the attempted murder of a 17-year-old boy.

It follows an alleged gang style attack last weekend in Brisbane's west, which has left the youngster on life support.

The boy, 17, remains in hospital in an induced coma following the alleged assault in Milton.

An alleged gang style attack last weekend in Brisbane's west has left a youngster, 17, on life support (stock image)

'He is unconscious, he is in a coma, he has life threatening head injuries,' Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said.

Police allege the victim was assaulted when he was asleep about 3am last Saturday.

The alleged offenders range between 15 and 19, with the motive for the alleged attack still unknown.

Police said a group of people rented an apartment in Milton last Friday and early on Saturday a number of other youths entered the complex.

'We will allege that while in the apartment this group of young men violently and viciously assaulted the victim,' Det Supt Fleming said.

'We will allege the incident was a cowardly attack by a group upon a young defenceless man.'

Supt Fleming later described the assault as 'abhorrent', and refused to name the African gang believed to be responsible for the alleged attack.

He added Queensland Police will work 'hand in hand' with the community before confirming those responsible committed the alleged assault before leaving together.

Fears are also rising with police a retaliation attack may stem from the alleged incident.
Journalist Syed Taalay Ahmed was ambushed near the city of Tamale last week

A British journalist has been shot and killed during an armed robbery in Ghana.

Syed Taalay Ahmed, who grew up in Hartlepool, was ambushed along with a Ghanaian colleague while driving near the city of Tamale on August 23 at about 19:00 local time.

The 31-year-old was a journalist on deployment for Muslim Television Ahmadiyaa International (MTA) at the time of the attack.

After opening fire on the pair's Toyota, the robbers took money and some of their possessions before getting into an 'encounter' with police, who shot two of them dead.

Four others were arrested, according to a press release signed by Ghanaian police.

Mr Taalay Ahmed and Umaru Abdul Hakim, his Ghanaian colleague who was also shot in the attack, where rushed to a nearby clinic before being taken to the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

Mr Taalay Ahmed was declared dead a short while after arriving there and his body is due to be repatriated on Wednesday.

Mr Hakim survived the attack.

Syed Taalay Ahmed, 31, was ambushed while driving near the Ghanaian city of Tamale on August 23 when he was ambushed

Mr Taalay Ahmed was a journalist who on deployment for Muslim Television Ahmadiyaa International

The suspected perpetrators of the attack were allegedly involved in some robberies and murder cases along the highway in which Mr Taalay Ahmed was targeted, MTA reported the signed press release as saying.

The London-based network paid tribute to Mr Taalay Ahmed following the news of his death, describing him as 'a bright and creative journalist who worked on a number of documentaries ranging from football to faith.'

'He was a much loved member of the MTA team and produced a series of faith-inspiring documentaries and programmes,' a spokesman said.

'We will miss him every day and strive to build upon the great work he did.'

Mr Taalay Ahmed, who studied journalism at the University of Sunderland, was in Ghana filming a documentary that 'highlighted the charity works conducted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim community,' the network said.

Mr Taalay Ahmed, who studied journalism at the University of Sunderland, was in Ghana filming a documentary when he was killed

Mr Taalay Ahmed leaves behind a wife and two young children in Hartlepool

Tributes also came from the Hartlepool Cricket Club, which Mr Taalay Ahmed used to play for.

'The son of former 2nd XI Captain, Hashim Ahmed, Taalay came through the Junior ranks at Park Drive before going on to represent the 2nd and 3rd XIs,' the club wrote in a Facebook post.

'A talented batsman, Taalay scored over a 1,000 runs with a best of 88. During his time at Hartlepool he also played for Hartlepool Power Station Cricket Club, before moving to Wolviston Cricket Club following university.

'Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this incredibly sad time.'

Chris Smith, who played cricket with Mr Taalay Ahmed said he 'always seemed to be filled with life and joy' off the field.

'He had an infectious smile and was always happy to chat with anyone about pretty much anything, all the while keeping an eye on the cricket.

'Although no longer living in the North East, Taalay still showed a keen interest in what was going on at Park Drive. He will be truly missed.'

Mr Taalay Ahmed leaves behind a wife and two young children.
A Taliban spokesperson has accused Australian soldiers of war crimes in Afghanistan, while cruelly claiming the 41 diggers who were killed in action 'died in vain'.

Suhail Shaheen accused Australian forces of committing brutal 'human rights violations' during the west's 20-year military campaign and called for soldiers to be prosecuted.

The war-torn nation is now in the hands of the Islamic fundamentalist group who snatched power last month after US-led forces left the country.

Afghanistan's ill-prepared national army and governmental structures disintegrated almost immediately, handing control over to Taliban militants who had been waiting two-decades to cease the capital Kabul.

The Taliban has since been accused of forcibly marrying girls as young as 12 to its fighters as sex slaves, and of carrying out summary executions against anyone suspected of helping western forces during the war.

'Australia was part of the occupation,' Mr Shaheen told Nine News via video link.

'They committed some of the worst and most brutal human rights violations by cutting fingers off dead bodies and killing farmers.

'They died in vain. They died occupying our country.'

The hard line spokesperson said evidence for his accusation is detailed in last year's Brereton report, which alleged Australian special forces soldiers murdered innocent prisoners and civilians on the orders of their senior commanders.

Although none of the allegations have yet been proven, the heavily redacted 465-page report painted a damning picture of Australia's Special Air Service and the 'toxic' culture which had developed in Afghanistan including '39 unlawful killings'.

'If my country's forces go and invade your country, occupy your country and they die, what would you say? Mr Shaheen said.

'Would you say they come here for something illegal? It was their right to invade your country? The same applies for my country, Afghanistan.'

Members of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment ready combat team assist the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade locating Afghan Australian visa holders attempting to enter the congested Abbey Gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 26

Afghan families lining up behind a RAAF C-17A Globemaster while ADF personnel provide security prior to departing Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 24

Australian citizens are pictured on Wednesday inside a military transport plane as it takes off from Kabul airport in Afghanistan (pictured on August 18)

When pressed on what the future of the troubled nation might look like, the Taliban communicator said the first goal is to 'establish an Islamic government' with the exact details to be announced 'soon'.

He claimed 'amnesty has been granted to those who have worked with foreign forces' and that the nation is 'peaceful and united'.

However evidence to the contrary suggests otherwise with extra-judicial killings carried out by militants reported widely throughout the country.

Girls as young as 12 have been captured as sex slaves and forced to marry Taliban fighters in recent weeks, reports from inside the besieged nation claim.

One woman was even set alight by the totalitarian regime in the north of the country because militants didn't like the food they forced her to cook for them, according to Najla Ayoubi - a former Afghan judge who now lives in the US.

A gay man was raped and beaten by the Taliban in yet another example of the new life facing Afghans as their country returns to Islamist rule, ITV News reported.

Taliban fighters are pictured in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighbourhood of Kabul, which sits along one of the main roads leading to the airport, carrying out checks on those that pass through

Farid, an Australian citizen, was beaten bloody by Taliban guards at a checkpoint in Kabul after the Taliban vowed to block any more people from going to the airport. He lives in Adelaide but had been visiting his sick mother in Afghanistan

The regime has even taken to flogging Afghan civilians in the streets for wearing 'westernised' clothing such as jeans.

In a video uploaded to social media, an Afghan-Australian father-of-three was beaten by the Taliban while scrambling to reach Kabul Airport.

The distressing video shows blood streaming from his face after being assaulted trying to make his way to Hamid Karzai Airport along with his cousins - thought to include three men and two women.

He later made a desperate plea to Scott Morrison to save his life, detailing that he is now in hiding from the Taliban who are likely to slaughter him.

Mr Shaheen dismissed the video and called reports documenting the cruelty of the Taliban 'propaganda' and 'fake news'.

Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen has asserted that the 41 Australian soldiers who were killed in action while serving in Afghanistan 'died in vain'

Taliban gunmen opened fire on crowds late Tuesday, with images showing a bloodied child being carried by a man while a woman lay wounded in the road

'There is no one targeting them, or their life is at risk, no!' he said.

'Some of the Australians are biased and they should make their stand to be more pragmatic,' Mr Shaheen said.

'I think their judgment should be fair and just not based on baseless reports.'

He also claimed the thousands of terrified Afghans trying to make it to the airport to flee the regime are just 'economic migrants'.

In a recent interview with ABC's 7:30, John Howard was steadfast that the brave men did not die in vain.

'Nobody who wears the Australian uniform ever dies in vain because Australia is always associated with a noble military objectives when it goes into combat,' former prime minister said.

'That is a view that I have seen attributed to the parents of some of the men who lost their lives.'

John Howard is seen arriving in Afghanistan during his time as Prime Minister back in November 2005 (pictured) during a top secret visit to the Australian Special Operations Task Group
Pfizer and Moderna's Covid vaccines are already starting to become less effective at preventing hospitalisations, US health chiefs have said.

Protection against hospital admission from the coronavirus drops to as low as 75 per cent in under a year for some vulnerable people, data suggests.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine advisers said efficacy rates fell close to that threshold last month in over-75s, who are most vulnerable to the disease.

But Dr Sara Oliver, a viral diseases expert at the CDC, insisted all vaccines 'remain effective in preventing hospitalization and severe disease'.

Most people still enjoy protection much closer to the 95 per cent figure touted when the mRNA vaccines were first doled out in late 2020.

The data didn't look at patients with weakened immune systems but studies suggest a large portion of them have low immunity after two shots.

The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have already green-lit booster doses for certain immunocompromised people, which will be rolled out this month. But officials in the US are still mulling whether a mass roll-out is necessary.

Britain's top-up programme is due to start on next week but No10's vaccine advisory board is yet to announce who will be eligible for third doses.

A source close to discussions told MailOnline there was still 'much debate' among experts on the UK panel about whether all elderly people even need them.

Protection against hospital admission from the virus drops to as low as 75 per cent in under a year in some vulnerable people, from 95 per cent shortly after vaccination. Pfizer's (blue could be as low as 75% in over-75s) while Moderna's is around 80% in that age group

Effectiveness of the Moderna (yellow) and Pfizer (blue) COVID-19 vaccines against infection began to drop in June and July as the 'Delta' variant became more prevalent. Moderna had an effectiveness of 76%, while Pfizer's vaccine was 42% effective

It remains unclear whether the drop in vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization is because jab immunity wanes over time, or if Delta has blunted their powers.

But scientists know Delta has blunted vaccine efficacy against symptomatic illness.

In some long-term care home residents, who are frail, elderly and have severe health conditions, protection against severe disease was only about 50 per cent.

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met on Monday to review the new data  which looked at vaccine efficacy figures in July  and discuss the potential need for booster shots in the future.

Dr Oliver told CNN: 'Regardless of the vaccine evaluated, all vaccines remain effective in preventing hospitalization and severe disease.

'But they may be less effective in preventing infection and mild illness recently.

'These reasons for lower effectiveness likely include both waning over time and the Delta variant.'

She added: 'Preliminary VE against hospitalization in adults 75 years of age and older... decreased in July but still remained over 80 per cent.'

US officials announced earlier this month that they planned to make boosters available from September 20, but it is pending approval from the CDC and FDA.

The CDC study also confirmed that the mRNA vaccines could be less that 50 per cent effective at stopping infections.

In a study published last week, scientists at King's College London found protection against infection wanes within six months of a second dose. For the Pfizer jab (blue line) it dropped from 88 per cent protection against infection to 74 per cent up to six months after the second dose. And for the AstraZeneca jab (pink line) it dropped from 77 per cent to 67 per cent five months after the second dose. Experts suggested the effectiveness could drop to 50 per cent by the winter

A study by the Universities of Glasgow and Birmingham measured antibody levels in 600 immunosuppressed people and compared them to healthy volunteers. About one in 10 in the vulnerable group failed to generate any detectable Covid antibodies four weeks after their second dose of Pfizer or AstraZeneca. A further 30 per cent generated a significantly lower antibody response than healthy people, according to the study published as a pre-print in The Lancet

WHO calls for pause on boosters because poor countries are still struggling to get first doses The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday called for a two-month moratorium on administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, told reporters in Budapest, Hungary, that the pause is necessary to reduce global vaccine inequality. He also said he was 'really disappointed' with the scope of vaccine donations worldwide. As many countries struggle to provide first and second doses to more than small fractions of their populations, some wealthier countries like the U.S., Hungary and Israel have rolled out plans to distribute additional vaccine doses. Tedros called on countries offering third vaccine doses 'to share what can be used for boosters with other countries so [they] can increase their first and second vaccination coverage.' In early August, Hungary became the first country in the 27-member European Union to allow residents to sign up for a third dose, and more than 187,000 people have received a booster so far, according to government statistics. Germany and France have both also announced plans to do the same in the near future. Last week, U.S. health officials announced plans to dispense COVID-19 booster shots to all Americans in an effort to shore up protection against a surge in cases attributed to the delta variant and signs that the vaccines effectiveness is slipping. Vaccine booster doses will be available in the U.S. starting on September 20, and Americans will be eligible for them eight months after they received their second shot. Yet the U.N. health agency has repeatedly called for rich nations to do more to help improve access to vaccines in the developing world. On Monday, Tedros said that of the 4.8 billion vaccine doses delivered to date globally, 75 percent have gone to only 10 countries while vaccine coverage in Africa is at less than 2 percent. 'Vaccine injustice and vaccine nationalism' increase the risk of more contagious variants emerging, Tedros said. 'The virus will get the chance to circulate in countries with low vaccination coverage, and the delta variant could evolve to become more virulent, a nd at the same time more potent variants could also emerge,' he added. Advertisement

Israel is already in the middle of a mass booster vaccine programme which will see everyone over the age of 30 given a third top-up dose.

Health officials there claim there are early signs the scheme has already started to bring its unprecedented fourth wave under control.

In the UK, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is still yet to sign off on a booster rollout despite the NHS being due to start administering the doses from next Monday.

The group is expected to recommend them for people with severely weakened immune systems, which may only include several hundred thousand Britons.

Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in medicine at the University of East Anglia in England, last night called for over-80s and immunocompromised people to get their shots 'pretty soon'.

He said he saw no reason 'whatsoever' why it had taken the JCVI so long to sign off on doses for those groups but admitted a mass booster rollout wasn't necessary.

There are fears that a 'big bang' in cases when English schools go back this week could spark a rise in hospital admissions and deaths, particularly among the most vulnerable.

The NHS has been told to gear up to start the autumn immunisation programme, which will operate alongside a mass flu jab campaign, by September 6.

But the JCVI is still dithering over exactly who should be eligible for the third injections.

Professor Hunter said that people who had had the vaccine but did not respond as well 'need to be boosted soon'.

'Within that category are: people with severe underlying disease; people with severe cancers that are on chemotherapy; people on high-dose steroids for autoimmune diseases; people who have had solid organ transplants; people who are actually morbidly obese,' he said.

'I would also add over-80s to that category.'

Professor Hunter added: 'The evidence is that these people won't have responded that well to vaccine.

'As far as I'm concerned there is no debate whatsoever about that group, they should be boosted and they should be boosted pretty soon.

'And it's not because the vaccine has waned, is because chances are they did not respond that well the first time around.'

He said: 'When you look at the rest of the population, what we're seeing is that protection against infection is declining.

'But protection against severe disease is not at the moment, although ultimately it will  though hopefully not for a number of years.

'And so that the value of boosting people who aren't going to get severely ill is debatable.'

He also suggested that he was not in favour of vaccinating healthy under-16s, but said he would follow whatever advice the JCVI gives.

It comes after a major UK study of Pfizer and AstraZeneca's jabs last week found two doses become noticeably less effective at stopping infections within months.

Protection after two shots of Pfizer decreased from 88 per cent at one month to 74 per cent at six months and for AstraZeneca, effectiveness dropped from 77 per cent to 67 per cent.

But protection against severe illness and death is thought to last much longer, which is why the hospital and fatality numbers have remained low as cases have soared.

A separate study last week found that two doses of either AZ of Pfizer's vaccine do not work as well in up to 40 per cent of those who are immunosuppressed,

Experts are yet to confirm the details of the autumn booster rollout, but a source close to the discussions told MailOnline last week: 'We're only talking about a few hundred thousand people in the first phase.'

There are 3.7million people across England who are classified as 'clinically extremely vulnerable', with diseases such as cancer, vasculitis and organ transplant patients. Half a million are thought to be immunosuppressed.
Meghan and Harrys Sussex Royal foundation still owed a not-for-profit enterprise 78,500  despite the couple raking in 118million in media deals.

Their former charity  which is currently in liquidation and renamed MWX  had still not paid off the cause, according to paperwork released today.

The creditor, whose identity is not known, made a claim for 213,000 to the foundation last year.

While Harry and Meghan paid it back 134,500 in the most recent financial period, documents published this week said the remainder was still outstanding.

When the Duke of Sussex started winding up the company last year he said all of its debts would be paid up in full in 12 months.

But it is understood the hold-up is down to the Charity Commissions now-closed investigation into MWX.

The probe was over how it transferred 151,855 to Harrys sustainable travel outfit Travalyst. Charity Commission investigators found it had done nothing wrong in May this year.

He and Meghan currently have deals with Netflix, Spotify and publishers worth an estimated 118million so would have personal funds available to the pay the amount if necessary.

Meghan and Harrys Sussex Royal foundation changed its name and started being wound up

Since then the pair have been frequently in the spotlight, including in this Oprah interview

They have also signed deals with media giants Spotify, pictured her in a publicity video for it

Their Archewell Foundation has also been launched in America, promising compassion in action.

MWXs liquidator Adam Stephens reports: We have received claims totalling 213,000 from one creditor, being in relation to the grant due to a not-for-profit enterprise.

This claim has been admitted in full and part paid in the sum of 134,500 during the reporting period.

The charity has sufficient funds to settle the claim in full and final dividend is to be made shortly to pay the remaining balance.

There were sufficient funds to enable the claim received in the liquidation to be settled in full within 12 months of the liquidation.

However, during the liquidation period the Charity Commission requested information concerning the charity and this was provided.

The enquiries have now been finalised, HMRC has provided tax clearance and the final dividend will shortly be paid to the unsecured grant creditor.

Accounts expert Rob Leach told MailOnline : 'The company has admitted the claim in full and have paid just over half of it and they say they are going to pay the rest.

Previously Harry, Meghan, Kate and William had been involved in the Royal Foundation

The Sussex Royal logo for the charity, which incorporate the letters H and M in the design

'It could even have been paid by now. This one creditor, they are entitled to a grant from the charity.

'In liquidation you have to pay all your bills. As this is a voluntary liquidation they have enough to pay everyone.'

Last year the process to wind down MWX was started after the name change from Sussex Royal The Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Documents filed at Companies House revealed Meghan and five other directors of the foundation had stepped down from their positions, leaving Prince Harry as the sole director.

Separate papers were filed announcing the termination of appointment for six directors  HRH Duchess of Sussex, Gerald Tyrrell, Karen Blackett, Steven Cooper, Kirsty Jones and - Stefan Allesch-Taylor.

The terminations were all said to have happened on July 1, 2020, even though the date of the paperwork being submitted to Companies House was four weeks later.

It is believed that Prince Harry has remained as a director as the company needs at least one director as it heads into being dissolved.

A further document said that the registered office of the foundation was being changed from the address of Royal lawyers Harbottle & Lewis in Savoy Court, London, to the premises of accountants Smith & Williamson who are the administrators and are based in Moorgate in the City of London.

Harry and Meghan agreed to stop using their 'Sussex Royal' brand after officially stepping away from The Firm on April 1 last year.

Their departure - nicknamed Megxit - prompted talks with aides, which ended with the agreement that they would be unable to use the word 'royal' as part of any of new branding.

Paperwork published at the time about the winding-up of their 'Sussex Royal The Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex' cause said it would change its identity.

Companies House documents state: 'The charity's name be changed to the MWX Foundation'.

The papers also show the Sussex Royal Foundation had 99,000 in the bank and how it will cost 16,000 to wind up the good cause.

They also show that the charity was owed 200,00 from an unknown source.

The Sussexes established another company MWX Trading Ltd last August, naming their lawyer, Gerrard Tyrrell, as its secretary.

Natalie Campbell, who worked for their charitable foundation Sussex Royal, is the director.

They registered it at Companies House and have already used the business to apply for trademarks, which included the name Travalyst.

Sussex Royal was also the title of their Instagram page and their website, which still bear the name.

The couple used their social media to put out visits, talks and speeches the couple were attending and delivering.

After announcing they were launching a new charity Archewell in the US back in April, 2020, the couple said they were 'looking forward' to getting started with the foundation, which will replace their Sussex Royal brand.

Harry and Meghan also revealed the Greek word in the project Arche  meaning source of action  was the inspiration behind the name of their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

A spokesman for Meghan and Harry did not respond to a request to comment about MWX and its creditor when contacted by MailOnline.
A group of Afghan refugees locked in Covid quarantine after fleeing the Taliban have today been seen looking out the windows of their hotels, as outside a row brews over their future accommodation.

The refugees were today seen looking out from the windows of their rooms at the Raddison Park Inn hotel in Manchester city centre.

It is where some of the 15,000 refugees rescued by UK troops from the grips of the Taliban have been staying in quarantine since being evacuated from Afghanistan.

Ministers say around 10,000 refugees are currently in hotel quarantine - where they will have to stay for at least 10 days due to Afghanistan being on the UK's red list for travel.

Many of the refugees are due to be released from quarantine in the coming days, sparking ministers to launch a rapid search for temporary accommodation.

It comes as it was revealed that just a third of local councils have signed up to the Government's scheme to help resettle Afghan refugees.

As few as 100 councils - around a third of the 333 local authorities in England - have so far come forward to help families find homes under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP), officials say.

Around 8,300 are eligible under the Government's ARAP scheme - set up for Afghans who worked alongside the British Government and the British Army during the Afghanistan conflict.

Officials say they are working 'at speed' on ways to rehouse the thousands of Afghan refugees who have so far been evacuated.

The Government could even turn to using holiday parks for 'bridging accommodation' due to a shortage of available housing.

Ministers also faces a clash with council chiefs, who have raised concerns about the possible impact on their social housing stocks.

Some council bosses are asking the private sector to offer up accommodation as a way to avoid using their social housing stock to house refugees.

Victoria Atkins, the minister in charge of leading efforts to resettle Afghans refugees in the UK, said she remained 'confident' that more authorities would join the scheme.

But, speaking to LBC during a round of interviews this morning, Ms Atkins admitted more council houses needed to be built.

She said: 'We continue all of our work on social housing and affordable housing. We need to get more houses built.

'But we have to face facts, we have 10,000 people staying in quarantine hotels today.

'I've got to get them out of quarantine over the coming days into probably bridging accommodation, because, I've got to be frank, we haven't got the housing stock to put them straight into homes.'

Asked by host Nick Ferrari if Afghan refugees would be allowed to 'skip the housing list' over people who have been on 'waiting list for some years', she said: 'I don't think it's quite as clear cut as that.'

She later added: 'We've got to do this in a way that's fair to British people.'

Ms Atkins' comments came as:

Dominic Raab today revealed he is heading to the Afghanistan region;

He also told MPs Britain had believed it was 'unlikely' Kabul would fall to the Taliban this year;

Meanwhile spy chiefs have begun discussions with the Taliban over safe passage for Brits and Afghans left behind after troops withdrew - amid claims 9,000 UK allies may be stranded;

However a former MI6 boss warned the UK terror threat is now a 'notch greater' because of exit from Afghanistan;

MP Tom Tugendhat also blasted the Taliban after they claimed foreigners will be allowed out of Afghanistan as it emerges MI6 discussed safe passage for Brits with the group;

Meanwhile, it was reported that leaked emails revealed how UK embassy staff 'advised evacuees to go to site of blast despite warning threat was imminent'

A group of Afghan refugees locked in Covid quarantine after fleeing the Taliban have today been seen looking out the windows of their hotels, as outside a row brews on their future accommodation

The refugees were seen looking out from the windows of their rooms at the Raddison Park Inn hotel in Manchester city centre, where they have been staying in quarantine since being evacuated from red-list Afghanistan. Today ministers revealed that 10,000 refugees are currently in hotel quarantine - where they will have to stay for at least 10 days under the UK's strictest travel rules.

Many of the refugees are due to be released from quarantine in the coming days, sparking ministers to launch a rapid search for temporary accommodation

Around 15,000 Afghans have been evacuated from the country in the last fortnight following the Taliban 's takeover, say Government officials, of which around 8,300 are eligible under the Government's Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP)

Victoria Atkins, the minister in charge of leading efforts to resettle Afghans refugees in the UK, said was 'confident' that more authorities would join the scheme in the comings weeks.

Government insists Afghan arrivals are subject to 'thorough' security checks By Rory Tingle, Home Affairs Correspondent for MailOnline All Afghan refugees will undergo intensive security screening, including by MI6, the government has insisted. Immigration experts told MailOnline the vetting process would be similar to that undergone by all asylum seekers, including biometric checks to confirm the identity of the applicant. Home Office statistics published last month showed that around half of asylum claims by Afghans over the 12 months to the end June 2021 were rejected, with some of the refusals being issued as the Taliban was taking control of Afghanistan. Professor Thom Brooks, an immigration expert and Dean of Durham Law School, said: 'I would suspect that those flown back from Kabul airport may be known to UK authorities already which should expedite their applications. 'These are not individuals arriving at the border or making themselves known in the UK. This may make the security vetting somewhat easier, but I would expect the same vetting as normal.' Dr Peter Walsh, a researcher at The Migration Observatory, Oxford University, said officials would carry out a combination of biographical research, biometric tests - such as fingerprinting - in addition to conducting interviews. He expected checks for Afghan refugees would be conducted both at Kabul airport and after evacuees had arrived in the UK. Explaining what Home Office officials look for when scrutinising asylum applications, he told MailOnline: 'Firstly, military service, and whether this could correspond with the commission of certain crimes. 'Secondly, whether they have been arrested or detained or have a criminal record. 'Thirdly, has the person has been involved in the conflict they are fleeing from? If they are a combatant that may work against them, particularly if they've been on the wrong side. 'Another one is whether they have any links to extremism or terrorism. The government will have a list of political groups and parties that are associated with terrorism or extremism.' Dr Walsh said the applicant's occupation would be checked. 'There are certain occupations that could be prejudicial to their transfer - it's not exactly clear what these might be, but you can imagine that certain military occupations or things like weapons manufacturing might be red flags. 'The final thing they will be looking at is travel history. As part of a screening interview they'll want to know where the individual has been and there may be certain areas that are identified with risk factors. Such as conflict areas. 'It is likely caseworkers would be issued guidance specific to the Afghan context.' A Government spokesman said: 'There are people in Afghanistan who represent a serious threat to national security and public safety. 'That is why thorough checks are taking place by government, our world-class intelligence agencies and others. 'If someone is assessed as presenting as a risk to our country, we will take action.' Advertisement

During a round of interviews this morning, Ms Atkins also admitted only around a third of councils had currently offered their support to the ARAP scheme, echoing an early claim by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick.

But she spoke of her confidence that more councils would soon sign up.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme she said: 'We are a little bit further forward that those figures suggest, because we have had offers, firm offers, from at least a third of local councils and we are in talks with many many more.

'So I am confident that that number will change over the coming days.'

During her appearance on the programme it was suggested that if all councils signed up to the scheme the each council would take around 25 Afghan refugees.

Ms Atkins, who holds the role of Minister for Safeguarding, replied: 'Well this is a very strong argument in favour of all councils taking part.

'We want to bring people with us on this and we've set up already a portal to help members of the public if they are able to make offers of accommodation.

'We are going to be expanding that over the coming days so people can make donations. We want local councils to work with us.

She added: 'We've found local councils are overwhelmingly interested and supportive.'

But one authority already pulling its support of the Government's rehoming efforts is that of Stoke on Trent city council.

The council's Conservative leader, Abi Brown, said the area had offered support despite 'one in 250 people' in the city being an asylum seeker.

Today she questioned why more local authorities are not helping with Afghan evacuees.

She told Radio 4's Today Programme: 'How could you not watch those scenes on the television over the last few weeks and put forward over this?

'But the question I would like to ask the other local authority leaders, 66 per cent who haven't nominated is - why can't they?

'If I can, with the challenges that we have, one in 250 people in Stone on Trent are an asylum seeker, and as a result of the pressure around that we have withdrawn from the asylum dispersal system, what's their excuse?'

Meanwhile, it was reported that Pontins has offered to put up hundreds of Afghan refugees in temporary accommodation.

Ministers are said to be 'looking into' the offer, with two specific sites thought to be under consideration.

The Home Office today refused MailOnline's request for a list of local authorities who have already signed up to the ARAP scheme. It also refused to give a list of which councils had declined to take part in the scheme and which authorities it was currently in talks with to join the scheme.

It comes after the Telegraph reported last week that around 30 councils have refused to take any Afghan refugees who have arrived in the UK after fleeing the Taliban. The authorities were not named in the article.

Meanwhile, the Home Office today confirmed that Afghans who worked with the British government and military will be able to move to the UK permanently under the ARAP scheme.

The department announced the decision on Wednesday as it revealed more details of how its plan, dubbed Operation Warm Welcome, to help Afghans rebuild their lives in the UK would work.

Former Afghan staff and their family members eligible for the ARAP scheme, which prioritises relocation to the UK for current or former locally employed staff who have been assessed to be under serious threat to life, will be given immediate indefinite leave to remain as opposed to only five years' temporary residency as previously permitted.

Those who have already been relocated in the UK with temporary residency can now upgrade their immigration status for free, allowing them access to permanent jobs with unrestricted rights to work.

Separate to ARAP is the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme for citizens deemed most at risk under the Taliban.

It comes as the Home Office today confirmed that Afghans who worked with the British government and military will be able to move to the UK permanently under the ARAP scheme

Stoke on Trent City Council's Conservative leader, Abi Brown, said the area had offered support despite 'one in 250 people' in the city being an asylum seeker. She criticised other authorities for not doing the same

Dominic Raab prepares for showdown with MPs over his handling of the Afghanistan crisis Dominic Raab will be grilled by MPs this afternoon over his handling of the UK's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan amid a worsening Whitehall blame game. The embattled Foreign Secretary is due to appear in front of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee from 2pm in what is expected to be a bruising encounter. The Tory chairman of the committee, Tom Tugendhat, set the tone for Mr Raab's appearance as he said the UK and US exit from Kabul had left people 'defenceless in front of armed gangs'. Meanwhile, other members of the committee have described the UK's withdrawal from the country as the 'worst crisis since Suez' while Labour said it is the 'biggest foreign policy failing in a generation'. Mr Raab yesterday defended his handling of the situation and took aim at his critics as he appeared to blame the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office for some of the Government's failings. The Foreign Secretary has been widely tipped to be sacked at Boris Johnson's next Cabinet reshuffle and today's appearance in front of MPs could be crucial to his hopes of clinging on. Westminster is braced for the clash between Mr Raab and Mr Tugendhat, with the latter having been a vocal critic of the handling of the withdrawal and the overall decision to leave the country. The former soldier said last week that the exit from Afghanistan and the decision to leave many Afghan allies behind means Britain could face the 'biggest hostage crisis the UK has ever seen'. Mr Tugendhat said the UK and the US had been 'defeated' and 'this is what defeat looks like' after the Taliban completed its takeover of the country. The Tory heavyweight warned yesterday that the manner of the departure from Afghanistan risked another war. Advertisement

Ms Atkins said it is yet to be decided whether those individuals will get indefinite leave to remain.

'These decisions will be made in due course,' she told Sky News.

'But I very much hope from the announcements today British people, but also importantly Afghans who have moved to our country very recently, really get the sense of how warm and welcoming the Government wants to be towards them.'

So far councils across the country have already publicly announced their desire to support the Government's efforts to rehome Afghan refugees.

Around 70 refugees are already thought to have arrived in Derby, where the city council says it 'stands ready to help' those fleeing the Taliban.

In Nottingham, the council has also pledged support, though it has not revealed how many Afghan refugees it has already taken in, similar to nearby Leicester.

Southampton City Council last month also pledged to house rehouse a 'small number of families' and said it would offer 'further support if needed'.

And at least 27 of the 32 borough councils in London have so far said they would help support and resettle Afghan families, according to London Councils.

But other authorities, such as as Dorset Council, have publicly stated they will not be using social housing to support Afghan refugees.

The authority has pledged its support to rehoming Afghan refugees, but said it will instead look to the private sector for support.

It will be seeking privately owned, self-contained accommodation to house families.

Cllr Graham Carr-Jones, Dorset Council's portfolio holder for Housing and Community Safety said: 'I am acutely aware of the demand for emergency accommodation for local families on our housing register and in temporary accommodation.

'I want to reassure people in this situation that they will not be disadvantaged by the work we are doing to help the government resettle Afghan families.'

The Government is still developing the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, to take in up to 20,000 refugees who were forced to flee their home or face threats of persecution from the Taliban.

This, ministers say, is likely to include prominent female rights activists in Afghanistan, as well as politicians who have previously denounced the Taliban.

As many as 5,000 could arrive in the first year and will also be offered permanent residency. Some 200 million has been committed to the scheme so far.

Meanwhile, fears have been raised about the safety and conditions of the temporary accommodation some of the Afghan refugees are being kept in.

It comes after a coroner offered her 'heartfelt condolences' to the family of a five-year-old Afghan refugee who fell to his death from a hotel window onto the top of a multi-storey car park.

Mohammed Monib Majeedi, who enjoyed playing cops and robbers, was looking from his ninth floor room when he plunged to his death at 2.30pm last Wednesday at the Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel.

Mohammed Munib Majeedi (pictured) fell from the window of the Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel on August 18 after the boy's family had 'recently' been moved from Afghanistan

'Lies from a death cult': Tom Tugendhat blasts Taliban after they claimed foreigners will be allowed out of Afghanistan Tom Tugendhat has shot down Taliban claims that Britons stranded in Afghanistan will be allowed to leave safely - accusing the Islamists of running 'a slick PR operation masking a vicious death cult.' The Tory MP, a former Army Lieutenant Colonel who served in Helmand, hit out after a Taliban spokesman appeared on Good Morning Britain to claim that anyone 'with proper documents' will be allowed out once civilian flights restart. Suhail Shaheen also insisted that women's rights are being respected and that al Qaeda will not be tolerated - despite multiple reports of persecutions and images showing terrorist leaders arriving in the country. 'I'm afraid your viewers have just been lied to,' Mr Tugendhat said. 'It's absolutely clear that groups who make up the Taliban... have been rounding up people in Lashkar Gah and Kandahar and hunting them down in Kabul and killing them. 'Universities are being closed... women are being denied access to education, girls are being denied access to education, and civil servants, female civil servants, are being sent home,' he added. Mr Tugendhat spoke out after it emerged that MI6 chiefs have met with the Taliban to discuss the fate of hundreds of Britons left behind when RAF mercy flights out of the country stopped. Special envoy Sir Simon Gass, the chair or the Joint Intelligence Committee, met senior representatives of the group in Qatar to try to secure safe passage for those left behind. That number is thought to include hundreds of British citizens and up to 9,000 Afghans who helped western forces in exchange for a promise of sanctuary. Officers from MI6 also met the militia group, while the head of MI6 Richard Moore flew to Islamabad for talks with the head of the Pakistani army. Speaking from his base in Doha, Shaheen sought to reassure GMB viewers that that Taliban are working to protect those left behind. 'Every Afghan citizen who is intending to go abroad to another country and has proper documents like passports, visas - they can go. And they can also come to Afghanistan,' he said. 'But we urge them to stay in Afghanistan. As we have gained our independence, it is time for all Afghans to build their country. their capacities, their talents are direly needed.' But Shaheen's words jar badly with reports from the ground that fighters are going door to door executing anyone who is thought to have helped the west. He also dismissed reports that women are being banned from the workplace, insisting that they are valued members of society who are being encouraged to work. Advertisement

The boy had been staying with his mother Shekiba, father Omar Majeedi, two brothers and two sisters since arriving in the UK after fleeing the Taliban last month.

Assistant coroner Tanyka Rawden said in a five-minute inquest opening on August 24 that it had been a 'truly awful time' for the boy's family.

She adjourned the inquest until a further hearing on November 16 and no further details of the incident were given.

Last month that councils are set to get grants from the government to rent or buy large homes for thousands of Afghan refugees.

The average size of the families coming to the UK is thought to be seven, but at least one family is believed to be made up of 12 people.

So far local authorities have offered to host up to 2,500 people, but the numbers seeking refuge under the scheme for Afghans who helped British forces could reach five times that level.

Thousands more are expected to come to the UK under a separate longer-term resettlement scheme for those vulnerable to persecution by the Taliban.

Although the details are unclear, the suggestion of grants to buy homes could spark resentment in local communities, with many Britons struggling to afford such properties.

It comes amid fears more than 1,000 Afghans who assisted British troops face being left behind when mercy flights cease in the coming days.

A Government source told the Times: 'The greatest challenge is that councils simply don't have enough vacant properties.

'We are looking at other options which could see councils renting properties of the right size or even purchasing them and adding them to their long-term housing stock.'

Meanwhile, the government today insisted all Afghan refugees will undergo intensive security screening, including by MI6.

Immigration experts told MailOnline the vetting process would be similar to that undergone by all asylum seekers, including biometric checks to confirm the identity of the applicant.

Home Office statistics published last month showed that around half of asylum claims by Afghans over the 12 months to the end June 2021 were rejected, with some of the refusals being issued as the Taliban was taking control of Afghanistan.

Professor Thom Brooks, an immigration expert and Dean of Durham Law School, said: 'I would suspect that those flown back from Kabul airport may be known to UK authorities already which should expedite their applications.

'These are not individuals arriving at the border or making themselves known in the UK. This may make the security vetting somewhat easier, but I would expect the same vetting as normal.'

Dr Peter Walsh, a researcher at The Migration Observatory, Oxford University, said officials would carry out a combination of biographical research, biometric tests - such as fingerprinting - in addition to conducting interviews.

He expected checks for Afghan refugees would be conducted both at Kabul airport and after evacuees had arrived in the UK.

Explaining what Home Office officials look for when scrutinising asylum applications, he told MailOnline: 'Firstly, military service, and whether this could correspond with the commission of certain crimes.

'Secondly, whether they have been arrested or detained or have a criminal record.

A map showing where Afghan refugees have arrived in the UK after evacuation from Afghanistan - as of August 24

'Thirdly, has the person has been involved in the conflict they are fleeing from? If they are a combatant that may work against them, particularly if they've been on the wrong side.

'Another one is whether they have any links to extremism or terrorism. The government will have a list of political groups and parties that are associated with terrorism or extremism.'

Dr Walsh said the applicant's occupation would be checked.

'There are certain occupations that could be prejudicial to their transfer - it's not exactly clear what these might be, but you can imagine that certain military occupations or things like weapons manufacturing might be red flags.

'The final thing they will be looking at is travel history. As part of a screening interview they'll want to know where the individual has been and there may be certain areas that are identified with risk factors. Such as conflict areas.

'It is likely caseworkers would be issued guidance specific to the Afghan context.'

A Government spokesman said: 'There are people in Afghanistan who represent a serious threat to national security and public safety.

'That is why thorough checks are taking place by government, our world-class intelligence agencies and others.

'If someone is assessed as presenting as a risk to our country, we will take action.'

Council leader calls for national debate on why local authorities have not stepped up to help Afghan refugees The leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council has called for a national debate to address why around two-thirds of local authorities have not stepped up to help Afghan refugees. Conservative Abi Brown, whose authority recently withdrew from the national asylum dispersal scheme, said Stoke-on-Trent and the wider Staffordshire area are planning to welcome and resettle around 25 families from Afghanistan. But she questioned why around 66 per cent of other councils have not put themselves forward to help those fleeing the Taliban, despite many having lower numbers of asylum seekers than Stoke-on-Trent. Ms Brown told the PA news agency: 'The Government have outlined the Operation Warm Welcome yesterday and Stoke-on-Trent, along with our colleagues in Staffordshire, are one of the one in three councils who have said that we will accept Afghan refugee families under that scheme. 'Our position as a local authority is that we have been part of asylum dispersal for 20 years and we recently withdrew from the scheme. 'An area like Stoke-on-Trent that has been taking asylum seekers for a very long time - one in 250 of our residents are asylum seekers today - can find, albeit a very small amount, space to take a few more. 'And yet our colleagues elsewhere in the country, who aren't part of asylum dispersal... they still say 'No, sorry, we can't take anybody'.' Urging other authorities to come forward, Ms Brown added: 'How could you possibly have watched the coverage over the last few weeks and not feel in some way that you actually want to help? 'It's time to step up. Places like Stoke-on-Trent have been taking their fair share for a very long time now - and if we can do it... then really there is very little excuse for anybody else. 'There needs to be a national debate around it. I do appreciate housing is fairly cheap in Stoke-on-Trent. It's not as cheap elsewhere - I know that that's a challenge, but actually the whole asylum system is not fair.' The city council is expected to announce details in the next few days of how residents can help the 'relatively small number' of affected families due to be housed in the local area, after approaches from communities and organisations. Asked if the financial package announced so far by central government to help local authorities will be sufficient, Ms Brown said: 'Obviously it's very helpful, certainly, to get the ball rolling. 'We certainly very much welcome the fact that the Government is pledging funds around this, but I do think it's important, again as part of that national debate, that there is a raised awareness around the cost of the impact of asylum dispersal. 'We will provide a very warm welcome to all those families who come to Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, and we will support them to get into schools, to access healthcare, to get jobs and be part of our wider community. 'But, actually, there is an ongoing cost around asylum, and cities like Stoke-on-Trent have borne the brunt of that over the last 20 years. 'I think, over recent years, we have had a number of different schemes that have come forward; whether it's Syrian refugees - Stoke-on-Trent took 20 Syrian families in 2016 - as well as unaccompanied asylum-seeker children. 'I think it is time for a national debate. 'This is an issue that we've pledged our support for as a country - and that does actually mean everybody. It doesn't just mean cities like mine.' Advertisement

A welcome to make us proud: Relief as 10,000 Afghan heroes who risked their lives helping UK troops are given permission to live here indefinitely

By Jason Groves and David Williams for the Daily Mail

Thousands of Afghans who risked their lives to help British forces will be allowed to live and work indefinitely in the UK.

The Home Office last night said the coveted status would be granted immediately  and automatically  to around 10,000 refugees.

It will allow them to work and enrol their children in school as they try to build a new life here.

The decision fast-tracks a process that can take years and with only a limited right to remain.

Boris Johnson said the policy reflected the 'immense debt' owed to translators and others who had helped the UK military during the 20-year engagement.

Thousands of Afghans who risked their lives to help British forces will be allowed to live and work indefinitely in the UK. Pictured: Afghan refugees arrive at Heathrow Airport, London

The Home Office said the coveted status would be granted immediately  and automatically  to around 10,000 refugees. Pictured: Afghan refugees arriving into Heathrow last week

A Whitehall source said that the package, codenamed Operation Warm Welcome, was 'the least we could do' following the chaotic and bloody withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Ministers are still however under pressure to do more to help hundreds, and possibly thousands, of Afghans now in hiding from Taliban reprisals for helping British troops.

Its leaders have claimed they will not seek revenge but militants yesterday raided the homes of former translators in Kabul.

Former interpreters told the Mail they were living in fear for their lives after failing to secure a place among the 10,000 flown to Britain.

A 35-year-old who has qualified for relocation to the UK said: 'No one believes the Taliban's words of forgiveness. We helped the British kill and capture their men.

'We provided the intelligence to fight against them. We questioned their captured and injured  so it is simple that they will want revenge.'

Refugees from Afghanistan arrive on a evacuation flight at Heathrow Airport on August 26

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab yesterday denied reports that more than 7,000 Afghans with links to UK forces had been left behind, but was unable to provide another figure.

He said the number of British citizens left in Afghanistan was in 'the low hundreds', following the evacuation of more than 15,000 people in the second half of August.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said around 300 Afghans granted refuge in the UK had been left behind, along with 700 relatives.

Normally, asylum seekers are banned from working while their claims are assessed. They are entitled to minimal financial support if they would 'otherwise be destitute'.

Permission to work may be granted only if their claim has not been processed within a year through no fault of their own.

If they are eventually granted leave to remain it is typically capped at five years.

Dominic Raab (pictured with Borish Johnson) denied reports that more than 7,000 Afghans with links to UK forces had been left behind but was unable to provide another figure

By contrast, those who have served British forces will immediately be granted indefinite leave to remain, which brings with it the right to work and the option to apply for British citizenship.

Those eligible under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy will also be eligible for immediate access to NHS services.

Councils have been offered a modest 5million to help with housing. Officials said they were working with more than 100 town halls and had so far found accommodation for more than 2,000 people.

Councils will be given an extra 12million to provide additional school places for Afghan children and further funding will be provided to create 300 university places.

Arrivals from Afghanistan will also be offered the Covid vaccine and given access to a portal where members of the public will be able to share offers of work and housing and make donations.

A Whitehall source last night told the Mail the package was 'likely' to be extended to 20,000 Afghans expected to come under a wider resettlement scheme  but this has not been decided.
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Susanna Reid gave the Taliban a grilling this morning as she confronted a spokesman for the Islamist group over multiple reports of persecutions against Afghans who aided Britain during the intervention and the oppression of women and girls following the takeover.

Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain from Doha, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen rejected allegations of mass reprisals against former local aides and translators and repeated a commitment to giving amnesty to anyone who worked with the West.

But Ms Reid challenged Mr Shaheen's claims, citing a leaked United Nations report which suggests that the Taliban has a 'priority list' of individuals across Afghanistan it wants to arrest and is threatening to kill.

The GMB presenter said: 'A former Government's spokesperson was killed by the Taliban a few weeks ago as punishment for his deeds. Sources have confirmed Taliban fighters a few weeks ago executed two senior police officials.

'The former security police officer in the southwestern province of Farah was fatally shot. At least a dozen former provincial officials of the Ghani Government have been detained around the country.

'How is that not retaliation and revenge for those who worked with the former Government or for those who worked with Western forces?'

Mr Shaheen rejected the allegations, telling GMB: 'There is no retaliation, that is our policy. We have granted a general amnesty to all those who were working with foreign forces. And there is no hit list that is circulated or appears in the media.'

Scroll down for videos.

Susanna Reid gave the Taliban a grilling this morning as she confronted a spokesman for the Islamist group over multiple reports of persecutions against Afghans

Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain from Doha, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen rejected allegations of mass reprisals against former local aides and translators and repeated a commitment to giving amnesty to anyone who worked with the West

Ex-soldier Tom Tugendhat, Tory chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said the Taliban is running 'a slick PR operation masking a vicious death cult'

Britons left behind during Afghan airlift plead for help Two Britons left behind during the chaotic evacuation of Afghanistan have pleaded for help getting out. One man - a pharmacist from south England - told Sky News that he was due to board an evacuation flight with his wife and two small children last week, but was unable to get through the crowds at Kabul airport. The man and his children - a two-year-old and eight-month-old - are all British citizens, while his wife is Afghan with a British residence visa. The family had gone to Afghanistan in June to see his wife's family before getting trapped as the Taliban rapidly recaptured the country. 'I have lost hope,' he said. 'I don't know what is going to happen. I am just thinking someone's going to come and kill us.' Meanwhile another man, a cab driver from Liverpool, told the BBC that he is in hiding with his wife and children after fleeing the capital Kabul. The man, who did not give his name for fear of being killed, is a British citizen but his wife and child are Afghans and live in the country. He went there two weeks ago to help them escape after the country fell into Taliban hands, before getting trapped. The 30-year-old said his family are 'desperate' to leave but at the moment can only go as far as 30 yards to the shop for their own safety. 'We are in trouble. We need to go,' he added. Advertisement

The Taliban spokesman also claimed the Islamist group will not prevent Afghans seeking to leave the country but 'urged' them to remain in Afghanistan to 'rebuild' the wartorn nation.

He said: 'Every Afghan student, if he or she is intending to go abroad, to another country, and has the proper documents, they can go. And they can also come to Afghanistan. But we urge them to stay in Afghanistan as we've gained our independence.

'It is time for every Afghan to build their country. Their capacities, their talents are direly needed at this crucial time in Afghanistan. But if they intend to go, to travel abroad, that is their right.'

Responding to Mr Shaheen's interview on GMB, Tory MPs accused the spokesman of lying. Ex-soldier Tom Tugendhat, Tory chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said the Taliban is running 'a slick PR operation masking a vicious death cult'.

He later told Ms Reid and co-host Ben Shephard: 'I'm afraid your viewers have just been lied to. It's absolutely clear that groups who make up the Taliban... have been rounding up people in Lashkar Gah and Kandahar and hunting them down in Kabul and killing them.

'Universities are being closed... women are being denied access to education, girls are being denied access to education, and civil servants, female civil servants, are being sent home.

'What we're seeing is a slick PR operation masking a vicious death cult.'

Former Minister Nusrat Ghani, Tory MP for Wealden, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that she does not believe the Taliban have changed since their time in power between 1996 and 2001.

'Their ideology is the same. They're engaged in a never-ending war against unbelievers and apostates, and their one desire, and their one desire only, is to establish a caliphate that has no room for women and girls,' she said.

Ms Ghani said she is trying to help a number of women and girls and is currently focused on female MPs and judges. She said she was on the phone on Tuesday with a female parliamentarian who has been vocal in pushing back the Taliban's ideology and fighting against extremism and corruption.

'She's been told that she will be killed if the Taliban get hold of her,' she said, adding that she is in her third safe place and desperately running out of food and money.

It follows reports that MI6 chiefs have met with the Taliban to discuss the fate of hundreds of Britons left behind when RAF mercy flights out of the country stopped.

Special envoy Sir Simon Gass, the chair or the Joint Intelligence Committee, met senior representatives of the group in Qatar to try to secure safe passage for those left behind.

That number is thought to include hundreds of British citizens and up to 9,000 Afghans who helped western forces in exchange for a promise of sanctuary.

Officers from MI6 also met the militia group, while the head of MI6 Richard Moore flew to Islamabad for talks with the head of the Pakistani army.

Mr Shaheen's words jar badly with reports from the ground that fighters are going door to door executing anyone who is thought to have helped the west.

He also dismissed reports that women are being banned from the workplace, insisting that they are valued members of society who are being encouraged to work.

The Taliban spokesman also claimed the Islamist group will not prevent Afghans seeking to leave the country but 'urged' them to remain in Afghanistan to 'rebuild' the wartorn nation

Taliban are on the trail of revenge: Jihadis start hunt for translators as soon as Western troops exit Afghanistan Within hours of Western troops leaving, triumphant Taliban fighters began raiding the homes of interpreters left behind in Kabul yesterday. The terrified former translators hid as armed jihadis bent on revenge went knocking door-to-door. Despite a promise of amnesty from the Taliban leadership, the insurgents wasted no time in hunting down the 'traitors' who helped the British. One search party was said to have been led by an imam who is now a local Taliban commander. He knew ex-translator Kaleem, a veteran of five years on the front lines with British forces. Kaleem told the Mail: 'The mullah knew me from the mosque. Everyone knew that he was Taliban and he had been arrested by the Afghan government. But when all the prisoners were released, he was among them and he is leading the hunt for those who were the eyes of Western forces.' Kaleem, 35, qualified for relocation to the UK but was among hundreds unable to board an evacuation flight because of chaos surrounding Kabul airport. Former interpreters - many strangers to the capital - are moving hiding places regularly. They are purging phones of photos and numbers linking them to Britain. Advertisement

That is despite Beheshta Arghand - a female news anchor who interviewed the Taliban - fleeing the country in fear of her life after fighters threatened her colleagues.

And, confronted with images that show al-Qaeda leader Amin al-Haq - Osama bin Laden's former bodyguard who helped him flee the US invasion - arriving back in the country, Mr Shaheen feigned ignorance.

'I don't have details about who you said,' he claimed, before adding: '[We are] not allowing anyone, any group, any individual to use Afghanistan against the United States, its allies in other countries.'

Downing Street confirmed 'broad discussions' with the Taliban had got under way.

A government source said: 'The Prime Minister's special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass, has travelled to Doha and is meeting with senior Taliban representatives to underline the importance of safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals, and those Afghans who have worked with us over the past 20 years.'

Sources declined to comment further on the talks. But ministers have made clear that future aid payments and the unfreezing of assets will depend on the Taliban's willingness to facilitate safe passage and respect human rights.

Talks with the group are likely to be controversial however, given the radical group's record and the threats to many Afghan translators who worked with British forces.

It comes as the Home Office said around 10,000 refugees from Afghanistan who risked their lives to help British forces would be allowed to live and work indefinitely in the UK.

The talks, which marks a significant moment for the UK, come after Dominic Raab said the number of British nationals left behind in Afghanistan is in the 'low hundreds'.

Last night it emerged discussions had also taken place between senior British intelligence officers and Taliban leaders in both Kabul and Doha amid increasing fears that Afghanistan could become a base for terrorists plotting attacks against the West.

The talks saw officers from the British embassy in Kabul speak with members of the militia group before the embassy was evacuated.

It is understood the discussions, which have taken place in the past two weeks, saw Britain stress how future foreign aid would be reliant upon the new rulers of Kabul ending any connections with terrorist groups.

A source told The Telegraph: 'It's what we've always been most worried about. That's a red line for dealing with them: any sign of attack planning.'

The chief of MI6, Richard Moore, also flew to Islamabad for talks with the leader of Pakistan's army General Qamar Javed Bajwa regarding the collaboration between both nations.

With talks under way, Sir William Patey, former British ambassador to Afghanistan, told the BBC: '[The Taliban] know they can't run this country without help.

'If the Taliban are going to run a government and hold onto power as they want to do, they're going to have to engage as well. So we have some cards.'

The talks come as Mr Raab said the number of Brits still in the country is 'now down at a very low level' after 5,000 were brought home since April this year.

Boris Johnson's special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass (pictured), entered talks with senior Taliban leaders

Dominic Raab said the number of Brits still in Afghanistan is 'now down at a very low level' after 5,000 were brought home since April this year

Ex-MI6 boss: Taliban victory in Afghanistan will 'inspire' terrorists to attack the West A former head of MI6 today warned the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan could 'inspire' terrorists to launch attacks on the West amid a growing backlash at Joe Biden's handling of the US withdrawal from the country. Sir John Sawers said there is 'no doubt' the Taliban's success is being 'celebrated' by extreme Islamist groups and 'that raises the risk of them being inspired to more violence in Western countries'. Sir John said the chaos in Afghanistan means terror groups are likely to move there because they will have 'some operating space', with the US and UK now in a 'much weaker position' to combat the threat they pose. His comments came as the former professional head of Britain's armed forces launched a direct attack on Mr Biden over the West's Afghanistan 'defeat', as the transatlantic alliance was placed under further strain. Lord David Richards, an ex-chief of the defence staff, accused the US President and other politicians of letting down Britain and their Afghan allies in their rush to escape Kabul. The peer, who served in Afghanistan, said 'we've been defeated by the Taliban' as he attacked America and the UK Government over their handling of the pull out. Advertisement

However, it remains unclear how many Afghan citizens who worked for the British Government are stranded after the withdrawal of Western forces was completed.

Ministers had suggested last week that approximately 1,000 Afghans who were eligible to come to the UK may not make it out. But Whitehall sources told The Guardian that the figure could actually be about 9,000.

The Government has not given a concrete figure, with Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly saying yesterday that it was 'impossible' to put a number on how many people have been left behind.

The Foreign Office said it hopes to find 'practical solutions' to help those in in Afghanistan attempting to enter neighbouring countries.

Asked how many eligible people had been left in the country by the UK, Mr Raab told Sky News: 'Look, of course, we lament the fact that anyone will be left behind.

'I would just say that since April when we have been planning and instituting this, over 17,000 British nationals, Afghan workers, vulnerable special cases are out.

'I know that the number of UK nationals, the particular responsibility of the Foreign Office, is now down at a very low level.'

Asked if he could be more specific on how many British nationals were still in the country, he said: 'Well, low hundreds given that we have taken in total 5,000 out, and most of those are difficult cases where it is not clear around eligibility because they are undocumented.

'We have now put in place the arrangements with third countries, or we are putting them in place.

'I have spoken to some of the key third countries, so have other ministers, to make sure that we can make sure that we can have a workable route through for those outstanding cases.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: 'It's very difficult to give you a firm figure. I can tell you that for UK nationals we've secured since April over 5,000, and we're in the low hundreds (remaining).'

It is unclear how many of those British nationals who are still in the country have decided to stay of their own volition.

Former Afghan government official, Ahmad, said he sent emails to British officials asking for help after he was left behind.

He told The Times: 'When I tried to pass through the Taliban checkpoints to get inside the airport the Taliban guards said they had instructions from the US not to allow anyone through who did not have a visa stamp in their passport or a foreign passport. I didn't have those things.'

He added: 'I want the UK government to clearly state it will honour its promise to those with evacuation notices - that those people who get to an embassy will be offered safe passage to the UK.

'Getting there will be incredibly dangerous.'

The Government has suggested that eligible people could cross into a third country next to Afghanistan in order to get to Britain now the airlift operation out of Kabul has ended.

It remains unclear how many Afghan citizens who worked for the British Government are stranded after the withdrawal of Western forces was completed

Thousands of Afghans have been evacuated to the US from Kabul airport after the Taliban took over the country

Families evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, walk through the terminal before boarding a bus after they arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport, in Chantilly

But Mr Raab conceded that such journeys could be a 'challenge', telling Sky News: 'Well, that is a challenge which is why we are holding very squarely the Taliban to their explicit assurances, they have made them bilaterally to us, they have made them to other countries that they must allow safe passage, not just for our nationals but other Afghans, particularly vulnerable ones, who wish to leave.'

Joe Biden meanwhile delivered a defiant defence of the US pullout, claiming the evacuation had been 'an extraordinary success'.

In an address to the nation last night, the US President denied the withdrawal could have been achieved in a more orderly fashion and insisted he could not have extended 'the forever war'.

It also emerged yesterday that Britain will send just 15 extra staff to help process the claims of Afghans fleeing the clutches of the Taliban.

Downing Street yesterday said an unspecified number of 'surge staff' would be sent to neighbouring countries to process the claims of those Afghans who manage to make it to the border.

But the Foreign Office last night said this would amount to just 15 extra officials who will be sent to Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Mr Raab said the further staff would 'reinforce our embassy teams on the ground to help those in need'.

Sources said the officials had all been highly trained in 'crisis response'.

However, the modest scale of the deployment is likely to raise eyebrows among those critical of the Government's actions so far.

Mr Raab has faced questions about why he has failed to follow the lead of German counterpart Heiko Maas who has visited five of Afghanistan's neighbours in recent days.

The EU is drawing up a 500million aid package for Afghan's neighbours to help them deal with refugees arriving from the war-torn country, in the hope of preventing a new wave of asylum seekers heading to Europe.
The former head of MI6 has warned the terror threat facing the UK is now a 'notch greater' after the West's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Sir John Sawers, who was chief of the Secret Intelligence Service between 2009 and 2014, said the new Taliban regime will have to show it is willing to crackdown on terror groups if it is to establish working relationships with the US and UK.

He suggested funding and aid for Afghanistan will only be offered if the Taliban 'close down operational space for terrorist groups inside the country'.

That will mean the group having to 'take up arms' against ISIS and other extremists, he said.

His comments came after it emerged British officials have opened talks with the Taliban about getting UK citizens and allies out of Afghanistan.

Sir John Sawers, who was chief of the Secret Intelligence Service between 2009 and 2014, said the new Taliban regime will have to show it is willing to crackdown on terror groups if it is to establish working relationships with the US and UK

The UK completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan at the weekend with the US following suit at the start of this week

Special envoy Sir Simon Gass, the chair or the Joint Intelligence Committee, met senior representatives of the group in Qatar to try to secure safe passage for those left behind following the chaotic military withdrawal.

Officers from MI6 also met the militia group, while the head of MI6 Richard Moore flew to Islamabad for talks with the head of the Pakistani army.

Downing Street confirmed 'broad discussions' with the Taliban had got under way.

Asked if the chaos in Afghanistan could lead to terror groups moving or expanding there, Sir John told Sky News: Your correspondent referred to talks taking place in Doha, visits to Pakistan by my successor as chief of MI6 and I think these talks will focus first of course on securing safe passage for Afghans who we want to get out but actually the longer term position of how will this Taliban control Afghanistan?

Will they be prepared as they were back in 2001 to allow terrorist groups like Al Qaeda to operate out of Afghanistan?

It is absolutely clear that any international engagement with the Taliban and support for the Afghan people will depend upon the Taliban closing down operational space for terrorist groups inside the country.

They will have influence over Al Qaeda and some other groups. They will have to take up arms against groups like Islamic State which were responsible for the attacks on Kabul Airport in the last week.

So it is not going to be straight forward and theres some difficult decisions for the Taliban to take and what these talks will be doing will be to try to get them in the right place for them to realise it is in their interests for them to close down any space, any opportunity for terrorist groups to operate out of Afghanistan.

Sir John was asked if he believes the UK is now less safe and he replied: I do think the terrorist threat is a notch greater today than it was when we were able to operate in Afghanistan and that is for two reasons.

Boris Johnson's special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass (pictured), entered talks with senior Taliban leaders

I think first because of the risk that we will not be able to monitor terrorist groups and take action against them in Afghanistan itself.

But I think perhaps the more immediate risk is that those extreme Islamists, violent people who take inspiration from the Taliban success in Afghanistan, might take it into their hands to carry out attacks.

Most of the attacks we have had in this country over the last five or 10 years have been home grown terrorists.

They have not been directed out of Afghanistan and I think the security services will be looking again at radical groups in this country to make sure that they are not planning any further attacks to, if you like, mark the success of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Omid Scobie today said he had been the victim of 'prejudice' from a 'very senior' Royal aide as he was quizzed about the Sussexes' claims of racism at the palace.

The media ally of Meghan and Harry said the unnamed person 'found it really peculiar that I spoke as well as I do' as someone who is mixed race and issued a 'very loaded comment' that demonstrated the 'level of unawareness' at the palace.

Mr Scobie's interview took place at the same moment Piers Morgan was sensationally cleared by Ofcom for comments he made about Meghan Markle live on Good Morning Britain.

The broadcast regulator backed his right to free speech after he said that he 'didn't believe a word' of what Meghan told Oprah Winfrey and challenged her claims of royal racism, including that a senior Royal raised concerns about Archie's skin colour.

The author of Finding Freedom and media ally of Meghan and Harry said an unnamed person 'found it really peculiar that I spoke as well as I do'

Mr Scobie, 40, who has a Persian mother, was asked by This Morning presenters Rochelle Humes and Alison Hammond whether he was surprised by the Sussexes' claims of racism.

He said: 'We knew they had contended with issues surrounding race within the institution.

'I myself have experienced some prejudice from one or two royal aides in the past, so you can kind of know what Meghan was entering. And so it didn't surprise me, but I think for it to mention a family member, that was kind of the moment that even myself, my jaw was on the floor  just like Oprah, it was the same reaction.

Asked to clarify whether he had suffered racism, the Finding Freedom author added: 'I wouldn't say racist, but I just experienced prejudice. I'm mixed race, there aren't many mixed race royal correspondents out there.

'I would not name that person. Someone very senior within the palace who found it really peculiar that I spoke as well as I do, and that was pretty much how they said it to me.

'And I'm used to 'where are you from, where are you really from' and all that kind of stuff, but that was a very loaded comment  and I'm sure it came not from a nasty place, but it just shows perhaps a level of unawareness within certain quarters of the institution.'

In its ruling this morning, Ofcom called attempts to silence Mr Morgan a 'chilling restriction on freedom of expression' after the Duchess of Sussex was among an avalanche of people who complained that his questioning of her account was 'harmful' and 'offensive' to viewers.

He told MailOnline today: 'This is a resounding victory for free speech and a resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchios'.

Back in March, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex claimed that a senior Royal had raised concerns about Archie's skin colour

Meghan, 40, was among the 57,000 people who went to Ofcom after an orchestrated social media campaign spearheaded by his 'woke' critics including several Labour MPs, who accused him of racism and sexism.

Within 48 hours of the March 7 Oprah interview, Mr Morgan was forced to quit GMB after he refused to apologise for his 'honestly held opinions', costing ITV around 790,000 viewers and millions more in advertising revenue with the ratings gap between GMB and rival BBC Breakfast still growing. On the day Piers quit, GMB was in the lead.

And Ofcom today backed Mr Morgan's right to 'rigorously challenge' the Duchess's account of suffering suicidal thoughts and claims she experienced racism at the hands of the Royal Family. Complaints that his views on the programmes on March 8 and March 9 were unsuitable for children and incited hatred and racism were also thrown out.

ITV's left-leaning former Guardian chief CEO Dame Carolyn McCall is under pressure to explain why she tried to suppress the presenter's free speech after the Duchess of Sussex complained to her directly and allegedly implored her to censure her critic as they were both 'women and mothers'.

There was complete vindication for the star, 56, who branded Meghan 'Princess Pinocchio', as Ofcom ruled: 'Mr Morgan was entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's allegations and to hold and express strong views that rigorously challenged their account'.

And in a damning indictment of his former bosses and the 57,000 people who complained, the watchdog found: 'The restriction of such views would, in our view, be an unwarranted and chilling restriction on freedom of expression both of the broadcaster and the audience'.

Other allegations roundly rejected by Ofcom included that Mr Morgan were not 'duly impartial', he had 'misrepresented facts' and that he 'mocked the American accent'.

Reacting to today's ruling Mr Morgan told MailOnline: 'I'm delighted that Ofcom has so emphatically supported my right to disbelieve the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's incendiary claims to Oprah Winfrey, many of which have since been proved to be untrue. This is a resounding victory for free speech and a resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchios.

'As OFCOM says, to have stifled my right to express strongly held and robustly argued views would have been an 'unwarranted and chilling restriction on freedom of expression. In light of this decision  do I get my job back?'

He added: 'I was reliably informed recently that Meghan Markle wrote directly to my ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall the night before I was forced out, demanding my head on a plate.

'Apparently, she stressed that she was writing to Dame Carolyn personally because they were both women and mothers  a nauseating playing of the gender and maternity card if ever there was one. What has the world come to when a whiny fork-tongued actress can dictate who presents a morning television news programme?'
Covid antibody levels are already starting to decline among over-80s, official data suggested today.

Ninety-two per cent of elderly adults tested positive for the Covid-fighting proteins in mid-August. This was down from a high of 95 per cent in May, according to results of a major blood-testing study.

Levels have also dipped for adults in their sixties and seventies.

Meanwhile, around eight in 10 young adults in the UK are now likely to have Covid antibodies.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data comes amid calls for Britain to confirm its booster vaccine campaign, which ministers hoped would begin next Monday.

No10's advisers are still dithering over exactly who should be eligible  but a final decision is due imminently.

But MailOnline last week revealed the group is expected to only recommend third shots for people with severely weakened immune systems, which may only include several hundred thousand Britons.

This is despite real-world data which has already showed that vaccine efficacy can wane slightly over time.

US health chiefs last night released figures showing jabs now only cut the risk of hospitalisation by around 75 per cent against the Delta variant, compared to 95 per cent when the shots first became available  but they insisted the ability of vaccines to prevent serious disease was still high overall.

In England over-80s were the only age group to show falling antibody levels. This graph shows the percentage of people in each age group who had received at least one dose of the vaccine (light blue), two doses (dark blue) and the percentage that had tested positive for Covid antibodies (green line). Among over-80s it dipped by 0.2 per cent

Covid vaccines are less effective at stopping hospitalisations over time, US data shows Pfizer and Moderna's Covid vaccines become less effective at preventing hospitalisations over time, a real-world American study has found. Protection against hospital admission from the virus drops to as low as 75 per cent in under a year in some vulnerable people, from 95 per cent shortly after vaccination. The research by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the lower threshold only applied to people aged 75 and over. Most people still enjoy protection much closer to the 95 per cent figure touted when the mRNA vaccines were first doled out in late 2020. Dr Sara Oliver, a viral diseases expert at the CDC, said even at 75 per cent the vaccines were still hugely effective  seasonal flu jabs can be as low as 30 per cent. The study did not look at patients with weakened immune systems, but studies elsewhere suggest a large portion of them have low immunity after two shots. The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have already green-lit booster doses for certain immunocompromised people, which will be rolled out this month. But officials in the US are still mulling whether a mass rollout is necessary, with pressure building on Western nations to dish out spare doses to poorer nations. Advertisement

Antibodies are proteins that the immune system makes in response to any virus in order to help the body fight if off in future.

Testing positive for antibodies does not make someone completely immune, and people who have them can still get sick.

Getting a positive test result means only that there were a certain amount of them in their body at the time of the test.

Scientists say antibody levels dip naturally after peaking in the weeks following an infection or first vaccine, and people may not have detectable levels of antibodies now  even if they did so earlier in the year.

And people who test negative for antibodies may still be protected  there are other types of ways the immune system can fight off pathogens.

But the dipping levels of antibodies add to a growing body of research that suggests protection from vaccines wanes over time.

The ONS data suggested antibody levels in England fell among over-80s in the first two weeks of August.

The agency's next update  which is likely to show an even further decline  is set to be published in a fortnight.

The vast majority of antibodies were likely triggered by vaccines, which have been dished out to almost nine in ten over-16s.

The oldest adults were the first to receive the Covid vaccine because they are most at risk of hospitalisation and death if they catch the virus.

Professor Kevin McConway, a statistician at the Open University, said antibody levels had changed 'very little' in the population compared to a fortnight ago.

He added: 'There is certainly some evidence in these figures that the percentages in older age groups who are positive for antibodies have fallen, particularly in the oldest age groups (who were vaccinated first, generally).

'I should mention, though, that even in the oldest group (aged 80 plus, or 70 plus for Northern Ireland where the data cannot be so finely grained because the sample size is smaller), over 80 per cent would test positive for antibodies in each of the four UK countries.'

It comes amid mounting calls for No10 to launch its booster programme for the over-80s and the clinically extremely vulnerable.

Ministers are said to be keen to dish out boosters, mirroring the programme that has already been launched in Israel.

The JCVI  which directs Britain's vaccine roll out  is still yet to give the green light to the plans despite data showing protection from jabs wanes over time.

It has also been suggested that the JCVI is still deliberating because of concerns rolling out the vaccine to over-12s could disrupt a booster drive.

Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in medicine at the University of East Anglia in England, last night called for over-80s and immunocompromised people to get their shots 'pretty soon'.

He said he saw no reason 'whatsoever' why it had taken the JCVI so long to sign off on doses for those groups but admitted a mass booster rollout wasn't necessary.

Pressure is building on No10 to approve a booster programme. In Israel - the first country to hand out third doses - Covid hospitalisations are already falling after vaccination. The above graph shows the modelled Covid hospitalisations if they doubled every week (green line) and the actual hospitalisations (blue line). Admissions tailed off two weeks after boosters were dished out in the country

A separate study from King's College London experts also suggested that vaccine-triggered immunity waned over time.

It found protection against Covid infection after two vaccines falls within six months, and could plummet as low as half by the winter.

Real-world data from Israel has suggested that booster doses can slash hospitalisation rates in just two weeks  the time taken for a jab to spark antibodies.

Figures had suggested that hospitalisations from the virus would continue to double as the country approached winter.

But two weeks after third doses were offered to the country's over-60s their rate of admissions to hospital due to the virus started to level off. Covid cases in Israel also appear to have peaked.

The country initially offered third doses to over-60s at the start of last month, before expanding the roll out to everyone who was double-vaccinated three weeks later.
Pope Francis has inadvertently quoted Vladimir Putin while criticising the West's recent involvement in Afghanistan as an outsider's attempt to impose democracy.

During a radio interview aired on Wednesday, the pontiff was asked about the situation in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of U.S. and other NATO forces after almost 20 years of war, and the Taliban recapture of the country.

The pope said he would answer with a quote, which he attributed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he described as 'one of the world's greatest political figures'.

'It's necessary to stop the irresponsible policy 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,' the Pope said, using his own translation into Spanish.

However, the words were not Merkel's, rather, they were spoken last month by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit by Merkel to Moscow.

Pope Francis (pictured) has inadvertently quoted Vladimir Putin while criticising the West's recent involvement in Afghanistan as an outsider's attempt to impose democracy

Vladimir Putin last month delivered a scathing criticism of 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

At the August 20 meeting, Putin delivered a scathing criticism of 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.

Merkel, meanwhile, urged Russia to use its contacts with the Taliban to press for Afghan citizens who helped Germany to be allowed to leave Afghanistan.

Francis' interview with Spain's Cadena COPE took place at the Vatican late last week. The station, owned by Spain's Catholic bishops' conference, said its content had been vetted by the Pope himself.

Francis also said that 'all eventualities were not taken into account' in the departure of Western allies from Afghanistan.

'I don't know if there will be any revision [of what happened during the withdrawal], but there was much deceiving from the new authorities [of Afghanistan],' said the Pope. 'Either that or just too much ingenuity. Otherwise, I don't understand.'

Francis called for Christians across the world to engage in 'prayer, penance and fasting' in the face of events in Afghanistan.

The Pope said: 'It's necessary to stop the irresponsible policy 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'. Pictured: Evacuees crowd the interior of a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft carrying some 640 Afghans to Qatar from Kabul
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A former refugee who fled Taliban rule in the 1990s has shed light on the horror journey now facing thousands of Afghans who were abandoned during the west's chaotic evacuation of the country.

Rohullah Yakobi, who goes by Roh, left Afghanistan in 1999 after the Taliban conquered the region where he lived and where his father had been the commander of a militia fighting the Islamists.

Captured and tortured by jihadist fighters aged just 12, Roh was sent out of the country by relatives fearing for his safety. What followed was a five-year ordeal that saw him witness horrifying abuse, attempt suicide on more than one occasion, and live in constant fear of being deported back to certain death in his home country.

Now living in the UK where he is an associate fellow at the Human Security Centre think-tank and an activist, he told MailOnline: 'The dark reality of becoming a refugee is that... you may survive as a living person, but you will be wounded both psychotically and physically with scars that last for life.'

Rohullah Yakobi (pictured in April this year in Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley) fled his home country aged just 12 after he was captured and tortured by the Taliban because his father was a rebel commander who fought the jihadis

He spoke about his experience fleeing Afghanistan as thousands of people flee Taliban rule once again (pictured), opening up about out a five-year ordeal which saw him witness horrifying abuse and try to kill himself more than once

Roh was born 1987 in the village of Anguri, in the central Hazarajat region of Afghanistan - home of the Hazara ethnic minority who were targeted by jihadists because they are Shia Muslims, rather than Sunni.

Jihadist fighters, armed and trained by the CIA to fight the Soviets, then began capturing territory in Afghanistan after Russian forces withdrew and, in 1995, formed the Taliban.

Fearing persecution and death at their hands, Roh's father - Riza - took up arms and fought against them during a two-year blockade of Hazarajat that ended with defeat in 1998, he told Tortoise Media in a separate interview.

After negotiating a surrender to the Taliban, Riza was forced to flee the country - but that did not stop the Islamists from looking for him, torturing anyone close to the family who they thought might give them information.

Roh told of the night in 1999 when the Taliban kidnapped him and took him to a torture chamber they had set up in one of his father's old bases where an uncle was being kept.

He spent the night listening as they tortured the older man, who returned to the cell in the early hours with blood soaking his head.

Then, it was his turn. Taken to see a Taliban commander as he heated tea in a pot, Roh was questioned about his father's whereabouts. When he couldn't provide any information, he had a burning teaspoon repeatedly held against his skin.

After being allowed to return to his village, Roh's family decided he needed to leave the country immediately. They put him on the back of a motorbike which sped out of the village - and he has never been back since.

From there he was taken south to Kandahar, the capital of Taliban territory, in the hopes of getting across the border into Pakistan where there is a large Hazara community, he told MailOnline.

In the city of Kandahar, Roh said that he and a cousin were beaten in a public square after people realised they were Hazaras and were denied rooms at hotels before eventually settling for the night in a scrapyard.

Roh (pictured around age 1) was born in Afghanistan in 1987 and was brought up in a country at war - at first with the Soviets, and then with the jihadists that the CIA armed and trained to fight them

'We find a scrapyard, it was dark, very hot, above 40C (105F), full of mosquitos and stray dogs. Unbeknownst to us we slept with Taliban guards just a few hundred meters away,' he told MailOnline.

It would not be his only close brush with jihadists. From the scrapyard, he managed to get to Helmand - to an opium farm run by a relative who agreed to give them shelter before taking them to the Pakistan border.

In order to pay his way, Roh was given 1,000 rupees and 1kg of opium. While sitting in the back of a car on the way to the border crossing at Spin Boldak, they were passed by a convoy which he believes was carrying Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

'Did I really pass ways with Bin Laden holding a bag of opium in the back of the car,' he remembers thinking.

From there, he crossed the border into Pakistan before heading to Iran - the most popular route for refugees because trails running directly into Iran are dangerous and difficult, particularly for children.

He was then taken to Tehran, arriving in December 1999. He ended up stranded there for two years, working as a child labourer to survive.

Roh said it was never his plan to come to Europe. His initial thought was only to make it safely away from the Taliban by heading into Pakistan. From there, he headed to Iran because that was safer still and the locals spoke Persian, which is similar to the Hazara language.

But, in 2000, the Iranian regime began rounding up and deporting Afghans back to the Taliban - where Hazaras were typically separated out and massacred.

As a 12-year-old boy (pictured aged around 11) Roh was tortured by the Taliban because his father had fought against them, before his family decided to get him out of the country

As the son of a prominent commander, Roh feared that deportation would mean certain death. It was only then that his thoughts turned to Europe, where he hoped he would finally be safe.

But smugglers were demanding $1,500 to pay for the voyage, and Roh had no way of paying.

'Other children, their families would sell a piece of land in Afghanistan to raise the money, or they would borrow money by promising the smugglers land in return. But I had no land, no ability to borrow money,' he said.

His wages were enough to subsist on, but could pay for little else. Impoverished, unprotected by any adult, and fearing being reported to authorities for deportation, Roh said abuse of refugee children was common.

While he did not go into specifics about his own ordeal, he said children were frequently physically and sexually abused by a variety of predators. During this time he fell into a deep depression, began self harming, and tried to kill himself more than once.

'Sometimes you wake up cold in the night and just have a thought that you will harm yourself,' he said. 'Other times it is more serious.

'Suicide was a really common occurrence. When you are a child, you are more vulnerable than an adult, you get abused, you get taken advantage of in any way possible. It is a brutal world, a world that you don't know, a world where you can be taken advantage of.'

Even for those lucky enough to have the money to pay the smugglers, safety was far from guaranteed. Roh said one boy from his home village was send funds for the passage by his family and was taken by smugglers into Turkey, where he boarded a boat for Greece.

But the boat sank. Roh's friend disappeared into the ocean, and his body has never been found.

'I was always under threat,' he said. 'While you're in the midst of it you don't realise, it's only when you get somewhere safer that it hits you.'

Fortunately for Roh, salvation came in the form of a phone call from his father, who he connected with through a middle man in Iran. Until then, he knew nothing of his father's fate and had no idea whether he was alive or dead.

It turned out that he was actually living in Manchester, having been granted political asylum in the UK.

His father told Roh that the rest of his family was living in Pakistan and that he should go there and meet up with them, so that they could all apply to join him. In 2004, their request was granted and the family flew to Manchester where they were reunited.

The Taliban has pledged a general amnesty and said there will be no reprisal attacks against those who worked with western forces, but already multiple reports have emerged of summary executions and torture

While western forces managed to evacuate more than 100,000 Afghans (pictured arriving at Washington Dulles airport), tens of thousands more were left behind - and now face an arduous journey to reach the west

But, had it not been for that chance phone call, Roh says he would be dead.

'The threat was always that we would been returned to Afghanistan. It was likely I would have been taken back to be killed. But,' he said, 'had the ordeal carried on for much longer [death] would have been self-inflicted.'

Some 600,000 Afghans have been displaced by fighting in Afghanistan since the start of the year, which has seen the Taliban rapidly retake the country from government forces - with the Islamists now holding more territory than they did in the 1990s and armed with American weapons seized from the Afghan army.

Hundreds of those refugees are thought to be western civilians, while tens of thousands more are Afghans who were promised sanctuary in return for helping US, UK and NATO forces - but who got left behind amid a chaotic withdrawal that saw 13 American troops killed.

Footage taken in recent days near Nimroz, in southern Afghanistan, shows thousands of people already streaming across the desert towards the Pakistan border in the hopes of reaching Iran.

The vast majority of Afghan refugees end up settling in one of those two countries, but significant numbers are expected to cross into Turkey and - from there - try to get into Europe, sparking fears of a second refugee crisis.

Among them will almost certainly be those the west promised to help, but ultimately betrayed and left behind under Taliban rule.

'Those who have been working with British forces... the question of whether we should be letting them in shouldn't really be asked,' Roh said. 'They risked their lives for it.

'What I really want people to understand is that people don't become refugees because they want to. The best place for anyone is their own home, their own village - anyone who is forced out of their home or their village, that process will scar them.'

But, despite all of the hardships suffered by troops stationed in Afghanistan for the last 20 years and the fate facing refugees now, Roh still believes the war was worth it - and is far from over.

'The war is over for America, it is over for Britain, it is not over for Afghanistan,' he said.

'It will become a safe haven for terrorists, it will continue to be the world's largest drug producer. There is a civil war to be had, but the history of Afghanistan shows the Taliban will not last.'
A legal challenge to mandatory Covid-19 vaccine requirements for some NSW workers has been launched in the state's highest court, as virus infections continue to climb by more than a thousand cases per day.

Sydney solicitor Tony Nikolic on Wednesday filed the suit against Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant in the NSW Supreme Court, with the matter due to be heard for the first time on Friday.

Law firm Ashley, Francina, Leonard and Associates argues the public health orders requiring 'a broad class of workers' be vaccinated is illegal and unconstitutional, as are the extra powers granted to police to enforce public health orders.

The law firm claims to have received thousand of enquiries from frontline workers who oppose the new public health orders (pictured, NSW Police surrounding a Sydney protestor)

Poll DO YOU AGREE WITH MANDATORY VACCINES FOR SOME WORKERS? Yes - for health care, aged care and hotel quarantine staff Yes - for all workers No - no one should have to DO YOU AGREE WITH MANDATORY VACCINES FOR SOME WORKERS? Yes - for health care, aged care and hotel quarantine staff 75 votes

Yes - for all workers 89 votes

No - no one should have to 573 votes Now share your opinion





'We have received thousands of inquiries from front-line workers - police, paramedics, nurses, aged care (staff), doctors, firefighters - construction workers, teachers, airline staff, miners, truck drivers, university students, mums and dads and, importantly, employers,' a spokesperson said in a statement.

'It is our view that vaccine compulsion strips citizens of their basic human rights, including their right to work, their right to bodily integrity and their right to informed consent to medical treatment without coercion.'

The suit will seek a declaration that the NSW public health orders are invalid and a ban on any further orders made by Mr Hazzard and Dr Chant.

'No-one is above the law, including ministers and public health officers.'

A response has been sought from Dr Chant and Mr Hazzard.

Mr Nikolic has advertised for plaintiffs to join the suit on the firm's website and social media network Telegram, the platform used to organise and incite anti-lockdown protests across the country.

The suit will look to ban Mr Hazzard and Dr Chant from enforcing any further orders, as their current laws are invalid (pictured, police preparing for Sydney's 'freedom rally' on August 21)

The challenge claims that public health orders implemented by Mr Hazzard (pictured) and Dr Chant are illegal

The public health orders require mandatory vaccination for frontline workers (pictured, Dr Chant addressed media on Tuesday)

In a post to Telegram on Saturday, Mr Nikolic praised politicians like Craig Kelly, Reverend Fred Nile and Pauline Hanson for their opposition to mandatory vaccinations and lockdowns.

'You are born free, free to choose, freedom from arbitrary detention, freedom of bodily integrity - don't give it away for free,' he said.

'Don't be be bullied.'
Left-leaning ITV boss Carolyn McCall and other 'woke' chiefs at the channel is facing a backlash today for forcing out Piers Morgan after Ofcom ruled he did not breach its broadcasting code with his criticism of Meghan Markle.

Ex-Guardian chief Dame Carolyn is under mounting pressure to explain why she tried to suppress Mr Morgan's free speech after Meghan complained to her directly and allegedly implored her to censure her critic as they were both 'women and mothers'.

The regulator cleared Mr Morgan over his comments about the Duchess of Sussex, which sparked 50,000 complaints allegedly that what he said was 'harmful' and 'highly offensive', following her Oprah Winfrey interview.

ITV lost hundreds of thousands of viewers and millions more in advertising revenue after Mr Morgan quit, amid a big ratings gap between GMB and rival BBC Breakfast.

And ITV were today accused of 'ruining their own hit breakfast show' six months after the row in March which saw him quit the programme after six years.

ITV News royal editor Chris Ship tweeted: 'So what does ITV do about Piers Morgan's job at Good Morning Britain now Ofcom has cleared him and the TV network of a breach of the broadcasting code?' Mr Morgan later commented on this tweet with a 'puzzled face' emoji.

Mr Morgan's former co-host Susanna Reid retweeted Ofcom's verdict today without comment, but others said it was 'very disappointing' that Meghan 'made ITV roll over with one phone call' after she made a formal complaint about the broadcast.

Mr Morgan revealed today that Meghan 'wrote directly to my ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall the night before I was forced out, demanding my head on a plate'.

Today, viewers told ITV to 'bring back Piers', urging them to 'see sense' and 'do the right thing' - while MailOnline columnist Dan Wootton led criticism of the channel.

An ITV spokesman said today: 'We welcome the Ofcom ruling that Good Morning Britain did not breach the broadcast standards relating to harm and offence.

'The ruling sets out clearly that it was the balance and context the programme makers provided which was key in mitigating against the potential for harm and offence which could have been caused by Piers Morgan's comments.

'It is because of the programme's editorial decisions and the opposing views which were forcefully expressed by other presenters and guests, that the programme did not breach Ofcom's rules.'

But Mr Morgan then tweeted: 'Hmmm, ITV have just put out a statement saying I only won the Ofcom case against Princess Pinocchio because my colleagues expressed different opinions to mine. That's not what the Ofcom report says in its conclusion. I suggest ITV reads it again.'

PIERS MORGAN: Ofcom's vindication of me is a resounding victory for freedom of speech

Piers Morgan, pictured with co-host Susanna Reid, quit ITV's Good Morning Britain in March

Ex-Guardian chief Dame Carolyn McCall is under mounting pressure to explain why she tried to suppress Mr Morgan's free speech after Meghan complained to her directly

ITV News royal editor Chris Ship, pictured on GMB in January last year, tweeted today: 'So what does ITV do about Piers Morgan's job at Good Morning Britain now Ofcom has cleared him and the TV network of a breach of the broadcasting code?'

Piers Morgan commented on Mr Ship's tweet with a 'puzzled face' emoji this afternoon

Mr Morgan's former co-host Susanna Reid retweeted Ofcom's verdict today without comment

Mr Wootton said today: 'Piers Morgan rightly cleared by Ofcom. Freedom of speech wins the day! And woke ITV ruined their own hit breakfast show in the process.

'Wouldn't want to be Harry waking up next to Meghan in Montecito in the morning when she picks up her phone.'

Pressure on ITV's 'leftie luvvie' 900,000-a-year CEO Carolyn McCall who defended Love Island and Jeremy Kyle - but not Piers Morgan Left-leaning former Guardian boss Dame Carolyn McCall joined ITV as chief executive on 900,000-a-year in January 2018. As well as earning a near seven figure salary, she is eligible for an annual bonus to a maximum of 180 per cent of salary, a long-term incentive plan up to 265 per cent of salary and a generous 15 per cent pension allowance. The mother-of-three  one of just seven female FTSE 100 bosses  was with easyJet for seven years after previously running the Guardian Media Group. Gordon Brown and Labour handed her an OBE for services to women in business in 2008 and won a Damehood in 2016 while boss of budget airline easyJet. At the time rival Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary dismissed her as 'some old media luvvie' due to her lack of airline experience. Dame Carolyn, worked her way up in the media company after starting as a research planner and became a close ally of former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger. The pair built up the paper's website but were criticised for failing to make it profitable. The pair built up the paper's website but were criticised for failing to make it profitable. Since joining ITV she has also been rocked by a series of scandals, including the cancellation of the Jeremy Kyle Show after a suicide. She was dragged before MPs last year (pictured) and insisted guests gave 'informed consent' and knew the nature of the programme they were appearing on. When accused of broadcasting a 'human freak show', she said: 'It was adults, they went through a screening and vetting process, they went through quite a lot of hoops before they went on that show.' Ms McCall also said she would be comfortable with her children appearing on Love Island. She left easyJet after Adam Crozier stepped down as ITV boss at the end of June of 2017. Ms McCall has also held a non-executive director post at Burberry, sat on the board of the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and is a Trustee at the Royal Academy. Advertisement

Former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie said: 'Great news for Piers Morgan as Ofcom clear him over his Meghan Truths on GMB. He told it like it is. Bloody nose for CEO Carolyn McCall who forced him out. Well said Ofcom for backing free speech.'

He added: ''A chilling restriction on freedom of expression.' The damning verdict by Ofcom on ITV's silencing of Piers Morgan after he said he didn't believe a word from Meghan Markle on royal racism. CEO Carolyn McCall ordered his ousting. She should be fired and Piers rehired. Right now.'

Presenter India Willoughby added: 'At the end of the day, Piers Morgan was right. The fact Meghan MarkUp made ITV roll over with one phone call - very disappointing.'

Toby Young, of the Free Speech Union, told talkRADIO today: 'It would have been absolutely absurd if Ofcom had censored Piers Morgan or Good Morning Britain in any way as a result of his remarks on that programme, and I'm very glad they haven't done so.'

He added: 'The idea that anyone who criticises Meghan Markle must be racist and that any criticism of her is a form of racism is just ridiculous.'

Ofcom said it approached ITV for a comment on their preliminary view that the show was not in breach of the code, but the corporation declined to comment.

Today, the regulator said that Mr Morgan's comments were 'potentially harmful and offensive' but said it also 'took full account of freedom of expression'.

The presenter said the ruling was a 'resounding victory'. Mr Morgan left GMB after saying he did not believe claims made by Meghan during her interview with Oprah.

The episode on March 8 was the most complained about moment in Ofcom's history and it emerged that Meghan had made a formal complaint to ITV about Mr Morgan.

A statement from Ofcom said: 'This was a finely-balanced decision. Mr Morgan's comments were potentially harmful and offensive to viewers, and we recognise the strong public reaction to them.

'But we also took full account of freedom of expression. Under our rules, broadcasters can include controversial opinions as part of legitimate debate in the public interest, and the strong challenge to Mr Morgan from other contributors provided important context for viewers.

'Nonetheless, we've reminded ITV to take greater care around content discussing mental health and suicide in future. ITV might consider the use of timely warnings or signposting of support services to ensure viewers are properly protected.'

Following the ruling, Morgan tweeted: 'I'm delighted Ofcom has endorsed my right to disbelieve the Duke & Duchess of Sussex's incendiary claims to Oprah Winfrey, many of which have proven to be untrue. This is a resounding victory for free speech and a resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchios. Do I get my job back?'

Meghan, 40, said she was ignored when raising concerns about her mental health and alleged that racist comments had been made before the birth of her son, Archie.

After a clip aired of Meghan discussing her issues with mental health and suicidal thoughts and royal official's knowledge of them, Mr Morgan said during the ITV programme: 'I'm sorry, I don't believe a word she says.

'I wouldn't believe her if she read me a weather report.'

His comments were criticised by mental health charity Mind.

In July this year Ofcom published a list of the 10 most complained about TV broadcasts as part of its annual report for 2020/21, with the Good Morning Britain episode during which Morgan made his comments becoming the most complained about TV moment in the watchdog's history with 54,453 complaints.

A summary of the Ofcom ruling said: 'This programme focused on the interview between Oprah Winfrey and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

'It contained statements about suicide and mental health which had the potential to be harmful and highly offensive.

'However, our decision is that overall the programme contained sufficient challenge to provide adequate protection and context to its viewers.

'We also considered that the comments about race in the programme could have been potentially highly offensive, but that the comments were sufficiently contextualised. Therefore, our decision is that the programme did not breach the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.'
The Scott Morrison government has given an extraordinary ultimatum to rogue premiers telling them they 'must reopen' state borders by Christmas when vaccination rates hit 80 per cent.

Western Australia and Queensland have been reluctant to tow the line on national cabinet's four-phase reopening plan set out by the Doherty Institute, insisting they may renege on the agreement if case numbers in other states are continuing to soar.

But Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Wednesday said if premier's don't open up 'Australians will suffer' and the economy will falter.

The Scott Morrison government has given an extraordinary ultimatum to rouge premiers telling them they must reopen state borders by Christmas when vaccination rates reach 80 per cent

Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and Queensland Police process commuters crossing the Queensland-New South Wales state border at Coolangatta on August 25 after a series of furious protests

Poll SHOULD ALL STATES AND TERRITORIES OPEN THEIR BORDERS WHEN 80% ARE DOUBLE JABBED? Yes No SHOULD ALL STATES AND TERRITORIES OPEN THEIR BORDERS WHEN 80% ARE DOUBLE JABBED? Yes 845 votes

No 255 votes Now share your opinion





'If we don't stick to the national plan, businesses will close. If we don't stick to the national plan, jobs will be lost,' he said.

'If we don't stick to the national plan, our debt burden will increase. If we don't stick to the national plan, the wellbeing of Australians will suffer.

'We need to vaccinate people but we need to open up safely in accordance with that plan at 70 to 80 per cent.'

The treasurer slammed Labor premiers Mark McGowan and Annastacia Palaszczuk saying they will have 'no excuses' to shut off their states from the rest of the country once vaccination targets are reached, insisting 'Australia must open up as one'.

He's has also threatened to cut off federal government Covid support payments if they refuse to follow the national plan.

Pharmacist Christine Kelly administers a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Megan English at Taronga Zoo on Wednesday, with Sydneysiders rolling up their sleeves to end lockdowns

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Wednesday said if premier's if they don't open up 'Australians will suffer' and the economy will falter

'There should be no expectation that the Federal economic support that we are providing right now can continue that way,' he told Sunrise on Monday.

'You could have the ridiculous situation where somebody in NSW could travel to Canada before they could go to Cairns or somebody in Victoria could travel to Singapore and Bali before they could go to Perth. That would be ridiculous.

'That is why it is so important that the agreed national plan is adhered to by the states and the territories.'

NSW leader Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday also urged premiers in other states to learn to live with the virus and commit to opening up.

'It's impossible to eliminate the Delta strain,' she said.

'New South Wales had proved successful until this point in terms of getting rid of other strains of COVID.

'The Delta strain is a game changer and every state in Australia sooner or later is going to have to live with Delta'.

'That's why I'm calling on all my colleagues  to stick to the national plan, to make sure we give our citizens not only the freedoms they deserve but also learn to live with COVID as soon as we can.'

A member of the police force inspects cars at a Border Check Point on Indian Ocean Drive, north of Perth, as Mark McGowan stands firm on his refusal to open his state borders

A fired up premier McGowan (pictured) also hit back at the his NSW counterpart's comments calling the state 'incompetent and a 'basket case' as it continues to rack up over 1000 cases of Covid cases each day

Ms Palaszczuk has introduced a hard border with NSW, not even allowing Queensland residents to return home for fear of spiralling Covid cases.

She's indicated the border will remain closed until Ms Berejiklian can get the number of infections under control.

A fired up premier McGowan also hit back at the his NSW counterpart's comments calling the state 'incompetent and a 'basket case' as it continues to rack up over 1000 cases of Covid cases each day.

'NSW is a basket case economy at the moment because of the failures of the NSW government,' Mr McGowan said.

'There has never been a more incompetent government than the NSW government. They learned of the outbreak in June and they did nothing significant about it.

'And now they have economic catastrophe, they have people dying, they have hospitals filling up and they're trying to give us advice?'

Premier Palaszczuk (right) has introduced a hard border with NSW and indicated it will remain closed until Ms Berejiklian (left) can get the number of Covid cases under control

Queensland Police stop trucks at the Queensland border on August 25, 2021 in Coolangatta, Australia

Mr McGowan added that WA has been 'carrying the national economy' because its resource rich mining sector has remained protected from the Delta strain.

But in an open letter, 80 of Australia's top business leaders urged state governments to present a 'clear path out of the current lockdowns'.

They called on premiers across the country to 'stay the course' on the national roadmap set out by the Doherty Institute so residents and businesses can plan for life after the pandemic.

CEO of Business Council of Australia, Jennifer Westacott said the nation must have a 'careful, gradual reopening' based on health advice.

'We're asking for a simple reason: we need to plan; whether you're a family that needs to plan to see your loved ones, whether you're small business that needs to stock up or whether you're a big business that's got a project going.

'Our point is very clear: we need a light at the end of the tunnel because you're starting the see the strain on people as this goes on and on.'
Able Seaman Omar Cummings (pictured) allegedly grabbed the woman from behind during a party in the warship's mess

A Royal Navy chef sexually assaulted a female sailor by grabbing her bottom during a party on board a flagship vessel as it returned from exercises abroad, a court martial has heard.

Able Seaman Omar Cummings allegedly grabbed the woman from behind during a party in the warship's mess.

He also attempted to 'poke' her bottom during a separate incident at the same party on amphibious transport ship HMS Albion.

Appearing at a court martial at Bulford Military Court, Wilts, AB Cummings denied one charge of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind.

He also denied another charge of sexual assault for touching her bottom during the group photo.

AB Cummings instead claimed he 'pushed her bottom away' as she was dancing '12 inches in front of me'.

The court martial heard that the alleged incident took place during a party on HMS Albion, which was the Royal Navy's flagship vessel at the time of the incident - following the decommissioning of aircraft carrier the Ark Royal.

The sailors had enjoyed a 'Sun Downers' event and were playing music and dancing in the mess as they travelled back to the UK, the court heard.

The female sailor told the hearing she had been walking past AB Cummings when he reached out and poked her bottom finger at her.

Prosecutor Graham Coombes told the court: 'She walked across to her friend and as she walked past (AB Cummings), he poked one of his fingers through her clothes which made her jump.'

The court martial heard that the alleged incident took place during a party on HMS Albion (pictured), which was the Royal Navy's flagship vessel at the time of the incident - following the decommissioning of aircraft carrier the Ark Royal

Appearing at a court martial at Bulford Military Court (pictured), Wilts, AB Cummings denied one charge of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind. He also denied another charge of sexual assault for touching her bottom during the group photo

In her police interview played to the court, the woman said: 'I was just walking past and he did it. It made me jump up and turn around.

'I said "you cannot do that." He said nothing - he just stared at me. I was upset and angry.'

Later in the evening, the sailors took a group photo in which AB Cummings was stood behind the woman.

The court heard while this photo was being taken AB Cummings - who is originally from Saint Vincent in the Caribbean - groped her again while her boyfriend was stood nearby.

The court heard while this photo was being taken AB Cummings - who is originally from Saint Vincent in the Caribbean - groped her again while her boyfriend was stood nearby

The woman told the hearing: 'He grabbed my a**e again. That is when I said to him "you cannot f*****g do that. I already told you, you cannot do that".'

In a statement to police, AB Cummings claimed that at the time of the first incident she was dancing in front of him and he simply tried to push her away.

He said: 'On the night in question [the woman] was dancing in front of me with her bottom about 12 inches in front of me and she was bent over so it was in my face.

'I had my phone and I used it to push her away from my face.'

Asked about the second incident, he said there were others stood behind her when the photo was taken and denied it was him who touched her.

The woman told the court she had not been drinking during the evening.

AB Cummings denies one charge of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind for poking the woman's bottom and another charge of sexual assault for touching her bottom during the group photo.

The trial continues.
A hiker has died of suspected heat stroke in Zion National Park in Utah amid 95 degree heat, park officials have announced.

John Henry Wolfe, from Milwaukee, had reached the end of a strenuous nine mile canyon trail on Monday when he started complaining about exhaustion, a statement from the National Park Service said.

Zion national park medics and EMTs were dispatched to the 32-year-old's location - at the exit route of the Left Fork of North Creek - and found him unresponsive.

The statement said the responders carried out CPR for over an hour, to no avail, and Wolfe's body was then airlifted out of the park.

The National Park Service and local authorities are now investigating the man's death, with the Washington County Sheriff's Office as the lead agency.

Heat stroke is caused when a person's body temperature reaches 103 degrees (39C). It can lead to confusion, dizziness and loss of consciousness, the CDC says.

A hiker has died of suspected heat stroke in Zion National Park in Utah (pictured, file photo) amid 95 degree heat, park officials have announced

Zion national park medics and EMTs were dispatched to the 32-year-old's location - at the exit route of the Left Fork of North Creek - and found the hiker unresponsive

The temperature in the park when Wolfe complained of heat exhaustion was 95 degrees, according to Salt Lake City news outlet KUTV.

The health body advises that in order to avoid heat exhaustion while outdoors, people should pace themselves - particularly if not accustomed to working or exercising in a hot environment.

If a person is experiencing a pounding heart or shortness of breath, they should stop all activity immediately and get into a cool area.

At least two other people have fallen to their deaths in Zion national park in recent months, and nationally, a number of others have died from heat stroke.

On August 21, Blake Chaplin, 52, from Leawood, Kansas, was found dead on the Golden Canyon Trail in Death Valley National Park, California.

A search-and-rescue team recovered the body after it was reported by an early morning hiker. His cause of death has not been revealed.

Days earlier, on August 18, the body of Lawrence Stanback, 60, of San Francisco, was recovered by park officials on the same trail.

He is suspected of succumbing to heatstroke according to Fox News, but the circumstances surrounding their deaths have not been reported.

Blake Chaplin, 52, from Kansas, died while hiking in California's Death Valley on August 21. His death came just three days after another hiker succumbed to heatstroke on the same trail

Earlier in August, a woman died in the Arizona desert less than 24 hours after arriving in the area for a hike with a police officer she had met for the first time, following two months of speaking online.

The body of Angela Tramonte was discovered by mountain rescue crews off the Echo Canyon Trail on the northeast side of Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona, after an extensive search for her.

On Monday, investigators determined the official cause of death was heat exposure.

In June, A 26-year-old woman who was found alive after falling 50 to 80 feet from Mystery Canyon at Zion National Park, died shortly afterwards from her injuries.

A rescue helicopter first responded June 6 after reports of the incident from park visitors, but was unable to pull her from the base of the canyon due to the 'steep, narrow' walls, according to Zion National Park's Twitter page.

Park medics later rescued her from the canyon, but she succumbed to her injuries. She has not been identified.

The woman had been alone at the park canyoneering, which involves following a body of water through a canyon by hiking, swimming, rafting, climbing or biking.

The body of Angela Tramonte (pictured) was discovered by mountain rescue crews off the Echo Canyon Trail on the northeast side of Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona, after an extensive search for her. It was ruled on Monday that she died from heat exhaustion

A 26-year old woman was killed after falling 50 to 80 feet while climbing Mystery Canyon at Utah's Zion National Park.

Meanwhile, investigators are probing phones belonging to a family found dead during a California hike in the hopes of finding a final recording that could solve the riddle of their deaths.

Jeremy Briese, sheriff of Mariposa County, told The Times of London he was hoping the phones would reveal whether Jonathan Gerrish, 45, or his wife, Ellen Chung, 31, made any phone calls or recorded any messages before their deaths.

'We've searched from the air and foot and all over looking for anything that may give us a clue to what occurred,' Briese said. 'Basically it's baffling and we've got to work through the different scenarios looking for answers.'

Gerrish, Chung, their one-year-old daughter Miju, and their dog Oksi were found by search teams on Tuesday in an area of the Sierra National Forest known as Devil's Gulch.

There were no signs of foul play and no traumatic injuries indicated at the scene, where Briese said, Miju was 'in a backpack carrier near the dad, but not on the dad,' and Chung was found about 30 yards away.

Their dog, Oksi, lay close to the baby.

Officials had been looking into whether poisonous algae killed the family but lifted the hazmat declaration on Wednesday. The bodies of the family were airlifted out of the area that afternoon.

They are now looking into other possible causes, including carbon monoxide poisoning, rattlesnake bites - although there would likely have been evidence on their bodies - and heat strokes.
Pope Francis is not thinking of resigning and is living 'a totally normal life' following intestinal surgery in July.

The 84-year-old hit back after reports emerged last week that he is considering following predecessor Pope Emeritus Benedict into retirement after the operation.

Speaking to Spanish radio, France said: 'I don't know where they got it from last week that I was going to resign ... it didn't even cross my mind.'

Pope Francis, 84, has denied reports that he considered resigning from his post after surgery on his intestines in July, saying the the thought 'didn't even cross my mind'

The pontiff also thanked a male nurse at the Vatican for convincing him to undergo the operation to fix his symptomatic diverticular stenosis - a condition which involves a narrowing of the colon.

Francis said he had previously been treating the illness - which can cause abdominal pain and bleeding - with antibiotics.

'He saved my life,' the pope said of a nurse.

Francis underwent surgery on July 4 and spent 11 days in hospital.

'Now I can eat everything, which was not possible before ... I lead a totally normal life,' he said, adding that 13 inches of his intestine was removed.

He further dismissed the report of his potential resignation by outlining his full schedule, with a trip to Hungary and Slovakia on Sept. 12-15 and visits to Cyprus, Greece and Malta in the pipeline.

He added that he is almost certain to attend the COP26 climate conference, which is due to take place in Glasgow in November.

Francis (pictured last month) had a 13-inch section of intestines removed during the operation to treat a condition called diverticular stenosis which involves a narrowing of the colon

Newspaper Libero reported on Aug. 23 that there was 'a conclave in the air' at the Vatican - a reference to the secret meeting at which cardinals choose a new pope when the incumbent dies or resigns.

It said that Francis had spoken of resigning, possibly to coincide with his 85th birthday in December.

'Whenever a pope is ill there is always a breeze or a hurricane about a conclave,' he told COPE.

Pope Emeritus Benedict caused a stir when he resigned from his post in 2013 citing ill health, becoming the first pope to willfully quit the job since Celestine V in 1294.

Pope Gregory XII had resigned in 1415, but did so to end the Western Schism, a split between Bishops in Rome and Avignon, both of whom claimed to be the real pope.

The Pope quotes PUTIN as he criticises America and the West for trying to establish democracy in Afghanistan

Pope Francis has inadvertently quoted Vladimir Putin while criticising the West's recent involvement in Afghanistan as an outsider's attempt to impose democracy.

During a radio interview aired on Wednesday, the pontiff was asked about the situation in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of U.S. and other NATO forces after almost 20 years of war, and the Taliban recapture of the country.

The pope said he would answer with a quote, which he attributed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he described as 'one of the world's greatest political figures'.

Vladimir Putin last month delivered a scathing criticism of 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 policy 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,' the Pope said, using his own translation into Spanish.

However, the words were not Merkel's, rather, they were spoken last month by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit by Merkel to Moscow.

At the August 20 meeting, Putin delivered a scathing criticism of 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.

Merkel, meanwhile, urged Russia to use its contacts with the Taliban to press for Afghan citizens who helped Germany to be allowed to leave Afghanistan.

Francis' interview with Spain's Cadena COPE took place at the Vatican late last week. The station, owned by Spain's Catholic bishops' conference, said its content had been vetted by the Pope himself.

Francis also said that 'all eventualities were not taken into account' in the departure of Western allies from Afghanistan.

'I don't know if there will be any revision [of what happened during the withdrawal], but there was much deceiving from the new authorities [of Afghanistan],' said the Pope. 'Either that or just too much ingenuity. Otherwise, I don't understand.'

Francis called for Christians across the world to engage in 'prayer, penance and fasting' in the face of events in Afghanistan.
Up to one in seven children in England suffer from long Covid after recovering from the initial infection, according to the largest study of its kind.

The University College London research of almost 7,000 youngsters aged 11 to 17 found 14 per cent of those who tested positive for the virus had three or more persistent symptoms three months later.

The lead scientist behind the study said the problem of long Covid in children was 'not anything like' the scale warned about in previous reports.

Only children who had a confirmed PCR test result were included in the research, unlike other studies, and they were compared to a control group.

Among the participants who were still feeling unwell three months after beating the virus, 7 per cent said they had five or more symptoms.

Common ailments included headaches and tiredness but there was no evidence that any of the children had 'severe' illness as a result of long Covid.

It comes amid a row over whether Britain should be routinely vaccinating secondary school pupils as classrooms go back and infections remain stubbornly high.

The topic has proven controversial because giving the jabs to children would be almost exclusively to protect adults from Covid.

Children are at an extremely low risk of the virus itself but previous research suggested as many as half were struck down with long Covid, which some argued was another reason to vaccinate them.

The research surveyed more than 3,000 children who tested PCR positive between January and March. They were compared to a similarly-sized group who tested negative in the same period. When surveyed around 15 weeks after their test, 14 per cent more young people in the positive group had three or more symptoms. One in 14, or 7 per cent more, in the positive group had five or more symptoms

Lead author Professor Sir Terence Stephenson, a paediatrician at UCL, told a press briefing today he felt 'reassured' by the findings. Dr Liz Whittaker said that long Covid did not appear to be a 'severe disease' in young people

Lead author Professor Sir Terence Stephenson, a paediatrician at UCL, said he felt 'reassured' by the findings.

He told a press briefing today: 'The study moves us a long way forward [in understanding long Covid in children].

'It's not anything like the worst predictions during the height of the pandemic in December and January.'

He said that while he did not want to downplay the effect the condition has on sufferers, the prevalence in children was 'overall better than people would've guessed'.

Sir Terence said the findings would be shared with the Government's Covid vaccine advisory body, which is being lobbied to roll out the jabs in 12 to 15-year-olds.

Secondary school pupils should wear face masks when they return to school, teaching union boss says Secondary school pupils should still wear face masks when they return to the classroom this week, a teaching union boss has said. Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the National Education Union, told ministers they needed to take urgent action to avoid disruption to the new academic year. She said: 'It would be much better if schools had not been told to abandon measures which they adopted last term. 'At a time when infection levels are 26 times what they were this time last year, it makes no sense to go back into school with so few safety measures.' Yesterday Dr Bousted predicted that schools would be forced to adopt face masks and other Covid measures 'very shortly'. Millions of youngsters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are set to go back to classrooms between now and the end of next week, sparking fears of an inevitable spike in cases. Pupils in England will only be required to test themselves twice a week for the virus, with all other measures including face masks and social distancing abandoned. But in Scotland where schools returned in mid-August, pupils and staff are still required to wear face masks and keep a one-metre distance. Despite these measures the country has seen a record surge in Covid cases. Advertisement

The vaccines have already been approved for those aged 16 and 17 but are not routinely offered to people below that age, unless they are vulnerable themselves or live with someone who is.

Pressure is mounting on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to follow the likes of the US, Canada and France in giving children the jabs, particularly after cases skyrocketed in Scotland when schools went back a fortnight ago.

Dr Liz Whittaker, who was involved with the latest long Covid research, said that long Covid did not appear to be a 'severe disease' in young people, adding: 'Vaccines prevent severe disease.'

She also added that while the jabs offer high protection against severe Covid, they are less effective at preventing transmission.

'So it's difficult to know whether [long Covid] could be prevented through vaccinating children or not.'

The research surveyed more than 3,000 children who tested PCR positive between January and March.

They were compared to a similarly-sized group who tested negative in the same period.

When surveyed around 15 weeks after their test, 14 per cent more young people in the positive group had three or more symptoms.

One in 14, or 7 per cent more, in the positive group had five or more symptoms, the study showed.

Researchers said their data suggests that between 4,000 and 32,000 youngsters in England had long Covid in the second wave of the pandemic.

There was little difference in the mental health and wellbeing scores between children who had long Covid compared to those who hadn't.

Sir Terence, Nuffield Professor of Child Health at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, said: 'There is consistent evidence that some teenagers will have persisting symptoms after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.

'Our study supports this evidence, with headaches and unusual tiredness the most common complaints.

'The difference between the positive and negative groups is greater if we look at multiple symptoms, with those who had a positive test twice as likely to report three or more symptoms 15 weeks later.'

The Children and young people with Long Covid (CLoCk) research will carry on, with analysis of results at six months, a year and two years from the time of the person's PCR test.

Sir Terence said while he is reassured by these early findings, he remains 'very concerned' that there could be young people who are 'severely affected'.

He added: 'That's something that we'll return to when we study young people at six months.

'But there will be some young people who are completely bedridden or remain very short of breath or have daily headaches, and I wouldn't want to diminish that, but we're reporting kind of aggregate numbers.

'I think overall it's better than people would have guessed back in December.'

The study also involves researchers at the universities of Edinburgh, Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge, Liverpool, Leicester, Manchester as well as King's College London, Imperial College London, Public Health England, Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London Hospitals (UCLH).

Dr Liz Whittaker, senior clinical lecturer in paediatric infectious diseases and immunology at Imperial College London, said the JCVI's decision on extending the vaccine rollout is likely to be based on the risk of severe disease from the virus compared with risks of the vaccine, rather than the data in this study which relates to long Covid.
As Boris Johnson continues to grapple with the fallout from the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the last thing on his mind will be the time he spent studying at Oxford University.

But, lying long-forgotten in the pages of Cherwell - Oxford's student newspaper - are repeated references to him which he would perhaps rather not be reminded of.

Chief among the haul is an apparently humorous notice from February 1985 'announcing' the future PM's doomed engagement to Allegra Mostyn-Owen, who went on to become his first wife.

It describes Mr Johnson as a 'shaggy classicist' and says he is the 'personal hair-dresser' to Ms Mostyn-Owen - who by then had already featured on the cover of the high-society Tatler magazine.

Among the other snippets discovered by MailOnline is a satirical letter made to look like it has been written by Mr Johnson himself.

It says he is suffering from a 'nasty affliction' called 'Tributarius Diabolicus', which happens to translate from Latin to refer to a 'devilish tribute'.

It has symptoms including 'an inability to make people laugh' and 'irrelevance'.

It adds that the invented malady may 'threaten my chances of becoming Union President next year'.

Lying long-forgotten in the pages of Cherwell - Oxford's student newspaper - is an apparently humorous 'advert' announcing Boris Johnson's doomed engagement to Allegra Mostyn-Owen It featured in a February 1985 edition of the publication

Despite these alleged personal faults, in 1986 Mr Johnson did succeed - at the second time of asking - in his campaign to become the chief of the debating society.

A third reference to Mr Johnson claims that he was regarded by 'by experts' as having a level of intelligence 'somewhat lower than his shag-like fringe'.

Mr Johnson and Ms Mostyn-Owen ended up tying the knot in 1987. Six years of marriage followed before they divorced in 1993.

He went on to have four children with second wife Marina Wheeler before their break-up in 2018. They divorced in 2020.

The PM is now has one-year-old son Wilfred with his third wife Carrie Johnson, who announced in July that she is expecting her second child with Mr Johnson later this year.

Among the other snippets discovered by MailOnline is a satirical letter made to look like it has been written by Mr Johnson himself. Written in May 1985, it says he is suffering from a 'nasty affliction' called 'Tributarius Diabolicus', which has symptoms including 'an inability to make people laugh' and 'irrelevance'

Mr Johnson arrived at Oxford from the world-famous Eton school in late 1983.

Studying Classics at Balliol College, his contemporaries included fellow Old Etonian David Cameron, along with other Conservative colleagues William Hague, Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt and the journalist Toby Young.

Both Mr Johnson and fellow future PM Mr Cameron were also members of the infamous Bullingdon Club drinking society, which gained its notoriety for various alleged acts of vandalism

Mr Johnson became engaged to Ms Mostyn-Owen, the daughter of renowned art historian William Mostyn-Owen, after he is said to have wooed her over curries at a local Indian.

A third reference to Mr Johnson in a November 1985 issue claims that he was regarded by 'by experts' as having a level of intelligence 'somewhat lower than his shag-like fringe'

In an apparent further hint to the engagement advert's satirical nature, it refers to Mr Johnson's parents as 'Mr and Mrs Maurice Johnson'. Mr Johnson's father's name is Stanley, his mother's Charlotte.

The full advert reads: 'Mr and Mrs Maurice Johnson take great pleasure in announcing the engagement of their son, Alexander Boris, to Ms Allegra Mostyn-Owen.

'Boris, shaggy classicist, one-time Union Secretary and personal hair-dresser to Ms Mostyn-Owen, is understood to want to keep news of their engagement quiet for the moment, so don't tell anyone...'

Mr Johnson and Ms Mostyn-Owen married at her grade II-listed family home Woodhouse, set on a 1,500 acre estate in Shropshire.

Another piece claims that an angry Mr Johnson approached an Oxford Union debating rival 'with screwdriver in hand' after he was upset by a joke he made. Mr Johnson allegedly then said 'sorry' and 'this is all very silly' before leaving

However, the chaotic future politician arrived without his trousers or shoes and had to borrow the former, along with a pair of cufflinks, from Conservative MP John Biffen. He also had to find another, shabbier, pair of shoes.

Ms Mostyn-Owen later said of the union: 'When we got married, that was actually the end of the relationship instead of the beginning.'

Before their marriage came to a formal end six years later, Ms Wheeler was pregnant with her and Mr Johnson's first child.

The satirical letter referring to Mr Johnson's 'nasty affliction' features in Cherwell's 'John Evelyn' column in a May 1985 edition. It is not known who the real author was.

This previously unseen image of Mr Johnson in the president's chair at the Oxford Union also features in Cherwell

Boris Johnson with sister Rachel Johnson at Oxford contemporary Charles Spencer's 21st birthday party in 1985. Earl Spencer is the brother of the late Princess Diana

It reads: 'Dear John, I hope that I can confide in you on hack-to-hack basis. Recently I've come to realise that I've had a nasty disease called Tributarius Diabolicus passed on to me by a "friend".

'The symptoms are terrifying: inability to make people laugh, irrelevance, repetition, failure to mention anyone by name, repetition, irrelevance, repetition. What can I do?

'Tributarius Diabolicus may threaten my chances of becoming Union President next year.'

It signs off with, 'Yours desperately, "an Etonian"'. Then, beneath an accompanying photo of the ambitious student, it adds: 'PS: Please print my photograph. To be perfectly frank I need all the help I can get.'

Greek minister for culture Melina Mercouri speaks with Mr Johnson, who was then president of the Oxford Union, before she addressed the debating society in May 1986

Then, in a November 1985 copy, a small item brutally takes aim at Mr Johnson's mental faculties.

Referring to him as 'Balliol's blond bumshell', it says: 'Old Etonian Johnson, Miss Mostyn-Owen's betrothed, is regarded by most most experts as having an intelligence somewhat lower than his shag-like fringe.'

Another piece claims that an angry Mr Johnson approached an Oxford Union debating rival 'with screwdriver in hand' after he was upset by a joke he made.

Mr Johnson allegedly then said 'sorry' and 'this is all very silly' before leaving.

The future PM, who became the editor of the Spectator magazine before he entered politics, graduated from Oxford with an upper second-class degree in 1987.

In 2010, Ms Mostyn-Owen married Pakistani immigrant Abdul Majid, who is 22 years her junior.

She works as an artist and has had some of her creations exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
A controversial former Labour minister could lose a top Commonwealth job after Kenya put forward a rival candidate.

Lady Scotland is facing a battle to remain the organisation's secretary general after the East African nation's president Uhuru Kenyatta nominated his defence secretary Monica Juma to replace her.

The peer, who as Patricia Scotland was attorney general under Gordon Brown's premiership, was branded 'Baroness Brazen' and 'Baroness Shameless' after it emerged in 2016 that she spent 338,000 refurbishing her grace-and-favour apartment in Mayfair.

She has also been criticised for appointing political allies to key posts, and the UK Government had declined to automatically support her re-election.

In his nomination, Mr Kenyatta said Dr Juma, also a former foreign secretary, was 'a diplomat per excellence'.

'(She) has an indisputable track-record of strategic leadership, management, representation and knowledge of government, regional as well as multinational, and multilateral relations, international development, security and humanitarian issues. She is an exemplar of what we in the Commonwealth hold,' he said.

Lady Scotland is facing a battle to remain the organisation's secretary general after the East African nation's president Uhuru Kenyatta nominated his defence secretary Monica Juma to replace her.

In his nomination, Mr Kenyatta said Dr Juma was 'a diplomat per excellence'.

'I have no doubt that Amb Monica Juma will be a strong consensus candidate, who will deliver an effective Secretariat driven by member state priorities.

'She will help bolster unity amongst the Commonwealth family, and also enhance innovative partnership that optimizes the impact of our organization.'

Baroness Scotland's first four year term was due to end at a Commonwealth heads of state meeting in Rwanda last June, but the event was cancelled by Covid.

Her replacement or endorsement for a second term can only happen at such a meeting, and a new one is yet to be arranged.

A Commonwealth diplomat close to the issue said: 'This is frankly bizarre and a bit amateurish from the FCDO. It is common knowledge that there is a quid pro quo between the UK and Kenya on this candidacy and the other Commonwealth member states simply aren't interested in a UK proxy as Secretary General.'

Lady Scotland has been under fire since it was disclosed in 2016 that she spent 338,000 refurbishing her grace-and-favour apartment in Mayfair.

It later emerged a total of 590,000 of the foreign aid budget had been spent on Marlborough House, the Commonwealth headquarters, in two years. She was also attacked for appointing political allies to key posts.

A senior official forced to quit his secretariat job while working under Lady Scotland won nearly 300,000 compensation. She denied any wrongdoing.

She has also been criticised for delays in implementing a shake-up of the way the Commonwealth is run that was launched when she was first appointed in 2015.
A group of young mates have been issued thousands of dollars worth of fines as police investigate a series of illegal parties where 'dozens' of people caught Covid in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

New South Wales Police confirmed on Wednesday evening they have handed out nine $1,000 infringement notices as part of their investigations into a number of raves in the Maroubra area.

The penalties were handed out to men aged between 18 and 24 in attendance at a gathering on the Malabar Headland on Friday July 23, with further punishments expected to handed out to others.

The party on Malabar Headland is believed to be one of many illegal gatherings being held in the area in recent weeks which has lead to a surge in Covid infections.

Police walk through Maroubra after several illegal parties were held in the beachside suburb in July and August

The penalties were handed out to men aged between 18 and 24 in attendance at a gathering on the Malabar headland on Friday July 23 (pictured: party on the headland last year)

Officials were appalled last month when it was revealed someone hosted an illegal house party in Maroubra featuring more than 60 people, 20 of whom were infected.

The party has resulted in 81 infections across Sydney and the city's eastern suburbs, with several businesses being closed as a result of exposure.

Several of the people in attendance and infected with the virus were from western Sydney and had illegally travelled beyond their 10km limit.

NSW Police has been investigating the party as well as a series of other gatherings around the area, leading to the fines being handed out on Wednesday.

Fines were handed out to nine men aged between 18 and 24 after attending an illegal gathering on Malabar Headland (pictured, police patrol Maroubra Beach)

Pictured: Party being held on Malabar headland last year. In 2021 it has been the scene of several illegal parties with police handing out several fines

'It was reported that these parties, which were in breach of the Public Health Orders, involved dozens of people who had since returned a positive COVID-19 test result,' a police spokesman confirmed.

'As part of the investigation, police have established that a number of people gathered at Malabar Headland during the evening of Friday 23 July 2021. It is suspected that this party is also linked to cases of COVID-19.

'Following inquiries, police issued $1000 PINs to nine men  aged 24, 22, 20, three aged 19 and three aged 18  earlier today (Wednesday 1 September 2021) in relation to the Malabar Headland party in July.

'Investigations into the August gatherings at Maroubra are continuing, which includes determining whether there are any links between the Malabar and Maroubra parties.'
A five-year-old boy found dead in a Welsh river may have suffered a 'violent or unnatural' death, an inquest has heard, as his step-father faces trial for his murder.

Logan Mwangi's body was discovered in the Ogmore River on July 31 near his home in Sarn, Bridgend, after he was reported missing by his mother Angharad Williamson.

The youngster was confirmed dead at the Princess of Wales Hospital and it was later discovered he had sustained multiple injuries, including an internal head injury, a torn liver and a broken collarbone.

His step-father John Cole, 39, has been accused of Logan's murder while Williamson, 30, and a 13-year-old, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, have been charged with perverting the course of justice.

Logan Mwangi's (pictured) body was discovered in the Ogmore River on July 31 near his home in Sarn, Bridgend, after he was reported missing by his mother Angharad Williamson

His step-father John Cole, 39, has been accused of Logan's murder while Williamson (all pictured), 30, and a 13-year-old have been charged with perverting the course of justice

A court previously heard the nursery pupil, also known to his friends as Logan Williamson, suffered 'extreme pain' in an attack before he was found following a search.

Coroner's officer Lauren Howitt told the Pontypridd hearing that Logan had been formally identified by his grandmother Claire Williamson.

A post-mortem examination was carried out on August 2, but a provisional cause of death is pending further investigation.

Assistant South Wales Coroner Rachel Knight said: 'I am satisfied it's necessary to open an inquest as there is reason to expect his death maybe violent or unnatural.

'I have seen correspondence from the CPS in this case which says people have appeared in criminal courts and a trial date has been set.'

Ms Knight expressed her condolences to Logan's family and adjourned the inquest until the conclusion of the criminal case, WalesOnline reported.

Logan (pictured) was confirmed dead at hospital and it was later discovered he had sustained multiple injuries, including an internal head injury, a torn liver and a broken collarbone

A post-mortem examination was carried out on August 2. Cole, Williamson (right) and the youth are set to face a four-week trial with a provisional date of January 31

Police found Logan's body after they were called to Sarn in Bridgend, South Wales, to early morning reports of the missing boy on July 31.

The tragic youngster lived just 400 yards away from the river where he was found in a ground-floor terraced flat with his mother and step-father.

Cole and Williamson became engaged less than three months ago - and little Logan was excited at becoming a pageboy.

Cole and Williamson and the youth defendant have previously appeared at Newport Crown Court on August 14.

The two adults were remanded in custody while the 13-year-old was remanded in the care of the local authority.

All three defendants are set to face a trial, which is estimated to last four weeks, with a provisional trial date set for January 31.

Senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Mark O'Shea, previously said: 'This is a very harrowing case for all involved and I extend my deepest sympathies to Logan's family and friends.

Ms Knight expressed her condolences to Logan's family and adjourned the inquest until the conclusion of the criminal case. Pictured: Cole and Williamson

Young friends of little Logan have been among those leaving hundreds of tributes including flowers, cards, and soft toys at a riverside bridge nearby where he was found

'This remains an extensive and sensitive investigation by the Major Crime Investigation Team and I am grateful to the local community for its support and understanding while we have continued to gather evidence across several scenes.

'Legal proceedings are now underway and I want to remind everyone to avoid speculation which may prejudice this investigation.

'We continue to appeal to anyone who has any information in relation to the incident to contact the Major Crime Investigation Team.'

Young friends of little Logan have been among those leaving hundreds of tributes including flowers, cards, and soft toys at a riverside bridge nearby where he was found.

Parents of his reception class have broken the news of Logan 'going to see the angels in heaven' - and asked about their memories of the playful boy.

One attached to flowers said: 'RIP Logan, such a beautiful little soul taken way too soon. You will be dearly missed. Sleep tight my lovely. Until we meet again!'
A British tourist is still fighting for his life a week after he was stabbed by a waiter in Majorca following a row about his fiancee's steak.

Lloyd Wood, 44, remains in intensive care after suffering a heart attack when he was rushed to hospital after being knifed in the stomach and leg.

It is understood that the waiter was also stabbed in the argument which erupted over a ribeye served at the Don Denis restaurant in Can Picafort last Wednesday.

Police are investigating but have not yet made any arrests. They still need to interview Mr Wood who remains in a critical condition.

Lloyd Wood, 44, (left) remains in intensive care after suffering a heart attack when he was rushed to hospital after being knifed in the stomach and leg. Mr Wood, an engineer from Mirfield, West Yorkshire, had travelled to Majorca with Janine Parr, 41, (right) to celebrate their recent engagement.

Ms Parr and Mr Wood announced their engagement four weeks ago

Blood on the ground beside an outdoor table and paramedics at the scene of the stabbing at Don Denis in Can Picafort last Wednesday

A source told The Sun: 'They didn't think he would make it through the night at one stage.

'He is still in a serious condition in the intensive care unit.'

Worried relatives have flown from the UK but have not been able to be at his bedside because of Covid restrictions

Mr Wood, an engineer from Mirfield, West Yorkshire, travelled to Majorca with Janine Parr, 41, to celebrate their recent engagement.

The mother-of-four had earlier anounced their wedding plans to friends in an Instagram post.

The cafe worker said: 'Lloyd asked me to marry him and of course I said yes! So excited for our future together.'

She has not posted to her profile since the stabbing.

Mr Wood lost a lot of blood at the scene, with photos showing spatters on the floor around an outdoor table at Don Denis.

The unidentified waiter suffered injuries which were described as less serious.

Emergency responders stabilised Mr Wood at the scene before he was rushed to Son Espases Hospital in Palma.

The unnamed waiter is said to have treated in another hospital in the town of Muro.

Restaurant manager Jaime Soberats blamed the incident on a disagreement over the quality of the meat.
Joint National Education Union secretary Dr Mary Bousted

Secondary school pupils should still wear face masks when they return to the classroom this week, a teaching union boss has said.

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the National Education Union, told ministers they needed to take urgent action to avoid disruption to the new academic year.

She said: 'It would be much better if schools had not been told to abandon measures which they adopted last term.

'At a time when infection levels are 26 times what they were this time last year, it makes no sense to go back into school with so few safety measures.'

Yesterday Dr Bousted predicted that schools would be forced to adopt face masks and other Covid measures 'very shortly'.

Millions of youngsters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are set to go back to classrooms between now and the end of next week, sparking fears of an inevitable spike in cases.

Pupils in England will only be required to test themselves twice a week for the virus, with all other measures including face masks and social distancing abandoned.

But in Scotland where schools returned in mid-August, pupils and staff are still required to wear face masks and keep a one-metre distance. Despite these measures the country has seen a record surge in Covid cases.

The above graph shows how Covid cases in Scotland have begun to more than double week-on-week since schools returned on August 17. The country has recorded a record level of infections for four of the past seven days. Experts warn England could face an even worse situation when its schools return

The graph above shows England's Covid cases. It is feared that these will start to spiral this week and next after children return to the classroom

Teaching unions have told ministers to bring back face masks in schools. Some secondary schools and colleges in the South West have already brought back the measures (stock)

Dr Bousted told the Daily Mirror that English schools were heading for disaster, that was likely to spark disruption to the new academic year.

'We're going to see thousands of pupils and hundreds of teachers having to isolate,' she said. 'You only have to look at Scotland to see where we're heading.'

Britain's daily Covid hospital admissions breach 1,000 for first time since February More than 1,000 Covid patients were admitted to hospital in a single day in the UK last week for the first time since February, official data showed yesterday as the country's daily cases grew again and deaths fell. In its usual daily update, the Department of Health and Social Care revealed that 1,019 people were hospitalised with the virus across the UK on August 25. It marks the first time there have been four-figure Covid admissions since February 24 when the second wave was being brought under control and the jab rollout was just gaining momentum. The DoH update  which often includes backlogged hospital data due to the way it's recorded  showed there were a further 943 Covid admissions on August 26 and 901 on August 27, which were both week-on-week rises. There was a mixed picture as UK-wide infections yesterday increased by 4 per cent in a week to 32,181 but England's case numbers fell again, this time by 10 per cent. Infection spikes in Scotland  attributed to schools going back in mid-August  and Northern Ireland, where vaccine uptake has been slightly lower than the rest of the UK, will be playing a role. But there are fears England and Wales could see cases trend upwards again when classes go back this week and next, which has reignited the debate about jabbing children. The Government's Covid dashboard also shows that there were 50 deaths registered yesterday, a drop of more than 70 per cent. The unusually low toll is believed to be due to a recording lag over the bank holiday weekend. Advertisement

Yesterday Dr Bousted said: 'We have a much higher prevalence now in the community than it was.

'We're going in with much higher rates of prevalence into schools where we are relying on one mitigation, which is lateral flow testing.

'In Scotland they have not abandoned the safety precautions.

'My prediction is very shortly we are going to see schools all over the country in their hundreds having to operate the contingency framework.'

England's Covid cases fell 10 per cent in a week yesterday after another 20,967 were recorded, taking the infection rate to 315 cases per 100,000 people.

The country's outbreak has tailed off over the past week, but experts have always warned the return of schools would trigger an uptick.

In Scotland cases rose 40 per cent in a week yesterday after another 6,029 were registered. The nation's infection rate is currently 644 positive tests per 100,000 person.

When 8.9million children in England went back last September it led to Covid cases spiking four-fold in a month.

And they spilled over into older age groups, who are more vulnerable to the disease.

Schools in Wales and Northern Ireland are also set to go back this week and next, which is expected to fuel a rise in cases.

Schools in parts of the South West will still ask pupils to wear masks in corridors, playgrounds and 'communal areas' when they return.

And one school in Rotherham has pledged to defy Government guidance.

Wales High School in the South Yorkshire town will maintain masks and support bubbles when pupils return to the classroom this week.

Headteacher Pepe Di'Iasio told BBC Radio 4's Today programme yesterday: 'We're maintaining masks in crowded corridors, and in social areas because we feel that that will help keep the infection rates down.

'But we're also maintaining some of the pre-Covid rules of our one-way systems, and our separation of year groups that were formerly known as bubbles and they're now just going to be kept in new groups again to try and just keep crowds down and keep the numbers apart.'

There is no national guidance on wearing masks in schools, with all the remaining restrictions dropped in May.

The bubble system, which saw pupils eat with the same group every day to stop the virus spreading, was also scrapped.

No10's Education Secretary has, however, said schools should consider keeping children in lunch 'bubbles' this term to improve behaviour.

Gavin Williamson is encouraging headteachers to extend the Covid measures because it has other benefits beyond restricting the virus.

But Mr Williamson said schools found it a great opportunity to teach 'family dining'  including table manners and social skills.

Writing for the Mail, he also urged parents to encourage their children to get regularly tested and to ensure they don't get 'carried away'.

During the previous academic year schools were launched into Covid chaos with some sending whole year-groups home after just one positive test.

Official figures show that at the end of the last academic year 750,000 children had been sent home to self-isolate, despite there being only 40,000 positive tests.

Lobby groups have blamed over-cautious teachers and staff for sending so many children home, and welcomed the Government's decision to relax most Covid restrictions this year.

But teaching unions have already warned that school are set to be plunged into 'chaos' again in the weeks ahead should cases spiral rapidly.
Covid may have killed off the traditional handshake at a job interview, according to survey data.

Two-thirds of jobseekers don't want to shake an interviewer's hand amid continued reservations about social distancing.

Only a third of 735 adults surveyed by recruitment company Randstad claimed it is still appropriate to shake hands at interviews.

Handshakes have been an established part of the job interview process for decades.

Two-thirds of jobseekers don't want to shake an interviewer's hand amid continued reservations about social distancing

Some experts claim to be able to tell what the person is thinking or feeling through the brief encounter.

A limp hand could be seen as a sign of weakness, while a crushing handshake could show dominance.

Public health experts urged Brits to stop shaking hands early on in the pandemic, in an effort to combat the spread of the virus.

Randstad said thousands of online guides and videos around how to perfect the 'job-winning handshake' may soon become redundant.

Reservations about physical interactions, such as handshakes at work, remain amid continued fears of contracting Covid in the workplace, it said.

Jenna Alexander, of Randstad, said: 'The idea of compulsory pre-interview handshakes is now being perceived as a non-inclusive and unnecessary process, in the same sense as commuting a long distance to a physical meeting, according to the hundreds of jobseekers we polled.

'The traditional interview greeting and parting interaction, which many find daunting, has been identified as an old tradition that the majority hope to shake off.

'Unfortunately it took a world pandemic and Government advice to change perceptions around this.

'The focus of the interview is to ensure that the person is right for the job, not about how well they shake hands.'
Americans are increasingly upset with the way President Joe Biden handled the withdrawal from Afghanistan, with only 30 per cent saying they approve of the way it went down.

In the Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday, 12 per cent of registered voters say they strongly approve of Biden's handling of the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, which left 13 U.S. service members dead and hundreds of Americans citizens stranded there. Another 18 per cent said they somewhat approve of the president's handling.

On the other hand, a whopping 61 per cent of American voters say they either somewhat or strongly disapprove of Biden's withdrawal plan.

The president, in remarks declaring an end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan on Tuesday, called the withdrawal an 'extraordinary success'  despite a slew of criticism and leaving hundreds of Americans behind to meet the August 31 deadline he set with the Taliban.

The mission, however, is taking a toll on Biden's political standing.

A new poll shows a whopping 61 per cent of American voters do not approve of Joe Biden's handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal while only three in 10 approve

In defiant remarks on Tuesday declaring the end of the 20-year war in Afghanistan, Biden said it was an 'extraordinary success' despite 13 U.S. service member deaths in the chaos and leaving hundreds of American citizens behind

The president's overall approval rating sits at 47 per cent, according to the poll  tying with his lowest average approval rating, which dipped below 50 per cent for the first time in the midst of the Taliban takeover of Kabul.

The latest survey shows he's underwater with voters with a 49 per cent disapproval rating.

Nearly four in 10  39 per cent  of respondents said they feel the country is on the right track while 61 per cent say they think things 'have pretty seriously gone off on the wrong track.'

Originally, Biden set the troop withdrawal deadline for September 11, 2021  the date of the 20 year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that started the war in Afghanistan in the first place. He moved that date to August 31 and the last military planes and troops departed from Afghanistan on August 30.

Fifty per cent of the 1,997 voters surveyed told pollsters that they supported his decision to end the military presence in Afghanistan by September 11, and 41 per cent said they disapproved of it.

The poll was conducted August 28-30  in the final days of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. There is a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

The president refused to extend the deadline to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, despite projections that the timeline would not allow forces to get all U.S. citizens out of the country in time.

Instead, the president appeared to give into pressure from the Taliban, as they warned there would be consequences if Washington didn't stick to the August 31 deadline.

Biden vowed in his combative Tuesday remarks, where he did not take any questions, to help get remaining U.S. citizens out of Afghanistan.

The White House said over the weekend that the president would meet with his national security team every day this week in efforts to continue evacuations with the absence of a troop presence in Afghanistan.

The last U.S. troops departed Afghanistan on Monday  a day before the August 31 deadline. Here people wave Taliban flags on Tuesday during a rally celebrating the U.S. withdrawal

He also insisted in his remarks Tuesday that there was no possible way to conduct the withdrawal in a 'more orderly manner', despite several experts and retired top Military brass saying that Bagram Air Base shouldn't have been abandoned.

Biden said he 'respectfully disagreed' with critics who said he should have started the evacuation sooner to avoid the chaos.

In the chaos in Kabul, an ISIS-K suicide bomber was able to get close enough to the gates to kill 11 Marines, an Army Special Forces member and a Navy Corpsman  as well as scores of Afghanis attempting to flee the country  in the explosion.
Distressing footage taken inside south-west Sydney's Covid ground zero shows the reality endured by infected patients, as exhausted nurses say 'the worst day is every day'.

The video titled 'The Hardest of Days' was posted to Liverpool Hospital's Facebook page, capturing staff treating terminally ill patients, sharing their horrific experiences working in the Covid-19 ward.

In one harrowing scene, nurses fully clad in multiple layers of face masks and medical gowns attempt to help a clearly weak patient stand.

The video titled 'The Hardest of Days' shows nurses and struggling patients in Liverpool Hospital's Covid-19 ward

'The worst day is every day,' Jenny Wallace, the Nurse Unit Manager of Liverpool's Respiratory Ward said.

'Every day you are assisting patients that are struggling to breathe, that are away from their families and are only there with the nurses and doctors who are there to support them.'

But despite the challenges, the manager spoke very highly of her staff, even through the incredibly tough period the Covid-19 hotspot has endured.

'They show nothing but their strength, their commitment, their resilience, and compassion,' Ms Wallace said.



Dr Jonathan Williamson, Respiratory Staff Specialist at Liverpool Hospital spoke about patients who didn't survive, succumbing to the virus without their family by their side.

The footage shows nurses helping terminally ill patients, as Covid leaves them alone and without their families (pictured, nurses on the ward at Liverpool Hospital)

In the video, officials from the hospital urge NSW residents to get vaccinated, claiming the different between those who did and didn't receive the jab is like 'chalk and cheese'

'I have unfortunately looked after a number of patients who haven't made it,' Dr Williamson said.

'With dying patients, we like to be in there with them and hold their hands and have their families with them.

'Often I'm holding a telephone while they are speaking their last words to their family.'

Dr Williamson reminded viewers of the importance of getting vaccinated against Covid, claiming that the different between those who did and didn't get the jab is like 'chalk and cheese'.

'Vaccinated patients just don't get as sick. Get yourself vaccinated and listen to the public health advice,' Dr Williamson said.

Ms Wallace followed his sentiment, urging residents to 'pull up their sleeves and get the jab'.

Nurses in Liverpool Hospital are having to hold phones up to patients, talking to family they are unable to see before they die

'They need to protect themselves and their loved ones and therefore they don't have to join us here on these terrible, difficult days we have,' Ms Wallace said.

In NSW there are currently 917 patients hospitalised with Covid-19, and of those 150 are in an intensive care unit.

A worrying 66 of them require a ventilator to breathe.

There have been 156 Covid-related death since the start of the pandemic in NSW, with 100 of those coming since June 16 of this year.

But there is some hope on the horizon, with NSW set to reach a major milestone of 70 per cent of single doses on Wednesday after 148,000 residents rolled up their sleeves for the jab a day earlier.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian expects the target of 70 per cent of people double dosed to be met in mid-October.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejikilian (pictured) expects the magic number of 70% of residents double jabbed to be met in mid-October
Heathrow is now in the grip of a fourth day of queueing chaos as passengers faced yet more huge waits at the border - with one frustrated passenger comparing the scenes to the dying days of the Soviet Union.

Pictures and video from around midday showed long snaking lines of travellers packed closely together with no social distancing, as some aired themselves with leaflets in an attempt to stay cool.

Journalist Guy Faulconbridge tweeted: 'Reminds me of travelling around the former Soviet Union in the 1990s. Children playing on the floor of the airport while their parents wait for officials to check some very important documents. ''Welcome to the United Kingdom''

Journalist Guy Faulconbridge compared the scenes to the dying days of the Soviet Union

Heathrow's summer of queuing chaos: So when WILL the government get a grip? May 17 - Passengers flying into the UK faced 'bedlam' at the border with some facing a three hour wait at the Heathrow passport gates. Travellers told MailOnline how they were 'terrified of catching Covid' while being crammed into the airport's border hall this morning. July 12 - Passengers said they had 'never seen anything like' the queues at Heathrow Terminal 5 as officials blamed the scenes on staff having to self-isolate. A passenger said: 'Total chaos at security at Heathrow airport T5 this morning. Never seen anything like it.' July 20 - 90-minute queues were seen at arrivals after the government failed to update Passenger Locator Forms ahead of its 'Freedom Day' rule changes - resulting in double-jabbed Britons being rejected at e-gates. August 2 - Queues of passengers stretched the entire length of Terminal 5. Officials again blamed staff having to self-isolate. A spokesman quoted figures showing that one in four Border Force guards were reported to be off sick with Covid or self-isolating. 29 - Three-hour waits were reported at passport control. A day later the Home Office risked fury as it said passengers 'need to accept' the risk of delays at peak times. 30 - One passenger describes the immigration process in Terminal 2 as 'incompetent and ridiculous', adding that he was forced to wait for more than five hours with 'no water, no bathroom' 31 - One traveller wrote on Twitter that a queue for families with children had lasted three hours. September 1 - Pictures and video from around midday showed long snaking lines of travellers packed closely together with no social distancing, as some aired themselves with leaflets in an attempt to stay cool. Advertisement

He added: 'Is there perhaps a lack of logic here: UK citizens have to pay for loads of tests but we are greeted with this at @HeathrowAirport (partly due to spot checks for the passenger locator form)'

Mr Faulconbridge then posted an image taken an hour after arriving, showing the line had barely budged.

The Home Office has continued with its unapologetic stance despite widespread public fury, with a spokesman yesterday saying travellers would 'need to accept' increased wait times due to high summer demand and the need to check Covid documents.

Long queues at immigration has been a problem at Heathrow numerous times this summer. The issue flared up again on Sunday - with some passengers reporting waits of up to five hours - and is now into its fourth consecutive day.

Yesterday, one traveller wrote on Twitter that a queue for families with children had lasted three hours.

Another described the wait for families as 'shameful', adding that the UK 'must be the only country which treats families worse than adults'.

On Monday a passenger said the immigration process in Terminal 2 was 'incompetent, ridiculous', adding that he was forced to wait for more than five hours with 'no water, no bathroom'.

Heathrow tweeted that Border Force is 'currently experiencing some delays as they conduct additional spot checks to ensure passenger compliance with the UK Government's latest entry requirements'.

It went on: 'Waiting times at the border have on occasion been unacceptable and we have called on the UK Government to address the problem as a matter of urgency.'

Yesterday, travel firms told MailOnline the length queues were damaging to Britain's image and risked putting off future visitors.

The issue has been exacerbated by a shortage of Border Force agents and many going into self-isolation for Covid.

But yesterday a senior Tory MP insisted the issues should have been addressed 'a long time ago'.

'This has been a constant problem throughout the pandemic and I appreciate the Home Office may have had difficulties recruiting to the Border Force but that is not a new problem,' the MP told MailOnline.

'They should have addressed this a long time ago. It adds to travel uncertainty and it is not good for the travel industry or the travelling public. The Border Force needs to be better organised.'

Pictures and video from around midday showed long snaking lines of travellers packed closely together with no social distancing

Mr Faulconbridge then posted an image taken an hour after arriving, showing the line had barely budged

A Home Office spokesman said: 'Our utmost priority is protecting the safety and health of the public and we will never compromise on security, and on ensuring passengers are compliant with the current health measures, which means passengers will need to accept an increase in the time taken to cross the border.

'The rollout of upgrades to our eGates to automate checks for health requirements is ongoing, with many eGates already in operation and more to be added over the coming months to increase automated checks on passengers at airports.

'However, for safeguarding reasons families with children under the age of 12 are not permitted to use the eGates.

'Where there are high volumes of families with young children, such as over the summer holidays, Border Force may dynamically deploy resources to frontline desks instead and we continue to flexibly deploy our staff to make the process as smooth as possible.'
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki vowed on Tuesday the US will evacuate an Afghan interpreter who rescued President Joe Biden from a remote valley in 2008, after he was abandoned when the last US military evacuation flight took off Monday.

Asked about the interpreter, Mohammed, in a press conference, Psaki broadly thanked him for his service but wouldn't detail exactly how that service would be repaid.

'Our message to him is: thank you for fighting by our side for the last 20 years. Thank you for the role you played, and helping a number of my favorite people out of the snowstorm, and for all the work you did.

'And our commitment is enduring, not just to the American citizens but to our partners who have fought by our side.'

Psaki echoed other Biden officials' statements that evacuating US citizens and allies from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is not ending but moving into a 'diplomatic phase.'

'We will get you out, we will honor your service, and we're committed to doing exactly that,' she said.

The press secretary did not elaborate on how the Biden administration intends to see that through.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki promised the US would get the Afghan interpreter who saved Joe Biden out but didn't indicate a plan to do it

Then-Senators Joe Biden, John Kerry, and Chuck Hagel in Kunar Province in eastern Afghanistan, February 20, 2008

Mohammed, going only by his first name for safety reasons, is hiding from the Taliban with his wife and four children after trying for years to get out of Afghanistan to no avail, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Mohammed, while working for the US Army, had a key role in a story often repeated - and embellished - by Biden during his 2008 run for vice president.

As senator, Biden was on board one of two Blackhawk helicopters that made an emergency landing in a blinding snowstorm, alongside then-Sens. John Kerry D-Mass., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.

Mohammed is one of the thousands of SIV applicants left behind. There were 88,000 SIV applicants and as of last week only 6,000 had gotten out.

A private security team with the former firm Blackwater and US Army soldiers stood watch for Taliban fighters as the crew called Bagram Air Base for help, where Mohammed jumped in a Humvee along with a force from the 82nd Airborne Division and drove hours into the mountains to rescue them.

The three senators were driven back to the base with the convoy.

'Hello Mr. President: Save me and my family,' Mohammed said, according to the Wall Street Journal. 'Don't forget me here.'

'I can't leave my house,' he said on Tuesday. 'I'm very scared.'

Kerry, left, is seen with Biden, right, during their visiting to the governor's office in Asad Abad, the provincial capital of Kunar province east of Kabul, Afghanistan on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008

Badri 313 units post for the cameras at Kabul airport today, carrying American-made rifles and wearing US military gear

Mohammed's visa application reportedly stalled when the defense contractor he worked for lost records needed for his visa application. As the Taliban seized control on Aug. 15, Mohammed tried his luck at the Kabul airport gates but was turned away by US forces. They told him he could go but he'd have to leave behind his wife and children.

US soldiers say Mohammed was there alongside them for over 100 firefights.

The area of the rescue was not under Taliban control, but just one day before the three then-senators' choppers went down, Taliban had killed nearly two dozen Taliban insurgents just 10 miles away.

'We were going to send Biden out to fight the Taliban with snowballs, but we didn't have to do it,' Kerry joked after the senators' rescue.

The trip was one of many that Biden, then chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, took overseas with Kerry and Hagel, who went on to become secretaries of state and defense respectively under President Obama.

In a speech on the campaign trail, Biden said in 2008: 'If you want to know where Al Qaeda lives, you want to know where (Usama) bin Laden is, come back to Afghanistan with me. Come back to the area where my helicopter was forced down with a three-star general and three senators at 10,500 feet in the middle of those mountains. I can tell you where they are.'

'It's in the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan,' he said, 'where my helicopter was recently forced down.'

Army veterans have stepped in on Mohammed's behalf to call for help. 'If you can only help one Afghan, choose [Mohammed],' wrote Shawn O'Brien, an Army combat veteran who worked with him in Afghanistan in 2008. 'He earned it.'

The US has evacuated over 120,000 from Taliban rule since Aug. 14, including 5,500 Americans, but left behind somewhere between 100 and 200 Americans and thousands of Afghan interpreters who worked with the US military in its hasty exit.

The State Department has promised to use all diplomatic channels to continue evacuations without a troop or embassy presence.

A White House official declined to comment on Mohammed's case for confidentiality reasons.
An Illinois woman who doesn't know how to spell Moderna was arrested after using a fake COVID-19 vaccination card to go on vacation in Hawaii, police said.

Chloe Mrozak, 24, raised suspicion of airport screeners when she presented the bogus card upon her arrival to Oahu on a Southwest flight last Monday.

Perhaps the most obvious tip off was that Mrozak's vaccination card misspelled 'Moderna' as 'Maderna', court documents allege.

The aspiring model from Oak Lawn in Illinois also listed Delaware as the place where she got her vaccination and claimed it was administered by 'cpl wolf' and 'ssgt montey' of the National Guard.

Chloe Mrozak, 24, was arrested after Hawaii officials flagged her COVID vaccine card

Mrozak's vaccination card misspelled the 'Moderna' COVID-19 vaccine as 'Maderna'

Hawaiian authorities said Mrozak (pictured) left the airport without confirming her hotel reservation with screeners, listing the Holiday Inn Express in Waikiki as the place of her stay

Mrozak was allowed to leave the airport without confirming her hotel reservation with screeners, listing the Holiday Inn Express in Waikiki as the place of her stay as well as leaving no return flight details, wane.com reported.

Hawaii uses the Safe Travels program to verify incoming travelers' COVID test and vaccination records. State law requires visitors to either provide proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test taken no more than 72 hours before arriving in the state.

Officials were able to confirm there were no reservations at the hotel under her name and investigators continued to look into her alleged fake vaccination card throughout the duration of her trip.

A special agent in charge of the investigation contacted officials in Delaware and found no record of her getting vaccinated. The sleuth also searched Mrozak's Facebook profile and found she had a large tattoo on her left hip, CBS 2 reported.

The tattoo is of a very distinctive bible verse: 'So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal.'

Investigators slapped the cuffs on Mrozak on Saturday when she returned to Daniel K. Inouye international Airport for her departure flight on Southwest Airlines.

She was arrested on suspicion of falsified vaccination documents and told officers she paid her doctor for the vaccination shot, wave3.com reported.

Unable to post $2,000 bail, Mrozak is currently being held in a local correction facility.

Officials were also able to identify the 24-year-old because of a very distinctive bible verse tattoo on her left hip

Unable to post bail, Chloe Mrozak (pictured) is currently being held in a local correction facility

A specific bible verse on Mrozak's left hip helped authorities apprehend her at the airport.

Since news of her arrest broke her public Facebook profile has been flooded with comments, including one person who said she will neve live down this decision.

'The best part is that this act of stupidity will persist on the Internet for years .... and will show up every time a potential employer does a search on her name.' someone commented.

There were also comments mocking her spelling error.

'Maybe she will try to take the Jonestown & Jonestown vaccination next' someone else wrote.

Mrozak is not the only person to get busted by Hawaiian authorities, earlier this month a Florida couple were arrested after allegedly presenting fake COVID vaccination cards to airport staff when they arrived for a vacation in Hawaii.

Enzo Dalmazzo, 43, and Daniela Dalmazzo, 31, were arrested on August 11 - shortly after they arrived in Honolulu with their two children.

The couple allegedly gave officials vaccination cards for themselves and their two children.

But a TSA agent became suspicious about the children's vaccination cards because they would have been too young to get the shot.

According to court documents obtained by NBC Miami, Enzo has been charged with one count of presenting false documents and Daniela has been charged with three counts - two of which relate to the children.

They were released on a combined $8,000 bail - a $2,000 bail for Enzo and a $6,000 bail for Daniela.

Upon arrest Chloe Mrozak (pictured) told authorities that she paid her doctor for the vaccination card
President George W Bush has recalled how he dealt with 9/11 as events unfolded, and defended his decision to 'protect the American people' by invading Afghanistan in the aftermath.

Speaking in a new documentary '9/11: Inside the President's War Room' that aired in Britain on the BBC, Bush's comment are his first ahead of the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that took the lives of 2,996 people.

The anniversary comes after the U.S. pulled its last troops out of Afghanistan, where they were first sent in the aftermath of the attacks to dispose of the Taliban who were believed to be harbouring Al Qaida, the group responsible for 9/11.

Since the start of Bush's 'War or Terror', around 2,800 U.S. military personnel have been killed in Afghanistan, along with thousands of allied troops, civilians, contractors and enemy fighters - only for the Taliban to be in control of the country 20 years on.

But the former president defended his decision to send in troops to Afghanistan following 9/11, saying it was not made out of anger, but to protect Americans.

Speaking in a new documentary '9/11: Inside the President's War Room' (pictured) that aired in Britain on the BBC, Bush's comment are his first ahead of the 20th anniversary of the attacks that took the lives of 2,996 people

'I made some big decisions. Starting with the big thought of America being at war,' the former president told the filmmakers.

'And those decisions were not made out of anger, they were made with a goal in mind, which was to protect the American people. I think I was right,' he said defiantly.

When asked whether he believed his actions after 9/11 made the world a safer place, Bush said: 'You know, there weren't any other attacks on America.

'We'll let the historians sort all that out. Let's just say this - I'm comfortable with the decisions I made.'

Bush - along with other members of his administration during the time of the terrorist attacks - told the broadcaster about the immediate aftermath of learning about the plane to fly and crash into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre.

'At first I thought it was pilot error,' Bush said of his immediate thoughts. 'I couldn't imagine anything other than a lousy pilot getting loose,' he added saying he had assumed it was 'an accident'.

At the time, the president and senior members of his administration were on their way to Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Florida to promote a new education curriculum.

Pictured: Hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 flies toward the World Trade Center twin towers shortly before slamming into the South tower (left), as the North tower burns, following an earlier attack by a hijacked airliner in New York, U.S., September 11, 2001 (file photo)

Pictured: US President George W. Bush speaking to Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chretien from the White House in Washington, DC, before telling the nation of the start of military strikes against the Taliban government in Afghanistan, October 8, 2001

The morning of the attacks, the CIA briefing given by Mike Morell to the president didn't have anything out of the ordinary in it. Bush had just been for a morning run and 'was in a very good mood,' Morell told the BBC.

'I got dressed and got briefed by Mike Morell,' Bush recalled. 'He was the primary briefer from the CIA. And you know, he had good knowledge and judgement.'

'There was absolutely nothing in the briefing about terrorism,' Morell said. 'It was focused primarily on what was happening in the West Bank and Gaza'.

The briefing finished by 8.30 a.m. on September 11, and the president's motorcade left for the school. It was then that members of the administration heard over an open radio channel that then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice was waiting on a secure line to talk to the president when he got to the school.

Air Fleischer, White House Press Secretary at the time, said: 'As the motorcade pulled into the school, my pager went off. The message was an aeroplane has flown into the World Trade Center. No additional information, nothing else to report.'

Karl Rove, senior advisor to the president at the time, said his assistant called him from the West Wing once they arrived at the school to tell him of the attack.

U.S. President George W. Bush listens as White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card informs him of a second plane hitting the World Trade Center, while Bush was conducting a reading seminar at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, September 11, 2001

'[She] says we don't know if it's commercial, or private prop or jet. That's all the details she had,' Rove recalled.

'So I went over - the president was 10 feet away or so  and I walked over and told him. And he had a quizzical look of his face, and he said: 'Get more details'.'

President Bush told his staff to provide whatever help necessary to New York City, and entered a classroom at the school that played host to one of the most iconic moments in modern American history.

After the second attack, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card famously informed the president while he was speaking in front of a classroom full of children that 'a second plane has hit the second tower. America is under attack.'

Bush opted to stay calm in a bid not to panic the children, but what followed was a day of constant movement for the president and his senior team. They initially set up a situation room at the school, before driving to and boarding Air Force One.

While in the air, however, word came through that the president's aircraft was also a target. 'There was a call into a switchboard that said 'Angel's next'. And Angel was the code word for Air Force Once,' Bush told the BBC.

US Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) deployed off USS Bataan's (LHD 5) Amphibious Ready Group arriving at an undisclosed location with field gear and weapons, December 19, 2001

20 years later: The XVIII Airborne Corps released an image Monday of the last U.S. soldier to leave Afghanistan  Major General Chris Donahue, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division

This came as a surprise to the president and his security detail, as 'Angel' was the code word for Air Force one not known by anyone outside the administration.

Fleischer said that a shiver went through everybody close to the president.

'So when Air Force One's pilot Colonel [Mark] Tillman heard about this, he posted at the base of the steps that lead up to the cockpit an air force security officer with instructions that no one is to go upstairs,' he said.

'Think about that. The inner sanctum of the inner sanctum and the pilot is worried that someone in the president's circle could try and conduct an inside job and take down Air Force One.'

Dave Wilkinson, President's Secret Service detail, recalled: 'Once we found that the president was a target, we take no chances. We've taken all the weapons away, we believe, we've done everything we can do  but you never know.'

'We had the agents come up to the front and stand close to the president's cabin and make sure no one could come up to the front of the aircraft. Even your most senior White House staff members were not allowed to come up there unless the president called them to.'

The events of September 11, 2001 would go on to become one of the defining moments of the 21st century, the effects of which are still being felt today.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday said the US troop withdrawal from Kabul was an 'extraordinary success' and blamed Donald Trump and local soldiers for the chaos in Afghanistan

On Tuesday, current President Joe Biden said he chose to end the war in Afghanistan in order to focus the nation's defenses on other security problems, including China and Russia.

Addressing the nation from the White House on the day after the last U.S. troops left Afghanistan, ending the 20-year war, Biden said he will sharpen the focus of U.S. foreign policy by concentrating on threats such as cyberattack and the proliferation of nuclear weapon technologies.

He vowed to continue counterterrorism operations, including against any threats emanating from Afghanistan. He says this can be done with forces based outside of Afghanistan.

The president also mentioned the Islamic State extremist group's Afghanistan affiliate, which conducted a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport on Aug. 26 that killed 13 American service members and dozens of Afghan civilians. Biden said, 'We are not done with you yet.'

Biden spoke passionately as he defended his actions, at times waving his arms and gripping the podium, amid intense criticism from Democrats, many Republicans and fellow world leaders about his handling of the U.S. drawdown.

Eleven Marines, a Special Forces member and a Navy Corpsman were all killed in the ISIS-K suicide attack last Thursday as US forces frantically tried to get people on evacuation flights before the August 31 deadline.

Thousands of local allies and at least 100 U.S. citizens are still stuck and facing threats from the Taliban. Afghans desperate to leave ran after US planes on the tarmac and two fell out of the skies to their deaths in a bid to escape the rule of the insurgents.

The Taliban have also tightened their grip on Afghanistan and are holding mock funerals for Western troops, reportedly beating female cops and a retired three-star general has warned America's return is 'inevitable'.

In August, Bush said he and former First Lady Laura Bush feel 'deep sadness' over the events unfolding in Afghanistan.

In a statement issued late on August 16, the former president and his wife said their '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.'

Bush said in July that the withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan was a 'mistake' and warned civilians were being left to be 'slaughtered' by the 'brutal' Taliban in an interview with Deutsche Welle

The full statement from George W. Bush and his wife Laura was issued by the former president

Bush had criticized the planned withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan just last month, warning that civilians would be left to be 'slaughtered' by the 'brutal' Taliban and women and girls would face 'unspeakable harm.'

The former Republican president was responsible for the initial US onslaught against the Taliban when he deployed troops to Afghanistan in 2001 after the September 11 attacks on New York's World Trade Center.

After expressing his condolences, the former president asserted his confidence that the United States Armed Forces (USAF) would be able to carry out an effective evacuation plan of the remaining Americans and Afghan refugees.

Bush and his wife went on to recognize the veterans who had served in Afghanistan, lauding their accomplishments and recognizing the wounds, both visible and invisible, suffered by those who were embroiled in the conflict.

Their statement read 'in times like these, it can be hard to remain optimistic', but echoed the sentiments of Dr. Sakena Yacoobi of the Afghan Institute of Learning who declared 'the Taliban cannot crush a dream.'

The former president and his wife rounded off their statement by offering their support and that of the Bush Center, a complex which houses Bush's presidential library, policy institute and the George W. Bush Foundation.

In an July interview with Deutsche Welle, Bush said: 'It's unbelievable how [the Afghan] society changed from the brutality of the Taliban and how all of a sudden, sadly, I'm afraid Afghan women and girls are going to suffer unspeakable harm.'

'I think about all the interpreters and the people that helped not only US troops, but NATO troops and it seems like they're just going to be left behind to be slaughtered by these very brutal people, and it breaks my heart.'

9/11: Inside the President's War Room is available on BBC iPlayer by clicking here
A Chicago father in a custody battle with his ex-wife has filed an emergency motion to prevent her from being reunited with their 11-year old son today because she is not vaccinated.

Rebecca Firlit was barred from seeing her son for the same reason by Cook County Judge James Shapiro on August 10, but Shapiro reversed the decision two days ago and has since recused himself from the case.

The boy's father, Matthew Duiven, took action on Tuesday to reinstate Shapiro's original order and keep Firlit away from their child.

Now, she and her legal team have until 2pm today to object to the 'emergency' nature of the motion, according to Fox 32 Chicago. A new judge will determine whether she could see her son.

Shapiro has brought up vaccination status in other cases and has admitted to ordering some parents and children to be vaccinated in at least two different child support hearings in July, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.

It is not known why he vacated his original decision, but Firlit's lawyer said the judge was guilty of 'very much exceeding his judicial authority.'

Rebecca Firlit (left) and her attorney Annette Fernholz (right) are fighting for a Chicago court to permit Firlit to be able to see her 11-year old son

The boy's father, Matthew Duiven, took action on Tuesday to reinstate Shapiro's original order and keep Firlit (pictured left) away from their child (right)

Shapiro has since recused himself from the case and said in a statement, 'Public perception may be that I can't be fair and impartial'

Regarding his decision to recuse himself from Firlit's case, a statement from him distributed by a court spokesman reads, 'Although I believe I can be fair and impartial, the Canons of Judicial Ethics speak to the perception of fairness and impartiality as well as fairness and impartiality itself. Public perception may be that I can't be fair and impartial. Therefore, I am going to recuse myself from further proceedings in this case.'

Firlit, 39, a desk clerk from Chicago, told the Chicago Sun-Times that she has had adverse reactions to vaccinations in the past and that her doctor had advised her not to get a Covid-19 shot.

It is not known if Firlit told the judge about her past problems with vaccinations or if this contributed to his decision to reverse his original order.

The parents have been divorced for seven years and share custody of the boy. This was called one of the first such rulings of its kind.

Duiven, is vaccinated, and his lawyer, Jeffery Leving, said they were surprised by the judge's decision at the time, but that they support it in the interest of keeping his son safe.

'There are children who have died because of COVID. I think every child should be safe. And I agree that the mother should be vaccinated,' Leving told Fox 32.

An attorney representing the 11-year-old boy agreed and said Firlit's behavior during the hearing was 'volatile' and another reason for his father to file the emergency motion.

Now, she and her legal team have until 2pm today to object to the 'emergency' nature of the motion

'The judge needs to look out for the best interest of the child,' Bender said, adding that he believes the judge may have been concerned about the boy's safety and used the vaccination as a temporary excuse.

'He was seeing something that clearly said to him, 'There is an endangerment to the child right now.' And we're gonna act on it,' Bender said.

But Firlit denied that her actions in the hearing had anything to do with his ruling on her vaccination status. 'It definitely was not a reason to take my child away from me,' Firlit said.

'I'm not an endangerment to him. Nothing was filed about that. Nothing that we were in the hearing for had anything to do with it.'

Firlit's lawyer, Annette Fernholz, said Shapiro's initial decision was 'very much exceeding his judicial authority.'

Firlit is not the only person to have had such an experience with Shapiro. Edward Hambrick, a 48-year-old computer consultant, was involved in one case in which Shapiro demanded he get vaccinated. He filed some of their discussions over Zoom and the clips have gone viral on TikTok.

The videos only show Hambrick from his laptop with Shapiro's audio, but the Chicago Sun-Times sent the videos to Mary Wisniewski, director of communications for Chief Judge Tim Evans of Cook County Circuit Court, to confirm it was him speaking.

She said in an email, 'that does sound like Judge Shapiro,' before adding that it is against court rules to record hearings without approval from the chief judge's office.

One clip, viewed over 67,000 times, reveals Shapiro asking Hambrick if he has been vaccinated. He says it's a 'personal question' and claims it violates federal HIPAA law governing the release of an individual's health information by health care providers and insurance plans.

Firlit is not the only person who Shapiro demanded get vaccinated. Edward Hambrick, a 48-year-old computer consultant, was involved in a similar case and filmed the interaction before posting it to TikTok.

'That's a myth you've been fed online,' Shapiro said, adding that Hambrick answered the question by refusing to answer. '. . . It would behoove you to get vaccinated, sir. ... It's not a personal question because it affects other people, OK? And it does not violate HIPAA.'

Hambrick tells Shapiro that he has consulted with family members who are nurses and doctors and Shapiro says, 'I would be very surprised if you consulted with a doctor who advised you not to get vaccinated'

He adds, 'I would not be as surprised if you consulted with a nurse who did not get vaccinated because nurses apparently in Houston and elsewhere are refusing to get vaccinated. That speaks a lot to their intelligence level and I would not want to be treated by a nurse who refused to get vaccinated. It's not a choice, Mr. Hambrick, it's an obligation.'

Another video posted by Hambrick reveals Shapiro speaking with another man on the same day, in which he says to the unnamed man, 'I urge you sir to get vaccinated, trust me . . . it's just dumb not to get vaccinated. Nobody with half a brain is not getting vaccinated these days. The only people not getting vaccinated are dying, OK. So I urge you and your daughter to get vaccinated. It's stupid not to and I have been ordering parents to get vaccinated and some kids to get vaccinated also. That's how strongly I feel about the efficacy of this vaccine. Reasonable minds cannot differ about this vaccine.'

Hambrick, who is representing himself, is set to appear in front of Shapiro again on Sept. 21, but has since filed a petition for a new judge. He and Firlit both asserted that their vaccination status has nothing to do with their cases.

Although children can contract COVID-19 and pass the disease on to others, they tend to not get very ill.

More than 180,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 last week, a 50 percent increase over the previous week, according to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Thousands of kids are already in quarantine due to contracting or being exposed to the virus in the school year's opening weeks, and some schools have even had to close.
A new Covid test said to be better than a lateral flow could become the new first line of defence against the virus in hospitals  and it doesn't require a painful swab.

Oxford University experts claim they have developed an AI-based test that can spot the virus and give a result in as little as 10 minutes without a throat or nose sample.

All that is required from a patient is a routine blood test, which is already collected for virtually everyone admitted to hospital.

A major study of the test  known as CURIAL-Rapide  on 72,000 NHS patients found it correctly ruled out the infection 99.7 per cent of the time.

The researchers said this was a fifth more accurate than lateral flow devices, which are currently the most commonly used rapid test.

When carried out at the bedside of patients, the new test could give a diagnosis in just 10 minutes  compared to the half an hour it takes on average for a lateral flow.

In emergency departments CURIAL-Rapide produced results in 45 minutes by the time a sample was taken and processed.

This was quicker than the hour it took for lateral flows, which if negative need to be cross-referenced with a PCR.

Many large hospitals have lab facilities where they can process PCR tests  the gold standard of Covid testing  on site.

But CURIAL-Rapide could make a 'particularly big difference' in small hospitals which don't have that luxury and need to send away for results, the Oxford experts said.

A new Covid test said to be better than a lateral flow could become the new first line of defence against the virus in hospitals. It uses artificial intelligence and all that is needed is a routine blood test (stock image)

When carried out at the bedside of patients, the new test could give a diagnosis in just 10 minutes  compared to the half an hour it takes on average for a lateral flow. In emergency departments CURIAL-Rapide produced results in 45 minutes by the time a sample was taken and processed. This was quicker than the hour it took for lateral flows, which if negative need to be cross-referenced with a PCR

Lead researcher Dr Andrew Soltan, a clinician and machine learning researcher at Oxford, said: 'Many of our patients coming to the ED are in the most vulnerable groups.

'CURIAL-Rapide is exciting because it uses new near-patient testing to collect all the data needed for a prediction by the bedside in 10 minutes, cutting out the time for transporting samples to a lab.

'This means infected patients are identified sooner, while patients being admitted with other conditions can be quickly and safely transferred to wards where they are less likely to be exposed.

'This technology can help hospitals run more smoothly and may make a particularly big difference for smaller hospitals where there isn't a lab on-site.

'CURIAL is an example of how the collaborative strength of the NHS, bringing together universities with hospital groups across the country, is helping to build an evidence base for safe and responsible use of clinical AI.'

The AI test uses routine blood tests and vital signs like heart rate and blood pressure to look for signs of viral infection.

The Oxford team are in the process of applying for funding from the Department of Health for a national rollout.

The device was trialled at five hospitals in Oxford, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Bedfordshire between December and March.

Dr Alex Novak, lead consultant for emergency medicine research at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the results were 'exciting'.

He added it had 'the power to rapidly translate into tangible benefits for patient care and optimise service performance at the frontline'.

Professor David Clifton, study co-author, said: 'The University has demonstrated that it has risen to the challenge posed to society by the Covid pandemic, and this AI-driven tool being implemented for use in Emergency Departments is a great example of how we and the NHS can work together to produce something of lasting value to patients.

'With the emphasis moving to living with Covid every year, research collaborations delivering tools such as CURIAL are the future for our field.

'Our recently-announced Pandemic Sciences Centre will be a key means of supporting such collaborations in future, with the goal of getting us to a state of advanced preparedness for the arrival of new diseases or variants.'
The Marine battalion commander who was relieved of his duties for blasting his superiors over the Afghanistan exit strategy has submitted his resignation, effective September 11, 2021.

Lt. Colonel Stuart Scheller publicly shared his resignation letter on Tuesday, addressing it to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Torro and citing 'a lack of trust and confidence in your ability to lead.'

'We the people seek change. We the people seek leadership. We the people seek accountability. We the people WILL take it,' wrote Scheller in a LinkedIn post along with the letter. 'Every generation needs a revolution.'

Scheller's original viral video last week criticized Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley for leaving Bagram Air Base before all Americans and their allies had the chance to be evacuated from Afghanistan.

Lt. Colonel Stuart Scheller has submitted his resignation, effective September 11, 2021

Scheller publicly shared his resignation letter on Tuesday, addressing it to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Torro and citing 'a lack of trust and confidence in your ability to lead'

Scheller also posted on social media saying 'Every generation needs a revolution'

He called out his superiors for not 'raising their hands and accepting accountability or saying, "We messed this up".'

It came after 13 U.S. service members, including 11 Marines, were killed along with more than 160 Afghans after at least one suicide bomber attacked the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.

The wording of Scheller's resignation letter echoed a statement given by Maj. Jim Stenger, a Marine Corps spokesperson, to DailyMail.com, saying that Scheller was relieved of command after criticizing leadership 'due to a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to command.'

'This is obviously an emotional time for a lot of Marines, and we encourage anyone struggling right now to seek counseling or talk to a fellow Marine. There is a forum in which Marine leaders can address their disagreements with the chain of command, but it's not social media,' Maj. Stenger said.

Scheller blasted top brass again in an update Monday, saying that when he returned to work on Monday he was ordered to go to a hospital to be 'evaluated by the mental health specialists'.

Scheller said that 'excusing the action of service members because of "PTSD" does more damage to service members than any trauma in combat' and that he is stronger because of his involvement in 'very traumatic situations.'

PICTURED: Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller wrote a lengthy post on Facebook, doubling down on accountability and tying the trait to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. He also criticized Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for saying COVID, not a high suicide rate is the Department of Defense's biggest threat

Scheller's Facebook post on Monday said that he understood why his commanding officer sent him for a mental health evaluation.

But said it 'brings up a couple of important issues' because it suggested officials were trying to excuse his actions because of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Scheller said: 'If youre worried about someone you should reach out and check on them. But never excuse a service members actions with a wave of the hand to PTSD. You are crippling them by failing to hold them accountable.'

He added that 'accountability from senior leaders would alleviate feelings of guilt or shame in service members more than individual counseling.'

Further on, Scheller criticized Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin once more for saying that 'the most immediate threat [to the DoD] is COVID,' after condemning him in his resignation video on Sunday.

He claimed that 'from a statistical perspective, it's pretty easy to argue that COVID isn't the biggest threat,' as he goes on to point out that 'well over' 6,000 Veterans committed suicide in 2018, according to the 2020 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report.

Scheller insisted that he was going to follow through with his resignation from the Marines.

Ending his post in a defiant tone, Scheller insisted that he is 'not going anywhere,' after his followers were worried about him, and that he is 'scared' for what the future holds for him.

However, 'the system' can't beat him if he stands 'with accountability and integrity.'

The post comes just a day after Scheller published a 10-minute video on Sunday, titled 'Your Move,' acknowledging he had sacrificed a cushy pension by leaving the Marines after making his comments.

It's unheard of for an active duty Marine commander to publicly rip ranking military leaders.

Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller published a new video online on Sunday addressing his resignation just days after he went viral for calling out his superiors

The new 10-minute video, titled 'Your Move,' acknowledges Scheller has sacrificed a cushy pension by leaving the Marines after making his comments

'I just want to clarify my legal status. I have been relieved of my command but I am still a United States Marine. Currently I am not pending legal action,' Scheller said in a video announcing his intent to retire after a 17-year military career.

Scheller said the Marines wanted 'to hide me away' for three years until his service ended and not send him to a board of inquiry, which could have separated him on 'other than honorable' conditions.

The Marine revealed that he was resigning after he felt challenged to after a comment to his post on LinkedIn from retired Marine Col. Thomas K. Hobbs.

'If Scheller was truly honorable, he would have resigned his commission in protest after stating what he did,' wrote Hobbs, who Scheller said he loved 'like a father.'

Scheller said: 'You didn't say 'is' as in challenging me, you said 'was' as if you assumed I wouldn't do it.'

'I want to make the announcement today, after 17 years, I'm currently not pending legal action and I could stay in the Marine Corps for another three years but I don't think that's the path I'm on.'

Scheller said in the video that his resignation would be effective 'now' though acknowledged that there's administrative paperwork that needs to be filed for him to properly resign.

'But I am forfeiting my retirement, all entitlements. I don't want a single dollar. I don't want any money from the VA, I don't want any VA benefits,' Scheller said, claiming that he was forgoing more than $2 million in pension benefits by leaving the service.

In the video, Scheller also appeared to direct a vague threat toward senior military leaders - who he said should be given the money from his pension.

Follow up post to the video where Scheller said he was relived of his duty

He claimed in another Facebook post that some of his fellow officers have urged him to take down the video despite agreeing with him.

'I think that money should go back to all the senior general officers because I think they need it more than I do - because when I am done with what I'm about to do, you all are going to need the jobs and the security,' he said.

The Marine said that he 'would have gone back into the rank-and-file' if his superiors had just said 'Yes, mistakes were made.'

He said that he was trying to get senior leaders to 'accept accountability.'

'I think them accepting accountability would do more for service members and PTSD and struggling with purpose than any other transparent piece of paper or message,' Scheller said in the video.

He added: 'If Stuart Scheller was honorable, he would resign. You have no idea what I'm capable of doing.'

'To all the congressmen, senators, every media station across the globe, yo all the rich philanthropists, I appreciate the support and I'm going to need your support.'

In comments to the New York Post on Saturday, Scheller had evoked former President Thomas Jefferson's saying: 'Every generation needs a revolution.'

The New York Post also spoke with Scheller's family and Marines he has served with, who praised his 'courage' for speaking out.

Juan Chavez, 33, served under Scheller from 2011 to 2014 and called him a 'magnificent leader' and 'a breath of fresh air' in comments to the New York Post.

'It takes real courage to do what he did and that was Stu all the way,' Chavez said.

Stuart Scheller Sr., his father, called him 'the real deal' and 'a Marine's Marine' who idolized his grandfather, a World War II vet who landed on the beach at Normandy.

'He has put his life on the line for fellow Marines so putting his career on the line like this does not surprise us,' the proud father said.

He added: 'He's still on the battlefield protecting his men and women. It's interesting that no one (in the military) has answered his call for accountability. Their answer was to fire him I guess. It's a sad day for America.'

Scheller was relieved of his duties as a battalion commander after a stellar 17-year career. 'I have been fighting for 17 years. I am willing to throw it all away to say to my senior leaders, 'I demand accountability,'' he said

Scheller claimed in a Facebook post on Saturday that some of his fellow officers have urged him to take down the video despite agreeing with him.

'Obviously I didn't take it down,' Scheller wrote.

'I'll offer this: we can't ALL be wrong. If you all agree  then step up. They only have the power because we allow it. What if we all demanded accountability?'

Scheller, whose career included tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, had posted the controversial five-minute video on Facebook and LinkedIn. In a follow up post later in the day Friday, he said was relieved of his duties.

'The reason people are so upset on social media right now is not because the Marine on the battlefield let someone down,' Scheller said in the original video.

'I have been fighting for 17 years. I am willing to throw it all away to say to my senior leaders, 'I demand accountability.''

Lt. Col. Scheller said he had a personal relationship with one of the Marines who died in Thursday's ISIS-K bombing and 'potentially, all those people did die in vain' if the leaders don't take ownership of the debacle.

He said a major strategic error was not securing Bagram air base before evacuating people. Instead, the US relied on the Kabul airport as the only way to fly out of the country.
President Joe Biden will welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House on Wednesday after their meeting was pushed back as Biden grappled with dueling crises in the Kabul airport suicide attack that killed 13 US servicemembers and the devastating toll of Hurricane Ida.

'The message behind our visit is clear: the United States' commitment to Ukraine sovereignty, territorial integrity, and Euro-Atlantic aspirations,' senior administration officials said.

It will be Zelensky's first time at the White House, but shadow of Biden's predecessor will loom over the meeting.

Two years ago former President Trump dangled a possible White House meeting over Zelensky's head but pressured him to announce an investigation into then-candidate Biden and his son Hunter.

Trump had suggested Zelensky look into Hunter Biden's time on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

When he was vice president Biden leveraged $1 billion in aid over the Eastern European country in a international bid to oust a federal prosecutor who failed to go after corruption among Ukraine's top politicians. Trump claimed it was because the prosecutor was looking into Burisma.

Biden will welcome Zelensky to the White House on Wednesday afternoon after the meeting was pushed back from Monday

Trump dangled a possible White House visit over Zelensky's head roughly two years ago while he tried to pressure him into announcing an investigation into the Bidens

But the White House is going into the Oval Office meeting on a hopeful note.

'This visit will affirm the United States' unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia's ongoing aggression in the Donbas and Crimea, our close cooperation on energy security, and our backing for President Zelenskyy's efforts to tackle corruption and implement a reform agenda based on our shared democratic values,' the White House said in a statement.

Biden and Zelensky have spoken by phone twice before, once in April and once in June before the US president's meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Geneva.

The two heads of state were originally slated to sit down together Monday afternoon.

That same day the final US military jet departed from Hamid Karzai International Airport, officially ending the 20-year American military presence in Afghanistan.

Instead of hosting the face-to-face Monday, the president sat down with Vice President Kamala Harris and their national security team to discuss the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.

Just days before, a suicide bomber linked to Afghan ISIS affiliate ISIS-K set off an explosion at the Kabul airport's crowded Abbey Gate checkpoint.

The blast killed 170 Afghans and 13 members of the US military.

Biden and Zelensky's face-to-face was delayed after a suicide attack on Thursday killed numerous people outside of Hamid Karzai International Airport

13 US service members were among those killed in the devastating blast

Biden was blamed by some Republican lawmakers and grieving family members for the servicemembers' deaths.

Also on Monday Biden spent the day being briefed on Hurricane Ida by his homeland security team.

The visit will underscore numerous assistance measures to Ukraine, including on energy, anti-corruption, military defense and pandemic aid.

Biden is also expected to provide an additional $12.8 million in COVID-19 support to Ukraine after the US already gave $55 million and 2.2 million vaccine doses.

Officials also said Biden is hoping to get an update on Ukraine's security situation amid Russian aggression, and will talk about ways the country can 'continue to provide security assistance to Ukraine.'

Part of that aide will be $45 million in humanitarian funding aimed at supporting 'Ukrainians that remain impacted by the crisis with Russia in the east.'

Zelensky met with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Tuesday to underscore their military partnership

Zelensky also met with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson Tuesday, after which he expressed a desire for Ukraine to become a 'space power again'

In the past Biden has been criticized as taking too soft a stance against Russia as it slowly strengthens its grip in the region.

Biden formally withdrew US opposition to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany, which would undercut the Ukrainian energy sector by lessening the need for natural gas routes through there.

The president has also sent multiple apparently empty warnings to Putin over massive cyberattacks across companies the US government and numerous private entities rely on like Microsoft.

Russia has denied participation in the hacks. The US Treasury blacklisted 32 Russian entities in April over efforts to meddle in the 2020 election and other 'acts of disinformation and interference.'

In a stark contrast to Zelensky's call with Trump, senior officials said Biden is expected to announce a new $60 million military aid package to Ukraine.

Trump had previously slow-walked $250 million in security aid as part of his pressure campaign on Zelensky.

Biden previously spoke with Zelensky over the phone in June before his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Geneva

Wednesday's meeting won't be Zelensky's first time meeting with Biden officials face-to-face.

On Tuesday Zelensky met with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. They signed a Strategic Defense Framework aimed at strengthening the Ukrainian defense sector at its borders and in the Black Sea as well as reaffirming the US-Ukraine partnership.

Austin's counterpart, Defense Minister Andrii Taran, was also present.

Zelensky also met with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, after which he publicly invited the former Florida senator to Ukraine and said on Twitter: 'Ukraine must become a space power again.'

'Today I had a fruitful discussion with [NASA] Administrator [Bill Nelson] on projects Ukraine can join with its unique space technologies.'

Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in May. Last week Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm led a delegation there to represent the Biden administration at the Crimea Platform Summit and commemorate Ukraine's 30th anniversary of independence from the former Soviet Union.

Today Biden and Zelensky will meet for an expanded bilateral meeting with senior advisers before transitioning to a one-on-one, senior administration officials said.
Real Housewives of Orange County alum and vaccine skeptic Vicki Gunvalson has contracted Covid-19, a source close to her told DailyMail.com - but the reality star says it's just an 'unknown cold.'

Gunvalson, 59, refused to confirm whether she had tested positive for the virus, adding that she has not been vaccinated due to a 'health exemption'.

'You're not writing a story about an unknown cold I have,' the reality star said with a croaky voice when reached by phone by DailyMail.com.

'My medical information is not public,' she added. 'Whatever happened to privacy? Do you want your medical records all over the internet?'

'I have underlying issues, I cannot get the vaccine. I've got blood clots, I have a health exemption.'

RHOC alum Vicki Gunvalson has tested positive for Covid-19, a close source told DailyMail.com. The reality star, however, refused to confirm whether she contracted the virus and claimed in a croaky voice that she was battling an 'unknown cold'

The 59-year-old revealed she is not vaccinated due to a 'health exemption' but admitted it 'broke her heart' to learn her son Mike Wolfsmith (pictured) received the Covid-19 shot

The Covid-19 vaccine has been a contentious issue in Gunvalson's family.

Earlier this month, her fiance Steve Lodge, who is running for governor of California, posted an angry video on social media after Real Housewives co-star Lisa Vanderpump announced her TomTom restaurant and bar in West Hollywood will require proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test for entry.

'Whatever happened to the right of privacy of your health records?' Lodge asked in a video posted August 3.

'I guess someone forgot to tell them that vaccinated people can also spread and get COVID.'

Meanwhile, Gunvalson's son from her first marriage, Mike Wolfsmith, revealed in an August 10 Instagram post that he got vaccinated - much to his mother's chagrin.

'What does your mom think about you getting the vaccine? I've heard she's an anti-vaxxer,' one follower wrote on Instagram, commenting on a picture of Mike getting the shot while wearing a mask.

Wolfsmith, Gunvalson's son with ex-husband Michael J Wolfsmith, caused a stir on social media earlier in August after taking the opposite stance of his mother and revealing he's been vaccinated

The post was quickly flooded with comments from followers asking Wolfsmith if his mother supported his decision

Replying to one user, Wolfsmith said his decision to get vaccinated broke his mother's heart

'She said 'it broke her heart' lol,' Mike, 35, replied. 'She has terrible sources of information. Guns, American flags, and invisible sky fairies  the All-American trifecta!'

Replying to another commenter, the 35-year-old said he got the shot 'because I'm gonna be travelling around and don't want to be restricted. I almost rode it out! The MAGA Variant ruined it all!'

Gunvalson told DailyMail.com that her son was telling the truth about her reaction.

'He's very liberal, my son is. I'm not,' she said.

'It did [break my heart he got the vaccine], because of all the people that are getting sick. It did break my heart.

'He already had Covid. It doesn't work.'

Mike declined to comment when contacted by DailyMail.com.

In July, the RHOC star traveled to Hawaii to visit her son, who has spent the last nine months there and recently decided to settle permanently in the Aloha State.

Earlier in August, Gunvalson's fiance Steve Lodge (left) who is running for governor of California, took aim at Real Housewife Lisa Vanderpump after she announced her TomTom restaurant and bar in West Hollywood will require proof of vaccination or a negative test for entry

Steve Lodge criticized vaccine mandates saying: 'This is a very slippery slope and we need to stop and use reason and logic, not fear and hysteria'

The insurance industry professional posted pictures on Instagram of the two of them on a beach on July 3 with the caption 'Wore a collared shirt 2 nights in a row for my mom.'

She also commented 'Date night with my son,' with a heart and fire emoji.

Gunvalson refused to comment on her fiance's long-shot gubernatorial campaign, saying her health choices had nothing to do with Lodge's political positions.

'His campaign is separate from my health. Steve's health and Steve's viewpoints have nothing to do with me, so we're not going there,' she said.

'His decisions on what he wants to do have nothing to do with me. He's running for governor and he has a really good chance of winning, but that has nothing to do with my viewpoints.'

Gunvalson, who had starred on RHOC for 14 seasons, announced last January that she was leaving the show

In his post about Vanderpump's restaurant vaccine pass, Lodge wrote: 'Restaurants that are requiring vaccinations and testing are violating the medical privacy of their customers. I don't see Restaurant's requiring disclosure of any of the more dangerous contagious viruses.

'A vaccination also doesn't mean you can't contract or spread the virus, so what's the point? Is this just theatre? It's certainly not science.

'I suppose you can say, her restaurant her choice. But where does this discrimination stop against a virus with 99.8 percent survival rate? This is a very slippery slope and we need to stop and use reason and logic, not fear and hysteria.'

Lodge is running in the September 14 recall election in California. If Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom fails to get at least 50 percent of votes cast, a total of 46 candidates will be on the ballot to replace him.

Conservative talk radio host Larry Elder, a Republican, is considered favorite to win in the event of Newsom's recall.
A creative YouTube channel has cleverly edited together a series of press conferences from Gladys Berejiklian to send a satirical warning to residents of New South Wales that they will 'never get out of lockdown'.

Remix Matrix combined the speeches from the NSW Premier's daily 11am coronavirus announcements to create alternative messaging from the state leader.

The dystopian premier promises to 'personally stab you in the head and rip your guts out' if you break the law, as well as pledging to put 'two million' cops on every street corner in the heavily-edited video.

'If you leave home you will be given a death sentence. Please know you will be shot in the face and it will be painful,' the edited video of Ms Berejiklian says, which has quickly racked up nearly 100,000 views.

Remix Matrix edited together Gladys Berejiklian's Covid press conferences to create the satirical warning video that sees the NSW Premier threaten to lock down residents forever

In the clip Ms Berejiklian threatens to deploy two million police officers around Sydney to ensure every single resident stays inside (pictured, police patrol Sydney in lockdown)

The footage says Ms Berejiklian was 'inspired' by some of history's most infamous dictators and wants to apply 1984-like practices

The video has foreboding music playing as Ms Berejiklian reads out a message reminiscent of George Orwell's iconic novel 1984.

'I'm tired of hearing people saying I don't know how to do my job properly. I hope everyone likes staying at home because were going into lockdown forever,' she says in the heavily edited clip.

'People from NSW will be going nowhere, we will be having two millions police officers standing at the corner of every street to monitor every single citizen.

'I hope this will be devastating.'

In the mash-up of the premier's previous comments, she's edited to say people must obey the rules of the government or face consequences similar to the rule of some of history's most infamous dictators.

'You are required to obey what we say when we say it and if you dont prepare to die,' the edited NSW premier warns.

'I don't care about your life or the life of those around you. I don't really give a sh*t.

'If you leave home you will be given a death sentence. Please know you will be shot in the face and it will be painful,' the edited video of Ms Berejiklian says

'The government is now about to announce what we call the final solution. We are inspired by history and realise we can very easily permanently get rid of anyone thinking illegal thoughts.

'Follow the rules or you will never be seen again.'

The alternative Ms Berejiklian then gets more overt, promising she will personally and viciously attack anyone who doesn't follow the law.

'If you ever consider breaking the rules i will personally stab you in the head and rip your guts out,' she says.

'We want to cause anger hurt and suffering to as many citizens as we can.

'I will make sure I never ever ever give up power until the day I die.'

More than 400 cases of the 1,116 recorded on Wednesday were from the Western Sydney Local Health District while 372 are from the South Western Sydney district (pictured, officers patrol in Bankstown in August)

Ms Berejiklian said fully-vaccinated residents will be able to go out for a drink once 70 per cent of the state's eligible residents have received both doses (pictured, a group of friends drink in Sydney in June last year)

NSW is set to reach a major milestone of 70 per cent of single doses on Wednesday after 148,000 residents rolled up their sleeves for the jab Tuesday.

The state leader expects the target of 70 per cent of people double dosed to be met in mid-October, which is when lockdown restrictions will begin to ease.

'I want to remind everybody that September is the month when we're asking everybody to get ready,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'If you're a business start dusting off your Covid safety plan.

'Make sure your employees are vaccinated so we can get back to life at 70 per cent double-dose vaccination which we anticipate will happen somewhere around the middle of October.'

The state recorded 1,116 new local Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday, as well as four deaths taking the death toll for the NSW outbreak to 100.

The four women who died were in their 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, were not vaccinated and had underlying health conditions.

More than 400 cases were from Western Sydney Local Health District while 372 are from the South Western Sydney district.

More than 173,913 NSW residents came forward for testing on Tuesday.

The number of Covid cases in hospital has risen to 917 with 150 fighting for life in intensive care.
Instagram model Miss Mercedes Morr was found dead by her father, strangled at the bottom of the stairs of her Houston apartment, while her stalker killer stabbed himself in the neck after spending two days writing messages on the walls of her home with lipstick.

Morr, 33, was found dead on Sunday by her father Mark Gagnier. Her killer was Kevin Alexander Accorto, 34, a Florida man who her family says had been stalking her online.

Police have still not been able to make a connection between the pair but Morr, whose real name was Jenae Gagnier, had an enormous following across multiple Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and OnlyFans accounts.

On Wednesday, her father revealed in an interview with ABC News that Accorto had been in the house for two days, writing on the walls, before they went to the house.

The family thinks she had been dead since Saturday August 28, when they last heard from her.

'Saturday goes by she is laying dead and we have this man in the apartment,' her mother, Jeaneta Grover said.

Mercedes Morr - whose real name was Jenae Gagnier - was found dead by her father, strangled at the bottom of the stairs of her apartment in Houston, Texas. Upstairs, her killer Kevin Accorto, 34, gargled blood after stabbing himself in the neck when he heard the door being kicked in

This is one of the many messages scrawled across the model's home in lipstick by her killer

These are the messages written in pen and lipstick on the walls of the home of Instagram model Jenae Gagnier, whose profile name was Miss Mercedes Morr, by her killer. Her family thinks he killed her on Saturday August 28 then killed himself the next day

On Sunday August 29, Mark went to the home after growing worried that he hadn't heard from his daughter. He kicked in the door to get inside, and that is when says Accorto plunged a knife into his neck.

He and his girlfriend found Jenae at the bottom of the stairs. At first they thought she'd fallen down them in an accident but they then heard Accorto 'gurgling' with blood.

Mark ran upstairs, found him lying on the ground, bleeding. He died seconds later, he said.

The home had been destroyed, with blood everywhere and messages on the wall written in lipstick.

They included the phrases 'I should have stayed in Florida', 'I wish I never loved her' and 'I was used.'

Accorto lives in Florida and police still do not know how or when he got to Texas or tracked the model down.

Jenae's father Mark said it looked as though he had been in the home for 'two or three days', writing all over the walls.

Medical examiners have not yet revealed how long Jenae had been dead for by the time she was found.

Morr's father Mark Gagnier and her mother, Jeaneta Grover, told ABC News they don't know how the stalker found her but that they think he followed her into her garage on Saturday, the day before she was discovered dead

Morr's body was found inside her apartment in Richmond, Texas, on Sunday at 4.30pm. Her killer was also found dead inside and had stabbed himself

'He was in my daughter's house, my daughter's dead on the floor. I didn't know what he did.

'He was twitching, he was gurgling. I could look in the room, there's writing all over the walls. He was there for like two days, writing on the walls.

'There's blood all over the apartment. Supposedly, when I kicked in the door, he ended his life.

'For me to see that, I kind of just was in shock. I just stood there,' he said.

Mark Gagnier said that he is yet to find out how Accorto found his daughter, who he said was private and quiet at home, vigilante with security, despite her public online profile.

'I just know that he's not somebody that my daughter doesn't associate with.

Police say they haven't yet made a connection between the pair They are pouring through Jenae's 'hundreds' of social media accounts which include pages on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Only Fans

'We keep her private, not even her real friends really knew her name. I've moved my daughter three times because of my insecurities.

'She didn't have friends by her house.'

Her father added that he was constantly worried about how many followers his daughter had, and whether any wanted to harm her.

'It scared the hell out of me. Jenae you have all these followers, some follow you because they love you, some are crazy and some are obsessed.

'That's why I guarded my daughter. Her friends thought her name was Mercedes... they didn't know where she lived,' he said, adding: 'I don't know how he found her.'

Her mother added: She didn't know this guy. He was a random person. He killed her and he killed himself.'

On Tuesday, a spokesman for Richmond Police Department, where she lived, told DailyMail.com they were combing through her hundreds of social media accounts, trying to find a link with her killer.

Among the model's followers were Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. Her sister has organized a candlelit vigil for her to take place in Houston on Friday.

Police have not yet been able to share any information about Accorto. It's unclear if he was known to Floridian authorities but he does not have an arrest record, according to publicly available documents.
A 5-year-old Georgia girl was killed after a 300-pound stone monument collapsed on top of her - and her frantic father and uncle couldn't free her from the massive rock in time.

Bella Grace Bennett was playing with her sister at the Lee Street Resource Center in Blackshear, where the two girls live only a block away with their grandmother, when the monument toppled over and landed on her head and shoulders and pinned her to the ground.

The 32-year-old monument, which was erected in 1989, appeared to be missing a bolt used to keep the stone slab upright, according to photos and video obtained by News4Jax.

A witness, who asked to remain anonymous, tells the outlet that he attempted to help rescue the girl as her father and uncle frantically tried to move the stone monument off of her.

5-year-old Bella Grace Bennett (pictured) was killed on Monday after a 300-pound stone monument collapsed on top of her

'The dad was down that whole time trying to remove this slab off of her and he was not successful,' he said.

'I tried to lift it up so he could pull her out and we werent successful.'

Another witness said Bella's uncle held the girl's hand until help arrived.

It ultimately took all three men to move the stone slab off of the girl, however they were unable to remove the heavy stone slab in time.

The girl was rushed to a nearby hospital before being airlifted to Wolfson Childrens Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Bennett (pictured) was playing on the heavy stone slab with her 8-year-old sister when it toppled onto the girl's head and shoulders, pinning her to the ground

Pictured: the 300-pound stone monument that toppled over onto the girl at the Lee Street Resource Center in Blackshear

Images of the scene revealed only one bolt was properly affixed to the stone monument. It's still unclear whether the missing bolt was in place at the time it fell. The Blackshear Police Department say an investigation into the tragedy is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the family of the young girl, alongside community members and religious leaders, gathered at the site of Bella's tragic death on Monday afternoon to celebrate Bella's life.

'This community needs you, oh Lord,' one of the mourners prayed.

'We need you, Lord, like weve never needed you before.'

Bella had just started kindergarten at Blackshear Elementary, with assistant principal Mandy Williams telling News4Jax that the young girl loved playing with her older sister.

'That was one of her favorite things to do,' said Williams, who has known Bella since preschool.

'Were family. Our school is a family and the Pierce County nation is hurting right now. Pray for their family. Right now, thats what they need the most is your prayers.'

It ultimately took three men to move the stone slab off of the girl, who was then rushed to a nearby hospital before being airlifted to Wolfson Childrens Hospital

Images revealed only one bolt was properly affixed to the stone monument, with Blackshear Police Department saying an investigation into the tragedy is ongoing

Family of the young girl, alongside community members and religious leaders, gather at the site of Bella's tragic passing

Williams recounted how much Bella loved being at school.

'I would stand in the big kindergarten hall,' Williams said.

'I would say, 'Theres Bella.' She (was) so excited to see me. You could tell she was happy to be there.'

The accident comes a month after an 8-year-old girl died after being crushed by a fallen marble handrail in the Bronx on August 2, DailyMail.com reported.

The girl and a friend attempted to squeeze through the marble columns when one of the handrails collapsed and crashed down directly onto the girl.

In July, a 2-year-old Texas girl, Delilah Hunt, died under similarly tragic circumstances, after an air-conditioning compressor plate flew off of a family truck and hit her in the head.

In that case, family members said that doctors told them her brain pressure reached a critical level due to the injuries.

Meanwhile, donations to assist the girl's family may be made to Blackshear Elementary School or to Hart Funeral Home, according to the Blackshear Times.
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Dozens of medical tattooists who ink nipples on cancer survivors have dressed as giant breasts outside Facebook's headquarters in central London today in protest over the social media giant's algorithm censoring their posts for being 'too sexual'.

The group of medical artists and cancer survivors gathered outside the headquarters in Rathbone Square, near Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road, wearing giant inflatable breasts.

Images of their work are being restricted by algorithms because they are being wrongly sexualised, they claim. The organisers also claim censorship of social media posts by medical tattooists prevents breast cancer survivors from learning about treatments.

The World Medical Artists, which organised the campaign, said: 'The frustration lies with artists being unable to show the world how incredible you can look after breast cancer.

'These important images are deemed to be pornographic and are subsequently removed and accounts blocked by social media platforms. Breast cancer patients do not know that there is an army of artists on their doorstep!

Protesters wearing inflatable breasts stand outside Facebook's headquarters in central London

Vicky Martin and other protesters outside Facebook HQ, Rathbone Square

Demonstrators dressed as giant inflatable breasts protest outside Facebook's headquarters in central London

Demonstrators dressed as giant inflatable breasts react near police officers as they protest outside Facebook's headquarters in central London

Protesters wearing inflatable breasts protest outside Facebook headquarters about the social media giant's images algorithm in London

Demonstrators dressed as giant inflatable breasts protest outside Facebook's headquarters in central London

Demonstrators dressed as giant inflatable breasts protest outside Facebook's headquarters in central London

Images of their work are being restricted by social media algorithms because they are being wrongly sexualised, they claim

Explained: Facebook's nudity policies Facebook says it restricts the display of nudity or sexual activity because some people may be 'sensitive' to this type of content. Restrictions on the display of sexual activity also apply to digitally created content unless it is posted for educational, humorous or satirical purposes. On its website, Facebook says its Nudity Policies have become 'more nuanced over time'. They say: 'We understand that nudity can be shared for a variety of reasons, including as a form of protest, to raise awareness about a cause or for educational or medical reasons. Where such intent is clear, we make allowances for the content. 'For example, while we restrict some images of female breasts that include the nipple, we allow other images, including those depicting acts of protest, women actively engaged in breastfeeding and photos of post-mastectomy scarring.' Advertisement

'We want to use these images to show others breast cancer patients that we are out there.'

Vicky Martin, 47, is one of the leaders of the campaign who attended the protest. She has been tattooing nipples for 15 years and said her social media profiles have been restricted when she posts her work.

She said: 'We are doing what we need to do to stand out - and if that's jumping around in giant inflatable boobs then so be it. But people don't realise why this is so important - people like us are out there and we need breast cancer survivors to know that.

Some never even realise realistic nipple tattooing is available to them and miss out.'

Ms Martin, who runs Vicky Martin Method in Wokingham, Berkshire, added: 'It sounds small, but I see my work as giving cancer survivors their medals for what they have been through and its important they see it.

'There are so many of us out there who can and want to make people feel complete again following their cancer journey. Think of it this way - you'd never go and get a normal tattoo without having seen the tattoo artist's previous work.'

Facebook says it restricts the display of nudity or sexual activity because some people may be 'sensitive' to this type of content.

Restrictions on the display of sexual activity also apply to digitally created content unless it is posted for educational, humorous or satirical purposes.

On its website, Facebook says its Nudity Policies have become 'more nuanced over time'.

They say: 'We understand that nudity can be shared for a variety of reasons, including as a form of protest, to raise awareness about a cause or for educational or medical reasons. Where such intent is clear, we make allowances for the content.

'For example, while we restrict some images of female breasts that include the nipple, we allow other images, including those depicting acts of protest, women actively engaged in breastfeeding and photos of post-mastectomy scarring.'

Gemma Bowers, a nipple tattoo artist, told the Isle of Wight County Press: 'We're hoping if the campaign works, Facebook will stop banning these images and we can post without worrying our pages will be shut down, which blocks our whole business from not only posting but even replying to our customers' messages.

'The NHS do tattoos but they are not artists, and people want choice. It gives them their dignity back to look 'normal' again.'

It is understood Facebook has reviewed all the accounts that World Medical Artists have provided so far and restored all the content that was removed 'by mistake'.

Protesters outside Facebook HQ in Rathbone Square in a bid to stop the website's algorithm censoring their work

Protesters wearing inflatable breasts stand outside Facebook's headquarters in central London, to complain about the social media giant's images algorithm

Protesters wearing inflatable breasts protest outside Facebook headquarters about the social media giant's images algorithm in London

Demonstrators dressed as giant inflatable breasts protest outside Facebook's headquarters in central London

Protesters wearing inflatable breasts stand outside Facebook's headquarters in central London, to complain about the social media giant's images algorithm

Demonstrators dressed as giant inflatable breasts protest outside Facebook's headquarters in central London

Facebook has also spoken with Ms Martin to discuss their policies, how the review systems work, the steps they've taken recently to help 'reduce mistakes on this content - as well as the challenges involved'.

A Facebook spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'Images showing post-mastectomy scarring and areola tattoos are absolutely allowed on Facebook and Instagram.

'We applaud the incredible work medical tattooists do for breast cancer survivors, and know our apps play an important role in helping these communities connect.

'By design, these tattoos often look extremely realistic, which means our technology - and even our content reviewers - don't always spot the difference, so we do encourage people to make it clear when they're posting an image that's a tattoo.

'We understand how frustrating this can be. We've been working closely with World Medical Artists and are grateful for their input as we continue to explore new ways to avoid this content being mistakenly removed.'

As the campaign continues, Ms Martin said this won't be the last Facebook hears of the group.

She explained: 'We're coming to show how passionate and determined we are to show breast cancer survivors how incredible they can look. We won't stop until we see change.'
The family of a 100-year-old nursing home patient with dementia found dead outside her assisted-living facility on Christmas morning blames woeful understaffing and poor security for allowing the woman to leave the building, their lawsuit said.

Annie Hanna was found lying barefoot next to her pillow and walker alone on the frost-covered ground in front of the Senior Living Woodmont at around 7.45am, the Tallahassee Fire Department said.

The family matriarch had a broken thigh bone as well as cuts and bruises but died from hypothermia after being exposed to the frigid mid-20s weather, the family said.

Hanna's sister, who roomed with her, attempted to contact facility staff when she noticed Hanna was missing but did not receive a response.

Her death came after two other patients escaped the facility but were returned safely. One was found at a Greyhound bus station and the other on the interstate.

Florida woman Annie Hanna, 100, was found dead from hypothermia on Christmas morning

Hanna's family filed a lawsuit with the Pacifica Senior Living Woodmont after claiming its neglect to look after her, a request they specifically made as she suffered from dementia and was on oxygen

Hanna was in the care of Pacifica Senior Living Woodmont when she left the facility and was found on the frost-covered ground with multiple injuries

Hanna's son was shocked to discover the death of his mother when he came to visit her on Christmas morning after he saw emergency crews on the scene.

The family reportedly told the facility staff - who didn't know she was missing - to look after her every few hours because of her condition.

The facility was understaffed on the night of Christmas Eve with only two staff members working at the time, according to the lawsuit complaint.

The security at the facility was cited as a problem due to the fact that a 'kitchen door' has been used as a way for patients to easily slip out, the suit said.

Although other areas of the facility have installed alert systems, Hanna and two other patients managed to leave the facility within the matter of a few months.

State regulators were informed of the incident with Hanna and the one found at the Greyhound station by a facility administrator.

Another staff member later informed the state regulators of the third incident involving the patient found on the Interstate.

Higher security was installed, but an incident report was not filled out for it, according to an official from the Pacifica Senior Living Woodmont.

DailyMail.com reached out to Pacifica Senior Living Woodmont and Leon Circuit Civil Court for comment.

Hanna was a family woman who was survived by her three children along with grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends

At 18, Hanna served as a nurse at the Florida State Hospital and also worked as a welder during World War Two while her husband was serving in Egypt

A funeral service was held for Hanna on January 4 at Abbey Funeral Home.

Hanna was a family woman and a community service leader for the state of Florida throughout her life.

When she was 18, she began working as a nurse at the Florida State Hospital and also worked as a welder during World War Two while her husband served in Egypt.

She eventually retired after working as a head cashier for the Florida's Controller Office.

Hanna also served 36 years with the American Legion and was a lifelong sister of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority.

She is survived by her three children as well as several grandchildren.
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An Extinction Rebellion activist has gone topless again - this time outside Downing Street - as her fellow protesters caused chaos in London for a second week.

Student Laura Amherst, 31, who last week seen dancing topless in Oxford Circus and the City of London in a bid to 'draw attention to the climate crisis', was pictured baring all outside the gates leading to Number 10 this afternoon.

The activist, who is studying politics at the Open University, was seen carrying a sign saying 'Citizens Assembly on Climate Change' - in reference to one of the demands of the deliberately disruptive eco-group.

Her fellow Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists were yesterday seen sitting and singing outside Downing Street during a campaign dubbed as a 'Pram Action Protest'.

The group were pictured surrounded by empty white buggies - some with plastic parts - with signs saying 'Government climate change failures are killing children'.

Meanwhile, eco-warriors from the group today vandalised the JP Morgan headquarters in Embankment using chisels and hammers to smash two windows at the front of the building.

Student Laura Amherst, 31, who last week seen dancing topless in Oxford Circus to 'draw attention to the climate crisis' was today pictured baring all outside the gates leading to Number 10 this afternoon

Laura Amherst, 31 drew startled looks and wild applause from passers-by and fellow protestors as she danced topless with just two Extinction Rebellion stickers covering her naked breasts in the centre of Oxford Circus last week. She was also pictured in the city of London (right) last week

Laura Amherst was also pictured in London last week holding up a sign saying 'You can change climate change' during Extinction Rebellion protests

Her fellow Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists were yesterday seen sitting and singing outside Downing Street during what thy dubbed as a 'Pram Action Protest' in which they said 'climate change is killing children'

The group were seen sitting around empty white buggies - some with plastic parts - with signs saying 'Government climate change failures are killing children'

Meanwhile, eco-warriors from the group today vandalised the JP Morgan headquarters in Embankment using chisels and hammers to smash two windows

Ms Amherst was one of the XR protesters seen last week in Oxford Circus, where she was spotted dancing topless.

She told MailOnline afterwards: 'I did it to draw attention to the climate crisis facing the planet.

'Dancing topless brought a nice energy to the protest and was also a very body positive thing to do. A lot of people congratulated me for doing this, especially women. I'm not getting paid for this or doing it to draw attention to myself but just to save the planet.'

Ms Amherst, who lives in Brighton, revealed that she is a committed member of XR along with her boyfriend.

It comes as the Met Police were today accused of being 'heavy-handed' after finally clearing anXR protest that saw demonstrators glue themselves to a bus that was blocking London Bridge.

In video footage shared online, officers can be seen grappling with protesters before forcibly moving them from an open-top vintage bus with a wooden structure attached to the rear.

The southern end of the London Bridge was taken over by XR activists, who blocked the road with a bus on Tuesday.

This followed a similar demonstration on Tower Bridge and sat on top of a parked caravan on Monday as the environmental activists continue their fortnight of action.

The Metropolitan Police said that as of 6.45pm on Tuesday, 43 further arrests had been made in connection with the protests, taking the total number to 469.

The force said the arrests were made for a variety of offences.

Police remove a demonstrator from a bus parked on London Bridge in central London

A demonstrator is arrested as Extinction Rebellion protesters use a bus to block London Bridge

Officers surrounded the bus on London Bridge and were seen using batons and dragging protesters off the vehicle.

Other demonstrators were handcuffed and police blocked several nearby streets to stop people entering the area.

Footage showed scores of Met officers pushing back activists, who continued to advance, banging drums and clapping, while others glued themselves to pavements.

Earlier, more arrived at London Bridge station waving banners and placards, with slogans including 'stop the harm' and 'please don't arrest me, I'm on call tomorrow'.

Pedestrians coming from the station were diverted away from the protest by approximately 20 officers and police vans on one road alone.

An officer confirmed some people taking part in the protest were being arrested, and the road closures would be in place 'for hours'.

A demonstrator is removed by officers from a bus during an Extinction Rebellion protest

Police remove a man from a bus on London Bridge during a protest by Extinction Rebellion

The Met later defended the use of force by its officers saying the use of force was 'reasonable and proportionate'.

The force tweeted: 'There have been some questions today on our use of force while attempting to disrupt the protest involving Extinction Rebellion's bus.

'It is very clear that the demo near London Bridge was an attempt to cause a major disruption to one of London's busiest bridges.

'Seeing this, officers nearby took immediate action to prevent any unreasonable disruption to the highway, and to detain those attempting to cause disruption or who were obstructing officers in the lawful execution of their duty.

'We believe this swift action prevented some protesters from setting up further complex lock-on devices which were inside the bus.

'Given the circumstances and likely disruption to the community, our initial assessment is that their use of force was reasonable and proportionate.'

Among those taking part in the protest was Olympic medallist Etienne Stott, who was filmed sitting in the middle of the road speaking to police.

The slalom canoer, who took gold at the 2012 London games, refused to move and was eventually picked up and carried off by officers, shouting 'this is important'.

Extinction Rebellion London tweeted: 'We will leave the streets when the Government starts treating the climate emergency like an emergency.

'Covid showed what the Government can do in a crisis, it's the level of response required for the climate but sustained over years. ExtinctionRebellion'.

Eleven demonstrators were arrested during the Tower Bridge protest on Monday.

A demonstrator is removed as Extinction Rebellion protesters use a bus to block London Bridge

Met Police officers first surround, then grapple with demonstrators inside the bus

Officers were accused of 'heavy-handed tactics' as they stormed the XR bus on Tuesday

XR activists used a vintage open-top bus, with the sign 'Extinction' to block London Bridge

It comes after the eco-activists were today accused of jumping the shark - after targeting the headquarters of beloved wildlife preservation and environment cause the WWF.

They hit the HQ in Woking at 9.30am under the explanation of it being in solidarity with indigenous groups in Tanzania, Cameroon and Kenya.

An XR spokesman claimed the groups were being evicted and persecuted by WWF's conservation activities.

But the stunt was greeted by utter bemusement by most members of the public.

And MP Alexander Stafford said: 'They've completely jumped the shark.

'By attacking those that work to protect the environment, halt our natural decline, & stop climate change, they have revealed their own nihilistic hand.

'Groups like WWF have done far more and will do more for our planet than these extremists.'

The phrase 'jumping the shark' refers to when someone does something far-fetched to try and maintain interest.

Extinction Rebellion activists hit the WWF HQ in Woking (pictured) this morning under the explanation of it being in solidarity with indigenous groups in Tanzania, Cameroon and Kenya

Disbelief as XR targeted wildlife and environment preservation cause the WWF this moring

Claimed the occupation was in solidarity with indigenous groups in Tanzania and Cameroon

The stunt was condemned and slated as 'jumping the shark' due to the choice of target

Earlier protesters, from offshoot Animal Rebellion, wanted dairy company Arla to transition to plant-based production by 2025 and claim they will not leave the firm's site in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, until it agrees to do so.

It claims Arla emitted more greenhouse gases in 2017 than BHP, a mining company, and ConocoPhillips, an oil producer.

James Ozden, a spokesperson for Animal Rebellion, said: 'The dairy industry abuses animals, the planet and workers, who are increasingly squeezed by big business.

'Arla say they're pro-worker but lobby for supermarket contracts that sell milk for less than water.

'We're not just demanding that Arla go plant-based by 2025, we're demanding that the Government supports companies like Arla by funding a just transition for workers in meat and dairy industries to just and sustainable alternatives.'

The group said a climate crisis could lead to unstable crop supplies to feed dairy cows and also potentially expose them to heat stress for two months longer than usual, which could lead to a milk shortage.

Bamboo-zled: The bamboo structure has thwarted efforts to go in or out of the site

The protesters arrived under the cover of darkness to set up their dairy demonstration

At London Bridge, Metropolitan Police officers eventually surrounded the vehicle atop the bridge and several streets to stop people entering the area.

The force tweeted: 'Officers are responding to a demonstration in #LondonBridge where protesters have assembled and are blocking the road.

'We are currently assessing the situation working to keep disruption in the area to a minimum.'

Pedestrians coming from London Bridge Underground station were diverted away from the protest by approximately 20 officers and police vans on one road alone.

An officer confirmed some people taking part in the protest were being arrested, and the road closures would be in place 'for hours'.

Extinction Rebellion London tweeted: 'We will leave the streets when the Government starts treating the climate emergency like an emergency.

Police officers surround a vehicle, parked across the road as climate activists strike London

A protester shows a glued palm against a window, as police officers surround a vehicle

Police and demonstrators with a bus parked on London Bridge in central London today

'Covid showed what the Government can do in a crisis, it's the level of response required for the climate but sustained over years. #ExtinctionRebellion'.

Eleven demonstrators were arrested on Monday, when protesters occupied Tower Bridge.

More than 300 arrests have been made during the first week of Extinction Rebellion's fifth wave of mass protests in London.

Some 11 activists were arrested during action on Bank Holiday Monday, which saw protesters block Tower Bridge with a van and caravan.

It follows 34 arrests on Sunday when demonstrators occupied the Science Museum in protest against its partnership with oil giant Shell.

The Metropolitan Police said there had been a total of 367 arrests in the capital since the environmentalist group began its latest round of action, dubbed the Impossible Rebellion, on August 23.

The group is demanding the Government stops investment in fossil fuels.

As part of the protests, activists have blocked a road in central London with a large pink table containing built-in lock-ons, spray painted the floor outside the HM Revenue & Customs headquarters and daubed the famous Guildhall in the City of London in red paint.

Animal Rebellion, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, dyed the Buckingham Palace fountains red in protest at animal hunting.

Activists were lying on the ground, while others wore aprons emblazoned with Tell The Truth

Protesters display a banner message as climate activists from the Extinction Rebellion group

Today's central London protest featured a bus, which protesters had glued themselves to

On Monday, activists were seen lying on the ground near Tower Bridge, while others wore aprons emblazoned with Tell The Truth and with teapots with Deniabilitea written on them.

Protesters were seen to be removed by officers prior to the blocking of the bridge.

The Metropolitan Police said demonstrators had used 'complex' lock-ons 'to frustrate our removal efforts', and specialist removal teams were drafted in.

The force said on Twitter: 'We see many comments and questions asking why this work can't be quicker and use more direct tactics.

'While we understand the public's frustration, we must consider the safety of everyone involved  including our officers.

'This work is painstaking but we work as quick as we can.'

Extinction Rebellion is due to continue its action for a second week.
Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan has brutally labelled New South Wales a 'basket case' when it comes to the state's ongoing 'Covid catastrophe.'

He then doubled down, declaring there has 'never been a more incompetent government' in power in a vicious swipe at embattled Gladys Berejiklian.

The explosive attack came after Mr McGowan defended his ongoing opposition to reopening his state to the rest of Australia, even when the nation reaches the heralded 70 per cent vaccination rate.

The bullish leader also claimed WA was 'carrying the national economy' as they have remained largely unaffected by the pandemic - in stark contrast to the current state of play in NSW.

Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) has labelled NSW a 'basket case' when it comes to the state's handling of the ongoing 'Covid catastrophe'

The WA Premier also declared his state has virtually 'carried the national economy' as they have been largely unaffected by the pandemic (pictured, a woman wearing a face mask in Sydney)

'NSW is a basket case economy at the moment because of the failures of the NSW government,' Mr McGowan said on Wednesday.

'There has never been a more incompetent government than the NSW government.

'They learned of the outbreak in June and they did nothing significant about it.

'And now they have economic catastrophe, they have people dying, they have hospitals filling up and they are trying to give us advice.'

On Wednesday, Australia's business community banded together to call on state leaders to follow the national plan out of the pandemic leading into Christmas.

Signatories of the letter included the likes of the Woolworths Group, Westpac Group, Qantas, NAB and the Coles Group.

The letter called on all state governments to follow the plan originally agreed by National Cabinet as well as 'learning to live' with the virus at 70 per cent and 80 per cent vaccination rates.

But Mr McGowan claimed the letter was aimed at the states in lockdown, not Western Australia.

'We've spoken to the business community - this is really about NSW and Victoria, and they're very happy with the state's (WA) management of both Covid and the economy,' he said.

WA Premier Mark McGowan has been scathing in his assessment of the Berejiklian government, labelling its conduct during the pandemic 'incompetent'

Earlier this week, Mr McGowan banned footy stars, commentators, fans from NSW and Victoria, and even players' WAGs, from this month's AFL Grand Final in Perth.

The WA capital was handed Australia's biggest sporting match on September 25 as Melbourne, where it is usually held, is still subject to lockdown restrictions which would prevent a crowd attending.

But the Western Australian premier - who owes much of his local popularity to a zealous enforcement of border closures - said only the barest essential people would be allowed to enter the state for the biggest day on the AFL calendar.

Mr McGowan also bragged his state didn't pay a cent to host the Grand Final for the first time ever, unlike the $20million Brisbane handed the code last year.

Perth will host an AFL grand final for the first time ever later this month with the venue shifted to Optus Stadium (pictured) from the iconic MCG due to the lockdown in Victoria
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez issued a blistering statement Wednesday trashing President Biden's nomination of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to serve as ambassador to Japan.

The left-wing House Democrat called the nomination 'deeply shameful,' due to Emanuel's role in a 'cover up' of video for the 2014 police shooting of Chicago teen Laquan McDonald, she wrote.

House members have no role in ambassadorial nominations, although her withering statement turns up the temperature on the confirmation process in the 50-50 Senate.

'This nomination is deeply shameful. As mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel helped cover up the murder of Laquan McDonald - a mere teenager when he was shot 16 times in the back by a Chicago Police Officer,' she said in a statement she posted on Twitter and released through her office.

'This alone should be flatly disqualifying for any position of public trust, let alone representing the United States as an ambassador. That the Biden administration seeks to reward Emanuel with an ambassadorship is an embarrassment and betrayal of the values we seek to uphold both within our nation and around the world. I urge the Senate to vote NO on his confirmation,' she said.

White Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder after shooting at McDonald 16 times while he was walking away from police and killing him.

Cops initially stopped McDonald because he was acting 'erratically' while walking down the street and refused to put down a knife.

A 2016 internal report released in 2019 amid public outcry detailed numerous ethical violations to conceal details about the shooting of the 17-year old.

Emanuel kept video of the shooting from being made public at a time when he was seeking reelection. He denied taking part in a coverup of the dashcam video, saying he was following city rules. He also refused calls to step down over the incident.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) blasted President Joe Biden's nomination of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as ambassador to Japan, calling it 'deeply shameful'

Rahm Emanuel denied carrying out a coverup of the video, which was kept out of public view while he was seeking reelection

Former Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke enters the courtroom for his sentencing hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago, Illinois, USA, 18 January 2019. Van Dyke was sentenced to 81 months for shooting Laquan McDonald, firing his weapon 16 times, in 2014

'We have a process. It's called the election,' he told Politico in 2015. 'The voters spoke. I"ll be held responsible for my actions and the decisions I made.'

Before moving back to his hometown to become Chicago Mayor, Emanuel had a reputation hard-driving House member, eventually serving as Barack Obama's chief of staff and helping push through the Affordable Care Act.

His nomination could set up tense discussions over police misconduct and policing methods. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) is a prominent member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has made policing issues a top issue.

The Japan ambassadorship is a key diplomatic post, filled previously by Sen. Bill Hagerty under President Trump and Caroline Kennedy under President Obama.
Bullish premiers are threatening to thwart Australia's attempts to end relentless Covid lockdowns and border closures, backtracking on promises to follow the government's agreed path to a new Covid-normal.

Annastacia Palaszczuk has hinted at a plan to rebel against the federal government's calls, agreed in National Cabinet, to reopen state borders when vaccination targets are reached.

The Queensland Premier insisted reopening her state would leave 'every child under 12 vulnerable', despite the vast majority of kids being barely affected by the virus.

Her Western Australia counterpart Mark McGowan also warned he would keep the border shut to New South Wales and Victoria, regardless of vaccination rates, accusing the government of 'trying to infect the public'.

It came as Scott Morrison's Liberal government issued an extraordinary ultimatum to crusading premiers on the path to Covid-zero, telling them they 'must reopen' borders by Christmas once vaccination rates hit 80 per cent.

Ms Palaszczuk has kept a hard border with NSW, not even allowing Queensland residents to return home for fear of spiralling Covid cases (pictured, police stop cars in Coolangatta at the Queensland border)

Poll SHOULD ALL STATES AND TERRITORIES OPEN THEIR BORDERS WHEN 80% ARE DOUBLE JABBED? Yes No SHOULD ALL STATES AND TERRITORIES OPEN THEIR BORDERS WHEN 80% ARE DOUBLE JABBED? Yes 845 votes

No 255 votes Now share your opinion





Modelling by the Doherty Institute for National Cabinet outlines that restrictions can start to be eased once jab rates hit 70 per cent of the population over 16, with children not included in the targets.

All states premiers originally agreed to follow the roadmap to freedom, vowing to do away with border closures and lockdowns when the report was finalised at the end of July.

However the Queensland and Western Australian governments have threatened to renege on the plan as coronavirus cases in in New South Wales, the ACT and Victoria.

As the row intensifies, Ms Palazczuk exploded at her political opponents in parliament on Wednesday after being sarcastically asked whether the Sunshine State would continue its hard border policy even when 'until 100 per cent of the population is vaccinated'.

'You open up this state and you let the virus in here, every child under 12 is vulnerable, every single child,' thundered the Labor leader in a fear-mongering speech.

'Anyone who has a child under 12 to zero is vulnerable because they are the unvaccinated.'

Ms Palaszczuk said children must be included in the modelling before agreeing to open up.

State premiers originally agreed to follow the Doherty Institute roadmap to freedom but the Queensland and Western Australian governments have threatened to renege on the plan (pictured, a Brisbane shopper)

'You open up this state and you let the virus in here, every child under 12 is vulnerable, every single child,' thundered Ms Palaszczuk in state parliament on Wednesday

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) has grown increasingly frustrated with the rogue premiers and his government has issued an ultimatum

COVID AND KIDS: THE FACTS Based on studies by University College London, 251 UK children were admitted to ICU for Covid between March 2020 and February 2021 There is a 1 in 50,000 chance of a child being admitted to ICU after catching the virus 25 children died as a result of Covid in the first year of the pandemic in the UK There is a 2 in 1,000,000 risk of death from Covid-19 in children Source: UCL Advertisement

'Every single Queenslander must be included in that plan. I want to see a paper, I don't want to see a slide show, I want to see detailed information,' she said.

Mr McGowan also indicated he wants borders kept shut until case numbers are low and vaccination rates are at least 80 per cent, including children under 12.

Number-crunchers at the Doherty Institute have maintained the risk to children will remain low once most of the adult population receive the jab.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation last month also approved the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 12-15, with young people set to be prioritised in coming weeks.

Worldwide, most children who become infected with Covid show no symptoms, according to studies at Harvard University, and those who do have much milder symptoms than adults including low-grade fever and a cough.

Deaths from Covid are incredibly rare among children.

In the US, which has suffered the most cases and deaths of any country in the world, currently around 640,000, 385 victims have been aged under 17.

Mark McGowan has accused the federal government of 'trying to infect the public' by pushing for a reopening (pictured, Perth during a previous snap lockdown)

The UK saw 25 deaths from Covid in those aged under 18 in the first year of the pandemic, with those with multiple chronic illnesses and neuro-disabilities the most at risk.

With the Queensland premier now raising children's wellbeing as a reason to keep borders closed, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has become increasingly frustrated with state leaders refusing to tow the line of the national reopening plan.

He warned premiers 'Australians will suffer' and the economy will falter if they don't fall in line.

'If we don't stick to the national plan, businesses will close. If we don't stick to the national plan, jobs will be lost,' he said.

'If we don't stick to the national plan, our debt burden will increase. If we don't stick to the national plan, the wellbeing of Australians will suffer.

'We need to vaccinate people but we need to open up safely in accordance with that plan at 70 to 80 per cent.'

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg (pictured) has become increasingly frustrated with state leaders refusing to tow the line of the national reopening plan

The Treasurer said premiers have 'no excuse' to shut off their states from the rest of the country once vaccination targets are reached ahead of Christmas, insisting 'Australia must open up as one'.

He's has also threatened to cut off federal government-funded Covid support payments if they refuse to follow the national plan.

'There should be no expectation that the federal economic support that we are providing right now can continue that way,' he told Sunrise on Monday.

'You could have the ridiculous situation where somebody in NSW could travel to Canada before they could go to Cairns or somebody in Victoria could travel to Singapore and Bali before they could go to Perth. That would be ridiculous.

'That is why it is so important that the agreed national plan is adhered to by the states and the territories.'

NSW leader Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday also urged premiers in other states to learn to live with the virus and commit to opening up.

Sydneysiders have been rolling up their sleeves to get vaccinated and pull NSW out of lockdown (pictured, family getting jabbed at Macquarie Fields)

NSW leader Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) on Wednesday also urged premiers in other states to learn to live with the virus and commit to opening up

'It's impossible to eliminate the Delta strain,' she said.

'New South Wales had proved successful until this point in terms of getting rid of other strains of Covid.

'The Delta strain is a game changer and every state in Australia sooner or later is going to have to live with Delta'.

'That's why I'm calling on all my colleagues  to stick to the national plan, to make sure we give our citizens not only the freedoms they deserve but also learn to live with Covid as soon as we can.'

Ms Palaszczuk has kept a hard border with NSW, not even allowing Queensland residents to return home for fear of spiralling Covid cases, something she has since u-turned on.

She indicated the border will remain closed until Ms Berejiklian can get the number of infections under control.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) has also suggested its draconian border restrictions will remain in place until case numbers in NSW and Victoria are under control and vaccination rates are at least 80 percent, including those aged under 12

Covid border closures have ripped families apart and even locked people out of their home states (pictured, a border crossing in Perth)

Mr McGowan was outraged by his NSW counterpart's comments, calling the state 'incompetent and a 'basket case' as it continues to rack up over 1000 cases of Covid cases each day.

'NSW is a basket case economy at the moment because of the failures of the NSW government,' Mr McGowan said.

'There has never been a more incompetent government than the NSW government. They learned of the outbreak in June and they did nothing significant about it.

'And now they have economic catastrophe, they have people dying, they have hospitals filling up and they're trying to give us advice?'

Mr McGowan added that WA has been 'carrying the national economy' because its resource rich mining sector has remained protected from the Delta strain.

Protests have popped up across Australia as citizens become increasingly frustrated with the gruelling lockdowns (pictured, protesters speak to police at Parliament House in Brisbane)

But in an open letter, 80 of Australia's top business leaders urged state governments to present a 'clear path out of the current lockdowns'.

They called on premiers across the country to 'stay the course' on the national roadmap set out by the Doherty Institute so residents and businesses can plan for life after the pandemic.

CEO of Business Council of Australia, Jennifer Westacott said the nation must have a 'careful, gradual reopening' based on health advice.

'We're asking for a simple reason: we need to plan; whether you're a family that needs to plan to see your loved ones, whether you're small business that needs to stock up or whether you're a big business that's got a project going.

'Our point is very clear: we need a light at the end of the tunnel because you're starting the see the strain on people as this goes on and on.'
At his arraignment Tuesday, Dr. Frederic Corbin, 77, of Villa Park, (pictured) pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual battery by fraud, one count of sexual exploitation by a physician, two counts of sexual battery and two counts of battery

A prominent Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, who has practiced for over 50 years, has been charged with sexually assaulting two of his female patients.

At his arraignment Tuesday, Dr. Frederic Corbin, 77, of Villa Park, pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual battery by fraud, one count of sexual exploitation by a physician, two counts of sexual battery and two counts of battery.

Corbin, who has offices in Brea, Beverly Hills and Murrieta, is accused of sexually molesting one of his patients while he prepped her surgery on September 17, 2020, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

The plastic surgeon is accused of molesting another patient on March 14, when she came into his Brea office for an examination post-surgery treatment.

'Patients entrust their very lives to the doctors who treat them,' said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. 'No one seeking medical treatment should have to worry about being sexually assaulted while under a doctor's care. These women were in very vulnerable situations and their doctor capitalized on those vulnerabilities for his own sexual gratification.'

In an email statement to DailyMail.com, Corbin's attorney, Courtney Pilchman, said her client 'vehemently and categorically denies these outrageous and false allegations.'

'He has practiced for over 50 years, without any complaint by a female patient regarding inappropriate behavior,' Pilchman said. 'There are thousands of patients, colleagues and friends who support Dr. Corbin and know these allegations are untrue. This case is about two disgruntled patients who made allegations that we will prove are false.'

Corbin (pictured) has offices in Brea, Beverly Hills and Murrieta, is accused of sexually molesting two female patients in September 2020 and March 2021

The plastic surgeon is accused of molesting a patient on March 14, when she came into his Brea office for an examination post-surgery treatment

Corbin turned himself into authorities on Tuesday and faces a maximum sentence of five years in state prison, according to a police report from the Brea Police Department.

Despite maintaining his innocence, public records indicate Corbin has received multiple healthcare sanctions throughout his extensive career.

A sanction dating back to February 20, 2009 indicates Corbin received complaints over 'quality of care issues,' which include 'dishonorable, unethical, and unprofessional conduct.'

Despite maintaining his innocence, public records indicate Corbin has received multiple healthcare sanctions throughout his extensive career

Corbin turned himself into authorities on Tuesday and faces a maximum sentence of five years in state prison, according to a police report from the Brea Police Department

According to his website, Corbin earned his undergraduate degree from Brown University before attending New York University School of Medicine where he earned his medical degree.

In addition to being on staff as a clinical instructor of plastic surgery at Western University of Health Sciences, Corbin is a member of the American Medical Association, International Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and California Medical Association.

His work has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Lifetime, TLC, MSNBC, Discovery Health and BBC.
An MS-13 gang member was sentenced to life in prison - but could be out in as early as nine years - for his role in the machete killing of an 18-year-old man in a New York park in 2016.

Samuel 'Little Chickie' Ponce, 20, had pleaded guilty on June 28 to a second-degree murder charge in connection to the death of Bryan Lemus, an alleged rival of the street gang.

Ponce, who was 15 at the time of the cold-blooded killing, received the lighter sentence despite prosecutors recommending 11 years to life. The maximum the then-teen killer could have been given was 15 years to life.

A spokesperson with the Nassau District Attorney's Office told DailyMail.com that Ponce will be eligible for parole in nine years.

Bryan Lemus was lured into the Massapequa Reserve in Uniondale, New York, by five members of the MS-13 on August 23, 2016 and was hacked to death before he was buried in a secret grave. Authorities discovered his body May 24, 2019. All five MS-13 members have been indicted over the last year, including 20-year-old Samuel 'Little Chickie' Ponce, who was sentenced to nine years to life in prison on August 25

Samuel 'Little Chickie' Ponce was one of five MS-13 gang members who ambushed and murdered alleged rival Bryan Lemus, 18, on August 23, 2016. Ponce was sentenced to life in prison August 25, but he could be out in nine years

'Bryan Lemus' life was violently cut short when he was ambushed and murdered with machetes by Samuel Ponce and other members of MS-13,' said Acting DA Joyce A. Smith said in a statement.

Lemus was walking his dog along Arthur Street in Uniondale on Long Island when members of the notorious gang lured him into the Massapequa Reserve on August 23, 2016, according to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office.

Once inside the Long Island park, Ponce and four other MS-13 gang members, including his brother Raul Ponce, attacked Lemus with machetes and then buried him in a secret grave.

Lemus' body was found inside the Massapequa Reserve by the Nassau County Police Department on May 24, 2019.

Gershon Stanley Juarez (left) and Christian Rodriguez (right) are among the five MS-13 gang members who have been indicted for murdering 18-year-old Bryan Lemus in Uniondale, New York

Raul Ponce, Samuel's older brother, was indicted on January 23, 2020 and charged with conspiracy in the first degree and conspiracy in the second degree in connection with Bryan Lemus' murder. Ponce had previously been charged with second degree murder

At the time of the gruesome finding, Detective Lieutenant Stephen Fitzpatrick argued that the gang members 'felt that he was an enemy of their particular clique, and thus he was marked for death at that point.'

Ponce, a native of El Salvador, was taken into custody September 17, 2019.

According to Newsday, he illegally crossed the United States-Mexico border at the age of 13 and was held in custody until he was reunited with his father on Long Island.

Fellow gang members Raul Ponce, Christian Rodriguez, Jeustin David Maldonado, Gershon Stanley Juarez were all indicted on murder charges on January 23, 2020. They each face 50 years to life in prison, if convicted.

Rodriguez is slated to appear in court September 22, and Ponce is due for a court appearance September 30.

Juarez is expected to be back in court on the 30th of September. Maldonado is scheduled to be in court October 6.
Teachers are no more likely than other working age adults to be hospitalised with Covid or suffer a severe infection, a study reveals.

The findings should 'reassure' teachers and their families as they return to class at the start of the new school year, researchers say.

The University of Glasgow scientists examined all 132,420 cases of coronavirus in 21 to 65-year-olds in Scotland from March 2020 to July 2021.

Each was compared with a sample of uninfected people of the same age and gender at the infected person's own GP practice.

Analysis revealed school teachers and others in their household were no more likely to be hospitalised with Covid or suffer a severe infection at any point during the last academic year.

This included periods when schools were fully open.

Over the year, the risk of being hospitalised with Covid was less than 1 per cent for teachers, healthcare workers and adults of working age among the general population.

Teachers were 23 per cent less likely to be admitted to hospital with Covid than other workers after adjusting for factors such as age, sex, general practice and ethnicity.

The findings should 'reassure' teachers and their families as they return to class at the start of the new school year, researchers say

They were also 44 per cent less likely to suffer severe Covid, meaning serious enough to require admission to intensive care or dying within 28 days of a positive test.

Teachers' odds did worsen when schools were open, rising to the same level as the general working age population - but they were still half that of frontline health staff.

The scale of this rise was smaller in the summer term of 2021 than the autumn term of 2020, which is believed to be due to the success of the vaccine rollout.

The researchers concluded it was not possible to say why teachers are not at higher risk than the average working-age adult.

But they suggest it could be because teachers are generally healthier or take more care to avoid Covid than other occupations.

This graph shows the proportion of people hospitalised by Covid who were patient-facing healthcare workers (purple line), non-patient facing healthcare workers (yellow dashed line), teachers (purple dotted line) and the general population (blue dashed line). It reveals that teachers have not been more at risk from Covid than the general population

Antibody levels are declining in over-60s, official blood-testing data shows Covid antibody levels are already starting to decline among over-80s, official data suggested today. Ninety-two per cent of elderly adults tested positive for the Covid-fighting proteins in mid-August. This was down from a high of 95 per cent in May, according to results of a major blood-testing study. Levels have also dipped for adults in their sixties and seventies. Meanwhile, around eight in 10 young adults in the UK are now likely to have Covid antibodies. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data comes amid calls for Britain to confirm its booster vaccine campaign, which ministers hoped would begin next Monday. No10's advisers are still dithering over exactly who should be eligible  but a final decision is due imminently. But MailOnline last week revealed the group is expected to only recommend third shots for people with severely weakened immune systems, which may only include several hundred thousand Britons. This is despite real-world data which has already showed that vaccine efficacy can wane slightly over time. US health chiefs last night released figures showing jabs now only cut the risk of hospitalisation by around 75 per cent against the Delta variant, compared to 95 per cent when the shots first became available  but they insisted the ability of vaccines to prevent serious disease was still high overall. Advertisement

Most teachers were young, with an average age of 42, 80 per cent were women and 84 per cent had no existing conditions.

Writing in The BMJ, Dr David McAllister and colleagues said: 'In our study, most of the teachers were young, were women, and had few comorbidities and so were at low absolute risk of severe Covid and hospital admission with Covid.

'Furthermore, compared with healthcare workers and with other adults of working age who are otherwise similar, teachers showed no increased risk of hospital admission with Covid or severe Covid.

'These findings should reassure most adults engaged in in-person teaching.'

The findings come as education unions have warned that a relaxation of Covid safety measures this term could lead to rising infections in schools.

Schools in Scotland have already returned after the summer break and the reopening is believed to have contributed to a rise in cases north of the border.

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: 'It is very good news and very reassuring that teachers have been found not to be at greater risk of hospitalisation because of Covid.

'The study cannot determine why this is the case - although the fact that teaching is generally a profession for younger people and a large majority of the profession are female, and that teachers were prompt in being vaccinated, appear to be a significant contributory factor to these positive outcomes.

'Nothing in this study, however, negates the importance of vigilance in suppressing Covid transmission in schools.'

She added: 'The NEU has consistently pointed to the issues of Covid in schools as being mainly about onward community transmission, a position belatedly adopted by the Prime Minister in January when he described schools as vectors of transmission.

'A spike in Covid infection in school-age children will lead to more children and staff missing school and run huge risks of viral transmission into the community where many adults do not share teachers' general youth or good health.

'We do remain concerned about our more vulnerable members, for example those who are registered as clinically extremely vulnerable or third-trimester pregnant women.

'We must ensure greater protection for the many thousands in these categories.

'The NEU calls on school and college leaders to give every reasonable dispensation to ensure those staff can continue to work safely.

'This will certainly help keep down the number of school staff in hospital.'

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: 'While most staff will now have received coronavirus vaccinations, it needs to be remembered that the vast majority of pupils are unvaccinated.

'The Government has decided to make the control measures in the autumn term a great deal less stringent than previously and it will now be very important that it keeps this situation under review.'
Just 14 percent of US adults now say they won't get the vaccine as opposition appears to be waning, new poll shows.

Following a surge in cases caused by the delta variant and following recent FDA approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, those who are in hard opposition to the vaccine make up a new low of 14 percent.

And 20 per cent of adults say they are not likely to take a coronavirus vaccine, according a Axios-Ipsos poll, down from 34 percent in March.

However, the biggest driver that is pushing people to get vaccinated appears to be work mandates, according to data, as 43 percent said this would make them get the shot.

Most unvaccinated Americans say work mandates would make them get it as just one fifth of US adults now say they won't get the shot as opposition to the vaccine begins to crumble

'Schools, organizations, companies, governments implementing mandates are forcing people to deal with them,' said Cliff Young, president of Ipsos U.S. Public Affairs. 'That's what going on.'

Support for policies such as the use of masks in school and in public spaces remains high, and a further 57% of workers support vaccine requirements from their employer.

Just 20 percent of adults say they are not likely to take a coronavirus vaccine, according a Axios-Ipsos poll, down from 34 percent in March.

The data was released at a time when such mandates gain traction following the federal government's full approval of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine.

President Joe Biden has also pushed private employers to institute these types of mandates.

The start of the school year has also played a role in attitudes toward the coronavirus vaccine, the report says.

Parents who would vaccinate their child when it's approved for their age group rose to 68 percent, the highest ever recorded. This rose from 56 percent just two weeks ago.

Last week, the nation's top infectious disease expert says the U.S. should expect more vaccine mandates now that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 shot.

In an interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Dr Anthony Fauci said he thinks approval will help push more Americans to get the Covid vaccine because it might reduce their fears about the safety of the shot.

But he added that businesses and schools may feel more comfortable requiring workers or students to get a jab that has full authorization.

'You're gonna see a lot more [vaccine] mandates because there will be institutions and organizations which previously were reluctant to require vaccinations, which will now feel much more empowered to do that,' Fauci said.

'That could be organizations, businesses, colleges, universities. We're even seeing it with the military already.'

However, mandates are a contentious topic with many states outright banning laws that would require workers to be vaccinated.

Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine was the first to receive emergency use authorization from federal regulators in December 2020 and will now be first to be licensed.

Approval for use on an emergency basis means it was considered somewhat experimental despite data showing it is safe and effective.

Emergency use authorization (EUA) requires less clinical trial data, with the FDA only requiring two months of follow-up before approving the shot for those 16 and older last year compared to six months for full approval.

Dr Anthony Fauci said on Tuesday (pictured) that the U.S. should expect to see more vaccine mandates now that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine receive full approval from the FDA

About 90 million Americans who are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine have not yet done so, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If 30 percent of that group decided to get vaccinated, that would mean 27 million additional Americans would be getting shots in arms.

Fauci added that more organizations will require mandates either for their workers or for customers to conduct business.

At a news conference last week, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby confirmed that the full approval will lead to COVID-19 vaccines being mandated for the U.S. military.

'Now that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved, the department is prepared to issue updated guidance requiring all service members to be vaccinated. A timeline for vaccinated completion will be provided in the coming days,' he said.

And Louisiana State University President William Tate announced two weeks ago that the school will mandate that students receive the vaccine following full FDA authorization.

Earlier this month, Californian Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state will become the first in the U.S. to require that its teachers and other school staff be vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19.

The governor announced the new policy at a San Francisco Bay Area school that reopened earlier this week to in-person classes.

The FDA gave the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine full approval. Pictured: A nurse hold a vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at a clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, August 17

Many California schools are back in session, with others starting in the coming weeks.

'We think this is the right thing to do and we think this is a sustainable way to keeping our schools open and to address the number one anxiety that parents like myself have for young children,' said Newsom, who is a father of four.

The new requirement affects California's 320,000 public school teachers and tens of thousands of others - from cafeteria employees to cleaners and even school volunteers.

California, like the rest of the country, has seen a troubling surge in COVID-19 infections because of the Delta variant, which represents the vast majority of new cases. It has affected children more than previous strains of the virus.

California, which has a total population of 39.51 million people, has recorded 4,077,916 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 64,880 deaths.
A Qatari plane carrying a technical team landed at Kabul airport today - a first since western evacuation flights stopped on Monday night.

The plane brought experts to help the Taliban get the airport running, a source said, allowing evacuation flights to resume and aid to be brought into the country.

Qatar sent its experts after a request from the Taliban, the source added, but no final agreement has yet been reached about what kind of help they can provide.

It comes amid a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan that has seen thousands of people stream across land borders amid doubts that the Taliban will keep their word and allow those with western travel documents to leave once flights restart.

The flight is carrying a technical team which the Taliban (pictured) requested to help them reopen the airstrip - allowing aid into the country, and refugees out

'A Qatari jet carrying a technical team has landed in Kabul earlier today to discuss the resumption of operations in the airport,' a source told AFP today.

'While no final agreement has been reached regarding providing technical assistance, Qatar's technical team has initiated this discussion based on the other sides' request. Talks are still ongoing at the level of security and operation.'

More than 123,000 foreign nationals and Afghans fled the country in a frenzied airlift operation that wound up on Tuesday, but many more are desperate to depart.

Hundreds of those are thought to be western citizens who get left behind in the rush to leave, while tens of thousands more are Afghans who were promised sanctuary in return for helping US, UK and NATO forces.

Afghanistan is facing several immediate and rapidly worsening crises following the Taliban's rapid takeover, which show no sign of abating as the Islamists have not ye formed a government - caught off-guard by the speed of their own take-over.

Cash reserves are running desperately low, food shortages have seen prices soar, skilled workers are fleeing and the economy is on the brink of collapse.

Medical supplies are also running low, the country's wealth reserves are stashed overseas and under an asset freeze, aid payments have all-but dried up, and foreign exchanges have shut down - meaning people cannot wire funds from abroad.

The Islamist militia has focused on keeping banks, hospitals and government machinery running even as thousands of people crossed the borders into Iran, Pakistan and central Asian states.

Thousands of people have flocked to Afghanistan's land borders, doubting Taliban promises that they will be allowed to leave the country once flights restart

At Torkham, a border crossing with Pakistan just east of the Khyber Pass, a Pakistani official said: 'A large number of people are waiting on the Afghanistan side for the opening of the gate.'

Thousands also gathered at the Islam Qala post on the border with Iran.

'I felt that being among Iranian security forces brought some kind of relaxation for Afghans as they entered Iran, compared with the past,' said one Afghan among a group of eight that crossed over.

The Taliban is talking with Qatar and Turkey over how to run Kabul's airport, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said, but it could take days or weeks to finalise those negotiations.

Uzbekistan's land border with northern Afghanistan remained closed but its government said it would assist Afghans in transit to Germany by air, once flights resume.

In a resolution on Monday, the U.N. Security Council urged the Taliban to permit safe passage for those seeking to leave, but did not mention the creation of a safe zone, a step backed by France and others.

The Taliban have declared an amnesty for all Afghans who worked with foreign forces during the war that ousted them from power in 2001 for their refusal to hand over al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

Taliban leaders have also called on Afghans to return home and help rebuild, while promising to protect human rights, in an apparent bid to present a more moderate face than their first government, which enforced radical Islamic law.

The militia made similar promises upon seizing power in 1996, only to publicly hang a former president, ban women from education and employment, enforce strict dress codes and adopt a punitive approach to the people of Kabul.

One woman said she saw Taliban fighters beating women with sticks outside a bank in the Afghan capital on Tuesday.

'It's the first time I've seen something like that and it really frightened me,' the 22-year-old said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Hamid Karzai Airport remained closed today after the Taliban took it over behind the backs of retreating American troops

Taliban guards are pictured outside the airstrip, where only members of the Islamist group are currently allowed to go - with no flights taking off

The Taliban have yet to name a new government or reveal how they intend to govern, unlike in 1996, when a leadership council was formed within hours of taking the capital.

The foreign minister of neighbouring Pakistan, which has close ties to the Taliban, said on Tuesday he expected Afghanistan to have a new 'consensus government' within days.

In the absence of a government in Kabul, Britain and India held separate talks with Taliban officials in Doha amid fears that up to half a million Afghans https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/half-million-afghans-could-flee-across-borders-unhcr-2021-08-27 could flee.

Washington said it would use its leverage, including access to the global marketplace, over the Taliban as it seeks to get the remaining Americans and allies out of Afghanistan after its military withdrew.

High on victory and back in power, some Taliban leaders mocked the United States.

'Your power is gone, your gold is gone,' Anas Haqqani, who has emerged as one of the group's most prominent leaders, said on Twitter.

Haqqani posted a photograph of himself holding discarded prison shackles on Wednesday as he toured Bagram prison, where he spent years kept in solitary confinement by U.S. forces.

Still, Afghanistan desperately needs money, and the Taliban are unlikely to get swift access to the roughly $10 billion in assets mostly held abroad by the Afghan central bank.

'If the international community wants to prevent an economic collapse, one way would be to allow Afghanistan to gain limited and monitored access to its reserves,' Shah Mehrabi, an economics professor at Montgomery College in Maryland who is on the board of the central bank, told Reuters.

Afghan evacuees - some of the last allowed out of the country - arrive in Washington DC on Tuesday, a day after the last American forces departed

Long queues formed at banks in Kabul on Wednesday as people tried to withdraw savings.

The Taliban also said it had surrounded the only remaining province resisting its rule and it called on the fighters there to negotiate a settlement with it.

Several thousand members of local militias and remnants of army and special forces units have been holding in mountainous Panjshir under the leadership of Ahmad Massoud.

In a recorded speech, senior Taliban leader Amir Khan Motaqi called on them to put down their weapons.

'The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is home for all Afghans,' he said.

Motaqi reminded the anti-Taliban forces that NATO and U.S. forces had been unable to defeat the Taliban.

'But we are still trying to ensure that there is no war and that the issue in Panjshir is resolved calmly and peacefully,' he said.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the United States was also mindful of the threat posed by ISIS-K, the Islamic State affiliate that claimed responsibility for last week's suicide bombing outside Kabul airport which killed 13 U.S. troops and scores of Afghan civilians.
Jake Sullivan wouldn't classify the Taliban as an enemy of the U.S.  or really put them under any classification  during a Tuesday interview upon the president declaring an end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan.

'What is the Taliban? Are they now our frenemy, are they our adversary, are they our enemy? Are they our  what are they?' MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace asked Sullivan.

'Well, it's hard to put a label on it,' Biden's national security adviser responded.

He added: 'In part because we have yet to see what they are going to be now that they're in control  physical control of Afghanistan.'

Taliban chiefs reportedly ordered their fighters to hunt down pilots from the disbanded Afghan Air Force who received U.S. training to fly the high-tech warplanes and choppers left behind.

In celebration of victory over the U.S. and other western allies, jihadists took to the skies in their newly acquired aircraft. They also fought against the resistance in the Panjshir Valley in a $6 million Black Hawk helicopter.

Earlier this month, as U.S. forces began pulling out of Afghanistan, the Taliban was able to overrun the country in just over a week. And after 11 days, the Islamic militant group had control of the capital city of Kabul.

President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan refused to say Tuesday if the Taliban are an 'enemy' of America

The group also started making public statements, declaring they were now the ruling party after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and they saw little opposition in their takeover.

When President Joe Biden suggested he might extend the withdrawal deadline past August 31 to allow the military to get all Americans citizens out of Afghanistan, a spokesperson for the Taliban warned there would be 'consequences' if the 'red line' timeline wasn't met.

As the last U.S. troops left Afghanistan on Monday, the Taliban began declaring victory over the U.S. as it raided and seized U.S. and other foreign-run facilities in the country.

The air force capabilities left behind in the midst of the chaotic withdrawal gave the Taliban an air force worth tens of millions of dollars and more aerial firepower than a third of NATO members.

It's estimated as many as 48 aircraft were seized by the Taliban, although it is unclear what the breakdown is in terms of planes and helicopters.

The Taliban and their supporters took to the streets that day after the total U.S. withdrawal to celebrate, waving their flags and chanting victory over their western adversaries.

They also spit in the face of western forces by holding mock funerals for Western troops with coffins draped with the U.S., United Kingdom and French flags as well as NATO's insignia. They launched fireworks into the Kabul skyline and flaunted the American weapons and equipment they obtained when U.S. military personnel left it behind.

The Taliban spit in the face of western forces as they held mock funerals with coffins draped in NATO's, U.S. and a Union Jack flags on a street in Khost, Afghanistan on Tuesday

A US-made $6 million UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is seen flying over a convoy of Taliban fighters on its way to join the fight against the resistance in the Panjshir Valley on Wednesday

A Taliban fighter poses in the cockpit of a C-130 Hercules transport plane that was left behind during the evacuation

Taliban forces are also reportedly beating female cops.

During the withdrawal, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin admitted that Americans were being beaten by Taliban forces as they attempted to get through checkpoints to the Kabul airport for evacuation.

Originally, Biden aimed to have all U.S. military out of Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, which is the 20 year anniversary of the catalyst that led to the war in the first place  the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

He then moved that date up to August 31 and by August 30 the final U.S. aircraft departed from Afghani soil with the last American service members on board.

On Tuesday, Biden delivered remarks declaring an end to the two-decades-long war in Afghanistan and deemed the withdrawal an 'extraordinary success' despite immense backlash for his handling of the pullout.

Biden's withdrawal led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members when an ISIS-K suicide bomber deotnated his vest last Thursday outside the Kabul airport  killing 11 Marines, an Army special forces soldier and a Navy Corpsman along with dozens of Afghanis trying to flee in the Taliban takeover.

The bungled withdrawal also left hundreds of U.S citizens behind, who are now on their own to find their way out of the country without military presence in Afghanistan to assist.

A defiant Biden said the mission couldn't have been completed in a 'more orderly manner'.

He said he 'respectfully disagreed' with critics who claimed he should have started the evacuation sooner to avoid the chaos.

Taliban fighters and supporters waved flags and shouted slogans in Kandahar on Tuesday celebrating the withdrawal after the U.S. pulled all of its forces out of Afghanistan

Biden even assured that while the State Department had reached out to stranded Americans 19 times since March asking if they wanted to leave, his administration would keep working to get Afghan allies and Americans out.

'Let me be clear. Leaving August 31 is not due to an arbitrary deadline. It was designed to save American lives,' Biden said in his first public remarks since the final U.S. soldier left Hamid Karzai International Airport Monday night.

The president lauded his administration's ability to get more than 120,000 people evacuated from Afghanistan in 'one of the biggest airlifts in history'.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday she was 'not going to get into' the bombshell July 23 phone call between President Biden and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, where he implored the Afghan leader to 'change the perception' of the war with the Taliban.

Psaki refused to comment as Republicans tore into the call where Biden told Ghani to try and show the world they were beating the Taliban 'whether it is true or not.'

'I'm not going to get into private diplomatic conversations or leaked transcripts of phone calls,' the press secretary told reporters Wednesday.

'The content of the reporting is consistent with what we have said many times publicly,' she added.

'No one anticipated, the vast majority, ... anticipated that the Taliban would be able to take over the country as quickly as they did or that the Afghan national security forces would fold as quickly as they did.'

'What the president conveyed publicly and certainly privately as well, repeatedly, to Afghan leaders is that it's important that the leaders in Afghanistan do exactly that - lead, show the country they are ready to continue the fight.'

Two years ago, she demanded the White House release not only the transcript of former President Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but the entire whistleblower complaint.

'It is not just the call transcript. The whistleblower complaint would likely have more details. We need both. And not just the call,' Psaki said in a tweet on Sept. 24, 2019, the day Trump's White House released the transcript of his call with the Ukrainian leader.

Trump had been facing demands to release details of a complaint made by a member of the intelligence community about the call.

That call led to his eventual impeachment, where Democrats determined he had improperly pressured Zelensky to investigate a political opponent, Biden, and his son Hunter.

'I'm disgusted that President Biden lied to the world to try to make everyone think the Taliban wasn't taking over, when he knew they were rapidly gaining power. His lies cost us 13 American lives and Biden abandoned our allies when they needed us most,' Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., told DailyMail.com.

At least 170 people and 13 US troops were killed in a suicide bomb after the Taliban takeover as the US was evacuating Americans and allies in Kabul last week.

In a phone call transcript obtained by Reuters, Biden said the US would provide aid if Ghani could project to the world that he 'had a plan' for fighting the Taliban, while the Afghan army was being overrun.

Some say the call shows that Biden knew the situation was dire in Afghanistan way before the evacuation and flies in the face of claims from the administration that they had no idea the Taliban would take over so quickly. Other critics say Biden's call shows he is 'disconnected from the real world' as he didn't grasp Ghani's warning that 15,000 terrorists were about to 'invade' Afghanistan.

Yet, the White House is sticking to its story, with Chief of Staff Ron Klain telling MSNBC late Tuesday that no one in the administration knew the Taliban would take over Afghanistan in just 12 days.

Reuters have not revealed how they obtained the transcript. But they said they could not reach Ghani or any of his representatives - raising the prospects that it could have come from inside the White House.

'We will continue to provide close air support, if we know what the plan is,' Biden said.

Biden focused much of the call on Ghani's 'perception problem.'

'I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban,' Biden said. 'And there is a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture.'

'The content of the reporting is consistent with what we have said many times publicly,' Jen Psaki, above, said of the leaked phone call between Biden and Ghani

Biden met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, on Tuesday, whose phone call with former President Trump was the subject of the US president's first impeachment

At the time of the call, Taliban had captured about half of the nation's provincial capitals.

'Using the Orange Man Bad standard, this seems like a really impeachable phone call,' Donald Trump Jr. wrote on Twitter.

'Its damning President Biden knew the situation in Afghanistan was rapidly deteriorating in July': Republicans react with fury to leaked Biden phone call with Ghani 'That is how Joe Biden treats the American people, too. He thinks he can read a pre-scripted, defensive speech and we will all go along with it. What a joke!' -Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind. 'Its damning President Biden knew the situation in Afghanistan was rapidly deteriorating in July and pressed Ghani to project a different picture' of the Talibans advance through Afghanistan rather than address the reality on the ground. I met with Ghani the night before his Oval Office meeting with Biden [July 8] and he asked for two requests: robust air support and U.S. contractors to maintain the aircraft. He received neither.' -Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla. 'I'm disgusted that President Biden lied to the world to try to make everyone think the Taliban wasn't taking over, when he knew they were rapidly gaining power. His lies cost us 13 American lives and Biden abandoned our allies when they needed us most.' --Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich. 'Yet more evidence that Joe Biden is totally disconnected from the real world. 'Changing perception' is political spin, not a national security strategy,' -Rep. Jody Hice, R-Fla. 'In July, Joe Biden publicly downplayed a Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, calling it highly unlikely. Was he lying then? If he knew privately that the Taliban was winning then, how did his administration fail so horrifically in the end? Thirteen service members are dead and hundreds of Americans are stranded because of Bidens botched withdrawal. Americans deserve answers,' -Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C. 'The transcript of President Bidens last call with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani proves without a doubt that Biden is blatantly lying to the American people and our allies about what he knew and when he knew it,' -Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa. Advertisement

'Yet more evidence that Joe Biden is totally disconnected from the real world. 'Changing perception' is political spin, not a national security strategy,' Rep. Jody Hice, R-Fla., said.

Republicans have upped calls for Biden's impeachment over his handling of Afghanistan, but Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell threw cold water on that idea Wednesday. 'Look the president is not going to be removed from office...I think the way these behaviors get adjusted in this country is at the ballot box.'

'There isn't going to be an impeachment.'

Biden pressed Ghani to bring together the government's most prominent figures for a press conference. 'That will change perception, and that will change an awful lot I think.'

'That is how Joe Biden treats the American people, too. He thinks he can read a pre-scripted, defensive speech and we will all go along with it. What a joke!' Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., wrote on Twitter.

'Sounds like an impeachable phone call to me,' Monica Crowley, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury wrote on Twitter.

'BOMBSHELL CALL!' former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany wrote on Twitter. 'In July, Biden pressured the Afghan President (Ghani) to suggest the fight against the Taliban was going well "whether it is true or not.'''

Still, Biden in the call expressed confidence that the US-trained Afghan security forces could fend off the Taliban, being much bigger in size and far more well-equipped.

'You clearly have the best military,' he told Ghani. 'You have 300,000 well-armed forces versus 70-80,000 and they're clearly capable of fighting well.'

The White House has since laid blame on the Afghan military for 'collapsing without a fight.'

Ghani, meanwhile, relayed a sense of urgency to the US president.

'We are facing a full-scale invasion, composed of Taliban, full Pakistani planning and logistical support, and at least 10-15,000 international terrorists, predominantly Pakistanis thrown into this,' Ghani said.

'We need to move with speed.'

'In July, Joe Biden publicly downplayed a Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, calling it highly unlikely. Was he lying then? If he knew privately that the Taliban was winning then, how did his administration fail so horrifically in the end? Thirteen service members are dead and hundreds of Americans are stranded because of Bidens botched withdrawal. Americans deserve answers,' Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., told DailyMail.com.

Biden, right, pressed Ghani, left, to bring together the government's most prominent figures for a press conference. 'That will change perception, and that will change an awful lot I think'

Taliban forces rally to celebrate the withdrawal of US forces in Kandahar, Afghanistan, 01 September 2021

Families of the fallen U.S. service members were left disappointed by Joe Biden at the dignified transfer on Sunday. One sister of a fallen Marine yelled at the president: 'I hope you burn in hell! That was my brother!'

'And there's a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture': Excerpts of Biden's bombshell call with Ghani President Joe Biden and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani spoke by phone July 23. Here are excerpts from that call, based on a transcript and recording reviewed by Reuters: BIDEN: Mr. President. Joe Biden. GHANI: Of course, Mr. President, such a pleasure to hear your voice. BIDEN: You know, I am a moment late. But I mean it sincerely. Hey look, I want to make it clear that I am not a military man any more than you are, but I have been meeting with our Pentagon folks, and our national security people, as you have with ours and yours, and as you know and I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things arent going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban. And theres a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture. ..... BIDEN: If you empower Bismillah [Defense Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi] to execute a strategy focused on key parts of the population centers, and Im not a military guy, so Im not telling you what that plan should precisely look like, youre going to get not only more help, but youre going to get a perception that is going to change in terms of how , um..... our allies and folks here in the States and other places think youre doing. You clearly have the best military, you have 300,000 well-armed forces versus 70-80,000 and theyre clearly capable of fighting well, we will continue to provide close air support, if we know what the plan is and what we are doing. And all the way through the end of August, and who knows what after that. We are also going to continue to make sure your air force is capable of continuing to fly and provide air support. In addition to that we are going to continue to fight hard, diplomatically, politically, economically, to make sure your government not only survives, but is sustained and grows because it is clearly in the interest of the people of Afghanistan, that you succeed and you lead. And though I know this is presumptuous of me on one hand to say such things so directly to you, I have known you for a long while, I find you a brilliant and honorable man. But I really think, I dont know whether youre aware, just how much the perception around the world is that this is looking like a losing proposition, which it is not, not that it necessarily is that, but so the conclusion Im asking you to consider is to bring together everyone from [Former Vice President Abdul Rashid] Dostum, to [Former President Hamid] Karzai and in between, if they stand there and say they back the strategy you put together, and put a warrior in charge, you know a military man, [Defense Minister Bismillah] Khan in charge of executing that strategy, and that will change perception, and that will change an awful lot I think. ... GHANI: Mr. President, we are facing a full-scale invasion, composed of Taliban, full Pakistani planning and logistical support, and at least 10-15,000 international terrorists, predominantly Pakistanis thrown into this, so that dimension needs to be taken account of. Second, what is crucial is, close air support, and if I could make a request, you have been very generous, if your assistance, particularly to our air force be front loaded, because what we need at this moment, there was a very heavily reliance on air power, and we have prioritized that if it could be at all front-loaded, we will greatly appreciate it. And third, regarding procedure for the rest of the assistance, for instance, military pay is not increased for over a decade. We need to make some gestures to rally everybody together so if you could assign the national security advisor or the Pentagon, anyone you wish to work with us on the details, so our expectations particularly regarding your close air support. There are agreements with the Taliban that we [or "you" this is unclear] are not previously aware of, and because of your air force was extremely cautious in attacking them. And the last point, I just spoke again to Dr. Abdullah earlier, he went to negotiate with the Taliban, the Taliban showed no inclination. We can get to peace only if we rebalance the military situation. And I can assure you... BIDEN: GHANI: And I can assure you I have been to four of our key cities, Im constantly traveling with the vice president and others, we will be able to rally. Your assurance of support goes a very long way to enable us, to really mobilize in earnest. The urban resistance, Mr. President is been extraordinary, there are cities that have taken a siege of 55 days and that have not surrendered. Again, I thank you and Im always just a phone call away. This is what a friend tells a friend, so please dont feel that youre imposing on me. BIDEN: No, well, look, I, thank you. Look, close air support works only if there is a military strategy on the ground to support. Advertisement

Ghani told Biden he believed there could be peace if he could 'rebalance the military solution.'

The Afghan president fled the country, sending his government into collapse, three weeks later, and the Taliban subsequently took Kabul.

Biden promised diplomatic and economic support even after the military's withdrawal concluded.

'We are going to continue to fight hard, diplomatically, politically, economically, to make sure your government not only survives, but is sustained and grows,' said Biden.

Tom Schwartz, a Vanderbilt US foreign relations historian who formerly advised the State Department, told DailyMail.com the call proves Biden was 'deluded' and really believed the Afghan government could resist.

'I didn't see it in quite the deception way, I saw it as self-deception - more than anything else this belief that somehow it was only the perception that was the problem,' he said. 'I mean it's scary in that sense that they were that out of touch with what was going on.'

'One of the more dangerous things is when people believe their own Kool-Aid,' he added. 'It's kind of sad.'

But others said that the phone call proved Biden knew things were headed south but did not speed up evacuations.

'Its damning President Biden knew the situation in Afghanistan was rapidly deteriorating in July and pressed Ghani to project a different picture' of the Talibans advance through Afghanistan rather than address the reality on the ground,' Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., told DailyMail.com. 'I met with Ghani the night before his Oval Office meeting with Biden [July 8] and he asked for two requests: robust air support and U.S. contractors to maintain the aircraft. He received neither.'

'The transcript of President Bidens last call with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani proves without a doubt that Biden is blatantly lying to the American people and our allies about what he knew and when he knew it,' Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., said.

'It is clear from this transcript that Biden understood the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan was imminent and inevitable, yet he and his administration repeatedly assured the public that his withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan would be done smoothly and the Afghan government would remain in control.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to the White House for comment.

The Biden administration, up until the Afghanistan debacle, has been tight-lipped, avoiding the frequent leaks that came out of the Trump administration.

'I was surprised it [the phone call] was leaked, thats the type of thing that goes on when you have a breakdown and a blame shifting thing going on. Its not a good sign,' Schwartz said.

Meanwhile, the leaks continue as White House officials expressed their dismay for the Americans and allies left behind.

'I am absolutely appalled and literally horrified we left Americans there,' one administration official told Politico. 'It was a hostage rescue of thousands of Americans in the guise of a NEO [noncombatant evacuation operation], and we have failed that no-fail mission.'

Another White House official said that the mission isnt accomplished if they left Americans behind.

Reuters also reviewed transcripts of a call later that day between Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, General Mark Milley and U.S. Central Command commander General Frank McKenzie, and Ghani, who also focused on a 'perception' problem.

Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Ghani 'the perception in the United States, in Europe and the media sort of thing is a narrative of Taliban momentum, and a narrative of Taliban victory. And we need to collectively demonstrate and try to turn that perception, that narrative around.'

'I do not believe time is our friend here. We need to move quickly,' McKenzie added.

Flag-draped coffins of service members killed in action are loaded onto a transport aircraft during a ramp ceremony at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan August 27

Since the US completed its hasty exit from Afghanistan on Monday, the Taliban have seized control of billions of US equipment, including weapons, ammunition, planes and helicopters, armored vehicles and protective gear.

On Tuesday, they held mock funerals for American troops and NATO allies.

Coffins draped with the US, UK and French flags as well as NATO's insignia were paraded through the streets of Khost on Tuesday by crowds waving the Taliban's flag, hours after the final US plane departed.

Originally, Biden aimed to have all US military out of Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, which is the 20 year anniversary of the catalyst that led to the war in the first place  the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

He then moved that date up to August 31 and by August 30 the final U.S. aircraft departed from Afghani soil with the last American service members on board.

On Tuesday, Biden delivered remarks declaring an end to the two-decades-long war in Afghanistan and deemed the withdrawal an 'extraordinary success' despite immense backlash for his handling of the pullout.

In addition to the deaths of 13 US soldiers and hundreds of fleeing Afghans, bungled withdrawal also left hundreds of U.S citizens behind, who are now on their own to find their way out of the country without military presence in Afghanistan to assist.

A defiant Biden said the mission couldn't have been completed in a 'more orderly manner.'

He said he 'respectfully disagreed' with critics who claimed he should have started the evacuation sooner to avoid the chaos.

Over the weekend, the Washington Post reported that the Taliban had offered the US a chance to secure Kabul while it was conducting evacuations, and Milley turned them down, knowing that Biden remained stalwart in his mission not to send any more US troops.
A veteran Florida teacher and her school cafeteria manager daughter have succumbed to COVID-19 at the same hospital just days apart. Neither was vaccinated against the virus.

Lillian Smith, 67, had taught first grade at Dr William A Chapman Elementary School in Homestead, Florida, for 30 years.

She died without getting the chance to meet her new class. A family friend said Smith, who had multiple grandchildren of her own, called all her students 'her babies.'

Florida teacher Lillian Smith, 67 (left), and her daughter Lakisha Williams, 43 (right), died of COVID just days apart in August

Smith had taught first grade at Chapman Elementary School in Homestead for 30 years

Her daughter Lakisha Williams, 43, had worked for 17 years at Miami-Dade Public School and just weeks ago had been promoted to a school cafeteria manager. She leaves behind a husband and two children, reported Local 10.

Both Smith and Williams were hospitalized at Jackson South Medical Center in early August to be treated for complications related to COVID-19. Both ended up been put on ventilators because they could not breathe on their own.

According to a relative's social media posts, Smith succumbed to the illness on or around August 21, followed by Williams just four days later.

'I was so proud when she got her degree to be this manager, and my wife only did this not even a month,' Williams' husband, Jermaine Williams, said through tears.

Williams, pictured left on her wedding day alongside her mom, died on August 25, just four days after her mother

Jermaine Williams, Lakisha' husband, said his wife had just been promoted to a school cafeteria manager after earning a college degree

According to the widower, as his wife lay dying in the hospital, one of her last wishes was to have their teenage son and daughter vaccinated against COVID.

Smith's long-time co-worker Suzy Burstein told Miami Herald that she 'begged' her to get the vaccine when it first became available, but she kept putting it off.

'The scariest thing to me was that this didnt have to happen,' Burstein said. 'Ive also said to myself I failed her. I failed her. And thats something that Ill always have to live with because I couldnt convince her.'

Heartbroken family members have been flooding Facebook with messages of mourning for the two women.

Friends said Smith loved her students and called them her 'babies.' Neither she nor her daughter was vaccinated

Williams' husband said one of her final wishes was to have their two children (pictured) vaccinated against COVID

'Dance in paradise my Loves Lillian Smith&Lakisha Smith,' wrote Keya Girtman, Smith's granddaughter and Williams' niece. 'Lord knows this is hard for me.'

Smith's other granddaughter, also named Lillian Smith, posted on August 22 that losing her grandmother did not feel real.

'You helped me with so many problems ... who am I gonna go to about anything when you was [sic] the only person I felt understood me,' she wrote.' I promise Im gonna do right by our name your never gonna be forgotten!'

Miami-Dade County Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the back-to-back deaths of Smith and Williams are a reminder of how 'destructive' COVID-19 is.

At least 40 Florida educators have succumbed to the virus since July, reported CBS12.
Royal author Omid Scobie's suggestion that Ofcom could have broken the Human Rights Act by clearing Piers Morgan over his comments about Meghan Markle was today dismissed by a legal expert.

The watchdog found Good Morning Britain was not in breach of its code after Mr Morgan said that he 'didn't believe a word' of what Meghan told Oprah Winfrey.

But Mr Scobie said he questioned Ofcom's decision because 'freedom of expression' under the 1998 Act is subject to the restriction of 'protection of health or morals'.

However, a human rights barrister insisted Mr Morgan is not a public authority so is not himself bound by the Human Rights Act, and therefore cannot have breached it.

Adam Wagner, of Doughty Street Chambers in London, added that Ofcom had not breached its duties under the Act after it gave a 'detailed and reasoned' response.

PIERS MORGAN: Ofcom's vindication of me is a resounding victory for freedom of speech

Royal author Omid Scobie is pictured speaking on ITV's This Morning programme today

Ofcom found Good Morning Britain was not in breach of its code after Piers Morgan (pictured on the programme) said that he 'didn't believe a word' of what Meghan told Oprah Winfrey

Mr Scobie, who co-authored Prince Harry and Meghan's biography Finding Freedom, is a trusted media contact of the Sussexes and often defends them in the public eye.

Mr Scobie tweeted today: 'Under Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998, freedom of speech ensures everyone in UK 'has the right to freedom of expression.'

What the Human Rights Act actually says about freedom of expression Human Rights Act 1998 Article 10 - Freedom of Expression 1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises. 2. The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary. Advertisement

'But it is not absolute - that freedom can also be subject to laws and 'formalities, conditions, restrictions necessary in a democratic society'.

'One of those restrictions is 'protection of health or morals', which makes me question Ofcom's decision.

'While everyone should be free to express opinion on public figures, discrediting a person's mental health issues on TV reinforced a dangerous stigma and put others at risk.'

Replying to a comment by one of his 71,000 followers, Mr Scobie later added: 'It sets a worrying precedent for Ofcom to be giving the nod to this kind of commentary.'

Mr Scobie, who works for Harper's Bazaar, did not make clear if he was suggesting that Ofcom had breached the Act with its judgement, or that Mr Morgan had breached the Act with his comments.

Mr Morgan himself also weighed in on Mr Scobie's comments on Twitter this afternoon, telling him: 'Pipe down, Lickspittle.

'You just trashed the Queen in your garbage book without a care for the mental health of a 95-year-old woman grieving the loss of her husband.'

This prompted Valentine Low, royal correspondent for The Times, to tweet: 'Heavens! Can't you just play nicely, kids?'

And Mr Wagner told MailOnline today: 'Piers Morgan isn't a public authority so isn't himself bound by the Human Rights Act. He therefore cannot have breached it.

'However, I don't think that Mr Scobie was arguing that Piers Morgan himself had breached the Human Rights Act, but that Ofcom - which is bound by the Human Rights Act - has breached it through its decision.'

He continued: 'I would be surprised if this was correct. The right to freedom of expression is protected under the Human Rights Act and this particularly protects the free speech rights of journalists.

Adam Wagner, of Doughty Street Chambers in London, said Ofcom had not breached its duties under the Human Rights Act after it gave a 'detailed and reasoned' response

'Ofcom's decision accepts that it was finely balanced and correctly refers to the fact that free expression can be limited, and that it must be balanced by the potential harms including to viewers at risk of mental health issues and racism.

'However, it is also rightly says that free expression includes the right to cause offence and that Morgan's trenchant views were themselves challenged on Good Morning Britain.

'Ultimately, not everybody will agree with the decision but it is detailed and reasoned so I doubt it has breached Ofcom's duties under the Human Rights Act.'

Today, Mr Morgan asked: 'Do I get my job back?' after Ofcom found Good Morning Britain was not in breach of the broadcasting code over his controversial comments about Meghan, which sparked a record number of complaints.

Mr Morgan left the show in March after saying he did not believe claims made by Meghan during her interview with Oprah Winfrey.

He has described the Ofcom ruling as 'a resounding victory for free speech' after the watchdog judged he was 'entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's allegations and to hold and express strong views that rigorously challenged their account,' and said restricting such views would be 'an unwarranted and chilling restriction on freedom of expression'.

During the bombshell interview, Meghan, 40, said she was ignored when raising concerns about her mental health and suicidal thoughts and alleged that racist comments had been made before the birth of her son, Archie.

Discussing the interview on the morning programme the following day, Mr Morgan said: 'I'm sorry, I don't believe a word she says. I wouldn't believe her if she read me a weather report.'

The episode on March 8 became the most complained about moment in the watchdog's history, with more than 50,000 people complaining, and it emerged that Meghan had made a formal complaint to ITV about Morgan.

Ofcom said his comments were 'potentially harmful and highly offensive' but were thoroughly challenged by Morgan's co-host Susanna Reid and ITV News' royal editor Chris Ship during the programme.

An Ofcom spokesman told MailOnline today: 'This was a finely-balanced decision. Mr Morgan's comments were potentially harmful and offensive to viewers, and we recognise the strong public reaction to them.

'But we also took full account of freedom of expression. Under our rules, broadcasters can include controversial opinions as part of legitimate debate in the public interest, and the strong challenge to Mr Morgan from other contributors provided important context for viewers.

'Nonetheless, we've reminded ITV to take greater care around content discussing mental health and suicide in future. ITV might consider the use of timely warnings or signposting of support services to ensure viewers are properly protected.'
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Another year of Burning Man has been cancelled due to the pandemic but for the die-hard festivalgoers with money to spend, they have decided to create their own unofficial event.

Officials at the Bureau of Land Management, which controls the desert where the festival usually takes place, estimate the non-ticketed event will attract up to 20,000 people over Labor Day weekend. The last official ticketed Burning Man, which took place in 2019, drew nearly 80,000 Burners to the desert.

Thousands of festivalgoers have already begun to descend on Nevada's Black Rock Desert - dubbed 'the Playa' - including Michael Goetzman, 38, of Wisconsin, who flew first class to the event on a semi-private jet.

'It's amazing, it feels like the 90s,' Goetzman, who works in cyber security, said of the renegade event, where he's camped out at the Bureau Of Misinformation site with 'lots of highly intelligent successful friends from the Bay Area,' including 'notable celebrities and executives,' although he would not disclose who was on the star-studded campsite.

'Out here, this is the real America, the freedom. It's public land. This is the real Silicon Valley of inspiration and emerging ideas. Bonds upon friends that spark innovations.'

He also said there were 'lots of six-figure FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) workers' in attendance, who could afford luxuries such as Porta Potties and private performances during a year where the official Burning Man organization wasn't providing food, water, toilets and a weekend full of live music like they usually do.

Another year of Burning Man has been cancelled due to the pandemic but for some Burners, this year's virtual rendition isn't cutting it. Thousands have decided to continue the tradition for a week-long unofficial Burning Man and have dubbed it 'Free Burn' and 'Renegade Burn'

The statement from land management means that this year's foe-live event will look much different than past iterations of the festival, which are known for its incredible series of performances that showcase flaming structures and lasers alongside popular DJs

A video posted to Instagram shows festivalgoers dancing as DJ Guy Gerber performs

Thousands more Burners are expected to join the crowd over the course of the weekend with rumored performances from Diplo, who is no stranger to the festival

Goetzman, who works in cyber security, is a Burning Man veteran. In 2019 he took his children to the last ticketed Burning Man (pictured before leaving for the festival), which drew nearly 80,000 Burners. In 2020 he attended the first virtual iteration of the event and said: 'I had a grand time without the dust covering me'

Yet the unofficial Burning Man was free to attend. 'I know some that come out here and barely spend anything beyond gas,' Goetzman said, who added that he might spend upwards of $10,000 over the course of the weekend.

'Hard to calculate as I'm not quite done yet. Could be more,' he said.

Goetzman, who makes upwards of $250,000 himself, said he and his friends enjoy 'this one time of year to disconnect' because of their stressful jobs. But he also said the festival is a great time to 'visit with friends I only see once a year, safely'.

Burners are referring to the unofficial event as 'Free Burn' and 'Renegade Burn' and posted a livestream on Twitch titled 'Feeling FOMO? Pack your s*** and just go' has already documented nearly nine hours of live music, partying and a growing crowd.

Michael Goetzman (pictured), 38, of Wisconsin, flew first class to the event on a semi-private jet to the unofficial Burning Man festival where he's camped out with 'lots of highly intelligent successful friends from the Bay Area'

The Playa is available to the public year-round with a 14-day limit on recreational and camping use. But the land management has already issued temporary restrictions effective August 18 to October 31, 2021, including bans on igniting fires other than campfires, the burning of structures, aircraft landings, possession of alcohol and use of lasers.

It also warned people that 'there are no medical and emergency resources close to the playa and multiple emergencies may result in extended response times'.

The statement means that this year's foe-live event will look much different than past iterations of the festival, which are known for its incredible series of performances that showcase flaming structures and lasers alongside popular DJs.

Burning Man also usually has an airstrip for luxe on-site arrivals.

However, the restrictions - including the threat of historic heat strokes and smoke from the California wildfires - are not stopping die-hard Burner fans and groups such as Black Rock Plan B, Playa Poop Protocol, Unity 2021 Free Burn, RenegadeBurn, Renegade Man, and Rogue Burn from trekking into the desert anyways.

At the Bureau Of Misinformation campsite where Goetzman is staying, all guests are fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated Burners were kicked out, according to Goetzman.

He said that overall, people are being 'very respectful' of Covid guidelines by setting up campsites farther apart than usual, wearing masks and asking others if it's okay to approach. 'There is a risk of Covid anywhere but we wear masks,' he added.

Art cars are expected to make a showing this year in place of the Burning Man's infamous larger-than-life art structures, not to mention about 500 unofficial Burning Man camps on the Playa, according to Forbes, which has festivalgoers excited to experience what the festival may have been like in the early 90s.

Officials at the Bureau of Land Management, which controls the desert where the festival usually takes place, estimate the non-ticketed event will attract up to 20,000 people over Labor Day Weekend

Nothing has stopped die-hard Burner fans and groups such as Black Rock Plan B, Playa Poop Protocol, Unity 2021 Free Burn, RenegadeBurn, Renegade Man, and Rogue Burn from trekking into the desert

A livestream on Twitch titled 'Feeling FOMO? Pack your s*** and just go' has already documented nearly nine hours of live music, partying and a growing crowd

Art cars are expected to make a showing this year in place of the Burning Man's infamous larger-than-life art structures, not to mention about 500 unofficial Burning Man camps on the Playa

The Playa is available to the public year-round with a 14-day limit on recreational and camping use. But the land management has already issued temporary restrictions effective August 18 to October 31, 2021

Temporary restrictions include bans on igniting fires other than campfires, the burning of structures, aircraft landings, possession of alcohol and use of lasers

For Burners who can't make it to the renegade version of the event, Burning Man organizers have kicked off Virtual Burn Week. The virtual experience is free with a requested donation - a price that's a little less steep than the $500 per person asked to attend the in-person festival.

Goetzman, a Burning Man veteran, is also attending the virtual iteration of the week-long festival while he's in the desert thanks to his $1,000 Internet uplink and SpaceX's Starlink backup service.

He said the virtual festival was a good alternative and described it as 'innovative' for 'breaking into new ideas of art'.

'I had a grand time without the dust covering me,' he added.

'And virtual reality (VR) there is actually the art and temple,' Goetzman said after noting that he missed the staples of the usual event.

An extended VR experience pass is allowing the half a million expected guests to visit the broadcast over and over again for up to 30 days after the virtual festival ends.

It's designed to replicate as much of the annual festival known for its music, art, nudity and sex as possible, complete with the hours-long traffic jam to get in.

VR developers from six different companies have spent a year trying to reproduce that scene as they also took advantage of the new technology to give festival-goers, known as Burners, an experience they only would have had in past years if they were high on hallucinogens - with flying and teleporting avatars and Porta Potties that lead into a world of art.

They aimed to build a city out of thin air where participants can live in a utopian society that follows the principles of 'decommodification' (not needing money to obtain goods and services) and 'radical inclusion'.

Virtual camps would allow longtime Burners to revisit their old haunts as DJs play virtual sets.

The virtual experience cannot, however, replicate the free-flowing drinks the festival is known for or the constant hugs participants get at the live experience that draws tens of thousands of people each year.

The users would create their own avatars who could fly and teleport throughout the virtual world and experience the sites the annual festival is known for

A scene of the playa as night descends on the city, with lights lighting up the sculptures

The virtual festival will run from August 29 through September 7 and is free with a requested donation, as compared to the in-person festival which costs $500 per person

The virtual playa includes many different features, like a virtual Ferris Wheel

The festival began on Sunday, as thousands of people encountered a glitch trying to get into the system - not knowing that the developers programmed a rain storm to replicate one a few years prior.

The idea, according to Andrew Barrett, a creator of some of the virtual worlds, was to get the Burners to 'hang around and rely on each other to figure it out,' calling the approach 'radical self-reliance'.

Half a million people are expected to show up virtually for the event over the next few days, as they did for the first Virtual Burn last year - which was pulled together in a month, with several participants experiencing glitches as they could not figure out how to enter its multiple digital worlds.

This year, though, developers said the experience will be better.

'We've improved on the technology because we've had a year and a half,' Colette Crespin, director of Virtual Experiences for Burning Man Project, a nonprofit that organizes the event, told the Wall Street Journal.

The first Virtual Burn was built on Microsoft's social platform, Altspace, and included over 200 worlds to explore, with more than 1,500 hours of live events.

It drew an estimated half million attendees, the Journal reports, more than five times the 80,000 who were there physically in 2019.

After winning the PGA Innovation Award last year, and further publicizing Altspace, Microsoft threw more resources behind the Virtual Burn this year and fast-tracked a 2D version compatible with Macs and PCs so anyone with a computer can create an Altspace account and teleport to the festival, according to IndieWire.

'We brought his whole community with us, and now Microsoft is pouring money into Altspace to turn it into a premiere events platform,' said BRCvr co-founder Athena Demos, adding for her 'it's a labor of love.'

Participants can create their own avatars to peruse the virtual festival grounds and dress them up as they want

While the annual in-person Burning Man festival was canceled this year over COVID concerns, those who would like to experience the festival could participate in a free Virtual Burn Week using virtual reality (VR) headsets or their computer screens

Burning Man is known for its sculptures - which will be on display in the virtual world

One of the worlds users can explore at the virtual Burning Man is the Infinite Playa

Organizers said there will be no Orgy Dome this year, but participants can create their own adults-only events
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The Taliban showed off dozens of US-made armoured vehicles and weaponry during victory parades today.

One event, in the southern city of Kandahar, even featured a fly-past from a Black Hawk helicopter flying the flag of the Taliban.

The parades of the hardware, captured from Afghan forces during the group's takeover of Afghanistan, were held just hours after U.S. President Joe Biden defended his decision to end two decades of American presence in the country.

The Islamist hardliners are celebrating Monday's final withdrawal of U.S. troops as an historic victory after taking control of all but one of the country's 34 provinces in an astonishing two-week offensive.

On Wednesday, a long line of green Humvees and armoured fighting vehicles drove in single file along a highway outside Kandahar - the spiritual birthplace of the militant movement. Many of the vehicles had the white and black Taliban flag attached to them.

Footage posted on social media showed a helicopter flying overhead trailing the Taliban's standard behind it as fighters waved from below.

At least one Black Hawk helicopter has been seen flying over Kandahar in recent days, suggesting that someone from the former Afghan army was at the controls as the Taliban lack pilots.

The Taliban showed off dozens of US-made armoured vehicles and weaponry during victory parades today

One event, in the southern city of Kandahar, even featured a fly-past from a Black Hawk helicopter (pictured) flying the flag of the Taliban

The parades of the hardware, captured during the group's takeover of Afghanistan, were held just hours after U.S. President Joe Biden defended his decision to end two decades of American presence in the country

A Taliban fighter is seen standing next to what appears to be a damaged US-made Black Hawk helicopter in an image shared on social media

Pictured: Supposed Taliban supporters gather to watch a parade in Kandahar on Wednesday

As the Taliban celebrated on Wednesday, Afghans and the international community awaited details of the group's plans for governing with concern

Pictures: Taliban soldiers grin as they celebrate recapturing Afghanistan and the withdrawal of U.S. troops

A US-made Black Hawk helicopter was seen flying over the parade in Kandahar on Wednesday. It's suspected that a former Afghan military member may have been flying it as the Taliban lack pilots

The United Nations warned meanwhile of a looming 'humanitarian catastrophe' in Afghanistan, underscoring the daunting challenges that the Taliban face as they transform from insurgent group to governing power.

Biden was nonetheless defiant in his speech.

'This is the right decision. A wise decision. And the best decision for America,' he said in an address to the nation.

For the United States, Biden argued, the only choice was 'leaving or escalating'.

The president, who has been savaged by critics for his handling of the withdrawal which saw the US and its allies evacuate more than 122,000 in just over two weeks, hailed the operation as an 'extraordinary success'.

'No nation has ever done anything like it in all of history; only the United States had the capacity and the will and ability to do it,' he said.

All eyes will now turn to how the Taliban handle their first few days with sole authority over the country, with a sharp focus on whether they will allow free departure for those wanting to leave - including some foreigners.

The United States has said that 'under 200' of its citizens remain in the country, and Britain said the number of UK nationals inside was in the 'low hundreds'.

The United States has said that 'under 200' of its citizens remain in the country, and Britain said the number of UK nationals inside was in the 'low hundreds'

The Islamist hardliners are celebrating Monday's final withdrawal of U.S. troops as an historic victory after taking control of all but one of the country's 34 provinces in an astonishing two-week offensive

Traffic police escort Taliban forces as they celebrate the withdrawal of U.S. forces in Kandahar on Wednesday

Pictured: Taliban forces rally to celebrate the withdrawal of U.S., which President Joe Biden defended just hours before

Pictured: Supposed Taliban supporters watch a parade in Kandahar on Wednesday

All eyes will now turn to how the Taliban handle their first few days with sole authority over the country, with a sharp focus on whether they will allow free departure for those wanting to leave - including some foreigners

Supposed supporters of the Taliban take to the streets of Kandahar on Tuesday to celebrate the U.S. withdrawal

Pictured: Taliban fighters ride atop armoured vehicles as they parade in single file outside the city of Kandahar - the spiritual birthplace of the militant movement

Haji Mohammad Yousaf, the Taliban's governor for Kandahar province, addresses the crowd during a ceremony on Wednesday

Thousands of Afghans who worked with the US-backed government over the years and fear retribution still want to get out.

Talks are ongoing on who will now run Kabul airport, which German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned was of 'existential importance' as a lifeline for aid.

A Qatar Airways flight landed in Kabul on Wednesday afternoon - the first since the United States departed - bringing a team of technical experts to work on fixing the trashed airport, a source close to the matter told AFP news agency.

The goal was to resume flights for both humanitarian aid and to provide freedom of movement for those wanting to leave.

Many Afghans are terrified of a repeat of the Taliban's initial rule from 1996 to 2001, which was infamous for their treatment of women and girls, as well as a brutal justice system.

The group has repeatedly promised a more tolerant brand of governance compared with their first stint in power.

Still, senior Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai told BBC Pashto in an interview that while women could continue working, there 'may not' be a place for them in the cabinet of any future government or any other top post.

Taliban fighters remained heavily armed at the celebration in Kandahar, which took place almost a week after twin bomb attacks killed more than 180 people at Kabul airport

A long line of green Humvees and armoured fighting vehicles drove in single file along a highway outside Kandahar - the spiritual birthplace of the militant movement

Footage shared on social media showed the Taliban rolling through the streets in heavily armoured vehicles and engaging with citizens

. Many of the captured vehicles on parade had the white and black Taliban flag attached to them

Taliban fighters in cars and motocycles took place in a smaller-scale parade in Kandahar on Tuesday

Authorities from several countries have already begun meeting with Taliban leadership, the latest being India

Children shout slogans and wave flags during a pro-Taliban demonstration in Kandahar on Tuesday

UN chief Antonio Guterres expressed his 'grave concern at the deepening humanitarian and economic crisis in the country', adding that basic services were at threat of collapsing 'completely'.

He pleaded for financial support from the international community for the war-ravaged country, which is dependent on foreign aid.

Authorities from several countries have already begun meeting with Taliban leadership, the latest being India.

Qatar's foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, urged the Taliban to combat terrorism and called for an inclusive government.

Crowds gather in Kandahar on Wednesday to hear a speech from the local Taliban official. The city is the spiritual birthplace of the movemeny

A heavily armed Taliban fighter waves to a photographer as he takes part in a parade in Kandahar on Wednesday

The Taliban are still in the process of firming up its governing plans, which it says will be guided by the principles of Sharia Law. Pictured: A Taliban fighter

Thousands of Afghans who worked with the US-backed government over the years and fear retribution still want to get out of the country but there is uncertainty as to whether the Taliban will allow this. The group says it will

The US-led airlift began as the Taliban completed an astonishing rout of government forces around the country and took over the capital on August 15.

The withdrawal came just before the August 31 deadline set by Biden to end the war, which began with a US-led invasion that ousted the Taliban in the wake of 9/11, but later reached a stalemate on the battlefield with the resurgent militants.

The conflict has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Afghans and more than 2,400 American service members.

The evacuation was complicated by a threat from the regional offshoot of the Islamic State group, rivals of the Taliban.

Thirteen US troops were among more than 100 people killed when an IS suicide bomber attacked the perimeter of the airport, where desperate Afghans had massed in the hope of boarding an evacuation flight.

Thank you, America: Taliban now has up to 48 aircraft including US-supplied Black Hawks and A-29 attack planes after Afghan army's collapse left them with more air power than many NATO nations

ByRoss Ibbetson For Mailonline

The Taliban have seized an air force worth tens of millions of pounds, including US-bought helicopters and attack planes, giving them more aerial firepower than many Nato members.

Over the last few months, the jihadists have captured 10 major airfields from Bagram to Mazar-i-Sharif, and today took to the skies in a $6 million Black Hawk helicopter in their fight against the resistance in the Panjshir Valley.

Taliban chiefs are reported to have ordered their troops to hunt down pilots from the disbanded Afghan Air Force, who received expensive training from the US and its allies to fly high-tech warplanes and choppers.

Without those pilots, flying such sophisticated aircraft is near-impossible for an amateur - but several videos of airborne terrorists suggest they must have recruited some renegade wingmen.

Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul was seized on Tuesday by triumphant jihadists who were seen clambering into the cockpit of a $14 million Hercules transport jet - albeit clearly tilting over, suggesting its wheels were bust.

The Afghan Air Force was operating 167 aircraft, including 108 helicopters and 59 planes, according to an official U.S. government inspection on June 30.

Before Kabul fell, Uzbekistan confirmed that 46 Afghan aircraft, including 24 helicopters, had arrived in the country in order to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Taliban.

The commander of the US evacuation mission, Gen. Frank McKenzie, said American troops disabled 73 aircraft before finally leaving the country on Monday night.

Photos showed propellers and guns removed from planes and helicopters, while other aircraft lay with their fuselages directly on the tarmac, having had their wheels stripped away rendering them inoperable.

That leaves as many as 48 aircraft seized by the Taliban, although it is unclear what the breakdown is in terms of planes and helicopters, or what condition these aircraft might be in. Many were built in the 1980s and will need constant servicing and parts to make sure they are airworthy, let alone capable of combat.

Nevertheless, if the Islamists have that many operational aircraft, it gives them more air power than 10 of the 30 Nato members, namely: Albania, Bosnia, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Slovenia.

The Taliban are believed to have got hold of as many as 48 aircraft which the US and its allies were either unable to disable or fly overseas. This means that the terrorists have an air force which is greater in number than that of 10 Nato countries

A US-made $6 million UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is seen flying over a convoy of Taliban fighters on its way to join the fight against the resistance in the Panjshir Valley on Wednesday

A Taliban fighter poses in the cockpit of a C-130 Hercules transport plane that was left behind during the evacuation

An A-29 attack plane is surrounded by kit left behind by western forces as they retreated from Kabul airport

A-29 attack planes which appear largely intact are seen alongside a huge amount of western body armour and tactical helmets left behind by retreating troops

At the top of the Nato tree is the United States with more than 13,000 aircraft, followed by France with 1,057, Turkey with 1,056, Italy with 876 and the United Kingdom with 738.

It is unclear how many former pilots the Taliban have been able to recruit, however, a video which emerged on social media this month showed a group of militants flying in a Russian-made Mi-17 chopper.

Another today, showed a Black Hawk heading to the contested Panjshir Valley north of Kabul where the country's last stand is being fought by the Northern Alliance resistance fighters.

Aviation sources say it is unlikely that an amateur would be able to get such a helicopter off the ground, let alone be able to land it.

In addition, these aircraft - many of them dating back to the 1980s - will need expert mechanical care and new parts to keep them airborne.

And even then, the Taliban will need to provide funds to arm the aircraft, with the cost of bullets aside, the price of precision-guided missiles becomes exorbitant - particularly for a ragtag government without the means to feed its starving populace.

According to the June 30 tally by the US-based Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Sigar), the Afghan Air Force had 43 MD-530 helicopters, 33 Black Hawks, 32 Mi-17s, 33 C-208 propeller planes, 23 A-19 turboprop light attack planes and 3 Hercules C-130s.

Taliban fighters driving in US-made armoured cars through the streets of Kandahar, the terror group's de-facto capital

Footage uploaded to social media shows Taliban fighters driving armored vehicles through Kandahar after vanquishing the US-backed Afghan National Army

Soviet-era tanks are filmed by advancing Taliban fighters. The Russians fought in Afghanistan in the 1980s and also left behind some of their hardware

A Taliban fighter filmed an array of Soviet-era tanks. It's unclear what military worth, if any, the vehicles still have

Although many of the planes were flown away before the runways were seized, satellite imagery revealed that not all of them made it.

Analysis of satellite images commissioned by the BBC revealed that six days after Kandahar airport was captured by the Taliban, there were five aircraft - at least two MI-17s choppers, two Black Hawks and a third unidentified helicopter.

Around a month before the airbase was seized, there were 16 aircraft spotted - including nine Black Hawks, two MI-17s and five fixed-wing planes.

The aircraft were either flown to other runways in the country or shifted overseas.

A-29 light attack plane A-29 attack plane Manufacturer: Embraer (Brazil) First flight: 1999 Role: Low-cost attack plane armed with precision guided missiles for low-threat environments. Crew: 2 Length: 37 ft 4 in Wingspan: 36ft 7in Max takeoff weight: 11,905 lb Max speed: 370 mph Range: 1,744 miles Service ceiling: 35,000ft Armament: Guns: Internal 12.7mm machine guns, wing-mounted machine guns. Rockets: Air-to-air missiles (Sidewinder, Piranha, Python), air-to-ground missiles (AGM-65 Maverick, Roketsan Cirit). Bombs: Incendiary (BINC-300), cluster (BLG-252) and precision guided bombs (Lizard, Griffin, Paveway II). Advertisement

C-130 Hercules C-130 Hercules Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin (USA) First flight: 1954 Role: Originally designed for troop, medevac and cargo transport. Other roles as a gunship (AC-130) for air assaults, search and rescue, reconnaissance and aerial refueling have been utilised. Crew: 5 Length: 97 ft 9 in Wingspan: 132 ft 7 in Height 38 ft Max takeoff weight: 75,800lb Max speed: 370 mph Range: 2,360 miles Maximum altitude: 40,000ft Armament: The AC-130 gunship variants can be armed with miniguns, rotary cannons, howitzers, missiles and bombs. Advertisement

Mi-17 helicopter Mi-17 helicopter Manufacturer: Soviet Union (Russia) First flight: 1975 Role: Transport helicopter, with gunship capabilities. Crew: 2 pilots, 1 engineer Length: 60 ft 7in Height: 18 ft 6 in Max takeoff weight: 28,660 lb Max speed: 170 mph Range: 500 miles Service ceiling: 20,000 ft Armament: Rockets: S-8 high explosive fragmentation rockets; Ataka anti-tank guided missiles. Guns: UPK-23-250 23mm autocannon Advertisement

C-208 plane C-208 Cessna Manufacturer: Cessna (USA) First flight: 1982 Role: Transport aircraft, widely used by civilians and also as serves a military transport role. Crew: One or two Length: 37 ft 7 in Wingspan: 52 ft 1 in Maximum landing weight: 7,800 lb Max speed: 186 kn (214 mph) Range: 1,232 miles Service ceiling: 25,000ft Armaments: N/A Advertisement

MD-540 helicopter MD-540 helicopter Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas (USA) First flight: 1976 Role: Light multifunctional chopper, can be armed with missiles, ideal for scouting missions. Crew: 2 Length: 30 ft 9 in Height: 8ft 8.5 in Max takeoff weight: 2,550 lb Max speed: 132 knots (152 mph) Range: 366 miles Hover ceiling: 8,200 ft Armament: Four TOW anti-tank missiles OR Two 7.62mm miniguns OR Four Stinger air-to-air missiles OR Mk44/Mk46 torpedoes OR two seven-shot rocked pods Advertisement

UH-60 Black Hawk UH-60 Black Hawk Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft (USA) First flight: 1974 Role: Primarily a tactical transport helicopter, later iterations have been more combat oriented. Crew: 2 pilots and 2 gunners Length: 64ft 10 in Height: 16ft 10 in Max takeoff weight: 22,000 lb Max speed: 159 knots (183 mph) Range: 1,380 miles (with extra fuel tanks) Service ceiling: 19,000 ft Armament: Guns: 2  7.62 mm (0.30 in) M240 machine guns OR 2  7.62 mm (0.30 in) M134 minigun. Rockets: Unguided (Hydra 70); laser guided (Hellfire and Stinger). Bombs: Can be equipped with VOLCANO mine clearers. Advertisement

A Taliban fighter walks past an aircraft and an assortment of other military and civilian vehicles at the airport in Kabul

A Taliban fighter takes a picture of a damaged MD 530 helicopter that was abandoned at Kabul airport by retreating troops

A Russian Mi-17 helicopter is pictured alongside Taliban fighters after it was seized from retreating western troops

A transport plane with the propeller removed is examined by Islamist fighters at Kabul airport this morning

Planes, helicopters and vehicles left behind by western forces have now fallen into the hands of the Taliban

An aerial picture of Uzbekistan's Termez airport taken on August 16 shows that there were more than 24 helicopters, including MI-17, MI-25, Black Hawks and also several A-29 light-attack and C-208 planes.

The Uzbek government has since confirmed that 46 Afghan aircraft did land in the central Asian country.

They quickly realised that they would need pilots to fly the high tech vehicles and set about actively recruiting from members of the Afghan Air Force, who received top training by the US and its allies.

Before leaving late Monday night, the US military disabled scores of aircraft and armoured vehicles as well as a high-tech rocket defence system, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie said.

A total of 73 aircraft at at Hamid Karzai International Airport were 'demilitarised', or rendered useless.

'Those aircraft will never fly again... They'll never be able to be operated by anyone,' he said. 'Most of them are non-mission capable, to begin with. But certainly, they'll never be able to be flown again.'

Two weeks ago on August 14 when the US started airlifting troops and civilians from Kabul airport, Pentagon built up a force of nearly 6,000 troops, along with 600 British soldiers, to occupy and operate the airport.

Britain and America officially ended their military presence in Afghanistan late Monday night with the final US troops flying out from Kabul's airport. Pictured: Taliban fighters from the Fateh Zwak unit, wielding American supplied weapons, equipment and uniforms, storm into the Kabul International Airport

A helicopter at Kabul airport with its guns stripped away

Helicopters at Kabul airport after being disabled by the retreating US forces

Taliban posing with a Brazilian-made Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano light attack plane at seized Mazer-i-Sharif airport earlier this month

Taliban fighters with a seized Hughes OH-6 Cayuse 'Loach' helicopter at Mazer-i-Sharif airport. The Loach was introduced into the US Army in the late 1960s

Once the evacuation process ended, around 70 MRAP armoured tactical vehicles, which can cost up to $1m a piece, were disabled before leaving, along with 27 Humvees. 'The vehicles will never be used again by anyone,' he said.

The US also left behind the C-RAM system -- counter rocket, artillery, and mortar -- that was used to protect the airport from rocket attacks.

The system helped fend off a five-rocket barrage from the Islamic State on Monday.

'We elected to keep those systems in operation up until the very last minute,' before the last US aircraft left, McKenzie said.

'It's a complex procedure and time-intensive procedure to break down those systems. So we demilitarize those systems so that they'll never be used again.'

Elsewhere in the passenger terminal of the airport, there appeared wanton destruction, with offices trashed and seating destroyed, but it was not clear whether that damage predated the arrival of the US and British troops.
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Just half a million Britons with severely suppressed immune systems will be invited for a third Covid jab after the Government's vaccine advisory panel finally signed off on plans for boosters doses tonight.

Between 400,000 and 500,000 of the most vulnerable patients  including those with leukemia, HIV and organ transplant patients  will be made eligible for the top-up doses when the rollout expands in the coming days.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said there was evidence to suggest a significant number of these people did not mount a strong immune response after their first two injections.

Adults aged 18 and above will be offered either the Pfizer or Moderna jab even if they were initially immunised with AstraZeneca's, after a number of studies showed the mRNA vaccines make safe and effective third doses.

Immunosuppressed children aged 12 to 17 will only be offered Pfizer's vaccine due to a lack of safety and efficacy data on the other jabs in this age group.

The JCVI said a third dose was 'very unlikely' to cause any harm to immunocompromised people and had the potential to protect them, which swung the balance in favour of revaccination.

However, the group insisted the new recommendation is separate from a broader booster programme which would target healthy elderly people and other vulnerable Britons with underlying illnesses.

The JCVI said it was waiting on more evidence that these people would benefit from another dose and claimed that the 'vast majority' of the population still had high protection.

There has been growing pressure for the UK to follow Israel, which has managed to curb rising hospital admissions after rolling out boosters for over-60s in July. The country has since expanded the scheme to all over-30s.

A number of studies in the UK and US have also suggested that vaccine effectiveness is already waning in elderly groups. Health Secretary Sajid Javid welcomed the announcement tonight but said the Government was continuing to plan for a wider booster programme to begin this month.

Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt earlier today called for boosters 'not just for the clinically vulnerable but for everyone', citing Israel's success and evidence of dwindling immunity. Covid cases remain stubbornly high in the UK  there are about 35,000 each day on average  and hospital rates have been creeping up as the country moves into the colder months and schools go back.

Just half a million Britons with severely suppressed immune systems will be invited for a third Covid jab after the Government's vaccine advisory panel finally signed off on plans for boosters doses tonight. Patients who are eligible are listed above

The decision was made on the back of results from the Octave study published last week. It found about one in 10 in the vulnerable group failed to generate any detectable Covid antibodies four weeks after their second dose of Pfizer or AstraZeneca. A further 30 per cent generated a significantly lower antibody response than healthy people, according to the study published as a pre-print in The Lancet

Between 400,000 and 500,000 of the most vulnerable patients  including those with leukemia, HIV and organ transplant patients  will be made eligible for the top-up doses when the rollout expands in the coming days. The UK's rollout has seen more than 90 doses in total administered so far

There had been growing pressure for Britain to go with a more broad booster programme like in Israel. Professor Eran Segal, a mathematician at the country's Weizmann Institute, tweeted today that hospitalisations had started to fall just two weeks after the top-up campaign started. This graph shows how Covid hospitalisations have started to level off in Israel just two weeks after its booster programme began. When the drive was started hospitalisations were doubling every week. Predictions suggested this would continue (green line). But just two weeks after the jabs were given out actual hospitalisations have slowed (blue line)

There are more than 3.7million extremely clinically vulnerable people in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics. Of these, around 500,000 are classified as immunosuppressed

Today's decision came after a trial found that 40 per cent of extremely immunosuppressed people have low levels of antibodies after two vaccines. Ten per cent of them had no detectable levels at all weeks after their second jab.

Immunosuppressed patients who were made eligible for third doses are being advised to wait at least eight weeks after their second dose before scheduling the third appointment.

They should also consult with their doctor about the best time to get the top-up vaccine to give their body the best chance of a strong immune response.

For example, it is preferable to give a vaccine dose before someone undergoes chemotherapy, rather than during their treatment.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of Covid immunisation for the JCVI, said: 'We want people with severely suppressed immune systems to have the best chance of gaining protection from Covid via vaccination.

'Therefore, we are advising they have a third vaccine dose on top of their initial two doses, as we hope this will reduce their risk of severe outcomes such as hospitalisation and death.'

Officials have insisted the new recommendation is different from a booster programme because the third doses being offered now are to 'top up' immunity in people who never had a good response after two injections.

A study by King's College London last week suggested vaccine immunity against infection is already waning. Scientists monitored break-through Covid infections in 1.2million people who had received two doses of either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine. They found that immunity wanes over time. For the Pfizer jab (blue line) it dropped from 88 per cent protection against infection to 74 per cent up to six months after the second dose. And for the AstraZeneca jab (pink line) it dropped from 77 per cent to 67 per cent five months after the second dose. Experts suggested the effectiveness could drop to 50 per cent by the winter

According to a study being reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US, protection against hospital admission from the virus drops to as low as 75 per cent in under a year in some vulnerable people, from 95 per cent shortly after vaccination. Pfizer's (blue could be as low as 75% in over-75s) while Moderna's is around 80% in that age group

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR A THIRD COVID VACCINE? Group 1: Patients with conditions that weaken their immune systems, including:  Acute and chronic leukaemias, or cancer of the white blood cells  Aggressive lymphomas (including Hodgkin's lymphoma), a type of cancer  Indolent lymphoma, chronic lymphoid leukaemia, myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia and other plasma cell dyscrasias, or types of cancer  Adults on medication for HIV/AIDS with low levels of white blood cells  Lymphopaenia suffers, a condition where there are fewer white blood cells than normal  People who have received a stem cell transplant in the last two years  Agammaglobulinaemia sufferers, who are less likely to make antibodies Group 2: Patients on medication that suppresses their immune system, including:  People receiving immunosuppressive therapy after an organ transplant in the past six months  People who received therapy for autoimmune disease in the past three months  People who have received immunosuppressive chemotherapy or radiotherapy in the past six months Group 3: Patients with chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease who were receiving treatment, including:  High dose corticosteroids for more than 10 days in the previous month  Long term moderate dose corticosteroids in the previous three months  Patients who got methotrexate, azathioprine, 6-mercatopurine and mycophenolate in the previous three months  Those who got immunosuppresants other than hydroxychloroquine or sulfasalazine  Patients receiving methotrexate with leflunomide in the previous three months Group 4: Patients who received high dose steroids a month before they were vaccinated Advertisement

This is different from a booster, they claim, which is something you give to people who have generated good response to two sometime later in order to extend duration.

An announcement on the true booster programme is expected in the coming weeks and could include people with less severe immune problems, as well as the very elderly.

No decision has been given either on any extension of the vaccine programme to include all healthy 12 to 15-year-olds.

Mr Javid said he has accepted the JCVI's recommendation for third doses but would continue to plan for a booster programme.

He said: 'We know people with specific conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 may have received less protection against the virus from two vaccine doses.

'I am determined to ensure we are doing all we can to protect people in this group and a third dose will help deliver that.

'The NHS will contact people as soon as possible to discuss their needs and arrange an appointment for a third dose where clinically appropriate.

'This is not the start of the booster programme  we are continuing to plan for this to begin in September to ensure the protection people have built from vaccines is maintained over time and ahead of the winter.

'We will prioritise those most at risk to Covid-19, including those who are eligible for a third primary vaccine, for boosters based on the final advice of the JCVI.'

Data from Israel has bolstered calls for booster doses to be dished out urgently.

The country, which has been ravaged by a third wave despite its world-leading roll-out, has seen the number of seriously ill patients start to tail off over the past week  despite cases only starting to fall in the past few days.

Israel started to offer over-60s  who are the most at risk of being hospitalised if they catch Covid  third jabs at the start of August. Last week it expanded the drive to everyone who's already had two doses.

Ahead of the JCVI announcement tonight, former health secretary Jeremy Hunt questioned why a wider rollout was not being recommended.

He tweeted: 'The clear lesson for the UK seems to beget on with booster jabs, not just for the clinically vulnerable but for everyone. The latest Zoe study showed vaccine effectiveness dropping after six months, so why are we hanging around?'

Real-world data already suggests vaccine efficacy is waning. Elderly people were the first to be jabbed when Britain's roll-out began last December.

US health chiefs last night released figures showing jabs now only cut the risk of hospitalisation by around 75 per cent against the Delta variant, compared to 95 per cent when the shots first became available  but they insisted its ability to prevent serious disease was still high overall.

And a study by King's College London last week found two doses become noticeably less effective at stopping infections within months.

Protection after two shots of Pfizer decreased from 88 per cent at one month to 74 per cent at six months and for AstraZeneca, effectiveness dropped from 77 per cent to 67 per cent.

One of Britain's top Covid experts, Professor Paul Hunter, yesterday said he saw no reason 'whatsoever' why it had taken No10's advisers so long to sign off on booster dose plans. The infectious disease expert, from the University of East Anglia, called for over-80s and immunocompromised people to get their shots 'pretty soon'.

But despite calls to hurry up and act before the next uptick in cases, the JCVI is still dithering over exactly who should be eligible for the third injections.

A SAGE adviser today repeated the claim that booster jabs should be for most vulnerable and not widespread.

University College London epidemiologist and SAGE member Professor Andrew Hayward told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme this morinng Britain needed to be 'very careful' about how it rolled out booster shots.

'I think there is a case for vaccinating the most vulnerable again with booster doses,' he said.

'But that still leaves the UK massively over-ordered in terms of the amount of vaccines that it has, and still conservatively leaves somewhere between 100-200million doses that it could donate by the end of the year.'

Professor Hayward also called on Britain to help boost the vaccination drive around the world.

He said: 'If rich countries can't sort out a problem like vaccinating the world, what hope have we got in pulling together to sort out a complex problem like climate change?

'This really is an opportunity for global leadership. This is a relatively simple technical problem that can be solved with the political will and resource.'
Resistance fighters in the Panjshir say they have killed dozens of Taliban who tried to advance into a narrow gorge at the entrance to the valley today.

The rugged snow-capped valley, which begins around 50 miles north of Kabul, is the last bastion of freedom in Afghanistan.

The National Resistance Front (NRF), comprising an ethnic Tajik militia and former Afghan security forces, have vowed to defend the enclave as the Islamist group say they have it surrounded.

The resistance today said they had killed dozens of Taliban fighters in fighting around Shotul and Golbahar, villages at the southern end of the river valley where steep slopes provide protection from invaders.

Resistance fighters in the Panjshir Valley today boasting of repelling the Taliban from the Shalang Pass, another major strategic artery through the region. Behind them an old Soviet tank. The region is a graveyard of old Soviet weaponry from the militia's successful defence in the 1980s

An Afghan resistance fighter with a US-made assault rifle looks down his sights from a hilltop in the Darband area of the Panjshir on Wednesday

Resistance fighters in the Panjshir on Wednesday scope out the roads below as the defend their homeland from the Taliban

THE PANJSHIR VALLEY: The entrance to the valley lies around 50 miles north of Kabul, overlooked by the Hindu Kush mountains and with narrow approaches ideally suited for ambushes

Video showed explosions atop the mountains amid skirmishes between the opposing forces, while others showed militia members boasting of the number of Taliban scalps claimed in the fighting.

One man said his men had killed eight of the terrorists around Shotul, while another claimed that they had driven the Taliban from the Shalang Pass, another major strategic artery through the region.

The Northern Alliance tweeted today: 'Don't believe the propaganda of enemies! All the attacks from 6 sides in Panjshir were successfully defended by NRF, Taliban casualties so catastrophic that they cannot take all the bodies that lying around the border areas of the province. They have modern weapons but dumb minds.'

The Taliban earlier appealed to people in the Panjshir to lay down their arms following a night of fierce fighting around the valley.

'My brothers, we tried our best to solve the Panjshir problem with talks and negotiations... but unfortunately all in vain,' senior Taliban official Amir Khan Muttaqi said, in an audio message to the people of the Panjshir posted on Twitter.

Resistance fighters with American guns survey the land below in the Panjshir Valley on Wednesday

A resistance fighter with what appears to be a Russian-made RPK machine gun and a bandolier slung over his shoulder stands guard with his comrades in the Panjshir on Wednesday

An explosion on Wednesday in the mountains which surround the Panjshir Valley as skirmishes broke out between the Taliban and the National Resistance Front

Resistance patrols with American-made Humvees in the Panjshir Valley on Wednesday. Generals and former staffs of the Afghan National Army fled to the valley to join the resistance after the fall of Kabul

'Now that the talks have failed and Mujahiddin (Taliban) have surrounded Panjshir, there are still people inside that don't want the problems to be solved peacefully,' he added.

'Now it is up to you to talk to them,' the Taliban message to the Panjshir people said. 'Those who want to fight, tell them it is enough.'

Bismillah Mohammadi, Afghanistan's defence minister before the government fell last month, said the Taliban had launched a renewed assault on Panjshir on Tuesday night.

'Last night the Taliban terrorists attacked Panjshir, but were defeated,' Mohammadi tweeted Wednesday, claiming 34 Taliban were killed and 65 wounded.

'Our people should not worry. They retreated with heavy casualties.'

Residents and fighters in Panjshir, many of whom fought the Taliban when they were last in power from 1996 to 2001, offered a defiant message.

'We are ready to defend it till the last drop of our blood,' said one resident.

'Everyone has a weapon on their shoulder and ready to fire,' another said. 'From the youngest to the oldest, they all talk about resistance.'

An American-made Black Hawk flying the white banner of the Taliban heads towards the Panjshir Valley in a video posted to Twitter on Wednesday

Afghan resistance movement and anti-Taliban uprising forces gather in Khenj District in Panjshir province on Tuesday

Resistance fighters in Khenj District in Panjshir province on Tuesday

As the last US soldiers boarded their flight out of Afghanistan in the Kabul dark late Monday, residents of Panjshir said the Taliban had attacked the valley on two fronts - the Khawak pass in the west, and from Shotul to the south.

'Perhaps they wanted to try their luck,' NRF official Fahim Dashti said in a video posted Tuesday by the US broadcaster Voice of America's Dari language service.

'By the grace of God, luck wasn't on their side.'

Dashti reported seven or eight Taliban fighters were killed in Monday's clashes along with one or two resistance fighters.

The Panjshir has immense symbolic value in Afghanistan as the area that has resisted occupation by invaders.

'We defended it during the era of the Russians, the era of the British, the previous era of the Taliban... we will continue to defend it,' one fighter said.

Ahmad Massoud, one of the NRF's leaders, is the son of the late guerrilla commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, who was dubbed the 'Lion of Panjshir' for holding out, first against Soviet and then Taliban forces.

The valley has limited entry points and its geography offers a natural military advantage - defending units can use high positions to effectively target attacking forces.

Afghan resistance movement and anti-Taliban uprising forces gather in Khenj District in Panjshir province on August 31

Afghan resistance movement and anti-Taliban uprising forces gather in Panjshir

Ahmad Massoud (left), leader of the Northern Alliance and son of 'the Lion of the Panjshir', says that no Taliban fighter has yet dared to enter the narrow gorge into the valley. Massoud was only 12 when his father, Ahmad Shah Massoud (right), was murdered by Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda network.

This week, Panjshir fighters held military training in a show of force, with men carrying heavy logs on their shoulders crossing chest-deep icy rivers.

Above their armoured vehicles and over their bases fluttered their flag, a challenge to the Taliban's white banner now hauled up across the rest of the country.

Many Afghans are terrified of a repeat of the Taliban's initial rule from 1996 to 2001, which was infamous for their treatment of girls and women, as well as a brutal justice system.

The NRF has set up machine gun nests, mortars and surveillance posts fortified with sandbags in anticipation of a Taliban assault.

Communications are difficult with the valley, with Taliban forces on three sides. Internet into Panjshir has been on and off repeatedly in recent days.
A federal judge said on Wednesday he would approve OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy reorganization plan, which will see the company's wealthy Sackler family pay billions to victims but shield them from future opioid litigation.

Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain said that, with small changes, he would approve the plan - which overcame opposition to garner support from nearly all states, local governments, tribes, hospitals and other creditors that voted on the restructuring.

They became creditors in the bankruptcy by virtue of suing Purdue and Sackler family members over their alleged contributions to the nationwide opioid epidemic.

Drain said it was clear the wrongful marketing of the company's opioid products contributed to the country's addiction crisis, which touched every corner of the country.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tallied more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. to opioid overdose, including both prescription drugs and illicit ones such as heroin and illegally produced fentanyl, since 2000.

Purdue filed for bankruptcy in September 2019 amid an onslaught of litigation against the company and its owners. Roughly 3,000 lawsuits nationwide sought to blame Purdue and Sackler family members.

Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain said that with small changes he would approve the plan as protesters displayed an image of him in front of Purdue Pharma's headquarters

Dr. Raymond Sackler is pictured with his wife, Beverly, before his death

Purdue Pharma has been alleged to have misled the public about the dangers of Oxycontin, which is highly addictive, after the company started marketing it in 1996

'That makes the bankruptcy case before me highly unusual and complex,' said Drain, who spent more than six hours reading his ruling from the bench.

The plan, which Purdue values at more than $10 billion, dissolves the drugmaker and shifts assets to a new company not controlled by Sackler family members.

The new company will be owned by a trust run to combat the opioid epidemic in U.S. communities that alleged the company and its owners aggressively marketed the painkiller OxyContin while playing down its abuse and overdose risks.

The Purdue bankruptcy plan includes a $4.5 billion contribution from Sackler family members in the form of cash that will be paid over roughly a decade - and also includes $175 million in value from relinquishing control of charitable institutions.

Drain noted that he had expected a larger contribution from the Sacklers and said the evidence showed more might have been secured through litigation, although that was hard to predict.

'This is a bitter result,' he said. He also said he would not jeopardize what the plan did achieve by rejecting it and asked for small changes to secure his final approval.

The plan also includes legal releases shielding Sackler family members from future opioid litigation, a controversial provision that some states opposed. Congressional Democrats in recent weeks introduced legislation to block such legal releases.

The Sacklers have denied allegations, raised in lawsuits and elsewhere, that they bear responsibility for the opioid epidemic. They have said they acted ethically and lawfully while serving on Purdue's board.

The former president and board chair of Purdue Pharma told a court last month that he, his family and the company did not cause the deadly opioid crisis in the United States.

Richard Sackler, 76, was asked under oath during a federal bankruptcy hearing whether he, his kin or the company bear responsibility.

For each question, Sackler answered simply: 'No.'

Richard Sackler has not appeared in public forums in recent years outside video of a deposition he gave in a lawsuit in 2015.

His denial of responsibility for the opioid crisis comes a day after his son testified that the family wouldn't agree to a settlement over the havoc wrought by its powerful painkillers without guarantees of immunity from further legal action.

In response to more than three hours of questions, mostly from Maryland Assistant Attorney General Brian Edmunds, his most common answer was, 'I don't recall.'

Sackler didn't recall emails he wrote a decade or more ago; whether Purdues board approved certain sales strategies; or whether a company owned by Sackler family members sold opioids in Argentina.

The younger Sackler, who also served on Purdues board, reiterated something that has long been the family's position: They would only agree to their part of the plan to restructure Purdue only if family members receive protection from lawsuits over opioids and other Purdue action.

David Sackler said the family would instead face lawsuits if those provisions did not stay in the deal.

'I believe we would litigate the claims to their final outcome,' David Sackler said.

Protesters stage a die-in and have their shapes traced on the sidewalk outside the courthouse where the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy took place in White Plains on August 9

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain, left, is seen on a banner during a protest in front of the courthouse where the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy took place on August 9

Jayde Newton helps to set up cardboard gravestones with the names of victims of opioid abuse outside the courthouse on August 9

Protesters who have lost love ones to the opioid crisis, outside a courthouse in Boston in 2019

Still, the evidence showed the plan was negotiated by the creditors who all viewed the Sacklers as 'the other side, the opposition, the potential defendants,' Drain said. 'This is not the Sacklers' plan.'

The Stamford, Connecticut, drugmaker pleaded guilty to criminal charges in November stemming from its handling of opioids. At the outset of its bankruptcy case, Purdue said there were a number of legal defenses it could mount in response to lawsuits alleging improper conduct.

Several state attorneys general opposed the plan.

'This order is insulting to victims of the opioid epidemic who had no voice in these proceedings,' said Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who said his office would appeal.

A lawyer for the Office of the U.S. Trustee, a bankruptcy watchdog and part of the Department of Justice, said his office would file a motion for a stay of the order confirming the plan during the appeal.

More than 95% of creditors voting approved Purdue's restructuring, far above the legal threshold required for a bankruptcy judge's blessing.

Sackler family members behind Purdue were prolific philanthropists, with their names on museum wings and other cultural institutions.

They have also agreed to a prohibition on associating their name with charitable contributions until litigation settlement funds are fully paid and they have exited all businesses worldwide that manufacture or sell opioids, according to court records.

Much of the plan's value is contingent on future donations of overdose reversal and addiction treatment medications that Purdue has under development.

Sackler family owners testifying during bankruptcy proceedings before the plan's approval were at once apologetic and defiant. David Sackler testified that he and other relatives had a 'moral responsibility' to help combat the opioid crisis in light of OxyContin's role.

Both he and Mortimer D.A. Sackler, another Purdue owner, described the painkiller's contribution to the epidemic as unintentional. Mortimer said he was 'sorry.'

David, though, made clear that he and other relatives would not contribute billions of dollars of their wealth toward resolving opioid lawsuits and combatting the crisis without the broad legal releases shielding them from future liability.

When his father, former Purdue president Richard Sackler, was asked by a lawyer for Washington state opposing the bankruptcy plan whether the family or the company bear any responsibility for the opioid crisis, he responded with a firm 'no.'

Purdue's owners are descendants of the late Raymond and Mortimer Sackler. Another Sackler, Arthur, died in 1987 and his shares in a predecessor company were sold before OxyContin's introduction.

Drain, the judge overseeing the case in a White Plains, New York, bankruptcy court, agreed early in the case to halt litigation against Purdue and Sackler family members who had not filed for bankruptcy themselves.

Overall, the company resolved U.S. Justice Department criminal and civil investigations that carried penalties and other claims exceeding $8 billion. Much of that money, though, went unpaid due to factors in Purdue's bankruptcy case.

Sackler family members have not been criminally charged. They previously agreed to pay $225 million to resolve separate civil allegations with the Justice Department. The family members have denied those allegations.
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The United States is entering into the second phase of the largest non-combatant evacuation in its history as officials now mount an international effort to vet and house thousands of Afghan refugees fleeing Taliban rule.

More than 123,000 people, mostly Afghans, have been evacuated by Biden administration-led charter flights and efforts from international allies since August 15 during the chaotic Kabul withdrawal.

As of this morning, 20,000 Afghans have arrived at eight military bases in the US after a journey through Europe or the Middle East, General Mark Milley said in a Pentagon briefing.

But the facilities are already reaching capacity, are shrouded in secrecy and the Department of Homeland Security is facing mounting questions over vetting after a man linked to ISIS-K and a convicted rapist already deported from the US managed to get on evacuation flights.

A State Department official also revealed on Wednesday that the 'majority' of special immigrant visa (SIV) are still in Afghanistan, meaning thousands more could be making the journey to the US if they can get out and be processed.

'We're part of an urgent team effort to move Afghan refugees out of temporary housing in intermediate staging areas in the Gulf and in Europe and on to begin new lives,' Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a the briefing before announcing his intent to visit the Gulf next week to thank 'our partners there who have done so much to save and shelter Afghan civilians.'

Milley said there were 20,000 evacuees at staging areas in the Middle East and 23,000 at bases across Europe. Roughly 14,000 of the Afghan refugees in Europe are at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, according to CNN.

But Ramstein is just one staging area for refugees fleeing Kabul, where they are processed and vetted for further evacuation.

Isa Air Base in Bahrain, Ramstein Air Base, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar are staging areas for refugees brought from Kabul and are supported by more than a dozen other 'temporary safe haven' locations. Bases in Moron de la Frontera, Spain, and Aviano, Italy, are also taking in refugees for screening.

President Joe Biden said on August 22 that refugees are undergoing thorough vetting after leaving Kabul.

'At these sites where they're landing, we are conducting thorough scrutiny  security screenings for everyone who is not a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident,' Biden said. 'Anyone arriving in the United States will have undergone a background check.'

Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the president's comments today, stating 'I can absolutely assure you that no one is coming into the United States of America who has not been through a thorough screening and background check process.'

The map below shows where Afghan refugees, including special immigrant visa applicants and vulnerable civilians, were taken after they are evacuated from Hamid Karzai International Airport by US and coalition flights.

The United States is entering into the second phase of the largest non-combatant evacuation in its history as officials now mount an international effort to vet and house thousands of Afghan refugees fleeing Taliban rule. More than 123,000 people, mostly Afghans, have been evacuated by Biden administration-led charter flights and international allies since August 15 during the chaotic Kabul withdrawal

This new phase begins after the last US military plane departed Hamid Karzai International Airport on Monday afternoon Eastern time, officially ending the military evacuation effort after 20 years of occupying Afghanistan.

Now, officials led by the Department of Homeland Security are working with the State Department to shepherd Afghans fleeing Taliban rule - many of them special immigrant visa applicants and their families - to US bases for their final stages of processing.

Many of those Afghans will arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia before heading to one of eight areas: Marine Corps Base Quantico, Fort Lee and Fort Pickett in Virginia, Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, Fort Bliss in Texas, Fort Dix in New Jersey and Camp Atterbury in Indiana.

The Dulles Expo Center near the airport has also been equipped to house people as a staging area before going on to the eight destinations.

Combined the bases will have capacity to house up to 50,000 Afghans and their families.

But with 43,000 Afghans still at staging areas in Europe and the Middle East, a question of where the inevitable influx will go remains to be answered.

A woman from Afghanistan waits with other evacuees to fly to the United States or another save location in a makeshift departure gate inside a hanger at the United States Air Base in Ramstein

Temporary housing is being built for Afghan refugees at the Dona Ana Housing Area near Fort Bliss in Texas

Two girls wait with other evacuees for a flight out of Ramstein Air Base. As of Wednesday there are reportedly 14,000 Afghan evacuees at the US base in Germany

Children and other Afghan refugees wait inside a makeshift departure gate inside a hangar at Ramstein Air Base

Military officials at Ramstein erected a tent city to temporarily house Afghans. Ramstein is one of the largest staging areas the US is currently using to evacuate and screen people

As of Thursday 8,000 people have been processed at Fort Lee, and more than 11,000 made it to Virginia in total, Governor Ralph told a local Norfolk outlet.

Northam said 1,000 Afghans were expected to arrive at Quantico Sunday, where the total capacity is 5,000.

More than 2,000 people are being housed at Fort Bliss, KTSM in Texas reported late last week.

McCoy in Wisconsin was housing 2,383 refugees as of Friday, US Air Force General Glen D. VanHerck told WEAU.

In New Jersey, a nearly 25-acre parade ground at Fort Dix is now a 'tent city' in preparation for up to 9,500 Afghan refugees. They could live there for six month or up to a year, the Courier Post reports.

DailyMail.com has made multiple requests for comments and clarifications regarding how many Afghans are housed in bases within the US. A number of military bases have referred inquires to the Department of Homeland Security, which has yet to respond to the request.

The State Department last week wouldn't say how many people who have been evacuated so far are Special Immigrant Visa holders.

'We don't have precise figures to provide,' department spokesman Ned Price said.

Families evacuated from Kabul walk to board a bus after arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia

Afghan refugees arrive at Ali Al Salem Air Base, one of the temporary 'safe havens'

Evacuees arrive at Sigonella Air Base in southern Italy, another 'safe haven' location

Because of initial delays in processing people and the subsequent overcrowding the Defense Department set up 14 additional 'temporary safe havens' to lessen the strain on existing staging areas.

Some of those are located in Kuwait, two more in Germany, two in Italy, two in Spain and an additional facility in Bahrain, among other places, according to Axios.

There, refugees are vetted by law enforcement and intelligence officials.

After they are cleared for passage to the US, people who are not US citizens or green card holders are taken to Dulles International Airport in Virginia and on to the eight military bases.

However recent reports of a bottleneck at Dulles emerged as the government struggles with the logistics behind evacuating thousands of people in a short amount of time.

Press Secretary Jen Psaki last week attributed the delay to the government's thorough vetting of refugees.

'We implement multiple layers of check, including a confirmation in some cases on landing, and that is to check the manifest and in a limited number of cases, we have vetting processes that may be unresolved, very limited. But that may lead to at times a delay in an individual's being held on the plane so that we can have that process seen through,' Psaki said at Friday's White House briefing.

At the Pentagon Friday Kirby confirmed that crowding has resulted in Afghan refugees waiting hours on the tarmac to be processed.

Fort Lee in Virginia is being aided by nearby Fort Pickett, which is also preparing to house refugees to aide with the large number of people coming in.

But signs the US government is struggling with the influx of thousands of refugees emerged in reports of unsanitary, overcrowded conditions at some facilities.

A memo from a US Central Command official that surfaced last week described Al Udeid Air Base, where the majority of people are transitioning through, as a 'living hell' where 'trash, urine, fecal matter, spilled liquids and vomit cover the floors.'

Al Udeid is located in a desert and is the closest staging area to Afghanistan.

A Doha embassy official quoted in the memo claimed there was a rat problem as well.

The Pentagon acknowledged the 'terrible sanitation conditions at Qatar' and promised conditions were in the process of improving.

After leaving the staging areas and safe haven locations, Afghans are flying to Dulles Airport in Virginia before being sent to US military bases

Afghan refugees arrive at Dulles International Airport on August 27, 2021

Pictured are a row of barracks at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. Refugees began arriving there earlier this week

It's not confirmed where the US is planning to send refugees after their stay at US military bases.

A number of governors, including Republican leaders in Utah, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, South Carolina and Oklahoma, have signaled openness to taking in refugees.

The governors of New York, Virginia, New Mexico and Oregon are also among those stepping up to help.

Biden was scheduled to meet with the bipartisan group last Thursday, but the meeting was cancelled after the two explosions.

Thousands of Afghans are also fleeing to the border, but their bid to escape is being thwarted at Taliban-controlled crossings.

Even those who make it out of Afghanistan have discovered there is no escape because neighboring countries are sending them back to their home country.

Leaked memo contains accounts of Al Udeid Air Base from Doha embassy staff 'A humid day today. Where the Afghans are housed is a living hell. Trash, urine, fecal matter, spilled liquids and vomit cover the floors.' 'I spent an hour in there picking up trash... almost suffocated.' 'Another flight arrived and there's no resources to solve the sanitation problem.' 'These human beings are in a living nightmare.' 'No A/C.' 'We're in the middle of humanitarian crises [sic] that compounds itself with every flight that lands in Doha.' 'Hangar update. They now have a rat problem.' source: Axios Advertisement

Afghans were already fleeing on foot to neighboring countries such as Iran in a bid to escape after the UK told them to head to the border. Many countries have ended their airlift operations.

But for those who have made the exhausting journey to Afghanistan's borders, freedom is not guaranteed.

The Taliban now control all of Afghanistan's main border crossing points with neighboring countries and the Islamic militants have made clear they do not want Afghans to leave the country.

Only traders or those with valid travel visas or documents are being allowed to cross the borders, reports suggest.

For those who manage to cross the border into the neighbouring countries, many are being sent back to Afghanistan.

Adam Rutland, the Executive Director at the Centre for Information Resilience, told MailOnline: 'Afghans have no good options right now. Even getting to potential exit points - the airport or land borders - is fraught with danger, particularly for those who have helped the UK and others.

'Carrying the official documents that might help them gain a new life outside Afghanistan, could be a death sentence within.

'We should also be deeply concerned that the more desperate will fall prey to human traffickers, with all the harm and misery that entails. Afghans wanting to leave are in an awful position. It's heart-breaking.'

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has urged the neighboring countries to keep their borders open and let Afghans through.

'The vast majority of Afghans are not able to leave the country through regular channels,' a UNHCR spokesperson said last week. 'We continue to urge all countries neighboring Afghanistan to maintain open borders, so that those seeking safety can find it.'

Meanwhile, thousands have been seen flocking to Spin Boldak in eastern Afghanistan in an attempt to cross the border into Chaman, Pakistan.

Others have been seen travelling to Torkham further south in an attempt to flee to Pakistan - but the Taliban controls the road from Kabul which makes the journey treacherous.

An image posted to Facebook shows the crowded conditions inside Al Udeid Air Base

Journalist Harald Doornbos tweeted: 'Kabul-Jalalabad-Torkham road (Pakistan border) is wholly owned by Taliban. Impossible to use for people wanted by the Taliban. If you're in Kabul, really the only way out is to fly.'

Some desperate Afghans have turned to human traffickers to get them out of the country while others have managed to cross into Pakistan from Spin Boldak in Afghanistan in recent days, with the border crossing kept open only for those with valid documents.

Pakistan has vowed to keep out refugees and has fenced off its border but many are illegally crossing on foot, with many being taken by human traffickers to countries such as Turkey.

A people smuggler told The Guardian: It is impossible to fence the mountains and deserts,' he said. 'We have people at all entry points to receive the refugees and take them to the next destination.'

James Rogers, Director of Research at the Council on Geostrategy, told MailOnline: 'Afghanistan is a landlocked country, so, logically, there should be many ways out. However, it is also a very rugged and inhospitable place, and difficult to move over  especially for groups or families.

'The conditions at some of the border crossings are reportedly worse than at Kabul airport and many surrounding countries will not be keen to accept undocumented people  even if the Taliban allows them to cross. There have already been clashes along the Afghan-Pakistani border.'
Wizz Air has become the second airline in Europe to require its flight crews to be vaccinated against Covid.

The airline, which serves 11 UK airports, said it is implementing the policy for all pilots and cabin crew by December as part of its commitment to 'protecting the health and safety of its passengers and crews'.

The Hungary-based carrier added that the measure will support 'smooth and continued operations of its flights in the long term'.

In 'special cases', staff will be permitted to take 'regular' antigen or PCR tests rather than be vaccinated, but did not confirm in which cases this could occur.

European airlines have been slower to adopt mandatory vaccination than their American counterparts.

Vaccine requirements differ drastically between the UK and US, where companies across all sectors have been quicker to demand workers are double-jabbed.

Wizz Air has become the second airline in Europe to require its flight crews to be vaccinated against Covid

The airline, which serves 11 UK airports, said it is implementing the policy for all pilots and cabin crew by December as part of its commitment to 'protecting the health and safety of its passengers and crews'. Pictured: Karen Wright is vaccinated at Adwick Leisure Centre in Doncaster

Wizz Air Group chief executive Jozsef Varadi said: 'At Wizz Air, our number one priority is the health and safety of our passengers and employees.

'We have a responsibility to protect crew and passengers on board by mitigating the risks of Covid-19, and vaccines play a vital role in this.'

It follows Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), which was the first European carrier to announce it would making jabs mandatory for staff last Tuesday.

The company announced the measure  which will begin from November 15  after countries including Hong Kong said they would demand proof of vaccination from flight crews.

SWISS said: 'Some destinations and regions could no longer be served, and this in turn would seriously diminish the effectiveness of the SWISS hub system.'

European airlines have been slower to adopt mandatory vaccination than their American counterparts. Pictured: The NHS app where travellers can show their vaccination record

Few British workers are currently required to take a vaccine to keep their job, with most companies preferring to encourage rather than enforce inoculation.

Jet2 and Virgin Atlantic's bosses have both previously said compulsory vaccination for flight staff remains unlikely.

Speaking at Airlines UK event in February, Virgin Atlantic chief executive Shai Weiss said the company would continue to explain the merits of vaccination to employees rather than sacking those who refuse to have one.

Which companies are making vaccines mandatory in the US for some workers? Amtrak

Anthem

BlackRock

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McDonald's

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The New York Times

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He said: 'My personal view is that the individuals right to govern their own body is essential.

'We will do everything we can to promote [vaccination], and explain the merits of being vaccinated for yourself and for your loved ones and for society as a whole.

'But before we take that extra step and say "If you dont have a jab you dont have a job," I think thats a step too far.'

Pimlico Plumbers became one of the outliers in February when it announced a 'no jab, no job' policy.

Boss Charlie Mullins said all new starters at his 50million business would have to take a Covid jab to get a job.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps in July said it was a 'good idea' for some companies to insist on double vaccination for staff returning to the workplace.

He told Sky News: 'We are not going to make that legislation that every adult has to be double vaccinated before they go back to the office, but yes it is a good idea and yes some companies will require it.'

In contrast, scores of American companies have already begun insisting staff take both doses of a Covid vaccine.

Major airlines including Delta and United have made inoculations requirements of work, while tech giants including Netflix, Google and Microsoft will all ask staff to have both jabs before they return to the office.

In Australia, Qantas and Virgin Australia both announced they will be making jabs compulsory.

Virgin Australia wants all frontline workers to be fully vaccinated against Covid by mid-November, joining Qantas in a push for mandatory inoculation.

Virgin announced consultation will begin shortly with employees and unions about a proposal requiring all frontline workers to get vaccinated by November 15 and all office-based staff by March 31, 2022.

Those with medical issues 'that can be substantiated' will be managed on a case-by-case basis, Virgin said in a statement.

Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka said the vaccination policy was 'vital' in keeping its workforce safe.

'The majority of our team at Virgin Australia are already vaccinated, and we will be listening to our team members to ensure we find the best fit policy for our organisation,' she said.

'We will now commence discussing the proposed vaccination requirement in detail with our team through our internal safety committees, unions and other appropriate forums.

'It is clear that vaccination is the only way back to normal freedom of movement and the richness in life that comes from spending meaningful, in person time with family, friends and colleagues.'
The Biden administration has begun scrubbing public records detailing the $82.9 billion U.S. investment in Afghanistan's armed forces to protect Afghan officials and military officers from Taliban reprisals.

Federal agencies have been told to remove information detailing the colossal investment from website as Afghanistan's new rulers show off their newly acquired hardware.

Taliban fighters stood aboard captured Humvees and armored SUVs as they paraded through Kandahar, where propaganda video has circulated of a Black Hawk flying overhead.

In all, they are believed to have seized an air force worth tens of millions of dollars although U.S. officials say aircraft were disabled before the departure of international troops.

The total amount of hardware supplied to Afghanistan is staggering. Between 2003 and 2016, the U.S. supplied 208 aircraft and almost 76,000 vehicles, along with 600,000 weapons, according to a 2017 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

But details of that weaponry is now disappearing under orders from the State Department.

'The safety of our Afghan contacts is of utmost importance to us,' said a spokesperson.

'The State Department advised other federal agencies to review their web properties for content that highlights cooperation/participation between an Afghan citizen and the USG or a USG partner and remove from public view if it poses a security risk.'

Taliban forces showed off their military hardware during a victory parade in Kandahar on Wednesday as they celebrated the retreat of U.S. forces and their capture of Afghanistan

A Taliban fighter poses in the cockpit of a C-130 Hercules transport plane that was left behind during the evacuation

A US-made $6 million UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is seen flying over a convoy of Taliban fighters on its way to join the fight against the resistance in the Panjshir Valley on Wednesday

A string of federal reports have been removed from websites as officials scour them for any information that could threaten the safety of Afghan allies

Details were first revealed by Forbes.

In the recent days, visitors to the website of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction found several links to reports detailing spending and misuse of funds to return 404 error messages.

In recent days, some SIGAR reports have been temporarily removed from the agencys public website due to ongoing security concerns in accordance with guidance received from the U.S. Department of State,' said a spokesperson for SIGAR.

'This is in line with actions taken by other U.S. federal agencies and is out of an abundance of caution.'

None of it can hide the extraordinary bounty that the jihadists have collected as they ploughed across the country capturing 10 major airfields from Bagram to Mazar-i-Sharif.

Taliban chiefs are reported to have ordered their troops to hunt down pilots from the disbanded Afghan Air Force, who received expensive training from the US and its allies to fly high-tech warplanes and choppers.

The jewel in the crown, Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, was seized on Tuesday by triumphant jihadists who were seen clambering into the cockpit of a $14 million Hercules transport jet.

The Afghan Air Force was operating 167 aircraft, including 108 helicopters and 59 planes, according to an official U.S. government inspection on June 30.

Before Kabul fell, Uzbekistan confirmed that 46 Afghan aircraft, including 24 helicopters, had arrived in the country in order to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Taliban.

The commander of the US evacuation mission, Gen. Frank McKenzie, said American troops disabled 73 aircraft before finally leaving the country on Monday night.

That leaves as many as 48 aircraft seized by the Taliban, although it is unclear what the breakdown is in terms of planes and helicopters.

Nevertheless, if the Islamists have that many operational aircraft, it gives them more air power than 10 of the 30 Nato members, namely: Albania, Bosnia, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Slovenia.

The Taliban are believed to have got hold of as many as 48 aircraft which the US and its allies were either unable to disable or fly overseas. This means that the terrorists have an air force which is greater in number than that of 10 Nato countries

A-29 attack planes which appear largely intact are seen alongside a huge amount of western body armour and tactical helmets left behind by retreating troops

At the top of the Nato tree is the United States with more than 13,000 aircraft, followed by France with 1,057, Turkey with 1,056, Italy with 876 and the United Kingdom with 738.

It is unclear how many former pilots the Taliban have been able to recruit, however, a video which emerged on social media this month showed a group of militants flying in a Russian-made Mi-17 chopper.

Another today, showed a Black Hawk heading to the contested Panjshir Valley north of Kabul where the country's last stand is being fought by the Northern Alliance resistance fighters.

It is unlikely that an amateur would be able to get such a helicopter off the ground, let alone be able to land it.

According to the June 30 tally by the US-based Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Sigar), the Afghan Air Force had 43 MD-530 helicopters, 33 Black Hawks, 32 Mi-17s, 33 C-208 propeller planes, 23 A-19 turboprop light attack planes and 3 Hercules C-130s.

Taliban fighters driving in US-made armoured cars through the streets of Kandahar, the terror group's de-facto capital

Footage uploaded to social media shows Taliban fighters driving armored vehicles through Kandahar after vanquishing the US-backed Afghan National Army

Soviet-era tanks are filmed by advancing Taliban fighters. The Russians fought in Afghanistan in the 1980s and also left behind some of their hardware

A Taliban fighter filmed an array of Soviet-era tanks. It's unclear what military worth, if any, the vehicles still have

A single Black Hawk helicopter costs around $6 million, while a Hercules transport jet comes in at $14 million per unit.

Although many of the planes were flown away before the runways were seized, satellite imagery revealed that not all of them made it.

Analysis of satellite images commissioned by the BBC revealed that six days after Kandahar airport was captured by the Taliban, there were five aircraft - at least two MI-17s choppers, two Black Hawks and a third unidentified helicopter.

Around a month before the airbase was seized, there were 16 aircraft spotted - including nine Black Hawks, two MI-17s and five fixed-wing planes.

The aircraft were either flown to other runways in the country or shifted overseas.

C-208 plane C-208 Cessna Manufacturer: Cessna (USA) First flight: 1982 Role: Transport aircraft, widely used by civilians and also as serves a military transport role. Crew: One or two Length: 37 ft 7 in Wingspan: 52 ft 1 in Maximum landing weight: 7,800 lb Max speed: 186 kn (214 mph) Range: 1,232 miles Service ceiling: 25,000ft Armaments: N/A Advertisement

A-29 light attack plane A-29 attack plane Manufacturer: Embraer (Brazil) First flight: 1999 Role: Low-cost attack plane armed with precision guided missiles for low-threat environments. Crew: 2 Length: 37 ft 4 in Wingspan: 36ft 7in Max takeoff weight: 11,905 lb Max speed: 370 mph Range: 1,744 miles Service ceiling: 35,000ft Armament: Guns: Internal 12.7mm machine guns, wing-mounted machine guns. Rockets: Air-to-air missiles (Sidewinder, Piranha, Python), air-to-ground missiles (AGM-65 Maverick, Roketsan Cirit). Bombs: Incendiary (BINC-300), cluster (BLG-252) and precision guided bombs (Lizard, Griffin, Paveway II). Advertisement

Mi-17 helicopter Mi-17 helicopter Manufacturer: Soviet Union (Russia) First flight: 1975 Role: Transport helicopter, with gunship capabilities. Crew: 2 pilots, 1 engineer Length: 60 ft 7in Height: 18 ft 6 in Max takeoff weight: 28,660 lb Max speed: 170 mph Range: 500 miles Service ceiling: 20,000 ft Armament: Rockets: S-8 high explosive fragmentation rockets; Ataka anti-tank guided missiles. Guns: UPK-23-250 23mm autocannon Advertisement

MD-540 helicopter MD-540 helicopter Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas (USA) First flight: 1976 Role: Light multifunctional chopper, can be armed with missiles, ideal for scouting missions. Crew: 2 Length: 30 ft 9 in Height: 8ft 8.5 in Max takeoff weight: 2,550 lb Max speed: 132 knots (152 mph) Range: 366 miles Hover ceiling: 8,200 ft Armament: Four TOW anti-tank missiles OR Two 7.62mm miniguns OR Four Stinger air-to-air missiles OR Mk44/Mk46 torpedoes OR two seven-shot rocked pods Advertisement

A Taliban fighter walks past an aircraft and an assortment of other military and civilian vehicles at the airport in Kabul

A Taliban fighter takes a picture of a damaged MD 530 helicopter that was abandoned at Kabul airport by retreating troops

A Russian Mi-17 helicopter is pictured alongside Taliban fighters after it was seized from retreating western troops

A transport plane with the propeller removed is examined by Islamist fighters at Kabul airport this morning

Planes, helicopters and vehicles left behind by western forces have now fallen into the hands of the Taliban

An aerial picture of Uzbekistan's Termez airport taken on August 16 shows that there were more than 24 helicopters, including MI-17, MI-25, Black Hawks and also several A-29 light-attack and C-208 planes.

The Uzbek government has since confirmed that 46 Afghan aircraft did land in the central Asian country.

They quickly realised that they would need pilots to fly the high tech vehicles and set about actively recruiting from members of the Afghan Air Force, who received top training by the US and its allies.

Before leaving late Monday night, the US military disabled scores of aircraft and armoured vehicles as well as a high-tech rocket defence system, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie said.

A total of 73 aircraft at at Hamid Karzai International Airport were 'demilitarised', or rendered useless.

'Those aircraft will never fly again... They'll never be able to be operated by anyone,' he said. 'Most of them are non-mission capable, to begin with. But certainly, they'll never be able to be flown again.'

Two weeks ago on August 14 when the US started airlifting troops and civilians from Kabul airport, Pentagon built up a force of nearly 6,000 troops, along with 600 British soldiers, to occupy and operate the airport.

Britain and America officially ended their military presence in Afghanistan late Monday night with the final US troops flying out from Kabul's airport. Pictured: Taliban fighters from the Fateh Zwak unit, wielding American supplied weapons, equipment and uniforms, storm into the Kabul International Airport

A helicopter at Kabul airport with its guns stripped away

Helicopters at Kabul airport after being disabled by the retreating US forces

Taliban posing with a Brazilian-made Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano light attack plane at seized Mazer-i-Sharif airport earlier this month

Taliban fighters with a seized Hughes OH-6 Cayuse 'Loach' helicopter at Mazer-i-Sharif airport. The Loach was introduced into the US Army in the late 1960s

Once the evacuation process ended, around 70 MRAP armoured tactical vehicles, which can cost up to $1m a piece, were disabled before leaving, along with 27 Humvees. 'The vehicles will never be used again by anyone,' he said.

The US also left behind the C-RAM system -- counter rocket, artillery, and mortar -- that was used to protect the airport from rocket attacks.

The system helped fend off a five-rocket barrage from the Islamic State on Monday.

'We elected to keep those systems in operation up until the very last minute,' before the last US aircraft left, McKenzie said.

'It's a complex procedure and time-intensive procedure to break down those systems. So we demilitarize those systems so that they'll never be used again.'

Elsewhere in the passenger terminal of the airport, there appeared wanton destruction, with offices trashed and seating destroyed, but it was not clear whether that damage predated the arrival of the US and British troops.
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Britain's daily Covid cases have flattened off, official data revealed today amid growing fears the return of millions of schoolchildren in England will spark an uptick in cases.

Health chiefs posted another 35,693 infections across the UK as a whole, barely a change on the 35,847 recorded the previous week.

But England's infections fell again with Government data showing they were down by a tenth on last Wednesday. Yet in Scotland  which saw positive tests spiral to a record high after children returned to schools in mid-August  cases continued to rise.

Covid hospitalisations also appear to have plateaued, with the latest data showing 842 people were admitted to wards across Britain on August 28, the most recent day figures are available for. In the previous week 859 people were hospitalised.

Another 207 deaths were recorded today in the highest daily toll since March when the second wave was running out of steam. The high numbers are mainly due to the bank holiday and its recording lag.

With concerns mounting over the return of schools, teaching unions have called for secondary school pupils to wear face masks when they return to the classroom.

There are fears infections among children could spill over into older people who studies suggest are more at risk from the virus.

But Britain is still yet to commit to a booster programme despite Israel having committed to one. Data suggests that the jabs have blunted their third wave barely two weeks after they were first rolled out.

Pressure is growing on No10's advisers to sign off on a plan to dish out third doses to over-80s and vulnerable Brits  with ministers having hoped for the campaign to begin next Monday.

ENGLAND: But England's infections fell again with Government data showing they were down by a tenth on last Wednesday

SCOTLAND: Yet in Scotland  which saw positive tests spiral to a record high after children returned to schools in mid-August  cases continued to rise

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the National Education Union, told the Daily Mirror that ministers needed to take urgent action to avoid disruption to the new academic year.

She said: 'It would be much better if schools had not been told to abandon measures which they adopted last term.

'At a time when infection levels are 26 times what they were this time last year, it makes no sense to go back into school with so few safety measures.'

'We're going to see thousands of pupils and hundreds of teachers having to isolate,' she said. 'You only have to look at Scotland to see where we're heading.'

Scale of long Covid in children 'nothing like' initially feared Up to one in seven children in England suffer from long Covid after recovering from the initial infection, according to the largest study of its kind. The University College London research of almost 7,000 youngsters aged 11 to 17 found 14 per cent of those who tested positive for the virus had three or more persistent symptoms three months later. The lead scientist behind the study said the problem of long Covid in children was 'not anything like' the scale warned about in previous reports. Only children who had a confirmed PCR test result were included in the research, unlike other studies, and they were compared to a control group. Among the participants who were still feeling unwell three months after beating the virus, 7 per cent said they had five or more symptoms. Common ailments included headaches and tiredness but there was no evidence that any of the children had 'severe' illness as a result of long Covid. It comes amid a row over whether Britain should be routinely vaccinating secondary school pupils as classrooms go back and infections remain stubbornly high. The topic has proven controversial because giving the jabs to children would be almost exclusively to protect adults from Covid. Children are at an extremely low risk of the virus itself but previous research suggested as many as half were struck down with long Covid, which some argued was another reason to vaccinate them. Advertisement

Yesterday Dr Bousted predicted that schools would be forced to adopt face masks and other Covid measures 'very shortly'.

Millions of youngsters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are set to go back to classrooms between now and the end of next week, sparking fears of an inevitable spike in cases.

Pupils in England will only be required to test themselves twice a week for the virus, with all other measures including face masks and social distancing abandoned.

But in Scotland where schools returned in mid-August, pupils and staff are still required to wear face masks and keep a one-metre distance. Despite these measures the country has seen a record surge in Covid cases.

When 8.9million children in England went back last September it led to Covid cases spiking four-fold in a month. And they spilled over into older age groups, who are more vulnerable to the disease.

Schools in parts of the South West will still ask pupils to wear masks in corridors, playgrounds and 'communal areas' when they return.

And one school in Rotherham has pledged to defy Government guidance.

Wales High School in the South Yorkshire town will maintain masks and support bubbles when pupils return to the classroom this week.

Headteacher Pepe Di'Iasio told BBC Radio 4's Today programme yesterday: 'We're maintaining masks in crowded corridors, and in social areas because we feel that that will help keep the infection rates down.

'But we're also maintaining some of the pre-Covid rules of our one-way systems, and our separation of year groups that were formerly known as bubbles and they're now just going to be kept in new groups again to try and just keep crowds down and keep the numbers apart.'

There is no national guidance on wearing masks in schools, with all the remaining restrictions dropped in May.

The bubble system, which saw pupils eat with the same group every day to stop the virus spreading, was also scrapped.

No10's Education Secretary has, however, said schools should consider keeping children in lunch 'bubbles' this term to improve behaviour.

Gavin Williamson is encouraging headteachers to extend the Covid measures because it has other benefits beyond restricting the virus.

But Mr Williamson said schools found it a great opportunity to teach 'family dining'  including table manners and social skills.

Writing for the Mail, he also urged parents to encourage their children to get regularly tested and to ensure they don't get 'carried away'.

During the previous academic year schools were launched into Covid chaos with some sending whole year-groups home after just one positive test.

Official figures show that at the end of the last academic year 750,000 children had been sent home to self-isolate, despite there being only 40,000 positive tests.

Professor Eran Segal, a mathematician at the country's Weizmann Institute, tweeted today that hospitalisations had started to fall just two weeks after the top-up campaign started. This graph shows how Covid hospitalisations have started to level off in Israel just two weeks after its booster programme began. When the drive was started hospitalisations were doubling every week. Predictions suggested this would continue (green line). But just two weeks after the jabs were given out actual hospitalisations have slowed (blue line)

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests Covid vaccine-triggered immunity wanes over time. Israel has seen its hospitalisations and Covid cases (pictured) start to fall barely two weeks after rolling out booster shots to over-60s. The country is now inviting everyone who has already been double-vaccinated for a third dose

Now WHO warns of threat of 'Mu' variant found in Colombia  and it has already been spotted in Britain World Health Organization bosses are now officially tracking another Covid variant named 'Mu'. The mutant strain  which also has the scientific name B.1.621  was first detected in Colombia in January. Almost 4,000 cases have been spotted since then, and it has spread to more than 40 countries. Nearly 50 cases of Mu have been spotted in Britain so far, and hundreds have been identified in the US. The WHO's weekly bulletin claimed its mutations suggest it may be more resistant to vaccines, as was the case with the South African 'Beta' variant. There are fears it may be more infectious, too. But the agency warned more studies would be needed to examine this further, with the WHO having now formally labelled Mu a 'variant of interest'. Almost 4,000 cases of the variant have been detected to date since it first emerged in January, but the number of infections has fallen in recent weeks, coinciding with the rapid increase of the Delta variant. This graph shows the seven-day average proportion of cases that were due to the Mu variant worldwide. They reveal its prevalence has fallen recently The WHO report said: 'Since its first identification in Colombia in January 2021, there have been a few sporadic reports of cases of the Mu variant and some larger outbreaks have been reported from other countries in South America and in Europe. 'Although the global prevalence of the Mu variant among sequenced cases has declined and is currently below 0.1 per cent, the prevalence in Colombia (39 per cent) and Ecuador (13 per cent) has consistently increased. 'The epidemiology of the Mu variant in South America, particularly with the co-circulation of the Delta variant, will be monitored for changes.' Advertisement

It came as No10 faced mounting pressure to launch a booster programme for over-80s and the immunocompromised.

Israel  which became the first country in the world to start offering boosters last month  started to see its hospitalisations level off just two weeks after handing out the extra doses. Its cases have also started to fall.

SIsrael started to offer over-60s  who are the most at risk of being hospitalised if they catch Covid  third jabs at the start of August. Last week it expanded the drive to everyone who's already had two doses.

One of Britain's top Covid experts, Professor Paul Hunter, yesterday said he saw no reason 'whatsoever' why it had taken No10's advisers so long to sign off on booster dose plans. The infectious disease expert, from the University of East Anglia, called for over-80s and immunocompromised people to get their shots 'pretty soon'.

But despite calls to hurry up and act before the next uptick in cases, the JCVI is still dithering over exactly who should be eligible for the third injections.

A source close to the JCVI told The Independent that there was likely to be a surge in cases when schools returned.

But they insisted that it was not clear whether children should be vaccinated because the three jabs currently being deployed in Britain are less effective at stopping transmission.

The insider argued it was a complex decision whether to vaccinate younger children, who face a tiny risk of becoming seriously ill or dying if they get infected.

The UK's medical regulator  the MHRA  has already given the green light to administering the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to over-12s.

But the Government's advisers have only so far allowed all over-16s to get jabs, with experts weighing up safety data before pressing ahead with the next step.

Fears have been raised over the very rare side-effect myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, which is most common among young boys given the Pfizer jab.

Ministers are keen to expand the roll-out to include over-12s, mirroring the programmes seen in other countries including the US and Israel.

Some over-12s who suffer from medical conditions that put them at greater risk if they catch the virus or live with an adult that is vulnerable to Covid are already eligible to receive the vaccine.

But hundreds of families are still yet to get a first dose for their children, which ministers promised would be available for everyone before schools return this week and next.

Joe Jones, from Surrey, who suffers from a blood disorder, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she had been unable to get a Covid vaccine for her young daughter because no clinic was set up in her area.

She said: 'For the part of Surrey that I live in there are no clinics set up, so although the Government committed to inviting people to the clinics by 23 August they have not even set a date for the area that I live in.

'We can't just turn up and grab a jab, you have to be vaccinated at a specialist clinic that has a pediatrician on site.

She added: 'They committed to getting the children vaccinated before they go back to school, that is Monday for us, so that is not going to happen currently and it certainly wont have given her the two weeks to build any antibodies.'

Una Summerson, who works at charity Contact which has been helping parents struggling to secure Covid vaccines for their children, said families had been left 'going round in circles'.

University College London epidemiologist and SAGE member Professor Andrew Hayward told the programme Britain needed to be 'very careful' about how it rolled out booster shots.

'I think there is a case for vaccinating the most vulnerable again with booster doses,' he said.

'But that still leaves the UK massively over-ordered in terms of the amount of vaccines that it has, and still conservatively leaves somewhere between 100-200million doses that it could donate by the end of the year.'

Professor Hayward also called on Britain to help boost the vaccination drive around the world.

He said: 'If rich countries cant sort out a problem like vaccinating the world, what hope have we got in pulling together to sort out a complex problem like climate change?

'This really is an opportunity for global leadership. This is a relatively simple technical problem that can be solved with the political will and resource.'
Michael O'Leary, 63, said the system 'doesn't help deal with the Covid problem'

Ryanair's boss has branded the traffic light system 'monstrously stupid' and called for it to be scrapped so the UK can 'return to normality'.

Michael O'Leary, 63, suggested replacing the scheme with a 'simple' policy that allows unrestricted entry for double-jabbed passengers from Europe.

The Irish businessman said travellers who have received one or neither of the vaccine doses should still have to take a PCR test.

Currently, arrivals in England from low-risk 'green' countries and medium-risk 'amber' locations must take two Covid tests, even if they are fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, all travellers coming from red-list destinations must quarantine in a hotel for 10 days and take three tests.

The comments come amid Heathrow Airport's fourth day of queueing chaos, with passengers facing yet more huge waits at the border.

Ryanair's boss Michael O'Leary (pictured above), 63, suggested replacing the scheme with a 'simple' policy that allows unrestricted entry for double-jabbed passengers from Europe

Queues of people wait in line at UK citizens arrivals at London's Heathrow Airport today. Yesterday, one traveller said a queue for families with children had lasted three hours

Mr O'Leary told The Independent: 'The traffic light system needs to be scrapped.

'You need to have a very simple system: if you're double vaccinated, no restrictions. If you're not double vaccinated, get a PCR test.'

He added: 'This monstrously stupid system, that requires passengers from Europe to be double vaccinated and get a PCR test, doesn't help deal with the Covid problem.'

The Ryanair chief then demanded a 'return to normality'.

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport (DfT) said: 'Our top priority is to protect public health - decisions on our traffic light system are kept under regular review and are informed by the latest risk assessment from the Joint Biosecurity Centre and wider public health factors.

'We recognise the challenging times facing the travel sector, which is why we have committed around 7billion of support by September 2021 and continue to work with industry to help them navigate this difficult period.'

It comes as the airline expects annual passenger numbers to reach 'close to 100 million' this year compared with 149 million before the virus crisis, and exceed pre-pandemic levels next summer.

Ryanair announced that it will operate 14 new routes from London airports this winter.

It comes as the airline expects annual passenger numbers to reach 'close to 100 million' this year compared with 149 million before the virus crisis (Mr O'Leary pictured speaking at a press conference in London yesterday)

Ryanair said the announcement will create more than 500 jobs for pilots, cabin crew and engineers at its London airports (file photo)

Ryanair boss: 'Never a better time' to book a winter break There will 'never be a better time' to book a winter break, according to the boss of Ryanair. Michael O'Leary said air fares will be 'much lower' than before the coronavirus pandemic while demand recovers. He told reporters at a press conference in central London: 'There has never been a better time to go away on winter breaks, (visit) Christmas markets, city breaks, than there will be this winter because there's going to be lots of capacity at very cheap prices.' Mr O'Leary said the airline has seen a 'very dramatic recovery in traffic' over the summer. It expects annual passenger numbers to reach 'close to 100 million' this year compared with 149 million before the virus crisis, and exceed pre-pandemic levels next summer. Advertisement

From Stansted it will serve Helsinki and Tampere in Finland; Oradea in Romania; Stockholm, Sweden; Trapani and Treviso in Italy; and Zagreb, Croatia.

The locations which will be served from Luton are Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria in Spain's Canary Islands; Grenoble, France; Naples and Turin in Italy; and Shannon, Ireland.

A new link to Malaga in Spain will open at Gatwick.

Ryanair said the announcement will create more than 500 jobs for pilots, cabin crew and engineers at its London airports.

Meanwhile, Britons rushed to snap up bargain flights to Italy after the country said it would drop Covid-19 quarantine rules for double-jabbed UK arrivals from today.

The most booked cities since the changes were announced on Saturday have been Rome, Milan, Naples and Venice  with 11 return flights still available in September.

Flight comparison website Skyscanner said it had seen a week-on-week increase of 214 per cent in searches for flights from Britain to Italy, as well as a 48 per cent rise comparing the day before and after the announcement.

However, pictures and video taken around midday have shown long, snaking lines of travellers packed closely together with no social distancing at Heathrow.

The Home Office has continued with its unapologetic stance despite widespread public fury, with a spokesman yesterday saying travellers would 'need to accept' increased wait times due to high summer demand and the need to check Covid documents.

Long queues at immigration has been a problem at Heathrow numerous times this summer. The issue flared up again on Sunday - with some passengers reporting waits of up to five hours - and is now into its fourth consecutive day.

Journalist Guy Faulconbridge posted an image taken an hour after arriving at Heathrow, showing the line had barely budged

Yesterday, one traveller wrote on Twitter that a queue for families with children had lasted three hours.

Another described the wait for families as 'shameful', adding that the UK 'must be the only country which treats families worse than adults'.

On Monday a passenger said the immigration process in Terminal 2 was 'incompetent, ridiculous', adding that he was forced to wait for more than five hours with 'no water, no bathroom'.

Heathrow tweeted that Border Force is 'currently experiencing some delays as they conduct additional spot checks to ensure passenger compliance with the UK Government's latest entry requirements'.

It added: 'Waiting times at the border have on occasion been unacceptable and we have called on the UK Government to address the problem as a matter of urgency.'
A Republican representative from Oklahoma said on Wednesday that he is coming home from Georgia after failing to get assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan to rescue a family from Afghanistan by helicopter.

Congressman Markwayne Mullin, 44, announced along with a selfie on Instagram: 'I am heading home.'

'Am I extremely disappointed in how we (United States) left Americans behind that would be an understatement,' Mullin wrote in his Wednesday post. 'President Biden and his administration are absolutely lying to the American people about Americans and our friends being left behind.'

'So many great Americans, many who are Veterans and many who are not, are stepping up to keep our promise,' he added.

'We will never leave an American behind.'

At least 100 American citizens seeking evacuation from Afghanistan were left behind as Joe Biden felt it was more important to stick to the August 31 troop withdrawal deadline rather than keep forces in the country to help get U.S. citizens out safely.

Oklahoma Representative Markwayne Mullin announced on Instagram Wednesday that he is 'heading home' from Georgia after he failed to convinced U.S. diplomats in Tajikistan to transfer money so he could carry out a rescue mission in Afghanistan of an American mother and her four children

Mullin reportedly threatened ambassador to Tajikistan John Mark Pommersheim when his request was denied to transfer money for the rescue effort

The president has vowed to continue to work to get American citizens out of Afghanistan without troops there to assist and has also committed to get Afghan allies out as they have quickly become targets for Taliban retribution.

During his first remarks since the Afghanistan withdrawal on Tuesday, Biden lauded the mission an 'extraordinary success' and hailed the 120,000 people evacuated to safety in 'one of the biggest airlifts in history'.

Mullin didn't disagree the evacuations were plentiful, but said more needs to be done.

'Have we been helping get Americans out of Afghanistan, yes. Is the mission continuing, yes,' he wrote on Instagram.

He also assured that he did not go 'missing' while in Georgia waiting to get into Afghanistan for a rescue mission, but instead 'went dark' because 'it wasn't safe to be communicating.'

In a call on Monday, Mullin asked the U.S. embassy in Tajikistan to help transport a huge amount of cash as part of an attempt to travel to neighboring Afghanistan to rescue an American woman and her four children by helicopter.

The answer was that the embassy could not back such a dangerous mission, leading an infuriated Mullin to threaten U.S. ambassador John Mark Pommersheim and embassy staff, according to the Washington Post.

'To say this is extremely dangerous is a massive understatement,' a State Department official told the newspaper on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter.

Mullin, a former Mixed Martial Arts fighter turned congressman, told officials he wanted to fly from Tblisi, Georgia, to the Tajikistan capital Dunshanbe within hours and needed the ambassador's help.

But the embassy told him they could not help him flout the country's limits on bringing cash into the country. Nor could they support such a dangerous plan.

Mullin assured he was safe on Wednesday after a U.S. officials said they did not know of his location after he was denied help in his rescue attempt

Pictured is the U.S. embassy in Tajikistan, which Mullin approached for help with his mission

It was reportedly his second effort to reach Afghanistan for a private rescue bid,

Last week he got as far as Greece but was denied permission to carry on to Kabul by the Pentagon, an administration official said.

Officials have been on high alert for similar missions after an unauthorized trip by Reps. Seth Moulton and Peter Meijer last week, which were condemned as thoughtless publicity stunts at a time when the armed forces were already overstretched at Kabul airport.

As of late Tuesday, U.S. officials told the Washington Post they were unsure of Mullin's location and his office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The last U.S. troops left Afghanistan on Monday just before midnight.

It brought to an end America's 20 year war and it closed out with a mammoth evacuation effort.

The U.S. military helped evacuate more than 120,000 people, including U.S. citizens, allies and at-risk Afghans from Kabul airport.

The chaotic airlift was augmented by a string of private enterprises, from veterans using their military knowhow to help their Afghan allies reach the airport to charter planes collecting women who feared for their future under the Taliban.

Mullin condemned the U.S. withdrawal for leaving stranded Americans behind on Monday

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said fewer than 200 American citizens remained behind and that diplomatic efforts were already under way to establish new pathways out.

The State Department reissued a Level 4 travel advisory for the country on Monday.

'Do not travel to Afghanistan due to civil unrest, armed conflict, crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and COVID-19,' it said.

Mullin is not a U.S. military veteran, unlike Moulton and Meijer.

The Republican was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2012.

He has been an outspoken critic of the Biden administration's exit from Afghanistan.

'This is a sad day for our country,' Mullin said in a Twitter post on Monday night.

'Americans have been stranded in Afghanistan by the Biden administration and are now left to defend themselves from terrorists overrunning the country.

'One motto of our military is 'leave no man behind.' But today, that's exactly what President Biden did.'
USA Gymnastics has offered to pay victims of pedophile doctor Larry Nassar a $425million joint settlement, but it's unclear where the organization will find the cash with some of its insurers failing to sign on the proposed settlement.

Nassar is in prison for the sexual assault of hundreds of gymnastics, including Olympic champions Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney.

USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University have both been admonished by his victims for failing to act when he was first reported for abuse, and in some cases covering up his abhorrent acts.

A lawsuit leveled by a class of 500 of his victims has been resolved with a proposed settlement of $425million - $1.1million per victim not including any legal fees incurred.

The proposed agreement would prevent the victims from seeking any further legal action against USOPC, USA Gymnastics and Bela and Martha Karolyi, who ran the Karolyi ranch, a training ground in Texas where much of the abuse took place.

But it's unclear how the organization is going to find the cash to pay the sum when insurers have not yet agreed to pay it.

USA Gymnastics has proposed a settlement of $425million to 500 of pedophile Larry Nassar's victims. Nassar, shown above in 2018, was sentenced to life behind bars for his egregious sexual assault of hundreds of girls, including Olympic champions

Nassar's victims include Olympians Simone Biles and Aly Raisman. Their attorney said they welcomed the news of the proposed settlement but that it hadn't been finalized

In an interview published on Tuesday, Michaela Maroney said she thought Nassar was going to kill her

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee is appealing to insurers now to agree to pay it.

'Under the new plan, the USOPC will contribute substantially to the compensation of the survivors.

'There are, unfortunately, some insurance carriers that continue to withhold support for this plan, and we urge these carriers  in the strongest terms  to join the rest of the parties in supporting the plans fair resolution for the victims and survivors of abuse,' the Committee told USA Today, which first reported on the settlement on Tuesday night.

USA Gymnastics said in a statement that it believes the settlement will be finalized later this year.

'After extensive discussions, this plan has been jointly proposed by USA Gymnastics and the Committee, and it is supported by many of the involved insurers.

'We anticipate that this plan will be confirmed later this year and greatly appreciate all parties efforts to get to this point.'

The proposed settlement came on the same day Maroney's interview about Nassar, where she said she thought he was going to kill her in one of their sessions, was published by ELLE.

The proposed agreement would prevent the victims from seeking any further legal action against USOPC, USA Gymnastics and Bela and Martha Karolyi, who ran the Karolyi ranch, a training ground in Texas where much of the abuse took place. Martha is pictured with Simone Biles

After he molested her, Maroney said he told her: '"You know, to be a great athlete, we sometimes have to do things that other people wouldnt do."

'Basically, he was silencing me and saying, "This is what it takes to be great."'

Maroney said she would try tightening her legs and begging Nassar to work on other parts of her body to avoid the abuse when she had to meet with him.

'We would be like, "No, dont do that. We just want you to work on our backs, our shins, our feet,"' she recalled. "And wed be annoyed. Wed be mad. We all hated it.'

In January 2020, USA Gymnastics proposed a settlement of $215 million which was widely panned by the victims.

Michigan State University has already paid $500million to 443 of Nassar's victims from the school.
Security forces and immigration agents on Tuesday rescued 327 migrants who were being held at a northeast Mexico warehouse where they were waiting to be smuggled into the United States, officials said.

The National Institute of Migration said there were at least 120 children among the adults crammed together in a building that had no running water.

'During the housing inspection, it was found that 327 foreign migrants were staying there without water, food and in subhuman, overcrowded, vulnerable and unsanitary conditions that put the lives of minors, women and adults at risk,' the National Institute of Migration said in a statement.

The warehouse is located in the Nuevo Leon town of Cadereyta, approximately 120 miles from the United States-Mexico border.

The immigration enforcement agency said the discovery was made possible Tuesday morning while detectives assigned to the Nuevo Leon State Investigations Agency were following the case of a migrant who had died at a local hospital.

National Institute of Migration and security forces discovered 327 migrants - including 120 children - inside a warehouse in Cadereyta, a municipality in the northeastern state of Nuevo Leon that is approximately 120 miles from the United States-Mexico border

A Mexican federal agent tends to a group of children and adults who were found in a warehouse in northeast Mexico. Smugglers housed them there as part of the process of ferrying over the United States-Mexico border

The migrants were removed from the warehouse at approximately 5pm local time.

The building in the past had served as the headquarters of a construction company.

The rescued migrants were loaded onto three buses and taken to a local National Institute of Migration center, where agency workers were going to review the migrant status.

The National Institute of Migration said the migrants where forced to stay at the warehouse 'without water, food and in subhuman, overcrowded, vulnerable and unsanitary conditions that put the lives of minors, women and adults at risk'

According to the National Institute of Migration, the 327 migrants were found at the warehouse while detectives with the Nuevo Leon State Investigations Agency were following the case of a migrant who recently died at a local hospital

The massive bust came on the same day the National Institute of Migration released a report that showed 34,427 minors had illegally entered Mexico between January 2021 and August 2021 - a 194 percent increase compared with the same period in 2020 when 11,703 underage children entered the country.

At least 8,525 unaccompanied children transited through Mexico during the first eight months of 2021.

According to a National Institute of Migration law which was amended January 11, adult migrants accompanying minors are not permitted to be housed at immigration stations, thus leaving them to seek housing in shelters operated by religious organizations or camp out in tent cities across the border from the U.S. where they remain exposed to being kidnapped by cartels and gangs.

Data released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection earlier this month showed that the U.S. Border Patrol reported 212,672 encounters in the southwestern border region in July 2021

The National Institute of Migration learned through migrants that smuggling organizations are misinforming them about their prospects of being allowed into the United States to seek asylum.

People identified as smugglers assure them that there is an amnesty in the United States that favors the entry of migrants, even though they are undocumented and especially for those who go with children and adolescents," the agency said in its report.

Data released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection earlier this month showed that the U.S. Border Patrol reported 212,672 encounters in the southwestern border region in July, increasing the number of migrants stopped for illegal border entry to 1,331,822 for fiscal year 2021.

A total of 18,962 unaccompanied minors were stopped for illegal passage through the United States-Mexico border.
Three white cops and two paramedics have been indicted for manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide over the death of Elijah McClain, a 23 year-old black man who died after being arrested.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced charges Wednesday against Aurora Police Officers Nathan Woodyard, Randy Roedema and former officer Jason Rosenblatt.

He filed the same charges against paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Lt. Peter Cichuniec on a 32 count indictment, which also includes some additional charges.

McClain died in August 2019, six days after he was put in a chokehold and injected with ketamine while being arrested in Aurora.

The masseuse was apprehended by police after a resident called 911 in concern after seeing him wearing a ski mask and waving his arms in the air while walking to a convenience store to buy tea.

McClain's family said he wore the ski mask because anemia made him unusually susceptible to the cold, and McClain was apparently listening to music on headphones and dancing as he walked -- also the reason, he explained to cops, that he did not initially comply with their verbal commands.

A subsequent internal investigation by Aurora Police found that cops had no reasonable grounds to stop him.

McClain's mom Sheneen welcomed news of the charges Wednesday, with her lawyer Qusair Mohamedbhai telling the Denver Post: 'Not a day has gone by that she hasnt sought justice for her son.'

Elijah McClain left, and right in hospital after he was fatally-injured while being arrested in Aurora, Colorado, in August 2019. Three cops and two paramedics have now been charged

The officers who stopped McClain on the street and put him in a chokehold are (left to right) Jason Rosenblatt, Nathan Woodyard and Randy Roedema. They have now been charged

McClain's mom Sheneen (above) welcomed news of the charges Wednesday, with her lawyer saying: 'Not a day has gone by that she hasnt sought justice for her son'

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser talks about a grand jury investigation into the death of Elijah McClain during a news conference Wednesday in Denver

The indictment was unsealed almost two years after the August 2019 death of Elijah McClain. Weiser was appointed a special prosecutor by Colorado Governor Jared Polis after immense public pressure, and convened a grand jury in January.

USING KETAMINE TO SUBDUED SUSPECTS: A CONTROVERSIAL POLICE PRACTIVE Ketamine is a powerful sedative normally used in hospitals, which police in some states can request EMT administer to chemically incapacitate a suspect. The death of Elijah McClain came within four days of another incident in Aurora in which 25-year-old Elijah McKnight was given ketamine in a police encounter. McKnight was hospitalized but survived. The incidents raised questions about the police use of ketamine. In Minnesota, a former paramedic filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging that he was pressured by police to use ketamine when it wasn't warranted, according to The Intercept. Whistleblower Joseph Baker said he felt pushed out of his job after refusing to administer ketamine in an incident in September 2019. Advertisement

McClain's death gained widespread attention during last years protests against racial injustice and police brutality following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

McClains pleading words that were captured on police body camera video - 'Im just different' - have been posted on signs at protests and spoken by celebrities who have joined those calling for the prosecution of the officers who confronted McClain as he walked down the street in the city of Aurora after a 911 caller reported he looked suspicious.

Stories about McClain, a massage therapist family and friends described as a gentle and kind introvert, filled social media, including how he volunteered to play his violin to comfort cats at an animal shelter.

Attorney General Phil Weiser said all five officers and paramedics were charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, while some also face additional charges.

Facing pressure during nationwide protests last year, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis ordered Weiser to open a new criminal investigation. A district attorney had said in 2019 that he could not charge the officers because an autopsy could not determine how McClain died.

In January, Weiser announced that he had opened a grand jury investigation, noting that grand juries have the power to compel testimony and documents that would otherwise be unavailable.

It was one of several investigations prompted at least in part by McClain's death, including separate reviews of McClain's arrest commissioned by the city of Aurora and a comprehensive review of the Police Department. The attorney generals office also is conducting a civil rights investigation into the agency, the first under a new police accountability law in Colorado.

McClain was hospitalized for six days after he was put in a chokehold and injected with ketamine while being arrested in Aurora

Supporters of McClain's family wore these t-shirts bearing the names of the cops involved in his fatal arrest while protesting for charges to be brought against them

Auroras highly critical review did not find any evidence to justify officers stopping McClain as he walked home from the store on Aug. 24, 2019, after a 911 caller had reported a man wearing a ski mask and waving his hands who seemed 'sketchy.' His family said McClain wore the mask because he had anemia that caused him to get cold easily.

Police body camera video shows an officer getting out of his car, approaching McClain on the sidewalk and saying, 'Stop right there. Stop. Stop ... I have a right to stop you because youre being suspicious.'

In the video, the officer puts his hand on McClains shoulder and turns him around and repeats, 'Stop tensing up.' As McClain verbally protests, the officer says, 'Relax, or Im going to have to change this situation.' As the other officers join in to restrain McClain, he asks them to let go and says, 'You guys started to arrest me, and I was stopping my music to listen.'

What happened next isnt clear because all of the officers' body cameras come off as they move McClain to the grass, but the officers and McClain can still be heard. An officer says McClain grabbed one of their guns. McClain can be heard trying to explain himself and sometimes crying out or sobbing. He says he cant breathe and was just on his way home.

Police were called after someone reported a suspicious person wearing a ski mask and waving his arms in Aurora

'Im just different. Im just different, thats all. Thats all I was doing. Im so sorry. I have no gun. I dont do that stuff. I dont do any fighting. Why were you attacking me? I dont do guns. I dont even kill flies. I dont eat meat. ... I am a vegetarian,' he said.

One officer eventually retrieves his camera, which shows McClain handcuffed, laying on his side and periodically vomiting as another officer leans on him. An officer who arrived later threatened to get his police dog to bite McClain.

Paramedics arrived and injected the 140-pound McClain with 500 milligrams of ketamine - more than 1 1/2 times the dose for his weight.

The fire department is allowed to use the drug to sedate combative or aggressive people, but there's a lack of police training, conflicting medical standards and nonexistent protocols that have resulted in hospitalizations and even deaths when it's used during police encounters.

Within five minutes, according to a federal lawsuit from McClains family, he stopped breathing. He died six days later after being declared brain dead and taken off life support.

McClain's mom Sheneen, pictured holding the microphone, welcomed news of the charges against her son's alleged killers, her lawyer said Wednesday

Protesters carry a placard calling for charges over McClain's death in Aurora in June 2020

A pathologist who conducted an autopsy said a combination of a narrowed coronary artery and physical exertion contributed to McClains death.

Dr. Stephen Cina found no evidence of a ketamine overdose and said several other possibilities could not be ruled out, including an unexpected reaction to ketamine or the chokehold causing an irregular heartbeat.

The carotid hold that was used on McClain involves applying pressure to the sides of the neck, stopping the flow of blood to the brain to render someone unconscious. It has been banned by police departments and some states, including Colorado, following Floyds killing.

A lawsuit from the family alleges that McClain died as a result of a dramatic increase of lactic acid in his blood caused by excessive force used by police over about 18 minutes, combined with the effects of the ketamine.

They claim that police continued to 'torture' McClain even after he was restrained, treatment they say is a result of the departments history of 'unconstitutional racist brutality.'

The attorney generals announcement comes after three Aurora officers, including one involved in the encounter with McClain, were fired and one resigned last year over photos mimicking the chokehold used on the 23-year-old.

Three police officers who were fired over the above photo showing Aurora, Colorado cops jokingly re-enacting the chokehold used on a 23-year-old black man in August 2019 will not get their jobs back, a civilian review board said on Tuesday. Jaron Jones (center) resigned from Aurora police for staging the 're-enactment' photo. Erica Marrero (far left) and Kyle Dittrich (right) were fired in July for appearing in the photo, which McClain's family said was 'a new low' for the Aurora police department

The departments new chief, who fired those officers as its interim leader, has vowed to work to rebuild public trust since McClains death and other police encounters with people of color.

However, Vanessa Wilson spent her first days as chief last year apologizing after Aurora officers put four Black girls on the ground and handcuffed two of them next to a car that police suspected was stolen but turned out not to be.

A prosecutor later decided there was no evidence the officers committed a crime but urged the Police Department to review its policies to ensure that something similar does not happen again.

In July, an Aurora police officer was charged with assault after being captured on body camera video pistol-whipping and choking a Black man during an arrest. Another officer was charged with not intervening as required under the police accountability passed amid last years protests.

Independent report found that police had no legal basis to stop McClain or put him in a chokehold

The 157-page report from an independent investigation commissioned by the city of Aurora, Colorado was released in February. It finds 'two contrasting stories' of what happened to McClain, who was not suspected of committing any crime.

One based on officers' statements where they describe a violent struggle. And another based on body camera footage in which McClain can be heard crying out in pain, apologizing, explaining himself, and pleading with the cops.

Massage therapist McClain died in August 2019 after someone reported him as suspicious as he walked down the street wearing a ski mask. He suffered cardiac arrest and later was taken off life support.

The report finds that finds police had no legal basis to stop, frisk or use a hold on McClain and calls the post-event investigation into his death 'flawed'. Paramedics who administered ketamine did so 'without conducting anything more than a brief visual observation', the report adds.

It was this 'flawed' report from detectives that was used by the Attorney's Office to clear the officers involved in the arrest of wrongdoing.

McClain, who weighed 140lbs, was tackled to the ground by cops shortly afterwards. After handcuffing him, Officer Nathan Woodyard applied a 'carotid control hold' around McClain's neck, which restricts blood to the brain to render someone unconscious

The report recommends the police department conduct several reviews, including of how its officers are trained to decide whether to stop, frisk and arrest people, and urges the city to consider overhauling how it reviews incidents.

Aurora Police has said it will not comment on the report. Elijah's mother Sheeneen said: 'Aurora is responsible for Elijah's tragic death by virtue of its employees' unlawful and unconscionable actions.

'At every step of the way - from their initial stop of Elijah through the involuntary injection of an extremely dangerous drug for no medical reason - Aurora officials indisputably violated Mr. McClain's constitutional rights.'

McClain's father, LaWayne Mosley, said: 'This report confirms what we have been saying from the start. The Aurora police and medics who murdered my son must be held accountable.'

McClain died in 2019 after being put in a neckhold and being injected with ketamine as a sedative after someone reported him as suspicious as he walked down the street wearing a ski mask.

His family said he had been wearing the mask as he was anemic and felt the cold.

His death drew renewed attention last year amid the national reckoning over police brutality and racial injustice and prompted several investigations, including a probe into possible criminal charges by the Colorado Attorney Generals Office.

A man walks past a display showing an image of Elijah McClain outside Laugh Factory during a candlelight vigil for McClain in Los Angeles last August

Aurora asked outside investigators to look into the actions of police, firefighters and paramedics in McClains arrest and also at relevant policies and practices.

In the report, the investigators said their task was to try to help prevent another tragedy like McClains death, not assign blame.

The report notes 'neither the caller nor any of the officers involved identified a crime that [McClain] was suspected of committing at the time that he first came to the officers' attention'.

It adds: 'The speed at which these officers acted to take Mr. McClain into custody, their apparent failure to assess whether there was reasonable suspicion that a crime had been committed, and the unity with which the three officers acted suggest several potential training or supervision weaknesses.'

KEY FINDINGS FROM THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO ELIJAH MCCLAIN 'Neither the caller nor any of the officers involved identified a crime that [McClain] was suspected of committing'

'Based on the record available to the panel, we were not able to identify sufficient evidence that Mr. McClain was armed and dangerous in order to justify a pat-down search'

The report states that officers used force on McClain 'within seconds of exiting their cars'

'Aurora Fire appears to have accepted the officers' impression that Mr. McClain had excited delirium without corroborating that impression through meaningful observations or diagnostic examination of Mr. McClain'

'In addition, EMS administered a ketamine dosage based on a grossly inaccurate and inflated estimate of Mr. McClain's size. Higher doses can carry a higher risk of sedation complications, for which this team was clearly not prepared'

'Body worn camera audio, limited video and...interviews with the officers tell two contrasting stories'

The post-event investigation was 'flawed'

'The Aurora Police Department's Major Crime/Homicide Unit investigation of the death of Mr. McClain raised serious concerns for the Panel and revealed significant weaknesses in the Department's accountability systems' Advertisement

'The body worn camera audio, limited video, and Major Crime's interviews with the officers tell two contrasting stories.

'The officers' statements on the scene and in subsequent recorded interviews suggest a violent and relentless struggle.

'The limited video, and the audio from the body worn cameras, reveal Mr. McClain surrounded by officers, all larger than he, crying out in pain, apologizing, explaining himself, and pleading with the officers.'

McClain is reported to have said at one point: 'Forgive me...you all are phenomenal, you are beautiful.'

He adds: 'I'm an introvert, please respect the boundaries that I am speaking.'

Aurora Police Officer Nathan Woodyard was first on the scene; he was later joined by officers Jason Rosenblatt and Randy Roedema.

No officer involved in the arrest has lost his job as a result of the incident; in November 2019 it was announced no charges would be filed.

Rosenblatt was later fired for replying 'haha' to an image of other Aurora cops re-enacting an chokeholds near where McClain was held, The Denver Post reports.

The report also suggests that District Attorney Dave Young's review of the case failed to assess the officer's conduct and 'did not reflect the rigor' of a police investigation 'that one would expect' when assessing whether a crime was committed.

Young's review of the case did not find sufficient evidence to press criminal charges in McClain's death, according to a June 2020 statement by the District Attorney's office.

In January, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced he opened a grand jury investigation into McClain's death as part of his investigation, saying it provided an 'investigative tool' to compel testimony and require the production of documents. Weiser's office is also conducting a civil rights investigation into Aurora police, its first one under a police reform law passed after George Floyd's death in Minneapolis set off protests.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI also announced they had been reviewing McClain's case for a potential federal civil rights investigation since 2019.

The report states: 'Upon review of the evidence available to the Panel, Officer Woodyard's decision to turn what may have been a consensual encounter with Mr. McClain into an investigatory stop  in 3 fewer than ten seconds  did not appear to be supported by any officer's reasonable suspicion that Mr. McClain was engaged in criminal activity.

'This decision had ramifications for the rest of the encounter.'

They add: 'Based on the record available to the Panel, we were not able to identify sufficient evidence that Mr. McClain was armed and dangerous in order to justify a pat-down search.'

The report states that officers used force on McClain 'within seconds of exiting their cars'.

They sustained that force 'over an extended time period, including two attempted carotid holds,' the report adds, with EMS waiting 'almost seven minutes after arriving to interact with Mr. McClain'.

The report notes EMS' 'first contact was to administer the sedative ketamine'.

It also details audio recordings that reveal McClain made desperate pleas as he struggled to breathe.

'The audio of the incident records Mr. McClain crying out in pain, apologizing, vomiting and at times sounding incoherent,' the report says.

'His words were apologetic and confused, not angry or threatening. He became increasingly plaintive and desperate as he struggled to breathe.'

The report adds: 'In looking at this single incident, the panel has insufficient information to determine what role, if any, bias played in Aurora Police officers' and EMS personnel's encounter with McClain.

'However, research indicates that factors such as increased perception of threat, perception of extraordinary strength, perception of higher pain tolerance, and misconceptions of age and size can be indicative of bias.'
President Biden's most senior aide insisted again that the White House had no clue the Taliban could take over Afghanistan so quickly and defended the administration's handling of a chaotic, hurried withdrawal.

White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain spoke soon after Biden on Tuesday declared the U.S. war in Afghanistan to be over and insisted had been prepared for every eventuality.

Yet only a month earlier, Biden said no one would need to be rescued by helicopter from the U.S. embassy - which is exactly how the American withdrawal played out as officials appeared wrongfooted by the pace of the Taliban advance.

Klain defended the president.

'In July, the Taliban had not yet conquered a single provincial capital in the country...' he said.

'I don't think there was anyone who thought they would go from having taken no provincial capitals to marching into Kabul in 11 days in August.

'We certainly knew there were threats and dangers of the Taliban on the march and even when Joe Biden, I became president the Taliban had taken or was contesting 50% of the countryside.

Me: "Will the U.S. be recognizing the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan any time soon?"



White House chief of staff Ron Klain: "I dont think anytime soon, I dont know if we will ever recognize their government."



Some breaking news tonight...pic.twitter.com/KBFCT5Maod  Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) September 1, 2021

Ron Klain, White House chief of staff, defended the administration's handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan and said no one predicted the rapid fall of Kabul to the Taliban

President Biden declared America's 20-year war in Afghanistan over during an address to the nation on Tuesday

'President Trump left us with the Taliban in its strongest military position it ever was ... But since 2001.'

Again he blamed the collapse of the Afghan armed forces and the flight of President Ashraf Ghani for the fall of Kabul.

However, a number of intelligence figures have pushed back on the idea that the administration had not been warned.

Douglas London, the CIA's former counter-terrorism chief for south and south-west Asia, recently said the rapid advance of the Taliban was one of a range of scenarios briefed to officials in both the Trump and Biden administrations.

In an essay for Just Security, he said it was 'misleading at best' to suggest otherwise.

Klain also said he was unsure whether the administration would ever recognize a Taliban government.

Taliban fighters paraded their weaponry through Kandahar on September 1 as they celebrating victory over the U.S. after 20 years of war

A helicopter displaying a Taliban flag fly above of supporters gathered to celebrate the US withdrawal of all its troops out of Afghanistan, in Kandahar on September 1

'I don't think anytime soon. I don't know if we will ever recognize their government,' Klain said.

'What we know is that the Taliban says they're going to form a government, we'll see what that looks like, we'll see what kind of credentials they present.'

'More importantly, we'll see what their conduct is. Do they honor their commitments, to allow freedom of travel? Do they respect human rights?'

'I think the question of recognizing a new government of Afghanistan is down the road here.'

For now, the U.S. embassy to Kabul has relocated to the Qatar capital Doha.

Other White House officials have got themselves tangled as they tried to describe the U.S. attitude to Afghanistan's new rulers.

MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace asked Biden's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to clarify: 'What is the Taliban? Are they now our frenemy, are they our adversary, are they our enemy? Are they our  what are they?'

'Well, it's hard to put a label on it,' he replied.

He added: 'In part because we have yet to see what they are going to be now that they're in control  physical control of Afghanistan.'
The widow of a Colorado tourist who was shot dead in Miami Beach last week has spoken out for the first time, revealing that her husband begged for his life in his final moments while shielding their son from the gunman.

Dustin Wakefield, 21, from Castle Rock, Colorado, was fatally shot in front of his family at an outdoor Mexican restaurant in Miami Beach on August 24.

Police arrested Tamarius Davis,22, a UPS driver from Georgia, on charges of second-degree murder and also attempted murder for allegedly shooting at a passerby moments before Wakefield's killing.

He allegedly told investigators he shot the married dad because he 'was high on mushrooms, which made him feel empowered,' according to his arrest report.

Scroll down for video

Karina Olguin, left, pictured with her mother-in-law, right, said her husband, Dustin Wakefield, begged for his life in his final moments and died a hero protecting their son

This image provided by the Miami-Dade Police Department shows Tamarius Davis Jr (left), police say who fatally shot Wakefield, 21 (right), eating dinner with his family at a Miami Beach restaurant on August 24

Speaking exclusively to Local 10, Karina Olguin, Wakefield's young widow, shed light on her husband's last moments.

'I remember Dustin saying, like, "Please, I have a son, he's just a boy." And thats when it all happened,' Olguin said, with Wakefield's mother, Laura, sobbing on her shoulder.

As Davis was pointing a gun at him, Olguin said her husband begged for his life, telling the armed stranger that his son, Eli, is a one-year-old.

Olguin said her husband she be remembered 'as a hero, as a courageous man and as an amazing, loving father' for shielding their child from harm.

'I was like, "Dustin the baby." I yelled,' the widow recounted. 'Dustin got up, got Eli and took him to my grandma.'

Olguin recalled that the gunman was standing behind her when he fired the shot and then left.

Witnesses reported seeing Davis celebrating by dancing over the dying victim.

Olguin said she wants her husband to be remembered 'as a hero.' The family were on vacation from Colorado at the time of the attack

Video showed Davis celebrating the killing by dancing, reportedly over Wakefield's body

'It was so fast,' Olguin said of the unprovoked attack.

Wakefield's mother urged people to honor her son by performing an act of kindness in his name.

On Monday, a vigil was held in a park across the street from the scene of the shooting in Miami Beach, drawing dozens of residents and local politicians who laid flowers and prayed.

Wakefield's uncle, Michael Wakefield, told DailyMail.com last week that the gunman, whom he slammed as a 'dirt bag,' approached his nephew and other relatives at random as they were having dinner at La Cerveceria restaurant on Ocean Drive.

'The suspect came up to Dustin and said  its time to die,' Michael recounted in a Facebook Messenger exchange. 'The suspect pointed the gun at my nephew['s] son then Dustin replied back to him saying hes just a baby and then Dustin stood in front of hes [sic] son and then he was shot.'

Davis was arrested in an alley a short time later. He was said to have told cops he shot Wakefield at random because he 'was high on mushrooms, which made him feel empowered'

According to the uncle, who was not present during the attack but was told about it by Dustin's mother, his nephew sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including to the head.

Davis allegedly told police he approached the patio area of the eatery just before 6.30pm and randomly decided to shoot Wakefield.

Just moments earlier, Davis was caught on video firing at another man, who escaped unharmed.

Davis was captured in a nearby alley. Cellphone video obtained by the Herald shows Davis lying spread-eagle on his back and smiling as three officers approach with their guns pointed towards him yelling commands, warning him that if he touches his gun he will be shot.

Davis then rolled onto his side into a fetal position, before again rolling onto his back as officers approached. Davis screamed 'I did it, I did it, I did it' as officers flip him onto his stomach and handcuff him. The video shows a black handgun lying about 10 feet away.

Tommy Davis, the suspects father, told The Associated Press that his son, who works as a UPS driver, had traveled to Miami Beach with some friends. He said his son has never been in trouble or had mental health issues. No arrest record for the younger Davis could be found.

'This is an unlikely thing,' the senior Davis said. We are trying to find out what happened. You can imagine we were shocked.'

He said he didnt know whether his son would ingest mushrooms or other drugs.

Davis is pictured during his initial court appearance last week. Judge Mindy Glazer ordered him held without bond

'You think you know your kid, but you dont,' he said. 'It is possible someone gave him something. That is something we need to find out.'

During his initial court appearance, Judge Mindy Glazer ordered Davis held in the Miami-Dade County Jail without bond, telling him: 'you shot and killed somebody in cold blood.'

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support Wakefield's family, including his wife of two years and their son. As of Wednesday, the fundraiser has drawn more than $279,000 in donations.
A father who allegedly abducted his own daughter and jetted off to Spain was arrested following an international manhunt.

Lee Rogers, 39, was arrested by officers after landing in Scotland on Tuesday - after he had boarded a flight with Kelly Gibson, 35, and their daughter Gracie-May Rogers on August 24.

Police had launched a desperate appeal for the return of the two-year-old girl, of Lancaster, and both Rogers and Gibson were wanted on suspicion of child abduction.

The toddler was 'taken to a place of safety' after returning to Manchester Airport earlier this week, police said, and Gibson was detained in connection with her disappearance.

Lee Rogers, 39, was arrested by officers after landing at Glasgow Airport on Tuesday

Kelly Gibson, 35, and Lee Rogers are believed to have boarded a flight from Glasgow to Alicante with their daughter, Gracie-May Rogers, on Tuesday (Pictured together at Glasgow Airport)

Investigators believe the trio arrived at Alicante, on the Costa Blanca, at 9.35pm on August 24 - although there has been no reported sighting of the family

Lancashire Police launched an urgent appeal for missing Gracie-May Rogers on Friday.

The two-year-old toddler was last identified on a plane that landed in Alicante, on the Costa Blanca, at 9.35pm on August 24.

She was recovered by officers at Manchester Airport on Sunday evening 'in the company of a woman' - who has since been interviewed by police.

Police had launched a desperate appeal for the return of two-year-old Gracie-May, of Lancaster, amid an international manhunt for her parents

Gracie-May was found safe and well at Manchester Airport on Tuesday night by the police

Rogers was arrested at Glasgow airport on August 31 on suspicion of abduction and is being quizzed by officers over his daughter's disappearance.

Lancashire Police had said it was treating the case as a missing child and the couple were wanted on suspicion of child abduction.

A police spokesperson said: 'A 35-year-old woman who we wanted to speak to in connection with Gracie-May's disappearance was detained by officers without incident.

'She is not under arrest and will be voluntarily interviewed in due course.

'Rogers was arrested at Glasgow airport yesterday on suspicion of abduction and is in custody.'
A Japanese emperor's niece will turn down a 1million payout from taxpayers' cash when she marries in unprecedented break from tradition due to financial controversy surrounding her fiance.

Princess Mako of Japan, 29, the niece of the Emperor Naruhito, is planning to marry her lawyer fiance in a low-key wedding that is expected to be held by the end of the year.

The daughter of Prince Fumihito, the emperors younger brother, will give up her royal title to marry commoner Kei Komuro, also 29, who she met when they were both students at Tokyos International Christian University.

Japan's imperial law requires a princess to leave the royal family after marrying a commoner.

Princess Mako of Japan, 29, will give up her royal title to marry her fiance, Kei Komuro, 29, in a low-key wedding ceremony that is expected to be held by the end of the year. Pictured: The couple exchange smiles during a press conference in 2017

However, according to The Times, Mako will turn down a 150 million (990,000) handout from the Japanese government, which is traditionally paid to princesses who lose their imperial status when they marry.

The substantial wedding sum is intended 'to preserve the dignity of a person who was once a member of the imperial family'.

The decision to forego the payment is likely due to the controversy around her fiance, Komuro, that arose shortly after announcing their engagement in 2017.

Komuro proposed over dinner in December 2013, and the pair kept their their long-distance relationship under wraps while Mako studied for her master's degree in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester in the UK.

The pair were expected to wed in November 2018 but the wedding was later postponed until 2020, with an official statement saying the couple needed more time to plan.

However, Mako will turn down a 150 million (990,000) handout from the Japanese government, which is traditionally paid to princesses who lose their imperial status when they marry. Pictured: During her uncle Emperor Naruhito's enthronement ceremony in 2019

However, reports emerged suggesting Mr Komuro's mother was involved in a financial dispute of which his in-laws disapproved and forced them to suspend the wedding.

According to reports, Mr Komuro's mother had borrowed 4 million, or about 27,300, from an ex-boyfriend and then failed to repay it. According to Komuro, the money was paid over the duration of the mans engagement to his mother, from 2010 to 2012.

When news of this emerged, the Imperial Household Agency reported the pair would postpone their wedding by two years, from November 2018 until 2020.

In a statement issued in January 2019, Mr Komuro explained his mother had offered to repay the sum, however her ex had 'clearly stated that he did not expect the money to be repaid'.

The decision to forego the payment is likely due to the financial controversy around her fiance's mother that arose shortly after the couple announced their engagement in 2017. Pictured: The royal in 2011

However, the man then reportedly sent a letter to his mother in 2013 asking to be reimbursed. After consulting with an expert, Mr Komuro's mother then met her ex and rejected his request.

Since that meeting, Mr Komuro said there had been no more developments on the issue until the story emerged in the media, reports Japan Times.

In the statement, Mr Komoru expressed his gratitude to his mother's former fiance for providing financial assistance over the years and added that he hoped the pair could come to a mutual understanding.

In November 2020, Princess Mako told how, while the couple are 'irreplaceable to each other', there are still no 'concrete plans' of when they will eventually tie the knot, and that it's difficult to tell 'anything about the future' at the moment.

'For us, a marriage is a necessary choice to live and honour our hearts,' said Mako in a statement released by the Imperial Household Agency.

'We are irreplaceable to each other, and we can lean on each other in happy times and in unhappy times.

'It is difficult to tell anything concrete regarding our future plans and others at the moment.'

After her wedding, Mako will move to the United States where Mr Komoru (pictured) is waiting for the results of his US law exams and intends to take up a job offer with a New York law firm

Now, Princess Mako and Mr Komoru are thought to be planning a low-key wedding, expected to be held by the end of 2021.

According to reports in the Japanese media, the couple will also skip two formal Shinto betrothal ceremonies: the Nosai-no-Gi betrothal ceremony and the Choken-no-Gi, in which the bride offers a thank you and a farewell to Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.

After her wedding, Mako will move to the United States where Mr Komoru is waiting for the results of his US law exams and where he intends to take up a job offer with a New York law firm.

Mr Komuro was working as a paralegal at a law firm in Tokyo prior to starting his studies at Fordham University in New York in August 2018.

Princess Mako's aunt, Princess Sayako, became the last royal to be stripped of her status when she wed a Tokyo city official in 2005.
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A charitable foundation has confirmed it will move a statue of its founder Thomas Guy at Guy's Hospital to a less prominent position because of his links to Britain's slave trade after facing pressure from Black Lives Matter protests.

The decision has been agreed by foundation - of which the hospital is the main beneficiary - despite its consultation revealing that 75 per cent of those who responded felt the statue should remain in place.

In a statement issued with their report, the foundation said the gesture was proposed in a bid to 'address the legacies' of slavery and to make the hospital 'more welcoming to everyone'.

A separate statue of hospital benefactor Sir Robert Clayton, who also has links to Britain's colonial past, will remain in place as it was decided the position was less prominent.

But the foundation confirmed both statues will be displayed with accompanying plaques detailing their ties to the slave trade.

It comes as Goldsmiths University of London launched public consultation on plans to remove four statues including Lord Nelson and Francis Drake.

Guy's Hospital has confirmed it will move a statue of its founder Thomas Guy (pictured before it was boarded up) to a less prominent position because of his links to Britain's slave trade after facing pressure from Black Lives Matter protests

The foundation also confirmed the statue of Sir Robert Clayton will have a plaque added explaining his slave trade links

The statues first came under fire in June 2020 when they were both boarded up after BLM protestors launched the Topple the Racists campaign.

As a result, both statues were boarded up by the hospital foundation over fears they would be targeted by anti-racism protestors until bosses could decide what should be done with them on a permanent basis.

Bookseller Guy made his fortune as a major shareholder in British slave-trafficking firm South Sea Company. He sold his shares for 250,00 - the equivalent of 400million in modern-day prices - and founded Guy's Hospital near London Bridge in 1721.

A second statue depicting Robert Clayton will remain in place at St Thomas's hospital - where Boris Johnson was admitted with coronavirus in April - near Westminster Bridge. Clayton was part of the Royal African Company who shipped African slaves to the Americas.

The hospitals are both part of the same trust.

Pieces of wood were erected around the statue, in Guy's Courtyard, next to the intentionally-renowned hospital last year

A workman constructs a barrier around the statue of Sir Robert Clayton at Guy's and St Thomas Hospital in London last June

Who was Thomas Guy? Thomas Guy (1644 - 1724) was a British bookseller, stock speculator, governor of St Thomas' Hospital and founder of Guys' Hospital, London - which he built with profits from the slave trade. He made his fortune through ownership of 42,000-worth of shares in the South Sea Company, whose main purpose was to sell slaves to the Spanish colonies. The South Sea Company was responsible for the transportation of around 64,000 enslaved Africans between 1715 and 1731 to Spanish plantations in Central and Southern America. After selling his shares in South Sea Company for 250,000, the equivalent of 400million in modern-day prices, Guy used his massive fortune to establish Guy's Hospital for 'the poorest and sickest of the poor' in London, at a cost of 19,000. Before opening Guy's, in Southwark, central London, he created almshouses and became a governor of the nearby St Thomas's Hospital after paying for the cost of three new wards. He died in 1724 and his will was so complex and so high in value that an Act of Parliament was needed to enact it, and he left nearly 220,000 to the hospital. The bulk of his estate was left in trust to complete work on the hospital, while a further sum was set aside for the release of prisoners in the capital who owed debts. Advertisement

At the time, the trust said it recognised the 'public hurt and anger that is generated by the symbolism of public statues of historical figures associated with the slave trade' and that it had a duty to address 'the legacy of colonialism, racism and slavery in our work'.

At the same time, protestors called for dozens of statues of historic figures to be torn down, an action that was sparked by the toppling of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol.

Colston's statue was toppled by a crowd amid growing tensions about Britain's colonial past, sparked by global outcry following the death of George Floyd in the US.

Floyd was killed when white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds despite his desperate pleas that he 'can't breathe'. He passed out and later died in Minneapolis on May 25.

His death is seen as a symbol of systemic police brutality against African-Americans sparking outrage and largely-peaceful protests first across the US before quickly spreading worldwide.

Since the movement grew in intensity, organisations have been looking at ways to address the country's colonial history and the reminders left behind in the form of statues, school and university names and many other aspects of public life.

The trust has said the changes to St Guy's and St Thomas' statues is subject to planning permission.

Critics accused the Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation of 'cultural vandalism' and claimed they had ignored public opinion about whether the statues should stay or go.

Robert Poll, who runs the Save Our Statues campaign, said that the body had 'ignored the public' by deciding to move the Thomas Guy statue.

His comments came after 75 per cent of respondents to an online questionnaire that was part of the consultation said that the statue should stay.

St Thomas' Hospital in London (pictured) today revealed that the contentious monument depicting founder will be moved

Bookseller Guy (left) made his fortune through the ownership of shares in British slave-trafficking firm South Sea Company while benefactor Robert Clayton (right) was part of the Royal African Company who shipped African slaves to the Americas

The toppling of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol last June (pictured) sparked a movement in the UK that called for the removal of any statue, monument or reference to historic figures from the country's past that had links to its colonial history

But the consultation authors said that the campaign group's supporters dominated the responses, skewing the results.

Robert Poll, who runs the Save Our Statues campaign, said: 'asked the public. 3,200 people responded. 75 per cent said to keep the statue where it is. Once again the public is ignored.'

The report showed that 75 per cent of respondents to the consultation said that the statue should stay but the independent authors said the campaign group's supporters dominated the responses and skewed the results.

Kieron Boyle, the foundation's Chief Executive, says: 'Like many organisations in Britain, slavery is part of our history, and we believe we have a duty to address its legacies.

'The consultation has recommended that we retain both statues in the public realm, provide information explaining how both men made their wealth, and move one of the statues to a less prominent position.

'It has also suggested that we commission new artistic works to tell the rich story of those involved in the hospitals' history.

A paint-spattered statue of Horatio Nelson at Deptford Town Hall in South East London, pictured last June. The statue is now one of four at Deptford Town Hall being considered for removal after a consultation was launched by Goldsmiths University

A 'hit list' of statues and memorials to some of Britain's most famous figures has been created by an anti-racism group

'We recognise that these can be polarising debates and are grateful for the wide range of views that shaped these independent recommendations. We are committed to seeing all the changes through.'

Other examples of changes made as a result of the movement include the removal of several monuments to slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol, the alteration of the name of the David Hume tower in Edinburgh and the renaming of Gladstone Hall at Liverpool University.

Meanwhile, Goldsmiths University in London has, today, launched a consultation over the future of four of its statues including one of Lord Nelson and another of Francis Drake at Deptford Town Hall.

The Nelson statue at Deptford Town Hall was streaked in red paint either side of it last June, with protesters targeting the naval hero over claims that he was a white supremacist and was against the abolition of slavery.

The four statues in niches on the front of Deptford Town Hall are Sir Francis Drake, Robert Blake, Lord Horatio Nelson, and a representative naval figure from the early 20

century. The figures depict the naval history of Britain with Deptford's 'nautical associations' providing the inspiration for the statues, according to Historic England.

The university says it does not have a 'policy position' on the statues and is opening the consultation to the public to determine their future.
Four men have pleaded guilty to plotting to steal a number of luxury vehicles, including one that belonged to TV presenter Declan Donnelly.

The 45-year-olds black Range Rover was among around 750,000 worth of high-value vehicles targeted by the group.

Ellis Glynne, 29, Connor Murray, 21, Perry Ogle, 23, and Vinothkumar Ratnam, 37, all pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy to steal the cars between January 1 and July 9 this year.

Police were called to The Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here presenters west London home in the early hours of April 6 but the alleged thieves fled empty handed before officers arrived.

Four men have pleaded guilty to plotting to steal 750,000 worth of luxury vehicles, including one that belonged to TV presenter Declan Donnelly. Pictured: Vinothkumar Ratnam, 37, (right) and Perry Ogle, 23,

Alfie Chandler, 18, leaves Kingston Crown Court, south west London, where he pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to steal a number of luxury vehicles,

Dec Donnelly's 5million home was targeted by a 'professional' burglary gang while the TV star was asleep upstairs with his wife and young daughter (pictured together)

His 5million home was targeted by a 'professional' burglary gang while the TV star was asleep upstairs with his wife and young daughter.

Donnelly, his wife Ali, 43, and daughter Isla were reportedly sleeping at the time of the attempted break-in and were unaware until they were later told by police.

The suspects had botched an attempt to rip open the iron gates at the front of the property - which was purchased by Mr Donnelly for 1.9million in 2006.

They fled in a car shortly before officers arrived.

His co-presenter, Ant McPartlin, 45, used to live in the same road but moved out after his split from Lisa Armstrong.

In total 12 men have been charged with various offences relating to the planned burglaries.

Glynne and Ratnam, both from Surrey, and Murray and Ogle, both from Hounslow, west London, appeared in the dock at Kingston Crown Court alongside four others.

Alfie Chandler, 18, from Hounslow, who is also charged with conspiracy to steal the vehicles, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Tommy Hutchinson, 18, from Feltham, who is also charged with conspiracy to steal the vehicles, did not enter a plea.

Ryan Crafts, from Wokingham, Berkshire, and Charlie Kavanagh, from Ashford, Surrey, entered not guilty pleas at a hearing in August.

The suspects had botched an attempt to rip open the iron gates at the front of the property - which was purchased by Mr Donnelly (pictured with TV partner Ant McPartlin) for 1.9million in 2006

45 year old Declan Donnelly's black Range Rover was among around 750,000 worth of high-value vehicles targeted by the group

Glynne, Murray and a third man, Robert Green, 41, from Addlestone, Surrey, face a separate count of conspiracy to burgle over the attempted theft of an ATM from a Brentford convenience store between January 25 and February 7 last year.

All three denied the charges.

Glynne, Murray and Ogle also pleaded guilty to a second count of conspiracy to burgle, which they were charged with alongside Chandler and another man, Jack Foley, 24, from Surrey.

Both Chandler and Foley have denied the charge.

The five men are alleged to have plotted to steal 11 electric bikes from Velospeed, in Thatcham, Berkshire, between June 14 and June 17 this year.

Tyler Smallworth, 20, from Hounslow, was further charged with theft of a van but previously denied the charge.

Edward Atkins, 34, also from Feltham, is due to be arraigned at a later date.

Judge Sarah Plaschkes QC set a trial date of January 4 next year.

She remanded Glynne and Murray in custody while the other defendants were released on bail ahead of a further hearing on October 15.
Dominic Raab hit out at 'partisan' MPs today as he refused nine times to reveal when he started his much criticised summer holiday, which took place as Afghanistan collapsed into Taliban hands.

The beleaguered Foreign Secretary has come under sustained political attack for staying in Crete as the Islamic extremists carried out their lightning takeover of the battle-scarred nation.

But facing MPs for a grilling on the Western military defeat today he would not say when his family stay at the five-star Amirandes Hotel even began.

And he accused MPs of going on a 'fishing expedition' for information when they pressed him on the issue.

He pointed out that he had already admitted that he 'would not have gone away, with the benefit of hindsight'.

He told the Foreign Affairs Committee: 'I am not going to start adding to, frankly, the fishing expedition beyond the facts that I have articulated and the fulsome statement and having answered questions on this continuously.'

SNP MP Stewart Malcolm McDonald said the refusal to give an answer was 'absurd' while Mr Raab hit back at what he described as party political questions in what is meant to be a neutral setting.

The beleaguered Foreign Secretary has come under sustained political attack for staying in Crete as the Islamic extremists carried out their lightning takeover of the battle-scarred nation.

SNP MP Stewart Malcolm McDonald said the refusal to give an answer was 'absurd'

Raab accused Chris Bryant of going on a 'fishing expedition' for information when MPs pressed him on the issue

Mr Raab faced strong criticism for not returning from Crete when the situation in Afghanistan began to deteriorate and the Taliban took control of Kabul.

He has said he left to return to the UK on Sunday August 15, and that he was 'working tirelessly' throughout that period despite being out of the country.

Mr Raab faced accusations in the media of paddle boarding and swimming at the beach on the last day of his holiday, but following his return to the UK, he described these accusations as 'absolute nonsense'.

Labour former minister Chris Bryant said: 'On August 11, the US said the Taliban were likely to seize the whole country, it was just a question of how long it was going to take. Were you already on holiday?'

Mr Raab said the central assessment judged there would be Taliban 'consolidation of power' but it would take place in the 'months following the evacuation'.

Mr Bryant pressed Mr Raab on his holiday, with the minister repeating he 'would not have gone away, with the benefit of hindsight', before insisting: 'I am not going to start adding to, frankly, the fishing expedition beyond the facts that I have articulated and the fulsome statement and having answered questions on this continuously.'

Conservative MP Bob Seely (Isle of Wight) earlier asked if the Government was caught 'slightly on the hop' due to an 'intelligence failure', with Mr Raab replying: 'We always try and... game out for these things.

'We've got a very professional way of approaching these things but when they're wrong... you need to look at how you correct that.'

Mr Malcolm McDonald also told the Foreign Secretary it was a 'bad idea' for him, the Prime Minister and senior Government officials to take holidays during the evacuation of Kabul airport, while all military leave was cancelled for the operation.

The Foreign Secretary confirmed that his department's staff did not have their summer leave cancelled during the evacuation, although the military personnel involved did.

The SNP MP asked: 'I understand that the involved military leave was cancelled on 23 July. Did you initiate a similar process for the Foreign Office?'

Mr Raab replied: 'No, what I did was make sure that we had cover, a decent rota, specifically because we didn't know for how long this would endure.

'Of course we were pressing for an extension of the window, in which case you need to make sure with emergency responses and indeed your team theatre that you are able to resource those properly but also make sure you can maintain it. Otherwise you have got a much greater risk of mistakes.'

Mr McDonald said: 'I think many would think that if all military leave was cancelled on 23 July it is a bad idea for yourself, the Prime Minister and several other officials in the FCDO, the Home Office and the MoD to take breaks at that time.'
Jill Biden will visit Camp LeJeune in North Carolina on Wednesday for closed-door meetings with military and veteran family members, the White House announced.

The meetings come after President Joe Biden faced criticism from Gold Star families after the first couple met with them at Dover Air Force Base on Sunday, during the dignified transfer of remains of the 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide attack in Kabul.

The first lady is making her visit as part of her Joining Forces initiative, which supports military families.

She'll be joined by Donna Berger, the spouse of the Commandant of the Marine Corps General David Berger, and Stacie Black, the spouse of the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Troy Black.

Her visit comes after President Joe Biden faced criticism from Gold Star families after the first couple met with them at Dover Air Force Base on Sunday

Jill Biden will visit Camp LeJeune in North Carolina on Wednesday for closed-door meetings with military and veteran family members

Jill Biden, as second lady, visited Camp LeJeune with then-first lady Michelle Obama in April 2011 as part of the Joining Forces initiative. The two stopped by a special Operation Shower event for soon-to-be moms whose husbands are serving and brought baby gifts for the occasion.

For Wednesday's visit, her office said she would hold private meetings and engage in a listening session with several military and veteran family members at LeJeune, which is a Marine Corps base.

Sergeant Nicole L. Gee, 23, one of the 13 servicemembers who died in Kabul last week, was stationed at Camp LeJeune. It was unclear if Biden would meet with Gee's family while there.

The East Wing also said all the events would be closed press, a decision that came after reports families criticized the president during Sunday's Dover visit.

The first couple was at the base to meet with families of the 13 servicemembers who died, which included 11 Marines. After those private meetings, several family members told news outlets there was anger and frustrated expressed at the president.

Mark Schmitz, the father of Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, told The Washington Post that he showed a picture of his son to Biden and told the president: 'Don't you ever forget that name. Don't you ever forget that face. Don't you ever forget the names of the other 12. And take some time to learn their stories.'

He recalled that Biden didn't seem to like those comments.

'I do know their stories,' Schmitz detailed that the president shot back.

Schmitz said that a sister of a fallen troop yelled at the president after receiving the remains on Sunday: 'I hope you burn in hell! That was my brother!'

'I can't fault her for it,' Schmitz told the Post without identifying the relative who screamed at the president. 'We all lost somebody.

Schmitz and Darin Hoover  the father of Staff Sergeant Darin Taylor Hoover Jr.  spoke to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night where they blasted Biden for repeatedly checking his watch during the return of the service members who were killed.

Both fathers claimed Biden checked his watch after every casket was removed from the plane on Sunday.

'The checking of his watch, that didn't happen just once,' said Hoover regarding a picture emerging of the president glancing down at the clock on his wrist.

'That happened on every single one that came out of that airplane. It happened on every single one of them,' he said in awe.

'They would release the salute, and he would look down at his watch on every last one, all 13, he looked down at his watch.'

'As a father, you know, seeing that and the disrespect...'

Schmitz added: 'I leaned into my son's mother's ear and I said, I swear to God, if he checks his watch one more time - and that was probably only four times in.

'I couldn't look at him anymore after that.

'Considering especially the time and why we were there, I found it to be the most disrespectful thing I've ever seen.'

Hoover said he refused to meet with the president at the event.

Schmitz said his own meeting 'didn't go well', and Biden spent more time talking about his own son Beau than Jared Schmitz and the other fallen.

Sergeant Nicole L. Gee, 23, one of the 13 servicemembers who died in Kabul last week, was stationed at Camp LeJeune - above Gee calms an infant during an evacuation at Kabul airport

Jill Biden, as second lady, visited Camp LeJeune with then-first lady Michelle Obama in April 2011 as part of the Joining Forces initiative

The US Marine Corps posted a photo to Twitter Sunday evening, of 11 flag flag-draped caskets of their fallen brethren killed in Thursday's suicide bomb attack in Kabul

Mark Schmitz (left) and Darin Hoover (center) told Sean Hannity on Monday that Biden repeatedly checking his watch during the dignified transfer on Sunday

The fathers of fallen Marines Jared Schmitz (left) and Taylor Hoover (right) spoke out against Biden

White House press secretary Jen Psaki dodged a question on Tuesday about President Biden looking at his watch during a transfer ceremony.

She avoided the issue, which she was directly asked about, and instead offered condolences to the families on behalf of Biden.

'Well I would say his message to all of the family members, who were there, those who were not even in attendance, is that he is grateful to their sons and daughters, the sacrifice that they made to the country.

'That he knows firsthand what it's like to lose a child and the fact no one can tell you anything, or say anything, that there's no words that are going to fill that hole that is left by that.'

The White House has declined to comment on Biden's private meetings with families of the fallen.

'He's not and I'm not going to speak to the private conversations, of course, they have the right to convey whatever they would like,' Psaki said.

'But I will tell you, from spending a lot of time with him over the last couple of days, that he was deeply impacted by these family members who he met.'
A preschool teacher, her mother and her husband were all killed by a suspected drunk driver on Tuesday who was fleeing cops in a high speed police chase.

Karina Diaz and her husband Adalberto were driving her mother, Elenita, to a dialysis center at 6am, according to News 7 Miami, when the allegedly intoxicated driver of a white Range Rover slammed into their Kia as they crossed the intersection of Southwest 92nd Avenue and 72nd Street.

Karina, Adalberto and Elenita were all pronounced dead at the scene, according to police reports.

The driver of the Ranger Rover was evading an officer who was trying to pull him over, the report said. A City of South Miami officer tried to pull the driver over at a stop light for speeding on State Road 826 - instead, the driver peeled down SW 72nd Street.

Police did not identify the identity of the driver, and did not respond to MailOnline's requests for further information at press time. After the crash, police said, he was taken to Kendall Regional Trauma Center where he underwent surgery.

Karina, Local 10 reported, had taught toddlers at the Creative Learning Center in the Kendall area for the past five years. She leaves behind her 20-year-old daughter Betty, who is a teacher's assistant at the center.

Karina Diaz and her husband Adalberto were driving her mother, Elenita (all pictured together) when they were hit and killed by the alleged drunk driver

The driver of the Ranger Rover was evading an officer who was trying to pull him over, the report said. A City of South Miami officer tried to pull the driver over at a stop light after seeing him speeding on State Road 826 - instead, the driver peeled down SW 72nd Street

Karina, Adalberto and Elenita were all pronounced dead at the scene after the Range Rover slammed into their Kia according to police reports

CCTV footage from the intersection of Southwest 92nd Avenue and 72nd Street shows the Tuesday morning's devastating crash

'We are all devastated a beautiful person, dedicated teacher to her children and families, and a sister in education that was loved by all staff,' wrote CLC Director Emilu Alvarez in a statement. 'She leaves us as her legacy, her daughter, our Ms. Betty.'

'She not only gave herself to her children, but she gave herself to her coworkers also,' Alvarez said to Local 10.

'She was there for everyone. We are all in mourning today. I ask for prayers for Betty. This was her life. Her mom, her grandmother and her father were in that car. Her whole life was in that car. Her mother was her inspiration.'

'She not only gave herself to her children, but she gave herself to her coworkers also,' CLC Director Emilu Alvarez said of Karina Diaz (pictured)

Karina, pictured with her husband Adalberto, daughter Betty and mother Elenita, had taught toddlers at the Creative Learning Center in the Kendall area for the past five years

'My son was in the classroom next door and were just broken-hearted,' Mariana Hernandez said about Diaz (pictured). 'She had been teaching here for years. Her daughter teaches here too and we are just so, so sad for the family and for their loss, and were just devastated'

'Karina was a cancer survivor, but that did not stop her from being here through the pandemic with her mask on through the whole time,' said CLC Director Emilu Alvarez to Local 10. '"Emi, do you need me to stay late? Emi, do you need me to come early?" She was a very dedicated person'

Detectives are pictured laying out evidence markers at the scene of the deadly crash later on Tuesday

At the CLC, Karina will be remembered for her dedication and unmatched work ethic.

'Karina was a cancer survivor, but that did not stop her from being here through the pandemic with her mask on through the whole time,' said Alvarez to Local 10. '"Emi, do you need me to stay late? Emi, do you need me to come early?" She was a very dedicated person.'

The director knew something was amiss on Tuesday morning when Karina did not arrive at work - she was always on time, Alvarez said, and would send a text whenever she was running late.

'The children came into the classroom with Miss Karina and they learned the foundations of life,' Alvarez said. 'Miss Karina accepted those children with every individuality, every difference, every uniqueness that those children possessed.'

'My son was in the classroom next door and were just broken-hearted,' Mariana Hernandez said about Diaz. 'She had been teaching here for years. Her daughter teaches here too and we are just so, so sad for the family and for their loss, and were just devastated.'

'This is so terribly sad...May the three of them rest and peace, and may God look after their [20]-year-old daughter who is now facing this devastating situation,' wrote Melissa Gonzalez, whose mother worked with Karina, on Facebook.

'Three beautiful souls lose their life at the hands of a negligent and careless driver.'

The 42 staff members said they will ensure that Karina's is supported through her compounded loss - what Karina wanted most in life, they told the outlet, was to see Betty succeed.

Thus far, the staff has raised $800 of a $20,000 goal on GoFundMe for Betty.
Two 10-foot pythons were found in a country lane in Cambridgeshire within two days of each other this week, with the RSPCA urging the public to beware in case there are more.

The first snake, which is native to southeast Asia, was spotted in Conington in Cambridgeshire on Friday, with the second found yards away on Monday.

RSPCA Inspector Justin Stubbs likened the first incident, where the 'huge snake' was rescued from up a tree, to Disney film The Jungle Book.

He was called to the scene on Friday after a motorcyclist called the police about a snake slithering across the road.

Two 10-foot pythons (pictured) were found in Cambridgeshire within two days of each other this week, with the RSPCA urging the public to beware in case there are more

Mr Stubbs said: 'I really could not believe it when I got there and saw this huge snake all the way up in the tree - it was a scene a bit reminiscent of The Jungle Book.

'When I saw the snake so high up in the branches I knew it was going to be tricky to get him down due to the height the snake had climbed to, difficulty gaining access to him, and the need for more people given the size of the snake.'

He contacted Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service and the team came out to help, removing tree branches until they had clear access to the branch the snake was on, before cutting it to let the snake fall gently into a tarpaulin.

The python was then sent to a local specialist for health checks while the RSPCA attempted to trace its owner.

The second snake was seen 'crossing a quiet country lane' on Monday, the animal welfare charity said.

Mr Stubbs said: 'Having rescued last Friday's python, I couldn't believe it when the call came through to say there had been another found in almost exactly the same spot.

'I'm afraid that's no coincidence - it's looking likely these poor animals were abandoned, or have escaped from the same place.

The first snake was spotted by a motorcyclist in Conington on Friday, and needed to be rescued from up a tree, with the scene (pictured) likened to Disney film The Jungle Book

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service removed tree branches until they had clear access to the branch the snake was on, before cutting it to let the snake fall gently into a tarpaulin (pictured)

'This second snake was extremely cold when he was found, very much thinner than the first python, which is suffering from a minor health condition.

'Both snakes are now being looked after at a specialist facility and are under heat lamps to maintain a healthy body temperature.

'It is really concerning to think that someone has kept these pythons, then might have decided to abandon them in this cruel and callous way.

'I only hope that there are no more on the loose out there.

'As well as the dangers of low temperatures, harvesting in the nearby fields could pose a real hazard to any snakes left out there.'

He is urging people in the area to stay vigilant 'in case there are more vulnerable snakes found in the same spot'.

The second snake was seen 'crossing a quiet country lane' on Monday, and the RSPCA charity said it's likely the two animals were 'abandoned' or have escaped from the same place

The RSPCA said the snakes are 'unlikely to pose any danger to people' but recommended that anyone who sees an exotic snake should keep a safe distance.

Mr Stubbs said snakes require a lot of care and commitment from owners as they are unable to produce their own body heat and rely on their environment to maintain body temperature.

'Sadly snakes often also end up in our care as some owners don't realise the commitment that is involved in meeting the needs of these animals and keeping them healthy,' he said.

'This is why we're always saying that people should do their research before taking on a pet.'

The charity is asking anyone with information about the incident to call its appeal line on 0300 123 8018.
President Joe Biden and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani spoke by phone July 23. Here are excerpts from that call, based on a transcript and recording reviewed by Reuters:

BIDEN: Mr. President. Joe Biden.

GHANI: Of course, Mr. President, such a pleasure to hear your voice.

BIDEN: You know, I am a moment late. But I mean it sincerely. Hey look, I want to make it clear that I am not a military man any more than you are, but I have been meeting with our Pentagon folks, and our national security people, as you have with ours and yours, and as you know and I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things arent going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban.

And theres a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture. .....

BIDEN: If you empower Bismillah [Defense Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi] to execute a strategy focused on key parts of the population centers, and Im not a military guy, so Im not telling you what that plan should precisely look like, youre going to get not only more help, but youre going to get a perception that is going to change in terms of how , um..... our allies and folks here in the States and other places think youre doing.

You clearly have the best military, you have 300,000 well-armed forces versus 70-80,000 and theyre clearly capable of fighting well, we will continue to provide close air support, if we know what the plan is and what we are doing. And all the way through the end of August, and who knows what after that.

We are also going to continue to make sure your air force is capable of continuing to fly and provide air support. In addition to that we are going to continue to fight hard, diplomatically, politically, economically, to make sure your government not only survives, but is sustained and grows because it is clearly in the interest of the people of Afghanistan, that you succeed and you lead. And though I know this is presumptuous of me on one hand to say such things so directly to you, I have known you for a long while, I find you a brilliant and honorable man.

But I really think, I dont know whether youre aware, just how much the perception around the world is that this is looking like a losing proposition, which it is not, not that it necessarily is that, but so the conclusion Im asking you to consider is to bring together everyone from [Former Vice President Abdul Rashid] Dostum, to [Former President Hamid] Karzai and in between, if they stand there and say they back the strategy you put together, and put a warrior in charge, you know a military man, [Defense Minister Bismillah] Khan in charge of executing that strategy, and that will change perception, and that will change an awful lot I think. ...

GHANI: Mr. President, we are facing a full-scale invasion, composed of Taliban, full Pakistani planning and logistical support, and at least 10-15,000 international terrorists, predominantly Pakistanis thrown into this, so that dimension needs to be taken account of.

Second, what is crucial is, close air support, and if I could make a request, you have been very generous, if your assistance, particularly to our air force be front loaded, because what we need at this moment, there was a very heavily reliance on air power, and we have prioritized that if it could be at all front-loaded, we will greatly appreciate it.

And third, regarding procedure for the rest of the assistance, for instance, military pay is not increased for over a decade. We need to make some gestures to rally everybody together so if you could assign the national security advisor or the Pentagon, anyone you wish to work with us on the details, so our expectations particularly regarding your close air support. There are agreements with the Taliban that we [or "you" this is unclear] are not previously aware of, and because of your air force was extremely cautious in attacking them.

And the last point, I just spoke again to Dr. Abdullah earlier, he went to negotiate with the Taliban, the Taliban showed no inclination. We can get to peace only if we rebalance the military situation. And I can assure you...

BIDEN:

GHANI: And I can assure you I have been to four of our key cities, Im constantly traveling with the vice president and others, we will be able to rally. Your assurance of support goes a very long way to enable us, to really mobilize in earnest. The urban resistance, Mr. President is been extraordinary, there are cities that have taken a siege of 55 days and that have not surrendered. Again, I thank you and Im always just a phone call away. This is what a friend tells a friend, so please dont feel that youre imposing on me.

BIDEN: No, well, look, I, thank you. Look, close air support works only if there is a military strategy on the ground to support.
They have captured millions of dollars in U.S. weaponry and equipment since U.S. forces left on Monday night

The Pentagon briefing came as the Taliban paraded their hardware in Kandahar

'In war you do what you must do ... not what you necessarily want to do,' he said

Gen Milley on Wednesday said cooperation with the Taliban was 'possible' in the hunt for ISIS-K killer

The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff on Wednesday said it was 'possible' that the Pentagon would work with the Taliban to hunt down and destroy the ISIS-K terrorist group.

The Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack last week that killed 13 U.S. service members.

Since then the U.S. has launched two drone strikes against its members.

But with U.S. troops having left Afghanistan on Monday night, and Afghan allies now at the mercy of the Taliban, the administration lacks eyes and ears on the ground to gather intelligence about ISIS-K.

During a Department of Defense briefing, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, was asked whether that meant officials would coordinate with their mutual enemy, the Taliban.

'It's possible,' he said, explaining that in war you 'do what is necessary.'

Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin jumped in quickly to add: 'I would not want to make any predictions.

'I would tell you that we're gonna do everything that we can to make sure we remain focused on ISIS-K, understand that network and, at the time of our choosing in the future, hold them accountable for what they've done.'

The briefing came amid a fresh reminder of the new reality in Afghanistan. Taliban fighters paraded their military hardware - some funded by U.S. taxpayers and meant for either American or Afghan government forces - during a victory parade in Kandahar.

Gen. Mark Milley (left) said it was 'possible' the U.S. could coordinate with the Taliban on hunting down ISIS-K during a Pentagon briefing. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said: 'We're gonna do everything that we can to make sure we remain focused on ISIS-K'

Taliban forces held a victory parade in Kandahar, displaying their military hardware - some of it left behind by Afghan government forces or the U.S. - on Wednesday

The Taliban are expected to announce their government this week, a little over two weeks since sweeping through the country and seizing the capital Kabul

A-29 attack planes which appear largely intact are seen alongside a huge amount of western body armour and tactical helmets left behind by retreating troops

Milley has been under intense pressure for his handling of the withdrawal. This week dozens of retired generals and admirals said he and Austin should resign for having failed to push back against such a difficult and dangerous evacuation plan.

Meanwhile, Washington has promised to maintain an 'over the horizon' capability to strike against terrorist targets in Afghanistan as part of President Biden's promise not to let the country be used to plot attacks on the U.S.

Until recently, officials were focused on Al Qaeda, whose leader is believed to be in Afghan territory.

The attack last week, however, has brought renewed focus to ISIS-K, which is though to number a few hundred fighters.

It grew rapidly from its inception around 2015 as the advances of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria meant commanders in Afghanistan could enjoy prestige and funding from Middle Eastern benefactors.

A Taliban fighter investigates a damaged car after multiple rockets were fired in Kabul on Monday. ISIS-K fighters were believed to be behind the attack on the airport

A girl stands next to a damaged car after multiple rockets were fired in Kabul on Monday

But the Taliban hit back, clearing many of its strongholds last year.

That shared enmity could offer Pentagon strategists or the CIA a foothold in Afghanistan with which to hunt down the people behind the suicide attack on Kabul airport.

Milley said no one should get a false impression of the Taliban just because the U.S. military had liaised with them in the last 10 days of the evacuation.

'We don't know what the future of the Taliban is,' he said.

'But I can tell you from personal experience this is a ruthless group from the past, and whether or not they change remains to be seen.

'And as far as our dealings with them at that airfield, or in the past year or so, in war you do what you must - in order to reduce risk to mission and force - not what you necessarily want to do.'

He also said the evacuation of American citizens would continue, but that it was now a diplomatic rather than a military mission.

'We will continue to evacuate American citizens, under the leadership of the Department of State,' he added.

Austin said cooperation with the Taliban had only covered a narrow range of issues.

'And it was just that, to get as many people out as we possibly could,' he said.

'And so I would not ... make any leaps of logic to, you know, a broader broader issues.'

The Pentagon said a 'facilitator' and a 'planner' were killed in a drone strike on Friday.

'This strike was not the last,' Biden said in a statement. 'We will continue to hunt 'down any person involved in that heinous attack and make them pay.'

A strike on Sunday targeted a vehicle the Pentagon said was carrying suicide bombers preparing for an attack.

It all leaves administration officials with a dilemma about how to treat the Taliban, as Afghanistan's new rulers seek international legitimacy.

MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace asked Biden's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday to clarify: 'What is the Taliban? Are they now our frenemy, are they our adversary, are they our enemy? Are they our  what are they?'

'Well, it's hard to put a label on it,' he replied.

He added: 'In part because we have yet to see what they are going to be now that they're in control  physical control of Afghanistan.'
An Afghan who previously worked for the BBC has criticised the corporation for not helping him escape as he remains in hiding with his family from the Taliban.

Abdullah, whose name has been changed for his security, described how he has been left fearing for his life after the Taliban sent him death threats and raided his abandoned home in Afghanistan.

The ex-BBC employee, who said his country is currently the 'worst place in the world' to be a journalist, criticised his former company for not helping him escape, adding that he had thought the organisation was 'family'.

He said he contacted colleagues at the BBC for help but was told they did not have a plan to evacuate former staff members 'at present'.

Abdullah, who seeks evacuation to the UK with his wife and baby, said: 'It is, right now, the worst place in the world to be a journalist.

The former BBC employee described how he has been left fearing for his life after the Taliban sent him death threats and raided his abandoned home

'People that work with foreign media outlets are labelled as spies (working with) Westerners.

'If you came to a Taliban fighter and told them you are a journalist and you work with an international organisation I am 100 per cent sure you will be directly shot in the head.

'(Even) friends from local TV networks... they keep texting me, saying they've even been beaten by the Taliban for just carrying a camera.'

Until a few years ago Abdullah, who is in his 30s, had worked for the broadcaster for half a decade but away from the BBC, he has also presented stories on western TV channels.

He also worked as a social activist championing women, children and education, and been a translator for UK and US armed forces.

It is hoped the latter may help him to qualify for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) from the UK's Ministry of Defence.

He may also be eligible for the Afghan citizens' resettlement scheme (ACRS) as a vulnerable person, due to his work as a journalist, coupled with being a part of the Tajik and Shia ethnic and religious minorities.

However, all of these factors have also made him more of a target for the Taliban.

'This situation is really worrying. I don't know, maybe today, or tomorrow, or the next day I would be killed,' he added.

'I have a baby girl... I want her to grow up somewhere that she could learn more, she could be open-minded.'

Passengers evacuated from Afghanistan disembark from a British Royal Air Force (RAF) Airbus after landing at RAF Brize Norton station

Families evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, wait to board a bus after they arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport

Thousands of Afghans have been evacuated to the US from Kabul airport after the Taliban took over the country

Abdullah is calling on the UK government to evacuate him with his family, along with all others who are eligible.

He said he contacted colleagues at the BBC for help but was told they did not have a plan to evacuate former staff members 'at present'.

'(They said) our priority is the current BBC staff members,' Abdullah said.

'I feel really regretful about what they replied to me... every moment is a danger, our life is at risk.

'The BBC should do (me) a favour, should help me out from this misery... from the current calamity.

'I thought the BBC was part of my family, that's why I worked enthusiastically with them... we gave everything to the BBC.'

Abdullah also commended his time working with the British broadcaster, adding it had 'provided us with everything'.

A BBC spokesperson said: 'The BBC has been working around the clock with governments, the military and expert teams to find options for evacuating colleagues and their immediate families from Afghanistan.

Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after departing a flight from Afghanistan at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

'We have so far managed to successfully evacuate several hundred people to the UK and we are doing all we can to ensure the safety of staff and their families who currently remain in the country whilst we continue to explore all other options.

'We have every sympathy with former staff but we regret we are not in a position to extend our direct support to them.'

Last night it emerged that British officials had opened talks with the Taliban about getting UK citizens and allies out of Afghanistan.

Special envoy Sir Simon Gass, the chair or the Joint Intelligence Committee, met senior representatives of the group in Qatar to try to secure safe passage for those left behind.

It came as the Home Office said around 10,000 refugees from Afghanistan who risked their lives to help British forces would be allowed to live and work indefinitely in the UK.

The talks, which marks a significant moment for the UK, come after Dominic Raab said the number of British nationals left behind in Afghanistan is in the 'low hundreds'.
A North Carolina high school student was shot dead by a fellow student on Wednesday - the second school shooting in the state in three days.

The victim was identified as William Chavis Reynard Miller Jr., a student at Mount Tabor High School in the city of Winston-Salem, Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr. said.

The gunman was taken into custody hours later. Law enforcement officials arrested the suspect without incident.

The suspect, a 15-year-old boy, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and weapons offenses.

Law enforcement, local leaders and school officials were visibly shaken during the 4:30pm press briefing.

A North Carolina high school student was shot dead by a fellow student at lunchtime Wednesday - the second school shooting in the state in three days

The victim was identified as William Chavis Reynard Miller Jr., a student at Mount Tabor High School. Cops at the scene

Police Chief Catrina Thompson gave a rundown of afternoon's events but had to stop and collect herself after she said, 'A student was found with a gunshot wound.'

The chief struggled to get the words out. 'He succumbed to his injuries.'

Kimbrough Jr. said, 'I haven't cried in awhile, but I haven't stopped crying since I left the hospital ... While I'm sad, I'm sure mad as hell.'

He had an emotional talk with Miller Jr.'s mom at the hospital.

'She said, "Mr. Kimbrough, my baby." I told her I was going to do everything I could to find who's responsible for this,' Kimbrough Jr. said.

'I wasn't going to give his name. My first responsibility is to the family in times like this, and she said, "Say his name."'

Police said they don't know the shooter's motive or what led up to the shooting.

Winston-Salem Police Chief Catrina Thompson gave a rundown of events of the afternoon, but she had to stop and collect herself after she said, 'A student was found with a gunshot wound.' The chief struggled to get the words out. 'He succumbed to his injuries'

Parents and community members of Winston-Salem, North Carolina hold hands as they pray for this situation

A student's parent - Tracy Bush - spoke to DailyMail.com while she waited to be reunited with her daughter.

'I turned into the mom from "Terms of Endearment" - I started screaming and crying, telling them I'm not leaving without my daughter,' Bush told DailyMail.com after she first got to the school.

'Other parents were doing the same thing. They let some of us in but nobody is with their kid.'

'Everyone here is safe,' Bush told DailyMail.com at 3:10pm.

'Parents are in one area in the office hall, and students are on lockdown thru the school. Sheriff's officers are here, and they keep checking to make sure the doors are locked.'

There's a large police presence including multiple agencies outside of the Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina Wednesday afternoon

The suspect remains on the loose. Police are still on scene around Mount Tabor High School

Around 2:40pm - there was a 'disturbance' at Harris Teeter, where parents were told gather to pick up their kids.

There were reports that parents saw the suspect running through the area and chased after him. That was around 2:40pm.

About an hour later, police officers and school officials lifted the lockdowns and started reunifying students with their parents.

Meanwhile, frantic parents seeking information sifted through rumors before the lockdowns were lifted shortly before 4pm.

'Give us a chance to give you the facts,' Kimbrough Jr. said. 'There are many rumors spreading. We are committed to being transparent and will share confirmed information as appropriate.'

This is the second school shooting in North Carolina this week.

On Monday, a 15-year-old was arrested and accused of shooting a fellow student during a brawl at New Hanover High School in Wilmington - about 240 miles Northwest of Mount Tabor High School.

The suspect was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder. The victim from that shooting is in stable condition.

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said, 'We must do more to keep our kids safe at school, including keeping guns out of the wrong hands with universal background checks.'

One student was shot at Mount Tabor High School in North Carolina on Wednesday

Gov. Roy Cooper issued a statement Wednesday afternoon, saying, 'For the second time this week, we have seen a shooting in a North Carolina school.'

'Our prayers are with the victims, their families and all the students of Mt. Tabor High School in Winston-Salem,' the governor said.

'I have been briefed by law enforcement, and the Department of Public Safety is ready to provide any support necessary.

'We must work to ensure the safety of students and educators, quickly apprehend the shooter and keep guns off school grounds.'

State Sen. Paul Lowe, whose district includes the Mount Tabor High School, said he's 'disheartened' after hearing about shooting.

'My thoughts and prayers are with the staff, students and families of Mount Tabor High School and our Forsyth County Community,' Lowe said.

'While the situation remains fluid and the shooter remains at large, I encourage all to listen to local authorities and remain safe.'
Some within the administration do not agree with President Joe Biden that the Afghanistan withdrawal was an 'extraordinary success'

Staffers inside Joe Biden's administration are 'horrified' with the Afghanistan withdrawal, do not view the mission as a success and are disgusted American citizens were left on the ground.

'I am absolutely appalled and literally horrified we left Americans there,' one administration official told Politico on Tuesday. 'It was a hostage rescue of thousands of Americans in the guise of a NEO, and we have failed that no-fail mission.'

An NEO is a noncombatant evacuation operation. Another White House official told Politico that the mission cannot be labeled as accomplished if Americans are left behind.

The fury from inside administration was reported as Republicans tore into the president over his call with ex-Afghanistan President Ghani that shows he knew the local army was collapsing and polls showed his approval ratings slipping further.

There are still American citizens trying to get out of Kabul, thousands of Afghan allies have been left behind and the Taliban have been openly flaunting the weapons the US left behind.

On Tuesday night the president declared the total troop withdrawal from Afghanistan an 'extraordinary success,' despite widespread criticism over Biden's handling of the situation over the last month.

'I give you my word with all of my heart, I believe this is the right decision, the wise decision, and the best decision for America,' Biden said in Tuesday remarks  the first after the last U.S. soldier left Kabul on Monday afternoon.

He made these claims despite the withdrawal leading to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members on Thursday after a ISIS-K suicide bomber detonated their vest outside the Kabul airport.

'I am absolutely appalled and literally horrified we left Americans there,' one administration said. 'It was a hostage rescue of thousands of Americans... and we have failed that no-fail mission'

Biden admitted that he is to blame for the deaths  as well as all the events surrounding the withdrawal.

In his openly defiant remarks, however, the president said the operation in Afghanistan couldn't have been completed in a 'more orderly manner'. He specifically doubled-down on critics that claim he should have started the evacuation sooner, claiming he 'respectfully disagrees' with them.

The president has repeatedly reiterated over the last month his dedication to his decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by the August 31 deadline, claiming he didn't want to pass along the two-decade-long war onto a fifth president.

'This decision about Afghanistan is not just about Afghanistan. It's about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries,' Biden said on Tuesday.

Republicans and Democrats alike have expressed their opposition to Biden's handling of the troop pull out, especially after at least 100 American citizens were left behind so the president could keep his commitment to the Taliban to be out by the end of August.

Polls have shown that American voters are also turning against the president as his approval rating dropped to an all time low of 47 per cent in the last week.

A Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday shows only three in 10 registered voters approve of the way Biden handled the withdrawal from Afghanistan, while a whopping 61 per cent disapprove of the execution of ending the war.

Families of the fallen U.S. service members were left disappointed by Joe Biden at the dignified transfer on Sunday. One sister of a fallen Marine yelled at the president: 'I hope you burn in hell! That was my brother!'

During the remarks on Tuesday marking the end of the war in Afghanistan, Biden did not take questions from reporters.

'The fundamental obligation of a President is to defend America,' he said Tuesday. 'Not against the threats of 2001, but against the threats of 2021 and tomorrow.'

Biden administration ERASES records of the $83 billion worth of weapons, training and aid given to Afghanistan's armed forces since 2002 The Biden administration has begun scrubbing public records detailing the $82.9 billion U.S. investment in Afghanistan's armed forces to protect Afghan officials and military officers from Taliban reprisals. Federal agencies have been told to remove information detailing the colossal investment from website as Afghanistan's new rulers show off their newly acquired hardware. Taliban fighters stood aboard captured Humvees and armored SUVs as they paraded through Kandahar, where propaganda video has circulated of a Black Hawk flying overhead. In all, they are believed to have seized an air force worth tens of millions of dollars although U.S. officials say aircraft were disabled before the departure of international troops. The total amount of hardware supplied to Afghanistan is staggering. Between 2003 and 2016, the U.S. supplied 208 aircraft and almost 76,000 vehicles, along with 600,000 weapons, according to a 2017 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. But details of that weaponry is now disappearing under orders from the State Department. 'The safety of our Afghan contacts is of utmost importance to us,' said a spokesperson. 'The State Department advised other federal agencies to review their web properties for content that highlights cooperation/participation between an Afghan citizen and the USG or a USG partner and remove from public view if it poses a security risk.' Advertisement

'I do not believe the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops in Afghanistan.'

In the remarks, Biden appeared to have little sympathy for the fact Americans were left behind as he lauded being able to get 120,000 people evacuated.

Of the 100 or so Americans who didn't get evacuated, Biden said they were given 'multiple warnings and offers to help them leave Afghanistan, all the way back as far as March.'

He said they were given at least 19 warnings and dismissed the tragedy by claiming most of those left behind were dual citizens anyway.

On Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell threw cold water on growing Republican calls to impeach Biden, by saying there wasn't going to be an investigation.

McConnell, who also sought to douse impeachment efforts in the Senate against President Donald Trump (there were two of them) spoke as a number of House Freedom Caucus members have demanded Biden's impeachment following the chaotic pullout from Afghanistan after the all of the U.S.-backed government.

But McConnell said the effort would be futile.

'Well, look the president is not going to be removed from office,' he said Tuesday.

'I think the way these behaviors get adjusted in this country is at the ballot box,' he said, the Wall Street Journal reported. 'There isn't going to be an impeachment.'

His comments have come as House Republicans have been lining up to call for Biden's impeachment  although their efforts are likely doomed in the Democratic-controlled House and would face difficult odds in the 50-50 Senate.

'IF BIDEN REFUSES TO RESIGN, HE MUST BE IMPEACHED!' Tweeted Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.) on August 30th, as the US pulled out its last troops from Afghanistan.

Rep. Lauren Boebert on Tuesday called for not only impeaching Biden, but also Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. She also wants to execute a parliamentary move to remove House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

McConnell used similar language to try to weigh in against an ultimately failed impeachment effort in late 2019  focusing on the low odds of success.

'The case is so darn weak coming from the House, he told Sean Hannity of Fox News. 'We know how it's going to end. There's no chance the president's going to be removed from office.'

Taliban forces patrol at a runway a day after U.S troops withdrawal from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan August 31, 2021
An ex-University of Mississippi student has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to life in jail for fatally shooting his on-and-off girlfriend Ally Kostial, eight times in the stomach in July 2019 after she texted him inconclusive pregnancy test results.

Brandon Theesfeld, 24, pleaded guilty to first degree murder of the 21-year-old student in a Lafayette County court on Friday and in doing so dodged a possible death sentence.

The ex-student will be eligible for release when he turns 65 and was visibly emotional in court when he apologized to his victim's family and his own. He failed to admit why he killed her.

Medical examiner records show that Kostial's pregnancy test was inconclusive and that she was not pregnant at the time of her death.

Brandon Theesfeld (pictured on August 27) will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to the murder of Alexandria Kostial in July 2019. Kostial had told him she was pregnant before he killed her

Pictured, Brandon Theesfeld apologized for the murder of Kostial at the Lafayette County Courthouse in Oxford, Mississippi on August 27

Kostial, (left), had been in a relationship with Theesfeld (right). Pictured, the couple in a 2016 social media picture

Theesfeld told the Kostial family, 'Sorry for the pain I caused you. I wish I could take it back if I could take it back. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me.

Kosital's family issued a statement saying they hoped Theesfeld thinks of Alexandria every time his cell door slams, Fox 13 reported.

'My actions have forever changed your lives and my family's lives. I wish I could take it all back but I can't. There is no excuse for my actions and I have asked God for forgiveness. I hope one day that you will find it in your heart to forgive me,' he added.

'I'd like to say this is a mixed day for Ally and everybody knows that Ally had a great impact on this community and that is what we would like for the community to remember and her family and friends,' Vic Haislip, an attorney for Kostial's family said.

Kostial's body was recovered from a lake 30-miles from the college campus. Police found the corpse riddled with eight bullets

Kostial is seen on surveillance video leaving a bar shortly before midnight on July 19th evening (left and right). She returned home around midnight, but left again without anyone hearing

Lafayette County Assistant District Attorney Mickey Mallet said Theesfeld had pressured Kostial to get an abortion, but she would always back out.

Prosecutors said Theesfeld thought the pregnancy would ruin his life, so said he went back home to Dallas, Texas, to get his pistols and murdered Kostial in her Oxford, Mississippi, residence.

On Friday, Theesfeld's lawyer, Tony Farese presented a mental evaluation of his client from October 2020, that determined he was sane and competent to bear trial.

Regardless, Farese, argued that drugs and alcohol played a part into his client's behavior, Fox reported.

Classmates and friends say Theesfeld and Kostial had been in an 'unstable' on-again, off-again relationship since 2016, their freshman year.

Close friends of Kostial told DailyMailTV the co-ed from Kirkwood, Missouri, believed she was pregnant with Theesfeld's child and had told him the news shortly before she was murdered.

Records of Theesfeld's internet history revealed that he had researched abortion pills and services that time.

On July 16, 2019, 'Theesfeld typed in searches for silencers and suppressors, hollow point ammunition, tactical facemasks, and how Ted Bundy lured his victims to death,' reported the DarkHorse Press from the court in Lafayette.

Two days later on July 18, he texted his on-off girlfriend to meet and asked her if she was home alone.

They said Theesfeld drove to Kostial's house on July 20, 2019, and shot her eight times, with ballistics from the gun matching a 40 caliber Glock he owned.

Kostial's body was found near Sardis Lake in Mississippi by a police officer during his patrol on July 22

Brendon Theesfled, right, allegedly tired to pressure Alexandria Kostial into getting an abortion when they believed she was pregnant with his child

Surveillance images show Theesfeld entering a Memphis gas station just moments before his arrest (pictured)

Her body was found in a lake 30 miles for the college campus.

Theesfeld allegedly messaged his family the following day to say he was 'a bad person,' who always had bad thoughts and that this was likely the end for him.

'We certainly do not believe that he kidnapped Ally we think this was a scenario that involved alcohol and drugs. Ally had been drinking all day and had used cocaine. I believe that without alcohol and drug use on Brandon's behalf this never would have happened,' Farese said.
Broadcasters and former All-Star pitchers Al Leiter and John Smoltz will no longer appear on-air from the MLB Network studio because they both refused to get vaccinated.

The New York Post was the first to report the development, which has since been confirmed to DailyMail.com by a person with knowledge of the situation. The network has declined to comment on the matter.

MLB Network reportedly instituted a vaccine mandate at its studio in Secaucus, New Jersey on Wednesday.

Al Leiter, a former Mets and Marlins pitcher, will no longer be welcomed at MLB Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey because he refused to get vaccinate, a source has confirmed

Hall of Famer John Smoltz has also refused to get vaccinated and is banned from the studio

Smoltz, a Hall of Famer and Atlanta Braves legend, will still call postseason games for the network and is not required to be vaccinated for on-site broadcasts. The 54-year-old also calls games for Fox, and is expected be working during the upcoming World Series next month, according to the Post.

Both Leiter and Smoltz are regulars on in-studio broadcasts for MLB Network, with neither commentator sharing further details on their decision not to have the shot.

The 55-year-old Leiter also works as an advisor to the New York Mets.

He previously pitched for the Mets, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, and Florida Marlins over his All-Star career. Leiter won a pair of World Series titles with the Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993 before winning a third as a member of the Marlins in 1997.

His son Jack Leiter, a pitcher out of Vanderbilt, was the second-overall pick of July's MLB Draft.

An eight-time All-Star, Smoltz was the 1996 Cy Young winner and famously pitched in the same rotation with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine to form one of the most imposing trios of starters in MLB history. The three won their only World Series title together in 1995.

An eight-time All-Star, Smoltz was the 1996 Cy Young winner and famously pitched in the same rotation with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine to form one of the most imposing trios of starters in MLB history. The three won their only World Series title together in 1995
Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell says she's been blocked from visiting Fort Bliss to see the situation with Afghan refugees as more questions are being raised about the vetting process and what are the next steps after they arrive in the United States.

Herrell, whose New Mexico district houses Holloman Air Force Base and parts of Fort Bliss - two of the bases receiving refugees, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that she was unable to get into Fort Bliss this week.

'I have asked the base to allow me to come out and do a preview of what's happening out there, what this facility is going to look like, where it's going to be located. Right now we're being told that all the bases have a pause on allowing elected officials, members of Congress etc and other officials to come out and see for themselves what this is going to look like,' she said.

She said her district is expected to host up at least 19,000 Afghan refugees but she expects even more to arrive.

Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell says she's been blocked from visiting Fort Bliss to see the situation with Afghan refugees

People evacuated from Afghanistan step off a bus as they arrive at a temporary housing center in Chantilly, Virginia, with more refugees expected to enter the U.S. in coming days

Other bases holding refugees have allowed members of Congress in for tours, including Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, which has hosted Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany. Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar toured Fort Bliss earlier this month to examine the refugee situation.

Herrell said she was invited to a Fort Bliss tour last week but was unable to attend - given only 24 hours notice - because she was in Washington D.C., where Speaker Nancy Pelosi had called the House back into session.

When she tried to schedule a tour for this week she would told there was now a hold on them.

A White House official told DailyMail.com that the bases holding refugees have hosted a number of legislators and government officials, including as recently as Monday. 'There's been no change in policy,' the official said.

Herrell's office said they were told there was a two-week hold on tours.

The Biden administration keeps adding bases to the number holding refugees. Originally three bases were designated and then four more were added. Now that number is up to eight. Additionally Philadelphia International Airport will join Dulles International Airport in receiving and processing Afghan arrivals to handle the thousands of people coming into the country.

'With all the chaos of the ongoing situation, our main takeaway is that visits and oversight have (at least) been made very difficult by the administration, whether intentionally or through confusion,' a Herrell aide told DailyMail.com.

Republicans have criticized the Biden administration on the vetting process that is bringing Afghan refugees into the country, questioning if there is enough time or resources to do a thorough job.

'I can absolutely assure you that no one is coming into the United States of America who has not been through a thorough screening and background check process,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at her briefing on Wednesday.

Herrell pointed out it can take years to get a green card and noted: 'Yet the American people are supposed to believe that we're getting a good solid vetting process done in 36, 48, 60 hours. It doesn't make sense.'

Biden administration officials argue that most of the Afghan refugees worked for the American government while they were in Afghanistan so they had already been through some type of vetting.

But the speed and chaos of the evacuation out of Kabul - which President Joe Biden called an 'extraordinary success' - raised questions about how people were checked before they got on planes.

Some people got through without paperwork. The refugees are being taken to other nations, like Qatar and Germany, which are being called 'lily pad countries,' for vetting before they come to the United States.

Psaki acknowledged there were Afghanis who were evacuated who did not go through the vetting process.

'They have gone to lilypad countries as that process has been completed. It doesn't mean that that's because there is a flag, it means they have not completed their paperwork and we were working to save tens of thousands of people, hence we evacuated them to these third countries,' she said.

Families evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, arrive at Dulles International Airport

Progression of temporary housing for Afghanistan evacuees is seen at the Dona Ana Housing Area near Fort Bliss

Questions also remain as to what happens to the refugees when they enter the United States.

'That's a $20,000 question,' Herrell said, saying she wants to know 'how many exactly will be here, what does the resettlement process look like, how long will they be there, what are the safety protocols, what does this look like going forward?'

Other lawmakers have raised similar questions. After touring Fort McCoy in his district, which houses Afghan refugees, Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany told Fox News he has questions about what happens to them after they leave the base, which they can do at any time.

'People could leave the basewithout the authority of the general that is overseeing Fort McCoy,' he said.

After taking an aerial tour of Fort Bliss on Friday, Republican Senator Ted Cruz said an official there told him refugees can order an uber to go into nearby El Paso at any time.

As of Wednesday morning, 20,000 Afghan refugees have arrived at eight military bases in the United States, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley said at a Pentagon briefing.

The bases are heading toward their capacity for holding people with more refugees expected to arrive over the coming days.

'There is capacity and we are working towards capacity at our military basis for up to 50,000, and again this is not a place where people would live, this is a place where people would go, they would receive medical care and assistance and get connected with refugee resettlement organizations,' Psaki noted.

But it was reported on Wednesday that the U.S. left behind the majority of Afghan interpreters and others who applied for Special Immigration Visas (SIVs) to flee Afghanistan amid the American draw down.

Including their family members, as many as 100,000 Afghans may be eligible for relocation, meaning even more refugees could arrive in the United States in the days to come.

The U.S. still doesn't have reliable data on who was evacuated, nor for what type of visas they may qualify, a State Department official told Wall Street Journal, but initial assessments suggested most visa applicants didn't make it through the crush at the airport.

'I would say it's the majority of them,' the official said. 'Just based on anecdotal information about the populations we were able to support.'
A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with a terrifying spate of armed abductions in Washington DC where the teen and several other suspects forced victims to hand over their bank cards and details at gunpoint before visiting multiple ATMs to drain their accounts before letting them go, police said.

The young teen, who police only described as a juvenile male from Southeast DC, was apprehended on Tuesday and charged with five counts of kidnapping while armed with a gun and one count of armed robbery.

The Metropolitan Police Department said the teen participated in the abductions and robberies on the 500 block of 13th Street NE, 1300 block of Corcoran Street NW, 1200 block of 10th Street NW, 5200 block of 14th Street NW, another at the intersection of 14th Street and Allison Street NW, and a sixth in the 700 block of Kenyon Avenue.

In all six incidents, the victims were either held at gunpoint and ordered into a nearby vehicle or simply robbed at gunpoint, with the suspects forcefully obtaining the victims' bank account information before leaving them at a secondary location and fleeing.

Police say the suspects later withdrew funds from the victims' bank accounts.

Meanwhile, Washington DC cops are now hunting for the remaining gang of kidnappers, who they say abducted five people in just four days between August 24 and 28.

Police said the gang abducted four people between August 24 and 28 from the locations pictured above, bringing them to nearby ATMs and forcing them to withdraw cash

This gang are wanted for multiple kidnappings in the Washington DC area, abducting five people in just four days

Timeline of abductions August 24, 10.30pm: First victim was forced into the group's car at 1300 block of Corcoran Street Northwest and then driven to an ATM where he was forced to withdraw his money. August 25, 11pm: Second victim abducted on the 5200 block of 14th Street and forced to reveal his bank account information which they then used to withdraw money from, before they let him out of the car. August 26, 1.14am: Third victim was assaulted and forced into vehicle at gunpoint at intersection of 14th and Allison Streets. They stole his property and banking information and drove him to ATMs before finally letting him go. August 28, 2.20am: Fourth victim taken from 1200 block of 10th Street Northwest, got their banking info, took their money from multiple ATMs. August 28, 2.25 am: The 14-year-old and three accomplices robbed a victim at gunpoint in the 700 block of Kenyon Street Northwest before making off with cash and fleeing the scene. August 28, 3.45am: Fifth victim abducted from 500 block of 13th Street, Northeast, driven to ATMs before being let go. Advertisement

The city's Metropolitan Police Department said they are seeking out three additional suspects, two of which were captured on CCTV footage from ATMs that was shared on the department's social media pages.

Police said the remaining suspects are three black men between 20 and 29 years of age. One, they said, wore a curly high-top fade hairstyle.

Crime Solvers of Washington DC is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for any information that leads police to the remaining suspects.

The first incident took place on Tuesday around 10.30 pm when a suspect menaced a victim with a handgun in the 1300 block of Corcoran Street Northwest, while several others forced the victim inside a vehicle.

According to a police report shared with MailOnline by the MPD, one of the suspects told the victim to 'shut up and do what I say!'

A protective mask was put over the victim's face. Police said the suspects then drove to different ATMs, where they took the victim's four bank cards and withdrew a total of $1,400.

The victim's iPhone and driver's license were also stolen, police said.

The next day, on August 25, another victim was frightened with a handgun and forced into a car by the group around 11pm as he was biking in the 5200 block of 14th Street Northwest.

'Get in the car or f***ing get smoked here,' the suspect allegedly said to the victim.

Three men went through his pockets at once, the victim told police. Simultaneously, one man said 'I will kill you' while another demanded his PIN numbers.

After ten minutes, the suspects shoved the victim out of their car and told him not to look at their license plate. He looked anyway, and shared the plate number with police, which they have used in their attempts to locate the gang.

Around 1.14 am on Thursday, the group brandished multiple handguns and approached a third victim at the intersection of 14th and Allison Street, Northwest.

The victim told police that the men kicked him in the leg, causing him to fall to the ground, then began punching his face and body. He reported that $600 in cash was stolen from his person, as well as his Samsung Galaxy phone and his debit card

The perpetrators put a white tee shirt over the man's head and demanded his property and banking information - then, they hit multiple ATMs, using his information to withdraw a total of $500. Only then did they release their victim at an area children's hospital.

After taking a day off from their kidnapping binge, the group of men doubled down and kidnapped two people on Saturday, police said.

ABDUCTION 1, August 24: CCTV footage shows two of the gang members as they withdrew money from an ATM using their kidnapping victim's card

ABDUCTION 1, August 24: One of the gang members is seen fanning out the cash after withdrawing it from the victim's bank account

Around 2.20 am, police said, the group flashed firearms in the 1200 block of 10th Street, Northwest. They forced a bag over a victim's head, zip-tied his hands behind his back and forced him into their car. After getting banking info, the men took their money from multiple ATMs and left the victim at another location.

Just minutes later at 2.25 am, the 14-year-old and three accomplices robbed a victim at gunpoint in the 700 block of Kenyon Street Northwest before making off with cash and fleeing the scene.

Later that morning around 3.45 am, a final victim was forced at gunpoint into the group's car at the 500 block of 13th Street, Northeast. The victim told police that five men kidnapped him as he walked home from a friend's house.

The men came out of an alley, he said, and put a bag over his head and bound his wrists with zip-ties. The suspects told the victim, according to police reports, that they would shoot him if he didn't hand over his PIN numbers.

Once again, they drove to an ATM, withdrew money from their victim's accounts and released him at another site. They laid the victim on the ground in another alley, face down, and told him to count to 30 as they fled the scene.

The group stole $50 in cash, a driver's license, two credit cards, a debit card, a metro card, a number of store rewards cards, apartment keys, a key FOB and an iPhone 12.

Anyone who recognizes the pictured suspects or who has any information regarding the abductions is implored to contact the Metropolitan Police Department or Crime Stoppers of Washington DC.

A surveillance camera captures one of the suspects going to use a victim's card at the ATM during an abduction. Police have not released the date for this image

CCTV captures of two of the four armed robbers, captured during one of four abductions they allegedly carried out between August 24 and August 28. Police have not released the date for these images
National Crime Agency said they are investigating leak which could put firearms holders at risk

Authorities are investigating a large data breach that could put thousands of Britain's gun enthusiasts at risk.

The names, home addresses and contact details of 111,295 people who own firearms in the UK have been taken and leaked online by animal rights activists.

The breach, first reported by The Register website, concerns individuals have used the Guntrader online selling platform, which keeps records of all transactions.

Activists have reformatted the stolen data file so that it can be easily placed on digital map and show individuals' locations.

The names, home addresses and contact details of 111,295 people who own firearms in the UK were taken from online selling platform Guntrader and leaked online by animal rights activists

The National Crime Agency said that it was investigating the leak, which could have safety implications for many of Britain's gun owners.

Leaked back in July, the activists posted the personal details on a blog, telling followers to 'contact as many [owners] as you can in your area and ask them if they are involved in shooting animals'.

At the time, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation urged its members to 'be vigilant around home security' following the data breach of 'a website dealing in firearms'.

Guntrader's website says that it holds a 'full electronic gun and ammunition register' touting as it as the 'most safe and secure gun register system on todays market'.

In its initial statement in July, Guntrader said that no information about the 'location of firearms was taken', but acknowledged that user names and addresses had been.

Activists have reformatted the stolen data file so that it can be easily placed on digital map and show individuals' locations

The company told the BBC it would not be commenting further 'beyond saying that we continue to work with the relevant authorities to mitigate the impact of this data theft'.

A National Crime Agency spokesperson said: 'The NCA is aware that information has been published online as a result of a recent data breach which impacted Guntrader.

'We are working closely with the South West Regional Cyber Crime Unit, who are leading the criminal investigation, to support the organisation and manage any risk.'

BASCs head of firearms, Martin Parker, said: 'The National Crime Agency is aware of the issue and BASC is working with them to ensure we can update members as quickly as possible as the situation develops.

'Our advice to members would be to check home security and be extra vigilant. Make sure all firearms are appropriately locked away and make sure buildings are kept secure. Follow normal good crime security advice and report anything suspicious to the police.'

Guntrader could not be immediately reached for comment.
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This is the moment New Orleans rescue teams cut free a cow that was swept up into a tree by floodwaters from Hurricane Ida.

The footage was shot near Florissant on Tuesday morning, days after Ida made landfall as a Category 4 storm, pummeling Louisiana with heavy winds of 150 mph and torrential downpours that led to devastating floods.

The animal can be seen wriggling feebly above waist-high floodwaters as two workers carefully use a chainsaw to trim branches off the tree.

Ultimately, according to CNN, the cow was saved and is back on its feet. The cow appears surprisingly calm, perhaps exhausted from the ordeal, as they work to set it free.

The workers can be seen delicately removing branches from a tree in St. Bernard's Parish were a cow was swept by floodwaters - the animal has since been successfully rescued

Another 60 heifers had to be rescued from New Orleans' Plaquemines Parish since the storm hit this week, leaving a trail of destruction in it's wake.

Many Louisianans were left to wander the streets for food and ice on Tuesday, with 650,000 people without access to clean water and more than a million without electricity two days after Ida battered the Gulf Coast. Energy suppliers have warned that it will take at least three weeks for power to be restored.

Accuweather's Dr. Joel N. Myers said on Monday that the total economic damage caused by Ida will likely fall between $70billion and $80billion.

Thus far, 7 have been killed during or as a result of the storm. Today, Eli Nathaniel Babb and Layton River Ellison, both 19-year-olds who worked with Pike Electric, were fatally electrocuted while helping to restore power in Alabama.

A man walks on the porch of his uncle's hurricane damaged home on Tuesday, two days after Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana

People wait in line to buy supplies at a Dollar Store that opened despite having no power following Hurricane Ida

People stand in floodwaters, salvaging belongings from their homes in Jean Lafitte, Louisiana

A destroyed home is seen on Monday in the bayou of Little Caillou in Louisiana

The Maldonado family travel by boat to their home after it flooded during Hurricane Ida in Barataria, Louisiana

A 60-year-old man died in Louisiana on Monday after a tree fell on them in Prairieville, about 15 miles from Baton Rouge, and another victim died while attempting to drive his vehicle through the flooded streets of New Orleans.

Another man in Louisiana was eaten by an alligator while wading through waist-deep floodwater in a shed outside their home, before he fell beneath the water. Authorities have not yet been able to locate him.

Two others were killed Monday night when seven vehicles plunged into a 20-foot-deep hole near Lucedale, Mississippi, where a highway had collapsed after torrential rains.

Among the crash victims was Kent Brown, a 'well-liked' 49-year-old father of two, his brother Keith Brown said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. Keith Brown said his brother was in construction but had been out of work for a while. He didnt know where his brother was headed when the crash happened.

Accuweather's Dr. Joel N. Myers said on Monday that the total economic damage caused by Ida will likely fall between $70billion and $80billion. Here, a man can be seen taking a break from clearing rubble from his property in Jean Lafitte on Tuesday

Dewayne Pellegrin a bowling alley mechanic, cleans up the heavily damaged Bowl South of Louisiana on Tuesday after Ida swept through with 150 mph winds

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has said he expects the death toll to rise

'We have a lot of work ahead of us and no one is under the illusion that this is going to be a short process,' Edwards said as the cleanup and rebuilding began across the soggy region in the oppressive late-summer heat.

Ida was the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the U.S when it barreled across the South. As it moved east into Alabama, it brought snapped trees, flipped vehicles and flooded some streets after it temporarily reversed the Mississippi River's flow, according to the Alabama News Center.

It died down as it passed over inland Mississippi. It is now considered a tropical depression as it is headed to the Mid-Atlantic region across southern New York and into New England, where it could bring potentially deadly and damaging flash floods.

Ida was the fifth-strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the U.S when it barreled across the South. As it moved east into Alabama, it brought snapped trees, flipped vehicles and flooded some streets after it temporarily reversed the Mississippi River's flow, according to the Alabama News Center
Rep. Ilhan Omar and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison have endorsed a ballot initiative that would abolish the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with with a new department of public safety.

The two Democrats are supporting the proposal on the ballot November 2, which seeks to create a new department that employs a 'comprehensive public health approach' and licensed peace officers 'if necessary.'

The initiative would remove language in the city charter that requires Minneapolis to keep a police department with a minimum number of officers based on population.

The city would then create a new agency responsible for 'integrating' public safety functions 'into a comprehensive public health approach to safety.' The new agency could have police 'if necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the department.'

Rep. Omar, a member of the so-called Squad of left-wing House Democrats, argued in an op-ed on Tuesday that replacing the Minneapolis police department is necessary

The new proposal would remove a reference to the police chiefs job from the city charter. Current Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo is seen above

Omar, a member of the so-called Squad of left-wing House Democrats, argued in an op-ed on Tuesday for the Star-Tribune that George Floyd's murder last year by a Minneapolis police officer made the changes necessary.

'For decades, those opposed to change and civil rights have used fear and invocations of 'law and order' to keep people from reimagining a more humane system,' she wrote.

'We have a chance in this moment to reject that. We have an opportunity, once and for all, to listen to those most impacted by police brutality and the communities who have been demanding change for decades,' Omar argued.

Omar insisted that there was 'nothing radical about this amendment.'

Ellison, a left-wing Democrat who supported Senator Bernie Sanders in his recent presidential bids, announced his support for the measure in a tweet.

'As a resident of [Minneapolis] where George Floyd's murder sparked a national call for real reform, I will vote Yes for greater public safety & more human rights for all,' wrote Ellison, Minnesota's top law enforcement official.

As proposed, the new department would no longer be under the sole command of the mayors office, which is significant given that incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey opposes abolishing the police department while a majority of City Council members supports the idea.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison endorsed the proposal on Twitter

More than 30 local groups are pushing to support the change under the 'Yes 4 Minneapolis' banner.

They gathered 20,000 signatures to get the measure on the ballot - almost twice the number necessary - and have raised about $1 million, including $500,000 from Open Society Policy Center, which has ties to billionaire George Soros.

'What we knew as public safety - which is only the police right now, the only option that we have - was unacceptable,' said Brian Fullman, lead organizer with one of the groups, Barbershop and Black Congregation Cooperative.

'The murder of George Floyd ignited a lot of historical pain and disrespect that we have been going through, and we made the decision that we no longer wanted to have what we have now as the only option for public safety.'

A majority of City Council members first began pushing to eliminate the police department soon after Floyds death, but they failed to meet deadlines to get it on the ballot last November. The Rev. JaNae Bates, a leader of the Yes 4 Minneapolis campaign, said the ease with which the campaign gathered signatures shows the momentum for change is still there more than a year after Floyds death.

'The residents of Minneapolis really were the ones who made the call for this, who were like, we cant just let this lesson that took place in the summer to be something that fizzles out, and then what? We just wait for the next person to be killed by the police?' she said.

Minneapolis, like most other major U.S. cities, has been on edge due to rising violence and property crime in almost every neighborhood in the past year.

And the police department is more than 200 officers, or about 25 percent, below its authorized strength due mostly to a wave of retirements and disability leaves following Floyds death.

Minneapolis police officers stand in formation after a vigil for Winston Boogie Smith Jr. in Minneapolis last June. Voters will consider a proposal to abolish the police department

Both factors have energized opponents of the initiative. All of Mpls - a new group that has raised more than $109,000 - will begin campaigning against the proposal in the coming weeks with door knocking, community events, mailers and digital ads through the fall.

All of Mpls campaign manager Leili Fatehi called the proposal to eliminate the department 'a gimmick.' She said plenty of residents want police to be held accountable and changes in the department, but they also worry about rising crime.

'Its not getting us to the real solutions that balance those two concerns,' she said.

Opponents also say the ballot question doesnt guarantee that a new public safety department would have police officers at all. Instead, it says officers would be included 'if necessary to fulfill the departments duties.' Bill Rodriguez, co-founder of Operation Safety Now, called the proposed amendment a 'trojan horse' and warned that the campaign's end goal is to abolish police.

'The amendment doesn't say there will be a police force - it says there could be, maybe, if necessary,' he said. 'That's the most important thing that needs to be understood about this amendment.'

The ballot proposal has sparked heated controversy and debate in Minneapolis, and three city residents are suing the city over its inclusion and wording.

Organizer Latrell Snider, left, talks with Minneapolis residents ahead of the November election, as small armies of door-knockers are hitting the streets seeking to build support for a ballot question that would eliminate the city's police department

Two of the plaintiffs are former City Council member Don Samuels and his wife, Sondra, who oppose the movement to defund the police.

The couple were part of a successful lawsuit against the city after the number of police officers fell below the minimum requirement set in the charter.

Attorney Joseph Anthony wrote in a court petition that the question as worded 'hides' information from voters that would help them understand it.

It's the second time this summer that the city has been sued over the ballot question. A judge earlier tossed out an explanatory note that the city had sought to attach to the ballot question that aimed to highlight some of the measure's effects.

Attorneys for the city said they were reviewing the lawsuit.

Soon after Floyds death last year, activists tried to get a question on the November ballot to abolish the Minneapolis Police Department, but ran out of time.

A well-funded group of activists and several City Council members are trying again this year.

The proposal was written by a political coalition called Yes 4 Minneapolis, which brought the first successful lawsuit against the explanatory note. The group argued that the city didnt have the authority to include the note and that the language was misleading.

The plaintiffs in the new lawsuit argue that the question should mention that, if approved, it would remove the minimum funding requirements for police; a reference to the police chiefs job; and a line that gives the mayor 'complete power' over police operations, the Star Tribune reported.

The lawsuit asks the courts to block city, state and Hennepin County officials from issuing ballots that include the current question. They want a judge to send the question back to the city for revision.

Early voting in the city's November election begins September 17.
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Bill Clinton was spotted on Tuesday hanging out with two sugar baron billionaire brothers, one of whom was once friends with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The former president, 75, was pictured with influential political donors Alfonso 'Alfy' and Jose 'Pepe' Fanjul disembarking their yacht in the tony town of Sag Harbor, New York.

The brothers, whose Florida sugar and real estate empire is worth $8.2billion, have been close to the Clinton family for decades, with Alfonso co-chairing Clinton's Florida campaign in 1992.

A special prosecutor's report into Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky infamously noted how the president even interrupted his breakup conversation with her to take a 22-minute call from one of the brothers. The affair is the centerpiece of the 10-part FX series Impeachment, which debuts next Tuesday.

Both Clinton and Jose, who goes by the nickname Pepe, appear in late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's 'black book' of celebrity, wealthy and influential contacts.

Birds of a feather: Bill Clinton was spotted rubbing elbows with old friends and sugar tycoons Alfonso 'Alfy' (pictured) and Jose 'Pepe' Fanjul in Sag Harbor on Tuesday

Exclusive photos obtained by DailyMail.com show the former president hanging out with the Florida sugar baron brothers after spending time on Alfy's (pictured) yacht

The Cuban-born brothers, whose sugar and real estate empire is worth $8.2billion, have been close to the Clinton family for decades, with Alfonso co-chairing Clinton's Florida campaign in 1992. Pepe is pictured center in sunglasses

Clinton was seen talking with Alfy on a boat dock on Tuesday afternoon while Pepe (second from left) 77, stood nearby

The younger Fanjul brother was pictured with the billionaire pedophile and his associate Leon Black at a 2005 screening of the movie Capote in New York.

A spokesman for Fanjul's company Florida Crystals told the Palm Beach Daily News in 2019 that Pepe and Epstein 'obviously knew each other and had some contact in the past. But there isn't any ongoing business or social relationship with Mr. Epstein.'

Clinton has also been scrutinized for his relationship with the late pedophile billionaire, after appearing on flight manifests for Epstein's jet, dubbed the 'Lolita Express' over allegations Epstein molested underage girls on the plane.

In photographs exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com, Clinton was seen talking with Alfonso and taking a white paper Sag Harbor Books bag from ayacht crew member, while Pepe, 77, stood nearby.

Alfonso's boat, Crili, is 95 feet long and named after his daughters Crista and Lillian. The brothers also own a Gulfstream G-IV private jet.

The Fanjuls have used some of their wealth to cultivate close political contacts from both parties - with Alfonso courting Democrats and Pepe pursuing Republicans

Clinton at one point was seen taking a white paper Sag Harbor Books bag from one of the yacht crew as he stepped off the 93-ft vessel

The pair are seen stepping off Alfonso's boat, Crili, named after his daughters Crista and Lillian. The brothers also own a Gulfstream G-IV private jet

Elder Fanjul brother, Alfonso, 84, has donated to the Clinton Foundation for years, and acted as co-chair of Bill Clinton's Florida campaign in 1992

The Fanjuls were born into pre-revolution Cuba's aristocracy, entertaining the upper crust at their mansion in Havana paid for by their father's sugar business on the Caribbean island - including throwing parties for the abdicated British King Edward VIII and his wife Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor.

The brothers are believed to have inspired the fictional Rojo brothers, the wealthy sugar tycoons in Carl Hiassen's 1993 crime novel Strip Tease - which was later made into a 1996 movie starring Demi Moore.

The family fled when Fidel Castro took power and their properties were seized. But they managed to rebuild their empire in Florida, buying up 187,000 acres of farmland in Palm Beach County and importing thousands of mostly Jamaican laborers.

Their companies, which include Domino Sugar, Florida Crystals and ASR Group, now give the Fanjuls an estimated wealth of $8.2 billion according to Bloomberg, and reportedly comprise 40% of the sugar refining industry in the state.

However, their operations have been deeply controversial for decades.

Some of their firms have been fined multiple times for endangering workers.

The Fanjuls faced four class action lawsuits in the 1980s and 1990s representing 20,000 workers who accused them of 'modern slavery' from backbreaking work in their cane fields, cheating on wages, and long days with 15-minute lunch breaks.

Both Clinton and Jose, who goes by the nickname Pepe, appear in late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's 'black book' of celebrity, wealthy and influential contacts. Pepe is pictured with Epstein's alleged procurer Ghislaine Maxwell in 2006

Clinton has also been scrutinized for his relationship with the late pedophile billionaire, after appearing on flight manifests for Epstein's jet, dubbed the 'Lolita Express.' He is pictured speaking with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the White House in 1993

Lawsuits filed in 1989 by attorney Edward Tuddenham demanded $51 million for years of alleged wage cheating.

In 1992, a Florida judge granted the full award and ruled that the Fanjuls' firms and others had dramatically underpaid guest workers.

But the laborers have struggled against the vast influence of the billionaire brothers.

After first winning their judgment against the giant sugar companies, Tuddenham's cases were later overturned and dragged on for over a decade, leading to unrest among former staff.

The Palm Beach Sheriff's Department have even reportedly resorted to using police dogs to break up protesting workers on a Fanjul property.

The brothers say they built their empire on American values.

'We consider ourselves the classic American success story,' Alfonso told Vanity Fair in 2001. 'We came here and worked very, very hard.'

The Fanjuls have used some of their wealth to cultivate close political contacts from local politicians to presidents from both parties  with Alfonso courting Democrats and Pepe pursuing Republicans.

The Fanjuls were born into pre-revolution Cuba's aristocracy, entertaining the upper crust at their mansion in Havana paid for by their father's sugar business on the Caribbean island. The brothers and their relatives are reported to have donated nearly $4million to federal candidates, parties, and political action committees between 2004 and 2016

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the Fanjuls and their relatives donated nearly $4million to federal candidates, parties, and political action committees between 2004 and 2016.

Last year Pepe attended a $10 million fundraiser for Donald Trump at the Peltz mansion in Palm Beach. To secure his invite the younger Fanjul would have donated more than $580,000 to the Trump campaign.

Pepe was listed as a host at a Trump fundraising event in 2016, and also hosted a Trump fundraiser with then-Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus in the Hamptons in July that year.

Pepe was on Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole's finance committee in 1996, donated to George W. Bush's presidential campaign and backed Florida Republican senator Marco Rubio  earning the Fanjul family an explicit thanks for their support in Rubio's memoir, An American Son.

Pepe has previously come under fire for his tangential connection to the Ku Klux Klan.

His executive assistant, Chloe Black, worked with the Fanjul brother for more than 35 years as a trusted member of their multi-billion dollar sugar operation.

The assistant was the ex-wife of former KKK leader David Duke and later married former KKK grand wizard Don Black, who ran white supremacist website Stormfront.

Clinton's outing in The Hamptons comes ahead of the much-anticipated premiere of American Crime Story: Impeachment, which chronicles the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Lewinsky (pictured) had a sexual relationship with then-President Clinton as a 22-year-old unpaid White House intern, and the affair led to his impeachment in 1998

Iconic: British actor Clive Owen (left) recreates the infamous moment Bill Clinton (right) addressed the nation claiming he did not have sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky in first full trailer for Impeachment: American Crime Story. Owen's costume fit Clinton down to his red tie, though he was covered with prostheses to adopt the embattled president's distinctive nose and face

Subtle transformation: Unlike her costars, Beanie Feldstein did wear noticeable prosthetics to play Monica Lewinsky. She achieved the former interns recognizable look with a wig and her business clothing

Federal court documents from 1978 list Chloe as the corporate secretary of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.

When her connections to the racist organization emerged in a 2010 Southern Poverty Law Center report, Pepe's office told the New York Post he had no intention of firing her.

Alfonso, 84, has donated to the Clinton Foundation for years, and acted as co-chair of Bill Clinton's Florida campaign in 1992.

In August 2016 Hillary attended a $50,000-per-plate Miami Beach fundraiser held by the elder Fanjul.

The most storied instance of Alfonso's powerful reach was a phone call to President Clinton noted by special prosecutor Kenneth Starr in his report on the Lewinsky affair.

Lewinsky told Starr that Clinton was in the middle of breaking up with her when he took a call from Fanjul.

'The President told her that he no longer felt right about their intimate relationship, and he had to put a stop to it,' the Starr Report said. 'Ms. Lewinsky was welcome to continue coming to visit him, but only as a friend.

Family affair: The Sopranos star Edie is seen for the first time in character with a young actress playing her daughter Chelsea Clinton

Friend or foe? Sarah Paulson plays a sinister looking and sounding Linda Tripp, who exposed the affair. The role required extensive makeup and prosthetic effects for her face, and she also wore padding under her costume

'He hugged her but would not kiss her. At one point during their conversation, the President had a call from a sugar grower in Florida whose name, according to Ms. Lewinsky, was something like 'Fanuli.' In Ms. Lewinsky's recollection, the President may have taken or returned the call just as she was leaving.

'The President talked with Alfonso Fanjul of Palm Beach, Florida, from 12:42 to 1:04 p.m. Mr. Fanjul had telephoned a few minutes earlier, at 12:24 p.m.'

In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2001, Miami Herald columnist Carl Hiaasen suggested the interrupted meeting was far more intimate than Starr portrayed.

'The most telling thing about Alfy Fanjul is that he can get the president of the United States on the telephone in the middle of a b**w job,' Hiaasen said. 'That tells you all you need to know about their influence.'

The brothers have a strong interest in maintaining their political clout, as their companies have taken hundreds of millions of dollars in controversial farming subsidies since the 1990s that have come under attack from politicians including former vice president Al Gore.

A 2014 bill that cut many farm subsidies left a lucrative sugar support program unscathed, leading political commentators to point to the Fanjul brothers' continued influence in Washington.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is ordering all of the city's workers to return to the office in less than two weeks, and workers will have to wear face masks in communal spaces and choose between vaccination or weekly testing as the Delta variant rages.

There are 300,000 city workers in total, but the mayor's latest order will mostly affect the 80,000 who work in offices at city agencies like the Department of Cultural Affairs or the libraries.

Workers there are expected to 'resume pre-March 2020 work schedules in the office beginning September 13,' according to a Wednesday email sent from the mayor's re-opening task force to agency heads and obtained by the New York Times.

Those who come back must be fully vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing based on an executive order signed by the mayor yesterday.

New York City employees will have to return to in-person work starting September 13. Essential workers like transit employees, above, have already been showing up

The order was sent to agency heads by Mayor Bill de Blasio's re-opening task force Wednesday. Above, de Blasio takes a ride on the new Times Square Ferris Wheel on Tuesday

'People who are not yet vaccinated, people who interact regularly with the public will still be wearing masks and still be maintaining distance,' de Blasio said in June when he lifted mask requirements for vaccinated city workers.

All employees are still expected to wear masks in communal spaces.

According to the email, 'telework will only be allowed in limited circumstances.'

On August 30, about 3.5 percent of the city's residents tested positive for COVID on a seven-day average, compared to 10.8 percent nationwide. Still, cases began soaring in early July after a relative lull in June, which came thanks to high vaccination rates and a yet-to-come Delta variant.

About 70 percent of adults are fully vaccinated, and the city has enacted a number of incentives to help that number go up, including a $100 prepaid debit card to anyone who gets jabbed at a city-run site starting July 30.

De Blasio previously ordered city workers to come back in full by May 3 in March, before the more aggressive Delta variant sent case numbers soaring, but a 50 percent capacity limit on buildings meant rotating schedules where some worked from home and some showed up to the office.

Cases had a relative lull in June thanks to high vaccination rates and a yet-to-come Delta variant

At that point, he said 80 percent of the city's total workforce was already back, most of them frontline workers like transit employees, police officers and firefighters.

The mayor's office and DC37, NYC's public employee union, did not immediately respond to requests for comment from DailyMail.com.
An Arizona newspaper publisher who repeatedly claimed that his ex-wife poisoned him has dropped the lawsuits against her ahead of a trial that was scheduled to start this week.

Joseph Soldwedel, 69, sued Felice Aspiranti, 66, amid a bitter divorce after police found no evidence of his claim that she tried to kill him with the heavy metal thallium, which was once used in rat poisoning.

Soldwedel sent hair and nail clippings to a lab in 2016 and reportedly discovered he had six to 15 times the normal amount in his body.

A different hair sample was also tested by police in 2017, where they found traces of methamphetamine, but not thallium, according to NBC.

Thallium, however, can be found in illegal drugs, and police suggested that might be where the traces came from, they told NBC.

Soldwedel sought $18million from her in the lawsuit that alleged the poisoning and $2million in his defamation case against Aspiranti, her family, and a friend.

Prosecutors in Yavapai County declined to file criminal charges.

Joseph Soldwedel, 69, (pictured) has dropped the alleged poisoning case again ex-wife Felice Aspiranti, 66, ahead of the trial that was supposed to begin this week

He claimed Aspiranti (pictured) of poisoning him with thallium, but police did find traces of it in the hair sample they tested in 2017. They did find traces of methamphetamine

'It's been a burden to them and a theater of this rich man trying to sue them all,' said Aspiranti. 'It was just hard on all of us. We're all glad it's gone and done.'

Soldwedel also accused Aspiranti of defamation, and she countersued.

The cases were consolidated but largely languished in court since they were filed in 2018, partly because of the coronavirus pandemic.

As Thursday's trial date neared, Soldwedel agreed to drop his claims. Aspiranti also dropped hers. A judge signed off on the deal last month, saying the lawsuits cannot be refiled and called off the trial.

Soldwedel attributed his decision partly to his age and wanting to focus more on his health, family and job.

'I convinced myself a few years ago that such a lawsuit, I could achieve closure,' the 69-year-old to AP. 'But I realized probably within the last year, there's no such thing no matter how it turned out.'

Soldwedel published two ads in his newspaper the Prescott Daily Courier accusing Aspiranti of poisoning him. This ad was published in June after Felice had been cleared by police

Soldwedel runs Western News and Info Inc., which owns or partially owns a dozen newspapers, including the Daily Courier in Prescott, the Daily Miner in Kingman, the Navajo-Hopi Observer and Today's News-Herald in Lake Havasu City.

Soldwedel publicized his claims by using his newspapers to disparage Aspiranti, directing news coverage of his allegations that Aspiranti slipped poison into his food, affecting his health.

Soldwedel also published an advertisement in the Prescott newspaper with her photo detailing his claims and most recently wrote and self-published a book that repeated the claims. Soldwedel said he distributed more than 30,000 copies of the first part of the book for free to newspaper subscribers.

Aspiranti said she received a copy of the book by mail and gave it to her attorney, John Mull. She claimed she didn't ask for the book. She said in an interview that Soldwedel has 'a hell of an imagination.'

Soldwedel and Aspiranti, who had worked at one of his newspapers the Western News, were married for seven years before she filed for divorce in April 2017.

The first ad Soldwedel published (pictured) was published in the Prescott in December of 2017, but he did not name her

He argued Aspiranti married him for his money in an attempt to annul their marriage and invalidate the prenuptial agreement that guaranteed Aspiranti would receive $900,000 if the couple divorced and $1 million if Soldwedel died.

A court upheld them.

She called the poisoning claims ludicrous, and the couple's divorce was finalized last year.

Aspiranti believes the lawsuits were retaliation for her wanting to end the marriage and because she had reported to police that Soldwedel was harassing or stalking her.

Soldwedel unsuccessfully sought to introduce his poisoning allegations into the divorce proceedings.

Mull said he was confident enough that Soldwedel's poisoning claims wouldn't hold up in court because he didn't hire an expert on behalf of Aspiranti to rebut them, calling the case one of the most bizarre he's ever encountered.

'In my mind, she was completely vindicated,' he said. 'She voluntarily agreed to talk to police, have her computer searched, have her phone checked, and none of that supported any of his claims. His own evidence he was relying on was inaccurate as well. It didn't support his claims.'

Soldwedel's attorney, Jay Bloom, said the possibility that the case would have been heard by a judge or judicial panel first and not a jury, under an alternative dispute resolution program established for civil trials amid the pandemic, also factored into Soldwedel's decision to drop his claims.
President Joe Biden met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday where he reaffirmed the US's strategic partnership with the Eastern European country and announced a new military assistance package totaling $60 million - but refused to take questions.

In total Biden pledged more than $100 million to Ukraine toward its defense against Russia's attempts to claw back power in Europe.

Zelensky thanked him for the aid before appealing to Biden for help in freeing 450 Ukrainian prisoners held by Russian forces in Crimea and Moscow.

Ukraine's struggle with Russia over the Crimean territory has led to a years-long war and thousands of Ukrainian deaths. No western nation recognizes Russia's ownership over the peninsula despite Russia's insistence people living there want to be under its rule.

It was Biden's first meeting with a fellow head of state since the US completed its military evacuation from Afghanistan on Monday.

He opened the meeting by congratulating Zelensky on Ukraine's recent celebration marking 30 years since its independence from the former Soviet Union.

'The United States remains firmly committed to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression and, and our support for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations,' he told reporters in the Oval Office.

'We're revitalizing the strategic partnership commission between our nations and we're also creating a new strategic defense framework and a new $60 million security assistance package, as well as a new energy and climate dialogue to help Ukraine diversify its energy supplies while supporting our climate goals relating to global warming.'

Zelensky thanked Biden for the opportunity to visit the White House during what he called 'difficult times' for the United States, Ukraine and the world.

He offered his 'sincere condolences' for the deaths of 13 US servicemembers in Kabul and said Ukraine knew the pain of losing lives because of its ongoing conflict with Russia.

'We are very compassionate and we have the fellow feeling for such losses - such tragic loss - because for eight years in a row, as you know, we've had this war on the Ukrainian Donbas and we have lost 15,000 of our best people,' Zelensky said through an interpreter.

Biden refused to take questions at the end of their comments.

Biden opened the meeting by congratulating Zelensky (left) on 30 years of Ukrainian independence from the former Soviet Union but didn't take questions from reporters at the end

Part of the aid for Ukraine includes $45 million in humanitarian funding aimed at supporting 'Ukrainians that remain impacted by the crisis with Russia in the east,' according to senior officials, in addition to the $60 million in security funding.

'Russias aggression, including the war in eastern Ukraine and its seizure of Crimea, has claimed more than 14,000 Ukrainian lives, destabilized Europe and the Black Sea region, and threatened the global rules-based order,' the White House said in a statement after the meeting.

The statement went on to say the US 'does not and will never' recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea.

'Together, we call on Russia to recommit to the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and engage genuinely in conflict resolution efforts to end the war.'

In the past Biden has been criticized as taking too soft a stance against Russia as it slowly strengthens its grip in the region.

Biden vowed to stand with Ukraine against 'Russian aggression' but has done little to actually punish Vladimir Putin over actions against American cybersecurity since they met in June

The last time Biden spoke with Zelensky was by phone in June before his meeting with Putin in Geneva that same month

Biden formally withdrew US opposition to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany, which would undercut the Ukrainian energy sector by lessening the need for natural gas routes through there.

The president has also sent multiple apparently empty warnings to Putin over massive cyberattacks across companies the US government and numerous private entities rely on like Microsoft.

Russia has denied participation in the hacks. The US Treasury blacklisted 32 Russian entities in April over efforts to meddle in the 2020 election and other 'acts of disinformation and interference.'

But he tackled cyber defenses in his meeting with Zelensky today. After Biden and Zelensky spoke the White House announced both countries will participate in a US-Ukraine Bilateral Cyber Dialogue in Kyiv.

Biden welcomed Zelensky to the White House on Wednesday after their meeting was pushed back as Biden grappled with dueling crises in the Kabul airport suicide attack that killed 13 US servicemembers and the devastating toll of Hurricane Ida.

It's Zelensky's first time at the White House, but the shadow of Biden's predecessor looms over the meeting.

Two years ago former President Trump dangled a possible White House meeting over Zelensky's head but pressured him to announce an investigation into then-candidate Biden and his son Hunter.

Biden will welcome Zelensky to the White House on Wednesday afternoon after the meeting was pushed back from Monday

Trump dangled a possible White House visit over Zelensky's head roughly two years ago while he tried to pressure him into announcing an investigation into the Bidens

Trump had suggested Zelensky look into Hunter Biden's time on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

When he was vice president Biden leveraged $1 billion in aid over the Eastern European country in a international bid to oust a federal prosecutor who failed to go after corruption among Ukraine's top politicians. Trump claimed it was because the prosecutor was looking into Burisma.

But the White House went into the Oval Office meeting on a hopeful note.

'This visit will affirm the United States' unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia's ongoing aggression in the Donbas and Crimea, our close cooperation on energy security, and our backing for President Zelenskyy's efforts to tackle corruption and implement a reform agenda based on our shared democratic values,' the White House said in a statement.

Biden and Zelensky have spoken by phone twice before, once in April and once in June before the US president's meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Geneva.

The two heads of state were originally slated to sit down together Monday afternoon.

Biden and Zelensky's face-to-face was delayed after a suicide attack on Thursday killed numerous people outside of Hamid Karzai International Airport

13 US service members were among those killed in the devastating blast

That same day the final US military jet departed from Hamid Karzai International Airport, officially ending the 20-year American military presence in Afghanistan.

Instead of hosting the face-to-face Monday, the president sat down with Vice President Kamala Harris and their national security team to discuss the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.

Just days before, a suicide bomber linked to Afghan ISIS affiliate ISIS-K set off an explosion at the Kabul airport's crowded Abbey Gate checkpoint.

The blast killed 170 Afghans and 13 members of the US military.

Biden was blamed by some Republican lawmakers and grieving family members for the servicemembers' deaths.

Also on Monday Biden spent the day being briefed on Hurricane Ida by his homeland security team.

Wednesday's meeting won't be Zelensky's first time meeting with Biden officials face-to-face.

Zelensky met with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Tuesday to underscore their military partnership

Zelensky also met with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson Tuesday, after which he expressed a desire for Ukraine to become a 'space power again'

On Tuesday Zelensky met with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. They signed a Strategic Defense Framework aimed at strengthening the Ukrainian defense sector at its borders and in the Black Sea as well as reaffirming the US-Ukraine partnership.

Austin's counterpart, Defense Minister Andrii Taran, was also present.

Zelensky also met with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, after which he publicly invited the former Florida senator to Ukraine and said on Twitter: 'Ukraine must become a space power again.'

'Today I had a fruitful discussion with [NASA] Administrator [Bill Nelson] on projects Ukraine can join with its unique space technologies.'

Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in May. Last week Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm led a delegation there to represent the Biden administration at the Crimea Platform Summit and commemorate Ukraine's 30th anniversary of independence from the former Soviet Union.

Today Biden and Zelensky will meet for an expanded bilateral meeting with senior advisers before transitioning to a one-on-one, senior administration officials said.
Ross Wilson, the top U.S. diplomat in Kabul who was on one of the last flights out of Afghanistan, has tested positive for COVID

Ross Wilson, the top U.S. diplomat in Kabul who was on one of the last flights out of Afghanistan, has tested positive for COVID, a new report revealed on Wednesday.

Wilson, who was vaccinated, has very mild, cold-like symptoms, sources told Politico.

Wilson, who was the charge d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy, spent his final weeks in country working at the Kabul airport to help with the evacuation.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken posted a photo on social media of the U.S. Embassy staff, including Wilson, who carrying the folded American flag before the group boarded the last flight out of Kabul.

The State Department would not confirm whether or not Wilson tested positive for COVID.

'We're not in a position to speak to anyone's private health records. What I will say is that when our officers come out of Kabul and they spend time in a transit point, they are tested for COVID as a matter of course,' said spokesman Ned Price at Wednesday's briefing.

He acknowledged the evacuation conditions weren't conducive to social distancing but noted that could not be helped in the rush to get people out. Price also pointed everyone coming out of Kabul got a COVID test.

'I don't have to tell you that individuals who are being relocated who recently left Kabul have been involved in one of the most ambitious, one of the most intense operations this department and this government has ever undertaken. They have been around, I would presume, quite a few people. The social distancing may have been difficult at times. And so that is why we are taking these precautions for anyone who is recently come out of Kabul,' he said.

He said precautions were being taken.

'I can assure you that if we knew someone had tested positive for COVID, we would take appropriate precautions to relocate anyone like that back to the United States,' Price said.

In the crowded chaotic evacuation of Kabul, social distancing and other COVID precautions were not possible - above Afghan refugees with U.S. personnel on C-17 flight

The State Department said all evacuees out of Kabul are being tested for COVID; above refugees leave their U.S. Air Force flight out of Kabul when they arrive at the Rota naval base in Rota, southern Spain

On August 15, the CDC and Health and Human Services granted a Department of State request for a blanket humanitarian waiver of pre-departure COVID testing for individuals relocating to the U.S. from Afghanistan.

That was when the U.S. ramped up its evacuation efforts ahead of the American withdraw from the country.

The CDC rates Afghanistan at Level 3 - a high level of COVID, one step below the highest level possible.

Only one percent of the Afghan population is fully vaccinated, according to John Hopkins data.

Wilson told Politico in an email that he was one of the first people in the embassy to get vaccinated and 'made many appeals to people to get vaccinated as soon as they became available to us in January.'

Ross Wilson - holding the folded American flag - with the U.S. embassy staff ahead of their departure from Kabul

Afghanistan has a high rate of the COVID-19 virus. A State Department warning for travelers not to go there includes its high coronavirus rate as one of the reasons, along with the dangers associated with the Taliban back in power.

In late June, there was a major COVID outbreak at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. There were at least 159 cases. Several people had to be place on oxygen or were medically evacuated.
The limo driver at the centre of Australia's biggest coronavirus outbreak has broken his silence about the saga after he was busted not wearing a mask earlier this week.

Michael Podgoetsky was slapped with a $500 public infringement notice while sitting at a bus stop bench near his home in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Tuesday, despite claiming he had sat down because his head was spinning after his glasses fogged up.

The 63-year-old is thought to be patient zero for the disastrous Bondi cluster which has spread throughout the state, claiming the lives of 100 people and infecting 21,208.

Now approaching its 11th week, the outbreak sparked the brutal lockdown which is still in place across New South Wales, leaving millions confined to their homes and kids shut out of school.

Almost three months on, Mr Podgoetsky is still convinced he caught the virus from Belle Cafe in Vaucluse as he and his wife opened up about the devastating toll the public attention has had of them.

Michael Podgoetsky (pictured) is still struggling from the fallout of being at the centre of the the current Sydney outbreak

'The Covid-19 disease was all around and it was from young people (and transmitted) to old people like me, who picks it up and suffers consequences,' Mr Podgoetsky told The Australian.

He and his wife Eliana claim they've been inundated with deaths threats and alleged they received threatening messages from a drug addict who lived next door.

Mrs Podgoetsky said her husband has 'become a different man now because he thinks about it all the time. He can't sleep at night, and I'm just afraid about his mental health'.

She also has trouble sleeping and is too scared to leave the house, fearing she'll cop abuse or be bashed.

Mr Podgoetsky acknowledged he was not wearing a mask at the bus stop but claimed he sat down after his glasses fogged up while he was on his phone ordering an Uber to pick up his hire car.

'When the glasses fog up, I've got the head-spinning. So I thought I'd better take this off and sit down for get some fresh air,' he told the publication.

The limo driver was issued with a $500 public infringement notice for not wearing a mask while sitting on a bench near his home in Bondi (pictured: police patrolling Bondi Beach)

The limo driver tested positive for the Delta strain on June 15 and maintains he did nothing wrong.

But health officials consider him the 'index case' and suggest he caught the virus ferrying international Fed Ex air staff to hotel quarantine on June 11 before unknowingly spreading it to his wife and several others.

At the time of the ill-fated trip he was not legally required to be vaccinated or wear a mask, despite his high-risk job.

The NSW government was reportedly warned the potential biosecurity risks associated with transport workers but did not act until it was too late.

The state Government has since enacted a policy requiring anyone working with quarantined or international arrivals to be vaccinated and wear face coverings.

Mr Podgoetsky (pictured) is sconvinced he caught the virus from Belle Cafe in Vaucluse

Mr Podgoetsky stated that he was wearing a face mask at all times while driving.

'Around 3pm today (Tuesday 31 August 2021) officers from Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command received information relating to a breach of the COVID-19 public health orders by a 63-year-old Bondi man,' police said in a statement.

'The man has now been issued with a $500 PIN for not wear fitted face covering at public transport waiting area.'

Mr Podgoetsky told the Daily Telegraph he's tired of being connected to the devastating outbreak.

'I don't want to be associated with this. I got this stupid disease from somewhere, I don't know where,' he said.

Health officials consider Mr Podgoetsky the 'index case' of the Delta outbreak and suggest he caught the virus ferrying international Fed Ex air staff to hotel quarantine on June 11 before unknowingly spreading it to his wife and several others (pictured, travellers at Sydney Airport)

'It's terrible what's happening to the country I followed all the rules,' he said.

He has since returned to work and has been vaccinated against the virus receiving both Pfizer jabs after initially refusing the AstraZeneca dose due to a family history of blood clots.

He claimed he tried to get Pfizer appointments in May but was told by NSW Health that no appointments were available.

He believes flight crew drivers should have been given priority for the jab.

'It's unfair that people have blamed me for Delta. I got it from somebody,' Mr Podgoetsky

'I've got a drug addict... living (near) me who's threatening me. It's terrible what's happening in the country.'
Taliban leaders cannot be trusted to keep their promises, Tory MPs warned yesterday  as Britain stepped up talks with the militants.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen claimed the group which has seized power in Afghanistan will allow anyone with the proper documents to leave the country.

He also said womens rights will be respected and the Taliban will not allow the country to become a safe haven again for terror groups such as Al Qaeda.

But senior Tory MP Tom Tugendhat accused Shaheen of lying about the Talibans true intentions. Mr Tugendhat, a former Army officer who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee, accused him of fronting a slick PR operation masking a vicious death cult.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen (pictured) claimed the group which has seized power in Afghanistan will allow anyone with the 'proper documents' to leave the country and women's rights will be respected

He said it was absolutely clear that Taliban fighters were already rounding up and killing Afghans who worked with the West in cities including Kabul, Kandahar and Lashkar Gah.

Mr Tugendhat said it was also evident that girls were being denied education by the fanatics and women were being sent home from their jobs.

Fellow Tory Nus Ghani, who is working to get persecuted female MPs out of Afghanistan, said it was clear women would suffer under Taliban rule.

I do not believe the Taliban have changed, she added.

But Tory MP Tom Tugendhat (pictured) accused Shaheen of lying about the Taliban's true intentions and accused him of fronting 'a slick PR operation masking a vicious death cult'

It came as Downing Street confirmed it was in talks with the Taliban leadership about securing the safe passage of hundreds of Afghan allies out of the country.

Boris Johnson has despatched his special envoy Sir Simon Gass to Doha in Qatar, where the Taliban leadership has been based for years. A spokesman said Sir Simon was meeting senior Taliban representatives to underline the importance of safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals and those Afghans who have worked with us over the past 20 years.

Senior British intelligence officials are also reported to have held discussions with the Taliban about ensuring the country does not become a safe haven for terror groups again.

Former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers said: Its absolutely clear that any international engagement with the Taliban and support for the Afghan people will depend upon the Taliban closing down operational space for terrorist groups inside the country.

He said it was absolutely clear that Taliban fighters were already rounding up and killing Afghans who worked with the West in cities including Kabul, Kandahar and Lashkar Gah. Pictured: Taliban fighters in Kandahar on September 1

Sir William Patey, former British ambassador to Afghanistan, said the Government did have some cards to play with the Taliban, who want billions of dollars of assets unfrozen and who are likely to need foreign aid to cope with a looming humanitarian crisis.

Shaheen told ITVs Good Morning Britain that the Taliban had changed in the 20 years since they were forced from power after 9/11.

But Afghanistan expert Michael Semple said there was not the slightest evidence on the ground that the Taliban had changed. Professor Semple, of Queens University Belfast, said the movement was dedicated to tyranny and claims the group had changed were little more than a PR campaign.
Australians over 60 will be urged to get jabbed with AstraZeneca as soon as possible or wait until Christmas for an alternative vaccine such as Pfizer.

In a letter being sent to 586,713 unvaccinated people aged between 60 and 69 by the Federal government, the group are warned that 'people over 60 have a greatly increased risk of getting severe disease with Covid-19 and must be vaccinated as soon as possible'.

Over 60s are urged to get the AstraZeneca now or wait until Christmas to access an alternative vaccine

While millions more Pfizer doses are due to arrive in Australia in October, as well as the Moderna vaccine, these will be prioritised for the 9.8million Australians aged between 12 and 39.

Pfizer doses are expected to nearly double for 4.8million to 9million in October but there are also three million doses of the locally produced AstraZeneca waiting to be administered.

AstraZeneca is the preferred vaccine for the 60-69 age group.

Over 60s are warned they will otherwise be at the back of the queue for the Pfizer vaccine, potentially delaying Australia's efforts to end lockdowns and lift restrictions once 70 and 80 percent of the population is vaccinated.

The carrot for over 60s is the chance of being reunited with children and grandchildren by Christmas time.

'If you get 95 per cent of the over 60s and 65 per cent of the younger population [vaccinated], that will get you to the 80 per cent quicker,' University of Melbourne epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely told News Corp Australia.

More than 80 per cent of those over 60 have already had a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Reducing the gap between the first and second doses of Astra Zeneca from 12 weeks to just four weeks has also been suggested to help accelerate Australia's number of double-dosed recipients.

New doses of Pfizer arriving in Australia in October will be prioritised for the 12-39-year-old group to lift Australia's vaccination rate

Over 60s will be at the back of the queue if they wait for Pfizer and other vaccines, potentially affecting Australia's effort to reach 80 percent of the population fully vaccinated.

'The recent outbreaks of the infectious Delta COVID-19 strain means its even more important that Australians over 60 get vaccinated right now,' Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

'AstraZeneca has been proven to be as effective as any COVID-19 vaccine and we have already administered almost 10 million doses in Australia.'

Hesitancy among older people about the AstraZeneca is linked to a number of reports of people experiencing clotting after receiving the vaccine.

The Federal Department of Health website states that AstraZeneca has been linked to 'a very rare but serious side effect called thrombosis in combination with thrombocytopenia'.

'There is a very low chance of this side effect, which may occur in around 4-6 people in every million after being vaccinated.'

As of yesterday, 59.6 percent of people over the age of 16 have had at least one vaccine dose in Australia, while 35.7 percent are now fully vaccinated.
The White House on Wednesday dodged a question Wednesday about whether it left 100 Afghan journalists who had worked for U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Liberty in stranded amid the chaotic Kabul evacuation efforts.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki fielded a question about the journalists who were 'left behind,' after failing to make it through security despite several efforts to make it out of the country before the U.S. troop deadline.

The Washington Post reported the U.S. left behind 'more than 100 government-sponsored journalists, plus their families,' despite State Department promises to assist them and repeat attempts to get them to the airport.

They were 'repeatedly turned away by our own troops at the airport gates,' according to the report. Despite being well plugged in with the government, the journalists never made it into the airport, despite a series of unsuccessful attempts.

The U.S. left behind Afghan journalists who worked for Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty after multiple failed efforts to get them evacuated

Asked about the situation, Psaki instead spoke about the overall evacuation, confirming details of a CNN account that appeared Tuesday describing 'muster points' and various efforts to get Americans and Afghans to the airport.

'I think it's important to remember, again, 120,000 people made it out of the airport and the country, and our commitment to people who want to evacuate, once we leave: American citizens, journalists, Afghan partners who have stood by our side, is enduring and remains,' she said.

Without speaking to the fate of the journalists, she then spoke about 'some of the ways that we worked to get American citizens out,' including the 'muster points.' She said State officials would 'blast notifications through a variety of channels' to people who would then travel by bus into the airport in convoys or travel on foot.

'I think it's important to remember, again, 120,000 people made it out of the airport and the country,' said White House press secretary Jen Psaki when asked about the Afghan journalists

'It is absolutely disgraceful,' said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas)

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) called the situation 'disheartening'

'You would have expected that the United States government, which helped create the space for journalism and civil society in Afghanistan over the last 20 years, would have tried to do more,' said Said Radio Free Europe / Radio Free Liberty President Jamie Fly

Afghans crowd at the tarmac of the Kabul airport on August 16, 2021, to flee the country as the Taliban were in control of Afghanistan after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country

She said there were 'multiple opportunities for each of these muster points at various times. 'We also talked people through one-on-one walking to the airport,' she said. She called it 'incredibly labor intensive.'

She said in 'limited cases' where people were 'trapped or in immediate danger' US security forces 'went beyond the wire, sometimes in a helicopter, to pick people up safely.' She said they were 'dangerous missions.'

She also pushed back when asked whether Biden was pushing a 'false narrative' in a call with former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. A leaked transcript of the July call had Biden urging the Afghan leader to 'change the perception' of the war with the Taliban.

Psaki said she was 'not going to get into details of a private conversation.' She did not otherwise speak to the fate of the journalists.

'It is absolutely disgraceful the U.S. State Department claimed they evacuated their local employees when in reality they abandoned hundreds of [US Agency for Global Media] journalists and their families,' Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the to Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote Tuesday.

The group includes Voice of America and Radio Azadi, the Afghan branch of the broadcast service.

The group includes journalists for Radio Azadi, the Afghan branch of the broadcast service

'It is disheartening that so many professional journalists employed by American-funded news organizations have now been left behind, with their families,' Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) told the Post. 'These Afghan allies are among the people most endangered at the present moment for the good work they have done over two decades. Urgent attention must now turn to finding the best way to get them to safety.'

Said Radio Free Europe / Radio Free Liberty President Jamie Fly: 'You would have expected that the United States government, which helped create the space for journalism and civil society in Afghanistan over the last 20 years, would have tried to do more over the last several weeks to assist journalists who made a decision that it was best for them to leave the country. But they consistently failed to do that.'

State Department Spokesman Ned Price, asked about the situation at a briefing Wednesday, responded: '

'We will continue to do everything we can. We're not talking about this in the past tense, because our efforts have not ended our efforts will endure, we have made a commitment to those who have served the US government.'
Sharon Stone's family has announced that the organs from baby River, who died on August 30 after suffering total organ failure, have been donated to those in need - and 'saved three lives'.

River William Stone was found unconscious in his crib and died at the age of 11 months.

His father Patrick, the actress's younger brother, and mother Tasha announced the news of the organ donation on the Instagram page of the Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE).

'He was our tiny jokester, our water baby, our little foodie,' the family wrote in a statement.

'Now, River has also become a hero.

'In death, he made a far greater contribution to this world than most of us could ever hope to ourselves.

'And he proved that the shortest of lives can also be the most meaningful ones.

'As an organ donor, River saved three lives.'

River Stone died at the age of 11 months on August 30. On Wednesday the family announced that his organs were donated and three lives saved

River had been airlifted to UPMC Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh on August 26.

The hospital is one of the top ten pediatric facilities in the country, and it implemented the world's first pediatric solid organ transplant program.

The family did not explain how, having suffered total organ failure, he could donate his organs. CORE is yet to respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

The website Donate Life states: 'In order for a person to become an organ donor, blood and oxygen must flow through the organs until the time of recovery to ensure viability.

'This requires that a person die under circumstances that have resulted in a fatal brain injury, usually from massive trauma resulting in bleeding, swelling or lack of oxygen to the brain.'

Stone, who last year revealed that her grandmother had passed away from complications relating to COVID-19, was traveling in Italy when River was hospitalized

The 63-year-old actress shared a photo of the baby boy lying in a hospital bed in a tangle of wires and tubes, while sharing a few details about his condition

Stone asked her fans and followers on August 27 to pray for a miracle, explaining that he was suffering from total organ failure

The actress then revealed that her 11-month-old nephew River had died just days after he was found in his crib with 'total organ failure'

There are a number of severe medical conditions that can lead to multiple organ failure in children.

The leading cause is sepsis, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Sepsis - which can be sparked by another infection in the body - is particularly dangerous for children, because the symptoms are more easily missed than they are in adult patients.

Birth defects and other undiagnosed illness can also lead to pediatric organ failure however, and it is not yet known whether any of these conditions caused River's severe illness.

Stone, 63, was traveling in Italy when she announced her nephew's devastating medical condition on August 27.

She had traveled to Venice for a photoshoot for Dolce & Gabbana, but arrived back in the U.S. and was pictured landing at JFK airport in New York.

'My nephew and godson River Stone was found in his crib w[sic] total organ failure today,' she said.

'Please pray for him. We need a miracle.'

River's mother Tasha also wrote an impassioned plea for prayers on her Facebook page.

'This is the HARDEST thing I have ever had to post, but I am BEGGING everyone and anyone who prays please pray HARD for River,' she wrote.

'Every single second of this is literally killing me. I just want my sweet sweet boy back.'

She said that doctors had told her River would 'never be the same' if he ever woke up from his coma.

'The doctor said if he does pull through he will never be the same,' she continued.

'Please I am begging for prayers that my baby can be healed and come back with his family who love him so very much. I am beyond heartbroken.'

River was the youngest child of Sharon's brother, Patrick, and his wife, Tasha. The family live in Ohio with their three children

Tasha, who is married to Stone's younger brother Patrick, said on Facebook that doctors had warned her River would 'never be the same' even if he pulled through his coma

Stone was inundated with messages of condolences after sharing the news on Instagram.

Actress Selma Blair wrote: 'I am so sorry. My lord.'

Andie MacDowell also offered her sympathy, commenting: 'I'm so sorry lord.'

Will & Grace actor Sean Hayes added: 'I'm sitting here in tears. I'm so sorry, Sharon. What a beautiful boy. Sending all my love to you and your family.'

His former co-star Debra Messing also shared a note of sympathy for Stone and her family, writing: '...I am in disbelief. Oh Sharon, there are no words, other than Im so sorry for your whole familys loss. I am praying for all of you at this unimaginable time.'

River's passing comes amid a difficult time for the extended Stone family, which has seen several members dealing with serious health problems in recent months - including cases of COVID-19.

Last year, a grief-stricken Stone revealed that her 'adopted grandmother' Eileen Mitzman and her godmother had died from complications associated with the virus.

The actress's sister, Kelly, who has lupus, and her husband, Bruce, had also contracted the disease and were left 'fighting for their lives' before eventually recovering.

While speaking about her sister's battle with the illness in an Instagram video shared in August 2020, Stone also shared that her mother, Dorothy, had suffered 'two heart attacks' in the five months leading up to her post.

She had to have 'five stents', which help to open the arteries and prevent blockages in the heart, and a pacemaker as a result.

It also appears as though River's mother Tasha has been struggling with health issues in recent months; comments left on her Facebook page in January suggest that she had to receive medical treatment that required her to spend time away from her family.

At the time, the mother-of-three revealed that she had returned home - but that she had an IV port in her arm, and would be undergoing continued treatment with the help of a home help nurse for several weeks.

'I was able to come home with a power glide IV port in my arm so I can continue to receive treatments from a home health nurse at home for the next couple of weeks,' she wrote.

'After that I will be switched to a pill form of the antibiotic. I am just thankful to be back with my family.'
A doctor frightened parents into paying for private treatment by falsely diagnosing their children with cancer.

Dr Mina Chowdhury persuaded three separate families to pay for scans and tests run by his own company, Meras Healthcare.

He also steered them away from free NHS treatment and refused to let the families GPs know what treatment he had decided on.

Yesterday Chowdhury faced the prospect of being struck off after he was found guilty of misconduct and suspended.

A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) panel concluded that his behaviour was dishonest by reason of financial motivation.

Dr Mina Chowdhury (pictured in 2019) frightened parents into paying for private treatment run by his company, Meras Healthcare by falsely diagnosing their children with cancer

The panel also found Chowdhury, based in Stirling in Scotland, guilty of failing to provide good clinical care and creating an unwarranted sense of concern without clinical justification.

Chowdhury consulted three separate families over a six-month period in 2017, during which he told one family that their child had cancer on their leg and that a NHS referral would be confusing.

He also told another family that the reason their toddler had a high level of B cells in their body could be due to blood cancer or lymphoma.

Chowdhury told the same family that he knew a place in London that would offer treatment for the cancer, without any form of clinical justification, and falsely claimed that nowhere in Scotland carried out echocardiograms  a widely used type of heart scan  on children.

The MPTS also found that he suggested a course of private treatment that was disproportionately expensive without offering any referral for NHS treatment.

Chowdhury tried this again with another family, telling them: We are now going to have a serious conversation.

We are going to have the conversation that all parents dread. We are going to talk about the C word.

After this, he advised the parents that their children should have a number of blood tests, costing them 3,245, and that they should travel to London for an MRI scan.

Yesterday Chowdhury, based in Stirling in Scotland, faced the prospect of being struck off after he was found guilty of misconduct and suspended

He also refused to write a letter confirming his care and treatment for these patients to their GPs. One of the children examined by the doctor was only two-and-a-half years old. The childs mother, referred to as Parent B, wanted tests for cystic fibrosis but Chowdhury had made her head spin by raising other potential conditions including blood cancer.

She described how this had baffled her, and said she was taken aback to think her two-year-old could have blood cancer, telling Chowdhury that it was a big shock. But he was not very reassuring and seemed quite matter-of-fact, according to the concerned mother.

The childs blood tests came back clear, but Parent B said Chowdhurys false diagnosis affected her for months.

Dr William Ginbey, who gave evidence, said blood cancer is extraordinarily unlikely in children.

A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service panel concluded that his behaviour was dishonest by reason of financial motivation. Pictured: Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester

He added: If Dr Chowdhury had felt blood cancer or lymphoma were likely then I would have expected him to discuss with or immediately refer Patient B to the local NHS paediatric oncology service.

MPTS chairman James Newton-Price told the hearing: Having made findings that Dr Chowdhury had made cancer diagnoses without sufficient investigation or justification and that he had then recommended unnecessary private testing and investigations that were financially motivated, and that he had made untrue records in relation to [a] Patient C, it followed inevitably that Dr Chowdhurys actions were dishonest by the standards of ordinary people.

The tribunal found that Dr Chowdhurys financial motivation and dishonesty as described above amounted to misconduct in the exercise of his professional practice.

The panel imposed an interim suspension order of nine months, with the tribunal recovening in January next year to make a formal decision on his registration

Chowdhury was last night unavailable for comment.
A mum desperate to be reunited with her little boy whom she hasn't seen for two months due to Covid-19 border closures has issued a harrowing plea to let him return home.

Queensland couple Dominique Facer and Mick Francis haven't seen their son Memphis, 3, since he went to visit his grandparents Mark and Alex on a cattle station more than 1500 kilometres away in the NSW Riverina region on July 9.

The state slammed shut its borders with NSW at short notice two weeks later due to the worsening Covid outbreak in Sydney.

The couple have applied for several exemptions to get their little boy home which were all knocked back by the Queensland government.

Memphis (pictured with his grandparents Mark and Alex) hasn't seen his parents in eight weeks

'It's devastating, he's like my little shadow,' Ms Facer told the Today show on Thursday.

Poll Should Memphis be allowed to return home to Queensland? Yes No Should Memphis be allowed to return home to Queensland? Yes 278 votes

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'Having eight weeks without him here, not being able to touch him, kiss him, just everything, it's terrible.'

'FaceTime is the only way I can see him and talk to him.

'He's asking me - Mummy, can I come home now, can you come get me now?' How do I explain to him why I can't come and get him? It's just absolutely gut wrenching.'

His grandmother Alex added: 'Memphis needs to go home to his parents. This over FaceTime is not cutting it.'

'How do you explain to a three-year-old that he can't go home?'

Her husband added their grandson continually asks for his mummy and daddy.

'Night times are the worst,' Alex added.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has since been told the exemptions unit has been in touch with Memphis' parents.

'I'm advised that the exemptions unit have spoken to his parents and they are processing and talking to them about that exemption,' she told told parliament on Thursday.

Dominique Facer (pictured) is desperate to be reunited with Memphis, whom she described as her little shadow

Memphis has also missed out on watching his little sister Paisley learning to walk.

'I have seen the photos of the lady at the border where the blockades are and the barricades are, and she got to hug her kids and her son and all I could think was God, even if I could just do that,' Ms Facer said.

'He's missed out on just so much. It's not like he is missing out on everything, we are missing out on him too.'

'I have missed out on watching him grow for eight weeks. How is this fair?'

She has gone as far as offering to meet Memphis at the Queensland border and self-isolating for 14 days at their home on the Fraser coast afterwards.

But she has been told by the Queensland government bringing Memphis home doesn't qualify under compassionate grounds.

'They have basically told me that if he was - if I was going to see a loved one that was dying or if I was attending a loved one's funeral that's a compassionate ground, but apparently my three-year-old son wanting to come home isn't a compassionate ground,' Ms Facer said.

'I can't comprehend it.'

The region where Memphis' grandparents are has had no Covid cases during the current outbreak.

'They tell you to go to Sydney to get a plane to fly, why would you go to Sydney. That's in a hotspot. We're isolated. We never see anyone,' Mark said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Queensland Health for comment.

Ms Facer is distressed she may not see her little boy again until Christmas.

Memphis Francis (pictured) can't return home to Queensland due to the Covid outbreak in Sydney

We are in a situation now where I literally just dont know when I am going to see my son again,' Ms Facer told the Courier Mail.

'He is immunocompromised and we literally are the most isolated people. It is so tough and my mother is falling apart because she doesnt want anything bad to happen to him while he is in their care.'

Her latest efforts to get Memphis home come a day after Premier Palaszczuk lashed out after being asked whether the state's hard border closures would continue 'until 100 per cent of the population was vaccinated'.

'You open up this state and you let the virus in here, every child under 12 is vulnerable, every single child,' she told parliament.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles added: 'The LNP and the Prime Minister for Sydney might want us to open our borders, and let the virus in, he might want us to deliberately infect Queenslanders, our young people, who can't have a vaccine.
Far right extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers are planning to attend a rally later this month at the U.S. Capitol that is designed to demand 'justice' for the hundreds of people who have been charged in connection with the January 6th insurrection.

As a result, U.S. Capitol Police have been discussing in recent weeks whether the large perimeter fence that was erected outside the Capitol after Januarys riot will need to be put back up, three people familiar with intelligence gathered by federal officials told the Associated Press.

USCP Chief Tom Manger said on Wednesday they were monitoring the security ahead of the planned Sept. 18th rally.

'We are closely monitoring September 18 and we are planning accordingly. After January 6, we made Department-wide changes to the way we gather and share intelligence internally and externally. I am confident the work we are doing now will make sure our officers have what they need to keep everyone safe,' he said.

The officials have been discussing security plans that involve reconstructing the fence that once surrounded the Capitol as well as another plan that does not involve a fence, the people said. They were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The rally is spearheaded by former Donald Trump presidential campaign official Matt Braynard and is being called 'Justice for J6.'

It will be held on Saturday, which means lawmakers will not be in the Capitol, and is planned for the Union Square area of the Capitol grounds, the section of the West Front containing the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial and Capitol reflecting pool.

Members of the far-right group Proud Boys make 'OK' hand gestures indicating "white power" at the January 6th rally on Capitol Hill

Members of the Oath Keepers also attended the January 6th rally - Members of both the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers are planning to attend a September 18 rally at Capitol

The planned rally comes as a jittery Washington has seen a series of troubling one-off incidents - including, most recently, a man who parked a pickup truck near the Library of Congress and said he had a bomb and detonator. Among the most concerning events: A series of unexploded pipe bombs placed around the U.S. Capitol ahead of the Jan. 6 insurrection remain unexplained and no suspect has been charged.

On Capitol Hill, the politics around fencing in the iconic building and its grounds were extremely difficult for lawmakers after the Jan. 6 insurrection. Many said they disliked closing off access, even as they acknowledged the increased level of security it provided.

The decision on whether or not to erect the fence again will likely be considered by the Capitol Police Board, according to a House aide familiar with the matter and granted anonymity to discuss it.

No decisions have been made. The board consists of the Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the U.S. Senate, and the Architect of the Capitol.

The deadly riot overwhelmed the police force that was left badly prepared by intelligence failures and has resulted in internal reviews about why law enforcement agencies werent better equipped. More than 100 police officers were injured and the rioters did more than $1 million in damage.

The planned presence of the extremist groups is concerning because, while members and associates of Oath Keepers and Proud Boys make up just a fraction of the nearly 600 people who have been charged so far in the riot, they are facing some of the most serious charges brought so far.

Those charges include allegations that they conspired to block the certification of President Joe Bidens victory.

Several Oath Keepers have pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and are cooperating with investigators in the case against their fellow extremists, who authorities say came to Washington ready for violence and willing to do whatever it took to stop the certification of the Electoral College vote.

As officials prepare for this month's rally, Yogananda Pittman, the Capitol Police official who led intelligence operations for the agency when the rioters descended on the building, has been put back in charge of intelligence.

Still, law enforcement officials are increasingly concerned about the rally and the potential for violence. The Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department will activate its entire force for that day and has put specialized riot officers on standby, law enforcement officials said.

U.S. Capitol Police are considering putting the fencing back up around the Capitol as was seen above in the days after the January 6 riot

But for federal officials, the person who planted the pipe bombs also remains a serious concern. Many of the leads in the investigation have come up dry and investigators working on the case havent even been able to figure out whether the suspect is a man or a woman, people familiar with the case said.

The FBI has released grainy surveillance video of the person they believe left the bombs and have said the person wore a gray hooded sweatshirt and a face mask and had a backpack and distinct Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers in yellow, black and gray.

The FBI had asked Nike for information about the shoes and sought to analyze information from purchasers, according to law enforcement documents obtained by The Associated Press. Agents also looked into a tip that someone had placed an ad on Facebook Marketplace with someone selling nearly identical shoes, the documents said.

The bombs - each about a foot long with end caps and wiring that appeared to be attached to a timer - had contained components that were unique and specific enough that agents reached out to companies like Walmart and other vendors and asked to review information about recent purchases, the documents said.

The explosive devices were placed outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national committees between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Jan. 5, the night before the riot. But they were not located by law enforcement until the next day, shortly before thousands of pro-Trump rioters stormed into the Capitol.

It is not clear whether that means the pipe bombs were unrelated to the next days riot or were part of the riot planning. Both buildings are within a few blocks of the Capitol.
Sen. Bill Hagerty flies to London on Wednesday evening to reassure allies that they can still trust the U.S. despite President Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan

The Biden administration must develop a plan for destroying or immobilizing the billions of dollars of military hardware left in Afghanistan before it can be used by the Taliban or allied terrorist groups, said Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee on Wednesday.

He spoke to DailyMail.com before flying to the United Kingdom and Europe where he said he hoped to convince allies they can still count on Washington for global leadership despite President Biden's withdrawal.

But on the day the Taliban paraded its military hardware through the streets of Kandahar, he said the most pressing issue was what to do about U.S. weaponry left behind.

'One of the greatest concerns I have right now is the fact that we have left behind, billions of dollars of the world's finest military equipment on the ground, in the hands of a terrorist organisation known as the Taliban and their close allies Al Qaeda, and ISIS, and others,' he said.

The numbers are staggering.

Between 2003 and 2016, the U.S. supplied 208 aircraft and almost 76,000 vehicles, along with 600,000 weapons to the Afghan government, according to a 2017 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Taliban forces rally to celebrate the withdrawal of US forces in Kandahar, Afghanistan, 01 September 2021, showing off their military hardware

A helicopter displaying a Taliban flag flew over Kandahar as supporters cheered

Taliban fighters atop Humvee vehicles captured from Afghanistan's government troops

The Taliban are believed to have got hold of as many as 48 aircraft which the US and its allies were either unable to disable or fly overseas. This means that the terrorists have an air force which is greater in number than that of 10 Nato countries

Then there are the U.S. military's own vehicles and weapons that had to be abandoned to meet the August 31 deadline.

Hagerty, who is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he would bring it up in meetings in London and with NATO allies in Europe.

'It's something we definitely need to be talking about,' he said ahead of his arrival in London on Thursday morning.

'Not talking about, I think, would be foolhardy.

'I reached out to our Secretary of Defence for an inventory of what's there, what's been left behind and what the plan is to recapture, destroy or otherwise immobilise the equipment that's on the ground. I've not yet received a response.'

Some of it was on display in Kandahar, where Taliban fighters perched on armored Humvees and SUV's equipped with machine guns in a victory parade on Wednesday.

At least one Black Hawk helicopter has been spotted in the sky above the city.

American officials say U.S. forces made sure aircraft and weapons were made inoperable by departing troops.

But that still leaves thousands of armored vehicles, guns and aircraft supplied to local forces.

Hagerty said rebuilding trust meant being honest about learning lessons from the crisis in Afghanistan. 'Rather than spinning this, which is what the world is seeing right now, this administration should have stood up and addressed it to head on,' he said

Hagerty said his main message for parliamentarians in London would be that the Special Relationship with the U.K. endured.

'I think is also important just to be able to sit down and talk with British lawmakers who are quite rightly concerned about what occurred in Afghanistan, our resolve, and our will to lead right now,' he said.

Washington's coalition partners have complained about being blindsided by Biden's decision to leave by Sept 11.

At worst, the likes of Rory Stewart, a former Member of Parliament and Army officer who served in Afghanistan, said the country had been 'humiliated.'

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson with other G7 leaders made a last, futile effort to persuade Biden to delay the withdrawal past August 31.

Members of his party even called for London to rethink its reliance on Washington and consider strengthening other relationships.

Before being elected to Senate last year, Hagerty was U.S. ambassador to Japan.

That meant taking responsibility for a 'non-combatant evacuation operation plan' in the case of an attack by North Korea.

Allies, he said, depended on the U.S. getting it right for the safety and security of their nationals.

Restoring confidence in American leadership meant being honest about what went wrong in Afghanistan.

'Rather than spinning this, which is what the world is seeing right now, this administration should have stood up and addressed it to head on,' he said.

'And I think what we've got to do is let our allies know that our relationship is terribly important.'

The Biden administration has repeatedly declared the evacuation a success, citing more than 120,000 people flown to safety despite the extreme danger of terrorist attack at Kabul airport and the fact that more than 100 U.S. nationals were left behind.

Biden himself has blamed the rapid fall of Kabul on the Afghan government for its lack of leadership and Afghan armed forces for failing to put up a fight.

Hagerty said rebuilding the trust of allies meant being honest about what went wrong.

'My goal is to meet with our allies there in Britain to thank them, to understand from their perspective what happened on the ground, what lessons we can learn from that so that this doesn't happen again, and also to look forward and talk about what we can do to strengthen our alliances,' he said.

'We have now found ourselves in an even more challenging world from a national security standpoint.'

After London, Hagerty is due to head to Brussels, the capital of Belgium, for meetings at NATO headquarters.
A teenage boy has died and three others have been rushed to hospital with stab wounds after a wild brawl erupted in Sydney's western suburbs.

Police were called to the corner of Suffolk and William street in Blacktown in the city's west around 10pm on Wednesday.

NSW Ambulance paramedics found four teenagers injured with stab wounds.

One of the teens was treated by paramedics but died at the scene.

A teenage boy has died and three others have been hospitalised after a wild brawl erupted in Sydney's western suburbs (pictured, a teenager is treated in the back of an ambulance)

A second was treated by first responders and later transported to Westmead Hospital in a serious condition.

Two other males were also checked-over at the scene with their injuries not considered life-threatening.

A NSW Ambulance spokesperson said one of the males was transported to the Children's Hospital at Westmead in a stable condition.

Six paramedic crews, two specialist medical teams and a rescue helicopter was dispatched to the scene, the spokesperson said.

'It was a very challenging scene for our team with multiple patients spread out over quite a distance with varying injuries,' NSW Ambulance Inspector Peter Van Praag said.

'I'd like to thank our colleagues at NSW Police for always keeping scenes like this safe for us to do our job.'

The ages of the group have not yet been disclosed.

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the fatal stabbing and have urged anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage of the incident to come forward.
Oxford retained top spot for a sixth year, while Cambridge jumped up to fifth

British universities have excelled in this years world rankings thanks to breakthrough Covid research which led the fight against the pandemic.

The annual World University Rankings, published today, show Oxford has managed to retain its top spot for the sixth consecutive year.

Oxford, where the AstraZeneca vaccine was developed under Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, is well-known for its contribution to fighting Covid.

In May, it announced a new Pandemic Sciences Centre, which will investigate how to reduce death tolls in any future pandemics.

The annual World University Rankings, published today, showed several British institutions in excelling in the league table thanks to breakthrough Covid research which led the fight against the pandemic. Pictured: Oxford University, which retained is top spot for the sixth year

Meanwhile Cambridge, which jumped from sixth place to fifth this year, pumped out weekly research during the pandemic to inform government scientists

Meanwhile Cambridge, which jumped from sixth place to fifth this year, pumped out weekly research during the pandemic to inform government scientists.

But lesser-known institutions have also been credited for their pandemic effort in the rankings, including Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, Lancashire, and Derby University.

Judges said those two universities ranking improvement was a direct result of citations from their Covid-19 focused research.

Edge Hill, a former college which became a university in 2006, is rated gold for teaching by the government watchdog but has always ranked low in international league tables.

Although still low this year, it has jumped from being in the 1,000+ category to 801-1,000.

All the top ten universities are in the US, aside from Oxford and Cambridge. These include California Institute of Technology, Harvard, Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton

The table lists low-ranking universities in bands rather than as individual rankings as so many places were tied.

Times Higher Education Magazine, which runs the rankings, said the reason for the jump was a statistical clinical study and a medical research paper which aided the Covid fight.

Similarly, Derby, which became a university in 1992, jumped from 801-1,000 to 601-800 due to research on public health compliance with Covid measures.

Overall, 19 of the UKs 28 universities in the top 200 improved or maintained their previous ranking positions.

This years table features 1,622 universities from 99 countries. The UK was the third most represented in the list. Pictured: UCL was in 18th place

The rankings, for 2022, are compiled by world-leading experts, who this year analysed 14.4million research publications to make their decision. Pictured: Imperial was in 12th place

These included the University of Manchester, which moved into the top 50 for the first time.

A spokesman for Times Higher Education said: In a year dominated by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the rankings reflect the vital role of universities in understanding and managing the crisis as a number of institutions see significant boosts in their citation scores.

Professor Louise Richardson, vice chancellor of Oxford University, said: My colleagues and I are absolutely delighted.

This past year has demonstrated to our publics, our governments, and even to ourselves just how much universities can contribute to society.

This years table features 1,622 universities from 99 countries. The UK was the third most represented in the list.

The rankings, for 2022, are compiled by world-leading experts, who this year analysed 14.4million research publications to make their decision. They also surveyed 22,000 academics and examined data on teaching and research.

All the top ten universities are in the US, aside from Oxford and Cambridge. These include California Institute of Technology, Harvard, Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton.

The rankings are important in the recruitment of students. Although they are based heavily on the publications universities put out, parents and pupils are still attracted to those that score highly because of the prestige.
Businesses struggling though NSW's Covid-19 lockdown will have their lifesaving financial support extended.

Another $3.9billion - split between the state and federal governments - will go towards wage subsidies, grants and rent and tax relief.

Sydney's lockdown, imposed in late June, was due to end this week but has been extended until October as the city continues to record more than 1,000 cases a day.

Businesses struggling though NSW's Covid-19 lockdown will have their lifesaving financial support extended. Pictured: Closed pubs in The Rocks, Sydney

Another $3.9billion - split between the state and federal governments - will go towards wage subsidies, grants and rent and tax relief. Pictured: A Sydney cafe

Regional NSW is also in lockdown until at least September 10 due to outbreaks in several towns including Wilcania in the state's far west.

Under the JobSaver scheme, eligible businesses with revenue between $75,000 to $250 million that lose at least 30 per cent of their turnover will get grants worth 40 per cent of their pre-Covid weekly wage bill.

Micro businesses that suffered a 30 per cent turnover decline will get fortnightly grants of $1,500.

And landlords who provide rent relief to their retail or residential tenants can claim up to $4,500 a month from the state government.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the ongoing support would be vital to help keep businesses in business and people in jobs.

'We are giving businesses, employees and families across the State certainty they can access the financial help needed to get them through,' Mr Perrottet said.

'We know business and communities are doing it tough and this ongoing support will not only help get them through the depths of the pandemic but will also provide them with a springboard to bounce back once restrictions ease.

Micro businesses that suffered a 30 per cent turnover decline will get fortnightly grants of $1,500. Pictured: A Sydney cafe

'We will continue to stand by businesses and individuals and provide the support needed. We will also be there on the other side as we emerge from lockdown and head towards recovery.'

The Commonwealth is putting $1.5billion towards the latest package, with NSW making up the rest.

The NSW Government has now committed $7.7 billion in Covid-19 support measures, with a further $3.4 billion from the Commonwealth, bringing the total assistance for businesses and individuals to more than $11 billion.
Newmarket, Suffolk has been named as the town with the biggest property supply shortage hotspot, seeing the biggest gap between the number of homes selling and new sellers coming to market.

The number of sales being agreed in the town - synonymous with horse racing - has galloped by 79 per cent on last July, while new sellers putting their properties on the market is down 49 per cent.

Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire is in second place, seeing an increase of 58 per cent in sales being agreed, and a drop of 57 per cent in new sellers according to the research by property website Rightmove, which covers the past year.

Rightmove has revealed the new supply shortage hotspots, which have the biggest gap between the number of homes selling and new sellers coming to market

This three-bedroom semi-detached house in Newmarket is for sale via estate agents Morris Armitage for 297,500

Witney, Oxfordshire takes the third spot with sales up 51 per cent and new sellers down 59 per cent.

Rightmove said all of the top 10 supply shortage hotspots are in the South East and East of England and likely reflect a fresh desire to escape London for towns that are still commutable to the capital.

High demand is translating into higher average house prices. Newmarket, Berkhamsted and Bushey have seen prices up 9 per cent since 2019.

The stock shortage is being felt across the country, with the average available number of homes per estate agent on Rightmove dropping from 29 in July last year to currently only 16 properties.

Around two third of properties have already found a buyer, and some of the hotter areas, such as Newmarket, are seeing a higher rate of three quarters of homes already sold subject to contract.

This three-bedroom terrace property in Berkhamsted is for sale for 725,000 via Oakleys estate agents

SUPPLY SHORTAGE HOTSPOTS AROUND THE COUNTRY % drop in number of new sellers versus July 2020 % rise in number of sales agreed versus July 2020 Average Asking Price July 2021 Average Asking Price July 2019 Average Asking Price change versus July 2019 Newmarket, Suffolk -49% 79% 320,043 294,656 9% Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire -57% 58% 694,085 636,055 9% Witney, Oxfordshire -59% 51% 347,798 330,011 5% High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire -53% 55% 363,245 349,043 4% St. Ives, Cambridgeshire -56% 49% 308,187 294,018 5% Weybridge, Surrey -53% 49% 932,526 961,008 -3% Bushey, Hertfordshire -49% 53% 583,514 536,083 9% Egham, Surrey -60% 41% 495,844 472,470 5% Marlow, Buckinghamshire -58% 43% 726,383 688,195 6% Farnborough, Hampshire -54% 45% 364,757 354,849 3% Source: Rightmove

Tim Bannister, of Rightmove, said: 'If we think back to July last year the market in England had been open again for around six weeks, the stamp duty holiday was announced, and a summer frenzy was just beginning.

'Twelve months on, the combination of fewer sellers coming to market and sustained demand has resulted in a summer seller shortfall, and so the challenge for agents now is to try and replenish the stock to meet the demand from buyers.

'For those considering coming to market this year, now could be the time to find out what your home could be worth from a local agent.'

This two-bedroom terrace house in Witney is being sold via Thomas Merrifield estate agents for 495,000

Estate agents in the supply shortage hotspots confirmed the findings, saying completion is high for homes for sale.

Neil Harris, of estate agents Cheffins in Newmarket, said: 'There's a real shortage of houses for sale which means that for every property that does come available, we see huge levels of interest.

'We've consistently benefitted from Cambridge's house price growth, and as Cambridge becomes increasingly expensive, coupled with its fast-growing population and booming economy, buyers have continually looked to move to Newmarket in search of more space for their money.

'Similarly, as the days of the five-day a week commute appear to be coming to an end, we've seen a growth in buyers from London coming to the area, seeking out countryside and village homes at lower price tags.

As the international home for horseracing, Newmarket's strict planning policies have kept new developments to a minimum, which has exacerbated the shortage of available stock. Neil Harris - estate agent

'Now would be a good time for would-be sellers to test the market. With the summer holidays coming to an end we are entering a busy period throughout the autumn as people look to move ahead of Christmas.

'As the international home for horseracing, Newmarket's strict planning policies have kept new developments to a minimum, which has exacerbated the shortage of available stock.

'While there is a handful of new developments around Newmarket, we don't anticipate a huge amount of development in the pipeline, which will result in prices continuing to grow.'

It follows Zoopla reporting last week that the property market is facing the worst shortage in fresh listings since 2015.

While buyer demand remains strong, stock levels are down more than 26 per cent compared to last year's average - leaving prospective buyers battling it out for the most in-demand properties, it said.

It added that total listings are also 33 per cent lower than they were this time in 2018 and 2019. One in 20 UK homes changed hands over the past year, compared to one in 25 two years ago.
Expectant mothers face discrimination in the workplace in the form of sexist comments and 'microaggressions', a new study reveals.

Researchers at London South Bank University surveyed 104 British women who had become pregnant and been in the workplace prior to taking leave.

The respondents reported facing sexist comments about having a 'preggy brain' and being refused promotions and pay bonuses.

Many said male colleagues, who often earned more for working in the same roles, started treating them differently when they got pregnant.

Some women reported that even though they were successful senior managers, they were treated like the 'coffee lady' or a personal assistant.

Other respondents said they endured negative comments due to taking time off for maternity appointments or illnesses.

Women report being treated differently in the workplace after colleagues learn that they're pregnant, the study reveals

MILLIONS OF WOMEN CONSIDERED GIVING UP WORK IN LOCKDOWN Millions of women considered 'downshifting' their careers or leaving the workforce due to Covid-19, a 2020 report found. Female workers have been affected by the stress of juggling careers and looking after children, often compounded by a lack of help from their partner, it claims. Women's rights organisation Lean In, which was founded by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg in 2013, surveyed 40,000 employees at 317 US firms for its report. It found a quarter of women are considering giving up work due to stress and another quarter are worried about their performance at work being judged because of their need to look after their child. Read more: Women 'set to quit the workplace because of Covid-19' Advertisement

The new research is being presented today at the British Academy of Management online annual conference.

'All women that gave feedback about maternity said that since they become pregnant, men in their companies had treated them differently,' said Dr Yehia Nawar at London South Bank University, who led the investigation.

'The most common microaggressions were discriminatory comments about the women having a "preggy brain" when doing their work, or comments about their pregnancy.

'But there are also negative assumptions made about taking additional time off work upon return and being less available to attend meetings or conferences.

'A large number of women had experienced a more difficult situation at the workplace because of their pregnancy, such as missing promotions and no further pay-rise or bonus.'

The 104 respondents were mostly graduates, but the sample also included senior managers.

They were all aged over 17 and worked in a range of industries including healthcare, energy, technology, agriculture, charities and education.

Out of all the respondents, half said taking maternity leave had had a negative impact on their careers.

A third said taking time out to have a baby had no harmed their career, while the remainder were undecided.

Over a third said their self-esteem had suffered as a result of discrimination, in the form of disrespectful comments like being thought of as the 'coffee lady', mistaken for a personal assistant or called 'dramatic' when pointing out a problem.

Women who become pregnant face microaggressions, discrimination and harassment in the workplace, researchers at London South Bank University report (stock image)

WHAT IS THE GLASS CEILING? Glass ceiling refers to a metaphorical invisible barrier that prevents certain individuals from being promoted to managerial- and executive-level job roles. The phrase is commonly used to describe the difficulties faced by women and minorities when trying to move to higher roles in a male-dominated corporate hierarchy. Source: Investopedia Advertisement

The survey also asked the women if they had felt any type of barrier or 'glass ceiling' at their workplace.

Almost half agreed there had been, compared with just a quarter who were happy with their career prospects.

'This study revealed that glass ceiling still occurs in the UK and that women find difficult to reach top managerial positions due to microaggressions, discriminations, harassments, inequalities, stereotypes, prejudice, organisational culture and maternity,' said Dr Nawar.

'This demonstrates that a glass ceiling and gender bias is deep in the UK, and that it is affecting women's careers.

'More specifically, microaggressions, discriminations, harassments, inequalities, stereotypes, prejudice, organisational culture and maternity are destroying the women's career prospects.'

According to 2018 research by the Equality and Human Rights Commission based on interviews with 3,254 mothers, 11 per cent had reported that they were either dismissed, made compulsorily redundant or treated so poorly they felt they had to leave their job.

The results, if scaled up to the general population, could apply to as many as 54,000 mothers a year, according to the commission.

One in five mothers said they had experienced harassment or negative comments related to pregnancy or flexible working from their colleagues  possibly as many as 100,000 mothers a year.
A famed dinosaur skeleton that is the most complete set of triceratops bones ever discovered will go up for auction next month - and are estimated to fetch $1.8 million.

The skeleton, affectionately named 'Big John', is more than 60 percent complete and its skull is 75 percent complete, Drout, the auction house, handling the sale, said on its website.

Big John is 66-million-years old, with his skull measuring 8.6 feet (2.6 meters) long and 6.6 feet (2m) wide. The horns on the massive dinosaur are each 3.6 feet (1.1m) long and almost 12 inches wide.

They allowed the formidable creature to withstands 16 tons of pressure, according to New Atlas.

Drouot estimates Big John will sell for $1.4-$1.8 million when the remains go under the hammer in Paris next month.

'I imagine there are about 10 buyers worldwide for this kind of piece,' said Alexandre Giquello, who is leading the sale.

The fossilized remains of 'Big John', the largest triceratops ever discovered, will be sold at auction next month. The skeleton is more than 60% complete and its skull is 75% complete

The first bones were discovered in May 2014 by geologist Walter W. Stein Bill in the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota

The first bones were discovered in May 2014 by geologist Walter W. Stein Bill in the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota.

Since then, 60 percent of Big John's skeleton has been found, including its nearly-complete skull. In total, more than 200 of the dinosaur's bones have been unearthed.

Since then, 60 percent of Big John's skeleton has been found, including its nearly-complete skull. In total, more than 200 of the dinosaur's bones have been unearthed

There is a laceration on Big John's collar, which is likely 'evidence of a duel with another, smaller triceratops in which Big John was reportedly injured'

According to Drout, there is a laceration on Big John's collar, which is likely 'evidence of a duel with another, smaller triceratops in which Big John was reportedly injured,' the auction house wrote on its website.

'These violent fights took place during the life of these animals, probably for reasons of territorial defense or courtship.'

In October 2020, the skeleton was sent to the Zoic workshop in Trieste, Italy for restoration, New Atlas added.

The giant herbivore lived in Laramidia (also the home of Tyrannosaurus rex), an island continent that stretched from Alaska to Mexico.

Big John died in a floodplain, which allowed his skeleton to be preserved in mud, Drout added.

Big John will be exhibited in an emblematic square in Italy before heading over to France in October for the public to see, prior to the October 21 auction.

Other dinosaur fossils have sold for significant sums in recent memory, including two allosaurs sold for $1.66 million (1.4 million euros) and $3.56 million (3 million euros) in 2018 and 2020, respectively, the auction house said.

A diplodocus fossil was sold for $1.66 million (1.4 million euros) in 2018 as well.

Once primarily sold to museums, dinosaur remains have increasingly attracted private buyers, though their numbers remain few.

In October 2020, a 40ft-long T. rex fossil sold for a record-breaking $31 million at auction, nearly four times the previous record of a dinosaur fossil.
NASA has shared footage of an 'incredibly rare' brown dwarf that could be up to 13 billion years old, named 'The Accident' after being discovered by chance.

A brown dwarf is a mysterious object that sits somewhere between a gas giant planet and a small star, but without the size to fuse hydrogen like a star would.

There might be more of these unusual 'stars' lurking in our galaxy than previously thought, according to a study by astronomers at Caltech in Pasadena, California.

Named WISE 15341043, it is 50 light years from the Earth and doesn't resemble any of the 2,000 brown dwarfs found in our galaxy so far, the NASA researchers said.

It is faint in some wavelengths of light, bright in others, and hurtling around the Milky Way at half a million miles per hour - faster than any other local brown dwarf.

The unusual light make-up and speed helped the team determine it is between 10 and 13 billion years old - double the average age of other known brown dwarfs and dating to when the Milky Way was very young and had a different chemical makeup.

This suggests they have been around in the Milky Way since the earliest days and meaning there could be more than first thought, with a hidden population of up to 100 billion brown dwarfs floating in interstellar space.

NASA has shared footage of an 'incredibly rare' brown dwarf that could be up to 13 billion years old, named 'The Accident' after being discovered by chance. Pictured is an artist's impression

WISE 15341043: THE ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERED BROWN DWARF WISE 15341043, also known as 'The Accident' was discovered accidentally in data gathered by NEOWISE. Citizen scientist Dan Caselden was using a program he built to look for brown dwarf-like objects in the infrared images captured by the NASA space telescope. He was looking at an object that met the description when he spotted 'The Accident' in the background. Later follow up studies confirmed it was a brown dwarf about 50 light years from the Earth - but unusual. It gave off hot signals in some light wavelengths and cold in others. The 'star' was also travelling at about half a million miles per hour - much faster than any previously discovered local brown dwarf. It was confirmed to be a Class Y brown dwarf, the coolest type. This, with the speed that suggests it has had a long time to build momentum through gravitational encounters, means it is very old. Astronomers put it to between 10 and 13 billion years old, or roughly the first few billion years of the Milky Way. It has a surface temperature of about 450 Kelvin, or about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. That is significantly lower than the 5,778 K (9,940F) of the sun and about a third of Venus' 900 degrees Fahrenheit surface. Advertisement

The brown dwarf was accidentally discovered via the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) by citizen scientist Dan Caselden, who was using an online program he built to find these objects in data gathered by the telescope.

They are between 13 and 80 times more massive than Jupiter but they're not large enough to fuse elements like hydrogen into helium the way a star does.

While brown dwarfs sometimes defy characterisation, astronomers have a good grasp on their general characteristics, or they did until 'The Accident'.

As brown dwarfs age, they cool off, and their brightness in different wavelengths of light changes, similar to the way heated metals go from white to red as they cool.

The Accident confused scientists because it was faint in some key wavelengths, suggesting it was very cold, but bright in others, indicating a higher temperature.

'This object defied all our expectations,' said Davy Kirkpatrick, an astrophysicist at IPAC at Caltech in Pasadena, California.

He said the 10-13 billion year age of The Accident means it would have formed when our galaxy was much younger and had a different chemical makeup.

'If that's the case, there are likely many more of these ancient brown dwarfs lurking in our galactic neighbourhood,' the researcher explained.

To find out why it had contradictory properties - some suggesting it was cold, others warmer - astronomers turned to the Keck Observatory in Hawaii.

They used the telescope to observe the object in a wider range of wavelengths of light, particularly infrared, but it was so faint it couldn't be detected at all.

This confirmed the suggestion it was very cold, meaning that it was also likely old.

They next set out to determine if the dimness resulted from The Accident being farther than expected from Earth. But that wasn't the case, according to precise distance measurements by NASA's Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes.

Having determined the object's distance  about 50 light-years from Earth  the team realised that it is moving fast  about half a million miles per hour.

That's much faster than all other brown dwarfs known to be at this distance from Earth, which means it has probably been careening around the galaxy for a long time, encountering massive objects that accelerate it with their gravity.

Known it was extremely old meant the unusual wavelength properties made more sense, according to the NASA-backed team.

This mosaic shows the entire sky imaged by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). Within the data that made up this image was evidence of 'The Accident' brown dwarf

A brown dwarf is a mysterious object that sits somewhere between a gas giant planet and a small star, but without the size to fuse hydrogen like a star would

NASA NEOWISE: INFRARED TELESCOPE LAUNCHED TO SPOT COMETS NASA's WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) spacecraft was an infrared-wavelength astronomical space telescope. It was originally active from December 2009 to February 2011 and later extended with a new name. In September 2013 the spacecraft was assigned a new mission and renamed as NEOWISE and is still operating. It was re-activated to help search for comets and asteroids near Earth. As of March 2021, the mission has made 1,130,000 confirmed infrared observations of approximately 39,100 objects throughout the solar system since its restart in 2013. Mission data is shared freely by the IPAC/Caltech-led archive and the data has contributed to over 1,600 peer-reviewed studies. NEOWISE provides a unique and critical capability in our global mission of planetary defence, by allowing us to rapidly measure the infrared emission and more accurately estimate the size of hazardous asteroids as they are discovered, said Lindley Johnson, NASA's Planetary Defense Officer Among its many accomplishments after its reactivation, NEOWISE also discovered Comet NEOWISE, which was named after the mission and dazzled observers worldwide in 2020. Its data has also helped astronomers in the search for faint brown dwarf stars. NEOWISEs replacement, the next-generation NEO Surveyor, is currently scheduled to launch in 2026. Advertisement

When the Milky Way formed about 13.6 billion years ago, it was composed almost entirely of hydrogen and helium.

Other elements, like carbon, formed inside stars; when the most massive stars exploded as supernovae, they scattered the elements throughout the galaxy.

Methane, composed of hydrogen and carbon, is common in most brown dwarfs that have a temperature similar to The Accident.

But The Accident's light profile suggests it contains very little methane.

Like all molecules, methane absorbs specific wavelengths of light, so a methane-rich brown dwarf would be dim in those wavelengths.

The Accident, by contrast, is bright in those wavelengths, which could indicate low levels of methane.

Thus, the light profile of The Accident could match that of a very old brown dwarf that formed when the galaxy was still carbon poor - as very little carbon at formation means very little methane in its atmosphere today.

'It's not a surprise to find a brown dwarf this old, but it is a surprise to find one in our backyard,' said Federico Marocco, an astrophysicist at IPAC at Caltech who led the new observations using the Keck and Hubble telescopes.

'We expected that brown dwarfs this old exist, but we also expected them to be incredibly rare. The chance of finding one so close to the solar system could be a lucky coincidence, or it tells us that they're more common than we thought.'

The program developed by Caselden, that led to the discovery of The Accident, attempted to remove the stationary infrared objects, like distant stars, from the data, and highlight moving objects similar to known brown dwarfs.

He was looking at one such brown dwarf candidate when he spotted The Accident, which was a much fainter object moving quickly across the screen.

It hadn't been highlighted because it did not match the programs profile of a brown dwarf. Caselden caught it by accident.

'This discovery is telling us that theres more variety in brown dwarf compositions than we've seen so far,' said Kirkpatrick. 'There are likely more weird ones out there, and we need to think about how to look for them.'

The findings have been published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Cockatoos living in the wild are able to make utensils like a knife and spoon out of tree branches that they can then use to open fruit stones, scientists have found.

A few individual Goffin's cockatoos living on Indonesia's Tanimbar Islands were witnessed making use of three different types of tools to get seeds.

Goffin's cockatoos are remarkable for their inquisitiveness as well as their sophisticated object manipulation, according to the Austrian researchers.

The team from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna found the birds would whittle tree branches into utensils, perfect for digging into the seed-heavy pits and stones of the toxic to humans sea mango fruit.

Lead author Mark O'Hara says this is the first time scientists have witnessed wild, non-primate animals making and using tools, especially multiple tools for one task.

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Cockatoos living in the wild are able to make utensils like a knife and spoon out of tree branches that they can then use to open fruit stones, a new study revealed

Goffin's cockatoos are remarkable for their inquisitiveness as well as their sophisticated object manipulation, according to the Austrian researchers

TOOL USE ONCE THOUGHT UNIQUE TO PRIMATES SEEN IN COCKATOOS The use of different tools to achieve a single goal is considered unique to human and primate technology. To unravel the origins of such complex behaviours, scientists set out to investigate instances where tool use isn't required for species' survival. This is because these cases emerged through creativity and intelligence. However, it is very difficult to record tool use in natural settings that don't occur throughout a species. Through an outdoor aviary, scientists spotted cockatoos stripping out branches and turning pieces of wood into cutlery to dig into sea mangos. Goffin's cockatoos don't rely on the ability to survive, but two out of 15 temporarily captive birds were seen making the tools, and further evidence was found in the wider jungle of the Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia. 'The use of a tool set in a non-primate implies convergent evolution of advanced tool use,' researchers from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, explained. 'Furthermore, these observations demonstrate how a species without hands can achieve dexterity in a high-precision task. 'The presence of flexible use and manufacture of tool sets in animals distantly related to humans significantly diversifies the phylogenetic landscape of technology and opens multiple avenues for future research.' Advertisement

To better understand these small white parrots, the team observe them in a large outdoor aviary on the islands, close in appearance to their natural habitat.

They are the only known species on the island to eat a hard-pitted fruit called sea mangos. It is toxic to humans but a delicacy to the parrots.

One day the researchers offered the 15 birds in their aviary the fruit to eat, and 13 of them dug in with their beak as expected to eat the fruit itself - not the seeds.

However, two of the older males grabbed the mango, flew into a nearby tree and began stripping wood from the branches using their beaks.

O'Hara and colleagues watched on in astonishment as they also cut whole branches to dig into the remaining stump and pull out pulpy wood.

The older male birds then used their tongues and beaks to craft slivers of wood into three different sizes and thicknesses - creating cutlery that they then aimed with their beaks to jab into the seed pit of the mangos.

'After I gave them the fruit, I looked back and was just blown away,' O'Hara told New Scientist, adding 'they definitely knew the fruit, and they knew what to do with it.'

They grabbed the tools once the birds had finished and created 3D models to understand what they were used for and draw parallels to human-created tools.

The thinnest of the three wooden tools were carved to be sharp, almost knife-like, and let the bird pierce through the pit's coating.

The middle tool was closest to a spoon, which allowed the birds to dig into the pit and drag out the seeds to later consume.

Finally the thickest tool, not used in every case, was treated like a wedge that they could use when prying the pit apart at the natural crack to get the spoon inside.

The fact only two of the 15 birds made use of tools suggests it isn't innate in the species, but rather unique to a handful of creative individuals.

They found this wasn't unique to birds in the aviary, but had only witnessed it directly in use among those cockatoos.

A few individual Goffin's cockatoos living on the Tanimbar Islands, a remote archipelago in Indonesia, were witnessed making use of three different types of tools to get seeds by a team from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

The team discovered a half-eaten mango deep in to jungle, discarded on the floor and complete with a whittled wood fragment thrust into the pit.

Researchers had also seen birds pushing branches against sea mangos outside of the aviary, but hadn't watched them manipulate the wood.

What makes the discovery significant is the fact Goffin's cockatoos don't rely on the ability to survive, as seen by the 13 who didn't make use of the tools to get seeds.

'The use of a tool set in a non-primate implies convergent evolution of advanced tool use,' the researchers explained.

They found that the birds would whittle tree branches into utensils, perfect for digging into the seed-heavy pits and stones of different fruits

The behaviour shown by the birds falls into the category of tool set use, not just very simple tool use. This is where multiple tools with different functions are used sequentially to reach a single goal.

They went from prying open the fruit with a knife-like tool, wedging it open with another tool, and scooping out the seeds with a spoon-like device.

The use of tool sets is rare in the animal kingdom, as most instances of tool use involve employing a single type of tool for a single task.

Using more than one tool type for a single task has been suggested to demonstrate advanced causal understanding of object relations and elaborate motor control.

'In terms of emergence, tool sets were suggested to arise from technical innovation and cumulation based on the ability to use a single tool,' the authors wrote.

Lead author Mark O'Hara says this is the first time scientists have witnessed wild, non-primate animals making and using tools

They added: 'Our observations resemble previous reports of wild chimpanzees using tool sets to access bee or termite nests.

'While chimpanzees used between two and five types of objects, the core functions seem to parallel our findings in that they contained at least one object to perforate the embedded food source and another to probe and access the contents.'

'Furthermore, these observations demonstrate how a species without hands can achieve dexterity in a high-precision task,' the team behind the study explained.

'The presence of flexible use and manufacture of tool sets in animals distantly related to humans significantly diversifies the phylogenetic landscape of technology and opens multiple avenues for future research.'

The findings have been published in the journal Current Biology.
Amazon is planning to hire 55,000 people for corporate and technology roles globally in the coming months, according to new CEO Andy Jassy.

That's almost as many as all of Facebook's work staff, and a third of Google's headcount.

Jassy, who replaced Jeff Bezos as Amazon's top executive in July, told Reuters on Wednesday in his first official interview that the online giant needed more firepower to keep up with demand in retail, cloud computing and advertising, among other ventures.

He added that Project Kuiper, Amazon's $10 billion plan to boost broadband access with low-orbit satellites, would require a lot of new hires, too.

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Amazon's Andy Jassy said the company expects to hire for some 55,000 new tech and corporate roles. Pictured: Jassy speaks at the WSJD Live conference in Laguna Beach, California, in 2016

With Amazon's annual job fair scheduled to begin September 15, Jassy hopes now is a good time for recruiting.

'There are so many jobs during the pandemic that have been displaced or have been altered, and there are so many people who are thinking about different and new jobs,' Jassy said, citing a PriceWaterhouseCooper survey indicating that 65 percent of workers wanted a new gig.

'It's part of what we think makes 'Career Day' so timely and so useful,' he said.

The new hires would represent a 20 percent increase in Amazon's tech and corporate staff, who currently number around 275,000 globally.

According to its last earnings report, Amazon has 950,000 employees in the U.S. and at the end of 2020, Amazon had 1.3 million full-time and temporary workers globally.

Amazon's move, only the latest hiring spree on which it has embarked, follows a period of heightened scrutiny of its labor practices and opposition by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union.

Since the pandemic started, Amazon has hired more than 500,000 new full-time and temporary employees already. Pictured: Workers at an Amazon fulfillment Center in Arizona

Jassy said, in addition to keeping up with demand for retail, Amazon will be hiring staff for He Project Kuiper, its $10 billion plan to launch satellites to widen broadband access

Earlier this year, a failed attempt to unionize by some staff in Alabama put on display Amazon's taxing warehouse work and its aggressive stance against unions. In that battle's aftermath.

Jeff Bezos, the CEO whom Jassy succeeded, said Amazon needed a better vision for employees in his final letter to shareholders earlier this year.

Asked how he might change Amazon's demanding workplace culture, Jassy said its heavy focus on customers and inventiveness set it up for improvements.

'Everybody at the company has the freedom - and really, the expectation - to critically look at how it can be better and then invent ways to make it better.'

The positions Amazon is marketing include engineering, research science and robotics roles, postings that are largely new to the company rather than jobs others quit, it said.

At the end of 2020 , Amazon had 1.3 million full-time and temporary workers globally, including corporate and technology staff, fulfillment-center employees and drivers. Pictured: Amazon founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos

In a reopening U.S. economy and tightening labor market, some companies have struggled to fill vacancies and balance remote and in-person work.

It was unclear how many of the Amazon jobs - such as for competitive engineering hires - have been open for some time.

Amazon, which earlier touted an 'office-centric culture,' later dialed back its vision and offered workers the opportunity to spend just three days a week at its offices in person starting next year.

Already the second-biggest private employer in the U.S., Amazon brought on more than 500,000 people in 2020, largely in warehouse and delivery operations. That area has had significant turnover.

The company is investing heavily in building more warehouses and boosting pay to attract workers, in order to catch up to strong demand from shoppers seeking products delivered to their homes.

Jassy said Amazon has been 'very competitive on the compensation side.' He said, 'We've led the way in the $15 minimum wage,' and for some states on average that 'really, the starting salary is $17 an hour.'

Of the more than 55,000 jobs Jassy announced, more than 40,000 will be situated at Amazon's 220 locations in the U.S., while others will be in India, Germany, Japan and beyond.

On September 15, Amazon will also host its first career-day event in Canada, MarketWatch reported, where its looking to fill some 1,800 corporate and technology roles.

Amazon previously promised a big tech hiring binge in 2017, when it sought a location for its second headquarters. Officials at cities and states across North America fawned on the company for its jobs and tax dollars.

Arlington, Virginia, the 'HQ2' contest winner that so far has a small fraction of the 25,000 roles Amazon has promised it over a decade, currently has about 2,800 openings.

The city of Bellevue, Washington, where Amazon is growing near its hometown Seattle, has another 2,000 openings.

Earlier this year, Amazon paid an undisclosed amount to Facebook to acquire more than a dozen internet-satellite experts to work on Kuiper, which will install low-Earth orbit satellites delivering high-speed internet globally.

Facebook began its own internet satellite venture in 2015 and planned to launch its first satellite, Athena, in 2019.

But the Facebook team, including physicists and engineers with experience with aeronautical and wireless systems, has been working for Amazon since April 2021, according to The Information.

'Facebook remains committed to enabling better, broader global connectivity through the development of new programs, technologies and business models, and we're excited to watch as this team takes their work to the next stage and makes a lasting impact in the field,' a Facebook spokesperson told DailyMail.com in July.

As of December 2020, Facebook had 58,604 full-time employees, according to Statista, while Alphabet, Google's parent company, had 135,301 full-time workers.
Apple Watches may include a blood pressure sensor and fertility tool from as early as next year, as part of a series of new health-related features the tech giant is believed to be working on.

Leaked documents also suggest the company is looking to improve how its smartwatches track sleep patterns and monitor irregular heartbeats.

It is expected to release its seventh version of the Apple Watch in the coming weeks, reportedly with a larger display and a new flat-edged design, but most of the more advanced health features are not expected until 2022 at the earliest.

Apple Watches may include a blood pressure sensor and fertility tool from as early as next year, as part of a series of new health-related features. Pictured is an Apple Watch Series 6

Beyond that, Apple also wants its watches to detect sleep apnea, provide medical guidance when they sense low blood oxygen levels, and even one day spot diabetes, according to people close to the company who spoke to the Wall Street Journal.

According to The Journal, Apple is looking at a proxy that measures the speed of the wave of a heart beat that goes through a person's arteries using sensors inside the Watch.

Presently, blood pressure is most commonly measured via inflatable cuffs around a person's arm.

However, they cautioned that many features being looked at may either be delayed or never rolled out to customers.

One of Apple's reported aims is for its watch to take a person's temperature by next year, which could also be used for fertility planning by giving women clues about where they are in their ovulation cycle, a source said.

MailOnline has approached Apple for a comment but the company is yet to respond.

The tech giant has increasingly been positioning the Apple Watch as a wellness tool: SCC filings first reported in May 2021 suggested the company was tapping UK-based Rockley Photonics to develop non-invasive sensors that can measure blood pressure, blood sugar and other biochemical markers.

The Apple Watch 6 was the first to read blood oxygen levels, but if the new technology makes it into future models it could have implications for the more than 436 million people worldwide who have diabetes.

The Apple Watch 6 (pictured) was the first to read blood oxygen levels. But future models may include a thermometer to help with fertility planning and a blood pressure measurement tool

Rockley Photonics' products track various health functions non-invasively with infrared, including body temperature, blood pressure and glucose, alcohol and oxygen levels in the blood.

Apple CEO Tim Cook personally test-drove a blood-glucose tracker in 2017, and there were rumours such a monitor would come with the Apple Watch Series 7 next month.

However, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman said these were not true and that it will probably not arrive until 2022 at the earliest, in the form of a body-temperature monitor. He also said the latest model would not include a blood pressure sensor.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman said the Series 7 will come with a variety of new watch faces to complement the bigger display.

'While last year's upgrade centered on the blood-oxygen sensor, this year's [upgrade] is all about a new design with a flatter display and edges, a faster processor and slightly larger screens,' he wrote.

'I'm told that Apple will bundle multiple new watch faces to take advantage of the bigger screen, including an updated Infograph Modular face.'

The mooted new design will put the watch in line with the latest iPhones, which swapped curved edges for flat ones.

Gurman confirmed the Series 7 will be available in 41- and 45-millimeters sizes, up from 40 and 44 millimeters for the Series 6.

Details about the Apple Watch 7 are expected to be formally announced alongside the iPhone 13 at the company's September event, which could happen as soon as September 8.
Highly narcissistic individuals climb the career ladder to become head of their company 29 per cent faster, a new study claims.

Researchers compared levels of narcissism in 241 CEOs around Italy, as determined by questionnaires, with their employment history.

The academics found that the executives with the highest scores for narcissism got promoted quicker, regardless of whether their firm was a family business or not.

This suggests narcissistic individuals benefit from the toxic personality flaw when they're aiming at becoming head of their company as fast as possible  although the experts don't know why this is.

In psychology, narcissism is generally characterised by grandiosity, pride, egotism and a lack of empathy for others.

Highly narcissistic individuals become CEOs quicker, regardless of whether the firm is a family business or not, Italian researchers report (stock image of a male CEO)

WHAT IS NARCISSISM? Narcissism is characterised by grandiosity, pride, egotism and a lack of empathy. Symptoms include an excessive need for admiration, disregard for others' feelings, an inability to handle any criticism and a sense of entitlement. Extreme narcissism can cross over into a mental illness called narcissistic personality disorder, found more commonly in men. The cause is unknown but likely involves a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Advertisement

It's one of the 'Dark Triad' of undesirable personality traits, along with Machiavellianism and psychopathy

The study authors say it's 'widely acknowledged' that narcissism is a peculiar characteristic of leaders, such as CEOs.

However, the role of narcissism on the emergence and appointment of these leaders has not been studied  until now.

The research, published in the journal The Leadership Quarterly, has been conducted by Paola Rovelli, an assistant professor at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, and Camilla Curnis, a PhD student at the Milan Polytechnic University.

'Our results are somewhat worrying,' the researchers told the BBC.

'When we started developing our interest towards CEO narcissism, we noticed that the literature had mainly focused on the consequences of this trait on the firm.'

The researchers didn't establish whether narcissism causes a fast career progression, although it's likely.

Narcissists could be better at bigging up their own capabilities to get promoted  a tactic that may be very effective even if they're lying.

For the study, the team used responses of the 241 Italian CEOs to the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), which was originally developed in 1979 by US-based researchers Robert Raskin and Howard Terry to assess people's level of the trait.

The study authors say: 'It is widely acknowledged that narcissism is a peculiar characteristic of leaders, such as CEOs. However, the role of narcissism in CEO emergence and appointment has not been studied yet' (stock image)

NPI STATEMENTS Statement 1: a) I have a natural talent for influencing people b) I am no good at influencing people Statement 2: a) The thought of ruling the world frightens the hell out of me b) If I ruled the world it would be a better place Statement 3: a) I insist on getting the respect that is due to me b) I usually get the respect I deserve Advertisement

NPI consists of 40 binary choice statements that people have to choose from, including 'The thought of ruling the world frightens the hell out of me' or 'If I ruled the world it would be a better place'.

For this particular choice of statements, unsurprisingly, the latter indicates narcissism.

People who complete the NPI are given a score out of 40, based on how many times they opted for the narcissistic statement.

Next, NPI scores were compared to data from the executives' CVs, including time between promotions at their organisations.

CEOs with a high degree of narcissism were around 29 per cent faster in their appointment compared to the average hard-working candidate of similar qualifications.

Overall, women tended to have slightly lower narcissism scores, although there was a fairly small number of female CEOs in their sample.

The authors claim they're confident that their paper has high value for firms in the process of appointing a new CEO.

'Narcissism is generally associated with negative behavioural tendencies, such as entitlement and exploitativeness, as well negative organisational outcomes,' they warn.

Narcissism is one of the 'Dark Triad' of undesirable personality traits, along with Machiavellianism and psychopathy

'Since narcissism speeds up appointment, firms might find themselves with younger CEOs who are less experienced than older ones, adding a further element of risk for the firm.

'Therefore, firms should be wary of favouring the appointment of narcissistic individuals, even if evidence shows that such individuals are appointed to the CEO position at a faster pace.'

In July this year, another team of researchers at the University of Bristol claimed it's a myth that testosterone levels drive success for CEOs, contradicting previous assumptions.

High testosterone could be a result of success, rather than the other way around, they reported, which could explain previous studies that linked high levels of the hormone with a successful life.
The force is strong with this one.

The Hubble Space Telescope has snapped a picture of a HerbigHaro object in the Orion constellation that looks strikingly similar to a lightsaber from Star Wars.

Known as HH111, this 'relatively rare celestial phenomenon' was snapped by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), according to a statement from the European Space Agency.

'These spectacular objects are formed under very specific circumstances,' the ESA said.

The Hubble Space Telescope snapped a picture of a HerbigHaro object that looks like a light saber, known as HH111

This object is a 'relatively rare celestial phenomenon' and is in the Orion constellation (pictured)

Hubble's WFC3 takes images in visible and infrared light, allowing for astronomers to see objects through the gas and dust of space more clearly.

The ESA added that when stars are newly formed, they are often very active and throw off 'jets of rapidly moving ionized gas.'

This gas gets so hot that 'its molecules and atoms have lost their electrons, making the gas highly charged,' the ESA explained.

The ionized gas eventually collides with the clouds of gas and dust that surround the newly formed stars at hundreds of kilometers per second.

But since they release so much light at optical wavelengths, they are difficult to view.

'Therefore, the WFC3s ability to observe at infrared wavelengths  where observations are not as affected by gas and dust is crucial to observing HerboHaro objects successfully,' the ESA added.

According to NASA, Herbig-Haro objects are 'bright patches of nebulosity associated with newborn stars.'

They generally take the form of thin jets of partially ionized gas in deep space that are 'ejected by stars collide with nearby clouds of gas and dust,' the US space agency added.

In 2015, the Hubble took an image of another Herbig-Haro object, HH24, that also looks like a lightsaber.

NASA went so far as to mention Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens and the fact it looks like a 'cosmic, double-bladed lightsaber' in its description.

HH24 is located in the Orion B molecular cloud complex, roughly 1,350 light-years from Earth.

The picture was taken by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3, which can view in visible and infrared light

Last month, Hubble's WFC3 was responsible for releasing an image of a stellar nursery, AFGL 5180, 5,000 light-years from Earth.

The Hubble, which has operated for over 30 years, is set to be replaced by the $10 billion James Webb Telescope when it launches later this year.
Climate change will deplete stocks of fish that Arctic predators, such as ringed seals, feed on, forcing them to go after smaller, less nourishing prey, a new study warns.

The study, put together by researchers at the University of British Columbia, suggests that changes to both fish numbers and their size in the Hudson Bay in Canada will accelerate by 2025.

Cod stocks will decline between 18 and 35 percent and Pacific sand lance will decline anywhere between 45 and 82 percent. Those species body size will also shrink, meaning seals which find them won't have as nourishing a meal.

Climate change will shrink the size of certain fish that seals feed on, forcing them to eat less fulfilling fish

The size and population of fish in the Hudson Bay  such as the Arctic cod  will accelerate by 2025 and population figures could drop by 50%

Cod will decline between 18-35% in size and Pacific sand lance will decline between 45-82%

They estimate that if the atmosphere continues to be impacted by greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide and methane, all varieties of fish in the study will shrink in size.

'This decrease in body size, along with a shift from the energy- and lipid-rich Arctic cod to smaller forage fishes, may result in seals feeding on more on junk food with un-known demographic consequences, but perhaps including reduced energy reserves (stored as blubber),' the authors wrote in the study.

All fish species declined in body size according to the model, but there was a 29 percent increase in total prey biomass, meaning that smaller fish, such as capelin and sand lance, may become more prevalent.

'It costs energy to forage,' the study's lead author, UBC student Katie Florko, said in a statement.

'Does that mean the seals will need to spend more energy to get a larger number of these smaller fish for the same amount of energy as capturing a bigger fish?'

Florko continued: 'It's not unlike how the burgers in fast food restaurants seem to get smaller and smaller every year, and you're getting less bang for your buck.'

With Arctic waters heating up due to climate change, the cod will head north and decline in numbers, the researchers said

It's unclear what the consequences would be to eating less fulfilling fish and not cod (pictured)

All fish species declined in body size according to the model, but there was a 29 percent increase in total prey biomass, meaning that smaller fish, such as capelin and sand lance (pictured), may become more prevalent

With Arctic waters heating up due to climate change, the cod will head north and decline in numbers, the researchers said.

The findings are not unexpected. Several other studies in recent memory have suggested that fish will get smaller as the world warms, because they will have to increase their metabolism and will need more oxygen to sustain their bodily functions.

A study published in February looked at fish size and bottom sea temperatures over the past 30 years and concluded that the size of adult fish, including cod, haddock and whiting, are shrinking.

In August, a separate study suggested that other fish, such as sardines, pilchards and herrings, are shrinking and at risk of extinction due to climate change.

Last month, a report from the United Nations said the planet will heat up by 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit by 2040, a decade earlier than forecast.

As larger fish have greater energy reserves to call upon in comparison with smaller fish, a reduction in size will reduce the distances over which fish can travel, and limit their ability to seek out more suitable environments as the climate changes.

For other animals, the situation is more complex, Florko noted.

Beluga whales feast on capelin in the summer, but dine on Arctic cod in the fall to store body fat.

'We've never seen such drastic change so quickly,' said Travis Tai, a co-author of the study.

'We're rolling the dice, and we don't know what exactly will happen.

'When we have dramatic shifts in food web structures, we can expect large changes not only to how species such as ringed seals use the oceans, but also how people use the oceans.'

The study was published last month in the journal Ecology Letters.
After taking a seventh match point Emma Raducanu lit up Flushing Meadows last night with a radiant smile that said she had made the second round of the US Open.

The 18 year-old from Kent became the first British teenager since Laura Robson to win a main draw match in New York when she dismissed Switzerland's Stefanie Voegele 6-2 6-3.

Bar a mini drama at the end when she missed six opportunities to close out the contest it was another highly assured performance from Raducanu, who has now won four matches from the start of qualifying without dropping a set.

Emma Raducanu has advanced to the second round of the US Open in straight sets

The 18-year-old looked assured as she cruised to a one set lead with a 6-2 win in the first

Once again she beat a nominally higher ranked player in Voegele but now the gradient becomes steeper with world number 49 Shuai Zhang of Chine awaiting in the next round.

'It's absolutely amazing,' declared a beaming Raducanu, who last played at this venue in the 2018 junior while still very much a schoolgirl.

'Everybody could tell I was getting a bit shaky at the end, I was so relieved to finish it.'

Amid more steaming heat she was resolute against a seasoned opponent with a quirky serve and useful backhand. Each time the rallies went past several shots it always looked like Raducanu had the better of her.

'I'm quite used to the conditions and the heat and humidity, I feel really good physically and confident in my game. I got broken in both sets but then managed to some clean returns immediately after them.'

She was due to have played world number fourteen Jennifer Brady, beaten finalist at this year's Australian Open. That match-up was due to take place on the huge Louis Armstrong Stadium, which would have been the biggest court the British teenager has played on in her career.

However, when Brady withdrew due to a foot injury the contest was relegated to the smaller Court 17, known as The Pit due its sunken nature which allows little cooling breeze to circulate.

Vogele was dumped out of the tournament in straight sets by the 18-year-old

Raducanu has improved her serve and it paid dividends at Flushing Meadows

Voegele was promoted into the draw as a 'lucky loser', having gone down in the final round of last week's qualifying event. She had reached that after having save a match point in her second match against Raducanu's good friend, Surrey's Jodie Anna Burrage.

Nonetheless, the Swiss brought with her plenty of experience, having reached the world's top fifty in 2013. Her father died the following year and she has been unable to improve on a career-high ranking of 42.

While on paper an easier draw for Raducanu, it is also the case that lucky losers sometimes play with a little more freedom, having been handed an unexpected chance to take advantage of their good fortune.

Voegele certainly started like someone playing with few cares, stringing together some winners and then darting to the net to break her opponent's serve in the third game.

Unflustered, the response was instant as Raducanu immediately broke back to love. It was never likely to resemble the match that preceded them on another of these fast Flushing Meadows courts, which saw seven foot tall Reilly Opelka pump down 33 aces en route to a swift victory.

Raducanu backed up her performances at Wimbledon in the summer with another big display

A run of eight straight points saw the younger player restore her lead. There was better to come in the next game when she broke the Swiss again by leaning into a backhand and driving a winner to go 4-2 up.

An area of the Raducanu game that looked like it could have more to come at Wimbledon was her serve, but the improvement was clear as she drove on to the first set.

By the time she closed out the opener with a fifth successive game she was heading up towards 80% of her first serves landing in, a threshold that was breached early in the second.

With a smooth action delivered from her 5' 9' it is a shot that should pay dividends in these conditions. Nonetheless it failed to save her as Voegele repeated the trick of breaking in the third game, only to be met with the same response as in the first set from Raducanu, who immediately levelled.

She decisively broke for 5-3 in the second set despite the Swiss rallying more strongly from the back, and then forged to 40-0 before becoming slightly nervous within touching distance of the win.

Raducanu's fellow qualifier, Leicestershire's Katie Boulter, was the last of British singles players in first round action. On Tuesday night she was due to face Russia's world number 52 Liudmila Samsonova.
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Just heavenly.

This amazing Italian church sits 2,539ft (774 metres) above sea level and is built into the side of a cliff.

And as these pictures show, it almost looks like it is suspended in mid-air - the Avatar of chapels.

The Santuario Madonna della Corona (or Sanctuary of the Lady of the Crown), which is built into the side of Mount Baldo

It is a popular place for pilgrims who are drawn to the church by its stunning views and the art it has on display

The beautiful church is perched on a thin shelf of cliffside rock that is 2,539ft (774 metres) above sea level

Called the Santuario Madonna della Corona (or Sanctuary of the Lady of the Crown), it is built on a thin shelf of rock on Mount Baldo above the valley of the River Adige, close to Lake Garda.

It is a popular place for pilgrims who are drawn in by its stunning views, sculptures and replica of the Scala Santa - the stairs that Jesus is said to have walked up in Pilate's palace before his crucifixion.

The history of Santuario Madonna della Corona dates back over 1,000 years, the site originally being a hermitage where monks linked to the Abbey of St Zeno in Verona would travel to for silent contemplation.

According to the church's website, by the second half of the 13th century, there was a monastery on the site with a chapel dedicated to St Mary of Montebaldo.

The site of the church was originally a hermitage, where monks linked to the Abbey of St Zeno in Verona would gather for silent contemplation

The church's current Gothic facade was added to the building in 1899. It has undergone many renovations and restorations

The church's website explains: 'This place is ideal for those who want to combine moments of prayer and inner peace with opportunities to relax and enjoy the silence that nature can offer in this lovely place'

Inside the Santuario Madonna della Corona. In 1982, it was declared a 'minor basilica' of Italy and Pope John Paul II paid a visit to it in 1988

But it wasn't until 1530 that the earliest structure of the existing church was inaugurated - although worshippers had to navigate a tiny cliffside passage to reach it. Two sets of access steps were later built, including a bridge so visitors no longer had to cross the river.

In 1625 an even bigger church was built 13ft above the existing building and in 1899 the current Gothic facade was added.

The church complex survived into the 20th century and in the 1970s it underwent a complete restoration.

Pilgrims can reach the church by hiking for two hours up a path that starts in the nearby town of Brentino

In 1982, it was declared a 'minor basilica' of Italy and Pope John Paul II paid a visit to it in 1988.

Today, pilgrims can reach Santuario Madonna della Corona by either following a two-hour hiking path from the town of Brentino or they can drive to the town of Spiazzi and walk up the one-kilometre road to the church. The road features 14 bronze statues representing the Stations of the Cross. There is also a shuttle bus that runs to the church from Spiazzi on the same road.

The church's website explains: 'This place is ideal for those who want to combine moments of prayer and inner peace with opportunities to relax and enjoy the silence that nature can offer in this lovely place.'
Forget the days of pile it high  more and more cruise lines now focus on quality first with farm-to-table meat, vegetarian and vegan ingredients and regionally themed menus, meaning passengers can always try something new.

More tables for two, lighter options and sensibly sized portions are being requested by passengers, and the cruise lines have been quick to respond.

On Celebrity Silhouette, guests can book an AquaClass stateroom which gives access to the Blu restaurant with healthy choices.

Dominic and Vanessa Woods, who are both in their late fifties, say their favourite spot is on the pool deck. Dominic, a data analyst for Keech Hospice Care in Luton, Bedfordshire says, We find ourselves a couple of loungers beside the panoramic windows and whirlpool so we can just enjoy looking out to sea.

Its our base for the day and we wander over to the Spa Cafe for healthy meals and snacks for breakfast and lunch.

We paid 3,096 for both of us to stay in AquaClass so we eat in Blu, and we can use the thermal suite, a spa concierge and a fitness pass.On Viking Cruises, there are so many healthy, flavoursome options it is hard to know which restaurant to choose.

There is no extra charge to dine in any of the specialty venues, and Manfredis Italian restaurant is a favourite for fish and steak. The Dover sole, expertly deboned at the table, Arctic chard and Icelandic cod on one menu prove a difficult choice, so guests tend to rebook for another evening.

The all-day World Cafe serves so much seafood and sushi that it is impossible not to go back for second helpings.

Asian fusion choices are also popular, and Oceania Cruises new ship Vista, which debuts in early 2023, will feature Red Ginger with Pan-Asian dishes including Thai, Korean, Japanese and Malaysian specialities.

On Sagas Spirit of Adventure, Khukuri House, the first Nepalese restaurant at sea is wowing guests with dishes including Western Nepal lamb rack and Halibut fillet with Himalayan pink salt.

On MSC Virtuosa, its a cabaret in Kaito Teppanyaki as the chef cooks and entertains the audience with a dazzling display of culinary and chopping skills before serving mouth-watering dishes.

Great fun for all the family.

Of course, steak remains a favourite treat on cruise ships, and Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) Brazilian steakhouses are a must.

Start at the salad bar, but save room for slow-roasted meats carved at the table. NCL also offers Freestyle Dining, with no fixed dining times or pre-assigned seating.

On P&Os new ship Iona, passengers can also tuck into classic dishes from fish and chips at Hook, Line and Vinegar or try a giant Prime Minister burger at the new Keel & Cow gastro-pub in the atrium.

Theres also a new Mediterranean-themed restaurant, the Olive Grove, serving Greek mezze, Italian antipasti and Spanish paella.

Double helping of Cunard talent

Twins Nick and Mark Oldroyd have been Cunard chefs for more than two decades, rising through the ranks to executive chefs  but they can barely contain their excitement when talking about welcoming guests back to sea.

Queen Elizabeths staycation cruises from Southampton now feature the brothers new menus that were devised during lockdown.

Nick and Mark, 45, have now just spent four months bringing the ship back into service with the revised menus that focus on healthy options, locally sourced produce, and vegan and vegetarian alternatives.

Nick, who is the Cunards operational executive chef, explained the new Lido Alternative. We are offering a more flexible approach to dining, he says. People can book a table on an app or simply call the restaurant.

Dining is even more elegant and refined with sensible portion sizes  and there are more tables for two which are proving popular. Menus include leg of Pyrenean milk-fed lamb, which is carved at the table.

Its a nice touch and adds a theatre element to the Lido offering. We are also introducing Formans smoked salmon in beetroot marinade which is going down a treat.

The Steakhouse at the Verandah features a meat supplier who sources from small farms rearing free-range native breeds such as Hereford and Aberdeen Angus and Hampshire Duroc pigs.Mark, who is the Britannia Restaurants executive chef, says guests can expect their favourite dishes and try new plant-based food options.

More people are looking for healthy choices, he says. Even meat-eaters are choosing vegan options because they taste so good. Our tofu cheesecake is excellent and the Beyond Meat vegetarian burger  halloumi, tomato jam, dill pickles and crispy onions in a brioche bun with truffle mayonnaise  is a real winner.

So, after 18 years of only seeing each other for a few weeks every couple of years, the Yorkshire-born brothers have spent a great deal of time together. Its been fantastic, says Mark. Weve really enjoyed working on the menus because we know we each others strengths and weaknesses.

Its been a great experience, says Nick. Although there are changes to the dining experience, the one thing that hasnt altered is Cunards White Star service. At the moment there is one crew member to every passenger.

When guests return and come to find us to say hello, it feels very special.
The cheating scandal on The Block just took another turn.

Ronnie and Georgia Caceres admitted on Tuesday they had also seen the production schedule at the centre of the controversy - way back in week one.

The married couple, who are the bookies' favourites to win this season, dropped the bombshell on their joint Instagram account.

Another twist in The Block cheating scandal: Frontrunners Ronnie and Georgia revealed on Wednesday that they ALSO saw the production schedule in week one

But the pair insisted that despite being in the 'thick of the drama', they informed producers right away after having seen the schedule and tried to do the right thing.

'To clarify - yes we saw the photo of the production board in week one for about three seconds and informed producers what had just happened literally five minutes later,' the said in their post, which was uploaded after Tuesday's episode.

Ronnie and Georgia said they didn't want to reveal what had happened on camera because they wanted to avoid drama.

'To clarify - yes we saw the photo of the production board in week one for about three seconds and informed producers what had just happened literally five minutes later,' their post began

'Cut to three weeks later, we're highly irritated with the master bedroom scores, knowing that teams were effectively cheating and winning - that's when Rondog volcano erupted and the photo scandal was shared on camera...' they added.

'And well, here we now are... right in the thick of the drama, exactly where we didn't want to be.'

During Tuesday's episode, Tanya Guccione revealed the origin of the now-infamous leaked whiteboard photo detailing the show's production schedule.

Awkward: During Tuesday's episode of the Nine renovation show, Tanya Guccione revealed the origin of the now-infamous leaked whiteboard photo detailing the show's production schedule

She sat alongside co-star Luke Packham and admitted to a producer an 'ex-tradie' sent her the image in the first week of filming the Nine renovation series.

Tanya first explained it was sent to her Block phone number, before she backtracked and corrected herself, saying it was sent to her 'personal number'.

She told the camera she showed the photo to her husband Vito, who did not want anything to do with it.

Knowing The Block's production schedule gives an advantage because it allows for all kinds of preparations to be made in advance ahead of room reveals and challenge days.

Tanya admitted she could have kept the photo for her own advantage, but her honesty won over, saying: 'It's been a huge burden.'

Meanwhile, in the tea room, Ronnie broke the news to his wife who was relieved to finally learn the truth.

'So it turns out that Tanya and Vito knew all along. So they knew, that's why they've kept their mouth shut all along,' he said.

Georgia, who along with Ronnie told producers about the leaked photo, said: 'Don't you think that was so telling, because last night at the dinner, they were so quiet?'
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has received the ultimate digital makeover courtesy of a viral Instagram account.

Hot Australian Politicians uses flattering filters to make lawmakers and public servants appear younger and more photogenic, and has already given 'glow-ups' to the likes of Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant.

Hanson, 67, was one of the first politicians to get an Insta-glam transformation earlier this year, long before the account became popular.

Transformation: One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has received the ultimate digital makeover courtesy of viral Instagram account Hot Australian Politicians

A photo of Hanson from 2017 was edited to give her long hair extensions, facial contouring and highlighting, and smoky eye makeup.

'PLEASE EXPLAIN why this gorgeous Ipswich lass is so familiar. Swipe to see her IRL counterpart!' the caption read.

Ms Hanson has represented Queensland in the Australian Senate since the 2016 Federal Election.

She first entered politics as a member of the Ipswich City Council in 1994, after previously working in fish and chip shop.

Hanson then became the face of One Nation Party in the late 1990s.

Digital makeover: Jacqui Lambie had a similar makeover on Monday, with the transformation leading fans to compare her to a Kardashian. Left: Lambie in 2017; right: the altered image

Ms Lambie also received a similar makeover on Monday, with the transformation leading fans to compare her to a Kardashian.

Her retouched image gave the appearance of wearing heavy makeup, while her hair was digitally enhanced with extensions.

Fans were quick to comment on the before-and-after images, with one writing: 'I thought it was Kim Kardashian!' Another added: 'The long lost Kardashian.'

'What in the Khloe Kardashian is this?' a third wrote, while a fourth commented: 'I bet Jacqui would be down for this makeover!'

Impressed: Fans of the account were quick to comment on the before-and-after images, with one writing: 'I thought it was Kim Kardashian!' Another added: 'The long lost Kardashian'

Another one: NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant was given a similar makeover last week

Ms Lambie was a Senator for Tasmania from 2014 to 2017, and was re-elected in 2019. She is also the leader and founder of the Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN).

The account captioned the image: 'Yo bro, who got you smilin' like that? Jacqui Lambie. It's Jacqui Lambie that has me smiling like that.'

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant was given a similar makeover by the account last week.

The profile's admin dubbed the physician, who grew up in Punchbowl in Sydney's west, 'Our Punchbowl queen.'

The UNSW-educated doctor has been the Chief Health Officer for NSW since 2008.

Third time lucky: Another politician who got the glow up treatment was NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured on October 14)

Wow! The 50-year-old was given purple hair and a fringe for good measure in the edited photo

Another politician who got the glow-up treatment was NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

The 50-year-old was given purple hair and a fringe for good measure.

But perhaps the most bizarre makeover was the one for NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller.

Top cop: Perhaps the most bizarre makeover was the one for NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller (pictured on July 30)

The top cop was not only aged down radically and given a goatee, but also had a whole new hairstyle.

Fuller's short-cropped hair was replaced with long, beachy tresses.

Many followers of Hot Australian Politicians were fans of the look, with one commenting: 'This one turns me on.'
The Bachelorette alum Jef Holm has dropped a restraining order against his former roommate Robby Hayes.

The issue was slated to come before a Los Angeles Superior Court Monday, but neither appeared, according to People.

In court docs reviewed by the outlet, the court said that 'all temporary restraining orders, if any, are dissolved' in the case, which had been 'dismissed.'

The latest: The Bachelorette alum Jef Holm, 37, has dropped a restraining order against his former roommate Robby Hayes, 32

Holm, 37, told E! News that 'tensions died down' between him and Hayes, 32, following legal proceedings earlier this month.

'I haven't seen any reason to continue with the restraining order, so I dropped it,' Holm, who won the Bachelorette's eighth season, told the outlet. 'Like I mentioned before, I wish him the best.'

Holm had received a restraining order from Hayes, 32, earlier this month after he initially claimed Hayes, his former roommate, had continued to linger around the Los Angeles-area residence they shared after he moved out.

Terms of the restraining order ordered Hayes to remain a minimum of 100 yards away from Holm, his vehicle and his workplace.

Details: Holm, who won the Bachelorette's eighth season, said that that 'tensions died down' between him and Hayes following legal proceedings earlier this month

Hayes had past been seen on The Bachelorette in 2016, and subsequently on Bachelor in Paradise in 2017 and 2018

'Robert used to live at my house but does not now,' the St. George, Utah native said in docs earlier this month. 'He continues to enter the premises & harass me & I do not feel safe around him.'

Holm said that Hayes, a Jacksonville, Florida native, had threatened him 'and still hasn't stopped to this day, entering the home on a weekly basis with a hostile attitude.

'He claims he has belongings there and that's why he enters but he is not on the lease and is making me fearful,' Holm said in the previous legal docs.

Holm previously told E! News that he 'had to take legal action' against Hayes after he'd 'allowed him to live there rent free for years as a friend.'

'When the living situation became hostile I asked him to leave and he refused,' he said. 'It went on like this for months.'

Holm previously told E! News that he 'had to take legal action' against Hayes after he'd 'allowed him to live there rent free for years as a friend'

Holm has past been seen on 2012's The Bachelorette, getting engaged to Emily Maynard Johnson prior to their split.

Hayes had past been seen on The Bachelorette in 2016, and subsequently on Bachelor in Paradise in 2017 and 2018.

Holm and Hayes initially met in 2017 at a party at a Venice Beach, California home Holm resided in, as they also resided with The Bachelorette alum Chase McNary, 32, according to US Weekly.

The party was held in the wake of a Women Tell-All taping for former contestant Nick Viall.
Marty Sheargold has received the results back from his latest radio survey - and it doesn't look too promising.

His Triple M drive program, The Marty Sheargold Show, which commenced in January and airs weekdays from 3-4pm, dropped 0.8 points to a 3.8 per cent audience share.

'The Marty Sheargold Show is a great show, very different from its predecessor,' said Mike Fitzpatrick, Head of Triple M Network, in an interview with The Herald Sun.

Bombed: Marty Sheargold (pictured) has received the results back from his latest radio survey - and it doesn't look too promising

Fitzpatrick said the program was to be a 'long-term breakfast show' for the network, regardless of the survey results.

But TV and radio expert Colin Vickery said the show was in trouble and had failed to resonate with Melbourne audiences.

'In lockdown it seems to be some of the FM and music shows have suffered a bit with people maybe looking to talk radio for news and updates,' Vickery said.

Numbers: The Marty Sheargold Show, which began in January and airs weekdays from 3-4pm, dropped 0.8 points to a 3.8 per cent audience share

'Marty has a great sense of humour and weve seen him be successful as part of a team on Nova. It's a shame as it feels like his solo show hasnt resonated as well.'

It wasn't all bad news for the radio host, however, with the survey revealing the show is number one in the male 25-54 demographic.

The figures came from survey five, which was recorded from May 23 to June 26, and from July 11 to August 14.

'It feels like his solo show hasnt resonated as well': TV and radio expert Colin Vickery said the radio show was in trouble and had failed to resonate with Melbourne audiences

The Marty Sheargold Show replaced The Hot Breakfast with Eddie McGuire and Luke Darcy, who ended their program towards the end of last year after 11 years on air.

The Hot Breakfast slot was sitting on a 6.4 per cent audience share when it ended, but that figure has fallen since the start of Marty's show.

Sheargold moved into his own slot on Triple M after leaving Nova's Kate, Tim and Marty in September 2020.
They tied the knot back in 2018 after seven years of dating.

And Rose Leslie looked effortlessly chic in a cream maxi skirt and cropped T-shirt while her husband Kit Harington, 34, opted for comfort on Tuesday in New York.

The actress, 34, paired her look with a brown back pack back white Gucci trainers.

Happy couple: Rose Leslie looked effortlessly chic in a cream maxi skirt and cropped T-shirt while her husband Kit Harington opted for comfort on Tuesday in New York

She also wore a grey face mask while hoping into a waiting taxi before going separate ways from Kit.

He cut a casual figure in a white T-shirt which he wore with cream shorts and matching trainers.

The couple are currently in the Big Apple as Rose films upcoming HBO drama The Time Traveller's Wife.

The actress is currently starring in BBC drama Vigil, which is set in Scotland.

Chic: The actress, 34, paired her look with a brown back pack back white Gucci trainers

The series has been described as a tense drama that revolves around events after the mysterious disappearance of a fishing trawler and death on board a Trident nuclear submarine.

Rose stars opposite Suranne Jones and Martin Compston in the Sunday night police procedural drama.

Rose, who shot to fame as Ygritte in Game of Thrones, plays DS Kirsten Longacre, who assists Suranne's' character DCI Amy Silva with the investigation.

The debut episode, which aired on August 29, received positive reviews from critics.

Casual: She also wore a face mask while hoping into a waiting taxi before going separate ways from Kit

Many viewers were surprised to see Martin Compston's character killed off in the first few minutes of the episode while Rose's performance and accent skills were praised.

One fan wrote: 'I am watching #Vigil purely for Martin Compston and he dies within the first 8 minutes, I haven't been this upset since this Line of Duty finale.'

Another said: 'I have been waiting since the final of Line of Duty to watch Martin in a new series and they kill him off 10 minutes in, this isn't fair'.

Praising Rose, one viewer said: 'Good morning just to Rose Leslie who delivered an impeccable performance yesterday in Vigil.'

Another added: 'As always, Rose Leslie's command of accents is superb #Vigil'.

Vigil aired on August 30 at 9pm on BBC One.
Steve Martin returns to the small screen for the first time in years with Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, and he's also responsible for the unique title.

Martin, 76, stars alongside longtime collaborator Martin Short and Selena Gomez in the new series, which debuts on Hulu on Tuesday.

The comedian also co-created the series with showrunner John Hoffman, who revealed in an interview with The Wrap that the title was all Martin's idea.

Title: Steve Martin returns to the small screen for the first time in years with Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, and he's also responsible for the unique title

'That choice was firmly in the mind of Steve Martin from the very beginning,' Hoffman revealed.

'He presented it to me and said, "I feel this has to be the title. I dont know why, (but) this has to be the title,"' Hoffman added.

Hoffman added that Martin had 'very few insistent things when he first presented this idea,' but one of them was the title.

Title choice: 'That choice was firmly in the mind of Steve Martin from the very beginning,' Hoffman revealed

'It was a very clean idea that we all jumped up and down about. But one of them was that the title be this,' Hoffman added.

He added the other 'insistent' idea Martin had was, 'that we answer who did it for the running seasons crime.'

His comment about the 'running season's crime' could indicate that they're crafting the program as an anthology series, with a new crime and a new cast each season.

Clean idea: 'It was a very clean idea that we all jumped up and down about. But one of them was that the title be this,' Hoffman added

As for the title, Hoffman thinks, 'Its actually interesting to put the word Murder in a title. It causes some concerns that way.'

'I hope the way we found to integrate it  and integrate the podcast idea into it  that it became charming in its own way,' Hoffman continued.

The showrunner added that Martin thinks the title, 'perks your ear up,' because it's not a title you expect to hear.

Interesting: As for the title, Hoffman thinks, 'Its actually interesting to put the word Murder in a title. It causes some concerns that way'

'Youre like, wait a minute, "What is that?" You have to ask again when you hear the title. And he likes that, I like that,' Hoffman said.

Only Murders in the Building follows three neighbors in a New York City apartment building who are all true crime buffs.

Their amateur detective skills are put to the test when an actual murder happens in their building and they try to solve the case themselves.
Australian Survivor: Brains vs Brawn star George Mladenov has hit a nerve with viewers over his frustrating habit of giving up on challenges.

The self-proclaimed 'King of Bankstown', 31, sparked backlash after throwing in the towel halfway through both Monday and Tuesday's immunity challenges.

The castaways were challenged on Monday's episode to take part in an above-water obstacle course.

'If he wanted to sit around, he should've gone on Big Brother': Australian Survivor star George Mladenov has hit a nerve with viewers over his frustrating habit of giving up on challenges

The first hurdle saw the contestants jump from a high platform into the water, while grabbing a ball as they jumped.

While Wai Chim, who can't swim, had good reason to sit the challenge out, George simply decided to quit after he realised how high the platform was.

'I can't jump that far  it's too far,' the Labor spin doctor said, gripping the handrails as he gingerly stepped towards the edge of the podium.

Not impressed: The self-proclaimed 'King of Bankstown', 31, sparked backlash after throwing in the towel halfway through both Monday and Tuesday's immunity challenges

'Ah, I just give up': The castaways were challenged on Monday's episode to take part in an above-water obstacle course, but George gave up after realising how high the platform was

'Nah, I just give up,' he declared, before turning around and climbing back down.

Much to viewers' disappointment, George delivered a repeat performance on Tuesday's episode when he quit halfway through a puzzle challenge.

The contestants were asked to create a long device out of sticks to unhook a key that allowed them to progress through the challenge.

'I'll go back and eat rice and lentils': Much to viewers' disappointment, George delivered a repeat performance on Tuesday's episode when he quit halfway through a puzzle challenge

After several failed attempts at crafting the object, George threw up his hands in defeat.

'Nah, who cares. I'll go back and eat rice and lentils at camp,' he shrugged.

Fans vented their frustrations over George's defeatist attitude on Twitter, with one raging: 'I'm tired of George giving up in challenges. If he wants to just sit around, [he] should've gone on Big Brother.'

'Pretty disrespectful to just give up on challenges,' another agreed.

Irritated: Fans vented their frustrations on Twitter, with one raging: 'I'm tired of George giving up in challenges. If he wants to just sit around, [he] should've gone on Big Brother'

Other viewers accused George of being 'lazy' and said he should be kicked off the show.

'How is he still there? Should have been voted out so long time ago. Disgrace,' one tweeted.

'Vote George out please. Just quits when it gets too hard,' another concurred.

Australian Survivor continues Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel 10
James Gandolfini's son Michael Gandolfini brought tears to the eyes of cast and crew in bringing up his late father's name during the making of The Many Saints Of Newark, The Sopranos prequel film due out this fall.

Michael, 22, is set to play the younger incarnation of his father's character Tony Soprano in the movie, and according to the film's director Alan Taylor, 62, the second-generation actor brought up his late father - who died of a heart attack when Michael was 14 - during a dinner during production.

'We all had dinner one night,' Taylor told Empire. 'At one point, [Michael] stood up and said, "I want to thank everyone for doing this because it was a chance to say hello to my father  and goodbye again."'

The latest: James Gandolfini's son Michael Gandolfini, 22, brought tears to the eyes of cast and crew in bringing up his late father's name during the making of The Many Saints Of Newark, The Sopranos prequel film due out this fall. He was snapped in 2019 in LA

Taylor said 'there wasnt a dry eye in the house' after Michael's statement about James, who passed away while the two were on a vacation to Rome on June 19, 2013.

Michael told the outlet that taking the role of young Tony Soprano was 'probably the toughest decision [he's] ever had to make.

'You know, I didnt want to put pressure on myself to walk out of this feeling like Id grown in terms of my feelings towards my dad,' he said. 'I just wanted to be the best actor I could be, portraying Tony in the way David wanted, scene by scene. I didnt think about my grief because  well, I would have s*** the bed.'

The prequel focuses on the budding mafia boss as a youth amid the unrest of the 1967 Newark riots, and tensions between the African-American and Italian-American communities.

Joe Pantoliano and the late James Gandolfini (R) both won Emmys for their work on The Sopranos

Michael was seen on set as the younger incarnation of his father's character Tony Soprano in 2019

Michael, who has previously been seen on The Deuce, The Boy, the Dog and the Clown, and Youngest, said that the softer sides of the iconic TV character are illustrated during his formative years.

'My dads character had all this beautiful sensitivity underneath this aggression,' Michael told Empire. 'This version of him is the reverse. His curiosity and sensitivity comes first. Hes not a gun-wielding gangster. Hes a kid who gets whittled down and pulled in.'

He joins a cast that includes Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Cory Stoll, Billy Magnussen and Alessandro Nivola in The Many Saints Of Newark, which is set to debut October 1.
Famous siblings Rumer and Scout Willis joined forces after busy days in LA on Tuesday.

Rumer, 33, was seen grabbing lunch with a friend while Scout, 30, got in a quick workout before making her way over to her older sister's house.

Rumer looked the picture of summer as she wore a plunging white dress with red flowers and a pair of Birkenstock sandals.

Lady who lunches! Rumer Willis chatted with a friend on FaceTime during a busy day in LA which included dinner with sister Scout

Sister time: Scout carried her dog Grandma in tow as she made her way to Rumer's house following a day of errands

The actress brought along a navy cardigan as she dined al fresco at Bacari in Silverlake and carried a vintage looking coin purse on her arm.

Her hair was left curly and tied back into a ponytail and she was seen flashing a smile as she facetimed with a pal post-lunch while waiting for her car at valet.

Scout was seen getting in a quick workout at the gym while wearing leggings and a Led Zeppelin shirt with her hair tied back in a ponytail.

There's my ride! After passing the time waiting for her car on a Facetime she drove off to head back to her house ahead of her sister's arrival

Sweat session: Scout was seen getting in an early gym session while wearing a Led Zeppelin shirt and leggings with a thermos in tow

The songstress sported Crocs on her feet and tied a pair of Converse around her neck as she walked into the fitness center with a large thermos of coffee.

After a sweat session she returned home to freshen up before going to meet Rumer at her house, as she slipped into a brown linen jumpsuit and picked up her Chihuahua named Grandma.

Not present for the outing was their younger sister Tallulah, 27, who got engaged just a few months back to her boyfriend Dillon Buss.

The tight knit family splits time between Los Angeles and mom Demi Moore's home in Hailey, Idaho where they quarantined  along with dad Bruce Willis  during the pandemic.

And though they all have their own career ambitions, the trio recently teamed up with their mom for a stunning campaign for Andie Swim.
He was seen spending time with his former flame Jennifer Garner in New York City earlier in August.

And John Miller was spotted again on Monday as he visited the 49-year-old actress' home in Los Angeles.

The 43-year-old CaliGroup CEO's visit comes amid rumors that he and Jennifer have reunited after splitting in 2020.

Afternoon rendezvous: Jennifer Garner's onoff ex John Miller, 43, was spotted visiting her LA home on Monday after they were seen together in New York City earlier in August

John was dressed casually for his house call with a black T-shirt that repped his own CaliGroup company.

He also sported rugged dark blue jeans and brown leather boots, along with some designer stubble.

John was first linked to Jennifer in 2018, when they began dating shortly after she finalized her divorce to Ben Affleck, 49.

Lately, the Oscar winner has rekindled his romance with his former fiancee Jennifer Lopez, and his ex may have done the same with her ex.

New flame: John was first linked to Jennifer in 2018, when they began dating shortly after she finalized her divorce to Ben Affleck, 49; Jennifer seen on August 24 in LA

No fuss: John was dressed casually for his house call with a black T-shirt that repped his own CaliGroup company, along with dark jeans and brown boots

Salt of the earth: After their relationship was first reported in 2018, a source told Us Weekly that Jennifer had fallen for the lawyer-turned-CEO 'because he is just normal'

Earlier in August, she and John were seen visiting an apartment building in New York City.

After their relationship was first reported in 2018, a source told Us Weekly that Jennifer had fallen for the lawyer-turned-CEO 'because he is just normal,' unlike her A-lister ex.

Despite being replaced in the Alias star's life, Ben reportedly didn't mind her new beau.

Even though the two were reported to be dating, Jennifer and John never confirmed their relationship and also didn't open up about their split amid the spread of the novel coronavirus in March of 2020.

The LA-born businessman began his career as a lawyer, before moving into business ventures.

He was a vice president of Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals from the mid-to-late 2000s, before becoming the CEO of the tech company CaliGroup.

The company later launched the subsidiary CaliBurger, a chain of fast food restaurants that included innovations like a robotic burger flipper to maximize productivity.

Mum's the word: Even though the two were reported to be dating, Jennifer and John never confirmed their relationship and also didn't open up about their split amid the spread of the novel coronavirus in March of 2020

Businessman: John is the CEO of the tech company CaliGroup, as well as its high-tech subsidiary CaliBurger, a fast food chain

John's rumored love Jennifer was married to her ex Ben from 2005 to 2015, and the former couple share three children: Violet, 15; Seraphina, 12; and Samuel, nine.

The Argo star and director has been rumored recently to be eyeing an engagement to his new love Jennifer Lopez after he was seen scoping out engagement rings with his children in tow.

Since reuniting, the actors have blended their families and have begun to regularly spend time together with both sets of children in recent months.
He is currently filming the upcoming series of Blood Bloods while celebrating his seventh wedding anniversary to Jenny McCarthy away from the camera.

And Donnie Wahlberg got into character as detective Danny Reagan on Tuesday as he drew a replica gun for high-tension scenes in New York City, alongside his co-star Marisa Ramirez.

The actor and former rapper, 52, upped the ante during an action-packed confrontation in the CBS crime show, in which he hastily pointed the weapon.

Drop your weapons! Donnie Wahlberg drew a replica gun for new Blue Bloods scenes in New York on Tuesday, as he wished his wife Jenny McCarthy a happy seventh wedding anniversary

Donnie was seen wearing a dark blue suit worn over a lighter blue dress shirt and matching neck tie as he delivered a concerned expression with the gun in his hand.

The founding member of New Kids on the Block looked to be engaged in a tense standoff in the scene, looking stern and gruff as he aimed his weapon.

Meanwhile Marisa, 43, who plays detective Maria Baez, grabbed her gun holster in preparation to support Donnie in the showdown while attending to another person in the scene.

The actress wore a gray striped suit and cream loose neck top. At one point Donnie broke away in a sprint as the women stayed behind.

Meanwhile at home: The actor and former rapper, 52, penned a lengthy caption on Instagram during a momentary break from the camera, to honour his partner, 48

Tense moment: Donnie was seen wearing a dark blue suit worn over a lighter blue dress shirt and matching neck tie as he delivered a concerned expression with the gun in his hand

Standoff: The founding member of New Kids on the Block looked to be engaged in a tense standoff in the scene, looking stern and gruff as he aimed his weapon

On their way: Meanwhile Marisa, 43, who plays detective Maria Baez, grabbed her gun holster in preparation to support Donnie in the showdown

His demeanour was a lot brighter when cameras werent rolling, with the actor smiling while talking with his co-star and enjoying the outdoors.

He opted for black combat boots as he took a moment to feed some pigeons on a break from filming.

The father of two is celebrating his seventh anniversary to famous wife Jenny, 48.

For the special occasion, Donnie shared two beautiful candid snaps of the couple during their surprise vow renewal on Instagram.

'#HappyAnniversary Jenny! Seven years  no itch! I love you more than ever, Mrs Wahlberg,' he wrote in the caption. 'To be blessed with a partner whose goal is to make sure that I love myself more and more each day  is to be truly blessed.

Happy on the job: His demeanour was a lot brighter when cameras werent rolling, with the actor smiling while talking with his co-star and enjoying the outdoors

Just like Brenda Fricker in Home Alone 2: He opted for black combat boots as he took a moment to feed some pigeons on a break from filming

A moment's rest: Marisa wore a gray striped suit and cream loose neck top

Like night and day: She later sported a matching blazer as she chatted to Donnie on the steps

'Thank you for holding me down, while always holding my kite string and letting me fly.'

Later in the effusive caption, he added: 'So grateful to be able to "renew" gods amazing blessing for another year. On to forever.  HappyAnniversaryJenny! #SevenYears #NoItch '

Not to be outdone, Jenny shared a phenomenal photo and video montage clip showing the two stars evolving through the years, leading to the moment they met.

The pictures showed some of Jenny and Donnies more amusing getups from the late 80s and 90s.

'Dreams do come true. Happy Anniversary, my love,' she wrote in the caption. 'I adore and love you. Infinity. '

Awww: Also on Tuesday, Jenny shared a phenomenal photo and video montage clip showing the two stars evolving through the years leading to the moment they met
Caitlyn Jenner was spotted doing a bit of grocery shopping in Malibu on Tuesday.

The 71-year-old former professional athlete was seen stepping out of her car and enjoying the cool coastal breeze as she made her way into a local Pavilions.

The Olympian's low-key outing comes amid her ongoing campaign for the position of California's governor, which is currently held by Gavin Newsom.

Running errands: Caitlyn Jenner was seen cutting a very casual figure while heading to a grocery store in Malibu on Tuesday

Jenner sported a long-sleeve light blue t-shirt while doing her grocery shopping.

The former Olympian also wore a pair of dark jeans that fell to the middle of her calves, as well as a pair of sandals while spending time in public.

She accessorized with a single necklace and stylish tinted sunglasses and carried a leather bag with her for the length of her trip.

Her lengthy light brown hair fell onto her shoulders and backside as she spent time in public.

Taking it easy: The former Olympian sported a long-sleeve t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans while running her errands

Jenner's outing comes amid her ongoing campaign for the position of California's governor.

The former athlete began considering a run for the seat earlier this year, although she did not make any public comments at first.

The reality television personality went public with her intention to begin a campaign this past April, and she is currently running as a Republican.

She notably released a statement via Axios where she denounced Newsom's practices and expressed that 'Sacramento needs an honest leader with a clear vision.'

Working hard: Jenner is currently working on her campaign to become the governor of California; she is seen earlier this month

Jenner also decried what she saw as the current way that Californian politicians had apparently lost sight of what roles they were meant to fill.

'For the past decade, we have seen the glimmer of the Golden State reduced by one-party rule that places politics over progress and special interests over people,' she said.

A campaign adviser also spoke to the media outlet and expressed that, despite the Olympian's party affiliation, she would adopt a middle-of-the-road approach to political affairs.

Specifically, they described the reality television figure as 'someone that's socially liberal and fiscally conservative.'

Middle of the road: A campaign adviser recently described Jenner as 'someone that's socially liberal and fiscally conservative'; she is seen earlier this month

Last week, Jenner made a public appearance in Pasadena and fielded various questions from reporters and her supporters.

According to the Pasadena-Star News, the former athlete made various claims about her campaign funding and boasted that her supporters from all over the country had sent her financial donations.

'I have received more "small money" than any other candidate...I've raised money from every state in the Union,' she remarked.

Conservative talk show host Larry Elder is currently the front-runner for the Republican side of the recall campaign.
An Australian influencer has pointed out a bizarre detail about Addison Rae's brand new movie He's All That, which launched on Netflix last week.

On Tuesday, former Big Brother star Tully Smyth reviewed the gender-swapped remake of the 1999 teen classic She's All That, which has soared to number one on the streaming service across multiple countries since its release.

While she was quick to praise some of the film's qualities, there was one detail she just couldn't ignore - the sheer amount of awkward product placements dotted throughout.

Spotted: An Australian influencer has pointed out a bizarre detail about Addison Rae's (R) brand new movie He's All That, which was released on Netflix on Friday

Tully re-shared a TikTok video by Machinegunmd on Instagram which highlighted some of the brands plugged throughout the film, and many weren't exactly subtly placed.

Within minutes of the movie starting, Addison's character Padgett Sawyer is seen freshening up her skin with Alo's head-to-toe glow oil, placing the product to her phone and reading it out for her on-screen Instagram followers.

She's later seen drinking bottles of Core Water, while her classmates drink Pepsi or eat Frito-Lay chip bags, KFC or Pizza Hut.

Subtle: Addison's character Padgett Sawyer is seen freshening up her skin with Alo's head-to-toe glow oil, placing the product to her phone and reading it out for her on-screen Instagram followers

Obvious: Brin Kweller (Isabella Crovetti) is heard telling her brother: 'Never touch my Bose!' referring to her headphones

'You cleaned out all the Sun Chips!' one character tells character Cameron Kweller (Tanner Buchanan), conveniently citing the exact brand in her frustrations

'You cleaned out all the Sun Chips!' one character tells character Cameron Kweller (Tanner Buchanan), conveniently citing the exact brand in her frustrations.

Brin Kweller (Isabella Crovetti) is heard telling her brother: 'Never touch my Bose!' referring to her headphones, and is later seen enjoying a shopping spree at Old Navy online.

'This is one huge ad!' Tully wrote alongside the video, before summarising that Addison's acting 'isn't bad for a cheesy teen movie', but slamming the film's cringeworthy dance-off scene.

Shameless plugs: Addison's character is later seen drinking bottles of Core Water, while her classmates drink Pepsi or eat Frito-Lay chip bags, KFC (pictured) or Pizza Hut

Opinion: Big Brother star Tully Smyth revealed her opinions on the movie on Instagram

Speaking out: Eagle-eyed fans were also quick to pick up the the product placement, with one writing: '#HesAllThat was created because of sponsors'

Eagle-eyed fans were also quick to pick up on the prominent use of product placement, with one writing: '#HesAllThat was created because of sponsors.'

'The amount of product placement happening in #HesAllThat is overwhelming. Every shot there is some known brand. Its to much and to obvious,' another wrote.

'The sponsors are so obvious in #HesAllThat from core to KFC Lmaoo,' a third chimed in, while a fourth said: 'Why did so many things sponsor he's all that why do they keep saying brands names and showing them.'

Alongside Addison, the movie also stars Cobra Kai star Tanner Buchanan and a cameo from her close friend Kourtney Kardashian.
She has undergone 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine with her 15-month-old daughter Harper after flying to Queensland to visit her 'very sick' grandmother.

And Jasmine Stefanovic and the adorable tot were finally released on Wednesday, following their two week stay at the Marriott in Brisbane.

The 37-year-old shoe designer was dressed casual for her exit in a white blouse over black leggings.

Freedom day! Jasmine Stefanovic and her 15-month-old daughter Harper (both pictured) were finally released from hotel quarantine on Wednesday, following a 14 day stay at the Marriott in Brisbane

She masked up as she and the tiny tot walked out of the luxury hotel and to their waiting car.

Jasmine's blonde tresses were pulled back in a high bun as she was finally allowed to leave the government run hotel quarantine.

On her feet, Jasmine wore a pair of chunky pink white and black sneakers.

Back to basics: The 37-year-old shoe designer was dressed casual for her exit in a white blouse over black leggings

Safety first: She masked up as she and the toddler walked out of the luxury hotel and to their waiting car

Low maintenance: Jasmine's blonde tresses were pulled back in a high bun as she was finally allowed to leave the government run hotel quarantine

Harper, who she shares with TV host husband Karl Stefanovic, looked cute as a button in a pink dress adorned with brightly coloured stars.

Upon reaching their vehicle, Jasmine was helped with her numerous bags and toys by a friendly police officer.

One especially large item crammed into the back of her SUV was an inflatable slide used to entertain Harper during the extended lockdown.

Pretty in pink! Harper, who she shares with TV host husband Karl Stefanovic, looked cute as a button in a pink dress adorned with brightly coloured stars

Well-heeled: On her feet, Jasmine wore a pair of chunky pink white and black sneakers

It was revealed last Thursday that Jasmine and Harper were in mandatory hotel quarantine after travelling from Sydney to Brisbane.

Speaking on the Today show, Jasmine's husband of almost three years, Karl, revealed his wife and daughter had flown interstate to be with her 'really sick' grandmother.

The 47-year-old TV host explained that Jasmine is 'incredibly close' to her 95-year-old grandmother, who had become unwell.

Helpful: Upon reaching their vehicle, Jasmine was helped with her numerous bags and toys by a friendly police officer

Prepared: Jasmine was stocked up with plenty of bags of groceries and even kids toys

Hefty: One especially large item crammed into the back of her SUV was an inflatable slide used to entertain Harper during the extended lockdown

'I want to talk about this because this is really big, where Jasmine and Harper are right now and what they're doing,' Karl began.

'So she's had to go to Brisbane because her very dear, dear Nan, who she's incredibly close with, is really, really, really sick.'

Jasmine received a special exemption from Queensland Health to travel from COVID-stricken Sydney to the Sunshine State to care for her ailing grandmother.

'This is going on with families right around the country. It's not easy,' he added.
Two months after getting kicked off a Delta Airlines flight over an argument with his wife, Stephen Amell is finally addressing the incident.

The 40-year-old Heels star addressed the incident on Twitter in late June, insisting he wasn't 'forcibly removed' and trying to downplay the reporting of the incident by adding in another tweet, 'Must be a slow news cycle.'

The actor opened up about the incident on the Inside of You podcast with actor Michael Rosenbaum, where he spoke about trying to make amends.

Opening up: Two months after getting kicked off a Delta Airlines flight over an argument with his wife, Stephen Amell is finally addressing the incident

Tweet: The 40-year-old Heels star addressed the incident on Twitter in late June, insisting he wasn't 'forcibly removed' and trying to downplay the reporting of the incident by adding in another tweet, 'Must be a slow news cycle'

'Ultimately, very ashamed of it, trying to make amends for it, specifically with my wife,' Amell said.

The incident happened in late June on a Delta flight from Austin, Texas to Los Angeles, when he was 'asked to lower my voice' and 10 minutes later, he was asked to leave the plane.

Amell began his interview with Rosenbaum by getting this incident out in the open, adding there was a 'simple explanation' for what happened.

Very ashamed: 'Ultimately, very ashamed of it, trying to make amends for it, specifically with my wife,' Amell said

'I had too many drinks, and I had too many drinks in a public place, and I got on a plane,' he began.

'I was pissed off about something else that had nothing to do with Cass, my wife, and I picked a fight. Just picked a fight because I wanted to be loud and upset,' Amell added.

He also clarified that it was not an 'argument' because his wife, Cassandra Jean, wasn't 'engaging,' though she did say one thing.

Not an argument: He also clarified that it was not an 'argument' because his wife, Cassandra Jean, wasn't 'engaging,' though she did say one thing

'My wife said one thing the entire time, which was, "If you don't lower your voice, they're going to kick you off the plane,"' Amell explained.

When Rosenbaum asked what Amell was doing this whole time, he said he couldn't even remember what made him so upset.

'Honestly, I cant even remember what I was upset about, which was indicative of two things. A, Handle your liquor. I had too many drinks, right? And B, it clearly wasnt important,' Amell said.

Can't remember: 'Honestly, I cant even remember what I was upset about, which was indicative of two things. A, Handle your liquor. I had too many drinks, right? And B, it clearly wasnt important,' Amell said

'I was just upset and wanted to be upset and sure enough after [Cass] said this, a guy came by and said, "Sir, you have to keep your voice down, please."'

He added his wife was '100% right here,' and that he was 'loud' and 'probably dropping a few F-bombs.'

While he said it wasn't an 'excuse,' Amell added he also had noise-cancelling headphones on, so he was probably being much louder than he thought he was.

Guy: 'I was just upset and wanted to be upset and sure enough after [Cass] said this, a guy came by and said, "Sir, you have to keep your voice down, please"'

'Im actually, frankly, like deeply ashamed of it. I was quiet for 10 minutes, a guy came back. Clearly I had made somebody uncomfortable, somebody said something and they just made the decision, you've gotta get off the plane,' he said.

He also referenced his original tweet where he called the incident an 'argument between my wife and I, and it wasn't. It was 100% my fault.'

'I feel like I went the better part of 10 years without being an a**hole in public. I was an a**hole in public,' Amell added.

Deeply: 'Im actually, frankly, like deeply ashamed of it. I was quiet for 10 minutes, a guy came back. Clearly I had made somebody uncomfortable, somebody said something and they just made the decision, you've gotta get off the plane,' he said.

He continued that his wife was 'super pissed,' and even more so when he characterized it as an 'argument' on Twitter.

As for the tweet, he said he sent it, 'at like 4 in the morning because I got a text from my buddy in Toronto asking if I was OK.'

When Rosenbaum asked if he resisted in any way when being asked to get off the plane, he said he didn't, but that was, 'the scariest part for me.'

'The scariest part is I was inebriated, I was upset, and it would have been very easy... what if I just casually, flippantly, not being in sound mind and body, if I offer like a quick passive f**k off  and all of a sudden Im in these bracelets? I mean, maybe I destroy my entire life, my entire career,' Amell said.

He added that he's still working through the incident with his wife, adding they're having conversations about being a celebrity where, 'people just give you whatever you want and occasionally that leads to you just not setting appropriate boundaries in your own life.'

Amell's new series Heels debuted August 15 with the first season continuing with a new episode on Sunday, September 5 on Starz.

Argument: He continued that his wife was 'super pissed,' and even more so when he characterized it as an 'argument' on Twitter
Married at First Sight star Hayley Vernon has proudly debuted the huge new tattoo on her buttocks just weeks after she was hospitalised when the large inking became infected and turned septic.

In a very cheeky Instagram post, the 33-year-old OnlyFans star displayed her epic curves in a tiny string bikini.

The large flowers on each of side of her derriere appear to have healed well, as she proudly showed them off while soaking up the sun in the Gold Coast, Queensland.

'Sun's out, buns out!' Married at First Sight's Hayley Vernon has proudly debuted her buttocks tattoo on Instagram on Wednesday, weeks after she was hospitalised when the inking became infected

'It would be rude not to, first day of spring. SUNS OUT BUNS OUT!' she captioned the photo.

Hayley wore nothing on her torso in the image, and went makeup free while donning a pair of oversized sunglasses on her face.

Her sun-kissed shot comes just weeks after Hayley was hospitalised when her large floral buttock tattoo became infected.

In the middle of July, Hayley rushed to emergency after she felt seriously ill when she discovered her inking had 'blistered' and 'opened up the tattoo wound'.

Troubling period: Hayley's sun-kissed shot comes just weeks after she was rushed to hospital when her large floral buttock tattoo turned septic

Following an initial diagnosis of cellulitis, Hayley later confirmed she was battling sepsis - a potentially life-threatening condition which is caused by the body's response to infection.

In a worrying Instagram post, Hayley said that she could barely speak due to mouth ulcers caused by heavy medication and hadn't been able to eat solid food for three days.

'Cellulitis went septic and a quick chain of events followed. Very grateful for everyone who told me to go to hospital immediately,' Hayley said.

She confirmed she was taking the opioid Endone for the pain and had 'seven drip-line antibiotic bags in hospital' for the infection.

'As a side effect, severe ulcerations to my mouth and tongue to the point I'm talking with a lisp and haven't been able to eat a solid in three days,' she said.

Nightmare: Following an initial diagnosis of cellulitis, Hayley later confirmed she was battling sepsis - a potentially life-threatening condition which is caused by the body's response to infection

Before her hospital dash, Hayley had documented her declining health in a series of worrying updates on Instagram Stories.

'Tattoo update: It's infected to the point where yesterday I was having trouble sitting,' she wrote in one post.

'The second skin made me blister, opening up the tattoo wound. Last night I found myself shivering non stop then getting severe hot flushes.

'My body is aching and I feel beyond ill.'

Scary: Before her hospital dash, Hayley had documented her declining health in a series of worrying updates on Instagram Stories

Regret: Hayley added that she had received 'copious message saying the same thing', before concluding: 'I'll never use this product again'

Hayley added that she had received 'copious inboxes saying the same thing', before concluding: 'I'll never use this product again'.

It's unclear which product Hayley was referring to.

The heavily tattooed reality star had filmed herself getting her latest tattoo - a floral design spread across both buttocks - on the Gold Coast on July 6.

'A full day in the chair... getting my butt tattooed today,' she said on Instagram.
Jordan Barrett surprised his fans when he married fellow male model Fernando Casablancas on August 12.

On Monday, the Australian model, 24, was spotted enjoying his honeymoon with his partner, 23, in Mexico, two weeks after their intimate nuptials in Ibiza, Spain.

He was seen strolling the grounds of the Coqui Coqui Residence and Spa in Tulum.

Honeymooning? Jordan Barrett is enjoying a holiday in Mexico with his husband Fernando Casablancas, after tying the knot in a surprise ceremony

The Byron Bay runway star made his way down the steps of the resort in a minimal outfit - grey trousers with black slides.

Fernando was on the grounds carrying his laptop and dressed in a baggy white T-shirt with beige trousers and black sandals.

The couple made their way up the stairs together back to their luxurious suite.

Later, Fernando - who is the younger brother of younger half-brother of The Strokes front man Julian Casablancas - returned outside to smoke a cigarette.

Relaxed: The Australian model, 24, was seen strolling the grounds of the Coqui Coqui Residence and Spa in Tulum, Mexico

Laid back look: The Byron Bay runway star made his way down the steps of the resort in a minimal outfit - grey trousers with black slides

Jordan and Fernando Casablancas married in an intimate ceremony in Ibiza on August 12.

The ceremony was attended by no more than 15 of Jordan's closet friends including models Kate Moss, Georgia May Jagger and American playwright Jeremy O. Harris.

'It was very spontaneous, but his wedding planner Serena Cook was able to pull some strings to make sure it was very special since his Aussie family couldn't attend,' a source told Daily Mail Australia.

Enjoying nature: Fernando was on the grounds carrying his laptop and dressed in a baggy white T-shirt with beige trousers and black sandals

In love: The couple made their way up the stairs together back to their luxurious suite

Habit: Later, Fernando - who is the younger brother of younger half-brother of The Strokes front man Julian Casablancas - returned outside to smoke a cigarette

'Champagne and cocktail drinks were flowing, it was very relaxed. Kate (Moss) brought out the rings, and really made sure it was special for him,' they added.

Photos from the festivities show that guests enjoyed Casamigos tequila and RUMOR Rose.

Jordan looked suave dressed in a black sleeveless silk top, which he wore unbuttoned paired with a matching pants.

Happy in love: Jordan and Fernando Casablancas married in an intimate ceremony in Ibiza on August 12

Special day: A source told Daily Mail Australia, 'It was very spontaneous, but his wedding planner Serena Cook was able to pull some strings to make sure it was very special since his Aussie family couldn't attend'

His beau Fernando meanwhile opted for a black mesh sleeveless top with matching pants.

The handsome model completed his look wearing a gold head chain from Messika by Kate Moss.

Barrett announced his engagement on Instagram on July 20, writing: 'I believe in love not the traditional kind, so I guess I just commit new chapter of my life.

'Also... did I also just get engaged on this date. Yes,' he added, without any reference to his fiance.
Emma Weymouth has been exploring the sights of Venice with her hunky Serbian model pal Alessandro Egger.

The former Strictly star, 35, who is married to Ceawlin Thynn, 47, 8th Marquess of Bath, jetted to Italy to attend a slew of events hosted by Dolce & Gabbana over the bank holiday period.

And Emma appeared to be making the most of the idyllic city as she went exploring with her good friend Alessandro on Monday.

Fashionistas: Emma Weymouth has been exploring the sights of Venice with her hunky Serbian model pal Alessandro Egger

The hunk, 29, who is in a relationship with Italian model Madalina Doroftei, shared a snap on Instagram showing himself and Emma posing up a storm by the water.

The Vogue contributing editor looked effortlessly stylish in a black silk camisole and leopard print midi skirt, while Alessandra rocked a cool red leather jacket.

He captioned the shot: 'Say no more'.

Walk on the wild side: The Vogue contributing editor looked effortlessly stylish in a black silk camisole and leopard print midi skirt

Viscountess: The former Strictly star, 35, is married to Ceawlin Thynn, 47, 8th Marquess of Bath (pictured in 2019)

A source told The Sun: 'Alessandro is a hot property on the fashion scene and has a stunning girlfriend in Italy and, of course, Emma is married.

'But while shes been in Venice, they have been stepping out with each other and enjoying the city together.'

There is no suggestion Emma and Alessandro are romantically involved, with fashion insiders telling the publication the pair are just 'good friends'.

MailOnline has contacted Emma and Alessandro's representatives for comment.

Fashionable arrival: Emma and Alessandro attended Dolce & Gabbana's star-studded Venice show on Monday

Dolce & Gabbana have attracted a slew of stars including Jennifer Lopez, Heidi Klum and Kourtney Kardashian as they unveil their Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria, Alta Gioielleria and Alta Orologeria collections.

Emma's close friend Kitty Spencer also arrived in Venice for the fashion designer's collection launches.

The designer's star-studded Venice show was thrown into chaos on Monday as the heavens opened in a torrential storm at St Marks Square.

Loved-up: The hunk is engaged to Italian model Madalina Doroftei (pictured earlier this week)

The superstar guests were left scarpering beneath the torrential rain as videos emerged across many fashionistas' social media pages showing the chaos.

Kourtney Kardashian had to hide under an umbrella from the Strictly star, with one of Emma's friends sharing a snap of her with her heels off after rushing for shelter.

They captioned it 'after the hail storm'.

Back in June, Emma celebrated her eighth wedding anniversary to Ceawlin.

Freak weather: Dolce & Gabbana's star-studded Venice show was thrown into chaos on Monday as the heavens opened in a torrential storm at St Marks Square

Ceawlin is the newly titled 8th Marquess of Bath following the passing of his father Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath, with his estate Longleat famously being the first drive-through safari park outside of Africa.

Emma has been married to Viscount Weymouth - Alexander Thynn's son - since June 2013, with the couple sharing sons John, five, and Henry, three.

On her wedding day Emma became the first black marchioness in British history.

Pals: Emma's close friend Kitty Spencer also arrived in Venice for the fashion designer's collection launches

In November, last year Emma admitted that she doesn't want her skin colour to be a 'defining characteristic' and is a reluctant role model after becoming Britain's first black marchioness.

Emma starred on the cover of Tatler's January 2021 issue and opened up about her family's wildly ambitious plans for Longleat, their Wiltshire estate.

While Emma, the daughter of a Nigerian oil tycoon, is deeply respectful of her new title, she is a reluctant role model, according to the society magazine.

'Where I have been discussed in a positive light, as positive change, I'm grateful for being included in the conversation,' she said.

Role: Ceawlin is the newly titled 8th Marquess of Bath following the passing of his father Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath in April

'I see my role as a practical thing: as a wife, mother and someone with a responsibility to maintain this incredible estate. I aspire to a future where [my skin colour] is not a defining characteristic.'

Ceawlin's father died unexpectedly of coronavirus aged 87 on April 6.

In August, Emma recalled the 'sharp personal sadness' she endured after losing her father-in-law Lord Bath to coronavirus in April.

The socialite described it as a moment 'unlike any other' she experienced during the difficult lockdown period.

Writing in British Vogue, Emma said the 'humbling responsibility of being at the helm' of the estate and navigating it through the pandemic has kept her going during the difficult time.
Osher Gunsberg has spoken about his struggles with mental health in the past.

Now, he will shed light on his experience as he explores Australia's suicide crisis in his upcoming new documentary, Osher Gunsberg: A Matter of Life and Death.

The 47-year-old revealed to New Idea on Wednesday that seeking help was the key to getting better.

Help: Osher Gunsberg revealed what 'saved his life' during his struggle with mental health on Wednesday

'Reaching out to another human being was the thing that saved my life,' he said.

Elsewhere, the TV presenter spoke about his upcoming SBS documentary, noting that he hopes to shine a light on the crisis and that help is available.

'Suicide is a very real and prevalent problem in our community, and I know firsthand what it's like to experience suicidal ideation,' he said.

The Bachelor host added that he hopes the doco will encourage conversations between friends, family and colleagues.

Revealed: 'Reaching out to another human being was the thing that saved my life,' he said

'At the very least, we need to recognise Australia's suicide crisis, because you cannot fix a problem if you don't acknowledge it exists,' he added.

Earlier this year, Osher appeared on ABC's You Can't Ask That where he detailed his dark battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

In the program, the TV presenter revealed he even contemplated suicide at his lowest point.

Osher confessed his life had become 'a never-ending pit of day drinking, compulsive internet gambling and masturbation'.

Speaking candidly: Earlier this year, Osher appeared on ABC's You Can't Ask That where he detailed his dark battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In the program, the TV presenter revealed he even contemplated suicide at his lowest point

He described the thought of suicide as 'the best idea I'd ever had', and claimed it was 'the kindest thing I could have ever done for myself'.

'I got to a point where I was in so much pain, I would have absolutely done anything...' he confessed.

Osher, who married make-up artist Audrey Griffin in 2016, said he was 40 when he was diagnosed with OCD, and had already been living with various mental illnesses.

'I got to a point where I was in so much pain': The Bachelor host described the thought of suicide as 'the best idea I'd ever had', and claimed it was 'the kindest thing I could have ever done for myself'

In the program he said that he's now 'a lot better' and confessed parts of the illness even 'make me really good at my job'.

'This is the brain I was born with. This is it. This is what I got,' he concluded.

Osher Gunsberg: A Matter of Life and Death premieres Sunday, September 19 at 8:30pm on SBS.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
She described her wedding as 'the happiest day of my life'.

And Sophie Anderton, 44, looked glowing on Tuesday as she showcased her enviable figure in bridal lingerie, after tying the knot with Count Kaz Balinski-Jundzill, 53, earlier in August.

The former It-Girl and model looked nothing short of sensational in her undergarments as she posed barefoot in a picturesque field.

Stunning: Sophie Anderton, 44, looked glowing on Tuesday as she showcased her enviable figure in bridal lingerie, after tying the knot with Count Kaz Balinski-Jundzill, 53, earlier in August

Sophie's bra featured delicate lace fabric, complementing her chic briefs.

She draped a sheer polka-dot coverup over the top which fluttered in the gentle breeze.

The catwalk sensation swept her chocolate locks back into a sleek ponytail as she looked off into the distance, and she enhanced her flawless complexion with full coverage make-up.

Sophie who found fame as the face of Gossard bras in the 1990s, tied the knot in Ireland on August 5 after the couple postponed their wedding three times due to the pandemic.

Marriage bliss: The model tied the knot in Ireland on August 5 after the couple postponed their wedding three times due to the pandemic

However the star admitted she 'never thought marriage was on the cards' and had been nicknamed 'the runway bride' but added: 'Love comes into your life when you're not looking for it.'

Sophie, who wore an ivory lace wedding gown designed by Irish couturier Helen Cody, told HELLO! magazine: 'I've waited all my life to meet the person I wanted to marry. Although I've loved, I've never been in love until now.'

She added: 'Kaz kept telling me it [marriage] would suit me, and he was right.'

The couple had a civil ceremony in the village of Laragh earlier this month, with Balinski-Jundzill's daughter, Charlie's Angels star Ella Balinska, acting as ring bearer.

Happy couple: The couple had a civil ceremony in the village of Laragh earlier this month, with Balinski-Jundzill's daughter, Charlie's Angels star Ella Balinska, acting as ring bearer

The ceremony was followed by a wedding reception at their family home, Glendalough House.

Balinski-Jundzill - who works in the extractive oil industry - told the magazine he was 'in awe' of Sophie on their special day and even had to 'look away' to prevent himself from crying.

Speaking with The Daily Mail's Richard Eden after her wedding, Sophie said: 'Yesterday, I married my best friend, soulmate and lifetime partner in crime.

'I cannot believe after so many obstacles and date changes, I am officially Mrs Kaz Balinksi.'

Kaz owns a 1,500-acre estate, Glendalough House, in County Wicklow.

Sophie and Kaz had to postpone their nuptials twice last year due to Covid  and then again at the end of July when one of Kaz's four children fell ill.

One of Kaz's children is actress Ella Balinska, 24, who he shares with TV chef ex-wife, Lorraine Pascale. Ella starred in the 2019 Charlie's Angels film.

The happy newlyweds have been together for more than four years, with Sophie often gushing about their relationship.
She is known for presenting the overseas house hunting programme, A Place in the Sun.

And Amanda Lamb looked sensational on Tuesday as she slipped into a plunging black swimsuit as she went for a chilly swim during a family break to Clovelly Village in Devon.

Taking to her Instagram, the presenter, 49, appeared to be having a great time as she cuddled her children Willow and Lottie ahead of getting 'back to reality' before they headed back to school.

Wow: Amanda Lamb looked sensational on Tuesday as she slipped into a plunging black swimsuit as she went for a chilly swim during a family break to Clovelly Village in Devon

Amanda oozed confidence as she stood in the water in the chic, cleavage-bearing one piece, with the star flashing a huge smile for the camera.

She showed off her natural beauty by going make-up free for the outing, while she swept her brunette tresses off her face with a simple up 'do.

Amanda shared other snaps of herself enjoying a dip in the harbour, as well as a photo with her pal and another with her daughter.

Family time: Taking to her Instagram, the presenter, 49, appeared to be having a great time as she cuddled her children Willow and Lottie ahead of getting 'back to reality' before they headed back to school

Captioning her post, she penned: 'Well that perked us up. Swimming in @clovellyvillage harbour has been one of the highlights of the trip. Much shrieking and laughter could be heard once Id got over the shock!

'Thank you @rubythursday66 for making me brave enough to dive right in. This is the last swimsuit pic I promise. Even Im getting bored of them now.

'Back to reality tomorrow and absolutely no chance of a swimsuit in my local park.'

Lovely: Amanda oozed confidence as she stood in the water in the chic, cleavage-bearing one piece, with the star flashing a huge smile for the camera

Taking a dip: She showed off her natural beauty by going make-up free for the outing, while she swept her brunette tresses off her face with a simple up 'do

Amanda's fun outing comes is a stark contrast to last year when she admitted that she and her husband Sean McGuinness 'are pretty sure' they contracted coronavirus.

The presenter said on This Morning that she and her spouse hadn't been formally tested, but believe their symptoms were akin to the deadly disease.

Speaking live from her home in South West London, presenter Amanda told Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby: 'I'm pretty sure I've had it, I'm pretty sure my husband's had it, we haven't been tested yet.

Like mother like daughter: The TV star shared a sweet image of her cosying up with her little girl

Fun times: Amanda was pictured laughing with her pal as they enjoyed a refreshing dip

'Even if we know we've had it, nobody is actually 100% said we'd get it again, we could still carry it that's the thing I'm slightly concerned about.

'If they come up with a vaccine I'd be cartwheeling down the street, but I'm not sure how having this information is going to help us get out of lockdown.'

The former host of A Place In The Sun married cameraman Sean in 2012, and they have two daughters Willow and Lottie.
She's no stranger to delighting her fans with scantily-clad snaps on her social media.

And Demi Rose didn't disappoint on Tuesday as she posed up a storm in a barely-there illusion swimsuit in sizzling snaps shared to Instagram.

The model, 26, oozed confidence as she seductively lounged on a daybed while soaking up the sun during a trip to Capri.

Wow! Demi Rose didn't disappoint on Tuesday as she posed up a storm in a barely-there illusion swimsuit in sizzling snaps shared to Instagram

Demi gazed into the camera as she displayed her killer curves in the skimpy swimwear which featured nude and black panels, giving the illusion of her wearing very little to protect her modesty.

The stunner's brunettes tresses were styled to the side in loose waves, while she added a pop of colour with a sweep of bold red lipstick.

Demi looked quite at home as she posed for the images in front of the idyllic backdrop, captioning her post: 'Jadior Capri'

Cheeky! The model, 26, oozed confidence as she seductively lounged on a daybed while soaking up the sun during a trip to Capri

Demi has been modelling for the last eight years and credits her career for being a 'blessing' after being subjected to bullying when she was younger.

Speaking to Radio 1 Newsbeat, Demi previously revealed: 'I always wanted to get into modelling and when I eventually got there I classed it as a blessing because I grew up being bullied and didn't have many friends at all.'

In 2019, both of Demi's parents died, just seven months apart and the star said going into lockdown straight after their deaths was 'a time of reflection.'

Work it: Demi displayed her killer curves in the skimpy swimwear which featured nude and black panels, giving the illusion of her wearing very little to protect her modesty

'Having to deal with my parents' house and selling their stuff - it was a really sad place for me.

'I wanted to go and travel but I had three months in London, which was a lot of facing what I had been through and was a time of reflection.'

Her latest shoot comes after she was seen teasing her OnlyFans page to her Instagram followers, after signing up to the X-rated content-sharing platform.

Model behaviour: The stunner's brunettes tresses were styled to the side in loose waves, while she added a pop of colour with a sweep of bold red lipstick

Demi told fans she was ditching her profile's subscription fee for a limited period.

OnlyFans is an online platform, known for its X-rated content, that allows public figure to charge fans a fee to their profile, where they often shares pictures and videos deemed too provocative for other social media sites.

Demi previously charged fans for access to her content - with costs ranging from $22.22 (16) a month or $119.99 (around 86) for six months.

She's not the only famous face who uses the platform, with celebrities including Bella Thorne, Cardi B and Danniella Westbrook signing up to the service.
She welcomed her sixth child Athena with her professional boxer husband last month.

And Paris Fury, 31, proudly showed off her post-partum figure just three weeks after giving birth in an Instagram post on Wednesday.

Sharing a picture of herself a pair of high-waisted Daisy Dukes shorts and a black and white Disney T-shirt, Paris wrote: 'Hey, hello waistline after a long time lol.'

'Hello waistline!' Paris Fury, 31, proudly showed off her stunning figure as she wore a pair of Daisy Dukes shorts on Instagram on Wednesday just three weeks after giving birth

The wife of sportsman Tyson Fury, 33, could be seen standing in her dressing room as she wore her hair in a high bun.

She had on a pair of dark sunglasses as the bright sunshine poured in through the window.

She crossed her long slender legs as she stood with her hands towards the back of her hips and confidently posed for the camera.

Doting mother: Paris shares children Venezuela, 10, Prince John James, eight, Prince Tyson II, four, Valencia, three, and Prince Adonis Amaziah, 16 months, with Tyson (pictured July)

Paris, who shares Venezuela, 10, Prince John James, eight, Prince Tyson II, four, Valencia, three, and Prince Adonis Amaziah, 16 months, with Tyson, welcomed daughter Athena on Sunday August 8.

The newborn had been in and out of the ICU since she was born and at one point needed a ventilator to help with her breathing.

Paris and Tyson have shared no further details on the cause, but the devoted mum has been keeping her social media followers updated with how Athena has been doing.

She's home! Paris shared a sweet snap of her holding her 11-day-old daughter at home on Thursday, after returning home from hospital following a stay in ICU last month

Paris shared a sweet snap of her holding her 11-day-old daughter at home for the first time on Thursday, after leaving intensive care, whilst also sharing a video of her baby in her cot, captioning the sweet footage: 'can't believe we're home, dad off to training camp so just me and me girl in the room tonight. She so tiny in her bedroom cot.'

And proud father Tyson revealed on his Instagram Story that she's 'on the mend'.

Speaking to the camera as he fed Athena a bottle, he said: 'Just feeding my little girl, off the ICU, on the mend. Should be going home soon!

'Thank you to God, thank you to all the doctors and nurses who's helped her.'

Precious: In a video last month, Paris posted an adorable clip of Athena laying on a pink blanket and wearing a white onesie and headband

Athena was dead for three minutes before being resuscitated by 'miracle workers' at Liverpool children's hospital.

Tyson's father John revealed that things had been touch and go.

'It's been a bit of a white knuckle ride, we've had a lot to deal with,' John told BT Sport.

'But we've come out on the other side due to professionalism of Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool, they're the best children's hospital in the country if not the world.
Bella Varelis appears to have given away the winner of The Bachelor ahead of the show's finale.

The 26-year-old shared to Instagram the telling details that reveal Brooke Cleal will win Jimmy Nicholson's heart.

'Based on the edit, we now know that Brooke is the one Jimmy ends up with,' Bella said on Wednesday night.

SPOILER ALERT: Bella Varelis, who was the runner-up on last year's season of The Bachelor, has revealed who Jimmy Nicholson will choose on Thursday's finale

She explained: 'Key points for that is the music that's used, she's all magical and twinkly and lovey dovey.'

Bella said the second hint Brooke is the chosen winner is 'she's the only one that Jimmy actually spoke about his feelings to' during Wednesday night's episode.

'Third point is she got the most screen time out of all of them,' Bella added.

Will she win? Bella shared the telling details that reveal Brooke Cleal (pictured) will win Jimmy Nicholson's heart on The Bachelor finale

'So we obviously know that Brooke wins which I think is kinda cute because they do have a very strong connection from the beginning.'

Brooke Cleal and Holly Kingston were confirmed as Jimmy's final two contestants on Wednesday night after Jay Lal was sent home.

The 31-year-old failed to receive a rose at the ceremony and was ushered out of the competition by host Osher Gunsberg.

Signs: She said the signs include the 'magical' music used and the amount of screen time Brooke had. Pictured Jimmy Nicholson

After leaving the mansion, Jay broke down in tears as she admitted she doesn't know 'where it all went wrong'.

'I don't know what went wrong. I always just felt like it was OK. Everything was good and easy, and I didn't have to try, but maybe I should have,' she said.

'I don't know, but it just feels like sh*t,' she added.

The Bachelor finale airs Thursday at 7.30pm on Channel 10
She welcomed her second child Fredrick in June.

And comedian and actress Katherine Ryan has revealed that she went back to work filming new reality show Ready To Mingle just ten days after giving birth.

The mother-of-two, 37, told how her little one - who she shares with childhood sweetheart Bobby Koostra - is an 'easy baby', calling him a just a small 'speed bump' before she 'kept going' with her schedule.

Busy: Katherine Ryan has revealed that she went back to work filming new reality show Ready To Mingle just ten days after giving birth in a candid new interview

She told New!: 'I was filming when Fred was 10 days old. He really is not a problem. He's like a little speed bump and I just kept going!

'I was really lucky because he just happened to be an easy baby. He was born in three hours from start to finish, although I don't know if my husband would agree as the baby was nearly born in the car - but Fred is no match for me!'

She added that even though she was working, this pregnancy was easier than her first as she had to 'queue up for the bus at 7am' to commute to work as a waitress when she was expecting her daughter Violet, now 12.

Happy: The mother-of-two, 37, told how her little one is an 'easy baby', calling him a just a small 'speed bump' before she 'kept going' with her schedule (pictured filming Ready To Mingle)

Easy: She told New!: 'I was filming when Fred was 10 days old. He really is not a problem. He's like a little speed bump and I just kept going!' (pictured with husband Bobby)

The blonde beauty went on to discuss how her eldest is loving being a babysitter for her little brother and is now 'baby-obsessed'.

Ready to Mingle, hosted by Katherine, will see 12 guys fighting for the attentions of one single girl, but the catch is not all the boys are strictly single themselves.

Set to be at the centre of all the drama as the show debuts on ITV2 is 24-year-old Sophia Maria, who has already racked up a following of over 2000 on Instagram.

Upcoming: Ready to Mingle, hosted by Katherine (pictured), will see 12 guys fighting for the attentions of one single girl, but the catch is not all the boys are strictly single themselves

It's no surprise that all eyes will be on her, with the beauty grabbing attention online by littering her page with stunning bikini snaps.

The fledgling reality star, from Hove in Brighton, returned to the UK last year in lockdown after travelling Australia, Fiji and Bali, and residing in Melbourne.

Taking inspiration from much-loved shows The Bachelor and Love Island, all 12 guys and their leading lady will live in a luxury house in Devon together as they go out of their way to impress her and date her.

The star of the show: Set to be at the centre of all the drama as the show debuts on ITV2 is 24-year-old Sophia Maria, who has already racked up a following of over 2000 on Instagram

However, not every guy is single. Some of the boys are in relationships and little do they know that their girlfriends are watching their every move as they pretend to be available.

And in another mischievous twist, a number of the boys are actually being guided by their partners in pursuit of the prize.

Speaking about the show, host Katherine Ryan has said: 'I am so excited to be a part of this new dating game show. How could I say no?

'It's like nothing we've seen before but still with all the drama and dating dilemmas we love to see, and I'll be there front row as it all unfolds!'

The show's full lineup is yet to be confirmed by ITV bosses.

Ready To Mingle is set to begin on Monday 6th September at 9pm on ITV2 and ITV Hub.
They are reportedly privately working on rekindling their relationship.

And Kanye West 'wants to get back' with Kim Kardashian, according to Us Weekly's source.

The rapper, 44, 'sees the two of them together and wants to make that a reality now,' the insider said.

Back on? They are reportedly privately working on rekindling their relationship. And Kanye West 'wants to get back' with Kim Kardashian, according to Us Weekly 's source, seen November 6, 2019

Adding: 'He has been trying to get back in her good graces again and it seems to be working.'

Last week, Kim made a statement when she appeared on stage at his Donda listening event in Chicago in a wedding gown and veil.

They reportedly left hand in hand after recreating their 2014 nuptials on stage.

The magazine's source noted that 'Kim supports Kanye and was happy to be on stage in a wedding dress.'

The moment: The rapper, 44, 'sees the two of them together and wants to make that a reality now,' the insider said; seen at his Donda listening party last week

'She has always respected his art and ideas and was all in for the performance,' the insider added.

'It was not a vow renewal. Kim has been hesitant to get back together with Kanye because he was all over the place,' the source said.

She wore a custom Balenciaga couture dress for the listening event, walking out on stage at Soldier Field in Chicago for the final song - No Child Left Behind.

The star appeared alongside Kanye and paid tribute to their seven year marriage, despite her filing for divorce in February of this year.

According to a report by TMZ, insiders close to the former couple have claimed they are 'working on rebuilding the foundation of the relationship' privately.

While TMZ still believe the divorce is underway, other sources claim Kim and Kanye are willing to give their romance another chance, particularly with kids involved.

A vision: She wore a custom Balenciaga couture dress for the listening event, walking out on stage at Soldier Field in Chicago for the final song - No Child Left Behind

The way they were: The star appeared alongside Kanye and paid tribute to their seven year marriage, despite her filing for divorce in February of this year

At one point, Kanye was seen beaming at her as he appeared to clutch onto a bible.

They are parents to four children together: North, eight, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, two.

As with the last two Donda listening events at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Kim brought all four of the couple's children along for the event.

The beauty mogul also took to Instagram on Saturday to share photos from the listening event, including ones of her in the bespoke Balenciaga wedding gown.

Kim and Kanye wed at the Forte di Belvedere in Florence in 2014, where Kim donned a custom-made by Givenchy Haute Couture.
Jodie Foster has revealed she had to undergo extensive psychological tests to play her breakthrough role in the 1976 film Taxi Driver.

The film generated controversy for the casting of the then-12-year-old Foster in the role of a child prostitute.

Speaking to OK! Magazine, the actress, 58, spoke of how she attended sessions with a UCLA psychiatrist, to ensure that she would not be emotionally scarred.

Hard-hitting: Jodie Foster has revealed she had to undergo extensive psychological tests to play her breakthrough role in the 1976 film Taxi Driver

She said: 'People thought I was too young to play the part of a prostitute and people- lawyers that is- in the government of California, wanted to make sure I was psychologically ready. I had to do some tests.

'For me, its a film which was a kind of transformation in the cinema, it was the golden age of American films, it was an arthouse film and I was very proud to be in it.

'It was destiny, it was fate and I was very lucky.'

Backlash: The film generated controversy for the casting of then-12-year-old Foster in the role of a child prostitute

Jodie was nominated for an Academy Award for Taxi Driver but was beaten to the accolade by Beatrice Straight.

Taxi Driver told the story of Bickle (Robert De Niro) who took a job as a cabbie and dreamed of violently cleaning up the streets of New York.

It is widely seen as one of the great American films. It is ranked as the 31st best film ever made  joint with the Godfather Part II  by the British Film Institute and the 47th best by the American Film Institute.

Hollywood blockbuster: Taxi Driver told the story of Bickle (Robert De Niro) who took a job as a cabbie and dreamed of violently cleaning up the streets of New York

In July, Jodie was honoured at the 74th annual Cannes Film Festival with a special lifetime achievement award Palme d'Or prize.

The Silence of the Lambs star has been honoured with many accolades throughout her long and prolific career, ever since starting out in the early 1970s.

Some of her early breakout performances include a small part in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore starring Ellen Burstyn in 1974, Bugsy Malone and more recent appearances in this year's The Mauritanian.
They've been an item for years, but only recently went public with their relationship.

And Tom Holland made things Instagram official as he wished Zendaya a happy birthday on Wednesday morning.

The 25-year-old actor shared a snap to his grid from their Spider-Man days where she caught a photo in the mirror while hanging out in a dressing room.

Sweethearts: Tom Holland made things Instagram official as he wished Zendaya a happy birthday on Wednesday morning

Tom was dressed in full Spider-Man threads  aside from his mask  as he peered into the mirror while Zendaya snapped a photo of the couple.

'My MJ, have the happiest of birthdays,' he captioned the sweet snap. 'Gimme a call when your up xxx.'

Zendaya admitted she was hard at work on her big day as she shared an eerie nighttime photo from the set of Euphoria.

Just the two of us: The 25-year-old actor shared a snap to his grid from their Spider-Man days where she caught a photo in the mirror while hanging out in a dressing room

Love: Hours later, Zendaya proved to be awake and ready to chat

Production: Zendaya admitted she was hard at work on her big day as she shared an eerie nighttime photo from the set of Euphoria

The couple was most recently spotted together over the weekend at a friend's wedding in Simi Valley.

Tom first found fame as Spidey when he was just 15 years old in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Captain America: Civil War, and has since starred in five MCU flicks.

His character, Peter Parker, is classmates with Michelle Jones, aka MJ, at the Midtown School of Science and Technology.

After co-starring together in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the duo also acted in its sequel, Far From Home, and this December, will be seen in the next installment which is subtitled No Way Home.

Love is in the air! Zendaya found the perfect wedding date in Tom Holland as they celebrated a friend's nuptials together in Simi Valley on Sunday

Star power: Tom first found fame as Spidey when he was just 15 years old in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Captain America: Civil War, and has since starred in five MCU flicks; seen in 2017

An insider told PEOPLE last month that the pair have been romantically involved for years, but were attempting to keep their relationship private.

'They started seeing each other while they were filming Spider-Man. They've been super careful to keep it private and out of the public eye but they've gone on vacations with each other and try and spend as much time as possible with one another,' a source said.

Tom was linked to a woman named Olivia Bolton in 2019, but The Sun reported last April that they had called time on their relationship after nine months.

There were also reports that Zendaya and her Euphoria co-star Jacob Elordi became a couple in 2019, but he is now in a relationship with Cindy Crawford's daughter Kaia Gerber.
Supermodel Rachel Hunter shared a rare image with her two children this week.

The Playboy cover model, 51, was beaming while in a black swimsuit on a beach with her kids in the happy snap.

The New Zealand native has daughter Renee, 29, and son Liam, 26, with rock star Rod Stewart, 76, who is best known for his hit songs Young Turks and Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

The little ones that are no longer little: Supermodel Rachel Hunter shared a rare image with her two children this week. The Playboy cover model, 51, was beaming while in a black swimsuit on a beach with her kids in the happy snap

Rachel and Rod were married from 1990 until 2006.

In her caption she said she had been apart from her kids. '18 months its been. I know so many out there are still missing this moment reconnection with family,' said Hunter.

'The ups, the downs the moments of surrender, the tests, the exposures, the bubbles, the borders. Its a matrix. To maneuvering, We all have been through and still are. But we will get through this. '

On Tuesday she was seen hugging her daughter.

Fun with mommy: The New Zealand native has daughter Renee, 29, and son Liam, 26, with rock star Rod Stewart, 76, who is best known for his hit songs Young Turks and Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

And she is heading back to the airport: Rachel then let followers know that after a visit, her child was off again

'No words or sound can pass my lips of the love felt , this for me is when you experience,' she wrote.

'"The moment . The silence, is so powerful the energy felt fills the need to utter a word."'

She then added: 'Please when reading this above , this is coming from a place of expressing love and happiness. That feeling of infinite love that happens. So grateful to Aunty Jaja for capture this moment and wanted to share xxx  Thankyou Aunty Jaja for the pic.'

Rachel then let followers know that after a visit, her child was off again.

Her past love: Rachel and Rod were married from 1990 until 2006. Seen in 1992

Cool days of yore: Ronnie and Jo Wood (left), and Rachel and Rod (right) attend The Royal Ascot race meeting in 1997 in Ascot, United Kingdom

When she was still wed to Rod: In 2004, the siren posed for the cover of Playboy magazine

'Safe travels back to the Uk my darling girl . @renee__stewart  So lucky to still have @discostew94 still here for the next week,' she ended the thread.

Last week she was seen with more family.

Rachel was with Alana Stewart, 76, for blended family snaps with the children they co-parent with Rod.

Also at the get-together was Kimberly Stewart's daughter Delilah, 10, who she shares with former beau Benicio del Toro, 54.

'The extended clan!': Last week Hunter and Alana Stewart, 76, reunited for blended family snaps with the children they co-parent with ex-husband Rod (Pictured L-R: Renee, 29, Delilah del Toro, 10, Kimberley, 42, Ruby, 34, Liam, 26, and Sean, 40)

Model Alana shares son Sean, 40, and daughter Kimberly, 42, with the rocker, and is also mother to Ashley Hamilton, 46, from her first marriage to George Hamilton, 82.

Rod's first child - Sarah Streeter, 57, from his romance with then-art student Susannah Boffey - was given up for adoption after he fathered her at age 18.

The rock star is also father to Ruby Stewart, 34, from a relationship with model Kelly Emberg, 62.

Rachel posted the shot to Instagram and wrote: 'Connected' while, Alana shared another happy photograph and captioned it: 'Mothers and daughters and sons...the extended Stewart clan.'

Cheers to that! Rod and third wife Penny Lancaster, 50, wed in 2007; seen in 2011 in London

Kimberly uploaded a version and wrote: 'Stewart clan reunited.'

Renee shared a sweet snap of the siblings to her Instagram Stories and wrote: 'A much needed sibling reunion. Love you all so much.'

Rachel's sister Jacqui Hunter-Monk was also tagged in some of the photos, indicating that she was the photographer.

Rod is now married to third wife Penny Lancaster, 50, with whom he shares two young sons, Alastair, 15, and Aiden, 10.

He and Lancaster wed in 2007 in La Cervara, Italy, in an intimate ceremony.

Rod was previously married to Alana for five years from 1979 until 1984.
They welcomed their first child, Brody Fordham, in May.

And TOWIE's Tommy Mallet revealed on Tuesday that his only child - whom he shares with Georgia Kousoulou - was born to house music as he reflected on the 'maddest' four minutes of his life.

The entrepreneur, 29, and Georgia 30, also discussed how becoming parents has strengthened their relationship while revealing whether they plan on getting married in the future.

'It was absolutely mental': TOWIE's Tommy Mallet revealed on Tuesday that his and Georgia Kousoulou's son Brody was born to house music as he reflected on the 'maddest' four minutes of his life

'It was absolutely mental - the maddest four minutes I've ever experienced,' said Tommy to New! Magazine as he remembered the birth of Brody. 'I had my house music on as he was being born!

'People always say it's the best feeling ever, but you don't really understand it until you experience it.'

Georgia added: 'It was so overwhelming, I just cried thinking, "Is this normal? I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know how I feel." It was just all different emotions.

'You cry. You're looking at this little boy and he was staring into my eyes, I was thinking, "Oh my god he's mine."'

Bond: The entrepreneur, 29, and Georgia 30, also discussed how becoming parents has strengthened their relationship while revealing whether they plan on getting married in the future

The new mother admitted she 'freaked out' when she first realised she was having her baby via C-section. According to Georgia, they had to opt for the procedure for safety reasons.

But looking back, she said the experience was surreal, incredible and the best decision for the baby and her.

Georgia added that she could feel the doctors 'tugging' inside her while Tommy remained by her side, stroking her head and keeping her calm.

On how becoming a parent has affected their relationship, the former TOWIE star said she now experiences a 'different type of love' for Tommy and they share an unbreakable bond.

Blessed: 'It was absolutely mental - the maddest four minutes I've ever experienced I had my house music on as he was being born!' said Tommy

Family man: He added: 'People always say it's the best feeling ever, but you don't really understand it until you experience it'

She declared that the birth of their Brody has only brought them closer together and strengthened their relationship.

Also in the interview, Tommy gushed over their three-month-old and said that seeing him smile and laugh is the 'best thing ever'.

He revealed that whenever he is stressed with work, he spends time with Georgia and Brody to remind himself of what he's doing it all for.

Tommy also confirmed that he will be a strict parent after being inspired by his parent's child-rearing techniques. He admitted his dad is the boss, and always has been, as he hopes to follow in his footsteps.

Yikes: Georgia admitted she 'freaked out' when she first realised she was having her baby via C-section and said she could feel the doctors 'tugging' inside her

Team: On how becoming a parent has affected their seven year relationship, the former TOWIE star said she now experiences a 'different type of love' for Tommy

Looking ahead to the future, the Mallet footwear mogul said he can't wait to go travelling with his family and to show Brody the world.

However, the happy couple don't plan on tying the knot anytime soon as Georgia said she wants to 'enjoy life' instead of 'rushing life'.

She said she has felt pressure to settle down with Tommy throughout their entire seven year relationship and now, she wants to enjoy time with her family instead of living up to other people's expectations.

That also applies to having more children as Georgia confirmed she is happy having just one child for the time being.

Priorities: However, the happy couple don't plan on tying the knot anytime soon as Georgia said she wants to 'enjoy life' instead of 'rushing life'

Georgia has spoken candidly on social media about the changes in her body since giving birth.

The former TOWIE star asserted in the interview that she's proud of her body and its ability to grow a human, something she reminds Tommy of whenever he gets on her nerves.

She also joked then she 'gave birth to Tommy' as she noted the striking similarity between her partner and their baby.

But Georgia acknowledged that she sees the resemblance between Brody and herself, now that his cheeks have 'filled out' and she can see his dimples.

The couple announced their decision to leave The Only Way Is Essex in May, but they are preparing to return to TV screens later this year with their solo show, Georgia and Tommy: Baby Steps.

According to the mother-of-one, she was initially hesitant about doing their own show, but ultimately decided it was the right thing to do considering their entire relationship has been documented on TV.

As the first series only has two episodes, Georgia teased the idea of shooting more installments in the future while adding that she thinks viewers will enjoy the way it's filmed because it's different to other reality show formats.
Dame Helen Mirren ensured she made an entrance on Wednesday evening as the 78th annual Venice International Film Festival opening ceremony got underway.

The Oscar-winning actress stunned in a sweeping silver gown during her first red carpet appearance at this year's event, which opens with the premiere of new Penelope Cruz film Madres Paralelas.

Dame Helen, 76, belied her age in the cinched, form-fitting dress while posing for photographers at the star-studded event.

Incredible: Dame Helen Mirren ensured she made an entrance on Wednesday evening as the 78th annual Venice International Film Festival opening ceremony got underway

The British star added to her look with a tasteful silver clutch, while her hair was held in place with a matching Alice band.

Evidently please to be back on the red carpet after a year of repeated lockdowns, Dame Helen beamed as she greeted waiting photographers ahead of the event's first screening.

The actress was joined by husband Taylor Hackford, also 76, who ensured he was dressed appropriately in a smart blue tuxedo, white dress shirt and bow-tie.

The 2021 Venice Film Festival will take place from 1-11 September, and is considered one of the world's oldest awards ceremonies and one of the 'Big Five' events.

The jury is headed by Parasite frontman Bong Joon Ho, who said he is 'honoured to be woven into its beautiful cinematic tradition.

'As president of the jury  and more importantly as a perpetual cinephile  I'm ready to admire and applaud all the great films selected by the festival. I'm filled with genuine hope and excitement.'

In goo company: Dame Helen was joined by husband Taylor Hackford on the red carpet

Looking good: The Oscar-winning actress stunned in a sweeping silver gown during her first red carpet appearance at this year's event

The jury is also comprised of director Saverio Costanzo, actress Virginie Efira, star Cynthia Erivo, actress Sarah Gadon, documentarian Alexander Nanau, and director Chloe Zhao.

This year's festival has also invited two Afgan filmmakers, Sahraa Karimi and Sahra Mani, to discuss the Taliban's takeover of the country, with 'particular attention to the situation of filmmakers and artists,' in a panel taking place on 4th September.

The topic of the panel will be 'the dramatic situation of Afghan filmmakers and artists in general, the need for the creation of humanitarian corridors and the guarantee of the granting of political refugee status, as well as concern for their future and the need to provide for their accommodation once they arrive in Europe.'

Delighted: Evidently please to be back on the red carpet after a year of repeated lockdowns, Dame Helen beamed as she greeted waiting photographers ahead of the event's first screening

Smart: The British star added to her look with a tasteful silver clutch, while her hair was held in place with a matching Alice band

Oscar-winning Italian director Roberto Benigni, who helmed the acclaimed Life is Beautiful, will also be honoured with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

In a statement he said: 'My heart is full of joy and gratitude. It is an immense honour to receive such an important recognition of my work from the Venice International Film Festival.'

This year's festival has also seen the grand return of its star-studded red carpet premieres, after last year's event was drastically scaled back due to the Covid pandemic.

Leading lady: Dame Helen and husband Taylor were attending the premiere of Madres Paralelas starring Penelope Cruz, who was also in attendance

Last year's occasion saw a significantly smaller number of guests in attendance, will all red carpet arrivals required to adhere to social distancing, with temperature checks and mask wearing mandatory at the event.

Despite its return, this year's festival is still adhering to strict Covid guidelines, following a rise in cases in Italy.

Public access to the red carpet is banned, and more than 10 testing stations have been set up.

All attendees must show proof of a negative test or vaccination to enter a screen, and masks are required indoors.

Moving: Parallel Mothers (Madres paralelas) sees Penelope play Janis, one of two women who meet in a hospital room where they are both about to give birth

Parallel Mothers (Madres paralelas) sees Penelope play Janis, one of two women who meet in a hospital room where they are both about to give birth.

Cruz plays a middle-aged mother who doesn't regret falling pregnant, while Aitana Sanchez-Gijon stars as an adolescent terrified by the prospect of having a child.

Speaking about the film, director Pedro Almodovar said back in February: 'I speak of the importance of ancestors and descendants.

'The inevitable presence of memory. There are many mothers in my filmography, the ones that are part of this story are very different.'

Last month Instagram were forced to apologise when a poster for the film, which shows a nipple with a drop of milk, was briefly removed from the platform.

'You should be ashamed of yourselves, Instagram,' Spanish designer Javier Jaen who created the poster wrote in a post on the image-centric social network.

He accompanied the text with a screen grab of a message he received from Instagram on Monday stating that the image had been taken down because it violated the network's rules.

'As expected @Instagram has removed the poster which we made for the latest Almodovar film. I have posted it again. Thanks for sharing it,' added Jaen.

A robust online debate saw some defending the image as artistic while others said it was 'too explicit'.

Instagram, which belongs to Facebook, is regularly accused of being overzealous in removing pictures involving nudity.

Shocking: Last month Instagram were forced to apologise when a poster for the film, which shows a nipple with a drop of milk, was briefly removed from the platform

This year's Venice Film Festival will also see the long-awaited premiere of the Princess Diana biopic Spencer, which sees Kristen Stewart star as the late Royal.

The film is set to depict a dramatised version of a 'critical' weekend in the early 1990s, when Diana decided that her marriage to Prince Charles wasn't working.

The script, written by English screenwriter Steven Knight, who has also written Peaky Blinders, follows the moments Diana realised she 'needed to veer from a path that put her in line to one day be queen'.

On Friday, the science fiction epic Dune, which is directed by Denis Villeneuve and stars Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet Rebecca Ferguson and Jason Momoa, among numerous others, will also premiere at the festival.

Dune was originally supposed to have its premiere in November of 2020, but it was eventually delayed on numerous occasions owing to the ongoing state of the global pandemic, and is now set for release on October 22nd.

The story is set in a far-distant future in the midst of several civilizations spread across the galaxy, centering on one family in particular, the Atreides family.

The family, lead by Duke Leto Atreides, becomes the new stewards for the dangerous desert planet Arrakis.

While the desert planet is sparsely populated and filled with deadly creatures, it is also quite important.

Arrakis is the only source of 'melange,' which extends ones life and greatly enhances mental capacities, and is a necessity for space travel and navigation.
They've been isolating separately since returning from the Love Island villa in Majorca after winning the show earlier this month.

And Millie Court and Liam Reardon made it clear that distance had only made the heart grow fonder as they packed on the PDA at their reunion in East London on Wednesday.

The reality stars, 24, and 22, beamed as they gazed into eachother's eyes and cosied up for a cuddle while enjoying some cocktails along the river.

Loved-up: Millie Court and Liam Reardon made it clear that distance had only made the heart grow fonder as they packed on the PDA as they reunited in London on Wednesday

Millie looked over the moon to be back in Liam's arms as she held onto his hand while her blonde tresses blew back in the wind.

The loved up couple couldn't keep their hands off eachother as they leaned in for a series of passionate kisses after their time apart.

Millie put on a stylish display for the reunion with her beau as she donned a plunging black button front shirt and a pair of light denim straight-legged jeans.

The blonde beauty showcased her taut abs in the midriff-baring top and completed the look with a pair of toe thong heels and an enviable Fendi mini bag

Date: The reality stars, 24, and 22, beamed as they gazed into eachother's eyes and cosied up for a cuddle while enjoying some cocktails along the river

Besotted: Millie looked over the moon to be back in Liam's arms as she held onto his hand while her blonde tresses blew back in the wind

Irresistible: The loved up couple couldn't keep their hands off eachother as they leaned in for a series of passionate kisses after their time apart

Meanwhile, Liam cut a dapper figure in a tan shirt and white chinos as he swept his beau up in his arms.

Millie was quick to inspect her boyfriends outfit as she came up for air from their PDA display and evaluated what he was wearing as she grinned in approval.

Brick layer Liam completed his outfit with a pair of fresh Timberland boots and made Millie beam from ear to ear as they chatted to each other in the alfresco bar

Chic: Millie put on a stylish display for the reunion with her beau as she donned a plunging black button front shirt and a pair of light denim straight-legged jeans

Stunning: The blonde beauty showcased her taut abs in the midriff-baring top and completed the look with a pair of toe thong heels and an enviable Fendi mini bag

The couple chose to isolate far away from one another after they returned from the show as Millie headed home to her family and Liam stayed in a hotel in East London.

But Liam has been sure to keep the romance alive in the build up to their reunion and has been shown on social media sending Millie large flower arrangements.

Taking to Instagram to share the bouquet last week, Millie wrote: 'I could cry. Liam organised a surprise delivery to me."You are the cutest. I love you.'

Dressed to impress: Meanwhile, Liam cut a dapper figure in a tan shirt and white chinos as he swept his beau up in his arms

All smiles: Millie was quick to inspect her boyfriends outfit as she came up for air from their PDA display and evaluated what he was wearing as she grinned in approval

Finishing touch: Brick layer Liam completed his outfit with a pair of fresh Timberland boots and made Millie beam from ear to ear as they chatted to each other in the alfresco bar

And the Love Island contestants were clearly over the moon to be finally back together as Millie wrapped her arms around her beau and pulled him in for another kiss in front of onlookers.

The reality star could barely reach her 6ft6 boyfriends face even in heels as she craned her neck to look up at him.

While on Love Island, Millie cheekily told Liam as they got to know each other: 'I dont think Ive ever met someone who is 66 and I find that extremely fit.'

Come here: Millie wrapped her arms around her beau as she pulled him in for another kiss in front of onlookers

Her type on paper: While on Love Island, Millie cheekily told Liam as they got to know each other: 'I dont think Ive ever met someone who is 66 and I find that extremely fit.'

The reunion comes after Liam and Millie discussed their future plans on This Morning last week as they embark on a long-distance relationship between Essex and Wales.

Admin assistant Millie revealed she and Chloe Burrows, 25, will be moving in together, while bricklayer Liam admitted that he's not going back to work after becoming a reality star, and instead will turn to flipping properties.

Speaking live from Essex to Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, Millie said of Liam: 'I'm really missing him. I regret saying I'd go home, I wish I was with him...'

Explaining their time out of the villa, Liam said: 'It's been overwhelming and so far we've done every step together so being a part now is difficult. I'm looking forward to the quarantine being over so we can be back together again.'

Making it work: The reunion comes after Liam and Millie discussed their future plans on This Morning last week as they embark on a long-distance relationship between Essex and Wales

'I wish I was with him': Seemingly struggling with the time apart in quarantine ahead of their reunion this week Millie admitted she regretted going home without her boyfriend

'I'm looking forward to the quarantine being over so we can be back together again': Liam also made it clear he was eager to be back with Millie and looked over the moon at their reunion

Of his feelings about Millie and what attracted him, Liam confessed: 'She's absolutely amazing and I find our personalities are on par, our sense of humour We're the exact same people you know?

'She is obviously absolutely amazing to look at and the way I feel about her, I've not felt like that about anyone else before you know? I want to look at her all day.

'Of course. I'm very grateful she gave me a second chance and I still want to make that up to her and I'll be doing that on the outside, when I'm given the chance out of quarantine.

'But we are boyfriend and girlfriend. We do love each other, but I'm still going to keep showing her what she means to me.'

'She's absolutely amazing and I find our personalities are on par,' Liam hasn't been able to stop gushing about Millie since they left the villa

Grovelling? The star made sure to mention that as soon as the pair were out of quarantine he would continue to make up for the mistakes he made in Casa Amor

'We are boyfriend and girlfriend. We do love each other': But the couple seemed extremely loved up as the smooched in front of camera crews in London on Tuesday

Asked if their parents have given this the seal of approval, Liam smiled: 'Definitely. My parents were on facetime last night and they are very close already so that's amazing to have.

The couple also met each other's family on the penultimate episode of Love Island when their loved ones were brought into the villa to be introduced to their partners.

Liam continued: 'The approval is already there. So we can concentrate on me and Millie now.'

On meeting her parents, Liam admitted: 'I was nervous meeting them, but they were amazing her mother, sister, father, they are all amazing.'

Couldn't be happier: Liam also revealed that his parents approved of Millie and that she'd soon be visiting Wales

Infectious: The beaming couple made camera crew laugh as they joked aroud with one another

Millie and Liam caught up after their isolation surrounded by film cameras, which were most likely shooting for the Love Island reunion show.

But the couple, who were watched for all hours of the day in the Love Island villa, seemed unphased by the attention of the camera crew.

The pair continued their PDA display with three crew members around them as they caught up on kisses after their seperate quarantine.

Eyes on them: Millie and Liam caught up after their isolation surrounded by film cameras, which were most likely shooting for the Love Island reunion show

Up close: But the couple, who were watched for all hours of the day in the Love Island villa, seemed unphased by the attention of the camera crew as they continued their PDA display

Millie and Liam were met by their families at the end of their date and Millie politely waved to Liam's family as she left with her mum in a taxi.

The star looked stunning as she raised an arm in farewell while stepping out onto the street while flanked by Liam and her youthful mother Esme in a white blouse and heels.

Liam then headed off with his own family - dad Paul, mum Donna and sister Niamh - as he enjoyed some much needed family time after quarantine and six weeks abroad in thge Love Island villa.

Bye! Millie and Liam were met by their families at the end of their date and Millie politely waved to Liam's sister mum and dad as she left with her mum in a taxi.

Heading off: The star looked stunning as she raised an arm in farewell while stepping out onto the street while flanked by her youthful mother Esme and Liam
She is reportedly privately working on her relationship with Kanye West.

But on Wednesday, Kim Kardashian celebrated reaching 250 million followers on Instagram with a sweet snap of her daughter Chicago embracing her cousins Stormi and True.

Kim, 40, captioned the two images: '250 million followers on IG. I love you guys! I wanted to post this pic because if I could get 250 million kisses from our babies my life would be complete.'

Adorable: She is reportedly privately working on her relationship with Kanye West. And on Wednesday, Kim Kardashian celebrated reaching 250 million followers on Instagram with a sweet snap of her daughter Chicago embracing her cousins Stormi and True

Chicago, three, is Kim's youngest daughter; she is also mom to North, eight, Saint, five and Psalm, two.

True, three, is the daughter of Kim's sister Khloe Kardashian and her on/off ex Tristan Thompson; she is pictured on the right in the images.

Stormi, three, is the daughter of Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott; she is pictured on the left.

The star is only 13 million behind Kylie, who currently leads the pack for most followers on Instagram with 263 million followers.

Sweet: Kim, 40, captioned the two images: '250 million followers on IG. I love you guys! I wanted to post this pic because if I could get 250 million kisses from our babies my life would be complete'

Cousins: Chicago, three, is Kim's youngest daughter; she is also mom to North, eight, Saint, five and Psalm, two; from left to right: Stormi Webster, True Thompson and Chicago West

Family: Stormi, three, is the daughter of Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott; she is pictured on the left; Kylie is reportedly pregnant with their second child, but it is not yet confirmed; the family seen on June 15, 2021 at the 72nd Annual Parsons Benefit at Pier 17 in NYC

Cute: True, three, is the daughter of Kim's sister Khloe Kardashian and her on/off ex Tristan Thompson; she is pictured on the right

Kylie then Kim are first and second, with Kendall Jenner with the third most followers at 186 million.

Khloe is in fourth place with 180 million followers and in last is Kourtney Kardashian with 140 million.

The most followed person on Instagram is Cristiano Ronaldo with 336 million followers, second is Dwayne The Rock Johnson with 266 million and then Kylie is tied for third with Ariana Grande, who also has 263 million.

Leo Messi is fourth at 259 million, then Selena Gomez with 258 million, then Kim, Beyonce and Justin Bieber.

Her post comes just after fans have been speculating that her estranged husband Kanye West's song Lord I Need You.

Reaching a milestone: The star is only 13 million behind Kylie, who currently leads the pack for most followers on Instagram with 263 million followers

In the song, Kanye raises concern about fidelity in a relationship, rapping: 'Three hours to get back from Palm Springs, huh? / Who you know spend an hour in Walgreens, huh?'

Kim's mom Kris Jenner owns a $12 million home in Palm Springs where the whole family has been seen on numerous occasions.

He also raps: 'But you came here to show that you still in love with me,' seemingly referring to her being present at all of his Donda album listening parties.

He also refers to a domestic row with his partner in: 'Too many complaints made it hard to think / Would you shut up? I can't hear myself drink.'

Kanye also alludes to their sex life diminishing: 'We used to do the freak like seven days a week / It's the best collab since Taco Bell and KFC, uh.'

He then raps about even more rows, which appear to be pointing at Kim's privilege, growing up in a wealthy family. 'Talk to me nicely, don't come at me loud / You had a Benz at sixteen, I could barely afford a Audi / How you gon' try to say sometimes it's not about me?' he raps.

Kim was famously gifted a BMW for her sixteenth birthday by her late father Robert Kardashian.

The argument takes a turn for the worse when he adds: 'Cussin' at your baby mama, guess that's why they call it custody.'

Happier times: Her post comes just after fans have been speculating that her estranged husband Kanye West's song Lord I Need You

Despite the seemingly pointed lyrics, Kanye 'want to get back' with Kim, according to Us Weekly's report.

He 'sees the two of them together and wants to make that a reality now,' the insider said.

Adding: 'He has been trying to get back in her good graces again and it seems to be working.'

Last week, Kim made a statement when she appeared on stage at his Donda listening event in Chicago in a wedding gown and veil.

They reportedly left hand in hand after recreating their 2014 nuptials on stage.

The magazine's source noted that 'Kim supports Kanye and was happy to be on stage in a wedding dress.'

Rekindled? Last week, Kim made a statement when she appeared on stage at his Donda listening event in Chicago in a wedding gown and veil.

'She has always respected his art and ideas and was all in for the performance,' the insider added.

'It was not a vow renewal. Kim has been hesitant to get back together with Kanye because he was all over the place,' the source said.

She wore a custom Balenciaga couture dress for the listening event, walking out on stage at Soldier Field in Chicago for the final song - No Child Left Behind.

The star appeared alongside Kanye and paid tribute to their seven year marriage, despite her filing for divorce in February of this year.

According to a report by TMZ, insiders close to the former couple have claimed they are 'working on rebuilding the foundation of the relationship' privately.

While TMZ still believe the divorce is underway, other sources claim Kim and Kanye are willing to give their romance another chance, particularly with kids involved.

At one point, Kanye was seen beaming at her as he appeared to clutch onto a bible.

They are parents to four children together: North, eight, Saint, five, Chicago and Psalm, two.

As with the last two Donda listening events at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Kim brought all four of the couple's children along for the event.

The beauty mogul also took to Instagram on Saturday to share photos from the listening event, including ones of her in the bespoke Balenciaga wedding gown.

Kim and Kanye wed at the Forte di Belvedere in Florence in 2014, where Kim donned a custom-made by Givenchy Haute Couture.
Adriana Lima and her new beau wowed at the opening night of Venice Film Festival as they attended the premiere for Cruz's Parallel Mothers on Wednesday evening.

The Supermodel, 40, locked lips with her new hunk -who she is yet to name- and turned heads in a strapless busty red gown.

The floor-length gown - which featured sultry cut out sections across the midriff - was completely covered in dazzling red sequins and featured a thigh-high slit up the leg.

New man: Adriana Lima and her new beau wowed at the opening night of Venice Film Festival as they attended the premiere for Cruz's Parallel Mothers on Wednesday evening

The Brazilian native boosted her already statuesque frame with a pair of towering heels and added gold accessories to her ensemble in the form of a bracelet and matching earrings.

The brunette beauty wore her sleek tresses in a loose style with a side parting, while she enhanced her naturally striking looks with a slick of glamorous make-up.

The mystery man looked dapper in a black suit and bow tie, he also donned a pair of black velvet loafers.

The pair wrapped their arms around each other as they posed for pictures before entering the venue.

Stunning: The floor-length gown - which featured sultry cut out sections across the midriff - was completely covered in dazzling red sequins and featured a thigh-high slit up the leg

Wow! The Supermodel, 40, locked lips with her new hunk -who she is yet to name- and turned heads in a strapless busty red gown

Handsome: The mystery man looked dapper in a black suit and bow tie, he also donned a pair of black velvet loafers

Adriana not too long ago confirmed her new relationship standing on Instagram  however is yet to disclose his name.

The 2021 Venice Film Festival will take place from 1-11 September, and is considered one of the world's oldest awards ceremonies and one of the 'Big Five' events.

The jury is headed by Parasite frontman Bong Joon Ho, who said he is 'honoured to be woven into its beautiful cinematic tradition.

'As president of the jury  and more importantly as a perpetual cinephile  I'm ready to admire and applaud all the great films selected by the festival. I'm filled with genuine hope and excitement.'

The jury is also comprised of director Saverio Costanzo, actress Virginie Efira, star Cynthia Erivo, actress Sarah Gadon, documentarian Alexander Nanau, and director Chloe Zhao.

This year's festival has also invited two Afgan filmmakers, Sahraa Karimi and Sahra Mani, to discuss the Taliban's takeover of the country, with 'particular attention to the situation of filmmakers and artists,' in a panel taking place on 4th September.

Style: The Brazilian native boosted her already statuesque frame with a pair of towering heels

Perfect: She enhanced her naturally striking looks with a slick of glamorous make-up

The topic of the panel will be 'the dramatic situation of Afghan filmmakers and artists in general, the need for the creation of humanitarian corridors and the guarantee of the granting of political refugee status, as well as concern for their future and the need to provide for their accommodation once they arrive in Europe.'

Oscar-winning Italian directorRoberto Benigni, who helmed the acclaimed Life is Beautiful, will also be honoured with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

In a statement he said: 'My heart is full of joy and gratitude. It is an immense honour to receive such an important recognition of my work from the Venice International Film Festival.'

This year's festival has also seen the grand return of its star-studded red carpet premieres, after last year's event was drastically scaled back due to the Covid pandemic.

Glam: She added gold accessories to her ensemble in the form of a bracelet and matching earrings

Confident: The star oozed confidence on the red carpet as she strutted inside the venue

Risky: The show stopping gown featured a thigh-high slit up the leg

Last year's occasion saw a significantly smaller number of guests in attendance, will all red carpet arrivals required to adhere to social distancing, with temperature checks and mask wearing mandatory at the event.

Despite its return, this year's festival is still adhering to strict Covid guidelines, following a rise in cases in Italy.

Public access to the red carpet is banned, and more than 10 testing stations have been set up.

All attendees must show proof of a negative test or vaccination to enter a screen, and masks are required indoors.

Parallel Mothers (Madres paralelas) sees Penelope play Janis, one of two women who meet in a hospital room where they are both about to give birth.

Work it! The supermodel looked comfortable on the red carpet and worked her best angles

Cruz plays a middle-aged mother who doesn't regret falling pregnant, while Aitana Sanchez-Gijon stars as an adolescent terrified by the prospect of having a child.

Speaking about the film, director Pedro Almodovar said back in February: 'I speak of the importance of ancestors and descendants.

'The inevitable presence of memory. There are many mothers in my filmography, the ones that are part of this story are very different.'

Last month Instagram were forced to apologise when a poster for the film, which shows a nipple with a drop of milk, was briefly removed from the platform.

'You should be ashamed of yourselves, Instagram,' Spanish designer Javier Jaen who created the poster wrote in a post on the image-centric social network.

He accompanied the text with a screen grab of a message he received from Instagram on Monday stating that the image had been taken down because it violated the network's rules.

'As expected @Instagram has removed the poster which we made for the latest Almodovar film. I have posted it again. Thanks for sharing it,' added Jaen.

Moving: Parallel Mothers (Madres paralelas) sees Penelope play Janis, one of two women who meet in a hospital room where they are both about to give birth

A robust online debate saw some defending the image as artistic while others said it was 'too explicit'.

Instagram, which belongs to Facebook, is regularly accused of being overzealous in removing pictures involving nudity.

This year's Venice Film Festival will also see the long-awaited premiere of the Princess Diana biopic Spencer, which sees Kristen Stewart star as the late Royal.

The film is set to depict a dramatised version of a 'critical' weekend in the early 1990s, when Diana decided that her marriage to Prince Charles wasn't working.

The script, written by English screenwriter Steven Knight, who has also written Peaky Blinders, follows the moments Diana realised she 'needed to veer from a path that put her in line to one day be queen'.

On Friday, the science fiction epic Dune, which is directed by Denis Villeneuve and stars Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet Rebecca Ferguson and Jason Momoa, among numerous others, will also premiere at the festival.

Dune was originally supposed to have its premiere in November of 2020, but it was eventually delayed on numerous occasions owing to the ongoing state of the global pandemic, and is now set for release on October 22nd.

The story is set in a far-distant future in the midst of several civilizations spread across the galaxy, centering on one family in particular, the Atreides family.

The family, lead by Duke Leto Atreides, becomes the new stewards for the dangerous desert planet Arrakis.

While the desert planet is sparsely populated and filled with deadly creatures, it is also quite important.

Arrakis is the only source of 'melange,' which extends ones life and greatly enhances mental capacities, and is a necessity for space travel and navigation.
It was recently announced that her boyfriend Cristiano Ronaldo would be returning to his former club Manchester United after inking a deal with the team.

And following the news, Georgina Rodriquez ensured the attention was on her, as the arrived at the 78th annual Venice Film Festival opening ceremony on Wednesday.

The Spanish model, 27, oozed sophistication as she arrived wearing a black corset style top and matching flared trousers, at the premiere for Parallel Mothers.

Wow! Georgina Rodriquez ensured the attention was on her, as the arrived at the 78th annual Venice Film Festival opening ceremony on Wednesday

She wore a tailored blazer slung over her shoulders in a carefree fashion and styled the look with a pair of silver heels, a diamond necklace and statement earrings.

Georgina wore her raven tresses in a sleek bob and added to her pretty features with a bronze pallet of make-up.

Ronaldo's Old Trafford return was confirmed earlier this week, with the Portugal star completing his dramatic move from Juventus and becoming a United player for the second time in his career.

United have splashed out 12.9million on the 36-year-old with 6.9m to follow in add-ons. Ronaldo put pen to paper on a two-year deal with an option for a further year after passing a medical in Lisbon at the weekend.

It could see him playing for United until he is 39.

The 2021 Venice Film Festival will take place from 1-11 September, and is considered one of the world's oldest awards ceremonies and one of the 'Big Five' events.

Glam: The Spanish model, 27, oozed sophistication as she arrived wearing a black corset style top and matching flared trousers, at the premiere for Parallel Mothers

The jury is headed by Parasite frontman Bong Joon Ho, who said he is 'honoured to be woven into its beautiful cinematic tradition.

'As president of the jury  and more importantly as a perpetual cinephile  I'm ready to admire and applaud all the great films selected by the festival. I'm filled with genuine hope and excitement.'

The jury is also comprised of director Saverio Costanzo, actress Virginie Efira, star Cynthia Erivo, actress Sarah Gadon, documentarian Alexander Nanau, and director Chloe Zhao.

On the move! It was recently announced that her boyfriend Cristiano Ronaldo would be returning to his former club Manchester United after inking a deal with the team

Wow! She wore a tailored blazer slung over her shoulders in a carefree fashion and styled the look with a pair of silver heels, a diamond necklace and statement earrings

This year's festival has also invited two Afgan filmmakers, Sahraa Karimi and Sahra Mani, to discuss the Taliban's takeover of the country, with 'particular attention to the situation of filmmakers and artists,' in a panel taking place on 4th September.

The topic of the panel will be 'the dramatic situation of Afghan filmmakers and artists in general, the need for the creation of humanitarian corridors and the guarantee of the granting of political refugee status, as well as concern for their future and the need to provide for their accommodation once they arrive in Europe.'

Oscar-winning Italian directorRoberto Benigni, who helmed the acclaimed Life is Beautiful, will also be honoured with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

Sleek: Georgina wore her raven tresses in a sleek bob and added to her pretty features with a bronze pallet of make-up

In a statement he said: 'My heart is full of joy and gratitude. It is an immense honour to receive such an important recognition of my work from the Venice International Film Festival.'

This year's festival has also seen the grand return of its star-studded red carpet premieres, after last year's event was drastically scaled back due to the Covid pandemic.

Last year's occasion saw a significantly smaller number of guests in attendance, will all red carpet arrivals required to adhere to social distancing, with temperature checks and mask wearing mandatory at the event.

Despite its return, this year's festival is still adhering to strict Covid guidelines, following a rise in cases in Italy.

Public access to the red carpet is banned, and more than 10 testing stations have been set up.

All attendees must show proof of a negative test or vaccination to enter a screen, and masks are required indoors.
Sopranos prequel film The Many Saints of Newark explores the origin story of iconic mobster Tony Soprano.

Creator David Chase revealed in a new interview with Rolling Stone that he was reluctant to dive back into the New Jersey mob scene but 'might' now be open to the idea of a sequel to his upcoming film.

The prequel feature sees James Gandolfini's real life son Michael take on the late actor's starring role as the mafia boss 15 years after the HBO drama went off the air.

More to come? Sopranos creator David Chase revealed to Rolling Stone that he was reluctant to dive back into the New Jersey mob scene but 'might' be open to a Many Saints of Newark sequel

David Chase, 76, told the outlet that doing extra shooting for The Many Saints of Newark 'brought the movie much more to my heart.'

The producer and showrunner revealed that some of the writers on the project have expressed an interest in furthering the story and that may be enough to get him on board.

'If one of those guys was going to do it, I might do it with him,' he said, adding with a caveat: 'That's really not high on my list of what to do. I'm not getting any younger. I want to make another movie, hopefully, and it would not be this one.'

One of the concepts the actors are hoping to explore is the relationship between Tony and wife Carmela, played in the series by Edie Falco.

Ba da bing: The producer and showrunner revealed that some of the writers on the project have expressed an interest in furthering the story and that may be enough to get him on board

'If we're lucky maybe we'll get to tell more of the story,' said John Magro who plays young Silvio. 'I think it would be really interesting to see more of Tony's journey.'

Vera Farmiga, who plays Tony's mom adds that she'd even prefer turning the next film into a television series.

'I hope there's a Many Saints of Newark 2. Honestly, it would be my heart's delight if they would just do a prequel series,' she said. 'That would be my absolute dream.'

'I'm not ready to let this character go,' Vera said of Livia Soprano. 'I feel it's just the beginning.'

'If one of those guys was going to do it, I might do it with him,' he said, adding with a caveat: 'That's really not high on my list of what to do. I'm not getting any younger. I want to make another movie, hopefully, and it would not be this one.'

Sopranos fans are itching to finally get to see the film, many years in the making, following delays due to COVID-19.

The story is set during the 1960s Newark Riots, following the violent conflict between the Italian mobsters and African-American gangs.

HBO Max released a two-minute long first look into the origin story earlier this summer seeing Michael Gandolfini, 22, embrace the grit, street smarts and intense family loyalty first embodied by his father.

Teenaged Tony appears to be on the precipice of two paths for his life in the film, one on the straight and narrow, where it's made clear to his mom Livia that he has a 'high IQ' or one with 'the family.'

'If we're lucky maybe we'll get to tell more of the story,' said John Magro who plays young Silvio. 'I think it would be really interesting to see more of Tony's journey.'

'I hope there's a Many Saints of Newark 2. Honestly, it would be my heart's delight if they would just do a prequel series,' said Vera Farmiga. 'That would be my absolute dream.'

Tony's mom Livia, played by Vera Farmiga looks almost disturbingly like his future wife, Carmela Soprano (Edie Falco) - perhaps a nod to some of the many issues the crime boss will wax poetic on with Dr. Melfi in the HBO series.

In the series, his much older mother (Nancy Marchand) who was abusive and withholding when he was a child was a perpetual thorn in Tony's side.

The Many Saints of Newark stars Alessandro Nivola, Michael Gandolfini, Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, and John Magaro.

Jon Bernthal pays Tony's dad Johnny Soprano who is referenced in the HBO series but his death predated the timeline of the show

Mafioso: The film sees the origin story of Tony Soprano set during the 1960s Newark Riots, following the violent conflict between the Italian mobsters and African-American gangs

Tony's parents were originally played by Laila Robins and Joseph Siravo, were featured in flashback scenes.

Nancy Marchand played an older version of Livia for the first two seasons. Marchard died from cancer in 2000 before filming on the third season began; the script was reworked to include the death of her character.

Alessandro plays Dickie Moltisanti, a familiar surname to any fan of the iconic HBO show who knows all too well Christopher Moltisanti, played by the incomparable Michael Imperioli.

Dickie was never seen during the drama's tenure on television but referenced several times as a sort of mentor of Tony Soprano. The character died during Christopher's infancy and was only portrayed on the original show through photographs.

The family: The Many Saints of Newark stars Alessandro Nivola, Michael Gandolfini, Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, and John Magaro

'Growing up with the family,' Dickie explains to Tony in the trailer, 'tales a toll.'

The Soprano family tree is a bit of a twisted one as Dickie is the cousin of Tony's wife Carmela (Edie Falco), however Tony refers to her second cousin Christopher (Imperioli) solely as his nephew.

Dickie is described as a 'a charismatic but violent made man who falls in love with his father's much younger bride, a recent immigrant from Italy.'

His mentorship with young Tony set the intelligent teen down the misguided path of violence and crime that led to the well-to-do Jersey mobster anti-here with panic attacks that viewers in the early aughts would come to know and love.

Premiere: The Many Saints of Newark will be released in theaters and simultaneously on HBO Max October 1

The Sopranos centered around mob boss Tony Soprano and his dealings with his family and The Family while also seeking treatment for panic attacks.

The hit show was one of the first of it's kind and ran for six seasons on HBO from 1999 to 2007.

It made a star of actor James Gandolfini, won numerous awards including Golden Globes, Emmys and SAG Awards, and is often credited for the kicking off the stellar trend of television dramas in the 2000s and 2010s.

Gandolfini died suddenly of a heart attack while visiting Rome, Italy, on June 19, 2013. He was 51.

The Many Saints of Newark will be released in theaters and simultaneously on HBO Max October 1.
She is reprising her role as Janine Butcher on EastEnders this autumn after a seven year break.

And Charlie Brooks, 40, looked very happy about the news on Wednesday as she was spotted beaming whilst picking up essentials in London.

The actress looked stylish in high waisted boot cut jeans and a casual cropped T-shirt for the outing.

Style: Charlie Brooks, 40, looked very happy about the news on Wednesday as she was spotted beaming whilst picking up essentials in London

She completed her look with black leather heeled boots and accessorised with a large brown belt.

The TV star donned a gold necklace and silver hoop earrings as she strutted to her car from the shopping centre.

Charlie recently hinted viewers could be in for a fiery autumn as Janine Butcher storms back into Albert Square.

The actress who is reprising her role as the murderous villainess told MailOnline it felt 'absolutely right' to return to the character as she's always wondered whether she ever 'redeemed herself.'

Gorgeous: The actress looked stylish in high waisted boot cut jeans and a casual cropped T-shirt for the outing

Work it! She completed her look with black leather heeled boots and accessorised with a large brown belt

Charlie added that many fans will be delighted to learn Janine hasn't changed since fleeing Walford, and viewers could be in for some explosive reveals as she reunites with some old foes.

Asked about her decision to head back to EastEnders, Charlie, who first started playing Janine in 1999, told MailOnline: 'When I first got the call my agent called and I was like instinctively straight away, like something feels absolutely right about this.

'I mean I've said in interviews I always think about where she's been she's such a gloriously layered character I always entertain myself with thoughts of where she might be and what she might be doing, it's really exciting.

'I've had so many different thoughts I've imagined her as a hippie on the beach trying to redeem herself, or really really bad she couldn't redeem herself.

Busy: The TV star donned a gold necklace and silver hoop earrings as she strutted to her car from the shopping centre

'It's really interesting with her because there's a definite self-loathing within her and I think that makes her attach in ways that a human being might know.

'I love the idea of walking in her shoes for the day, I want to go out with Janine she's going to be fun, I just get such wonderful opportunities with storylines.'

While exact details around Janine's return are being kept a closely guarded secret, Charlie did reveal fans will see her in the midst of a dramatic reunion with old enemy Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), who has been looking after her daughter Scarlett.

She added: 'As we know we've got Scarlett who may find herself back in the Square and so Janine is heading back that way.

Back to it! She is reprising her role as Janine Butcher on Eastenders this autumn after a seven year break

'We know it's going to be explosive, we might see some flames in a big fire... that's coming along and I think some of the old characters we see her working with.'

'I know when it's exciting because I can feel it as an actress when they're sparking off each other so you've got a lot of that to look forward to, her put-downs, her wit, the writers have done a brilliant job.

'I read the scripts I got and thought ''oh my god can she say that'?' It's fun and that's what I'm excited about, as well as all the layered stuff that goes on underneath, we all really want to connect that inner child whether that's for better or worse is a really interesting thing to explore.'

Charlie also told MailOnline that since it was announced she was returning to the soap, she's been overwhelmed by the positive reaction from soap fans.

Candid: Charlie recently hinted viewers could be in for a fiery autumn as Janine Butcher storms back into Albert Square

She said: 'All the social media stuff blew me away really and there's a lot of love for the character and that was really amazing.

'All my stuff has been with Jessie Wallace so we've got a lot of Janine and Kat stuff, it's so weird when you've worked so closely with so many people for such a long time and then you come back it's almost like a school reunion but better.

'I was a bit nervous about it to be honest, just because it's so new again and working this much as a shock to the system, everyone's been amazing, hand on heart fantastic and I'm buzzing to be here.'

Janine's return will form part of another explosive autumn on Albert Square, with Executive Producer Jon Sen hinting viewers will finally see the conclusion of Gray Atkins murderous ways, along with the Linda and Mick Carter's desperate attempts to hide her baby's true paternity.

Soap Star: Sid Owen as Ricky Butcher and Charlie Brooks as Janine Evans on Eastenders (pictured 2004)

Janine has been involved in her fair share of drama during her time on the soap, which first began in 1999.

Most notably, Janine married Barry Evans  played by Shaun Williamson  for his money before pushing him off a cliff.

She went on to marry a rich elderly Jewish businessman called David, who died of a heart attack at the ceremony, before tying the knot with Ryan Malloy (Neil McDermott), whom she also tried to kill.

Although she was unsuccessful in her murder plot against Ryan, she framed arch-rival Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) for the attempted crime.

Janine married a fourth time to Michael Moon (Steve John Shepherd) and had her daughter Scarlett with him, before she eventually set out to kill him too.

The evil killer was successful in ending Michael's life, but was found not guilty in court - leading to her being shunned by locals which made her eventually leave Walford.

She was last seen at St Pancras as she boarded a train to go to Paris - where she joined daughter Scarlett and sister Diane.

Janine's much-anticipated return to EastEnders will air on Monday 6th September at 8pm on BBC One.
Josh Brolin and his wife Kathryn Boyd looked to be having the time of their life while in Venice, Italy on Tuesday.

The actor, 53, and the fashion designer, 33, beamed as they rode in a speedboat in the canals.

The veteran star - whose father is The Amityville Horror actor James Brolin - will be promoting his new film Dune at the 78th Venice Film Festival.

Molto bono: Josh Brolin and his wife Kathryn Boyd looked to be having the time of their life while in Venice, Italy on Tuesday

Good life: The actor, 53, and the fashion designer, 33, beamed as they rode in a speedboat in the canals

A kiss for my movie star man: Though they have 20 years between them it does not seem to matter much

Josh had on a dark blue top and his wife looked lovely in a white dress with her blonde hair down as they sat on the old fashioned boat.

They even traded kisses on social media.

Dune is a sci fi film based on the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert. It is directed by Denis Villeneuve with a screenplay by Jon Spaihts, Villeneuve, and Eric Roth.

There is a massive cast.

They brought their Hollywood look with them: Both Josh and his spouse wore black sunglasses as they waved to fans from their water taxi

He only has eyes for his woman: The Wall Street actor added red hearts to this image

Casual Hollywood peeps: Josh had on a dark blue top and his wife looked lovely in a white dress as they sat on the old fashioned boat

Dune time: The veteran star - whose father is The Amityville Horror actor James Brolin - will be promoting his new film Dune at the 78th Venice Film Festival

In addition to Brolin the film stars Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian and Chang Chen.

Also seen will be Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.

The movie debuts on Friday in Venice and will be released on October 22, 2021 in the United States.

Plugging Dune: Dune is a sci fi film based on the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert. It is directed by Denis Villeneuve with a screenplay by Jon Spaihts, Villeneuve, and Eric Roth

She loves to have fun: His wife held up one arm as she showed off her slender figure

In December Brolin and Boyd named their newborn daughter after the chapels they have 'found solace' in.

Josh, - who already has Westlyn, two, with Kathryn, along with Trevor, 32, and Eden, 26, with former wife Alice Adair - revealed they chose to name their newborn Chapel Grace as they feel she is a 'a manifestation of that celestial feeling that was always felt as we meandered and knelt' on their travels.

Josh shared a picture of the tot on Instagram and wrote: 'Chapel Grace. Everywhere we have traveled the one place Kathryn and I always found a great solace in were chapels.

He is in the best season of his life: Josh seems to be a happier man these days

Looks like she needs a clip: The beauty's blonde hair was blowing in the wind for the selfie

Loved-up: The loved-up couple put on an affectionate display

'Not being particularly religious but a God feeling has heavily inundated our lives and chapels have always been sanctuaries where we felt connectedly free to gives thanks.

'Chapel Grace is, to us, a manifestation of that celestial feeling that was always felt as we meandered and knelt.'

Kathryn previously branded Chapel their 'little Christmas evening angel'.

A casual statement: his wife wore Nike sneakers with her white dress at the hotel

She wrote on Instagram: 'Chapel Grace Brolin. Born at 6:20 pm on 12/25/20. Our little Christmas evening angel.'

The couple welcomed daughter Westlyn in November 2018.

At the time of Westlyn's birth, Josh wrote on social media: 'Mama Kathryn was stellar during this miracle birth and Bean is a flawless gem through and through.

'We are blessed to the core and appreciate so much the love and support during this pregnancy from ALL who have partaken in our journey, directly and/or indirectly.'

While Kathryn added: 'Our family's newest (and tiniest) member. Nothing compares to this... nothing. My heart is totally different forever. @ josh brolin thanks for this little life of ours.'
She welcomed her first child in April this year and has been hosting Love Island over the summer.

Laura Whitmore, 36, and husband Iain Stirling, 33, enjoyed a date night at the 24th GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2021 in association with BOSS after her recent return from Majorca.

Television presenter Laura looked chic in a halterneck jumpsuit while Iain looked dapper in black T.M.Lewin tuxedo and shawl.

Date night: New parents Laura Whitmore, 36, and husband Iain Stirling, 33, enjoyed an evening at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards, with Laura looking chic in Safiyaa and Iain wearing Reiss

The pair, who married last year, stood with their arms round each other as they posed on the red carpet at the bash.

Laura brought a touch of sparkle to the event as her ensemble featured a sequined length of material which hung from her shoulder and down her back to the ground.

Television personality Laura and her comedian beau, who does the voiceover for Love Island, are yet to reveal the name of their daughter but she is believed to be called Stevie Re.

Glamour puss: Laura brought a touch of sparkle to the event as her ensemble featured a sequined length of material which hung from her shoulder and down her back to the ground

Taking to Instagram before heading to the awards, Laura shared a picture of her invite, writing: 'Going out out!'

The 24th GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2021 in association with BOSS saw a slew of stars scooping top prizes on Wednesday night as the ceremony saw the return of in-person attendees following the Covid pandemic.

The star-studded ceremony was hosted by actor Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina, with presenters including Winnie Harlow, Gary Lineker, Emma Corrin and Mabel announcing the winners of the coveted awards.

Night off: Laura welcomed her first daughter to the world in April with husband in evening, with the star taking the night off from parental duties on the evening

As well as receiving one of GQ's coveted trophies, winners were treated to a 12,000 goodie bag, with treats such as dinner and a night's stay in the swanky Nobu Hotel, a 200 Boss watch, a bottle of 80 Porte Noire Champagne and a flight on a semi-private plane.

Other prizes also include membership to the prestigious Ivy Club, a luxury facial with Fatma Shaheen, founder of Skin Design London, and an array of skincare delights.

It had been previously announced that Sir Anthony Hopkins would receive The Legend Award, and ahead of the ceremony the Oscar winner gave an interview with the publication.

Stepping out: Taking to Instagram before heading to the awards, Laura shared a picture of her invite, writing: 'Going out out!'

During the interview he urged budding actors 'not to waste their money' on acting school.

He insisted: 'Don't waste your money. They're failed actors that set themselves up as gurus.'

He added when speaking to the magazine ahead of its ceremony: 'There's one very well-known actor with an acting class here in Los Angeles and he's the star of the show!

'And all these other students sitting around paying their fees and he's the star! He's on stage with them, interrupting them, being rude to them. No, you don't do that.'

Last year's GQ Men Of The Year was presented by Jack Whitehall and took place virtually due to the Covid pandemic, with many stars accepting their prizes in pre-recorded clips that formed the ceremony, which was streamed live on YouTube.

She's a professional: Laura presented Love Island this summer after welcoming her daughter in April, with the 2021 series finishing last week
NeNe Leakes' husband Gregg Leakes has died after his battle with colon cancer.

He was 66.

A spokesperson confirmed the news on Wednesday, saying: 'Today the Leakes family is in deep pain with a broken heart.'

'After a long battle with cancer, Gregg Leakes has passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by all of his children, very close loved ones and wife NeNe Leakes.'

Tragedy: NeNe Leakes husband Gregg Leakes dies at 66 after battling colon cancer (Pictured in May this year at an event in Duluth, Georgia.)

That statement, shared by E!, continued: 'We ask that you pray for peace and strength over their family & allow them to mourn in private during this very, very difficult time.'

The news comes after the former Real Housewives of Atlanta star told fans at an event over the weekend that Gregg was 'transitioning to the other side' amid his ongoing cancer battle.

Nene, 53, - real name Linnethia Monique Johnson - addressed a crowd at Linnethia Lounge and spoke about Gregg's condition, as she urged people to show her 'some love and respect'.

Health battle: Real estate investor Gregg was first diagnosed with colon cancer in 2018 and the following year was in remission

Heartbroken: The news comes after former Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe, 53, told fans at an event that Gregg was 'transitioning to the other side' (Pictured, 2016)

The reality star's husband was first diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2018.

In June, Nene revealed that Gregg's cancer had returned after he had been in remission since 2019.

Real estate investor Gregg had returned home last month, following a six-week stint undergoing treatment at a medical facility.

At the time, NeNe pulled out of a planned appearance hosting The Talk in order to welcome her husband home after he was discharged.

Change: NeNe said last month that Gregg - pictured above in May this year - had got 'super small' amid his cancer battle

Last month, she told The Jasmine Brand during an Instagram Live about her husband: 'He's super small. If you've ever been around somebody who's had cancer before, he' different. He's different.'

Just a day before the news of his passing, Gregg's son posted this message on his Instagram: 'Spend time with your loved ones every chance you get. Time is so f*****g valuable dog. I cant express it.'

'I'm learning the hard way watching my dad fight every day. Please go create memories with ya people,' he added.

NeNe and Gregg were married in in 1997. They would later get divorced in 2011, but then later reconciled and remarried.

Tribute: Gregg's son Brentt Leakes (pictured above in 2017) spoke just days before his father's passing

Touching: His son Brentt posted this heartfelt message just days before his father's passing

After announcing their engagement in January 2013, Bravo filmed their wedding planning and ceremony for a spin-off entitled I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding.

They remarried on June 22, 2013, at the InterContinental Buckhead Hotel in Atlanta.

According to a report by TMZ there will not be a funeral taking place, per Gregg's wishes.

Sources tell the site that he wanted to be cremated and NeNe and his family are honoring his wishes.

Tributes: Former host of The View Sherri Shepherd lead tributes on Twitter

Support: Ashley Darby and Cynthia Bailey both asked for prayers for NeNe

Heartfelt: Bravo star Andy Cohen joined those leading tributes on Wednesday

But there is expected to be a celebration of life ceremony later down the line.

Tributes from friends and fans flooded out following the news.

Sherri Shepherd took to Twitter to write: 'Sending prayers up for @NeNeLeakes and her family on the passing of her husband Gregg Leakes from cancer. "Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal." - John 14:2-3.'

Tough time: Heartbroken Nene recently shared an Instagram post of the word 'broken,' along with a heart and prayer hands emoji

Struggle: In June, Nene revealed that Gregg's cancer had returned after he had been in remission since 2019

Never forgotten: Ramona Singer posted on her Instagram Story that she was 'so sorry' for Nene's loss and was sending her 'lots of love'

Bravo star Andy Cohen tweeted: 'I am heartbroken over the passing of Gregg Leakes, a wonderful man. I jokingly called him Pastor Leakes but in truth he was a strong voice of reason & commanded great respect among the entire #RHOA team. I am sending love and strength to @NeNeLeakes & the entire Leakes family.'

Cynthia Bailey wrote: 'Heartbroken over the passing of @greggleakes. Praying for @neneleakes & her family.'

Kim Zolciak- Biermann asked her followers to 'please say a prayer' for Nene and her family, before posting a tribute on her Instagram Story.

Paying tribute: Kim Zolciak- Biermann asked her followers to 'please say a prayer' for Nene and her family on her Instagram Story

Tragic: She captioned a photo of her and Gregg holding hands as they spoke, which she captioned: 'Always the voice of reason [broken heart emoji]'

Close: Kim shared a photo of her husband with Gregg as they chatted with smiles across their faces

She captioned a photo of her and Gregg holding hands as they spoke, which she captioned: 'Always the voice of reason [broken heart emoji].'

The Real Housewives of Atlanta star, 43, continued: 'All my love to @neneleakes and your family.'

Additionally, Kim shared a photo of her husband with Gregg as they chatted with smiles across their faces.

Speechless: Under NeNe's posts, she received comments from RHOA's Porsha Williams, who said she was praying for her 'during thus difficult time' and a heart emoji from Nicki Minaj

In memory: Real Housewives of New York City Jill Zarin commented: 'Nene-- I remember meeting Gregg and thinking you had a Bobby too. I'm so sorry for your loss and grateful for the time you had together. Too young... too soon... never forgotten. RIP'

Under NeNe's post, she received comments from RHOA's Porsha Williams, who said she was praying for her 'during thus difficult time' and a heart emoji from Nicki Minaj.

Additionally, she reposted photos of NeNe and Gregg with the caption: 'Truly heartbreaking news.'

'Love and prayers for The Leakes family,' she added with the hashtag 'speechless.' 'We love you Greg #F**kCancer.'

'My heart is truly broke,' Marlo Hampton wrote on Instagram. '@neneleakes my sincere condolences to you, Brent and youre entire family. Thank you Gregg for letting me be the 3rd wheel many nights.'

Ramona Singer posted on her Instagram Story that she was 'so sorry' for Nene's loss and was sending her 'lots of love.'

Under Nene's post, Larsa Pippen offered her condolences, by writing: 'Praying for you and your family. Sending u lots of love .'

Real Housewives of New York City Jill Zarin commented: 'Nene-- I remember meeting Gregg and thinking you had a Bobby too. I'm so sorry for your loss and grateful for the time you had together. Too young... too soon... never forgotten. RIP.'

RIP: Drew Sidora posted a black and white photo of Gregg

'This is one of my favorite photos of us. It brings back such fond memories,' Cynthia Bailey captioned a photo with NeNe and her late husband

Rapper Nicki Minaj also penned a heartfelt note to Nene's about her 'tragic loss,' which she revealed has left her 'broken hearted.'

She continued: 'I know nothing can stop the pain you must be feeling right now, I'm sending you love & strength. May God cover your family now & foreverforever & equipped you with what your heart needs to move on.'

'Gregg seemed like such a loving, funny, dynamic person to be around. I can tell he'll be greatly missed,' the ten-time Grammy nominee concluded.
She's one of the fashion world's favorite faces.

And Bella Hadid showcased her cutting-edge style while out walking around the Tribeca neighborhood of New York on Wednesday.

Embracing an eclectic mid-2000s ensemble, the IMG-repped stunner, 24, slipped on a patchwork midi skirt with a frayed hem and leather details.

Flashback: Bella Hadid looked chic in a mid-2000s inspired ensemble while out in Tribeca on Wednesday

Bella went with earthy tones, teaming faded blue and green with a camel-hued spaghetti strap tank top which expertly highlighted her cleavage with a subtle empire waist.

Continuing the retro silhouette, she donned slouchy black boots which reached just below the knee.

The star had her brunette hair down loose, tousled with some natural texture while keeping her face at a makeup-free glow.

Going for boho vibes, Bella piled on beaded bracelets and hippie-chic necklaces. Rectangular sunglasses and hoop earrings tied the whole look together.

In her hand, Bella carried a can of Kin Euphorics, who she just announced her new partnership with today.

Midi moment: Embracing an eclectic look, the IMG-repped stunner, 24, slipped on a patchwork midi skirt with a frayed hem and leather details

Stunner: The star had her brunette hair down loose, tousled with some natural texture while keeping her face at a makeup-free glow

Taking to Instagram, the cover girl explained who she decided to come on board as Co-Founder, Partner and COO of the beverage company, which produces a range of nonalcoholic adaptogenic drinks.

Bella said she found Kin while looking for a 'holistic' solution to 'help with chronic exhaustion, depression and anxiety.'

'Trying Kin for the first time was one of the most life changing moments for me' she said of the beverage, which causes a mood-shifting effect courtesy of ingredients like GABA, a naturally occurring nootropic chemical that promotes relaxation, and tyrosine, a mood enhancer.

Because of its effects, Kin has become a go-to option for the alcohol-free set.

But Bella assured people it wasn't just for teetotalers.

Sipping pretty: In her hand, Bella carried a can of Kin Euphorics, who she just announced her new partnership with today

Drink of the future: The cover girl is now Co-Founder, Partner and COO of the adaptogenic beverage company, which encourages mood altering effects

'It's not just for sober people, 'she told Vogue. 'It's also for the Wall Street businessmen. It's for mothers who have to go to work all day and then take care of their kids all night.

'It's for people who don't want to drink but still want to have something that makes them feel good without regret.'

'I don't socially drink nearly as much as I used to,' she added. 'You can either take one shot of whiskey to feel better for 20 minutes or you can drink Kin every day to feel better for a lifetime.'

Now the star is dedicating herself to the Kin mission, coming on board as an investor as well as a point person for 'everything from branding to social initiatives to formulation.

The star is adding a personal element to the drink as well. Kin drinks will soon be infused with lavender from the Hadid's family farm in Pennsylvania.

The drink is already finding its footing in hotspots like Soho House, Erewhon, Jean-Georgess ABCV, and Harmons grocery stores in Utah and is available online.
Jack Whitehall's girlfriend Roxy Horner looked sensational on Wednesday night as she made a leggy display in a minidress at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards.

The model, 30, took to the red carpet at the Tate Modern gallery without her comedian beau in a striking leopard print mini dress with matching evening gloves.

Her skintight dress donned a black, white and red pattern of polka dots and stripes, while her blonde locks were styled in a chic bun and her stylish fringe framed her face.

Wow! Roxy Horner, 30, looked sensational on Wednesday night as she made a leggy display in a minidress at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards

Roxy completed her outfit with silver gemmed open toe heels which added even more glam to her outfit.

The model, who is the girlfriend of comedian Jack Whitehall, wore a soft pallet of make-up to enhance her natural beauty.

The 24th GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2021 in association with BOSS saw a slew of stars scooping top prizes on Wednesday night as the ceremony saw the return of in-person attendees following the Covid pandemic.

Stunning: The model took to the red carpet at the Tate Modern gallery in a striking leopard print mini dress with matching evening gloves

Work it! Roxy completed her outfit with silver gemmed open toe heels which added even more glam to her outfit

The star-studded ceremony was hosted by actor Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina, with presenters including Winnie Harlow, Gary Lineker, Emma Corrin and Mabel announcing the winners of the coveted awards.

As well as receiving one of GQ's coveted trophies, winners were treated to a 12,000 goodie bag, with treats such as dinner and a night's stay in the swanky Nobu Hotel, a 200 Boss watch, a bottle of 80 Porte Noire Champagne and a flight on a semi-private plane.

Other prizes also include membership to the prestigious Ivy Club, a luxury facial with Fatma Shaheen, founder of Skin Design London, and an array of skincare delights.

It had been previously announced that Sir Anthony Hopkins would receive The Legend Award, and ahead of the ceremony the Oscar winner gave an interview with the publication.

Happy couple: The model is the girlfriend of comedian Jack Whitehall

Achievement: Sir Anthony Hopkins, 83, is set to win The Legend Award at Wednesday's GQ Men Of The Year Awards and has urged actors 'not to waste their money' on acting school

During the interview he urged budding actors 'not to waste their money' on acting school.

He insisted: 'Don't waste your money. They're failed actors that set themselves up as gurus.'

He added when speaking to the magazine ahead of its ceremony: 'There's one very well-known actor with an acting class here in Los Angeles and he's the star of the show!

'And all these other students sitting around paying their fees and he's the star! He's on stage with them, interrupting them, being rude to them. No, you don't do that.'

Anthony also candidly discussed his decision to leave the National Theatre, explaining: 'That's one of the reasons I left the National Theatre  we had a particular director who was very picky.

'And that's one of the reasons that I would be angry. This was in my days of raging paranoia and I warned one director, ''You ever speak to me like that again I'll punch your face in''.'

He then quipped: 'Obviously, I don't do that any more.'

Interview: The Oscar-winning star insisted in his interview: 'Don't waste your money. They're failed actors that set themselves up as gurus'

GQ MEN OF THE YEAR 2021: THE WINNERS BAND OF THE YEAR WINNER: Wolf Alice BOSS BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR OF THE YEAR WINNER: Kingsley Ben-Adir BOSS LEADING MEN OF THE YEAR WINNER: Paul Bettany DEEZER BREAKTHROUGH MUSIC ARTIST OF THE YEAR WINNER: Arlo Parks DESIGNER OF THE YEAR WINNER: Brunello Cucinelli GAME CHANGER OF THE YEAR WINNER: Dame Vivienne Westwood HEROES OF THE YEAR WINNERS: Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, Dr Catherine Green and the team behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine ICON WINNER: Sacha Baron Cohen INSPIRATION OF THE YEAR WINNER: Gareth Southgate JAGUAR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR WINNERS: Team GB & Paralympics GB LEGEND WINNER: Sir Anthony Hopkins MADDOX GALLERY ARTIST OF THE YEAR WINNER: Beeple OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION WINNER: Bobby Gillespie PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO BREAKTHROUGH DESIGNER OF THE YEAR WINNER: Harris Reed SOLO ARTIST OF THE YEAR WINNER: Ed Sheeran STANDOUT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR WINNER: Rege-Jean Page TELEVISION ACTOR OF THE YEAR WINNER: Adrian Dunbar WRITER OF THE YEAR WINNER: Quentin Tarantino Advertisement

It was announced in July that Idris and his wife Sabrina would present the ceremony, with the actor saying: 'In their various ways, the GQ Men Of The Year award winners have kept all of our spirits up throughout one of the most difficult years and we are very much looking forward to celebrating with them  and hosting a great party!'

Ahead of this year's awards, Nick Sargent, chief business officer of culture at Conde Nast Britain and publishing director of British GQ, said: 'After the unprecedented year weve had, Im thrilled to announce the return of the Men Of The Year Awards for 2021 as a live event.

'Even though our virtual event last year was a huge success, its exciting to be able to come together again in person to celebrate the incredible talent who best represent GQ and continue to push the boundaries on the worlds cultural stage. It will be a night to remember.'

Last year's GQ Men Of The Year was presented by Jack Whitehall and took place virtually due to the Covid pandemic, with many stars accepting their prizes in pre-recorded clips that formed the ceremony, which was streamed live on YouTube.
Brad Pitt has requested a review of his child custody case with ex-wife Angelina Jolie after the court disqualified the private judge who granted him joint custody of their six children.

Lawyers for the star filed a petition for review with the California Supreme Court after the disqualification of Judge John Ouderkirk effectively voided the joint custody ruling, according to People.

A California appeals court disqualified Ouderkirk in July, agreeing with Jolie in that the judge did not sufficiently disclose business relationships with Pitt's attorneys.

Brad Pitt is seeking a review of his child custody case with ex-wife Angelina Jolie after the court disqualified the private judge who granted him joint custody of their six children

In Pitt's petition, lawyers claim that elimination of Ouderkirk 'effectively upended the constitutionally authorized temporary judging system in California' and subsequently 'throws open the door to disqualification challenges at any point during a case, even if the party raising the motion has long been on notice about the alleged grounds for disqualification.'

'In so doing, the opinion is guaranteed to fuel disqualification gamesmanship and raises serious questions as to whether the temporary judging system is a viable option in California's severely backlogged judicial system,' the petition continues.

In addition, lawyers for the actor allege that Jolie was 'made aware of Judge Ouderkirk's significant professional history with Pitt's counsel from the very start,' yet did not seek disqualification until years later.

'After more than four years of contentious litigation, every day of which has harmed the children and their father, an important and considered custody decision will be entirely undone as a result of an administrative error that is wholly unrelated to the merits of the custody dispute itself,' the lawyers claimed.

Transparency: In addition, lawyers for the actor allege that Jolie was 'made aware of Judge Ouderkirk's significant professional history with Pitt's counsel from the very start,' yet did not seek disqualification until years later

'California law requires that a party seeking disqualification of a judge file a written statement objecting to continued proceedings before the judge 'at the earliest practicable opportunity after discovery of the facts constituting the ground for disqualification,' the petition states. 'Failure to do so constitutes waiver or forfeiture of the party's right to seek disqualification.'

Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., a lawyer for Pitt, said in a statement to DailyMail.com that the actor was requesting a review as the judge was 'improperly disqualified' following a 'lengthy legal process' which involved numerous witnesses and experts.

'We are seeking review in the California Supreme Court because the temporary judge, who had been appointed and repeatedly renewed by both sides, was improperly disqualified after providing a detailed, fact-based custodial decision, following a lengthy legal process with multiple witnesses and experts,' read the statement.

'The lower court's ruling will reward parties who are losing child custody cases, and condone their gamesmanship, by allowing them to wait and see about the likely direction of the case before seeking the disqualification of the judge.

Statement: Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., a lawyer for Pitt, said in a statement to DailyMail.com that the judge was 'improperly disqualified' following a 'lengthy legal process' which involved numerous witnesses and experts

'Condoning the use of this type of strategic "lie in wait" disqualification challenge will cause irreparable harm to both the children and families involved in this case, and other families in other cases, by unnecessarily prolonging the resolution of these disputes in an already overburdened court system. Allowing this kind of crafty litigation strategy will deprive parents of irreplaceable time with their children as judges are disqualified for minor reasons in the midst of their cases.

'The lower court's ruling is bad for children and bad for Californias overburdened judicial system.'

The decision to disqualify Ouderkirk came in July, with the court ruling: 'Judge Ouderkirk's ethical breach, considered together with the information disclosed concerning his recent professional relationships with Pitt's counsel, might cause an objective person, aware of all the facts, reasonably to entertain a doubt as to the judge's ability to be impartial.

'Disqualification is required.'

It is unclear what dealings Ouderkirk is involved in with Pitt's attorneys.

He also didn't allow the couple's kids to testify, despite Jolie wanting them to.

The pair share six kids, five of whom are under 18. They are Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, and twins Vivienne and Nox, 13.

Jolie adopted Maddox in 2002, then Zahara in 2005, a year after she'd met Pitt while the pair filmed Mr and Mrs Smith. He was married to Jennifer Anniston at the time.

Legal win: A California appeals court disqualified Ouderkirk in July, agreeing with Jolie in that the judge did not sufficiently disclose business relationships with Pitt's attorneys

They then adopted Pax together in 2007, and had biological kids Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne afterwards. Pitt adopted all of the kids before they got married in 2014.

However, Pitt's team hit back, telling PageSix in a statement: 'The appeals court ruling was based on a technical procedural issue.'

'The facts haven't changed. There is an extraordinary amount of factual evidence which led the judge - and the many experts who testified - to reach their clear conclusion about what is best in the children's best interests.

'We will continue to do whats necessary legally based on the detailed findings of whats best for the children.'

Family matters: The pair share six kids, five of whom are under 18. They are Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, and twins Vivienne and Nox, 13

A source close to the actor said Pitt is disappointed by the legal setback, telling People: 'Brad believes there is overwhelming evidence that the current situation isn't good for the kids. This just sets things back for everyone.'

Jolie filed for sole custody after filing for divorce after an incident on the couple's private plane during which she said he became violent and abusive.

Despite her protestations, Judge Ouderkirk earlier this year granted Pitt tentative joint custody of the kids.

Now, it's unclear if that will remain in place.

The decision means that the custody fight over the couple's five minor children, which was nearing an end, could be starting over.

The judge already ruled the pair divorced, but separated the child custody issues.

Like many celebrity couples, Pitt and Jolie opted to hire their own judge to increase their privacy in the divorce proceedings.
They are notoriously private when it comes to their love life.

But Lara and Sam Worthington didn't hold back last week, putting on a rare PDA during an outing in New York City.

The couple were spotted sharing a passionate kiss while grabbing some lunch outside a local cafe with their three children - Rocket, six, Racer, four, and 15-month-old River.

Get a room! Lara and Sam Worthington shared a rare PDA and enjoyed a steamy kiss in the New York heatwave last week

Lara leaned in for the lip lock with her Avatar star husband in between bites of a sandwich.

The couple were dressed casually during the Big Apple heatwave.

Model Lara showed off her svelte figure in a white singlet top and black leggings while Sam dressed in casual trousers and a long sleeve top.

Kiss me quick! Lara leaned in for the lock lips with her Avatar star husband in between bites of a sandwich

Lara and Sam began dating in 2013 and secretly married in 2014.

The notoriously private couple welcomed their third child last year.

Lara had confirmed her pregnancy in November 2019, telling Vogue Australia: 'I'm having a boy, early next year. It's my third boy and we're all very excited and very happy.

'I think any addition brings joy and happiness to the family, but more so when you can share it with the other boys. It's such a boy's club in my house!'

The Worthington clan recently returned to the US after a long stint in Australia.

Before heading to New York, Lara, her husband Sam and their brood were in Los Angeles, where the cover girl shared a rare picture of herself cuddled up to her hubby during a dinner with friends.

It's unclear when exactly Lara and Sam returned to US.

The family first moved back to Australia in January, after spending the better part of a decade living in New York and Los Angeles.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph in May, Lara said: 'At this stage of my life, with my sons as the total priority, I'm focused on wellbeing, motherhood and taking care of my family.'
She debuted her relationship with Beverly Hills, 90210 star Brian Austin Green in January.

And on Wednesday, Dancing with the Stars pro Sharna Burgess sparked rumours the pair might be engaged, after sharing a loved-up selfie with her beau - with a very telling caption.

'Endgame,' the 36-year-old captioned the image, which showed her dressed to the nines while kissing Brian, 48, on the lips.

Wedding bells? DWTS pro Sharna Burgess has sparked rumours she might be engaged to actor Brian Austin Green, after sharing this loved-up selfie captioned 'Endgame' on Wednesday

Sharna looked incredible with lashings of makeup enhancing her striking features, and wore her hair slicked back.

Brian couldn't stop smiling as he kissed his girlfriend, as the pair posed in front of a stunning city skyline while enjoying a glass of champagne.

The romantic image and cryptic caption prompted many to ask if the duo were taking the next step in their relationship, with one fan commenting: 'Engagement??'

'Engaged maybe?' another wrote, while a third added: 'End game? Y'all get married of break up?'

'Did yall get married?!! I hope so!!!' another said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted representatives for Sharna Burgess and Brian Austin Green for further comment.

Something to tell us? The cryptic photo and telling caption prompted many to ask if the duo were taking the next step in their relationship, with one fan commenting: 'Engagement??'

The couple's romance has been going from strength to strength since taking things public in January.

Brian gushed over his partner recently, saying he was excited for a long and happy future with her in a heartwarming interview.

'Honestly right now, this campaign Sharna, my kids, my life, the prospect of what the future holds the excitement of all of that, my life in general makes me smile,' the Trueheart ambassador told Sydney's Daily Telegraph.

'I'm in a really good, happy place,' the father of four added.

Love is in the air: 'Honestly right now, this campaign Sharna, my kids, my life, the prospect of what the future holds the excitement of all of that, my life in general makes me smile,' Trueheart ambassador Brian recently told Sydney's Daily Telegraph of Sharna

Meanwhile, Sharna also expressed her love for the actor and the three sons he shares with ex-wife Megan Fox, Noah, eight, Bodhi, seven, and Journey, five.

Brian also has a 19-year-old son, Kassius, from his relationship with Vanessa Marcil.

'Brian makes me smile, his beautiful boys make me smile, our life, the things we're doing,' she said.

Brian and his ex Megan announced their split in May last year after tying the knot in 2010. She filed for divorce the day before Thanksgiving.

She had previously filed for divorce in 2015 citing irreconcilable differences, but was back with he husband and pregnant the following year.

The American actress, 35, is now dating rapper Machine Gun Kelly, 31.
Treading lightly on Tanna We go on a new ecotourism adventure tour in North Tanna
Coronavirus

Five area school districts have closed over COVID-19

Five Nacogdoches County school districts have canceled classes due to the number of students and staff diagnosed with COVID-19, with the 2021-2022 academic year barely underway.

Cushing, Garrison, Etoile and Martinsville are currently closed, and Woden ISD returned to class Monday after canceling classes three days last week.

Each of the districts announced plans for deep cleaning during the closings and strongly encouraged the regular use of face coverings, social distancing and frequent hand washing.

Gov. Greg Abbott has issued an executive order banning school districts from imposing mask mandates. The Texas Education Agency said it would not enforce the order as cases seeking to overturn it make their way through court.

Nacogdoches County had 411 active cases of the virus Tuesday morning, up 19 cases from a week ago, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Nineteen of the countys 22 ICU beds were filled Tuesday morning, and all of those patients have COVID-19, according to South East Texas Regional Advisory Council, a health care coalition.

More than half  54 of 106  of patients in general hospitalization in the county have the coronavirus. Nacogdoches County has 170 general hospital beds.

Around 18% of all local cases were hospitalized Tuesday morning.

Nacogdoches ISD had 43 active cases on its campuses as of Tuesday afternoon, spokesman Les Linebarger said.

Garrison ISD canceled all classes and extracurricular activities until Sept. 7 after a high number of staff and students tested positive for COVID-19, according to a notice posted on the districts website Aug. 29.

Sports teams and sponsors of other extracurricular activities will be allowed to resume practice on 2:30 p.m. Sept. 6, Superintendent Reid Spivey said.

GISD is not offering remote instruction during the closing, Spivey said. TEA did not make funding available this school year for online learning. A bill pending in the Texas Legislature seeks to do so.

Etoile ISD announced its closing Aug. 26 and is asking students to quarantine until classes resume Sept. 7.

Etoile will offer COVID-19 testing in the school parking lot from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Remote learning is not available, but teachers and staff will be available by email daily, district officials said.

Martinsville ISD notified parents last week that eight students tested positive between Aug. 20 and 24. Those students were enrolled in fourth and eighth grades. The following day, the number of positive cases jumped to 18 students and two staff members, Martinsville Superintendent David Simmons said. He then closed the campus until Sept. 7.

Cushing announced Tuesday that its campuses would close until Sept. 13.

All extracurricular practices and games will be canceled during this time of closure, and homecoming will be rescheduled, interim superintendent Martha Lee said.

Simmons said six students were present on campus on Aug. 24 and 25 among student in fifth through seventh grade and ninth grade.

Central Heights ISD has three students that have tested positive for coronavirus, according to a notice posted Monday on the districts website. One attends the elementary campus, one at middle school and one at the high school, but none of them are now at home.

Due to contact with an infected family member, 16 students and two teachers were quarantined as of Monday.

At Chireno ISD, Elementary Principal Larry Cupit said one fourth grader had tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. Another elementary student and a secondary student reported positive tests Aug. 25.

Woden ISD reopened Monday after closing its campuses from Wednesday through Friday due to the number of students and staff who had tested positive for COVID.

Staff members took extra measures during the closing to deep clean Wodens campuses, Superintendent Brady Taylor said.

Douglass ISD notified parents Friday that two students have tested positive in the district. Those two students last attended class on Aug. 24. One staff member who last attended work on Aug. 26, has been confirmed to have COVID-19.

Staff writer Josh Edwards contributed to this report.
As the lights faded atop the Fisher Pavilion stage and the first kick drums hit I looked up to the late-summer sky to see something unlike anything I had ever witnessed in my life. The sky, often gray and muddy, was visibly light purple, with fluffy clouds scattered in a seemingly perfect ye
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  Pediatricians from several Florida hospitals all had the same message Tuesday: the COVID-19 delta variant is infecting more children than previous strains, putting more in the hospital and until it abates, schools should require masks in the classroom  an assertion Gov. Ron DeSantis disputes as lacking evidence.

While pediatric hospitalizations and deaths remain a small fraction of Florida's overall numbers, which have skyrocketed since June, they are exponentially higher than they were during previous waves of the disease.

About 60 children are being admitted per day to Florida hospitals for COVID-19, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up from about five per day throughout much of the pandemic  even previous surges.

Overall, about 230 children are currently hospitalized in the state with COVID-19, compared to 20 in late June when the disease appeared to be waning, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More than 15,000 patients of all ages are currently hospitalized in Florida, up from about 1,800 in June.

At the University of Floridas Shands Childrens Hospital in Gainesville, for example, there were 14 COVID-19 patients Tuesday  it typically had one virus patient or none during previous peaks. Dr. Shelley Collins, a UF professor of pediatric medicine, said the current number has left the staff emotionally drained as many of these children are being placed on ventilators.

As the numbers grow, the frustration grows and it hurts our hearts every day," Collins said.

The pediatric increase has come as schools have reopened and DeSantis has battled with districts over whether masks should be required in classrooms. Twelve of the state's 67 districts, representing about half of the state's 2.8 million public school students, have now defied DeSantis' executive order. It bars schools from requiring masks over parent objections  an order that a judge threw out on Friday, saying the governor did not have the authority.

DeSantis has said he will appeal, saying there is no scientific evidence or medical consensus that universal school masking prevents the spread of COVID-19 among children. He believes the decision on whether a child wears a mask in class should be left to families and not school boards.

Parents and guardians  not politicians and bureaucrats  are the most local authorities for their own children, his spokeswoman, Christina Pushaw, said in an email Tuesday. "Every family deserves the right to choose whether their own children wear masks to school or not. Federal bureaucrats should not have the power to take that right away from families, or to intervene between parents and their own children.

But Associated Press interviewed six hospital-affiliated pediatricians independently this week from across the state  and all said students should be masked, as does the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Masks definitely decrease the spread among children, said Dr. Chad Sanborn, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Palm Beach Children's Hospital. They should be mandatory at schools.

All the doctors interviewed have more hospitalized children than at any point in the pandemic, with most saying the majority of their patients are normally healthy with no underlying conditions. They also said the majority of their patients are unvaccinated, even among those 12 and older who are eligible.

Dr. Emad Salman, chief physician executive at Golisano Childrens Hospital of Southwest Florida, said his facility had 17 COVID-19 patients on Tuesday, almost triple its previous high before this summers surge, with three in intensive care.

He and the other doctors believe the surge is caused by the delta variant being easier to catch than the original strain while children and their parents are taking fewer precautions than they did a year ago. Many families have not had their eligible children vaccinated while discarding social distancing and masks not just in schools, but in everyday life.

The incidence of COVID in Florida is very high. When the incidence goes down, we should readdress whether the masks can come off, but for today, the safe thing to do is put a mask on, Salman said.

Dr. Christina Canody, a pediatrician at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa, said parents who are concerned that their children won't be able to breathe properly or concentrate if they are masked throughout the school day should consider surgeons, who sometimes wear masks throughout procedures that last 12 hours or more.

That concern, she said, is not a reality, she said.

Dr. Mobeen Rathore, chief of infectious disease and immunology at Wolfson Childrens Hospital of Jacksonville, said he is worried that the upcoming Labor Day weekend will result in another spike among children.

After every long weekend, theres been a surge of infections," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Adriana Gomez Licon in Miami contributed to this report.
DARIEN  Alumni will get to reconnect with more classmates than the ones they directly graduated with a special reunion due to COVID.

The classes of 1985 and 1986 from Darien High School have decided to join forces this year and will be holding a joint reunion at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 9 at the Wee Burn Country Club.

Our class was supposed to have our 35th reunion in 2020, but alas, it was canceled due to COVID, said Dave Lang, president of the class of 85.

Consequently, he had the idea to reach out to the organizers of the 1986 class reunion to see if they might be amenable to teaming up.

The reality of COVID crushed any hopes of the class of 1985 hosting its reunion, said Lora Bates Carr, organizer of the 1986 class reunion.

She explained that Lang found the class Facebook page and reached out with a request to join forces.

It was without hesitation that I said, Absolutely, she said. We may have been different classes, but our friendships, teams, activities and social networks werent limited by our class years.

Beside that, she pointed out, it might actually make for a unique and interesting twist on the reunion.

What could be more fun that all of us together again for a weekend of reconnecting? she said.

Some alumni are already looking forward to it.

DHS class of 1986 was a special class, said Suzy Nolan, currently of New Canaan, who is looking forward to attending the reunion to see old friends, reminisce and laugh.

I have so many great memories from those four years at DHS whether it was in the classroom, on the field or playing music in the cafeteria, she said. The class of 1986 was a close and supportive group of kids.

She does admit, at the same time, that sometimes a reunion can be a little bit unnerving.

I think we all second guess what we have accomplished and how we look, but then were reminded that its such a positive group of people who are just there to catch up and have fun, she said.

Carr said part of the appeal of her class is that the unity extends beyond reunions.

Im sure this holds true for many classes, but for the class of 1986, what makes us special is that we have the ability to pick up right where we left off from five, 10, or even 30 years ago, she said. Though many of us may have moved away, we have a special place for Darien in our hearts.

Class of 1985 member Georgia Gigi McCreery, who has enjoyed a successful writing and producing career in Hollywood, is looking forward to seeing friends.

In hindsight, I left Darien to get inspired and to write comedy, but it turns out the jokes on me because  one of the most inspiring people Ive ever met is from DHS class of 86, she said, referencing graduate Scarlett Lewis.

Lewis, a parent of a Sandy Hook Elementary victim, is an author and activist behind the ChooseLoveMovement.org, which offers free training and education programs centered on emotional wellness and mental health.

As for the class of 85, we succeeded at getting vending machines put in the cafeteria, then used the proceeds to buy a glowing magical orb for the library, McCreery said. Its a meaningful legacy. No doubt were all very inspired by the orb.

Lang also remembered a particularly naughty prank that involved burying someones 69 Mustang in the softball field.

None of our kids can believe we did this, got away with it, and even bragged about it in the local newspaper, he said.

Our class was a special one, Lang said. We have lots of common memories, especially from our senior year, that will bind us forever.

For more information, Carr can be reached at Darien1986@gmail.com, and Lang at DavidLang66@gmail.com.
Some Connecticut hospitals are accepting out-of-state COVID patients, but the state Department of Public Health says its not tracking them.

The exact number of COVID patients from other states being treated at Connecticut hospitals remained unclear Tuesday. However, at least two major hospital networks said they have been accepting these transfers in limited circumstances, but did not provide the specific number of patients.

A state Department of Public Health official said Tuesday the agency has not been receiving reports about out-of-state COVID patients being treated in Connecticut.

Officials from Hartford HealthCare, which runs hospitals across the state, said it operates a Care Logistics Center that allows hospitals nationwide to inquire about transferring patients.

Considering the surge of delta variant infections has overwhelmed the bed capacities of some intensive care units in other parts of the country, HHC officials said the requests from out of state have recently increased.

The Care Logistics Center has fielded dozens of calls from out-of-state hospitals, said Beth Ciotti, vice president for care logistics. Over the weekend, Hartford Hospital received a COVID-related patient from a hospital out west. And has also accepted non-COVID patients from throughout the Northeast. As in any health crisis whenever possible, Hartford HealthCare answers the call for help.

A spokesperson for HHC said the out-of-state patient at Hartford Hospital was from Oklahoma.

Trinity Health of New England, which runs large hospitals in Hartford and Waterbury, said it also has been accepting COVID-19 patients from outside Connecticut to help provide adequate care for those who are seriously ill.

As a mission-based organization, we are deeply committed to serve as a healing presence to each of our patients and our community. In some cases, due to high volumes of COVID-19 patients in many parts of the country, our work to serve those in need must reach beyond our local cities, towns. In recent days and weeks, we have received and accepted requests for out-of-state patient transfers, specifically for COVID-positive patients with higher critical needs, Trinity Health of New England said in a statement.

In general, the requests have been increasing during the spike in delta variant-related infections, but the overall number is relatively low, health care officials said.

The number of requests remain low, but we will continue to serve these patients and those states/communities in need of our assistance to the best of our ability, while ensuring the safety and needs of our colleagues and our local community remain top priority, Trinity Health said in the statement.

While some hospitals are taking out-of-state COVID-19 patients, Yale New Haven Health and Stamford Health said they are not accepting transfers.

We are not accepting COVID-19 patient transfers from out of state. We currently have 10 COVID-19 positive inpatients, and a small number of those patients have recently traveled to other parts of the country. The majority of all of our COVID-19 positive inpatients are unvaccinated, said Dr. Asha Shah, director of infectious diseases at Stamford Health.

At Nuvance Health, which runs hospitals in Danbury, Norwalk, New Milford and Sharon, officials said they are ready to help, but have not received any requests.

Nuvance Health hospitals are willing and prepared to help other hospitals because we are all in this together, the health network said in a statement. At this time, there has not been a need or any requests to accept transfer patients from out-of-state hospitals that are outside our health system due to COVID-19 capacity concerns.

Hospital capacity has been a crucial issue since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Within weeks of the first reported case in Connecticut, the states hospitals saw capacity quickly fill up amid an influx of ill patients.

By late April 2020, there were nearly 2,000 COVID patients in Connecticut hospitals, but that number dropped through the summer last year. Hospitalizations spiked again in late December 2020 to more than 1,200 patients, state reports show.

Numbers had again dropped through June of this year before the delta variant took hold in Connecticut, driving up new infections. Hospitalizations rose to more than 350 patients statewide, but officials in Connecticut believe the high vaccination rate here spared the state the worst of what has been seen in other parts of the country where hospitals have again been overwhelmed with new COVID-19 patients.

Throughout the pandemic, Gov. Ned Lamont has said overall hospitalization numbers have been a key metric informing his decisions on whether to modify restrictions meant to limit the spread of the virus.

There were 17 fewer Connecticut COVID-related hospitalizations recorded on Tuesday, dropping the statewide total to 363. The daily positivity rate on Tuesday surged to 4.65 percent, the states data showed.

While some Connecticut hospitals have taken COVID-19 patients, officials said they have also treated out-of-state patients not sick with the coronavirus.

We have cared for non-COVID patients from Vermont and Massachusetts in the past week, said Dr. Steven Valassis, chairman of emergency medicine at Hartford HealthCares St. Vincents Medical Center in Bridgeport. While we focus on our community here, we will continue to assist hospitals in our neighboring states to provide the specialized treatment their patients need.

Staff writers Jordan Fenster and Amanda Cuda contributed to this story.
DARIEN  Darien residents experienced a slew of car burglaries and thefts last week, according the police department.

Three cars were stolen and six cars were broken into in Darien last week, according to the Police Department.

In the previous week, officers reported six vehicle burglaries and two stolen cars.

In all but one of the incidents, the cars were either unlocked or the keys were left inside the vehicle, the police department reported.

Sgt. James Palmieri said residents leaving their cars unlocked has been an ongoing issue since he started working for the department in 2009.

For the one car that was locked, someone smashed the cars window around 6:30 p.m. Sunday while the driver was at Cherry Lawn Park. The thief took a backpack, which had an iPhone, identification information and bank cards.

On Friday morning, there were five complaints of cars being broken into but nothing was reported missing. The cars included a 2020 Ford Explorer, a 2018 Jeep Wrangler and two Jeep Grand Cherokees, one from 2013 and the other from 2015. The incidents occurred at Libby Holly lanes, and Miles and Brush Island roads, police said.

Another car from Libby Lane had been stolen after the owner left the car unlocked and the keys inside the vehicle. Police found the car, a 2009 Honda Pilot, crashed at the intersection of Middlesex Road and Norton Avenue around 5:19 a.m. Friday.

On Sunnyside Avenue, a driver of a 2015 Audi said their car had been stolen from their residence overnight. The keys were left inside the vehicle and the car was unlocked.

On Rocaton Road, one man parked his BMW X5 in his attached garage, but left the bay door open and the key in the vehicle. His car was gone Aug. 23 but officers recovered the car in New Haven later that morning.

liz.hardaway@hearst.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  Response to disasters such as Hurricane Ida falls primarily to state and local officials, but the federal government is playing an important support role  making available millions of dollars in aid and coordinating with local officials and private relief groups for everything from meals to generators and search-and-rescue efforts.

The Biden administration has pledged an all-of-government response to Ida, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and coordinated by White House senior adviser Cedric Richmond, a former Louisiana congressman and close ally of President Joe Biden.

Whatever you need, go to Cedric,'' Biden told Gulf Coast governors and local officials at a virtual meeting Monday. "Hell get to me, and well get you what you need, if we can.''

The people of Louisiana and Mississippi are resilient, Biden added, "but its in moments like these where we can certainly see the power of government to respond to the needs of the people, if the governments prepared and if they respond.

More than 3,600 FEMA employees were deployed to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi, officials said, along with 5,200 National Guard personnel.

Applying a lesson learned after previous storms, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012, supplies were put in place in the Gulf Coast even before the storm made landfall on Sunday. More than 200 generators, as well 3.5 million meals, 2.5 million liters of water and 139,000 tarps were sent to the Gulf, with millions more meals and water on order.

Hundreds of ambulances and air ambulances and 17 search-and-rescue teams have also been activated, along with a 250-bed federal medical shelter in Alexandria, Louisiana.

The U.S. Coast Guard has 27 rotary or fixed-wing aircraft, and the Department of Defense has 60 high-water vehicles and 14 rotary wing aircraft prepositioned to assist with rescue efforts.

Federal and state agencies remain focused on power restoration efforts after nearly 2 million people lost electricity. Tap water and gasoline also are in short supply even as temperatures reached 90 degrees Tuesday in New Orleans.

This is going to be a long haul, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told Biden.

Restoring power can be tricky. In 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and knocked out the power grid, and the territory has still not fully recovered. Last September, former President Donald Trump released $13 billion to the territory to help rebuild the electrical grid and repair schools after fierce criticism the aid was overdue.

Aware of the widespread criticism of Trump's Maria response  and former President George W. Bush's response to Katrina  the Biden administration has issued regular updates on federal actions, including emergency waivers issued by the Environmental Protection Agency to increase gasoline supplies, and a Transportation Department waiver that makes it easier for truck drivers to move critical freight to areas damaged by Ida.

The waivers will allow truckers to haul in essential items such as food, water, fuel and utility poles, as well as transformers and generators to help support emergency relief efforts.

The Energy Department said it is coordinating with the region's power company, Entergy, and other partners to support efforts to restore electricity.

Offshore oil rigs, under the supervision of the Interior Department, were moved out of the storms projected path, and nearly 95% of current oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut in.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell was in Baton Rouge Tuesday, where she surveyed damage by helicopter with Edwards and other officials. FEMA teams equipped with iPads were set to go house-to-house in hard-hit neighborhoods to register people on the spot for individual aid, Criswell said.

"To the people of Louisiana, we are with you and we support you. Help is on the way,'' Criswell tweeted.

So far, so good,'' former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate said Tuesday of the federal response.

Fugate, who led FEMA during the Obama administration, said much of the credit goes to governors, particularly Edwards, whom he described as battle-hardened by crisis. Louisiana has endured several hurricanes, floods and other disasters in recent years, along with COVID-19, which has ravaged the state.

Governors are the real leaders in an emergency, Fugate said.

The levees, floodwalls and floodgates that protect New Orleans held up against Idas fury, their strongest test since the federal government spent $14.5 billion to upgrade a system that catastrophically failed when Katrina struck 16 years ago.

They passed,'' Fugate said of the levees, "for this storm.''

In Louisiana, there's always another storm coming.

___

Associated Press writers Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, La., and Colleen Long in Washington contributed to this story.
HELENA, Mont. (AP)  Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte announced a rule Tuesday that encourages schools to give parents final say on whether children should wear facial coverings after several large districts imposed mask requirements amid surging COVID-19 infections in the state.

It comes a day after the U.S. Department of Education opened civil rights investigations into five Republican-led states that have banned or limited mask requirements in schools, saying the policies could amount to discrimination against students with disabilities or health conditions.

Gianforte, a Republican, stopped short of issuing an outright order. Still, medical experts said the rule would likely weaken public trust in masks as an effective tool to combat COVID-19.

The governor said in a statement that masking in schools, which is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is based on inconclusive research. He also said masking could have adverse effects on children's health, well-being and development.

The CDC issued its guidance in light of the rapid spread of the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19. A growing body of evidence suggests masks are highly effective in limiting the spread of the virus in schools.

The new rule says schools should consider parental concerns" when adopting mask mandates and should provide parents the ability to opt out of health-related mandates for a wide array of reasons, including physical and mental health, developmental needs, religious beliefs and moral convictions.

Adam Meier, director of the state health department, said in a statement that the agency would encourage schools to take into account all of these factors and implement any mitigation strategies in the least restrictive means as possible to maximize learning outcomes for Montana children.

Districts that have implemented mask requirements include Missoula and Billings. In Missoula, a group of parents who oppose the mandate has sued. They cite the same research mentioned by Gianforte, including a CDC study from May 2021 that found masking in schools did not have a statistically significant impact on the spread of COVID-19.

In a letter to parents and staff Tuesday, Helena Public Schools Superintendent Rex Weltz wrote that the district would continue its mask requirement for students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Students who opt out of wearing a mask can access virtual learning rather than attending school in-person.

Weltz said the policy represents the least restrictive guidelines necessary to preserve the health and safety of students and staff."

A group of medical associations called a meeting to discuss their response to the rule. Several medical experts cited concern over the possibility that it would reduce masking as COVID-19 infections surge across Montana.

I worry that the governor's office is stepping out of its usual role in trying to interpret medical literature in a way that's going to be confusing to parents, said Dr. Lauren Wilson, vice president of the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In the context of heightened emotions right now, that is a poor choice.

Dr. Greg Holzman, Montanas former chief medical officer who served through April, said he did not understand the reasoning for the new rule because it is not binding.

I dont think it helps when we are trying to bring our communities together to work together to end this pandemic, he said. Im not sure what this really adds except for challenges.

Holzman said data used to back the rule was cherry-picked to fit the administrations views on masks.

I just dont understand where theyre pulling this and why they are choosing these few articles and dont have any comments on any of the other stuff coming out, he said.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the new Montana rule encourages schools to give parents the final say on school masking requirements, but it does not require schools to do that.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  An Oklahoma appeals court on Tuesday reversed four previous rulings that overturned death penalty cases based on a U.S. Supreme Court decision that limited state jurisdiction for crimes committed on tribal reservations.

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruled earlier in August that the U.S. Supreme Court decision in what is known as the McGirt case does not apply retroactively. The McGirt ruling found that Oklahoma lacks jurisdiction for crimes on tribal reservations in which the defendants or victims are tribal citizens.

On Tuesday, the same appeals court vacated its rulings that had cited the McGirt decision in overturning the cases of death row inmates Shaun Bosse, James Ryder, Miles Bench and Benjamin Cole Sr.

It was not immediately clear if the ruling reinstates the death penalty in the four cases.

Were reviewing (the ruling) right now to determine the next steps, said Alex Gerszewski, spokesperson for state Attorney General John OConnor.

The appeals court issued a one-paragraph ruling in each case saying the court will rule later on each inmates request for post-conviction relief. A ruling on post-conviction relief could still overturn, or uphold, either the conviction or the sentence.

Attorneys for the four inmates did not immediately return phone calls for comment.

Cole, 56, was sentenced to death for killing his 9-month-old daughter in Rogers County in 2002. Ryder, 59, was sentenced to death for the 1999 killing of Daisy Hallum, 70, and to life without parole for killing her son, Sam Hallum, 38, in Pittsburg County. Bosse is on death row for killing his girlfriend and her two children and Bench was condemned for death of a 16-year-old girl who was abducted from a convenience store.

Each of the cases fall under the McGirt decision because the crimes all occurred on tribal reservations and the victims in the cases of Bosse, Cole and Ryder were tribal members. Bench was member of the Choctaw Nation.

Under McGirt, the cases fall to federal prosecutors and federal charges have been filed against Bench, Bosse and Cole.

OConnor, the state attorney general, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its McGirt ruling.
BEIJING (AP)  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned U.S. climate envoy John Kerry on Wednesday that deteriorating U.S.-China relations could undermine cooperation between the two on climate change.

Wang told Kerry by video link that such cooperation cannot be separated from the broader relationship and called on the U.S. to take steps to improve ties, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

Kerry, who is in the Chinese city of Tianjin for climate talks with his Chinese counterparts, said the U.S. is committed to cooperating with the rest of the world on climate and encouraged China to take additional steps to reduce emissions, the U.S. State Department said.

Kerry, a former secretary of state, also said that China plays a super-critical role in the effort to combat climate change, according to a brief video clip from the meeting shown on CGTN, the international arm of state broadcaster CCTV.

China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, followed by the United States.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have been strained by disputes over trade, technology and human rights. But the sides have identified the climate crisis as an area for possible cooperation.

China and the U.S. have differences on some issues. In the meantime, we share common interests in a range of areas such as climate change," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing Wednesday.

Both sides should maintain dialogue and communication on the basis of mutual respect and carry out mutually beneficial cooperation," Wang said.

The worlds biggest coal user, China obtains roughly 60% of its power from coal and is the worlds biggest source of greenhouse gases. It plans to build more coal-fired power plants but still plans to taper its use of the fossil fuel.

Beijing has pointed to historical U.S. emissions as a reason to resist action while making advances in solar power and other renewable energy sources. China has set a target of generating 20% of the countrys total energy consumption from renewables by 2025, becoming carbon-neutral by 2060 and reducing total emissions starting from 2030.

President Joe Biden has announced a goal to cut up to 52% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2030  double the target set by President Barack Obama in the 2015 Paris climate accord. The 2030 goal vaults the U.S. into the top tier of countries on climate ambition.

Kerry has called for stronger efforts to to curb rising temperatures to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels. He urged China to join the U.S. in urgently cutting carbon emissions.

Kerry made a stop in Japan on Tuesday to discuss climate issues with Japanese officials before heading to China.

Global decarbonizing efforts will come under the spotlight at a U.N. conference to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, in late November, known as COP26.
NORWALK  Bobbing up and down in 194 feet of water in Long Island Sound on Tuesday, lobsterman Mike Kalaman made a point to boast about his favorite fishing grounds to the delegation of state lawmakers aboard his boat, The Dark Horse.

Pointing to the waters just beyond one of his blue-and-yellow buoys, Kalaman showed Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff where the border between Connecticut and New York crossed the Sound, adding that the water on the other side of the imaginary line was generally more shallow and less attractive for lobsters.

Connecticut is blessed to have all this deep water, Kalaman said, gesturing across the area he has spent four decades fishing.

Duff joined three other state senators Tuesday morning for a tour aboard Kalamans 36-foot lobster boat and the oyster fleet operated by Copps Island Oysters in Norwalk to learn about Connecticuts shellfish industry amid ongoing environmental threats and more recent disruption caused by the pandemic.

Norm Bloom, the owner of Copps Island Oysters, said the health of the industry has been boosted by long-term efforts to curb pollution and improve water quality in Long Island Sound.

To build support for those efforts, Bloom said family-run oyster operations such as his rely on good relationships with lawmakers in Hartford.

Duff, a Democrat from Norwalk, has been a frequent guest on Blooms boats, both men said.

Theyve all been down here, they come out and they see what were up against, Bloom said.

Connecticuts shellfish industry employs roughly 300 workers and generates $30 million in sales annually, according to the state Department of Agriculture.

Another $779,751 worth of lobsters were caught last year, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Still, the industry has been beset by challenges such as a decline in lobster populations and rising waterfront property values that squeeze profits from commercial operators.

To address the latter issue, lawmakers approved tax breaks for the states shell fisherman by allowing their undersea beds and certain waterfront properties to be assessed at more favorable rates typically reserved for land-based farmers. The sponsor of that effort, state Sen. Christine Cohen, D-Guilford, was among the lawmakers who joined Duff for Tuesdays tour.

The other lawmakers who joined the tour were state Sen. Matt Lesser, D- Middletown, and state Sen. Will Haskell, D-Westport.

While on the water, Cohen chatted with Kalaman about the states slow rebound from a massive die-off of lobsters in 1999, as well as lingering tensions between lobstermen and federal regulators.

Kalaman said he was once among more than a dozen lobstermen based out of Norwalk, while there are now just three operating in the entire western basin of the Sound.

Kalaman said he blamed pesticides used to combat West Nile virus for the die off, and that a moratorium placed on lobster fishing between September and November by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission cut into some of the most productive fishing months without impacting populations.

Its not doing what it was intended to, he said.

Asked about the moratorium, Cohen, the co-chair of the environment committee, expressed support for the lobstermen, calling them real environmental stewards.

She noted that Kalaman made a point of tossing back several lobsters that were within the legal catch size if they otherwise appeared to be ready to grow larger and mate.

Do I think that we could probably have year-round lobster fishing? I do, Cohen said. I think we need to take a look at it. I need to talk to some of our scientists and understand whats going on in other states.

Other issues addressed Tuesday included the disruption caused by the pandemic, which shuttered restaurants and caused sales of oysters to crater.

Oddly, Kalaman said lobster sales remained strong through the pandemic, as the the boiled-and-buttered crustaceans proved more popular with takeout customers than raw oysters.

When the pandemic hit, we went to zero. The market stopped, Bloom said of oyster sales, adding that he relied on federal Payment Protection Program loans to keep some of his employees working to manage the companys acres of shellfish beds underneath the Sound.

Bloom said the company also began selling small quantities of oysters directly to consumers, while experimenting with a local restaurateur to develop a packaged frozen product that he hopes to one day sell in stores.

In the meantime, commercial restaurant sales have returned mostly to normal, he said.

Duff said the solution to help the shellfish market rebound was a more simple matter for the state to address.

Keep eating oysters, he said.


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The 'XR' activists were joined by 'Animal Rebellion' activists who went on to pour red colour in the iconic fountain outside the Buckingham Palace gates. (Twitter)

Everyday we face news about Afghanistan: about people being attacked, threatened, being forced to leave the country they belong to, and love. About divided families. About traumatised children. About women and the atrocities inflicted on them.

Those of us familiar with the fallout of the Partition of India (and our team which has set up the Partition Museum in Amritsar, Kolkata and now in Delhi, certainly is)  know this is what happens when people are divided, by force. The largest migration in the world, which took place in 1947, was suddenly announced and led to immense tragedy and killings.

This is reflected in Afghanistan today.

Unless plans were in place  and people were evacuated over a period of months and not days  this was bound to happen. And as we can see  it is the thugs of yesterday and the terrorists of today who take advantage of the innocent. Those who still dont understand the bloodshed of 1947  can find in Afghanistan a reflection of what happened in India 75 years ago.

But at least many among the Afghans who want to migrate are being helped by the airlifts of the superpowers. In India at the time of Partition  unless there were some proactive local officer, or well connected benefactors  people were left mostly on their own.

As chaos prevails and the region gets further destabilised, undoubtedly borders will get erased. One border that looks increasingly fragile is between Afghanistan and Pakistan, as refugees flee across, around 20,000 daily.

On the other hand, of course more than 14,000 refugees have entered the UK, legally and are being given protection. The process continues  and already over 500,000 Afghans have left their country, trying to find safe refuge, in different parts of the world.

But to reiterate the incredible generosity of the British: at least 10,000 hosts have registered with a charity to open up their spare rooms for refugees. This will be only a temporary stay of course, but it will help immensely help those who have lost everything.

London rocks with rebellions! And Extinction Rebellion, in which people occupy public spaces, just shows the extent to which people take climate change seriously! This time they occupied Trafalgar Square, blocked traffic and definitely got noticed. It is more or less the strategy followed by the farmers in India  except here they are allowed straight into the city centre. They were protesting against the use of fossil fuels and managed to sit right outside the department for business, energy and industrial strategy.

The XR activists were joined by Animal Rebellion activists who went on to pour red colour in the iconic fountain outside the Buckingham Palace gates. This, according to them, symbolised blood on the Queens hands, as she had allowed her the Crown lands to be used for hunting as well as animal farming.

These protest programmes certainly cause immense disruption  but then that is the whole idea of civil disobedience. Interestingly, the XR group does feel that their message of saving the planet is getting across more widely. But whether they will be able to stop policies of road building or encourage the Queen to grow healthy food on crown lands for the country is doubtful. In the meanwhile, we have been subject to dramatic red colour floating in the fountains at the foot of the palace, as though a murder had just taken place. Disturbing! Just as the activists wanted!

Jabbing children between the ages of 12 and 15 years might be next on the agenda as a means of controlling Covid in schools. Not all parents are enthusiastic, though, as results from other countries that have vaccinated young children are still awaited. However, the government might allow children who want Covid jabs to get them without parental consent. This, of course, could lead to unforeseen consequences but right now no one is thinking of that. Another key change could be that children would be vaccinated at the schools, rather than in GP clinics. Surveys have also shown that most 10- to 17-year-olds are really keen to get vaccinated.

But more information and transparency is often required before one feels completely safe with any vaccine. For instance, there is still not much knowledge about the India-made Covaxin here nor is it recognised. The long-delayed clearance from WHO has created an impediment for students and business travellers from India who had taken the vaccine on the assurance that it was only a matter of time before it was put on par with the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines. One hopes that the approval from WHO will be fast tracked. It will not only provide relief in an already challenging environment for education and jobs abroad, it will also be a step in the right direction in boosting the Made-in-India campaign.
Hyderabad: Tollywood filmmaker Puri Jagannadh on Tuesday presented himself before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials who are probing the alleged money laundering angle in the infamous drug scandal of 2017.

The ED initiated the investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the prohibition and excise department in 2017 under the NDPS Act. The focus of the Central agency is on illegal financial transactions unlike the prohibition and excise department whose main concern is excessive drug abuse among the bigwigs of Tollywood.

It is learnt that Jagannadh was asked to submit financial transaction details from three bank accounts during 2015-17 to initiate the investigation into the fund trail. The ED is looking deeply into these transactions to find out if there were any discrepancies like unaccounted funds transfer, said sources.

The 10 hours of grilling by the Central investigation agency, as expected, was gruelling for the filmmaker. He faced a volley of questions regarding drugs sale, his stay abroad and funds transferred to foreign countries. The law enforcement agency is primarily dealing with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Earlier, an RTI query by Forum for Good Governance revealed that around 62 people were questioned in the case, but only 12 cases have been registered and eight chargesheets filed by officials in the last five years.

Excise officials probe mainly revolved around how the kingpin of the drug racket - Calvin Mascarenhas - procured the drugs and with whom he was in contact apart from the travel history of him and his contacts. According to the excise officials, the persons who procured drugs and abused them are considered as 'victims' including Tollywood celebrities. However, with the ED entering the scene, their primary focus is on the money trail. All the persons who were summoned will be questioned on the same lines.

In 2017, the prohibition and excise department officials questioned some celebrities including actor Ravi Teja, director Puri Jagannath, actress Charmi Kaur, Tanish, Mumaith Khan, Navdeep, Subbaraju and Tarun. For many of them, the hair and nail samples were taken. Now the ED officials summoned mostly the same persons and added two names  Rakul Preet Singh and Rana Daggubati.
All schools, government and private, are opening on September 1 and teachers would take classes from the classrooms. Representational Image. (PTI)

Hyderabad: Parents heaved a sigh of relief with the Telangana High Court orderiing that no child should be compelled to attend classes physically from September 1. Online classes will continue, and parents can decide whether they want to opt for physical classes.

Based on the High Court order, the education department issued an advisory that no child shall be compelled by any school management to physically attend class if the parent is not inclined to allow it. It is for the school management to have either offline or online classes.

All schools, government and private, are opening on September 1 and teachers would take classes from the classrooms. There will be offline and online classes.

Some private schools are asking parents of students from Classes 9 to 12 to send their children to schools while others have asked parents of students from Class 1 to Class 12 to opt for offline classes.

Some schools are providing transport for those who want to reach the schools while other private schools have asked students to arrange for their own transport for 10 days.

Sanya Kareem, vice-chairperson of Elate International School, said, "In our survey, parents generally said they would like to wait till their children got vaccinated. They are worried about the third wave. They wanted an assurance that schools will follow Covid safety protocols and sanitization measures strictly. With these inputs and the court order, we will be going for the hybrid mode of both offline and online classes."

Private schools called their teachers and administration staff on Tuesday to work out the ways and means for following safety protocols for students. Some schools have also released videos to parents on what measures are being taken. These attempts are being made to instill confidence, as safety is a major concern.

Telangana Parents Association for Child Rights and Safety president Asif Hussain Sohail said, "We got 5,000 responses in our survey and large numbers of parents stated that children must be sent to school only after vaccination. Safety of child is important. Parents want to continue with online classes and do not want to take any risks."

With the option now available of both offline and online education, educational institutions state that it will help them work out measures.
Even a week after ICICI Bank complained against Yugandhar Rao, cops are yet to summon him. (Photo: Karvy)

HYDERABAD: M. Yugandhara Rao, co-founder of Karvy Group and a co-accused in the alleged defrauding of ICICI Bank to the tune of Rs 563 crore, is roaming around freely as the Cyberabad police is yet to take firm action on the complaint it received from the bank.

The police focus, it appears, is more on the other co-founder C. Parthasarathy, who is in judicial remand following his arrest by the Central Crime Station, Hyderabad police, rather than investigating the role of Yugandhar in the scam. Even a week after ICICI Bank complained against Rao, cops are yet to summon him, leave alone arresting him on charges of cheating and criminal breach of trust as happened in the case of Parthasarathy.

Hyderabad police claimed that Parthasarathy could tamper with evidence if he was not taken into custody, but Cyberabad police preferred to look the other way with regard to Rao. The dual standards being adopted by the police has left business circles puzzled.

Sources in the police department told Deccan Chronicle that there were indications about Rao turning approver and providing inside information about the scam, lending credence to the rumours that complaints to several investigating agencies on the financial fraud committed by the group promoters was an insider job. Police have been verifying the claims that Rao is no more with Karvy and that he has floated his own company, sources said.

It is impossible that frauds have taken place without the knowledge or consent of Rao, said a business analyst, adding that Parthsarathy is innocent if his co-founder is.

Rao was known for his proximity to a former chief minister and several bureaucrats some of whom were said to have made huge investments in stocks through the accused.

Karvy was pampered by the Chandrababu Naidu regime post-bifurcation which made several efforts to award income-generating contracts to the group which by then had plunged into a financial mess.

Significantly, the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy government which went all out against the previous administration over the allotment of lands in the proposed Amaravati capital left the Karvy Group off the hook. Sources said at least two MPs lobbied with the chief minister to spare Parthasarathy.
The price of a 19-kg commercial cylinder has also been increased by Rs 75, which will now cost Rs 1,693 in Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cooking gas cylinders across all categories including subsidised gas on Wednesday were hiked by Rs 25 per cylinder -- the third straight increase in rates in less than two months.

Subsidised as well as non-subsidised LPG now costs Rs 884.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi, according to a price notification of oil companies.

This is the third straight increase in prices in less than two months. Subsidised and non-subsidised LPG rates were hiked by Rs 25.50 per cylinder on July 1.

Non-subsidised LPG rates rose by Rs 25 per cylinder on August 1 and by the same proportion on August 18.

Industry sources said the subsidised LPG price was not raised on August 1 because Parliament was in session and the government could have been attacked by the opposition.

The latest increase in subsidised LPG price now has taken the cumulative rate hike since January 1 to Rs 190 per cylinder.

The government policy provides for the supply of 12 cylinders of 14.2-kg each per household at subsidised or below-market rates. Any quantity over this had to be bought at market price or non-subsidised rates.

However, monthly price increases have eliminated the subsidy. These monthly increases led to the elimination of subsidies by May 2020.

Barring a few far-flung areas, which get a small portion of freight subsidy, the price of subsidised and non-subsidised LPG in major cities is almost at par.

The price of domestic cooking gas has more than doubled in the last seven years. The retail selling price of domestic gas was Rs 410.5 per 14.2-kg cylinder on March 1, 2014.

In Mumbai, a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder now costs Rs 884.50 while in Kolkata, it is priced at Rs 911 - the highest among the four metros.

The price of a 19-kg commercial cylinder has also been increased by Rs 75, which will now cost Rs 1,693 in Delhi.

Meanwhile, after remaining unchanged for more than a week, petrol price was cut by 10 paise a litre diesel by 14 paise.

Petrol price in Delhi is now at Rs 101.34 and in Mumbai, it is priced at Rs 107.39 per litre. Diesel price in Delhi is now at Rs 88.77 a litre in Mumbai at Rs 96.33.
The court directed the officials to file affidavits and posted the case for the next hearing to Oct. 1. (Twitter)

Vijayawada: The AP High Court has directed the state government to vacate village/ward secretariats and Rythu Bharosa Kendras from the premises of government schools, saying the presence of these could result in a spread of the Coronavirus.

A single judge bench of Justice Battu Devanand heard the case on Tuesday and asked the state government as to how it could allow reopening of schools at a time when Coronavirus was still spreading. Who was behind such a decision, he asked, and observed that it would not be enough to sit in the secretariat and issue orders.

The court wondered as to who would take responsibility if the students are infected with the virus.

The court criticised officials for taking this as a prestige issue and reopening schools while ignoring the safety of the students. How appropriate it could be to reopen schools without giving the jab to the students and their parents, it asked, and said it would not be sufficient to give the jab only to the teachers.

Seven senior IAS officers including panchayat raj principal secretary GK Dwivedi, its commissioner Girijasankar, school education principal secretary Rajasekhar, its commissioner Chinna Veerabhadrudu, municipal administration principal secretary Shyalama Rao, its former director Vijaykumar and present director MM Naik appeared in the court in the contempt of court case.

Officials counsel Jaganmohan Reddy and government pleader for education Raghuveer argued that the state government had already issued an order to get the secretariats and RBKs in government schools premises vacated. At several premises of schools, such facilities were already withdrawn, they said.

School education principal secretary Rajasekhar said they had identified 1,160 schools having secretariats and RBKs in their premises. They withdrew such facilities in 450 schools and would do so in the remaining schools shortly.

The court directed the officials to file affidavits and posted the case for the next hearing to Oct. 1.
Taliban had also urged countries to reopen their missions; however, Indian missions and consulates remain shut in Afghanistan. (Representational Image: ANI)

New Delhi: India has established its first formal contact with the Taliban on Tuesday. Indian ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal met the head of Taliban's political office, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai in Doha at the Indian mission.

India and the Taliban held discussions on the safety of Indians in Afghanistan, especially minorities. Indian envoy Mittal also urged the Taliban that Afghan soil should not be used for terror acts against India.

However, informed sources told ANI that establishing contact with the Taliban does not amount to recognising the outfit.

India's contact with the Taliban evoked reactions from various political parties, posing questions to New Delhi on talking to the Taliban.

India had never recognised the Taliban. Therefore, formal talks in Doha is seen as a departure from Indian policy.

Former Union Minister of State, External Affairs in Vajpayee government, Omar Abdullah said, "Either Taliban is a terror organisation or not, please clarify to us how you see them. If they are a terror group why are you talking to them? If not then will you (Centre) move to United Nations and have it delisted as a terror organisation? Make up your mind."

Meanwhile, India has been following the policy of wait and watch, it's looking forward to seeing government formation in Afghanistan. Taliban says it will form an inclusive government soon.

Sources say any call on recognising the Taliban can only be taken once the government is formed. It is learnt that India is observing how the Taliban fulfils its commitment and how it conducts itself.

Taliban leadership during yesterday's meet said that it will address the issues raised by the Indian side. Earlier also Taliban said India is an important country and they want good economic relations with India.

Interestingly, it is the Taliban who requested the Indian mission for yesterday's meet in Doha.

Taliban had also urged countries to reopen their missions; however, Indian missions and consulates remain shut in Afghanistan.

Haqqanis presence in the Taliban's power structure, dynamics is making India nervous as they share deep linkages with Pakistan's spy agency ISI, and terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Visitors enjoy the sight of water gushing out from two gates of Himayatsagar reservoir on Tuesday. (P. Surendra/DC)

Hyderabad: The twin reservoirs of the city  Himayatsagar and Osmansagar  which are full to the brim thanks to the copious rains that lashed the districts surrounding Hyderabad on Monday drew a host of visitors on Tuesday.

Visitors who thronged the Himayatsagar bund also received a bonus sight of water gushing out of the two gates as they were opened to let water out as fresh inflows continued to the lake due to the persistent rains. A Water Board official said revenue, police and GHMC officials had been alerted prior to the release of water.

With Tuesday being a holiday on account of Janmashtami, the number of visitors grew and by evening, police personnel were deployed at both lakes to ensure there was no untoward incident. While street food hawkers did some brisk business, a lot of others made some quick bucks by selling fried dishes made of freshly caught fish from the reservoirs.

Cloudy and pleasant weather added to the atmosphere. Shivan, an interior designer from Aramghar, said at Himayatsagar, This is the closest outskirts of the city, so all families which failed to make outstation trips because of Covid, took this as a nature given opportunity and enjoyed the sightseeing.

Haji Ismail, along with his friends, who came to relish the scenery said, As the climate is beautiful and today is a holiday, we want to explore the sight without missing this chance. All our friends are busy working, but this holiday along with the climate came as a gift.

B. Srinivas Yadav, Rajendranagar assistant sub inspector, said 35 personnel from the station were deployed at Himayatsagar. We have been here since morning for the safety of people as many families and groups are coming.
The UNSC Resolution asked for every effort (to) be made to allow for the rapid and secure reopening of the Kabul airport and its surrounding area for evacuations. (AFP)

New Delhi: In a major acknowledgement of New Delhis concerns on cross-border terrorism, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which met under Indias presidency, adopted Resolution 2593 late on Monday evening (Tuesday morning IST) seeking to hold the Taliban accountable for its commitments and demanding that Afghan territory not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or to finance terrorist acts including Pakistan-based terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

Thirteen members voted in favour of the resolution drafted by France, UK and the US. Russia and China abstained.

"This resolution is not an operational aspect. It's much more on principles, key political messages and warnings," a UN diplomat was quoted as saying in reports. Reports also said that the text was watered down to ensure China and Russia would not use their vetoes to block it, including softening some of the language related to the Taliban.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently constituted a high-level group comprising external affairs minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and senior officials that has been meeting regularly to monitor Indias priorities, including evacuation efforts and closely monitoring passage of Tuesdays UNSC resolution.

Holding the terror group ISIL (or ISIS) responsible for the deadly terror attacks on Kabul airport on August 26 and condemning it, the UNSC also sought to hold the Taliban accountable for other commitments as well such as allowing Afghans to travel abroad without any hindrance. The UNSC also stipulated that the human rights of all, including children, women and minorities be protected in Afghanistan and that unhindered access be provided for international humanitarian assistance to reach Afghans.

Addressing yet another global concern including that of India, the UNSC Resolution asked for every effort (to) be made to allow for the rapid and secure reopening of the Kabul airport and its surrounding area for evacuations. The UNSC also said it would remain seized of the situation in the strife-torn nation.

The UNSC has been under the presidency of India for the month of August this year that concluded on Tuesday and India had played an active role in the passage of the UNSC Resolution for which it had been in touch with various nations including the United States, with sources on Tuesday saying it was a matter of satisfaction that our presidency could contribute to serious international consideration of this key issue.

In its resolution, the UNSC said it demands that Afghan territory not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or to finance terrorist acts, and reiterates the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan, including those individuals and entities designated pursuant to Resolution 1267 (of 1999 that mentions both the LeT and JeM)), and notes the Talibans relevant commitments.

The Resolution further said the UNSC condemns in the strongest terms the deplorable attacks of August 26, 2021, near Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, which were claimed by the Islamic State in Khorasan province, an entity affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Daesh), and resulted in deaths and injuries of over 300 civilians and 28 military personnel, and took note of the Talibans condemnation of this attack.

The UNSC also reaffirmed the importance of upholding human rights, including those of women, children and minorities, encourages all parties to seek an inclusive, negotiated political settlement, with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, that responds to the desire of Afghans to sustain and build on Afghanistans gains over the last 20 years in adherence to the rule of law, and underlines that all parties must respect their obligations.

It also called for strengthened efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, called on all parties to allow full, safe, and unhindered access for the United Nations, its specialised agencies and implementing partners, and all humanitarian actors...

(The UNSC) Notes the Taliban statement of August 27, 2021, in which the Taliban committed that Afghans will be able to travel abroad, may leave Afghanistan anytime they want to, and may exit Afghanistan via any border crossing, both air and ground, including at the reopened and secured Kabul airport, with no one preventing them from travelling, expects that the Taliban will adhere to these and all other commitments, including regarding the safe, secure, and orderly departure from Afghanistan of Afghans and all foreign nationals, the Resolution said.
The weatherman predicted on Tuesday that there will be rain for three more days. (DC file photo)

Hyderabad: Heavy rains lashed several parts of Telangana for third consecutive day on Tuesday. Tanks and canals were overflowing in districts, cutting off road connectivity and posing problems to motorists.

A bus that got stuck in the swollen Manair Vagu near Lingannapeta of Ghambiraopet mandal on Monday was swept away when the water level in the rivulet rose. Officials said the bus carrying passengers from Kamareddy to Siddipet was stuck on the causeway across the rivulet.

The driver stopped the bus in the middle of the bridge when the vehicle tilted to one side. Locals noticed the plight of the vehicle and quickly rescued the passengers, pulling them to safety with ropes. The efforts to pull the bus up from the bridge with the help of a JCB failed. The empty vehicle was swept away when the water level rose later on Tuesday.

The weatherman predicted on Tuesday that there will be rain for three more days. All the irrigation projects were full with water. Officials lifted gates at Sriramsagar, Mid Manair and Himayatsagar due to heavy inflows.

Several low-lying colonies in Warangal, Hanumakonda and Kazipet cities were inundated and water entered the houses, causing severe inconvenience to the residents who spent sleepless nights trying to manually drain the water.

Some 250 residents of inundated colonies were shifted to rescue centers and the GWMC officials distributed food packets door-to-door in affected areas. Disaster response teams rescued 36 people from Shiva Nagar and Brindavan colonies from flood waters.

Meanwhile, water is being released from the first four projects of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme downstream due to heavy rains in Maharastra.

Heavy rains disrupted normal life in the undivided Karimnagar district. Mogili Chandramouli, a shepherd from Sainagar of Sircilla town went out for grazing his sheep and got stuck along with his 30 sheep due to the overflow of water from Manair canal at the Nehrunagar check dam in Sircilla. Police rescued them with the help of expert swimmers.
There are 18,386 active cases in the state as of now. (Photo: PTI/File)

Bengaluru: As many as 32 students have tested positive for COVID-19 in a college in Karnataka's Kolar KGF College of Dental Sciences and Hospital, said Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Wednesday.

"32 students are infected with COVID in a college in KGF nursing college. All of them are Kerala returnees. I will visit the college and take action against the college management," said the Minister.

He further said that the COVID-19 has been brought under control to 700-800 cases per day from as high as 50,000 cases per day while adding that the government has worked hard to mitigate the pandemic.

According to the state health department, Karnataka on Tuesday reported 1,217 new COVID19 cases, 1198 recoveries and 25 deaths in the last 24 hours.

There are 18,386 active cases in the state as of now.
The Sprinklr activities continued only for less than a month and by April 20, 2020. (Representational Image)

Thiruvananthapuram: In a relief to former Kerala IT secretary M Sivasankar, a government-appointed panel has found that no "evil design, malice or bad faith" could be attributed to him in connection with the data deal with US-based tech firm Sprinklr, which had triggered a widespread controversy in the state putting the previous Pinarayi Vijayan government in a fix.

Rejecting the opposition charges, the three-member committee, chaired by former district judge and state law secretary K Sasidharan Nair, said there is no evidence, as of now, to prove that the interest of the state was adversely affected due to the engagement of Sprinklr.

However, the report confirmed various procedural lapses committed by the former principal secretary, who is now under suspension in connection with the gold smuggling scam, and said he did not even ensure the basic security measures to be adopted while engaging Sprinklr.

"On a totality of all facts and materials on record and taking note of the extraordinary circumstances prevailing at that point of time, the Committee is of the view that no evil design, malice or bad faith can be attributed upon M Sivasankar for his lapses in engaging Sprinklr for data analysis," the report said.

As per the panel, the Sprinklr activities continued only for less than a month and by April 20, 2020, the entire data had already been transferred to the State Data Centre managed by C-DIT and instructions were also given to destroy data if any remained with Sprinklr forthwith.

Accordingly, Sprinklr reported compliance with the same and there is no evidence, as of now, to prove that the interest of the State was adversely affected due to the engagement of Sprinklr, it added.

Pointing to the procedural lapses committed by Sivasankar in the execution of the deal, the report said no file had been processed in the Electronics & IT Department to engage Sprinklr for data analysis as mandated in the Rules of Business of Government of Kerala and Secretariat Office Manual.

The Centre's prescribed guidelines for the procurement of Cloud Services by a government department from a Cloud Service Provider was also violated in the deal, it said.

The former principal secretary did not consult with the concerned departments including Law, Finance and Health before entering into the pact with the foreign firm, the report said.

Noting that he did not even ensure the basic security measures to be adopted while engaging Sprinklr, the panel also found that no agreements or documents had been executed as required by law for ensuring data security.

Sivasankar failed to ensure the security standards to be followed for transmitting sensitive data over the internet, it further added.

It was the second panel appointed by the Left government to probe the issues of the controversial deal regarding the transfer of the data of COVID patients in the state.

Though a two-member committee, headed by former civil servant M Madhavan Nambiar, had earlier submitted a report with critical remarks against Sivasankar pointing to the alleged procedural irregularities in the deal executed by him, the government had last November appointed the new panel to study the earlier committee's report and findings and prepare a more comprehensive one.

The opposition parties had criticised the government action, saying it was to sabotage the probe into the deal.

The Nair panel's report, submitted to the government in April, came to the public domain now after it was tabled in the state Assembly as part of response to a question raised by Congress legislators P T Thomas and P C Vishnunath.

To an un-starred question by the MLAs, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan replied that the government had entrusted the three-member panel chaired by Nair to study the Nambiar panel's report.

The government is examining the report findings and a total of Rs 5, 27,830 had been spent so far for the panel, he added in the reply.

Vinaya Babu, a retired professor and Sumesh Divakaran, Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering here were the other expert members of the panel.
HYDERABAD: TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao reached Delhi on Monday along with ministers, party MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other leaders. He will be in Delhi for three days and return on Friday. He will lay foundation for the construction of TRS office building in Delhi on Thursday.

Rao will conduct Bhumi Puja for the office along with wife Shobha and son K.T. Rama Rao, the party's working president. The event has been organised on a grand note with the participation of ministers and party's top leaders.

While the Chief Minister took a special flight from Begumpet airport along with his wife Shobha, Rajya Sabha member Joginapally Santosh Kumar, a few ministers and other leaders. Rama Rao left for Delhi in a regular flight from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, accompanied by ministers Ch. Malla Reddy and V. Srinivas Goud and a few other party MLAs, MLCs and MPs.

Finance minister T. Harish Rao will skip this event as he is engaged in the Huzurabad bypoll campaigning for party candidate Gellu Srinivas Yadav. Ministers Gangula Kamalakar and Koppula Eshwar, who are also in Huzurabad, will not attend the event.

Party sources said the Chief Minister finalised the design for the party office building in Delhi which will be similar to that of party's headquarters Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad. They said the Delhi office had been designed in a manner that reflects the symbol of self-respect of people of Telangana in the national capital.

The Chief Minister set a deadline of 12 months to complete the project.

Sources said the building would have more facilities than Hyderabad office. It will have 15 rooms, kitchen-cum-dining area, huge conference hall and also chambers for the party president, members of party's state executive committee and others.

Political parties with a strength of seven members in Parliament are eligible for allotment of land from the Centre to build their offices in Delhi. The TRS, with a strength of 16 MPs in the Parliament (nine Lok Sabha and seven Rajya Sabha), was allotted 1,100 sqm (1,315 sq. yards) with two blocks admeasuring 550 sq. metre each in Vasanth Vihar area in Delhi.
TS officials also expressed anger at the KRMB not responding positively to their demand to share Krishna water in the ratio of 50:50 between AP and Telangana from this year. (Photo:PTI)

HYDERABAD: The meeting held by the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) here on Wednesday to resolve Krishna water sharing dispute between Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh ended abruptly after TS irrigation officials walked out of the meeting on being asked to stop hydel power generation.

TS officials also expressed anger at the KRMB not responding positively to their demand to share Krishna water in the ratio of 50:50 between AP and Telangana from this year. AP demanded a 70:30 share.

TS irrigation special chief secretary Rajat Kumar and his AP counterpart J. Syamala Rao, put forth their arguments before the board chairman M.P. Singh, stated that there was no question of compromising on their demands.

The arguments reached flashpoint when the issue of hydel power generation came up for discussion. AP officials argued that it should be allowed to take up only after meeting irrigation and drinking water needs. They said the board should direct the TS government to stop hydel power generation immediately.

TS said there was no question of doing so, and said the Srisailam project was meant for hydel generation. They explained that due to geographical conditions, the TS government had to depend on cheaper hydel power to cut its expenditure over costlier thermal power.

At this point, the KRMB chairman asked Telangana to take up hydel power generation keeping in view the irrigation and drinking water needs of AP. This angered TS officials who walked out of the meeting.

Speaking to the media outside Jalasoudha building where the meeting was held, Rajat Kumar said, "AP and Telangana have been sharing water in the ratio of 66:34. The projects undertaken by Telangana on Krishna such as Bhima, Nettempadu, Kalwakurthy etc have now been completed. The 34 per cent water share is insufficient. We need 50 per cent share from this year."

Syamala Rao argued said the board did not have the authority to look into water allocations done by the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal (KWDT)-I when the matter was sub-judice before KWDT-II.

The TS officials later returned to the joint meeting of the KRMB and the GRMB. The meeting discussed the measures to be taken to implement the gazette issued by the Centre bringing all irrigation projects on Krishna and Godavari under the jurisdiction of the KRMB and the GRMB.
Hyderabad: BJP state president Bandi Sanjay on Tueday asked the people whether they wanted Sardar Patel rule or Nizam Sarkar rule, and claimed the BJP was the only party that can free Telangana from corrupt hands.

He said that just like a lamp burns brighter when its oil is exhausted, the TRS was introducing more schemes when it was on its way to losing power. He was confident the BJP would wrest power from the TRS in 2023.

The fourth day of the Praja Sangrama Yatra saw larger crowds hailing the BJP chief. The padayatra on Tuesday started from Chilkur Chowrasta (Himayatnagar) and reached Moinabad and Kanakamamidi. Thousands of people gathered at every stop and welcomed the motorcade. Women came in larger numbers with bonalu.

Sanjay prayed at the Chilkur Balaji temple. He said that he had wished that the people of Ranga Reddy district, who are providing water, milk, vegetables and fruits to the metropolis, will remain happy and prosperous.

He recalled AIMIM chief Asadudin Owaisi's remarks against Prime Minister Modi and said, Owaisi challenged Narendra Modi to come to the Old City and hold a meeting. The BJP has shown to Owaisi the partys strength by holding a meeting at the Bhagyalakshmi temple. If challenged again, the BJP will come to Darussalam and hold a meeting.

Sanjay said 1.400 people had died for achieving Telangana statehood, including Yadireddy, Sarita and Mahesh Goud from Ranga Reddy distrct. He accused Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao of reducing the number of martyrs to 600.

The BJP leader referred to GO 111, which places restrictions on development around Himayatsagar and Osmansagar, and said the CM had failed to fulfill the promise of abolishing it. He said the CM, his son and son-in-law were buying thousands of acres of land from farmers at very low prices and selling it for thousands of crores.

Sanjay said the Centre had provided `1,040 crore to Ranga Reddy district for infrastructure, employment guarantee and toilet construction, but the Chief Minister failed to utilise the money.

He said the state government that has no money to pay the salaries for employees is trying to deceive the people with false promises like Dalit Bandhu. He appealed to the people to give a chance to the BJP to make the state develop faster with support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Several leaders from Bhongir Assembly constituency joined the BJP at Moinabad junction during the padayatra.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will participate in the yatra at Vikarabad on September 4 and BJYM national president Tejasvi Surya, South Bengaluru MP, on September 7 in Sangareddy.
Police in action against farmers from the capital region villages, who were staging a protest to press for keeping the capital in Amaravati, at Mandadam village in Guntur district. (PTI File)

VIJAYAWADA: Hopes about resolving the 'Amaravati capital' issue in an amicable way dimmed due to the YSR Congress government's decision not to conduct more negotiations with the protesters.

The government had tried to hold talks and resolve the issue when YSRC MP and MLAs met the protesting farmers and others and held talks. The government has stopped talks also as the farmers have threatened to intensify their protests and legally challenge the government.

YSRC MP of Narasaraopeta, Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu had gone to the protest camps in Amaravati and held talks with the protesters. The MP and other leaders promised that Amaravati would be taken care of as was promised to the farmers by developing it as the Legislative Capital of AP. The farmers were also promised that the government would honour the agreements of the past on the development of returnable plots and colonies under the Land Pooling Scheme with all amenities.

The pro-Amaravati supporters, who are activists of the Telugu Desam, could not be pacified. The YSRC leaders promised them that a meeting shall be arranged between them and the chief minister. The pro-Amaravati protesters refused even to recognise Jaganmohan Reddy as chief minister. This disappointed the YSRC team and they halted the talks.

Later, Mangalagiri MLA of the YSRC, Alla Ramakrishna, met pro-Amaravati supporters including farmers in which several proposals came up to settle the issues. But, later, a majority of the Amaravati protesters adopted an anti-government stand.

Chief minister Jagan has increased the monthly annuity of `2,500 under the Land Pooling Scheme to ` 5,000. Following this, farmers of Rayapudi, Uddandarayunipalem, Mandadam, Venkatapalem and other villages of Amaravati led by Tadikonda YSRC MLA Vundavalli Sridevi met CM Jagan and thanked him.

Sridevi and other leaders of Amaravati tried to resolve the Amaravati issue in an amicable manner but in vain. The Amaravati supporters stuck to the demand that Amaravati should remain as the solo capital.



Minister for municipal administration Botsa Satyanarayana said there is no chance for further talks under the present circumstances as the protesters adopted a defiant attitude. He stated that the government will work towards resolving the technical issues and explain to the courts about the need for an administrative decision on the Three Capitals formula for development of all regions of AP in an equitable manner.

The minister said the government will take further action with the permissions of the courts.

Meanwhile, angry Amaravati supporters conducted a mock funeral procession and burned effigies of minister Botsa for his statement. Congress leader, Chiluka Vijay, Amaravati women JAC leaders Ankam Suvarna and others lodged a complaint against the minister in the Thullur police station seeking action against him for creating confusion as regards the shifting of the administrative capital to Visakhapatnam when the matter is in the court.
By Siddhartha Singh,

India is set to absolve bidders for its loss-making flag carrier from any liability arising out of a lawsuit filed by Cairn Energy Plc, which has claimed the state-run airlines assets over a long-running tax dispute with the government, according to people familiar with the matter.

Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration will offer so-called indemnity to the financial bidders of Air India Ltd., which the government has repeatedly tried to sell without success, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter is confidential. In the latest attempt, a group of bureaucrats cleared a final sale purchase agreement on Saturday, and that plan is likely to be approved by a group of ministers this week, they said.

Read | Air India asks US court to dismiss Cairn petition, says it is premature

The government expects to receive financial bids by Sept. 15, junior Civil Aviation Minister V K Singh told parliament in July. Air India, unprofitable since a 2007 merger with state-owned domestic operator Indian Airlines Ltd., has total debt of 600 billion rupees ($8.2 billion) and loses 200 million rupees every day, straining government finances even as the South Asian nations budget deficit widens.

A Finance Ministry spokesperson declined to comment.

Read | Retrospective tax cases may be settled within 17 cos

Potential bidders for the airline -- identified by local media as conglomerate Tata Group and the owner of local budget carrier SpiceJet Ltd. -- may welcome any assurance from the government on not having to encounter any surprises on further liabilities.

Cairn, which last year won an arbitration award for $1.2 billion plus interest over a controversial retrospective tax demand from the Indian government, has called Air India an alter ego of the country in a US court, and held it responsible for the governments liabilities, including any arbitration awards. Devas Multimedia Pvt., a company seeking over $1.2 billion it won in international arbitration from India over a dispute with state-run Antrix Corp., is also seeking to seize Air Indias assets abroad.

India last month approved legislation that will allow firms relief from the tax demands if they agree to drop litigation. The government is in talks with Cairn to settle the dispute, Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj said in a subsequent interview.

--With assistance from Anurag Kotoky.
Steel ministry undertaking KIOCL Limited has firmed up an expansion-cum-modernisation programme involving an investment of around Rs 4,000 crore.

The company, which recently received Stage-1 approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for iron ore and manganese ore mining, plans to spend Rs 1,000 crore for mining operations. It expects to get the Stage-2 clearance by December and begin captive mining operations by June next year. It also plans to invest up to Rs 3,000 crore for setting up of a beneficiation and pellet plant near its captive mines at Devdari in Sandur taluk of Ballari district, a top company official told DH.

KIOCL runs a 3.5 million tonne per annum iron ore pelletisation plant at Mangaluru.

"We are in the middle of executing both backward and forward integration plans. We are planning to set up a coke oven plant as part of backward integration. As part of a forward integration plan, we are looking at setting up a ductile iron spun pipe (DISP) plant at Mangaluru. Both these projects will see an investment of Rs 1,000 crore," S K Gorai, chairman & managing director, KIOCL said.

He said the company also plans to invest around Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 3,000 crore for setting up a pellet plant and iron ore beneficiation plant near its upcoming mines in Devdari.

"There is a huge requirement for ductile iron spun pipes in irrigation and urban water pipeline projects. The government of India has taken up a "Nal se Jal" project under the Jal Jeevan Mission that requires a large number of high-quality pipes to carry water. We want to participate in such projects." Gorai said.

KIOCL will be the first company in the public sector to manufacture ductile iron pipes in the entire South India. "Considering the huge demand for these pipes across the country, we can recover the investment in six years," he said.

The export-oriented public sector company aims to fund the project with its own internal accruals, he said, adding that all the necessary approvals have already been obtained from the government for the modernisation programme.

Global consultant

Considering the huge opportunities in both domestic and global markets for its product - high-grade iron ore pellets - KIOCL is planning to explore new business opportunities in India and overseas markets. It is planning to appoint an international consultant to draw up a 10-year roadmap for the company.

"We will soon appoint an international consultant to prepare a roadmap for future opportunities and expansion. We want to carry out a SWOT analysis before venturing into new areas." Gorai said.
India's GDP grew by 20.1% in Q1, aided by manufacturing and construction sectors. Other metrics also seemed to look great on paper - growth was witnessed in all sectors.

Manufacturing grew 49.6% in the April-June period compared to a contraction of 36% a year ago. The construction sector grew 68.3% as against a contraction earlier. Mining expanded over 18%. Electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services segment grew by over 14% as against 9.9% contraction a year ago.

However, we must look at the broader picture, because even though the numbers look promising, they stand against a low base level of measure of the year-ago period.

The economy had contracted by a massive 24.4 per cent in April-June 2020 after one of the world's most stringent lockdowns was imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus infections, crippling economic activity. GDP had grown by 1.6 per cent in the January-March 2021 quarter.

The sequential contraction in GDP in Q1 of the current fiscal came after three consecutive quarters of expansion.

"It's a big economic comeback," Piyush Goyal tweeted. Other ministers too hailed the country's bounceback.

It's a big economic comeback. Q1 GDP of 2021-22 grows by a phenomenal 20.1% as per provisional estimates. India shrugging off impact of Covid-19 restrictions to get back to business as usual. https://t.co/UGXNXB7yzF pic.twitter.com/S0aT2tc4fk  Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) August 31, 2021

Read | GDP numbers: Much ado about very little

However, several Opposition leaders and economists spelled out why these numbers must be looked at with caution.

"GDP numbers for Q1 of 2021-22 are very revealing. In Q1 of 2021-22, GDP was Rs 32,38,828 crore which is still below the Q1 level of 2019-20 which was Rs 35,66,788 crore," said Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram, commenting on the low base from which the Q1 GDP was calculated.

GDP numbers for Q1 of 2021-22 are very revealing In Q1 of 2021-22, GDP was Rs 32,38,828 crore which is still below the Q1 level of 2019-20 which was Rs 35,66,788 crore  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) August 31, 2021

"The quarterly output in several key sectors is still below the quarterly output in the same period in the pre-pandemic year, 2019-20. Among the sectors that have not attained the pre-pandemic level are Mining & Quarrying; Manufacturing; Construction; Trade, Hotels & Transport; and Financial & Professional Services. In terms of economic activity, we are still behind in sectors such as Private Consumption, Gross Fixed Capital Formation and Imports," he said.

"Govt and pliant media busy celebrating 20.1% GDP growth. Growth is based on 2020-21 Q1 negative 24.4% base," wrote Derek O'Brien.

Govt and pliant media busy celebrating 20.1% #GDP growth. Growth is based on 2020-21 Q1 negative 24.4% base. REALITY: we are lower than where we were four years ago pic.twitter.com/j0v1SX1YeF  Derek O'Brien |  ' (@derekobrienmp) August 31, 2021

Economic Kaushik Basu had a more critical view of the GDP numbers, saying "It needs just a little arithmetic to see that India's Apr-Jun 2021 growth of 20.1% is shocking bad news. The 20.1% is in comparison to Apr-Jun 2020 when India's GDP had fallen by 24.4%. This means compared to GDP in Apr-Jun 2019 (i.e. 2 years ago) India has had a growth of -9.2%."

It needs just a little arithmetic to see that India's Apr-Jun 2021 growth of 20.1% is shocking bad news. The 20.1% is in comparison to Apr-Jun 2020 when India's GDP had fallen by 24.4%. This means compared to GDP in Apr-Jun 2019 (i.e. 2 years ago) India has had a growth of -9.2%.  Kaushik Basu (@kaushikcbasu) September 1, 2021

On the other hand, economist Karan Bhasin had a more conservative viewpoint on the GDP numbers, saying: "So India's GDP estimates for the first quarter came in at 20.1%. Some important pointers pertain to the pickup in Private Final Consumption Expenditure & Gross Fixed Capital Formation - ie. consumption & investment are gradually moving towards the pre-pandemic levels."

So India's GDP estimates for the first quarter came in at 20.1%. Some important pointers pertain to the pickup in Private Final Consumption Expenditure & Gross Fixed Capital Formation - ie. consumption & investment are gradually moving towards the pre-pandemic levels. pic.twitter.com/KekEW0n4gg  Karan Bhasin (@karanbhasin95) August 31, 2021

"Silver lining? Exports are higher than in 2019. This augers well for India as a strong global economy will help in our growth recovery process. Exports in 2021 are at 768589 crores instead of 706991 in 2019 Q1. They are up 8.7% from 2019 figures," he said.

He also said that the key thing to keep in mind is that this quarter coincided with the second wave and possibly some data collection challenges, and could be subjected to upward revision at a later date.

However, enthused by the 20.1 per cent expansion of the Indian economy in the first quarter of the ongoing fiscal year, India Inc on Tuesday said the number reflects that the economy being hit by the pandemic has bounced back.

Industry chamber CII said it is good to note the impressive bounce-back of the GDP growth despite the adverse impact of the second wave of the pandemic on the economic activity.

(With agency inputs)
The Canadian city of Burnaby has declared September 5 as Gauri Lankesh Day to commemorate the day the activist-journalist was assassinated four years ago.

This was approved by the Burnaby City Council on August 30 where the Gauri Lankesh Day proclamation was listed on its agenda, the civic bodys corporate communications manager Chris Bryan told DH over email.

The Gauri Lankesh Day proclamation is signed by Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley.

The proclamation hails Gauri as a courageous Indian journalist who stood up for truth and justice and that she encouraged her readers to reject religious fanaticism and caste-based discrimination and bigotry.

Gauri was shot dead at point-blank range by three assailants outside her Rajarajeshwari Nagar home on September 5, 2017. Many motives were suggested, but eventually the investigation pointed to the involvement of radical Hindu groups.

In April 2020, the city of Burnaby proclaimed April 14 as Dr BR Ambedkar Day of Equality. Also, the city declared a day dedicated to civil rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.


President Joe Biden on Tuesday mounted a fierce defense of his exit from Afghanistan as the "best decision for America," the day after the US military withdrawal celebrated by the Taliban as a major victory. Meanwhile, Britain is in direct talks with the Taliban over securing safe passage out of Afghanistan for UK nationals and Afghans who have worked for Britain.
The forever war is over, but the forever debate may be only beginning. As he presided over the end of a lost 20-year mission in Afghanistan, President Joe Biden on Tuesday touched off a prolonged argument for history over his decision to get out, how he handled it and what it means for the future of America.

In declaring an end to Americas misadventure in nation-building halfway across the world, Biden was playing a long game, banking on the assumption that he will be remembered by posterity for finally extricating the country from a quagmire, not for how he did it. While his approval ratings have sagged to the lowest levels of his short tenure, most Americans in polls still support leaving Afghanistan and the White House assumes they will quickly move on to other issues like the pandemic and the economy.

We no longer had a clear purpose in an open-ended mission in Afghanistan, the president said from the East Room of the White House, where so many important speeches about Afghanistan have been delivered by four US presidents over the past two decades. After 20 years of war in Afghanistan, I refused to send another generation of Americas sons and daughters to fight a war that should have ended long ago.

He cited the 120,000 Americans and Afghan allies evacuated in the two weeks since the Taliban seized power in Kabul, boasting that no nation has ever done anything like it in all of history. And he maintained that after more than 2,400 US combat deaths, it was past time to disentangle from a country where the United States has no vital national interest in staying.

Also read: War is over but not Biden's Afghanistan challenges

But the images of pandemonium at the Kabul airport and the presidents failure to evacuate every American as he promised to do just days ago raised questions about his leadership that may prove damaging in the long run as well. They could fit into a broader indictment by Republicans portraying Biden as an unreliable, ineffective commander in chief who humiliated America on the international stage  never mind that the withdrawal was based on an agreement negotiated with the Taliban by former President Donald Trump.

President Bidens unseemly victory lap was detached from reality, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., wrote on Twitter after the presidents speech. His callous indifference to the Americans he abandoned behind enemy lines is shameful.

Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, a member of the House Republican leadership, chastised Biden for refusing to take responsibility for the messy pullout. Shouting at and blaming the American people is not what was needed in this speech, she said. For Joe Biden, the buck stops with anyone and everyone but himself.

Bidens supporters pushed back, saying he demonstrated political courage in sticking with the withdrawal in the face of powerful blowback.

There was no perfect time or way to exit Afghanistan, said former Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., who backed Biden over Trump in the November election. President Biden directed the evacuation of more than 100,000 people and got our troops out. I disagree with the president on a lot, but Im grateful he pushed through despite all the pressure.

A poll released this week by Reuters and Ipsos found that the vast majority of Americans wanted Biden to keep troops there beyond the deadline if needed to ensure all Americans were out. Forty-nine percent said the military should stay until all American citizens and Afghan allies have been evacuated and an additional 25% said they should remain at least until all US citizens were out. Just 13% said troops should evacuate immediately.

Read | UNSC resolution against terrorism in Afghanistan applies to JeM, LeT: Shringla

Overall, 38% of Americans approved of Bidens handling of the pullout. But they do not hold him solely at fault  20% say he deserved most blame for the current state of Afghanistan, while 10% named former President George W. Bush, who opened the war following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and 9% singled out Trump, and others pointed to the Afghans, generals or others.

Beyond the politics will come debate about what the Taliban victory means for Americas place in the world. Biden is intent on setting a new course for foreign policy, somewhere between the muscular, trigger-ready internationalism prevalent under Bush and, at times, President Barack Obama, and the America First isolationism of Trump.

The world is changing, Biden said Tuesday, citing the challenges of China, Russia, cybersecurity and nuclear proliferation. America must lead, he added, but not always with military force. The withdrawal from Afghanistan signals the end of an era of major military operations to remake other countries.

Even so, some European allies have expressed concern that the defeat of the US-led coalition in Afghanistan will embolden terrorist groups and weaken Americas standing in the world.

Part of Bidens political trouble in handling the Afghan withdrawal has been reconciling his own words with the reality on the ground. He was the one who vowed in April to conduct the withdrawal responsibly, deliberately and safely and added in July that it was proceeding in a secure and orderly way.

But on Tuesday, he suggested it was unrealistic to have expected that. Now some say we should have started mass evacuations sooner and, Couldnt this have been done in a more orderly manner? he said. I respectfully disagree.

The bottom line, he added, is there is no evacuation from the end of a war that you can run without the kinds of complexities, challenges and threats we faced. None.

Likewise, he was the one in July who said it was highly unlikely that the Taliban would take over the country and that there was no circumstance of an embarrassing, chaotic exit akin to the helicopters lifting off the embassy in Saigon in 1975.

And he told George Stephanopoulos of ABC News after the Taliban took over Kabul that he would keep US troops in Afghanistan beyond his self-imposed Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline if necessary to evacuate any Americans still on the ground. If there are American citizens left, were going to stay until we get them all out, he said then.

With 100 to 200 US citizens left in Afghanistan who wanted to leave, Biden made no effort Tuesday to explain why he did not then extend the deadline as he said he would but suggested that most of those still there were dual citizens who earlier decided to stay because of their family roots in Afghanistan only to later change their mind.

Instead, he pointed to the 5,500 Americans who were successfully evacuated. The bottom line, 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave, he said. (The White House later corrected him and said it was 98%.) And for those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out.

Still, after a half-century in national politics, Biden knows better than most how quickly the news cycle moves on. His advisers and allies expect another round of tough criticism around the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with pictures showing the Taliban flag flying over Kabul.

Within days or weeks of that, though, they assume that attention will shift back again to the coronavirus pandemic, the presidents proposals for large public works projects and social welfare programs and a dozen other issues that will absorb the public more than far-off Afghanistan.
President Joe Biden on Tuesday rejected criticism of his decision to stick to a deadline to pull out of Afghanistan this week, a move that left 100 to 200 Americans in the country along with thousands of US-aligned Afghan citizens.

In a televised address from the White House State Dining Room, Biden criticised the ousted Afghan government's inability to fight back against swift Taliban advances, which forced the United States and its NATO allies into a hasty and humiliating exit, and highlighted the role played by former US president Donald Trump.

The deal brokered by Trump authorised "the release of 5,000 prisoners last year, including some of the Taliban's top war commanders, among those who just took control," Biden said.

"By the time I came to office, the Taliban was in its strongest military position since 2001, controlling or contesting nearly half of the country," he said.

US officials believe 100 to 200 Americans remain in Afghanistan "with some intention to leave," Biden said. He said most of those who remained were dual citizens and long-time residents who earlier had decided to stay, adding the United States was determined to get them out.

Also read: War is over but not Biden's Afghanistan challenges

Many lawmakers had called on Biden to extend the August 31 deadline to allow more Americans and Afghans to escape, but Biden said it was "not an arbitrary deadline," but one "designed to save lives."

"I take responsibility for the decision. Now some say we should have started mass evacuations sooner and couldn't this have been done in a more orderly manner. I respectfully disagree," said Biden.

Even if evacuations had begun in June or July, he said, "there still would have been a rush to the airport" by people wanting to leave.

The departure of the last US troops from Afghanistan this week as the Taliban took over caps two decades of military involvement that Biden was determined to end.

While most Americans agreed with him, that end has not come smoothly. Biden's presidency, which had been focused on fighting the coronavirus pandemic and rebuilding the economy, now faces political probes over the handling of the withdrawal as well as the logistical challenge of finding new homes for thousands of Afghans being moved to US military bases.

Biden also must contend with a surge in coronavirus infections, disasters like hurricanes and wildfires, and a series of difficult deadlines to get signature spending measures through Congress.

Republicans and some Democrats have expressed frustration and anger at the rapid fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, the former leaders who were ousted by the United States after September 11, 2001, attacks, and what they say has been a botched withdrawal.

Republicans are expected to use the crisis to try to derail Biden's policy and legislative agenda and as a talking point in the 2022 midterm elections. Republicans hope to take control of the Senate and House of Representatives from Biden's Democrats, which could hobble the second half of his presidency.

Read | UNSC resolution against terrorism in Afghanistan applies to JeM, LeT: Shringla

Biden said more troops would have had to go to Afghanistan and into harm's way if the exit had not occurred.

Less than 40% of Americans approve of Biden's handling of the withdrawal, and three quarters wanted US forces to remain in the country until all American civilians could get out, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Monday.

Leading House Republicans, including the top Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, said they wrote on Monday to Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, requesting details of the plan to repatriate Americans and evacuate others left behind.

Congress has a right to know how these evacuations will be facilitated and conducted, McCaul said in a statement.
The spectacular collapse of the Afghan civilian government has caught everyone by surprise. The US-led Western nations security and political assistance quickly unravelled as the Taliban made rapid gains across the country, standing on the doors of capital Kabul in no time.

As the dramatic scenes of US and other Western nations' evacuation of their officials and citizens played out on TV screens and social media, China's propaganda machinery was quick to pounce, slamming the US for its messy' handling of the Afghanistan situation.

Simultaneously, Global Times ran an editorial exulting that China can engage in post-war reconstruction' and provide investment to help Afghanistan's future development.

Also Read | US touts leverage but influence on Taliban seen as limited

The Chinese reaction summarised Beijing's elation at the US withdrawal from its neighbourhood. Beijing has long sought to assert its dominance in Central Asia, and with Russia, it has been shaping the regional dynamics through the Shanghai Central Organization (SCO).

However, for a long period, Afghanistan was missing part of the puzzle. The deployment of the US troops indeed provided China with the necessary security cover and stability to expand its economic footprint. Still, it could never assert itself fully with the US and other Western nations present in Afghanistan.

The West's exit now provides the necessary backdrop for China to cast its spell on Afghanistan. Earlier on July 28, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had hosted a nine-member Taliban delegation, led by the head of the Afghan Taliban Political Commission, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, in the northern coastal city of Tianjin.

Yi had praised the Taliban as "an important military and political force".

Beijing's public engagement with Biradar and Co. is symptomatic of its strictly transactional approach towards Afghanistan. It caps China's decades-long courting of the Taliban - just before the 9/11 attacks in 2001, China had signed a deal for greater economic and technical cooperation with the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

China tried to hedge its bets on all the political factions in Afghanistan: days before hosting the Taliban delegation, Chinese president Xi Jinping had phoned then Afghan president Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, offering support for peace and an early, peaceful reconstruction of the country'.

Also Read | Joe Bidens critics lost Afghanistan

China has long eyed Afghanistan's mineral resources and potential as a cog of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to link Central with South Asia. The allure of the country's untapped natural and mineral resources - Afghanistan is believed to have large deposits of gold, iron, copper, zinc, lithium and other rare-earth metals, valued at over $1 trillion - was one more pull factor.

Beijing began its initial economic engagement with Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001. The first project it got involved in was when a Chinese company won a 30-year lease in 2008 worth $3.5 million to develop a copper mine at Mes Aynak in Logar province.

The mine development project, believed to contain the world's second-largest copper deposit, was supposed to be the gateway for the flow of Chinese investment in Afghanistan. Then in 2011, state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation won a $400 million bid to drill three oilfields in Faryab and Sar-e-Pol provinces. Subsequently, Beijing roped in Kabul for the BRI, with a senior-level Afghan delegation attending the Belt and Road Forum in 2017.

However, advancing its interests in Afghanistan would require China to have a stable security situation in Afghanistan. While the US forces' presence provided that anchor in the preceding years, Beijing will now hope that the intra-Afghan dynamics will lend stability to the country.

Also Read | New US challenge in Afghanistan: Coping with Taliban rule

It is also worried about the reported presence of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) terrorists, who have carried out multiple attacks in its Xinjiang province, abutting Afghanistan. Beijing is acutely concerned with the impact of Taliban resurgence over the ETIM.

China's fraternising with the Taliban also stood in sharp contrast to the inhuman treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang, where under the garb of counter-terrorism, it has incarcerated a million residents in concentration camps, engaged them in forced labour and coerced them to engage in un-Islamic practices. Beijing is therefore expected to continue with a strictly transactional approach against its rhetoric of doing post-war reconstruction' of Afghanistan.

Beijing is yet to welcome the Taliban takeover formally. Still, it has sent enough feelers to the new regime in Kabul that it will offer whatever support it can in return for greater access to Afghanistan's mineral resources and a greater footprint for the Chinese companies. In addition, Beijing will also push for significant presence of the People's Liberation Army troops in the Wakhan Corridor, which links Xinjiang province with Afghanistan's Badakshan province, with Tajikistan to the north and Pakistan's Khyber Pakthunkhwa and Kashmir to the south.

Its location is crucial for the security and viability of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a crucial part of the BRI. It is also a route used by ETIM militants.

How much of this becomes a reality also depends on how much Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence - Taliban's key benefactor - gives operational autonomy to the group. China is likely to exploit its close relations with Pakistan to have its way in Afghanistan. The exit of the US has allowed China to leverage its long-standing ties with the Taliban and its relations with Pakistan to perpetuate its transactional engagement with Afghanistan.
The Taliban on Wednesday called on the holdout bastion of the Panjshir Valley to lay down their arms, as resistance fighters said they had repulsed heavy attacks.

The rugged mountain valley with towering snow-capped peaks -- which begins around 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of the capital Kabul -- is the centre of Afghanistan's most important pocket of armed anti-Taliban forces.

The National Resistance Front (NRF), comprising anti-Taliban militia fighters and former Afghan security forces, have vowed to defend the enclave as the Islamist group sends fighters to encircle the area.

Read more: With airport closed, fearful Afghans scramble for the border

"My brothers, we tried our best to solve the Panjshir problem with talks and negotiations... but unfortunately all in vain," senior Taliban official Amir Khan Muttaqi said, in an audio message to the people of the Panjshir posted on Twitter.

"Now that the talks have failed and Mujahiddin (Taliban) have surrounded Panjshir, there are still people inside that don't want the problems to be solved peacefully," he added.

"Now it is up to you to talk to them," the Taliban message to the Panjshir people said. "Those who want to fight, tell them it is enough."

Bismillah Mohammadi, Afghanistan's defence minister before the government fell last month, said the Taliban had launched a renewed assault on Panjshir on Tuesday night.

"Last night the Taliban terrorists attacked Panjshir, but were defeated," Mohammadi tweeted Wednesday, claiming 34 Taliban were killed and 65 wounded.

"Our people should not worry. They retreated with heavy casualties."

Residents and fighters in Panjshir, many of whom fought the Taliban when they were last in power from 1996 to 2001, offered a defiant message.

"We are ready to defend it till the last drop of our blood," said one resident.

"Everyone has a weapon on their shoulder and ready to fire," another said. "From the youngest to the oldest, they all talk about resistance."

As the last US soldiers boarded their flight out of Afghanistan in the Kabul dark late Monday, residents of Panjshir said the Taliban had attacked the valley on two fronts -- the Khawak pass in the west, and from Shotol to the south.

Read more: Afghanistan central bank board member urges Biden, IMF to release funds

"Perhaps they wanted to try their luck," NRF official Fahim Dashti said in a video posted Tuesday by the US broadcaster Voice of America's Dari language service. "By the grace of God, luck wasn't on their side."

Dashti reported seven or eight Taliban fighters were killed in Monday's clashes along with one or two resistance fighters.

The Panjshir has immense symbolic value in Afghanistan as the area that has resisted occupation by invaders.

"We defended it during the era of the Russians, the era of the British, the previous era of the Taliban... we will continue to defend it," one fighter said.

Ahmad Massoud, one of the NRF's leaders, is the son of the late guerrilla commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, who was dubbed the "Lion of Panjshir" for holding out, first against Soviet and then Taliban forces.

The valley has limited entry points and its geography offers a natural military advantage -- defending units can use high positions to effectively target attacking forces.

This week, Panjshir fighters held military training in a show of force, with men carrying heavy logs on their shoulders crossing chest-deep icy rivers.

Above their armoured vehicles and over their bases fluttered their flag, a challenge to the Taliban's white banner now hauled up across the rest of the country.

Many Afghans are terrified of a repeat of the Taliban's initial rule from 1996 to 2001, which was infamous for their treatment of girls and women, as well as a brutal justice system.

The NRF has set up machine gun nests, mortars and surveillance posts fortified with sandbags in anticipation of a Taliban assault.

Communications are difficult with the valley, with Taliban forces on three sides. Internet into Panjshir has been on and off repeatedly in recent days.
Taliban supporters paraded coffins draped with American and NATO flags in the eastern city of Khost on Tuesday, part of celebrations across the country following the withdrawal of the last US troops.

The mock funeral, in which coffins covered in French and British flags were also carried along the street through a large crowd, marked the end of a 20-year war and a hasty and humiliating exit for Washington and its NATO allies.

Some of the crowd held guns aloft, while others waved Taliban flags or snapped the procession on mobile phones.

"August 31 is our formal Freedom Day. On this day, American occupying forces and NATO forces fled the country," Taliban official Qari Saeed Khosti told local television station Zhman TV during its coverage of the event.

Footage from Khost was shared widely on social media on Tuesday alongside other videos of celebratory gunfire in the capital Kabul and a man dangling from a US-made Black Hawk helicopter circling above Afghanistan's second-city Khandahar. Reuters could not verify all the videos.

Also read: Biden battles to win narrative in speech on Afghan exit

The last US soldier boarded the final flight out of Afghanistan a minute before midnight on Monday, ending a chaotic evacuation of 123,000 civilians from Afghanistan.

In a lightning sweep back to power, the Taliban ousted a government backed and equipped by the United States and captured US-made weapons and hardware left behind by fleeing Afghan forces.

Other images shared online on Tuesday showed Taliban members walking through Kabul airport in US-supplied fatigues, some brandishing gleaming rifles and others trying out state-of-the-art night vision goggles or sizing up US helicopters.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the US military was not concerned by the images as the helicopters could not be flown. The departing US troops destroyed more than 70 aircraft and dozens of armoured vehicles. They also disabled air defences that had thwarted an attempted Islamic State rocket attack on the eve of their departure.
The Taliban are pinning chilling 'night letters' on the doors of those they accuse of "working for the crusaders".

The notes order their victims to attend a Taliban-convened court. Failure to do so will result in the death penalty, the Daily Mail reported.

The letters are a traditional Afghan method of intimidation. They were used by mujahideen fighters during the Soviet occupation and then by the Taliban as both a propaganda tool and a threat.

Also Read | Taliban supporters hold mock US funeral as troops leave Afghanistan

Often used in rural communities, they are now being widely circulated in cities.

One of those to receive a warning was Naz, a 34-year-old father-of-six whose construction company helped the UK military build roads in Helmand and the runway at Camp Bastion, the report said.

He had applied for sanctuary in Britain under ARAP, the Afghan relocation programme, but had been rejected.

Naz said: "The letter was official and stamped by the Taliban. It is a clear message that they want to kill me. If I attend the court, I will be punished with my life.

"If I don't, they will kill me, that is why I am in hiding, trying to find a way to escape. But I need help."

Those received by former British translators are designed to both spread fear and compliance with Taliban directives with threats of violence or death if "demands are not met", the Daily Mail report said

As in Naz's case, that usually involves an interpreter surrendering to a Taliban court.

Shir, 47, worked on the front lines in Helmand and qualified for relocation. But he was unable to force his way through the airport to board an evacuation flight.

"My daughter found the letter on our door with a nail in it. It instructed me to surrender myself for the judgment of the court of the Islamic Emirate (Taliban) or they would act like hunters to find me. They would then kill me."

He immediately moved home and is now in hiding.
After ending the 20-year US war, President Joe Biden hopes America's economic might can serve as leverage on the Taliban to shape the new Afghanistan. But experts question how much the triumphant Islamists can be swayed.

Since their stunningly swift takeover of Afghanistan in August, the Taliban leadership has sought a rebranding from the notorious zealotry of the 1996-2001 regime and voiced hope for a stable relationship with the United States.

Likely underlying the Taliban's stance is the harsh reality that they must now run one of the world's poorest countries, where foreign assistance led by the United States accounted for 75 per cent of public expenditure in 2019.

Since the former insurgents took control of the capital Kabul on August 15, Western nations have stopped direct payments and the United States has frozen nearly $9.5 billion in central bank assets.

In an address Tuesday to mark the end of America's longest war, Biden promised to exert "leverage" on the Taliban including through "diplomacy, economic tools and rallying the rest of the world."

Also read: Biden cites Afghan military, Trump role in messy Afghanistan exit

His national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, in an ABC interview did not reject eventually sending aid to a Taliban government, saying: "We are going to wait and see by their actions."

Biden painted a coldly pragmatic view of US interests in Afghanistan -- getting out remaining Americans and making sure it is not a base for international attacks, the original reason the United States toppled the first Taliban regime after the September 11 attacks.

This time round, US officials were pleasantly surprised at the Taliban's level of cooperation in the final days on letting out US citizens and many Afghan allies.

But both officials and experts say the jury is out on Taliban 2.0.

Elizabeth Threlkeld, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center and former US diplomat, said the Taliban had its own revenue stream including through narcotics, smuggling and their own customs and taxation.

But on international aid, "there's only so much that they are going to be able to do without a continuation of those funds," she said.

The Taliban have shown a willingness to work with the United States against the Islamic State extremist group, its rival, but would face a "harder sell" internally on issues core to their ideology such as treatment of women, whose rights were severely curtailed during the former regime, Threlkeld said.

"I think the pragmatic course going forward is maybe to distrust and verify," Threlkeld said.

"Even though it's far from an ideal option," she said of cooperating against the Islamic State movement, "that could be one area where we can start and we can test the waters."

Graeme Smith, a consultant at the International Crisis Group, said the United States needed to be aware it will not get all it wants.

"Western diplomats are obsessed with leverage. I think that's the wrong way to think about it. We lost the war. Full stop," he said.

"So whatever we seek to achieve now in Afghanistan will be from a place of humility, and from a place of give and take. This will be about bargaining and not about coercion."

Smith said that Afghanistan could be in a far more precarious position if the United States had not already been in dialogue with the insurgents -- who knew the US priorities.

"The Taliban are not eager to be an American proxy. But they're also keen to avoid the kind of provocation that resulted in the collapse of their last government," he said.

The group could still form a government that is sufficiently palatable to the West on rights and includes figures from the former internationally-backed government in Kabul.

"If it does that, then I think there is a chance that a Taliban government could avoid becoming the sort of North Korea of South Asia," he said.

Also read: War is over but not Biden's Afghanistan challenges

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, said the Taliban and the United States could both find common cause in coordinating narrowly to push through humanitarian assistance for Afghans.

"Economic assistance is the only arrow left in Washington's quiver," he said.

But any conditioning of non-humanitarian aid faces a giant potential obstacle -- China, which has made clear it is ready to do business with the Taliban as it seeks Afghanistan's mineral wealth.

"Beijing doesn't need assurances from the Taliban on human rights. As long as it gets security assurances, it's likely to offer recognition," Kugelman said.

"The US will have to be very practical about what it can achieve in Afghanistan, and keep expectations low."
US President Joe Biden warned the Islamic State-Khorasan, the group which killed 13 US troops in a suicide bombing at Kabul airport, that they face more retribution from Washington.

"We will maintain the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and other countries," Biden said Tuesday.

Also read: UK says 'ready' to launch strikes against ISIS-K in Afghanistan

"And to ISIS-K: We are not done with you yet," he said, using another acronym for the Afghan offshoot of the Islamic State jihadist group.
Former Union Ministers, ex-bureaucrats and writers on Wednesday urged the Narendra Modi government not to allow any political party to use the developments in Afghanistan to communally polarise Indian society for electoral gains even as they asked it not to discriminate Afghans on grounds of religion in providing shelter.

In their appeal under the banner 'Indian Friends of Afghanistan', they also wanted the government to continue its engagement with the Taliban, as it welcomed the governments first official acknowledgement of its engagement with the Taliban in Doha and the positive assurances given by the latter.

The appeal was signed by 11 people, including former Union Ministers K Natwar Singh, Yashwant Sinha and Mani Shankar Aiyar, former civil servants Julio Rebeiro and Najeeb Jung, journalists Vedpratap Vaidik, Saeed Naqvi and Sudheendhra Kulkarni, diplomat K C Singh, activist Sandeep Pandey and lawyer Majeed Memon.

Read | Why India should engage the Taliban

They also asked the government to permit temporary stay to Afghan journalists, artists and civil society leaders who are feeling threatened by the conditions in their country.

Welcoming the "complete withdrawal" of the US troops from Afghanistan, they, however, said, the "unplanned manner of its execution created conditions of avoidable chaos" and "chaotic circumstances" emboldened terrorist groups to kill innocent Afghans and foreigners.

The group said they care for the security, wellbeing and national aspirations of Afghan people because the millennia-old cultural relations between India and Afghanistan are "deep and unbreakable".

In their appeal to the Taliban and other political forces, they said Afghanistan needs an inclusive government that facilitates national reconciliation after four long decades of wars and violence and start an intra-Afghan peace process leading to a democratic governing establishment that ensures that no terrorist organisation has a sanctuary in Afghanistan and that its territory is not used for terrorist and extremist activities targeting any country in the world, near or far.

They also said such a set up should guarantee the safety and security of every Afghan citizen regardless of their ethnicity, ideology or past political background, ensure safety, dignity and rights of women and protect Hindus, Sikhs and other non-Muslim minorities. It should also ensure dignified return of those who were forced to leave their country besides safeguarding and continuation of the developmental projects undertaken by India in Afghanistan.

In their appeal to the international community, they aid no country in the region should be excluded from, nor isolate itself from, collaborative efforts to bring peace in Afghanistan and promote national reconciliation and national reconstruction.

"This requires India, Pakistan, China, Russia, Iran and other countries to evolve and implement a common strategy, in cooperation with the United Nations, USA, EU and other members of the international community," it said.

The international community should immediately provide humanitarian aid and assistance to Afghanistan. All countries should together shoulder the responsibility of rebuilding Afghanistans war-damaged economy and creating livelihoods for its people, they said.

"Multilateral regional forums such as SCO (in which both India and Pakistan are members) and SAARC (of which Afghanistan is also a member) should actively work for peace in Afghanistan and stability in South Asia and Central Asia," they added.
A surge in daily Covid-19 cases in Kerala post-Onam celebrations continues with the state witnessing over 30,000 fresh cases daily, pusing India's single-day cases above 40,000.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George, however, said that the ongoing surge of Covid-19 in Kerala is not that high as projected by experts.

India on Wednesday reported 41,965 new Covid-19 cases, 33,964 recoveries and 460 deaths in the last 24 hours, Union Health Ministry data showed. India's total tally of cases rose to 3,28,10,845, while active cases have increased to 3,78,181, according to Union health ministry data updated on Wednesday.

The world, on Monday, passed the grim threshold of 45 lakh Covid-19 deaths, according to an AFP tally, as the virulent Delta variant wreaks havoc globally. Since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, the virus has killed a total of 45,00,620 people, the tally of official sources revealed.

The coronavirus continues to mutate as the scientific community highlight new variants of interest and concerns across the globe. The World Health Organization has said it is monitoring a new coronavirus variant known as "Mu", which was first identified in Colombia in January. Mu, known scientifically as B.1.621, has been classified as a "variant of interest", the global health body said Tuesday in its weekly pandemic bulletin.

Another deadlier variant of Covid-19 - C.1.2 - has been detected in several countries. Hence, Kerala is making special arrangements at airports to screen visitors from those nations. Visitors from countries where the new variant has been detected will be subjected to RT-PCR tests on arrival here and if necessary, they would be quarantined, the CM said in the Covid review meeting.

Owing to the surge in Kerala, the Karnataka government has decided to enforce a seven-day institutional quarantine for people visiting the state from neighbouring Kerala. Hotels, convention centres and other makeshift facilities will be used for accommodating people visiting the state from Kerala.

Meanwhile, wearing masks and carrying umbrellas as heavy rains lashed Delhi, students of classes 9-12 returned to schools after they reopened on Wednesday following a long hiatus due to Covid-19. Some institutions, however, chose to adopt a wait-and-watch approach and have decided to call children for physical classroom studies only after a few weeks. Physical classes in Karnataka will start for classes 6 to 8 from September 6 with authorities relying on the success of its earlier decision to reopen schools for classes 9 to 12.

As the government gears up for a possible third Covid-19 wave that is predicted to hit the country anytime between September and October, experts stand divided on the intensity of the wave. While an expert panel, set up by the National Institute of Disaster Management under the Ministry of Home Affairs, said that during the third wave children will be at similar risk as adults since paediatric facilities, doctors and equipment like ventilators and ambulances are nowhere close to what may be required in case a large number of them become infected, two of India's foremost experts strongly differed in their assessments.

In line with the central expert panel's projection on the third wave of Covid-19, the Srinagar district has been witnessing an increase in the positive percentage, indicating the onset of the third wave. Dr Rather, who works in the Divisional Covid Control Room in Kashmir, said the rise is significant and possibly signalling the onset of the third wave in Kashmir.

The rate of infection among children and adolescents has also been on the rise for the last two weeks in Odisha. Thus the government said that an ongoing serological surveillance on Covid-19 will focus on those below 18 years. The rate of infection among those below 18 years has gone over 17 per cent, which is alarming, experts said.

On the economic growth front, the coronavirus continues to batter Indias damaged economy, putting growing pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to nurture a nascent recovery and get the country back to work. The coronavirus, which has struck in two waves, has killed hundreds of thousands of people and at times has brought cities to a halt. Infections and deaths have eased, and the country is returning to work. Economists predict that growth could surge in the second half of the year on paper.

On the vaccine news front, Japan's Kanagawa prefecture said it has found another vial of Moderna Inc's Covid-19 vaccine suspected of containing a foreign substance and has put the rest of the lot on hold. Japan suspended the use of 1.63 million doses of Moderna shots last week after being notified of contamination in some of the supply. Moderna and Spanish pharma company Rovi, which bottles Moderna vaccines, have said the cause could be a manufacturing issue, and European safety regulators have launched an investigation.
A prominent American State Senator has strongly condemned hosting of the Dismantling Global Hindutva conference and described it as an anti-Hindu gathering as several universities asked the organisers to remove their logos from the site of the event which has generated outrage among Hindu Americans.

This conference represents a disgusting attack on Hindus across the United States, and we must all condemn this as nothing more than racism and bigotry against Hindus. I will always stand strong against Hinduphobia, Ohio State Senator Niraj Antani said in a statement.

I am condemning in the strongest possible terms the Dismantling Global Hindutva Conference,'' he said.

Antani is the youngest Hindu elected official in the history of the United States and is the first Indian American state senator in Ohio history.

Being held on the weekend of September 10-12, organisers of the Dismantling Global Hindutva have said they want to remain anonymous. However, they have made public names of several eminent speakers and academicians who will participate in the event.

Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) has written more than 3,50,000 emails against the conference to the universities, academicians and various stake holders. In an email to CoHNA, Rutgers University president Jonathan Holloway said that it was unaware that the university logo was being used by the organisers of the conference.

This conference paints Hindus disproportionately and falsely as purveyors of extremism, actively denies the genocide of Hindu people, and most troublingly, labels those who disagree as Hindutva which the conference organisers define as Hindu extremism, CoHNA said in a statement.

The conferences features the Hindutva Harassment Field Manual as an official resource that categorically states that Hindus have never faced systematic oppression throughout history and in present times. This resource also denies that anti-Hindu bias has ever led to casualties on  horrific scales, it said.

In an email, Rutgers university said that it is not a sponsor of the symposium. However, it noted that individual faculty from Rutgers may well be participating in the conference consistent with the tradition of academic freedom and fundamental American free speech rights. Dalhousie University has urged the organisers to remove its logo from their promotional material.

We were previously unaware that UMass Boston was listed as a co-sponsor and we have not formally received any request, not have we approved any request, for UMass to be listed as such, Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, chancellor of the university, said in an email.

CoHNA said its emails to several universities have been receiving similar response, reflecting that there was a concerted and organized effort against the Hindus.

Meanwhile, a group of scholars and members of academic communities, in a joint statement, came out in support of the event.

The purpose of the Dismantling Global Hindutva conference is to bring together leading scholars in South Asian studies and public commentators on Indian society and politics from around the world in order to discuss the global phenomenon of Hindutva, they said.

In a previous statement to PTI, organisers of the conference said the goals of the conference are to scrutinise what Hindutva says and does with regard to a wide range of topics, from caste, to political economy, to gender and sexuality, and more.

The conversation will feature academics, public intellectuals, activists and artists who will speak carefully and powerfully to educate the wider public about these issues, they said.

This conference is held during a time when a Hindu supremacist regime is in power in India, and so this conference will also throw light on what Hindutva does when it has captured state power by closely scrutinising both its official policies, and its unofficial policies like creating impunity for Hindutva violence and setting up a massive propaganda machinery, said the organisers, who have said that they do not want to be identified.

We categorically reject the idea that critiquing Hindutva is in any way harmful to Hindu students. Indeed, we consider Hindutva to be the most significant threat to Hinduism's pluralist ethos, as well as to efforts to fight ills in Indian society like casteism. That certain groups can't distinguish between a critique of Hindutva and attacks on Hinduism says more about their confusion, affiliation, and desire to defend Hindutva using any rhetoric necessary, than it says about this conference, they said.
The Assam government on Wednesday relaxed the restrictions imposed during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic as it reduced duration of the night curfew and allowed certain categories of students to attend physical classes from September six.

Announcing the directives prepared by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) in consultation with the health and education department, Health Minister Keshab Mahanta told a press conference here that all workplaces and government and private offices can now function as per usual working hours, but not beyond 8 pm.

Mahanta said night curfew will be in force from 9 pm to 5 am across the state from Wednesday. Earlier, it started at 8 pm.

According to the new directives, final year or final semester students of post-graduate, graduate, higher secondary, nursing and other technical courses shall be allowed to attend physical classes from September six, if they have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine. Before the start of physical classes, there will be a three-day vaccination drive for students, faculty and staff, the minister said.

Hostels of educational institutions are allowed to open only for the post-graduate, graduate and higher secondary final year students who are fully vaccinated.

All business/commercial establishments, restaurants, hotels, resorts, sales counters, showrooms, cold storages warehouses, shops dealing in groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy products and fodder can be open up to 8 pm across the state.

Cinema and theatre halls shall continue to remain closed.

All the fresh directives, except for the educational institutions, start from September 1, 2021, until further orders, the minister added.

Pillion riding shall be allowed for mask-wearing persons who have taken at least one dose of vaccine.

Inter and intra-district public transport with 100 per cent seating capacity is allowed for people having at least a single dose of vaccine but there will be no standing passenger.

A standing passenger will be fined heavily while the driving license of drivers and registration of vehicles carrying such passengers will be cancelled, Mahanta said.

Meeting/gathering of up to 50 people in open or closed spaces is allowed for persons who received at least one dose of the vaccine with prior intimation to local police.

However, with prior permission of jurisdictional deputy commissioner, a gathering of up to 200 people with at least a single dose may be allowed for public and private functions subject to the ceiling of 50 per cent of the hall capacity, in case of closed spaces.

Up to 50 people having at least one dose of vaccine are allowed to attend weddings, funerals or last rite programmes. Religious places are allowed to open with up to 40 people having at least one dose of vaccine per hour for iconic places and 20 such people per hour for others.
The Supreme Court Wednesday pulled up the Uttar Pradesh Police for its probe into a case of a 13-year-old missing girl and directed it to forthwith share the investigation report with Delhi Police so that the minor could be traced.

The apex court also warned the Uttar Pradesh Police that the case may be handed over to the CBI if it failed to trace the minor, who has been missing since July 8.

The top court, which termed the case as "a very sensitive matter," also said that the time factor is equally important" and every minute is precious.

It was hearing a plea filed by the mother of the girl seeking directions to the Uttar Pradesh Police and the Delhi Police to trace her minor daughter.

The mother, who works as a domestic help in Delhi, has claimed in her petition that her daughter is believed to have been kidnapped from Gorakhpur by a man when her family members had gone there to attend a marriage ceremony.

An FIR was registered in the case at Gorakhpur.

"You (Uttar Pradesh Police) share the entire information with Delhi Police. We will ask them to do the needful. You share your investigation report with Delhi Police by tomorrow. We are directing you, a bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar told the counsel appearing for state of Uttar Pradesh.

We direct the police officers of the Gorakhpur Police Station to forthwith share the entire investigation record to the in-charge of the Malviya Nagar Police Station, New Delhi, by tomorrow, i.e. September 2, 2021, the bench, also comprising justices Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar, said in its order.

The top court made clear that its direction is "not absolving" the police officers of Uttar Pradesh from continuing with the investigation in the matter in coordination with Delhi Police and extend full cooperation, as and when required.

During the hearing, the counsel representing Uttar Pradesh told the bench that police is trying to trace the girl and they also have the call detail records.

The counsel said the police be given two more weeks as the case involves investigation in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi and they have also received information that the girl might be in West Bengal.

The time factor is equally important. We may transfer it to the CBI if you are unable to do it. The incident is of July. We have entered in September. If you have the details, why you will take time, the bench asked during the hearing.

The top court said the police will have to investigate the matter and find out the details.

In this case, every hour, every minute is precious. You are not showing the anxiety that is expected in a matter like this. It is a very sensitive matter, the bench observed.

Where is the question of two weeks, it said, adding, You have the call details and yet you have not moved into action. We are surprised.

The top court directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to share the entire investigation report with the Delhi Police by Thursday.

We also direct the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to ensure that prompt further investigation, as may be necessary, is directed in tracing out the missing girl and report compliance at the earliest, said the bench and posting the matter for hearing on Friday.

It said copy of its order be forthwith forwarded to the Commissioner of Delhi Police and Superintendent of Police of Gorakhpur district through e-mail for information and necessary action.

The top court had on August 27 issued notice on the petition and posted it for hearing today.

In her petition filed through advocate Pai Amit, the girls mother has sought directions for carrying out investigation into the disappearance and kidnapping of her daughter and take appropriate action against those who may be found involved in this.

The habeas corpus petition, which has sought to produce the girl before the court, has alleged that despite an FIR being lodged at Gorakhpur and an attempt being made to make a complaint with the Delhi Police, no action has been taken to trace the minor.

It said the man, who is suspected to have kidnapped the girl, was constantly luring and coaxing her to accompany him.

She claimed after an FIR was registered in Gorakhpur, she returned to Delhi and approached a police station where she had complained regarding the man on a previous occasion but the police refused to register or take steps towards recording her complaint with respect to kidnapping of her daughter on the grounds that a prior FIR has already been lodged in Uttar Pradesh.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on a plea filed by actor Kangana Ranaut seeking quashing of criminal defamation proceedings initiated against her by a metropolitan magistrate's court in the city on a complaint filed by Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar.

Ranaut, through her counsel Rizwan Siddiquee, had challenged the defamation proceedings initiated earlier this year, saying the magistrate's court in suburban Andheri had failed to apply its mind to the case.

Ranaut said in her plea the lower court did not independently examine the complainant or witnesses named in the complaint against her, but it instead relied merely upon the discretion of the Juhu police and initiated the case against her.

Read more: Kangana moves HC against defamation case filed by Javed Akhtar

On Wednesday, Siddiquee told a single bench presided over by Justice Revati Mohite-Dere that the police inquiry into Akhtar's complaint was "one-sided."

"My witnesses were never examined. The magistrate should have ensured that no party is harassed," Siddiquee told the HC. Akhtar's counsel Jay Bharadwaj, however, told the bench that the magistrate had ordered the police inquiry after going through Akhtar's complaint and excerpts of the interview in which Ranaut had made the alleged defamatory comments.

He further said the police had summoned witnesses and concerned persons, including Ranaut, to ensure its inquiry was impartial, but the actor never responded to the summons.

Akhtar filed a criminal complaint against Ranaut in November last year before the Andheri metropolitan magistrate for allegedly making defamatory and baseless comments against him in a television interview given to journalist Arnab Goswami.

In December 2020, the court directed the Juhu police to conduct an inquiry into Akhtar's complaint. The police subsequently informed the court that an offence of defamation, as alleged by Akhtar against the actor, was prima facie made out, and further probe into the same was required.

The court accordingly, initiated criminal proceedings against Ranaut and issued summons to her in February this year. As per section 202 of the CrPC, a magistrate, on receipt of a complaint of an offence of which he or she is authorised to take cognisance of, can inquire, or direct the police to see if an actual case is made out, before issuing summons to an accused person.

The high court is likely to pass an order on Ranaut's plea on September 9.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis government on Tuesday for the first time publicly acknowledged its engagement with the Taliban as New Delhis envoy to Doha had a meeting with a top leader of the militant organisation that recently took back control over almost the entire Afghanistan.

New Delhis envoy to Doha, Deepak Mittal, had a meeting with Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the head of the Talibans political office in the capital of Qatar. The meeting took place at the Embassy of India in Doha on Tuesday  just hours after the United States flew out its last remaining soldiers from the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul and, thus, formally ended its two-decade-long military presence in Afghanistan.

The last public engagement between the Government of India and the Taliban had taken place in December 1999. The then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh had a meeting with the Taliban Governments Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil at the airport in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan and handed over to him Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar and two other terrorists, whom Prime Minister A B Vajpayees government had set free from prison to secure the release of the crew and the passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814. The Taliban had later facilitated the safe return of the hijackers and the freed terrorists from Afghanistan to Pakistan.

Also Read  Longest Afghanistan war's cost: Thousands of lives, trillions of dollars

Mittals meeting with Stanekzai on Tuesday was the first publicly acknowledged engagement between the Government of India and the Taliban in almost 22 years. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a press-release in New Delhi, stating that the meeting at the Embassy of India in Doha had taken place at the request of the Taliban. (The) discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially, minorities, who wish to visit India, also came up, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi.

New Delhi has been over the past few months having informal back-channel talks with a section of the Taliban, because it anticipated that the militant organisation might return to power after the US and its NATO allies would complete withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and that Pakistan might exploit the situation to gain a strategic edge against India. The Modi Government in New Delhi has been maintaining that India has been in touch with all stakeholders in Afghanistan, but never specifically acknowledged its engagements with the Taliban.

Mittal conveyed to Stanekzai concerns of New Delhi over the possibility of Pakistan using the territory of Afghanistan against India or to export terror to India. The head of the Talibans political office in Doha assured New Delhis envoy to Qatar that Indias concerns would be positively addressed, according to the MEA press-release issued in New Delhi.

In Pics | US withdraws all its troops out of Afghanistan; Taliban celebrate with gunfire

Stanekzai was trained in the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun in Uttarakhand and was among the foreign cadets who passed out of the institution in 1982. He was among the ones who opened the Talibans political office in Doha in January 2012 and was appointed as its head in November 2015. With the Talibans return to power in Kabul now imminent, speculation is rife about Stanekzai being appointed as the Foreign Minister of the new Government of Afghanistan. He told a TV channel recently that the Taliban wanted to continue Afghanistans cultural, economic, political and trade ties with India.

New Delhi evacuated its envoy and diplomats from Kabul on August 17, less than 48 hours after the Taliban militants entered the capital city culminating its swift military blitz across Afghanistan as President Ashraf Ghani escaped from the country marking the collapse of his Government. But it did not formally shut down the Embassy of India in Kabul, as it would have meant severance of its diplomatic relations with Afghanistan.

India had shut down the embassy and snapped diplomatic relations with Afghanistan immediately after the Taliban had come to power in Afghanistan in September 1996. The embassy had been reopened in 2001, after the US had launched the military offensives against the Al Qaeda in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks and the Taliban Government led by Mullah Omar in Kabul had collapsed.
The coronavirus continues to batter Indias damaged economy, putting growing pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to nurture a nascent recovery and get the country back to work.

The coronavirus, which has struck in two waves, has killed hundreds of thousands of people and at times has brought cities to a halt. Infections and deaths have eased, and the country is returning to work. Economists predict that growth could surge in the second half of the year on paper.

Still, the damage could take years to undo. Economic output was 9.2% lower for the April-through-June period this year than what it was for the same period in 2019, according to India Ratings, a credit ratings agency.

The coronavirus has essentially robbed India of much of the momentum it needed to provide jobs for its young and fast-growing workforce. It has also exacerbated longer-term problems that were already dragging down growth, such as high debt, a lack of competitiveness with other countries and policy missteps.

Also read: India's GDP grows 20.1% in April-June quarter of FY22 over low base

Economists are particularly concerned about the slow rate of vaccinations and the possibility of a third wave of the coronavirus, which could prove to be disastrous for any economic recovery.

Vaccination progress remains slow, with just 11% of the population fully inoculated so far, Priyanka Kishore, the head of India and Southeast Asia at Oxford Economics, said in a research briefing last week. The firm lowered its growth rate for 2021 to 8.8%, from 9.1%.

Even growth of 8.8% would be a strong number in better times. Compared with the previous year, Indias economy grew 20.1% April through June, according to estimates released by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation.

But those comparisons benefit from comparison with Indias dismal performance last year. The economy shrank 7.3% last year, when the government shut down the economy to stop a first wave of the coronavirus. That led to big job losses, now among the biggest hurdles holding back growth, experts say.

Real household incomes have fallen further this year, said Mahesh Vyas, chief executive of the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy. Till this is not repaired, he said, the Indian economy cant bounce back.

At least 3.2 million Indians lost stable, well-paying salaried jobs in July alone, Vyas estimated. Small traders and daily wage labourers had bigger job losses during the lockdowns than others, though they were able to go back to work once the restrictions were lifted, Vyas said in a report in August. Salaried jobs are not similarly elastic, he said. It is difficult to retrieve a lost salaried job.

About 10 million people have lost such jobs since the beginning of the pandemic, Vyas said.

In August, Modis government moved to rekindle the economy by selling stakes worth close to $81 billion in state-owned assets like airports, railway stations and stadiums. But economists largely see the policy as a move to generate cash in the short term. It remains to be seen if it will lead to more investment, they say.

The whole idea is that the government will borrow this money from the domestic market, said Devendra Kumar Pant, chief economist at India Ratings. But what happens if this project goes to a domestic player and he is having to borrow in the domestic market? Your credit demand domestically wont change.

Pant added that questions remained about how willing private players would be to maintain those assets long term and how the monetization policy would ultimately affect consumer prices.

Also Read | India's economic activity picking pace, further upside to growth likely: Moody's

In India, things will decay for the worse rather than improve, he said, adding that the costs to users of highways and other infrastructure could go up.

During the second wave in May, Modi resisted calls by many public health researchers, including Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to reinstitute a nationwide lockdown.

The lockdowns in 2021 were nowhere near as severe as the nationwide curbs last year, which pushed millions of people out of cities and into rural areas, often on foot because rail and other transportation had been suspended.

Throughout the second wave, core infrastructure projects across the country, which employ millions of domestic migrant workers, were exempted from restrictions. More than 15,000 miles of Indian highway projects, along with rail and city metro improvements, continued.

On Tuesday, Pant said that Indias growth estimates of 20.1% for the April through June period were nothing but an illusion. Growth contracted so sharply around the same period last year, by a record 24%, that even double-digit gains this year would leave the economy behind where it was two years ago.

Economists say that India needs to spend, even splurge, to unlock the full potential of its huge low-skilled workforce. There is a need for very simple primary health facilities, primary services to deliver nutrition to children, Vyas said. All these are highly labour intensive jobs and these are government services largely.

One of the reasons Indian governments typically have not spent in those areas, Vyas said, is that it has been considered not a sexy thing to do. Another is the government's dogmatic fixation with keeping fiscal deficits in control, he said. The government simply cant rely on the private sector alone for creating jobs, Vyas said.

The only solution, he said, is for the government to spend and spur private investment. You have a de-motivated private sector because there isnt enough demand. Thats whats holding India back.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Executive Council will discuss granting approval to a course on counter-terrorism at its meeting on September 2.

A section of JNU teachers and students has objected to the introduction of the course, alleging it states that 'jihadi terrorism' is the only form of 'fundamentalist-religious terrorism'.

The course, titled 'Counter Terrorism, Asymmetric Conflicts and Strategies for Cooperation among Major Powers', also asserts that Communist regimes in the Soviet Union and China were the state-sponsors of terrorism that influenced radical Islamic states, according to them.

The course was approved by the Academic Council of the university earlier this month.

The course, proposed to be offered to dual-degree engineering students, will be optional.

Also read: New JNU course says 'Jihadi terrorism' only form of fundamentalist-religious terrorism

JNU Teachers' Association secretary Moushumi Basu said, "There is an EC meeting on September 2 and this will come up for approval. A few years back, they (the university administration) had tried to do the same and the Delhi Minorities Commission had objected to it and it was withdrawn... Such a course should not be taught and should be withdrawn. It's problematic."

She said the course gave "a simplistic view" on the topic.

According to her, some members objected to the course in the Academic Council meeting but they were not allowed to articulate their views.

JNU Students' Union general secretary Satish Chandra Yadav said, "Students want to return to the campus and the university should work on bringing students back. Many students are dropping out. The university should first think about more pressing issues rather than focus on bringing such courses."
The BJP on Wednesday accused Rahul Gandhi of spreading "falsities" and speaking "lies", soon after the Congress leader attacked the Modi government over the issue of fuel price rise.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said an LPG cylinder price was Rs 1,241 on January 1, 2014, and Rs 1,080 on March 1 in the same year, when the Congress-led UPA government was in power, against Rs 834 it costs now.

He noted that Gandhi quoted the subsidised price during the UPA government while referred to the non-subsidised cost of the cylinder during the BJP government.

Read more: Is Taliban a terror group? Omar Abdullah asks Centre to clarify

"Rahul Gandhi has yet again done what he is best at. He has spread falsities and he has lied," Patra told PTI, accusing the Congress leader of giving misleading information on the proposed monetisation scheme as well.

Noting Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's statement, he said the government has also had to deal with the legacy fallout of the oil bonds worth Rs 1.4 lakh crore issued by the UPA dispensation.

After Gandhi took a jibe at the government by referring to the GDP rise as gas, diesel and petrol price increase, the BJP leader hit back saying, "Those who ran a government of CNP -- corruption, nepotism and policy paralysis -- are trying to spread falsity about India's GDP."

The "historic" rise of 20.1 per cent in the GDP in the first quarter this fiscal following an over 24 per cent contraction during the corresponding period in the last fiscal underscores Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decisive leadership, he said.

Patra accused Gandhi of lying that the government was selling off its assets through monetisation, asserting that it has made clear that they will be leased out for a specific period and money will be used for the public good.

The ownership will remain with the government, he noted.

Patra said Gandhi could not give a "straight" answer to a question on whether the Congress-ruled states will slash VAT on oil prices to reduce their prices.

"It shows the Congress is all about talk but doing nothing," he said.

Gandhi on Wednesday slammed the government over the rising price of domestic cooking gas, diesel and petrol, and alleged that an amount of Rs 23 lakh crore has been earned by increasing prices of these commodities in the last seven years.

He also alleged that while sections such as farmers, salaried class and labourers were being "demonetised", a few "industrialist friends of Modi" were being monetised.
As a political controversy kicked up in poll-bound Punjab over the casual "panj pyare'' remarks of AICC general secretary Harish Rawat, the senior Congress leader went into damage control, tendering an immediate apology and announcing to sweep a Gurdwara floor to atone for his mistake.

Rawat, who had to earlier eat his words on Captain Amarinder Singh leading the 2022 Punjab polls and clarifying that Gandhis will be the face for the state polls, was rushed to Chandigarh on August 31 to douse the fire between the warring leaders--Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

After meeting Sidhu and his team, which had a few days back demanded the exit of the Chief Minister, the AICC general secretary in-charge for the state on Tuesday said he met the PCC chief and his team.

"They are Panj Pyare," he casually remarked while pitching for dividing the responsibilities among the state leaders. He was referring to the Punjab Congress chief and four working presidents after a meeting at the Punjab Congress Bhawan.

Read | Sidhu questions Punjab govt's 'inaction' on drug smugglers

The casual remarks kicked up an uproar and gave a tool to the Opposition Akali Dal to rake a political row against Congress as in the Sikh tradition, 'Panj Pyare' is a very honourable term used for five beloved of the Guru. Guru Gobind Singh, the last of the ten Gurus had initiated five men into the order of 'Khalsa' (pure).

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljeet S Cheema asked the Congress government in the state to lodge a case against its own leader Harish Rawat for "hurting Sikh sentiments" by referring to PCC chief and his team as "Panj Pyare".

"He should know that Panj Pyare holds significance in Sikhism, should apologise for his remarks, it's not funny," Cheema said.

Sensing the trouble ahead of polls, Rawat quickly went into damage control. Rawat wrote on his Facebook page, "sometimes by expressing respect, you use such words which are objectionable. I too have made a mistake of using the word 'Panj Pyare' for my honourable president and four working presidents.

Saying that he was a student of the country's history, Rawat acknowledged that the leading position of 'Panj Pyare' could not be compared with any other.

I have committed a mistake. I apologise for hurting the sentiments of people, he said adding that he will clean a gurdwara in his state with a broom as atonement.

Rawat, who is Congress CM face for another poll-bound state Uttarakhand said that he always had a sense of dedication and respect to Sikh religion and its great traditions.

Rawat had gone to Chandigarh to resolve the crisis in the party that had started after four ministers, belonging to Sidhu camp with nearly two dozen MLAS had sought removal of the Chief Minister, alleging unfulfilled poll promises by him. The rebel leaders later had a meeting with Rawat in Dehradun on August 25.

With just a few months left for Punjab assembly polls, the internal squabbling within the party's state unit was far from over even after Sidhu was appointed the Punjab Pradesh Congress president.

Rawat on Saturday had met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and briefed him about the situation in the state. Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal Daljit Singh Cheema took exception to Rawats alleged 'Panj Pyaras' remarks and demanded an apology from him.
In light of the decline in Covid-19 cases, the Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday issued an order permitting private and government schools to reopen for Classes 6, 7, 9 and 11 with 50 per cent attendance from Thursday, an official said on Wednesday.

Schools have already resumed for Classes 1 to 5, 8, 10 and 12 from August 1, and a fresh order permitting resumption of physical school for Classes 6, 7, 9 and 11 was issued by the school education department, the official from the public relations department said.

Read more: Schools for primary classes reopen with little attendance in Uttar Pradesh

As per the order, schools in rural areas will have to get recommendations from gram panchayats and parents' committees, while recommendations will be mandatory from ward corporators and parents' committees for institutions situated in urban areas. Schools will be started only in districts where the coronavirus positivity rate has been below one per cent for seven days, he said.

Students will have to attend classes on alternate days, which means only half of the total strength will be allowed to attend school in a day, the official said, adding that children suffering from cough, cold and fever will not be allowed to attend.

The order further states that online classes will continue as before and there will be no compulsion for students to attend offline classes.

Schools will have to ensure that Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Centre and state government are strictly adhered to, the official added.
The Delhi University on Tuesday approved the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) and four-year undergraduate programme at its executive council (EC) meeting.

Registrar Vikas Gupta said that the NEP will be implemented from the 2022-23 academic session. He said three members dissented against its implementation.

The implementation of the NEP and four-year undergraduate programme were approved by the Standing Committee on Academic Matters and the Academic Council last week.

The multiple entry/exit scheme (MEES), where students will be able to enter and exit the programme at various stages, and Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) were also approved in the meetings held last week.

The EC, which is the highest decision-making body of the university, approved the MEES and ABC.

In a dissent note against the implementation of the policy, the members stated that it will lead to privatisation and commercialisation of education, and its implementation would lead to "destruction of the largest public funded university in India".

They also said that its implementation will dilute the learning and quality of education at the university.

The Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) held an online protest on Tuesday against the implementation of the NEP.

At the meeting, the de-affiliation of College of Art from Delhi University and its affiliation with the city-government run Ambedkar University was also discussed.

The Delhi Cabinet in March took the decision to merge the College of Art, currently affiliated to Delhi University (DU), with Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD).

"A committee has been formed to look into the matter. The entire EC was not happy with the conduct of the Delhi government and it was decided to form a committee," Gupta said.

The university had earlier said it will establish facilitation centres in Roshanpura in Najafgarh and Bhati Kalan in Fatehpur Beri on the land given by the Delhi government.

The centres will save students residing in far-flung areas from a long commute to the university campus and will extend help in relation to examination and admission-related procedures.

Also read: JNU may soon offer course on jihadi terrorism

The university also has plans to set up a college in Fatehpur Beri for which the names of first woman chief minister of Delhi Sushma Swaraj, Swami Vivekananda, Veer Savarkar and Sardar Patel were proposed.

In its meeting held on Tuesday last week, the academic council put forth five more names, including DU alumnus Arun Jaitley and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"The council resolved that the name of these colleges/centres may be given after the names of Sushma Swaraj, Swami Vivekananda, Veer Savarkar, Sardar Patel. The council also suggested the names of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Savitri Bai Phule, Arun Jaitley, Choudhary Brahm Prakash and CD Deshmukh. After general discussion/suggestions, the council resolved that the vice-chancellor be authorised to finalise the name," read the agenda of the meeting.

The discussion on the names was held and the EC proposed two more names -- Mahatma Gandhi and Amartya Sen. The VC will take a final call on the names, Gupta said.

The EC also approved the signing of the tripartite agreement between the education ministry, DU and UGC.

Two members expressed their dissent against it.

The tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) requires universities to continuously increase the internal (self-generated) financial resource through fee hike, shift to revenue earning commercial courses, engagement with other commercial activities and manage greater part of their research activities through extramural funding, according to university officials.

"We have been consistently opposing the tri-patrite MoU as an instrument to impose privatisation and contractualisation on DU. The original MoU signed was not shared in public and we have to follow the template sent by MoE every year," the note read.

"The draft MoU seems to be a PR document to appease the ministry and facts have not been presented. There is nothing in this document to show that how serious are the challenges on the front of funding and staffing. There is lack of clarity on how teacher and students ratio has been reached," it said.

"Secondly, it should be made specific that the new hostels will be started with the UGC and the government funding only. Higher Education Financing Agency (a joint venture company of a bank and the education ministry which provides financial assistance to educational institutions funding will make the things costly for students, especially SC, ST, OBC, EWS ones," according to the note.

They also claimed that there is a possibility of a fee hike which will have far-reaching consequences "in the public funded universities like DU, in which 60 per cent students come from SC, ST, OBC, EWS".

The EC also approved the proposal to appoint foreign scholars as adjunct facilities in departments.

EC member Seema Das dissented against the matter saying it will lead to reduction of workload of those working as ad-hoc faculty members and who are waiting to be regularised.

She also pointed out that the university has shortage of funds and the appointment of foreign faculty members would lead to increased burden.

A sexual harassment complaint by an ad-hoc teacher made against the then chemistry department head Professor Ramesh Chandra in 2017 was also discussed.
A day after India officially talked to the Taliban, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday asked the Union government to clarify whether or not it considered the outfit a terror organisation.

"Either Taliban is a terror organisation or it is not. Please clarify to us how you (GoI) see the Taliban," the National Conference vice president told reporters after an Indian representative in Doha met a Taliban leader on Tuesday.

This was the first officially acknowledged meeting when Indian Ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal met senior Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai and conveyed India's concerns that Afghanistan's soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism.

Read more: Taliban says it has surrounded Afghan resistance fighters, calls for peace

"Is the Taliban a terrorist organisation and if it is not, will you move to the United Nations to delist it as a terror organisation. Right now, you (India) are presiding over the UN Security Council," Abdullah, who has been a Minister of State for External Affairs during Vajpayee's tenure, said.

Citing media reports, he questioned that if the Taliban is a terror outfit then why is the government engaging with it in Qatar.

"They are engaging Taliban. It is in today's news that you are talking to each other in Qatar. If you are talking to them, why are you asking this question to me," he said.

He was replying to a question whether India should engage with the Taliban and give it a chance.

"Either the Taliban is a terror organisation or it is not. Please clarify how you (GoI) see the Taliban," the NC vice-president asked the Union government.

He further asked how does one distinguish the Taliban from other terrorist outfits. "If it is not a terrorist organisation, please move in the UN to remove it from the list of terror organisations. Let its bank accounts start functioning, let us not treat them differently," Abdullah said.

The former chief minister said there should not be different yardsticks for different terror organisations.

"If they are a terror organisation, why are you (GoI) talking to them? If they are not a terror organisation, why are you banning their bank accounts. Why are you not recognizing their government? Make up your mind," he said.
Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, who was ailing for some time, passed away in Srinagar on Wednesday evening.

Family members of nonagenarian Geelani confirmed that the senior-most Kashmiri separatist leader passed away at his Hyderpora residence in Srinagar at around 10:30 pm. Placed mostly under house arrest since 2013, Geelani, a crowd-puller, was not keeping good health for the last three years.

No one outside the family was allowed to see him for many years now. In the past few years, several times rumours about Geelanis death had spread panic in Kashmir.

Regional PDP president and former chief minister of J&K, Mehbooba Mufti while expressing grief over his demise tweeted: Saddened by the news of Geelani sahabs passing away. We may not have agreed on most things but I respect him for his steadfastness & standing by his beliefs. May Allah Taaala grant him jannat & condolences to his family & well wishers (sic).

Saddened by the news of Geelani sahabs passing away. We may not have agreed on most things but I respect him for his steadfastness & standing by his beliefs. May Allah Taaala grant him jannat & condolences to his family & well wishers.  Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 1, 2021

Geelani, who was born on September 29, 1929, received his preliminary education at Sopore in north Kashmir and finished his studies at the Oriental College, Lahore (Pakistan).

He contested elections several times and made it to the legislative assembly three times.

Geelani contested controversial elections in 1972 when National Conference founder late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah had called for an election boycott.

Justifying his joining the election ray, he once said: The Plebiscite Front had deviated from the basic stand way back in 1969 when it decided to contest municipal elections. Some Plebiscite Front leaders also informed the people of Sheikh Abdullahs wavering stand but people did not take note. The Plebiscite Front, therefore, had no valid reason to call for an election boycott. Further, the decision to contest the elections was taken by Jamaat-e-Islami not Geelani.

Geelani was an important member of the Hurriyat Conference and succeeded Mirwaiz Umer Farooq as its chairman in 1997. However, he parted ways in 2003 to form his own faction of the separatist amalgam.

He severely criticised Pakistan military dictator, General (R) Parvez Musharraf for his Four Point Formula on Kashmir.

His stand against what he called 'sell out' won him widespread appreciation and support among extremist circles in Pakistan and Kashmir. Geelani believed in the merger of Kashmir with Pakistan. However, he did not shy away from criticising Islamabads policies at times.

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Parasaram Pattabhi Kesava Ramacharyulu has been appointed as Rajya Sabha's Secretary General from Wednesday. He is the first officer from the Upper House's Secretariat to rise to the position in the past 70 years.

Ramacharyulu, who joined the Rajya Sabha Secretariat in 1983 after spending a year in Lok Sabha Secretariat, has been Secretary in the Upper House's Secretariat since 2018.

The 64-year-old officer is the "first insider" to have risen from the ranks of the Secretariat as its head since the Rajya Sabha came into being in 1952. Nine such insiders have become the Secretary General of Lok Sabha so far.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu appointed Ramacharyulu, who holds a PhD from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for his work on 'Committee Systems of Indian Parliament and the US Congress: A Comparative Study' in 2005, after Desh Dipak Verma demitted office as Secretary General after serving for four years.

Ramacharyulu has around 40 years of experience of handling various aspects of the functioning of the Parliament. He has also served as Special Secretary of Andhra Pradesh Legislature in 2017.

A Master of Arts in Political Science, he has attended various domestic and foreign training programmes, including Change Management and Human Resources in London, Legislative Drafting at International Legislative Drafting Institute, Washington and Parliamentary Exchange Programmes in the European Parliament, Brussels.

He has also visited the US, the UK, Canada, Belgium, South Africa, Bangladesh, Qatar and Bangladesh on official assignments.
A political row broke out over a course on counter-terrorism introduced by the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) with opposition leaders claiming that it seeks to demonise a community.

The optional course  Counter-Terrorism, Asymmetric Conflicts and Strategies for Cooperation among Major Powers  will be offered to Master of Science dual-degree students specialising in international relations at JNUs School of Engineering.

This course and two others  India's World View in the 21st Century, and Significance of Science and Technology in International relations  were approved by the JNU Academic Council on August 17.

A new course in JNU brazenly distorts history & demonises an entire community to communalism polity & yield electoral dividends for BJP & further divisive agenda of RSS, BSP leader Kunwar Danish Ali said.

Ali said the move will have grave implications for India's unity and integrity and wanted the government to scrap it forthwith.

CPI leader Binoy Viswam had written to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan claiming that the course tries to distort history and an attempt to communalise and politicise geopolitical issues.

Read more: JNU may soon offer course on jihadi terrorism

JNU Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar dismissed the row as a needless controversy raked up without going into the academic merits of the course.

The objective of the course, Counter Terrorism, Asymmetric Conflicts and Strategies for Cooperation among Major Powers, is mainly to have an in-depth understanding of the challenges emanating from terrorism to Indias national security and how India can get equipped with adequate responses in case of any eventuality, he said.

He said the course had the potential to build a strong narrative for India.

An in-depth understanding of various global and regional terrorist networks is a part of the curriculum of this course. How India has witnessed the rise of religious fundamentalism and radicalisation through perverse ideologies in its neighbourhood is an area where a lot of knowledge is needed to deal with emerging situations, Kumar said.
The West Bengal government has approached the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court's order directing a CBI probe into murders and other offences committed during the post-poll violence.

In its plea, the Mamata Banerjee-led government contended that it could not expect a fair probe as CBI acted at the behest of the Centre and was busy foisting cases upon Trinamool Congress functionaries. Among other grounds, it also claimed discrepancies in the NHRC report relied upon by the High Court to direct probe into the matter.

The Calcutta High Court had on August 19 ordered a CBI probe into "heinous crimes of murder and rape" in the state after the Assembly elections results on May 2.

The High Court directed the West Bengal government to hand over all records of cases to the CBI for "court-monitored investigation", saying that any obstruction during the course of the probe by anyone shall be "viewed seriously". It had also ordered a separate SIT, with senior officers from the West Bengal cadre, to probe other allegations.

The top court was already seized of several petitions for CBI or SIT probe into the killings of BJP workers in the post-poll violence witnessed after the ruling TMC secured third consecutive term in Assembly elections. It had in May issued notice to the Union and state governments in the matter.

A 60-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl from West Bengal had also filed an application, alleging horrific gang-rape by TMC workers because of their families' support to the BJP in Assembly elections. They sought SIT probe into all incidents of post-poll violence.


With the number of Covid-19 cases increasing in Kerala, the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday asked his counterparts from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to increase the pace of vaccination in the bordering districts to contain the inter-state spread.

While reviewing the epidemic situation following the Kerala surge, Mandaviya in a telephonic conversation with the two state ministers discussed the strategies that need to be followed in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka  two states bordering Kerala  so that the number of new cases doesn't flare up.

The Union government also wants the imposition of a strategic lockdown and better monitoring of cases in home isolation even though the state is opposed to such a curb because of the livelihood issues that the traders faced in the last few months.

"There was hesitancy to impose lockdown and strategic containment measures for reducing transmission intensity even as the Malabar state was contributing to three-fourth of the new daily Covid-19 cases," a government source said.

"With over 85% of positive patients in home isolation," sources said, "the state should implement the containment guidelines more strictly as over the last few weeks such guidelines were not being followed properly in several areas, leading to the spread of infection."

The high test positivity rate of more than 20% in a few districts is evidence of intense virus circulation.

Kerala reported 32,803 new Covid cases and 173 deaths in the last 24 hours, pushing the infection count to over 40 lakhs and nearly 21,000 deaths. The test positivity rate for the state was 18.76%.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked vice-chancellors of all varsities to prepare a database of international students studying in their institutions.

The details have been sought by September 15.

"Ministry of Education, government of India has directed that a database of the information with regard to all international students studying in higher educational institutions (HEls) in India including the details of alumni needs to be created urgently," the letter written on August 31 read.

"Hence, all the universities are requested to provide the data of students from the graduate level onwards in the attached format via e-mail to ugcic2@gmail.com positively by September 15, 2021," the letter said.
Veteran actor Saira Banu was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital here earlier this week following complaints of low blood pressure and is doing well now, a hospital official said on Wednesday.

The 77-year-old Padosan actor, who lost her husband Dilip Kumar in July, was taken to the Khar Hinduja hospital three days ago, the official said.

"She is admitted to the hospital due to low BP. She was brought to the hospital three days ago. She is fine and much better now. There's nothing to worry about," he said, adding that he had spoken to the actor on Tuesday.

He said the hospital is not a Covid facility. She had tested negative for Covid-19 but was isolated as a norm in the wake of the pandemic. Saira Banu, who burst onto the screen with "Junglee" and went on to act in a range of films, is likely to be discharged in a day or two. Her husband and screen icon Dilip Kumar died on July 7 at the age of 98 after a long ailment.
Justice D Y Chandrachuds speech on Speaking truth to power, made last week, was a seminal assertion of the power of truth to drive and sustain societies and of the need for citizens to wield it as a shield and weapon to keep their societies free and democratic. The judges speech was at once moralistic, academic, philosophical and political but had a jurisprudential underpinning as he was exploring the need for the citizen to assert his right to speak to power. It was also a comment on contemporary society when he proposed that the citizen had not just the right but the duty to question power in the interest of truth, because governments increasingly monopolise power and try to support it with falsehood. Truth is the weapon to counteract power and obviate the predisposition to tyranny because democracy and truth go hand in hand, and democracy needs truth to survive.

The judges assertions may seem to be abstractions, but they become relevant in the present global and national scenarios where freedoms are shrinking, rights are eroding and truth is suppressed. He has cautioned that truth, as determined by the State, may not always be free of falsehood, and that one cannot only rely on the State to determine the truth. He has made some practical propositions to recover truth from the post-truth world, in which there is a contest between 'our truth' vs 'your truth', and a tendency to ignore a 'truth' not in alignment with one's perception. This can only be done by strengthening public institutions, ensuring that the media is free, creating an educational system that instils in children the temperament to pose questions to power, and by acknowledging and celebrating the plurality of opinions. It is also the citizens duty to protect the integrity of elections, which are the bedrock of democracy. Intellectuals also have the responsibility to expose the lies of the State and it is important to hold governments in check and guard against falsehoods, false narratives and fake news.

Since the world is increasingly divided along social, economic and religious lines and we live in echo chambers or bubbles where people are only exposed to the viewpoint they agree with and never coming into contact with an opposing one, it is necessary to listen to and accommodate other views and sentiments. This will also make it incumbent on people to be kinder and more sensitive to those around them. A State which has Satyameva Jayate' as its motto makes it obligatory for its citizens to ensure that truth prevails over falsehood. The judges assertion that the best armour for the State and the citizens is truth should not go unheeded.
That the politics of polarisation in India keeps getting worse is hardly a secret. But can bangles and dosas be used to inflame old societal divisions and fuel the toxic narrative of an economic boycott of Muslim street vendors and micro-businesses?

Let us face it - India's scrap dealers, bangle sellers, dosa hawkers and tangawallas rarely make news. They are part of the vast army of unsung, uncelebrated individuals who comprise the informal sector, which props up India's economy. Mostly, they remain invisible.

What then explains the spate of attacks on such people, who happen to be Muslim, in recent days in different parts of the country?

The common thread in all the reports  everyone who came under attack was a working-class Muslim trying to earn a living in a pandemic-battered economy. First, it was a Muslim bangle seller in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. On August 22, Tasleem Ali, who sells bangles for a living, found himself catapulted to celebrity status after a video of him being thrashed by a mob went viral. He was allegedly using a Hindu name. Soon after, Ali had an FIR registered against him for allegedly possessing fake documents and molesting a minor. There are multiple versions of what happened, and the case is taking tortuous twists and turns with allegations and counter-allegations.

More recently, there has been another incident where a popular Muslim-owned dosa joint in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, was vandalised because a mob took exception to its name, Shrinath Dosa, and accused the owner of exploiting a Hindu name. The terrified Muslim family has now re-named the place "American Dosa Corner." In another recent incident, a Muslim scrap dealer in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, was forced to chant "Jai Shri Ram."

One has to be exceptionally naive to see all these incidents as isolated cases. This is not the first time that poor Muslims working in the lowest rungs of India's vast informal economy have been targeted. Last year, two vegetable vendors in Uttar Pradesh's Mahoba district were allegedly stopped from selling their goods by a group of people who accused them of being members of the Tablighi Jamaat and spreading the coronavirus.

Read | Protect India's minorities

New dangers loom even as old fissures deepen. Pratik Sinha, the co-founder of the portal Alt News, established to debunk misinformation, recently tweeted that Muslim tanga drivers in Telibagh, Lucknow, were accused by sections of the media of painting Pakistan's flag on their tanga. The reality, "The tanga was painted with Islamic symbols, not the flag of Pakistan," he pointed out. Sinha recalls that calls for boycotting Muslim street vendors happened last year during the first phase of the pandemic. What is new, he says, is more and more conversations on social media and blatant calls to boycott Muslims economically.

A May 2020 report by a Delhi-based civil society group, Citizens against Hate, notes, "Economic boycott of Muslims too have been reported from across the country, directly affecting the livelihoods of a community that has already largely been confined to the informal sector." The recent attacks on Muslim street vendors are tell-tale markers of deepening political polarisation and attempts at further economic marginalisation of informal workers of the minority community.

What makes it more worrying is the lack of systematic tracking of the situation of Muslims in the lower rungs of India's informal economy. While there has been work on the status of Muslims in the formal labour market, there is little granular data available on their status in the informal labour market/economy, says Dr Niranjan Sahoo, Senior Fellow with The Observer Research Foundation, a think tank based in New Delhi.

"The most systematic work exploring the status of Muslims in the informal economy was by the Sachar Committee in 2006. However, this too lacked the empirical depth," he adds. In recent years, Sahoo points out, the only credible way of knowing the participation (or absence) of Muslims in the informal labour market is through the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). The PLFS is part of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), which provides comparative data among SC, ST, OBC, Muslims, etc.

According to the latest PLFS survey (2019), labour force participation in the informal sector among Muslims is lowest among all social and religious categories. Sahoo sees the recent harassment and attacks on Muslim bangle sellers, shopkeepers and others alongside the prickliness about Muslims adopting Hindu second names as "a continuation of the broad trend of discrimination/exclusion of Muslims since 2014."

He argues that given that Muslims have an overwhelmingly large presence in India's informal labour market and dominate certain low-end jobs such as hawkers, mechanics, barbers, bangle making, masons, these professions are now systematically targeted. "Initially, it began in 2015 with cattle trades, beef production, leather goods which disproportionately employ Muslim labourers. Thus, the recent attacks are part of a systemic effort to marginalise a vast chunk of the Muslim population from the informal sector that acts as the mainstay of the community," he says.

Sahoo authored a report titled, Mounting Majoritarianism and Political Polarization in India, last year for Carnegie Endowment, which also pointed out the role of social media in deepening the polarization and accelerating the pace at which misinformation and propaganda spread. WhatsApp, in particular, Sahoo noted, has emerged as a favoured tool for disseminating misinformation to foment communal discord.

Khalid Khan, Assistant Professor at Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, and co-author of a study, Muslims in Urban Informal Employment: A Scoping Study of Experiences of Discrimination (2017), also sees the recent attacks on Muslim workers in the informal economy as "an attempt to further economically marginalise the community".

A large number of Muslims are clustered in the informal economy as self-employed workers, points out Khan. Disturbingly, nearly 85 per cent of the wage-workers among Muslims do not have any written contract, according to the Periodic Labour Survey Data (2019-20), Khan says. The corresponding figures are 78 per cent for Hindus and 76 per cent for other religious minorities.

More than half of the workers in the Muslim community are engaged in self-employment. Another 25 per cent of their workers are engaged in casual work. So, the attempt of economic boycott will affect more than 80 per cent of the workers among Muslims, says Khan.

He argues that these incidents "are not simply a fanatic outburst." Rather, he says, "It is a well-thought strategy to create a narrative against Muslims to minimise their access to the market. The sentiment based on religion may play an important role in boycotting small businesses and casual workers effectively. The goal of such attacks is to send a message that a market dominated by Hindu customers cannot be unconditionally exploited by Muslim sellers and workers." He cites the recent attacks on working-class Muslims who adopt Hindu names, or "the practice of name-passing" as an indicator of "prevalent discrimination in the market."

While doing his fieldwork, Khan says, he found that Muslim domestic workers in one of the housing colonies in Delhi-NCR were changing their names merely to improve the chance of getting the job. Asked how they tackle religion-based discrimination in the market, many Muslims who owned small businesses and whom he interviewed also said they adopt "name change" to minimise the loss of customers.

Joining a union may be an effective way of dealing with such challenges. However, Khan points out that this requires a collective effort and alliance with other communities. Relatively fewer Muslim workers are members of any union in self-employment and casual work than Hindu workers. Khan says he has not come across any evidence during his fieldwork of Muslim workers joining unions as a strategy to cope with discrimination. "In fact, they preferred to adapt to the changing market conditions. Name passing is one of the ways of such adaptation in the changing market environment."

In 2020, The National Hawker Federation, an association of street vendors across 29 states in India, had come out to support street vendors from the Muslim community who faced discrimination during lockdowns. Last week, I spoke to the Federation's general secretary, Shaktiman Ghosh. He told me recent attacks targeted Muslim street vendors, such as the bangle seller in Indore. They were typically not part of any organised association and not part of the Federation. "They are going after the most vulnerable lot who can't fight back," says Ghosh.

What helps perpetuate the problem is a growing culture of impunity. Not that there are no arrests of people who are attacking Muslim street vendors, including in states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party. The police do register cases. But they typically peter out.

Why?

Alishan Jafri, a young journalist who has been documenting anti-Muslim violence in India, offers some insights. Jafri says the police and law are more often than not prejudiced against the Muslim community, and "often the victims don't have the fight in them to pursue the painful and tiresome course of justice, partly because of economic woes and partly because their assaulters have patronage. Once the media attention fades, they are rendered easy targets."

There is another layer that complicates things further. Unlike Dalits and Scheduled Tribes to whom the law provides special protection from such targeted assaults, poor and marginalised Muslims, including converts from marginalised castes, ghettoised into very menial informal jobs, have no protection, Jafri adds. Asymmetrical power relations, weak legal protection and societal prejudices load the dice heavily against Muslims in the lowest rungs of India's informal economy.

But should it be left to the weakest to counter this? The many Indians who oppose such targeting of Muslims need to stand up and resist the current trend in their own individual ways.

(Patralekha Chatterjee is an independent journalist and columnist)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.
By Ross Douthat

A month ago I thought I was a cynic about our 20-year war in Afghanistan. Today, after watching our stumbling withdrawal and the swift collapse of practically everything we fought for, my main feeling is that I wasnt cynical enough.

My cynicism consisted of the belief that the American effort to forge a decent Afghan political settlement failed definitively during Barack Obamas first term in office, when a surge of US forces blunted but did not reverse the Talibans recovery. This failure was then buried under a Vietnam-esque blizzard of official deceptions and bureaucratic lies, which covered over a shift in American priorities from the pursuit of victory to the management of stalemate, with the American presence insulated from casualties in the hopes that it could be sustained indefinitely.

Under this strategic vision  to use the word strategic generously  there would be no prospect of victory, no end to corruption among our allies and collateral damage from our airstrikes, no clear reason to be in Afghanistan, as opposed to any other failing state or potential terror haven, except for the sunk cost that we were there already. But if American casualty rates stayed low enough, the public would accept it, the Pentagon budget would pay for it, and nobody would have to preside over anything so humiliating as defeat.

Read | 'We are not done with you': Biden warns Afghanistan's IS-K militants

In one way, my cynicism went too far. I guessed that the military and the national-security bureaucracy would be able to frustrate the desire of every incoming US president to declare an endless-seeming conflict over, and I was wrong. Something like that happened with Obama and Donald Trump in their first years in office, but it didnt happen with Joe Biden. He promised withdrawal, and  however shambolically  we have now actually withdrawn.

But in every other way the withdrawal has made the case for an even deeper cynicism  about Americas capacities as a superpower, our mission in Afghanistan and the class of generals, officials, experts and politicos who sustained its generational extension.

First the withdrawals shambolic quality, culminating in yesterdays acknowledgment that between 100 and 200 Americans had not made the final flights from Kabul, displayed an incompetence in departing a country that matched our impotence at pacifying it. There were aspects of the chaos that were probably inevitable, but the Biden White House was clearly caught flat-footed by the speed of the Taliban advance, with key personnel disappearing on vacation just before the Kabul government dissolved. And the president himself has appeared exhausted, aged, overmatched  making basic promises about getting every American safely home and then seeing them overtaken by events.

At the same time, the circumstances under which the Biden withdrawal had to happen doubled as a devastating indictment of the policies pursued by his three predecessors, which together cost roughly $2,000,000,000,000 (its worth writing out all those zeros) and managed to build nothing in the political or military spheres that could survive for even a season without further American cash and military supervision.

Only recently the view that without US troops, the American-backed government in Kabul would be doomed to the same fate as the Soviet-backed government some 30 years ago seemed like hardheaded realism. Now such realism has been proven to be wildly over-optimistic. Without Soviet troops, the Moscow-backed government actually held out for several years before the mujahedeen reached Kabul. Whereas our $2,000,000,000,000 built a regime that fell to the Taliban before US troops could even finish their retreat.

Before this summer, in other words, it was possible to read all the grim inspector general reports and document dumps on Afghanistan, count yourself a cynic about the war effort and still imagine that America got something for all that spending, no matter how much was spent on Potemkin installations or siphoned off by pederast warlords or recirculated to Northern Virginia contractors.

Now, though, we know that in terms of actual staying power, all our nation-building efforts couldnt even match what the Soviet Union managed in its dotage.

Yet that knowledge has not prevented a revival of the spirit that led us to this sorry pass. I dont mean the straightforward criticisms of the Biden administrations handling of the withdrawal. I mean the way that in both the media coverage and the political reaction, reasonable tactical critiques have often been woven together with anti-withdrawal arguments that are self-deceiving, dubious or risible.

Read | UK says 'ready' to launch strikes against ISIS-K in Afghanistan

The argument, for instance, that the situation in Afghanistan was reasonably stable and the wars death toll negligible before the Trump administration started moving toward withdrawal: In fact, only US casualties were low, while Afghan military and civilian casualties were nearing 15,000 annually, and the Taliban were clearly gaining ground  suggesting that we would have needed periodic surges of US forces, and periodic spikes in US deaths, to prevent a slow-motion version of whats happened quickly as weve left.

Or the argument that an indefinite occupation was morally necessary to nurture the shoots of Afghan liberalism: If after 20 years of effort and $2,000,000,000,000, the theocratic alternative to liberalism actually takes over a country faster than in its initial conquest, thats a sign that our moral achievements were outweighed by the moral costs of corruption, incompetence and drone campaigns.

Or the argument that a permanent mission in Afghanistan could come to resemble in some way our long-term presence in Germany or South Korea  a delusional historical analogy before the collapse of the Kabul government and a completely ludicrous one now.

All these arguments are connected to a set of moods that flourished after 9/11: a mix of cable-news-encouraged overconfidence in US military capacities, naive World War II nostalgia and crusading humanitarianism in its liberal and neoconservative forms. Like most Americans, I shared in those moods once; after so many years of failure, I cannot imagine indulging in them now. But its clear from the past few weeks that they retain an intense subterranean appeal in the American elite, waiting only for the right circumstances to resurface.

Thus you have generals and grand strategists who presided over quagmire, folly and defeat fanning out across the television networks and opinion pages to champion another 20 years in Afghanistan. You have the return of the medias liberal hawks and centrist Pentagon stenographers, unchastened by their own credulous contributions to the retreat of American power over the past 20 years. And you have Republicans who postured as cold-eyed realists in the Trump presidency suddenly turning back into eager crusaders, excited to own the Biden Democrats and relive the brief post-9/11 period when the mainstream media treated their party with deference rather than contempt.

Again, Biden deserves plenty of criticism. But like the Trump administration in its wiser moments, he is trying to disentangle America from a set of failed policies that many of his loudest critics long supported.

Our botched withdrawal is the punctuation mark on a general catastrophe, a failure so broad that it should demand purges in the Pentagon, the shamed retirement of innumerable hawkish talking heads, the razing of various NGOs and international-studies programs and the dissolution of countless consultancies and military contractors.

Small wonder, then, that making Biden the singular scapegoat seems like a more attractive path. But if the only aspect of this catastrophe that our leaders remember is what went wrong in August 2021, then well have learned nothing except to always double down on failure, and the next disaster will be worse.
India is struggling with a large fiscal deficit. This was expected due to two reasons: falling tax revenue and large spending commitments due to Covid. Last year, the finance minister had budgeted the deficit to be 3.5% of GDP for fiscal 2020-21. The actual deficit turned out to be 9.3%. In rupee terms, the slippage of actual over budgeted was Rs 10 lakh crore. This shortfall has to be made up by fresh borrowing. For 2021-22, the budgeted deficit is 6.8% of GDP or Rs 15 lakh crore. This, too, will be made up mostly by fresh borrowing. The plan is to borrow Rs 12 lakh crore, which makes up more than three-fourths of all the financial savings of households in India. The fresh borrowing keeps adding to the debt mountain of the central government, which is now at 60% of GDP. This is the highest it has been in 14 years.

The N K Singh-led expert committee on fiscal responsibility had recommended a debt-to-GDP ratio of 40%. So, the current indebtedness levels are dangerous and could be unsustainable. Also, it is worth a reminder that todays borrowing is nothing but a tax on future generations. The more reckless the spending today, the less is the fiscal space available tomorrow. Unless, of course, growth picks up very strongly.

It is in this context that the government has to seriously think about other avenues of raising revenue or reducing spending, without sacrificing its core responsibility of governance, social and national security. It is true that seen purely in terms of fund flows, the deficit situation is worrisome. But seen from a balance sheet perspective, it is much better. The government may have a lot of unfunded spending obligations, but it also has assets on its balance sheet that can be monetised. Of course, we are not talking about selling off the Taj Mahal or the Gateway of India. But there is a philosophical case to be made to divest assets in areas where a private party might function more efficiently and generate more value from the same asset than the government.

Also read: Congress plans to take asset monetisation issue to people; leaders to hold pressers across country

The revolution in telecom or cable TV has shown to what heights privatisation can take a sector which languished under a State monopoly for decades. The same is true for private courier services, or airlines and hotels. But successive governments have found it difficult even to mention privatisation. That Lakshman Rekha was crossed in this years budget speech. Will that ambition be translated into reality?

The record is not inspiring. For the last seven years, privatisation (or disinvestment) targets have been consistently missed by a wide margin. For instance, last year, the target was Rs 2.1 lakh crore, and not even 10% was realised. Even in years when the target was achieved, it was because one PSU was asked to buy the shares of another PSU, which is like the left pocket paying the right pocket. Remember that this is a ruling party that has promised minimum government and maximum governance.

Seen in the light of an acute fiscal crunch, the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) is an ambitious idea. It aims to transfer (not sell) operating assets to private parties and encash the value upfront as a lump-sum payment from an auction. The finance minister had announced this idea in her budget speech; the details were unveiled on August 23.

The proposals are ambitious, and go beyond sectors like power, roads and railway assets as mentioned in the budget speech, to a total of 14 sectors, including telecom towers, gas pipelines, warehouses, solar projects and even stadiums. Many of these assets dont belong to the government per se, but rather different corporate entities, such as the National Highway Authority of India, or Power Grid Corporation. The resources raised will not wholly go to plug only the fiscal deficit, but to those respective corporate bodies. In the next four years, the government estimates it can raise Rs 6 lakh crore from the NMP, of which Rs 88,000 crore is to be realised this year itself.

Given its record on privatisation, these numbers are unrealistic. Also, the risk perception varies from sector to sector. The cleanest case is of toll highways, which anyway the NHAI has been monetising. The private party that wins the bid signs a concession agreement to collect toll revenues for the next 15 or 20 years. The value of the bid is obviously the discounted present value of all the tolls that would be collected in the future. Note that the toll cannot be fixed by the toll operator. It is to be notified by the government. What if there is political agitation to make the road toll-free?

This indeed has happened in the case of the Noida toll bridge, which went toll-free in 2016. Or the Mumbai-Pune expressway, which saw a battle fought to make it toll-free. Indeed, that expressway is the oldest (since 2004) and most successful example of a monetised asset, but it has not been without its own controversies. What if traffic drops to zero due to a pandemic-induced lockdown? Who will bear that risk?

There are also other risks of abrupt cancellations of long-term contracts. The power purchase agreements (PPA) in Andhra Pradesh, where the present government cancelled PPAs by the previous one led by the Telugu Desam Party, is a case in point. These are the kinds of contingencies that the NMP agreements have to specify.

In essence, the private operator gets the monopoly right to collect the toll for a long period in exchange for the upfront value. How is the quality of service to be ensured? Will there be a regulator? Not all private entrepreneurs would be willing to take on such risks of political upheavals. Such a political minefield is not easy to navigate. So, does that mean that only cronies will bid, as they are better at managing risks, or due to an implied quid pro quo? These are the uncertainties plaguing the NMP. Due to such factors, detractors will surely accuse the government of selling assets (family silver) cheaply or only to cronies.

Another important question is, how is the money going to be raised by the private parties? If the bulk of the Rs 6 lakh crore to be earned from bidders is to be borrowed from banks, are the banks willing to take this risk? And who bears the risk of bad loans? Will it fall on taxpayers?

The NMP is a fresh approach to Public-Private Partnership. Its success will depend on the devil in the detail. And the risks of capture of public assets by potential private monopolies are real and need to be addressed.

(The writer is an economist and Senior Fellow, Takshashila Institution)

(Syndicate: The Billion Press)
By Dror Poleg,

Everybodys going carbon neutral these days, from the big boys  Amazon, Microsoft, Unilever, Starbucks, JetBlue  to your favourite outdoor brand, even ski resorts. Probably your neighbourhood coffee roaster, too.

Whats not to like? Becoming carbon-neutral means cutting greenhouse gas emissions as much as you can, then offsetting what you cant avoid with measures like tree planting. Seems admirable.

Well, not exactly. Carbon neutrality doesnt achieve any sort of systemic change. A coal-powered business could be entirely carbon neutral as long it stops some landfill gas in Malaysia from entering the atmosphere equal to the emissions its still releasing. American fossil fuel dependence would remain intact, and planet-warming emissions would continue to rise. The only way to fix that is through politics, policymakers and legislation. But distressingly, most businesses dont want to play in that arena.

Instead, theyre doing exactly what the fossil fuel industry wants: staying in their lane, accepting some blame for a global problem and maintaining the dominance of fossil fuels. Theyre well-intentioned, sure, but also clueless, even complicit.

Imagine if businesses put as much effort into climate lobbying as climate neutrality. Corporations wield tremendous influence over the political system. But on climate, most corporations have decided to sit this one out. Notably, the five biggest tech corporations  Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Alphabet and Amazon  spend only 4% of their lobbying dollars on climate, according to Influence Map.

As a result, they avoid the chance to put in place systemic solutions in favour of carbon-neutral navel-gazing. Large corporations will protest, saying that they are lobbying on climate. But they are typically working both sides of the aisle. And their political contributions are mostly going in the wrong direction. Bloomberg Green examined political donations by more than 100 major American corporations and found last year that they were throwing their support behind lawmakers who routinely stall climate legislation.

Climate never ascends to the level of mission-critical issues like trade policy and taxation. Sure, there are exceptions: Salesforce recently said it would intensify its focus on climate lobbying. And Patagonia has always been aggressive, along with Ben and Jerrys. But they are anomalies, led or inspired by charismatic founders.

Also read: Ocean surface climates may disappear by 2100: study

How did it come to this? The story of how whats considered the best approach to corporate sustainability became complicity with the very industry responsible for climate change starts with the famous Crying Indian commercial of the 1970s. The ad, in which an actor portraying a Native American is devastated by the sight of rampant pollution, created several generations of dutiful litter-picker-uppers. (Guilty!) But it wasnt so benign. It was, in fact, masterly propaganda from the beverage and container industries, designed to place responsibility for the trash problem on American consumers, not manufacturers.

The approach was so good that the fossil fuel industry adopted the very same strategy. In 2004, BP hired the public relations firm Ogilvy & Mather to improve its image, in part by conveying the message that consumers of oil and natural gas bear the responsibility for their greenhouse gas emissions, not the producers of the oil and gas they use. The result was BPs ingenious carbon footprint calculator, which allows individuals to calculate the carbon emissions that result from their activities. Its about helping you to go carbon neutral  reducing and offsetting your carbon footprint, BP says on its target neutral website.

Nor was BP alone among the big oil companies communicating this message. A study by Naomi Oreskes and Geoffrey Supran at Harvard published in May in the journal One Earth found that since 1972, ExxonMobil has consistently used rhetoric aimed at shifting responsibility for climate change away from itself and onto consumers. Yes, those consumers want the hot showers, warm homes and cold beer that coal, oil and gas provide. But they did not insist on the burning of fossil fuels for those amenities. Now there are other ways to produce energy, and the responsibility to tap those renewable resources lies with the worlds energy companies.

Today, almost 20 years after BPs carbon calculator went live, cutting a firms carbon footprint is still the gold standard of corporate climate action. The phrase is firmly lodged in the environmental lexicon.

The idea of offsetting ones carbon footprint by reducing or eliminating greenhouse gas emissions in one place to make up for emissions elsewhere has grown into an enormous industry. Businesses often do this by buying carbon credits to offset emissions they cant or wont reduce. The consulting firm McKinsey estimates that the market for carbon credits could be worth upward of $50 billion in 2030.

Many of these offsets underwrite worthwhile projects  protecting virgin expanses in some of the worlds last great forests, as in the Amazon, or the deployment of solar power. But according to an analysis by the private-sector Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets, fewer than five % of offsets in 2020 removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Which, of course, is what we desperately need to be doing.

A giant, systemic problem like climate needs to be addressed like other huge environmental challenges the world has successfully taken on  reducing ozone-depleting chemicals worldwide, for example, and sharply cutting back on smog and water pollution in the United States. Imagine if, in response to the expansion of the ozone hole, businesses and governments had said, Well just hope businesses do the right thing. Instead, international policymakers created the Montreal Protocol, which set standards that phased out ozone-destroying chlorofluorocarbon use worldwide.

We need more of that approach  citizens, businesses and governments working together to address this crisis. It might result in policy solutions like government regulation, effective carbon taxes, national standards for renewable energy and electrification, the elimination of legacy subsidies for the fossil fuel industry, strict auto emission standards and new national building codes. All of these approaches threaten fossil fuels business model and, not coincidentally, would help to slow the warming of the planet.

What do fossil fuel companies prefer? They like consumers and corporations to do anything and everything as long as they stay out of the companies way and avoid doing anything that could actually make a difference.

Tragically, the overwhelming majority of American businesses are on a path of complicity. Their climate strategy avoids conflict and generates great P.R. Unfortunately, it also allows fossil fuel interests to monetize their remaining assets unhindered, ensuring catastrophe for all.

How carbon neutral is that?

(The writer is the senior vice president of sustainability at the Aspen Skiing Company, the chairman of the board of the group Protect Our Winters and the author of Getting Green Done.)
In mid-2020, citing user-privacy security concerns, the Indian government banned PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile game along with more than 100 Chinese apps in the country.

Soon after the announcement, parent company Krafton severed ties with Shenzen-based Tencent Games, which had the PUBG publishing rights in India.

Early this year, Krafton launched special Battlegrounds Mobile India to fill the void left by the PUBG.

Now, in a surprise announcement, Krafton's subsidiary PUBG Studios has announced to launch PUBG: New State in India.

"In response to the heavy excitement and strong support of the Indian fans for the PUBG IP, Krafton decided to expand the regions for PUBG: New State pre-registration following the launch of Battlegrounds Mobile India," said the company.

Interested gamers can pre-register for PUBG: New State on their phones (Android and iOS) via Google Play Store and Apple App Store, respectively in India.

Knowing that PUBG IP from Krafton is enjoying countrywide popularity in India and our Indian fans have high interest in the launch of PUBG: NEW STATE in India, we at PUBG STUDIOS are doing our best to offer a battle royale experience only we can deliver based on the stable service for our Indian fans," said Minkyu Park, PUBG: New State, executive producer.

As per the description on PUBG: New State page on Apple App Store, the expected launch date is said to be October 8.

It remains to be seen if Battlegrounds Mobile India will continue after the arrival of PUBG: New State, as they fall under the same genre battle royale and most importantly, feature the same characters and target missions with minor differences.

It makes no business sense to keep two similar games. We will know for sure how things will play out by the end of this year.

Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cybersecurity, and more on personal technology only on DH Tech.
Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar on Wednesday demanded the suspension of Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner MR Ravi for reportedly linking Covid-19 vaccination with the supply of ration and payment of pensions.

Expressing outrage over Ravis no vaccine, no ration, no pension plan, Shivakumar said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai should suspend the officer and file a case against him.

Is he a Chakravarthy (emperor)? The first thing the CM should do is to suspend that DC. He should face a case, Shivakumar told reporters. The Congress leader also urged the BJP government to keep Ravi in their partys office if needed.

Theyre promoting that DC as if he has done exceptional work, Shivakumar said, recalling the recent deaths of more than two dozen patients due to oxygen shortage in Chamarajanagar.

36 people died in Chamarajanagar without oxygen, but Parliament was told that no one died. The High Court formed a committee and the same DC along with other officials admitted the lapse. While the government gave Rs 2 lakh each to the families of 24 patients, I gave Rs 1 lakh to 29 people and the rest were covered by our MLAs. To date, no action has been taken against officials for the tragedy, Shivakumar said.

The KPCC chief also demanded the sacking of University of Mysore vice-chancellor G Hemantha Kumar for the now-withdrawn circular barring girls from stepping out after 6.30 pm on campus. The Governor should withdraw that VC. Even the registrar who issued the circular should face action. What were they thinking? Were in India, Shivakumar said.
After the No vaccination; no ration; no pension proposal drew flak from various quarters, Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner M R Ravi issued clarifications on Wednesday, saying no such order was issued.

The DC, in a press release on Wednesday, said that he had not given any official order in this regard. Hence, theres no question of denying ration to the cardholders and benefits to the pensioners.

Coming down heavily on the Chamarajanagar DCs order, Congress termed no ration and pension for those not vaccinated as illegal and unconstitutional.

KPCC working president R Dhruvanarayana also said that the plan was unscientific and against the law. The district administration should ensure sufficient vaccines for the people, and create awareness, he said.

No such order

The DC had told a section of the media that the district administration was planning to implement No vaccination; no ration; no pension, programme in the district from September 1, to create awareness on the importance of vaccination, in the wake of third wave.

There are 2.90 lakh BPL and Antyodaya cardholders in the district and 2.20 lakh people drawing pension under various schemes. The banks and the ration shops have been directed not to issue ration or pension if they do not furnish vaccination certificate, he had said.

However, no such order or media release was issued by the district administration. Food and Civil Supplies Deputy Director Yogananda said, no such order was issued. But, efforts are on to inform the beneficiaries that its mandatory to get vaccinated.

Address vaccine hesitancy: CM

When asked about several district administrations orders no vaccination, no ration, pension, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters in Haveri that such orders are not right. Instead they should address the concern of vaccine hesitancy and convince people to get vaccinated. There are enough doses of vaccine available with the state. People should come forward to get jabbed to protect themselves and prevent the spread of the virus, Bommai said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that the final decision on public celebrations of Ganeshotsav would be taken on September 5.

"Ganeshotsav is celebrated in different ways in different regions. Experts are studying reports from districts regarding how public Ganeshotsav was managed during the Covid-19 situation last year, and what has to be done this time. I will hold a meeting with experts on September 5," he said.

Read | No demand for large Ganesha idols this year

Shah coming

Union Home Minister Amit Shah would visit Karnataka on Thursday. Union Government's programmes and other development issues in the state would be discussed with him, Bommai said.

On local body polls

Requesting people to continue the support to BJP, Bommai expressed confidence that BJP would come to power in Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi and Kalaburagi local bodies.

Thinking is going on to prepare a comprehensive programme for all municipal corporations, for infrastructure and industrial development, and welfare of the poor and slum dwellers, he said.

'No violation'

Bommai also clarified that he has not violated the rules by visiting Hubballi after the open campaigning for Hubballi-Dharwad Mahanagara Palike (HDMP) elections ended. "I am going to Shiggaon from the airport here," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil said that VVIPs visiting Hubballi on Wednesday and Thursday are not campaigning for the HDMP polls to be held on September 3 as open campaigning ended by 7 am on Wednesday
Kriti Sanon: "Apart from Madhubalaji, I would love to play Meena Kumariji in her biopic"

Kriti Sanon has been enjoying unprecedented praises for her terrific performance in Mimi. The actress recently thanked everyone for the love fans and audience showered on her for the film as it completed a month since release. That's not all- Kriti also happens to be one of the busiest actresses with several releases lined up. Now, in a recent interview, the actress has opened up about her interest to be a part of a biopic.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon)

Talking to TOI, Kriti revealed that she wants to play Madhubala or Meena Kumari in their biopic, if it's ever made. She said, There are certain personalities in our film industry who have been iconic and whose lives I feel people dont really know much about. But people should know about them. And apart from Madhubalaji, I would love to play Meena Kumariji in her biopic. Both were iconic heroines of their time and I personally too would love to learn more about them.

Recently, there has also been talks of a Madhubala biopic and the late actress' sister Madhur Bhushan had opened up about her interest to make a film on her life. Even Meera Kumari's life might unfold on the screen soon and there were talks of a film on the actress' life with Vidya Balan in the lead and Tigmanshu Dhulia on the director's chair. Do you feel Kriti would be a good fit? Let us know in the comments.
Oh My God 2: Pankaj Tripathi takes the film on floors; Akshay Kumar to join in October

When it was announced that Pankaj Tripathi will headline Oh My God 2, the sequel to Paresh Rawals 2012 film, fans were over the moon with joy. It was later revealed that Akshay Kumar will reprise the character of Lord Krishna whereas Yami Gautam has been roped in to play the female lead. It was further reported that makers were planning to complete the shoot by October. Well, according to latest buzz, Tripathi took the film on floors in Mumbai today.

In a report share by Bollywood Hungama, a source was quoted saying, Director Amit Rai commences shooting for the ambitious social comedy today in Mumbai with Pankaj Tripathi. The actor will be canning his solo sequences over the next few days and will then be joined by Yami Gautam, who plays the female lead. Akshay Kumar will start his work in October. Bollywoods Khiladi has allotted 15 to 20 days to the film and is co-producing it with Ashwin Varde.

The report further revealed that the team has been working on the script for almost a decade and decided on the sequel only when they were satisfied that it will be better than the original. The source added, The treatment and subject will surprise the audience. Well, we cant wait to be pleasantly surprised!
Sohum Shah brings back memories of Tumbbad with this photo, check it out...

For actor-producer Sohum Shah, his mythological horror film, Tumbbad will always be special, as the movie pleasantly surprised one and all with not just the critical acclaim but also its performance at the box-office. Not to forget that it took Sohum 7 years to make the movie, that have set a new genre in Bollywood.

Recently, Sohum stumbled upon something that instantly transported him back to the world of Tumbbad. The versatile actor took to his social media to share a picture of him holding a miniature version of a vintage car seen prominently in Tumbbad, which relived his memories shooting the film. He wrote, Yeh toh ekdum #Tumbbad wali gaadi jaise hai, hai na?

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sohum Shah (@shah_sohum)



Over the years, the fan following for the rich world of Tumbbad has escalated due to its presence on digital medium. Also, Sohum left no stone unturned as a producer and actor to ensure the film turns out to be an interesting and entertaining watch. Right after the films release, Sohum had also spoken about the plans of spinning it in a franchise.

Riding high on the success of his last web series, Maharani, Sohum is eagerly awaiting the release of his yet another highly-anticipated digital show, Fallen, also featuring Sonakshi Sinha, Vijay Varma and Gulshan Devaiah. Besides Fallen, Sohum will be seen in a silent untitled film, produced by Luv Ranjan along with Nushrratt Bharuccha, Konkona Sen Sharma and Nora Fatehi.
China has restricted young gamers from playing video games, including online games to three hours per week, a move that it thinks will reduce gaming addiction. As per a report by Statista, the worldwide PC gaming market is a 37 billion US dollar industry while the mobile gaming market alone generated over 77 billion USD in 2020. So it's not wrong to say that interest in gaming is at an all-time high after being associated with a lot of negativity and stigma in the past few years. However, the latest rules by the Chinese government come as a setback to gamers as well as the gaming industry.

The new gaming rules

The new rule limits minors to play games only for one hour from 8 PM to 9 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. This is even more stringent than the previous rules established in 2019 that allowed minors to play games for 1.5 hours on weekdays and three hours on weekends and public holidays.

In addition, those under the age of 18 were also required to use their real names and National Identification Number while logging in to play any game so that they could be identified and regulated based on the existing rules.

All game titles in China will also be connected to an anti-addiction system that is being set up by the NPPA (National Press and Publication Administration), as per a Reuters report. Furthermore, the government will also increase its scrutiny to ensure that the new rules are being enforced by gaming companies.

Gaming in China

As per the state media, over 62.5% of minors (under-18) play online games in China while 13.2% play mobile games for over two hours on weekdays.

"Teenagers are the future of our motherland. Protecting the physical and mental health of minors is related to the people's vital interests, and relates to the cultivation of the younger generation in the era of national rejuvenation, an unnamed NPPA spokesperson told Xinhua state news agency.

In 2020 alone, the gaming revenues from China rose by more than 20% to around 43 billion USD where Tencent and NetEase remain the largest online gaming companies. Seeing so much interest in online gaming, the Beijing government even announced in 2019 that it plans to become the global capital of online games by 2035.

Fast forward to the Two Sessions, the government annual parliamentary hearings held earlier in March, President Xi Jinping listed game addiction as a cause for the deteriorating psychological health of young teens in China. This suggested that the government is getting ready to take some action and could try to regulate gaming.

While gaming studios like Tencent have already enforced some limits on players of some popular games like Honour of Kings, it seems to have done little to calm the nerves of the state. It remains to be seen how this new rule affects the larger gaming community in China and whether this latest crackdown will reverse years of growth for the worldwide gaming industry.
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G has officially launched in India and is one of the few phones to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778 chip. The Galaxy A52s is the third Snapdragon 778 phone to arrive in India after the Motorola Edge 20 and the Realme GT Master Edition. The Samsung Galaxy A52s shares a lot in common with the Galaxy A52 (review) which launched earlier this year starting at Rs 26,499.

The Galaxy A52s has the same build and design and even shares the same camera setup as the Galaxy A52. Heres everything you need to know about the Galaxy A52s 5G including its specifications, features and availability.

Samsung Galaxy A52s price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy A52s is priced starting at Rs 35,999 for the base variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage and Rs 37,499 for the 8GB+128GB storage.

The Galaxy A52s is available in Awesome Black, Awesome Violet and Awesome White colours and will go on sale on Amazon, Samsung India store and in retail outlets.

Samsung Galaxy A52s specifications

The Samsung Galaxy A52s features a 6.5-inch Full HD+ (2400x1080 pixels) resolution AMOLED display that offers upto 120Hz refresh rate support. There is a punch-hole cutout in the top-centre for the selfie camera and the screen is topped with a layer of Gorilla Glass 5. The Galaxy A52s measures 8.4mm in thickness and weighs 189 grams. It is also IP67 dust and water-resistant.

Under the hood, the Galaxy A52s is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778 processor and is paired with upto 8GB RAM and 128GB storage options to choose from. It runs on OneUI 3.1 which is based on Android 11.

The Galaxy A52s has a 64MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture, a 12MP ultra-wide camera with a 123-degree field-of-view, a 5MP macro camera and a 5MP depth sensor. There is a 32MP selfie camera up front and the phone can record in 4K UHD at 30FPS.

Its got an optical fingerprint reader under the screen and is equipped with a 4,500mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging.
Swenson Say Faget

Allen

Nettesheim

Zable

Wible

Scott Wible has been promoted to Project Manager at the firms Seattle office. Upon graduation from the UW in 2015, Scott first joined SSF as a Staff Engineer. He is currently working on the new Kincaid Avenue Mixed-use project in Sumner, the new Polo Club III Apartments in Olympia, and is managing structural design for custom stairs, railings, decks, and canopies for a variety of subcontractors in the region. Swenson Say Fagett also announced three new hires, Rachel Zable, Laura Nettesheim and Teagan Allen. Zable interned at SSF in 2019. Upon completion of her BSCE from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, she returned to SSF as a full-time staff member. Rachel is currently working on two new multi-family projects, the new 3019 S Angeline Street Apartments in the Columbia City neighborhood, and the new 123 Bellevue Avenue Apartments on Capitol Hill. She is based in the Tacoma office. Nettesheim, PE joined SSF/Seattle after 5 years of structural design experience with multi-family, commercial, and school projects, to explore the fast-paced world of single-family home design. She is working on projects that include new and renovated homes in Seattle, Lake Forest Park, Kirkland, Medina, Issaquah, and Winthrop. Allen is a recent graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She joined SSF/Seattle in July. Current projects include the seismic study of The Ballard Annex Building feasibility study, a new detached additional dwelling unit on Orcas Island, and the renovation of the El Gaucho building in Belltown for the Crocodile Rock Shop event venue.




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WASHINGTON (AP)  Social Security and Medicare, the government's two biggest benefit programs, remain under intense financial pressure with the retirement of millions of baby boomers and a devastating pandemic putting increased pressures on the two programs' finances.

A report from the programs' trustees released Tuesday moved up by one year the date for the depletion of Social Security's reserves, now projecting that Social Security will be unable to pay full benefits starting in 2034 instead of 2035.





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JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  The Alaska House passed legislation Tuesday calling for an $1,100 dividend to residents but there are different interpretations as to whether much of the money that would be used for the checks is available.

The bill next goes to the Senate.





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Photo by Brian Miller [enlarge] The last crane in the ID was probably for Intracorps Beam apartments, on Jackson.





There's a new crane up in International District, which hasn't seen a crane in about a year. The corner site at 714 S. King St. is the affordable housing project called Uncle Bob's Place  in honor of the late local activist Bob Santos. He led InterIm Community Development Association, the project owner, during the 1970s and 1980s.





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BURIEN  An apartment building at 12037 First Ave S. in Burien sold for a bit over $11.1 million, according to King County records.

The seller was Alcove Apartments LLC, which acquired the property in 2015 for nearly $4.9 million.





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Primary school pupils in Louth and around Ireland are being challenged to get creative in how they learn and think about Europe through the Blue Star Programme, coordinated by European Movement Ireland.

The Blue Star Programme teaches primary school children about Europe through creative activities and projects that complement the national primary curriculum.

Each participating class carries out projects on history, geography, the institutions of the EU, culture and creativity with a European twist. Teachers and their classes can be creative and tailor their projects to their own individual needs and interests.

Conscious of the ongoing challenges posed by Covid-19 that face schools, teachers and pupils returning this September, the Blue Star Programme team will offer participating schools continued support and a fully-flexible, curriculum-friendly programme with additional online resources and activities.

Teachers, parents, guardians, carers and the whole school community are encouraged to get involved in Blue Star Programme projects, creating an awareness of the EU and European cultures that reaches far beyond the school walls and out into the wider community.

Speaking about the opening of registration for the Programme, Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne TD said,

Blue Star is an exciting project that allows our primary school children to learn about, and get creative on, our European identity and culture. As Minister for European Affairs, I am honoured to support the Blue Star Programme and have seen at first hand the enthusiasm that our young people are bringing to the programme. I am really hoping to visit some participating schools in person as soon as it is safe to do so, and I encourage as many primary schools as possible to register and get involved.

Noelle O'Connell, CEO of European Movement Ireland, also commented,

While the last school year saw schools around Ireland face another understandably unusual and challenging year, we were particularly encouraged to see the enthusiasm and creativity of participating pupils and teachers, including their great work from home when schools were closed. We were delighted to see a great number of participating schools complete the programme, finding new and innovative ways of completing project work.

We look forward to another year of the Blue Star Programme as we are constantly greatly impressed by the imagination and innovation of both the participating teachers and their pupils. Since 2011, we have seen almost 1,100 school registrations in the Programme, and we would love to see these great levels of engagement continue for 2021 - 2022.

The programme offers a great opportunity for pupils to recognise the solidarity among European citizens and to celebrate the diversity in the Irish classroom today. Solidarity with our neighbours across Europe has been key as we have faced the outbreak of Covid-19 together and it is vital that this solidarity continues and that our young people recognise the importance of co-operation and solidarity across Europe in challenging times. We strongly encourage teachers to consider partaking in the Blue Star Programme this year.

Primary schools interested in taking part in the Blue Star Programme 2021-2022 can register here anytime until 5 October 2021.

To complete the programme, schools are asked to take part in online quizzes and/or submit a Blue Star Programme Report outlining how each of the key elements were explored, at the end of the year. Schools are also encouraged to host an event for Europe Day on May 9, in school or online.

Further information about the programme can be found at www.bluestarprogramme.ie
The delivery of broadband is vital to ensure that remote working can be done by everyone who wants to, according to Deputy Ruairi O Murchu, who was given a tour of connection works in County Louth last week.

The Dundalk TD went to Kilkerley and Darver with National Broadband Ireland (NBI) representatives to see for himself progress on the National Broadband Plan.

Speaking after the visit, Deputy O Murchu, who is Sinn Feins spokesperson on Communications and Broadband, said the work being carried out by NBI is a vital infrastructure project.

He said: "I spoke to NBI about the issue with catching up on the delays caused by Covid 19 and also the acceleration from a seven year roll out plan to a five year one.

"As of July this year, 93% of eligible premises in Louth have been surveyed by NBI.

"It is expected the full details of when premises will be ready for connection will be detailed in October and the acceleration plan will come after that.

"We need to ensure that all the resources of the State are put into this and there are greater resources given to local authorities to deal with issues as regards planning permissions and road opening licences.

"There can be no more delays and it is also vital that the State plays its part in relation to ensure that the people who are a number of years away from getting broadband in this roll out plan are offered interim alternatives.

"Broadband is simply a necessity here, in the life we lead.

"We need to ensure that the people who wish to can work remotely everywhere across the State.

"We need to do all that is necessary to deliver on this broadband project."
Dundalk realtor Keith Duffy has been named Real Estate Personality Of The Year 2021 by The All Ireland Business Foundation.

Keith has established a strong reputation in property and specialised advisory services in the North East and he has been acknowledged for his outstanding performance in the area of trust, commitment and customer-centricity.

The Managing Director of DPS Property and DNG Duffy has also been recognised for his outstanding contribution to quality and standards in the real estate sector.

Business All-Star Accreditation is an independently verified standard mark for indigenous businesses, based on rigorous selection criteria.

The Accreditation is overseen by the prestigious All-Ireland Business Foundation, whose adjudication panel is chaired by Dr Briga Hynes of the University of Limerick and Kieran Ring, CEO of the Global Institute of Logistics.

Reacting to the announcement Managing Director of DPS Property Management Keith Duffy said: I am honoured to have been named All-Star Real Estate Personality Of The Year.

"The achievement comes down to having a very strong team behind me  they are the ones that drive me.

"I see it as a great recognition of the hard work we put into making sure our customers are provided with a premium service.

Deputy Chair on the Adjudication Board Kieran Ring, said in support of the announcement: The accreditation is in recognition of Keith's outstanding contribution to quality and standards in the real estate sector.

"Furthermore, we wish to recognise Keith's conduct in the areas of trust, commitment, performance & customer-centricity. Keith Duffy is hereby included in The AIBF Register of Irish Business Excellence.

Managing Director of the All-Ireland Business Foundation Kapil Khanna said the accreditation, which is now held by over 500 firms, is needed by the thousands of small and medium businesses which operate to their own standards, but have nothing to measure them by.

He said: We evaluate a companys background, trustworthiness and performance, and we speak to customers, employees and vendors.

"We also anonymously approach the company as a customer and report back on the experience.

"The business goes through at least two interviews and is scored on every part of the process against set metrics.

The All-Ireland Business Foundation (AIBF) is an autonomous national accreditation body tasked with enterprise development and the promotion of Best-in-Class in Irish business.

The Foundation actively engages and supports its network through peer-dialogue, collaboration, mentoring and enterprise development activities. Companies are qualified for accreditation by completing an enterprise audit and are identified by their use of the AIBFs Business All-Star Marque.
Claremont, NH (03743)

Today

Cloudy skies early with scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early with scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Where are the best places to shop? Who gives the best haircut? Who cooks the best burger? Vote today for "Best of the Eagle-Tribune."

Vote!
DAVE ROGERS / Staff Photo. Leo Stevens, left, and Bruce Munick carry a section of the Moving Wall into place at Plum Island Airport. Once the replica of the Vietnam Memorial is set up it will be open for viewing by members of the public through Monday.
Sebastian - Mr. Leonard "Lenny" James Despensa, 78, died September 3, 2021 at Cleveland Clinic - Indian River Hospital in Vero Beach, FL. He was born December 24, 1942 in New York, New York and lived in Sebastian, Florida since 2018, after moving there from Methuen, MA. Leonard was a veteran
ENMU named veteran-friendly

PORTALES  Eastern New Mexico University announced Tuesday it has been recognized by U.S. Veterans Magazine as one of its Top Veteran-Friendly Schools for 2021.

The school release said ENMU is one of less than 200 colleges nationwide and the only New Mexico school to receive the honor.

Eastern is proud of this recognition of our commitment to veterans and their families, ENMU President Patrice Caldwell said. We are proud to offer affordable education to the men and women who have served, giving them educational options, whether in person or online.

Education Digest is compiled by the staff of The News. Contact Editor Kevin Wilson at 575-763-3431, ext. 320, or by email:

[email protected]
Martha Castillo 'a very joyful person.'

Clovis police barricade a section of Thornton Street while working the scene of a hit and run on the 2900 block. Clovis resident Martha Castillo, 68, was killed in the crash.

CLOVIS - Martha Castillo brought out the joy in those who knew her.

"Being around her, you were always laughing," said Tara Allen, a family friend. "She was always happy; a very joyful person."

Clovis police said Castillo was killed Sunday night in a hit-and-run on the 2900 block of Thornton Street. Castillo, 68, died at the scene.

A witness said Castillo was hit by a pickup, dark in color, as she attempted to cross the street. Allen said it was her understanding Castillo was walking from her house to see her grandson who lived nearby.

Police said Tuesday afternoon that the vehicle involved in the crash had been located, and the driver had been identified by law enforcement. The release did not state whether anyone had been arrested.

Prior to the Tuesday announcement about the driver, authorities had been asking the public's help in identifying the vehicle and driver involved.

According to a Clovis police news release, dispatch received a call at 8:46 p.m. Sunday saying a vehicle traveling south on Thornton was involved in the accident and took off.

While police were responding, a Clovis Fire Department ambulance responding to an unrelated call came across the scene.

Persons with information may contact Crime Stoppers at 575-763-7000 or submit an anonymous tip to the Clovis Police Department through its Facebook page or by texting CLOVISPD and the tip to 847411.

Friends said Castillo was a longtime resident of Clovis, graduating from Clovis High School in 1971.
Alice Cooper admits he could have gone the way of ill-fated rock legends who died at an early age from excesses of one kind or another, but he decided, "I had to quit everything."
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has appointed Antoine Salle de Chou as its new Head of the Banks operations in Morocco. Based in Casablanca, Mr Salle de Chou will take up his country director role on 1 September, succeeding Marie-Alexandra Veilleux-Laborie.

He will be responsible for the EBRDs investments and operations in the country and report to Heike Harmgart, the Banks Managing Director for the southern and eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region.

Mr Salle de Chou said: I am honoured to take on this new responsibility. I am committed to building on the successful track record the EBRD has achieved in Morocco. We will continue to support the country through investment, small business advice and policy dialogue to strengthen its economy and advance its private sector.

A French national, Mr Salle de Chou joined the Bank in 2013 as Senior Counsellor for Strategy and Policy. In 2017 he was appointed Head of Office in Tunisia, where he managed a significant scaling up of the Banks investments and enhanced policy engagement with the authorities, notably on the EBRDs Green Economy Transition approach. Before joining the Bank, Mr Salle de Chou worked in management consulting in London and with the French Treasury, based in Moscow. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and a masters degree from Sciences Po.

Morocco is a founding member of the EBRD and became a country of operations in 2012. To date, the Bank has invested almost 3 billion in the country through 74 projects.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has appointed Nodira Mansurova as its new Head of the Banks operations in Tunisia. Based in Tunis, Ms Mansurova will take up her duties on 1 September, succeeding Antoine Salle de Chou, who has been appointed Head of Morocco.

She will be responsible for the EBRDs investments and operations in the country and report to Heike Harmgart, the Banks Managing Director for the southern and eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region.

Ms Mansurova said: I am very happy and honoured to take up this role and return to the SEMED region. Building on the EBRDs successes in the country, I look forward to continuing our work with the Tunisian authorities, the donor community and other strategic partners on supporting and advancing the countrys economic priorities, facilitating private-sector development, green investments and sustainable and inclusive growth.

A dual Uzbek and British national, Ms Mansurova joined the EBRD in 2001 as Regional Head for the Banks SME Finance and Development programme in Central Asia, where she was based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Ms Mansurova brings a wealth of experience to Tunisian small enterprises, which are an important segment of the economy, along with a track record of delivering infrastructure business in the SEMED region.

Since September 2012, when EBRD operations in Tunisia began, the Bank has invested more than 1.3 billion through 54 projects in the country.
2 million loan to KRK to be on-lent for investments in energy efficiency

Funds will contribute to making residential buildings greener in Kosovo

Project co-financed by the EU and bilateral donors through the WBIF, as well as Austria

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is helping to boost much-needed energy efficiency investments in Kosovo through a 2 million loan to Kreditimi Rural i Kosoves (KRK), a microfinance institution focusing on rural areas of the country.

KRK will on-lend the funds to homeowners and service providers to improve energy efficiency in residential buildings. Homeowners, housing collectives, producers, vendors and service providers of green technologies will be able to invest in a wide range of energy efficient solutions, such as insulation, windows, heat pumps and solar panels.

The European Union and bilateral donors provide funds through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) to help beneficiaries identify and verify the best available equipment. This includes incentive payments of up to 20 per cent of the loan value upon successful installation. Furthermore, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance provides additional funds for technical assistance.

The financing is part of the Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) programme for the Western Balkans, which consists of credit lines totalling 135 million to build a greener and more sustainable economy across the region.

Neil Taylor, Head of the EBRD in Kosovo, said: With KRK and our partners we are making a real difference to everyday life by helping citizens to invest in energy efficient solutions for their homes. Our cooperation will help to reduce emissions, improve air quality, and build a greener economy and future for Kosovo.

Ambassador Tomas Szunyog, Head of the EU Office/EU Special Representative in Kosovo stated that: The EU promotes the Green Deal, while ensuring that investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies are more affordable for citizens. A clean and sustainable energy supply is one of the cornerstones of the EU funded assistance.

Lulzim Sadrija, CEO of KRK, commented: We are excited to extend our strong partnership with the EBRD, which started back in 2012. The new GEFF funds will support our customers  from low-income individuals in rural areas of Kosovo to micro- and small-sized enterprises, the most vibrant and fast-growing segment of our economy  in making investments in high-performance green technology and solutions.

This will be KRKs second engagement under GEFF, having successfully utilised a 2 million credit line signed in 2017. To date, around 1,000 households in the country have benefited from GEFF, reducing CO 2 emissions by over 3,100 tonnes per year.

The EBRD has invested 528 million in Kosovo since it began operating there in 2012. The Banks strategic priorities in the country are to promote the green economy, support the competitive development of the private sector and foster regional integration.
Dominic McGrath, PA

The Taoiseach has said the Government will not rule out keeping Covid-19 restrictions in some areas with high rates of the virus.

Micheal Martin's comments come as 1,789 new cases of the virus were confirmed by the Department of Health on Wednesday. As of 8am this morning there are 360 patients with Covid in hospital, 56 of whom are receiving treatment in ICU.

While Mr Martin said the Government is not currently considering a pause of the easing of restrictions in parts of the country, he added: We rule nothing out over the course of time.

He also expressed concern about a comparatively lower uptake of the vaccination in some counties with high rates of Covid-19.

As of midnight, Tuesday 31st August, we are reporting 1,789* confirmed cases of #COVID19.



As of 8am today, 360 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 56 are in ICU.  Department of Health (@roinnslainte) September 1, 2021

He promised that additional efforts are being made to remedy that.

In a lengthy interview with RTE radio, Mr Martin said that the country's phased reopening plan  with the vast majority of restrictions set to be eased across September and October  was possible because of the protection provided by the success of the vaccination programme.

Well be maxing out in terms of the protection that is available, Mr Martin said.

He also confirmed that the Government was working on a plan to deliver booster vaccines in the coming weeks.

He said that they will be necessary and that anyone immunosuppressed would be the first in line to receive a booster jab.

He rejected the suggestion that the World Health Organisations (WHO) criticism of planned booster programmes applied to Ireland.

We wear masks to protect others from #COVID19. We should all continue to wear masks in appropriate settings, even if you are fully vaccinated. #COVID19 #ForUsAll pic.twitter.com/e8Ay74B3kL  Dr Tony Holohan (@CMOIreland) September 1, 2021

The organisation had called for plans for booster programmes in highly vaccinated countries to be paused until jabs are available to less developed countries.

The WHOs view is that any mass population based booster campaign would be a cause for concern, Mr Martin said.

He went on to defend the EU and Irelands record on providing jabs and vaccine technology to poorer countries.

Looking ahead, Mr Martin confirmed that the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) would be phased out and would eventually not exist as a separate body.

You need to transition the structures you have into the normal structure of Government, he said.

He said that Nphet will be streamlined into existing Government and Department of Health structures, while the countrys vaccination taskforce would be integrated into the HSE.

COVID-19 is still here and the Delta variant spreads very easily. We need to keep protecting each other and we need your help.



Distance. Wear. Wash. We can do this #ForUsAll



 https://t.co/S8vwtD6t3f pic.twitter.com/AwPoUPqBc2  HSE Ireland (@HSELive) August 31, 2021

Asked about a promised bonus for healthcare workers, he said that would happen hopefully within the next couple of weeks.

He said that additional funding would be made available to the healthcare service to cover the cost.

The Taoiseach also said that an inquiry into the States handling of the pandemic would not be long-fingered.

I prefer the word evaluate, he said. Inquiry sometimes conveys the sense that were out to get people.

Mr Martin did not provide a timeline for when it might take place, but said: My preference is that we manage the pandemic first, with all hands on deck.

He expressed concerns that an inquiry that appeared too punitive might hamstring people in future crises.


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The hacker who stole US$600 million in tokens from a cryptocurrency platform last week was offered a security job by the platform Tuesday.

Most of the money has been returned to the Poly Network, but more than $200 million in assets remains locked in an account controlled by the hacker, whom the crypto platform refers to as "Mr. White Hat."

As a condition of releasing the remaining funds, the hacker has called for security improvements in the Poly Network platform.

In a post on Medium, the network noted it has been in contact with Mr. White Hat on a daily basis, keeping the hacker informed about the platform's ongoing efforts to improve its security.

"We have made constant efforts to establish an understanding with Mr. White Hat and genuinely hope that Mr. White Hat will transfer the private keys as soon as possible so that we can return full asset control back to the users at the earliest," the company wrote.

It also offered Mr. White Hat a job.

"[T]o extend our thanks and encourage Mr. White Hat to continue contributing to security advancement in the blockchain world together with Poly Network, we cordially invite Mr. White Hat to be the Chief Security Advisor of Poly Network," the company wrote.

Risky Job Candidate

"I wouldn't hire this guy," said Giacomo Arcaro, a growth hacker and crypto entrepreneur based in New York City.

"Imagine what he could do if he worked for a company like this," he told TechNewsWorld. "He could inject a random access Trojan into the system and hack all the users of the Poly Network.

"They should hire a cybersecurity expert, not a hacker," he added.

Erich Kron, security awareness advocate at KnowBe4, a security awareness training provider in Clearwater, Fla. noted that the Poly Network situation is an unusual one because the hacker appears to be returning stolen money to the crypto platform in good faith.

"However, by taking the money, and so much of it at that, the hacker went far beyond what could be called 'ethical hacking,'" he told TechNewsWorld.

"Their actions could make a person question their state of mind and moral compass, even with the return of the money, so bringing them on as an employee would be a significant risk," he continued.

"The offer to use them as a Chief Security Advisor may only be a contracted role, rather than a true employee relationship," he said. "Much like law enforcement uses known criminals as informants, Mr. White Hat could be a source of valuable information and insight, even if they are kept at an arm's length."

"Before trusting them as an employee, both parties would need to trust each other and understand their motivation," he added.

Matter of Trust

Chris Clements, vice president of solutions architecture at Cerberus Sentinel, a cybersecurity consulting and penetration testing company in Scottsdale, Ariz. maintained the Poly Network's offer to Mr. White Hat reflects the amount of leverage the company has in its present predicament.

"Poly Network realizes the attacker has them over a barrel and is doing everything possible to play nice in hopes of recovering the stolen funds. They have 200 million reasons to do so," he told TechNewsWorld.

"It really depends on Poly Network's goals here," he said. "If the motivation is to play as nice as possible in hopes the stolen funds are returned then, yes, this is very wise."

"If they really intend for the attacker to have a meaningful say in their future security efforts, it's probably unwise," he observed.

"At some level, security boils down to trust," he continued, "and an individual who has demonstrated the willingness to transfer funds that don't belong to them rather than proactively reporting a security issue definitely hasn't earned that trust."

"Even if an actual proof of concept transfer would have been necessary to demonstrate the issue, it likely wouldn't have required such a significant transfer, nor would it have prevented the attacker from immediately returning the funds once the issue had been proven," he added.

Bug Bounty Offer

In addition to a job, the Poly Network has offered Mr. White Hat a $500,000 bounty for exposing the flaw in its software that allowed $600 million to bleed from its coffers.

The hacker initially refused to accept the bounty, but later stated the money should be given to the technical community who have made contributions to blockchain security. Blockchain is the technology that's the cornerstone of cryptocurrency security.

"We fully respect Mr. White Hat's thoughts, and to express our gratitude, we will still transfer this $500,000 bounty to a wallet address approved by Mr. White Hat for him to use it at his own discretion for the cause of cybersecurity and supporting more projects and individuals," the company wrote.

"Whatever Mr. White Hat chooses to do with the bounty in the end, we have no objections," it added.

The company also reiterated in its Medium piece that it had no intention of holding Mr. White Hat legally responsible for his actions, as it is confident he will return full control of all assets to the Poly Network.

Dubious Gratitude

"I think this is Poly Network attempting to motivate the attacker to do the right thing and return the funds rather than honest gratitude," Clements observed.

"Bug bounties in general are a wonderful tool for organizations to use as part of a complete information security program but are typically governed by strict rules of engagement between the company hosting the bug bounty and the security researchers attempting to find flaws," he added.

Kron also questioned the payment of a bounty by Poly Network.

"By actually stealing the money, the hacker crossed the line into a criminal act, even if they return the funds," he said.

"Bug bounties are becoming more common and are very effective tools for organizations to keep their security tested, but they are typically designed in such a way as to provide payouts without the security researcher actually causing damage or stealing anything. In other words, they keep things legal," he explained.

The color of Mr. White Hat's chapeau was questioned by Quentin Rhoads, director of professional services for TeamARES at CriticalStart, a cybersecurity consulting and managed detection and response services company in Plano, Texas.

"It seems the hacker discovered he couldn't launder the money he stole because Poly Network told a number of blockchain sites to block transactions containing the stolen addresses," he told TechNewsWorld.

"Because he couldn't launder the money, he changed his stance and said he stole the money for the betterment of the crypto world," he continued.

"It was a case of I can't get my money so I'm going to try to get something out of this,'" he said, "and Poly Networks assisted him by saying, 'If you give the money back, we'll give you some money and claim it as a bounty.'"

John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John.


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South based vaccination clinics for 16  17 year olds

A further vaccination clinic is being held later this week for individuals aged 16 and 17 to receive a vaccine.



The clinic will be open for individuals in this age group to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on:



 Sunday 5 September 10am  12pm  Castle Rushen High School



Individuals wanting to attend this clinic will need to ensure that they are already registered with 111 before attending and have a confirmed appointment. Those who arrive and do not have a scheduled appointment will not be vaccinated on the day. This is to ensure that the team bring the correct amount of vaccine and that there is no wastage.



All attending are asked to please bring proof of identification with them.



Young people aged 16  17 who are household contacts of an immunosuppressed person will be offered two doses of the vaccine in line with the adult rollout and will be invited to register via a letter from their GP.



Additionally, 17-year olds who are within three months of turning 18 will be offered a second dose appointment, this being confirmed shortly after their first dose.
Emily Grace Bradford, 16, of Athens passed away Monday September 6, 2021, at Madison Hospital. Services will be Monday, September 13, 2021, at The Most Merciful Jesus Catholic Church at 3 p.m. with Father Joy Chalissery officiating. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until service time at the ch
Amazon has rolled out a new feature for Alexa that can make sure you hear what the voice assistant says even while the TV's on or while people are talking. According to The Verge, the new feature called Adaptive Volume will make Alexa speak louder if it detects a lot of ambient noise. The goal, the company told the publication, is for you to be able to hear the voice assistant's responses over the noise in your home or office. If you're outside the US, though, you won't be able to give it a try just yet  The Verge says it's only available for US customers at the moment.

The publication tested the feature using an Echo Dot that's right next to a desktop PC with a spinning fan and found its performance inconsistent. Alexa responded in a louder than usual voice at times, but other times it replied in its usual volume. It's possible that the company is still fine-tuning the feature before making it available in other regions. The Verge has also noted that Amazon didn't say whether Adaptive Volume can also make the voice assistant respond in a quieter voice if it detects almost no ambient noise. Alexa has long had a "whisper mode," however, which can make it respond in a softer voice when you whisper commands to it.

If you're in the US and want to give Adaptive Volume a try, simply activate it by saying "Alexa, turn on adaptive volume."
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Traveling with young children is like trying to turn a cruise ship: Its cumbersome, takes a significant amount of planning and requires a team effort. Because I apparently lack any amount of common sense, I recently took a 3,000-mile RV trip with my partner and two toddlers. Traveling with little ones can be stressful because they rely so much on their established routines; anything that deviates from that is going to be hard for them and you.

While we tried to maintain a semblance of normalcy by bringing along familiar toys and blankets, we also took the advice of a close friend who is an early childhood development specialist. She recommended keeping our twins engaged and entertained by grouping toys or activities together and rotating them throughout the day. Here are a few things that we tried that well be returning to the next time we travel.

Music

Depending on how youre traveling, music can be a great way to entertain tiny travelers. The repetition in childrens songs help kids learn patterns and expand their vocabulary. Whats more, musical play encourages movement along with both fine and gross motor skills. Thats great if youre in a car where you can clap, sing and wiggle, but gets more challenging when youre stuck on an aircraft with dozens of other people who dont want to hear Old MacDonald seven(-ty-seven) times in a row.

Instruments

Sesame Street

My mom bought us this CD player for our trip and weeks later, the twins are still fighting over it. My daughter really likes the music, my son really likes taking the CD out repeatedly to figure out how the player works, and they both like the colorful book of lyrics. Fisher Price has a similar option with light-up buttons, which is perfect for occupying little hands.

Another cool gadget weve recommended in the past is the Blipbox, an entry-level synthesizer that comes with 300 melodies and a synchronized light show. It contains a digital synth engine that includes an amp envelope, two LFOs, a modulation envelope and a low-pass filter  perfect for teaching kids about creating music while also entertaining their caretakers.

Spotify playlists

When my twins were infants, the only thing that got them to sleep was playing Maxence Cyrins version of Where is my mind? on repeat. We still have a classical playlist of songs for when its time to sleep, but I also keep a playlist of songs that are entertaining for adult passengers as well (think: Yellow Submarine and songs by They Might Be Giants). Its nice both to switch up the endless parade of nursery rhymes and expose them to different types of music.

YouTube playlists

On the other hand, kids respond to nursery rhymes because they incorporate simple melodies, repetition and actions (some of which can be easy to do while seated). YouTube has dozens of long playlists of classic nursery rhymes, some of which include the lyrics, which is helpful if youre like me and have long forgotten the words to Three Blind Mice.

Podcasts

Older kids might enjoy one of the many educational podcasts out there. As a bonus, if theyre able to keep headphones on for a decent stretch of time, this makes for a good airplane option, too. As an avid podcast fan myself, Im excited for my twins to be old enough to enjoy them with me, and Ive already bookmarked several to try out. The But Why? podcast from NPR answers questions that kids send in themselves from how do you make ice cream? to why do we wear clothes? If your kid is into science, try Brains On or Tumble to explore topics like how far can a cloud travel? and how to become an astronaut.

For more narrative style podcasts, check out Little Stories for Tiny People or Story Time. And for those kids, and parents, who are into exploring different musical genres, theres the Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl and Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child podcasts, which feature songs from the Orb, Cake and Bob Marley.

Interactive

Will Lipman Photography / deMoca

Being stuck in a car or plane seat for long periods of time can make it challenging to find activities that involve younger kids need to explore, but there are still a few options. Most notably, a kids camera, like the Action Cam or the Creator Cam from VTech, can help them stay amused. They can document the trip with photos, videos and use stop-motion or time-lapse effects. The Action Cam can be mounted on a bike and comes with a waterproof case, while the Creator Cam comes with a small tripod and includes more than 20 animated backgrounds that the kids can use to spice up their photos and videos.

For kids younger than the recommended age for a camera, I like busy boards. Car time with my twins has become a lot easier since we got a few of the soft, zippered activity books that feature a variety of buckles, zippers and clasps for them to fiddle with.

Arts and crafts

Etch A Sketch

If your child is into arts and crafts, youre not out of luck when traveling (although maybe leave the glitter at home). There are a few easy ways to travel with a crafty kid, like bringing along a trusty Etch a Sketch, which never needs batteries, or investing in an airplane busy box, which includes coloring books as well as activities like creating a puppet show or superhero mask.

If youd like something a little more high-tech and easy to pack, try a color by numbers app for your phone or tablet, which are engrossing even for adults. Or theres the Osmo kit for Fire tablets which incorporates games, drawing and problem solving via various games and animations.

Reading

Amazon

My kids enjoy reading as much as I do, which means there are always at least a few books included when we travel. Theyre not quite old enough for a Kindle Kids Edition yet, but it will be a great option when they graduate from board books. I honestly cant wait to load up the Harry Potter series and a selection of Roald Dahl onto an e-reader for them.

In the meantime, I compromised by taking short videos of me reading through some of their favorites, like the Grumpy Monkey, and brought a selection of others like their Indestructible books. Not only are the Indestructible books rip-proof and chew-proof but theyre also washable so you dont have to worry about them getting wet. My favorite part is that theyre very slim, so it was easy to pack several of them at once without adding a lot of bulk.

For parents

Baby's Brew

Of course, there are a few gadgets that will help make your life easier as a traveling parent. Im thinking specifically of the Babys Brew portable bottle warmer I recently invested in, which made our trip significantly easier since my daughter refuses to have a cold bottle. It did take me a few tries to get the hang of the controls, which is embarrassing to admit since there is a single button on it, but it did the job well and solved my cold bottle problem.

I also brought along the Munchkin 59s portable sterilizer which uses UV to clean a pacifier in under a minute; thats helpful since every pacifier winds up on the floor in under a minute. Lastly, if your kiddo has a prized blanket, pacifier or toy that is essential for soothing or sleeping, consider tagging it with a Tile or Chipolo tracker. If I had thought about it in time, I would have thrown one on my daughters fox lovey to save myself from constantly worrying that shed left it in Nebraska.
A company purporting to improve access to local TV stations for people who cant access the signal via traditional means has been dealt a blow by a New York Court. Locast has lost the courtroom skirmish started by CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox, which said that the company was violating their copyright. Deadline reports that the quartets request for summary judgment was granted, saying that it couldnt use its non-profit status as a defense against further action.

The big four, of course, dont believe Locasts aims were anywhere near as public-minded as the company made out. The body was reportedly backed, in part, by AT&T and Dish Network, and the networks feel that the whole project was set up as a way of dodging carriage fees. Part of Locasts defense was that US copyright law allows third parties to boost local signals, and that it acted like a signal booster station.

Its worth noting that Locasts founder David Goodfriend, a lawyer and former FCC legal advisor, conceived of Locast in the wake of Aereos destruction at the hands of the big networks. A 2019 New York Times profile explained that he had designed the legal situation to be compliant within the law. The profile is even titled that the company would love to get sued to act as a test-case for the rules.

The court found that Locasts policy of expanding into new markets runs contrary to the aim of a non-profit, where cash should be used to cover running costs only. Judge Louis Stanton said that the cash raised from Locasts $5-per-month (dont call it a) subscription was being used to bankroll further expansion and earned far more money from user charges than was necessary.

It didnt help, that when some TV providers have entered into carriage disputes, Locast has been cited as a way of still accessing that content. As The Wall Street Journal wrote back in 2019, DirecTV and Dish customers were directed to access Locast, although Dish and AT&T both said that this was only because it felt that it was obliged to offer the choice to its users.

By removing Locasts major legal shield, its certainly likely that the project will soon have yet more lawyers on their door. After all, were it to survive, it would be a challenge both to the profitability of the major TV players and encouragement to any future upstarts looking to disrupt the space.

In a statement, Locast said that the ruling was disappointing, citing commentary from the EFF adding that the court interpreted the law in an artificially-narrow way. The EFF added that over three million people use Locast to access local TV, including many who cant afford cable and cant pick up their local stations with an antenna. This ruling threatens their access to local news and vital information during a global pandemic. It closed by saying that the ruling treats copyright law not as an engine of progress but a moat protecting the most privileged position of the four giant broadcasting networks.
The United States created a biometric system to register as many Afghans as possible over 15 years ago, and it's become a cause for concern now that the Taliban has taken over. According to NBC News, privacy advocates are worried [PDF] about the possibility of the Taliban using the database to identify and target individuals who worked with the US-backed Afghan government and organizations that champion women's rights. The system's database, which the US shared with the Afghan government, reportedly contains millions of fingerprints, iris scans and face photos collected throughout the years.

While the exact number of individuals in the database is unclear, an Air Force medic the publication talked to said he was instructed to scan the irises, take the fingerprints and photograph the face of every Afghan who came through the hospital doors while he was in service. Other military officers had to the same thing. The goal was to have an extensive database of fingerprints that authorities can search in the event a bomb is found.

That said, since the US military scanned anyone and everyone, one of the vets who helped collect Afghans' biometrics said it could be difficult to use the database to find specific individuals to target. Someone being in the database doesn't necessarily mean they worked with the US government or women's rights organizations. Department of Defense spokesperson Eric Pahon also denied that Afghans' biometric data is at risk. He told NBC News that "The U.S. has taken prudent actions to ensure that sensitive data does not fall into the Taliban's hands. This data is not at risk of misuse,"
About a year ago, if you wanted to stream lossless audio tracks to your phone, you essentially had one option: Tidal . A lot has changed since then, with Apple recently rolling out support for lossless streaming in June , and Spotify promising to do the same later this year. But unless youre willing to connect a USB DAC to your phone, more streaming services jumping on the Hi-Res bandwagon does you little good since Bluetooth headphones can only stream lossy audio. Thankfully, thats about to change.

Chipmaker Qualcomm is adding a new flavor to its aptX Bluetooth codec, and its a lossless one that, in ideal conditions, the company claims delivers CD-quality 16-bit 44.1kHz audio streaming over a wireless connection. Qualcomm says it made improvements to its Bluetooth High Speed Link technology to deliver the required data throughput required to stream a lossless track wirelessly, but the codec can also compress a signal down to 24-bit 96kHz quality to ensure you don't experience any interruptions. You can also manually switch between 16-bit 44.1kHz and 24-bit 96kHz streaming modes, though the codec will automatically default to the former when it detects a lossless source.

Qualcomms Snapdragon chipsets come with support for its aptX codecs built-in. That means almost any Android phone you buy in North America or Europe will support the standard. As with all Bluetooth codecs, its not enough for only your phone, tablet or computer to support the technology. You also need a pair of compatible headphones or earbuds. Qualcomm says the first ones to support aptX Lossless will arrive later this year.
Microsoft has announced that Windows 11 will be available on October 5th as a free upgrade for qualifying Windows 10 systems, as well as on new PCs shipping after that date. But it isnt for everyone; a gradual rollout will prioritize newer hardware and use "intelligence models" to determine who gets the upgrade first. Microsoft will apparently factor in reliability and device age. It could be the case that friends and family utterly disinterested in an OS update could be offered it ahead of anyone champing at the bit for the latest edition of Windows. Check out Engadgets Devindra Hardawar's preview on what to expect from Windows 11.

All supporting machines will get the update by mid-2022, if you can think that far ahead. For those at the head of the line, youll still miss out on Android app support , which won't be available on launch. Microsoft plans to introduce the feature in a Windows Insider preview build sometime in the "coming months."

 Mat Smith

But the service may not be ready for the next iPhone.

A rumored satellite feature for future iPhones is reserved for emergency uses only, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. A few days ago, another report said the next iPhones will come with support for Low Earth Orbit satellite calls and messages. Other sources said, however, that Apple is reportedly developing at least two emergency-related features relying on satellite networks.

The first feature, Emergency Message via Satellite, will be added as a third protocol, alongside iMessage and SMS, to the Messages app. Apple is also reportedly working on a second satellite feature for users to report crisis situations, like plane crashes and fires.

Continue reading.

Its online only at first.

You can now visit Best Buys website to purchase powered bicycles, as well as electric scooters and mopeds from brands like Unagi, Bird, Segway and SWFT. In October, Best Buy will begin stocking those same EVs in select stores across the US, including Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. The companys Geek Squad will even offer a $100 service where it comes to your house to adjust the brakes, seat height and handlebars for you.

Continue reading.

The $150 snapper works with the redesigned Polaroid app.

Polaroid

Polaroids Now+ is a $150 analog camera with Bluetooth connectivity and five physical lens filters. It's the first time the company has included the latter out of the box. You can clip the filters on to the camera's lens to saturate or deepen the contrast of your photos or add new effects, like starburst, red vignette, and orange, blue and yellow colors.

Continue reading.

One new tool lets you record your own voice to train the tone of an AI voice

The voices on Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant and other AI assistants are far ahead of old-school GPS devices, but they still lack the finer qualities that make speech sound, well, human. NVIDIA has unveiled new research and tools that can capture those natural speech qualities by letting you train the AI system with your own voice.

To improve its AI voice synthesis, NVIDIAs text-to-speech research team developed a model called RAD-TTS. The system allows an individual to train a text-to-speech model with their own voice, including the pacing, tonality, timbre and more.

(Maybe its time to build an AI voice so I dont have to record Engadgets The Morning Edition podcast each day. Dont tell anyone, OK?)

Continue reading.

The bill could have global ramifications.

South Korea has today passed a law requiring major app stores to allow alternate payment methods. The bill, due to be rubber-stamped by President Moon Jae-in, forces platform holders to open up their stores, which will affect their lucrative commissions on digital sales. Apple and Google are facing lawsuits and regulator investigations in multiple countries, many focused on how their app stores operate.

Continue reading.

The new model also has better battery life and a lower price.

Finally, 2017s QuietComfort 35 II headphones have a proper replacement: the QuietComfort 45. Bose says these headphones "maintain the hallmarks of their predecessor" when it comes to audio quality, comfort, reliable controls and more. The QC45 also keeps nearly the same design as the QC35 and QC35 II except for a few subtle changes  and a longer battery life estimated to be around 24 hours. At $329.95, they'll debut at a lower price than the previous two QuietComfort models.

The QuietComfort 45 headphones will be available in black and light gray on September 23rd. Pre-orders begin today at Amazon and Bose's website.

Continue reading.

Ambient sound, customizable settings and good battery life.

When it comes to true wireless earbuds, Jabra has continued to improve design, features and technology since the Elite 65t. But there was one thing it was still missing: a low-cost model for around $100. So say hello to the Elite 3: an $80 set of true wireless earbuds with more features than were used to seeing at this price.

Continue reading.

All the big news you might have missed

Twitch streamers are taking a day off to protest hate raids

#AppleToo starts publishing employees' toxic workplace stories

Jabra promises clearer calls with its Elite 7 Pro noise-canceling earbuds

Netgear's 5G mobile hotspot router with WiFi 6 is now available for $700

Amazon's Echo Show 5s are cheaper than ever starting at $45

Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4 gets an official walkie-talkie app
Twitch streamers are planning to step away from the platform on September 1st for a day of protest, the Washington Post has reported. The #DayOffTwitch action aims to bring attention to a recent burst of harassment in the form of "hate raids" directed toward marginalized creators.

The day long walkout was spearheaded by Twitch streamers including RekitRaven, ShineyPen and Lucia Everblack. Those creators, who came up with the #TwitchDoBetter hashtag, were protesting Twitch's slow reaction to sexist, racist, transphobic and other forms of harassing messages. The abuse was often generated by bots, and had the effect of overwhelming chats to the point that creators had to cut off streams.

Streamers were particularly upset by Twitch expanding its list to include around 350 tags classified by "gender, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ability, mental health, and more." While it may have helped creators better connect to fans, it made it easier for abusive users to harass creators. That often came in the form of "raids" that would flood a channel with racist slurs and abusive language.

A note about #ADayOffTwitch from the cast & crew of our streamed show.



Please read & remember not everyone is free to take tomorrow off, no matter the level of support they have for the event. pic.twitter.com/Pu6lE8CucQ  Mother LandsRPG: Season 3! (@MotherlandsRPG) August 31, 2021

"Im just tired of it," RekItRaven (who declined to share their full name) told the Washington Post. Im tired of feeling like Im not allowed to exist based off of circumstances that are out of my control, and I know other people are too.

Streamers are left to their own devices with only community-developed resources to combat the issues. That includes things like a "panic button" that takes chat into a limited mode and limits the ability of new users with abusive names to join.

Twitch has promised to take action. "We support our streamers rights to express themselves and bring attention to important issues across our service. No one should have to experience malicious and hateful attacks based on who they are or what they stand for, and we are working hard on improved channel-level ban evasion detection and additional account improvements to help make Twitch a safer place for creators," the company told The Verge.

Creators are also protesting Twitch's revenue-sharing scheme, which allows it to take half the platform's revenue  but not for all creators. "Were all very loudly aware that there are many who are getting 70/30 cuts, but theres no criteria, no conversation, no goals, nothing, black streamer Vanessa (PleasantlyTwstd) told the Washington Post.
Funeral services for Billy, 87, will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, September 16, 2021, in Stittsworth Memory Chapel. Pastor Lester Lowry will officiate. Burial will follow in Kremlin Cemetery under the guidance of Amy Stittsworth Funeral Service. www.stittsworthfuneralservices.com
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Rose McGowan versus Oprah Winfrey this time. The former "Charmed" actress minced no words in lambasting the famous host for the latter's alleged siding with Harvey Weinstein and take down of Russel Simon victims. Are Rose's accusations true though?

Oprah Winfrey may appear a "real" host, since she covers the most controversial of topics, including giving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle a platform to spill their stories against the palace. However, Rose McGowan reportedly sees though the host and described her as being as "fake as they come."

On Sunday, the 47-year-old actress slammed Oprah, 67, for being chummy with the convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein. Her evidence of choice is a photo of the mogul kissing Weinstein on the cheek. On Twitter, Rose wrote, "I am glad more are seeing the ugly truth of @Oprah. I wish she were real, but she isn't."

She then dished out what exactly Winfrey's "crime" is.

ALSO READ: Kanye West, Irina Shayk 'Relationship' Just a PR Stunt Cooked Up by 'Donda' Singer and Ex, Kim Kardashian?

"From being pals with Weinstein to abandoning & destroying Russell Simmon's [sic] victims, she is about supporting a sick power structure for personal gain, she is as fake as they come," she said, adding a very telling hashtag, #lizard.

The actress pinned her post on Twitter account to make sure that it would not be buried if she goes on a tweeting spree the next time. But she did not explain exactly why she's saying all these now. It could not just be because she saw the old photo.

I am glad more are seeing the ugly truth of @Oprah. I wish she were real, but she isnt. From being pals with Weinstein to abandoning & destroying Russell Simmons victims, she is about supporting a sick power structure for personal gain, she is as fake as they come. #lizard pic.twitter.com/RCuXNpWCU0  Rose McGowan (@rosemcgowan) August 29, 2021

According to Mail Online UK, it can be because Oprah WInfrey's quite insensitive and judgemental interview of Dolly Parton has resurfaced online though. While nobody thought there was anything wrong with how she pestered and questioned Parton during that time, more sensitive and woke netizens at this moment could see how wrong the celebrated host was.

The timing is suspect. Rose McGowan posted her allegations after the clip of Oprah asking Parton how she was defying age went viral once. Some fans thought Oprah was condescending, especially when she hinted that Parton had something in her face done. To the host's surprise, Parton took it in a stride and just laughed off the comment, which impresses those who are now just witnessing the clip.

"I feel like oprah wanted her to be embarrassed but ms dolly said "nope," one commenter said.

"Oprah looked so salty when she couldn't get her to react how she wanted.. Lmaoo," commented another.

Winfrey is yet to react.

ALSO READ: Khloe Kardashian's Snide Comments About 'Fat' People Viral Again on TikTok, Users Hitting Back
Arthur Chatto, Princess Margaret's grandson, is set to become the first royal to be a Marines officer if he passes the 32-week grueling course.

The 22-year-old model and personal trainer has been accepted to the Royal Marines and is currently preparing for the next chapter of his life.

According to The Daily Mail UK, Chatto reportedly went to the Scottish Highlands earlier this month to hike over 20 miles and participate in wild camping in preparation for the commando training.

When he visited the Balmoral, Chatto reportedly shared the good news to his grand-aunt, Queen Elizabeth II.

Per The Sun, Her Majesty is "pleased and proud" of Lady Sarah's son. A source added that Prince Edward, who dropped out of Marines training in 1987, was also supportive of his decision.

In addition, Chatto had already gone straight into this year's officer training and is "very keen and up for it." The source said that the royal would "get a lot further" than Prince Edward did.

Who Is Arthur Chatto?

Per the outlet, Chatto is the son of Lady Sarah, Princess Margaret's only daughter. The royal studied geography at Edinburgh University. He reportedly juggled his academics with working as a personal trainer.

He also studied at Eton College after attending Westminster Cathedral Choir school. He reportedly entered the Combined Cadet Force to learn more about military skills.

READ NOW: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle On Mend With Royal Family But Pledged To Continue Doing THIS

Ranked as "the sexiest royal," Chatto previously amassed many fans on his Instagram account @artchatto for posting cheeky photos. However, the page was already deleted.

Aside from being a fitness enthusiast, the royal is also a big fan of Artic diving and mountain climbing.

Prince Harry previously becomes the Captain-General of the royal marines, but his title was stripped after he quit his royal duties.

Prince Edward Dropped Out From The Marines In 1987

In early reports, the Duke of Kent dropped out of the Royal Marines in 1987, just after four months of training. His decision reportedly dismayed the Queen and his siblings, and they all wanted him to stay on.

Prince Philip was assumed to be outraged by the news, but it was not confirmed to the public.

Rumors spread like wildfire at the time, saying that Prince Edward had exchanged harsh words with the Duke of Edinburgh, but royal sources debunked the claims saying Prince Philip was sympathetic and understood his son's decision.

READ ALSO: Kourtney Kardashian, Amelia Hamlin Share Cryptic Posts Amid Scott Disick Leaked DM Drama [FULL STORY]
2021-08-31

Maeci

The first meeting of the Steering Committee for the Italian Plan for the Afghan People, launched by Minister Di Maio, was held today at the Foreign Ministry, in hybrid format. The meeting was attended by officials from the Prime Minister's Office and the Interior, Defence, Health, Education, University and Research, Labour and Social Policies, and Justice Ministries, as well as from the Departments for Regional Affairs and Autonomous Communities and for Equal Opportunities. The meeting was called to establish guidelines for and the operational aspects of the projects already under way and planned interventions, at national level and in agreement with our principal international partners, to address the many aspects of the Afghan crisis.

The meeting also looked into the possible paths to follow in order to make use of all available channels, at central, local and civil society level, and with multilateral bodies, to confirm and revitalise Italy's commitment to the Afghan people, even in phase 2, beyond the current emergency. The objective is to structure Italy's contribution on a humanitarian level and in response to the more urgent needs, and to strengthen the actions for ensuring respect of fundamental human rights, with a special focus on the condition of women and minors.
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Tuesday, August 31, 2021

The global supply chain in transporting goods relies on three inextricably linked types of transportation: maritime, rail freight and trucking. Each one can be considered a bridge from one to the other over hard infrastructure which allows goods to be transported from manufacturer to its final destination.

In the present-day landscape all three are alarmingly weak and vulnerable. It has been extensively reported and documented that the maritime and trucking industry have difficulty in securing enough equipment and personnel to meet new demand because of extensive furlough of personnel, shortage of trained personnel and imbalance of availability of equipment.

Little mentioned and equally critical to these links is freight trains which is an indispensable component in hauling imported goods from ports to major cities and distribution points as well as the domestic transport of agricultural products.

SHIPPING & PORT INFRASTRUCTURE

Ocean freight consists of 85% of total global trade which makes it the most critical "bridge" of this troika. Even during the best of times there has always been port congestion and shortage of containers, however because of the extreme supply & demand imbalance, these mundane industry problems have been extraordinarily exacerbated.

The Financial Times article on 10 August 2021 entitled Ports Face Biggest Crisis Since Start of Container Shipping provides a comprehensive overview and challenges of the status of the container industry.

To paraphrase the issues in this article, ports worldwide pre-pandemic have dealt with congestion and delays. For this reason investment is required to increase capacity and change the layout configuration to accommodate the super-sized container ships, deeper docks and bigger.

The largest container ships, the super-size category can carry 20,000 20 ft containers that when laid side to side would stretch beyond the distance from Paris to Amsterdam or 315 miles. The process in normal times of ordering and installing of a new crane to expedite their unloading can take 18 months.

With respect to congestion in the US, container ships are waiting 33 hours in 2021 for a berth for unloading vs 8 hours in 2020.

TRUCKING

The following article 11 Incredible Facts About the $700 Billion US Trucking Industry, in Markets Insider, 3 June 2019, provides a comprehensive perspective as to the criticality of truckers' role in America's economy and security.

In 2017, the US trucking industry posted revenues greater than the GDP of more than 150 nations. Approximately 5.8% of fulltime jobs are related to trucking. Walmart alone employs 8,600 truckers. Trucks move more than 70% of goods transported around the USA. More than 40% of all trucking jobs are held by minorities, 6% by women. Not one of the regulators charged with overseeing the trucking industry was ever a trucker. Most grocery stores would run out of food in three days if there was no long-haul truckers stopped driving. Many experts believe that the trucking industry needs to hire 900,000 more drivers. Most truck drivers earn less than most Americans in annual income. The average professional long-haul driver logs more than 100,000 miles per year (vs the average American motorist who travels 13,500 miles annually)

Truckers' Demographic Dilemma

According to the figures a trucker's average age is 55 in a profession whose working conditions don't encourage a healthy lifestyle which in turn aggravates underlying health conditions. According to the article published by MSN Money 12 March 2020 How Coronavirus Could Hit America's 1.8 Million Truck Drivers 38% of truck drivers lack health insurance with unhealthy lifestyles which are considerably higher than the average population encompassing obesity, morbid obesity, cigarette smoking and diabetes. The shortage of qualified truck drivers has persisted for many years.

This has compelled some trucking companies to offer generous signing bonuses up to $8,000. But as observers noted, these bonuses are not attracting "new blood" rather encouraging current drivers to jump too other companies because the profession is demanding with limited upside.

The aforementioned dilemmas are almost identical in Europe and Asia (except Africa) making it a global problem that will not be resolved in the near future.

RAIL FREIGHT

Rail freight has received far less publicity than their transportation associates yet face the same operational dilemmas. The Wall Street Journal article 22 July 2021 entitled Shortage of Railroad Workers Threaten Recovery discusses the shortage of railroad workers affecting operations.

To paraphrase the article freight companies are running fewer trains with more freight cars because of higher than expected attrition and deeper personnel cuts. This change in operations was initiated by Canadian railroad companies called "precision scheduled railroading" in 2017. It entails running fewer trains, longer distances, tighter schedules which require fewer locomotives, workers and facilities.

With respect to experienced personnel, freight companies are trying to ramp up by recruiting, often with monetary incentives and training. The present-day employment level below pre-pandemic levels currently at 47,444 vs 51,800 according to the Standard Transportation Board.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Crumbling Bridges

Even with improvements in maritime, trucking and rail freight, the infrastructure they must traverse has also been on a downward trajectory for decades. The proposed infrastructure bill falls far short of the required repairs financially and technically.

The Wall Street Journal article dated 17 June 2021 entitled One Failed Bridge in Memphis is Costing Business Millions underscores the decades of negligent inspections of America's infrastructure. According to the article the Arkansas DOT inspections in 2019 and 2020 missed a crack in the 50-year old bridge which carries 40,000 vehicles daily and Memphis a critical distribution hub. For this reason that vehicles must use an alternate, narrower bridge that crosses the Mississippi River resulting in massive congestion while repairs are made.

A superb example as to the criticality of even a small bridge was entertainingly explained by actor Stanley Tucci in the movie Margin Call (2011) about a financial firm at the brink of a meltdown. He brilliantly articulated with a short storytelling narrative on the impact of the role of a small bridge he designed in Middle America:

The following chart entitled Where America's Bridges Are Crumbling provided by the American Road & Transportation Building Association (ARTBA) gives a startling quantitative figure and areas of extreme need of structurally deficient bridges in 2020:

In their assessment ARTBA stated, "Infrastructure by finding that more than 220,000 American bridges need repair work. 45,000 of them were deemed structurally deficient and Americans cross them 171.5 million times daily. At the current rate, it would take more than 40 years to fix all of them and cost an estimated $41.8 billion. The good news is that the number of structurally deficient bridges has declined for the past five years but that trend has been tempered by more bridges being downgraded from good to fair condition."

Furthermore, "Out of all U.S. states, Iowa has the most structurally deficient bridges, 4,571 or 19.1 percent of its total bridges. Pennsylvania comes second on the list with 3,353 of its bridges falling into the same category, along with 2,374 in Illinois. West Virginia has the highest share of bridges classified as structurally deficient at 21 percent while Nevada has the lowest at just 1.4 percent."

The trend for increasingly severe weather has also accelerated decrepitude of these infrastructures in terms of shutdown or collapse.

Although a mammoth bipartisan infrastructure bill has passed, the following chart entitled Infrastructure: The US is Falling Short on Investment provided by the American Society of Civil Engineers, shows the astounding investment gap between funded and unfunded. Whether the newly approved monies for this new bill will be spent in the correct areas  historic mismatch of funding based on politics than engineering and economic need.

According to The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) its report on 17 major infrastructure categories on a range of criteria such as capacity, condition, funding and public safety scoring A to F, USA score climbed from D+ in 2017 to a C- in 2021, the first time out of D range in two decades. Nonetheless the overall improvement was uneven in which 11 of 17 categories were still graded D.

Dammed If You Do

In an area where the US is eliminating an expensive infrastructure maintenance cost is dams. According to the UN Institute for Water, Environment and Health, the US is the world's leader in dam removal because of the burdensome risk and cost. In the past 30 years the US has decommissioned 1,200 dams. About 18% of US dams are high hazard risk. Texas has the most dams. Most were constructed to provide irrigation to water scarce regions. Only 3% of the dams are for hydroelectrical purposes.

The following chart entitled Where Dams Have Reached "Alert" Age provided by the UN Institute for Water, Environment and Health shows average age of large dams worldwide.

In an era of severe drought this may not seem urgent however there are huge costs and manpower in decommissioning dams.

Infrastructure Bill Provisions

Included in the Senate-approved $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill includes the following for 'hard' tangible projects such as roads, bridges, etc. projects:

Hard Projects Senate Approved Amount (in billions) Roads & bridges $110 Rail: Amtrak and national network $66 Public Transport $39 Airports: runways and terminals $20 Airports: air traffic control $5 Ports & waterways $17 Power Grid upgrade $75 Grand Total $332

Lacking the Brick & Mortar Know-How

America's failure in the educational sciences to graduate engineers and other technical professionals fall short of personnel regardless how much money is thrown at these infrastructure problems. We've spawned a new generation that excels at writing virtual software but not for repairing brick & mortar hardware. America's multigenerational degradation of math and science technical education and paucity of American students pursuing those fields creates a national security problem.

To eliminate the shortage of experienced professionals and technicians, planners, engineers and the blue-collar operations manpower is a multi-generational endeavor under the best of circumstances. The government can always print more money but is unable to create more qualified technical people as fast.

As the adage goes, "A chain is as strong as its weakest link" which neatly applies to the supply chain and the infrastructure it utilizes. Even of two of the three supply chain bridges were magically brought back to pre-pandemic service, smooth world trade would still depend on every component working in harmony.

 Copyright 2021 Cerulean Council LLC

The Cerulean Council is a NYC-based think-tank that provides prescient, beyond-the-horizon, contrarian perspectives and risk assessments on geopolitical dynamics and global urban security.
A Dallas company is seeking city funding to help build a $100 million apartment complex as the first step toward Broadway East, a massive mixed-use development planned for about 20 neglected acres near the Pearl.

Encore Multi-Family LLC wants to construct the five-story, 386-unit project on about 4 acres bounded by Austin, Alamo, Grayson and Carson streets, which the company acquired last year from GrayStreet Partners.

The complex would include one- and two-bedroom units rented at market rates along with a pool, rooftop deck, dog park, fitness center and other amenities.

Although complementary to the Broadway East master plan, Encore Lower Broadway is a project independent of the overall master plan, said company spokeswoman Amy Dunaway. We look forward to working with our neighbors in a collective way towards building fantastic future growth and prosperity for the city of San Antonio and the Government Hill community.

On ExpressNews.com: GrayStreet sells Pearl-area land, site of proposed mixed-use project, to Fulcrum

Encore is asking for up to $7 million from the Midtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone for extensive public infrastructure improvements at the site. Its one of the largest requests received by the reinvestment zone.

The funding over a 10-year period would come from increases in property tax revenue from land within the zone  money used to reimburse developers for public improvements.

Encores request includes $2 million worth of reimbursements over the next two years, followed by tax rebates of 75 percent of the incremental property tax paid on the project. The remaining 25 percent would be put into the citys affordable housing fund.

But because of the 2031 expiration of the zone and timeline for the apartments completion, Encore is likely to get closer to $4.8 million, city staff said.

Costs have surged over the past year, said attorney James Griffin, who represents Encore. The company expects to put about $10.5 million into infrastructure upgrades in an area that has seen little investment.

They include improvements to water, wastewater, electrical and gas service; rebuilding sidewalks and ramps; and demolition and soil remediation. The improvements, he said, would also make nearby property more prepared for development.

Without the requested funding, the complex would not be financially feasible, Griffin added.

Board members asked whether the complex would include affordable apartments, which it will not, and sought more financial details about the development.

I just want to get a better understanding of why it doesnt pencil and why so much money is needed to contribute, said Jacob Jopling, the only board member to vote against the request.

Griffin said Encore is essentially the first to develop a project in the area and infrastructure improvements are expensive.

Other board members praised the complex.

I did walk the area and it will be an incredible anchor for improvements extended beyond this, said board chair Louis Fox. Its really an incredible investment for our city.

The Midtown TIRZ board green-lighted Encores ask Tuesday. The developer is ready to start construction pending City Council approval of the funding, Griffin said.

The complex is expected to be finished by December 2023, Dunaway said.

Broadway East, a 1.6-million-square-foot community originally proposed by San Antonio-based GrayStreet Partners, would transform the Government Hill neighborhood.

The development would include housing, retail and hospitality space, offices and outdoor plazas built over a decade under a master plan GrayStreet developed with Houston-based Midway.

But GrayStreet put the Broadway East land on the market last winter  save for the property the firm had already sold to Encore  after a deal with a pension fund fell through during the coronavirus pandemic, managing partner Kevin Covey said in an interview last winter.

A limited partnership linked to San Antonio-based Fulcrum Development bought the property in mid-August.

Broadway East is a long term development, partner Benjamin Dreszer said in a statement Tuesday. We are currently in the concept planning phase. As we progress with the planning, we will be glad to provide more information.

madison.iszler@express-news.net
Mostly when we discuss reasons to get or not get the COVID-19 vaccine, its about the frictions between individual health, public health, trust in science and personal freedom. We mostly dont talk about the money side of the equation.

But  and I bet you can guess where Im going with this  I think we should also be talking about the money.

Focusing on the money side became easier Aug. 23 with full FDA approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID and the anticipated FDA approval of the Moderna vaccine within the month. Since December, COVID vaccines have been given under emergency use authorization. With full approval, employers feel more comfortable requiring their employees to get vaccinated, using a combination of financial carrots and sticks.

In San Antonio, the first major non-health care employer mandating employee vaccinations I heard about was my kids school district. San Antonio ISD is requiring its employees to be vaccinated by Oct. 15. The school district had been waiting on the FDA to settle the science, which happened Aug. 23.

Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton shot back, announcing a ban on employer vaccine mandates and a lawsuit against SAISD and Superintendent Pedro Martinez.

In response, Martinez issued a statement: We have not wavered since we implemented our mask and vaccine mandates. In fact, we are more committed than ever. Our focus remains on protecting the health of those in our care and the stability of student learning. We are staying the course.

SAISD did not mention either financial carrots or sticks to go with its mandate. But when your employer creates a mandate, the money side is implied. Money is always part of the deal of being employed.

On the national scene, following the FDAs full approval, Delta Airlines announced that all employees insured by the company must get a COVID vaccine by Nov. 1 or pay a $200 health care surcharge per month. In announcing the surcharge, Delta CEO Ed Bastian quoted an expected cost of $50,000 for the company per hospitalized employee.

This financial penalty, linked directly to expected costs to the company, makes sense to me. You can have your freedom to remain unvaccinated, but youre putting the finances of the company at risk, so pay your share of expected health care costs.

Perhaps the best employer mandate so far has been the one proposed by Houston ISD. As we learned from Mary Poppins long ago, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. The school board approved a $500 bonus payment per employee for getting the vaccine. As the largest school district in Texas, its leadership surely will result in similar proposals.

HISD is awaiting approval by the Texas Education Agency, which did not respond to my query whether it would OK the proposal.

Other school districts since have announced their own monetary incentives.

Back in San Antonio, Southside ISD plans to offer $200 to each vaccinated employee. Somerset ISD plans a similar incentive for employees.

Financial officers at two other regional school districts, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they did not believe their districts were planning any financial action  neither carrots nor sticks  to encourage employees to get vaccinated.

For my part, Id raise the bonus to $1,000 and see what price people put on their freedom to get sick. But thats just me.

Finally, when it comes to money and vaccines, I cant resist mentioning Regeneron treatments. Abbott, who received this treatment after testing positive for the virus, touts that the state is offering free infusions of monoclonal antibodies in a nonhospital setting, also under an FDA emergency use authorization.

I am not the first person to talk about the maddening structure of health care in the U.S., in which we eschew cheap and basic preventive care in favor of expensive procedures and high-tech interventions. We favor surgery over physical therapy. We financially reward dialysis treatment over access to nutritionists and safe spaces to exercise.

The cost of Regeneron treatment vs. cost of vaccine problem is just the latest in a long American tradition of paying a lot of money for medical interventions instead of paying less upfront for preventive care.

Free Regeneron for Texans does not take into account the cost of the in-clinic intravenous treatment and the technicians needed for this procedure, or the risks associated with this type of intervention.

Im glad we have this treatment to prevent hospitalization of people testing positive for the virus. But it is a weird thing for the governor of Texas to highlight after fighting mask mandates (essentially free!) and vaccine mandates (very cheap!). Its a very high-tech, high-impact, high-cost approach to COVID  not to mention the higher burden of side effects  when we have better preventive measures.

Anyway, now that we have fully FDA-approved vaccines, I hope we can get more rational about the money side of COVID prevention and treatment as well.

Michael Taylor is a columnist for the San Antonio Express-News and author of The Financial Rules for New College Graduates.

michael@michaelthesmart

money.com |twitter.com/michael_taylor
An unvaccinated elementary schoolteacher in California, who inconsistently wore a mask, managed to infect half of the students, including every child on the front row.

Vaccinated teachers who wear masks, meanwhile, were far less likely to spread COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.

The coronavirus has killed 630,000 Americans and, at the current pace, will kill another 98,000 within the next three months, according to the latest data. The United States could cut future deaths in half if governments imposed mask mandates, according to experts.

Behavior is really going to determine if, when and how sustainably the current wave subsides, Lauren Ancel Meyers, director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium, told the Associated Press. We cannot stop delta in its tracks, but we can change our behavior overnight.

Dont count on Texas GOP politicians to help, though; they are COVID-19 superspreaders.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order making it illegal for school districts or local governments to require vaccines or masks. He has also asked the GOP-controlled Legislature to make vaccine requirements illegal.

As a result, unvaccinated teachers across Texas are infecting students with the delta variant. Within the first week of school, the number of infected Texas children tripled.

Masks would slow down the pandemic, but Abbott forbade schools from mandating masks too. Employers need to brace for a lot of parents staying home with sick kids, not to mention a jump in health care costs when entire families contract the virus.

Abbott also kneecapped businesses from slowing COVID. He issued another order forbidding companies from asking customers about vaccination status. Indoor dining or catching a show is a lot less attractive when you could end up next to an anti-vax superspreader.

Two-thirds of business travelers say they are reducing travel plans, and more than half have canceled trips due to the uptick in COVID cases, the American Hotel & Lodging Association reported.

Private businesses may still require masks, but weve seen what happens to the frontline employees who try to impose those rules. Federal law requires masks on airlines, yet 85 percent of attendants say theyve suffered verbal abuse or physical assault trying to enforce it.

Our governor believes that personal liberty is more important than public health or safety. His victory in the Republican primary is also more important than the lives of Texas children or the success of Texas businesses.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: As COVID fears slow the economy again, we know who to blame

Hes trying to tamp down the boos and jeers that met Sen. Ted Cruz when he endorsed Abbotts re-election at a meeting of the True Texas Project, a Tea Party group in Tarrant County. One of Abbotts primary opponents, former state Sen. Don Huffines, has argued Abbotts anti-COVID actions are anti-American.

To protect his right flank, Abbott also reversed his opposition to Texans carrying handguns without training or a permit. Nearly 60 percent of Texans oppose the unlicensed carrying of handguns in public, but 70 percent of Republican men support it. GOP elected officials returned Texas to the Wild West effective today.

Abbott has also authorized a bounty for anyone who aids or abets an abortion more than six weeks after a woman becomes pregnant. Driving a woman to a clinic can cost you $10,000. Again, most Texans and Americans support a womans right to choose, but the governor is focused on GOP voters trying to ban all abortions.

The same narrow focus explains the gag order against teachers discussing racism and current events in schools, the $1.8 billion he wants to spend on illusory border protections and the soon-to-pass voter suppression bill. Not to mention the oppressive bill hes demanded that would take civil rights away from LGBT children.

I had to laugh when former Gov. Rick Perry held a press conference in the Capitol to pitch an air filtration technology he had invested in. Perry was always a hustler, trying to make a buck for himself and the state. His campaign slogan was: Texas, Open for Business.

Abbott is an extreme culture warrior whose power-grabbing is unprecedented in Texas history. Business people are only useful as sources for campaign funds. When they speak up, he shouts: They need to stay out of politics, especially when they have no clue what theyre talking about.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Texans aren't dumb but our leaders are cynical

Dallas-based AT&T snapped back into line. After supporting LGBT rights and denouncing Abbotts new Jim Crow laws, AT&T groups gave him $100,000.

The governors authoritarianism damages the Texas brand, marketing us as intolerant, theocratic, anti-science gunslingers. Hes not only killing Texans with his COVID policies; hes chasing away economic opportunities.

His party will undoubtedly reward his behavior in the spring primary but how will regular Texans react in November?

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
A San Antonio accounting firm has been caught up in the widening litigation arising from the contentious divorce of real estate developer Graham Weston and his wife Elizabeth.

She has accused Irwine Pruitt Associates and principal James Irwine of assisting her estranged husband in creating more than 150 business entities and trusts that were used to defraud her of property ownership rights in the various assets and their income.

She estimates more than $1 billion in assets and income are involved.

Elizabeth Weston last week sued Irwine Pruitt and Irwine for fraud and breach of fiduciary duty in state District Court in San Antonio. She seeks more than $1 million in damages and unspecified punitive damages.

Because Graham claims that all property acquired during the marriage is his separate property, that now reveals a long-running scheme to fraudulently conceal and remove property from Elizabeths rightful possession and joint community control, she alleges.

The business entities and trusts used to hide the property serve as Graham Westons alter egos, she adds in her complaint. He is not a defendant in the lawsuit.

On ExpressNews.com: Rackspace co-founder, one-time billionaire Graham Weston and wife ending 26-year marriage

File photo

Elizabeth Weston filed to end their marriage Oct. 26 in Comal County. Graham Weston had filed his own divorce petition but dropped the action just 25 hours later. They married in 1994. Both live in New Braunfels.

She says she suffered emotional, psychological, physical, and sexual abuse during her 26-year marriage to the Rackspace Technology Inc. co-founder. He has denied those allegations and accused her of hiring a private investigator to track him for a year and a half.

A key issue in the divorce is whether the wealth Graham Weston amassed over his career is his own or community property that belongs to them both. He intends to argue he has placed the vast majority of assets accumulated during the marriage in a trust that he controls.

Graham Weston made an appearance on Forbes magazines annual billionaires list in 2013 before quickly dropping off.

The couple does not have a prenuptial agreement, according to one of her lawyers.

Last month, Graham Weston sued San Antonio attorney Jason M. Davis. and his law firm for allegedly accepting $2.9 million in legal fees to represent him in various matters  only to secretly agree to serve as his wifes counsel in the divorce. Davis has disputed the allegations, but a judge disqualified him from representing her in the divorce, citing a conflict of interest.

Elizabeth Weston now alleges their long-time accountant had a conflict of interest.

The complaint she filed against Irwine Pruitt and Irwine focuses on a nearly 2,600-square-foot Aspen, Colo., townhouse her husband allegedly contracted in June 2020 to buy for almost $7.7 million.

Irwine had represented to her that the townhouse was community property belonging to both her and Graham Weston, the suit says.

She later learned Graham Weston assigned the real estate contract for the townhouse to a company called Mountain Nest in July 2020. A day after the closing, Irwine  acting as Mountain Nests manager  gave a mortgage deed and lien note to Wittington America Ltd. in exchange for a nearly $7.8 million loan, the complaint adds.

Wittingtons general partner is Overlord Capital, a company owned by Graham and Elizabeth, according to the suit.

She wants an accounting of any funds that flowed out of Wittington in connection with the Aspen townhouse purchase.

It was only when Elizabeth Weston saw that James Irwine was serving as Mountain Nests manager that she became aware he was acting contrary to her property interests, and that the CPA firm was also negligent in failing to discover this irreconcilable conflict of interest, the suit says.

Irwine and his firm prepared the Westons various joint federal tax returns over the course of their marriage, the complaint says. Irwine had represented to Elizabeth Weston that the business entities and trusts reported on the returns was community property, the filing adds.

Irwines actions violated the duties he owed to her, she says.

Elizabeth Weston says shes been denied sufficient information to prepare her 2020 income tax return. Since her divorce filing, she says she has learned the Internal Revenue Service has sent notices and conducted audits, though she doesnt knows the details, her suit says.

Representatives for Elizabeth Weston and Irwine did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. A representative for Graham Weston declined to comment.

pdanner@express-news.net
Federal securities regulators have accused a San Antonio lawyer and investment adviser of using money raised from investors as his own piggy bank to pay personal expenses and those of his businesses  including for a pinball manufacturer.

The Securities and Exchange Commission alleges Robert Jeffrey Mueller spent more than $1.5 million of investor money to pay for his second and third weddings, engagement rings and wedding bands for both wives, a divorce, vacation cruises, his daughters private school tuition and a condo in Hawaii.

Mueller and his Deeproot Funds funneled more than $30 million in investor funds to businesses he controlled, including Deeproot Pinball, the SEC says. The pinball company last year was developing its debut game, Retro Atomic Zombie Adventureland.

Mueller raised about $58 million from nearly 300 investors through Deeproot Funds over several years, the SEC alleges in a civil lawsuit filed in San Antonio federal court. The agency wants a court to order Mueller to turn over his allegedly ill-gotten gains.

Calls to Mueller, 46, and his attorney were not returned Wednesday.

Mueller asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when SEC counsel asked him about the use of assets of the funds he advised to pay personal expenses, according to the lawsuit.

The State Bar of Texas website shows Mueller has no disciplinary history and is eligible to practice law.

Mueller faces various securities fraud-related charges. The SEC seeks to prevent him from offering or selling securities and to prohibit him from serving as an officer or director of any securities issuer.

Mueller and Deeproot Funds were investment advisers to two pooled investment funds launched in 2014. They persuaded investors, many of them retirees, to cash out their annuities and individual retirement accounts to invest in the funds, the SECs lawsuit says.

Investors were told their funds would be invested in life insurance policies and Deeproot-related businesses to provide relatively safe returns, the complaint says. Mueller used a company called Policy Services Inc. to purchase life insurance policies for the funds. But the SEC says he used Policy Services bank accounts to pay personal expenses. Less than $10 million was spent on policies, the SEC adds.

The private placement memoranda given to investors did not uniformly describe how the funds would invest in the Deeproot-affiliated businesses, the suit says. A 2015 version of a PPM for one of the funds, though, described an investment in Deeproot Tech and its sole project, Deeproot Pinball, in exchange for Class B shares in the pinball company.

The lawsuit adds that the funds never actually received any ownership or other interests in return for the significant assets that went to the various Deeproot entities. Those Deeproot companies are listed as relief defendants in the lawsuit. Those companies are not accused of any wrongdoing, but their operations were funded with assets from the funds, the SEC says.

Mueller falsely informed investors and prospective investors that Deeproot and Policy Services were structured to minimize the opportunity for very kind of fraud that was actually then occurring, the SEC adds.

Since the first investors joined the funds in 2015, the SEC says, the various life insurance policies and Deeproot-affiliated business ventures yielded less than $1.9 million in revenue. Yet Mueller paid $2.8 million in monthly returns to certain investors.

Bank account records show that at least $820,000 in payments were made to some existing investors from money raised from new investor contributions to the funds in a Ponzi-like scheme, the SEC adds.

In an interview last year, Mueller said he chose San Antonio to launch Deeproot Pinball because hed spent most of his life here and because the Texas economy is favorable for pinball manufacturing and development.

pdanner@express-news.net
Nicolas Cantu credits his teachers at Stone Oak Elementary for breaking him out of his shell.

The now 17-year-old actor was recently cast in an upcoming Steven Spielberg film and said the support he received during his time at the North East ISD school helped "fuel his dreams" in an interview posted on the school district's Facebook page.

Cantu will play one of the legendary director's childhood friends in "The Fabelmans," a film loosely based on Spielberg's young life. Spielberg is set to direct the film that will star Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams and is expected to be released sometime next year.

On ExpressNews.com: Both San Antonio chefs booted off Gordon Ramsays Hells Kitchen

"When I got the news that I would be working with Spielberg on this movie, I was, of course, excited. I mean, it's Steven Spielberg," Cantu told the school district. "I remember watching his movies 'Jaws' and 'Jurassic Park' and talking about them at the lunch table with all my friends from elementary."

Cantu, who was born in Austin but grew up in San Antonio until he was 10, began acting professionally in 2012 while he was still a student at Stone Oak. His acting credits include the AMC television series "The Walking Dead: World Beyond" and the animated Cartoon Network series "The Amazing World of Gumball."

He credits much of his success to the supportive teachers at Stone Oak. Among the memories he shared in the interview was the time his second grade teacher, Mrs. Dromgoole, attended one of his first plays at The Magik Theatre in downtown.

Courtesy of North East ISD

Cantu said his former music teachers Mrs. Snodgrass and Mrs. Elizondo helped "break little me out of my shell," while his fifth grade teacher Mr. Jenn was a big influence on his love of storytelling and comedy.

He attended Stone Oak from kindergarten until the final months of his fifth grade year, when his family moved to Los Angeles for Cantu's acting career, according to the school district.

In the interview, Cantu said its "a special thing when you get to live your life doing what you love to do" and encourages students interested in the arts to follow their passion.

"If any little creative kids are reading this, don't stop doodling in your notebooks and on the sides of your papers," he said in the interview. "Feed the creative side of your brain and get good at what you like."

Malak.Silmi@express-news.net
Cameron and Elsa Granato love almost everything about their three-bedroom, 2 -bath home in the Heights at Indian Springs on the far North Side.

Its the right size now, yet has room enough should they have children. The yard backs up to a green space and theres plenty of room for their two Weimaraners to romp. There was even enough space for both to have a pandemic work-from-home office.

Still, the house was what is known as builder-grade, meaning that, during construction, buyers chose from a limited selection of builder-supplied options for fixtures and finishes, such as countertops and cabinets, flooring, lighting, windows and more. Thats why so many tract homes look so similar to one another.

Because the homes original buyer had to back out of the deal, the couple bought after it was complete, so they never got the chance to make all those choices.

The floor plan was perfect, but a lot of the finishes, like the granite kitchen countertops, were not what we wanted, agreed Elsa, 36, a research administrator at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

Jerry Lara /Staff photographer

Because builder-grade homes are also usually constructed using inexpensive materials  to keep costs down for both buyer and builder  the couple compiled a list of things they wanted to upgrade shortly after moving into the house in 2017.

Topping that list was the kitchen, although for budgetary reasons, they tackled several smaller, less expensive upgrade projects first.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio couple find dream retirement home when they fall in love with their Hollywood Park house flip

In the backyard, for example, they removed the patio railing to open up the space, wrapped the wood posts in brick and upgraded the light fixtures. They also installed limestone pavers and flower beds to break up and soften what had been a monotonous expanse of backyard grass.

And they added an outdoor kitchen.

The builder had already plumbed it for a sink and installed a gas line for a grill, so that was nice, said Cameron, 36, a vice president of business development for a document management company. We brought in a contractor to do the work.

Inside, they added window shutters to several rooms and purchased designer-level light fixtures, including a wood-bead chandelier in the entryway and a large, circular one with electric candle above the living room seating area.

Jerry Lara /Staff photographer

Finally, after completing those smaller upgrades, the couple turned their attention to the kitchen, which overlooks both the dining and living room areas. We do a lot of cooking and entertaining and the kitchen is very important to us, Elsa said. We wanted to do it right.

While theyd planned and managed the previous jobs themselves, for the kitchen project they reached out to interior decorator Melissa Molina, whom Else knew from when both were students at the University of the Incarnate Word. I wanted Melissas help because there were so many decisions to be made it would be overwhelming for me to try and do it all myself, Elsa said.

One decision she made was to keep the cream-colored kitchen cabinets, which have a hazelnut glaze and a slightly distressed look.

Ive seen these types of off-white cabinets everywhere, from my grandmothers home to new houses, she said. Theyre classic and timeless, and theyll never go out of style.

With that decision made, most of the other material choices they had to make were based on how theyd complement one another. They switched out the cabinet hardware, for example, adding champagne bronze-colored knobs and pulls.

I like them because theyre not too brassy or too gold, Elsa said. Theyre more muted, so they blend in with the rest of the kitchen.

Next, they replaced the granite countertops, which were honey yellow with brown speckles, with a cool, white quartz. The other countertops were definitely not my style, Elsa said. But the white works so much better with the cabinets.

On ExpressNews.com: Luxury downtown condo in is 2 units combined into 1

She almost went with a dark gray, or even black stone, but Molina talked her out of it.That would have been so bold, we were a little worried about how it might affect the resale value of the home.

As a compromise and to add a splash of boldness, they did decide to paint the islands cabinets black. We like it because you dont see the black until you come around to the other side of the island, Cameron said.

They also replaced the islands original double sink with a single bowl sink made of brown composite granite. It stands out nicely from the white countertop, and its easy to maintain.

Jerry Lara /Staff photographer

It hides the dirt, and it doesnt look like just another stainless-steel sink, she said. And if we ever do switch out the cabinets, itll go with pretty much anything.

Also gone was the mosaic tile backsplash, replaced with white ceramic subway tile with a subtle texture,.

From initial design to completion, the kitchen renovation took about 2  months. It would have been quicker, but the work was done at the height of last summers pandemic-related building material shortage, according to Molina.

We had to wait to get delivery on the sink, the faucet and the (countertops), she said.

Thankfully there wasnt any lumber involved in the project, Cameron added with a laugh.

With the kitchen complete, the areas next on the upgrade list include the master closet, the guest bath and the half bath. And after that? Perhaps a backyard pool  the ultimate upgrade.

rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMarini
Sergio Flores/Getty Images

Thousands across the country took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the new restrictive abortion law that went into effect in Texas on Wednesday.

The new bill bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which is when a heartbeat is usually detected. Some clinics across the state have already begun canceling abortion appointments after six weeks and are no longer taking new appointments.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday that it's possible the United States will seek to coordinate with the Taliban on counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan against Islamic State militants or others.

Milley did not elaborate, and his comment did not appear to suggest immediate plans to work with the Taliban.

U.S. military commanders coordinated daily with Taliban commanders outside the Kabul airport over the past three weeks to facilitate the evacuation of more than 124,000 people. But that was a matter of convenience for both parties and not necessarily a sign that they will pursue, or even want, a regular relationship in the future.

The U.S. military ousted the Taliban from power in the fall of 2001 and fought against them for the 19 years that followed.

The extent and nature of a U.S.-Taliban relationship, now that the war is over, is one of the key issues to be worked out. The U.S. diplomatic presence in Kabul has been moved to Doha, Qatar. President Joe Biden has noted several times recently that the Taliban are avowed enemies of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan, suggesting a shared interest with the United States.

At a Pentagon news conference with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Milley called the Taliban ruthless adding, Whether or not they change remains to be seen. He suggested that the recent cooperative arrangement with the Taliban at Kabul airport was not necessarily a model for the future.

In war you do what you must in order to reduce risk to mission and force, not what you necessarily want to do, Milley said.

Biden has promised further targeting of the IS group in Afghanistan in response to the IS suicide bombing last week at a Kabul airport gate that killed scores of Afghans and 13 American service members. On Saturday the U.S. military carried out a drone strike in Afghanistan that it said killed two IS planners. On Tuesday, Biden said, To ISIS-K: We are not done with you yet, referring to the IS group.

Targeting Islamic State militants or other extremist groups, such as al-Qaida, will be more difficult with no U.S. military forces on the ground and no friendly government forces with which to share intelligence on extremist networks. But the Biden administration asserts that it can contain these groups by monitoring and potentially striking with assets based elsewhere in the region.

Although the Taliban oppose IS, it's far from clear that they will be inclined to work with the U.S. military or the Central Intelligence Agency now that they have regained power in Kabul. Milley has recent experience with Taliban leaders; twice last year, most recently in December, he met face-to-face with them in an attempt to slow their attacks on the U.S.-backed Afghan government, which collapsed in mid-August, triggering the frantic U.S.-led evacuation.

Austin sounded at least as skeptical as Milley regarding the possibility that the coordination in recent days at the Kabul airport suggests a future relationship with the Taliban.

I would not make any leaps of logic to broader issues, said Austin.

Both Austin and Milley commanded troops in Afghanistan during the 20-year war and their comments at Wednesday's news conference largely focused on tributes to those who served in Afghanistan, including those who died or were wounded. They also thanked all who contributed to the final airlift, which Austin called the largest evacuation of civilians in American history.

Milley and Austin urged war veterans to view their service as worthwhile and appreciated by the American public, while acknowledging that the memories can be painful.

War is hard. Its vicious. Its brutal. Its unforgiving, Milley said. "Yes, we all have pain and anger. When we see what has unfolded over the last 20 years and over the last 20 days, that creates pain and anger.

With the U.S. involvement in the war over and all American military out of the country, Biden is grappling with the prospects of a new relationship with the Taliban. He has tasked Secretary of State Antony Blinken with coordinating with international partners to hold the Taliban to their promise of safe passage for Americans and others who want to leave in the days ahead.

Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, has described the U.S. relationship with the Taliban during the evacuation as very pragmatic and very businesslike, saying they helped secure the airport. But other reports from people in Afghanistan described shootings, violence and Taliban moves to block desperate Afghans from getting through the gates.

Biden in an address to the nation Tuesday defended his decision to end America's longest war and withdraw all U.S. troops by an Aug. 31 deadline.

I was not going to extend this forever war, Biden declared from the White House. "And I was not going to extend a forever exit.

Biden is coming under heavy criticism, particularly from Republicans, for his handling of the evacuation. But he said it was inevitable that the final departure from two decades of war, first negotiated with the Taliban for May 1 by former President Donald Trump, would have been difficult, with likely violence, no matter when it was planned and conducted.

To those asking for a third decade of war in Afghanistan, I ask, What is the vital national interest?" Biden said. He added, "I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars in Afghanistan.

___

Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.
LENOIR, N.C. (AP)  Officers shot and wounded a man who investigators believe stole a vehicle from a North Carolina parking lot, police said.

A news release from the Lenoir Police Department says two undercover officers and a patrol officer confronted Joshua Alan Kirby, 25, in response to a 911 call regarding an armed man. According to police, officers perceived a threat from Kirby and shot him. The news release didn't say if Kirby fired at officers, but did say one of the officers suffered a graze wound. The gun that Kirby had was recovered on the scene, according to the news release,

After the officers gave first aid, Kirby was taken to a local hospital, where police said he was in critical condition. The officer who was grazed was treated at a local hospital and released, police said.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the shooting. The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, which is the standard procedure whenever officers fire their weapons.
San Antonio Zoo

The San Antonio Zoo on Monday announced it will unveil an exhibit this fall featuring animals native to places like Southern Mexico, the Caribbean and South and Central America.

The new realm will be named Neotropica and will include a one-of-a-kind catwalk for jaguars that will allow the wild cats to roam above the exhibit and visitors. The walkway has been named Pantera Walk, the zoo said.
Yeezys shoes and Prada purses are among the 100-plus items up for grabs Thursday at the San Antonio Police Department's auction of items it has seized during various criminal investigations.

Among the the other brand names that will be available at the auction are Gucci, Michael Kors, Yeti and Apple products. The items include TVs, Invicta watches, Spurs memorabilia, jewelry, Xboxes and more. Click here for a full list of auction items.
WASHINGTON  U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro on Tuesday accused U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of refusing to help Texas families stuck in Afghanistan.

I got several calls to my office from Texas families saying your office wouldnt help them get families out of Afghanistan so they were calling a Texas congressman instead, the San Antonio Democrat wrote in a tweet responding to Cruz.

Cruz had posted a CNN report of a Texas family stranded in Afghanistan, calling it horrifying and wrong.

A spokeswoman for Cruz called it unfounded and said the senators staffers respond to all casework and inquiries.

We do not disclose the details regarding individuals or their casework issues due to the privacy of constituents, she said. We certainly do not make unfounded and politically motivated statements regarding people who need help from their representatives. Sen. Cruz is proud of the work he does for the 29 million people of Texas.

Earlier Tuesday, Castro tweeted that his office worked countless hours to help San Antonians, our allies, and vulnerable Afghans in need of evacuation.

A spokesman for Castro said his office received more than 500 calls and emails from individuals desperate for help in evacuating family members, including American citizens, from Afghanistan over the past two weeks.

Several callers indicated that they had reached out to Senator Cruzs office without a response or what they felt to be an earnest effort to help, he said. We have received similar calls on other issues over the years, as well.

The congressmans staff worked many hours logging information, reaching out to the administration, coordinating with persons on the ground in Afghanistan and working with families to get their loved ones out of Afghanistan and to safety. We were able to help many families but have not been able to get everyone out. So our work continues.

Republicans have hammered the Biden administration for leaving Americans behind as U.S. forces withdrew. The White House has said between 100 and 200 Americans who have said they want to leave Afghanistan remain there after the U.S. completed its withdrawal on Monday.

President Biden prioritized political considerations over American lives and national security, Cruz said in a statement Tuesday. He imposed an artificial deadline untethered from conditions on the ground, and refused to adjust or adapt even as the Taliban swept across Afghanistan and catastrophes mounted. He met his artificial deadline but broke all the promises he made to the American people.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Houston Republican, tweeted at Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the State Department that he is in contact right now with US citizens in Afghanistan who tried to leave but couldn't. Now they have what they need to leave except clearance from State. DM me please.

President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the U.S. reached out 19 times to Americans there since March. He said most of those who remain are dual citizens or long-term residents who had previously said they wanted to stay.

Biden said the U.S. evacuated some 120,000 people and got 90 percent of the Americans who said they wanted to leave out.

For those remaining Americans, there is no deadline, he said. We remained committed to get them out if they want to come out.

ben.wermund@chron.com
A San Antonio police detective who was fired after officials said he broke into a womans apartment in the middle of the night and punched her in the face hours later outside his home told his side of the story for the first time Tuesday.

At a hearing before an independent arbitrator, union lawyers representing Daniel Pue disputed allegations from city officials, saying the woman wanted to get him in trouble. While Pue did not testify to the arbitrator Tuesday, his voice was heard through his attorneys and body-worn camera footage that was introduced by city attorneys.

This crazy chick comes here, Pue said in the video shown. Im getting in trouble for keeping someone in my house that I dont want in my house.

Pue, 37, was arrested Jan. 7, 2019, after a neighbor called 911 to report that he was hitting a woman outside his residence. Later, a special prosecutor filed a motion to dismiss the charge in the case because the woman was uncooperative.

Nevertheless, Police Chief William McManus fired Pue, who had been with the department for nearly 13 years, citing violations of departmental rules related to truthfulness of members, responsibility to serve the public, use of intoxicants while off-duty and use of city equipment.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio police detective fired after punching ex-girlfriend, records state

The testimony and evidence presented Tuesday were part of an arbitration hearing that will determine whether Pue can return to the department with back pay and benefits. Under the citys contract with the police union, an officer can appeal any discipline issued by the chief. An independent arbitrator hears the evidence and decides whether the discipline was fair.

During the hearing Tuesday, Bexar County sheriffs deputy Johnny Rodriguez testified that he was called to Pues home on the far West Side at about 9 a.m. after a neighbor reported that Pue was punching the woman.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

Shes on the floor, but hes punched her in the face a couple times, the neighbor told 911. He just hit her again. Oh my God.

When Rodriguez arrived a few minutes later, the womans nose was bleeding and blood covered her mouth. Pue, who was standing outside arguing with the woman, walked away from the deputy toward the front door.

Rodriguez said he told Pue to stop but that Pue went into the home and closed the door. Rodriguez said he kicked down the door because he didnt know whether Pue was the homeowner or a burglar  and he worried that a child might be inside.

Once inside, the deputy pointed his taser at Pue and ordered him to the ground. He arrested him on suspicion of family violence assault, a misdemeanor.

The woman, during an interview with investigators, said Pue had kicked down the door to her apartment at about 3:30 a.m. and stolen her phone after she had gone on a date with another officer. She said she had dated Pue for about five years. (Pue, in a separate interview with detectives, said he had broken up with the woman over a year ago.)

The woman said she went to Pues home to retrieve her phone, at which point an argument ensued.

He started hitting me, the woman said, according to body camera footage. He punched me everywhere  face, arm, head, legs.

The woman told deputies that she did not want Pue to be arrested.

Pue, meanwhile, told detectives that he was trying to keep the woman out of his home. He also expressed concern about his position in the Repeat Offenders Program.

My mugshot is going to go out on the news tonight. Im not stupid. I know how this goes, Pue said. I should feel safe in my own house, but I know my own department is going to hang me on it.

On ExpressNews.com: Three San Antonio police officers, fired by SAPD, were later hired in Leon Valley. Here's why.

Lt. Jeffrey Ward, Pues supervisor, testified Tuesday that Pue came to him after the incident and confided that the woman he was accused of attacking is his cousin.

Pue said he didnt want his father, a former SAPD detective and an investigator with the District Attorneys Office, to learn about it, Ward said.

Eight months after he was arrested, Pue was hired as a reserve officer by the Leon Valley Police Department.

The move enabled Pue to keep his peace officer license. Without an affiliation with a police department, Pue could have had his license revoked after two years under state law. It also allowed Pue to work off-duty jobs in traffic control for private companies while he appeals his firing.

Leon Valley Police Chief David Gonzalez said Wednesday that Pue no longer works at the department.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified how many years Daniel Pue had been with the San Antonio Police Department before he was fired. He had been with the department for nearly 13 years.

eeaton@express-news.net
A Bexar County Sheriffs deputys testimony Wednesday challenged the truthfulness of a fired San Antonio police detective accused of repeatedly punching a woman with whom he was having an affair.

Former Detective Daniel Pue told investigators during an incident in January 2019 that the woman might have been injured after he slammed the door in her face during an argument in front of his home  a story that Bexar County Sheriffs Detective Houston Pons said is inconsistent with what deputies observed at the scene.

There was no blood on the door, anything like that, Pons testified during the second day of an arbitration hearing regarding Pues subsequent firing from the San Antonio Police Department. We had a 911 caller saying play by play what was occurring. Then we had a deputy on scene pretty much right after it ended.  I believe in this incident, it would not be due to the door.

The testimony and evidence presented Wednesday are part of the arbitration hearing to determine whether Pue, who had been with the department for nearly 13 years, can return to the department with back pay and benefits. Under the citys contract with the police union, an officer can appeal any discipline issued by the chief. An independent arbitrator hears the evidence and decides whether the discipline was fair.

On ExpressNews.com: Fired S.A. detective, accused of punching women, said he was trying to keep a crazy chick away

Pue, 37, was arrested Jan. 7, 2019, after a neighbor called 911 to report that he was hitting a woman outside his home. Later, a judge dismissed the charge at the request of a special prosecutor who said the woman was uncooperative.

Nevertheless, Police Chief William McManus fired Pue, citing violations of departmental rules related to truthfulness of members, responsibility to serve the public, use of intoxicants while off-duty and use of city equipment.

During the hearing Wednesday, Arbitrator Edward Valverde watched separate videos of Pue, who is married, and the woman talking to investigators.

The woman repeatedly made excuses for Pue, which Pons said is common among victims of family violence.

Typical alpha male, the woman said, according to the video. Get mad and hit. But Im OK. I dont want to press charges. I dont want him to go to jail.

She told investigators that Pue was a good person and a good police officer.

On ExpressNews.com: Three San Antonio police officers, fired by SAPD, were later hired in Leon Valley. Here's why.

Pue, meanwhile, told investigators that the woman, who is his cousin, could have been injured after he slammed a door in her face. His attorneys also suggested that she could have fallen and hit a flower pot on the porch  the pot was broken when deputies arrived at the home.

I opened the door, and I told her to leave, Pue said, according to the video. She didnt want to leave. So I closed the door in the face. Im sorry if the door hit her in the face. That was not my intention. I was just trying to keep someone out of my house that I didnt want in my house.

Later, however, Pue suggested that the woman might have fabricated her story.

Im not blaming the deputies, Im not, Pue said. Ive been to plenty of calls where guys get (expletive) over because chicks made up allegations after the fact.

Pons questioned that account. He said Pues knuckles were red  consistent with hitting a person  and that the woman told several investigators that Pue had repeatedly punched her. That was in addition to the 911 caller who witnessed the incident.

It seemed pretty evident what was occurring, Pons said.

eeaton@express-news.net
Warehouse workers operating forklifts hefted wooden pallet after wooden pallet into the cargo hold of an 18-wheeler at the San Antonio Food Bank in the early morning hours Wednesday.

Filled with cardboard boxes containing supplies, the truck carried the food banks second round of donations bound for southern Louisiana, where they will feed some of the thousands of people displaced by Hurricane Ida in recent days.

Related: Hurricane Ida lashes Louisiana, knocks out New Orleans power (mysanantonio.com)

In total, the truck carried about 24 pallets worth of items, both edible and inedible  the equivalent of about 36,000 pounds, according to Michael Guerra, the chief resource officer for the San Antonio Food Bank. In addition to peanut butter and tuna fish, the boxes hold popcorn, bottled water and toilet paper as well as cookies, canned peaches and cleaning supplies such as mops and rubbing alcohol, though thats by no means a comprehensive inventory. Brand names and logos flashed by as the forklifts zipped back and forth: Oreo, Nilla, Wheat Thins, Chips Ahoy!, Aquafina.

Putting himself in the shoes of an Ida victim, Guerra said, You think, I cant go to the grocery store (because) theres no power in the grocery store. Where am I going to get food? To that, he said, Its the charitable system of the United States whos going to come in and support.

Like many nonprofit organizations, including the San Antonio Humane Society, the San Antonio Food Bank is coming to the Pelican States aid in the wake of the Category 4 storm. One of the strongest hurricanes ever to hit the mainland United States, Ida made landfall Aug. 29, 16 years to the day after Katrina did so.

Robin Jerstad /Staff photographer

At least six people have died, though Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards told TODAYs Hoda Kotb on Monday he expected the death toll to rise considerably as recovery efforts continue. Hundreds of thousands more have been stripped of access to power. Overwhelmed by demand, food banks are rapidly running out of their core commodity, resulting in severe deficits.

Related: TikToks show chaos of Hurricane Ida hitting Louisiana (mysanantonio.com)

During the pandemic, they struggled to get the right amount of food just to meet the needs of their own community. So you take an already stressed food system in a place like southern Louisiana (and) add this disaster on top of it, where people are losing their refrigerated food and maybe only have two or three days of nonperishable items, Guerra said. So thats whats created the unique disaster when it comes to food.

The cleaning supplies are also worth their weight in gold, said Natalie Jayroe, the president and CEO of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans. In Louisiana, where humid weather meets high temperatures, time is of the essence when it comes to preserving structures such as houses. The states hot, moist environment lends itself well to the development of mold.

Your ability to save your house often is (dependent on) how quickly you can get it cleaned out and disinfected before the mold has time to really take over, Jayroe said.

Founded in 1982, Second Harvest is the final destination of the San Antonio Food Banks donations. Expected to arrive at Lafayette, Louisiana, distribution center around 2 p.m. Wednesday, the supplies will be processed, delivered to local parking lots serving as pickup locations and eventually distributed to men, women and children in need, Guerra said.

While some people left, most people in the city stayed, and now they dont have any power. They dont have food. They dont have gas. They dont have water. So I cant say thank you enough to the San Antonio Food Bank, who is a tremendous partner, for their willingness to reach out and help us, Jayroe said.

Roughly two hours after they began at 5 a.m., the workers finished loading the cargo hold. Headlights aglow, the truck trundled out of the loading dock, paused at the entrance to the parking lot and merged onto the highway ramp that borders the food bank to begin the seven-hour drive to Lafayette.

Citing a U.S. Department of Agriculture equation estimating an average meal weighs 1.2 pounds, Guerra calculated the truck contains enough food to make around 16,667 meals  the first set of many. The San Antonio Food Bank will dispatch additional trucks later this week.

Well be waiting until later today to understand how many and when, but I can absolutely say theres going to be more that well be sending over the coming days, he said.

caroline.tien@hearst.com
San Marcos loves its mermaids.

From the 1950s to the 1990s, women dressed as mermaids, called aquamaids, performed at the Aquarena Springs underwater theater. Walk around town today and youll see mermaid statues. And since 2016, the city has honored its mythical mascot with an annual festival.

It has gone from tourist attraction to symbol of river preservation, and this summer the state designated the city the Mermaid Capital of Texas.

A guardian of the river is needed to help educate the public to keep our river beautiful, Mayor Jane Hughson said Wednesday, flanked by the San Marcos River and five living, breathing mermaids. She spoke before three dozen people at an event launching the citys Mermaid Month.

It is proclaimed that the San Marcos mermaid is a symbol of strength and beauty, a guardian of the San Marcos River, she said. A superhero to children and a symbol of friendship and unity, welcoming all to our great city  a connection to the past, present and future.

Annie Blanks /Staff writer

On ExpressNews.com: San Marcos set to dive into Mermaid Month

Shirley Rogers was the first aquamaid of San Marcos, there when the connection between San Marcos and the mermaids was born, she said.

When Aquarena Springs opened in the 1950s, San Marcos became a bona fide tourist destination, Rogers said. Visitors came to see the glass-bottom boats, the sky rise and especially the underwater show.

Aquarena Springs is no longer an amusement park but part of a research facility with Texas State University. Gone are the aquamaid shows, but the mermaid remains as a local cultural icon and a nod to the endangered species that call the San Marcos River home.

On ExpressNews.com: San Marcos could become Mermaid Capital of Texas

July Moreno, the creator and executive director of the Mermaid Society of Texas, championed the Mermaid Capital of Texas designation for San Marcos.

The designation will help advance our mission to help educate and inspire our youth to champion guardianship by combining science and fantasy of the mermaid, she said. Our goal is to instill in tomorrows leaders a lifelong interest in our towns history and preserve the fragile and wonderous microcosm of the San Marcos River.

COVID-19 pre-empted last years celebration and will put a bit of a damper on the schedule for this years, but three landmark events will proceed. The scavenger hunt will be Sept. 18. The Mermaid Promenade  the parade  will begin 10 a.m. Sept. 25, and the Downtown Street Faire will follow, from noon to 8 p.m. Roughly 100 floats and entries have been submitted for the parade. Another 100 or so vendors will line the streets for the fair.

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
In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups. The police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.

TV series Law & Order

Since 2013, the Michael Morton Act has required that prosecutors provide defense counsel with access to all evidence in a criminal case. The purpose is to prevent wrongful convictions by ensuring transparency in the criminal discovery process.

When the Michael Morton Act became law, it was overwhelmingly accepted that the outcome of his case would have been prevented if the prosecutor had not withheld critical evidence that pointed to his innocence.

Additionally, exchanging of all evidence allows our office to have stronger cases to prosecute and ensures better accuracy for our community justice system.

On ExpressNews.com: Group of wrongfully convicted Texans pushes for criminal justice reforms

Prosecutors who violate the Michael Morton Act may face disbarment or jail time, but until now there has not been a system in place to guarantee that prosecutors have received all evidence from law enforcement.

In an effort to better ensure that all evidence has been disclosed to prosecutors, the 87th Legislature passed Texas Senate Bill 111 during the regular session.

SB 111, authored by Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, requires law enforcement agencies to submit a written statement to prosecutors stating they have disclosed all documents, items and information in their case. This new legislation also requires the law enforcement agency to supplement an initial filing if any additional information or evidence is collected.

As Bexar Countys district attorney and as a former defense attorney, I am proud to have supported this bill as it moved through the Texas Legislature.

This is a promising step toward greater transparency and accountability for all involved in the criminal justice system. This will allow our community to know the justice my office is seeking is rooted in fact and evidence.

The law took effect Wednesday, and in preparation for it, the Bexar County District Attorneys Office has organized a statewide working group of prosecutors.

On ExpressNews.com: Gonzales: Reform the first step toward justice for all

Additionally, we are continuing to reach out to the more than 50 local law enforcement agencies in Bexar County to inform them of the new legislation and to work with them to create a process that expedites the exchange of information.

With this new law, my hope is that these two separate yet equally important groups  police and prosecutors  can continue to work together toward greater transparency in our processes and increased trust in our criminal justice system.

Joe D. Gonzales has been Bexar County district attorney since January 2019.
Talk about a catastrophic success.

The Biden administration wants credit for the Afghanistan evacuation as measured by the sheer number of people it flew out amid a security and humanitarian crisis of its own making.

This is the arsonist bragging about how many fires he has put out.

Those with memories that stretch past a couple of weeks ago will recall the halcyon days when a mass evacuation at a civilian airport exposed to suicide bombers and other attackers wasnt, according to President Joe Biden, even conceivable.

Biden contributed to the collapse of the Afghan military by denying it air cover, gave away Bagram Airfield for no good reason, pulled out U.S. troops before our diplomats and civilians, drastically underestimated the gathering Taliban offensive, and then, caught unawares by the fall of Kabul, scrambled to jury-rig a desperate rescue that shouldnt have been necessary in the first place.

On ExpressNews.com: Lowry: Even for biased media, no spinning Biden debacle

That the U.S flew out more than 115,000 people out of Kabul is a testament to the awesome capabilities of the United States military.

It is not in any way a vindication of Bidens exit.

The evacuation itself has been costly. Because we outsourced security outside the airport to the Taliban, our service members were forced to operate in dangerous conditions. A nearly inevitable attack last week killed 13 of them. Thats the loss of more Americans in one day than were killed in action most years in Afghanistan since 2015.

Then, we failed by the most important metric. We left hundreds of Americans behind who wanted to leave, a squalid betrayal that was unfathomable before the Biden team began to try to prepare the public for it a week or so ago.

Its hard to imagine any prior American president, perhaps with the exception of Jimmy Carter, abandoning Americans behind enemy lines. Theodore Roosevelt mustered the naval might of the United States to save one American who had been kidnapped in Morocco in 1904. Barack Obama traded five Guantanamo detainees for Bowe Bergdahl in 2014.

Even Biden felt the impulse to get every last American out. He pledged to do it in his interview with George Stephanopoulos. To keep his promise to the Taliban to get out by Tuesday, though, he broke his promise to his countrymen.

We still dont know how many U.S. green-card holders, to whom we should also feel an obligation, have been left behind. And there have been reports that the Taliban was blocking our most deserving Afghan allies from getting to the airport, meaning the Afghans we got out werent necessarily the most endangered.

Even if the evacuation had been flawless and complete, the underlying situation speaks of an abysmal failure. After 20 years, we lost a war to a Taliban that now controls more territory than it did on Sept. 11, 2001. The Taliban hasnt renounced al-Qaida; indeed, the Haqqani network, a key element of the Taliban that has been responsible for security in Kabul, is closely allied with the terror group.

Biden talks bravely of launching counterterrorism strikes from over the horizon but failed to secure a base in a neighboring country. We will have to operate from hours away in the Persian Gulf, even as our intelligence capabilities in Afghanistan are drastically diminished.

On ExpressNews.com: Lowry: The Biden blowout is just beginning

Our ineptitude and dishonorable conduct have shocked our allies, who need to place their trust in our competence and reliability.

Bidens supporters have resorted to the defense that almost all of this was inevitable. Yet, for years, the Afghan army fought and bled after we stepped back into a support role, suggesting an unsatisfactory stalemate was achievable at a relatively low cost. Biden rejected that option. Instead, he chose defeat and disgrace. All of the exertions to rescue people from the wreckage over the last two weeks cant change that.
Last week, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department commissioners unanimously voted to protect an important natural area north of San Antonio.

Its a great opportunity to conserve Texas land  the kind of opportunity we need more of if Texas wants to keep its nature.

At stake was 515 acres of land near Guadalupe River State Park slated for a new housing development. The development could have destroyed habitat for endangered wildlife such as the golden-cheeked warbler, Guadalupe bass and Texas blind salamander. Thanks to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, or TPWD, the Nature Conservancy and others, this beautiful land will now remain protected from development and, hopefully, eventually open to the public as parkland.

While acquiring the Honey Creek land is a great step in the right direction, many substantial challenges remain. Legislators must move quickly to preserve Texas rapidly disappearing wild spaces.

Growing up near Dallas, I experienced Texas dramatic loss of nature firsthand. When I was in elementary school, I lived across the street from a large field that filled with sunflowers every spring. I vividly remember wandering through the tall flowers that stretched above my head and filtered the sunlight to a cool yellow hue. By the time I began junior high school, those flowers had disappeared, cut down for development.

Billy Calzada /Staff photographer

On ExpressNews.com: Fiesta event highlights San Antonio Zoo's wildlife conservation efforts in Latin America

Many Texans have a similar story. Every day, expanding cities and towns replace wild places at a staggering 10 acres per hour. Today, we simply do not have enough public wild areas for our growing population to enjoy. It can take months to book a campsite, and visitors often face long lines to enter parks or even get turned away. While Texas growth shows no signs of slowing, our state can keep its wilderness if our elected and appointed officials choose to act.

Due to the Legislatures failures to properly fund the agency, the TPWD for many years has struggled to maintain existing parks, much less plan for the future. That lack of planning is beginning to show, and just this year the Texas Sunset Commission found the agency no longer measures progress such as increasing the number of acres added to state parks and identifying specific threats to both conservation and recreation land and water resources.

Back in 2004, the department set a goal to open at least four 5,000 acre parks within 10 years. Almost 20 years later, we have yet to hit that goal, much less establish other far-reaching objectives.

In 2019, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 5, which provided the TPWD with funding to take care of our parks. Now, we need a forward-thinking plan  and funding  to expand our parklands to ensure that future generations will enjoy them. Twenty years ago, Texas Tech University found the state would need to add more than 1 million acres of new state parks by 2030 to keep up with growth and public demand.

On ExpressNews.com: Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance pushes for policy to protect conservation zone

In the coming months, the Legislature will meet to decide how to spend almost $16 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan, of which $12.2 billion is available for general government use, including for state parks and facilities, according to Texas 2036, a Texas policy think tank. If we spent just 2 percent of those funds on growing our state parks system, we could get a serious jump-start on meeting that million-acre goal.

In two years, the Texas state parks system will celebrate its centennial. As we approach this milestone, we should clearly establish our game plan for the next 100 years. A central tenet of that plan must revolve around land conservation and new parks: additional parks near urban centers and underprivileged communities; parks that protect and preserve our waterways and aquifers; and parks that provide a place for Texas to recreate and wildlife to thrive.

Texas history is connected to nature, responsible use of the land and wide open spaces. Let this history be our future, too.

Seth Billingsley is the conservation associate for Environment Texas, a nonprofit advocate for clean air and water, parks and wildlife, and a livable climate.
Julie Swann, an engineer who studies health systems and models infectious disease at North Carolina State University, leads a team of researchers who recently tried to simulate how the delta variant of the coronavirus could move through schools in various scenarios. The results were alarming.

Absent masking and testing, the study said, more than 75 percent of susceptible students would become infected in three months. Even with masking and testing, the simulation found, kids in environments with low immunity  which includes virtually all elementary school classrooms  had a 22 percent chance of getting COVID within 107 days.

As a parent of two elementary-school students, I found these figures harrowing. It already felt like a gut punch when, last week, Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, said he didnt expect a pediatric COVID vaccine to be approved before the end of the year.

I live in New York City, where school staff must be vaccinated, and mask mandates are relatively uncontroversial. But Swanns teams calculations made it look like my familys chance of getting through this fall without either of our kids coming down with COVID was almost a coin flip.

After talking to Swann, I realize its not that simple. Her team didnt factor in the effect of quarantining students who test positive and assumed imperfect mask usage. For many schools, she expects the number of infections to be lower than the model showed. Thats unlikely, however, to be of much comfort to parents who take COVID seriously but are surrounded by people who dont. With school just beginning and pediatric hospitalizations already higher than ever, they are in an especially intolerable situation.

On ExpressNews.com: Taylor: Money to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Yes, please

Thats why we need the Food and Drug Administration to move quickly.

I can tell you almost certainly there will be data available in September to present to Pfizer, Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a Stanford professor of pediatric infectious diseases and a lead investigator at the Stanford site of Pfizer-BioNTechs pediatric vaccine trial, told me. She thinks Pfizer will be able to file for emergency use authorization in October.

So why is Collins saying the end of the year? Its unclear. One question, which even well-connected people are having a hard time getting an answer to, is whether the FDA is going to demand extra data for the kids vaccine. In July, the agency asked Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna to double the number of kids in their clinical trials to have a better chance of detecting rare side effects. The FDA also said it wanted four to six months of follow-up safety data, as opposed to two for adults.

Most experts dont think this data is necessary for the FDA to authorize the vaccine on an emergency basis. But we dont know if the FDA will insist on waiting for it. That is probably one of the decision points that is affecting the various predictions, said Dr. Lee Savio Beers, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Two weeks ago, 108 members of Congress, worried about how long approval for a pediatric vaccine was taking, wrote to the FDA seeking some visibility into its timetable. On Monday, the FDA responded, but without offering specifics. We understand that it is essential that the public have full trust in the FDAs review process, complete confidence in whatever products we approve or authorize, and faith in FDA and our commitment to protecting public health, the agency said.

Personally, Im losing that trust. I fear the FDA knows it will be blamed if anything goes wrong with the vaccine but not necessarily if kids get horribly sick for lack of it.

Even with delta, kids are far less likely to die than adults. But its hard to take comfort in that while childrens hospital beds are filling up. In a letter to President Joe Biden, the chief executive of the Childrens Hospital Association recently wrote, With pediatric volumes at or near capacity and the upcoming school season expected to increase demand, there may not be sufficient bed capacity or expert staff to care for children and families in need.

Many parents, convinced that COVID is more dangerous to their children than the vaccine, are going to great lengths to try to get shots for their kids. Some whose younger kids can pass for 12-year-olds are simply lying about their ages.

On ExpressNews.com: University Hospital now offering COVID vaccine at front door

Im one of many who has tried, unsuccessfully, to get my pediatrician to give my kids an off-label inoculation, which is technically legal now that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been fully approved by the FDA.

In addition to modeling diseases for a living, Swann has a 10-year-old who is returning to school. She told me that if her pediatrician agreed to vaccinate her kid off label, she would do it. Parents are desperate for it, she said.

The FDA can minimize risk to itself by taking its time. Families dont have that luxury.
Gov. Greg Abbott has celebrated the passage of Senate Bill 6, the Damon Allen Act, saying in a statement it will reform our broken bail system in Texas.

But as has happened all too often with the governor during this most trying of times, his words are misleading. The Damon Allen Act doesnt reform a broken cash bail system. Rather, it accentuates it by amplifying wealth-based detention.

It requires defendants accused of violent crimes to post cash bail in order to be released from jail pretrial. Gone are personal recognizance bonds. This disproportionately benefits the wealthy. Poor people accused of violent crimes will have to sit in jail.

To be clear, we dont want anyone who is credibly viewed as a danger to the public to be released pretrial. But whether someone can post bail has nothing to do with the risk he or she might pose to others, or whether that person will show up to court. It simply is a measure of ones wealth and access to credit.

Much of the bail reform conversation in Texas in recent years has revolved around people accused of nonviolent crimes who have languished in jail for lack of cash, often pleading guilty to crimes they may not have committed simply to secure their freedom. This is a dynamic Judge Edith Brown Clement of the conservative-leaning 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals perfectly captured in a 2018 ruling. Picture two defendants, she wrote, charged with the same crime, but one is poor and the other is wealthy. The wealthy defendant can post bond. But the poor defendant cannot.

On ExpressNews.com: Gonzales: Reform the first step toward justice for all

As a result, the wealthy arrestee is less likely to plead guilty, more likely to receive a shorter sentence or be acquitted, and less likely to bear the social costs of incarceration, she wrote. The poor arrestee, by contrast, must bear the brunt of all of these, simply because he has less money than his wealthy counterpart.

And that is the great sin of cash bail.

As a group of organizations and faith leaders involved with criminal justice reform wrote to Abbott in July: Using cash to determine whether a person is freed or remains jailed means poor people stay caged, while those with resources are freed. This is not only unfair, but also ineffective: cash is a poor proxy to realize the purported purposes of bail, to ensure appearance in court and community safety.

But while those accused of nonviolent crimes might be more sympathetic to the public, the same principle applies to defendants accused of violent crimes. The wealthy defendant can post bond, while the poor defendant cannot. And, again, posting bond is no guarantee a wealthy defendant does not pose a danger to others.

This is a point the bills author, state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, has conceded: This bill isnt going to prevent all crime, she said last month. Its not going to prevent individuals from committing crimes if they do make a bond.

While supporters of Huffmans bill have cited examples of people accused of violent crimes being released on bonds only to then be accused of committing additional crimes, many of their examples have involved cash bail.

In fact, the tragic killing of Damon Allen, a state trooper, involved a suspect who had posted cash bail after allegedly assaulting a county deputy.

Rather than relying on cash bail to detain defendants pretrial, a fair and equitable system would allow for the option of personal recognizance bonds, and it would guide decisions around release or detention based on proven risk-assessment tools that do not perpetuate the racial and class divides that permeate our criminal justice system.

On ExpressNews.com: Group of wrongfully convicted Texans pushes for criminal justice reforms

Beyond this, any pretrial release should come with intense monitoring and social services for defendants. This would help ensure court appearances, and keep defendants employed and stable pretrial, reducing the chances of another offense.

But thats not what we are getting with SB 6.

Again, no one wants dangerous defendants to be released only to commit other crimes. But doubling down on cash bail isnt the answer, and this will, undoubtedly, face legal challenges as various federal courts have found cash bail practices in Texas to be unconstitutional.

This isnt reform. Its more of the same.
Two Democratic state senators and an activist group have filed a federal lawsuit against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, alleging that the Texas Constitution doesnt allow redistricting for the Legislature to be done during a special session, putting the onus on a federal judge to draw new political maps in the meantime.

In a suit filed in federal court in Del Rio on Wednesday, Sens. Sarah Eckhardt, of Austin, and Roland Gutierrez, of San Antonio, and Tejano Democrats state that the law only allows the process to occur during the first regular session after the U.S. Census Bureau releases its decennial data.

Considering he is a licensed Texas attorney for over 35 years, a former judge, and a former Texas Attorney General, the Governor is well aware of this and is deliberately ignoring the law in a desperate, illegal scheme to try to keep his party in power, Gutierrez said in a statement.

Abbott, whose office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has said he will call a special session for redistricting this fall. Legislative hearings have already begun, and more are scheduled for later this month.

The suit would not affect the timing of congressional redistricting, which is not addressed in the Texas Constitution, according to Michael Li, redistricting and voting counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU.

READ MORE: Show me your maps: 2021 Texas redistricting starts with less oversight, transparency concerns

The Census Bureau was supposed to deliver the data at the end of March, but due to pandemic-related delays, did not release it until mid-August. Eckhardt and Gutierrez argue that the next opportunity, then, would be the regular session in 2023.

One of the plaintiffs attorneys, Wallace B. Jefferson, is a former chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, a Republican. The legal team could not be reached for comment.

The suit asks the court to issue an injunction barring the Legislature from moving forward with its redistricting process and to create an interim map for the 2022 cycle.

Political maps routinely elicit lawsuits against the state alleging discrimination against minority voters. Federal judges, as recently as 2017, have repeatedly found that the Republican-controlled Legislature drew political districts with racially discriminatory intent.

Texas has seen major growth in its urban centers in the last decade, and as the latest census data shows, that growth is overwhelmingly being driven by people of color. The demographic changes present a challenge for the Texas Republicans leading the state, who are widely expected to do everything in their power to retain their majority.

For nearly 20 years Texas Republicans have manipulated the redistricting process to disenfranchise minority voters and Democrats to maintain a tenuous hold on the state legislature, but that all ends now, Eckhardt said in a statement. We will continue to demand that they start following both the intent and the letter of the law. Partys over.

The plaintiffs say they need the relief because the Texas House and Senate districts they live in are overpopulated or malapportioned.

The disparity in the populations of the those districts violate the one person, one vote guarantee of the Fourteenth Amendment thats protected by the Civil Rights Act, they wrote.

Acting Secretary of State Jose A. Esparza is also named as a defendant in the suit. His office also did not respond to a request for comment.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Indiana schools got an incentive from the governor Wednesday to require face masks in classrooms in hopes of slowing down the number of COVID-19 outbreaks among students.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb issued a new statewide executive order that eases quarantine requirements for students if all children and adults in the school were wearing masks throughout the day. The revised order comes as many Indiana schools have seen COVID-19 outbreaks and the states vaccination rate remains stubbornly low.

The Crown Point school district in northwestern Indiana on Wednesday joined the list of districts requiring mask use. Officials reported more than 50 confirmed COVID-19 infections and nearly 900 students out of school on quarantines during the first two weeks of classes.

Holcomb said the COVID-19 spread in Indiana was regrettable but avoidable.

To the skeptics or unbelievers or deniers, I would just plead to look at the facts, to look at the numerical data that shows we can all stay safe if you get vaccinated, Holcomb said.

About 46% of Indiana residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the 15th-lowest rate among the states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State health officials, meanwhile, say 98% of recent COVID-19 hospitalizations are for unvaccinated people.

The coronavirus risk ratings updated weekly by the Indiana State Health Department now put nearly all counties in the higher risk categories for COVID-19 spread as severe illnesses are straining hospitals at levels months earlier than last winters surge.

Those updated ratings placed 13 of Indianas 92 counties in highest-risk red category, with 75 counties with the next-highest orange rating. Only four counties were in the lower-level yellow category. A month ago, just one county was listed as red and 62 had the lowest-level yellow and blue ratings as the highly contagious delta variant was hitting the state.

Holcomb remained firm against reinstating the statewide mask mandate that expired in April, saying it was loud and clear that the public wanted local officials in control of such actions.

New state rules issued Wednesday allow schools to let students deemed as close contacts with someone infected with COVID-19 to remain in school if all adults and students in the classroom correctly and consistently wear well-fitting masks the entire time, during the educational school day. Students would have to quarantine only if they developed COVID-19 symptoms.

Several school boards around the state have faced vocal  and sometimes misleading  opposition to mask requirements.

Even so, 54% of Indianas public school students were under classroom mask requirements as of Wednesday and at least 60 schools have switched to virtual learning for at least one week because of high numbers of students and staff in quarantine or isolation since the start of the school year, according to the Indiana School Boards Association.

Holcomb said those who have avoided vaccinations need to get the shots.

That is having an adverse effect on others, not just potentially yourself, but others and our economy and our kids education, Holcomb said. So, I would just ask to think beyond yourself.

The governors new executive order, which runs through the end of September, reinstates the states work search requirements for those receiving welfare benefits and the one-week waiting period before the payment of unemployment benefits begins.

The current COVID-19 surge has boosted Indiana hospitalizations to about 2,300 patients  double the number of patients from two weeks ago and at a level that hospitals didnt see until early November last year.

Some Indiana hospitals have announced delays in some non-emergency surgeries, but the governors new order does not impose any restrictions on surgical procedures as Holcomb had done during last years coronavirus surges.
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

BRIDGEPORT  Three individuals are in custody and multiple guns have been seized after multiple reports Tuesday morning of people shooting out of a vehicle in the city, officials said.

At 11:45 a.m., the citys 911 dispatch center took several calls about people shooting from a moving vehicle in the area of Park Street, according to Scott Appleby, the citys director of emergency communications and emergency management.
HARTFORD  Two 17-year-old boys were shot Tuesday afternoon near Hazel Street, police said.

Police were alerted to the shooting via their gunshot detection system around 4:25 p.m. Tuesday.

While searching the area, the two teenagers arrived at an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to the Hartford Police Department.

Police said they are unsure of what led up to the shooting. Anyone with information regarding the incident should call the police departments tip line at 860-722-8477.

liz.hardaway@hearst.com
FAIRFIELD  A racist email was sent to Fairfield Woods Middle School staff members last weekend, the principal said. It was the third racist incident the school district has faced in recent months.

In a memo to the school community, Principal Colleen Banick said the incident involved an email sent to staff members last weekend.

The person who sent the email is not affiliated with the school, district or town, Banick said in the email. Banick said school officials said they have identified those involved and have addressed the situation.

We strongly believe that racism has no place here or anywhere in our society, Banick wrote in the memo, obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media. We are working to support those who have been affected by this reprehensible act. As a school community, we must continue to take a stand against intolerance and treat each other with respect and dignity.

Andrea Clark, the school districts director of communication, referred to Banicks statement and declined to comment further about the incident.

In May, officials confirmed high school students from Fairfield Warde and Fairfield Ludlowe were targets of two racist incidents. One of those involved a racist caption on a social media post, officials said.

One student was charged with second-degree breach of peace and ridicule on account of creed, religion, color, denomination, nationality or race in connection with the social media post. School officials said the other incident was handled internally and did not lead to criminal charges.

Greater Bridgeport NAACP officials met with school officials after these incidents in May to implement a diversity training plan. Starting this fall, college students affiliated with their colleges NAACP chapters will meet with high school students to discuss racial insensitivity and bias.
Northern Ireland's ban on movement of untested BVD animals has come into effect from today, farmers in the region have been reminded.

The Department of Agriculture (DAERA) has banned cattle that have not been tested for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) from being moved to slaughterhouses.

It is also an offence to have possession of an untested animal that has been moved in breach of the BVD Eradication Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 (the BVD Order).

Bovine viral diarrhoea is a highly contagious disease, one of the most common and costly affecting cattle in Europe.

The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) has reminded farmers that the measure came into effect from today (Wednesday 1 September).

Deputy president William Irvine said: Its vital that herd keepers ensure all animals are tested within 20 days of birth, to not only protect their own herd but neighbouring herds too.

"It also ensures that not only are farmers complying with legal requirements, but that all animals remain eligible for slaughter for the duration of their lifespan.

It is an offence to own an untested animal therefore it is of paramount importance to ensure all animals that are intended for movement off the holding, have confirmation of a negative BVD status before being shifted to another location."

Huge gains have been made in recent years to reduce BVD across NI, with the industry urging for the introduction of more measures in a bid to eradicate the disease.

Mr Irvine added that farmer cooperation with the BVD programme had been 'excellent'.

"We believe that with continuing engagement from farmers, and cooperation from DAERA, industry can look forward to the elimination of the BVD virus.
Healthy pigs will end up being destroyed and wasted unless the government takes urgent action to alleviate crippling staff shortages, the sector has warned.

The plight facing the pig sector as a result of the labour shortages affecting the entire food chain is worsening, with the National Pig Association (NPA) warning of a 'significant contraction' of the sector.

Currently, there is an estimated 70,000 surplus of pigs on farms, but this is growing at a rate of 15,000 a week, the NPA explained.

Pork processors are permanently reducing throughput as a result of labour shortages in plants, especially butchers, and there is 'no end in sight'.

The trade body is one of the food and farming organisations behind the Grant Thornton report, which, published last week, called for ministers to introduce a 12-month Covid-19 Recovery Visa.

NPA's chief executive Zoe Davies said the sector was 'desperately' seeking support from the government, particularly the Home Office, to facilitate access to new workers.

"If government doesnt take action, perfectly healthy pigs will end up being destroyed and wasted," she said.

"For the second time in under a year the pig sector is facing some really tough choices, which we really shouldn't have to be taking as demand for British pork is still strong."

Ms Davies warned that there could be an 'exodus' of pig keepers this year and next as many have 'simply had enough'

"We already only supply 40% of the pork eaten here  is it right that we should be importing more from the EU  the ultimate irony of Brexit," she added.

According to the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA), some processors are 25% down on capacity and having to cut down on lines.

The body warned that the country was already facing a shortage of pigs in blankets for the Christmas period.

Chief executive Nick Allen described the situation in the processing sector as a nightmare and said the Covid Recovery Visa would help get some extra people into the country.

We need a quick fix  we understand longer term that we all have to adapt, and either mechanise or get British labour doing these jobs, but in this immediate short-term, on the back of Covid, we cant do it.

"Without the short-term fix, therell be long-term damage.
A charity's wellbeing hotline has been improved to further support migrant workers involved in the Scottish agricultural industry.

Scotlands rural charity RSABI has recently improved its accessibility to seasonal migrant workers through a new multi-lingual helpline.

The helpline, which has a translation service, provides seasonal workers with practical, emotional and, in some cases, financial support.

RSABI has teamed up with both NFU Scotland and Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SOAS) to promote the helpline.

It comes as Covid-19 restrictions and post-Brexit visa requirements have made this season a difficult one for both farmers and their workers.

Nina Clancy, RSABI chief executive, explained why they have made this service available: This helpline has been put in place to reach out to the difficult to reach migrant workers.

"Working away from home with language barriers can increase stress and anxiety for workers, in some cases magnifying the problems they are facing.

"It is important that everyone in Scottish agriculture has an opportunity to receive support."

Iain Brown, chair of NFU Scotlands Horticulture Working Group, highlighted the importance of worker wellbeing and morale to horticultural businesses.

Seasonal migrant workers are a vital asset to the Scottish horticulture sector and are a critical part of its success," he said.

"Services that improve the mental wellbeing and morale of workers will have benefits for both the workers and for our members businesses.

The helpline can be reached on 0300 111 4160, or by completing a call back form online.
A feed and bedding manufacturer was victim to an on-farm blaze yesterday after 600 large straw bales that weighed 300 tonnes were caught alight.

The stack of bales represented around two days-worth of production at Sundowns manufacturing facility, which produces a range bedding products.

The fire took hold on the morning of Tuesday (31 August) in a field just south of the A14, near Thrapston, Northamptonshire.

Firefighters were called at 7.20am after smoke was seen from the A14 and appliances from Thrapston, Kettering and Rushden attended the scene.

Sundown Products has reassured its customers that bedding supplies will be unaffected, and an investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

The firm had only completed the stack on Saturday 28 August, and it had been due to be moved within the next few days due to its highly visible location and proximity to local footpaths.

Director David Cubitt said: A straw stack fire is always very upsetting, and even though the straw was insured its so frustrating for our team who have worked so hard this harvest to bale our straw from local farmers.

We are grateful that nobody was hurt and extend our thanks to those that reported the fire and the Thrapston, Kettering and Rushden fire crews that worked quickly to extinguish it and prevent the fire from spreading."

According to NFU Mutual, the cost of farm fires in the UK reached a five-year high in 2019, totalling over 49 million.

Electrical faults accounted for over half the total, followed by arson which rose by 40 percent to 9 million.

The rural insurer urged farmers to check their fire precautions and have emergency plans in place.
2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning --

4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS.

We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover.

We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come.
The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike.

We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve.




The brand unveiled new Matrix for All Hair Types. All Humans at Matrix India M-Day



There are some brands that infiltrate the market and then, there are a few which stay with us for a long time! One such professional brand is Matrix  millennials might remember going for their first hair makeover with it. And ever since it showed us its magic, Matrix has held a special place in the history of our hair makeovers.

Matrix, the leading American Professional salon brand, was founded in 1980 by Arnie Miller who got inspired by the idea of togetherness and synergy. Since inception, the brand has always weaved together an inclusive community of support for professionals across all levels. Here, they are given the tools, they need to succeed to help every stylist realise their creative and professional potential. Launched in India in 2005, Matrix has maintained strong ground even in the subcontinent when it comes to upgrading the skills of these professionals and empowering them to be at the top of their game. Moreover, Matrixs strong distribution network and presence in over 35,000+ salons is a testimony to the trust that the professionals have on the brand.

The brand, which has become a safe haven for countless hairdressers and consumers for all hair care and colouring needs, has announced its renovation at the Matrix India M-Day virtual event. Matrix has undergone a renovation, and heres all that you need to know about it. With this, the brand reaffirms its ethos through its new look, which stands on three major pillars  Inclusive, Uncomplicated, and Uplifting. Matrix has announced its commitment towards the motto All Hair Types. All Humans., providing an inclusive platform for one and all.



Matrix India M-Day saw stalwarts from the professional industry join in from the likes of Philip Wolff, Tabatha Coffey, George Papanikolas  all Matrix Global Ambassadors  along with Melroy Dickson, Education Manager, Matrix India, who took center stage. The day-long virtual event included exclusive masterclasses by these celebrated international stylists that equipped hairdressers with the necessary tools and education to further their professional activities.

The event witnessed over 2 lakh hairdressers and professionals one of the biggest virtual events hosted ever  gather in unison and support the brand in unveiling its elevated brand image with a new, colourful look. In line with the brands ethos, the event was streamed in seven different languages to celebrate diversity and inclusivity. With this, Matrix will welcome hairstylists of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of expertise into a supportive community.

Matrix India M-Day saw the brand paint the town rainbow with its elevated image in an all-new logo which brings to life its uplifting culture of support and optimism.





So, what does the brand aim at doing within its three pillars?



All Hair Types. All Humans



With its new brand tagline  All Hair Types. All Humans.  Matrix India aims to extend its support each and every professional in the industry in an INCLUSIVE community. It welcomes every hairstylist  whether they are beginners, working in a salon, or experts who are all set to start their enterprise  and support them at every step of their professional journey.



Matrixs ethos on inclusivity stands true for its consumers as well. The brand provides solutions for all hair types; for those looking for makeover and those willing to take a step ahead and experiment, Matrix has a customised solution that suits every need, hair type, and texture. This has helped its consumers to stay on top of the trends with a wide range of shades to choose from. With that, the brand is also a one stop solution for all hair care, colour styling needs for every hair type.





Colour With Confidence with Uncomplicated Technology

While we enjoy changing the colour of our hair, damage post that is one of the most worrying concerns. This problem either discourages people to opt for a hair colour service or leads them to opt out of a follow-up session. Understanding the barrier for consumers to get their hair coloured, Matrix launched the new SoColor Pre-Bonded Color System with uncomplicated high-performance solutions for all styles and all hair types. This range of professional hair colour is enriched with an exclusive bond-protecting concentrate which protects the inner hair structure, colour after colour, thus maintaining the true integrity of hair. SoColor Pre-Bonded is perfectly calibrated to protect every hair fiber and gives long lasting results on dark Indian hair bases.

Upgrading & Uplifting The Community of Hairdressers

Staying true to its original vision, Matrix educates over one lakh hairdressers in India annually through its network of 36 education studios spread across the country. The brand has put its years of experience in the industry to a good cause of uplifting hair artists, dressers, and stylists by educating them and honing their skills. The brand has curated courses that will now be accessible for all through the Matrix Learn & Connect or Access App. Through a hybrid online-offline education model, Matrix aims at educating every professional  beginners, experienced artists or new entrepreneurs to empower and upgrade their skill set.











With a new brand imagery and more inclusive ethos, Matrix captures the essence of the Indian professional haircare industry. Its for one and all because at Matrix, Everyone Is Welcome.

https://www.instagram.com/matrixindia_lnc/
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Raqesh Bapat has said that veteran actress Jaya Bachchan had once considered him to be her son, actor Abhishek Bachchan's competition. The Guddi actress had also allegedly told Abhishek Bachchan to "look out" for Raqesh Bapat. Raqesh made his debut with Tum Bin in 2001.

On the same day--July 13, 2001, Aks had released and that screening was happening before us. So we were waiting in the parking lot. Suddenly I see Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, everyone stepping out. Jaya ji saw me from far away and came to me and said, 'Youre that Bapat boy right? Im so proud to meet you, youre so promising. I keep telling Abhishek to look out for you'." Raqesh remembered Jaya calling Abhishek, who hugged him and said, "Dude, every time your promo comes, my mom calls me and says look out for this guy, hes your competition'," Raqesh told a leading news portal.

Suddenly I was in front of such legends and I didnt know what to say. Mr Bachchan said Tum Bin looks like a good film. My entire family was in awe seeing the Bachchans in person. My parents almost fainted I think (laughs). My father was against me taking up this profession. He wanted me to get a job. But this instance changed their entire outlook towards what I was doing. These are the validation you get for the work you do," he added.

Currently Raqesh is a contestant on a reality show on OTT.
SYDNEY, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kalkine Pty Limited is pleased to announce the launch of its 'Kalkine IPO Research' that provides coverage on a varied range of global IPOs. Companies are going public globally like never before- cashing in on the record-high prices. Amidst the strong global capital market momentum and ample liquidity, traditional IPOs have come back to the fore.

But what exactly is an IPO?

Initial Public offering or IPO refers to the process by which a private company can become a publicly traded company through its share sale to the public for the first time. IPOs allows a company to raise money from the public investor. Before applying for an IPO, every company must meet all the requirements laid down by the respective country's exchange and securities market regulators.

The product suite under Kalkine IPO Research provides an in-depth analysis of the most popular and attractive IPOs waiting to hit the street. In addition, it analyses the fundamentals and the key risks associated with the IPOs. This analysis becomes critical in answering the most basic question in every investor's mind- Does the IPO Offering look Attractive or Not?

Given this backdrop, Kalkine IPO Research provides insights through:

Popular Offerings:The Kalkine IPO Research focuses on popular offerings being monitored closely by the market participants. The Research provides details of the issue price, lot size, float, and other subscription offerings. In-depth Analysis:Detailed analysis undertaken on the company's fundamentals, including its past performance, earnings quality, equity dilution, management team, key risks, growth catalyst etc., for better decision making. The Attractiveness of the IPO:Through its comprehensive analysis, the Kalkine IPO Research provides insights on the attractiveness of an IPO. This report assists the investors in getting relevant insights for further analysis on soon-to-be-listed companies that may have a sound business model & decent potential outlook.

To summarize, Kalkine IPO Research is an easy to comprehend yet detailed analysis of the upcoming IPOs across the global markets. The research provides insights on businesses after carefully assessing sectoral trends, global demand and supply scenarios, fundamental analysis, outlook, potential, associated risks, etc. Please visit our website - www.kalkine.com.au for more details .

Contact details: honey.bhargava@kalkine.com.au

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1341740/Kalkine_Logo.jpg
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 31, 2021) - Sahara Energy Ltd. (TSXV: SAH) ("Sahara" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its press releases dated January 25, 2021, February 23, 2021, August 26, 2021 and August 30, 2021, Sahara has closed its Change of Business (as such term is defined in TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") Policy 5.2) transactions.

In particular, effective August 31, 2021, the Company through its wholly-owned subsidiary, GC Capital Holdings Inc., completed its previously announced transaction with DMG Investments LLC, whereby the Company has made an investment of USD$3,000,000 in exchange for a preferred equity ownership position of approximately 21.85% in a student housing development project in Amherst, New York and an investment of USD$2,000,000, in exchange for a preferred equity ownership position of approximately 15.56% in a multi-family mixed commercial housing development in Albany, New York.

Full details respecting these transactions as well as certain of the Company's future business goals and plans are set out in Sahara's Amended Filing Statement dated August 27, 2021 which was filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com on August 30, 2021. Sahara shareholders and other interested parties are urged to review the Amended Filing Statement and the information contained therein in full for further information respecting the Change of Business.

Trading in the common shares of the Company will resume following the Company's receipt of its final listing approval from the Exchange. Upon resumption of trading, the Company will be listed on the Exchange as a Tier 2 "investment issuer." The Company's name and ticker symbol, "SAH," will remain the same.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (as that term is defined in the Policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Sahara Energy Ltd.

Fiona Wang, Vice President

(571) 355-1488

fiona.w@gccapholdings.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95114
Nestled in the heart of Sentosa island, Oasia's brand new tranquil retreat and rejuvenating spa presents the perfect destination to refresh, refuel, and recharge

SINGAPORE, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With borders poised to re-open and international visitors looking for new destinations and fresh travel experiences, Far East Hospitality, Singapore's leading operator of hotels and serviced residences, launches their fourth property in Sentosa - Oasia Resort Sentosa on 1 September 2021.

Launching in tandem with Oasia Resort Sentosa is Oasia Spa, the integral feature of the resort and Far East Hospitality's first ever spa destination. The 191-key wellness resort, together with its Asian-inspired spa offerings, offers guests a signature Oasia wellness experience with its spectrum of thoughtful amenities and holistic programmes.

"At Far East Hospitality, we are always looking at opportunities to expand our service offerings to cater to the ever-changing needs and preferences of guests. Post-pandemic, health and wellness will be a key hospitality niche and we want to be ready to capture this market segment when recovery happens. Our foray into the resort and spa category with Oasia Resort Sentosa is a part of our company-wide transformation strategy to meet these new demands," said Mr Arthur Kiong, Chief Executive Officer of Far East Hospitality Management.

The resort offers a selection of wellness itinerary designed to achieve various goals - invoking mindfulness, detoxing the body and improving fitness. These complimentary programmes includes HIIT and yoga classes, qi gong sessions, in-room guided workout videos via IPTV, and well-being workshops hosted by partnering brands and the resort's trained professionals.

The resort's signature restaurant, Bedrock Origin, serves an evolved cuisine that reflects elements of an idyllic coastal locale. Guests can dine on wholesome plant-based and keto-friendly options, and if guests wish to treat themselves, Bedrock's signature steaks and exclusive seafood selection are available. Guests can also imbibe on the restaurant's fine wines and whiskies from around the world, along with classic whisky-based cocktails.

Oasia Spa

The first spa destination by Far East Hospitality, Oasia Spa features specialised facial and grooming treatments, and full-body massages that combine traditional Thai massage, Japanese shiatsu pressure points, and Indian massage techniques. It is also the first in Southeast Asia and Oceania to use and carry KOTOSHINA acclaimed organic products; the first to retail Australia's Biology Smart Skincare refillery; and the first hotel spa in Singapore to offer cryotherapy facial.

Beyond providing stellar products and treatments, Oasia Spa is the first to use MedKlinn Cerafusion Technology to provide bacteria-free air, and the first to use PhytonAir, a specialised device to diffuse forest essence to replicate the benefits of Shinrin-yoku or 'forest bathing' therapy.

Full details of Oasia Resort Sentosa launch can be viewed HERE.

Visit Oasia Resort Sentosa website and follow @StayOasia on Instagram and Facebook.

About Far East Hospitality

Far East Hospitality Holdings Pte Ltd (Far East Hospitality) is an international hospitality owner and operator with a diverse portfolio of 10 unique and complementary brands of hotels, serviced residences and apartment hotels, including Oasia, Quincy, Rendezvous, Village, Far East Collection, A by Adina, Adina Hotels, Vibe Hotels, Travelodge Hotels and Collection by TFE Hotels.

Far East Hospitality owns more than 10 hospitality assets and operates a combined portfolio of more than 17,500 rooms under its management across over 105 hotels and serviced residences in nine countries - Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore, with more in its development pipeline. In 2020, the group ranked amongst the top 100 hotel companies by HotelsMag.

For more information, visit www.FarEastHospitality.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1604090/Oasia_Resort_Sentosa.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1604089/Qi_Gong_at_Oasia_Resort_Sentosa.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1604088/Bedrock_Origin.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1604087/Oasia_Spa_at_Oasia_Resort_Sentosa.jpg
Applications for research projects are open from September 1 to November 30 for research and development themes related to the use of precious metals in new technologies



TOKYO, Sept 1, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - The TANAKA Memorial Foundation (Representative Director: Hideya Okamoto) announced that it will take applications for research themes for FY2021 Precious Metals Research Grants between September 1 (Wed) and November 30 (Tue). Applications will be accepted from Japanese educational institutions and public research institutes conducting research and development using precious metals. In this 23rd year of the research grant, recipients will receive 5 million yen for the Platinum Award, 2 million yen for the Gold Award, 1 million yen for the Silver Award, 1 million yen for the Young Researcher Award, and 300,000 yen for the Encouragement Award.



Applications for the Precious Metals Research Grants are open to themes in all fields related to new technology and research and development in which precious metals can make a contribution. Applications can be submitted using the application form on the TANAKA Memorial Foundation website (https://tanaka-foundation.or.jp), and, after strict examination, award recipients will be announced at the end of March 2022.



The TANAKA Memorial Foundation aims to contribute to the development and cultivation of new fields for precious metals and to the development of science, technology, and the social economy by conducting activities that enable more people to experience a prosperous society. This program is being implemented to help support the various challenges faced in the "new world opened up by precious metals." Last year research and development on "development and application of precious metal catalytic reactions with unconventional low-temperature action using surface protonics" which contributes to SDGs and ESG investing and can also make a large contribution to the government's 2050 goal of carbon neutrality won a Gold Award. Another Gold Award was presented for research and development on "development of an oxidation resistant Ir-based high-entropy alloy" related to high-entropy alloys, a new category of metallic material that is currently gaining attention.



Overview of the 2021 Precious Metals Research Grants



Theme:

- Themes that involve any of the following: new technologies to which precious metals can make a contribution, research related to precious metals that will bring innovative evolution to products, or research and development of new products using precious metals



Grant Amounts:

- Platinum Award: 5 million yen (1 award)

- Gold Award: 2 million yen (1 award)

- Silver Awards: 1 million yen (4 awards)

- Young Researcher Awards: 1 million yen (2 awards)

- Encouragement Award: 300,000 yen (several awards)

* The grant amount is treated as a scholarship donation.

* Awards may not be granted in some cases.

* The number of awards is subject to change.



Eligible Candidates:

- Personnel who belong to (or work for) educational institutions in Japan (universities, graduate schools, or technical colleges) or public and related research institutions may participate.

* As long as the applicant is affiliated with a research institution in Japan, the base of activity can be in Japan or overseas.

* The Young Researcher Awards are for researchers under the age of 37 as of April 1, 2021.



Application Period:

- 9am, September 1, 2021 (Wed) - 5pm, November 30, 2021 (Tue)



Application Method:

- Enter the required information on the application form available on the TANAKA Memorial Foundation website (https://tanaka-foundation.or.jp) and upload details of the research (papers and supplementary material on the theme).



Announcement:

- Results will be announced on the TANAKA Memorial Foundation website around the end of March 2022.

* TANAKA will contact the award recipients directly.



Conditions:

Research content that falls under any of the following

- New technology related to precious metals

- Research and development related to precious metals that bring about innovative evolution in products

- Research and development of new products using precious metals

* Precious metal refers to eight elements of platinum, gold, silver, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium and osmium.

* If development is conducted jointly (or planned to be) with other material manufacturers, please indicate so.

* Products that have already been commercialized, put to practical use, or that are planned are not eligible.



Inquiries Concerning the Research Grant Program:

Precious Metals Research Grants Office

Global Marketing / R&D Supervisory Department, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.

22F Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6422

TEL: 03-6311-5596 FAX: 03-6311-5529 E-mail: joseikin@ml.tanaka.co.jp

TANAKA Memorial Foundation website: https://tanaka-foundation.or.jp



Press release: https://www.acnnewswire.com/pdf/files/20210901.pdf



TANAKA Memorial Foundation



Established: April 1, 2015

Address: 22F Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Hideya Okamoto

Purpose of Business: To provide grants for research related to precious metals to contribute to the development and cultivation of new fields for precious metals, and to the development of science, technology, and the social economy.

Areas of Business: Provision of grants for scientific and technological research related to precious metals. Recognition of excellent analysis of precious metals and holding of seminars and other events.



TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.



Headquarters: 22F, Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Koichiro Tanaka, Representative Director & CEO

Founded: 1885

Incorporated: 1918

Capital: 500 million yen

Employees: 2,453 (as of March 31, 2021)

Sales: JPY 1,251,066,897,000 (FY2020)

Main businesses: Manufacture, sales, import and export of precious metals (platinum, gold, silver, and others) and various types of industrial precious metals products.

URL: https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com



Press Inquiries

TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.

https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/



Source: Tanaka Memorial Foundation



Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.





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TechnipFMC Commences Tender Offer For Up To $250 Million Principal Amount of Its Outstanding 6.500% Senior Notes due 2026

TechnipFMC plc (NYSE: FTI) (PARIS: FTI) (the "Company") announced today that it has commenced a tender offer (the "Tender Offer") for up to $250 million aggregate principal amount (the "Maximum Tender Amount") of its 6.500% Senior Notes due 2026 (the "Notes

The terms and conditions of the Tender Offer are set forth in an Offer to Purchase (the "Offer to Purchase"), dated August 31, 2021. The Company intends to fund the Tender Offer with cash on hand.

The following table summarizes the material pricing terms of the Tender Offer:

Per $1,000 Principal Amount of Notes Aggregate Principal Maximum Early Title of CUSIP Amount Tender Tender Offer Tender Total Security Number Outstanding Amount(1) Consideration(2) Premium Consideration

(2) (3) 6.500% Senior

Notes due 2026 87854XAE1 (Rule

144A) and

G87110AC9

(Regulation S) $1,000,000,000 $250,000,000 $1,045 $30 $1,075

_______________

(1) Represents maximum aggregate principal amount of Notes to be accepted for purchase by the Company, exclusive of accrued interest (as further described in the Offer to Purchase). (2) Per $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase by the Company. Excludes accrued interest, which will be paid on Notes accepted for purchase by the Company as described in the Offer to Purchase. (3) Includes the Early Tender Premium for Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Time and accepted for purchase by the Company.

The Tender Offer will expire at 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 28, 2021 (the "Expiration Time"), unless extended or earlier terminated. Holders who validly tender and do not validly withdraw their Notes at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 14, 2021 (the "Early Tender Time"), and whose Notes are accepted for purchase, will receive, for each $1,000 principal amount of such Notes, the "Total Consideration" of $1,075, which includes an "Early Tender Premium" of $30.00. Holders who validly tender their Notes after the Early Tender Time will only be eligible to receive the "Tender Offer Consideration," which is the Total Consideration less the Early Tender Premium.

In addition to the Total Consideration or Tender Offer Consideration, as applicable, Holders whose Notes are accepted for purchase will also receive accrued and unpaid interest from the last interest payment date for the Notes to, but not including, the applicable settlement date. Payment for all Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Time and accepted for purchase will be made on the "Early Settlement Date", which will be promptly after the Early Tender Time and is anticipated to occur on or about September 15, 2021. Payment for all Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Time and accepted for purchase, if any, will be made promptly after the Expiration Time.

If more than the Maximum Tender Amount of Notes are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn, the Company will accept such Notes for purchase on a pro rata basis up to the Maximum Tender Amount. If, at the Early Tender Time, the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered equals or exceeds the Maximum Tender Amount, the Company does not expect to accept for purchase any Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Time. If, at the Early Tender Time, the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered is less than the Maximum Tender Amount, the Company expects to accept for purchase all Notes validly tendered at or before the Early Tender Deadline without proration, and, in such instance, only Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Deadline and at or before the Expiration Time will be subject to possible proration. The Company reserves the right, but is not obligated, to increase the Maximum Tender Amount in its sole discretion.

Tendered Notes may be withdrawn at any time at or prior to, but not after, 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 14, 2021, unless extended by the Company, except under certain limited circumstances as otherwise required by law.

The consummation of the Tender Offer is not conditioned upon any minimum amount of Notes being tendered, but is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions described in the Offer to Purchase.

The Company has engaged Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and BofA Securities Inc. to act as the dealer managers for the Tender Offer. The Information Agent for the Tender Offer is Global Bondholder Services Corporation. Copies of the Offer to Purchase and related offering materials are available by contacting the Information Agent at (866) 470-3700 (toll-free) or (212) 430-3774. Questions regarding the Tender Offer should be directed to Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. at (800) 558-3745 (toll-free) or (212) 723-6106 (collect) and BofA Securities, Inc. at (980) 388-3646 (collect) or debt_advisory@bofa.com.

This press release is not an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. The Tender Offer is being made solely pursuant to the terms of the Offer to Purchase. The Company may amend, extend or terminate the Tender Offer in its sole discretion. The Tender Offer is not being made to holders of Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities or other laws of such jurisdiction.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements. The words "expect," "believe," "estimated," and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which are generally not historical in nature. Such forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. For information regarding known material factors that could cause actual results to differ from projected results, please see our risk factors set forth in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which include our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any of our forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.

United Kingdom

The communication of this press release and any other documents or materials relating to the Tender Offer is not being made and such documents and/or materials have not been approved by an authorized person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 ("FSMA"). Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials is exempt from the restriction on financial promotions under section 21 of the FSMA on the basis that it is only directed at and may be communicated to (1) those persons who are existing members or creditors of the Company or other persons within Article 43 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, and (2) to any other persons to whom these documents and/or materials may lawfully be communicated.

European Economic Area (EEA)

In any European Economic Area (EEA) Member State (the "Relevant State"), this press release is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in that Relevant State within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017, as amended (the "Prospectus Regulation"). Each person in a Relevant State who receives any communication in respect of the Tender Offer contemplated in this press release will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with each Dealer Manager and the Company that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation.

About TechnipFMC

TechnipFMC is a leading technology provider to the traditional and new energy industries, delivering fully integrated projects, products, and services.

With our proprietary technologies and comprehensive solutions, we are transforming our clients' project economics, helping them unlock new possibilities to develop energy resources while reducing carbon intensity and supporting their energy transition ambitions.

Organized in two business segments Subsea and Surface Technologies we will continue to advance the industry with our pioneering integrated ecosystems (such as iEPCI, iFEED and iComplete), technology leadership and digital innovation.

Each of our approximately 20,000 employees is driven by a commitment to our clients' success, and a culture of strong execution, purposeful innovation, and challenging industry conventions.

TechnipFMC uses its website as a channel of distribution of material company information. To learn more about how we are driving change in the industry, go to www.TechnipFMC.com and follow us on Twitter @TechnipFMC.

Category: UK regulatory

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210831006078/en/

Contacts:

Investor relations

Matt Seinsheimer

Vice President, Investor Relations

Tel: +1 281 260 3665

Email: Matt Seinsheimer

James Davis

Senior Manager, Investor Relations

Tel: +1 281 260 3665

Email: James Davis

Media relations

Nicola Cameron

Vice President, Corporate Communications

Tel: +44 1383 742297

Email: Nicola Cameron

Catie Tuley

Director, Public Relations

Tel: +1 713 876 7296

Email: Catie Tuley
BASEL (dpa-AFX) - Novartis (NVS) and United Kingdom's National Health Service reached an agreement that will enable broad access to the Swiss drug giant's anti-cholesterol drug Leqvio or inclisiran for hundreds of thousands of high-risk cardiovascular patients. The deal comes following the positive final recommendation from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use of inclisiran in primary care for the treatment of adult patients within its licenced indication who also have persistently elevated LDL cholesterol or LDL-C levels and a history of certain cardiovascular events. The NICE recommendation was based on results from the Novartis ORION clinical research program, including Phase III trials ORION-9, ORION-10 and ORION-11, which involved over 3,600 patients and assessed the safety, efficacy and tolerability of inclisiran in lowering LDL-Cholesterol levels. About 300,000 patients at high risk of a second cardiovascular event are expected to be treated with inclisira over three years, Novartis said in a statement. Novartis has obtained global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize inclisiran under a license and collaboration agreement with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. Inclisiran was granted marketing authorization by the European Commission on December 9, 2020. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
The Citco group of companies ("Citco"), the global alternative investment assets servicer with $1.5 trillion in assets under administration, has announced the launch of a new office in Hyderabad as part of its ongoing expansion in India.

The Hyderabad office plans to hire more than 1,200 employees over the next two years, and will operate as a Citco Centre of Excellence, utilising Citco's own state of the art technologies and providing a range of fund administration services for the global alternative investment industry.

The new office is located in HITEC City, Hyderabad's international technology hub, with Citco set to move into the new state of the art building in Salarpuria Sattva Knowledge City once construction completes in Q3 2022. Knowledge City is one of Asia's largest technology campuses, home to a range of blue-chip technology companies, and there are also a growing number of leading, global financial institutions establishing themselves in the region.

Citco's Hyderabad team will operate from a nearby incubation site prior to completion of the new building.

Citco's Hyderabad Centre of Excellence will provide a range of fund servicing, banking, and technology support functions for Citco and its international client base. The team based there will provide specialist technology support, helping asset managers to operate more efficiently and effectively via Citco's portfolio of award-winning proprietary technologies. The new team will also strengthen the resources of Citco's operations across Asia, helping to support Citco's other locations in the region which include Pune and Mumbai.

The announcement follows a marked rise in demand for asset servicing, administration, banking and governance services from the Asia-based alternative asset sector. The sector is set to experience significant growth in the coming years, with privately held assets under management on course to reach $6 trillion by 2025, up from $1.7 trillion as of September 2020.

Jay Peller, Head of Fund Services at Citco, said: "The launch of our new Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad ensures we are well-positioned to support the growth of the region, amid the significant demand we continue to see for our fully-integrated ecosystem of bespoke technologies and white-glove, specialist asset services. With this state-of-the-art, high-spec campus as our new regional base, we look forward to significantly and sustainably growing our team in India, and as a result, developing new solutions to enable alternative investment managers in the region and elsewhere to scale effectively and efficiently."

Amit Verma, General Manager at Citco (India), said: "This as an incredibly exciting opportunity to further cement Citco's global reputation and reach within the alternative investments sector. Hyderabad has emerged as an internationally recognised technology hub, and with this new office we have access to a growing base of agile, skilled technology talent. We are committed to investing in the right people and giving them the right tools to succeed, and we look forward to establishing this world-class Centre of Excellence that will deliver transformative and creative solutions to the industry's most fundamental challenges."

Citco's expansion in India follows the launch of its office in ADGM, the award-winning international finance centre in the United Arab Emirates, in January.

With over 9,000 staff deployed across 40 countries, Citco is leading the way in providing asset servicing solutions to the global alternative investment industry. Citco offers a full suite of middle office and back office services, including treasury and loan handling, daily NAV calculations and investor services, corporate services, regulatory and risk reporting, banking solutions, and tax and financial reporting services.

--ENDS--

Notes to Editors

About the Citco group of companies (Citco)

The Citco group of companies ("Citco") is a network of independent companies worldwide. These companies are leading providers of asset servicing solutions to the global alternative investment industry. With over $1.5 trillion in assets under administration and 9,000 staff deployed across 40 countries, Citco's unique culture of innovation and client-driven solutions have provided Citco's clients with a trusted partner for more than four decades. Having grown organically into one of the largest asset servicers in the industry, Citco's Fund Services companies offer a full suite of middle office and back office services including, treasury and loan handling, daily NAV calculations and investor services, corporate and legal services, regulatory and risk reporting as well as tax and financial reporting services. Investing heavily in innovation and technology whilst further developing its current suite of client friendly solutions, Citco will continue into the future as a flagbearer for the asset servicing industry.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210831005893/en/

Contacts:

Hannah Beard Jack Davies

citco@peregrinecommunications.com

+1 917 970 8822 /+44 20 3040 0877
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - iSend Logistics Malaysia ("iSend"), a logistics and warehousing specialist and a subsidiary of MAA Group Berhad, is expanding its last-mile delivery services through a partnership with Ikobana Sdn Bhd ("IKOBANA"), a homegrown courier and freight forwarding services provider established in 2006, with 70 outlets across Peninsular Malaysia.The COVID-19 pandemic, and the lockdowns, has quickened the pace of digital adoption among consumers as well as businesses, with an ensuing boom in e-commerce transactions. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, for the second quarter ended 30 June 2021, e-commerce income grew by 23.3% to RM267.6 billion compared to the same quarter in 2020 while compared to the first quarter ended 31 March 2021, income grew by 5.1%.For the whole of 2020, e-commerce income grew by 32.7% to RM896.4 billion as the COVID-19 lockdowns boosted not only online retail transactions but also transactions among businesses particularly in the manufacturing and services sectors."Set against this backdrop, an important feature in this 'chain' is the delivery provider. Whilst online transactions are a fun - and occasionally, therapeutic - way of 'surviving' these gloomy times, what's NOT so fun is waiting for that much anticipated delivery, and if you're the sender, not knowing whether your items will be delivered safely - and in one piece - to the recipient," said Zamri Rahman, iSend Logistics General Manager.Tapping into this current landscape, iSend, a full-suite, land-based logistics provider and warehousing company, which has its main warehousing operations in the Klang Valley, Penang, Johor and soon in Kuantan and Melaka, is offering personalised, cost-efficient, fast and reliable courier delivery services, not only to its corporate clients but also to the public."This strategic partnership between iSend and IKOBANA will provide an opportunity for us to demonstrate our position in Malaysia's first and last mile delivery market. To keep up with the e-commerce boom in Malaysia, iSend will be focusing on partnerships, ramping up investment into technology and strengthening operations. We've identified gaps in consumer demand and will be offering exciting and newly improved products and services soon," explained Zamri.Elaborating, he shared, "We plan in the next five years to expand across Malaysia by having at least 99 satellite stations with the support of seven hubs in each region. We currently have six distribution centres and 60 satellite stations in Malaysia." The company also has a presence and originates from the Philippines.Customers using IKOBANA's iShop to drop and send off goods can now select iSend as their fast and reliable last-mile delivery provider and enjoy special rates. At the same time, IKOBANA will provide the best shipping comparisons from reputable courier companies online and offline, which is good value for money especially for supply-chain customers, who will also save time in the decision-making process.Ikobana President, En Nurhazli Ghazali, said, "iSend's first/last mile operations enables point-to-point delivery service. IKOBANA outlets can now offer home pick-up for parcels using our mobile app. With the pandemic, customers are more familiar doing transactions on the internet and are happy not to go outside".Please contact the below for more information:Hakim JuraimiTel: +60 12-318 5410Email: h.juraimi@swanconsultancy.bizSource: iSend Logistics MalaysiaCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
European-Asian private equity firm AGIC Capital today announces the successful final closing of its second fund, AGIC Fund II, which will be focused on advanced industrial and medical technology investments.

AGIC Fund II raised US$1.2 billion, reflecting strong investor appetite for funds with distinctive investment strategies and innovative, differentiated approaches to post-investment value creation. It targets majority and significant minority investments with enterprise values typically in the range of US$ 50 500 million.

Founded in 2015 by capital market veteran Henry Cai, AGIC Capital's debut US$1 billion fund made seven buyout and growth-stage investments, mostly in Europe, and has successfully exited three investments to-date with good returns.

AGIC Fund II started raising capital in 2020 and was largely subscribed to by existing investors who re-upped their commitment. It will continue AGIC Fund I's successful strategy of investing in mid-market companies that possess differentiated technologies and have attractive growth potential with international expansion being a key growth driver, in particular in Asia.

AGIC's value creation leverages its local presence and resources as well as unparalleled network and knowledge of the Asian markets to deliver hands-on support to portfolio companies for growth strategy and business development, localization of products and manufacturing as well as local company building. It is also keen to finance bolt-on acquisitions and help with integration.

Henry Cai, Founding Partner of AGIC based in Hong Kong, said, "The strong performance of AGIC Fund I proves that our strategy of supporting portfolio companies in their international expansion is highly effective and resilient even during times of unusual stress. We will continue to focus on supporting our companies with our complementary resources and know-how."

Heiko von Dewitz, Partner of AGIC based in Munich, said, "While AGIC's target investment sectors continue to benefit from strong long-term tailwinds, our deep technology and domain expertise allows us to early spot emerging technology and industry trends and identify promising investment targets. This will remain another key success factor for AGIC going forward."

AGIC's investment professionals are located in five global offices in Munich, London, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210831006085/en/

Contacts:

For more information, please visit www.agic-group.com.

AGIC Capital

Nicky WANG

Email: contactus@agic-group.com

Tel: +86 (10) 5929 7598
CHENGDU, China, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 16th EU-China Fair will be held in Chengdu from 17 to 19 September, 2021. Co-hosted by China Chamber of International Commerce(CCOIC) and European Union Chamber of Commerce in China(EUCCC), EU-China Fair is one of the largest business activities between EU and China.

As one of the main activities of the 18th Western China International Fair(WCIF), the EU-China Fair is dedicated to build a platform for the participants of China and Europe to exchange ideas and to conduct business talks with their counterparts. Government officials, experts and entrepreneurs will gather in the Business and Innovation Centre of China-Europe Cooperation (CCEC) this year to share their views with other 500 attendees on the hot topics between China and the EU including digital economy, energy transition and urban green development, investment and legal services, geographical indication, vocational education, etc. The EU SME Center, Sichuan Energy Internet Research Institute of Tsinghua University, Commercial and Legal Service Center of CCPIT and other organizations will co-organize a series of parallel sessions during the three-day event.

In the past 15 years of its development, the EU-China Fair has attracted 4000+ EU participants and 7600+ Chinese participants, with 3100+ cooperation agreements signed and 29000+ B2B matchmaking meetings arranged.

Beyond the knowledge and information released in the Fair, the opportunity of face-to-face meeting with your counterparts in Chinese business community will be a more rewarding experience. Focused on digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, energy, environmental protection, automobile, logistics, bio-medicine and other fields, the B2B Matchmaking-a flagship activity of EU-China Fair-is aimed to help European enterprises to explore Chinese market.

Last year, China overtook the US as the EU's biggest trading partner, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat. Chengdu boasts unique advantages and resources for opening up and cooperation. In 2020, Chengdu achieved a regional GDP of RMB 1,771.67 billion and a total import and export amount of RMB 715.42 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 22.4%. The total import and export volume to the EU has reached 30.1%. Chengdu would be a perfect place for European companies to develop and further explore Chinese market.

Please follow the official WeChat Account "EUCHINAFAIR" for more information, and come explore, learn, share and network with the business community of Europe and China this September in Chengdu.
+10% organic Sales growth (+4% reported)

+18% organic growth in PRO (+7% reported)

Recurring Free Cash Flow of 1,745m, at historical high

Regulatory News:

Press release Paris, 1 September 2021

Pernod Ricard (Paris:RI):

SALES

Sales for FY21 totalled 8,824m, with organic growth of +9.7%. Reported Sales growth was +4.5% due to a significant adverse FX impact resulting from USD and Emerging market currency depreciation vs. Euro.

FY21 Sales grew in all regions:

Americas: +14%, excellent broad-based growth with the USA, Canada and South America offsetting decline in Travel Retail

excellent broad-based growth with the USA, Canada and South America offsetting decline in Travel Retail Asia-RoW: +11%, very strong growth mainly driven by China, Korea and Turkey, and to a lesser extent India

very strong growth mainly driven by China, Korea and Turkey, and to a lesser extent India Europe: +4%, dynamic reboundwith the UK, Germany and Eastern Europe offsetting declines in Spain, Ireland and Travel Retail.

By category:

Strategic International Brands: +11%, very strong rebound, primarily driven by Martell in China and Jameson in the USA

very strong rebound, primarily driven by Martell in China and Jameson in the USA Strategic Local Brands: +7%, driven by recovery of Seagram's Indian whiskies, Kalhua, Passport and Ramazzotti

driven by recovery of Seagram's Indian whiskies, Kalhua, Passport and Ramazzotti Specialty Brands: +28%, continued very strong growth of Lillet, Aberlour, Malfy, American whiskeys, Avion and Redbreast

continued very strong growth of Lillet, Aberlour, Malfy, American whiskeys, Avion and Redbreast Strategic Wines: stable, with Campo Viejo growth offset by decline of Jacob's Creek and Kenwood.

Innovation grew +22%.

Price/mix was +4% on Strategic brands.

Q4 Sales were 1,883m, +56.5% organic growth, on a low basis of comparison.

FY21 saw very strong and diversified growth driven by domestic Must-wins with the USA and China reaching record Sales above $2bn and 1bn. Premiumisation was strong, thanks to growth of Strategic International Brands and Specialty Brands. Pernod Ricard gained market share in most key markets.

Business transformation momentum is strong, with significant investments behind priority brands and markets, strong progress in digital transformation, strong e-commerce growth (+63%) and acceleration of the sustainability roadmap

RESULTS

FY21 PRO was 2,423m, an organic growth of +18.3% (+7.2% reported) with a very strong organic operating margin expansion of +213bps:

Gross margin expanding +64bps driven by: Stable pricing with fewer price increases in Covid context Better fixed cost absorption from volume growth and operational excellence savings

driven by: A&P ratio at c. 16%, resulting from purpose-based investment, with quick response to channel shifts and strong reinvestment in markets and categories returning to growth

resulting from purpose-based investment, with quick response to channel shifts and strong reinvestment in markets and categories returning to growth Structure costs: +136bps, reflecting very strict discipline and FY20 reorganisations. A strong increase is expected in FY22 to support future growth

reflecting very strict discipline and FY20 reorganisations. A strong increase is expected in FY22 to support future growth PRO includes + 28m from USA drawback

Significant FX impact on PRO -255m due to USD and Emerging market currency depreciation vs. Euro.

The FY21 corporate income tax rate on recurring items was 24.3%, in line with that of FY20, with geographical mix offsetting the positive effect of the French tax rate reduction

Group share of Net PRO was 1,612m, +12% reported vs. FY20.

Group share of Net profit was 1,305m, +297% reported, a significant increasedue mainly to non-recurring items in FY20, in particular a 1bn impairment charge.

CASH FLOW AND DEBT

Cash performance was outstanding, with Recurring Free Cash Flow at 1,745m, its historical high.

The average cost of debt stood at 2.8% vs. 3.6% in FY20, thanks to successful bond refinancing.

Net debt decreased by 972m vs. 30 June 2020 to 7,452m driven primarily by a very significant Free Cash Flow improvement linked to business recovery. The Net Debt/EBITDA ratio at average rates3 was 2.6x at 30 June 2021.

The return to stakeholders is significant:

A dividend of 3.12 is proposed for the Annual General Meeting of 10 November 2021, back to the historical high of FY19

is proposed for the Annual General Meeting of 10 November 2021, back to the historical high of FY19 The remaining c. 0.5bn Share buyback programme will resume in FY22

A second employee ownership programme will take place in FY224

WINNING STRATEGY

The Transform Accelerate strategy launched in 2018 has driven significant achievements. The fundamental consumer insights driving the strategy are now more compelling than ever. As a result, Pernod Ricard will continue its transformational journey to become The Conviviality Platform. This strategy seeks to maximise long-term value creation, with the following medium-term ambition (in a normalised context):

Embed dynamic growth and deliver operating leverage

+4 to +7% topline growth , leveraging key competitive advantages and consistent investment behind key priorities

, leveraging key competitive advantages and consistent investment behind key priorities Focus on pricing and building new operational excellence initiatives

and building new initiatives Significant A&P investment , maintained at c.16% of Sales, with strong arbitration to support must-win brands and markets while stimulating innovation

, maintained at c.16% of Sales, with strong arbitration to support must-win brands and markets while stimulating innovation Discipline on Structure costs , investing in priorities while maintaining agile organisation, with growth below topline growth rates

, investing in priorities while maintaining agile organisation, with growth below topline growth rates Operating leverage of c.50-60 bps pa, provided topline within +4 to +7% bracket

Financial policy priorities, while retaining Investment grade ratings:

Investment in future organic growth, in particular through strategic inventories and capex Continued active portfolio management, including value-creating M&A Dividend distribution at c.50% of Net profit from Recurring Operations Share buy-back programme (to resume in FY22)

A comprehensive strategic update will be provided during a capital market day in FY22.

Alexandre Ricard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated,

"The business rebounded very strongly during FY21 to exceed FY19 levels. We expect this good Sales momentum to continue in FY22 with, in particular, a very dynamic Q1. I would like to take this opportunity to praise the exceptional commitment of our teams during this difficult time and express my support to those who have been or continue to be impacted by this pandemic.

We will stay the strategic course, accelerating our digital transformation and our ambitious Sustainability Responsibility roadmap. Thanks to our solid fundamentals, our teams and our brand portfolio, we are emerging from this crisis stronger."

All growth data specified in this press release refers to organic growth (at constant FX and Group structure), unless otherwise stated. Data may be subject to rounding.

A detailed presentation of FY21 Sales and Results can be downloaded from our website: www.pernod-ricard.com

Audit procedures have been carried out on the financial statements. The Statutory Auditors' report will be issued after examination of the management report and completion of procedures required for the filing of the Universal registration document."

Definitions and reconciliation of non-IFRS measures to IFRS measures

Pernod Ricard's management process is based on the following non-IFRS measures which are chosen for planning and reporting. The Group's management believes these measures provide valuable additional information for users of the financial statements in understanding the Group's performance. These non-IFRS measures should be considered as complementary to the comparable IFRS measures and reported movements therein.

Organic growth

Organic growth is calculated after excluding the impacts of exchange rate movements and acquisitions and disposals.

Exchange rates impact is calculated by translating the current year results at the prior year's exchange rates.

For acquisitions in the current year, the post-acquisition results are excluded from the organic movement calculations. For acquisitions in the prior year, post-acquisition results are included in the prior year but are included in the organic movement calculation from the anniversary of the acquisition date in the current year.

Where a business, brand, brand distribution right or agency agreement was disposed of, or terminated, in the prior year, the Group, in the organic movement calculations, excludes the results for that business from the prior year. For disposals or terminations in the current year, the Group excludes the results for that business from the prior year from the date of the disposal or termination.

This measure enables to focus on the performance of the business which is common to both years and which represents those measures that local managers are most directly able to influence.

Profit from recurring operations

Profit from recurring operations corresponds to the operating profit excluding other non-current operating income and expenses.

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of 8,824 million in FY21. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine's, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouet champagnes, as well Jacob's Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard's brands are distributed across 160+ markets and by its own salesforce in 73 markets. The Group's decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of "Createurs de Convivialite." As reaffirmed by the Group's strategic plan, "Transform and Accelerate," deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard's strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics, as illustrated by the 2030 Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "Good times from a good place." In recognition of Pernod Ricard's strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation's Global Compact LEAD company.

Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices.

Appendices

Emerging Markets

Asia-Rest of World Americas Europe Algeria Malaysia Argentina Albania Angola Mongolia Bolivia Armenia Cambodia Morocco Brazil Azerbaijan Cameroon Mozambique Caribbean Belarus China Namibia Chile Bosnia Congo Nigeria Colombia Bulgaria Egypt Persian Gulf Costa Rica Croatia Ethiopia Philippines Cuba Georgia Gabon Senegal Dominican Republic Hungary Ghana South Africa Ecuador Kazakhstan India Sri Lanka Guatemala Kosovo Indonesia Syria Honduras Latvia Iraq Tanzania Mexico Lithuania Ivory Coast Thailand Panama Macedonia Jordan Tunisia Paraguay Moldova Kenya Turkey Peru Montenegro Laos Uganda Puerto Rico Poland Lebanon Vietnam Uruguay Romania Madagascar Zambia Venezuela Russia Serbia Ukraine

Strategic International Brands' organic Sales growth

Volumes

FY21 Organic Sales

growth

FY21 Volumes Price/mix (in 9Lcs millions) Absolut 10.5 5% 2% 3% Chivas Regal 3.6 3% -1% 4% Ballantine's 7.6 1% 6% -5% Ricard 4.2 -1% 1% -3% Jameson 8.6 15% 14% 1% Havana Club 4.3 -4% 3% -7% Malibu 4.8 24% 22% 2% Beefeater 2.9 -5% -6% 2% Martell 2.4 24% 20% 3% The Glenlivet 1.4 19% 16% 3% Royal Salute 0.2 -6% -12% 6% Mumm 0.7 12% 12% 0% Perrier-Jouet 0.3 5% 6% 0% Strategic International Brands 51.5 11% 7% 4%

Sales Analysis by Period and Region

Net Sales

( millions) FY20 FY21 Change Organic Growth Group Structure Forex impact Americas 2,449 29.0 2,627 29.8 178 7 336 14 85 3 (244 -10 Asia Rest of World 3,467 41.0 3,640 41.2 173 5 372 11 1 0 (201 -6 Europe 2,532 30.0 2,557 29.0 26 1 101 4 (11 0 (64 -3 World 8,448 100.0 8,824 100.0 376 4 810 10 75 1 (508 -6 Net Sales

( millions) Q4 FY20 Q4 FY21 Change Organic Growth Group Structure Forex impact Americas 411 33.2 633 33.6 222 54 255 64 17 4 (50 -12 Asia Rest of World 368 29.8 635 33.7 266 72 278 76 1 0 (12 -3 Europe 458 37.0 616 32.7 157 34 158 35 (1 0 0 0 World 1,238 100.0 1,883 100.0 646 52 691 57 16 1 (62 -5 Net Sales

( millions) H2 FY20 H2 FY21 Change Organic Growth Group Structure Forex impact Americas 988 33.2 1,225 31.9 237 24 315 33 38 4 (116 -12 Asia Rest of World 1,052 35.4 1,513 39.4 461 44 521 50 0 0 (61 -6 Europe 934 31.4 1,101 28.7 168 18 184 20 (4 0 (12 -1 World 2,974 100.0 3,839 100.0 865 29 1,019 35 35 1 (189 -6

Note: Bulk Spirits are allocated by Region according to the Regions' weight in the Group

Summary Consolidated Income Statement

( millions) FY20 FY21 Change Net sales 8,448 8,824 4 Gross Margin after logistics costs 5,086 5,293 4 Advertising and promotion expenses (1,327 (1,393 5 Contribution after A&P expenditure 3,759 3,900 4 Structure costs (1,499 (1,477 -1 Profit from recurring operations 2,260 2,423 7 Financial income/(expense) from recurring operations (328 (262 -20 Corporate income tax on items from recurring operations (468 (526 12 Net profit from discontinued operations, non-controlling interests and share of net income from associates (25 (24 -4 Group share of net profit from recurring operations 1,439 1,612 12 Other operating income expenses (1,283 (62 NA Financial income/(expense) from non-recurring operations (38 (109 NA Corporate income tax on items from non recurring operations 210 (142 NA Non controlling interests (non-recurring) 6 NA Group share of net profit 329 1,305 NA Non-controlling interests 21 13 -37 Net profit 350 1,318 NA

Note: USA Drawback impacting PRO +28m and Other Operating Income Expenses +109m

Profit from Recurring Operations by Region

World ( millions) FY20 FY21 Change Organic Growth Group Structure Forex impact Net sales (Excl. T&D) 8,448 100.0 8,824 100.0 376 4 810 10 75 1 (508 -6 Gross margin after logistics costs 5,086 60.2 5,293 60.0 206 4 550 11 33 1 (376 -7 Advertising promotion (1,327 15.7 (1,393 15.8 (66 5 (116 9 (15 1 66 -5 Contribution after A&P 3,759 44.5 3,900 44.2 141 4 434 12 17 0 (311 -8 Profit from recurring operations 2,260 26.8 2,423 27.5 163 7 415 18 2 0 (255 -11 Americas ( millions) FY20 FY21 Change Organic Growth Group Structure Forex impact Net sales (Excl. T&D) 2,449 100.0 2,627 100.0 178 7 336 14 85 3 (244 -10 Gross margin after logistics costs 1,599 65.3 1,699 64.7 100 6 260 16 38 2 (197 -12 Advertising promotion (461 18.8 (470 17.9 (9 2 (39 9 (10 2 39 -9 Contribution after A&P 1,138 46.5 1,229 46.8 91 8 221 19 28 2 (158 -14 Profit from recurring operations 718 29.3 803 30.6 85 12 194 27 15 2 (124 -17 Asia Rest of the World ( millions) FY20 FY21 Change Organic Growth Group Structure Forex impact Net sales (Excl. T&D) 3,467 100.0 3,640 100.0 173 5 372 11 1 0 (201 -6 Gross margin after logistics costs 1,969 56.8 2,060 56.6 91 5 219 11 (4 0 (124 -6 Advertising promotion (517 14.9 (542 14.9 (25 5 (44 9 (1 0 20 -4 Contribution after A&P 1,452 41.9 1,518 41.7 66 5 175 12 (5 0 (103 -7 Profit from recurring operations 938 27.0 996 27.4 58 6 148 16 (6 -1 (84 -9 Europe ( millions) FY20 FY21 Change Organic Growth Group Structure Forex impact Net sales (Excl. T&D) 2,532 100.0 2,557 100.0 26 1 101 4 (11 0 (64 -3 Gross margin after logistics costs 1,519 60.0 1,534 60.0 15 1 71 5 0 0 (55 -4 Advertising promotion (349 13.8 (381 14.9 (32 9 (33 9 (5 2 6 -2 Contribution after A&P 1,169 46.2 1,153 45.1 (17 -1 38 3 (6 0 (49 -4 Profit from recurring operations 605 23.9 624 24.4 19 3 73 12 (7 -1 (47 -8

Note: Bulk Spirits are allocated by Region according to the Regions' weight in the Group

Note: Drawback impacting Profit from Recurring Operations in Americas and World by +28m

Foreign Exchange Impact

Forex impact FY21

( millions) Average rates evolution On Net Sales On Profit from

Recurring

Operations FY20 FY21 US dollar USD 1.11 1.19 7.9% (180) (89) Russian rouble RUB 73.95 89.10 20.5% (41) (33) Turkish Lira TRL 6.76 9.22 36.5% (33) (31) Indian rupee INR 80.13 87.94 9.7% (92) (28) Chinese yuan CNY 7.77 7.90 1.5% (17) (13) Pound sterling GBP 0.88 0.89 1.0% (3) 4 Other (142) (65) Total (508) (255)

Sensitivity of profit and debt to EUR/USD exchange rate

Estimated impact of a 1% appreciation of the USD Impact on the income statement(1) ( millions) Profit from recurring operations + 11 Financial expenses (2 Pre-tax profit from recurring operations + 10 Impact on the balance sheet ( millions) Increase/(decrease) in net debt + 36 (1) Full-year effect

Balance Sheet

Assets 30/06/2020 30/06/2021 ( millions) (Net book value) Non-current assets Intangible assets and goodwill 16,576 16,230 Tangible assets and other assets 3,699 3,963 Deferred tax assets 1,678 1,623 Total non-current assets 21,953 21,816 Current assets Inventories 6,167 6,555 aged work-in-progress 5,084 5,373 non-aged work-in-progress 76 84 other inventories 1,006 1,098 Receivables (*) 906 1,126 Trade receivables 862 1,080 Other trade receivables 44 46 Other current assets 323 413 Other operating current assets 317 408 Tangible/intangible current assets 6 6 Tax receivable 142 141 Cash and cash equivalents and current derivatives 1,947 2,086 Total current assets 9,485 10,321 Assets held for sale 87 11 Total assets 31,525 32,147 (*) after disposals of receivables of: 513 592 Liabilities and shareholders' equity 30/06/2020 30/06/2021 ( millions) Group Shareholders' equity 13,968 14,829 Non-controlling interests 243 246 of which profit attributable to non-controlling interests 21 13 Total Shareholders' equity 14,211 15,075 Non-current provisions and deferred tax liabilities 3,511 3,555 Bonds non-current 8,599 8,787 Lease liabilities non current 433 405 Non-current financial liabilities and derivative instruments 192 108 Total non-current liabilities 12,735 12,854 Current provisions 222 163 Operating payables 1,877 2,337 Other operating payables 1,016 1,134 of which other operating payables 633 724 of which tangible/intangible current payables 383 410 Tax payable 232 282 Bonds current 723 70 Lease liabilities current 88 103 Current financial liabilities and derivatives 404 128 Total current liabilities 4,563 4,218 Liabilities held for sale 16 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity 31,525 32,147

Analysis of Working Capital Requirement

( millions) June

2019 June

2020 June

2021 FY20WC

change* FY21WC

change* Aged work in progress 4,788 5,084 5,373 294 206 Advances to suppliers for wine and ageing spirits 12 19 9 7 (10 Payables on wine and ageing spirits (105 (108 (93 (5 22 Net aged work in progress 4,695 4,995 5,289 296 218 Trade receivables before factoring/securitization 1,842 1,375 1,672 (434 309 Advances from customers (24 (38 (21 (14 17 Other receivables 338 343 445 12 64 Other inventories 889 1,006 1,098 121 91 Non-aged work in progress 79 76 84 (1 9 Trade payables and other (2,717 (2,364 (2,946 293 (574 Gross operating working capital 405 398 331 (24 (85 Factoring/Securitization impact (674 (513 (592 161 (79 Net Operating Working Capital (269 (115 (261 138 (164 Net Working Capital 4,427 4,879 5,028 433 54 * at average rates Of which recurring variation 450 79 Of which non recurring variation (17 (25

Net Debt

( millions) 30/06/2020 30/06/2021 Current Non-current Total Current Non-current Total Bonds 723 8,599 9,322 70 8,787 8,857 Commercial paper 299 299 7 7 Other loans and long-term debts 81 192 273 115 108 222 Other financial liabilities 380 192 572 122 108 229 Gross Financial debt 1,103 8,791 9,894 192 8,894 9,086 Fair value hedge derivatives assets (3 (40 (44 (22 (22 Fair value hedge derivatives liabilities Fair value hedge derivatives (3 (40 (44 (22 (22 Net investment hedge derivatives assets (13 (13 (43 (43 Net investment hedge derivatives liabilities Net investment hedge derivatives (13 (13 (43 (43 FINANCIAL DEBT AFTER HEDGING 1,100 8,737 9,837 192 8,830 9,022 Cash and cash equivalents (1,935 (1,935 (2,078 (2,078 NET FINANCIAL DEBT EXCLUDING LEASE DEBT (835 8,737 7,902 (1,886 8,830 6,944 Lease Debt 88 433 522 103 405 508 NET FINANCIAL DEBT (747 9,171 8,424 (1,783 9,235 7,452

Change in Net Debt

( millions) 30/06/2020 30/06/2021 Operating profit 978 2,361 Depreciation and amortisation 350 367 Net change in impairment of goodwill, PPE and intangible assets 1,007 78 Net change in provisions 97 (80) Changes in fair value on commercial derivatives and biological assets (3) 1 Net (gain)/loss on disposal of assets (27) (16) Share-based payments 23 28 Self-financing capacity before interest and tax 2,423 2,738 Decrease (increase) in working capital requirements (433) (54) Net interest and tax payments (809) (686) Net acquisitions of non financial assets and others (352) (370) Free Cash Flow 830 1,628 of which recurring Free Cash Flow 1,003 1,745 Net acquitions of financial assets and activities and others (587) (116) Dividends paid (849) (704) (Acquisition) Disposal of treasury shares and others (526) (20) Decrease (increase) in net debt (before currency translation adjustments) (1,132) 788 Foreign currency translation adjustment (69) 265 Non cash impact on lease liabilities (603) (81) Decrease (increase) in net debt (after currency translation adjustments and IFRS 16 non cash impacts) (1,804) 972 Initial net debt (6,620) (8,424) Final net debt (8,424) (7,452)

Net Debt Maturity at 30 June 2021

billions

[Missing charts are available on the original document and on www.pernod-ricard.com]

Strong liquidity position at c. 5.5bn as of 30th June 2021, of which 3.4bn credit lines undrawn

Gross debt after hedging at 30 June 2021 (excluding lease liabilities)

- 8% floating rate and 92% fixed rate

- 61% in EUR and 39% in USD

Bond details

Currency Par value Coupon Issue date Maturity date EUR  500 m 1.875 9/28/2015 9/28/2023  1,500 m o/w:  500 m 0.000 10/24/2019 10/24/2023  500 m 0.500 10/24/2027  500 m 0.875 10/24/2031  650 m 2.125 9/29/2014 9/27/2024  1,500 m o/w: 4/1/2020  750 m 1.125 4/7/2025  750 m 1.750 4/8/2030  500 m o/w: 4/27/2020  250 m 1.125 4/7/2025  250 m 1.750 4/8/2030  600 m 1.500 5/17/2016 5/18/2026 USD $ 1,650 m o/w: $ 800 m 4.250 1/12/2012 7/15/2022 $ 850 m 5.500 1/15/2042 $ 600 m 3.250 6/8/2016 6/8/2026 $ 2,000 m o/w: $ 600 m 1.250 4/1/2028 $ 900 m 1.625 10/1/2020 4/1/2031 $ 500 m 2.750 10/1/2050

Net Debt EBITDA ratio evolution

Closing rate Average rate(1) EUR/USD rate Jun FY20 -> Jun FY21 1,12 -> 1,19 1,11 -> 1,19 Ratio at 30/06/2020 3.2 3.2 EBITDA cash generation excl. Group structure effect and forex impacts (0.9) (0.9) Group structure and forex impacts 0.3 0.3 Ratio at 30/06/2021 2.6 2.6

1) Last-twelve-month rate

Diluted EPS calculation

(x 1,000) FY20 FY21 Number of shares in issue at end of period 265,422 261,877 Weighted average number of shares in issue (pro rata temporis) 265,422 262,143 Weighted average number of treasury shares (pro rata temporis) (2,564) (1,347) Dilutive impact of stock options and performance shares 1,179 718 Number of shares used in diluted EPS calculation 264,037 261,514 ( millions and /share) FY20 FY21 reported Group share of net profit from recurring operations 1,439 1,612 12.0% Diluted net earnings per share from recurring operations 5.45 6.16 13.1%

Note: 3.5m shares cancelled in July 2020 pursuant to share buy-back

Upcoming Communications

Date1 Event 21 October 2021 9am CET Q1 FY22 Sales 10 November 2021 2pm CET Annual General Meeting 22 November 2021 3pm CET EMEA LATAM conference Call 10 February 2022 9am CET H1 FY22 Sales and Results

1 The above dates are indicative and are liable to change

1 PRO: Profit from Recurring Operations

2 At constant FX

3 Based on average EUR/USD rates: 1.19 in FY21

4 Subject to AMF approval (and to AGM of 10 November 2021 if launched after that date)

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210831006093/en/

Contacts:

Julia Massies VP, Financial Communications Investor Relations +33 (0) 1 70 93 17 03

Charly Montet Investor Relations Manager +33 (0) 1 70 93 17 13

Emmanuel Vouin Head of External Engagement +33 (0) 1 70 93 16 34
On August 31, 2021 JSC Olainfarm organized its Investor Conference Webinar. During the webinar Janis Buks, the chairman of the Management Board and Janis Leimanis, member of the Management Board analyzed the financial results of 6 months 2021 and informed about other recent activities within the company.



The recording of the webinar is available online: https://bit.ly/3mLB6WY; and the presentation, demonstrated during the webinar, is available in the attachment. Methodology for alternative performance indicators is disclosed in Audited Annual report for 2020 (page 64).

Olainfarm thanks all participants, who joined the webinar, and encourages everybody to follow company's announcements to get information on the next webinar!

Olainfarm, a part of Olainfarm Group, is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the Baltic States offering high quality medicine and chemical pharmaceutical products. The Group's business strategy "FORWARD" highlights the main company's vision - to become one of the TOP10 Central and Eastern European manufacturing companies by 2025.

With nearly 50 years of expertise, Olainfarm Group delivers sustainable healthcare products and services with added value to patients in more than 50 countries all over the world via its key subsidiaries - pharmaceutical company Olainfarm, food supplements & medical devices producer Silvanols, elastic & compression material producer Tonus Elast, pharmacy chain Latvijas Aptieka and healthcare & diagnostics centres DiaMed & OlainMed.

Additional information:

Janis Dubrovskis

Investor Relations Advisor of JSC Olainfarm

Phone: +371 29178878

Email: janis.dubrovskis@olainfarm.com

Attachment
With more than 20 years of experience in veterinary regulatory affairs, Veerle Zonnekeyn will be responsible for the regulatory development of TheraVet products

Continued structuring of the team to support the transition of products to the commercialization phase

Regulatory News:

TheraVet SA (code ISIN: BE0974387194 mnemonique: ALVET), a pioneering company in the management of osteoarticular diseases in pets, announced the appointment of Veerle Zonnekeyn as Director of Regulatory Affairs for TheraVet. She will be responsible for preparing the marketing authorization application for VISCO-VET in osteoarthritis in dogs in Europe and the United States. With this appointment, TheraVet strengthens its regulatory expertise in the veterinary field and more particularly in companion animals.

Prior to joining TheraVet, Veerle Zonnekeyn was Director of Regulatory Affairs at Elanco, the world's 2nd largest animal health company, where she led the teams dedicated to the submission and approval of veterinary products by the European Medicines Agency. Veerle Zonnekeyn holds a degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Ghent (Belgium) and a postgraduate degree in regulatory affairs from the University of Wales and TOPRA1. She has more than 20 years of experience in animal health.

Enrico Bastianelli, Chief Executive Officer of TheraVet, said: "We are very pleased to welcome Veerle to the TheraVet team. Her experience and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to expand and accelerate the commercialization of our products in our target markets."

Veerle Zonnekeyn, Director of Regulatory Affairs, said: "I am very excited to join TheraVet and its teams. I look forward to working on the development of new products and solutions to treat osteoarticular diseases in our pets. I am also excited about the opportunity to take on a new challenge in guiding the team through the regulatory requirements necessary to register their products."

Next financial updates

Half-year Financial Results of 2021, on September 30, 2021

About TheraVet SA

TheraVet is a veterinary biotechnology company specialising in osteoarticular treatments for animals. The Company develops targeted, safe and effective treatments to improve the quality of life of pets suffering from osteoarticular diseases. For pet owners, the health of their pets is a major concern and TheraVet's mission is to address the need for innovative and curative treatments. TheraVet works closely with international opinion leaders in order to provide a more effective response to ever-growing needs in the field of veterinary medicine. TheraVet is listed on Euronext Growth Paris et Brussels, its head office is in Jumet, Belgium, and it has a subsidiary in the US.

For more information, visit www.thera.vet

1 TOPRA is the professional organization for people working in the field of health regulatory affairs

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210831005778/en/

Contacts:

TheraVet

Sabrina Ena

Chief Operating Officer

sabrina.ena@thera.vet

Tel: +32 (0) 71 18 32 49

Julie Winand

Chief Corporate Officer

julie.winand@thera.vet

Tel: +32 (0) 71 18 32 49

NewCap

Investor Relations and Financial Communications

Louis Tilquin Olivier Bricaud

theravet@newcap.eu

Tel: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94

Press Relations

Arthur Rouille Ambre Delval

theravet@newcap.eu

Tel: +33 (0)1 44 71 00 15
Steadily Improving Pillar Assets, Vigorously Promoting Technology Layout



HONG KONG, Sept 1, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Legend Holdings Corporation ("Legend Holdings" or the "Company"; stock code: 3396.HK) announced the unaudited interim results of the six months ended June 30, 2021 (the "Reporting Period") on August 31, 2021. During the Reporting Period, the Company's revenue was RMB 228.57 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 24%, which rose for nine consecutive reporting periods. Net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company amounted to RMB 4.69 billion, which represented a year-on-year increase of 636% and hit a record.



FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

For the six months ended June 30, 2021:

-- Revenue stood at RMB 228.57 billion, representing a yoy increase of 24%;

-- Net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company amounted to RMB 4.69 billion, representing a yoy increase of 636%;

-- Profit for the period reached RMB 8.72 billion, representing a yoy increase of 295%.



Mr. Li Peng, Executive Director and CEO of Legend Holdings, deemed that, "During the first half of 2021, although the global epidemic has recurred and the full recovery of the international market is still waiting for time, China's clear policy guidance, strong government leadership, sufficient domestic market vitality and sustained rapid economic recovery have created good conditions and unique advantages for the development of enterprises, and the introduction of the 14th Five-Year Plan has further pointed out the direction for the development of enterprises. Through effective management and value-added services, Legend Holdings consolidated and strengthened its business operation fundamentals, steadily developed its pillar assets, and enhanced its competitive advantages. Meanwhile, the Company adjusted its business strategy, seized the opportunity of China's high-quality economic development, and actively promoted the layout of the technology sector to achieve good performance growth, and various business optimization initiatives are steadily progressing. In addition, the Company's funds continued to perform well with the listing of many portfolio companies and the orderly implementation of various fundraising, investment, management and exiting work. In the future, Legend Holdings will further improve its industrial foundation, strengthen the resilience of profit growth, seize opportunities brought by the new round of industrial transformation, and accelerate the layout of emerging industries in the field of science and technology, achieve long-term healthy development of the enterprise and contribute greater social value."



Continuously reinforced competitiveness in pillar assets, sustainable optimization and growth of asset portfolio



During the Reporting Period, the company's strategic investment overall operating performance grew steadily, the competitiveness of its pillar assets and focused businesses were further enhanced. The investment portfolio was further adjusted with the improvement of the quality of the asset portfolio, and the return of capital and resources was accelerated. In the meantime, the Company further increased investment in the field of science and technology, adheres to the development path of science and technology leading, deepening innovation-driven, and strengthening industrial synergy to promote sustainable and high-quality development of the enterprise.



Attributable to the global digital and intelligent transformation, Lenovo achieved long-term and sustainable profit growth, with revenue up 25% year-on-year to RMB 210.78 billion, and the Net profit attributable to equity holders of Legend Holdings surged by 172% to RMB 1.54 billion. The personal computer business remained No.1 globally, and the non-pc business also showed strong growth. Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) business accelerated profit improvement, with growth rate exceeding the market average for six consecutive quarters. Additionally, Solutions & Services Group (SSG) drives its profitability, and its service-oriented transformation strategy pays off. As the consensus "carbon neutrality" accelerates, Lenovo significantly exceeded its emission reduction target in 2019/20 fiscal year and strives to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050. As a high-tech manufacturing enterprise, Lenovo will build green manufacturing and supply chain systems through digitization and intelligence to guide and drive the industrial chain to jointly achieve zero carbon transformation, while actively empowering all industries to achieve low-carbon development and make concerted efforts to build a community for people and nature.



Levima Advanced Materials, with more than ten years of development from greenfield, has developed into a high-tech enterprise specializing in advanced high polymer materials and special fine materials. During the Reporting Period, its net profit increased by 131% year-on-year to RMB 548 million. With the steady improvement of the company's results, Levima Advanced Materials' market value also saw a significant increase. Meanwhile, it energetically plans for investment and merges and acquisitions, acquiring Levima (Shandong) Chemicals to further improve the industrial layout and enhance the sustainable profitability and stability; investing in Jiangxi Keyuan Bio-Material to cultivate new growth points in the field of biodegradable materials. Furthermore, the company's main plant economic and technological indicators were further optimized, continue to maintain a leading position in the industry. Levima Advanced Materials continued to strengthen product development and market channel expansion. With product mix further optimized, the market shares of EVA, PP, EOD, and other segmented products continues to maintain the leading position in China. As of the end of the Reporting Period, Levima Advanced Materials had a total of 131 patents approved. The Company also fully utilizes the advantages of its R&D platform to actively promote the development of new products and processes, and has completed the R&D of 16 laboratories, 14 production technology formulations, and the industrialization of 8 new products.



Banque Internationale a Luxembourg (BIL) displayed significant growth amid the epidemic in Europe. In the first half of the year, its net profit increased by 18% year-on-year to approximately EUR 47 million, and the assets under management increased to EUR 45.5 billion with CET-1 ratio 13.18%. BIL's ratings by both Moody's and Standard & Poor's were maintained at A2/Stable/P-1 and A-/Stable/A-2 respectively. In response to the new post-epidemic environment, BIL will continue to strengthen its portfolio of retail, private, and corporate and institutional banking; it will progressively advance its business in China by further reinforcing the connection among Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Hong Kong SAR and Beijing, China; its wealth management business will continue to grow by serving its target markets and targeting its clients with precision; and the target operating model and business culture will turn BIL into a "robust and dynamic" bank.



The two main business lines of Joyvio Group are fruit and high-end animal protein. It is also active in the fields of fresh semi-finished products and agri-food technology. During the Reporting Period, Joyvio Group deepened its strategic layout and focused on the core businesses. Its revenue increased by 9% year-on-year to RMB 9,778 million, and the net profit attributable to equity holders of Legend Holdings was RMB 240 million, thus turning loss into profit. Golden Wing Mau continued to improve the layout of the whole industrial chain of fruits and achieved rapid revenue growth by reinforcing the advantages in its supply chain and the core products strategy. Joyvio's brand influence further expanded and successfully achieved product diversification. As prices in the international market continue to rebound, Joyvio Food's salmon business gradually recovered, while actively promoting the development of value-added 3R products and expanding diversified sales pipeline; the original business continued to maintain its leading position in the industry. In addition, some equities in investee enterprises were sold to further focus on the core business.



In 2020, Legend Holdings took its first strategic stake in Fullhan Microelectronics, laying out the semiconductors track, and as of June 30, 2021, Legend Holdings, as the largest shareholder, holds an aggregate of 15.91% equity in Fullhan Microelectronics through its subsidiaries. Fullhan Microelectronics is China's leading company specializing in the design and development of chips for video-based industries. Fullhan Microelectronics reported revenue of RMB 718 million, a year-on-year increase of 154.37%, and net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company of RMB 139 million, a year-on-year increase of 215.67%, its 1H2021 results report showed. The robust results significantly drove the growth in its market cap. Semiconductors and integrated circuits are among the fields that Legend Holdings has been keeping its eyes on for a long time. The Company will engage with the Fullhan Microelectronics management team for deeper cooperation to jointly promote the long-term development of Fullhan Microelectronics.



Legend Holdings, during the Reporting Period, further strengthened its industrial operation capability and gained profit in all business sectors. Strategic Investments' net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company increased by approximately RMB 3 billion year-on-year. For the advanced manufacturing and professional service segment, its revenue was up by 46% year-on-year to RMB 3,894 million, and net profit attributable to the equity holders of Legend Holdings increased by 108% year-on-year to RMB 794 million. Eastern Air Logistics (EAL) was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on June 9,-which was the first civil aviation enterprise included in the first batch of domestic pilot enterprises under the mixed-ownership reform-making it a successful case of the "two-wheel-drive business model" of the Company. During the Reporting Period, given the change of market demand, EAL increased its investment in air cargo capacity, expanded the cooperation channels for air cargo capacity and furthered building of "port to port" product system, strengthening customer development and improving service experience, enhancing business results to achieve a year-on-year growth in its results. The financial services segment recorded revenue of RMB 3,141 million and net profit attributable to the equity holders of Legend Holdings of RMB 318 million, excluding the impact of the one-off loss from share dilution of Hankou Bank, and the disposal and impairment loss of Kaola Technology, net profit attributable to the equity holders of Legend Holdings grew by 20% year-on-year. Zhengqi Holdings constantly implemented the business model of "investment-loan linkage", and focused on strategic emerging industries and the ecological chain. Lakala Payment exerted more efforts for product innovation and market development, maintained steady growth in the size of payment transactions and revenue, and the income from technological services continued to grow rapidly. JC Finance & Leasing developed steadily, and its net profit increased by 44% year-on-year. Hyundai Insurance constantly explored product and service innovation. It reported approximately RMB 334 million of accrued income from insurance premiums, an increase of 410% year-on-year. The adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on innovative consumption and services has been largely offset, with the revenue for the Reporting Period rising by 103% year-on-year to RMB 533 million and net profit attributable to equity holders of Legend Holdings of RMB 67 million. In order to cooperate with national policy orientation, Better Education provides inclusive pre-school education services. Shanghai Neuromedical Center continuously promoted the development of competitive neurosurgery and other comprehensive departments and its management and services were further improved.



Fund-raising, investment, management, and exiting from projects under management of financial investments in an orderly manner, continued contribution of solid cash flow



China's economy constantly recovered, and the capital market progressed strongly in the first half of 2021. Funds under Legend Holdings demonstrated outstanding results. Multiple enterprises under management went public. Fund-raising, investment, management, and exiting from projects under management were conducted comprehensively and orderly. More than 60 projects were fully or partially exited, contributing more than RMB 2 billion of cash flow.



Legend Star managed eight funds with a size exceeding RMB 3.3 billion, investing in more than 300 domestic and overseas projects accumulatively. During the Reporting Period, Legend Star's total number of investment projects was over 20, covering different niche segments, such as cutting-edge technology, biotechnology, digital medicine, and TMT. Among the projects under management, it made follow-on investments in approximately 50 projects and exited 15 projects. As of June 30, 2021, the final closing of the 4th USD fund was completed as well as the first round closing of the biotechnology fund.



Legend Capital managed a total of 28 funds, with a size of more than RMB 60 billion. As of June 30, 2021, the total amount raised by the funds was RMB 6,335 million. During the Reporting Period, Legend Capital accumulatively completed 20 new project investments, covering startup stage and growing-stage enterprises in the TMT and innovative consumption, healthcare, corporate services and intelligent manufacturing sectors. It fully or partially exited 33 projects, bringing sound cash returning. As of June 30, in total, 90 of Legend Capital's portfolio companies went public (not including those listed on NEEQS).



Hony Capital's businesses cover PE, real estate, public offering fund management, hedge fund, and venture capital. The AUM amounted to RMB 100 billion. As of June 30, Hony Capital managed 13 funds. Besides, Hony Horizon Fund Management Co., Ltd., a public offering fund management company under Hony Capital, managed seven funds. During the Reporting Period, Hony Capital proceeded with new investment projects in various business segments and progressively made follow-on investments in existing projects. Certain portfolio companies went public, and Hony Capital also actively exited projects, thereby contributing constant and steady cash returning to Legend Holdings.



Legend Holdings and its three fund platforms have paid attention to and invested in the high-tech industry for a long time, accumulating considerable assets. More than 20 portfolio companies were included in the list of National "Little Giants with Specialties, Refined Products and Management, Unique Technologies, and Innovation" announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China (MIIT), such as Fullhan Microelectronics, Gocom Information Technology, QuantumCTek, Sansure Biotech, Hanshow Technology, MNCHIP, INST magnets, Faith Long Crystal, LEADMICRO, Zonsen Biotech, CAXA, YUNJI Technology and so on. These companies will embrace a broad development space, as they feature remarkable results, high technology, and strong market competitiveness, and suit the trend of industrial upgrading in China.



Capital operation continued to advance, multiple portfolio companies successfully listed



The strategic investment and financial investment fund platforms under Legend Holdings continued to promote capital operation during the Reporting Period. As of June 30, 2021, 12 portfolio companies including EAL got listed, and at least 11 are promoting the IPO.



Chemclin Diagnostics Corporation, a project in the biomedical field invested by Zhengqi Holdings, was listed on April 9. Gocom Information Technology entered the capital market on June 28, becoming the first stock of industrial railway signal control and intelligent scheduling in China. Meanwhile, the IPO of a number of Zhengqi Holdings' investee companies was being processed or to be submitted. In addition, Golden Wing Mau and Hankou Bank are orderly preparing IPO.



In terms of financial investment, Conmed Biosciences, invested by Legend Star, issued its IPO in Hong Kong on July 8. Ten enterprises under the management of Legend Capital went public during the Reporting Period, such as CareRay Digital Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing Kawin Technology Share-Holding Co., Ltd., NexImmune, Inc., and New Horizon Health Limited and so on. Besides, Dindong Shopping, invested by Hony Capital, issued its IPO during the Reporting Period.



Mr. Ning Min, Chairman, and Executive Director of Legend Holdings, said that, "In the first half of 2021, in the face of the complicated internal and external environments, Legend Holdings grasped the new development pattern with the domestic cycle as the mainstay and the domestic and international cycles promoting each other, seized the historical opportunities given by the new era, made steady progress and breakthroughs, and achieved good results, which also laid a more solid foundation for the long-term development of the company. In the meantime, the Company has always attached great importance to corporate social responsibilities from a strategic perspective, adhered to the mission of 'serving the country through industrial development', and upheld the concept of 'people orientation'. It is our first priority to develop our business in the direction adhered by the state, and to continue to promote win-win development of China's real economy, entrepreneurship and innovation through our own industrial accumulation and unique business model to create better economic and social benefits; the Company will pay constant attention to the environment and energy and support its subsidiaries to play a leading role in green energy conservation and environmental protection; we will continue to insist on social welfare investment, including entrepreneurial help, education and poverty alleviation, promoting righteousness and responding to natural disasters, while fully studying and combining with national needs to deepen its practice and make greater contributions to the promotion of social justice, common prosperity and the high-quality development of China's economy as well the China's journey towards realizing the second centenary goals."



About Legend Holdings Corporation

Legend Holdings Corporation is a leading industrial investment and operations company in China. It builds up a unique two-wheel-drive business model of "strategic investments + financial investments" and focuses on the real economy and scientific & technological innovation areas. Through value creation and value discovery, the Company cultivates and manages an outstanding asset portfolio with growth potential, driving sustainable value growth. Strategic investments aim at holding over the long term and focus on strategic segments to cultivate and optimize the portfolio while fostering pillar businesses. Through strategic investments, the Company invests in five segments, namely IT, financial services, innovative consumption and services, agriculture and food, and advanced manufacturing and professional services. Financial investments are driven by financial returns with a proper mix of products and target portfolios, and include angel investment, venture capital and private equity investment, creating a holistic financial investment industrial chain. Based on the in-depth understanding of economies and enterprises, Legend Holdings has concluded its distinctive investment concepts and management system. Through forward-looking layout, clear investment strategies and sustained management & value-added services, Legend Holdings has cultivated a number of influential outstanding enterprises in several sectors.









Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.





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LONDON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Total school fundraising income dropped by nearly 20 percent in 2020, with alumni giving plunging by nearly half, as reported by leading community management software company ToucanTech, which examined 1 million database records from a mix of private and public schools across the UK.



ToucanTech founder Kate Jillings says: "It's telling that alumni felt unable to donate to their schools in the same way as previous years. Presumably many were concerned about job security and the general uncertainty that hit us all during the pandemic and lockdowns, but limitations on physical fundraising events may also have played a part".



Among the unique insights in the school fundraising study is the revelation that the value of donations to single-sex boys' schools is nearly four times greater than for all-girls' schools: 226,000 compared with 61,000.



Jillings comments: "This gender disparity is intriguing. Whether it's because men 'giving back' to their schools is a more ingrained habit than for women, we're not certain. Of course, we know that the gender pay gap remains sizable, so women may be less able to afford to donate to their alma mater. But we also know from philanthropy studies that women outrank men in the percentage that give to charities, so it's interesting that schools aren't seeing the same".

Jenny Blaiklock

Eleanor Holles

West London

London

Rog Peach

Liverpool

68 Senior, 35 Junior and Senior, 21 Junior (Prep)

100 Independent and 24 State

81 Co-Ed, 24 Girls' and 19 Boys'

Meanwhile, fundraising income from those aged 60-70 was up by more than 1,000 per donor in 2020 compared with 2019, and the largest donations came from the over-70s who, on average, gave more than 8,000 per donor."Through the pandemic we've seen consistently high giving from an older generation of donors, many of whom have stayed in touch with their old schools via email newsletters, virtual meet-ups and online communities" says Jillings.ToucanTech's data analysis shows that almost 75% of donors are opening school emails, and the proportion of donors is 12 times higher amongst people who engage in emails and events than those who don't - a clear indication that it's worth keeping alumni, and also former staff and parents, digitally engaged., Development Director at Lady, an independent girls' school in, reflects on their activities during Covid restrictions: "The success of our eNews and virtual events has brought into focus how much our alumnae who live outsideand around the world like to keep in touch with the school and each other".Similarly,who administers The Lerpoolians community for alumni, parents, staff and friends ofCollege, remarks that following the pandemic they will "remain focused on driving online membership and building a community where it becomes 'habit' for people to interact virtually with news, photos, clubs, events and digitised school magazines".Further insights in the ToucanTech report revealed the difference between school type (by age, gender and funding) and the connection between parent and alumni engagement with communications, events and other activities to raise funds for both bursaries and new building projects.ToucanTech works with hundreds of schools and other education, nonprofit and membership organisations to help them create engaged online communities that give back. The ToucanTech software combines a CRM, website/ portal, email and events management in one flexible system.Editor's notes: The ToucanTech study is based on data from 997,244 database records for 124 schools across the UK

For further information, and to arrange an interview with Kate Jillings, contact Jade Brennan, Marketing Director for ToucanTech: jade@toucantech.com
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Blue Lagoon Resources Inc. (the "Company") (CSE:BLLG)(FSE:7BL)(OTCQB:BLAGF) is pleased to report that the Company's toll milling partner, Nicola Mining ("Nicola"), has started to ship concentrate made from the mineralized material from its Dome Mountain underground mine. To date 140 dry metric tonnes of gold and silver concentrate grading an estimated 90 g/t Au and 500 g/t Ag have been prepared by Nicola for shipping. All concentrate assays were completed at Base Met Labs, an accredited metallurgical testing facility located in Kamloops, BC.

"We are very pleased with the opportunity to monetize this stockpile material that's been sitting underground in the mine for some time," said Rana Vig, President and CEO of Blue Lagoon Resources. "With an already healthy treasury of $9 million, plus more than $4 million in-the-money warrants and no debt, the additional cash from the sale of this concentrate will continue to ensure that we have a significant runway to execute on our aggressive exploration plans on this relatively unexplored project," he added.

Bags full of gold and silver concentrate made from Dome Mountain mineralized material await loading at Nicola's milling facility in Merritt, B.C.

Trucking of the Dome Mountain mineralized material, which began on June 14, 2021, has gone smoothly with approximately 15 trucks leaving the mine site on a weekly basis. To date more than 90 - forty ton trucks - have been dispatched to Nicola, delivering over 3500 tonnes of the Dome Mountain high-grade mineralized material. Weekly shipments are expected to continue until all 6,000 plus tonnes of material have been removed from the underground mine and processed at the Nicola Mining mill (see news release July 7, 2021).

The scientific and technical data contained in this news release was approved by William Cronk, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined in NI 43-101 and a consultant to the Company.

For further information, please contact:

Rana Vig

President and Chief Executive Officer Telephone: 604-218-4766

Email: rana@ranavig.com

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Blue Lagoon Resources Inc. (the "Company") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include results of exploration activities that may not show quality and quantity necessary for upgrading mineralization classification or for further exploration and exploitation of minerals deposits, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, permitting and other approvals, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

SOURCE: Blue Lagoon Resources Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662338/Blue-Lagoons-Toll-Mill-Partner-Starts-Shipping-Gold-Silver-Concentrate
TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Astellas Pharma Inc. (ALPMY, ALPMY) said Wednesday that it has voluntarily paused screening and dosing of additional participants in its ASPIRO clinical trial evaluating AT132 in patients with X-linked Myotubular Myopathy. The move came after the reporting of a recent serious adverse event in a study participant due to abnormal liver function tests observed in the weeks following dosing of the AT132 investigational gene therapy product at a lower dose. The company said the participant has a history of intermittent cholestasis. However, prior to dosing, the participant had a normal liver ultrasound; and the participant's liver function tests, were within eligibility criteria. The company will continue to closely monitor the participant's status. X-linked Myotubular Myopathy is a serious, life-threatening, rare neuromuscular disease that is characterized by extreme muscle weakness, respiratory failure and early death. Astellas said it has reported the serious adverse event to regulatory agencies, and is engaged in dialogue with regulators about the serious adverse event. At this time, an Investigational New Drug clinical hold has not been issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If the company receives a clinical hold letter, it will review the content and determine next steps, Astellas Pharma said in a statement. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Round led by MoreTech Ventures with strategic investors including Volvo Group, NI and Nationwide

TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Foretellix, the leading platform provider automating the testing, verification and validation for automated driving systems (ADAS and AV), has secured $32 million in its latest series B funding round, bringing its total raised capital to over $50 million. The round was led by MoreTech Ventures, with participation from several strategic investors, including Volvo Group Venture Capital, Nationwide, NI and Japan-Israel High Tech Ventures. In addition, all series A investors, including 83North Ventures, Jump Capital, OurCrowd and NextGear participated in this new investment round.

Foretellix was founded in 2018 by a team of verification and validation pioneers with a mission to make automated driving systems safe and efficient. Foretellix uses a quantifiable approach to safety and hyper-automation to create and test all possible scenarios these systems may encounter, along with big data analytics to ensure the safety and completeness of the testing processes. This advanced platform is used throughout the development cycle, from the requirements stage through product development, verification and validation. Foretellix ensures safety and productivity while reducing development costs and time-to-deployment.

Foretellix is experiencing a rapid increase in demand for its platform. This demand comes from leading OEMs and Tier1s developing ADAS and AV products, both on and off-road. Foretellix is now commercially engaged with dozens of the largest names in the automotive industry, including Volvo Group and DENSO Corporation.

"Foretellix's platform brings a low-code approach to the creation and coverage of complex driving scenarios," said Zack Keinan, General Partner of MoreTech Ventures. "The value proposition to customers is clear: confidence that vehicles are behaving properly, a scalable approach to testing, and faster time-to-market. We are excited to be leading this investment round into this unique team and technology addressing a major bottleneck which will only become more challenging as OEMs and Tier-1's suppliers adopt increasingly software-centric models."

Martin Witt, VP and Head of Volvo Group Venture Capital, said, "We look for start-ups that are building the future with technological developments that will transform the transport industry. We believe that with Foretellix's advanced test automation tools and expertise, we can deploy current and future ADS. We have the same clear goal to infuse automation and metrics into the verification and validation process with open standards. The investment and ongoing partnership is a base for increased safety of our leading-edge automated driving systems. We are impressed by Foretellix and we believe that together we can add considerable value to the development of the business in the future."

"This additional funding round is an important milestone in our journey as a company and will help us address the growing demand for our platform and products," says Ziv Binyamini, CEO and co-founder of Foretellix. "The support of our strategic partners Volvo Group, Nationwide and NI will help Foretellix to further advance its mission to enable the safe deployment of advanced automated driving systems."

About Foretellix

Foretellix provides a revolutionary product development testing, verification, and validation platform enabling the mass deployment of autonomous driving systems. Foretellix uses proven approaches from the semiconductor chip industry that utilize hyper automation, big data analytics and AI. The platform orchestrates and manages the massive scale of testing required to ensure safety, reduce development costs, and shorten the time-to-market of ADS deployment.

Visit www.foretellix.com.

About MoreTech Ventures

MoreTech Ventures was founded in 2020 with the objective of funding great management teams with outstanding technology, targeted at solving meaningful problems. MoreTech Ventures focuses on Israeli and Israeli-related growth-stage investment opportunities across all market segments. MoreTech is a $130M fund with LPs including some of the global tech industry leaders.

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Media Contacts:

Europe:

Mike Stainton

+44 (0)7739 891040

mike.stainton@pfpr.com

North America:

Scott Fosgard

+1 (734) 272-7440

scott@fosgardpr.com

Israel:

Moshe Mendelson

+972 508993284

moshe@gopositive.co.il
~ 770% increase in revenue from previous period

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / World-Class Extractions Inc. (CSE:PUMP)(FRA:WCF)(OTCQB:WCEXF) (the "Company" or "World-Class"), is pleased to report the operating and financial results for its year ended April 30, 2021.

Financial (audited)

Revenue of $9,642,757 for the year ended April 30, 2021 compared to revenue of $1,108,2921 for the year ended April 30, 2020, an increase of 770%. Gross margin for the year ended April 30, 2021 was 29% compared to 47% for the year ended April 30, 2020. The changes in revenue and gross margin relate primarily to the acquisition of PED in Q4 2020.

General and administrative expenses for the year ended April 30, 2021 were $5,487,467 compared to $9,293,522 for the year ended April 30, 2020, a decrease of 40%.

The Company had cash as at April 30, 2021 of $2,377,635 (April 30, 2020 - $5,632,160) and current assets of $4,615,345 (April 30, 2020 - $8,503,914) to settle current liabilities of $5,027,537 (April 30, 2020 - $5,493,417). $2,889,199 of the current liabilities relate to convertible debt of $2,255,249 and resulting derivative liability of $633,950 assumed pursuant to the PED acquisition.

The net loss and comprehensive loss for the year ended April 30, 2021 was $4,486,318 (as compared to April 30, 2020 of $48,539,965). The difference can be attributed to a number of impairments and write-downs the Company recognized in the year ended April 30, 2020.

Rosy Mondin, CEO of World-Class stated: "The acquisition of a controlling interest in Pineapple Express Delivery in March of 2020 has been extremely timely for World-Class. The Company has seen a 770% increase in its revenues from prior periods primarily because of this acquisition. We expect PED to continue to expand its operational capacity, and by maximizing on PED's capabilities, the Company has been able to capitalize on its successes. PED plays an important role in the continued growth of the Canadian cannabis industry; we are very excited moving forward this year as more business opportunities open up with the licensing of PED's delivery technology, as well as applying for significant upcoming delivery contracts."

Ms. Mondin continued, "Management remains hyper-focused and strategically positioning WCE to capitalize on the opportunities ahead in the pursuit of shareholder value. World-Class continues to be focused on lowering expenditures and improving operating efficiency as the Company continues to grow and align with the changing realities of the cannabis industry."

About World-Class

World-Class is an innovation-driven company with a focus on the evolving cannabis and hemp industries. World-Class offers compliant and secure delivery of government regulated products through its subsidiary Pineapple Express Delivery Inc., including medical and recreational cannabis in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and liquor delivery in certain jurisdictions in Saskatchewan. World-Class continues to investigate opportunities to deploy and manage custom-built extraction centres utilizing its custom systems, technology, and processes to efficiently produce high-quality cannabis and hemp concentrates and end-products.

Contact

World-Class Extractions Inc.

1 (604) 473-9569 | ir@worldclassextractions.com

www.worldclassextractions.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited those identified and reported in the Company's public filings under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.

SOURCE: World-Class Extractions Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662337/World-Class-Extractions-Reports-Operating-and-Financial-Results-for-The-Year-Ended-April-30-2021
Illustrating the attraction of satellite to accelerate the reduction of the digital divide

Confirming the unparalleled coverage of the 172 orbital position over Asia Pacific

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) (Paris:ETL) and Lintasarta, a premier service provider, have signed a contract for capacity on EUTELSAT 172B to support connectivity services in Indonesia.

Lintasarta will be leveraging the unparalleled coverage of the EUTELSAT 172B satellite to fulfil the commitment to close the digital divide in the rural areas of Indonesia. This agreement highlights the integral role of satellite in providing a complete connectivity solution to end users.

Lintasarta, a prestigious Information and Communication Technology (ICT) total solutions company in Indonesia, introduces various beneficial ICT solutions for many industries, including digital companies (marketplace), banking, finance non-bank, supply chain, resources, hospitality, healthcare, education, transportation, and government.

Commenting on the agreement, Philippe Oliva, Eutelsat's Chief Commercial Officer said: "We are honored to be selected by Lintasarta in this crucial mission. This contract perfectly showcases the relevance of satellite as a key component in the infrastructure to bring connectivity to the most remote areas as well as the attraction of our 172orbital position."

CEO Lintasarta, Arya Damar said: "We are delighted to partner with Eutelsat to address the digital divide in rural Indonesia, and to fulfil our commitment to the Government-backed effort to get everyone connected."

About Eutelsat Communications

Founded in 1977, Eutelsat Communications is one of the world's leading satellite operators. With a global fleet of satellites and associated ground infrastructure, Eutelsat enables clients across Video, Data, Government, Fixed and Mobile Broadband markets to communicate effectively to their customers, irrespective of their location. Around 7,000 television channels operated by leading media groups are broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped for DTH reception or connected to terrestrial networks. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat assembles 1,200 men and women from 50 countries who are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service.

For more about Eutelsat go to www.eutelsat.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005067/en/

Contacts:

Media

Joanna Darlington

Tel.: +33 1 53 98 31 07

jdarlington@eutelsat.com

Marie Sophie Ecuer

Tel.: +33 1 53 98 32 45

mecuer@eutelsat.com

Jessica Whyte

Tel.: +33 1 53 98 46 21

jwhyte@eutelsat.com

Investors

Joanna Darlington

Tel.: +33 1 53 98 31 07

jdarlington@eutelsat.com

Cedric Pugni

Tel.: +33 1 53 98 31 54

cpugni@eutelsat.com

Alexandre Illouz

Tel.: +33 1 53 98 46 81

aillouz@eutelsat.com
ZURICH, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Clients increasingly expect customised solutions from investment managers. Firms which are able to deliver customised solutions at scale are gaining a competitive advantage in a new era of investment management.

Customised, highly automated investment solutions for all client segments will become more important in the coming years. Investment managers therefore need to focus on providing such solutions while keeping their costs under control: they must make the delivery of customised solutions scalable. A whitepaper co-authored by Tindeco examines the drivers, current challenges and future developments in "mass customisable" investment management (https://www.tindecofs.com/whitepaper/).

Demand for customised investment strategies for all client segments from institutional clients to retail investors is on the rise. The M&A activity of market-leading investment managers in the area of "direct indexing" is just one indication among many that this trend is here to stay. This is driven by the increasing demand for investment solutions that are consistent with clients' values and their holistic financial needs. Investment managers must implement highly systematic approaches to portfolio construction and portfolio management that can leverage new technologies to increase automation. Successful organisations will implement new operating models and new technologies enabling them to reduce the marginal costs of providing customised investment mandates to near zero.

"This is about the democratisation of investment management. Fifteen years ago, the industry offered customised investment solutions to UHNWIs and institutional clients. Today, it is possible for clients of all types and sizes to have access to portfolios and advice that truly meet their individual needs. As clients increasingly expect bespoke solutions, investment managers are looking to adopt the right technologies to give them a competitive edge."

Michael Kaimakliotis, CEO Tindeco

Developments in cloud computing, process automation, machine learning and distributed ledger technology (DLT), will largely reduce production costs in investment management and thereby enable the offering of customised, rules-based investment strategies for all market segments.

In the future, it is expected that the industry will (re)organise itself more around functional needs rather than around normative client types. An example of this can be seen in the convergence of the asset and wealth management industries today. In the future, Investment management platforms, expert investment managers and customer channels will be the primary segments around which the industry will be organised.

Tindeco is a leading wealth tech company and offers the Tindeco VISION technology platform. VISION supports asset and wealth managers in the implementation of highly scalable operating models to enable them to efficiently deliver customised investment solutions.

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Tbilisi, Georgia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - When Jarek Bialek and Piotr Piasecki joined forces to build Revenue Capital, their goal was to provide an accessible, democratized, and beginner-inclusive approach to venture capital and funding for the world's fast-growing startups and creators.





Revenue Capital Team



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8203/95131_revenue%20capital%20team.jpg

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, more online and technology businesses and startups have shot into a unique stratosphere of success, generating increasing revenues with unlimited growth and distribution potential and fewer overheads while working with small, nimble teams of less than five employees.

On the flip side, the pandemic also created an increasing group of anxious and ambitious middle-class adults who, right in the middle of the action, felt technology evolving and adapting at a faster rate than they could absorb. These individuals are aware of the changes in the world and economic landscape. However, they have little guidance on what business to build, startups to invest in, or communities to join to create wealth.

Revenue Capital was launched to allow founders and creators disrupting markets with new, revenue-generating startups to scale and expand while giving new and seasoned investors opportunities to participate in the changing global economic landscape by investing in fast-growing profitable startups.

Startups generating good and consistent revenue often need capital influx to scale into new regions and maintain progress in an up-and-to-the-right journey of growth and profitability. However, most of them do not have the luxury of residing in a startup hub with attractive funding opportunities. In many cases, founders do not want to give away equity too early as this may affect post-money valuations.

"The unprecedented growth of the blockchain and crypto industry creates new opportunities in terms of new investment models. They allow us to fund promising tech ventures without taking equity but still offering high returns to investors. $RVC is tradeable and liquid, allowing speculation on future value, making it a very interesting financial instrument," Piotr Piasecki, Co-founder at Revenue Capital, said.

Revenue Capital runs a model where investors can buy investment tokens called Revenue Coins, or $RVC. This gives them access to benefit from the revenue generated by Revenue Capital's portfolio of high-tech startups, building passive income and long-term gains as the companies earn more revenue and increase profitability.

"It's one thing to be aware of how fast the world is changing; it's another to jump in and be a part of the change. Not everyone can create something, but anyone can cash in on the exponential growth of new startups by investing in RevCoins," says Kelechi Udoagwu, Chief Marketing Officer at Revenue Capital.

The startup ecosystem and creator economy must keep innovating in the way companies and creators find capital, regardless of their size, so that opportunities become truly universal and founders from anywhere in the world grow beyond geographical and financial limitations.

Imagine a world where investment and funding activities are not exclusive to any particular race, class, or gender. A world where every entrepreneur can source and access the funds they need to scale and expand without debilitating debt or restrictions. That is the vision of Revenue Capital.

A unique twist to the Revenue Capital approach is a dedication to providing funds, support, and a community to portfolio companies with a synergy effect of technology, complementary services, and shared interests, without taking up shares or equity from these businesses.

This proposition allows founders to maintain control while also raising funds for expansion, while increasing their company's post-money valuation to a significant extent.

Revenue Coins are a first-of-a-kind investment token supporting individualism and autonomy and connecting investors to projects that some time ago were restricted exclusively to banks, investment funds, and business sharks.

The tokenization model of RevCoins combines the nature and experience of mature stock markets and benefits from increasingly popular opportunities created by blockchain technology. Whereas the regulatory burden of the mainstream financial institutions hindered startups and founders from innovating quickly, cryptocurrencies, though still rife with bottlenecks, fill the gap and get more mainstream every year.

"Micro-investors and growing startups have been underserved by mainstream financial institutions for far too long. Investments and wealth-building should not be exclusive perks for the rich. Especially now, when with the right support and technology advantage, every founder and startup can reach unlimited potential. Investing, in today's world, is a necessity, not just a choice for anyone willing to grow in the middle-class income group," Jarek Bialek, Co-founder at Revenue Capital, added.

For more information on receiving funds and support from Revenue Capital or inquiries about investing with Revenue Coins, send an email to ku@revenuecapital.io.

About Revenue Capital

Revenue Capital is a high-tech alternative investment fund developing advanced solutions to improve trading capabilities within traditional financial markets and the crypto industry. For more information, visit: revenuecoin.io or contact Kelechi Udoagwu via ku@revenuecapital.io.

Media Contact:

Company Name: Revenue Capital

CEO name: Jarek Bialek and Piotr Piasecki

Company Product: Revenue CoinName: Kelechi Udoagwu

Email: ku@revenuecapital.io

Phone: +48 793575479

Website: https://revenuecoin.io/ & https://revenuecapital.io/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95131
World's first international forum on individual 'data sovereignty'

Opening address by Governor Lee Jaemyung, keynote lecture by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web

Domestic and international industry academia government experts on MyData and data sovereignty to discuss users' role in data sovereignty era

Held as a virtual event according to COVID-19 social distancing rules

With the volume and value of data increasing in line with the accelerated digital transformation, Gyeonggi Province will hold the world's first 'data sovereignty' forum to discuss the ways of protecting and practicing individuals' data rights.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005013/en/

Gyeonggi Province of South Korea will hold the world's first 'Data Sovereignty International Forum 2021' on September 8 as a virtual event. Under the slogan of 'My Data, My Right', the forum aims to further develop the province's data sovereignty policy and publicize individuals' data sovereignty. Under the subject of 'Making a Fair Data World Together,' domestic and international data sovereignty and MyData experts, the related government agencies, and overseas private organizations will discuss the ways of and the users' role in creating a fair data world with a focus on individual rights. (Graphic: Business Wire)

According to Gyeonggi Province at the press conference on July 28th, the 'Data Sovereignty International Forum 2021' will be held on September 8 as a virtual event (DSIF2021.com).

Together with overseas local governments, Gyeonggi Province hosts the Data Sovereignty International Forum under the slogan, 'My Data, My Right'. The forum aims to further develop the province's data sovereignty policy, which has been promoted since the execution of the world's first data dividend payout in February last year, and to publicize individuals' data sovereignty.

Gyeonggido Business Science Accelerator and MyData Global, a private international organization, organize the event and the Presidential Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Personal Information Protection Commission, Korea Internet Security Agency, and Korea Data Agency will participate as sponsors. The sponsoring agencies will not only provide lectures and promotional services to improve and spread the data sovereignty awareness, but cooperate in Gyeonggi Province's data sovereignty policy implementation after the forum.

As data have become an important value in the current society, 'individuals' data sovereignty' will be discussed for the first time in the world under the subject of 'Making a Fair Data World Together.' Domestic and international data sovereignty and MyData experts, the related government agencies, and overseas private organizations will discuss the ways of and the users' role in creating a fair data world with a focus on individual rights.

At the opening ceremony on September 8, Governor Lee Jaemyung of Gyeonggi Province will give an opening address followed by a keynote lecture by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, titled 'Transformation in the Digital World and Data Sovereignty.'

The keynote lecture that will last about 30 minutes can be watched only through real-time channels, such as the Digital Sovereignty International Forum website (DSIF2021.com) and Gyeonggi Province's YouTube channel (youtube.com/ggholics).

Lim Mun-yeong, Director of Gyeonggi Province Future Growth Policy Division, said, "Data sovereignty holds an important value as it enables individuals to autonomously utilize data and benefit from using it. Gyeonggi Province invites you to take part in this event so that we can understand and practice data sovereignty, a natural right for all, and make the data world fairer."

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005013/en/

Contacts:

GYEONGGI PROVINCE

Junseok Won

+82-31-8008-3958

firstwon77@gg.go.kr
NTT named market leader with even more capacity as business online surges

NTT Ltd.'s Global Data Centers division, a Leader in the IDC MarketScape Worldwide Data Center Colocation and Interconnection Services 2021 Vendor Assessment1, provides a full stack of ICT services and continues to expand its global data center footprint by 20% to build a connected future that will benefit enterprise and hyperscale clients around the world.

NTT operates data centers across Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia, including a major presence in India. It delivers and operates global interconnected data centers with cross regional data center networks through key markets such as London, Singapore, Tokyo, and Virginia in North America. Its expansions in data center services provide increased data center capacity and network connectivity across all geographies, including:

Americas:

In 2020/21, three new data center campuses were opened in Hillsboro, OR, Santa Clara, CA, and Chicago, IL, in addition to expansion in Ashburn, VA. NTT's 47-acre (approx. 190,000m2) Hillsboro campus features five data centers with 126MW of planned IT load and Subsea Connect, a trans-pacific network connectivity service that provides connectivity between Hillsboro, Oregon and Tokyo, Japan using NTT's Pacific Crossing (PC-1) subsea cable system. The Phoenix, AZ campus will open in early 2022 and be the seventh US data center campus. NTT Phoenix PH1 will add 36MW of IT load capacity and is the first of seven planned data centers on the 240MW campus.

EMEA:

In the past year, NTT has opened new data center buildings in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and Munich and Frankfurt in Germany, continuing its position as the number one data center provider in the German market. In the UK, the new flagship London 1 Data Center opened in December and, when fully operational, will increase NTT's capacity by over 200% to support the digital backbone of the UK's financial services, media, and gaming industries. NTT has also invested in duct and fiber to interconnect all its London data centers.

Over the next two years, NTT will increase its available IT load in EMEA by over 40% as it builds 13 new data center buildings across nine markets in six countries to deliver an added 115MW of IT load across 50,000m2. NTT will launch its first data centers in Madrid and Johannesburg as well as adding buildings to Vienna, Zurich, London and across Germany, with expanded data center interconnections.

APAC:

Jakarta 3 in Indonesia will launch 15MW at Bekasi, approximately 30km from Central Jakarta, by the end of this year. By taking advantage of NTT's strengths as a network operator, clients will be able to easily connect with IXs and ISPs. Additionally, Cyberjaya 5 in Malaysia started to provide 6.8MW and plan to expand another 6.8MW to the Cyberjaya campus. In Japan, a new data center with 21MW of IT load capacity has been built in Tokyo. In response to strong demand from its clients, NTT is considering further expansion in Bangkok (Thailand), Osaka Metropolitan area (Japan), and Southern Vietnam.

India:

With Mumbai 8 going live soon, the Chandivali campus, India's first operational hyperscale data center park, will reach 85MW of IT load. Over the next 18 months, four new hyperscale data center parks will also become operational: two in Navi Mumbai and one each in Chennai and Delhi, adding approximately 133MW of IT load and 50,000m2 of floorspace. Interconnections for 10 data centers across India will also be rolled out in 2021 and submarine cable landing stations are planned in Mumbai and Chennai. This expansion will further consolidate NTT's number one position in the Indian market.

In addition to the expansion of NTT's global data center footprint, NTT is currently constructing a "MIST" large-capacity submarine cable connecting Singapore, Malaysia, and India (Mumbai and Chennai).

The MIST cable system will have a total length of 11,000km: a distance which is further than flying from New York, across the US and the Pacific Ocean to land in Tokyo. Construction will complete in mid-2023.

The infrastructure combination of such a significant increase in global data center capacity coupled with NTT's status as a tier 1 global network service provider, will provide businesses with a secure platform for increasing full-stack ICT service needs.

Global Data Center Interconnect (GDCI), an integrated global network fabric service that delivers a cross regional data center network and private secure connection to major cloud service providers with a single physical port supporting multiple virtual network services, increases this capability to provide a high speed interconnected digital backbone across its global markets. The increased submarine cable system will also help to provide cross-regional data center interconnections.

Masaaki Moribayashi, President and Board Director for NTT Ltd. said, "The pandemic has dramatically changed our way of life. People's quality of life now fundamentally depends on this infrastructure. In the next 18 months, NTT plans to increase data center operations by 20% to a total of over 600,000m2 (approx. 6.5M ft2) of floorspace in over 20 countries and regions. In addition, NTT will globally expand approximately 30 connection points of GDCI service in our data centers to optimize the enterprise hybrid cloud environment over NTT's data centers and network services. NTT has already started construction to add 300MW of IT load to its portfolio. With the completion of new data centers, expanded campuses and high capacity networks such as the MIST submarine cable, we are building a connected future that will benefit NTT's clients around the world."

To contact us about your project and to see the full extent of NTT's Global Data Center footprint, services and builds visit https://datacenter.hello.global.ntt

1IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Datacenter Colocation and Interconnection Services 2021

-ENDS-

About the Global Data Centers division of NTT Ltd.

Global Data Centers is a division of NTT Ltd. Our global platform is one of the largest in the world. NTT is recognized as a Leader by IDC in the Worldwide Colocation and Interconnection Services MarketScape, spanning more than 20 countries and regions including North America, Europe, Africa, India and APAC. As a neutral operator, we offer access to multiple cloud providers, a large variety of Internet Exchanges and telecommunication network providers including our own IPv6 compliant, tier-one global IP network. Our clients benefit from tailored infrastructure and experience consistent best practices in design and operations across all of our reliable, scalable and customizable data centers.

Visit us at our new website datacenter.hello.global.ntt.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005069/en/

Contacts:

Media Inquiries:

Beth Sissons

Hotwire for NTT Ltd.

T: +44 7824 144 109

E: beth.sissons@hotwireglobal.com
Former Publicis Media Agency Leader Will Lead Rapid Scaling of Holding Group Partnerships

InMobi, a leading provider of marketing and monetisation technologies that fuel industries around the world, today announced that Philip Gale has joined its team as Head of Agency Development, Europe. Most recently at Publicis Media, Gale was the Director of Programmatic Partnerships; he will report to Andy Powell, InMobi's Vice President and Managing Director for EMEA.

Gale is a mobile advertising leader with experience managing large international teams spanning commercial, advertising operations, and go-to-market strategies. He brings a track record of identifying and implementing new technologies to boost business performance, drive efficiencies, and expose new revenue opportunities.

Previous to Publicis, Gale was a senior member of Odyssey Mobile Marketing, a mobile advertising startup with offices in London, Stockholm, and Singapore. Odyssey was acquired by Phunware in 2014, and Gale relocated to California to join the Phunware leadership team, before seeing them through a successful initial public offering in 2018.

"InMobi has long been known for innovation in ad technology and for being a fast mover well ahead of the latest industry trends," says Gale. "I am especially happy to be joining the company right now, at a critical time in its growth into a world-leading business."

"Philip has built a fantastic reputation as a mobile leader across both startups, scale-ups, and global holding groups," says Powell. "Both myself and the team are looking forward to working closely with him to build deeper relationships with our agency partners across Europe. Philip's role will be to work with our agency partners to identify various pilots and ad tech opportunities, over and above our current media footprint, as we continue to invest heavily in the region."

About InMobi

InMobi is a leading provider of marketing and monetisation technologies. With deep expertise and unique reach in mobile, it is a trusted and transparent technology partner for marketers, content creators and businesses of all kinds. InMobi's mission is to power its customers' growth by helping them engage their audiences and build meaningful connections. Its affiliated businesses Glance, an unconsolidated subsidiary that offers a lock screen-based content discovery platform and video platform Roposo help InMobi create new content and commerce experiences in a world of connected devices. InMobi is headquartered in Singapore, maintains a large presence in San Francisco and Bangalore and has operations in New York, Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Delhi, Mumbai, Beijing, Shanghai, Jakarta, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Melbourne, Seoul, Tokyo, London and Dubai. To learn more, visit inmobi.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005309/en/

Contacts:

JR Cordray

pr@inmobi.com
The Global Mercy, the newly built ship of Mercy Ships, completed its journey through the Suez Canal free of charge and is scheduled to dock in the Port of Antwerp in mid-September for further equipping.

As the International Day of Charity(Sunday, September 5, 2021) draws closer, Mercy Ships has announced that the Global Mercy completed its journey through the Suez Canal and the ship is headed for a short courtesy visit in Malta. The Global Mercy, the newest hospital ship of Mercy Ships, is in the last leg of the journey to the Port of Antwerp, where it will be further equipped and crewed. The ship is scheduled to arrive mid-September in Belgium and remain until early next year.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005344/en/

The Global Mercy (R) sailed through the Suez Canal on the way to a courtesy stop in Malta. (Photo: Business Wire)

Unique international and national cooperation

The Senegalese and Egyptian governments facilitated the passage of the Global Mercy through the Suez Canal, so that the ship could pass through free of charge. This unique gesture allows Mercy Ships to save many thousands of extra lives in Africa in the long run.

Bert van Dijk, international board member and president of Mercy Ships Belgium, is enthusiastic and grateful for the tremendous cooperation and support for this unique project, "On the initiative of and led by President Macky Sall of Senegal together with an active involvement of his ambassador in Brussels, the President and the authorities of Egypt have agreed to guide the Global Mercy through the Suez Canal free of charge and without any cost to the charity. This is a wonderful example of a unique collaboration between two heads of state to support Mercy Ships and contribute to the improvement of healthcare in Africa."

President Macky Sall of Senegal says, "I have seen and experienced with my own eyes that Mercy Ships is a wonderful organization that brings hope and healing to many African countries. We will welcome the Global Mercy with open arms in the spring of 2022 and give our full support at the start of its first mission in Africa. We are very grateful for the indispensable support of so many to actually help my country and my people."

The Port of Antwerp has made the arrival of the Global Mercy in Antwerp possible by offering a free berth and support. Volunteers from home and abroad will set up and finish the Global Mercy, the largest private hospital ship in the world. This includes the installation of medical equipment and IT systems, as well as the supply and crewing of the ship for its first mission.

"This unique project is a highlight in the collaboration between Port of Antwerp and Mercy Ships. The social commitment in the port community is very high, so we are not alone in our support. Dozens of companies in our port already support Mercy Ships structurally and will do the same in the equipping of the Global Mercy. Mercy Ships and the wonderful work they do are close to the heart of the Port of Antwerp,"says Annick De Ridder, chairman of the Port and Alderman of Antwerp.

Doubling of impact in Africa

The Global Mercy will be the 'partner ship' of the current hospital ship, the Africa Mercy. Mercy Ships expects to more than double the impact of its work with the new vessel, both with life-changing operations and with education and training of local caregivers in the poorest countries in Africa.

During its missions, the Global Mercy can accommodate 950 people, including 641 crew members, who consist of volunteers from all over the world. In addition to the hospital, the ship also has first-class training facilities with which Mercy Ships contributes to the sustainable development of local medical care in many countries.

Largest private hospital ship in the world

The Global Mercy is a unique ship in the passenger class: 174 meters long, 28.6 meters wide and a gross tonnage of 37,000. It has 6 operating rooms, 200 beds, a laboratory, general outpatient clinics and eye and dental clinics. The total area of the hospital department is 7,000 m.

In the spring of 2022, Mercy Ships plans to open the ship to the public for tours in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, before beginning active service with the Global Mercy in Dakar (Senegal), the first of many new missions in the next 50 years.

ABOUT MERCY SHIPS

Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class healthcare services, capacity building, and sustainable development to those with little access in the developing world. Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 55 developing countries, providing services valued at more than $1.7 billion and directly benefitting more than 2.8 million people. Our ships are crewed by volunteers from over 60 nations, with an average of over 1200 volunteers each year. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, healthcare trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills. With 16 national offices and an Africa Bureau, Mercy Ships seeks to transform individuals and serve nations. For more information click on www.mercyships.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005344/en/

Contacts:

Laura Rebouche

U.S. National Media Relations Director

Mercy Ships

Office: +1-903.939.7000

Direct: +1 903.939.7127

Email: laura.rebouche@mercyships.org
- StoreDot reveals fast-charging 4680 cylindrical cell with the ability to be fully-charged in 10 minutes

- 4680 format, increasingly favored by leading car makers, will be ready for production at scale in 2024 - along with StoreDot's equally ground-breaking fast charging pouch cell

- Extreme fast-charge (XFC) multi-patented battery technologies and mature chemistry can now be applied to a variety of form factors, giving StoreDot technical and commercial flexibility to integrate with various Electric Vehicle OEMs

- StoreDot provides automotive manufacturers a clear technology roadmap for versatile and rapid transition to electrification thus enabling a cleaner world

HERZELIYA, Israel, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- StoreDot, the pioneer of extreme fast charging battery technology for electric vehicles, reveals its ground-breaking silicon-dominant technology applied in extreme fast charging (XFC) cylindrical cells. In a world-first, the company demonstrated the prototype 4680 form factor that is fully charged in just 10 minutes.

StoreDot's extreme fast charging cylindrical cells utilize a 4680 format, the one increasingly favored by global car makers, and have been in development for over three years. Pioneering work for these breakthrough technologies was kicked off at Warwick University in the UK with collaboration with StoreDot's strategic partner - BP. It has been further developed harnessing experts from across the globe. The work is covered with five patents in the area of cell design and uses StoreDot's continuous tab technology. Such cell design increases throughput and addresses safety and performance issues typically associated with the hard case structure of cylindrical cells. Testing at StoreDot facility has shown promising low levels of internal resistance. Cylindrical cell samples are now ramping up the production lines at EVE Energy, StoreDot's manufacturing partner in China.

This breakthrough means that global automotive manufacturers will be able to use StoreDot's XFC batteries, which deliver a 50% reduction in charging time at the same cost, in both pouch and cylindrical cell forms. Both formats are undergoing scale up process at EVE Energy and will be ready for mass production in 2024.

In addition, with such format versatility, the entire industry will be able to leverage StoreDot's newly introduced patent pending Boost Charging Technology (BOOCT) application.

Dr Doron Myersdorf, StoreDot CEO: "Achieving the goal of extreme fast charging a cylindrical cell in only 10 minutes has been on StoreDot's technology roadmap from day one. After three years of vigorous development and testing, leveraging multiple vectors of our world class researches, I am hugely proud at the effective collaboration across our globe that enabled this important achievement. It's highly significant that we can offer Electric Vehicle manufacturers the choice of cell formats, utilizing our XFC technology that will overcome the current barriers to EV ownership: range and charging anxiety.

"We are pleased that our silicon-dominant XFC battery cell chemistry is adaptable and can be applied to various packaging formats, to suit changing market needs. Both our cylinder and pouch cell form factors are designed to be safe, reliable and stable, and are expected to be produced at scale by 2024. We are in advanced discussions with a number of global automotive manufacturers and we plan to supply them with various XFC cells, enabling a rapid transition to a zero-emissions electrified future."

This world-first application of silicon-dominant anode extreme fast charge cylindrical cells signifies a number of considerable challenges that had to be resolved, when compared to pouch technologies. 4680 cylindrical cell format requires unique chemistry adaptation to offset greater internal pressures, gas release and avoidance of potential leakage.

StoreDot is in discussions with leading automotive manufacturers. It now has the ability to offer the automotive industry a clear technology roadmap using silicon-dominant XFC technology and then onto future generation extreme energy-density (XED), based on solid state technologies which are on target to enter mass production in 2028.

About StoreDot:

StoreDot is a pioneer and leader of extreme fast charging (XFC) batteries that overcome the critical barrier to mainstream EV adoption - range and charging anxiety. The company has revolutionized the conventional Li-ion battery by designing and synthesizing proprietary organic and inorganic compounds, making it possible to fully charge an EV in just five minutes - the same time it takes to refuel a conventional combustion engine vehicle. StoreDot's battery technology is optimized for best driver experience with XFC in Li-ion batteries, as well as future technologies for extreme energy-density (XED).StoreDot's strategic investors include BP, Daimler, Samsung Ventures and TDK. In 2019, the company achieved a world first by demonstrating the live full charge of a two-wheeled EV in just five minutes. In 2020, the company demonstrated the scalability of its XFC batteries for other devices, by fully charging a commercial drone in five minutes in another world first. Moving XFC battery technology from the lab to a commercially-viable product for the first time, StoreDot has launched engineering samples of its first-generation batteries, designed to be manufactured at scale on traditional Li-ion production lines.

For more information see: www.store-dot.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1605619/StoreDot.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1556045/StoreDot_Logo.jpg
Celent recognizes standout capabilities with awards for breadth of functionality, customer base and support

LONDON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Finastra has been named a leader in corporate digital banking platforms by Celent. Two reports, which cover North America and the rest of the world, recognize Finastra's standout capabilities in this sector.

The reports, titled 'Corporate Digital Banking Platforms: North America Edition' & 'Corporate Digital Banking Platforms: EMEA/APAC/LATAM Edition', are aimed at banks looking to enhance their corporate digital banking offering and highlight Finastra as an attractive platform in this market. Finastra has excelled in the 'Breadth of Functionality' and 'Customer Base and Support' categories.

Patricia Hines, Head of Corporate Banking, Celent, said, "Banks looking to capture a greater share of the corporate banking wallet must think carefully about their investment decisions in order to ensure they meet their clients' unique demands for ease of use, flexibility, and convenience. Banks must vigorously analyze their corporate digital banking platform, the linchpin to effectively deliver a bank's products and services to its customers. Finastra's solution has shown stand out capability to support banks as they embark on their digital transformation journeys."

Veena Rao, Vice President, Fusion Corporate Channels, at Finastra said, "We are thrilled that a much-respected industry analyst house has recognized the success and potential of our corporate digital banking solution. The platform paves the way for step-by-step transformation, with standard APIs and a microservices approach that supports digital transformation. Moreover, connectivity with our FusionFabric.cloud development platform drives open innovation and co-creation of value-added solutions."

Patricia Hines added, "Finastra is the only provider in this analysis that supports nearly every functionality attribute in the Celent taxonomy and the majority of digital channels, demonstrating notable breadth of functionality. Finastra also stood out in new deals over the past two years, number of clients on the latest software version, customer references, breadth of training types, and annual client conference."

Finastra's Fusion Corporate Channels solution delivers portal technology to unify trade, supply chain finance, cash, lending, and treasury services for corporate clients. More than 100 financial institutions and multinational corporations use the technology, benefitting from flexible, intuitive channel applications that can be delivered on demand, globally, and on any device.

Access the report extract here:

North America

Rest of World

About Finastra

Finastra is building an open platform that accelerates collaboration and innovation in financial services, creating better experiences for people, businesses and communities. Supported by the broadest and deepest portfolio of financial services software, Finastra delivers this vitally important technology to financial institutions of all sizes across the globe, including 90 of the world's top 100 banks. Our open architecture approach brings together a number of partners and innovators. Together we are leading the way in which applications are written, deployed and consumed in financial services to evolve with the changing needs of customers. Learn more at finastra.com

For further information please contact:

Caroline Duff

Global Head of PR

T +44 (0)7917 613586

E caroline.duff@finastra.com

finastra.com

Corporate headquarters

4 Kingdom Street

Paddington

London W2 6BD

United Kingdom

T: +44 20 3320 5000

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/967510/Finastra_Logo.jpg
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global cell and gene therapy manufacturing market size is expected to reach USD 57.4 billion by 2028,according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 20.3% from 2021 to 2028. An exponential rise in clinical pipeline coupled with a rising number of regulatory approvals for advanced therapies has majorly driven the market.

Key Insights & Findings:

The cell therapy manufacturing segment dominated the market in 2020 in terms of revenue

A high number of ongoing clinical trials of cell therapies to address the robust need for effective treatment against COVID-19 infection has resulted in segment growth

A high number of candidate molecules in the pre-commercial scale stage has contributed to the largest revenue share of the segment in 2020

On the other hand, the recent success of CAR-T therapies supplements the growth of the commercial-scale manufacturing segment

The contract manufacturing segment is expected to witness lucrative growth during the forecast period as a substantial number of bio manufacturers are turning to CMOs for efficient and rapid product development

Ongoing pandemic has accelerated the global investments in the R&D of viral vector-based vaccines, creating lucrative opportunities in the vector production segment

North America dominated the market in terms of revenue in 2020 owing to the strong research as well as a commercial base for cell and gene therapy products in the U.S.

U.S. is leading the CAR-T and gene therapy space with the highest number of approved products, thus positively influencing the market growth in the region

Asia Pacific is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate throughout the forecast period

Constantly evolving viral vector production and CDMO landscapes through plant expansions and new sites are spurring the market in this region

The key players are engaged in collaboration with biopharma developers to support their product development process

Read 188 page market research report, "Cell And Gene Therapy Manufacturing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Therapy Type, By Scale (R&D, Commercial), By Mode, By Workflow (Vector Production, Cell Banking), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028", by Grand View Research

Considering promising growth opportunities in the contract development of cellular and gene-modified therapies, market participants are making focused efforts to boost their market presence. Also, bio manufacturers are signing strategic alliances with contract manufacturers to accelerate the R&D of their candidate programs. Rising demand for CMOs/CDMOs services has led to the entry of several new players as well as expansion of product development capabilities, thereby positively impacting market revenue.

Several novel methods are being introduced to advance cell and gene therapy manufacturing. For instance, the manufacturers are exploring the potential of single-use technology in production workflows. This technique is gaining increasing attention in this arena to speed the development process while reducing the overall cost and production timeline. Such technological advancements in space are anticipated to bolster market growth in the coming years.

Grand View Research has segmented the global cell and gene therapy manufacturing market on the basis of therapy type, scale, mode, workflow, and region:

Cell & Gene Therapy Manufacturing Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Cell Therapy Manufacturing



Stem Cell





Non Stem Cell



Gene Therapy Manufacturing

Cell & Gene Therapy Manufacturing Scale Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Pre-commercial/ R&D Scale



Commercial Scale

Cell & Gene Therapy Manufacturing Mode Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Contract Manufacturing



In-house Manufacturing

Cell & Gene Therapy Manufacturing Workflow Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Cell Processing



Cell Banking



Process Development



Fill & Finish Operations



Analytical And Quality Testing



Raw Material Testing



Vector Production



Others

Cell & Gene Therapy Manufacturing Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

North America



U.S.





Canada



Europe



Germany





U.K.





France





Italy





Spain



Asia Pacific



Japan





China





India





South Korea



Latin America



Brazil





Mexico



Middle East Africa (MEA)



South Africa





Saudi Arabia

List of Key Players of Cell And Gene Therapy Manufacturing Market

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Merck KGaA

Lonza

Catalent Inc.

Takara Bio Inc.

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Wuxi Advanced Therapies

Samsung Biologics

Boehringer Ingelheim

Novartis AG

Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.

Cellular Therapeutics

Miltenyi Biotec

Bluebird Bio Inc.

Check out more studies related to genetics and cell therapy, conducted by Grand View Research:

Gene Therapy Market - The global gene therapy market size is expected to reach USD 10.0 billion by 2028. The market growth is attributed to the increasing prevalence of cancer coupled with the lack of effective treatment for the disease.

The global gene therapy market size is expected to reach by 2028. The market growth is attributed to the increasing prevalence of cancer coupled with the lack of effective treatment for the disease. Cell Therapy Market - The global cell therapy market size is expected to reach USD 23.0 billion by 2028. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 14.5% from 2021 to 2028.

The global cell therapy market size is expected to reach by 2028. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 14.5% from 2021 to 2028. T-cell Therapy Market- The global T-cell therapy market size is expected to reach USD 20.3 billion by 2028. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 20.2% from 2021 to 2028.

Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of theGlobal Biotechnology Industry.

Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com

Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com

Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter

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THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH ITS DISTRIBUTION MAY BE UNLAWFUL

BH MACRO LIMITED

(a closed-ended investment company incorporated in Guernsey with registration number 46235)

LEI: 549300ZOFF0Z2CM87C29

1 September 2021

Combination with BH Global Limited - Admission and Total Voting Rights

Further to the announcement by BH Macro Limited (the "Company") on 27 August 2021 regarding the issue of shares in the capital of the Company ("Shares") in connection with the completion of its combination with BH Global Limited, the Company today announces the admission of the following Shares to the premium listing segment of the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities which took place at 8.00 a.m. on 31 August 2021:

Class of Shares Number of Shares US dollar shares 825,362 Sterling shares 10,148,066

As a result of the transaction described above, the Company's issued share capital from 8.00 a.m. on 31 August 2021 consisted of 23,898,522 Sterling Shares and 2,793,601 US Dollar Shares. The Company holds no Shares in treasury.

The number of votes each Share in the Company is entitled to on a poll at any general meeting of the Company was published by the Company on 9 March 2007 and has not changed as a result of the transaction. These are:

US Dollar Share: 0.7606

Sterling Share: 1.4710

Accordingly, from 8.00 a.m. on 31 August 2021, the total number of voting rights in the Company (rounded down to the nearest whole number) is 37,279,538.

The figure of 37,279,538 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company, under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

Enquiries

Richard Horlick

Chairman

William Simmonds

J.P. Morgan Cazenove

020 7742 4000

Edward Berry / Tom Blackwell

FTI Consulting

07703 330 199 / 07747 113 919

Important notices

The information contained in this announcement is for background purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. No reliance may be placed by any person for any purpose on the information contained in this announcement or its accuracy, fairness or completeness.

Acquiring investments to which this announcement relates may expose an investor to a significant risk of losing all of the amount invested. Persons considering making investments should consult an authorised person specialising in advising on such investments. This announcement does not constitute a recommendation concerning the Company's shares. The value of shares can decrease as well as increase.

Nothing contained herein constitutes or should be construed as (i) investment, tax, financial, accounting or legal advice (ii) a representation that any investment or strategy is suitable or appropriate to individual circumstances or (iii) a personal recommendation.

J.P. Morgan Securities plc, which conducts its UK investment banking activities as J.P. Morgan Cazenove ("J.P. Morgan Cazenove"), which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for the Company and no-one else in connection with the Combination and the Issue and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to customers of J.P. Morgan Cazenove or for providing advice in relation to the Combination, the Issue or any other matter referred to herein.

This announcement does not constitute an offer or solicitation to acquire or sell any securities in the Company. This announcement is not for distribution in or into the United States or to any US Person, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of South Africa, any European Economic Area state or any other jurisdiction in which its distribution may be unlawful. A "US Person" is any person who is not a "Non-United States Person" as defined in US Commodity Futures Trading Commission Rule 4.7. This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States or elsewhere. The securities of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States unless registered under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from such registration. The Company has not been and will not be registered under the US Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and investors are not entitled to the benefits of that Act. There has not been and there will be no public offering of the Company's securities in the United States.

Information to Distributors

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("Directive 2014/65/EU"), (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing Directive 2014/65/EU, (c) local implementing measures or (d) (where applicable to UK investors or UK firms) the relevant provisions of the UK MiFID Laws (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that the Shares to be issued pursuant to the Issue are (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in Directive 2014/65/EU or the UK MiFID Laws (as applicable) and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by Directive 2014/65/EU or the UK MiFID Laws, as applicable (the "Target Market Assessment").

Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that the price of the Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment, the Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection, and an investment in the Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Issue.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of Directive 2014/65/EU, or the UK MiFID Laws, as applicable or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Shares.

Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own Target Market Assessment in respect of the Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.
Reference is made to the earlier information provided about the ongoing financial process with the lenders, the latest in a press release dated 25 August 2021 in relation to the applications made by Prosafe SE and Prosafe Rigs Pte Ltd ("PRPL") to extend the moratoria orders (granted by the Singapore Court on 27 May 2021) up to 31 January 2022 or such other date as the Singapore Court thinks fit in HC/SUM 3983/2021 and HC/SUM 3984/2021 (the "Moratorium Extension Applications").



The Singapore Court has today provided the following directions in relation to the Moratorium Extension Applications as follows:

1. By no later than 4pm (Singapore time) on Friday, 3 September 2021

Any person (including any creditor) who objects to the Moratorium Extension Applications shall file an affidavit.

2. By no later than 4pm (Singapore time) on Tuesday, 7 September 2021

Prosafe SE and PRPL shall file their reply affidavit(s), if any.

3. By no later than 4pm (Singapore time) on Thursday, 9 September 2021

The following are to be tendered to the Singapore court: (a) submissions and bundles of authorities which are to be exchanged among the parties; (b) an attendance list of all who wish to attend the hearing, indicating whether the party attending is supporting or opposing the Moratorium Extension Applications; and (c) a time bank setting out the allocation of time for oral submissions by each who wishes to address the Singapore Court at the hearing, on the assumption that the hearing will take no more than 1 hour altogether .

4. 10am (Singapore time) on Monday, 13 September 2021

Moratorium Extension Applications to be heard before the Honourable Justice Pang Khang Chau.

5. All affidavits are to be served by email followed by service on e-Litigation.

Creditors who wish to attend the hearing for the Moratorium Extension Applications are requested to inform the solicitors of Prosafe SE and PRPL of their intention to do so, by emailing Prosafe.Queries@CliffordChance.com with their details before 4pm (Singapore) time on Wednesday, 8 September 2021 , indicating (a) whether they support or oppose the Moratorium Extension Applications and (b) the time they will require for oral submissions.





Prosafe SE and PRPL will make the appropriate announcements as and when there are any further material developments on the financial process and the matters above. Please monitor Prosafe SE's website for any announcements or update on the process.

Prosafe is a leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with ticker code PRS. For more information, please refer to www.prosafe.com

Stavanger, 1 September 2021

Prosafe SE



For further information, please contact:



Jesper K. Andresen, CEO

Phone: +47 51 65 24 30 / +47 907 65 155



Stig Harry Christiansen, Deputy CEO and CFO

Phone: +47 51 64 25 17 / +47 478 07 813



This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act
Beautiful outside, exquisite inside

SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Romeo Group Co.,Ltd.'s brand HYPPE has launched its latest product, MAXX. HYPPE is the vape brand founded in the USA that has within only a few short years expanded to the rest of the world, with teams based in the USA, UK, Russia, Spain and Australia.

Sticking to their format of double molded glass finish ergonomic stylish design, the MAXX has taken the lessons from the past and exploited their R&D department to great lengths.

Using a 550mAh battery to ensure no puffs are left behind

The HYPPE MAXX takes itself quite seriously. Although no bigger than what is out in the market, it packs a much bigger punch.

It tweaks the way the airflow travels around the coil and is backed by a battery that powers the HYPPE MAXX until every drop of its amazing flavor has been used.

It still feels great in the hand. Being pocket-sized always helps if users are on the go or wearing shorts. Big bulky mods are quickly becoming a thing of the past.

100% Flavour from the first hit to the last

Well-pronounced flavors last from the first to the last puff.

Blueberry Ice- A well-made flavor of sweet fresh blueberry with an overtone of ripeness on the inhale and an ever so slightly cool hit on the exhale. Just enough coolness without being an over bearing menthol hit.

Lush Ice- Another watermelon hits the market. But this time, it's as if you took your freshly sliced and diced watermelon from the fridge and popped a chunk in your mouth.

Peach Ice- Newer flavors can sometimes underwhelm users. Not so with Peach Ice from HYPPE MAXX.

Mango Ice- This flavor is more reminiscent of a frozen mango ice cream lolly than a fresh chilled mango. The mango flavor carries really well with a cool exhale and a flavor that is a little moist.

Contact: sales@hyppebrand.com

For more information, visit https://hyppebrand.com/maxx-2/, and follow our networks on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. https://www.instagram.com/hyppe_eu/

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1605369/image_1.jpg
HOLZMINDEN (dpa-AFX) - Symrise AG (SYIEY.PK, SYIEF.PK) announced the acquisition of 25% minority interest in Kobo Products, Inc. Headquartered in South Plainfield, Kobo is a pigment & powder specialist, providing technology-based raw materials to the cosmetic industry. Symrise has also agreed with Kobo on the future disposition of shares of Kobo's capital stock and the governance of Kobo. 'With this investment, we fast-track our strategic plan to expand into decorative cosmetics.' said Jorn Andreas, President of Cosmetic Ingredients Division at Symrise AG. Kobo has group companies in the USA, France, Brazil, and the UK, and a majority owned joint-venture in Japan. Symrise said it sees a wide range of possibilities to jointly explore additional growth opportunities. The companies will cooperate in the distribution of UV filters. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Growth surged due to international DevOps consulting, Atlassian tools, and Eficode ROOT managed services

HELSINKI, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eficode, the leading company in Europe driving the Agile and DevOps movements, announced that its revenue more than doubled from the last fiscal year to over 72 million euros.

The increase in revenue was fueled by both strong organic growth and the acquisitions of Riada from Sweden, Beecom from Switzerland and Contribyte from Finland. Now the majority of the income and customer base resides outside Finland. Eficode now has more than 1000 customers, with a number of significant new customers including McLaren, Deutsche Telekom, and Sandvik.

Companies continue to seek competitive advantages from software development and from more agile workplaces. This means businesses across Europe need more advice, training and help transforming and adopting an Agile and DevOps culture in their software development. As a result, Eficode has signed multiple agreements, especially with the customers in the finance industry, to adopt the Jira Alignsolution, often in association with The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).

In addition, the need to serve customers better, has created a move, across industries, to adopt cloud and managed services for tools and technologies, to support Agile and DevOps ways of working. As an example, Eficode ROOT DevOps Platformwas selected by one of the world's biggest online gaming companies, alongside numerous other businesses across Continental Europe and the Nordics.

The DevOps Conference event organized by Eficode in March had gained over 10000 registrations with raving attendee feedback. The top 10 countries included The United States, The United Kingdom, Nordic countries, Germany, and The Netherlands.

In March, Eficode won the global Atlassian partner of the year award in DevOps- the third time in a row. Simultaneously Atlassian named Riada - Now part of Eficode, Atlassian Partner of the Year 2020 in Services. Eficode is now a Platinum partner position for Atlassian in all Nordic countries, The Netherlands, and Switzerland. Eficode was also the first Certified Professional Services partner for GitLab in Europe.

Eficode was also positioned as a "Rising Star" by ISG in their Provider Lens Quadrant report for Public Cloud - Solutions & Services in the Nordic region, due to Eficode's "promising portfolio" and "high future potential."

The EU Website Accessibility Directive continued to fuel our accessibility projects, reinforcing our position as the recognized provider of accessibility and UX research. Eficode also continued to expand the software modernization and cloud transformation projects internationally.

"Businesses keep adopting Agile and DevOps. That takes know-how from a wide range of areas: people, processes, and tools. We are honoured that so many businesses turn to us for guidance and advice on this", says Eficode CEO, Ilari Nurmi. "And I am proud of our now more than 450 Eficodeans for their exceptional work every day.

Media contacts

Ilari Nurmi, Chief Executive Officer, Eficode, ilari.nurmi@eficode.com, +358 40 577 5084

Lauri Palokangas, Chief Marketing Officer, Eficode. lauri.palokangas@eficode.com, +358 50 486 4918

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

The following files are available for download:
so Q so unique

SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Romeo Group Co.,Ltd.'s brand HYPPE has launched its latest product, Q. HYPPE is the vape brand founded in the USA that has, within only a few short years, expanded to the rest of the world, with teams based in the USA, UK, Russia, Spain and Australia.

HYPPE is an all-in-one Vape brand founded and popularized in the USA - with US Headquarters located in Los Angeles.

As one of the top 3 ENDS brands in the nation, HYPPE is already available for consumer purchase in the USA in over 30,000 stores and many different online retailers.

HYPPE Q: Superior flavor experience, Crystal glass style appearance

With an ergonomically designed mouthpiece, HYPPE Q provides more pure taste, and is available in a variety of 20 flavours to suit any preference, including tobacco, pineapple ice pink watermelon and blue razz and much more.

Users can easily grip it without it slipping from their grasp. With 2% nicotine (mg) 600 Puffs vape juice you're going to be satisfied with every tasty puff. No refilling, no charging and no lighter required. It's ready to vape whenever.

Contact: sales@hyppebrand.com

For more information, visit https://hyppebrand.com/q/ and follow our networks on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. https://www.instagram.com/hyppe_eu/

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1605422/Hyppe_Q.jpg
- First of its kind, the hotel is built on the airspace of a conventional railway station, 22 meters above ground and is the tallest building and the largest hotel in the city.

- The hotel complements the country's largest Convention Centre, Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre (MMCEC) Managed by The Leela, seamlessly blending state-of-the-art facilities with the graciousness of Indian hospitality to offer a complete convention solution

MUMBAI, India, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, owned by Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund, announced the opening of The Leela Gandhinagar, in Gujarat's vibrant capital city. The hotel is built on the airspace of a conventional railway station, 22 meters above ground and is the tallest building and the largest hotel in the city. The Gandhinagar capital railway station has been redeveloped along with the 318 room 5-star hotel atop the tracks, the country's first such project, that was dedicated to the nation by the Honourable Prime Minister on 16th July 2021. This project will boost the economic activity in the region.

Anuraag Bhatnagar, Chief Operating Officer, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, said, "We are privileged to partner with the Government of Gujarat, The Ministry of Railways and IRSDC to bring The Leela brand to the vibrant city of Gandhinagar and this milestone developmentunderscores our commitment to their vision. The Leela Gandhinagar together with Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre Managed by The Leela is set to offer a distinctive and convenient solution seamlessly blending cutting-edge facilities with the graciousness of Indian hospitality. This experience of authentic Indian luxury is uniquely inspired by vibrant Gujarat. We are confident it will charm even the most sophisticated global traveller."

Ankur Gupta, Managing Partner, Head of India - Real Estate, Brookfield Asset Management, added, "The Leela Gandhinagar is a fascinating project and an engineering marvel which will serve the highest quality of Indian hospitality under The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts. We are honoured to participate in this strategic project with the Government and play our part in the realization of the Honourable Prime Minister's vision of transforming the urban Indian landscape with state-of-the-art infrastructure. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts continues to witness rapid growth under Brookfield while fortifying its position as the World's Best Luxury hospitality brand."

Located near the Dandi Kutir museum, The Leela Gandhinagar provides spectacular views of the Central Vista. The hotel's lavish interiors draw influence from the rich archaeological and architectural antiquity of Gujarat. The flooring is inspired by the Adalaj Stepwell and features elements like the famous Tree of Life at Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, traditional glass beadwork, textile craftsmanship of Bandhej, Ajrakh and Batik, among various other art inspirations embellishing the complex. The hotel houses 318 tastefully appointed, spacious rooms and suites, with contemporary interiors seamlessly blending grandeur, comfort, and modern sophistication. The bevy of suites also consists of Royal and 4 Presidential Suites each offering a distinct magnitude of unparalleled opulence, ultra-modern facilities, and luxurious amenities.

The Leela Gandhinagar delivers a rich culinary experience with dining venues spanning across a host of cuisines served in picturesque environs. Citrus Junction, the all-day dining restaurant offers a selection of Indian, Oriental, and Continental cuisines; Moksha Lounge, has an all-day tapas menu with a handpicked selection of teas and coffees along with a charming patisserie and Diya, the fine dining restaurant that specializes in Indian cuisine promises the perfect setting for a special occasion. The Royal Club Lounge comprises of an exclusive dining area serving breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening beverages accessible exclusively to the guests staying at The Royal Club Rooms and Suites. It also boasts of a private library lounge and an exclusive party room with stunning views of the city.

From elegant ballrooms to stately meeting rooms, the hotel's inspiring venues provide the ideal backdrop for any occasion. Guests can choose from the hotel's indoor and outdoor event spaces spanning across 30,000 sq. ft, all matched with the legendary Leela hospitality. The hotel also features a holistic world-class spa, state-of-the-art gymnasium and an outdoor pool.

Built over an area of 34 acres, the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre offers both choice and flexibility with leading edge facilities to host conventions for up to 15,000 delegates. Four seminar rooms, three Exhibition Centres, seven conference halls and a meeting room, are all equipped with every modern amenity imaginable. The personalized attention to detail and peerless hospitality makes this the ideal venue. The Leela Gandhinagar and Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre Managed by The Leela, will generate demand for the destination and position it as one of the most sought-after convention destinations in the world.

For more information and to make a reservation, please visit www.theleela.com and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram .

About The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts

Headquartered in Mumbai, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is owned by a Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund and operates ten award-winning properties in major cities and leisure destinations across India. These include the flagship hotel in the capital city of New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Gurugram, East Delhi, Goa, Mumbai and now Gandhinagar. The Leela celebrates each hotel through its unique location, art, culture and cuisine with thoughtful services, celebratory rituals and immersive experiences. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts was voted the World's Best Hotel Brand by Travel + Leisure, USA, World's Best Awards Survey, 2020. The brand is well poised to embrace the next phase in its growth trajectory with upcoming projects which include business hotels in Bhartiya City Bengaluru and Hyderabad. An epitome of true Indian luxury hospitality, The Leela is committed to providing guests with unforgettable stays in settings that capture the essence of India. The brand has a marketing alliance with US-based Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is a member of the Global Hotel Alliance.

For more information, please visit our website www.theleela.com and connect with us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

Media Contacts:

Anjali Mehra

+918800466085

Anjali.mehra@theleela.com

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Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1606467/The_Leela_Gandhinagar_Lobby.jpg


PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French retailer Casino Guichard (0HB1.L, CGUIY.PK) Wednesday said it has started a partnership with Intermarche, covering joint product purchasing mainly in France. The companies' joint central purchasing unit for food products, named 'Auxo Achats Alimentaires' and managed by Intermarche, began its operations on September 1. Their joint central purchasing unit for non-food products, named 'Auxo Achats Non-Alimentaires' and managed by Casino Group, also began its operations on the same date. The companies on April 15 had announced that they had signed a five-year strategic partnership agreement to capture the value of their complementary strengths. The partnership also covers international service solutions for major food companies and their innovative data retail services offering in targeted advertising and personalised promotions. Both Auxo Achats Alimentaires and Auxo Achats Non-Alimentaires, would negotiate purchasing terms with the largest industrial groups, on behalf of the two partners in France. Auxo Achats Alimentaires is lead by executives from Intermarche. The unit is operationally autonomous and has its own teams, of whom two-thirds are from Intermarche and one-third from Casino Group. Auxo Achats Non-Alimentaires is lead by executives from Casino Group. This unit is also operationally autonomous and has its own teams, of whom two-thirds are from Casino Group and one-third from Intermarche. Outside France, Intermarche and Casino Group have created Global Retail Services, a joint organisation tasked with marketing international services to large industrial groups operating in their territories in Europe and Latin America. Global Retail Services is based in Brussels. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE:IR), a global provider of mission-critical flow creation and industrial solutions completed the acquisition of Seepex GmbH (Seepex). Ingersoll Rand Execution Excellence (IRX) served as the catalyst to complete the transaction ahead of commitment. Seepex will join the Precision and Science Technologies segment.

"With a shared culture and values, the Seepex team is a natural fit to join the Ingersoll Rand family and we look forward to working together to grow the brand, technologies and expertise in digital platforms as part of our growth strategy," said Vicente Reynal, chief executive officer of Ingersoll Rand. "Seepex has a demonstrated history of a strong organic growth profile with a high single digit revenue CAGR since 2017 with double digit growth expected in 2021 and a strong aftermarket business model with its installed base. I am excited about the shareholder value Seepex immediately contributes, but also their expertise in digital areas that we can share across our other businesses."

Seepex is a world-leading manufacturer of progressive cavity pumps, a segment of positive displacement pumps that primarily serves water, wastewater, food and beverage, and chemical end markets. Based in Bottrop, Germany with facilities in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, Seepex has approximately 800 employees and annual revenue of approximately 160 million.

About Ingersoll Rand Inc.

Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE:IR), driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and ownership mindset, is dedicated to helping make life better for our employees, customers and communities. Customers lean on us for our technology-driven excellence in mission-critical flow creation and industrial solutions across 40+ respected brands where our products and services excel in the most complex and harsh conditions. Our employees develop customers for life through their daily commitment to expertise, productivity and efficiency. For more information, visit www.IRCO.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements that relate to the acquisition of Seepex, the expected benefits of the transaction, the timing of the transaction and the outcome of anticipated revenue and synergy opportunities. These forward-looking statements are based on Ingersoll Rand's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from these current expectations. Such risks and uncertainties, include, but are not limited to: our ability to fully realize the expected benefits of the transaction; negative effects of the consummation of the transaction on the market price of our common stock; significant transaction costs and/or unknown liabilities; general economic and business conditions that may impact the companies in connection with the transaction; unanticipated expenses such as litigation or legal settlement expenses; changes in capital market conditions; the impact of the transaction on our employees, customers and suppliers; and the ability of the companies to successfully integrate operations after the transaction. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. The inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation that such plans, estimates or expectations will be achieved. Additional factors that could cause Ingersoll Rand's results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found under the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), as such factors may be updated from time to time in its periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive.

Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Ingersoll Rand undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or development, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005351/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Misty Zelent

mzelent@irco.com



Investors:

Christopher Miorin

christopher.miorin@gardnerdenver.com
LONDON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 50 Best today bestows the honour of the Icon Award 2021 upon French chef Dominique Crenn, who has not only made significant contributions within the hospitality space but has also used her platform to raise awareness and drive positive change. In addition to being named The World's Best Female Chef in 2016, Crenn has made history throughout the course of her career while blazing a trail for future chefs to follow.

Dominique Crenn will receive her award at the official ceremony for The World's 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, to be held in Antwerp, Flanders, on 5th October.

The French-born, San Francisco-based chef developed a keen interest in cuisine from her parents before she moved to the US aged 24 and began her formal training. Crenn opened Atelier Crenn in San Francisco in 2011 and the restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star within months. In 2012, Crenn became the first US female chef to oversee a restaurant given two stars. She then beat her own record in 2018 when Atelier Crenn achieved three-star status. In 2019, Atelier Crenn ranked No.35 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

Since being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 (now in remission), Crenn has spoken openly about her health to raise awareness of the disease. As a self-identified half-European, half North-African individual, Crenn also campaigned passionately for Black Lives Matter in 2020 and beyond.

William Drew, Director of Content for The World's 50 Best Restaurants says: "Dominique Crenn is not just an outstanding chef and restaurateur, she is an example of someone who speaks truth to power in every aspect of her life - through her leadership, humanity and endless campaigning for social justice within as well as outside of the hospitality sphere."

Dominique Crenn says: "It is an incredible honour to be selected as the recipient of the 50 Best Icon Award this year. For my work to be recognised by my peers fills me with such pride and appreciation. I hope to use this platform as an opportunity to give back and to inspire the next generation to be true to themselves and to always enjoy the journey."

Media center registration and access:

https://www.theworlds50best.com/mediacentre/media-contacts

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EQS Group-News: Nordea Bank Abp / Key word(s): Personnel

Nordea appoints new Chief Compliance Officer and new Chief Audit Executive



01.09.2021 / 11:05





Nordea appoints new Chief Compliance Officer and new Chief Audit Executive



Nordea Bank Abp

Stock exchange release - Changes board/management/auditors

1 September 2021 at 9.30 EET





Jamie Graham, current Chief Audit Executive, is appointed Chief Compliance Officer and a member of the Group Leadership Team. Virpi Vuorinen, current Head of Group Internal Audit Operations, is appointed Chief Audit Executive.



Nordea's current Chief Compliance Officer is returning to the United States and will be succeeded by Jamie Graham, 47, who today is Chief Audit Executive at Nordea.



Jamie Graham joined Nordea five years ago and has more than 20 years of internal and external audit experience. Before joining Nordea he held several senior roles at Barclays, including the position of Global Head of Compliance Audit, and also managerial roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Jamie Graham is based in Helsinki and qualified as a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.



Nordea's current Head of Group Internal Audit Operations, Virpi Vuorinen, 46, will become new Chief Audit Executive. Virpi Vuorinen has worked at Nordea for 22 years and previously held the role of Head of Audit in Corporate & Investment Banking and at Nordea Bank Russia, as well as several senior audit manager positions. She is a Certified Internal Auditor from the Global Institute of Internal Auditors.



"I am very pleased to announce two strong internal successors in these positions, and I warmly welcome Jamie Graham as our new Chief Compliance Officer and Virpi Vuorinen as our new Chief Audit Executive", says President and Group CEO Frank Vang-Jensen.



To further emphasise the importance of the compliance organisation, the Chief Compliance Officer will be a member of the Group Leadership Team and report to the President and Group CEO of Nordea.



Both appointments are subject to regulatory approval and the changes will take effect on 1 October 2021.



The Group Risk organisation will continue to be headed by Matthew Elderfield, Chief Risk Officer, and he will continue as a member of the Group Leadership Team.





For further information:

Ulrika Romantschuk, Head of Group Brand, Communication and Marketing; +358 9 5300 6784

Group Communication, +358 10 416 8023 or press@nordea.com



The information provided in this stock exchange release was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 9.30 EET on 1 September 2021.







This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
Notification of significant shareholding pursuant to section 43 para 1 of the German Securities Trading Act (Wertpapierhandelsgesetz - WpHG)

Dear Sir / Madam,

In connection with the major shareholding notification sent by us, Renesas Electronics Corporation

(hereinafter 'Renesas'), dated

31 August

2021 regarding the acquisition of voting rights by

means of a scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the UK Companies Act, we hereby inform you about the objectives pursued with the acquisition of the voting rights and the origin of the funds used for the acquisition.

1. Objectives of the acquisition of voting rights

- The investment is made for strategic reasons.

- Renesas does not intend to acquire further voting rights in Dialog Semiconductor Plc within the next twelve months.

- Renesas intends to influence the composition of the board of directors of Dialog Semiconductor Plc.

- Renesas does not intend to make any material changes to the capital structure of Dialog Semiconductor Plc, in particular regarding the ratio of equity and debt financing and the dividend policy.

2. Origins of the funds used to acquire the voting rights

The acquisition of the voting rights was financed through a combination of debt, cash on hand and the proceeds of an equity offering.

Sincerely,

Signed by

Shuhei Shinkai, Senior Vice President ) and CFO for and on behalf of RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION


- IT Channel Perspectives captures the voice of the partner, offering expert insight from channel leaders across Europe on how to drive business growth

- Guests include leaders from Ingram Micro Inc., Fujitsu and Misco

- Latest episode discusses how strategic business intelligence tools and data science can identify new customers, drive demand generation and accelerate channel profitability

LONDON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, has today announced the launch of a new audio podcast series featuring expert insight from channel leaders from across Europe. IT Channel Perspectives will provide IT Solution Providers with a platform for discussing key digital transformation trends, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), remote monitoring and edge computing, and offer channel subscribers in-depth personal experiences of how business leaders have supported customers and accelerated growth during the pandemic.

With each episode hosted by a different Schneider Electric channel executive from across Europe and joined by partners from across its IT channel community, IT Channel Perspectives will provide listeners with personal business insights and explore how channel organisations have both adapted and met customer demands during a time of macroeconomic disruption. IT Solutions Providers, value added resellers, managed service providers, systems integrators and distributors can listen and subscribe to the first four episodes of the IT Channel Perspectives podcast through Apple Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Stitcher Podcasts - or learn more at APC.com.

Identifying market opportunities with strategic business intelligence

The latest episode includes a guest appearance from Tim Suhling, Vice President, Global Business Intelligence, Ingram Micro, who joins Giles Pattison, IT Channel Marketing and Strategy Director, Schneider Electric Europe. Together, they take an in-depth look at how Ingram Micro's digital approach to data science is helping its partners to thrive. Further, the episode offers key insights into how channel partners can benefit from strategic business intelligence tools to identify new customer acquisition strategies, execute demand generation campaigns with precision and accelerate profitability.

"During the last year we've seen our partners quickly adapt to disruption and take the lead with their customers-helping them stay connected and enabled to work from anywhere," said Tim Suhling, VP, Global Business Intelligence, Ingram Micro. "Each of these scenarios requires a different approach to demand generation, where business intelligence and data analytics becomes a fundamental difference between success and failure. Podcasts are a great way to share knowledge and learn from the experiences of others. Congrats to Schneider Electric on the launch of the IT Channel Perspectives Podcast."

More from IT Channel Perspectives

Other episodes of the IT Channel Perspectives podcast feature guest appearances from channel leaders around the world, including:

Lee Dutton , Group Sales Director, Misco UK, and Maeve Fox , IT Digital Channel and Program Director, Schneider Electric Europe. Together they explore the emerging business opportunities at the edge and discuss how expert partnerships have helped Misco build a resilient digital ecosystem that's fuelled growth.

, Group Sales Director, Misco UK, and , IT Digital Channel and Program Director, Schneider Electric Europe. Together they explore the emerging business opportunities at the edge and discuss how expert partnerships have helped Misco build a resilient digital ecosystem that's fuelled growth. Peter Noren , Senior Sales Specialist, Data Center and SAP Solutions, Fujitsu Sweden AB, and Marcelo Pizzato , IT Channel Manager from Schneider Electric, who discuss retail digital transformation and the role of edge computing.

, Senior Sales Specialist, Data Center and SAP Solutions, Fujitsu Sweden AB, and , IT Channel Manager from Schneider Electric, who discuss retail digital transformation and the role of edge computing. Angel Castano, Technical Director Energy Efficiency, Cad&Lan Spain , and Ana Carolina Cardoso Guilhen, Channel Director Iberia, Schneider Electric. Their in-depth conversation looks at how end-users can mitigate downtime from power and IT outages, the transition to remote management, and how new digital service models are helping partners drive revenue.

"Channel organisations have continued to be instrumental throughout the course of the pandemic, navigating challenging circumstances to meet accelerated demands for digital transformation," said David Terry, Vice President, IT Channels, Schneider Electric Europe. "Through our new podcast series, we wanted to capture the experiences of our partners first-hand, sharing key insights that can help channel businesses to diversify, grow and succeed."

All episodes of IT Channel Perspectives are currently available at APC.com. To learn more about the podcast series, gain access to additional enablement resources, such as e-guides, white papers and blogs, or to learn how to join the mySchneider IT Solutions Partner Program, visit the website.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider's purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency. We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure, and industries.

We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive, and Empowered values.

https://www.se.com/uk/en/

Related resources on SE.com:

Podcast landing page on APC.com

Podcast: Episode with Misco UK

Podcast: Episode with Fujitsu

Podcast: Episode with Ingram Micro

Blog: Supporting partner growth during a challenging year

Blog: How digital transformation is accelerating growth within retail

mySchneider IT Solutions Partner Program

Video: Edge Software & Digital Services Portfolio and Program

E-Guide: The Essential Guide to Growing your Business with Managed Power Services, March 2021

Hashtags: LifeIsOn CertaintyInAConnectedWorld ITChannel VoiceofPartner ITChannelPerspective Podcast

Follow us on: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Blog
SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation (CHF) jointly started the second leg of the Visit Korean Heritage Campaign in London. Starting from August 30, the advertisement for Hansik, or Korean cuisine, has been on display for one month in Westfield, London's largest shopping district, adjacent to Hyde Park and Notting Hill, the most popular tourist destinations in London.

Back in June, the two organizations launched the advertisement for Hanbok, or Korean traditional clothing, on a giant billboard in Times Square, New York. They expect that this second leg will serve as an opportunity to introduce Korea's cultural heritage to more people across the globe.

The advertisement video showcases different aspects of Korean cuisine. The dishes featured - Tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties) grilled over charcoal, sizzling Samgyeopsal (pork belly), Sinseollo (royal hot pot) in a simmering hot pot, and Kimchi on a grill - show the dynamism of Hansik that makes excellent use of live fire.

Overall, the advertisement presents a table full of Hansik that satisfies both the taste buds and eyes with a mix of vivid colors. It ends with a shot of Makgeolli, a traditional Korean alcoholic beverage, with Hansik. Including Makgeolli in the advertisement is to promote a harmony of Makgeolli and Hansik, enchanting people all over the world with the beverage's flavor. Korea is currently applying for Makgeolli's registration as a UNESCO cultural heritage.

This global advertisement project under the Visit Korean Heritage Campaign will follow up in Bangkok, Sydney, and other major cities until the end of the year. While the advertisement in New York focused on Hanbok and the one in London focuses on Hansik, the upcoming ones will focus on Hangeul, Hanok, and Arirang.

Choi Young-chang, Chairperson of CHF, said, "This global advertisement project is not just for showcasing the beauty of Korea's cultural heritage and tourist destinations. It's for raising the overall status of Korean culture." He added, "In anticipation of the post-COVID-19 era, we plan to preemptively boost interest in Korean cultural heritage and encourage tourists to visit Korean cultural heritage sites in the near future."

Visit Korean Heritage Campaign:

Webpage: http://chf.or.kr/visit

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qRIOLiH9iM

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1606488/Photo_The_Visit_Korean_Heritage_Campaign_advertisement_for_Korean_cuisine_in_London.jpg
FLSmidth will complete a programme of work including engineering, supply of equipment and service to the Sales de Jujuy Olaroz lithium facility in Argentina, formalising a relationship that commenced in early 2020. The order, valued at around DKK200 million, has been booked in Q3 2021.

FLSmidth will also provide site services including installation supervision, commissioning and training. The new plant will increase output at the site, maintaining its position as a major lithium producer in Argentina. This new lithium extraction facility will provide technical-grade lithium carbonate which, with further purification, will be used to produce battery cathodes for the growing electric vehicle market. Toyota Tsusho Corporation owns 25% of the facility.

"Following our involvement in extensive process design at Olaroz, we are very excited Sales de Jujuy has entrusted FLSmidth to supply technologies for their new, world-class lithium extraction plant in Argentina. This order, in addition to the other lithium extraction orders announced earlier in 2021, confirms FLSmidth's leading position as the technology provider of choice for all types of lithium deposits globally. It's also satisfying to partner with a company that shares FLSmidth's commitment to environmentally sound lithium production - a great match for our MissionZero ambitions," comments Mikko Keto, Mining President, FLSmidth.



The technology provided by FLSmidth includes a clarifier, Pneumapress filters, Shriver filter press, OTG polishing filters and a pyromet dryer package. The technology package also includes other important equipment such as the reactors, ion exchange, pneumatic transport system and a bagging package. Equipment delivery will begin shortly and the contract will be complete by end of 2022, with the final trainings.

"FLSmidth is a world leader in environmentally sound lithium processing technologies. This aligns with Sales de Jujuy's ambition to not only produce materials necessary for electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure, but to do so in an efficient and environmentally responsible manner through lowered emissions and significantly reduced water usage," notes Fernando de la Calle, Engineering Project Director on the customer side.

The FLSmidth state-of-the-art equipment will deliver high availability and high productivity and mean low energy consumption and resource-efficient operations. The new plant is expected to produce 25,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of technical-grade lithium carbonate.





More about lithium:

Lithium is one of the key minerals needed for the green-energy transition due to its use in batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles, power storage, as well asin digital solutions that deliver efficiencies across industries. It allows for the storage of energy produced by solar, tidal and wind sources, aiding efforts to decarbonise the energy market. Supporting the lithium industry, therefore, is a good fit with the goals of FLSmidth's MissionZero sustainability ambition.

A recent report from Fitch Solutions forecast global lithium production will more than triple from 442,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate-equivalent (LCE) in 2020 to 1.5 million tonnes of LCE by 2030. Having been involved in lithium extraction for 25 years, the evolving lithium extraction landscape has led to several recent projects for FLSmidth in Australia, Chile, Finland and the US.





Contacts

Media Relations

Rasmus Windfeld, +45 40 44 60 60, rwin@flsmidth.com

Investor Relations

Nicolai Mauritzen, +45 30 93 18 51, nicm@flsmidth.com





FLSmidth delivers sustainable productivity to the global mining and cement industries. We deliver market-leading engineering, equipment and service solutions to our customers enabling them to improve performance, drive down costs and reduce environmental impact. Our operations span the globe and our ~10,600 employees are present in more than 60 countries. In 2020, FLSmidth generated a revenue of DKK 16.4 billion. www.flsmidth.com

Attachment
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. (the "Company" or "GSilver") (TSXV:GSVR)(OTCQX:GSVRF) is pleased to announce that underground infill and expansion drilling has commenced at its El Cubo mine located 11km east of the city of Guanajuato, Mexico. Meanwhile, re-commissioning of the Company's primary crusher has been completed in anticipation of the re-commencement of operations at the El Cubo processing plant (click for video).

El Cubo Drilling:

GSilver has hired Rockdrill Mining S.A. de C.V. (Rockdrill) of Aguascalientes, Mexico to perform underground drilling at its El Cubo mine. GSilver is proud to include Rockdrill (whose clients include Barrick Gold Corp., Newmont Corp., and Pan American Silver Corp.) as another of our top tier service providers while we move El Cubo swiftly back into production.

The Rockdrill contract envisions a total of 5,200m of underground drilling, using one of their XRD50 machines to drill primarily NQ diameter holes, generally no more than 300m in length. The rig is 'Bobcat' mounted for ease of movement from drill station to drill station within the mine (see long- section and drill hole map below).

Engineering firm Behre Dolbear & Company (USA) Inc. prepared a Preliminary Economic Analysis technical report (PEA) for GSilver earlier in the year. (The PEA has an effective date of January 31, 2021, with an updated issue date of April 1, 2021; the PEA is available on GSilver's website and on SEDAR.) The PEA discusses inferred resources outlined at El Cubo of 1,453,000 tonnes of 214 gpt Ag and 2.78 gpt Au (435 gpt AgEq) and indicated resources of 508,055 tonnes of 194 gpt Ag and 2.44 gpt Au (389 gpt AgEq). The current drill program at El Cubo is intended to increase the confidence level of these resources as well as provide better grade control data as we begin mining at the 2175, 1850, and Cebolletas stope areas.

Proposed drill pattern at the Cebolletas Stope.

Operational Team in Place:

As the Company increases staff levels necessary for mining and plant operations in Guanajuato, our headcount in Mexico has naturally expanded significantly. As of August 21, 2021, GSilver has directly employed 168 people in Guanajuato, of which 167 (99.4%) are Mexican nationals, and 139 (83%) are from the state of Guanajuato.

COO Hernan Dorado commented: "We are especially proud of the large number of local people we have employed. Many are graduates of the University of Guanajuato, which is one of Mexico's top geology, mine engineering, and metallurgical schools."

General Update of Operations:

Mining continues at El Cubo, with blasting having commenced on August 20, 2021. Mineralised material continues to be stockpiled in the El Cubo lay down yard, near the processing plant, in anticipation of the imminent restart of milling. It is estimated that approximately 6,000 tonnes of mineralised material are now stockpiled at El Cubo awaiting processing.

Pre-commissioning of the plant's primary crusher took place on August 25th (click for video). The primary crusher performed very well, achieving throughput of 160 tonnes per hour. New ball mill liners for the Company's three ball mills arrived the same day. Installation of these liners, pre-commissioning of the secondary and tertiary crushers, as well as the installation of additional pumps and upgraded lubricating systems are all tasks necessary prior to the plant re-commencing operations which the Company continues to forecast for Q4, 2021.

Update on Pinguico Drilling:

Diamond drilling continues at GSilver's El Pinguico project, located 8km from El Cubo. Drilling is ongoing using the Company's Ingetrol 75E diamond drill. To date, the Company has reported results from 10 holes drilled since February 2021 (see highlights and long section below). GSilver is currently drilling P21-19; however results from assay offices in Mexico have been slow to arrive over the past several months. The Company will report additional results when received and fully interpreted by GSilver geological staff.

The long section below shows the completed holes in red, proposed holes in blue, and the current hole in green. The area being drilled was overlooked by historic miners 110 years ago because it did not meet the very high cut-off grades of that time. Improved mining methods allow the extraction and processing of much lower grades today. This area is easily accessible by the Company's drill and drill crews, and drilling continues to show good grade and excellent continuity along the El Pinguico and San Jose vein structures. The Company anticipates this proposed drilling will be completed in January 2022, at which point GSilver will decide if it is appropriate to engage a third-party engineering firm to prepare a NI 43-101 resource estimate in this area.

Highlights of Recent Drilling Results:

Hernan Dorado Smith, a director of GSilver and a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

About Guanajuato Silver Co. Ltd.:

GSilver is a mining development company engaged in reactivating past producing silver and gold mines near the city of Guanajuato, Mexico. The Company is focused on the refurbishment and swift re-commencement of production from its El Cubo mine and mill and its nearby El Pinguico project, as well as the delineation of additional silver and gold resources through underground and surface drilling. Both projects are located within 11km of the city of Guanajuato, which has an established 480-year mining history.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"James Anderson"

Chairman and CEO

For further information regarding Guanajuato Silver Co. Ltd, please contact:

James Anderson, Director, +1 (778) 989-5346

Email: james.anderson@GSilver.com

Continue to watch our progress at: www.GSilver.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and information, which relate to future events or future performance including, but not limited to, the estimates of mineral resources; the attractiveness of potential vein widths and potential coalescing of the San Jose and El Pinguico veins at depth; the opportunities for exploration, development and future production from El Cubo and El Pinguico and the proposed exploration and development programs therefor and the timing and costs thereof; the ability of the Company to successfully refurbish the El Cubo mill, procure equipment, hire personnel and supply and process sufficient mineralized material and resources from El Cubo and El Pinguico through the mill to successfully begin commercial production of silver and gold in Q4 2021 at the projected amounts, grades, costs and revenues and the success related to any future exploration and/or development programs.

Such forward-looking statements and information reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to and assumptions made by the Company; which assumptions, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include: our mineral resource estimates at El Cubo and El Pinguico and the assumptions upon which they are based, including geotechnical and metallurgical characteristics of rock conforming to sampled results and metallurgical performance; tonnage of mineralized material to be mined and processed; resource grades and recoveries; assumptions and discount rates being appropriately applied to production estimates; success of the Company's combined El Cubo / El Pinguico operation; prices for silver and gold remaining as estimated; currency exchange rates remaining as estimated; availability of funds for the Company's projects; capital, decommissioning and reclamation estimates; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation); no labour-related disruptions; no unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled construction and production; all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals are received in a timely manner; and the ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.

Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements and information are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected including, but not limited to, market conditions, availability of financing, currency rate fluctuations, actual results of exploration, development and production activities, actual resource grades and recoveries of silver and gold, unanticipated geological or structural formations and characteristics, environmental risks, future prices of gold, silver and other metals, operating risks, accidents, labor issues, equipment or personnel delays, delays in obtaining governmental or regulatory approvals and permits, inadequate insurance, and other risks in the mining industry. There are no assurances that GSilver will be able to successfully re-start the El Cubo mill to process mineralized materials to produce silver and gold in the amounts, grades, recoveries, costs and timetable anticipated. In addition, GSilver's decision to begin processing mineralized material from its above and underground stockpiles at El Pinguico and estimated resources at El Cubo through the El Cubo mill is not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability and therefore is subject to increased uncertainty and risk of failure, both economically and technically. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability, are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them, and may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing, and other relevant issues. There are no assurances that the results of the Company's recently announced preliminary economic assessment and projected production of silver and gold will be realized. There is also uncertainty about the spread of COVID-19 and variants of concern and the impact they will have on the Company's operations, supply chains, ability to access El Pinguico and/or El Cubo or procure equipment, contractors and other personnel on a timely basis or at all and economic activity in general. All the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those in our continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances save as required by law.

Cautionary Note for U.S. Investors regarding Reserve and Resource Estimates

Canadian public disclosure standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") set forth in Industry Guide 7 ("Industry Guide 7"), and information concerning mineralization, deposits, mineral reserve and resource information contained or referred to herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies in accordance with Industry Guide 7. In particular, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this news release uses the terms "measured mineral resources", 'indicated mineral resources' and 'inferred mineral resources'. U.S. investors are advised that, while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian securities laws, Industry Guide 7 does not recognize them. U.S. investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of "inferred mineral resources" exist, are economically or legally mineable or will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian securities laws, estimated "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a mineral resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian securities laws. However, Industry Guide 7 normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by Industry Guide 7 standards as in place tonnage and grade, without reference to unit measures. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with Industry Guide 7.

Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd.

PH: +1(778) 989-5346 E: info@GSilver.com W: GSilver.com

CA: Suite 578 - 999 Canada Place, Vancouver B.C. V6C 3E1

MX: Carretera - Guanajuato - Silao km 5.5, Int 4, Col. Marfil CP36250, Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico

SOURCE: Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662327/GSilver-Begins-Drilling-at-El-Cubo-Provides-Update-on-Mill-Reopening
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks rose on Wednesday as weak factory activity data from Asia raised hopes for more policy support. Closer home, Eurozone manufacturing PMI slipped to a six-month low in August but stood well above the historical average, the IHS Markit said in a report. British factory output grew in August at the weakest rate for six months, while Germany's retail sales declined more-than-expected in July after two months of straight growth, separate reports revealed. The pan European Stoxx 600 rose 0.7 percent to 474.01 after declining 0.4 percent on Tuesday. The German DAX gained half a percent, France's CAC 40 index rallied 1.1 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was up 0.7 percent. Volvo gained about 1 percent. The commercial vehicle manufacturer said it has received an order for 16 Volvo VNR Electric Class 8 trucks from Performance Team, affiliated to Maersk Co. Travel & leisure stocks were moving higher, with IAG, easyJet and Air France KLM rising around 2 percent each. WH Smith slumped 5.3 percent after the retailer warned that profitability for the year ending August 2022 will be at the lower end of market expectations. Utility National Grid rose about 1 percent after the competition regulator cleared its proposed acquisition of the United Kingdom's largest electricity distribution business. French spirits maker Pernod Ricard jumped 3.3 percent after is FY 2021 results reflected a strong recovery. Diagnostics specialist BioMerieux surged 4 percent after confirming its full-year earnings target. Carrefour lost 4.3 percent as luxury goods billionaire Bernard Arnault sold the 5.7 percent stake he owned in the supermarket group. Symrise AG fell 1.4 percent. The flavors and fragrances group announced the acquisition of 25 percent minority interest in Kobo Products, Inc. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Record production of 4,500 gold equivalent ounces in August

Gold production between 4,000-4,500 GEO ozs per month expected for the remainder of the 2021

Heap Leach program proposed to establish low and high grade processing streams for long term exploitation of all resources at Minera Don Nicolas

Heap Leach Project designed to add approximately 20,000 ozs of gold annually from low grade resource

Metallurgical tests completed at University of San Juan, Argentina suggest recoveries above 70% for oxide zones and higher than 50% for the mixed zones

Internal Preliminary Economic Assessment and full heap leach development plan expected by end of October, production targeted by end of Q2 2022

Conference Call September 1, 2021: 11:00 AM Eastern Time (Details below) to Review Q2 results and ongoing development plans in Argentina and Brazil

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - CERRADO GOLD (TSXV: CERT) (OTCQX: CRDOF) ("Cerrado" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its recent strong operating results at Minera Don Nicolas ("MDN") highlighting the robust turnaround and outlook looking forward. Gold equivalent (GEO) production in August was approximately 4,500 ozs or an annual run rate of 54,000 ozs p.a. For the remainder of 2021 Cerrado anticipates monthly gold production to average between 4,000 to 4,500 GEO ozs. The strong performance is a result of significant ongoing enhancements to overall operations in terms of sustained milling rates of over 1,100 tpd and a steady improvement in ore grade feed due to improved grade control procedures.

Cerrado continues to progress its ongoing Internal Preliminary Economic Assessment to develop a gold heap leach operation at its Minera Don Nicolas operation in Santa Cruz, Argentina. Over the longer term this will allow MDN to focus on processing higher grade material through the milling and CIL plant, while lower grade ores will be processed via heap leaching when suitable. The final study and development decision are expected by the end of October 2021 and initial production would be expected by the end of Q2 2022.

Various development scenarios for the project are currently being evaluated in terms of scale and production rates. The overall project considers the mining of various ore deposits and could support an increase in gold production of approximately 20,000 ounces of annual gold production at the Minera Don Nicolas operations with production depending on the development plan selected. The initial project would target the exploitation of the Las Calandrias and Escondido deposits as well as low grade ore and stockpiles from the Martinetas deposit. Based on the contained ounces within the current known resources and stockpile, Cerrado estimates this could sustain operations for approximately 4 years at an average of 20,0000 ounces per annum. Future exploration and ongoing mining is expected to define additional resources to sustain the operation thereafter, providing for potential heap leach life extension. Capital costs are currently estimated at between $15-$20MM and AISC are targeted at approximately $1,100/oz depending on the scale of the initial plant.

Metallurgical representative samples from the Las Calandrias and Escondido deposits were submitted for metallurgical test work to confirm viability for a heap leach operation. Bottle roll and column leach tests were completed by the University of San Juan in Argentina and are shown in Figure 1 below. These results are being used in the ongoing Internal Preliminary Economic Assessment being undertaken currently.





Figure 1. Recovery curve, summarizing gold recoveries achieved from coarse-crushed bottle roll leach tests for the oxide and mixed zone samples.



To view an enhanced version o Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7487/95123_52488319443fa874_002full.jpg

Based on coarse-crushed, bottle roll leach test results %Au extraction curves were completed for the two zones by plotting against the Au/S ratio (proxy for the degree of oxidation). Au recoveries in the Mixed zone were higher than 50%, and for the Oxide zones as high as 77%.

Based on the test work and the availability of a low-grade stockpile at Martinetas, Cerrado is now also targeting to include the low-grade stockpiles and low-grade resources in Martinetas as part of future feed material for the heap leach program. Earlier test work completed by Cerrado for the oxide material at the Martinetas resource achieved similar results. Additional bottle roll leach tests are planned for Escondido samples.

The resources targeted to be included in the Internal PEA will be based on the current combined oxide and transition ore resources of Las Calandrias, Escondido (also known as "Breccia Trend" in prior 43-101 Technical Reports), Zorro, Cerro Oro and Martinetas low-grade stockpiles. Table 1 shows the existing Mineral Resource statements (of near surface material) for those deposits that have not undergone any mining activities since the effective date of the NI 43-101 reports (August 2020 for SRK, and February 2021 for AGP, both reports available on Cerrado's website www.cerradogold.com and on SEDAR). This table is referential and only intends to show the current level of knowledge of the deposits that are targeted for initial inclusion in the study. Material in the current Cerro Oro pit and low-grade stockpiles in Martinetas is excluded from this table. However, Cerrado estimates this material to currently contain at least 11,000 recoverable ounces. It is expected that this amount will increase to some 20,000 recoverable ounces of stockpiled low-grade material from routine mine production, by the time the leaching circuit is expected to be commissioned at this area. Additional upside may be possible from ongoing exploration efforts to outline additional regions of suitable ores and by leaching the primary ore at Las Calandrias as transportation costs would likely preclude this material from being shipped to the mill. Further testwork is planned to confirm the recovery potential.

Cerrado is now undertaking a modest RC drill program in the Calandria/Escondido deposits to upgrade the resource to support the project development decision and some potential to quickly grow available resources in the region.

Table 1. Near Surface Low Grade Cut-Off Historic Mineral Resource Inventory* Deposit Class Cut-Off

Grade gpt Tonnes Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Au Oz Ag Oz Technical Report Calandrias Sur 1 Indicated (Oxide) AuEQ: 0.3 2,267,000 0.77 9.56 56,000 696,000 AGP 2021 Indicated (Transition) AuEQ: 0.4 996,000 0.94 17.32 30,000 555,000 AGP 2021 Indicated (Primary) AuEQ: 0.8 4,162,000 1.73 34.62 232,000 4,633,000 AGP 2021 Inferred (Oxide) AuEQ: 0.3 1,275,000 0.68 7.69 28,000 315,000 AGP 2021 Inferred (Transition) AuEQ: 0.4 262,000 0.6 5.46 5,000 46,000 AGP 2021 Inferred (Primary) AuEQ: 0.8 202,000 1.21 6.08 8,000 40,000 AGP 2021 Breccia Trend

AKA Escondido2 Inferred Au: 0.3 1,698,300 1.17

63,885 NE 3 SRK 2020 Zorro 2 Indicated Au: 0.3 20,600 2.36

1,563 NE 3 SRK 2020 Inferred Au: 0.3 156,000 1.48

7,423 NE 3 SRK 2020

Indicated

7,445,600 1.33 - 319,563 -

Measured +Indicated

7,445,600 1.33 - 319,563 -

Inferred

3,593,300 0.97 3.47 112,308 401,000



AGP Mineral Resource Footnotes:

Summation errors may occur due to rounding.

Mineral Resources not reported within a constraining shell.

Block matrix is 6m x 6m x 6m (length x width x height).

Grades are estimated by ID3 interpolation.

Density was assigned by oxide zone: 2.20 oxide, 2.22 transition and 2.25 primary.

Cut-off grades of used for reporting Mineral Resources varies by oxide zone: 0.3 gpt AuEQ for oxide, 0.3 gpt AuEQ for transition; and 0.7 gpt AuEQ for primary.

AuEQ = Au grade + (Ag grade/60)

SRK Mineral Resource Footnotes

Mineral resources are reported in relation to a conceptual pit shell. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. All composites have been capped where appropriate.

Total resource does not include oxide/transition/primary domaining. NE = not estimated, silver grades were only estimated for Cerro Oro and Sulfuro

As stated above, Cerrado believes that the combined resources could support a conceptual production rate from a heap leach operation of approximately 20,000 ounces per year, in addition to the current production at MDN, for an initial mine life of four years. However, as exploration continues, the company believes additional targets could be evaluated as amenable for heap leaching mineralization. As such, the crushing circuit and elution circuits have been designed to be mobile in order to accommodate future discoveries. Design work of the crushing and gold elution circuits has been completed and an Environmental Impact Assessment is in progress. The mine(s) are targeted to produce around 1,500,000 tons of ore per year, and the feed rate to the crushing plant would be approximately 200tph. Mining operations are expected to be conducted using used or rental equipment to minimize costs.

Mark Brennan, CEO & Co-Chairman commented, "We are extremely pleased with the operational performance at Minera Don Nicolas, which is a strong testament to the improvement of the operations by the team at site. We are also excited that the work to date continues to support the development of a heap leach operation at Minera Don Nicolas to increase overall production rates. Adding a heap leach facility not only adds near term growth with low-cost gold production but also adds more opportunities to fully utilize the lower grade resources on the property, while concentrating higher grade feed to our CIL plant. We expect to add significant amounts of low grade leach feed and high grade mill feed resources from our vast land package at Minera Don Nicolas over the longer term to support a long lived production scenario."

Review of Technical Information

The scientific and technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Sergio Gelcich, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration for Cerrado Gold Inc., who is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.

Cerrado Gold Conference Call

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Minera Don Nicolas Overview

Minera Don Nicolas is located 1,625km southwest of Buenos Aires, Argentina in the Deseado Massif region in the mining-friendly province of Santa Cruz. The project is comprised of several exploration concessions totaling 333,400 ha. The largest regional centre is Comodoro Rivadavia, which provides logistical and other support for the operations.

MDN Project is situated within the world renowned Deseado Massif where the underlying geology of the region is dominated by rhyolitic and andesitic volcanic and tuffaceous volcaniclastic lithologies of Middle to Upper Jurassic age (130 to 170 ma). It is criss-crossed by numerous extensive fault and fracture zones, which served as conduits for hydrothermal activity during periods of Jurassic volcanism. The result of this activity is a widespread network of shallow level mineralized "epithermal" fissure veins, breccias, and stock-work systems, many of which carry potentially economic Au and Ag mineralization. The Deseado Massif region is host to several epithermal gold-silver deposits and several multi-million-ounce gold deposits, including Cerro Vanguardia (Anglo Gold), Cerro Negro (Newmont GoldCorp), Cerro Morro (Yamana).

In February 2012, Minera IRL published a Full Feasibility Technical Report in accordance with NI 43-101 (Filed on SEDAR, MINERA IRL LTD, Feb 16, 2012). Construction of the facilities was completed in 2017 and initial production began December 2017.

Current mining operations are conducted in two areas, the high grade La Paloma deposit and the Martinetas deposits, approximately 30km apart. Ore is processed through a 1,000 tpd CIL plant located near the Martinetas pit. The project currently supports 325 employees and contractors on a fly-in fly-out basis. Mineral Don Nicolas has strong regional and local community backing having signed agreements with the two neighboring communities.

Cerrado acquired the MDN Project property in March 2020 and undertook a fundamental review of the resource database and based upon a significant geological re-interpretation, engaged SRK to conduct an independent NI 43-101 updated resource technical report (August 2020) which is available on the Cerrado Gold website and SEDAR.

Mark Brennan

CEO and Co Chairman

Tel: +1-647-796-0023

mbrennan@cerradogold.com

Nicholas Campbell, CFA

n Director, Corporate Development

Tel.: +1-905-630-0148

ncampbell@cerradogold.com

About Cerrado Gold

Cerrado Gold is a public gold producer and exploration company with gold production derived from its 100% owned Minera Don Nicolas mine in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. It also owns 100% of the assets of Minera Mariana in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. The company is also undertaking exploration at its 100% owned Monte Do Carmo project located in Tocantins, Brazil. For more information about Cerrado Gold please visit our website at: www.cerradogold.com.

Disclaimer

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, all statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding the business and operations of Cerrado Gold. In making the forward- looking statements contained in this press release, Cerrado Gold has made certain assumptions, including, but not limited to ability of Cerrado to expand its drilling program at its Minera Don Nicolas Project and increase its resources. Although Cerrado Gold believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Cerrado Gold disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95123
Acquisition creates a strategic foothold for Paysafe in Latin America; combined with the recently announced SafetyPay acquisition due to complete later in the year, the specialized payments provider is set to become an eCash and open banking payments leader in the region.

The two acquisitions are also expected to drive multiple cross-selling opportunities across all Paysafe business units, enhancing long term growth prospects.

Paysafe (NYSE:PSFE), a leading specialized payments platform, today announced that it has completed its acquisition of PagoEfectivo, a market-leading, Peruvian-based alternative payments (APM) platform. For Paysafe, the investment gives it a strategic foothold in Latin America, one of the world's fastest-growing online markets where merchants and consumers alike are demonstrating an increased appetite for alternative payment methods and open banking solutions. Together with its recently announced plans to acquire SafetyPay, the two Latin American investments position Paysafe as a prominent payments partner in the region.

PagoEfectivo, formerly a subsidiary of Empresa Editora El Comercio S.A., ("Grupo El Comercio"), is a market leader in Latin America in the provision of eCash and open banking payments that enable millions of consumers in the region, many of whom are underbanked, to transact online. Founded in 2009, PagoEfectivo payment options are now also used by consumers in neighboring Ecuador and the company plans to expand into further Latin American countries. Its solutions are particularly popular with merchants operating in the iGaming, digital goods, travel and eCommerce industries amongst others; closely mirroring the industries in which Paysafe specializes.

The integration process of combining PagoEfectivo with Paysafe's eCash and Open Banking division under Udo Mueller will now commence with PagoEfectivo CEO, Juan Fernando Villena accepting a new leadership role within the division and the full team transferring over. Once the SafetyPay transaction closes later in the year, the expanded Paysafe eCash business will be able to offer eCash and open banking solutions in over 60 countries with over one million distribution points.

Philip McHugh, Paysafe's CEO, commented: "This strategic acquisition is a success on many levels for Paysafe. First, it reinforces our strategy of building on our strengths in specialized payments and growing our presence in fast-growing regions. Second, it allows us to cross-sell more of our leading payments offering, including digital wallets and payment processing services, to an expanded merchant customer base that operates in industries we are very focused on. Third, the addition of Juan Fernando and his team to our eCash division brings us further talent and payments expertise; no doubt about it, PagoEfectivo has an impressive track record for growth, and for possessing the pioneering flair and customer focus that we look for in Paysafe."

About Paysafe Limited

Paysafe Limited ("Paysafe") (NYSE:PSFE) (PSFE.WS) is a leading specialised payments platform. Its core purpose is to enable businesses and consumers to connect and transact seamlessly through industry-leading capabilities in payment processing, digital wallet, and online cash solutions. With over 20 years of online payment experience, an annualised transactional volume of US $100 billion in 2020, and approximately 3,400 employees located in 12+ global locations, Paysafe connects businesses and consumers across 70 payment types in over 40 currencies around the world. Delivered through an integrated platform, Paysafe solutions are geared toward mobile-initiated transactions, real-time analytics and the convergence between brick-and-mortar and online payments. Further information is available at www.paysafe.com.

About Paysafe's eCash Division

Paysafe is a global market leader in the provision of eCash payment solutions. The goal of its eCash division is to target simple and secure online transactions through prepaid and online cash solutions. Today, it is available to purchase in 700,000 sales outlets in over 50 countries and its brands include paysafecard, paysafecard account, paysafecard Mastercard and Paysafecash.

Its original product, paysafecard, uses a 16-digit code and enables customers to shop online without using an account or credit card, protecting their confidential financial information. In 2018, the paysafecard team developed Paysafecash allowing customers to shop online first and then pay securely for their purchases with cash at convenient, nearby payment points. Paysafecash is already available in nearly 30 countries. In 2020, paysafecard and Paysafecash reached a transaction volume of more than US$ 4.6 billion.

Further information is available at www.paysafecard.com.

About PagoEfectivo

PagoEfectivo is based in Lima, Peru, and was founded in 2009. Formerly a subsidiary of Grupo El Comercio, the payments platform is a market leader in the provision of eCash and open banking solutions in Latin America. Its solutions have empowered millions of consumers in Peru to shop online, and, as a result, the company has been growing exponentially over recent years. The platform works through a reference payment code, which can be paid by the end user through either online/mobile banking, bank agents or in person at over 140,000 points of sale in Peru and Ecuador, the latter of which it entered in 2019.

Further information is available at www.pagoefectivo.pe.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Paysafe Limited's ("Paysafe," "PSFE" or the "Company") actual results may differ from their expectations and estimates and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as "anticipate," "appear," "approximate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "foresee," "guidance," "intends," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "seek," "should," "would" and variations of such words and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially, and potentially adversely, from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. While the Company believes its assumptions concerning future events are reasonable, a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, the integration and outcome of the PagoEfectivo and SafetyPay transactions; and other factors included in the "Risk Factors" in our Form 20-F and in other filings we make with the SEC, which are available at https://www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in their expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any statement is based, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005235/en/

Contacts:

Press contact

Kate Aldridge

Kate.aldridge@paysafe.com

+44 (0) 750 0797547

Investor contact

Kirsten Nielsen

kirsten.nielsen@paysafe.com

+1 (646) 901-3140

Office: +44(0)203 934 9197 or Mobile +44(0)750 079 7547
Thunder Bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - Kesselrun Resources Ltd. (TSXV: KES) (OTC Pink: KSSRF) ("Kesselrun" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a six-month marketing and consulting agreement (the "Agreement") with North Equities Corp. ("North Equities") of Toronto, Ontario. North Equities will facilitate greater investor engagement and widespread dissemination of the Company's news as well as increase the Company's current social media presence.

The Company will pay $100,000 for the services under the Agreement. No further payments are due from the Company to North Equities for the duration of the Agreement's six-month term.

Michael Thompson, P.Geo., President and CEO of the Company, commented, "We are excited to engage North Equities to enhance our exposure on various social media and marketing platforms and communicate this exciting story to a much wider audience."

About the Huronian Gold Project

The 100% owned Huronian Gold Project hosts the past producing Huronian Mine, Northwestern Ontario's first gold mine with an historic resource estimate of 44,592 oz Au at an average grade of 15.3 g/t Au in the indicated category and 501,377 oz Au at an average grade of 14.4 g/t Au in the inferred category. The resource estimate presented for the Huronian Project is historic in nature. Kesselrun Resources' qualified person has not completed sufficient work to confirm the results of the historical resource. Kesselrun Resources is not treating this as a current mineral resource but is considering it relevant as a guide to future exploration and is included for reference purposes only. The historic resource was estimated by Minescape Exploration Inc. in 1998. Further drilling will be required by Kesselrun Resources to verify the historic estimate as current mineral resources.

As well, the Huronian Gold Project hosts the same lithological package of rocks, as interpreted from both Government of Ontario and Kesselrun Resources mapping, compilation and modelling, on strike from Goldshore Resources' adjacent Moss Lake Gold Deposit with a resource estimate of 1,377,300 oz Au at an average grade of 1.1 g/t Au in the indicated category and 1,751,600 oz Au at an average grade of 1.1 g/t Au in the inferred category as outlined in their 2013 PEA1. Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on Kesselrun Resources' property.

(1) Moss Lake Gold Mines news releases February 20, 2013 and September 9, 2013.

On January 26, 2021 Wesdome announced that the Moss Lake Project would be purchased by Goldshore Resources Inc. (see Wesdome and Goldshore news releases dated January 26, 2021).

Qualified Person

Michael Thompson, P.Geo., President and CEO of Kesselrun, is the Qualified Person responsible for the project as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has approved the technical information in this news release.

QAQC

Kesselrun has implemented a quality control program to comply with industry best practices for sampling, chain of custody and analyses. Certified gold reference standards, blanks and duplicates are inserted at the core processing site as part of the QA/QC program in addition to the control samples inserted by the lab. Samples are prepared and analyzed by Activation Laboratories in Thunder Bay. Samples are analyzed for gold using Fire Assay-AA techniques. Samples returning over 10 g/t gold are analyzed using Fire Assay-Gravimetric methods. Selected samples are also analyzed with a standard 1 kg metallic screen fire assay. All results reported herein have passed QA/QC protocols.

Health and Safety

The health and safety of our personnel and contractors is always top priority to Kesselrun. The current situation presents new challenges above and beyond what we normally face while working in the field. Kesselrun has implemented further measures to ensure the health and safety of all working on the Company's projects.

About Kesselrun Resources Ltd.

Kesselrun Resources is a Thunder Bay, Ontario-based mineral exploration company focused on growth through property acquisitions and discoveries. Kesselrun's management team possesses strong geological and exploration expertise in Northwest Ontario. For more information about Kesselrun Resources, please visit www.kesselrunresources.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

For additional information please contact:

Kesselrun Resources Ltd.

Michael Thompson, P.Geo., President & CEO

807.285.3323

michaelt@kesselrunresources.com

Corporate Communications

1.866.416.7941

information@kesselrunresources.com

Forward-Looking Statements - Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Kesselrun, including, but not limited to the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, dependence upon regulatory approvals, the execution of definitive documentation, the availability of financing and exploration risk. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95052
- Strong investment in R&D, new business, global sales, and employees

- 'Exciting move toward a bright future' for a leader in dual market domains

YOKNEAM, Israel and HONG KONG, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumenis, a global leader in energy-based medical devices for minimally invasive aesthetic and vision applications, announced today the completion of the sale of its Surgical business to Boston Scientific Corporation, a leading global medical device manufacturer, in a transaction valued at $1.07B.

Lumenis will refocus and accelerate planned investments to support the development of its fast-growing Aesthetic and Vision businesses, emphasizing R&D, global sales and marketing channels, and business development activities.

"After the strategic sale of Lumenis Surgical, we now have a mission to move Lumenis forward in the Aesthetics and Vision markets through strong investment in Lumenis' gold-standard technologies, innovation and employees," said BPEA Managing Director Yan Jiao. "BPEA is looking ahead not only to expanding Lumenis' existing capabilities but also to pursuing new strategic growth opportunities."

"Completion of this deal and transfer of the Surgical business to Boston Scientific - including its robust product portfolio, global team, and the Israeli surgical laser center of excellence - represents a major milestone and a testament to the outstanding work of the Surgical team. Today signals an exciting move toward a bright future for everyone here at Lumenis," commented Lumenis CEO Tzipi Ozer-Armon.

"We have developed and introduced multiple groundbreaking technological solutions for Aesthetics and Vision that have redefined our industry and opened entirely new market segments. We now look towards building on this success by accelerating the expansion of our Aesthetics and Vision businesses. We will also be investing in and growing our exceptional global teams, who have made innovation and market leadership our company's defining traits."

Added Ozer-Armon, "Lumenis remains as committed as ever to the premium level of quality, service, and excellence that our Aesthetics and Vision customers, partners, and patients have come to expect. In the months and years to come, we plan to significantly increase our investment in these domains and build upon our gold-standard portfolio of solutions through the introduction of new and innovative products, services, and digital capabilities."

With a legacy spanning over 50 years in the Aesthetic and Vision domains, Lumenis is an undisputed leader. Lumenis, now more than ever, has a vast portfolio of products that offer exceptional solutions to address multiple evolving needs of physicians and patients.

To learn more about Lumenis and explore careers, visit www.lumenis.com.

For further details please contact:

Scherf Communications

Anat Paz

+972 50 7202715

anat@scherfcom.com

About Lumenis

Lumenis is a premier global inventor and manufacturer of energy-based medical devices for minimally invasive aesthetic and vision applications. Regarded as a world-renowned expert in developing and commercializing innovative energy-based technologies, including intense pulsed light (IPL), Lumenis has introduced groundbreaking products, redefined medical treatments and set numerous technological and clinical gold standards for nearly 50 years. Lumenis has created solutions for previously untreatable conditions, as well as designed advanced technologies that revolutionized existing treatment methods.

Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/541530/Lumenis_Logo.jpg
- Yili exceeds market expectations with double-digit growth in revenue and net profit in H1 FY2021.

- Yili's strong financial performance reflects efforts at innovation and improvement of products, distribution channels, and global network.

HOHHOT, China, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 30th, Yili - Asia's leading dairy company - released its FY2021 H1 financial report. The company exceeded market expectations with double-digit growth in revenue and net profit, with gross revenue rising 18.89% YoY to reach RMB 56.506 billion, and net profit attributable to the parent company jumping 42.48% YoY to reach RMB 5.322 billion.

Yili's interim results set another new high for the Asian dairy industry, as the latest data makes Yili the first likely dairy company in Asia to exceed RMB 100 billion in revenue. Strong financial performance in H1 FY2021 also suggests that the company will likely continue to maintain its momentum.

Further market expansion for core products

In the first half of 2021, the dairy industry faced significant challenges from global economic and trade instability and rising costs for raw materials. However, Yili exceeded its operation targets for the period by leveraging its competitive advantages across the whole industry value chain.

During the reporting period, Yili's main products continued to exhibit strong growth. For instance, the total sales revenue for Satine, AMBPOMIAL, Changqing, Jinlingguan, and Chocliz increased by 20.7% YoY. In particular, the AMBPOMIAL AMX Zero Sugar yoghurt and AMBPOMIAL 5G-Protein yoghurt series, launched in the second half of 2020, saw rapid growth and great brand development potential. Meanwhile, the sales revenue of new product categories represented by Satine A2 Beta-casein Organic Pure Milk, Yili Zhennong High-calcium Milk, Changqing Tea & Fruit Yogurt, and Cute Star Child Growth Goat Milk accounted for 15.6% of Yili's total revenue and became essential contributors to Yili's performance.

Extending and diversifying product lines

During the reporting period, the retail sales of cheese products more than doubled year over year, giving the company a head start in the segment with high growth potential.

The company's low-temperature milk business also grew fast, with 5.7% increase in market share.

Yili's Jinlingguan series of high-end infant formula, developed with support from nineteen years of breast milk research and high-quality milk sources such as organic and A2 milk, is also widely recognized as a reliable and good-quality product in the market. Nielsen retail data showed the retail sales of infant formulas increased by 35.2% YoY, in which the growth rate of Jinlingguan Zhenhu reached 37% to become the fastest-growing brand in its segment.

In the non-dairy category, Yili's Inikin Yike mineral water also made a breakthrough in sales growth and has mainly been distributed in big cities through e-commerce, O2O home delivery, and other channels. Manufacturing plants for the product are now operating at full capacity.

Upgrading distribution channels and strengthening the global network

The ongoing impact of COVID-19 has affected consumption behaviors and scenarios. Of note, there has been an accelerated growth in the contributions of new retail and e-commerce to the total retail sales of consumer goods.

While leveraging existing advantages in its distribution channels, Yili also embraced digital channels in response to the latest market trends. Yili's e-commerce business grew 21.8% YoY in the first half of 2021, contributing to the high market penetration rate of 85.7% for its UHT milk.

In addition, Yili also leveraged synergy within its "global supply chain network" to ensure the efficient operation of its supply, production, and marketing systems. As of June 2021, the company's total production capacity neared 13.94 million tons per year.

In August this year, Rabobank released its annual Global Dairy Top 20 list, in which Yili Group was again listed among the top five global dairy companies. Yili was also ranked as the leading company in Asia for eight consecutive years.

Image Attachments Links:

Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=399569

Caption: On August 30th, Yili released its FY2021 H1 financial report. The company exceeded market expectations with double-digit growth in revenue and net profit, with gross revenue rising 18.89% YoY to reach RMB 56.506 billion, and net profit attributable to the parent company jumping 42.48% YoY to reach RMB 5.322 billion.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1606498/Yili_growth.jpg
KANAZAWA, Japan, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Kanazawa University report in Science Advances a new method for distinguishing between enantiomers, molecules that are mirror images of each other. The procedure, relevant for the pharmaceutical industry, involves the chemical reaction of target enantiomers with color indicator compounds consisting of one-handed helical polymers, leading to solutions showing different colors in specific solvents between the enantiomers.

Enantiomers are molecules that are each other's mirror image - like one's left and right hand. They are said to be chiral, chirality being the term for 'displaying handedness'. Although a pair of enantiomers have totally the same chemical and physical properties, they often exhibit different physiological activity towards biological molecules. Being able to distinguish between enantiomers and detect chirality is important for pharmaceutical purposes - often, only one of two enantiomers acts as a drug. Now, Katsuhiro Maeda from Kanazawa University and colleagues have found a new method for determining the chirality of amines (organic molecules featuring amino groups (-NH2)). The approach is based on reactions leading to solutions with different colors depending on the enantiomer present.

The method of Maeda and colleagues involves the use of special organic 'color indicator' molecules consisting of one-handed helical poly(diphenylacetylene)s possessing carboxy groups in the side chains (M-h-poly-1-H and P-h-poly-1-H), which are chiral themselves because they have so-called one-handed (right- or left-handed) helical structures (the 'M' and the 'P' refer to the left- and right-handed configurations, respectively). The scientists serendipitously discovered that a pair of enantiomers of particular chiral amines, when reacting with M-h-poly-1-H using a condensing reagent, displayed completely different colors in particular solvents (for example, in tetrahydrofuran-acetone, yellow and red, respectively) depending on their chirality, thereby enabling easy naked-eye differentiation between the enantiomers.

The researchers tested a whole set of other amines, as well as other nitrogen-containing organic molecules (specifically, amino alcohols and amino esters), also showing distinct colorings detectable by the naked eye. Some solutions had to be cooled down to -60 C, however.

Computer simulations of the compounds together with various experimental analysis provided insights into the molecular mechanisms at play. They showed that for one enantiomer, intramolecular hydrogen bonding (attraction between hydrogen atoms within a molecule) does not happen, resulting in a stretched helical structure and a yellow solution, whereas it does for the other enantiomer, causing the molecular helix to contract, resulting in a red-colored solution.

The scientists used their finding to develop a procedure for obtaining the so-called enantiomeric excess (ee) of a mixture of chiral molecules, a measure of the enantiomeric 'purity': an ee of 0% means an equal amount of left- and right-handed molecules, whereas an ee of 100% corresponds to the situation of only one type of enantiomer being present. For this, they quantified the color measurement by recording absorption spectra or by digital photography by converting to RGB (red, green, blue) values; these depend on a mixture's ee. Low-error determinations could be made that were in excellent agreement with measurements obtained by the current standard technique (called high-performance liquid chromatography).

Maeda and colleagues reckon that they can design other indicator molecules and expand the method. Quoting the researchers: "This should be applicable to the on-site, naked-eye determination of ee of various functional molecules and biologically relevant compounds".

Link to related image

https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/fig1_KM_SciAdv.jpg

Caption: Organic 'color indicator' compounds consisting of one-handed helical poly(diphenylacetylene)s possessing carboxy groups in the side chains (M-h-poly-1-H) for distinguishing between enantiomers of chiral amines and for determining their enantiomeric excess.

Background

Enantiomers

An enantiomer (sometimes called optical isomer) is one of two molecules that are mirror images of each other, just like one's left and right hands.

A pair of enantiomers have identical physical and chemical properties except for one: the ability to rotate a particular form of polarized light (so-called plane-polarized light) by equal amounts but in opposite directions. Enantiomers are therefore referred to as optically active. A mixture consisting of an equal number of both enantiomers is called a racemic mixture; a racemic mixture is never optically active.

Regarding chemical properties, enantiomers often react in different ways with other enantiomers. Many biological molecules are enantiomers; therefore, there is often a significant difference in the response of a biological system to two enantiomers.

This is particularly relevant in the context of drugs: often, only one enantiomer of a drug results in a desired physiological effect, while the other is less active, not active at all, or even causing adverse effects.

Now, Katsuhiro Maeda from Kanazawa University and colleagues have found a new method for distinguishing between enantiomers, and for determining whether a mixture is racemic or not (and if not, the method enables quantifying the ratio of the two enantiomers).

Reference

Katsuhiro Maeda, Daisuke Hirose, Mai Nozaki, Yoichi Shimizu, Taro Mori, Kentaro Yamanaka, Koji Ogino, Tatsuya Nishimura, Tsuyoshi Taniguchi, Munetsugu Moro, and Eiji Yashima. Helical springs as a color indicator for determining chirality and enantiomeric excess, Sci Adv.7, eabg5381 (2021).

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg5381

URL: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/27/eabg5381

Contact

Hiroe Yoneda

Vice Director of Public Affairs

WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI)

Kanazawa University

Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan

Email: nanolsi-office@adm.kanazawa-u.ac.jp

Tel: +81 (76) 234-4550

About Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI)

https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/

Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI), Kanazawa University is a research center established in 2017 as part of the World Premier International Research Center Initiative of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The objective of this initiative is to form world-tier research centers. NanoLSI combines the foremost knowledge of bio-scanning probe microscopy to establish 'nano-endoscopic techniques' to directly image, analyze, and manipulate biomolecules for insights into mechanisms governing life phenomena such as diseases.

About Kanazawa University

http://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/e/

As the leading comprehensive university on the Sea of Japan coast, Kanazawa University has contributed greatly to higher education and academic research in Japan since it was founded in 1949. The University has three colleges and 17 schools offering courses in subjects that include medicine, computer engineering, and humanities.

The University is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in Kanazawa - a city rich in history and culture. The city of Kanazawa has a highly respected intellectual profile since the time of the fiefdom (1598-1867). Kanazawa University is divided into two main campuses: Kakuma and Takaramachi for its approximately 10,200 students including 600 from overseas.
Through this partnership, Camwey Technology and Panorays are working together to eliminate third-party cyber risk.

NEW YORK, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Panorays, a rapidly growing provider of third-party security risk management, today announced its partnership with IT security and networking provider Camwey Technology to provide the Panorays platform to businesses throughout the UK.



The partnership comes on the heels of major supply chain attacks discussed extensively in the media, including SolarWinds, Kaseya, Accellion and Codecov. These cyber incidents have raised awareness of the need for more visibility into supply chain risk. In addition, ENISA, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, recently said that in 2021, supply chain attacks are expected to rise 400% compared to last year.

"As evidenced by some of the recent high-profile supply chain cyber breaches, effective and efficient third-party supplier risk management is more important than ever," said Patrick Gahan, Founder and MD at Camwey Technology. "Panorays' unique technology combines automated, dynamic security questionnaires with external attack surface assessments and business context to provide organizations with a rapid, accurate view of supplier cyber risk. We are certain that businesses in the UK will benefit from Panorays' comprehensive approach to third-party security risk management."

Panorays is dedicated to eliminating third-party security risk so companies worldwide can quickly and securely do business together. With its solution, users can manage, mitigate and remediate supplier security risks, reduce breaches and improve security across the board. The company was recognized earlier this year as a strong performer by Forrester , and received the highest rating in the criteria of data accuracy and risk context.

"We are thrilled to partner with Camwey Technology to bring Panorays' third-party security risk management solution to the UK market," said Erez Shalom, VP Global Channel Sales and Strategic Partnerships at Panorays. "Our partnership with Camwey Technology is a key milestone in our global reach, providing organizations in the UK with the ability to automate, accelerate and scale their entire third-party security risk management process."

About Camwey

Camweyis an independent Cyber Security specialist providing industry-leading solutions to the complex security challenges that organizations face today. Working across both public and private sectors, Camwey has developed the highest level of industry knowledge, skills and professionalism, offering expert end-to-end services and support in all areas of Cyber Security. Camwey's team of experts offer agile capabilities, increased efficiencies and always exceed expectations.

About Panorays

Panorays is a rapidly growing provider of third-party security risk management software, offered as a SaaS-based platform. The company serves enterprise and mid-market customers primarily in North America, the UK and the EU, and has been adopted by leading banking, insurance, financial services and healthcare organizations, among others. Headquartered in New York and Israel, with offices around the world, Panorays is funded by numerous international investors, including Aleph VC, Oak HC/FT, Imperva Co-Founder Amichai Shulman and former CEO of Palo Alto Networks Lane Bess. Visit us at www.panorays.com.

Media Contact:

Tila Pacheco, Eskenzi PR for Panorays

panorays@eskenzipr.com
GHO partnering with existing management team to accelerate global growth

ClearView positioned as market leader in an industry experiencing strong tailwinds

Management to pursue international markets and broaden service offering, leveraging GHO's unparalleled sector expertise

Global Healthcare Opportunities, or GHO Capital Partners LLP, the European specialist investor in global healthcare, and the founding partners of ClearView Healthcare Partners, announce a majority recapitalization of ClearView Healthcare Partners ("ClearView"), the leading life sciences strategic consultancy supporting Pharma and Biotech sponsors globally.

Headquartered in Boston and with offices in New York, San Francisco, London and Zurich, ClearView is known for combining its deep and diversified therapeutic expertise with business insights to deliver actionable recommendations to its customers in support of growth and innovation strategy. ClearView supports drug sponsors throughout the development and commercialisation process as well as guides overall approaches to clinical and commercial portfolio development. ClearView services a wide range of market leading innovators across the Big Pharma/Biopharma, Diagnostics, MedTech, and life science services/tools segments.

Led by its founders, Rich Mynahan, Steve Chao and Kevin Richard, alongside a world-class leadership team, ClearView is well positioned to enhance its market-leading position within life sciences consulting, an industry exhibiting accelerating secular growth. Against a backdrop of industry fragmentation, the company will significantly benefit from GHO's resources, expertise and global reach in building its European practice and driving geographic expansion via M&A.

ClearView is set to continue driving significant organic growth, cross selling emerging solutions including data analytics and pricing market access to expand an existing client base while leveraging relationships to broaden capabilities across the small and mid-cap life sciences.

The investment follows the announcement of GHO Capital III, in July 2021, with over 2 billion of capital available to invest, the addition of new team hires and the opening of a US office in Research Triangle Park in support of GHO's network of North American companies.

The Partners at GHO Capital, said, "We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with the ClearView team. Operating within a highly fragmented market, ClearView is a best-in-class consultancy within the life sciences space. We believe GHO, with its strong sector expertise, is uniquely positioned to build on ClearView's strong track record and reputation. We look forward to supporting the business in driving international expansion and building out its domain expertise to deliver strategically critical insights to its Biopharma customer base."

The Founders at ClearView Healthcare Partners, said, "We are excited to be working with GHO given their extensive healthcare expertise and experience in geographic expansion across Europe and the US. We believe GHO is the right partner for ClearView as we look to new markets and drive the expansion and growth of the company to its next level. We thank RLH Equity Partners for their support in contributing to ClearView's position as a market leader in the life sciences consulting sector."

GHO invested an undisclosed amount in ClearView from RLH Equity Partners for a majority stake, with founding partners and leadership retaining a material ownership position in the firm.

Ropes Gray acted as legal advisor to GHO, Marwood as commercial advisor, Deloitte LLP as financial, tax and debt advisor, Bridgehouse Advisors as ESG advisor and Hays as insurance advisor.

Clearsight Advisors and Houlihan Lokey acted as co-strategic advisors to ClearView, Winston Strawn and Foley Hoag LLP acted as legal advisors and RSM US LLP as financial and tax advisor.

Ends

About GHO Capital

Global Healthcare Opportunities, or GHO Capital Partners LLP, is a leading specialist healthcare investment advisor based in London. We apply global capabilities and perspectives to unlock high growth healthcare opportunities, targeting Pan-European and transatlantic internationalisation to build market leading businesses of strategic global value. Our proven investment track record reflects the unrivalled depth of our industry expertise and network. We partner with strong management teams to generate long-term sustainable value, improving the efficiency of healthcare delivery to enable better, faster, more accessible healthcare. For further information, please visit www.ghocapital.com

About ClearView Healthcare Partners

ClearView is the leading independent strategy consulting firm focused on the life sciences. The Company was founded on the core belief that companies driving innovation in the life sciences need strategic partners that can combine deep scientific expertise, robust analytic approaches, and sound business instincts to create actionable and impactful results. These principles have enabled ClearView to build enduring partnerships with clients across the industry and around the globe, where we thrive in engagements where the stakes are high and the answer uncertain. ClearView meets these challenges with transparent problem-solving and dedicated thought partnership to create clarity on the path forward. For further information please visit www.clearviewhcp.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005476/en/

Contacts:

Further information:

Instinctif Partners

Agnes Stephens agnes.stephens@instinctif.com

Ross Gillam ross.gillam@instinctif.com

Nick Corrin nick.corrin@instinctif.com

T +44 20 7475 2020
Sponsored by PepsiCo, The PepsiCo Foundation, the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, Observer Research Foundation America, and Observer Research Foundation, the program will empower a new network of young leaders driving global change

DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo and its philanthropic arm, The PepsiCo Foundation, alongside the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, are proud to announce the launch of the USA Pavilion @ EXPO 2020 Fellows Program. The Fellows Program is focused on empowering and educating young global leaders tackling the world's most pressing socioeconomic issues by helping them hone their leadership and problem-solving skills.

Funded by a $500,000 (1,836,600 AED) grant from The PepsiCo Foundation, the seven month-long program is hosted by the USA Pavilion @ Expo 2020 and brings together 40 young leaders from 20 countries across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA). Focused on global issues explored at Expo 2020 Dubai - including trade, sustainability, and future cities - the program aims to foster dialogue across the MENASA region, spur debate, and ultimately enable the Fellows to build communities and solutions that will respond to the contemporary challenges that confront us all.

Participants are leaders who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of those around them. They were nominated by U.S. diplomatic missions from participating countries and selected through a competitive application process run by the Observer Research Foundation America (ORF America), and Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

Eugene Willemsen, CEO of PepsiCo, Africa, Middle East, and South Asia, noted, "At PepsiCo, we are committed to raising the bar on talent and diversity. We want to inspire the next generation of leaders to help address issues of global importance and create a better future for us all. The Fellows Program will serve as a launching pad for exchanging and inspiring new perspectives and enable the next generation of leaders to achieve their full potential, enter today's workforce and be successful."

The four-phase program commences with virtual orientation sessions led by pavilion leaders that will introduce Fellows and lay the building blocks for their global network. Following virtual sessions, Fellows will be flown to Expo 2020 Dubai where they will meet with pavilion leaders, participate in panel discussions, and network across Expo. At Expo 2020, Fellows will also participate in hands-on instructional sessions that mirror a dynamic classroom style, and includes the development of a group project that Fellows will work on throughout the duration of the program. For those unable to travel due to the ongoing pandemic, a virtual program has been developed to ensure they receive the same benefits as others.

Following their visit to Dubai, Fellows will return home and participate in a digital bootcamp led by AstroLabs, a company committed to building capabilities and upskilling individuals across the region. Designed as a virtual bridge between in-person segments, this phase will focus on mentoring the Fellows as they complete their individual and group projects. The program culminates in a fourth phase consisting of five days of in-person development at Expo 2020 Dubai, including the presentation of group projects. It is expected that more than 2,000 people will benefit from the work carried out in this program.

"The potential of these regional leaders knows no bounds, and with this program we will build an expansive network that will empower these young people and give them the tools and resources they need to advance their existing work," said C.D. Glin, Vice President, The PepsiCo Foundation and Global Head of Philanthropy, PepsiCo. "Already, these leaders have proven to be catalysts of change in their home countries, and with the Expo 2020 Fellows Program, we will ensure that this incredible work can be further amplified in a way that will touch the lives of thousands. We are proud to be a founding member of this program and believe that it will serve as a global model moving forward."

Upon completion of the program, participants will become part of the U.S. Department of State exchange program alumni network. This community will allow the Fellows to engage with others who can provide guidance as they explore ways to be agents of change in their communities. Through their involvement in this distinguished program, Fellows will be integrated into larger ORF communities, including the Raisina Young Fellows Programme, also known as the Asian Forum on Global Governance, and have the opportunity to build multiple communities in and outside of the MENASA region.

Deputy Commissioner General for the USA Pavilion, Matthew K. Asada, emphasized the opportunity for leadership development and entrepreneurial growth across the region saying, "The USA PAVILION @ EXPO 2020 FELLOWS PROGRAM offers a unique environment for young leaders from the Middle East and South Asia for skill development. Expo 2020 Dubai is the first world's fair in the region, and we're excited to build on the global gathering's location as a connecting point for countries to highlight their best and brightest people, innovations, and ways of living. The USA Pavilion is proud to host this first exchange program of its kind as we tell our story of 'Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of the Future.'"

ORF America Executive Director, Dhruva Jaishankar expressed, "ORF America is proud to be involved in this exciting new initiative in its first year of operation. The Fellows Program will help foster a dynamic network of young professionals from across a pivotal region of the world, thereby helping the understanding and appreciation of sustainability, globalization, entrepreneurship, and innovation in a world changed by COVID."

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com

About The PepsiCo Foundation

Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we're focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water and economic opportunity. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work-collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy.

About the USA Pavilion

The USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 will celebrate the theme, "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of the Future." Exhibits will showcase the freedoms and opportunities that built a dynamic and open society, paving the way for American innovation and prosperity. Expo 2020 Dubai is scheduled to run from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. For more information, please visit www.usapavilion.org.

About ORF America

ORF America was established in 2020 as an independent, non-partisan public policy institute based in Washington DC. It is an overseas affiliate of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), India'spremier non-government think tank. Its objectives are to provide impactful research and commentary on issues of global relevance; strengthen cooperation between the developed and developing worlds; bridge diverse policy communities; and develop policy networks based on shared values. For more information, please visit www.orfamerica.org

About ORF

Based in New Delhi, the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is one of Asia's most influential think tanks driving policy discussions across India, Asia, and now globally. ORF seeks to lead and aid policy thinking towards building a strong and prosperous India in a fair and equitable world. For more information, please visit www.orfonline.org

About Expo 2020 Dubai

From 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai will welcome visitors from every corner of the globe to join the making of a new world, as it brings together the planet in one place to reimagine tomorrow.

With the purpose of 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,' Expo 2020 will be the world's most impactful global incubator for new ideas, catalyzing an exchange of new perspectives and inspiring action to deliver real-life solutions to real-world challenges

Expo 2020 will provide a visually striking and emotionally inspiring 182 days, as more than 200 participants - including nations, multilateral organizations, businesses, and educational institutions, as well as millions of visitors - create the largest and most diverse World Expo ever

Expo 2020's sub-themes of Opportunity, Mobility, and Sustainability will inspire visitors to preserve and protect our planet, explore new frontiers and build a better future for everyone

Expo is committed to building a more equitable and just world for everyone, while keeping visitors safe by following the latest guidance of the world's leading medical, science, and health experts

Expo 2020 is the first World Expo to take place in the Middle East , Africa , and South Asia (MEASA) region, located on a 4.38 sqkm site adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South

, , and (MEASA) region, located on a 4.38 sqkm site adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South Built with a meaningful and measurable long-term legacy in mind, the Expo site will transform into District 2020 - a model global community that will rethink the cities of the future - after Expo 2020 closes its doors

Visit: www.expo2020dubai.com

About AstroLabs

Established in 2013, AstroLabs is dedicated to driving digital growth in companies and people. Offerings include classes in digital and tech through AstroLabs Academy, custom-designed startup programs for large corporates and governments, and collaborative coworking communities in Dubai and Riyadh. AstroLabs also seeks to spur growth by helping organizations rapidly recruit superstars for their digital teams through AstroLabs Talent, and expand into the UAE and KSA through local company setup and soft-landing offices.
Members of Generation X may now qualify for reverse mortgages with this lower minimum age requirement

BLOOMFIELD, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Reverse Mortgage Funding, LLC (RMF), one of the nation's top reverse mortgage lenders, today announced a significant enhancement of its propriety reverse mortgage product, Equity Elite. The enhancement lowers the minimum qualifying age for homeowners applying for this reverse mortgage product from 60 to 55 years of age, in certain states.

Members of Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980, will be between the ages of 41 and 56 this year. Gen X is preparing for retirement with record amounts of home equity, taking on the responsibility of caring for older children and aging parents and often carrying the burden of expensive debt. Meanwhile, Gen X is well positioned to take advantage of home equity conversion loans as their generation's home equity rebounded more than any other generation since the Great Recession. Those in the older portion of this generation, age 55 and older, can now qualify for reverse mortgages with RMF's Equity Elite.

"Equity Elite's lowered age requirement means an estimated 2.7 million homeowners could now qualify for a reverse mortgage, according to market statistics," says John K. Lunde, Founder and President of Reverse Market Insight. "We expect Gen X to expand the number of active reverse mortgage borrowers as they plan for retirement and are on-track to own more home equity than previous generations."

RMF was one of the first reverse mortgage lenders to lower the minimum age requirement of 62 when it changed the requirement to 60 for its Equity Elite product. Specifically designed for those age 60 and older, this lower-cost reverse mortgage option allows borrowers to potentially tap into more funds than they could with a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage. In addition to lowering the minimum age requirement to 55 across 20 states, RMF plans to launch Equity Elite in even more states in the coming months. This market expansion allows RMF to offer financial planning options to members of Gen X who are approaching retirement.

"Market research tells us that members of Gen X are experiencing a dramatic shortfall in retirement savings, not to mention a decline in pension plans. For many of these individuals, tapping into their home equity will be key to supplementing their minimal retirement savings," says Joe DeMarkey, Strategic Business Development Leader at RMF. "This expansion presents a huge opportunity to educate pre-retirees about financing tools outside of forward loans. Our aim is to equip this population with options so they can plan for a more financially secure retirement."

Lowering the minimum qualifying age to 55 for reverse mortgages also serves most, if not all, homeowners in 55+ age-restricted communities. Newly qualified homeowners who meet the lowered age requirement now have the chance to buy a new home in these exclusive retirement communities with an Equity Elite loan.

"Residents in age-restricted communities now have more financial flexibility to plan their retirement, whether that's using a reverse mortgage for a new home purchase, paying off expensive pre-existing debt or covering health care bills and additional expenses," says David Peskin, President of RMF. "The nation's largest home builders may now offer more financial products, like RMF's Equity Elite, to help residents purchase their new homes - a significant achievement for the industry."

The proprietary product lowers the age requirement for Equity Elite reverse mortgages from 60 to 55 in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey (lump sum and line of credit, only), New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Virginia, with more states to be announced in the near future.

To learn more about Reverse Mortgage Funding, please visit ReverseFunding.com.

About Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC

Established in 2012, Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC (NMLS ID #1019941) is one of the nation's largest GNMA issuers of reverse mortgages and a recognized industry thought leader. RMF focuses on originating, acquiring, investing in, and managing reverse mortgage loans and securities backed by reverse mortgage loans. The company is headquartered in New Jersey, with corporate offices in New York and California and field offices throughout the U.S. RMF is a wholly owned subsidiary of Reverse Mortgage Investment Trust Inc. (RMIT), a specialty finance company in the reverse mortgage sector. In 2020, RMIT became part of the Starwood Capital Group, a global private investment firm and an innovator in non-agency mortgages, helping grow the industry into the success it is today. This relationship will afford RMF the unique ability to develop new product lines and create strategic partnerships within the Starwood family of companies.

Not for consumer use. This material has not been reviewed, approved or issued by HUD, FHA or any government agency. The company is not affiliated with or acting on behalf of or at the direction of HUD/FHA or any other government agency.

2021 Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC, 1455 Broad Street, 2nd Floor, Bloomfield, NJ 07003, 1-888-494-0882. Company NMLS ID: #1019941. For licensing information, go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Arizona Mortgage Banker License #0927682; Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act; Loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Financing Law license; Georgia Mortgage Lender Licensee #36793; Massachusetts Mortgage Lender License ML1019941; Licensed by the New Jersey Department of Banking & Insurance; Licensed Mortgage Banker-NYS Department of Financial Services -in-state branch address 700 Corporate Blvd, Newburgh, NY 12550; Rhode Island Licensed Lender. For California consumers: For information about our privacy practices, please visit https://www.reversefunding.com/privacy. Not all products and options are available in all states. Terms subject to change without notice. Certain conditions and fees apply. This is not a loan commitment. All loans subject to approval. L3968-Exp092022

Media Contact:

Tyler Bryant

Tbryant@interdepence.com

(813) 951-4169

SOURCE: Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662017/Reverse-Mortgage-Funding-Lowers-Age-Requirement-to-55-for-Its-Proprietary-Reverse-Mortgage-Product-Equity-EliteR
MOUNTAIN VIEW (dpa-AFX) - As per a report published in Reuters, Google will be challenging the decision previously announced by French Competition Authority in connection with copyright issues. Google believes the fine is disproportionate to its efforts to reach an agreement. In July, Competition regulators in France fined Alphabet Inc.'s (GOOG) Google 500 million euros as the search engine had violated a prior ruling that ordered the company to negotiate 'in good faith' licensing deals with news agencies for any reuse of copyrighted content. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Newly purpose-built research center supports rapid expansion of Company

FairJourney Biologics S.A. (FJB), leader in the discovery and optimization of antibodies, today announced it has relocated into a larger, newly purpose-built research center in Porto, Portugal. The new premises support the Company's expansion and plans for further growth.

FairJourney Biologics now occupies over 200,000 square feet, with the new premises containing 140 fully equipped laboratories, meeting rooms and social areas, as well as green spaces and leisure areas to promote employee well-being. The state-of-the-art facility will house more projects and industry leading equipment, enabling the Company to support more clients and carry out world-class research into antibody-based drugs.

Antonio Parada, CEO of FairJourney Biologics commented: "Our relocation into a new research center demonstrates our trajectory toward further growth. The move is an exciting development for the Company and gives us the flexibility to support more projects and continue to expand our market-leading antibody library."

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005534/en/

Contacts:

Zyme Communications

Lorna Cuddon

lorna.cuddon@zymecommunications.com

Tel: +44(0)7811 996 942
Julie Sweet, Accenture CEO, Mads Nipper, rsted CEO, Judson Althoff, Microsoft EVP Chief Commercial Officer, and yvind Eriksen, Aker ASA President, CEO to open the annual conference. The free, virtual event will feature global leaders and innovators who are driving industry and supply chains toward a more innovative, data-driven, sustainable future.

Cognite, a leader in industrial innovation, in partnership with Microsoft and Aker Horizons will host its fourth annual global conference, Ignite Talks on September 21-23, 2021. Top leaders in Technology AI, Energy, Power and Utilities, Manufacturing, Finance, Renewables, and Cybersecurity will share insights at the three-day virtual industrial digitalization conference, co-located in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005546/en/

"To truly transform and meet net-zero goals, the time to act is now," says John Markus Lervik, Cognite co-founder and CEO. "We host Ignite Talks to bring industry leaders together in what we see as an increasingly vital, solution-oriented conversation. It's about industrial data and making the most of it. It's about the challenges and opportunities in optimizing massive operations through technology. And it's about striking a crucial balance between business sustainability and environmental sustainability."

"Understanding and contextualizing data is essential for companies to take command of their digital manufacturing transformations, to make progress toward net-zero, and to succeed in the industrial future," says Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO of Accenture. "That is why Cognite and Accenture are committed to working with our clients and ecosystem partners to empower manufacturers to discover new insights within their data, quickly and at scale."

"Reaching net-zero requires organizations to transform data-driven insights into action so they can assess impact, evaluate progress and retool operations. At Microsoft, we are committed, along with partners like Cognite, to co-innovate solutions that allow organizations to advance their sustainability journey," says Judson Althoff, Microsoft's chief commercial officer.

Attendees can expect conversations on how technology shapes our industrial future, circular economies, the rise of automation, and the future of industrial data management. There will also be deep dives on profitable sustainability and Industrial DataOps.

Register now and view a full agenda for this online conference: ignitenews.com/ignite-talks/ and view the Ignite Talks video

Microsoft and Aker Horizons serve as Ignite Talks conference partners. Gold sponsors include Accenture, Aize, Capgemini, Cognizant, Itera, TietoEVRY, Wood, Yokogawa.

Highlighted Ignite Talks Include:

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Ignite's Opening Address: From "Talks" to Action

Julie Sweet, CEO, Accenture

Mads Nipper, CEO, rsted

Judson Althoff, EVP Chief Commercial Officer, Microsoft

yvind Eriksen, President and CEO, Aker ASA

John Markus Lervik, CEO and co-founder, Cognite

The Future of Energy: Technology as an Enabler of Profitable Sustainability

Kristian Rkke, CEO, Aker Horizons

Kristin F. Kragseth, CEO, Petoro

Hilde Tonne, CEO, Statnett

Paula Doyle, SVP Sales and Marketing, Cognite

Building Resilient and More Sustainable Energy Companies of the Future

Mario Mehren, CEO, Wintershall Dea

Kristin Frvik, Managing Director, Lundin Energy Norway

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Lifting Profitability, Driving Sustainability: New Strategic Direction Toward 2050

Hilde Merete Aasheim, President CEO, Hydro

Sigve Brekke, President CEO, Telenor Group

yvind Eriksen, President and CEO, Aker ASA

The Future of Energy: How Technology Holds the Key to Transformation

Surya Panditi, President CEO, Enel X North America

Bill Magness, Former President CEO, ERCOT

Carolina Torres, Sr. Director, Energy Industry Transformation, Cognite

The Manufacturing Leap from Proofs of Concept to Digital Operations at Scale

Patrik Sjostedt, EMEA Regional Business Leader, Manufacturing, Enterprise Commercial, Microsoft

Hunter Beck, Director of Customer Success, Cognite

Thursday, September 23, 2021

The Tech Dimension of the Global Energy Transition

Ahmed Hashmi, SVP Digital, Production and Business Services, bp

Francois Laborie, President, North America, Cognite

How Utility Companies Can Build the Right Data Foundation for Analytics and Operations

Susan Maley, Monitoring Advanced Analytics, Electric Power Research Institute (ERPI)

Michael Rossol, Data/Software Engineer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Thomas Trtscher, Chief Data Officer, Statnett

The Future of Industrial Data Management

Alvin Shaffer, Head of Industry 4.0 for Renewables, Equinor US

Susan Peterson Sturm, IoT Board Advisor, Independent

Ben Blanchette, Program Director, Digital Manufacturing, Owens Corning

About Cognite

Cognite is a global industrial SaaS company that was established with one clear vision: to rapidly empower industrial companies with contextualized, trustworthy, and accessible data to help drive the full-scale digital transformation of asset-heavy industries around the world. Our core Industrial DataOps platform, Cognite Data Fusion, enables industrial data and domain users to collaborate quickly and safely to develop, operationalize, and scale industrial AI solutios and applications to deliver both profitability and sustainability. Visit us at www.cognite.com and follow us on Twitter @CogniteData or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cognitedata

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005546/en/

Contacts:

Michelle Holford

Global PR Lead Cognite

+15127443420 (US)

+4748290454 (Norway)

michelle.holford@cognite.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - Blackrock Silver Corp. (TSXV: BRC) (the "Company") is pleased to announce new high-grade silver and gold drill intercepts from its core and RC drilling program on the 100% controlled Tonopah West project located in the Walker Lane trend of Western Nevada. These new results continue to demonstrate robust continuity of high-grade mineralization at both the DPB and Victor targets; additional in-fill drill results highlight world-class potential for this deposit as the Company works towards delivery of a maiden resource estimate.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Six +1-kilogram/ tonne silver equivalent (AgEq) intercepts reported across both the DPB and Victor target areas;

Denver vein returned 7.4 metres grading 2.0 g/t Au and 181 g/t Ag or 381 g/t AgEq including 1.5 metres grading 5.5 g/t Au and 487 g/t Ag or 1,034 g/t AgEq in TXC21-017 (AgEq=silver: gold ratio 100:1), and

TXC21-016 returned 3.3 metres grading 2.25 g/t Au and 223 g/t Ag or 448 g/t AgEq including 0.5 metres yielding 1,046 g/t AgEq (5.52 g/t Au and 494 g/t Ag) from the Denver vein;

Drilling on the Victor vein returned three +1-kilogram intercepts. Drillhole TW21-085 returned 1.6 metres grading 1,289 g/t AgEq (7.22 g/t Au and 577 g/t Ag); TW21-097C cut 6.5 metres yielding 456 g/t AgEq (1.94 g/t Au and 261.3 g/t Ag) including 1.6 metres grading 1,181 g/t AgEq (5.26 g/t Au and 655 g/t Ag) and another intercept returning 8.1 metres grading 300 g/t AgEq (1.07 g/t Au and 192.9 g/t Ag);

The Victor/Murray vein also returned 1.7 metres grading 1,053 g/t AgEq (3.93 Au and 660 g/t Ag) in the Victor target;

Mine Development Associates, a division of RESPEC, have been engaged and will soon commence work on delivering a maiden resource estimate on the DPB target at Tonopah West; and

The DPB in-fill drill program is on track for completion at the end of September. Assays for 32 drillholes are currently pending.

"The many high-grade intercepts reported today are precisely what we want to be seeing as in-fill drilling ties together continuity of the substantial footprint of silver and gold mineralization we've encountered throughout the target area, which now evidences significant size potential," noted Andrew Pollard, President & CEO of Blackrock Silver. "As we near the completion of the resource definition program in support of our maiden mineral resource estimate at DPB, Mine Development Associates have been engaged to commence work on the study. With 84,000 metres of continuous drilling completed in just over one year, Tonopah West has become the most active silver exploration project in North America. Four drills are turning at the project, and with assays for 32 completed drillholes pending, we look forward to a very active fall season with continuous drill results expected that shall form the basis for our maiden resource estimate due out by the first quarter of 2022. Drilling at Victor continues to define significant upside at the project, over and beyond what will be included within our maiden resource, highlighting clear standalone potential for this target area," remarked Pollard.

Table 1: Summary of significant Au and Ag assay results using a 200 g/t AgEq cut-off grade.

HOLEID Area From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au_g/t Ag_g/t AgEq_g/t TW21-080 Ohio NSV TW21-083 DPB 440.4 441.9 1.5 1.270 137.0 264.0 TW21-084 DPB NSV TW21-085 Victor 594.4 599.0 4.6 3.113 275.6 338.9 Including 597.4 599.0 1.6 7.120 577.0 1,289.0 TW21-096C Victor 465 466.1 1.1 1.970 126.0 323.0 TW21-096C Victor 467.4 468.9 1.5 1.140 118.0 232.0 TW21-097C Victor 461.2 467.7 6.5 1.945 261.3 455.8 Including 464.5 466.1 1.6 5.260 655.0 1,181.0 TW21-097C Victor 469.4 477.5 8.1 1.076 192.9 300.5 TW21-097C Victor 488.2 489.9 1.7 3.930 660.0 1,053.0 TW21-097C Victor 499.3 500.9 1.6 0.917 122.0 213.7 TXC21-007 DPB NSV TXC21-008 DPB 476.4 477.6 1.2 0.684 159.0 227.4 TXC21-008 DPB 484.2 484.8 0.6 1.820 234.0 416.0 TXC21-008 DPB 487.2 487.7 0.5 4.210 401.0 822.0 TXC21-013 DPB NSV TXC21-015 DPB 554.7 556 1.3 2.190 260.0 479.0 TXC21-015 DPB 610.5 611.9 1.4 0.783 120.5 198.8 TXC21-015 DPB 625.3 626.3 1 2.400 297.0 537.0 TXC21-016 DPB 477.4 480.7 3.3 2.256 222.7 448.3 Including 477.4 477.9 0.5 5.520 494.0 1,046.0 TXC21-016 DPB 487.2 488.1 0.9 0.761 123.5 199.6 TXC21-017 DPB 369.7 370.2 0.5 2.610 155.0 416.0 TXC21-017 DPB 371.2 371.6 0.4 1.020 108.0 210.0 TXC21-017 DPB 373.4 374.7 1.3 1.217 132.0 253.7 TXC21-017 DPB 375.5 376.3 0.8 1.550 126.0 281.0 TXC21-017 DPB 377.9 385.3 7.4 2.003 180.6 380.8 Including 381 382.5 1.5 5.467 487.3 1,034.0 TXC21-017 DPB 395.3 396.4 1.1 1.465 148.5 295.0 TXC21-017 DPB 397.6 401.1 3.5 2.560 279.2 295.0 Including 399.6 401.1 1.5 4.950 536.0 1,031.0 AgEq_g/t = Ag_g/t + Au_g/t*100; True thickness unknown. NSV = No significant values

DPB Target

Core drilling continues to deliver world-class silver and gold intercepts with infill results now demonstrating robust continuity of high-grade mineralization throughout the DPB target area. The area hosts six veins with a cumulative high-grade strike in excess of 4 kilometres over significant widths and mineralized shoots measuring several hundred metres vertically.

The Denver vein continues to deliver intercepts along strike and down dip. Core holes TXC21-016 and -017 returned wide zone of high-grade gold and silver. TXC21-016 cut the Denver vein at 477.4 metres and returned 3.3 metres grading 448 g/t AgEq (2.25 g/t Au and 222.7 g/t Ag) including a 0.5 metre zone with 1046 g/t AgEq (5.52 Au and 494 Ag). Core TXC21-017 cut the Denver vein higher and returned 7.4 metres grading 381 g/t AgEq (2 g/t Au and 180.6 g/t Ag) including a 1.5 metre zone of 1,034 g/t AgEq (5.46 g/t Au and 487.3 g/t Ag).

Core hole TXC21-015 also intersected the Denver, Mule and Paymaster veins, with an intercept above the 200 g/t AgEq cut-off encountered in the Paymaster vein with 479 g/t AgEq (2.19 Au and 260 g/t Ag) over 1.3 metres. Two previously unknown veins were also cut and returned 1.4 metres grading 198.8 g/t AgEq (0.78 g/t Au and 120.5 g/t Ag) and 1.0 metres grading 537 g/t AgEq (2.4 g/t Au and 297 g/t Ag).

TXC21-007 intercepted the Merton vein which was 2.4 metres thick, but the intercepts were below the reported cut off grade. Similarly, TXC21-013 intersected the Denver vein with three intercepts ranging from 1.2 to 1.5 metres thick.

Following up on the exciting results from drillhole TX21-006, which cut 7.281 g/t gold and 511 g/t silver over 3.5 metres (which included 21.86 g/t gold and 1,355 g/t silver over 0.9 metres) on the Bermuda vein, drilling along strike is progressing at this time with six drillholes either in progress or with assays pending - TXC21-022, -023, -024, -031, -032 and -033.

Assays are pending for 22 core holes and 10 RC drillholes. The project has three core drills and one RC drilling operating 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The proposed DPB in-fill drill program is on track for completion at the end of September. Assay results have slowed to a 10 week turn-around time from the date submitted. The Company ships samples weekly from Tonopah to the assay lab in Sparks, Nevada.

More than 84,000 metres of drilling has been completed since June 15, 2020, and a total of approximately 57,000 metres has been completed year-to-date.

The 2021 program is approximately 75% complete and is utilizing three diamond core drills and one reverse circulation drill. The core drills are focused on the DPB resource delineation while the RC drill continues to drill pre-collar holes, pull casing and drilling exploration holes on the margin of the resource evaluation area.

The DPB resource definition program consists of ~40,000 metres of diamond core drilling from 20 drill sites within this large multi-vein target. This broad multi-vein, high-grade system sits within an area measuring 800 by 800 metres. Drilling to date has identified two new veins bringing the total to six veins within the DPB. The 2021 drill program will focus on delineating a resource across this area. Mine Development Associates, a division of RESPEC, has been engaged and will soon commence work on tabulating a maiden resource estimate with delivery expected by the first quarter of 2022.





Figure 1: DPB N-S Cross Section 478050E, looking West

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/676/95121_5ff5ccdf3442aa73_002full.jpg

Victor Target

Drillholes TW21-085, -096C and -097C show the eastern extension of the Victor veins continues for a total of 500 metres to the property boundary with Summa Silver. TW21-097C had several intercepts indicating potential for previously unknown hangingwall veins above the Murray veins. The core hole returned 8.1 and 6.5 metres grading 300.5 g/t AgEq (1.07 Au and 192.9 g/t Ag) and 455.5 g/t AgEq (1.94 g/t Au and 261.3 g/t Ag) respectively from the hangingwall veins. The Murray vein returned 1.7 metres grading 1,053 g/t AgEq (3.93 g/t Au and 660 g/t Ag) and a footwall splay had 1.6 metres grading 214 g/t AgEq (0.91 g/t Au and 122 g/t Ag).





Figure 2: Victor Target N-S Cross Section 479200E, looking West

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/676/95121_5ff5ccdf3442aa73_003full.jpg





Figure 3: Plan map of significant Intercepts

To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/676/95121_5ff5ccdf3442aa73_004full.jpg

Table 2: Drillhole location information for drillholes in this news release

Drillhole ID Target Type UTM_NAD27

East UTM_NAD27

North Elevation

metres Azimuth Dip Total

Depth

metres TW21-080 Ohio RC 478870.1 4213678.3 1807.0 0 -90 304.8 TW21-083 DPB RC 477544.0 4213951.1 1763.6 180 -80 553.2 TW21-084 DPB RC 477694.7 4213776.6 1766.1 0 -90 548.6 TW21-085 Victor RC 478791.4 4214194.1 1796.3 0 -90 655.3 TW21-096C Victor Core 479088.7 4214187.6 1807.0 0 -90 551.1 TW21-097C Victor Core 479184.5 4214178.7 1811.5 180 -80 609.5 TXC21-007 DPB Core 477998.6 4213997.3 1776.0 180 -70 688.8 TXC21-008 DPB Core 477998.8 4213995.5 1775.9 180 -50 645.3 TXC21-013 DPB Core 478144.3 4214305.6 1776.4 0 -90 640.7 TXC21-015 DPB Core 478144.4 4214303.7 1776.5 180 -50 711.9 TXC21-016 DPB Core 478030.0 4214345.0 1775.0 180 -80 692.5 TXC21-017 DPB Core 478030.0 4214345.0 1775.0 180 -70 401.1

All sampling is conducted under the supervision of the Company's project geologists, and a strict chain of custody from the project to the sample preparation facility is implemented and monitored. The core and reverse circulation samples are hauled from the project site to a secure and fenced facility in Tonopah, Nevada, where they are loaded on to American Assay Laboratory's (AAL) flat-bed truck and delivered to AAL's facility in Sparks, Nevada. A sample submittal sheet is delivered to AAL personnel who organize and process the sample intervals pursuant to the Company's instructions.

The core, reverse circulation, and QA/QC samples are crushed and pulverized, then the pulverized material is digested and analyzed for Au using fire assay fusion and an Induced Coupled Plasma (ICP) finish on a 30-gram assay split. Silver is determined using five-acid digestion and ICP analysis. Over limits for gold and silver are determined using a gravimetric finish. Data verification of the assay and analytical results are completed to ensure accurate and verifiable results. Blackrock personnel insert a blind prep blank, lab blank or a certified standard approximately every 15th to 20th sample.

Blackrock's exploration activities at the Tonopah West Project are being conducted and supervised by Mr. William Howald, Executive Chairman of Blackrock Silver Corp. Mr. William Howald, AIPG Certified Professional Geologist #11041, is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. He has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.

Town Hall Webinar

Blackrock Silver is hosting a live town hall webinar on Tuesday, September 21st at 11 am Pacific, including a presentation and investor Q&A with management.

To register please visit: The Silver Queen's Maiden - 6ix

About Blackrock Silver Corp.

Blackrock is a junior precious metals exploration company that is on a quest to make an economic discovery. Anchored by a seasoned Board, the Company is focused on its Nevada portfolio of properties consisting of low-sulphidation epithermal gold & silver projects located along the established Northern Nevada Rift in north-central Nevada and the Walker Lane trend in western Nevada.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Pollard, President & CEO

Blackrock Silver Corp.

Phone: 604 817-6044

Email: andrew@blackrocksilver.com

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements concern the Company's strategic plans, completion and exercise of the Tonopah option agreement, timing and expectations for the Company's exploration and drilling programs, estimates of mineralization from drilling, geological information projected from sampling results and the potential quantities and grades of the target zones. Such forward-looking statements or information are based on a number of assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: conditions in general economic and financial markets; accuracy of assay results; geological interpretations from drilling results, timing and amount of capital expenditures; performance of available laboratory and other related services; future operating costs; and the historical basis for current estimates of potential quantities and grades of target zones. The actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors including the ability of the Company to complete the Tonopah lease option, the timing and content of work programs; results of exploration activities and development of mineral properties; the interpretation and uncertainties of drilling results and other geological data; receipt, maintenance and security of permits and mineral property titles; environmental and other regulatory risks; project costs overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; availability of funds; failure to delineate potential quantities and grades of the target zones based on historical data, and general market and industry conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95121
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - Humble & Fume Inc. (CSE: HMBL) ("Humble" or the "Company"), a leading integrated cannabis and distribution platform in North America, today announced that Joel Toguri, CEO of Humble, will participate in the Beacon Securities Virtual Cannabis Conference to be held on Thursday, September 9, 2021.

To attend the Beacon Securities Virtual Cannabis Conference, please register here.

For more information about the Beacon Securities conference, or to schedule a one-on-one meeting with Humble's management, please contact your Beacon Securities representative directly or KCSA Strategic Communications at humbleandfume@kcsa.com.

About Humble & Fume Inc.

Humble & Fume is one of North America's leading cannabis distribution solutions providing customer-centric services and accessories. Humble & Fume works with over 200 leading industry brands and offer more than 10,000 accessories and extract products, and is the only major cannabis industry player to provide a fully integrated cannabis and accessories distribution solution with complete sales, distribution, and trade marketing support. Servicing more than 3,000 clients continent-wide, we can reach 90% of North American customers within 48 hours. Leveraging decades of North American Cannabis industry experience, we are committed to being a leading partner and brand representative by offering a comprehensive portfolio of leading brands and products to head shops, smoke shops, dispensaries, and consumers.

Learn more at humbleandfumeinc.com.

For more information, please contact:

Company Contact:

Edge Communications Group

Email: invest@humbleandfume.com

Phone: 1-778-400-7894

Investor Contact:

Allison Soss

KCSA Strategic Communications

Email: humbleandfume@kcsa.com

Phone: 212-896-1267

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

Shawn Dym, Executive Chairman

Email: invest@humbleandfume.com

Phone: 1-778-400-7894

Forward-Looking Information and Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the proposed listing on the CSE, the focus of the Company's business, and intentions of those subject to early warning disclosure requirements. Any such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "contemplates", "believes", "projects", "plans" and similar expressions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Statements about, among other things, the expected listing and trading on the CSE, Humble & Fume Inc.'s strategic plans and the intentions of those subject to early warning disclosure requirements are all forward-looking information. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that the listing and trading of the Company's shares on the CSE will occur or that, if they do occur, they will be completed on the terms and timing described above. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances or actual results unless required by applicable law. Readers are encouraged to refer to the Listing Statement for information as to the risks and other factors which may effect the Company's business objectives and strategic plans.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95130
Including 21 meters at 4.1 grams per tonne gold

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - Royal Road Minerals Limited (TSXV: RYR) ("Royal Road" or the "Company") is pleased to announce further interim drilling results from its Caribe gold discovery in northeastern Nicaragua.

The Caribe project forms a part of the Company's Strategic-Alliance agreement (see press release; September 6, 2017) with Hemco Mineros Nicaragua ("Hemco" a subsidiary of Colombia's Grupo Mineros S.A.) and is located in the highly prospective "Golden Triangle" of northeastern Nicaragua. Royal Road Minerals is operator of the Strategic Alliance.

Royal Road's exploration team discovered the Caribe project during reconnaissance exploration in February of 2018. Outcrop at Caribe is concealed under soil and laterite cover and there is no previous record of mining or mineralization in the area. In 2019, Royal Road and Hemco completed an initial 4-hole, exploratory drilling program at Caribe which returned promising results for gold (see Press Release October 7, 2019). A follow-up diamond drilling program commenced at the project during August of last year and has returned encouraging initial results including CB-DDH-016, 100.45 meters at 1.0 gram per tonne; CB-DDH-017, 90 meters at 1.0 gram per tonne and CB-DDH-015, 63 meters at 1.0 gram per tonne gold (see Press Releases November 10, 2020, February 11, 2021, March 17, 2021 and Table 1). Results for a further 6 exploratory drill holes have now been returned. Significant results include:

CB-DDH-025 207.45 meters at 1.1 grams/tonne gold (including 21 meters at 4.1 grams/tonne gold)

CB-DDH-027 31 meters at 1.0 gram/tonne gold

CB-DDH-029 37.8 meters at 1.0 grams/tonne gold

(not true width and the company does not have sufficient information to make a determination of the true widths of the drill hole intersections)

Gold at Caribe is hosted in hydrothermal breccia bodies with a sulfide-rich matrix composed of pyrite, chalcopyrite and molybdenite and in surrounding (host) volcanic breccias as a broader, locally stratabound lower temperature gold-mineralized halo. Drill hole CB-DDH-025 which intersected 207.45 meters at 1.1 grams per tonne gold is representative of the broader, volcanic breccia-hosted style of gold mineralization and drill holes CB-DDH-027 and CB-DDH-029 both intersected the hydrothermal breccia style of mineralization and have extended the potential of the gold mineralized system towards the north (see Figure 1). The extent of gold mineralization at Caribe is unknown, due principally to extensive soil and saprolite cover with the system remaining open to the north, possibly also to the south and at depth.





Figure 1



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4008/95134_figure1.jpg

Exploratory drilling is continuing at Caribe. The Company is also currently completing IP geophysics at the project and Rotary Air Blast/Reverse Circulation (RAB/RC) drilling, aimed at sampling beneath the soil and laterite cover, is expected to commence later this week.

"The fact that drill hole CB-DDH-025 is not dominated by hydrothermal breccia and that its 207 meters of gold mineralization is of the lower-temperature, volcanic-breccia-hosted style, is interesting and encouraging," said Dr. Tim Coughlin, Royal Roads President and CEO. "It implies that we are still some way off locating the intrusive source of the gold and perhaps copper, but that in any case, even the lower temperature halo is carrying potentially economic grades and volumes. These recent results open up potential towards the north and we are confident that the RAB rig will assist in further expanding the surface extent of this exciting new discovery."

TABLE 1: CARIBE PRELIMINARY DRILL RESULTS TABLE (> 0.9 g/t GOLD)

GOLD COMMENTS HOLE ID E N Z(m) DIP AZIM DEPTH FROM TO LENGTH (m)* GRADE (g/t) 2019 Program CB-DDH-001 793252 1530691 49 60 306 94.55 2.00 30.00 28 1.1 CB-DDH-002 793252 1530688 49 60 111 138.57 1.00 14.00 13 1.0 33.00 37.00 4 1.0 CB-DDH-003 793254 1530689 49 60 42 112.85 78.00 80.00 2 1.7 BOGGED AND ABANDONED 110.00 112.85 (EOH) 2.85 1.2 CB-DDH-004 793346 1530775 44 60 40 67.10 13.00 31.00 18 1.0 BOGGED AND ABANDONED 62.00 67.00 (EOH) 5 1.0 2020-2021 Program CB-DDH-005 793258 1530689 43 60 220 100.65 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS >1g/t GOLD CB-DDH-006 793350 1530772 36 60 40 160.12 28.00 102.00 74 0.9 129.00 143.00 14 1.0 CB-DDH-007 793349 1530769 36 60 220 123.52 22.00 28.00 6 1.0 BOGGED AND ABANDONED 61.00 63.00 2 1.0 65.00 77.00 12 1.0 83.00 89.00 6 1.0 CB-DDH-008 793395 1530824 35 60 40 79.30 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS >1g/t GOLD CB-DDH-009 793270 1530770 38 60 125 161.65 9.00 14.00 5 1.0 BOGGED AND ABANDONED 37.00 82.00 45 1.0 123.00 158.00 35 1.1 CB-DDH-010 793296 1530664 37 60 305 114.37 0.00 42.00 42 1.0 CB-DDH-011 793338 1530633 35 60 40 80.82 38.00 80.00 42 1.0 BOGGED AND ABANDONED CB-DDH-012 794646 1532046 37 60 360 184.52 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS >1g/t GOLD CB-DDH-013 794646 1532046 37 60 335 131.15 CB-DDH-014 793875 1532118 40 60 40 180 CB-DDH-015 793349 1530771 43 90 0 190.62 18.00 26.00 8 1.0 BOGGED AND ABANDONED 53.00 62.00 9 1.0 88.00 151.00 63 1.0 CB-DDH-016 793314 1530813 43 60 125 149.45 49.00 149.45 (EOH) 100.45 1.0 BOGGED AND ABANDONED CB-DDH-017 793295 1530744 43 60 90 244 51.00 141.00 90 1.0 BOGGED AND ABANDONED CB-DDH-018 793364 1530641 35 60 40 68.62 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS >1g/t GOLD BOGGED AND ABANDONED CB-DDH-019 793296 1530664 35 50 40 102.17 0.00 35.00 35 1.0 BOGGED AND ABANDONED 56.00 66.00 10 1.0 79.00 82.00 3 2.1 CB-DDH-020 793604 1530412 37 60 40 67.1 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS >1g/t GOLD BOGGED AND ABANDONED CB-DDH-021 793349 1530846 34 60 125 250.1 88.00 117.00 29 1.0 CB-DDH-022 793498 1530892 37 60 236 353.8 75.00 87.00 12 1.2 97.00 99.00 2 1.0 110.00 117.00 7 1.0 186.00 191.00 5 1.0 CB-DDH-023 793498 1530892 37 60 40 340.07 188.90 199.00 10.10 0.6 0.86 960 43 COPPER % MOLYBDENUM ppm SILVER ppm CB-DDH-024 793338 1530633 34 50 40 114.57 NO SIGNIFICANT INTERSECTIONS >1g/t GOLD BOGGED AND ABANDONED CB-DDH-025 793290 1530792 34 60 125 224.17 3.00 210.45 207.45 1.1 INCLUDING 21m at 4.2 g/t GOLD CB-DDH-026 793383 1530891 35 60 125 130.57 116.75 126.57 9.80 1.4 CB-DDH-027 793386 1530889 34 60 305 149.45 29.00 32.50 3.50 1.0 83.00 114.00 31.00 1.0 CB-DDH-028 793423 1530824 34 60 305 218.07 101.00 103.00 2.00 1.0 139.90 147.65 7.75 0.4 0.23 COPPER % MOLYBDENUM ppm SILVER ppm 155.00 163.00 8.00 1.3 CB-DDH-029 793496 1530893 34 60 305 242.47 177.70 215.50 37.80 1.0

*NOT TRUE WIDTH AND THE COMPANY DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF THE TRUE WIDTHS OF THE DRILL HOLE INTERSECTIONS

DOWN HOLE CUT-OFF 0.2 g/t gold

MAXIMUM INTERNAL DILUTION, 10 Meters

COPPER EQUIVALENT = COPPER % + (GOLD% X 5850) + (MOLYBDENUM% X 3) + (SILVER% X 83)

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The information in this news release was compiled, reviewed and verified by Dr. Tim Coughlin, BSc (Geology), MSc (Exploration and Mining), PhD (Structural Geology), FAusIMM, President and CEO of Royal Road Minerals Ltd and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Royal Road Minerals employees are instructed to follow standard operating and quality assurance procedures intended to ensure that all sampling techniques and sample results meet international reporting standards. More information can be found on Royal Road Minerals web site at www.royalroadminerals.com.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control:

Diamond drill core is cut in half over 1-meter downhole intervals using a core saw. Samples are prepared and assayed by independent and ISO accredited laboratories of Bureau Veritas Minerals (BVM) and their local subsidiaries. Bagged 1-meter samples are collected from site and delivered to BVM sample preparation laboratories in Managua. Samples are prepared using the BVM codes PRP70-250 plus PUL85, where samples are crushed to 70% less than two millimeters, a riffle split of 250 grams is collected and then pulverized to better than 85 per cent passing 75 microns. Prepared sample pulps are then sent for analysis to BVM labs in Vancouver Canada. Gold is analyzed by fire assay with an atomic absorption finish and a measurement range of 0.005 to 10 ppm. Samples over 10-ppm gold are re-analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Multielement concentrations are analyzed by four-acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Samples over 10,000ppm Cu, Zn, Pb or Mn and 200 ppm W, are re-analyzed with four acid digestion and Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometer (ICP-ES). Commercially prepared standards (gold-copper pulps), blanks (pulps and coarse chips) and field duplicates are inserted into the sample stream by Royal Road Minerals for a total of 15% QA/QC to ensure sample precision. In the case of duplicate analyses of a sample, the average of both analyses is used as the final reported value. Unless otherwise stated, gold grades are not capped for calculation of length-weighted averages.

Cautionary statement:

This news release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements") including statements relating to the Hemco-Mineros Alliance and those describing the Company's future plans and the expectations of its management that a stated result or condition will occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or developments in the Company's business or in the mineral resources industry, or with respect to the Hemco-Mineros Alliance, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include all disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that is based on assumptions about, among other things, future economic conditions and courses of action, and assumptions related to government approvals, and anticipated costs and expenditures. The words "plans", "prospective", "expect", "intend", "intends to" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which may also include, without limitation, any statement relating to future events, conditions or circumstances. Forward-looking statements of the Company contained in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to, those related to the Hemco-Mineros Alliance, Hemco-Mineros, and the Company's plans exploration plans.

The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. There is no guarantee that the anticipated benefits of the Hemco-Mineros Alliance and the Company's business plans or operations will be achieved. The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: economic market conditions, anticipated costs and expenditures, government approvals, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with Canadian provincial securities regulators or other applicable regulatory authorities. Forward-looking statements included herein are based on the current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions of the Company management and, in part, on information provided to the Company by Hemco-Mineros, and, except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change.

For further information please contact:

Dr. Timothy Coughlin

President and Chief Executive Officer

USA-Canada toll free 1800 6389205

+44 (0)1534 887166

info@royalroadminerals.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95134
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Rockland Resources Ltd. (the "Company" or "Rockland") (CSE:RKL) is pleased to report that the Company has restarted its initial 2,500 metre drill program at the Cole Gold Mines Property, Red Lake Mining Division, Ontario. Rockland's program will test the historical gold resource and potential extensions of the mineralization down-dip and west of the Cole underground workings.

The drilling program was temporarily suspended on July 12, 2021 due to the extreme forest fire activity in the Red Lake District. The current restart follows the lifting of an emergency order on August 18, 2021 that allowed for the resumption of exploration activities.

Rockland's CEO, Mike England stated "It is great to have the drill turning again on our highly anticipated diamond drilling program at the Cole Gold Mines Property. This Property, located at the west end of the prolific Red Lake Greenstone belt, has only recently become accessible for exploration after the expiry of the Cole patents. Rockland's program is the first drilling campaign on the Cole Gold Mines Property since 1972".

Approximately 12 drill holes are planned for the initial program. In addition to testing gold mineralized veins that were developed by underground workings in the 1930s, several drill holes will target a newly recognized east-west trending magnetic low that is associated with known mineralization west of the Cole shaft. In addition, the Company has initiated overburden stripping in preparation for channel sampling on surface showings that expose mineralized quartz veins and associated shear zones.

Garry Clark, P.Geo, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, is the qualified person responsible for reviewing and approving the geological contents of this news release as they pertain to the Cole Gold Mines Property.

About the Cole Gold Mines Property

Rockland Resources Ltd. is acquiring a 100-per-cent interest in the Cole Gold Mines Property, located in Ball township, Red Lake Mining Divison, Ontario. The Property consists of 28 mining claims (568 ha) located 30 km west of the Cochenour, Campbell, Red Lake mine complex owned and operated by Evolution Mining. The Property represents a rare opportunity to explore a strategically located asset in one of the most active, prolific producing mining districts in Canada. The property hosts high-grade gold values in a classic Red Lake-type quartz vein and silica-sulphide replacement zones.

About Rockland Resources Ltd.

Rockland Resources is engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets in Canada. Its objective is to locate and develop economic precious and base metal properties of merit and to conduct its exploration program on the properties. In addition to the Cole Gold Property, Rockland is exploring the Summit Old Timer Property that consists of three (3) mineral claims covering an area of 1,915 hectares located approximately 17 km southeast of the City of Nelson, within the Nelson Mining Division, British Columbia.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Richard Sutcliffe

President and Director

For further information, please contact:

Mike England

Email: mike@engcom.ca

Neither the Canadian Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at WWW.SEDAR.COM).

SOURCE: Rockland Resources Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662339/Rockland-Resources-Resumes-Initial-2500-Metre-Drilling-Program-at-Cole-Gold-Mines-Property-Red-Lake-Ontario
Immediately Accretive Transaction Company Enters the Fast Casual Pizza segment with initial Platform Acquisition Anticipates Increased Revenues, Royalty Streams and Operating Margins

CHARLOTTE, NC / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Amergent Hospitality Group Inc. (OTCQB:AMHG) ("Amergent" or the "Company"), owner, operator and franchisor of multiple nationally-recognized restaurant brands, today announced it has acquired fast casual restaurant concept PizzaRev.

Amergent through its wholly owned subsidiary Pie Squared Holdings will operate three company owned stores and have nine franchise locations. PizzaRev serves award-winning custom-crafted personal-sized pizzas that are oven-fired in 3 minutes with unlimited toppings for one set price. The concept is about "Crafting Your Own" personal pizza that is prepared in a gas fired oven at 900 degrees as well as offering a variety of salads, beverages and desserts.

Amergent's President, Fred Glick, stated, "We're excited to have now entered the pizza category with the acquisition of a brand leader in PizzaRev and bringing in experienced PizzaRev operator, Matthew Avila as brand leader. As noted by our recent announcement of opening of a new Little Big Burger location at the University of Oregon, we are back in growth mode. By entering the pizza space via this initial acquisition, Amergent will have the ability to identify additional pizza concepts to acquire and operate. We anticipate numerous synergies including improved franchisee support, shared information technology, supply chain efficiencies, improved sales and marketing, research and development, complementary geographies and customers, and enhanced employee opportunity."

Glick continued, "The pizza segment, armed with a familiar, affordable, highly deliverable product plus a long history of investment in delivery platforms has performed markedly better than the restaurant industry as a whole."

Details of the transaction may be found in a Form 8k filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Mike Pruitt, Amergent's CEO added, "We are clearly very pleased to announce the acquisition of PizzaRev, especially on the heals of our recent profitable quarter. In addition to strong results on our core business, we expect this acquisition to be immediately accretive and lay the groundwork for additional future like opportunities, some already in process. We continue to focus on assets whose value can be unlocked inside of our public platform, which will result in greater scale and synergies."

Prior to the acquisition, Amergent's operations include 37 stores, consisting of 28 company owned and 9 franchised locations. The Company's brands include Little Big Burger, Burgers Grilled Right, American Burger Company, one Hooters, and the Owls Nest gaming location.

About Amergent Hospitality Group Inc.

Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, Amergent owns, operates, and franchises fast, casual, and full-service restaurant brands, including American Burger Company, BGR - Burgers Grilled Right, Little Big Burger, PizzaRev, and Hooters gaming venue. For more information, please visit: www.amergenthg.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "should," and "will" and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. All statements in this press release pertaining to our expectations relating to this acquisition constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the accuracy of our estimates regarding expenses, capital requirements and need for additional financing, our ability to operate our business and generate profits, decline in global financial markets and economic downturn resulting from the coronavirus COVID-19 global pandemic, business interruptions resulting from the coronavirus COVID-19 global pandemic, and general risk factors affecting the restaurant industry, including current economic climate, costs of labor and food prices

These and other risks, assumptions and uncertainties are described in Item 1A (Risk Factors) of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other documents that we file or furnish with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which you are encouraged to read. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We expressly disclaim any current intention to update publicly any forward-looking statement after the distribution of this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.

Amergent Hospitality Group Inc. Investor Contact:

Jason Assad

678-570-6791

IR@amergenthg.com

SOURCE: Amergent Hospitality Group

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662102/Amergent-Hospitality-Group-Inc-Acquires-Pie-Squared-Holdings-DBA-PizzaRev
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - Therma Bright Inc. (TSXV: THRM) ("Therma" or the "Company"), developer of its smart-enabled AcuVid COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Saliva Test and other progressive diagnostic and medical device technologies, is pleased to provide an update on its AcuVid Saliva Test with the US Food & Drug Administration's Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) application.

"During the past 30 days, the Therma Bright team has been actively engaged with officials at the FDA around our first-of-its-kind AcuVid COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Saliva Test and our successful clinical study results," expressed Rob Fia, CEO of Therma Bright. "The team, with support from our US development partners, have successfully completed and submitted additional research and documentation requested by the FDA, and we now await for the Administration to complete its review for Emergency Use Authorization."

To date, all the COVID-19 rapid antigen tests that have been FDA-EUA approved are nasal swab tests. The Company expects its saliva-based COVID-19 antigen test to become the first rapid test to receive FDA-EUA approval. As AcuVid is an innovative, leading-edge rapid saliva test solution, additional information was required for the FDA-EUA review process.

In addition, the Company has also amended its CE application for the AcuVid Saliva Test with the new saliva collection and testing process and has received CE final approval certification from the EU competent authority of Belgium.

The Company also reports that it has received TSXV approval to the debt settlement previously announced August 12, 2021 and has consequently issued 118,750 common shares at a deemed price of $0.40/share. These shares are subject to a hold period expiring January 1, 2022, in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSXV.

Therma Bright advises that it has also issued 325,000 warrants to a consultant for services rendered pursuant to a securities for services agreement previously announced April 22, 2021. Each warrant entitles the consultant to purchase one common share for two years at a price of $0.41. All of these securities are subject to a hold period expiring January 1, 2022, in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSXV.

The Company has also agreed to issue 200,000 bonus shares in relation to the execution of an agreement relating to the sale and distribution of antibody testing kits. Based on the Company's current market price, these shares will be issued at a deemed price of $0.36/share. The issuance of these bonus shares is subject to approval from the TSXV.

Therma Bright is not making any express or implied claims that its test product has the ability to eliminate or cure COVID-19 or the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

About Therma Bright Inc.

Therma Bright, developer of the AcuVid COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Saliva Test, is a progressive medical diagnostic and device technology company focused on providing consumers and medical professionals with quality, innovative solutions that address some of today's most important medical and healthcare challenges. The Company's initial breakthrough proprietary technology delivers effective, non-invasive and pain-free skincare. Therma Bright received a Class II medical device status from the FDA for its platform technology that is indicated for the relief of the pain, itch, and inflammation of a variety of insect bites or stings. The Company received clearance for the above claims from the US FDA in 1997. Therma Bright Inc. trades on the TSXV (TSXV: THRM) (OTC Pink: TBRIF) (FSE: JNX). Visit: www.thermabright.com.

Therma Bright Inc.

Rob Fia, CEO

rfia@thermabright.com

Follow us on Twitter

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking" statements. These statements relate to future events such as development and commercialization of a rapid COVID-19 viral assay and related instrumentation. as described in the news release. All such statements involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to vary from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, they should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and they will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions on the date of this news release, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

This press release is not an offer of the securities for sale in the United States. The securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95149
Red Light Holland proudly exports a commercial sale of 1.5 Kilograms of Psilocybe Truffles (500 grams of psilocybe Mexicana, 500 grams of Psilocybe Tampanensis and 500 Grams of Psilocybe Galindoi) grown in the Company's Farm in Horst, Netherlands to its laboratory partner, CCrest Laboratories Inc., a cGMP pharmaceutical laboratory in Montreal, Canada





Red Light Holland has an established alliance with CCrest Laboratories Inc. in partnership with Shaman Pharma Corp., who received federally issued permits for the restricted drug Psilocybin, specifically from Red Light Holland's Farm in the Netherlands





Red Light Holland's milestone of shipping 1.5kg of psilocybe Truffles proves out continued and groundbreaking working synergies with their cGMP laboratory partner, CCrest Laboratories Inc. who holds a Controlled Drugs and Substances License issued by Health Canada





Red Light Holland's naturally occurring psilocybe truffles to be evaluated and tested by CCrest Laboratories for the suitability of Red Light Holland's natural psilocybin as a source of active pharmaceutical ingredients ("API") for scientific and potentially medical purposes





Red Light Holland and CCrest Laboratories continue to pioneer the space in establishing psilocybin international supply-chains and are Canada's only fully independent private sector companies to have achieved repeat international transactions demonstrating their strong commitment to the highest regulatory compliance standards

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - Red Light Holland Corp. (CSE: TRIP) (FSE: 4YX) (OTC Pink: TRUFF) ("Red Light Holland" or the "Company"), an Ontario-based corporation engaged in the production, growth and sale of a premium brand of magic truffles, is pleased to announce that it has completed another export of the Company's freshly harvested high-grade psilocybe truffles in bulk quantity, from the Netherlands to Canada, under a Health Canada psilocybin import permit awarded to CCrest Laboratories Inc. in partnership with Shaman Pharma Corp. CCrest Laboratories received 1.5 kg of Red Light Holland's psilocybe truffles. This second shipment and sale from Red Light Holland to CCrest Laboratories, including three psilocybin genetics (Galindoi - Mexicana - Tampanensis), has increased logistics efficiency while again maintaining temperature-controlled refrigerated conditions from door-to-door across the Atlantic. The next phase of work in this international collaboration is to evaluate the suitability of Red Light Holland's natural psilocybin as a source of active pharmaceutical ingredients ("API") for scientific and potentially medical purposes.

"I'm absolutely thrilled to have completed a second, even larger import and sale from the Netherlands to Canada. This is just another milestone for Red Light Holland and our loyal shareholders. We continue our path to work within the careful means of the regulatory process with reliable partners in hopes of pushing for safe, responsible access to the company's naturally occurring psilocybin by testing, learning and educating the public and hopefully Governments right here in Canada and across the world," said Todd Shapiro, CEO and Director of Red Light Holland. "We have built a truly phenomenal partnership between Red Light Holland and CCrest Labs, and really value having a true ally and partner with the necessary licenses and permits to bring our products into Canada to test them in a pharma setting. This, alongside our recently announced acquisition of Mera Life Sciences, proves out Red Light Holland's mandate of pursuing research and development, technology and applied science while spending capital cautiously and responsibly, within the Scarlette Lillie Science and Innovation division."

CCrest Laboratories, a cGMP pharmaceutical laboratory in Montreal specializing in highly regulated narcotics, including psychedelics, holds a Health Canada Controlled Drugs and Substances License, and received federally issued import permits for the restricted drug Psilocybin. Red Light Holland completed an initial import with CCrest in March 2021, which has yielded positive results in the first phase of the scientific research.

Shaman Pharma, working in conjunction with CCrest Laboratories, is developing cGMP compliant scientific methods and protocols of Quality Control, Analysis and Extraction, aimed at industrial-scale commercialization of medical purpose psychedelic substances in this emerging pharmaceutical sector. Together with Red Light Holland, the companies are setting the pace at which regulatory requirements are exceeded, opening a new realm of possibilities for disruptive healthcare innovation.

"Considering that, ever since the 60's prohibition, academia has enjoyed an unmitigated monopoly on psychedelic research, we are extremely proud of our work with Red Light Holland making us the first and only private sector companies known to have achieved repeat international production and shipment of psilocybin truffles," commented Alex Grenier, CEO of Shaman Pharma and President of CCrest Laboratories. "There is only one time to be the world's first at anything, and we have done it again. Our goal is to keep breaking through these boundaries, to bring the psychedelic renaissance, to advance well-being and mind expansion."

Once made available, Red Light Holland will be excited to share the scientific results with its customers, shareholders, and the expanding psychedelic industry, as the company continues to establish itself as a leader in the recreational sector and push for legal and safe access to psilocybin while Scarlette Lillie Science and Innovation pursues psychedelic research and development, technology and applied science.

About Red Light Holland

Red Light Holland is an Ontario-based corporation engaged in the production, growth and sale (through existing Smart Shops operators and an advanced e-commerce platform) of a premium brand of magic truffles.

For additional information on the Company:

Todd Shapiro

Chief Executive Officer & Director

Tel: 647-204-7129

Email: todd@redlighttruffles.com

Website: https://redlighttruffles.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

About Shaman Pharma Corp.

Shaman Pharma is a federally registered Canadian corporation with the mission to power outstanding psychedelic life science innovation. Accelerating time-to-market through its portfolio of assets, Shaman launches and consolidates revenue-driven pharma-biotech life sciences ventures focused on supplying psychedelic drugs & novel active ingredients.

Forward-Looking Statements

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Red Light Holland. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements include, but are not limited to: statements with respect to the evaluation and testing of the Company's naturally occurring psilocybe truffles by CCrest Laboratories for scientific and medical purposes; the potential of the Company's products being used for scientific and medical purposes; statements with respect to the Company's expansion into the mental wellness pharmaceutical sector; the future sharing of the test results with the Company's customers and shareholders; and the Company's ability to establish itself as the leader in the recreational psychedelics sector.

Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by Red Light Holland, including without limitation: the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the Canadian economy and Red Light Holland's business, and the extent and duration of such impact; no change to laws or regulations that negatively affect Red Light Holland's business; there will be a demand for Red Light Holland's products in the future; no unanticipated expenses or costs arise; the Company will be able to continue to develop products that are allowed to be imported and sold under Health Canada's import permit; and the partnership with Shaman Pharma Corp. will help Red Light Holland to achieve its business goals. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what the Company believes to be reasonable assumptions, it cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with such information.

These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the inability of the Company to continue as a going concern; the inability of the Company to obtain all necessary governmental and/or other regulatory approvals, licenses, and permits necessary to operate and expand the Company's facilities; the effect of regulatory and/or political change and its effect on the legislation and regulations surrounding the psychedelics industry; p negative perception of the medical-use and adult-use psilocybin industry; the inability of CCrest to complete the planned testing of the Company's products; the potential unviability of psylocibin for medical and/or scientific purposes; the inability of the Company to continue its growth; the Company's limited operating history; reliance on management; the Company's requirements for additional financing; and competition for mental health and wellness investments.

Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.

Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95146
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Dollar General Corp. (DG) Wednesday said it is looking to hire additional employees nationwide, after reaching goal of hiring 50,000 employees before Labor Day. The retailer said that opportunities are currently available in stores, distribution centers, the DG Private Fleet and its Store Support Center. As part of DG Private Fleet recruiting, the company is currently offering a $5,000 sign-on bonus to drivers with an active Commercial Driver's License hired now through January 28, 2022 to be paid within the employees' first six months of service. In store operations, the available roles include regional directors, district managers, store managers, assistant managers, part-time/full-time lead sales associates and part-time sales associates. Dollar General's store presence includes more than 17,600 stores in 46 states. The company said it offers eligible employees 401k savings and retirement plans and competitive health and wellness benefits including day-one telemedicine eligibility with no co-pay. Other benefits include tuition reimbursement, paid parental leave and adoption assistance, and the Employee Assistance Foundation. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Webb Fontaine in partnership with SEFACIL Foundation is launching a series of webinars on how technology adoption affects competition, sustainable development and management in Latin American ports and international business, commencing 8th September 2021.

DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Webb Fontaine, one of the leading global providers of technology solutions for Customs, international Trade and Ports, will bring together a panel of experts in public policy, research, and Port management to discuss "Port Dynamics: Opportunities & Challenges in Latin America". The panel discussion will explore how innovative projects and ideas based on the use of technologies are gradually being adopted in public and private ports in the Latin American region and their impact on Trade.

The webinar, aimed at professionals from the public and private sectors, will further explore the implications of the events resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic as an economic disruptor and their impact on the acceleration of changes that were previously delayed in terms of digital modernisation in the maritime-port sector.

The panel of experts includes prominent industry leaders from various origins, such as Yann Alix, Executive Director of the SEFACIL Foundation in France and an expert on the Latin American reality; Jorge Duran, Secretary of the Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) of the Organization of American States; Carlos Martner, Coordinator of Integrated Transportation and Logistics of the Mexican Institute of Transportation (IMT); Sergio Gorgone, Information Systems Manager of the Buenos Aires Port Authority (AGP), who will share with the event's moderator's, Jean Edouard Nicolet from Webb Fontaine and Luis Ascencio, International Transport and Logistics Consultant and director of the portal Porthink.com.

Jean Edouard Nicolet, Business Development Manager for the Latin American and Caribbean region, Webb Fontaine - comments: "Latin American is transitioning to paperless services, technology integration, and public-private partnerships for the creation and management of information systems such as Single Windows and Port Community Systems. The pursuit of better operational integration and cybersecurity in port logistics are critical elements in increasing Trade users' efficiency and competitiveness. Webb Fontaine is perfectly positioned to be a strategic partner for port communities and governments tackling this change management challenge. Webb Fontaine objective is to bring together industry experts in a conversation that can stimulate innovative thoughts and actions."

The "Port Dynamics: Opportunities & Challenges in Latin America" webinar will be broadcast on September 8, 2021, 10:00 AM Panama time. Register here: https://bit.ly/3gJF8LO

These thought-provoking webinars are part of what is intended to be a Think-Tank series aimed at delivering high-impact information, enabling industry and public policy stakeholders to engage in knowledge sharing. updated.

About Webb Fontaine:

Webb Fontaine is a world-leading technology company re-shaping the future of Trade. Trusted?by governments globally, Webb Fontaine provides industry wide solutions to accelerate Trade development?and modernisation. The company uses unique technology including Artificial Intelligence to enable countries to?emerge as leaders in the?future of Trade.

www.webbfontaine.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1606590/Webb_Fontaine_Port.jpg
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - U.S. ADP private payrolls data for August is scheduled for release at 8:15 am ET Wednesday. Ahead of the data, the greenback held steady against its major counterparts. The greenback was worth 110.37 against the yen, 1.1814 against the euro, 1.3762 against the pound and 0.9175 against the franc at 8:10 am ET. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Aircaster Enables Receiving up to 64 Off-Air Programs for IP or QAM Private Network Broadcasting while Eliminating the Need for Countless Digital Converters, External Splitters or Legacy One-to-One Solutions

OLD BRIDGE, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Blonder Tongue Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE American:BDR), a leading US-based designer and manufacturer of telecommunications, fiber optic, video and data delivery technologies, today unveiled the updated Aircaster AQT8 series of transmodulators - including the Aircaster AQT8-QAM/IP and Aircaster AQT8-IP - a comprehensive and flexible toolset to create custom IP and QAM channel lineups from any ATSC 1.0 off-air or QAM content source.

The solution is ideal for facilities looking to incorporate off-air video programming without paying additional retransmission fees for local cable or satellite services.

"Until now, off-air to digital rebroadcasting equipment have been single use or only offer one-to-one signal conversion. Creating new channel lineups as well as correcting channel metadata to be fully standards compliant has required a labyrinth of converters, splitters, amplifiers and more," said Ted Grauch, President and CEO of Blonder Tongue Laboratories. "The Aircaster AQT8 reimagines what off-air rebroadcasting equipment can do in a single compact unit, enabling custom lineups of up to 64 channels, accessible to thousands of residential homes in the case of service operators, or hundreds of rooms and TV sets for hospitality, institutional and SMB use cases. It effortlessly creates and multiplexes a complete digital media service, while eliminating unnecessary fees and equipment."

The Aircaster AQT8 transmodulators are ideal for any fiber optic or cable service operator or commercial property, including campuses, hospitals, hotels, and multi-dwelling units (MDUs), as well as video integrators with small- and medium-sized business (SMBs) customers. Requiring only 1 RU, the device can accept up to 8 ATSC 1.0 off-air or QAM sources, and simultaneously output a series of either Single Program Transport Streams (SPTS) and/or Multi-Program Transport Stream (MPTS), creating both a custom IP feed and/or QAM transmissions.

Featuring an internal active splitter, the Aircaster AQT8 enables users to create a full lineup of up to 64 channels and distribute them to thousands of different locations across a facility, eliminating the need for countless digital converters, external splitters, and legacy one-to-one solutions.

Additionally, Aircaster AQT8 packs a range of unique and critical features including:

Pass Through Mode , which directly maps the demodulated RF port content in MPTS format to IP output

, which directly maps the demodulated RF port content in MPTS format to IP output Encrypted QAM input and IP/QAM output allows for MPTS or SPTS formats while preserving the source MPEG tables (PAT, PMT, PSIP, VCT, and MGT)

allows for MPTS or SPTS formats while preserving the source MPEG tables (PAT, PMT, PSIP, VCT, and MGT) Virtual channel mapping via a simple interface, where users can change the packet identifier (PID), program number short name, major/minor channel (PSIP) and overall channel lineup

via a simple interface, where users can change the packet identifier (PID), program number short name, major/minor channel (PSIP) and overall channel lineup Signal testing and GUI-based remote monitoring and control via any web browser can greatly improve quality while drastically reducing truck rolls

via any web browser can greatly improve quality while drastically reducing truck rolls Emergency Alert System (EAS) control to override standard inputs and distribute an alert signal to an entire MDU facility

This recent product release adds to Blonder Tongue's growing portfolio of new solutions and innovations, including the NXG Platform and Clearview Transcoder Series, that are specifically designed to augment and streamline IPTV and OTT video distribution.

For more information, please visit: https://www.blondertongue.com/.

Blonder Tongue Labs

Blonder Tongue Laboratories, Inc. is the oldest designer and manufacturer of telecommunications and cable television video transmission technology in the USA. The majority of its products continue to be designed and built in their state-of-the-art New Jersey facility, which has been the Company's home for more than 50 years. Blonder Tongue Labs offers U.S.-based engineering and manufacturing excellence with an industry reputation for delivering ultra-high reliability products. As a leader in cable television system design, the Company provides service operators and systems integrators with comprehensive solutions for the management and distribution of digital video, IPTV, and high-speed data services, as well as RF broadband distribution over fiber, IP, and Coax networks for homes and businesses. Additional information on the Company and its products can be found at www.blondertongue.com

Safe Harbor Statement

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The information set forth above includes "forward-looking" statements. The forward-looking statements relate to future events regarding such matters as anticipated financial performance, business prospects, technological developments, new products, research and development activities and similar matters. In order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor provisions, the Company notes that a variety of factors could cause our actual results and experience to differ materially and adversely from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the operation, performance, development and results of the Company's business include, but are not limited to, those matters discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 in the sections entitled "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors," and in the same sections of the Company's subsequently-filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as may be further updated by any Current Reports on Form 8-K that we may file. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "target," "intend," "plan," "seek," "estimate," "endeavor," "should," "could," "may" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to projections for our future financial performance, anticipated growth trends in the Company's business and other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company's ability to continue as a going concern and the Company's ability to maintain the listing of its shares on the NYSE American. Readers also should carefully review the risk factors included in other documents the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, or, in the case of other documents referred to herein, the dates of those documents. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof, except as may be required under applicable law. The Company's actual results may differ from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements.

###

For more information, contact:

Robert Brownlie

Bob Gold & Associates

BT@bobgoldpr.com

310-320-2010

Liz Rapelye

Senior Director, Marketing & Sales Support

lrapelye@blondertongue.com

(732) 679-4000

SOURCE: Blonder Tongue Laboratories, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662275/Blonder-Tongue-Labs-Reimagines-Off-Air-to-IP-and-QAM-Insertion-With-the-AircasterTM-AQT8
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - Appia Energy Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQB: APAAF) (FSE: A0I.F) (FSE: A0I.MU) (FSE: A0I.BE) (the "Company" or "Appia") is pleased to announce preliminary exploration results and provide an update regarding the Company's comprehensive drilling program to expand and confirm the extent of the estimated high grade mineralization of rare earth elements ("REE") and gallium on the 100%-owned Alces Lake project, Athabasca Basin area, northern Saskatchewan.

ALCES LAKE HIGH-GRADE REE PROJECT

Diamond drilling continues with two drills active on the property. Initial drilling has been completed at Biotite Lake and is ongoing at the WRCB zones (cumulatively the Wilson-Richard-Charles-Bell and Ivan-Dylan-Dante discoveries). Analyses from the grab and channel samples have been received and have confirmed target area potential for drilling and the company has made a new discovery at Diablo in the Western Anomaly area. Notable results also include:

Grab samples from the Oldman River prospect confirm REE mineralization over an approximate 175m strike length (Figure 1), with assays returning up to 3.94% total rare-earth oxides ("TREO").

Channel sampling results include 6.23% TREO over 1.69m at Danny, 2.84% TREO over 3.09m at Ermacre, 1.01% TREO over 7.69m at Biotite Lake and 2.16% TREO over 1.68m at the newly-discovered Strocen zone (Table 1).

Two drills are currently active on the property. One drill is dedicated to the WRCB zones, while the other moves across the block, targeting the best prospects on an ever-growing list of previously undrilled and newly-discovered targets (Figure 2). Total metreage could exceed 10,000m.

Acquisition of a further 11,055.4 hectares (27,318.5 acres) of land contiguous to the claim block at Alces Lake, increasing the 100% owned landholdings to 35,682.2 hectares (88,172.7 acres), doubling the landholdings from the start of the 2021 exploration season

Revision of the drilling schedule to accelerate the drilling at highly prospective areas including Oldman River and Sweet Chili Heat.

Assay Results

Assay results from samples collected during the first phase of field exploration have been returned from the Saskatchewan Research Council's Geoanalytical Laboratory in Saskatoon. Grab samples from the Oldman River area define a trend of approximately 175m in length, with grades ranging from 0.52% up to 3.94% TREO. Mineralization is hosted within a series of biotite-rich shear zones, with orientations that are axial-planar to folding in the area.

Channel sampling was conducted at Ermacre, Danny, Biotite Lake and Strocen zones. Composite results from these samples are shown in Table 1, with significant TREO grades ranging from 0.20% up to 6.23%.

Figure 1 - Assay results from Oldman River trend grab samples (% TREO) with radioactive outcrops shown in counts per second (CPS).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/95151_d17e865cb4c19990_005full.jpg

Table 1 - Channel sample composites from first phase of 2021 exploration.

Biotite Lake Including Width (m) %TREO Width (m) %TREO Channel 1 7.69 1.01 1.31 4.10 Channel 2 1.57 0.67 Danny Including Width (m) %TREO Width (m) %TREO Channel 1 0.81 2.55 0.44 4.53 Channel 2 1.69 6.23 Channel 3 1.20 1.20 0.38 3.08 Channel 4 0.79 0.85 0.55 1.16 Strocen Including Width (m) %TREO Width (m) %TREO Channel 1 1.68 2.16 0.62 3.89 Ermacre Including Width (m) %TREO Width (m) %TREO Channel 1 0.30 0.20 Channel 3 2.16 2.49 Channel 4 3.09 2.84 1.60 3.63 Channel 5 0.77 3.40

New channel samples have been taken from Sweet Chili Heat, Diablo, Cool Ranch, Buffalo, Roulette and the HH Zone to test the potential of the area. These channel samples have been submitted for analysis along with other samples from drilling and exploration.

See Table 2 below for Lithogeochemical results for Individual, Total (TREO) and Critical REOs.

Diamond Drilling

Approximately 7,200 metres of drilling has been planned to test the near-surface and down-plunge extents of new and existing rare-earth targets (Figure 2) and total metreage could exceed 10,000m. More than 4,000 metres is dedicated to identifying the depth potential of the WRCB zones and help complete the understanding of this significant discovery.

Preliminary drilling at Biotite Lake is complete, with metreage totalling 695m. This drill has moved to the Danny zone, with 345m of planned drilling. Metreage at WRCB has totalled 1,085m, with ~3,400m remaining on the first phase of drilling. Assay results are currently pending and will be analysed to determine further drilling requirements. Industry conditions had delayed the drilling schedule, but drilling is now on pace with previous forecasts.

The Sweet Chili Heat zone ("SCH"), among others (Figure 2), is a new discovery that was found as a direct result of the new airborne survey. As a result of the analysis of the geophysical data and geologic work done at the location, the SCH zone has been prioritized for drilling in the near future. Monazite mineralization has an exposed strike length of ~25m, with elevated radiation readings continuing under ground cover for an additional ~30m. Observed mineralization indicates that the SCH is a highly prospective target.

Figure 2 - Map of Appia claims showing drill targets for 2021 campaign.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/95151_d17e865cb4c19990_006full.jpg

Nicolas Guest, Alces Lake Project Manager noted that "Drilling is now progressing well. We have been adding holes to follow up on promising intercepts and eagerly await the results from Biotite Lake and WRCB. Our target inventory has been growing steadily, as field teams continue to generate new areas of interest."

New Discoveries

The Western Anomaly has yielded additional new discoveries, including the Diablo zone (Figure 2) which is comprised of a feldspathic pegmatite, containing irregular patches of massive biotite, quartz and monazite (Figures 3 & 4). The area has been channel sampled, with assays currently pending. The Diablo zone is on the margin of a NE-SW-trending shear zone and hosted within a similarly trending, steeply plunging fold. Shearing is axial planar to folding, which is consistent with numerous occurrences across the property.

Figure 3 - Feldspathic pegmatite with irregular patches of massive biotite, quartz and monazite (Diablo zone, channel sample in dashed red).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Figure 4 - Irregular patch of massive biotite, quartz and monazite (Diablo zone).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/95151_d17e865cb4c19990_008full.jpg

Nicolas Guest, Alces Lake Project Manager noted that "The latest discoveries in the Western Anomaly continue to demonstrate its great potential. The area is hosted within a regional isoclinal fold, with-well developed axial planar shear zones. We are excited about the exploration potential of these prospective trends and look forward to our upcoming drilling in the area starting in September."

All lithogeochemical assay results were provided by Saskatchewan Research Council's Geoanalytical Laboratory, an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (CAN-P-4E) certified laboratory in Saskatoon, SK. All analytical results reported herein have passed internal QA/QC review and compilation (Table 2).

The Company is fully-funded for the 2021 program and all required permits for the exploration activities are in-hand.

With the largest exploration and diamond drilling program in the Company's history now underway, exploration results will be released as received and analyzed by the company. Analysis of the summer exploration and drilling program will follow and may lead to the preparation of an NI 43-101 (Technical Report with 3D Geophysical-geological Models & Preliminary Economic Assessment) report expected near the end of 2021. The Alces Lake project encompasses some of the highest-grade total and critical* REEs and gallium mineralization in the world, hosted within a number of surface and near surface monazite occurrences that remain open at depth and along strike.

The Alces Lake project is located in northern Saskatchewan, the same provincial jurisdiction that is developing a "first-of-its-kind" rare earth processing facility in Canada (currently under construction by the Saskatchewan Research Council, it is scheduled to become operational in early 2023). The Alces Lake project area is 35,682.2 hectares (88,172.7 acres) in size and is 100% owned by Appia.

To ensure safe work conditions are met for the workforce, the Company has developed exploration guidelines that comply with the Saskatchewan Public Health Orders and the Public Health Order Respecting the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District in order to maintain social distancing and help prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

* Critical rare earth elements are defined here as those that are in short-supply and high-demand for use in permanent magnets and modern electronic applications such as electric vehicles and wind turbines (i.e: neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb)).

The technical content in this news release was reviewed and approved by Dr. Irvine R. Annesley, P.Geo, Advisor to Appia's Board of Directors, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Appia

Appia is a Canadian publicly-listed company in the uranium and rare earth element sectors. The Company is currently focusing on delineating high-grade critical rare earth elements, gallium and uranium on the Alces Lake property, as well as exploring for high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Loranger, North Wollaston, and Eastside properties. The Company holds the surface rights to exploration for 83,706 hectares (206,842 acres) in Saskatchewan. The Company also has a 100% interest in 12,545 hectares (31,000 acres), with rare earth element and uranium deposits over five mineralized zones in the Elliot Lake Camp, Ontario.

Appia has 107.6 million common shares outstanding, 128.1 million shares fully diluted.

For more information, visit Appia's website at www.appiaenergy.ca.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward- looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact:

Tom Drivas, CEO and Director: (cell) 416-876-3957, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) appia@appiaenergy.ca

Frederick Kozak, President: (cell) 403-606-3165 or (email) fkozak@appiaenergy.ca

Frank van de Water, Chief Financial Officer and Director, (tel) 416-546-2707, (fax) 416-218-9772 or

(email) fvandewater@rogers.com

Table 2 - Lithogeochemical results for Individual, Total and Critical REOs



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OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Kansas City Southern (KSU) has received an unsolicited proposal from Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP.TO, CP), in which CP reiterated identical terms to the proposal made on August 10. The Board of Kansas City Southern will evaluate CP's proposal in accordance with the terms of merger agreement with Canadian National Railway Company. Under the Canadian Pacific proposal, holders of Kansas City Southern common stock would receive 2.884 CP common shares and $90 in cash for each share of KCS common stock held. In May, KCS entered into a definitive agreement with Canadian National Railway Company (CNR.TO, CNI), under which CN agreed to acquire KCS in a stock and cash deal valued at $325 per KCS share. Separately, Kansas City Southern said it is disappointed in the Surface Transportation Board's decision to reject CN's proposed voting trust. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Market Changes Resulting from Pandemic Restrictions Have Resulted in New Opportunities to Fill Depleted Inventories and Expand Sales Ranges

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Lust for Life, LLC (the "Company"), the main subsidiary of Renewable Energy & Power, Inc. (OTC PINK:RBNW), is excited to announce that the Lust for Life Footwear brand ("LFL") has been focusing on developing boots and booties for the Fall 2021 season. Last year there were fewer boots produced due to pandemic stay-at-home restrictions. Inventory for this season became very low which gave the retailers a bigger appetite for the upcoming Fall 2021 season. LFL has begun developing products with large private label customers and will be shipping $700,000 dollars of exciting new styles in the fashion boot category during August and early September.

During last few months the Lust for Life team has been very pleased to have begun shipping its popular fashion footwear again to our main retailers, including Burlington, TJ Maxx and major retail discounters. This is part of our strategy with a continued work in progress into the private brand sector, via channels such as Bloomingdale's outlet.

As we proceed forward, Lust for Life is also in the process of building out its Spring collection to expand to retailers who are looking for a boutique house like us to source high profile, in-demand footwear products. The present changes in the marketplace have actually given us an edge up in both our business negotiations and as a sourcing agent for other retailers and wholesalers.

Lust for Life is looking forward to the continuing growth of the company's successful brand and private label sectors in the balance of 2021 and well beyond.

About Renewable Energy & Power, Inc.:

Renewable Energy & Power, Inc. (OTC PINK:RBNW) is the parent company to Lust for Life Group. RBNW is a holding company for apparel lines with both direct to consumer and wholesale sales to national retail chains. Previously, RBNW was focused on renewable energy projects, however in August 2019, with the acquisition of Blind Faith Concepts, Inc., which holds 100% of Lust for Life, LLC, RBNW's management determined to shift operations to focus on apparel. For more information on RBNW, visit www.lustforlifeshoes.com.

Safe Harbor and Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains statements that involve expectations, plans or intentions (such as those relating to future expansion or financial results) and other factors discussed from time to time in the Company's OTC Markets filings. These statements are forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties, so actual results may vary materially. You can identify these forward-looking statements by words such as "may," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "plan" and other similar expressions. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors not within the control of the company. The company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The company disclaims any obligation subsequently to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

IR Contact:

Lust for Life Group

55 Washington Street

Suite 703

Brooklyn, NY 11201

Phone:718-971-9704

karenberend@thelflgroup.com

SOURCE: Renewable Energy & Power Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662323/Lust-for-Life-Brand-Has-Delivered-Fashion-Footwear-to-Major-Retailers-Including-Burlington-and-TJ-Maxx-During-Summer-2021
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) said the company has been awarded a $2 billion contract with the National Security Agency. Over a 10 year period, the company will deliver its high performance computing technology as a service through the HPE GreenLake platform. The service will begin in 2022. As part of the HPE GreenLake service, the company will build and manage the complete solution that will be hosted at a QTS data center, a hosting facility that delivers secure, compliant data center infrastructure and connectivity to support scaling of operations. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
The Society Deploys Integrated Cloud Contact Centre and Communications to Enable Employees to Work and Engage Customers Remotely

8x8, Inc. (NYSE: EGHT), a leading integrated cloud communications platform provider, today announced that Darlington Building Society has deployed 8x8 XCaaS (eXperience Communications as a Service) as part of their wider digital transformation effort.

Darlington Building Society has been based in the town of Darlington since 1856. Today, the Society has nine branches spread across the North East, County Durham, and North Yorkshire, supported by Darlingtonline, the Society's dedicated online banking service. The Society offers a range of savings and mortgage products designed to enable members to save for the future and realise the dream of home ownership.

Due to the sensitive and high-value nature of daily calls, the Society needed a robust communications and customer engagement system that could reliably handle steep call volumes, facilitate employee collaboration, and provide secure payment options, regardless of where employees and customers were located.

The Society wanted to invest in a cloud communications platform, providing staff with continuous access, whether they are working in the head office, one of the branches, or from home. Ensuring the organisation was fit for a hybrid workforce that could consistently deliver a high level of customer service was paramount to Darlington.

Darlington selected 8x8 XCaaS, which includes integrated contact centre, voice, video meetings, and chat capabilities. The Society implemented 8x8 across the entire business, ensuring that callers are quickly directed to the correct person, and staff can communicate and collaborate from anywhere. Additionally, with 8x8 Secure Pay, the Society's employees can provide reliable and secure payment options to their members.

Sara Robinson, Savings Support Operations Manager at Darlington Building Society, oversaw the project and said, "We chose 8x8 because of their single, integrated cloud platform, and deep financial services industry expertise and experience, in order to deliver on our goals. We deployed in July 2021 with head office and branch numbers staying the same, ensuring a smooth transition as members are still able to communicate with us easily. Through this and more, 8x8 was able to demonstrate that they were the right partner for us, and we are excited to be working together as we continue to enhance customer and employee experiences at the Society."

8x8 XCaaS is built on the resilient, secure, and compliant 8x8 eXperience Communications Platform that offers the highest levels of reliability with the industry's only financially-backed, platform-wide 99.999 percent SLA across an integrated Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS) and Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) solution.

Jamie Snaddon, Managing Director, EMEA at 8x8, Inc. said, "As organisations shift to new work requirements, maintaining and enhancing employee communications and customer engagement is fundamental to future success. Providing Darlington Building Society with the 8x8 XCaaS integrated cloud contact centre and communications product enables their employees to communicate and collaborate from anywhere while delivering a differentiated level of customer experience."

About Darling Building Society

Darlington Building Society operates throughout the North East and Yorkshire and had assets of 705m at 31 December 2020 (666m at 31 December 2019). The Society has its head office in Darlington, where it has been based since 1856.

The Society won the Treating Customers Fairly Award in the 2020 British Bank Awards, following up previous years' accolades of Best Specialist Mortgage Provider in 2019 and Best Savings Provider in 2018. All of which is reinforced by an average customer satisfaction score of 97.4% in 2020.

The Society includes information above about its financial performance in the 6 months to 30 June 2021 [and its financial position at 30 June 2021]. This information is derived from the Society's management accounts and is unaudited.

Darlington Building Society, Sentinel House, Morton Road, Darlington, DL1 4PT

Darlington Building Society is a member of the Building Societies Association.

Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct

Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, under registration number 205 895.

About 8x8, Inc.

8x8, Inc. (NYSE: EGHT) is transforming the future of business communications as a leading Software-as-a-Service provider of 8x8 XCaaS, an integrated contact center, voice communications, video, chat and API solution built on one global cloud communications platform. 8x8 is powering all employees globally to connect individuals and teams so they can collaborate faster and work smarter. Real-time business analytics and intelligence provide businesses unique insights across all interactions and channels so they can delight end-customers and accelerate their business. For additional information, visit www.8x8.com, or follow 8x8 on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook

8x8 and 8x8 X Series are trademarks of 8x8, Inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005229/en/

Contacts:

8x8, Inc. Contacts:

Media:

John Sun, 1-408-692-7054

john.sun@8x8.com

Investor Relations:

investor.relations@8x8.com
Vista-X90 makes debut in Europe at upcoming tradeshows

Cepton, an innovative provider of automotive lidar solutions, will join two tradeshows in Europe in September to showcase its lidar technologies.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005347/en/

Vista-X90 combines high performance, auto-grade reliability and low cost to meet the critical requirements for mass-market automotive applications. Cepton Technologies, Inc.

Cepton will have a booth at IAA Mobility 2021 in Munich, Germany (September 7th 12th) and at AutoSens in Brussels, Belgium (September 15th 16th). During both events, Cepton representatives will be available to talk about Cepton's lidar offering for a range of smart mobility applications, including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Autonomous Vehicles (AV) and Smart Infrastructure. Particularly, Cepton will showcase its automotive-grade, long-range lidar, Vista-X90 for the first time to customers in Europe.

Powered by Cepton's patented MMT, the Vista-X90 combines high performance, autograde reliability and low cost to meet the critical requirements for mass-market lidar adoption for ADAS in consumer vehicles. With a compact and embeddable design, Vista-X90 is optimized for ease of vehicle integration, offering multiple placement options, such as in the headlamp, in the fascia, behind the windshield or on the roof. Featuring Cepton's next-generation ASIC technology, the Vista-X90 supports AUTOSAR and over-the-air (OTA) functionality, with advanced capabilities for functional safety, cybersecurity and extrinsic calibration.

Visitors to the Cepton booth at IAA and AutoSens will also be able to learn about Cepton's award-winning lidar solutions portfolio that extends beyond Automotive and supports Smart Infrastructure applications such as smart roads and rail, electronic tolling, and more. Those solutions include Cepton's Vista-P series, Sora-P series, Helius Smart Lidar System and Nova, Cepton's newest miniature, high field of view (FOV), near-range lidar. Nova live demonstrations can be arranged through private meetings during the events upon request. To learn more information, or set up a meeting with Cepton representatives at the events, please visit: https://www.cepton.com/media/events.

In addition, Cepton's CFO Dr. Winston Fu will also present at AutoSens on Sep 14 to talk about key success factors that enable lidar scalability. A technology expert and investor with 20+ years of experience helping build tech companies, Dr. Fu will discuss what makes Cepton different in commercializing lidar technologies for the mass market. Find more details here at https://auto-sens.com/events/brussels/.

Cepton booth locations:

IAA: Booth C72, Hall A2

- AutoSens: Booth No. 14

About Cepton Technologies, Inc.

Cepton provides state-of-the-art, intelligent, lidar-based solutions for a range of markets such as automotive (ADAS/AV), smart cities, smart spaces and smart industrial applications. Cepton's patented MMT-based lidar technology enables reliable, scalable and cost-effective solutions that deliver long range, high resolution 3D perception for smart applications.

Founded in 2016 and led by industry veterans with over two decades of collective experience across a wide range of advanced lidar and imaging technologies, Cepton is focused on the mass market commercialization of high performance, high quality lidar solutions. Cepton is headquartered in San Jose, California, USA, with a presence in North America, Germany, Japan, India and China, to serve a fast-growing global customer base. For more information, visit www.cepton.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005347/en/

Contacts:

Faithy Li, media@cepton.com


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RIGL) said that data from NIH/NHLBI-Sponsored phase 2 trial of fostamatinib in hospitalized COVID-19 patients were published in clinical infectious diseases, an official publication of the Infectious Disease Society of America.



The company noted that the results from the 59 patient Phase 2 trial demonstrated that the addition of fostamatinib to standard of care, which included the antiviral remdesivir and the steroid dexamethasone, was well tolerated and associated with clinically meaningful improvement in clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients who required supplemental oxygen. Patients treated with fostamatinib had less severe adverse events.



The company noted that the study was not powered to test clinical efficacy, but numerous prespecified secondary endpoints consistently favored fostamatinib, including mortality, time to sustained recovery, change in ordinal scale assessment, number of days on oxygen, and number of days in the ICU. The study date suggested that fostamatinib may provide an additional therapeutic benefit compared to current standard of care alone.



'Additional studies are needed to confirm the efficacy findings and show how fostamatinib may address the dysregulated immune response observed in COVID-19 patients,' said Jeffrey Strich, principal investigator of the study and a physician at the NIH Clinical Center.



The study met the primary endpoint showing fostamatinib did not increase the incidence of serious adverse events compared with placebo.



The overall incidence of serious adverse events by Day 29 was approximately 50% less in the fostamatinib group compared with the placebo group. The most frequent serious adverse event reported by Day 29 was hypoxia, occurring in 1 patient receiving fostamatinib and 3 patients receiving placebo.



At Day 29, in the overall population there were zero deaths in the fostamatinib group compared to 3 in the placebo group.



There were 4 intubated patients in the trial on mechanical ventilation upon enrollment with 2 patients randomized to each treatment group. Both patients in the fostamatinib group were extubated and discharged from the hospital, while both patients in the placebo group deceased.



The company noted that its phase 3 clinical trial in COVID-19, which it expects to complete later this year, will provide the company with further understanding of the safety and efficacy of fostamatinib and its potential as a new therapy for these patients.



In Mid-August, Rigel Pharmaceuticals said that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did not issue emergency use authorization for fostamatinib for the treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalized adults, due to insufficient clinical data.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
Kryo, Inc., the parent company of sleep technology brand ChiliSleep, today announced it has become a proud wellness partner of Pan Pacific London, the brand new 5-star hotel that is elevating the guest experience with an innovative approach to overall wellbeing.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005332/en/

Kryo, Inc., the parent company of sleep technology brand ChiliSleep, today announced it has become a proud wellness partner of Pan Pacific London, the brand new 5-star hotel that is elevating the guest experience with an innovative approach to overall wellbeing. (Photo: Business Wire)

Pan Pacific London, with 237 rooms and suites, features an array of unique guest experiences, including curated jet-lag programs, a mindfulness studio, an on-site nutritionist, and now, personalized sleep products from ChiliSleep to maximize deep, restorative sleep.

As part of this partnership, rooms in the Pan Pacific Sleeping Programme and Wellbeing Floor will be outfitted with an OOLER, ChiliSleep's water-based mattress pad featuring a temperature range from 55-115F (13-46C). ChiliSleep's bed cooling systems will help guests fall asleep faster, stay asleep and wake up rested. This helps optimize the circadian rhythm and synchronizes biological processes.

"This is a defining moment for ChiliSleep, and I am overjoyed that our products will seamlessly create a sacred space of rest and recovery for guests at the Pan Pacific London, many of whom traveled great distances to experience this hotel," said Tara Youngblood, ChiliSleep CEO and Co-Founder. "The UK is a strategic growth market for ChiliSleep, and last year we invested in a local UK-based distribution partner to help better serve this growing region."

With a heightened focus on immunity and incorporating everyday habits to boost the body's natural defenses, today's sophisticated traveler is also gravitating toward hospitality providers who consciously care for their total wellbeing.

"Smart hotels should look to this partnership as a sign of the times. Hotels prioritizing complete guest satisfaction with a promise of deep sleep and enhanced recovery will come out ahead," said Robbie Leung, Pan Pacific Director of Wellbeing.

"This is the first European location for our Singapore-based company, making the expansion of Pan Pacific to London thrilling on so many levels. Having an entire floor dedicated to wellbeing is where the hotel will really shine, allowing us to offer traditional Singaporean hospitality and special care of our guests from the moment of arrival until they journey home," he said.

About ChiliSleep

ChiliSleep is a sleep technology brand that optimizes health and wellness through clinically researched and drug-free sleep therapies to improve sleep quality. As the original inventors of the world's first hydro-powered, temperature-regulated sleep system, ChiliSleep is revolutionizing the way the world sleeps. ChiliSleep's products cool as low as 55F and allow users to fall asleep faster, stay asleep, and wake up rested! ChiliSleep's award-winning bed cooling systems, the Cube and OOLER, consistently outperform the competition in the cooling/warming mattress topper category. Consumer Reports ranked the OOLER a 5/5 and #1 overall, with the Cube coming in at #2. Kryo, Inc., the parent company of ChiliSleep, was founded by Tara and Todd Youngblood and is currently ranked #615 on the 2020 Inc. 5000 listof Fastest Growing Small Companies. For more information, please visit www.chilisleep.com (US) and https://chilisleep.co.uk/ (UK).

About Pan Pacific London

Now open, Pan Pacific London marks Pan Pacific Hotels Group's first footprint in Europe. A new statement of indulgence designed by Yabu Pushelberg, the hotel is located at One Bishopsgate Plaza, a 2-minute walk from Liverpool Street Station, and combines sincere Singaporean hospitality with contemporary London design. The hotel features:

237 guest rooms including 42 suites and a signature Pan Pacific Suite

The Orchid Lounge, a serene drawing room which offers Afternoon Tea by Cherish Finden

Ginger Lily bar featuring curated champagne and cocktail lists and outside terrace

All-day dining Straits Kitchen restaurant showcasing the melting pot of cuisines represented in multicultural Singapore

Patisserie with a grab-and-go option

Two private dining rooms, Newton and Katong, seating 12 and 14 guests respectively

A destination cocktail bar in Devonshire House designed by Tom Dixon's Design Research Studio

Dedicated Wellbeing Floor 18.5 metre infinity pool, treatment rooms, relaxation pods, 24hr high performance gym, mindfulness studio, saunas, steam rooms, and lounge with nutritional menu curated by an in-house nutritionist

Landscaped Public Plaza with luxury retail shops

10 meeting venues including the most technologically advanced ballroom in the City of London, the Pacific Ballroom, accommodating up to 400 guests

Visit panpacificlondon.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005332/en/

Contacts:

Eric VanSlyke

Eric.VanSlyke@praytellagency.com
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed TPT Global Tech (OTCQB: TPTW) ("the Company"), a technology and telecommunications media content hub for domestic and international syndication that also provides technology solutions to businesses domestically and worldwide. President and Chairman of the Company, Stephen Thomas, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly.

Jolly began the interview by commenting on the Company's recent 400% stock price increase, and then asked for an update on their current projects. Thomas elaborated on the Company's increased demand for panel testing due to the spread of the Delta Variant. "We reopened the lab in Fremont and we've got Atlanta up and running," shared Thomas, before discussing the Company's additional lab opportunities and projects around the globe.

"Could you tell us about the Smart Village Initiative in West Africa?" asked Jolly. "The Smart Village concept is that not only do you build housing, but you also build a public communication infrastructure," said Thomas, noting that this includes broadband and surveillance services. "However, what really drives what they're doing is the education piece," he continued. "Artificial Intelligence has the ability to adjust the type of content that a child is receiving from the educational program," said Thomas. "We would be able to change the program so that the child will get the necessary, proper content to help them accelerate."

"Not only are we planning to do the same type of scenario in Africa, but we plan to do the same thing in the United States," shared Thomas. "It's a fantastic project for us and it is right in our wheelhouse."

"Where are we at with 5G and what are your thoughts on that?" asked Jolly. "We are still upgrading our network," said Thomas. "We're probably 65% to 70% done with the network upgrade," he added. "It is a little challenging during the pandemic," said Thomas. "Our team has been working diligently across those 11 states and we're continuing to upgrade and provide faster speeds and other product offerings with our telecommunications division."

Jolly then commented on a recent press release detailing the Company's exclusive joint venture formation agreement with UM Power Limited to design a multi-billion dollar private industrial park. "To be able to have that type of partnership and be able to have that quality of manufacturing availability, and come back and offer that to the US government, US companies, or Latin American companies is a huge win," shared Thomas. "We expect that to be a phenomenal opportunity for TPT Global Tech in the near future."

"What is going to be the catalyst over the next two quarters?" asked Jolly. "We're excited with how we're positioning the company with these fantastic partners," said Thomas. "We're going to keep working hard and keep executing on the plan."

To close the interview, Thomas encouraged listeners and shareholders to keep up-to-date on the Company's current and upcoming projects as they continue to grow and expand.

To hear the entire interview with Stephen Thomas, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7934004-tpt-global-tech-discusses-smart-village-initiative-and-joint-venture-with-um-power-limited-on-the.

Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/.

About TPT Global Tech

TPT Global Tech Inc. (OTCQB: TPTW) based in San Diego, California, is a Technology/Telecommunications Media Content Hub for Domestic and International syndication and also provides Technology solutions to businesses domestically and worldwide. TPT Global offers Software as a Service (SaaS), Technology Platform as a Service (PAAS), Cloud-based Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS), and carrier-grade performance and support for businesses over its private IP MPLS fiber and wireless network in the United States. TPT's cloud-based UCaaS services allow businesses of any size to enjoy all the latest voice, data, media, and collaboration features in today's global technology markets. TPT also operates as a Master Distributor for Nationwide Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) and Independent Sales Organization (ISO) as a Master Distributor for Pre-Paid Cellphone services, Mobile phones Cellphone Accessories, and Global Roaming Cell phones.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of various provisions of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, commonly identified by such terms as "believes," "looking ahead," "anticipates," "estimates" and other terms with similar meaning. Specifically, statements about the Company's plans for accelerated growth, improved profitability, future business partners, M&A activity, new service offerings, and pursuit of new markets are forward-looking statements. Although the company believes that the assumptions upon which its forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these assumptions.

CONTACT:

Frank Benedetto

619-915-9422

fb@miradorconsulting.com

About The "Stock Day" Podcast

Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America.

SOURCE:

Stock Day Media

(602) 821-1102

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95152.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - TransCanna (CSE: TCAN) (FSE: TH8) ("the Company") is pleased to announce that it is launching a vegetative room in its multipurpose Daly facility in Modesto, California today. The new room will increase cultivation yield, quality, and efficiency by a factor of up to 25%.

The new 2,500 square foot, nature-mimicking vegetative room is designed to be an integral part of the overall cultivation process that will drive efficiencies and enhance quality in a reliable, repeatable system. The new room mimics the springtime sunlight spectrum to gently raise clones into flowering-ready plants. It was sized to support all cultivation rooms within the facility, leveraging an "assembly line" production model wherein all plants move through a nursery, the vegetative room, and then ultimately their own cultivation flowering rooms.

"The expected 25% improvement in total cultivation capacity, along with the higher quality results in bud structure and flavor profile, are critical in driving the consumer experience forward," notes TransCanna CEO Bob Blink. "Our customers seek out our brand because they know we will always put the finest genetics into the best processes. Fire in equals fire out."

The ability to "veg" or prepare clones to meet their flowering phase outside of the normal flowering rooms reduces the total cycle time required within the flowering rooms by up to 21 days. The reduction in cycle times of the flowering rooms increases productivity via harvest timing, allowing 5 harvests per cultivation room per year instead of 4.

The new room was completed last week, with 1,200 plants going in today.

About TransCanna

TransCanna Holdings Inc. is a California-based, Canadian-listed company building cannabis-focused brands for the California lifestyle, through its wholly-owned California subsidiaries.

TransCanna's wholly owned subsidiary Lyfted Farms is California's authentic cannabis brand whose pioneering spirit has been continuously providing the finest cannabis flower genetics and cultivation methods since 1984. The Lyfted Farms brand of exclusive cannabis flower is sold at premium retailers throughout the state. With its new cultivation facility in Daly, California, the company is now poised to become one of the largest and most efficient vertically integrated cannabis companies in the California market.

For updated information with respect to our company, please see our filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the CSE at www.thecse.com, or visit the Company's website at www.transcanna.com. To contact the Company, please email info@transcanna.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Bob Blink, CEO

Corporate Communications:

info@transcanna.com

604-200-8853

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

Certain information in this release may contain forward-looking statements, such as statements regarding future expansions and cost savings and plans regarding production increases and financings. This information is based on current expectations and assumptions, including assumptions concerning the completion of the expansion of the Daly Facility, government approval of pro-cannabis policies, greater access to financial services and increased cultivation capacity, that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Risks that could cause results to differ from those stated in the forward-looking statements in this release include unexpected increases in operating costs, a continued strain on farmers due to fires and the Coronavirus pandemic and competition from other retailers. All forward-looking statements, including any financial outlook or future-oriented financial information, contained in this release are made as of the date of this release and are included for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Company. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95108
Regulatory News:

Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) will host a live video webcast of the company's remarks and question-and-answer session with Emmanuel Babeau, Chief Financial Officer, at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference at www.pmi.com/2021barclays on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, at approximately 8:00 a.m. ET.

The webcast will be held in a virtual format and provide a live video of the entire PMI session.

Presentation slides will be available on the same site.

An archived copy of the webcast will be available at www.pmi.com/2021barclays until 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 7, 2021. The video webcast can also be accessed on iOS or Android devices by downloading PMI's free Investor Relations Mobile Application at www.pmi.com/irapp.

Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future

Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company, its shareholders and its other stakeholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, as well as smoke-free products, associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the U.S. In addition, PMI ships versions of its IQOS Platform 1 device and consumables to Altria Group, Inc. for sale under license in the U.S., where these products have received marketing authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway; the FDA has also authorized the marketing of a version of IQOS and its consumables as a Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP), finding that an exposure modification order for these products is appropriate to promote the public health. PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. PMI's smoke-free product portfolio includes heat-not-burn and nicotine-containing vapor products. As of June 30, 2021, PMI's smoke-free products are available for sale in 67 markets in key cities or nationwide, and PMI estimates that approximately 14.7 million adults around the world have already switched to IQOS and stopped smoking. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005688/en/

Contacts:

Philip Morris International

Investor Relations:

New York: +1 (917) 663 2233

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4666

Email: InvestorRelations@pmi.com



Media:

Lausanne: +41 (0)58 242 4500

Email: Iro.Antoniadou@pmi.com


BENTONVILLE (dpa-AFX) - Retail giant Walmart said it is ready to administer booster shots this fall following the recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the coming weeks. It has we've expanded its vaccinations to include third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised individuals, along with its low-cost flu shots.



Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies across the U.S. have been administering COVID-19 vaccines since the vaccination drive began in the U.S. in early 2021. It has also been working to support and care for its communities during the pandemic.



Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies are currently administering third doses to immunocompromised individuals. However, it will only begin administering the booster shots to eligible fully vaccinated Americans once recommendations have been issued by the CDC and FDA.



The third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is of two different types, an additional vaccine dose and a booster shot.



An additional vaccine dose is intended to increase the immune response in immunocompromised individuals who are less able to fight infections and are more vulnerable to infections like the COVID-19 virus.



The Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, which both require two shots, are the only vaccines authorized at this time to be administered as a third dose to people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised.



Meanwhile, a booster shot is a dose of vaccine administered when the initial immune response has begun to fade. This booster dose is most likely to be recommended by medical experts as the next stage to fight COVID-19 infections by prolonging the protections and maximizing the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines.



The medical experts' recommendation is based on data that shows waning immunity around six to eight months after the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. However, the booster doses of the J&J vaccine are expected in the next few weeks as more data is needed to recommend it.



Walmart is already working through its non-profit, community-based and state and local government partnerships to improve access to the vaccine. It has conducted more than 600 community vaccine clinics to date in partnership with local organizations, to help us reach communities and get more shots in arms, especially for those most vulnerable and at risk.



According to the CDC, nearly 203 million people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while more than 171 million are fully vaccinated.



In late May, Walmart teamed up with school districts to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to adolescents through the Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies just in time for summer. The shots were provided with the recently authorized Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged 12 to 15 at school-based vaccine clinics.



Walmart is partnering with the CDC and states to move as quickly as possible to help administer vaccines to eligible populations in participating states through Walmart stores and Sam's Clubs under the U.S. Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.



The retailer is in a position to safely and easily reach customers as about 150 million customers are already shopping for household and health care essentials at their stores. It is already at the heart of many rural and underserved communities as ninety percent of the country lives within 10 miles of a Walmart store.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

WALMART-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
Davis authors op-ed rebutting falsehoods that Firtash had any communication with Giuliani or anyone else to help Trump dig up dirt on President Biden

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lanny J. Davis, attorney for Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash, today asked U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to separate myths from facts about this client, Mr. Firtash. The presidents are meeting today in the White House, and Davis pointed them both to a lengthy piece he authored and posted this morning in RealClearDefense, a prominent defense policy, national security, and foreign affairs media outlet. Davis's piece, which can be found here, sets out and rebuts specific examples of falsehoods about Mr. Firtash that have been widely published in U.S. and European media.

Davis, a Washington D.C. attorney and litigator for over 40 years, is joined in the defense of Mr. Firtash by famous former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb, chairman of the law firm of Winston & Strawn.

According to the piece, in 2013, over 8 years ago, Chicago federal prosecutors announced an indictment of Mr. Firtash of a "scheme" to bribe Indian officials - but they never alleged that Mr. Firtash ever paid any bribes. Yet U.S. and European media repeatedly and falsely publish that Mr. Firtash is charged with "bribery" - despite the clear language of the indictment. Moreover, no Indian authority, after reportedly investigating the allegations, ever charged any Indian official or Mr. Firtash with being part of such a "scheme."

Davis's piece directly rebutted the widely-published assertions that Firtash communicated with either former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani or his associates to assist them and former President Trump in their efforts to "dig up dirt on President Biden and his son."

"That never happened - ever, directly or indirectly," Davis said.

In his piece, Davis reminded President Biden and President Zelensky that among their many common positions and values they "share a record of standing up to bullying and lies by former President Donald Trump." He asked the Presidents to reject the guilt-by-association and "utterly false innuendo" that Mr. Firtash was connected to Giuliani and former President Trump.

"Dmytro Firtash is innocent," Davis said. "He did not participate in any bribery scheme, and moreover, he should not be extradited to the U.S. since the Austrian court found evidence that the extradition request demonstrated impermissible 'political motivation' under the U.S. - Austrian extradition treaty."

Davis ended his piece with a final request of Presidents Biden and Zelensky:

"Facts and truth should count in the court of public opinionWe hope [Presidents Biden and Zelensky] will resist the temptation to be influenced by repeated myths and false innuendo, no matter how many times they are repeated on Google, as surrogates for the truth."

"The dystopian era of Donald Trump's lies and 'alternative facts' should be over," Davis finished.

Davis expressed hope that once Mr. Firtash is vindicated of these baseless charges, his public positions taken in support of "an independent and strong Ukraine" - referring to a previously published op-ed - will be of use to Presidents Biden and Zelensky in helping Ukraine in the months and years ahead.

Op-Ed Link: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/09/01/dmytro_firtash_is_innocent__and_he_can_help_improve_ukraine__us_relations_792531.html

DISSEMINATED BY DAVIS, GOLDBERG & GALPER PLLC, A REGISTERED FOREIGN AGENT, ON BEHALF OF DMITRY FIRTASH. MORE INFORMATION IS ON FILE WITH THE DEPT OF JUSTICE, WASHINGTON DC.
September 13 15, 2021 (Virtual Conference)

Regulatory News:

OSE Immunotherapeutics (Paris:OSE) (ISIN: FR0012127173) today announced it will present at the H.C. Wainwright 23rd Annual Global Investment Conference. The conference is being held virtually on September 13 15, 2021.

Alexis Peyroles, CEO of OSE Immunotherapeutics, will provide an overview of the Company's business during the live presentation and will be available to participate in one-on-one meetings with investors who are registered to attend the conference.

If you are an institutional investor and would like to attend the Company's presentation, please click on the following link to register for the conference: www.hcwevents.com. Once your registration is confirmed, you will be prompted to log into the conference website to request a one-on-one meeting with the Company.

Event: H.C. Wainwright 23rd Annual Global Investment Conference

Session time on-demand presentation: September 13, 2021 at 7:00 A.M. (ET)

Presentation Webcast Link: https://journey.ct.events/view/1b40e088-bf69-4e6c-8e43-dea8f9a58b2d

The presentation will be webcast live and will remain available for 90 days following the live presentation on www.hcwevents.com.

ABOUT OSE Immunotherapeutics

OSE Immunotherapeutics is an integrated biotechnology company focused on developing and partnering therapies to control the immune system for immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases. The company's immunology research and development platform is focused on three areas: T-cell-based vaccination, Immuno-Oncology (focus on myeloid targets), Auto-immunity Inflammation. Its balanced first-in-class clinical and preclinical portfolio has a diversified risk profile:

Vaccine platform

Tedopi (innovative combination of neoepitopes): the company's most advanced product; positive results for Step-1 of the Phase 3 trial (Atalante 1) in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer post checkpoint inhibitor failure.

In Phase 2 in pancreatic cancer (TEDOPaM), sponsor GERCOR.

In Phase 2 in ovary cancer, in combination with pembrolizumab (TEDOVA), sponsor ARCAGY-GINECO.

In Phase 2 in non-small cell lung cancer in combination with nivolumab, sponsor Italian foundation FoRT.

CoVepiT: a prophylactic second-generation vaccine against COVID-19, developed using SARS-CoV-2 optimized epitopes against multi variants. Positive preclinical and human ex vivo results. Voluntary and temporary Phase 1 enrollment suspension on-going (July 2021).

Immuno-oncology platform

BI 765063 (OSE-172, anti-SIRPa mAb on SIRPa/CD47 pathway): developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim in advanced solid tumors; positive Phase 1 results in monotherapy and BI 765063 dose escalation study ongoing in combination with Ezabenlimab (PD-1 antagonist).

CLEC-1 (novel myeloid checkpoint target): identification of mAb antagonists of CLEC-1 blocking the "Don't Eat Me" signal that increase both tumor cell phagocytosis by macrophages and antigen capture by dendritic cells.

BiCKI: bispecific fusion protein platform built on the key backbone component anti-PD-1 (OSE-279) combined with new immunotherapy targets; 2nd generation of PD-(L)1 inhibitors to increase antitumor efficacity.

Auto-immunity and inflammation platform

FR104 (anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody): Licensing partnership agreement with Veloxis in the organ transplant market; ongoing Phase 1/2 in renal transplant (sponsored by the Nantes University Hospital); Phase 2-ready asset in an autoimmune disease indication.

OSE-127/S95011 (humanized monoclonal antibody targeting IL-7 receptor): developed in partnership with Servier; positive Phase 1 results; in Phase 2 in ulcerative colitis (OSE sponsor) and an independent Phase 2a is being conducted in Sjogren's syndrome (Servier sponsor).

OSE-230 (ChemR23 agonist mAb): first-in-class therapeutic agent with the potential to resolve chronic inflammation by driving affected tissues to tissue integrity.

For more information: https://ose-immuno.com/en/

Click and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains express or implied information and statements that might be deemed forward-looking information and statements in respect of OSE Immunotherapeutics. They do not constitute historical facts. These information and statements include financial projections that are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by OSE Immunotherapeutics' management in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate.

These forward-looking statements include statements typically using conditional and containing verbs such as "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "target", "plan", or "estimate", their declensions and conjugations and words of similar import. Although the OSE Immunotherapeutics management believes that the forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, the OSE Immunotherapeutics' shareholders and other investors are cautioned that the completion of such expectations is by nature subject to various risks, known or not, and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of OSE Immunotherapeutics. These risks could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. These risks include those discussed or identified in the public filings made by OSE Immunotherapeutics with the AMF. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. This press release includes only summary information and should be read with the OSE Immunotherapeutics Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on 15 April 2021, including the annual financial report for the fiscal year 2020, available on the OSE Immunotherapeutics' website. Other than as required by applicable law, OSE Immunotherapeutics issues this press release at the date hereof and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information or statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005412/en/

Contacts:

OSE Immunotherapeutics

Sylvie Detry

sylvie.detry@ose-immuno.com

+33 153 198 757

Investor Relations

Thomas Guillot

thomas.guillot@ose-immuno.com

+33 607 380 431

Media

U.S. Media: LifeSci Communications

Darren Opland, Ph.D.

darren@lifescicomms.com

+1 646 627 8387

French Media: FP2COM

Florence Portejoie

fportejoie@fp2com.fr

+33 607 768 283

Guillaume van Renterghem LifeSci Advisors

gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com

+41 76 735 01 31
MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / TempuCheck (OTCPINK:STRH) is proud to announce it will be joining Redcon1 Foundation's Readiness Run in Boca Raton, Florida as a Gold Level Sponsor, on September 11, 2021. The annual Readiness Run is a 5K run or walk to honor and remember the 2,977 lives lost on September 11, 2001.

"It's always been an important part of our mission to give back to the community by supporting military veterans - the true heroes of our county," said Mario Diez, Chief Executive Officer of TempuCheck. "Sponsoring the Readiness Run and honoring the lives impacted by 9/11 is the least we can do to show our gratitude."

Event Details

Date: September 11, 2021

Time: 8:30am-11am

Where: REDCON1 Gym 990 S Rogers Cir STE 7, Boca Raton, FL 33487

Opening Ceremony: 8:30am

5K Starts: 9:11am

Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Redcon1 Foundation, which provides financial support to United States military families that have experienced a hardship. Through their Shield of Honor Program, over $60,000 has been provided directly to military veterans in need of financial assistance. In addition, Redcon1 Foundation has provided more than 1,000 meals to local homeless veterans and donated to the Vets Continue Mission.

TempuCheck is committed to giving back to the community. In addition to continued charitable endeavors, its Automated Temperature Screening Kiosk system is a step towards safer health for all. To learn more about TempuCheck please visit TempuCheck.com.

To register for the Readiness Run, please visit redcon1foundation.com/run.

About TempuCheck

TempuCheck (OTC:STRH) is an automated temperature screening kiosk that helps businesses maintain a safe, secure, and trusted environment. Its technology is equipped with automated facial recognition, allowing for contactless and controlled access points within an organization, building or public event. The Automated Pre-Temperature screen (APT) technology is programmed in more than 20 languages and can be used in a variety of settings including hotel chains, movie theatres and hospitals. For more information about TempuCheck, please visit TempuCheck.com.

About Redcon1 Foundation

The mission of the REDCON1 Foundation is to provide financial support to United States military families that have experienced hardship. Our servicemen and women sacrifice every single day so that we can enjoy our lives back home. They have had our backs, now it's time for us to have theirs. For more information, visit redcon1foundation.com.

For inquiries please contact: info@tempucheck.com

Investor Inquiries:

Star8 Corp.

1-866-316-0808

Safe Harbor

Statements about the Company's future expectations and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. The above information contains information relating to the Company that is based on the beliefs of the Company and/or its management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company or its management. When used in this document, the words "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plans," "projects," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current view of the Company regarding future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties noted. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended or projected. In each instance, forward-looking information should be considered in light of the accompanying meaningful cautionary statements herein. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, successful performance of internal plans, the impact of competitive services and pricing and general economic risks and uncertainties. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: TempuCheck

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662378/TempuCheck-Announces-Gold-Level-Sponsorship-for-Redcon1-Foundations-Readiness-Run
SCOTTSDALE, AZ and VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Certive Solutions Inc. (OTCQB:CTVEF CSE:CBP) ("Certive" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the following:

Annual General and Special Meeting ("AGSM") - Certive announces that the Company will hold the AGSM of its shareholders of record as of August 27, 2021, which has been delayed by Covid-19, in Vancouver at 10:00am PDT on October 6, 2021.

Board of Directors Changes - In conjunction with the AGSM, Certive announces that the Company has nominated Sheila Schweitzer to fill the vacancy resulting from Jack Saltich's decision not to run for re-election to the Company's Board of Directors. The Company appreciates the years of service Mr. Saltich served as an independent director and as chair of the Board's Governance, Compensation and Nominations Committee. It is the intention that Ms. Schweitzer will replace Mr. Saltich in such role. She previously held a position on Certive's Advisory Council and brings with her a valuable understanding and awareness of the Company's ongoing strategic planning and related activities. This change is consistent with the Company's focus on improving the Board's independence, diversification and corporate governance and strengthens Certive's knowledge base in strategic financing and in the healthcare industry.

Up for re-election are four incumbents: Thomas Marreel, Chair & CEO; Timothy Hyland, CFO & Treasurer; Scott Thomas, Senior VP Investor Relations; and Jeff Wareham, Independent Director.

About Sheila Schweitzer - Ms. Schweitzer brings to Certive's Board of Directors significant strategic perspectives, with over 32 years in the healthcare industry, adding a tremendous depth of experience and success as a C-level executive, investor and advisor. Sheila is co-founder of Blue Ox Healthcare Partners (BOHCP), formed as a private equity investment firm providing capital to growth stage healthcare companies. Over the past 30+ years, Sheila has generally focused on the hospital revenue cycle management industry. In such capacity, Sheila has founded several companies and has held numerous executive and association leadership roles over her professional career. Most recently, Sheila and Century Capital formed PatientMatters in 2012, PatientMatters was acquired by First Source. Sheila currently serves as a Director at Orb Health Inc., a Chronic Care Management company. She serves on the Advisory Board of HLM Ventures and Invaryant Inc. Sheila is on the Board of Mitesco Inc. a publicly traded company. Mitesco operates The Good Clinics. In addition, Sheila has served on the Advisory Board of NDCHealth and as a consultant to Wellpoint Health Networks, Inc., Aetna Insurance, the National Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and Mysis Inc, among others. In 2020, Sheila joined the Company's Advisory Council, becoming an advisor to the Company's CEO and CFO.

For more information regarding this announcement, please visit our website at https://certivehealth.com or contact Certive directly at (480) 288-5881.

Scott Thomas

Investor Relations, Certive Solutions Inc.

sthomas@certive.com

About Certive Solutions Inc.

Certive Solutions Inc. (Scottsdale, Arizona) is currently 100% focused on the operations and value proposition of its wholly owned subsidiary, Certive Health Inc., and its subsidiaries. With identical Board of Directors, Management, Advisory Council, Mission and Vision, Certive Solutions is strategically positioned as a public company. All are investors in the company - all have significant networks. Their collective experience, expertise, and relationships is the people-equity upon which the company was founded. Certive Health's vision is making the $3.7 trillion healthcare market better by applying its People-Equity and Capital to solutions in the healthcare communities it serves. Certive Health's revenue cycle services and solutions assist hospitals with the complexity of the reimbursement process and improve their financial and quality performance.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS?

Statements contained in this report that are not statements of historical fact are intended to be and are hereby identified as "forward-looking statements" for purposes of the safe harbor provided by the Reform Act. Forward-looking statements include expressed expectations of future events and the assumptions on which the expressed expectations are based. All forward looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on various expectations and assumptions concerning future events and they are subject to numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected. Due to those uncertainties and risks, the investment community is urged not to place undue reliance on written or oral forward-looking statements of Certive Solutions Inc. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise this Safe Harbor Compliance Statement for Forward-Looking Statements (the "Safe Harbor Statement") to reflect future developments. In addition, Certive undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time.

SOURCE: Certive Solutions, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662390/Certive-Announces-New-Board-Member-and-AGSM
Regulatory News:

Gecina (Paris:GFC):

Pierre-Emmanuel Bandioli has been appointed as Executive Director Residential, with effect from September 1. Three new promotions will further strengthen the residential division's new organization.

Beatrice Judel has been appointed as Commercial Director and Nicolas Broband as Residential Strategic Management Director, while Amaury Blaire will be Director of YouFirst Residence, with operational responsibility for the portfolio of Homya, Gecina's residential subsidiary. Pierre-Emmanuel Bandioli will continue to head up YouFirst Campus.

These four appointments are aligned with the continued transformation of the Group's residential business, driven by the rollout of the YouFirst Residence and YouFirst Campus brands, while ramping up the development of its portfolio of homes for middle class households in major French cities.

Pierre-Emmanuel Bandioli joined Gecina in 2019 as Director of Student Housing Operations.

For its entire residential business, the Group would like to capitalize on his market expertise covering the major regional hubs where the YouFirst Campus activity is already established (Paris, Paris Region, Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille), as well as his client relations experience. Heading up the YouFirst Campus activity, he has notably led the acceleration of the Group's digital transformation, with the creation of a dedicated YouFirst Campus client portal and the digitalization of its processes to make it easier to access its services and simplify its client experience.

Before joining Gecina, Pierre-Emmanuel Bandioli was Commercial Director for White Goods with Beko France. He is an EDC Paris graduate and has a Master's 2 in agroindustry and an Executive MBA from Paris Dauphine University.

The appointments of Beatrice Judel, Nicolas Broband and Amaury Blaire alongside Pierre Emmanuel Bandioli will further strengthen the Residential division's organization and its ambition to transform with a focus on serving the Group's clients. This new organization will continue building on the robust development launched with the creation of the dedicated subsidiary to house the residential portfolio and the strategy rolled out since 2017.

Beatrice Judel is an ENSMA engineer and has nearly 30 years' experience in marketing, communications and sales roles in the real estate, tourism, media and transport sectors. She joined Gecina in September 2018 as Head of Transactions and Marketing for the Residential division.

She was previously Marketing, Digital and Communication Director for the Pierre&Vacances-Center Parcs Group's real estate branch.

As Transformation Director at Gecina, which he joined in 2019, Nicolas Broband leads, with a cross-business approach, the transformation launched by the company around the new YouFirst approach with a view to improving the client experience, further strengthening in-house performance levels and optimizing asset management.

After graduating in humanities (Ecole normale superieure de Lyon), then attending Sciences Po and Ecole nationale d'administration, Nicolas Broband began his career with the French Ministry of Finance.

Amaury Blaire has a degree in chartered accounting and auditing (DEC). He also has a certificate in Management, Internal Control and Risk Management from ESCP Europe and more recently completed an Executive MBA with HEC Paris in 2020. Amaury Blaire joined Gecina in 2010 as a Mission Manager with Internal Audit, before being appointed as Risk and Compliance Director in 2018, then Portfolio Director in 2019. He began his career in 2005 as a Financial Auditor with Deloitte then PwC.

Meka Brunel, Chief Executive Officer:"Drawing on his experience heading up our YouFirst Campus activity, Pierre-Emmanuel Bandioli, with support from Beatrice Judel, Nicolas Broband and Amaury Blaire, will have a mission to launch a new phase in the transformation of YouFirst Residence: integration within the Group's net zero carbon roadmap with CAN0P-2030, rollout of the brand across all of YouFirst Residence's 20,000 clients, acceleration of digitalization, and growth in the residential portfolio with the ramping up of the partnerships established with Nexity and Woodeum. Lastly, I would like to sincerely thank all of the teams who have been working since 2017 to create value and develop our residential business".

About Gecina

As a specialist for centrality and uses, Gecina operates innovative and sustainable living spaces. The Group owns, manages and develops Europe's leading office portfolio, with nearly 97% located in the Paris Region, and a portfolio of residential assets and student residences, with over 9,000 apartments. These portfolios are valued at 20.0 billion euros at end-June 2021.

Gecina has firmly established its focus on innovation and its human approach at the heart of its strategy to create value and deliver on its purpose: "Empowering shared human experiences at the heart of our sustainable spaces". For our 100,000 clients, this ambition is supported by our client-centric brand YouFirst. It is also positioned at the heart of UtilesEnsemble, our program setting out our solidarity-based commitments to the environment, to people and to the quality of life in cities.

Gecina is a French real estate investment trust (SIIC) listed on Euronext Paris, and is part of the SBF 120, CAC Next 20, CAC Large 60, CAC 40 ESG and Euronext 100 indices. Gecina is also recognized as one of the top-performing companies in its industry by leading sustainability benchmarks and rankings (GRESB, Sustainalytics, MSCI, ISS ESG and CDP).

www.gecina.fr

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005806/en/

Contacts:

GECINA

Financial communications

Samuel Henry-Diesbach

Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 52 22

samuelhenry-diesbach@gecina.fr

Virginie Sterling

Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 62 48

virginiesterling@gecina.fr

Press relations

Julien Landfried

Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 65 74

julienlandfried@gecina.fr

Armelle Miclo

Tel: +33 (0)1 40 40 51 98

armellemiclo@gecina.fr
BLACKROCK LATIN AMERICAN INVESTMENT TRUST PLC (the "Company")

LEI: UK9OG5Q0CYUDFGRX4151

Voting Rights and Capital (Article 15 Transparency Directive, DTR 5.6)

In conformity with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rule 5.6.1R, the Company would like to notify the market of the following:

As at 31 August 2021, BlackRock Latin American Investment Trust plc's capital consists of 39,259,620 Ordinary Shares of 10 cents each, carrying one vote each, excluding 2,181,662 ordinary shares held in treasury.

As at 31 August 2021, the total number of voting rights for Ordinary shareholders in BlackRock Latin American Investment Trust plc is 39,259,620.

Shareholders should use 39,259,620 as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company.

All enquiries:

Sarah Beynsberger

BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, Company Secretary

Tel: 0207 743 2639

1 September 2021
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Adcore Inc. (the "Company" or "Adcore") (TSX:ADCO)(OTCQX:ADCOF)(FSE:ADQ)(TSX:ADCO.WT), a leading e-commerce advertising management and automation platform to leverage digital marketing in an effortless and accessible way ("Effortless Marketing"), will be featured on the program "Money Talks With Michael Campbell" on Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 11:30am ET. The broadcast will be available at: https://mikesmoneytalks.ca/

The Money Talks segment will focus on the significant opportunity for investors in the Education Technology sector (EdTech), with a spotlight on Adcore's latest innovation: Amphy, the world's most diverse 24/7 live online learning marketplace, which Adcore formally launched in July 2021. The Amphy platform features a broad selection of live classes on topics ranging from business and language instruction to cooking and fitness, with a strong emphasis on instruction for children and young adults, with the goal of creating a long-term subscriber base. Amphy connects local teachers to a global audience and allows them full flexibility to set their own pricing and schedules. Likewise, students on Amphy's platform can actively participate in live classes tailored to their individual needs and receive personalized, real-time feedback. Since its soft launch earlier this year, the platform has screened and onboarded 300+ teachers and is actively offering 1,000 classes across 70 categories to thousands of students.

Immediately following the broadcast, at 1pm ET, Omri Brill, Chief Executive Officer of Adcore will host a webinar, to provide additional information about Amphy to investors. Interested parties may register in advance for the webinar at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HfiUHWMvQoyLEC5KjyjNdA

Other corporate updates

Adcore also announces that effective August 31, 2021, it has discontinued its investor relations services agreement with Virtus Advisory Group ("Virtus"), pursuant to which Virtus provided certain investor relations consulting services to the Company alongside IMS Investor Relations, which will continue its current role.

"As we strategize our investor relations efforts for the second half of 2021, we believe it makes sense to refresh our IR team in Canada. We appreciate Virtus' contributions to date and would like to thank them for their work on behalf of the Company," commented Omri Brill, Chief Executive Officer of Adcore.

ABOUT ADCORE

Adcore is empowering entrepreneurs, advertisers, and the future of e-commerce through its advertising management and automation platform. By combining extensive industry knowledge and experience with its proprietary artificial intelligence engine, Adcore offers a unique digital marketing solution that empowers entrepreneurs and advertisers by managing and automating their e-commerce store advertising and monitoring and analyzing the performance of their advertising budget to ensure maximum Return on Investment. In addition to being named numerous times on Deloitte's Fast 50 Technology list, Adcore is a certified Google Premier Partner, Microsoft Partner, Facebook Partner and TikTok Partner.

Established in 2006, the Company employs over fifty people in its headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel and satellite offices in Toronto, Canada, Melbourne, Australia, Hong Kong and Shanghai, China.

For more information about Adcore, please visit https://www.adcore.com/investors/

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements about the Company. Wherever possible, words such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "plan," "intend," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict" or "potential" or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof.

Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

For further information please contact:

ADCORE INC.

https://www.adcore.com/investors/

Martijn van den Bemd,

GM North America

Telephone: 647-497-5337

Email: martijn@adcore.com

U.S. Investor Relations

John Nesbett/Jennifer Belodeau

IMS Investor Relations

Telephone: 203-972-9200

Email:jnesbett@imsinvestorrelations.com

SOURCE: Adcore Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662395/Adcore-to-be-Featured-on-Money-Talks-with-Michael-Campbell-Saturday-September-11-2021
Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - AlphaTrion Tech now integrates blockchain technology with its financial services, which helps its AlphaX trading platform get the edge in the competitive market.

AlphaTrion Technology is registered in Cyprus on the 20th of July, 2015 with the Cyprus Registrar of Companies. Founded in 2015 with an objective of building from the start a team with a reliable platform that could help everyone stabilize their earnings in cryptocurrency taking into consideration emotions of investors that might result in losses. AlphaX, a trading platform of AlphaTrion is committed towards revolutionizing cryptocurrency trading owing to the unfavourable trading of cryptocurrencies directly on exchanges due to constant monitoring of positions so as to maximize profits and avoid losses.

FinTech is gaining momentum with interests in the hearts of many particularly investors. The astronomical growth in FinTech aligns with the fact that the integration of technology with financial services is the need of the hour. These technologies do not only improve services but solidify the customer experience as well.

According to Chris Skinner, "Ignoring technological change in a financial system based upon technology is like a mouse starving to death because someone moved their cheese". Sounds hilarious but this is factual and evident as seen from the explosion of financial companies and startups towards a technological dimension in the wake of flowing with the tides. Also, following the evolution in banking from the traditional system in an enclosed brick and mortar building to a tech-enabled system of conducting financial services which is well improved by integrating the blockchain technology as seen from AlphaTrion Technology.

AlphaTrion Technology is bent on propagating FinTech and integrating innovative technological components such as big data and artificial intelligence in reforming trading software bearing in mind the pioneer role AlphaTrion Technology is doing in automated data trading algorithm to disrupt traditional industries.

Sequel to an overwhelming popularity of leveraging on data to optimize data-driven decisions, AlphaTrion takes advantage of the enormous opportunities that characterize cryptocurrency and the benefits of its propriety algorithm.

The desire to educate, support and strive to see investors succeed in their goals are some of the approaches to business adopted by AlphaTrion Technology, with these approaches built around four cornerstone tenets which are:

High Quality Performance: Ensuring a sustainable high return-on-investment with a very low risk despite market conditions.



Competence: Inculcating skills, knowledge, relationships and attitude dedicated to establishing strength.



Diligence: Diligently approaching all work situations with integrity and commitment to duty.



Innovation: Open to new ideas, products, structures, and markets with the hope of creating unique and innovative products to the market.





AlphaTrion-The Leading Arbitrage Technology



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7829/95011_picture1.jpg

AlphaX Trading Platform possess an ardent focus on social trading, user experience and knowledge sharing. The trading platform is built with utmost security in mind, simplicity, and functionality. It is an invaluable tool well equipped for both expert and novice investors.

New investors in AlphaX platform are allowed to enter the highly lucrative crypto assets market with reduced risk and reward expert investors with tokens from their followers after offering value-added services to their follower base.

Benefits of AlphaX Automated Trading Platform

Guaranteed profits Able to operate 24/7 with high-speed auto-trading No transfer time required; less liquidity tied up More markets to arbitrage

On average, traders tend to have at least 2-3 exchange accounts since their tokens are listed on different exchanges. Managing portfolio and trading across different exchanges poses a serious bottleneck and thus, AlphaX remains resolute about addressing this problem.

It is quite challenging for investors to track all profit through many exchanges. Rather, tracking profits through diverse platforms wastes time and consumes energy. AlphaX Portfolio Tracker was designed to address this menace.

In order to manage portfolios and trade effectively and efficiently, compared with other arbitrage software, AlphaX possess the following features:

Simple/Fast Registration Profit sharing program Easy to add Fiat/Crypto World Standard Security 24/7 Customer support Advanced Trading Design Advanced Trading Engine





AlphaX Trading Platform



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7829/95011_picture2.jpg

Conclusively, AlphaX focuses on building a platform that monitors top cryptocurrency exchanges and is continually seeking opportunities in arbitrage and myriads of other trading types in order to initiate these trades with the use of bots.

A veritable advantage of AlphaX is that it has a robust and advanced cross-exchange order book matching with the use of statistical methods to predict potential arbitrage opportunities.

Contact:

AlphaTrion

James Li

contact@alphat.io

Official Website: https://www.alphat.io/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95011
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - IAMGOLD Corporation (TSX: IMG) (NYSE: IAG) ("IAMGOLD" or the "Company") reports that an incident involving the security escort of a convoy of two busses occurred on August 31, 2021 approximately 115 kilometres from the Essakane Gold Mine in Burkina Faso, on the route from Ouagadougou.

The situation has been resolved, with one member of a government security force sustaining injuries. The workforce and local community are otherwise safe. At this time, the Company does not expect any negative impact on production from this incident. The Company continues to monitor and assess the situation and evolve its security protocols.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by, but not limited to, the use of the words "may", "will", "should", "would", "continue", "expect", "expected", "budget", "forecast", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "plan", "schedule", "guidance", "outlook", "potential", "plans", "targeted", "focused", or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, the failure to meet expected, estimated or planned gold production, or to accurately estimate mineral resources or mineral reserves, differences in the mineral content within the material identified as mineral resources or mineral reserves from that predicted, unexpected increases in all-in sustaining costs or other costs, unexpected increases in capital expenditures, operating expenditures and exploration expenditures, changes in development or mining plans due to changes in logistical, technical or other factors, the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, changes in world gold markets and other risks disclosed in IAMGOLD's most recent Form 40-F/ Annual Information Form on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at https://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml and Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com, which are incorporated herein. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by applicable law.

About IAMGOLD

IAMGOLD is a mid-tier gold mining company operating in three regions globally: North America, South America and West Africa. Within these regions the Company is developing high potential mining districts that encompass operating mines, construction, development, and exploration projects. The Company's operating mines include Westwood in Canada, Rosebel (including Saramacca) in Suriname and Essakane in Burkina Faso. A solid base of strategic assets is complemented by the Cote Gold construction project in Canada, the Boto Gold development project in Senegal, as well as greenfield and brownfield exploration projects in various countries located in the Americas and West Africa.

IAMGOLD employs approximately 5,000 people. IAMGOLD is committed to maintaining its culture of accountable mining through high standards of Environmental, Social and Governance practices, including its commitment to Zero Harm, in every aspect of its business. IAMGOLD (www.iamgold.com) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IAG) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: IMG) and is one of the companies on the JSI index1.

1 Jantzi Social Index ("JSI"). The JSI is a socially screened market capitalization-weighted common stock index modeled on the S&P/TSX 60. It consists of companies which pass a set of broadly based environmental, social and governance rating criteria.

For further information please contact :

Indi Gopinathan, VP, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, IAMGOLD Corporation

Tel: (416) 360-4743 Mobile: (416) 388-6883

Philip Rabenok, Manager, Investor Relations, IAMGOLD Corporation

Tel: (416) 933-5783 Mobile: (647) 967-9942

Toll-free: 1-888-464-9999 info@iamgold.com

Please note:

This entire news release may be accessed via fax, e-mail, IAMGOLD's website at www.iamgold.com and through Newsfile's website at www.newsfilecorp.com. All material information on IAMGOLD can be found at www.sedar.com or at www.sec.gov.

Si vous desirez obtenir la version francaise de ce communique, veuillez consulter le https://www.iamgold.com/French/accueil/default.aspx .

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95180
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Nuinsco Resources Limited ("Nuinsco" or the "Company") (CSE:NWI) today announced an intersection of 118.6m of Critical Elements and phosphate mineralization obtained from on-going drill-core sampling at its 100%-owned Prairie Lake project near Terrace Bay, Ontario.

"We continue to see extensive intersections of elements of significant economic interest from the Prairie Lake carbonatite complex. This most recent result brings to seven the number of drill-holes identified by this sampling program with intercepts of 100m or more of Critical Elements - of note this most recent intersection contains 118.6m grading more than 2000g/t combined REEs (see below for tabulated individual REE values)" said Paul Jones, Nuinsco's CEO. "The intersections received to date have been obtained from near surface mineralization that the Company is expecting to use for a resource estimate, there is no indication that mineralization diminishes with depth and the seven intersections reported to date occur over an interval of 530m in the Southwest Area Exploration Target (see map and table below), highlighting the potential scope and value of the mineralization on the project.

As previously reported the mineralization in the Prairie Lake intrusion occurs at surface and extends to unknown depth below the deepest drilling conducted to date (circa 500m vertically). The Prairie Lake complex hosts a suite of elements of economic interest identified as Critical Elements defined under the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan ("CMMP") contained within a very large domain of mineralized rock that is extremely favourably located from a logistical perspective with rail, road, shipping, and power infrastructure already in place. The project hosts a number of elements and compounds of economic interest including those for which demand is projected to substantially increase and for which secure supply chains are sought.

Sampling of diamond drill core from holes NP0806 produced continuous mineralized intersections of 118.6m (from 6.4-125m) of niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), phosphate (P2O5), and rare earth elements (REE) including lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), samarium (Sm), neodymium (Nd) and yttrium (Y) - analytical results are tabulated below. Eighteen drill-holes have been sampled to date, focussing on drill-holes collared to intercept the Southwest (SW) Area (see map below) - this domain measures 1km in length and is between 150m and 750m wide at surface. The SW Area alone hosts an Exploration Target ("ET") of 435-530 million tonnes with grades as tabulated in the "Prairie Lake ET" table below. The sampling will provide information to support the Company's goal of establishing a mineral resource at Prairie Lake.

Hole ID From

(m) To

(m) Width

(m) Rock

Type* P2O5

(%) Nb2O5

(%) Ta2O5

(%) Y

(g/t) La

(g/t) Ce

(g/t) Nd

(g/t) Sm

(g/t) REE

(g/t) NP0806 6.4 36 29.6 CRBT/PYX 3.34 0.100 0.0045 85 325 802 422 73 1707 80 96 16 CRBT 4.14 0.034 0.0014 91 352 796 404 70 1713 Combined extended intersection: NP0806 6.4 125 118.6 4.83 0.040 0.0020 117 384 970 476 93 2040

Principal rock type: CRBT=carbonatite; IJ-PYX BX = breccia with crbt matrix & ijolite or pyroxenite clasts; MEL-IJ = melano-ijolite.

REE = Sum of Y, La, Ce, Nd, Sm; Y - yttrium, La - lanthanum, Ce - cerium, Nd - neodymium, Sm - samarium.

P2O5 - phosphate, Nb2O5 - niobium oxide, Ta2O5 - tantalum oxide, 1g/t = 1 ppm

The Prairie Lake project consists of 46 mineral claims covering an area of ~630 ha. Logistically Prairie Lake is superbly located, with ready access to power, road, rail and shipping infrastructure; it is easily accessed by an all-weather road from the TransCanada Highway 28 kilometres to the south. The mineralization identified is entirely contained within the Prairie Lake carbonatite complex; the ET of 515-630 million tonnes is defined by 59 diamond drill holes with grades as tabulated below.

All samples were analysed by Activation Laboratories (ActLabs) in Ancaster, Ontario. Samples were analysed for a whole rock and trace element ICP analytical package as well as for niobium, tantalum, and zirconium oxides using a fusion XRF method. An internal Quality Control Quality Assurance (QAQC) program was implemented with four QAQC samples (blanks and reference standards) added into the sampling stream.

Prairie Lake Drilling & Trenching by Target Area1:

SW Jim's Showing East NE Other Areas Total Historic Drill Holes (1969-1983) Drill Holes 16 11 1 0 17 45 Metres 1351.7 938.4 34.1 0 1528.5 3852.7 Drill Holes (2007-2010) Drill Holes 21 10 0 0 1 32 Metres 6632 1692.4 0 0 101 8425.4 Trenches (2010) Trenching 1 0 2 2 0 5 Metres 377.7 0 433.0 754.55 0 1562.2

1 Trench lengths are calculated as cumulative length of samples along trench.

Prairie Lake ET2:

SW Jim's Showing East NE Total REEs La (ppm) Lanthanum 275 - 340 295 - 360 305 - 370 200 - 250 280 - 340 Ce (ppm) Cerium 650 - 790 670 - 820 670 - 820 450 - 550 650 - 790 Sm (ppm) Samarium 55 - 70 55 - 70 55 - 70 50 - 60 55 - 70 Nd (ppm) Neodymium 295 - 360 290 - 360 320 - 390 235 - 290 300 - 360 Y (ppm) Yttrium 85 - 100 90 - 110 80 - 100 135 - 170 85 - 100 La+Ce+Sm+Nd+Y (ppm) 1360 - 1660 1400 - 1720 1430 - 1750 1070 - 1320 1370 - 1660 Additional Elements (as oxides) P2O5 (%) Phosphate 3.0 - 4.0 3.5 - 4.5 2.5 - 3.0 2.5 - 3.5 3.0 - 4.0 Nb2O5 (%) Niobium 0.095 - 0.115 0.100 - 0.120 0.040 - 0.050 0.085 - 0.105 0.090 - 0.110 Ta2O5 (ppm) Tantalum 18 - 25 25 - 30 5 - 7 10 - 12 18 - 21 Volume - m3 (million) 140 - 175 12 - 14 13 - 16 2 - 3 170 - 210 Tonnes (million) 435 - 530 35 - 45 40 - 50 7 - 8 515 - 630

2 A full description of methodology used to estimate the Prairie Lake Project Exploration Target is contained in the Technical Report dated 30 November 2018 prepared by P&E Mining Consultants Inc.that is filed on SEDAR. The potential quantity and grade of the ET is conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource. It is uncertain if further exploration will result in the discovery of a mineral resource. There is no National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects preliminary economic assessment in respect of the Prairie Lake ET.

Laura Giroux, P.Geo, Chief Geologist, acts as Nuinsco's Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Ms. Giroux has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release.

About Nuinsco Resources Limited

Nuinsco Resources has over 50 years of exploration success and is a growth-oriented, multi-commodity mineral exploration and development company focused on prospective opportunities in Canada and internationally. Currently the Company has four properties in Ontario - the high-grade Sunbeam gold property near Atikokan, the Dash Lake gold property near Terrace Bay, the large multi-commodity (rare-earths, niobium, tantalum, phosphate) Prairie Lake project near Terrace Bay, and the Zig Zag Lake property (lithium, tantalum) near Armstrong. In addition, Nuinsco has an agreement for gold exploitation at the El Sid project in the Eastern Desert of Egypt.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements." All statements, other than statements of historic fact, that address activities, events or developments that Nuinsco believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate, "expect," and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may," "will," "can," "should," "could," or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of Nuinsco based on information currently available to Nuinsco. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of Nuinsco to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on Nuinsco. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, failure to successfully complete financings, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, production rates varying from estimates, changes in world copper and/or gold markets, changes in equity markets, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions, imprecision in resource estimates, success of future development initiatives, competition, operating performance of facilities, environmental and safety risks, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain tenure to properties and/or necessary permits and approvals, and other development and operating risks. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Nuinsco disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although Nuinsco believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

To learn more, please visit www.nuinsco.ca or contact:

Paul Jones, CEO

paul.jones@nuinsco.ca

Cathy Hume, Consultant

cathy@chfir.com

Instagram: @nuinscoresources

Twitter: @NWIResources

SOURCE: Nuinsco Resources Limited

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662407/Nuinsco-Announces-Seventh-Intersection-of-More-than-100m-of-Continuous-Critical-Elements-Phosphate-Mineralization-at-Prairie-Lake
Four Franchisees to Open Stores in Virginia, Texas, California and Minnesota

Centennial, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii, one of the nation's hottest coffee franchise concepts, continues to deliver on its aggressive franchise growth plan with today's announcement of four new franchise partners who will open 10 new Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii cafes near Dallas, Texas; Alexandria, Va., Orange County, Calif. and Rochester, Minn.

All four franchisees are currently seeking or finalizing initial locations with projected store openings to begin as early as January 2022. The agreements signed for the Northern Virginia, Southern California and Rochester, Minn. locations are multi-unit, multi-year development agreements with Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii.





Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii will soon open new stores in Virginia, Texas, California and Minnesota.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7429/95191_02e23f4d946a8a6e_001full.jpg





The new franchise partners include:

North Dallas

Mahalo e Kope, LLC, was awarded the Dallas market and is currently exploring potential locations.

Northern Virginia

L2 Ohana Cafe, LLC, will open three locations in the Northern Virginia/DC area and have targeted the Alexandria, Va. area for its first cafe.

Inland Empire

Bica Borba, LLC, will expand the Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii footprint in Orange County, Calif. by targeting sites in Chino, Riverside and Ontario.

Rochester

TTB Holdings, LLC, is beginning construction on their first location in Rochester, Minn. Two additional locations are planned.

"We're excited to welcome these new franchisees to our 'ohana (family) and know that they will all be amazing ambassadors of 'Aloha Spirit,'" said Scott Snyder, CEO of Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. "The addition of these new locations not only validates initial success with our national expansion strategy, but also demonstrates the brand's appeal and demand away from traditional destination locations."

All of the new franchisees cited Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii's leadership team, rejuvenated brand, product quality, commitment to the community and the strong feeling of 'ohana as deciding factors in their decision to franchise.

"We were attracted to the vibe and energy of Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii along with its true and honest team," said Richard Lee, who, along with Michelle Lee, will be operating in Northern Virginia. "Our decision to move forward with this investment was made after we experienced and understood firsthand from our interactions with the corporate team what the true meaning of 'ohana was all about."

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii plans to open 150 new locations over the next 5 years. Franchises are available throughout the United States as the brand expands in various markets on the mainland.

For more information on franchise opportunities with Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii, visit www.badasscoffeefranchise.com.

About Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii was born on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1989 and is dedicated to sharing premium Hawaiian coffees "with a kick" from the Hawaiian Islands through more than 20 U.S. and international franchise locations, with more to open soon. Today, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii stores also serve popular blended drinks, teas, food, along with other international premium coffees and sell popular branded merchandise with exceptional service and the Aloha Spirit. Bad Ass Coffees are available in franchise stores, online and will soon be available through grocery, hospitality, and specialty retail channels. The Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii brand and franchise is owned by Royal Aloha Franchise Company, LLC. For more information, visit badasscoffee.com and connect on Facebook and Instagram @badasscoffeeofhawaii. Franchise information is available at badasscoffeefranchise.com.

Contact: Melissa Morris

info@royalaloha.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95191
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - Altiplano Metals Inc. (TSXV: APN) (WKN: A2JNFG) ("Altiplano" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the progress of the processing application at the El Penon mill site to support the Farellon Copper-Gold (Cu-Au) mine located near La Serena, Chile.

Altiplano's permitting application has been approved by the Chilean mining authority SERNAGEOMIM to complete the construction of the 5,000 tonne/month processing facility located 15 kms from Farellon. With this approval, the Company can immediately begin the final construction and assembly of the plant. The plant will host crushing and grinding equipment and a full flotation plant with sufficient capacity to process up to 5,000 tonnes/month of copper-gold feed from the Company's Farellon mine. This equipment is currently on site in anticipation of the commencement of the construction phase. In addition, the necessary civil engineering work in advance of the next phase have all been completed. This work includes pouring of cement foundations and flooring for the plant and concrete supports for the mill and crushers, installation of electrical lines, preparation for waterlines and the construction of a security perimeter fence.

CEO Alastair McIntyre comments, "I am pleased that the approval process for the mill construction and the copper-gold flotation process has been completed and we can now turn our focus on getting the mill up and running. This is an important next step for the Company as the mill will provide significant savings in terms of processing and trucking costs and improve the recovery of contained metals which will ultimately improve our bottom line. Our goal is to produce the first concentrate at El Penon in 2021 and I will be pleased to provide regular updates on this progress."

About Altiplano

Altiplano Metals Inc. (TSXV: APN) is a Canadian mining company focused on the acquisition and development of near-term cash flowing assets and exploration projects of significant scale. Altiplano's goal is to grow into a mid-tier producer of copper, gold, and silver with immediate plans of generating profits from three cash flowing projects in 2021. Management has a substantial record of success in capitalizing on opportunity, overcoming challenges and building shareholder value.

John Williamson, B.Sc., P.Geol., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this document

Altiplano is part of the Metals Group of companies, managed by an award-winning team of professionals who stand for technical excellence, painstaking project selection and uncompromising corporate governance, with a proven ability to capitalize on investment opportunities and deliver shareholder returns.

www.metalsgroup.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

/s/ "John Williamson"

Chairman





For further information, please contact:



Alastair McIntyre, President and CEO.

alastairm@apnmetals.com

Tel: (416) 434-3799

Jeremy Yaseniuk, Director

jeremyy@apnmetals.com

Tel: (604) 773-1467

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the (TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify any historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and the issuer is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The Farellon mine was previously in production dating back to the 1970's with a reported historical production (to a depth of 70 m) yielding approximately 300,000 tonnes at an average grade of 2.5% copper and 0.5g/t gold. This material was processed locally and sold to ENAMI. Altiplano is relying upon past production records, underground sampling and related activities and current diamond drilling to estimate grade and widths of the mineralization to reactivate production. The decision to commence production on the Farellon deposit is not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability and there is increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks of failure associated with any production decision. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and delays due to third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95045


SEATTLE (dpa-AFX) - Online retail giant Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) said on Wednesday that the company plans to hire around 55,000 people for corporate and technology jobs in the upcoming months.



The news was revealed by Chief Executive Andy Jassy in his first interview given to Reuters, since taking over the reins from Jeff Bezos in July this year.



Jassy said that the hiring process was initiated as the company needed more people to keep up with the increasing demand in retail, cloud and advertising, among other businesses. The Chief Executive also added that the company was also planning to hire workers for Project Kuiper, the company's constellation of miniature satellites sent into space to provide high-speed broadband access.



All the job openings are in the areas of retail, advertising and cloud computing. These businesses benefited a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic as more and more people were ordering things online.



The company said that the addition of the new staff will increase its global, corporate and technology staff, which is presently around 275,000, by 20 percent. Of the newly announced 55,000 jobs announced, 40,000 will be based in the United States, while the remaining will be in India, Germany and Japan.



The positions for which Amazon is hiring include engineering, research science and robotic science, all of which are new openings as far as the company is concerned.



Citing Amazon's annual job fair, which will open on September 15, Jassy said that the company hopes to hire more people as it is a 'good time for recruiting.'



The Chief Executive said, 'There are so many jobs during the pandemic that have been displaced or have been altered, and there are so many people who are thinking about different and new jobs. It's part of what we think makes Career Day so timely and so useful.'



In 2020, Amazon hired nearly 500,000 people for various positions.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Skeena Resources Limited (TSX:SKE)(OTCQX:SKREF) ("Skeena" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has filed on SEDAR the independent NI 43-101 Prefeasibility Study ("PFS") Technical Report for the Eskay Creek gold-silver project ("Eskay Creek") as per the Company's news release dated July 22, 2021. A copy of the Technical Report is also located on the Eskay Creek project page of the Company's website.

Qualified Persons

In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, Paul Geddes, P.Geo. Vice President Exploration and Resource Development, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has validated and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release.

Sheila Ulansky, P.Geo., Senior Resource Geologist for SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., is an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI43-101 and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. Ms. Ulansky is responsible for the 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate for the Eskay Creek Project.

Robert Raponi, P.Eng, Principal Metallurgist for Ausenco Engineering Canada Inc., is an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI43-101 and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. Mr. Raponi is responsible for processing, process and infrastructure capital and operating cost estimation, financial analysis and marketing in the PFS.

Scott Elfen, P.E., Global Practice Lead Geotechnical Services - Ausenco Engineering Canada, Inc is an independent Qualified Person as define by NI43-101 and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. Mr. Elfen is responsible for site wide geotechnical program, tailings and PAG waste rock storage facility and water management tailings and waste rock storage facilities in the PFS.

Willie Hamilton, P.Eng, Mining Engineer for AGP Mining Consultants Inc., is an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI43-101 and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. Mr. Hamilton is responsible for the mineral reserve, mine capital and operating cost estimation as well as the mine design in the PFS.

Rolf Schmitt, P.Geo, Technical Director for ERM is an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI43-101 and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. Mr. Schmitt is responsible for the environmental, permitting and social aspects of the PFS.

Adrian Dance, P.Eng, Principal Consultant (Metallurgy) for SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., is an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI43-101 and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. Dr. Dance is responsible for mineral processing and metallurgical testing in the PFS.

The Company strictly adheres to CIM Best Practices Guidelines in conducting, documenting, and reporting the exploration and development activities on its projects.

About Skeena

Skeena Resources Limited is a Canadian mining exploration and development company focused on revitalizing the past-producing Eskay Creek gold-silver mine located in Tahltan Territory in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company released a Prefeasibility Study for Eskay Creek in July 2021 which highlights an open-pit average grade of 4.57 g/t AuEq, an after-tax NPV5% of C$1.4B, 56% IRR, and a 1.4-year payback at US$1,550/oz Au. Skeena is currently completing both infill and exploration drilling to advance Eskay Creek to full Feasibility by Q1 2022. Additionally, the Company continues exploration programs at the past-producing Snip gold mine.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Resources Limited,

Walter Coles Jr.

President & CEO

Contact Information

Investor Inquiries: info@skeenaresources.com

Office Phone: +1 (604) 684-8725

Company Website: www.skeenaresources.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains statements and information which constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or our future performance. The use of words such as "contemplates," "generates," "targets," "is projected," "is planned," "considers," "estimates," "expects," "is expected," "potential" and similar expressions, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may," "might," "will," "could," or "would" be taken, achieved, or occur, may identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Specific forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the results of the PFS, completion of a feasibility study, processing capacity of the mine, anticipated mine life, probable reserves, estimated project capital and operating costs, sustaining costs, results of test work and studies, planned environmental assessments, the future price of metals, metal concentrate, and future exploration and development. Such forward-looking statements are based on material factors and/or assumptions which include, but are not limited to, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters. Such forward-looking statements represent the Company's management expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances on the date the statements are made, and are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date hereof, are not guarantees of future performance. Actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein, and are subject to significant operational, business, economic, and regulatory risks and uncertainties. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the forward-looking statements in this release include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including permitting and other government approvals; changes in economic conditions, including changes in the price of gold and other key variables; changes in mine plans and other factors, including accidents, equipment breakdown, bad weather and other project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of the Company; environmental risks and unanticipated reclamation expenses; and other risk factors identified in the Company's 2020 Annual Information Form dated March 25, 2021, and in the Company's other periodic filings with securities and regulatory authorities that are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligations to update and/or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Skeena Resources Limited

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662449/Skeena-Files-Prefeasibility-Study-Technical-Report-for-Eskay-Creek
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - Gunpoint Exploration Ltd. (TSXV: GUN) ("Gunpoint or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Cindy Ieong, CPA, CA, as Chief Financial Officer effective September 1, 2021.

Ms. Ieong is a Canadian chartered accountant with 12 years of progressive senior level experience to mining and construction companies in areas of finance, treasury management and risk analysis.

Randy Reifel, Chairman and President states, "I am very pleased to welcome Cindy Ieong to the Company. Cindy brings great energy and breadth of experience which will be an important role as Gunpoint advances the Talapoosa gold project located in Nevada. The Company also extends its appreciation to Sam Wong for his dedication and contribution as the CFO over the last nine years. We wish Sam continued success in his future endeavors."

For more information on Gunpoint, please contact Randy Reifel at (604) 731-1094.

GUNPOINT EXPLORATION LTD.

"P. Randy Reifel"

P. Randy Reifel

President

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95240
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2021 / Toby Chu, Chairman and CEO of CIBT Education Group Inc. (TSX:MBA)(OTCQX:MBAIF) ("CIBT" or the "Company"), has issued a statement in response to a news article recently published about the ongoing development and delays of the Atmosphere Project in Richmond, B.C.

"In March 2018, CIBT's subsidiary, Global Education City (Richmond) Limited Partnership, purchased two of the seven buildings to be constructed at the Atmosphere Project," said Toby Chu. "Please refer to the Company's news release of April 3, 2019 for an overview of the Atmosphere Project: https://cibt.net/blog/2019/04/03/cibt-provides-update-global-education-city-richmond-2/.

"While it is unfortunate that the developer has been unable to meet its construction schedule, CIBT plans to take all actions open to it so that the Atmosphere Project can fulfill its original purpose," continued Mr. Chu. "We see excellent opportunities in Vancouver's booming real estate market and the Atmosphere Project has many positive attributes and could become another flagship project for CIBT's subsidiary, Global Education City Holdings Inc."

The Company expects to provide additional information about the status of the Atmosphere Project in the coming weeks.

About CIBT Education Group:

CIBT is one of Canada's largest education services and academic real estate companies. With a global presence since 1994, CIBT employs nearly 600 staff at 45 business locations and operates a global network of 2,500 recruitment agents. In 2020, the group provided education, student recruitments and accommodation services to over 11,000 students. Its real estate portfolio, including operating assets and development budget, exceeds $1.5 billion.

CIBT's education subsidiaries include Sprott Shaw College (established in 1903), Sprott Shaw Language College, Vancouver International College Career Campus, CIBT School of Business and Global Education Alliance. These subsidiaries offer over 150 accredited educational programs in healthcare, business, e-commerce, cyber-security, hotel management, language training and recruitment services at 29 locations in Canada and abroad.

CIBT's real estate subsidiary, Global Education City Holdings Inc. ("Global Holdings"), develops and manages academic assets such as student-centric rental apartments, corporate housing, hotel and education super-centres. Since 2015, Global Holdings has provided B2B accommodation service to 90 schools in Metro Vancouver and B2C direct registration of 6,000 students from 71 countries. The GEC branded portfolio comprises 10 projects, 15 buildings spanning nearly 1.5 million square feet, including operational, under-construction and development properties.

CIBT also owns Irix Design Group Inc. ("Irix Design"). Irix Design is a leading design and advertising company that services over one hundred corporate clients, including CIBT. Visit us online at www.cibt.net .

Toby Chu

Chairman, President & CEO

CIBT Education Group Inc.

Investor Relations Contact: 1-604-871-9909 extension 318 or | Email: info@cibt.net

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (the "forward-looking statements") about CIBT and its plans. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, the statement thatCIBT will take all actions open to it so that the Atmosphere Project can fulfill its original purpose. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors (collectively, the "Risks") that could cause CIBT's actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward-looking statements. The first mortgagee has ceased funding and called its loan, and it is likely that the Atmosphere Project will end up in court proceedings; accordingly, the Risks include, without limitation, the possibility that the court ultimately approves a sale of the project that results in prior mortgagees being repaid in whole or in part and Global Education City (Richmond) Limited Partnership being repaid in full or in part or not at all. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions and expectations of CIBT's management at the time they are made, and CIBT does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances should change, except as may be required by law. If CIBT updates any forward-looking statement(s), no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: CIBT Education Group Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/662461/CIBT-Comments-on-the-Current-State-of-Richmond-Atmosphere-Project
Beverly Hills, California--(Newsfile Corp. - September 1, 2021) - In the Marketing Masterclass series on the Mission Matters podcast, a Los Angeles-based interview style podcast with over 3000+ episodes to date, Zaman shares the knowledge he has gained in his decades of experience with web growth. The latest episode discusses how businesses can create search engine-friendly website content that also converts.







Episode 7: Episode#7 of Mission Matters Marketing Masterclass Series with Qamar Zaman and Adam Torres Shares Advice on How to Write Content that Ranks on Google

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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"It is not about how to rank first or number one on Google, but how to do good work so you will ultimately always rank and not drop off," says Qamar, who is the author of two educational books on website growth ("THE MYSTERY BEHIND GOOGLE MAPS RANKING: How to Rank Your Business Higher" and "Build Google Knowledge Panel Using Press Releases [Step by Step Guide]").

In this Episode # 7 podcast episode, Mr. Zaman explains:

Ranking in Google search engine results pages (SERPs)

How to avoid being sold unnecessary SEO services

The importance of website contents

Considering your content's consumers

Top tips for content structure to rank in Google

Objection handling and creating "should ask" questions

How to conduct your own keyword research without paying for expensive SEO tools

Crucial content mistakes to avoid

Listen to the full podcast episode here.

About KISS PR

KISS PR is a cutting edge digital growth company that was founded in 2003 by Qamar Zaman in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, and is considered a leader in the industry. Zaman spent several years building relationships with top influencers in the legal, business, health sciences and technology fields, and continues to assist elite law firms and businesses in reaching new heights. KISS PR enables businesses to grow their online presence and save time and money while growing their businesses. Brands around the world have benefited from this unique storytelling model. Over 31,000 stories have been told by KissPR, and we continue to help small businesses achieve their dreams. https://kisspr.com/.

About Qamar Zaman







Rated by the peers: Markitors in the "Best Dallas SEO Companies, Experts, Consultants Markitors Best Dallas SEO Companies"

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8033/95249_f9716f73c4e61b04_002full.jpg

"Qamar specializes in marketing and SEO for professional businesses including eCommerce companies, banks, and most notably- law firms. In addition to SEO service, he provides market research, content marketing, brand marketing, lead generation, and SEM services.

Why they're one of the best SEO experts for small businesses in Dallas? Qamar brings with him two decades of experience in SEO for lawyers. He has written a book on Local SEO and comes highly recommended by his satisfied clients." Source: Markitors Best Dallas SEO Companies

In addition to his membership to the Forbes Agency Council, which is an invitation-only community of leaders from the PR, marketing, creative, and ad industry, Qamar has written for publications such as Huffington Post and Forbes. Qamar's digital growth agency, KISS PR, helps an international client base, in niches ranging from air filtration to family law to commercial real estate, build an online presence that actually converts to clients.

About Mission Matters Podcast

Mission Matters Business Podcast with Adam Torres. Interviews are released daily featuring leaders in a 10-15 minute format. Our podcast is designed for busy people on the move. No fluff. Mission Matters Business with Adam Torres on Apple Podcasts

Find the podcast on your preferred listening platform:

Youtube: https://youtu.be/SvPEi6eA8Rs

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/713046553505060090

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/p/CQwHO5ggQJR/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/i/status/1410277973241040902

Facebook: https://fb.watch/6smnvSokxl/

Media Contact

Tara@kisspr.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/95249
Daniel Yanisse, Checkr CEO

Checkr, a San Francisco CA-based HR technology company, raised $250M in Series E funding, valuing it at $4.6 billion.

The round was led by Durable Capital, Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC and Franklin Templeton with participation from BOND Capital, Khosla Ventures, IVP, T. Rowe Price, Coatue, Accel and Y Combinator.

The company, which has raised $550m to date, intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach.

Led by Daniel Yanisse (CEO), Checkr provides HR technology that initiate and review background checks. The company leverages automation to process over 30 million background checks annually using artificial intelligence to make them faster, easier, more accurate and compliant. Its API first products support tens of thousands of customers in a variety of hiring use cases.

Customers include Lyft, Instacart, Netflix, Adecco, Airbnb, Drift, Coinbase and more than tens of thousands of customers from SMBs to Fortune 500 employers.



FinSMEs

01/09/2021
Humane, Inc., a San Francisco, CA-based an experience company that creates personal technology for the intelligence age, raised $100m in Series B funding round.

The round was led by Tiger Global Management, with participation from SoftBank Group, BOND, Forerunner Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures LLC, Sam Altman, Lachy Groom, Kindred Ventures, Marc Benioffs TIME Ventures, Valia Ventures, NEXT VENTURES, Plexo Capital and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

The company intends to use the funds to continue to scale operations.

Humane is a place where people can truly innovate through a genuine collaboration of design and engineering, said Humane co-founders Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno. We are an experience company that creates products for the benefit of people, crafting technology that puts people first  a more personal technology that goes beyond what we know today. Were all waiting for something new, something that goes beyond the information age that we have all been living with. At Humane, were building the devices and the platform for what we call the intelligence age. We are committed to building a different type of company, founded on our values of trust, truth and joy. With the support of our partners, we will continue to scale the team with individuals who not only share our passion for revolutionizing the way we interact with computing, but also for how we build.

FinSMEs

01/09/2021
Warpin, a Stockholm, Sweden-based startup that provides innovative brands with a one-stop-shop for immersive technology, raised 600K in seed funding.

The round was led by Katarina von Horn (Goalcon, MinStoraDag) and Alexis Barnekow (CEO of Chatflights International).



The company intends to use the funds to expand its team and further develop its Xelevate platform.



Founded in 2017 by CEO Emma Ridderstad and CTO Patrik Buckau, Warpin specializes in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and extended reality (XR), providing clients with VR training experiences for employees, in addition to advising companies on how to strategically launch AR content. The company has a broad experience spanning several industries, but specialises in retail, marketing and PR. Warpin Media AB provides a licensed platform for training in XR, and helps its clients create adapted employee learning content.

The Xelevate platform allows companies to create, scale and streamline high quality VR and AR training courses for improving the proficiency and engagement of employees.



Clients include H&M, Facebook, the Swedish Migration Agency, the Swedish postal service PostNord, Swedish health tech innovator Kry (Livi), the World Childhood Foundation, and Jacob Fellander, an outdoor AR Art Exhibition currently showing in Berlin and Stockholm.

FinSMEs

01/09/2021
A lot of questions were raised at the Aug. 24 Martin City Council meeting. Brought into question were the spending by the city, the lack of a law enforcement presence and the number of employees on the payroll.

The council hasnt met in person the past two month, due to Mayor Sam Howell falling ill just before last months meeting. Last months meeting, officials said, was supposed to include a presentation by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, who were not informed of the meetings cancellation.

Council member Bonita Compton, took issue with the approval of purchases for the months of June and July 2021.

Mayor, I have major questions on this, Compton said.

Referring to police protection in the city, Compton noted the departments absence.

Were spending $8,900 a month, not counting gas, for police protection. Thats a whole lot of money to spend for nobody to be in the city, Compton said.

Compton also questioned the citys need for six city employees, when Martins population sits at just under 450, according to the 2019 US Census.

Also, we have six city workers that we spent $11,421, plus, tourism is paying some city workers to work I think something needs to be done about this, Compton said.

She also pointed to the lack of city improvements though the money is being paid out each month.

I dont know if youve been to our city and looked at it, but I dont know where $12,000 worth of work is going, said Compton. I will not approve any approvals. Any of this. Im sorry, but I did not support this kind of spending and the hours we have no idea what any of these people are working, but this is ridiculous, Compton said.

Compton made clear the spending must be reigned in.

You look at our payroll for the month, mayor. Youre talking in excess, way over $20,000, said Compton.

Martin Mayor Sam Howell, who wasnt present at the meeting, however, but who joined via conference call, didnt dismiss Comptons claims.

Ive actually looked over that. I havent seen it this month, Howell said.

Howell proposed making changes to the way the city operates.

Well , we probably need to restructure some of this, said Howell, to which Compton replied, Its mind boggling, Sam, its mind boggling.

The mayor didnt disagree with Comptons assessment.

Im not disagreeing, Im not saying that. I do think things need to be restructured and done different, said Howell.

Howell suggested each council member write down grievances they have, or what particular things they would like to see come to fruition.

Once we discuss it, I will come around and discuss it with each individual, Howell said.

The mayor then asked for a motion to approve the purchases for June and July of this year. After a long silence, councilman Jeff Powell made the motion to approve, which was seconded by Harold Case.

The purchases were approved with three voting yes, with council member April Gayheart abstaining. Compton was the lone no vote.

The US Army Corp of Engineers gave an update on the construction going on in the city. Engineers had originally slated work to be finished by Aug. 31, but the completion that has since been pushed back to sometime after with no specific date.

Once work is finished, it will be a boon to the local economy by making the City of Martin more accessible, officials said.
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Samsung just launched the Galaxy A52s, the companys latest mid-range A series phone in India, after it was introduced earlier this month. It has a 6.5-inch Full HD+ 120Hz AMOLED screen, same as the predecessor and retains the same 64MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro and 5MP portrait cameras and a 32MP front camera, and also has IP67 ratings for water resistance, as well as 4500mAh battery with 25W fast charging, but this replaces the Snapdragon 750G with the latest Snapdragon 778G with support for 12 5G bands.

It runs Android 11 with One UI 3.1 on top. Samsung promises 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of security updates for the phone.

Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G specifications

6.5-inch FHD+ (10802400 pixels) Super AMOLED Infinity-O Display with 120Hz refresh rate, up to 800 nits brightness

Octa Core (4 x 2.4GHz + 4 x 1.8GHz Kryo 670 CPUs) Snapdragon 778G 6nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 642L GPU

6GB / 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128GB (UFS 2.1) internal storage, expandable up to 1TB via micro SD card

Android 11 with Samsung One UI 3.1

Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD)

64MP rear camera with f/1.8 aperture, OIS, 12MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture, 5MP depth sensor and 5MP macro camera with f/2.2 aperture

32MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture

In-display Fingerprint sensor

Samsung Pay

3.5mm audio jack, Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos

Water resistant (IP67)

Dimensions: 159.975.18.4mm; Weight: 189g

5G (N1, N3, N5, N7, N8, N20, N28, N38, N40, N41, N66, N78 bands), Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C, NFC

4500mAh battery with 25W fast charging

The Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G comes in Awesome Violet, Awesome White and Awesome Black colours, and is priced at Rs. 35,999 for the 6GB RAM with 128GB storage version and the 8GB RAM with 128GB storage version costs Rs. 37,499. It will be available from Samsung.com and other online and offline retailers starting today.

Launch offers

Cashback of Rs. 3000 on HDFC Bank Credit Card, Debit Card and EMI transactions or avail an exchange bonus of Rs, 3000 when you upgradeold smartphone.

Attractive No Cost EMI offers, with zero down payment and zero processing charges, across major banks and NBFC partners.

Commenting on the launch, Aditya Babbar, Senior Director and Head, Mobile Marketing, Samsung India, said:

Continuing the philosophy of Galaxy A Series of making innovations accessible to all, we are delighted to launch the Galaxy A52s 5G in India. The stylish design is complemented with powerful Snapdragon 778G processor and best in segment features like 120Hz refresh rate display, OIS enabled camera and IP67 rating, thereby making it a perfect package for gaming, content creation and more. With Samsung 5G guarantee of 12 bands support and 3 years of OS upgrades, consumers can be assured that they will be among the first to experience the benefits of 5G.
Paxton, IL (60957)

Today

Mostly cloudy. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High near 90F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
LUCEDALE, Miss. (WALA)  A George County High School student is fighting for her life after major highway collapsed Monday, dragging seven cars into a deep crater.

Law enforcement authorities said the accident on Mississippi 26 claimed the lives of two men and injured 10 other people.

Layla Jamison, a senior at the high school, was one of the unlucky to be there when the road crumbled. Tuesday evening, a couple hundred fellow students and area residents gathered in the school parking lot to pray for her recovery.

Im not gonna lie, its been a rough day, family friend Melanie Riley told those gathered. Its been an emotional day.

Riley and school principal Sid Taylor said Layla made it through a first round of surgeries on Tuesday at the University of South Alabama Health Systems University Hospital in Mobile. Riley said Laylas parents appreciate the outpouring of support they have received.

Theyre thankful for every call, for every text, for every share on social media, she said. But the most thing that theyre thankful for are prayers. And they have felt them all day.

None of the motorists traveling on Mississippi 26 in dark and rainy conditions had any idea what was about to happen. Law enforcement officials said the road had been pounded by Hurricane Ida and its aftermath, and simply fell apart, sending vehicles into a giant, muddy chasm.

Nearby resident Kyle Green noted that the road is an important thoroughfare for the rural county and added that the disaster could have been even worse.

If it had been an hour, two hours earlier, you know, theres 18-wheelers up and down this road, he told FOX10 News.

Green said he and his wife were watching a movie at about 10 p.m. Monday night when they heard a loud boom.

It was already bad weather. So we were thinking that it was just thunder, you know, and we went and laid down in our bed, he said. We heard it again, the crash.

Green said he looked outside and saw a car moving across the road but never saw it emerge on the other side of the nearby church. Thats when he knew something was wrong. He said he drove his truck over to see what was going on and saw the horror for himself.

As I pulled up further, then I could see it, he said. And it was quite a mess.

The accident hits home, Green said, and not just because it was physically close to his actual home. He said his wife works as a teacher with the wife of one of the men who died.

On Tuesday, work crews erected barriers blocking traffic, and curious folks got a first-hand look in the daylight.

George County Sheriffs Deputy Daniel Mathis was there Monday night, having responded from the other side of the county. He was one of more than 100 first responders.

My sergeant and the other deputy that I work with was down in the hole, helping people out of their vehicles and strapping them on backboards, he said.

Mathis said he helped get the victims on to ambulances within to take them to area hospitals.

Taylor, the high school principal, said the turnout at Tuesdays prayer vigil was a testament to a community that rallies when tragedy strikes. He recalled seeing news of the accident on TV.

There was no more sleeping for me, he said.

Taylor said it is encouraging that Layla had a successful round of surgeries. But he added that she remains in critical condition.

Im not going to sugarcoat it, he told the crowd. Shes fighting for her life.
FILE - In this June 24, 2021, file photo, crowds walk through the casino during the opening night of Resorts World Las Vegas in Las Vegas. Elected officials in tourism-dependent Las Vegas worried Tuesday, July 20, 2021, about public health and the economic effects of a spike in COVID-19 cases, particularly the highly contagious delta variant. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
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AIKEN, SC (AP)  At least two children in South Carolina have died of COVID-19 this month as schools have reported thousands of cases among students and staff.
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A Lebanon man has been arrested and arraigned on several charges following an incident involving a high-powered pellet gun being fired into a neighboring residence.

The Lebanon Police Department responded to a report of shots fired in the 2200 block of Chelsea Way at about 3:47 a.m. on Tuesday.

No one was harmed in the incident, though a projectile narrowly missed a police sergeants head, according to an LPD news release.

The 911 caller described a bedroom window being shot at with some type of bullet. A patrol sergeant was inspecting the damage to the window inside the Lebanon residence when a second shot came through the glass near the sergeants head.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald.

Additional officers responded and located projectiles inside the residence. Lebanon Police detectives investigated neighboring houses and police say they contacted Daniel Aaron Brewer, 50, who admitted to firing two rounds from a high-powered pellet gun through the neighbors window.

He was taken into custody without incident and lodged in the Linn County Jail.
But Biden also knew Trump hadnt done any of the tough things he needed to do for Americas Afghan allies who would be left to fight the war without U.S. or NATO forces in even a supporting role. Bidens top two advisers were his former Senate and vice presidential aides  Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who were skilled at helping Biden do what he wanted done.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald.

Both knew well that Biden was determined to withdraw all U.S. troops on a date certain, just as Trump had done. All three of them were quite public in explaining their options as if it was just a binary choice: withdraw or keep fighting an unwinnable forever war. So in April Biden announced he would withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021, apparently thinking it was smart to use the 9/11 two-decade anniversary. Many others thought it was unwise and un-cute. The Taliban hated it and re-upped its war-making.

Then Biden made his real problem worse. To show his withdrawal was proceeding successfully, he moved his final pullout date even earlier  to Aug. 31. The Taliban made Bidens choice as its demand deadline and desperate Afghans who included Americas former civilian translators rushed to funnel frantically into the one small getaway site that America had selected: the one-runway Kabul airport.
Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) was correct when she said Its time to start blaming the unvaccinated for the current surge in COVID-19 cases.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and independent research centers highlight the fact that more than 97% of all new cases derive from people who have chosen for whatever reason to ignore the advice of public health officials, medical experts and medical personnel treating COVID cases, about the risks they pose to themselves and others by refusing to get the jab, as some call it.

Interestingly, this vaccine hesitancy is predominant, but not exclusively, among voters who supported the former president. And it is within Republican-led states where the cases have surged the most. Florida is the most outstanding example of this trend. Even here in Oregon, as reported by The Oregonian, low vaccination rates by county track with support for the former president.

Isnt it time for Republicans, anti-vaxxers and others who doubt the efficacy of the vaccines to step up and help the rest of us get back to something approximating a normal life?

Robert B. Harris, Ph.D.

Albany

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Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Participants smile during the 2021 Brass Band Festival, one of many local events supported by the the Adams County Arts Councils STAR grant program, for which applications are now being accepted. The festival took place in June through the coordination by Ben Jones and the Brass Band Festival committee and the collaboration of 234 musicians, according to the arts council.
Gettysburg, PA (17325)

Today

Some clouds. Low 68F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 68F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

Partly cloudy. High 74F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 49F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
The painful exodus from Afghanistan has made many losers. The people who worked for the occupying forces were left behind and betrayed. The entire Afghan population will suffer under the Taliban yoke. And the Western powers who left have lost their reputation, along with their illusions that a rule-based multilateral order can be enforced according to their own standards only.

Europe had to come to terms with its total ineffectiveness as a global geopolitical player. In the capitals of the old continent, many entertained the naive illusion that President Bidens America is back slogan meant Washington would treat Europeans as equal partners. This fantasy was short-lived. In essence, President Bidens policies have amounted to less cooperation than under the America first days of President Trump. The new administration seems to operate under the motto America only.

Europe was powerless to prevent the catastrophe, and the evacuation was botched and disastrously chaotic. Politicians only reaction was to complain.

A common security and foreign policy cannot evolve while member states are suffocated by overregulation

Cramped house

One would expect the events to have served as a wake-up call. However, the German example is sobering. Political circles and the media are more concerned with the campaign to elect the new parliament and, indirectly, the new chancellor that will inherit the scorched earth left after 16 years of rule by Angela Merkel. Germany had forces in the Hindu Kush throughout that period, but Chancellor Merkel showed little interest. London appears to be the only capital where a reassessment is taking place. France proved more realistic and started the evacuation of Afghan staff and collaborators, the most endangered group, in May of this year. But overall, Europe reacted like a flock of hens attacked by a predator.

After World War I, proponents of European integration began calling for the creation of an internal market and a coordinated foreign and security policy. The Pan-European Union was formed. But, most importantly, all other functions were meant to be solved locally by the promoters. The movement was heavily antagonized by nationalists, who then prevailed in Europe, but returned after World War II. Fervent promoter of integration Archduke Otto von Habsburg, who eventually became president of the Pan-European Union, described the model as a European village rather than a European house  a dangerous slogan that started to be used later, in the 1980s. In the latter, European nations would be confined and restrained under one set of rules. But in a European village, where every house is autonomous and unique, only common interests like security and infrastructure can be handled together.

Europe needs healthy integration but not harmonization.

Unfortunately, the harmonization mania now prevailing  which also triggered Brexit  amounts to living in a tightly regulated European house. A common security and foreign policy cannot evolve while member states are suffocated by overregulation.

Europe developed a strong economy thanks to deregulation, entrepreneurship and competition, not state intervention

The concept that originally and up to recently provided a well-functioning internal market is now threatened by excessive regulation, particular interests and issues of larger member states. For example, France and Germany, in a selfish and hypocritical move, have been calling for the harmonization of social security. This would eliminate healthy competition and harm the principle of free exchange, especially of services. It would hurt Central European member states. Another problem is the necessity of constant financial transfers to Southern European countries, to their grave long-term detriment, as the money flow bloats local bureaucracy and gives governments the wrong incentives.

Europe developed a strong economy thanks to deregulation, entrepreneurship and competition, not state intervention.

GIS expert Professor Alberto Mingardi offers an accurate comparison: The basic idea for the present European Union was a big Switzerland. It developed then according to the French model and the result is a big Italy. Since the Italian unification in the 1860s, there were constant flows of money from north to south. The funds served to build an excessively large administrative system and impeded the development of a healthy economy  not to mention the rise of the Mafia, which was also the result of the unification.

Thinking outside the box

In the past, the European Union proved extremely effective at breaking up national monopolies or oligopolies, which for instance helped Austria enormously. This also contributed to the development of Central Europe, along with local populations strong will to progress. However, Brussels is now increasingly becoming a playground of vested interests, centralization and harmonization. The dangerous claim that Europes strength lies in being a regulatory superpower, while comforting to many, has blood-chilling implications.

One could reasonably conclude that the EU should be downsized to an institution regulating and protecting the internal market, and some necessary infrastructure measures such as energy security and strengthening global competitiveness by preserving more internal competition. Rather than opt for the shortsighted vanity of being a regulatory superpower, Europe should aim to become a village made up of distinct autonomous dwellings again, instead of a single mediocre house. But now the common budget and the institutionalization of the transfer union will take away even more independence from member states.

When it comes to creating a coordinated foreign and security policy, Brussels is not the ideal platform. Going down the path of centralization to achieve this would be a dangerous slope, since member states and regions would lose even more of the much-needed ability required to address their issues. And the track record of the Unions foreign policy  except for its true vocation, trade  is lackluster at best. Brussels should perhaps be left to concentrate on the internal market and trade. The situation requires a new platform that will encourage out-of-the-box thinking. Such solutions can appear utopian, but sometimes there is no other way forward.

An effective European defense could be a renaissance for NATO

A new forum to implement such a vision could include the United Kingdom, which should obviously not be excluded from a coordinated or even common foreign and security policy. Meanwhile, not every European country would have to belong in the same capacity. Participation could be adjusted to reflect different security concerns, which vary greatly depending on proximity to Africa, the Middle East or Russia. In parallel, vital issues, such as the protection of trade or incidents like the evacuation from Afghanistan, could be addressed jointly. An effective European defense could also be a renaissance for NATO.

The United States is an important partner and ally, but Europe should not be dependent.

Hopefully, the disaster in Afghanistan will launch a helpful debate in Europe, one that will include the UK. What we need now is to think beyond existing institutions and processes, as the original proponents of European integration did.
New York, Aug. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Saudi Arabia Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06129766/?utm_source=GNW

Moreover, the restrictions imposed due to the pandemic have led to innovations like the Tawakkalna app, designed to support government efforts to counter COVID-19. It facilitates the issuance of movement permits electronically during curfews for government and private sector employees. The development of such apps enabled significant data collection mechanisms to be put in place, which later, with the help of machine learning and big data analysis, was analyzed to improve the convenience of citizens.



- Saudi Arabia is creating an AI-friendly ecosystem that includes high-speed broadband and 5G deployment, data access, and security. In order to catalyze innovative solutions, it is also supporting early adoption of AI and Big data concepts and solutions through many smart city programs such as NEOM.

- The AI Policy is a part of Saudi Arabias Vision 2030 Policy, under which the country plans to develop sustainable cities and to ensure the most efficient use of resources in urban planning, infrastructure, and key economic sectors. Further, Saudi Arabia Government aimed to improve government efficiency and automation through AI.

- Saudi Arabias Vision 2030 sets specific targets for transforming KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) cities into smart cities through utilizing municipal data as a national asset to achieve Vision 2030 objectives. For Instance, In November 2020, it launched a multibillion-dollar strategy to become the global leader in artificial intelligence as the Kingdom aspires to diversify its oil-based economy.

- Further, in October 2020, The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and the UNs International Telecommunication Union (ITU) signed an agreement to support global AI cooperation. Saudi Arabia will assist the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in developing projects, activities, and initiatives aimed at facilitating greater multi-stakeholder participation, international cooperation, and knowledge sharing in order to accelerate progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).



Key Market Trends



Software Segment is Expected to Witness Significant Growth



- Saudi Arabia is partnering with leading technology multinationals such as GE, SAP, and Google to develop enhanced capacities. Further, Google aimed to develop five innovation hubs around the country, to train programming skills for advanced software and AI.

- As the infrastructure market in Saudi Arabia looms with the launch of mega-smart city NEOM, it will present huge opportunities to AI-related software vendors. The IT integration, data handling and processing, connectivity, and other hosts of services to be met by data and IT integration will be handled by such software.

- The construction projects will be a major driver in the implication of AI software in Saudi Arabia, and there are numerous startups in KSA providing their software and apps, especially for Real Estate and Construction sector.

- The oil and gas industry of Saudi Arabia is also one of the prominent users of AI-based systems and software. Companies such as Exxon Mobil, Total, and Shell that operate in Saudi Arabia already use AI as a part of their operations for better productivity, transparency, and real-time data availability. The companies are continuously trying to digitalize their operations and mining with the help of AI.



Public and Government Institutions Expected to Witness Significant Growth



- Saudi Arabia is expected to be one of the leading countries in the Middle Eastern region in the artificial intelligence and big data market, owing to increasing government investments into new technologies. AI is, therefore, playing a vital role in the future of the countrys automation sector. As per the European Centre for Digital Competitiveness Digital Riser 2020 report, Saudi Arabia was regarded as the top digital riser among G20 countries.

- The country exhibits readiness toward adopting AI, and the introduction of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan was regarded as a significant progression on the value of data as a public asset. Around 70% of 96 strategic goals under Vision 2030 are related to data and AI.

- The growing investment toward smart cities in Saudi Arabia results in massively increasing adoption of AI solutions along with 5G and software, such as predictive analytics. In 2021, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans to build The Line, a 105-mile-long belt of hyper-connected communities in the kingdoms northeast that will feature no cars, no streets, and carbon emissions but will have smart infrastructure costing up to USD 200 billion.

- Moreover, the government is currently undertaking significant educational reforms to ensure students acquire the digital knowledge for upcoming jobs in AI and other technologies, such as the blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT). The government is working along with the Ministry of Education to ensure that school and university curricula satisfy future needs in AI, data science, and data security.



Competitive Landscape



Saudi Arabia Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Market is moderately competitive, with a considerable number of regional players. The companies are leveraging strategic collaborative initiatives, acquisitions to increase market share and profitability.



- June 2021 - SAP SE launched new software offerings to enhance business processes, leveraging the cloud, data, and artificial intelligence. Deloitte, AWS, and SAP launched an e-commerce program for Saudi Arabia, which also covers several tech-driven topics such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics.

- May 2021 - IQVIA partnered with Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) to collaborate on joint ideas and research in data and artificial intelligence, build a center for innovation and knowledge and develop related training programs in the region. They signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government agency to explore innovation opportunities in the field of health data in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

- April 2021 - Microsoft Corp. acquired Nuance Communications Inc., a speech technology company, for USD 19.7 billion in cash, putting a significant investment in artificial intelligence for health care..



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Pune, India, Aug. 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to conclusive views of seasoned analysts, worldwide renewable power generation market size is anticipated to register a healthy growth rate over the forecast period 2021-2027. Developing consciousness regarding environmental degradation due to extensive use of fossil fuels such as coal for energy generation is stimulating industry growth.

The report estimates the size of the market through a comprehensive analysis of the sub-markets in terms of product terrain and regional scope. By doing so, it helps businesses identify the key growth avenues for the upcoming years. Proceeding further, the research literature offers in-depth profiles of the leading players as a part of the competitive landscape analysis.

Favorable government initiatives and increasing number of renewable power project installations are further accelerating the industry expansion. For instance, Sunseap Group, in July 2021, announced plans to build the world's largest floating solar farm in Indonesia with an investment of USD 2 billion. The project aims to cover 1600 hectares and is expected to have a capacity of 2.2 gigawatts.

Request Sample copy of this Report @ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/4082444/

Moreover, increasing efforts towards technological innovations in product development are anticipated to enhance the overall renewable power generation remuneration scope. To exemplify, GE Renewable Energy, GE Research, and LM Wind Power together with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of U.S. Department of Energy commenced the Automated Blade Finishing program in 2020, which is aimed towards enhancing throughput, environmental health and safety, and quality in wind turbine blade production.

Elaborating on the challenges, high costs associated with renewable power generation products and their installation are negatively impacting the market demand.

Geographical analysis overview:

North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific are the key regional contributors to global renewable power generation industry growth. Of these, Asia Pacific is slated to emerge as a prime growth avenue over the forecast duration, creditable to surging demand for basic energy from the burgeoning population, especially in India and China.

Competitive landscape summary:

Invenergy LLC, Acciona S.A., National Grid (Geronimo Energy), Electricite de France S.A, Innergex Renewable Energy Inc., Xcel Energy Inc., Tata Power Company Ltd., ABB Ltd., and General Electric Co. are the prominent players influencing the competitive dynamics.

Experts speculate that tie-ups with governments, production capacity expansion, and R&D investments for new product development will help businesses improve their market stance in the forthcoming years.

To access a sample copy or view this report in detail along with the table of contents, please click the link below:

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-renewable-power-generation-market-size-research

Global Renewable Power Generation Market Product Terrain (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018-2027)

Wind

Hydropower

Bioenergy

Others





Global Renewable Power Generation Market Geographical Bifurcation (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018-2027)

North America

United States

Canada





Europe

United Kingdom

France

Germany

Italy

Spain

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

India

Japan

China

South Korea

Australia

Rest of Asia Pacific





Latin America

Brazil

Mexico





Rest of the World

Global Renewable Power Generation Market Competitive Dashboard (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018-2027)

Invenergy LLC

Acciona S.A.

National Grid (Geronimo Energy)

Electricite de France S.A

Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.

Xcel Energy Inc.

Tata Power Company Ltd.

ABB Ltd.

General Electric Co.

Table of Content:

Chapter 1. Executive Summary

1.1. Market Snapshot

1.2. Global & Segmental Market Estimates & Forecasts, 2019-2027 (USD Billion)

1.2.1. Renewable Power Generation Market, by Region, 2019-2027 (USD Billion)

1.2.2. Renewable Power Generation Market, by Product, 2019-2027 (USD Billion)

1.3. Key Trends

1.4. Estimation Methodology

1.5. Research Assumption

Chapter 2. Global Renewable Power Generation Market Definition and Scope

2.1. Objective of the Study

2.2. Market Definition & Scope

2.2.1. Scope of the Study

2.2.2. Industry Evolution

2.3. Years Considered for the Study

2.4. Currency Conversion Rates

Chapter 3. Global Renewable Power Generation Market Dynamics

3.1. Renewable Power Generation Market Impact Analysis (2019-2027)

3.1.1. Market Drivers

3.1.1.1. Government initiatives

3.1.1.2. Growing installation of renewable power projects

3.1.2. Market Restraint

3.1.2.1. High cost of products and installation

3.1.3. Market Opportunities

3.1.3.1. Technological advancements

Chapter 4. Global Renewable Power Generation Market Industry Analysis

4.1. Porter's 5 Force Model

4.1.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.1.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers

4.1.3. Threat of New Entrants

4.1.4. Threat of Substitutes

4.1.5. Competitive Rivalry

4.1.6. Futuristic Approach to Porter's 5 Force Model (2018-2027)

4.2. PEST Analysis

4.2.1. Political

4.2.2. Economical

4.2.3. Social

4.2.4. Technological

4.3. Investment Adoption Model

4.4. Analyst Recommendation & Conclusion

Chapter 5. Global Renewable Power Generation Market, by Product

5.1. Market Snapshot

5.2. Global Renewable Power Generation Market by Product, Performance - Potential Analysis

5.3. Global Renewable Power Generation Market Estimates & Forecasts by Product 2018-2027 (USD Billion)

5.4. Renewable Power Generation Market, Sub Segment Analysis

5.4.1. Hydropower

5.4.2. Wind

5.4.3. Solar

5.4.4. Bioenergy

5.4.5. Others

Chapter 6. Global Renewable Power Generation Market, Regional Analysis

Related Report:

Combined Heat And Power (CHP) Market Size, Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2020 - 2026

Global combined heat and power market is poised to garner significant momentum in the forthcoming years. This can be linked with mounting environmental concerns and the subsequent paradigm shift towards the adoption of sustainable energy technologies. Combined heat and power (CHP) is an energy-efficient technology which can be deployed cost-effectively, quickly, and with fewer geographic limitations. CHP systems generate electricity and capture heat that would otherwise be wasted to generate useful thermal energy, which can be used for domestic hot water applications, space heating and cooling, and a range of industrial processes. CHP systems are known to achieve efficiencies of more than 80% compared to conventional power generation technologies in which nearly two-thirds of the energy is wasted in the form of heat. On the basis of fuel, combined heat and power industry is segmented into natural gas, coal, and biomass. Biomass fuel segment is estimated to witness a robust CAGR over the coming years on account of favorable schemes and policies by the government, such as renewable energy certificates, road transport fuel certificates, and non-domestic renewable heat incentive.

Global Energy Harvesting System Market study and Regional Forecasts 2021-2027

Global Energy Harvesting System Market to reach USD 0.76 billion by 2027.Global Energy Harvesting System Market is valued approximately at USD 0.43 billion in 2020 and is anticipated to grow with a healthy growth rate of more than 8.4% over the forecast period 2021-2027. Energy harvesting is a method of extracting energy produced or derived from unconventional energy sources. An electrical circuit, sensing components (sensors and transducers), and a storage unit compensate an energy harvesting system. The energy harvesting system charges the transducer with unconventional energy sources, which is then transformed to electricity and stored in the battery unit. A supplementary electronic circuit manages the produced power and protects the storage unit and principal circuitry in the system. The market is driven by rise in government investment for green energy and rising adoption of wireless sensor networks equipped with energy harvesting systems.

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McMaster University researchers using MediPharm Labs CBD50 formula and a CBD:THC 10:2 formulation, which has the same cannabinoid ratio as MediPharm Labs CBD25:, have received a No Objection Letter from Health Canada to begin recruiting human subjects for a placebo-controlled trial using cannabis- oil for treatment of insomnia in major depressive disorder.

Among those with depression, 75% have difficulty falling or staying asleep - according to John Hopkins Medicine. MediPharm Labs and the McMaster Research Team hope CBD50 and/or CBD10:2 provides these patients with relief from this condition.



BARRIE, Ontario, Aug. 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MediPharm Labs Corp. (TSX: LABS) (OTCQX: MEDIF) (FSE: MLZ) (MediPharm Labs or the Company) a pharmaceutical company specialized in cannabis, is pleased to announce that the Companys research partner McMaster University (the Researcher) has received a no objection letter from Health Canada to proceed with research with MediPharm Labs CBD50 and CBD10:2. This is a key milestone in moving forward with the Companys strategy to be the go-to cannabis partner for pharmaceuticals containing cannabis.

This phase 2 trial is a pilot, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that will be evaluating the efficacy and safety of a cannabis-oil for the treatment of insomnia in major depressive disorder. The study is being conducted by a clinical research group led by Dr. Benicio Frey, Professor, McMaster University and Psychiatrist, St. Josephs Healthcare Hamilton. As North America has made progress in diagnosing and eliminating the stigma around mental health, more patients are looking for therapeutic treatment options.

The Researchers believe that cannabidiol (CBD) with or without THC could be effective in the treatment of sleep disorders related to depression. In order to prove this efficacy, a high quality, dosable and standardize formulation is needed for clinical trial material. MediPharm Labs will use its Cannabis Drug Licence and Drug Establishment Licence to provide access to clinical trial material that meets these pharmaceutical quality standards and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), as well as provide investigative protocol and regulatory approval support.

As a pharmaceutical company specialized in cannabis, MediPharm Labs is encouraged by the ongoing research and development of drugs containing cannabis. This study will create opportunities to show efficacy in our already commercialized cannabis oil while also making progress on our long-term goal to manufacture pharmaceutical drugs containing cannabinoids as an active ingredient, said Keith Strachan, President and Interim CEO, MediPharm Labs.

Many individuals around the world are using cannabinoids to treat their sleep problems without robust clinical evidence from placebo-controlled trials. This study is, therefore, a major step towards evidence-based research investigating the efficacy and safety of CBD and CBD/THC in the treatment of insomnia in those who suffer from depression, said Dr. Benicio Frey.

The is the second approval of its kind for a clinical trial with McMaster. A trial lead by a separate clinician group received a letter of no objection in June 2021 to proceed with using MediPharm Labs CBD50 for a randomized trial studying the effect of cannabidiol vs. placebo on persistent post-surgical pain following total knee arthroplasty.

The Company looks forward to progressing both these active trials with the respective researchers while using its GMP Drug Establishment License and Health Canada Cannabis Drug License to supply API and finished goods to others development pharmaceutical drugs with marketing authorization.

About MediPharm Labs

Founded in 2015, MediPharm Labs is a pharmaceutical company that specializes in the development and manufacture of purified, pharmaceutical-quality cannabis concentrates, active pharmaceutical ingredients and advanced derivative products utilizing a Good Manufacturing Practices certified facility with ISO standard-built clean rooms. MediPharm Labs has invested in an expert, research driven team, state-of-the-art technology, downstream purification methodologies and purpose-built facilities with four primary extraction lines for delivery of pure, trusted and precision-dosed cannabis products for its customers. Through its wholesale and white label platforms, MediPharm Labs formulates, develops (including through sensory testing), processes, packages and distributes cannabis extracts and advanced cannabinoid-based products to domestic and international markets. As a global leader, MediPharm Labs has completed commercial exports to Australia and completed commercialization of its Australian extraction facility which generated its first revenues in H1 2020. MediPharm Labs Australia was established in 2017.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as expects, or does not expect, is expected, anticipates or does not anticipate, plans, budget, scheduled, forecasts, estimates, believes or intends or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results may or could, would, might or will be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the successful performance of the clinical trials as planned; being the go-to cannabis partner for pharmaceuticals containing cannabis; the creation of opportunities to show efficacy in the Companys already commercialized cannabis oil; progress on the Companys long-term goal to manufacture pharmaceutical drugs containing cannabinoids as an active ingredient; and the development of pharmaceutical drugs containing cannabis. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the inability of MediPharm Labs to obtain adequate financing; the delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals; and other factors discussed in MediPharm Labs filings, available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, MediPharm Labs assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change.




LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, Aug. 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Electrify America and NFI Industries today announced plans for the nations single largest charging infrastructure project to support heavy-duty electric trucks, with 34 ultra-fast DC chargers slated for completion by December 2023. As the largest open DC fast charging network in the U.S., Electrify America was selected to deploy charging solutions including site configuration and energy management services.

Electrify America is constantly embarking on innovative initiatives to drive the EV industry forward, and this milestone project is the latest example of the companys leadership in thinking bigger and bolder about the future of mobility, said Rachel Moses, Director of Commercial Services, Business Development & Green Cities at Electrify America. We are delighted to collaborate with NFI and look forward to installing a first-of-its-kind commercial charging facility to power this fleet of electric freight trucks.

With ambitious electrification goals and an eye toward the future of goods transportation, NFI will deploy 60 battery-electric drayage trucks, becoming the first 100% zero-emission fleet operator and truck shop in California. The Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative, or JETSI project will help fund 50 of the trucks, with 10 additional Volvo VNR Electrics funded by Volvo Trucks North America and SWITCH-ON.

The charging infrastructure to support this fleet will be installed at NFIs Ontario, Calif. facility and feature 150kW and 350 kW ultra-fast chargers. The chargers will serve NFIs growing fleet of battery-electric freight trucks used for drayage at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, picking up containers from the ports and transporting them back to the Ontario facility. To bolster resiliency, leverage renewable electricity, and reduce ongoing costs, multiple megawatts (MW) of distributed energy resources (DER) will be co-located with the charging infrastructure, including both solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage.

"As NFI continues to spearhead supply chain sustainability and minimize the industry's environmental impact, many elements need to align to ensure we continue making progress," said Bill Bliem, Senior Vice President of Fleet Services at NFI. "Throughout our experience, we've learned that having the right partners, technology, and access to safe, reliable and fast-charging infrastructure are essential to the successful implementation of EVs. We are excited for this opportunity to collaborate with the charging infrastructure experts at Electrify America as we move beyond our demonstration projects and scale our Ontario facility infrastructure to support a 100% electric drayage fleet."

In addition to NFI and Electrify Americas investments, the electric truck charging infrastructure project is partially funded by a joint project between the California Air Resources Board, California Energy Commission, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative, JETSI project) to advance electric fleet adoption.

This announcement comes on the heels of Electrify Americas second Green City investment to advance charging electrification for public transit and heavy-duty electric vehicles in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, among other areas of the Wilmington neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles. Electrify America and NFIs new initiative will continue efforts to address the negative impact of emissions in this predominantly disadvantaged and low-income community (sixty-four percent of Long Beach and the Wilmington neighborhood of Los Angeles is classified as low-income and disadvantaged by the California Air Resources Board).

Electrify America Network Expansion

In addition to selling charging solutions to those investing in electrification, Electrify America is continuing its mission to advance electric vehicle adoption among everyday drivers. The company recently announced its Boost Plan to more than double its current EV charging infrastructure in the United States and Canada, with plans to have more than 1,800 ultra-fast charging stations and 10,000 individual chargers installed by the end of 2025. The expansion will increase the deployment of 150 and 350 kilowatt chargers  350kW being the fastest speed commercially available today  and help pave the way for more electric vehicles in North America.

About Electrify America

Electrify America LLC, the largest open DC fast charging network in the U.S., is investing $2 billion over 10 years in Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure, education and access. The investment will enable millions of Americans to discover the benefits of electric driving and support the build-out of a nationwide network of workplace, community and highway chargers that are convenient and reliable. Electrify America expects to have more than 1,700 total charging stations with over 9,500 chargers by end of 2025. During this period, the company will be expanding to 49 states and the District of Columbia, delivering on its commitment to support increased ZEV adoption with a network that is comprehensive, technologically advanced and customer friendly. Electrify America earned the 2020 EV Charging Infrastructure Best-in-Test award from umlaut, an independent testing & validation company, as published in Charged Electric Vehicles Magazine noting the companys accessibility and seamless customer experience. Electrify Americas Electrify Home offers home charging solutions for consumers with flexible installation options. Electrify Commercial provides expert solutions for businesses looking to develop electric vehicle charging programs. For more, visit www.electrifyamerica.com and media.electrifyamerica.com.

About NFI

NFI is a fully integrated North American supply chain solutions provider headquartered in Camden, N.J. Privately held by the Brown family since its inception in 1932, NFI generates more than $2.6 billion in annual revenue and employs over 14,500 associates. NFI owns facilities globally and operates more than 50 million square feet of warehouse and distribution space. Its dedicated fleet consists of over 4,500 tractors and 12,500 trailers operated by 3,900 company drivers and leveraging partnerships with 500 owner operators. NFI has a significant drayage presence at nearly every major U.S. port, leveraging the services of an additional 1,500 owner operators. The companys business lines include dedicated transportation, distribution, brokerage, transportation management, port drayage, intermodal, global logistics, and real estate. For more information about NFI, visit www.nfiindustries.com or call 1-877-NFI-3777.

Media Contact

Mike Moran, Electrify America

Mike.Moran@ElectrifyAmerica.com

(703) 872-7936

Bill Bliem, Senior Vice President Fleet Services, NFI Industries

bill.bliem@nfiindustries.com

(856) 507-4443

Attachment
NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against DiDi Global Inc. f/k/a Xiaoju Kuaizhi Inc. (DiDi or the Company) (NYSE: DIDI) and certain of its officers and directors. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and docketed under 21-cv-06603, is a securities class action brought by Plaintiff under Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act) and under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired publicly traded DiDi securities: (a) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the Registration Statement) issued in connection with the Companys June 2021 initial public offering (the IPO or the Offering); and/or (b) between June 30, 2021 and July 21, 2021, inclusive (the Class Period).



If you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired DiDi securities (a) pursuant and/or traceable to the Registration Statement issued in connection with the IPO, and/or (b) during the Class Period, you have until September 7, 2021 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com . To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

DiDi purports to be the worlds largest mobility technology platform. Its four key components are: shared mobility, auto solutions, electronic mobility, and autonomous driving. The Company claims to be the go-to brand in China for shared mobility, offering a range of services including ride hailing, taxi hailing, chauffeur, hitch, and other forms of shared mobility services.

On June 10, 2021, DiDi (then named Xiaoju Kuaizhi Inc.) filed a registration statement on Form F-1 with the SEC to register its Class A ordinary shares, which, collectively with subsequently filed amendments on Forms F-1/A and F-1MEF, a registration statement on Form F-6, and a June 30, 2021 prospectus on Form 424B4 (the Prospectus), forms part of the registration statement for the Companys IPO (the Registration Statement).

In the IPO and pursuant to the Registration Statement, including the Prospectus, the Company sold approximately 316,800,000 American Depositary Shares (ADSs or shares) at a price of $14.00 per share, not including the underwriters option to sell an additional 47,520,000 ADSs. The Company received proceeds of approximately $4,331.6 million from the Offering, net of underwriting discounts and commissions.

The complaint alleges that the Registration Statement was materially false and misleading and omitted to state material adverse facts. Throughout the Class Period, including in the Registration Statement, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Companys business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (i) DiDis apps did not comply with applicable laws and regulations governing privacy protection and the collection of personal information; (ii) the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) had already asked DiDi weeks or months prior to the IPO to delay its IPO to conduct a self-examination of its network security and because of national security concerns; (iii) the Company was likely to incur heightened regulatory scrutiny and adverse regulatory action by ignoring the CACs request to postpone the IPO; (iv) as a result of the foregoing, DiDis apps were reasonably likely to be taken down from app stores in the Peoples Republic of China (the PRC or China), which would have an adverse effect on its financial results and operations; and (v) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants positive statements about the Companys business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

On July 2, 2021, multiple news outlets reported that the CAC had posted an announcement that the CAC had launched an investigation into DiDi to protect national security and the public interest.

Also on July 2, 2021, DiDi issued a press release entitled DiDi announces CyberSecurity Review in China, confirming that the Company was under investigation and stating that pursuant to the announcement posted by the PRCs Cyberspace Administration Office on July 2, 2021, DiDi is subject to cybersecurity review by the authority. The Companys press release also states [d]uring the review, DiDi is required to suspend new user registration in China.

On this news, the Companys share price fell $0.87 per share, or approximately 5.3%, to close at $15.53 per share on July 2, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

On Sunday, July 4, 2021, DiDi issued a press release entitled DiDi Announces App Takedown in China[,] which announced, in relevant part, that the CAC ordered smartphone app stores to stop offering the DiDi Chuxing app because the DiDi app collect[ed] personal information in violation of relevant PRC laws and regulations. Though users who previously downloaded the DiDi app could continue to use it, DiDi stated that the app takedown may have an adverse impact on its revenue in China.

On July 5, 2021, The Wall Street Journal reported that [w]eeks before Didi Global, Inc. went public in the U.S., Chinas cybersecurity watchdog suggested the Chinese ride-hailing giant delay its initial public offering and urged it to conduct a thorough self-examination of its network security, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Subsequently, Bloomberg and other sources reported on July 6, 2021, that the CAC had asked DiDi at least three months earlier to delay its IPO because of national security concerns.

On this news, the Companys share price fell $3.04 per share, or 19.6%, to close at $12.49 per share on July 6, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

On July 9, 2021, The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled China Orders Stores to Remove More Apps Operated by Didi: Cyber watchdog says the apps illegally collect personal data which reported, among other things, that China ordered mobile app stores to remove 25 more apps operated by Didi Global Inc.s [] China arm, saying the apps illegally collect personal data, escalating its regulatory actions against the ride-hailing company; that [t]he cyber watchdog also banned websites and platforms from providing access to Didi-linked services in China; that Didi said it will follow the authorities orders and guarantees personal data security; that [t]he latest regulatory actions could further dent Didis business in its home market, which the company relies heavily on for revenue; and that [s]ome rivals have already started marketing more aggressively in recent days in an effort to steal market share.

On July 12, 2021, before market hours, the Company issued a press release entitled Didi Announces Takedown of Additional Apps in China which announced, inter alia, that the CAC stated that it was confirmed that 25 apps operated by the Company in China, including the apps used by users and drivers, had the problem of collecting personal information in serious violation of relevant PRC laws and regulations; that [p]ursuant to the PRCs Cybersecurity Law, the CAC notified app stores to take down these apps and cease to provide viewing and downloading service in China and required the Company to rectify the problem to ensure the security of users personal information; and that [t]he Company expects that the app takedown may have an adverse impact on its revenue in China.

On this news, the Companys share price fell $0.87 per share, or approximately 7.23%, to close at $11.16 per share on July 12, 2021, further damaging investors.

On July 16, 2021, The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled China Sends State Security, Police Officials to Didi for Cybersecurity Probe which reported, among other things, that China sent regulators including state security and police officials to Didi Global Inc.s [] ride-hailing business on Friday as part of a cybersecurity investigation; that [p]otential outcomes include financial penalties, suspensions of business licenses and criminal charges; and that [t]he large number of ministries participating in the probe also highlights the breadth of the data Didi holds and that is now coming under regulatory scrutiny.

On July 18, 2021, The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled In the New China, Didis Data Becomes a Problem which reported on the amount and types of data the Company holds and compiles, including that, among other things, [u]sers turn over their cellphone numbers, which in China are linked to their real names and identifications; that [t]hey also often voluntarily share photos, frequent destinations such as home and office, their gender, age, occupation and companies; that [t]o use other Didi services such as carpooling or bike sharing, customers might also have to share other personal information including facial-recognition data; that [d]rivers must give Didi their real names, vehicle information, criminal records, and credit- and bank-card information; that [t]he 25 million daily rides on its platform in China feed a database of pickup points, destinations, routes, distance and duration; and that a Guangdong province transportation official said the company hadnt fully complied with regulations . . . .

On this news, the Companys share price fell $0.91 per share, or 7.6%, to close at $11.06 per share on July 19, 2021, further damaging investors.

Finally, on July 22, 2021, before market hours, Bloomberg published an article entitled China Weighs Unprecedented Penalty for Didi After U.S. IPO which reported, inter alia, that Chinese regulators are considering serious, perhaps unprecedented, penalties for Didi Global Inc. after its controversial initial public offering last month; that [r]egulators are weighing a range of potential punishments, including a fine, suspension of certain operations or the introduction of a state-owned investor; that [a]lso possible is a forced delisting or withdrawal of Didis U.S. shares; and that Beijing is likely to impose harsher sanctions on Didi than on Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., which swallowed a record $2.8 billion fine[.]

On this news, the Companys share price fell $3.44 per share, or nearly 30%, over the next two trading days to close at $8.06 per share on July 23, 2021, further damaging investors.

As of the time the Complaint was filed, the price of DiDi ADSs continues to trade below the $14.00 per ADS Offering price, damaging investors.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com .
Oslo and Helsinki, 1 September, 2021: Yara Suomi Oy (Yara) announced today the acquisition of Ecolan Oy, a Finnish producer of recycled fertilizers. This is Yaras first acquisition in the organic fertilizer segment and reflects our commitment to play a bigger role in organic farming and in contributing to the circular economy.



Yara works closely with partners throughout the food value chain to make food production more efficient and sustainable. Our crop nutrition solutions and digital tools help improve nutrient management practices and land use efficiency for all farming methods, including organic farming.

By expanding our offerings into the growing organic farming segment in Europe, we can help improve nutrient use efficiency in this segment by capitalizing on our deep crop nutrition knowledge, says Monica Andres, Executive Vice President for Yara Europe.

Our core competence lies in managing nutrients in the most sustainable and efficient way, whether this is for organic farming or conventional farming. We want to be the leading partner for all farmers, regardless of which farming system they use, she adds.

Ecolan utilizes industrial side streams to produce high quality fertilizers for agriculture and forestry.

Ecolan is a Finnish front-runner in the circular economy. We have had good cooperation during the past years and now we are able to combine Yaras and Ecolans knowledge and expertise to develop recycled fertilizers even further. With this acquisition, we will be able to offer organic fertilizers also to markets outside Finland, says Timo Rasanen, Director for Specialty Products for the Nordic and Baltic countries at Yara.

As a result of several years of research and development, Yara brought a new organic fertilizer line with a high nitrogen content, which was produced by Ecolan, to the Finnish market in 2019.

Starting from small-scale production, Ecolan has with the support of Korona Invest grown into one of Finlands leading circular economy industrial companies. Through Yaras ownership, Ecolans know-how can be utilized also internationally, says Vesa Lehtomaki, Chairman of the Board of Korona Invest, Ecolans majority owner.

Today many organic waste streams are not being reused or recycled. Recovering nutrients from waste streams and bringing them back into agricultural production helps contribute to a circular economy and reduces nutrient losses. The European Green Deal encourages scaling up and promoting circular business models and increasing the share of European Union farmland under organic farming.

The circular economy has an important role to play in improving nutrient use efficiency, which is one of Yaras core areas of expertise. Through our strategic partnerships with waste management and food companies, and by leveraging our crop nutrition knowledge, Yara is working to find optimal ways to recycle nutrients that would otherwise end up as waste and then process these to produce organic fertilizers.





For further information, please contact:



Timo Rasanen, Director, Specialty Products, Yara Suomi Oy

Mobil: (+358) (0)50 337 4514

E-mail: timo.rasanen@yara.com

For media inquiries, please contact:



Vibeke Lari, Communications Manager, Yara Europe

Mobil: (+47) 942 85 337

E-mail: vibeke.laroi@yara.com





About Ecolan



Ecolan Oy is a Finnish front-runner in the circular economy and sustainable growth, utilizing industrial side streams to produce fertilizers for agriculture and forestry and recovered materials for earthwork and binders. The company has 21 employees and two main production facilities in Finland. Ecolans solutions help reduce CO2 emissions and enhance the growth of natural carbon sinks.

Ecolan has invested heavily in expanding its production capacity and in product development, which has resulted in significant revenue growth and strong market positions. Korona Invest Palvelurahasto I, a private equity fund managed by Korona Invest, acquired a majority stake in Ecolan Oy in 2015.

About Yara

Yara grows knowledge to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet. Supporting our vision of a world without hunger and a planet respected, we pursue a strategy of sustainable value growth, promoting climate-friendly crop nutrition and zero-emission energy solutions. Yaras ambition is focused on growing a climate positive food future that creates value for our customers, shareholders and society at large and delivers a more sustainable food value chain.

To achieve our ambition, we have taken the lead in developing digital farming tools for precision farming, and work closely with partners throughout the food value chain to improve the efficiency and sustainability of food production. Through our focus on clean ammonia production, we aim to enable the hydrogen economy, driving a green transition of shipping, fertilizer production and other energy intensive industries.

Founded in 1905 to solve the emerging famine in Europe, Yara has established a unique position as the industrys only global crop nutrition company. We operate an integrated business model with around 17,000 employees and operations in over 60 countries, with a proven track record of strong returns. In 2020, Yara reported revenues of USD 11.6 billion.

www.yara.com

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English Lithuanian

The retail turnover (including VAT) of Apranga Group amounted to EUR 27.9 million in August 2021 and increased by 24.9% compared to August 2020.



The turnover of August 2021 is a record monthly turnover of Apranga Group in history.

In August 2021, the retail turnover of Apranga Group in Lithuania increased by 34.0% year-to-year, in Latvia increased by 15.1% and in Estonia increased by 8.4%.

Due to epidemic coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, from 16 December 2020, all the Groups stores in Lithuania were temporarily closed. Stores in Lithuania with a separate entrance from outside and a sales area not exceeding 300 square meters had been open since 15 February 2021. All stores with a separate entrance from outside had been open since 15 March 2021. All Groups stores have been reopened in Lithuania from 19 April 2021, however, stores operating in shopping malls were not allowed to work on weekends, unless they had separate entrance from outside. Eventually, all Groups stores have been open in Lithuania as of 29 May 2021. In Latvia, stores were temporarily closed from 19 December 2020. Stores with a separate entrance from outside and an area not exceeding 7,000 square meters have been open in Latvia from 7 April 2021. Groups stores that operate in shopping malls and have separate entrance from outside were reopened as of 22 May 2021. Eventually, all Groups stores have been open in Latvia as of 3 June 2021. In Estonia, all Groups stores were temporarily closed from 11 March 2021, and from 6 March 2021 to 11 March 2021 stores were not allowed to work on weekends. All Groups stores have been reopened in Estonia from 3 May 2021. These temporary closures had a significant impact on the Group's generated turnover in January-August 2021.

In January through August 2021, the retail turnover of Apranga Group (including VAT) totalled EUR 131.5 million and increased by 2.4% year-to-year.

In January-August 2021, the retail turnover of Apranga Group in Lithuania increased by 11.7% year-to-year, in Latvia decreased by 18.1% and in Estonia increased by 1.1%.

Currently Apranga Group operates the chain of 173 stores (101 in Lithuania, 47 in Latvia and 25 in Estonia) covering the gross area of 92.0 thousand sq. m., or by 1.5% less than a year ago.

Rimantas Perveneckas

Apranga Group General Manager

+370 5 2390801




Dallas, TX, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- During Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) will host its National Broadcast Celebration on Saturday, September 25th at 7 PM ET / 6 PM CT / 5 PM MT / 4 PM PT. Sharing inspiration from coast to coast, this event will highlight the remarkable stories being told daily in communities across the nation.

NOCCs 2021 Together in TEAL - Everywhere As ONE campaign challenges the TEAL community to spread awareness and fundraise through weekly social media challenges. The organizations signature event, hosted in communities across the United States each year, raises the critical funds necessary to support Earlier Awareness, Quality of Life for Survivors, Research, and Community Outreach. While NOCC continues to put the safety and health of its survivors, volunteers, and staff first by forgoing its in-person TEAL Run/Walk events, NOCC has encouraged its community to get out and be active by setting a 30-mile goal to collectively reach 30,000 miles for the organization's 30th Anniversary. This signature event would not be possible without the support of our national partners, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Color Street Foundation, GSK, Wylers Light, Merck & Co., Inc., Weiman Products, LLC, Clovis Oncology, Inc., and Insperity.

NOCC is a national womens health organization focused on saving lives by fighting to prevent and cure ovarian cancer and improve the quality of life for survivors and caregivers. When you support NOCC, you invest in saving lives. Join us on September 25th by visiting give.ovarian.org.

About NOCC: Since 1991, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) has provided support to thousands of cancer survivors, delivered millions of educational resources, and connected with countless local community partners to raise awareness about ovarian cancer. The NOCC is an influential national advocate for patients, survivors, caregivers, and their families struggling with ovarian cancer and remains steadfast in its mission "to save lives through the prevention and cure of ovarian cancer, and to improve the quality of life for survivors and caregivers." At the NOCC, our TEAL team leads with our values and unique experiences to provide support and education across all communities, ensuring that every woman is empowered to advocate for their health. For more information, please visit www.ovarian.org or call 888-OVARIAN (888-682-7426) and follow the NOCC on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
FLSmidth will complete a programme of work including engineering, supply of equipment and service to the Sales de Jujuy Olaroz lithium facility in Argentina, formalising a relationship that commenced in early 2020. The order, valued at around DKK200 million, has been booked in Q3 2021.





FLSmidth will also provide site services including installation supervision, commissioning and training. The new plant will increase output at the site, maintaining its position as a major lithium producer in Argentina. This new lithium extraction facility will provide technical-grade lithium carbonate which, with further purification, will be used to produce battery cathodes for the growing electric vehicle market. Toyota Tsusho Corporation owns 25% of the facility.

Following our involvement in extensive process design at Olaroz, we are very excited Sales de Jujuy has entrusted FLSmidth to supply technologies for their new, world-class lithium extraction plant in Argentina. This order, in addition to the other lithium extraction orders announced earlier in 2021, confirms FLSmidths leading position as the technology provider of choice for all types of lithium deposits globally. Its also satisfying to partner with a company that shares FLSmidths commitment to environmentally sound lithium production  a great match for our MissionZero ambitions, comments Mikko Keto, Mining President, FLSmidth.



The technology provided by FLSmidth includes a clarifier, Pneumapress filters, Shriver filter press, OTG polishing filters and a pyromet dryer package. The technology package also includes other important equipment such as the reactors, ion exchange, pneumatic transport system and a bagging package. Equipment delivery will begin shortly and the contract will be complete by end of 2022, with the final trainings.

FLSmidth is a world leader in environmentally sound lithium processing technologies. This aligns with Sales de Jujuys ambition to not only produce materials necessary for electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure, but to do so in an efficient and environmentally responsible manner through lowered emissions and significantly reduced water usage, notes Fernando de la Calle, Engineering Project Director on the customer side.

The FLSmidth state-of-the-art equipment will deliver high availability and high productivity and mean low energy consumption and resource-efficient operations. The new plant is expected to produce 25,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of technical-grade lithium carbonate.





More about lithium:

Lithium is one of the key minerals needed for the green-energy transition due to its use in batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles, power storage, as well asin digital solutions that deliver efficiencies across industries. It allows for the storage of energy produced by solar, tidal and wind sources, aiding efforts to decarbonise the energy market. Supporting the lithium industry, therefore, is a good fit with the goals of FLSmidths MissionZero sustainability ambition.

A recent report from Fitch Solutions forecast global lithium production will more than triple from 442,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate-equivalent (LCE) in 2020 to 1.5 million tonnes of LCE by 2030. Having been involved in lithium extraction for 25 years, the evolving lithium extraction landscape has led to several recent projects for FLSmidth in Australia, Chile, Finland and the US.





Contacts

Media Relations

Rasmus Windfeld, +45 40 44 60 60, rwin@flsmidth.com

Investor Relations

Nicolai Mauritzen, +45 30 93 18 51, nicm@flsmidth.com





FLSmidth delivers sustainable productivity to the global mining and cement industries. We deliver market-leading engineering, equipment and service solutions to our customers enabling them to improve performance, drive down costs and reduce environmental impact. Our operations span the globe and our ~10,600 employees are present in more than 60 countries. In 2020, FLSmidth generated a revenue of DKK 16.4 billion. www.flsmidth.com

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Vancouver, BC, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) is encouraged by the focus on housing affordability as a key priority in each of the major partys platforms in the lead-up to Septembers federal election. However, while parties pledge to build more homes and make purchasing easier, without detailed plans to quickly turn those promises into action that will increase supply, campaign promises will lead to municipal bottlenecks, failed policy and disappointed homebuyers.

We are pleased to see the discussions around housing affordability take center stage during the election campaign, says BCREA Chief Executive Officer Darlene Hyde. However, what weve seen promised so far falls short of what is needed to make a significant, long-lasting impact. It is important for our new government to make creating a comprehensive housing strategy focused on increasing supply an immediate top priority.

Many of the measures proposed so far focus on increasing consumer flexibility and purchasing power and while the Liberals and Conservatives have lofty goals to build more market homes, neither of the parties addresses how they will do so in the face of significant barriers. To adequately increase supply, establishing a federal housing strategy  one that incentivizes municipalities to speed up development approvals that are getting bogged down by public hearings which cater to airing the grievances of a vocal minority  is key to scaling up the number of units being built in the relative short term.

While BCREA supports assistance for home buyers and the creation of non-market housing, without detailed plans on increasing supply across the housing spectrum these measures will likely be met with disappointment as prospective buyers will experience a market that cant meet their demand, causing continued upward pressure on prices.

We know through our assessment of the current and historical market conditions that there just arent enough listings to satisfy demand, says BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. To truly improve housing affordability and help British Columbians and Canadians get in homes, increasing supply is where the focus needs to be. Working with municipalities is essential in achieving this.

Its clear that tackling housing affordability is a primary campaign focus for each of the major parties this election, but without a comprehensive and collaborative strategy to increase supply, can their commitments extend beyond the campaign and into government? Developing the details of these plans needs to be an immediate focus for our new government otherwise their promises to help more Canadians achieve their homeownership dreams will fall flat.

- 30 -

About BCREA

BCREA is the professional association for more than 23,000 REALTORS in BC, focusing on provincial issues that impact real estate. Working with the provinces ten real estate boards, BCREA provides continuing professional education, advocacy, economic research and standard forms to help REALTORS provide value for their clients.

To demonstrate the professions commitment to improving Quality of Life in BC communities, BCREA supports policies that help ensure economic vitality, provide housing opportunities, preserve the environment, protect property owners and build better communities with good schools and safe neighbourhoods.
Oak Ridge, TN, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Daxor Corporation (NYSE: DXR), the global leader in blood volume measurement technology, announces today it issued a corporate update in a Letter to Shareholders filed in its certified shareholder report on form N-CSR on August 30, 2021, from CEO & President, Michael Feldschuh:



Dear Fellow Shareholder:

I have never been more excited about the progress of our company or the prospects for our business in the time ahead. Daxor has been working hard for years as the global leader in blood volume measurement technology to drive sales and adoption of our novel FDA-cleared diagnostic in the healthcare system. The opportunity for our customers is the promise of smart individualized volume care which substantially improves health outcomes for patients and the financial and quality outcomes for hospital systems. The opportunity for our business is to scale into the total serviceable market of more than ten million tests per year in the United States alone through organic growth, partnership, and joint ventures. In 2022, Daxor plans on launching its new point-of-care blood volume analysis systems, developed under multiple contracts by the US Department of Defense (US DOD), a significant leap forward in our market-leading technology and the most important product launch in 20 years for the company. Our new systems are planned to be three times faster, simpler, and as announced in March of this year will have an option for a novel fluorescing marker as well as a nuclear tracer for use in new care settings beyond our current systems.

To realize that promise and the enormous market potential for our products requires the company to execute on three key areas of performance: strong commercialization, next-generation product development, and continued clinical outcomes. I am pleased to report that in the first half of 2021 we have made important breakthroughs building on our focus in each of these key areas.

Beginning with financial performance, the Company is pleased to report a 26.5 percent increase in the unaudited revenues of our blood volume diagnostic operating division for the six-month period ended June 30, 2021, as compared to the same period in the prior year. Revenue growth was driven by a combination of the sale and leasing of our capital equipment to hospitals and orders for our single-use blood volume diagnostics kits for heart failure management, critical care use, as well as other indications. Additionally, revenue accrued from the US DOD orders as well as third-party companies contracting with Daxor to conduct blood volume analysis on their products. As of this date, the Company year-to-date has sold, leased, placed devices for research, or opened new reference lab accounts with eight new clients in addition to focusing on growing business at the existing install base. Many of these new accounts are just beginning to ramp up as they integrate the diagnostic into their treatment protocols.

At June 30, 2021, Daxor had net assets of $14,493,285 or $3.59 per share. For the six-month period ended June 30, 2021, Daxor had net dividend income of $120,878, net realized gains on investment activity of $41,822 There was a net change in the unrealized appreciation on investments, options and securities borrowed of $279,396 as markets improved from the beginning of the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a net realized loss from the operating division relating to spend on research, development, sales and overhead of $1,546,987 as the Company continues to invest judiciously in research and development for our 2022 product launch, to ramp commercial sales teams, as well as production facilities for our next generation blood volume analyzers.

Accelerating commercialization is a priority for Company management, and in this area Jean Oertel, has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Commercialization in recognition of the strong program to build our sales organization. Jean, a veteran from both Medtronic and Sensionics, has focused on recruiting top talent to the sales and clinical support team. Importantly, Daxor entered into agreements in the first half of this year with two distributors to amplify the reach of our products at hospitals not covered by Daxors own reps. Management anticipates that there will be sales force of over 50 composed of Daxors territory managers, clinical support team, and third-party distributor reps backed by Daxors internal marketing team. The Company has never had a capability of this size before, and the highly efficient hybrid internal team/distributor model allows us to scale without the capital investment and overhead that such a large sales force would otherwise entail.

Equally important is the progress that Daxor has made in the area of clinical outcomes utilizing our blood volume analyzer systems. In May of this year Management announced a landmark grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded to Daxor and investigators at the VA Hospital system for a prospective randomized multi-center blood volume trial for the treatment of heart failure (HF) with Daxors systems. This multi-phase study has already begun and will add to the significant evidence of the impact of blood volume guided care in reducing HF readmissions and mortality. Receiving funding from the NIH and partnering with the VA system is just one of the many ways that Daxor is advancing its business in a capital-efficient and effective manner, these grants are extremely competitive, and Management sees this award as significant validation of its technology and blood volumes clinical significance.

The Company also announced in August that a promising research letter on the use of Daxors BVA-100 analyzer on six COVID-19 patients at NYU Medical center had been published in the prestigious Journal of Critical Care. Daxors prospective multi-center trial has enrolled more than 50% of its goal and results are expected later this year. The research letter showed a strong need for the BVA-100 to help manage COVID-19 optimally. Management looks forward to sharing the results of the multi-center trial when they become available.

Other research published in the first half of 2021 was presented at the Society for Critical Care meeting showing the value of blood volume analysis in transfusion practice. Data in the use of blood volume for measuring the impact of salt and volume adjustment to treat postural orthostatic hypertension (POTS) was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology,  syncope and POTS are significant additional growth areas for the Company in the future. Previously announced research trials with Duke University in HF treatment and collaborations with Nuwellis Corporation are on track after suffering delays related to COVID last year as conditions at hospitals allowed enrollment to continue.

The third area of focus of the company has been the vital research and development of next generation Blood Volume Analyzers (BVA). In March of this year Daxor announced that the US DOD had awarded an additional $750,000 contract for BVA systems for both military and civilian use utilizing a novel patent-pending fluorescent tracer under development by Daxor since 2018. The US DOD and the Center for Advancing Point of Care Technology (funded by NIH) have awarded the Company an additional four contract awards for Daxors next generation blood volume analyzer. The next generation device is designed to be portable, three times faster, simpler, and able to operate in areas where a test requiring a lab to analyze results is just not practical. Daxor was awarded these highly competitive contracts on the basis of its proposals showing not only revolutionary technology but also our ability to successfully develop and commercialize diagnostics in this area where the company has over 40 years of experience as the global leader in Blood Volume analysis technology. The company applied for 6 new patents in 2020 covering aspects of the new system as well as further applications of blood volume measurement and its treatment paradigms. Management anticipates that a similar number of new patents will also be filed in 2021 as R&D accelerates and new technologies are being developed based upon contracts that have been awarded and partnerships with 3rd party technology accelerators have been signed. The Company has added engineering, scientific, and production personnel to accelerate the development of new products at its highly-cost effective Oak Ridge, Tennessee facility instead of out-sourcing to expensive and slower contract research organizations and anticipates that investment in this area will accelerate this fiscal year as we develop highly valuable, patentable technology to drive growth and partnerships in years to come.

Management anticipates that there will be significant interest and uptake of the new systems based upon preliminary discussions with clinicians helping to develop the technology. Daxors next generation devices will also be eligible for Phase III funding awards and acquisition by branches of the military for their deployment to aid in combat casualty care.

The strong trend of healthcare is toward individualized care and cost-effectiveness. Our BVA diagnostic is a non-invasive, inexpensive, and rapid blood test which allows care teams to solve the significant challenge of accurately managing the fluid levels of patients, whether it is in the heart failure clinic or the ICU, and studies published and presented are proving just how exciting the potential for this approach is. Reducing mortality, lowering complications, reducing hospital resource use and length of stay with a non-invasive and 98% accurate test is achievable with our patented technology. Just as exciting is the next generation of products that are in our development pipeline slated for completion this year which should further enhance the accessibility of our test and open it up to both government as well as civilian hospital systems on an international scale.

Daxor has been reporting as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 since January 1, 2012. See the Notes to the Financial Statements of Form N-CSR for further information on Daxors strategies and goals regarding its investments in publicly traded securities, to help fund its diagnostic operations. Because of its significant holding of publicly traded securities, the SEC currently classifies Daxor as a closed-end investment management company with a fully owned medical operating division; however, the primary focus of management is on our operational objectives. Daxor anticipates that as the value of the operating company continues to increase as a percentage of assets owned, it will be eligible to file under its previous designation as an operating company and report as an operating company and will take steps to accomplish this result.

Any shareholder who is interested in learning more about our medical instrumentation and biotechnology operations should visit our website at www.daxor.com or contact our investor relations representative Bret Shapiro of CORE IR at 516-222-2560 for more detailed information. We periodically issue press releases regarding research reports and placements of the BVA-100 Blood Volume Analyzer in hospitals.

Go Paperless with E-Delivery

In order to sign up for electronic delivery of shareholder reports and prospectuses, please send an email to info@daxor.com. If you do not hold your account directly with Daxor, please contact the firm that holds your account about electronic delivery.

Cordially Yours,

Michael Feldschuh

CEO and President

About Daxor Corporation

Daxor Corporation (NYSE: DXR) is the global leader in blood volume measurement technology focused on blood volume testing innovation (organized as an investment company with fully owned innovative medical instrumentation and biotechnology operations). We developed and market the BVA-100 (Blood Volume Analyzer), the first diagnostic blood test cleared by the FDA to provide safe, accurate, objective quantification of blood volume status and composition compared to patient-specific norms. The BVA technology enhances hospital performance metrics in a broad range of surgical and medical conditions, including heart failure and critical care, by informing treatment strategies, resulting in significantly improved multiple measures of patient outcomes. Daxor's mission is to advance healthcare by enabling optimal fluid management with blood volume analysis. Daxors vision is optimal blood volume for all. For more information, please visit our website at Daxor.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including without limitation, statements regarding the impact of hiring sales staff and expansion of our distribution channels. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this release, including, without limitation, those risk associated with our post-market clinical data collection activities, benefits of our products to patients, our expectations with respect to product development and commercialization efforts, our ability to increase market and physician acceptance of our products, potentially competitive product offerings, intellectual property protection, FDA regulatory actions, our ability to integrate acquired businesses, our expectations regarding anticipated synergies with and benefits from acquired businesses, and additional other risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date when made. Daxor does not assume any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
FREDERICTON, New Brunswick, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vegan beer drinkers will be able to raise a brew soon to celebrate as Chinova Bioworks has just launched a major research initiative with the College Communautaire du Nouveau Brunswick's (CCNB) INNOV centre, backed by the New Brunswick Innovation Foundations Innovation Voucher Fund to develop an exciting new processing aid for vegan-friendly brews.



Chinova is leveraging its clean-label ingredient expertise at CCNB's Grand Falls campus, which has been developing technologies around brewing and distilling for years. The research project aims to develop a new application for Chinovas proprietary white button mushroom fiber, Chiber, as a rapid fining agent for breweries. The initiative comes at a time when many breweries are working to switch to vegan practices to keep up with consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable products.

People are searching for vegan and plant-based options for every aspect of their lifestyle, so we are committed to innovating and providing sustainable solutions based off our white button mushroom fiber technology, said David Brown, COO and co-founder of Chinova Bioworks. Alcoholic beverages, particularly beer, are plagued with the use of animal derived and synthetic ingredients, and we believe we can make a big impact here with Chiber.

Many brewed beers, and other alcoholic, beverages include animal-based compounds that are added throughout the production process. For example, many include pepsin, a foaming agent obtained from stomach enzymes of pigs; chitin, derived from lobster and crab shells; as well as carmine, which is found in the crushed scales of cochineal insects. Another commonly used compound is isinglass, a kind of gelatin obtained from fish swim bladders. All of these are often used in the alcohol production and filtering process to make drinks appear clearer and brighter. Chinovas technology would provide brewers a vegan alternative to animal-based, isinglass fining agents and synthetic PVPP (polyvinylpolypyrrolidone) that has long been used in the beverage industry as a processing aid.

Early results show Chiber works eight times faster at settling yeast post-fermentation, and as an extra bonus, can leave residual antimicrobial benefits to the beer, making it stay fresher for longer. Chinova is targeting to launch Chiber for alcoholic beverages in the first quarter of 2022 and is currently working with early adopters for market testing, while actively seeking more innovative companies to take part in the initiative.

Chiber is a cost effective and natural solution for the brewing industry. It is a pure fiber extracted from the stems of white button mushrooms and that does not contain any allergenic materials from the mushroom. Chiber is odorless and tasteless and does not alter the taste, color or consistency of the beverage. Chinova Bioworks is a food technology company headquartered in New Brunswick, Canada, with a five-year track record of developing natural, clean-label preservatives extracted from mushrooms for the food and beverage industry. Chiber is certified vegan, kosher, halal, organic compliant, non-GMO, declared allergen-free, paleo, keto-friendly, low FODMAP, gluten-free, Whole 30, has no sodium contribution. To learn more or become part of Chibers vegan alcohol research initiative, visit: www.chinovabioworks.com .

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/be60e125-36b0-4c2c-a334-84add123baae
Full range of innovative sustainable vehicle systems on display





Magna exhibit located at IAA Hall B3, Booth C60





The Power of Magna to be on full display at IAA in Munich

SAILAUF, Germany, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Magnas commitment to delivering innovative products and systems that also create a better world for tomorrow will be on full display at the IAA 2021 Mobility Show. The show, in its new home in Munich, provides the ideal forum for sharing the companys product portfolio, new innovations and future vision. Attendees of the show can visit Magna in Hall B3, Booth C60 to learn more about what sets the company apart from others in the industry.

Our full-system vehicle capability, overall product expertise and comprehensive vehicle knowledge demonstrate The Power of Magna, which is a real differentiator in this high-tech, complex industry, said Eric Wilds, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Magna International. Its why we are an industry leader when it comes to helping advance mobility for everyone and everything.



New regulatory requirements, advances in automotive technologies and new business models are driving changes in the industry like never before. Magna is in a unique position to support automakers during this transformative time.

The company will be displaying its eDrive technologies which allow vehicles to maximize performance, proving that an exceptional driving experience doesnt have to come at the expense of the planet or sustainability. Visitors of IAA will be able to see the Magna Etelligent Reach powertrain system, which will be launched in a completely new production vehicle in 2022. Through an intelligent electrified powertrain the system offers an extended range of up to 145 km/90 miles while excelling in any driving situation, a key aspect in the growing electrification space.

Visitors can also experience Magnas connected PHEV powertrain solution, the Magna Etelligent Eco, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 38 % and provides outstanding drivability in purely electric driving, and its Etelligent Force powertrain featuring the Magna eBeam technology, one of the first outcomes from its Joint Venture partnership with LG Electronics.

The company will also highlight ADAS technologies like its industry-first digital radar which enhances a vehicle's ability to "see" its surroundings and detect potential hazards - from a stalled vehicle in a dark tunnel to a pedestrian up to 150 meters away. The Magna ICON Digital Radar, set to launch in 2022, dramatically improves performance over todays analog radar, bringing it to levels which have not yet been experienced in automotive applications. In combination with Magnas expertise in cameras, sensors, solid-state lidar and domain controllers, Magna can seamlessly integrate these technologies, providing a full-system approach to automakers.

With its comprehensive portfolio, Magna can rethink the possibilities across the entire vehicle. This includes the creation of a battery enclosure which contributes to the structural and safety aspects of an electric vehicle, while protecting high-voltage batteries from damage and water. Lighting technologies such as the Magna Flecsform which contributes to design flexibility and energy saving. Reconfigurable seating concepts allow for vehicle cabins to be reshaped and reimagined for various levels of autonomy.

IAA virtual visitors and onsite guests can get ongoing Magna updates at magna.com/IAA2021 through its social media channels on Facebook , LinkedIn and Twitter or follow the Magna IAA livestream on YouTube .

TAGS

IAA MOBILITY 2021 Munich, new mobility, sustainability, Magna IAA

INVESTOR CONTACT

Louis Tonelli, Vice-President, Investor Relations

louis.tonelli@magna.com, +1 (905) 726 7035

MEDIA CONTACT

Tracy Fuerst, Vice President, Corporate Communications and PR

tracy.fuerst@magna.com, +1 (248) 761 7004



ABOUT MAGNA

Magna is more than one of the worlds largest suppliers in the automotive space. We are a mobility technology company with a global, entrepreneurial-minded team of 158,000 employees and an organizational structure designed to innovate like a startup. With 60+ years of expertise, and a systems approach to design, engineering and manufacturing that touches nearly every aspect of the vehicle, we are positioned to support advancing mobility in a transforming industry. Our global network includes 347 manufacturing operations and 84 product development, engineering and sales centers spanning 28 countries.

For further information about Magna [(NYSE: MGA; TSX: MG)], please visit www.magna.com or follow us on Twitter @MagnaInt.

THIS RELEASE MAY CONTAIN STATEMENTS WHICH CONSTITUTE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS UNDER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LEGISLATION AND ARE SUBJECT TO, AND EXPRESSLY QUALIFIED BY, THE CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMERS THAT ARE SET OUT IN MAGNAS REGULATORY FILINGS. PLEASE REFER TO MAGNAS MOST CURRENT MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL POSITION, ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM AND ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 40-F, AS REPLACED OR UPDATED BY ANY OF MAGNAS SUBSEQUENT REGULATORY FILINGS, WHICH SET OUT THE CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMERS, INCLUDING THE RISK FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL EVENTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE INDICATED BY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. THESE DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW ON MAGNAS WEBSITE AT WWW.MAGNA.COM.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b66ca286-eb25-4a88-a75d-abe734720942
Toronto, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New Acre Project is pleased to announce the second phase of funding from TD Bank Group (TD). Through their contribution to the New Acre Project, TD is pursuing its sustainability objectives by supporting farmers and ranchers to build nature on their land.

In 2019, TD helped launch New Acre Project with a $220,000 grant that reached eight communities across Canada. Today, TD has extended its support contributing a total of 450 acres of nature-based projects managed by farmers and ranchers to deliver cleaner air, cleaner water and to support biodiversity on agricultural landscapes.

Each New Acre project delivers numerous benefits for communities and the environment, including new habitat for wildlife and pollinators, improved water quality and watershed health and climate resilience. Further, each acre supports a culture of stewardship among farmers and ranchers, their families and community partners, all of whom are collaborating to provide nature-based solutions.

TDs support of New Acre Project and ALUS communities is a clear statement of the importance of the work being done by farmers and ranchers across the country, said Katherine Balpataky, who leads New Acre Project as Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships and Business Development at ALUS, New Acre Projects parent organization.

New Acre Project is enabling change across Canada, helping to provide resilience to the agricultural sector.

New Acre Project equips farmers with the support they need to help them advance sustainable agriculture practices, said Nicole Vadori, Associate Vice President and Head of Environment, TD Bank Group. Through the TD Ready Commitment, the Bank's global citizenship platform, we are thrilled to continue supporting ALUS and New Acre Project, having already helped restore 300 acres to date. As a result of innovation and collaboration, together, we are yielding positive social, environmental and economic benefits in communities across Canada."

By collaborating with TD, New Acre Project is able to support 450 project acres in ALUS communities across the country, including in Alberta (ALUS Lac Ste. Anne; ALUS Northern Sunrise; ALUS Parkland; and ALUS Red Deer County), Saskatchewan (ALUS Saskatchewan Assiniboine Project), Manitoba (ALUS Assiniboine West), Ontario (ALUS Elgin; ALUS Middlesex; and ALUS Peterborough) and Quebec (ALUS Monteregie).

In each of those communities, farmers and ranchers are taking active measures to ensure the health of their land and water, as well as Canadas agricultural sector. Farmers like Geraldine Heffernan are on the frontlines of the climate and biodiversity crises, and they are ready to provide solutions. Geraldine and her family operate pasture and hayfield to support goat, sheep and pastured pork on their 100-acre property.

Geraldine has farmed this land since 1985, but she is mindful of passing it on to future generations who will continue to live on and work the land.

New Acre Project is key to expanding the ALUS program, said Bryan Gilvesy, ALUS CEO. By inviting corporate support for project acres, ALUS can fund targeted projects delivered by communities across the country. Its a funding model that reflects the nimble, responsive solutions that farmers and ranchers deploy on their land every day.





About ALUS and New AcreTM Project

ALUS (originally an acronym for Alternative Land Use Services) is a charitable organization that sustains agriculture and biodiversity for the benefit of communities and future generations. ALUS provides direct financial and technical support to a network of more than a thousand farmers and ranchers who deliver ecosystem services in more than 30 communities across Canada, such as cleaner air, cleaner water, carbon sequestration, erosion control, flood mitigation, pollinator support and wildlife habitat. ALUS New Acre Project helps corporations exceed sustainability objectives by supporting farmers and ranchers to build nature on their land. Learn more at newacre.org and ALUS.ca.

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NEW YORK, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Onclave , the first Zero Trust single integrated communications platform built for OT and IoT, was recently featured in a Corporate Compliance Insights article, a website that attracts tens of thousands of visitors a month.

In the article titled, Why Your Business Needs to Adopt Zero Trust Principles for Cybersecurity , Onclave's Chief Marketing Officer, Scott Martin, discussed the importance of a "Never Trust, Always Verify" model and covered a number of topics, including the rise of cyberattacks and the benefits of adopting the right network security solution based on Zero Trust, because not all Zero Trust are the same.

"Our team of experts is delivering trusted network security for today's interconnected world," said Martin. "We're confident our partnership with Newswire will continue to help us capitalize on more opportunities like this to stay in front of our target audience and reach and connect with organizations to ensure they understand the importance of having the most updated security system to protect their business. That is a vital mission of ours."

With the goal of becoming the leader in global cybersecurity and securing all OT and IoT devices and systems, Newswire continues to act as an extension of Onclave's team to identify media opportunities, create compelling stories, launch targeted campaigns, stand out in the marketplace, and provide reports on overall performance.

"Businesses have gone virtual, which opens them up to potential cybersecurity threats," said Charlie Terenzio, CMO and SVP of Media and Marketing Communications at Newswire. "In collaboration with the team at Onclave, we're working together to tell their story and bring to light their ability to ensure the security, privacy, and integrity of networks. And this feature article is a testament to that."

To learn more about how Newswire's integrated solutions are helping companies grow their audience, expand their reach, and implement an effective go-to-market strategy, visit Newswire.com today.

About Onclave

Based in the Washington, D.C., area, Onclave Networks, Inc. is a global cybersecurity leader that specializes in securing operational technology (OT/IoT) through private networks. Onclave provides the first true Zero Trust secure communications platform that protects both legacy and new operational technologies from cyberattacks and other types of unauthorized access. Onclave makes trusted secure communications a standard for all by providing the fastest path to a more secure, simplified, and cost-effective alternative to today's solutions. For more information, visit: onclavenetworks.com

Media Contact:

Alexis Quintal

alexis@newswire.com

About Newswire

Newswire delivers press releases and multimedia distribution software and services (SaaS) that empower the Earned Media Advantage: greater brand awareness, increased traffic, greater return on media and marketing communications spend, and the competitive edge. With over a decade of experience, Newswire continues to provide its customers with the ability to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time through the right medium.

For more information, visit http://www.newswire.com .

Contact Information

Charlie Terenzio

CMO and SVP of Media and Marketing Communications

Newswire

Office: 813-480-3766

Email: charlie@newswire.com

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This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fitness Machine Technicians, specialists in the maintenance and repair of exercise equipment for commercial and residential customers, opens its first location in Canada today. Winnipeg resident Tunde Dada will own and operate the local franchise.



Fitness Machine Technicians operates in more than 100 markets across the United States and now Canada and offers service/repair and maintenance on a variety of exercise equipment in fitness centers, universities, high schools, hotels, apartment complexes, corporate gyms and private residences.

Tunde moved to Winnipeg with his family in 2016 from Nigeria where he worked for over three decades in various sectors. He brings a wealth of rich managerial and executive experience to his new ownership of Fitness Machine Technicians in Winnipeg. Passionate about fitness and exercise, Tunde was particularly attracted to the franchise because of the gap he saw in his community in fitness equipment repair and maintenance. With the well-tested methodologies of Fitness Machine Technicians, coupled with his own experience in customer service and management, Tunde will bring top-notch services to Winnipeg.

With more and more people returning to their routines, its important to make sure fitness equipment is running in top shape. Im excited to provide a much-needed service in my community of Winnipeg where customer service will be of utmost importance to me as I lead the expansion of Fitness Machine Technicians into Canada, said Dada.

Tunde will work with a team of well-trained local technicians and expand as the need increases. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, technicians take extra precautions by wearing face masks, shoe covers, and gloves and using disinfectant wipes when servicing equipment.

Since its inception, Fitness Machine Technicians has been committed to delivering reliable service/repair and preventive maintenance services to customers across the US and now extends these services to Canada. With more than 35 years experience in the fitness industry, Chief Executive and Founder Don Powers created a company that puts its customers first.

Powers shares, Broken fitness equipment is a common problem wherever theres a gym, university, or dusty basement. Im thrilled were expanding our services to Canada and am inspired by Tundes enthusiasm in bringing our services to a new community of clients.

Dada serves as treasurer for his local Knights of Columbus and is actively involved with Business Networking International (BNI).

For more information about having a fitness machine or exercise facility serviced, please contact Fitness Machine Technicians of Winnipeg at 204-306-0553 or visit www.FitnessMachineTechnicians.ca/Winnipeg.

About Fitness Machine Technicians

Fitness Machine Technicians specializes in the maintenance and repair of fitness equipment for commercial and home exercise facilities. Clients include fitness centers, corporations, hotels, condominiums, high schools, colleges and universities, government, and residential homes across the United States and Canada. Its corporate-trained and authorized technicians are committed to providing the most reliable repair and maintenance services.

Fitness Machine Technicians also offers franchise opportunities to individuals with an interest in fitness and looking to run a service-based business based on a proven operating model. The companys award-winning franchise currently has locations in approximately 100 territories across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.FitnessMachineTechnicians.com or call 844-FMT-FIXX.

Contact: Katie Kring

kkring@powersbc.com

1-215-285-8727
LODI, Calif., Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corto , 100% California-grown olive oil and the secret ingredient of top chefs across the nation, announced today its first Agrumato-method olive oil: Agrumato Calabrian Chili . This special, limited-edition Harvest 2021 oil is crafted with the Agrumato method by crushing and co-extracting heirloom varieties of Calabrian chilies with California olives harvested at peak freshness this Fall. The result is a full-bodied experience of flavors ideal for gifting and drizzling on favorite dishes this holiday season (and all year long). Available for delivery this December, Corto Agrumato Calabrian Chili Oil can be purchased now at Corto-olive.com/products/agrumato for $35. The 500mL gift-worthy bottle includes an illustrated label by Italian artist Irene Laschi, who specializes in botanical drawings.



Agrumato is a far cry from the infused oils most consumers are familiar with, explained Corto Master Miller David Garci-Aguirre. Instead of adding flavor to oil that has already been extracted, we crush the olives and Calabrian chilies together, resulting in a more full-bodied and flavorful experience.

Like all Corto olive oils, this superior method is rooted in the companys Italian heritage and inspired by innovation. Committed to its values of transparency and quality, Corto has been producing the freshest, 100% California olive oil since 2005. Made from beautifully fresh olives grown in California groves, Cortos Extra Virgin Olive Oil is expertly blended by the companys Master Miller to achieve a stunningly bright flavor profile that professional chefs have relied on for years to enhance their favorite dishes.

Corto sourced organic, heirloom Calabrian chilies from Longer Table Farm in Sonoma County, California, in order to achieve the perfect balance of heat and depth of flavor from local pepper specialists. In fact, these farmers plant over 50 varieties of pepper seeds each year from the Caribbean, Italy, Hungary, France, Peru, and Mexico.

Corto believes that the best olive oil is fresh olive oil, but 70% of the olive oil commercially available in retail outlets are harvested from overripe/rotten fruit that has fallen to the ground. Dedicated to freshness from grove to plate, Corto starts by using over-the-row harvesters to gently pick olives off the branches at peak freshness. The fruit is then cold-extracted in Cortos state-of-the-art mill within hours and stored in a climate-controlled cellar until a customer order is processed. Only then is the oil packaged directly from the cellar into Cortos FlavorLock boxes and dark-glass bottles, further ensuring freshness and minimizing exposure to the harmful effects of light, heat, and air. The result is some of the freshest, most flavorful oil possible.

ABOUT CORTO OLIVE CO.

Rooted in its Italian heritage, inspired by innovation and committed to its values of transparency and quality, Corto has been producing the highest quality, freshest, 100% California olive oil since 2005. Made from beautifully fresh olives grown in California groves, the oil is expertly blended by Cortos Master Miller to achieve a stunningly bright flavor profile that professional chefs have relied on for over a decade to enhance their favorite dishes. Corto currently offers consumers two award-winning oil varieties to fit every type of cooking: TRULY 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil and La Padella Saute Oil, a blend of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, rice bran, avocado, and grapeseed oils crafted specifically for high-performance sauteing.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e54d3d20-cd54-4534-b3ae-b4182c8ddfdf
DENVER, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Moye White LLP is pleased to announce the opening of a new office in Atlanta, Georgia, the first expansion outside Colorado in the firms 45-year history. The firm has also welcomed four new attorneys and team members to its Business Section as it merged with Trusted Counsel (Ashley) LLC, a corporate and intellectual property boutique law firm.

This merger reinforces our commitment to serving our national and regional clients with the same high standards of service, excellence, and care that we have developed while operating in Colorado since 1976, said Managing Partner Thomas M. List. Over the years, our client base has expanded, as have the needs of our clients. This will position us to best represent our clients with significant operations in another region. Trusted Counsel is the perfect fit, in terms of practice area expertise, top-tier attorneys, and  as is of utmost importance to the Moye White team  culture.

Moye White is the perfect fit for Trusted Counsels future. The firm has an amazing reputation not just in Colorado, but throughout the country. After meeting with the team, I knew our cultures and personalities would be a natural pair, said Evelyn A. Ashley, who founded the firm and served as its Managing Partner for 17 years prior to the merger. But this move is bigger than just our team; this move will greatly expand the depth and breadth of our legal services offerings for our established and growing client base. Our teams strengthen each other, and combined, well be able to increase and extend our geographic and practice reach, as well as enhance the top-notch client service foundational to both firms.

Learn more about each of the firms newest attorneys below.

Evelyn A. Ashley

As a corporate and intellectual property attorney, Evelyn A. Ashley has wide-ranging legal and business experience providing a results-focused, pragmatic approach on behalf of clients. Her practice focuses on providing strategic legal assistance and counsel to private companies as well as angels, family offices, and venture fund managers. She uses her knowledge to help clients grow, add value, navigate disputes, and realize value from their respective businesses. She has extensive experience in complex corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, financing and private company investments (both investor and company-side representations), corporate governance, and intellectual property strategy and monetization. She works with a wide range of businesses, including many U.S. headquarters of UK and European businesses.

She earned her law degree from the Georgia State University College of Law, with honors, and her undergraduate degree from Eisenhower College, Seneca Falls, New York  the home of Womens Rights National Park. Ashley currently serves as a board member for the nsoro Foundation, a nonprofit that assists college-bound young adults who have aged out of the foster care system.

Valerie D. Barton

As a mergers & acquisitions, exit planning, corporate and intellectual property attorney, Valerie D. Barton works across a broad range of industries in the planning, development, and execution of business strategies. She advises clients in the formative stage of managing the business and its equity/debt funding needs, through the strategic investment and venture financing/private equity rounds that support the latter stages of her clients corporate development growth.

She earned her law degree from the Emory University School of Law. Barton also received her international MBA and her undergraduate degree in English medieval history and architecture from the University of South Carolina. Barton is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, receiving her certification from the Exit Planning Institute for the purpose of better counseling clients in the areas of succession planning and exit strategies.

Allen N. Bradley

As a corporate attorney, partner Allen N. Bradley assists clients through some of the most complex and high-stakes matters. These include corporate finance and private securities; corporate and partnership tax; executive and other nonqualified compensation; and wills, trusts, and estate law. He also has significant experience with renewable energy and sustainability initiatives. Bradley is the Georgia Solar Energy Association 2020 Advocate of the Year.

He earned both his law degree and his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia. He also received his masters in taxation (LLM) from the New York University School of Law. Bradley is an active member of the Atlanta Bar Association, American Bar Association, Georgia Bar Association, Atlanta Tax Forum, the Solar Energy Industry Association and the Public Policy & Incentives Working Group of the Georgia Solar Energy Association.

Michael R. Siavage

Michael R. Siavage is an of counsel attorney who counsels technology companies and other investors. This includes venture capital and corporate finance transactions, as well as a wide range of corporate matters. He also has substantial experience with intellectual property transactions, including licensing; joint venture and development agreements; reseller and distribution agreements; and the formation and structuring of new companies.

He earned his law degree from the Seton Hall University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University. Siavage has served as a regular lecturer for LaunchPad and recently served as a board member for the Atlanta Technology Angels.

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ABOUT MOYE WHITE LLP

Moye White LLP is a business law firm serving clients throughout the United States and internationally, with offices in Colorado and Georgia. The firm provides legal representation across a wide variety of transactional and litigation matters, offering strategic, business-oriented counsel to public, private, and governmental clients in complex business and real estate transactions and disputes. As one of the earliest national law firms to achieve B Corp certification, Moye White meets rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. For more information, please visit www.moyewhite.com or contact Managing Partner Tom List at 303-292-2900 or tom.list@moyewhite.com.
Houston, TX, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Cassandra G. Mott and Sarah H. Frazier have joined the firms Houston office as partners in its Finance, Restructuring, and Bankruptcy practice group. Cassandra and Sarah represent financial institutions, including commercial banks and non-bank lenders, as well as borrowers, in a variety of commercial transactions. They join Blank Rome from Holland & Knight LLP and were partners at Thompson & Knight before the two firms recently combined. At Thompson & Knight, Cassandra served as the firms Houston office leader and finance practice leader.

We are thrilled to welcome Cassandra and Sarah to Blank Rome, notably as we continue to celebrate the tenth anniversary of our Houston office this year, said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Romes Managing Partner and CEO. Cassandra and Sarah are proven leaders with stellar reputations in the Houston business community and beyond. Their addition to our Houston office not only affirms our commitment to this growing market, but also formally establishes our firms transactional practice in the region and significantly enhances our national capabilities on both the borrower and lender sides for our finance clients.

Cassandra and Sarah counsel clients across a range of industries, including consumer products, oil and gas, technology, healthcare, manufacturing, chemicals, transportation, retail, and more, for clients throughout the United States and around the world. Collectively, they represent borrowers, as well as financial institutions, private equity funds and their portfolio companies, and other credit providers in a variety of secured and unsecured transactions, such as oil and gas secured financings, acquisition financing, syndicated lending, the workout and restructuring of credit facilities, and note purchase and sale transactions. Cassandra also provides counsel on intercreditor matters, helping clients negotiate and structure deals with numerous lien priorities and debt trenches.

Sarah and I are excited for the opportunity to work with Blank Rome to establish a robust finance practice in Texas, one that parallels the firms preeminent finance practices in other markets, said Cassandra. More importantly, we are thrilled to introduce our clients to all that Blank Rome has to offer, from a top-notch national finance practice to a thriving Houston office, to industry teams and practice areas across the country that are of keen interest to our clients, such as midstream, renewables, asset-based lending, middle market lending, and more.

We are excited to have Cassandra and Sarah join our leading national finance practice in Houston and expand our capabilities to service our clients throughout Texas, said Lawrence F. Flick II, Partner and Chair of Blank Romes Financial Services industry group. Their finance capabilities and notably deep experience in the oil and gas industry will provide tremendous value to our clients and growing finance and energy practices.

I look forward to joining Blank Rome, whose commitment to supporting womenand particularly women in financeis so strong, added Sarah. The firm has a rich history of promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives, and is readily able to assemble diverse teams of attorneys to handle client matters, which is of incredible value to our clients. Paired with the depth and breadth of its nationally recognized finance practice, Blank Rome offers Cassandra and me a great platform on which to grow our practices.

Beyond their practices, Cassandra and Sarah are dedicated to philanthropic initiatives in Houston. Cassandra serves on the board of directors for the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, and Sarah serves on the board of directors for the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Houston and co-chairs the ACG Houston Womens Forum. Furthermore, she is a member of The Childrens Fund, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping early stage charities fulfill their mission to provide critical services to disadvantaged children across the greater Houston area. Cassandra is also recognized in Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers as a leading attorney in Banking and Finance Law, and was recently honored in The Deal as a Top Woman in Dealmaking, Private Equity and in the Houston Business Journals Women Who Mean Business.

Cassandra earned her J.D., with honors, from The Ohio State University, Order of the Coif, and her B.A., with high distinction, from Ohio Northern University. Sarah earned her J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law and her B.S., with honors, from University of Texas at Austin.

About Blank Rome

Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 13 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Romes culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all of our clients and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.

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Dallas, TX (SMU), Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jeff Schmid joins the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking (SWGSB) Foundation, headquartered at SMUs Cox School of Business, as president and CEO effective Sept. 1. Schmids move comes as current President and CEO S. Scott MacDonald, Ph.D., retires from the position after 24 years of service https://www.smu.edu/cox/At-SMU-Cox/press-releases/swgsb-new-leadership

In that time, Scott has helped strengthen ties between SWGSB and SMU Cox, said Vic Pierson, chairman, president & CEO of Moody National Bank in Galveston and chairman of the SWGSB Board of Trustees. He has contributed greatly to SWGSBs role as a trusted educational source for banking education, bank leadership development and bank director training programs. We are grateful to Scott for his leadership even as we look ahead to Jeff taking the helm.

With nearly 40 years of banking and regulatory experience, Schmid began his career at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in 1981 and remained until 1989. He graduated from the SWGSB summer residence program at SMU Cox in 1990.

My 35-year association with the Foundations schools changed the trajectory of my career, says Schmid. I look forward to offering that kind of career-changing experience to future SWGSB students. The Foundations director programs also afford the opportunity to positively influence bank boards and their governance.

After completing the SWGSB program, Schmid became president and CEO of two closely held banks in the Midwest. In 2007, he led the establishment of Mutual of Omaha Bank, a wholly owned investment of Mutual of Omaha, where he served as chairman and chief executive officer. He built the organization into a national franchise with assets of nearly $10 billion.

Schmid is a longtime member of the Cox School of Business Executive Board. He holds a bachelors degree from the University of Nebraska. His involvement with the SWGSB Foundation is long established, including service as past chairman of the SWGSB Foundation Board of Trustees. He received the SWGSB Alumni Associations Distinguished Service Award in 2006. Only seven other graduates in the SWGSBs 64-year-old history have received this prestigious honor. He has also been a SWGSB faculty member and was Dean for Bankers at SWGSB. He presently sits on the boards of Operation HOPE in Atlanta, Georgia, and Avenue Scholars in Omaha, Nebraska.

About the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking Foundation

Established in 1957 at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking (www.swgsb.org) has become one of the top banking educational institutions. It is a professional school for bank officers, regulators and others holding management positions in the financial services industry. Emphasis is placed on financial management, leadership development, and strategic planning. The SWGSB Foundation conducts the prestigious Assemblies for Bank Directors, a series of annual seminars and workshops held throughout the United States, Canada and off shore for bank board members and senior officers. SWGSB and the SWGSB Foundation are headquartered at SMUs top-ranked Cox School of Business. For more information about SWGSB (www.swgsb.org) or SWGSB Foundation programs, contact (214) 768-2991 or info@swgsb.org.

About SMU Cox



In 2020, the Cox School of Business celebrated 100 years of business education at SMU. The Cox School is committed to influencing the way the world conducts business via prolific research that provokes innovation, change and global thought leadership. SMU Cox offers a full-range of business education programs including BBA, Full-Time MBA, Professional MBA (part-time), Executive MBA, Online MBA, Direct MBA and Master of Science degree programs, as well as Executive Education. Consistently ranked among the worlds leading business schools, SMU Cox maintains an active alumni network in more than 40 countries. SMU Cox is accredited by the AACSB.

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LENEXA, Kan., Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will join Clinton Griffiths, host of AgDay TV and editor of Farm Journal magazine, for a town-hall-style conversation around the most critical topics in agriculture during Farm Journal's next Farm Country Update. The free webinar, titled "American Ag Policy: A Conversation with the Secretary of Agriculture," is set for Thursday, September 2, 2021, at 2 p.m. CDT.

The virtual event will focus on topics important to farmers and all the agriculture industry including policy priorities, COVID assistance, trade, climate, market transparency and goals for the upcoming year. Audience participants will be able to submit questions during the event.

"There are so many reasons to be encouraged about agriculture in 2021," said Griffiths. "This is an opportunity to hear from Secretary Vilsack himself on the future of the industry, the challenges ahead and the policies he expects to shape our conversations over the next several years."

Register now for this free online event at www.farmjournal.com/farm-country-updates/. All registered attendees will receive on-demand access to the session when available.

About Farm Journal

Farm Journal is the nation's leading business information and media company serving the agricultural market. Started 145 years ago with the preeminent Farm Journal magazine, the company serves the row crop, livestock, produce and retail sectors through branded websites, e-newsletters and phone apps; business magazines; live events including conferences, seminars and tradeshows; nationally broadcasted television and radio programs; a robust mobile-text-marketing business and an array of data-driven, paid information products. Farm Journal also is the majority shareholder of the online equipment marketplace, Machinery Pete LLC. In 2010, the company established the non-profit, public charity, Farm Journal Foundation, dedicated to sustaining agriculture's ability to meet the vital needs of a growing population through education and empowerment.

For more information: Susan Rhode, 913-213-7110 or srhode@farmjournal.com

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Farm Journal

Farm Journal is the nation's leading business information and media company serving the agricultural market. Started 145 years ago with the preeminent Farm Journal magazine, the company serves the row crop, livestock, produce and retail sectors.

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hagens Berman urges Full Truck Alliance (NYSE: YMM) investors with significant losses to submit your losses now. A securities class action lawsuit has been filed that relates to the companys IPO issuance of 82.5 million American Depositary Shares at $19/ADS. Certain investors who invested in Full Truck Alliance ADRs pursuant or traceable to the companys IPO may have valuable claims.



Class Period: June 19, 2021  July 12, 2021 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Sept. 10, 2021 Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/YMM Contact An Attorney Now: YMM@hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895

Full Truck Alliance Co. Ltd. (YMM) Securities Class Action:

According to the lawsuit, the companys IPO materials contained misleading statements about the risks that (1) Full Truck Alliances Yunmanman and Huochebang apps would face an imminent cybersecurity review by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), (2) the CAC would require the company to suspend new user registrations, and (3) the CAC would require First Truck Alliance to conduct a comprehensive review of any cybersecurity risks and remediate its systems and technologies as necessary.

Within a month of closing the IPO, investors began to learn the truth.

On July 5, 2021, Full Truck Alliance announced the CAC commenced a cybersecurity review of the Yunmanman and Huochebang apps and required the company to conduct a comprehensive review of cybersecurity risks, remediate deficiencies, and suspend new user registrations in China.

This news sent the price of Full Truck Alliance ADRs crashing lower on July 6, 2021.

Were focused on investors losses and proving Full Truck Alliance and senior management knew of the Chinese regulators demands but nonetheless rushed to market without first satisfying those demands, said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.

If you are a Full Truck Alliance investor and have significant losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firms investigation, click here to discuss your legal rights with Hagens Berman.

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Full Truck Alliance should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email YMM@hbsslaw.com.

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman is a national law firm with eight offices in eight cities around the country and over eighty attorneys. The firm represents investors, whistleblowers, workers and consumers in complex litigation. More about the firm and its successes is located at hbsslaw.com. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @classactionlaw .
Music Photography Platform So.Co Announced As First Partnership

To Connect Artists and Fans

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Award Pool, an integrated platform that empowers brands, influencers and content creators to power up, grow, and engage communities worldwide, today announced the upcoming launch of its platform in Q3 2021. Founded in March 2020 and headed up by seasoned entrepreneur and CEO Reuven Cohen, Award Pool provides tools to brands and content creators for the gamification of campaigns with social and in-game challenges catered to their communities.



Today, the company also announced its first partnership with So.Co, a curated, image-based media platform that celebrates music, the related lifestyle, and associated cultural content. Together, Award Pool and So.Co will promote a new opportunity for connecting musicians with fans by having them participate in challenges to earn points and NFT rewards, which will redefine the best strategies for audience growth and activation.

Our mission is to give brands and individuals the power to build vibrant groups of followers, fans, and customers, says Cohen. To accomplish this, Award Pool has developed an innovative platform that enhances experiences and gamifies community engagement, enabling users to collect unique amazements securely in one place.

Vince Bannon, CEO of So.Co, says So.Co is all about using great imagery and storytelling to strengthen the bond between artists and their fans, and to enhance that cultural connection. By working with Award Pool's ground-breaking platform, we can help artists deliver unique experiences to their fans.



Award Pool is primarily designed to appeal to digital natives, including Gen Z, who typically dont differentiate between physical and digital rewards. Because this group doesnt engage with traditional advertising channels, brands are having a difficult time connecting in a meaningful way. This has created a need for alternative methods to help deliver stories that convert their targeted audiences into loyal customers, and reward them in the process.



Award Pool solves this dilemma through its innovative new platform that allows users to participate in challenges, earn points, and redeem non-fungible token (NFT) prizes through an easy-to-use tool. Award Pool Capabilities include:



* Social Media Challenges

* Trivia and Scavenger Challenges

* Social and Gaming Challenges

* Loyalty Program

* NFT Rewards

* NFT Management Platform

* In-game Challenges (Windows PC/Overwolf)

In addition to Reuven Cohen, Award Pool is co-founded by Alex Falconer, CFO. The leadership team also consists of Ahmad Al Jamal, COO, and Brenda Cohen, VP of Marketing Communications, Ellie Altomare, VP of Community Engagement and FitzJohn Flynn, VP of Business Development.







About Award Pool

Launched in 2021, Toronto-based Award Pool enables anyone  from companies and brands to influencers  to gamify campaigns. Award Pools easy-to-use platform makes it easy for brands, artists, and content creators of all kinds to create customized landing pages and widgets, enabling users to participate in challenges and competitions to earn points, prizes, and customizable Non-Fungible Token (NFT) rewards. For additional information, please visit www.awardpool.com

About So.Co



So.Co is a media platform focused on telling the stories of the music industry while using the highest quality imagery. Based in LA and London and founded by a team with deep experience in the music and photography industries, So.Co will power a creative connection between artists and photographers that will create great, storytelling content to deepen the connection with fans around the world. For more information, please visit www.so.co.

Award Pool Press Contact:



awardpool@sparkpr.com

For the original news story, please visit https://www.prdistribution.com/news/award-pool-announces-its-integrated-platform-to-empower-brands-and-creators-with-challenges-and-nft-based-rewards-that-foster-growth-and-audience-engagement-2.html

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New York, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright today announced that Tim Byrne has joined its New York office as a partner.

Byrne is the seventh US lateral partner to join the firms global investigations team this year, following Celia Cohen, Tom Coulter, Jay Dewald, Chris Pelham, Julie Searle and Brian Sun.

Joining from Shearman & Sterling, Byrne advises major financial institutions on the bank regulatory aspects of a wide range of financial products and corporate transactions. He represents banks, bank holding companies and other financial market participants in connection with applications and other matters under the Bank Holding Company Act, the International Banking Act of 1978, the National Bank Act, the Change in Bank Control Act and the Federal Deposit Insurance Act.

Byrnes experience includes representing various domestic and international banks with respect to requirements under the Dodd-Frank Act, including the Volcker Rule, as well as in connection with the structure and status of their offices, activities and investments in the United States. He also advises on a range of other issues from anti-money laundering enforcement matters to bank insolvency issues, capital requirements as well as outsourcing and vendor management. He also has experience advising banks with respect to investments and other relationships with Fintechs and advising Fintechs with respect to various licensing and compliance matters and potential bank charters.

Jeff Cody, Norton Rose Fulbrights US Managing Partner, said:

Tim is a skilled lawyer with tremendous experience in the bank regulatory sector. His experience advising clients on complex compliance and enforcement issues will further bolster our rapidly expanding regulatory and investigations capabilities.

Jonathan Herbst, Norton Rose Fulbrights Global Head of Financial Services, said:

Norton Rose Fulbright is providing a superior client offering across the financial services industry in the US and globally. Tims bank regulatory and FinTech experience supports an important piece of that initiative, and his arrival will benefit clients in New York and around the world.

Byrne, who began his legal career as a staff attorney with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, said:

Norton Rose Fulbright has a stellar reputation in the regulatory and investigations space. The firms full service capabilities and global reach provide an exciting opportunity for me and the clients I serve.

Licensed to practice in New York and New Jersey, Byrne earned his bachelors degree from Princeton University and his law degree from Boston College Law School.

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Los Angeles, CA, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- An experience that most of us can relate to is checking your email to find that its full of supposed SEO gurus telling you that something is wrong with your website and offering to fix it, promising that they will get you ranked to the number one position in Google search results. But logically, not everyone can be at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs), and according to Dallas-based digital marketing expert Qamar Zaman, being the top result isnt always necessary.

In the Marketing Masterclass series on the Mission Matters podcast, a Los Angeles-based interview-style podcast with over 3000+ episodes to date, Zaman shares the knowledge he has gained in his decades of experience with web growth. The latest episode discusses how businesses can create search engine-friendly website content that also converts.

Episode 7: Mission Matters Marketing - Adam Torres & Qamar Zaman



In addition to his membership to the Forbes Agency Council, which is an invitation-only community of leaders from the PR, marketing, creative, and ad industry, Qamar has written for publications such as Huffington Post and Forbes. Qamars digital growth agency, KISS PR, helps an international client base, in niches ranging from air filtration to family law to commercial real estate, build an online presence that actually converts to clients.

It is not about how to rank first or number one on Google, but how to do good work so you will ultimately always rank and not drop off, says Qamar, who is the author of two educational books on website growth (THE MYSTERY BEHIND GOOGLE MAPS RANKING: How to Rank Your Business Higher and Build Google Knowledge Panel Using Press Releases [Step by Step Guide]).

In this Episode # 7 podcast episode, Mr. Zaman explains:

Ranking in Google search engine results pages (SERPs)

How to avoid being sold unnecessary SEO services

The importance of website contents

Considering your contents consumers

Top tips for the content structure to rank in Google

Objection handling and creating should ask questions

How to conduct your own keyword research without paying for expensive SEO tools

Crucial content mistakes to avoid

Listen to the full podcast episode here.

About KISS PR

KISS PR is a cutting edge digital growth company that was founded in 2003 by Qamar Zaman in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, and is considered a leader in the industry. Zaman spent several years building relationships with top influencers in the legal, business, health sciences and technology fields, and continues to assist elite law firms and businesses in reaching new heights. KISS PR enables businesses to grow their online presence and save time and money while growing their businesses. Brands around the world have benefited from this unique storytelling model. Over 31,000 stories have been told by KissPR, and we continue to help small businesses achieve their dreams. https://kisspr.com/.

About Mission Matters Podcast

Mission Matters Business Podcast with Adam Torres. Interviews are released daily featuring leaders in a 10-15 minute format. Our podcast is designed for busy people on the move. No fluff. Mission Matters Business with Adam Torres on Apple Podcasts

Find the podcast on your preferred listening platform:

Youtube: https://youtu.be/SvPEi6eA8Rs

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/713046553505060090

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/p/CQwHO5ggQJR/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/i/status/1410277973241040902

Facebook: https://fb.watch/6smnvSokxl/





Media Contact

Az@kisspr.com





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SAN DIEGO, CA, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA) (the Company), the first-ever publicly traded cannabis company in the United States that launched the world's first-ever cannabis-derived nutraceutical products, brands and supply chain, announced today that the Companys subsidiary Kannaway has launched its operations in Hong Kong.



"Our first Asian expansion has been a fantastic success in Japan and we now look forward to bringing our high-quality cannabidiol (CBD) products to Hong Kong as well," Kannaway CEO Blake Schroeder said. "Hemp has a long history in the region and, according to MJBizDaily , China is the worlds largest hemp producer. Now, with the global popularity of CBD on the rise, were seeing the citizens of Hong Kong who want to go back to their roots use hemp-derived CBD.

Kannaway will be hosting regional events to educate current and potential Brand Ambassadors on the many potential wellness benefits and financial opportunities of hemp-derived CBD oil.

About Kannaway

Kannaway is a network sales and marketing company specializing in the sales and marketing of hemp-based botanical products. Kannaway currently hosts weekly online sales meetings and conferences across the United States, offering unique insight and opportunity to sales professionals who are desirous of becoming successful leaders in the sale and marketing of hemp-based botanical products.

About Medical Marijuana, Inc.

We are a company of firsts . Medical Marijuana, Inc. ( MJNA ) is a cannabis company with three distinct business units in the non-psychoactive cannabinoid space: a global portfolio of cannabinoid-based nutraceutical brands led by Kannaway and HempMeds ; a pioneer in sourcing the highest-quality legal non-psychoactive cannabis products derived from industrial hemp; and a cannabinoid-based clinical research and botanical drug development sector led by its pharmaceutical investment companies and partners including AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc . and Neuropathix. Medical Marijuana, Inc. was named a top CBD producer by CNBC . Medical Marijuana, Inc. was also the first company to receive historic import permits for CBD products from the governments of Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Paraguay and is a leader in the development of international markets. The company's flagship product Real Scientific Hemp Oil has been used in several successful clinical studies throughout Mexico and Brazil to understand its safety and efficacy.

Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s headquarters is in San Diego, California, and additional information is available at OTCMarkets.com or by visiting www.medicalmarijuanainc.com . To see Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s corporate video, click here .

FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Medical Marijuana, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein.

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) DISCLOSURE

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

LEGAL DISCLOSURE

Medical Marijuana, Inc. does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act.

CONTACT:

Public Relations Contact:

Kathryn Brown

Account Director

CMW Media

P. 858-264-6600

kathryn@cmwmedia.com

www.cmwmedia.com

Investor Relations Contact:

P. (858) 283-4016

Investors@medicalmarijuanainc.com
Falls Church, VA, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Condominium communities and homeowners associations continue to be a popular form of housing for many Americans, according to a new report published by the Foundation for Community Association Research. The 2020-2021 U.S. National and State Statistical Review for Community Association Data shows that 74.1 million Americans, or roughly 27% of the U.S. population, now live in a homeowners association, condominium community, or housing cooperative, collectively referred to as community associations or planned communities.

There are around 355,000 community associations in the U.S. as of 2020, according to the Foundations estimates. Homeowners associations account for 58%63% of the total, followed by condominium communities with 35%40%, and cooperatives at 2%4%. Estimates show the value of homes in community associations is nearly $9.2 trillion.

Industry experts say healthy reserve funds are essential for community associations, especially in the wake of the partial collapse of Champlain Tower South condominium in Surfside, Fla., in late June. The new report shows that about $25.8 billion in assessments are contributed to association reserve funds for the repair, replacement, and enhancement of common property, e.g., replacing roofs, resurfacing streets, repairing swimming pools and elevators, meeting new environmental standards, and implementing new energy-saving features.

For more than 40 years, the Foundation has published the U.S. National and State Statistical Review for Community Association Data as part of the Community Association Fact Book. The report is the only one of its kindusing American Community Survey (ACS) and American Housing Survey (AHS) data to better align state-level community association research.

According to the report, California leads the nation with 49,520 associations, home to 14 million residents. Florida has the second-most associations with 48,940, followed by Texas (21,470), Illinois (18,830), North Carolina (14,300), and New York (14,030). Last year, there were roughly 355,000 community associations in the U.S., and the Foundation estimates that number in 2021 has increased to between 356,000 and 358,000.

Community associations have been growing consistently and successfully for decades. The overwhelming majority (89%) of homeowners and condominium association residents rate their overall experience living in a community association as very good (40%), good (30%), or neutral (19%), according to the 2020 Homeowner Satisfaction Survey, also produced by the Foundation.

Since its inception, this exclusive report by the Foundation has been sourced by community association stakeholders such as homeowners, board members, and management professionals as well as attorneys, accountants, developers, mortgage lenders, federal agencies, and public officialsall who work with the Foundation and Community Associations Institute (CAI) to build better communities.

The report details top reasons for the growth of community associations:

 The value of collective management. Americans largely have accepted the collective management structure of community association living, where association boards are made up of democratically elected homeowners who voluntarily serve their communities. The research shows there are 2.4 million community association board and committee members in the U.S. performing 97.6 million hours of volunteer service annually.

 Privatizing public functions. With many local municipalities facing fiscal challenges, communities often are developed with the stipulation that the builder create an association that will assume many responsibilities that traditionally belonged to local and state governments (e.g., road maintenance, snow and trash removal, and stormwater management). According to the report, 75% of new housing built for sale is in a community associationwith homeowners contributing $103.2 billion in assessments to fund essential maintenance.

 Expanding affordable housing. There has been a consistent effort to increase the percentage of homeowners in the U.S., and since the 1960s, condominiums have served as lower-cost entry housing, especially for first-time homebuyers. Condominium communities account for 35%40% of the reported total of community associations.

To view the full report, visit foundation.caionline.org.

The information in the Community Association Fact Book was developed with significant assistance from Clifford J. Treese, CIRMS. Treese is a past president of both CAI and the Foundation.



Media Contacts:



Amy Hawkes Repke

Vice President, Communications & Marketing

arepke@caionline.org | (703) 624-2179



Dawn M. Bauman

Executive Director, Foundation for Community Association Research

dbauman@caionline.org | (703) 867-5588

About Community Associations Institute

Since 1973, Community Associations Institute (CAI) has been the leading provider of resources and information for homeowners, volunteer board leaders, professional managers, and business professionals in the more than 355,000 homeowners associations, condominiums, and housing cooperatives in the United States and millions of communities worldwide. With more than 42,000 members, CAI works in partnership with 36 legislative action committees and 63 affiliated chapters within the U.S., Canada, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates as well as with housing leaders in several other countries, including Australia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. A global nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization, CAI is the foremost authority in community association management, governance, education, and advocacy. Our mission is to inspire professionalism, effective leadership, and responsible citizenshipideals reflected in community associations that are preferred places to call home. Visit us at www.caionline.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook @CAISocial.

About the Foundation for Community Association Research

Our missionwith your supportis to provide research-based information for homeowners, community association board members, community managers, developers, and other stakeholders. Since the Foundations inception in 1975, weve built a solid reputation for producing accurate, insightful, and timely information, and we continue to build on that legacy. Visit foundation.caionline.org.

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DENVER, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nextbite , a leader in virtual restaurants, today announced that Denny Marie Post, a 35-year restaurant industry expert and former CEO of Red Robin, has joined the fast-growing company as Advisor. Post will guide Nextbites success through disciplined idea pipelines and strategies based on consumer demand to drive sales and increase brand recognition. As the company continues to expand, it will tap Posts deep expertise in identifying solutions and creating successful brands for enterprise restaurants.



As Nextbite continues its strong growth trajectory, Post will advise on strategies to supercharge current virtual celebrity brands including George Lopez Tacos and HotBox by Wiz Khalifa , along with a collection of brands from unique concepts such as Tza Tza  Mediterranean-inspired wraps and first-of-its-kind Pitzas  to best-selling Grilled Cheese Society . Post will counsel Nextbite as the company continues to expand and meet the ever-evolving needs of todays consumer, including the development and execution of new, innovative delivery brands and concepts.

A creative leader and consumer-driven marketing and product expert, Post specializes in food service business models and market entry strategies. Prior to her current roles, she served as President and CEO at Red Robin, a chain of casual dining restaurants, and was the interim CEO of the Womens FoodService Forum, an organization dedicated to advancing women leaders in the food industry.

Innovation has been a major theme in Posts career. She conceived, developed, and marketed best-selling products for a variety of restaurant enterprises including Pike Place Roast at Starbucks, Reds Tavern Double and Finest Lines at Red Robin, Popcorn Chicken at KFC, and Chicken Fries at Burger King.

Nextbite is a company in the right space at the right time as the consumer need for convenience has increased and has become the status quo since the pandemic, said Post. The demand for restaurant-quality food delivery is at its highest and I dont see that changing. What makes Nextbite unique is its success in creating new ways of combining consumer needs with supporting restaurants of all sizes to increase revenue with existing staff and kitchen space.

She added,Enterprise restaurants, in particular, are leaning toward new models, and virtual brands are a big topic for popular chains right now. Its a crucial time for restaurant business development and growth as they need to adapt and change to stay in business and to increase revenue.

Denny is a recognized industry pro, and her vast experience working with consumer insights to craft successful brands is already helping accelerate Nextbites capabilities and brand recognition, said Alex Canter, CEO and co-founder of Nextbite. We are assembling an amazing talent base and now have close to 300 employees. Dennys background is a crucial piece in building the most progressive and seamless teams and brands, with her bringing a focus on building relationships with enterprise restaurants and helping to make them successful with virtual brand offerings.

Post currently serves on four Boards of Directors: Travel + Leisure Co., Vital Farms, Bluestone Lane, and Libbey. In addition, she is Executive In Residence at GXG, and Senior Advisor for US Foodservice at plant-based The LiveKindly Collective.

About Nextbite

Nextbite is focused on helping restaurant partners successfully enter the virtual restaurant space by diversifying their portfolio, using under-utilized labor and kitchen capacity, and driving demand to increase margins and revenue. Founded in 2019, Nextbite is the only complete virtual restaurant solution for existing restaurants and kitchens that pairs the proven Ordermark ordering/delivery management solution with a selection of highly visible, on-trend, delivery-only brands. Headquartered in Denver, Nextbite/Ordermark recently announced the close of its $120M funding round led by SoftBank.

Media Contacts:

Angela Zott

Public Relations, Nextbite/Ordermark

586-565-1986

angela.zott@getordermark.com

Lisa Hendrickson

LCH Communications for Nextbite

516-643-1642

lisa@lchcommunications.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e4a99ee4-f0b8-4623-ba7c-f93abf3be2be
Global Military 3D & 4D Printing Market Forecast 2021-2031: - by Material (Plastic, Metal, Ceramic, Others), By Application (Airborne, Land, Naval). Plus analysis of leading regional/national markets and leading companies in the market. COVID-19 Impact Recovery Analysis (V-shaped recovery, W-shaped recovery, U-shaped recovery, L-shaped recovery)

According to Visiongain analysis, the global military 3D & 4D printing market was valued at US$1,841.0 million in 2021 and is projected to reach a market value of US$11,735.5 million by 2031. The Global market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20.35%during the forecast period 2021-2031.

Download Exclusive Sample of Report @ https://www.visiongain.com/report/military-3d-4d-printing-market-2021/#download_sampe_div

Key Questions Answered by this Report:

What is the current size of the overall global military 3D & 4D printing market ?

? How much will this market be worth from 2021 to 2031?

What are the main drivers and restraints that will shape the overall military 3D & 4D printing market over the next ten years?

What are the main segments within the overall military 3D & 4D printing market?

How much will each of these segments be worth for the period 2021 to 2031?

How will the composition of the market change during that time, and why?

What factors will affect that industry and market over the next ten years?

What are the largest national markets for the world military 3D & 4D printing?

What is their current status and how will they develop over the next ten years?

What are their revenue potentials to 2031?

How will political and regulatory forces influence regional markets?

How will market shares of the leading national markets change by 2031, and which geographical region will lead the market in 2031?

Who are the leading companies and what are their activities, results, developments and prospects?

What are the leading military 3D & 4D printing companies? What are their revenues and latest developments?

What are some of the most prominent military 3D & 4D printing currently in development?

What are the main trends that will affect the world military 3D & 4D printing market between 2021 and 2031?

What are the main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the market?

What are the social, technological, economic and political influences that will shape that industry over the next ten years?

How will the global military 3D & 4D printing market evolve over the forecasted period, 2021 to 2031?

evolve over the forecasted period, 2021 to 2031? What will be the main commercial drivers for the market from 2021 to 2031?

How will market shares of prominent national markets change from 2021, and which countries will lead the market in 2031, achieving the highest revenues and fastest growth?

How will that industry evolve between 2021 and 2031, especially in R&D?

Military investments in the portable 3D printer market is gaining traction in the global market. Find out why.

In February 2021, ExOne was awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a fully operational, self-contained 3D printing factory housed in a shipping container that can be deployed directly on the field to manufacture war-related parts, disaster relief, and can be used for other remote operations. 3D printers are known to produce parts in metal, ceramic or composite materials. Several companies in the field of 3D printing are expected to invest in the development of portable 3D printers to cater to the needs of the defense sector. By integrating 3D printers in the military's field operations, the downtime in a crisis can be reduced from weeks or months to only a few days or even hours.

Discover sales predictions for the global military 3D & 4D printingmarket and submarkets.

Over the last few years, military 3D & 4D printing has gained widespread attention due to the technological advancements and increased budgets for the modernization of processes and technologies in the military & defense sector. Along with revenue prediction for the overall world market, there are 2 segmentations of the military 3D & 4D printing market, with forecasts for 4Material Types, 3Applications, each forecasted at a global, regional, and country level, along with COVID-19 impact recovery pattern analysis for all segments.

Get Detailed Report Insight @ https://www.visiongain.com/report/military-3d-4d-printing-market-2021/#download_sampe_div

How the Military 3D & 4D Printing Market report helps you

In summary, our 480-page report provides you with the following knowledge:

Revenue forecasts to 2031 for Military 3D & 4D Printing Market, with forecasts for Type and Application each forecasted at a global and regional level discover the industrys prospects, finding the most lucrative places for investments and revenues.

Revenue forecasts to 2031 for 5 regional and 19 key national markets  See forecasts for the military 3D & 4D printing market in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America. Also forecasted is the market in the US, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Russia, UK, China, India, Indonesia and UAE among other prominent economies.

Prospects for established firms and those seeking to enter the market including company profiles for 15 of the major companies involved in the military 3D & 4D printing market .

Who are the leading players analyzed in the market?

Stratasys Ltd. 3T Additive Manufacturing Ltd. (BEAMIT Group) Engineering and Manufacturing Services, Inc. (EMS) Norsk Titanium AS Nano Dimensions Ltd. ExOne Company 3D Systems Corporation EOS Gmbh Arcam AB (GE Additive) American Elements Corporation Javelin Technologies Inc. Artec Europe S. a. r. l. Markforged, Inc. Optomec Inc. Fracktal Works Private Limited

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with our newly report title, you are less likely to fall behind in knowledge or miss out on opportunities. See how our work could benefit your research, analyses, and decisions. Visiongain's study is for everybody needing commercial analyses for the military 3D & 4D printing market and leading companies . You will find data, trends and predictions.

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New York, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the data by the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 6 out of every 10 adults in the United States suffer from a chronic disease, while 4 out of every 10 adults have two or more such diseases.

Research Nester recently published a report titled  U.S. Ambulatory Surgical Center Market  which provides detailed analysis of the regional market, by focusing on the scope for market growth, growth drivers, challenges, and market segmentation along with strategies for the prominent market players to help them perform better and gain a leading position in this competitive landscape.

The prevalence of chronic diseases is increasing at an alarming rate in the United States due to the poor lifestyle of individuals, which includes, lack of physical activities, consumption of tobacco, and growing stress, among others. As per the statistics by the CDC, one person in the U.S. dies from cardiovascular diseases (CVDS) every 36 seconds. On the other hand, according to the statistics by the National Cancer Institute of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1,806,590 new cases of cancer were estimated to be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2020. The statistics also stated that 606,520 people would die from the disease in the same year. Furthermore, in other statistics by the CDC, the estimated asthma population in the U.S. in the year 2019 was registered to be 25131. The increasing number of people suffering from some kind of chronic disease in the U.S. is raising the need for enhanced emergency services, which in turn, is anticipated to drive the demand for ambulatory surgical centers in the nation. This has also raised the concerns where the government of the nation is driven towards checking the efficacy of the public healthcare system and is further making necessary investments in the healthcare sector. According to the statistics by the World Bank, the current health expenditure of North America (% of GDP) reached 16.416 % in 2018.

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The U.S. ambulatory surgical centers market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 6.9% over the forecast period, i.e., 2021  2028. The increasing prevalence of diseases and demand for quick and pocket-friendly surgeries and treatment are estimated to drive the ambulatory surgical center markets growth. Furthermore, the rise in focus of the government towards the availability of proper treatment for the public in the nation is also anticipated to contribute towards the growth of the market. The market is estimated to garner a revenue of USD 33,024.13 million in 2028, up from USD 30,000 million in 2019. Ambulatory surgical centers offer surgeries at a comparatively lower cost, along with specific and competent treatment, which is forecasted to boost the market growth. Moreover, the increasing geriatric population, which according to the statistics by the United States Census Bureau, is estimated to reach 94.7 million by the end of 2060, is further expected to promote market growth.

Regionally, the U.S. ambulatory surgical center market is segmented into five major regions including West US, North East US, South East US, South West US, and Midwest US. Out of the market in these regions, the market in the North East US is projected to garner the highest revenue of USD 8,616 million in 2028 and grow with a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period. Further, in 2021, the market is estimated to generate a revenue of USD 5,439.5 million. The growth of the market in the region can be attributed to the rise in awareness amongst individuals for ambulatory surgical services, followed by the presence of a large geriatric population in the region, which according to the statistics by the United States Census Bureau was estimated to be 13,666,440 in the year 2019. Moreover, an increasing number of ambulatory surgical centers in the states of this region, including New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, is also estimated to boost the market growth in the region. According to the statistics, there are around 330 ambulatory surgical centers in New York, 320 centers in New Jersey, and 430 centers in Maryland.

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The market in the West US region is estimated to grow with highest CAGR of 7.7% over the forecast period owing to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, such as obesity, hypertension, asthma, diabetes, and others, backed by the unhealthy lifestyle of the people. According to the Ambulatory Surgical Centers Association, California had 817 Medicare-certified ambulatory surgical centers, as of 2021.

The U.S. ambulatory surgical center market is bifurcated by type into hospital affiliated, and freestanding ASCs, out of which, the freestanding ASCs segment is estimated to touch USD 14997.9 million by 2021, and further increase to USD 24,508.2 million in 2028 by growing at highest CAGR of 7.3% during the forecast period.

Further, the market is segmented on the basis of specialty into single-specialty and multi-specialty centers, out of which, the single specialty centers segment is anticipated to hold the largest revenue of USD 13,448.7 million by 2021, and is projected to reach USD 21773.3 million by 2028 by growing at a CAGR of 7.1% over the forecast period.

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The U.S. Ambulatory surgical center market is also segmented on the basis of ownership, and treatment.

U.S. Ambulatory Surgical Center Market, Segmentation by Ownership

Corporate-Physician

Hospital-Physician

Corporate-Hospital

Corporate Only

Physician Only

Hospitals Only

U.S. Ambulatory Surgical Center Market, Segmentation by Treatment

Orthopedic Surgeries Spinal Surgeries Knee Replacement Surgeries Joint Replacement Surgeries Ankle Repair Others

Dental Maxillofacial Surgeries Others

Ophthalmology Surgeries Lasik Cataract Surgery Glaucoma Surgery Diabetic Retinopathy Surgery Others (Retinal, Cornea, Strabismus)

Endoscopy

Obstetrics/Gynecology Surgeries Adhesiolysis Colposcopy Endometrial Ablation Cervical Biopsy Others

Cardiovascular Surgeries Aortic Surgery Heart Valve Repair Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery Others

Pain Management

ENT Surgeries

Neurosurgery

Gastrointestinal Surgery

Plastic Surgery

Others

Do You Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Ask to Our Expert

Some of the major industry leaders mentioned in our report that are associated with the U.S. ambulatory surgical center market are TH Medical, AMSURG Corp. (Envision Healthcare), Surgical Care Affiliates, SurgCenter, Regent Surgical Health, ASD Management, Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America, Physicians Endoscopy, LLC, Surgery Partners, and others.

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Las Vegas, NV, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corcoran Global Living, an affiliate of Corcoran Group, LLC, announced that it has welcomed Robyn Yates-Gajjar and Sid Gajjar and the associates and staff formerly of Windermere Prestige Properties to its growing West Coast operation. In addition, Kristen Routh-Silberman, the No. 1 luxury real estate agent in the Las Vegas area, has joined this powerhouse group. This partnership notably expands Corcoran Global Livings footprint in Las Vegas with offices now in Henderson, Summerlin, and Lake Las Vegas. With continued success across California and Nevada, Corcoran Global Living now encompasses more than 2,200 associates and 64 offices, with annual combined sales of $8.2 billion

"The actions we are announcing across Las Vegas reflect the vision and strength of our organization, stated Michael Mahon, CEO and Founder of Corcoran Global Living. By uniting and empowering the top independent brokerages, top teams, and top independent sales professionals to come together as one brand and brokerage in making a difference for the community, we are unstoppable in what we can accomplish together. Robyn, Sid, and Kristen are highly respected community leaders and real estate icons that bring incredible integrity, acumen and insight to the culture of collaboration we have built at Corcoran Global Living. Im thrilled to have them join the CGL family not only to further develop our Las Vegas market and provide an exceptional service level to all our clientele, but also to continue their fantastic and extensive community service work that is a core part of our values at CGL.

Known for empowering women in leadership and equity ownership throughout Corcoran Global Living, our organization has become a resonating beacon of change in what was once a male dominated industry involving leadership and ownership, stated Melody Foster, Chief Experience Officer of Corcoran Global Living. We are beaming with excitement for the talent, experience, and opportunity to work together with Robyn, Sid, Kristen, and members of their teams in uniting with us as Corcoran Global Living.

Robyn Yates-Gajjar joins the company as Partner and President of the Nevada and California Sierra region. Sid Gajjar joins the company as Vice President of the vacation rental division of the Nevada and California Sierra region. Kristen Routh-Silberman joins as Partner and Luxury Team Leader in the region.

"As a female entrepreneur who has built a company from the ground up, the opportunity to come together with other passionate real estate leaders is incredibly rewarding, said Robyn Yates-Gajjar. The strength of this brand, coupled with Michael Mahons leadership of Corcoran Global Living and the exceptional team that we now have at our disposal is simply thrilling, and I cannot wait to see where this journey takes us.

Recognized for specialization in serving an affluent clientele in some of the most upscale communities across Nevada and California, Corcoran Global Living was invited to become the exclusive Board of Regents member of Whos Who in Luxury Real Estate for Las Vegas earlier this year. An exclusive network of the worlds most elite luxury real estate professionals, each Regent represents a defined territory, serving as a leading authority in their region. In addition to the Las Vegas market, Corcoran Global Living is also the select Board of Regents representative in San Francisco and the East Bay Area, Silicon Valley, Marin, Sonoma, Orange, San Diego and San Bernardino Counties, as well as the coastal communities from Manhattan Beach to Long Beach in Los Angeles County.

Corcoran Global Living has truly built something unique in the industry. Its the most agent-centric, client-centric approach Ive ever seen, ensuring an open, collaborative and positive culture that elevates the experience for the agent and client alike, commented Kristen Routh-Silberman. Carefully curating relationships with the top tier affiliations in the industry, such as Whos Who in Luxury Real Estate Board of Regents, as well as with recognized top leaders like Robyn and Sid, takes the entire real estate experience to a whole new level. This is a game changer.

About Corcoran Global Living

Founded on the principle of putting people first, Corcoran Global Living, an affiliate of The Corcoran Group, serves the California and Nevada markets with 64 strategically located offices in Northern California, Southern California, California Sierra and Nevada. Corcoran Global Living is well positioned to provide exceptional service to its very loyal customer base, with more than 2,200 dedicated, professional associates and gross annual sales of $8.2 billion. Known for making a positive difference in the communities in which associates and staff live, the Corcoran Global Living organization is poised for exponential expansion to service clients in California, Nevada, and additional new markets and communities.. From luxury homes and income properties to vacation getaways and first-time homes, Corcoran Global Living has the experience, insight, and expertise to achieve and surpass clients highest expectations. For more information, visit CorcoranGL.com.

Attachment
Washington, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Small Business Administration today announced the awarding of $500,000 in a grant agreement with the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Community Foundations National Center for the Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP) to deliver the SBAs Veteran Federal Procurement Entrepreneurship Training Program.

The funding opportunity, offered by SBAs Office of Veterans Business Development , enables VIP to deliver entrepreneurship training to veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses nationwide interested in pursuing, or already engaged in, federal procurement. This award will be made for a four-year period of performance.

Since 2010, VIP graduates have won over $16.9 billion in federal government prime awards. This represents VIPs commitment to providing meaningful training and support to the veteran small business community to ensure they are competitive in the federal marketplace, said Larry Stubblefield, Associate Administrator for SBAs Office of Veterans Business Development. Through this partnership, VIP will support SBA and federal government-wide efforts to achieve the federally mandated three percent service-disabled veteran-owned business spending goal.

VIP is a certification program designed for veteran-owned companies to increase their ability to win government contracts by establishing best business practices. The curriculum is designed to address various stages of the business owners development in the procurement area. It includes VIP START for companies entering contracting; VIP GROW for companies expanding within government contracting; and VIP INTERNATIONAL for companies that export or have federal contracts performing outside the United States.

To learn more about VIP visit www.nationalvip.org. For more information on the SBAs programs for veterans, visit www.sba.gov/veterans.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
MICHAE; DWYER/AP file photo/A North Atlantic right whale feeds on the surface of Cape Cod bay off the coast of Plymouth on March 2018. America's lobster fishing industry will face a host of new restrictions in harvesting the valuable crustaceans due to a new push from the federal government to try to save a vanishing species of whale. The whales number only about 360 and they are vulnerable to lethal entanglement in fishing gear.
MONGO [mdash] Ida Mae Christner, 94, Mongo, died at her home Sept. 9. Mrs. Christner was born July 28, 1927, in Topeka, to Martin W. and Lovina (Yoder) Yoder. Living her lifetime in LaGrange County, she was a homemaker and loved to cook and bake. She was a volunteer for many years at Miller'
The Governors Official Program is comprised of a wide range of constitutional and legal duties and ceremonial and community engagements. Each year, the Governor hosts thousands of visitors to Government House to take part in investiture and award ceremonies, Open Days, receptions and meetings, and travels widely throughout Queensland to support the activities of Patron groups. View a chronological record of the Governors daily program below.

On Tuesday, in the morning, at Cattleman's Rest Motor Inn, Grand Secret, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC CVO undertook, via telephone, two media interviews with radio presenters, Mr Michael Clarke, ABC North Queensland, and Mr Steve Price OAM, Triple M Townsville.

Following, at Julia Creek, His Excellency received a briefing from McKinlay Shire Council representatives.

Following, at Julia Creek, His Excellency visited Julia Creek State School, and addressed students and guests and read a book.

In the afternoon, at Corrinas Cafe & Bakery, Julia Creek, His Excellency received, over a working lunch, McKinlay Shire Council, Mayor, Cr Philip Curr, Cr Shauna Royes, and Chief Executive Officer, Mr John Kelly.

Following, at Julia Creek, His Excellency undertook a walking tour of Burke Street, and met with local business owners.

Following, at Julia Creek, His Excellency toured the 'At the Creek' Julia Creek Visitor Information Centre and received a briefing on the Julia Creek Dunnart.

Following, at Julia Creek Civic Centre, Julia Creek, His Excellency hosted an afternoon tea in support of the Julia Creek community, and addressed guests.
In a preview of the Dutch Grand Prix at the talk show table, former driver Jan Lammers gave his view on the unique characteristics of the circuit in the dunes. According to him, it's the two bowl corners that make the circuit special and will open the road for spectacular overtaking actions on Sunday.

"What is specific now and what makes Zandvoort really unique are, among other things, the bowl curves," Lammers argues in a guest appearance on Dutch evening talk show Op1. The circuit has two of these turns, the eleventh and last of the circuit, which are reminiscent of Indy and Daytona-like circuits.

Read more FIA: DRS to remain closed in full speed Zandvoort turn for safety reasons

Lammers believes that the corners will not only provide a spectacle for the fans, but also for the drivers. "When those drivers come, they've already done a thousand laps in the simulator, but what they haven't done or noticed are those height differences. And the experience in those bowl turns is different in the simulator," says Lammers.

Overtaking, right?

Because the corners can be taken at almost full throttle, Lammers sees them as an extension of the straights before or after. According to the former driver, this should make overtaking at Zandvoort easier than in Monaco or Hungary. Lammers: "You can go faster through these corners, and the straights for us start a bit earlier, so you can do more overtaking manoeuvres."



Read more Mercedes engineers say Zandvoort will suit W12 the best
When it was announced that Formula 1 wanted to return to the Netherlands there were two circuits in the running for that coveted spot on the calendar; Zandvoort and Assen. Eventually, the circuit at Zandvoort drew the longest straw, but in Drenthe, they don't give up so easily.

Second Grand Prix in Assen

The Dutch Grand Prix Foundation, the foundation that was created by the TT Assen to bring Formula 1 to Assen at the time, wants to organize a second Grand Prix in the Netherlands at TT Circuit Assen in 2023, via Daily newspaper of the North. Jos Vaessen, former chairman of TT Circuit Assen and now chairman of The Dutch Grand Prix Foundation is totally in favour of it. "One country can organise two races".

According to Vaessen, there is a lot of enthusiasm for a second race in the Netherlands. "The motorsport world is asking us why Assen is not hosting a Formula 1 race. From former drivers and also from the FOM. The popularity of Formula 1 in the Netherlands will not be affected. Each race weekend millions of people tune in to the Formula 1 broadcasts and the Grand Prix at Zandvoort was sold out in no time.

"One race in the spring and one race in the autumn," is the idea according to Vaessen. Whether there will actually be a second Grand Prix weekend in the Netherlands remains to be seen but Dutch Formula 1 fans will probably welcome it with open arms. For the first time in 36 years, a Dutch Grand Prix will take place this weekend with Max Verstappen, of course, the big favourite to win.

Read more Shifts in Power Rankings after perfect weekend Russell
Grand Haven, MI (49417)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 60F. NW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 60F. NW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) is leading a landmark effort along with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) to deploy 100 battery-electric regional haul and drayage trucks across California. The battery-electric trucks will be deployed through a partnership with NFI Industries (NFI) and Schneider.

The project, known as Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative, or JETSI, is the largest commercial deployment of battery-electric trucks in North America to date.

This is the first battery-electric truck project jointly financed by CARB and the CEC, and the largest investment of its kind.

The project is poised to reduce five tons of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and particulate matter (PM) annually along Southern Californias I-710 corridor, as well as eliminate 8,247 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Connecting the San Pedro Bay Port complex to inland distribution centers and warehouses, the I-710 sees more than twice the average Los Angeles freeway truck traffic and accounts for 20% of all PM emissions in Southern California.

The JETSI project will inform large fleets on the capabilities of battery-electric trucks to ensure the emission reductions achieved are sustainable and improve the air quality for communities most impacted.

Project partners Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) and Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo Trucks) will produce and deliver the Class 8 battery-electric trucks (BETs) for deployment in Schneider and NFIs Southern California fleet operations.

Operating almost exclusively in disadvantaged communities, the zero-emission trucks will replace the equivalent of more than 690,000 diesel-gallons annually while helping to accelerate commercialization of heavy-duty battery-electric vehicles across the market.

DTNA will deliver 80 battery-electric Freightliner eCascadias, the companys first all-electric commercial Class 8 truck, to both Schneider (50 trucks) and NFI (30 trucks). Schneider will deploy the 50 eCascadias within its intermodal operations in Southern California.

Volvo Trucks will deliver another 20 VNR Electric trucks, an all-electric Class 8 model that the company commercialized in late 2020, to NFI. With the deployment of a combined 50 BETs at its Ontario facility, NFI will operate the first 100% zero-emission freight logistics fleet in California.

Through the JETSI project, NFI and Schneider will collectively install significant charging infrastructure (50 chargers total), warehouse upgrades, on-site energy storage and rooftop solar, resulting in more than $16.8 million of regional economic activity from associated construction costs.

More than 20 project partners representing charging equipment manufacturers, infrastructure providers, nonprofit organizations, technology suppliers and more will collaborate on the eight-year project to ensure all aspects of fleet electrification are considered.

The project was funded with $26.98 million from CARBs California Climate Investments Initiative and the CECs Clean Transportation Program, $5.43 million from South Coast AQMD, as well as $41.37 million in funding from project partners.

JETSI represents an industry-wide collaboration among more than 20 public and private stakeholders. The project was assembled and will be led by South Coast Air Quality Management District along with support from the California Air Resources Board, California Energy Commission, the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC), Schneider, NFI Industries, Daimler Trucks North America, and Volvo Trucks North America.

Partners including Green Paradigm Consulting, Power Electronics, Electrify Commercial, Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA), Coalition for Clean Air, CALSTART, Electric Power Research Institute, Ricardo Strategic Consulting, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, Black & Veatch, and University of California, Riverside. The Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles, and Southern California Edison will also be contributing to the project.
Greensburg, IN (47240)

Today

Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly late. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 66F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly late. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 66F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  Several inmates at a northwest Arkansas jail said they weren't told a medication they were given to treat COVID-19 was actually an anti-parasite drug that federal health officials have warned should not be used to treat the coronavirus.

Three inmates at the Washington County jail told The Associated Press they didn't know they were being given ivermectin until its use at the facility was revealed last week. The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, which on Wednesday repeated its call for the practice to end, said it's also heard similar complaints from inmates.

The inmates' comments contradict assertions by the sheriff and the jails physician that the use of the drug was voluntary. The drug's use at the jail has prompted an investigation by the state Medical Board.

They were pretty much testing us in here is all they were doing, seeing if it would work," said William Evans, an inmate who said he was given the drug for two weeks after he tested positive for COVID-19.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved ivermectin for use by people and animals for some parasitic worms and for head lice and skin conditions. The FDA has not approved its use in treating or preventing COVID-19 in humans.

The drugs manufacturer, Merck, said in February that it had found no evidence that ivermectin is an effective treatment for patients with COVID-19.

The American Medical Association, the American Pharmacists Association and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists on Wednesday called for an immediate end to prescribing and using the drug to treat the coronavirus outside clinical trials.

Washington County Sheriff Tim Helder, a spokesperson for his office and jail physician Dr. Rob Karas did not respond to calls or emails on Wednesday. Karas last week released a lengthy statement defending the use of ivermectin, saying he had been prescribing the drug to inmates and patients at his clinics since late last year.

Edrick Floreal-Wooten, an inmate, said he was given ivermectin at the jail after he tested positive on Aug. 21.

I asked what are they, and they'd just tell me vitamins," Floreal-Wooten said. With me being sick and all of us being sick, we thought that they were there to help us. I never thought they would do something shady."

Floreal-Wooten said he refused to take the drug last week after seeing a news article about ivermectin being prescribed to inmates.

Asked whether he would have taken the drug had they told him at the outset it was ivermectin, he responded: Never. I'm not livestock. I'm a human."

The ACLU said it has also heard from several inmates who say they were told the drug was vitamins or steroids.

In a letter to Helder on Wednesday, the ACLU said some inmates are prepared to file a lawsuit to halt the drug from being prescribed. The group said it was unconscionable" that inmates weren't informed they were being given the drug.

They have a right to know what they are being given," ACLU of Arkansas Executive Director Holly Dickson said. This is not a right they forego by virtue of being locked up."

Before the jail's ivermectin use was revealed, the state Medical Board told Karas last month that it received two complaints against him over a post on his clinics' Facebook page where he said he didn't believe face masks decreased the spread of viruses, according to documents released under a Freedom of Information Act request.

Karas told the board in written responses last week that his opinions were based on his 20-plus years of experience and review of the literature through the years."

Pharmacy prescriptions for ivermectin have jumped nationwide this summer, and health officials in Arkansas and other states have issued warnings after seeing a spike in poison control center calls about people taking the animal form of the drug to treat COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week sent an alert about the trend to doctors. The CDC said there is not good evidence that ivermectin is effective at preventing or treating COVID-19, and that the government has not authorized it to be used against the coronavirus.

Despite the warnings, Republican lawmakers in Arkansas and other states have touted the drug as a potential treatment for COVID-19.

Dr. Jose Romero, Arkansas' secretary of health, wouldn't say whether he thought it was appropriate for the inmates to be prescribed ivermectin but said using any drug off-label would require an agreement between the physician and the patient.

I don't know what agreement has been made," Romero told reporters at a news conference this week. Romero said the Arkansas Health Department doesn't endorse its use for COVID-19.
BLAINE, Minn. (AP)  Republican state Sen. Michelle Benson launched her campaign for Minnesota governor on Wednesday, attacking Democratic Gov. Tim Walz for his handling of the pandemic and public safety.

The left is defunding the police, crime rates are skyrocketing. The governor shut down our schools, and test scores are falling like a rock. He crippled main street businesses," Benson, of Ham Lake, told supporters outside a precision machining company in Blaine.

Benson spoke shortly after GOP Sen. Paul Gazelka, of East Gull Lake, announced that he's resigning as Senate majority leader, a step he had said he'd take if he was going to run for governor. Interviewed on WCCO Radio on Wednesday, Gazelka said he's still leaning toward running but will hold off on deciding until after meeting with voters at the State Fair.

Benson chairs the Senate Health and Human Services committee, which she called the toughest budget committee in the Minnesota Senate. She has been one of the leading Republican senators on pandemic and other health issues, and on addressing fraud and other problems within the state's human services programs.

The senator told reporters that Walz and his administration should have taken a county-by county approach to pandemic restrictions such as school and business closures instead of a statewide approach. She also said she opposes vaccine mandates.

Our schools should have been open last fall. Elementary students should have been safely in school last year. That would have fundamentally changed this pandemic for families, Benson said. She wouldn't rule out a move proposed last week by GOP Sen. Jim Abeler, of Anoka, for the Senate to use its power to fire Walz's health commissioner, Jan Malcolm.

Both Benson and Gazelka will have to work to catch up with former state senator Scott Jensen, who's been running hard since March to try to lock up Republican caucus and convention delegates. Jensen, a family physician from Chaska, has been running on a platform of vaccine skepticism and opposition to the state's response to the pandemic.

Benson told reporters her pitch to delegates is I can get the most votes, and I can win. She highlighted her small-town roots, growing up on a farm in Murdock in west-central Minnesota, and said people in greater Minnesota feel very differently from people in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area about the restrictions Walz imposed earlier in the pandemic.

But Benson hedged on whether she'll abide by the party's endorsement. She noted the recent turmoil within the Minnesota GOP, which is leaderless after its former chairwoman, Jennifer Carnahan, resigned under fire. Benson said the party needs to be able to deliver a campaign with a strong ground game that can beat Walz.

Walz has not announced yet whether he'll seek a second term. Other Republicans who have already entered the race include Dr. Neil Shah, Lexington Mayor Mike Murphy and Kasson businessman Mike Marti.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  The sweeping changes to Texas' election code now awaiting GOP Gov. Greg Abbott's signature would make it harder  sometimes even legally riskier  to cast a ballot in the state, which already has some of the nation's most restrictive voting laws.

Democrats gridlocked the state Capitol for 38 consecutive days after more than 50 fled to Washington, D.C., in July to deny Republicans a quorum, which is required to conduct the state's business. Enough of them returned less than two weeks ago to end the impasse, and GOP leaders made quick work of pushing the bill through both chambers on Tuesday. Abbott immediately said he'll sign it.

Here's a closer look at what's in the final version of the legislation:

EMPOWERING POLL WATCHERS

Some of the most significant changes in the Texas legislation concerns partisan poll watchers, the volunteers deployed by both major parties to observe voting and counting. As recently as 1962, Republican poll watchers in some parts of Texas challenged Black and Latino voters to read and explain the U.S. Constitution before casting ballots as part of a campaign dubbed Operation Eagle Eye. In 2020, then-President Donald Trump cited unverified observations from GOP poll watchers to spread doubt about the results and make false claims of fraud.

The final language of the omnibus bill gives partisan poll watchers new access, protections and power. The legislation makes it a Class A misdemeanor  comparable to burglary of a vehicle  for an election official to reject an appointed poll watcher. Under the measure, anyone who knowingly obstructs a poll watcher's view also commits a legal offense. The bill states the watchers may have free movement around the voting facilities and may "sit or stand near enough to hear or see the activity. Texas law still prohibits poll watchers from watching someone actually cast a ballot. However, they may observe the transfer of voting data.

The legislation empowers poll watchers to sue and seek court orders against election officials who get in their way. The new proposals would also require poll watchers to swear an oath that they will not harass voters and complete a training prior to participating for which they must show a certificate upon arrival.

Poll watchers may only be removed for violating election law if the violation is witnessed by the election clerk or judge and for violations of the penal code.

Republicans argue these changes are needed because voters will only trust elections if their representatives have free access to just about every aspect of voting and counting. But Democrats and civil rights organizations worry about the history of Texas conservatives using poll watchers to intimidate racial and ethnic minority voters.

LIMITING OPPORTUNITIES TO VOTE

The legislation written by Republicans explicitly rolls back ways Democratic counties have made it easier for people to vote, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. It bans drop boxes for mail ballots  a practice that has been used for years in other states with no major problems  and prohibits the mailing of absentee voting applications and ballots to all eligible voters. The bill also makes it a felony for any election official who sends out unsolicited applications or ballots to vote-by-mail.

The GOP bill also bans drive-thru voting for most voters and controls the times at which county governments can keep polling places open. That would put a stop to 24-hour voting locations. Houston's Harris County  one of the nation's largest, most racially diverse areas  says 140,000 voters utilized its drive-thru and 24-hour locations in November.

Republicans argue that these procedures were used during the ongoing but once-in-a-century pandemic and shouldnt be regular features of voting in the state. Democrats and voting rights groups say those measures simply make it easier for people to cast ballots and especially helped working class, young and ill voters access the polls.

Two provisions of the bill make voting more convenient, by extending early voting hours and mandating that workplaces allow employees to make a trip to the polls during either early voting or on Election Day.

NEW HURDLES TO MAIL VOTING

Texas is already one of the hardest states in the nation in which to vote by mail. The process is limited to those 65 and older, voters who will be out of state during the election or people with disabilities. But after Trump objected to mail voting during his failed reelection bid, Republicans in Texas and elsewhere turned against the method and have been eager to tighten regulations on it.

The Texas bill adds more steps and paperwork for voters, including requirements to include their driver's license number, election identification certificate or the final four digits of their Social Security number and an ink-on-paper signature that can verifiably be matched with any previously filed signature in corresponding Texas Department of Public Safety records.

Opponents of the provision  somewhat similar to one that passed in Georgia  say it would create another opportunity for voters to make minor mistakes that could result in ballots being thrown out.

The new proposals partially address that concern. Voters who submit ballots before Election Day would be notified of problems and allowed to go to an elections office to fix some issues that can disqualify the vote, such as a mismatched signature, while some qualifying voters may be able to correct mistakes online.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES

The Texas bill, like others proposed this year, creates or expands several criminal violations involving elections, some of which are broadly defined and could ensnare voters or those who help them. Republicans contend they're necessary to prevent fraud or improper influence on voters. Democrats note, accurately, that voter fraud is exceedingly rare. The state's Republican attorney general dedicated millions of dollars to voter fraud investigations since last year but has only turned up a handful of cases in a state where more than 11 million people voted in November.

The bill expands an existing mandate that people who help voters with ballots provide information on the envelope attesting to their role. Under the legislation, anyone who helps a voter complete a ballot must also submit their name, address, relationship and details of whether they were paid by a campaign or political committee and take an oath, under penalty of perjury. Voters who cant complete a ballot on their own or read the ballot are allowed to vote with assistance.

In a win for disability advocates who said the clause required disclosure of personal or medical information, the bill's final language amended the oath to not obligate voting assistants to pledge they certified the voter was eligible due to a disability or inability to read the ballot.

The legislation also requires local election officials to refer all cases of improperly cast ballots to the state attorney general. Voting rights groups worry this could be abused to prosecute common errors, such as a voter failing to update registration when moving counties. Republicans argue this is a common-sense way to prevent fraud.

Language that would have shielded people with felony convictions from prosecution if they cast a ballot without knowing they were ineligible to vote was cut out at the last minute. It was one the few areas of bipartisan agreement and overwhelmingly approved in the House following backlash over the arrests of two Texas voters, both of whom are Black, which intensified criticism amid a broader fight over voting restrictions that opponents say disproportionately impact people of color. GOP lawmakers in the Senate rejected the change.

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Riccardi reported from Denver.

___

Coronado 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.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Nick Shay, University of Miami

(THE CONVERSATION) As Hurricane Ida headed into the Gulf of Mexico, a team of scientists was closely watching a giant, slowly swirling pool of warm water directly ahead in its path.

That warm pool, an eddy, was a warning sign. It was around 125 miles (200 kilometers) across. And it was about to give Ida the power boost that in the span of less than 24 hours would turn it from a weak hurricane into the dangerous Category 4 storm that slammed into Louisiana just outside New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2021.

Nick Shay, an oceanographer at the University of Miamis Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, was one of those scientists. He explains how these eddies, part of whats known as the Loop Current, help storms rapidly intensify into monster hurricanes.

How do these eddies form?

The Loop Current is a key component of a large gyre, or circular current, rotating clockwise in the North Atlantic Ocean. Its strength is related to the flow of warm water from the tropics and Caribbean Sea into the Gulf of Mexico and out again through the Florida Straits, between Florida and Cuba. From there, it forms the core of the Gulf Stream, which flows northward along the Eastern Seaboard.

In the Gulf, this current can start to shed large warm eddies when it gets north of about the latitude of Fort Myers, Florida. At any given time, there can be as many as three warm eddies in the Gulf, slowly moving westward. When these eddies form during hurricane season, their heat can spell disaster for coastal communities around the Gulf.

Subtropical water has a different temperature and salinity than Gulf common water, so its eddies are easy to identify. They have warm water at the surface and temperatures of 78 degrees Fahrenheit (26 C) or more in water layers extending about 400 or 500 feet deep (about 120 to 150 meters). Since the strong salinity difference inhibits mixing and cooling of these layers, the warm eddies retain a considerable amount of heat.

When heat at the ocean surface is over about 78 F (26 C), hurricanes can form and intensify. The eddy that Ida passed over had surface temperatures over 86 F (30 C).

How did you know this eddy was going to be a problem?

We monitor ocean heat content from space each day and keep an eye on the ocean dynamics, especially during the summer months. Keep in mind that warm eddies in the wintertime can also energize atmospheric frontal systems, such as the storm of the century that caused snowstorms across the Deep South in 1993.

To gauge the risk this heat pool posed for Hurricane Ida, we flew aircraft over the eddy and dropped measuring devices, including what are known as expendables. An expendable parachutes down to the surface and releases a probe that descends about 1,300 to 5,000 feet (400 to 1,500 meters) below the surface. It then sends back data about the temperature and salinity.

This eddy had heat down to about 480 feet (around 150 meters) below the surface. Even if the storms wind caused some mixing with cooler water at the surface, that deeper water wasnt going to mix all the way down. The eddy was going to stay warm and continue to provide heat and moisture.

That meant Ida was about to get an enormous supply of fuel.

When warm water extends deep like that, we start to see the atmospheric pressure drop. The moisture transfers, or latent heat, from the ocean to atmosphere are sustained over the warm eddies since the eddies are not significantly cooling. As this release of latent heat continues, the central pressures continue to decrease. Eventually the surface winds will feel the larger horizontal pressure changes across the storm and begin to speed up.

Thats what we saw the day before Hurricane Ida made landfall. The storm was beginning to sense that really warm water in the eddy. As the pressure keeps going down, storms get stronger and more well defined.

When I went to bed at midnight that night, the wind speeds were about 105 miles per hour. When I woke up a few hours later and checked the National Hurricane Centers update, it was 145 miles per hour, and Ida had become a major hurricane.

Is rapid intensification a new development?

Weve known about this effect on hurricanes for years, but its taken quite a while for meteorologists to pay more attention to the upper ocean heat content and its impact on the rapid intensification of hurricanes.

In 1995, Hurricane Opal was a minimal tropical storm meandering in the Gulf. Unknown to forecasters at the time, a big warm eddy was in the center of the Gulf, moving about as fast as Miami traffic in rush hour, with warm water down to about 150 meters. All the meteorologists saw in the satellite data was the surface temperature, so when Opal rapidly intensified on its way to eventually hitting the Florida Panhandle, it caught a lot of people by surprise.

Today, meteorologists keep a closer eye on where the pools of heat are. Not every storm has all the right conditions. Too much wind shear can tear apart a storm, but when the atmospheric conditions and ocean temperatures are extremely favorable, you can get this big change.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, both in 2005, had pretty much the same signature as Ida. They went over a warm eddy that was just getting ready to be shed form the Loop Current.

Hurricane Michael in 2018 didnt go over an eddy, but it went over the eddys filament  like a tail  as it was separating from the Loop Current. Each of these storms intensified quickly before hitting land.

Of course, these warm eddies are most common right during hurricane season. Youll occasionally see this happen along the Atlantic Coast, too, but the Gulf of Mexico and the Northwest Caribbean are more contained, so when a storm intensifies there, someone is going to get hit. When it intensifies close to the coast, like Ida did, it can be disastrous for coastal inhabitants.

What does climate change have to do with it?

We know global warming is occurring, and we know that surface temperatures are warming in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere. When it comes to rapid intensification, however, my view is that a lot of these thermodynamics are local. How great a role global warming plays remains unclear.

This is an area of fertile research. We have been monitoring the Gulfs ocean heat content for more than two decades. By comparing the temperature measurements we took during Ida and other hurricanes with satellite and other atmospheric data, scientists can better understand the role the oceans play in the rapid intensification of storms.

Once we have these profiles, scientists can fine-tune the computer model simulations used in forecasts to provide more detailed and accurate warnings in the futures.

[Over 100,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter. Sign up today.]

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/hurricane-ida-turned-into-a-monster-thanks-to-a-giant-warm-patch-in-the-gulf-of-mexico-heres-what-happened-167029.
NEW DELHI (AP)  More students in India will be able to step inside a classroom for the first time in nearly 18 months Wednesday, as authorities gave the green light to partially reopen more schools despite apprehension from some parents and signs that infections are picking up again.

Schools and colleges in at least six more states are reopening in a gradual manner with health measures in place throughout September. In New Delhi, all staff must be vaccinated and class sizes will be capped at 50% with staggered seating and sanitized desks.

In the capital only students in grades nine through 12 will be allowed to attend at first, though it is not compulsory. Some parents say they will be holding their children back, including Nalini Chauhan, who lost her husband to the coronavirus last year.

That trauma is there for us and that is what stops me from going out. We dont go to malls. We dont go shopping. So why schools now? she said.

Life has been slowly returning to normal in India after the trauma of a ferocious coronavirus surge earlier this year ground life in the country to a halt, sickened tens of millions, and left hundreds of thousands dead. A number of states returned last month to in person learning for some age groups.

Daily new infections have fallen sharply since their peak of more than 400,000 in May. But on Saturday, India recorded 46,000 new cases, the highest in nearly two months.

The uptick has raised questions over reopening schools, with some warning against it. Others say the virus risk to children remains low and opening schools is urgent for poorer students who lack access to the internet, making online learning nearly impossible.

The simple answer is there is never a right time to do anything during a pandemic, said Jacob John, professor of community medicine at Christian Medical College, Vellore. There is a risk, but life has to go on  and you cant go on without schools."

Online education remains a privilege in India, where only one in four children have access to the internet and digital devices, according to UNICEF. The virtual classroom has deepened existing inequities, marking the haves from the have-nots, said Shaveta Sharma Kukreja of Central Square Foundation, an education non-profit.

While kids with access to smartphones and laptops have continued their learning with minimal disruption, those less privileged have effectively lost over a year of education, she said.

A study released in January from Azim Premji University surveying over 16,000 children found staggering levels of learning loss. Researchers found 92% of children had lost crucial language skills, like being able to describe a picture or write simple sentences. Similarly, 82% of children surveyed lacked basic math skills they had learned the previous year.

For Giesem Raman, a teacher in a remote village in northeastern Manipur state, such data matches what he has seen in person. The small primary school where he works closed its doors for the second time in April. With no facilities for online lessons, classes haven't taken place in any form.

When his students were briefly allowed back into school earlier this year, he said many had forgotten nearly everything they had learned.

It saddens me to see how the future of these kids may have been destroyed, he said.

In Uttar Pradesh state, where school reopens for first to fifth graders on Wednesday after older students were allowed last month, 6-year-old Kartik Sharma was excited to wear his new school uniform. His father, Prakash Sharma, said he was satisfied with the virus protocols the school has in place.

The arrangements the school has made are top class, he said.

Not all are as confident. Toshi Kishore Srivastava said she would wait before sending her son back to first grade.

"The doctors are predicting the third wave, and in this scenario sending children to schools could prove detrimental, she said.

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Associated Press journalists Shonal Ganguly and Chonchui Ngashangva in New Delhi and Biswajeet Banerjee in Lucknow contributed to this report.
Friday, Sept. 3 7:45 a.m.

The death toll from Ida in the northeast has risen to 46 people killed across five states, the Associated Press reported. The deaths include 23 people in New Jersey, many who were killed when their vehicles became flooded by rising waters.

Among those killed was Connecticut State Police Sgt. Brian Mohl, whose vehicle was swept away by the Pomperaug River in Woodbury early Thursday.

Friday, Sept. 3, 7:30 a.m.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority said it expects to have fully-restored service on the New Haven line Friday. Trains will run on an enhanced weekend schedule, the agency said in a statement.

Our crews have made extraordinary progress over the last 24 hours in extremely difficult conditions following unprecedented rainfall throughout the region, Catherine Rinaldi, President of MTA Metro-North Railroad, said in a statement Thanks to their work through the night and day we are able to restore train service on the Harlem and New Haven lines, and they continue to work tirelessly so we can restore full service as soon as possible. I cannot thank our crew members enough for the heroic work they have been doing and will continue to do.

The Harlem line has not been fully restored and MTA officials said service on the Hudson line remains suspended.

The New Canaan and Danbury branch lines still require clean up work, according to the MTA, while bus service for the Waterbury branch will resume Friday.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 6 p.m.

Some parts of Connecticut were slammed with almost 7 inches of rainfall Wednesday night, according to recent weather reports.

Seymour in New Haven County saw 8.7 inches  the largest reported amount Wednesday night, according to Gary Lessor, the chief meteorologist at Western Connecticut State University.

Lessor said the state hasnt seen so much rain since Hurricane Floyd in 1999.

Fairfield County saw as little as 3.9 inches in Ridgefield and as much as 6.9 inches in Stamford. In New Haven County, rainfall ranged from almost 4.4 inches in Branford to 6.5 inches in Milford to Seymours 8.7 inches. Middlesex County had almost 7 inches in Middletown and 3.7 inches in Moodus, Lessor said.

New London County saw the highest rainfall overall as a county, with Ucasville reporting the largest rainfall for the area at 8.58 inches, Lessor said.

Though there were no tornadoes in Connecticut, there were seven in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, including New Jersey.

In that regard, We were definitely lucky, Lessor said.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 4 p.m.

A 26-year veteran of the Connecticut State Police was pronounced dead early Thursday after he was found in a river inundated by remnants of Hurricane Ida, officials announced.

This is the 25th death in the line of duty for the Connecticut State Police, according to Colonel Stavros Mellekas.

Officials said they will not be releasing the name of the sergeant as some family members have not yet been notified.

The senior sergeant was working a midnight shift with Troop L. The sergeant sent an emergency call to the troop around 3:30 a.m. Thursday, saying his car was in swift water and he was in distress, Mellekas said.

That was the last they heard of him, Mellekas said.

Police, fire departments, dive teams other first responders came to the scene around 4 a.m., according to Mellekas.

Officers in a helicopter found the sergeants vehicle submerged in a river near Jacks Bridge Road in Woodbury.

The sergeant was found about an hour later in the river. He was transported via a Lifestar helicopter to Yale New Haven Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Thursday Sept. 2, 3 p.m.

Gov. Ned Lamont declared a state of emergency late Thursday morning after Ida flooded the state Wednesday night.

Danbury Mayor Joe Cavo is also considering declaring a state of emergency for the city.

We had a tremendous amount of rain in Danbury over a short period of time onto already full reservoirs, full lakes, full streams and little rivers, he said. That amount of rain has to go somewhere. It spills over. It spilled onto the roadways.

The flooding closed seven roads Thursday morning, the city said on Facebook. At least two main roads remained closed as of 1:30 p.m.

Water from a pond near the Glen Apartments flowed into the roadway and some of the buildings, too, forcing some residents to evacuate, said Matt Cassavechia, the citys emergency management director. Around 1 or 2 a.m.  at the height of the heavy rain  firefighters went door-to-door to evacuate residents and make sure everyone was safe, he said.

Many of the residents stayed elsewhere, but at least 20 people were moved to the War Memorial, where the city had already set up a shelter, he said.

The Connecticut State Police received 621 calls for service between 6 p.m. Wednesday and 6 .m. Thursday.

Bridgeport dispatch alone received more than 200 calls for service during the storm Wednesday night, according to the citys Director of Communications Rowena White.

Most of the calls were related to flooding and vehicles stuck on the roads. Some 60 streets had extensive flooding conditions, White added.

First responders were able to perform 20 water rescues and help with stranded cars submerged in water at 45 locations, White said.

The storm also resulted in numerous downed tree branches. Coupled with the high flood waters, the storm wreaked havoc throughout the city and its parks. The citys Public Facilities department is cleaning up Thursday to ensure everything is in good shape Friday for Labor Day weekend, White said.

Residents and business owners should document and report any damages that may have occurred from the storm to their insurance companies, as well as photos and estimates, White said.

Residents and businesses in Bridgeport with uninsured damage or loss from the storm should call the Emergency Operations Center at 203-579-3829. The phone line will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Bridgeport residents and business owners can also report damages by clicking here.

The deadline to report uninsured damages to the EOC is Tuesday, Sept. 7.

Danbury residents and business owners are encouraged to fill out this form to report damages.

Filling out the form does not guarantee residents will be reimbursed, Cavo said.

These damage reports will be used in the hopes of possible financial reimbursement from FEMA, White said.

Thursday Sept. 2, 11 a.m.

RegalCare, a nursing home on King Street in Greenwich, was evacuated during the storm, police said. There were no problems with the transportation, according to police.

Thursday Sept. 2, 9:45 a.m.

Flooding continues to impact I-95 in New York near the Connecticut border.

Flooding has been reported on the north and south bound sides just after Exit 18b in White Plains. Stop and go traffic has been reported along the southbound side into the city.

A Connecticut DOT spokesman said flooding reported overnight on I-95 in Bridgeport was cleared. No major issues remain on Connecticut's highways, only secondary roads, the spokesman said.

Thursday Sept. 2, 9:45 a.m.

In Danbury, a section of Newtown Road in Danbury is closed, with an estimated three to four feet of water across four lanes of traffic. Police have blocked off the road from Taco Bell to Walmart.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 9:30 a.m.

In New Milford, a pool of water two feet deep at its center has closed part of Route 7 near the Big Y grocery store. The flooding appeared to have impacted a nearby service station as well.

River Road, which follows the eastern bank of the Housatonic River, has been closed all the way up to the Gaylordsville village in New Milford, according to Mike Boucher, highway foreman for the town. In multiple spots the rain has washed out the raod, he said.

He estimated clearing tree damage would take a few days, while repairing gravel roads could take a week.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 8:55 a.m.

In Stamford, police Sgt. William Garay said the city is still dealing with the fallout of Thursday nights storm.

Theres a ton of cars underwater that were still looking to get towed, he said.

The areas around East Main Street, Newfield Avenue, Rocky Rapids Road and Farms Road were particularly hard hit. The latter three roads remain closed due to flooding, Garay said.

In addition to flooding, Garay said the department has also been responding to reports of trees downed by heavy winds Thursday night.

Stamford has 631 reported power outages, which is the fourth most reported outages in Eversources coverage area, behind Monroe, Redding and Killingsworth, as of 8:30 a.m. Friday.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 8:16 a.m.

More than 30 closures have been reported along state roads, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, many for roadway flooding.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 7:51 a.m.

New York transportation authorities are still reporting stop and go traffic along I-95 South in Rye, just over the state line, where flooding has caused delays. Several disabled vehicles and motor vehicle accidents have also been reported along I-95 south.

Connecticut traffic cams show cars backed up to the north of Stamford as far as Darien, with lighter traffic to the south before the New York border.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 7:40 a.m.

The University of Connecticut said its Stamford campus will be closed Thursday due to travel difficulties in the area.

All online classes will be held as scheduled, and employees telecommuting due to COVID-19 should work as normal, Stephanie Reitz, a UConn spokeswoman, said.

The universitys other campuses are following their normal schedule, and UConn facilities did not experience any significant water damage or flooding, said Reitz.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 7:20 a.m.

Danbury schools were closed Thursday morning due to the storms impact on the area. Thousands were without power in the Danbury area and some local streets were without power. Redding led the area with power outages as of 7:30 a.m. with 965, while Ridgefield had 554 and Southbury had 445.

Urban and small stream flooding will continue for several hours after the rain tapers off, the city said in a statement. If you absolutely have to travel this morning you may experience numerous detours causing traffic disruption. Walking or driving through flood waters is extremely dangerous..

Thursday, Sept. 2, 7:08 a.m.

In New Milford, power outages and flooding have closed schools, the Northville Volunteer Fire Department said on Facebook. Flooding has also closed Danbury Road between Peagler Hill Road and Sunny Valley Road.

Please consider taking today to stay inside, flooding conditions are still evolving and getting worse, the post said.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 7 a.m.

In Harwinton, Leadmine Brook road is closed due to flooding at the Leadmine Brook bridge.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 5:33 a.m.

Connecticut Department of Transportation

In Bridgewater, flooding trapped at least one person in their home. Video showed flood waters surging around the home overnight.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 5:33 a.m.

MTA officials are asking New Yorkers not to attempt to travel until further notice after at least six subway trains that became stuck by rising waters were evacuated.

In a statement, acting MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said it had been a historic and challenging night for the region.

Our concern is for those who were in trains stuck after up to six inches of rain fell within hours, and top priority is working with first responders to safely evacuate everyone from the system, Lieber said. New Yorkers should not attempt to travel until further notice.

Lieber said the transit service will be deploying pumps and sending workers out when safe to do so in order to restore service.

As of a little after midnight, Metro-North Railroad had suspended all trains on all its lines, citing safety reasons due to rising waters. The MTA is providing some limited bus and subway service, while trains on the Long Island Rail Road shut down after trains reached their final destinations.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 5:20 a.m.

Statewide outages stand at over 19,000 early Thursday morning.

Eversource, the states largest electrical supplier, reported 17,253 customers out around the state. United Illuminating reported 2,483 customers out in its service area comprising parts of lower Fairfield and New Haven counties.

In Norwalk, 1,189 were reported to be without power, according to Eversource. In Monroe, there were 935 outages reported  nearly 12 percent of Eversources customers in the town.

Killingworth, Redding and Torrington each reported outages totaling over 700 as of early Thursday morning.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 12:58 a.m.

More than 15,000 power outages have been reported as of 12:58 a.m. Eversource, which supplies power to most of the state, had more than 14,100 customers without power, with more than 1,000 outages in Ridgefield, Bristol and East Haddam.

United Illuminating, which provides power to parts of Fairfield and New Haven counties, reported more than 1,600 outages, the bulk of which were in Trumbull and North Haven.

For live outage updates, go to our tracker.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 12:55 a.m.

Towns and cities in southwestern Connecticut were reporting numerous flooded roads as a powerful band of weather swept through the area around 11 p.m.

A video on social media showed feet of standing water on I-95 in Bridgeport. Hamden officials said a tree fell on Route 15 and it was shutdown between exits 60 to 71.

Norwalk has several streets closed because of flooding. Bridgeport emergency offcials are reporting vehicles in water in a several of locations across the city.

Fairfield police put out an urgent message on Twitter saying: FLOODING: Numerous flooded streets. Do not attempt to cross water covered roadways. Remain home and off roads if possible.

The National Weather Services New York office, responsible for forecasting across much of southern Connecticut, has warned residents to avoid flooded areas.

We are seeing way too many reports of water rescues and stranded motorists. Do not drive through flooded roadways. You do not know how deep the water is and it is too dangerous. Turn Around Don't Drown.

Thursday, Sept. 2, 12:15 a.m.

The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for along the coastline until 6 a.m. They are urging people to stay off the roads.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 11:19 p.m.

Issues are being reported with 911 in Fairfield County. Greenwich police have asked residents to call the department directly at 203-622-8001.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 11:15 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of Fairfield and New Haven counties until 12:30 p.m. The National Weather service warns that a line of storms could bring wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 10:52 p.m.

Amid deteriorating conditions, Metro-North has suspended all train service along the New Haven Line. Metro-North said it would update the situation when more information was available.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 10:41 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of Fairfield and New Haven counties until 11:15 p.m. The National Weather service warns that a line of storms could bring wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 10:38 p.m.

Some towns in southwestern Connecticut are reporting dangerous conditions along roadways as rain and wind picks up.

In Darien, town police tweeted: The Darien Police Department is reporting zero visibility driving conditions and flooding situations in several locations. NON-EMERGENCY travel is highly discouraged! Stay home and stay safe. DO NOT drive through flooded areas!

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 10:20 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood emergency for Fairfield and New Haven counties until 12:30 a.m.

This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW! Life threatening flash flooding of low water crossings, small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses, the alert from NWS read.

The warning from NWS, one of the strongest possible when flood conditions are present, has seldom been issued in the past.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 10:15 p.m.

More than 4,600 power outages have been reported as of 10:15 p.m. Eversource, which supplies power to most of the state, had more than 3,100 customers without power, mostly in southwestern Connecticut.

United Illuminating, which provides power to parts of Fairfield and New Haven counties, reported more than 1,500 outages, the bulk of which were in Trumbull.

For live outage updates, go to our tracker.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 10 p.m.

Harwinton in Litchfield County has experienced about 4.25 inches of rainfall so far as of 10 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Boston.

Multiple downed trees are causing delays for the Harlem and New Haven lines, as well as the New Canaan Branch service, MTAs Metro-North Railroad announced via Twitter Wednesday night.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 9:30 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for southern Fairfield County until 10:30 p.m Wednesday, the National Weather Service said in its 9:25 p.m. update.

A severe thunderstorm was spotted moving northeast, bringing 60 mph wind gusts. Residents should expect trees and power lines to get damaged, the weather service said.

These thunderstorms will hit Greenwich around 10 and move eastward, reaching Fairfield and Westport around 10:30 p.m., the weather service said.

As of 9:37 p.m., Eversource reported 1,250 outages. There were 227 outages reported in Redding, 206 in Weston, 146 in Southbury and 124 in Stamford.

United Illuminating reported 1,282 outages as of 9:38 p.m. Most of these  1,068  were reported in Trumbull. There were also 113 outages in Bridgeport.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 9 p.m.

The National Weather Service has extended the flash flood warning for Fairfield County to midnight.

As of 8:59 p.m. Wednesday, 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain had already fallen in the area, and flash flooding is already occurring, the weather service said.

Meteorologists expect 1 to 2 additional inches of rainfall are possible.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 8:45 p.m.

Eversource reported 382 power outages  171 of which were in Weston and 64 in New Milford  as of 8:37 p.m.

United Illuminating reported 43 power outages around 8:30 p.m. All but one of the outages were in West Haven.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 8:30 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for west central Tolland County, as well as Hartford, Litchfield and Fairfield counties.

The flash flood warning in Fairfield County is in effect until 10 p.m. Wednesday, while the warning in Litchfield County goes until 11:45 p.m.

The flash flood warning in Hartford and Tolland counties is in effect until 2 a.m. Thursday.

As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, up to 1.5 inches of rain has already fallen in Hartford and Tolland counties. Litchfield County and the surrounding area had between 1 and 2 inches of rainfall, and Fairfield County had between 0.5 and 1 inch of rain, according to the weather service.

Torrential rain in southern New York is expected to move toward northern Connecticut, bringing up to an additional 4 inches to Hartford and Tolland counties, the weather service said.

Litchfield should expect between 1 and 3 more inches of rainfall, and Fairfield County can expect up to 2 inches of extra rainfall, the National Weather Service said.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 8 p.m.

As Post-Tropical Cyclone Ida approaches, the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven and New London counties. The watch is in effect until 1 a.m.

There have been reports of up to 2.5 inches of rainfall in parts of northern Connecticut, while the coast has seen under 1 inch, according to the Milford Fire Department.

The Brookfield Volunteer Fire Company said it has extra emergency medical personnel on staff to help with the fallout from tonights weather.

The Connecticut State Police warned residents to stay safe. Police recommend drivers reduce their driving speeds, illuminate car headlights and avoid driving vehicles through standing water.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 7 p.m.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven, and New London counties. The watch is in effect until 1 a.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 5:30 p.m.

The state could experience heavy rain and flash flooding Wednesday into early Thursday as remnants of Post-Tropical Cyclone Ida extended into the region, the National Weather Services New York office said.

A flash flood watch went into effect at 8 a.m. Wednesday for the entire state. It expires at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Ida first made landfall near the Louisiana coast on Sunday as a hurricane. The storm slammed the Louisiana region, and on Wednesday morning, the track of the storm showed it moving northeast near Tennessee. By 5 p.m., the storm was near Pennsylvania and Maryland, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Ida is slated to bring thunderstorms, gusty winds and about 3 to 6 inches of rainfall to Connecticut. The rain could fall at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour at times, the weather service said in a 4:53 p.m. forecast.

The most rainfall is expected to come during the evening  potentially bringing 3 to 4 inches in some areas  according to the weather service.

Meteorologists with the weather service are also forecasting major flooding on the Yantic River near Norwich and moderate flooding on the Farmington River near Simsbury.

There is also a low risk for a tornado tonight, the weather service said.

Sacred Heart University in Fairfield recommended that its students not travel Wednesday night unless they absolutely have to, the university said in a tweet Wednesday.

The rainfall should begin to taper off Thursday morning into the early afternoon.
DES ALLEMANDS, La. (AP)  Flooded out by Hurricane Katrina, Roy Comardelle wasn't going to let another hurricane beat him. He built a levee around his entire lot to protect his home, commercial fishing boats, cars and motorcycle.

Comardelle thought he was winning against Hurricane Ida until the Category 4 winds at its heart battered his house and sent water spilling over the grassy walls of his handmade levee, which includes a pump and a homemade flood gate for the driveway.

On Tuesday, he cleaned up the muddy mess left by more than a foot of water that inundated his house. As he worked, Comardelle couldn't help but wonder when he might be able to get back out on the water to make a living catching crabs.

I fought a losing battle. I thought I had it. But when the eye came, that's when it topped the levee, said Comardelle. Can't fight nature.

Located about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southwest of New Orleans, Cormadelle's home is in unincorporated Des Allemands, a fishing community since German immigrants first settled it in the 1720s. Residents have been trying to keep their homes dry for generations, and the fight has only gotten tougher in recent decades as Louisiana's coastline shrank.

After Katrina hit 16 years to the day before Ida made landfall, Comardelle climbed atop a dirt-moving machine and built a berm that surrounds the property, roughly the size of a big suburban lot. A lean man with a thick accent, his torso bears tan lines from the tank top he often wears while outside working.

Comardelle planted grass on the slopes of his levee, and he rigged up a metal gate that he reinforces with sand bags to keep water from coming in over the driveway. For most storms, it keeps the house dry.

While two previous hurricanes overtopped the levee, he said, everything was working fine until Ida's eye arrived in Lafourche Parish. Once that happened, water began pouring in over a couple of low spots. Soon, his house was filled with about 18 inches (46 centimeters) of water; the workshop where his motorcycle was parked took on 22 inches (56 centimeters).

From the air, Comardelle's property looks like a green oasis surrounded by a sea of muck. On the ground, he grew quiet thinking about the possibility of having to use savings to sustain him and his wife until he can locate all his fishing gear and conditions are once again suitable for catching crabs.

For Katrina and all that, it took us over two months to go ride down there to see what we even had left, said Comardelle.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  A former state employee pleaded guilty Tuesday in a Michigan court to embezzling over $855,000 from the state.

Joseph Pettit, who worked for the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, was responsible for returning performance bonds to companies that drill or operate gas and oil wells, when ownership changes hands. Instead of giving bonds back to the original owners, Pettit made up vendors and diverted the bonds to bank accounts he made up for the vendors.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  New Hampshire is getting more than $1.5 million in federal funding to help firefighters.

The 10 grants through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant program is going toward radios, firefighter training, ambulance equipment, firefighting and medical gear, and other needs.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  The Democratic-led Legislature voted Wednesday to extend an eviction and foreclosure moratorium for commercial and residential tenants who fell behind on their rent because of hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, had called the Legislature to return for an extraordinary session to pass the legislation, which will put evictions on hold until Jan. 15. She is expected to sign it once lawmakers send it to her.

New York's previous eviction moratorium, which included foreclosure protections for property owners, expired Tuesday.

In an Aug. 12 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court nixed part of the moratorium that allowed tenants to pause eviction proceedings simply by filing a form declaring theyd had a COVID-related financial hardship or that moving in a pandemic would prove a health risk. The court said that landlords should have the ability to challenge those hardships in court.

New York is poised to change how the moratorium works in light of that ruling. Landlords will be able to challenge hardship declarations and direct judges to require tenants with hardships to apply for rental assistance.

Hochul said the legislation will stand up to legal scrutiny. The Senate passed it 38-19.

But the leader of the Rent Stabilization Association, the largest organization of landlords in New York, vowed Wednesday to sue to block the moratorium in federal court.

This is blatant contempt of SCOTUS order," the group's president Joseph Strasburg, whose organization, along with five individual landlords, challenged the states eviction ban, said.

Strasberg said the new moratorium would be too similar to the old one. He criticized it for lacking an income limit, and said it shouldn't be up to landlords to prove tenants don't have a hardship.

Months ago, lawmakers had expected New York wouldnt still need an eviction moratorium this fall because the state approved a $2.4 billion fund expected to help as many as 200,000 households late on their rent.

But New York has released only a small percentage of that money so far: $230 million to over 15,000 households as of Wednesday.

Hochul has vowed to get the money out more quickly. The legislation also boosts the fund to $2.6 billion.

Meanwhile, she's urging tenants to apply for rental assistance. Those who qualify for months of back rent can receive up to a year of protection from eviction for having failed to pay that rent.

Under the new legislation, courts will be able to look up whether a tenant has applied for rental assistance.

And landlords will be able to launch eviction proceedings against such tenants who are a nuisance or has inflicted substantial damage to a property.

Republicans blasted Democrats for pushing the bill through with little time for lawmakers to read it over, and without setting aside funds for extra months of rental relief.

This legislation will only ensure that landlords will have to reach deeper into their own personal savings and loans to cover mounting expenses, including mortgages, utilities and property taxes, Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick, ranking Republican on the Assembly Housing Committee, said.

The bill passed Wednesday will also set aside $150 million more in rental assistance for tenants above the income threshold and for small landlords whose tenants have left the unit. Another $25 million will cover legal counsel for tenants unable to afford counsel in eviction proceedings.

Separately, the legislation will also allow state and local bodies to hold meetings remotely without allowing members of the public to attend in-person.

And the Senate approved Hochul's nomination of former Assemblymember Tremaine Wright and former Drug Policy Alliance policy coordinator Christopher Alexander to oversee the state's recreational pot sales program  a step her predecessor, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, didn't take in his final months in office.

There is no reason why simple announcements in terms of who the executive director is and who the chairperson is were not done in time, but Im going to make up for that lost time, and I want those decisions made, Hochul said Tuesday night.

The move drew praise from the industry group representing medical cannabis growers, who are lobbying the state to also expand medical licenses.
GREENWICH  Steady rain and gloomy skies may have made the end of summer vacation all too real, but nothing could dampen the high spirits on display on the first day of public school on Wednesday morning.

At Hamilton Avenue School, parents and kids posed for photos outside the two Welcome Back signs posted outside the building. Principal Shanta Smith was among those welcoming everyone back, waving hello and giving directions to the classrooms.

Smith offered up a You got this to a nervous student  and said she has first-day jitters, too.

Im so excited to see the kids, I missed them so much, she said. I still have the same butterflies I had as a child on the first day. The smiles on their faces when they enter into the building and the energy that I feel from them is something I feed off of. They are my why for why I do this.

Kids of all ages returned to the Greenwich Public Schools for a festive first day. Masks are still required in classrooms under an executive order from Gov. Ned Lamont to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, but it was a change from last year with no remote learning offered.

Among the first to arrive at Hamilton Avenue was parent Ruth Camoes with her kids, fifth-grader Victoria and third-grader Paloma.

We didnt want to be late, Camoes said. We were up at 5:30 in the morning for this. Im proud to see them go off to school. There are so many good things in this school, like the diversity, and the teachers are amazing.

Both girls were excited for the first day. Victoria said she couldnt wait to see her teacher and her friends  even after they walked through the falling rain to get to school.

Fifth-grader Lucas Michailides, who has been at Hamilton Avenue since pre-K, said he was eager to get back to the school he knows so well. He is especially looking forward to taking science classes, meeting his new teacher and seeing all his friends.

I really love science, Lucas said.

Parent Christine Rathbun brought her son Isaiah for his first day as a fourth-grader at Hamilton Avenue after earlier dropping off her son Jeremiah for his first day as a sixth-grader at Western Middle School. While Isaiah admitted he wished he was still on summer vacation, he said he was still excited for the new school year.

The school is great here, Rathbun said. The way they have set things up with COVID is comforting. You can send them and know theyre safe.

Gabrielle Sandair also was doing the double-drop-off at Hamilton Avenue and Western, with third-grader Olivia and sixth-grader Marcus. Olivia was nervous about her new teacher and new classmates  and that shes no longer in school with her older brother.

These are life lessons they have to learn at some point, Sandair said. Theyre always going to be nervous, and its OK. Were going to talk about her day afterward, and were going to support her as best we can.

Students, staff and officials

Staff members said they also felt that first day excitement. Hamilton Avenue core music teacher Anne Collin, who is in her fourth year at the school, said she had been looking forward to returning to school.

I like seeing the kids that Ive missed, Collin said. I like it so much especially after some were all remote last year. I cant wait to see them all.

Members of the Board of Education fanned out across the district as well. Board member Karen Hirsh was at Glenville School when it welcomed in its kindergarten class at 9:45 a.m.

You can tell the kids are smiling even behind the masks, said Hirsh, who serves as the boards secretary. You can see it in their eyes. Theyre happy to be back with their friends and their teachers. They are ready to learn.  Im sure theres some trepidation (due to COVID) but ultimately most of the students are very happy to be back in a familiar setting with their friends and having the opportunity to connect and make those face-to-face connections with their peers and their teachers.

Parents were not allowed inside the school buildings due to COVID precautions. But parents bringing their kindergartners to Glenville got a chance to hug them goodbye and wish them luck while the schools mascot Snappy welcomed them.

Dave and Eve Budkins made two trips to Glenville School, first with third-grader Charlie and then with kindergartner Emma, as well as to drop off some school supplies Charlie had forgotten to grab on his way out the door that morning.

The first day of school is always exciting and its good for the kids to get back into routine and be with their friends and the great Glenville School community, Budkins said.

The first first day

Among the parents bringing their children for their very first day of school were Bill Capozzi and Angelique Letizia, who accompanied their new kindergartner Gavin to Glenville. And although they said it was a difficult day for them emotionally, Gavin was excited to be at school and had been walking around with his backpack on for an hour before they even left the house.

Im going to cry, Letizia said. Im a little bit nervous because its the first time that hes been gone all day. And we cant go in the school because of COVID. ... But the schools been really great about sending us things and pictures and keeping us updated. It puts you at ease.

Capozzi added, Were excited for him to be around other kids, especially after the last year and a half. Were more nervous than Gavin is.

Letizia said she was not bothered by the rain, saying it was a good omen. Capozzi said it rained on the day of their wedding, too.

Rain is good luck, were excited, Letizia said. Any time you have rain at a wedding or another event people think its bad, but its actually a blessing. I think its going to send everything off on a good note.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
Adults with heart disease living in a rural area, especially those who aren't married, may have more feelings of hopelessness, according to new research that calls for health care professionals to identify and counsel those at greatest risk.

Previous research shows up to half of people with heart disease report having feelings of hopelessness, which can more than triple the risk of death or heart attack. Compared to people in urban areas, people who live in rural communities already experience higher rates of other risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, obesity, physical inactivity and cigarette smoking.

The new study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, was the first to explore the impact of rural living on short- and long-term feelings of hopelessness.

"Because we know hopelessness is predictive of death in people with heart disease, health care professionals need to recognize the subgroups who are most at risk and provide guidance and treatment," senior study author Susan Dunn said in a news release. Dunn is an associate professor and department head of biobehavioral nursing science at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

According to national statistics, adults with and without heart disease who live in rural areas have a higher premature death rate than those who live in urban areas.

In the new study, researchers used questionnaires to measure feelings of hopelessness  a negative outlook and sense of helplessness toward the future  as well as depression and the ability to perform daily physical activities, another measure of depression. The 628 participants, adults at two hospitals in South Dakota and one hospital in Michigan, had experienced heart attacks, severe chest pains or procedures such as surgery or the insertion of stents to open clogged arteries.

Researchers used census tract data to determine about one-fourth of participants lived in a rural area. Overall, 1 in 4 participants had been diagnosed with depression.

Nearly 60% who lived in a rural area felt the type of hopelessness associated with a life event, such as a heart attack, compared to roughly 50% who lived in urban areas, the study found. However, where someone lived had little impact on whether they had a hopeless outlook on life overall.

Being unmarried made a difference for rural residents. Hopelessness related to an event affected more than 70% of unmarried people compared to about 50% of their married counterparts.

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CHICAGO (AP)  More than 25 Illinois schools are reporting COVID-19 outbreaks, mostly in districts that are complying with Gov. J.B. Pritzkers school mask executive order.

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Tuesday identified 26 schools with COVID-19 outbreaks. The outbreaks reported by the department include those that have been identified by the schools local health department to have at least two COVID-19 cases among people who may have a shared exposure on school grounds and come from different households.
Samsung's Galaxy S21 FE has long been rumored to have been delayed because of the ongoing chip crisis, but it will hopefully launch at some point in the next few weeks.

Before that happens, more and more details about it are starting to surface, and today its user manual is the star of the show. This unfortunately reveals that the S21 FE will not have a microSD card slot.

This was rumored a while back, but then in July the Chinese TENAA certification refuted that claim by noting that the slot was in fact present. Now with the user manual saying it's not there, we're a bit confused, but this could all be a case of different regional variants having or not having the card slot based on what Samsung thinks each region needs or demands - or something like that.

Another thing the manual reveals is that the Galaxy S21 FE will not ship with a charger in the box, or a 3.5mm headphone jack, a move that shouldn't be that surprising considering that all of the Korean company's recent flagships have gone the Apple way and got rid of these things. Unlike Apple, however, Samsung is still offering a charger in the box with all of its non-flagship smartphones, of which most also get a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a microSD card slot. The more you pay, the less you get in terms of these specific features, it seems.

The manual also confirms other specs of the S21 FE, such as the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor, the IP68 dust and water resistance rating, the high refresh rate screen, as well as the design which is unsurprisingly very similar to that of the rest of the S21 family. Additionally, we know that the phone will be offered in at least four colors: black, green, purple, and white. It also has wireless charging support, reverse wireless charging, Samsung Pay, Wireless DeX, and Dolby Atmos.

The Galaxy S21 FE is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset in some markets and the Exynos 2100 in others, with 6/8GB of RAM and 128/256GB of storage. It has a 4,500 mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging (if you provide your own brick, of course).

Source
Before the summer of 2020, craft cocktail lovers would have had a difficult time locating gourmet products such as Luxardo Maraschino cherries, or accessing a wide variety of Japanese whiskey.

Now, ask around for those products and those in the know will offer you a resounding and surprising answer: Circle K.

This particular Circle K is located in the heart of Tumon, next to Primo Pizzakaya and across from The Westin Resort Guam. Responding to the extreme drop of business following the shutdown of tourism due to COVID, Marivel Anderson was struck with an idea.

After being stuck in California for five months, she came back to Guam and saw an opportunity. We dont have like, a Bev Mo or a Total Wine, or you know, a liquor store, where you can kind of go in and just buy everything that you need, said Anderson, category manager of Alcohol and Beverage for South Pacific Petroleum Corp.

They decided to shift and expand that location, turning it into a hub for hard-to-find spirits and liqueurs. You may wonder why some of these products seem impossible to source on Guam. Anderson says the answer is twofold.

According to Anderson, whiskey  especially Japanese whiskey has significantly increased in popularity. Bottles touted as being of a certain age are literally running out.

It also has to do with allocation from the distributors. I think theyre just like, Guam, where is that? We dont really need to give Guam an allocation, Anderson said.

Anderson and Circle K are behind the annual Craft Beer Festival, which began in 2015 and grew into the Craft Beer and Whiskey Festival. Anderson said the event was beloved by both locals and military members, with as many as 1,200 attendees at their last event in 2019.

Last November it was clear that there would be no festival, but the products had already arrived from California and beyond. Anderson and her team decided to make the most of the situation by hosting their first tent sale though, to be clear, theres not actually a tent.

Instead, the store is rearranged to place these special bottles and cans as the focus for easy customer perusal. Last year, products that are hard to find even in North America  like Russian River Brewings Pliny the Elder  were sold out before midnight. All of the craft beer and seltzer, about 40 cases, was sold in three days.

This year, they are once again providing Guams spirit and beer lovers with access to highly coveted products. Anderson says customers can expect to see several bourbons that rarely make it to the island, such as Michters and Blantons, available in limited quantities.

This weekend we have some beer from Great Notion Brewery out of Portland, known for the juicy, hazy, creamy IPAs. Super limited quantities so I would really plan to get there early to get some, Anderson said.

Jun Piolo (also known as Juntender) is a bartender at The Venue in Hagatna, and is known on island for his commitment to craft cocktails and fresh, high quality ingredients. He looks forward to the sale and plans to attend.

Theres so many sales that happen on Guam. And, you know, its kind of like a marketing tactic in that sense, that theyre just trying to get rid of inventory. This is not that kind of sale, Piolo said.

Theyre really pushing these products that only they can bring in. And its not just like the main liquors. Its not just vodka, not just rum, its not just wine. Its stuff like, the liqueurs, the hard to get items that are necessary in that sense to make those classic cocktails.
Dr. Abner Pasatiempo, a former Guam government psychiatrist wanted in connection with official misconduct and harassment, was arrested last week in Alaska, according to the Office of the Attorney General.

After his arrest on a Guam warrant, Pasatiempo was released on a $2,000 bail bond and ordered not to leave Alaska, according to the attorney generals office. The Superior Court of Alaska set a Sept. 30 status hearing for the case.

The attorney generals office in February filed a criminal complaint against Pasatiempo, accusing him of seven counts of official misconduct and seven counts of harassment. The complaint alleges Pasatiempo engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with patients.

Pasatiempo was hired to work at the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center in 2018, despite previous troubles in the state of Maryland, where medical officials disciplined him for having sex with a female patient.

He completed the terms of his discipline in Maryland, and his privileges were restored.

There were no restrictions placed on Pasatiempo when he worked at Guam Behavioral Health.

Six women in Guam filed complaints against the doctor in December 2019, alleging inappropriate sexual conduct. Pasatiempo was immediately suspended, and he later allowed his Guam medical license to expire at the end of that month.

A seventh patient filed a complaint against him, in January 2020.

The criminal complaint provides details of the alleged inappropriate conduct, stating Pasatiempo asked several female patients sexually explicit questions that made them uncomfortable and touched a patient in a way that made her feel uncomfortable.

He reportedly told several patients they were beautiful, comparing one to Marilyn Monroe, and allegedly offered to pay for an off-island house for one of his patients and her female companion.

According to the attorney generals office, a Superior Court of Guam judge issued an arrest warrant for Pasatiempo after he failed to appear at several scheduled hearings in connection with the criminal charges.

Although Pasatiempo did not show up for those court hearings, he reportedly appeared virtually for hearings of the Guam Board of Medical Examiners during that same period, according to the attorney generals office.

Pasatiempo reportedly was trying to get his Guam medical license back in order to allow him to work in Alaska.

Guam Attorney General Leevin Camacho last week discussed Pasatiempos case with Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor, and Alaska law enforcement later took Pasatiempo into custody, according to the Guam AGs office.

This should send a clear message that we are carrying through on our commitment to take action against individuals who are alleged to have committed a crime through the abuse of their position with the government, Camacho said.

The attorney generals office is contacting the women who filed complaints against Pasatiempo and is working with Alaska law enforcement to decide the next steps in the case, the AGs office stated.
The Legislature late Tuesday night voted to override the governors veto of one bill amending the RISE Act, which increases the payouts of the act from $800 to $1,000 for applicants and removes the $30 million cap on funding for it.

The Legislatures RISE Act is separate from Gov. Lou Leon Guerreros All-RISE Program, which residents on Wednesday flooded the Department of Revenue and Taxations Barrigada Branch and online portal to avail of. The RISE Act lapsed into law last December without the governors signature and has sat unimplemented by the administration so far. While the All-RISE Program expanded eligibility of the original program to government employees who were originally left out, the decision not to increase the cap on funding, resulting in a first-come first-served program, has been a sore point for the legislature.

The governor has contended that the money should be sufficient.

Some 13 members of the legislature voted to override the veto of Bill 75, with only Sen. Mary Camacho Torres voting against the move. An override vote was also held Tuesday on the veto of Speaker Therese Terlajes Bill 164, which would also amend the RISE Act, but the move failed.

This $30 million cap, and the first-come, first-served process has been causing anxiety in our community because there are many in great need of assistance at this time, Terlaje said during the Tuesday session, adding that the governor could amend the All-RISE at any time to address this. She stated that cars had already begun lining up on Tuesday night outside Rev and Tax.

The speaker said that amending the RISE Act wouldnt interfere with the governors program but provide another way for people who miss out on the governors program to get relief.

Before the vote on Bill 75, author Sen. James Moylan acknowledged that overriding the bill may not do much to force the governors hand on removing a funding cap or increasing payouts.

But what it will do is simply send a strong statement, a statement to the executive branch that the legislative branch is a co-equal branch of government and want to work with the governor in addressing economic recovery, he said.

No qualified resident who applied on time should be denied proceeds from the RISE Act, he said.

The program, if implemented, would be available until June 2022. The amended bill, in theory, would not be optional for Rev and Tax to implement, Moylan said, but it all depended on whether the governor decided to fund the RISE Act.
The 36th Guam Legislature passed the fiscal 2022 budget bill 11-3 on Tuesday night.

Republican Sens. Joanne Brown, Telo Taitague, and Mary Camacho Torres voted against the bill, while Vice Speaker Tina Muna Barnes was excused.

Lawmakers took a bipartisan approach to the budget in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Joe San Agustin said.

The island had remained resilient over the past year, but the future was still unknown, he stated. Things looked like they were moving in a positive direction. Unfortunately things changed, San Agustin stated, explaining that this years budget, like last years, was one of the most economically challenged in Guams history.

Lawmakers finished up budget talks on another slim, post-COVID-19 budget on Saturday. The total cut for GovGuams fiscal 2022 budget is about $80 million. Last year, lawmakers cut $66 million.

Sen. Amanda Shelton was thankful for the support of her colleagues ... to advance student financial aid for higher education, child protection, juvenile justice, park safety, period poverty, relief for students and vocational opportunities for individuals with disabilities, but also stated she wanted more from the bill.

I remain disappointed that the amendments I proffered to give the Elder Justice Center a supplemental local appropriation failed, despite the existing demand for more services  despite the growing waitlist of seniors for legal aid, Shelton said.

Taitague, on the other hand, felt the budget went too far, stating it did little to consider the impact of the delta variant.

We are yet in another threat that may take months, if not a year to find some kind of normalcy, she said. Bill 55 does little, if any, to control government spending, especially when hundreds if not thousands of our families are only days away from no longer receiving PUA benefits.

The decisions to reduce funding for tax refunds, authorize government pay raises and pay studies, and ignore the need to fund the Rainy Day Fund were concerning, she said.

Brown was likewise concerned with government spending, given the uncertain economic future.

We dont know a year from now, if were still going to be in this situation. I mean, even though the governor has proposed that shes going to provide funding for our employees in the private sector to have businesses subsidize each employee at $9.50 an hour, what jobs are they going to work at? she said.

She felt that lawmakers should have done more to pressure the executive branch to use federal funds instead of local dollars to cover government shortfalls, specifically for the Customs and Quarantine Agency.

Customs, which has seen a sharp drop off in collections after the pandemic slowed traveler arrivals to Guam, will see an additional $5 million from the General Fund compared to fiscal 2021. That brings the agencys total budget up to $15 million, compared to $11 million in the previous fiscal year.

General Fund revenues are at $706,866,659, which is about $68 million less than fiscal 2021, and $97 million less than the pre-pandemic projection for fiscal 2020. But with the American Rescue Plan authorizing a full reimbursement of the Earned Income Tax Credit for fiscal 2022, which Guam usually pays $55 million to $60 million a year for, more money will be freed up for GovGuam operations.

The special fund amount approved by the legislature is roughly $4 million less than what the executive branch requested. Total special fund revenues are at $198,531,643, which is about $12 million less than fiscal 2021, and $48 million less than the pre-pandemic projection for fiscal 2020.

Bill 55 will be moving on to Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero.

Agency funding levels, compared to fiscal 2021 are:
Lifelong learning is a mantra of teachers. We appreciate that theres always something to learn to help us do better.




Haiti - Politic : New statements by Martine Moise





Monday in an interview in English with the Reuters agency, Martine Moise, wearing a black dress and a scarf after the injuries she suffered during the attack which claimed the life of President Jovenel Moise https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34162-haiti-flash-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-by-mercenaries-official-updated-7am-+-video.html , and accompanied by bodyguards, has called on the international community to help find those responsible for the assassination of her husband in a night raid by suspected mercenaries at the couple's residence in July. Also she underlines that if the Haitian authorities had made progress, she feared that progress would slow down.



"I'm living with hope. Hope that my husband would find justice.



Every country that can help please help because the people that did that are still out there. And I don't know their name or ever be out, but at some point if they fight the people that send the money [...] I think that wouldn't they will find the people that either. So I will have hope that Jovenel Moise will have justice and I won't stop asking for justice until justice is find."



Almost two months after her husband's death on July 7, key aspects of her murder remain a mystery. Haitian police arrested more than three dozen suspects, including 18 Colombian mercenaries, a Haitian-American doctor who they said aspired to become president and the head of Moise's security team, many search warrants were issued, as well as a bonus of 6 million gourdes https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34592-haiti-flash-3-fugitives-for-6-million-gourdes-in-the-file-of-the-assassination-of-president.html



"These people (who arrested) did it, but someone gave the orders, someone gave the money," said the widow of former President Moise. She added that she had spoken twice with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States and had estimated that they could "find the people who financed this odious crime."



Regarding the President's security she underlined, "I don't think I was aware because if you was I think you could change something in it security it would do something. I don't know that you knew, as you know, as a president that was fighting corruption. He has a lot of enemies. So he has a lot of plots in the past [...]"



Security problems hampered the investigation in Haiti and a judge in charge of the case resigned, citing concerns for his safety, following this a second judge was appointed https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34567-haiti-flash-new-investigating-judge-in-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html



The former first lady said Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is now also dealing with the aftermath of the August earthquake that left more than 2,000 dead, should call elections as soon as possible to ensure stability.



"I think my husband would advise you to try to have choices. With elections you can have peace, you can think long term," she said. Elections originally scheduled for September have been postponed to November, and some have speculated that they could be further delayed due to the earthquake that hit the southern region.



"If they want elections to take place, they will do so," said Martine Moise.



The former first lady confirmed earlier comments she made in interviews about her interest in running for president, but said she would take care of her family first.



"I want to run for president. The focus first on my kids, but I don't want let the vision of the president die with him."



Read also on the assassination of President Moise :



https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34592-haiti-flash-3-fugitives-for-6-million-gourdes-in-the-file-of-the-assassination-of-president.html







Haiti - FLASH : 3 fugitives for 6 million gourdes in the file of the assassination of President

27/08/2021 09:37:27



Haiti - FLASH : 3 fugitives for 6 million gourdes in the file of the assassination of President

Thursday at a press conference Me Rockefeller Vincent the Minister of Justice declared that "the investigation relating to the assassination of the President is progressing and the report of the DCPJ shows the enormous efforts made by the police and the prosecution indicating in summary that 173 acts of investigation had been posed ; 61 firearms 10 computers had been seized and transmitted to the prosecution. In addition informs the Minister of Justice 44 individuals were arrested and referred to the prosecution of Port-au-Prince, among them 20 alleged executors including 18 Colombians and 2 Americans of Haitian origin..."



He recalled that it is up to Justice to say the law and warned "anyone who wants to put the trial on the press. Beware of intimidation and futile attempts to scramble the tracks ! A hunted beast often takes desperate initiatives, but Justice will triumph in the end."



Minister Vincent announced that the Ministry of Justice is offering a bonus of 6 million gourdes to anyone allowing them to find 3 important fugitives who are the subject of a search notice, which has so far had no effect. It is about getting hold of the former judge of the Court of Cassation, Wendelle Coq Thelot, the former senator John Joel Joseph and the former civil servant Joseph Felix Badio. In conclusion, "We will continue to fight for justice to bring us justice."







Read also on the assassination of President Moise :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34576-haiti-flash-in-the-case-of-the-assassination-of-the-president-the-presumed-culprits-could-be-released.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34567-haiti-flash-new-investigating-judge-in-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34371-haiti-flash-a-4th-police-officer-arrested-in-direct-connection-with-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34351-haiti-flash-all-the-arrested-colombian-ex-soldiers-were-aware-of-a-plan-to-kill-president-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34339-haiti-flash-official-report-by-dimitri-herard-on-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34331-haiti-flash-arrest-of-the-presidential-security-coordinator-jean-laguel-civil.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34299-haiti-flash-7-of-the-colombians-arrested-had-received-american-military-training.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34296-haiti-flash-the-company-which-participated-in-the-financing-of-the-operation-knew-nothing-about-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34283-haiti-flash-follow-up-of-investigations-into-the-assassination-of-president-moise-video.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34278-haiti-national-funeral-note-from-the-first-lady-martine-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34265-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34250-haiti-flash-according-to-colombia-in-the-commando-only-a-few-knew-about-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34238-haiti-flash-monitoring-of-investigations-into-the-assassination-of-president-jovenel-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34225-haiti-notice-the-pnh-is-looking-for-3-dangerous-and-armed-individuals-including-a-former-senator.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34223-haiti-justice-the-dg-of-the-colombian-police-wonders-about-the-role-of-the-chief-of-security-of-president-moise.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34220-haiti-politic-creation-of-the-organizing-committee-for-the-national-funeral-of-president-moise-text-of-the-decree.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34218-haiti-flash-wanted-notice-for-a-very-dangerous-colombian-mercenary.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34217-haiti-flash-the-white-house-does-not-rule-out-sending-troops-to-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34214-haiti-assassination-of-president-a-colombian-team-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34212-haiti-politic-a-large-american-delegation-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34210-haiti-flash-arrest-of-one-of-the-intellectual-authors-of-the-assassination-of-president-moise-and-an-attempted-coup.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34205-haiti-flash-statements-and-testimony-from-colombia-about-the-commando.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34203-haiti-usa-no-american-military-assistance-for-the-moment.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34201-haiti-flash-authenticated-message-from-the-first-lady-martine-moise-audio.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34199-haiti-assassination-of-the-president-names-of-the-20-members-of-the-commando-arrested-5-others-still-on-the-run.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34193-haiti-flash-the-government-requests-the-sending-of-american-soldiers-to-the-country.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34188-icihaiti-flash-11-mercenaries-arrested-in-the-taiwanese-embassy.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34193-haiti-flash-the-government-requests-the-sending-of-american-soldiers-to-the-country.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34188-icihaiti-flash-11-mercenaries-arrested-in-the-taiwanese-embassy.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34183-haiti-flash-the-commando-that-killed-the-president-included-26-colombians-and-2-haitian-americans-official-video.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34182-icihaiti-assassination-of-president-moise-15-days-of-national-mourning-text-of-the-decree.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34178-haiti-politic-what-measures-contains-the-state-of-siege-text-of-the-decree.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34177-icihaiti-usa-the-pm-met-with-secretary-of-state-anthony-blinken.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34176-haiti-un-the-security-council-condemns-the-assassination-of-president-jovenel-moise.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-34174-icihaiti-diplomacythe-assassins-of-moise-were-professional-mercenaries-dixit-bocchit-edmond.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34173-haiti-flash-the-police-intercepts-the-presumed-assassins-of-president-moise-official-video.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34172-haiti-flash-martine-moise-in-florida-for-treatment.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34170-haiti-flash-the-first-lady-martine-moise-would-still-be-alive-but.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34168-haiti-flash-the-state-of-siege-is-declared-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34165-haiti-assassination-of-jovenel-moise-what-says-the-constitution.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34162-haiti-flash-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-by-mercenaries-official-updated-7am-+-video.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Michigan City, IN (46360)

Today

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 89F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low near 60F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
(The Center Square)  A whistleblower is suing state Treasurer Kelly Mitchell on behalf of the state of Indiana, alleging her office failed to get required sign-offs on contracts and made improper payments totaling more than $6.5 million, often to top contributors to her campaigns.

The suit alleges James Holden, who served as chief deputy treasurer from 2007 until 2011 and then again from 2012 until 2014 when he was fired by Mitchell, found in the process of discovery for his wrongful termination suit that it appeared that contracts the treasurers office was entering into, with Ice Miller and several banks, werent properly executed as they didnt have the signatures of the attorney generals office, the Department of Administration and the State Budget Agency and werent therefor valid. They also werent competitively bid.

The suit was originally filed more than a year ago, in July of 2020, in Marion County Circuit Court, but was under seal until early July 2021, according to Holdens attorney Chris Wolcott.

Specifically, the suit alleges violations of the states False Claims Act.

The suit points to Indianapolis-based law firm Ice Miller, saying: Partners and employees of defendant Ice Miller have been key and early supporters of defendant Mitchells political campaigns, and noting that Melissa Proffitt, a senior partner at Ice Miller, is the chairperson of Mitchells campaign committees and has held significant political fundraising events for Mitchell.

The suit alleges that Ice Miller submitted at least 57 false or fraudulent invoices to the state totaling more than $168,000, for lobbying services.

We have no comment. We dont comment on litigation, Tom Mixdorf, of Ice Miller, said this week when asked about the allegations.

Calls to Mitchell and her spokesperson were not returned.

The lawsuit was announced Tuesday in a press release.

Kelly Mitchell was appointed state treasurer by Gov. Eric Holcomb on Nov. 18, 2014. She was elected to the position two weeks earlier, but was placed into the position early to fill the remaining weeks of the term of Richard Mourdock, who had resigned.

In December 2014, the treasurers office hired Ice Miller to lobby on behalf of the office. The contract was signed by Indianapolis lobbyist John Hammond, then a partner with Ice Miller and now with the Taft law firm.

A call to Hammond was not returned.

The contract awarded Ice Miller $3,000 a month and was set up to automatically renew every year.

This indefinite automatic renewal clause is in violation of state contracting policy, the suit says.

As treasurer, Mitchell is responsible for overseeing more than $8 billion in assets belonging to the state. She is also chair of the Indiana Bond Bank and the sole trustee of the State Police Pension Trust.

She is also currently serving as the president of the National Association of State Treasurers.

Mitchell was re-elected to a second four-year term as state treasurer in November 2018 and in 2019, announced that she was running for the 5th Congressional District seat that was being vacated by Rep. Susan Brooks. Mitchell lost the primary to Victoria Spartz, winning only 5.3% of the vote.

In addition to Mitchell, six employees of the treasurer's office and Ice Miller, the suit names as defendants Old National Bancorp, BMO Harris Bank, Firth Third Bank, JP Morgan Chase Bank, PNC Bank, Bank of New York Mellon Corp, Wells Fargo Bank, Huntington National Bank and Public Trust Advisors LLC, saying the corporations submitted false or fraudulent invoices between 2015 and 2019 that together totaled more than $6.5 million.
For many, the events of Sept. 11, 2001, seem recent, as if they could have just ha
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St. Joseph, MI (49085)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low near 60F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low near 60F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Pipeline

1 September 2021

Opening in 2022, all rooms at the Sea Breeze Santorini Beach Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, will boast private terraces and a hot tub or pool.

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced the signing of a franchise agreement with Alexandros Ltd to open Sea Breeze Santorini Beach Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton. Due to launch in Spring 2022, the new 37-room hotel will be Hilton's first on the glamorous Greek island, complete with private beach.

Each room in the new premier development, which is built on the south coast of the island with a private beach, will benefit from its own private terrace and guests will be able to take a dip in their own personal hot tub or swimming pool. The hotel's exceptionally designed rooms take inspiration from Santorini's iconic blue and whitewashed architecture, as well as incorporating the island's rugged natural beauty with stone walls and organic wooden textures. Guests will be able to choose between the hotel's two restaurants and two bars for a relaxed bite to eat or cocktail, with two of the outlets being located on the resort's private beach. With two pools, a spa, fitness facilities and loungers by the beach, guests can alternate between working up a sweat, being pampered relaxing and cooling off with a dip in the water.

On the southern tip of one of Greece's most popular islands, the Sea Breeze Santorini Beach Resort, Curio Collection, is a short drive from Santorini's most popular sights. From the architecture of the island's cosmopolitan capital Fira to the prehistoric city of Akrotiri, visitors can explore the volcanic island's many must-sees without straying too far from the hotel. Less than two kilometres from Vlichada, a bustling marina full of seafood tavernas, attractions like the Santorini Arts Factory and neighbouring black-pebble beach, guests can explore Santorini against a backdrop of volcanic cliffs and visit colourful beaches like the famed Red Beach and iconic Perissa Black Sand Beach.

Curio Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of more than 100 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts, all offering a unique way to experience incredible destinations. In recent years, Hilton has signed an ever-increasing number of Curio Collection by Hilton hotels, with 66 hotels currently in development. The Sea Breeze Santorini Beach Resort will be the latest Grecian Curio hotel, following the recent opening of The Royal Senses Resort & Spa Crete, Curio Collection by Hilton in June.

The Sea Breeze Santorini Beach Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton will join the award-winning Hilton Honors guest loyalty programme, allowing more than 118 million members who book directly with Hilton to earn Points for hotel stays and experiences, plus instant benefits including contactless check-in with room selection, Digital Key and Connected Room.

Sea Breeze Santorini Beach Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton will be located in Exomitis. Hilton currently has two trading hotels in Greece under the brands Curio Collection by Hilton and Hilton Hotels and Resorts.
Now Open

1 September 2021

First of its kind, the hotel is built on the airspace of a conventional railway station, 22 meters above ground and is the tallest building and the largest hotel in the city.

The hotel complements the country's largest Convention Centre, Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre (MMCEC) Managed by The Leela, seamlessly blending state-of-the-art facilities with the graciousness of Indian hospitality to offer a complete convention solution

The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, owned by Brookfield Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund, announced the opening of The Leela Gandhinagar, in Gujarat's vibrant capital city. The hotel is built on the airspace of a conventional railway station, 22 meters above ground and is the tallest building and the largest hotel in the city. The Gandhinagar capital railway station has been redeveloped along with the 318 room 5-star hotel atop the tracks, the country's first such project, that was dedicated to the nation by the Honourable Prime Minister on 16th July 2021. This project will boost the economic activity in the region.

Located near the Dandi Kutir museum, The Leela Gandhinagar provides spectacular views of the Central Vista. The hotel's lavish interiors draw influence from the rich archaeological and architectural antiquity of Gujarat. The flooring is inspired by the Adalaj Stepwell and features elements like the famous Tree of Life at Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, traditional glass beadwork, textile craftsmanship of Bandhej, Ajrakh and Batik, among various other art inspirations embellishing the complex. The hotel houses 318 tastefully appointed, spacious rooms and suites, with contemporary interiors seamlessly blending grandeur, comfort, and modern sophistication. The bevy of suites also consists of Royal and 4 Presidential Suites each offering a distinct magnitude of unparalleled opulence, ultra-modern facilities, and luxurious amenities.

The Leela Gandhinagar delivers a rich culinary experience with dining venues spanning across a host of cuisines served in picturesque environs. Citrus Junction, the all-day dining restaurant offers a selection of Indian, Oriental, and Continental cuisines; Moksha Lounge, has an all-day tapas menu with a handpicked selection of teas and coffees along with a charming patisserie and Diya, the fine dining restaurant that specializes in Indian cuisine promises the perfect setting for a special occasion. The Royal Club Lounge comprises of an exclusive dining area serving breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening beverages accessible exclusively to the guests staying at The Royal Club Rooms and Suites. It also boasts of a private library lounge and an exclusive party room with stunning views of the city.

From elegant ballrooms to stately meeting rooms, the hotel's inspiring venues provide the ideal backdrop for any occasion. Guests can choose from the hotel's indoor and outdoor event spaces spanning across 30,000 sq. ft, all matched with the legendary Leela hospitality. The hotel also features a holistic world-class spa, state-of-the-art gymnasium and an outdoor pool.

Built over an area of 34 acres, the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre offers both choice and flexibility with leading edge facilities to host conventions for up to 15,000 delegates. Four seminar rooms, three Exhibition Centres, seven conference halls and a meeting room, are all equipped with every modern amenity imaginable. The personalized attention to detail and peerless hospitality makes this the ideal venue. The Leela Gandhinagar and Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre Managed by The Leela, will generate demand for the destination and position it as one of the most sought-after convention destinations in the world.
Now Open

1 September 2021

Opening today, Pan Pacific London takes innovation and understated luxury to new heights. This haven in the heart of the City fuses together architecture, contemporary design, boundary-pushing wellbeing, and leading destination restaurants and bars, with sincere Singaporean hospitality to create a lifestyle destination in London.

Location

Located in Liverpool Street, Pan Pacific London is on the doorstep of world-renowned locations yet also home to its own inner world.Sitting proudly in the landmark tower at One Bishopsgate Plaza, the hotel is situated near many of the City's finest attractions including high-end shopping in Spitalfields, the Barbican cultural hub, and the stylish Shoreditch neighbourhood.

Epitomising the juxtaposition of old and new London architecture, Bishopsgate Plaza encapsulates not only a 43-storey bronze tower encompassing Pan Pacific London and private Sky Residence apartments, but also the 144-year old Devonshire House featuring designer shops, a destination restaurant and a contemporary cocktail bar. A landscaped public plaza seamlessly connects these two cultural hubs together, making it a 24-hour destination for meeting, living, working and discovering.

Design

The hotel, including its accommodations, event spaces and public areas, has been created by esteemed design duo Yabu Pushelberg, who bring their signature style to the hotel sparked by the fusion of south-east Asian vibrancy and the refined elegance of traditional British design. A unique sanctuary in the middle of The City of London, modern lines and artistic flair run throughout the hotel's public spaces whilst guest rooms offer a sense of peace and calm with curved walls and neutral colour palettes.

Guest Rooms and Suites

Led by a team of seasoned industry veterans, Pan Pacific Hotels Group's acclaimed attention to detail and a proactive approach to environmental sustainability and wellness can be seen in the 237-guest rooms and suites which offer some of London's finest accommodation. The signature Pan Pacific Suite, perched on the 19th floor, is the essence of luxury with spectacular views of city landmark, The Gherkin.

Guest rooms have been designed as retreats from the bustling city and feature a lighter colour palette offering peace and tranquillity to the private spaces while the omission of 90-degree angles in bedrooms and washrooms creates a gentle embrace where guests can seek rest and comfort. Custom headboards act as personalised art pieces, adding a layer of calm through the depiction of oak, elder, elm and maple trees while accessories introduce small bursts of colour and organic forms to reinforce the tonal and tranquil nature of each guest room.

Diptyque amenities, a hot and cold minibar, and a curated library of books are just a few of the touches which ensure guests' comfort. For ultimate wellbeing, an innovative ChiliSleep Ooler Sleep Cooling System to aid better sleep via temperature regulation is available upon request, and rooms come complete with yoga mats and on demand virtual yoga sessions, as well as health-benefiting botanical planting.

Food & Beverage

The hospitality offering at Pan Pacific London is unparalleled, with each of its five venues incorporating unique elements of the flavour, diversity and elegance of modern Singapore. Led by multi award-winning Executive Chef Lorraine Sinclair and renowned Executive Pastry Chef Cherish Finden, the hotel's Straits Kitchen restaurant, Ginger Lily bar and The Orchid Lounge drawing room delights guests with new and innovative flavours. The team are working closely with British producers, Nurtured in Norfolk, to grow their own high quality Asian ingredients as well as sourcing local produce to help minimise the carbon footprint whilst bringing authentic flavours to the table.

Located at the top of the lobby's spiral staircase, Straits Kitchen is an ode to Southeast Asia both through design and cuisine. Embracing a respectful approach to cooking inspired by heritage recipes, the menu at Straits Kitchen has been carefully crafted by the hotel's Executive Chef Lorraine Sinclair working alongside Singaporean Group Executive Chef Tony Khoo and showcases the melting pot of cuisines represented in multicultural Singapore. Quirky, bold and bright, Straits Kitchen stands as a gem of the hotel, featuring two private dining spaces, custom dining tables and a custom wine-cabinet-as-art. Custom murals have been brought to life by En Viu which further enforce the restaurant's Eastern influence, depicting Asian botanicals mirroring the unique flavours on the menu. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows offer guests unparalleled views of The City.

Located on the first floor, The Orchid Lounge offers a uniquely sumptuous and serene Afternoon Tea from award-winning Executive Pastry Chef Cherish Finden. Cherish brings her unique flair for Asian flavours to the traditional British tea with the Singaporean-inspired Kopi Tiam, celebrating bao, dim sum and choux. The afternoon tea is accompanied by exclusive tea blends from the Rare Tea Company as well as Champagnes and world-renowned English Sparkling Wines, further supporting the best of British produce.

Bottling the buzz and excitement of Singaporean bar culture for London, Ginger Lily boasts an extensive Champagne list from over 200 houses, the largest list of by-the-glass bubbles in the City of London, and also house over 150 rums. The carefully curated cocktail menu showcases an eclectic selection of signature classics inspired by Singaporean flavours and culture.

Events Spaces

Pan Pacific London includes the most technologically advanced and largest ballroom in the area, accommodating up to 400 guests. The hotel also features an Event Emporium alongside a further nine innovative and flexible meeting and events venues, with a dedicated in-house events management team plus state-of-the-art technology, superfast WiFi and 5G receivers.

The extensive 464sqm smart Pacific Ballroom has direct access from Bishopsgate Plaza via a glass escalator and elevator as well as direct access via the hotel. A custom Lasvit chandelier designed by Yabu Pushelberg hangs sumptuously above the expansive ballroom and is composed of floating crystal orbs creating a starry night's sky under which any occasion may be celebrated.

Wellbeing

The stylish design aesthetic combines with an unmatched wellness programme to offer the most innovative health and wellbeing haven in the capital. Integrating fitness, nutrition, treatments and mindfulness, the hotel is one of the first in London to include an impressive 1,083m floor dedicated to holistic wellness, featuring an 18.5m infinity pool and the latest equipment from TecnoBody, including the D-Wall and conditioning gym, making it one of the most technologically advanced facilities showcased by any hotel gym in the UK.

In addition to high-performance training, aqua fitness in the hotel's infinity pool is a unique addition to the wellbeing floor, along with mindful workshops and sustainable nutrition. Spa treatments infuse Western science and clinical research with South East Asian tradition of clean beauty focusing on result-driven relaxation techniques, pregnancy treatments, and personal grooming rituals. As part of the programming, guests may choose to enjoy Pan Pacific London's in-room Wellbeing Experience as part of the integrative approach, comprising a wide range of equipment selection and digital content.

Pan Pacific London offers a serene haven away from the hustle and bustle, with every element carefully crafted and tailored to offer one of London's most complete contemporary and luxury hotel experiences.The panelled wood screens which wrap the ground floor reception have been carried up and throughout the wellbeing floor to create continuity. Tall ceilings lend an inviting feel to the space whilst the spectacular poolside fireplace and sofas create a homely feeling making guests want to relax and linger.
Pipeline

1 September 2021

Ascott is also partnering with one of Morocco's most well-established real estate conglomerates, Chrifi Alaoui Immobilier SARL to launch Citadines Connect Belvedere Casablanca. The property, slated to open in 2023, will mark the first iconic 'Citadines Connect' brand in the MEAT region.

Citadines Connect Belvedere Casablanca

The boutique-style property is located within the Belvedere district of Casablanca, strategically situated at the intersections of 'Boulevard de la Resistance' and 'Boulevard Mohammed V', the two main arteries of the city. Enriched with Casablanca's vibrant architectural heritage, the property is also classified as a historical site by the local authorities.

The new partnership with Ascott and Chrifi Alaoui Immobilier SARL will see the historical property converted into a hotel incorporating the Citadines Connect brand standards, which showcase the cultural heritage and style of the external facade of the property. Through this partnership, Citadines Connect Belvedere Casablanca will offer guests the perfect blend of urban hotel experience and a deep-rooted understanding of Casablanca's high-spirited culture, showcasing 60 keys inclusive of elegantly designed Standard rooms and sophisticated Deluxe rooms, alongside a state-of-the-art rooftop gym, a lavish guest lounge and a quaint Cafe. Guests can conveniently explore Casablanca's vivid and eloquent attractions as the property is within a two-minute walk from the Tramway Station and a 15-minute walk from Casa Voyageurs, a short distance from the Prince Moulay Abdellah neighborhood, the old medina and the prestigious Hassan II Mosque, the second-largest functioning mosque in Africa.
Rebranding

1 September 2021

The 121-key asset will be the first opening in mainland Europe for edyn's newly launched serviced apartment brand, Cove.

edyn acquired the building from a hotel owner and operator, where it has been operating as a 118-unit hotel since 2015.

The asset will be converted to include 121 studio and one-bedroom apartments; plus 250 sqm lobby, lounge, and co-working space.

The Hague acquisition signals the continued expansion of edyn's portfolio across Europe, which also includes lifestyle aparthotel brand, Locke.

Extended stay hospitality leaders edyn today announce the acquisition of a new asset in The Hague, which will become the first opening of its recently-launched serviced apartment brand, Cove, in mainland Europe.

The asset will be converted into 121 serviced apartments, which will open in March 2022. The project will comprise a combination of studio and open plan one-bedroom apartments with fully fitted kitchens and will benefit from an updated design scheme throughout, representative of Cove's contemporary sophisticated aesthetic. The building will also include 250sqm of lobby, lounge, and co-working area, providing informal workspace for groups or individuals.

Located on Grote Marktstraat, one of The Hague's most important shopping districts, 'Cove - Centrum' will serve a base of corporate clients, as well as leisure travellers and families seeking more spacious, comfortable accommodation. Set in the iconic 'De Passage' building, which was designed by architect Bernard Tschumi and opened in 2014, the serviced apartments will also benefit from extensive local shopping and dining options.

The acquisition of 'Cove - Centrum' follows the recently announced 'Cove - Landmark Pinnacle', a 62.5m acquisition in London's Landmark Pinnacle development in Canary Wharf, which is scheduled to open in November this year.
Rebranding

1 September 2021

The former Hyatt Regency property will reopen as the Hilton Richardson Dallas in September of this year.

The former Hyatt Regency Richardson - Dallas has transformed into the Hilton Richardson Dallas and will reopen in September of this year. The hotel's guestrooms, meeting space, and restaurant have all undergone renovations, and the property will continue to be managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, a leading multinational hospitality company.

Located in the Telecom Corridor off U.S. 75, the Hilton Richardson Dallas is just 2 miles from the University of Texas at Dallas. Corporate offices of some of the nation's largest companies are nearby, including AT&T, Allstate Insurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cisco, Raytheon, and Dell. Meeting and event capabilities on-site will include 15,176 square feet of space across 17 flexible rooms allowing for business events, corporate meetings, and other memorable gatherings of up to 800 people.

337 guest rooms and suites with beautiful city views have been refitted to provide modern, relaxed comfort and are equipped with 55" flat-screen televisions, mini fridges, and electronic hotel safes. Guests can wind down after a long day at the restaurant and bar serving up American fare and cocktails, playing shuffleboard, or enjoying the heated outdoor pool and 24-hour fitness center with immersive spin bikes.

Hilton Richardson Dallas participates in Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton's 18 distinct hotel brands. Members who book directly will have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of points and money to book a stay, exclusive member discounts, free standard Wi-Fi and access to the Hilton Honors mobile app.
Appointment

1 September 2021

Cherry Tsui is a passionate hospitality leader with over 18 years of international experience across a broad range of hospitality groups, including luxury hotels and Michelin-Star restaurants, where she has led multiple pre-opening projects with world renowned chefs such as Chef Gray Kunz at Cafe Gray Deluxe, Alain Ducasse at Spoon by Alain Ducasse and Daniel Boulud at Cafe Boulud. Cherry's deep understanding of the hospitality industry and love for food and beverage comes from working collaboratively and creatively with talented chefs to ultimately create unique experiences for the guests. Her most memorable career experience was at The Peninsula Hong Kong where her team hosted an exclusive event with the Roca brothers (also known as the world's best restauranteurs from Spain) of Ell Cellar de Can Roca and also at the Conrad Hong Kong where her team hosted an outside catering event for the official Formula E event. Cherry's passion has taken her around the world for roles at Ritz Carlton, Peninsula Hotels, Conrad and most recently at Holland America Line.

Cherry joined the Lotte Hotel Seattle team in June 2021. In her role as Director of Food & Beverage, Cherry oversees all of the F&B outlets and operations for the hotel's signature restaurant, Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge, weddings, catering, banquets and events. With Cherry's leadership, the talented culinary team is focused on elevating the culinary experience to position Lotte Hotel Seattle and Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge as the best-in-class for culinary excellence in the hyper-local Seattle market.
Appointment

1 September 2021

CWT, the Business-to-Business-for-Employees (B2B4E) travel management platform, today announces the appointment of Ian Cummings as Global Head of CWT Meetings & Events, the award-winning global corporate meetings & events management service. Based in London, Ian will report to Niklas Andreen, CWT's Chief Operating Officer and serve as a member of the Customer and Travel Experience Leadership Team, effective today, 1 September 2021.

Before joining CWT Meetings & Events in late 2012, Ian held successful MD, CEO & Regional Director roles at a range of service industry businesses, achieving substantial growth or profit turnarounds at major corporate or venture capital levels. His experience covers leadership roles with DHL, DX Business Direct, eCourier, Imparta, and Sensigrade Ltd and he is also an alumni of the Cranfield School of Management, INSEAD, and the University of Westminster.
Supplier News

1 September 2021

Adrift Hospitality, a collection of socially-conscious coastal boutique hotels located in the Pacific Northwest, partners with StayNTouch, a global leader in guest-centric technology and cloud hotel property management systems (PMS) to streamline the guest and staff experince at their 6 independent properties across Washington state and Oregon.

Adrift Hospitality was founded in 2004 with the goal of creating a unique and authentic guest experience, while also creating a positive and sustainable impact on their community and planet. Adrift chose StayNTouchs cloud and mobile PMS for its intuitive interface and extensive functionality, as well as its ability to drive ancillary revenue through mobile automation and facilitate a fully digital and contactless guest experience.

Kacia Lessnau, Chief Commercial Officer at Adrift Hospitality, elaborates: We needed a cloud PMS that was robust and much more user friendly than our previous legacy system. Our former PMS was clunky, visually unappealing, and lacked core functions. StayNTouch is different: The intuitive UI and navigation makes common processes like check-in and rate management significantly easier for our staff. And their mobile check-in and automated upselling capabilities allowed us to easily shift to contactless check-in during the pandemic, while also capturing ancillary revenue from upgrades and amenities. Most importantly, StayNTouch has provided some of the best customer support that weve experienced with any technology vendor.

Michael Heflin, Chief Revenue Officer at StayNTouch, replied, We are proud of our strong and collaborative relationship with Adrift Hospitality, and look forward to continuing to deepen that partnership in the years to come. We take great pride in working with innovative hoteliers to help bring their unique vision to life. Adrifts mission of sustainable hospitality is core to who they are as a company, and we are very proud that StayNTouch now plays a role in bringing that mission to life. Our guest-centric cloud PMS provides unburdened performance for staff, and allows Adrift Hospitality to deliver an authentic guest experience - one that emphasizes and enhances both the local community and celebrates every single individual they share that community with.

About Adrift Hospitality

Adrift Hospitality is a collection of coastal boutique hotels, restaurants, and a craft distillery, and is headquartered in Long Beach, Washington. The mission of Adrift Hospitality is to inspire and engage its employees, guests and the community, to live and connect with each other and the environment through an authentic, fulfilling and fun experience, creating a positive impact on both people and place.

About StayNTouch

StayNTouch provides a full cloud and mobile hotel property management system (PMS) and over 1100+ integrations, enabling hotels to raise service levels, drive revenues, reduce costs, and ultimately captivate their guests. Backed by a team of professionals with deep roots in the hospitality industry, StayNTouch is a trusted partner to many forward-thinking hotels and resorts, including the TWA Hotel, First Hotels, Conscious Hotels, Margaritaville, Valencia Hotel Group, and Modus Hotels. StayNTouch is also a preferred PMS partner to some of the leading independent hotel collections around the world including; Design Hotels, an Independent Marriott Brand, and Curator Hotel & Resort Collection.
Press Release

1 September 2021

Despite continued challenges due to the Delta variant, many countries around the world, thanks to successful vaccination programs, have started to relax travel restrictions and social distancing requirements.

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As a result, more travelers can now explore beyond their locality. But, as restrictions have relaxed and different parts of the world have become more accessible, what changes can be seen in consumer accommodation preferences?

To answer this and other questions as COVID-19 continues to disrupt travel, STRs Tourism Consumer Insights team has kept a close eye on tourism trends throughout the pandemic.

In this recent wave of research, conducted using our Traveler Panel, STR sought to find out if the accommodation preference changes seen in previous research were still evident, despite significant vaccination progress in many countries.

Same, same but slightly different

The most recent findings show a familiar picture compared with our previous research. Many accommodation types were still perceived more negatively compared with before the pandemic.

Smaller types of accommodation continue to attract more interest as consumers adapt to living in a COVID-19 world. In July 2021, traveler interest in short-term rentals was 15% above the pre-pandemic level of interest.

Photo: STR

Consistent with previous research, hotels with less than 50 rooms also recorded higher interest compared with before the pandemic. Indeed, the trend shows increasing interest in this form of accommodation which is likely due to improved confidence in hotels as many brands have implemented elevated cleaning and other COVID-safe protocols.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, hostels continue to suffer more than other types of accommodation. Some six in 10 travelers said that they were less interested in staying at a hostel now compared with before the pandemic. While this is a difficult reading for the sector, it was an improved result compared with previous findings which again suggests that there is growing confidence in the accommodation sector.

Luxury versus economy divide

Consumers were also asked for their views on different classes of hotel accommodation. Overall, travelers are still less interested in staying at hotels now than compared with before the pandemic. Interestingly, economy and budget hotels were perceived significantly more negatively than upscale and luxury hotels in the current environment. This is likely due to factors including perceptions of cleanliness and property size associations. It will be interesting to monitor how the recovery unfolds for these hotel classes as demand grows.

Photo: STR

Cultural preferences examined

In our previous research, we learned that British travelers were less keen to stay in hotels compared with other travelers, favoring self-contained accommodation instead. North Americans were more likely to be interested in branded accommodation than other nationalities. Meanwhile, Europeans preferred smaller accommodation, such as smaller hotels, and bed and breakfasts. These findings and the overall trends previously seen, remain true in our latest survey.

Photo: STR

However, there is evidence that views have shifted slightly since our last study in February 2021. North Americans were less interested in almost all forms of accommodation in our latest survey. Meanwhile, the opposite trend could be seen among Brits as they were more interested in almost every category in July 2021 compared with our February 2021 research. These findings are likely a reflection of the different stages of progression and impact of the Delta variant in the regions.

The only exceptions were an increase in interest for smaller sized hotels and decreasing interest in larger hotels among all respondent groups compared with the February 2021 research. These findings highlight that while the impact of new infections shifts sentiment toward accommodation in different countries, new preferences are being established as consumers respond to living with the virus.

New normal or continued pandemic mindset?

Our research findings pose an interesting question: is this a new normal of accommodation preferences or are the challenges posed by the Delta variant resulting in a continued pandemic-mindset in which consumers prioritize efforts to minimize their risk of infection?

In a forthcoming blog, we will examine the changing expectations of travelers at this time which enables a deeper understanding of attitudes to COVID-19 alongside growing vaccination rates and expanding travel options.

Continuing to reassure guests about COVID-safe measures will help to encourage travel at a time when lingering anxieties about the virus remain. Effective marketing will be another important component to enable the recovery of the accommodation industry. The current evidence shows that some sectors may have to be more inventive and creative than others in luring back customers.

If you would like to find out more about how STR can help you get closer to your customers during these volatile and uncertain times, please click here.
Opinion Article

31 August 2021

As we emerge from the pandemic, hotels around the world are turning to technology to attract guests and deal with the ongoing staffing crises. One technology that is being widely adopted is the digital concierge.

Digital concierges allow guests to navigate their way through your hotel on their own. Your staff on the other hand can depend on digital concierges to offer instant responses to guests requests through text messages.

Digital concierges are smarter than ever, thanks to the power of AI. If youd like to see how AI can automate guest interactions without sounding different, see a demo of Ivy right here. (Guests ask her out on dates, write her cards mistaking her for a human.)

What you can see here

Researching the digital concierge solution

Know the stakeholders

The technical impact of a digital concierge

Youve decided you need a digital concierge at your hotel. Now get the process of implementing the technology right. You want the best business results after all.

Many managers consider investing in new technology. But often the sheer volume of choices available can make the process seem daunting. Most IT heads or hotel owners usually start by vetting software and vendors.

Were here to help. Weve broken down the process into three main categories: Research, Stakeholders and Technical.

Researching the digital concierge solution

Its not enough to know that you want a digital concierge to improve your guests experience and optimize your business. It is essential to be able to list out all of the areas of your hotel a digital concierge will impact.

Acquiring new technology is a significant financial investment for any hotel. According to a 2020 Hotel Tech Report survey, the top technologies in demand by hoteliers are digital concierge software (3.85%), guest messaging platforms (3.71%), staff task management software (3.71%), merchandising and upsell software (3.42%) and reputation management software (3.00%). Hoteliers have a range of concierge software to choose from.

Doing the due diligence will ensure you stay aligned to your core objective while being prepared for the potential business impact.

Defining your problem areas

Before considering any new technology, think of the business challenge you are trying to address. You could be focussed on elevating your guests experience. Or reducing pressure on the front desk. A few digital concierges can offer your guests unforgettable experiences and increase your ROI by up to 400%

Compile a list of all the business gaps your digital concierge needs to fill. Whatever your expectations are, list them out and prioritize them. Having this on hand makes your business requirements clearer. And the chances of finding a tech vendor with a digital concierge solution that best matches your hotel requirement improves dramatically.

The digital concierge features you need

Most technology solutions (be it an app, software or platform) will offer you a certain group of features and capabilities, around various key issues such as guest communication, payment gateways, marketing outreach, etc.

It is therefore good to start with your own list of digital concierge features expectations. List out all the requirements you can imagine being handled by a digital concierge, and group related ones where possible.

Remember that all products are not designed equally. Knowing what you consider nice-to-have versus essential-to-have, will help you narrow down the list of potential solutions, making your search and decision-making process much easier.

Digital concierge app? software? platform?

Finding the right digital concierge technology solution will depend largely on a clear understanding of your use cases. You can choose from desktop vs mobile browsers, mobile apps for the staff to communicate with each other and with guests and a lot more. Some digital concierge solutions offer you all these options.

Understanding the types of digital concierge solutions available to you can help you identify your options better.

Evaluating digital concierge vendors

Once you have an idea of the features and product type you are looking for, its time to start researching vendors. Eliminate the vendors that do not demonstrate any past credibility. Look for vendors with demonstrable experience with the hotel industry  you want to work with a vendor who already understands your specific challenges.

Read analyst reports and software listings for solutions. Pay close attention to reviews and feedback from the vendors clients. Finally, look at the digital concierge technology that your competitors may have adopted, to see how it measures up to your expectations.

How much will a digital concierge cost?

Once you have a shortlist of potential vendors, it is important to understand pricing before you begin to contact them. Vendors of digital concierge technology offer various types of pricing models, and it is necessary to understand the pros and cons of these models before moving forward.

Digital concierge solutions are usually priced on a tiered pricing model. Your monthly or yearly pricing model will vary depending on the tier you opt for. The tier model also dictates features of the digital concierge solution that will be turned on. One clear advantage here is that you can trial the digital concierge at a lower price to begin with and then scale as your team gets comfortable with the solution or more modules or features are needed.

Feature-related pricing allows you to pay for the functionalities you need. In such a scenario, you are paying only for what you need and not for a lot of seldom-used bells and whistles.

Usage-based pricing is another type of pay-as-you-go pricing model. The price is calculated based on the number of guests or the number of texts that you send using the solution. If your hotel is hosting an event, and more guests access the digital concierge, your charges that month would be higher compared to off-season or normal charges.

By understanding the different pricing models for a digital concierge along with your hotels technology budget and future growth prospects, youll be able to narrow down an expected budget for investing. But remember to keep a small margin for additional costs such as software upgrades, maintenance, support, and training.

Digital concierge solution: demo or trial?

While the tiered paying model may help you test the product at a lower price point, sometimes its good to be able to test all the features before buying. For this reason, digital concierge companies offer trial periods or product demos. And many will even offer you a test run if you ask

So if you are close to making a decision, request for a chance to use the digital concierge in your environment before buying.

Know the stakeholders

The satisfaction of your guests is dependent on more than one factor. From booking to arrival, food to room service, to local attractions, travelers want the full experience. And to offer it, multiple teams at your hotel or resort need to be involved. Knowing who your internal stakeholders are will help you in your research and evaluation.

Getting your staff onboard

According to an article by Condor Ferries, over 173 million people were globally employed in the hotel industry in 2020 , before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. These people include key decision-makers across Front Desk, Operations, Sales, Accounts/Legal, Concierge, Department Heads, Catering, Security, and IT teams. Hotel digital concierges enable these teams to operate together effectively, in their interaction with the guest.

Start by understanding your internal core teams existing expectations, as theyll be the most impacted by any new system. Change often brings in some resistance from hotel staff, but by talking to your employees and listening to their suggestions, you can ensure a smoother adoption. A few years ago, the Marriott hotels tried to implement an app to save housekeepers time. It ended up with a housekeeper labor contract stipulating that hotel management has to provide a 150-day notice to workers ahead of any technology rollout with job training.

Talking to key stakeholders helps gain their inputs early on, and creates enthusiasm for the new technology at all levels of the hotel. Take time to explain to employees the advantages and intended outcomes of the technology so they can support the effort to other employees later on.

Keeping the focus on guests

Digital concierge solutions help coordinate efforts across the entire hospitality experience, keeping the guests at the center. By enabling guests to drive their own experience, hotels can meet their guests expectations at scale.

According to a 2019 PwC report, 81% of travelers want greater digital customer service from hotel brands. Millennials, in particular, are keen to tailor their own experiences and gather information for themselves. In fact, 66% of millennials book trips with a smartphone while 74% use it for research according to the Condor Ferries report in 2020.

Understanding this mindset, and more importantly talking to some of your frequent guests will unlock key insights about how a digital concierge may be utilized by your visitors.

Digital concierge training & onboarding support

Once you have employee buy-in, consider the technology expertise of your staff who will be using the digital concierge software. According to Gartner, approximately 75% of all system implementation projects fail because of end-user adoption problems. By providing opportunities for employee training and learning, hotels have a better chance of keeping employees enthusiastically engaged.

Training is critical from a technology ROI standpoint too, since employees who dont understand how to use the solution may simply ignore using it.

Training and the impact of training (like downtime caused due to attending classes) and onboarding new staff must be factored. Vendors that offer you support through your training process, can help save time and money, especially in cases of frequent staff turnaround, or temps hired during peak season.

The technical impact of a digital concierge

Its not surprising for hotels to be looking at opportunities to leverage technology in ways that help them keep guests happy and stay longer. Apps, websites, touchscreens and chatbots are only a few of the ways hotel owners are incorporating technology into their hotels.

And why not? In 2017, McKinsey stated that smartphones were used in 43% of the total travel-related requests, and 23% of all logistics-related searches. Moreover, PwC states that 70% of millennials are more likely to book holiday accommodation using a technology-based amenity. Think of mobile payments, Smart TVs, or keyless entry.

Digital concierges help hotels focus these innovations around guest demands. By operating over seamless text messaging, digital concierges can have a very light tech footprint and a big impact.

Lets delve into some of the key technical concerns:

Will there be tech support?

Any new technology when implemented goes through a few hiccups. After sales product support ensures those hiccups are handled promptly and correctly.

Unless you have a dedicated IT team that can handle any issues arising from your digital concierge, it is important to consider the level of support that will be needed to ensure product downtime if any is minimized.

Scalability of a digital concierge app

One of the key drivers of any technology acquisition like a digital concierge is its ability to accommodate growth in traffic and usage without having to revamp your entire system.

Your choice of digital concierge solution must be geared to scale up as your business grows and its processes become more complex.

Security concerns? Always!

Consider your existing internal security precautions before implementation. Who will have access to communicating with your guests? How will the digital concierge solution offer users control and permissions? How will it ensure the right staff can connect at the right time? Think in terms of access authentication for your managers, and trackability for system changes.

Additionally, consider the data protection capabilities that the service provider offers, and whether all regulatory compliances have been followed. Just this year, MGM Resorts revealed a massive data breach that compromised personal information for more than 10.6 million guests, when files were leaked. Your guests will be communicating with your staff on a large scale, and it is therefore essential that their privacy and your responsibility are taken into account.

The value of digital concierge data with analytics

Technology is generating vast amounts of data, and the key to your future hotel business value is to make that data work for you. In fact, a recent acquisition by CoStar Group put a dollar figure on just how much hotel industry data is worth. The Group purchased STR in 2019, which collates data from over 65,000 properties worldwide , for $450 million.

Your digital concierge can help you offer true guest personalization by offering actionable data across your hotel tech systems, including guest service. For this to be achieved, integration with an analytical tool can help uncover insights about your guests preferences, identify triggers that push sales, and predict surges and drops in your hotel operations before they become an issue.

Tech integration: do digital concierges work well with other systems?

With increasing digitization, hotel management has undergone a drastic change. From payment to property management systems, CRMs to marketing solutions, every aspect is now supported by technology.

AI, facial recognition, voice recognition and smart mirrors are all making their way into hotels. Hilton, for example, is partnering with Netflix to allow guests to control their streaming straight from the Hilton Honors mobile app. A PwC report in 2019 states that at least eight of the leading global hotel chains have already implemented a VR experience in their marketing strategy.

For an effective 360-degree view of your hotel operations, your technology systems need to be able to speak to each other. How will your digital concierge be used to handle requests for a VR experience, and upsell?

Digital concierge must be able to integrate with existing technologies, as well as have the tools in place to work with any futuristic innovations.

Any established technology can be a real game-changer for the hotel industry. But it is important to remember that effective implementation starts with fulfilling the basic objective for which the technology was sought.

In a guest-centric industry like hotels and casinos, hotels should focus on how digital concierges will impact guest journeys positively. This is important to find the right solution that ticks all the boxes.

For a more direct experience of how to get started with a digital concierge in your hotel, ask to see Ivy in action.

By 2025, the virtual concierge will become standard. When the hotel digital concierge works as it should, hotels can expect markedly improved guest experiences and guest satisfaction scores to increase by 10-30%.

These benefits alone could be powerful enough, but hotels with the right digital concierge solution can realize additional gains operationally.

According to a study by Oracle Hospitality and Phocuswright, nearly two-thirds of American hotel guests said it was extremely important for hotels to continue investing in new technology to enhance the guest experience. Whether you are just getting started in assessing technology or are shortlisting your digital concierge, the way forward is clear.

Want a digital concierge that has all the features and none of the things to avoid? Book a free demo of Ivy, the AI powered digital concierge today!
Opinion Article

1 September 2021

The widespread staffing shortages plaguing hospitality enterprises are not solely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Sure, the pandemic has intensified them, but the shortages are more so a direct byproduct of ineffective labor structures that fail to align with the needs of a new generation of workers. From low wages, restrictive shift duration limits and outdated overtime rules to a lack of flexible scheduling and work-life balance, the fundamental components of hospitalitys labor structure have a negative impact on the overall work environment.

Take the restaurant sector, for example. A whopping 75% of all restaurant employees in 2020 were classified as Gen Z or millennials  two generations with far different work expectations and priorities than those before them. Now, fast forward to April 2021, when a record-high 5.6% of restaurant employees quit their jobs despite demand returning.

Coincidence? I think not.

There are currently more than 1.4 million restaurant job openings across the United States, with the 350,000 openings added since March representing the sharpest rise of any industry.Its a microcosm of a larger problem that expands across the entire hospitality landscape. Rather than resisting change, organizations need to embrace it with an increased focus on policy changes and digitized labor structures that appeal to todays workers.

The Need For Flexibility

The traditional five-day, eight-hour workweek should be in the rear-view mirror. Employees desire the flexibility to work different days and times that fit around their personal lives. Some may work multiple jobs, while others may have family obligations that prohibit them from maintaining a set weekly schedule. In turn, they need the freedom to fluctuate shift time durations and still maximize their hours over five days. For example:

Week 1: Three 12-hour shifts and two four-hour shifts.

Week 2: Four 10-hour shifts and one eight-hour shift.

Week 3: Two 12-hour shifts and three 8-hour shifts.

However, federal and state overtime laws, as well as union contractual rules, created decades ago, restrict this flexibility. On the federal level, full-time employees are prohibited from working more than 40 hours per week, and for any time that exceeds the 40-hour cap, their employers are required to pay them 1.5x their hourly wage (time and a half). At many state and local levels, the overtime rule turns to eight hours per day. While most workers would welcome overtime, considering it gives them the opportunity to earn additional income, employers tend to avoid it due to cost constraints.

Additionally, certain states like California require businesses to apply for an authorization waiver in order to schedule shift durations that are longer than eight hours. The cumbersome legal process disincentivizes the employer from incorporating flexible scheduling  especially during periods of volatile demand  to essentially penalize employees instead of protecting them. These types of policies need to be changed to support severely understaffed restaurants and hotels that are struggling to survive and recover from the pandemic.

The Role Of Digital Transformation

With more than 30 years of labor management experience, particularly in hospitality, Ive witnessed a paradigm shift in the service workplace environment as the demands and expectations of the common employee have changed from one decade to the next. Gen Z and millennial employees are extremely tech-centered. After all, they were the first generations to grow up in the smartphone era. From social media and FaceTime to online shopping and food delivery apps, theyve grown accustomed to the convenience factor of mobile technology and expect the same from their employer.

The acceleration of advancements in AI-driven labor management solutions can help transform hospitalitys ineffective labor approach into a system that aligns with those generations. This new dynamic enables organizations to tailor their schedules to the needs of the individual employee while still aligning staffing levels with demand. They also automate mid-shift wage adjustments so managers can cross-utilize staffers at different hourly rates, which helps employees maximize their income per pay period.

Labor management solutions with multiplatform functionality allow tech-savvy workers to clock in/clock out, adjust schedules, communicate with managers and complete training programs all from their mobile devices. In addition, managers can use mobile technology to distribute digital employee surveys that collect feedback on staff morale and workplace to address  creating staff-wide transparency that helps maintain high levels of employee engagement.

The change in the relationship between employers and employees must be addressed. A greater balance between the two positions, coupled with advanced scheduling technology that allows for shift selections and greater shifting flexibility unique to each staff member, would overcome the fear of management taking advantage of its staff if regulations and rules are adjusted. For those organizations that try to move back to one-sided relationships, employees will leave to work for better workplace environments. It will also restrict their ability to attract and hire new employees.

Its time for hospitality leaders, federal and state lawmakers and even union contracts to accept the fact that the playing field for labor has changed. Now more than ever, restaurants and hotels are in need of a more modernized approach to labor management and workforce optimization. The adoption of innovative labor management technology that leverages artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced analytics can empower them to align with the times for sustained success.
Disney plans to shutter its store inside Houston Galleria as it shrinks its brick-and-mortar presence nationwide.

The store is slated to close on or before Sept. 15, according to Disneys website. The closure comes as Target gears up to host Disney stores inside 160 Target stores nationally, but specific locations have not been released by either company.

Target announced the new Disney shop-in-shops last week, as well as Disney products available exclusively at Target. The launch will come in time for the holidays, it said.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Online shoppers flocked to H-E-B and other top retailers, accelerating a trend

Disney said in March it would close at least 60 stores in North America this year, citing the pandemic, which pushed more consumers into shopping online.

While consumer behavior has shifted toward online shopping, the global pandemic has changed what consumers expect from a retailer, Stephanie Young, Disneys president of consumer products, games and publishing, said in a release at the time. Over the past few years, weve been focused on meeting consumers where they are already spending their time, such as the expansion of Disney store shop-in-shops around the world.

amanda.drane@chron.com

Twitter.com/amandadrane
U.S. crude inventories decreased by an unusually high 7.2 million barrels helping to oil prices recover earlier losses Wednesday.

With West Texas Intermediate trading at $68.47, oil is expected to remain under pressure from OPEC production hikes and as oil companies in the Gulf of Mexico reopen after Hurricane Ida, with some facilities still hampered by power outages and flooding.

Oil prices initially rose early Wednesday before an OPEC+ meeting where the cartel agreed to continue with its plan to add 400,000 barrels a day until the end of December.

HURRICANE IDA: Challenges remain as refineries, pipelines reopen

The nations commercial crude inventories decreased to 425.4 million barrels during the week ended August 27 from 432.6 million barrels the previous week, the Energy Department said Wednesday. With the inventory increase, the country has about 6 percent less crude on hand than the five-year average for this time of year, the Energy Department said.

Gasoline inventories increased by 1.3 million barrels last week and are at 2 percent below the five year average for this time of year. Jet fuel inventories decreased by 450,000 barrels last week as the airline industry continues to battle effects of the pandemic.

Refineries took in an average of 15.9 million barrels a day last week, some 133,000 barrels per day more than the previous period, the Energy Department said. Refineries operated at about 91.3 percent of capacity. Over the past four weeks, refineries have produced 9.5 million barrels a day of gasoline, about 6.9 percent more than during the same period last year, when much of the nation was shut down amid the pandemic.
JHVEPhoto // Shutterstock

ConocoPhillips has sold its natural gas wells in the Wind River Basin of Wyoming to Contango Oil & Gas Co. for $67 million.

Contango on Tuesday said it acquired natural gas reserves of about 446 billion cubic feet from the Houston-based independent exploration and production giant. The Fort Worth-based producer funded its acquisition with cash on hand and through its revolving credit line.
The Texas oil refinery that Petroleos Mexicanos is buying has racked up a rare net loss of about $360 million this year, adding to the challenges Mexico faces in seeking energy independence.

Mexicos state-owned oil giant agreed in May to buy Royal Dutch Shells majority stake in the Deer Park refinery. The facilitys forced shutdown during the Texas freeze in mid-February led it to post the losses through July, according to people with knowledge of the situation. Deer Park has also struggled with market volatility during the pandemic, and its debt has soared past $1 billion in recent months, said the people, who asked not to be named because they werent authorized to speak to the media.

Pemex didnt respond to a request for comment. Shell said it doesnt disclose the financial performance of individual assets. Pemex chief executive officer, Octavio Romero, said in May that Deer Park, a joint venture between Pemex and Shell, had traditionally posted profits, although it incurred a loss due to the pandemic last year. As of May it had $980 million in debt, he said.

Deer Parks net loss this year -- more than half the $596 million that Pemex agreed to pay for Shells stake in the refinery -- shows how the governments strategy to shed Mexicos dependence on foreign energy may put even more pressure on Pemexs finances. Its debt now tops $115 billion, more than any other oil company, following a decade and a half of oil production declines. The producer agreed to purchase Shells 50.1 percent stake in May using federal funds as part of a government strategy to shed Mexicos dependence on foreign energy markets.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador swept into power in late 2018 promising to revive Pemex as an oil producing powerhouse and restore Mexicos fuel production. That policy has involved constructing an $8.9 billion refinery known as Dos Bocas in the presidents home state of Tabasco, increasing output at Pemexs existing six refineries, and the Deer Park purchase.

Mexico Energy Minister Rocio Nahle has spearheaded the Dos Bocas project and has lauded Pemexs purchase of Deer Park as promoting the countrys energy independence goals. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Nahle said that the Deer Park refinery was profitable. No, its not losing money, she said from the ministry office in Villahermosa, Tabasco. Pemex did an internal and external business analysis with an external company and the results they presented are very good.

In June, U.S. Representative, Brian Babin, a Republican from Texas, published a letter to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States opposing the deal because he claimed that Pemex does not have the executive, managerial, or technical expertise to operate the Deer Park refinery safely.

Pemex is under increased international scrutiny after two offshore platform fires in as many months.
Amid reports of waning COVID-19 immunity, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to officially approve a third dose of messengerRNA vaccines for the general public. Moderna and Pfizer are mRNA vaccines.

The FDA has already approved a third COVID-19 vaccine dose for those who have compromised immune systems, as part of their primary vaccine series. That third vaccine is not considered a booster.

However, Mayo Clinic experts say the pending FDA approval for a booster vaccine does not mean the general public should go out and get a third dose of vaccine whenever they think they need it. The timing for a booster is important and designed to give extended immunity protection. Sooner is not necessarily better, and these experts have other concerns.

Were certainly aware of news reports that people, on their own, are going out and getting a third dose, says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious-diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinics Vaccine Research Group. I would urge caution about that. We dont have a lot of data on that, and we want to do this in a manner that offers the most benefit and the least risk.

Dr. Melanie Swift, co-chair of the Mayo Clinic COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation and Distribution Work Group, agrees.

There are some things we dont know about that, says Swift. One is that they could develop more side effects and are at more risk of adverse reactions. We dont think so, but we would have to actually study that or follow the population to find out.

She adds, Secondly, while we have an adequate vaccine supply to meet this current booster recommendation, we dont have a limitless supply of vaccine. Swift explains that boosters are anticipated for the population thats already been vaccinated, but vaccines to be authorized for children over the coming months need to be anticipated, too.

We dont want people just going out and getting vaccinated, soaking up the available supply, says Swift. If they have a healthy immune system and got their full first series, they should expect to be covered for at least eight months after that series, so they dont need to go out and get an early booster.

Were in this unusual situation where weve got a group of people we cant convince to get the first dose, despite all the data, Poland adds. And then a group of people where we dont yet have the data that are going out on their own and getting third, fourth and fifth doses. We have no idea what the consequences of that might be yet.

Swift and Poland encourage people to follow the science and talk with their health care providers.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Matthew Fowle, University of Washington and Rachel Fyall, University of Washington

(THE CONVERSATION) Millions of renters in the U.S. lost a key protection keeping them in their homes on Aug. 26, 2021, with a Supreme Court ruling ending a national moratorium on eviction.

The federal stay on evictions was put in place during the coronavirus pandemic to protect renters falling behind on monthly payments and therefore in danger of needing to stay at homeless shelters or with friends or relatives. This pandemic response was designed to keep tenants in their housing, prevent overcrowding in shelters and homes, and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

In early August, 7.9 million renter households reported being in arrears, with 3.5 million saying they were at risk of eviction within two months. The large number of tenants with rental debt and susceptible to displacement underscores the importance of protecting vulnerable renters during the pandemic.

As academic experts on homelessness and low-income housing at the University of Washington, we studied the housing experiences of low-income renters during the coronavirus pandemic. Our research found that even when a ban on evictions was in place, landlords still had ways to force, or at least encourage, renters to leave. Indeed, these so-called informal evictions  in which landlords harass tenants out of their homes  may even have increased as a result of the stay on evictions.

Different levels of protection

The federal eviction moratorium imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September 2020  along with similar actions by 43 states and dozens of cities and counties  undoubtedly saved many families from being evicted. Analysis of court records has found these moratoriums prevented millions of eviction filings during the pandemic.

Each moratorium gave tenants different levels of protection. Some prevented landlords from filing eviction lawsuits in housing court, while others suspended only the final stage of eviction: the removal of tenants and their possessions by law enforcement.

Forced out of homes

We studied the experiences of low-income renters between October 2020 and February 2021 in the state of Washington, considered to have one of the strongest eviction moratoriums in the country. Put in place on March 18, 2020, it prohibited landlords from filing, or threatening to file, evictions for unpaid rent  and banned rent increases and late fees.

Despite these protections, we found that some low-income renters were still being forced out of their homes, outside the formal legal process.

Landlords use a variety of tactics that put pressure on tenants to leave, such as harassing tenants through verbal abuse or making repeated requests to inspect or enter the rental unit, often without proper notice. Other landlords refuse to make necessary repairs or, conversely, initiate noncrucial construction work on the unit, disrupting things while the tenant is living there.

Such practices can put low-income tenants in an unenviable position: Either they leave their home or they continue to face nuisances and harassment from their landlord. Those who opt to remain may find themselves facing even more severe pressure.

Illicit eviction tactics

The moratorium on evictions offered legal cover to tenants who refused their landlords order to leave. Tenants could contact the Washington State Attorney Generals Office for assistance in preventing an unlawful eviction. However, there are no substantive consequences for landlords who tell tenants to vacate their rental units  prosecutions are very rare.

Tactics such as changing front door locks to prevent tenant access and removing tenants possessions are illegal, but many renters dont have the knowledge or resources to fight violations in a housing court and end up deciding to leave, even though they have the legal right to stay.

We spoke with an older couple who had rented from the same landlord for more than a decade. During the early months of the pandemic, they could manage to make only partial, but consistent, rent payments. In June 2020  two weeks after asking for an extension on the next months rent  they came home to find that their landlord had changed the locks on their front door without informing them. He then refused to allow the couple to retrieve their possessions, leaving them to sleep in their car until they found a new place to live.

A low-income single mother with two children told us her landlord refused to fix a leaking roof that caused a severe problem with black mold. She believed the refusal was a result of her having missed multiple months of rent.

Another tenant we interviewed was visited by their landlord, sometimes with only 20 minutes notice, more than a dozen times in a few weeks shortly after they lost their job and could no longer pay full rent.

In all, with support from Violet Lavatai, executive director of the Tenants Union of Washington State, we spoke to 25 low-income tenants and analyzed 410 survey responses. All of our respondents had reached out to a tenants rights hotline at least once in the past few years.

[Over 110,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.]

In 2017, a national study estimated that 4.5% of all renters faced an informal eviction that year. For every one formal eviction there were up to 5.5 informal evictions.

Our research suggests that the stays on evictions during the pandemic might actually be driving an increase in informal evictions. Results of our survey indicate that informal evictions more than doubled during the pandemic compared with the prior year.

Vulnerable to coercive landlords

The Supreme Courts decision to block the federal eviction moratorium leaves millions of renters in states that have no similar protection in place at risk of eviction, especially those who have not yet received rental assistance. Even for renters who are protected by state moratoriums, these protections are set to expire before the end of September 2021, including in Washington state.

Our research suggests that stays of evictions alone are not the solution to housing insecurity. Tenants who find themselves unable to pay rent are still vulnerable to the unlawful tactics of landlords determined to force them out.

The imposition of clear penalties for illicit evictions and greater support for low-income tenants could help many more low-income tenants stay in their homes.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/even-with-the-eviction-moratorium-landlords-continued-to-find-ways-to-kick-renters-out-166810.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Local governments will get a $50 million boost to resolve a 2018 lawsuit that accused the state of botching tax distributions to 44 counties and municipalities across New Mexico.

Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Roswell and Farmington were among the major plaintiffs to the lawsuit that alleged the state has short changed them revenue that pays for law enforcement, fire protection and other services.

The state Taxation and Revenue Department on Tuesday announced terms of the financial settlement on the sharing of gross receipts taxes.

Gross receipts taxes apply to sales and business services at a rate of between 5% and 9% by location. The state distributes more than $1.9 billion in revenues from gross receipts taxes to local governments each year.

Local governments also complained of wild fluctuations in amount of gross receipts shared each month, previously with little explanation by state taxation authorities.

In a statement, Taxation and Revenue Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke said that local governments deserve to have confidence in how their tax revenues are handled, and we've been able to demonstrate to them that the system is working.

Her agency says it added a liaison to improve communications with local governments, rigorous monthly reviews of local tax distributions, more robust auditing and greater access to state financial reports.

State economists say that gross receipts taxes have surpassed expectations by $330 million during the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2021.

They linked the surge in revenues to deployment of the coronavirus vaccine this year, the reopening of businesses and the release of pent-up consumer demand.
BOSTON (AP)  The co-owners of a New Hampshire-based asbestos abatement company have been sentenced to two years of probation each for failing to properly pay into their employees pension fund.

Richard Quinn, 58, of Sterling, Massachusetts, and Gary McCaffrey, 66, of Salem, New Hampshire, were sentenced in federal court on Monday to spend the first six months of their probation in home confinement, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Boston.
A surveillance team laid eyes on the Nissan Altima linked to the deaths of a New Orleans police detective and his friend at a Galleria-area restaurant in the hours that followed the double shooting, according to police.

No arrest was made at the time. At that point, Anthony Jenkins and Frederick Jackson, had not been declared suspects in the deaths of Everett Briscoe, of the New Orleans Police Department, and Dyrin Riculfy, who died Tuesday after spending more than a week hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the head.

Its a coincidence until its not, Houston police detective Adam Bock said, as prosecutors argued in court to have Jenkins held without bail on a prior aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge.

Jenkins, 21, and Jackson, 19, have been charged with capital murder and attempted capital murder in the shooting  though police are not yet sure which of the suspects fired the weapon or drove the getaway car. Prosecutors plan to have the charges upgraded following Riculfys death.

MORE COVERAGE: Fraternity members recall trip to Houston that ended in New Orleans detective's death

The revelation that members of a crime suppression team spotted the vehicle and others details were disclosed over several hours Wednesday as Judge Colleen Gaido in the 337th District Court heard testimony and recordings, among them phone calls that Jenkins, 21, had with a jailed family member  prior to his arrest  and his interview with homicide investigators.

Bock testified that the vehicle used in the Aug. 21 shooting belonged to Jenkins pregnant girlfriend.

A video of Bocks interview with Jenkins was played in court, in which he and his partner, Sgt. John Stroble, implored him to elaborate on what happened that day. The detectives brought up his girlfriend, eight months pregnant with his child, and said she had already revealed aspects of the case in another room  which Bock revealed to be a lie.

What she doesnt want is for you to throw your life away, Bock said in the recording.

And his partner, Stroble, chimed in.

Whatever you've done in the past with your other two kids, this baby is your chance to get it right, Stroble said.

Jenkins at times stood up in the interview room and appeared emotional as he then revealed himself to be the getaway driver. Jackson has made a similar assertion.

I didnt know they were going to do that, he said.

Jenkins was with two other men at the time of the shooting. He contends that his accomplices spotted a man crossing the street to Grotto Ristorante wearing a New Orleans Saints jersey and a possible Rolex watch. One of the other men said, Lets get him.

Bock later clarified that Riculfy was the man in the jersey.

Jenkins remained with the car and was on his phone when he heard a possible gunshot. His two accomplices, including Jackson, hurried back to the car. One of them said, I shot him because he was going to shoot KJ.

Jenkins was arrested Aug. 25 and the Nissan Altima seized in south Houston. Police have said that a third suspect remains on the loose. During the bail hearing, Bock said investigators are aware of at least six people in Jenkins circle whom KJ could be but his identify is not yet known. Authorities have linked Jenkins to the Freemoney and Young Scott Block gangs.

The judge ultimately ordered Jenkins to be held without bail on an earlier aggravated assault charge.

Prior to the capital murder charge, Jenkins had one prior arrest in Harris County. He is also facing a tampering with evidence and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon charge for an earlier theft.

Anthony Osso, Jenkins defense attorney, viewed the bail hearing as a head-start view into the evidence.

Our client spoke about being the driver and didnt know somebody was going to be shot, Osso said.

He has since requested that authorities take DNA swabs from the Nissan Altima to get a better idea on who was sitting where in the vehicle.

Ossos co-counsel Lisa Andrews asked Bock whether any political influence played a role in the investigation and the detective said no. Both victims, he said, had political ties to lawmakers in Louisiana and elsewhere through their fraternal group, the New Orleans-based Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club.

The week-long manhunt sparked a $100,000 reward for information  the bulk of which came from billionaire and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, who also owns Grotto Ristorante. The first major tip in the case came through Crime Stoppers of Houston from a concerned citizen on the day after the shooting, Bock said.

nicole.hensley@chron.com

samantha.ketterer@chron.com
Texas Southern University's science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program just got a major boost.

The historically black university nestled in the heart of Houston's historic Third Ward announced Tuesday it will become a community center for coding and creativity as part of Apples Community Education Initiative and Tennessee State Universitys HBCU C2.

The teaching and learning initiative started in 2019 and is designed to empower Historically Black Colleges and Universities to expand technology and creativity experiences within their institutions and broader communities, according to a release.

OnHoustonChronicle.com: Houston ranks among the least educated cities in the U.S., researchers say

Apple is providing equipment such as mobile iPad and Mac labs and ongoing professional development including student jobs and scholarships opportunities, and funding for staff.

Faculty and educators will learn about coding and app development, and work with Apple to identify opportunities to incorporate its Everyone Can Code and Everyone Can Create curricula, which utilizes the Swift programming language.

TSU's new president, Lesia Crumpton-Young, who has worked as an administrator at Tennessee State University and was among the team of members to create the initiative, is particularly excited the program has reached the Tigers' campus.

I think its an extremely innovative partnership that will allow our students to be prepared for the careers of tomorrow and Im excited that we have the opportunity to partner with Apple, Crumpton-Young said in a release.

She believes other companies should take notes from Apple.

"Many companies want to do things to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion, they want to do things to engage HBCUs and they want to do things to enhance the community, and I think they should 'just do it' like Nike says, and dont just talk about it," she told the Chronicle.

"The time is now."

Tennessee State University, which serves as the national coding hub for training educators and supporting its peer institutions, recently welcomed 11 other HBCUs to its HBCU C2 program including Alabama State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters College, Florida A&M University and more.

These institutions join nearly three dozen universities across the country serving as HBCU C2 community coding centers or regional hubs.

In expanding the partnership to include the twelve new HBCUs we are on track in reaching our goal to empower all 106 HBCUs with the digital competencies and technology skill sets to meet the job demands for our global digital workforce careers, said Robbie Melton, associate vice president of the Tennessee State University SMART Innovation Global Center.

SAME TIME, DIFFERENT STORIES: Two Houston universities opened in 1927. One exploded in growth. The other stagnated.

Jobs in the STEM field continue to be in high demand. STEM-related jobs grew at three times the rate of non-STEM jobs between 2000 and 2010, according to the Smithsonian Science Education Center. And the pandemic has only boosted this demand given its unprecedented impact on daily life, the heightened uncertainty surrounding its spread and the best policies for mitigating the contagion.

An updated analysis by the Bureau of Labor Statistics since the coronavirus outbreak began projects strong growth for many STEM occupations in the U.S., particularly epidemiologists, medical scientists, biochemists and biophysicists, and biological technicians. Epidemiologist employment is expected to grow about 31 percent between 2019-2029  a significant increase from its previous 4.6 percent growth projection. Medical scientists are projected to add roughly 40,000 new jobs between 2019 and 2029, compared with only 8,400 new jobs in the baseline projections.

At the same time, minorities are largely underrepresented in these fields.

Black workers make up just nine percent of the STEM workforce, smaller than their share of all employed U.S. adults (11 percent), according to a recent Pew Research study. They comprise just five percent of those in engineering and architecture and six percent each in life and physical science jobs. Hispanic workers represent only eight percent of the STEM workforce, substantially lower than their 17 percent share of all employed, according to the study. The share of Hispanics is similarly low (eight to nine percent) across STEM job clusters. Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and people who identify with two or more racial groups account for three percent of STEM workers.

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Given the lack of diversity in the field, Melton is proud of what the HBCU C2 program has accomplished after its first year in the works, and sees unlimited potential for the future.

In two years, I want all HBCUs to be coding and creating, she said in a previous release in 2020. In two years, youre going to see many more people of color entering the STEM workforce  and in two years were going to double the number of Black women in technology through this program.

Diversifying the STEM field is important, said Crumpton-Young, who started her career in academia as one of the first Black women to become a full professor in engineering.

"When we diversify STEM we produce the best products and services." she said.

Each coding hub is designed to create a multiplier effect, building capacity at the HBCUs that extends beyond the campus through partnerships with local K-12 schools, community partners, local governments, and other community stakeholders, according to a release from Apple.

Melton views the added regional hubs as a key element of the programs holistic approach.

A hub is a core of empowerment that goes beyond the campus, she said.

Its about going into the community, into the home, into businesses so that when people code, it becomes part of their lives and its helping them solve big problems. This initiative is going to help those who have been broken through COVID-19, broken through racism  and its going to empower them through knowledge and skills.
Texas Childrens Hospital is accepting three infants who need intensive care from Ochsner Medical Center near New Orleans, which was left without power after Hurricane Ida devastated the Louisiana coast.

The first infant is expected to arrive by helicopter Tuesday afternoon, said Dr. Lara Shekerdemian, Texas Childrens chief of critical care.

She anticipates more transfer requests in the coming days. Texas Childrens, the largest pediatric hospital in the country, has the ICU space to support the patients despite a record-breaking wave of COVID hospitalizations, she said. The hospital has also battled an uncommon outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus, an infection that can be life-threatening for babies.

MORE HEALTH NEWS: Staff vaccine rates at issue amid COVID spike in Texas nursing homes

Were not anticipating struggling for beds in order to help them out, said Shekerdemian. Its a challenge because we are busy, but again, we pull out all the stops in these situations.

Under normal circumstances, Texas Childrens transport team, dubbed the Kangaroo Crew, would fly a fixed-wing aircraft to pick up the children. But runway conditions are not safe enough in New Orleans, Shekerdemian said.

Ochsner Health, Louisianas largest hospital system, worked to move 165 patients out of its hardest-hit hospitals Monday, according to Nola.com. Some facilities suffered from partially torn roofs, failed generators and water in the hallways, the outlet report.

So far, other Texas Medical Center hospitals have not accepted any transfers from hospitals affected by the hurricane. Spokespeople for Memorial Hermann Hospital, UTMB Health and Houston Methodist said they have not had any requests; St Lukes Health and MD Anderson confirmed they have not received any patients.

Have a question for the Chronicles COVID-19 Help Desk? Ask it here.

julian.gill@chron.com
The Texas Senate on Tuesday passed a Republican-backed bill that will make sweeping changes to the states bail system in an attempt to cut down on the growing number of defendants charged with new offenses while out on bond, sending one of Gov. Greg Abbotts top priorities to his desk.

The measure, Senate Bill 6, will limit the opportunity for defendants to be released on no-cost personal bonds and give judges more information about a defendants criminal history when setting bail. It passed 26-5 in the Senate after clearing the House a day earlier on a vote that mostly followed party lines.

Abbott, a Republican, said in a statement he would sign the bill into law.

State Sen. Joan Huffman, a Houston Republican who authored the measure, signed off Tuesday on an amended version that no longer included a provision barring most nonprofits from posting bail for certain defendants. That provision, which Huffman proposed in her original version of the bill, faced opposition from House lawmakers, including Republicans, who said it seemed designed to steer defendants toward the for-profit bail bond industry and could leave the bill vulnerable to a legal challenge.

Huffman, a former prosecutor and criminal court judge, said she disagreed with that change but agreed to compromise to ensure its passage with only days left in the special session.

She said the final version keeps the bills main provisions intact, including the creation of a new public database that will provide details about each defendants case and their bail conditions, while identifying the judge or magistrate who set the bail.

I still think its a critical, important, very strong piece of legislation that will start the process towards bail reform in this state and let us have some transparency, some accountability from judges ... and finally a way for the public to have some information about who is getting out of jail and the judges that are letting them out, Huffman said.

She also noted that the bill still requires charitable bail organizations to report each defendant they bond out of jail. Many of those bail donations come from out-of-state individuals who have no stake in our state or in our communities, Huffman said, adding that she may try again in future sessions to restrict nonprofit bail groups.

Democrats who opposed the bill argued it will do little 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. The bills restrictions apply only to no- and low-cost bonds, meaning those who can afford to post bail will still be able to do so under the new law.

Huffman said Tuesday she believes the bail bond industry has a moral obligation to take a look at who theyre bonding out of jail. She also said judges can post very high bail where its appropriate, but not all of them do.

The main portions of the bill will take effect 91 days after Abbott signs it into law. It will become law without a separate proposal from Huffman to amend the Texas Constitution to expand the charges under which judges could deny bail outright.

That measure died after failing to secure the support of two-thirds of the House, the required threshold for constitutional amendments. It would have allowed judges to deny bail if a defendant were accused of certain violent and sexual crimes.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said the failure of the proposed amendment ensures defendants accused of committing certain violent crimes will still be given the chance to bond out. He also accused local judges of setting bail too low, echoing an argument made by Huffman and other conservative supporters of the bill.

Without that, a violent criminal can continue to receive this type of bond activity literally like popcorn, which sadly is what these judges in Harris County are giving out, Bettencourt said. Its one after the next after the next.

The bail bill is likely to face legal opposition, with some groups previously hinting at possible lawsuits.

Liyah Brown, an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project, called the bill an unconstitutional, sham reform that will expand the use of cash bail  and allow the for-profit bail industry to extort more money from Black and Brown communities across our state.

The bill was the second major priority of Abbott to clear the Legislature Tuesday, after the Senate also passed a package of new voting restrictions that Republicans say will bolster the security of Texas elections. Democrats had blocked earlier versions of the elections and bail bills at the end of the spring legislative session, when they broke quorum and walked out of the Capitol just before a key deadline.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Harris County on Tuesday extended an incentive program that gives $100 cash cards for those who receive their first vaccine dose, citing tremendous response to the program so far.

The programs new end date of Sept. 14 marks the second expansion by county leaders. Last week, county officials broadened eligibility by offering the incentive to anyone who received a first vaccine at any provider in the county. The program was initially only for Harris County-run sites, and was set to end Tuesday.
For decades, drivers have trawled the Bissonnet Track, an otherwise unremarkable circuit between two highways, in search of anonymous sex. For nearly as long, police have staged undercover decoys in the southwest Houston neighborhood, booking one suspect after another for soliciting prostitution.

Yet day and night customers return to the Track to proposition young strangers in tight, skimpy clothes.

On HoustonChronicle.com: The Track: Open-air sex trade permeates daily life on Houston's outskirts

Officials hope a landmark Texas law effective this week will curb the activity many residents and business owners view a nuisance and advocates see as exploitation. The measure passed without objection amid a tumultuous legislative session in Austin, and it is the first in the country to make it felony, punishable by significant jail time, to pay for sex. The law also requires no trespassing signs be posted at residential treatment facilities to prevent would-be traffickers from preying on children in the foster system.

More explicit signage that appeared last month along the Bissonnet Track area drew accolades from city and county leaders who are hopeful that the felony law will deter johns cruising for a hookup.

The last comprehensive effort to suppress street prostitution on the Track  street parlance for an area used to peddle sex  fizzled out in court. The state and county sought to establish a no-prostitution zone at the behest of the local development district in 2018. The nuisance suit would have leveled civil penalties on johns, pimps and sellers. Anti-trafficking groups said the lawsuit wrongly targeted victims. The ACLU said the proposed injunction was too broad, punishing several dozen named defendants for conduct such as loitering at a bus stop or using their cell phones inside the zone. That 2018 legal effort has stalled in court and the new Harris County Attorney recently removed 36 alleged sellers from the case.

Lawmakers said the new policy targeting johns is market-driven. They say clamping down on demand will have a chilling effect and ultimately diminish the supply of sex workers.

If we drive down the demand there wont be a need for those women to be down there on those corners, because nobody would come and take them up on their offers, said Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, author of the bipartisan bill.

Thompson said she also hopes the law would put the pimps out of business.

We hope that the law has a chilling effect on low frequency and high frequency buyers and signals a cultural shift in that the pervasive attitude is that it is OK to buy sex, said Minal Patel Davis, of Mayor Sylvester Turners Office of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence. Its a felony now - this means it can show up on employment records.

Commander Jessica Anderson, who heads HPDs vice unit, said shes excited to see whether increased penalties will make a difference in the seemingly never-ending project of stamping out sex trafficking.

This is been going on forever and weve been attacking it for a super long time. If this was something we could just arrest ourselves out of, we would have done it by now, said the Houston Police commander.

Its possible that people werent so scared of a slap on the wrist, Anderson said. I do think increasing the penalty will have a deterrent effect.

The vice commander noted that the array of suspected buyers arrested in Houston include everyone from day laborers to high-priced doctors and attorneys. She doesnt expect past or future johns to be following the news, but shes hopeful that the new signs along Bissonnet will alert them to change their behavior, the same way speeding drivers often slow down when they see a police car.

Law enforcement and advocacy groups have gotten a better grasp on the social mechanics of trafficking and prostitution in recent years, Anderson said. She likened it to the contemporary understanding of domestic violence  more widespread and nuanced.

The commander said the vice officers in Houston try to give equal attention to apprehending sellers and buyers, because if they dont engage with sellers, theyll miss the outcries from trafficking victims, many of whom have experienced trauma. Police and prosecutors say their aim is to direct these victims to services and encourage them to help officials prosecute their pimps, who face much steeper sentences than sellers if convicted.

Cases against pimps take a great deal more investigation compared to prosecutions of buyers and sellers. In one recent case, a 26-year-old defendant pleaded guilty to child trafficking on the day of his trial  where he faced steeper penalties if convicted by a jury  and was sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to Dane Schiller, spokesman for the Harris County District Attorneys Office.

Ken Ellis/Chronicle

Prostitution cases plummeted at the start of the pandemic. But data from the Harris County District Attorneys Office indicates initial cases against suspected sellers have begun creeping up again in 2021. During that same period, prosecutions of suspected johns continued to taper off.

Addressing the Bissonnet conundrum was something City Council Member Edward Pollard adopted as campaign promise after receiving a letter from a young student asking him to do something about the track.

Others tried before, now its my time to try, Pollard said. We must stay persistent in addressing this issue until we get proven results that improve the quality of life for those who live, work, learn, and worship near this Bissonnet corridor.

Democrat Ann Johnson, a state representative in Houston who founded the human trafficking unit at the Harris County District Attorneys Office, said people working the Track and elsewhere have often been forced to work by a pimp or they are selling themselves to feed their babies.

Godofredo Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

The power dynamic is skewed to the extent that in most cases only one person is making a choice, Johnson said.

These are not consensual acts. This is the purchasing of another human being.

Targeting johns is the logical next step, she said.

We are sending a strong signal to those with the power that this is not OK, Johnson said. You are fueling the human trafficking industry and we want to put a stop to it.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com
Praise the Lord and the Texas Legislature.

Finally, after all-night debates, emergency legislative sessions, walkouts, marches and desperate escapes to Washington D.C., lawmakers have sent a bill to Gov. Greg Abbotts desk that will restore the integrity we never knew we lost in our elections here in the Great State of Texas.

When Senate Bill 1 becomes law, we will breathe a sigh of relief that Texas elections  where voter fraud makes up a menacing .000185 percent of votes cast  will finally be deemed safe for the purposes of Republican campaign speeches, TV spots and glossy mailers.

Join us, Texans, in rejoicing. Watch the pendulum, feel your eyes growing heavy and repeat after us:

Our elections are safe.

We can no longer vote in a drive-thru polling place  not even during a global pandemic.

Our elections are safe.

We get one more hour of early voting on weekdays and we can fix problems with absentee ballots but we can no longer vote at midnight after the late shift, no matter how popular that option was for voters of color.

Our elections are safe.

While five states conduct entire elections by mail, a county official in Texas who so much as mails residents applications to vote by mail, with instructions on determining whether theyre eligible, can now be charged with a state jail felony.

Our elections are safe.

Partisan poll watchers, with a history of harassing behavior against people of color, will have free movement within a polling place, although they must stop short of accompanying us into the voting booth. If they feel a poll worker has blocked their view, they can pursue criminal charges. Disruptive watchers, thankfully, can be removed if they violate the law and wont get one freebie offense allowed by a previous version of the bill.

Our elections are safe.

People with felony records who make an honest mistake of voting before their right to cast a ballot is restored under Texas law can still be prosecuted for fraud. A bill by House Republicans to clarify that such mistakes arent actually fraud was stripped at the last-minute by state Sen. Bryan Hughes.

Our elections are safe.

People who help the elderly or disabled at the polls must, under threat of criminal penalty, fill out paperwork describing their relationship to the person. They must, under penalty of perjury, swear to limit their assistance to such things as reading the ballot but not answering the voters questions.

Our elections are safe.

Texas will conduct monthly citizenship checks to make sure non-citizens arent trying to vote.

Our elections are safe.

Texas is still one of only around 10 states that doesnt allow voters to register online.

Our elections are safe.

Texas still requires an excuse to vote by mail, even though nearly three dozen states do not.

Our elections are safe.

While more than 20 states allow voters to register the same day as they vote, Texas is still among those that cut off registration the earliest: 30 days before Election Day.

Our elections are safe.

Texas is still a state where voting is a threat to be managed, not a right to protect.

Our elections are safe.

Texas is a state where voting hurdles prove virtue and voting conveniences suggest malfeasance.

Our elections are safe.

Texas is a state where its easier to buy a gun than to vote.

Our elections are safe.

They must be. Texas Republican lawmakers wouldnt have spent all this time, energy and taxpayer money on emergency legislative sessions just to pad their Republican primary campaign ads, right?

They couldnt be up to old tricks in a state that federal courts have caught repeatedly violating the constitutional rights of minority voters, including in 1927.

And in 1944.

And in 1971.

And in 2014.

And in 2017.

And in every single redistricting cycle since 1970.

Our elections are safe, and theyll stay that way  at least until next session when Republican lawmakers will find another very good, if unsubstantiated, reason to put us through this process of restricting voter access. All. Over. Again.
In a major victory for constitutional norms, the Supreme Court overturned a lawless and essentially authoritarian policy of the Trump administration, and progressives are furious.

You read that right.

Lets catch up. On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the CARES Act, and Donald Trump signed it into law. One provision of the massive $2.2 trillion legislation imposed a temporary ban on evictions for renters in response to the economic hardships caused by the pandemic. The case for the moratorium at the time didnt rest on public health, but on the fact that the country was heading into a lockdown. Asking people to pay rent when they were told they couldnt go to work didnt make a lot of sense.

When the ban expired, long after the lockdowns ended, Congress opted not to extend it. So, with much self-congratulation, the Trump administrations Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an eviction moratorium of its own, this time under the dubious pretext of stopping the spread of COVID-19. That moratorium extended into the first months of the Biden administration.

In June, the Supreme Court ruled that the CDC didnt have the authority to nullify rental contracts across the country, but if Congress wanted to pass a law to continue the policy, as it had under the CARES Act, it could.

Congress declined. Instead, leading Democrats asked Biden in effect to defy the court and just do it again. At first, the White House said it couldnt because that would be unlawful. But then Biden did it anyway, admitting he was doing it just to buy some time and violating his oath of office in the process.

As expected, the court blocked the ban last week.

Last night, the Supreme Court immorally ripped away that relief in a ruling that is arbitrary and cruel, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement the following day.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) denounced the decision by a Republican-packed Supreme Court that he says will put millions of people in danger. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) declared on Twitter, The Supreme Court is on the wrong side of history in the midst of this crisis.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement that the administration is disappointed with the ruling, which it knew was coming.

I think the conservative majority wasnt nearly as extreme as it should have been. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in his July ruling, had told the administration it couldnt do this unilaterally. The president responded in bad faith. The court should have read him the riot act.

Moreover, the very idea that a politically appointed bureaucrat has carte blanche to do whatever he or she wants simply by invoking a crisis is a profoundly dangerous principle. Youd think Democrats, after four years of fretting over Donald Trump as a would-be dictator and his various assaults on democratic and constitutional norms, would have some appreciation of this.

Personally, Im not convinced that even Congress has unbridled power to negate millions of legal contracts and abrogate property rights indefinitely. The unsigned ruling didnt address this idea, which is at least a debatable proposition. Indeed, the courts majority took no position on the policy at all. Rather, it said: If a federally imposed eviction moratorium is to continue, Congress must specifically authorize it.

And this is what is so infuriating about the attacks on the court. For decades, the legislative and executive branches  under Democrats and Republicans alike  have refused to do their jobs as outlined in the Constitution. They behave like children, whining about what policies they want, but they are unwilling do the work to get them. Then, when the Supreme Court behaves like a grown-up, preventing this administration or that one from ruling like monarchs, politicians complain about that, too. Worse, some see the court doing its job as an argument for packing it with pliant enablers of this dysfunction.

The most dismaying thing about the courts decision isnt the utterly reasonable majority ruling, but the minoritys dissent, written by Justice Stephen Breyer. The courts liberals believe that unless Congress explicitly denies the CDCs power to do something, the court should assume the executive branch can do whatever it wants. Imagine the reaction if the Trump administration made this kind of argument.

People wonder why our institutions are suffering from a crisis of legitimacy, when the answer is obvious: Our elected leaders would rather whine and cast blame than do the jobs they were elected to do.

Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast.
Starting this month, Houston residents should expect their water bills to increase.

The citys substantial hike to water rates takes effect Wednesday, meaning most residents will see their bills rise. The rates for water and wastewater increased up to 9 and 20 percent, respectively, for this year. They are set to rise again each April in the next five years, by a total of up to 47 percent and 63 percent.

Mayor Sylvester Turner said Wednesday that adjustments to the rate structure since the councils vote in June means most customers, particularly single-family customers, will not receive the maximum hike approved by council. That could help shave a few dollars of the increase for customers in the coming years.

A number of variables, such as customer type, meter size and water usage, mean bills vary by customer. The most common type of bill for a single-family customer will see charges go from $27.39 now to $31.46 for 3,000 gallons a month in September. By 2026, it will be $48.21, 47 cents less than the maximum approved by council.

The median monthly usage for single-family customers is 3,400 gallons.

According to city estimates, roughly 60 percent of users should see an increase of no more than $5. About 10 percent will see rises between $5 and $10, and more than 15 percent will see increases of $10 to $20. The remainder will see even larger increases.

The higher rates originally were to take effect in July, but City Council pushed them back to September to give city officials and staff more time to tell residents what to expect.

Mayor Sylvester Turners administration had said the increases, the largest in decades, were needed to upgrade aging infrastructure, steady the water systems finances and comply with a $2 billion consent agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency. That agreement closed a long-running legal dispute over the citys near-ubiquitous sewer spills, which are more common in poor neighborhoods and communities of color.

The city will have to spend that $2 billion over the next 15 years to more aggressively clean and repair lift stations, treatment plants and sewer pipes.

Houston Public Works, which oversees the water system, launched a website to help customers gather information about the hikes, including resources for those who struggle to pay their bills. It also includes information about how to conserve water.

Residents can reach the customer account services line at Public Works at 713-371-1400.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
At the University of Houstons request, the City Council on Wednesday voted to rename part of Calhoun Road as Martin Luther King Boulevard, a bid to remove the name of a slavery-championing vice president from the campus.

The council unanimously approved the measure as part of its consent agenda with no discussion.

Renu Khator, the universitys president, requested the change in July. The street was named after antebellum Vice President John C. Calhoun, and Khator argued his legacy of staunchly defending slavery as a positive good is incompatible with the universitys values. The university changed the name of its upperclassman dorms on the street in 2017, from the Calhoun Lofts to the University Lofts, and some organizers and students had called for the street name to change, as well.

As you know, the University of Houston is proud to be the second most diverse research university in the country, a minority-serving institution, and a minority-majority university, Khator wrote in July to Councilmember Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, whose District D includes the campus. The name of the street on which our university resides should not be counter to the ideals and mission of our community and a university that celebrates diversity and rejects beliefs associated with racial suppression and inequality.

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In the 1800s, Calhoun served as a congressman and senator from South Carolina, a cabinet member, and vice president to John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson, according to biographies from the Library of Congress, the National Park Service, and Clemson University, which was built on his Fort Hill plantation. Calhoun vehemently defended slavery, and the Park Service adds he can be considered the father of Southern nationalism and secessionism. His likeness was featured on Confederate currency during the Civil War, though he died 10 years before the fighting began.

Khator said his only connection to Texas was participating in its annexation into the United States, motivated, primarily, by his desire to add another slave-holding state to the Union.

Evans-Shabazz, who supported the change, said organizers first approached her about it last year, and the UH administration joined the push this year. She said Calhoun does not deserve a presence on the campus.

Because of his history, certainly I dont feel he deserves to be glorified, especially in the community where the street is located, Evans-Shabazz said.

The change does not apply to the entire road, and Calhoun Road will remain the name south of Wheeler Avenue. Between Wheeler and TX-5, a stretch almost entirely on UHs campus, it will become be Martin Luther King Boulevard. The existing boulevard convenes with Calhoun at Wheeler, making it a natural change, Khator argued.

Evans-Shabazz said other community members in Third Ward and MacGregor have asked her about changing the remaining portion of the road. So far, she said, they have proposed people who still are alive or community figures. The Planning Departments policy only allows a major thoroughfare to be named for deceased national figures.

Property owners can petition to change a public street name if they have the support of 75 percent of the owners on the street, a fulfillment the city said UH met with this request. Two other property owners, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and Texas Baptists, wrote in support of the move.

One property owner, FKM Properties, opposed it. The company owns the strip building that houses several businesses at the end of the road.

In a letter to the Planning Department, which was distributed to council members, a representative said the owners see no reason to expend city funds on a name change. The letter did not address the question of Calhouns legacy, though, and instead argued that the street does not need to be renamed to establish continuity with Martin Luther King Drive.

The name change takes effect 90 days after its passage.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
On Wednesday, Texas became the first state to virtually outlaw abortions since the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

Texas new law prohibits abortions as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur as early as six weeks into pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.

Abortions rights advocates and providers had asked state courts to block the law before it took effect but came up empty-handed. They appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court late Monday, but the high court declined to intervene before the midnight Wednesday deadline, allowing Texas restrictive law to take effect as written.

TODAY: New Texas abortion ban becomes law as U.S. Supreme Court takes no action

As the world awoke to the news, all eyes were on Texas. And politicians from across the nation  mostly Democrats  reacted.

President Joe Biden

Today, Texas law SB8 went into effect. This extreme Texas law blatantly violates the constitutional right established under Roe v. Wade and upheld as precedent for nearly half a century.

The Texas law will significantly impair womens access to the health care they need, particularly for communities of color and individuals with low incomes. And, outrageously, it deputizes private citizens to bring lawsuits against anyone who they believe has helped another person get an abortion, which might even include family members, health care workers, front desk staff at a health care clinic, or strangers with no connection to the individual.

My administration is deeply committed to the constitutional right established in Roe v. Wade nearly five decades ago and will protect and defend that right.

State Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano

Sharing Bidens statement on Twitter, Leach said: As a Joint Author of #SB8 - with Primary Author @ShelbySlawson and @Burrows4TX, @BriscoeCain & @StephanieKlick  I wear this as a badge of honor. LIFE is winning in America ... and Texas is leading the way! #txlege

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California

SCOTUSs failure to block #SB8 has delivered catastrophe to women in Texas. This radical law is an all out effort to erase the rights and protections of Roe v Wade. Every woman, everywhere has the constitutional and moral right to basic reproductive health care. We will fight SB8 and all immoral and dangerous attacks on womens health and freedoms with all our strength.

U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Amarillo

Im proud that today Texas becomes the MOST pro-life state in the country. Life is a precious gift from God, and Im PROUD to live in a state that defends the right of the unborn.

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio

Texas GOP banned all abortions after about 6 weeks, before many even know theyre pregnant, and the Supreme Court allowed the law to go into effecteffectively ending Roe v. Wade protections in Texas. Congress must act. All women have a constitutional right to full health care.

Now Playing: Here's what it sounded like to be on hold with Planned Parenthood on September 1. Video: Laura Duclos, Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast

State Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco

Sharing a video of an ultrasound on Twitter, Patterson said: As of today, this innocent, precious life is protected from being murdered by the law of the State of Texas. Thats the best news youll hear today.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Under the cover of darkness, by choosing to do nothing, the Supreme Court allowed an unconstitutional abortion ban in Texas to go into effect last night. Their decision doesnt change the fact that reproductive rights are human rights. We'll fight for them.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts

Lets be clear about what just happened in Texas: The second-largest state in America has effectively banned abortions. We cant rely on the courts to protect our rights. Its time for national laws to ensure reproductive freedom.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Democrat

Silently--in the dead of night--the Supreme Court eviscerated the protection of a womans right to choose that has been protected for 50 years. CA will continue to protect this fundamental right & lead the nation in expanding access to reproductive care.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Democrat

Texas has banned abortion for millions of people, and the Supreme Court has done nothing to stop it  effectively overturning Roe v. Wade. This is wrong and it wont happen here in New York under my watch. We will continue to fight for the reproductive rights and health of all.

This is a developing story. See a reaction thats not included here? Email cayla.harris@express-news.net.
Millions of women in Texas woke up Wednesday with virtually no legal access to abortion, a right they have held for nearly fifty years, since the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

Late Tuesday night, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to delay the rollout of a new Texas law that bans the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy and, unlike past laws, empowers almost anyone to sue those who defy it. It does not make exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.

On Wednesday, the court officially denied an emergency appeal from abortion providers, with conservative Chief Justice John Roberts joining the courts three liberal members in dissent.

We do not purport to resolve definitively any jurisdictional or substantive claim in the applicants lawsuit, the five remaining justices said in a brief, unsigned order. In particular, this order is not based on any conclusion about the constitutionality of Texass law.

The ban, which became law Wednesday morning, effectively cuts off access for 7 million women of reproductive age in the countrys second-most-populous state. It is the strictest abortion law in place, forcing providers to immediately cut off most if not all services or risk costly and potentially endless citizen-led litigation.

Most women dont know theyre pregnant in the first six weeks.

This is a dark day for Texans, said Neesha Dave, deputy director of the Lilith Fund, which helps fund abortion procedures.

The Texans who will be most harmed by this ban are low-income people of color  the majority of whom are parents caring for their children, she added. We all deserve better.

Now Playing: Here's what it sounded like to be on hold with Planned Parenthood on September 1. Video: Laura Duclos, Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast

The final hours of abortion care in Texas on Tuesday were frantic  doctors rushing to see patients, protesters swarming outside to slow their progress, observers anxiously awaiting word from the Supreme Court as midnight approached.

At the Whole Womans Health clinic in Fort Worth, one of the states busiest abortion facilities in the state, staff worked until 11:56 p.m. Amy Hagstrom Miller, the companys chief executive, said police and fire officials were called to the building three times as patients waited in their cars for appointments and anti-abortion activists aimed bright lights at the building.

We were under surveillance, Miller said.

Legal fights over the law are expected to drag out for weeks at least.

But with it still in place as of Wednesday morning and providers beginning to turn people away for services they were eligible for only hours ago, the landscape seemed to have shifted, in ways even the highest court may not be able to reverse.

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The game has changed, said Mark Lee Dickson, the director of Right to Life East Texas and a defendant in the federal lawsuit. Is this going to affect the rest of America? Absolutely.

Flood of calls to providers

Proponents of the new law had been hopeful that the unusual enforcement approach and a sympathetic judiciary would help the ban succeed where other six-week prohibitions have failed, making it harder to overturn preemptively.

Over the weekend, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans canceled a trial judges hearing on Senate Bill 8s constitutionality, effectively running down the clock for legal maneuvers to block the rollout.

Planned Parenthood and other providers made a last-ditch appeal to the Supreme Court, which leaves the fate of the law  and abortion access more broadly  to a panel of mostly conservative justices who have already shown openness to rolling back federal protections.

Abortion providers say they were flooded with calls Wednesday from people asking how to obtain services, given the new law. Callers waited in queues for about 30 minutes before getting an answer from Gulf Coast Planned Parenthood in Houston. As they waited, a voice assured over and over, If you are impacted by this new ban we can still help connect you with resources to obtain care out of state.

The Gulf Coast clinic is still providing abortion care for women early in their pregnancies, said spokesperson Abby Ledoux. Trained patient navigators are offering to help other callers connect with services and networks in other states where the procedure is still legal. They know it wont be an option for many people, especially low-income women and women of color, many of whom lack private insurance or the money or time to travel.

Providers estimate about 85 percent of people seeking abortion will now be ineligible. Last year, about 54,000 abortions were performed in Texas.

Last year, after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott halted abortions citing the pandemic, the Gulf Coast clinic directed patients to other states. The clinic later heard from Planned Parenthood of the Rockies, in Colorado and New Mexico, which reported a 12-fold increase in patients from Texas.

Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas is still offering abortions to women during the first six weeks of their pregnancy at clinics in Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco and Austin. The organization directed women beyond that gestation period to a website that offers clinics across the border in Norman, Okla., and Shreveport, La.

In large cities across Texas and online, protesters with an abortion rights coalition called Trust Respect Access held Bans Off Our Bodies performance art protests, an ode to a similar demonstration created by feminists in Latin America.

The state. Does not. Belong in our bodies, about three dozen protesters in Austin chanted, as they thrust their arms out to their sides, then across their groins, then over their hearts, continuing: Abortion. Is Sacred. My body is my own.

Among those watching the performance was Chelsea Crawford, 32, a program operations director for a local food recovery nonprofit and personal wardrobe stylist, said her life would look completely different had SB 8 been in effect in 2015.

I would have had a 6-year-old right now had I not been able to access my abortion, Crawford said. I am proud that I had that abortion because I want the life I have now.

Leaving Texas for care

A recent college graduate at the age of 26 at the time, Crawford said she would have had to move home and live with her family to make ends meet without the financial support of her partner at the time. Instead, she received funding from the county to access care from Planned Parenthood.

Children are a financial burden. Period. And not everybodys ready to sign up for that, Crawford said. There are a million kids in foster care that need the love and attention, and that should be (the Legislatures) priority.

The six-week threshold is unreasonable, she added, recalling that while she found out at six weeks, she wasnt able to schedule her abortion until week seven.

I was one of the few that could pick up on the signs early, she said, adding that she worries also about minority and low-income womens access to health care diminishing if clinics shut down. Those folks are really going to suffer because of this. Being a privileged white woman, Im probably going to retain that access.

Dyana Limon-Mercado, executive director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, said organizations like hers will help connect women with resources, such as funding to travel out of state to get abortion services.

Many patients and women seeking abortion are already parents, so if they cant find child care to leave the state for a few days or if they cant get time off to work because theyre living paycheck-to-paycheck already and dont have paid time off, or if they have other barriers on their ability to travel freely, if theyre undocumented  the reality is many of those patients are not going to be able to go out of state, Limon-Mercado said.

Democratic leaders including former El Paso U.S. Rep. Beto ORourke took to social media to blast the courts for not striking down the new law that he said is absolutely flying in the face of Roe v. Wade.

You have every right to be angry right now, ORourke told his followers on social media, adding the abortion law to a list of other Republican transgressions, like permitless carry of guns and new voting restrictions. If youre not angry about all of that, then something's wrong with you.

But ORourke, who is considering running for governor, said that instead of just fuming, he wants people to turn their anger into registering more voters to take out some of the lawmakers who passed the legislation.

Action is the antidote to despair, he said.

The anti-abortion group Texas Values celebrated the law going into effect Wednesday in a news conference at the Capitol. Supporters of the law were decked out in red and flanked by red and pink heart-shaped balloons.

We know this bill is going to save at least 100 to 150 babies every single day in the state of Texas, and that is something to praise God for, said Abby Johnson, an anti-abortion activist. We are just so thrilled about what the Texas Heartbeat Bill is going to do here in this state and we hope that it spreads to many other states.

Gabrielle Banks and Jeremy Wallace contributed reporting.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with the correct spelling of Chelsea Crawford's name.

jeremy.blackman@chron.com
Evan Vucci, STF / Associated Press

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden on Wednesday condemned Texas new abortion ban, saying it blatantly violates the constitutional right established under Roe v. Wade as he vowed his administration would fight to defend that right.

The Texas law will significantly impair womens access to the health care they need, particularly for communities of color and individuals with low incomes, Biden said. And, outrageously, it deputizes private citizens to bring lawsuits against anyone who they believe has helped another person get an abortion, which might even include family members, health care workers, front desk staff at a health care clinic, or strangers with no connection to the individual.
The Legislature gave its final approval to a bill expanding virtual learning for Texas school children through 2023, but only for those attending schools that are rated C or better in the states grading system. The bill will now go to the governor for his signature.

The legislation was opposed by teachers groups who say that test data from last year proves that remote learning is inferior to in-person. Supporters of the bill acknowledged that for most kids that is true, but said there are some who are better suited to remote learning, and they should have that option.

This bill would allow schools to receive state funding for virtual classes, such as those held for students who may have health conditions that place them at increased risk for COVID-19 if they attended class in-person.

We tried to put guardrails on it, said state Sen. Larry Taylor, a Houston Republican, on the Senate floor Monday afternoon. We dont want to continue programs that did not work for most of our students. This is only for those students who did well in that environment and allowing them to continue that option.

Many Texas schools last year were allowed to turn to remote learning as a result of an order issued by Gov. Greg Abbott responding to the COVID-19 emergency. Abbott chose not to renew his order this year, so schools are currently denied state funding for classes they hold virtually. This bill would allow schools to receive such funding. It also bars schools from coercing teachers into teaching virtually if they do not wish to do so.

Some schools around the state already instituted virtual programs even without access to state funding for it, Taylor said, and the bill will offer them retroactive funding for those programs.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

State-funded virtual learning will be capped at 10 percent of a schools overall enrollment. Students will only be allowed to take remote classes instead of virtual ones if they performed well on standardized tests and were present for more than 90 percent of their classes.

The new virtual learning program is separate from a previous one that has allowed a small number of online-only schools for more than 10 years.

Critics of virtual learning, such as teachers groups, say that standardized test scores are worse for students that learn virtually, and that last year the schools that conducted class virtually more frequently had worse test scores than the schools that held more in-person classes.

We recognize students are best served in brick-and-mortar facilities, period, Colby Nichols, lobbyist for the Texas Association of School Administrators, which supports the bill, said last week in an interview. But its the 21st century. Some students do perform well in virtual environments, and public schools need to have the capabilities to serve students as parents see fit.

Frankly, this is something that families in our districts are clamoring for.

The Legislature previously approved a study of the effectiveness of virtual learning that will conclude in 2023, and  if signed by Abbott  the Legislature would need to decide whether or how to continue the program during its next regular session in 2023.

edward.mckinley@chron.com
Texas Senate Republicans made a last-minute effort on Wednesday to allow for audits of the 2020 election and those in the future, just hours after the chamber finally sent the GOPs priority elections bill to the governors desk.

Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, introduced Senate Bill 97 on Tuesday, and it was fast-tracked to a committee hearing Wednesday morning with just days left in the special legislative session in Austin. The bill would introduce a new civil process for candidates, elected county chairs of political parties and others to request a review of the 2020 election results or any future election irregularities.

Thats really what this audit bill does, is that it looks at whatever issue there is in the field and measures it and fixes it, Bettencourt said. Its as simple as that. Its the fact that weve got some type of irregularities in nearly every election, and sometimes theyre greater than others. We should have a process that allows for the irregularities to be researched.

The legislation would allow certain stakeholders to make a written request for an explanation and supporting documentation for alleged disparities in results or other election documents. The requests would be local, pertaining to the specific county where concerns are raised.

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County clerks must answer those requests within 20 days of receipt. That process repeats, this time with a 10-day deadline, if the complaining party is not satisfied with the explanation provided. After that, the complainant can go to the secretary of state with the audit request, and that office would decide whether the information provided was sufficient.

If not, the secretary would launch an audit of the identified irregularity at the countys expense.

Texas currently has a process to evaluate election disparities through criminal complaints, but there isnt an equivalent civil remedy, Bettencourt said.

Harris County targeted

In an interview, Bettencourt said the legislation targets Harris County, which had discrepancies at four early voting sites that used drive-thru voting during the 2020 election. Those precincts had initially recorded 1,884 more votes than people who signed into electronic poll books to vote, he said. (Drive-thru voting will soon be illegal in Texas, per the GOPs new voting law awaiting Gov. Greg Abbotts signature.)

Bettencourt said the state doesnt have the ability to audit Harris Countys results to understand what went wrong unless it files criminal charges. His bill would create a civil method to review such irregularities.

Bettoncourt insisted that the legislation isnt a Texas-sized attempt to rehash or contest the presidential election, as supporters of former President Donald Trump have done in Arizona. Rather, SB 97 would address specific issues that pop up across the state and correct them before they occur again, he said.

This is not about having an Arizona-style audit, Bettencourt said.

Trump won Texas and its 38 electoral votes. Officials from the secretary of states office have declared the 2020 elections here were smooth and secure.

The Senate committee approved the bill after a roughly two-hour-long meeting. It will need approval on the Senate floor before it heads to the House, where it would also need a committee hearing and a floor vote before heading to the governors desk.

With the session set to end this weekend, its unlikely that the bill will make it to the finish line. A spokesman for House Speaker Dade Phelan did not respond to a request for comment on the legislation.

The effort is, at least in part, a continuation of Texas Republicans nearly year-long push to question the results of the 2020 general election. Trump has falsely claimed that he lost his re-election bid because of widespread voter fraud.

During the first special session in July, state Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, introduced broad legislation proposing a forensic audit of votes cast in Texas 13 most populous counties during the 2020 election. His bill never saw a committee hearing.

Toths proposal would have focused heavily on counties where President Joe Biden won a majority of ballots cast. When The Washington Post asked whether hed consider including smaller counties, Toth infamously replied: Whats the point? I mean, all the small counties are red.

cayla.harris@express-news.net
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Warhol v. Goldsmith: Court rolls back tide on Transformative Use high water mark

In the latest battle over intellectual property ownership and use, The Second Circuit Court Court of Appeals has started whistling a different tune on what constitutes transformative use in art and music.

Guest post by Stephen Carlisle of NOVA Southeastern University

On August 24, 2021, The Second Circuit Court of Appeals released its second opinion in the case of Andy Warhol Foundation v. Goldsmith. 1 It not only boldly affirmed its prior ruling in March of 2021, it flatly refuted the notion that the Supreme Courts decision in Google v. Oracle had any impact on the case.

Back in March, the Second Circuit had reversed the decision of the District Court that famous artist Andy Warhols use of a photograph by Goldsmith of the rock musician Prince was fair use. In doing so, the panel had to walk back, very carefully, from the same Circuits decision in Cariou v. Prince, which the Court previously described as the high water mark of our courts recognition of transformative works. 2 So off the charts in ignoring the importance of derivative works was Cariou, that at the time of the District Courts decision in Warhol, I criticized the reasoning of the court, but conceded that Cariou in fact dictated that result. 3 At the time I wrote:

Here is where the heavy hammer of Cariou and the transformative use test start to fall. If you accept Cariou as correctly decided, and this Judge must accept it as correctly decided, then a finding that Warhols editions are transformative is a foregone conclusion. 4

The Second Circuit acknowledges this.

As we previously have observed, that decision [Cariou] has not been immune from criticism. While we remain bound by Cariou, and have no occasion or desire to question its correctness on its own facts, our review of the decision below persuades us that some clarification is in order. 5

So begins the slow walking back of the principles of the Cariou decision.

But why are there two opinions, 5 months apart?

Because April 5, 2021 saw the Supreme Court of the United States release its opinion in Google v. Oracle, the first fair use decision by the Court in 27 years. In an exceedingly narrow (and convoluted) opinion, the SCOTUS declared Googles use a fair use, but that [w]e do not overturn or modify our earlier cases involving fair usecases, for example, that involve knockoff products, journalistic writings, and parodies. 6

This clear directive was completely ignored by the anti-copyright crowd who immediately insisted that the decision in Google changed absolutely everything, leading the Warhol Foundation to petition the Court for rehearing. The AWF asserted to the Court that the opinion in Google comprehensively refutes the panels reasoning. 7

The Court was unimpressed:

Apart from its reliance on the Google opinion, the petition mostly recycles arguments already made and rejected, and requires little comment. Nevertheless in order to carefully consider the Supreme Courts most recent teaching on fair use we hereby grant the Petition. 8

AWFs argument that Google undermines our analysis rests on a misreading of both the Supreme Courts opinion and ours, misinterpreting both opinions as adopting hard and fast categorical rules of fair useIn particular the court in Google took pains to emphasize that the unusual context of the case, which involved copyright in computer code, may well make its conclusion less applicable to contexts such as ours[T]he opinion expressly noted that copyrights protection may be stronger where the copyrighted materialserve an artistic rather than utilitarian function (citation omitted) 9

Now lets get to the crux of the case. When writing about the case previously I summarized it as follows:

The facts of the case are fairly straightforward:

Defendant Lynn Goldsmith took 11 photographs of Prince at her New York Studio in 1981

Though the photos were created on assignment for Newsweek, the photos were never published

Vanity Fair asked for and received a license from Goldsmith to use one of the Prince photographs for use as an artist reference in connection with an article to be published

Warhol created a single image which was used in connection with a 1984 article about Prince titled Purple Fame for which Vanity Fair gave Goldsmith a credit for the source photograph

Sometime later, Warhol creates the Prince Series of 16 images based on the Goldsmith photograph, and begins to sell both originals and copies

After Vanity Fair published one of the Prince Series in connection with a commemorative magazine after Princes death, Goldsmith contacted the Warhol Foundation stating that the use had infringed the copyright in her unpublished photographs. Rather than wait for a lawsuit that might not come, the Warhol Foundation filed suit against Goldsmith, seeking a declaratory judgement of non-infringement, on the basis that the works are not substantially similar or alternatively fair use. 10

This is the part of the case that has always rankled me. The AWF sued the photographer, not the other way around. It cost Lynn Goldsmith $400,000 to defend herself, and that was just at the District Court level. 11 Who knows what the appeal cost her. The AWF pleadings are full of self-righteous declarations to the effect that because he was ANDY WARHOL, his works are entitled to special treatment. In its petition for rehearing the AWF wailed the Courts opinion as

effectively outlawing an entire genre of art widely viewed as one of the great artistic innovations of the modern era 12

Like this matters.

The Court has this to say:

[W]e feel compelled to clarify that it is entirely irrelevant to this analysis that each Prince Series work is immediately recognizable as a WarholEntertaining that logic would inevitably create a celebrity-plagiarist privilege; the more established the artist and the more distinct the artists style, the greater leeway that artist would have to pilfer the creative labors of others. 13

Which was (ahem) precisely one of the criticisms of the Second Circuit opinion in Cariou.

But I digress.

Clearly the major battle here is whether the Warhol adaptations were transformative. Yet unlike other opinions, which never consider the issue, the question of when does a transformative work impinge on the authors exclusive right to prepare derivative works under 17USC 106 (2) is brought front and center.

There is some inherent tension in the Copyright Act between derivative works, which are defined as works that recast, transform or adapt an original work and transformative fair uses of the copyrighted work by others. 14

I will pause here to note that nowhere in the Copyright Act, and certainly nowhere in the fair use provisions of Section 107, do the words transformative fair use ever appear.

Thus as we previously have observed, an overly liberal standard of transformativeness, such as that employed by the district court in this case, risks crowding out the statutory protections for derivative works. 15

Despite the extent to which the resulting movie may transform the aesthetic and message of the underlying literary work, film adaptations are identified as a paradigmatic example of a derivative work. 16

[W]here a secondary work does not obviously comment on or relate back to the original or use the original for a purpose other than for which it was created, the bare assertion of a higher or different artistic useis insufficient to render a work transformative. 17

And heres the kicker:

[W]hether a work is transformative cannot turn merely on the stated or perceived intent of the artist or the meaning or impression that a critic-or for that matter, a judge- draws from the work. Were it otherwise the law may well recogniz[e] any alteration as transformative (citation omitted) 18

[T]he task before us is not to assess the artistic worth of the Prince Series nor its place with Warhols oeuvre[r]ather the question we must answer is simply whether the law permits Warhol to claim it as his own, and AWF to exploit it, without Goldsmiths permission. And, at least as far as this aspect of the first factor is concerned, we conclude that the answer to this questions is no. 19

Then the Court addresses the public benefit argument that so often crops up in fair use cases.

[J]ust as we cannot hold that the Prince series is transformative as a matter of law, neither can we conclude that Warhol and AWF are entitled to monetize it without paying Goldsmith the customary price for the right to her work, even if that monetization is used for the benefit of the public. 20

As to the second factor of fair use, the nature of the copyrighted work:

Having recognized the Goldsmith photograph as both creative and unpublished, the district court should have found this factor to favor Goldsmith irrespective of whether it adjudged the Prince Series works transformative[B]ecause we disagree that the Prince Series works are transformative, we would accord this factor correspondingly greater weight. 21

As to the third factor, the amount and substantiality of the taking, AWF argues that by significantly altering Goldsmiths photo, this removed her artistic expression. Otherwise, Goldsmith would have a copyright on Princes face. This argument does not fare well.

But while Goldsmith has no monopoly on Princes face, the law grants her a broad monopoly on its image as it appears in her photographs of him, including the Goldsmith Photograph 22Nor can Warhols appropriation of the Goldsmith Photograph be deemed reasonable in relation to his purpose. While Warhol presumably required a photograph of Prince to create the Prince Series, AWF proffers no reason why he required Goldsmiths photograph. 23

As to the fourth factor, market harm, AWF makes a strategic error in failing to introduce evidence on this point, despite the fact that fair use is an affirmative defense, for which AWF bears the burden of proof. But real market harm is, as the Court concludes self-evident.

We also must consider the impact on this market if the sort of copying in which Warhol engaged were to become a widespread practice. That harm is also self-evident. There currently exists a market to license photographs of musicians, such as the Goldsmith Photograph, to serve as the basis of a stylized derivative image; permitting this use would effectively destroy the broader market, as if artists could use such images for free, there would be little or no reason to pay for [them]This in turn, risks disincentivizing artists from producing new work by decreasing its value  the precise evil against which copyright is designed to guard. 24

Lets repeat that one more time.

Disincentivizing artists from producing new works by decreasing their value is the precise evil against which copyright is designed to guard.

Did you hear that Google? Spotify? Facebook? Instagram? YouTube?

Notes:

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LitNet featured as BerkShares' Business of the Month

LEE, Mass.  Literacy Network of South Berkshire (LitNet) will be featured on BerkShares' Business of the Month radio show, hosted by Rachel Moriarty of BerkShares, Inc.

The show will air on Wednesday, August 18 at 9:05 AM on local radio station WSBS. LitNet is BerkShares' featured business for the month of August.

In the 25-minute show, Moriarty interviews LitNet's Executive Director Leigh Doherty about the impact that LitNet's work has on the Berkshire community and the ways its programming impacts the local economy by helping community members achieve a higher level of education, better English language skills, or U.S. citizenship, and the way such achievements allow people to become more productive members of society.

Doherty and Moriarty also discuss ways the community can attend or otherwise participate in LitNet's anniversary celebration, to be held on September 11, 2021.
Data from the commonwealth shows that COVID-19 infections are more rare and less severe in vaccinated residents. A slide shown during Tuesday's webinar demonstrates the higher percentage of COVID-19-related hospitalizations among younger Berkshire County residents. PreviousNext

Health Officials Ask Employers to Urge Workers to Get Vaccinated

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Berkshire Health Systems officials Tuesday urged area employers to motivate their workforce to get vaccinated against COVID-19, which the medical professionals called the "best we can do to push back" the pandemic.

"Our push and our plea and our reason for participating with you today is to say encourage, enforce, encourage, support, encourage, encourage, encourage, encourage vaccination among those people you have influence with, those people you care about, those people that you think might benefit," Dr. James Lederer said. "All of us need to do what we can to encourage vaccination as the No. 1 way to manage the delta variant.

"But masking, social distancing and good hand hygiene are those things that we always have to do in the background."

Lederer joined BHS President and CEO David Phelps and BHS Executive Vice President Darlene Rodowicz in an hourlong webinar hosted by 1Berkshire to update the business community about the current state of the pandemic in Berkshire County and, mostly, to talk about the importance of getting as many residents as possible vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.

To that end, the hospital officials said they are ready to help in any way businesses think Berkshire Health Systems can be a partner in educating their employees.

"If it's useful for them to hear from someone other than their employer, we'd be happy to create any efficient mechanism to do that," Phelps said. "We have a track record of working together on all issues important to our community.

"We're willing to use our knowledge, our time, our energy to engage with as many of the employee groups as can be organized over the next month or two. The best thing we can do to push back this pandemic and provide some relief to this community is to increase vaccination rates. It's clear that is our path out."

And it is a path that most Berkshire County residents have shown they are willing to travel.

But as Rodowicz explained on Tuesday, too many area residents, particularly in younger age groups, are not heeding the call to get vaccinated.

"In Massachusetts, the vaccination rate for 20-29 year-olds is 70 percent," she said. "In the U.S., it's only 58 percent. Unfortunately, in Berkshire County, our vaccination rate is only 60 percent for that age cohort. It is the one age cohort in our county where we are not following closely the Mass population trends. We've been thinking all summer long about how to find these 20-29 year-olds and what we need to do to engage them.

"I think it's important for you to know, as we think about your workforce, that that is an area of vulnerability for us."

Young adults are, among other things, putting at greater risk their own children who, before they turn 12, are not eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine themselves, Lederer pointed out.

Rodowicz supplied numbers that demonstrated that low vaccination rates in younger populations is translating to higher rates of hospitalization in that age group.

"Today, we have 11 patients in house," Rodowicz said. "That's been a fairly consistent number over the last month or so. Of that 11, only two were vaccinated.  The average age of the vaccinated patients [hospitalized with COVID-19] is 86 years old, compared to the nine unvaccinated, who range in age from 23 to 79 with an average age of 52."

The county's positivity rate and hospitalization rates are not yet approaching the pandemic-high levels Berkshire Health System saw in January. But they have risen since the late spring, Rodowicz said.

The seven-day rolling average for positive tests is 5.3 percent, which is lower than the county-record 8.1 percent on Dec. 31, in the wake of the holiday season.

"Even with the vaccination, we're seeing a relatively high rate of positivity," Rodowicz said. "Part of that is because the community is open, we're able to go out and partake in social activities."

Lederer said he was as guilty as anyone of letting his guard down in the spring as thousands of Massachusetts residents were becoming fully vaccinated each day and hospitalizations plummeted.

But as vaccination rates leveled off and the more virulent COVID-19 strain known as the Delta variant emerged, the situation has changed, the BHS officials said.

Lederer, who came to BHS before the pandemic with credentials as a board-certified adult infectious disease specialist, spent much of Tuesday's webinar dispelling some of the misinformation that people may have heard about the COVID-19 vaccines: It was developed with untried technology, it has not been adequately tested and "breakthrough infections" mean it is not effective.

Lederer said the messenger RNA vaccines are different from traditional vaccines that most people use on a regular basis  to fight measles, mumps or the annual flu. But mRNA technology has been around for 30 years, he said.

As for testing, the COVID-19 vaccines already have a strong track record to show that they are safe.

"In retrospect, I can tell you it's been tested 200 million times," Lederer said. "That's how many doses have been given in the U.S. But the original clinical trials used anywhere between 23,000 and 40,000 in their initial studies."

He said that all three of the vaccines in use in the United States are highly effective, even against the Delta variant.

"It's true that back in May and June, we relaxed a lot of our Massachusetts guidelines," Lederer said. "We turned off some of our social distancing, turned up our participation in events, we allowed more capacity in restaurants and shopping areas. We were doing it because we were protected. Unfortunately, the Delta variant in Provincetown taught us otherwise.

"What [the Delta variant] didn't do in Provincetown was cause death and significant hospitalization. In all the Provincetown outbreak, I think there was one death associated."

Lederer said that of the 4.49 million Bay Staters who are fully vaccinated, there have been 15,000 breakthrough infections  a 0.35 percent positivity rate. "We're seeing almost 20 times that rate in our unvaccinated population."

Among the 15,000 breakthrough infections, there have been 131 deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Massachusetts, a death rate of 0.003 percent, Lederer reported.

Public health officials are hoping numbers like that will help persuade those holding out on the idea of getting a vaccine. Another thing that might help: this month's full approval of the Pfizer vaccine from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which last year granted emergency use authorization to get the vaccines into circulation but still required further tests for full approval.

Rodowicz said Berkshire Health Systems has seen a "slight uptick" in the 40 to 50 vaccines distributed each day at three clinics in the county.

On Tuesday, the BHS officials made a plug for those pharmacies, where residents can receive free COVID-19 tests and vaccines. Details about the three clinics follow:

 Pittsfield Testing Center/Urgent Care, 505 East St.; open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Pfizer vaccine available daily and Moderna vaccine available Tuesdays and Thursdays.

 Fairview Hospital, 29 Lewis Ave., Great Barrington; open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines available daily and Moderna vaccine available on Fridays.

 North Adams Testing Center, 98 Church St.; open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Pfizer vaccine available daily and Moderna vaccine available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
CHP's 'Big Orange Bus' to Provide Vaccines at BCC

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Berkshire Community College (BCC) welcomes Community Health Programs (CHP) to campus on Tuesday, Sept. 7 from 10 am to 2 pm for a visit from CHP's "Big Orange Bus."

The mobile health unit that will administer the first dose of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, as well as the "one shot" Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The bus returns on Tuesday, Oct. 5 from 10 am to 2 pm for the second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Vaccines are given free of charge, and no appointment is necessary.

In addition, Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) will be on campus the week of Sept. 20 to administer the flu vaccine. More information will be announced soon.

BCC recently updated its COVID-19 regulations to require masks in all indoor spaces on campus, regardless of vaccination status. Vaccinations are required for students in BCC's healthcare fields who are working or learning in long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing facilities and Soldiers' Homes. These students must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 10, 2021.

Free COVID testing is available at Stop the Spread clinics located at 505 East Street, Pittsfield; 98 Church Street, North Adams; and 475 Main Street, Great Barrington. To make an appointment, call (855) 262-5465.
SVMCs Pulmonary Rehabilitation Professionals Featured on Next Medical Matters Weekly

BENNINGTON, Vt.  Southwestern Vermont Health Care's (SVHC) Medical Matters Weekly with Dr. Trey Dobsona weekly interactive, multiplatform medical-themed talk showwill feature Physical Therapist Caitlyn Boyd, DPT, and Respiratory Therapist Chad DeGrenier, RRT, on its September 8 program. The show will air at 12 p.m.

The two will share information about pulmonary rehabilitation and how it can help those with breathing difficulties.

The show is produced with cooperation from Catamount Access Television (CAT-TV). Viewers can see Medical Matters Weekly on Facebook at facebook.com/svmedicalcenter and facebook.com/CATTVBennington . The show is also available to view or download a podcast on www.svhealthcare.org/medicalmatters

After the program, the video will be available on area public access television stations. On CAT-TV, viewers will find the show on channel 1075 at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 1:30 p.m. Monday, 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 a.m. Friday, and 7 p.m. Saturday. GNAT-TV's Comcast channel 1074 airs the program at 8 a.m. Monday, 9 p.m. Wednesday, and 1 p.m. Saturday.

Boyd received both her bachelor's in Nutrition and Food Science and her doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Vermont. She has worked as a physical therapist at SVMC for the past 10 years. She specializes in vestibular rehab, which relates to the inner ear's role in balance and movement. She helped create the Pulmonary Rehab program in 2015 and serves as its coordinator. She is certified in pulmonary rehab by the American Association for Respiratory Care and the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

DeGrenier earned an associate's degree from Hudson Valley Community College and is a Registered Respiratory Therapist. He has worked at SVMC for 18 years. He estimates he has helped thousands of patients in respiratory distress.

Upcoming guests include:

12 p.m. Wednesday, September 15: Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute will discuss healthcare quality metrics.

12 p.m. Wednesday, September 22: Ayla Ellison, editor-in-chief of Becker's Hospital Review, will address hospital trends nationwide.

12 p.m. Wednesday, September 29: Rebecca Greystone, MS, MBA, RN, NE-BC, of the American Nurses Association, will share her role within the Magnet program.

12 p.m. Wednesday, October 6: Kimberley Sampson, MD, of SVMC OB/GYN will provide information about obesity medicine, obstetrics, and gynecology.
State Vaccine Mandate Extended to Home Care and Hospice Workers

BOSTON  The Baker-Polito administration has set a deadline of Oct. 31 for staff to be vaccinated at rest homes, assisted living residences and hospice programs, as well as for home care workers providing in-home, direct care services.

The plan to expand the vaccine requirement for caregivers is subject to Public Health Council approval and is part of the administration's effort to protect older adults against COVID-19. Last month, the administration announced a vaccine requirement for employees of skilled nursing facilities.

Following the council's approval, the requirement would be implemented through the respective Department of Public Health and Executive Office of Elder Affairs regulations that would cover 62 freestanding rest homes and 268 assisted living residences in Massachusetts, 85 hospice programs and up to 100,000 home care workers across the commonwealth, subject to regulatory requirement.

All personnel at these facilities and home care workers will be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccination by Oct. 31 unless they qualify for a limited exemption because they have a medical condition that prevents them from receiving vaccination or they object to vaccination based on a sincerely held religious belief.

The requirement applies to all individuals employed directly by a provider/facility as well as contractors who regularly enter the facility.

The vaccination requirement for home-care workers applies to individuals providing in-home, direct care who are employed by an agency that is contracted or subcontracted with the commonwealth, including:

Home health agencies enrolled in the MassHealth program

Home care agencies providing services under the state's home care program

Continuous skilled nursing agencies enrolled in the MassHealth program

Hospice programs (including hospice facilities and agencies that provide services in homes) group adult foster care agencies enrolled in the MassHealth program delivering personal care services that assist individuals with eating, toileting, dressing, bathing, transferring, and mobility.

The vaccination requirement also applies to independent, non-agency-based home care workers contracted with the state providing in-home, direct care including:

Independent nurses enrolled in the MassHealth program

Personal care attendants providing services through the MassHealth program

Consumer directed care workers providing services under EOEA's self-directed program.
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Name: Andres Rodriguez

Company: Nasuni Corporation

Job title: CTO & Founder

Date started current role: March 2009

Location: Boston, MA

Nasuni Founder and CTO Andres Rodriguez brings passion and energy to his role refining and communicating Nasunis technology strategy. Rodriguez was previously Founder and CEO at Archivas, creator of the first enterprise-class cloud storage system. Acquired by Hitachi Data Systems, Archivas is now the basis for the Hitachi Content Platform (HCP). After supporting the worldwide rollout of HCP as Hitachis CTO of File Services and seeing the Archivas team and technology successfully integrated, Rodriguez turned his attention to his next venture, Nasuni (NAS Unified). Delivering value-added enterprise file services on top of cloud object storage was the natural progression of Rodriguez cloud storage vision. Before founding Archivas, Rodriguez was CTO at the New York Times, where his ideas for digital content storage, protection, and access were formed. He joined The Times through its acquisition of Abuzz, the pioneering social networking company Rodriguez co-founded.

What was your first job? My first real job was working as a research assistant in the condensed matter lab within the Physics department at Boston University, as an undergraduate.

Did you always want to work in IT? No, I wanted to be a physicist. Specifically, my plan was to build computer simulations of large systems  condensed matter quantum states that require tons of compute. I was very interested in quantum entanglement at the time as well. Earlier, as a child, I wanted to be an oceanographer  the next Jacques Cousteau.

What was your education? Do you hold any certifications? What are they? I have a masters degree in Physics.

Explain your career path. Did you take any detours? If so, discuss. Oh, yes. Absolutely. After I finished my undergraduate degree, I spent a year in a small village in Spain, working both as a shepherd and as an apprentice to a butcher. Honestly. I taught Math and English in the local schools as well.

What type of CTO are you? Hands-on. I work very closely with customers but I'm always pursuing stretch goals for the technology, thinking about how to take it where it isnt today, and the customer conversations are a critical part of that. They are the validation points, in a way. These are some of my favourite conversations, when I run a new idea by a customer. So much of the role of a CTO is promoting your ideas, but you have to make sure that youre listening to criticism and considering corrections. Thats the only way to ensure you get better at what you do and produce a continually improved product.

Which emerging technology are you most excited about the prospect of? Hydrogen fuels and fuel cells. Normally I focus on file storage, but that's the future for energy storage.

Are there any technologies which you think are overhyped? Why? Containers. They're interesting, and valuable, but ultimately containers are just a more efficient way to stack and rack servers. Theyre not revolutionary. The emphasis on containerisation of servers distracts people from what I see as a far more important trend: the rise of the programmable data centre. Containers are just an enabling tech for that.

What is one unique initiative that youve employed over the last 12 months that youre really proud of? Thats a difficult question, and Im going to cheat a little and note two. The first is our File Accelerator, which I worked on with our Product Strategy leader, John Capello, and his team, along with representatives from our major accounts. Basically, we came up with ways to have our global file system adapt intelligently to how its being used and optimise its behaviour.

But I cant talk about 2020 innovations without highlighting our file migration tool. Everyone is in such a hurry to get to the cloud right now and files are often the last piece to move. We developed a special tool that accelerates the migration of files to the cloud through a bulk loading process. Our Professional Services team runs the tool now, but were getting ready to make it customer-facing, so we can roll it out to more companies.

Are you leading a digital transformation? If so, does it emphasise customer experience and revenue growth or operational efficiency? If both, how do you balance the two? Nasuni is very much in the business of digital transformation. Thats what we do. By enabling customers to move their file workloads to the cloud, and manage everything through a true global file system, we unlock all kinds of new efficiencies. Accelerating global workflows is a big one, but we also free IT cycles for more strategic projects and transition companies away from storage-related capital expenditures into a leaner, more cost-effective OpEx model.

What is the biggest issue that youre helping customers with at the moment? Thats an easy one. The dramatic acceleration and lift and shift of anything on-prem in physical data centres to the cloud. Everyone wants to go to the cloud now. That transition can put a ton of strain on organisations, as they need to make sure they have all the capabilities in the cloud that theyve grown accustomed to in the on-prem world. Were helping some of the largest companies in the world do this for their files, and were doing it at a remarkable pace, without disrupting day-to-day business. The File Migrator I mentioned above is part of that, but theres more to it, including our stellar Professional Services team.

How do you align your technology use to meet business goals? To be successful in technology you have to be curious, and you have to have spent a long time studying the technology. You sharpen your instincts for what is more or less important from that deep study. Most of the time youre going to be right, too, but you still have to go out and confirm that your idea excites your customers or solves their immediate pain. If you tell them, and theyre excited, then you know youve got something. You have to be your own critic as well, though. As a technologist, when you come up with an idea, you need to come up with the three reasons its not a good idea, then validate or stress-test those against the customers. Good CTOs come up with good ideas, but the best ones are always coming up with those three reasons its not going to work.

Do you have any trouble matching product/service strategy with tech strategy? If youre working closely with your engineering and product management teams and having deep conversations with customers about what they need, and how your new ideas could impact them, then youre going to have an easier time aligning these two strategies.

What makes an effective tech strategy? What predictions do you have for the role of the CTO in the future? This relates back to question #5. I'm a believer in working hard at those stretch goals for your technology, while constantly interfacing with customers and users to really understand what they need, and whether the tech you're developing is truly going to benefit them.

What has been your greatest career achievement? Nasuni. We were ahead of the curve in inventing the first cloud-native global file system, but ever since the market caught up and large enterprises started to see the value in cloud, we have been on a tremendous run of success. Growing this company has been the hardest work of my career, but easily the most gratifying and exciting.

Looking back with 20:20 hindsight, what would you have done differently? We launched our cloud-native file system before most enterprises were comfortable storing data in the cloud. We were so early that I questioned - on occasion - whether we were doing the right thing. In hindsight, I wouldn't have entertained any doubt, and would have pushed harder on our initial, visionary idea, and had confidence that the market would catch up. As it has.
The Port of Shelton continues to grow and expand and Executive Director Wendy Smith and Port Commissioner Dick Taylor talk about the progress with Jeff Slakey. They are working on new CERB funding and the company that makes Squirrel Suits is coming to the Port.
A week after Hong Kongs public broadcaster, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), published the new partnership with the Chinese Media Group, Hong Kongs commerce secretary Edward Yau announced the government would be pulling films in breach of the National Security Law. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply concerned by the declining media independence and free flow of information in Hong Kong.

Four Hong Kong pro-democracy activists hold a banner and placards reading "No democracy and human rights, no national security" and "Free all political prisoners". Credit: Yan ZHAO / AFP

Hong Kongs chief executive Carrie Lam announced on August 17, the partnership between RTHK and Chinese Media Group  the parent company of China state media outlets, CCTV and China National Radio. Lam explained the purpose of the partnership is to provide viewers with a thorough understanding of the struggle and development of the Communist Party of China and nurture a stronger sense of patriotism.

Despite international media organisations' concerns that the new partnership breaches RTHKs charter codifying the organisations editorial independence and impartiality, RTHK maintains that the partnership is in line with the charter.

On August 24, Edward Yau also announced a new retroactive censorship law allowing authorities to revoke the certification of films based on national security grounds. The proposed law strengthens the guidelines published by authorities in June, allowing the government to pull movies deemed in contravention of the National Security Law. The maximum punishment for showing an unlicensed film will be three years of imprisonment and a HKD 1,000,000 (USD 128,601) fine.

Hong Kongs National Security Law has come under considerable criticism since it was introduced last year after targeting journalists and activists through broadly worded offences, including secession, subversion, terrorist activities and collusion with a foreign country.

The IFJ said: It is clear, the intrusion of the Chinese government on independent and critical journalism in Hong Kong is continuing under the pretence of security and patriotism. The IFJ urges the Hong Kong government to review the use of the National Security Law and the Chinese government's influence on Hong Kong media.
NTT Ltd.s Global Data Centers division, a Leader in the IDC MarketScape Worldwide Data Center Colocation and Interconnection Services 2021 Vendor Assesment, provides a full stack of ICT services and continues to expand its global data center footprint by 20% to build a connected future that will benefit enterprise and hyperscale clients around the world.

Jakarta 3 Atrium

NTT operates data centers across Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia, including a major presence in India. It delivers and operates global interconnected data centers with cross regional data center networks through key markets such as London, Singapore, Tokyo, and Virginia in North America. Its expansions in data center services provide increased data center capacity and network connectivity across all geographies, including:

Americas:

In 2020/21, three new data center campuses were opened in Hillsboro, OR, Santa Clara, CA, and Chicago, IL, in addition to expansion in Ashburn, VA. NTTs 47-acre (approx. 190,000m2) Hillsboro campus features five data centers with 126MW of planned IT load and Subsea Connect, a trans-pacific network connectivity service that provides connectivity between Hillsboro, Oregon and Tokyo, Japan using NTTs Pacific Crossing (PC-1) subsea cable system. The Phoenix, AZ campus will open in early 2022 and be the seventh US data center campus. NTT Phoenix PH1 will add 36MW of IT load capacity and is the first of seven planned data centers on the 240MW campus.

EMEA:

In the past year, NTT has opened new data center buildings in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and Munich and Frankfurt in Germany, continuing its position as the number one data center provider in the German market. In the UK, the new flagship London 1 Data Center opened in December and, when fully operational, will increase NTTs capacity by over 200% to support the digital backbone of the UKs financial services, media, and gaming industries. NTT has also invested in duct and fiber to interconnect all its London data centers.

Over the next two years, NTT will increase its available IT load in EMEA by over 40% as it builds 13 new data center buildings across nine markets in six countries to deliver an added 115MW of IT load across 50,000m2. NTT will launch its first data centers in Madrid and Johannesburg as well as adding buildings to Vienna, Zurich, London and across Germany, with expanded data center interconnections.

APAC:

Jakarta 3 in Indonesia will launch 15MW at Bekasi, approximately 30km from Central Jakarta, by the end of this year. By taking advantage of NTTs strengths as a network operator, clients will be able to easily connect with IXs and ISPs. Additionally, Cyberjaya 5 in Malaysia started to provide 6.8MW and plan to expand another 6.8MW to the Cyberjaya campus. In Japan, a new data center with 21MW of IT load capacity has been built in Tokyo. In response to strong demand from its clients, NTT is considering further expansion in Bangkok (Thailand), Osaka Metropolitan area (Japan), and Southern Vietnam.

India:

With Mumbai 8 going live soon, the Chandivali campus, Indias first operational hyperscale data center park, will reach 85MW of IT load. Over the next 18 months, four new hyperscale data center parks will also become operational: two in Navi Mumbai and one each in Chennai and Delhi, adding approximately 133MW of IT load and 50,000m2 of floorspace. Interconnections for 10 data centers across India will also be rolled out in 2021 and submarine cable landing stations are planned in Mumbai and Chennai. This expansion will further consolidate NTTs number one position in the Indian market.

In addition to the expansion of NTTs global data center footprint, NTT is currently constructing a "MIST" large-capacity submarine cable connecting Singapore, Malaysia, and India (Mumbai and Chennai).

The MIST cable system will have a total length of 11,000km: a distance which is further than flying from New York, across the US and the Pacific Ocean to land in Tokyo. Construction will complete in mid-2023.

The infrastructure combination of such a significant increase in global data center capacity coupled with NTTs status as a tier 1 global network service provider, will provide businesses with a secure platform for increasing full-stack ICT service needs.

Global Data Center Interconnect (GDCI), an integrated global network fabric service that delivers a cross regional data center network and private secure connection to major cloud service providers with a single physical port supporting multiple virtual network services, increases this capability to provide a high speed interconnected digital backbone across its global markets. The increased submarine cable system will also help to provide cross-regional data center interconnections.

Masaaki Moribayashi, President and Board Director for NTT Ltd. said, The pandemic has dramatically changed our way of life. Peoples quality of life now fundamentally depends on this infrastructure. In the next 18 months, NTT plans to increase data center operations by 20% to a total of over 600,000m2 (approx. 6.5M ft2) of floorspace in over 20 countries and regions. In addition, NTT will globally expand approximately 30 connection points of GDCI service in our data centers to optimize the enterprise hybrid cloud environment over NTTs data centers and network services. NTT has already started construction to add 300MW of IT load to its portfolio. With the completion of new data centers, expanded campuses and high capacity networks such as the MIST submarine cable, we are building a connected future that will benefit NTT's clients around the world.
Even when others urge you to move away from your business idea, you may be best served by listening to your gut and letting time be the ultimate judge of what works.

This was the case for Kimberly Bryant, founder and CEO of Black Girls Code, a nonprofit that introduces girls of color to the tech industry through entrepreneurial projects. Founded in 2011, the Oakland, California-based organization teaches virtual reality, robotics, game design, web design, and mobile app development through workshops, hackathons, and summer camps. With 15 chapters across the country in addition to virtual events and workshops, Bryant says, to date almost 30,000 students have participated in a Black Girls Code event.

A decade ago, however, Bryant was still running the company as a side hustle, funding it with her 401(k). People around her encouraged her to rename it, she recounted to Beatrice Dixon, co-founder and CEO of The Honey Pot Company, during an Inc. Your Next Move streaming event on August 31. But focusing on Black girls was the whole point, so Bryant stayed true to her idea. And it ended up being one of the best moves she made for growth. When people Googled, "coding for Black girls" or similar phrases, her company was the first to show up.

"The irony of that: The thing that was our biggest mark against us 10 years ago became the thing that helped people discover us and the work that we have been doing consistently for 10 years," Bryant says. "Our name is Black Girls Code, and we're unapologetic about that and we wouldn't budge." Looking back at her decision, she says it's an affirmation of her work and the sacrifices she and her team have made since the founding.

Here, Bryant shares other ways she helped Black Girls Code become a force by trusting her intuition, and the lessons other entrepreneurs can learn from her story.

Celebrate your community.

Bryant says she does a lot of mentoring to girls in her programs and to women she meets elsewhere, and that mentoring has been a key to her efforts to grow her organization and build community. But it's not just mentoring that's important; it's positive encouragement and lifting up others that creates the best connections.

"This belief in each other is something we don't hear enough--that we can do it, whatever it is, whether it's [becoming] a computer scientist or a doctor, a lawyer, or an entrepreneur. We don't hear positive affirmations of ourself often enough," she says, adding that celebration has been the foundation of her messaging. "That's the key, the secret sauce, without a doubt, of what we do different or better than other organizations."

Grow alongside your customers.

In 2019, Bryant saw a large group of Black Girls Code alumni going off to college, and recognized they would no longer have the same support that they had had in the program. Wanting to add more structure, Bryant and her team launched a program last year to give alumni career advice, mentorship, internships, and ultimately, job opportunities. Listening to her customers helped the company better serve them. "What they tell us when we ask for feedback is that they still just want that community of other girls that look like them, have similar backgrounds as they do, and are on a similar path, because there's a power in the community," Bryant says.

Look for opportunities in every challenge.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Black Girls Code was forced to shut down coding events while the country went into lockdown. Like many event businesses, the nonprofit pivoted to offer virtual events, and the program grew from 3,500 students per year to more than 10,000. Today, the company has slowly begun to offer in-person events again, but the pivot taught Bryant a lesson about finding silver linings.
Over the last few months, tech companies were optimistic that they'd be able to begin bringing employees back to their offices this fall. After 19 months of working mostly from home, companies like Google had come up with creative plans to allow employees the flexibility to come to the office or continue working remotely.

Still, the hope was that the world was heading back towards normal, even if it looked different than before shutdowns and stay-at-home orders last spring. Now, however, as the pandemic surges again across different areas of the U.S. and the world, many companies are reconsidering their plans to bring everyone back to the office.

In the last few weeks, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple have all said they will push their return into 2022. Now, Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, has published a blog post explaining why that company plans to do the same.

There are quite a few lessons from the post, but I want to focus on three words near the end. Here's the relevant portion:

First, as offices continue to reopen, we hope to see more teams coming together where possible, whether it be for regular team meetings, brainstorming sessions around a whiteboard, or outdoor socials. For some locations, conditions are starting to improve, yet in many parts of the world, the pandemic continues to create uncertainty. Acknowledging that, we'll extend our global voluntary return-to-office policy through January 10, 2022 to give more Googlers flexibility and choice as they ramp back.

The important thing to notice is that while Pichai is clear that Google's goal is that its "offices continue to reopen," he uses three words that are the best reason I've seen yet for not returning to the office: "Flexibility and choice."

It's a familiar refrain from Pichai and Google. When he announced the company's "return to work" plan, he used the same three words. At the time, they were meant to reflect a commitment from Google to allow employees to make their own decision, along with their manager, about how to best meet the needs of the business as well as their own.

Now, however, I think those three words are the best reason I've heard to not return to the office. At least not yet. Why? Because giving your employees flexibility and choice empowers them with a sense that they have more control over their time, their work, and their lives.

As Pichai mentions, the continuation of the pandemic is causing uncertainty for employees. That leads to anxiety, confusion, and stress. Being flexible and giving employees a choice goes a long way to solving that.

Look, I understand that companies want to get their teams back in the office. Most managers believe that being together in person has real advantages over working remotely. In some cases, I'm sure that's true.

Pichai points out that "the ability to reconnect in person has been re-energizing for many of us, and will make us even more effective in the weeks and months ahead." I'm sure that's true. I'm sure there are people who have loved the feeling of walking back into the office. I'm sure in many cases it feels like a form of victory--that Covid may have sidetracked us for a while, but it can't keep us down forever.

The problem is, not only does the surge of cases due to the Delta variant make it unclear whether it's safe to be back in the office, many employees simply don't want to return. Many would rather quit than return to the office. Some already have.

Google made a smart choice by providing employees the ability to make the decision for themselves. That's especially important in a world where there is still much uncertainty. It's important as employees try to make plans that involve more than what they do at work. They're trying to balance those responsibilities with everything else that is happening in their lives, as the world tries to find its way out of a pandemic that has gone on far too long.

Many employees are still trying to navigate a lot of uncertainty in both their personal and professional lives. They are trying to figure out what school will look like for their children. They're deciding whether they are ready to be in an office all day after spending the past 19 months working from home.
Recently, I wrote about the Great Resignation, with recommendations for things smaller enterprises can do to help mitigate the migration of workers out of their businesses. At the core of these proposed initiatives was a demonstration of care, a projection on the part of the leadership of the business that those who work in it and what they have to say matter. The Great Resignation is a people issue and, as such, those with the greatest ability to connect with others, emotionally, stand the greatest chance of emerging from it with the least number of losses.

The trouble is, leaders like that are rare. I was reminded of exactly how rare only hours after submitting my Great Resignation article to Inc.

That afternoon, I came across the release of a recent PwC study, which attempted to understand how CEOs were dealing with the Great Resignation and other employment issues related to Covid-19. The survey sought to capture the top changes CEOs expected to implement in the next 12 to 18 months, based on their pandemic experience around work. The number one answer, cited by nearly half of more than 750 CEOs, was to "reduce dependence on employee institutional knowledge."

Also in the top five was, "rely more on outsourcing." Things such as, "improve efforts around associate engagement," or "invest in initiatives to increase associate retention" did not even make the list!

None of the responses reported in the survey were associate focused. Rather than focus on keeping good people, CEOs would prefer to create insurance policies for when they all leave. But CEOs are smart people. How is it possible that they could have missed something like this so badly? It's simple: Most CEOs are just not wired this way. If you're one of them, it could present a huge opportunity to transform yourself and your business.

Why are CEOs like this? Before we go too much further, it's a good time to point out that not all CEOs are. It's possible to find CEOs who are very associate focused and who put their people first. They are simply rare birds.

More common are narcissists with low emotional intelligence (EQ) who focus first on results, and on feelings, last. Unfortunately, many of the traits which make people successful in their rise to the top, like excessive self-confidence, also prevent them from relating well to others. A study by Chelsea Link & William Bailey at the University of Arkansas proved an inverse relationship between narcissism and emotional intelligence--defined roughly as, "the ability to recognize, understand and manage our own emotions and recognize, understand and influence the emotions of others." So, it would follow that recent research by TalentSmart found that CEOs have the lowest emotional intelligence scores in the workplace.

But there's hope. Unlike IQ, which is determined at a very young age and remains relatively constant throughout our lives, EQ is something which can be improved upon over time. Step one is to establish a framework for understanding. Before doing that, I'd like to answer what may be, for some, an as-yet-unanswered question: Why even bother?

Improving emotional intelligence yields a myriad of positive benefits for leaders and the organizations they serve. Quite simply, EQ helps organizations create more positive interactions between human beings. By helping people better understand and control not only their own emotions, but those of others, they can better relate to, communicate with, and speak for those they lead.

In organizations with high EQ, trust flourishes. People in these organizations feel safe to speak up and to try new things. What's more, these associates feel cared for, like they belong. Because they do. They contribute more and are 10 times more likely to recommend their employer as a great place to work (Limeade Institute, September 2019).

As if that's not enough, a 2020 National Society of High School Scholars study found that Gen Z considers EQ more important than salary. These workers want empathetic managers who deal with, not avoid, conflict. And who recognize that value when they see others, not just when they look in the mirror. Now, about that framework....

There is no common model for understanding emotional intelligence. The term dates back to a 1990 article by Peter Salovey and John Mayer, published in the journal Imagination, Cognition, and Personality.

It gained greater traction with the book Emotional Intelligence, published by Dan Goleman in 1996. Goleman introduced a basic model for understanding EQ which is still in use today, and which is also used to underpin other popular emotional intelligence measurement tools. Since then, a number of other models, commercial testing, and training programs have sprung forth, like EQ-I20, all of which share one or more common terms and concepts. All are based on the notion that emotional intelligence is gained through a greater degree of understanding and control, of both our own emotions and of others. I will use the Goleman model to illustrate these concepts a bit more clearly.

Goleman describes four domains of emotional intelligence, each with specific competencies which enable that particular domain. He postulates that EQ is achieved through, what he calls, recognition and regulation of the self and the social--from which he derived the four emotional intelligence domains.

The goal, as you might imagine, is to improve each of the four dimensions by working on the particular competencies for each: Such as adaptability within self-management, and empathy within social awareness. It is helpful to point out that the goal of EQ competency development is not to produce overly nice, passive, or robotic leaders. Rather, leaders with high emotional intelligence are simply highly aware of their own and others' emotions, and are highly adept at managing both in order to arrive at successful business outcomes--which they are likewise tremendously motivated to achieve. These leaders also institutionalize EQ in their organizations.

As mentioned previously, the Goleman model is just one of many available to leaders interested in improving their emotional intelligence. Likewise, leaders pursuing EQ knowledge may choose from a variety of self-learning options, which range from grabbing a book on the topic, like Goleman's, or enrolling in any of a number of online training courses available from major universities and many well-known training organizations.

In addition, firms, like mine, that focus on organizational and leadership development, offer more comprehensive assessment and training programs for individuals or groups. Programs can range in duration from one to two days, to multiple weeks--depending on the ultimate objective desired.

Regardless of the option you select, choose, at a minimum, to do something. Even if you start with simple assessments of you and your team, you'll at least arrive at an understanding of your current capabilities. Just being more aware of your own emotional intelligence will impact the way you interact with others in the future. Start small or go all in. But do something. Investing in improving the EQ of your organization will be some of the best time and money you'll ever spend.
[This article was originally published in October 2019] It was no secret that Mohandas Gandhi had an unusual sex life. He spoke constantly of sex and gave detailed, often provocative, instructions to his followers as to how to they might best observe chastity. And his views were not always popular; "abnormal and unnatural" was how the first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, described Gandhi's advice to newlyweds to stay celibate for the sake of their souls.

But was there something more complex than a pious plea for chastity at play in Gandhi's beliefs, preachings and even his unusual personal practices (which included, alongside his famed chastity, sleeping naked next to nubile, naked women to test his restraint)? In the course of researching my new book on Gandhi, going through a hundred volumes of his complete works and many tomes of eye-witness material, details became apparent which add up to a more bizarre sexual history.

Much of this material was known during his lifetime, but was distorted or suppressed after his death during the process of elevating Gandhi into the "Father of the Nation" Was the Mahatma, in fact, as the pre-independence prime minister of the Indian state of Travancore called him, "a most dangerous, semi-repressed sex maniac"?

Gandhi was born in the Indian state of Gujarat and married at 13 in 1883; his wife Kasturba was 14, not early by the standards of Gujarat at that time. The young couple had a normal sex life, sharing a bed in a separate room in his family home, and Kasturba was soon pregnant.

Two years later, as his father lay dying, Gandhi left his bedside to have sex with Kasturba. Meanwhile, his father drew his last breath. The young man compounded his grief with guilt that he had not been present, and represented his subsequent revulsion towards "lustful love" as being related to his father's death.

However, Gandhi and Kasturba's last child wasn't born until fifteen years later, in 1900.

In fact, Gandhi did not develop his censorious attitude to sex (and certainly not to marital sex) until he was in his thirties, while a volunteer in the ambulance corps, assisting the British Empire in its wars in Southern Africa. On long marches in sparsely populated land in the Boer War and the Zulu uprisings, Gandhi considered how he could best "give service" to humanity and decided it must be by embracing poverty and chastity.

At the age of 38, in 1906, he took a vow of brahmacharya, which meant living a spiritual life but is normally referred to as chastity, without which such a life is deemed impossible by Hindus.

Gandhi found it easy to embrace poverty. It was chastity that eluded him. So he worked out a series of complex rules which meant he could say he was chaste while still engaging in the most explicit sexual conversation, letters and behaviour.

With the zeal of the convert, within a year of his vow, he told readers of his newspaper Indian Opinion: "It is the duty of every thoughtful Indian not to marry. In case he is helpless in regard to marriage, he should abstain from sexual intercourse with his wife."

Meanwhile, Gandhi was challenging that abstinence in his own way. He set up ashrams in which he began his first "experiments" with sex; boys and girls were to bathe and sleep together, chastely, but were punished for any sexual talk. Men and women were segregated, and Gandhi's advice was that husbands should not be alone with their wives, and, when they felt passion, should take a cold bath.

The rules did not, however, apply to him. Sushila Nayar, the attractive sister of Gandhi's secretary, also his personal physician, attended Gandhi from girlhood. She used to sleep and bathe with Gandhi. When challenged, he explained how he ensured decency was not offended. "While she is bathing I keep my eyes tightly shut," he said, "I do not know ... whether she bathes naked or with her underwear on. I can tell from the sound that she uses soap." The provision of such personal services to Gandhi was a much sought-after sign of his favour and aroused jealousy among the ashram inmates.

As he grew older (and following Kasturba's death) he was to have more women around him and would oblige women to sleep with him whom  according to his segregated ashram rules  were forbidden to sleep with their own husbands. Gandhi would have women in his bed, engaging in his "experiments" which seem to have been, from a reading of his letters, an exercise in strip-tease or other non-contact sexual activity. Much explicit material has been destroyed but tantalising remarks in Gandhi's letters remain such as: "Vina's sleeping with me might be called an accident. All that can be said is that she slept close to me." One might assume, then, that getting into the spirit of the Gandhian experiment meant something more than just sleeping close to him.

It can't, one imagines, can have helped with the "involuntary discharges" which Gandhi complained of experiencing more frequently since his return to India. He had an almost magical belief in the power of semen: "One who conserves his vital fluid acquires unfailing power," he said.

Meanwhile, it seemed that challenging times required greater efforts of spiritual fortitude, and for that, more attractive women were required: Sushila, who in 1947 was 33, was now due to be supplanted in the bed of the 77-year-old Gandhi by a woman almost half her age. While in Bengal to see what comfort he could offer in times of inter-communal violence in the run-up to independence, Gandhi called for his 18-year-old grandniece Manu to join him  and sleep with him. "We both may be killed by the Muslims," he told her, "and must put our purity to the ultimate test, so that we know that we are offering the purest of sacrifices, and we should now both start sleeping naked."

Such behaviour was no part of the accepted practice of bramacharya. He, by now, described his reinvented concept of a brahmachari as: "One who never has any lustful intention, who, by constant attendance upon God, has become proof against conscious or unconscious emissions, who is capable of lying naked with naked women, however beautiful, without being in any manner whatsoever sexually excited ... who is making daily and steady progress towards God and whose every act is done in pursuance of that end and no other." That is, he could do whatever he wished, so long as there was no apparent "lustful intention". He had effectively redefined the concept of chastity to fit his personal practices.

Thus far, his reasoning was spiritual, but in the maelstrom that was India approaching independence he took it upon himself to see his sex experiments as having national importance: "I hold that true service of the country demands this observance," he stated.

But while he was becoming bolder in his self-righteousness, Gandhi's behaviour was widely discussed and criticised by family members and leading politicians. Some members of his staff resigned, including two editors of his newspaper who left after refusing to print parts of Gandhi's sermons dealing with his sleeping arrangements.

But Gandhi found a way of regarding the objections as a further reason tocontinue. "If I don't let Manu sleep with me, though I regard it as essential that she should," he announced, "wouldn't that be a sign of weakness in me?"

Eighteen-year-old Abha, the wife of Gandhi's grandnephew Kanu Gandhi, rejoined Gandhi's entourage in the run-up to independence in 1947 and by the end of August he was sleeping with both Manu and Abha at the same time.

When he was assassinated in January 1948, it was with Manu and Abha by his side. Despite her having been his constant companion in his last years, family members, tellingly, removed Manu from the scene. Gandhi had written to his son: "I have asked her to write about her sharing the bed with me," but the protectors of his image were eager to eliminate this element of the great leader's life. Devdas, Gandhi's son, accompanied Manu to Delhi station where he took the opportunity of instructing her to keep quiet.

Questioned in the 1970s, Sushila revealingly placed the elevation of this lifestyle to a brahmacharya experiment was a response to criticism of this behaviour. "Later on, when people started asking questions about his physical contact with women  with Manu, with Abha, with me  the idea of brahmacharya experiments was developed ... in the early days, there was no question of calling this a brahmacharya experiment." It seems that Gandhi lived as he wished, and only when challenged did he turn his own preferences into a cosmic system of rewards and benefits. Like many great men, Gandhi made up the rules as he went along.

While it was commonly discussed as damaging his reputation when he was alive, Gandhi's sexual behaviour was ignored for a long time after his death. It is only now that we can piece together information for a rounded picture of Gandhi's excessive self-belief in the power of his own sexuality. Tragically for him, he was already being sidelined by the politicians at the time of independence. The preservation of his vital fluid did not keep India intact, and it was the power-brokers of the Congress Party who negotiated the terms of India's freedom.

Gandhi: Naked Ambition is published by Quercus (20). To order a copy for the special price of 18 (free P&P) call Independent Books Direct on 08430 600 030, or visit www.independentbooksdirect.co.uk
Seinfeld fans are celebrating the news that the hit Nineties sitcom is coming to Netflix next month.

On Wednesday (1 September), the streaming service announced that all 180 episodes of Seinfeld would be arriving on their platform on 1 October.

The date was revealed with a tongue-in-cheek trailer declaring Seinfeld to be 2021s hottest new show created by rising stars Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld.

An international streaming deal was reached in 2019, in what was estimated by The LA Times in 2019 to be Netflixs most expensive ever.

Netflix previously paid $500m (362m) for rights to the US version of The Office and $425m (308m) for Friends. However, as these were just US distribution deals, it likely paid considerably more to broadcast Seinfeld around the world.

The news was heralded by fans of the series, many of whom lamented their previous struggles watching the show in the UK.

I CAN FINALLY WATCH IT PROPERLY, one tweet read, while another Twitter user added: Finally people will get to see why this is the best sitcom of all time.

One viewer described how they were definitely going to end up rewatching all of this, while another joked: Well thats all my free time for October taking care of.

Another social media user said: Looks like its time to finally check out Seinfeld.

Airing across nine seasons from 1989 to 1998, Seinfeld starred comedian Jerry Seinfeld as a fictionalised version of himself.

It co-starred Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards.

Seinfeld comes to Netflix on 1 October.
Season 41 of hit reality show Survivor is almost here.

After not airing in 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic, the new season is scheduled to premiere on 22 September 2021.

Travel restrictions initially prevented the cast and crew from going to Fiji to film, but it is now returning to its longstanding home for the upcoming season.

Season 41 started filming back in April, longtime host, Jeff Probst, announced on social media.

He said: Hey, Survivor fans, I have some exciting news to share. Survivor is going back into production. Fiji has invited us back to their beautiful country to shoot Season 41.

Probst also detailed how the series would shoot in the pandemic: We have all of our Covid protocols in place so that everybody in Fiji will remain safe, all of our crew will be safe, and of course our players will be safe.

I cant remember a time Ive been this pumped to shoot Survivor and Ill tell you why. The past year has reminded me, and I hope its reminded you, that you gotta live your life like its one big, great adventure, and Survivor fulfills that.

Survivor first started in 2000 and during its over two decades on air, has been one of the most popular shows in the US. The winner of each series receives $1m (730,000).

There will be 18 new contestants for the new season: Brad Reese, Danny McCray, David Voce, Deshawn Radden, Eric Abraham, Erika Casupanan, Evvie Jagoda, Genie Chen, Heather Aldret, Jairus Robinson, Liana Wallace, Naseer, Muttalif, Ricard Foye, Sara Wilson, Shantel Smith, Sydney Segal, Tiffany Seely and Xander Hastings.

Season 41 of Survivor will start on 22 September on CBS at 8pm EST.
A mystery fever swept through parts of Indias largest Uttar Pradesh state, killing dozens of people, including children, within a week.

More than 40 children and a dozen of adults have died while hundreds are admitted in the hospitals of the eastern part of the state, officials said.

The rapid spread of the disease has led Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath to order an urgent increase in bed capacity at hospitals. He has also asked the district health department to conduct a detailed investigation into the cause of the fever.

Patients have been complaining of the symptoms of high fever, joint pains, headaches, dehydration and nausea. In some cases, the patients are also suffering decline in platelet counts and rashes on the body.

Those who died of the disease tested negative for Covid-19 and no link has been found with the ongoing pandemic.

A suspected Indian dengue patient waits outside the dengue screening ward in Delhi (AFP via Getty Images)

Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Manish Asija from Firozabad, one of the worst-affected regions, said on Monday that 40 children have died in the past few days in the district alone.

Mr Asija called the situation alarming and said the reasons could be "water-logging, lack of sanitation and hygiene are the reasons behind the disease spread."

Cases have been reported from Firozabad, Agra, Mathura, Mainpuri, Etah, and Kasganj districts of the state.

Several physicians suspect it to be dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral infection that is widespread in southeast Asia. But the state government has denied its link to dengue as well.

Mr Adityanath said that the first cases with the illness was detected on 18 August, adding that teams would be formed to conduct a probe.

Due to lack of awareness at the local level, the patients were taken to private hospitals and clinics. After learning about the fever, the health department and administration appraised authorities of the situation at the state level, the chief minister told reporters.

"Directions have been issued to ensure adequate manpower at medical colleges," he said.

Scenes at Firozabad medical college showed rows of children in the hospital wards accompanied by worried parents.

Family of a six-year-old boy, who succumbed after three days of high fever, told NDTV that he was not able to make it to the hospital in Agra. "Ten minutes before we reached Agra, he breathed his last," he said.

The deaths have also been linked to scrub typhus, according to a report by Live Hindustan. The samples taken from Koh village of Mathura were found infected with scrub typhus.

Scrub typhus, also called as bush typhus, is caused by a bacteria that passes through bites of infected viral mites. The symptoms begin within 10 days of being bitten, similar to vector-borne diseases. The symptoms are fever and chills, headache, body aches, rashes and muscle pain.

In 2014, several children were detected with antibodies to these scrub typhus bacteria in Gorakhpur when several children died in the city.

Several schools were ordered to remain shut in the affected areas by the authorities even as education institutions are opening up in several parts of the state after a long hiatus due to the pandemic.
An Afghan man who had saved US President Joe Biden in 2008, then a senator, when he was stranded in a remote Afghan valley after a snowstorm, is seeking his help to flee Afghanistan which is now under the Taliban rule.

In a message for Mr Biden, the interpreter, identified only by his first name Mohammed, said: Hello Mr President: Save me and my family. Dont forget me here, reported The Wall Street Journal.

The interpreter has been left behind in Kabul even after days of intense rescue operation to evacuate US citizens, their allies and Afghan civilians. Mohammed, his wife, and their four children could not board the US military aircraft leaving Kabul International airport last month.

Thirteen years ago, he had worked as an interpreter with the US Army which had rushed to help the three senators  Mr Biden, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel  who were stranded after their helicopter force-landed due to heavy snowstorm in the region. Then 36-year-old Mohammed joined the US army motorcade which safely evacuated the three key US senators and braved more than 100 firefights in the valley, the report added.

He has been trying to leave Afghanistan with his family for years but the paperwork and bureaucracy have not made his attempt any easier.

The White House has acknowledged Mohammeds request and underlined their commitment to get all their allies out of the country. In the daily briefing, press secretary Jen Psaki has thanked Mohammed for his efforts and said the US administration will honour his service.

Our message to him is thank you for fighting by our side for the last 20 years. Thank you for the role you played in helping a number of my favourite people out of a snowstorm and for all the work you did, Ms Psaki said.

Ms Psaki said that the administrations commitment is enduring not just to American citizens, but to our Afghan partners who have fought by our side and our efforts and our focus right now is  to the diplomatic phase.

We will get you out. We will honour your service, Ms Psaki said.

Mohammed is among the several thousands of Afghan civilians who are desperate to leave the war-torn country which will now fall to the ultra conservative militant rule of the Taliban.

After camping at the Kabul Airport for more than two weeks in the hope to catch a flight out of the country, tens of thousands of people, including Afghan locals and allies of western countries, are now gathering at border points across Afghanistan.

In an intense and historic rescue operation, the US military evacuated more than 123,000 people from Kabul after the Taliban seized the city in mid-August.

Meanwhile, a political vacuum lingers in the south Asian country where the Taliban is yet to announce a new government or reveal how they intend to govern, unlike in 1996, when the insurgents formed a leadership council within hours of taking the capital.
 Close UK will not recognise Taliban, Dominic Raab says

Even the Taliban was surprised by the speed at which they took over Afghanistan last month, foreign secretary Dominic Raab claimed while speaking at a press conference in Pakistan.

I think there was a common widespread surprise at the speed with which the consolidation of power happened, he told reporters in Islamabad, adding I suspect the Taliban and ordinary Afghans were taken by surprise.

Mr Raab has maintained that the the pace of the Talibans takeover of Kabul was unpredictable, despite being warned in July that the extremist group could return to power as a result of foreign troops vacating the country.

Meanwhile, experts have warned that millions of pounds worth of British arms exported to Afghanistan could end up in the hands of the Taliban and terrorist groups in the region.

Katie Fallon, a coordinator for the Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT), called on the government to urgently investigate which end users now have control over these military goods, which amount to 151m worth of weapons, ammunition and other equipment since 2008.

Labour has similarly pointed to the risk that of British weapons falling into the hands of the Taliban or the Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, Isis-K. There is a clear risk of high-tech equipment falling into the hands of the Taliban, or worse, Isis-K and other terror groups, shadow defence secretary John Healey said.

Sign The Independents petition urging the UK to take in more refugees from Afghanistan here.
During pitched battles in which the Taliban fought against Afghan government forces and their American patrons in Nangarhar province, both sides occasionally put aside their differences and focused their firepower on a mutual enemy: Isis, which had gathered fighters from across the world and hidden itself within the forbidding mountains along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

That was several years ago, and beating the threat posed by the local branch of Isis to all of south Asia became a major impetus for the deal eventually struck between Washington and the Taliban.

Follow Afghanistan news live: Latest updates

Isis-K has now claimed responsibility for the terrorist bombing outside Kabuls Hamid Karzai airport, which left at least 60 people dead, including children, and added to the chaos and despair in Afghanistan on the eve of the final withdrawal of international forces from the country after nearly 20 years of failed efforts at stabilisation and state-building.

The main thing that signals is that, even now that the Taliban spokesman has been saying the war is over, this really shows that terrorism is still very much prevalent in Afghanistan and will continue to be so under this Taliban regime, said Viraj Solanki, a south Asia researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. Afghan civilian lives will continue to be under threat.

Declared in 2015, and formally called the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, Isiss south Asia branch is believed to have been responsible for some of the most horrific attacks in Afghanistan, including bombings of Shia mosques and institutions, which have worsened sectarian mistrust in the country.

It has also struck inside Pakistan, targeting government forces as well as members of the countrys Sufi minority. Isis affiliates were responsible for the worst ever terrorist attack in Sri Lanka, when eight suicide bombers carried out a series of coordinated attacks that killed over 250 people in April 2019.

Experts have described Isiss Khorasan branch as an umbrella group for at least a dozen or so militant factions occasionally cooperating with each other across borders.

Various similarities and distinctions in the nature and timing of ISKs attacks in both countries indicate that ISKs activity is coordinated across the AfPak region to a substantial degree, said a 2018 report written by Amira Jadoon for West Points Combatting Terrorism Centre.

The group has between 2,000 and 5,000 fighters, with half hailing from outside south Asia, drawn to the region by the allure of violent jihad. It is led by a former Taliban commander named Shahab al-Muhajer, a former member of the Talibans al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, which is now, ironically, partially in charge of Kabuls security.

The original Isis formed as an offshoot of al-Qaeda that eventually overpowered its predecessor in Iraq and Syria, establishing a self-declared caliphate that spanned a huge swathe of territory across the Levant.

But south Asia, which contains more Muslims than the Middle East and north Africa combined, was always in the sights of the group. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the late jihadi who founded the caliphate, identified Afghanistan, Pakistan and India as targets of the groups ambitions. His words and the caliphates early successes inspired franchise movements across the globe, including the south Asia branch, which has proven itself enormously effective despite losses suffered by the Isis core leadership in Iraq and Syria.

This is a group that maintains branches from north Africa all the way to southeast Asia, but Afghanistan happens to be the most potent, said Colin Clarke, director of policy and research at the Soufan Group, a Washington-based security consultancy. From the time of its formation, Isiss south Asia affiliate has been building up strength as the lethality of its attacks has grown, despite persistent US airstrikes and engagements with the Afghan forces as well as attacks from the Taliban.

While other jihadi groups worldwide cheered the Talibans victory over the Kabul government and praised it for seemingly defeating a US-led Nato force, Isis cursed Afghanistans new masters as Washington dupes. Taliban is merely a political movement using the cloak of Islam, one Isis supporter wrote on the Telegram messaging platform. Even with the US announcing a withdrawal from Afghanistan, it continued to claim low-key attacks against Taliban strongholds. But suddenly the attacks stopped about 10 or 11 days ago, said Mr Clarke. His worry was that the group was planning something big.

Pulling off a complex attack like this takes time, planning and training, he said. This wasnt just a run-of-the-mill attack. There were multiple suicide bombs and gunmen involved.

The attack on Kabuls airport could set the tone for Afghanistans future the way the 2003 bombing of the United Nations compound in Baghdad darkened Iraqs prospects. Since taking de facto control of the country, the Taliban has reached out to China, Turkey, Iran, and Russia in efforts to draw investment and technical expertise and gain international legitimacy. But Isis persistence in Afghanistan could undermine those efforts. The attack could also attract fresh Isis recruits, helping the group grow, and thereby drain any nascent efforts at creating a sustainable government in Afghanistan. Its going to be a shot in the arm for Isis-K, said Mr Clarke.

Success is sexy. When you have an attack like this it draws attention and new fighters. The political and psychological impact is tremendous. I cant think of an attack that is going to have as big an impact.
When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan a quarter of a century ago, the group was treated as a pariah by much of the world. It could only convince Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to recognise its government, while Russia, its central Asian allies, Turkey, India and Iran were openly arming and funding its opponents.

But now the Taliban is in the diplomatic driving seat as nations scramble to build ties. On Wednesday, Qatars top diplomat urged engagement with the Taliban now that it has taken control of Afghanistan.

If we are starting to put conditions and stopping this engagement, we are going to leave a vacuum, and the question is, who is going to fill this vacuum? asked Qatari foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani. We believe that without engagement we cannot reach real progress on the security front or on the socioeconomic front.

Nations are broadly heeding the call. The United Kingdom is in talks with the radical fundamentalist group over the protection and evacuation of British nationals stranded in Afghanistan.

Moscow, Tehran and Beijing are maintaining high-level diplomatic contacts with the extremist organisation. Turkey and the Taliban are discussing the running of Kabuls airport. Neighbouring Turkmenistan, one of the countries that supported the coalition of fighters that battled the Taliban in the 1990s, is in talks with Taliban representatives over truck deliveries into Afghanistan. And India, Germany and Saudi Arabia are seeking inroads to the Taliban via Qatar.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid (centre) speaks to the media at the airport in Kabul after the US withdrawal (AFP via Getty)

Even the United States has been directly or indirectly in touch with the Taliban, over efforts to evacuate Americans and in respect of their shared opposition to the south Asian branch of Isis.

We engaged with the Taliban during the past few weeks to enable our evacuation operations, US secretary of state Anthony Blinken said on Monday. Going forward, any engagement with a Taliban-led government in Kabul will be driven by one thing only: our vital national interests.

Andreas Krieg, a Middle East specialist at Kings College London, said the world is eager to absorb the mistakes of the past and give the Taliban at least a chance to show that it has changed its ways.

Everyone wants to believe the changed narrative about the Taliban, he said. This might reposition the Taliban as a potential partner.

All the other nations see their security tied up in the future of any Taliban government. Theres no viable alternative. The Taliban is the least of the many bad options for Afghanistans future Ashley Jackson, co-director of the Centre for the Study of Armed Groups

At the root of the dilemma is Afghanistans overwhelming dependence on foreign aid. Roughly 80 per cent of the countrys budget is paid by several World Bank and United Nations-administered trust funds. Take that money away, and the country collapses into further chaos and potential violence.

Everything has been focused on security expenditures but we were bankrolling the whole thing, said Ashley Jackson, the Oslo-based co-director of the Centre for the Study of Armed Groups and the author of a book about Afghanistan. That means midwives, nurses, schools, civil servants, clinics  everything that might keep people from running away.

Ms Jackson warned that Afghans had already suffered a drought and were facing food security issues even before the Taliban takeover, which caused a halt in aid shipments and salaries.

Engagement has its limits. Even Qatar, which has built up ties with the Taliban and has hosted its leadership over the last several years, has refrained from conferring diplomatic recognition upon Kabuls new masters.

Many nations are attempting a delicate diplomatic dance, dangling the prospect of engagement and even financial aid in hopes of curbing some of the Talibans potential excesses. During its 1990s rule, it stripped women and girls of basic human rights and launched a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the countrys Shia minority.

But this time round, the Taliban is very much trying to recast itself. Taliban leaders have repeatedly said they hope to form an inclusive government that represents all Afghan ethnic groups. While the Taliban draws most of its support from the countrys ethnic Pashtun plurality, Afghanistan is made up of sizeable populations of minorities including Tajiks, Hazaras and Uzbeks.

Theres a lot of grey space between having a full adversarial role and full diplomatic recognition Andreas Krieg, Middle East specialist at Kings College London

Taliban officials have publicly urged nations to maintain their embassies and diplomatic outposts in Afghanistan. But as yet, not a single country has recognised the Taliban, which calls itself the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Since losing power as a consequence of the 2001 US-backed war, the Taliban have grown more media-savvy. Many of the talking points touched upon by the Talibans political leadership in Doha may amount to little more than wishful thinking rather than actual policy shifts. Diplomats in world capitals are well aware of this, and are likely bracing for the first atrocity by the Talibans fighters.

The question is to what extent the fighters on the ground are buying into what the leaders are saying, said Mr Krieg.

Mr Blinken, in his address on Monday, said the international legitimacy and support the Taliban seeks will have to be earned.

The US and other governments regard the Taliban as a global terrorist organisation.

But world powers may decide it is in their interests to engage in some measure of cooperation with the new leadership in Kabul, if only to help stabilise Afghanistan and secure their own interests  especially in preventing destabilising waves of Afghan migrants from clamouring to apply for refugee status in order to be admitted to their countries.

Afghan nationals gather in front of the German embassy in Tehran in a bid to acquire refugee visas (Reuters)

What the international community is grappling with is that the Afghan state is a house of sand, said Ms Jackson. If the Taliban government collapses and they are unable to assume control, youre looking at a civil war and chaos situation. All the other nations see their security tied up in the future of any Taliban government. Theres no viable alternative. The Taliban is the least of the many bad options for Afghanistans future.

As unpalatable as some of the Talibans actions and stances are, the group can also serve as a potential counterweight to the even more dangerous ideology of Isis, which has a presence in Afghanistan and was behind the horrific 26 August terrorist attack on Kabuls airport.

Theres a lot of grey space between having a full adversarial role and full diplomatic recognition, said Mr Krieg. If you dont engage with them they will definitely go back to the 1990s. If you dont put money into the state, it will collapse, whether you recognise the government or not.
Coffins draped in the flags of the US and NATO allies were a part of a mock funeral carried out by Taliban supporters in the eastern city of Khost in Afghanistan to celebrate the end of western presence in the region.

Videos being shared widely on social media on Tuesday showed supporters also used British and French flags to drape the coffins, while some showed off their guns at the mock funeral.

August 31 is our formal Freedom Day. On this day, American occupying forces and NATO forces fled the country, Taliban official Qari Saeed Khosti said in an interview with local television station Zhman TV.

News agency Reuters, however, said it could not verify the videos from Khost and others from Kabul, which showed scenes of celebratory gunfire.

The US stuck to its 31 August deadline for withdrawal from Afghanistan and President Joe Biden said in a statement that the war in Afghanistan is now over.

I was not going to extend this forever war, and I was not extending a forever exit, Mr Biden said on Tuesday, standing by his decision to carry out the withdrawal that has been roundly criticised for escalating an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Over 123,000 people, including American citizens and Afghan allies, have been evacuated by the US since the Taliban took over control of the country. Several Afghan allies, however, are yet to be rescued even as they run out of options for accessing a safe haven from the Taliban, whose reprisal they fear.

Pictures and videos of the Taliban entering the airport in US-supplied military fatigues, some with rifles and some trying out the night vision goggles and analysing military helicopters went viral on social media after the last US troops flew out of Afghanistan.

US military officials, on the other hand, said they were not concerned by the images. The departing troops destroyed more than 70 aircraft and dozens of armoured vehicles, Reuters reported. Air defences that thwarted an Isis rocket attack on the eve of their departure were also disabled.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, said in a live stream that the world should have learned its lesson and this is the enjoyable moment of victory. Americans could not achieve their goal through military operations, he said, adding he did not have any doubt that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is a free and sovereign nation.

Mr Biden on Tuesday also signed into law a bill that would provide up to $10 million in assistance for US citizens who have been evacuated from Afghanistan for the next two years.
Extinction Rebellion (XR) brought parts of London to a standstill on day nine of the group's protest across the capital when activists closed off London Bridge with a bus.

Demonstrators blocked the south side of the bridge with a vintage-looking single-decker which was quickly surrounded by police. A day earlier, traffic over Tower Bridge was halted by the protesters using a parked caravan.

Throughout the day, some glued themselves to pavements while others marched banging drums and clapping.

The Metropolitan Police said 43 further arrests had been made on Tuesday, taking the total number of detained climate activists to 469.

The force later defended the actions of its officers after footage showed them using batons and dragging protesters.

The Met tweeted: There have been some questions today on our use of force while attempting to disrupt the protest involving Extinction Rebellion's bus.

It is very clear that the demo near London Bridge was an attempt to cause a major disruption to one of London's busiest bridges.

Seeing this, officers nearby took immediate action to prevent any unreasonable disruption to the highway, and to detain those attempting to cause disruption or who were obstructing officers in the lawful execution of their duty.

We believe this swift action prevented some protesters from setting up further complex lock-on devices which were inside the bus.

Given the circumstances and likely disruption to the community, our initial assessment is that their use of force was reasonable and proportionate.

Extinction Rebellion protesters use a bus to block London Bridge (EPA)

As part of the protests, which began last week, activists have blocked a road in central London with a large pink table containing built-in lock-ons, spray painted the floor outside the HM Revenue & Customs headquarters and daubed the famous Guildhall in the City of London in red paint.

Animal Rebellion, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, dyed the Buckingham Palace fountains red in protest at animal hunting.

On Tuesday, activists also blocked the entrance and exit to the UKs largest dairy factory, preventing the delivery of thousands of pints of milk.

Protesters from Animal Rebellion arrived at 5am on Tuesday morning and erected two wooden tower structures at the entrance and exit of Arlas factory in Aylesbury.

Around 50 activists were camped out at the site, with some locked-on to a van and lying in the middle of the roads leading to the dairy plant.

Eleven demonstrators were arrested on Monday during the Tower Bridge occupation.

Extinction Rebellion London tweeted: We will leave the streets when the government starts treating the climate emergency like an emergency.

Covid showed what the government can do in a crisis, it's the level of response required for the climate but sustained over years.
Hurricane Ida made landfall last weekend near New Orleans as a Category-4 storm, lashing the region with winds of up to 150mph (240kph), heavy rains and several feet of storm surge on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Mercifully, levees held around the Big Easy after being reinforced in the wake of the 2005 storm which decimated neighborhoods and left 1,800 people dead. However the storm still caused massive flooding outside of New Orleans in communities like Houma and LaPlace.

Four deaths were reported in Louisiana and Mississippi, including two people killed when a highway collapsed in torrential rain.

And 43 people were killed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania amid unprecedented flooding across the northeast as the remains of Ida lashed the region on Wednesday night.

Officials say that the death toll was at least 26 people on in New York City and New Jersey including a two-year-old boy.

New York Police Department reported that at least eight people were killed when their basement apartments flooded, and in Elizabeth, New Jersey, five people were found dead after an apartment complex flooded.

Ida is the joint-fifth strongest hurricane ever to make landfall amid whats shaping up to be a highly active Atlantic season. Last year saw a record-breaking 30 named storms which wreaked waves of damage in the US, Central America and the Caribbean.

While Ida had now weakened to a tropical depression, there remains significant threat of flash flooding as it marches north. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Weather Prediction Center is warning of torrential rainfall which could lead to once-in-a-century events in some areas.

Several factors linked to the climate crisis are helping to fuel more powerful, destructive storms like Ida, scientists say.

The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the worlds leading authority on climate science, found that storms with sustained higher wind speeds  in the Category 3-5 range  have likely increased in the past 40 years.

The ocean absorbs over 90 per cent of excess heat caused by greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels and that warm water feeds hurricanes.

There is more energy available, so intensification of these hurricanes is expected, Dr Susan Lozier, president of the American Geophysical Union and an expert on the interaction of oceans, hurricanes and climate change, told The Independent. And intensification brings more winds.

More than a million people lost power when Ida toppled thousands of transmission lines and knocked 216 substations offline. Utility companies warned that thousands could remain in the dark and without air conditioning or running water for several weeks amid stifling heat and humidity.

Jerilyn Collins wades through floodwaters after being transported by the Louisiana National Guard back to her home to retrieve medicine for herself and her father, after she evacuated from rising water in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, Louisiana (AP)

In New Orleans, temperatures were expected to feel like 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41C) on Wednesday.

As the planet warms, more moisture is held in the atmosphere, which means that storms also bring the possibility of a lot more rainfall.

Within about 150km of the storm center, we expect average rain flux rate to increase about 7 per cent for every one degree Celsius of global warming, Dr Tom Knutson, senior scientist with the NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, told The Independent.

In addition, global sea level rise is compounding the danger of storm surge.

Storm surge will produce a greater inundation as background sea level is higher systematically over almost all regions of the globe because of global warming, Dr Knutson said.

The Gulf region has among the fastest rising sea levels in the US and in Louisiana, sea level is now 24 inches higher than in 1950.

As with everywhere else, the Gulf of Mexico has seen sea level rise because the oceans are warmer, but it's also due to the fact that there's been groundwater extraction and the ground has subsided over many years, making this much worse, Dr Lozier said.

Climate change does not necessarily mean there will be more storms, Dr Knutson explained, and in fact the number may even decrease. However since about 1980, there is evidence that global warming has increased the chance of hurricanes ramping up into more extreme events.

There have been observations that hurricanes are now also moving more slowly, but Dr Lozier cautioned that the science is not as settled as with the other climate-driven factors impacting storms. But slow-moving hurricanes really are bad news, she added.

Research published last year in the journal Nature Climate Change proposed that changes in the rapidly warming Arctic region are contributing to weakened atmospheric circulation, which in turn may impact hurricane speed.

When combined with higher levels of rainfall, storms which squat over regions for extended periods can lead to catastrophic flooding as was the case with 2017s Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas.
A warm blob in the southwestern Pacific Ocean has been linked to a megadrought thousands of miles away in Chile, a new study has found.

For the first time, research has established a connection between the so-called Southern blob, located east of Australia and New Zealand, and the South American nations decades-long drought.

Researchers used computer simulations to measure the blob from 1979 to 2018, and found that the waters of the blob are 1.5 degrees Celsius hotter than they were 40 years ago.

That is also around three times the global average increase in sea surface temperature, according to the study published on 26th August in the Journal of Climate.

Rising global temperature, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, is believed to be partly behind the warm blobs increase in size which now roughly equates to the land mass of Australia.

While other ocean heat blobs have broken apart within a few years, the Southern blob has been particularly long-lasting. Scientists in part attribute its endurance to the impacts of the climate crisis.

The ocean absorbs over 90 per cent of the excess heat caused by greenhouse emissions, according to National Centers for Environmental Information.

The blob radiates hot air which is carried by wind currents to Chile. This high-pressure ridge in turn had led to a decline in rainfall and exacerbated hot and dry conditions in the country.

Chile has been suffering from prolonged drought conditions for the past decade. Tens of thousands of farm animals have died, prompting Chiles ministry of agriculture to declare an emergency in 50 areas. Water resources have also run dry in rural areas, forcing residents to have water delivered to their homes.

Earlier this month Chilean officials declared the record-breaking drought as a clear sign of the climate crisis, noting that the Andes mountain range have no snowcaps and the low reservoir levels in the capital, Santiago. So far this year there has been 78mm of rainfall in Chile - a vast decline from 180mm last year.

The Southern blob is affecting regions beyond Chile. As warm waters creep towards Antarctica, it results in reduced sea ice and loss of habitat for creatures such as seabirds and polar bears.

The Southern blob isnt the first marine heatwave to cause concern. In 2013, a blob formed off Alaska and led to a decline in the salmon population.
Angelina Jolie is using her platform to raise awareness of the dwindling bee population, with the humanitarian highlighting the importance of beekeeping.

The 46-year-old actor spoke candidly about efforts to save the insects and train a new generation of beekeepers, and donned a beekeeping suit, in a new video with Vogue.

The video was filmed in Provence, France, where the Guerlain ambassador met with members of the first graduating class of the brands Women for Bees initiative at lObservatoire Francais dApidologie (OFA).

The program, launched by the French beauty brand in June in collaboration with OFA and UNESCO, aims to train 50 women beekeepers from different biospheres over five years, according to Vogue, with the goal to repopulate 125m bees by 2025.

In the video, Jolie can be seen helping the beekeepers while dressed in a white protective suit and protective head covering, with the Maleficent star explaining that, when she began working with Guerlain, they spoke often about the bees.

I thought I knew something about bees and beekeeping and training, and I thought I understood the importance, Jolie said. But really, when you really dig into it and you really start to learn about what, for example, what we would lose, 30 per cent of the honey bees disappearing. Had we not had the beekeepers and the work of places like OFA, we would lose them.

What happens when we lose them? What happens when we lose them all?

The Oscar-winner then noted that she wasnt a young environmentalist, but has since come to recognise the importance of saving the insects.

I wasnt a young environmentalist, right? Im more of a humanist. Ive been very active in displacement in the politics of, you know fighting against persecution, she noted. But it always leads back to environment. Even displaced people are often displaced because of the damage to the environment.

The video then goes on to feature a beekeeper who participated in the program, who explained all the ways bees are the most important animal on earth, with the woman noting that through their pollinating services, they offer one out of three bites of food that we eat every day and that we wouldnt have the clothes that we wear without bees.

The world would be completely different without bees, she continued, before explaining that the bee population is declining for a number of reasons, such as pesticides, habitat loss, monoculture and parasites.

Elsewhere in the video, Jolie said she hopes that more people become involved in efforts to save the bees, whether through beekeeping, having flowers or simply by dedicating some part of their life or time to the awareness and the encouragement of these kinds of programs.

On social media, Jolies public support for the bees has prompted praise among her fans and followers, with one person tweeting: The environment, women, and bees and Angelina Jolie advocating for them is the most beautiful thing Ive discovered this week.

Angelina Jolie shares support for initiative teaching beekeeping (Vogue)

Another person wrote on Vogues Instagram: This is awesome!!! She is such a wonderful advocate for so many important issues and insanely beautiful too.

This is not the first time that Jolie has been outspoken about the importance of saving bees, as she previously posed for a portrait for National Geographic covered in bees for World Bee Day.

Jolies support for the initiative comes after she recently joined Instagram to shed light on the humanitarian issue happening in Afghanistan, with the actor, who works as a special envoy to the United Nations refugee agency, sharing a letter she received from an Afghan teenager frightened of the Taliban.

Her arrival on the platform also became notable in its own right, as shortly after Jolie became the fastest user to reach one million Instagram followers.
Children up and down the country have either already started a new school year, or are preparing to head back any day.

Most schools have a uniform (or dress code) and rules around things like haircuts and piercings, to make sure their students look presentable, and thats perfectly acceptable. But whats not OK is hair discrimination.

Hair discrimination is when you treat a person differently and unfairly, not because of who they are, but because they have hair that is different to European standards, says activist Zina Alfa, who is working with Dove on the educational My Hair, My Crown campaign.

It is usually because they have afro-textured hair. For school children, it can result in being excluded from school due to wearing your natural afro, fade, locs or braids, as well as other protective or natural hairstyles.

(Alamy/PA)

If a student is excluded from school, its disruptive to their education, but even if the discrimination doesnt go that far, it can still negatively affect a child during their formative years.

Alfa says: Afro hair through the lens of society is often seen as unprofessional, unattractive, and unclean. If a child hears, sees or is made to feel that, that narrative will exist in their mind. The brain will develop to hold trauma and self-hate towards the way in which they look.

A lack of self-confidence can lead children to be critical of themselves and others, and deter from what is actually important. [They may be] less likely to listen to teachers due to a hostile environment. They may feel as if they do not have the support they want.

Talk to and about teachers

(Alamy/PA)

One of the ways you can safeguard your kids, is through a conversation about hair discrimination and hair itself, says Alfa. Its important for children to know that although teachers are a huge influence, they are human and sometimes, teachers and schools come with their own biases.

She recommends telling your children to stay true to themselves, and if a teacher is being discriminatory, its important to speak to an adult about it.

Education

Understanding the history of afro hair and showing examples of this is imperative in understanding hair discrimination, says Alfa. She has created a series of videos on the topic that you can find on the UB Hair YouTube channel.

Also, give examples where students spoke up for what is right, as seen with a school in Pimlico [London] where the students protested against the discrimination against the pupils of colour. The school changed their anti-afro hair policies as a result.

Styling

When youre styling your childs hair, take the opportunity to bond. Say, You have amazing hair. Tell them, A lot of people might try and stop you from showing it off because they are jealous, but remember, if they do, come to me straight away and I will deal with it, Alfa suggests.

Also just by making hair time fun, they will always associate hair with having a good time. You can put beads in their natural hair and use oils and cream that smell good.

Try to use positive language and affirmations, she adds: Instead of saying your childs hair is coarse, nappy or kinky, start calling it delicate, beautiful and bouncy. And if they are frustrated about how long it takes to do their hair, say good things take time [the same way] pressure creates diamonds.

Visibility

Its not just what you say to kids that matters  seeing characters and real people who look like them in magazines, books and TV can make a big difference.

Alfa says: An array of different characters can be used as tools to explain harder topics. [Books] I Love My Hair! written by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley or Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, which was made into a film, are great examples of learning to love your hair.

Part of the Dove Self-Esteem Project curriculum, My Hair, My Crown is a tool for educators, parents and mentors to boost hair confidence in kids with coils, curls, waves and protective styles  and to build allyship in others to create a respectful and open world for natural hair.
[This article was first published in 2016]

Everyone has at least one friend who always posts their gym activity on social media. Maybe you even do it yourself.

"Ran 15 miles before work! Yeah" can be motivating to read in the morning, or incredibly annoying, depending on how much you hate that painfully overused flexed-biceps-emoji.

Researchers from Brunel University in London conducted a study in May 2015 as to why so many people share every workout on social media. The results are unflattering, to say the least.

People who are always keen on documenting their gym activities (or every time you simply go for a good, old-fashioned run) tend to be narcissists, the study found.

According to the researchers, the primary goal is to boast about how much time you invest in your looks. Apparently, these status updates also earn more Facebook likes than other kinds of posts.

"Narcissists more frequently updated about their achievements, which was motivated by their need for attention and validation from the Facebook community", the study concludes.

The high number of likes doesn't necessarily mean everyone loves seeing those bragging posts, though.

Psychology lecturer Dr Tara Marshall goes on to say that "although our results suggest that narcissists' bragging pays off because they receive more likes and comments to their status updates, it could be that their Facebook friends politely offer support while secretly disliking such egotistical displays.

"Greater awareness of how one's status updates might be perceived by friends could help people to avoid topics that annoy more than they entertain."

The researchers concluded that further studies are needed in order to uncover what peoples Facebook statuses say about them.
Many food business owners have said they are not prepared for Natashas Law, new food safety legislation that is set to come into effect in October.

The legislation will require all pre-packaged foods in the UK to show full ingredient lists and allergen information.

It was brought about after the death of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse in 2016, who who had an allergic reaction after eating a Pret A Manger sandwich whose packaging did not disclose it contained sesame seeds - a fatal ingredient for the teenager.

Ednan-Laperous purchased the sandwich at Heathrow airport and later collapsed on a flight to Nice.

Following her death, Ednan-Laperouses parents campaigned for new legislation around food labelling.

In June 2019, the government announced that it would bring Natashas Law into effect from October 2021.

However, research on 500 food industry employers and employees commissioned by global standards organisation GS1 UK, found that 40 per cent of businesses had not yet heard of Natashas Law.

Almost half (48 per cent) of small independent businesses said they had heard of Natashas Law.

It also found that 80 per cent of those surveyed felt unprepared for the new legislation.

This was in spite of the fact that 90 per cent claimed to have had a lot of information about Natashas Law and what would be required of them.

Henry Dimbleby MBE, author of the National Food Strategy said: Natashas Law represents a hugely positive, yet complex transformation for the food sector, one fraught with risk.

It is worrying that the awareness of the changes is inconsistent, but not particularly surprising after everything the sector has had thrown at it over the last 18 months.

Its therefore fantastic to see a data solution that will help companies, particularly smaller companies, make the required changes while reducing both bureaucracy and the opportunities for error.
Ever since the Expedition 1 flight crew floated aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on 2 November 2000, humans have had a continuous presence in space.

The ISS was only meant to last for 15 years, but more than two decades later it continues to operate as an orbiting lab for a multinational consortium of space agencies. With several years still left to serve, officials this week warned that new cracks in one of the modules and outdated equipment could soon result in irreparable damage that may lead to early abandonment and destruction.

The newly discovered cracks on the Zarya module, which is the oldest part of the space station and nowadays only used for storing Russian equipment, could begin to spread over time, according to Vladimir Solovyov, a prominent Russian rocket engineer.

As a microgravity laboratory largely unprotected by the Earths atmosphere, the ISS has proved useful in understanding ways to survive and live self-sufficiently on other planets. Scientists have learned how to grow plants, identified unknown space microbes, and devised methods to combat muscle atrophy and bone loss. Winemakers in France even sent up a dozen bottles of Bordeaux to understand how the taste would change with the absence of gravity. (It apparently tasted beautiful.)

But unfortunately, unlike a fine wine, the ISS is getting worse with age. Solovyov previously warned that an avalanche of issues will beset the ISS from 2025 due to ageing equipment and hardware. The severity of the new cracks is not yet known but it is only the latest in a series of problems plaguing the craft, with previous cracks resulting in air leaks and pressure drops that posed a serious hazard to those living and working onboard.

Roscosmos, Russias space agency, is only contracted to remain with the ISS until 2024, which was the date set by Nasa in 2014 to retire the space station. That date has since been pushed back to a hopeful 2030, though it appears uncertain that it will be able to hold together that long.

Literally a day after the [in-flight] systems are fully exhausted, irreparable failures may begin, Solovyov said this week.

Christmas Eve spacewalk repairs broken cooling system at the International Space Station Show all 2 1 /2 Christmas Eve spacewalk repairs broken cooling system at the International Space Station Christmas Eve spacewalk repairs broken cooling system at the International Space Station International-Space-Station.jpg Nasa astronaut Michael Hopkins works to repair an external cooling line on the International Space Station AP Christmas Eve spacewalk repairs broken cooling system at the International Space Station shuttle-walk-REUTERS.jpeg REUTERS

In March, Nasa official Phil McAlister warned that the ISS could experience an unrecoverable anomaly at any time, and that a responsible handover to private and commercial enterprises would begin later this decade.

With the likes of Boeing and SpaceX keen on using the platform for its own endeavours, the question will be what comes next. After the ISS reaches the end of its life and has to be thrust out of orbit to burn up in the atmosphere and shower debris into the Pacific Ocean, humankinds most prolonged presence in space could finally come to an end.

We expect to expand the space station as a government project all the way to 2030, Nasa administrator Bill Nelson said at the 36th space symposium last week. And we hope it will be followed by commercial stations.

Private firms like SpaceX have longer-term plans to venture even further into space by setting up bases and colonies on the moon and Mars, while Nasa risks losing its foothold in low-Earth orbit  and with it, its position as the worlds foremost space power.

China is already working on its own space station, while Russia also announced plans last month to build and operate its own orbiting lab from 2030. The two countries have also signed an agreement to jointly develop a lunar base, and have invited the European Space Agency to cooperate with them.

Nasa is forbidden from even opening up discussions with China to pursue a space venture due to a 2011 law that bans the space agency from collaborating with US geopolitical rivals. Roscosmos has also criticised the US for imposing sanctions against the Russian space industry, meaning the end of the ISS could be the end of Nasas meaningful international collaboration in space for the foreseeable future.
The team that engineered the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covidvaccine has been named winners of the Heroes of the Year award at GQs 24th annual Men of the Year awards.

Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, Dr Catherine Green and the team behind the jab that offered hope to every corner of the globe will be awarded the title during the ceremony on Wednesday night.

It marks the first time GQ has had an award titled Heroes of the Year and the first time an award is going to a group. The magazine has previously honoured individual women in its awards, including Michaela Coel for Creative Icon and Lashana Lynch for Hugo Boss Breakthrough Actress in 2020.

The vaccine team raced to develop a world-changing response to Covid-19 and announced their life-saving vaccine in November 2020.

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine became available on a non-profit basis in perpetuity to low- and middle-income countries, and is part of Covax, the global initiative to distribute two billion doses to the developing world at cost price.

The vaccine is now the most-used vaccine in the world and the most widely accepted for global travel, with 119 governments recognising it.

In an interview with GQ, Dr Green said the details of the deal with AstraZeneca to make the jab available to the developing world at cost was something neither she nor Prof Gilbert had anything to do with, but added: As a university and as a charity, we were always working for public health and public good and not for profit.

The university was never going to just sell it to the highest bidder and make the most money.

Professor Sarah Gilbert and Dr Catherine Green, part of the Oxford/AstraZeneca team that developed the most widely-used Covid vaccine (Jooney Woodward/GQ)

The duo also spoke about their unexpected fame, the potential for more pandemics to emerge in the coming years, and whether or not booster vaccine doses will be necessary.

The GQ award is the latest in a slew of recognitions achieved by Prof Gilbert, Dr Green and other members of Oxford Vaccine Group in the past year for their work on Covid-19.

The team was recognised for their excellence at the NHS Parliamentary awards in July, and director Andrew Pollard was honoured as part of the Queens Birthday Honours List this year.

Mattel created a Barbie doll in Prof Gilberts honour, which she said was initially very strange but she hoped it would inspire young girls to work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.

The GQ Men of the Year awards will take place in central London and will be jointly hosted by husband and wife Idris and Sabrina Elba. Last year, the awards took place online due to coronavirus restrictions.
Across the UK, children are preparing to return to school after almost two months of summer holidays. But experts have warned that the number of coronavirus cases may surge in the coming weeks, as more children and adults mix inside the classroom.

Professor Jason Leitch, Scotlands national clinical director, told Sky News on Tuesday that the UK could be facing a fragile moment in its response to the ongoing pandemic, as the Delta variant continues to spread and lockdown rules remain relaxed.

It comes after Scotland has seen Covid-19 cases doubling every week since restrictions were eased on 9 August. Schools in Scotland have been in session since at least mid-August, which contributed to the increase in cases, said Leitch.

As most pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland return to the classroom on Monday 6 September, parents may be concerned about what they should do if their child contracts Covid-19 while at school. The rules differ according to where in the country you live.

Heres everything you need to know:

England

In England, schools no longer have to keep pupils in year group bubbles to reduce mixing, face coverings are no longer required and isolation rules have been relaxed.

However, all secondary school pupils are invited to take regular lateral flow swab tests at school, every three to five days.

If your child tests positive for Covid-19, they will be required to isolate at home for 10 days, as they did before the summer holidays. According to government guidance, you will have to book a further PCR test for them to confirm the result, and your child should continue to self-isolate while awaiting the results.

Pupils, or their parents, will be asked to provide details about close contacts at school or elsewhere, and other children who have been named as close contacts will then be asked to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test.

Close contacts will not have to self-isolate unless they test positive for the virus. This includes parents and others living in the same household as the child who tested positive for Covid-19.

If your childs PCR test comes back negative, your child can return to school as long as they dont have Covid-19 symptoms.

Scotland

Pupils in Scotland are encouraged to take twice-weekly lateral flow tests at home. If a student starts to feel unwell with Covid-19 symptoms while at school, parents are advised that they will be looked after by staff until they can be collected.

Other siblings in the school or in other schools should also return home as soon as possible and self-isolate with their household. According to NHS Scotlands Inform website, all members of the household should remain at home until the person with symptoms gets tested.

All household members should not go to work, school, public areas or use public transport while isolating for any reason, including to buy food or other essentials.

Wales

The Welsh government has advised parents to ensure their child takes twice-weekly lateral flow tests throughout the rest of the academic year, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not.

The results of the regular lateral flow tests will have to be reported online.

Children displaying symptoms of Covid-19 should remain at home and parents are advised to arrange a test. If the test comes back positive, the Test, Trace and Protect (TTP) system will commence to advise self-isolation and identify close contacts.

All adults who have been fully-vaccinated, or those under 18, are no longer required to self-isolate if they are identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.

Children who have been identified as a close contact, but do not have Covid symptoms and have not been advised to self-isolate can continue to attend school. They will, however, be advised to take a PCR test and will have to self-isolate if the test comes back positive.

Northern Ireland

Most schools in Northern Ireland already returned last week, but all remaining schools reopen today.

All students in Years Eight to 14 and school staff are encouraged to take part in voluntary testing, which is offered twice weekly and can be carried out at home.

Once the test is completed, pupils who receive a positive test result must immediately report it to the schools appointed Covid Officer via a phone call.

Parents are advised to then seek a further PCR test from a local testing centre for their child. If the PCR test returns a positive result, the pupil and their whole household will be required to self-isolate for ten days.
[This article was originally published in 2020]

With a team of world-class chefs, access to the best food that money can buy, and dining rooms at palaces across the UK, you would have thought meal times are always prestigious in the Windsor household.

The Queens former chef, Darren McGrady, has drawn back the curtain and revealed Her Majestys private dining habits, having previously spoken about her preferred drinks.

The 58-year-olds primary role during his 15-year tenure at Buckingham Palace was as Queen Elizabeth IIs personal chef, accompanying her on two royal tours of Australia. He also cooked for five American Presidents  Ford, Reagan, Bush Snr, Clinton, and Bush Jnr  during their state visits.

McGrady also worked for other members of the royal family  including Princess Diana, and her sons William and Harry at Kensington Palace. He was cooking for Diana on the night of her death  31 August 1997. McGrady already had her dinner ready and waiting for her return.

In his book "Eating Royally: Recipes and Remembrances from a Palace Kitchen", McGrady has revealed the Queens dining preferences, her favourite meals and the things she is not a fan of on the dinner table.

How many meals does the Queen eat in a day?

McGrady says the Queen has four meals a day - but only eats small portions at each. In a series of YouTube Q&A videos, he says that during his time as her personal chef between 1982 and 1993, the Queen would eat breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner.

For breakfast she keeps things simple. Royal biographer, Katie Nicholl, has previously said: "HRH typically starts with a simple cup of tea and biscuits, followed by a bowl of cereal." (The Guardian previously reported she likes to keep it in Tupperware to preserve its freshness.)

This is before moving on to a lunch of grilled fish with wilted spinach or courgettes, according to McGrady. She is also partial to a simple grilled chicken with salad - a low carbohydrate option.

Then, in the late afternoon, McGrady says, the Queen will have an afternoon tea. (The Queen always has scones with jam and clotted cream - and she puts jam on first).

He explained: Shed always have afternoon tea wherever she was in the world. Wed flown out to Australia and were on the Royal Yacht. It was five oclock in the morning but for the Queen it was five in the afternoon so my first job was making scones.

The queen had 20 chefs at the royal kitchen at the time McGrady was working there, he says. It was previously reportedthat the head chef would provide the Queen with a menu twice a week and then she could choose meals to her liking. McGrady confirmed the menu system was in place.

McGrady says while the Queen never directly said she didnt enjoy a meal, she would leave a message in a notebook for the staff. She had a little book on her desk and she would just put a note in there saying I don't want this again or something like that, he explains.

The Queen wore the same dress at the premiere of Lawrence of Arabia in 1962( (PA/PA Wire)

What are the Queens favourite foods?

The Queen apparently has a particular love for Morecambe Bay potted shrimp on toast. In a Q&A video, McGrady said: "They're cooked and marinated in this secret spicy butter. And then the Queen would have them with warm toast, and when you spread them on the warm toast, the butter melts."

The Queen might only enjoy small portions of savoury food, but McGrady says she is a glutton for sweet. Charbonnel et Walker, Bendicks, and Prestat all hold royal warrants.

"She is absolutely a chocoholic," McGrady told Hello! magazine in 2016. "Anything we put on the menu that had chocolate on, she would choose, especially chocolate perfection pie [a layered chocolate pie with white and dark chocolate and chocolate shavings]."

One of the Queens favourite guilty pleasures during McGradys time as chef was a croque monsieur sandwich, with melted Gruyere, ham and whipped eggs, he said.

One of Prince Philips favourite dishes was reportedly salmon coulibiac, McGrady says there was always a lot of salmon to eat when the royals were in residence at Balmoral because they went fishing frequently. "There are foods that the Queen and the royal family love, though, and it's all the produce at their estate, especially at Balmoral castle."

As well as enjoying four meals  the monarch is partial to a tipple, according to the Queens cousin, Margaret Rhodes, who said the Queen's preferred drinks are a gin and Dubonnet or a flute of champagne.

Historic Royal Palaces Show all 4 1 /4 Historic Royal Palaces Historic Royal Palaces Historic Royal Palaces Historic Royal Palaces Historic Royal Palaces

What is the most important meal at the Palace?

McGrady says that the most popular meal of the week was always Friday fish and chips.

Everybody loved fish and chips," explained McGrady. "All the staff, 300 staff at Buckingham Palace, all of the chefs would have fish and chips for lunch. But, forget your tartar sauce and your ketchup, we loved it with salad cream. Salad cream on those French fries, on those chips."

Although the Queen reportedly had her fish and chips in a panko breadcrumb rather than traditional batter. As for her condiment of choice - Lea & Perrins, HP Sauce, and Heinz ketchup all hold royal warrants.

But the other meal closest to the Queens heart is not one for the humans.

McGrady told Hello! magazine: One of the things that really, really shocked me when I got a job as the Queen's chef was that I wasn't straight away preparing banquets for kings, queens and presidents. I was actually chopping beef, liver and chicken for the Queen's [12] corgis. I later learned that was one of the most important meals of the day when it came to the Queen.

And one of his first tasks as the Queens personal chef was peeling carrots for her horses at Balmoral.

(Getty Images (Getty Images)

Are there any foods the Queen doesnt like?

The Queen does not enjoy strong flavours, such as garlic and onion, says McGrady. "The Queen doesn't like garlic... we could never use it at Buckingham Palace.

McGrady says the most important thing to remember was that  unlike when you are cooking in a hotel or restaurant  you are only cooking for one person so their taste is what matters. It was [about] cooking dishes that the queen liked  for example, you could do a beef stroganoff and if she didn't like paprika in there, it became a dish without paprika because youre cooking for that one person.

This also applied if Prince Philip was dining with his wife. The Queen eats to live whereas Prince Philip lives to eat, says McGrady. He loves curries with lots of garlic and spices, a real foodie. But we could never do [two plates] for your plate youre going to have lots of garlic, and your plate, no garlic, it was always down to the Queen, you have everything how she has it.

And shellfish and rare meat are also avoided during royal visits or tours  times when the family cannot afford to be out of action with food poisoning. Former royal butler Grant Harold confirmed this rule is sensible when royals are on duty.

Does the Queen ever cook for herself?

McGrady says that while Prince Philip was an amazing chef and regularly enjoyed cooking on the grill and having family BBQs on the Balmoral estate, and the younger royals like William, Kate, Meghan and Harry, all enjoy cooking, the Queen herself stays out of the kitchen.

And no, the Queen was never partial to a McDonalds drive-thru either. The Queen never ordered fast food. When youve got 20 chefs in the kitchen, why would you? You can call down to the kitchen and order whatever you want, says McGrady.

What about special occasions?

McGrady told Hello! magazine that the biggest food event at the palace is Christmas. Although they go for traditional options. "It was the same meal every year," he said. "They're actually boring when it comes to festivities. They didn't do hams or anything, just traditional turkeys.

We did three turkeys for the Queen and her family in the royal dining room, one for the children's nursery and then more for the 100 or so staff, so everyone had a Christmas lunch."

And they didnt scrimp on dessert  the Christmas pudding would be decorated in holly, doused in brandy, and the palace steward would carry it, flaming, into the royal dining room.

For Mothers Day, McGrady says the Queen didnt really celebrate but she would often go to Windsor castle for the weekend and want special eggs for breakfast.

The royals do not celebrate Halloween either, McGrady confirmed.
No 10 and the trade department are blocking trade unions from sensitive trade talks despite unions offers to sign confidentiality agreements, according to leading labour representatives.

Business groups are allowed to scrutinise key details and some draft text of trade deals, but for more than a year, trade unions have been prevented from offering meaningful input on employment law and workers rights within secretive groups set up by the Department for International Trade (DIT).

For the past four months, the decision on membership has been with No 10 after the trade department held off on including trade unions in these groups, The Independent understands.

On 26 August 2020, the government scrapped its previous trade advisory groups and created new ones, which exclude trade unions from sensitive details. Instead, it hived them off into a separate group, which is not allowed detailed information on trade negotiations, according to the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Its been over a year since the trade advisory groups were first established. It beggars belief that trade unions still dont have a seat at the table more than eight months since the government gave its word that unions would be involved, said Rosa Crawford, TUC trade policy lead.

Trade deals should improve workers rights, job opportunities and wages  and decrease global inequalities. But currently, deals are not being done in the interest of working people.

Membership of these groups requires that members sign non-disclosure agreements, barring them from discussing the details of discussions. The TUC told government it would be willing to sign these contracts, but it has still not been allowed entry to these sensitive meetings. This is despite a promise made by the government last year that they would be granted access, a point the trade department did not respond to in a request for comment from The Independent.

Other countries also require that members of advisory groups sign confidentiality contracts and note that secrecy is important to ensure that the national interest is not undermined by leaked negotiating aims. But they also, in many cases, include trade unions within these talks, and in the US such consultation is a legal requirement.

A DIT spokesperson said the department engages extensively with trade unions to ensure the interests of workers are fully consulted in our trade policy.

Trade advisory groups have been created to allow business to input on the departments approach to FTAs, and therefore serve a different function to trade union advisory Groups. We continually look at our structures and make sure our consultation approach remains fit for purpose, they added.

The TUCs exclusion comes as the government is trying to secure deals with Australia, New Zealand, and other members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as part of its effort to join the trade bloc. This bloc includes countries such as Brunei which do not recognise labour laws, according to the TUC.

This is a government that promised to make Britain the best place in the world to work. Yet time and time again, ministers have been rushing into deals which have had no effective means of enforcing labour standards, Ms Crawford said.

Other concerns about joining the CPTPP include investor state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms, which can allow legal disputes to be settled behind closed doors.

Labours shadow trade secretary, Emily Thornberry, said that Liz Truss has shown she is not interested in the expertise of trade unions and civil society groups.

That is why the deals she has struck to date have had nothing new to say in areas ranging from the protection of workers rights to the creation of green jobs, Ms Thornberry said.

It is a simple fact that if the representatives of working people are involved in the UKs trade negotiations, we will get better deals for our country. It is the height of arrogance for Liz Truss to think she alone knows best, she added.

In other trade agreements, ISDS has been used by private companies to sue countries when they try to improve working conditions and environmental standards. Although it ultimately failed, French company Veolia pursued a case for six years against the Egyptian government after it introduced an increase to the nations minimum wage.

Two members of the trade departments business groups on trade negotiations confirmed that they are offered more detailed updates than appear to be shared with trade unions. However, one senior business figure who has attended such meetings said these are also often a complete waste of time and that they also do not offer enough information.

Were often asked after the event what we might want from trade policy, rather than the other way around, they added.
 Close Related video: Gavin Williamson wants Covid vaccine rolled out to children under 16

Being double-jabbed almost halves the likelihood of long Covid in adults who get coronavirus, a new study has suggested.

Researchers at Kings College London also said that being admitted to hospital with the virus was 73 per cent less likely, and the chances of severe symptoms were reduced by almost a third (31 per cent) in the fully vaccinated.

The team analysed data from more than two million people logging their symptoms, tests and vaccine status on the UK Zoe Covid Symptom Study app between 8 December 2020 and 4 July this year.

It comes as Gavin Williamson said there was the capacity to give Covid vaccinations to 12 to 15-year-olds as well as a booster programme for adults.

The education secretary said the decision was not either/or and insisted the NHS was ready to go into schools and deliver that vaccination programme for children when given the go-ahead by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The UKs coronavirus death toll has risen by 207  the highest number of fatalities reported for six months.

It is the first time that more than 200 deaths have been reported in a single day since 9 March, when 231 people were recorded as losing their lives within 28 days of testing positive for the virus.

With the number of new daily infections having mostly sat above 30,000 in recent weeks, after rising to a high of nearly 55,000 on 17 July, there has been a slow but steady climb since June in the number of new deaths reported.

While the seven-day average for the number of deaths reported daily rose to a high of 115 on Friday, after sitting in single digits until mid-June, the level of fatalities still remains far below that seen when infections were allowed to soar to similar levels last winter.

Scientists and politicians have mainly credited this reduction in death and serious illness to the arrival of vaccines, which have been shown to vastly reduce the chance of becoming seriously ill with the virus, even when infected with the Delta variant.

The new variant, first discovered in India, has been found to be more transmissible and carry nearly double the risk of hospitalisation among unvaccinated people than the Alpha variant  which drove the UKs devastating second wave.

According to the latest government figures, nearly 91 million vaccine doses have been administered so far across the UK. Nearly 43 million people have now had two doses.

This week, The Independent reported that up to 600,000 people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine were feared to have missed or even rejected their second jab in recent weeks.

One doctor said that vaccination does not seem a priority to some people any more, while another estimated that roughly 10 per cent of over-40s have not returned to his clinic for a follow-up jab.

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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. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave Getty UK news in pictures 16 July 2021 The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 15 July 2021 Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a 7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport's Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe PA UK news in pictures 14 July 2021 Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the worlds first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the Mary Shelleys House of Frankenstein experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July PA UK news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford PA

Meanwhile, a further rise in cases is expected as schools in England and Wales return this week.

In Scotland, where classes began between two to three weeks ago, Nicola Sturgeon warned on Wednesday of an extremely concerning surge in new infections, even when taking into account the expected rise.

New cases in Scotland have hit several all-time highs in recent days, exceeding 7,200 on Thursday. UK-wide figures show a steady rise in new reported infections throughout the first four weeks of August.

Warning the next few days are crucial, Ms Sturgeon urged people to get vaccinated and cut down on socialising as she cautioned it would be grossly irresponsible for any government to rule out further restrictions.
Double child killer Colin Pitchfork has been released from prison

The 61-year-old walked free on Wednesday morning after a government bid to keep him behind bars was rejected by the parole board.

He was jailed for life after raping and strangling Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth - both just 15 - in Leicestershire in 1983 and 1986.

He became the first man convicted of murder on the basis of DNA evidence in 1988 as he admitted two murders, two rapes, two indecent assaults and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Reacting to news of his release, Barbara Ashworth, mother of Dawn, said she had known it was happening  but I don't think he should be breathing the same air as us.

The 75-year-old said: Life should have meant life in his case, because he said he was guilty of the offences, the murders of both the girls

They did say that if it had been done today he wouldn't have been let out. But that doesn't excuse anything. I don't have my daughter back or any of the hopes and dreams that she had in her life.

"She was my only daughter and you live your life through them and their future - but that was taken away."

Pitchfork was moved to the open Leyhill Prison, in Gloucestershire three years ago ahead of being released back into the community.

But in a clear indication of the threat he still poses, Pitchfork  a one-time baker who is said to be in good health  will now be subject to some of the strictest licence conditions ever set.

He will wear an electronic tag so he can be monitored at all times, banned from going near the relatives of his victims and face restrictions on using the internet by himself.

His crimes remain among the most shocking in recent memory with both his victims dumped secluded footpaths in Leicestershire.

He raped and strangled Lynda in Narborough after dropping his wife off at an evening class and while his baby son slept in the back of his car. Three years later he raped and murdered Dawn in an almost identical attack in nearby Enderby.

He was eventually caught following the world's first mass screening for DNA with 5,000 men in three villages asked to volunteer blood or saliva samples in a bid to track down the killer.

Although no match was made, a bakery colleague of Pitchfork was later overheard boasting about how he had been promised 200 to pose as Pitchfork and give a sample.

The conversation was reported to the police and Pitchfork was later arrested.

He admitted two counts of murder, two counts of rape, two of indecent assault and one of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "Our heartfelt sympathies remain with the families of Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth following the independent Parole Board's decision to release Colin Pitchfork.

"Public safety is our top priority, which is why he is subject to some of the strictest licence conditions ever set and will remain under supervision for the rest of his life.

"If he breaches these conditions, he faces an immediate return to prison."
A convicted Isis supporter who knew the Westminster attacker has been jailed for committing more terror offences after his release from prison

Ibrahim Anderson, 44, shared Isis videos, including some showing beheadings and calling for terror attacks, on Facebook and the encrypted Telegram messaging app.

He did not know that one of the people he was conversing with was an undercover police officer, telling her: We will, with the help of tawhid [the belief in the oneness of God], raise the black flag over London.

Anderson was originally sentenced to three years imprisonment in 2016 for promoting Isis outside Topshop in Londons Oxford Street.

It later emerged that he had gone to the same Luton gym as the Westminster attacker, Khalid Masood, and an Isis fighter who was killed in a drone strike.

Following his release from prison, he was subjected to terrorist notification requirements, which are intended to enable police to monitor convicts and manage any risk they pose.

But he was able to commit a string of terror offences through summer and autumn last year.

Anderson was handed a seven-year jail sentence at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, after admitting 15 terror offences.

Judge Philip Katz QC said some of the material shared by Anderson was at the worst end of the range seen in this court.

Like so many others, you were spending too much time in the dark regions of the internet [during the coronavirus lockdown], he told the defendant.

Patrick Harte, defending, said his client had expressed remorse after turning to the internet for some sort of release during the pandemic.

Earlier this year, Anderson pleaded guilty to 10 counts of disseminating terrorist publications on Facebook and Telegram. They included official Isis propaganda films showing execution and beheadings, calling for terror attacks and glorifying suicide bombings.

He admitted a further four charges of possessing terrorist publications, relating to issues of Isis official Rumiyah magazine, including editions containing instructions on knife and vehicle attacks.

Anderson also pleaded guilty to breaching terrorist notification requirements by not giving police details of current email accounts.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters 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. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave Getty UK news in pictures 16 July 2021 The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 15 July 2021 Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a 7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport's Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe PA UK news in pictures 14 July 2021 Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the worlds first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the Mary Shelleys House of Frankenstein experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July PA UK news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford PA

Mr Harte previously told the Old Bailey that Anderson admitted dissemination on a reckless basis in the sense he did not intend his act to encourage terrorism.

Anderson is one of numerous terror convicts linked to Anjem Choudarys banned al-Muhajiroun network.

Concerns had been publicly raised about his online activity before the period covered by the case.

In 2019, The Sun reported that he had shared hateful images on his Facebook page including one showing an AK-47 assault rifle laid in front of a prayer mat.

The caption said: Remember the Mujahideen [warriors] in your prayers because they are fighting on your behalf.

Anderson, a former mechanic with five children, has previous convictions for assault and possession of an imitation firearm.

Born as Andrew Anderson, he converted to Islam while serving a jail sentence for robbery in the 1990s.

He later became known for preaching from stalls linked to al-Muhajiroun.

In August 2014, he was spotted on Oxford Street handing out a leaflet on the Isis caliphate and challenged by two Muslim women who reported him to police.

Photos of the leaflets circulated on social media showed them declaring the dawn of a new era and calling on Muslims to pledge allegiance and migrate to the new so-called Islamic State.

The case resulted in his prosecution for inviting support for Isis, which was the same offence used against al-Muhajiroun leaders Choudary and Mizanur Rahman.

Despite being hailed as the UKs most dangerous Islamist group and banned as a terrorist organisation since 2006, no one has ever been successfully prosecuted for membership of al-Muhajiroun itself.

Additional reporting by PA
A neo-Nazi terror offender has been ordered to read literary classics including Jane Austen and Charles Dickens or face going to jail.

Ben John was handed a suspended prison sentence for possessing a terrorist document, meaning he will not be jailed unless he breaks the conditions imposed by the court and a five-year Serious Crime Prevention Order.

Leicester Crown Court heard the 21-year-old student had amassed a wealth of white supremacist, antisemitic and satanic material, as well as explosives manuals.

Judge Timothy Spencer QC told Tuesdays sentencing hearing John had avoided imprisonment by the skin of his teeth.

In an exchange with the defendant reported by the Leicester Mercury, the judge asked him to promise to stop reading extreme right-wing material.

Have you read Dickens? Austen? Start with Pride and Prejudice and Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Think about Hardy, think about Trollope, the judge said.

On 4 January you will tell me what you have read and I will test you on it. I will test you and if I think you are [lying to] me you will suffer.

Following a trial in August, a jury convicted him of one count of possessing information useful to a terrorist, over a document containing instructions on how to construct various explosive devices.

John was acquitted of six other counts of the same offence, after saying he did not know what the documents contained when he downloaded them.

Judge Spencer said John had been given chances by others in the past to change his ways, but refused.

The court heard that at the age of 18, he was flagged to the governments Prevent counter-extremism programme and offered support including psychiatrists.

The judge said John should have turned away from his obsessive fascination with the extreme right-wing but did not, writing a letter calling himself part of the Lincoln fascist underground and expressing hatred for the LGBT community and immigrants.

At the time of his arrest in January 2020, John was studying for a criminology and psychology degree at the University of Leicester.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium Reuters UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London EPA UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London PA UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire POOL/AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit Action Images via Reuters 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. The bridge was closed last year after cracks in it worsened during a heatwave Getty UK news in pictures 16 July 2021 The sun rises behind the Sefton Park Palm House, in Sefton Park, Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 15 July 2021 Sir Nicholas Serota watches a short film about sea monsters as he opens a 7.6 million, 360 immersive dome at Devonport's Market Hall in Plymouth, which is the first of its type to be built in Europe PA UK news in pictures 14 July 2021 Heidi Street, playing a gothic character, looks at a brain suspended in glass at the worlds first attraction dedicated to the author of Frankenstein inside the Mary Shelleys House of Frankenstein experience, located in a Georgian terraced house in Bath, as it prepares to open to the public on 19 July PA UK news in pictures 13 July 2021 Rehearsals are held in a car park in Glasgow for a parade scene ahead of filming for what is thought to be the new Indiana Jones 5 movie starring Harrison Ford PA

His computer had a recently installed operating system, which Judge Spencer said may have been a deliberate measure to obliterate its memory.

Forensic examination of separate hard drives uncovered tens of thousands of documents, including a worrying amount of extreme right wing literature and imagery relating to Adolf Hitler, fascism and newer forms of neo-Nazism.

Judge Spencer told John he rejected his claims that the research was a mere academic fascination, and found that he had aligned with the ideologies.

The worry to me is that you are a lonely individual with few, if any, true friends, he added.

You are highly susceptible to recruitment by other like-minded individuals, some more prone to action than you, and your hard drives would have provided easy access to all that was needed to produce weapons of destruction.

The judge labelled John a sad fantasist, saying he did not have any terrorist motivations himself and was not likely to cause harm.

He was released from custody at the sentencing hearing, having been held on remand since 11 August because he had broken his bail conditions.

If [20 days in custody] does not make you realise the folly of the course you have set nothing will, Judge Spencer added.

John was given a two-year prison sentence, which was suspended for two years, and must fulfil the terms of a Serious Crime Prevention Order and tagged curfew.

Detective Inspector James Manning, of Counter Terrorism Policing East Midlands, said: This was a young man who could be anyones son, studying at university, and living one life in public, while conducting another in private.

He possessed a wealth of National Socialist and antisemitic material which indicated a fascination and belief in a white supremacist ideology, along with support for an extreme satanic group [the Order of Nine Angles] which is increasingly of concern for law enforcement agencies.

The terrorist material he was found in possession of is extremely dangerous, and he acquired this to further his ideology. It indicates the threat that he and other followers of this hateful ideology pose to national security.
The Home Offices plan to resettle Afghan refugees has come under fire from local councils who say they have been left scrambling to meet the urgent needs of new arrivals due to a lack of clarity from central government.

A letter from Labour ministers to the home secretary and the housing minister, seen by The Independent, has also warned that the government must step up and play its role in providing national coordination, leadership and support to local authorities receiving Afghan arrivals, warning of substantial challenges for these refugees if it fails to do so.

In some cases, houses procured for evacuated families have remained empty for more than a week despite the Home Office saying the process would take one day, councillors said.

Charities, meanwhile, say that the time Afghans spend in hotels should be as short as possible, as living in this setting can have a detrimental impact on their mental health.

The Independent has backed calls for ministers to be more ambitious in its plan to resettle Afghans. Our Refugees Welcome campaign is calling for the government to offer sanctuary to as many people as possible.

The UK has evacuated 15,000 people from Kabul over the last fortnight  including 5,000 British nationals and more than 8,000 Afghans who worked for the UK and their families, as well as many highly vulnerable people. Hundreds had already prior to this under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, which opened in June.

All arrivals are required to spend 10 days in hotel quarantine, and are usually then moved to what are called holding hotels while local authorities find permanent housing for them.

The letter, coordinated by the shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, raises concern about the large number of refugees the Home Office has placed in hotel accommodation, sometimes for many months at a time, without prior notice or engagement, without giving prior notice to or having engagement with local councils.

It says it is vital that councils are given clarity as soon as possible on the financial support the government intends to make available for them to permanent housing for recently arrived Afghan nationals.

Failure to work in partnership with local authorities to ensure people are placed in suitable accommodation will bring about substantial challenges for those seeking to build a new life and the local authority, it adds.

Peter Barnett, lead officer of refugee resettlement at Coventry Council, said his team had struggled to procure homes  but that even once it had they remained empty. He said there were five properties ready for Afghan families to move into that had been sitting empty for more than a week.

They told us, get the properties and we will match a family the next day. Its been over a week now since we gave full details and weve had no word about families moving in. I know there is a number of other councils in this situation. It just erodes trust, he said.

Its frustrating. The last thing I want to be doing is procuring properties and them to be sitting empty. Thats a risk on a number of levels. You dont want them sitting empty for ages and wasting rent on them.

Councils say the Home Offices lack of a clear commitment to refugee resettlement over the past year has also made it more difficult to quickly mobilise to take in Afghan arrivals. The home secretary, Priti Patel, scrapped the UKs numerical resettlement target in March.

Kevin Bonavia, Lewisham Councils member for democracy, refugees and accountability, said the council had informed the Home Office of its willingness to take in Afghan refugees, but that it needed to be much clearer on the terms of the resettlement programme.

So much of this delay and uncertainty could have been avoided if the government had ensured that the UK had an effective resettlement strategy for refugees generally, which local councils and charities had been calling for since last year, he said.

The government refused to set annual target numbers or guarantee the duration of any resettlement programme, meaning that councils were unable to plan ahead in terms of securing housing and other essential support. Now we are scrambling to meet the urgent need as best we can. We need far better than this knee-jerk response.

Louise Calvey, head of services at Refugee Action, warned that unless ministers got a grip on resettlement roll-out and co-ordinate properly with local authorities, Afghan refugees faced being left in unfit homes without stable access to health care and education.

She added: Ministers have spent the last 18 months putting a match to their refugee resettlement programmes. This has created a system thats totally unprepared to respond quickly to the emergency in Afghanistan and has left councils playing catch-up to find homes for people fleeing the Taliban.

Jon Featonby, refugee and asylum policy manager at British Red Cross, said that staying in hotels for prolonged periods had a detrimental impact on refugees, adding: We certainly think that people are better off when theyre able to get into that longer-term accommodation.

A Home Office spokesperson said: We have evacuated over 16,000 people from Afghanistan, however we know more needs to be done. That is why we are establishing a bespoke scheme to provide protection for Afghan citizens identified most at risk, and are insisting that safe passage continues for those who want to leave.

We are working with local government to develop the scheme and its funding, using the experience of the successful, world leading vulnerable person resettlement scheme as a basis. Last week, the home secretary spoke to with the Mayor of London and government officials held a meeting with local authorities to discuss further.
The way doomed alpaca Geronimo was captured and brought to his death has been condemned as disgraceful and abhorrent by the UKs society of alpaca owners.

In a written complaint sent to environment secretary George Eustice and prime minister Boris Johnson, The British Alpaca Society said that Defra officers failed to ensure that Geronimo was handled and euthanised with a minimum of distress.

They pointed to the capture of the animal and his handling as startling and totally inexcusable, saying that officials were dragging him kicking and screaming on to a trailer then tying him up with a poorly fitted cattle halter.

The society, which represents 2,000 alpaca owners in the UK, claimed that Geronimo was screaming his distress call as he was brutally loaded, which is evidence of how terrified he was. And alleged that the alpaca was seen gasping for air.

Geronimo the alpaca was taken from his farm in Gloucestershire yesterday and killed by vets enforcing a court warrant issued to prevent the spread of bovine tuberculosis.

Uniformed police helped Defra officials wearing masks, goggles, and blue overalls to take the animal from his pen at the farm in Wickwar.

The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the infected animal was moved from the premises and euthanised by staff from the Animal and Plant Health Agency as a necessary measure to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis.

But the British Alpaca Society said that when alpacas are moved they should have headcollars fitted so that their breathing is not obstructed, and that they should be sat down when transported.

They added: Whoever led this repulsive exercise yesterday simply hadnt bothered to find out the proper techniques.

Speaking about the incident, the governments chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss, said: This is a terribly sad situation and our sympathies remain with all those affected by this devastating disease.

No one wants to have to cull infected animals if it can be avoided, but we need to follow the scientific evidence and cull animals that have tested positive for bTB to minimise spread of this insidious disease and ultimately eradicate the biggest threat to animal health in this county.

Helen Macdonald, the owner of Geronimo the alpaca, hit out at the government for failing to engage with campaigners yesterday.

She said: Im absolutely disgusted by this government. They know that they set him up four years ago with incompetence and bullying and a falsified test that has no validity and yet [here] we are this morning. Geronimo has been manhandled out of my farm.

Despite Defra being granted a warrant to euthanise the alpaca, Ms Macdonald claimed the testing was flawed and that her animal was healthy.

Geronimo was tested again for bovine tuberculosis yesterday, and results of the tests will be sent to Ms Macdonald when completed.
Geronimo the alpaca was taken from his Gloucestershire farm on Tuesday and killed following a four-year legal battle and campaign by the animal's owner.

The alpaca, brought to England from New Zealand in 2017, twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis, a lung disease that can spread easily through animals. As a result, the government said the animal had to be put down.

Helen Macdonald, Geronimo's owner, disputed the test results and mounted several high court legal challenges against the government.

But each ended in failure and officials at the Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) ordered him to be euthanised.

At around 11am on Tuesday, Defra staff removed Geronimo from Ms Macdonald's farm in Wickwar, near Britsol, and took him to be destroyed.

Speaking after the cull, chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said it was a "terribly sad situation" but that the scientific advice had to be followed.

What are the rules on bovine tuberculosis?

Bovine tuberculosis is a respiratory disease prevalent in cattle and caused by the Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) bacteria.

According to the UK governments Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), transmission of the disease from one animal to another can occur through nose to nose contact and also through contact with saliva, urine, faeces and milk, a particular problem given that livestock are typically kept in close quarters to one another.

Any farmer or breeder who suspects one of their animals has contracted bovine TB is obliged to notify the Animal and Plant Health Agency via the Defra Rural Services Helpine. Not to do so is an offence.

The UK currently has a test and slaughter programme in place, whose basic principle, according to Public Health England, is to identify infected cattle as early as possible and minimise the risk of the disease being transmitted to other cattle, wildlife and people.

In Britain, herds in parts of the country with Low Risk Area status are tested every four years while those in High Risk or Edge Areas are tested annually.

The primary screening test for bovine TB in cattle is a skin test, properly known as a single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin test, which is the international standard. It may also be supplemented by an interferon-gamma blood test to confirm the result.

Any animal that reacts to the skin test, indicating the presence of the disease, will be taken away and slaughtered and its owner compensated.

The surviving cattle in the herd are placed under movement restrictions, the host farm loses its Officially Tuberculosis-Free status until a clean bill of health can be assured and is required to thoroughly clean and disinfect its premises.

How widespread is the disease?

Bovine TB has been a problem for cattle farmers in the UK since at least the 1930s.

It has been tested for in Great Britain since 1950 and in Northern Ireland since 1959 and was relatively contained until the mid-1980s when cases of it spiked, after which it received a further boost in 2001 when the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease caused testing to be suspended for 10 months, presenting it with an opportunity to thrive.

The disease is known to be especially persistent in southwestern England, central Wales and Northern Ireland, where it has jumped the species barrier, enabling its spread by other wild animals like badgers and deer or even house pets.

Earlier this month Ms Macdonald lost the last of her High Court battles to save Geronimo.

Ms Macdonald, a veterinary nurse, had insisted that the eight-year-old has been completely fit and healthy over the last two years and had not been infected with the disease, but to no avail.

A new warrant was subsequently issued for Geronimos death, stipulating a kill window of 30 days.

Helen Macdonald with Geronimo (Save Geronimo/YouTube)

The test used on Geronimo is highly specific, it is validated, it is reliable and the risk of a false positive is extremely low, commented prime minister Boris Johnsons official spokesperson, declining appeals for clemency on the animals behalf.

A retest after two consecutive positive test results wouldnt invalidate the previous tests. So, theres no plans for any further tests.

We recognise how distressing this clearly is for Ms Macdonald, as it is for farmers who have had to put cattle down - 27,000 had to be put down last year alone, they added. We need disease control measures to be applied consistently if we are able to tackle it and obviously thats why we need to move ahead now.
The head of a Cambridge University college has resigned over allegations that he mishandled complaints of sexual misconduct raised by students.

An independent enquiry into the allegations over the handling of the complaints recommended disciplinary action against Jeremy Morris, the master of Trinity Hall.

The college issued a statement on their website on Tuesday, announcing that it accepted Dr Morriss resignation, noting that he disputed the recommendation of the enquiry.

The Master disputes this recommendation, noting, in particular, the enquiry's recognition that a number of contributors had praised his personal support for those who have raised issues of sexual abuse in specific situations, the statement said.

However, he considers that it is in the best interests of the college for him to offer his resignation, given the difficulties of the last 18 months, to enable the search for a new Master to begin, it added.

Dr Morris had stepped away from his duties in 2020 during an ongoing internal review. He was accused of mishandling multiple complaints of sexual assault against a male student.

An investigation by the news website Tortoise revealed three women students told academic staff in February 2018 they had been raped and sexually assaulted by a male student, which the accused denied. Two of the survivors made formal complaints, which were heard by a panel of dons appointed by acting senior tutor Dr William OReilly.

Dr Morris also faced backlash in 2019 after Cambridge don Peter Hutchinson, accused of sexually harassing 10 students, was readmitted to the college less than two years after being permanently excluded and banned from contacting students. Dr Hutchinson, however, resigned in November after over 1,300 students and staff staged protests against him.

The college commissioned an independent inquiry led by Gemma White QC into the handling of allegations. Her report, based on over 60 interviews, recommended the college consider initiating disciplinary action against Dr Morris.

In 2020, at least 500 students and staff had asked the college to critically review their handling of sexual misconduct complaints.

Ms White has also led an enquiry into the alleged bullying and harassment of Westminster lawmakers Parliamentary staff and others engaged in Parliamentary work on their behalf.
Around half a million vulnerable Britons are to be offered a third dose of coronavirus vaccine, but a decision has yet to be taken on the awaited autumn booster programme.

Anyone aged 12 or over with a weakened immune system  including patients with blood cancer, advanced HIV or who have had recent organ transplants  will be eligible for the jab following a recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Health secretary Sajid Javid stressed it was not the start of the booster programme, which he said would begin in September to ensure the protection people have built from vaccines is maintained over time and ahead of the winter.

It comes after The Independent revealed the JCVI is resisting intense political pressure to give the go-ahead for Covid jabs for all Britains teenagers because of fears it could disrupt the programme of boosters for vulnerable older people.

There are ever louder demands to protect those aged 12 to 15, with headteachers representatives calling for a decision sooner rather than later as schools return across England and Wales after the summer holidays.

Recommended Final UK troops pulled out of Kabul

The JCVI estimates that around one per cent of the UK population, or 400,000 to 500,000 people, will be in line for a third vaccination, which will give adults a top-up shot of the vaccine to extend their protection from the virus. Studies have shown that people who are immunosuppressed have lower levels of antibodies after Covid-19 vaccination.

Early data from one such study, the OCTAVE trial, demonstrated that almost everyone who had a severely weakened immune system mounted some sort of response to the vaccine after two doses. However, in around 40 per cent of people, the levels of antibodies generated were low.

The European head of the World Health Organisation said on Monday that a third shot of the vaccine was a way to keep the most vulnerable safe and not a luxury booster.

The JCVI is recommending MRNA vaccines, including the Pfizer and Moderna jabs, are used for the third dose.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is not recommended as it is not an MRNA jab, and so works differently to offer protection. There is also more information available about MRNA vaccines and their effectiveness as third doses.

If new data emerges that allows other vaccines to be used in the same way then the JCVI will modify its advice accordingly.

The Moderna or Pfizer vaccines are advised for third doses in adults aged 18 and over. For those aged 12 to 17, the Pfizer vaccine is preferred.

Mr Javid said he had today accepted the expert recommendations from the JCVI to offer third vaccine doses to this group of vulnerable people.

He added: The NHS will contact people as soon as possible to discuss their needs and arrange an appointment for a third dose where clinically appropriate.

Chair of Covid-19 immunisation for the JCVI, Professor Wei Shen Lim, said: We want people with severely suppressed immune systems to have the best chance of gaining protection from Covid-19 via vaccination.

Therefore, we are advising they have a third vaccine dose on top of their initial two doses, as we hope this will reduce their risk of severe outcomes such as hospitalisation and death.

The decision on the timing of the third dose should be made by their specialist. As a general guide, the third does should usually be at least eight weeks after the second dose but with flexibility to adjust the timing so that, where possible, immunosuppression is at a minimum when the vaccine dose is given.

Gemma Peters, Chief Executive of Blood Cancer UK, responded to the news, saying: People with blood cancer are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from Covid and are less likely to have responded well to two doses of the vaccine, so it is great news that they will now be offered a third dose.

The NHS now needs to make sure it contacts every person with blood cancer to invite them for a third dose.

In the past, too many people with blood cancer have been missed out in this sort of blanket communication and it is vital that this time everyone gets an invitation promptly.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has been accused of being asleep at the wheel over Afghanistan, after a leaked report revealed he was warned more than three weeks before the fall of Kabul of the danger that a swift Taliban advance would cause the collapse of the Afghan security forces and a major humanitarian crisis.

Mr Raab appeared wrong-footed when confronted with the internal Foreign Office (FCDO) report during an appearance before a parliamentary committee, where he had assured MPs that the central assessment produced by the governments Joint Intelligence Committee was that the Taliban takeover would be slow and the Afghan capital would not fall into the militant groups hands until next year.

The beleaguered foreign secretary, who left for the region following Wednesdays hearing for talks with neighbouring countries on efforts to bring out an estimated 1,100 people eligible to seek sanctuary in the UK, admitted that events had shown the official intelligence assessment to be incorrect and promised an fsinternal probe to find out why.

The Principal Risk Report paper - seen by The Independent - was presented to the FCDOs management board on 22 July - 24 days before the Taliban entered Kabul and at least a couple of weeks before Mr Raab set off for a family holiday in Crete.

It warned: Peace talks are stalled and US/Nato withdrawal is resulting in rapid Taliban advances. This could lead to the fall of cities, collapse of security forces, Taliban return to power, mass displacement and significant humanitarian need. The embassy may need to close if security deteriorates.

Confronted with the assessment by Commons Foreign Affairs Committee chair Tom Tugendhat, Mr Raab seemed initially puzzled, asking: Sorry, the source of that?

Told it was his own risk report, he replied: Yeah, well, as I said, of course we are very mindful of that.

But he made no response to Mr Tugendhats demand to know how policy had changed in response to the warning.

The central assessment remained until late the the deterioration would be incremental, Mr Raab told MPs.

Accepting that the UK had been caught unawares, he said: Clearly, the assessment that they wouldnt be able to advance at that speed was not correct, and well need to look and assess why that is the case.

Speaking after the 90-minute hearing, the Conservative MP - a former soldier who served in Afghanistan and said one of his interpreters had been left behind when the UK evacuation operation ended at the weekend - made clear he did not believe Mr Raab was aware of the report.

 Dominic Raab attacked by Chris Bryant over his holiday during Afghan crisis.mp4

There are two kinds of intelligence failures, said Mr Tugendhat. There are those failures where the intelligence agency fails to provide the intelligence and theres a second kind of intelligence failure where whoever is the principal didnt read it.

Im afraid you cant blame the spies if the officers dont read the report.

The report stated that UK operations have not moved into crisis in Afghanistan but there is potential to do so.

Labours shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said: Despite his own departments clear warnings weeks before Kabul fell, the foreign secretary was asleep at the wheel. He could have stepped up the evacuation, issued warnings to British nationals and increased resources in his department. Instead he chose to go on holiday.

And the Conservative chair of the Commons Defence Committee Tobias Ellwood said that Mr Raabs appearance had bolstered his demand for a public inquiry into the UKs handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

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Mr Ellwood said that intelligence assessments relied on by Mr Raab, suggesting that Afghan forces could hold on until the New Year or longer, were worryingly naive in the light of the fact that US withdrawal left them without access even to ammunition for their guns.

From the limited information now in the public domain, it is clear that there was a litany of poor decision-making which left us in the precarious situation of having to evacuate from the airport, leaving thousands of Western troops vulnerable, he told The Independent. On 22 July, there was still time for us to speak to the US and offer alternative solutions to mitigate the mistakes that had been made.

During tetchy exchanges at the emergency hearing, Mr Raab repeatedly refused to say when exactly he began his holiday, which was eventually cut short after Taliban insurgents entered Kabul.

With the benefit of hindsight he said he would have come back earlier, but told the commitee that he had at no point considered offering his resignation.

Labour MP Claudia Webbe accused Mr Raab of being missing in action, asking him: Are you the person to take us forward and will you now again consider your position?

But Mr Raab accused her of playing politics, telling MPs: I considered getting on with the job of what has been the Herculean task of getting 17,000 people out.

He admitted he was not confident with any precision at all on how many people eligible to come to the UK remain in Afghanistan. British nationals still in the country were probably in the mid to low hundreds, he said.

And he appeared to blame the slowness of the UKs evacuation operation, compared to that of France, on the reluctance of those eligible for assistance to come forward until the last minute.

He told MPs that 1,500 had been removed between April and August, but that the majority of people only came forward for evacuation relatively late on when there was a surge for the door as it became clear that the Taliban would soon seize control.

Work to develop evacuation, medical and security capacity at the airport was ongoing before August and he personally was involved in more than 40 meetings or calls between mid-March and 30 August where Afghanistan was on the agenda, he said.

 Dominic Raab asked to consider his position after going MIA on Afghanistan

Mr Raab acknowledged that Afghans who worked as guards at the UK embassy had not been evacuated, telling MPs: We wanted to get some of those embassy guards through but the buses arranged to collect them, to take them to airport, were not given permission to enter.

But he said that all those named in papers found by The Times newspaper in the UKs former embassy after the Taliban takeover had safely arrived in Britain.

He appeared surprised to be told that Taliban fighters had been pictured with a picture of the Queen taken from the embassy.

My understanding was that it was destroyed, he told Labour MP Neil Coyle. Are you saying that it wasnt?

We had a very clear  policy for destroying not just documents but anything relating to HMG (government).

Clearly we were conscious of the attempted propaganda coup around the Taliban taking over embassies.

Asked if he owed an apology to Afghans and soldiers put at risk, Mr Raab told MPs: I think we owe them every effort to get those out that we did  the 17,000 since April  and now to focus on the new reality in Afghanistan.

Mr Tugendhat told him that Afghanistan was now set to be the UKs most significant foreign policy challenge of the coming years, describing the fall of Kabul as the single biggest foreign policy disaster the UK has faced since Suez, in the sense that is has exposed a weakness in our alliances and in our stance.

An FCDO spokesperson later said: The Principal Risk Register is a standard monthly report for the management board which does not contain intelligence assessments.

It is an internal document which sets out potential risks to the organisation for planning purposes including around duty of care to staff.

It is simply wrong and misleading to suggest this document is in any way at odds with our detailed assessments of the situation in Afghanistan or our public position throughout the crisis.

The July document makes clear that our central planning assumption at the time was that the peace process in Afghanistan would run for up to a further six months.
UK embassy officials in Afghanistan told Afghans to go to Kabul airports Abbey Gate entrance only hours before a deadly suicide bombing attack in the area, according to a report.

The British embassy instructed some people trying to flee the country to use the Abbey Gate [near] to the Baron Hotel last Thursday, the day of the attack, emails have shown.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) had changed its advice last Wednesday, advising that people leave Kabul airport because of the high threat of a terrorist attack.

The UK government said it was now investigating the emails to work out how messages against this advice could have been sent to Afghans.

Emails seen by BBCs Newsnight show Afghans eligible for evacuation were told to head for Abbey Gate hours before the attack  with one women describing the advice as confusing and conflicting.

Another unnamed Afghan, a former interpreter, told the BBC he decided not to ignore advice telling him to be at Abbey Gate because he did not feel safe. He added: It would be madness to go there and that saved my life. It was our own judgement that saved our lives."

The FCDO had updated its advice on 25 August, stating: There is an ongoing and high threat of terrorist attack. Do not travel to Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport. If you are in the area of the airport, move away to a safe location and await further advice.

The UKs armed forces minister James Heappey said on the morning of 26 August, the day of the twin suicide bombings, that people should stay away from airport. He warned that the threat of an attack was credible and imminent.

Almost 200 people were killed in the suicide bombing attack at the outside Kabul airports Abbey Gate area  including two UK citizens and 13 US soldiers.

US forces decided to keep Abbey Gate entrance open longer than they wanted to allow British officials to continue evacuating personnel, according to leaked claims from the Pentagon.

But both No 10 and foreign secretary Dominic Raab have said it was just not true to suggest the UK had called for Abbey Gate to be left open for part of its exit operation.

A UK government spokesperson said: We did all we could to get individuals to safety in incredibly difficult and changing circumstances.

We changed travel advice as soon as an increased terror threat was established and ensured that all call handlers communicated this advice as well as making it clear on the ground where we advised the crowds to disperse.

The government spokesperson added: We are investigating how an email against this advice could have been sent.

It comes as No 10 confirmed that Boris Johnsons representative for Afghan transition was in Doha to meet with Taliban representatives to discuss the fate of British nationals and Afghan staff who missed out on evacuation before the final Western troops left Kabul airport.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace told MPs that Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials have been instructed to use phone calls and messages to get into contact with as many of them as possible  calling it Dunkirk by WhatsApp.

Recommended Final UK troops pulled out of Kabul

Meanwhile, foreign secretary Dominic Raab prepares to endure a 90-minute grilling from the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday afternoon.

Labours shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said Mr Raab was responsible for the biggest foreign policy failing in a generation, and demanded his resignation should he fail to tell MPs how he intended to put it right.
Refugees fleeing Taliban rule in Afghanistan will not be resettled in the UK if they come across the English Channel in small boats, a Home Office minister has said.

Afghan resettlement minister Victoria Atkins said refugees would have to come via legal routes pre-agreed with officials if they want to access support in Britain.

Our message has been, please, please do not travel here illegally, Ms Atkins said as she set out resettlement plans  dubbed Operation Warm Welcome by the government.

At least 8,000 Afghan staff and family members evacuated under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme will be given indefinite leave to remain in the UK, the Home Office has confirmed.

But Ms Atkins said the government had not decided whether the 5,000 Afghans who will be helped to come to the UK under the separate resettlement scheme over the next year will get indefinite leave to remain. These decisions will be made in due course, she told Sky News.

Thousands of Afghans with ties to the UK mission in Afghanistan reportedly remain trapped in the country, having been unable to get on evacuation flights before the final withdrawal of western troops from the country.

But the Home Office minister insisted that desperate Afghans who flee to neighbouring countries and later attempt to come to the UK via the Channel would be subject to the governments crackdown on small boat crossings.

Ms Atkins told BBC Breakfast: This is the great challenge we are facing in other parts of our immigration system  trying to stop these gangs exploiting people, vulnerable people, by bringing them over in small boats over the Channel.

She added: Our message has been, please, please do not travel here illegally. The quid pro quo is that we will offer safe and legal routes. And thats precisely what we are doing with the Afghan resettlement scheme. Weve got to do this in an orderly and legal way.

Earlier this year a group of a group of 450 immigration experts condemned the British governments attempt to create a division between legal and illegal routes by vilifying asylum seekers who have no option but to travel by irregular means.

The academics letter stated: These are not illegal journeys ... under international law one cannot travel illegally if one is seeking asylum.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace last night told MPs about the ongoing effort to assist up to 300 Afghan staff, and around 700 of their dependents, who missed out on evacuation before the final Western troops left Kabul airport.

Mr Wallace said Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials have been instructed to use phone calls and messages to get into contact with as many of them as possible  calling it Dunkirk by WhatsApp.

It comes as No 10 confirmed that Boris Johnsons representative for Afghan transition was in Doha to meet with Taliban representatives to discuss the fate of British nationals and Afghan staff left behind.

Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said she and fellow Labour MPs were fielding thousands of cases of Afghans with ties to Britain who remain trapped in Afghanistan. Weve got high profile public figures, particularly women, moving from safe house to safe house being hunted by the Taliban, she said.

Ms Atkins suggested talks in Doha would be aimed at helping them find safe routes out of the country. There have been leaks from the defence secretary  I think hes called it Dunkirk by WhatsApp. Were trying to reach people as best we can.

She said discussions about particular routes out would remain private. Explaining evacuation routes on national television is probably not a great idea. Its a volatile situation and fast moving, she told the BBC.

Meanwhile, the Home Offices plan to resettle Afghan refugees has come under fire from local councils who say they have been left scrambling to meet the needs of new arrivals due to a lack of clarity from the government.

At least one-third of councils have given firm offers [of accommodation], and we are in conversations with many more, said Ms Atkins.

The minister added: We would like to permanent accommodation, but we have to be realistic that the scale of the task is such that we simply dont have permanent housing available to people.

A letter from Labour ministers to home secretary Priti Patel, seen by The Independent, has also warned that the government must step up and play its role in providing national coordination, leadership and support to local authorities.

Conservative leader of Stoke on Trent city council questioned why more local authorities are not helping with Afghan evacuees. Abi Brown told Radio 4s Today programme: How could you not watch those scenes on the television over the last few weeks and put [themselves] forward over this?
Dominic Raab was on Wednesday facing his toughest interrogation yet on his missteps in the Afghanistan crisis, as a former foreign secretary questioned his role in allowing the development of a distant relationship with Washington which allowed the UK to be blindsided over the abrupt pullout of US troops.

Ahead of the beleaguered Raabs appearance at an emergency meeting of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Jack Straw told The Independent that the failure of Joe Bidens administration to warn the UK of its planned withdrawal of military forces would never have happened under the Blair and Brown governments in which he served.

And Labours shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said Mr Raab was responsible for the biggest foreign policy failing in a generation and must resign if he was unable to tell MPs in the 90-minute grilling how he intended to put it right.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace last night described as a Dunkirk by WhatsApp the effort to assist up to 300 Afghans who worked for the UK military but missed out on evacuation with around 700 dependents before the final Western troops left Kabul airport on Monday.

Speaking privately by conference call to MPs, Mr Wallace said Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed to use phone calls and electronic messages to get into one-to-one contact with as many of the Afghans as possible to help them flee to sanctuary in the UK. Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has been appointed to chair a cross-government working group to over see the drive.

But Mr Wallace acknowledged that - as with Dunkirk - much of the assistance being offered to the desperate former UK employees is coming independently of government, often from members of the forces community with links to Afghanistan.

One backbencher on the conference call told The Independent that Mr Wallace faced exasperation from MPs who said that the government appeared to be flying by the seat of its pants. One MP demanded rapid confirmation on whether individuals whose cases they raise are in fact be entitled to come to the UK, in order to avoid advising them to make the perilous journey to neighbouring countries like Pakistan only for them to be turned down.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 7 September 2021 People take part in a religious procession on the occasion of the 417th anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib, at the Gurudwara Ramsar in Amritsar AFP/Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2021 A dog sits on the doorway as a shopkeeper clears muddy water from his shop after heavy rainfall flooded the banks of Bishnumati river in Kathmandu, Nepal AP World news in pictures 5 September 2021 apan athletes wave as Thank you' in Japanese is displayed in the stadium during the closing ceremony of 2020 Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony Reuters World news in pictures 4 September 2021 People demonstrate at the Zurich Pride parade with the slogan 'Dare. Marriage for all, now!', for the rights of the LGBTIQ community in Zurich, Switzerland. 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Downing Street confirmed that surge staff are being sent to Pakistan and other neighbours like Tajikistan or Uzbekistan to process claims for asylum in the UK, either in embassies or at border sites where refugees are flooding out of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

And No 10 confirmed comments from the head of the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, who said that the UK was ready to use air-strikes to target the Isis-K terror group - an Afghan offshoot of Islamic State - in the country.

We always reserve the right to exercise lawful self-defence and we never rule that out in relation to terror groups, said Boris Johnsons official spokesperson.

The spokesperson said the prime minister continued to have full confidence in the foreign secretary, after reports suggested he was toast in the next cabinet reshuffle following his decision to remain on holiday until after Kabul fell to insurgents and claims that he failed to make a key phone call which could have helped more people escape.

Mr Raab on Tuesday flatly denied that the UK pressured US troops to keep open a gate open at Kabul airport where a suicide bombing claimed by Isis-K killed more than 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US troops.

Leaked notes obtained by the Politico website suggested that US commanders planned to close Abbey Gate by Thursday afternoon amid intelligence of an imminent terror attack, but kept it open for longer to allow Britain to continue its own evacuation effort.

But the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Its simply not true to suggest that we pushed to keep the gate open.

In response to the change in travel advice ahead of the attack last week, the UK moved operations out of the Baron Hotel.

Asked about the state of transatlantic relations, he said: The US continues to be our strongest ally.

Downing Street said on Tuesday that the Prime Minister had left on Sunday for a four-day trip to the West Country with his family and would not return to No 10 until Thursday.

His official spokesman insisted that Mr Johnson was continuing to work, with Britons and Afghans remaining stranded after the withdrawal of forces from Kabul.

Ahead of todays hearing of the cross-party foreign affairs committee, Mr Straw told The Independent that the foreign secretary would have to explain how the UK had been caught off guard by the sudden US withdrawal.

Something like the withdrawal from Afghanistan, where plainly we had huge equity involved, ought not to have been just presented to us as a fait accompli, said the former Labour minister, who was closely involved as foreign secretary in diplomatic preparations for the intervention in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks 20 years ago.

It appears to me that the relationship with the US has become more distant and that is not good for the UK. I dont think it would have happened in that way when Tony Blair was PM. But another former foreign secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, said that while Washingtons failure to forewarn its Nato allies was unfortunate, the rows over Afghanistan would not permanently damage relations.

To suggest that Biden is like Trump in his treatment of Nato allies is absurd, the Conservative former foreign secretary said. Trump made a virtue of trying to split the alliance, Biden doesnt take that view. He has made clear he is totally committed to Nato and I dont think anything he has done is in conflict with that.

Ms Nandy said: This has been the biggest foreign policy failing in a generation.

The foreign secretary had 18 months to prepare but was missing in action. As a result, on his watch Britain has become weaker in the world and faces greater risks from terrorism. We had to send our troops into real danger and, despite their heroic actions, thousands of Afghans who supported us over two decades are still at serious risk and British citizens abandoned.

This is a government characterised by complacency and indifference, trying to shift the blame in a crisis instead of rolling up their sleeves. These are serious times that demand serious leadership. The buck stops with the Foreign Secretary. He must take responsibility today for what has been a catalogue of errors and poor judgment, come clean about those failings and set out a plan to set this right. If he cant do that, he is not fit to hold office and he must resign.
The UK government has denied making secret plans to move its Trident nuclear submarines abroad in the event of Scottish independence.

Several senior officials were cited by the Financial Times on Wednesday as saying they had been briefed on plans which could see Britains nuclear deterrents housed in France or the United States if Nicola Sturgeons governing Scottish National Party achieves its goal of Scotland seceding from the UK.

Another option reportedly under being considered is for the UK to seek a long-term lease for the Royal Navys nuclear bases at their current location in Faslane and Coulport on the countrys west coast.

Officials said this would create a British Overseas Territory within the borders of a newly independent Scotland, likened by one insider to a nuclear Gibraltar.

However, the preferred route would be to move the nuclear deterrent to the Royal Navy base at Devonport in Plymouth, according to the paper.

But a spokesperson for the MoD insisted there were no plans to move the submarines.

The UK is strongly committed to maintaining its credible and independent nuclear deterrent at HM Naval Base Clyde, which exists to deter the most extreme threats to the UK and our Nato allies, they said.

There are no plans to move the nuclear deterrent from HM Naval Base Clyde, which contributes to Scotlands and the wider UK's security and economy, and its supporting facilities are safe for local communities.

Contrary to a recent press report, the nuclear deterrent and the thousands of jobs which support it are staying in Scotland, the departments press office later wrote on Twitter.

The housing of the UKs nuclear deterrents on the Clyde has long been a central pillar of the independence argument in Scotland, however the longstanding assumption that a majority of Scottish people opposed nuclear weapons has been frequently challenged in polls indicating something closer to a 50-50 split.

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Responding to the report, the Scottish Government told the FT it firmly opposed the possession, threat and use of nuclear weapons and was committed to the safe and complete withdrawal of Trident from Scotland.

Meanwhile, the question of a second independence referendum remains a live one, with Boris Johnsons government having recently appeared to soften its previously rigid stance against a future vote.

Speaking to Politico last week, Scotland secretary Alister Jack suggested the UK government could approve a fresh vote if polling showed support in Scotland for staging one remained above 60 per cent over a reasonably long period.

Meanwhile, as her party agreed a power-sharing agreement with the pro-independence Scottish Greens, Ms Sturgeon insisted on Tuesday that she holds an undeniable mandate for a second vote, with the two parties together winning 72 of Holyroods 129 seats in Mays election.

Both parties manifestos commit them only to a vote within the five-year term of the Scottish parliament, which runs to 2026, and Ms Sturgeon has indicated she will wait until the coronavirus crisis has abated to press for a vote.

If Mr Johnson, who must authorise the request for a referendum under Article 30 of the Scotland Act, refuses to do so, the matter could end up in the Supreme Court.
There is an undeniable mandate in Scotland for a second independence referendum following the Scottish governments power-sharing deal with the Green Party, the countrys first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The agreement, which has now been endorsed by both parties, will see the Scottish Greens form part of a government for the first time anywhere in the UK.

Ms Sturgeon told Holyrood on Tuesday that a key strand of the deal would be fulfilling what she said was the democratic mandate to let the Scottish people choose our own future, alongside dealing with issues such as climate change and the recovery from Covid-19.

The mandate for that is undeniable - between us, the SNP and the Greens hold 72 of the 129 seats in this parliament and each one of us was elected on a commitment to an independence referendum, the SNP leader said.

The decisions that will shape our society and economy and our place in the world must be determined, democratically, here in Scotland and not imposed upon us, so often against our will, by government at Westminster.

Recommended Final UK troops pulled out of Kabul

Ms Sturgeon added that the agreement between the two parties was not a formal coalition, as the SNP and the Greens would retain distinct voices and independent identities.

However, she argued that the deal was genuinely ground-breaking as it will see Green members work in a national government as ministers for the first time.

In response, Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross branded the agreement as a nationalist coalition with one overriding goal - separating Scotland from the United Kingdom.

Trying to claim that this is not a coalition, that is quite simply a joke even by SNP standards, he said.

The Scottish Tory leader also accused Ms Sturgeons government of allowing the deal to take priority over the programme for government, which is usually announced when MSPs return after the summer recess to set out ministers plans for the next 12 months.

Mr Ross added: This is not a deal that works for Scotland. This is a deal that works for Nicola Sturgeon.

She failed to get a majority and this deal is a consequence of that.

Meanwhile, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said that the agreement did not represent a positive change for the country and simply formalised the situation in the last parliament, where he said SNP policy was supported by the Greens.

This is no new government, this is not a clean start, this is a deal that more about the constitution, not the climate, Mr Sarwar said.

It's about greater control for Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP, not co-operation.

He argued ministers should instead be focused on tackling issues such as unemployment, child poverty, the countrys drugs deaths crisis and tackling the backlog that has built up within the NHS.

Additional reporting by PA
The UK government is in talks with the Taliban over the safe passage of British nationals out of Afghanistan following the withdrawal of western troops from the country, Downing Street has said.

No 10 confirmed on Tuesday that Boris Johnsons special representative for Afghan transition was in Qatar to meet with senior Taliban representatives to discuss the issue.

The prime ministers special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass, has travelled to Doha and is meeting with senior Taliban representatives to underline the importance of safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals, and those Afghans who have worked with us over the past 20 years, a Downing Street spokesperson said.

It came after the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, said that the number of British nationals left behind in Afghanistan was in the low hundreds  although he was unable to give a definitive figure.

Its very difficult to give you a firm figure. I can tell you that for UK nationals weve secured since April over 5,000, and we're in the low hundreds [remaining], Mr Raab told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

The UKs 20-year military campaign in Afghanistan ended last week as the final UK flight carrying British troops left Kabul airport.

More than 15,000 people, including about 2,200 children, have been evacuated by the UK since 14 August, but there are concerns about what will happen to the hundreds of British nationals and eligible Afghans who were unable to leave the country.

The British government insisted on Tuesday that UK and Afghan nationals would be offered extra help to escape Afghanistan over land borders following the conclusion of the emergency airlift.

Fifteen crisis response specialists are being deployed to Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to assist British diplomats in their work to allow people to reach the UK.

They are expected to arrive within the next 48 hours, with a focus on helping UK nationals, interpreters and other Afghans who were employed by the UK, and those Afghans judged most at risk.

On Sunday, Mr Johnson insisted that the Taliban would need to offer safe passage to those still in Afghanistan in order to receive diplomatic recognition, as he pledged to engage with the new government not on the basis of what they say, but what they do.

If the new regime in Kabul wants diplomatic recognition, or to unlock the billions that are currently frozen, they will have to ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave the country, to respect the rights of women and girls, to prevent Afghanistan from again becoming an incubator for global terror, the prime minister said.

Additional reporting by PA
Boris Johnsons government has rejected calls from senior politicians in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to keep the 20-per-week universal credit uplift in place.

Work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey told cross-party committees from the four nations that the cut will go ahead as planned next month  leaving millions of Britons 1,040 a year worse off.

The cabinet minister confirmed that the increase brought in during the Covid crisis would be axed from 6 October, despite mounting pressure from MPs in all parties to maintain the payment on a permanent basis.

Now the economy has reopened it is right that the government should focus on supporting people back into work and supporting those already employed to progress in their careers, Ms Coffey replied in a joint letter to ministers.

The work and pensions secretary added: Our ambition is to support 2 million people to move into and progress in work through our comprehensive 33bn Plan for Jobs.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has said the universal credit cut will push 500,000 people into poverty, while Citizens Advice has warned that a third of people in receipt of the benefit will be pushed into debt when the uplift is removed.

Cross-party committees from Westminster, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Welsh Senedd and the Scottish parliament raised concerns about the impact the reduction would have on poverty.

In a joint letter to Ms Coffey, they argued that millions of people would lose 1,000 a year at time when they need financial support the most. They also branded the change as the biggest overnight reduction to a basic rate of social security since the modern welfare state began.

Stephen Timms, the Labour MP and chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, said the government must change course to prevent severe hardship for many thousands of families.

Mr Johnson could face a Commons vote on a planned cut to universal credit two days after MPs return from summer recess. A source told The Independent that Labour was likely to force a vote on the issue, but this hasnt been officially confirmed by the party yet.

Disquiet in Tory ranks has been growing over the summer. Last week two red wall Tory MPs from the north of England  Peter Aldous and John Stevenson  wrote to the PM urging him to ditch plans to cut the uplift.

Our central promise at the last election, that you articulated so well, was to level up, they wrote  describing the 20-a-week boost as one of our best legacies from the pandemic.

In July, six former Tory work and pensions secretaries wrote to the government to say the uplift have proved vital to protect incomes and warn any cut could threaten the economic recovery.

As well as the letter from cross-party committees, ministers from Holyrood, Cardiff and Stormont also wrote to Ms Coffey to raised concerns about the impact the universal credit reduction would have on poverty.

Scotlands social justice secretary Shona Robison, Welsh social justice minister Jane Hutt and Northern Irelands communities minister Deirdre Hargey said people will lose money at time when they need financial support the most.

Ms Coffey has previously suggested that the 1,000-a-year cut would help encourage some people back into work, with the government saying it was focused on its Plan For Jobs scheme to boost training.

A UK government spokeswoman said: The temporary uplift to universal credit was designed to help claimants through the economic shock and financial disruption of the toughest stages of the pandemic, and it has done so.

Its right that we now focus on our Plan for Jobs, helping claimants to increase their earnings by boosting their skills and getting into work, progressing in work or increasing their hours.
Government plans for voter ID risk breaching human rights law by discriminating against as many as 2 million elderly, disabled and ethnic minority people, a report has warned.

The report, published by parliaments cross-party Joint Committee on Human Rights, warned that the demand to show photo ID at the polling station could deny the right to vote to large numbers of people and create barriers to minority groups participating in elections.

And the report found that the problem which the measure is supposed to solve, of people fraudulently passing themselves off as someone else to vote, was rare, with just 171 allegations since 2014, leading to nine cautions and three convictions.

Instead, the committee said, the government could massively increase involvement in democracy by introducing automatic voter registration, following Electoral Commission research that up to 9.4m people eligible to vote are not on the electoral roll or are registered at the wrong address. This included around 25 per cent of black and Asian voters and 45 per cent of 18-24 year-olds, compared to an average of 17 per cent overall and 10 per cent of over-70s.

Ministers can expect stiff opposition to the Elections Bill when it comes back to the House of Commons for its second reading on Tuesday next week, with many MPs concerned that it will exclude marginalised groups from voting.

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Todays report warned that the government must do more to demonstrate the need to voter ID and mitigate the potential barriers to voting it will create, in order to avoid breaches of the Human Rights Convention duties to hold free and fair elections.

The committee heard evidence that many of the 2.1m people who do not currently have photo ID in the form or passports, driving licences and other official documentation would be reluctant to sign up for the Voter Card proposed by the government as an alternative way of proving their identity at the polling station.

Cabinet Office research found that 42 per cent of those with no photo ID said they were unlikely to apply.

And Operation Black Vote director Simon Woolley told the committee that introducing a requirement for voter ID would fuel distrust among ethnic minority communities and could have a monstrous negative effect, which some have characterised as voter suppression.

Lord Woolley said he feared that the Voter Card would act as another impediment for a group that is already hesitant about fully engaging in the democratic process, warning: Quite a few people in black, Asian and minority ethnic communities feel that a Government who do not have their best interests at heart may want to find a route for these ID cards as Big Brother to watch over them.

The committee said that the governments aim to improve the integrity of elections was clearly legitimate, but warned: Any measures must be proportionate to the scale of the problem and not interfere with the right to vote so as to render the right to vote ineffective.

Voter ID was being proposed at a time when public confidence in elections is at an all-time high, with Electoral Commission research finding that 87 per cent believe voting is safe from fraud and abuse - up from 80 per cent in 2020.

And the deputy director of the Electoral Reform Society, Jessica Garland, told the committee that it was implausible to suggest that fraud by personation - trying to vote under a false identity - was happening undetected.

To change an election result by personation would require a huge operation, identifying which constituencies would be marginal enough to make a difference, said Dr Garland. That is difficult for political scientists, let alone anyone else.

On top of that, a lot of people would have to be involved. You would have to know who was not going to vote in order for that not to be detected, and presumably the candidate would have to be aware. We are talking about a large-scale operation. It is implausible that it could be going on undetected.

Evidence from the US showed that marginalised communities struggle to get appropriate ID when called upon to do so for voting purposes, she added.

Human Rights Committee chair Harriet Harman said: The government has a duty to ensure everyone can vote, no-one is prevented from voting by discrimination and also that elections are free from fraud.

However current proposals which would prohibit voting without voter ID may deny the right to vote from large numbers of electors, and could have a discriminatory impact. The government must explain how these measures are both necessary and proportionate given the low numbers of recorded instances of fraud at polling stations.

The government must prove that the need for people to get a Voter ID card does not act as a deterrent to voting. In particular they must demonstrate an understanding, so far lacking, of the impact of these measures on marginalised groups and show how they plan to ensure access to the ballot box for all.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: Stealing someones vote is stealing their voice. Fraud in our elections is something we cannot allow room for, so we are stamping out potential for it to take place by requiring photographic identification.

Voters in Northern Ireland have been using photo identification since 2003. It has been operating with ease for decades and has proven to be effective at tackling fraud and improving voter confidence.

Our research, which draws on the most comprehensive data to date, shows that 99 per cent of ethnic minorities already have a form of identification, as do 98 per cent of those aged 70 or above. Local authorities will be legally required to provide a free voter card for the small proportion of people who may not already have photo identification.
A television channel in Ivory Coast has suspended a news presenter for 30 days after a prime-time show asked a convicted rapist to show how he assaulted his victims.

The programme, aired by the private Nouvelle Chaine Ivorienne (NCI) channel, prompted outrage with more than 37,000 people signing a petition demanding action against the host Yves de Mbella, reported AFP.

Tell me Im dreaming, an Ivorian rapper, PrissK wrote on Facebook. Its sickening, unacceptable, disrespectful especially to the woman.

Ivory Coasts independent communications council announced the suspension of Mr De Mbella, who hosted the segment, and released a statement saying it contained obscene language, condoned rape and attacked the dignity of women, reported Reuters.

NCI also apologised for airing the segment saying it was committed to respecting human rights and in particular those of women, and expressing its solidarity with women who are victims of violence and abuse of all kinds, according to AFP.

Apologizing for his error, Mr De Mbella posted on Facebook that he is sincerely sorry to have shocked everyone while trying to raise awareness.

"Im also sorry for everything that was said or done during that sequence of the programme yesterday that hurt," he added. "I beg for forgiveness from all victims of rape."

During the segment aired on Monday, the anchor introduced his guest as an ex-rapist and asked him to simulate rape using a mannequin, reported AFP.

According to Al Jazeera, at one point, Mr De Mbella also adjusted the dummy and asked the guest if he preferred his victims to be slim or fat and whether they enjoyed it.

Towards the end of this demonstration, Mr De Mbella also invited his guest to advise women on how to avoid getting sexually assaulted.

In the wake of the controversy, rights groups have demanded that Mr De Mbella be removed from the Miss Ivory Coast pageant which he is scheduled to host on 4 September.
Police and paramedics will face charges over the 2019 chokehold death of young Black man Elijah McClain in Colorado.

Two officers with the Aurora Police Department and one former officer, as well as two paramedics will be charged with one count each of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, as well as other charges.

The announcement by State Attorney General Phil Weiser came two years after the death of Mr McClain, 23, which sparked months of protests in the state.

The charges were brought following an eight-month grand jury investigation into the death of Mr McClain, who like George Floyd told the officers, I cant breathe as they restrained him.

I said our investigation would be guided by a commitment to the facts, by thorough and diligent work, and we would be worthy of public trust and confidence in the criminal justice system, said Mr Weiser on Wednesday.

These remain the guiding principles of this matter.

Mr McClains fatal encounter with Aurora Police Department officers on 24 August 2019, started after he bought an iced tea at a store in the city.

Despite it being the summer, he was wearing a ski mask over his face because of a blood condition that made him feel cold, his family has said.

Police responded after a report of a suspicious person wearing a mask and waving his arms.

Racial Injustice Elijah McClain (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

When officers confronted him, he told them that he was an introvert and asked them to please respect the boundaries that I am speaking.

During questioning the officers grabbed Mr McClain, with one officer claiming that he had grabbed for a holstered gun, and the police said that he was taken to the ground as he resisted contact, a struggle ensued, and he was taken into custody.

Officials said that the officers used a carotid control technique on Mr McClain, a chokehold designed to render him unconscious.

Paramedics were called to the scene and Mr McClain was injected with ketamine to sedate him.

Police bodycam video showed that he was thrashing on the ground, telling officers I cant breathe and vomiting.

The video even captures Mr McClain apologising to the officers for vomiting.

Prosecutors say that around seven minutes after receiving the injection, Mr McClain was found to have no pulse and had gone into cardiac arrest.

The paramedics were able to revive Mr McClain but doctors later declared him brain dead and he was taken off life support and died less than a week later.

Colroados governor Jared Polis, brought in the states attorney general to investigate after the local district attorney said that no charges could be brought against the police or paramedics.

(Aurora Police Department)

Following the incident, multiple officers from the department were fired after taking part in a disrespectful selfie photo session near a memorial for Mr McClain.

The Aurora Police Department identified the officers as Jason Rosenblatt, Erica Marrero and Kyle Dittrich.

A fourth officer, Jaron Jones, also resigned following the controversy.
Police have issued an arrest warrant for a man who confronted MSNBC journalist Shaquille Brewster live on air as he covered Hurricane Ida.

Benjamin Dagley has been charged by Mississippis Gulfport Police Department with two counts of simple assault, one count of disturbance of peace and one count of violation of emergency curfew.

Mr Dagley, who is from Wooster, Ohio, was caught on video charging towards and yelling at the reporter as he discussed the hurricane.

Brewsters live shot was cut short as he raised his arm to defend himself against Mr Dagley, who could be heard shouting at Brewster to report accurately.

MSNBC host Craig Melvin appeared startled and told the audience, Hey, hey, hey, hey. Were going to check back in with Shaq Brewster just to make sure all is well. Theres a lot of crazy out there. A lot of crazy.

Brewster later took Twitter to say: Appreciate the concern guys. The team and I are all good!

(GPD)

Melvin later wrote: This is beyond unacceptable and disgusting. (Shaq Brewster) was trying to do his job on a beach in Gulfport, MS. Shaq is ok. This guy who nearly attacked him clearly is not.

Authorities say that they do not believe Mr Dagley is still in the area, but he is believed to still be traveling in the white truck seen on TV.

Gulfort Police say that Mr Dagley was identified with the help of the public.

Officials say that following a review of his criminal history they contacted the Cuyahoga County Adult probation Department in Ohio to report a parole violation.

The police department said in a statement that Mr Dagley was on probation for a previous offence, with one of the conditions being a travel restriction.
Police have released pictures of a man who posed as a maintenance worker before entering the airfield at Los Angeles International Airport.

Officials say that the man got into a restricted area at LAX in May but ran away when confronted and escaped over a fence.

He was captured on security cameras going through airport security, before changing outfits and going on to the airfield in the early hours of 18 May.

The man was first seen in a blue checked shirt, blue jeans and glasses, before changing into a black hooded jacket and a yellow work vest.

He was described as a light-skinned, 25-year-old man with brown hair and brown eyes and police say he is around 6 feet tall, and weighed about 165 pounds.

Investigators say it is unclear why he entered the airfield.

Anyone with information on his identity is asked to call LAX Crime Task Force detectives.

On Sunday a homeless man breached the perimeter fence at LAX and tried to break into an American Airlines plane that was being serviced.

Matthew Maine, 31, was stopped by a cleaning crew who raised the alarm and police arrested him on suspicion of trespassing.

Officers then conducted a sweep of the area and cleared it with no further incident.

The suspect allegedly used a pipe to lift up the bottom of a perimeter fence and squeezed underneath to get onto the airfield. American Airlines said in a statement the plane has since been re-inspected by security teams and LAX officials say that operations were not impacted by the incident.
A student is dead after a shooting at a North Carolina high school, authorities say.

According to local police, the student was shot at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem. All other students are safe and the campus has been secured, police say, and the suspected shooter  another student  has now been arrested.

The suspect from the shooting at Mt Tabor High School was taken into custody without incident, the Forsyth County Sheriffs Department said in a statement . The investigation is on-going and we will release more information as appropriate.

The Winston-Salem Police Department has identified the slain student as William Chavis Raynard Miller Jr.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today and in the difficult days to come, the department said.

Police have emphasized that there has not been a second shooting, as some rumours have incorrectly conveyed.

Give us a chance to give you the facts, Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough said . There are many rumors spreading. We are committed to being transparent and will share confirmed information as appropriate.

After the shooting was reported around noon on Wednesday, the school was put into lockdown, according to Winston-Salem police. Rescue workers from emergency medical services, the fire department, and police then rushed to the scene. Police looked for the suspect, who by that point had left the school, and EMS attempted to revive the injured student.

The student was then taken to a hospital, where he died.

Later, the rest of the schools students were taken to a nearby YMCA, where their parents came to pick them up.

This is only the second week of school at Mount Tabor. In a statement , North Carolina governor Roy Cooper lamented that in the short time schools have been open, there have already been two school shootings in the state.
Health authorities in Florida, a state that is battling its deadliest surge in coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, appear to have tweaked the process of reporting deaths, a report suggests.

The Florida Department of Health on 10 August switched from reporting deaths on the day they were recorded, to new deaths by the date on which the person died, according to an analysis by the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald newspapers.

This means, going by the previous methodology, Florida death data should show an average of 262 daily deaths reported to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention over the previous week. But, the unexplained and sudden shift in counting deaths showed just 46 new death per day in the last week, showing a significant dip in the death rate even as the cases and deaths continue to soar, the analysis pointed out.

Difference between the two methods is significant in terms of accurate reporting of data. In the first method, the deaths are counted on the date they occurred - which is a straight way to report them. This method is widely used for producing deaths and new cases by most states and countries.

Under the new criteria of reporting deaths, the fatalities are recorded on the date they are officially recorded, which entails the additional time taken to evaluate deaths and issuance of death certificates. This results in showing the gradually recorded deaths on a downward slope, suggesting that the contagion is not virulent  contrary to the ground reality.

The picture will be clearer when the CDC finally tallies the data, pins the fatalities to the actual date and finds a spike which should have been previously reported by the health authorities had the data relied on first methodology, the report said.

Experts have said that this shift in counting deaths is problematic, suggesting that it tampered with the true assessment of the Covid-19 disease spread.

Florida showed an artificial decline in recent deaths and without an explanation or context, and it would seem like we are doing better than we are, Shivani Patel, a social epidemiologist and assistant professor at Emory University was quoted as saying by the Miami Herald. It is extremely problematic especially since it came without warning or explanation during a rise in cases, she said.

The discrepancy came out after the Florida Department of Health shared a tweet correcting the CDCs data. The daily case counts for Florida currently posted on the CDC COVID Tracker are incorrect. The current listing states 28,317, the tweet read, adding an allegedly correct figure.

Floridas new way to count deaths may not be as helpful, epidemiologist Jason Salemi said.

Deaths by date of death curve is the most accurate you can get. You know exactly when people died, you know how to construct the curve and exactly when we were experiencing surges in terms of deaths, Mr Salemi told Miami Herald, adding that the new methodology is less useful for decoding the Covid-19 pandemic in real time.
A pop-up Covid-19 vaccination site in Georgia was forced to close following harassment from anti-vaccine members of the public, a senior health care official said.

Kathleen Toomey, the commissioner of the Georgia Department of Health, spoke a press briefing and requested people show respect those working to tackle the pandemic. Ms Toomey was joined by Governor Brian Kemp as she described the treatment of healthcare workers as wrong during the states struggle with the surge of the Delta variant.

According to Ms Toomey, healthcare workers, such as nurses, have been intimidated through emails and other means.

This shouldnt happen to nurses who are working in the field to try and keep the state safe, she said.

She recounted hearing about a site needing to close down, saying she was disturbed by the reasons why the vaccine site had to close due to bullying and threats.

This is wrong. This is absolutely wrong. These people are giving their lives to help others and help us in the state. We in Georgia can do better, Ms Toomey said to reporters.

Recently, there has been a number of incidents between health care professionals and anti-vaxxers . On 11 August, a video emerged on social media of protesters chanting, We know who you are. You can leave freely, but we will find you, outside a meeting at a school in Franklin, an affluent town in Tennessee.

Fourty-three per cent of Georgias eligible population is fully vaccinated against Covid, according to data. Due to the low rates of vaccination, there has been a surge of the Delta variant, which unvaccinated people are thought to be more vulnerable to.

At the press conference, Ms Toomey said almost all of the new infections were believed to be Delta, which was first identified at the start of 2021.

According to data from The Georgia Department of Health, for the two-week period ending 31 August, the rate of infection for the last two weeks was 836 per 100,000. Additional data show that more than 95 per cent of the states ICU hospital beds are in use, prompting concern.

Amber Schmidtke, a health care data researcher told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, I think if this growth continues, that were going to be risking regional hospital system collapse.
In the nearly two months since President Jovenel Moise was assassinated, Haiti has suffered a devastating earthquake and a drenching tropical storm, the twin natural disasters deflecting attention from the man-made one that preceded them.

Add the constant worry over deteriorating security at the hands of gangs that by some estimates control territory thats home to about a fifth of Haitis 11 million citizens, and the investigation into Moises killing is fast fading from the public consciousness.

Even those still paying attention, demanding accountability and pressuring for a thorough investigation give no chance to the crimes masterminds being brought to justice in a country where impunity reigns. It doesnt help that Moise was despised by a large portion of the population.

The murder seems destined to join other assassinations in Haiti, like that of respected journalist Jean Dominique in 2000 and prominent lawyer Monferrier Dorval last year, both unsolved.

The hope for finding justice for Jovenel is zero, said Pierre Esperance, executive director of the National Human Rights Defense Network, which is one of Haiti's most prominent and respected rights groups and a member of the International Federation for Human Rights.

Despite Esperances pessimism, his group published a detailed report on the July 7 killing, in which a team of Colombian mercenaries breached the president's private residence high in a hillside neighborhood above Port-au-Prince then fatally shot Moise and wounded his wife.

The report largely tracks the governments arrests of suspects thus far, implicating those in charge of Moises security. The intellectual and material authors of this assassination were able to count on the support of at least two heads of presidential security, the report charges.

But it also suggests that Prime Minister Ariel Henry, Justice Minister Rockefeller Vincent and even Martine Moise, the former presidents wife, know far more about the killing than they have shared.

The group says its report was based on notes made by the magistrates of the peace involved in the initial stage of the investigation and on conversations with those who were arrested. Asked about other sources, Esperance demurred.

The report alleges the prime minister had multiple phone calls, including on the morning of the assassination, with Joseph Badio, a former justice official now at the center of the murder investigation as a suspect. When Henry was asked about the calls with Badio in a recent radio interview, he said he knew Badio and defended him.

The idea of defending the guy publicly is peculiar, and dismissing the whole possibility that he might have been involved is clearly an interference into the investigation, said Robert Fatton Jr., a Haiti expert and professor of government and foreign affairs at the University of Virginia. When the prime minister says he has nothing to do with it, that sends signals to others that they shouldnt go there.

Henry spends much of his public appearances these days talking about earthquake relief operations, though on Monday he did appear to allude to Haitis political crisis.

All sectors should put their heads together for us to find a consensus. Henry wrote on Twitter. Therefore, I invite you to talk so that we can get the country out of the bad impasse it finds, to talk about the roots of the problems until we find an agreement that will allow us to get out of this crisis.

Vincent, the justice minister, also appears conflicted. He was close to Badio, who remains a fugitive.

Last week, Vincent renewed his pledge to find everyone connected to Moises killing and urged the public to be patient. After agreeing to an interview with The Associated Press to discuss the investigation, Vincent cancelled it shortly before the scheduled time.

If the minister of justice stays in his position, this investigation is not going anywhere, Esperance said.

The first investigative judge assigned to the case withdrew days after his appointment. A new one was just named, some seven weeks after the assassination. Clerks and others involved in the investigation have reported threats and attempts to influence their findings and in some cases have gone into hiding.

At least 44 people have been arrested, including 18 Colombians who were part of the team that allegedly attacked the presidents house as well as three Haitian-Americans. Most of the rest of the arrests were Haitian security personnel with some responsibility for the presidents security. No one has been charged.

Esperance was no fan of Moise  he calls him one of Haitis worst presidents and says the country regressed under his administration  but he is bothered that the president was killed in his home and no one has resigned. He believes Moise deserves justice.

His group's report is clear about the questions it cant answer, importantly who paid for such an elaborate operation.

Another official who figures prominently in the report is Jean Laguel Civil, the divisional police commander who coordinated the presidents security. He was arrested following the murder along with Dimitri Herard, head of the General Security Unit of the National Palace.

Reynold Georges, the lawyer representing Civil, said his client had nothing to do with the assassination. My client is a victim because he did his job well and these people wanted to kill the president, Georges said.

Civil told me he was in bed that night, and that about 1:35 a.m. in the morning, the president called him to tell him that people came to his house and they started to fire on his house. A lot of people, Georges said. And some of them said this is a DEA intervention.

Civil then called Herard and told him to go to the house with backup, Georges said, but Moise was already dead.

Asked if he thought the investigation would reveal who was behind the presidents murder, Georges said: The people who killed the president, they are the ones who investigate the matter, so you can conclude for yourself.

All of this is taking place in a chaotic political landscape. Haiti currently has only 10 elected officials after it failed to hold parliamentary elections, leaving Moise to rule by decree for more than a year until his death.

Moises own party was so deeply divided that some have suggested members could have been involved in his killing. The opposition has been unable to overcome its own rifts to get behind a single platform. Most anyone in an opposition leadership position is also interested in becoming president.

So we are nowhere near a solution to the crisis, said Fatton, the Haiti expert.

Esperance, like the lawyer Georges, believes the people from Moises party still in power lack the motivation to get to the bottom of his killing and could even benefit.

One of the problems that we have is that the (Tet Kale party) doesnt want justice for Jovenel, Esperance said. Theyre using Jovenels corpse to do political persecutions. This is also what his wife wants. They want to persecute people who were opposed to Jovenel.

Ordinary Haitians are already moving on.

Justice is just a word in Haiti, the institution doesnt exist, said Gerald Cene, who was selling phone credit in a Port-au-Prince market Tuesday.

I believe many high-level government people are involved in the presidents killing, Cene said, adding that he thinks they will do everything to keep the justice system dysfunctional.

Marc-Antoine Dorcel was walking downtown after paying his children's school fees. Jovenel was killed and that is the end of it, said Dorcel, who works in an accounting firm.

Dorcel, like many Haitians, has more pressing concerns. I need justice for basic reasons, just to have water, electricity, health care, work, make sure my family is safe.
Hundreds of thousands of southeast Louisiana residents are without power in their homes, or stranded outside the state and anxiously waiting to return, or pulling out sheetrock soaked by floodwaters and patching holes in their roofs, or salvaging whats left after Hurricane Ida devastated the region and upended life for more than 1m people in a near instant.

The effects of Ida are compounded by deteriorating wetlands that provide a vital barrier to extreme weather from the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the oil and gas industrys century-old grip on the region, and a public health crisis with disproportionate impacts on the many low-income, Black and Indigenous communities in its path.

Yet a vast network of residents have organised massive food and water drives, used generator power to open community device-charging stations, and supported statewide mutual aid efforts to help feed, cool down, relocate and get medicine to vulnerable residents stuck in hot and humid conditions.

Recovery will take days, weeks, months and years. Organisations are on the ground and providing direct assistance to people in need.

Heres how to help.

This list will be updated

The Carnival organisation Krewe of Red Beans launched Feed the Second Line during the coronavirus pandemic to sustain New Orleans cultural communities, essential workers and others in need.

With extended power outages expected, many will need food and other supplies. There will certainly be damage with Hurricane Ida  but we will come together as a community and support one another because we love our city and her people, the group announced.

All Hands All Hearts, which helps rebuild schools and homes after disasters, launched a dedicated Ida fund.

Another Gulf Is Possibles Mutual Aid & Rapid Response Fund provides direct financial assistance and delivers essential goods to Indigenous and Black and brown communities, including groups that arent able to take donations online, and families impacted by Ida.

The organisation has also encouraged people to donate to Indiginous groups in the state, including Atakapa Ishak Tribe, Isle de Jean Charles Band of Biloxi Chitimacha Choctaw, United Houma Nation, Pointe-Aux-Chien Indian Tribe, and Grand Caillou/Dulac Band, as well as the Bvlbancha Collective, an Indigenous mutual aid collective.

The Bayou Community Foundation  which supports hard-hit parishes Lafourche and Terrebonne as well as Grand Isle on the states southernmost tip  is raising funds to support emergency grants to local nonprofit groups and recovery and rebuilding efforts in the region.

Culture Aid NOLA, which has provided free meals twice a week to New Orleans area residents during the pandemic, is accepting donations and offering free meals in coordination with partner groups. Volunteers have set up a place to cook and feed people at the Howlin Wolf in New Orleans.

GoFundMe has established a centralised page for Ida relief.

House of Tulip helps provide housing and other services to transgender and gender-nonconforming people in New Orleans.

Imagine Water Works launched the Mutual Aid Response Network in 2019 to build mutual aid networks across the region. The organisation is providing direct assistance to people impacted by Ida.

Inclusive Louisiana launched in 2020 to protect St James Parish and neighboring parishes from pollution and other environmental concerns. It is accepting donations to support Ida recovery.

The New Orleans Musicians Clinic  which has provided affordable care to culture workers for more than 20 years  is accepting donations to help check on elderly, immunocompromised and home-bound patients, including help with ice, medication, food and fuel. It also is providing emergency assistance payments and mental and physical health services.

Humanitarian relief group Project Hope is in Louisiana assisting with an evacuation center with first aid, health screenings, and other medical services. The group is bringing 8,080 disaster health kits and 98,800 N95 masks.

Rebuilding Together New Orleans helps rebuild and repair homes for low-income homeowners. The group is assessing needs and preparing to respond and accepting donations.

SBPs disaster response teams are prepped and ready to deploy from the New Orleans and Houston operating sites as soon as it is safe to do so to begin gutting and repairing homes damaged by Ida.

Second Harvest Food Bank is the largest charitable anti-hunger network in the state. The food bank delivers thousands of pounds of food and supplies and bottles of water year-round, and its kitchens in New Orleans and Lafayette typically serve 10,000 meals daily, according to the organisation. It is actively responding to Ida.

Southern Solidarity has organised the delivery of food, medical resources and basic needs directly to the unhoused in the New Orleans area since March 2020. The organisation is accepting monetary donations as well as donations of food and hygiene products; a list of current needs is available on the groups website.

Founded by chef Jose Andres in 2010, World Central Kitchen is providing roughly 500 free meals daily at distribution centres across New Orleans and surrounding areas. The group is accepting donations.

The United Way of Southeast Louisiana has launched a dedicated Ida fund in collaboration with local news network WWLTV to support immediate relief efforts, long-term rebuilding and community grants to partner organizations providing direct services to assist with recovery.
A lifeguard has died and at least seven others were injured after lightning struck a beach in New Jersey.

Keith Pinto, 19, was killed after being hit by lightning on White Sands Beach in South Seaside Park at roughly 4.35pm, according to a statement from the Berkeley Township Police Department.

Pinto is said to have died at the scene as at least seven others received medical attention at a local hospital. Four out of the seven people injured were also lifeguards. After Pintos death, the National Weather Service issued a warning telling people to avoid local beaches.

This is a tragic and heartbreaking day for our town and the entire Jersey Shore, Carmen Amato, the mayor of Berkeley Township, said in a statement.

This young person was out there every day protecting the lives of others. Our lifeguard teams, like so many along the shore, develop special connections with our community throughout the summer, which makes this loss even greater.

The statement also said that the water will be closed to beachgoers until 4 September, and that counselling will be given to the staff at the beach.

He was just a nice kid, Debbie Winogracki, the director of communications for Berkeley Township, told The New York Times. He exuded those leadership qualities you want in a person.

Pinto was about to become a sophomore at Ocean County Community College in Toms River. His sister Tina Pinto described him as naturally funny, loving and caring to CBS New York.

On 31 August, people had begun to leave tributes to Pinto, from bouquets of flowers to T-shirts, on the lifeguard stand. A candlelight vigil was held in his honour.

Those impacted by the lightning said the day began with clear skies and there was no sign of an incoming storm.

It felt like a bomb. I felt this excruciating pain in my head, Christine Gailey-Glenn told the Times about being hit.

According to Ms Gailey-Glenn, she fainted and after regaining conscious, she discovered that her son, sister and cousin had all also been hit. Other eyewitness compared it to explosives.

It was almost like a bomb went off, Vince Ruffolo told CBS New York. Next thing you know, one of our colleagues sees this young man fall off the chair, off the lifeguard, and then there were people in the area trying to work on him.

The states governor Phil Murphy paid his respects to Pinto and all those affected on Twitter.

Our hearts are with the family and friends of the young lifeguard killed by todays horrific lightning strike on the beach in Berkeley Township, and we pray for a full recovery for those injured, he wrote.

Pinto was the second lifeguard death in New Jersey in August, after Norman Inferrea III, 16, died while out on a lifeboat on 20 August after a wave knocked him unconscious.

According to CDC data, New Jersey is in the top 10 states for deaths and injuries from lightning strikes. Pintos death was the states second in 2021; a 70 year-old man died in June, according to the National Weather Service.

However, a persons chance of being struck by lightning stand at 1 in 500,000. Odds of being struck increase in the summer. At the beginning of last month, a 13 year old boy died and six others were injured by a lightning strike at beach in New York state.
Great white sharks were spotted feasting on a the body of dead humpback whale in the waters off Cape Cod.

Two of the carnivores, including a monster 18ft one, tucked into the biggest smorgasbord a shark could ever dream of in Cape Cod Bay near Provincetown, Massachusetts.

The footage was captured by a whale watching tour company and posted to social media by John Goggin, of Captain John Boats.

It was the first time I had ever seen this happen, he told The Boston Herald.

People on board were pretty excited. There was a lot of yelling, Oh my God! Wow!

The dead whale also provided an opportunity for researchers to tag sharks, with eight of them drawn to the carcass over a two-day period.

While it is sad to learn that an individual has died, documenting these events is essential for long-term population studies, The Center for Coastal Studies posted on Facebook.

Remember to keep your distance from whale carcasses, whether at sea or on land. Conditions can be more dangerous than they appear, especially if predators are in the area, and touching marine mammals is prohibited by law, even after death.

The whale, a one-year-old calf, was know to researchers but it is not clear what caused its death.

A dead whale is a lot of really easy food for great white sharks, said Peter Corkeron of the New England Aquarium.

A dead whale is like the biggest smorgasbord a shark could ever dream of.

And a shark researcher, John Chisholm called the larger of the sharks enormous.

One of the hardest things to communicate to people is how massive white sharks can be, he tweeted.

Until you see one in person, its hard to appreciate the girth which may be more impressive than length.
US airlines could soon insist on passengers wearing higher quality Covid-19 face masks, according to reports.

Currently, there are no widely publicised plans for any US airlines to prohibit cloth masks, however there is a growing trend to do so, according to Fortune.

A number of international airlines have ruled cloth masks to be insufficient protection against catching coronavirus on flights. These include Canada Air, Croatia Airlines and Air France. The latest carrier to adopt the policy was Finnair, a Finnish airline.

It is believed that this change is being considered in light of the Delta variant, which is more contagious than its predecessors.

In lieu of cloth masks, airlines are urging passengers to wear masks designed for healthcare settings, such as surgical masks, KN95 masks and FFP2 masks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cloth masks are considered less protective against transmission of the virus.

The filtration effectiveness of cloth masks is generally lower than that of medical masks and respirators; however, cloth masks may provide some protection if well designed and used correctly, a CDC report from last year said.

Presently, US airlines have limits on the sorts of face coverings passengers can wear on flights. For example, most airlines do not allow bandanas and scarves to be used, among other items.

Wearing masks on planes has posed problems for many flight attendants as they were largely responsible for enforcing it. Federal Aviation Authority data from May found that 76 per cent of unruly and dangerous behaviour towards staff from customers stemmed from refusal to wear a mask in 2021.

This development prompted a zero tolerance policy regarding any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes members of staff. The punishment is a potential fine between $9,000 to $15,000.

Masks are required in airports, planes and other public transport systems until at least early 2022 after ruling from the Transportation Security Administration.
President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed a bill aimed at providing aid to US citizens returning from Afghanistan into a law, amid criticism from Republicans over Americas chaotic withdrawal from Kabul.

Under the "Emergency Repatriation Assistance for Returning Americans Act," $10 million in emergency funds per year for two consecutive years will be provided for US citizens returning from Afghanistan to settle back into their lives.

The legislation was passed by the US Senate on Tuesday after it was cleared by the House of Representatives. Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the Senate session in a "pro forma" event as lawmakers were reportedly out of Washington. The bill was passed by unanimous consent in a nearly empty Senate chamber, Reuters reported.

Although the House was in recess, about 30 Republicans held a moment of silence during the session to honour the soldiers killed in Kabul on 26 August. At least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US troops were killed in multiple bombings outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. The terror outfit Islamic state's eastern wing Isis-K, which considers both the Taliban and the US its enemy, took the responsibility for the attack.

Over 1,23,000 people, including 6,000 American citizens have been airlifted out of Afghanistan since 14 August, according to Pentagon. However, at least 100-200 US citizens were left behind when the last Boeing C-17 Globemaster took off from Kabul before dawn on Tuesday, marking the end of Washington's 20-year-long war with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Defending his decision to hastily end the war, Mr Biden on Tuesday said he was not going to extend the forever war, and I was not extending the forever exit.

"Let me be clear. Leaving August the 31st is not due to an arbitrary deadline; it was designed to save American lives. I give you my word: With all of my heart, I believe this is the right decision, a wise decision, and the best decision for America," he said from the White House addressing the nation.

Mr Biden suggested that staying in Afghanistan no longer served America's purpose as the main accused behind the 9/11 attacks Osama bin Laden was already killed. "We delivered justice to bin Laden on 2 May 2011, over a decade ago. Al Qaeda was decimated. We succeeded in what we set out to do in Afghanistan over a decade ago. Then we stayed for another decade. It was time to end this war," he added.
Conservative commentator Ann Coulter praised President Joe Biden for having the b***s to pull out of Afghanistan and called former President Donald Trumps statements on the issue wuss and BS.

Trump REPEATEDLY demanded that we bring our soldiers home, but only President Biden had the b***s to do it. Here are a few of Trumps wuss, B.S. - I mean masterful - tweets, Ms Coulter tweeted on Tuesday and included a screenshot of some of Mr Trumps Afghanistan statements supporting US troop withdrawal.

Thank you, President Biden, for keeping a promise Trump made, but then abandoned when he got to office, she wrote a few minutes earlier and included a tweet by The New York Times, which wrote that Mr Biden vehemently defended his decision to end Americas war in Afghanistan, and quoted the president as saying that the choice was between leaving or escalating.

I was not going to extend this forever war, Mr Biden said on Tuesday.

Mr Trump said several times during his 2016 campaign that US troops should leave Afghanistan.

In February of last year, the Trump administration made a deal with the Taliban that the US would end its troop presence if the Taliban didnt provide support to terror groups.

Both Democrats and Republicans have criticised how the withdrawal was conducted, its chaotic nature, and that some allies and Americans are still in the country.

My predecessor, the former president, signed an agreement with the Taliban to remove US troops by 1 May, just months after I was inaugurated, Mr Biden said in a speech on Tuesday forcefully defending the US withdrawal.

It included no requirement that the Taliban work out a cooperative governing arrangement with the Afghan government, Mr Biden added. But it did authorise the release of 5,000 prisoners last year, including some of the Talibans top war commanders, among those who just took control of Afghanistan. And by the time I came to office, the Taliban was in its strongest military position since 2001.

The previous administrations agreement said that if we stuck to the 1 May deadline that they had signed on to leave by, the Taliban wouldnt attack any American forces. But if we stayed, all bets were off, the president claimed. So we were left with a simple decision: either follow through on the commitment made by the last administration and leave Afghanistan or say we werent leaving and commit another tens of thousands more troops  going back to war.
US Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called on the US Senate to reject Joe Bidens nomination of Rahm Emanuel to be US ambassador to Japan, following the former Chicago mayors cover up of the police murder of Laquan McDonald.

This nomination is deeply shameful, the New York Democratic congresswoman said in a statement on 1 September. As mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel helped cover up the murder of Laquan McDonald  a mere teenager when he was shot 16 times in the back by a Chicago Police Officer.

Under Mr Emanuels mayoral administration, the city withheld video footage of the 2014 police killing of McDonald, a Black 17-year-old who was fatally shot 16 times by Chicago Police Department Officer Jason Van Dyke as McDonald walked away from police.

Dashboard-mounted video footage of the murder wasnt released until 13 months later. Initial police reports and internal reporting indicated the officers shooting was justified, leaving Van Dyke off the hook. Following release of the video, he was charged with first-degree murder, and three other officers involved where charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice in connection with the cover-up.

Van Dyke was later found guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm.

Mr Emanuel  a former White House chief of staff under Barack Obama  was accused of misleading the public ahead of his re-election campaign, prompting widespread protests demanding his resignation.

A scathing report from the US Department of Justice in 2017 revealed a history of excessive force in the department, lack of proper training oversight, and disproportionate attacks against people of colour.

This alone should be flatly disqualifying for any position of public trust, let alone representing the United States as an ambassador, the congresswoman said. That the Biden administration seeks to reward Emanuel with an ambassadorship is an embarrassment and betrayal of the values we seek to uphold both within our nation and around the world. I urge the Senate to vote NO on his confirmation.

Her call follows statements from other progressive lawmakers who have objected to his nomination.

This is a travesty, said fellow New York Rep Mondaire Jones. Senators of good conscience must not vote to confirm him.

US Rep Cori Bush of Missouri said he should be disqualified from ever holding an appointed position in any administration.

If you believe Black lives indeed matter, then the Senate must reject his appointment immediately, said US Rep Rashida Tlaib.

In its announcement nominating Mr Emanuel, the White House said the former mayor has had a distinguished career in public service whose administration saw increased economic development that revitalized the city and helped solidify its status as a global hub of culture and commerce.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi  in stark contrast to progressive lawmakers in her chamber  also claimed that Mr Emanuel is known and respected by all for his relentlessness and track record of success, and his appointment to serve as a key liaison to the nations third-largest economy would 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.
Bernie Sanders has long argued, but not proved, that his big government populism can win over voters in the largely white, rural communities that flocked to Republican Donald Trump in recent elections.

Now as the chief Senate shepherd of a $3.5 trillion budget proposal, Sanders believes he has another chance to test the theory.

The Vermont senator is embarking on two-stop swing through Trump country this weekend, promoting a budget plan packed with progressive initiatives and financed by higher taxes on top earners. He's specifically targeting two congressional districts where Trumps vote totals increased between 2016 and 2020.

What we are doing is precisely what working-class families, Republican, Democrat, independent, want, Sanders, who helped negotiate the proposal as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said in an interview. And were going to pay for it by demanding that the wealthiest people, and largest corporations that are doing phenomenally well, start paying their fair share of taxes.

Sanders will hold town halls in West Lafayette, Indiana, on Friday night and Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Sunday. He says he'll highlight the difference between the two parties since congressional Republicans in years past approved tax cuts for wealthy Americans but are expected to universally oppose a plan Sanders calls the most consequential piece of legislation since Frank Delano Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s.

It could be a tough sell for the face of the progressive movement. Republicans have already begun using Sanders  along with fellow democratic socialist and New York Rep Alexandria Ocasio Cortez  in ads warning voters that the country is edging toward socialism.

Sanders saw his political star first rise to national prominence by nearly winning the 2016 Democratic Iowa caucus, and he won that year's Indiana Democratic primary over Hillary Clinton. As he pushed his party to the left and drew in voters frustrated by mainstream Democrats, Sanders and his supporters advocated for reaching beyond the traditional base by making appeals to the white, working class that can attract Republicans or nonvoters.

He has a lot of credibility with a lot of audiences that arent just progressive, said Maurice Mitchell, national director of the progressive advocacy group the Working Families Party. He an outsider. Hes a populist. And, in fact, the thing that weve always said works best against rightwing populism is progressive populism.

But evidence that Sanders has particular sway with Trump voters is limited. According to data from the Pew Research Center, only about 3% percent of people who consistently supported Sanders during 2016 the primary season, and were confirmed to have voted in the general election, said they ultimately supported Trump, compared to 81% who reported voting for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll in February 2020 found that 17% of Republicans had a favorable view of Sanders, roughly the same share of Republicans who had a favorable view of Biden.

Sanders next chance to make his case is a budget proposal that promises universal pre-kindergarten and tuition-free community college, while increasing federal funding for child care, paid family leave and combating climate change. It also expands health care coverage through Medicare, creates pathways to citizenship for millions of immigrants in the country illegally and encourages states to adopt labor-friendly laws.

Republicans say the plan is loaded with unnecessary spending and tax increases. But Democrats, as long as they stay united, can use their narrow advantage in each congressional chamber to muscle it through anyway.

Sanders says his trip could increase pressure on Republicans who oppose measures that are broadly popular with working-class Americans, regardless of ideology.

This is the peoples budget. This is the budget that will impact tens of millions of lives in this country: the elderly, the children, the working families, the middle class, Sanders said. So it is appropriate to me that the chairman of the budget committee get out and around the country, hear what people have to say. Explain what were trying to do.

Although Sanders is heading to red states, his trip isn't exactly into hostile territory. His 2016 and 2020 presidential bids were popular with college students and West Lafayette is home to Purdue University. He similarly remains popular in Iowa, which means his Cedar Rapids event may attract far more longstanding Sanders supporters than potentially persuadable Republicans.

Still Sanders scoffed at suggestions that his presidential campaigns were more successful at energizing liberals, many of them wealthy, than at growing his party's appeal with crossover voters.

Poll after poll shows that the American people want the wealthiest people, large corporations, to pay their fair share. This is not wealthy liberals, this is working class Americans, Sanders said, adding of his ability to sell the budget proposal to independents and Republicans, "I think its part of my job and I think Ill do OK."

There is some bipartisan support for key parts of the budget proposal. A July AP-NORC poll found that 62% of Republicans backed funding for caregivers for the elderly. At least 4 in 10 Republicans said they supported funding for free preschool, affordable housing, broadband internet, and local transit, and close to 3 in 10 said they supported funding for free community college.

Sanders trip follows President Joe Biden and his allies traveling the country to promote the administrations efforts to strengthen the post-coronavirus pandemic economy. Sanders said he's confident in Biden's support for the proposal.

There are no plans for the two former rivals to travel together to promote the proposed budget, though he wouldn't be opposed to doing so, Sanders said.

The administration's economic agenda has been overshadowed in recent days by violence and chaos in Afghanistan. But Sanders says Americans from across the political spectrum understand that what's occurring there and with their pocketbooks back home "are separate issues.

Still, the budget process has not gone entirely smoothly even within Sanders' own party. A group of moderate House Democrats threatened to derail the budget blueprint, and only dropped their opposition after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised that a vote on a separate, $1 trillion public works package which has already passed the Senate would come late next month.

Mitchell called such moderate Democrats obstructionists.

That small but loud crew, they dont have a popular base, Mitchell said. People want to get this passed.

Sanders, however, will be in the territory of moderate Iowa Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne, whose staff says she doesn't plan to attend his Sunday event. Republicans believe Sanders hitting the road could ultimately hurt his party during next year's midterms, when control of Congress is at stake.

"Democrats embrace of socialism helped us pick up seats in 2020, and will continue to help us in the midterms, said National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Berg.

Sanders countered that he's not worried about his visit making things politically uncomfortable for Axne, saying, This is the right thing to do for America, I think in her district, or in any other district in this country.

If I had the time, Id love to go to 50 states in this country," Sanders said. "So well pick and choose and get out there when we can.

___

AP Director of Public Opinion Research Emily Swanson contributed to this report.
Last night in Kabul, the United States ended 20 years of war in Afghanistan, the longest war in American history. We completed one of the biggest airlifts in history with more than 120,000 people evacuated to safety. That numbers more than double what most experts thought were possible.

No nation, no nation has ever done anything like it in all of history. The only, the United States, had the capacity and the will and the ability to do it, and we did it today.

The extraordinary success of this mission was due to the incredible skill, bravery, and selfless courage of the United States military and our diplomats and intelligence professionals.

For weeks, they risked their lives to get American citizens, Afghans who helped us, citizens of our allies and partners and others onboard planes and out of the country. And they did it facing the crush of enormous crowds seeking to leave the country. And they did it knowing ISIS-K terrorists, sworn enemies of the Taliban, were lurking in the midst of those crowds. And still, the women and men of the United States military, our diplomatic core, our intelligence professionals did their job and did it well, risking their lives, not for professional gain, but to serve others.

Not in a mission of war, but in a mission of mercy. Twenty service members were wounded in the service of this mission. Thirteen heroes gave their lives. I was just at Dover Air Force Base for the dignified transfer, we owe them and their families a debt of gratitude we can never repay. But we should never, ever, ever forget.

In April, I made the decision to end this war. As part of that decision, we set the date of August 31st for American troops to withdraw. The assumption was that more than 300,000 Afghan national security forces that we had trained over the past two decades, and equipped, would be a strong adversary in their civil war with the Taliban.

That assumption, that the Afghan government would be able to hold on for a period of time beyond military drawdown turned out not to be accurate. But, I still instructed our national security team to prepare for every eventuality, even that one. And thats what we did. So we were ready when the Afghan security forces, after two decades of fighting for their country and losing thousands of their own, did not hold on as long as anyone expected.

We were ready when they, and the people of Afghanistan, watched their own government collapse and their president flee amid the corruption and malfeasance, handing over the country to their enemy the Taliban and significantly increasing the risk to US personnel and our allies.

As a result, to safely extract American citizens before August 31st as wells as embassy personnel, allies and partners, and those Afghans who had worked with us and fought alongside of us for 20 years, I had authorised 6,000 troops, American troops, to Kabul to help secure the airport. As General MacKenzie said, this is the way the mission was designed. It was designed to operate under severe stress and attack. And thats what it did.

Since March, we reached out 19 times to Americans in Afghanistan with multiple warnings and offers to help to leave Afghanistan, all the way back to as far as March. After we started the evacuation 17 days ago, we did initial outreach and analysis and identified around 5,000 Americans who had decided earlier to stay in Afghanistan but now wanted to leave.

Our Operation Allied Rescue ended up getting more than 5,500 Americans out. We got out thousands of citizens and diplomats from those countries that went into Afghanistan with us to get Bin Laden. We got out locally employed staff in the United States Embassy, and their families, totalling roughly 2,500 people. We got thousands of Afghan translators and interpreters and others who supported the United States out as well.

Now we believe that about 100 to 200 Americans remain in Afghanistan with some intention to leave. Most of those who remain are dual citizens, long-time residents that earlier decided to stay because of their family roots in Afghanistan.

The bottom line, 90 per cent of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave. And for those remaining Americans, there is no deadline, we remain committed to get them out if they want to come out.

Secretary of State Blinken is leading the continued diplomatic efforts to ensure safe passage for any American, Afghan partner, or foreign national who wants to leave Afghanistan.

In fact, just yesterday, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution that sent a clear message what the international community expects the Taliban to deliver on moving forward, notably freedom of travel, freedom to leave. Together, were joined by over 100 countries that are determined to make sure that the Taliban uphold those commitments.

It will include ongoing efforts in Afghanistan to reopen the airport, as well as overland routes, allowing for continued departure for those who want to leave, and deliver humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan.

The Taliban has made public commitments broadcast on television and radio across Afghanistan on safe passage on anyone wanting to leave, including those who worked alongside America.

We dont take them by their word alone, but by their actions. And we have leverage to make sure that those commitments are met. Let me be clear, leaving August the 31st is not due to an arbitrary deadline. It was designed to save American lives.

My predecessor, the former president, signed an agreement with the Taliban to remove US troops by May the first, just months after I was inaugurated. It included no requirement the Taliban work out a cooperative government arrangement with the Afghan government. But it did authorize the release of 5,000 prisoners last year, including some of the Talibans top war commanders among those that just took control of Afghanistan.

By the time I came to office, the Taliban was in the strongest military position since 2001, controlling or contesting nearly half of the country. Previous administrations agreement said that if we stuck to the May 1st deadline that they had signed on to leave by, the Taliban wouldnt attack any American forces. But if we stayed, all bets were off.

So we were left with a simple decision, either follow through on the commitment made by the last administration and leave Afghanistan or say we werent leaving and commit another tens of thousands of more troops going back to war. That was the choice, the real choice, between leaving or escalating.

I was not going to extend this forever war and I was not extending a forever exit. The decision to end the military lift operations at Kabul airport was based on unanimous recommendation of my civilian and military advisers, the secretary of state, the secretary of defence, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and all the service chiefs, and the commanders in the field.

Their recommendation was that the safest way to secure the passage of the remaining Americans and others out of the country was not to continue with 6,000 troops on the ground in harms way in Kabul, but rather get them out through non-military means.

In the 17 days that we operated in Kabul after the Taliban seized power, we engaged in an around the clock effort to provide every American the opportunity to leave. Our State Department was working 24/7 contacting and talking, and in some cases walking, Americans into the airport.

Again, more than 5,500 Americans were airlifted out, and for those who remain, we will make arrangements to get them out if they so choose. As for the Afghans, we and our partners have airlifted 100,000 of them. No country in history has done more to airlift out the residents of another country than we have done. We will continue to work to help more people leave the country who are at risk. Were far from done.

For now, I urge all Americans to join me in grateful prayer for our troops and diplomats and intelligence officers who carried out this mission of mercy in Kabul and at tremendous risk with such unparalleled results. An airlift that evacuated tens of thousands to a network of volunteers and veterans who helped identify those needing evacuation, guide them to the airport, and provided them with their support along the way.

Were going to continue to need their help, we need your help and Im looking forward to meeting with you. And to everyone who is now offering, or who will offer to welcome Afghan allies to their homes around the world, including in America, we thank you.

I take responsibility for the decision. Now some say we should have started mass evacuations sooner. And couldnt this have been done, have been done in a more orderly manner? I respectfully disagree.

Imagine, if wed begun evacuations in June or July bringing in thousands of American troops and evacuating more than 120,000 people in the middle of a civil war. There still would have been a rush to the airport. A breakdown in confidence and control of the government and it still would have been a very difficult and dangerous mission.

The bottom line is, there is no evacuation [sic], evacuation from the end of a war that you can run without the kinds of complexities, challenge and threats we faced. None.

To those who would say we should have stayed indefinitely, for years on end, they ask why dont we just keep doing what we were doing. Why do we have to change anything? The fact is, everything had changed.

My predecessor had made a deal with the Taliban. When I came into the office we faced a deadline, May 1, the Taliban onslaught was coming. We faced one of two choices, follow the agreement of the previous administration and extend it to have, or extend, to have more time for people to get out. Or send in thousands of more troops and escalate the war.

To those asking for a third decade of war in Afghanistan, I ask, what is the vital national interest? In my view we only have one, to make sure Afghanistan can never be used again to launch an attack on our homeland. Remember why we went to Afghanistan in the first place? Because we were attacked by Osama bin Laden and Al Quaeda on September 11th 2001. And they were based in Afghanistan. We delivered justice to bin Laden on May 2nd, 2011, over a decade ago. Al Quaeda was decimated.

I respectfully suggest you ask yourself this question, if wed been attacked on September 11th 2001 from Yemen instead of Afghanistan, would we have ever have gone to war in Afghanistan? Even though the Taliban controlled Afghanistan in the year 2001?

I believe the honest answer is no. Thats because we had no vital interest in Afghanistan other than to prevent an attack on Americas homeland and our friends. And thats true today. We succeeded in what we set out to do in Afghanistan over a decade ago. And we stayed for another decade. It was time to end this war.

This is a new world, the terror threat has metastasized across the world well beyond Afghanistan. We face threats from Al-Shabab in Somalia, Al Qaeda affiliates in Syria and the Arabian peninsula and Isis attempting to create a Caliphate in Syria and Iraq and establishing affiliates in Africa Asia.

The fundamental obligation of a president in my opinion is to defend and protect America, not against threats of 2001, but against the threats of 2021 and tomorrow. That is the guiding principle behind my decisions about Afghanistan.

I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars a year in Afghanistan. But I also know that the threat from terrorism continues in its pernicious and evil nature. But its changed, expanded to other countries. Our strategy has to change too.

We will maintain the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and other countries. We just dont need to fight a ground war to do it. We have whats called over the horizon capabilities. Which means we can strike terrorism targets without American boots on the ground, or very few if needed.

Weve shown that capacity just in the last week, we struck ISIS-K remotely days after they murdered 13 of our service members and dozens of innocent Afghans. And to ISIS-K, we are not done with you yet.

As commander in chief, I firmly believe the best path to guard our safety and our security lies in a tough, unforgiving, targeted, precise strategy that goes after terror where it is today. Not where it was two decades ago. Thats whats in our national interests.

And heres the critical thing to understand. The world is changing, were engaged in a serious competition with China, were dealing with the challenges on multiple fronts with Russia, were confronted with cyber attacks and nuclear proliferation.

We have to shore up Americas competitiveness to meet these new challenges in the competition for the 21st century. We can do both, fight terrorism and take on new threats that are here now and will continue to be here in the future. And theres nothing China or Russia would rather have, would want more, in this competition than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan.

As we turn the page on the foreign policy that has guided our nation the last two decades, weve got to learn from our mistakes. To me, there are two that are paramount. First, we must set missions with clear, achievable goals. Not ones we will never reach. Second, we must stay clearly focused on the fundamental national security interests of the United States of America.

This decision about Afghanistan is not just about Afghanistan, its about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries. We saw a mission of counter-terrorism in Afghanistan, getting a terrorist and stopping attacks, morph into a counterinsurgency, nation-building, trying to create a democratic, cohesive and united Afghanistan, something that has never been done over centuries of Afghanistans history.

Moving from that mindset and those kinds of large scale troop deployments will make us stronger and more effective and safer at home. And for anyone who gets the wrong idea, let me say clearly.

To those who wish America harm, to those who engage in terrorism against us or our allies, know this, the United States will never rest, we will not forgive, we will not forget, we will hunt you down to the ends of the earth and we will, you will pay the ultimate price.

Now let me be clear, we will continue to support the Afghan people through diplomacy, international influence and humanitarian aid. We will continue to push for reasonable diplomacy engagement to prevent violence and instability, continue to speak out for the basic rights of the Afghan people, especially women and girls, as we speak out for women and girls all around the globe. And I have been clear that human rights would be the centre of our foreign policy. But the way to do that is not through endless military deployments, but through diplomacy, economic tools and rallying the rest of the world for support.

My fellow Americans, the war in Afghanistan is now over. Im the fourth president who has faced the issue of whether and when to end this war. When I was running for president I made a commitment to the American people that I would end this war, and today Ive honoured that commitment.

It was time to be honest to the American people again. We no longer had a clear purpose in an open-ended mission in Afghanistan. After 20 years of war in Afghanistan, I refused to send another generation of Americas sons and daughters to fight a war that should have ended long ago.

After more than $2trillion spent in Afghanistan, costs that researchers at Brown University estimated would be over $300m a day for 20 years in Afghanistan, for two decades. Yes, the American people hear this. $300m a day for two decades. You take the number of $1trillion as many say, thats still $150m a day for two decades. And what have we lost as a consequence in terms of opportunities?

I refuse to continue a war that was no longer in the service of the vital national interests of our people. And most of all, after 800,000 Americans serving in Afghanistan have travelled that whole country, brave and honourable service, after 20,744 American servicemen and women injured, and the loss of 2,461 American personnel, including 13 lives lost just this week, I refuse to open another decade of warfare in Afghanistan.

Weve been a nation too long at war. If youre 20 years old today, youve never known an America at peace. So when I hear that we could have, should have, continued this so-called low-grade effort in Afghanistan at low risk to our service members, at low cost, I dont think enough people how much weve asked of the one per cent of this country that put that uniform on, willing to put their lives on the line in defence of our nation.

Maybe its because my deceased son Beau served in Iraq for a full year and before that well, maybe its because of what Ive seen over the years as senator, vice president and president travelling these countries.

A lot of our veterans and their families have gone through hell. Deployment after deployment, months and years away from their families, missed birthdays, anniversaries, empty chairs at holidays, financial struggles, divorces, loss of limbs, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress.

We see it in the struggles many have when they come home. We see it in the strain on their families and caregivers. We see it in the strain on their families when theyre not there. We see it in the grief borne by their survivors. The cost of war they will carry with them their whole lives.

Most tragically, we see it in the shocking and stunning statistic that should give pause to anyone who thinks war could be low grade, low risk or low cost. Eighteen veterans on average who die by suicide every single day in America, not in a far place but right here in America. Theres nothing low grade or low risk or low cost about any war.

Its time to end the war in Afghanistan. As we close 20 years of war and strife and pain and sacrifice, its time to look to the future, not the past, to a future thats safer, to a future thats more secure, to a future that honours those that served and all those who gave what President Lincoln called their last full measure of devotion.

I give you my word with all of my heart, I believe this is the right the decision, a wise decision, and the best decision for America.

Thank you, thank you and may God bless you all, and may God protect our troops.
 Close Biden defends ending 'forever war' in Afghanistan

In an address to the nation, President Joe Biden recognised the end of a forever war in Afghanistan after the last American troops departed from Kabul on Monday night, marking the beginning of the end of the nations longest war.

He defended the evacuation effort, in which thousands of people were lifted out of Kabul in recent weeks, as an extraordinary success due to the incredible skill, bravery, and selfless courage of the United States military and our diplomats and intelligence professionals.

The end of the nations longest war  in which nearly 50,000 Afghan civilians, 2,500 US service members, and thousands of Afghan military, police and Taliban fighters were killed  included the deaths of at least 13 US service members and an estimated 170 Afghan civilians after a terror attack claimed by Isis-K.

The president said he does not believe mass evacuations from Kabul should have started sooner, arguing that any announcement prior to an approaching withdrawal date could have sparked a rush to the airport.

I take responsibility for the decision, he said.

He added: Imagine if we began evacuations in June or July, bringing in thousands of American troops and evacuating more than 120,000 people in the middle of a civil war. There still would have been a rush to the airport, a break down in confidence and control of the government and still would have been very difficult and dangerous mission.

The bottom line is there is no evacuation from the end of a war that you can run without the kinds of complexities, challenges, threats we faced, he said. None.

He also stressed that for Americans who remained beyond the 31 August withdrawal deadline, there is no deadline.

We remain committed to get them out, if they want to come out, he said.

At home, the president has approved federal disaster aid and dispatched emergency response in the wake of Hurricane Idas devastation across southeast Louisiana, where thousands of homes were damaged by the now-dissipated storm, leaving more than 1 million homes without power.

The president pledged the federal government to stand with you and the people of the Gulf as long as it takes for you to recover, he said on Monday.

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President Joe Biden said Texas new abortion law would violate constitutional rights established under Roe v Wade.

The president said the law, which went into effect early Wednesday morning, would restrict health care access for low-income communities and communities of color.

And, outrageously, it deputizes private citizens to bring lawsuits against anyone who they believe has helped another person get an abortion, which might even include family members, health care workers, front desk staff at a health care clinic, or strangers with no connection to the individual, Mr Biden said in a statement.

Texass legislature passed the law which Gov Greg Abbott signed in May. The US Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, had until midnight on Tuesday to take action on the legislation but chose not to do so.

The law bans abortion once cardiac activity is detected, which is typically six weeks of pregnancy, which is before many parents know they are pregnant. The law offers medical exceptions but not ones for rape and incest.

The law also allows for private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who aids and abets someone to receive an abortion. If these private citizens succeed, they are entitled to $10,000 in addition to legal costs, even if they dont live in Texas.

My administration is deeply committed to the constitutional right established in Roe v. Wade nearly five decades ago and will protect and defend that right, Mr Biden said in a statement.
President Joe Biden on Tuesday glossed over his broken promise to keep U.S. troops in Afghanistan until the last Americans are out and offered the faint assurance  even with the last U.S. planes gone  that it's never too late for U.S. citizens to leave.

There is no deadline, Biden said. But with its forces withdrawn, the U.S. is left with diplomatic persuasion instead of military muscle to get the Taliban extremists who've been fighting the U.S. for 20 years to give remaining Americans safe passage out.

BIDEN: The bottom line: 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave. For those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out, if they want to come out. Secretary of State Blinken is leading the continued diplomatic efforts to ensure safe passage for any American, Afghan partner or foreign national who wants to leave Afghanistan.  White House remarks.

THE FACTS: For the record, Biden vowed that he would get 100% of Americans out before withdrawing forces.

And his suggestions Tuesday that many of the remaining Americans are dual nationals who may be undecided about leaving do not reflect the full reality.

He contended 100 to 200 Americans are still there and have "some intention to leave," adding: Most of those who remain are dual citizens, longtime residents, but earlier decided to stay because of their family roots in Afghanistan. And White House press secretary Jen Psaki said afterward that Biden is telling those people that if they decide in two weeks that they want to go, we will get you out.

But those comments may understate the desperation of Americans trapped in Afghanistan. Gen. Frank McKenzie head of U.S. Central Command, said Monday that Americans tried to get to the Kabul airport for the final evacuations but couldn't. No Americans were on the last five jets to leave.

We maintained the ability to bring them in up until immediately before departure, but we were not able to bring any Americans out, he said. That activity ended probably about 12 hours before our exit, although we continue the outreach and would have been prepared to bring them on until the very last minute. But none of them made it to the airport, and were able to be  and were able to be accommodated.

Biden told ABC News unequivocally on Aug. 19 that the U.S. would not leave any Americans stranded.

Americans understand were going to try and get it done before Aug. 31, Biden said then. "If we dont, well determine at the time, whos left.

And then? "And if there are American citizens left, were going to stay until we get them all out.

The last U.S. planes took off from the airport Monday night, Aug. 30, one minute before midnight in Kabul.

U.S. officials estimated up to 200 Americans were left behind, along with unknown numbers of Afghans and others who were trying frantically to leave. By then, more than 100,000 people, mostly Afghans, had been flown to safety in the multinational evacuations.

Now that has become a matter for diplomacy,

U.S. officials said diplomats are in talks with neighboring countries and others to try to arrange non-U.S.-military evacuations for those remaining. Among the options, if the diplomacy works, are potential charter flights from the airport when it re-opens and overland routes.

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AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

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EDITOR'S NOTE  A look at the veracity of claims by political figures.

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Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has threatened telecom companies, claiming they would be "shut down" if they handed over Republicans' phone data to the January 6 commission being conducted by the US House.

The commission is investigating the circumstances that led to the Capitol riot, and have request the phone records of several Republican lawmakers, including Representatives Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jim Jordan, Madison Cawthorn, Matt Gaetz, Louie Gohmert, Mo Brooks, Jody Hice, Scott Perry, Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar.

That list could grow to include more Republican lawmakers.

Republicans have complained that the request constitutes government overreach.

"If these telecommunications companies, if they go along with this, they will be shut down. And that's a promise," Ms Greene told Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

She said the requests were a "witch hunt," a phrase Donald Trump often invoked over investigations into him.

"If members of Congress can have their personal cellphone data exposed ... just to hurt us politically in the next election, then we are going into a dangerous place in this country," she said.

She threatened that Republicans would take the requests "very serious" and would react in kind should they retake the House in 2022.

The request from the House seeks records from 35 communication companies for the purpose of "preserving records."

On Monday, a spokesman for the House select committee said the request was meant to gather facts, "not alleging wrongdoing by any individual."

Mr Brooks complained that the request from the "socialists" and "Pelosi Republicans" was wrong and asked why they did not "subpoena Socialists who support BLM & ANTIFA?"

House minority leader Kevin McCarthy also threatened the companies, suggesting  as Ms Greene did  that a Republican majority House would retaliate against telecom companies, warning they "will not forget."

He said Democratic Representatives Adam Schiff, Bennie Thompson and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were attempting "to strong-arm private companies to turn over individuals' private data," and claimed that compliance would "put every American with a phone or computer in the crosshairs of a surveillance state run by Democratic politicians."

The concern may be surprising coming from Mr McCarthy, who voted to renew the Patriot Act  which permitted US intelligence agencies to spy on citizens  numerous times.

The House committee spokesperson responded to the threats, saying the commission would not be deterred by Republican threats.

The Select Committee is investigating the violent attack on the Capitol and attempt to overturn the results of last years election, the spokesman said. Weve asked companies not to destroy records that may help answer questions for the American people. The committees efforts wont be deterred by those who want to whitewash or cover up the events of January 6th, or obstruct our investigation.

Congressional committees have sought data from private companies, including phone records and emails, in past inquiries.
Republicans on Monday announced a ballot drive to tighten Michigan s voting and election laws, backing a maneuver that would let GOP lawmakers enact the changes without Gov. Gretchen Whitmer s signature.

The step, which had been signaled for months, was decried by Democrats and voting-rights advocates. The Democratic governor had vowed to veto similar bills pending in the GOP-controlled Legislature.

Secure MI Vote, which is being run by veteran GOP operatives, will need to collect roughly 340,000 valid voter signatures within six months of starting to circulate petitions.

The initiative would toughen a requirement that voters submit photo identification, eliminating an option that lets those without one submit an affidavit and vote. More than 11,400 of nearly 5.6 million voters did that in November.

Instead, people with no ID would get a provisional ballot and have to verify their identity within six days after the election for it to count.

The measure also would add an ID component to absentee ballot applications, requiring that voters submit their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Nearly 3.3 million people, a record, voted absentee last November. Voters currently seeking an absentee ballot by mail must sign the application, and the signature is matched to the voter file.

The initiative also would prohibit the secretary of state and local clerks from sending applications to people who did not request them and create a $3 million fund to ensure low-income residents have an ID. The funding also would make the measure referendum-proof under state law.

Jamie Roe, spokesman for Secure MI Vote, said voters across the political spectrum questioned the integrity of the 2016 and 2020 election results.

The success of this initiative will make it easier to vote, harder to cheat, and restore confidence in the electoral system for Republicans, Democrats and independents alike, he said in a statement.

The Michigan Democratic Party and other groups accused the GOP of trying to confuse voters and perpetuating Trumps lies with the ballot drive.

They want fewer people to vote because they just discovered what we have always known, when people vote, Democrats win. That is what this ballot proposal is all about, creating barriers to voting so fewer people have access to the polls, said chair Lavora Barnes.

She noted that two-thirds of Michigan voters in 2018 passed a constitutional amendment expanding voting options.

Joe Biden won the battleground state by about 155,000 votes, or 2.8 percentage points, but former President Trump has falsely alleged widespread fraud. His own attorney general found no evidence of it in Michigan or other states. Trump's allegations also have been dismissed by judges and refuted by state election officials, an arm of his own administrations Homeland Security Department and Republicans in the Michigan Senate.

Several GOP states have tightened voting laws this year, and others are debating them. If enacted, the Michigan changes would be in place for the 2024 election but not the 2022 midterm because Democratic legislators would refuse to let them take effect immediately.

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Pro-Trump election conspiracist Mike Lindell has sold his MyPillow private jet for $2.5m to fund his defence in a massive voter fraud lawsuit, a report says.

The businessman and other supporters of the one-term president and right-wing news outlets have been sued in a $1.3bn defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems.

The company claims that Mr Lindell and others did serious damage to its reputation by spreading election fraud conspiracy theories related to their voting machines used during the 2020 presidential election.

Now Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records show that Mr Lindell has sold an aircraft registered to MyPillow, according to Salon.com.

The FAA records state that a 1993 Dassault-Breguet Falcon 50 with tail number N497SP was transferred to Clyde Air LLC on 26 July for an undisclosed price.

Salon reports that a similar 1993 Falcon 50 private jet is currently on the market for $2.5m.

Last month Mr Lindell hosted a Cyber symposium in South Dakota at which he offered a $5m reward for anyone who could disprove his claims that China hacked the 2020 election.

Josh Merritt, a former member of Lindells red team at the August event, told Salon the plane had been sold to pay for Mr Lindells lawyers.

Mr Merritt told Salon that the sale was done because hes needing money and added that, he just started raising money for the lawsuit by Dominion.

When asked by Salon if he had sold the plane, the outlet says that he called them pond scum and slime.

Mr Lindell, a major Republican donor and regular visitor to the White House when Mr Trump was in office, infamously claimed that Mr Trump would be returned to power by August.

After he was sued by Dominion Voting Systems, Mr Lindell counter-sued them for $1.6bn, claiming the company was trying to prevent free speech.

And in another June lawsuit filed in federal court in Minnesota, he accused Dominion and Smartmatic, another voting company, of weaponising the litigation process to silence political dissent and suppress evidence showing voting machines were manipulated to affect outcomes in the November 2020 general election.

Mr Lindell declined to comment when reached by The Independent.
Senator Ted Cruz is facing a wave of mockery on Twitter after saying America doesnt leave Americans behind  reminding many observers of his ill-timed trip to Cancun .

On Monday, Mr Cruz posted a clip of a CNN report on a Texas family left stranded in Afghanistan after the final round of evacuations ended. The last American troops in the country departed this week, even as hundreds of United States citizens remained  though the Biden administration has said it will continue working to get them out.

The senator was indignant.

This is horrifying. And wrong, Mr Cruz tweeted . America doesnt leave Americans behind.

Unfortunately for the senator, observers on Twitter appeared to have a long memory.

Sir You went to Cancun, one wrote simply.

UhTexan here, another commented . Pretty sure you left us behind during a crisis.

Others were more explicit.

YOU LITERALLY LEFT YOUR ENTIRE STATE TO FREEZE IN A POWER OUTAGE SO YOU COULD GO TO A RITZ CARLTON IN MEXICO, one Twitter user shout-typed . AND THEN YOU LIED AND TRIED TO BLAME YOUR CHILDREN WHEN YOU GOT CAUGHT.

A spokesperson for Mr Cruzs office defended his comments.

While the media focuses on providing cover for the Biden administrations rushed and catastrophic withdrawal, Sen. Cruz remains focused on fighting for the safety and security of 29 million Texans in the wake of this humiliating defeat that has emboldened our enemies, the spokesperson told The Independent.

In February this year, as millions of Texans lost power and hundreds died during a freak winter storm , Mr Cruz infamously left for a family vacation in Cancun, Mexico. After a fierce public outcry, the Texas Republican returned to his state, and appeared to blame the trip on his daughters.

With school cancelled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends, Mr Cruz said at the time. Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon.

As the senator weighs in on the crisis in Afghanistan, many observers appear unwilling to let that incident go.

Since when do you care about Americans, or anyone trying to cross a border to reach safety? one Twitter user commented .

Others posted photos of Mr Cruz wheeling his suitcase along an airport floor during his aborted Cancun trip.

This you? one asked .
Former president Donald Trump has completed yet another act of retribution against his perceived political enemies, endorsing former congressional candidate Sean Parnell in the Republican primary to replace retiring Sen Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, who voted to convict the former president after his second impeachment.

Like Mr Trump, Mr Parnell refused to concede to Rep Conor Lamb in last years House race, which Mr Trump alluded to in his endorsement.

Sean is a great candidate, who got robbed in his congressional run in the Crime of the Century  the 2020 Presidential Election Scam, he said. He will make Pennsylvania very proud and will fight for Election Integrity, Strong Borders, our Second Amendment, Energy Jobs, and so much more. Sean Parnell will always put America First. He has my Complete and Total Endorsement!

Mr Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016 but often had a tense relationship with Mr Toomey, who only revealed he voted for Mr Trump on Election Day as he ran for a second term. Prior to Mr Trumps election, Mr Parnell vocally criticized Mr Trump on multiple occasions, as Pittsburgh City Paper reported.

The endorsement is also personal given that Mr Toomey voted to convict Mr Trump earlier this year after the former president was impeached in the wake of the attempted insurrection on 6 January.

The Republican primary to replace Mr Toomey is fairly crowded. Along with Mr Parnell, Carla Sands, Mr Trumps former ambassador to Denmark, is also a candidate; as are Sean Gale, Jeff Bartos and Kathy Barnette. On the Democratic side, Mr Lamb is now a candidate for Senate after beating Mr Parnell; as are current Lieutenant Gov John Fetterman, state Rep Malcolm Kenyatta, Montgomery County Counter Commissioner Valerie Arkoosh and state Sen Sharif Street.

But Mr Trump also is targeting Rep Jaime Herrera Beutler, who was one of ten Republicans in the House who voted to impeach the president earlier this year. Mr Trump announced his endorsement of Joe Kent, who is running in Washingtons 3rd District against her.

In Congress, Joe will be a warrior for the America First agenda, unlike Jaime Herrera Beutler who voted, despite the facts, against the Republican Party and for the Democrats' Impeachment Scam.

In addition to voting for impeachment, Ms Herrera Beutler also confirmed that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy had called Mr Trump to ask him to call off the riot and the then-president told Mr McCarthy, Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.

Mr Trump said he met with Mr Kent at Dover Air Force Base after his wife was killed in combat.

It was a very sad moment in Joes life, but I was incredibly impressed with him and told him that he should someday run for office  we need his voice and leadership in Washington, D.C., Mr Trump said in a statement. Now he is running, and Joe Kent has my Complete and Total Endorsement!
In the wake of the Capitol riot, Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin plans to release a memoir detailing his experiences during the insurrection and the death of his 25-year-old son a week earlier.

The book will be called "Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth and the Trials of American Democracy", and will be released on 4 January, 2022.

The Washington Post reported on the upcoming book.

I wrote Unthinkable as a way to make sense of two traumatic events in my life, Mr Raskin said in a statement on Wednesday. This book is a labor of love written to capture the dazzling life of a brilliant young man in crisis, who we lost forever, and the struggle to defend a beautiful nation in crisis, a democracy that we still have the chance to save.

Mr Raskin was an active part of the effort to impeach Donald Trump in the aftermath of the Capitol riot, and has been a vocal critic of Republican attempts to downplay the insurrection.

In interviews after the riot, he recounted scenes of terrified lawmakers who thought they were going to die.

All around me people were calling their wives and their husbands, their loved ones, to say goodbye, he said during Mr Trump's second impeachment trial.

He recalled his son-in-law and daughter hiding under a desk and said they thought "they were going to die.

During his address, he recalled rioters beating a police officer with a pole bearing an American flag, saying they used it "spear and pummel" him, "ruthlessly, mercilessly, tortured by a pole with a flag on it that he was defending with his very life."

People died that day, Mr Raskin said. Officers ended up with head damage and brain damage. Peoples eyes were gouged. An officer had a heart attack. An officer lost three fingers that day. Two officers have taken their own lives.

The senator recalled congressional members removing their pins so they could not be identified as lawmakers by the Trump supporters rioting outside their chambers.

He told the gathered senators that what happened during the Capitol riot "cannot be our future.

The week before the riot, Mr Raskin's 25-year-old son, Tommy, died from suicide after struggling with depression.

"Tommy was remarkable from the beginning," Mr Raskin told NPR. "He had a photographic memory and, like some other kids in our family, knew all the presidents and vice presidents in order. But it wasn't his mind that marked him as so extraordinary. It was his heart. The stories of his love and compassion are absolutely astounding."
More than two years after he was party to one of the most infamous phone calls in American political history, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is coming to the White House to meet with the man Donald Trump pressed him to target with sham investigations in hopes of upending the 2020 election.

Mr Zelensky, who has served as Ukraines head of state since 20 May 2019, arrived in Washington on Monday and spent most of Tuesday engaged in what a senior administration official described as meetings with Cabinet-level officials on matters relating to the US-Ukraine strategic partnership.

The meetings, the official said, would result in new agreements on security, energy, and climate cooperation and set the stage for Wednesdays meeting with President Joe Biden.

The official said Mr Biden is prepared to discuss the full spectrum of policy issues that underline the bilateral relationship between Ukraine and the United States, a relationship in which the president has played a key role dating back to his time as vice president during the Obama administration.

It was actually Mr Bidens predecessor with whom Mr Zelensky hoped to meet when he picked up the phone on 25 July 2019. Ukraine has been fighting a shooting war with Russia since 2014, when Russian soldiers invaded the countrys Crimea region and began backing anti-government separatists in the Donbas, and Mr Zelensky, who had been sworn in as his countrys president just two months before, was seeking the visible commitment of support embodied by an invitation to the White House.

 Trump interrupts Ukraine president Zelensky in press conference about phone call: 'You know there was no pressure'

But Mr Trump had other ideas. His personal attorney, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and then-US Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland, had been pressuring Mr Zelenskys aides to have the new president announce investigations into a baseless conspiracy theory that alleged Ukraine  not Russia  interfered in the 2016 election, as well as Mr Biden and his son Hunter, an attorney who had served on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

According to the whistleblower complaint that led to Mr Trumps first impeachment by the Democratic-led House of Representatives , Mr Giuliani  who was operating as an unsanctioned back channel at Mr Trumps behest  conditioned a possible White House visit by Mr Zelensky on the latters announcement of the sham investigations. Mr Sondland later told the House Intelligence Committee that there was an explicit quid pro quo on the table.

While speaking with Mr Trump by phone, Mr Zelensky raised the issue of Ukraines purchase of Javelin anti-tank missiles (a key weapon in his countrys fight against Russian forces). Mr Trump then replied, I would like you to do us a favour though, and asked him to look into a baseless 2016 election conspiracy theory before advising Mr Zelensky to speak with Mr Giuliani and then-Attorney General William Barr about his potential 2020 election opponent.

Theres a lot of talk about Bidens son, that Biden stopped the prosecution, and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great, Mr Trump said, referring to another baseless conspiracy theory which posited that Mr Biden directed Mr Zelenskys predecessor, Petro Poroshenko, to remove then-Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin to stymie investigations into his son if he wanted the country to benefit from $1b in US loan guarantees. While Mr Biden did ask Mr Poroshenko to fire Mr Shokin, he did so at the behest of the Obama administration and a significant number of US allies.

Giuliani became one of Trumps strongest backers despite his initial reservations (Reuters)

Unsatisfied by Mr Zelenskys response, Mr Trump ordered the Office of Management and Budget to withhold $391 million in military assistance funds meant to aid Ukraines defence against Russia shortly after the call ended, and Mr Zelensky never got that White House invitation.

By contrast, his successors relationship with Mr Zelensky has been relatively uncomplicated. In the Biden administrations view, relations with Kyiv have been the subject of a lot of high-level attention, with the two leaders speaking twice by phone since Mr Bidens inauguration: once in April, and again in June, notably before his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also travelled to Kyiv in May to meet with Mr Zelensky, one of his first bilateral meetings with a foreign leader, and Energy Secretary Jenifer Granholm visited the Ukrainian capital last week as the Biden administrations representative at the Crimea Platform Conference.

A senior administration official who briefed reporters on Wednesdays agenda said Mr Zelenskys visit to the White House will further those effort to demonstrate support for his government and will build on and amplify the sustained engagement of President Biden and the administration over the last eight months or so of the administration.

Among the matters Mr Biden and Mr Zelensky will discuss are their countries efforts to bolster collaboration on shared energy and climate goals, including through a reinvigorated Strategic Energy and Climate Dialogue meant to advance energy security objectives, enhance economic ties, and achieve ambitious climate targets, as well as expanding economic collaboration and  combatting the Covid-19 pandemic and other shared priorities.

 Giuliani on the Biden-Ukraine conspiracy theory

The two leaders will also announce plans to reinvigorate and revitalise the US-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission, which has not met since late 2018.

On the matter that Mr Trump attempted to weaponise during his infamous call with Mr Zelensky  security cooperation and US security assistance  the official said they expect President Biden to convey his ironclad commitment to Ukraines security, sovereignty, and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, and that Mr Biden is looking forward to having a more fulsome update from President Zelensky on the current security situation.

And while there will be at least one elephant in the room in the form of Zelensky Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, who was Mr Giulianis main point of contact during Trumpworlds push to strong-arm Mr Zelensky into sandbagging Mr Bidens eventually successful campaign against Mr Trump, the Biden administration isnt keen on revisiting the past.

Asked about Mr Yermaks presence at Wednesdays meeting, the official declined to address the question directly but responded diplomatically, telling reporters: We very much look forward to working with Zelenskys team.

But if Mr Zelensky should feel the need to ask for more Javelin anti-tank missiles, its likely that hell be more than satisfied by Mr Bidens response than that of his predecessor.

Not only will Pentagon officials be signing on to a new US-Ukraine defence framework that White House officials say will enhance our cooperation across a range of pressing issues, including Black Sea security, cyber and intelligence sharing, as well as continued support for Ukraine as it faces continuing Russian aggression, but even more help is on the way to Kyiv from Washington.

Last week, the White House notified Congress that the Biden administration intends to supplement the $400m in security assistance provided to Kyiv this year with an additional $60m aid package that Mr Biden will announce his approval of on Wednesday alongside Mr Zelensky.

Javelins are included.
Seven Black men executed in 1951 for the rape of a white woman were granted posthumous pardons by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam on Tuesday, concluding a case that became an example of racial disparity in the use of the death penalty.

The pardons were announced amid cries and muffled sobs from kin of the executed men after the governor met with about a dozen of their descendants and advocates.

Widely known for attracting mercy pleas from across the world, the Martinsville Seven men were convicted of raping 32-year-old Ruby Strout Floyd in January, 1949. Ms Floyd, a white woman, had gone to the Martinsville neighbourhood of Virginia to collect money for the clothes she had sold.

After being tried by all-white juries, four of the men were given the electric chair in Virginia in February 1951. The remaining three men were electrocuted three days later.

The case  prominent for seeing the largest execution for a single-victim crime in Virginias history  has been known for extreme racial disparity towards the men who were convicted and sentenced to death within eight days.

Highlighting the problems in the execution of seven men, Governor Northam explained that death penalty was applied mostly for Black people exclusively. State records show that all 45 people executed using electric chair for rape between 1908 to 1951 were Black.

The men were executed because they were Black, and thats not right. Their punishment did not fit the crime. They should not have been executed, Mr Northam said, reported AP. The convicted men received a racially-biased death sentence which is not congruent with the justice meted out for white defendants.

The governor added that the pardons issued by him do not address the guilt or innocence of the seven men, who were in their late teens or early 20s but an acknowledgment that they did not receive due process in their case.

Pointing to some major loopholes during the trial, Mr Northam said some of the defendants were impaired when they were arrested and were unable to read confessions they signed. None of the men were represented by attorneys during the course of investigation, Mr Northam said.

All seven men signed statements admitting they were present during the attack, but they had no access to their parents or attorneys at the time, according to Eric W, Rise, an associate professor at the University of Delaware who wrote a 1995 book on the case.

The seven executed men were: Francis DeSales Grayson, Booker T Millner, Frank Hairston Jr, Howard Lee Hairston; James Luther Hairston; Joe Henry Hampton; and John Clabon Taylor.

Seeking their posthumous pardons, the descendants and advocates said in a petition that it doesnt establish the innocence of men but states that their trials were unfair and the punishment was unjust and extreme.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord, said James Walter Grayson, the son of Francis DeSales Grayson, upon hearing Mr Northams decision to grant the posthumous pardons.

Mr Grayson was 4 when his father was executed. It means so much to me. I remember the very day the police came to the door. He kissed us and they took him away, Mr Grayson told AP.

Advocates have argued that the Martinsville Seven were not given an adequate due process because of racial discrimination and were sentenced to death simply for being black.
A father swam his daughters ponies to safety through floodwaters in New Zealand, suffering an electric shock in the process.

Residents were forced to evacuate their homes in Auckland on Monday night after a deluge of rain caused flash flooding in the area.

As emergency services rushed to rescue people trapped in homes and cars in the city and surrounding areas, one couple in nearby Huapai battled to save their herd of horses as floodwaters rose rapidly around their home.

Latisha George and Sean Bennett had attempted to move all of their livestock to higher ground as their paddocks began to flood but were forced to think on their feet when they realised their ponies were unable to go in the same fields as the bigger horses.

With metre-high floodwater soon surrounding the miniature horses, Mr Bennett decided to swim to the animals to rescue them, the New Zealand Herald reports.

Ms George told the newspaper the terrified ponies were freaking out and trying to climb on his back as Mr Bennett attempted to take the first of the animals to safety.

With the ground floor of the familys rental home flooded, the father ended up swimming all three ponies through the garage and utility room, suffering an electric shock from a current running through the water from a power box, according to the Herald.

A vehicle submerged in flooding at Kumeu after heavy rain caused extensive flooding in Auckland, New Zealand (Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

The couple eventually managed to carry the ponies upstairs, where their six-year-old daughter Ella woke to find the drenched animals huddled inside her small bedroom.

Ms George said she explained the ponies were in the family home because the paddocks were flooded, but the youngster still thought it was cool.

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Her ponies were in her bedroom, she told the Herald, adding: Who wouldn't want to wake up to that?

The couple posted an appeal for help on social media and the fire brigade, a vet nurse, a friend on a jet ski and a stranger with a boat soon arrived.

Ella and her one-year-old brother Luca were rescued through a bedroom window and taken to safety on the jet ski, while the ponies were sedated and lowered onto a waiting boat, the newspaper said.

A Givealittle online fundraising page set up to help the family as they look for somewhere to live has already raised more than AU$42,200 (about 22,500).
Estonias parliament on Tuesday elected chief of the National Museum Alar Karis as the countrys sixth president, replacing Kersti Kaljulaid, the first female head of state.

His confirmation came in the second round of ballot after he failed to secure the necessary two-thirds support from lawmakers a day earlier, despite being the only candidate nominated for the role.

"I thank all of those who voted for me and also those who didnt. I promise to be a good partner for the Riigikogu," Mr Karis, 63, said in a short speech after the tally was announced.

The leader crossed the threshold of 68 votes in the 101-seat Riigikogu legislature in the second round on Tuesday after receiving support from about 72 lawmakers. Eight lawmakers left the ballot blank while the rest were either absent or abstained.

Nominated for the position by Prime Minister Kaja Kallass Reform Party and the Centre Party, the two largest parties which together form the governing coalition, Mr Karis received support from all except the far-right EKRE whose members decided to abstain from voting.

However, no other candidate was able to contest against Mr Karis, as they failed to receive the backing from a minimum of 21 lawmaker  an unprecedented situation in the Baltic nation since it regained independence 30 years ago.

The position is largely seen as symbolic in the Baltic state where the functions largely involve representing the country abroad and acting as a domestic opinion leader. Presidential powers include being the supreme commander of Estonias armed forces, formally appointing government members and signing law to give them legal legitimacy. They can also veto law proposals.

A native of Tartu, Estonias second-largest city after the countrys capital Tallinn, the president-elect is a molecular geneticist and developmental biologist. Mr Karis, who served as an Auditor General in 2013-2018, is expected to assume the post on 11 October.

Additional reporting from the wires
The UKs Foreign Office (FCDO) has updated its guidance to advise against all non-essential travel to Jamaica.

The advice was changed on Saturday, and means many holidaymakers will find their travel insurance is now invalidated during a trip there.

The new advice was issued due to the current assessment of Covid-19 risks in Jamaica.

The FCDO advisories are separate from the Department for Transports (DfT) traffic light lists, which assign countries a colour of red, amber or green with corresponding travel restrictions depending on the risk of inbound arrivals reimporting coronavirus infections into the UK, particularly virus variants of concern.

Instead, the FCDO assesses the risks to the traveller of falling ill while abroad, as well as other threats in terms of security, health and natural disasters.

Despite fears it would turn red in the governments last travel review on 26 August, Jamaica remained in the amber category.

It means that travellers fully vaccinated in the UK, EU and US  with two jabs of the same vaccine having been administered at least 14 days prior  plus under 18s can dodge quarantine on return to the UK.

They must instead take a PCR test within two days of arrival.

Unvaccinated travellers are required to self-isolate for 10 days and take a second PCR on day eight of quarantine, with arrivals in England having the option to pay for a third, day-five test, to escape early.

All travellers, regardless of vaccination status, must present a negative Covid test before departure for the UK.

It follows the news that the FCDO has lifted its blanket advisory against all non-essential travel to Italy.

It withdrew the former warning due to the current assessment of Covid-19 risks.

The lifting of the travel advisory means holidaymakers should be covered by their travel insurance when taking a trip to Italy  most policies are invalidated if the FCDO advises against travelling to a certain destination.
Europes biggest budget airline is selling flights from the UK to Greece for under 15  representing a cost of just one penny per mile  even for imminent departures.

Fares on other Ryanair flights, between the UK and Italy, are as low as 4.99, signalling a bitter autumn fares war.

As the peak summer month of August ends, airlines are desperate to entice passengers on board at almost any price. Normally fares very close to departure are sold at high prices.

Ryanair, which has long had a policy of cutting fares to whatever level is necessary to fill planes, is taking on rivals such as British Airways and easyJet with tickets that cost less than the train to the airport.

Tomorrows 9.15am departure from London Stansted to Athens is priced at just 14.99, for a point-to-point journey of 1,500 miles.

The fare is undoubtedly a loss leader, since the carrier must pay Air Passenger Duty (APD) of 13  plus a handling fee for each traveller passing through the Essex airport.

Ryanair will hope to boost the fare by upselling extras such as a seat assignment (minimum 8) and priority boarding plus an extra cabin bag (16, more than doubling the basic fare).

The cheapest British Airways fare from London Heathrow to Athens on 1 September is 85, which includes two cabin bags weighing a total of 46kg; easyJets flight from London Gatwick is priced at 68.

Other Ryanair deals  which are not part of any short-term seat sale  include 4.99 from Belfast City to Milan Bergamo on Saturday 4 September, for a distance of over 900 miles.. Later this month, the carrier is set to abandon the Northern Ireland capitals close-in airport.

Tickets to Alicante on Spains Costa Blanca for 1 September are available for 12.99, a penny less than APD, from a range of UK airports including Birmingham and Bristol.

Michael OLeary, chief executive of the Ryanair Group, is expected later today to issue an optimistic forecast of the coming months  flying more than 10 million passengers in September, October and November.

But the airline boss is likely to launch a stinging attack on the UK governments travel restrictions.

Testing to return to the UK  required both before and after a flight  typically costs each passenger 100 in addition to the air fare.
As the Delta variant surges across the country, this years back-to-school season has been a cacophony of angry anti-vaxxers screaming at school board members about mask mandates and other Covid safety measures. From anti-mask protestors harassing and attacking cancer patients outside clinics, to anti-mask rallies staged outside state capitol buildings, businesses, schools, and a myriad of institutions have been inundated by those who seem to want the pandemic to keep raging on.

And while anti-mask protestors come in all shapes and sizes, their tactic is both uniform and familiar to anyone who has advocated for the right to access abortion care. The anti-vaxx, anti-mask community has been co-opting pro-choice language to, in many cases, great success. Phrases like my body, my choice and medical freedom are regurgitated ad nauseum because these people know it works. After all, theyre the same people fighting to end legal access to abortion care.

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott banned mask mandates from being enforced in counties, cities, school districts, or by public health authorities and government officials  a decision that was recently upheld, for now, by the states Supreme Court. In his executive order, Abbott wrote, Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities. We can continue to mitigate Covid-19 while defending Texans liberty to choose.

At the same time, Abbott and other Texan legislators have stripped the right to choose from pregnant Texans, passing and just today enacting a near-total abortion ban in the state. Texans who are pregnant can no longer decide their best health practices  abortion is illegal past six weeks gestation, before most people even know theyre pregnant, and medical bounty-hunting is now legal. Now, the state will reward anyone who sues someone suspected of helping a person access abortion care for $10,000.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster also banned mask mandates in the state, saying that personal responsibility is the answer and calling such mandates un-American to its core. Yet personal responsibility seemed to be far from McMaster and his fellow state politicians minds when they passed a bill that would also ban most abortions. The bill would also charge abortion providers with felony and, if found guilty, sentence them to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Personal responsibility, indeed.

Shameless, rank hypocrisy aside, anti-mask legislators like Abbott and the zealots they appeal to co-opt pro-choice language because they know it works. A vast majority of Americans support legal abortion access, and even those who would like to see abortion access stifled dont support extreme anti-abortion laws, like the ones in Texas and South Carolina. And studies have shown that face-to-face personal storytelling for advocacy purposes is extremely effective: people naturally think in stories, so personal narratives therefore elicit greater empathy than facts and statistics, can motivate people to seek action, and create less resistance to new ideas or beliefs.

Thats why abortion storytelling has been so effective at chipping away at existing abortion stigma, and why those who try to silence pro-choice language are now co-opting it. The same people who want to mandate government-forced birth have seen how effective highlighting the importance of protecting ones freedom to make their own medical decisions can be  despite a litany of anti-abortion bills being introduced and passed at the state level, the American public is overwhelming pro-choice. So theyre taking a page from the very book their draconian laws want to burn and pontificate on the right to make your own medical choices  as long as youre not pregnant.

Now, as many as eight states have prohibited mask mandates in schools and other establishments, and an estimated 30 percent of Americans do not support mask mandates in schools and other public places. Anti-abortion advocates who still denounce the freedom to make a common, legal, medical and personal decision are now espousing that same freedom in defiance of public safety measures and to the detriment of their fellow citizens, including children. And its working, because theyve seen how powerful choice can be and how vital it is that its protected. Unfortunately, the only right to choose they care about is theirs.
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Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
Indian national spice shortages, security, and iron ore opportunities lead India and the Taliban to hold diplomatic talks in Qatar.

Up until the Taliban take-over of Afghanistan, India had been a primary investor in the country, with which up until partition in 1947 it used to share a border, and held strong trade ties. India has a 3 million strong population of ethnic Pashtuns  the tribal group that makes up the contemporary Taliban  but are more assimilated to Indian culture. That could be tested under a Modi government pushing a Hindu agenda. Discrimination against Indias Muslims has already increased.

Overall, New Delhi has an eye on Afghanistan, for security, infrastructure development, and trade. While India anticipated a Taliban takeover, the speed of it has been faster than expected, triggering contingency planning. There are however different levels to this, and what is happening between India and Afghanistan may well play out elsewhere.

The initial stage of contingency planning meant a steady reduction of diplomatic staff, contact with the Ashraf Ghani government, and clandestine channels set up with the Taliban. However, when Ghani fled, India closed its embassy and flew out remaining diplomatic staff.

India has spent nearly US$3 billion in the past two decades in building dams, roads, electricity transmission lines, infrastructure projects, schools, hospital, education, and capacity building in Afghanistan. As External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in November 2020 while speaking at the Afghanistan Conference in Geneva, No part of Afghanistan today is untouched by the 400-plus projects that India has undertaken in all 34 of Afghanistans provinces.

Afghanistan possesses strategic commodity reserves that India is interested in. Among these are the huge Hajgak iron ore deposits, whose primary commercial feature is that the ore lies very close to the surface. This allows it to be mined openly with simple excavators. Hajgak contains as estimated 32 kilometers of solid deposits and a gigantic two billion tons of very high-quality iron ore. Geologists have stated that the deposits could even be double the estimated size. Also, the neighboring areas of Shabashak and Dar-l-Suf have industrial sized deposits of coking coal  ideal conditions for metallurgy development.

That combination is perfectly aligned with Indias intentions, with New Delhi previously approving a state program to conquer the world steel market. In 2016, India, Iran, and Afghanistan concluded a trilateral agreement, according to which Delhi invested in the modernization of the Iranian port of Chabahar, while Tehran built a railway line spur from the International North-South Transportation Corridor (INSTC) that reached Herat in Afghanistan on its northwestern border.

India planned to invest US$10 billion in the construction of the Hajgak mine and a direct railway to Chabahar. The mining project was stopped due to Afghanistans instability, and is now on hold, while the Port is now operational. But the mining opportunity remains with the assets still in the ground.

India also signed a Preferential Free Trade Agreement with Afghanistan in 2003, which mainly deals with agricultural products but has still resulted in bilateral trade worth US$1.5 billion. That may not seem much in global terms, but it buys a huge amount of dried fruit. Afghan exports of dried fruits and spices to India  a vitally important part of many national dishes  account for 85 percent of Indias total annual consumption.

The current situation has seen that trade cease, leading to spice shortages in the land of curries. India needs to get that duty-free trade back on track, and fast. Shortages of basic commodities do not go down well among the Indian public.

Spice supply chains apart, New Delhis biggest concern is preventing Afghanistan from turning into a nursery for terrorist groups antithetical to India. The Talibans victory will embolden terrorist groups, such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which carried out the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, shooting dead 168 Indians at the railway station, restaurants, and the Taj Hotel that they later attempted to burn down.

A lack of an Indian presence in Afghanistan erodes its regional strategic influence, diminishes its national security, and impacts Indian consumers.

Yet shortly before India flew out its diplomats, senior Taliban leader Sher Mohammed Abbas Stanikzai reportedly requested New Delhi to retain its diplomatic presence. Stanikzai is considered to be third in the pecking order among Talibans senior leadership. According to him, the Taliban are interested in developing friendly relations with India and infrastructure projects built by India are considered Afghanistans national assets. He has requested India to come and finish the incomplete projects.



Stanikzai has continued with his outreach to India. On 28 August, in a 46-minute video posted on the Talibans social media platform, Stanikzai spoke on the Talibans relations with regional powers and on India, he said: India is very important for this subcontinent. We want to continue our cultural, economic, and trade ties with India like in the past, adding that trade with India through Pakistan is very important for us.

In terms of understanding the India-Pakistan conflict, he also said that There is no doubt that there is a long political and geographical dispute between India and Pakistan. We hope they do not use Afghanistan in their internal fight, they have a long border, they can fight amongst themselves on the border. They should not use Afghanistan for this, and we will not let any country use our land for this.

While many analysts will suggest that the Taliban is seeking to balance its ties with Pakistan by using India as leverage, this remains speculation. But what is apparent is that the Taliban is showing specific interest in opening official channels of communication with India.

That occurred yesterday (Tuesday) when India announced that its ambassador to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, a former joint secretary at the Indian Foreign Ministry responsible for Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, has held formal talks with Stanekzai, the head of Talibans political office in Doha, at the Embassy of India, Doha, on the request of the Taliban side.

A statement subsequently stated that Discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities, who wish to visit to India also came up. Ambassador Mittal raised Indias concern that Afghanistans soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner. The Taliban Representative assured the Ambassador that these issues would be positively addressed.

There are several positive points are worth noting from this. First, the meeting occurred at Talibans request. Second, it was conducted inside the premises of Indian embassy in Doha and third, a top Taliban leader was formally involved. It cannot be a coincidence that the first official diplomatic overture between the two sides took place just two days after India took the Taliban off a list of proclaimed terrorist organizations.

This points to Taliban efforts in normalizing ties with neighbors with an aim of gaining international recognition. It is equally an opportunity for India to look forward in cautious optimism. The next steps  a reopening of Indias Kabul Embassy, the resumption of trade, and infrastructure projects  may well follow.

This article has been adapted and edited from the article India, Taliban hold first talks: What lies ahead for New Delhi, China, Pakistan in Afghanistan by Sreemoy Talukdar which originally appeared on Firstpost and which may be viewed here.


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August 31 marked a historic day for both the US and Afghanistan as it formally ended the American military presence in the country after twenty years.

With this, the US's longest and most expensive war to date has also ended.

AFP

The US has left Afghanistan, like when they came to the country 20 years ago, with the Taliban in control.

But a lot happened in the two decades that the US was in Afghanistan. Here is a timeline of major events, that reshaped the history of the two countries and beyond.

September 11, 2001

The US is hit by the worst terror attack in its history after Al-Qaeda terrorists hijack commercial airliners, crashing them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Close to three thousand people die in the attacks.

September 18, 2001

US President George W Bush signs into law a joint resolution authorizing the use of force against those responsible for attacking the United States on 9/11.

October 7, 2001

President George W Bush launches his "war on terror" in response to the September 11 attacks, with airstrikes in Afghanistan.

November 9, 2001

Forces loyal to Abdul Rashid Dostum, former Vice President of Afghanistan captures Mazar-e-Sharif, from the Taliban, the first major city to fall.

November 13, 2001

Kabul is also fallen as the Taliban continues to retreat in the face of US-led NATO and allied local forces attacks.

November 14, 2001

UN Security Council passes Resolution 1378, calling for a central role for the United Nations in establishing a transitional administration and inviting member states to send peacekeeping forces to promote stability and aid delivery.

December 5, 2001

The first agreement on the interim government was made between several Afghan groups in Bonn, Germany.

December 16, 2001

The US has pinpointed the location of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in a Tora Bora cave complex. But even after a two-week-long operation, Laden manages to escape at the last minute.

December 17, 2001

US and allied forces drove out the Taliban from power in Afghanistan

December 22, 2001

Hamid Karzai is appointed to lead an interim government and NATO begins to deploy its International Security Assistance Force.

March 2002

US launches Operation Anaconda, the first major ground assault and the largest operation since Tora Bora, in the Shah-i-Kot Valley of Paktia Province. Nearly two thousand US and one thousand Afghan troops are deployed to battle the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

April 17, 2002

President George Bush commits to the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

June 2002

Loya Jirga picks the name of Hamid Karzai, chairman of Afghanistans interim administration to head Afghanistans transitional government.

May 1, 2003

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld declares an end to major combat.

January 2004

An assembly of 502 Afghan delegates agrees on a constitution for Afghanistan, creating a presidential system of government.

October 9, 2004

Afghanistan's first election under a new system is held on October with an enthusiastic turnout of 70 percent. Karzai wins 55 percent of the vote.

July 2006

First major resurgence by Taliban and the number of suicide attacks quintuples from 27 in 2005 to 139 in 2006, while remotely detonated bombings more than double, to 1,677.

November 2006

NATO wants Afghan National Army to begin to take control of security from 2008.

May 2007

Taliban guerrilla commander Mullah Dadullah is killed in a joint operation by Afghan and NATO forces in the south of Afghanistan.

February 17, 2009

President Barack Obama announces plans to send seventeen thousand more troops to the war zone.

February 17, 2009

The Taliban regroup in the south and east, as well as across the border in Pakistan, and launch an insurgency.

As attacks multiply, the US command in 2008 asks for more troops and the first reinforcements are sent.

President Barack Obama recommits U.S. forces to Afghanistan to combat "resurgent" Taliban.

August 20, 2009

Hamid Karzai is re-elected as President of Afghanistan on August 20, 2009 in elections that are marred by massive fraud, low turnout and Taliban attacks.

November 2010

At a summit in Lisbon, NATO member countries sign a declaration agreeing to hand over full responsibility for security in Afghanistan to Afghan forces by the end of 2014.

May 1, 2011

US announces that Osama bin Laden is killed in a special forces operation in Pakistan.

June 22, 2011

President Obama outlines a plan to withdraw thirty-three thousand troops by the summer of 2012.

January 2012

Taliban strikes a deal to open an office in Qatar.

June 2013

Afghan forces take the lead in security responsibility nationwide as NATO hands over control of the remaining ninety-five districts.

May 27, 2014

President Barack Obama announces a timetable for withdrawing most US forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2016.

June 14, 2014

Run-off election for the President is held.

September 20, 2014

Both Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah claimed victory.

September 19, 2014

The Independent Election Commission announces Ashraf Ghani as the winner. Abdullah and Ghani signed a power-sharing agreement, with Ghani being named president and Abdullah taking on an important position in the government.

December 2014

NATO issues a joint statement, designating that Afghan Security Forces "will assume full responsibility for security" of the country by the end of the year. The international coalition ends its operations in Afghanistan, US continues its own battle.

April 13, 2017

The United States mother of all bomb on suspected Islamic State hideout in a cave complex in eastern Nangarhar Province.

January 2018

The Taliban carry out a series of bold terror attacks in Kabul that killed more than 115 people amid a broader upsurge in violence.

February 2019

Negotiations between the United States and the Taliban in Doha enter their highest level. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar insists on US withdrawing its troops in exchange for the Taliban pledging to block international terrorist groups from operating on Afghan soil.

September 7, 2019

President Trump abruptly breaks off peace talks with the Taliban.

February 29, 2020

US envoy Khalilzad and the Talibans Baradar sign an agreement that paves the way for a significant drawdown of troops.

February 18, 2020

Ghani is declared victorious for a second term on February 18, 2020, an announcement rejected by his rival and former minister Abdullah Abdullah, who vows to form his own parallel government.

September 12, 2020

Representatives of the Taliban and of the Afghan government and civil society meet face to face for the first time in Doha.

November 17, 2020

US announces plan to halve the number of troops in Afghanistan to 2,500 by mid-January.

April 14, 2021

President Joe Biden announces US troops will withdraw from Afghanistan starting on May 1 and ending on Sept. 11, bringing America's longest war to a close. It was an extension of the previous withdrawal deadline of May 1 agreed between the United States and the Taliban.

May 1, 2021

The United States and NATO start withdrawing their 9,500 soldiers, of which 2,500 are American. In May, the Americans withdraw from the Kandahar air base.

May 4, 2021

Taliban fighters launch a major offensive on Afghan forces in southern Helmand province. They also attacked in at least six other provinces.

May 11, 2011

The Taliban capture Nerkh district just outside the capital Kabul as violence intensifies across the country.

June 7, 2011

Senior government officials say more than 150 Afghan soldiers are killed in 24 hours as fighting worsens. They add that fighting is raging in 26 of the country's 34 provinces.

June 22, 2021

Taliban launch a series of attacks in the north of the country, far from their traditional strongholds in the south. The UN envoy for Afghanistan says they have taken more than 50 of 370 districts.

July 2, 2021

Bagram air base -- Afghanistan's biggest, and the nerve centre of the US-led coalition's operations -- is handed over to Afghan forces.

July 21, 2021

Taliban insurgents control about half of the country's districts, according to the senior US general, underlining the scale and speed of their advance.

July 26, 2021

The United Nations says nearly 2,400 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in May and June in escalating violence, the highest number for those months since records started in 2009.

August 6, 2021

The Taliban capture their first provincial capital, Zaranj in the southwest.

Other major cities fall within days, including Kandahar and Herat -- Afghanistan's second- and third-biggest cities respectively.

August 13, 2021

Four more provincial capitals fall in a day, including Kandahar, the country's second city and spiritual home of the Taliban. In the west, another key city, Herat, is overrun and veteran commander Mohammad Ismail Khan, one of the leading fighters against the Taliban, is captured.

August 14, 2021

The Taliban take the major northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif and, with little resistance, Pul-e-Alam, capital of Logar province just 70 km (40 miles) south of Kabul. The United States sends more troops to help evacuate its civilians from Kabul as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says he is consulting with local and international partners on next steps.

August 15, 2021

The Taliban take the key eastern city of Jalalabad without a fight, effectively surrounding Kabul.

August 15, 2021

Taliban insurgents enter Kabul, an interior ministry official says, as the United States evacuate diplomats from its embassy by helicopter.

August 15, 2021

Taliban takes over the presidential palace hours after President Ghani leaves the country.

August 16, 2021

President Biden says his administration made the right decision in ending US military involvement in Afghanistan.

August 26, 2021

13 US troops, over 100 Afghan civilians are killed in blasts in Kabul.

August 31, 2021

Last US troops leave Afghanistan, ending the 20 years of war.
The Uttarakhand Sanskrit Academy has launched an initiative under which Hindu devotees will be able to immerse the ashes of their loved ones in the holy river Ganga, without traveling to Haridwar.

The initiative called Mukti Yojana, allows devotees to book the last rites online, paying a small fees and then send the ashes through courier.

BCCL

The immersion will be performed as per rituals, which will be broadcasted live for the relatives.

According to Dr. Anand Bhardwaj, secretary of Uttarakhand Sanskrit Academy, the facility was aimed mostly at those from abroad, but those living in other parts of the country can also take advantage of this.

Though the Sanskrit Academy said it aims to launch the initiative soon, it has already run into opposition.

Shri Ganga Sabha, the apex body of priests has come out in protest against it.

BCCL

Pradeep Jha, chairman of Shri Ganga Sabha in Haridwar, online immersion of ashes is against the religious practices and said that they are opposed to it.

Akhand Brahma Sabha Youth Cell termed the initiative as commercialisation and said they won't accept it.

In July the Uttarakhand administration had issued new rules for people coming to Haridwar for immersion of ashes in River Ganga.

According to the new rules issued by the District Magistrate, people will have to show the COVID Negative Report. They will also have to register on the Smart City Portal of Haridwar.
In history, Colonization refers to the process in which a foreign power, usually an economic and military power occupies a foreign territory, called a colony, away from its borders with the purpose to exploit its economic resources and dominate it politically, militarily and culturally.



The colonization of the world began by Europeans at the end of the 15th century. And first colonization began with the arrival of Christopher Columbus, under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs, in 1492, to the American continent. The Spanish Empire and the Portuguese Empire were two European countries that were at the beginning of the colonization process, which was followed by the British Empire, France and the Netherlands in the 17th century.

Between the 16th and 20th centuries, European powers tried to control the rest of the world and all its wealth. They were successful in controlling large parts of America, Africa, Australia, and Asia. However, there were a few countries that were not subsumed by the western colonization giants:

1. Bhutan

never been colonised by european Photo: Unsplash

The small country with a population of around 7.8 lakh located east of the Himalayan mountain range makes it difficult to invade. But the British attacked the country from 1772 to 1774 and defeated them in North Bengal and gained control of some insignificant areas of the Kingdom of Bhutan.

However, despite being defeated by the British army, Bhutan still managed to negotiate power. After it did not receive any help from Tibet, the Druk Desi, a regent of Bhutan, also known as Deb Raja in Western sources signed a Treaty of Peace with the British East India Company on April 25, 1774.

In return for withdrawing British troops, the Kingdom of Bhutan agreed to pay them 5 horses and give them permission to harvest timber in Bhutan. Despite this agreement, the two countries were in constant border conflict until 1947, when India gained independence and British forces withdrew from the area.



2. Thailand

Thailand never been colonised by european | Photo: Unsplash

Thais often considered their nation as a land of freedom which was earlier known as the kingdom of Siam which was located between Indochina (now Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) and Burma (now called Myanmar).

King Chulalongkorn, who is considered one of the greatest kings of Thailand, worked to adopt several European customs and became interested in European technology in an attempt to prevent colonization.

King Chulalongkorn also made diplomatic efforts in Britain. This minimized the possibility of colonization by Europe and France. Although Thailand escaped colonialism, but still adopted western ideas.



3. Japan

Japan never been colonised by european | Photo: Unsplash

Japan is one of the few countries that has managed to resist European colonization. Instead, the country has established a strong presence in Taiwan, Korea, and southern Sakhalin.

The country was aware of the threat of Western invasion and in response initiated the political revolution called Meiji Restoration of 1868 that brought about the final demise of the military government Tokugawa shogunate who was ruling in Japan since 1603 and returned control of the country to direct imperial rule under Prince Mutsuhito.

This social and political reform prepared the country to successfully defeat the dynasty of China during the First Sino-Japanese War that marked the emergence of Japan as a major world power and demonstrated the weakness of the Chinese empire.

When Russia later attempted to invade, Japanese forces were ready and won the Russo-Japanese War of 1905. During World War II, the country took advantage of annexing Korea and Manchuria, also becoming a colonial power.



4. Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia never been colonised by european | Photo: Unsplash

Saudi Arabia has been ruled primarily by tribal leaders from across the region. In the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire that controlled much of Southeastern Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa between the 14th and early 20th centuries gained control of the majority of Saudi Arabia and remained in power until 1918.

During this reign, the Saudi royal family began to fight for control of the country. This political movement coincided with World War I when Britain was fighting the Ottoman Empire. To weaken the Empire, Britain supported a pan-Arab revolt. At the end of the war, the Empire lost control of Saudi Arabia and since then it has become one of the powerful regions in the world.



5. Iran

Iran never been colonised by european | Photo: Unsplash

The world's most powerful nations Britain and Russia were interested in controlling Iran (then the Persian Empire) because of its strategic location that connected Asia to Europe. Russia managed to capture some of the northern areas of the Empire (present-day Turkmenistan, for example) in the 19th century. Similarly, British forces gained power in the eastern region of the Persian Empire, near present-day Pakistan.

During this time, the vast majority of Iran was under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which had borrowed money from European banks. Unable to pay, the British and Russian governments reached an agreement that they would control and share the Persian revenue from various incomes. While the Persian Empire never agreed to this condition, it did prevent the country from being officially colonized.



6. China

China never been colonised by european | Photo: Unsplash

China is sometimes called a partially dominated nation, especially in relation to certain Chinese territories under the control of foreign powers. However, no country has ever controlled the entire territory. During the European powers' attempt to control the world, the Chinese Empire was not easy to conquer as it had a powerful army and government like the Ottoman Empire.

Its large size became an advantage, making it an elusive target for colonization. Britain and France, instead of gaining colonial rule, were able to gain some power over China through their imports and exports.

Their status as favoured nations grew during the First and Second Opium Wars from 1839 to 1842 and from 1856 to 1860.

Seeing the benefit of being a favoured nation, the United States, Russia, and Italy wanted the same status. Rather than being colonized, China's coastal areas were divided between Western powers, causing the Qing dynasty to lose some but not all of its control.



7. Afghanistan

Afghanistan China never been colonised by european | Photo: Shutterstock

Today the people of this country are struggling for their rights and lives since the Taliban took control. But did you know that Afghanistan also caught the attention of foreign powers Great Britain and Russian forces like its neighbour the Persian Empire (now Iran) in the 19th century? Knowing that foreign power has eyes on their land this helped the Afghan army to conquer the British army in the First Anglo-Afghan War of 1839. Not so easily deterred, the British forces again attempted to take control of Afghanistan in the Second 1878-1880 Anglo-Afghan War and defeated Afghans and the British were able to negotiate control of the country's foreign relations, while Afghanistan maintained internal control.



8. Ethiopia

Ethipio China never been colonised by european | Photo: Unsplash

Ethiopia Is one of the oldest countries in the world that managed to remain uncolonized by Europeans between 1880 and 1914 when European powers competed to invade and colonize the African continent.

At the end of the invasion period, about 90% of Africa was colonized by European nations. In 1888, Italian forces invaded the country and Ethiopian troops won a landslide victory over the Italian army in the First Italo-Ethiopian War of 1896 but they negotiated with Ethiopia and took over Eritrea. In 1935, under Mussolinis supervision, the Italian forces again tried to invade and, this time succeeded in annexing Ethiopia and overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie.

It was not until 1941 when Emperor Selassie was restored to the Ethiopian throne.



9. Tonga

Tonga Ethipio China never been colonised by european | Photo: Unsplash

It was in 1900 that Tonga became a British protectorate but still remained under full control of Tongas royal family and 33 of the noble families and never being colonized. Nevertheless, despite the presence of a foreign consul, the Tongan monarchy has always been in place. In 1970, the country gained its independence and became part of the Commonwealth, a political association of 54 member states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire.

10. Nepal

Nepal Ethipio China never been colonised by european | Photo: Unsplash

From 1814 to 1816, the Nepalese military forces fought in the Anglo-Nepalese War that was also known as the Gorkha War between 1814 to 1816. However, the British East India Co. had larger troops manage to gain control of about 30% of Nepal's territory. In this case, the geographical features of the country worked in their favour and the mountains impeded British passage.

Reluctant to face the rugged terrain, British forces left the rest of Nepal as an independent state, creating a border area for British India. Furthermore, the British Army was impressed by the military capabilities of the Gurkha troops and recruited them for the colonial army.



11. Liberia

Liberia Ethipio China never been colonised by european | Photo: worldtravelguide

Protected by the United States, Liberia has always been sheltered from the influence of the great European powers. Nevertheless, it is quite legitimate to regard the Americans, who sent some 13,000 African Americans to Liberia, as the real colonizers of the country. A country was also founded in 1981 by the American Colonization Society. This explains why other nations were not interested in it and why the natives viewed with a dim view this massive arrival which rhymed with the birth of a state.



If you know any country that has never been Colonised we missed in the list please tell us on the comment box and share this information with family and friends
Recently a picture of an American police officer from Alabama state went viral on social media after people noticed his uncanny resemblance to former WWE wrestler and Hollywood actor Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock.

Twitter

Morgan Country Patrol Lieutenant Eric Fields has become a social media celebrity ever since the news was reported by several websites. Now, the man himself has responded to the viral news.

Oh shit! Wow. Guy on the left is way cooler. Stay safe brother and thank you for your service. One day well drink @Teremana and I need to hear all your Rock stories because I KNOW you got em (sic), Dwayne Johnson wrote on Twitter.



Oh shit! Wow.

Guy on the left is way cooler.

Stay safe brother and thank you for your service. One day well drink @Teremana and I need to hear all your Rock stories because I KNOW you got em  #ericfields https://t.co/G38tOr68cW  Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) August 31, 2021

Eric Felds responded to The Rock's tweet and wrote, @TheRock Thanks brother & cheers Clinking beer mugs @Teremana (sic)."



Fields has worked for the Morgan County Sheriff's Office for 17 years including at the local jail, in investigations, in the special victims unit and with drug-endangered children. He was sworn in as a Deputy U.S. Marshal and later promoted to corporal. He worked his way up from sergeant to lieutenant over patrol. Presently, he handles tactical training.


A fisherman from Maharashtra had no clue that his luck will change overnight post the months-long ban on fishing.

Chandrakant Tare, a fisherman from Palghar, set off sailing for fishing along with eight of his colleagues on the late evening of August 28. They were in the boat Harba Devi and went to Wadhwan, which is 20 to 25 nautical miles away.



India Today

Tare never imagined that this fishing trip would change his fortune. Tare and his team got a catch of 157 ghol fishes, known as 'sea gold' which sold for a whopping Rs 1.33 crores. The auction for the fishes was held in Murbe, Palghar. The whole consignment was bought by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar-based traders.

What Are Ghol Fishes?

The fish, whose scientific name is 'Protonibea Diacanthus', is a type of croaker fish. Due to pollution, such fishes are very rare in the area. Fishermen in the area have to venture deep into the sea to get a good catch.



How Much Do Ghol Fishes Cost?

Ghol is touted to be the most expensive fish in India currently. Native to the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, it has netted a record-breaking price at fish auctions around the coasts of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Fishermen also refer to it as the sea gold as it helps them tide over their financial crises.



A report published in CNN Traveller states that the swim bladder is the most prized possession of this fish. It is dried up and used for purification in the wine and beer industry. And larger the fish, the larger the swim bladder which costs a whopping Rs 50,000 per kg.



India Today

What Are The Uses Of A Ghol Fish?

The fish is also known as the fish with a heart of gold', for its medicinal value. Ghol skin is a great source of high-quality collagen, which is used in the manufacturing of functional food and a lot of cosmetic products too. Its considered a great substitute for porcine and bovine gelatin as well. Its fins are used by pharmaceutical companies to manufacture soluble stitches.



Itimes

How Does Ghol Fish Farming Work?

The ghol fish is high in medicinal and pharmaceutical use and is in huge demand in countries like Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan.

However, netting a single ghol fish is a matter of chance alone and can change the fortunes of fishermen. Catching it remains all about being at the right place at the right time.

So, looks like Chandrakat Tare's stars have really aligned and he has strikes gold.


File photo of Assam state Agriculture Minister Atul Bora tillling the field using a power tiller before planting paddy saplings, in Golagaht, Assam, June 11, 2021. Economists say Indias agriculture, manufacturing and construction sectors are likely to have to have led the April-June rebound. (ANI photo)
Former Fremont, California Vice Mayor and city council woman Anu Natarajan has been named by Facebook to head up its affordable housing initiative, which will allocate $1 billion in grants over 10 years to housing projects in California. The Indian American former official came on board as project lead in July. (Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Galt, California police officer Harminder Grewal was involved in a major traffic collision Aug. 22  while en route to help crews with the Caldor Fire in Northern California  and succumbed to his injuries Aug. 26. A memorial service is being held to honor the 27-year-old Indian American on Sept. 2 evening, on the steps of the Capitol Building in Sacramento, California. (Galt Police Department photo)
Recently GitHub launched its Github.dev service. If youre browsing some code in a repo, all you need to do to launch an editor is press . or edit the page URL, switching out .com for .dev. This launches the core editor from Visual Studio Code in your browser with all the features you need to make a quick change and then commit it back to the repo.

Its a useful tool for changing your code without having to launch an editor on your PC, update your local git branch, and then make a change. Maybe you dont have the time; maybe youre just reading through some comments and have a quick fix; maybe your development PC is an hour away and you need to make a change now. You dont have to worry about code being left on a random PC if youve borrowed a keyboard to fix an urgent bug. Youre not making a clone of the repo; instead youre using GitHubs APIs to work directly against your cloud-hosted code.

Github.dev isnt a replacement for a local editor. As it runs in your browsers sandbox theres no compiler or terminal, and many extensions wont run (especially those that rely on tools such as .NETs Roslyn compiler). Those that do can be synced from your account, along with any settings, by logging into Github.dev with the same account you use for Visual Studio Code.

Introducing Monaco

Originally something of a skunk works project inside Microsoft, Monaco was developed as part of a plan to build online development tools out of a new lab in Switzerland. Unveiled in 2013, it began life as a subset of the Visual Studio editor, built using TypeScript. Its first role was as Azures website editing tool and quickly followed as the editor for Office 365s extension development site. Its since been used as an editor in SkyDrive and Azure DevOps before being wrapped in Electron and used as the heart of Visual Studio Code, launched in 2015.

Microsoft has followed GitHub, launching its own Monaco-based browser-hosted editor, vscode.dev. This works just like GitHubs tool, offering access to local and OneDrive folders as well as to GitHub repositories. Like GitHub.dev theres no access to run and debug tools, but you can upgrade to using it with remote resources in a GitHub codespace, allowing you to work with code in a remote environment from your browser. It also offers the ability to sync settings and extensions with your desktop editor so youll have the same set of tools, extensions, and keyboard shortcuts wherever youre coding.

Adding a familiar editor to your browser is a smart move on both Microsofts and GitHubs part. If youre already using it, theres nothing new to learn and nothing to install. All you need is an internet connection and a decent browser. Its also made easy thanks to the work Microsoft has done on Monaco, the web-based editor in Code.

The Monaco project is open source, with most of its development now in the Visual Studio Code GitHub repositories. That doesnt mean it has stopped being available as a stand-alone editor, with a separate project providing the tools to build your own npm-packaged editor. Microsoft continues to build and provide its own packaged release, monaco-editor.

Thats the approach GitHub and others have taken, working with the npm Monaco package and customizing it via its APIs. Because its in npm and has a fully documented set of APIs, its ready for you to use in your own applications when you need an editor. You can build it into a web app, or if you prefer a desktop version, you can host it Electron or in WebView2, or even run it in a Progressive Web App.

Installing Monaco in your applications

Monaco Editor is packaged from Visual Studio Code repositories and can be installed via npm at the command line. This brings down three versions of the module: an ESM (ECMAScript Module) version for use with tools like Webpack and two AMD (Asynchronous Module Definition) versions, one of which is minified for faster downloads. The package also includes a source map for the minified version and an API specification.

The full AMD dev version is intended for your development; its easier to debug than the minified version. However, when youre shipping code to users, the minified AMD min version is recommended as its lower impact on user devices and bandwidth.

Its easy enough to enable Monaco in your applications, with just a few lines of code needed to install and run the AMD version of the editor. Start by creating a container div for the editor, then call the loader JavaScript to get the AMD module in place. Next, use require statements to set up the editors configuration files and the main function. You can finally launch the editor by calling its create function on your div, prepopulating it if necessary and using its properties to set initial state, and choosing a default language for the editor.

Configuring Monaco using the playground

There are a lot of options you can set via the editor properties. Many let you customize the editor look and feel, right down to working with mouse wheels, managing tabs, and choosing the initial language support. Microsoft provides an interactive playground where you can try different configurations, using Monaco to provide the playgrounds JavaScript, CSS, and HTML editors.

The playground is a useful way to understand how to work with Monaco; a drop down menu in the top left of the screen reveals a long list of samples so you can see how to configure the editor and learn how to add your own customizations. Its important to realize that with Monaco, all youre getting is the editor; if you want more, youll need to write it yourself. This includes all the chrome around the editor, such as all your applications menus and dialogs.

Monaco doesnt need to be a code editor, its really a general-purpose editing canvas that can be customized to give you the look and feel your application needs. That could be a text editor with basic word processing functions or a tool for providing configurations for a set of internet of things devices. Building a fully featured code editor like Visual Studio Code or Github.dev pushes the envelope of whats possible with Monaco, in much the same way Formula 1 cars prove new technologies that make everyday cars better.

Using Monaco isnt hard; it provides all the features an editor needs. If anything, the hard part is getting past all the configuration options and finding the right set of features for your needs. You dont need to use Monaco on its own, either. Tools like the Monarch syntax highlighter library extend the core editor, providing tools to build and share your own language definitions. Maybe youre working on a research language and need a way to build interactive tutorials. The combination of Monaco and Monarch could provide the front end to a REPL, turning documentation into an interactive experience, much like Monacos own playground.

Theres a lot to like in Monaco. Its a flexible, extensible tool that brings proven editor features to your own applications, building on the experience of tools from Microsoft, GitHub, and others. All you need is a little JavaScript.
VMware has announced the beta release of the new Tanzu Application Platform (TAP) to help enterprise developers build and run cloud-native applications on Kubernetes through a unified control plane.

This opinionated developer platform aims to bring together templated starting points, consistent deployment processes, automated security, and out-of-the-box observability to help developers modernize their application portfolios on a common Kubernetes foundation.

Building and operating Kubernetes platforms at scale from open source components is a challenging task, Jeffrey Hammond, a principal analyst at Forrester, told InfoWorld. And even when it comes to consuming Kubernetes services provided by cloud solutions providers, the cognitive load on developers is pretty high. The ones I talk to would like to spend less time mucking around with YAML and more time writing code that solve business problems. Reducing the amount of configuration and management developers need to worry about is a win-win for operators and developers.

TAP aims to provide a simple, opinionated default starting point for developers to shift their application portfolio onto Kubernetes, but with the flexibility to make modular changes over time, or even drill down to the command line, as users get more comfortable with the technology.

VMware is very much not alone in this mission. In fact, every major enterprise IT vendorAWS, Google, IBM, and Microsoftis looking to simplify the Kubernetes experience for the lucrative market of enterprise developers.

TAP succeeds Pivotal Cloud Foundry

TAP is the spiritual successor to Pivotal Cloud Foundry, VMware says, and to date the vendor has focused on helping customers get to grips with the popular container-orchestration platform Kubernetes through the multicloud Tanzu Application Service (TAS) and its managed Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKG) offerings. TAS is based on Pivotal Cloud Foundry.

The new TAP is looking to tackle the data-center-to-cloud transition, said Graham Siener, VMwares product vice president for Tanzu. TAP is built in a way that should easily slot into existing workflows too, whether an IDE or command-line interface, he said.

Forresters Hammond said, Its conceptually similar to Tanzu Application Service, but while TAS was really built for Cloud Foundry, TAP is built for Kubernetes from the ground up. As a result, it can take full advantage of the native capabilities and design principles, without impedance.

Where TAS is uniquely suited to well-designed cloud-native applications, typically using the Spring or .NET frameworks, TAP aims to make it easy to move any type of application onto a consistent Kubernetes foundation, regardless of distribution and environment, whether on a laptop, on-premises, in the public cloud, or even via a managed Kubernetes option.

The availability on top of cloud Kubernetes offerings makes it interesting to teams already on cloud providers that may not otherwise consider VMware, Gartner analyst Fintan Ryan told InfoWorld. Larger organizations are adopting a platform approach to Kubernetes and will often create their own opinionated Kubernetes experience. A composable, opinionated application layer will be of interest to them.

Hammond sees Tanzus platform operating at a different level of abstraction than other providers in the market. It should be able to provide abstraction value to development teams even if they are hybrid, multicloud, and using multiple Kubernetes distributions, he said. There are other solutions out there that are targeting the same spacea platform to abstract Kubernetes complexitybut I would certainly not consider this a solved problem yet, theres a lot of opportunity to make things much easier for developers and operators.

What TAP offers

TAP consists of several existing Tanzu capabilities, plus VMwares Tanzu Labs professional services arm for customers that need some consulting help along the way. These core components are:

Application Accelerators for VMware Tanzu provides declarative, verified application templates to help developers get up and running quickly, with security and policy controls built in.

Tanzu Build Service automates container image creation direct from the source code using cloud-native build packs.

Cloud Native Runtimes for VMware Tanzu uses the serverless knative extension and eventing capabilities for event-driven applications.

API portal for VMware Tanzu helps discover, manage, and publish APIs from a central portal.

Application Live View for VMware Tanzu provides a central nervous system for observing application and pipeline health.

Having this set of strong defaults eliminates many decisions that teams would normally have to make when deciding how to build their platform from the thousands of possible combinations of technologies available in the Kubernetes ecosystem, wrote Rita Manachi, director of analyst relations at VMware Tanzu, in a blog post.

The Tanzu Application Platform is now available for beta users and will eventually come as standard for Tanzu Advanced Edition customers, with a standalone version not linked to TKG to come nearer production release, when pricing will also be announced.
Woodbridge, VA (22192)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 68F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 68F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Local Twin Cities artists Enzyrose, Eyenga Bokamba, Noah Lawrence-Holder, LeShon Lee, and Meadow Gillispie, talk about their reaction to the murder of George Floyd, the trial of Derek Chauvin, and life as a black artist during this time.
Black parents say their children are being suspended for petty reasons that force them to take off from work and sometimes lose their jobs
A school board in Virginia has agreed to pay $1.3 million in legal costs to the American Civil Liberties Union after the nonprofit spent six years representing a student who sued over the boards transgender bathroom ban.

Gavin Grimms suit against the Gloucester County School Board ended in June after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the boards appeal to reinstate its bathroom policy.

Lower courts ruled that the boards policy was unconstitutional and discriminated against Grimm because he was required to use restrooms that corresponded with his biological sex  female  or private bathrooms. He was barred from the boys facilities in high school.

The board agreed to the pay the ACLUs legal costs in a filing made in a U.S. District Court in Norfolk on Thursday.

Josh Block, senior staff attorney with the ACLU LGBTQ & HIV Project, said in a statement that it should not have taken over six years of expensive litigation to get to this point.

Grimm, who is now 22, said in a statement that he hopes this outcome sends a strong message to other school systems that discrimination is an expensive, losing battle.

David Corrigan, an attorney for the Gloucester County school board, released a board statement that said its insurance provider has addressed the ACLUs request to cover legal costs. The board declined to comment further.

Its unclear what the boards own legal costs have been over the years.

The Associated Press filed a request in 2018 with the school boards insurance carrier under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act seeking that information.

Steve Craig, managing director of the Virginia Risk Sharing Association, responded at the time that such information is exempt because the matter was still pending.

Craig declined to comment on Thursday, stating in an email that we cant be of assistance and cant offer any information or comment on the case.

School systems that are insured are unlikely to suffer any long-standing financial repercussions from one lawsuit, said Francisco M. Negron, Jr., chief legal officer for the National School Board Association.

They may see a rise in premiums just like any other insured would experience, he said, speaking generally and not about Gloucester.

Grimm began transitioning from female to male while he was a student at his high school, located in a mostly rural area about 60 miles (95 kilometers) east of Richmond. He had chest reconstruction surgery and hormone therapy.

Grimms case began after his mother notified school administrators that he had transitioned to a boy as a result of his medical treatment for gender dysphoria. That was at the start of his sophomore year at Gloucester High School.

Grimm was initially allowed to use the boys restroom. But after some parents complained, students were told their use of restrooms and locker rooms shall be limited to the corresponding biological genders or a private restroom.

Grimm filed his lawsuit in 2015 and argued that he suffered from urinary tract infections from avoiding school bathrooms as well as suicidal thoughts that led to hospitalization.

The case then pinballed through the federal courts.

It became a federal test case when it was supported by the administration of then-President Barack Obama. It was scheduled to go before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2017. But the high court hearing was canceled after President Donald Trump rescinded an Obama-era directive that students can choose bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity.

Grimms case was heard again in U.S. District Court in Norfolk in 2019 and by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2020. Both ruled in his favor.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Virginia K 12
Bermuda-based Arch Capital Group Ltd. has completed its acquisition of Australias Westpac Lenders Mortgage Insurance Limited (WLMI),

With the transaction complete, Arch said it will combine the operations of WLMI with its existing Australian LMI company, Arch LMI Pty Ltd.

As part of the acquisition, WLMI will retain its existing risk in force and the newly-combined entity under Arch will become Westpacs exclusive provider of LMI on new mortgage originations for a period of 10 years.

WLMI has been a provider of LMI in the Australian market since 2011. This acquisition augments Arch MIs position as a globally diversified insurer of mortgage credit risk. In addition to Australia, Arch has mortgage insurance and reinsurance operations in Bermuda, Europe and the United States.

Westpac, Australias oldest bank and one its largest, has been withdrawing from non-core operations. Last month, Westpac announced it had agreed to sell its life insurance business to Japans Dai-ichi Life Holdings. Last December, Allianz announced it had agreed to purchase the general insurance business of Westpac Banking Corp., the Australian banking group for a deal worth A$725 million (US$534 million).

Arch Capital Group Ltd., a publicly listed Bermuda exempted company with approximately $16.7 billion in capital at June 30, 2021, provides insurance, reinsurance and mortgage insurance on a worldwide basis through its wholly owned subsidiaries.

Topics Mergers
German companies will not be granted the right to find out whether their employees are vaccinated against COVID-19, although provisions could be made for some particularly risky workplaces, the labor minister said on Wednesday.

Many countries are making vaccination mandatory for some sectors  such as healthcare staff or public sector workers  and some companies  particularly in the United States  have started demanding that employees are inoculated.

But Germany has strict data privacy laws because of its history of Nazi and Communist state surveillance of citizens, meaning that companies have no right to find out about health issues relating to their staff.

German businesses have been pushing to be able to ask staff about vaccination and the government is trying to get more people to get the shots as infections rise again. Almost 61% of the population has had both shots and 65% at least one.

The cabinet agreed on Wednesday that companies must allow their employees time off to get vaccinated and said companies could take into account the vaccination status of their staff if they knew it when deciding on protective measures.

Labour Minister Hubertus Heil told ARD television he understood that many employees were also interested in knowing the vaccination status of their colleagues, but German law means that employers cannot ask for this information.

Health data of employees is particularly sensitive, Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht told the Funke media group, but added that granting employers the right to that information might be possible in particularly risky workplaces.

Heil said pragmatic solutions were needed, for example in hospitals or prisons.

Exemptions to privacy laws have already been made to allow restaurants to reopen, with staff and customers required to show that they are vaccinated, cured or test negative.

Heil said the same could apply to other risky environments but that such a move would be up to the health minister.

Several thousand people marched through the streets of Berlin on Saturday and Sunday in unauthorized protests against coronavirus vaccinations and restrictions.

The country reported 13,531 new cases on Wednesday and 23 fatalities, bringing the total number of cases to more than 3.9 million and the death toll to 92,223.

(Reporting by Emma Thomasson; editing by Barbara Lewis)

Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance Germany
Global regulators are teaming up to explore how to regulate blank check company listings after the vehicles earlier this year became the hottest thing in finance before being hit by increased scrutiny and a surge in lawsuits from angry investors.

In total, 46 securities regulators joined the SPAC Network formed by the International Organization of Securities Commissions about a month ago to share information on special purpose acquisition companies.

The group is seeking to answer questions such as whether SPACs provide a useful alternative to initial public offerings and private equity, or whether they just exploit loopholes. Its also looking at whether investors gain better valuations via SPACs and what kind of disclosures are needed.

The network is unlikely to come up with a unified approach, but regulators all share similar goals of improving the function of SPACs, while limiting the risk for investors, said Jean-Paul Servais, the chairman of the group, in an Aug. 27 phone interview.

Although theres a big U.S. market, SPAC isnt only an American story, said Servais, whos also chairman of the Belgium Financial Services and Markets Authority. Its a global story, with pros and cons, ups and downs. Its still early days to judge which approach turns out to be the most appropriate.

Companies have raised a total of $129 billion this year via SPACs worldwide, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Predominately a U.S.-centric market, interest has spread to other major financial centers. London has made listing SPACs easier and Singapore and Hong Kong will announce their own SPAC regimes before year end. Continental Europe is also catching up, with Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris becoming popular markets to list SPACs.

SPACs are shell companies that promise to buy another company with the money they attract. A record-breaking frenzy saw more than 500 SPACs reel in over $180 billion in the five quarters that ended March 31. But the pace has since abated with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission calling for more disclosures while a recent earnings bust validated some of the skepticism over SPACs. Class action suits against U.S. SPACs doubled in the first half of the year.

Class action suits allow people who dont know each other but have common interest  for instance being investors in the same company  to enter a lawsuit as a group. While common and usually effective in the U.S., such a legal tool isnt available in Hong Kong and most of continental Europe.

Other measures, such as a robust corporate law, can work in the jurisdictions where class action laws are absent, Servais said.

I think personally a good mix of ex-post enforcement and preventive is an interesting approach, Servais said. It doesnt mean that ex-post enforcement is, by definition, class action. There are other approaches. Everything is open.

The network, which includes Hong Kong and Singapore, will meet every month to discuss relevant issues around SPACs and possible measures.

The timing was right for IOSCO to establish a network now to learn some experience from the past, and how we can be ready for the future, Servais said.

It will explore developing more formal information sharing mechanisms. The next steps forward will be considered toward the end of this year or early next year, he said.

Typically, an IOSCO Network focuses on information sharing and capacity building. Relevant task forces could then be established and may even grow into standing committees if there is a consensus to push forward. IOSCO could issue formal guidance where appropriate to its more than 130 regulatory members overseeing 95% of securities market worldwide. The guidance would then be formed by local regulators on a national level.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.
Italian firefighters tackled hot spots Monday in a 20-story apartment building in Milan that was destroyed by fire but said there were no indications that anyone was missing inside, as questions arose about the cladding that witnesses said rapidly fueled the fire.

Some cases of smoke inhalation were reported from Sundays blaze, but no serious injuries or deaths.

The fire that sent up a huge plume of black smoke visible for kilometers (miles) recalled the deadly fire that swept through Grenfell Tower in London in 2017, killing 72 people. In that case, the cladding on the outside of that building was blamed for the speed at which the fire engulfed the block, and officials noted similar issues in the Milan fire.

I have never seen a situation like this, said firefighting official Giuliano Santagata. Just look at the facade and you see that everything is completely burned, and therefore presume that it was made of flammable material.

Santagata said the blaze was under control, although there were still outbreaks in some apartments that were being systematically put out.

Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said it was unacceptable that a building just over a decade old showed itself to be so vulnerable.

What seems already clear from the start is that the external cladding of the building went up in flames far too quickly, in a dynamic that recalls the Grenfell Tower in London, Sala said Monday.

Experts said the lack of victims was due both to firefighters speedy response and door-to-door searches as well as to building codes that included firewalls and an ample stairwell.

The 60-meter (nearly 200-foot) tall building, part of a decade-old re-development project, was designed to look like a ships keel and included an aluminum sail on its roof, which burned and fell to the street in pieces.

The fire was reported Sunday by a resident on the 15th floor, who sounded the alarm as he descended the building, alerting other occupants. Residents included Italian rapper Mahmood, the 2019 winner of the San Remo music festival.

When firefighters arrived, the blaze was still mostly contained in one area, allowing them to evacuate the building, but it quickly spread up and down the cladding, according to witnesses.

The cause of the fires still needs to be determined, but it seems that the rapid spread of the flames was due to the thermal covering of the building, said Carlo Sibia, an Interior Ministry official in Rome.

Firefighters broke through doors apartment by apartment in the search for anyone left inside and telephoned residents. There is no evidence of anyone missing, said commander Felice Iraca.

Prosecutors were on the scene Monday, and national arson investigators also were being dispatched. Prosecutor Tiziana Siciliano said it was too early to speculate about the cause, but confirmed the blaze had started on the 15th floor.

In the Grenfell Tower fire, flammable cladding and lax fire safety standards were blamed for the deadly June 2017 blaze at a high-rise residential tower in London. The fire started in an apartment kitchen and rapidly engulfed the 24-story public housing block.

The Grenfell tragedy prompted inquiries into high-rise building materials and Britain has pledged to spend hundreds of millions of pounds to strip similar combustible cladding from dozens of other publicly owned tower blocks.

About the photo: Smoke billows from a building in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. Firefighters were battling a blaze on Sunday that spread rapidly through a recently restructured 60-meter-high, 16-story residential building in Milan. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics London
Health investigators across the U.S. are finding it nearly impossible to keep up with the deluge of new COVID-19 infections and carry out contact tracing efforts that were once seen as a pillar of the nations pandemic response.

States are hiring new staff and seeking out volunteers to bolster the ranks of contact tracers that have been overwhelmed by surging coronavirus cases.

Some states trimmed their contact tracing teams this spring and summer when virus numbers were dropping and are now scrambling to train new investigators. Others have triaged their teams to focus on the most vulnerable, such as cases involving schools or children too young to be vaccinated.

Texas got out of the business entirely, with the new two-year state budget that takes effect Sept. 1 explicitly prohibiting funds being used for contact tracing. That left it up to local health officials, but they cant keep up at a time when Texas is averaging more than 16,000 new cases a day.

Mississippi has 150 staff working full time to identify people who have had close contact with an infected person, but they are swamped, too.

A lot of times by the time of cases are reported, transmission has already occurred by the time we reach that person, state epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said.

Since the pandemic began, states have been relying on the practice of contact tracing to track down, notify and monitor those who were exposed to someone who tested positive for the coronavirus.

Time-Intensive

Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a professor of global health and infectious diseases at the Stanford University School of Medicine, said that while contact tracing can be time-intensive, especially if one person potentially exposed a lot of people, it does in the end prevent additional cases.

Maldonado said its a staple of public health and can be the only way someone can find out a stranger may have potentially exposed them to the disease.

The contact tracing response has varied from state to state throughout the pandemic.

New York, which has had a robust team, has adjusted its contract tracing staff with the pandemics waves. The state had more than 8,000 contract tracers in February and March of this year but now has 3,860 staff working on contract tracing. That does not include New York City, which has its own $600 million tracing initiative with thousands of staff.

Arkansas has hired two outside firms, General Dynamics Information Technology and Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, to handle the investigations for the state. The firms have about 257 people working right now and are each trying to add about 100 more.

In Louisiana, another virus hotspot, state officials have added 130 people in recent weeks to their staff working on contact tracing. They now have more than 560 people working on tracing efforts.

In Idaho, a new public health website, VolunteerIdaho.com, encourages people with health care skills or a simple willingness to volunteer for Idahos Medical Reserve Corps. Among the volunteers they are seeking are people who can with contact tracing and data entry.

Focusing on Large Numbers

Health officials say with the overwhelming number of new cases, theyre not able to track every case and instead try to focus on infections that could have exposed large numbers of people or vulnerable groups.

Thats the case in Alabama. Dr. Karen Landers with the Alabama Department of Health said her agency encourages anyone who tests positive or is exposed to follow isolation and quarantine guidelines and notify anyone they had close contact with, but the health department is focusing its resources on bigger outbreaks, clusters and group settings.

In Nevada, the investigators are prioritizing their efforts around cases involving children or schools, according to Julia Peek, Deputy Administrator of Community Health Services at Nevadas health department.

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott last year approved a $295 million contract with a firm to run contact tracing for the state, but the deal drew conservative backlash and a lawsuit from lawmakers who said the governor overstepped his authority by approving the deal with the Legislature was not in session.

Abbott eventually won the lawsuit, but contact tracing funds were stripped from the new budget.

Local governments say theyre continuing the effort and trying to ramp up staffing as cases climb. In Austin, for example, the local health department had about 50 investigators working on contact tracing at the peak of the pandemic. But when cases dropped, they reduced their staff to 12, according to Austin Public Health spokesman to Matt Lara.

In California, state workers have been dispatched to help county health department teams working on contract tracing. At the peak of the pandemic, Los Angeles County had about 2,800 people working on the effort until this spring, when cases began falling, said True Beck, a public health worker who manages a team of contract tracers for the county.

Beck said some staff in the spring were reassigned to make calls encouraging people to get vaccines and others were sent back to their regular jobs at other county departments, but lately theyve been bringing people back and have about 1,000 working.

She said the work is relentless and the calls, which can last an hour, can be emotional. Workers making contract tracing calls not only help people learn about what they should do to keep themselves and others safe, but they can hear from people who are scared, lonely or grieving or in need of assistance, such as with paying rent or getting food. Beck said the staff on her team try to help and connect people with other resources.

Its hard to do this day in and day out calling perfect strangers, she said.

She said people are not as eager to talk or do interviews as they were earlier in the pandemic, when there was a lot more fear and unknowns about the virus.

Now I think people are a little tired of COVID. I think we all are, frankly.

Photo: The emergency entrance is viewed at Orlando Health ER and Medical Pavilion during a new coronavirus pandemic, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in Kissimmee, Fla. (Phelan M. Ebenhack via AP)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics COVID-19
Five years into scandals that have already cost Wells Fargo & Co. more than $5 billion in fines and legal settlements, regulators are privately signaling theyre still not satisfied with the banks progress in compensating victims and shoring up controls.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have warned the firm they may bring new sanctions over the companys pace in fulfilling those obligations, according to people with knowledge of the situation. The bank, which signed so-called consent orders with the agencies three years ago, has sought more time to get the work done, the people said. It isnt clear when the watchdogs might proceed.

The banks stock erased earlier gains and slumped 5.6% in regular New York trading on Tuesday, its biggest drop since mid-June, after Bloomberg reported on regulators concerns.

Fresh sanctions would be especially notable if they fault progress under Wells Fargos new management team, which took over in late 2019 to clean up scandals that triggered lawmakers ire and prompted the Federal Reserve to cap the banks growth. Chief Executive Officer Charlie Scharf  who joined the firm after a string of predecessors stepped down  has called satisfying U.S. authorities his highest priority.

Spokespeople for the bank, OCC and CFPB declined to comment.

Wells Fargo already has made payments to millions of consumers, which insiders describe as the vast majority of its victims. But on a number of fronts the bank has run into difficulties identifying which customers were affected and calculating how badly they were harmed. Along the way, the firm enlisted new executives who had to get up to speed.

Its possible that regulators could impose new fines or other sanctions. They could also issue another consent order, or replace an earlier order with a new one tailored to the work thats incomplete.

Alternatively, authorities could hold off on additional punishment to see how quickly the bank makes further headway in response to warnings.

Signs of the behind-the-scenes discussions with authorities have been surfacing in recent months. In regulatory filings, Wells Fargo has warned it could face new sanctions tied to the consent orders from 2018. But it hasnt elaborated on the underlying issues.

And in public remarks to investors, Scharf and his team have predicted there could be setbacks as they seek to meet the requirements of past settlement agreements with the government.

While whats required for each is clear, there are numerous complexities with managing this amount of work concurrently, Scharf told analysts on a conference call in July, adding that the firm is making significant progress by most metrics. It will take time to consistently accomplish all at the level we and our regulators expect.

Cars Repossessed

Wells Fargos scandals began erupting in September 2016, setting off leadership shakeups that culminated with a six-month search for a qualified outsider willing to take on the banks troubles. Scharf is now nearing his second anniversary atop the firm, time hes spent reshaping management and examining the firms issues. That team inherited a puzzle.

In the banks most famous scandal, for example, employees trying to hit aggressive sales targets opened accounts for millions of customers without permission. The accounts werent exactly labeled as bogus in internal systems, and the fallout is hardly confined to a few extra fees. In some cases, credit scores were damaged, potentially leading to higher borrowing costs when people sought loans later.

Read more: Ex-Wells Fargo executive fights SEC on fake accounts  with silence

And then there are the abuses in other key business lines  such as mortgage and auto lending  that the OCC and CFPB spotlighted in the consent orders while imposing $1 billion in fines. Under that settlement, the firm not only promised to fix its systems but make victims whole  a complex task.

Wells Fargo has said it charged hundreds of thousands of car buyers for insurance on their vehicles even if they had coverage of their own. Regulators found that the problem spanned more than a decade, and from 2011 to 2016 the additional costs may have nudged an estimated 27,000 borrowers into default, causing them to lose vehicles to repossession.

It can be daunting to track down who had their own insurance years ago, which of those borrowers were tipped into default by the banks misconduct, and how much that ultimately cost them. Laws on insurance refunds also vary by state.

Aging Software

Over the past half-decade, Wells Fargo has acknowledged problems in just about every major business line serving consumers. The bank has been trying to address more than 100 different regulatory concerns, according to people with knowledge of the situation.

The work has been complicated over the years by internal disagreements over how to calculate damages, as well as aging software, problems with recordkeeping and the banks past reliance on third parties, the people said, asking not to be named discussing the internal issues.

In late 2018, then-Comptroller of the Currency Joseph Otting told the Senate Banking Committee that the firm was still framing up its analysis of the financial harm inflicted.

To be sure, there have been signs of progress since Scharf took over. Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that the Fed had confidentially accepted a plan for overhauling risk management and governance  the second in four steps to get out from under the ban on growth. The firm also was freed from a 2015 regulatory order tied to violations of anti-money-laundering rules in January.

Still, Wells Fargo has remained a bipartisan punching bag through three White House administrations, with politicians from Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren to Republican President Donald Trump taking swings. Such scrutiny also has extended to regulators, making them less inclined to show leniency toward Wells Fargo.

Photo: A customer uses an ATM at a Wells Fargo bank branch. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Legislation
A new Florida law designed to deter violent public demonstrations is instead unconstitutionally chilling free speech and legitimate rights to protest, a federal judge was told Monday.

Attorneys for several organizations challenging the law championed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis asked U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in a hearing in Tallahassee to block enforcement of key parts of the law.

Their speech is chilled because they dont know if they will be arrested for peacefully protesting, said Max Gaston, lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, which represents the lawsuit plaintiffs. Theyre afraid they will be arrested and charged with a violent felony.

That could sweep up people who are merely in the same area as a protest that turns violent or who are involved in the event but not doing anything illegal, Gaston said.

It can be taken to mean a lot of things to a regular police officer on his beat, he said of the law.

Joining the lawsuit are the NAACP Florida conference, Dream Defenders, Black Lives Matter Alliance Broward and other groups who claim the law appears specifically aimed to quell protests by Black people and other minorities.

Walker did not immediately rule during the hearing held by teleconference. I will do my best to get an order out as soon as possible, the judge said.

DeSantis signed the so-called anti-riot bill into law in April. He had urged the state Legislature to pass a measure to enhance penalties against violent protesters after last years tumultuous demonstrations over the treatment of Black people by police.

Those demonstrations followed last years killing in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, a Black man, that stirred passions nationwide under the banner of the Black Lives Matter Movement.

Lawyers for DeSantis contend in court papers that the lawsuit is misguided and the law does not illegally constrain free speech or the right to assembly as guaranteed by the Constitution.

It does not prohibit or discourage peaceful demonstration. Nor does it single out speech regarding racial justice, the governors attorneys wrote. Americans have a Constitutional right to free speech _ they do not have a right to burn down buildings, destroy property, or inflict bodily harm on others.

The law, also known as HB1, stiffens penalties for crimes committed during a riot or violent protest. It allows authorities to detain arrested protesters until a first court appearance and establishes new felonies for organizing or participating in a violent demonstration.

It also makes it a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, to destroy or demolish a memorial, plaque, flag, painting, structure or other object that commemorates historical people or events.

In addition, the measure requires that local governments justify any reductions in law enforcement budgets.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Florida Civil Unrest
Three people face multiple charges in connection with staged auto insurance accidents Los Angeles, the Los Angeles District Attorneys Office reported.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said Eduardo Retana, Ausencio Gomez and Victor Valle-Diaz, all of the city of Los Angeles were charged in felony case, accused of staging automobile accidents on local freeways  some causing major injuries  in order to collect money from insurance companies.

Retana was charged with 11 counts of assault with a deadly weapon and 10 counts of insurance fraud; Gomez with 10 counts of assault with a deadly weapon and nine counts of insurance fraud; and Valle-Diaz with eight counts of assault with a deadly weapon and four counts of insurance fraud.

Between Jan. 15, 2020 and Sept. 18, 2020, the defendants allegedly staged 15 accidents on Los Angeles County freeways with 21 victims, some of whom suffered severe injuries as a result. As part of a purported insurance fraud ring, they allegedly defrauded insurance companies of nearly $330,000.

The case is PA097083; it is being investigated by the California Department of Insurance.

Source: Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office

Topics California Auto
Federal authorities have run into some delays while investigating the cause of an explosion at a Chandler strip mall print shop that seriously injured four men inside the building.

Tom Mangan, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said the agencys National Response Team cant go into the building until its walls are deemed structurally sound after the roof was blown off.

The cause of the Aug. 26 explosion remains under investigation, but Mangan told Phoenix TV station ABC15 that the ATF is looking at a possible fuel-air explosion with a potential gas leak that might have ignited.

Mangan also said other factors havent being ruled out and the ATF team has arson and explosive experts at the Platinum Printing site.

Two brothers who own the print shop were injured in the blast along with two other men.

Dr. Kevin Foster, director of the Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health in Phoenix, said all four victims are expected to recover despite burns on up to 30% of their bodies.

Foster said the young men appeared to suffer second-degree propane flash burns to their arms, hands and legs and will need surgery and extended hospital stays.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Arizona
Fire officials ordered more evacuations near Lake Tahoe and told other residents to be ready to leave as a destructive fire roared through forests southwest of the alpine lake that straddles the California-Nevada state line.

Several communities south of the lake were abruptly ordered to evacuate on Aug. 29 and residents on the southern and southwestern shores of the lake were warned to be ready to evacuate if ordered.

The community of Meyers, south of the small tourist city of South Lake Tahoe, was among those evacuated. Many people had apparently left earlier, likely because of the terrible smoke that has created horrendous air quality, said fire spokesman Keith Wade, who said he watched people leave.

The fire destroyed multiple residences on Aug. 29 along Highway 50, one of the main routes to the south end of the lake. The fire also roared through the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort, destroying secondary buildings but leaving the main buildings at the base intact.

Todays been a rough day and theres no bones about it, Jeff Marsoleis, forest supervisor for El Dorado National Forest, said Sunday evening. A few days ago, he had thought crews could halt the Caldor Fires eastern progress, but today it let loose.

Flames churned through mountains just a few miles southwest of the Tahoe Basin, where thick smoke sent tourists packing at a time when summer vacations would usually be in full swing ahead of the Labor Day weekend.

To put it in perspective, weve been seeing about a half-mile of movement on the fires perimeter each day for the last couple of weeks, and today, this has already moved at 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) on us, with no sign that its starting to slow down, said Cal Fire Division Chief Erich Schwab.

Some areas of the Northern California terrain are so rugged that crews had to carry fire hoses by hand from Highway 50 as they sought to douse spot fires caused by erratic winds.

The forecast did not offer optimism: triple-digit temperatures were possible and the extreme heat was expected to last several days. A red flag warning for critical fire conditions was issued for Monday and Tuesday across the Northern Sierra.

The blaze that broke out August 14 was 19% contained after burning nearly 245 square miles (635 square kilometers)  an area larger than Chicago. More than 600 structures have been destroyed and at least 18,000 more were under threat.

The Caldor Fire has proved so difficult to fight that fire managers pushed back the projected date for full containment from early this week to Sept. 8. But even that estimate was tenuous.

In Southern California, a section Interstate 15 was closed Sunday afternoon after winds pushed a new blaze, dubbed the Railroad Fire, across lanes in the Cajon Pass northeast of Los Angeles.

Further south, evacuation orders and warnings were still in place for remote communities after a wildfire broke out and spread quickly through the Cleveland National Forest on Saturday. A firefighter received minor injuries and two structures were destroyed in the 2.3-square-mile (5.9-square-kilometer) Chaparral Fire burning along the border of San Diego and Riverside counties, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It was 10% contained Sunday.

Meanwhile, Californias Dixie Fire, the second-largest in state history at 1,193 square miles (3,089 square kilometers) was 48% contained in the Sierra-Cascades region about 65 miles (105 kilometers) north of the Caldor Fire. Nearly 700 homes were among almost 1,300 buildings that have been destroyed since the fire began in early July.

Containment increased to 22% on the 12-day-old French Fire, which covered more than 38 square miles (98 square kilometers) in the southern Sierra Nevada. Crews protected forest homes on the west side of Lake Isabella, a popular recreation area northeast of Bakersfield.

More than a dozen large fires are being fought by more than 15,200 firefighters across California. Flames have destroyed around 2,000 structures and forced thousands to evacuate this year while blanketing large swaths of the West in unhealthy smoke.

The California fires are among nearly 90 large blazes in the U.S. Many are in the West, burning trees and brush desiccated by drought. Climate change has made the region warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more destructive, according to scientists.

The Department of Defense is sending 200 U.S. Army soldiers from Washington state and equipment including eight U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft to help firefighters in Northern California, the U.S. Army North said in a statement. The C-130s have been converted to air tankers that can dump thousands of gallons of water on the flames.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Firefighters reported progress in the battle to save communities on the south end of Lake Tahoe from an approaching forest fire after the stiff winds they had feared failed to materialize in the California-Nevada alpine region on Wednesday.

We lucked out a little bit yesterday with some of the winds that didnt come up quite as hard as we expected them to, Tim Ernst, an operations section chief, told firefighters in a morning briefing.

An inversion layer, a cap of warm air over cooler air, then developed in the early morning hours that put a real damper on things, slowed a lot of growth, Ernst said. So a lot of opportunity to make a lot of progress last night.

The Caldor Fire has been burning toward Lake Tahoe from the southwest along California Highway 50, climbing over a high-elevation Sierra Nevada summit and descending into the Tahoe Basin.

We were fortunate the fire did not make as strong a push into Tahoe as it did the previous day, Ernst said.

Despite the positive developments, firefighters were warned that critical weather conditions remained and they would likely face gusty, swirling winds all day.

Thick smoke from the Caldor Fire has enveloped the city of South Lake Tahoe, which is all but deserted at a time when it would normally be swarming with tourists. On Monday, roughly 22,000 residents jammed the citys main artery for hours after they were ordered to leave.

South Lake Tahoe city officials said only a handful of residents defied Mondays evacuation order. But nearly everyone was monitoring the winds, which could determine whether flames bypass the city.

Tom OConnell and his wife, Linda, awaited the fate of their home while anchored on their sailboat in Ventura Harbor. The two-bedroom theyve owned for 40 years survived the Angora Fire that destroyed about 250 houses in 2007. They didnt know if theyd be lucky again.

You worry about the things you can have some control over, OConnell said. Weve no control over this.

Pushed by strong winds, the Caldor Fire has crossed two major highways and swept down slopes into the Tahoe Basin, where firefighters working in steep terrain were protecting remote cabins. The fire has destroyed at least 700 homes and other structures, but officials say its too early for an accurate assessment of the destruction.

Related:

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire
Continuing our series of excerpts from cultural coverage in our archives to mark the Irish Examiner's 180 years, we have two stories from the 1960s. They show two sides of a cultural landscape that was about to undergo great changes.

First up, a report of the excitement around the visit of The Beatles. The Fab Four caused a bit of chaos in the capital, and we see how their presence also sounded alarm bells for the Gaelic League.

That's followed by a piece on Telefis Eireann's first broadcast, complete with a classic photograph of Eamon de Valera on the screen of a rare house in Cork that had a television.

The President's concerns about this new medium are obvious from his speech, sentiments echoed by Cardinal John D'Alton, who was afforded the final words in the inaugural transmission.

Des O'Driscoll (Arts/Culture Editor)

Near Hysteria as The Beatles sing in Dublin

Friday, November 8, 1963

Cars were damaged, and a number of people were injured as teenage crowds pressed on the Adelphi Cinema, Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, last night, where the Liverpool vocal group, The Beatles, were making its first appearance in the country.

Amid shouts of We want The Beatles, about 30 gardai started to push the crowd back towards O'Connell Street, but an unruly section of the crowd resisted and tried to overturn parked cars.

They were forced to within a few yards of the junction of O'Connell Street, where they made several attempts to breach the garda cordon.

Some gardai drew their batons, but their efforts to clear a way for traffic and pedestrians met with little success.

GIRLS FAINT

A number of girls fainted in the crush and were given medical assistance by members of the St John Ambulance Brigade. The 150 extra gardai who were drafted into Abbey Street for the occasion got their first taste of the near hysteria that was to follow when The Beatles held their press reception in mid-afternoon.

When some teenagers, mostly girls, spotted the four young men stepping from their chauffeur driven car, they rushed forward screaming.

About 15 gardai were present at the time, and they managed to hold back the ever-increasing crowds as they pressed against the Adelphi doors, however. The crowds gathered again an hour before the 6.30pm show, and again gardai lined the street on both sides in the vicinity of the theatre to keep order. Motorists were warned not to park their vehicles in the locality.

SHUTTERED WINDOWS

Most business firms shuttered their windows hours before the show started.

At the press reception one of the four confided:  I hope you have brought your earplugs. We always bring ours. And when the show got underway, it was obvious that many in the audience had wished they had.

When The Beatles were on stage the screaming reached a deafening pitch, and at times only snatches of the songs could be heard.

The Cork Examiner report of The Beatles in Dublin in 1963.

Seek ban on Beatle shows

November 12, 1963

Coisde Gnotha of the Gaelic League have asked the Government not to allow such shows as The Beatles because of the effect they have on young people.

Such shows, a statement says, entice people away from the native tradition and awaken anti-national sentiment.

Foreign groups, the statement added, should have official permission before being allowed to perform here.

Great hopes in TV service: Inaugural programme goes without a hitch

Monday, January 1, 1962

Everything went according to plan with the new Irish Television Service's first programme from the precise stroke of 7pm, when the St. Brigid's Cross motif vanished and viewers in Dublin and other parts of the country saw the national colours being hoisted by an Army lieutenant.

Reception in the south, however, varied from ''perfect" in Limerick, to "practically none in Cork city.

The specially-arranged music of the National Anthem was interspersed with scenes of O'Connell Street, Dublin, and various aspects of Irish endeavour, agricultural and industrial.

Then, as the music faded away, viewers saw the President, Mr de Valera, seated in the Aras an Uachtarain. He spoke first in Irish, and then in English, welcoming the new service, in which he said he had great hopes. Then the Taoiseach, Mr Lemass, and the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Mr Hiiliard, made short speeches in which they wished the service well.

The inaugural programme fittingly concluded with an address by his Eminence Cardinal D'Alton, Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland.

"As I have said," continued the President, "I am privileged in being the first to address you on our new service. Telefis Eireann.

"I hope the service will provide for you all sources of recreation and pleasure, but also information, instruction and knowledge.

Children at a house in Churchfield, Cork, watch President Eamon de Valera on the inaugural broadcast from Teilifis Eireann (later RTE).

POWERFUL INSTRUMENT

"I must admit that sometimes when I think of television and the radio and their immense power I feel somewhat afraid. Like atomic energy, it can be used for incalculable good, but it can also do irreparable harm.

Never before was there in the hands of man an instrument so powerful to influence the thoughts and actions of the multitude.

A persistent policy pursued over radio and television, in addition to imparting knowledge can build up the character of a whole people, including sturdiness and vigour and confidence. On the other hand, it can lead through demoralisation to decadence and dissolution.

"Sometimes one hears when one urges higher standards in information and recreational services that, we must give the people what they want, and the competition, unfortunately, leads in the wrong direction and so standards become lower and lower. "Now", declared the President, "it is you, the people, who will ultimately determine what the programmes in Telefis Eireann are to be.
Finbarr, Meabh, Pol and Sean are the names that will be representing Ireland, as the storm names for the upcoming season have been revealed.

Met Eireann, along with its weather service counterparts in the UK and the Netherlands, has announced the full list of names for 2021-22, which runs from September 2021 to the end of August 2022.

Storm Barra, representing Finbarr, will be the first of the Irish names to feature on the list.

The first storm of the year will be called Arwen, a name thought to be of Welsh origin and popularised by JRR Tolkiens Lord Of The Rings.

Met Eireann and the UK Met Office have been naming storms since 2014, with the partnership created to help raise awareness of the potential impacts of severe weather.

The two national weather services were joined by KMNI of the Netherlands in 2019.

Names suggested by members of the public

Each year, the three weather services contribute names reflective of their nation and culture, mainly suggested by members of the public.

A storm is named when orange or red level winds are forecast to impact over a wide land area.

Last winter was relatively quiet, with only one storm named by Met Eireann, Storm Aiden at Halloween, said Met Eireanns head of forecasting Evelyn Cusack.

We are now preparing for the autumn and winter months ahead with a new list of storm names for 2021-22 and for whatever weather may come to our shores.

Once again, Met Eireann will continue to work with our national weather service colleagues in the UK and Netherlands, by continuing to provide a clear and consistent message to the public and encouraging people to take action to prevent harm to themselves or to their properties at times of severe weather.

Diarmuid was another Irish name that was up for inclusion, with the D storm name being put to a public vote against Duncan, Dudley and Dafydd.

Dudley won out in the end with Met Eireann saying it is perhaps reflective of the magic of Harry Potter.

Other names on the list  which does not use names beginning with Q, U, X, Y or Z  include Corrie, Eunice, Franklin, Gladys, Herman, Imani, Jack, Nasim, Olwen, Tineke, Vergil and Willemien.
UK officials and the Taliban are in talks over how to secure safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals and Afghan allies.

Downing Street confirmed Simon Gass, the Prime Ministers special representative for Afghan transition, has travelled to Qatar and is meeting with senior Taliban representatives to stress the importance of allowing people to leave Afghanistan.

The news emerged as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) announced 15 crisis response specialists are being deployed to Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to assist British diplomats in their work to allow people to escape Afghanistan over land borders and reach the UK.

The officials are expected to arrive within the next 48 hours, with the focus on helping UK nationals, interpreters and other Afghans who were employed by the UK, and those Afghans judged most at risk.

Elsewhere, the Home Office said Afghans who worked with the British government and military will be able to move to the UK permanently.

Arrivals at RAF Brize Norton (Cpl Will Drummee/RAF/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA)

Former Afghan staff and their family members eligible for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap), which prioritises relocation to the UK for current or former locally employed staff who have been assessed to be under serious threat to life, will be given immediate indefinite leave to remain as opposed to only five years temporary residency as previously permitted.

It is part of the Governments Operation Warm Welcome, which is designed to help Afghans rebuild their lives in the UK.

More than 8,000 Arap claimants were among the 15,000-plus people evacuated by the UK since August 13.

The number of UK nationals left behind in Afghanistan is in the low hundreds, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Tuesday.

He was unable to give a definitive figure on how many Afghans the UK had failed to airlift to safety after the Taliban seized power as the US withdrew its final troops following a 20-year mission.

But in a further sign of the swift power shift in the region, Downing Street confirmed Sir Simons talks with the Taliban.

A No 10 spokesman said: The Prime Ministers special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass, has travelled to Doha and is meeting with senior Taliban representatives to underline the importance of safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals, and those Afghans who have worked with us over the past 20 years.

MI6 chief Richard Moore held talks with the Pakistan military on Afghanistan in recent days, according to media reports in Pakistan.

Kabul airport (Dan Kitwood/PA)

The Daily Telegraph also reported secret discussions have taken place between senior British intelligence officials and the Taliban in Kabul in the past fortnight.

The newspaper said the aim of the talks was to seek assurances that Afghanistan will not be used to launch terrorist attacks on the west.

On the deployment of three teams to bolster efforts to help people cross the Afghan border, Mr Raab said: The UK evacuated over 15,000 people from Afghanistan over the past fortnight, but we know not everyone who wanted to leave and were eligible for UK support could.

We will stand by them, and were working with partners in neighbouring countries to support onward travel to the UK.

These latest rapid deployment teams will bolster those efforts and reinforce our embassy teams on the ground to help those in need.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (Jeff Gilbert/Daily Telegraph/PA)

Mr Raab will also face MPs on Wednesday to discuss the Governments handling of the Afghanistan crisis.

With doubts about his future as Foreign Secretary, No 10 insisted Prime Minister Boris Johnson has full confidence in Mr Raab.

Some of the ire was for remaining in holiday in Crete as the Taliban was seizing back control of Afghanistan.

Mr Raab will be quizzed by the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, with shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy insisting her counterpart has questions to answer on much more than the chaos of the last two weeks.

She said: This has been the biggest foreign policy failing in a generation.

The Foreign Secretary has serious questions to answer when he appears before the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Ms Nandy added: The Foreign Secretary had 18 months to prepare but was missing in action.

As a result, on his watch Britain has become weaker in the world and faces greater risks from terrorism.
Burma 100 Senior NLD Leaders Arrested and Charged Since Myanmar Juntas Coup

Anti-coup protesters call for the release of detained elected leaders during a protest in Yangon in February. / The Irrawaddy

Myanmars military regime has charged at least 100 elected leaders, ministers and prominent members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) with high treason, corruption and incitement over the past seven months, as the junta steps up its efforts to destroy the party.

Senior NLD figures who have been arrested and charged since the militarys February 1 coup include at least four government ministers, 10 chief ministers, 30 ministers of state and regional cabinets, 44 elected lawmakers and members of party offices nationwide, and seven other senior party members.

There are 93 political parties in Myanmar, but the NLD is the only one that has been targeted by the military regime.

Most notably, the junta has brought various charges against ousted State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint in an effort to keep them behind bars for years.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi faces a total of 10 cases and a potential prison sentence of 75 years in total. The junta has accused her of accepting cash and gold, as well as of abusing her authority and funds donated to a charity foundation she leads.

She also faces charges for the illegal possession of walkie-talkies, breaching COVID-19 restrictions, incitement and one case under the Official Secrets Act.

Myanmars military detained Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint and other senior officials of the NLD-led government before dawn on the day of the coup. Chief ministers of the states and regions, parliamentary speakers at union and state and regions level were also detained during the takeover, along with other senior leaders and members of the NLDs Central Executive Committee (CEC).

Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has claimed that the coup was staged because the NLD committed election fraud during the 2020 general election that the NLD won by a landslide. The results of the election have since been annulled and the party faces the possibility of being disbanded.

NLD members continue to face arrest, including those who won seats in the 2020 election. Several detained party members have been killed while in detention. Numerous members face arrest warrants and have gone into hiding, while NLD offices have been raided, vandalized and forced to close.

Over 300 NLD leaders, ministers, elected lawmakers and other members at party offices are currently being detained.

The four detained ministers of the NLD-led government have been accused of violating the Official Secrets Act and the Anti-Corruption Law.

U Win Myat Aye, the ousted Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, and ousted Upper House Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than have been charged with corruption and high treason respectively. Both were re-elected in the 2020 election.

Since the coup, U Win Myat Aye has been made the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management for the shadow National Unity Government (NUG), while Mahn Win Khaing Than has been appointed as NUG prime minister.

Corruption charges have also been brought against NLD ministers and officials who were renowned for their good reputations while in office and who enjoyed the support of the general public.

Of the 13 chief ministers who are still being detained, nine have been accused of bribery, abuse of their authority and embezzlement of public funds under the Anti-Corruption Law, all charges that carry long prison terms. One chief minister has also been charged with incitement. The other chief ministers are likely to be charged soon.

Members of the NLDs CEC face harsher charges.

Detained NLD vice-chairman Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, who is also the Mandalay Region Chief Minister, has been charged with alleged corruption, incitement and breaching of COVID-19 restrictions.

Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, who has blood cancer, caught coronavirus while being detained in Mandalays Obo Prison and was put on oxygen support.

On June 7, the Magwe Chief Minister Dr. Aung Moe Nyo, who is also a member of the CEC, was sentenced to two years in prison on an incitement charge. He was accused of publishing statements saying that the juntas State Administration Council is not an official government.

The ousted chief minister also faces corruption charges along with three ministers of his cabinet.

Around 50 ousted ministers, advocate generals and auditor generals of state and regional cabinets are also still being detained. At least 30 of them face charges such as corruption, incitement, violating COVID-19 restrictions and disobeying military regime orders.

NLD CEC members U Nyan Win, U Han Thar Myint, U Thein Oo, U Mya Thein, the partys patron U Win Htein, Daw Aung San Suu Kyis personal physician Dr. Tin Myo Win and the party spokespersons, Dr. Myo Nyunt and Monywa Aung Shin, were also arrested by the junta. They have been charged with sedition and incitement.

79-year-old U Nyan Win, who was also Daw Aung San Suu Kyis long-time personal lawyer, died of COVID-19 on July 20 while being detained in Yangons Insein Prison, where he caught coronavirus.

At least 13 NLD members, including the Bago Region parliamentary speaker and elected lawmakers, have been sentenced to two to three years in prison, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

NLD CEC member U Aung Kyi Nyunt, who chairs the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), said the arrests and charges against NLD members are a plot to ensure that the regime illegally wins the next general election.

U Aung Kyi Nyunt is the subject of arrest warrants for sedition and other charges, along with other NLD leaders, members and other anti-regime forces and ethnic minorities who managed to evade arrest and form the CPRH and the NUG to oppose the junta.

The number of detained NLD members is rising as the regime continues to crackdown on the party across the country.

In the last month alone, at least 38 NLD members, including elected lawmakers and chiefs and members of state and region offices at the township and ward level have been arrested. Youth members of the NLD have also been detained.

Regime-controlled media has stated that those arrested will be prosecuted for supporting the Civil Disobedience Movement and the NUG, as well as supplying civilian resistance fighters with food and financial aid.

As the junta knows, there is no way the military can compete against the most popular party so they are trying to eliminate the NLD before holding an election, U Aung Kyi Nyunt told The Irrawaddy in June.

But that wont be possible as it is has been clear from the beginning that this is not fair and that the people wont accept it, he added.

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Burma Chinas Point Man on Talks Between Myanmar Govt, Ethnic Armies Made Quiet Visit

Chinese Special Envoy Sun Guoxiang (with glasses) attends the Panglong Peace Conference along with other international diplomats in Naypyitaw on July 11, 2018. / The Irrawaddy

A Chinese special envoy who is the key player in Myanmars peace negotiations between the government and ethnic armed groups met the countrys regime leader and other officials during an unannounced visit last week.

Beijing said on Tuesday that Special Envoy for Asian Affairs Sun Guoxiang was in Myanmar from Aug. 21 to 28 at the invitation of the regime. He met with junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin and Minister for the Union Government Office Lieutenant General Yar Pyae.

In an unusual move, the regime remains tightlipped about the visit. Normally, such a high-profile visit by a foreign dignitary is front page news in the juntas dailies.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a press conference on Tuesday that the special envoy exchanged views with [regime officials] on the political landscape in Myanmar and China-Myanmar cooperation in combating COVID-19.

Myanmar has been in political turmoil since the military takeover in February when the countrys democratically elected National League for Democracy government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted. Since then, the regime has faced popular opposition, including armed resistance.

China has encouraged the regime to work with regional bloc ASEAN, of which Myanmar is a member, to stabilize the situation in the country.

We will work together with the international community to play a constructive role in Myanmars efforts to restore social stability and resume democratic transformation at an early date, said Wang Wenbin.

The special envoys visit last week came ahead of an expected visit by ASEANs representative. The bloc has appointed Bruneis second minister for foreign affairs, Erywan Yusof, as special envoy to Myanmar and tasked him with ending the violence in the country and opening a dialogue between the regime and its opponents. It is hoped he will be in Myanmar this month.

During Suns meeting with junta officials, it is believed he also raised border security issues. Fighting between regime troops and ethnic armed groups in the northern and northeastern parts of the country near the Chinese border has intensified recently.

Suns visit coincided with fighting between junta troops and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).



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Burma More than 30,000 Villagers Flee Myanmar Junta Raids

Kin Ma village in Pauk Township, Magwe Region, is burned by junta forces on Wednesday morning. / Pauk Hittai

More than 30,000 residents from about 30 villages in Pauk Township, Magwe Region, have fled their homes due to junta raids, according to villagers.

Hundreds of soldiers in two detachments began raiding villages and scouring forests in search of civilian resistance fighters in the south of the township last week.

At least 11 junta soldiers and police heading to Win Chone and Kin Ma villages were killed and many others injured by resistance landmines on August 27 and 29, according to the Pauk Peoples Defense Force (PDF).

Funerals for four personnel, including a police officer, were held at Pauks cemetery, the Pauk PDF leader said.

On Tuesday morning, junta forces used artillery on Wun Chone village. Troops burned down Kin Ma village in June, according to villagers.

A Kin Ma villager told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that junta troops opened fire in forests where residents were in hiding.

On Wednesday morning, more than 130 junta soldiers deployed at the Kin Ma monastery left the village after reportedly burning possessions abandoned by villagers before they fled.

Junta troops were allegedly heading to Wun Chone village, where about 60 troops  including members of the Pyu-Saw-Htee militia who are trained and armed by the junta  are already based, according to residents.

We couldnt wait while junta atrocities are being carried out. Everyone from our village depends on donations after the entire village was burned down by junta forces. Now we cant make a living, a fleeing villager told The Irrawaddy.

A Wun Chone villager was wounded in the thigh on Tuesday when junta forces used explosives in forests where villagers were hiding, according to the PDF leader.

The villager cannot receive medical care because of tightened junta security, the leader said.

A fleeing Wun Chone villager told The Irrawaddy that Wun Chone and Kin Ma were targeted because the junta sees them as anti-regime strongholds.

Armed resistance began in late March in response to lethal violence used against peaceful protesters and has spread across all Myanmar, except Rakhine State.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians, including in Kachin, Chin, Shan, Karen and Kayah states and Magwe, Mandalay, Yangon and Sagaing regions, have fled their homes to avoid junta raids.

By Tuesday, 1,040 people have been killed by junta forces during crackdowns, raids, arrests, interrogations and random shootings, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

More than 7,700 people, including elected government leaders, have been arrested by the junta or face arrest warrants.

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Burma Myanmar Junta Chiefs Wild Economic Plans at Odds With Reality

Current regime leader Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing in 2018 / The Irrawaddy

A few months after the Feb. 1 military takeover in Myanmar, coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing began spouting weird instructions seemingly detached from reality, and blind to the fact that the country is rapidly becoming a failed state. From his position at the head of the table at meetings with his subordinates, he has in all seriousness exhorted officials to grow more bananas and create a cattle export industry, to produce palm oil in order to cut expenditures on oil imports, to manufacture herbal anti-coronavirus drugs to combat the countrys disastrous third wave of COVID-19, and even to get to work on creating a metro rail system and launching fleets of electric buses.

When the World Food Program warned in April that more than 3 million Myanmar people were in danger of going hungry in the next three to six months, the senior general responded by pressuring agriculture and livestock businesses to increase production. He summoned members of the Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry to Naypyitaw and urged them to boost exports in the sector.

Recently, the senior general said that the Tatmadaw, as Myanmars military is known, had been growing tissue-culture bananas. Bananas are nutrient-dense and good for health, he explained, as he offered to provide banana saplings at reasonable prices to departments at the regional, state, district and township levels that wished to grow the crop. The move reminded Myanmar people of Min Aung Hlaings predecessor as dictator, Senior General Than Shwe, and his fruitless state project of growing castor oil trees across the countryincluding at schoolsto produce biofuel for energy security. The ambitious scheme never came close to producing biofuel, and succeeded only in wasting time and money.

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has also urged livestock breeders to try to export cattle while boosting both beef and dairy cattle husbandry. He called for systematic measures to make gayal breeding for export successful in Chin State. Yes, gayal is the major species of livestock in Chin State, but the poorest state in Myanmar has not even been able to ensure steady export of gayal to neighboring India.

The junta chiefs dreams of boosting the national economy based on the agriculture and livestock sectorone of the nine objectives of the regimes administrative body, the State Administration Councildont end there. He is also keen to revive another failed project of Snr-Gen Than Shweto grow oil palms in lower Thanintharyi Region.

Hundreds of thousands of acres of land were put under oil palm cultivation under the previous regime led by Snr-Gen Than Shwe, who intended to make Tanintharyi the oil pot of Myanmar. Thanks to a resulting increase in consumption of the saturated fat-rich oil produced from oil palms, many Myanmar people have developed heart problems and suffered strokes, while valuable forests and vacant land were wasted on the project.

Oil palms have been grown in Tanintharyi for 30 years now. It was just for show. The forests were lost, and the region never became an oil pot, said a resident of Tanintharyis Dawei Township.

Citing the examples of Malaysia, Indonesia and some African countries, environmentalists have long raised concerns about the devastating impacts of large-scale conversion of tropical forests to oil palm plantations, as it leads to deforestation and extinction of endangered species. Flora and Fauna International has also called for the termination of oil palm projects in Tanintharyi to protect the remaining tropical forests in Myanmar.

On Aug. 1, exactly six months after the coup, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing appointed himself chief minister in a new interim government. This time, he fantasized about producing anti-coronavirus medicines from herbal plants grown in Myanmar. There might be traditional medicine practitioners with profound knowledge of the needed herbs in Karen, Kachin and Shan states, he said.

If we can work out a scientific formula together by determining the exact amount of ingredients technically, we will be in a position to produce anti-COVID-19 drugs domestically, the senior general said.

In response, Dr. Thein Win, a consultant on the National Health Committee, a body jointly formed by the parallel National Unity Government and ethnic armed groups healthcare organizations, said: Anything that is said without considering medical aspects does not make sense.

On Aug. 17, Min Aung Hlaing amused many in Myanmar as he sat down at a meeting of the Naypyitaw City Development Committee and instructed officials to create a neat, smart, green city with an underground metro rail system and electric buses for residents. The senior general vowed to upgrade the administrative capitals transportation system with the electric buses, and to introduce them to other parts of the country later.

His plan to run electric buses in a country that has long suffered from frequent blackouts shows the degree to which he is out of touch with reality. By announcing his electric bus scheme, he publicly demonstrated that he is just a fantasist. In reality, the bus service in Myanmars commercial capital, Yangon, has deteriorated since the military seized power from the National League for Democracy government. Commuters are overcharged, buses are no longer punctual and drivers violate the traffic rules.

Seven months since the military takeover, the military regime is still struggling to exercise administrative power. Hundreds if not thousands of government employees are on strike and have refused to work under the regime. As part of the wider Civil Disobedience Movement, people have been boycotting payments of any kind to the regime, including paying taxes and utility bills or buying state lottery tickets. The regime is barely earning income and the coup maker has publicly told his ministers to cut expenditures. Anti-regime protests continue daily and clashes between civilian resistance fighters and the regime are escalating day by day in many parts of the country.

Against such a backdrop, the coup leaders high-flown dreams continue to amaze the public. His words remind many in Myanmar of one of the countrys previous military rulers, Senior General Saw Maung, to whom military dictator General Ne Win handed power in 1988.

A year earlier, Myanmar was listed among the worlds least developed countries thanks to the mismanagement of Gen. Ne Win, who ruled the country for a total of 26 years following a 1962 coup. Seriously short of foreign currency amid political and economic chaos, Snr-Gen Saw Maung told the Myanmar people, who were suffering severe hardships including skyrocketing commodity prices, that Myanmar had a surplus of rice while Western countries were suffering from food insecurity and had to import supplies. Myanmar, he said, was unique in the world.

Not long after saying this, the then military ruler was found to be suffering from mental illness; forced to retire, he eventually died a recluse.

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Burma Myanmar Juntas Vice Chairman Heads to Russia

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing sees off his deputy Vice Snr-Gen Soe Win at Naypyitaw Airport on Sept. 1.

Vice Senior General Soe Win, deputy military chief and vice chairman of the military regimes governing body, the State Administration Council (SAC), left Myanmar for Russia on Wednesday morning to attend the closing ceremony of the International Army Games-2021 at the invitation of Russian Defense Minister General Kuzhugetovich Shoigu.

The deputy military chief was accompanied by Lieutenant General Aung Soe of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services (Army) and senior military officials. The delegation was seen off at Naypyitaw Airport by SAC chairman and military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

The Myanmar military delegation will attend the closing ceremony of the International Army Games-2021, meet Russian military and civilian officials, and visit landmarks.

The chief of the Myanmar militarys general staff, General Maung Maung Aye, also recently visited Moscow to attend the International Military Technical Forum Army 2021 and the opening of the International Army Games, in which Myanmar military personnel participated.

The general held talks with Russian military officials to procure an air defense system and Moscow sold US$2.3 billion worth of weapons to Myanmar during the trip, Russian media reported.

Defense ties between the two countries have grown since 2010, with Moscow providing army training and scholarships to thousands of Myanmar soldiers and selling weapons to the Myanmar military.

Bilateral relations between the two countries have reached a new level since the February coup, regime spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said following Gen. Maung Maung Ayes visit. Russia sees Myanmar as a strategic partner in Southeast Asia.

In June, coup leader Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing visited Russia to attend an international security conference. It was his second foreign visit since the coup and followed a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a halt in arms sales to Myanmar. The coup leader visited arms factories during his visit.



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Burma Myanmars Shadow Govt Calls on Firms to Shun Junta

An artists rendering of the Mee Lin Gyaing LNG project, approved by the junta.

Myanmars shadow civilian government has called out eight companies to abandon illegal investments of more than 3.1 billion dollars (5 trillion kyats) under the military regime.

The companies named by the National Unity Government (NUG) are TTCL Power Myanmar Co. Ltd of Japan; Myanmar Heng Ya Investment Development Co Ltd of China, Myanmar-based N Motors Company Limited, Petro and Trans Co Ltd; S Gemological Institute Co Ltd, Singapore-based Clean Power Energy Co. Ltd; Myanmar Golden Eagle Co Ltd of Thailand and Mee Lin Gyaing Electric Power Co Ltd, which is registered in the British Virgin Islands.

The NUGs statement said it will not recognize any investment permits and endorsements made by the regime.

It threatened the companies with prosecution if they fail to comply with its instructions.

The NUG accused the companies of seeking unlawful permits and endorsements from the Myanmar Investment Commission, which is headed by regime-appointed Lieutenant General Moe Myint Tun.

The indiscriminate issuance of investment permits and endorsements by the Myanmar Investment Commission under the control of the illegal military council runs counter to the tenets of federal democracy to which the people of Myanmar aspire. Such actions shall not be tolerated, said the NUGs planning, finance and investment minister, U Tin Tun Naing.

The biggest alleged investor is Mee Lin Gyaing with a 1.4-gigawatt, $2.5-billion power project in the Ayeyarwady delta which is reportedly Chinese-backed.

Other investments included two LNG (liquefied natural gas) power plants and one solar power plant, the development of the Kambaiti economic zone, rental and sale of business properties in eastern Kachin State and assembly of motor vehicles.

See the full list published by the NUG below.



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Burma UN Ambassador Assassination Plot Shines Spotlight on Shady Myanmar Businessman

U Aye Ko (right) and U Tay Za (center).

In early August, two men were arrested in the US by the FBI for plotting an alleged assassination attempt on U Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmars ambassador to the United Nations, over his support of the anti-regime movement.

The arrests came as Myanmars junta was trying to replace U Kyaw Moe Tun but it says it had nothing to with the planned attack.

Initial reports revealed that the two men were hired by an arms dealer in Thailand.

The arms dealer was identified as U Aye Ko, a businessman from Myanmar who runs a construction company and operates hotels in Yangon and Mandalay, according to media reports.

U Aye Ko reportedly transferred US$4,000 (6.6 million kyats) via Zelle on July 22 and 23 to Phyo Hein Htut, 28, through Ye Hein Zaw, 20, both of whom are being detained by the FBI.

The 60-year-old tycoon also operates casinos in Cambodia and is a well-known figure among wealthy expats from Myanmar in the Thai business community. He frequently accompanied Myanmars military generals on foreign trips and has worked as a business matchmaker for Thai businesses looking to invest in Myanmar.

U Aye Ko also reportedly attended a Thai-Myanmar military exchange organized by General Thanchaiyan Srisuwan, who was then the Thai defense forces chief in 2018.

There are also reports that U Aye Ko has close ties with Thai-owned Chaiseri Defense Co, a supplier of tanks and military-purpose vehicles to Myanmars military. The company denied the reports that it was involved with any plot against U Kyaw Moe Tun.

It cannot be confirmed that U Aye Ko acts as an arms broker for Myanmars military but he has close ties with Myanmars notorious arms broker and long-time generals crony U Tay Za. Under the previous military regime, U Tay Za supplied Myanmars military with aircraft parts through his company Myanmar Avia Export.

The company is Myanmars sole representative for Russias Export Military Industrial Group (MAPO) and the Russian helicopter company Rostvertol.

U Aye Ko is also a close friend of U Aye Thein, the father of Ye Hein Zaw, a former director of the Special Investigation Bureau at the Home Affairs Ministry.

U Tay Za and other tycoons in Thailand live in luxurious homes.

U Aye Ko supported the February coup and reportedly told his business partners in Bangkok it had allowed him to resume his businesses.

With five other shareholders, U Aye Ko established AK Construction and Industry Co Ltd in 1995. He owns three hotels in Mandalay, the Min Thar Gyi, Mandalay City and Hotel Mandalay, and the Olympic Hotel in Yangon.

Before the coup, Mandalay Region parliamentarians asked about the rental charges, which were far below the market rate, for his hotels in the city.

The Irrawaddy has learned that U Aye Ko had two bodyguards with him while he was in Yangon and Bangkok and he is currently in hiding in Bangkok while in close contact with Myanmars junta.

The Royal Thai Police say they are searching for U Aye Ko.

US prosecutors say Phyo Hein Htut and Ye Hein Zaw were intermediaries and made payments to fund an attack on U Kyaw Moe Tun. Each faces charges of conspiracy to assault a foreign diplomat and up to five years in prison.



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Guest Column Visions of a Federal Future for Myanmar are Fading Fast

Members of the Arakan Army at their headquarters in Kachin State in 2019. / The Irrawaddy

The chief of the Arakan Army (AA), Major General Tun Myat Naing, declared in his latest interview that the political objective of his troops is to restore the sovereignty of the Arakan fatherland, now known as Rakhine State, lost by its invasion and colonization by the Bamar Konbaung dynasty in 1784. He enunciated that there was no bargaining in our attempt to regain the lost sovereignty of Arakan and there wont be in the future either. It is not the first time that Maj. Gen. Tun Myat Naing has used this sort of language. Since early 2019, he has persistently insisted on confederation as the chief objective of the AA. His first proclamation in January 2019 was that we prefer a confederation of states like Wa State which has a larger share of power in line with the Constitution. At the time, his statement raised a hullabaloo, drawing censure and condemnation from the Bamar majority, politicians and particularly from the Myanmar military.

However, he was relatively modest in his claim by referring to a Wa-styled power-sharing arrangement in line with the constitution. Now, he does not even conceal his grander intentions. He did not mention a Wa-style power sharing arrangement or the constitution before. His clear message is restoration of Arakans lost sovereignty. Intriguingly, there has been no serious response this time, with even the military staying silent. In fact, the AA has been more assertive, not just in words but also in deeds. Since November 2020, when a ceasefire was tacitly agreed between the AA and the Myanmar military, the AA has carried out its ambitious plan to tighten its grip on Rakhine State. With the military occupied with suppressing resistance to their February 1 coup, the AA has strategically stepped up to institutionalize its de facto authority in Rakhine.

Although the AAs main power base was previously in northern Rakhine, it quickly extended its sway to the south following the coup. Consequently, the AA is now believed to control over three-quarters of the entire state. Since the coup, the AA has made a handful of significant gains thanks to the juntas policy of appeasing its once bitter enemy. The junta lifted the worlds longest internet shutdown in Rakhine State, delisted the AA as a terrorist organization and released Rakhine political prisoners, including prominent figures such as Dr. Aye Maung and the AA chiefs relatives. In return, Rakhine State has been somewhat quiet despite the intensive anti-coup resistance mounted in other parts of the country. AA chief Maj-Gen Tun Myat Naing even said that he does not want the pro-democratic Civil Disobedience Movement and street protests spreading to Rakhine State. Consequently, the AA has been accused by the Bamar majority, and even by some analysts, of collaborating with the junta.

The AA leader repudiated those allegations, claiming that the AA is unwaveringly implementing its own way of Rakhita  the struggle for national liberation and the restoration of Arakans sovereignty to the people of Arakan. He elaborated the AAs current position by conceptually dividing the revolution into four stages  the initial stage, the revolutionary stage, the rivalry stage and the conquest stage  and by placing the current struggle of the AA in the third stage.

In a bold attempt to vie with the juntas power, the AA issued a stay-at-home order to control the COVID-19 outbreak in Rakhine State. Around 75% of Rakhine residents, according to AA officials, have complied with that order, which demonstrates the AAs powerful influence on the Rakhine people. The AA went a step further by establishing its own administrative mechanism and, recently, judiciary in Rakhine. So far, the military has refrained from reacting harshly to the AAs obvious political moves, preoccupied as it is with ongoing fighting in other parts of the country that is stretching its resources thin.

The AAs northern allies have also been using Myanmars post-coup turmoil to their own advantage. The United Wa State Army (UWSA), the largest non-state armed group in the Asia-Pacific region, has knowingly ignored the countrys wider suffering and shrewdly focused instead on institutionally strengthening its de facto status as a semi-independent state. On the leash of China, the UWSA has been distancing itself from the democratic and federal struggle in Myanmar, as its leaders know very well that the federal arrangement that other ethnic leaders have promoted could not guarantee its current status.

Current Position of FPNCC members

Similarly, the UWSAs smaller southern neighbor, the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), also known as the Mong La group, has also been silent on the militarys coup. In April, the juntas peace negotiating team visited the UWSA and NDAA to explain the reasons for their coup and the current political situation, and asked them not to become involved in anti-regime resistance. The UWSA and NDAA, according to informed sources, listened to the junta, while pledging nothing. In fact, they have no stake in the anti-coup or anti-democratic movements as their main concern is to prevent the political crises and conflicts of other parts of Myanmar permeating their regions.

Other groups of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) led by the UWSA, such as the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA-N) have been trying to consolidate their sway in northern Shan State. The TNLA and MNDAA, together with the AA under the umbrella of the Three Brotherhood Alliance, released a statement calling on the junta to stop terrorizing and killing peaceful anti-regime protestors, and to move quickly to resolve political problems.

At the end of March, after an initial period of silence, they threatened that continued violence would lead them to support and cooperate with the ethnic people fighting in the Spring Revolution. The TNLA and MNDAA have engaged in sporadic fighting with the Myanmar military in northern Shan State since the coup, but the military has not reacted automatically to those attacks because its troops are overstretched elsewhere. Both the TNLA and MNDAA have exploited the uncertain situation to expand their territory in northern Shan State. The TNLA has also reportedly cooperated with the SSPP/SSA-N to drive another ethnic Shan armed group  the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-S (RCSS/SSA-S)  out of northern Shan State.

These ethnic armed groups have received fierce criticism for fighting against each other instead of targeting the military, but the critics are not aware of the underlying political dynamics of that region. In fact, these members of the FPNCC have strategically sought to expand the territory they control and to strengthen their sway in those areas. These moves were not actually made in collaboration with the junta but are strides towards fulfilling their own political agenda. Although they rarely articulate their objectives, it seems that, based on their political moves, their political future does not lie in a federal arrangement. The FPNCC, despite its name starting with Federal, has apparently not accepted federalism as a future structure of the state. Indeed, its proposals for the political future are tantamount to a confederated political system. However, FPNCC members, apart from the AA, have avoided explicitly disclosing their stances as that could draw an enormous backlash from backers of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and even from other ethnic armed groups that embrace the promise of a federal solution for Myanmar. Now, this concealment is no longer necessary as the post-coup situation has enabled them to make real progress towards their political goals.

Only the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), another member of the FPNCC, has been actively engaging in intense fighting with the military since the coup. The KIA has perhaps strategically maneuvered to recapture bases previously seized by the military, and extended its grip in Kachin State, which has triggered a brutal and lethal response from the junta. Additionally, some members of the Kachin Political Interim Coordination Team (KPICT), which is believed to include some representatives of the Kachin Independence Organization, the political wing of the KIA, took key positions in the National Unity Government (NUG), with Duwa Lashi La becoming the acting president.

However, based solely on the inclusion of KPICT representatives in the NUG, it is politically naive to claim that the KIA has been fighting for the NUG or a federal future. Currently, the KIA appears to be realistically concerned with taking back control of as much territory in Kachin State as it can, while fighting against the common enemy, the military regime, instead of being dedicated to some form of future political structure. The obvious fact is that the KIA has been mute on the federal vision, especially after its resignation from the Union Nationalities Federal Council and joining the FPNCC in 2017, despite being a champion of federalism in the past.

Beyond the KIA, the federal discourse has not proved very popular, even amongst the ethnic armed groups who have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). Building up a democratic federal Union is a key vision of the NCA and signatories have been obsessive about that vision since signing the NCA. In reality, however, the NCA is invalidated in the post-coup political scenario, with the military violently imposing its dictatorial rule and with armed conflicts engulfing the whole country. Out of ten NCA signatories, some brigades of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)  the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU)  and the Chin National Front (CNF) have resumed fighting with the military since the coup.

To be continued

Ye Myo Hein is the executive director of the Tagaung Institute of Political Studies and a fellow with the Asia Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.



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The Australian arm of Chinese smartphone maker OPPO has donated $52,000 to help in restoration efforts for the Great Barrier Reef.

In a statement, the company said this contribution had been made through a partnership with The Reef Restoration Foundation that was established in March.

The company developed an AR mobile app, called Recolour The Reef, to showcase the wonders of the reef and for each download, it donated $1 to the foundation.

In April, OPPO donated $50 from every sale of a Find X3 Pro smartphone to the foundation for "adopting" a piece of coral within the foundation's coral nurseries.

A number of phones from the Find X3 line had been donated for the foundation to use as social media giveaways for promotion of information about the reef.

OPPO Australia managing director Michael Tran said: "It's of high importance to us at OPPO that we are practising and exercising our corporate social responsibility and doing what we can to help ensure the future of our natural wonders.

"The Great Barrier Reef is part of each Australian's national identity and we're proud to be engaged in a long-term partnership with a foundation such as RRF that has established the country's first offshore coral nursery."

Foundation chief executive Ryan Donnelly said: "The extent of the partnership with OPPO Australia has positioned us for further growth, as opposed to having our time consumed with resourcing.

"It has allowed us to focus on our research and development capability and the future, including being able to expand our program to other sites where we already have permits such as Hastings Reef and Moore Reef.

"The fact that OPPO wants to use its market power to drive home a message of getting involved with the community and the community's aspirations, has significant power in its own right.

"OPPO recognises that technology is their core business and they want to make a difference to the world around them, so they partner with those whose core business is just that. We all have a role to play."
Guest Opinion: From October, Australian insurers and financial institutions must comply with new anti-hawking and internal dispute resolution regulations.

Both sets of rule changes add to compliance risks and highlight the need for reliable, comprehensive call recording. Here we look at the implications of new anti-hawking rules and internal dispute resolution requirements.

Anti-hawking legislation

Anti-hawking means that offers of financial products to retail clients can no longer be made as a result of unsolicited contact. In effect, it is the end of unsolicited cross-selling.

DLA Piper partner Sophie Devitt says the law addresses concerns raised in the Banking Royal Commission that poor customer outcomes may occur when sales of financial products occur after sales teams contact customers without any prompting.

She says; "A concern raised by ASIC is that unsolicited contact means there's a risk customers will be unable to make clear and informed decisions about the products they may or may not want.

"While that's the main focus of the new law, there's also recognition that even when a customer contacts the financial service provider in relation to a specific product, that the risk could still occur."

In the past, general insurance products were exempted from the hawking provisions. They were able to cross sell so long as they could meet certain requirements and provide key information to consumers. That exemption has gone.

Clear informed consent

Now the regulatory environment is all about having "clear, informed consent" even before creating an opportunity for a consumer to buy a product. The idea is to reduce the pressure on consumers to buy, even when there is a cooling off period.

Many finance companies have traditionally used call centres for cold-calling to handle these sales. Under the new rules, accurate and complete call recording becomes a compliance must-have.

Devitt says the rules can be tricky to navigate.

How can call recording and voice AI help?

Dubber call recording can collect and document evidence of a clear customer request to buy further insurance or financial products. Its unobtrusive, the recording takes place at the network level and needs no intervention by the person taking the call. Transcripts are available on every call.

Voice AI provides critical insights to flag potential compliance risks and for staff training to ensure compliant conversations. Automated alerts and notifications can surface conversations that shouldnt have happened but did happen. In addition, the powerful Google-like search in voice AI provides access to records for investigations and training in seconds.

Virtual oversight can help with new internal dispute resolution RG 271 requirements

Virtual oversight can help finance companies preparing for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission's Regulatory Guide 271 which comes into effect on October 5.

RG 271 explains what finance companies must do to create an internal dispute resolution system that ticks all the regulatory boxes. It is part of a suite of regulatory changes happening in October.

What are the dispute resolution requirements?

DLA Pipers Sophie Devitt says the new rules aim to see that every customer of the financial services industry is able to get "fair, timely and effective dispute resolution. This covers consumers and small businesses.

"Part of this means capturing any expression of dissatisfaction from customers where there is a reasonable expectation that a response or resolution is expected.

There's no need to trawl the internet for evidence of dissatisfaction. Yet there is an expectation that should something show up on a company's Twitter feed or Facebook page then the company will respond to the complaint.

Likewise, if a company representative hears a verbal complaint, that also has to be acknowledged and given a response.

The company needs to let the complainer know staff have registered their grievance and will get back with a formal response. The idea is that the incoming communications channel is the best outgoing channel, so a complaint voiced on, say Facebook will get a notification on Facebook.

Devitt says dealing with disputes can get challenging with the required timeframes and the manner in which the complaint arrives. A complaint has to be documented and acknowledged within 24 hours; and in most cases a substantive response is needed in 30 days. This can be challenging when complaints are received by staff who are not sitting behind desks, say, an insurance assessor working in the field.

Demonstrate compliance

Devitt says the industry has had more than 12 months to prepare. Which means by now their plans are likely to be well advanced.

She says; They need to think about how they can meet their obligations. It means putting the right structures in place, setting up internal processes and deciding on the frequency of reviewing the processes. There is a reporting requirement.

"You have to demonstrate to the regulator through your reporting and data collection how you are going to comply. Producing the data is now a significant element of compliance.

Speed and clarity is the essence

The key is getting the complaint into the system as fast as possible, wherever it comes from. And then making sure the key people are alerted immediately.

Data collection is essential. Companies need to classify complaints for later analysis to help identify problem areas, it could be the customer service department or the nature of transactions.

Expression of dissatisfaction is a broad term. Devitt says lawyers are working with clients on how to do this; a good starting place would be to look at customer expectations and whether they are being met. This can also mean work for companies on setting those expectations.

Call recording, AI - a digital backstop

All of this puts obligations on teams to monitor every customer interaction across every channel. Virtual oversight is using unified call recording and AI technology to provide an extra layer of support to teams looking for potential complaints.

Theres always a possibility companies will miss expressions of dissatisfaction, especially during conversations. For companies using modern call recording technologies, AI has the potential to scan calls looking for, say, a tone of voice or keywords. It can then point out potential problems.

Unified call recording and AI technologies can also automatically alert the right people when a customer is unhappy. It can feed that data into existing IDR processes and workflows to ensure fast responses. Conversational data can also be integrated into reporting data sets - vital to meet ASICs expectations on data.

Sophie Devitt is a partner with DLA Piper. She works from the global law firm's Brisbane office and specializes in insurance regulatory law, which has wider application across the entire finance sector.
GUEST INTERVIEW: Logitech has launched secure new enterprise-class wireless technology to protect the transmissions between Logitech's new range of MX Master Series and Ergo Ergonomic Series keyboards and mice with the enterprise-level security offered by Logi Bolt.

Like a bolt from the blue, lightning has struck the innovators at Logitech, whose new, high-performance, secure wireless Logi Bolt technology provides cross-platform compatibility to power a new product suite that will revolutionise enterprise IT.

Through its secure wireless connection and robust signal, we're told Logi Bolt not only addresses productivity, but also "endpoint vulnerability challenges that continue to burden Australian enterprises."

Logitech explains its technology "enables device connection using Logi Bolt USB receivers, or through Bluetooth Low Energy wireless installed on the host computer, both of which offer Mode 1, Level 4 grade secure connections.

"In addition to offering a secure connection, Logi Bolt powered USB receivers provide strong, drop-off free connection up to 10 meters, even in congested wireless environments. It also boasts on average up to eight times lower latency than others deployed in noisy enterprises."

Logitech Australia's B2B & Education Partner Manager, Ross Hewitt, joined us to explain the new technology in a video interview embedded immediately below, after which you'll find commentary from General Manager of B2B for Creativity and Productivity at Logitech, Joseph Mingori, followed by a summary of the topics I spoke about with Ross, and Logitech's FAQ on the technology:

General Manager of B2B for Creativity and Productivity at Logitech, Joseph Mingori said at its core, "Logi Bolt will not only support enterprises with addressing integration and security challenges, but it will also enhance overall employee experience."

Mingori added: For decades, consumers have trusted Logitech to deliver products that help them create, communicate, work and learn at home and on-the-go. Now we look to expand that expertise to employers and offer a stellar employee experience as they evolve their requirements in a rapidly changing landscape.

We have redefined our enterprise offering to support individual work setup solutions on a global scale while launching our new, wireless technology solution - Logi Bolt - enabling secure and robust connections to meet todays evolving business needs. These offerings prioritise the needs of enterprise IT to keep their diverse workforces productive, collaborative and secure no matter where they work."

There's plenty more information below, but first, here's a summary of the topics I spoke about with Ross Hewitt:

I started by introducing Ross, welcoming him to the program, and asking him to explain the new Logi Bolt technology.

I then asked Ross about the MouseJack vulnerabilities discovered in 2016 for a range of wireless keyboard and mouse vendors, and the 2019 vulnerability discoveries, which Logitech has supplied patches for here - and which everyone using Logitech wireless keyboards and mice purchased in the past should check for, although current products on sale have already all been patched with firmware updates.

You can get Logitech firmware updates here.

We discussed Bluetooth security and the security Logi Bolt uses, as well as Logi Bolt's ability to overcome traditional wireless congestion.

Ross then explained what new devices were on offer and when they'll be on sale, followed by a a range of stats on productivity with mice compared to trackpads, and other findings around working from home, ergonomics and more.

We discussed the improved cross platform compatibility, the types of USB connectors in use, whether computer manufacturers might ever build Logi Bolt technology in, and what the chances were that Logitech might seek to do some marketing deals with Usain Bolt or Andrew Bolt.

Ross then answered my questions about his first computer, memories of his first wireless keyboard and mouse, his own history in the world of tech, his thoughts on the future, great advice received in life, and his final message to iTWire viewers and readers, as well as Logitech's current and future customers and partners.

Naturally, to coincide with the launch of Logi Bolt, the company has introduced a suite of five new devices that leverage the technologys cross-platform compatibility. Among the new devices is the MX Keys for Business keyboard and the ergonomic K860 Split Keyboard for Business.

Logi Bolt works with operating systems and platforms, including but not limited to: Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Linux, Chrome OS and Android. Logitech says that "by providing reliable connections it allows IT managers to efficiently source, purchase and distribute without fearing compatibility or connectivity issues."

Logitech devices featuring Logi Bolt technology are coming soon and will be available to purchase through Logitech resellers across Australia, with more on Logitech for Business here.

The new devices are as follows, with RRP pricing yet to be released but which will be available soon.

Master Series  MX Keys Combo for Business

Master Series  MX Keys for Business

Master Series  MX Master 3 for Business

Master Series  MX Anywhere 3 for Business

Ergonomic Series  ERGO K860 Split Keyboard for Business

Ergonomic Series  ERGO M575 for Business

Logitech's Logi Bolt FAQ:

Logi Bolt is Logitechs next generation wireless technology that enables secure, wireless device connection and powers a new, high-performance product suite featuring cross-platform compatibility.

How does Logi Bolt enable enterprise security?

Logi Bolt was designed to address growing security concerns resulting from an increasingly mobile workforce  working from home being an obvious example. The Logi Bolt wireless connectivity technology offers secure and robust device connections to meet todays evolving business needs.

In a world where remote and working is encouraged, theres a rising risk in cyber security. Secure wireless mice and keyboards are essential to enable effective enterprise security safeguards.

Logitechs mice and keyboards featuring Logi Bolt connectivity offer robust and reliable wireless performance, next-level compatibility and Security Mode 1, Level 4 when connected via a tiny Logi Bolt USB receiver.

How does Logi Bolt enable high performance and productivity?

The right work set up can make a world of difference to ergonomic comfort, productivity and performance. But, with employee needs varying by job, role, work location and personal preference, finding an enterprise solution that sets everyone up for success can be a minefield.

With Logitechs diverse line-up of mice and keyboards for business, organisations can cater to diverse workforces with one secure, globally available and cross-platform-compatible standard.

Highly-specialised workers such as coders, creators, and analysts need highly-specialised work setups. Mice and keyboards in Logitechs Master Series for Business are backed by decades of research and development to deliver an extra level of focus, precision and accuracy.

Further, logitech conducted an Ergonomic Lab Study with 23 participants in October 2019 and found that people are:

50% more productive with a mouse compared to a trackpad, and

30% faster with a mouse compared to a trackpad.

What are the key features IT managers need to know about?

Logi Bolt is LogitechR proprietary wireless technology based on BluetoothR Low Energy 5.0.

Logi Bolt wireless mice and keyboards are ideal for environments where corporate policy does not permit use of BluetoothR connections. Though Logi Bolt is based on Bluetooth, it is an end-to-end closed system where a Logi Bolt receiver is emitting an encrypted signal that only connects with Logi Bolt products. So the Logi Bolt USB receiver cant be paired with any non-Logi Bolt device. And because Logi Bolt works with most enterprise operating systems and is securely paired right of the box, it makes procurement and set up that much easier.

Logi Bolt features a secure connections only mode

Logi Bolt wireless devices actively use the security services introduced in Bluetooth Low Energy Core Specification 4.2 combined with additional Logitech features designed to reduce vulnerability when devices are paired to a Logi Bolt USB receiver.

When paired with a Logi Bolt receiver, Logi Bolt wireless products use Bluetooth security mode 1, level 4 (also known as Secure Connections Only mode), which is U.S. Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) compliant.

Logi Bolt overcomes wireless congestion

Logi Bolt USB receivers provide a strong, reliable, drop off free connection up to 10 meters (33 feet)1 even in congested wireless environmentswith a lower average latency than other commonly deployed wireless protocols for enterprise.

What is employee demand for an ergonomic keyboard and mouse?

Logitech conducted a proprietary, quantitative research project with decision makers and end users in 2019 and found that 9 out of 10 people who switch to an ergonomic keyboard or mouse never switch back to traditional models.

Further, in 2020 Logitech conducted another research project to gain insights into working from home practices. Key findings indicated that:

33% of people who work from home feel pain/discomfort in their shoulders,

38% feel pain/discomfort in their necks, and

41% feel pain/discomfort in their backs.

Notably, those who are new to working from home are 30% more likely to report pain/discomfort in their necks than those who worked from home prior to COVID-19.

This insight led to the development of the new Ergonomic Series with ERGO K860 Split Keyboard for Business and ERGO M575 for Business, both of which have been released with Logi Bolt.

Where can IT managers purchase Logi Bolt products from in Australia?

Logi Bolt products can be purchased from your preferred Logitech reseller in Australia.
Qualcomm has introduced its Qualcomm aptX Lossless audio technology to its already extensive audio portfolio, with the new capability a feature of Snapdragon Sound Technology designed to deliver CD-quality 16-bit 44.1kHz lossless audio quality over Bluetooth - while also celebrating the Snapdragon Soundscape Experience at an event in New York.

aptX Lossless. Its a new capability of the proven aptX Adaptive technology and a new feature of Snapdragon Soun Technology that is designed to deliver CD quality 16-bit 44.1kHz lossless audio quality over Bluetooth wireless technology.

Qualcomm says it has taken a systems level approach and optimised a number of core wireless connectivity and audio technologies, including aptX Adaptive, which work together to auto detect and scale-up and are designed to deliver CD lossless audio when a user is listening to a lossless music file and the RF conditions are suitable.

James Chapman, Qualcomms VP and GM of Voice, Music and Wearbles said: At Qualcomm Technologies were excited about the future of sound, and were continually looking for ways to help our customers deliver new and exciting listening experiences. Lossless audio means mathematically bit-for-bit exact, with no loss of the audio file and up to now the necessary bit rate to deliver this over Bluetooth has not been available.

With many leading music streaming services now offering extensive lossless music libraries, and consumer demand for lossless audio growing, were pleased to announce this new support for CD lossless audio streaming for Bluetooth earbuds and headsets which we plan to make available to customers later this year.

To help deliver CD lossless audio quality reliably over Bluetooth wireless technology, Qualcomm explains aptX Adaptive works in conjunction with Qualcomm Bluetooth High Speed Link technology to help deliver the required sustainable data throughput. Designed to work seamlessly together, these technologies deliver rates beyond 1Mbit/s yet smoothly scale down to 140kbits/s in congested RF environments to minimize any audio dropouts or glitches for a consistent and reliable listening experience. 

Chapman continued: Sound quality is the most critical purchase driver across all audio devices according to our 2021 State of Sound survey, which also shows increasing demand for higher quality streaming audio. Over half of respondents are seeking either lossless or high-resolution audio quality, and a massive 64% saying that lossless audio quality is likely to influence their decision to purchase wireless earbuds.

Currently lossless audio is only supported on client devices such as phones, PCs and tablets. By supporting lossless audio on next-gen earbuds and headphones, were providing our customers another way to deliver sound the way the artist intended, as well as a significant opportunity to differentiate and be among the first to develop products with this feature.

aptX Lossless features & specifications:

Supports 44.1kHz, 16-bit CD lossless audio quality

Designed to scale-up to CD lossless audio based on Bluetooth link quality

User can select between CD lossless audio 44.1kHz and 24-bit 96kHz lossy

Auto-detects to enable CD lossless audio when the source is lossless audio

Mathematically bit-for-bit exact

Bit-rate  ~1Mbps

More information about aptX Lossless audio technology is here and it is expected to be available in late calendar 2021, with a whitepaper explaining more of the technology behind Lossless and High Resolution Audio here.

Qualcomm has also celebrated Snapdragon Sound Momentum with Steve Aoki at a Snapdragon Soundscapes Experience event in New York City.

The event highlighted momentum in the global Snapdragon Sound technology rollout, with 30 OEMs having signed technology agreements, and the first commercial products headed for consumers from Xiaomi, Edifier and Master & Dynamic as well as the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders designed by ASUS.

The company also announced its intention to support CD Lossless audio transmission over Bluetooth wireless connectivity as a feature of Snapdragon Sound to meet increasing consumer demand for lossless audio quality. In conjunction with the event, executives from Qualcomm, Master & Dynamic and Motorola discussed current and future audio trends and the company revealed new findings from its annual State of Sound report.

James Chapman added: With Snapdragon Sound weve taken a new systems-level approach, looking at the complete audio chain from mobile to earbuds and introducing new ways to think about sound quality.

By optimising across the entire audio chain, we can enable our customers to deliver ultra-low latency for gaming, crystal clear voice calls and high quality music listening, all with reliable and consistent connectivity to ensure seamless user experiences. The technology is designed to dynamically adapt to both the use case and external environment and provides our customers with a new way to deliver robust, high quality audio including bit-for-bit exact CD Lossless quality. Whatever you are doing across your devices, Snapdragon Sound is designed to deliver the ultimate audio experience, truly how sound should sound.

CD Lossless audio for earbuds

Qualcomm aptX Lossless technology will be a new addition to the proven aptX Adaptive technology and Snapdragon Sound. It is designed to scale to deliver CD quality 16-bit 44.1kHz lossless audio over Bluetooth wireless connectivity for truly wireless earbuds and headphones and provide new solutions to meet growing demand for lossless audio streaming. With Snapdragon Sound, OEMs will be able to support a range of audio formats including CD lossless, HD 24-bit 48kHz and high resolution 24-bit 96kHz, all with robust connectivity for a reliable listening experience.

Several customers and industry players joined the event to talk about current or future products incorporating Snapdragon Sound.

Karolina Joynathsing, Director of Business Development for Amazon Music said: Qualcomm Technologies and Amazon Music believe customers should experience music the way artists recorded it  in the highest quality. Sound quality matters to everyone, and now with Qualcomm Technologies Snapdragon Sound technology paired with Amazon Music HD, more fans than ever can experience the best possible version of their favorite music.

Jonathan Levine, and Founder of Master & Dynamic said: We always strive to deliver best-in-class technical performance from each of our products, but now that weve worked with Qualcomm Technologies on Snapdragon Sound, weve come to see the benefit of optimizing both the source mobile device and the earphones, and were excited for the premium Android experience we are able to provide as a result.

Doug Michau, Executive Director of North America Business Development at Motorola said: We're thrilled to be collaborating with Qualcomm Technologies to bring Snapdragon Sound to our customers via the new motorola edge," said . "Pairing Snapdragon Sound with the super-fast 144Hz refresh rate and 6.8" FHD+ display on the new motorola edge allows us to offer customers an immersive audio, viewing and gaming experience in one package."

The Dynamic State of Sound

Qualcomm Technologies also released its annual consumer research report, The State of Sound, a global survey of 6,000 consumers.

This year, Covid-19 and related work from home activities drove changes in purchasing and product use as demand for wireless earbuds grew rapidly. The research highlighted increasing consumer awareness and interest in features including higher resolution and lossless music quality, low latency for gaming, better voice call quality, active noise cancellation and glitch-free sound.

The report also identified changes in listening behavior related to Covid-19, including 65% of respondents who turned to listening to music for comfort, 57% who did more video calls for work and 57% who stated their audio listening habits would continue to be changed post pandemic.

In gaming, where audio latency is a matter of virtual winning or losing, 68% of consumers surveyed play games on their smartphone at least twice per week and 46% do so every single day. Not surprisingly users spent long daily periods on their phones mobile gaming, with an average of 1.9 hours. Overall, the report showed that wireless audio is becoming much more important to the mobile experience with 70% of those surveyed saying that good sound in their wireless audio devices creates the best experience when using a smartphone.

Chapman concluded: The survey highlights the tremendous opportunity for our customers today, with increased consumer demand for lower-latency, higher quality audio and changes in the way in which we work, live and relax driving new and exciting use cases. Our Snapdragon Sound technology and broad portfolio of technologies across mobile, audio, wearables and beyond will help our customers create a new age of audio.

Heres the Snapdragon Soundscape Experience Panel Video:
To be based in Global Storages Sydney office, Mackie is an eight-year veteran and sales director of NTT and says Global Storage is perfectly positioned for exponential growth given the Australian-wide rush to achieve digital transformation, the worsening cyberthreat landscape, and the hyperscale cloud movement off the back of application modernisation.

COVID-19 has rapidly accelerated the need for businesses to transform, says Mackie.

Organisations are racing to modernise their systems and applications, and find ways to secure, manage, and back up their data. As more data goes online, cybercrime has spiralled. Over the last 18 months, businesses have paid millions upon millions of dollars to release ransomed data. Entire organisations have been crippled as their business systems just stop.

Mackie says hyperscale environments continue to expand as chip shortages effect traditional supply chain, further highlight the need for professionally managed and backed up data services.

The triumvirate of digital transformation, cyberattacks and hyperscale environments creates the perfect opportunity for Global Systems to scale.

Global Storage can help businesses to survive a cyberattack. Their expertise, their ability to quickly restore their customers data and systems, can get a business up and running again without having to pay a ransom.

David Duncan, CEO of Global Storage, says, The ability of Global Storage to attract someone of James Mackies calibre speaks to our across-the-board investment in the business, and our ability to do what we do - exceptionally well.

We specialise in managed cloud solutions for data protection and disaster management, and were highly skilled at delivering a repeatable, consistent service. We value our customers satisfaction so much that if we cant deliver on our promise of full systems recovery, we pay them.

Its hard to find people of James calibre in whats a relatively small industry. However, James brings skills and experience and a true enthusiasm for what we do, and the proven ability to build strong relationships within a business and with customers.

Hes a trusted face in the industry, and were delighted to have him drive our ambitious growth plans. We know NTT will miss him.

Global Storage says Mackies appointment will enable it to significantly expand its NSW customer base.

While technology allows you to do business anywhere, says Duncan, we believe in the value of having people on the ground. And we know that James is going to be a very welcome face for many.

I love that Global Storage is a local business, so their profits remain here, in Australia. Theyve got a unique IP, a great culture, and an exciting vision for the future. Im keen to be part of that, says Mackie.

Formed in 1997, Global Storage has 50+ staff across branches in Melbourne (head office), Sydney, Brisbane, and satellite offices in the US servicing Australian businesses and the government sector.
Security vendor Check Point Software Technologies has launched its Young Professionals Programme in Asia Pacific that aims to attract 100 adults with less than five years of work experience who are interested in a career in cybersecurity.

The 100 places are around the Asia Pacific region.

Each participant can choose between the sales or security engineering tracks, and each will be assigned a mentor.

The training period is two months for sales and three months for security engineering, and includes hands-on practice and soft skills.

Check Point currently employs more than 600 people in the APAC region.

"Asia Pacific remains an important region for Check Point Software, and we are expanding our team to support our growing business," said Check Point ANZ managing director Ian Raper.

"The Check Point Asia Pacific Young Professionals Programme will bolster our efforts to continue meeting the cybersecurity needs of the market, while alleviating the shortage in cybersecurity professionals present globally today."

To apply, send your CV to youngprofessionals@checkpoint.com.
South Korea has amended existing legislation in order to force both Google and Apple to allow alternative payment systems to be used for their mobile app stores.

The changes to the Telecommunications Business Act on Tuesday will ban those who run app markets from forcing a given payment system on a mobile content business by abusing market position, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

The bill is expected to be signed by President Moon Jae-in, with his party have backed the change.

Any firms which do not fall into line can be fined up to 3% of the revenue they earn in South Korea. The Korea Communications Commission, the media regulator, will act as the enforcer.

Commission chairman Han Sang-hyuk commented: "As bills with similar implications are being proposed in the US and Europe, South Koreas bill will become a cornerstone for legislating app market platform regulations world-wide."

Total sales from Google's Play Store in South Korea came to about five trillion won (US$4.2 billion) in 2020 while Apple's App Store netted 1.6 trillion won, according to figures from the Korea Mobile Internet Business Association.

In the US, a similar bill has been introduced in the senate to limit the control that Apple and Google wield over their app stores.

Yonhap quoted Ku Ki-bo, a professor of global commerce at Soongsil University, as saying: "The United States is currently reviewing measures against such market dominance, so it's unlikely for it to become a big problem for South Korea.

"The legislation will likely present an opportunity for local IT companies to expand their market presence."
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Ray Ploof, 61, passed away in his home in Jacksonville, TX, Wednesday, August 25, 2021. He was born in Burlington Vermont August 20, 1960. Ray was a member of Central Baptist Church. He was a talented machinist who worked in maintenance. He was well loved by everyone he met. Left to cherish 




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The Tax Court examined the validity of a marriage, rather than a previous divorce, in determining which of a decedent's wives was the surviving spouse for purposes of the decedent's estate's marital deduction.

Facts: Semone Grossman married his first wife, Hilda Matrick Grossman, in New York in 1955. They had two children and separated after a decade of marriage. To marry another woman, Semone unilaterally obtained a divorce from Hilda from a court in Mexico. The second marriage ended by 1974. That year, Hilda filed suit in the Supreme Court of New York, which held that the Mexican divorce was invalid and that she and Semone were still married, although they never reconciled. In 1986, Semone became engaged to a third woman, Ziona.

Semone and Ziona, both Jewish, had strong ties to Israel and married there. The couple were first required to prove their eligibility by providing evidence that each was Jewish and unmarried. To satisfy the latter, Semone asked Hilda to cooperate in obtaining a Jewish religious divorce under rabbinical law. She agreed, and the marriage was dissolved by a rabbinical court in 1986. Semone and Ziona were married in 1987 in a traditional Orthodox Jewish ceremony in Israel. The couple returned to New York and lived as husband and wife for 27 years until Semone's death in 2014.

Semone had accumulated substantial wealth through his successful parking garage business. His will directed that the majority of his estate go to his wife Ziona; his first wife, Hilda, made no claim against his estate. The estate's timely filed Form 706, United States Estate (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return, reflected a marital deduction relating to property that passed to Ziona. The IRS disallowed the deduction, resulting in an estate tax deficiency in excess of $35 million and an accuracy-related penalty of nearly $7.1 million.

The estate petitioned the Tax Court, where both sides moved for partial summary judgment. The IRS asked the court to declare the religious divorce invalid under New York law. The estate asked it to accept Semone's marriage to Ziona as valid under Israeli law and respected in New York under the state's place-of-celebration rule and for Ziona to be considered Semone's surviving spouse for federal estate tax purposes.

Issues: Sec. 2056 permits a deduction for estate tax purposes of the value of property that passes to a decedent's surviving spouse. The Tax Court held in Estate of Goldwater, 64 T.C. 540 (1975), aff'd, 539 F.2d 878 (2d Cir. 1976), that state law is applied to identify the surviving spouse. The IRS claimed that Semone was still married to his first wife, Hilda, at the time of his death because the religious divorce obtained in 1986 was not respected by New York law. Therefore, according to the IRS, the property left to Ziona did not qualify for deduction under Sec. 2056 because she was not his surviving spouse, but, rather, Hilda was.

Citing Van Voorhis v. Brintnall, 86 N.Y. 18 (1881), a 19th century case decided by the New York Court of Appeals, the estate argued that Semone and Ziona were legally married for federal tax purposes at the time of his death because New York recognizes marriages that are considered to be valid under the law where the marriage was celebrated. Accordingly, the estate focused on the validity of Semone's marriage to Ziona under this so-called place-of-celebration rule, rather than relying on the validity of the divorce from Hilda.

Holding: The Tax Court stated that the IRS's focus on the status of the religious divorce between Semone and Hilda was misplaced, and the proper starting point for the analysis was the marriage between Semone and Ziona. The place-of-celebration rule controlled, according to the court, as it has been applied consistently in New York for 140 years. The estate presented an Israeli marriage certificate and other documentation of the marriage, and the IRS did not submit any evidence that would call the marriage into question. Accordingly, New York should respect the marriage between Semone and Ziona.

Further, the court held that neither of the two narrow exceptions to the place-of-celebration test applied. The first exception, relating to bigamy, didn't apply because Israel acknowledged Semone's divorce from Hilda before allowing him to marry Ziona. The second exception also didn't apply because the marriage between Semone and Ziona did not violate New York's positive law relating to divorce. Finally, the Tax Court noted that its opinion was supported by the presumption in New York law favoring the validity of a second marriage despite a claim that a first marriage still exists (citing Grabois v. Jones, 89 F.3d 97 (2d Cir. 1996)). The presumption is even stronger when the party questioning the validity of the second marriage is a stranger to it, such as the IRS. Hilda did not contest the marriage to Ziona and, besides cooperating in the religious divorce, saw the new couple socially at times and filed her own income tax returns as single.

Since there was no dispute as to whether Israel considered Semone and Ziona to be married and neither of the exceptions to the place-of-celebration rule applied, the Tax Court held that Ziona was Semone's surviving spouse and allowed the estate to take the marital deduction.

Estate of Grossman, T.C. Memo. 2021-65

 By Laura Lee Mannino, CPA, J.D., LL.M., associate professor of taxation, St. John's University, Queens, N.Y.
Sign up for myFT Daily Digest and be the first to learn about Vietnamese news.

When Kamala Harris landed in Vietnam last week, she had already been robbed of the limelight. Just hours before her plane landed, the Chinese ambassador to Hanoi met with the Prime Minister of Vietnam and promised to provide 2 million doses of Covid vaccine  twice the size of Harriss announcement the next day.

Beijings vaccine diplomacy is the most obvious sign of its attempt to slow an unprecedented reconciliation between Hanoi and Washington.

Nearly 50 years after a long and destructive war ended, Vietnam and the United States are building a deeper security partnership. This involves U.S. warships visiting Vietnamese ports, their navy exercises together, and the U.S. equipping and training the coast guard in Hanoi to better protect its economic interests in the disputed South China Sea from China.

China, which has sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea and regards the region as its sphere of influence, is fighting back to maintain Vietnams neutrality. Hanoi pursues the Four Nos policy, that is, non-alignment, no foreign military bases, non-alignment against other countries, and no force or threat of force in international relations. Vietnams foreign policy doctrine also points out that there is room for cooperation with other countries that are fighting against it, and there are conflicts of interest even with partnersa concept that requires a balance in Sino-US relations.

But in the face of Chinas increasingly tough attitude, Hanoi sometimes tries to change. In 2014, China decided to extract oil in waters claimed by Vietnam, which led to violent confrontations at sea, and tensions began to escalate. Last year, after a Vietnamese fishing boat was hit and sunk by a Chinese Coast Guard boat, the friction became obvious again.

Huong Le Thu, a senior analyst at ASPI, a think tank supported by the Australian Department of Defense, said: China does not respect good-neighborly and friendly relations and insists on its own propositions. Therefore, it is more difficult for Vietnam to maintain this very delicate balance. She added that in this Under circumstances, Vietnams presumptions are limited to avoid alliances.

Hanoi also hinted at this. The Vietnamese government stated in its December 2019 national defense white paper: Based on the situation and specific circumstances, Vietnam will consider developing necessary and appropriate defense and military relations with other countries.

Beijing has noticed. Chinese diplomats, government officials and analysts often emphasize the potential of China-Vietnam cooperation and call on Hanoi to adhere to its four no principles. In June, the Minister of Trade of China The following benefits are outlined Strengthen economic exchanges between the two countries.

Beijing also likes describe The ruling Communist Parties in Vietnam and China are natural partners that share ideological values ??and are looking for any plans for the United States to incite regime change.

The problem for Beijing is the Vietnamese public. Vietnamese people have more suspicions about China than any other country in Southeast Asia, and their worries are deepening.

in a Polls According to a report released earlier this year, 90% of Vietnamese said they were worried about Chinas growing economic influence, the highest among all countries in the region, and 92% welcomed the influence of the United States, which once again became the highest in Southeast Asia Asian countries.recent Learn Public diplomacy efforts by China and the United States have found that Vietnamese are more receptive to American social media narratives than Chinese.

But this sentiment is unlikely to bring Vietnam into the arms of the United States.

Vietnam is very careful not to allow relations with China to deteriorate completely, said Lin Enguo, a senior researcher at the Singapore Institute of International Strategic Studies. She believes that in the next five years, Vietnam will not elevate its security relationship with the United States to what it calls a strategic levelit may be the strongest without an alliance.

The core reason is economy. Compared with the United States, Vietnam is more economically dependent on its neighbor and its largest trading partner, China. Experts say that this situation may change as the United States re-engages in the TPP, the Donald Trump administration withdraws from regional trade agreements, and as part of the reorientation of the US supply chain from China, it strives to bring more investment to Vietnam.

The United States has successfully strengthened its relations with Vietnam, and if it plays well, it will continue to be able to do so. But there is not much economic strategy, Guo said. This has weakened the overall contact between the United States and the region, and they need to solve this problem.

[email protected]
Sign up for myFT Daily Digest and be the first to learn about shipping news.

One of Asias largest shipping companies is facing the imminent threat of workers strikes, which may further disrupt global supply chains that are already struggling with soaring costs and shortages of containers and computer chips.

After the crew and dockworkers voted in favor of a strike last month, South Korea-based HMM will hold talks with the companys union on Wednesday afternoon to discuss raising wages and demand a substantial pay increase as the groups profits soar.

Analysts say the strike may cause Further destruction To the global technology and automotive supply chains, which are due to shortages of materials and parts and Port bottleneck Due to restrictions and staff shortages related to the coronavirus.

Shinyoung Securities analyst Uhm Kyung-ah said: If they do strike, it will have a knock-on effect on international shipping.

HMMs management proposed an 8% salary increase and a six-month salary bonus, but the union rejected the proposal.

HMM said: Although the companys current income is at a record high, workers wages have not increased in the past eight years. So they asked the company to normalize wages, and the company hopes to gradually increase wages.

HMM believes that the possibility of a strike is very low, and management hopes that it can reach an agreement with the union on Wednesday to avoid sea movement.

The supply chain is still vulnerable to even minor disruptions. Chinese ports closed International trade has been hit this year, and the shipping deadlock will continue the turmoil in the supply chain into next year.

HMM estimates that the three-week strike will cause approximately US$580 million in operating losses to the company and other shippers that have formed alliances with it.

The global shortage of raw materials and freight capacity has also led to the weakening of industrial activities in South Korea and some of its trading partners.

Due to the global spread of the highly contagious Delta Coronavirus variants and the slowdown in demand growth for important export products such as semiconductors, the growth of factory activity in South Korea in August slowed for the first time in a year.

Respected

According to data from IHS Markit, the countrys seasonally adjusted purchasing managers index fell from 53.0 in July to 51.2 in August, or slightly above the 50 mark of expansion and contraction.

Although Korean manufacturers expect that the supply chain situation will improve once the pandemic subsides, Asian exporters Race to ensure transportation capacity As the logistics group strives to cope with the shortage of containers and insufficient port berths.

The container shipping group is enjoying unprecedented profits Surge in demand Starting from the second half of last year, goods have caused freight rates to rise.

HMM reports that operating profit in the first half of the year reached a record 2.4 billion won (2.1 billion US dollars), compared with 136.7 billion won in the same period last year. In the same period, its revenue almost doubled to 530 million won.




Busy season is by our side Healthcare designAs the summer ends, our team is working hard. The HCD Forum to be held in Santa Fe, New Mexico from September 13th to 15th will be followed closely by October 23rd to 26th. 2021 Healthcare Design Expo and Conference held in New Mexico. Cleveland.

Considering our journey over the past year or so, this is a good hectic.

As far as I know, many of you are in the same boat. Some recent conversations with industry members indicate that the project work is as strong as ever and may exceed our level before COVID-19.

However, with the current surge in the virus, I am reminded of the tremendous contributions that many of you made before your business returned to normalespecially when we were preparing for this special issue of HCD 10. The HCD 10 program itself aims to recognize the achievements of various industry members across nine professional categories and an organization. Nominations are weighed against specific contributions in the 12 months prior to the submission period (in this case, from spring 2020 to spring 2021).

As you might imagine, clues to COVID-19 run through many nominations. The editor and I reviewed dozens of narratives and shared the impressive ways industry members have adopted thoughtful design solutions to help alleviate the prevailing pressure on our healthcare system. When you browse the profiles of our 2021 winners, I think you will also be inspired by the achievements of our colleagues.

This is not just a direct response to the pandemic. The winners story captures a clear trajectory of healthcare design to solve the external challenges exposed in the past few months-issues related to community health, resilience, sustainability, and mental health. Even if we can finally leave COVID-19 behind, the path we have taken as an industry is shaped by experiencing it.

Therefore, when I think about all the work we have done together, I am happy to consider where the next step will take us. I would love to hear your opinion.To that end, please take a moment to respond to our 2021 Healthcare Design COVID-19 Industry Survey, which is now open (for more information, please visit HCDmagazine.com/2021-covid-survey). The survey delves into how you and your company performed throughout the pandemic, what your views on the course business will be derived from, and where you see the focus of new projects.

We will share the results in an upcoming issue Healthcare design. Now, enjoy this and the busy summer.





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After Governor Kathy Hochul was promoted to Governor of New York, there are some more positive news: the appointment of the Marijuana Control Board and the Office of Marijuana Management should come soon! August 25, 2021, The New York Post Report:

Nominating and confirming individuals with different experiences and subject expertise, who represent communities from across the state, joining the Cannabis Control Board is a priority for Governor Hochul, the new Governors spokesperson Jordan Bennet told The Post. We look forward to working with the legislature to push this process forward. Representative Hochul said. 

There are many things that can be unraveled in just a few quotations. First, it sounds like Governor Hochul is focusing on appointing individuals with experience in the cannabis industry. Considering that the mission of CCB and OCM is to create a (legal) adult cannabis industry in New York, a true understanding of the actual impact of the industry and its rules is critical to the successful establishment of MRTA.

For this reason, through correct experience and foresight, many potential mistakes can be easily avoided. We want something simple:

First issue planting permits so that there will be sufficient supply after the pharmacy starts operations;

Allow on-site consumption licensees to sell retail cannabis; and

A sufficient number of licenses are issued for each license type and geographic area to serve consumers.

It is also gratifying to see that Governor Hochul will focus on the appointment of applicants for social and economic equity. The plan to grant 50% of the license to equity applicants sounds good, but without the financial and mentoring resources available to equity applicants (which are equally important in our view), the social and economic equity program is doomed to fail. Appointing the right people who represent the diverse community in New York will greatly help prioritize the things necessary to support the success of the equity program.

As we discussed with New York City Council Member Keith Powers, We are optimistic that Governor Hochul will initiate the rulemaking process by making the appointment we have been waiting for. I am very relieved to see that it really happened. Once we get any indications about potential appointees, we will provide as much information and background as possible to gain insight into the direction of the industry. Hope that good news and actual developments continue to emerge.
Sign up for myFT Daily Digest and be the first to learn about JD Wetherspoon PLC news.

Due to the lack of truck drivers and the strike action, some beer brands of JD Wetherspoon are in short supply. This is the latest incident that has hit the UK food and beverage supply chain.

After posting a warning on the shortage of bar windows on social media, the chain confirmed that Carling and Coors have encountered some supply issues, which means that some bars have no products available. It apologized to the customer.

Wetherspoon said the problem stems from an industrial action to supply drivers of another brand. Due to the shortage of Heinekens delivery, some other products were used up in some places, it said. We understand that the industrial action we are referring to has now been cancelled, and we hope this means that the supply problem will be resolved as soon as possible.

Approximately 1,000 so-called tow truckers who are members of the Unite union voted for strike action and a ban on overtime in August, but have since accepted the revised salary offer. The 24-hour strike originally scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled.

Wetherspoon added: We believe that as of today, most bars are now fully stocked, but some bars may lack some brands and wait for delivery in the next few days.

The chain did not mention the general shortage of truck drivers who are troubled by the supply chain, but Molson Coors, who brews Carling and Coors in the UK, said, There are intermittent pressures in our supply network. Unfortunately, these pressures affect many Wetherspoon pubs.

We are working with our customers and third-party logistics partners around the clock to ensure that we minimize any impact on our customers, the American company added.

These issues are the latest issues affecting the supply of food and beverages in the UK. short The backlog of heavy truck driving tests, changes in UK tax rules, and the return of many EU drivers to their home countries during the pandemic resulted in as many as 100,000 truck drivers.

Another beer maker, Greene King, also reported that it is difficult to provide beer to the bar because of its bulk and heavy transportation.

Respected

Last month restaurant operators Nandos and McDonalds reported supply problems Fresh chicken with milkshake, And retailers have been working hard to maintain sufficient inventory in stores with less freight capacity than usual.

Many in the food, retail, and hospitality industries advocate a temporary relaxation of immigration regulations and allow European drivers to return to the UK, thereby allowing more time to recruit and train British drivers. The government has repeatedly ruled out this possibility.

Lord Simon Wolfson, chief executive of the clothing chain Next, earlier described Whitehalls position as crazy.

We need to review the policies we have to make to ensure that people who want to come to the UK and have the skills we need can come here, said Wolfson, a Conservative Party colleague, who worked with Wetherspoon founder and executive chairman Tim Martin One of the few well-known business figures fighting for Brexit.

Even though everyone knows that we urgently need drivers, the Ministry of the Interior is still preventing people from coming to this country as drivers, he told LBC radio yesterday.

I personally think this is not a Brexit problem, but a problem with the way our immigration system works.
The expansive rules mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly. Workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated.
UPDATE: Kevin Stricklands new court date is scheduled for Sept. 13 at 2 p.m. Attorney General Schmitt must send complete request to defense and Jackson County Prosecutors Office by 5 p.m. Friday.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The Court of Appeals has sided with the AG's office, meaning Strickland will have to stay in jail longer.

The Attorney General of Missouri claims that they were not given enough time to prepare and participate in the hearing.

In a statement from the Attorney General's spokesperson, they said "Three victims were slain forty years ago. Kevin Strickland was convicted of those crimes by a jury, and the Supreme Court recently denied his habeas petition. Those victims deserve justice."

From the ruling: "Scheduling a merits hearing on three days notice, on a motion to vacate a conviction of multiple murders, fails to give the Attorney General a meaningful opportunity to prepare for, and participate in, the hearing.

The document from the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District can be viewed by clicking here.

In light of this news, Kevin Stricklands legal team sent the following statement:

"This decision highlights that the criminal legal system values process over justice. There is no doubt that Mr. Strickland is innocent and that the legislature passed this law so that local prosecutors like Jean Peters Baker can file a motion for a court to swiftly free innocent people like Mr. Strickland. Despite having been presented with the facts of this case for over 40 yearsduring which it continually fought to deny Mr. Strickland a day in courtthe Attorney Generals office now argues that it needs more time to prepare. That is untrue. The Attorney General was preparing for a hearing all summer in Mr. Stricklands habeas proceedings. He has offered no evidence of guilt or of having even conducted an independent investigation. Indeed, he would not even sit down to discuss the case with Mr. Stricklands counsel or the Jackson Countys Prosecutors Office. While the hearing is delayed, justice will not be denied. Mr. Strickland will have his day in court. The only time that matters now is Mr. Stricklands. Every day the proceeding is delayed is a day he cannot get back. It is time with family he will never experience. On Saturday, Mr. Stricklands mother will be laid to rest. And he will not be there. That is not justice. We hope that everyone who is also enraged and aghast at this process will consider and remember who decides justice in each of their jurisdictions."

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PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

JERFERSON CITY, MO (KCTV/AP) -- Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has filed emergency motions asking a judge to cancel an evidentiary hearing to exonerate a man who has been imprisoned for four decades for a triple murder that he swears he did not commit.

Kevin Strickland's hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

The motion argues the attorney general has the right to appear in court. The presiding judge previously denied that request. The new motion says the judge is not following the law so the whole process needs to be halted

Wednesday's filing states:

This Court should issue a writ of prohibition ordering Respondent Harrell to take no further action on Prosecutor Peters-Bakers motion to set aside Kevin Stricklands murder conviction except to cancel the evidentiary hearing currently scheduled for September 2, 2021.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker filed a motion in Circuit Court on Saturday to free Strickland, citing "clear and convincing evidence that he is actually innocent," according to a statement released by the prosecutor.

Most of us have heard the famous quotation that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," Baker said in a written statement. Kevin Strickland stands as our own example of what happens when a system set to be just, just gets it terribly wrong."

Schmitt's office has argued in a court motion that Strickland is guilty. Gov. Mike Parson, who could pardon Strickland, has said he's not convinced that Strickland is innocent.

Strickland, of Kansas City, was 18 when he was arrested in the April 25, 1978, deaths of Larry Ingram, 21; John Walker, 20; and Sherrie Black, 22, during a home invasion. The motion said that at the time, he was a hot-headed teenager" and made cocky and sarcastic comments that aroused police suspicion."

But he has maintained his innocence since his arrest. Jurors in his first trial were unable to reach a verdict. Strickland, who is Black, was convicted the second time by an all-white jury.

Cynthia Douglas was wounded but pretended to be dead, and the case against Strickland rested largely on her identifying Strickland as the killer. But she retracted her statement before she died in 2015, sending an email to the Midwest Innocence Project in 2009 that said: I am seeking info on how to help someone that was wrongfully accused, this incident happened back in 1978, I was the only eyewitness and things were not clear back then, but now I know more and would like to help this person if I can."

Her family also has signed affidavits saying Douglas wanted Strickland released from prison. The motion said that one longtime family friend said in an affidavit that Douglas told everyone that the detectives told her what to say.

The motion further said that three of the four actual perpetrators said that Strickland was not involved in the homicides, and two of them identified another person. The motion also said that a fingerprint found on the murder weapon was not Strickland's.

The Missouri Supreme Court declined to hear Strickland's case in June. An evidentiary hearing scheduled in DeKalb County, where Strickland is imprisoned, was dropped Aug. 18 so Strickland's attorneys could focus their efforts in Jackson County.

The case has drawn nationwide attention due to the fact hes already spent more than 40 years in prison for a murder he swears he did not commit.

Here's our previous coverage of the recent Strickland developments.

Jackson County prosecutor files motion to free Kevin Strickland after 43 years in prison for triple murder Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker filed a motion in Circuit Court on Saturday morning to free Strickland, citing "clear and convincing evidence that he is actually innocent," according to a statement released by the prosecutor.

The Midwest Innocence Project is representing Strickland.
KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV)The Missouri Supreme Court has denied a petition to review the case of Christopher Dunn.

Dunn has been the recent focus of a KCTV5 News investigation. He was convicted in a 1990 murder of St. Louis teenager Recco Rogers. Throughout his decades in prison, Dunn has maintained his innocence.

Missouri man swears hes innocent, would legally have been better off sentenced to death There are very few people who would be better off if they had been sentenced to death but thats the case with Chris Dunn.

No physical evidence linked Dunn to the crime. The key witnesses were 12 and 14 years-old. Both are now adults and admit they lied in their testimony. He was sentenced to life + 90 in prison.

The irony is that Dunn would have been better off if he had been sentenced to death. There is a precedent to free innocent prisoners on death row, but not those serving a life sentence. Even a Missouri judge believes Dunn is innocent, but thats not enough for him to be free. Missouri is one of the most difficult states for innocent prisoners to win freedom.

It don't make no sense, Dunn told us in a recent interview. It was enough evidence, it was good enough evidence for you to convict me, but still is not good enough evidence for you to free me now? What? What logic that?

Dunn wonders, if he cant be freed, at least the courts should revisit the case.

If you think that I'm guilty of a crime, then give me a new trial, Dunn said. Give me a fresh shot. I deserved that.

We spoke with Dunn by phone after the ruling, and he said he was disappointed but not surprised. His family is devastated. They thought the Supreme Court would review the case because a life is at stake.

But this is not the end of Dunns story. His lawyers are hoping Saint Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner will bring the case before a judge. Thats a new legal option. Dunn could also petition the Governor, but Parson has been reluctant to free prisoners convicted of murder claiming innocence.
Police University episode 8 left the viewers at the end of their seats with their mouths agape. Shocking truths and heart-stopping revelations were revealed.

Not only did the episode highlight the characters' loyalty, it also gave emphasis to the teamwork between the freshman students of the university.

The eightth episode of the highly anticipated drama also recovers from the slight dip in viewership ratings from its previous episode.

Police University Episode 8: Yoo Dong Man and Kang Seon Ho Confront Park Chul Jin

In the previous episode, Kang Seon Ho, played by B1A4 Jinyoung, expressed his concerns about Yoo Dong Man's partner, Park Chul Jin, played by Cha Tae Hyun and Son Jin Woo respectively.

Because of his suspicions, Kang Seon Ho analyzed Park Chul Jin's phone.

Yoo Dong Man then invites the two to talk to them over a bottle of booze, but the sudden surge of questions enrages Park Chul Jin.

With disappointment and pain written all over Yoo Dong Man's face, he asks Park Chul Jin why the man broke into Kang Seon Ho's room and tried to open his laptop.

Although he tried to deny it, Dong Man is certain that Chul Jin had a motive to do such things. Because of this, he starts to question whether Chul Jin really lost his memories or is he just pretending.

The six years of friendship between Yoo Dong Man and Park Chul Jin suddenly became tainted with malice and disappointment.

Park Min Gyu Asks for Oh Kang Hee's Attention

The complicated competition between Kang Seon Ho and Park Min Gyu, played by Chu Young Woo, for Oh Kang Hee's, played by f(x) Krystal, love is getting hotter than ever. The longer they stay in the university, the more their feelings for each other grow deeper.

During the annual sportsfest, Min Gyu confessed his love for Kang Hee, to which the young woman shrugged off as she wasn't feeling quite well.

Min Gyu continued to seek the right time to talk about it with Kang Hee, but the latter always seemed preoccupied with Kang Seon Ho. Because of this, Min Gyu decided to ask Kang Hee about their potential romantic relationship when Kang Seon Ho wasn't in the room with them.

However, his heart becomes crushed when Kang Hee reveals her true feelings for the former. Though Park Min Gyu is a good man and a really nice friend, Kang Hee's heart beats only for one man.

Even if Kang Hee didn't disclose who, it was pretty much obvious that the young woman pertains to her close friend, Seon Ho.

Yoo Dong Man Gets Arrested for Leaking Exam Questions and Accepting Bribes

Exam season is fast approaching in the police university, and students are doing everything to do well in their exams. But as they were all busy themselves, a shocking bomb was dropped that had the whole police university talking.

Just before the examination day, Yoo Dong Man's investigative studies exam questions were leaked, giving the students enough time to devise a plan to ace the exam without sweat. Because of this, Yoo Dong Man was investigated by the police.

During the investigation, things got worse for him. The investigators found an envelope filled with so much cash which also caught Yoo Dong Man off-guard.

Now that they have evidence, the police arrested the poor professor.

His friends and colleagues Choi Hee Soo and Kwon Hyuk Pil, played by actors Hong Soo Hyun and Lee Jong Hyuk, were worried for Yoo Dong Man's welfare, even looking for ways to help him.

Since the detective isn't likely the type to accept bribes and leak such information, everyone believed that it was done to set up Yoo Dong Man.

Yoo Dong Man was then brought to the police station for questioning.

Kang Seon Ho, Oh Kang Hee, Jo Joon Wook, and No Beom Tae Conduct a Plan to Save Yoo Dong Man

With the news of professor Yoo Dong Man's arrest, Kang Seon Ho, together with Oh Kang Hee, Jo Joon Wook, and No Beom Tae, planned a thorough operation to save their beloved professor.

While Jo Joon Wook and No Beom Tae ask their fellow students for leads, Seon Ho and Kang Hee worked their way to get a copy of the CCTV footage in the hallway.

Unfortunately, because there is an ongoing crime investigation, no one is allowed to tamper with core evidence. Even the school administrators are not allowed to look at the said CCTV footage.

But with Seon Ho's determination, he reached out to forensic science professor Seo Sang Hak, played by Kang Shin Il, and asked for a huge favor.

He then finally had his hands on the footage in question, carefully adjusting the lighting and brightness to look for solid evidence.

To the squad's shock, the face of the culprit was evidently seen in the reflection in the glass windows.

It was Yoo Dong Man's subordinate and long-time partner, Park Chul Jin.

Yoo Dong Man Admits to Crime, Park Chul Jin Confesses

Seemingly, Yoo Dong Man has an epiphany during his stay inside the prison cell. He thought of his loved ones and the people he wanted to protect. He also thought of the person whom he promised to protect at all costs, his friend Park Chul Jin.

Because of this, he decided to admit to leaking the exam questions while accepting bribes so the investigation regarding the current case would be put to a halt.

During the investigation, Park Chul Jin shows up, which shocked everyone present in the police station.

Even Kang Seon Ho, Oh Kang Hee, Jo Joon Wook, and No Beom Tae, who decided to go to the police station to relay their gathered information, were stunned.

Park Chul Jin then speaks up, sending the viewers to the edge of their seats. He confessed to leaking the examination, as well as his involvement to the culprit whom they were supposed to catch.

His heart-stopping confession made Yoo Dong Man and the freshman students' breaths hitch and shook their worlds.

Yoo Dong Man and Kang Seon Ho's suspicions were right after all, and the trust he had for his partner, Chul Jin, now crumbled down.

'Police University' Sees Slight Rise in Viewership Ratings

The highly loved romance drama series Police University recovered from the slight dip in viewership ratings from its previous episode.

Police University episode 8 recorded a 7.1% of ratings, a .4% higher than its previous ratings.

Police University started off blissfully and the production team hopes the drama series will continue to rise with its exciting succeeding episodes.

Follow KDramastars for more Kdrama, KMovie, and celebrity news updates!

KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
tvN revealed that actor Lee Dong Wook and actress Han Ji Eun will team up to lead a new exciting series.

'Bad and Crazy' Starring Han Ji Eun and Lee Dong Wook to Have the Friday-Saturday Primetime Slots

Sports Chosun reported on September 1 that the K-drama "Bad and Crazy" penned by writer Kim Sae Beom will have Lee Dong Wook and Han Ji Eun as the main cast. In addition to the released announcement, tvN's "Bad and Crazy" drama is expected to have its weekly broadcast during Fridays and Saturdays.

The Mystery-thriller series "Bad and Crazy," tells the story of a detective who has multiple personalities, but tries to hide it with his colleagues. Despite his condition, he has a mission to resolve various crime cases.

Lee Dong Wook takes the role of the detective and is expected to be a challenging role for him. It is different from his previous character roles but he is excited to show a new image of himself in portraying the role of an individual who possesses multiple personalities.

Meanwhile, opposite Lee Dong Wook is the "Lovestruck in the City" actress Han Ji Eun. She will be playing the role of a police officer. The drama will also tackle the inequalities present in society and how such less powerful individuals can make a change in implementing social justice.

This will be Lee Dong Wook and Han Eun Jin's first drama collaboration and many are looking forward to their upcoming on screen chemistry.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Han Ji Eun Might Star Opposite Lee Dong Wook as a Police Officer in New Thriller

Han Ji Eun and Lee Dong Wooks Previous Drama Projects

This will be Lee Dong Wook and Han Eun Jins first drama collaboration and many are looking forward to their upcoming on screen chemistry.

Han Eun Jin recently appeared in TVINGs fantasy series The Witchs Diner. Meanwhile, Lee Dong Wook just finished his fantasy drama Tale of the Nine Tailed last December 2020 and currently appearing in the healing reality show Sea of Hope along with Goblin co-star Kim Go Eun, Penthouse actress Lee Ji Ah, SHINees Onew, Yoon Jong Shin, and AKMUs Su Hyun.

'Uncanny Counter' Director Yoo Sun Dong to Helm 'Bad and Crazy'

The upcoming series "Bad and Crazy" is a highly anticipated work of director Yoo Sun Dong who is known for his magnificent direction in the megahit action-fantasy drama "Uncanny Counter." Expectation for his next work starts to increase.

Lee Dong Wook and Han Ji Eun's "Bad Crazy" is said to have its premiere broadcast in the second half of 2021 following the drama schedules of "Yumi's Cells" starring Kim Go Eun and Ahn Bo Hyun, and "Happiness" starring Park Hyung Sik and Han Hyo Joo.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Lee Dong Wook Says His Upcoming Reality Show 'Sea of Hope' Doesn't Have a Script to Follow

What are your thoughts about Lee Dong Wook and Han Ji Eun as new on-screen partners? Share it with us in the comments!

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars.

Kdramastars owns this article.

Written by Shai Collins.
Netflix's "Kingdom" starring Ju Ji Hoon, Bae Doona and more wowed not just the zombie fanatics but the majority of the viewers with its unique storyline.

Unlike the usual post-apocalyptic and zombie-themed movies or series, the 2019 K-drama featured a plague-stricken society in the medieval era.

To recall, "Kingdom" is set under the Joseon dynasty, where the Crown Prince, played by Ju Ji Hoon, is sent to investigate the plague that killed thousands of people, including his father, the King, turning them into flesh eating creatures.

The Kim Sung Hoon-directed drama instantly gained the public's attention, leading the series to return for the much-awaited sequel and spin-offs.

In July, Netflix dropped the first spin-off featuring Jun Ji Hyun as the main character. "Kingdom: Ashin of the North" depicts the beginning of the tumultuous time and what prompted it to spread like a plague.

Interestingly, the success of the special episode was followed by the confirmation of another spin-off titled 'Kingdom: The Crown Prince' with Ju Ji Hoon as the lead star.

Just in case you can wait for the second spin-off, here's a look back at the star-studded "Kingdom" cast and their current and upcoming projects that we need to look forward to.

Ju Ji Hoon as Crown Prince

The beloved Crown Prince was accused of treason by the King's men; however, he continued his journey to find the truth behind the plague with a promise to protect the country and its people.

Two years after the first season's broadcast, Ju Ji Hoon is still active in both dramas and movies.

He is set to appear in a reunion project with "Kingdom 2" co-star Jun Ji Hyun in the upcoming K-drama "Cliffhanger." This is also directed by Kim Eun Hee, who wrote the mega-hit zombie series.

As for Jun Ji Hyun's movies, fans would see more of the actor on the big screen with a slew of new films--this includes the action crime "Gentleman," followed by "Along with the Gods 3," and "Silence."

Bae Doona as Seo Bi

Following the success of "Kingdom," Bae Doona headlined remarkable dramas, including the second season of "Kingdom" and "Stranger."

This 2021, the award-winning actress will return to K-drama land with the highly anticipated sci-fi horror series "The Silent Sea" with Hallyu star Gong Yoo.

Interestingly, over Bae Doona's Instagram, she mentioned that she was invited to the 23rd Seoul International Women's Film Festival.

IN CASE YOU MISSED: Bae Doona Chosen as the Ambassador for Famous Fashion Event in South Korea

Ryu Seung Ryong as Jo Hak Joo

He captivated the viewers with his villain role, playing the powerful prime minister and the Queen's father.

After landing as one of the main characters in "Kingdom," Ryu Seung Ryong is set to lead the new K-drama "Moving" with Han Hyo Joo and Jo In Sung.

Meanwhile, the award-winning actor, who is famous for his role in "Miracle Cell No.7," is booked and busy in the coming year.

He is set to appear in several films; this includes "Bigwang," comedy film "Not the Lips," "Life is Beautiful," and in talks to join the cast of "Jung Family's Farm" alongside Park Hae Joon.

Kim Hye Jun as Second Queen Cho

Probably one of the most hated villains in the history of K-zombie film, the manipulative Queen, played by Kim Hye Jun, also brought distraught in the dynasty by stealing and killing innocent lives only to get what she wanted.

Now, the former SNL Korea member will be joining Hallyu queen Lee Young Ae in her comeback drama "A Wonderful Sight."

KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Geca Wills
On the first day of September, Kim Ji Hye, the writer of the forthcoming melodrama series "Lost" (also known as "No Longer Human" and "Human Disqualification") shared her thoughts on the main actors of the show, Jeon Do Yeon and Ryu Jun Yeol.

"Lost" marks the return of the two actors to the small screen after five years of inactivity.

'Lost' Writer Kim Ji Hye Shares Feelings About The Melodrama

"My Love, My Bride" writer Kim Ji Hye wrote another masterpiece that will certainly touch the hearts of the viewers with profound emotions and different personal epiphanies.

Three days before its big premiere, the writer of the melodrama shared her thoughts on the lead actors and their acting performance in the drama series.

Writer Kim Ji Hye shared, "Having more than 18 hours of running time is a joy that makes my heart pound. I have been writing for a very long time but I have never fully shown all of myself. With "Lost", I wanted to show deep feelings that will resonate with the viewers. How many mistakes and failures I have faced, how messed up, how lonely, and how loved I once was... I wanted to show those feelings. Because of that, I started writing "Lost"."

When asked about the title, she explained, "Just as how our lives cannot always be consistent and planned, "Lost" also has uncomfortable situations depending on how you view it. I want to be free from the useless inconvenience. I wanted to start a story that follows life's process where "lost" humans" is the center of it all."

'Lost' Writer Kim Ji Hye on Working With Director Heo Jin Ho

Director Heo Jin Ho cemented his name as one of the most sensuous filmmakers in South Korea, with masterpieces such as "Christmas in August" and "Princess Deokhye".

Writer Kim Ji Hye shared her experiences of working with the renowned director for the first time, "I had high expectations, like everyone else, of director Heo Jin Ho. I was honest with him, I also had doubts. But I am grateful that with the director, the expectations about the drama became a reality."

She also shared her experience with musical director Jo Seong Woo. "Director Jo Seong Woo and director Heo Jin Ho had previously worked with various works. Since the two of them had been together the whole time, I really expected a lot, especially in putting the pieces of "Lost" together. But thanks to them, expectation has become a reality. And because of that, I really look forward to seeing the drama the most."

Jeon Do Yeon and Ryu Jun Yeol Are 'Too Deserving' of The Roles in 'Lost'

As soon as writer Kim Ji Hye heard the news about the casting of actors Jeon Do Yeon and Ryu Jun Yeol, she initially thought, "The two actors will do well".

"Writing the two characters was difficult, especially Boo Jung and Kang Jae's sadness and dissatisfaction in life, as well as their suffering," she added.

The writer also commented on the two actors' acting skills, "During the filming, Jeon Do Yeon and Ryu Jun Yeol portrayed their characters very effectively. Even the brief moment that passed in front of me at the last filming set, the memory of the two actors just standing there and crying for a long time remains precious."

Writer Kim Ji Hye feels thankful to the actors and even described Jeon Do Yeon and Ryu Jun Yeol "too deserving".

"I am grateful that Jeon Do Yeon and Ryu Jun Yeol were eager to work with me and director Heo Jin Ho. They are one of the best actors in the industry, and both of them are too deserving for me. With their skills and perfect synchronization with the characters, I am also looking forward to the airing."

In conclusion, writer Kim Ji Hye encouraged the viewers to watch the forthcoming melodrama.

"It is a story about people's loneliness and those who are suffering alone. This drama aims to give comfort and sympathy to those people who experience the same suffering that you may find in Boo Jung and Kang Jae."

Finally, she said, "I wrote this drama while laughing a lot and crying more than that. I hope that this work will reach you and bring you comfort and understanding, as well as empathy."

'Lost' Production and Release Date

"Lost" marks the first drama project of filmmaker Heo Jin Ho and screenwriter Kim Ji Hye together. It is also the comeback drama of Jeon Do Yeon and Ryu Jun Yeol to the small screen after five years.

Aside from the duo, seasoned actors Park Byung Eun, Kim Hyo Jin, Park Ji Young, Apink's Son Naeun, and Yoo Soo Bin are also part of the drama series.

"Lost" is scheduled to air for the first time on JTBC at 10:30 p.m. KST on September 4.

It will also be available for international streaming on iQIYI.

ICYMI, you can watch the melancholic teaser of "Lost" here:

Follow KDramastars for more Kdrama, KMovie, and celebrity news updates!

KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
MEDFORD, Ore. -- Tuesday morning, August 31, Jackson County Commissioners discussed the criticism they have received regarding the board's response to Covid-19 challenges, cases, and deaths seen across the county.

Commissioner Colleen Roberts was the first to address a letter that the board had drafted to those who were concerned about the commissioners role in Covid-19. She highlighted the addition of a statement regarding how poor air quality for weeks on end can relate to people in Southern Oregon suffering from Covid-19.

"We don't get one or two days of bad air quality, we get months, and the fact that the Harvard study links that to Covid and the CDC verified that too recently."

The Harvard study finds, "People with COVID-19 who live in U.S. regions with high levels of air pollution are more likely to die from the disease than people who live in less polluted areas."

Roberts planned to send the letter out, but the board eventually decided they would send personalized versions of the letter individually, if they wanted to respond to the criticism.

In the meeting, commissioners also reflected on where they stand in regards to the Covid vaccine and vaccine mandates going into effect for the state of Oregon.

Jackson County Commissioners expressed concern that emergency workers would quit their positions due to mandates.

Commissioner, Rick Dyer said, "I think it's good that people are able to receive the information they need to make themselves comfortable and an informed decision to do it, and I think that's something we've always advocated for."

"I don't know the number that are going to say 'absolutely not, I'm going to leave my position' but there's going to be some, and any is too many."

Dyer said adult community members should expect to be trusted to make decisions around Covid on their own, without pressure from the government.

Though they did bring up these concerns, some members of the board celebrated additional vaccination over the weekend of August 28.

Jackson County Public Health told Newswatch 12, 50% of the county's population is vaccinated. Previously the state recorded a seven day running average of 294 vaccinations per day and the current running seven day average is 292 vaccinations per day.
MEDFORD, Ore.  "It is with deep sadness that I write to say I do not have any updates for you on methods to depart Afghanistan now, or in the future."

As the last US transport plane flew out of Kabul on Monday, it marked the end of the United States' 20-year war in the country. It also delivered a debilitating blow to the hopes of a Medford man who has been striving for weeks to get his wife and family members out of the Taliban's clutches before the door closed.

NewsWatch 12 spoke to the former Afghan translator, now a US citizen, on August 18. At that point, though he expressed extreme anxiety for his family, there was still hope that they would be able to reach the safety of a transport beyond the airport checkpoints in Kabul before US troops left the city.

By Tuesday it was clear that the translator's family was never able to make it through the checkpoints.

The translator did not want to talk publicly any further  crushed that his wife and other family members remain in Taliban-controlled Kabul without a means of egress, and still fearing that they could face reprisals for their association with him. However, he did share the heartbreaking letter he says he received from a non-governmental organization (NGO) that had been working with the translator and his wife in hopes of securing her passage out of Afghanistan.

"All information indicates that there are no more evacuation flights and that the Taliban are not allowing any additional people onto the airport compound at this time, no matter their U.S. passport or visa status," the letter reads. "I have passed your information to the U.S. Department of State, which is responsible for providing assistance to U.S. citizens abroad and responsible for administering visas.

"I do not speak on behalf of the U.S. Government and am not able to provide you any updates specific to your passport or visa status or methods of departure from Afghanistan. I am heartbroken to tell you that I do not have any ability to help you depart the country and that this will be my last message to you.

"Though I do not speak on behalf of the U.S. Government, as a friend that has corresponded with you, I urge you to make preparations as if you were not going to receive any outside help from the U.S. Government or any other organization."

The letter encourages the translator's wife to consider her options, saying that her "ethnic heritage, language capabilities, financial situation, past affiliations and reputation, and ability to move" herself and other family members could factor into a decision for attempting to cross a land border, "officially or via other means."

"The Taliban has claimed that they will open up civil aviation and allow a range of passport and visa holders to travel by plane from Afghanistan," the letter continues. "You will have to judge for yourself your level of risk tolerance when comparing these most recent Taliban claims against their past behavior."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that the US and allies are working toward resuming commercial flights to and from Afghanistan as soon as possible as a means for continuing the evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies. Between 100 and 200 Americans are still believed to be in the country, looking for a way to leave.

The translator's wife is encouraged to visit the nearest US Embassy or Consulate and present a US passport, Green Card, or visa and request assistance if she does manage to make it out of Afghanistan. The letter urges her to keep those documents safe and concealed if at all possible.

"Reports indicate that the Taliban are searching homes and digital devices for U.S.-affiliated documentation," the letter warns. "Though you have done nothing but seek departure information in our correspondence, please consider deleting our correspondence, as well as any correspondence with U.S. numbers (calls, texts, WhatsApp, etc) or emails (including from your trash) from your phones or other digital devices. You can consider uploading this information in a separate email that is not connected on any of your devices."

The letter ends with a chilling note of finality.

"It is with profound sadness that I must say goodbye. I wish you and your family safety and peace."
By Aya Elamroussi and Joe Sutton, CNN

(CNN) -- The Caldor Fire, which has forced the evacuation of thousands of people from a popular California tourist town, is now threatening more than 34,000 structures after already destroying hundreds of homes, officials said.

The city of South Lake Tahoe, normally bustling with vacationers, was a gray ghost town Tuesday, with empty parking lots, closed roads and shuttered businesses as the fire's thick smoke hovered over the area.

"Tonight and tomorrow (Wednesday) are critical days," South Lake Tahoe spokesperson Lindsey Baker told CNN.

More than 53,000 people have been placed under evacuation orders, a spokesperson for the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services told CNN, as the massive blaze marches closer to the Lake Tahoe Basin.

"We're just right now trying to see what happens with the structures and businesses in our community and our homes," South Lake Tahoe Mayor Tamara Wallace told CNN.

The fire, which was only 18% contained late Tuesday according to Cal Fire, has burned more than 199,000 acres. And it is expanding at a fierce pace.

"There was a huge amount of granite between the fire and us and I woke up on Sunday and it had, it had jumped that granite and now it is in the Lake Tahoe basin and homes are threatened and our community is threatened and I never thought that was possible." Wallace said.

Some 20,000 South Lake Tahoe residents evacuated Monday, said Wallace, praising the efforts.

"There was a lot of traffic, but we were able to evacuate our city in just five hours, which is good," she said. "We do have a very important holiday weekend. But we have good summers so Labor Day is sort of the last hurrah and, honestly, people's lives are more important than worrying about tourism."

In neighboring Nevada, Gov. Steve Sisolak declared a state of emergency Monday in anticipation of flames crossing state lines in the coming days. California Gov. Gavin Newsom also declared a state of emergency for the counties surrounding Lake Tahoe.

The upcoming days could present more risks as a red flag warning remains in effect for the Northern Sierra Nevada area until Wednesday night. The warning is issued when an area is expected to experience hazardous fire weather that could increase activity.

The area could see gusty winds join forces with extremely dry fuels and low humidity to result in critical fire weather conditions, the National Weather Service said.

"New or existing wildfires will have the potential for rapid spread and growth under these conditions," the service said.

Caldor, which ignited on August 14, has already destroyed 491 homes and 12 businesses as of Tuesday night, according to Cal Fire.

Nearly 40 structures are damaged and five injuries are reported, officials said.

The fire is being fueled by dangerously dry conditions as California suffers through an extreme drought, driven by climate change.

Parts of the Caldor Fire saw dramatic increases in activity early Tuesday morning due to strong winds and low humidity, Cal Fire said.

"The fire continues to back down towards Hwy 50 in multiple locations and continues to threaten control lines [in some areas]," the fire agency noted.

The fire is now California's 17th largest wildfire on record.

13 active fires in California

There are 13 large fires active in California and two more burning in Nevada, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

California's wildfire season been devastating this year, which saw 1.76 million acres up in flames from 6,913 fires for far, Cal Fire said.

US Forest Service moved to temporarily shutter all national forests in California as resources are stretched this and no relief from the fire-fueling conditions is in sight. Those closures will remain until at least September 17, the US Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region said Monday.

California's largest active blaze -- the Dixie Fire -- has charred 819,956 acres across five Northern California counties over the past 47 days. It was 48% contained Tuesday evening.
BEATTY, Ore.  Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies raided a pair of large illegal marijuana grows near the Klamath County town of Beatty on Monday, according to the Klamath Falls Police Department. Both operations, according to KFPD, operated under the guise of being legal hemp farms.

The two search warrants were served simultaneously by members of the Basin Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (BINET), Klamath County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police and the Klamath Falls Police Department.

Though both farms were purported to be growing hemp, KFPD said that neither was licensed to grow that crop, and on-site testing of the plants during the raids "revealed the plants were high THC marijuana." Investigators are also looking into unlawful use of groundwater at the two grows.

Police used bulldozers to destroy more than 22,000 plants along with the greenhouses and other infrastructure.

"Site cleanup was left as the responsibility of the landowners who leased their property to be used in illegal marijuana production," KFPD said. Criminal charges have been referred to the Klamath County District Attorney's Office for review, though the agency did not indicate how many people or what charges are being pursued.

Police referenced the passage of House Bill 3000, which went into effect in July. The bill tweaked Oregon law to allow police greater flexibility in investigating and destroying illegal grows, with KFPD saying that the same response would have taken many officers days to undertake.

"Klamath County has a growing problem with large scale illegal marijuana grows," KFPD continued. "Local law enforcement agencies are working to focus enforcement on this growing problem in our county. Landowners should be aware that they could be held liable for the theft and unlawful use of groundwater, as well as the illegal marijuana production which occur on their leased properties. In addition property used for illegal marijuana production could be seized and forfeited."

KFPD asked anyone with information about the illegal manufacture or distribution of drugs in Klamath County to call the Klamath Falls Police Department Anonymous Tip Line at (541) 883-5334 or the Klamath County Sheriffs Office Tip Line at (541) 850-5380.
SALEM, Ore.  With Governor Kate Brown set to leave office at the end of her current term, putting the state's highest seat up for grabs, the first major Democratic candidate has now entered the race. Representative Tina Kotek, currently speaker of the Oregon House in Salem, announced Wednesday that she will run to replace Brown.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Kotek said that she plans to focus on both the immediate challenges facing Oregon and building "a future of opportunity and justice for all Oregonians."



Tina Kotek / Facebook Tina Kotek / Facebook

Oregonians are living through a devastating pandemic, the intensifying impacts of climate change, and the economic disruptions that leave too many behind. We must get past the politics of division and focus on making real, meaningful progress for families across our state," Kotek said. I am running for Governor because I know that, together, we can reckon with the legacies of injustice and inequality to build a great future for Oregon.

Kotek first assumed office in 2007, representing House District 44, which covers the north and northeast parts of Portland. She became speaker of the House in 2013 and has remained in that role ever since.

Together, we have done great things by working for justice, putting people first, and never forgetting our love of the state we share, said Kotek. I will bring people together for a campaign that will inspire all Oregonians to reach for a better future for everyone.

While there is already a list of Republican candidates for governor in 2022  including southern Oregon entrepreneur Jessica Gomez and Salem oncologist Bud Pierce, the latter of whom won the Republican primary in 2016 before losing to Kate Brown  Kotek is the first major Democratic hopeful to confirm her candidacy. New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof has said that he is exploring a run, while state Treasurer Tobias Read and Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum are rumored as potential candidates, among others.

In Oregon Democrats have overwhelming majorities in the Legislature and the party has held the governors office since 1987, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
Rototillers that yank Eurasian milfoil out of Okanagan Lake by the weeds' roots have been in service since the '70s. The machines could get an overhaul to improve their performance.
In July 2018, Pa Xang Her became the first Hmong veteran to be buried with American military honors in Green Bay. In March 2017, Lt. Col. Youa Kao Vang, another Hmong immigrant, was honored as part of his three-day funeral in Milwaukee.

Both men had fought in Gen. Vang Paos Secret Army, comprised of the indigenous Hmong people of Laos, which primarily fought along the Ho Chi Minh Trail against the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. They were the United States allies during that conflict, and when the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell in 1975, the Hmong who had fought alongside Americans, and their families, were evacuated to the United States, since their lives were believed to be in danger with the Viet Cong now ruling all of Vietnam. Today, Wisconsin has the third-largest Hmong community in the United States by state, and the Milwaukee has the fourth-largest Hmong community in the U.S. by metropolitan area.

In America, we take in refugees who aided our military in conflict.

We must do the same for refugees fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan.

In the words of Fox News primetime host Laura Ingraham, with regard to the Afghan people, we turned their country upside down. She used that phrase in the middle of an anti-immigration argument, but the phrase is no less true.
Ketchikan, AK (99901)

Today

Overcast with rain showers at times. High 56F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 48F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
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In nearly every field, ongoing education is warranted, if not explicitly required. Be it the informal transfer of knowledge between colleagues, or a more formalized process like recertification, nearly every profession mandates some form of maintenance of knowledge and skills. However, there are few professions that produce information at the volume and pace of health care. Indeed, since ancient times when early Greek and Egyptian texts provided documentation of new findings, treatments, and theories, medical education has continued to evolve. Now, the doubling time of medical information is a staggering 73 days. As a result, it has become nearly impossible for those in medicine to learn everything they need to know, let alone keep up with this veritable firehose of information. The answer may lieat least in partwith technology.

Modern medical education and the incorporation of technology

In addition to the rapid pace at which new knowledge becomes available, there are several other issues that can impede medical education. One hurdle is that there are fundamental differences between performing well in a classroom setting and actually dealing with real-life patients and colleagues. Clinicians, especially those that are somewhat new to the field, often feel intimidated when first taking on a patient-facing position as a seemingly endless variety of challenges, nuances, and caveats become manifest, quite unlike the neat and tidy presentations within a clinical vignette. This is against the backdrop of a medical education system that has remained relatively stagnant for several decades. It is only recently, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, that organizations have been forced to adapt.

Todays health care providers are much different from the ones that entered the field 50 years ago. In their daily lives, they have constant interactions with technology and access to myriad resources at their fingertips. Because they are used to more engaging, short-burst experiences, they may be more receptive to alternative kinds of education  sitting in a lecture hall for hours on end is far less appealing than watching quick, informational videos or participating in interactive training. Although the medical field has been somewhat resistant to change for many years, the COVID-19 pandemic has proved that e-learning and remote engagement can be just as effective as conventional training.

Another issue with traditional medical training is that it can skew significantly toward certain specialties and neglect others. Take dermatology, for example. In one survey study of 65 dermatology residency programs and 10 medical schools without dermatology residency programs, half of the responding institutions required 10 or fewer hours of dermatology instruction and eight percent required no dermatology instruction whatsoever. Only 10 percent of schools required a clinical dermatology rotation of any kind. However, despite the limited exposure in medical school, many primary care physicians treat patients with skin issues. In one of the seminal papers on the topic, researchers found that more than 20 percent of visits in a pediatric clinic featured either a skin complaint or finding. With more flexible, accessible training methods, instructors can cover more focus areas and students can engage with learning materials about the topics that are most interesting to them in their free time.

The next frontier in medical education

In his exhilarating book A Thousand Brains, Jeff Hawkins quipped: A model is the embodiment of knowledge. Since todays learners increasingly prefer to receive information in an interactive, fast-paced format, video games are uniquely positioned to be the next frontier in medical education. More than simple gamification, which can focus on using crude techniques to increase engagement through features like point-scoring and leaderboards, medically-focused video games present players with problems, then give them the opportunity to experiment and rework their strategies to explore potential solutions and outcomes. These aspects of game design can actually encourage users to develop mental models of complex systems, and high-fidelity graphics can be especially useful in visually-focused specialties like dermatology. It is very likely that developing such models, as Hawkins has suggested, will result in better and deeper understanding of the concepts involved.

During COVID, the medical training system had to adapt because people couldnt meet in person and even those that could didnt have access to patients or facilities in the same capacity. However, the explosion of remote training tools that became available make this hybrid training method as good in many ways, and perhaps even preferable to one that consists mainly of in-person lectures. In fact, some medical schools have suggested that all preclinical classes should be available exclusively online by 2025. As a result, schools and other stakeholder organizations should examine alternative methods of medical training and can use this opportunity to embrace new technologies in order to effectively and efficiently educate trainees. It may be time to abandon the old ways and fully embrace the advantages virtual training environments, including video games, have to offer.

Peter Lio is a dermatologist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- An official with the Oregon Nurses Association said roughly 111 PeaceHealth nurses are on unpaid administrative leave following yesterday's deadline for caregivers to show proof of vaccination or an exemption.

Myrna Jensen with the Oregon Nurses Association said the union supports full vaccination for its members. But they are still advocating for those who choose not to get the shot.

"We need to be there to support them as we can, to advocate for them if we need to, and to work with PeaceHealth to get some of those folks back into the hospital," Jensen said.

PeaceHealth did not confirm the number, but an official did say that as of today, between 350 and 500 caregivers remain unvaccinated in its hospitals, clinics and administrative settings.

That includes 250 to 375 unvaccinated caregivers within PeaceHealths four Lane County hospitals, the official said.

PeaceHealth added that a "significant number" of caregivers submitted proof of vaccination or a request for an exemption in the past 24 hours.

PeaceHealth said it would have more specific numbers by "early next week."

They said the vaccine requirement applies to all PeaceHealth employees, including front desk workers and volunteers.

Even if an employee has a qualifying exemption, they still won't be allowed inside a PeaceHealth facility. Remote work may be an option and other accommodations may be made like a leave of absence.

PeaceHealth officials told KEZI they respect each individual's choice. But "they also care about the safety and well-being of their patients, caregivers, and communities and want to ensure that everyone working inside their facilities is vaccinated."

PeaceHealth said their department leaders are making themselves available 24/7 right now to address staffing needs and other issues.
OAKRIDGE, Ore.  The Lane County Sheriffs Office announced Tuesday that evacuation levels have been lowered in connection with the Middle Fork Complex.

All parts of Oakridge and Westfir that have been at Level 1 Be Ready are now no longer under a formal evacuation notice. This includes areas on both sides of Highway 58 between mileposts 30 and 42.

Community members are urged to stay vigilant, as fire conditions can change.

Meanwhile, a Level 3 Go order has been downgraded to a Level 2 Be Set for homes, campgrounds and dispersed recreation along Forest Service Road 18 (Big Fall Creek Road) east of the intersection with Forest Service Road 1821, including Puma Campground and Bedrock Campground.

A Level 2 means significant danger remains and you should be prepared to leave from the area at a moments notice.

Firefighters working the Middle Fork Complex say that fire lines are holding, but spot fires are sparking up around the Gales Fire. Crews on the Kwis Fire near Oakridge are working on mop-up and repairing lines, covering up exposed ground to return the forest to a more natural state.

For more information about the Middle Fork Complex, CLICK HERE.
LEBANON, Ore.  An officer was nearly struck by a bullet coming through a window in a Lebanon shooting Tuesday morning.

Police said it started just before 4 a.m. on the 2200 block of Chelsea Way. A caller reported that someone had shot at their bedroom window.

A patrol sergeant arrived to the scene and was getting a look at the damage when a second shot came through the glass near the officers head.

Additional officers arrived to canvas the neighborhood. Projectiles were reportedly found inside a home on the block.

Detectives contacted Daniel Brewer at a nearby home and interviewed him. Evidence of the crime was reportedly found, and Brewer admitted to shooting two rounds using a high-powered pellet gun through his neighbors window, police said.

He was taken into custody for four counts of first-degree assault, second-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, four counts of reckless endangering, and three counts of menacing.

The department has contacted Brewer in the past in connection with cases dealing with burglary, drugs, and harassment.

Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at 541-258-4318.
SPRINGFIELD, Ore.  The deadline for health care workers to get vaccinated at PeaceHealths RiverBend Hospital has passed.

Some workers fighting the mandate left their shoes at the front entrance Tuesday night to mark their last day.

Workers were required to submit proof of vaccination or a medical or religious exemption prior to the deadline.

Notes were left with some of the pairs of shoes, marking how long the workers had been at RiverBend. Some had worked there for decades.

According to hospital officials, as of Tuesday, 91% of staff members are either fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated or have an approved exemption. This leaves 9% of workers who, starting Wednesday, will be on unpaid administrative leave if they dont comply.
EUGENE, Ore. -- As COVID-19 cases continue to rise due to the Delta variant, pastors and faith-based leaders are navigating how to create a safe community for their congregations.

With an indoor mask mandate in place for the state of Oregon, leaders shared with KEZI 9 News that they will do what it takes to ensure the safety of churchgoers.

KEZI talked to Joe Baumgarten, the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Eugene. Before the pandemic, about 120 people would walk through the doors each Sunday. Now, that number has dropped to about 90 between the two services. For those who don't feel comfortable attending in person, virtual options are offered.

So what about vaccinations? Baumgarten said while he, along with the majority of his congregation, is vaccinated, it's up to the person to decide what they want to do.

"Everybody has their own health recommendations from their doctor," Baumgarten said. "I always say to consult your physician first. I am not your first go to when it comes to whether or not to get the vaccination."

KEZI also spoke with Adam Briddell, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Eugene. His church can seat 600 people, but they see about 100 each Sunday morning.

"Our community is on the more vaccine acceptant side," Briddell said. "We have an opportunity to walk alongside people in those tough moments. We'll get through this, and we'll get through this together."

Services at First United Methodist Church are also broadcast live.

Briddell said he takes time during every sermon to emphasize the importance of vaccination.

"The church should always be a place of life and a place of safety," Briddell said. "Right now, that means staying masked and socially distant from each other and when possible, getting vaccinated -- as soon as possible."

Leaders within Oregon Hillel also shared their thoughts. Executive Director Andy Gitelson works within the student community at UO and OSU to help them stay true to Jewish values.

Most students would engage and connect on Shabbat Friday evenings and Sabbath on Saturday. As students return to campus, they hope to hold more outdoor gatherings.

Looking forward into this year with the Delta variant and different mandates coming down from the state, were keenly aware of how the university is operating so we tend to be in line with much of what the UO is doing," Gitelson said.

There will also be online options for those who are immunocompromised, or those who cannot get the vaccine.

We want to be a responsible community," Gitelson said.

Lane County Public Health said this past spring, going into the most recent surge, 2 to 3 percent of COVID-19 cases were tied to religious gatherings

"God is the same yesterday, today and forever, regardless of the situation of masks, of vaccines and of viruses," Baumgarten said. "Our God doesn't change according to those things. He is faithful, trustworthy and always there."


In the last year we've lost thousands of family members, friends and co-workers to COVID-19. We'd like to give you a chance to honor their memory.

Share a Memory
There are plans to reopen a long-shut Monasterevin pub after the building was sold at auction recently.

Matt Dunne, the Portarlington-based auctioneer, handled the sale of Bolands Pub, the imposing Victorian premises on the corner of Drogheda Street and Drogheda Row.

According to the selling agent, the pub has been closed for the past 15 years but it has been very well maintained in the interim.

A hub of activity in bygone years, as it was also the centre of a farming enterprise.

The seller was the eminent New York-based physician Dr Paddy Boland.

The building was bought by Kevin Hynes and his wife. Mr Hynes is the son of well-known publican Dessie Hynes, who once owned ODonoghues of Merrion Row in Dublin.

According to Mr Dunne, it is Mr Hynes intention to reopen the building as a licenced premises.

The asking price for the property was 325,000, and while the auctioneer did not confirm the amount it was sold for, he said his client Dr Boland was very happy with the price achieved.
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Fine Gael TD John Paul Phelan has welcomed the announcement of 400 new jobs for Kilkenny, as State Street Corporation  one of the world's leading providers of financial services to institutional investors  expands its operation in the city with the creation of a new cybersecurity and technology unit.

The Kilkenny TD said the establishment of the new specialist team to provide technology infrastructure and cyber security to support State Streets global operations was a clear vote of confidence in Kilkennys skilled tech talent and evidence of the companys commitment to the region: I have no doubt that the planned creation of a new Technological University for the South East also played a significant part in State Streets decision to expand its Kilkenny operation, Deputy Phelan added.

State Streets new Kilkenny operation will be located at the IDA Ireland Business and Technology at Loughboy, where the company currently employs approximately 600 staff. The company is already in the process of developing a new office development at the site and Deputy Phelan said the new roles would include Programmers, Security Operations Analysts, Security Instrumentation Engineers, Data Scientists, Security Architects (Network, Identify Access Management and BlockChain), Security Forensics/Investigations and Governance, Risk and Compliance experts.

"These high value, experienced and graduate level roles will be filled on a phased basis over the next 12 months and will bring a huge economic boost to the Kilkenny region. I wish the company every success in Kilkenny in the years to come," said Deputy Phelan.
MASON CITY, Iowa - When Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana on Sunday, the Category Four storm ravaged the region's power grid. Almost the entire city of New Orleans, as well as the state capital of Baton Rouge and numerous other communities on the state and Southern Mississippi, remain in the dark.

Alliant Energy is kicking into high gear and sending workers down South to get the lights back on. Altogether, 125 employees in Iowa, as well as 160 contracted employees, were sent to the region to repair the damaged electrical infrastructure.

With Alliant being a member of a mutual assist association, Director of Operation Resources Randy Bauer says utility companies can call on other companies nationwide based on need.

"The utility in need will say, 'I need X amount of people, then utilities offer up... I can send so many.' It's kind of a need and fill the offer kind of thing."

In light of last year's derecho that affected a large portion of their service area in Central and Eastern Iowa, he feels it's important to give back.

"We benefitted from mutual aid in getting service restored, so we feel it's pretty important to give back to some of those folks that helped us a year ago. We feel strongly about that."

Alliant crews are expected to be in the Baton Rouge area for about two weeks, though Bower says it could be longer.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Republican State Sen. Michelle Benson, of Ham Lake, has launched her campaign for Minnesota governor, saying shell fight efforts to close schools and businesses or defund the police.

She calls herself an unwavering conservative fighter in a statement posted on her campaign website.

She also posted a YouTube video declaring her candidacy and plans a formal announcement at a machining company in Blaine on Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, GOP Sen. Paul Gazelka, of East Gull Lake, is stepping down as Senate majority leader. Its a step he has said he would take if he was going to run for governor.
CLEAR LAKE, Iowa - A Clear Lake man is facing a felony charge for child endangerment for allegedly violating a no-contact order before punching a minor child in the face.

Joseph Nichols, 38, was booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail Tuesday in connection to an incident on Aug. 21 on South Shore Dr. in Clear Lake.

The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office said the victim tried to remove the defendant from the residence due to the no-contact order before he was punched in the face with a closed fist.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - As America's longest war comes to a close, community members in Rochester gathered to commemorate the heroism of the 13 service members who lost their lives last week in Kabul.

Rochester's Bell of Honor tolled seven times Tuesday evening, and long-held tradition signifying the stages of a veteran's life once passed. Organizer Jan Throndson says the ceremony wasn't about politics or finger-pointing - it was about solidarity.

"It's not about your race, color, creed," Throndson said. "We are all Americans first, and that's what we have to get back to in this country. That's what this country was founded and built on - that we're Americans, and we remember our fallen heroes because those 12 servicemen's families' lives are changed forever."

Elected leaders on both sides of the aisle attended the ceremony, including State Senator Carla Nelson, Rochester Mayor Kim Norton, and Congressman Jim Hagedorn.

"Lots of opinions about the Afghan War, how it started, how it was prosecuted, how it ended, and everything in between. But I don't think there's much disagreement that these 13 soldiers were peacemakers. Indeed, in their final heroic acts, they were trying to help American citizens return to freedom, return to our home," said Representative Hagedorn.

State Senator Carla Nelson told KIMT, "It could never be more important that we stand with those who stand to protect our freedoms, and we just offer prayers and support for the family members, and for all of our military personnel."

Both Congressman Hagedorn and President Biden acknowledged the weight military members past and present can experience when faced with such immense tragedy. Rep. Hagedorn's message to all of our veterans - "we love you, we admire you, we cherish you, and we are there for you."
MASON CITY, Iowa - Low wages, long admission waiting times, and a worker shortage. These are all issues needing to be addressed in the ongoing child care crisis in Iowa.

Over the last few years, Iowa lost 33% of its child care businesses, and the state is short 350,000 child care slots for children ages 12 and younger. A recent employer survey conducted in Cerro Gordo, Hancock and Worth Counties found that an overwhelming amount of respondents say there is no adequate child care in their community. 91.3% of respondents said there is a child care shortage in their community.

During a presentation with the United Way of North Central Iowa, Charlie Brown Preschool and Child Care executive director Amber Morud shared the current state of child care in the Hawkeye State and what needs to be done to change it. A member of Governor Reynolds' Childcare Task Force, Morud points to the average statewide child care worker wage of $9.35/hour that has partially made it difficult to recruit employees.

"We are working really hard to try to professionalize the career, try to get the state to recognize that these employees need to be paid better for what they do. They are a huge part of getting these kids starting in life, and laying the foundation for them to go off and be successful in school, because it is early childhood education."

She's had to turn potential business away because of capacity limits, a problem she believes needs attention at the state level.

"We get calls daily for mostly infants, but also kids of all other age groups. I have to tell them it's a 6 months to a year wait."

Some of the recommendations the task force are advocating include increasing wages for childcare workers to attract and retain staff, as well as the inclusion of benefits.

Morud encourages residents to voice their concerns to their local legislators.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  A judge has ordered a mental evaluation for a man who pleaded guilty to three counts of murder.

Renard Lydell Carter, 30 of Rochester, pleaded guilty in July to second-degree murder for the September 13, 2020, killing of Keona Foote, her unborn child, and her two-year-old daughter Miyona Miller. Carter later filed a motion seeking to withdraw his guilty pleas, saying he had been coerced into making them.

A judge has now found probable cause to determine if Carter is competent to proceed to sentencing. A psychiatric evaluation has been ordered.

Carter was scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday but that was canceled and his next court hearing is set for October 28.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - People in Louisiana are still grappling with the damage caused by Hurricane Ida. At least four are dead and officials say that number could rise.

The American Red Cross in our region - Minnesota as well as North and South Dakota - deployed 21 volunteers to Louisiana to help people with shelter, food and even emotional support.

Melanie Tschida with the American Red Cross said it's not always only the supplies that make a difference when natural disasters strike. "Emotional support and comfort that our volunteers provide is often as valuable and sometimes even more valuable than the physical or tangible things we might provide in a shelter or through financial assistance," she explained.

Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana exactly 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the state and became the deadliest hurricane to hit the U.S. in recorded history. Tschida said luckily, we've learned a lot since Katrina hit, making the preparation for Ida a lot smoother.

"If we can have volunteers already on their way or safe but in the vicinity, it allows us to open shelters so much more quickly," she explained. "And likewise, when you think about the technology advancements we've had since Katrina. I mean, I can tell you where any response vehicle is right now anywhere in the country."

The American Red Cross in our region sent three emergency response vehicles to Louisiana. Tschida explained they're going to look at the needs every day because they keep evolving and send more volunteers and supplies in the coming weeks.

Because COVID-19 cases are surging, the American Red Cross is making sure the volunteers heading to the south are either vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 test.

If you're looking for ways to help, Tschida said you can volunteer, donate blood or donate money if you're able to. The American Red Cross will have a booth set up at the Minnesota State Fair every day this week for blood donations.
MARTELLE, Iowa (AP)  At least five law enforcement officers fired their guns at a person holding a knife outside a building fire in rural eastern Iowa, killing the person.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety says in a news release that the shooting happened Tuesday night, when law enforcement converged on a property about a mile southeast of Martelle following a 911 call.

The department says arriving officers came upon a large structure fire and a person holding a knife who didn't comply with orders to drop the knife.

The person, who was not identified, was shot numerous times and died at the scene.

Officials say two Jones County Sheriff's deputies and three Anamosa police officers all fired their weapons and have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - President Biden marked the end of the war in Afghanistan on Tuesday. The last U.S. military planes departed Afghanistan Monday, marking a chaotic exit from the United States' longest war. Thousands of people have been evacuated from the capital city of Kabul, but thousands remain behind, unsure of their future under Taliban rule.

KIMT News 3 spoke to a Rochester man who is on a mission to get his family out of Afghanistan safely. Massi grew up in Afghanistan and has been in the U.S. since 2016. His family is still traumatized by the Taliban's rule two decades ago. "There was no freedom of anything. In order to survive, you had to follow the rules," he explains.

In recent weeks, the Taliban have insisted they will govern more moderately this time around, but Massi testifies that due to a lack of change in the past 20 years, his family and other Afghans remain apprehensive. "It's very common every day for people to get whipped by them... women have been banned from school and banned from work. These are some small examples since august 15," Massi narrates.

Massi explains that although he believes the United States' 20-year military presence in Afghanistan had negative and positive effects, it also gave the Afghan people many opportunities and freedoms. Freedoms that are now threatened.

"The best word to express how they feel is imprisoned. Because when you get out of a free and democratic country and go to the regime of the Taliban, it's not comparable at all. It's an absolute downgrade," he says.

Leaving the country was never a part of Massi's family's plan. They believed they could make a positive impact in the country. But now, ever since the Taliban seized control earlier this month, leaving Kabul is the safest option, but also the most challenging. "I love Kabul... It's very close and dear to my heart. But there's a time unfortunately where I think leaving the country is best. Especially when it comes to protecting which is more dear and sweet to you, which is your rights and freedoms and liberties," Massi tells KIMT.

Massi intended to return to Kabul in 2023 with hopes of establishing the country's first technology institute. He had already been reaching out to organizations and researching funding options. However, that dream is on hold for the time being.

Massi is searching for any avenues to get his parents safe passage out of the country. He's been contacting people at all levels of the American government and various organizations. But in this complicated and turbulent situation, he's finding that many people's hands are tied. "The embassies in Kabul and other countries stopped their commercial flights. Other countries closed their borders. So that made it harder and harder but I am optimistic and hopeful and I'm not giving up until they are out," stresses Massi.

Massi is hopeful that America and other countries won't abandon Afghanistan. "There's a saying that hope is the last thing that dies, and we have a similar saying back home. I think without hope, there's no meaning to life."

Massi believes there is a lot the American government can do to help the situation in Afghanistan and get people like his parents out of the country, but he also thinks there are things individual Americans can do. He stresses the importance of helping young Afghan people, who he says have been robbed of their potential for the past 20 years. For example, he tells KIMT that mental health professionals could offer services to Afghan people, and people working in secondary and higher education can offer scholarships for Afghan students to study in America.

If you have any connections that could help Massi's mission to relocate his family, contact KIMT News 3's Annalise Johnson at ajohnson@kimt.com.
ThaiPop celebrated its storefront opening on Tuesday.

The Thailand-inspired cuisine restaurant is located downtown Rochester, inside the former Nellies on Third space.

ThaiPop is owned by Annie and Ryan Balow, with the former being head chef and the latter being the restaurant's general manager.

Annie Balow said she first started cooking when she arrived in the United States roughly a decade ago.

"I missed my food in Thailand so much and we do not have a lot of options in town for Thai food, so I started hands-on cooking. I said I actually can cook and I really enjoy doing that," Balow said.

The word "Pop" in ThaiPop is derived from the fact that the store was a pop-up shop, according to the Balow's.

The Balow's encourage customers to make their reservations prior to arriving.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 80F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 53F. Winds light and variable.
Older teens, ages 16 and 17, are facing the highest rate of weekly Covid-19 cases. A rapid Covid-19 test swab is processed at Palos Verdes High School in Palos Verdes Estates on Tuesday, August 24.
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Kokomo, IN (46901)

Today

Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 61F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph, becoming NNW and decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near an inch..

Tonight

Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 61F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph, becoming NNW and decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near an inch.
Here's what you need to know: Wednesday, Sept. 1
Taliban members escorted Americans who sought to escape Afghanistan to gates at Kabul airport as part of a secret arrangement with the United States. Pictured is Kabul airport on August 23.




The U.S. remains willing to meet with North Korea anywhere and anytime, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Tuesday.







The spokeswoman noted the North, however, remains unresponsive to U.S. overtures.







"Well, we have left the door open and obviously reached out through our channels. I don't have an update for you in terms of any response to our offer," Psaki said in a daily press briefing, adding "(The) offer remains to meet anywhere, anytime without preconditions."







U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim had initially made the offer in June to meet "anywhere, anytime without preconditions" with North Korean officials.







North Korea has ignored the U.S. outreach, along with several other overtures made by the Joe Biden administration since its inauguration in January.







Psaki's remark also comes after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report to its board of governors that the North appears to have restarted its plutonium-producing nuclear reactor.







The White House spokeswoman earlier said the IAEA report highlighted the urgent need to resume dialogue with the North.







"We're obviously aware of the reports we've seen over the last 24 hours and we're closely coordinating with our allies and partners on developments and assessing closely," she said.







North Korea has stayed away from denuclearization negotiations with the U.S. since leader Kim Jong-un's summit with former U.S. President Donald Trump ended without a deal in Hanoi in February 2019. (Yonhap)


Medical workers guide a person at a temporary COVID-19 testing center in front of Seoul Station, Wednesday. Yonhap



1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to come from Romania



By Jun Ji-hye



Health authorities are agonizing over whether to ease restrictions on private gatherings, aimed at curbing COVID-19 infections, for the upcoming Chuseok holiday, to allow people to hold family gatherings during one of the nation's largest and most widely celebrated holidays.



But concerns are also rising that eased rules may thwart the authorities' ongoing efforts to curb the fourth wave of the pandemic.



Millions of people usually travel across the nation to meet families and relatives during Chuseok, which runs from Sept. 18 through 22 this year.



The authorities are currently consulting with experts about ways to allow more people to gather during the holiday, considering the public sentiment that puts importance on family gatherings and ancestral rites during the holiday, as well as expectations that the rate of people who have received the first dose of a vaccine could reach about 70 percent around that time.



"Many Korean people think that paying respect to their ancestors on the occasion of the Chuseok holiday is important. We are considering that aspect, too," said Park Hyang, who oversees antivirus measures at the Central Disaster Management Headquarters.



The government has held in place the toughest level of its four-tier social distancing system  Level 4  in the Seoul metropolitan area, which includes Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, with Level 3 in effect in other parts of the nation.









In the areas under Level 4, private gatherings of up to four people before 6 p.m., and gatherings of up to two people after 6 p.m., are allowed. Level 3 allows private gatherings of up to four people regardless of the time.



As the government does not permit exceptions for these rules, even for gatherings of direct family members, family gatherings during Chuseok will be subject to the restrictions unless the authorities ease them.





People wait at a vaccination center in Seoul's Mapo District, Wednesday, to see if they have any abnormal reactions after receiving the vaccine. Yonhap
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev addresses the 72nd session of the U.N. General Assembly on the issue of the drying up of the Aral Sea, in September 2017. Courtesy of Embassy of Uzbekistan in Korea



Climate change is one of the main challenges of our time. Its consequences are global and unprecedented in scale. Experts predict a further increase in global warming trends, entailing a complex of interrelated problems of food, environmental, water, energy and, ultimately, economic security.



According to the World Bank, by the end of the 21st century the average temperature in the world will increase by 4 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, for Central Asia this indicator will be 7 degrees, with the Aral Sea region to endure the greatest increase in air temperature.



In such conditions, Uzbekistan is taking systematic measures to adapt and mitigate the consequences of climate change.



In particular, a number of conceptual documents have been adopted over the past five years. The main priorities of Uzbekistan for mitigating the effects of climate change are defined in these documents. They include reducing emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere, rational use of water resources, introduction of new, environmentally friendly technologies in various sectors of the economy, an increase in the share of renewable energy sources and an increase in the coverage of the population with services for the collection and removal of solid household waste.






By Han Sung-joo





On the face of it, witnessing the hectic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and tragic scenes at Kabul airport last month, one cannot help but recall the desperation of the South Vietnamese trying to catch a helicopter flight out of Saigon in 1975 and to question the confidence one can have in the United States that it will not allow a similar tragedy to happen in another struggling allied country.



My response to that question would be: "Don't worry, it will not happen. Afghanistan was such a unique case that is different from any of the other U.S. allies, except perhaps Vietnam of the early 1970s."



One unique aspect of the U.S.-Afghanistan alliance is the reason why the alliance was formed to begin with. The U.S. troops went into Afghanistan to punish the perpetrators of 9/11 and to eradicate the Taliban regime, which gave sanctuary to Islamic extremist group al-Qaida and enabled them to organize and execute the 9/11 terrorist acts in 2001.



The Taliban was driven out of power in 2001 and Osama bin Laden, the leader of the terrorist group, was killed in 2011. However, the U.S. could not eliminate the Taliban completely or build a functioning nation in Afghanistan.



Other alliances, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a multilateral alliance, and bilateral alliances with Japan or South Korea were formed in order to deter and contain the U.S.'s rivals such as the Soviet Union before and China now, as well as to defend the U.S.'s allies from potential enemies. The main adversaries have not remained the same, but the need to deal with the rivals and defend the allies  which the U.S. considers to be in its own best interest  is still there.



As America's strategic competition with China has intensified, the need to strengthen alliances with existing allies has become greater. In Northeast Asia, as the capability of North Korean nuclear weapons and missiles has grown, even potentially threatening the U.S. mainland, the strategic value of the U.S.'s alliance with Japan and South Korea has increased.



The second difference between Afghanistan and other U.S. allies is in the nature and predilection of the ally in question. Afghanistan was a fractured country among the leadership and between contending groups, which were more interested in enriching themselves than strengthening the country's defense capabilities, and who lacked the will to fight the well-organized and indoctrinated enemy of the state that was the Taliban.



The dictum in both Chinese and English, "Heaven (God) helps those who help themselves," can be a universal one which also applies to the south central region of Asia.



America could not protect Afghanistan from the revival and onslaught of the Taliban, not because of the lack of American will to help Afghanistan to continue the struggle, but because of the failure to find capable Afghan partners who are willing and able to help their own security.



It is clear now that, in their own strategic interest and out of rational calculation, that the U.S. will not repeat the mistake of the past 20 years  of continuing to send troops to Afghanistan  longer than necessary to accomplish its objectives.



A second issue that seems to have caused the erosion of confidence that the allies placed on the U.S. is whether Washington has adequately consulted and coordinated with them regarding the timing and method of action, when it comes down to critical decisions, such as the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.



In February 2020, the Trump administration cut a deal with the Taliban, in which the U.S. agreed to get out of Afghanistan in 14 months and, in exchange, the Taliban agreed not to let Afghanistan become a haven for terrorists and to stop attacking U.S. service members.



Actions taken by the two succeeding administrations (Trump and Biden) on Afghanistan unilaterally and without proper communication, left its partners with neither the time nor preparation to deal with the process and its consequences. In alliance diplomacy, nothing disappoints and upsets the partners as much as unilateralism and surprises in major decision making.



It is possible that, despite the tragedy resulting from an inadequately prepared and executed withdrawal, it might prove to be a case of a "blessing in disguise," as the situation evolved after the fall of Saigon in April of 1975.



After ridding itself of the Afghan burden, the U.S. may be in a position to focus its attention and energy on issues and areas that really count  relations with China and Russia, global warming, the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and maintaining liberal and democratic order in the world.



It will take much effort and time for its allies to recover from their loss in terms of the credibility of and confidence in the U.S. Even then, however, there are lessons that the U.S. should pay close attention to: it has to pay renewed attention to work closely with its allies on key issues, even after the fallout from this drop in the confidence in and credibility of the U.S. blows over in due time.



Second, whether the detachment of the U.S. from Afghanistan will turn out to be a case of a blessing in disguise or another quagmire to contend with will be at the mercy of the Taliban, which may allow terrorist groups such as IS and al-Qaida to use Afghanistan as a sanctuary base for their destructive activities.





Dr. Han Sung-joo is the honorary chair of the Korean-American Association, president emeritus of the Seoul Forum for International Affairs and a professor emeritus at Korea University. He also served as the minister of foreign affairs in 1993-94. He is also a member of the Asia-Pacific Leadership for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN). His article is published in cooperation with the APLN (www.apln.network).


Taliban special force fighters arrive inside the Hamid Karzai International Airport after the U.S. military's withdrawal, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 31. AP-Yonhap



By Lakhvinder Singh




In this Aug. 19 file photo, migrants are seated, after crossing the border from Belarus into Poland in the village of Usnarz Gorny, Poland. AP-Yonhap



Poland on Tuesday was set to declare a state of emergency along its border with Belarus after a large influx of migrants, which Warsaw suspects is being engineered by the regime in Minsk.



The state of emergency would apply for 30 days and would include a ban on any demonstrations at the border as well as an obligation for people in the area to carry identity documents.



The government approved the measure, which is now expected to be signed off by President Andrzej Duda in the coming hours and then needs final approval from the parliament.





Polish soldiers build a fence on the border between Poland and Belarus near the village of Nomiki, Poland, Aug. 26. Reuters-Yonhap



According to analysts, the state of emergency would also enable the government to limit border access for reporters  and for NGOs helping the migrants, who have accused Polish guards of pushing migrants back towards Belarus.



"The situation on the border with Belarus is a constant crisis," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters.



"That is why we have decided to propose this solution to the president," he said.



Duda said it was "necessary to tighten the border".





Protesters chain themselves to the fence surrounding the headquarters of Poland's Border Guards to protest the government's refusal to let in a group of illegal migrants, in Warsaw, Aug. 23. The group of migrants have been stuck in the open air at the border with Belarus for two weeks. AP-Yonhap
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 58F. NW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 58F. NW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Auburn, IN (46706)

Today

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 59F. WNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 59F. WNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) - Wednesday is the first day of class for students at Portland Public Schools, and it was an especially exciting day for students at Kellogg Middle School, who finally get to see their newly renovated campus.

For kids at Portland Public Schools, it has been two years since they've had a first day of school in person. It's the day many students have been waiting for.

"I'm kind of excited because it's a brand new school, but I'm also kind of nervous," said one student at Kellogg Middle School.

Kellogg Middle School's new campus was unveiled Wednesday after more than two years of construction.

"It's going to be the first carbon neutral school in the district, so we're really excited about that," said Chief of Staff, Johnathan Garcia.

Not every facility will be used by students just yet. The indoor cafeteria will sit vacant for now as students will be eating lunch outside so they can spread out easier.

Portland Public Schools will require all employees to be vaccinated by fall term PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) - For the fast-approaching school year, Portland Public Schools staff will be required to be vaccinated or be subjected to

As for new COVID-19 rules within the district, students aren't the only ones having to abide. PPS is requiring all staff and teachers to get a COVID-19 vaccine - the first district in the state to mandate vaccinations. Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero said it was an easy decision to make.

"Thankfully, we've had widespread cooperation. At the moment, we're at 95 percent vaccine completion," Guerrero said.

Students who FOX 12 spoke with said they are willing to do their part too, by continuing to mask up. Students will also have to keep a three feet distance whenever possible, which may be easier to do at Kellogg Middle School. The renovation includes 100-square feet of new facilities added on to campus.
BILLINGS  Saturday Live, originally scheduled for Sept. 18, has been postponed by the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools.

The event usually brings together schools and community members for a day of carnival activities and food, and raises money for individual school groups as well as the Education Foundation.

Saturday Live attracts thousands of children and families each year," Executive Director of the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools Kelly McCandless said. While were very disappointed to have to delay this event, were certain were making the best possible decision for our kids and our schools.

The decision was made based on rapidly rising COVID-19 numbers, the subsequent strain on hospital staffing and the fact that Saturday Live is geared toward elementary-aged kids who don't yet have access to the vaccine, according to a release.

There is real concern about COVID spread in the classrooms over the coming weeks, McCandless said. Hosting a large event as numbers go up is too risky for our students. We respect the significant rise in COVID-19 cases. Combined with the hostile political environment around the decision to require masks in School District 2, postponing the event was the best possible choice.

However, fundraising for our schools is still possible through the Foundations SUV Raffle. More information is available at www.suvraffle4education.com.

Our hope is to hold Saturday Live at a later date once the current conditions return to a more normal, manageable range. More information will be shared once details are finalized, McCandless said.

Details on the Fun Run, usually held in tandem to Saturday Live, will be released in the near future as the Foundation finalizes the safest way to conduct the smaller event.

To learn more about the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools visit www.EFBPS.org. You can also reach the Foundation team at 406-281-5149 or by emailing Foundation@BillingsSchools.org.
BILLINGS - Two demonstrations regarding face mask rules in public schools were held Tuesday evening in Billings.

One group wants there to be a choice on masks in the classroom, saying the school district is overstepping its authority by requiring face coverings.

The other group supports the mandate and wants more protection for the children.

"I think the biggest piece is really maintaining safety for our K-8 population. Most of them are not able to vaccinate," SD2 parent Clementine Lindley said.

Cars lined up in front of Pioneer Park with signs, promoting masking in schools.

After several rallies were held in Billings by parents who want a choice on mask rules in public schools, this group showed up to support the other side of the coin.

"It's not just putting those children in danger, it's putting my own children in danger as well," Lindley said.

She points to last year's flu season as a sign that masks can make a change for the better.

"Last year in Billings we had zero cases of Influenza A or Influenza B while the children were required to wear masks," Lindley said.

She also says she just wants to give her kids as much protection as she can.

"My deduction is that masks do work to prevent the spread of germs and viruses, and maybe they don't prevent them completely, but they do help slow the spread," Lindley said.

But just a few blocks away, the pro-choice mask demonstration was taking place.

"We're not anti-masks, we're not anti-vaccine, and we think COVID-19 is a very real disease, and its impacted the world, but we support the governor, and we think he's supporting us," Luke Hudson, an organizer of the demonstration, said.

Governor Greg Gianforte said Tuesday, he thinks parents should have a choice when it comes to masks in schools.

In response, Billings Public Schools released a statement saying the mask mandate in schools is staying in place, but if parents want to opt out, they can keep their student at home for remote learning. Those are the two options.

"We feel very strongly that remote learning is not an equal education promised and guaranteed to us by the Montana State Constitution. We believe this is a parental rights issue, to make private health care decisions as a family, on whether to wear a medical device, like a mask, in public schools," Hudson said.
Weather Alert

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 9 PM MDT WEDNESDAY... The National Weather Service in Billings has issued a Red Flag Warning...which is in effect from 10 AM to 9 PM MDT Wednesday. * IMPACTS: Low humidities, unseasonably warm temperatures, strong gusty winds, and wind shift with a cold front will create erratic fire behavior and fire control problems. * AFFECTED AREA: In North Central WY Fire Zone...284. In South Central MT Fire Zones...123...124...125...126...127 128...129. In Southeast MT Fire Zones...130...131...132. In Southeast MT and Northwest SD Fire Zone...133. * COUNTIES AFFECTED: In Central MT...Golden Valley...Musselshell...Wheatland. In North Central WY...Big Horn...Johnson...Sheridan...Washakie. In Northwest SD...Harding. In South Central MT...Big Horn...Carbon...Park...Stillwater Sweet Grass...Yellowstone. In Southeast MT...Carter...Custer...Fallon...Powder River Rosebud...Treasure. In Southwest MT...Gallatin. * COLD FRONT: Late Wednesday afternoon and evening. * WIND: West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph, shifting to the north with the cold front. * HUMIDITY: As low as 13 percent. * TEMPERATURES: As high as 88 degrees. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. &&
HELENA, Mont. - The Montana medical and nursing community issued a statement in opposition to the emergency rule from the Department of Health and Human Services.

The statement comes from the Montana Medical Association, Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Montana Association of Pediatric Psychiatrists, Montana Nurses Association and Montana Primary Care Association.

The statement reads:

The medical and nursing community of Montana stands behind the clear research and science showing the widespread use of masks in schools can effectively reduce COVID-19 transmission as part of a layered public health approach to provide a safe learning environment for Montanas students. Todays emergency rule undermines an effective, proven public health measure to help keep our kids in school and our emergency rooms open.

We have strong research in support of masking. Masks protect our kids in the classroom and our communities. With cases continuing to climb, masking in schools will serve to limit the burden of serious health outcomes across our state and decrease avoidable COVID-19 disruption of school.

We appreciate the Governors acknowledgment that the rise in COVID-19 across Montana in recent weeks due to the introduction of the Delta variant calls for urgent action. However, this is a step back in keeping our communities safe and keeping local decision-making in the hands of our local public health officials and school systems.

The message from Montanas medical and nursing community is unified. Masking and vaccination and other evidence-based public health measures are our best tools to slow the current wave of COVID-19 and reduce harm in our local communities.
What was your favorite memory from summer 2021? Did you have a song of the summer you kept on constant repeat?
ROME, SEP 1 - Three-time ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi was hospitalised in Milan for fresh checks Wednesday as he struggles with long COVID, sources said. The media mogul and centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party leader, 84, spent a night in hospital last week for heart checks after returning from his holiday home in Sardinia. On Wednesday he once again returned to Milan's Sam Raffaele Hospital where his personal physician works. Berlusconi, who turns 85 next month, left hospital Friday afternoon after a clinical evaluation on a slight heart problem, sources said. He appeared in good physical shape. Berlusconi has been struggling with long COVID after suffering a bout of the virus last year. He was hospitalised from April 6 to May 1. He was then taken back to hospital in mid-May for further tests on his long COVID symptoms. (ANSA).
VATICAN CITY, SEP 1 - Pope Francis told a Spanish Catholic radio station Wednesday he hoped Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the highest-ranked cleric ever to face charges of financial crimes, was innocent of alleged embezzlement in a botched LOndon property deal. The former close aide of the pope is is among 10 defendants in the trial that started in late July stemming from a loss-making investment in a controversial property deal regarding a building on Sloane Avenue in London. Becciu, who last year resigned as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, is accused of embezzlement and abuse of office in relation to alleged wrongdoing when he was the Vatican's Substitute of the Secretariat of State. Francis told COPE Radio that it was right to try Becciu but "I desire with all my heart that he is innocent". The pope recalled that "he was an aide of mine and helped me a lot. "He is a person of whom I have a certain respect as a person, and my desire is that he should emerge well. "But it is an affectionate way of presuming innocence, after all. "As well as the presumption of innocence, I can't wait for him to emerge well. "Now it will be justice that decides." The trial restarts in the Vatican in October. The pope also told COPE Wednesday that he had never thought of resigning as his predecessor Benedict XVI did in 2013. He denied a rumour that had started in his native Argentina that he was set to quit last week. "It has never entered my head" to resign," the pontiff said. (ANSA).
MILAN, SEP 1 - The 17-year-old owner of an e-scooter on which a 13-year-old boy died in a fall on a cycle path near Milan Monday has been placed under investigation on suspicion of manslaughter for omitting due caution in giving his vehicle to a person under the age of 14, judicial sources said Wednesday. An autopsy has been ordered into the death of the boy, which has spurred the town of Sesto San Giovanni to introduce an order to wear helmets and respect speed limits on e-scooters, starting today, Wednesday. Meanwhile a 27-year-old woman fell off her e-scooter in Florence and suffered slight head injuries on Tuesday night. Calls for mandatory electronic-scooter helmets and speed limits are rising in Italy after the 13-year-old boy died, the latest in a string of such fatal accidents involving speeding segways across the country. Fabio Mosca lost his life when he lost his balance while speeding along a cycle path in Sesto San Giovanni on the outskirts of the Lombard capital. The mayor of Sesto, Roberto Di Stefano, made helmets mandatory for e-scooters in the town, effective Wednesday. He also set an e-scooter speed limit of 20 km/h on cycle paths and 5 km/h in pedestrian areas. Italy's association of driving schools said training courses, licenses and helmets should be made compulsory for electronic scooters and segways, just as they are for other two-wheeled vehicles. Politicians from across the spectrum called for helmets to be made obligatory. E-scooters are banned from public areas in other countries including the UK. (ANSA).
ROME, SEP 1 - Three-time ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi was hospitalised in Milan for a routine follow-up check Wednesday as he struggles with long COVID, sources said. The media mogul and centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party leader, 84, left the hospital after about an hour following the check-up. The veteran conservative leader spent a night in hospital last week for heart checks after returning from his holiday home in Sardinia. On Wednesday he once again returned to Milan's San Raffaele Hospital where his personal physician works. Berlusconi, who turns 85 next month, left hospital Friday afternoon after a clinical evaluation on a slight heart problem, sources said. He appeared in good physical shape. Berlusconi has been struggling with long COVID after suffering a bout of the virus last year. He was hospitalised from April 6 to May 1. He was then taken back to hospital in mid-May for further tests on his long COVID symptoms. (ANSA).
ROME, SEP 1 - Interior MInister Luciana Lamorgese said Wednesday the government will beef up measures to protect people against Web-based hate after a spate of attacks by anti-vaxxers against doctors, journalists and politicians including Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio. She said particular attention would be paid to intimidatory threats against journalists and others. Meanwhile postal police started examining illegal activities of anti-vaxxers on the Telegram portal. Italian anti-vaxxers posted death threats against 5-Star Movement (M5S) bigwig Di Maio in Telegram chat rooms on Tuesday. "Another rat to be executed", "we need lead", and "you must die", were some of the messages. Di Maio is among those who have become the target of anti-vax hate after statements in favour of Italy's vaccine rollout. He said this week "the whole political spectrum, and more, must condemn the violence we are seeing on the part of the so-called No Vax, who are protesting in unacceptable forms. "I appeal to all political forces too: you must not fan the flames". Rightwing leaders like the League's Matteo Salvini have said that while they condemn violence, they understand the anti-vaxxers' anger and no one should be forced to get the COVID jab. There have been a number of violent protests and other incidents involving anti-vaxxers in Italy recently. On Sunday night a top virologist, Matteo Bassetti, was accosted by a 46-year-old man who has been cited for issuing serious threats. The man reportedly came across Bassetti in the street and started following him, filming him on his phone and shouting at him: "You're going to kill all of us with these vaccines and we're going to make you pay". Bassetti, an expert in infectious diseases at Genoa's San Martino Hospital, appears regularly on Italian TV and urges people to get the COVID jab. Police said Tuesday that eight people had been cited for social-media threats against Bassetti over the last few months. Prosecutors said they may pursue the charge of stalking against the anti-vaxxers, a charge that could enable them to serve restraining orders on offenders or even put them under house arrest. Meanwhile in Rome Monday, a video journalist from La Repubblica daily was attacked by a protester at an anti-Green Pass sit-in outside the Education Ministry. And a pro-Green Pass teacher received a bullet in the mail. There have been several protests against the vaccine passport, which on Wednesday became obligatory for domestic air and long-distance rail travel, as well as schools. Bassetti told ANSA: "I ask for the State's protection vis a vis people who threaten, I should like the State to punish these people. "I don't want escorts, I want the State to punish people who threaten. "I've been threatened since December, since the vaccine came out: first anonymous letters, then threats by phone in the clinic and at my wife's hotel, it's been continuous". The interior ministry said the right to protest was guaranteed in Italy, but not that to make threats. Italy's privacy watchdog said anti-vaxxers had been posting private details such as the addresses and phone numbers of doctors, journalists, politicians and representatives of institutions in chat rooms and this activity was illegal. Health Minister Roberto Speranza said "solidarity to the many struck by threats or violent attacks. From Minister Di Maio to professor Bassetti, to the journalists, there are now too many suffering invective and attacks by fringes of violent protesters. They are stepping over the limit. Violence can never be tolerated". Interior Undersecretary Carlo Sibilia said anyone blocking rail circulation Wednesday would be committing a crime and "we will have to be intransigent on this". (ANSA).
VATICAN CITY, SEP 1 - Pope Francis also told a Spanish Catholic radio station Wednesday that he had never thought of resigning as his predecessor Benedict XVI did in 2013. He denied a rumour that had started in his native Argentina that he was set to quit last week. "It has never entered my head" to resign," the pontiff told COPE Radio. "One word may be interpreted in one way or another, no? These things happen. What do I know...I don't know where they got last week that I was about to present my resignation! What word did they take in my country. That's where the news came out," said the 84-year-old pontiff. "And they say it became a scoop, when it never even entered my head. Faced with rather distorted interpretations of some of my words, I usually keep silent, because clearing it up is sometimes worse". Francis also said he hoped Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the highest-ranked cleric ever to face charges of financial crimes, was innocent of alleged embezzlement in a botched London property deal. The former close aide of the pope is is among 10 defendants in the trial that started in late July stemming from a loss-making investment in a controversial property deal regarding a building on Sloane Avenue in London. Becciu, who last year resigned as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, is accused of embezzlement and abuse of office in relation to alleged wrongdoing when he was the Vatican's Substitute of the Secretariat of State. Francis told COPE Radio that it was right to try Becciu but "I desire with all my heart that he is innocent". The pope recalled that "he was an aide of mine and helped me a lot. "He is a person of whom I have a certain respect as a person, and my desire is that he should emerge well. "But it is an affectionate way of presuming innocence, after all. "As well as the presumption of innocence, I can't wait for him to emerge well. "Now it will be justice that decides." The trial ressumes in the Vatican in October. (ANSA).
ROME, SEP 1 - The government's COVID-19 Green Pass vaccine passport became compulsory for travel on long-distance trains, buses and domestic airplanes on Wednesday amid an alert for announced protests by anti-vaxxers. Police heightened security at train stations overnight against the anti-vaxxers, who had threatened to block trains Wednesday afternoon. But the planned protests largely failed to materialise, apart from a 30-strong demo outside Rome's Termini Station including militants from the far-right Forza Nuova movement. In Naples only two demonstrators came to the main rail station while in Genoa about a dozen protesters turned out, and in Turin one man was arrested. Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese had said there would be a zero tolerance policy against anyone found guilty of trying to interrupt a public service, which is a c rime in Italy. Foreign MInister Luigi Di Maio, who has received death threats on social media for his pro-vax stances, warned that "blocking the possibility of moving means repressing freedom". Trade unions had also warned against the planned blockade saying "anyone who decides to interrupt services, in the name of the freedom to not get vaccinated, will not have our support". Meanwhile Education Minister Patrizio Bianchi announced the introduction on September 13, when most Italian schools reopen, of a 'super app' that will check the Green Pass at school, where it will also be obligatory. Only head teachers will check the vaccine passport, he said. On Wednesday two Turin teachers at a school that has opened early said they had been denied entry because they did not have the pass. Meanwhile conductors have returned to Italy's buses after many years off to check the Green Passes. The Pass provides proof of having had at least one COVID jab, although most people have now had two. (ANSA).
LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo.  The Missouri State Highway Patrol has released more details about a weekend tragedy on the water that left a St. Charles man dead and four people with the ill-effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The incident occurred in a 2003 Cabin Cruiser, in Ha Ha Tonka cove, at around 9:45 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21. The Patrol says there was a carbon monoxide leak inside, and five people began experiencing physical effects from it. After emergency personnel arrived, 66-year-old Steven Sutton, of St. Charles, was pronounced dead at 11:01 p.m.

Injuries were listed for four other people: 44-year-old Cindy Long, of Cameron, Mo.; 45-year-old Brian Long, of Cameron, Mo.; 57-year-old Claire Sutton, of St. Charles, Mo.; and 63-year-old Thomas Dempsey, of Osage Beach, Mo. Three of the four refused treatment at the scene; Brian Long was taken by EMS to Lake Regional Hospital for treatment.
In a letter sent to President Carolyn Biddy Martin a week ago, the students said the guidelines are not based on any given data, have been developed without student input, are significantly stricter than our peer institutions, and are in conflict with (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines.

The restrictions originally announced Aug. 24 and designed in response to the spread of the delta variant apply to the first two weeks of the fall semester, which began Monday.

The prestigious private liberal arts college celebrating its 200th anniversary this year had already mandated vaccinations for students, faculty and staff.

In response to the student pushback, Martin explained the necessity of the rules in another campuswide email on Aug. 27.

We are in the midst of a surge, and you are arriving on campus from all over the country and the world, including from delta hotspots," she said, adding later: Now is not yet the time to relax key restrictions."

She did, however, amend a near-universal outdoor mask mandate, calling it unworkable," and said masks are now only required outdoors at high-density gatherings over a sustained time period."
Our Chamber mission is to promote the positive assets of the Lake Geneva region to the world, and to make it the best place in America to do business.

We also thought it would be fun to ask some of Stephanies colleagues at Visit Lake Geneva how they view their roles.

Visit Lake Geneva empowers and engages businesses, connects businesses with one another for collaboration, and advocates for resources to help businesses thrive.  (and) employs its marketing strength to highlight the business community and promote the region as a world-class destination to live, work and visit.  Deanna Goodwin, marketing director

The Chamber is the people, businesses and organizations.  We are stronger together and when our businesses succeed, we succeed. This is what our community is about. People working for and with each other to make everyone better.  Christi Hunter, partnership manager

The community is first and foremost, and the Chamber itself should take immense pride in that. The city that I have loved my whole life gets even bigger, and I know it will only get better.  Ethan Buck, marketing coordinator and the newest member of Visit Lake Genevas staff

While its nice and we appreciate Governor Evers proclamation of Chamber month, the Visit Lake Geneva team is committed to upholding its mission to serve the community with passion and pride every day of every year. Let us know how were doing. Listening is a big part of the job.

Stephanie Klett is the President and CEO of Visit Lake Geneva, and the former Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. Bill Barth is the former Editor of the Beloit Daily News, and a member of the Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame.
Colleen Walker recalled the stress of a virtual school year. She was pregnant with a fifth child during the first semester, and then raising a newborn through the second. So for the Walkers, this first day of school brought relief along with uncertainty.

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Nearby, John and Tess Treutelaar stood with their two daughters  4-year old Gwyn and her little sister Willow. John Treutelaar felt optimistic, he said, but still cautious.

Its a balancing act, he said.

Treutelaar said he is excited for his daughters to spend the year at Williams Bay Elementary. Gwyn and Willow beamed, surrounded by peers they will learn and play with in the coming months.

Many parents are grateful for the prospect of an in-person year, and hope virtual schooling does not become necessary.

I think its going to be a great new year for the kids, Scott Sweet said.

Sweet has two children attending Lake Genevas Central-Denison Elementary, a school he said the family has been very happy with. Sweets kids are entering kindergarten and third grade.
Eric Hurlock is digital editor at Lancaster Farming and host of the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast. He can be reached at (717) 721-4462 or ehurlock@lancasterfarming.com
With rootworm beetles emerging from underground, this is the time of year to notice goosenecking corn and/or really high numbers of rootworm beetles in fields, both of which can be indicators of populations of rootworm beetles that are thriving.
Maryland farmers markets are hoping for another booming season as they prepare to reopen in 2021.
The recently launched Samsung Galaxy M32 5G smartphone will go on sale tomorrow in India. The budget 5G offering from the Korean tech giant will be made available at 12 PM IST via Amazon.in, Samsung's official website and offline retail stores. The main highlights of the phone are octa-core MediaTek SoC, quad-rear cameras, Knox security, Infinity-V display, Android 11 OS, 5000mAh battery and more. The phone supports 12 5G bands. It will be available in two colours - Slate Black and Sky Blue. The handset was launched in two storage configurations - 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 128GB. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Exynos Model Spotted on Geekbench; Specs Leaked Ahead of Launch.

The base 6GB + 128GB model is priced at Rs 20,999 whereas the 8GB + 128GB variant costs Rs 22,999. As a part of the launch offer, the handset will be offered with an instant discount of Rs 2,000 on transactions via ICICI Bank credit cards and EMI.

Samsung Galaxy M32 5G Online Sale (Photo Credits: Amazon)

The Galaxy M32 5G boasts a 6.5-inch HD+ TFT Infinity-V display with a standard 60Hz of refresh rate. It comes powered by an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 720 SoC. The processor is coupled with up to 8GB RAM and 128GB of built-in storage. The onboard storage can be expandable up to 1TB via a microSD card. It runs Android 11 with OneUI 3.1 on top.

Samsung Galaxy M32 5G (Photo Credits: Samsung)

For photography, the Galaxy M32 5G comes equipped with a 48MP primary sensor which is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens and two 2MP sensors for macro and depth sensors. Upfront, there is a 13MP snapper housed under the notch for selfies and video calls. The phone packs a 5,000mAh battery supporting 15W fast charging.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 01, 2021 11:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Riyadh, September 1: Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Education has banned students from using mobile phones in schools. Saudi Arabia opened schools for in-person classes on August 30. Only fully vaccinated students aged above 12 can return to school. Students were allowed to take their phones to schools to show their COVID-19 vaccination status via the Tawakkalna app. However, they are now no longer allowed to carry mobile phones in schools. Saudi Arabia Lifts Quarantine Rules for Fully-Vaccinated Indians, Says They Can Return Directly to the Kingdom Without Quarantine.

While banning students from using mobile phone, the Ministry of Education instructed school administration to check the daily updates of students' health status on the Tawakkalna Web, according to Saudi Press Agency. New students and those who have recovered from COVID-19 require to submit a print out of their health status on Tawakkalna system, or send a copy of it to the mobile phone of the school administration. Saudi Arabia: Drone Attack on Abha Airport Wounds 8, Damages Civilian Plane.

The Ministry of Education further clarified: "The school administration has the exception to allow bringing mobile phone out of necessity according to its evaluation, and this includes the case of students whose health conditions require the need to bring the mobile to the school, provided that its kept with the administration." It also said that filming in schools and educational facilities is prohibited for all education staff, students and their parents.

Schools in Saudi Arabia had been shut due to the coronavirus pandemic. For the past 17 months, online classes were ongoing. Schools reopened on August 30. Six million fully-jabbed students from more than 25,000 schools in the country resumed their in-person education on the first day.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 01, 2021 05:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
In an address to the nation on Tuesday, President Joe Biden has defended his decision to end the U.S. war in Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of conflict.

Joe Biden's address came 11 days before the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that triggered the intervention of the U.S. in Afghanistan.

The president's address also came after the U.S. completed its withdrawal on the South Asian country on Monday, although some Americans remain in the said country.

READ NEXT: As Joe Biden Admits He Bears Responsibility for Kabul Attacks, Rep. Cawthorn Calls on Kamala Harris to Remove the President

Joe Biden Says Nation Building Era of U.S. is Over as Afghanistan War Ends

During remarks at the White House, Joe Biden said that he was the fourth chief executive of the U.S. who faced the dilemma of when or whether to end the almost 20-year war in Afghanistan.

Biden also recalled that he made a "commitment" to end the war when he was running for president, adding that completing the withdrawal fulfilled his commitment back then.

"It was time to be honest with the American people; we no longer had a clear purpose in an open-ended mission in Afghanistan," the president said.

The president also defended his decision to withdraw from the South Asian country, saying it's not only about Afghanistan.

"It's about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries," Biden noted.

The president also said the U.S. was able to evacuate 90 percent of Americans who wanted to leave Afghanistan. For those remaining Americans, the president said there's no deadline and vowed to get them out of the country if they wish to.

Joe Biden noted that leaving on August 31 is not due to an arbitrary deadline, and it was designed to save American lives.

"It was time to end this war. I was not going to extend this forever war, and I was not extending a forever exit," the president said.

On Monday, Marine Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, commander of U.S Central Command, said that fewer than "250" Americans remain in Afghanistan as the U.S. withdrawal concluded on the same day.

McKenzie further noted that the administration would shift to diplomatic operations headed by the State Department in rescuing the remaining Americans in the said country.

House Introduces Bill Increasing Visa Cap to Afghan Partners; Senate Bill Helping Americans and Afghanistan Becomes Law

The House and Senate are moving to help the Afghan and American evacuees. On Tuesday, lawmakers from the House of Representatives introduced a bipartisan bill that would increase the visa cap for Afghan partners by 10,000.

Also known as the Showing American Values by Evacuating Afghan Partners Act, the said bill would increase the Special Immigrant Visa for Afghan interpreters and vulnerable partners.

Representatives Jason Crow and Peter Meijer proposed the said bill. Meanwhile, the bill signed by the Senate on Tuesday was signed into law by Joe Biden on the same day.

Known as the "Emergency Repatriation Assistance for Returning Americans Act," the said law would provide $10 million emergency funds per year - this year and next year - to help American evacuees from Afghanistan with necessities and adjust to their life back home.

The bill introduced by the House lawmakers and the bill passed by Senate that was signed into law would help the more than 123,000 people composed of Afghans and Americans that the U.S. evacuated as the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

READ MORE: Another U.S. Military Drone Strike Kills Suicide Bombers in Afghanistan, Official Says

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: President Joe Biden: 'The War in Afghanistan is Now Over' - From CNBC Television
As the Taliban gained full control of Kabul and Afghanistan after the U.S. military left on Monday evening, "house-to-house executions" were reported.

According to Fox News, horrifying audio of distant gunshots appeared to confirm this report. An Afghan man who worked with Americans on the ground provided the audio clip to Fox News.

The Afghan man was able to record the sound of distant gunshots, demonstrating the executions happening in the country around the time the final U.S. plane left Kabul and providing a glimpse into the extremist militants' rule over the country.

He said he thinks there is a conflict between the Taliban. He added that he does not know where he was as he hid in an unknown location and has no idea how to leave.

"From everywhere, I hear the sounds of shooting, gunfire," the Afghan man noted.

A senior U.S. source told Fox News that Taliban militants were carrying out "house-to-house executions" in Kabul after the U.S. exit.

It was earlier reported that President Joe Biden said U.S. officials in Kabul may have handed out a list of American citizens, green card holders, and Afghan allies to the Taliban.

The so-called "kill list" was intended to help people get through to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. It caused outrage from military officials behind the scenes. Many fear the extremist group will use it to kill those named on it.

One defense official noted that the people who made the list just put all those Afghans on a kill list. A former translator for a high-ranking U.S. Army Ranger told Fox News on Wednesday that the Taliban began executing allies of the U.S. in public. The translator said this is happening in provinces away from the media in Kabul.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Admits Donald Trump's Deal With Taliban Resulted in a Year Without Combat Death in Afghanistan

Taliban Celebrating U.S. Exit

Some videos had shown Taliban fighters celebrating the U.S. exit with gunfire and seized the airport in Kabul. The Taliban reportedly took control of the airport before dawn on Tuesday.

Celebratory gunfire can be heard across the capital of Afghanistan, Business Insider reported. Nabih Bulos of Los Angeles Times shared a video of Taliban fighters entering parts of Kabul airport that the U.S earlier controlled. Taliban fighters entering a hangar had been seen looking at the equipment of the U.S. military that was left behind.

A U.S. general earlier said that the U.S. had permanently disabled vehicles and aircraft upon departure so they could never be used again.

Marine Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, commander of U.S Central Command, announced the completion of the military's exit in the country on Monday. He said the U.S. planes had departed before midnight in Kabul.

McKenzie noted that they did not get everybody they wanted to get out, NPR reported. But President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that there's no deadline for those remaining Americans and vowed to get them out of the country if they wish to.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that Afghanistan has its full independence after American soldiers left the country.

Calls for Joe Biden's Resignation

Several Republican lawmakers had blamed Joe Biden for leaving Americans behind, recalling the president's previous statement that he will not leave Afghanistan until all Americans are safely evacuated, Independent reported.

Rep. Darin LaHood took on Twitter to express his sentiments. LaHood said Biden had deemed his promise to Taliban more important than his vow to bring stranded Americans home.

Rep. Jody Hice noted that if Joe Biden refuses to resign, he must be impeached. Hice added that what happened is an absolute disgrace.

Florida congressman and Republican Mike Waltz tweeted that the war in Afghanistan has not ended. He added that the terrorism in Afghanistan will not stay in the war-torn country as it will spread "like cancer and follow us home."

READ MORE: Taliban Got Hold of a U.S.-Made Super-Surveillance System

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Taliban Take Over Kabul Airport - From BBC News






Researchers have recently flagged a new COVID variant identified as C.1.2 as "concerning." However, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the COVID variant does not appear to be spreading.

WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris noted that the new COVID variant does not appear to be increasing in circulation, Global News reported. Harris said the agency has not yet classified the variant first discovered in South Africa as a "variant of concern."

The variant was first detected in May, and it has spread to a majority of the country's provinces and seven other countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania.

According to a study published last week that is yet to be peer-reviewed, South African scientists noted that the C.1.2 possessed a large number of mutations, which includes increased transmissibility and resistance to antibodies fighting the disease.

READ NEXT: Dr. Anthony Fauci Supports COVID Vaccine Mandates for School Children, Says It's a 'Good Idea'

C.1.2 COVID Variant

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa is still observing the frequency of the C.1.2 and examine how it behaves. The Guardian reported that tests to gauge the impact of the mutations it possesses on infectiousness and vaccine resistance are ongoing.

It has not yet fulfilled WHO's criteria to qualify it as a variant of concern or interest. However, an alert was issued due to the particular mutations that C.1.2 contains.

University of Sydney's Central Clinical School, Dr. Megan Steain, said it contains key mutations that they saw in other variants that have become variants of interest or concern.

Steain noted that when they see those particular mutations, they would like to keep an eye on the variant to see what it is going to do. The said mutations can affect things such as its immune response hesitancy and faster transmission.

The medical expert admitted that there is a lot of work to be done. She added that they are still at a point where the said variant could die out, with the prevalence being really low.

Steain assured that there was no need to panic. But it is important to keep an eye on other variants out there and see how they develop.

Dr. Daniel Rhoads, section head of microbiology at the Cleveland Clinic, said he would not lose any sleep over the new COVID variant. Rhoads added that the Delta variant is the real problem now and much more concerning for him, USA Today reported.

William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, echoed the same sentiments of other medical experts.

Hanage said the C.1.2 does not go toe-to-toe with Delta. Other variants such as lambda and gamma had been prevalent in South America, but they did not do much damage in the U.S.

Hanage noted that C.1.2 has to be something special to catch up with how advanced Delta is already. He said that at the moment, the variant does not show any signs of becoming like that.

READ MORE: More Than 5,000 Students in a Single Florida School District Quarantined or Isolated Due to COVID

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: South Africa Detects New coronavirus C.1.2 Variant - From FRANCE 24 English






Laci Peterson's loved ones are preparing for Scott Peterson's possible new trial 17 years after his conviction for the murders of his pregnant wife and their unborn son.

According to OK Magazine, Laci's family is feeling stressed about the possibility of a new trial, with one source saying that there was no closure and that "the nightmare continues" every day. The source added that it has been painful every single day since Christmas Eve of 2002.

Laci's mother, Sharon Rocha, has reportedly been having a difficult time with the news and has continued to be devastated after all these years.

The source said that Laci's mother has been so strong for so long, but she cannot go through reliving the incident again and again.

The source noted that the family has been thinking about Laci Peterson, who they knew and loved, rather than focusing on Scott Peterson. The insider added that the family strongly believes that the right person is in prison.

READ NEXT: Scott Peterson Murder Case: Sister-in-Law Says New Evidence Will Prove He's Innocent of Killing Pregnant Wife

Scott Peterson's Request for New Trial

Scott Peterson appeared in court last week to petition for a new trial, citing juror misconduct, People reported. Peterson's lawyers claimed that one of the jurors committed misconduct by not disclosing she had been a crime victim.

They said the juror did not disclose that she had sought a restraining order against her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend in 2000 to get on the jury to convict Scott Peterson. Thus, the lawyers claimed that Peterson did not get a fair trial.

The 48-year-old suspect was sentenced to death in 2005. He remained on death row until last year, when his death sentence was overturned.

Scott Peterson is now serving a life sentence after being convicted in 2004 of killing his wife and unborn child.

Based on the California Supreme Court ruling in October, the lower court should take a second look at the murder case to determine whether Peterson's guilty verdict should be overturned and whether he should face a new trial. The judge, who is evaluating the allegations of juror misconduct, has not yet issued a ruling on the latest arguments.

Scott's sister-in-law, Janey Peterson, has earlier spoken out. She said there was new evidence that showed that his brother-in-law did not murder Laci Peterson and their unborn child, Conner.

Janey, who is married to Peterson's older brother, said that the commonly accepted timeline of the Laci Peterson murder case is wrong.

She said there was evidence completely ignored and that showed that Laci Peterson was alive after Scott Peterson "left for the day."

Laney believed that Laci Peterson had a confrontation with men who were robbing the house across the street on the day she went missing.

Janey claimed that these burglars killed Laci and framed Scott Peterson by disposing of her body in an area where his brother-in-law happened to be fishing at the time.

Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant with their son when she was reported missing on Dec. 24, 2002. Four months after she went missing, locals found two decomposed bodies washed ashore in the San Francisco Bay.

Scott Peterson was arrested on April 18, 2003. It was the same day the two decomposed bodies were identified as Laci and Conner.

Scott Peterson's Murder Case

Scott Peterson was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder. He was initially sentenced to death by lethal injection, ABC News reported.

Investigators noted that Scott Peterson has bought a brand new boat 15 days before Laci disappeared. They also discovered that Scott was having an affair with massage therapist Amber Frey, at the time, of his wife's disappearance.

Frey told investigators that Scott Peterson told her that he was not married and admitted that they had a romantic relationship.

Peterson's attorney, Pat Harris, earlier said that the defense would be ready if his client were granted a new trial. In this coming trial, Harris noted that he wants the public to listen to the evidence rather than emotion.

San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Anne-Christine Massullo has scheduled the next hearing on September 22.

READ MORE: Scott Peterson Wants a New Trial in His Murder Case

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Scott Peterson Could Be One Step Closer To A New Trial - From TODAY






Two years after the smuggling attempt of $1 billion worth of cocaine through the Port of Philadelphia, the final cargo ship crewman charged was sentenced to not less than seven years imprisonment on Tuesday.

The federal judge handed out the sentence after the crewman revealed that he had no choice but to participate in the smuggling attempt or he would face death at the hands of the murderous drug cartel.

$1 Billion Worth of Cocaine Seized at Philadelphia Port

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the 28-year-old ship's electrician, Aleksandar Kavaja, said that five days prior in setting sail on the MSC Gayane carrying 20 tons of the illegal drug, a man cornered him at a cafe in Montenegro.

Kavaja noted that the stranger did not disclose his name but told him he knew who he was and where his family lived.

Kavaja also claimed that the man who cornered him handed him a cellphone and instructed him that once at sea, he should use it to coordinate with cocaine suppliers in South America, who would be meeting the ship on its journey.

The electrician added that the man left just as mysteriously he has arrived but paused to impart a threat. The attorney of Kavaja, Andres Jalon, asked the court Tuesday what were his client's choices.

Jalon noted that if his client did not get on the board or went to the authorities, he would be dead by now.

"He's going to get killed. If he refuses to cooperate while they're at sea, he's going to get thrown over the side," Jalon said.

Aside from Kavaja, the same narrative of menacing cartel figures and intrigue on the accounts of the high sea were also shared by almost all of the other Gayane crewmen who have sought mercy while facing sentencing in front of U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III.

READ NEXT: Dominican Republic Seizes 57 Packages of Cocaine in Puerto Haina Oriental to Be Shipped to Philadelphia

Drug Cartel's Total Control Overseas

While the eight members of the ship's crew were now serving prison terms, the men ultimately responsible for smuggling drugs and who stood to profit most likely remain free and unknown to authorities.

Investigators have closely guarded the details of any progress they've made in tracing the source of the drugs, from the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, where the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents discovered the illicit cargo in 2019, to Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the drugs were ultimately bound.

Produced in South America, the cocaine was packed for transport to Montenegro, a tiny nation that focuses on staffing international shipping vessels that cartels capitalized on moving cocaine through Europe.

The crewmen have also remained tight-lipped. Just like Kavaja, they said they never knew the identities of the men who recruited them in smuggling the drugs.

READ MORE: Florida Parents Charged With Murder After Toddler Dies From Cocaine, Fentanyl Intoxication

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Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: $1 Billion in Cocaine Seized at Philly Port, Crew Charged - From NBC10 Philadelphia
One family from California was believed to be stranded in Afghanistan, as seven others were reported to be evacuated from the Taliban-controlled country.

The Cajon Valley Union School District confirmed the news on Tuesday afternoon, saying they are looking for other avenues to rescue the said family from California.

The family, who was from El Cajon, was left behind as the last troops from the U.S. left Afghanistan on August 30, 10 News reported. The family that was left behind in Afghanistan reportedly includes three students.

"We are exploring strategies to rescue and bring them home," the district said in a statement.

Cajon Valley spokesperson Howard Shen told Fox News that they were devising alternative strategies to get the families out because the airlift is no longer a way to bring them home.

READ NEXT: Last Plane Carrying Americans Departs Afghanistan as Pres. Joe Biden Breaks Promise to Stay Until Every American Evacuated

7 California Families Evacuated From Afghanistan

Earlier on Tuesday, reports surfaced that two of the eight California families from Cajun were stuck in Afghanistan as the U.S. withdrawal in the country concluded. But on Tuesday afternoon, one of the two California families was confirmed by the school district to reach safety.

The district noted that a total of seven adults and 14 children were now safe in their homes in El Cajon. The district noted that two California families are already in the U.S. and flying home to their district, while one more family was reported to be out of Afghanistan and making their way back to the U.S.

"Students returned to school this week to the open arms of their children and classmates," the district said.

The said families were reported to travel to Afghanistan separately in early May and late June, weeks before the crisis in the country unfolded.

Apart from announcing the number of California families who are now in safety, the district also offered their gratitude to Representative Darrel Issa's office for helping them bring the families home.

Fox News reported that Issa's office is among the congressional offices involved in helping their constituents and groups of Afghan allies to reach safety by getting them in touch with the NGOs, and State and Defense Department officials on the ground.

White House Corrects President Joe Biden's Claims on the Percent Rate of Americans Evacuated

The White House on Tuesday corrected President Joe Biden's claims that 90 percent of Americans have been evacuated from Afghanistan.

In an official transcript released by the White House, the word 90 was seen with a strikethrough and added 98 in parenthesis. The Biden administration has not yet released the official number of Americans or U.S. citizens who remained in the country.

Marine Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, commander of U.S Central Command, on Monday said that fewer than "250" Americans remain in Afghanistan.

However, El Cajon Valley Union School District noted that their employees and rescued families estimate that more than a thousand children who are either U.S. citizens or the children of SIVs are still stuck in Afghanistan.

According to McKenzie, the U.S. has evacuated more than 6,000 American civilians, whom they believe was the "vast majority" of those Americans who wanted to leave Afghanistan.

READ MORE: Another U.S. Military Drone Strike Kills Suicide Bombers in Afghanistan, Official Says

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: El Cajon Family of 5 Makes Harrowing Escape From Afghanistan - From ABC 10 News
A plane carrying 175 Afghans, who fled from Afghanistan, arrived in Mexico on Tuesday night on one of the last flights to leave Kabul on the day U.S. forces completed their withdrawal from the strife-torn country.

Mexican officials welcomed the latest group to arrive from Afghanistan that is now being controlled by Taliban Islamist militants after the U.S. forces left.

Mexico Grants Entry of Afghans on Humanitarian Grounds

According to Reuters, it was the fourth group of Afghans granted entry by Mexico on humanitarian grounds. Based on the statement of the Mexican foreign ministry, the latest group that arrived on Mexican soil included independent journalists and activists accompanied by their families.

Out of the 175 fleeing Afghans, 75 were children. Over the past week, three previous flights from Afghanistan to Mexico included media workers from the South Asian country and members of prominent U.S.-based newspapers.

A source with knowledge of the evacuation operation told Reuters that the latest group to arrive in Mexico included journalists from Afghan news outlets TOLO TV and Arman FM radio.

The Mexican foreign ministry noted that more Afghan civilians were expected to arrive in Mexico in the coming days. However, the number of individuals who would be arriving was not specified.

Facebook also backed the evacuation effort of bringing Afghan journalists to Mexico. The social media giant acknowledged its support for the airlift in a brief statement sent to Reuters on Tuesday.

READ NEXT: U.S. 'Star Wars Robot' Tasked with Shooting Down Missiles Stops ISIS-K Rocket Attack on U.S. Planes Leaving Kabul Airport

Mexico Welcomes Afghan All-Girls Robotics Team

Days after the Taliban takeover, Mexico has welcomed its first group of refugees from Afghanistan. All five members of the internationally recognized Afghan all-girls robotics team and one man arrived in Mexico City.

Mexico's Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard welcomed the group of Afghan refugees during their arrival Tuesday last week.

"Welcome to your home," Ebrard noted. Ebrard added that the Mexican government would grant them "whatever legal status they consider best."

The offered entry by the country on humanitarian grounds grant includes the possible asylum or refugee status. One member of the robotics group thanked the government of Mexico and said that the country saved their lives.

The young women were members of the known all-girls robotics team, who traveled across six different countries to reach Mexico. The group has competed in various robotics competitions in the world.

The team left Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the country last month. They were worried as the Taliban have been hostile to women working or going to school after a certain age, especially they were well known in their country and could be easily identified.

READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden Addresses End of U.S. War in Afghanistan, Signs Bill to Provide Assistance for Returning Americans

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Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Afghan Refugee Group Arrives in Mexico After Fleeing Taliban Rule - From Al Jazeera English
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Ireland took a huge blow when it was ravaged by the infamous Potato Blight for five years between 1845 and 1850.

However, Ireland's status quo as a nation with a dwindling population seems to have been broken, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The CSO has revealed that the population of the Emerald Isle is actually now at its highest since 1851, with an estimated 5,011,500 people living here,.

Other notable findings from the agency include:

1,426,000 people live in Dublin, roughly 28.5 per cent of the total population.

645,500 foreign nationals currently reside in Ireland, making up just under 13 per cent of the population.

A Total Net Migration of 11,200

30,200 returning nationals and 22,800 nationals leaving the country to start a new life abroad.

Another notable finding was that the elderly population (742,300 people) has experienced an increase of just under 18 per cent since 2016.

The CSO also reported that there were 55,500 births and 32,700 deaths in the year to April, giving a natural increase in the population of 22,800.

"This is the lowest level of natural increase recorded since the 2000 population estimates", the group explained.

Previously in 2019, Ireland's population was reported to be 4.904 million.

Statistician James Hegarty told RTE News about the CSO's latest figures: "Ireland's population was estimated to be 5.01 million in April 2021, which is the first time the population has risen above five million since the 1851 census, when the comparable population was 5.11 million."

He added that the total population on the island of Ireland in 1851 was 6.6 million, and that the results were also indicative of demographic and social impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the nation.

The Central Statistics Office is the statistical organisation responsible for the gathering of "information relating to economic, social and general activities and conditions" in Ireland.

It uses the National Census, which is held every five years, to guide their findings and predictions.

The CSO also made headlines recently when it was nominated by the Cork Digital Marketing Awards in 2 categories: Best Use of Twitter (Employees 50+) and Best Social Media Campaign.
The Government has agreed and announced Irelands plan for the next and final phase of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19: Reframing the Challenge, Continuing Our Recovery and Reconnecting.

There are a number of key dates in the reopening plan with almost all remaining restrictions lifted by October 22.

The first major milestones are September 1, September 6 and September 20 when some restrictions will be eased, including the return to 100% capacity on public transport from September 1, a return to indoor events for vaccinated people on September 6 and a phased return of workers to offices from September 20.

From October 22, most other restrictions will be scrapped, including requirements for physical distancing; requirements for mask wearing outdoors and in indoor private settings and limits on numbers at indoor and outdoor events and activities.

Beyond that, the measures that will remain in place (likely until at least next spring) include:

- self-isolation when we have symptoms

- mask wearing in healthcare settings, indoor retail and on public transport
School secretaries are to stage a one-day strike on Wednesday, September 15 at the Department of Finance and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

The strike will be staged as part of an ongoing dispute over their pay and conditions.

Forsa, the union representing school secretaries, has accused both departments of effectively blocking the implementation of a Government commitment to standardise their pay and conditions.

The union also claims that most school secretaries earn just 12,500 a year, with inconvenient and irregular short-term contracts that leave many of them with no choice but to sign on during the summer holidays and other school breaks.

In addition, Forsa has revealed that it is currently balloting school caretakers, who will join the strike on September 15 if the ballot result backs strike action.

Commenting ahead of the strike to The Irish Examiner, Andy Pike, head of education with Forsa, explained: "They (the secretaries) had a reasonable expectation that a solution would be in place by now."

"They have campaigned and made their case, which has won broad public and political support.

He added that school secretaries around the country "have been badly let down", and feel that industrial action is the only option left for them to use in order to make their voices heard.

Previously in 2020, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar gave a commitment in the Dail to end the system of pay inequality, and in July of last year, the Department of Education put forward an increase of 50 cent an hour.
Ireland West Airport today welcomed the launch by Ryanair of their two new services to Edinburgh and Manchester. Both services will initially operate twice weekly and operate on a year round basis.

These new services will provide a major boost for the airport and the region as it restores critically important connectivity between the West of Ireland and Manchester and Edinburgh.

Ryanair now offer passengers a choice of 13 destinations across the UK and Europe to and from the airport in 2021. This week will also see the return of Ryanairs seasonal service to Milan, which commences this Friday, and will now operate twice weekly all year round and further good news sees the return of the East Midlands service on Friday, for the first time in almost nine months, which will be a welcome boost for users of the service.

Welcoming passengers from Edinburgh off the inaugural flight, Joe Gilmore, Managing Director, Ireland West Airport commented The airport are delighted to launch these two new services with Ryanair to Manchester and Edinburgh - two long standing services which the airport are thrilled to have been able to secure the return of. We thank Ryanair for their continued unwavering support for the airport in expanding their route network during this challenging period. Following the continued successful roll out of the vaccination programmes, both here and in the UK, and the implementation of the EU Digital Covid Certificate, we are pleased to have seen a very strong recovery in passenger numbers for the month of August and the trends are looking positive for a busy winter season. The addition by Ryanair of these two new services and the extension of both our Malaga and Milan services through the winter for the first time is very welcome and a strong vote of confidence by Ryanair in the airport

Mindful that Covid restrictions change regularly, customers can now book flights for a well-deserved break knowing that if they need to postpone or change their travel dates, they can do so up to two times with a zero-change fee until the end of October 2021.

For further airport information log onto www.irelandwestairport.com; and for information on fares and to book flights log onto www.ryanair.com
The vaccination centres in the West and North West have hit the milestone of delivering 500,000 vaccines since the first vaccination centre opened at the end of February.

Paul Hooton, Saolta Executive Lead for the rollout of the vaccination programme in the West and North West said, This is a fantastic achievement and a tribute to the incredible team of staff we have working at our six vaccination centres and a number of satellite centres in the region. I would like to thank all our vaccinators, pharmacists, site managers, registration and administration staff, the student nurses and the many support staff including security, cleaners and wellness checkers. We are also indebted to the members of the Defence Forces who have provided invaluable and immeasurable support to the vaccination programme, along with the many volunteers from the Civil Defence, Order of Malta, St John Ambulance and the Irish Red Cross.

And to all the people of Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo and Galway, I would like to say thank you for your overwhelming support and in the early days for your patience when we were still figuring out the queueing system and timings. Your co-operation was very much appreciated.

Being able to provide the Covid-19 vaccine to so many people and to play some role in moving on from the pandemic has been an absolute privilege. There are still plenty of opportunities to get the vaccine and we are running walk-in clinics every week to make it as easy as possible.
As a result of an outbreak of COVID-19 at Sligo University Hospital, which is impacting a number of wards, visiting restrictions have been introduced at the hospital.

From Thursday, September 2 to Wednesday, September 9 there will be no visiting allowed to the hospital apart from the maternity department where partners can visit and the paediatric department where parents or guardians may visit.

Exceptions will be made on compassionate grounds and these visits should be arranged in advance with the nurse manager on the ward.

The hospital is following the national public health guidance in relation to the management of suspect cases, confirmed cases and close contacts. COVID-19 testing and contact tracing of both staff and patients is being carried out.

Hospital appointments are going ahead

People who have outpatient or other appointments at the hospital are advised that they should still attend their appointment unless contacted by a member of staff from the hospital and advised not to attend.

People coming to the hospital for an appointment must continue to follow all the public health guidance including wearing a face mask and using hand gel regularly. People should come to their appointments no earlier than ten minutes before the allotted time alone to help with social distancing, unless the support of another person is essential.

Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, awaiting a COVID-19 test or test result or has had a positive test within the last 14 days should call the number on their appointment letter to rearrange their appointment.
A FORMER mayor of Limerick has condemned the theft of a wheelchair ramp from outside the home of an elderly woman.

According to gardai, the theft happened in the Monaleen Park area of Castletroy late last Friday night into the early hours of Saturday.

"A lady in her 80s came out to see that her wheelchair ramp had been taken from outside her front door. This is a metal ramp and no damage was caused except of course this lady has to replace the ramp as she needs it to help her to get up and down a step," said Sergeant Ber Leetch.

Cllr Michael Sheehan, who represents the Limerick City East LEA, says what happened is despicable.

"I would be condemning this theft. This is a very essential item for this woman in her daily life and I'm calling on whoever took the ramp to return it - it can be no great value to anybody else," he told the Limerick Leader.

Gardai at Henry Street station are investigating the theft and are interested in speaking to anybody who may have information about what happened.
THE latest step in the ongoing easing of restrictions at University Maternity Hospital Limerick will take effect from this Wednesday, September 1.

UL Hospitals has confirmed that from tomorrow there will be an increase in scheduled visiting slots on the postnatal wards from 45 minutes to two hours.

The visiting slots will be offered to nominated partners of women on wards M1 and M2, between 2pm and 4pm or between 6pm and 8pm daily.

This is the latest in a series of measures taken in recent months to gradually ease pandemic restrictions on access to partners of women in UMHL, in line with national guidance on partner access to maternity units.

"We acknowledge that Covid-19 access restrictions, while necessary, have been difficult for maternity service users and their loved ones, and we continue to review these safety measures at UMHL on a weekly basis," said a spokesperson for UL Hospitals.

"We continue to plan for the safe, controlled and phased relaxation of restrictions, and to ensure all processes are safely introduced and managed," they added.

UL Hospitals says its seeks to balance the competing requirements for partners to be present and supporting women, while giving priority to the safety, welfare and privacy of all women and infants in its care and its staff.

UMHL says partners are allowed to attend a number of areas of the hospital, regardless of vaccination status, once they complete the Covid-19 questionnaire and temperature screening.
LIMERICK City and County Council is to hold meetings with the gardai with a view to preventing protests happening in the Peoples Park in future.

It comes after a group opposed to the wearing of protective masks and the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine held a demonstration at the amenity.

Having come across this, local historian Dr Tadhg Moloney wrote to the local authority to express concern, pointing out that an ancient lease which applies to the park precludes the holding of protests.

A notice which states this is posted at both of its entrances.

But Dr Moloney wrote: These people, when approached about the breach of the by-laws either pleaded ignorance of this, or choose to carry on regardless.

In response, Michael Hartnett, a senior staff officer in the councils operations and maintenance department wrote: I will arrange to meet with senior management here in the council and have this matter discussed and see what steps can be taken to prevent this type of behaviour happening again within the park.

He added: I will also arrange a meeting with the local gardai about any other protest that might try to take place within the park.

Dr Moloney said: I have no problem with people defending their right not to wear a mask, but there should be no protesting in the Peoples Park. Theres a placard at the front saying this. I raised it with them, and one lady said, this is the Peoples Park. And I said, yes it is, but its not for that purpose.

The Dooradoyle man said he is not completely satisfied with the response of the local authority.

I want to see the prevention of processions, political and religious meetings. The council say they can act if they become aware of anything. But unless people doing these protests advertise them, they wont be aware. Then we will need to speak to the gardai, the historian added.

Referring back to the day of the protest, Dr Moloney said the park ranger, despite his best efforts wasnt able to do anything about the event, apart from remonstrating with its participants.

The council staff member then ended up being verbally abused, he alleged.

Dr Moloney said it might be worth examining imposing a financial penalty on those taking part in demonstrations.
A TOP architectural practice has been awarded the contract to design key elements of the Opera site, including the 14-storey tower at its heart.

Henry J Lyons is in place to work on the completion of the fully co-ordinated scheme and design of two separate contracts at the 180m Patrick Street redevelopment project.

It includes new builds, conservation works on existing buildings and public realm across the 3.7 acre site.

The 14-storey tower, which will be home to the Revenue Commissioners, is the centre plank of the site which will transform an out of use site in the heart of Limerick.

The contract also covers the transformation of the existing Town Hall plus 8 and 9 Rutland Street into a new city library on all floors and a food hall and grand cafe at ground level.

The design brief also includes the Granary refurbishment, which will involve a restaurant on the lower ground floor , as well as the public plaza at the heart of the Opera site and other public realm designs, including at Bank Place.

Limerick Twenty Thirty chief executive David Conway said: The Opera Site is the biggest single inner city programme of its kind outside of the capital and the works that this design contract involve will set the tone for not just the wider project but the entire city centre. We are seeking to set a new standard for Limerick and the region with the Opera Site and, through our project manager Cogent Associates, sought the best architectural partners to work on it."

Mr Conway added that Henry J Lyons is the largest architectural practice in the country and has a track record of working on landmark projects across the state and internationally. "We are delighted to have it on board and look forward to working with the team over the coming years as we build out this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Limerick and the region.

The Henry J Lyons architectural firm is over 100 years old.
A MAJOR rescue operation was put into action after a rower got into trouble on the River Shannon.

It is understood he fell out of his boat and was unable to get back in. The man, understood to be aged in his 20s, rang for help at around 11.15am on Sunday morning.

Within minutes Limerick Fire and Rescue Service and Limerick Marine Search and Rescue were at the location in the Coonagh area.

Four appliances from the fire service were dispatched and their FireSwift rescue boat launched. Limerick Marine Search and Rescue members attended in their boat and on a jet-ski. Rescue 115 - the Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter - hovered overhead.

The young man was taken ashore aboard FireSwift and thankfully didn't require medical treatment.

Peter Hogan, equipment officer with Limerick Marine Search and Rescue, said the rower was only in the water for about 10 minutes.

"It was a joint operation between the fire service and ourselves. We work very, very, well together.

"It is a good news story that he was brought home safe. At the end of the day the man is with his family this morning," said Mr Hogan.

He praised the young man for having his mobile phone in a waterproof bag.

"He had himself covered in fairness to him in case anything happened. It is very important when you are doing a lone journey on a boat you either have a proper PFH radio on the boat or have a mobile with you," said Mr Hogan.
FOR many years Clair Jones was accustomed to sifting through dusty old title documents at her familys law firm. However, Clair found that the legal business did not lend itself well to expressing the creative side of her personality.

In 2017, after the birth of her fifth child, she decided to embark on a different career path into the creative world of ceramics and she pursued her new career with determination and a natural talent for being extraordinarily creative.

Ive always had a love of all things creative but clay, in particular, really captured my imagination. My journey to becoming a potter began at my kitchen table where I started to experiment with different clays and techniques. Finally, I decided to take the plunge and make my pastime a full-time endeavour and I set up Lough Gur Pottery, she explains.

Lough Gur Pottery is an independent pottery studio in County Limerick. The pottery is handcrafted and designed by Clair.

Inspiration comes in many forms, but a constant source of wonder is the mystical and picturesque Lough Gur. It is a unique place in the Irish cultural and historical landscape. It has been inhabited for over 6,000 years, and the lake and surrounds of Lough Gur have revealed many archaeological treasures, including numerous pieces of ancient pottery.

Clair has always been intrigued by the time-honoured ceremonies of which these beautiful artefacts were a part.

It reminds me that there are ceremonial qualities to be found in many everyday tasks, like making a cup of tea or enjoying a meal with good friends or family, she said.

One of Clairs favourite aspects of the pottery process is the surface decoration. Her carving techniques are inspired by the carved surfaces of the artefacts uncovered at Lough Gur.

I imagine peoples of the past took their time in decorating their favourite objects and I too love to spend the time hand painting and carving the surface designs so that each piece is truly unique.

Clair also runs pottery classes and workshops throughout the year where you can come and experience the therapeutic qualities of working with clay.

You can also book in for a private group session with friends or family. You can find out more about pottery classes or purchase Clairs work online at loughgurpottery.com.
Companies must pay closer attention to what they say after hackers strike, lawyers warn, as regulators crack down on inaccurate disclosures and Congress debates mandatory reporting of cybersecurity breaches.

Several regulatory actions in recent weeks have focused on breach notifications, media statements and investor communications issued by companies after incidents that watchdogs say were deceptive.

On Monday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission settled charges against five Cetera Financial Group Inc. business units alleging lax controls and misleading errors in breach notifications to some clients. The Cetera units, which offer brokerage services and investment advice, must pay a $300,000 penalty.

Cetera didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Quick, precise and clear updates are the gold standard in the event of a security breach, said Seth DuCharme, a partner at law firm Bracewell LLP who until March was the acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

An Aug. 16 settlement between the SEC and London-based educational publisher Pearson PLC over a 2018 data breach shows how closely regulators are scrutinizing incident communications, according to Mr. DuCharme.

The SEC charged Pearson with misleading investors over the existence and extent of the breach, in which millions of student records were stolen. The SEC found Pearson in its 2019 semiannual report referred to a data security incident as a hypothetical risk when it knew one had occurred, didnt accurately describe the extent of the breach in media statements and failed for six months to patch the software vulnerability hackers exploited after being notified a patch was available.

Pearson neither admitted nor denied the SECs findings as part of a settlement in which the company paid a $1 million penalty. A spokesman for Pearson said the company was pleased to resolve the matter with the SEC.

European data protection authorities have also become stricter about cybersecurity lapses resulting in data theft. Half of the Swedish privacy regulators decisions under the General Data Protection Regulation, for example, have involved cybersecurity issues, said Adolf Slama, an information technology adviser for the authority.

In the U.S., lawmakers have been exploring ways to improve how companies report cybersecurity incidents. On Wednesday, the House Homeland Security Committee will debate a draft bill sponsored by Rep. Yvette Clarke (D., N.Y.) that would compel critical infrastructure operators to report cybersecurity incidents.

In the Senate, a bill sponsored by Sen. Mark Warner (D., Va.) proposes requiring government agencies, contractors and critical infrastructure operators to report incidents within 24 hours of detecting an attack. The 24-hour limit, in particular, faces stiff opposition from industry groups, which say their members would need at least 72 hours to gather required details.

How a company characterizes a cyberattack will also be important, said Amy Keller, a partner at law firm DiCello Levitt Gutzler LLP.

Boilerplate language can be ambiguous, Ms. Keller said. Early statements from companies, for example, often say they were the victim of a sophisticated" attack. This description can harm consumers whose data was exposed because they may assume a nation-state carried out the hack when an identity-stealing gang was more likely to blame.

They allow consumers to have a certain amount of confidence that maybe this wasnt such a big deal, or it was a state actor and the information is going to be used for espionage, not to open up accounts in my name or something," Ms. Keller said. That kind of corporate spin is very misleading."

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An artist's impression of dark matter in the beginning of the universe.

Dark matter  the mysterious substance that exerts gravity but doesn't interact with light  might be made of tiny black holes permeating the universe. And according to a new theory, those black holes might have been made from Fermi balls, or quantum "bags" of subatomic particles known as fermions that got smooshed together in dense pockets during the universe's infancy.

The theory could explain why dark matter came to dominate the universe.

"We find that in some cases, the Fermi balls are so dense that the fermions are too close to each other, triggering the collapse of a Fermi ball [in]to a black hole," Ke-Pan Xie, a researcher at the Center for Theoretical Physics at Seoul National University in South Korea, told Live Science.

Related: 10 huge findings about black holes

Xie and collaborator Kiyoharu Kawana, also of the Center for Theoretical Physics, have devised a new scenario to explain how dark matter came to dominate the universe: In the midst of an incredible transformation when the cosmos was less than a second old, a new kind of particle got trapped, collapsing to such a small point that they transformed into black holes. Those black holes then flooded the universe, providing the heft required to explain dark matter.

The case for primordial black holes

Astronomers and physicists cannot explain dark matter, the mysterious substance that makes up more than 80% of the mass of every large structure, from galaxies to the cosmic web itself, in the universe.

One intriguing possibility is that dark matter originated from black holes. After all, black holes, like dark matter, emit no light. "As a kind of nonluminous and compact object, black holes are a natural explanation for the dark matter," Xie said.

But astronomers have known for a long time that normal, stellar-mass black holes can't explain the universe's dark matter. That's because not nearly enough stars have formed in the history of the universe to create enough black holes to account for the known dark matter.

But the earliest moments of the universe featured some pretty mind-boggling physics. Perhaps whatever was going on back then spawned trillions of smaller black holes. Those black holes could persist to the present day, potentially solving the dark matter riddle.

But to explain dark matter, the theory would have to make enough black holes.

An artist's impression of a black hole. Primordial black holes could make up dark matter, according to some theories. (Image credit: Shutterstock)

A frothy universe

Xie and Kawana added several ingredients to their model, which is described in a paper published in June to the preprint database arXiv . (The paper has not yet been peer-reviewed.) They started with a very young, very hot, very dense universe. These extreme conditions allow some physical processes that do not happen in the normal conditions of the present-day universe.

The first ingredient is something called a scalar field, which is a quantum mechanical entity that encompasses all of space. (The well-known Higgs field, which gives matter its mass, is an example of one.) As the universe expanded and cooled, that scalar field underwent a phase transition, transforming from one quantum mechanical state to another.

That phase transition didn't happen all at once throughout the entire universe. Instead, there were a few points where the transition began from and then spread  just as a few bubbles in a pot of boiling water merge to form bigger bubbles, Xie said.

"This process is called a first-order phase transition: Water transfers from 'liquid phase' into 'gas phase,' and the latter first exists as growing bubbles," Xie said.

The new scalar field state, called the "ground state," spreads out from these points like a bunch of fizzing bubbles. Eventually, the bubbles merge completely, and the scalar field finishes its transition.

How to make a Fermi ball

To make primordial black holes that seed dark matter, however, Xie and Kawana needed another ingredient. So they added a new kind of fermion to their model. Fermions are a category of particles that make up the building blocks of the universe. For instance, the electrons, protons and neutrons that make up the atoms in your body are all fermions.

In the very early universe, these fermions moved freely within the scalar field. But according to the recipe that Xie and Kawana have cooked up, these fermions couldn't penetrate the little foaming bubbles of the new ground state of the cosmos as the phase transition proceeded.

As the bubbles grew, the fermions crowded into the remaining pockets, becoming Fermi balls. And that's when things went really haywire for them.

That's because there was an additional force, known as a Yukawa interaction, between the fermions, caused by that very same scalar field, Xie and Kawana proposed in the paper. Normally, fermions don't like to be crammed into small volumes together, but the scalar field added an attractive force that could overwhelm that natural repulsion, they theorized.

As an example, protons and neutrons are made of even tinier particles, called quarks. Quarks are fermions and normally hate each other, but an extra force, the strong force, glues them together. That force can be modeled as a Yukawa interaction, similar to the early-universe physics at play in Xie and Kawana's model.

Once the Yukawa attraction took hold, it was game over for the little Fermi balls, according to Xie and Kawana's theory. Wedged into little pockets of a rapidly changing universe, the clumps of fermions catastrophically collapsed, forming huge numbers of black holes.

Those black holes then survived through the end of the phase transition, going on to flood the universe as dark matter.

At least, that's the idea. It's a radical suggestion, but when it comes to the physics of the early universe  and the mystery surrounding dark matter  we need some radical suggestions, along with a healthy dose of observations, to make progress.

Originally published on Live Science.
Among the treasure are several "seven ray rings" that are thought to represent the rays of sun.

Archaeologists in southwest Russia have unearthed a trove of medieval silver at a site where treasure was often hidden from an invading Mongol army in the 13th century  but oddly it seems to have been buried there at least 100 years before the Mongols swept through.

The trove of silver pendants, bracelets, rings, and ingots was found during excavations earlier this year near the site of Old Ryazan, the fortified capital of a Rus principate that was besieged and sacked by Mongols in 1237.

The Mongol attack was particularly bloodthirsty; historical accounts report that the invaders left no one alive in Old Ryazan and archaeologists have discovered nearly 100 severed heads and several mass graves there from the time.

Related: 30 of the world's most valuable treasures that are still missing

The hidden treasure was found in the forested bank of a ravine several hundred yards away from two small medieval settlements that had existed there; archaeologists also found remains of a cylindrical container probably made from birch bark that had once held the trove, according to a translated statement from the Russian Academy of Sciences .

The treasure includes 14 ornate bracelets, seven rings and eight "neck hryvnias"  a type of pendant worn around the neck that gave its name to the modern Ukrainian currency  and weighs 4.6 pounds (2.1 kilograms).

The jewelry is finely made, and archaeologists think its mixed composition shows it was a trove of accumulated wealth rather than a set of jewelry for a particular costume.

Golden Horde

Ryazan was one of several medieval principalities of the Rus people in the 11th century. It was centered on the city now known as Old Ryazan  about 30 miles (50 km) southeast of the modern city of Ryazan and about 140 miles (225 km) southeast of Moscow  and grew powerful enough to occasionally go to war with its neighbors.

But Ryazan was east of the other Rus principalities, and so it was the first to fall to an invading Mongol army from the far east, led by a grandson of Genghis Khan called Batu Khan.

The Mongols first defeated the Ryazan army in battle and then besieged the capital city, using catapults to destroy its fortifications.

The inhabitants of the city repelled the besiegers for almost a week  but in the end the Mongols plundered the city, killed its prince, his family, and its inhabitants, and burned all that remained to the ground. A Rus chronicler noted "there was none left to groan and cry."

Batu Khan's armies went on to conquer and subjugate other Rus principalities until the Mongol leader's death in 1255; his successors ruled much of southern and central Russia as the Golden Horde  from the Turkic phrase "Altan Orda," which means "golden headquarters," possibly from the golden color of Batu Khan's tent.

Image 1 of 8 (Image credit: Maxim Pankin, Institute of Archaeology, RAS) The hidden hoard of medieval silver, including several finely-made bracelets, was found at the site of Old Ryazan which was destroyed by an invading Mongol army in the 13th century. Image 2 of 8 (Image credit: Maxim Pankin, Institute of Archaeology, RAS)

Archaeologists say the silver bracelets and other items of jewelry in the medieval hoard are especially well-made. Image 3 of 8 (Image credit: Maxim Pankin, Institute of Archaeology, RAS) Among the treasure are several "seven ray rings" that are thought to represent the rays of sun. Image 4 of 8 (Image credit: Maxim Pankin, Institute of Archaeology, RAS) Seven-ray rings became a distinctive feature of early medieval Russian jewelry; it's thought their design was introduced from the far east. Image 5 of 8 (Image credit: Maxim Pankin, Institute of Archaeology, RAS) Some of the bracelets, including this one of braided silver wire, are thought by their style to date from the 10th and 11th centuries. Image 6 of 8 (Image credit: Maxim Pankin, Institute of Archaeology, RAS) The ends of some of the bracelets are hollow and delicately embossed with intricate ornamental designs, including stylized palm trees that suggest an eastern and southern influence. Image 7 of 8 (Image credit: Maxim Pankin, Institute of Archaeology, RAS) Some of the bracelets are embossed at the ends with crosses that presumably portray Christian crucifixes. Image 8 of 8 (Image credit: Maxim Pankin, Institute of Archaeology, RAS) Several buried treasures found at Old Ryazan date from the siege of city in 1237, but archaeologists think this hoard of silver was buried about 100 years before that.

Hidden treasure

The practice of hiding treasure to prevent the invading Mongols from finding it seems to have been relatively common during the siege  more than a dozen hidden troves have now been found nearby, including the famous Old Ryazan Treasure, a collection of bejeweled royal regalia which was discovered by chance in the 19th century and is now on display in a nearby cathedral.

Somewhat surprisingly, however, the newly-discovered trove seems to have been hidden away between the end of the 11 century and the beginning of the 12th century  a century before the Mongol invasion, based on analysis of the style of the jewelry and ceramics found nearby, the RAS archaeologists said.

"The treasure is clearly older than the Old Ryazan Treasure and includes jewelry made with simpler techniques and a more archaic manner," the statement read.

The trove includes several six-sided "grivna," a relatively small type of standardized silver ingot that could be used as jewelry, a measure of weight, or currency during the medieval Rus period.

The bracelets are especially well made. The most complex have three silver braids and are ornamented at the ends with embossed crosses and palm leaves, the archaeologists said.

"Further studies of the treasure items, the technique of their manufacture, the composition of the metal will complement our knowledge of the early history of Old Ryazan," they wrote; "possibly it will reveal the historical context of the concealment of the treasure."
Newly-converted B737-800 offers 30% increase in gross payload for customers in Bangkok, Hanoi and Hong Kong, enabling the international express service provider to respond to the anticipated growth in shipment volumes in the coming months

DHL Express is expanding its airfreight capacity to support growth in cross-border trade and e-commerce within the Asia Pacific region and specifically between Vietnam, Hong Kong and Thailand.

A newly-converted B737-800 freighter, operated by K-Mile Asia, a partner of DHL, provides a total gross payload of close to 140 tons weekly as it travels six times a week from Hanoi to Hong Kong and Bangkok before making its return to Hanoi.

This represents a 30% increase in capacity when compared to that offered previously on the routes by a B737-400SF freighter, enabling better preparation and response to the anticipated growth in shipment volumes in the coming months, DHL said in a statement.

Cross-border trade and e-commerce growth

The expanded capacity and increased flight frequency from five to six times per week will equally enable businesses and consumers from the three markets to capitalise on the growth in trade opportunities within Asia, as they benefit from quicker deliveries and shorter transit times, the statement added.

Ken Lee, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific, said: "Asia Pacific has remained resilient despite the economic impact brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, we are seeing increased activity in cross-border trade and e-commerce within the region due to improved logistics, enhanced connectedness as well as reduced trade barriers.

With the expansion of our airfreight capacity, we are confident that we can provide businesses in Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong with better access to other markets via our extensive global network and boost their economies in the process."

Economic growth in Asia Pacific has shown signs of rebound and is set to continue, driven in part by a progressive rollout of COVID-19 vaccines across the region, the statement noted.

Exports are also forecasted to grow at a rapid pace, as a result of stronger supply chain networks and ASEAN policy initiatives, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), that promote regional economic integration.

'Surge in demand'

In addition, Asia Pacific's e-commerce sales are showing no signs of slowing down and are projected to reach US$2 trillion by 2025 as mobile connectivity and a digital-savvy demographic propel digital adoption, DHL observed.

Almost 75% of online shoppers in Hong Kong and 50% in Thailand have made purchases on overseas platforms. Similarly, Vietnam has also seen an acceleration in cross-border e-commerce activities.

"As consumers get used to shopping online, businesses are equally making the leap to digital platforms to conduct their B2B transactions, not to mention many of which are helmed by digital natives who have grown up in the age of the Internet," explained Sean Wall, executive vice president, Network Operations & Aviation, DHL Express Asia Pacific.

"To tackle this surge in demand, we have been actively finding opportunities to enhance our fleet, including the conversion of suitable passenger aircraft. Utilising the B737-800 will also help us reduce carbon emissions by 15% as compared to the B737 Classic aircraft, which is one of the deciding factors as we accelerate toward our climate-neutral logistics target."

The new B737-800 aircraft connecting Bangkok, Hong Kong and Hanoi joins three other aircraft in the fleet that concurrently and collectively serve Hong Kong, Phnom Penh, Singapore and Jakarta.

It is also part of DHL Express' plans to bolster its Asia Pacific network with the investment of close to 60 million by introducing new aircraft and direct routes.

Image: Alamy
Talk about being blown away by the news.

Weather reporter Robert Ray was quite literally taken by the wind during a live weather broadcast from a New Orleans parking garage, where he was reporting on Hurricane Ida for Fox Report with John Scott.

Its been like a train all day as these winds and rain have come in, we had to retreat here into this parking garage, Ray says to the camera the wind visibly whipping behind him as his pants and jacket begin to flutter about. Its just not safe out there at all.

Fox News Robert Ray shows power of hurricane winds on air https://t.co/LMNVktCd6M  Fox News (@FoxNews) August 30, 2021

Ray then tells the camera that hes going to step back slowly into the open elements and out of the garage. Weve had gusts up to almost 90 miles an hour, sustained over 60. The second I step out, youre gonna see, Ray said as he steps into the street and is quickly blown to the left side of the screen, struggling to stay stable.

Related: Hurricane Ida: Another Headache for Delta Variant-Hit Airlines?

I just want to show you the power of this wind right now, very close to the Mississippi River, Ray says as he struggles to get his words out while fighting against the wind, grabbing on to the side of the building as he pulls himself back in. This is no joke, folks.

He notes that the infrastructure in New Orleans is unraveling and falling apart and calls the storm a very serious situation.

If anyone is out there they need to get into shelter, cannot stress it enough, as this storm is just battering New Orleans right now, he pleads as the broadcast ends.

Ida, which has been downgraded to a tropical storm since making landfall, has been absolutely pummeling the state of Louisiana, with the most up-to-date reporting saying there has been least one recorded death and more than one million people in the state without power.

We've just been through a horrendous night with winds, rain, gusts, water coming up, rivers rising, power outages, St. Tammany Parish of New Orleans president Mike Cooper told CNN. Its incredible.

Axios reported that the hurricane reached maximum sustained wind speeds of 150 mph.

Related: US Oil & Gas Rig Tally Rises for 4 Straight Weeks: Here's Why

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Fauda, False Flag and No Mans Land producer Maria Feldman is teaming with Israeli director Dror Shaul on The Collective, an epic drama series set against the background of the early history of one of Israels best known institutions: the kibbutz.

Created, written and to be directed by Shaul, The Collective is set up at Feldmans New York and Israel-based Masha, out of which she co-created and produced for Hulu and Arte the Fremantle-sold No Mans Land, a standout in Series Manias main competition last year. This year, Feldman served on the jury of Series Manias Forum Co-Pro Pitching Sessions.

Now being written by Dror, The Collective marks his return in an extended narrative form to the kibbutz setting of his two huge hits, the 50-minute Operation Grandma, (Mivtsa Savta), which won the Israeli Academy Award and became a cult film in Israel; and 2007s Sweet Mud, which world premiered at Toronto, won a Sundance Grand Jury Award, Berlin Crystal Bear, Miami IFF Audience Award and four Israeli Academy Awards.

Shaul was born and raised at Kibbutz Kissufim, near the Gaza Strip. Operation Grandma was based on the true story of his grandmothers funeral and Sweet Mud on the figure of his Yemenite mother from Tel Aviv.

The Collective is inspired by his father, a Manhattan-born musician who studied at New Yorks Music & Art and frequented its jazz scene of the early 1950s.

In the series, William is accidentally caught up in an incident that forces him to leave the U.S. Given his uncle is an Israeli government minister, he joins a ragtag group of Americans who set sail for Israel, many also escaping a past, in order to found and settle a kibbutz.

William arrives in Israel at a moment of hope and much freer love. But the kibbutz is situated on the edge of the Gaza Strip, inhabited just a few years before by Palestinians.

Israel, moreover, is preparing for a war it will fight against all odds and kibbutz members, even if theyve never held a gun, are expected to defend the border.

Many of the volunteers didnt really understand what they were signing up for, said Feldman. Some stay, some leave, some even die, she added, calling The Collective at times half comedy, half tragedy.

Envisaged as a three season series, each season builds to a conflict, the 1956 Suez War, the Six-Day War of 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973, Feldman said.

From being an outsider wanting to belong, William becomes a leader who defends the kibbutz against the Egyptian army.

But his leadership will come at a price.

Dror Shaul can be expected to bring to the series his hallmark first-hand connection with the period and knack of recreating telling, redolent historical detail, plus his large sense of humor and knowledge of the real human stories and huge pressures fracturing the kibbutz movement.

The Collective is an epic series that brings alive a story that has not been told before, a modern Western of sorts, said Saul.

Given most of the main characters are Americans, most of the series will be spoken in English, Feldman added.

He added: More than seven decades after the group of Americans sat around a campfire singing songs by Brook Benton, Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie, the lyrics of the immortal This Land Is Your Land beg the question of why the kibbutz flame cannot die.

The soundtrack of The Collective will feature greats of the 1940s and 1950s, including Joan Baezs All My Trials, and classics by Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Brook Benton, Pete Seeger, Big Bill Broonzy and Billie Holiday, Saul said.

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Two films each from India, Iran and South Korea feature in the eleven-title New Currents competition that is at the heart of the Busan International Film Festival.

The festival this year will be operated as an in-person event Oct 6-15, 2021. But with Koreas ongoing restrictions on cross-border travel, it may be a less international gathering.

From India, Natesh Hegdes Pedro depicts the difficult situation of an electrician living in a forest village and the forests cinematic transformation. House of Time, co-directed by Rajdeep Paul and Sarmistha Maiti, is a suspense story of a doctor who is locked in a house that is occupied by three women.

Two films were selected from Iran. Directed by Arvand Dashtaray, The Absent Director depicts a theater director haplessly attempting to conduct a rehearsal for a play through video calls. The film is a unique piece of work that is shot in single-take style without cuts. Mehdi Hoseinvand Aalipours Asteroid is a heartwarming film that portrays a boy who makes an earnest living for his mother and siblings despite his poverty. This film previously won an award at the Fajr International Film Festival earlier this year.

From the host country, the competition will include Kim Se-ins first feature film, The Apartment with Two Women and director Park Kangs Seire. Apartment is a realist family drama that questions the relationship and meaning of family, with its focus on the emotional battle between mother and daughter. The festival selectors describe Seire as an ominous and fantastic mystery horror film that deals with Korean folk beliefs.

Also among the competition titles is thriller Missing, by Japanese director Katayama Shinzo. A former assistant director to Koreas Bong Joon-ho, Katayama made his feature directing debut with 20218 title Siblings of the Cave.

The line up is completed by: Red Pomegranate, the second feature of Kazakh director Sharipa Urazbayeva (Mariam); Farewell, My Hometown by Chinas Wang Er Zhou; Vietnamese director Kim Quy Buis second film Memoryland; and crime mystery Photocopier, from Indonesias Wregas Bhanuteja.

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A month ahead of his 70th birthday, Sting has unveiled his 15th solo studio album, The Bridge, and its first single, If Its Love. The 10-track album was recorded during the pandemic and will be released Nov. 19 via A&M/Interscope/Cherrytree Records.

Says the former Police frontman of the lead track, which is reminiscent of a poppier version of his 90s hit All This Time, Im certainly not the first songwriter to equate falling in or out of love with an incurable sickness, nor will I be the last. If Its Love is my addition to that canon, where the tropes of metaphorical symptoms, diagnosis, and downright incapacity are all familiar enough to make each of us smile ruefully.

Sting is backed on the album by longtime collaborators guitarist Dominic Miller, drummer Josh Freese and saxophonist Branford Marsalis. The follow-up to 2019s My Songs was produced by Sting and his manager, Martin Kierszenbaum, with British producer Maya Jane Coles lending a hand on the ballad Losing You.

These songs are between one place and another, between one state of mind and another, between life and death, between relationships, Sting says. Between pandemics, and between eras  politically, socially and psychologically, all of us are stuck in the middle of something. We need a bridge.

Sting will return to live performance Sept. 27 in Sicily. On Oct. 29, he will begin his Las Vegas residency My Songs at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

Here is the track list for The Bridge:

Rushing Water

If Its Love

The Book of Numbers

Loving You

Harmony Road

For Her Love

The Hills on the Border

Captain Bateman

The Bells of St. Thomas

The Bridge

Waters of Tyne (Deluxe Edition bonus track)

Captain Batemans Basement (Deluxe Edition bonus track)

(Sittin on) The Dock of the Bay (Deluxe Edition bonus track)

I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City* (Japanese exclusive bonus track)

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On Tuesday night, the eve of the 78th annual Venice Film Festival, Variety hosted a rooftop party at the Hotel Danieli honoring fest topper Alberto Barbera and the Biennale, its parent organization, with its International Achievement in Film Award.

Variety international editor Manori Ravindran presented the prize to Barbera and Roberto Cicutto, the president of the Biennale.

The events theme was Stairway to Parasite, a tribute to director Bong Joon Ho, this years Venice Jury President, who posed for paparazzi and mingled with fellow jurors Virginie Efire, Cynthia Erivo and with guests including Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher and supermodel Madisin Rian. The DJ mixed lounge music with vintage Italian hits such as popstar Gianni Morandis 1960s love song In ginocchio da te which features in a key Parasite scene.

Everything, from the exotic cocktails to the food  which included gold-leaf topped fish concoctions, steamed mini-pizzas, spicy green noodles, and a tofu dessert  was inspired by Parasite.

What we did last year didnt just make us proud of being the only international festival that happened, said Cicutto. We are very proud that we learned how to do it and we passed the formula [for success] to the other festivals, he added.

Barbera underlined that, thanks to the Biennales support, for the past 10 years hes been working on an ambitious project: to bring back to Venice the prestige that it had in the past and to redefine the festivals profile.

I think Venice has been one of the most innovative festivals, he said.

Barbera added that hes also managed to bring back to Venice most of the film professionals that in the past had decided to skip it to go somewhere else, for example: Toronto.

Speaking to reporters inside the party, Bong said he considered it a great honor to serve as the jury president at Venice.

The latest edition of the Venice Film Festival will open with Pedro Almodovars Parallel Mothers, starring Penelope Cruz. Other high-profile premieres to screen at the event known as official start of the fall awards season include Denis Villeneuves Dune, Pablo Larrains Spencer and Jane Campions The Power of the Dog.

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The tributes for Lance Cpl. David Lee Espinoza  one of the 13 U.S. service members killed last week in the attack outside Kabuls airport in Afghanistan  have continued to roll in locally as the community honors a local fallen hero.

On Tuesday, a vigil was held at the Laredo College South Campus, which is located directly across the road that leads to the LBJ alumnus former high school.

The event was started by a teacher of the school, and they helped gather various staff and students from the high school as the family and other community members from around town gathered to honor Espinoza.

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The mother of the Marine was extremely grateful for all the attention her son has been given, also being honored by a candlelight vigil this weekend.

I dont really have any words to appreciate what the people have been doing in order to honor the memory of my son, as I have gotten support and attention from all parts of the community, said Elizabeth Holguin, Espinozas mother. This is support that I definitely feel grateful for at this time of great sorrow and need. There are no words to thank the community for this.

According to his mother, Espinoza would not have been able to believe all the love and support that has been provided in wake of the tragedy, as he simply was doing his job as a Marine and nothing else. However, she believes that he would be extremely proud of this as he did die doing what he always wanted to do.

The vigil was organized by LBJ High School English teacher Melissa Castro, who started the event as something small with her friends. But eventually it garnered enough attention that other school faculty, members of the community and Espinozas family ended up attending.

There are a lot of (reasons) why I wanted to do this, as he was a student in my school  he wasnt my student directly, but I am sure that I saw him roaming the halls, Castro said. So I wanted to show my respect for this young man who did something so brave, as he had much valor and courage to be going out there and fighting, as I know many mothers that would never allow their sons and daughters to be in the military. So I believe this is a big deal, especially since he was part of our south Laredo community.

Castro said that she chose the Aug. 31 date as it marked the end of the Afghanistan War, as Espinoza was part of the withdrawal mission to end the conflict. The teacher was saddened like many others that Espinoza was killed just five days prior to its conclusion.

It was so disheartening to me that as we were trying to end this, we suffered another attack, and this one hit really at home, Castro said. And it's just really sad, and I just wanted to show my respect for David and all of the other troops as well. Its horrible and super sad and disheartening, and it really sucks that we are going to have a lot of troops and a lot of innocent people that are not going to come back. ... I think it is really sad, and it kind of puts things in perspective as to what we were doing there for 20 years.

Holguin also offered her thoughts as to what she felt about the end of the war in Afghanistan as well.

I feel really happy that the war is over, because now a lot of people are safe, she said. We will see all the people evacuated and the Marines and other soldiers come back home with their parents, spouses and everybody else. I am honestly in complete delight for this despite my loss. I am just so happy for them.

Laredo College Senior Director of External Affairs Michael Gonzalez, who spoke on behalf of the college for allowing for the event to be held there, stated that it was an honor for them to serve the people of the community who wished to honor Espinoza, as they too have felt the immense sadness that his loss has caused locals.

Our hearts and thoughts go out to the family of our local hero, U.S. Marine David Lee Espinoza, and all those heroes lost in this tragic attack, Gonzalez said. While Laredo College did not organize this event in any capacity, we certainly support any event that aims to pay tribute to our fallen heroes.

People who attended the event were also extremely proud to remember Espinoza and felt like they were there to not just honor a fallen service member but rather a local son of the community.

He was a real hero who went to that country in the middle of one of the most chaotic scenarios possible, and in the middle of another potential civil conflict over there for humanitarian reasons, and ultimately paid the biggest price possible, said local Cristina Burmudez. However, just like we honor him, I hope that many of the children and people that also were able to evacuate Afghanistan remember his name and that of others and take them into consideration. We might have lost a son, but we won ourselves a legend, a hero.

During the event, Castro set up a donation box where people could provide money that would go to the family. Castro came up with the idea after school faculty decided to donate money instead of a physical gift, as they felt that the family needs the support right now as they continue navigating the grief they are facing.

Castro also stated that since the news happened, she has gotten in contact with other teachers and students to discuss Espinoza, his legacy and what it means for them that a local hero lost his life in the line of duty.

I know that Mr. Salazar described him as one of the brightest students that LBJ has had, and I believe it as you can tell the boy was proper, as he was a military boy, Castro said.

Castro states that the passing of Espinoza is something that many students in her class have also discussed, and many have demonstrated pride in wake of the tragedy. Others, however, are visibly upset about the circumstances and simply want to know more about what he did and who he was. She states that she will inspire many others to join the military as well.

I do believe Espinoza will help inspire many of them to join the military, Castro said. I hope they stop taking things for granted so much because I feel the younger generation tends to take things for granted such as being able to speak and saying whatever you want and being able to do whatever you want, and there is a lot of things we can do here, and many dont realize that people have to die so we can have our privileges here.

Gonzalez believes that Espinozas service is something that will be remembered due to his courage to enlist in the military and then to go on to fight, as it shows how dedicated he was to being a Marine.

The service of U.S. Marine David Lee Espinoza has truly exemplified dedication, service and bravery, Gonzalez said. His service, and the values that it represents, are something that is truly inspiring to all Laredoans.

Holguin states that funeral plans are already underway, and that Espinozas funeral procession will be public so all people from the community can attend. However, they are still unsure of an exact date as they await the return of Espinozas body.

City of Rio Bravo City Commissioner Amanda Aguero said that the funeral will be held at the Joe Jackson Funeral Home, though further details are still pending.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
SRINAGAR, India (AP)  Syed Ali Geelani, an icon of disputed Kashmirs resistance against Indian rule and a top separatist leader who became the emblem of the regions defiance against New Delhi, died late Wednesday. He was 91.

Geelani died surrounded by family members at his home in Srinagar, the regions main city, an aide and his relative told The Associated Press.

Shortly after the news broke, scores of Kashmiris converged at his home in the Hyderpora neighborhood of Srinagar to mourn the death of Geelani, who lived the final decade of his life mostly under house arrest and suffered from various ailments.

Authorities announced a communication blockade and the restriction of public movement, a common tactic employed by Indian officials in anticipation of anti-India protests. They swiftly deployed heavy contingents of armed police and soldiers across the Kashmir valley to prevent people from participating in Geelanis funeral.

Troops with automatic rifles also blocked roads leading to Geelanis residence, while armored vehicles patrolled the city neighborhoods. Despite restrictions, many mosques across the regions towns and villages blared announcements of Geelanis death and urged people to come out on the streets.

Geelani was an ideologue and a staunch proponent of the merger of Kashmir with Pakistan. Over the years, he had repeatedly said no to any talks with New Delhi, asserting that India cant be trusted unless it calls Kashmir a disputed territory, demilitarizes the region and releases political prisoners for a meaningful dialogue.

The position was rejected outright by subsequent Indian governments, and he was often dubbed as a hardline politician.

Kashmir has known little but conflict since 1947, when British rule of the subcontinent divided the territory between India and Pakistan. Both countries claim the region in its entirety and have fought two wars over it.

Kashmirs fury at Indian rule has long been seething. After a series of political blunders, broken promises and a crackdown on dissent, Kashmiri activists launched a full-blown armed revolt against Indian rule in 1989.

India describes the armed rebellion as Islamabads proxy war and state-sponsored terrorism. Most Muslim Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle and support the rebel goal that the territory be united, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

The region is one of the most heavily militarized in the world. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the raging conflict.

Geelani, an Islamist author and a fiery orator, began his career as a schoolteacher and later joined Kashmirs biggest religious and political party Jamat-e-Islami in the 1950s. He contested elections three times for local governance but resigned as a lawmaker to join the anti-India campaign in the late 1980s, becoming the face of Kashmiri resistance until his death.

He spent nearly 15 years in various Indian prisons and was also part of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of various Kashmiri political and religious groups that was formed in 1993 to spearhead a movement for the region's right to self-determination. The group used civil disobedience in the form of shutdowns and protests as a tactic to counter Indian rule.

In August 2019, when India stripped the region's semi-autonomy, Indian authorities harshly clamped down on the groups leaders, detaining scores of them and barring them from leading public protests.

A sainted figure in Kashmir, Geelanis popularity catapulted to near reverence after 2008, when the region witnessed mass civil uprisings and he emerged as a prominent resistance leader among the new generation of Kashmiris. In the years that followed, hundreds of youths were killed by Indian forces in street protests.

As civilian defiance against Indian rule picked up, Geelani, along with two other top anti-India politicians, Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who remain under detention, formed Joint Resistance Leadership in 2016. The group challenged Indias sovereignty over Kashmir and sought to give direction to peoples anger.

During Kashmirs recent years of civilian protests, the slogan Na Jhukne Wala Geelani! Na Bikne Wala, Geelani! (Geelani, the one who doesnt bow and cant be bought!) became almost a war cry on the streets. He was widely venerated by Kashmiris, who gave him a monicker of Bub, which means the father.

While his death has come from natural causes, we must remember the immense physical and psychological toll that his continuous detention and torture took on his health, said Stand With Kashmir, a U.S.-based Kashmiri diaspora-led international solidarity group.

Geelani was also widely respected by the regions pro-India politicians.

We may not have agreed on most things, but I respect him for his steadfastness & standing by his beliefs, Mehbooba Mufti, the regions former top elected official, said on Twitter.

Geelani's maximalist approach forced India to court so-called moderate separatist leaders in Kashmir, though with no apparent breakthrough in resolving the dispute.

Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was deeply saddened by Geelanis death and the leader had struggled all his life for his people & their right to self determination.

Under Khan, Geelani was in 2020 awarded the Nishan-e-Pakistan, Pakistans highest civilian honor, an award earlier received by the likes of Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro and Queen Elizabeth II.

We in Pakistan salute his courageous struggle & remember his words: Hum Pakistani hain aur Pakistan Humara hai (We are Pakistani and Pakistani is ours), Khan said in a tweet.

Khan said his country will observe a day of official mourning on Thursday and the Pakistan flag will fly at half staff.

Without doubt, Geelani was emblematic of our defiance of India that began in 1990, said Siddiq Wahid, historian and former vice chancellor of a Kashmir university. That is his legacy.

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Saaliq reported from New Delhi.

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This story has been updated to correct Geelani's age, which was 91, not 92.
UNITED NATIONS  The president of the U.N. Security Council says the U.N.s most powerful body will not take its focus off Afghanistan this month and the real litmus test for the new Taliban government will be how it treats women and girls.

Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason of Ireland said Wednesday that the protection and promotion of human rights for women must be at the very heart of our collective response to the crisis.

Under the Talibans previous rule from 1996 to 2001, women were not allowed to go to school, work outside the home or leave homes without a male escort. Though they faced many challenges in the countrys male-dominated society after the Talibans ouster, Afghan girls were not only educated but over the last 20 years women increasingly stepped into powerful positions in numerous fields including government, business, health and education.

Bryne Nason said: My question is, will the Taliban be different, and thats the real question. We havent seen any evidence of that.

She said the international community has clout because whatever form of government emerges in Afghanistan needs international support -- and human rights and respect for international law are red line issues.

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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN:

 Afghans face hunge r crisis, adding to Talibans challenge

 Biden defends departure from forever war, praises airlift

 UN chief urges countries to help Afghans in hour of need

 Victorious Taliban focus on governing after US withdrawal

 New Taliban rulers face tough economic, security challenges

 Analysis: War is over but not Bidens Afghanistan challenges

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 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

WASHINGTON  Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says its possible the U.S. will have to coordinate with the Taliban on any future counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan against Islamic State militants or others.

Milley spoke at a Pentagon news conference Wednesday, two days after the final U.S. troops left Afghanistan at the close of a turbulent and deadly evacuation of more than 124,000 American citizens, Afghans and others. He said its hard to predict how the future of the Taliban will unfold.

Milley called the Taliban a ruthless group and whether or not they change remains to be seen. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he will make no predictions now on how the U.S. relationship with the Taliban will look like in the future.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  A senior Taliban official has told the people of Afghanistans Panjshir province that the groups efforts to find a political solution to a dispute with militias there have produced no results.

Amir Khan Motaqi on Wednesday in an audio message posted on social media urged residents of Panjshir to convince those that want war to instead join the Islamic Emirate, promising them it will be a home for all Afghans.

Motaqi says: We still want to prevent war and find a political solution.

The Panjshir Valley is the last region not under Taliban control following their blitz across Afghanistan. A spokesman for the resistance movement, Fahim Dashti, said in video handout to the media Wednesday that its fighters have so far held off an offensive by the Taliban.

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MOSCOW  The U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan has announced a project to help build a new border guard facility on the countrys border with Afghanistan.

The embassy said in Wednesdays statement that the project to be launched early next year envisages the construction of new quarters for a border guard detachment in Ayvoj. The embassy said the new facilities will provide housing for the Tajik border guards and help them deploy more quickly to border areas in response to threats.

U.S. Ambassador John Pommersheim said this border detachment project is just another example of our shared commitment to the security and sovereignty of Tajikistan and Central Asia.

The embassy said that since 2002 the U.S. has provided over $300 million in security assistance to Tajikistan and renovated or rebuilt 12 border outposts, nine border checkpoint facilities, and three training centers for border guards to help combat security threats.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  A senior U.N. official has warned that food in Afghanistan could run out this month, threatening to add a hunger crisis to the challenges facing the countrys new Taliban rulers as they endeavor to restore stability after decades of war.

Ramiz Alakbarov said Wednesday that about one third of the countrys population of 38 million is facing emergency or crisis levels of food insecurity. Alakbarov is the local U.N. humanitarian coordinator. With winter coming and a severe drought ongoing, more money is needed to feed the population.

He said the U.N.s World Food Program has brought in food and distributed it to tens of thousands of people in recent weeks. But of the $1.3 billion needed for aid efforts, only 39% has been received.

Alakbarov said: Without additional funding, food stocks will run out at the end of September.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  A Taliban spokesman says a joint team of technicians from Turkey and Qatar has arrived in Kabul.

Bilal Karimi says they're there to provide technical and logistics services for reconstruction of Hamed Karzai International Airport.

Karimi said in response to a query from The Associated Press that efforts have already begun Wednesday to get the airport ready for the return of normal flights.

The development comes after Afghanistans civil aviation authority said earlier Wednesday its technical team was busy at the airport working to reactivate the airports radar system

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LONDON  Britains foreign secretary says he's heading to the region around Afghanistan for talks about the evacuation of British citizens and Afghan allies left behind in Kabul.

Dominic Raab told lawmakers he was leaving for the area Wednesday but did not provide any details, citing security reasons. British media have reported that his diplomatic efforts will focus on how to get Afghans and Britons out of the region through third countries, and that talks will likely include Pakistan.

A senior official, Simon Gass, has already traveled to Qatar to meet with Taliban representatives for talks about allowing people to leave Afghanistan.

Raab was questioned by lawmakers over the British governments handling of the evacuation and the Afghan crisis. He was grilled about the number of Britons and Afghans who helped U.K. forces who are left behind, but said he was unable to give a clear answer.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Afghanistans civil aviation authority says its technical team is busy at Hamed Karzai International Airport working to reactivate the airports radar system so flights can resume.

The authority in a statement Wednesday says it is committed to solving all the problems in the airport to facilitate the resumption of civilian and commercial flights.

The Taliban did not immediately comment.

Video is circulating on social media of a Qatari plane landing at the airport that is assumed to be carrying a technical team to help in repairs at the airport.

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MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized the United States involvement in Afghanistan, charging that its 20-year military presence in the country has achieved zero.

Putin said Wednesday that for 20 years the U.S. military in Afghanistan was trying ... to civilize the people who live there, to introduce their norms and standards of life in the broadest sense of the word, including the political organization of society.

The result is sheer tragedies, sheer losses, both for those who were doing that  the U.S.  and more so for the people who live in Afghanistan. A zero result, if not negative, Putin said.

The Russian president added that its impossible to impose something from outside and that if someone does something to someone, they should draw on the history, the culture, the life philosophy of these people in the broadest sense of the word, they should treat their traditions with respect.

Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with the Soviet troops withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback in the country as a mediator over the past few years. Russia has reached out to the feuding Afghan factions, including the Taliban  even though it has labeled them a terrorist organization.

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MADRID  Pope Francis has criticized the Wests recent involvement in Afghanistan as an outsiders attempt to impose democracy  although hes done so by citing Russias Vladimir Putin while thinking he was quoting Germanys Angela Merkel.

In a radio interview aired Wednesday, Pope Francis was asked about the new political map taking shape in Afghanistan after the United States and its allies withdrew from the Taliban-controlled country after 20 years of war. The pope said he would answer using a quote that he attributed to the German chancellor, who he described as one of the worlds greatest political figures.

Its necessary to stop the irresponsible policy 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 peoples traditions, the pope said, using his own translation into Spanish.

But the quote was pronounced last month by the Russian president in the presence of Merkel, during her visit of the German to Moscow.

During the meeting on Aug. 20, Putin scathingly criticized the West over Afghanistan, saying that the Talibans rapid sweep over the country has shown the futility of Western attempts to enforce its own vision of democracy. Instead, Merkel urged Russia to use its contacts with the Taliban to press for Afghan citizens who helped Germany to be allowed to leave Afghanistan.

The interview with Spains Cadena COPE took place at the Vatican late last week. The radio station owned by Spains Catholic bishops conference aired the talk on Wednesday and said that its content had been vetted by the pope himself.

Francis also said there that all eventualities were not taken into account in the departure of Western allies from Afghanistan.

I dont know if there will be any revision (of what happened during the withdrawal), but there was much deceiving from the new authorities (of Afghanistan), said the Pope. Either that or just too much ingenuity. Otherwise, I dont understand.

Francis called for Christians across the world to engage in prayer, penance and fasting in the face of events in Afghanistan.

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WASHINGTON  The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reflected on the Afghanistan wars end and delivered an emotional tribute Tuesday to the 13 service members killed by a suicide bombing last week.

Gen. Mark Milley said the militarys counterterrorism efforts over the past 20 years and the evacuation of 124,000 people from Afghanistan in the last 20 days are the legacy of U.S. service members.

In his words, Were now closing a chapter in our nations history.

Milley said the 11 Marines, one soldier and one Navy corpsman who died in the suicide bombing gave their tomorrows for the tomorrows of 124,000 people.

His comments came during the retirement ceremony for Gen. Robert Abrams, who most recently commanded U.S. Forces Korea. Both men commanded troops in Afghanistan.

Milley called it an incredibly emotional day, adding: All of us are conflicted with feelings of pain and anger, sorrow and sadness, combined with pride and resilience. But one thing I am certain of, for any soldier, sailor, airman or Marine and their families, your service mattered. It was not in vain.

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says he chose to end the war in Afghanistan in order to focus the nations defenses on other security problems, including China and Russia.

Addressing the nation Tuesday from the White House on the day after the last U.S. troops left Afghanistan, ending a 20-year war, Biden said he will sharpen the focus of U.S. foreign policy by concentrating on threats such as cyberattack and the proliferation of nuclear weapon technologies.

He vows to continue counterterrorism operations, including against any threats emanating from Afghanistan. He says this can be done with forces based outside of Afghanistan.

The president also mentioned the Islamic State extremist groups Afghanistan affiliate, which conducted a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport on Aug. 26 that killed 13 American service members and dozens of Afghan civilians. Biden said, We are not done with you yet.
Lockport, NY (14094)

Today

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Lockport, NY (14094)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Newtownforbes and the wider Longford community have been left shocked at the death of popular local woman, Bryonny Sainsbury.

The young hairdresser, aged in her 20s, passed away on Sunday night following a tragic equestrian accident.

A talented hairdresser, Bryonny was well-known in the local community and ran her own business at the Hair Bar in Newtownforbes, which has a long client list, all of whome enjoyed calling into Bryonny and her colleagues.

Tributes have been pouring in on social media for the well-loved horse enthusiast, with heartbroken family and friends remembering Bryonny as a beautiful woman who is gone too soon, a ball of fun, gorgeous soul and one of a kind.

Following the death of one of its own, the Hair Bar in Newtownforbes announced its temporary closure at this incredibly difficult time.

In a statement posted on the salons Facebook page, Bryonnys colleagues at the Hair Bar in Newtownforbes, Shelley and Grainne posted:

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we have to announce the passing of our bright and beautiful Bryonny. We are beyond heartbroken. We ask that you keep her wonderful family in your thoughts and prayers.

Also, we ask for your patience and understanding at the closing of the salon until further notice at this incredibly difficult time.

Further tributes in the hairdressing industry have been posted on Facebook with Grafters Hair Company Longford posting that they were so saddened at the news and expressig sympathy for Bryonnys family.

Thinking of Bryonnys work colleagues and friends also at the Hair Bar, Newtownforbes. She will look after you all from above.

Irish Hairdresser magazine also paid tribute to a stellar member of the hairdressing industry.

The sad news has just come our way of the sudden passing of Bryonny Sainsbury from Longford following a tragic equestrian accident, read a Facebook statement.

She was a young, beautiful, talented hairdresser with her own business, The Hair Bar in Newtownforbes and her hobby and passion was showjumping.

Our heart goes out to her family and friends. Rest now Bryonny.

Popular Facebook page Humans of Longford also shared the news on Monday afternoon, stating that there is absolute heartbreak in the entire community as a result of the passing last night of Bryonny Sainsbury following a tragic equine accident.

Bryonny was a talented, gorgeous young lady who ran the popular Hair Bar in Newtownforbes.

There are no words, its simply heartbreaking, numbing, unbelievable. May she rest in peace.

Tributes have also been shared in the equestrian community, of which Bryonny was an integral part, with her own beloved horse, Louie.

Leitrim Harriers Hunt Club extended its deepest sympathies to Bryonnys family and friends, stating, RIP, a fellow equestrian.

Area Six Pony Club also paid tribute, stating, on behalf of Area Six Irish Pony Club, we wish to express our sincere sympathies to the family, partner David and friends of Bryonny Sainsbury following her tragic death after an accident. Rest in peace.

Bryonnys mum, Alison, also posted on social media, stating that Bryonnys family will be forever heartbroken by the loss.

Our hearts are bleeding for you, our beautiful, loved, funny, talented Bryonny.
Longford Live & Locals free music concerts just keep coming and this weekend there are even more genres of live music performances to choose from. Well, we are officially into the last three weeks of the programme with north and south of the county set to be entertained yet again this weekend.

This amazing series of concerts has been delivered by the Longford County Council Arts Office in partnership with Republic of Culture and funded through the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Medias Local Live Performance Programming Scheme.

Last Saturday, as the country basked in some beautiful late summer weather, the residents of Edgeworthstown and surrounds were treated to two fantastic concerts in the beautiful setting of The Green.

A perfect place for a public concert, Saturdays audience experienced the homegrown talent that Edgeworthstown has in abundance. They were entertained by hometown heroes Sarah Haughey, Peter Costello, Strad, 4 Degrees West, Neon, and Aoife Mulligan.

On Sunday it was a little more of an all-county affair with headliner Brendan Kelly and his Band, being supported by Reves, the Ross Sisters, Rilog, Ray Scully and Aisling Rynn.

And theres more If you havent had a chance to take in a concert yet we still have some very interesting events to come on the summer long programme which runs up to 18 September. We have two niche events happening this weekend.

Trad Fest takes place at The Laurels GAA grounds, in Mullinalaghta (beside Derrycassin Woods), Saturday 4 September at 4pm. This dedicated traditional Irish music festival celebrates the involvement of some of Longfords finest musicians including Noel Carberry, Noel & Sean Sweeney, Michael Lennon, Sean Owens, Liam Doherty, Donna McCann, Laura Callaghan, Eoin Smith and some All-Ireland winning Sean-Nos dancers.

Then on Sunday 5 September at 3pm, a classical and contemporary spectacular lies in store in the beautiful surrounds of Castlecor House.

Nestled in the leafy heartland of Longford, on the outskirts of Ballymahon, this impressive manor house has stood the test of time since the 1700s. Previously described as perhaps one of the most intriguing buildings in Ireland, it currently operates as a guest house and is located a few minutes walk from the Royal Canal Greenway; just over an hour and a half by road from Dublin and around an hour from Galway.

One of its most fascinating features is it octagonal grand hall complete with mirroring fireplaces, that opens out onto its grounds.

Proprietors Loretta Grogan and Brian Ginty have generously offered the 18th century manor house as a venue for a concert of equal grandeur, a celebration of classical and contemporary music, all as part of the continuing Live and Local programme taking place across the county.

We are delighted to host Longford Live & Local. Down through its history the houses famous octagonal hall has long been associated with music and song and this is another wonderful chapter to add to that, commented Lorretta.

The concert features the highest quality musicians from the modern day classical-crossover scene including Longfords own Emer Barry, Maria Matthews, Paul Hennessy and Fintan Farrelly.

The programme includes a celebration of traditional Italian opera and some more contemporary arrangements of much-loved work and song from the greats of operatic composition.

Tickets for both events taking place this weekend can be booked for free by logging onto Eventbrite.ie and searching for Longford.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has designated Professor Vincent Cunnane to be appointed as the first president of Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest.

Professor Cunnane is the outgoing President of Limerick Institute of Technology, and will take up the role in the new Technological University on its establishment on 1 October 2021.

This follows the running of an open competition by the governing bodies of Athlone and Limerick Institutes of Technology and their proposing Professor Cunnane as the successful candidate from a wide field of national and international candidates.

Speaking today, Minister Harris said: "I am delighted to designate Professor Cunnane as the first President of Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest. The new technological university will be the third established in the State, and will be a new powerhouse university, driving development and investment across the Midlands and Midwest regions.

I want to congratulate Professor Cunnane on his appointment. Professor Cunnane has vast experience and will be perfectly positioned to lead the new institution in realising the benefits that technological universities have to offer - education for all, from apprenticeship to doctoral degrees, research-informed teaching and learning, and, crucially, regional development."

Following the open and competitive process run by the governing bodies of Athlone and Limerick Institutes of Technology, Professor Cunnane was chosen as the nominee for the first President of Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest.

Professor Cunnane said: "I feel honoured and privileged to become the founding president of Ireland's newest Technological University. I have seen the evolution of the technological sector over the last number of years. To lead this exciting, dynamic and visionary new organisation will be a challenge but one that I very much look forward to with the support of a really talented, enthusiastic and motivated cohort of staff."

Visit www.technologicaluniversities.com for more on the benefits of a TU for regions.
College students from Longford and across the country searching for accommodation have been warned to be aware of potential bogus letting agents, by the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA)

The PSRA has previously received reports of fake letting agents targeting students at this time of year. Such bogus agents often set up online and may claim to hold a PSRA licence.

As the start of the college year approaches, the search for student accommodation will be a high priority for many students. For those students engaging with a letting agent in their search for accommodation, it is important that they ensure that the agent is licenced by the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA).

The PSRA advises students to be aware to the risk of bogus letting agents attempting to extract financial payments from prospective tenants. In some instances, these bogus agents may claim to have a valid PSRA licence number.

All Property Services Providers (Letting Agents, Auctioneers, Estate Agents and Management Agents) operating in the Republic of Ireland must hold a PSRA licence to provide a property service. Licensed Property Services Providers are regulated by the PSRA, ensuring that the consumer is protected.

When using a property service provider, clients should ask to see the property service providers licence and note the details, in particular the licence number. The individual licence is a credit card size licence, which contains the licensee name, photographic identification and a unique 6 or 12 digit PSRA licence number, always beginning with a double zero.

Clients can then check this number on the PSRA Register of Licensed Property Services Providers to ensure that the licence is not only valid and in date, but that the providers details match those on the Register.

The Register can be found on the PSRAs website, www.psr.ie

The CEO of the PSRA, Ms Maeve Hogan said: Students starting and returning to college need to be vigilant of bogus letting agents when searching for accommodation. A key action that students should take to help safeguard themselves against rental scams is to check that the letting agent they are using is licensed. Using a licensed agent provides consumer protection and if something does go wrong, a client may be entitled to compensation from the PSRA compensation fund.

If you are in any doubt as to whether a letting agent is licensed, you can contact the PSRA on 046 9033800 or info@psr.ie

Unlicensed letting agents, auctioneers, estate agents and management agents are breaking the law and do not provide any consumer protection. Anyone aware of unlicensed operators is urged to contact the PSRA at info@psr.ie
Community, Charity & Cause

By Chris Boyle Published: September 01 2021

This is a great new chapter in my fire service career, said Guarino.

Frank Guarino, of Long Island, NY, has been elected to a five year term on the Board of Directors of the Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY). Guarino was appointed as a FASNY Director last fall to fill an open seat created by the election of Eugene Perry to the position of 2nd Vice President.

This is a great new chapter in my fire service career, said Guarino. Im proud to serve in this position and hope to bring new, younger members of the volunteer fire service to FASNY. Our goal is not only to provide outstanding fire training and education to the volunteer fire service but also to communicate the benefits that this Association provides to keep us all safe.

The 30-year FASNY member continues to serve as President of the Volunteer Fire Police Association of the State of New York, approaching his fifth consecutive year of caring for over 1,900 volunteer fire police members.

Guarino is a 41-year member of the Hagerman Fire Department in East Patchogue, N.Y., joining in January of 1980. Within the department he has held the positions of Captain, 1st Lieutenant, 2nd Lieutenant, Chief and Commissioner. In 1996, he was named Fireman of the Year by the Hagerman Fire Department and has received the Chiefs Award four times. Guarino is also a member of the Town of Brookhaven Fire Police Association, the Suffolk County Firemans Association, the Fire Service Council and the New York State Chiefs Association. He is an active leader in FASNYs training programs, including teaching courses on vehicle fires, ice rescue, arson recognition, fire police counter terrorism and emergency vehicle operation.

Director Guarino served in the United States Army from 1970-1973, and retired from the Long Island Rail Road in 2004 after 32 years. Outside of his work with FASNY, Guarino lives with his wife on Long Island, enjoys cheering on the Baltimore Ravens and traveling. He also has a lot of fun caring for and spending time with his two young grandchildren, Vinnie (age 8) and Melania (age 2).

About FASNY
Campers craft animals out of toilet paper rolls during Bullis Summer Camps Maker Faire. Founded by the Bullis Charter School community, this summer the free camp spread to two locations, one in Los Altos and the other in San Jose.
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(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of London-listed company director and manager changes announced on Wednesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:







Next PLC - FTSE 100-listed clothing and homewares retailer - Says Soumen Das joining as an independent non-executive director. He is CFO of FTSE 100-listed property investor SEGRO PLC. "His appointment will strengthen the board's knowledge and experience of the UK property and capital markets after Francis Salway stepped down from our Board in May of this year," Next says.







Clinigen Group PLC - Staffordshire-based pharmaceuticals and services provider - Says Elmar Schnee, non-executive director and chair designate, will become chair with immediate effect. Simultaneously, Peter Allen will step down as chair. In July Clinigen said Allen would not stand for re-election to board at AGM in November. "I am proud to have spent nine years as chairman of Clinigen. During that time the company has grown and developed into a global leader in providing global access to medicines, delivering significant value to patients, customers and shareholders," the outgoing chair says.







Auto Trader Group PLC - online automotive marketplace - Hires Jasvinder Gakhal as an independent non-executive director. Jasvinder is managing director of Motor at Direct Line Group, prior to which she held a number of roles within Direct Line including most recently chief strategy officer and before that managing director of Direct Line for Business.







SSP Group PLC - London-based operator of food outlets such as Upper Crust in travel locations - Says Jonathan Davies has been appointed as deputy chief executive officer, alongside his current role of chief financial officer, with immediate effect. "Following the recent announcement that Simon Smith will step down from his role as chief executive officer at the end of the year, the process to identify his successor is progressing well," says SSP.







Dignity PLC - West Midlands, England-based funeral services - Appoints Graham Ferguson as an independent non-executive director for an initial six-month period. "During his career, Graham has worked on numerous corporate acquisitions and restructuring projects and has experience in business and acquisition finance," Dignity says.







Sancus Lending Group Ltd - Guernsey-based alternative property finance - Says Patrick Firth has resigned as chair of the board and non-executive director of the company. Non-Executive Director Stephen Smith has replaced as chair with immediate effective.







Stanley Gibbons Group PLC - retailer of collectable postage stamps - Says Chief Finance Officer Anthony Gee to step down from position on the board at the end of November. He will be moving to "more operationally focused role" within the group. "The board has commenced a formal process of appointing a replacement, and will update shareholders once an appointment has been made," it says.







Standard Life Private Equity Trust PLC - investor in private equity funds focused on Europe - Appoints Dugald Agble and Yvonne Stillhart as independent non-executive directors with immediate effect. Agble is a supervisory board member at FMO, the Dutch finance institution. Stillhart is a currently director of EPE Capital Ltd and UBS Asset Management Switzerland AG.







Metals Exploration PLC - mineral resource exploration and development company with assets in the Philippines - Hires Steven Smith as non-executive director. He has been appointed as the representative of MTL (Luxembourg) Sarl, and MTL's former representative, Andrew Stancliffe, has therefore stepped down from the board with immediate effect.







Vela Technologies PLC - Bingley, England-based investment firm - Hires Emma Wilson as executive director. "In 2010 Emma established her own accounting practice, Bailey Wilson, which serves a variety of types and sizes of businesses, including clients listed on AIM and on the main market of the London Stock Exchange," Vela said. She will take principal responsibility for the company's finance and company secretarial functions, which have previously been contracted to Bailey Wilson but which will now be taken in-house.







Nanosynth Group PLC - digital monitoring and safeguarding systems manufacturer formerly known as Remote Monitored Systems - Hires Mark Duffin as chief executive officer, effective immediately. He is currently CEO and founder of Angel Share Capital Ltd and prior to that, was CEO of ServicePower Technologies PLC. "With this appointment, and as previously envisaged, Antony Legge will revert to his previous role of non-executive chairman of the company. Dr Cave's move from a non-executive director to an executive director, taking the role of the group's Chief Scientific Officer, remains subject to contract and a further announcement will be made once finalised," company says.







Danakali Ltd - Subiaco, Australia-based resource company - Says Robert Connochie retires from board as non-executive director. He was appointed in February 2017. "During his tenure he has brought his wisdom and extensive international industry experience to support the Company through the critical processes of securing the offtake, debt financing, ongoing project development and most recently with the successful capital raising for Colluli Sulphate of Potash Project," company says.







UK Commercial Property REIT Ltd - FTSE 250-listed real estate investment trust - Has been informed by investment manager, Aberdeen Standard Fund Managers Ltd, that Will Fulton, UK Commercial Property's lead manager, will be taking a temporary break from his role for medical reasons. Kerri Hunter has been appointed as interim fund manager to the company. "Kerri has over 25 years' experience in the property market, 22 years of which is in fund management and includes working on both investment trusts and open ended funds," it notes.







European Opportunities Trust PLC - managed by Devon Equity Management Ltd and invests in European companies offering capital growth - Hires Matthew Dobbs and Jeroen Huysinga as independent non-executive directors with immediate effect. Dobbs recently stepped down from full time investment responsibilities after a 39 year career at Schroders, while Huysinga managed funds at JP Morgan Asset Management for 23 years until his retirement in 2020. Huysinga holds 11,000 shares in the company.







By Lucy Heming;A lucyheming@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - National Grid PLC's GBP7.8 billion acquisition of Britain's largest electricity distribution business has been cleared by the UK competition watchdog.

The UK Competition & Markets Authority has decided not to refer the purchase of PPL WPD Investments - the holding company of Western Power Distribution, the UK's largest electricity distribution business - to a phase two investigation.

The GBP7.8 billion deal for Western Power from US energy firm PPL Corp was agreed in March.

National Grid said it was "pleased" with the regulators decision. The CMA had launched a merger inquiry into the WPD acquisition in June, though the deal had already gone through.

National Grid, which manages the UK's power infrastructure, said the acquisition was part of a shift towards electricity and greener energy.

It came amid a flurry of deals to pivot its portfolio, with National Grid also announcing the sale of its Rhode Island utility business - The Narragansett Electric Co - to PPL for USD3.8 billion. And National Grid revealed at the time it would launch a process later in the year to sell a majority stake in National Grid Gas.

Shares in National Grid were 0.9% higher in London on Wednesday morning at 949.90 pence each.

By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC unveiled plans Wednesday to instal up to 50,000 electric car charging points in Britain in the coming years.

Shell said in a statement that its Ubitricity subsidiary aims to reach the target by late 2025, under the company's transition toward green energy.A

Ubitricity, which was founded in Germany in 2008 and purchased by Shell earlier this year, provides on-street electric vehicle charging across Europe.

It already has 3,600 charging points in Britain, using existing street infrastructure such as bollards and lamp posts.

"The move is part of a wider effort to bring more electric vehicle charging availability to the millions of UK drivers without private parking and help local authorities get their charging networks up and running as quickly as possible," Shell said.A

The UK government's Office of Zero Emission Vehicles currently pays 75% of the cost for installation of on-street electric car charging.

The oil giant is prepared to pay remaining costs for local authorities to instal Ubitricity charge points.

Britain plans to ban sales of high-polluting diesel and petrol cars from 2030 as part of efforts to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

That has helped spark a raft of investments in electric car manufacturing facilities and also in charging infrastructure.

Rival UK oil major BP PLC had bought EV charging firm Chargemaster in 2018, as it also bet on booming demand in the coming decades.

Shell had said in June that it would accelerate plans to cut carbon emissions following a court order in the Netherlands.

The court in The Hague ordered Shell to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 in a landmark victory by climate activists with implications for energy firms worldwide.

source: AFP

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - UK house prices continued to rise in August amid a lack of supply and as the government's stamp duty relief nears its end, according to Nationwide on Wednesday.

On an annual basis, the Nationwide UK house price index rose 11% in August, up from 10.5% growth in July. The reading beat market consensus, cited by FXStreet, for a rise of 8.6%.

Prices rose 2.1% month-on-month in August, up sharply from 0.6% in July and well above forecasts of 0.2%.

The average UK house price was GBP248,857 in August, up from GBP244,229 in July. House prices are now around 13% higher than when the pandemic began, Nationwide highlighted.

Nationwide said the strength of house prices could reflect strong demand for buying a property priced between GBP125,000 and GBP250,000 from those who are looking to take advantage of the stamp duty relief in place until the end of September.

"Underlying demand is likely to remain solid in the near term. Consumer confidence has rebounded in recent months while borrowing costs remain low. This, combined with the lack of supply on the market, suggests continued support for house prices. But, as we look towards the end of the year, the outlook is harder to foresee. Activity will almost inevitably soften for a period after the stamp duty holiday expires at the end of September, given the incentive for people to bring forward their purchases to avoid the additional tax," said Nationwide economist Robert Gardner.

"Moreover, underlying demand is likely to soften around the turn of the year if unemployment rises, as most analysts expect, when government support schemes wind down. But even this is far from assured. The labour market has remained remarkably resilient to date and, even if it does weaken, there is scope for shifts in housing preferences as a result of the pandemic to continue to support activity for some time yet," Gardner added.

By Arvind Bhunjun; arvindbhunjun@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Wednesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:







SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust PLC - investment company - Extends and increases revolving credit facility to GBP145 million. The RCF is used by the company for short-term financing of acquisitions. The new expiry date is June 30, 2024. The RCF also includes an uncommitted accordion of a further GBP55 million.







Henry Boot PLC - Sheffield, England-based construction and property development business - Says its property development unit, HBD, has signed a GBP53.8 million funding deal with Oxenwood Real Estate to progress a logistics scheme in Nottingham. "New Horizon is a landmark 28-acre site, which was formerly home to Imperial Tobacco. The deal will see the development of seven industrial units from 30,000 square foot to 145,000 square foot on a speculative basis and is capable of creating up to 1,000 new jobs for the city," company say .







Mattioli Woods PLC - Leicester-based asset manager - Extends long stop date for sellers of Ludlow Wealth Management to September 30 from August 31. In mid-May, agreed to buy Ludlow, a financial planning business in the North West of England with assets under advice of GBP1.6 billion, for up to GBP43.5 million.







Severfield PLC - York, England-based steel company - Says trading in the first five months of the 2022 financial year has "continued to be positive" and is in line with management's expectations. "The group's financial position remains good, albeit the recent steel and other input price rises are impacting working capital in the short term, and the outlook for the year ending March 31, 2022 is unchanged," company adds. Expects profit to have second half bias, with several ongoing contracts expected to deliver higher profits in the second half of the year. Notes September 1 order book in UK and Europe at GBP376 million, a record for company, with GBP291 million to be delivered in next 12 months.







Trifast PLC - Uckfield, England-based industrial fastenings firm - Buys US-based fastenings distributor Falcon Fastening Solutions Inc for USD8.3 million on a cash free-debt free basis, which has been funded through existing cash and financing facilities. Chief Executive Mark Belton says: "The Carolinas region is a strategically important area for us where a number of our global OEMs have facilities. The culture, values and work ethic at Falcon in many ways reflect those of TR. We believe that the combination of Falcon and Trifast's locations, experience, knowledge base and skill sets will open significant opportunities to expand the service and portfolio offering to both existing and new customers on a domestic and international basis We look forward to working together to create a stronger presence for Trifast in North America." Expects deal to be earnings enhancing in the financial year-ending March 31, 2022.







Eckoh PLC - London-based secure payment products provider - Says trading in first four months of financial year, to July 31, in line with market expectations. Notes financial position remains strong.







Velocys PLC - Oxford, England-based fuels technology company - Wins maximum grant of GBP2.4 million from UK Department for Transport (DfT) under the Green Fuels, Green Skies competition, for for Altalto project. The Altalto project is a collaboration between Velocys and British Airways; the proposed plant will convert hundreds of thousands of tonnes per year of residual waste into sustainable fuels, mainly aviation fuel. Chief Executive Henrik Wareborn says: "We are very pleased to have this enhanced level of support from the Department for Transport for the Altalto project. The momentum for sustainable aviation fuel in the UK and around the world is growing, demonstrated here by the recent consultations on the path to net zero aviation and on a SAF mandate. This grant demonstrates that the Altalto project is a key part of the strategy to accelerate a SAF industry in the UK."







Circle Property PLC - London-based buyer, developer and manager of regional office assets in UK - To sell One Castle Park, Bristol to Boultbee LDN Capital Ltd for GBP20 million, which represents 3.9% increase on March 31 valuation of GBP19.3 million. Deal expected to be completed on December 16. "The cash proceeds from the sale will be utilised, in line with previous announcements, to reduce the company's gearing from the current level. The company has a number of assets that have benefited from an active management approach where considerable value has been added following redevelopment, lease restructures or renewals," company says.







Ince Group PLC - legal and professional services firm - Subsidiary James Stocks & Co begins trading as Ince Corporate Finance. The business will continue to be led by Tim Stocks, founder and managing director, who has over 30 years' experience in private practice as a lawyer specialising in corporate finance and securities work. Chief Executive Adrian Biles says: "Since joining the group as a subsidiary last year, Tim and his team have integrated well with our global legal and consulting businesses. The quality of their advice and solutions are second to none and has significantly strengthened our multi-disciplinary offering. Re-branding the business as Ince Corporate Finance will further bolster our brand as we continue to build and grow the business in the coming years."







Longboat Energy PLC - North Sea-focused exploration firm - Completes farm-ins with Equinor, Idemitsu and Spirit for exploration drilling programme on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Now expects to complete the drilling of four exploration wells in its seven well programme before the end of 2021. Chief Executive Helge Hammer says: "We are pleased that the Farm-Ins have completed and we are now operational, with Longboat about to embark upon the drilling of four wells over the next few months in an extremely busy and exciting time for the company."







Galantas Gold Corp - Northern Ireland-focused gold producer - Shares start trading on the OTCQX Best Market in the US. Chief Executive Mario Stifano says: "The OTCQX listing marks an important milestone for Galantas. Our decision to cross-trade in the US is part of our strategy to grow our international shareholder base and promote greater liquidity as we continue our focus on expanding high-grade gold production and the mineral resources at our Omagh project in Northern Ireland."







MyHealthChecked PLC - Cardiff-based healthcare company and fertility tracking firm - Secures ISO 15189:2012 accreditation across its Covid-19 testing service. Company says this is "a mark of confidence that the service meets internationally recognised gold standards for performance and competence." The accreditation was granted following assessments by the UK Accreditation Service. Chief Executive Penny McCormick says: "We are delighted to now have in place accreditation across our Covid-19 testing service, which is a clear sign to our existing customers and potential new customers that our medical laboratories and operational systems are extremely rigorous and structured around best possible practice within the industry." Yourgene Health PLC gets same accreditation for its Citylabs 1.0 laboratory in Manchester.







Watchstone Group PLC - Eastleigh-based investor in litigation and contingent assets - Urges shareholders not to act on increased Polygon Global Partners LLP offer. "Accordingly, the directors unanimously recommend to shareholders that they should take no action in relation to the final offer and should not sign any document sent to them by Polygon or its advisers," company says. On Tuesday, Polygon increased and final mandatory cash offer for the shares it does not already own in Watchstone. The new offer is worth 38p per share, up 12% from the previous offer of 34p per share, valuing Watchstone at GBP17.5 million. As of Wednesday, Polygon had received acceptances representing 1.4% of Watchstone shares. Polygon already has a 30% stake in Watchstone, the threshold at which it has to make an offer for the remaining shares.







IQ-AI Ltd - Jersey-based medical services and software company - Shares begin trading on the OTCQB Venture Market in the US. Chief Executive Trevor Brown says: "The US is home to some of the world's most influential medical technology investors. By joining OTCQB, we now have an effective platform from which to reach a significantly larger investor audience and we look forward to providing investors in both the UK and the US with regular progress updates at this exciting and pivotal time for the company."







Kazera Global PLC - investment company focused on opportunities in the resources and energy sectors - Makes plan with DJ Drilling, which will lead to the "profitable production" of Tantalum from its mine in Namibia before the end of 2021. Joint Chief Executive Larry Kazera says: "DJ Drilling committing to undertake the work to get the mine into operation as well as their bringing in the necessary equipment has unlocked the current impasse and is a true reflection of their commitment to the project and their belief in its potential. We look forward to a long and fruitful future together."







SulNOx Group PLC - AQSE-listed London-based hydrocarbon fuel emulsification specialist - Starts new large-scale trial of its SulNOxEco fuel conditioner product. "The Stannah group of companies, the UK's largest independent lift business and world renowned stairlift manufacturer, has embarked upon an important trial to reduce emissions from its corporate fleet. Stannah has partnered with SulNOx to trial the SulNOxEco fuel conditioner in 40 vehicles based at its Southwest England & South Wales branch," company explains.







By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Manchester Center, VT (05254)

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Cloudy skies this evening followed by thunderstorms late. Low around 65F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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Cloudy skies this evening followed by thunderstorms late. Low around 65F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Al Qaeda on Tuesday called for the liberation of Kashmir and other so-called Islamic lands from the clutches of the enemies of Islam in a message congratulating the Taliban for its victory in Afghanistan.

A detailed statement issued by al-Qaeda hours after the Taliban declared that Afghanistan has gained full independence following the drawdown of US forces referred to the terror groups long-standing calls for the so-called liberation of regions such as Palestine, the Levant, Somalia and Yemen.
FILE- In this file photo from Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, Hennepin County Minn. Attorney Mike Freeman, gestures during a news conference. After more than two decades as the top prosecutor in Minneapolis and surrounding cities, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, that he will not seek re-election in 2022.
Paris Saint-Germain are willing to do what it takes to renew Kylian Mbappe's contact, with his current deal set to expire next summer, but the Frenchman does not seem keen on staying in France.

The France international has reportedly turned down another contract extension offer amidst interest from LaLiga Santander giants Real Madrid.

According to Le Parisien, PSG offered Mbappe a salary of 45 million euros net per season to renew his current deal, but the 22-year-old turned it down.

Meanwhile, as L'Equipe point out, PSG are not willing to give in and they will return with a new offer to keep their prodigious star.

A two-year deal

PSG's second renewal offer was one that would tie Mbappe down to a new two-year deal worth 45m euros net per season - salary that would be higher than the wages Neymar and Lionel Messi earn at the club.

As reported at the time, the first renewal offer was one worth 25m euros net per season, but that one was also turned down by Mbappe.

Le Parisien predict that PSG will offer a huge signing-on bonus to Mbappe, while they also note that the forward will receive offers from other elite clubs such as Manchester City and Chelsea come January.

The French newspaper are adamant that Mbappe's dream is to play for Real Madrid and predict that no other offer will make him change his mind.
Marysville, KS (66508)

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Cloudy. Some light rain will fall throughout the day. High 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

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Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
This week were stirring up a booze heavy cocktail with Brugal 1888 rum from the Dominican Republic. Its called the Dominican Double and to tell us more we have brand ambassador Jamie Campbell.

When you have a high quality spirit, the best thing to do when mixing it is to keep things simple. You dont want to drown the flavour in sugar syrups or fruit juice. Which is just the case with Brugal 1888 Gran Reserva Familiar rum from the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean.

Double-matured rum

Its a classic smooth Spanish-style rum that will appeal to lovers of Santa Teresa or Diplomatico from Venezuela. Made from sugar cane molasses grown on the island, its fermented and distilled in a column still, and then treated to prolonged cask ageing. First it spends some time ex-bourbon barrels before secondary maturation in Oloroso-seasoned European oak casks.

Jamie Campbell has just been appointed ambassador for the brand, and talked us through what this double maturation achieves: The first ageing process provides a lot of the flavours and aromas you expect from a rum, for example vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate, but for me, it is the second maturation in European Oak casks where the magic really happens. Here, we start to get flavours like figs, raisins and bananas which complement the flavours from the American oak ageing and elevate the complexity of the rum to new levels  the liquid is constantly evolving on the palette and has this incredibly long finish and mouthfeel. Sounds pretty tasty, doesnt it?

The year on the bottle, 1888, isnt the vintage, sadly, but the year the brand was founded by Don Andres Brugal Montaner, who was originally from Sitges in Spain. In 2008, the Edrington Group, acquired a majority stake in the company. Nevertheless, its still family run. In fact, only family members can become maestro roneros  rum maestros. There are currently two, Jassil Villavueva Quintana and Gustavo Ortega Zeller. Campbell explained that the distillation process has been passed down through each of the five generations of master rum makers and the exact specifications and process are a closely guarded secret between them.

The story behind the cocktail

So you can understand why you dont want to muck about with it too much. Campbell is particularly keen on something called a Double Dominican. So-called because it combines the rum with a banana liqueur from the same island plus some dry vermouth. The result is something not far from a Palmetto  but with a tropical twist. And who doesnt enjoy a tropical twist of an evening? Well show you how to make one below.

Campbell has been working in the hospitality business since he was 14. I quickly fell in love with all things restaurant and bar related. When I moved away to university, I landed my first ever bartending job and began to get more involved in the cocktail side of things, when I eventually took over as the bar manager, redesigning the cocktail menu and style of service. From here he moved into the brand side of the business with a stint working with Lucas Bols before he was made brand ambassador for Brugal 1888 earlier this year. Hes super excited and passionate about building the brand and the super-premium rum category in the UK.

Campbell thinks that high quality rums are having a bit of a moment, especially sipped neat or, as he puts it nearly neat like in a Dominican Double. He continued: I love that you can still taste the rum and the complexities of the liquid as typically, rum can often be overshadowed in cocktails and smothered by lots of additional ingredients such as fruit juices. In this cocktail, we simply use a small amount of creme de banane to enhance the tropical flavours of the rum, as well as some dry vermouth to provide a dry, refreshing end taste. Its a simple cocktail on paper, but the flavour and finish are truly delicious.

Right, thats enough introduction, lets cocktail!

How to make a Dominican Double

50ml Brugal Gran Reserva Familiar 1888

15ml Briottet Creme de Banane or similar

10ml Noilly Prat dry vermouth

Method: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with cubed ice and stir, before straining into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with banana chips on the side.
Robert Elton Rector, 84 yrs of Wilburton, Ok passed away at His home in Wilburton, Ok on Friday, September 3, 2021. Memorial Services will be on Friday, October 1, 2021 at 2 pm at the Waldrop Funeral Home Chapel in Wilburton, Ok Officiating will be Mr. Jay Caudill. Services are under the dir
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Meadville, PA (16335)

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Thunderstorms likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

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Most childhood-onset epilepsies are known to be caused by genetic changes. However, the exact cause for this is unknown. The present study anticipates thatthat can be targeted to their specific genetic alteration.The study team analyzed 290 children born between 2006-2011. The children had a diagnosis of epilepsy or presented with high fever along with seizures (both prolonged and clustering febrile seizures). They were followed up in 2015 and underwent genetic testing after obtaining informed consent.says Dr. Allan Bayat, MD, a consultant in pediatric neurology at the Danish Epilepsy Centre, Dianalund, Denmark.Moreover, the study suggests thatThe study further plans to continue their work to find a genetic explanation for epilepsy.says, Dr. Bayat.Source: Medindia
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To investigate whether the MMR and Tdap vaccines provide additional protection against COVID-19, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital conducted laboratory-based analyses using sensitive, new techniques to detect and characterize T cell responses to antigens.They applied these techniques to measure the response of T cells isolated from the blood of COVID-19 convalescent patients and patients vaccinated against COVID-19 to antigens from SARS-CoV-2 and the MMR and Tdap vaccines.Teaming up with collaborators at Cleveland Clinic, they also leveraged a large, well-annotated cohort of COVID-19 patients and found that prior MMR or Tdap vaccination was associated with decreased disease severity. Their results are published in"Our Cleveland Clinic colleagues observed an association where individuals with COVID-19 who had either MMR or Tdap vaccines had a much lower frequency of going to the intensive care unit or dying," said co-author Andrew Lichtman, MD, PhD, an immunologist and senior investigator in the Brigham's Department of Pathology and professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School."Although previous smaller studies suggested a similar link, our in-depth epidemiological analyses, together with our basic research results, suggest that these commonly given vaccines may protect against severe disease.""During the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that there was a marked decline in routine vaccinations for children and adolescents," said corresponding author Tanya Mayadas, PhD, a senior scientist in the Brigham's Department of Pathology and professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School."Our findings emphasize the importance of routine vaccination for children and adults. We know vaccines protect against devastating diseases, and we're now seeing growing evidence that some of them provide a degree of protection against severe COVID-19 disease."The team's investigation was jumpstarted by an unexpected observation. Mayadas, her postdoctoral fellow Vijaya Mysore, PhD, and colleagues noted in laboratory experiments using COVID-19 convalescent blood that whenever they observed a heightened T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 proteins, they also saw a heightened response to proteins from MMR and Tdap, which they had been using as controls.This was observed with both COVID-19 convalescent and uninfected individuals vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. This connection was made by the team's use of highly efficient antigen-presenting cells (described in a recently published Nature Communications paper) derived from blood, loaded with SARS-CoV-2, MMR or Tdap antigens, and co-cultured with T cells from the same individual.Using single-cell RNA sequencing and analysis of T cell antigen receptors, the team observed that the antigen receptors on many of the T cells from individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 that responded to proteins from SARS-CoV-2 (Spike-S1 and Nucleocapsid) were identical to the antigen receptors on T cells that responded to MMR and Tdap proteins.This discovery indicated the presence of T cell clones that can respond to both SARS-CoV-2 antigens and the MMR and Tdap vaccine antigens.In a second analysis, Mayadas and colleagues teamed up with investigators at Cleveland Clinic to examine the epidemiological evidence. The Cleveland Clinic team performed a retrospective cohort study using data from more than 75,000 patients seen at the Cleveland Clinic Health System in Ohio or Florida who had tested positive for COVID-19 between March 8, 2020, and March 31, 2021.The team used a statistical method known as overlap propensity score weighting to compare two disease severity outcomes (COVID-related hospitalization and COVID-related admission to the intensive care unit or death) for patients who had been vaccinated against MMR or Tdap and those who had not.They found that patients who had previously been vaccinated for MMR had a 38 percent decrease in hospitalization and a 32 percent decrease in ICU admission/death. Similarly, patients previously vaccinated for Tdap had 23 percent and 20 percent decreased rates, respectively, of these outcomes."Beyond learning about the potential benefits of the MMR and Tdap vaccines in the context of COVID-19, this study provides a blueprint for accelerating research," said co-author Lara Jehi, MD, MHCDS, Chief Research Information Officer of the Cleveland Clinic Health System."Biomedical hypotheses generated in the laboratory can be explored through robust clinical and epidemiological research in well-curated, real-world data such as the Cleveland Clinic COVID Registry. Knowledge learned through this collaboration is much more than the sum of our individual parts."The authors note that while their laboratory-based findings are strengthened by the epidemiological observations, further work is needed to assess the association between the MMR and Tdap vaccinations and severity of COVID-19 disease to determine if the relationship is a causal one. Prospective studies of vaccination and patient outcomes may help distinguish correlation from causation."With regards to COVID-19 vaccines, our findings predict that although MMR and Tdap are not a substitute for COVID-19 vaccines they may afford greater and more durable protection, possibly against emerging spike variants than the COVID-19 vaccine alone," said Mayadas. "And in areas where the COVID-19 vaccines are not available, they could protect infected individuals from developing severe disease."Source: Eurekalert
It is said that those who do bad things often lack a moral conscience. But what if thats not always the case?

What if the reason why some people feel compelled to do something morally or ethically wrong is due to their own troubled circumstances? And what if all that these people really need is little time to reflect on their actions to come around and do the right thing?

 Atresmedia Vancouver media

We say this after coming across a few robbers who, even though committed the crime of stealing from another person, eventually, had a change of heart and made up for their mistakes.



Guess both chivalry and moral compass isnt entirely lost yet!

1. Robber Returned Money After Seeing Womans Empty Bank Balance

An incident that was recorded on the CCTV camera of an ATM in China, a robber walked in to rob a woman who gave him all her cash.

He then asked her to show him his bank balance, which to his surprise was empty. Instead of hurrying out with the cash he had stolen, he smiled, returned all of it to the woman and walked away.

2. Thieves Return The Money They Stole From A Rajasthan Dargah

 Dainik Bhaskar

A Dargah in Rajasthan was apparently looted by a bunch of thieves who allegedly took about 2 lakh rupees from the donation box.



However, having realised what they did was not right, the thieves ended up returning one out of the two lakh rupees back to the Dargah after a month.

3. Robber Returned Womans Wallet With An Apology Note In Arkansas

 UPI

This one happened to have stolen a woman's wallet in a Walmart store, but came around to make amends for his crime by sending it back with a rather touching note.



He wrote, To the lady that left her wallet at Walmart...please forgive me as I always strive to have integrity, and that day I failed miserably", as he returned the money to the police who then gave it back to the woman.

4. Thief Returned Money He Stole From A Tip Jar

 iStock

This happened in Springfield, USA when a robber stole about $40 from a tip jar in a restaurant but regretted his actions and returned those $40 along with $30 from his own pocket.



He also wrote a note that said, To the employees who worked yesterday I truly apologize for what happened it was a stupid mistake made while under the influence of drugs which is not an excuse just the truth there was 40 something (dollars) in there when it was taken I tried to double it but could only get 70 (dollars) Im sorry Im not a bad person just a man with an addiction I AM sorry!!! (sic).

5. Thief Returned A Bag After Realising It Had Covid Vaccines

A Chandigarh thief who had stolen a bag and fled the scene returned the bag after realising that it contained about 1,700 doses of Covid vaccine.

He left a note saying, Sorry, pata nahin tha Covid ki dawai hai".

6. Robber Returned Gold Stolen From A Family In Kerala

 TOI

After a family in Kerala was robbed of their precious gold ornaments, they filed a case for theft with the police.



However, the thief ended up returning all that gold and with it, offered an explanation where he admitted to having stolen under financial constraints.

Seeing the thiefs moral conscience kick in, the family withdrew their case.

7. Waitress Returned Money She Stole From The Cash Counter

 Twitter

A waitress who was given the sly tip of not recording the sale of a few drinks to pocket the cash, carried great remorse for her sleight of hand at her job and 20 years later, returned the money she stole along with 20 years worth of interest and an apology note.



It explained how she grew up in the church and knew better than that, which is why she wanted to make amends.
Meridian, MS (39302)

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Rain likely. High 79F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

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Cloudy with periods of rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

An official looks at the deep hole on Mississippi Highway 26 in the Crossroads community, Tuesday. Two people were killed and at least 10 others were injured when seven vehicles plunged, one after another, into the deep hole on the dark rural two-lane highway, which collapsed Monday, after Hurricane Ida blew through Mississippi.
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In summer 2020, The New York Times coordinated a nationwide project to document the lives of Americans out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved collaborating with 11 other local newsrooms around the U.S. The Messenger-Inquirer was the only newspaper from Kentucky in the collaboration. The resulting collection of stories was published Oct. 23, 2020, in the New York Times print edition and at nytimes.com/outofwork. The following list is the Messenger-Inquirer's local unemployment coverage from that time period; read more by clicking the "New York Times Project" header. Click on "Out Of Work In America" to go to the full
Miami, FL (33127)

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Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low 77F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low 77F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Former State Employee Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement

Former State Employee Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement

September 1, 2021 LANSING - A former employee of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) pleaded guilty to embezzling from the State, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and EGLE Director Liesl Clark announced today.

Joseph Pettit, who was charged earlier this year, pleaded guilty to the following Tuesday afternoon in Ingham County 30th Circuit Court:

two counts of embezzlement over $100,000, a felony punishable by up to 20 years and a fine of up to $50,000 or three times the value of the money or property, whichever is greater; and

one count of uttering and publishing, a felony punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

"This plea brings us one step closer to securing accountability in this case, and therefore, justice for the people of Michigan," Nessel said. "State employees serve the many operations that keep Michigan running for our millions of residents. Abusing that responsibility will not be tolerated by my office."

"There are no winners here, least of all Michigan EGLE's 1200-plus public servants who exemplify the highest standards of ethics and are disheartened to learn a coworker violated those principles," Clark said. "We are doing all we can to prevent any reoccurrence of this type of incident, including strengthened internal financial controls that provide greater checks and balances against fraud."

As part of the plea, Pettit is expected to serve prison time, which will be determined at sentencing. He will also be responsible for full restitution, which totals $855,690.

He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 17 at 9:30 a.m.

CASE BACKGROUND

In Michigan, any entity that wants to drill or operate any type of well has to apply for a permit and post a conformance bond with the Oil, Gas, and Minerals Division of EGLE. When the owner of the well changes hands, the original owner gets the bond back.

As an EGLE employee, most recently as an environmental quality specialist, Pettit was responsible for completing the process of releasing bonds back to companies and facilitating the transfer of bonds back to the original owner. Instead, Pettit created fake vendors and diverted these funds to bank accounts that he supplied for these vendors. Pettit worked at EGLE from 1996 until January of 2020.

EGLE leadership became aware of potential discrepancies in September of 2020 and immediately contacted Michigan State Police, which conducted the investigation.

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Lynsey Mukomel agpress@michigan.gov Attorney General
Updated Court Appearances Set for The Base Members

Updated Court Appearances Set for The Base Members

Attorney General

Media contact: Lynsey Mukomel 517-599-2746

Public inquiries: 517-335-7622

September 1, 2021

LANSING - New court dates have been set in one of the cases currently pending against members of The Base, a national white supremacist group with violent inclinations.

Last month, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced charges against Justen Watkins, Thomas Denton, and Tristan Webb after the men allegedly entered two former and vacant Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) sites in the city of Caro on Oct. 3, 2020 and assessed them as potential future training grounds for "hate camps", which is what the group named their paramilitary firearms training exercises.

The case is being co-prosecuted with Tuscola County Prosecutor Mark Reene. The charges are a result of a joint investigation assisted by the Michigan State Police (MSP) Caro Post and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).

The men face the following charges:

one count of larceny in a building, a four-year felony;

one count of gang membership, a 20-year felony;

one count of conspiracy to commit teaching use of firearms for a civil disorder, four-year felony; and

one count of felony firearm, two-year felony.

Webb waived his preliminary examination, meaning the charges against him are automatically bound over for trial.

Today was a scheduled preliminary examination for Denton and Watkins, but the hearing was adjourned by Judge Jason E. Bitzer until Oct. 15 at 8:30 a.m. in Caro 71B District Court.

Webb is currently out on bond, which includes a GPS tether and remaining under house arrest except for traveling to and from work and court appearances.

Denton remains incarcerated. Watkins has been in custody in the Washtenaw County Jail since his bond - related to another case - was revoked in May.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND

Last October, Watkins was one of two men charged in connection to a December 2019 incident in Dexter, in which a family was terrorized at their home after the men allegedly used intimidation tactics on the premises and posted messages to other The Base members that targeted the home.

Watkins and his co-defendant in the Dexter case, Alfred Gorman, are due for a preliminary examination on Oct. 5 in Washtenaw County's 14A-4 District Court.

In addition to the state and Tuscola County charges, Watkins faces charges in Huron County for possession of steroids and breaking and entering. Questions related to the breaking and entering should be directed to the Huron County Prosecutor.

Founded in 2018, The Base is a white supremacy organization that openly advocates for violence and criminal acts against the U.S., and purports to be training for a race war to establish white ethnonationalist rule in areas of the U.S., including Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The group also traffics in Nazi ideology and extreme anti-Semitism.

Watkins claims to be the leader of The Base, and reportedly ran a "hate camp" for members of the group, where he led tactical and firearms training for participants with the goal of being prepared for the violent overthrow of the government.

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Please note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The Department does not provide booking photos.
Sept. 1, 2021

Proposals accepted through Nov. 1

Michigan's Invasive Species Grant Program is now accepting proposals for the 2021 funding cycle, with an anticipated $3.6 million available to applicants.

The program - a joint effort of the Michigan departments of Natural Resources; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Agriculture and Rural Development - is part of a statewide initiative launched in 2014 to help prevent, detect and control invasive species in Michigan.

An invasive species is one that is not native and whose introduction causes harm, or is likely to cause harm, to Michigan's environment, economy or human health.

"By engaging the public more actively and encouraging innovative new methods of keeping our Great Lakes water and land healthy this program will continue to be an asset in the battle against invasives," said Liesl Clark, EGLE director.

Program handbook, webinar

The 2021 grant program handbook outlines program priorities and application guidelines. Applicants also can take advantage of a webinar Wednesday, Sept. 8, to learn more about general grant information, the application process and 2021 priorities.

Both the handbook and webinar registration information are available at Michigan.gov/MISGP. A recorded version of the webinar will be available at this website after Sept. 8.

2021 priorities

The program supports projects that will prevent the introduction or spread of invasive species by engaging the public in prevention practices and reducing the risk of moving invasive species into high-risk areas.

Proposals aiding early detection and response efforts for species on Michigan's Watch List and proposals increasing regional or statewide response preparedness for new or emerging invasive species are also requested.

To manage invasive species already established in Michigan, the program targets proposals for novel and efficient control techniques and projects that improve detection and control methods through increased understanding of species biology and ecology. Proposals to develop or improve tools, such as risk assessments and prioritization models, to inform management and control decisions also are encouraged. Support is offered to Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas across the state to implement strategic plans for outreach, detection and control of regional priority species.

Program progress

The Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program supports projects throughout the state that prevent, detect, manage and eradicate invasive species on the ground and in the water. Total program funding is set by the Legislature and the governor during the annual budget cycle.

In the last seven years, the program has awarded over $25 million to 173 projects, resulting in management of invasive species including hemlock woolly adelgid, phragmites and red swamp crayfish on more than 60,000 acres of land and water statewide. Highlights of the 2020 invasive species program are available in the Michigan Invasive Species Program Annual Report, which includes program-funded projects. Regional Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas operate in all of Michigan's 83 counties, assisting the public in identifying and managing invasive species. Contact information for individual CISMAs can be found at Michigan.gov/Invasives in the Take Action section.

Important program dates and information

Local, state, federal and tribal units of government, nonprofit organizations and universities may apply for funding to support invasive species projects in Michigan. Full project proposals are due Nov.1. Award announcement is anticipated in March 2022.

Grant requests for general projects can range from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $400,000. CISMAs can request up to $60,000 for annual implementation of prevention, detection and control activities and up to $40,000 for specific survey and treatment projects. Applicants must commit to providing a minimum of 10 percent (in the form of a local match) of the total project cost.

Competitive applications will outline clear objectives, propose significant ecological benefits, demonstrate diverse collaboration and show strong community support.

New this year, all applications must be submitted through the MiGrants online system. Applicants can access the system at MiGrants.Intelligrants.com or follow the link at Michigan.gov/MISGP.

Michigan's Invasive Species Program is cooperatively implemented by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

/Note to editors: Accompanying photos are available below for download. Suggested captions and photo credit information follow:

Tree injection: A certified pesticide applicator prepares a pesticide injection for a hemlock tree infested with hemlock woolly adelgid.

Crayfish: A team from DNR, EGLE and Michigan State University looks for red swamp crayfish in burrows./
Sediment sampling to begin in Detroit, Rouge rivers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sept. 1, 2021

EGLE Media Office, EGLE-Assist@Michigan.gov, 517-284-9278

Sam Noffke, Aquatic Biologist, NoffkeS@Michigan.gov, 517-755-7173

An effort is underway to gather data on the nature and extent of the chemical contamination in the sediments of the Detroit and Rouge rivers. With a long history of industrial development, a legacy of pollution remains in the sediments of both rivers.

Beginning Sept. 8, and through October, scientists will be on the Detroit River in the area of the Trenton Channel and on the lower Rouge River to gather samples that will be taken to a laboratory for analysis.

The sampling work is led by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) through the contract firm EA-Engineering, Science, and Technology and in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency using funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

The work is intended to inform decisions on future remediation efforts through the rivers and is a step in the process to remediate, restore and revitalize the Detroit and Rouge rivers, eventually delisting them as Areas of Concern.

All samples will be taken by boat or barge with surface samples taken using a ponar device, samples of up to 10 feet taken using a vibracore mechanism, and sediment traps that will collect sediment in the river as it drops out of the water column over the course of two-to-three weeks.

To stay up to date on other EGLE news follow us at Michigan.gov/MIEnvironment.

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Michigan Liquor Control Commission Announces Pilot Program to Curtail Sale of Alcohol to Minors in Michigan's College Towns

Michigan Liquor Control Commission Announces Pilot Program to Curtail Sale of Alcohol to Minors in Michigan's College Towns

September 1, 2021 - Mystery shoppers will be checking liquor licensees for the safe, lawful sale and service of beverage alcohol starting in the university communities of Ann Arbor and East Lansing, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) announced today.

The Michigan Alcohol Responsibility Program (MI ARP) will serve to enhance the MLCC's own highly successful Controlled Buy Operation Program to curtail the sale of alcohol to minors. The MI ARP is sponsored by the MLCC through a funding grant from the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA)* of which the MLCC is a member as a state regulator. The program is being administered by the Responsible Retailing Forum (RRForum)

"As parents, educators, businesspeople and those in law enforcement, we all have a vested interest in preventing underage drinking," said MLCC Chair Pat Gagliardi. "We must continue to be vigilant and engaged in our collective efforts toward keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors by cracking down on the use of fake IDs and promoting the legal sale of alcohol by licensees in our university and college communities."

Through the MI ARP, alcohol retailers and serving establishments will be visited by young, legal-age mystery shoppers who will provide on-the-spot feedback on whether staff are correctly verifying age and the authenticity of IDs. Owners and managers will receive confidential follow-up reports and assistance in implementing Responsible Retailing Best Practices. The ARP model has been proven in federally funded research to achieve consistently high ID-checking rates.

The RRForum will issue reports that summarize the aggregate "Mystery Shopper" results for each "town & gown" community. These reports will be shared with the MLCC, local law enforcement, public safety, health, and prevention agencies from the colleges/universities and their host communities to foster a cooperative, problem-solving approach to address underage alcohol access and alcohol abuse.

"This program will enhance the tremendous work of our Enforcement Division to further protect public safety," said MLCC Commissioner Geralyn Lasher. "Enforcement staff take a proactive approach by working with licensees and providing information to them on important issues such as how to avoid sales to minors and intoxicated persons. This grant will allow greater focus for this important work in Ann Arbor and East Lansing."

For decades, the MLCC's Enforcement Division has protected public safety by verifying licensees' compliance with the Michigan Liquor Control Code and Promulgated Rules through conducting investigations on the illegal importation of beverage alcohol into the state and vetting potential licensees.

The MLCC's statewide Controlled Buy Operation Program checks businesses for sales to minors with decoys who go into various types of licensed businesses: stores, bars, bowling centers, microbrewers, winemakers, special licenses, watercraft, etc. These operations utilize underaged individuals, under the guidance of the Enforcement Division, who enter licensed establishments and attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages. Under Michigan Law, licensees may be randomly selected for a minor decoy compliance check or will be checked if there is a documented complaint of sales to minors.

Since the Controlled Buy Operation Program began in the 1990s, there has been a steady and significant rise in licensees' compliance rate with Michigan's liquor laws. In 2019, more than 2,100 businesses holding a liquor license in Michigan passed controlled buys as reported by the MLCC. This represented an 82 percent compliance rate among licensees checked and documented for not allowing sales of alcohol to minors. In 2020, 86 percent of licensees checked refused sale of beverage alcohol to a minor.

"We commend liquor licensees who make diligent inquiries as to the age of purchasers, who properly check IDs, who train their staff regarding laws and rules, and who consistently refuse sales to minors and intoxicated patrons," said the MLCC Enforcement Director Tom Hagan. "Today, licensees are embracing the use of vertical ID and various scanning devices to help ensure Michigan's underaged population is not purchasing and consuming alcohol."

The MLCC also credits its invaluable partnership with local law enforcement agencies in its work toward reducing illegal liquor sales to minors and thwarting underage drinking.

The MLCC supports local law enforcement for the specific purpose of enforcing the Liquor Control Code and Administrative rules. As prescribed by law, the MLCC pays 55 percent of its retailer's license fees and license renewal fees on a quarterly basis to counties, cities, villages, or townships in which a full-time police department or ordinance enforcement department is maintained or, in the alternative, the funds are credited to the sheriff's department of the county in which licensed premises are located. The MLCC dispersed more than $7.3 million in Fiscal Year 2020 Law Grant Payments to 1,560 municipalities.

"The sale of alcohol to a minor is a serious violation against any liquor licensee," said MLCC Commissioner Dennis Olshove. "It's just good business for licensees to be viewed as responsible retailers who know and abide by our state liquor laws and are concerned with the health and safety of their customers, staff, and their community."

The MLCC will continue to actively engage licensees, industry partners and stakeholders with a cooperative, problem-solving and educational approach to effectively curtail underage access to alcohol, consumption and abuse.

The mission of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) is to make alcoholic beverages available for consumption while protecting the consumer and the general public through regulation of those involved in the sale and distribution of these alcohol beverage products.

* NABCA provides such grants to support efforts toward protecting public health and safety and strengthening responsible and efficient alcohol regulatory systems.
Joint DIFS, Allegan County Investigation Leads to Insurance Fraud Charges Against Plainwell Resident

Joint DIFS, Allegan County Investigation Leads to Insurance Fraud Charges Against Plainwell Resident

Media Contact: Laura Hall, 517-290-3779, halll17@michigan.gov

Consumer Hotline: 877-999-6442, Michigan.gov/DIFScomplaints

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 1, 2021

(LANSING, MICH) After a joint investigation conducted by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) and the Allegan County Sheriff's Office, a Plainwell woman has been charged with submitting nearly $47,000 in false health care claims to her insurer.

Lorie Bevins, of Plainwell, was arraigned on August 26 in 57th District Court on four counts of submitting false health insurance claims. Bevins is alleged to have submitted 55 false claims totaling $46,800 against an AFLAC cancer policy for appointments that were either cancelled or not attended. Bevins faces four separate felony counts for filing false health care claims. Each count carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison.

"I'm proud of the work of the DIFS Fraud Investigation Unit, in conjunction with the Allegan County Sheriff and Prosecutor's Offices, to investigate this case," said DIFS Director Anita Fox. "Insurance fraud is a crime that makes insurance more expensive for all of us, and I ask Michiganders to support these efforts by reporting suspected insurance fraud online at Michigan.gov/ReportFraud2DIFS or by calling 877-999-6442."

The case began when AFLAC submitted a suspected fraud report to the DIFS Fraud Investigation Unit (FIU). The FIU, created under Michigan's new auto insurance law, is tasked with investigating fraudulent activity in the Michigan insurance and financial services markets. In a joint investigation with the Allegan County Sheriff's Office, the DIFS FIU found sufficient evidence for the Allegan County Prosecutor's Office to issue a four-count felony warrant against Bevins.

Bevins was released on a personal recognizance bond. A probable cause conference is scheduled for September 2 before Judge Joseph Skocelas, and a preliminary exam is set for September 7 before Judge William Baillargeon.

The DIFS Fraud Investigation Unit investigates criminal and fraudulent activity related to the insurance and financial markets and works with the Attorney General and other law enforcement to prosecute these crimes. Suspected insurance fraud can be reported to DIFS safely, easily and, in most cases, anonymously by calling 877-999-6442 or online by visiting DIFS' website.

The mission of the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services is to ensure access to safe and secure insurance and financial services fundamental for the opportunity, security, and success of Michigan residents, while fostering economic growth and sustainability in both industries. In addition, the Department provides consumer protection, outreach, and financial literacy and education services to Michigan residents. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/DIFS or follow the Department on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

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September is National Voter Registration Month

September is National Voter Registration Month

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson celebrated the start of National Voter Registration Month today, encouraging eligible Michigan citizens to register in September.

"Our democracy is at its best when everyone has a seat at the table," said Secretary Benson. "Michiganders now have more options than ever before to simply and safely register and cast their ballots. National Voter Registration Month is the perfect time to take the first step in exercising your constitutional right by registering to vote and learning more about how to participate in our elections."

The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) established September as National Voter Registration Month in 2002 as a nonpartisan means of encouraging voter participation and increasing awareness about state requirements. September 28 is National Voter Registration Day.

In Michigan, residents can register to vote in person up to 8 p.m. on Election Day at their city or township clerk's office. Residents can also register online at Michigan.gov/Vote or by mail at least 15 days prior to an election. In the 14 days leading up to an election and on Election Day, voters must register in person to vote in the election.

To be eligible to register to vote you must be:

A Michigan resident (at the time you register) and a resident of your city or township for at least 30 days (when you vote)

A United States citizen  At least 18 years of age (when you vote)

Not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison

Residents must provide proof of eligibility and residency to register if registering in the 14 days prior to an election, including Election Day. Documents submitted as proof of residency must include the voter's name and current address. Digital copies of documents are accepted. Such documents can include:

Michigan driver's license or state ID

Current utility bill  Bank statement

Paycheck or government check

Other government document

Local election officials as well as the Michigan Department of State are the most trusted sources for election information. Residents can find registration information, including the location of their clerk's office and steps to complete registration, at the Michigan Voter Information Center at Michigan.gov/Vote. To report incorrect election information, please contact misinformation@michgan.gov.

In addition, canivote.org is a nonpartisan tool created by NASS in conjunction with state election officials to help eligible voters learn how and where to go vote.

# # #

For media questions, contact

Tracy Wimmer at 517-281-1876.

We welcome questions and comments at the Contact the Secretary of State page.

Customers may call the Department of State Information Center to

speak to a customer-service representative at 888-SOS-MICH (767-6424).
On December 7, 1941, the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, president of the United States, "a date which will live in infamy," crisscrossed our nation and will long be remembered. They brought this country together in a way that affected even the youngest Americans, reaching all the way to Huron County.

Doug Kent, of Kinde was six years old when that speech was broadcast. It helped form his childhood and brings back memories of a fearful day.

I was in Port Huron when they attacked Pearl Harbor, Kent said. They let all the kids out. They said we were being bombed by the Japanese. My brother and I got home and my folks were away, so we went out back and hid under the porch. We thought we were being bombed. We stayed there for two or three hours until my folks came home.

Of course the bombing was thousands of miles away, but that memory was burned into Kents mind. Shortly after that day, the Kent family moved to Huron County, where Kents father became the postmaster in Filion. He recalls how the atmosphere of life changed following Pearl Harbor.

Kids were expected to do a lot, and behave themselves, Kent said. My dad was in civil defense. He had the hat and the whistle. They had air raid practice, and he would turn out all the lights.

Children were expected to take part in the war effort. Kent did his share.

Events in the South Pacific region were chaotic during this time. Many areas were falling to Japanese rule. Some of these were the source of a valuable commodity, kapok, a lightweight cotton-like fiber that comes from the seed pods of kapok plants, also called silk cotton trees. It did not absorb water, which made it useful for filling in life preservers. With the Japanese occupation of Java and the East Indies, the supply of kapok was cut off. The military began looking for an alternative. Enter milkweed.

Milkweed is useful today as fiber, food and medicine, as well as for cords, rope and a course cloth. It is also the sole food source for monarch butterflies. At the beginning of WWII, it was simply a weed that grew wild. When the government decided to use milkweed as a substitute for kapok, it discovered cultivating the plant would take an excessive amount of time, so a call went out to the general public; collect milkweed pods.

It was a way to help the war effort, something the residents of Huron County took seriously. Because adults were occupied with important matters, children were called upon to do the collecting.

The word was put out to all the small towns to send the kids out hunting for milkweed, Kent said. The postal department was, I think, the communications for collecting.

Kent, his siblings, and other neighborhood children took to the fields and streams searching for milkweed.

Our town was about 30 people, Kent said. They all got together and sent us out to collect milkweed. Everybody just took off. We went to the Filion creek and found a field. We followed the creek down to Pinnebog. We werent supposed to go that far, but we had a great time doing it. We had a license to explore. We didnt tell anyone how far we went.

That was quite a hike for a six-year-old kid, but he was excited and didnt care. He was too young at the time to fully appreciate what he was doing; it was just an excuse to get out with his friends.

We knew enough to take the head off and put it in the bag, Kent said. There wasnt a lot of it near us. But there was in other areas, like around Rush Lake. I really dont know how much was collected, but there was quite a lot of it. Wed bring it to the post office. Then somebody went around and collected it all and took it to Bad Axe. Bad Axe was the focal point for the process. Within three or four weeks, we had all the milkweed collected.

Milkweed wasnt the only thing Kent and his friends gathered.

Everybody in the county was taking tin cans to a collection point, Kent said. That was quite a thing, too. We used to walk from Filion to Kinde and Filion to Bad Axe looking for tin cans. I remember one time we took our cans out to the postal driver when he came to the post office in Filion. He threw them in the trunk. That was our contribution to the war effort, you might say. Every kid was cognizant of it. We never threw away a tin can.

Another thing Kent and his friends picked up in their travels were beer bottles along the roadside.

The bottles were worth two cents each, Kent said. One day we collected bottles and made six dollars.

As a youngster growing up during the war years, Kent took everything in stride. Everyone did their part. It was simply the way it was.

Everybody knew what was going on, Kent said. It was an implied effort. Everybody understood there was a war, and what you were asked to do, you did it. No questions. You knew a lot of people who went to war. A lot of them didnt come back, either.

World War II became part of every Huron County residents life. It didnt matter if you were a soldier, sailor, airman, civil defense, postal worker, teacher, homemaker, or child, your life was changed.

As President Roosevelt stated, it was "a date which would live in infamy." It certainly became part of Doug Kents memories. His effort to collect milkweed and tin cans was his contribution to the war effort.
Everyone wanting to be an extra in Sanford native Chris Krauses movie Followers can have their chance Wednesday.

Show up at the Veterans Park, Cole Road entrance at 2 p.m., said filmmaker Krause. He said to wear dark (black, brown, gray) clothing, dirty is fine. Just nothing bright and no logos. There will be release forms to sign at the park. Those underage will need to have a parent or guardian with you to sign. He said filming will begin at 4 p.m.

Come out and get your zombie on, said Krause, who is nearing the end of shooting the production.

He and the crew are planning to wrap-up shooting on Sept. 2, with a large fire scene. Krause notes the Jerome Township Fire Department will be on hand for that to ensure We dont burn Michigan down.

The writer, producer, and actor, who returned home to Sanford during the pandemic, arrived shortly before the flooding. His crew includes director Jerry Aquino and Megan Meyer. They have spent the summer working on the production.

Krause, the son of Eric and Kelly, said the community and local businesses have helped them stretch the GoFundMe donations they raised for the endeavor. He said local businesses and restaurants have donated meals and things, and community members have been very supportive.

In addition, he said the areas natural landscape offered a lot to the film. He said they didnt have to use special affects to create an apocalyptic feel. The aftermath of the flooding assisted in that. There was also the natural beauty of the area highlighted in the film.

The 2008 Meridian High School graduate is extremely excited for people to see the film. He said marketing will come next once the film wraps and is edited.

The film, Followers, is described as "a film in the vein of Get Out meets The Walking Dead. In a world where the infected target their victims based on the color of their skin, would you help those most at risk...or stand back and be a Follower?"

Krause said its exploring the feeling of what you do when you feel you no longer know the people you love and trying to examine what turns someone into a follower.

Are people willing to let others get hurt if it will keep them safe?"

He said the movie is a commentary on race relations in the United States. The actual tension in the film is between the main characters, two of which are people of color and the other two are white.

Krause earned a theater degree at Central Michigan University and attended Atlantic Acting School in New York. He lived in New York working as a professional actor for six years.

The Sanford native said he wants to use his talents to bring something positive to the area. Also, he said he couldnt help build houses after the flooding, but he could use his talents in other ways.
A federal bankruptcy judge gave conditional approval Wednesday to a sweeping settlement that will remove the Sackler family from ownership of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and devote potentially $10 billion to fighting the opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the past two decades.

If it withstands appeals, the deal will resolve a mountain of 3,000 lawsuits from state and local governments, Native American tribes, unions and others that accuse the company of helping to spark the overdose epidemic by aggressively marketing the prescription painkiller.

Under the settlement, the Sacklers will have to get out of the opioid business altogether and contribute $4.5 billion. But they will be shielded from any future lawsuits over opioids.

The drugmaker itself will be reorganized into a new charity-oriented company with a board appointed by public officials and will funnel its profits into government-led efforts to prevent and treat addiction.

Also, the settlement sets up a compensation fund that will pay some victims of drugs an expected $3,500 to $48,000 each.

After an all-day hearing in which he analyzed the plan's pros and cons for a nonstop 6 1/2 hours, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain said he would approve it as long as two relatively small changes were made. If so, he said, he will formally enter the decision on Thursday.

He said that while he does not have fondness for the Sacklers or sympathy for them, collecting money from them through lawsuits instead of a settlement would be complicated.

The deal comes nearly two years after the Stamford, Connecticut-based company filed for bankruptcy under the weight of the lawsuits.

Under the settlement, the Sacklers were not given immunity from criminal charges, though there have been no indications they will face any.

State and local governments came to support the plan overwhelmingly, if grudgingly in many cases. But nine states and others had opposed it, largely because of the protections granted to the family.

The attorneys general of Connecticut, the District of Columbia and Washington state immediately announced they will either appeal the ruling or explore the possibility of doing so.

The Sacklers should not be allowed to manipulate bankruptcy laws to evade justice and protect their blood money, Connecticut's William Tong said.

Some families who lost loved ones to drugs also came out against the settlement, including Ed Bisch, of Westampton, New Jersey, whose 18-year-old son died of an overdose nearly 20 years ago. The Sacklers are buying their immunity," he said.

But other families said they did not want to risk losing the money that will go toward treatment and prevention.

If they gave me a million dollars, would it help bring back my son? said Lynn Wencus, of Wrentham, Massachusetts. Lets help the people who are really struggling with this disease.

In a statement, members of the Sackler family said: "While we dispute the allegations that have been made about our family, we have embraced this path in order to help combat a serious and complex public health crisis.

Purdue chairman Steve Miller said the settlement averts years of value-destructive litigation and "ensures that billions of dollars will be devoted to helping people and communities who have been hurt by the opioid crisis.

The bankruptcy judge, based in White Plains, New York, had urged the holdouts to work out an agreement for the same reason.

Bitterness over the outcome of this case is completely understandable, Drain said. But one also has to look at the process and the issues and risks and rewards and alternatives of continued litigation versus the settlement laid out in the plan.

Some of the opioid deaths over the past two decades have been attributed to OxyContin and other prescription painkillers, but most are from illicit forms of opioids such as heroin and illegally produced fentanyl. Opioid-linked deaths in the U.S. continued at a record pace last year, hitting 70,000.

The crisis devastated the reputation of the Sackler family, major philanthropists whose name was once emblazoned on the walls of museums and universities around the world. With the settlement, family members who have owned the company will still be worth billions. Another branch of the Sackler family has had no involvement with Purdue for decades.

Whether the deal holds the Sacklers sufficiently accountable was the most contentious question through the proceedings. Those suing succeeded in boosting the amount the Sacklers would pay from a likely $3 billion.

David Sackler, a former Purdue board member, had testified that family members would not accept the agreement unless it protected them from lawsuits. Otherwise, he said, the family would defend itself in litigation that could drag on for years and eat up the companys and the familys assets in lawyers' fees.

His father, Richard Sackler, a former Purdue president and board chairman, said under questioning that he, his family and the company did not bear responsibility for the opioid crisis.

Drain noted that none of the four Sacklers who testified offered an explicit apology. A forced apology is not really an apology, so we will have to live without one, he said.

The judge requested two somewhat technical changes to the plan: one clarifying that Sackler family members would be protected only from lawsuits involving opioids, and one on the procedure for bringing non-opioid claims against them.

One projection commissioned by a group of attorneys general found that the familys wealth could rise from the current estimate of $10.7 billion to more than $14 billion by 2030 despite the required payments. Thats because the family could continue to benefit from investment returns and interest as they make their gradual contributions over a decade under the deal.

Lawyers for Purdue and branches of the Sackler family disputed the assumptions used in the projection.

The settlement also requires members of the Sackler family, who are scattered across the U.S., Britain and elsewhere in Europe, to get out of the opioid business worldwide.

Several attorneys general won another provision that will create a massive public repository of company documents, including ones that normally would be protected by attorney-client privilege.

Purdue has said the settlement overall will be worth about $10 billion, which includes the value of addiction treatment and overdose antidote drugs it is developing.

The bankruptcy case is not the first time Purdue had faced legal trouble over the marketing of its painkillers.

The company pleaded guilty in 2007 to federal charges it misled regulators and others about the addiction dangers of OxyContin and agreed to pay more than $600 million in penalties.

Last November, as part of a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department, Purdue pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and violating anti-kickback laws.

Purdues bankruptcy has been the highest-profile case in a complicated universe of opioid litigation.

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and the three largest U.S. drug distribution companies recently announced a settlement that could be worth up to $26 billion if state and local governments agree.

Individual trials also remain, including one scheduled to start in October in Cleveland over the role pharmacies played in the crisis. Other trials have been held this year in California, New York and West Virginia, though verdicts have yet to be reached.

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Associated Press writer John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden used his first meeting with a foreign leader since ending the war in Afghanistan to send the message Wednesday that the United States  unburdened of its forever war  is determined to become a more reliable ally to its friends, in this case Ukraine.

Biden played host to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a long-sought Oval Office meeting and tried to reassure him that his administration remains squarely behind the Eastern European nation.

Biden didn't mention Afghanistan in his brief appearance with Zelenskyy before cameras.

But he highlighted his concerns about Russian aggression in the region. Biden, in making his case to end the war in Afghanistan, repeatedly said winding it down would allow the U.S. to put greater focus on combating malevolent acts from adversaries Russia and China.

The United States remains firmly committed to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression and for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, Biden said.

The Ukrainian leader, who had found himself ensnarled in Donald Trumps first impeachment, arrived at the White House looking to Biden for increased military aid and backing for his countrys bid for NATO membership.

The meeting was postponed two days while Biden and his national security team were consumed by the military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The withdrawal, which concluded Monday, left behind many Afghans who had worked with the Americans and their allies and who now fear Taliban rule. This led to criticism that the U.S. was less than a reliable international partner, something Biden was eager to counter.

The optics of the moment did not go unnoticed by the Ukrainian president. At a difficult time for the world and the United States ... still you found time for us and we're thankful for this indeed, Zelenskyy said.

In advance of the sit-down, the Biden administration said it was committing up to $60 million in new military aid to Ukraine. The administration said the aid was necessary because of a major increase in Russian military activity along its border and because of mortar attacks, cease-fire violations and other provocations.

The package includes more Javelin anti-tank missiles, which Kyiv sees as critical to defending against Russia-backed separatists. The U.S. has overall committed more than $400 million in military aid this year.

Zelenskyy thanked Biden for the aid.

The war in Donbas is in its eighth year, and we have lost 15,000 people, Zelenskyy said in a reference to the conflict in Ukraines eastern industrial heartland.

In their private talks, Zelenskyy and Biden also discussed Washingtons decision not to block the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would carry Russian natural gas directly to Germany, bypassing Ukraine. The pipeline is vehemently opposed by Ukraine and Poland as well as both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, with Zelenskyy describing it as a powerful geopolitical weapon for Russia.

Zelenskyy, a television actor new to politics, took office in May 2019 anxious to firm up his countrys relationship with the United States. Instead, he almost immediately found himself under pressure from Trump envoys and soon Trump himself, who in the phone call that led to his first impeachment asked Zelenskyy to do us a favor.

In that now famous July 2019 call, Trump asked Zelenskyy to investigate Biden and his son Hunter, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company.

Trumps European Union envoy, Gordon Sondland, later told impeachment investigators that Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani explicitly sought a quid pro quo in which an Oval Office visit would be contingent on Zelenskyy announcing the politically charged investigation Trump wanted.

Was there a quid pro quo? Sondland asked. With regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.

Besides the coveted invitation to the White House, Sondland also said it was his understanding that Trump had held up nearly $400 million in military aid until Ukraine announced the investigation.

Allegations that Trump withheld congressionally approved military aid while seeking Ukraines help for his reelection campaign formed the basis of the the first impeachment case against him. Trump was acquitted by the Senate. The Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy never happened.

With Biden, Zelenskyy now has a president with a long history of involvement in Ukraine, one who has supported its determination to break free from Russia, shore up its young democracy and be more fully welcomed into the Western club.

As vice president, Biden was the Obama administrations point person on Ukraine and pushed for tougher action against corruption. He once boasted of his success in getting Ukraine to fire its top prosecutor, who had blocked some corruption investigations. Trump later twisted this by insisting, wrongly, that Biden had done so to protect his son and the energy company on whose board he served.

Zelenskyy is the latest Ukrainian president to promise to tackle systemic corruption and then struggle once in office. Biden administration officials wanted assurances that Zelenskyy remains committed to following through on various reforms.

To that end, a joint statement issued following Wednesday's meeting highlighted the need for Ukraine to move quickly to select a new specialized anti-corruption prosecutor and pass legislation to enshrine the authority of the head of the country's National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the process for selecting that agency's successor.

Zelenskyy came to Washington saying he wanted a clear statement from Biden on whether he supported eventual NATO membership for Ukraine. NATO members are wary given Ukraines simmering conflict with Russia.

Zelenskyy said he and Biden talked about Ukraine's prospects at length during their two-hour meeting. I feel that the president supports Ukraines bid for membership in NATO, Zelenskyy told Ukrainian reporters, but he added that the time frame remains unclear.

The White House also announced Wednesday that Ukraine agreed to join a secure communications line through the National and Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, which serves to minimize the risk of armed conflict. The center includes 50 international partners.

Nord Stream 2, the pipeline being built under the Baltic Sea, is the most significant issue of tension in the relationship. By allowing Russia to bypass Ukraine, it also could potentially deprive Ukraine of the billions of dollars in transit fees it now earns for pumping Russian gas to Europe.

While the U.S. also opposes the new pipeline, worried that it would give Russia too much power over European energy supplies, Biden agreed in July not to penalize the German company overseeing the project.

The joint statement said the U.S. would work to secure Ukraine's supply of gas and prevent the Kremlins use of energy as a geopolitical weapon. The two countries also agreed to improve corporate governance at Ukraine's state-owned energy companies and attract the foreign investment needed for Ukraine to become energy independent.

Zelenskyy expressed satisfaction at the outcome. He said Biden guaranteed that if Russia creates a dangerous situation for Ukraine or causes energy prices to rise, the U.S. will impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2.

I consider it a big victory for us, the Ukrainian president said.

___

Associated Press writers Josh Boak in Washington, Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed reporting.
A passionate discussion took place as just over 100 people attended a neighborhood meeting Tuesday evening on the former site of Eastlawn Elementary School, which Midland Public Schools plans to open up to proposals from developers.

The outdoor meeting, near the corner of Eastlawn Drive and Jefferson Avenue, lasted about 75 minutes and was organized by Midland Public Schools (MPS), the City of Midland, and the Midland Area Community Foundation (MACF).

City Director of Planning and Community Development Grant Murschel led the meeting and fielded many questions from residents. MPS Superintendent Michael Sharrow and MACF President/CEO Sharon Mortensen also spoke to those gathered, and Wayne Hofmann of consulting firm HD5 Strategies of St. Charles, which has been contracted by MPS, was also on hand to answer any questions.

During a time set aside for questions and comments, Fred Jones said his family is one of three Black families that live on Princeton Court, which runs off of Jefferson Avenue just to the north of the former school site. He is concerned any redevelopment of the property will bring down property values, raise safety concerns, and compel those families and others to move away.

"I feel like you're trying to surround us with a ghetto," Jones said in reference to what he anticipates will be low-income housing built on the 6.28-acre site. "I feel offended as an African-American."

Another resident said she and her family moved from Grand Rapids to Midland to find a nicer neighborhood to live in. She said she'd like to see a public pool be built on the property, where Eastlawn School was demolished in 2020 after having been open from 1945 to 2017.

"We moved from Grand Rapids to get away from this," she said, also anticipating a low-income housing development that she fears would bring down property values and make the neighborhood less safe. "We'll sell our house if this (redevelopment) goes through."

But Murschel emphasized to the Daily News after the meeting that the intent of MPS, the city and the MACF is to draw people with various levels of income, which could include single-family houses as well as apartments.

"The perception that this would be just a low-income (development) isn't true," he said. "We are wanting to do a mixture of incomes and wanting to look at affordability across a broad mixture of income levels  some low income, but largely middle and upper income, too. We want it to be a mixture, which is very much in line with how that (Eastlawn) neighborhood is currently."

Murschel said he was glad to hear from many residents at the meeting that if redevelopment is to take place, they would like to see single-family homes be at least a significant part of the equation.

"They'd like to see more of the ownership model, which is very similar to what we had envisioned initially, so it was nice to hear more about that and know that's the direction we need to head," he said.

However, the property is not currently zoned for single-family homes, Murschel said, so it would need to be rezoned before such structures could be built there.

"The property is currently zoned as RB residential mutiple-family zoning, and that is something that allows for apartments to be built. It actually doesn't allow for single-family homes to be built by right," he said. "It is the highest-density residential zoning district of the city.

"Based on what I heard (at the meeting), what's allowed there by right under the current zoning is not at all what's envisioned or desired by the neighbors," Murschel continued. "So, making sure we work through and do this whole transaction and project correctly to be able to address some of those concerns is in my mind the better option for us."

Any rezoning petition would have to filed by the property owner, MPS, and would be reviewed by the Midland Planning Commission and Midland City Council.

The rationale for redevelopment

Murschel opened the meeting by explaining the steps that led up to Tuesday's meeting.

He said a 2018 Midland County Housing Analysis, which was funded by the City of Midland Housing Commission, MACF and Dow, determined, among other things, that the city needs economic development and investment in older neighborhoods (such as the Eastlawn neighborhood).

Murschel said that for the past few decades, the city has put a lot of resources into development on its perimeter, which has brought about increased infrastructure expenses.

"We've built on the fringes without investing in the core (of Midland)," he said.

Sharrow then detailed how MPS came to the point of wanting to sell the Eastlawn property to be redeveloped.

The school district commissioned a study of its facilities in 2014, which led to a 2015 bond proposal that passed and funded, among many other things, the renovation of the former Central Middle School into Central Park Elementary. The new school took the place of Eastlawn and Carpenter elementary schools, with Carpenter being converted into a pre-primary school.

Later in the meeting, Sharrow explained that MPS has an interest in bringing more families with elementary school-aged children into the area surrounding Central Park Elementary, which is about a half mile from the Eastlawn site.

Sharrow said Central Park Elementary was built for 850 students but currently has about 720 students and has five empty classrooms.

Mortensen addressed the crowd and, like Murschel and Sharrow, stressed that Midland needs more housing.

"Housing is a definite need," she said. "We need your input. We're really glad you're here. We want to hear from all of you."

Mortensen said that MPS, the city, and MACF are each contributing $1,000 to pay for HD5 Strategies to create a request for proposal (RFP), which will describe the redevelopment project and solicit bids from potential buyers/developers.

But there is no timeline for finalizing the RFP, Murschel noted. MPS, city officials and MACF will meet again to take into account input that residents gave at the meeting.

"We're scheduling a meeting to reconvene and go through what we received input-wise and make sure we're addressing that accurately. And at that point would be the decision as to when we would get that RFP published," he said.

Then a due date will be set for developers to offer bids, after which MPS will weigh each bid and choose one of them, based on the input of each of the three organizations and the Eastlawn neighborhood residents, Murschel said.

Residents voice questions, concerns

During the time set aside in the latter part of the meeting for questions and concerns from residents of the Eastlawn neighborhood, one person asked if other locations in Midland besides the Eastlawn property had been considered as alternatives for this development.

Murschel said no, to which many people voiced displeasure. But he stressed the Eastlawn neighborhood will be involved in the decision-making process regarding the development.

Another person mentioned that the population of Midland County has fallen slightly in the last 10 years and questioned the need for new housing.

Murschel responded that while the overall population has decreased, the number of people in the average household also decreased, from 2.5 in 2000 to 2.3 in 2010, and as a result, there is still a need for new housing.

A young woman said that many young professionals in Midland are not finding new housing affordable and some of them are choosing to live in Bay City instead.

Murschel responded that the intent with this new development is to include housing for a variety of income levels.

The same woman said she has safety concerns about bringing more school-aged children into the neighborhood.

"I don't find this neighborhood walkable. I'm really concerned about more kids walking to school," she said.

An older woman, who said she was a retired teacher, said, "I would like to see a play area for children (built here)," a remark which elicited applause from many of those gathered.

Murschel replied that Midland already has more park space than Bay City, Saginaw and Mount Pleasant combined. But several residents responded to that by saying that there is a shortage of parks in this particular neighborhood. Murschel said he would take that feedback into account as the plans for redevelopment move forward.

Another resident asked whether keeping the Eastlawn property as a green space is "off the table." Murschel answered that the MPS school board has decided that it wants the property to be redeveloped, and the purpose of Tuesday's meeting was to gather input from residents to guide the process of redevelopment.

One woman asked about the possibility of circulating a petition to prevent the Eastlawn property from being redeveloped.

Murschel acknowledged that this is something that could be done.

He later told the Daily News that while a petition is an option, he feels there are "more constructive" ways for residents to engage in the decision-making process.

"They're welcome to take that (petition) option, but I think some of the more constructive things would be to continue to engage in the dialogue," he said. " ... I think it's important to recognize that we're dealing with specific realities, too, of a potential development that has to happen in certain ways just because of the nature of how development works. If we can continue that dialogue and have that back-and-forth, in my perspective, that's going to be a lot more productive than trying to rally petitions that aren't necessarily allowing for that space and that conversation to take place, to be able to really understand and sort through some of the concerns that are out there."

"We want to keep those channels of dialogue open so we can learn from one another."
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  The Alaska House passed legislation Tuesday calling for an $1,100 dividend to residents but there are different interpretations as to whether much of the money that would be used for the checks is available.

The bill, which passed 24-16, calls for spending $730.5 million, with $330 million of that from the statutory budget reserve fund, for a dividend this year.

That's where a recent court decision and failed votes earlier this year come into play.

The fund was long considered among the accounts subject to being swept into the constitutional budget reserve to repay it for money that has been used from it. Lawmakers can reverse the sweep and restore funds to their original accounts. But earlier this year, they failed to secure the votes to do so.

Megan Wallace, director of Legislative Legal Services, told a Senate committee Monday a recent court decision suggests the statutory reserve is not subject to the sweep.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy's office contends otherwise.

The fund has been swept, Dunleavy spokesperson Jeff Turner said by email. He said the Legislature can change that with a three-quarter majority vote.

The dividend would be about $585 if the statutory budget reserve funds were deemed swept, according to the Legislative Finance Division director.

The bill, which also dealt with other budget items, including oil tax credits, still must go to the Senate for consideration. Senate President Peter Micciche, a Soldotna Republican, said the Senate will take time to ensure that we are on solid legal ground.

He said he believes the House passed an $1,100 dividend.

It's not clear what size check the Senate might yet support. But Micciche said the bill will likely end up in a conference committee, with House and Senate negotiators hashing out differences.

Genevieve Wojtusik, legislative liaison with the Department of Revenue, has said that Alaskans can expect a check 30 days after the Legislature finalizes an amount. Checks are typically paid in the fall.

The statutory budget reserve is referenced in a footnote in a decision by Superior Court Judge Josie Garton that barred the state from sweeping the nearly $1.2 billion Power Cost Equalization Endowment Fund into the constitutional budget reserve. That lawsuit was brought by a coalition that included the Alaska Federation of Natives and electric cooperatives. The Dunleavy administration did not appeal the decision.

Wallace noted the Alaska Supreme Court has not weighed in and told senators caution is warranted, because while the decision pretty clearly seems to suggest the statutory budget reserve is not subject to being swept, the administration has not changed its position.

House Speaker Louise Stutes, a Kodiak Republican, told reporters lawmakers are not looking for a lawsuit and believe based on the court case the reserve is a legitimate funding source that can be used for the dividends.

Two minority Republicans - Reps. Steve Thompson and Bart LeBon of Fairbanks - and Rep. Sara Rasmussen, an Anchorage Republican who is not with a caucus, voted with the majority on the budget.

Rep. Adam Wool, a Fairbanks Democrat, said an $1,100 dividend represented what the state can afford. He said it wouldn't require taking more from the earnings of the state's oil-wealth fund, the Alaska Permanent Fund. Lawmakers have sought to limit what can be drawn from earnings each year for government and checks, though they can breach that limit if they choose to do so.

Members of the House's bipartisan majority have said they would be open to doing that if there was agreement on a long-term fiscal plan. Some legislators say they're worried that if the limit is exceeded, it will be easier to do so in the future and cite the experience drawing down reserves in recent years as the state has struggled with deficits.

There has been no agreement on a fiscal plan yet. House majority and minority members traded barbs Tuesday over where things stand.

This year's draw amount went into the general fund, said Alexei Painter, director of the Legislative Finance Division.

The bill that passed Tuesday calls for using the statutory budget reserve and general funds for the dividend. Some members of the Houses Republican minority said the dividend, as proposed, would not truly be a permanent fund dividend.

What we have here is basically income redistribution, said Rep. Tom McKay, an Anchorage Republican.

Proposed amendments for larger dividends failed in the House, including a roughly $2,350 dividend, in line with what Dunleavy had proposed.

Dunleavy said Tuesday he wanted to see how the bill plays out in the legislative process.

He said the pandemic has been disruptive economically and the state has a chance to use earnings from the permanent fund to help.

He said he wants legislators to talk with their constituents and really get an idea how truly disruptive this pandemic has been to people's lives and truly how absurd it appears to people looking at Juneau right now as to why they can't come up with decisions that are going to help residents.

The Republican governor has proposed an amendment to the state Constitution that would restructure the permanent fund, limit what can be withdrawn from it and evenly split the withdrawals between payouts to residents and government costs.

Some legislative leaders have said they do not see that proposal as having sufficient support.

A working group of lawmakers recommended guaranteeing a payout of some kind in the Constitution, but as part of a larger package that includes new revenues, budget cuts and changes to a government spending cap.

Micciche said he would like to see other bills moving during the special session, which can last up to 30 days. That limit would be hit Sept. 14.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP)  While most of his neighbors fled South Lake Tahoe as a major wildfire charged closer to town, Tod Johnson stayed put.

The 66-year-old retiree swept up pine needles from the yard and roof of his home Tuesday after spending the night keeping an eye on reports of the advancing flames. The police knew he was there, but told him that when he leaves, he cant come back until it's safe.

I promised my kid Id be out of here as soon as I saw any flames anywhere. And Im trying to be here to help the firefighters, he said.

After seeing gusty winds in the forecast as the fire moved closer to his Lake Tahoe community, Johnson said he planned to leave Tuesday afternoon to join his girlfriend in Reno, once he had packed up a few precious items to take with him.

While more than 20,000 residents and likely thousands of tourists packed roads leading out of Lake Tahoe on Monday to flee the Caldor Fire closing in on the resort community, a handful of people decided to buck the mandatory evacuation orders and stay behind.

With many emergencies, from wildfires to hurricanes, most people choose to comply with orders to leave. However, there are almost always a few holdouts, and their reasons for staying vary.

As powerful Hurricane Ida bore down on Louisiana over the weekend, some residents said they couldn't afford to leave because they didn't have money for gas or a hotel room.

In the West, where bigger and hotter wildfires rage through the forests each year, more communities find themselves staring down evacuation orders. There are invariably some who decide to stay put, against all advice from government and emergency officials.

The decision to stay behind can complicate firefighters efforts and leave them scrambling to save lives instead of just property.

The Caldor Fire, which has burned nearly 300 square miles (777 square kilometers) since breaking out Aug. 14 in California, has been moving closer to Nevadas casino-dotted side of Lake Tahoe, prompting mandatory evacuations in small communities and on Monday, the city of South Lake Tahoe.

The city of 22,000 sits on the southern edge of the normally idyllic, deep blue lake that for weeks has been choked by thick smoke and haze as the flames came closer. When Monday's evacuation order was issued, only about 20 of the city's residents refused to evacuate, according to city spokeswoman Lindsey Baker, with most jamming the roads to flee.

Of the few who stayed behind, some said they wanted to stick it out, pack more belongings and guard their property a little longer.

Bill Roberts, said he had planned to leave South Lake Tahoe with everyone else but decided to postpone his trip because he was tired and his back hurt. He then delayed it again when his cat ran off.

Depending what the wind does, I might become a little more mildly concerned today. But Im hoping at some point I just nab that cat and be out of here like a shot, he said.

Some locals stayed because they felt they had nowhere else to go, even though officials opened emergency shelters on both sides of the California-Nevada state line.

David Duet, a South Lake Tahoe resident who is homeless, camps in a meadow with half a dozen friends and said they dont really have anywhere else to go." He dismissed the idea of fleeing to nearby Carson City, saying his group didn't know anyone in the Nevada capital, and declined a ride a stranger offered him Monday.

Duet said he and his friends are checking the internet and radio for updates on the fire and plan to ride bicycles out or catch a ride from someone if it gets really bad.

No ones stupid enough to stay when the flames are right mounting around the outside of the meadow. So as long as the smoke isnt so bad and the flames arent real close, were going to stick it out, you know? Duet said. But if not, well hightail it out. Well get out.

The mandatory orders are typically enforced by local sheriffs offices, though it's unclear how often officials enforce the orders with threats of arrest.

In early August, as a wildfire burning further north in California approached the town of Westwood, the local sheriff's office reported it arrested three people who stayed in defiance of an evacuation order, according to the Los Angeles Times. The three people were taken to jail, cited and released.

Officials have not reported any arrests related to the evacuation orders near Lake Tahoe.

Russ Crupi decided to remain to defend his and his neighbors homes in the mobile home park that he and his wife maintain and manage for a living. While his wife and children evacuated to Reno, he stayed and arranged sprinklers and tractors around park.

Law enforcement officers came by and took down his name and phone number as he explained he planned to stay and wait.

Im worried about whatll be here when people come back. People want to come back to their houses and thats what Im gonna try to do, he said.

Tonia Rhodes, who works as a server at a local casino, said she was anxious about her husband and upset about his decision to stay behind at their home in Meyers, south of Lake Tahoe, in defiance of an evacuation order.

Rhodes said her husband stayed at the home with four friends to try to defend it from encroaching blazes. They already had to rebuild their home once, after the 2007 Angora Fire tore through the neighborhood.

As she sat at the bar of the MontBleu casino resort in Stateline, waiting to see if it too might fall under an evacuation order, Rhodes said she didn't think she could continue living with the anxiety of the inevitable next fire but couldn't envision herself moving somewhere else.

I dont want to do this anymore, she said. I dont even know what to do. Where would I go?"

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Price reported from Las Vegas. Associated Press writers Sam Metz in South Lake Tahoe, Brian Melley in Los Angeles and Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco contributed to this report.
LIBERTY, Mo. (AP)  A court hearing that could have determined whether a Missouri man who has been in prison for more than 40 years would go free must be postponed, the Missouri Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.

A hearing was scheduled for Thursday in Jackson County Court for a judge to hear arguments on whether Kevin Strickland, 62, should be exonerated for a triple murder conviction and released from prison, where he has been since 1979.

But Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed an emergency motion Wednesday seeking to have the hearing delayed and the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District ruled in his favor. Schmitt has said he believes Strickland is guilty.

The appeals court ordered attorneys for Schmitt's office and Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker to meet with Circuit Judge Kevin Harrell Thursday to reschedule the hearing.

Schmitts spokesman Chris Nuelle said in a statement that a jury convicted Strickland of killing three people, and noted that the Missouri Supreme Court previously declined to hear Stricklands case.

Those victims deserve justice, Nuelle said.

Peters Baker has argued that evidence used to convict Strickland has been disproved or recanted since his conviction in 1979, which she called a profound error. Several legal and political officials have also called for Strickland's release.

Prosecutors said the only person to identify Strickland as the shooter later recanted and sought help to have Strickland released. Two men who were sentenced to prison for shooting the victims have also said that Strickland was not there when John Walker, 20; Sherrie Black, 22; and 21-year-old Larry Ingram, were killed.

Under a new state law that took effect on Saturday, Peters Baker filed a motion asking a judge to exonerate Strickland. Judge Harrell then scheduled Thursday's hearing and also set a hearing for Friday to announce his decision on Strickland's fate.

A funeral for Strickland's mother, who died last week, is scheduled for Saturday, The Kansas City Star reported.

Peters Baker's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the appeals court ruling.

In his emergency motion, Schmitt argued the quick scheduling of Thursday's hearing did not give his office time to prepare or to depose witnesses. He also said the scheduling of a hearing on Friday  during which Strickland was ordered to appear in court  undermined the appearance that justice is being fairly administered in this case.

This Court appreciates the significant public interests involved in this proceeding, and the Circuit Courts efforts to resolve this proceeding swiftly, the appeals court order reads. Nevertheless, in order to permit the Attorney General to meaningfully participate in the hearing, he must be given notice sufficient to allow his office a reasonable opportunity to prepare for the hearing, given the extensiveness of the relevant record, and the complexity and gravity of the issues involved.

Schmitt also filed a motion earlier in the week asking that all the 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County judges be removed from the case, citing an appearance of favoring Strickland's freedom. But Harrell ruled that Schmitt did not have standing to file motions pertaining to the evidentiary hearing.

The appeals court disagreed, saying Schmitt's office has the right to file motions in the case. It ordered Harrell to rule on all of Schmitt's previous motions.
BALDWIN, Mich. (AP)  The school year is off to a slow start in a western Michigan district due to power outages, faulty batteries and students with flu-like symptoms.

The Baldwin district, 70 miles north of Grand Rapids in Lake County, called off classes for Wednesday and Thursday and told students to return Sept. 7. Schools were already closed Friday ahead of the holiday weekend.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden will visit Louisiana on Friday to survey the aftermath of Hurricane Ida and speak with local and state leaders, the White House said Wednesday. Biden will also deliver a speech Thursday outlining his administration's response to the storm.

Ida was the fifth most powerful storm to strike the U.S. when it hit Louisiana on Sunday with maximum winds of 150 mph (240 kph), likely causing tens of billions of dollars in flood, wind and other damage, including to the electrical grid.

More than 1 million homes and businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi were without power after Ida toppled a major transmission tower and knocked out thousands of miles of lines and hundreds of substations. New Orleans was plunged into total darkness at one point; power began returning to the city on Wednesday.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden absolutely would not visit Louisiana if his presence would take away from relief efforts.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards suggested the visit would be crucial for the president to understand the destruction by seeing the widespread damage for himself.

Theres nothing quite like visiting in person, Edwards told reporters Wednesday following a briefing with local elected officials in Jefferson Parish, which took direct blows from Ida. When you see it for yourself, it is just so much more compelling.

Asked what type of assistance he planned to request from Biden, Edwards said, Quite frankly, the list is going to be very, very long. But he said a priority would be for a housing program to help people rebuild.

The White House says Biden has been getting regular updates on the storm and its aftermath. He has held several conference calls with governors and local officials to discuss preparations and needs after the storm, and has received briefings from FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.

FEMA had sent tons of supplies, including generators, tarps and other materials to the region before the storm, and federal response teams are working on search and rescue.

Authorities blame the storm for at least six deaths.

Biden's trip Friday to the Gulf region will cap a difficult stretch for the president, who oversaw the chaotic exit of the U.S. military from Afghanistan after a 20-year engagement. That included the deaths of 13 U.S. service members helping evacuate more than 120,000 Americans, Afghan allies and others fleeing life under Taliban rule.

As Ida bore down on the Gulf Coast on Sunday, Biden was at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to witness the return of the remains of the 13 U.S. servicemen and women who were killed in suicide bombing last week at Afghanistan's airport in Kabul, where the evacuations were taking place.

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Associated Press writer Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, La., contributed to this report.
PHOENIX (AP)  Two journalists who founded an alternative weekly newspaper in Phoenix and later created the lucrative classified site Backpage.com are scheduled to go on trial Wednesday on charges of facilitating prostitution and laundering money in what authorities say was a scheme to knowingly sell ads for sex on the site.

Michael Lacey and James Larkin also are accused of using cryptocurrency and wiring money to foreign bank accounts to launder revenues earned from the sites ad sales after authorities say banks raised concerns that they were being used for illegal purposes.

Lacey and Larkin said the site never allowed ads for sex and used people and automated tools to try to delete such ads. While prosecutors say the site published many ads that depicted children who were victims of sex trafficking, no one in the federal case in Arizona is charged with sex trafficking or child sex trafficking.

In a statement released Monday, Lacey and Larkin called the case against them an epic government overreach, maintained content on the site was protected by the First Amendment and said the site aided law enforcement whenever when concerns arose about the safety of a woman or child.

We have the knowledge that we are not guilty and the determination not to bow before the authoritarian mindset that demanded we suppress constitutionally-protected speech and now prosecutes us for having refused to do so, their statement said. And we will prove our case during the course of this trial.

Lacey and Larkin founded the Phoenix New Times, held ownership interests in other weeklies such as The Village Voice and ultimately sold their newspapers in 2013. But they held onto Backpage, which authorities say generated $500 million in prostitution-related revenue from its inception in 2004 until April 2018 when it was shut down by the government.

Prosecutors say Backpages operators ignored warnings to stop running prostitution ads, some involving children. They are accused of giving free ads to prostitutes and cultivated arrangements with others who worked in the sex trade to get them to post ads with the company.

Authorities say Backpage employees would identify prostitutes through Google searches, then call and offer them a free ad. The site also is accused of having a business arrangement in which it would place ads on another site that lets customers post reviews of their experiences with prostitutes.

In all, six former Backpage operators have pleaded not guilty to charges of facilitating prostitution. Of the six, Lacey, Larkin and two others have pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges.

The sites marketing director has already pleaded guilty to conspiring to facilitate prostitution and acknowledged he participated in a scheme to give free ads to prostitutes to win over their business. Additionally, the CEO of the company when the government shut the site down, Carl Ferrer, pleaded guilty to a separate federal conspiracy case in Arizona and to state money laundering charges in California.

At trial, the Backpage defendants are barred from bringing up a 2013 memo by federal prosecutors who examined the site and said at the time that they hadnt uncovered evidence of a pattern of recklessness toward minors or admissions from key participants that the site was used for prostitution. In the memo, prosecutors had said witnesses testified Backpage made substantial efforts to prevent criminal conduct on its site and coordinated such efforts with law enforcement agencies. The document was written five years before Lacey, Larkin and the other former Backpage operators were charged in the Arizona case.

A Government Accountability Office report released in June noted the FBIs ability to identify victims and sex traffickers had decreased significantly after Backpage was seized by the government, because law enforcement was familiar with the site and Backpage was generally responsive to requests for information.

Prosecutors said the moderation efforts by the site were aimed at concealing the true nature of the ads. Though Lacey and Larkin sold their interest in Backpage in 2015, prosecutors said the two founders retained control over the site.

The indictment alleges specific instances in which sex was being sold on Backpage.

Prosecutors alleged an ad for a 17-year-old girl was rejected because it accurately reflected her age but was later accepted after it was falsely changed to 19. The indictment said some customers who responded to her ads forced her to perform sexual acts at gun point, choked her and gang raped her. It also alleged another victim, whose age wasnt revealed in the indictment, was killed in 2015 by a customer after being sold for sex on Backpage.

U.S. District Judge Susan Brnovich declined to grant a request by prosecutors for a blanket order allowing evidence of such killings at trial. But she noted that evidence may be allowed if its relevant and witnesses dont mention the facts of those deaths.

The judge offered an example in the case of a victim who was fatally struck after jumping out of vehicle in 2015 when her trafficker tried to take her to Texas against her will.

Brnovich wrote she would likely let the victims father testify about his effort to remove his daughters posting from the site, but he wouldnt be allowed to talk to jurors about the death.

The Backpage operators asked Brnovich to bar prosecutors from presenting evidence of sex trafficking, both of adults and children.

Noting the prejudicial value of such evidence is high, Brnovich concluded she will still allow evidence showing that people were trafficked using the site, but will not allow prosecutors to linger on the details of the abuse suffered by victims.
LENEXA, Kan. (AP)  Two companies from Iowa and Nebraska have been fined for tampering with emission controls for hundreds of customers, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday.

The companies  Midwest Truck Products of Cantril, Iowa; and South Central Diesel Inc. of Holdrege, Nebraska  installed or sold defeat devices that make emission controls inoperative, the EPA said.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP)  A protest against sexual assault that drew about 1,000 people to a University of Iowa fraternity started peacefully Tuesday night but later resulted in vandalism of buildings and overturned cars.

A group organized the protest at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, which it accused of promoting a culture of sexual assault. The group claimed in social media promotions that two members of the fraternity were getting away with sexual assault," according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
Venice, FL (34285)

Today

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 74F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 74F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  When a light came on in the laundry room in Byron Lambert's house at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, he awoke with a start, thinking he had a burglar. Then he quickly realized what he saw was cause for celebration: The power was back.

Lambert happens to live in a small sliver of New Orleans where power was restored early Wednesday, more than two days after Hurricane Ida's Category 4 strength winds left the city and much of the region in darkness.

"I'm like, All right! We got power! Lambert said he remembered thinking. But then his enthusiasm was tempered by the knowledge of what others are still going through.

Although Entergy said 11,500 customers in the city of nearly 400,000 people had their electricity restored, 989,000 homes and businesses were without power  44% of all state utility customers in southeast Louisiana from the New Orleans area to Baton Rouge, according to the state Public Service Commission.

Officials with Entergy, which provides power to New Orleans as well as other areas, said the restoration process will not happen overnight. They said the company's first priority is to bring electricity back to key parts of the infrastructure.

The first few customers to get power back in New Orleans  both in their homes and outside on their streets  marked a huge first step, said Phillip May, president and CEO of Entergy Louisiana. Outside of New Orleans, Entergy has restored power to about 100,000 customers, mostly in the Baton Rouge area, May said.

For New Orleans residents who saw power return it was cause for celebration. Lambert called the neighbors in his close-knit community, and his wife and mother-in-law, who had evacuated to Texas to let them know it was OK to return. He was also keenly aware of how many other people were still struggling in the heat.

I pray for them because its rough," Lambert said.

Entergy said Wednesday that more than 5,000 power poles were damaged and more than 5,200 transformers knocked out by Ida. More than 1,600 miles (2,575 kilometers) of transmission lines remain out of service. The company has given no specific time frame for when power will be widely restored.

This particular part of eastern New Orleans was able to power up because crews restored a major transmission line coming into the city from the east, company spokesman Lee Sabatini said. That line was coupled with power generated by the New Orleans Power Station, which is also located in eastern New Orleans.

Across the street from Lambert, neighbor and friend Wayne Bierria was out mowing his lawn, trying to get things done around the house before it got too hot. He got power back about the same time as Lambert.

Bierria was especially thankful that his is one of the homes that again have electricity because his family has medical issues. He suffers from asthma and sometimes needs a nebulizer which has to be plugged in, while his wife  who went to stay with a relative who has a generator  is diabetic and needs to keep her medicine cold.

Any longer without that (power), wed have been in some trouble, he said.

But for Shaundra Martin, getting the power back was only a partial solution to much bigger problem: She returned to her house Tuesday to find that it had significant roof damage and water had leaked all over the white tile floor. The blast of the cool air conditioning in the house Wednesday was of little comfort as she and her mother quickly mopped up the water to prevent mold from settling in.

Today with the power, I started cleaning," she said. But well get through it. Its life, living in Louisiana.

Meanwhile, those in the majority of New Orleans neighborhoods still without power, residents continued to sweat it out while crews assessed lines and ascended in bucket trucks to make repairs. Just blocks away from where the electricity had been restored, Rashad Carter was cooking a breakfast of bacon and eggs for his extended family on a charcoal grill and making plans.

If the power isn't back on here by Thursday, they plan to stay someplace farther east where it is. He said the heat is particularly challenging for the children: He sent a daughter to stay with other family members in a hotel.

As to when the power might come back, he said a lot of rumors were flying around.

A lot of people say 4 p.m. A lot of people say 12 p.m. A lot of people say two to three weeks. So we dont know. Were just hoping, he said. If we got to leave we got to leave. ... We got patience."

Ireta Butler was going to stay with a friend in Slidell until the power came back. She lives in an apartment complex that didnt have electricity and was worried about getting heatstroke. Leaning on her walker with a wet towel draped around her neck, she said shed been feeling faint the night before.

My husband stood up all night fanning me, putting water all on me. I kept getting in and out of the shower, trying to cool my body temperature down, she said. Were going to go out there and stay a couple of days until we find out things are better in New Orleans. Thats all we can do.

__

Follow Santana on Twitter @ruskygal.
After facing weeks of criticism over his actions in Afghanistan, President Joe Biden took the podium in the White House's State Dining Room to defend America's rapid, frequently chaotic and deadly withdrawal from the 20-year conflict.

Although he began by calling the evacuation an "extraordinary success," Biden acknowledged what many reports and critics have been saying for weeks: The Taliban captured the country faster than many expected.

"That assumption that the Afghan government would be able to hold on for a period of time beyond military drawdown turned out not to be accurate," he said.

Read Next: A Resignation and Mental Health Screening: The Unfolding Saga of the Marine Who Called Out Leadership on Afghanistan

Referring to complaints that "we should have started mass evacuation sooner" or "couldn't this be done and been done in a more orderly manner," Biden replied: "There is no evacuation from the end of a war that you can run without the kinds of complexities, challenges and threats we faced -- none."

In addition to the suicide attack that left 13 U.S. service members dead last week, the massive effort to evacuate people from Afghanistan stressed many parts of the military as it tried to handle the surge of refugees.

The news of the Taliban's rapid advance and images of fleeing refugees also prompted some veterans to slam the administration's actions.

Biden said the peace deal the Trump administration negotiated with the Taliban tied his hands and limited his options.

He could "follow the agreement of the previous administration ... or extend and have more time for people to get out, or send in thousands more troops and escalate the war," he explained.

Ultimately, Biden chose to take the middle option -- an effort that ended in the early hours of Aug. 31, local time in Kabul. He noted that the choice to end on that deadline "was based on unanimous recommendation of my civilian and military advisers."

"I was not going to extend this 'Forever War,' and I was not extending a forever exit," Biden said.

Looking ahead, he said that the several hundred Americans who are still in Afghanistan have "no deadline" to evacuate.

"We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out," Biden added.

The international community, including the United Nations, has put pressure on the Taliban to allow free travel and the ability for people to leave the country. Biden said the group has promised to allow free movement, adding that the U.S. has "leverage to make sure those commitments are met."

Looking past Afghanistan, the president said the U.S. "must set missions with clear achievable goals, not ones that we will never reach." "We must stay clearly focused on the fundamental national security interests of the United States of America," he added.

Biden struck a poignant tone at one point when he noted the sacrifices service members made during the two-decade-long struggle.

"Most of our veterans and their families have gone through hell -- deployment after deployment, months and years away from their families," he said. "That should give pause to anyone who thinks war can ever be low-grade, low-risk or low-cost.

"As we close 20 years of war and strife and pain and sacrifice, it's time to look at the future not the past," Biden said.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: The Last US Soldier Out of Afghanistan
Gen. David Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps, thinks the U.S. military should thoroughly examine the decisions it made in the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"While it's relatively fresh in our minds, we need the honest, open critique, or a commission ... that cracks open: What were the options that were available, who made what decisions at what time?" he said Wednesday speaking at an event sponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank based in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Naval Institute.

Berger was responding to a question about whether he thought his recent memo to reassure veterans that the war in Afghanistan was worth their sacrifices still applies now that the conflict is over.

"The events of the past 10 days have not at all altered my view of 'was it worth it,'" he replied.

The top Marine officer said that, in the last two days, he and others have gone back "through the Holloway Commission, the Long Commission" in an effort to "try to figure out a framework or how can we study, to your point, what went right, what went wrong, what can we learn going forward."

Read Next: The Navy Shakes Up Its Uniform Policy with New Haircuts as Well as Allowing Earrings for Men

The Holloway Commission investigated the failed attempt to rescue 52 staff members held captive at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, in April 1980, while the Long Commission scrutinized the failures that led to the 1983 suicide bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.

News of the withdrawal from the 20-year Afghanistan conflict has prompted introspection about the legacy of the war, as well as criticism from veterans and active-duty officers alike over a wide range of related issues. The criticism came after the Taliban managed to quickly and surprisingly seize nearly all of Afghanistans provinces in just over a week, including Kabul, and U.S. forces surged to protect that citys airport as more than 100,000 people were evacuated ahead of the U.S. withdrawal on Aug. 31.

Maj. Eric Flanagan, a spokesman for the commandant, said that Berger was "referencing the last few weeks in Kabul, not the totality of Afghanistan" in his remarks.

At one point in the conversation, Berger specifically noted that the surprising speed of the Taliban's takeover of the country should be examined.

"How did this surprise us that, in the span of 11 days, it's so fundamentally changed?" he said. "Those are things critically as a government, as a military, we absolutely ought to unpack.

"Were there decisions that were made that we ought to go back and scrub? Absolutely, yeah," Berger added. "Should we both go back and look at the options themselves? Yeah, absolutely."

The remarks come less than 24 hours after President Joe Biden spoke to the nation to defend the choices made in the last days of the conflict.

Referring to complaints that "we should have started mass evacuation sooner" or "couldn't this be done and been done in a more orderly manner," Biden replied: "There is no evacuation from the end of a war that you can run without the kinds of complexities, challenges and threats we faced -- none."

Despite his calls for review and introspection, Berger said he remains convinced that his letter -- which stood unflinchingly behind the value of the Marine Corps' service in Afghanistan -- does not need amending.

"My confirmation is the service members who were there, who would do it again because they feel like they saved lives," he said.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: 'Was It Worth It? Yes. Does It Still Hurt? Yes.' Marine Leaders Reassure Troops on Afghanistan
The U.S. and Taliban potentially could coordinate in the future against an offshoot of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan responsible for a suicide bombing that killed 13 troops last month, Gen. Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs chairman, said Wednesday at the Pentagon.

"It's possible," he told reporters during a televised briefing.

But Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the U.S. had worked with the Taliban on a "very narrow set of issues" regarding evacuations and cautioned that "it is hard to predict" what that could mean for broader cooperation against the terrorist group known as Islamic State Khorasan, or ISIS-K.

The delicate phrasing from the Pentagon's top leaders underscored the awkwardness of the United States' uneasy cooperation with the Taliban after two decades of war that came to an end when the military completed its evacuation this week. It also showed the Pentagon's concern over ISIS-K's influence and potential threat after the Aug. 26 bombing inflicted the highest U.S. casualties in Afghanistan in a decade.

Read Next: The Navy Shakes Up Its Uniform Policy with New Haircuts as Well as Allowing Earrings for Men

After the Taliban seized Kabul and the U.S. pulled back to the Hamid Karzai International Airport for its final withdrawal, U.S. commanders regularly communicated, and even shared some intelligence on threats to the airport, with Taliban counterparts.

CNN reported Tuesday that the U.S. military also struck a secret deal with the Taliban to escort groups of Americans to the airport so they could be evacuated.

"We don't know what the future of the Taliban is," Milley said. "But I can tell you from personal experience that this is a ruthless group. Whether or not they change remains to be seen. And as far as our dealings with them at that airport, you do what you must."

At Austin and Milley's first briefing since the last U.S. troops flew out of Afghanistan on Monday, they said an investigation into a U.S. drone strike on a vehicle in Kabul on Sunday continues. The military believes the vehicle was carrying explosives bound for another ISIS-K attack on the airport and claims that "secondary explosions" support that belief.

But some Afghans said it killed as many as 10 civilians, including children.

At least one of the people killed in the attack was an ISIS-K figure, making it a valid airstrike, according to the Pentagon. The U.S. had intelligence indicating the group was preparing a vehicle for an attack when it carried out the strike, Milley said.

Austin and Milley praised the 800,000 troops who fought throughout the war. They highlighted the 2,461 who were killed there and the more than 20,000 injured, as well as the 60,000 Afghan troops who died.

They also lauded troops for the largest civilian air evacuation in U.S. history. In all, counting both 387 U.S. C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules flights and 391 non-U.S. military flights, the airlift ferried out 124,334 people, including nearly 6,000 U.S. citizens.

"We did it all in the midst of a pandemic, and in the face of grave and growing threats," Austin said. "I am incredibly proud of those who made it happen, and they made it happen with grit and skill and humanity."

Austin noted that on the day of the attack, evacuations continued with 89 flights in a 24-hour span, carrying 12,500 people out.

The defense secretary praised "courageous" Afghans who fought with or assisted the United States. "They and their families have more than earned their places in the land of the free and the home of the brave," he said.

Still, the emotional turmoil left in the wake of the war will continue long after its end, said Milley, who lost 242 troops in Afghanistan and Iraq during operational deployments he commanded, and was himself attacked while on patrol.

"This is tough stuff," Milley continued. "War is hard. It's vicious, it's brutal, it's unforgiving. And yes, we all have pain and anger. ... But I'm a professional soldier. I'm going to contain that and continue to execute my mission."

-- Stephen Losey can be reached at stephen.losey@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StephenLosey.

Related: After Afghanistan: The Legacy of Two Decades of War
LAWRENCE, Mass.  A U.S. Marine who was among 13 killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan was honored Tuesday evening in her hometown.

Officials in Lawrence, Massachusetts, held a vigil with Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo's family at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Rosario, 25, died in the Aug. 26 bombing at the Kabul airport, where people were being evacuated amid the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. A dozen other U.S. service members and 169 Afghans were killed.

Dozens attended a separate vigil in Rosarios memory last weekend in Boston that was hosted by Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, an organization founded by veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rosario, who was of Dominican origin, served with the Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade.
What do the Son Tay Raid and Operation Eagle Claw have in common? Not much, looking at the operations themselves. But special operators from both missions have come together in recent years for the good of another cause: the needs of special operations veterans and their families.

The Silent Warrior Foundation is a nonprofit organization formed by American special operations veterans in 2011 to offer scholarships to family members, procure service animals for veterans and generally provide for the needs of their community.

To raise money for their causes, they've reunited notable veterans to have a few drinks and share some of their firsthand experiences from those prominent moments of military history.

They call the event "Whiskey and War Stories," and it's filled with reminiscences you won't find in any book anywhere. The 2021 event is the sixth annual and featured veterans of Operation Eagle Claw, the aborted mission to rescue hostages being held at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

Wade Ishimoto, retired Delta Force soldier and Operation Eagle Claw veteran, looks at a map of Iran used during the mission. (Blake Stilwell)

Dave Hall, a retired Navy SEAL senior chief petty officer and president of the foundation, helps set up the annual "Whiskey and War Stories'' events. He has organized reunions of veterans of the invasion of Grenada; Operation Thunderhead, an attempt to rescue escaped prisoners of war in North Vietnam in 1972; and, last year, veterans of the Son Tay Raid, an earlier rescue mission in Vietnam.

Those veterans are the guests of honor, taking the stage at a gala event where they give their personal accounts of what happened, the good and the bad. For the veterans, it's a heartfelt reunion. For those watching, it's a revealing look at the lives of the special operators who risked their lives to rescue their fellow Americans.

Hall believes there's no better way to relay the story and the emotion behind it.

"We decided we would just tell the story," he said. "The story is huge, and the audience is just wide-eyed the whole time. They really get into it; they really listen to the ups and downs of the stories when these guys are talking."

When it came time to decide which group to gather in 2021, the choice was easy: Operation Eagle Claw is one of the reasons Hall joined the military.

"I was 12 years old, and I remember watching it on TV," he recalls. "That's one of the things that inspired me to join the military, to become a SEAL. But I've always felt like the media steals the story, every anniversary, giving a revamped, tired story of tragedy and failure. But they don't talk about the sacrifice, the innovation and persistence it took to go and try to get these guys."

This year's event featured a couple of the former hostages, U.S. Marine Corps veterans Rocky Sickmann and Billy Gallegos, who met some of their would-be rescuers for the first time.

"The number of people involved.  It just blows my mind," said Sickmann of the hostage rescue team, "41 years later, that so many people were put together to come over and gain my freedom."

Former Iranian embassy hostages Rocky Sickmann (left) and Billy Gallegos (right) take a selfie after meeting retired U.S. Army Ranger Keith Morrow (center), a veteran of Operation Eagle Claw. (Blake Stilwell)

Sickmann, Gallegos and 50 other hostages were taken when the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was overrun by protesters on Nov. 4, 1979. By April 1980, talks between the United States and the new Islamic government in Iran had failed, and the administration of President Jimmy Carter severed diplomatic relations.

On April 11, 1980, Carter gave the green light to the U.S. military to mount a rescue.

The operation required 93 Delta Force soldiers to assault the embassy;13 more Special Forces soldiers to hit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where other hostages were being held; a force of 12 U.S. Army Rangers to act as a roadblock team for the first airfield, codenamed Desert One; another team of Rangers to seize Manzariyeh Air Base outside of Tehran for the hostage to escape; and 15 Farsi-speaking locals and Americans to act as drivers to move the hostages.

Even before the president gave the go-ahead, Air Force combat controllers marked the makeshift airfield at Desert One for landing three Air Force EC-130Es carrying fuel and supplies and three MC-130E Combat Talons carrying the Delta and Ranger teams. Eight Navy RH-53D Sea Stallions were to stop at Desert One, refuel and carry the assault teams to another site, Desert Two, to stage for the rescue missions.

But the mission did not go as planned. Three helicopters experienced mechanical failures, and two of those had to abort the rescue attempt. Along the way, one of the Sea Stallion helicopters crashed into one of the fuel-carrying C-130Es, causing an explosion and fire that killed five airmen and three Marines.

The remnants of the accident at Desert One, the morning after U.S. forces aborted Operation Eagle Claw.

"The men that were coming to get us are my heroes -- always have been, always will be," Gallegos said. "I've met a couple over the years and, being here, I've met a lot of them, and it's the greatest thing in my heart, other than the birth of my daughter."

To learn more about the Silent Warrior Foundation or to find ways to support the cause, visit the Silent Warrior Foundation website. You also can learn more about "Whiskey and War Stories" and Operation Eagle Claw.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

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It's been a long year and a half of struggling to meet people, especially for military spouses who have moved. As spouses' clubs and family readiness groups begin to plan for in-person events, there is still a void for those stationed remotely or who are unable to attend.

Virtual events are not a new thing for the military community, and often work better for busy schedules, but after more than a year of communicating remotely, many military spouses are experiencing Zoom fatigue.

Here are some of the things -- both in-person and online -- you can look forward to over the next few months.

AFI MSOY Week

This year, Armed Forces Insurance is hosting its Military Spouse of the Year Week from Sept. 7-10 in the Arlington, Virginia, area. This event is usually in May, ending on Military Spouse Appreciation Day, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was canceled last year and rescheduled for September.

Participants will attend a two-day town hall, which in the past has included presentations on military protocol, best practices regarding personal and operational security and resiliency, and military marriage advice. Other events on the agenda include two evening receptions and, on Friday, an early morning walk at the National Mall in support of the Million Mile Project, which brings awareness to suicide prevention efforts among military families. The event is open to MSOY alumni, and the awards luncheon on Thursday is invitation only.

AUSA Family Forum

Back in person this year is the Family Forum section of the Association of the United States Army's (AUSA) annual meeting. Held in Washington, D.C., from Oct. 11-13, there are several sessions planned specifically for families. They include "Quality of Life at Your Fingertips;" a forum on improvements in soldier and family readiness with keynote speaker Patty Barron, the deputy defense secretary for military community and family policy and former AUSA family readiness director; the Army Senior Leaders' Town Hall; and "Modern Protocol and Evolving Traditions, The Value of Protocol and Traditions in the 21st Century."

Tickets for the event are free, and the forums scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday will be streamed by the Army on DVIDS, AUSA told Military.com in an email. There currently are no plans to stream anything live on Facebook. Register here.

You're Worth It

New this year is the Inspire Up Foundation's "You're Worth It" conference, taking place Nov. 4-6, 2021. The foundation's goal is to inspire a kinder and more giving world by bringing the military and civilian communities together. Open to military, veteran and first-responder spouses, this event takes place in Lenexa, Kansas -- which was chosen because of its relative close proximity to almost a dozen installations, foundation chief financial officer Jessica Manfre said.

Tickets are on sale through Sept. 15 for $49.99, and a discounted rate for hotel rooms is available on the website. Scholarships are also available. Tickets include a choice of four of the available workshops, an evening reception, several meals and a workout on Saturday led by a former Miami Heat choreographer.

Register here.

Pillar Deployment Retreat

Back for the second year, the Pillar Deployment Retreat will be held virtually Nov. 12-14. The military spouse partnership of Jo, My Gosh! and Becky Hoy from the monthly subscription box company Brave Crate host this digital retreat and bring information on all things related to deployment.

With 25 experienced military spouses and lifestyle experts, including three keynote speakers, there is something for everyone. These five- to 15-minute sessions can be viewed live throughout the weekend or at a later time, depending on the participant's time zone and scheduling needs. Tickets are free and available online at this point.

Register here.

--Rebecca Alwine can be reached at rebecca.alwine@monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebecca_alwine.

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Keokuk, IA (52632)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. Low 57F. Winds light and variable.
Yankees southpaw Zack Britton will undergo surgery next month to remove bone chips from his left elbow, he tells reporters (including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who will perform the procedure, will also examine Brittons UCL, but the veteran reliever noted that the primary concern appears to be the bone chips. (Jon Heyman of the MLB Network reported yesterday that this was the likeliest outcome).

Theres no indication of a recovery timeline for Britton. He had already been transferred to the 60-day injured list, effectively ending his 2021 season. Whether Britton is expected to be at full strength for Spring Training remains to be seen. This will be the second elbow procedure the 33-year-old has undergone this season. In early March, Britton required arthroscopic surgery  also to alleviate bone chips  that kept him from making his season debut until mid-June.

In between the injuries, Britton struggled to his worst season since he moved to the bullpen in 2014. The typically reliable relief ace only managed 18 1/3 innings of 5.89 ERA ball. Britton continued to rack up ground balls at one of the leagues best clips (68%), but his walk rate spiked to a career high 17.1%. Along the way, the average velocity on Brittons hellacious sinker fell to 92.6 MPH, more than two ticks lower than its 2018-20 level.

Britton remains under contract with New York for next season. Last October, the Yankees exercised his $14MM club option for 2022. (Declining the option wouldve allowed Britton to reach free agency last winter). New Yorks training staff will work to get Britton back to his standard form next season.
Sept. 2: Scott pleaded not guilty to the DWI charge at this mornings arraignment, writes Ryan Gerbosi of Newsday. He has another court date scheduled on Oct. 7.

Sept. 1: Mets acting general manager Zack Scott was arrested in White Plains, N.Y., early Tuesday morning, as first reported by Mike Puma, Craig McCarthy and Jorge Fitz-Gibbon of the New York Post. The Post reports that police found Scott dozing in a vehicle, at which point he allegedly refused a breathalyzer but failed a field sobriety test. CBS 2 New York indicates that an officer saw the vehicle in question driving erratically shortly before the arrest. Scott has been charged and is due back in White Plains City Court this Thursday, per the Post report.

The Mets issued a statement just minutes after the news of Scotts arrest was reported, which reads as follows:

We were surprised and deeply disappointed to learn this morning about an alleged DUI involving Zack Scott. We take this matter very seriously. Zack will not be traveling with the team for our upcoming road trip while we learn more and determine next steps.

The 44-year-old Scott is in his first year with the Mets, having been hired out of the Red Sox organization, where he oversaw the pro scouting and analytics departments, this past offseason. Scott was originally hired as an assistant general manager but was elevated to the title of acting general manager after then-GM Jared Porter was fired.
Thanks to Section 2(1)(h) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, there have time and again been disagreements and debates on whether or not a private entity falls under this law. That is because the Section defines a 'public authority' as one which is a body owned, controlled or substantially financed; or a non-government organisation (NGO) substantially financed, directly or indirectly, by funds provided by the appropriate government. It is always a challenge to prove what is 'substantially' funded.

Recently, in early August 2021, Sunil Kumar Misra, the Odisha state chief information commissioner, declared the Bhubaneshwar-headquartered Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) a public authority within the ambit of the RTI Act. KIIT is a private educational conglomerate having a deemed university status.

The argument put forth by the RTI activist Pradip Pradhan was that KIIT had taken more than 100 acres of prime land in the heart of Bhubaneswar at a highly subsidised price. The organisation, alleges Mr Pradhan, also took land from the Odisha state government, mortgaged it in a bank and got a Rs2,000 core loan to run multiple educational institutions, including the famous KIIT deemed university and KIMS Hospital.

Pradip Pradhan had sought information way back in 2014 from the public information officer (PIO) of KIIT regarding the appointment of former state and Central government employees in KIIT University and its allied institutions.

Smita Mohanty, the senior PIO of KIIT University, had rejected the application, stating that KIIT is a society registered under the Societies Registration Act and is a self-financed private deemed university. The information commission that Mr Pradhan appealed to heard his case in 2017 and observed that the reply of the PIO was untenable for two reasons. Firstly, private entities, if funded substantially, can come under the RTI Act and secondly, as Mr Pradhan argued, that though KIIT, being registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, was a private body, it would be deemed as a public authority under Section 2(h)(ii) of RTI Act. And thats because KIIT has been funded both directly and indirectly by the government, as evident from various official sources, including the recently released reports of C&AG (comptroller & auditor general).

At the second appeal hearing on 15 February 2017, Rabindra Nath Das, secretary of KIIT, submitted a written memorandum. He stated, KIIT was not a public authority as per the definition given in Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005 as it had not been established or constituted (a) by or under the Constitution, or (b) by any other law made by Parliament, or (c) by any other law made by the state legislature. It was also neither established nor constituted by any notification issued or any order made by the appropriate government nor substantially financed by funds provided by the appropriate government. On the contrary, KIIT was a society of private persons registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and set up with the objective of establishing and running educational institutions. The information commissioner asked him to submit all the relevant documents to prove so.

In the same vein, he asked Mr Pradhan to produce before the commission any evidence or data in his possession as would show that KIIT was substantially financed by funds provided by the appropriate government and, therefore, was liable to be regarded as a public authority under Section 2(h).

Mr Pradhan produced documentary proof of how the state government gave around 1,320 acres of land on lease to KIIT.

After hearing both sides, Mr Misra declared on 5 August 2021 in its final 92-page order that KIIT is a public authority under Section 2(h)(d)(ii) of the RTI Act, 2005.

The SCIC observed in his order that:

"We have seen that KIIT got the land from the government and its agencies by making repeated efforts and through determined pursuit. The KIIT had at each point of time pleaded before the government and its agencies for help so that it could build up excellent institutions. The contents of its correspondence with the government and its agencies and the prayers for allotment and regularisation of land show how badly the respondent needed such land. There are also express admissions by the KIIT itself that it would not be able to build the university on such a large scale and of such admirable class but for this land."

"We have referred to the litmus test laid down by the Honble Supreme Court in the Thalappalam case. The test to determine substantial financing is whether or not the non-government organisation could have established itself but for such financing and whether or not it would struggle to exist if such financing is withdrawn. It could not have easily become what it is today  a highly admired university  but for the huge land at cheap rates which it got from the government or its agencies."

"Reference has been already made to the judgement of the Honble Supreme Court in the Thalappalam case wherein it was held that mere grants, subsidies, privileges and exemptions as such could not be treated as public financing. The words `mere and `as such are important. In the present case, the KIIT not only got land from the government and its agencies but also other grants and exemptions. Therefore, in the present case, the grants and exemptions including tax exemptions cannot be considered as mere'."

"It has clearly emerged that the financing / funding received by the KIIT from the governments and their agencies have proved to the institution to be of solid worth, considerable value, of real significance and of having significant material bearings and effects on the respondents establishment growth and continuing existence as an acclaimed multi-disciplinary institution. But for such direct and indirect financing / funding, the respondent would have had to struggle. So would the case be if such financing and funding in the form of land on lease at concessional and subsidised rates of grants and of tax exemptions etc. are to be withdrawn."

"Therefore, the commission is of the considered view that the respondent, M/s KIIT, is a public authority within the meaning of Section 2(h)(d)(ii) of the RTI Act, 2005."

"In the light of the above, the respondent is declared as a public authority as per Section 2(h)(d)(ii) of the RTI Act, 2005; and is directed to furnish the required information to the appellant, as per his application in Form-A, within 30 days from the date of receipt of this order."

It is one of the most outstanding orders of the Odisha information commission, says Mr Pradhan. Will this be a trendsetter or will the KIIT knock the legal doors? Lets wait and watch.

Section 2(1)(h) of the RTI Act defines public authority as follows: h) public authority means any authority or body or institution of self-government established or constituted, (a) by or under the Constitution; (b) by any other law made by Parliament; (c) by any other law made by the State Legislature; (d) by notification issued or order made by the appropriate government, and includes any (i) body owned, controlled or substantially financed; (ii) non-government organisation substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate government.
Registration of new cars may come to a screeching halt on Wednesday in Tamil Nadu with the state Transport Department directing Regional Transport Officers (RTO) and others to ensure the vehicles are covered under bumper-to-bumper insurance for five years.

The Transport Department has also directed the vehicle registering authorities to ensure that the owner, driver, and the passengers are also covered under accident insurance.

It issued the directive to comply with the recent Madras High Court order.

Is there any such policy is the moot question?

Non-insurance industry officials told IANS that none of the insurers have a five year bumper-to-bumper insurance policy for cars and two-wheelers.

Such a product has to be designed after doing actuarial calculations.

"The IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) has to approve such a product first. There is no five-year bumper-to-bumper car vehicle insurance policy," Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) CEO Saharsh Damani told IANS.

The Madras High Court made bumper-to-bumper insurance cover compulsory for all new private cars sold from September 1.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
We had mentioned in Tuesdays closing report that Nifty, Sensex remain on an uptrend. On Wednesday, the indices opened higher but suffered a minor correction. On the NSE, there were 942 advances, 1,061 declines and 5 unchanged.

The trend of the major indices on Wednesdays trading are given in the table below:

Bharat Heavy Electricals won six orders worth Rs 10,800 crore from NPCIL involving the setting up of four units of 700 MWe at Gorakhpur, Haryana and another two at Kaiga, Karnataka.

Bajaj Auto reported 5% jump in its August 2021 sales at 3,73,270 units against 3,56,199 units in August 2020. Domestic sales declined 7% whereas exports rose by 18%.

Tata Motors reported sales of 57,995 vehicles in domestic and international markets for August 2021 compared to 36,505 vehicles in the year-ago period.

TVS Motor sold 290,694 units in August 2021 as against 287,398 units in the year-ago period. The company's exports grew 61%.

Mahindra & Mahindra overall auto sales in August 2021 came in at 30,585 vehicles.

Vedanta announced a first interim dividend of Rs 18.50 per share.

Steel Strips Wheels achieved its highest ever net turnover of Rs 308.09 crore in August 2021 up from Rs 126.79 crore in the year-ago period, a growth of 142.68% YoY.

EPL has partnered with Colgate-Palmolive for making recyclable toothpaste tubes.

Shoppers Stop sold its Crossword Bookstores to franchisee Agarwal Business House at a gross business valuation of Rs 41.62 crore.

Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) has launched a new initiative, enabling Google Pay users to book fixed deposits (FDs) on Google Pay in under 2 minutes without having to open a bank account.

IIFL Wealth Managements CFO Mihir Nanavati has resigned from the company and Sanjay Wadhwa, was appointed as the new CFO.

NCC has received one new order for Rs 877 crore from a state government agency.

Apollo Micro Systems has bagged an order for the supply of electronic control system for a strategic programme from DRDO worth Rs 5.30 crore.

The top gainers and top losers of the major indices are given in the table below:

The closing values of the major Asian indices are given in the table below:
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Sayre, PA (18840)

Today

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
OCKLAWAHA [mdash]Elizabeth Lynn Keigans, 55, of Ocklawaha, formerly of Moultrie, died Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at her home. Born on December 20, 1965, in Moultrie, she was the daughter of the late Joe Ellis Keigans, Sr. and Ruby Lynette Conger Keigans. She is survived by her daughter, Cara
Dr. Zachary Castle has been practicing family medicine in Midland for around four years.

He is worried about COVID-19s impact on the community. He sees what it does to medical resources  both at his office and at Midland Memorial Hospital.

And when he had the opportunity to talk with the Reporter-Telegram about the pandemic, one of the first things he wanted to call attention to wasnt what is happening in an emergency room or in his own offices but online.

One of the biggest problems is trying to correct false information being spread through social media, Castle said.

He pointed to two alleged COVID solutions being talked about online more than in medical studies or inside doctors offices  Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin. The latter of which brought out the following response from Castle. I would never recommend going to a veterinarian supply story (for your COVID needs)  a reference that Ivermectin, according to the FDA, is approved for use in animals for prevention of heartworm disease in some small animal species, and for treatment of certain internal and external parasites in various animal species.

Castle said he heard similar concerns from other physicians around Midland during a recent online call. They are hearing from patients about plans that are far-fetched and not consistent with good research.

He said discussions also have taken place about Budesonide, which the Mayo Clinic says is a corticosteroid or steroid (cortisone-like medicine) that works by preventing inflammation (swelling) in the lungs, which makes the asthma attack less severe.

There has been discussion during the pandemic about Budesonide, which has been called the silver bullet by some doctors. Some proponents of the use of Budesonide cite a study by the University of Oxford in England that states, Inhaled budesonide is the first widely available, inexpensive drug found to shorten recovery times in COVID-19 patients aged over 50 who are treated at home and in other community settings, reports the UKs principle trial in 1,779 participants.

Castle said there is reasonable evidence that (Budesonide) is helping and that it can shorten duration of symptoms for three days. Castle also stated that the evidence hes seen has shown it has no impact on mortality or hospitalization rates.

We try to use the best data to make the decision, said Castle, who again repeated that doctors are always looking at educational databases to learn latest things and then talking with other physicians about best practices.

Castle said he would like to see more colleagues inside the medical community make their voice known  more doctors stand up for what we believe in  including on social media. Castle said that vaccines are important, as are masking, social distancing and other guidelines to help prevent people from getting COVID in the first place.

Information is never a bad thing, Castle said.

He also said practices, including vaccination, should not be a political thing but what is best for people and the community.

It has turned into political statement unfortunately, Castle said.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  The United Nations' stockpiles of food in Afghanistan could run out this month, a senior official warned Wednesday, threatening to add a hunger crisis to the challenges facing the country's new Taliban rulers as they try to restore stability after decades of war.

About one third of the country's population of 38 million doesn't know if they will have a meal every day, according to Ramiz Alakbarov, the U.N.'s humanitarian chief in Afghanistan.

The U.N.'s World Food Program has brought in food and distributed it to tens of thousands of people in recent weeks, but with winter approaching and a drought ongoing, at least $200 million is needed urgently to be able to continue to feed the most vulnerable Afghans, he said.

By the end of September, the stocks which the World Food Program has in the country will be out, Alakbarov told reporters at a virtual news conference. We will not be able to provide those essential food items because well be out of stocks.

Earlier, U.N. officials said that of the $1.3 billion needed for overall aid efforts, only 39% has been received.

The Taliban, who seized control of the country ahead of the withdrawal of American forces this week, now must govern a nation that relies heavily on international aid and is in the midst of a worsening economic crisis. In addition to the concerns about food supplies, civil servants havent been paid in months and the local currency is losing value. Most of Afghanistans foreign reserves are held abroad and currently frozen.

Khalid Payenda, Afghanistan's former acting finance minister, on Wednesday detailed a country existing in a dangerously fragile state.

Speaking at Georgetown University in Washington, Payenda said the Afghan currency had yet to crash because money exchanges had been shuttered. But its value could plunge by more than 100%, said Payenda, who described former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani as withdrawn and paranoid ahead of the Taliban takeover.

I think the war had a toll on his psyche and he saw everything with suspicion, Payenda said.

Part of the chaos reflects the speed at which the Taliban took control of the country, with Payenda saying he thought the prior government could have been sustained for two or three more years because of commitments by international donors.

I did not expect it to be this quickly, Payenda said. Nobody actually did.

Mohammad Sharif, a shopkeeper in the capital of Kabul, said shops and markets there have supplies, but a major concern is rising food prices.

If the situation continues like this and there is no government to control the prices, that will cause so many problems for local people, he said.

In the wake of the U.S. pullout, many Afghans are anxiously waiting to see how the Taliban will rule. When they were last in power, before being driven out by the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, they imposed draconian restrictions, refusing to allow girls to go to school, largely confining women to their homes and banning television, music and even photography.

But more recently, their leaders have sought to project a more moderate image. Schools have reopened to boys and girls, though Taliban officials have said they will study separately. Women are out on the streets wearing Islamic headscarves  as they always have  rather than the all-encompassing burqa the Taliban required in the past.

The president of the United Nations Security Council said Wednesday that the real litmus test for the new Taliban government will be how it treats women and girls. Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason of Ireland, which holds the councils rotating presidency, said the protection and promotion of human rights for women must be at the very heart of our collective response to the crisis.

The challenges the Taliban face in reviving the economy could give Western nations leverage as they push the group to fulfill a pledge to form an inclusive government and guarantee womens rights. The Taliban say they want to have good relations with other countries, including the United States.

Many Afghans fear the Taliban won't make good on those pledges and are concerned that the nation's economic situation holds little opportunity. Tens of thousands sought to flee the country as a result in a harrowing airlift.

But thousands who had worked with the U.S. and its allies, as well as up to 200 Americans, remained in the country after the efforts ended with the last U.S. troops flying out of Kabul international airport just before midnight Monday.

President Joe Biden later defended his handling of the chaotic withdrawal and evacuation efforts, which saw spasms of violence, including a suicide bombing last week that killed 13 American service members and 169 Afghans. He said it was inevitable that the final departure from two decades of war would be difficult.

He said he remains committed to getting the Americans left behind out if they want. The Taliban have said they will allow people with legal documents to travel freely, but it remains to be seen whether any commercial airlines will be willing to offer service.

Bilal Karimi, an official member in the Taliban spokesman's office, said Wednesday that a team of Turkish and Qatari technicians arrived in Kabul to help get the airport up and running again. Alakbarov, the U.N. humanitarian official, said the United Nations is asking for access to the airport so it can deliver food and other supplies directly to the capital.

The Taliban also have to contend with the threat from the Islamic State group, which is far more radical and claimed responsibility for the bombing at the airport. The Taliban have pledged they won't allow Afghanistan to be used as a base for attacks on other countries  a key U.S. demand since the militants once harbored the al-Qaida leaders who orchestrated the 9/11 attacks.

In the wake of last week's bombing, American officials said drone strikes targeted the Islamic State groups affiliate in Afghanistan, and Biden vowed to keep up airstrikes.

Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday it was possible that the U.S. will have to coordinate with the Taliban on any counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan in the future.

___

Faiez reported from Istanbul and Lederer from the United Nations. Associated Press writers Tameem Akhgar in Istanbul and Lolita C. Baldor and Josh Boak in Washington contributed.

___

More AP coverage of Afghanistan: https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan
PARIS (AP)  France on Wednesday started administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine to people over 65 and those with underlying health conditions as the delta variant spreads in the country.

France is the first big EU country to introduce widespread booster shots, and several other European countries are expected to follow suit.

Many countries are still struggling to administer first doses of COVID-19 vaccines and the World Health Organization had called for a moratorium on boosters and also urged governments to donate vaccines to needy countries.

People in France can get the shot on condition a minimum six-month period has passed since they got fully vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Those who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson jab can get a booster shot of Pfizer or Moderna at least four weeks after they first got vaccinated.

In nursing homes, a nationwide booster campaign starts on Sept. 12. About 18 million people are estimated to be eligible for the booster shot, according to the Health Ministry.

Lucien Slama, a 90-year-old retired researcher, told The Associated Press he was absolutely not afraid to get the shot on Wednesday at a pharmacy in Paris.

Its my third injection and I remember the other two that caused me no issues at all," he said. When you see hospitalizations and the damages it (COVID-19) does, in the short and in the long run, whats a jab every year or every six months? What does it matter?

The French government followed the recommendations of the country's health authority, the HAS, which said last month that recent studies suggest a fall in the vaccines effectiveness, especially with the delta variant. Older people and those with underlying health conditions are the most affected by the drop over time, the HAS said.

Bernard Weill, 68, head of the French fashion house Weill, also received the booster shot on Wednesday.

When youre in good health and people around you are in good health, thats what matters and those (the injections) are only very small details. So nothing to worry about and nothing to care about, he said.

The booster shot was already available in France for some particularly vulnerable people, like transplant recipients and others with weakened immune systems.

The French government so far has made no decision regarding the potential extension of the campaign to the whole population.

France has been facing high numbers of confirmed infections since July, with a slight decrease in recent weeks  from over 23,000 per day around mid-August to 17,000 now. But many fear a reverse of the trend as children will go back to school after summer holidays on Thursday.

French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal warned Wednesday that almost half of ICU beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients, which is still substantial and preoccupying. So it is imperative that we maintain our efforts ... the upcoming weeks are not without risks."

Almost 44 million people, or 65.6% of the French population, are fully vaccinated.

France's decision to launch its campaign comes as the European Medicines Agency said it is reviewing data to see if booster shots are needed.

In Germany, authorities in Berlin, the capital, started offering booster shots Wednesday to residents of care homes. Several other German states have already begun offering boosters to vulnerable people. The country's independent vaccine advisory panel is planning to make recommendations soon about booster shots for older people and those who are immunocompromised, German news agency dpa reported Wednesday.

Israel has expanded this week its coronavirus booster shot program to include anyone over 12  the latest phase of a booster program that began in July with Israelis over 60.

U.S. health officials announced last month plans to dispense booster shots to all Americans. The campaign is expected to start by the end of September.

The head of WHO's European branch, Dr. Hans Kluge, said this week he agrees with the top U.S. infectious diseases expert that a third dose of coronavirus vaccines can help protect the people most vulnerable, and it shouldnt be seen as a luxury booster.

___

Sylvie Corbet reported from Saulieu.

___

Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Lights came back on for a fortunate few, some corner stores opened their doors and crews cleared fallen trees and debris from a growing number of roadways Wednesday  small signs of progress amid the monumental task of repairing the damage inflicted by Hurricane Ida.

Still, suffering remained widespread three days after Ida battered Louisiana and parts of Mississippi as the fifth-most-powerful hurricane to strike the U.S. Some low-lying communities remained largely underwater. Roughly a million homes and businesses still had no electricity, and health officials said more than 600,000 people lacked running water.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said he was pleased that power had returned for some people, saying it was "critically important to show progress after the storm. But he also acknowledged that much more work lay ahead.

Im very mindful that its a start, and only a start, he told a news conference.

The death toll rose to at least six after a coroner confirmed a 65-year-old woman had drowned in her Louisiana home and police in Maryland said a 19-year-old man was found dead in an apartment complex flooded by heavy rain from Ida's remnants. And the staggering scope of the disaster began to come into focus, with a private firm estimating total damage from Ida could exceed $50 billion.

In southern Louisiana's Plaquemines Parish, Gayle Lawrence lost two cars, refrigerators and almost everything in her garage to floodwaters. Her garage was filled with marsh grass and dead fish. Scores of other homes in the neighborhood were also flooded.

The house is solid. It didnt even move. But when the water came up, it destroyed everything, she said.

In Jefferson Parish, hospital staff, food bank employees and other critical workers were hampered by a gas shortage, said parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng. The parish neighbors New Orleans and saw widespread destruction from Ida. Authorities were still waiting for floodwaters to recede enough for trucks carrying food, water and repair supplies to begin moving into Lafitte and other low-lying communities.

Today were a broken community. It wont always be that way, Sheng said after meeting with Edwards.

Emergency officials in nearby Terrebonne Parish took to Twitter to caution evacuees considering returning home that there are no shelters, no electricity, very limited resources for food, gasoline and supplies and absolutely no medical services.

With all of New Orleans blacked out except for those running generators, Byron Lambert woke up startled about 1:30 a.m. when light suddenly came on down the hall from where he slept. He first thought it was a burglar, then realized his home had electricity.

Lambert's house in eastern New Orleans was among more than 11,000 homes and businesses that had power restored early Wednesday, according to the electric company Entergy. The company also said it restored power to Ochsner's main hospital campus in Jefferson Parish and several hospitals near Baton Rouge.

When it came on it startled me. Im like All right! We got power, Lambert said, his enthusiasm tempered by the knowledge of what others were going through. Im fortunate, but they have a lot of people that arent as fortunate as me, and I pray for them because its rough.

There were still 989,000 homes and businesses without power, or 44% of all state utility customers in southeast Louisiana, from the New Orleans area to Baton Rouge, according to the state Public Service Commission. Phillip May, president and CEO of Entergy Louisiana, told reporters Wednesday that he predicts a lot more progress in coming days. Still, he said full recovery will be slow, with thousands of power poles and transformers knocked out by the storm.

In neighboring Mississippi, 32,000 customers had no electricity.

Hard-hit areas in southeast Louisiana were under a heat advisory Wednesday, with forecasters warning combined heat and humidity could make some areas feel like 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius). Officials scrambled to offer food, water and places to cool off.

National Guard troops had handed out more than 141,000 meals, 143,000 liters (37,777 gallons) of water and more than 500 tarps in Louisiana as of Wednesday morning, according to Edwards' office. In New Orleans, officials opened seven places where people could get a meal and sit in air conditioning. The city was also using 70 transit buses as cooling sites, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said.

Meanwhile, more than 1,200 people were walking through some of Idas hardest-hit communities to look for those needing help, according to the Louisiana Fire Marshals office.

Search and rescue missions were tapering off, but continued in four parishes that still had floodwaters, Brig. Gen. Lee W. Hopkins of the Louisiana National Guard said on a Zoom call. That's compared to 31 parishes in the hours immediately after the storm.

President Joe Biden was to visit Louisiana on Friday to survey the damage, the White House said.

In New Orleans, where the mayor estimated roughly half the population had evacuated, there were additional signs of recovery. Flags hung from dangling power lines to help drivers avoid them, and in one neighborhood, someone decorated the downed lines with strands of tinsel in an echo of Mardi Gras.

City crews removing debris from roads and cutting up fallen trees had some streets almost completely cleared, while others remained cluttered with obstacles.

A few corner stores were open, many taking cash only, though some had working ATM machines. In many areas, National Guard troops or law enforcement stood posted at pharmacies and gas stations, where drivers waited in long lines for fuel.

Louisianas transportation department announced that all interstate systems across the state had reopened and been cleared of debris. AT&T, which faced widespread cellphone outages after Ida, said it was currently operating at more than 90% of normal capacity.

As a clearer picture of Ida's devastation emerged, the hurricane likely caused $50 billion to $60 billion in total damage, estimated Karen Clark, who has calculated catastrophic risk since 1987. Her risk modeling company, Karen Clark and Company, figured just $18 billion of those losses would be insured.

Those estimates would rank Ida anywhere from the fifth- to seventh-costliest U.S. hurricane based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Katrina, Harvey, Maria and Sandy were well over that amount. NOAA says 2017s Irma incurred about $55 billion in damage and 1992s Andrew about $53 billion in 2019 dollars.

___

Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Associated Press writers Kevin McGill in New Orleans; Stacey Plaisance in Lafitte, Louisiana; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed.
ROME (AP)  Police outnumbered demonstrators at several of Italy's main train stations as COVID-19 vaccination or tests became mandatory Wednesday for long-distance travel within the country. Threats by some of the rule's opponents to block railroad tracks apparently fizzled.

On the eve of the requirement's taking effect, Premier Mario Draghi's government had vowed to crack down on demonstrators who had called for their ranks to occupy tracks at around 50 stations to protest the measure, which they say impinges on their freedom of movement.

In Rome's heavily used Tiburtina station, only four protesters showed up, while in Milan, the nation's business capital, demonstrators numbered about 20. In Naples, only a handful of protesters turned out.

Compared to the several hundred demonstrators who have turned out in dozens of protests around the country earlier this summer, Wednesday's turnout was paltry. A few who did show up held banners with slogans denouncing Health Dictatorship and No Green Pass.

Travelers need a so-called Green Pass to board domestic flights and inter-regional trains and buses and some ferries. Local transit is exempt.

In a bid to rein in the transmission of infections, mainly driven by the delta variant, as Italians returned from summer vacations, the government announced weeks ago that starting on Sept. 1 passengers must certification they have had at least one vaccine dose more than 15 days prior, tested negative in the past 48 hours or recovered from COVID-19 in the previous six months.

Some ferries are exempt, such as those used daily by commuters between Sicily and and the southern tip of the mainland in Calabria.

Earlier this summer, Green Passes became mandatory for dining indoors at restaurants, accessing gyms or attending crowded events like concerts.

On the eve of the transportation rule taking effect, Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese pledged that there would be zero tolerance for law breakers on the tracks or any violence.

No illegal acts will be permitted in protest initiatives at train stations," said the minister, whose ministry deployed a heavy police presence on Wednesday.

Militants of an extreme-right group, New Force, as well as some members of extreme-left organizations, have participated in previous Green Pass protests.

Several recent anti-Green Pass rallies, including in Rome and Milan, turned violent. Last month, police rescued a state television journalist after a protester started yanking her by her hair, and a newspaper reporter was punched repeatedly in the face. Ministers, governors and doctors have received threats. An infectious disease specialist in Genoa reported around 70 online and phone threats to him and his family. On a recent night, he called police after being confronted by an angry man near his home who shouted that he should die.

So far, around 70% of Italy's residents 12 years or older have been fully vaccinated. But experts have voiced concern that many people in the 50-69 age group haven't received vaccines nor signed up for them.

Travelers on Wednesday had their Green Passes handy.

Its great, because it allows us to travel more safely, Arianna Bini, a 48-year-old pharmaceutical company manager waiting for a train in Florence. Since I travel a lot, I feel more at ease.

On a high-speed train from Milan, in northern Lombardy, to Reggio Calabria, at the southern toe of the Italian peninsula, a conductor asked passengers to show their passes along with their tickets. U.S. tourists showed their U.S. vaccine cards and were also asked for their passports.

Riley Smith, a 26-year-old from New York who was traveling to Naples with a friend, said she knew what to expect. New York just passed similar measures. I think its a good thing across the board.

Other countries have adopted similar requirements.

Turkeys Interior Ministry has ordered all domestic travelers over 18 to provide either proof of full vaccination, recovery from COVID-19 or a negative PCR test result. The requirement begins on Sept. 6.

Greece applies the same rules for domestic travel as for international travel. The country's certificate requirements are similar to Italy's for long-distance domestic travel.. Unlike Italy, Greece's requirements haven't sparked protests.

France's instituted a health pass requirement for domestic transportation on Aug. 9. The French railway SNCF says that based on pre-boarding checks, 97% of travelers have produced a travel pass.

The requirement, along with mandatory vaccinations for health workers, prompted weeks of Saturday protests, including some violent ones, by far-right activists and others angry at the French government.

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Karl Ritter in Florence, Andrew Wilks in Istanbul, Angela Charlton and Sylvie Corbet in Paris, and Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece, contributed to this report.
Students return to Wood River Middle School on the first day of school, Monday, Aug 23. Two students at the school are out with COVID-19, while four are quarantining, according to the school district.
Timothy Joel Murr, Passed away on August 23rd, 2021 at the age of 67. Funeral services will be at Keefeton Free Will Baptist Church on Saturday, September 18th, 2021 at 2pm.
'It's the least we could do': Cheers go up for Tidelands hospital workers

'This year has been a struggle for everyone and now it's happening all over again'
A suspicious caller notified a gas station that there were several bombs inside the store Tuesday on S.C. 544 near Coastal Carolina University, according to an Horry County police report.

Police were called to the Circle K gas station at 669 S.C. Highway 544 for a bomb threat just after 6:35 a.m. The complainant quickly got everyone out of the store, called 911 and stayed on the phone until police arrived, the report states.

While Horry County spokesperson Kelly Moore said that the threat was specific to the gas station, Coastal Carolina University sent out an alert to students and faculty just before 7:15 a.m. asking them to avoid the area of Founders Drive and S.C. Highway 544. The university also asked some students to evacuate from their homes.

Authorities cleared the scene by 9 a.m. but did not release details about a potential suspect.
A new report from the Illinois Policy Institute says lawmakers and Gov. J.B. Pritzker have adopted tax hikes and fee increases that have totaled $5.24 billion since 2019.

The 24 tax hikes and fee increases include the doubling of the motor fuel tax, raising vehicle registration fees, and a cigarette tax hike, among others.

Illinoisans were already paying more for gas than neighboring states when gas taxes were 19 cents a gallon, which was the 10th highest in the nation for gas taxes. Lawmakers and Pritzker has since doubled the state gas tax to more than 38 cents a gallon. Illinois now has the second-highest fuel taxes in the nation. Most of the tax and fee hikes will be used to pay for capital infrastructures programs statewide.

Despite collecting more revenue, the state's total unfunded pension liability for Illinois' five retirement systems was up again in the past fiscal year, hitting $144.2 billion, an increase of about $7 billion from the previous year.

Adam Schuster of the Illinois Policy Institute said that instead of raising taxes, the state should look at reallocating funds to programs that increase spending.

"A way to increase spending on these valuable programs is not by raising taxes," Schuster said. "But by redistributing the money away from unproductive uses like throwing it after pension debt and using the money to fund programs that provide value to Illinois."

Schuster also warned of future tax hikes.

"Pritzker's way of thinking about things is the belief that it is better to take the money and spend it down in Springfield and let the politicians decide where it goes," Schuster said. "I think the people of Illinois should be very worried about future tax hikes."

The Governor's Office of Management and Budget did not return a request for comment.
Retailers are warning people to leave the parasitic medication ivermectin for its primary intended recipients: animals.

Although the drug is FDA-approved for parasitic infections such as lice and scabies in humans, widespread claims that it can prevent or treat COVID-19 have caused a run on it.

Stores such as Buchheit have added warnings against the off-label use of ivermectin-based veterinary products such as horse dewormer and sheep drench.

Petrina Jannin, corporate human resources director for Buchheit Stores, said the company began putting up the warnings as a precaution after hearing concerns from vendors.

With all the publicity around ivermectin, we felt we needed to add the additional caution to our website and stores, Jannin said. We just want to be on the safe side.

The Food and Drug Administration acknowledges a research study purported the drug worked as a COVID-19 inhibitor in early laboratory tests, but said there has not been enough testing to determine its potential. It warns it can cause side effects that include stomach pain, facial or limb swelling, adverse neurological events and liver injury.

You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, yall. Stop it, the agency said in a Twitter post this month.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a doctor of ophthalmology, has said politics are preventing further studies of the drug as an option.

Paul has been a frequent critic of Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, over COVID-19 and told a group in northern Kentucky late last week that the hatred for Trump deranged these people so much that theyre unwilling to objectively study it. So someone like me thats in the middle on it, I cant tell you because they will not study ivermectin.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers has seen an increase in ivermectin-associated reports in the past few months.

Jannin said that while many of Buchheits stores havent seen an increase in the sale of ivermectin-based products, vendors have and shared their concerns with stores.

According to (our vendors) theyve had an increase in sales to other companies, Jannin said. We want our customers to be safe. In some locations, these products are in the back so they can be saved for our farmers.
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP)  Countries neighboring Libya wrapped up their meeting Tuesday in Algeria, with calls for foreign fighters and mercenaries to be pulled out from the conflict-stricken North African nation.

The two-day meeting also urged Libyan parties to stick to a political road map that ended hostilities last year and set parliamentary and presidential elections in December.

The meeting, hosted by Algeria, was attended by foreign ministers of Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, Chad and Niger. Those countries have for years been concerned over the chaos in Libya. The U.N. envoy for Libya, Jan Kubis, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and a representative of the African Union also attended.

The question of the withdrawal of mercenaries, terrorists and irregular forces is a fundamental question that conditions the success of the elections, said Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra at a news conference.

Libya is the first victim of these irregular elements and the risk is real that neighboring countries also become victims if the withdrawal is not handled in a transparent, organized way."

Algeria, which shares a long border with Libya, is ready to play a role, he said.

Libya has been wracked by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, and split the country between a U.N.-supported government in the capital, Tripoli, and rival authorities loyal to commander Khalifa Hifter in the east. Each have been backed by different armed groups and foreign governments.

In 2019, Hifter launched a military offensive to capture the capital. His campaign was backed by Egypt, the UAE, Russia and France, while his rivals had the support of Turkey, Qatar and Italy.

Hifters march on Tripoli ultimately failed in June 2020. Subsequent U.N.-sponsored peace talks brought about a cease-fire and installed an interim government thats expected to lead the country into a general election in December.

The Libyan parliament has so far failed to agree on a legal framework to hold elections.

Kubis, the U.N. envoy, urged lawmakers to finalize laws needed for the December vote without any further delay.

He also expressed concerns about the continued presence of mercenaries, foreign fighters and foreign forces in Libya, echoing the U.N. Security Councils calls for the full implementation of the October cease-fire deal including the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries.

The U.N. estimated in December there were at least 20,000 foreign fighters and mercenaries in Libya, including Syrians, Russians, Sudanese and Chadians.

Libya is at a critical stage where the significant achievements and progress of the past period must be consolidated with an added momentum to continue the political transition towards a unified, fully sovereign, peaceful and stable country, Kubis said.

___

Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed.
The final U.S. troops departed Afghanistan before midnight on Monday, leaving a country the United States had been in for 20 years and one dealing with new terrorist threats, exactly what the U.S. claimed to be in Afghanistan to quash.

After the final evacuation flights departed, the U.S. relinquished any remaining control of Afghanistan to the Taliban, meeting the militants demands that all troops be gone by Tuesday, and leaving behind thousands of would-be evacuees, per the Washington Post.

It's important to note that while the Taliban is against the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, they have never formally been acknowledged as a terrorist organization.

"The Taliban has never actually been designated by the State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, in spite of clearly meeting the criteria for such a designation," Dr. Suranjan Weeraratne, associate professor of political science at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, wrote in an email. "This is largely due to political considerations. There has long been a fear that labeling the Taliban as an FTO would make contact/communication with them harder. This, however, makes the Taliban unique and different from groups such as Al-Qaeda or ISIS."

Taliban control

Now, Afghans wait to see what the future holds, and what Taliban rule means for Afghani freedom, livelihoods and foreign relations. The Taliban's control of the country leaves questions about what their leadership will look like, especially as the Taliban now seems better in terms of public relations than they were in 2001.

"In public statements/press conferences, militants have given vague assurances of moderation in terms of how they will rule the country," Weeraratne wrote. "This is clearly an attempt to convince the international community that their second turn in power will be different from the first, which was characterized by draconian punishments for petty offenses, severe restrictions against women and minorities and in general, a high level of brutality.

"Specifically, the Taliban has said they are committed to gender equality and stated that no punitive action will be taken against those who collaborated with the government or foreign forces," Weeraratne continued. "In spite of these statements, there has already been a number of disturbing signs. While they paid lip service to gender rights, the Taliban later caveated that statement by saying that 'women will have rights in accordance with Islamic law,' thus leaving a lot of room for interpretation. Recently, another spokesman urged women to stay away from work 'until systems can be put in place to ensure their safety.' There have also been instances of retaliation against former collaborators to the U.S. army."

The countrys economy  already dependent upon foreign aid  continues to bottom out, per the Washington Post, and there could be a humanitarian crisis in the country soon.

The Taliban asked the global community to continue investing in Afghanistan on Tuesday, insisting that the Taliban wants good relations with all countries and factions within Afghanistan.

About 90 percent of Afghans live below the poverty line, according to government figures, and the return of the Taliban, whose leadership is under various forms of economic sanctions, has threatened to further undermine the countrys economy, per the Post.

I invite you all to come and invest in Afghanistan, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Tuesday. Your investments will be in good hands. The country will be stable and safe.

While in Afghanistan, the United States worked to help the capital of Kabul transform into a 21st-century city and womens rights improved drastically with the U.S. presence, as women were able to attend colleges and find work in new fields. That might disappear under the Taliban, who has already barred most women from work and school.

President Biden, like President Trump before him, came to see Afghanistan as a problem to be gotten rid of because it had become too costly to solve, Davood Moradian, director of the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, told the Washington Post. Now, it seems, not only did the U.S. fail to get rid of the problem, it is likely to be dragged back into it for a long time to come.

Resistance to the Taliban

The Taliban's control of Afghanistan is being met with some resistance, however. There is fighting in the Panjshir Valley, northeast of Kabul, a region the Taliban failed to gain control of when first in charge of the country in 1996 to 2001. There is also a long history of resistance in the Panjshir Valley.

"There is some resistance to the Taliban in certain pockets of the country," Weeraratne wrote. "Notable among these is the Panjshir Valley, northeast of Kabul. As of now, this area is not under Taliban control, but in the last few days, Taliban militants have encircled the valley and there is fierce fighting on the outskirts. The resistance force in the valley is said to number thousands of militia members including a large number of remnants from the disbanded Afghan army."

The Taliban could perpetuate the cycle of vengeance against those who resisted them, as they did when they seized power in 1996, per the New York Times. There is widespread caution in Afghanistan about what Taliban rule will look like with the American presence gone. The U.S.-backed governments collapse could leave an unfixable economy, ruin and hunger for the country, the Times stated.

The U.S., in the rush to evacuate, worked to evacuate as many Afghans  who believed a better life was possible overseas  as possible before the troops left, but those without the right documents were turned away. That rush to evacuate was partly because the optimistic projections of the Taliban taking over Afghanistan were far off.

"A number of intelligence reports in June and July clearly indicated that several different scenarios were possible," Weeraratne wrote. "These ranged from more optimistic accounts of the Afghan government fending off the Taliban to warnings of rapid deterioration in government control. Its not very clear to what extent senior administration officials and top-level military officials in Afghanistan paid heed to the more dire warnings.

"However," Weeraratne continued, "very few people expected the Afghan government and military to fold as fast as they did. Hence, the speed of the capitulation has made some intelligence assessments seem far off."

Those projections were far off on the optimistic end because the hope that Afghan forces would continue the fight were met with capitulation and abandonment of arms as the Taliban offered those soldiers who laid down their weapons a chance to live.

"Over the last two decades, the US has spent over $80 billion in training and developing the Afghan Security Forces," Weeraratne wrote. "In spite of this mammoth commitment of resources, the Afghan forces capitulated with startling speed and put up very little fight."

"There are many reasons for this," Weeraratne continued. "First, there is deep-rooted corruption at many levels of the governmental apparatus. Funds, weapons and other equipment intended for the military were often stolen or sold on the black market. Second, the morale within the army was extremely low. This was due to a host of factors including corruption, embezzlement of funds, lack of clear political direction and the withdrawal of the U.S. forces, therein creating a perception of abandonment. Third, there was ongoing tension between the army and the political leadership. Rumors abounded of secret deals between the Afghan government and the Taliban."

Weeraratne also said the U.S. needs to think about strategies employed in training the Afghan army and the effectiveness of those strategies. No one size fits all training model exists for armies and going forward, Weeraratne wrote, training programs need to be more sensitive to particular cultural and historical contexts.

The Taliban celebrated their first day without U.S. presence, but those celebrations could be short. Afghanistan is poor and polarized, per the Times, and has shortages of food and cash. A third of Afghans face what the United Nations call crisis levels of food insecurity.

Taliban leaders have met with former Afghan government officials, seeking a deal to legitimize Taliban leadership of Afghanistan internationally. Those former Afghan officials say militants have not presented a proposal for a new government as of yet and that negotiation remains shallow, per the Washington Post.

The Taliban does want to lead Afghanistan, however, another thing making them different than other militant factions like ISIS or al-Qaeda.

"The Taliban has a track record of governing most of Afghanistan before, as they did from 1996 to 2001, and is in control of the majority of the country right now," Weeraratne wrote. "While ISIS seized control of parts of Iraq and Syria a few years ago, their vision has always been broader than taking control of established sovereign states. ISISs mission is to create a broader Islamic Caliphate that would unite many disparate lands from Africa to the Middle East and Asia.

"In other words, the Taliban has tried to take over an existing nation-state while ISIS seeks to create a larger, supranational entity based on religion," Weeraratne continued. "Al-Qaeda does not have much history of territorial control."

ISIS-K

The United States will maintain counterterrorism capabilities in the region with the military gone, with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken saying that the U.S. has proved those capabilities. A drone strike Sunday destroyed an Islamic State car bomb, but also killed 10 civilians including eight children.

When 13 Americans and more than 200 Afghans were killed during evacuations by suicide bombers, the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility.

ISIS and the Taliban do not get along well, Weeraratne said.

"Ideologically, all three groups are Sunni jihadist/Islamist organizations and have sought to implement Sharia law," Weeraratne wrote. "However, the Taliban and ISIS are foes and have major ideological differences. ISIS has labeled Taliban militants as apostates/infidels for negotiating peace settlements with the Afghan government and the U.S."

The name Khorasan translates to The Land of the Sun. Khorasan refers to a historical region that includes parts of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

An offshoot of the original group in Iraq and Syria, ISIS-K is filled with ex-Taliban, although the two have now morphed into antagonists, as the Americans were sometimes forced to fight with the Taliban against ISIS-K. ISIS-K aims to discredit the Taliban in Afghanistan.

If ISIS-K can force that [international presence], it makes the Taliban both look as collaborators with the West  which is really good for ISIS-K messaging  but also like failed collaborators, right? You cant even provide security, youre incapable of ruling this nation, we [ISIS] are the viable alternative, Andrew Mines, a research fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, told Vox. It is almost certainly to discredit the Taliban and their ability to hold power and deliver security.

ISIS-K was founded in 2015 and embraces a more violent version of Islam than the Taliban, according to the New York Times. ISIS-K disregards international borders, according to a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and envisions its territory transcending nation-states like Afghanistan and Pakistan.

America going forward

U.S. officials  both past and present  have warned that preventing threats to American security will be much more difficult without an on-the-ground presence, per the Washington Post. Afghanistan is far from any existing U.S. military base and is also landlocked. The U.S. is not currently on alliance terms with neighboring Pakistan or Uzbekistan.

"Yes, America does have cause for concern," Weeraratne wrote. "The biggest fear is that once again, Afghanistan will become a breeding ground for terrorists. In particular, there is some alarm that Al-Qaeda could make a resurgence under Taliban rule. As part of the agreement signed with the Trump administration, the Taliban pledged to not let foreign terror groups use Afghanistan as a base to attack the US in return for the latters withdrawal.

"However, there is real concern that the Taliban will not live up to its end of the bargain," Weeraratne continued. "Indeed, the real worry here is that the Taliban will provide refuge/safe haven to Al-Qaeda, as the two groups have a long history of coordination and cooperation."

The collapse of the Afghan government could mean fertile ground for al-Qaeda, the organization that committed the attacks of Sept. 11. Al-Qaeda fighters remain in the country and could continue to exploit conflicts and plot attacks, the intelligence community warned Congress in April.

A number of U.S. forces remain in Iraq. Weeraratne said that it is too premature to predict what will happen when the last of the U.S. troops leave that country.

"However," Weeraratne wrote, "there are fears that the US withdrawal could further augment Iranian influence in Iraq and possibly lead to the resurgence of ISIS in Iraq. There are also fears of a civil war breaking out."
Today

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Blood Drive: 10 a.m -2 p.m., Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church, 951 Lincoln Ave. | Part of Prairieland United Way Live United Week. Donors need to pre-register at redcrossblood.org.

Dine and Donate: 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Papa Murphys, 1119 W. Morton Ave. | Papa Murphys is donating 20% of all sales to Prairieland United Way. For more information, go to prairielandunitedway.org.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers and can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Governor Duncan Mansion: 1-4 p.m., Gov. Duncan Mansion, 4 Duncan Place. Suggested donation $5 adult, $3 child. | Living history museum. Masks required for those not vaccinated.

Commodity Food Distribution: 1:15 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. Free | For income-eligible residents of Morgan County. Bring proof of residence and a box for food.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.



Thursday

Prairieland United Way Corporate Campaign Kickoff: Morgan County Fairgrounds. | All business leaders, Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce members and employee campaign coordinators are asked to attend. For more information, go to prairielandunitedway.org.

Farmers Market: 7 a.m., Lincoln Square, 901 W. Morton Ave. Prices vary.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers and can be picked up at side door.

Artist on the Plaza: Noon-1 p.m., Old State Capitol South Lawn, downtown Springfield. Free | Peaches and Bacon performs. Bring lawn chairs or blankets. For full performance schedule, go to springfieldartsco.org.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Illinois Products Farmers Market: 4-7 p.m., Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 E. Sangamon Ave., Springfield. Prices vary. | Weekly through Oct. 14.

County Line Dance Club Class: 6:30 p.m., VFW Post 1379, 903 E. Morton Ave. $3.



To submit items to the calendar, go to myjournalcourier.com and select calendar, or email jjcsocial@myjournalcourier.com. Items must be submitted at least 48 hours in advance.
WASHINGTON (AP)  White House officials are outlining plans to build and restore more than 2 million homes, a response to the volcanic rise in housing prices over the past year.

Millions of Americans are getting priced out of ownership or stuck spending the bulk of their income on rent. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city home price index climbed a record 19.1% in June from a year ago, as too few homes are available to buy and low interest rates have enabled affluent buyers and real estate investors to pay more for homes.

The jump in prices is a threat to President Joe Biden's vision of centering the U.S. economy around the middle class, a group that has defined itself in large part through home ownership. Americans' desire to own homes has also altered regional politics as suburbanites aligned with Democrats in 2020 to help give Biden key victories in Arizona and Georgia, two states that have added population through new home construction.

The White House Council of Economic Advisers on Wednesday posted on its blog a detailed analysis of the affordability problem and the administration's plans to relieve it. Its analysis notes that housing supply has fallen short of population growth for four decades, so many of the challenges predate the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Researchers at the mortgage buyer Freddie Mac estimate that the United States is 3.8 million homes shy of what is needed to meet demand. The persistent shortage has meant that home prices are steadily increasing faster than incomes, making it harder for first-time buyers to save for down payments and keeping them in rentals longer. Nearly half of renters spend more than the recommended 30% of their incomes on housing.

To increase home construction, Biden's economics team proposes a series of policy shifts.

First, it intends to deliver 100,000 affordable housing units over three years through a series of administrative changes. It will increase mortgage availability through Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae for manufactured houses and buildings with two to four units. The government also intends to make it easier for would-be owners and nonprofits to buy homes that failed to sell in foreclosure auctions, as well as expand outreach to local governments and nonprofits to buy federally held homes.

The government also plans to increase the financing options for apartment buildings through tax credits, loans and grants.

Secondly, the Biden administration estimates that its economic agenda would lead to the construction and renovation of 2 million homes. This would include the use of federal subsidies, the low-income housing tax credit, a new tax credit for construction in economically vulnerable neighborhoods and incentives to remove exclusionary zoning and land use policies by local and state governments that limit new construction.

Still, the blog post cautioned that a supply crunch could linger.

There is no magic formula to quickly relieve the supply constraints, it concluded.
Geelani, Kashmirs staunchest anti-India leader, dies at 91 View Photo

SRINAGAR, India (AP)  Syed Ali Geelani, an icon of disputed Kashmirs resistance against Indian rule and a top separatist leader who became the emblem of the regions defiance against New Delhi, died late Wednesday. He was 91.

Geelani died surrounded by family members at his home in Srinagar, the regions main city, an aide and his relative told The Associated Press.

Shortly after the news broke, scores of Kashmiris converged at his home in the Hyderpora neighborhood of Srinagar to mourn the death of Geelani, who lived the final decade of his life mostly under house arrest and suffered from various ailments.

Authorities announced a communication blockade and the restriction of public movement, a common tactic employed by Indian officials in anticipation of anti-India protests. They swiftly deployed heavy contingents of armed police and soldiers across the Kashmir valley to prevent people from participating in Geelanis funeral.

Troops with automatic rifles also blocked roads leading to Geelanis residence, while armored vehicles patrolled the city neighborhoods. Despite restrictions, many mosques across the regions towns and villages blared announcements of Geelanis death and urged people to come out on the streets.

Geelani was an ideologue and a staunch proponent of the merger of Kashmir with Pakistan. Over the years, he had repeatedly said no to any talks with New Delhi, asserting that India cant be trusted unless it calls Kashmir a disputed territory, demilitarizes the region and releases political prisoners for a meaningful dialogue.

The position was rejected outright by subsequent Indian governments, and he was often dubbed as a hardline politician.

Kashmir has known little but conflict since 1947, when British rule of the subcontinent divided the territory between India and Pakistan. Both countries claim the region in its entirety and have fought two wars over it.

Kashmirs fury at Indian rule has long been seething. After a series of political blunders, broken promises and a crackdown on dissent, Kashmiri activists launched a full-blown armed revolt against Indian rule in 1989.

India describes the armed rebellion as Islamabads proxy war and state-sponsored terrorism. Most Muslim Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle and support the rebel goal that the territory be united, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

The region is one of the most heavily militarized in the world. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the raging conflict.

Geelani, an Islamist author and a fiery orator, began his career as a schoolteacher and later joined Kashmirs biggest religious and political party Jamat-e-Islami in the 1950s. He contested elections three times for local governance but resigned as a lawmaker to join the anti-India campaign in the late 1980s, becoming the face of Kashmiri resistance until his death.

He spent nearly 15 years in various Indian prisons and was also part of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of various Kashmiri political and religious groups that was formed in 1993 to spearhead a movement for the regions right to self-determination. The group used civil disobedience in the form of shutdowns and protests as a tactic to counter Indian rule.

In August 2019, when India stripped the regions semi-autonomy, Indian authorities harshly clamped down on the groups leaders, detaining scores of them and barring them from leading public protests.

A sainted figure in Kashmir, Geelanis popularity catapulted to near reverence after 2008, when the region witnessed mass civil uprisings and he emerged as a prominent resistance leader among the new generation of Kashmiris. In the years that followed, hundreds of youths were killed by Indian forces in street protests.

As civilian defiance against Indian rule picked up, Geelani, along with two other top anti-India politicians, Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who remain under detention, formed Joint Resistance Leadership in 2016. The group challenged Indias sovereignty over Kashmir and sought to give direction to peoples anger.

During Kashmirs recent years of civilian protests, the slogan Na Jhukne Wala Geelani! Na Bikne Wala, Geelani! (Geelani, the one who doesnt bow and cant be bought!) became almost a war cry on the streets. He was widely venerated by Kashmiris, who gave him a monicker of Bub, which means the father.

While his death has come from natural causes, we must remember the immense physical and psychological toll that his continuous detention and torture took on his health, said Stand With Kashmir, a U.S.-based Kashmiri diaspora-led international solidarity group.

Geelani was also widely respected by the regions pro-India politicians.

We may not have agreed on most things, but I respect him for his steadfastness & standing by his beliefs, Mehbooba Mufti, the regions former top elected official, said on Twitter.

Geelanis maximalist approach forced India to court so-called moderate separatist leaders in Kashmir, though with no apparent breakthrough in resolving the dispute.

Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was deeply saddened by Geelanis death and the leader had struggled all his life for his people & their right to self determination.

Under Khan, Geelani was in 2020 awarded the Nishan-e-Pakistan, Pakistans highest civilian honor, an award earlier received by the likes of Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro and Queen Elizabeth II.

We in Pakistan salute his courageous struggle & remember his words: Hum Pakistani hain aur Pakistan Humara hai (We are Pakistani and Pakistani is ours), Khan said in a tweet.

Khan said his country will observe a day of official mourning on Thursday and the Pakistan flag will fly at half staff.

Without doubt, Geelani was emblematic of our defiance of India that began in 1990, said Siddiq Wahid, historian and former vice chancellor of a Kashmir university. That is his legacy.

__

Saaliq reported from New Delhi.

___

This story has been updated to correct Geelanis age, which was 91, not 92.

By AIJAZ HUSSAIN and SHEIKH SAALIQ

Associated Press
Biden meets Ukraine leader in long-sought Oval Office visit View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden used his first meeting with a foreign leader since ending the war in Afghanistan to send the message Wednesday that the United States  unburdened of its forever war  is determined to become a more reliable ally to its friends, in this case Ukraine.

Biden played host to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a long-sought Oval Office meeting and tried to reassure him that his administration remains squarely behind the Eastern European nation.

Biden didnt mention Afghanistan in his brief appearance with Zelenskyy before cameras.

But he highlighted his concerns about Russian aggression in the region. Biden, in making his case to end the war in Afghanistan, repeatedly said winding it down would allow the U.S. to put greater focus on combating malevolent acts from adversaries Russia and China.

The United States remains firmly committed to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression and for Ukraines Euro-Atlantic aspirations, Biden said.

The Ukrainian leader, who had found himself ensnarled in Donald Trumps first impeachment, arrived at the White House looking to Biden for increased military aid and backing for his countrys bid for NATO membership.

The meeting was postponed two days while Biden and his national security team were consumed by the military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The withdrawal, which concluded Monday, left behind many Afghans who had worked with the Americans and their allies and who now fear Taliban rule. This led to criticism that the U.S. was less than a reliable international partner, something Biden was eager to counter.

The optics of the moment did not go unnoticed by the Ukrainian president. At a difficult time for the world and the United States  still you found time for us and were thankful for this indeed, Zelenskyy said.

In advance of the sit-down, the Biden administration said it was committing up to $60 million in new military aid to Ukraine. The administration said the aid was necessary because of a major increase in Russian military activity along its border and because of mortar attacks, cease-fire violations and other provocations.

The package includes more Javelin anti-tank missiles, which Kyiv sees as critical to defending against Russia-backed separatists. The U.S. has overall committed more than $400 million in military aid this year.

Zelenskyy thanked Biden for the aid.

The war in Donbas is in its eighth year, and we have lost 15,000 people, Zelenskyy said in a reference to the conflict in Ukraines eastern industrial heartland.

In their private talks, Zelenskyy and Biden also discussed Washingtons decision not to block the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would carry Russian natural gas directly to Germany, bypassing Ukraine. The pipeline is vehemently opposed by Ukraine and Poland as well as both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, with Zelenskyy describing it as a powerful geopolitical weapon for Russia.

Zelenskyy, a television actor new to politics, took office in May 2019 anxious to firm up his countrys relationship with the United States. Instead, he almost immediately found himself under pressure from Trump envoys and soon Trump himself, who in the phone call that led to his first impeachment asked Zelenskyy to do us a favor.

In that now famous July 2019 call, Trump asked Zelenskyy to investigate Biden and his son Hunter, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company.

Trumps European Union envoy, Gordon Sondland, later told impeachment investigators that Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani explicitly sought a quid pro quo in which an Oval Office visit would be contingent on Zelenskyy announcing the politically charged investigation Trump wanted.

Was there a quid pro quo? Sondland asked. With regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.

Besides the coveted invitation to the White House, Sondland also said it was his understanding that Trump had held up nearly $400 million in military aid until Ukraine announced the investigation.

Allegations that Trump withheld congressionally approved military aid while seeking Ukraines help for his reelection campaign formed the basis of the the first impeachment case against him. Trump was acquitted by the Senate. The Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy never happened.

With Biden, Zelenskyy now has a president with a long history of involvement in Ukraine, one who has supported its determination to break free from Russia, shore up its young democracy and be more fully welcomed into the Western club.

As vice president, Biden was the Obama administrations point person on Ukraine and pushed for tougher action against corruption. He once boasted of his success in getting Ukraine to fire its top prosecutor, who had blocked some corruption investigations. Trump later twisted this by insisting, wrongly, that Biden had done so to protect his son and the energy company on whose board he served.

Zelenskyy is the latest Ukrainian president to promise to tackle systemic corruption and then struggle once in office. Biden administration officials wanted assurances that Zelenskyy remains committed to following through on various reforms.

To that end, a joint statement issued following Wednesdays meeting highlighted the need for Ukraine to move quickly to select a new specialized anti-corruption prosecutor and pass legislation to enshrine the authority of the head of the countrys National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the process for selecting that agencys successor.

Zelenskyy came to Washington saying he wanted a clear statement from Biden on whether he supported eventual NATO membership for Ukraine. NATO members are wary given Ukraines simmering conflict with Russia.

Zelenskyy said he and Biden talked about Ukraines prospects at length during their two-hour meeting. I feel that the president supports Ukraines bid for membership in NATO, Zelenskyy told Ukrainian reporters, but he added that the time frame remains unclear.

The White House also announced Wednesday that Ukraine agreed to join a secure communications line through the National and Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, which serves to minimize the risk of armed conflict. The center includes 50 international partners.

Nord Stream 2, the pipeline being built under the Baltic Sea, is the most significant issue of tension in the relationship. By allowing Russia to bypass Ukraine, it also could potentially deprive Ukraine of the billions of dollars in transit fees it now earns for pumping Russian gas to Europe.

While the U.S. also opposes the new pipeline, worried that it would give Russia too much power over European energy supplies, Biden agreed in July not to penalize the German company overseeing the project.

The joint statement said the U.S. would work to secure Ukraines supply of gas and prevent the Kremlins use of energy as a geopolitical weapon. The two countries also agreed to improve corporate governance at Ukraines state-owned energy companies and attract the foreign investment needed for Ukraine to become energy independent.

Zelenskyy expressed satisfaction at the outcome. He said Biden guaranteed that if Russia creates a dangerous situation for Ukraine or causes energy prices to rise, the U.S. will impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2.

I consider it a big victory for us, the Ukrainian president said.

___

Associated Press writers Josh Boak in Washington, Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed reporting.

By AAMER MADHANI, LYNN BERRY and ERIC TUCKER

Associated Press
Afghans face hunger crisis, adding to Talibans challenges View Photo

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  The United Nations stockpiles of food in Afghanistan could run out this month, a senior official warned Wednesday, threatening to add a hunger crisis to the challenges facing the countrys new Taliban rulers as they try to restore stability after decades of war.

About one third of the countrys population of 38 million doesnt know if they will have a meal every day, according to Ramiz Alakbarov, the U.N.s humanitarian chief in Afghanistan.

The U.N.s World Food Program has brought in food and distributed it to tens of thousands of people in recent weeks, but with winter approaching and a drought ongoing, at least $200 million is needed urgently to be able to continue to feed the most vulnerable Afghans, he said.

By the end of September, the stocks which the World Food Program has in the country will be out, Alakbarov told reporters at a virtual news conference. We will not be able to provide those essential food items because well be out of stocks.

Earlier, U.N. officials said that of the $1.3 billion needed for overall aid efforts, only 39% has been received.

The Taliban, who seized control of the country ahead of the withdrawal of American forces this week, now must govern a nation that relies heavily on international aid and is in the midst of a worsening economic crisis. In addition to the concerns about food supplies, civil servants havent been paid in months and the local currency is losing value. Most of Afghanistans foreign reserves are held abroad and currently frozen.

Khalid Payenda, Afghanistans former acting finance minister, on Wednesday detailed a country existing in a dangerously fragile state.

Speaking at Georgetown University in Washington, Payenda said the Afghan currency had yet to crash because money exchanges had been shuttered. But its value could plunge by more than 100%, said Payenda, who described former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani as withdrawn and paranoid ahead of the Taliban takeover.

I think the war had a toll on his psyche and he saw everything with suspicion, Payenda said.

Part of the chaos reflects the speed at which the Taliban took control of the country, with Payenda saying he thought the prior government could have been sustained for two or three more years because of commitments by international donors.

I did not expect it to be this quickly, Payenda said. Nobody actually did.

Mohammad Sharif, a shopkeeper in the capital of Kabul, said shops and markets there have supplies, but a major concern is rising food prices.

If the situation continues like this and there is no government to control the prices, that will cause so many problems for local people, he said.

In the wake of the U.S. pullout, many Afghans are anxiously waiting to see how the Taliban will rule. When they were last in power, before being driven out by the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, they imposed draconian restrictions, refusing to allow girls to go to school, largely confining women to their homes and banning television, music and even photography.

But more recently, their leaders have sought to project a more moderate image. Schools have reopened to boys and girls, though Taliban officials have said they will study separately. Women are out on the streets wearing Islamic headscarves  as they always have  rather than the all-encompassing burqa the Taliban required in the past.

The president of the United Nations Security Council said Wednesday that the real litmus test for the new Taliban government will be how it treats women and girls. Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason of Ireland, which holds the councils rotating presidency, said the protection and promotion of human rights for women must be at the very heart of our collective response to the crisis.

The challenges the Taliban face in reviving the economy could give Western nations leverage as they push the group to fulfill a pledge to form an inclusive government and guarantee womens rights. The Taliban say they want to have good relations with other countries, including the United States.

Many Afghans fear the Taliban wont make good on those pledges and are concerned that the nations economic situation holds little opportunity. Tens of thousands sought to flee the country as a result in a harrowing airlift.

But thousands who had worked with the U.S. and its allies, as well as up to 200 Americans, remained in the country after the efforts ended with the last U.S. troops flying out of Kabul international airport just before midnight Monday.

President Joe Biden later defended his handling of the chaotic withdrawal and evacuation efforts, which saw spasms of violence, including a suicide bombing last week that killed 13 American service members and 169 Afghans. He said it was inevitable that the final departure from two decades of war would be difficult.

He said he remains committed to getting the Americans left behind out if they want. The Taliban have said they will allow people with legal documents to travel freely, but it remains to be seen whether any commercial airlines will be willing to offer service.

Bilal Karimi, an official member in the Taliban spokesmans office, said Wednesday that a team of Turkish and Qatari technicians arrived in Kabul to help get the airport up and running again. Alakbarov, the U.N. humanitarian official, said the United Nations is asking for access to the airport so it can deliver food and other supplies directly to the capital.

The Taliban also have to contend with the threat from the Islamic State group, which is far more radical and claimed responsibility for the bombing at the airport. The Taliban have pledged they wont allow Afghanistan to be used as a base for attacks on other countries  a key U.S. demand since the militants once harbored the al-Qaida leaders who orchestrated the 9/11 attacks.

In the wake of last weeks bombing, American officials said drone strikes targeted the Islamic State groups affiliate in Afghanistan, and Biden vowed to keep up airstrikes.

Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday it was possible that the U.S. will have to coordinate with the Taliban on any counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan in the future.

___

Faiez reported from Istanbul and Lederer from the United Nations. Associated Press writers Tameem Akhgar in Istanbul and Lolita C. Baldor and Josh Boak in Washington contributed.

___

More AP coverage of Afghanistan: https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

By KATHY GANNON, RAHIM FAIEZ and EDITH M. LEDERER

Associated Press
UK foreign minister heads to Asia for Afghanistan talks View Photo

LONDON (AP)  U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was heading to the region around Afghanistan on Wednesday in a push to rescue stranded British citizens and Afghan allies, amid strong criticism of the governments rushed and chaotic evacuation effort.

Raab did not provide any details, citing security reasons, but he is expected to visit Pakistan for talks on establishing routes out of Afghanistan through third countries.

A senior British official, Simon Gass, already travelled to Qatar to meet with Taliban representatives for talks about allowing people to leave Afghanistan.

Britain says it evacuated more than 15,000 U.K. citizens and vulnerable Afghans from Kabul during a two-week August airlift that Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has called Dunkirk by WhatsApp.

But Wallace also said that as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the U.K. were left behind. Raab said those who werent evacuated included guards from the now-abandoned British Embassy in Kabul.

We wanted to get some of those embassy guards through, but the buses arranged to collect them, to take them to the airport, were not given permission to enter, he told lawmakers on Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee.

Raab put the number of U.K. nationals still in Afghanistan in the low- to mid-hundreds.

The United States and other nations were caught off-guard by the Talibans swift conquest of Afghanistan, having failed to predict how quickly the Western-backed Afghan government would collapse once NATO troops began to depart.

Opposition politicians excoriated Raab for failing to cut short a vacation in Greece as the Taliban advanced on Kabul. He returned to London only after the Afghan capital fell on Aug. 15.

Raab said the intelligence had suggested the most likely scenario after Western troops withdrew was a steady deterioration and it was unlikely Kabul would fall this year.

Thats something that was widely shared, that view, among NATO allies, Raab said.

He rejected a claim by Conservative lawmaker Tom Tugendhat that the Afghan collapse was the single biggest foreign policy disaster the U.K. has faced since Suez. A failed 1956 attempt by Israel, Britain and France to seize the newly nationalized Suez Canal from Egypt is often seen as a symbol of post-imperial Britains declining power.

I am afraid I struggle with the Suez analogy, Raab said. But I understand what you are really searching for is to learn the lessons and even more generally find a path forward for Afghanistan.

By JILL LAWLESS

Associated Press
Milley: US coordination with Taliban on strikes possible View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday that its possible the United States will seek to coordinate with the Taliban on counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan against Islamic State militants or others.

Milley did not elaborate, and his comment did not appear to suggest immediate plans to work with the Taliban.

U.S. military commanders coordinated daily with Taliban commanders outside the Kabul airport over the past three weeks to facilitate the evacuation of more than 124,000 people. But that was a matter of convenience for both parties and not necessarily a sign that they will pursue, or even want, a regular relationship in the future.

The U.S. military ousted the Taliban from power in the fall of 2001 and fought against them for the 19 years that followed.

The extent and nature of a U.S.-Taliban relationship, now that the war is over, is one of the key issues to be worked out. The U.S. diplomatic presence in Kabul has been moved to Doha, Qatar. President Joe Biden has noted several times recently that the Taliban are avowed enemies of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan, suggesting a shared interest with the United States.

At a Pentagon news conference with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Milley called the Taliban ruthless adding, Whether or not they change remains to be seen. He suggested that the recent cooperative arrangement with the Taliban at Kabul airport was not necessarily a model for the future.

In war you do what you must in order to reduce risk to mission and force, not what you necessarily want to do, Milley said.

Biden has promised further targeting of the IS group in Afghanistan in response to the IS suicide bombing last week at a Kabul airport gate that killed scores of Afghans and 13 American service members. On Saturday the U.S. military carried out a drone strike in Afghanistan that it said killed two IS planners. On Tuesday, Biden said, To ISIS-K: We are not done with you yet, referring to the IS group.

Targeting Islamic State militants or other extremist groups, such as al-Qaida, will be more difficult with no U.S. military forces on the ground and no friendly government forces with which to share intelligence on extremist networks. But the Biden administration asserts that it can contain these groups by monitoring and potentially striking with assets based elsewhere in the region.

Although the Taliban oppose IS, its far from clear that they will be inclined to work with the U.S. military or the Central Intelligence Agency now that they have regained power in Kabul. Milley has recent experience with Taliban leaders; twice last year, most recently in December, he met face-to-face with them in an attempt to slow their attacks on the U.S.-backed Afghan government, which collapsed in mid-August, triggering the frantic U.S.-led evacuation.

Austin sounded at least as skeptical as Milley regarding the possibility that the coordination in recent days at the Kabul airport suggests a future relationship with the Taliban.

I would not make any leaps of logic to broader issues, said Austin.

Both Austin and Milley commanded troops in Afghanistan during the 20-year war and their comments at Wednesdays news conference largely focused on tributes to those who served in Afghanistan, including those who died or were wounded. They also thanked all who contributed to the final airlift, which Austin called the largest evacuation of civilians in American history.

Milley and Austin urged war veterans to view their service as worthwhile and appreciated by the American public, while acknowledging that the memories can be painful.

War is hard. Its vicious. Its brutal. Its unforgiving, Milley said. Yes, we all have pain and anger. When we see what has unfolded over the last 20 years and over the last 20 days, that creates pain and anger.

With the U.S. involvement in the war over and all American military out of the country, Biden is grappling with the prospects of a new relationship with the Taliban. He has tasked Secretary of State Antony Blinken with coordinating with international partners to hold the Taliban to their promise of safe passage for Americans and others who want to leave in the days ahead.

Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, has described the U.S. relationship with the Taliban during the evacuation as very pragmatic and very businesslike, saying they helped secure the airport. But other reports from people in Afghanistan described shootings, violence and Taliban moves to block desperate Afghans from getting through the gates.

Biden in an address to the nation Tuesday defended his decision to end Americas longest war and withdraw all U.S. troops by an Aug. 31 deadline.

I was not going to extend this forever war, Biden declared from the White House. And I was not going to extend a forever exit.

Biden is coming under heavy criticism, particularly from Republicans, for his handling of the evacuation. But he said it was inevitable that the final departure from two decades of war, first negotiated with the Taliban for May 1 by former President Donald Trump, would have been difficult, with likely violence, no matter when it was planned and conducted.

To those asking for a third decade of war in Afghanistan, I ask, What is the vital national interest? Biden said. He added, I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars in Afghanistan.

___

Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

By ROBERT BURNS and LOLITA C. BALDOR

Associated Press
The Plainview Area Retired School Personnel Association (PARSPA) will host its first meeting - "Reunion Time" on Sept. 13 at 11:45 a.m. at the Plainview Adult Activity Center, 1107 Smythe.

District 17 President Terri Navrkal and Legislative Liaison Eric McKnight will discuss updates from the state legislative session.
Jane Kyle, known affectionately to her 6.38K YouTube followers as UFO Jane has been documenting and discussing UFO sightings across Texas since 2012.

I first met her this weekend, visiting San Antonios second annual UFO Festival at the cavernous Wonderland of the Americas mall. The relic from the 80s I received both of my COVID-19 vaccines in transformed into a delightful alien arena. Kyle was one of the two speakers at the out of this world event, colored by vendors, rookie tarot readers and a woman dressed as Scooby Doos Velma, securing tin foil hats on the heads of attendees.

There, I ran into local Cryptozoologist, Ken Gerhard, who Ive previously interviewed for a different feature on Texas' giant and elusive flying birds. Ken introduced me to UFO Jane, a New Braunfels-based UT-Austin journalism grad, and her partner in crime Glurp, a tall green alien donning a black and red-checked flannel shirt stitched with a brewery logo I clocked as originating from Colorado.

The Dr. Seuss Book Oh the places youll go! often gifted to graduates came to mind. I would not have expected to be present in that exact corner of the earth's crust if you had asked me before I left school in 2020. Or maybe, I could have guessed.

Still, life is funny.

If you have ever quietly experienced a UFO sighting in Texas and have searched for a channel to report it, you may have stumbled upon the duo's project, TexasUFOsightings.com. The website is a fairly comprehensive catalog of stories, photos and videos submitted by Texans in every major city and county, that together paint a broader picture of how frequent this phenomena is across the state.

Kyle, a freelance writer turned ufologist, first became interested in the topic after college. While romantically pursuing a guy who already had an interest in the topic, she started researching more, and soon came to a realization she couldn't escape, not dissimilar to Mulder in the X-Files: that unidentified aerial phenomenon exist.

I had this journalism degree, I enjoyed writing and covering different topics, and once I basically realized that UFOs are real  not necessarily aliens, literally unidentified flying objects  I really couldnt un-see or un-know that,'' Kyle tells me.

One thing led to another, I felt forced to create the website because I felt like I had to have a place for this stuff, and the rest is history.

Since beginning her niche reporting back in 2012, Kyle has grown in confidence in terms of bringing to light these occurrences since the topic is becoming increasingly de-stigmatized.

In December 2017, that month was really crucial, because the New York Times released three different videos of UFOs that the pentagon investigated, and they just kinda let a lot of the cat out of the bag, says Kyle.

Just this summer, on June 25, 2021, an official government report was released doubling down on the fact that over 140 reported UAPs, or unidentified aerial phenomenon, documented since 2004, cant be identified. Some of which display technology they claim to be outside of the known reach of the U.S.

Whether or not the aircrafts of her focus are always aliens, UFO Jane leaves the answer open ended, and states that in her view, valid sightings tend to be a mixture of both misidentification and something a little more far out  based on her research and intuitions.

Courtesy of Jane Kyle

People misidentify harmless things like Chinese lanterns, balloons and stars or stuff like that, and I do think that a lot of UFOs are our own advanced tech, whether its really amazing drones or military craft, so I do think thats a large chunk, says Kyle.

My best guess, if I was a betting woman, is that yes there really were extraterrestrial beings and craft that have interacted on Earth, and we are definitely dealing with the legacy of that in addition to the modern UAP era, she continues.

Of course, the existence of aliens has not been confirmed by any official governing body, but these ideas are interesting to entertain and explore, especially considering recently released reports. When you have a nebulous idea, like the existence of aliens, it can be hard to see through the fog. Its an idea thats easy and valid to reject. Kyle herself recently hosted a skeptic to discuss just that on her channel. But like many organized religions, which look to a higher place for answers, in some ways the idea and belief in aliens is no different.

Why not look to the stars? Who am I to say.

When living in an era ripe with conspiracy, Kyle expresses that its right to be cautious, but that to some extent, its human nature to conspire.

We can choose to give into click-baity headlines that try to get an emotional reaction out of us or make us fight with each other, or we can just try to be calm and learn about it objectively and trust our own instincts about it. If youre following a UFO researcher, does their story check out every time? Are they claiming to have all the answers? Stay away from that, that would be what Id lead people with, says Kyle.

I asked if there is any specific UFO sighting across Texas that sticks out to her. Kyle expresses that funny enough, there isnt one single happening that jumps to mind.

Over the years, everything has just turned into really, really clear patterns to me, and those patterns are probably more boring than people think.

She mentions the concept of triangle-shaped UFOs, an observation that has been reported to her many times over the years across the state, hovering over neighborhoods then suddenly taking off, seemingly camouflaging or vanishing in mid-air.

If you fly over to her website, you can find dozens of these reports itemized for your browsing.

I just want to remind people that even if you dont have top secret clearance, or youre not a part of some of these government agencies in the shadows, you dont have to have any of those things to have seen a UFO, so this subject is really beyond newspaper headlines, Twitter debates and all that, the Texas UFO expert expresses to me.

Take one case at a time, dont get carried away, and if youve seen a UFO, youve seen a UFO.

Kyle, who previous to the pandemic often frequented various UFO-related events across the country, made a return to the circuit with the San Antonio Wonderland of the America's Festival. With the release of these government reports, she tells me she suspects we'll only continue to hear more UFO-related news in the mainstream.

When it comes to sightings, maybe you've seen one yourself, maybe you think it's just guys like Elon Musk (Kyle also has a video about this) or maybe, like me, you're simply interested in what draws people into the UFO fold.

Whatever the case, it can't hurt to look up.
CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP)  An accidental gas leak led to last week's explosion at a Chandler strip mall print shop that left four men with serious burns, federal authorities said Tuesday.

Gabriel Pinon, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said in a statement Tuesday that the findings by the ATF National Response Team and investigative partners determined that the explosion was caused by an unintentional natural gas leak ignited by an independent ignition source.

Investigators still have not determined what that ignition source was, however.

Officials with Southwest Gas said in a statement Tuesday that the company is committed to determine the facts behind the unintentional natural gas leak which investigators have cited as a contributing factor to this incident. We are also committed to immediately implementing any operational enhancements resulting from the investigation.

Multiple agencies including the ATF, the Chandler police and fire departments and Southwest Gas probed the explosion scene to determine the cause.

Police said no foul play was found after a fuel-air mixture explosion occurred at the Platinum Printing building around 9:30 a.m. last Thursday.

Four men suffered second-degree burns to their hands, arms and legs, including two brothers who own the print shop  29-year-old Dillion Ryan and 39-year-old Andrew Ryan.

Police said 29-year-old Parker Milldebrandt was inside the print shop at the time of the explosion and also was injured along with 58-year-old Glenn Jordan, who was inside the Eyeglass Repair business to the west of the print shop.

Dr. Kevin Foster, director of the Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health in Phoenix, said all four victims will need surgery and extended hospital stays but are expected to recover despite burns on up to 30% of their bodies.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam granted posthumous pardons Tuesday to seven Black men who were executed in 1951 for the rape of a white woman, in a case that attracted pleas for mercy from around the world and in recent years has been denounced as an example of racial disparity in the use of the death penalty.

Northam announced the pardons after meeting with about a dozen descendants of the men and their advocates. Cries and sobs could be heard from some of the descendants after Northam's announcement.

The Martinsville Seven," as the men became known, were all convicted of raping 32-year-old Ruby Stroud Floyd, a white woman who had gone to a predominantly black neighborhood in Martinsville, Virginia, on Jan. 8, 1949, to collect money for clothes she had sold.

Four of the men were executed in Virginia's electric chair on Feb. 2, 1951. Three days later, the remaining three were also electrocuted. All of them were tried by all-white juries. It was the largest group of people executed for a single-victim crime in Virginia's history.

At the time, rape was a capital offense. But Northam said Tuesday that the death penalty for rape was applied almost exclusively to Black people. From 1908  when Virginia began using the electric chair  to 1951, state records show that all 45 people executed for rape were Black, he said. The pardons do not address the guilt or innocence of the men, but Northam said the pardons are an acknowledgement that they did not receive due process and received a racially-biased death sentence not similarly applied to white defendants.

These men were executed because they were Black, and thats not right, Northam said.

Their punishment did not fit the crime. They should not have been executed, he added.

All seven men were convicted and sentenced to death within eight days. Northam said some of the defendants were impaired at the time of their arrests or unable to read confessions they signed. He said none of the men had attorneys present while they were interrogated.

Before their executions, protesters picketed at the White House, and the governor's office received letters from around the world asking for mercy.

James Walter Grayson is the son of Francis DeSales Grayson, who was one of the seven. He sobbed loudly when Northam told the family members he would grant the pardons after meeting with them Tuesday. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord, he said, as he wept while being embraced by two other descendants of the men.

Grayson said he was 4 years old when his father was executed.

It means so much to me, he said of the pardon.

I remember the very day the police came to the door. He kissed us and they took him away, he told The Associated Press in an interview after the announcement.

Rudolph McCollum Jr., a former Richmond mayor who is the great-nephew of Francis DeSales Grayson and the nephew of another one of the executed men, Booker T. Millner, told Northam the executions represent a wound that continues to mar Virginia's history and the efforts to move beyond its dubious past. He wept when Northam announced he would pardon the men.

In December, advocates and descendants of the men asked Northam to issue posthumous pardons. Their petition does not argue that the men were innocent, but says their trials were unfair and the punishment was extreme and unjust.

The Martinsville Seven were not given adequate due process simply for being black, they were sentenced to death for a crime that a white person would not have been executed for simply for being black, and they were killed, by the Commonwealth, simply for being black,' " the advocates wrote in their letter to Northam.

The seven men, most in their late teens or early 20s, were: Grayson, Millner, Frank Hairston Jr.; Howard Lee Hairston; James Luther Hairston; Joe Henry Hampton; and John Clabon Taylor.

Eric W, Rise, an associate professor at the University of Delaware who wrote a 1995 book on the case: The Martinsville Seven: Race, Rape, and Capital Punishment, said Floyd told police she was raped by a large group of Black men and testified at all six trials. Two of the men were tried together.

All seven men signed statements admitting they were present during the attack, but they had no access to their parents or attorneys at the time, Rise said.

The validity of the confessions were one of the things their defense attorneys brought up at the trials, Rise said.

Four of the men testified in their own defense. Rise said two men said they had consensual sex with her, one man denied any involvement, and another man said he was so intoxicated he could not remember what happened.

Northam has now granted a total of 604 pardons since taking office in 2018, more than the previous nine governors combined, his administration announced Tuesday.

This is about righting wrongs, Northam said. We all deserve a criminal justice system that is fair, equal, and gets it right  no matter who you are or what you look like," he said.

In March, Northam, a Democrat, signed legislation passed by the Democrat-controlled legislature abolishing the state's death penalty. It was a dramatic shift for Virginia, a state that had the second-highest number of executions in the U.S. The case of the Martinsville Seven was cited during the legislative debate as an example of the disproportionate use of the death penalty against people of color.
On Tuesday, August 31, Republicans in the House and Senate signed off on the final version of the controversial voting bill that Texas Democrats fled the state to break quorum and stop from passing.

The final version of Senate Bill 1 further tightens the state's voting rules and reins in local efforts to widen voting access. It's on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott's office, where he has previously said he would sign into law.

The passing of the bill marks the end of a back-and-forth legislative ride that escalated enough for Texas Democrats to break quorum twice  once during a walk-out at the end of the spring session and during a special summer session when dozens fled to Washington, D.C. to get help from Congress.

Senate Bill 1 establishes new ID requirements for voting by mail, enhances protections for partisan poll watchers and sets new rules and possible criminal penalties for those who assist voters, according to the Texas Tribune.

It also makes it a state jail felony for local election officials to proactively distribute applications for mail-in ballots, even if they are providing them to voters who automatically qualify to vote by mail or groups helping get out the vote.

When news broke of the bill being passed, both Republican and Democrat leaders shared their thoughts on the subject. Abbott released a statement on Twitter, writing he looks forward to signing the "election integrity bill."

"Senate Bill 1 will solidify trust and confidence in the outcome of our elections by making it easier to vote and harder to cheat," he stated.

San Antonio Representative Trey Martinez Fischer alluded in a tweet the Texas Democrats won't give up, stating "the moment #SB1 is signed, it will be met with great force in the form of a complaint in a United States District Court."

See more reactions from Texas leaders on the voting bill below:
Google Maps

If your daily commute involves I-10, it might be time to make alternate travel plans.

The Texas Department of Transportation, better known as TxDOT, will close a portion of I-10s access road for about six weeks. The closure will include the eastbound frontage road at the Bandera Road intersection as well as Upper Balcones Road at the eastbound frontage road intersection.
For more than three decades, politicians and rail advocates have dreamed of building a passenger train link between San Antonio and Monterrey, northern Mexicos largest city.

Each time, theyve woken up with no financial commitments or concrete development plans.

Nevertheless, top Mexican rail officials are back at it.

They plan to begin a $2 million feasibility study for San Antonio-to-Monterrey service by the end of 2021. It will examine the potential costs of building and operating a rail line, and gauge passenger demand for service between the two cities, which are 300 miles apart.

We need to prove that train service between the two cities can be a success, said David Camacho, head of Mexicos Regulatory Agency for Rail Transport.

But Camacho already sounds convinced, touting the advantages of fast train travel that results in less pollution than the cars and trucks that clog the border crossing in Laredo.

Federal, state and local officials in the U.S. and Mexico have talked about a rail link since the late 1980s. Among the proposals was a high-speed rail line that would allow passengers to travel between San Antonio and Monterrey in two hours.

In 1992, then-San Antonio Mayor Nelson Wolff joined mayors from Laredo, Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey in endorsing a rail link between the two countries. In 2000, Amtrak said it was planning a route from San Antonio to Monterrey.

And in 2017, a joint U.S. Federal Railway Administration-Texas Department of Transportation study offered the possibility of frequent train service on the I-35 corridor between Oklahoma City and Laredo, with a possible extension to Monterrey.

The study included the possibility of as many as six high-speed trains shuttling between San Antonio and Monterrey per day.

But Texas lawmakers never applied for federal matching funds that could have kick-started development of Oklahoma-Texas rail line the service, let alone the link to northern Mexico.

A humbler approach

Mexican officials say they are taking a more realistic approach. They have scrapped the idea of building a high-speed line. Instead of considering trains that would travel at speeds up to 250 mph, theyre examining conventional rail with a maximum speed of 100 mph.

Amtraks once-a-day Texas Eagle  which starts in San Antonio and ends in Chicago  has a top speed of 79 mph.

The lower speeds mean less expensive locomotives, and the trains could use existing tracks. Camacho estimates that approach would bring the projects cost to about $7 billion, down from an earlier estimate of $20 billion for high-speed service.

The time the journey takes would depend on the number of stops on the line. Mexican rail officials are envisioning five  in San Antonio, Laredo, Nuevo Laredo and two in Monterrey.

They see the Amtrak station in downtown San Antonio as the potential stop here. But the terminal is little more than a waiting room, not a full-fledged station to start a journey to Mexico.

The trip from San Antonio to Monterrey would take about four hours, Camacho said.

Trips by airplane are efficient when they are longer trips, but for fewer hours, trains have the advantage, he said.

On the Mexican side, the link could be built without acquiring property, according to Camacho. The passenger line would run on existing tracks for freight trains between Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey. The track is operated by the Kansas City Southern railroad.

Camacho said the Mexican government owns the right of way for the tracks and could double-track some of the route to allow the passenger trains to get around slower-moving freight trains.

But he said the Mexican rail agency has not contacted the Kansas City Southern Railroad, which also owns the tracks between San Antonio and Laredo, about sharing the tracks in the U.S.

Who would pay?

Who would fund the project? Would Mexico be willing to foot the entire bill? Camacho insists private-sector backers would be interested.

We are going to show how investors can recover their money, he said.

He envisions service that would run as often as every half-hour between the two cities, linking the economies of San Antonio and Monterrey.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, who has pushed for the cross-nation train between Texas and Mexico since 2008, said the Mexican rail agencys involvement can help the project become a reality this time. He said Mexicos 5-year-old Regulatory Agency for Rail Transport didnt exist when previous proposals were made. There was no coordinating central force in Mexico to advocate for the rail link.

This will give us the impetus to do it, he said.

Cuellar helped secure the budget appropriation of more than $6 million for the 2017 I-35 corridor passenger study.

Hes attempting to win House approval for an amendment to the $1.1 trillion federal infrastructure bill  which has passed the Senate  that would allocate $1.5 million per year for a study of the potential San Antonio-to-Monterrey rain link over the next four years.

But, he conceded, given Texas lawmakers reluctance to fund passenger rail, matching federal funds to develop the rail link may be hard to obtain.

A lot of this will have to be private investment, he said.

Cuellar said when he first proposed the San Antonio-to-Monterrey link in 2008, the first calls were from Six Flags Fiesta Texas and SeaWorld San Antonio officials. They were tantalized by the possibility of trains delivering a large number of Mexican tourists to their theme parks.

President Joe Bidens infrastructure plan includes about $66 billion for Amtrak, the federally chartered rail agency. The ambitious plan proposed by Amtrak calls for more U.S. rail service, but it doesnt include a San Antonio-to-Monterrey rail link.

Texas rail advocate Garl Latham said the Mexican governments consideration of trains that travel faster than conventional trains in Texas  yet arent deemed high-speed rail service  is logical.

Its here that the Mexicans are showing far more common horse sense than their U.S. counterparts, he said noting that numerous plans for American high-speed trains have died over the years.

Obstacles

Of course, any project would require the cooperation of U.S. officials  even if it was funded entirely by Mexican interests. A host of challenges would have to be overcome, including common operating standards for the cross-border passenger service and the creation an expedited border crossing for train travel between the two countries.

Camacho said passengers could clear customs at the boarding train station to avoid lengthy waits at border crossings. Cross-border service, Cuellar said, wouldnt work unless passengers are precleared for customs before boarding the train.

Camacho said hes had several meetings with the U.S. Federal Railway Administration as well as the Texas Department of Transportation about the San Antonio-to-Monterrey service.

They believe its a good project. They want to see the Mexican side step forward and complete the study, he said.

Camacho said the study could take up to a year to complete.

He believes train service could start in five to 10 years.

A Federal Railway Administration spokesman would not comment on the meetings, except to say the Mexican and U.S. rail agencies discuss rail safety matters and how to facilitate freight trains at the seven U.S.-Mexico border train crossings.

TxDOTs top rail official said the departments last meeting with Mexican officials was about two months ago.

They have a reasonably realistic approach to how to plan for this thing. So where it goes from here, well see, said Peter Espy, TxDOTs director of rail.

Mexico once operated an extensive passenger rail service. But the government privatized the service in 1995, and almost all of the last long-distance trains were dropped.

Until the mid-1960s, it was possible to board a railroad sleeping car in St. Louis and travel to Laredo. At the border, the rail car was then transferred to the Mexican rail system, with a new train taking passengers all the way to Mexico City.

Wolff, now Bexar County judge, said San Antonio has struggled for two decades for rail service. It hasnt even been able to develop regular service to Austin, 70 miles to the north.

But he said the Mexican proposal seems realistic and could be a boon to the San Antonio area.

I dont know how many people who live here are from Mexico, but its a bunch, he said. And then you look at retail sales. If the Mexican nationals came, these malls would do very good. The train could play a big role in our economy.

Camacho said passenger rail service between the U.S. and Mexico will come back and that his rail agency fully backs the plan.

I believe that today we have a more diverse bunch of people here that understand the potential and the greatness of the railway system, he said.

randy.diamond@express-news.net
Inescapable COVID-19 Antibody Discovery  Neutralizes All Known SARS-CoV-2 Strains SciTech (Chuck L). Ignacio and GM had to clear their throats. Ignacio first:

Monoclonal antibodies are probably amongst the most expensive therapies available. Economic ruin could also be inescapable if you manage to survive.

GM:

What they are doing right now is absolute insanity.

Until recently, the monoclonals were an in-hospital therapy only.

Which means that the people getting them were isolated.

Which is very important, because we know from many studies that stuffing patients with monoclonals is a great way of generating immune escape variants. So the people getting the monoclonals only entering the community back once they had recovered (or in sealed body bags) meant that those variants stayed outside the community.

But what are we doing now?

We give people monoclonals like candy in a free-for-all and send them back into the community.

Because we are oh-so-technologically advanced and have a cure for everything, but are completely incapable of finding and isolating the infected and we not only do public health, but just decided to kill the concept altogether.

There is a reason why the southern portion of Africa is such a persistent source of nasty new variants  that is where the highest concentration of HIV in the world is, which means the virus has the opportunity to evolve in the best conditions for that, immunocompromised hosts. But the other key source of such gifts to humanity will be mass monoclonal therapy with no virus spread controls.

I know that it is not news that policy seems to have been in tailored in the direction of helping the virus for a long time now, but this is definitely one of the worst things that have been done.
Due to voting for CalPERS board elections just having stared, its a busier period than usual, so please forgive the flurry of coverage. One development is that the voting methods themselves, which we have regularly criticized, have come back into focus due to a protest of sorts by the prominent CalPERS retiree group, Retired Public Employees Association (RPEA).

RPEA sent a letter to the California Secretary of State, Dr. Shirley Weber, which we have embedded at the end of this post. I encourage you to read it in full. It provides a detailed description of how CalPERS pretends to count votes in its board elections, which I anticipate readers will find to be revealing.

This missive is noteworthy since CalPERS operatives have done a very good job of cowing stakeholder groups into believing that if they oppose CalPERS publicly, theyll be punished by being frozen out of accessas if access amounts to anything more than empty flattery. None of that famed access stopped CalPERS from shafting beneficiaries by putting through eyepopping rate increases on its long-term care plan, plus 23% increases for two years running for its comprehensive health care policies.

RPEA has been able to punch above its weight in part due to CalPERS arrogance and presumptuousness. The group played an important role in thwarting the giant funds effort to pass an indefensible private debt secrecy bill. CalPERS had made the credulity-straining claim that it needed private debt for its high returns, and it somehow needed to keep those deals secretwhen CalPERS was already one of the biggest private debt investors in the world and its Sacramento sister CalSTRS is an even bigger player. In other words, both pension funds current status disproved CalPERS rationale.

As we wrote in July:

Yesterday, the California Senate Judiciary Committee shot down a CalPERS-only bill, AB 386, on a vote of 3 in favor, 4 opposed, and 4 abstentions. That level of abstentions is very unusual and as well discuss, appears to be the result of CalPERS being either unwilling or unable to answer a basic question posed by a Senator: what information does the board get when reviewing private debt investments? As regular CalPERS readers know, the answer is none, since the CalPERS board has reneged on most of its fiduciary duties by handing the keys to the money kingdom over to staff. This repudiation of an indefensible CalPERS private debt secrecy bill represents a rare victory for democratic processes. A key beneficiary group, the Retired Public Employees Association, had won concessions in the form of amendments requiring disclosure of collateral and covenants, as well as a five-year sunset. Some amendments appeared to have been removed at the latest waystop, the Senate Judiciary Committee. Worse, CalPERS justification for the bill was completely at odds with what it had told the board and the public at large. CalPERS implausibly asserted that it needed secrecy to make high risk, high return distressed loans. It turns out CalPERS actually wanted to make low return loans to private equity funds, called subscription line financing! So CalPERS apparently wanted to shroud its scheme to toady up to and further enrich private equity barons. Even if CalPERS tries to revive AB 386, since CalPERS pulled a different variant of this legislation last year after then Chief Investment Officer Ben Meng resigned abruptly (the predecessor bill included CalSTRS), its now had two unsuccessful attempts. The longer it takes to get something done, the more it accrues an aura of failure.

Weve been raising alarms for years about CalPERS unauditable, fraud-friendly election methods. In 2017, CalPERS added internet and phone voting channels to its traditional mail-in paper ballots, with the rationale that they would making voting more convenient and therefore increase turnout. Having more voting methods increases costs and complexity. The addition of these approaches did not increase participation. Yet CalPERS has refused to retreat from its innovation despite their failure to deliver. That suggests that getting more beneficiaries to vote was never the real purpose.

Moreover, seemingly unending ransomware attacks and records hacking have served as a wake up call. Even though experts were virtually unanimous in seeing Internet voting as not being remotely secure enough to deploy, noisy promoted and an all things new addled press made it seem, for a while, to be far more legitimate than it ever was. But years of Democratic hand-wringing about Russia meddling and now Republican scare-mongering about election theft have both undercut the tech touts.

As weve also pointed out repeatedly, and the RPEA letter confirms, voting by internet is a violation of California law. Yet rather than telling CalPERS to cut it out, former Secretary of State Alex Padilla gave CalPERS qualified election certifications, which in the sloppy way everything with respect to CalPERS seems to operate, was treated as legit.

We explained what was really afoot in 2020:

CalPERS gave another display of its signature brazenness and dishonesty on Tuesday at its Finance and Administration Committee meeting. Then, the staff presented to the board their proposals for how to conduct the next set of board elections. Even though the security and accuracy of voting methods has become a regular news topic, thanks to worries about Rooskie hacking and fiascoes like Iowa caucus app meltdown demonstrating the risks of Internet tabulation, CalPERS staff served up nonsensical justifications for doubling down the failure of having phone and Internet voting along with paper ballots. The rationale for this much more costly approach was to increase participation, when the reverse has happened, with turnout continuing to slide. To add insult to injury, the new methods are also more tamper and manipulation friendly. For instance, the Internet channel has no paper trail.1 Yet the subcommittee voted to stick with a newfangled turkey rather than revert to a cheaper and more successful approach. The full CalPERS board is set to approve or reverse the Finance and Administration Committee today. Despite going through the pretense of having formal criteria for evaluating which approach to prefer, its clear the real driver is to help union leadership to influence the elections. Union leaders were clearly behind the CalPERS decision to add these insecure methods; Operations Chief Kim Malm even thanked the two union officials who have long had considerable clout at CalPERS, Dave Low of CSEA and Terry Brennan of SEIU, for their help in getting the additional methods approved.2 As well show, the staff presentation and many board member remarks were nonsensical and even blatantly dishonest. They added up only when SEIU Californias Terry Brennan cleared its throat in public comments, pushing hard for current methods to stay in place and contending that CalPERS needed to throw even more money at them than in their forecast, when sticking with the bad new normal pencils out at $8.5 million versus $5 million for going back to paper ballots only. Brennan tried to present online voting as a success when the percentage of online voting was 34.7% in the 2018 election, which had the pathetic turnout of 6.4%, and a mere 16,200 votes. The next year, in the ugly and bitterly contested 2019 election, online voting was only 17.4% of the 117,600 votes cast, a lower ratio than in 2017 and 2018 elections. To the extent that Brennan has a bona fide claim, his argument is that restricting access to voting will reduce turnout. In fact, three years of CalPERS experimentation, including ever-more aggressive outreach, shows the reverse, that these additional channels cause voter confusion and among the ones who can parse the now-demanding ballot package, complacency about voting. Both lead to fewer votes being cast. SEIU wants them to assure that CalPERS board seats remain under their, as opposed to beneficiary, control. Thats why they poured unprecedented amounts of dark money into the retiree election last fall and even ran a phone bank out of New York, despite the fact that this seat has never been one of theirs. Only a trivial number of CalPERS retirees are active union members. History of CalPERS Election Chicanery For those of you new to this sorry tale, in the 2017 board election, CalPERS changed its voting method for the six board members (out of a total of 13) elected by various beneficiaries. Since the mid-1990s, CalPERS used voting by mail. That change was forced on CalPERS to keep the heavy hand of union pressure out of CalPERS elections. Until the 1994 board election, the unions were able to exercise a great deal of influence over the vote. Ballots were distributed at work, either by the shop steward or with the steward close on the heels of the responsible party, telling voters who they should pick. A court ruling invalidated this procedure and forced CalPERS to implement mail-in ballots. The unions, led by SEIU, are now seeking to turn the clock back and reassert control over the election.

Back to the current post. The RPEA letter throws down a marker by carefully, but still at a high level, setting forth the serious legal and practical deficiencies in CalPERS election methods.

But as much as this letter is welcome, one has to wonder, Why now? Just as an election is starting seems an odd time to tell the Secretary of State that something is rotten in Denmark, unless one of the reasons is to prevent her from trying to say she didnt know she was certifying a dodgy election.

The reality is that unless some wild cards come out of the gubernatorial recall vote on September 14, the executive is not the way to pressure CalPERS. CalPERS fears the legislature. RPEA has succeeded in checking CalPERS once this way. The facts are so obviously bad here that if they can get anyone on the relevant committees to notice, its not unreasonable to think they might ask CalPERS a few uncomfortable questions.

____

1 CalPERS staff points out that its contract with its election vendor calls for CalPERS to be able to audit the election results. However, CalPERS has claimed that it does not receive vote by candidate by voting channel, which is a bare minimum metric to check for anomalies that might point to systematic tallying errors or tampering. CalPERS has maintained that it cannot get this information, which in turn indicates its election vendors have sorely deficient records. In keeping, CalPERS past Internet vendors have said they dont have a paper-based backup, which experts regard as essential to assure the accuracy of Internet voting.

2 From a 2017 post:
(Natural News) The U.S. and U.K. governments, as well as public health authorities, are pushing for children to get vaccinated against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). But researchers believe that allowing children to develop natural immunity to the coronavirus is better than giving them experimental vaccines that are likely to cause health issues.

In the U.S., the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has now been approved for use in children aged 12 to 17. But only adults are eligible to get the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines because studies in children are still ongoing. (Related: Schoolchildren are being LURED into getting coronavirus vaccines.)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have not yet approved any vaccine for children below 12-years old. The two agencies await the completion of clinical trials so they can make a decision.

However, the FDAs current timeline suggests that it will begin its mass vaccination program for children ages two to five  regardless of the results of ongoing clinical trials  by the end of winter or early spring 2022.

In the U.K., the National Health Service, the countrys publicly funded healthcare system, recently announced plans to vaccinate children aged 12 to 15 by mid-September. This comes after the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the U.K.s main drug regulator, publicly endorsed the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines as safe and effective for that age group.

Giving children COVID-19 vaccines is unethical and unnecessary

Researchers have pointed out that children are significantly less likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19. On the other hand, current studies strongly suggest that teenagers who receive COVID-19 vaccines are more likely than adults to suffer from side effects like post-vaccine pain, fatigue and fevers. Children who get vaccinated are also more likely to develop myocarditis, or heart inflammation, than adults.

Because of these findings, some researchers say that children would be better off catching COVID-19, recovering and developing natural immunity instead of relying on the supposed protection offered by vaccines that could harm them.

David Livermore, a medical microbiologist at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the U.K., says the world has to live with the coronavirus for years, if not decades. He believes the best solution going forward is to not vaccinate people but to foster a generation of children who are already naturally immune to the virus.

Livermore also argues that this is a better first step in the lifelong coexistence with the virus than rolling out more booster shots, since the protection they offer will only last several months before children need to get another dose.

It is clear that the vaccine-mediated protection wanes significantly within four to six months. Even government advertising acknowledges this, Livermore told the MailOnline. On the other hand, reinfection remains rare among those infected in the first wave, over a year ago.

Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the UEA, agrees with Livermore, noting that the risk of children suffering from side effects caused by COVID-19 vaccines outweighs the dangers posed by the coronavirus. In younger people, vaccinating is not a risk-free option, he said.

Hunter also says that as much as half of all teenagers in the U.K. have already been exposed to the coronavirus. This means they already have the necessary natural immunity needed to fend off further COVID-19 infections.

On the other hand, vaccinating children would be ethically dubious because there are little to no benefits to giving them vaccines. Vaccinating children would be done just to satisfy the interests of adults.

The Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunizations, an advisory committee that helps the British government regarding vaccination policies, is also against recommending vaccines for healthy children. According to the committee, the risk of children dying from the virus is about one in a million, so theres no need for them to get vaccinated.

Learn more about the push to vaccinate children by reading the latest articles at Vaccines.news.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

USAToday.com

DailyMail.co.uk
(Natural News) China is cracking down on commercial platforms and social media accounts that post finance-related information that bad-mouth the countrys economy.

The Cyberspace Administration of Chinas (CAC) two-month campaign focuses on rectifying violations that it sees as maliciously posting financial content deemed harmful to the economy, as well as falsely interpreting domestic policies and economic data.

In addition, the campaign will also target those who republish foreign media reports or commentaries that are seen as falsely interpreting domestic financial topics without taking a stance or making a judgment.

According to the CACs statement, the move is aimed at cultivating a benign online environment for public opinion that can facilitate the sustainable and healthy development of the countrys economy and its society. It followed an earlier draft proposal the regulator released on Friday, Aug. 27, to regulate algorithms that tech companies use to recommend content to their users.

Under the new rules, commercial websites and platforms will be ordered to clean up financial information posts and shut down accounts deemed in violation. These will be under the supervision of authorities including the CAC, the finance ministry, the central band as well as banking, securities and insurance regulators.

In response, tech firms and social media operators, including Tencent Holdings and ByteDances new aggregator Toutiao and Douying  Chinas equivalent of TikTok  have pledged to abide by the rules and regulate finance-related content on their networks. (Related: Facebook, Twitter and Big Tech make their money in China.)

New policy part of wider set of crackdowns

The new crackdown on finance-related posts is just the latest in a wider set of crackdowns sweeping the country. In recent moves, Beijing has moved to rein in giant internet firms and celebrity culture.

As part of this, the government has implemented a series of wide-ranging interventions in the economy. At the same time, it has also taken action against what it described as chaotic online fan culture, and punished celebrities for tax evasion and other offenses.

A blog post by nationalist author and former editor at a state-run publication Li Guangman said that the crackdowns were a return to the original intentions of the Chinese Communist Party  a return to the essence of socialism in a blog post republished in various state-run news outlets, including the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) official newspaper, the Peoples Daily.

Since coming into power in 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping has sought to enhance the CCPs role in all areas of society. This includes business and cultural institutions. During a speech marking the CCPs centenary in July, Xi promised that he would enhance the CCPs powers and strengthen the unity of the Chinese people.

But the crackdowns may actually be affecting the tech sectors finances negatively. The stricter regulations have spooked investors, wiping out billions of dollars in value from the countrys internet giants.

I think of the current sentiment toward Chinese tech stocks, at least among English-speaking investors, as split between two extremes: those who see sorts of regulatory changes/risks as an example of why they will not invest in Chinese stocks versus other investors who see this as a buying opportunity in higher quality Chinese names whose actual future earnings will be impacted far less than the magnitude of this years sell-off, stated Tariq Dennison, wealth manager at Hong Kong-based GFM Asset Management, to CNBC.

Other experts warn that further negative news, in the form of more policy changes, could see more money fleeing Chinese companies.

Policy uncertainty remains [in] the forefront. There is some calmness in the Chinese markets now from the lack of negative news. However, confidence is extremely fragile now, said Dave Wang, portfolio manager at Nuvest Capital.

Thus, if the Chinese authorities continue to release bits and pieces of negative news and worse another unexpected policy, we could see a renewed sell off.

Follow CommunistChina.news for more on Chinas ongoing crackdowns.

Sources include:

Bloomberg.com

Reuters.com

CNBC.com
(Natural News) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released data that showed a total of 623,343 adverse events reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) from December 14, 2020, to August 20, 2021, including 13,627 deaths.

Of 6,128 U.S. deaths reported as of August 20, 13 percent occurred within 24 hours of vaccination and 18 percent within 48 hours. Around 32 percent also experienced an onset of symptoms within 48 hours of being vaccinated.

The data came directly from reports submitted to VAERS, the government-funded system for reporting adverse reactions from vaccines in the U.S.

Critics blast FDA for full approval of Pfizer vaccine

On August 23, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted full approval of Pfizers vaccine for individuals 16 years and older without allowing public discussion or holding a formal advisory committee meeting on the matter. The first COVID vaccine approved by the FDA, Pfizer, is expected to open doors to more vaccine mandates by universities and employers.

Pfizers vaccine approval was the fastest in FDAs history, coming in less than four months after the company filed for licensing on May 7. Transparency advocates criticized the FDA decision not to hold a formal advisory meeting to discuss the application for full approval. This is supposed to be an important factor in scrutinizing data.

Last year, the FDA said that it was committed to using an advisory committee of independent experts to ensure that deliberations about authorization or licensing remain transparent to the public. However, a recent statement said that the agency did not believe such a meeting was necessary ahead of the expected full approval.

Kim Witczak, a drug safety advocate and a consumer advocate of the FDAs Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee, said that its concerning how the FDA gave full approval based only on six months worth of data despite clinical trials designed for two years. There was also no control group after Pfizer offered the product to placebo participants before the trials were completed. (Related: Pfizers vaccine studies are based on FRAUD and put lives in danger, warns former Pfizer vice president.)

Questions were raised regarding the FDA approval letter as there are two critical facts buried in its fine print which can affect whether or not the vaccine can be mandated and whether Pfizer can be held liable for injuries, say Childrens Health Defense Chairman Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Dr. Meryl Nass.

Kennedy and Nass accused the FDA of pulling a bait and switch on the public, saying that the agency acknowledged that while Pfizer has insufficient stocks of the newly licensed vaccine available, there is still a significant amount of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine, which was produced under Emergency Use Authorization, that is still available for use.

According to the papers, the FDA said that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should remain unlicensed; however, it can be used interchangeably with the newly licensed product.

The second point of concern was that the FDA said the licensed vaccine and the existing EUA version are legally distinct, but their differences do not impact safety or effectiveness.

For the moment, the approved Pfizer vaccine has no liability shield. Vials of the branded product, marked Comirnaty on the label, are subject to the same product liability laws as other U.S. products. Pfizer is therefore unlikely to allow any American to take a Comirnaty vaccine until it can somehow arrange immunity for this product, they added.

Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) also raised a similar concern regarding the agencys approval of the vaccine to the FDA. He raised why the agency did not grant full licensure for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine already in use and available in the U.S. and how the agency will ensure that those being vaccinated under mandates will receive the correct FDA-approved dose.

There had been no comments from the FDA and the CDC regarding the matter.

Get more news and updates at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

WashingtonPost.com
(Natural News) Tony Dr. Death Fauci is back in the fake news pushing vaccinations for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19).

Speaking to CNN lisper Jake Tapper during a recent CNN appearance, Fauci went off about how all children, regardless of age, should get injected for Chinese Germs in order to keep everyone safe against the plandemic.

I believe that mandating vaccines for children to appear in school is a good idea, Fauci proclaimed  watch the video below.

According to Fauci, mandating Donald father of the vaccine Trumps Operation Warp Speed shots is no different than forcing a polio or an MMR injection on a child.

We have mandates in many places in schools, particularly public school, that if you want a child to come in  weve been doing this for decades and decades, Fauci rambled.

This would not be something new requiring vaccinations for children to come to school, Fauci added, stating plainly that he believes Wuhan Flu shots should be a requirement to attend public school.

Fauci says fully vaccinated Americans should wear masks outside

As for continuing to wear a mask, Fauci supports this as well, even for those considered to be fully vaccinated.

When asked by Tapper what he thinks of Oregon Gov. Kate Browns reimposition of an outdoor mask mandate for the Beaver State, Fauci said that some circumstances require that fully injected people continue to wear a mask even when they are outside.

In Faucis opinion, getting jabbed makes no difference as far as ones risk of catching or spreading the Fauci Flu, thus everyone should probably continue masking in order to flatten the curve.

Meanwhile, one of the things we know is capable of curing the Chinese Disease, ivermectin, remains nearly off limits in the United States and elsewhere because it threatens the plandemic agenda of mandatory injections and the forever wearing of masks.

Fauci cares about your life and the lives of your children about as much as an axe murderer cares about his victims, in other words. All Fauci wants is for you to obey his psychopathic orders, no matter how insane they are, or else you hate science.

Some good news in all this is that more Americans are waking up to the truth of what is going on, especially in areas of the country where full-on medical fascism is rearing its ugly head.

In New York City, for instance, a crowd of thousands of protesters recently converged in Manhattan to decry the citys new vaccine passport requirement. Some of the protesters  watch below  were seen with signs that read: SHOVE THAT MANDATE UP YOUR A$$, among other flavorful phrases.

#HappeningNow at Columbus Circle in NYC. 100s gather to protest the mandatory shot. 100s chant " SHOVE THAT MANDATE UP YOUR A$$ " #NYC #VaccinePassport #Covid_19 pic.twitter.com/IoObGHngyk  Leeroy Johnson (@LeeroyPress) August 28, 2021

More of this type of thing is needed, and it is needed now, to stop the tyranny from spreading across the rest of the country. Protests, it turns out, are an excellent vaccine that helps to prevent ones town or city from becoming infected with Faucis brand of medical fascism.

God hates those who harm children, wrote one commenter at Citizen Free Press about Fauci, reserving some choice words for that gnomish ghoul.

What kind of rocks do these pathological scumbags crawl out from under? asked another. Protected by the media and the other evil elites like himself  they all need to feel the terror for themselves that they seem all too happy to inflict on us.

Another pointed out that none of the heads of Pfizer, Moderna, or the other vaccine corporations currently pushing these jabs have gotten injected themselves. Why is that?

More related news about Faucis death jabs can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

CitizenFreePress.com

Archive.is

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Millionaire journalist and former evangelical preacher Sam Eckert is offering $1.7 million to anyone who can prove that the Wuhan coronavirus can cause disease.

It should be noted that it is not the existence of the virus that is in doubt, but that it causes death to those who are infected with it.

What this means is that Eckert is specifically asking for proof based on the isolation of the virus according to Kochs postulates. This set of principles was derived from German physician Robert Kochs Nobel Prize-winning work on tuberculosis in 1905.

Italian journalist Cesare Sacchetti added that to date, nobody has been able to win Eckerts challenge, reiterating that the virus does not meet classical requirements that have been established by Koch.

Understanding Kochs postulates

The four basic postulates are as follows:

The microorganism must be found in diseased individuals, but not healthy ones. The microorganism must be isolated from the host with the disease and grown in pure culture. Inoculation of a healthy individual with the microorganism will result in the reproduction of the disease. The microorganism must be recoverable from the infected individual and should match the original microorganism.

These postulates are related to the ability of a microorganism to cause disease but do not necessarily prove the existence of the microorganism itself. Eckert claims that no one has yet proven that the novel coronavirus met the requirements as a disease-causing agent.

A causal relationship between microorganism and disease

There are limitations to Kochs postulates; however, they are still a useful benchmark in judging whether or not there is a cause-and-effect relationship between microorganisms and clinical disease. (Related: The biggest lie of this coronavirus hoax is that the state cares about any of you.)

News outlets discussing Eckerts challenge also cited a story claiming that a team of esteemed immunologists and virologists from seven different universities tested at least 1,500 samples of individuals who tested for COVID-19 using electron microscope technology and found no evidence of the coronavirus within any of the samples.

When my lab team and I subjected the 1500 supposedly positive Covid-19 samples to Kochs postulates and put them under an SEM (electron microscope), we found NO Covid in all 1500 samples. We found that all 1500 samples were primarily Influenza A and some Influenza B, but no cases of Covid, said Dr. Derek Knauss, one of the immunologist-virologist involved in the study.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) itself admitted that they could not irrefutably prove the existence of the novel coronavirus disease in people who tested positive for COVID-19.

In their official documents, the CDC stated that one of the major limitations of the PCR test is that the detection of viral RNA may not indicate the presence of the virus or that the 2019 nCoV is the causative agent for the symptoms. They also added that the test could not rule out diseases caused by other bacterial or viral pathogens.

Still, despite questions regarding the validity of the COVID-19 testing, officials from around the globe continue to demand mandates for people to participate freely in society.

Among these, one U.S. state has made a powerful statement in opposition to these violations of bodily autonomy. Governor Greg Gianforte from Montana became the first state to ban vaccination mandates as a condition for employment. The new law stated that requiring vaccination is considered discrimination and a violation of human rights laws.

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, said Brooke Stroyke, spokesperson for the governor.

Read more about the coronavirus at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

NaturalHealth365.com

MedicineNet.com

TheBL.com
(Natural News) New South Wales (NSW) Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told reporters on Monday that NSW will likely keep periodically vaccinating its residents against COVID-19 for years to come as daily infection numbers hit record-highs. I cant see that [COVID-19] is not going to be with us forever, said Chant, adding that residents will need to get used to receiving booster shots.

[We] always want to have diseases go, to be totally eliminated, said Chant. However, that isnt on the horizon in the near future. Therefore, NSW health authorities would have to vaccinate residents on a regular basis in the long term or until health experts create better vaccines that provide permanent COVID-19 immunity.

Chants comments come as the state records its first indigenous COVID-19 death. The man, a resident of Dubbo in east-central NSW, was not vaccinated. He was one of four people to die of COVID-19 on Sunday in NSW.

Chant was probed about the mans death at Mondays press conference. She refused to comment on the nature of his death but said COVID-19 cases in Western NSW were worrying health officials due to the over-representation of Aboriginal people there and the likelihood of COVID-19 affecting them disproportionately.

There are very strong vaccination efforts in those local communities, she added. I call upon all community leaders to encourage high uptake.

The NSW government has committed to restoring certain personal freedoms to fully vaccinated residents once the state hits its initial 70 percent double dose target. However, it isnt clear if these targets will need to be recalibrated once vaccine immunity starts to wane or whether lockdowns will be reinstated before new targets, if any, are met.

In NSW, nearly 70 percent of residents eligible to be vaccinated have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. About 36 percent are fully vaccinated. Even so, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian reiterated that reaching 70 or 80 percent double dose targets still wont guarantee a widespread freedom day.

Data to support need for booster shots lacking

With SARS-CoV-2 mutating into more infectious variants, some experts are encouraging people to take a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or a booster shot to increase their protection against the disease.

However, some experts view the need for third doses and booster shots with caution. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, said he has seen no evidence to date to suggest a need for additional protection.

That is something the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) should have at least had some data on before President Joe Bidens top health officials recommended a booster COVID-19 shot for all adults beginning September, added Offit. The recommendation would mean a third dose for those that received mRNA vaccines, including the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

I would be surprised if you needed a yearly booster, said Offit. To date, that is only done for the flu.

Meanwhile, Geoff Meacham, Bank of America Securities research analyst, and his colleagues said in a recent statement that there remains a lack of evidence that mutated strains of the virus cause more severe infection or avoid vaccine protection against severe infection.

There is also an increasing percentage of the population with some level of acquired immunity, either due to vaccination or infection.

Officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) also strongly oppose the call for booster shots. WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminatha said she believes the United Statess booster recommendation will only lead to more variants. [Perhaps] were heading into an even more dire situation. (Related: Even the WHO says booster shots are unnecessary, but Bidens White House prefers to listen to Big Pharma: BOOSTER covid shots coming to the USA.)

Vaccines.news has more articles about the push for booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

News.com.au

Finance.Yahoo.com 1

Finance.Yahoo.com 2

NPR.org
(Natural News) New Zealands Ministry of Health reported what they believe to be the countrys first death linked to the Pfizer-BioNTech Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

In an emailed statement on Monday, New Zealands COVID-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Board said a woman died from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, following Pfizer vaccination.

The case has been referred to the coroner already but the official cause of death hasnt been determined. However, the board said the myocarditis was probably due to vaccination.

The board also noted that the woman had other medical issues that could have influenced the outcome following vaccination.

The report comes as New Zealand battles a wave of the Delta variant of the coronavirus after nearly six months of being virus-free.

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine linked to cases of myocarditis

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle wall that can greatly limit the organs ability to pump blood and can cause changes in heartbeat rhythms. It can occur at any age and is typically caused by a viral illness. But in some cases, myocarditis is also caused by the bodys immune reaction to the initial heart damage.

Symptoms of myocarditis include chest pain, an irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath. There is no specific treatment for myocarditis. Physicians often advise resting and taking anti-inflammatory drugs to lower inflammation and alleviate symptoms.

In a majority of cases, myocarditis is preceded by a few days or weeks by a flu-like illness. Though usually mild, myocarditis can lead to life-threatening events like heart failure, heart attack and stroke.

Pfizer said it recognized there could be reports of myocarditis after vaccinations. However, the company emphasized that such adverse effects were extremely rare.

The company also said it takes adverse events potentially associated with its COVID-19 vaccine very seriously and that the benefits of vaccination with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine continue to outweigh the risks of COVID-19 infection and vaccine side effects, including myocarditis.

However, regulators in the United States, the European Union (EU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have already said that mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are associated with cases of myocarditis and pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining around the heart. Experts have noted that the cases tend to be mild and treatable but can lead to serious illness and hospitalization, especially among younger men and adolescents. (Related: Heart inflammation reported in teens following Moderna and Pfizer vaccine.)

In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated reports of myocarditis among younger men and adolescents in June. Despite the reports, the CDC continued to urge adolescents aged 12 and older to get vaccinated. Similarly, independent media authorities continue to stress that the mRNA vaccines remain overwhelmingly safe for public use.

Pfizer is New Zealands primary vaccine provider, and the country has ordered enough doses to vaccinate everyone aged 12 and older. More than 3.3 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in the country, which has a population of almost 4.9 million.

Despite that, Prime Minister Jacinda Arden has put several parts of the country under lockdown again in a bid to control the rising number of cases after several months of being virus-free.

Auckland, a metropolitan city on the North Island of New Zealand, is under level-four lockdown for two weeks, while the country south of Auckland is under level-three lockdown until Monday, Sept. 6. Level four means its likely the disease isnt contained. Its worth noting that, to date, New Zealand only has 651 active cases of COVID-19.

Vaccines.news has more articles about other side effects of COVID-19 vaccines.

Sources include:

SMH.com.au

News.WTTW.com

RareDiseases.org

Reuters.com

NaturalHealth365.com

Health.Govt.nz
(Natural News) Judge Gregory Howard of Butler County, Ohio just showed the entire world there is sometimes still justice in medicine. Despite the CDCs dire warnings about the anti-parasite drug thats often used for animals, Judge Howard has decided to save Jeffrey Smiths life, a man in the ICU at the West Chester Hospital whos nearly lost the battle against Covid-19. After nearly choking to death on a respirator for three weeks, which only worsens the breathing passageway inflammation and the doctors all know it, Jeffrey Smiths body was shutting down.

On top of that, Smith had been given Remdesivir also, at doctors direction, a drug that is known to decimate vital human organs, like the kidneys. So Judge Howard ordered the drug Ivermectin be prescribed for Mr. Smith for 3 weeks of treatment and then reevaluate his health. Since the order was brought down, Americans are rushing to farm supply stores and pet stores around the country, and the goons and ghouls at the CDC are throwing fits in their plandemic planning room.

CDC and FDA falsely claim Ivermectin causes heart attacks, while putting warning signs on the Covid vaccines about myocarditis and blood clots

The hypocrisy is deafening. The CDC and FDA literally rush Covid vaccines to market, only to find out that the trillions of spike proteins decimate the vascular system by clogging arteries, veins and capillaries, causing the heart to work overtime just to circulate oxygen and nutrients to the body. So the CDC health advisors warn the world not to dare take Ivermectin for Covid because Ivermectin might make you feel nauseous to the point where you vomit.

Other patients are known to get diarrhea from Ivermectin too, so the CDC and FDA believe that an upset stomach and a case of the runs is much more dangerous than getting blood-clotting vaccines, catching Covid-19 because of the vaccines, then being prescribed Remdesivir that causes acute kidney failure, and finally having a tube shoved down your trachea (windpipe) that destroys the epithelial tissue thats already severely inflamed due to the Covid vaccines. Thats why choking to death is an adverse event caused by going to US hospitals for Covid-19 treatments.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Per the court case and complaint, the patient was prescribed Ivermectin by his own physician, but the hospital refused to administer it

The patients wife even signed a full release so the hospital would have no liability for administering his physician-prescribed Ivermectin. Still, the hospitals in America are much more afraid of someone feeling nauseous from their medicine that works, than getting blood clots and myocarditis from emergency use only vaccines and kidney failure from lab-concocted pharmaceuticals.

How sad that it takes a court order from a judge to use medicine for Covid thats proven to work safely, while the CDC pushes dirty, deadly vaccines by handing out free donuts, beer and tickets to the ball game, if you agree to get the blood-clotting, spike protein bioweapon jab.

In Japan, where the medical establishment tries to heal Covid patients with known treatments that are safe and actually work, the Tokyo Medical Association chairman announced last week that Ivermectin is therapeutic and quite effective at stopping Covid, so he has now recommended ALL DOCTORS in Japan immediately begin prescribing it.

Multiple studies show Ivermectin is effective for beating back sickness associated with Covid-19. Just take a look at India and certain African nations where doctors have widely prescribed Ivermectin and saved countless lives.

Tune your truth news frequency to Pandemic.news for updates on the war against dirty vaccines and socialism, and how to keep your family happy, healthy and safe.

Sources for this article include:

Pandemic.news

NaturalNews.com

TruthWiki.org

NaturalNews.com

WLWT.com
(Natural News) Too many people continue to be deceived by former President Donald Trump (2 Thessalonians 2:11) and his claims to be for America First. While there were things that Trump did in office that were constitutional and good, the things that he did that violated the Constitution, including funding Big Pharma for the deadly poisons being injected into people in the US and around the world was a major one for which he should have rightly been impeached and prosecuted, along with anyone and everyone who went along with it. While many of his followers continue to ignore that we are in the position we are in due to Trumps impotence and his crimes against the People that set things up for this current illegitimate administration to be in our White House, Robert F. Kennedy exposes the fact that not only did Trump come to him and want him to help expose vaccine injuries, but after giving the green light to do so, Kennedy explained that Pfizer donated $1 million to Trumps inaugural. However, following that is when the doors began to be shut and Trump never fulfilled his promise to Kennedy and to women to get to the bottom of what vaccines have done to the People of the united States.

(Article by Tim Brown republished from DCClothesline.com)

I played this video on Wednesdays The Sons of Liberty radio show to make the point that both Trump and Biden continue an unconstitutional agenda. Take a listen to this enlightening interview, and then just be reminded that Trump was bought off

and not just by Pfizer.

Read more at: DCClothesline.com and Corruption.news.
(Natural News) A Southern California public school teacher was caught admitting to encouraging her students to pledge allegiance to the LGBT pride flag as an alternative to the American flag, bragging of the indoctrination on her own TikTok account.

(Article by Richard Moorhead republished from BigLeaguePolitics.com)

The teacher, identified as Kristin Pitzen of Newport Mesa School District in Orange County, recounts taking down the American flag, an then pointing to the LGBT flag as an alternative.

Teacher mocks the American Flag and suggests to students they can say the Pledge of Allegiance to the pride flag: pic.twitter.com/1QTS5xjPln  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) August 27, 2021

We do have a flag in the class that you can pledge allegiance to, said Pitzen when a student asked about the American flag that she had removed from the classroom because of COVID.

In another TikTok, Pitzen reveals the abundant LGBT propaganda she displays in her classroom, the space reminiscent of a gay bar.

The Newport Mesa School District is yet to comment on Pitzens Pledge of Allegiance to the LGBT flag.

While its perhaps for the best that this teacher feels nothing for the American flag, she stands ready to corrupt the morals of students who may otherwise be American patriots. Public education is largely lost, and traditional Americans should look readily to enroll their children into alternatives.

Read more at: BigLeaguePolitics.com and CampusInsanity.com.
(Natural News) Truck drivers in Australia blocked a major highway in the state of Queensland to protest against vaccine mandates and border restrictions. The move came amid protests from citizens frustrated with Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns and restrictions imposed by state governments. The drivers protest caused traffic jams stretching for several kilometers.

The truck drivers parked their vehicles on the southbound lanes of the M1 Highway at Queenslands Gold Coast on the morning of Aug. 23. Banners with messages that called for health freedom and the lifting of stringent border restrictions covered some of the parked trucks.

A driver named Brock Holroyd said his fellow truckers gathered in protest of the Queensland state governments health orders that blocked people  save for essential workers  from entering. End all lockdowns, people go back to work and kids go back to school. Thats all we want out of it; weve had enough of [lockdowns], he told Australian media outlet Nine.

Holroyd continued: Weve had a lot [of] support, the people that showed up today is amazing. We appreciate everyone thats come down. But its all about choice at the end of the day. If you dont want to get the [vaccine], dont get [it]. If you do want to get it, get it. But just dont keep locking up people.

Tony Fulton, another truck driver, said he was prepared to be arrested in defense of Australian rights. He told 7News: We want to end these lockdowns. We dont want forced vaccinations and we want to open up the country and learn to live with the virus.

Australian federal Sen. Pauline Hanson and her chief of staff James Ashby also attended the truck drivers protest. The lawmaker and founder of the One Nation political party eventually told the protesting truckers that it was time to move on by 7 a.m.

Queensland restrictions aimed to curb the spread of the delta variant

Queenslands government implemented the border restrictions following an outbreak of the more infectious B16172 delta variant in the Greater Sydney area. Under the restrictions, only those involved in skilled construction, farming or healthcare were allowed to enter the state as essential workers.

Essential workers were also mandated to prove that a Queensland resident cannot do a certain job and that they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. (Related: Australias COVID-19 cases continue to rise despite draconian lockdowns.)

The Queensland Health website later revised its guidance, saying that only certain people can enter  by road including truck drivers, workers related to the transport of freight and logistics and people performing select essential activities.

Queensland Police Service Acting Chief Superintendent for the Gold Coast District Rhys Wildman said the truckers face criminal charges for their protest. The 45-minute blockage at the M1 Highway held up emergency vehicles and posed a great concern. Wildman told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Theres a bigger picture in this around putting lives at risk  which is really, really disappointing. We are investigating and, obviously, action will be taken against those particular drivers are a later time. (Related: TYRANNY DOWN UNDER: Australia sends out cops, choppers to enforce coronavirus rules.)

Stuart Robert, the Australian federal minister for employment and workforce, acknowledged Queenslands strict border mandates. However, he expressed disagreement over the truckers protests that inconvenienced many Australians. [Truckers] are important  but if you want to make a point, great, make the point. But dont inconvenience thousands and thousands of people, Robert said during an appearance in The Today Show.

Robert also defended vaccination as an important tool to get Australia out of the pandemic and its related lockdowns. He said: Vaccination seems to be the way for us to be able to get through this, to get back out of lockdown and to get ourselves back to the freedoms that we love here in Australia.

MedicalTyranny.com has more articles about Australias draconian approach to addressing COVID-19 through lockdowns.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

SBS.com.au

QLD.gov.au
(Natural News) The militant, Marxist left now controls nearly every institution in our country with the exception of the military  and they are working overtime to conquer that domain, as well.

That includes corporate America, which once was solidly pro-America (and pro-America first) but is now part of the counterrevolution that seeks to overturn our founding.

Case in point: Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who became then-President Donald Trumps first administrative casualty having been targeted by the deep state.

Its not as if this mans life has not been disrupted enough. He was falsely charged with Russian collusion, forced to confess to the lie to save his son from being falsely charged, and then bled dry financially fighting for his life and his freedom in court.

And now hes having the financial rug pulled out from under him.

WND News Center reports that Chase Bank has cut off the retired general and former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency because hes some sort of risk to the banks reputation:

Former Trump national security adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn said Sunday that Chase Bank sent him a letter informing him it is canceling his accounts and credit cards because he poses a reputational risk to the companys brand.

Flynn posted a screenshot of the letter on his Telegram social-media account.

After careful consideration, we decided to close your credit cards on September 18, 2021 because continuing the relationship creates possible reputational risk to our company, the bank said, according to the screenshot.

The decision led Flynn to take to Telegram to rip the bank which he said has gone full blown woke!

They need to deal with their own reputation instead of persecuting my family and I, he added.

The retired three-star also referenced his case with the FBI and the Justice Department, the latter of which dropped after he and his lawyer, former federal prosecutor Sidney Powell, proved that the bureau ambushed him and set him up to take a phony fall. Trump would go on to pardon is first national security adviser.

DOJ dropped my case for their own egregious government misconduct, appears you werent that lucky with the DOJ, he added.

Interestingly, in September 2020, the bank agreed to a $920 million settlement bought by DoJ in connection with schemes to defraud precious metals and U.S. Treasuries markets, WND News Center added. No one went to jail, of course.

I guess my America First political views dont align with yours. Your loss, Flynn noted on Telegram.

The news agency asked Ashley Dodd, Chases executive director of communications, how exactly Flynn posed a reputational risk but got no response.

BREAKING: Chase Bank cancels its credit card accounts with General Flynn citing possible reputational risk to their company. In case there was any doubt what is happening in this country. @TracyBeanzOfficial pic.twitter.com/GIyQHXgW9l  Regina Hicks (@reginahicksreal) August 29, 2021

Ditching Flynn as a customer follows previous actions by social media giants like Twitter and Facebook, both of which have permanently banned Flynn though he was the one victimized by the government, not the other way around. And yet, none of the schmucks involved in Flynns set-up including fired FBI Director James Comey, have been banned from these platforms.

At the time, a Twitter rep said Flynn tweeted about the QAnon conspiracy and intimated calls to violence, which was false but still a handy excuse to kick him off.

Weve been clear that we will take strong enforcement action on behavior that has the potential to lead to offline harm, and given the renewed potential for violence surrounding this type of behavior in the coming days, we will permanently suspend accounts that are solely dedicated to sharing QAnon content, the spokesman told NBC News at the time.

American patriots who care about the future of our republic as founded had better get it through their heads that the Marxist left doesnt take any days off, doesnt let up, and isnt going to change direction.

The goal is destruction of our republic, period  and anyone who gets in the way.

Sources include:

WNDNewsCenter.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The mainstream media is lying on behalf of Big Pharma and the medical fascists by falsely claiming that ivermectin is a de-wormer for animals, when the reality is that the anti-parasite drug was first approved for human use back in 1996.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is really a private corporation posing as a public health agency, ivermectin should not be used by humans because it is intended for animals. A quick and easy fact check reveals this claim to be patently false.

The fact of the matter is that while ivermectin is, in fact, used in animals, it is also approved for use in humans. The only reason that many people are having to take the animal version these days is because the governing authorities have made it next to impossible to obtain a prescription for human ivermectin, while animal ivermectin is freely available in feed stores and online.

The lie is being put forth by CDC because people have found out that Ivermectin kills COVID-19, and if a $3 drug kills that disease, then there is no reason to take the dangerous and ineffective Genetic-Therapy masquerading as a COVID-19 vaccine,' explains radio host Hal Turner.

If people dont buy the vaccine, then CDC and its employees do NOT earn money on the vaccine they helped develop.

The time has come for the CDC to be abolished

It was Feb. 2, 1996, in fact, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published an announcement in The Pharma Letter explaining that ivermectin had officially been approved for non-veterinary use  meaning it was for humans right out of the gate.

In the USA, the Food and Drug Administration has approved Merck & Co.s Stromectil (ivermectin) for its first non-veterinary use, the chemotherapy of two parasitic infections, strongyloidiasis and onchocerciasis, in humans, the FDA revealed.

Ivermectin has been used in humans in other countries since 1987, and has been used to treat more than 5.2 million people worldwide.

Contrast this with the corrupt CDC tweet from the other day that declared, Youre not a horse, the suggestion being that the only people who are seeking out ivermectin today are those who mistakenly believe they are large farm animals.

This shameful display by the CDC just goes to show that the so-called public health agency has long overstayed its welcome in our country. Its mission today has nothing to do with public health, if it ever even did, and everything to do with padding the pockets of crooks like its current head Rochelle Walensky, whose husband has funneled millions of American taxpayer dollars disguised as research grants.

Again, because there is no money to be made in ivermectin  the stuff has been off-patent for years  the government wants nothing to do with it, and is doing everything in its power to keep it out of your hands.

The same is true of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), another safe and effective off-patent drug that costs pennies per pill. Because HCQ works so well in the early treatment of the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19), the government has been on a crusade for the past year and a half to keep Americans from accessing it.

Meanwhile, Tony Fauci, Rochelle Walensky, Joe Biden, and yes, even Donald Trump, are all pushing Americans to roll up their sleeves for a Chinese Virus injection as if this is the only way to stay safe against infection. How much longer are Americans going to put up with this nonsense?

To keep up with the latest news about the government conspiracy against ivermectin, be sure to check out Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

ThePharmaLetter

NaturalNews.com

Archive.is

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Just as many predicted, government authorities are moving the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) goal posts again by declaring that a person is only fully vaccinated if he or she agrees to get a third booster shot once they become available.

In Israel, the most highly vaccinated country in the world, officials have decided that all residents 12 years of age and older must get injected with a third Fauci Flu shot in order to maintain their green pass privileges. Those who refuse will be relegated back to unvaccinated status.

Just a few weeks ago, Israels booster shot program was limited just to people 60 years of age and older. It was then dropped to 30 years of age and older. Now, children 12 years of age and older are being told that in order to live their lives, they must get injected a third time.

The third complementary vaccine works, decreed Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in an announcement. Two million Israelis have already been vaccinated [with a third dose].

According to Bennett, it is a privilege that no other country has for Israelis to have a third Wuhan Flu shot forced upon them as a condition of participation in society. All those countries out there that are not mandating the jab are less privileged, he contends.

The third shot being offered to Israelis is the Pfizer-BioNTech one, which contains mystery mRNA chemicals that permanently alter DNA.

Israel already planning for fourth, fifth booster shots later down the road

Israeli officials say that each booster shot carries with it a six-month expiration date. This means that every six months, Israelis will be expected to roll up their sleeves for another injection  for the rest of time.

Beginning on October 1, the green pass will be required for Israelis to enter some gatherings and public places. After six months, it will be deactivated until the passholder gets jabbed again, then the timer starts for another six months.

This is fantastic news for Pfizer-BioNTech, which will now have a steady stream of profits in perpetuity. It is bad news, though, for the Israeli people, who will quickly be de-personed if they refuse to follow the protocol.

Essentially, Israel is judging people who havent received a booster shot within six months after being fully inoculated to no longer be vaccinated, reported RT.

Israelis who travel outside the country will also be forced to quarantine for a week upon arrival back into Israel unless they show proof of an up-to-date booster shot. Those who agree to take the booster shot will only have to self-isolate for 24 hours or take a test to prove that they are negative.

Bennett remains one of the strongest proponents of forever booster shots in Israel, maintaining that anyone who does not get them remains in mortal danger of catching the Fauci Flu at any moment.

After falsely claiming that its injection is 95 percent effective against Chinese Germs, Pfizer-BioNTech is now having to admit that its jab is only about 39 percent effective.

As it turns out, natural immunity is far better than artificial vaccine-induced immunity. This is corroborated in a new study, also out of Israel, showing that people who take Fauci Flu shots are orders of magnitude more likely to test positive and get sick than people whose immune systems remain intact the way God intended them to be.

Yeah, the first two doses didnt work but this third dose will for sure, honest, joked one RT commenter about the lunacy of never-ending booster shots for the Chinese Disease.

To keep up with the latest news about Chinese Virus injection tyranny, be sure to visit Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Vaccine lawyers have said people who suffer serious side effects after getting the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine cannot sue for damages. The comments by the lawyers came amid the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) full approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine called Comirnaty. The Aug. 23 full approval did not extend to its use on children 12 to 15 years old and its use as a booster shot.

Comirnatys full approval led to many private and public entities mandating COVID-19 vaccination. However, Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech remained immune from any lawsuits filed as a result of serious side effects. Medical litigations lawyer Mark Sadaka said Comirnatys approval did not affect the immunity afforded to the two firms.

Sadaka said in an email: The [federal] government encourages the production of vaccinations and medications used to fight a pandemic like COVID-19 by protecting the companies making them from lawsuits. In fact, [it] has already labeled any future COVID-19 vaccine as a countermeasure.'

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) defined a countermeasure as a vaccination, medication, device or other item recommended to diagnose, prevent or treat a declared pandemic, epidemic or security threat. HRSA Deputy Director Christy Choi said in an email that Comirnaty and other COVID-19 vaccines are covered by the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP).

The CICP was established in 2010 and operated by the HRSA, an agency under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Under the CICP, people are given one year from the date that the covered countermeasure was received to file a claim. This meant that vaccinated people have one year since their vaccination to file for any injury claims through the program.

Vaccine and personal injury lawyer John Howie said the CICP is the only remedy available to those who are injured by the vaccination. However, he continued that the damages awarded by the CICP are limited to a death benefit for those who die, medical bills not paid by insurance and lost wages. (Related: Every death caused by Covid vaccines will be blamed on Covid.)

Americans injured by a fast-tracked COVID-19 vaccine have no recourse

Despite the CICPs existence, Howie lamented its different deficiencies. I call it a feel good program. We like to say we have it because it makes people feel better. But when you dig into it, it is a joke, he said.

The lawyer pointed out the CICPs lack of transparency and lack of provision for attorneys fees, with the latter making it difficult for any injured individual to even retain a lawyer. Howie also pointed out that appeals were handled by only three individuals selected by HHS.

Howie ultimately remarked that the only way for those injured by COVID-19 vaccines to receive payment is for the shots to be added to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). The program was created in 1988 to compensate individuals injured by certain vaccines fairly, quickly and efficiently. The NVICP had paid out more than $4 billion since its establishment.

Until the [COVID-19] vaccines are added to the [NVICP], the remedies for those who are injured are generally non-existence. And it will take an act of Congress  literally  for the [COVID-19] vaccines to become covered under the NVICP, Howie said.

Sadaka meanwhile said there is no incentive to disclose safety risks of countermeasures outside of the simple goodwill of the large corporations that sell the product, given the liability protection offered to vaccine makers. He added: Rare side effects are often swept under the rug in favor of profit. (Related: Italy launches manslaughter case after AstraZenecas coronavirus vaccine kills teacher.)

Furthermore, the 2005 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act protected vaccine manufacturers from any lawsuits related to vaccine injuries and death. However, this immunity did not apply if willful misconduct in the process of vaccine manufacture could be proven. CNBC reported back in December 2020 that former HHS Secretary Alex Azar invoked the PREP Act to protect vaccine makers such as Pfizer and Moderna from lawsuits. The same article added that the February 2020 declaration by Azar will last until 2024.

On the other hand, Choi said the HSRA has yet to develop a list of adverse events from COVID-19 vaccines that are eligible for claims. An injury table for COVID-19 medical countermeasures will be developed when there is sufficient data to meet the compelling, reliable [and] valid medical and scientific evidence standard, she said.

VaccineInjuryNews.com has more articles about the dangers of vaccines.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

HRSA.gov

CNBC.com
(Natural News) In October of 2020, just under a year ago, the FDA was briefed on a long list of more than 20 severe adverse events and side effects, including deathly diseases and debilitating disorders, that would result from Covid spike protein injections. Remember, the first Covid vaccines were not given until December 2020, in New York, and they were the Pfizer mRNA jabs. This was two months before anyone was jabbed with the dirty Covid shots, the FDA was made well-aware the Covid jabs create a heightened risk of 5 different kinds of blood clot disorders, death (somehow death is considered a side effect), miscarriages, strokes, convulsions, seizures, irreversible auto-immune diseases, Gullain-Barre syndrome, arthritis  and a new polio-like syndrome with paralytic side effects that specifically affects young children.

History reveals to us all that Western medicine is fear-based medicine, not science-based medicine

Hindsight is 20/20, they say, and looking back, one can easily see now how vaccines were never created to prevent diseases, but to inject them under the guise of preventing them. In fact, as it turns out, the doctor who supposedly invented the polio vaccine had committed illegal medical experiments on mental patients and wasnt studying infectious diseases at all. Dr. Jonas Salk did not invent the polio vaccine. He was recruited to make it look like he did. What most people dont know is that polio vaccines are known to induce paralytic polio in vaccine recipients. The world got conned into believing that vaccines were responsible for preventing disease and health detriment, not causing it, and it all started with the God of Cult Pharmacology, Dr. Jonas Salk.

Pay it forward 68 years, and now the insidious vaccine industry is using spike proteins to paralyze humans while pretending to be managing a pandemic based on fear, the same way it all started with crippling polio and pictures of kids in wheel chairs used as propaganda. Remember all that propaganda from the posters?

The new Polio-like Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome for Children is created by the Covid vaccines, and involves spike proteins overwhelming every vital organ of the body, including the heart, brain, liver, kidneys and pancreas. The inflammation occurs in so many places that the vaccine industry, Medicare and Medicaid had to warn the FDA in advance that this wave of genocidal health detriment was coming if they moved forward with vaccinating the populace with spike protein bioweapons.

Once the US government can encroach far enough on Americans medical rights, forced vaccination for all children will cause the new polio-like, crippling inflammatory syndrome and it will all be blamed on Covid and its variants.

Fear-based Covid injections reminder of polio propaganda

Theres nothing the insidious vaccine industry hates more than a whistleblower from the inside sounding the alarms about vaccine dangers, especially when the risk highly outweighs the benefit. It wasnt that long ago that American parents were scared to death that if their children caught polio, they would end up crippled for life.

As it turns out, a rare Polio-like disorder caused by Covid-19 and its variants is NOT SO RARE after injecting 50 billion spike proteins into a childs vascular system, and the FDA knows all about it. In fact, it may be a common syndrome especially designed to paralyze children using toxic clot-shot injections.

Dr. Bryan Ardis blows the whistle on the Covid clot shot and other horrific treatments still being used in US hospitals today:

Tune your truth news dial to Pandemic.news for updates on the war against dirty vaccines and socialism, and how to keep your family happy, healthy and safe.

Sources for this article include:

Pandemic.news

NaturalNews.com

TruthWiki.org
(Natural News) Resident Joe Biden of the White House nursing home has given the green light for Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) booster shots, which his teleprompter told him will soon become available to help keep people safe against the latest wave of the plandemic. The only problem is that there is zero science to back this latest injection push.

Rochelle Walensky, the Biden-appointed head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fully admits that hope rather than data is behind the booster injection scheme. Nothing in the scientific literature suggests that injecting fully vaccinated people with more experimental mRNA chemicals will do anything whatsoever to flatten the curve, and yet this illegitimate regime is going forward with it regardless.

TODAY show host Savannah Guthrie really laid into Walensky during a recent segment, calling on her to procure some kind of data to show that booster shots will help the current situation. As expected, Walensky could not come up with anything other than her own personal faith that more transhumanist chemicals are what people need to avoid testing positive for the so-called delta variant.

So, theres actually hope  we dont have data yet, Walensky openly admitted.

We do know that the higher levels of protection certainly in the alpha variant resulted in less transmission and we have not yet seen the data, but we are hopeful that the booster will not only protect you, give you a higher level of protection, not just against the delta variant but against a broad range of variants. It might also decrease the level of virus that you have and make it less transmissible.

Walensky admits that plandemic vaccines are a religion rather than actual science

Walensky appeared on Wolf Blitzers CNN show earlier in August, admitting during that interview that Chinese Virus shots do not in any way stop infection or spread. Why is she now claiming otherwise?

The answer, of course, is that Walensky is a liar just like Tony Fauci. Both of these fake doctors talk a big game about what they claim to know about science, but neither has ever presented a lick of actual evidence to support the notion that jabbing people with Operation Warp Speed needles is doing anything other than destroying peoples immune systems while spreading more disease.

Meanwhile, Dr. Robert Malone, the inventor of mRNA vaccines  meaning he actually knows what he is talking about  is urging caution with regard to the continued administration of these deadly injections.

RE substituting hope for data on this more is better boosting strategy, Dr. Malone tweeted, blasting Walensky for substituting her faith for actual science.

We are not mice, we are humans, Dr. Malone added. Please respect our lives. Immunology is a complex system. If you are going to insist on exerting authoritarian control regarding mandated jabs, at least get data first!

In a separate tweet, Dr. Malone emphasized that more is not always better when it comes to vaccines.

Sometimes it can be decidedly worse, he added, suggesting that the governments current approach to dealing with the China Flu is seriously misguided. So please, respect us, our lives, and our health. Policy must be evidence based.

It is a wonder that Dr. Malone has not been banned from Twitter. His statements, despite his being an actual authority on the matter, directly contradict the narrative being peddled by the likes of Fauci and Walensky, which to the social media gods means he is spreading misinformation.

Wishing real hard is not science, but the follow the science congregants demand we listen to these clowns, wrote one commenter at Townhall about Walensky.

More of the latest news about Fauci Flu shots can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

TownHall.com

Archive.is

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Steel Truth host Ann Vandersteel touched on a number of current issues during the Aug. 24 edition of her program on Brighteon TV. She invited a number of guests to share their thoughts, among them retired Col. John Mills and former Pfizer employee Karen Kingston. Mills spoke about the situation in Afghanistan, while Kingston spoke about the Pfizer/BioNTech Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

Vandersteel opened her show by giving an update on the situation in Afghanistan. She mentioned how President Joe Biden reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin for assistance. Vandersteel criticized how the Biden administration was now yielding to the red line in the sand made by the Taliban. This was confirmed by a statement from the president that evacuations of U.S. personnel were unlikely to finish by Aug. 31.

Other countries such as France and Italy also got in touch with Putin regarding the situation in the country bordering south and central Asia. Reuters reported that Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi talked about Afghanistan during separate phone calls made on Aug. 19. Both countries confirmed the talks with Putin in separate statements, adding that the conversations centered on ensuring the rights of Afghans are respected.

Mills then joined the conversation, calling the exodus of U.S. troops in Kabul disgraceful. The retired colonel added: We have never abandoned so many Americans behind enemy lines since  the surrender of the Bataan Peninsula in World War II. He also lamented how the U.S. left behind billions of dollars of military equipment such as small arms, ammunition, night-vision goggles, planes and tanks for the Taliban.

The retired colonel also warned that China, which shares a border with Afghanistan, could use the equipment left behind by U.S. forces for its own nefarious ends. Referencing the light aircraft such as helicopters abandoned by American forces, he said: Im very concerned that those will be used essentially in a deception operation, [or in] an invasion of Taiwan.

Karen Kingston: Pfizer not yet off the hook despite its vaccines full approval

Vandersteel also welcomed former Pfizer employee Karen Kingston to talk about the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Kingston expressed her clear disappointment over the approval of the New York-based companys Comirnaty vaccine, which was linked to a number of adverse reactions. However, she mentioned that the full approval granted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) opened up the company to legal action.

We were all taken aback [by the full FDA approval], and [we] probably felt our hearts sink a little bit. But when it comes to actually prosecuting Pfizer, BioNTech and the FDA, its a lot easier for attorneys to prosecute them. [Its] very easy to prove that theyve broken [the rule on] false or misleading labeling, Kingston told Vandersteel.

Aside from this, the former Pfizer employee said the onus is on the New York-based vaccine maker to prove that there is minimal risk when the Comirnaty vaccine is mandated. However, this did not appear to be the case as the BNT162b2 shot was linked to cardiac inflammation.

Kingston also shared the stories of pregnant women who experienced miscarriages after they got inoculated with Comirnaty. Speaking from just anecdotal evidence  I have at least four text messages of four different friends with daughters who were pregnant, and all lost their [babies.] Three of the four [babies died] during the fourth month of their pregnancy, and one of them within weeks of being pregnant. All the mothers had all received the [Comirnaty] vaccine, she said.

Kingstons Aug. 24 Steel Truth appearance was not the first time she openly criticized the Comirnaty vaccine from Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. In a prior interview with podcast host Stew Peters, she confirmed that the Comirnaty vaccine contained dangerous graphene oxide. One hundred percent it is, and its irrefutable, Kingston told Peters.

Honest.news has more articles regarding the truth about Afghanistan and toxic vaccines.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Reuters.com

Principa-Scientific.com
(Natural News) Clay Clark investigates proven treatments for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19)  and why hospitals arent even considering them  in the latest episode of the Thrive Time Show on Brighteon.TV.

In this episode, Clark talked to people who have received effective and affordable treatments for COVID-19.

I started out with ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, and then I later ordered the budesonide because I had some tightness in, said one guest, who was recently treated for COVID-19. She went to an integrative health provider, which provided her with medicines that she can find in her local pharmacy.

So lets just be clear that 100% effective and affordable COVID-19 treatments include budesonide, ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, Clark added. Those work  whether youre a member of my team, or youre somebody watching but the hospitals are denying access to patients that are seeking these treatments.

Hospitals are rejecting treatment for dangerous medicine

However, Clark mentions that hospitals will not provide these treatments, as this goes against the protocols they received from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDCs current clinical management protocol lists remdesivir for treating moderate to severe COVID-19 infection. Its worth noting that remdesivir got the green light from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), despite multiple studies saying that it does not lower mortality rates. (Related: FDA greenlights remdesivir for treating coronavirus despite scientific data saying otherwise.)

Aside from remdesivir, the CDC also recommends dexamethasone, another highly controversial drug. A study from the National Institutes of Health revealed dexamethasone treatments resulted in the death of around one in five COVID-19 patients enrolled in the study, all of whom were in supplemental oxygen.

[Affordable treatment] goes against the protocols that the Centers for Disease Control recommends, which is largely controlled by Bill Gates and his funding, he added.

Clark also talked to an integrative health provider, who revealed that many COVID-19 patients inquire about these treatments.

The problem is when people contact me, theyre already in the hospital, or a lot of times theyre in the ICU, he explained.

Despite these treatments being effective and inexpensive, patients admitted to hospitals are denied access to these treatments. Instead, they are getting synthetic and dangerous treatments, per protocol. Mainstream media and so-called scientists, in fact, have continually tried to discredit hydroxychloroquine and its benefits, saying that it does not help with COVID-19. A recent comment in The American Journal of Medicine doubled down on this claim, saying that there is some suggestion of harm. (Related: Why are leftists hellbent on politicizing hydroxychloroquine?)

The people who are going to the hospital because they have COVID-19, which is an upper respiratory infection caused by getting a gain of function man-made synthetic virus in their body, said Clark. In fact, theyre being treated with remdesivir and midazolam, which cause renal failure.

During the show, he also interviewed a family devastated by hospital policies on COVID-19 treatment. For the Meyer family, this caused the death of the father, leaving his wife Joni and daughter Miranda to deal with the loss. Joni recounted how she had to fight to put her husband on different treatments.

The attending physician told her that he didnt know these studies and insisted that budesonide may harm his husband.

Thats a lie  thats a total lie, said a visibly exasperated Clark.

Watch the full episode here.

Watch the Thrive Time Show weekdays, 3:00 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

CDC.gov
(Natural News) It was never a matter of if, but when.

(Article by Tyler Durden republished from ZeroHedge.com)

Science journalist Alex Berenson has been permanently suspended from Twitter, just one day after a viral series of tweets spotlighting an Israeli preprint study which showed that natural immunity from a prior Covid-19 infection is 13 times more effective than vaccines against the delta variant.

The account you referenced has been permanently suspended for repeated violations of our COVID-19 misinformation rules, a Twitter spokesperson told Fox News.

The last tweet he posted, meanwhile, accurately noted that the vaccine doesnt stop infection. Or transmission.

Dont think of it as a vaccine, he added. Think of it  at best  as a therapeutic with a limited window of efficacy and terrible side effect profile that must be dosed IN ADVANCE OF ILLNESS.

And we want to mandate it? Insanity.

This was the tweet that did it. Entirely accurate. I cant wait to hear what a jury will make of this, wrote Berenson on his substack blog, Unreported Truths.

In a subsequent blog post, Berenson wrote:

They have defamed me and denied me a very important platform. But with your help Ill do my best to keep getting the truth out.

Adding his tweet activity from the Israeli study  revealing nearly three million impressions and over a quarter million people who interacted with the tweet.

Berenson made headlines in July when Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared on CNNs State of the Union, calling Berensons CPAC comments that the vaccine effort is a scam was horrifying.

The government was hoping that they could sort of sucker 90% of the population into getting vaccinated, Berenson said. And it isnt happening.

Jake Tapper asks Dr. Anthony Fauci to react to the CPAC Texas crowd cheering that the government has been unable to reach its vaccine goals so far. Fauci: "Its horrifying I just dont get that. I mean, and I dont think that anybody who is thinking clearly can get that." pic.twitter.com/4nY7CMor5i  Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 11, 2021

Berensons full speech  where he slams big tech for controlling narratives and censoring divergent opinions, is (for now), below:

As Fox News notes, Berenson wrote in a December op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that the pandemic had ushered in a new age of censorship and suppression.

Information has never been more plentiful or easier to distribute. Yet we are sliding into a new age of censorship and suppression, encouraged by technology giants and traditional media companies. As someone whos been falsely characterized as a coronavirus denier, he wrote, adding I have seen this crisis firsthand.

When he wrote the Op-Ed, Berenson had been in a recent battle with Amazon over his self-published books.

Since June, Amazon has twice tried to suppress self-published booklets I have written about Covid-19 and the response to it, he wrote. These booklets dont contain conspiracy theories. Like the scientists who wrote the Great Barrington Declaration, I simply believe many measures to control the coronavirus have been damaging, counterproductive and unsupported by science.

While Berensons Saturday night Substack post alluded to a lawsuit against Twitter, attorney Preston Byrne thinks its a long shot.

The only opening  the only one  for Berenson is that Twitter made a statement about banning him. Still a high bar, actual malice hard to prove. If the company had kept its mouth shut (which it should have), the ban itself isn't defamatory & this would be a sure loser.  Preston Byrne (@prestonjbyrne) August 29, 2021

For info, the lawyer who literally wrote the book on the most important law governing a prospective Berenson suit thinks it's a nonstarterhttps://t.co/TWem0JhHCR  Preston Byrne (@prestonjbyrne) August 29, 2021

Berenson was a New York Times journalist from 1999 to 2010 before becoming a full time author of both fiction and nonfiction.

Read more at: ZeroHedge.com and Banned.news
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been found to have a new possible variation of interest, according to South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

The variation, now known as C.1.2, was identified in all of the African country's provinces and overseas, albeit at low rates. This branch accounts for less than 2% of all genomes.

The study aims to find out if the new variant will be more transmissible and immune to vaccination protection.

Studying C.1.2

According to the research, the number of C.1.2 genomes sequenced in South Africa increased month after month, going from 0.2 percent in May to 1.6 percent in June, and then to 2 percent in July.

"This is comparable to the increases reported in the country with the Beta and Delta variants upon early detection," the study's authors stated.

According to the study, the C.1.2 lineage has a mutation rate of 41.8 mutations per year, almost twice as fast as the other variations' current worldwide mutation rate.

Fortunately, there are no big worries about this new variation yet, but scientists are keeping a watch on it for a variety of reasons. This lineage contains alterations that are comparable to those seen in both variants of interest (VOI) and variants of concern (VOC) (VOC).

It has specific mutations in common with the Beta and Delta versions, but it also has some unique mutations of its own. There are fears that when new variants emerge, vaccinations will become ineffective in combating them.

Related Article: Delta Variant: Deadlier COVID Strain is 60% More Contagious Than Original Virus



COVID Variants

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are four VOCs in circulation: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, as well as four VOIs: Eta, Iota, Kappa, and Lambda. In terms of infection, Alpha, Beta, and Delta have had the most influence worldwide.

Delta, in particular, has already surpassed HIV-1 as the leading cause of COVID-19 infection worldwide, including in vaccinated persons.

The variation was originally discovered in South Africa in May 2021, and it has since been found in England, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mauritius, New Zealand, Portugal, and Switzerland, among others.

The WHO's COVID-19 Technical Lead, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, posted a thread on Twitter addressing some of the media and social media buzz around C.1.2. The WHO congratulated South Africa for its efforts in discovering the variation and sharing the information. Dr. Van Kerkhove further stated that the variation does not appear to have an advantage over the viral strains already in circulation.

Monitoring & assessment of variants is ongoing & criticality important to understand the evolution of this virus, in fighting COVID-19 & adapting strategies as needed. @WHO appreciates researchers for sharing their findings with WHO and the global scientific community.  Maria Van Kerkhove (@mvankerkhove) August 30, 2021

Variant Development

Variants will continue to develop, particularly if the virus is allowed to propagate and evolve. Vaccination is critical in preventing the spread of disease, but because of vaccine nationalism, vaccine allocations remain significantly uneven throughout the world, with wealthy nations hoarding far more than their fair share.

Simultaneously, the loosening of public health regulations in these nations has resulted in fresh disease outbreaks, providing still another possible source of variations.

Also Read: Experts Warn of Another Deadly Global Outbreak to Strike Within 60 Years

For more health and medicine related news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
After nearly two decades of continuous efforts, United Nations Environment Programme finally announced on Monday that leaded gasoline is permanently out of the world for good.

This dangerous fuel had posed huge public health risk with lots of devastating effects around the world for a long time, but now will come to an end. UN said that after centuries of first warnings, the world's last reserves of leaded gasoline were finally used up last month at a refinery in Algeria.

Although sale of leaded gasoline had been banned in the U.S. for decades, it still caused serious problem in some parts of the world, specifically in 117 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and other countries with lower GDPs.

When breathed in, the body can absorb higher levels of lead, storing it in our bones, blood, and tissues that when accumulated, demineralizes them, among others. Prolonged low-level lead exposure is also linked to blood pressure problems, kidney disease, heart disease, and problems with fertility.

"A huge milestone for global health and our environment"





"The successful enforcement of the ban on leaded petrol is a huge milestone for global health and our environment," said Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP.

Two decades ago, representatives from environment ministries across the globe, independent experts, and industry representatives all worked together to solve the problem that is the use of leaded petrol, which will in return, eradicate premature deaths, poor health and soil and air pollution it causes.

"This wasn't easy," said Inger Andersen, the executive director of the UNEP.

"We had to overcome resistance from companies producing the lead additive. We sparked investments to replace lead while maintaining the same octane levels. We overcame concerns regarding the pricing of unleaded fuels, and we supported countries dealing with conflicts and stocks of [leaded fuel]. The success we note and celebrate today provides some clear lessons on dealing with environmental challenges; lessons on the need for independent science, for innovation, for free media, and for clear and objective end goals."

Also read: Syria's Coast Covered in Oil Spill Following Major Leak in Power Plant

An 'End of a toxic era'

UNEP said that the eradication of leaded petrol would "prevent more than 1.2 million premature deaths per year, increase IQ points among children, save $2.44 trillion (2.07 trillion euros) for the global economy, and decrease crime rates."

As early as 1924, concerns regarding use of lead had already been raised due to its serious and deadly threats to health. Nevertheless, almost all the gasoline sold across the world contained lead until 1970s.

By completely eliminating this problem, the world will achieve better overall economy, lower medical bills, and decline in criminal activity. However, UNEP also warns use of fossil fuel in general that also induces frightening effects of climate change.

The world being lead-free was celebrated by Greenpeace as an 'end of one toxic era'.

"It clearly shows that if we can phase out one of the most dangerous polluting fuels in the 20th century, we can absolutely phase out all fossil fuels," said Thandile Chinyavanhu, climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace Africa.

Also read: Washington Destroys Nest of More Than 1,500 Asian Giant 'Murder Hornet'
Founder of Kabul shelter Paul "Pen" Farthing had flown safely out of Afghanistan, bringing along with him over 140 dogs and 60 cats, but leaving his charity's staff behind in Kabul.

The former Royal Marine landed at London's Heathrow Airport on a privately funded chartered plane, Sunday, without his staff from the Nowzad charity shelter, as well as their dependents.

The 'Operation Ark' was Farthing's mission to evacuate from the country along with rescued animals amid desperate struggle to get UK nationals and local allies out of the country. Farthing was among the ones eligible for evacuation in Britain's military airlift, supposedly along with Afghan members of his staff and their families, but he prioritized the animals instead.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Pen Farthing and his rescued animals were assisted through the system at Kabul airport by the UK armed forces, and are currently being supported while he awaits transportation.

"On the direction of the defence secretary, clearance for their charter flight has been sponsored by the UK government," MoD added.

Criticisms received by Farthing's campaign

Despite the huge public support received by Farthing's animal shelter campaign in Kabul, it garnered criticism from government officials after he left.

"What would you say if I sent an ambulance to save my dog rather than to save your mother?" said Conservative lawmaker Tom Tugendhat, who served with the British Army in Afghanistan.

Farthing and his supporters said the "Operation Ark did not take airplane seats from people or drain resources from the official evacuation operation." However, defence secretary, Ben Wallace, expressed his complaints about Farthing's supporters' "bullying, falsehoods, and threatening behavior", saying that this distracts the focus which is evacuating the most vulnerable.

"I think it has taken up too much time of my senior commanders dealing with this issue when they should be focused on dealing with the humanitarian crisis," Wallace said. "I had to listen sometimes to calls of abuse to my advisers, to my officials, based mainly on falsehoods, that somebody, somewhere had blocked a flight. No one blocked a flight."

"Fundamentally, as we have seen on the media, there are desperate, desperate people, and I was not prepared to push those people out of the way for that."

Also read: Shark Has Incredible 'Virgin Birth' in an All-Female Shark Aquarium

Farthing's chaotic exodus from Kabul airport





"Went through hell to get there and we were turned away into the chaos of those devastating explosions," Farthing tweeted.

He said that their team got caught up in a terror attack inside the perimeter of Kabul airport, killing 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops. It was only until Friday that they reached to safety and given clearance for the chartered flight, wherein they were assisted by British troops.

Animal welfare campaigner Dominic Dyer and acting U.K.-based spokesman for Farthing said Farthing was "a national hero" who faces "a smear campaign" by government officials. He said that Pen Farthing risked his life in Kabul to get his people and animals to Britain.

MoD refuses to comment further stating that Farthing did not use military flights, so it was a matter for the Foreign Office.

Also read: Australian Farmer Herds Sheep Into Giant Heart Formation to Celebrate Love for Dead Aunt
According to CBS New Orleans station WWL-TV, an elderly Slidell man was reportedly mauled by an alligator following Hurricane Ida and hasn't been seen since.

Deputies with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office said the 71-year-old was in his shed about noon Monday when his wife reported hearing a ruckus.

Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc on houses, knocked out electricity for millions, and killed at least two individuals. But, perhaps most ominously, it has brought danger to communities in the form of floodwaters.

According to officials, an alligator is said to have attacked the man in the part of the flooded Louisiana waters on Monday. Jason Gaubert, a spokesperson for the St. Tammany Fire District No. 1, stated that the man's wife saw the incident near Slidell, just over Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans.

Alligator Assault

According to NBC station WDSU, according to the St. Tammany Sheriff's Office, the man's wife heard a disturbance outside and witnessed the alligator assaulting her 71-year-old husband. She assisted him in getting up some steps and out of the floodwaters. Unfortunately, he was no longer there when I went to get some medical supplies and call for aid.

The threat of alligator attacks in flooded neighborhoods following the hurricane was mentioned earlier in the day by officials.

Related Article: Hurricane Ida Wreaks Havoc on Louisiana: Updates on Power Outage, Rescue Operations



Flooded Swamplands

According to Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng, some swamplands had flooded, and the hazards to first responders and residents were severe.

"This is a region with a lot of swampland, alligators, and hazardous conditions," she told CNN on Monday, adding that first responders had to wait until dawn to inspect the area and rescue anyone who needed assistance.

She went on to say that some locations saw flooding as a result of the storm "above the level of the chest It reaches the apex of the roof."

Their property is near Lake Pontchartrain, and Ida's storm surge allegedly flooded the shed, which had several feet of water inside. The shed is located beneath the elevated home, which is bordered by a marsh and wildlife sanctuary.

Reptile-Filled Area

Although the South is home to an estimated 5 million alligators, alligator attacks during or after hurricanes are rare.

According to experts at the University of Florida, alligators generally bunker down in their native environment if a storm is approaching, who told the Florida Times-Union, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2019. Sensors on the reptiles allow them to sense changes in pressure before a storm strikes.

In the Times-Union report, Joe Wasilewski, a UF conservation scientist who has worked with crocodiles and alligators for over 40 years, stated, "They are considerably intelligent compared to some people." "They immediately seek refuge." They live in burrows or caves, generally beneath a mud or canal, and believe me when I say that the first thing they will do is go into those burrows and caves."

However, alligators may be dangerous after a storm, especially in regions near bodies of water, according to experts. They may travel through floodwaters into areas where such reptiles aren't often seen.

"As we have a storm, the temperature is quite high, we have a lot of water, and when the water levels rise, alligators tend to migrate about," said James Perran Ross, a wildlife scientist and alligator expert at the University of Florida, in 2019.

Also Read: Hurricane Ida "One of the Strongest" to Hit Louisiana Since 1850s, Governor Warns

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(The Center Square)  President Joe Biden addressed the nation Tuesday afternoon, presenting a detailed defense of his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and once again honoring the lives of the 13 U.S. service members killed in a terrorist attack last week.
NEW HAVEN - Roseanne Galante, the wife of trash kingpin James Galante, is asking a judge to unfreeze accounts seized by prosecutors when her husband was indicted June 9 in a mob-connected conspiracy to control the region's trash hauling industry.In a motion filed this week in U.S. District Court, attorney H. James Pickerstein asked a judge to modify an order that froze 16 personal accounts that he claims "rightfully and lawfully" belong to her.The Galantes live on Weldon Woods Road in New Fairfield.Neither Roseanne Galante nor her lawyer could be reached Friday for comment."There is no apparent justification or grounds for the restraint of Mrs. Galante's accounts," the motion states. "Mrs. Galante is not named in any of the (117) counts of the indictment.""There is absolutely no connection between the indictment and Mrs. Galante," the motion states.U.S. attorney's office spokesman Tom Carson said federal prosecutors declined to comment.James Galante, one of 29 people indicted, was charged with 72 counts of racketeering, extortion and witness tampering, among other charges.Galante is being held without bail at a federal detention center in Rhode Island. His lawyers have requested a bail hearing, which will likely be held at the end of the month. Contact Karen Aliat kali@newstimes.comor at (203) 731-3341.
PORT FOURCHON, La. (AP)  Photos show what appears to be a miles-long oil slick near an offshore rig in the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Ida, according to aerial survey imagery released Wednesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and reviewed by The Associated Press.

The government imagery, along with additional photos taken by the AP from a helicopter Tuesday, also show Louisiana port facilities, oil refineries and shipyards in the storm's path where the telltale rainbow sheen typical of oil and fuel spills is visible in the water of bays and bayous.

Both state and federal regulators said Wednesday that they had been unable to reach the stricken area, citing challenging conditions in the disaster zone.

The NOAA photos show a black slick floating in the Gulf near a large rig with the name Enterprise Offshore Drilling painted on its helipad. The company, based in Houston, did not respond to requests for comment by phone or email Wednesday.

Aerial photos taken by NOAA on Tuesday also show significant flooding to the massive Phillips 66 Alliance Refinery along the bank of the Mississippi River, just south of New Orleans. In some sections of the refinery, rainbow sheen is visible on the water leading toward the river.

Asked about reports of levee failures near the refinery Monday, Phillips 66 spokesman Bernardo Fallas said there was some water in the facility and stressed that operations were shut down in advance of the storm. Asked Tuesday about potential environmental hazards emanating from the facility, Fallas referred a reporter to a statement on the company's website saying its response is focused "on ensuring the safety and well-being of our employees and our surrounding communities.

After the AP sent Phillips 66 photos Wednesday showing extensive flooding at its refinery and what appeared to be petroleum in the water, Fallas conceded by email that the company could confirm it had discovered a sheen of unknown origin in some flooded areas of Alliance Refinery.

At this time, the sheen appears to be secured and contained within refinery grounds, Fallas said Wednesday evening. Clean-up crews are on site. The incident was reported to the appropriate regulatory agencies upon discovery."

Fallas did not respond when asked whether the leak was reported after the AP sent the company photos four hours earlier.

Phillips listed the Alliance Refinery for sale last week, before the storm hit, citing poor market conditions.

All told, seven Louisiana refineries remained shuttered Wednesday. Combined, they account for about 9% of all U.S. refining capacity, according to the U.S. Energy Department. Some refineries on the Mississippi River reported damage to their docks from barges that broke loose during the storm.

Jennah Durant, spokesman for the Environmental Protection Agency, said Wednesday that the agency had received no reports of significant spills or other environmental threats after the Category 4 storm made landfall Sunday at Port Fourchon with 150 mph (240 km/h) winds

Three days after the storm moved through, Durant said Wednesday that no EPA personnel had yet deployed to the devastated region south of New Orleans. Asked if EPA staff had been reviewing the aerial photos taken by federal aircraft over the disaster zone, Durant said the imagery had not been provided to the agency.

The aerial imagery reviewed by the AP is readily available to the public on the NOAA website.

After the AP sent photos of the oil slick to EPA on Wednesday, agency press secretary Nick Conger said the National Response Center hotline operated by the U.S. Coast Guard had received 26 calls reporting leaks or spills in the storm zone but none had warranted an EPA response.

Conger reiterated that any person or organization responsible for a sizable release or spill of pollutants is required to notify the federal government.

The AP also provided photos of the oil slick to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, which regulates offshore drilling in state waters. Spokesman Patrick Courreges confirmed the agency had received an informal report of petroleum sheen in the waters south of Port Fourchon but said regulators currently dont have capabilities to get out there yet.

The U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, which regulates offshore oil and gas platforms, announced before the hurricane arrived that about half of the 560 staffed rigs in the Gulf had been evacuated. Those crews had only started to trickle back out by Wednesday and it was unclear whether the Enterprise Offshore rig was staffed.

The bureau's public affairs staff did not respond Wednesday after the AP sent photos of the black slick in the Gulf and asked if there were any reports of a spill.

Both state and federal environmental regulators said the emergency response to Ida had been hampered by blocked roads, washed-out bridges, electrical outages and a lack of communications. Both telephone landlines and mobile phone service in much of the region remained offline Wednesday.

I think most agencies are kind of caught up in the whole fog of war thing at the moment, with far more places we need to be than we can be, Courreges wrote in an email. Its not as easy to respond to things right now.

Port Fourchon, which took a direct hit from the storm, is the primary service hub for hundreds of oil and gas rigs offshore. The port also contains oil terminals and pipelines that account for about 90% of the oil and gas production from the Gulf.

Photos taken by the AP from a chartered helicopter Tuesday, as well as the NOAA imagery, show extensive damage to the sprawling facility, including sunken vessels, collapsed structures and more than a dozen large overturned fuel storage tanks.

Idas winds, equivalent to an EF3 tornado, peeled the roofs off large steel buildings in the harbor and toppled metal light poles. Trucks, cranes and shipping containers were piled into jumbled heaps.

Chett Chiasson, the executive director of Greater Lafourche Port Commission, told the AP late Tuesday that the companies based at Port Fourchon were entering what would likely be a lengthy recovery phase. A top priority, he said, will be clearing roads and removing sunken vessels so boats can safely navigate the harbor.

___

Associated Press Investigative Reporter Michael Biesecker reported from Washington. Associated Press reporters Matthew Daly in Washington and David Koenig in Dallas contributed.

___

Follow Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseck

___

Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org.
New Castle, PA (16103)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with thunderstorms becoming likely overnight. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with thunderstorms becoming likely overnight. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Dover - Robert "Bob" S. Hallisey, 59, of Dover NH, formerly of Newburyport MA, passed peacefully with his family by his side on August 27, 2021, due to complications from COVID-pneumonia. Bob is survived by his beloved wife of 34 years, Lynne (McGinnis) Hallisey and, their two sons, Mitchell
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Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV) announces two new $5,000 grants to farmers in Northwestern Connecticut.

Northwest Conservation District (NWCD), part of the Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District, was awarded a $5,000 grant for their Cover Crop Challenge project and workshop geared to educate farmers on cover crop management and benefits.

BAVs grant provides free cover crop seed to participating farmers in Litchfield County. This support also covered the expense of the pre-project soil testing and soil health assessment allowing farmers to understand the health status of their soils and the soil improving qualities of the cover crops.

Another $5,000 grant was given to Fort Hill Farm in New Milford for no-till equipment. With the purchase of the equipment, a no-till system at Fort Hill Farm will increase soil health, increase marketable yield of crops, reduce soil compaction and erosion, and decrease irrigation, compost, and labor costs.

Washington poet publishes new collection

A collection of poems, The Limits of Light, by poet and author Susan A. Katz of Washington was released to bookstores and online on Aug. 31, by Austin Macauley Publishers.

The Limits of Light features a collection of narrative poems that explores the tales of Greek mythology, and their contemporary messages, an announcement said.

Katzs work has appeared in many anthologies, journals and literary magazines.

New Milford Library offers programs for adults

The following adult events are planned by the New Milford Public Library at 24 Main St. For more information or to register, email Val Fisher at vfisher@biblio.org or call 860-355-1191, ext. 2.

Seed Library: Patrons are encouraged to save seeds from harvesting and donate them back to the library for others to use. The library welcomes all non-GMO seed donations, in a labeled envelope at the front door of the library during curbside hours.

Craft Swap, Thursday, Sept. 9, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. This is the day to add new life to craft supplies; 9 to 10 a.m. is early bird pickup for those who have brought supplies and received tickets. The swap will be held in front of the library, weather permitting. The rain location will be the Marsh Parish House.

Coloring for All on the Green (weather permitting), Wednesday, Sept. 15, 6 p.m. Attendees may bring a chair and supplies or use library supplies. In case of rain, the program will be held at the Marsh Parish House, and masks are required. Registration is required at 860-355-1191, ext. 2 or email vfisher@biblio.org.

The Town of Iron Toys, Thursday, Sept. 16, 6:30 p.m. at the Marsh Parish House. The J&E Stevens Company of Cromwell was a developer and producer of mechanical banks. With a PowerPoint program and demonstrations with original banks, historian Richard Donohue will explore the history and work of this company.

Pop Up Yoga with Dawn Delpha. Time and location varies. Delpha is a certified yoga instructor who guides participants through a practice to reduce stress and build the immune system. Weather permitting, filming is at various parks around New Milford, and patrons are invited to join in. The classes are also posted on the librarys Facebook page. For details, call the library at 860-355-1191, ext 2. When the program is posted, those who havent joined are welcome to enter the Where in the World is Dawn contest by posting answer in the comments and be entered to win a yoga surprise

Celebrate Dear Diary Day, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The library will offer a mini-diary and pen to the first 24 patrons.

Understanding the Basics of Medicare, Thursday, Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church Parish House at 36 Main Street. Margaret Ackley, a local independent health insurance representative who works with seniors in Fairfield and Litchfield counties, will present her program on Medicare health plan options. Each participant will receive the Medicare Answer Guide.

Library Card Sign-up Month Bingo: During the month of September, while supplies last, those who sign up for a library card win a library tote bag for a bingo. There is a limit of one per person. A card can be printed off the librarys Facebook page or picked up at the library during curbside hours. The library will close for curbside at 5 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month due to the Library Board of Trustees meeting. These meetings are open to the public.
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EAST HARTFORD  A former town resident was sentenced Monday to spend three years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl, according to the prosecutors.

Marco Rivera-Mejia, 36, a citizen of Honduras last living in East Hartford, was sentenced by Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 36 months in prison.
ATLANTA  Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is turning up the heat on the Justice Department over its lawsuit challenging controversial election law changes the General Assembly adopted last March.

Raffensperger announced Wednesday he has filed a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA) with the federal agency to release any records of contacts it may have had with civil and voting rights organizations in light of the lawsuit.

We believe theres potential theyve been following orders from [2018 Democratic gubernatorial nominee] Stacey Abrams and others, Raffensperger said. We think something is going on.

The FOIA request calls for the release of communications between the Justice Department and 62 individuals and organizations, including Fair Fight Action, a voting rights group Abrams founded; the American Civil Liberties Union; the Southern Poverty Law Center; and Perkins Coie, a law firm that represents Democrats in voting cases.

The lawsuit, filed in June, accuses Georgia of violating the federal Voting Rights Act by denying or abridging the right of Black Georgians to vote based on their race or color by, among other things, reducing access to absentee voting.

The law, which the Republican-controlled legislature passed along party lines, replaces the signature-match verification process for absentee ballots with an ID requirement.

Raffensperger accused the Justice Department of unfairly singling out Georgia. For example, the new laws requirement that Georgians wishing to vote by absentee ballot submit a drivers license number or some other form of identification is the same provision imposed by the state of Minnesota, he said.

Likewise, the new laws provisions for early voting in Georgia are less restrictive than current laws in New York, New Jersey and Delaware that are not being taken to court, he said.

Were being held to a higher standard than most other states, he said. We want Georgia treated the same as everyone else.

Neither Fair Fight Action nor the Southern Poverty Law Center responded immediately to a request for comment.

Lauren Groh-Wargo, CEO of Fair Fight Action, dismissed Raffenspergers FOIA request as political gamesmanship.

The latest nonsense from Brad Raffensperger is more grandstanding and another sad move by a very desperate man, she wrote in a Twitter post.
Air pollution is slashing years from billions of people's lives around the world and is a greater threat to life expectancy than smoking, HIV/AIDS or war, a report published Wednesday shows.

In countries where air pollution levels are below standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO), people are, on average, losing 2.2 years of their lives.

India has the highest levels of air pollution globally and its residents stand to lose more years than those of any other country, with an average of 5.9 years shaved off their lives, according to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), published in an annual report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC).

In northern India, 480 million people are breathing pollution levels more than 10 times higher than those anywhere else on the planet. In some parts of this region, including the cities of Delhi and Kolkata, residents could lose up to nine years of their lives, on average, if the pollution levels documented in 2019 persist.

The index calculates years lost based on what the life expectancy would be if a country met clean air guidelines set by WHO.

The top five countries with the highest average number of years lost were all in Asia. After India came Bangladesh, where residents lose an average of 5.4 years of life expectancy, followed by Nepal (5 years), Pakistan (3.9 years) and Singapore (3.8 years).

The report's authors said that air pollution was primarily driven by the use and production of fossil fuels creating "a global problem that requires strong policies at every front."

The study also points to how the world has enjoyed cleaner skies and air as the pandemic forced a pause on air travel, and reduced road traffic and manufacturing. But at the same time, some parts of the world experienced high levels of air pollution from wildfires, exacerbated by hotter and drier weather conditions. In the US, smog from relentless wildfires in some western states traveled across the country, impacting air quality as far away as New York City.

"These remarkable events illustrate that air pollution is not only a global challenge, but is also intertwined with climate change. Both challenges are primarily caused by the same culprit: fossil fuel emissions from power plants, vehicles and other industrial sources," the report said. It called on the world's governments to urgently implement policies to reduce its dependence on fuels like coal, oil and gas.

"The Air Quality Life Index shows that strong pollution policies pay back in additional years of life for people across the world."

World leaders will gather in the Scottish city of Glasgow in November for international climate talks, known as COP26, and putting an end date to "unabated coal" is high on the agenda. Some fossil fuel companies are arguing for their futures by "capturing" enough of the greenhouse gases from their fuels to prevent them from entering the atmosphere, causing air pollution and climate change.

Asia megacities at risk

Drilling down to the city level, people in Asian megacities are suffering some of the highest levels of pollution, and with them, the greatest impacts on life expectancy.

In the Indonesian city of Bandung, for example, people lose an average of almost seven years from their lives, and in the country's capital, Jakarta, it's nearly six years.

In Central and West Africa, the harmful effects of air pollution on life expectancy was "comparable to those of well-known threats like HIV/AIDS and malaria," the report found.

And more than half of the 611 million people living across Latin America are exposed to air pollution levels that exceed WHO guidelines. Across the region, air pollution reduces life expectancy by five months on average, but that varies greatly according to location. In the Peruvian capital, Lima, people can expect to lose an average of 4.7 years off their lives.

China's 'war on pollution'

There is some cause for hope though. China was in the top five most polluted countries every year from 1998 to 2016. But since beginning its so-called "war on pollution" in 2013, it has reduced its particulate pollution by 29% -- accounting for three-quarters of air pollution reductions worldwide.

That reduction -- if sustained -- has won back 1.5 years of life expectancy for Chinese people, taking them down to an average loss of 2.6 years.

"To put China's success into context, it took several decades and recessions for the United States and Europe to achieve the same pollution reductions that China was able to accomplish in six years," said the report.

There was indeed a time when London was widely referred to as "the big smoke" for its dirty air, and Los Angeles was once the "smog capital of the world."

Today, Americans are, on average, exposed to 62% less particulate pollution than in 1970. Likewise Europeans are on average exposed to 27% less than two decades ago -- and gaining four months of life expectancy because of it, the report said.

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The visit of newly installed Prime Minister Naftali Bennett of Israel to the United States could not be more timely. On Aug. 27, he met at the White House with President Joe Biden. The photo op handshake between the two is especially important right now.

The security of Israel along with regional stability are sustained United States foreign policy priorities. The interests of our two nations have not always coincided, yet the partnership endures.

Prime Minister Bennetts statement in the Oval Office is of self-evident importance, and is worth quoting at length:

I bring with me a new spirit, a spirit of good will, a spirit of hope, a spirit of decency and honesty, a spirit of unity and bipartisanship, of folks who  harbor very different political opinions, even opposing, yet we all share the deep passion to work together to build a better future for Israel. Biden reciprocated the warm words.

For 12 years, Bennetts predecessor Benjamin Netanyahu was in office. The intense nationalism of that leader led to aggressive annexation of territory, confrontational policies, and difficult relations with the U.S. and other allies. Netanyahu currently is on trial for corruption, which appears to mark the end of his long, turbulent political career.

Netanyahus relationship with President Barack Obama was unpleasant. President Donald Trump purchased better relations through considerable accommodation of Israel.

This included moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem with no concessions in return. Trump does deserve credit for securing diplomatic recognition of Israel by Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates.

Bennett has seized the opportunity to emphasize a fresh start and positive opportunity represented by his government, a relatively broad coalition. The government includes the United Arab List.

Welcoming the Arab political party into government is an Israeli first. This is encouraging in the volatile, divided Middle East, which witnessed brutal combat between Hamas and Israel earlier this year.

Bennetts visit also occurred during the continuing disastrous debacle of the costly, rushed American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Indirectly, U.S. cooperation with ally Israel may increase as a result, especially given Bennetts forthcoming style and positive, pragmatic approach so far.

Despite Afghanistan, long-term the U.S. has provided significant strategic leadership in the Middle East and Persian Gulf region. In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower rightly opposed and forced termination of a misguided effort by Britain, France and Israel to retake the nationalized Suez Canal from Egypt by military force.

In 1973, defense and diplomatic efforts of the Nixon administration were crucial to Israels ultimate survival against a combined attack by Arab states. Five years later, President Jimmy Carter brokered peace between Egypt and Israel.

During 1990-1991, President George H.W. Bush led an international military coalition that drove invader Iraq from Kuwait. Secretary of State James Baker demonstrated extraordinary energy and ability in successful diplomacy that followed.

The U.S. refrained from destroying the Iraq government, did confirm Americas regional leadership, and established a partially independent Palestine authority.

Today, Iran and Russia steadily expand influence in the Middle East. The first is a militant adversary. The second was our principal enemy during the Cold War.

George H.W. Bush and James Baker decisively demonstrated American leadership. That legacy remains, awaiting leaders equal to the demanding work.

Israels government has a promising opportunity today to work with the U.S. to further regional stability.

Learn More: G.H.W. Bush and Brent Scowcroft A World Transformed
UK media regulator Ofcom has cleared TV host Piers Morgan of breaching British broadcasting rules with his criticism of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, rejecting more than 50,000 complaints from viewers.

In a March 8 edition of ITV's "Good Morning Britain" show, Morgan questioned whether Meghan was being truthful about having suicidal thoughts  a major revelation from her blockbuster interview with Oprah Winfrey. His comments sparked a huge controversy in Britain, and he was rebuked by mental health charity Mind.

A spokesperson for Ofcom told CNN Business on Wednesday that it was "the most complained about" program.

Justifying what it described as a "finely-balanced" decision, Ofcom said the comments were potentially "harmful and offensive to viewers" but it took into account freedom of expression and the "strong challenge" of Morgan's co-host on the show, which prompted him to walk off set.

Meghan made a formal complaint to ITV relating to Morgan's comments about her mental health, CNN learned at the time. Her complaint to ITV concerned the impact Morgan's comments could have on others and how it could degrade the seriousness of mental health issues. The complaint did not relate to the personal nature of Morgan's attacks.

Following the backlash from members of the public and Mind, Morgan stepped down from his role on March 9, with a statement from ITV saying he had "decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain."

UK media regulator Ofcom published a 97-page report on Wednesday and found that the case was "not in breach of its broadcasting rules."

More than 50,000 complaints were received, Ofcom said, the majority of which said that comments about mental health and suicide made by Morgan were "both harmful to the audience and highly offensive" as were discussions on issues relating to race and racism.

The regulator said: "We were particularly concerned about Mr Morgan's approach to such an important and serious issue and his apparent disregard for the seriousness of anyone expressing suicidal thoughts."

"But we also took full account of freedom of expression. Under our rules, broadcasters can include controversial opinions as part of legitimate debate in the public interest, and the strong challenge to Mr Morgan from other contributors provided important context for viewers," it said.

"Nonetheless, we've reminded ITV to take greater care around content discussing mental health and suicide in future. ITV might consider the use of timely warnings or signposting of support services to ensure viewers are properly protected," Ofcom warned.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Morgan called Ofcom's ruling a "vindication of me" a "resounding victory for freedom of speech and a resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchios who think we should all be compelled to believe every fork-tongued word they say."

CNN has contacted ITV for comment.

 Max Foster and Niamh Kennedy contributed reporting.

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JONESBORO  Suspended Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill and several sheriffs deputies are facing a lawsuit for the alleged beatings and life-altering brain damage suffered by an inmate housed at the Clayton County jail.

On Tuesday, Aug. 21, Los Angeles resident Gabriel Arries filed a civil suit alleging intentional, malicious, and reckless beatings inside the jail carried out by sheriffs deputies resulted in a traumatic brain injury, left-eye blindness and a broken nose.

In February, Arries was arrested for disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor charge, at Hartsfield-Jackson airport and transported to the Clayton County jail.

Upon arrival, a nurse at the jail informed deputies that Arries suffered from bipolar and a mood disorder.

The suit states a nurse and two deputies observed his thoughts to be disorganized and that he was unaware he was in the state of Georgia. In that state of mind, Gabriel was allegedly combative and shouting racial epithets at the sheriffs deputies.

Following a call directing all deputies to the jails intake area, the suit alleges three deputies repeatedly, maliciously, and violently struck Gabriel.

Arries was then placed in a restraint chair outside of the jails infirmary. After four hours in the chair, the suit states that Aries was again beaten and forced back into the restraint chair.

Sometime later, he was placed on suicide watch and housed in a cell with seven violent inmates that led to an alleged fight with another inmate. The suit claims deputies tased Arries causing him to defecate on himself.

Arries was moved to a medical holding cell with 20 open wounds on his face while covered in feces.

The suit states Arries was found several hours later unresponsive, making involuntary movements, incontinent, still covered in feces with facial edema and lacerations.

He was transported to Atlanta Medical Center where he was diagnosed with a severe traumatic brain injury, subdural hematoma, subarachnoid hemorrhage and closed fracture of nasal bone.

The suit claims Hill was negligent in his supervision of deputies and developed a pattern, policy and custom of unreasonably placing detainees in the restraint chair and permitting the unreasonable and malicious excessive use of force by his deputies.

In April, Hill was indicted on federal charges of of violating the civil rights of four jail detainees for the use of the restraint chair.

A second lawsuit was filed in July by Mitavion Williams claiming he had been placed in a restraint chair for more than four hours with his hands cuffed behind his back.

The current suit alleges the beatings, indifference to Arries medical needs and failure to obtain timely medical care resulted in a life-altering brain damage additional personal injuries, physical and emotional pain and significant medical expenses which he continues to accrue.

The suit is asking for attorneys fees, costs of litigation and compensatory, general and punitive damages.
Champaign, IL (61820)

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Mostly cloudy skies. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph..

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Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Champaign, IL (61820)

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Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High around 90F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

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Partly to mostly cloudy. Low around 60F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Champaign, IL (61820)

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Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph..

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Partly to mostly cloudy. Low around 60F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
The devastating direct public health impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been widely studied; however, the magnitude of the indirect impact on mental health has yet to be determined. In Australia, some strict measures including stay-at-home orders have been undertaken to curb the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is the virus responsible for COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2 has arguably had the greatest impact on human activity than any other communicable disease. However, it appears that during the strict lockdowns in Australia, mental health issues have not been duly considered.

A new study published on the medRxiv* preprint server describes child and caregiver mental health during a one-year period. Australias experience could offer insights into the mental health impacts of lockdowns, which is essential because future variants and pandemics cannot be ruled out.

Study: Child and caregiver mental health during COVID-19. Image Credit: Pixel-Shot / Shutterstock.com

Background

Previous research on mental health from the first twelve months of the pandemic showed that the psychological distress faced by adults peaked in the early months. It was observed that mental health inequities were maintained or worsened for adults who were young, female, child-rearing, or had access to fewer socioeconomic resources.

There is an urgent need to conduct more research into the long-term mental health implications of living through pandemics, especially for children. However, scientists are experiencing a major push-back owing to the lack of good quality longitudinal data. To address this gap in research, the authors of the current study utilized Australias only nationally representative, which was a repeated cross-sectional survey of families during the pandemic.

The researchers framed three hypotheses, which were that as the pandemic continued, (i) measures of negative mental health would worsen, (ii) characteristics such as caregiver gender and child age would influence the unequal distribution of these impacts, and (iii) current or future lockdowns would make the negative impacts more common.

Child and caregiver mental health in Australia

For this study, data was collected from the Royal Childrens Hospital (RCH) National Child Health Poll, which comprises periodic cross-sectional surveys of about 2,000 Australian caregivers of children between the ages of 0-17 years.

Three polls were conducted between June 15-23 2020, September 15-29 2020, and July 20-29 2021. The first poll was conducted after the first national lockdown was eased, the second poll was conducted when only metropolitan residents of Victoria were in a second lockdown, and the third poll was conducted when multiple states/territories were in and out of lockdown.

The surveys captured demographic, socioeconomic, and lockdown heterogeneities. The 6-item Kessler-6 (K6), comprising 5-point scales (1 none to 5 all of the time) was used to note anxiety and depression symptoms that were self-reported by caregivers. The survey respondents also rated the impact of the pandemic on their own and each of their childrens mental health.

In June 2020, 75% of caregivers provided data on themselves and on 3,411 children. In the second poll conducted in September 2020, 81% of caregivers provided data on themselves and 2,553 children. In the third poll, 64% of caregivers responded by provided data on themselves and 4,327 children.

Whereas 0% of the responding families were in lockdown during the first poll, 29% were during the second poll, and 56% were in lockdown during the third poll. Taken together, 48% of the children were female with a mean age of 9.1 years. Additionally, 54% of caregivers were female with an average age of 42 years.

The average caregiver cared for 1.7 children. Approximately 57% of caregivers had a university degree, 24% were born outside Australia, and 22% did not speak English at home. Job/income loss due to COVID-19 was similar, ranging from 27-28% across surveys.

Female caregivers reported poorer mental health and more negative impacts of the pandemic on their mental health as compared to male caregivers. Caregivers of younger children who were pre-school and school-age complained of poorer mental health, while negative mental health impacts were more common for older children. Factors such as sole caregiving, low education, foreign language at home, and job/income loss, to name a few, were associated with poorer mental health.

Caregivers with a higher socioeconomic status reported more negative mental health impacts for themselves and their children. Job/income loss showed no clear pattern across the two categories. After the June 2020 survey, declining mental health was clearly observed for current and cumulative experiences of lockdown.

Conclusion

The main advantages of the study include the large representative samples and the high response rates. However, the lack of pre-pandemic data hinders the analysis of overtime changes.

Another limitation is that the caregiver's report from one caregiver may bias a childs rating. The current study, however, addresses the important question of mental health and shows that the strategies to recover from the pandemic should consider supporting families mental health and socioeconomic wellbeing.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
People with an inherited condition known as neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1, often develop non-cancerous, or benign, tumors that grow along nerves. These tumors can sometimes turn into aggressive cancers, but there hasn't been a good way to determine whether this transformation to cancer has happened.

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Center for Cancer Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed a blood test that, they believe, could one day offer a highly sensitive and inexpensive approach to detect cancer early in people with NF1. The blood test could also help doctors monitor how well patients are responding to treatment for their cancer.

The findings are published in the August 31 issue of PLOS Medicine.

NF1 is the most common cancer predisposition syndrome, affecting 1 in 3,000 people worldwide. The condition, caused by a mutation in a gene called NF1, is almost always diagnosed in childhood. Roughly half of people with NF1 will develop large but benign tumors on nerves, called plexiform neurofibromas.

In up to 15% of people with plexiform neurofibromas, these benign tumors turn into an aggressive form of cancer known as malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, or MPNST. Patients with MPNST have a poor prognosis because the cancer can quickly spread and often becomes resistant to both chemotherapy and radiation. Among people diagnosed with MPNST, 80% die within five years.

"Imagine going through life with a cancer predisposition syndrome like NF1. It's kind of like a ticking bomb," said study co-author Jack F. Shern, M.D., a Lasker Clinical Research Scholar in NCI's Pediatric Oncology Branch. "The doctors are going to be watching for cancerous tumors, and you're going to be watching for them, but you really want to discover that transformation to cancer as early as possible."

Doctors currently use either imaging scans (MRI or PET scan) or biopsies to determine if plexiform neurofibromas have transformed into MPNST. However, biopsy findings aren't always accurate and the procedure can be extremely painful for patients because the tumors grow along nerves. Imaging tests, meanwhile, are expensive and can also be inaccurate.

What we don't have right now is a tool to help us determine if within that big, bulky benign plexiform neurofibroma, something bad is cooking and it's turning into an MPNST. So we thought, 'What if we developed a simple blood test where instead of a full-body MRI or a fancy PET scan, we could just draw a tube of blood and say whether or not the patient has an MPNST somewhere?'" Dr. Jack F. Shern, M.D., a Lasker Clinical Research Scholar in NCI's Pediatric Oncology Branch

In pursuit of this goal, Dr. Shern and study co-leads Aadel A. Chaudhuri, M.D., Ph.D., and Angela C. Hirbe, M.D., Ph.D., of Washington University School of Medicine, and their collaborators collected blood samples from 23 people with plexiform neurofibromas, 14 patients with MPNST that had not yet been treated, and 16 healthy people without NF1. Most of the study participants were adolescents and young adults, the age group in which MPNST most often develops. The researchers isolated cell-free DNA  that is, DNA shed from cells into the blood  from the blood samples and used whole-genome sequencing technology to look for differences in the genetic material among the three groups.

The cell-free DNA in patients with MPNST had several features that distinguished it from the DNA in the other two groups. For example, patients with MPNST had pieces of cell-free DNA that were shorter than those in people with plexiform neurofibromas or without NF1. In addition, the proportion of cell-free DNA that comes from tumorscalled the "plasma tumor fraction"in the blood samples was much higher in people with MPNST than in those with plexiform neurofibromas. Together, these differences allowed the researchers to differentiate, with 86% accuracy, between patients with plexiform neurofibromas and those with MPNST.

In the study participants with MPNST, the plasma tumor fraction also aligned with how well they responded to treatment. In other words, if their plasma tumor fraction decreased following treatment, the size and number of their tumors (as measured by imaging scans) also decreased. An increase in plasma tumor fraction was associated with metastatic recurrence.

"You can imagine treating a patient with a chemotherapy regimen. This blood test could easily and rapidly allow us to determine whether the disease is going down or maybe even going away entirely," Dr. Shern said. "And if you had done surgery and taken out an MPNST, and the blood test was negative, you could use that to monitor the patient going forward to see if the tumor returns."

Dr. Shern noted that one limitation of the current study is its small size, even though it included people with NF1 from two large hospitals. The researchers are planning to conduct a larger trial with more patients. Dr. Shern said the team's goal is to increase the accuracy of the blood test from 86% to closer to 100%. One approach would be to refine the genetic analysis to focus on genes known to be involved in MPNST.

A simple and inexpensive blood test to detect MPNST early in NF1 patients would be especially useful in developing countries and other resource-poor areas, where access to the equipment and expertise needed to perform imaging is limited, Dr. Shern said.

Blood tests of this type also have applications in the early detection and monitoring of patients with other cancer-predisposing genetic disorders, such as multiple endocrine neoplasia, in which benign tumors can turn cancerous, or Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which increases one's risk for developing several types of cancer.

"This is the perfect opportunity to apply these technologies where we can use a simple blood test to screen an at-risk population," said Dr. Shern. "If the test shows something abnormal, that's when we know to act and go looking for a tumor."
A new mechanism that stops the progression of Huntington's disease in cells has been identified by scientists at UCL and the University of Cambridge, as part of their research groups at the UK Dementia Research Institute.

Researchers say the breakthrough study, published in Cell Reports, could lead to much needed therapies for the rare genetic disease, which is currently incurable.

Huntington's disease is a progressive and devastating neurodegenerative disorder, that affects about 1 in 10,000 people in the UK.

The disease is caused by the accumulation of toxic repetitive expansions of three DNA blocks called nucleotides (C, A and G) in the huntingtin (HTT) gene and is often termed a repeat expansion disorder. These CAG tri-nucleotide repeats are expanding by misuse of a cellular machinery that usually promotes DNA repair called 'mismatch repair'. This overuse in mismatch repair drives Huntington's disease onset and progression.

In this study researchers investigated the role of FAN1 - a DNA repair protein, that has been identified as a modifier of Huntington's disease in several genetic studies; however, the mechanism affecting disease onset has remained elusive.

Using human cells and techniques that can read DNA repeat expansions, the researchers found that FAN1 can block the accumulation of the DNA mismatch repair factors to stop repeat expansion thus alleviating toxicity in cells derived from patients.

Co-lead authors Dr Rob Goold and PhD researcher Joseph Hamilton, both UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, said: "Evidence for DNA repair genes modifying Huntington's disease has been mounting for years. We show that new mechanisms are still waiting to be discovered, which is good news for patients."

Medicines that could mimic or potentiate (increase the power of) FAN1 inhibition of mismatch repair would alter disease course. The team is now working with the biotechnology company Adrestia Therapeutics, based at the Babraham Research Campus near Cambridge, to translate these discoveries into therapies for substantial numbers of patients in the UK and worldwide.

Our next step is to determine how important this interaction is in more physiological models and examine if it is therapeutically tractable. We are now working with key pharma partners to try and develop therapies that target this mechanism and might one day reach the clinic." Professor Sarah Tabrizi, Senior Author, Director, UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL

Joint senior author, Dr Gabriel Balmus from the UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, said: "There are currently more than fifty CAG repeat expansion disorders that are incurable. If viable, the field suggests that resulting therapies could be applied not only to Huntington's disease but to all the other repeat expansion disorders."

Professor Steve Jackson, CSO and Interim CEO of Adrestia, said: "My colleagues and I are delighted to be working with Professor Tabrizi, Dr Balmus and the UK Dementia Research Institute to seek ways to translate their exciting science towards new medicines for Huntington's disease and potentially also other DNA-repeat expansion disorders."

The study was funded by the CHDI Foundation and UK Dementia Research Institute.
Several coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have been developed over the course of the current pandemic. Since receiving emergency use authorization from several countries around the world, vaccine rollout has commenced and allowed for over 2.12 billion people worldwide to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of August 31, 2019.

However, the efficacy of these vaccines has been threatened as a result of the evolution of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is the virus responsible for COVID-19. To this end, scientists across the world are conducting extensive research to understand SARS-CoV-2 genomic mutations, particularly with regard to transmission dynamics and the enhanced virulence of this virus.

Study: Emergence of Multiple SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Escape Variants in an Immunocompromised Host Undergoing Convalescent Plasma Treatment. Image Credit: Salov Evigeniy / Shutterstock.com

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants

Several SARS-CoV-2 variants have been classified as Variants of Concern (VoC) and Variants of Interest (VoI). Scientists have identified four VoC, of which include the B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P1 (Gamma), and B.1.617.2 (Delta) variants. These variants were first reported in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, and India, respectively.

All VoCs carry the N501Y mutation in the spike (S) protein and are more virulent with transmissible. Additionally, this mutation has also increased the affinity of SARS-CoV-2 to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor of the host.

In both the types of VOCs and VOIs, the S protein contains clustered mutations in the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the receptor-binding domain (RBD) regions. Scientists observed that in some of the VoCs, these mutations cause a reduction in the susceptibility to convalescent-phase serum, commercial monoclonal antibody cocktails, and vaccine neutralization. Additionally, these variants have also been associated with increased rates of reinfection.

Immunocompromised hosts and SARS-CoV-2 variants

Scientists believe that the accumulation of these mutations is a consequence of intra-host viral evolution, especially in immunocompromised hosts, where COVID-19 infection remains for a prolonged period. A recent study revealed that antibody escape mutations occurred in an immunocompromised patient 75 days after infection.

A new study published in the journal mBio discusses the microevolution of SARS-CoV-2. In this study, researchers have isolated the virus from sequential tracheal aspirates from an immunosuppressed patient who was treated with tacrolimus, steroids, and convalescent plasma therapy. In the recovered viruses, scientists successfully identified multiple mutations in the NTD and RBD regions that are correlated with reduced antibody neutralization within 3 weeks post-infection.

It is quite likely that cytotoxic T-cells and antibody-mediated immune responses are essential for removing the viral infection. In the current study, the immunocompromised individuals antirejection regimen of mycophenolate and tacrolimus targeted and inhibited T-cell function and replication.

Subsequently, the patient was not administered any further mycophenolate; however, tacrolimus and prednisone were continued during the patients entire hospital stay. This could have led to the impairment in his cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2.

Scientists observed the development of a steady humoral immune response in the patient. Additionally, the presence of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) and an increase in the absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) were noted. This humoral immune activity could be driven by the convalescent plasma transfusion given early on in the disease course (day 1), which partially neutralized the viral particles.

On day 19, scientists noted that the patient developed antibodies, including Nabs, that displayed higher titers against a non-escape virus, such as the Wuhan-Hu-1. However, lower titers were observed against antibody escape variants bearing the E484K mutations.

The researchers of the current study detected multiple antibody escape mutants in the tracheal aspirate samples. This within-host evolution could be caused by multiple factors, such as the compromised immune status of the host, the antirejection regimen, and the Nabs, both those that developed endogenously and those acquired through convalescent plasma therapy. These factors could have possibly resulted in a unique set of selective pressures that are absent in immunocompetent hosts.

To bring about greater genetic diversity, these pressures could select and reshape the dominant viral population throughout the infectious phase. An important observation was that despite the emergence of escape variants, the patient under study was able to develop antibodies and also showed low but robust neutralizing capacity against three VoCs. Eventually, the virus was cleared at day 45 post-infection.

Conclusion

The current study shows that immunocompromised patients on convalescent plasma therapy could be potential breeding grounds for immune escape mutants. The differential selective pressure in immunocompromised hosts could be the main reason for such emergence.

Currently, scientists do not have concrete evidence to show that the escape variants were transmitted; however, it is likely that that immunocompromised individuals undergoing anti-SARS-CoV-2 passive immunotherapy may be harboring VoCs. This is indeed an early warning indicator; therefore, advanced steps should be taken to reduce transmission.
Numerous variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have emerged over the last few months. Unfortunately, this has driven new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) waves, often more severe than before. A recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server discusses the characteristics of the variant that is responsible for this phenomenon.

Background

The top four variants of concern (VOCs), as variants with greater transmissibility or infectivity are called, include the alpha, beta, gamma and delta, also designated as B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, and B.1.617.2, respectively. While each was first detected in a specific region, they are now found on all continents inhabited by humans.

Both transmissibility and the ability to escape neutralization by antibodies elicited by natural infection caused by earlier variants, or vaccination, have contributed to the rapid and sustained spread of these variants. The alpha variant spreads 40% to 100% faster than the wild-type or Wuhan reference strain but without increased resistance to neutralizing antibodies or a higher risk of reinfection.

The beta variant is approximately 50% more transmissible but partially resists neutralization by convalescent sera. T cell responses may remain potent, however. The gamma variant is 70% to 140% more transmissible than the wild-type variant, and has a slight resistance to convalescent sera. However, reinfection may occur at up to 46% higher rates compared to the wild-type virus.

The delta variant is 60% more transmissible than the alpha variant, resists neutralization by convalescent sera to a moderate extent, and reduces vaccine efficacy to some extent, relative to the alpha variant.

Most COVID-19 vaccines available today show 70% or higher efficacy in protecting against symptomatic disease and almost complete immunity to death following infection with this virus. As variants spread, this protection may be reduced, mainly with the beta and also by the delta variant.

How was this study done?

The product of vaccine escape and the frequency of the VOC in the population has a linear relationship with protection against infection by that variant. The impact of vaccine escape on the population outcome is more complicated, however.

The current study focused on projecting such outcomes from the phenotypic features of these VOCs against the complex background of other variants, other VOCs, and vaccination-induced antibodies.

Using a mathematical model, the researchers examined the consequences of the emergence and spread of various variants in the population, as observed during the middle of the epidemic, as well as the control of viral spread via various non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and vaccination.

Three VOCs were simulated, one with increased transmissibility, one with partial immune escape and the last with both. The total infections and the number of infections that would be reduced by vaccination were estimated. The effect of varying timepoints of vaccine rollout was also modeled on each variant.

Variations in the vaccine efficacy (VE), lowered vaccine coverage, or relaxation of NPIs after the coverage of a given percentage of the population was achieved. The aim was to compare how different variants fared as various control measures were relaxed.

The basic assumptions were a reproduction number of 2.5 for the wild-type, going down to 1.5 after NPIs, with a VE of 95% against the wild-type virus, reducing against the variants in proportion to the cross-reactivity between them.

What did the study show?

The researchers found that variants with higher transmissibility showed the highest frequency at the most significant rising rate. With some immune escape, the second variant infected fewer people than the wild-type and remained at a low frequency.

Sample dynamics of hypothetical variants. (A) Dynamics of WT and variant strains without vaccination (top row) and with vaccination (bottom row), shown on log scale. Solid/black lines, WT; dashed/colored lines, variants; gray shading, vaccine rollout. Subsequent panels reference the simulations depicted in (A). (B) Total infections with WT and variant strains with and without vaccination (log scale). Black bars, WT; colored bars, variants; solid bars, without vaccination; hatched bars, with vaccination. (C) WT and variant infections averted by vaccination (log scale). Black bars, WT; colored bars, variants. (D) Total infections (WT + variant) averted by vaccination (linear scale). Dashed line, total infections averted by vaccination in simulation with variant 0 (null variant). (E) Percentage of variant infections averted by vaccination (linear scale). Dashed line, percentage of variant infections averted in simulations with variant 0. (F) Percentage of all infections averted by vaccination (linear scale). Dashed line, percentage of infections averted in simulation with variant 0. In all simulations, variant is introduced at 9 months; in simulations with vaccination, vaccine rollout starts at 12 months and is spread over 6 months. Variant phenotypes are as follows: variant 0, identical to WT; variant 1, 60% greater transmissibility; variant 2, 40% immune escape; variant 3, 60% greater transmissibility and 40% immune escape.

With vaccination, the first and second variants were rapidly controlled, and the rate of transmission for the third was reduced, though it was still able to spread. Thus, vaccination reduced more infections by the variants than with the wild-type variant. The first two variants were averted more than the third.

Although immune escape reduces vaccine efficacy for the individual, it does not follow that an emerging variant with partial immune escape will significantly reduce the ability of vaccination to limit case numbers in a whole population.

The presence of partial immune escape did not change the final epidemic size significantly, nor did it alter the impact of vaccination. The final number of infections was similar with the second variant and the wild-type, whenever vaccination was deployed unless the NPIs are significantly relaxed.

However, variants 1 and 3 were able to cause more infections than the wild-type, especially the third, due to its immune escape capability in addition to its greater transmissibility. As a result, the potential impact of the preventive measures such as NPIs and vaccination was greatest with these variants as well, by the number of infections averted, though not by percentage, relative to the wild-type.

Vaccination and infections

A delay in the timing and pace of vaccination affects the total number of infections. The start time was more important than the pace, especially with the first and third variants. Thus, early vaccination reduced the final number of infections significantly.

Nonetheless, the number of reinfections and breakthrough infections was low with the second variant compared to the other two, and this also showed it was more important to begin vaccination early than to increase the pace. With earlier rollout, the number of vaccinated and infected individuals would be far less, thus causing fewer and milder infections and reinfections.

When NPIs were relaxed, there was a significant increase in the number of infections only with the third variant, especially with early and rapid vaccine deployment. Efficient rollout led to more cases, and thus the rebound would be more intense with relaxed NPIs.

With only 50% vaccine coverage instead of 100%, the first and third variants were increased due to their increased transmissibility, especially with early and/or rapid rollout.

Finally, with less effective vaccines, variant 3 showed a significant increase in the number of cases due to the ability to evade antibodies as well as the higher transmissibility, especially when vaccines were deployed early and rapidly. With variant 1, a delayed rollout caused a greater increase in infections since it allowed more time before a high coverage was achieved.

What are the implications?

The researchers summed up: Sufficiently weak control measures can lead to a second wave of infections with immune escape variants. That is, when vaccination coverage is only half of the eligible population and NPIs are lifted at this point, with vaccine efficacy at 70%, many more infections were observed to result, especially with variant 2, despite its lower transmissibility, driving a second wave.

Most were probably milder because they were breakthroughs or reinfections. High immune escape promoted the spread of variants 2 and 3, with vaccination being largely ineffective at controlling their spread. However, it should be continued, along with NPIs, to limit the final size of the epidemic with variant 2, though this is of negligible effect with variant 3.

Overall, moderate-level immune escape is likely only to cause a surge of cases if coupled with higher transmissibility. Vaccination helps reduce the final epidemic size even with high levels of immune escape. High vaccine coverage and VE are necessary to keep infections low with more transmissible variants and/or resistant to neutralization.

Early vaccine rollout is more important than rapid deployment for all variants, especially when the transmissibility is higher because this pushes up the reproduction number.

While revealing the possible mechanisms of the rapid rise to dominance of both alpha and delta variants against the relatively low frequency of the beta variant, the study supplies a sound underlying hypothesis to both understand and predict the biological behavior of such variants and thus devise strategies to contain their spread. Mainly, it emphasizes the need for early vaccination of populations the world over to reduce the impact of VOCs on the final pandemic size.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
A significant cross-government effort is underway, dubbed 'Operation Warm Welcome', to ensure Afghans arriving in the UK receive the vital support they need to rebuild their lives, find work, pursue education and integrate into their local communities.

As part of the New Plan for Immigration, the government announced that those coming to the UK through resettlement routes would receive immediate indefinite leave to remain, and today (September 1) the Home Secretary has announced that this will apply to Afghans who worked closely with the British military and UK Government in Afghanistan, and risked their lives in doing so, meaning they can now stay in the UK without any time restrictions.

People already relocated to the UK under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) will be able to apply free of charge to convert their temporary leave into indefinite leave. This will give Afghans the certainty and stability to rebuild their lives with unrestricted rights to work and the option to apply for British citizenship in the future.

To give children and young adults the best start in life the government is making at least 12 million available to prioritize additional school places so children can be enrolled as soon as possible, and to provide school transport, specialist teachers and English language support to assist with learning.

Further funding will be provided for up to 300 undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships for Afghans at UK universities and adults will also be able to access English language courses free of charge. While many will speak English through their work with the UK Government and British Forces, and as translators, language classes will ensure all their family members can fully integrate into their local communities.

Families who need support navigating the system will also have access to liaison officers who can work with local authorities to help them get set up with a GP, National Insurance number, school place, accommodation and more tailored support, as required.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

We owe an immense debt to those who worked with the Armed Forces in Afghanistan and I am determined that we give them and their families the support they need to rebuild their lives here in the UK. I know this will be an incredibly daunting time, but I hope they will take heart from the wave of support and generosity already expressed by the British public."

The support for Afghan arrivals follows the largest and most complex evacuation in living memory. It includes:

3 million of additional NHS funding so that Afghans arriving under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme can access healthcare and register with a GP once they leave quarantine;

all are being offered the COVID-19 vaccine and so far more than 700 arrivals under the ARAP scheme have left quarantine and received their first vaccination, with more leaving and receiving a jab each day;

5 million funding for councils in England, Wales and Scotland to support Afghans coming to the UK via the ARAP scheme and provide a top up to help meet the costs of renting properties;

the government is already working with more than 100 councils across the UK to meet the demand for housing, with over 2,000 places already confirmed;

the Communities Secretary will convene a roundtable with council leaders from across the country in the coming days;

to harness the generosity of the British public and make sure those who want to help know where to turn we will launch an online portal to allow people to submit offers of support for people arriving from Afghanistan;

this portal is already available to submit offers of housing and work is now underway to expand this to further offers, such as job opportunities, professional skills training or donations of items like clothes or toys; and

200 million has been committed to meet the cost of the first year of the Afghanistan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme, which aims to welcome up to 20,000 Afghans.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

We owe a great deal to the brave Afghans who worked alongside us and we want to make sure they have certainty and stability to be able to thrive in the UK. As part of the New Plan for Immigration, I committed to providing refugees who make their home here the ability to rebuild their lives in the UK with essential support to integrate into the community, learn English, and become self-sufficient. By providing immediate indefinite leave to remain we are ensuring that those who have fled their homes have every opportunity to look to the future with stability and security and make a success of their new life in the UK."

Afghan Resettlement Minister Victoria Atkins said:

Operation Warm Welcome is a huge effort across government to make sure that those fleeing Afghanistan are able to make a success of a new life in the UK. The stability of indefinite leave, the security of access to healthcare and the opportunity of education are the foundation upon which those resettled to the UK can build."

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:
Drawing inspiration from nature, a team of international scientists have invented a smart device for personalized skin care modeled after the male diving beetle. This tool collects and monitors body fluids while sticking to the skin's surface, paving the way for more accurate diagnostics and treatment for skin diseases and conditions like acne. The team includes Bo-yong Park, a former postdoctoral researcher at The Neuro at McGill University.

Q&A with Bo-yong Park

What problem did you set out to solve?

Traditional non-invasive diagnostic devices developed for skin care have several limitations. These devices tend to be less accurate, hard to use, and require expensive equipment to analyze results. The chemical adhesives used in the process can also cause skin irritation or sometimes damage, making them difficult to use repeatedly or for a long time. Maintaining adhesion in different conditions like a wet or a curved skin surface can also be very challenging.

Why did you look to nature for inspiration?

Male diving beetles or Hydaticus pacificus are aquatic insects that have evolved special adhesive hairs, or setae, to latch onto their mates underwater. The setae, which are present on the male's forelegs, have unique suction cup-like structures and cavities, providing strong attachment against wet and irregular surfaces. Inspired by male diving beetles, we developed an intelligent device for real-time monitoring of skin health that attaches to the skin's irregular surface.

How does the device work?

We created micro-sized artificial suction cups that can collect and monitor body fluids while adhering to the skin. We embedded fluid-capturing hydrogels within the cavities of the cups to monitor pH levels. The hydrogel changes colour with differing acidity levels. Integrating machine learning techniques, we also develop a software application that can automatically quantify pH levels from the colour indicated by the pH-responsive hydrogels. We expect that this device will be applied to personalized skin treatment patches, medical adhesive materials, and diagnostic technologies. Based on the results of our research, we expect it could be used for on-site diagnosis of biomarkers for skin disease.
A new study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City could help orthopedic surgeons better identify which patients will benefit most from surgery to correct debilitating age-related deterioration of their foot arches.

The findings, published in the journal Foot and Ankle International and presented today at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 2021 annual meeting, found that patients with the most severe impairment, both physical and, to a somewhat lesser degree, emotional, before reconstructive surgery reported the most gains after the procedure.

Adult-acquired flatfoot deformity, more recently known as progressive collapsing foot deformity (PCFD) or "fallen arches," is relatively common with age. The condition, which affects at least 3% of women over age 40 and more than 10% of people over age 65, results from weakening, stretching or other alterations to the tendons and ligaments in the foot and can lead to severe pain and significantly restricted mobility. Women are more prone to the problem than men; and being overweight is considered an increased risk factor.

A mix of stretching, physical therapy and the use of orthotic devices may help people with milder cases. But for the more severe cases of PCFD, surgeons can operate to reshape and restore function to the affected extremity.

Once the foot starts collapsing, it never uncollapses, and the worry is that over time the ligaments will continue to stretch, the foot will flatten, and the pain will increase." Scott J. Ellis, MD, foot and ankle surgeon at HSS and senior author of the study

Although nonsurgical or conservative management appears to help prevent the progression of PCFD, Dr. Ellis noted that hasn't been conclusively proven. "Roughly half of patients will need surgery. If the foot continues to hurt and limits quality of life and function, and there's pain from walking, travel and other activities, then we say it's time to perform surgery."

Determining which patients stand to benefit most from foot reconstruction -; and who would do better with more conservative management -; has been unclear.

For the new study, Dr. Ellis and his colleagues sought to determine if instruments from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) could help physicians predict which patients would experience the most improvement from foot surgery. PROMIS has multiple components, including scores for physical function, pain scale and depression, and is considered an objective measure of a patient's physical and mental health specific to a given condition.

The HSS team, including Matt Conti, MD, a chief resident and the first author on the paper, identified 71 men and women (75 feet in total) who underwent surgery for PCFD between February 2016 and April 2018, and for whom PROMIS data were also available. The average follow-up time for the patients was roughly 27 months.

Patients with the lowest PROMIS scores for physical function (PROMIS-PF) before surgery -; indicating the most severe impairment -; were most likely to experience clinically meaningful improvements two years after the procedure, according to the researchers. Those with a PROMIS-PF score of 45.7 had roughly a 14% chance of improvement, while patients with a score below 40.9 had nearly a 98% chance of clinical gains.

Armed with the new information, surgeons now have a more objective way of informing patients of their chances of a successful operation. "When a patient walks in the door, you can get an idea of where they stand on that scale, and we know based on our study where patients need to land to achieve clinically meaningful improvements from the surgery," Dr. Ellis said. "It could be a real-time decision with the patient and something they could follow over time to allow them to see the trajectory of their recovery and where they are heading."

Every patient scheduled for surgery at HSS completes the PROMIS survey, and the results become part of the electronic medical record. As a result, HSS has built one of the nation's most robust and detailed databases of patient-reported outcomes, enabling its physicians and researchers to optimize the care they provide. "A similar study could be conducted across a whole different host of conditions," Dr. Ellis concluded.
In all eukaryotic organisms, genetic material is stored in the cell nucleus in the form of DNA. In order to be used, this DNA is first transcribed into messenger RNA in the cell cytoplasm, then translated into protein with the help of ribosomes, small machines capable of decoding messenger RNA to synthesise the appropriate proteins.

However, the speed with which this mechanism takes place is not uniform: it must adapt to allow the protein to adopt the right configuration. Indeed, a deregulation of the production rate leads to structural defects. The proteins, which are not correctly folded will aggregate, become unusable and often toxic for the cell. By analysing the rate of ribosome movement in yeast cells, a team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, in collaboration with the University of Hamburg, has succeeded in demonstrating that the rate of protein synthesis is modulated by regulatory factors that modify at will the rate of translation of messenger RNA into proteins. These results can be found in the journal Cell Reports.

Proteins are 3D structures that, in order to act, must interlock with each other or interact with partners. In case of a structural defect, the proteins clump together, becoming toxic and potentially pathological. This phenomenon is actually observed in many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

We already knew that the rate at which proteins are made varies according to need: sometimes fast, sometimes very slow. However, we did not yet know how this mechanism was controlled." Martine Collart, Professor, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, UNIGE Faculty of Medicine

Ribosome profiling

In order to understand this process, the scientists used a very innovative and still not well-known technique: ribosome profiling. "This methodology makes it possible to determine the position of ribosomes at a given moment in the cell", explains Olesya Panasenko, a researcher in Martine Collart's laboratory and head of the 'BioCode: RNA to Proteins' Core Facility at the Faculty of Medicine, who specialized in this technique. "It consists of degrading, at a specific moment, all the RNA that is not protected by the ribosome, to keep only the ribosome protected fragments (RPFs). We then sequence these RPFs in order to define how many ribosomes were on the mRNA, and at which positions, at that particular moment. This indicates the speed and efficiency of translation."

The scientists observed the speed and dynamics of protein production in natural yeast cells as well as in genetically modified yeast, in order to identify possible differences depending on the genetic code. During synthesis, small condensates of RNA and proteins appear in the cell, with the function of slowing down the rate of ribosome production. "The formation of these condensates depends on the presence or absence of regulatory factors, called Not, which act as decelerators", explains Martine Collart. In their absence, the mechanism accelerates in the wrong places and results in aggregated proteins.

A speed regulated by the genetic code

Thus, Not factors associate with the ribosome at precise moments during protein synthesis, to slow down the ribosome during translation by condensing the RNA and the nascent protein. "One may wonder whether this regulatory mechanism is affected during neurodegenerative diseases or with age", the authors ask. It is therefore possible that small disturbances, when adding one to the other, may ultimately have a significant cumulative effect over time.
About one-fourth of people with diabetes develop painful foot ulcers, which are slow to heal due to low oxygen in the wound from impaired blood vessels and increased inflammation. These wounds can become chronic, leading to poor quality of life and potential amputation.

Jianjun Guan, a professor of mechanical engineering & materials science in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, has developed a hydrogel that delivers oxygen to a wound, which decreases inflammation, helps remodel tissue and accelerates healing. Results of the work, which were in a mouse model, are published Aug. 28 in Science Advances. Ya Guan, a doctoral student, and Hong Niu, a postdoctoral research associate, both in Guan's lab, are co-first authors.

The oxygen has two roles: one, to improve skin cell survival under the low-oxygen condition of the diabetic wound; and two, oxygen can stimulate the skin cells to produce growth factors necessary for wound repair." Jianjun Guan, Professor, McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis

Tissues in the body require oxygen to survive and need even more when tissue is injured. While there are several existing treatments for chronic wounds in people with diabetes, the most common treatment is dozens of sessions in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, but its effectiveness is inconsistent and includes the risk of oxygen toxicity.

Guan's hydrogel delivers oxygen to the wound using microspheres that gradually release oxygen to interact with the cells through an enzyme on their surface that converts what is inside of the microsphere into oxygen. The oxygen is delivered to the wound over about a two-week period, and inflammation and swelling decrease, prompting healing.

In the mice, wounds treated with the hydrogel containing the oxygen-releasing microspheres had a greater rate of closure than wounds treated with only the gel or those with no treatment. By day 16, the wounds treated with the hydrogel had reduced to 10.7%. Those treated with the gel only were reduced to 30.4%, and those with no treatment had reduced to 52.2%.

In addition, the wounds treated with the hydrogel containing the oxygen-releasing microspheres had the thickest epidermis on day 8, but the thinnest by day 16, indicating the wound was healing and inflammation was reduced.

Over the past 14 years, Guan has been developing this type of gel, which has nearly 70 different functions and chemical structures.

"The gel is a liquid before we put it into the skin tissue, so it is easy to mix in the microspheres," he said. "Once we put the mixture of the gel and the microspheres into the wound, it becomes a solid because it is temperature-sensitive -; at lower temperatures it is a liquid, and at body temperature it's a solid."

One risk of delivering oxygen to wounds is delivering too much, which creates reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can damage or kill cells at elevated levels. Guan's hydrogel is able to scavenge for ROS content and destroy it, eliminating any risk.

Next, Guan's team plans to use the hydrogel in a large animal model with the expectation of future human clinical trials.

"This represents a new therapeutic approach to accelerating healing of chronic diabetic wounds without drugs," Guan said. "It also has the potential to treat other diseases in which oxygen is low, such as peripheral artery disease and coronary heart disease."
Does relationship quality continue to worsen, stabilize, or improve for distressed, help-seeking couples before they receive assistance? A team of researchers sought to answer that question in a new study examining what happens to couples who seek online help for their relationship, but have to wait six months before beginning an intervention program.

Given the ways couple dynamics affect individuals, any children, and the broader community, knowing how to support couples experiencing distress is a key area of interest for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers. This research aims to provide insights into the dynamics and trajectories of distressed couples. We wanted to see if these relationships continued to deteriorate, remained the same, or started to improve on their own." Allen Barton, Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois, and Study's Lead Author

The study, published in Family Process, included a nationwide sample of 221 couples assigned to the waitlist control condition of a study evaluating the effects of participating in an online program to strengthen couple relationship. During the six-month waitlist period, couples agreed not to seek other forms of relationship assistance, but would receive the online program once the waitlist period had ended.

All participants were below 200% of the poverty level; that is, lower-income couples who historically have limited access to professional services for relationship assistance.

Barton and his co-authors followed these couples over the six-month waiting period, analyzing five waves of data to track changes over time.

For the sample of couples in the control group, the researchers found, on average, slight improvements over time in their reports of satisfaction and support, as well as decreased negative communication and concerns about the relationship ending. Individuals also reported mean improvements in some measures of individual functioning, such as less psychological distress.

However, these changes were typically small, and overall levels of distress for most couples in the sample remained elevated. There was also considerable variation between couples during the six-month period.

"A small percentage of couples actually exhibited pretty substantial levels of improvement in terms of relationship and individual functioning. But conversely, we also see a subset of couples who are reporting prominent declines. They are at a low point when they enroll, and things appear to continue to get worse over time," Barton says.

The researchers plan to investigate further how and why some couples improve on their own.

"For those couples who actually improved during this time, if we can find out what makes them resilient, we can use that knowledge to help other couples develop similar skills and capacities," Barton notes.

For some couples, it's possible the process of deciding to do something to improve their relationship can help put things on a positive trajectory, he adds. Participation in this online program required both partners to sign up; thus, simply talking and agreeing to seek help might be part of the catalyst for change in the relationship.

Ultimately, Barton recommends distressed couples seek assistance to improve their relationship.

"If you are in a relationship and realize things aren't going well, our findings seem to indicate that you shouldn't expect your relationship to rebound and get much better on its own. Things may improve slightly, but only for some couples and not very much. Most, if not all, distressed couples can benefit from empirically supported programming and services," he says.

For the research community, the findings also underscore the importance of having a control condition in studies of distressed couples, Barton states. Including a sample of people who have not yet received the intervention allows researchers to compare any naturally occurring improvements with the results for those who do receive intervention.

Barton notes these findings provide important information about the nature of distressed couple relationships throughout the country.

"Our study includes a large national sample of couples seeking online help for their relationship. This means we could get a sense of patterns over time, as well as the variability and the amount of change, in this population" he states. "We believe our findings are pretty representative of the state of distressed couples across America who are looking to get some help for their relationship."

Many options are available for people seeking relationship assistance. In Illinois, interested couples can sign up for the Illinois Strong Couples project, an online, research-based program Barton directs. It is available free of charge for qualifying Illinois residents, and efforts are under way to make this program available to couples in other states.

The University of Illinois Family Resiliency Center also provides Building Blocks of Resilience, a series of resources created to assist families with handling everyday challenges, including ways to build a more resilient couple relationship.
Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a highly aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that comes in three different variants: endemic, immunodeficiency-associated, and sporadic. Of these variants, sporadic BL is most commonly found outside malaria-endemic countries and typically seen in young adults.

Over the past two decades, progress in chemotherapy regimens for BL combining multiple drugs have led to increased survival rates. In particular, the CODOX-M and IVAC regimens have proved effective for the treatment of sporadic BL. Unfortunately, these standard regimens are short-term and intensive, which frequently causes high toxicity and severe, sometimes life-threatening complications. Moreover, these regimens were evaluated through clinical trials conducted in Europe and the United States; in other words, they may not be ideal for Asian populations.

In a study recently published in Cancer Biology & Medicine, scientists from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC), China, sought a solution to these problems. Based on their experience and the results of previous studies, they hypothesized that a CODOX-M/IVAC regimen with lower dosage but a longer exposure time would be just as effective as the recommended treatment but with a reduced resulting toxicity. Their proposed approach also included rituximab, a drug used to treat lymphomas, and is therefore referred to as the 'modified R-CODOX-M/IVAC regimen.'

To test their hypothesis, the scientists conducted a retrospective study in which 123 HIV-negative patients with untreated sporadic BL were enrolled at SYSUCC between 2008 and 2019. The patients were divided into low-risk and high-risk groups; low-risk patients received four to six cycles of R-CODOX-M, whereas high-risk patients received six to eight alternating cycles of R-CODOX-M and IVAC. The researchers registered all adverse events likely caused by the chemotherapy treatment and calculated their relative frequencies.

Overall, the results for the modified regimen were promising. Not only was the overall survival rate after five years relatively high, but also the frequency and severity of adverse events were lower than those reported in previous studies for standard regimens. Serious mucositis, one the most concerning and frequent side effects of standard regimens, did not occur at all in this study. Moreover, sepsis cases were only four, and treatment-related mortality among the high-risk patients was 2 out of 74 patients. "Our findings add to the growing body of non-randomized data demonstrating the efficacy and safety profile of modified R-CODOX-M/IVAC regimens," remarks Dr Tongyu Lin of SYSUCC, who led the study.

Moreover, ours was the first report involving such a modified regimen in a cohort of adult Chinese BL patients." Dr Tongyu Lin, Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center

The research team hopes that prospective trials will be conducted in the future using the proposed treatment strategy. "We believe that the modified R-CODOX-M/IVAC regimen may be more suitable for clinical application than the current guidelines and therefore deserves further evaluation," concludes Dr. Lin.

Let us hope chemotherapy keeps progressing until its toxicity becomes much more manageable.
As children are at relatively low risk of being infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and suffering from severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), vaccinating children is not common. However, owing to the emergence of variants of concern and uncertainty about the future course of the pandemic, many countries, including the UK, are contemplating COVID-19 mass vaccination of secondary age children.

Study: Analysis of alternative Covid-19 mitigation measures in school classrooms: an agent-based model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Image Credit: Dmytro Zinkevych/ Shutterstock

Background

Scientists are concerned that even though children are not prone to COVID-19 infection, schools containing many unvaccinated individuals may trigger rapid transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Further, schools can act as a potential environment for the development of new variants. But, the measure to mitigate this problem that involves closure of schools and implementation of online schooling has brought about major disruption to learning. Many reports have also indicated that some jobs have been compromised owing to childcare responsibilities. Therefore, there is an urgent need to formulate effective strategies to reduce the transmission of the disease and minimize disruption in education.

A new study

A new study focused on developing a basic stochastic model for predicting the possibility of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 occurring in primary schools. The study authors developed a discrete agent-based compartmental epidemiological model that can empirically represent the probability of SARS-CoV-2 transmission owing to proximity within class-sized interactive networks.

A previous study that included 36 primary schools in England statistically defined close contact as face-to-face contact within 1 meter for at least five minutes between children and adults within school settings. In this study, the researchers used teachers expert judgments undertaken in Spring/Summer 2020 and formulated mitigation measures such as reduced class sizes, formation of bubbles, and other social distancing rules.

In the current study, researchers assessed the viability of the newly developed model by comparing the data on school attendances and self-isolation imposed owing to the COVID-19 outbreak at home or school. Scientists also compared the predictions of the model with the actual prevalence of SARS-COV-2 infection in both schools and communities.

A preprint version of the study is available on the medRxiv* server, while the article undergoes peer review.

Assumptions of the new model

The researchers have developed the model by combining a discrete compartmental epidemiological framework with a random network for daily person-to-person contacts within a classroom. They assumed that a classroom consisted of a single teacher, few assistant teachers, and a set number of pupils. Researchers further assumed the modeled classroom population to be isolated from other classes. Therefore, this model does not include interactions with other people in the school.

These assumptions are best suited for primary school settings, where one classroom can be separated from the other as an initiative to reduce COVID-19 transmission in school settings. This approach was undertaken in the primary schools in England that remained open for vulnerable children and frontline workers in March 2020. This framework was also followed in schools that were reopened for selected age groups in June 2020.

Main findings

This model was applied to the autumn term (Term 1) in 2020 when UK schools first reopened for full classes and were used to forecast Term 1 2021. Researchers observed that testing-based (regular rapid lateral flow testing regime) surveillance was more effective than bubble-quarantine, as the latter could lead to many absentees. The augmented PCR tests had little benefit since a positive lateral flow result was, in most cases, confirmed by a PCR test.

Further, maintaining a reduced contact rate had a major beneficial impact on managing the spread of infection in school settings. The model suggested that implementing practices that reduce contact could lower in-school transmission by up to 30%.

The results supported the idea that outbreaks could be defined as infections exceeding five individuals in a class-sized mixing group. The forecasts indicated larger and more frequent infections in Term 1 of 2021. This is largely driven by the presence of the highly transmissible Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant. The worst-case scenario could be that all school classes will have at least one infection in Term 1 of 2021.

Conclusion

The model makes several assumptions and has some limitations. The study only focused on close contacts, which is a simplification of actual patterns of human interactions. The model also assumes each classroom to be isolated, but there may well be pupil-pupil interactions. The model could also consider other measures to mitigate transmission, for example, masks, cleaning, and ventilation. An important development point for the model could be forecast reliability. Conditional on that, the model could be combined with near real-time data on observed incidence to generate reasonably dependable short-term forecasts, out to a few weeks ahead.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Studies have determined that in-school transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 is rare when masking, social distancing and other safety protocols are followed. However, little has been known about COVID-19 risks at school for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These students often are unable to mask or maintain social distancing and may have underlying medical conditions that make them more susceptible to the virus and related complications.

New research shows that rapid saliva test screenings  aimed at early detection of the virus  contributed to exceedingly low transmission of the virus among students, teachers and staff in the six schools overseen by the Special School District of St. Louis County, the largest specialized education provider in Missouri. Precautions such as masking and social distancing also were implemented when appropriate. The study was led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, in collaboration with Special School District.

Our research shows that safety protocols can work in high-risk school settings. In-person instruction during the pandemic has been shown to be beneficial to students. However, what was lacking was specific guidance on how to safely return to in-person learning at schools serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We wanted our work to help provide clarity." Christina A. Gurnett, MD, PhD, study's senior author, the A. Ernest and Jane G. Stein Professor of Developmental Neurology and director of the Division of Pediatric and Developmental Neurology at Washington University

Weekly saliva testing detected fewer than two cases of school-based transmission during a six-month period in the six dedicated Special School District of St Louis County schools from November 2020 through May 2021.

The research is published in the Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

While the findings are reassuring, the researchers note that the study was conducted before the delta variant's surge in Missouri and across the globe.

"How the delta variant will impact school transmission rates is unknown," added Gurnett, who also serves as neurologist-in-chief at St. Louis Children's Hospital. "However, data show that vaccines  currently available to children ages 12 and older  are effective against the delta variant. While breakthrough infections do occur, they are rare, and the vaccine is effective against preventing severe infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Mitigation strategies such as masking and social distancing will provide protection to children who are too young to be vaccinated."

The research team said saliva test screenings can help maintain low transmission rates as students return to school. The simple test -; developed by the School of Medicine's Department of Genetics and the McDonnell Genome Institute, in collaboration with a biotechnology company -; provides same-day results.

Voluntary, weekly saliva tests were offered to Special School District teachers, staff and students beginning Nov. 20, 2020, and the research project will continue throughout the 2021-22 school year. The school district's six campuses serve more than 700 families that have children in kindergarten through the 12th grade.

"Ample, fast testing was key to detecting COVID-19 infections and allowing in-person instruction to resume within the high-risk school community," said co-author Jason Newland, MD, a professor of pediatrics who has advised multiple school districts in Missouri during the pandemic. "A return to campus was important because the pandemic has disproportionately impacted students with intellectual and developmental disabilities."

Some students have conditions such as neuromuscular disorders, orthopedic disabilities and severe autism; and some require gastric-tube feedings or breathe through a tube inserted in the airway.

"School is a place where many of the students receive health-care services and therapy," said Newland, who treats patients at St. Louis Children's Hospital. "They thrive on daily structure and in-person support for educational and social growth. When all of this is taken away, it can be devastating for students and their families."

Medical complexities that prevent students from masking or social distancing also pose potential exposure risks for the 605 teachers and staff who work on the school district's six campuses.

"It is reassuring that saliva screening tests and other safety protocols have helped to keep transmission rates low, even during the peak of the pandemic," said the study's first author, Michael R. Sherby, a project manager at the School of Medicine.

An average of 304 teachers, staff and students were tested each week, with a total of 7,289 tests performed. Altogether, the researchers identified 21 new SARS-CoV-2 positive participants.

During the 24-week period, researchers compared the school district's weekly positivity rates with rates among undergraduate students at Washington University, as reported by BJC HealthCare. The weekly mean positivity rate during the six-month testing period was 0.29% across all schools, which was less than the reported community positivity rate of 0.31% among the undergraduate students.

Furthermore, transmission within the Special School District was low, with only two positive cases identified out of 103 participants who were quarantined for in-school exposure. The researchers interviewed those participants, and only one positive COVID-19 case was definitively associated with school-based transmission. Another case was linked to exposures in a household and in school, making the source of that infection unclear. More common were exposures from family members, while traveling or during attendance at large gatherings such as parties or indoor sporting events.

"Recent emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant warrants cautious interpretation of these results and highlights the need for ongoing studies of mitigation strategy effectiveness for this evolving pathogen," Sherby said.

The ongoing study stems from a two-year, $5 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to provide underserved communities with rapid testing for COVID-19. The award supplements the Washington University Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, which aims to advance research in neurodevelopmental disorders and is funded by NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

The grant also involves faculty members from the Brown School and investigators at the University of Missouri-Kansas City's Institute for Human Development and the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore.
The latest special issue of PLOS Medicine features five studies outlining novel strategies for detecting cancer and for identifying minimal residual disease-; when a small number of tumor cells survive treatment, potentially leading to recurrence of cancer. The studies were selected by PLOS Medicine's editorial team and guest editors Chris Abbosh, Sarah-Jane Dawson, and Charles Swanton.

Last year, more than 19 million people around the world were newly diagnosed with cancer, and more than 10 million died from the disease. The ability to detect cancer early and to identify minimal residual disease could help improve timely treatment and lower these numbers.

Two of the featured studies discuss innovations in early detection. One, led by Jeffrey Szymanski of Washington University School of Medicine, United States demonstrates the potential for an approach called plasma cell-free DNA ultra-low-pass whole-genome sequencing to distinguish between benign and malignant tumors caused by the condition neurofibromatosis type 1-; and to help monitor the effectiveness of treatment.

The other, led by Brian Nicholson of the University of Oxford, UK outlines how routine clinical tests could be widely used to estimate the risk of cancer for people with unexpected weight loss.

The other three studies address minimal residual disease. Yaqi Wang of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, China, and colleagues showed that combining magnetic resonance imaging with measurements of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-; tumor DNA found in the bloodstream-; can help predict treatment effectiveness and risk of recurrence for people with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Meanwhile, Jeanne Tie of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Australia, and colleagues demonstrated that post-treatment ctDNA measurements can help predict the risk of relapse for people with colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver.

Lastly, Pradeep Chauhan of Washington University School of Medicine, the United States, and colleagues showed how next-generation sequencing of tumor DNA found in urine could aid in detecting minimal residual disease and guide personalized treatment for people with bladder cancer that has invaded the bladder wall.

The methods outlined in all five studies have the potential to be widely applied and could help inform the future of cancer care and research.
On the second day of high school in Texas, Natosha Daniels' 14-year-old daughter went all day without eating because she did not want to remove her mask.

The teen's school has a couple of thousand students, and the cafeteria was crowded. Plus Round Rock Independent School District outside Austin didnt require masks, so some students weren't wearing them. Even her honors biology teacher was maskless.

Daniels said her daughter, who like her is fully vaccinated, is terrified of bringing home the virus because it could infect her 7-year-old sibling, who is too young for a shot.

"She was like, 'Mama Im going to pass out,'" said Daniels, a Round Rock Black Parents Association member and former assistant principal in the district.

"Every morning I wake up with knots in my chest, just like, 'Am I making the right decision, putting myself and my child at risk for my older two to go to school?'" said Daniels, who is immunocompromised. "And my husband was like, 'Well the option still stands for you to go get an Airbnb and move out' with my youngest.  Do we sacrifice our savings? It's so hard."

After a difficult year or more of virtual learning, parents are eager to have their children back in classrooms. But even as the highly transmissible delta variant surges, school districts like Daniels' aren't beefing up protocols to prevent infections. Masks aren't mandated or enforced, according to teachers, parents and officials in several states. Physical distancing is nearly impossible. To top it off, students exposed to covid may not be required to quarantine despite guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, risking an even more rapid spread among children, the youngest of whom aren't yet eligible for vaccination.

The CDC advises quarantining up to 14 days for people who have had close contact with an infected person  within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period. (It exempts vaccinated people without symptoms.) This summer, the agency drafted an exception for schools: It's not considered close contact if both the infected and exposed students "correctly and consistently" wore masks. That means an unvaccinated but masked student who was exposed wouldn't have to quarantine.

But whether school districts follow CDC guidelines is an open question. And, in many cases, counties, states and the CDC don't issue the same advice.

Even if districts follow CDC guidance, success hinges on whether students consistently wear masks. In Round Rock, for example, quarantine is "strongly" recommended for students and staff members who had close contact with those infected, essentially leaving it up to parents whether to take a child out of school.

"An optional quarantine just doesnt work," said Allison Stewart, lead epidemiologist at Williamson County and Cities Health District, which oversees 12 school districts including most Round Rock schools. When not required, "it seems that theres only a cursory effort to actually identify contacts." And then only "a cursory effort to quarantine."

"There is more transmission occurring in a school setting than there is in the community right now," Stewart said, "which is the exact opposite of what happened last year."

The nation's largest school districts are mostly not following the CDC's close-contact exception for masked students, said Bree Dusseault, an analyst at the Center on Reinventing Public Education who is tracking state and district policies. The center reviewed 100 large and urban school districts and found that most of them gave students who are fully vaccinated and have close contact with an infected student an exemption from quarantine. Some require covid testing for students to return earlier than recommended, while others exempt those who've recently recovered from covid and, assumedly, have antibodies.

"Districts are managing on-the-ground politics," Dusseault said. "You may find leaders relying less on scientific recommendations and data and more on local preferences" and on "what theyre hearing."

"We know that masks aren't perfect," said Debra Pace, superintendent of the School District of Osceola County in Florida. Fully vaccinated people without symptoms are exempt from quarantine, but Osceola schools require any exposed students to quarantine for four to 10 days, depending on whether they showed symptoms or had a negative test.

"The delta variant is very different," Pace said. "As much as I hate to quarantine kids, if we don't quarantine, we risk having to shut a school down, which we absolutely don't want to do."

Each school's decision about who counts as a close contact affects contact tracing, a laborious process officials use to slow the spread of disease. The CDC's guidance curtails the number of school-based contacts for follow-up. Epidemiologists support the CDC's approach, said Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. She added that having clear consequences for not wearing masks seems to resonate with parents: Kids who don't mask up will miss more school.

"So many parents are interested  and I think rightly so  in having their children have in-person learning," Hamilton said.

But in Round Rock, protocols are squishy in part because state orders and guidelines conflict with federal recommendations. Only after the courts got involved did Round Rock ISD add a strong mask mandate last Thursday  a week into school and after dozens of new positive cases and hundreds of new close contacts among students were reported.

Ben Sterling, president of the local teachers union Education Round Rock, said staffers and students alike are not incentivized to follow covid rules, particularly related to quarantine. For staff members, one round of quarantine would use all 10 days of personal and sick leave they get annually. Those days roll over, but Sterling knows of teachers with health issues who haven't banked any. "The ones who are most vulnerable are going to get hit hardest, as per usual," he said.

Dusseault said Round Rock's policy is unusual because its optional. But the district is hardly alone  neighboring Leander ISD has a similar policy. Round Rock ISD requires anyone who tests positive for covid or is a probable case to quarantine for 10 days. For close contacts, it's merely suggested "because parents and students have a right to a free, appropriate public education under the federal law," said Jenny LaCoste-Caputo, Round Rock ISD's chief of public affairs and communications.

Leniency about covid safety doesn't sit well with Natosha Daniels. "I feel sick" about it, she said. "At best, they are, like, caving to this violent group of right-wing parents and, at worst, its like a blatant willingness to increase our community spread."

Quarantine isn't required for Round Rock employees because they would have to use personal and sick leave, LaCoste-Caputo said. The board of trustees approved covid leave only for staff members who test positive.

It is also "just not having the backing of our state government," said Amy Weir, president of the Round Rock ISD board of trustees.

The Texas legislature did not fund virtual learning, so school districts are covering the costs themselves. Weir said Round Rock ISD is paying $17.5 million to offer virtual learning for students younger than 12, who cannot get vaccinated. For older students, teachers upload handouts of curated lessons.

On the second day of classes, the middle school where Sterling teaches saw its first case. He and another teacher said the student who tested positive was sometimes maskless and around others without masks. Yet, they said, the school told the families of that child's classmates that no one was a close contact.

The school, they said, is not requiring seating charts, which would help staff members track student movement, nor do school officials know who is vaccinated or unvaccinated, which factors into the school district's close-contact definition. It's all handled on the honor system.

"Youre saying, Choose between going to work and quarantining your child for 10 days,'" Daniels said. "This is the world that we are in  creates these systems that leave parents with no choice."
Jeffersonville, IN (47130)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 69F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 69F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
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(Newser)  Update: After the Wall Street Journal published the story of an Afghan interpreter who helped get then-Sen. Joe Biden out of Afghanistan in 2008, White House officials pledged to now get the interpreter out too. Politico quotes White House chief of staff Ron Klain as saying that he "read in that story that [Mohammed] did not finish the [Special Immigrant Visa] process because of some complexity with his employer. It doesnt matter. We're going to cut through the red tape. We're going to find this gentleman ... and we're going to get him and the other SIVs out." Our original story follows:

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Mohammed is an Afghan man who helped President Biden when he was stranded in a remote area of the country in 2008 during a trip on Senate business. Now, Mohammed is stranded in Afghanistan. In early 2008weeks after he suspended his second presidential campaign and months before he became Barack Obama's running mateBiden was stranded in a mountain valley when the Black Hawk helicopters carrying him and two other senators were forced to land during a snowstorm, the Wall Street Journal reports. The area wasn't the safest: Around two dozen Taliban fighters had been killed in a battle with US troops 10 miles away a day earlier.

Mohammed, then an interpreter for the US Army, joined a Quick Reaction Force that drove for hours from Bagram Air Field through heavy snow on a rescue mission, former Arizona National Guard staff sergeant Brian Genthe tells the Journal. He says Mohammeda trusted interpreter who was given a weapon when he accompanied soldiers on dangerous missionsstayed with soldiers guarding the helicopters as a convoy brought Biden, then chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sens. John Kerry and Chuck Hagel back to Bagram.

Genthe says Mohammed's visa application was held up after a defense contractor lost recordsand after the Taliban takeover this month, he was told by US soldiers at Kabul's airport that he could enter, but not his wife and four children. Army veterans who had supported the visa application urged lawmakers to help, but Mohammed and his family didn't make it out and they are now in hiding. "Hello Mr. President: Save me and my family," he told the Journal Monday. "Dont forget me here." (Read more Afghanistan stories.)
(Newser)  A New Jersey woman advertising herself on Instagram as the AntiVaxMomma sold about 250 fake COVID-19 vaccination cards at $200 a pop to New York City-area jab dodgers, including people working in hospitals and nursing homes, prosecutors said Tuesday. For an extra $250, a second scammer would then enter a bogus card buyer's name into a New York state vaccination database, which feeds systems used to verify vaccine status at places they're required, such as concerts and sporting events, prosecutors said. Jasmine Clifford, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, was charged Tuesday with offering a false instrument, criminal possession of a forged instrument, and conspiracy, reports the AP.

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According to prosecutors, Clifford started hawking forged CDC vaccination cards through her AntiVaxMomma Instagram account in May. A New York state police investigator who became aware of the scam a few weeks later tested it by contacting Clifford to order a fake card and to be added to the state vaccine database, prosecutors said. In July, the investigator said in court papers, he received a package containing a CDC COVID-19 vaccination card marked with the name and date of birth he provided and a cellphone screenshot showing the info he provided had also been added to the state database.

Clifford's alleged co-conspirator, Nadayza Barkley, of Bellport, Long Island, faces charges of offering a false instrument and conspiracy. Prosecutors say Barkley entered at least 10 names into the state's vaccine database while working at a Patchogue medical clinic and received payments for her work from Clifford through the services Zelle and CashApp. Thirteen alleged card purchasers were also charged. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. called on tech companies to crack down on vaccine card fraudsters: "The stakes are too high to tackle fake vaccination cards with whack-a-mole prosecutions." (Read more coronavirus vaccine stories.)
(Newser)  A Cincinnati judge has rescinded his order that a man get vaccinated as part of his probation requirements. It wasnt the only condition Chris Wagner set for Brandon Rutherford, 21, who was sentenced to two years probation for possession of fentanyl. And Rutherford didnt immediately object, either. But he didnt do it, and now, a month later, hes off the hook. Wagner rescinded the order at a hearing Tuesday, per the AP. Wagner told Rutherford it wasnt his role as a judge to teach you to be a better person, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. In a motion asking the judge to vacate the order, Carl Lewis, Rutherford's attorney, argued that it "serves no rehabilitative purpose" and "has no relationship to the crime for which he was convicted," reports Fox 19.

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At the hearing, Wagner alluded to the reason why vaccination was initially part of his order. He said he was one of several judges who had contracted COVID, and that he was concerned for the safety of all of the officialsjudges, lawyers, probation officersRutherford would contact in the next two years. He went on to tell Rutherford that the vaccine is not experimental but in wide use, and pointed him to a program at the local health department that is giving away $100 gift cards with shots, the Enquirer reports. (Read more COVID-19 stories.)
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(Newser)  Heavy rains from Hurricane Ida have forced Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee to cancel as organizers say the waterlogged festival grounds are unsafe for driving or camping. The annual festival was scheduled to start Thursday on the site of a former farm in Manchester, about an hour southeast of Nashville, the AP reports. On social media Tuesday, the festival said that tremendous rainfall over the last 24 hours, remnants of Ida's powerful winds and rain, have saturated the paths and camping areas. The festival had earlier warned fans that camping capacity would be reduced because of the rain, but by Tuesday afternoon, the festival said its central stage area was also waterlogged.

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Artists who were scheduled to headline include Tyler, the Creator, deadmau5, Lizzo, My Morning Jacket, Foo Fighters, and Megan Thee Stallion. The festival's attendance in 2019 was around 80,000 but last year's event was postponed to this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Refunds were being offered for fans. More from Ida:
(Newser)  Reps. Seth Moulton and Peter Meijer made it into Afghanistan without authorization. The Washington Post reports another congressman has tried and failed to do the same. Rep. Markwayne Mullin has allegedly tried to make his way into the country twice in the past two weeks to carry out an evacuation effort. The Oklahoma Republican reportedly first traveled to Greece, where he last week sought Department of Defense approval to travel to Kabul; it was denied. On Monday, he allegedly called the US ambassador to Tajikistan saying he wanted to fly into the capital of Dushanbe from Tblisi, Georgia, that same day.

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He had cash in excess of what he would be permitted to bring into Tajikistan and wanted Ambassador John Mark Pommersheim's help in entering with it; the money would reportedly be used to hire a helicopter with which Mullin could get an American woman and her four kids out of Afghanistan. Pommersheim said he couldn't arrange an exception, and officials tell the paper Mullin got combative in his response. As for Mullin's current status, a rep said in a statement that he "has been and is currently completely safe."

She added that he "will continue to do anything in our power to bring home all Americans from the war zone that President Biden abandoned." Mullin's current whereabouts are unknown, but the Tulsa World reports that in a Wednesday morning text he appeared to confirm some of the Post's reporting. He wrote, "Am I helping get Americans out of Afghanistan yes. [Am] I missing no, did I go dark for a little, yes because it wasn't safe to be communicating." (Read more Afghanistan stories.)
(Newser)  Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is threatening social media and telecommunications companies that comply with the House's investigation of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, while warning of a Democratic "surveillance state." The California Republican on Tuesday took issue with investigators' Monday request that more than 30 companiesincluding Apple, AT&T, and Verizonpreserve records relevant to the attack. He claimed compliance with the request to save records from April 1, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021, would be a violation of federal law and "put every American with a phone or computer in the crosshairs of a surveillance state run by Democrat politicians," per Politico.

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Appearing Tuesday on MSNBC, Rep. Adam Schiff said McCarthy and former President Trump are "scared" and "don't want the country to know exactly what they were involved in." The Democratic-led committee, which includes two anti-Trump Republicans, wants to get a handle on communications between Trump and members of Congress, including McCarthy, on Jan. 6, though there's been no request for records yet. "We've asked companies not to destroy records that may help answer questions for the American people," says a spokesperson. "The committee's efforts won't be deterred by those who want to whitewash or cover up the events of January 6th, or obstruct our investigation."

"If companies still choose to violate federal law, a Republican majority will not forget and will stand with Americans to hold them fully accountable under the law," McCarthy threatened, claiming such companies would be "subject to losing their ability to operate in the United States." CNN reports McCarthy's office would not provide "a specific federal statute that a company would be in violation of if it complied with a duly empaneled congressional committee." While the committee has subpoena power, requests for phone or social media records, especially those of members of Congress, could result in a legal fight, per CNN. (The committee already requested communications from the Trump White House.)
(Newser)  Authorities in Hawaii say a tourist tried to get in with a fake vaccine card, one that had a telltale giveaway. The card misspelled Moderna as "Maderna," reports Gizmodo. After further digging, officials at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on the island of Oahu determined that 24-year-old Chloe Mrozak of suburban Chicago had received no COVID shot at all. And this isn't just a matter of being turned away as a tourist: Mrozak is being held on $2,000 bail, and she faces the possibility of a year in jail and a $5,000 fine if convicted, per KITV. Hawaii is allowing in touristsalthough the governor would prefer that people stay away for a few monthsbut those who are not fully vaccinated must quarantine for 10 days upon arrival.

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Hawaii isn't the only state dealing with alleged vaccination fraud. Authorities on Tuesday accused a New Jersey woman of selling 250 or so fake vaccination cards via Instagram, reports NJ.com. Jasmine Clifford, under her online handle "AntiVaxMomma," allegedly sold them for $200 apiece, per the Manhattan District Attorneys Office. For an extra $250, people could have their names added to New York's immunization database by a clinic worker allegedly in on the scheme. (Read more Hawaii stories.)
(Newser)  Job openings have been at record levels this summer. Add two more openings to the tally. Two high-profile FDA vaccine regulators will depart the agency this fall, and the New York Times gives two points of context: One, that their exit could throw a wrench into the process of deciding whether to recommend COVID vaccines for kids under 12. Two, its sources say the move was in part due to frustration over the Biden administration's announcement about vaccine boosters, which they reportedly saw as premature. Who "they" are: Dr. Marion Gruber, director of the Office of Vaccines Research and Review, and Dr. Philip Krause, deputy director of the office.

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Gruber will retire Oct. 31, and Krause will exit in November, per an internal email sent Tuesday. In announcing in mid-August that Americans should receive a booster shot eight months after being fully vaccinated, the administration did state that the plan would first need to be OKed by the FDA, which is still reviewing booster shots' safety and effectiveness. The Times reports some saw that as "undermin[ing] the agencys responsibility to make that assessment on its own schedule, led by career scientists."

CNBC cites reporting in biotech industry publication Endpoints News that Gruber and Krause were also irritated that the CDC and its advisory committee were being looped into decisions they felt were under the FDA's purview. CNN reports the news came as a shock to many within the FDA, and it cites its own prior reporting that morale isn't the strongest right now due in part to the stress and demands of the job during the pandemic. (Read more FDA stories.)
(Newser)  The Atlanta Journal-Constitution took the rare step of publishing a front-page editorial on Tuesday pleading with people to get vaccinated because local hospitals are so overwhelmed. The problem isn't confined to Atlanta, as USA Today reports that hospitals across the US are once again bracing for shortages of oxygen. But another theme is emerging in COVID coverage, toothe notion that the delta surge may have peaked or is on the cusp of doing so.

Two-month cycles: In the New York Times, David Leonhardt notes that delta seems to cause a huge spike in cases for roughly two months before numbers fall. It's happened in India, Britain, Thailand, France, Spain, and elsewhere. The US is now around the 2-month mark, and the number of new cases last week was the lowest since June. Caseloads in Florida, Mississippi, and other states are declining from peaks in August. Leonhardt stresses there's no guarantee the "mysterious" pattern will hold. His story digs into the possible explanations for the cycle, which generally held true for previous variants as well.

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Another: Fortune notes that one of the most widely used metrics, that of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, projects that the delta wave has crested and that cases will drop over the ensuing weeks. A number of Wall Street analysts are sounding a similar theme. However, the story counters that with plenty of caveats, including the potential for yet another variant to cause a new surge. Factors such as the return to school and holiday travel also are in play.

Fortune notes that one of the most widely used metrics, that of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, projects that the delta wave has crested and that cases will drop over the ensuing weeks. A number of Wall Street analysts are sounding a similar theme. However, the story counters that with plenty of caveats, including the potential for yet another variant to cause a new surge. Factors such as the return to school and holiday travel also are in play. Yin and yang: A story at Bloomberg looks at both the optimistic view ("viral surges never last more than a few months") as well as the pessimistic one. "Even if the delta wave flames out soon, improvements could prove short-lived," the story notes. In Britain, for example, it's true that caseloads fell after a two-month spike, but as students have returned to school, case numbers are "creeping higher" again. Leonhardt suggests relaxed restrictions may be playing a role in the new British caseloads as well. The best solution for everyone? "Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine," one epidemiologist tells him.

A story at Bloomberg looks at both the optimistic view ("viral surges never last more than a few months") as well as the pessimistic one. "Even if the delta wave flames out soon, improvements could prove short-lived," the story notes. In Britain, for example, it's true that caseloads fell after a two-month spike, but as students have returned to school, case numbers are "creeping higher" again. Leonhardt suggests relaxed restrictions may be playing a role in the new British caseloads as well. The best solution for everyone? "Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine," one epidemiologist tells him. Vaccinations up: One factor pleasing health authorities is that the pace of vaccinations appears to be rising again. White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeffrey Zients said Tuesday that 14 million US residents received shots in August, up 4 million from July, reports NPR. He credits an increase in vaccine mandates in part. In the US, 52.4% of the population is now fully vaccinated and 61.8% has received at least one dose.

(Read more COVID-19 stories.)
(Newser)  A Brazilian bull rider was killed Sunday when his spur got caught in a rope, pulling him under the bull, and the animal stepped on his chest in California, according to the Professional Bull Riders touring group. Amadeu Campos Silva, 22, was competing at a bull-riding Velocity Tour event at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, said Andrew Giangola, a rep for Professional Bull Riders. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. Campos Silva lost his balance and his spur got stuck in the flank strap, which is wrapped around the bull's lower torso to encourage it to buck. In a "freak accident," Campos Silva was pulled underneath the bull, which then stomped on his chest, Giangola said.

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Giangola said the bull, named "Classic Man," will still be eligible for future events despite the tragedy. The bull was not at fault, he said, per the AP. "It clearly was not an act of aggression," he said. "The bull was bucking in his normal pattern." Described as "a bull rider with a lot of promise," Campos Silva competed in the 2020 Professional Bull Riders World Finals after debuting in the United States the year before. He was pursuing his dream to support his family. "He was a determined cowboy," Giangola said.

(Read more bull riding stories.)
(Newser)  We've apparently reached that point in the pandemic where toilet paper is a hot commodity again. Procter & Gamble, the largest US manufacturer of toilet paper and paper towels, announced it is boosting productionoperating factories 24 hours per day, seven days a weekin response to increased demand. The moves comes as several retailers reported they were seeing limits being placed on P&G paper shipments to stores, reports the Wall Street Journal. The good news, though, is that toilet paper is not nearly as hard to find as it was in the early days of the pandemic.

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Paper products were 86% in stock as of Aug. 29, according to market-research firm IRI. That's lower than average but a far cry from the 40% level we hit last year. Still, paper-product sales were up 8% in the three weeks ending Aug. 22 compared to the same period a year ago, according to IRI. Business Insider reports customers have been complaining about shortages of toilet paper and water at some Costco stores since July. Others complained that the retailer was limiting purchases of toilet paper, as many stores did early on in the pandemic.

While supply-chain disruptions and labor shortages remain an issue, P&G cites the delta variant as one of the reasons that Americans are buying more home essentials, including toilet paper. In a July survey of 1,000 adults cited by Supermarket News, 69% said they were considering replenishing their stockpile of groceries and other essential items due to the delta variant. The top stockpile items: toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and paper towels. (Read more toilet paper stories.)
(Newser)  Firefighters battling to save the Lake Tahoe resort area got some help from the weather overnight. Operations section chief Tim Ernst told firefighters Wednesday morning that they had "lucked out" with winds that were not as fierce as expected, allowing them to make progress defending the South Lake Tahoe area, the AP reports. Officials say some remote cabins in the area have burned, but it's not clear how manyand with swirling winds expected, the threat is still very real.

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"The problem is its not one direction. It comes from the canyons in all directions," Dave Lauchner, a battalion chief with the Sacramento Fire Department, tells the Los Angeles Times. "This fire does stuff Ive never seen before." Lauchner expects the Caldor Fireonly the second fire, after the still-burning Dixie Fire, to span the Sierra Nevada mountains from east to westto peter out amid sparser vegetation higher in the mountains. The areas where it is burning now haven't seen a major wildfire in around 80 years.

Only a handful of people remained in South Lake Tahoe after a Monday evacuation order, and bears have been seen roaming the streets, reports the Sacramento Bee. The fire is now burning toward the California-Nevada border, where the Heavenly ski resort has turned on snow-making machines to keep the slopes wet and slow the fire down. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued in parts of Nevada's Douglas County, though casinos were excluded, per the AP. (Read more California wildfires stories.)
(Newser)  Two years ago, Elijah McClain went out to buy some iced tea for his brother and ended up dead. Now, three police officerstwo current and one formerhave been indicted in the 23-year-old Black man's death, along with two paramedics. Arrest warrants were issued for all five Wednesday after a state grand jury indicted them on charges including manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, the Denver Post reports. McClain was stopped by police as he walked home from a store in Aurora, Colorado on Aug. 24, 2019. Officers, who said he hadn't obeyed an order to stop walking, put the 140-pound man in a carotid hold before paramedics injected him with ketamine. He suffered multiple cardiac arrests and was declared brain dead when he arrived at a hospital. He was taken off life support six days later.

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A review carried out by the city of Aurora found that officers did not have good cause to stop McClain, the AP reports. A 911 caller had said he was waving his arms around and seemed "sketchy." Family members say he had been listening to music and was wearing a ski mask because his anemia caused him to get cold easily. In police body camera footage, McClain, who was unarmed, can he heard saying: "Im just different, thats all. Thats all I was doing. Im so sorry. I have no gun. I dont do that stuff." Friends and relatives described McClain, a massage therapist, as a gentle, eccentric introvert who spent his lunch breaks playing the violin to comfort abandoned cats at animal shelters.

No charges were brought at the time, but Gov. Jared Polis called for a new investigation last year amid the national protests over police violence that followed George Floyd's death. The 32-count indictment also includes assault charges against the paramedics and two of the officers, CNN reports. Two of the officers, Nathan Woodyard and Randy Roedema, are still employed by the Aurora Police Department, the Post reports. The third, Jason Rosenblatt, was fired last year for replying "ha ha" to a photo of fellow officers smiling as they re-enacted the carotid hold at a memorial site for McClain.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced the indictments Wednesday. "We're here today because Elijah McClain is not here and he should be," he said. "When he died he was only 23 years old. He had his whole life ahead of him and his family and his friends must now go on and must live without him." (Read more Elijah McClain stories.)
(Newser)  A California school district is still waiting for the return of about 27 students who went to Afghanistan on summer break with their families. The Sacramento County students were there to visit relatives and for other personal reasons, USA Today reports. "We believe that some of these families may be in transit out of Afghanistan, as we have not been able to reach many of them in the last few days," Raj Rai, director of communications for the district, wrote in an email. The Sacramento area's population of Afghan immigrants is among the largest in the US.

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The final US flight removing evacuees was Monday night. It wasn't clear if the students and their families are US citizens, per NBC. A spokesperson said the State Department is working to help US citizens and their families, lawful permanent residents, and Afghans who helped US personnel during the war evacuate. School district officials said they're working with congressional offices and state officials to provide any information they receive from the students or their families. "San Juan Unified stands with our Afghan community and all those whose loved ones are currently in Afghanistan," Rai said. (Students and staff of the American University in Kabul were told Sunday that they would not be evacuated.)
(Newser)  A federal bankruptcy judge gave conditional approval Wednesday to a sweeping, potentially $10 billion plan submitted by OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to settle a mountain of lawsuits over its role in the opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the past two decades. Under the settlement, the Sackler family will give up ownership of the company and contribute $4.5 billion. But the Sacklers will be shielded from any future lawsuits over opioids. David Sackler, a former Purdue board member, had testified that family members would not accept the agreement unless it protected them from lawsuits. From the AP:

The settlement. The drugmaker itself will be reorganized into a new company with a board appointed by public officials and will funnel its profits into government-led efforts to prevent and treat addiction. Also, the settlement sets up a compensation fund that will pay some victims an expected $3,500 to $48,000 each.

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Judge has "no fondness" for Sacklers . After an all-day hearing in which he analyzed the plan's pros and cons for a nonstop 6 hours, US Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain said he would approve it as long as two relatively small changes were made. If so, he said, he will formally enter the decision on Thursday. He said that while he does not have "fondness for the Sacklers or sympathy for them," collecting money from them through lawsuits instead of a settlement would be complicated.

. After an all-day hearing in which he analyzed the plan's pros and cons for a nonstop 6 hours, US Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain said he would approve it as long as two relatively small changes were made. If so, he said, he will formally enter the decision on Thursday. He said that while he does not have "fondness for the Sacklers or sympathy for them," collecting money from them through lawsuits instead of a settlement would be complicated. Company faced 3K lawsuits. The deal comes nearly two years after the Connecticut-based company filed for bankruptcy under the weight of some 3,000 lawsuits from states and local governments, individuals, Native American tribes, hospitals, unions and other entities. They accuse Purdue Pharma of fueling the crisis by aggressively pushing sales of its best-selling prescription painkiller.

AGs plan to appeal . The attorneys general of Connecticut, the District of Columbia, and Washington state immediately announced they will either appeal the ruling or explore the possibility of doing so. The Sacklers "should not be allowed to manipulate bankruptcy laws to evade justice and protect their blood money," Connecticut's William Tong said. Under the settlement, the Sacklers were not given immunity from criminal charges, though there have been no indications they will face any.

. The attorneys general of Connecticut, the District of Columbia, and Washington state immediately announced they will either appeal the ruling or explore the possibility of doing so. The Sacklers "should not be allowed to manipulate bankruptcy laws to evade justice and protect their blood money," Connecticut's William Tong said. Under the settlement, the Sacklers were not given immunity from criminal charges, though there have been no indications they will face any. "We will have to live" without apology. Drain noted that none of the four Sacklers who testified offered an explicit apology. "A forced apology is not really an apology, so we will have to live without one," he said.

(Read more Purdue Pharma stories.)
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Metro Creative

Alaska would implement a 2% state sales tax next year under a bill before lawmakers meeting in special session to address fiscal policy. Under the terms of the bill, many essential items for Alaskans would be exempted, including groceries, medication, feminine hygiene products and heating oil.
Fairbanks is following a national trend. Nationwide, ivermectin sales have skyrocketed in the past few weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Shutterstock
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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has stressed the importance of continuing to explore further opportunities for cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and India.

It reflects the vision and aspirations of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister made the remarks as he received yesterday the Minister of State for External Affairs of the Republic of India, Shri V. Muraleedharan, at Riffa Palace, as part of His Excellencys visit to the Kingdom.

His Royal Highness highlighted the strength of bilateral relations, particularly within economic cooperation and investment, underpinned by the historical relationship between the two countries.

HRH Prince Salman received the greetings of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed by Minister Muraleedharan, and in response offered greetings to the Prime Minister. His Royal Highness emphasised the importance of furthering bilateral trade and encouraging two-way investment, to achieve economic growth and prosperity for both countries.

He noted the cooperation and coordination between the two countries in responding to COVID-19, as well as the valuable contribution the Indian community make to Bahrains development.

Regional and international topics of common interest were reviewed, and HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister commended the role played by India alongside others in enhancing regional security and stability.

Muraleedharan expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to meet His Royal Highness and his appreciation for his continued support in boosting Bahrain-India relations. The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The High Criminal Court has sentenced a senior employee at the Jaffaria Waqf Directorate and a businesswoman to 10 years in prison each in a major corruption case.

The employee was accused of wasting money worth a whopping BD60 million in addition to receiving a bribe worth BD16,000 from his co-defendant. According to court files, the defendant was a director at the Directorates land classification department.

He allegedly received the bribe from the woman after he pledged to change the classification of land she rented from his organisation, but his failure to do so prompted her to reveal what happened during a meeting with officials from the Jaffaria Waqf.

She said that the defendant requested her to issue a BD16,000 cheque and without writing the recipients name. As a result, his superiors launched a comprehensive investigation which didnt just conclude with that the defendant received a bribe, but he also wasted BD60 million with his misconducts during his tenure. It was discovered that the defendants wife received the money.
Marine from Missouri among those killed in Afghanistan

One of the 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan was a Marine who grew up in the St. Louis area
Cincinnati, OH (45221)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 69F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 69F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
DANBURY  The remnants of Tropical Depression Ida, which devastated New Orleans earlier this week as a hurricane, began affecting the area Wednesday and a flash flood watch is in effect into Thursday afternoon.

The National Weather Service said Wednesday in a statement that its possible the area could see three to six inches of rain, with the heaviest rain occurring overnight. The NWS issued a tornado watch Wednesday for all of Fairfield County, along with other areas of Connecticut. The watch was in effect until 1 a.m. Thursday.

No flooding was reported in Danbury Wednesday afternoon, shortly after a heavy band of rain passed through, Mayor Joe Cavo said. With more rain potentially falling later in the day, he said he was concerned drivers wouldnt see standing water on the road at night.

Its Mother Nature, Cavo said. Whatever she brings, well deal with. We just want people to be careful.

The National Weather Services Albany office issued a flood warning for the area east of Danbury around the Stevenson Dam in Oxford.

Cavo warned residents to avoid flood waters in a pre-recorded phone call Tuesday evening. Through their social media pages, local police and fire departments warned residents of the potential for flooding.

Danburys public works, fire and police crews prepared for the rainfall ahead of time, Cavo said.

They were out (Tuesday) and (Wednesday) making sure storm drains from (Tropical) Storm Henri were OK and cleaned, he said.

After last weeks tropical storm, the city was forced to close a section of Main Street that frequently floods in storms. City officials are working on a long-term project to divert drivers from the area during flooding, Cavo said.

In Bethel, officials told residents to prepare for the possibility of basement flooding, and advised them to check sump pumps, clear drains and move any furniture at risk of getting wet.

Were not really expecting any power outages  there could be some spot outages here and there, said First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker. The big concern really is flooding.

One area that typically floods in Bethel is area under the railroad overpass, which crosses Route 53. Knickerbocker said that issue is in the hands of the state and Metro-North officials.

Theres really nothing you can do except block off the road and wait for the level to go down, which usually takes a day or so, the first selectman said. He also advised people not to try to drive through floodwaters.

You never know how deep it is, you could flood out your engine, Knickerbocker said.

Early Wednesday afternoon, Mike Boucher, highway foreman for the town of New Milford, said crews are at Still River Drive at the roundabout on Pickett District Road, clearing catch basins of debris and checking runoffs to make sure that they're open.

All of Connecticut and nearby regions of New York, New Jersey and southern New England are under a flash flood watch. The watch expires Thursday afternoon in southern Connecticut.

Flooding of fast responding rivers and streams is likely, with potential flooding of main stem rivers as well that could linger into the day Thursday, the National Weather Service said.

Staff writer Sandra Diamond Fox contributed reporting.
NEW FAIRFIELD  In addition to low vaccination and rising infection rates among New Fairfield residents, some are concerned about enforcement  or lack thereof  of the townwide mask mandate implemented in August.

Selectman Kim Hanson said he fully supports the mandate but there are places in town where its not being followed.

Right now its being taken, at best, semi-seriously. Theres not one particular establishment  its almost every place I go, he said during last weeks Board of Selectmen meeting.

Acknowledging some peoples discontent with mask-wearing despite the ongoing pandemic, Hanson said he believes enforcement of the mandate must be improved.

People are going to hate me, but I really think we have to enforce it, he said. I think if we do it once, people will actually take it seriously.

While she agrees more mandate enforcement is needed, First Selectman Pat Del Monaco said the requirements for doing so  such as determining whether someone has a medical reason for not wearing a mask, simply forgot to wear one or is flat out defying the mandate  is difficult.

To really catch all instances would be difficult for our municipal agent, she said Monday, noting the municipal agent assigned to enforce local COVID-19 restrictions is New Fairfields fire marshal.

Right now, the towns approach to enforcing the mandate is through encouragement.

We continually encourage people to wear masks to protect not only themselves, but other members of the community, Del Monaco said, adding that all business owners in town were informed of the mandate when it went into effect.

Del Monaco said its important for people to understand why the mandate was put in place.

What the science is showing us is that vaccinated people can become infected, she said. Although theyre less likely to become infected, they can carry the same viral load in their nose and throat as an unvaccinated person  and at the same time be mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic.

Regardless of vaccination status, Del Monaco said mask-wearing helps protect not only the person wearing the mask, but those around them.

Its not just for your protection. It is for the community and protecting those around you, she said. Those children under 12 who cant be vaccinated, immunocompromised people, elderly people who may not have mounted a strong response to the vaccine  thats why were mandating masks indoors.

Del Monaco continues to urge unvaccinated, eligible residents to at least consider getting vaccinated, and for everyone  regardless of vaccination status  to wear masks.

I hope everyone takes it seriously. For the sake of your neighbors, your friends, your loved ones, your community, please wear masks indoors in public spaces, she said.

Mandate compliance is not only important for health safety reasons, Hanson said, but it will help keep things somewhat normal.

Think back to when you couldnt go into the grocery store; when you couldnt go into the restaurants. If we dont get on top of this, thats where its going  and we dont want to go there  so please just follow the mask mandate, he said. Hopefully then we avoid going back to the inconvenience  not to mention illnesses and deaths  that we had.
RIDGEFIELD  As the morning sun gleamed over the distant, tree-studded hillside, students arrived at Ridgefield High School for their first day of classes.

Many were thrilled to report to the building bright and early Tuesday since they were split into cohorts the year before. The arrangement was part of a hybrid learning model that the district adopted due to the pandemic.

The return to full, in-person instruction is a welcome change for high school students who have yet to set foot in the building despite being enrolled there. The district is not offering a remote or hybrid option this year, and masks are required for all individuals regardless of vaccination status.

A group of student leaders spoke with Hearst Connecticut Media before first period to discuss how this school year differs from the last.

Junior Charlotte Kemp said she feels shell be able to dive fully into this school year since the district has more concrete protocols in place. She added that on the days she learned remotely, she felt little division between home and school.

Sophomore Hannah Yu agreed. My first day of freshman year was online, which was weird  I woke up and felt like I had no place to go, she recalled. Last year I couldnt see half my friend group because we were in different cohorts, so Im excited were back in person.

Junior Jack Federici said he and his peers would yield better outcomes now that theyre physically back in the classroom.

I learn better in person since its easier to pay attention, but it will also be easier for teachers since theyre not instructing different groups of kids, he explained. Its a year for the better.

Junior Lizzy Garson is most excited to see the hallways filled with faces again, even though theyll all be masked. And junior Matthew Uy is anticipating the return of in-person events such as club meetings, musicals and concerts. He plays violin in the high schools orchestra.

It feels like normal ... but also feels safe at the same time, he said.

Superintendent weighs in

Superintendent Susie Da Silva said the district had a great start to the new school year. With more knowledge of the virus at their disposal, she explained, administrators were able to better prepare for the year ahead.

Our kids know what to do and we know what to do, she said. Between (Monday) and (Tuesday) kids were incredibly compliant with mask-wearing  they were just so happy to be in school.

The district did not experience any protests from parents denouncing the districts mask mandate during the first two days of school, Da Silva said.

School officials will keep a close eye on local COVID-19 cases to inform how to proceed with quarantines, continued instruction and enhancing that learning.

And while the total percentage of unvaccinated faculty members within the district is unknown, Da Silva said those individuals will be able to partake in weekly COVID screenings to mitigate transmission.

Yes there are differences than before COVID, but it feels like a very typical school year, she added. Teachers get to teach and kids get to learn.

alyssa.seidman@hearstmediact.com
The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to halt the October execution of a man convicted of a triple killing who claimed his intellectual disability made him ineligible for the death penalty.

Ernest Lee Johnson, 61, is scheduled to die by injection Oct. 5 at the state prison in Bonne Terre. It would be the first execution in Missouri since convicted killer Walter Barton was put to death in May 2020.

Johnson's attorney, Kansas City public defender Jeremy Weis, said he is still weighing options about what to do next. Weis said Johnson meets all statutory and clinical definitions of intellectual disability and has an IQ that in various tests has ranged from 67 to 77. The Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits executing intellectually disabled people.

Johnson was convicted of killing 46-year-old Mary Bratcher, 57-year-old Mable Scruggs and 58-year-old Fred Jones during a closing-time robbery of a Caseys General Store in Columbia in February 1994. Johnson wanted money to buy drugs, authorities said.

All three workers were beaten to death with a claw hammer. Bratcher also was stabbed at least 10 times with a screwdriver and Jones was shot in the face. The bodies were hid in a cooler.

Johnson was arrested after police found a bank bag, stolen money and store receipts at his home.

Johnson had previously asked that his execution be carried out by firing squad. His lawyers argued that Missouri's lethal injection drug, pentobarbital, could trigger seizures. In 2008 Johnson had most, but not all, of a benign brain tumor removed, and a later MRI revealed that up to 20% of his brain tissue was also removed.

But Missouri law does not authorize execution by firing squad and the U.S. Supreme Court in May refused to consider Johnson's appeal. The Missouri Supreme Court, in its decision on Tuesday, also declined to halt the execution based on concerns about the drug.

Johnson has been sentenced to death three times.

He was already on death row in 2001 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that executing the mentally ill was unconstitutionally cruel and a new sentencing hearing was ordered. Johnson was again sentenced to death in 2003. The Missouri Supreme Court tossed that sentence, too. In 2006, Johnson was sentenced to death again.
Procure controlled substances, including by import, synthesis, propagation, cultivation, and harvesting of psychedelic mushrooms for Psilocybin extraction;

Research and manufacture controlled substances such as Psilocybin and Psilocin;

Business-to-business sale of controlled substances, including by export; and

Sale of controlled substances via pharmacies.

Known for its renowned cannabis concentrate products, Adastra has now successfully taken the first steps to become a licensed cultivator, tester, extractor, and seller of controlled substances, including Psilocybin, Psilocin, MDMA, N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 5-MeO-DMT, and LSD . When the Dealer's license is formally approved, Adastra Labs expects to conduct the majority of this work out of its 13,500 square foot, state-of-the-art extraction, and production facility located in Langley, BC.

"Adastra Labs' laboratory is perfectly positioned to conduct groundbreaking research into psychedelic formulations and testing due to the existing GMP-compliant construction, security and our proven track record operating in the cannabis sector," said Donald Dinsmore, COO, Corporate Secretary and a director of the Company. "With this infrastructure in place, securing a Controlled Drugs and Substances Dealer's License a logical next step for the Company. Putting quality first throughout, our processes will allow us to serve the emerging medical market for these substances."

The Company expects that having the ability to do extraction research and development into psychedelic compounds will prepare it to collaborate with partners such as medical doctors, pharmaceutical companies, and pharmacies as clinical trials lead to the legalization of psychedelics and the advancement of micro-dosing in the near future.

"Ongoing research into compounds like Psilocybin has demonstrated that there may be significant positive impacts when psychedelics are used to treat mental health issues such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, and even migraines," said Michael Forbes, CEO and a director of Adastra. "With our team's extensive background in plant biochemistry, pharmacology, and chemistry, as well as clear indications of changing societal and regulatory environments regarding psychedelic treatments for mental health issues, it is clear that Adastra is well-suited to enter into the psychedelic space."

Health Canada has advised that it commits to 270 calendar days from the date of receipt for processing these applications and expects to finish the review of Adastra's application by March 2022.

Submission of the Company's Dealer's Licence application is subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, including any necessary approvals by the CSE.

About Adastra Holdings Ltd.

Founded in 2014, Adastra Holdings Ltd. built a successful reputation as a household name in cannabis concentrates among consumers and retailers alike. Adastra Labs Inc. was founded in 2018 and is an agricultural-scale cannabis extraction, distillation, and product manufacturer, located in Langley, BC. Operating out of its 13,500 sq. ft. Health Canada Licensed Standard Processing facility, now named Adastra Holdings Ltd. , produces and distributes cannabis-derived products designed for medical cannabis and forward-looking therapeutic use. Recently, the Company announced its entry into psychedelics by applying for a Controlled Substances Dealer's License, which is under review by Health Canada.

As a leading supplier, Adastra Holdings Ltd. currently distributes its product line to 1400+ adult-use retailers and a web-based medical platform, CannMart Inc., seeking to provide consistent, quality concentrate products and alternative treatment options across the country to patients.

Connect with Adastra: Email | Website | Instagram

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

ADASTRA HOLDINGS LTD. (CSE: XTRX)

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release includes forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of the Company. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements with respect to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Dealer's License; the changing regulations surrounding certain psychedelics and associated treatments; societal acceptance of psychedelic treatments; the ability of the Company to conduct testing, production, or sales of any compounds beyond cannabis; and the ability of the Company to work with partners such as medical doctors, pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies if it is permitted to conduct extraction research and develop psychedelic compounds. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward looking information, including: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) risks inherent in the cannabis extraction sector in general; (iii) changes in regulations surrounding multiple controlled substances; and (iv) other factors beyond the control of the Company. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed or approved of any contents of this news release.

SOURCE Adastra Holdings Ltd.

For further information: Cody Simpson, Communications Manager, P: (778) 715-5011, E: [email protected]

Related Links

https://www.adastraholdings.ca/


A new online cheese shop featuring wide array of heritage & specialty cheeses 

delivered right to the customer's doorstep!

TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2021 /CNW/ - Lactalis Canada, the Canadian dairy company behind iconic brands Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro and Lactantia and a subsidiary of France-based Lactalis Group, is pleased to launch cheeseworld.ca  a new online specialty cheese store offering cheese lovers, foodies, and hosts extraordinaire a world of cheese to discover. Cheeseworld.ca's exclusive offering features a wide variety of heritage cheeses as well as hard-to-find gems from around the world  all delivered right to the customer's doorstep.

With fine cheddars, feta, and brie crafted in Canada and imported fine cheeses like Spanish Manchego and French Roquefort, cheeseworld.ca offers cheese enthusiasts new cheese discoveries every time they visit.

"We are incredibly excited to share the cheeseworld.ca experience with cheese aficionados and cheese lovers alike who will without a doubt have fun perusing the online shop to rediscover old favourites and try out a whole world of cheeses  all from the comfort of their home," said Vince Vetere, General Manager, Cheese & Tablespreads at Lactalis Canada. "Whether elevating fall gatherings with the perfect cheeseboard, adding some flare to meal prep, or simply making life a little easier with cheese delivered right to your door, cheeseworld.ca offers something for everyone who has a love of cheese."

In addition to new cheeses debuting on the site regularly, cheeseworld.ca subscribers will also have access to special content from chefs, artisans and expert cheese makers designed to inspire including recipes, tips on creating the ultimate cheeseboard and the perfect food and beverage pairings to complement all types of cheese in the coming months. With plans to expand nationally, cheeseworld.ca is currently available to consumers in the Greater Toronto and Montreal areas.

Explore cheeseworld.ca or visit Facebook and Instagram to learn more.

About Lactalis Canada Inc.

With 140 years of brand heritage, Lactalis Canada (formerly Parmalat Canada) is committed to enriching and nurturing the lives of Canadians by producing nutritious and great tasting dairy products. The company directly employs 4,000 Canadians, supports hundreds of farming families and contributes to the livelihoods of thousands of Canadians who provide essential services to Lactalis Canada's more than 30 operating sites including 19 manufacturing facilities. The company's iconic brands include Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, P'tit Quebec, Balderson, Cheestrings Ficello, aMOOza!, Astro, siggi's, Stonyfield, IOGO, IOGO nano, Olympic, Lactantia, Beatrice, Galbani, and President. Lactalis Canada is a subsidiary of Lactalis Group, the world's leading dairy group, headquartered in Laval, France. For more information, visit www.lactalis.ca.

SOURCE Lactalis Canada Inc.

For further information: Media Contact: Sarah Sutton, Manager, Corporate Communications, Lactalis Canada, [email protected], c: (437) 249-2730

Related Links

https://lactalis.ca/


Starting September 1 st , and for the month of September, Canadians are asked to stand in solidarity with the CLL community by taking a photo wearing a mask or holding an umbrella, the universal campaign symbol, and sharing it using #CLLCanada, #immunitycommunity and #WCLLD21. The umbrella is used as a form of a shield, emphasizing the aspect of proactive choice to protect.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic many people, especially those in the immunocompromised community, have experienced isolation, fear, and the difficulty of keeping safe," says Raymond Vles, Chair, CLL Canada. "This campaign provides an opportunity for Canadians to come together to give those affected by a diagnosis of CLL a much-needed voice. We're asking Canadians from coast-to-coast to help support us this month by participating in the campaign - because your immunity protects our community."

CLL is a type of blood cancer which causes the bone marrow to make defective B-lymphocytes, a white blood cell that is part of the body's immune sytem1. These cancerous cells accumulate in the blood and lymph nodes, driving out the healthy ones, thereby hindering the body's ability to fight infections1. The chronic cancer2 affects more than 2,200 Canadians each year1 and is considered the most common form of leukemia in adults2. There is no cure for CLL2 although there are many treatment options that allow patients to feel well and live for years, albeit with a compromised immune system.

"CLL Patients are immunocompromised; they do not get the same benefit from vaccination as the healthy population," says Dr. Versha Banerji MD FRCPC, CLL expert and Clinician Scientist at CancerCare Manitoba and Associate Professor at the University of Manitoba. "The best chance to protect those with CLL amidst the pandemic is by protecting yourself. This September, let's stand with CLL patients and their families to show support and solidarity."

__________________________

1 CLL Advocated Network. What is CLL? Leukemia Patient Advocates Foundation. https://www.clladvocates.net/cll-information/ 2 A Patient's Guide to Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia & Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma. Lymphoma Canada.

https://www.lymphoma.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/20200430-CLL-SLL-WEB.pdf

For campaign information, visit https://www.wclld.org/.

For information and resources on CLL, visit https://cllcanada.org/.

CLL Canada's campaign was made possible through the support of AbbVie Canada.

About CLL Canada

CLL Canada continues its advocacy on behalf of CLL patients. We make the patient voice heard in the decisions that govern access to new treatments as well as the reform of the federal regulations on drug pricing, to ensure the latter does not hinder the introduction of new treatments to Canada. We are also bringing the patient voice to discussions with the pharmaceutical industry and other stakeholders in the health system. We also keep CLL patients and caregivers informed about the disease and its treatment, because informed patients get better care. Learn more at CLL Canada's website: www. https://cllcanada.org

SOURCE CLL Canada

For further information: Raymond Vles, Chair of CLL Canada, [email protected]; Caroline De Silva, VP, Argyle Public Relationships, [email protected]
"The cycle of ice and cold has shaped the environment we know and continues to impact the planet due to climate change," said Paul Kortenaar, CEO, Ontario Science Centre. "While Planet Ice: Mysteries of the Ice Ages looks from deep time through to today , it also gives insight intoand hope forthe future. In understanding climate cycles and science, we hope visitors will leave with a heightened intention to tackle climate change caused by humans and to engage in climate conservation."

From lost lands to animal adaptations, the dramatic story of ice is told over five exhibition sections through engaging exhibits, digital and mechanical interactives and innovative multimedia. The exhibition also features more than 100 real specimens, models and artifacts, including animal fossils, ancient human tools and impressive casts of megafauna.

"We're delighted that Planet Ice is opening at the Ontario Science Centre and grateful to our sponsors for their support in this exhibition's tour," said Meg Beckel, President and CEO, Canadian Museum of Nature. "As Canada's national natural sciences museum, we drew from our extensive national collections and scientific expertise to tell this important story of environmental change over time and the critical role of ice and cold."

Thought-provoking questions posed throughout the exhibition promote dialogue about the power of ice and encourage visitors to reflect on how its loss could affect species, infrastructure and ecosystems during a time of climate change.

"The ice age creatures are fantastic beasts that once roamed our Canadian Shield. Understanding their life ways and ultimate extinctions are critical in preparing for a warming Arctic," said Hendrik Poinar, Professor and Principal Investigator, Ancient DNA Centre, McMaster University.

Combining environmental science, natural sciences, human history and culture, Planet Ice: Mysteries of the Ice Ages offers wide appeal. Featuring inclusive design and accessible interpretation, the exhibition is suitable for visitors of all ages.

"The Ontario Science Centre is a leader in interactive learning. The perspective provided by Planet Ice: Mysteries of the Ice Ages shows yet again why the Science Centre is an engaging and inspirational destination for all Ontarians," said Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. "I encourage everyone to safely visit the Ontario Science Centre and experience a great example of its innovative programming."

Now open to the public, Planet Ice: Mysteries of the Ice Ages runs until March 20, 2022. Access to the exhibition is included with general admission to the Science Centre. Timed tickets are available to buy online . To keep everyone safe, face masks are mandatory in the building at all times, and physical distancing measures are in place.

Planet Ice: Mysteries of the Ice Ages at the Ontario Science Centre is made possible in part by presenting tour partner Polar Knowledge Canada, corporate tour partner Enbridge and knowledge partner McMaster University.

About the Ontario Science Centre

Guided by our mission to inspire passion for the human adventure of discovery, the Ontario Science Centre strives to be a global leader in lifelong learning, a vital link in Ontario's education and innovation ecosystems and a convener of public dialogue about technology, science and society. The Centre has welcomed more than 54 million visitors since opening as a Centennial project in 1969, pioneering an interactive approach now adopted by science centres around the world. An agency of the Government of Ontario, the Centre relies on funding from the province, as well as donations from generous individuals, corporations and foundations that share the Centre's vision to contribute to a more curious, creative and resilient world. Learn more at OntarioScienceCentre.ca.

About the Canadian Museum of Nature

Saving the world through evidence, knowledge and inspiration! The Canadian Museum of Nature is Canada's national museum of natural history and natural sciences. The museum provides evidence-based insights, inspiring experiences and meaningful engagement with nature's past, present and future. It achieves this through scientific research, a 14.6 million specimen collection, education programs, signature and travelling exhibitions and a dynamic website, nature.ca .

About McMaster University

McMaster University is Canada's most research-intensive university and is consistently ranked as one of the world's Top 100 universities. Together, our researchers, students and staff advance human and societal health and well-being, creating a Brighter World.

SOURCE Ontario Science Centre

For further information: Media Contact: Vanessa Lu, Senior Communications Advisor, 416-738-9067, [email protected]

Related Links

www.ontariosciencecentre.ca


The US troops have left behind all this equipment as taking them back to the country is not an economic task while National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan had also stated that "the Taliban probably would not give such materiel back to the US at the airport."

After its hostile takeover by Afghanistan, the Taliban have now got hold of USD 85 billion worth of weapons that were left behind by the western superpower, Donald Trump Jr said.

He also took a jibe at the Democratic Party of US President Joe Biden and posted on Twitter: Each and every man, woman, and child in American contributed about $265 to their terrorist cause assuming +/-320 mil citizens. Well done Democrats.

Trump Jr mentioned that the US was leaving behind 22,174 humvees, 8,000 trucks, 634 MIII7, 162,043 radios, 155 MxxPro mine-proof vehicles, 16,035-night vision goggles/devices, 169 armoured personnel carriers, 358,530 assault rifles, 42,000 trucks and SUVs, 126,295 pistols, 64,363 machine guns, 176 artillery pieces, 33 Mi-17 and as many UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, four C-130 transporters, 23 Embraer EMB 314/A29 Super Tucano, 43 MD530 choppers, 28 Cessna 208, and 10 Cessna AC-208 planes, The News International reported.

The US troops have left behind all this equipment as taking them back to the country is not an economic task while National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan had also stated that the Taliban probably would not give such materiel back to the US at the airport.

A few days earlier, several videos had gone viral over social media of what appears to be people from Afghanistan.

In the video, a man can be seen displaying hundreds of USD bundles stored in a room. He is also seen opening one of the bundles and displaying the US currency.

In another clip, several purported Taliban members are seen strolling inside a room filled with ammunition. They were displaying weapons and seem to be proud to have captured them.

Meanwhile, according to local media reports Taliban have also captured the US militarys biometric devices compromising crucial data of the US army and the local Afghans who played crucial roles during the war.
One of Connecticuts premier listening rooms roars back to life Friday, when Bridge Street Live reopens with a show by two of the states favorite performers, harmonica ace James Montgomery and The Beehive Queen Christine Ohlman.

Montgomery works hard to keep the blues as a vital entertainment choice. Whether hes recording with Kid Rock or fronting his hot band of 30 years, Montgomery plays with authority. While growing up in Detroit, he learned first-hand from the masters James Cotton, John Lee Hooker, and Jr. Wells. Over the years, hes carried on in the tradition and continues to be an active presence in Blues as one of the most dynamic performers on the scene.

At this event, Montgermy will be inducted into the class of 2022 of the New England Music Hall of Fame.

Christine Ohlman continues as the queen of blue-eyed rock n soul. She grew up loving both the sweetness of a Memphis horn line and the raunch of an electric guitar riff. In honor of Ronnie Spector she teased her blonde hair into a beehive and never looked back. Ohlman picked up a guitar and forged a career as a songwriter in the process. Ohlman tours relentlessly, rockin clubs up and down the Eastern Seaboard. She is the current, long-time vocalist with the Saturday Night Live Band, and was featured with the B52s and Jimmy Fallon during the recent SNL 40th Anniversary post-show concert. Cliff Goodwin guests on guitar.

Sunday, Ohlman headlines the Goshen Fair with the James Montgomery Band and will close out Northwest Connecticuts premier festival fair stage. Join these two to celebrate Labor Day.

Also on Sunday, Jr Krauss and the Shakes will play the Goshen Fair from 12 to 2 p.m.

Before the fair, Ohlman will rock the Rhythm and Roots Festival 2021 in Rhode Island, for Sunday School with Christine Ohlman. Join the Beehive Queen with Rebel Montez (Cliff Goodwin, Lorne Entress & Michael Colbath) plus The Sin Sisters (Patti Rahl, Kathy Kessler, Janice Ingarra) and a special appearance on guitar Frank Viele. The show starts a 1 p.m. in the Ninigret Park-Roots Stage, aka The Gospel Tent.

Under the big tent, Sunday School has become a roof-raising tradition at this festival, which showcases a wide array of musical styles on three stages such as Cajun, Zydeco, blues, country, bluegrass, Americana and many other genres.

Some of the featured favorites include Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys Quartet and Donna the Buffalo, along with Richard Thompson, Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys, The New Orleans Suspects, and Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boys.

Friday at Chateau Le Gari in Marlboro, you can catch the Bayou Boogie, an all day music festival from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with Ramblin Dan Stevens, Scott Fellows, Jim Carpenter & The Hoolios, and Vince Thompson & Friends.

The main event is Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys. A jam session will finish the day. Food trucks supplying Creole foods such as gumbo, jambalaya, red beans rice, sausage fried shrimp, fried catfish, and po boys will be available.

Besides the Bayou Boogie, Dan Stevens has a number of other shows. Saturday, he plays Olde Mistick Village at 2 p.m. and Joes Filling Station that evening. Sunday is Tour dLyme at 11 a.m. with the Lyme Land Trust. He concludes the week Wednesday Sarahs Wine Bar.

Friday, Scott Sharrard & Friends provide something ,a little different by going green| celebrating the music of Grant Green, Green is Beautiful. Grammy nominee Scott Sharrard & Friends celebrate the work of unsung hero, sublime blues interpreter and jazz guitarist, Grant Green (1935-1979) at the Falcon Main Stage.

The Orb Mellon Trio, playing original swamp boogie at its finest, has a busy three days. Friday they play Hartfords Half Door. Then Saturday they are at Theodores. Sunday youll find them at Housatonic Brewing at 6 p.m.

Blues on the Rocks will play Bishops Orchards Summer Concert Series on Friday; meanwhile, the Tony Ferrigno Band is at the Windmill.

Friday also has the Bone Dry Trio is at Notch8 Bar and Grill and the BanC House has an outside show that Adelaide Punkin is part of the line-up. The Good Luck Blues Band returns to Walrus Alley on Friday.

Sunday, the Rowayton Summer Music Festival has a variety of music including Eric Lindell & The Natural Mystics and Jamie McLean Band, Monday Lindell is at Milestone in Redding.

Thursday. Cassandra (of the Knighthawks) has a solo show at the Station House Wine Bar & Grill.

Thursday. The Falcon Main Stage has Big Joe Fitz & The Lo-Fis. Soulful, swinging, pre-rock era blues and more. Big Joe Fitz & The Lo-Fis, deliver an eclectic playlist of American classics, ranging from Bobby Bland to Johnny Mercer to Ernest Tubb and beyond.

See the Connecticut Blues Society for more gig listings: https://www.ctblues.org/weekly-calendar Any questions or comments should be sent to Domenic Forcella at TWBlus@aol.com.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico's largest school district wants to use federal pandemic funding to prevent staff layoffs.

A proposal from Albuquerque Public Schools released Monday would direct $50 million in pandemic relief to offset a loss of state money tied to enrollment decline.

Superintendent Scott Elder said in a video conference the district lost around 5,000 students and around $50 million in state funding.

One of the big points of federal money was to allow districts a year to try to stabilize themselves, and without having to do massive layoffs, Elder said.

If adopted in the final budget, that stabilization would account for 25% of the nearly $200 million the district gets in the next and largest round of federal relief funds for schools.

Around 15% of the proposed budget is aimed at helping chronically absent students.

The district also proposed buying more student laptops, upgrading ventilation, and paying up to $5,250 in student loans for district employees.

New Mexico school funding is based on student enrollment numbers from the previous year. Enrollment has dropped around 1% every year for the past decade due to population change. It dropped an additional 4% last year as some families chose to homeschool instead of participating in remote learning through public school.

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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.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina Republicans sent a bill Wednesday to the state's Democratic governor that would limit how teachers can discuss certain racial concepts in the classroom.

The measure aims to prohibit teachers from compelling their students to personally adopt any of 13 beliefs, but does little to nothing to prevent any of the more than 500 alleged cases of indoctrination that were included in a task force report that GOP Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson released earlier this month.

Even so, Republican leaders insist the bill will hold teachers accountable by shedding light on questionable classroom activities.

This bill does not change what history can or cannot be taught. No spin or innuendo changes that. ... It simply prevents schools from endorsing discriminatory concepts, Rep. John Torbett, a Gaston County Republican, said during a floor debate.

Moore's chamber gave the measure final legislative approval by signing off on changes the Senate made that increase the number of prohibited ideas, clarify that teachers can still discuss those concepts so long as they do not promote them and require public school units to inform the Department of Public Instruction and post information on its website upon request a month before providing instruction on the 13 prohibited concepts.

The latest version of the plan passed the Republican-controlled House by a 61-41 vote.

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has previously criticized the measure, accusing Republicans of injecting calculated, conspiracy-laden politics into public education. Cooper is likely to veto the bill, and Republicans would almost assuredly lack the Democratic votes they'd need to override the governor's decision.

Critics view the bill as part of a calculated political strategy Republicans are employing in more than two dozen states to boost voter enthusiasm heading into the 2022 and 2024 elections.

Democrats, education groups and racial justice organizations also see the GOP effort as a solution to a problem that does not exist in the state. The monthslong GOP effort to unearth cases of improper teachings appears to have yielded no clear examples of circumstances that House Bill 324 would prevent, as Republicans were unable at a committee hearing and news conference last week to point to a single case that would have violated the proposed law.

Who is doing this? Where are you getting this info? Its a boogeyman," said Rep. Abe Jones, D-Wake. "Id like to see a film or picture of someone standing before a group of students in North Carolina in classrooms and teaching whats in those 13 parts.

Still, Robinsons task force report did highlight instances of educators accused of giving preferential treatment to pupils who agree with their racial views and teachers offering questionable class assignments, including a book called George about a transgender child coming to terms with gender identity and a handout that mentions former President Donald Trump in a sentence describing the term xenophobia.

Some Republicans associate indoctrination with the promotion of any of 13 views the bill outlines, while other party leaders like the states lieutenant governor have a more expansive view of the term and believe the report unquestionably proves systemic failures within the states public education system.

Democrats expressed concern Wednesday that the measure could stifle free speech by making educators feel unsafe when describing America's history of racism and sexism, and ongoing inequities.

This bill encourages us to look away from our history," said Rep. Brandon Lofton, D-Mecklenburg.

North Carolinas proposal follows a national trend of Republican-controlled legislatures moving to thwart certain ideas they associate with critical race theory, a framework legal scholars developed in the 1970s and 1980s that centers on the view that racism is systemic in the nations institutions and serves to maintain the dominance of whites in society.

Eight Republican governors have signed bills or budgets into law banning the teaching of critical race theory in K-12 schools or limiting how teachers can discuss racism and sexism in the classroom. Similar bills have been introduced or other steps have been taken in 19 additional states, according to an Education Week analysis.

Republicans across the country are using critical race theory and indoctrination as catchall phrases to describe racial concepts they find objectionable, including white privilege, systemic inequality and inherent bias.

The movement against the theory gained traction last year when Trump signed an executive order barring federal contractors from conducting racial sensitivity trainings after a conservative activist went on Fox News to urge the former president to do so. Several state lawmakers subsequently inserted language from Trumps now-defunct executive order into their own bills.

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Follow Anderson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BryanRAnderson.

___

Anderson 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.
The wheels on the bus sat perfectly still this week in some parts of the state, as bus companies say a nationwide shortage of drivers meant there were not enough available to pick up every student as schools reopened their doors after the summer.

The shortage had a significant impact in Hamden, where the cancellation of some bus routes on the first day of the school left 318 students scrambling for a Plan B, officials said.

The district was not alone in its quest for drivers. Across the state districts have reported pockets of driver shortages, with bus companies saying they  like other businesses  are having a hard time filling jobs, in part due to the pandemic. District have had to review routes and make changes in routes.

Lorrie Rodrigue, superintendent of the Newtown Public Schools, said in an Aug. 27 letter to parents that contractor All-Star Transportation also has encountered worker shortages, leading to some bus route changes in the district to ensure full coverage.

A variety of factors have played a role in hiring new drivers, including a backlog of individuals waiting for background checks, training, and licensure as part of the process, she said in the letter.

Members of All-Star Transportation have worked hard to navigate this issue in Newtown and in many other districts they serve. This included reviewing the routes and bus stops based on current ridership to ensure there would be adequate coverage.

A representative for All-Star declined to comment Tuesday. The company serves multiple Connecticut school districts, including Newtown, Brookfield, Torrington and Ansonia.

Laurie Pallin, superintendent of of schools for Montville Public Schools, said the town has experienced a bus driver shortage for more than three years.

As a result, the school district has tried to depopulate buses by decreasing the number of stops and increasing the number of students who walk to school, giving drivers a bonus for referring new hires and allowing them to bring their minor children with them on the bus during their runs to alleviate child care concerns.

Torrington Superintendent of Schools Susan Lubomski said the district also uses All-Star Transportation, which hires its own drivers.

Every bus company throughout the state is always looking for drivers, Lubomski said.

Fran Rabinowitz, executive director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, said that when bus companies do not have enough staffing for substitute drivers, it can can lead to unexpected logistical problems.

What I have heard from superintendents is they had enough drivers  many tell me they had enough, but they had absolutely no substitutes, she said. If a bus driver is out for illness, its better than them working while sick, but you always want to have substitutes available.

In Danbury, the school board voted in June to extend the contract with its bus company, Student Transportation of America, for another four years. As part of the deal, the school district added 10 buses and suspended contract increases to the bus company. Five of those buses were needed for enrollment growth, while the other five were required for a new school for kindergartners in neighboring Brookfield.

H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media

In Hamden, an email sent to parents and shared with the New Haven Register listed eight impacted bus routes, one of which serviced private schools. Some of the routes were canceled completely, while others operated only in the morning or afternoon, according to the email.

The districts bus company, First Student, had told the district the previous Friday that it would be unable to cover those routes due to a driver shortage, Hamden Public Schools COO Tom Ariola said. Hamden Public Schools informed families of the issue over the weekend, he said.

By Tuesday, First Student had transferred drivers from within the region to cover the routes, Ariola said.

But the situation remains precarious.

Were running on a  razor-thin line for error because if one or two bus drivers call out then theres gonna be significant delays, Ariola said. In that case, drivers would take on multiple routes, completing one before beginning the next, he said.

The CFO will be up early every morning to make sure there are enough drivers for the day. If not, he will contact families via the districts app and all-call system to warn them of delays, he said.

Pandemic shortage

According to the nonprofit Connecticut School Transportation Association, student transportation carriers in Connecticut transport nearly 500,000 children to and from school daily.

The association notes online that Connecticut Needs School Bus Drivers Now and provides access for potential drivers to check for openings around the state.

Jay Brock, a spokesman for First Student, called driver staffing a challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The student transportation industry was already managing a bus driver shortage before COVID-19, and the pandemic has only exacerbated the situation, he said. We are no different than so many other job sectors that are struggling to fill openings, including retail, restaurants and hotels.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Brock said that while the companys goal is to ensure transportation service resumes as seamlessly as possible following summer break, a need for drivers could affect some bus routes.

Unfortunately, a number of our drivers decided not to return to work this school year for various reasons, Brock said.

New Haven Public Schools, which also has a transportation contract with First Student, did not have significant driver shortages Monday, according to district spokesman Justin Harmon. But over the summer, New Haven school officials learned that First Student began offering a $5,000 signing bonus for certified school bus drivers. The starting pay rate for district bus drivers is $20,110.

The New Haven district has roughly 350 buses that transport about 17,800 students daily, including nearly 2,000 that come from out of town to New Haven magnet schools.

With all districts in the state recruiting drivers, New Haven officials said experienced drivers will go to where they can make the most.

At First Student, we understand the importance of what we do, which is why we continue to actively recruit, hire, and train new drivers, Brock said. We offer significant incentives, including an aggressive compensation package, which includes full medical benefits and sign-on bonuses up to $5,000 for each new driver.

New Haven schools spokesman Justin Harmon said there was a problem Tuesday with late buses  at one school in particular  and while morning buses have run more or less on time, the district is experiencing longer delays at dismissal. We are working to understand the cause so we can address it, he said.

Harmon said the district now has enough drivers. But this is a matter of the sequencing of bus pick up and drop offs, as well as conditions such as traffic, Harmon said.

Although the shortage has thrown some school districts transportation logistics into flux, others said their experience had been more like New Havens, with either minor gripes or no problems.

Jonathan Supranowitz, director of communications for the Greenwich Public Schools, said we are lucky to not be experiencing a bus driver shortage in our district.

On the first day of classes on Wednesday, our first morning was very typical of past years while everyone gets used to their new routes. And traffic and weather caused some minor delays, he said.

Officials with Guilford, West Haven, Bozrah, Region 12, Madison, Ridgefield and East Lyme said they are unaffected by a shortage of bus drivers. Despite the shortages in some areas, First Student provides buses for New Haven, Bozrah and East Lyme, while All-Star provides transportation to Region 12.

Winchester Public Schools Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley said the district, which is serviced by All-Star, is down one driver.

We have had to consolidate some runs to ensure that all students who are eligible for the bus have transportation. All-Star Transportation has been extremely proactive with regards to communication and planning, she said.

Meghan Friedmann, Rob Ryser, Sandra Fox, Julia Perkins, Alyssa Seidman, Emily Olson and Linda Conner Lambeck contributed to this story. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
The Farmers Almanac has released its winter weather outlook, and in Connecticut, that means residents should expect both the typical and the atypical.

Called the Frost Flip-Flop Winter Outlook, Farmers Almanac is predicting that the Northeast should buckle up for not one, but three major winter storms this season: one in the second week of January, one in the final week of February and again in the second week of March.
A 17-year-old girl from Hamden was arrested early Tuesday morning after being the passenger in a stolen car that was crashed during a police chase in Massachusetts.

East Longmeadow Police officers arrived in Deer Run Terrace, a residential neighborhood in the Massachusetts town, after a resident called 911 around 2:42 a.m. Tuesday. The resident said their car alarm was going off and someone was looking into their vehicle, the police department said in a Facebook post.

An officer arrived and noticed two cars at the end of the street. The cars, both registered to Connecticut, each had two people inside, all of them wearing ski masks, the police department said.

The officer was able to get the license plate of one car  which was reported stolen out of New Haven  before both sped past him going in the opposite direction, according to the East Longmeadow Police Department.

Another officer in the area activated his emergency lights behind the cars, but they refused to stop. A third officer and a sergeant also began chasing the cars, police said.

Officers then lost sight of one car, but continued to follow the stolen car. The driver traveled through numerous residential streets but ended up losing control and crashing into the edge of the woods, police said.

Police said the driver ran away from the crashed vehicle, prompting a K-9 officer to search the area. While searching, officers noticed many other cars in the area with their inside lights on, which indicated the suspect was likely trying to find another vehicle with its keys left inside so they could steal it, the police department said.

Officers were not able to track down the driver.

The passenger, a 17-year-old girl from Hamden stayed in the vehicle. Officers checked her for injuries and then placed her under arrest. She was charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle, the police department said.

The teenager was then transported to the Department of Youth Services in Springfield after her mother declined to come take custody of her, according to the police department.

liz.hardaway@hearst.com
BOSTON (AP)  A national subprime auto lender has agreed to pay more than $27 million to settle allegations that it took advantage of thousands of Massachusetts borrowers, the state attorney general's office said Wednesday.

The settlement with Credit Acceptance Corp. in Suffolk Superior Court will provide debt relief and credit repair to consumers, according to a statement from Attorney General Maura Healey.

Thousands of Massachusetts consumers, many of them first-time car buyers, put their faith in CAC to help them with an auto loan, but were instead lured into high-cost loans, fell deeper in debt, and even lost their vehicles, she said. With this significant $27 million settlement, eligible Massachusetts drivers who have been suffering under the weight of a crushing car loan due to CACs deceptive practices will be able to receive relief and avoid new defaults."

More than 3,000 borrowers across the state are expected to be eligible for settlement funds, many of them in Boston, Springfield, Worcester and Brockton.

The settlement also requires the company to make changes to its loan handling practices.

A voicemail seeking comment was left with the Southfield, Michigan-based company.

According to the lawsuit filed in August 2020, the company made high-interest loans to Massachusetts borrowers it knew or should have known they would be unable to repay; subjected some borrowers to hidden finance charges, which resulted in violations of the states 21% usury cap; and engaged in harassing and illegal collection practices.

The suit also alleged that the company did not inform investors that the company topped off the pools of loans they packaged and securitized with higher-risk loans.

Healey's office has now settled with several subprime auto lenders she said engaged in deceptive and unfair practices.
NEW HAVEN  A city man accused of killing a West Haven man and shooting a now-retired New Haven police captain was arraigned Tuesday, according to the State Attorneys Office for New Haven and judicial records.

Albert Eaddy, 59, was arraigned on charges of murder, felony murder, first degree assault and two counts of first-degree robbery, State Attorney Patrick Griffin said in a statement.

The arrest of Albert Eaddy follows an extensive eighteen-month long state investigatory grand jury conducted by the New Haven States Attorneys Office. Over the course of the grand jury, New Haven prosecutors presented testimony from thirty-nine (39) witnesses, and the grand juror received into evidence one hundred eighty-three (183) grand jury exhibits, Griffin said. At this time, the charges against Albert Eaddy are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Eaddy allegedly killed Troy Clark, a 46-year-old West Haven man, and wounded then Capt. Anthony Duff around 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 12, 2019, in the area of Dixwell Avenue and Henry Street.

Duff, off-duty at the time, attempted to intervene after Clark had been fatally wounded.

Duff was shot in three places and hospitalized after being treated at the scene by four officers who were credited for helping to save his life; he recovered and resumed his work with the department before retiring.

As Eaddys arrest was announced, Veronica Clark, Troy Clarks sister, remembered her brother as a a person who didnt mind helping you.

Sometimes, he would put himself at risk, knowing that it wasnt the right thing to do. But my brother was a caring person; he loved people, he loved joking, he loved laughing, said Veronica Clark. He loved old cars  that was his passion.

Eaddys bond was maintained at $2 million, Griffin said. The case was transferred to the Church Street courthouse, where more serious matters are adjudicated; Eaddy was next scheduled to appear Sept. 14.

The warrant in the case was sealed for two weeks, according to Rhonda Hebert, program manager of communications with the Connecticut Judicial Branch.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
With remnants from Hurricane Ida expected to reach Connecticut and the region later this week, heavy rain and possible flash flooding are in the forecast for Wednesday into Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Hurricane Ida, one of the most powerful hurricanes to ever hit the U.S. mainland, slammed into the Louisiana coast on Sunday, leaving more than 1 million homes and businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi without power, the Associated Press reported.

Remnants of the storm are expected to track into Connecticut Wednesday afternoon into Thursday, the weather service said. The southern part of the state will be under a flash flood watch from 8 a.m. Wednesday through 2 p.m. Thursday. This includes Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven and New London counties.

The weather service said 3 to 5 inches of rain are possible, with about 1 to 2 inches of rain per hour at times. Some areas could see higher amounts of rainfall. There is the potential for scattered to widespread flash flooding.

The heavy rain from Ida follows a series of significant rainfall events in recent weeks. The remnants of Tropical Storm Fred dropped several inches of rain on Connecticut two weeks ago, and Tropical Storm Henri then dropped upward of 5 inches of rain last week.

Officials have cautioned that the recent rain has left the ground saturated and any additional rain increases the threat of flash flooding.

Danbury Mayor Joe Cavo said the rainfall could result in localized flooding and cautioned residents against walking or driving through flood waters.

Tuesday will be mostly cloudy, with a high around 85 degrees. Theres a chance of rain overnight, with a low around 67 degrees.

But as the storms move in Wednesday, the forecast calls for showers and possibly thunderstorms that could bring heavy rain and potentially gusty winds after 11 a.m. The high will be around 70 degrees with a light wind. The rain continues into Wednesday night with a low around 61 degrees.

On Thursday, there will likely be showers before 2 p.m. The skies will be cloudy and gradually turn sunny with a high near 70 degrees.

Thursday night will be partly cloudy with a low around 56 degrees.

Friday will bring sunny skies and a high near 76 degrees. By night, skies will be mostly clear as the temperature drops to about 59 degrees.

Staff writer Liz Hardaway contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON  The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reflected on the Afghanistan wars end and delivered an emotional tribute Tuesday to the 13 service members killed by a suicide bombing last week.

Gen. Mark Milley said the militarys counterterrorism efforts over the past 20 years and the evacuation of 124,000 people from Afghanistan in the last 20 days are the legacy of U.S. service members.

In his words, Were now closing a chapter in our nations history.

Milley said the 11 Marines, one soldier and one Navy corpsman who died in the suicide bombing gave their tomorrows for the tomorrows of 124,000 people.

His comments came during the retirement ceremony for Gen. Robert Abrams, who most recently commanded U.S. Forces Korea. Both men commanded troops in Afghanistan.

Milley called it an incredibly emotional day, adding: All of us are conflicted with feelings of pain and anger, sorrow and sadness, combined with pride and resilience. But one thing I am certain of, for any soldier, sailor, airman or Marine and their families, your service mattered. It was not in vain.

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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN:

 Victorious Taliban focus on governing after US withdrawal

 In Kabul, some fear economic collapse more than Taliban fist

 Analysis: War is over but not Bidens Afghanistan challenges

 As US military leaves Kabul, many Americans, Afghans remain

 Last troops exit Afghanistan, ending Americas longest war

 Qatar emerges as key player in Afghanistan after US pullout

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 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says he chose to end the war in Afghanistan in order to focus the nations defenses on other security problems, including China and Russia.

Addressing the nation Tuesday from the White House on the day after the last U.S. troops left Afghanistan, ending a 20-year war, Biden said he will sharpen the focus of U.S. foreign policy by concentrating on threats such as cyberattack and the proliferation of nuclear weapon technologies.

He vows to continue counterterrorism operations, including against any threats emanating from Afghanistan. He says this can be done with forces based outside of Afghanistan.

The president also mentioned the Islamic State extremist groups Afghanistan affiliate, which conducted a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport on Aug. 26 that killed 13 American service members and dozens of Afghan civilians. Biden said, We are not done with you yet.

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden is defending his handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, including the frantic final evacuation from Kabul airport.

In remarks at the White House on Tuesday, Biden said the U.S. government had reached out 19 times since March  prior to his public announcement that he was going to end the U.S. war  to encourage all American citizens in Afghanistan to leave. He acknowledged that 100 to 200 were unable to get out when the airlift ended Monday.

Biden asserted that his administration was ready when the U.S.-backed government in Kabul collapsed in mid-August and the Taliban took over. But the airlift that began Aug. 14 has been heavily criticized by many as initially unorganized and chaotic.

Biden said that 5,500 Americans eventually got out, and that arrangements will be made to get the remaining Americans out if they so choose.

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UNITED NATIONS  The acting head of the U.N. womens agency is urging the Taliban to reaffirm their commitment to comply with Afghanistans 2004 constitution and international treaties that guarantee equality to all citizens.

She also asks them to guarantee the full and equal participation of women in the political and decision-making processes.

Pramila Patten said in a statement Tuesday that Afghanistans development and the cause of peace require the equal and meaningful participation of women in all fields including public and political life, and the Taliban must take bold steps to ensure their inclusion in decision-making at all levels, both nationally and internationally.

She said the hard-won gains that Afghan womens rights activists have fought for cannot be reversed or rolled back.

The inclusion of women in the governance architecture will be the litmus test for the new political leadership of Afghanistan, Patten said. Urgent action is needed now to ensure the full participation of women in the public and political life of Afghanistan.

She said the Taliban must also ensure that women are protected from gender-based threats and attacks, which violate their rights and impede their effective participation.

The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution Monday reaffirming the importance of upholding human rights and encouraging a negotiated political settlement with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women.

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UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations chief is urging all countries to help the people of Afghanistan in their darkest hour of need, saying almost half the population needs humanitarian assistance to survive and the country faces the threat of basic services collapsing completely.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern at the deepening humanitarian crisis in the country in a statement Tuesday, the first day of Taliban rule after the withdrawal of the last U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

He offered some grim statistics of the looming humanitarian catastrophe: 18 million Afghans need aid to survive, one in three dont know where their next meal will come from, over half of all children under age 5 are expected to become acutely malnourished in the next year, and every day people are losing access to basic goods and services.

Guterres said that amid a severe drought and with harsh winter conditions on the horizon, extra food, shelter and health supplies must be urgently fast-tracked into the country.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the current $1.3 billion U.N. humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan is only 39 per cent funded. Guterres said a new emergency appeal for the next four months is expected next week.

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PARIS  France says a few dozen French nationals remain in Afghanistan, including some who wanted to be evacuated but could not as the last flight left Kabul.

Defense Ministry spokesman Herve Grandjean said in a news conference Tuesday that all efforts are being done to allow those left behind to get a safe and orderly evacuation.

He said that is the goal of the talks under way within the United Nations framework with the Taliban power.

In addition, France was not able to evacuate a few dozen former Afghan employees of the French army who asked for the protection of the country, he said.

France will do the maximum in the coming days and weeks to help them getting out of Afghanistan, Grandjean said.

Frances evacuation flights from Aug. 17 to Aug. 27 have evacuated about 2,600 Afghans at risk, including 110 former employees of the French army and their families.

France withdrew its troops from Afghanistan at the end of 2014.

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BERLIN  The U.S. military says it has conducted more than 100 flights to bring almost 24,000 vulnerable Afghans to its Ramstein Air Base in Germany since Aug. 20.

The 86th Airlift Wing said Tuesday that about 10,000 evacuees have already departed again for resettlement locations, with some 13,900 still at the base.

A further 2,300 people are expected to be brought to Ramstein in the coming hours and a similar number will depart for onward destinations, it said.

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ISTANBUL  Turkeys foreign minister has warned of a fresh wave of migration from Afghanistan following the Talibans takeover.

Mevlut Cavusoglus comments came Tuesday at a news conference in the Serbian capital Belgrade.

There is a migration crisis in the world and there may be a new wave of migration, its very likely, he said.

Cavusoglu said a meeting of G-7 foreign ministers on Monday had discussed ways to help Afghans stay in their country.

Turkey currently hosts some 4 million refugees, mainly Syrians, and has been reinforcing security measures along its border with Iran to prevent a new influx from Afghanistan.

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CHAMAN, Pakistan  Dozens of Afghan families have crossed into Pakistan through the southwestern Chaman border a day after the U.S. wrapped up its 20-year military presence in the Taliban-controlled country.

According to witnesses Tuesday, an Islamabad-based Christian organization was providing food and tents to some of the families.

It was the first time that some Afghans were seen sitting in tents in an open area on the outskirts of Chaman, a border town in southwestern Baluchistan province.

Pakistans Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said Monday that most Afghans who came to Pakistan in the past two weeks are staying with relatives in Chaman.

Pakistan says it has not granted refugee status to any Afghans since the Taliban took the control in Afghanistan this month.

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands  Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Sigrid Kaag is traveling to Qatar, Pakistan and Turkey to discuss how to get people out of Afghanistan who did not make it onto evacuation flights while Kabuls airport was still under the control of American forces.

Evacuation flights rescued more than 1,000 Afghans who had worked with Dutch forces and diplomats in Afghanistan during the two-decade conflict there. However, not all those who were entitled to leave made it out of the country before the departure Monday night of the last American troops.

Kaag leaves Tuesday night for a whistle-stop tour of Doha, Islamabad and Ankara in coming days before heading to a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Slovenia later this week.

The Dutch foreign ministry says that Kaag will talk to her counterparts about the possibility of keeping borders and Kabul airport open, the importance of safe exit routes and possible support for countries in the region.

She also will discuss support for the Afghan population - particularly women and girls  humanitarian aid and migration in the region.

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WASHINGTON  The United States says its mission to get Americans out of Afghanistan will continue after Mondays withdrawal.

Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser, says its just that the evacuation effort has shifted from a military mission to a diplomatic mission. He cited considerable leverage the U.S. has over the Taliban to get out any remaining Americans  a number that U.S. official have said is under 200.

Sullivan says the U.S. intends to continue sending health, food and other forms of humanitarian aid to the Afghan people. He says that other forms of aid, including economic and developmental, would depend on Taliban actions and adherence to publicly stated commitments.

American forces helped evacuate over 120,000 U.S. citizens, foreigners and Afghans after the Taliban regained control of the country, according to the White House. Coalition forces also evacuated their citizens and Afghans. But foreign nations and the U.S. government acknowledged they didnt evacuate all who wanted to go.

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ROTA, Spain  A military aircraft carrying 200 Afghans has landed at a military base in southern Spain hours after the United States wrapped up its 20-year-long military presence in the Taliban-controlled country.

The latest flight to Rota was the sixth to the Spanish navy base since evacuations began through hubs in allied countries  transit bases where U.S. authorities are offering basic help and screening the Afghan refugees before they are cleared to arrive on U.S. soil.

U.S. officials said Tuesday the evacuees had flown from Kabul to an undisclosed location in the Middle East before they continued their trip to Spain.

Rota, and the nearby air force base of Moron, have hosted a significant U.S. detachment since the mid-1950s. Spain, which owns both bases, has allowed the U.S. to evacuate up to 4,000 Afghans there for a maximum of 14 days.

U.S. officials at the base said the first flight taking 350 Afghans to Dulles airport in Virginia would depart Tuesday. From there, people will be relocated to different cities in the country, said Rear Adm. Benjamin Reynolds, director of maritime headquarters at Rota,

Some 1,700 Afghans are currently being hosted in Rota.

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NEW DELHI  Indias ambassador to Qatar has held talks with a top Taliban leader in Doha, the first such formal diplomatic contact between Indian officials and the insurgent groups leadership.

Indias Ministry of External Affairs said Tuesday that Deepak Mittal met Sher Mohammed Abbas Stanekzai, the head of the Talibans Political Office in Doha, at the request of the insurgent group. The discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said Mittal made clear Afghanistans soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities. It said the Taliban representatives assured the issues raised by India would be positively addressed.

This is the first time India has acknowledged formal contact with the Taliban since Kabul fell to the insurgent group on August 15.

Indias earlier position was that it was engaged in talks with important stakeholders in Afghanistan. It had neither acknowledged nor denied that its officials had held any meetings with the Taliban.

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BERLIN  Chancellor Angela Merkel has stressed that Germany is focused on humanitarian aid now and on helping former local Afghan staffers who were not evacuated in the last two weeks.

Merkel said their numbers are not 300 but between 10,000 to 40,000. Germany has evacuated more than 5,000 people from Afghanistan this month, the majority of them Afghans.

She said that of those who remain, it wasnt clear how many of them want to leave Afghanistan. She says that while Germany doesnt have any diplomatic relations with the Taliban, its important to talk to the militant group, also in order to get further Afghans in need of evacuation out of the country.

Merkel spoke ahead of talks on Tuesday with her Austrian counterpart Sebastian Kurz in Berlin. Kurz reiterated his countrys position to not take in any migrants from Afghanistan. He said that when it comes admission, my position in known. Nothing much has changed there. Especially because Austria has done a lot already. We have taken in a disproportionately high amount of people since 2015, we have the per-capita fourth biggest Afghan community worldwide.

Kurz has long taken a tough approach to migration issues. Last month he said that he also would not halt the deportations of rejected asylum seekers to Afghanistan despite the situation there.

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BERLIN  Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says his country is not prepared to take in more Afghans and will not back a Europe-wide system for distributing refugees from Afghanistan across the European Union.

Asked about proposals for all EU countries to share the burden of taking in refugees, Kurz told reporters in Berlin on Tuesday that Austria had already taken in a bigger than proportionate share of migrants since 2015.

Austria already has the fourth largest Afghan community worldwide, he said ahead of a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Merkel said that, for her government, the focus now is on how to help up to 40,000 Afghans who are entitled to come to Germany with their close family because they had worked for the German military or aid organizations.

We need to see how many actually want to leave the country and how many dont, she said. That will depend very much on the circumstances the Taliban create in the country.

Speaking at a separate event, Germanys interior minister said his country is willing to take in Afghans who are at particular risk of persecution, but declined to say how many.

I dont think its wise if we talk about numbers here, because numbers obviously trigger a pull effect and we dont want that, said the minister, Horst Seehofer.

He urged all 27 EU countries to agree on a common asylum policy, noting that so far Austria hasnt been prepared to do so, up to now.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  A prominent member of the Talibans political office has congratulated Afghans on their great victory in achieving full independence of the country as the U.S. troops pulled out.

Shahabuddin Delawar spoke to a gathering of about a hundred people, apparently only men, in Kabul on Tuesday. The event was carried live on state television. Delawar chastised the enemy  meaning U.S. and NATO forces  and accused the West of spreading propaganda to undermine the Taliban.

But, he warned, you will soon witness the progress of the nation. Delawar spoke with the white Taliban flag seen in the background. The state TV captioned the live shot with he caption: Celebration of Independence Day and the end of U.S. invasion in Afghanistan

Delawar also reminded the audience that the Taliban defeated the Soviet Union and today they defeated America. He asked Afghan ambassadors to return home, and promised that the Kabul airport would resume operations soo.

His speech both celebrated the Talibans return to power, and underlined their latest mantra that they are not a threat to anyone. He also sought to assure the world that they were a government the international community could do business with. He vacillated between reveling in their victory to assuring those who had opposed them to return.

We do not seek revenge, he said.

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BEIJING  China says the withdrawal of the U.S. military and others from Afghanistan shows the nation has broken free from foreign military occupation, and the Afghan people stand at a new starting point for peace and reconstruction.

The history of Afghanistan is entering a new chapter, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters at a daily briefing Tuesday.

China has kept its embassy in Kabul following the Talibans sweep to power and In July hosted a delegation from the group including its political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. China shares a narrow border with Afghanistan and is chiefly concerned with preventing the Taliban exporting instability or Islamic militancy to its traditionally Muslim northwestern region of Xinjiang.

As Washingtons chief strategic rival, China has been piling on criticism of the chaotic pullout of U.S. and NATO forces, stating on a daily basis that the performance shows the U.S. cannot be relied on by countries that need its political and military support.

China, along with Russia, abstained from a vote at the United Nations calling on the Taliban to allow all those wishing to leave Afghanistan to be allowed to do so.

The recent chaos in Afghanistan is directly related to the hasty and disorderly withdrawal of foreign troops," Wang said. We hope that the countries concerned will realize that the withdrawal is not the end of responsibility, but the beginning for reflection and correction of mistakes.

He also urged the United States and other Western countries to provide Afghans with much-needed economic, livelihood and humanitarian assistance to help the Afghan people overcome the difficulties and embark on the road to peaceful reconstruction as soon as possible, instead

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ISLAMABAD  Pakistans foreign minister on Tuesday urged the international community to act to prevent an economic collapse in neighboring Afghanistan after the takeover of the country by the Taliban and the pullout of U.S. forces.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi says its in the interest of peace and stability for the world to remain engaged and not abandon Afghanistan since more instability and further exodus of Afghans fleeing the Taliban rule were not in the interest of the nation.

He said that this is a pivotal moment in Afghanistans history. International community must remain engaged, do not let economic collapse take place in Afghanistan.

Qureshi spoke at a joint news conference with visiting German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Tuesday, a day after the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, marking the end of the 20 years of war next door.

Qureshi said Pakistan facilitated the evacuation of more than 10,000 foreigners from Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover. He said Pakistan has already been hosting more than 3 million Afghan refugees for the past decades and that his Islamic nation lacks the capacity to absorb more refugees.

Maas said that while the Taliban have pledged to form an inclusive government and respect human rights, it remains to be seen whether they will live up to those commitments.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  At one of Kabuls upscale wedding halls, a celebration was in full swing around midday Tuesday. Afghan dance music could be heard from inside the hall.

According to reception halls manager, Shadab Azimi, 26, at least seven wedding parties have been held since the Taliban takeover of Kabul two weeks earlier, with festivities moved to daylight hours because of security concerns.

The Taliban, who during their previous rule between 1996-2001 had banned most music, except for devotional Islamic songs, did not announce a ban of live music, Azimi said. However, wedding singers canceled on their own, for fear of running afoul of possible new Taliban restrictions.

He said in recent celebrations, couples played taped music. Azimi said business was down by 80% over the past two weeks, presumably because of a sense of uncertainty.

The manager said Taliban patrols check in a couple of times a day, asking if he needs help with security, but have not seemed threatening. And unlike the security forces under the deposed government, the Taliban have not demanded bribes, he said.

Former officials, including police officers, were asking us for money and we were forced to host their friends for lunches and dinners, he said.

Even before the Taliban takeover, wedding parties were traditionally been segregated, with men and women celebrating in different spaces.

___

TOKYO  Japans top diplomat says his country has temporarily moved its embassy from Afghanistan to Turkey but now plans to relocate it to Qatar, where the Taliban have an office. The Gulf Arab country is also expected to play an important political role in what comes next for Afghanistan.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi earlier this month visited the Middle East. He told reporters on Tuesday that his talks with leaders in the region suggest that Doha, the capital of Qatar, will carry growing political importance.

I believe various forms of communication will take place, Motegi said.

Japanese nationals at the embassy in Kabul were among the first to be evacuated from Afghanistan. Most of them were airlifted by the British military before Tokyo dispatched its Self-Defense Force aircraft last week as the security outside the Kabul airport worsened.

Last Thursday and Friday, Japan evacuated only one Japanese citizen, along with 14 Afghan people at the request of U.S. military, to Pakistan.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said that safe evacuations of the rest of Japanese nationals and Afghans who worked for the Japanese Embassy and aid organization remain a top priority.

___

KABUL, Afghanistan  Even as the U.S. and its NATO allies left Afghanistan, some of the gains of the last 20 years were on display as boys and girls rushed to school early on Tuesday.

Masooda was hurrying to get to her fifth grade class at a private school. Im not afraid of the Taliban, she said. Why should I be?

Students had been called back to school four days ago. The Taliban have said students will be segregated by sex, but in many schools that was already the practice, except for the early grades.
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Nigerian activist, Aisha Yesufu has described members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as people of stomach infrastructure wh...

Nigerian activist, Aisha Yesufu has described members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as people of stomach infrastructure who have no strategy to win elections.

In a tweet on her verified Twitter page, the activists alleged that the party is currently depending on emotional blackmail to win election.

According to her, the party became reluctant after been defeated in the 2015 general election which brought President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC, into power.

PDP is as pathetic as pathetic can be. They are depending on emotional blackmail to win election.

They lost election in 2015 and gave up their senses along.

I have been more of opposition than their whinny feeble party. Bunch of stomach infrastructure people, she tweeted.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to question Senator George Akume over kil...





The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to question Senator George Akume over killings in Benue State.

PDP made the call in a statement on Tuesday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.

The statement was titled; Benue killings: PDP charges DSS To investigate Akume, asks Akume to explain roles in Benue violence

The party also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the former Benue governor over embezzled billions while he was governor.

PDP condemned Akumes attack on Ortom describing it as an assault on the entire people of Benue State.

This attack on Governor Ortom is an unpardonable assault on the generality of Benue people, particularly, the victims of the bloody attacks in the state, the statement read in part.

The PDP describes Senator Akumes call for a state of emergency in Benue as thoughtless, reckless and absolutely reprehensible.

Akume had at a press conference in Abuja on Monday called for a state of emergency in Benue over high level of insecurity which the PDP frowned at.
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has vowed to drag the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume...





Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has vowed to drag the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume to court to prove unfounded allegations levelled against him in a recent press conference in Abuja.

Governor Ortom spoke to journalists on Wednesday, shortly before commencement of the Benue State Executive Council meeting held at the New Banquet Hall of Benue Peoples House, Makurdi.

He stated that Senator Akumes allegations amounted to treachery, betrayal and backstabbing, all of which he must prove beyond reasonable doubt in a competent court of law.

Governor Ortom maintained that though he does not wish to join issues with the leader of All Progressives Congress, APC in the state, it had become expedient that he came before the court with evidence to put records straight.

The Governor said it was surprising that Senator Akume has, at no time, identified with Benue people who are being continually killed by Fulani herdsmen.

Governor Ortom shortly after the briefing, received award of Fellow Association of Nigeria Public Administrators from a former member of the State House of Assembly representing Agatu constituency, Alhaji Sule Audu who represented him at a recent function in Abuja.

Similarly, the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Godwin Oyiwona, presented to the Governor winners at the just-concluded Science Exhibition Expo where participants from Benue came top.
Senator Bala NaAllah, who represents Kebbi South Senatorial District of Kebbi State, said he spoke to his son, Abdulkareem, a few hours b...

Senator Bala NaAllah, who represents Kebbi South Senatorial District of Kebbi State, said he spoke to his son, Abdulkareem, a few hours before the news of his death on Sunday.

The lawmaker, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Air Force, noted that the discussion he had with his son was largely on the disturbing security situation across the country.

Captain Abdulkareem, a civil pilot, was strangled and found dead inside his bedroom at his Government Reserved Area residence in Malali, Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Sunday.

The killers were reported to have gained entry into the house through the ceiling of the house.

NaAllah, who is also a pilot, spoke while receiving the leadership of the Correspondents Chapel, Kaduna Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, who paid him a condolence visit in the state capital on Tuesday.

The delegation was led by the chapels Chairman, Hajiya Asmau Halilu.

According to the lawmaker, eight hours before the murder of his 36-year-old son, he had discussion with him over the security situation in the country, adding, Little did he know that he had less than eight hours to live.

NaAllah also cautioned Nigerians against politicising the security challenges bedevilling the country and advised politicians to close ranks irrespective of political parties in order to tackle the security challenges headlong.

The lawmaker said, Since Abdulkareems death, so many things continue to happen that remove the pain of his death from me. I spoke to him around 9.27pm (on Saturday). And I swear by the Holy Quran, the subject of our discussion was security. Little I know or little did he know that he had less than eight hours to live.

 This insecurity issue didnt just come in a day and it is good we understand this because if we dont understand it, we will continue to prescribe a medicine that will not cure it and the prescription, which is dangerous to me that I have seen so far, is for politicians to attempt to politicise the issue of security.

So, courtesy demands that we advise ourselves and look at clearly what are the issues? How do they come about? Then with that information we can prescribe the correct antidote to our problem.
The Nigeria Labour Congress has said it would call out workers on industrial action if the Federal Government implemented a proposed hike ...

The Nigeria Labour Congress has said it would call out workers on industrial action if the Federal Government implemented a proposed hike in electricity tarrifs.

It reminded the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, about the agreement reached by the Federal Government  Organised Labour Committee on Electricity Tariff on September 28, 2020.

The meeting had agreed to freeze further increases in electricity tariff until the committee concludes its work and its report adopted by all the principals in the committee.

The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, handed down the notice in reaction to speculations that the 11 power distribution companies have received approval to slightly increase electricity tariffs with effect from September 1.

The hint came from an August 25 notification to customers from the Eko Electricity Distribution Company titled, Re: Tariff increase notification, purportedly signed by the General Manager, Loss Reduction, Olumide Anthony-Jerome.

The notice claimed that the approval was from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

It read, This is to officially notify you that there will be an increase in electricity tariff with effect from September 1, 2021. This increase is as a result of the nationwide mandate to implement the Service Based Tariff approved by our regulators.

Kindly note that the increase will be reflected on the energy bill for October 2021, which will represent energy consumption for September.

In addition, for our metered customers with internal vending arrangements, we urge you to adjust the rates accordingly to reflect the new tariff increase as released by the NERC.





According to the newly approved plan, customers with lower power consumption capacity have their rates increased by N2 per kilowatts hour from N54.08/kwh to N56.08/kwh and are promised at least 20 hours of supply daily.

MD1 customers on Band A will pay N58.94/kwh from N56.94/kwh.

However, Eko DisCo denied the said notice, saying customers would be informed of any change on its website.

But reacting to the reports in a statement on Wednesday titled, Notice on speculations on increase in electricity tarrifs, Wabba cautioned that the organised labour would not brook any tarrifs hike.

He stated, We wish to draw your attention to the wave of speculation, especially as widely reported in the media that there are fresh plans to grant approval to Electricity Distribution Companies to hike electricity tariff.

We write to remind the Honourable Minister that Organised Labour on September 28, 2020, through the Federal Government  Organised Labour Committee on Electricity Tariff agreed to freeze further increases in electricity tariff until the committee concludes its work and its report adopted by all the Principals in the Committee.

It is in light of this that we dismiss the ongoing speculation on increase in electricity tariff as mere speculations.

We, however, find it prudent to put you on notice that should government make true the swirling speculation by approving an increase in electricity tariff, Organised Labour would be left with no option than to deploy the industrial mechanisms granted in our laws for the defense of workers rights.
A 45-year-old landlady has been arrested by officers of the Ondo Police Command for allegedly killing her tenant, The landlady identified ...





A 45-year-old landlady has been arrested by officers of the Ondo Police Command for allegedly killing her tenant,

The landlady identified as Folasade who was said to have been having issues with her tenant, Omolola Oladipupo allegedly hit the deceased on the head which resulted in her death.

The incident was said to have happened on Tuesday at Taotao street, Lotogbe area of Ondo town, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area of the state.

The landlady was said to have pushed the deceased tenant who she accused of walking across her pot while she was cooking.

According to the husband of the deceased, Oladipupo Ikudabo, I heard that my wife said she wanted to pass and that the landlady should remove her pot from where she was cooking on the way where we pass to the kitchen.

Before I would come out of the house, my landlady had pushed my wife on the floor. When I saw her condition, I quickly rushed her to the hospital where she was confirmed dead.

The suspect, on her part, said, the deceased held her wrapper and removed it after she made attempts to cross her food.

She added that after she became infuriated, she pushed the tenant and she fell on the floor.

Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Fumilayo Odunlami, stated that investigations had commenced.

The police spokesperson added that the corpse of the deceased tenant has been deposited at the morgue in a general hospital.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, on Wednesday encouraged Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State to s...

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, on Wednesday encouraged Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State to stay strong amid his travails with the federal government over his recent comments on President Muhammadu Buharis administration.

Primate Ayodele assured Ortom that God is with him and as such should stay strong in the face of challenges.

The clergyman noted that the governor has lots of battles to face, adding that his colleagues will join the federal government to fight him.

He urged the governor to be in the right standing with God so that he can win the battles.

Ortom had severally attacked the president, describing him as the worst when it comes to security.

The presidency responded to the governors attack by calling him names while defending President Muhammadu Buhari.

Following the development, Primate Ayodele offered his opinion on the matter saying governor Ortom was fighting a just cause but that the government hates the truth.

In a statement by his Media Office, the clergyman warned the governor to be careful of his movement and continue fighting for his people because God will vindicate him.

He said: Governor Samuel Ortom is walking through tough times in his state. There has been a kind of battle between him and the presidency for some days now.

The Lord showed me that he will be disappointed because some of his colleagues will join the Federal government to fight him even though he is fighting for his people. He should continue defending the people, though more troubles are still coming but God will lift him up. Unnecessary people will start trailing him but he should stand right so that God can fight for him

He should not think people are behind him, those he feels are supporting will feel he is doing too much and leave him. People dont like those telling the truth. They want to frame him up, let him continue fighting, he is on the right path, God will vindicate him.
Former lawmaker, Shehu Sani on Wednesday said there is complete darkness in the country as nothing works. Shehu Sani who Representin...

Former lawmaker, Shehu Sani on Wednesday said there is complete darkness in the country as nothing works.

Shehu Sani who Representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District in 2015, said bandits have a complete influence on the nations educational system as they shut down schools, farms.

According to him, the state government shut down markets while the federal government shut down borders and mining activities leading to complete darkness.

Recall that, the Kaduna State government on Monday said it banned the weekly markets in Birnin Gwari, Kajuru, Chikun, Igabi and Giwa local governments.

The government said the decision was taken after it reviewed the security situation in the state.

Senator Sani who wrote on his verified Facebook wall on Wednesday said, The bandits shut down farms and schools, the Federal government shut down borders and mining activities, the state government shut down markets. That is complete darkness.
Waverly Sokolov sticks her tongue out in the mirror during a beginner ballet class. Raise the Barre is a new ballet studio founded by two long-time best friends, Danielle Forgione and Melissa DeSantis. Ulysses Munoz/Baltimore Sun/TNS
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
The Peace Arch sits on the border between the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. Department of State is urging Americans to avoid traveling to Canada due to rise in COVID cases.Greg Gilbert/Seattle Times/Tns
New Orleans officials are preparing a shelter at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for residents with medical needs who are stuck in sweltering temperatures after Hurricane Ida crippled the region's power grid.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell confirmed Wednesday that the city hopes to open the facility on Thursday to people on life-support systems, in need of dialysis treatments or who have other disabilities and are in need of somewhere to escape the heat. Meals and water are expected to be available.

Though the city briefly opened Rosenwald Recreation Center on Earhart Boulevard to those with special medical needs, the Convention Center would be a single clearinghouse for even more people who have those issues. The center also has ample parking, unlike the smaller centers that normally offer programs for young people and seniors.

The announcement comes as power remains out across the city for the third day. Residents who hunkered down for the storm were facing excessive heat and scrambling to find gasoline and other basic needs. They were also juggling the daunting tasks of filing insurance and federal assistance claims, clearing debris and patching up a range of property damages as they await the restoration of basic services.

Those with medical needs face greater challenges. In addition to the stresses that excessive heat can place on medically-vulnerable people, medications such as insulin and antibiotic liquids must be refrigerated.

There has also been a rise in hospitalizations and deaths due to carbon-monoxide poisoning, as people have improperly used portable generators to keep their homes and food cool in recent days. The region is also facing a shortage in gasoline to operate home generators and vehicles, leading to long lines at the few gas stations that have reopened after the storm.

"We are working to stand up a much larger operation at the Convention Center for shelter. That is not online at the time," Cantrell said at a press conference Wednesday at City Hall. "Hopefully, the work is happening today for a full operation on tomorrow."

NOLA Ready spokesperson Laura Mellem confirmed that the shelter would begin with 100 beds, and would be staffed by a disaster medical aid team provided by the federal government.

"This center will be strictly limited to individuals with serious physical medical issues, ventilators, and/or electric life-preserving devices," she said. The shelter would prioritize patients "who are extremely vulnerable to heat-related illness that would cause premature death."

Cantrell said the city has requested that FEMA provide additional fuel for generators and vehicles, though no decisions have been made. Even some of the city's generator-operated cooling centers have struggled without air-conditioning during some periods due to fuel availability or generator problems.

Emergency Medical Services crews, meanwhile, have responded to at least two calls about households suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning after running gas-powered generators. In those cases, 13 people were affected, and one died, said Emily Nichols, the city's EMS director.

Aside from offering a reliable place for some residents to cool down, the city expects to begin garbage pick-ups on Thursday, though they will be extremely limited due to staffing issues with the city's sanitation contractors, said Ramsey Green, the city's deputy chief for infrastructure.

Residents who have begun to put storm debris on the curb should not expect for it to be picked up until next week, Green said. Fourteen contractor crews worked throughout the city Wednesday to push the downed tree limbs, roof shingles and other debris off of major roadways.

The New Orleans Police Department has tried to prevent looting in the city with help from the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office and the Louisiana National Guard. NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson declined to detail how many looting arrests have been made.

A curfew also took effect Tuesday night.

The curfew does not apply to delivery vehicles, such as those affiliated with FedEx or the United Parcel Service.

The city also received about 8,800 tarps on Wednesday and is preparing to distribute them in various neighborhoods. Residents will need to provide a name and address to receive a tarp, said Collin Arnold, New Orleans' director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Meanwhile, the Sewerage & Water Board hoped to bring 35 of its 85 sewer lift stations online with generator power on Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, more than 53,000 households had applied for FEMA aid, and more than $5 million in assistance was on its way to many of those individuals, FEMA official Gerry Stoler said.

"Whether a household decided to evacuate New Orleans or not has no impact on a household's eligibility for assistance," Stoler said. People should submit claims with their insurance companies first, he stressed.

The news Wednesday that Entergy New Orleans was able to restore power to at least 11,500 customers appeared to hearten Cantrell, who said she was hopeful the remaining outages wouldn't take weeks to resolve.

"I think the progress we are seeing on the ground is greater than the progress we have seen in the past," Cantrell said.

The city will open drive-through distribution sites on Thursday at which meals and water will be available:

Skelly Rupp Field, 730 Vespasian Blvd. (opening at noon)

Lyons Center, 624 Louisiana Ave. (opening at noon)

Wesley Barrow Stadium, 6500 Press Drive (opening at noon)

Joe Brown Recreation Center, 5601 Read Blvd. (open at 8 a.m.)

Mahalia Jackson Auditorium parking lot, 1419 Basin St. (open at 8 a.m.)

Also, eight cooling centers open on Wednesday will serve dinner from 4 to 6 p.m. The centers will remain open until Friday:

Treme Rec Center, 900 N. Villere St.

Gernon Brown Rec Center, 1001 Harrison Ave.

Milne Rec Center, 5420 Franklin Ave.

Stallings St. Claude Rec Center, 4300 St Claude Ave.

Lyons Center, 624 Louisiana Ave.

Rosenwald Rec Center, 1120 S. Broad Ave.

Central City Senior Center, 2101 St. Phillip St.

Cut Off Recreation Center, 6600 Belgrade St.

The Regional Transit Authority is also operating its buses and Canal Street-Algiers Point ferry service as mobile cooling centers. Residents who are having trouble accessing the centers should call 311 for help, Cantrell said.
Moving is no fun. Neither is getting rid of stuff. And both jobs get harder as we get older. So when seniors are looking to downsize and move all at the same time, many just say, Ill stay put, thank you very much.

Its not just their massive bedroom sets, armoires, hutches and 12-leaf dining room tables holding them back, but also the intangibles. The memories, the family history, their identities are all in jeopardy.

That thorny issue was the focus of the eXp Realty Seniors Network conference last week, where I spoke to real estate agents nationwide about how to help seniors through this process  in under an hour. Although I thought the gambit was a bit like expecting a YouTube video to tell you how to remove your own brain tumor, I gave it a shot.

I mean, if you ask most seniors to get rid of a lifetime of acquired stuff and move from their large, raised-the-kids-here-and-hosted-umpteen-potlucks-and-as-many-pick-up-ball games house to a place that better suits their current lifestyle, will cost less, and is easier to maintain, they will act as if you asked them to stand naked on the freeway.

And yet, that reluctance to lighten up, let go and move on is commonly all that stands between them and a better life, and also between a real estate agent and a listing.

Don Maycott, a real estate agent with eXp Realty and co-founder of the seniors network, invited me to address the group after he stumbled across my new book, What to Do with Everything you Own to Leave the Legacy You Want.

I thought you might have a few thoughts on the subject, he said.

Oh, one or two, I said.

The decluttering conversation is always a hard job for a Realtor, said Maycott, who specializes in working with seniors, which is a good niche since he lives and works in The Villages, in Florida, the largest retirement community in the world with 80,000 homes inside 80 square miles.

You dont want to offend or upset the homeowner, he continued, but you also want to help them sell the home quickly for the best price. So youre walking on eggshells.

I get it, I said. How do you tell Mrs. McGillicuddy, who is 75, that its time to let go of her sons boy scout uniform, which she has in a box with the dead corsage she wore to senior prom.

You know the type, he said.

Real estate agents have to be sociologists, psychologists, archaeologists and diplomats.

So I cobbled together my best advice to help this group help their older clients to cross the bridge between stuck in the past and a embracing a lighter, better future. Here are some tips that maybe a senior you know can use, too:

KNOW WHAT HURDLES YOU FACE: Remember that for seniors thinking of moving, letting go isnt just about sorting through physical stuff but also psychological freight. Sorting through a household makes us face the passage of time, where weve been, where we are in life, successes and regrets, our mortality. Gently remind them that living in the past robs you of the present. And that nature shows us everywhere that to grow, living things must shed.

REFRAME THE MOVE: They are not downsizing; theyre rightsizing. That reframing is not only true, but it also removes the idea that moving to a smaller home and living with less is somehow a demotion. Its not.

HIGHLIGHT THE PLUSSES: Not to put too big a bow on this, because shedding is hard, but one reason so many seniors cant let go and move forward is because they cant see whats ahead. Help them picture what their new life will look like, and visualize the upside of rightsizing. Point out how much better their quality of life will be when they have to care for no more house than they need, and have less yard to maintain. The move could free up capital, so they can enjoy life more. For those who want to travel, it will be much easier to lock up and go. And when theyve done the hard work of purging and cleaning house, they will be giving their heirs an enormous gift. (Believe me.)

Ready-to-assemble furniture getting a PR makeover after improving quality and ease of set-up The pair of side chairs I ordered arrived in boxes so flat I thought surely I had gotten the wrong items. Then again, I usually order furnitur

THE PRACTICAL SIDE: Decluttered houses show and sell better. Period. Maycott tells potential sellers flat out, Were going to need to move some things, or put them somewhere else, because we want the house to feel bigger. Hard to argue with that.

LET GO IN STAGES: Suggest that, before the sellers list their house, they purge what they can, then box up what theyre not using: extra linens, dishes, clothes, books. That will make cabinets and closets look spacious, and help buyers see the house, not the stuff. Move those boxed items neatly into the garage or into a temporary rented pod. (Not, have mercy, a storage facility.) Once the house sells, they can revisit these items. After having lived with less, they may realize they dont need these things at all.

SHARE YOUR OWN STORIES: Maycott, for instance, tells sellers to just do what he did. He and his wife, both 61, moved to the Villages from Atlanta six years ago from a 3,600-square-foot home into 1,600 square feet. We asked our grown children if they wanted anything. Each took a few things. We tagged what was going to Florida, and put the rest in a garage sale. What was left went to charity. It worked very well for us. If only it were always that easy.

Marni Jameson can be reached at www.marnijameson.com.
A flurry of new restaurant plans continue to take shape across the area, including two from a pair of Metairie restaurants to expand in New Orleans.

Banh Mi Boys is Magazine Street bound

You wont find banh mi fillings like five spice pulled pork, Cajun garlic butter shrimp or chicken katsu just anywhere. But soon the Metairie-based restaurant Banh Mi Boys (5001 Airline Dr., Metairie, 504-510-5360) will also be slinging these signature sandwiches on Magazine Street.

Work on a second location is now underway at 3244 Magazine St., in a corner building that had long been home to a Reginellis Pizzeria. It is slated to open this fall, perhaps by November.

A third Banh Mi Boys is also taking shape across the country, in Portland, Oregon.

Both expansions are franchises, part of a plan that founder Peter Nguyen has been working on since he established Banh Mi Boys and saw its growth potential.

We have a lot of customers who live Uptown but work in Metairie or the other way around, and theyve always encouraged us, said Nguyen. Once we built up the original business, I started seeing how this could grow.

Nguyen started Banh Mi Boys in 2015, taking over the deli attached to the Texaco gas station his family runs at the corner of Airline and Transcontinental Drive.

His parents urged him to stick to traditional po-boys. Instead, Nguyen decided to blend his Vietnamese heritage with his New Orleans upbringing to create Banh Mi Boys, which has since earned a wide following for its next-generation banh mi.

Korean bulgogi beef, Chinese char siu barbecue pork and bang bang shrimp are a few of the specialty banh mi, tucked into crusty rolls with cucumber, carrots, radish, jalapenos and fresh cilantro.

His menu includes traditional banh mi and traditional New Orleans po-boys as well, plus salads, rice plates, spring rolls and exuberant cheese fries topped with oyster Rockefeller sauce or Vietnamese bo ne (a sizzling version of steak and eggs), or bacon, ranch dressing and "flamin' hot craclin' crumbs.

Local businessman Christian Lombardo is the franchisee who will run this second location. Hes a friend and longtime customer of Nguyens. In fact, he said, he and his wife eat at Banh Mi Boys so often they already feel like investors.

We spend an embarrassing amount of time there, he laughed.

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His goal is to bring the same menu, feel and attitude from the original to this new Banh Mi Boys, and for that hell be turning to Nguyens support.

We fell in love with Banh Mi Boys and our goal is to continue that growth with Peter, he said. We wouldnt have done this without Peter involved. We can tap his expertise on the cuisine and the flavors.

The new location will have counter service, like the original, and it will also add a bar.

The Reginellis at the corner of Magazine and Toledano streets had been in business for 17 years before pandemic pressures led the local brand to shutter this location in May 2020.

This stretch of Magazine Street has drawn an increasing diversity of restaurants in recent years. Another local Vietnamese restaurant, Lilly's Cafe, also plans to expand with a second location just up the street at 3329 Magazine St.

Mucho Mas for Oak Street

Last fall, Julio Machado opened Tacos Del Cartel (2901 David Dr., Metairie, 504-381-5063) with a lushly designed interior, a long list of agave cocktails and a menu centered around taqueria standards. Soon, he will have a second restaurant in New Orleans that promises much more. In fact, that is precisely what its called.

Mucho Mas is taking shape at 8201 Oak St., slated to open in early fall.

It will serve a more wide-ranging menu of Mexican flavors, including many dishes that start over a charcoal grill.

For seafood, look for Mexican shrimp cocktail, tuna tostadas and a version of snapper a la talla (butterflied and grilled with dueling sauces on each side of the fish), a nod to the signature dish of star Mexican chef Gabriela Camara. Carne asada and tasajo, a type of cured, grilled beef, are in the works too.

Mucho Mas is taking over the space that until recently was home to Jazzy Petes, the expansion of a po-boy restaurant in Slidell that opened here just last year. The address was previously DTB, which closed in 2020.

Work is underway now behind the papered windows of the corner spot. To design the new restaurant, Machado has brought in JL Studio Designs, the same firm that designed Tacos Del Cartel, with its luminous skull-and-roses motif of Mexican Day of the Dead themes.
Classes were on hold at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute after Hurricane Ida, but the downtown culinary school offered a vivid demonstration in adaptability and rapid disaster response, all through food.

The school quickly became a home base for the local efforts of World Central Kitchen, the organization led by star chef Jose Andres that has made its name by bringing food relief to stricken communities in the immediate wake of disasters.

At NOCHI, they partnered with a local organization uniquely equipped for the urgent task of producing and distributing massive amounts of food post-storm.

We could do this because NOCHI has the facility, the expertise and the relationships, said NOCHI executive director Leah Sarris. The connections we have across the hospitality industry and the community mean the work were doing here can go further and make more of an impact for New Orleans right now.

The upshot is thousands of meals a day, bound for the citys meal distribution program, for first responders and for people who walk up to NOCHIs door in need. Some 10,000 meals came through the school by the second day after Ida, and that daily number soon multiplied.

Teaching kitchens arrayed with ranks of commercial ovens and stoves and giant tilt skillets were pressed into service for the job. Pallets of food pour in from trucks out front, through the schools lobby and off to various stations, where it is prepared by a mix of staff from World Central Kitchen and workers from local restaurants who have found paying gigs here in the emergency.

NOCHI was already experienced in community feeding efforts from its work in the coronavirus crisis. It was a central production and coordination site for the citys meal program that tapped restaurants across New Orleans to make and deliver food to vulnerable people.

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Sarris said that experience laid the ground work for the Ida response effort with World Central Kitchen. But making it happen in the blacked-out city at the swift pace needed has entailed a round-the-clock effort. Culinary school staff, including administrators and instructors, began coordinating and cooking, with some even sleeping in the building instead of going home at night.

Emergency generators provide some power, but getting the building ready for the work ahead meant bringing in more generators, and getting cables across multiple floors to enable use of all the schools kitchens  a task local contractor Frischhertz Electric accomplished for the school.

NOCHI was created to provide people with a quick, affordable jump-start to the next level in the hospitality field. Its certificate program is aimed more at workforce and career development than traditional culinary schools. It enrolled its first class in 2019, and was just gaining momentum when the coronavirus crisis hit. Sarris said now the school is now trying to get through the new crisis brought on by Ida.

For information on how to contribute to NOCHI, see nochi.org. On the online form indicate Ida Relief Initiative in the comment field.

For information on how to contribute to World Central Kitchen, see wck.org.

Free meals are available on a walk-up basis at NOCHI, 725 Howard Ave., at the cafe door on the Carondelet Street side.

+7 New Orleans restaurants give away food, find ways to get cooking after Hurricane Ida On day two after Hurricane Ida tore through the region, more people began trying to refresh their supplies of food, water, ice. They found man
Hurricane Ida was not a jazz fan.

The storm reduced the old Karnofsky tailor shop, one of the most significant landmarks in the early history of jazz in New Orleans, to rubble.

Adding insult to injury, Ida also tore off an exterior wall of the nearby Little Gem Saloon that bore a two-story mural of jazz pioneer Buddy Boldens band.

All that remained of the vibrant painting by contemporary artist Brandan B-mike Odums, which was based on one of the only known photos of Bolden, were the tops of three musicians heads and the slogan One Time in New Orleans.

The collapsed Karnofsky building and the destroyed Bolden mural quickly became poster children for Idas destructive power. On Monday, guest anchor Tom Llamas hosted NBC Nightly News from outside the Little Gems damaged wall, the One Time in New Orleans logo neatly framed over his left shoulder.

In a city with a dismal track record of protecting and preserving its cultural legacy, the destruction of the Karnofsky building is an especially bitter pill, coming after decades of neglect and as-yet-unrealized renovation plans.

In the early 1900s, the two-story brick building at 427 S. Rampart St. was home to the Karnofskys, a Jewish immigrant family. As documented in numerous historical accounts and Louis Armstrongs autobiography, they ran a tailor shop on the ground floor and lived on the second floor.

+7 New Orleans restaurants give away food, find ways to get cooking after Hurricane Ida On day two after Hurricane Ida tore through the region, more people began trying to refresh their supplies of food, water, ice. They found man

The house on Perdido Street where Armstrong lived as a boy was not far from the Karnofsky shop. He befriended the Karnofsky boys, hung out at the shop and worked on the familys junk and coal wagon, rolling around town while, as the story goes, tooting on a tin horn. After work, he sometimes ate dinner with the family, developing a lifelong affinity for Jewish cuisine.

At some point, Armstrong wrote in his autobiography, the family gave him an advance on his wages so he could buy a $5 pawn shop cornet  apparently the first real horn ever owned by one of the 20th centurys most beloved and musically accomplished entertainers.

After Armstrongs death, his hometown affixed his name to its international airport and the park north of the French Quarter. But it couldn't protect a building that played a pivotal role in his formative years.

Given its Armstrong connection, the Karnofsky shop was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But it sat in disrepair for decades, as did most of the historic 400 block of South Rampart.

In the early 1900s, it was a bustling back o town nightlife district also known as Black Storyville. The blocks forlorn current condition  scattered, abandoned buildings marooned in an asphalt sea of parking lots  belies that lively history.

In the 1910s, Armstrong reportedly won a talent contest at the Iroquois Theater, which is still standing on South Rampart. In the same square block, the Eagle Saloon and the Little Gem Saloon also hosted turn of the twentieth century jazz pioneers, including cornetist Buddy Bolden, arguably the first true jazz cornetist. (Bolden's old home on First Street in Central City has its own saga of neglect.)

The Little Gem Saloon has fared better than its peers. In 2012, the property was acquired by a group led by Nicholas Bazan Jr., director of neuroscience at the LSU Health Sciences Center. They orchestrated a $5 million renovation and reopened the Little Gem in 2013 as a music hall and restaurant.

In late 2018, the GBX Group, a Cleveland-based real estate firm that specializes in historic preservation, acquired the Karnofsky shop and the Iroquois. By the summer of 2019, GBX had also purchased the Little Gem, giving the company ownership of most of the square bounded by Loyola Avenue and Poydras, South Rampart and Perdido streets.

Over the past 20 years, GBX has used local, state and federal incentives, often in the form of tax credits, to rehabilitate more than 135 historic buildings in 21 states and return them to commerce. In December 2019, GBX granted a preservation easement on both the Karnofsky shop and the Iroquois to the Preservation Resource Center, the local nonprofit that works to preserve historic buildings and neighborhoods.

The voluntary easement gave the preservation center a share of the property rights and the authority to approve proposed changes and renovations to the buildings. In return, GBX gets access to lucrative tax credits.

In 2019, after consulting with an engineering firm, GBX installed supports in the Karnofsky building. Temporary bracing, including specialized hurricane bracing, was also added, according to the preservation center.

+5 As New Orleans restaurant assess Hurricane Ida aftermath, a few start cooking again Susan del Corral is going day to day, and she cant say what shell do tomorrow. But on the morning after Hurricane Ida ripped through the reg

But Ida's Category 4 gusts brushed the bracing aside.

Hurricane Ida, which matched some of the highest wind speeds ever recorded in Louisiana, unfortunately took place before the Karnofsky Tailor Shop could be revitalized," Preservation Resource Center executive director Danielle Del Sol said. "Now our work will be to ensure that future development at this site fully reflects the historical and architectural significance of the building that was lost.

The Karnofsky shop may not be lost entirely. On Monday, GBX dispatched contractors to install fencing at the Karnofsky site and the Iroquois, and to start collecting and storing the collapsed bricks. The Karnofsky shop may be rebuilt as part of GBX's ambitious plans to redevelop the South Rampart Street corridor.

"We take it very personally when one of our projects cannot be brought back to life," GBX Group CEO Drew Sparacia said. "However, we will not be deterred and remain fully committed to redeveloping the remaining historic landmarks as we push forward with our long-standing vision to return the 400 block of South Rampart Street to its jazz roots."

If that vision is realized, Ida may not have the last word after all.

Staff writer Gordon Russell contributed to this story.
Jael Gray, 2, holds onto a plate of food given to her as she and her family receive donated food in the St. Roch neighborhood of New Orleans two days after Hurricane Ida.
Food, water and ice distribution sites are opening around the region and quickly becoming drawing big crowds and long lines of vehicles queueing up for anything to make the agony of life after Hurricane Ida a bit easier.

A distribution center opened on the west bank of St. Charles Parish quickly created a huge traffic jam. The National Guard and GOHSEP opened the distribution site at the West Bank Bridge Park at noon Wednesday. And within an hour, vehicles were in a line that stretched onto the ramp of the Hale Boggs Bridge and along River Road.

St. Charles Parish, in a Facebook post, said the site would be open until 5 p.m. Wednesday. It will be open daily from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. going forward until further notice.

The scene was much the same in Metairie Wednesday morning, as long lines formed at a Jefferson Parish distribution site opened at the former Zephyr Stadium on Airline Drive. Vehicles quickly made a long line on the highway leading to the site, one of two opened in Jefferson Parish.

The other Jefferson Parish site is at the Alario Center in Westwego.

Stacy Herbert, 34, of Kenner, was in line at the Metairie site with her three adolescent boys and her Chihuahua mix, Big Girl. They'd been in line about an hour as well.

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"We need MREs because everything in the icebox is out," she said.

Lines looked to be several hours long late Wednesday morning, based on interviews with people at different spots in the queue, which was moving briskly. Parish Councilman Scott Walker asked people to try to be patient.

In St. Tammany, parish officials said Wednesday they were waiting for FEMA to deliver water, ice and MREs to two relief centers: First Baptist Church in Covington and Heritage Park in Slidell. As of midday Wednessday, the supplies had not arrived.

In St. Bernard Parish, officials said they expected to begin distributing emergency food Thursday and Friday at the government complex in Chalmette.

Faimon Roberts contributed to this story.
Entergy slowly started turning on the lights in New Orleans on Wednesday, three days after Hurricane Ida made landfall, as utility workers brought the first local power plant back online and got electricity flowing through one of the region's downed transmission lines.

Deanna Rodriguez, CEO of Entergy New Orleans, said that late Tuesday evening the natural-gas fired New Orleans Power Station in New Orleans East was connected to one of the main transmission lines that comes into the city from Slidell. Electricity started flowing to about 11,500 customers, a tiny fraction of the more than 1 million people still without power due to the storm. Homes in the Little Woods neighborhood of New Orleans East got power, as did the Veterans Affairs hospital in downtown New Orleans and the New Orleans Fire Department.

"It is increasing steadily," Rodriguez said, though she and other Entergy executives couldn't provide an estimate for when they might make any substantial inroads towards restoring power for the majority of New Orleans area residents.

Entergy New Orleans has approximately 200,000 business and residential customers, all of whom were without power from Sunday night when Ida's catastrophic winds and lashing rain sideswiped the city. Additionally, power was out for about 800,000 Entergy Louisiana customers in other suburban parishes blacked out by the storm, which caused the utility to lose all eight of the major transmission lines that supply the metro area with power.

Rodriguez and Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana's CEO, offered several analogies to explain why power restoration would be slow and unpredictable. They described it as a delicate balancing act of gradually lighting up parts of the grid in a way that wouldn't risk overloading the power station in New Orleans East and other sources. If anything was overloaded, it could be tripped off and scuttle any progress.

"That would mean we'd have to start all over again," said May.

Aside from the damage to transmission lines, which move power from far-flung plants into the local network, Entergy said the storm caused damage to 5,000 poles, 5,200 transformers, and nearly 750 feeders. All of that equipment, part of the utility's distribution system that provides the last leg of connections into homes and businesses, will also need to be repaired to complete full restoration to every customer.

Hundreds of utility vehicles were clustered in parking lots around the University of New Orleans Lakefront Arena on Wednesday, ready for some of the 21,000 workers staged across the area to take them out to fix the system. Bucket trucks, auger trucks, fuel tankers and equipment-bearing pickups of all sorts came and went through the gates, singly or in small convoys.

At another staging area, the Oakwood Mall in Gretna, the parking lot was filled with as many as 100 trucks. At about noon, crews were replacing utility poles at the site.

"This restoration will be slow and steady but the numbers restored will continue to grow," Rodriguez said.

The New Orleans east plant that provided the first chunks of power commenced commercial operation in spring 2020 after a contentious and controversial approval process by the New Orleans City Council that began in 2017. Many residents and advocates for renewable energy were critical of the plant, while utility executives argued that it would provide a critical backstop to keep the city humming.

May said on Wednesday that the station was never intended to keep power going in the city in times likes these. The natural gas-fired plant has generating capacity of only 128 megawatts -- enough to supply less than 10% of the city's power needs during normal times.

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However, he said that the plant plays a critical role in bringing power back up when it has to be restored from scratch. It is a modular station, which means that it can gradually add 8 to 10 megawatts at a time to bring up new parts of the grid in a way that doesn't risk overloading the system.

"We do this one step at a time, and the New Orleans Power Station allows us to do that," May said. "Then, we're going to bring in a little chunkier power from Ninemile 6," the Westwego power station, which has capacity of 560 megawatts.

"Ultimately, we'll get a line out to the west and we'll get a complete loop into the city and that will provide even more redundancy and ability to serve the needs of the city," May said.

The Entergy executives avoided answering questions about how long it would take for most of the customers now in the dark to get back online. They also did not say how extensive the damage was to the major transmission lines that typically bring in most of the electricity required to power the city.

They said they still have to complete damage surveys for more than half of the energy infrastructure.

In normal times, New Orleans requires about 1,300 megawatts of generating capacity to keep the lights on.

The commercial deals agreed between Entergy New Orleans and the City Council, its regulator, means that most of the power is purchased from the huge Union Power Station in El Dorado, Arkansas, which has total capacity of about 2 gigawatts.

The New Orleans utility also gets about 20% of its power from the Ninemile 6 plant and imports other power as needed from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the regional grid it is connected to, which allows it to draw on sources in 15 U.S. states and the Canadian province of Manitoba.

The New Orleans East plant is usually only used to supply power at peak times and to offer a little flexibility in balancing the power load.

Even with New Orleans East plant, the supply from Ninemile 6 and the flexibility from the transmission line coming in from Slidell, the total capacity will not be much more than 700 megawatts, May said.

That would be only a little over half the typical power needs for the city, though power usage will be much lower than normal with so much of the population evacuated.

May said that as the power is restored, starting with critical infrastructure, like hospitals, the Sewerage & Water Board and emergency responders, there will also be some adjacent neighborhoods that are restored. He said also "social infrastructure," including gas stations and grocery stores, will be prioritized.

On Wednesday afternoon, Entergy's map of outages showed that a chunk of Treme near Orleans Avenue had power restored, as did at least one building in the Central Business District.
A Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office deputy fatally shot a woman who twice tried to run over another deputy after she was harassing parish workers on Wednesday, according to Sheriff Joseph Lopinto.

The encounter happened at the corner of Veterans Boulevard and Lisa Drive in Metairie. The woman, who has not been publicly identified, was cursing at and harassing some parish workers, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said in a press conference.

The woman then struck a deputy who had gotten out of his cruiser and she dragged him for a distance. A chase began.

She drove on Veterans Boulevard toward Power Boulevard, where she was stopped by traffic. Deputies then caught up to her. She then hit the same deputy that she previously dragged with her SUV.

Another deputy then fired as many as nine times, striking and killing the woman.

The deputy who was dragged is going to the hospital with minor injuries. The deputy who killed the woman was not hurt.

Lopinto said he did not know what the parish workers, who are dealing with widespread power outages and debris clean-up after Hurricane Ida, were doing before the encounter. He also said he didn't know why the woman became enraged.

He did say there was no excuse for trying to run over a deputy twice. He also suggested the woman may have been in mental distress.

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"It doesn't seem like a whole lot was right with her," Lopinto said in the press conference.

The woman's name was not immediately released.

While many agencies automatically place officers who fire their guns while on the clock on desk duty, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office does not follow that practice. Many agencies would also release body-worn camera of an encounter like the one reported Wednesday, but the sheriff's office does not equip its deputies with body-worn or dashboard cameras.

The agency initially released news of the shooting in a 4:13 p.m. email.

"The Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office is currently working a deputy-involved shooting near the intersection of Lisa Dr. and Veterans Blvd. in Metairie," JPSO spokesperson Captain Jason Rivarde said in an email blast.

This is a developing story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.
A local businessman and member of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club who was shot in Houston last month while vacationing with friends has died.

Dyrin DJ Riculfy, 43, had been on life support since the Aug. 21 shooting and was taken off Tuesday, said Zulu member and New Orleans City Councilman Jay H. Banks. NOPD officer Everett Briscoe was also shot and died at the scene.

+8 Gang members on prowl for jewelry killed off-duty NOPD cop in 'robbery gone bad': Houston PD When Houston Police Chief Troy Finner arrived at the scene of a daytime shooting last weekend that left an off-duty New Orleans cop dead, he h

This nightmare continues, Banks said Wednesday, as he and other city officials worked on the city's recovery efforts from Hurricane Ida. My prayers are with DJs family  and my prayers are that we can stop this senseless slaughter everywhere.

Houston television outlet KPRC first reported Riculfy's death.

Riculfy, who owned a luxury bus and tuxedo rental company, was travelling with Briscoe and other Zulu members on a guys trip, and was on the patio of the Grotto Ristorante near the Galleria when two hooded men approached and ordered everyone to put their hands up. Briscoe and Riculfy were both shot, and the assailants fled the scene without taking anything, said police, who believe the shooting stemmed from a botched stick-up.

Briscoe died at the scene. Riculfy was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for nearly two weeks before he died.

Authorities have since arrested accused gang members Anthony Jenkins, 21, and Frederick Jackson, 19, in connection with the fatal shooting. They are charged with capital murder, which is punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty, officials in Houston have said.

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Investigators believe a third person was involved, but they havent publicly named any additional suspects.

Police allege Jenkins and Jackson were trying to rob people of expensive jewelry when they targeted Briscoe and Riculfy outside a restaurant that shares a strip mall with a boutique jeweler.

Jenkins later told police that the shooting erupted when one of the would-be robbery victims tried to reach for a gun, according to court records obtained by Houston media. The documents dont specify who that was.

Attorneys for both Jenkins and Jackson claim that neither of their clients fired the bullets which killed Briscoe and Riculfy.

Briscoe, a 13-year New Orleans police force veteran who is survived by his wife and two sons, was buried Saturday, the day before Ida crashed onto Louisianas coast as a Category 4 storm. He spent the bulk of his career investigating crimes, including homicides.

Riculfy was a husband and father himself. His funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.
Dara Mandell was not yet two weeks into her first year of college in New Orleans when she found herself on a bus to Houston, evacuating a powerless city with other Tulane University students for what could be weeks.

The Ann Arbor, Michigan, native weathered Hurricane Ida in her dormitory room, huddled with her roommate and another student. Their window blinds were pulled down, but she saw debris flying around against the dark, ominous sky. They awoke Monday to no electricity and a dwindling supply of food from their pre-hurricane grocery run, mostly cakes and cookies left.

+9 Follow Hurricane Ida's path of destruction through Louisiana, with aerial photos and video On the ground in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Ida, people tell stories of panicked rescues, unimaginable loss and dangerously close calls.

The next day, Mandell and more than 1,800 other Tulane students who had been living on campus boarded buses bound for Texas, where they were put up in a hotel while they waited for flights home or to be picked up by family or friends. Off-campus students followed in more buses Wednesday.

"We thought after the storm had passed, it would be a day or two," she said. "We were all in shock and processing on the drive to Houston."

As New Orleans braces for a lengthy stint without commercial electricity, universities and colleges have rushed to evacuate remaining students to nearby areas with power. Xavier University sent students to Dallas, Loyola to Mobile, Alabama, and the University of New Orleans to Lafayette.

Daniela Florez, a Tulane doctoral student in mathematics, boarded the bus on Wednesday morning with suitcases. An international student from Colombia, she said Tulane told her she could stay in the hotel for duration of the power outage. It's frustrating, she said: She just got back to New Orleans after studying at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

"I retuned two weeks ago, and now there's a hurricane," she said.

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Coralee LaRue, a Tulane senior, weathered the hurricane at her Uptown apartment on Plum Street. The wind was terrifying, she said, but overall there was little damage. She boarded the bus on Wednesday and planned to fly from there to her home in Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts.

New Orleans public school system assessing damage to buildings, says at least another week before reopening The New Orleans public school system has assessed about a third of its school buildings for damage after Hurricane Ida, and while officials ar

Tulane said it plans to resume classes virtually Sept. 13, and for students and staff to return to campus for in-person instruction on Oct. 11.

About 40% of Loyola students live in Louisiana and evacuated with their families before or after the storm, some taking along friends, said Patricia Murret, a spokesperson for the university. During the storm, 347 students remained on campus.

Since Tuesday, three buses a day have left Loyola's Uptown campus bound for Spring Hill College, a Jesuit institution in Mobile, Alabama, Murret said. Some students will stay there until power returns to New Orleans, with others taking flights from Gulfport, Mississippi, or Mobile, she said.

"With the stress on the city systems and limitations on electricity and power, we canceled class this week and next to allow students to address any issues at their homes and get to a place with internet," Murret said. Loyola's classes will resume online Sept. 13.

Spokesperson Adam Norris said UNO, largely a commuter school, moved about 70 residential students to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette on Wednesday morning. They'll stay there until UNO regains electricity.

Xavier University sent students to Dallas on Wednesday morning. Classes are canceled until Friday and will begin virtually and self-paced on Tuesday, the university said. The university said it would cover the cost of food and lodging in Dallas, and students were encouraged to make arrangements to go home from Texas if they were able.

Classes at University of Holy Cross were "tentatively scheduled" to resume Tuesday if power has been restored, spokesperson Steve Schulkens said.
Some airlines are scheduled to resume flights out of the Louis Armstrong International Airport as early as Wednesday after Hurricane Ida impacted southeastern Louisiana this past weekend.

The airport released new information Tuesday night about when each airline will attempt to resume flights.

+9 Thinking about returning to New Orleans after Ida? What to know before you hit the road If youre planning to return to the metro area soon, its hard to know exactly what conditions to expect because things are changing rapidly. 

American Airlines is scheduled to resume some limited flights on Wednesday, as of the Tuesday night update.

Jet Blue Airways expected to resume flights on Saturday morning. Spirit Airlines expects to resume on Saturday afternoon.

Click here to see the latest airline-by-airline and day-by-day update from the New Orleans airport.
The first lights came back on in the New Orleans area since Hurricane Ida early Wednesday morning, with Entergy announcing it had restored power to a limited area in New Orleans East.

The company was able to bring those customers back using electricity from the New Orleans Power Station, a natural gas plant in New Orleans East, according to a press release from the utility.

"While initial service can be provided to some customers, the full restoration will still take time given the significant damage across the region," according to the press release. "Crews will have to methodically bring back additional transmission lines over time to provide other pathways for power to enter the region, helping to maintain stability of the system throughout the complete restoration process."

More than 200,000 homes and businesses get their power from Entergy New Orleans. After the first power was restored Wednesday morning, Entergy's outage tracker reported about 173,000 were still without power. It was not immediately clear whether that figure was accurate since there have been errors on Entergy's outage map since Ida.

It's not clear how many customers got their power back, but the restoration marks the first time power came back for anyone in the region since eight transmission lines went offline in Ida's strong winds Sunday evening.

It was also not clear how long it would take to get additional electricity into the region served by those lines - which also includes Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes - or what the timeline would be for getting more customers online.

Entergy New Orleans announced the restoration in a tweet about 1:20 a.m.

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Entergy has taken the first step to restoring power back to the region. The first light shined early this morning in New Orleans East. Crews will have to methodically bring back additional transmission lines over time to provide additional pathways for progress. pic.twitter.com/ZCRs1aDB15  Entergy New Orleans (@EntergyNOLA) September 1, 2021

Entergy's outage map showed several neighborhoods near Interstate 10 as having had their power restored as of Wednesday morning.

After the storm, Entergy had proposed two possibilities for getting the lights back on in New Orleans.

One would see them getting the transmission lines back up and running, allowing power to flow into the region from the national grid.

A second option would be to create a temporary, isolated grid that included only the New Orleans area and use power plants in New Orleans East and on the West Bank to provide some power.

The utility had previously cast those proposals as mutually exclusive options, though their press release on Wednesday suggests that after its initial use of the New Orleans East power plant is is now planning to turn its attention to transmission lines.
Besides where to find gasoline, the biggest question for St. Tammany residents remained when will power be restored? Cleco officials expect to be able provide some more detailed answers on Thursday after the utility completes a damage assessment.

Jefferson and St. Bernard deal with power outages, gas shortages on Day 3 of Ida aftermath Like much of Southeast Louisiana, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes are dealing with two major issues in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida: powe

Company officials initially thought it would take three to four days to survey all the damage. But on Tuesday, Cleco had moved 90% of its Hurricane Ida response teams to St. Tammany and Washington parishes after completing restoration work in St. Mary and Iberia parishes.

Cleco also had four helicopters flying over the parish to make aerial observations and on Wednesday was reporting 100 poles on the ground, 400 broken crossarms, 65 damaged transformers and 500 trees on lines.

Those numbers will go up, Cleco said.

Restoration work is being done at the same time as the damage is tallied, according to Eric Schouest, vice president of government relations.

About 10,000 of Cleco's 95,000 customers in St. Tammany had been restored as of Wednesday afternoon, Parish President Mike Cooper said in an afternoon Facebook Live message.

Power was already back on in some places on Tuesday. About 200 to 300 customers on Dove Park Road and Louisiana 59 in the Mandeville area had power restored, as did Slidell Memorial Hospital.

Replay: Entergy provides updates on power restoration in New Orleans, surrounding areas Entergy officials gave a 9:45 a.m. update about efforts to restore service to the more than 173,000 people who remain without power in the gre

The St. Tammany Justice Center, Covington City Hall and the Covington Police Department had power restored for a bit on Tuesday. But Covington Mayor Mark Johnson said Wednesday morning that the power was off again as Cleco worked to get electricity to St. Tammany Health System.

The government buildings in downtown Covington weren't a priority, Johnson said, and had only gotten power back because of efforts to restore the hospital, with Cleco working its way down Jefferson Avenue.

Crews were also working to restore power to Lakeview Regional Medical Center, and Cleco said it anticipated having both of those hospitals fully restored by Wednesday.

Power was restored Tuesday night to the St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office, Ochsner Therapy & Wellness, Southeast Hospital and to some customers along Louisiana 434.

Cleco expected to restore power Wednesday to some customers in Madisonville, along Louisiana 1085 and Diversified Foods, Inc., as well as a portion of U.S. 190 in Covington where there are hotels and restaurants, Cleco said.

+2 Some customers in New Orleans East get power restored after Hurricane Ida Wednesday morning The first lights came back on in the New Orleans area since Hurricane Ida early Wednesday morning, with Entergy announcing it had restored pow

Crews were able to restore power to the Slidell sewer pumping station off of Terrace Avenue Tuesday night, and restoration was expected Wednesday for the Turtle Creek and Lakeshore Village subdivisions in the Slidell area.

In Pearl River, restoration was expected Wednesday for the police station, water tower, sewer lift station, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Compound, the Pump Slough area and Louisiana 41 north of U.S. 11, which includes Pearl River High School, Saw Mill Creek subdivision and Messer's Trailer Park.

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Entergy, which has about 5,000 customers in St. Tammany Parish is anticipating having power restored to most of them by the end of Wednesday or Thursday morning, Cooper said.

Washington St. Tammany Electric Cooperative, which still has about 81% of its 31,000 customers in St. Tammany Parish out of power, also has extra personnel working to restore electricity, he said.

Meanwhile, St. Tammany Parish Schools Superintendent Frank Jabbia said that he does not anticipate classes resuming until at least Sept. 13. The system is evaluating its 55 schools and other sites for damage but doesn't yet have a timeline for power restoration. An emergency School Board meeting was set Wednesday to declare an emergency so funds can be used for repairs.

If you evacuated for the storm, please rest assured that we will give you plenty of time to return when we are ready to reopen schools, he said.

Other relief efforts were mobilizing midweek, including a FEMA Pod, with ice, water and MREs, that will open at 8 a.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church in Covington, 16333 Louisiana 1085.

The parish is making blue tarps available at St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1 on Robert Boulevard in Slidell and at the Covington Fire Department on Jefferson Avenue.

Only one Red Cross shelter, at Creekside Junior High School in Pearl River remained opened, Cooper said.

Operation Blessing, based out of Virginia Beach, Virginia, is distributing blue tarps, cleaning supplies, water and dry food at Heritage Park in Slidell, Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer said. Vehicles can enter at Bayou Lane and drive into the park where the relief efforts are set up.

In Mandeville, a Baptist group out of Missouri set up relief operations Wednesday at First Baptist Church of Mandeville, 1895 U.S. 190, and will be serving 500 hot meals beginning at 6 p.m, said, said Mandeville Clerk of Council Kristine Scherer, who is helping to coordinate the effort.

The group is assisting people who need help with yard cleanup, Scherer said, and 75 people already had signed up. Anyone who needs that help can call Scherer at (504) 259-1068 to get on the list.

The 22nd Judicial District Court also said that anyone who received a jury summons for Friday should disregard it and traffic court that was scheduled for Friday will not be held.

Boil water advisories remain in effect for areas served by Tammany Utilities and some private water utilities have also issued boil water advisories. The city of Covington also has a boil order in effect as a precaution, Johnson said. Mandeville Mayor Clay Madden says that there is no boil advisory in the city, which is testing water daily.

St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper lifted the parish curfew on Tuesday. Covington also lifted its curfew. But a curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. remains in place for Mandeville, and Madden said it is being strictly enforced.

Madden issued a news release Tuesday that said people need to get a permit to remove any standing or leaning trees, including any trees that have caused structural damage to houses.

The city is waiving fees, and people can get the permit by calling the Planning Department at (985) 624-3103

Permits are not required for trees that are on the ground, which are considered debris.

Staff writer Andrew Canulette contributed to this report.
New Orleans officials are preparing a shelter at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for residents with medical needs who are stuck in sweltering temperatures after Hurricane Ida crippled the region's power grid.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell confirmed Wednesday that the city hopes to open the facility on Thursday to people on life-support systems, in need of dialysis treatments or who have other disabilities and are in need of somewhere to escape the heat. Meals and water are expected to be available.

Though the city briefly opened Rosenwald Recreation Center on Earhart Boulevard to those with special medical needs, the Convention Center would be a single clearinghouse for even more people who have those issues. The center also has ample parking, unlike the smaller centers that normally offer programs for young people and seniors.

The announcement comes as power remains out across the city for the third day. Residents who hunkered down for the storm were facing excessive heat and scrambling to find gasoline and other basic needs. They were also juggling the daunting tasks of filing insurance and federal assistance claims, clearing debris and patching up a range of property damages as they await the restoration of basic services.

Those with medical needs face greater challenges. In addition to the stresses that excessive heat can place on medically-vulnerable people, medications such as insulin and antibiotic liquids must be refrigerated.

There has also been a rise in hospitalizations and deaths due to carbon-monoxide poisoning, as people have improperly used portable generators to keep their homes and food cool in recent days. The region is also facing a shortage in gasoline to operate home generators and vehicles, leading to long lines at the few gas stations that have reopened after the storm.

"We are working to stand up a much larger operation at the Convention Center for shelter. That is not online at the time," Cantrell said at a press conference Wednesday at City Hall. "Hopefully, the work is happening today for a full operation on tomorrow."

NOLA Ready spokesperson Laura Mellem confirmed that the shelter would begin with 100 beds, and would be staffed by a disaster medical aid team provided by the federal government.

"This center will be strictly limited to individuals with serious physical medical issues, ventilators, and/or electric life-preserving devices," she said. The shelter would prioritize patients "who are extremely vulnerable to heat-related illness that would cause premature death."

Cantrell said the city has requested that FEMA provide additional fuel for generators and vehicles, though no decisions have been made. Even some of the city's generator-operated cooling centers have struggled without air-conditioning during some periods due to fuel availability or generator problems.

Emergency Medical Services crews, meanwhile, have responded to at least two calls about households suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning after running gas-powered generators. In those cases, 13 people were affected, and one died, said Emily Nichols, the city's EMS director.

Aside from offering a reliable place for some residents to cool down, the city expects to begin garbage pick-ups on Thursday, though they will be extremely limited due to staffing issues with the city's sanitation contractors, said Ramsey Green, the city's deputy chief for infrastructure.

Residents who have begun to put storm debris on the curb should not expect for it to be picked up until next week, Green said. Fourteen contractor crews worked throughout the city Wednesday to push the downed tree limbs, roof shingles and other debris off of major roadways.

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The New Orleans Police Department has tried to prevent looting in the city with help from the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office and the Louisiana National Guard. NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson declined to detail how many looting arrests have been made.

A curfew also took effect Tuesday night.

The curfew does not apply to delivery vehicles, such as those affiliated with FedEx or the United Parcel Service.

The city also received about 8,800 tarps on Wednesday and is preparing to distribute them in various neighborhoods. Residents will need to provide a name and address to receive a tarp, said Collin Arnold, New Orleans' director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Meanwhile, the Sewerage & Water Board hoped to bring 35 of its 85 sewer lift stations online with generator power on Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, more than 53,000 households had applied for FEMA aid, and more than $5 million in assistance was on its way to many of those individuals, FEMA official Gerry Stoler said.

"Whether a household decided to evacuate New Orleans or not has no impact on a household's eligibility for assistance," Stoler said. People should submit claims with their insurance companies first, he stressed.

The news Wednesday that Entergy New Orleans was able to restore power to at least 11,500 customers appeared to hearten Cantrell, who said she was hopeful the remaining outages wouldn't take weeks to resolve.

"I think the progress we are seeing on the ground is greater than the progress we have seen in the past," Cantrell said.

The city will open drive-through distribution sites on Thursday at which meals and water will be available:

Skelly Rupp Field, 730 Vespasian Blvd. (opening at noon)

Lyons Center, 624 Louisiana Ave. (opening at noon)

Wesley Barrow Stadium, 6500 Press Drive (opening at noon)

Joe Brown Recreation Center, 5601 Read Blvd. (open at 8 a.m.)

Mahalia Jackson Auditorium parking lot, 1419 Basin St. (open at 8 a.m.)

Also, eight cooling centers open on Wednesday will serve dinner from 4 to 6 p.m. The centers will remain open until Friday:

Treme Rec Center, 900 N. Villere St.

Gernon Brown Rec Center, 1001 Harrison Ave.

Milne Rec Center, 5420 Franklin Ave.

Stallings St. Claude Rec Center, 4300 St Claude Ave.

Lyons Center, 624 Louisiana Ave.

Rosenwald Rec Center, 1120 S. Broad Ave.

Central City Senior Center, 2101 St. Phillip St.

Cut Off Recreation Center, 6600 Belgrade St.

The Regional Transit Authority is also operating its buses and Canal Street-Algiers Point ferry service as mobile cooling centers. Residents who are having trouble accessing the centers should call 311 for help, Cantrell said.
After Ochsner Health System evacuated hospitals in Raceland and Houma, and Terrebonne General Medical Center also sent patients elsewhere in the wake of Hurricane Ida, hospital officials said Tuesday that they are worried the bayou region lacks accessible health care.

Ochsner CEO Warner Thomas said in a news conference Tuesday evening that hundreds of hospital beds that existed for residents of Houma, Raceland, Thibodaux and other coastal communities are now out of commission.

Hospitals on the coast fared badly during the storm, but they may be needed now more than ever: Louisiana is still weathering a fourth surge of the coronavirus pandemic that has hospitalized residents en masse, while emergency room visits are up after Hurricane Ida as well.

"Are we worried about capacity?" Thomas said. "Yes, absolutely."

Need oxygen or dialysis care during the power outage? Here's where you can get help Ochsner suggests that people in need of oxygen support should call 211 and that they should not go to the ER unless they need emergency care.

Ochsner has been able to keep its emergency rooms open at St. Anne's in Raceland and Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in Houma, but those hospitals cannot take any inpatient admissions or perform any surgeries. There is no estimated timeline for reopening the remainder of the hospitals, but keeping emergency services open remains important.

Robert Hart, Ochsner's chief medical officer, said hospitals across the region were seeing an uptick in emergency room visits, with a combination of people being injured after the storm and more typical emergencies like strokes and heart attacks.

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While Ochsner's facilities are working with generator power and in-house well water amid storm-related infrastructure problems, they are treating 770 COVID patients across their facilities.

"We were very lucky in one sense that just before this storm hit, our COVID numbers had been falling," Hart said.

Less than two weeks ago, Ochsner had more than 1,000 COVID patients.

With storm recovery underway, Ochsner makes plans to house employees, start surgeries As the sun set on the first full day after Hurricane Ida devastated Louisianas coasts, causing massive power outages and destruction, officia

But Hart said he's worried that with all of the hurricane-related evacuations, traveling and people sheltering in tight spaces, Louisiana could be on track for another major spike in COVID patients as people return to the area. He said Ochsner is rushing to stand up COVID testing sites and sites for monoclonal antibody infusions for those who have tested positive for the virus.

Hart described those efforts as "imperative to keep us from getting increasing patients over the next weeks."
President Joe Biden declared Hurricane Ida a major disaster Sunday, and appointed a top aide who knows and cares about Louisiana, longtime U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond of New Orleans, to manage the White Houses role in a what promises to be a long, complicated, frustrating and expensive recovery.

So I dont know, maybe its not the best time for one of Richmonds former congressional colleagues to be calling for Bidens resignation.

And yet there was the email from U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins on Monday demanding Joe Biden RESIGN IMMEDIATELY, and insisting that if he refuses, he should be IMPEACHED.

It wasnt exactly a gracious rejoinder to Bidens offer of surveillance drones and satellite imaging to help assess damage to infrastructure that failed, leaving an estimated 2 million Louisianans without power for the immediate and probably not-so-immediate future, or his professed willingness to provide more.

Just holler, he told local leaders during an online meeting. He probably had a different brand of hollering in mind than Higgins.

To be clear, the congressman didnt demand Bidens head over his response to Ida, or even the equally powerful Laura, for which areas in Higgins own district are awaiting a supplemental appropriation more than a year later.

Nor is Higgins the only Washington Republican to question Bidens competence in general and specifically his handling of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, particularly after the deaths of 13 American service members in last week's horrific Kabul airport attack. Theres certainly much to criticize about how Biden hasnt protected Americans and locals who supported the nation's longest war, although it might be easier to take Higgins demand seriously if it werent just the latest in a constant string of complaints from him and some of Louisianas other members  and if he hadn't made it in a standard-issue fundraising plea.

Still, for Higgins to issue such a request a day after signing a joint letter from the Louisiana delegation seeking the major disaster declaration isnt anyones idea of productive. Instead, its just one more symptom of the toxicity that has turned national politics into the ultimate blame game, in which even a failed campaign waged under two Republican and two Democratic presidents must be one sides fault.

If theres one thing we learned after Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago, its that having major players retreat to their partisan corners is no way to run a disaster recovery.

In the chaotic aftermath of the 2005 storm, Louisiana suffered when the Republican Bush administration sought to pin blame on Democratic Gov. Kathleen Blanco. But it later benefited when Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Mississippi Republican Thad Cochran of Mississippi teamed up to provide aid and support policy changes, and when Blanco won Bush-appointed czar Donald Powells support for more Road Home money.

Its not clear whats held up aid to the Lake Charles area, but the bitter partisanship that has grown far worse since sure hasnt helped. Or, as Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter put it recently, the people of southwest Louisiana have been in the middle of a pretty ridiculous game of political one-ups-manship, and almost political chess in a way. You have people who wont even sit down at a table and talk to each other when people are suffering, and for me, this is very nonpolitical. Im a registered Republican, this is completely apolitical and nonpolitical for me.

It should be for everyone involved, every time nature puts Americans in harms way.

As for the president, hes obviously not going anywhere. Hes also made a big point of insisting he wont just cater to the constituencies that supported him last year. Louisiana went for Trump, so now seems like a good time to let Biden show that he means it.

Its also a good time for everyone to dial down the constant sniping, stop thinking about the next campaign and see if they can help the people who are suffering all across the state, together. Thats how you rebuild, both a region and a political system thats desperately broken.
Billy J. Kennedy passed September 8th, 2021. A Celebration of Life Memorial is scheduled for Tuesday September 14, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. in Little's Chapel. The service will be livestreamed on our Facebook page Wilson Little, and our website wilsonlittle.com.
Cambria County, Pa. -- The Wilmore Dam failed earlier today, Wed. Sept. 1, threatening the lives of nearly 40,000 residents, according to a 'Weatherx17' post on Facebook.

Now qualifying as a life-threatening flash flood emergency, residents of Cambria county are being advised to evacuate immediately.

Summerhill and Wilmore Borough residents were most at risk.

According to a report from WTAJ and the Cambria County CARES alert system, a local high school is being used as an evacuation site for those who need somewhere to relocate.

For updates follow WTAJ's story: BREAKING: Cambria County dam overspilling, residents evacuated.




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Local

13-year-old Coosa High School student dies after respiratory failure from COVID-19 infection

Coosa High School, Coosa Middle School

A 13-year-old Coosa High School student was pronounced dead Tuesday morning at 5:55 a.m. at a local hospital, according to Floyd County Coroner Gene Proctor. The coroner listed the boys cause of death as respiratory failure due to a COVID-19 infection.

The teen was found at home, not breathing. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Proctor said he informed the family earlier that morning. Some of them were still recovering from the illness.

Floyd County Schools Superintendent Glenn White said the school system was notified of the death and confirmed the boy was a student at Coosa High School.

The loss of a child, at any time, under any circumstances, is a tragedy. We are heartbroken that COVID-19 has taken the life of a child. We extend our deepest sympathy to this childs family and all others who have lost a loved one to this virus, Floyd County Schools Public Relations Coordinator Lenora McEntire Doss said.

Because we know this will impact our school community emotionally, we encourage parents to be emotionally sensitive and prepare to offer support to their child or children during this difficult time, she added.

The Rome News-Tribune is not releasing the name of the student at this point.

The teen was the youngest person in Floyd County to die from a COVID-19 infection, according to Georgia Department of Public Health reports.

Public health only lists ages and counties of residence for the 205 confirmed local COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began last year. No additional data is available for the 44 people who are listed as probable COVID-19 deaths.

The youngest age listed on the public health website for Floyd County is 31. The average age of people listed as confirmed deaths is over 60, with a vast majority having a known medical condition. Elderly and medically fragile people were in the first cohort to get the vaccine this year.

The most recent surge in Georgia, caused by the more easily spread Delta variant, is infecting younger people.

School age children, which in previous COVID-19 surges were among the lowest infected groups, are now the second highest.

The highest number of infections over the past seven days statewide were in the 30- to 59-year-old age group, at 2,799. Just under that were 0- to 17-year-olds, at 2,180 infections. The age group that fueled the previous winter surge, 18- to 29-year-olds, only reported 1,225 new cases. The 60-plus age group had 838 cases, the state public health agency reported.

Georgia Department of Public Health Director Kathleen Toomey urged people who are above the age of 12 to get vaccinated, as hospitals continue to report the vast majority of new cases is among the unvaccinated.

Hospital systems across the state, including Floyd Medical Center, have begun posting the number of vaccinated and unvaccinated COVID-19 patients in an effort to move people toward the vaccine.

Currently, 43% of Georgians are fully vaccinated and 35% of Floyd County residents  both behind the national average. Approximately 53% of the U.S. is fully vaccinated, according to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control.
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Rome, GA (30161)

Today

Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.
Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia wrote this column as part of a series on the Appalachian Regional Commission , an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 states including Georgia.
Lynn Gendusa of Roswell is the author of Its All Write with Me! Essays from my heart. She can be reached at www.lynngendusa.com.
Napoleon, OH (43545)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 61F. W winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 61F. W winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Last week, rumours circulated that Google would showcase the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro on September 13, 24 hours before the rumoured Apple iPhone 13 launch event. According to the leaker who provided the first glimpses of Google's Pixel 6 series, this may well be misinformation.

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While Google confirmed that it would be fully unveiling the Pixel 6 series this autumn, it is yet to specify when. Typically, Google announces Pixel smartphones in October, as it did with the Pixel 3 and Pixel 4 series in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Last week, rumours circulated that Google would launch the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro globally on September 13, a day before Apple's rumoured iPhone series event.

According to Jon Prosser, Google actually plans to fully reveal the Pixel 6 series on October 19, with pre-orders starting on that day. Apparently, this will be a #MadeByGoogle hardware event, so the company may unveil more than just the Pixel 6 series. Ultimately, the idea of Google announcing new smartphones in September again would be strange enough; doing so 24 hours before Apple would be abnormal.
Google's highly anticipated Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro smartphones will reportedly receive a noticeable improvement regarding their wireless charging function, but the feature might only work with the latest iteration of Google's own wireless charger which is called the Pixel Stand.

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Google's return to the high-end smartphone segment is imminent. While the announcement and release of the new Pixel 6 Android flagships is now expected to happen in either September or October, another leak sheds some light on a welcome improvement in the wireless charging capabilities of Google's latest mobile devices. According to an exclusive report by Android Police, the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will support wireless charging at up to 23W.

This information is based on a leaked picture by an American wireless provider who has already started listing accessories for the upcoming Android smartphones. In said list, a new Google Pixel Stand appears and leaves little doubt that the Pixel 6 will receive this overdue upgrade. The product name that is listed above a credible SKU number indicates that the Pixel Stand wireless charger will operate at up to 23W. This would mean that the Pixel 6 could theoretically be wirelessly charged almost twice as fast as its predecessors, which were limited to wireless charging at 12W.

With only 10W, the original Pixel Stand (from US$35 on Amazon) was even slower than that. With fast wireless charging at up to 23W, Google is following suit in order to compete with other Android manufacturers. It easily surpasses the current iPhones, which can only be wirelessly charged at 15W with Apple's specific MagSafe charger. However, in comparison to its Android competitors, Google is still way behind the much advanced wireless charging capabilities of 50W and more, which are offered by several Chinese brands like OnePlus and Xiaomi.
How Rape Affects Memory, and Why Police Need to Know About That Brain Science
Doug Kiser, of Mount Crawford, holds a sign in memory of his mother, Dorothy Kiser, who died just before Thanksgiving at the age of 84 from COVID-19.
This week we are focusing on cross country. We will rotate through each of the varsity sports going on during the current season. We will post the nominations online, and you get to pick the winner. The winner will have a short feature printed in this week's edition of The N'West Iowa REVIEW. POLL CLOSES 9 A.M. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 15.

You voted:
"Looking forward, we're looking at infrastructure improvements and looking as much as possible to make all our equipment all electric. There is no current electric technology for field loaders right now."

Cargill also has been investing in the port, where it has been a mainstay and one of the bigger tenants since 1981. The company's Burns Harbor operations ship corn, soybeans and wheat around the world  and now also organic corn and beans.

"This facility is unique in that it can dump rail cars, load rail cars, dump trucks, load trucks, load ships, vessels, salties, load barges," plant manager Jared Bruggman said. "Last year, this facility loaded about three salties that went overseas to Europe, Greece and Spain. We just loaded non-GMO ship that made the short hop up to Montreal. We loaded 24 grain barges in the last year. We have a rail program coming online so that will be another option for us to move grain out of this facility to wherever the customer needs it."
CROWN POINT  A 17-year-old girl facing a murder charge was granted permission Tuesday to remain incarcerated in a medical wing of the Lake County Jail until she's transferred to a mental health facility in Indianapolis.

A judge previously ruled April Gross, of Gary, lacks sufficient comprehension to assist in her own defense on a charge alleging she killed a 7-month-old boy in March in Gary.

Lake Criminal Court Judge Natalie Bokota said two mental health professionals evaluated Gross and concluded she has a childlike demeanor and low intellectual abilities.

"Nothing I say is meant to hurt your feelings," the judge told Gross.

Family members left Gross, the adopted daughter of the infant's grandmother, alone to care for the baby March 8 while they went out for about an hour, court records state.

About 10:25 a.m., Gross called 911 and said at least five times, "I killed baby, take me to jail," records state.

Police found Gross and 7-month-old Darius Whitley at an apartment building in the 5100 block of Georgia Street. Officers attempted to rush Whitley to a hospital in a squad car, but the baby did not survive, records state.
Residents who are concerned about masks and other COVID mitigation efforts in schools should take their concerns to the appropriate decision makers, he said.

Valparaiso resident Jennifer Hora interrupted the discussion to say her sons school has the number of cases in 12 days that it had in an entire semester last year. The decision makers at the school district say they dont have the authority to require masks, she said.

This is not a public hearing, Board of Commissioners President Jeff Good, R-Center, said. This was to come out and give our position.

She wants to have a legal debate," he said.

The agenda is full, Commissioner Jim Biggs, R-North, said. The meeting lasted two hours.

We cannot by state law mandate masks in schools, he said. Were trying to give the information to the public so the public is better informed.

Our health department is doing what its supposed to be doing. Its giving its advice when its asked, Biggs said. This is not 1939 Berlin.
Outsiders are tapping into some genuine concerns, but the framing of the issues are largely regularized by national groups," said Jeffrey Henig, a professor at Teachers College at Columbia University, who has written on the nationalization of education.

But the advocates and their outside backup argue they're harnessing real outrage and working to counter the disproportionate influence of liberal groups in schools.

There's a misconception out there that this is part of some national right-wing agenda," said Amber Schroeder, a 39-year-old parent of four who is helping lead the Mequon recall. We're the ones pushing back on our own here against an extreme liberal agenda by the teachers union."

The political tracking website Ballotpedia counts about 30 active school board recall efforts nationwide. Some are focused chiefly on disputes over anti-racism training and education in schools, often labeled critical race theory. Others were prompted by debates over school policies on transgender students and pandemic public health measures.

Local parent activists are quick to claim credit for that work, and the outside groups offering legal help, research, organizing tools and media training are often reluctant to discuss their role.
VIENNA, Ill.  An alleged argument over the COVID-19 vaccine led to a fatal shooting in Tunnel Hill over the weekend, authorities have confirmed.

Larry D. Cavitt, 68, of Goreville, was charged with murder Monday in Johnson County Court.

Cavitt, faces two counts of murder, both class M felonies, and aggravated battery with use of a firearm, a class X felony.

The charges stem from a shooting late Saturday evening in in the 6000 block of Dutchman Lake Road. Cavitt allegedly shot his half-brother Joseph E. Geyman, 51, of Tunnel Hill.

Johnson County Sheriff Pete Sopczak said the men, who lived next door to each other, argued over the COVID-19 vaccine. Cavitt allegedly took out a handgun and shot Geyman in the head. Sopczak said there was no physical altercation.

Geyman died from injuries sustained by gunfire.

"Joe Geyman was one of the greatest guys around," Sopczak said.

The sheriff said Geyman was a great family man, husband and father of four.

"What makes it so tragic is that is was so senseless. It just makes no sense," Sopczak said.

He added that Geyman was planning to retire in December.
The end of empire is not pretty. Or as Neil Sedaka sang, Breaking up is hard to do. The terrible scenes at Kabuls airport attest to that  as did those, 46 years earlier, in Saigon.

Technically, the United States has never had an empire nor sought one. But we have sent troops far and wide. Like other empires, bringing them home has been difficult, ugly, and made endless by refugees. Empire, or the American equivalent, follows you home.

The British, French, and Russians have found the end of empire hard. As did the Romans in their day. Getting out has been a lot harder and uglier than getting in.

When the British withdrew from the Indian subcontinent, leaving behind a new nation called Pakistan, and an old one called India, the blood flowed freely. The sectarian slaughter then was to lead to wars and skirmishes which have lasted to this day. Improbably, Pakistan was two separate entities, East and West Pakistan. Later, East Pakistan split off and became Bangladesh.
Northwest students Emily Rose and Garrison Kennedy stand in front of the packed crowd at the Bell Tower for their event Bearcats for Banning Fiji Rally Aug. 31. Phi Gamma Delta, also known as Fiji, fraternity at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln garnered national condemnation for a slew of sexual assault reports against members dating back to 2005.
Todays Theme

Ive made no secret of my lukewarm feelings toward most grid art, but this puzzle is making me reconsider that stance. The grid features a giant IF written in black squares, 9 squares high, and the clue Exclamation upon seeing this puzzle for THATS A BIG IF! down the middle of the puzzle. I cant think of a more appropriate, hilarious use of grid art than this visual gag, nor a more perfect punchline.

In his notes, Mr. Yamada-Hunter calls this puzzle an introductory themeless because there isnt really a theme that unites any of the other entries. I think thats a reasonable assessment of the themelessness of this puzzle, but I would point out the bonus theme-adjacent material at 60A, where SOS is clued as Message often written in large letters.

I love the idea of an introductory themeless, which allows new solvers who may feel intimidated by Friday and Saturday puzzles to get a taste of themeless solving earlier in the week. If these new solvers find that they enjoy it (AND THATS A BIG IF!) (just kidding, themeless puzzles are awesome), they may choose to attempt those harder late-week puzzles as well. I would love to see the New York Times Crossword continue to offer occasional early-week introductory themelesses in the future!

Construction Geek-Out

When I first solved this puzzle, I couldnt help reaching out to Senior Puzzle Editor Joel Fagliano to express my delight. Its rare to see this many zingy (sometimes called crunchy) 15-letter entries in a midweek puzzle (HABANERO PEPPERS! AND YET HERE WE ARE! SUNRISE MOVEMENT! ENRIQUE IGLESIAS!). Its especially notable that these fabulous long entries were included with so little crossword glue, which is the type of word sometimes called crosswordese because you hardly ever see it outside of crossword grids.

I was curious about this puzzles statistics  How many words are in it? How many of those words are three letters long?  and fortunately Mr. Fagliano obligingly sent me the statistics instead of making me count by hand. This puzzle clocks in at 71 words (one fewer than the maximum allowed in a traditional themeless puzzle), but 31 three-letter words, which is quite a few more than youd typically see in a themeless puzzle.

The editorial team decided that the high number of three-letter words was a worthy trade-off for pulling off such a delightful conceit, and I wholeheartedly agree. Congratulations to Mr. Yamada-Hunter for this achievement! Lets hear what he has to say.

Constructor Notes

I am so excited to be making my New York Times debut! Im currently a postdoc at Stanford studying ways to improve cancer immunotherapy. I got into solving crossword puzzles during college, inspired by my dad, who has been a daily solver of the New York Times Crossword since well before I was born. I took up construction during the pandemic as a new hobby to pass the time between long spells of Animal Crossing. I was tickled by the idea of a BIG IF revealer based around grid art that literally spelled out a huge IF. In laying out the grid, I knew I wanted to keep all other black squares away from the central IF, which led to a lot of open space and long down answers. I went through many grid iterations in order to make the long downs pop while minimizing the crosswordese in the three letter answers (especially the central slot between the I and F). I hope solvers get a kick out of thinking 19-down when they first open the puzzle! Thanks to the editing team for their feedback! I had originally submitted the puzzle to run as a themeless, but the editing team thought it could work better as an introductory themeless run on a Wednesday. I liked the idea, and hope the puzzle helps newer solvers take the plunge into Friday and Saturday puzzles! P.S. Im starting up a crossword blog where Ill be uploading new puzzles weekly. Check it out at: acrossthepondcrosswords.com!

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The New York Times Crossword has an open submission system, and you can submit your puzzles online.



For tips on how to get started, read our series, How to Make a Crossword Puzzle.
Sarah Patrick, the acting epidemiologist for the state of Illinois, said the outbreak illustrated the role that children can play in transmission of the virus  and the importance of ensuring they are included in efforts to curb its spread.

Weve learned that kids, who some had thought might not be able to easily spread disease between each other, can actually be the fire starter that increases transmission beyond their immediate contacts and into the community, she said.

In the report, more than 120 of those infected were camp and conference attendees, and most of the others were members of their immediate households, researchers said. Twenty-nine of the 180 people infected were fully vaccinated against Covid-19, which is caused by the coronavirus, also known among epidemiologists as SARS-CoV-2.

This investigation underscores the impact of secondary SARS-CoV-2 transmission during large events such as camps and conferences when Covid-19 prevention strategies, including vaccination, masking, physical distancing, and screening testing, are not implemented, the C.D.C.s report concluded.

Over the summer, as the highly contagious Delta variant spread, there were outbreaks at youth camps across the country. In New York, at least 31 of 550 campers tested positive for coronavirus during sleep-away camp in July. In Texas, over 125 teenagers and adults tested positive at a church-run camp after an indoor event. Kansas health department also reported multiple outbreaks tied to camps in and around the state.
Theres still tens of thousands of people who are housing stressed, said State Senator Michael Gianaris, a Democrat from Queens and the deputy majority leader, who have not been able to get the emergency rent relief money because the state has done a horrible job of administering it, who are at risk and need protection.

He added, So Im glad were going back to handle this and buy some more time for that $2 billion to get to people who need it.

Ms. Hochul, a Democrat who took office last week following Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos resignation, has made rectifying the program and getting more relief money, more quickly, to more landlords one of her top priorities.

Indeed, delivering the aid to tenants and property owners still contending with a mountain of unpaid bills as a result of the coronavirus pandemic will be one of the early tests of Ms. Hochuls week-old tenure.

How she works with legislators to address the moratorium could help determine the type of working relationship she might establish with Democratic lawmakers, who control the Legislature and were often at odds with Mr. Cuomo. Whether or not she can expedite the rent relief money could shed light on how effective she is at steering the states massive bureaucracy.

Ms. Hochul, who has the power to set the legislative agenda during an extraordinary session, said on Tuesday that lawmakers would also consider appointments to a recently created board that will oversee the states new marijuana legalization program, which stalled under Mr. Cuomo.

Democrats in the Senate and the Assembly negotiated a plan to modify the moratorium with Ms. Hochul this week. Extending the state moratorium for a few months, lawmakers said, is relatively straightforward.
Seven Black men who were executed 70 years ago for the rape of a white woman were posthumously pardoned on Tuesday by Virginias governor, who said that the group, known as the Martinsville Seven, was denied due process because of race.

In a meeting with descendants of several of the men in Richmond, Va., Gov. Ralph S. Northam said that the men were found guilty by all-white juries of raping a woman in 1949 in Martinsville, in southern Virginia, and were sentenced to death within eight days.

The sentencings touched off protests well beyond Virginia, with demonstrators in Washington and Harlem urging President Harry S. Truman to halt the executions. The president would not get involved, and the governor of Virginia at the time denied a last-minute plea for a stay. The men were executed in 1951.

The pardons supporters said that in contrast, there was no record of a white defendant being executed for rape alone in Virginias modern history.
WASHINGTON  President Biden on Tuesday forcefully rejected criticism of his decision to end Americas 20-year war in Afghanistan, hailing what he called the extraordinary success of the evacuation of Kabul and declaring the end of an era in which the United States uses military power to remake other countries.

Speaking to the nation less than a week after a terrorist bombing killed 13 service members at the Kabul airport during a chaotic rush to leave the country, Mr. Biden said the costs to the United States would have been even higher if he had allowed the nation to remain mired for years in a civil war that has dragged on for decades. In blunt terms, he claimed the only alternative to the departure he oversaw was another escalation of the war.

When I hear we could have, should have continued the so-called low-grade effort in Afghanistan, at low risk to our service members, at low cost, Mr. Biden said in the 26-minute speech, I dont think enough people understand how much weve asked of the 1 percent of this country who put that uniform on.

Theres nothing low grade or low risk or low cost about any war, he continued. Its time to end the war in Afghanistan.
The forever war is over, but the forever debate may be only beginning. As he presided over the end of a lost 20-year mission in Afghanistan, President Biden on Tuesday touched off a prolonged argument for history over his decision to get out, how he handled it and what it means for the future of America.

In declaring an end to Americas misadventure in nation-building halfway across the world, Mr. Biden was playing a long game, banking on the assumption that he will be remembered by posterity for finally extricating the country from a quagmire, not for how he did it. While his approval ratings have sagged to the lowest levels of his short tenure, most Americans in polls still support leaving Afghanistan, and the White House assumes that they will quickly move on to other issues like the pandemic and the economy.

We no longer had a clear purpose in an open-ended mission in Afghanistan, the president said from the East Room of the White House, where so many important speeches about Afghanistan have been delivered by four American presidents over the past two decades. After 20 years of war in Afghanistan, I refused to send another generation of Americas sons and daughters to fight a war that should have ended long ago.

He cited the more than 120,000 Americans and Afghan allies evacuated in the two weeks since the Taliban seized power in Kabul, boasting that no nation has ever done anything like it in all of history. And he maintained that after more than 2,400 American combat deaths, it was past time to disentangle from a country where the United States has no vital national interest in staying.
WASHINGTON  A notorious British member of the Islamic State who is facing federal charges over accusations that he helped jail and tortured Western hostages is preparing to plead guilty, according to a court notice filed late Tuesday.

A terse filing in the public docket for the case against the man, Alexanda Kotey, announced the scheduling of a change-of-plea hearing for 5:30 p.m. Thursday before the judge overseeing the case, T.S. Ellis III of the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. He had initially pleaded not guilty.

Mr. Kotey was part of an ISIS cell of four Britons called the Beatles  a nickname bestowed by their victims because of their accents  and known for their extreme brutality. Some of the groups victims were beheaded for propaganda videos, including the American journalists James Foley and Steven J. Sotloff. Their bodies have not been found.

Ali Soufan, a former F.B.I. counterterrorism agent who has been working closely with families of ISIS victims, said the change of plea suggested that Mr. Kotey might be willing to provide details about what happened.
Born in Flames: Feminist Futures

Through Sept. 12. Bronx Museum, 1040 Grand Concourse, at 165th Street, Morrisania, 718-681-6000, bronxmuseum.org (718) 681-6000, bronxmuseum.org.

The Bronx Museum of the Arts, which turned 50 this year, was founded partly as a way of bringing mainstream art from Manhattan to the borough. Its debut exhibition in 1971 featured loans from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In the decades since, the programming has been increasingly responsive to global consciousness and its South Bronx neighborhood, making the museum  which is admission free  one of the most adventurous art spaces in the city.

Its coming on especially strong with its current group exhibition, Born in Flames: Feminist Futures. The show takes its title from the 1983 film by the American artist Lizzie Borden: a gritty, punky docudrama about a United States in the grip of a moral revolution led by an army of women from across the social, racial and sexual spectrum. The film itself plays continuously in the show, surrounded by work by some of the best artists youll see anywhere in the city right now.
Lina Gopaul, Akomfrahs long-term collaborator and partner, who was with the collective from the start, said the group wanted to explore these questions of identity, how race is formed and who fixes it. As well as making films, the group organized screenings, distributed other artists work and put on symposiums.

David Lawson, who was also in the collective, said its members absorbed diverse influences, including French New Wave cinema and the works of Akira Kurosawa and Andrei Tarkovsky. The collective wanted to show that there were different ways of making Black cinema, that were not just didactic or angry, but could be more poetic, more reflective, more meditative, Lawson said.

Its 1986 documentary essay Handsworth Songs, about riots that broke out the previous year in London and Birmingham, England, offered an insightful take on the complexities of race relations in Britain. Through newsreel and original footage, overlaid with a sound montage, it told of immigrants from Britains former colonies arriving here full of hope, only to face police harassment, economic hardship and a willful amnesia about the countrys violent imperial past.

Tina Campt, a professor of media and modern culture at Brown University who studies the African diaspora in Europe, said in a phone interview that Akomfrahs films challenge an official narrative about Britains empire as a source of comfort and security. When you look at how unstable that actually is, and on whose backs that stability was waged, earned, perpetrated, that is the most terrifying thing, Campt said. And he does it very gently, in a way that seduces us.

Black Audio Film Collective works played at the Cannes and Berlin Film Festivals and were broadcast on British television, yet the London art world showed little interest. For many years, Akomfrah worked primarily on television documentaries: first with the collective, until it dissolved in 1998, then with its successor, Smoking Dogs Films, made up of Akomfrah, Gopaul, their son Ashitey and Lawson. A turning point in how Akomfrahs works are regarded came when Okwui Enwezor, the Nigerian curator of the 2015 Venice Biennale, commissioned Akomfrah to make the immersive video installation Vertigo Sea for the exhibition.
A choice between leaving or escalating

Speaking from the White House a day after the final U.S. military plane left Kabul, President Biden vehemently defended the decision to end the war in Afghanistan.

The operation to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies was an extraordinary success, he said, as he declared the end of an era in which the U.S. uses military power to remake other countries.

Biden has blamed Donald Trump for negotiating a bad withdrawal deal with the Taliban. That was the choice, the real choice between leaving or escalating, he said. I was not going to extend this forever war.

With the exit from Afghanistan, the U.S. faces a new dilemma: how to deal with the new Taliban government. Some of the issues include how deeply to cooperate against a mutual enemy, ISIS-K, and whether to release $9.4 billion in Afghan government currency reserves that are frozen in the U.S.
Two possible stories

We have asked experts about these two-month cycles, and they acknowledged that they could not explain it. We still are really in the cave ages in terms of understanding how viruses emerge, how they spread, how they start and stop, why they do what they do, Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota, said.

But two broad categories of explanation seem plausible, the experts say.

One involves the virus itself. Rather than spreading until it has reached every last person, perhaps it spreads in waves that happen to follow a similar timeline. How so? Some people may be especially susceptible to a variant like Delta, and once many of them have been exposed to it, the virus starts to recede  until a new variant causes the cycle to begin again (or until a population approaches herd immunity).

The second plausible explanation involves human behavior. People dont circulate randomly through the world. They live in social clusters, Jennifer Nuzzo, a Johns Hopkins epidemiologist, points out. Perhaps the virus needs about two months to circulate through a typically sized cluster, infecting the most susceptible  and a new wave starts when people break out of their clusters, such as during a holiday. Alternately, people may follow cycles of taking more and then fewer Covid precautions, depending on their level of concern.
WASHINGTON  More than seven months into the Biden administration, American businesses say they are growing increasingly frustrated by the White Houses approach to China, with confrontational policies imposed during the Trump era still in place and President Biden offering little clarity about economic engagement with the worlds second-largest economy.

The relationship between the two economic superpowers remains deeply fractured. American import duties still exist on roughly $360 billion worth of Chinese goods, and almost all of the exemptions that shielded more than 2,000 products from those tariffs have expired. A thicket of export controls and bans are still in place, leaving U.S. technology giants such as Qualcomm, Intel and Google in the lurch over how to approach the Chinese market and offering little hope that the decoupling of the worlds two largest economies will be reversed anytime soon.

To the dismay of some American business leaders, Mr. Biden has amplified some of the Trump administrations punitive moves. In July, the Biden administration expanded the list of Chinese officials under sanctions by the United States for their role in undermining Hong Kongs democratic institutions. In June, the president issued an executive order adding more Chinese companies to a prohibition on American investments in Chinese firms that have links to the countrys military or that sell surveillance technology used to repress dissent or religious minorities.

Yet Mr. Biden and his top advisers have yet to elucidate how they view economic relations with Beijing, saying they will make the administrations approach known once a broad review of China trade policy concludes. But the review has stretched on for months with no public timeline for its conclusion.
Officials from OPEC, Russia and other oil-producing countries decided on Wednesday to stick with their hard-won July agreement of increasing production each month by 400,000 barrels a day, a modest amount equivalent to less than 1 percent of global supply.

OPEC Plus meetings can sometimes go on for days, but this decision was reached in about an hour. Analysts say the group is concerned about the future health of oil market as the pandemic continues to inject uncertainty into the global economy, but officials did not see an urgent need to make changes.

A time when summer vacations are ending and schools are just beginning to resume is not the most opportune for making a statement in the financial markets, analysts said.

They are taking the path of least resistance in the short term, said Richard Bronze, head of geopolitics at Energy Aspects, a research firm.
Google said on Tuesday that it would delay reopening its offices until Jan. 10. The new date is a postponement from October, which was a postponement from September, which was a postponement from July, which was a postponement from January.

Companies including Amazon, Apple and Starbucks have rescheduled with similar frequency, and its becoming difficult to take new announcements about back-to-office plans seriously. The New York Times, Twitter and others have decided not to set a new date for reopening their offices.

These shifts, of course, reflect constantly changing circumstances during the pandemic. A batch of surveys captured how workplace practices and policies are changing, the DealBook newsletter reports.

On vaccine mandates:

Before the latest surge of coronavirus cases, few companies had announced vaccine mandates. But according to a survey released Wednesday, most companies now have plans to require that employees get vaccinated by the end of the year. Conducted by Willis Towers Watson, the survey polled nearly 1,000 companies that together employ almost 10 million people:

52 percent plan to have vaccine mandates by the end of the year (including 21 percent that already do).

78 percent plan to track employees vaccination status (55 percent already do).

17 percent are considering health insurance premium rewards or surcharges to encourage vaccination (2 percent already do).

On employee expectations:

Creating and putting these policies in place takes time. Companies may also be responding to their employees shifting expectations (and fears) about returning to the workplace. Another report released Wednesday, conducted by the Conference Board, surveyed 2,400 U.S. workers:

42 percent said they were worried about returning to work for fear of contracting Covid-19 or exposing family members to the virus, up from 24 percent of respondents in a survey in June.

29 percent said they were unsure if they would remain at their current job for the next six months. Among those looking for jobs, 80 percent said that their employers stance on flexible work arrangements was very or moderately important in their decision to look elsewhere.

On business travel:

After the pandemic, one of the things that workers can probably count on is less business travel, according to a survey out Tuesday by Bloomberg of 45 large companies around the world:
We werent trying to meet the minimum for salvage  we wanted to find big examples, Mr. Mitchell said. I wanted to see that the weight of the salvage was heavier than the weight of the stuff we sent to the landfill. We accomplished that.

Mr. Wood, the Portland waste specialist, said he was hopeful that more private sector players would step up and incorporate salvaged materials into their new buildings. Im seeing that, but not at a large enough scale yet to really propel things, he said.

Portlands ordinance applies to all single-family houses built in 1940 or earlier. Mr. Wood said the city decided to limit the ordinance to those mostly wood-framed structures because they are easier to deconstruct than later builds that use adhesives and engineered lumber.

City officials have discussed extending the ordinance to commercial buildings (as Palo Alto, Calif., did), but writing a law that captures the many variations and materials in those structures is more challenging, Mr. Wood said.

And then the market for that material, like large commercial windows and doors, is still limited, he said. Not that you couldnt do it. Its another nut that needs to be cracked.

Google is taking a whack at it. The company recently funded a report identifying some of the barriers to scaling commercial deconstruction and recommending strategies for expanding the reuse sector. With offices in more than 150 cities globally, Google has a corporate interest in reuse.

Recognizing the outsized proportion of waste resulting from typical commercial demolition has motivated us to explore deconstruction and reuse of materials from commercial buildings that were not originally built with component disassembly in mind, the company said in the report. Our desire is to advance and refine our deconstruction efforts, but to use our scale to learn, innovate and share with everyone.
Local officials were still assessing the full extent of the damage. But adding to the uncertainty, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality warned that more than a third of its ambient monitoring sites had stopped working, primarily because of power outages. And some sites, like the Valero Refinery in St. Bernard Parish, said they had shut down their air monitors ahead of the storm to protect the equipment.

Survival and recovery is whats most important right now, said Yudith Nieto, a longtime community organizer working in both Louisiana and Texas. But as residents start to return to their homes and size up the damage, facilities and the chemical runoff for emissions and pollution will be a big concern.

At the fertilizer facility in Ascension Parish run by CF Industries, the countrys largest producer of fertilizer, crews were unable to reach two storage tanks that were releasing anhydrous ammonia, the company said in a report to the federal National Response Center. Anhydrous ammonia is a colorless, pungent gas that can cause severe health problems, including respiratory damage and blindness. Hurricane winds temporarily extinguished the flares that had been burning the chemical off, the company said.

Christopher Close, a spokesman for CF Industries, said there was no indication the gas leaked outside the facility. Any significant release would likely be noticed and reported in the surrounding area (by smell), Mr. Close wrote in an email. Company engineers were going through data to determine the extent of the ammonia released, he added.
At various times, the F.B.I. cast its net across entire communities of Muslims, using a specific type of assessment known as a Type 5. During one such initiative, focused on rooting out ISIS supporters, Albury knocked on the door of a woman, a young Syrian refugee, who looked so terrified that she was visibly shaking. You should be scared, Albury thought, guiltily. Open that door, I will ruin your life.

He hated this part of the job. She looked at him as if he were the secret police. That was in fact his goal, the response hed been trained to elicit. What the F.B.I. was directing us to do was to go into these communities and instill fear and then generate this paranoia within these people so that they know that theyre under suspicion perpetually, he says. There was no real justification for this suspicion, he thought, other than suspicion as a state of being. Say youd get an alert from the C.I.A. or some other intelligence source that an ISIS recruiter had been trying to recruit teenagers and young men from a specific Syrian refugee camp during a specific time period, Albury says. This happened all the time. That would give the F.B.I. license to look at every male Syrian refugee between certain ages who had been at that camp and then come into the United States after the time the recruiter was supposed to have been there. And so the F.B.I. would look at all of those kids, and they could keep looking at those kids, and their friends, and maybe all the kids in a 30-block radius because they could say they had credible intelligence to suggest that some of these people had terrorist sympathies.

It became too hard to ignore the human cost of what we were doing.

It was in this manner, among others, that large numbers of people in Minneapoliss Somali, Syrian and other immigrant communities, and those in other cities, were put under long-term monitoring without their knowledge, their names inscribed in F.B.I. files for use in later investigations or disseminated to other intelligence agencies. It becomes a vicious circle, Albury says, because the longer that you look at a kid, the bigger the file gets, even if theyve done nothing. And then six months later, somebody calls the F.B.I. and says, Ive seen some suspicious activity in this neighborhood, and an agent can see that we have thick files on all of these kids. But the question is, OK, so you have thick files on these kids, but the files have shown that these kids are guilty of nothing. So what does that actually achieve? It achieves intelligence, he says. And that is a nebulous, wonderful-sounding word that everyone likes to throw around, but based on my experience, the entire purpose of these assessments was to create a database of American Muslims.

Albury had reached an emotional low point common to many people who joined the F.B.I., or the U.S. military, early in the war on terror, convinced they would be engaged in the righteous defense of the nation. It took him years to reconcile himself to the idea that the F.B.I. was not particularly adept at its new intelligence-gathering mission, and he had never felt comfortable with the bureaus relationship with the C.I.A. But Minneapolis broke me, he says. It became too hard to ignore the human cost of what we were actually doing.

Compounding this disillusionment was the increasingly visible disproportionate phenomenon of police brutality against African Americans. The August 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., devastated Albury. So did all the other high-profile police killings of Black men and boys that year: Dontre Hamilton, Eric Garner, Laquan McDonald, Tamir Rice. Many of his colleagues made clear that they saw the victims as guilty, or at least suspicious, leaving the cops no choice but to use force. After Garner died in a police chokehold, some members of the J.T.T.F. argued that Garner had caused his own death. You agree, right? Albury recalls being asked. He shouldve just complied, right?

Albury was 36, earning $120,000 a year and seven years away from his 20-year mark, when he could retire from the F.B.I. with full benefits and a pension. He had just had a second child, a boy. It was easy to compartmentalize a career in law enforcement; some would say it was in his best interest. Albury never could. He saw himself in the communities he served as an F.B.I. agent. Increasingly, he understood the fear they exhibited, too, as the same fear that was felt by his own community at the hands of the police and the F.B.I. When Black Lives Matter protests erupted in Minneapolis, some cops on the J.T.T.F. openly fantasized about running the protesters over with their cars. This was before Charlottesville, Albury notes, referring to the white-nationalist rally in 2017.
The new measures will carve out other benefits for landlords, including the addition of a nuisance standard so property owners can commence eviction proceedings if a protected tenant is a nuisance or had heavily damaged a property. The moratorium extension will apply to residential and commercial evictions, as well as foreclosures.

Tenant groups and landlords, typically at odds, agree that extending the moratorium is a temporary solution that will only go so far if the state does not distribute $2.7 billion in rent relief that has mostly languished, leaving renters and landlords with troves of unpaid bills.

The money, which the state gives directly to landlords, is meant to prevent evictions by covering the unpaid bills of low-income renters, including up to 12 months of past rent, three months of future rent and utilities. But the program, which Mr. Cuomo launched over the summer, has been slow to distribute the money, in part because of technical difficulties, but also because many landlords and tenants were unaware of the aid.

As of Tuesday, more than $203 million  or about 7 percent of the money available  had been paid out for about 15,000 households, according to the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which is running the rent relief program.

The program also shields tenants from eviction if their application for rent relief is pending. As of Aug. 23, the most recent data available, more than 176,000 applications had been received by the state.

Landlords and activists said Ms. Hochul, who has made fixing the program a top priority, should focus the states efforts on reaching every renter in debt and getting them to apply to the program before another moratorium expires again.

It is a massive failure that 18 months into this emergency the state government has not even attempted to gather complete data on exactly how many New Yorkers are behind on their rent and how much debt they have accrued, said Jay Martin, the executive director of the Community Housing Improvement Program, a landlord group.
Brooklyn, meanwhile, was poised to benefit from the shutdown of Manhattans office districts. The borough, which has the largest share of college-educated residents outside of Manhattan, became a popular destination for Manhattan residents seeking bigger apartments. Commuters to Manhattan were now working and shopping closer to home, boosting local businesses.

Whether these shifts prove to be lasting  and whether larger employers will start to relocate to Brooklyn  is a key question. Manhattan is home to less than 20 percent of New York Citys residents but accounts for at least half of the citys tax revenues, according to estimates provided by the New York State comptrollers office. Even as Manhattans share of the citys property and sales taxes dipped during the pandemic, economists say that business activity in the other boroughs is unlikely to overtake Manhattan any time soon.

But already, the new era of hybrid work has prompted some smaller employers to open offices in Brooklyn, which could have broad ripple effects for neighborhoods across the citys most populous borough. Brooklyn added more than 230,000 new residents in the past decade, according to 2020 census data released last month, the fastest population growth of any borough.

During the pandemic, Josh Miller made more than a dozen new hires for his start-up, the Browser Company, which is seeking to create a new web browser. He noticed that most of his New York City employees lived in Brooklyn.

After polling his staff members, Mr. Miller decided to relocate his office from NoLIta in Lower Manhattan  which had been an easy area for him to meet with investors and other tech founders  to Brooklyns East Williamsburg neighborhood. The company, which has 23 employees, moved in July, and working from the office will not be mandatory.

Brooklyn went from being an option you wouldnt consider because of how inconvenient it was to the most convenient, Mr. Miller said.

Economists say that the pandemic could accelerate a trend that started after the 2008 recession, when job growth in New York City began to be driven by the boroughs outside Manhattan. In the past decade, according to the New York State comptrollers office, Brooklyn has been the biggest generator of new jobs in the city.
Its almost Labor Day, which means that our time together is coming to an end. We laughed, we cried, we snacked, we island hopped, we  assessed infection risks. After a long summer of mixed vibes, my newsletter partner Michael Gold and I decided to (virtually) sit down and reflect on all of the strangeness that this season brought upon us. (And instead of our usual suggested activities, scroll down for picks on two types of late-summer refreshers: ice cream and cocktails.)

MICHAEL When we kicked off the newsletter back in May  were we ever so young?  you wrote that we were all relearning the art of being around each other. That was definitely true back when hot vax summer was on, and we thought vaccines would free us from the anxiety and restrictions that wed been facing.

Obviously, things look different now, though you and I have still been making summer plans. But given that you covered the return of the nightlife scene, what do you think about how things have shifted in July and August? Hot vax summer became weird vibes summer at some point, but when?

JULIA I think my summer energy started shifting in late July, when the hype of nightlifes return started to die down and the fear of breakthrough cases started cropping up in my group chats. But even with all of the risk calculation, mask-wearing and unknowns, this summer was filled with so much joy and excitement, so perhaps the real hot vax summer was the weird memories we made along the way? I mean, I spent most of last summer sitting on a picnic blanket with my roommate in Prospect Park, so the bar for this one was pretty low.
The Archdiocese of New York said on Wednesday that an investigation authorized by the Vatican had cleared Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, the leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, of allegations made against him by two men who said they were abused as children.

The accusations, which date to the bishops time as a young priest in Jersey City in the 1970s, were found by the Vaticans powerful doctrinal office not to have the semblance of truth, the archdiocese said in a statement.

The findings likely mean Bishop DiMarzio, who has led the Brooklyn diocese since 2003, will face no disciplinary action from church officials, regardless of what happens with two civil lawsuits based on the allegations that continue to wind their way through the courts in New Jersey.

Throughout my more than 50-year ministry as a priest, I have never abused anyone, the bishop said in a statement. I ask for your prayers as I continue to fight against the lawsuits stemming from these two allegations, and as I now look forward to clearing my name in the New Jersey state courts.
The Talibans takeover in Afghanistan is, first and foremost, a tragedy for Afghans. The worlds attention is rightly focused on trying to help those desperately trying to flee the country and worrying about those left behind, notably women and girls.

But it is also a severe blow to the West. Europe and the United States were united as never before in Afghanistan: It was the first time that NATOs Article 5, committing all members to defend one another, was invoked. And for many years, Europeans provided a strong military commitment and an important economic aid program, amounting to a total of 17.2 billion euros, or $20.3 billion.

But in the end, the timing and nature of the withdrawal were set in Washington. We Europeans found ourselves  not only for the evacuations out of the Kabul airport but also more broadly  depending on American decisions.

That should serve as a wake-up call for anyone who cares about the Atlantic alliance. The United States understandably does not want to do everything alone. To become a more capable ally, Europe must invest more in its security capabilities and develop the ability to think and act in strategic terms. The events in Afghanistan have been harrowing. But they should lead us to deepen, not divide, the alliance with America. And to strengthen our cooperation, Europe must step up.
To the Editor:

Re This Is How Theocracy Shrivels, by David Brooks (column, Aug. 28):

Mr. Brooks might want to look closer to home. In America the religious right might not be gaining new adherents, but its political influence has never been greater. Abortion opponents finally have the Supreme Court majority theyve been longing for. The G.O.P.s hard-right turn has propelled white Christian nationalism into the spotlight. And as the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol shows, these people are willing to use violence to impose their views on the nation.

The problem is not Islamic extremism; the problem is the politicization of religion. And as theocratic regimes wither in the Muslim world, religious zealots are mobilizing in Western democracies.

Stephen Newman

Toronto

The writer is an associate professor of politics at York University.

To the Editor:

Thank you, David Brooks, for focusing on what we have succeeded in doing against Muslim extremism and what the Islamist world is thinking. The separation of religion and state is more important than ever in their world and ours. I hope very much that Mr. Brooks is correct in thinking that Islam is rejecting the politicization of its faith and that the terrorist groups do not have the support of the vast majority of Muslims.

We have failed to bring democracy to that world, but perhaps we can hope that it can see what terrorism brings.
The intuitive explanation for the prohibition against children voting is that they are incapable of understanding the issues. However, were governments to impose an IQ test for the ballot box, it would be plainly unconstitutional; literacy tests for voters have a terrible legacy. Were people with cognitive impairments denied the vote as a class, this would be considered discriminatory on its face and, frankly, bigoted (and even the individual cases of mental incompetence being used to deny the franchise have rightly provoked anger).

Yet when our societys hostility toward children manifests in the view that they can be denied the vote on the exact grounds we would all see as bigoted in any other case, it is unremarkable. Nor do many common proposals to lower the voting age do much to address this critique. Lowering it to 16, as Andrew Yang proposed, on the ground that 16-year-olds are old enough to drive or work simply preserves the underlying bias that would limit the franchise to the smart and the rich.

Many people can follow this argument so far: Let any kid old enough to pull the lever do so. But even this creates an inconsistent standard, since paralyzed people, for example, have a right to physical assistance in the voting booth.

If older people with dementia can be escorted into the voting booth by a family member who will assist their decision, as they can be under the Voting Rights Act, its difficult to explain why small children with an incomplete understanding of the process couldnt be assisted by those who are raising them in the same way. The results of that election will affect a childs life for far longer than an elderly persons.

The electoral innovations of 2020 reveal the inadequacy of many other critiques. Mail-in voting has now been tested in many states and, while some conservatives (myself included) have concerns about the lack of privacy and security afforded by this system, the broad popularity of mail-in voting is likely to make it endure.



And as long as we have mail-in voting, its ridiculous to act as if families making collective voting decisions together, or even filling out their ballots in full view of one another, is bad. My wife and I completed our absentee ballots side by side. (Disclosure: She doesnt think our 19-month-old should be allowed to vote.) We might worry that parents would pressure children to make votes they dont want to make, but that is no justification for denying children the vote. We already trust parents in numerous far more sensitive domains, and we do not apply such concerns about undue pressure in other instances, like older people living with their children.
I never met my father. When Sirhan Sirhan murdered him in the kitchen hallway of the Ambassador Hotel in front of scores of witnesses, my mother was three months pregnant with me. Of my 10 older brothers and sisters, Kathleen, the eldest, was 16, and Douglas, the youngest, was little more than 1. I was born six months after my fathers death. My mother and the majority of my siblings agree with what I now write, although a couple do not. But I will say, for myself, while that night of terrible loss has not defined my life, it has had impact beyond measure.

In 1969, when Mr. Sirhan was found guilty by a jury of his peers and sentenced to death, I was barely a toddler. I know, as it is part of the historical record, that my uncle Teddy sent a five-page handwritten letter to the district attorney in a last-minute plea to save the condemned assassins life. The letter invoked my fathers beliefs: My brother was a man of love and sentiment and compassion. He would not have wanted his death to be a cause for the taking of another life.

Despite this plea, Superior Court Judge Herbert Walker upheld the sentence, ruling that Mr. Sirhan should die in the manner prescribed by law, which in California in 1969 was the gas chamber. There was no consideration of future rehabilitation. The courts decision seemed based entirely upon the prevailing conception of justice in California at that time: As my father was taken forever, so too should Mr. Sirhan be.

My fathers murder was absolute, irreversible, a painful truth that I have had to live with every day of my life; he was indeed taken forever. Because he was killed before I was born, it meant I never had the chance to see my fathers face and he never had the chance to see mine. He never tossed me in the air, taught me to ride a bicycle, dropped me off at my freshman dorm, walked me down the aisle.
This column has been updated.

A Texas law banning most abortions went into effect on Wednesday. By refusing to block it, the Supreme Court did not overturn Roe v. Wade, but it rendered that precedent, at least for the time being, irrelevant.

Theres a sinister brilliance to the way this whole thing has gone down. Texas fashioned an abortion prohibition whose bizarre, crowdsourced enforcement mechanism gave conservative courts a pretext not to enjoin it despite its conflict with Roe. And the Supreme Court has, with an unsigned, one-paragraph opinion issued in the middle of the night, made Roe momentarily useless without sparking the nationwide convulsion that would have come from overturning it outright.

The Texas law, known as Senate Bill 8, is now likely to be copied by conservative states across the country. As long as it stands, abortion in Texas is illegal after a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around the sixth week of pregnancy, or about two weeks after a missed period. There is no exception for rape or incest.

But perhaps the most shocking thing about S.B. 8 is the power it gives abortion opponents  or simple opportunists  over their fellow citizens. The law is written so that they, not the police or prosecutors, get to enforce it, and potentially profit off it. Under S.B. 8, any private citizen can sue others for conduct that aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion.
For more than two decades, Camille Miceli was an open secret in the fashion world: an accessory designer whose personal style was so fabulously insouciant  so reeking of je ne sais quoi  that most of the male designers whom she worked with, including Marc Jacobs, John Galliano and Nicolas Ghesquiere, decided she was their muse.

Well, not anymore. On Sept. 1, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton named Ms. Miceli as the new artistic director of Emilio Pucci.

Now, the only person she has to inspire is herself.

I was ready, said Ms. Miceli, 50, speaking from Cap Ferrat, the town in southern France where she bought a home during the pandemic, and furnished with vintage pieces sourced online. It was time.

Ms. Miceli will be the first woman to helm Pucci, which has been without a full-time designer since 2017, when Massimo Giorgetti, the Italian designer behind MSGM, left. (Instead, Pucci had a rotating cast of one-season guest designers, including Christelle Kocher of Koche and Tomo Koizumi of Tomo.)
So, in spoken language, there are these things that just sort of show up over time, and then it seems like theyre everywhere, and so we call them trends, right? So in a world where there is more recorded speech than ever, and, um, more access to all of this speech, these changes can happen very fast, but they can also be harder to isolate, right? So theres actually a whole field about this, and its actually called linguistics, and its a really good tool for understanding the world around us.

Right?

Maybe you know someone who talks like this. Its a disorienting speaking style, one that marries supreme confidence with nervous filler words and a fear of pauses. Maybe you overhear this voice talking to a date about meme stocks.

Maybe you hear it pitching a counterintuitive regulatory proposal on TV, or on a podcast, explaining which complicated things are actually simple and which simple things are actually complicated. Maybe its an executive on an earnings call, in an interview or pacing around a stage, delivering a Jobsian message in a Gatesian tone.

Maybe you hear Mark Zuckerberg, the head of Facebook. The style didnt originate with him, nor is he responsible for its spread. He may, however, be its most visible and successful practitioner.
Last week, when the new Tiffany & Company ad campaign broke featuring the quartet of Beyonce, Jay-Z, a 128-carat diamond and a rarely seen Jean-Michel Basquiat painting that had recently been acquired by the jewelry brands new owner, LVMH  all in a sort of contemporary remake of Breakfast at Tiffanys  it set off a social media storm involving a multiplicity of debates.

Some loved it, some did not. Some were upset about the question of art versus commerce (or art being used to market commerce); others about the racist history of diamond mining.

But one of the odder brouhahas centered around the color of the painting, Equals Pi, thanks to a comment by Alexandre Arnault, Tiffanys new executive vice president of product and communications, in an interview with WWD about the campaign. He suggested, almost as an aside, that perhaps the shade of blue used as the paintings background was, in fact, an homage to Tiffany and its signature color, generally referred to as robins egg blue.

Specifically, WWD reported that he said: We dont have any literature that says he made the painting for Tiffany. But we know a little bit about Basquiat. We know his family. We did an exhibition of his work at the Louis Vuitton Foundation a few years back. We know he loved New York, and that he loved luxury and he loved jewelry. My guess is that the [blue painting] is not by chance. The color is so specific that it has to be some kind of homage.
At an employee dinner, women were told to rank the attractiveness of the men at the table. During a team-building exercise, a woman was pressured to straddle her male co-worker in front of colleagues. Top executives traded lewd comments about male virility at company events and online.

The e-commerce giant Alibaba, one of Chinas most globalized internet companies, has often celebrated the number of women in its senior ranks. In 2018, the companys billionaire co-founder, Jack Ma, told a conference in Geneva that one secret to Alibabas success was that 49 percent of employees were women.

But that message of female empowerment is now being called into question after an Alibaba employee accused her boss of raping her after an alcohol-fueled business dinner. The woman, who has been identified by the police and her lawyers only by her surname, Zhou, said bosses and human resources had shrugged off her complaints. She eventually resorted to screaming about the assault in a company cafeteria last month.

An Ali male executive raped a female subordinate, and no one in the company has pursued this, Ms. Zhou yelled, according to a video that was posted on the internet.
Have you ever missed capturing the perfect photo or video opportunity because you got hung up getting to your smartphones camera app in time? Your phone likely has a number of shortcuts built into its software and settings, although some may be less obvious than others. Heres a quick guide to getting the speed you need so you dont miss your moment.

Instant Camera

Need the camera now? With most recent iPhones running iOS 14, just swipe left from the lock screen to go directly to the camera app. Pressing the camera icon in the bottom-right corner of the lock screen also opens the app.

Image From left: Swipe to the left to quickly bypass the iPhones lock screen and go right to the camera app. Instead, press the camera icon in the bottom-right corner to pop open the camera app. Credit... Apple

On many Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones running Android 11, you can open your default camera app by rapidly pressing the phones power button or Side key twice. (If not, open the Android system settings and check the Gestures options, or confirm that Samsungs Side key settings have the Quick Launch feature enabled for the camera.)
Airport lounges, the fliers respite for unlimited food, drink and Wi-Fi, closed when Covid-19 hit, an early casualty of the pandemic. Now they are reopening in the United States, but experiences vary  many have returned to full capacity while others remain shuttered or lack full service.

Whos open?

There are roughly 250 lounges in U.S. airports, according to Zach Griff, who researches the industry for The Points Guy travel website. Some are operated by airlines and others are independently owned and managed. American Express has its own set of clubs for premium credit card holders, and its competitors, Chase and Capital One, are entering the market with their own offerings.

An array of entry options welcomes fliers, depending on the lounge. Guests might pay a daily or annual fee to gain admittance, or enter as a purchaser of a first class ticket, or receive access as a perk that comes with specific credit cards. The lounges vary from basic windowless spaces with Wi-Fi and snacks, like Swissport Lounge at Chicago OHare International Airport, to beautifully decorated clubs displaying works by local artists, rotating area-inspired cuisine and featuring views of the runways, like the Alaska Airlines lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Those catering specifically to international fliers, like the United Polaris and British Airways lounges, are more likely to be outfitted with showers, napping pods and other amenities to help travelers prepare for or recover from long flights.
The mask mandate failed, three votes to two.

Disheartened Chandler parents who supported the requirements said the board had put money above their childrens health.

Theyre not protecting our kids, said Sandy Kirby, a Chandler parent and nurse.

But Kelli Wilson, a devoted Trump voter in Chandler whose 13-year-old son is unvaccinated and does not wear a mask to school, was gratified. Ms. Wilson, who had soured on Mr. Ducey when the gym she runs was forced to close down early in the pandemic, credited the governor with letting parents decide about masks.

Finally Doug Duceys doing something right, she said.

Mr. Ducey had kept a lower profile throughout much of the pandemic compared with the Republican governors of Florida, South Dakota and Texas, who built national reputations as combative opponents of Covid restrictions.

But as he looks to his political future after he leaves office next year because of term limits, Mr. Ducey is moving to the front of the volatile new battle over personal freedoms, childrens health and the politicization of pandemic relief money.
Mr. McClains mother, Sheneen McClain, said she had been praying for this day. In the two years since her sons death, she has been fighting for answers and changes to Colorados laws by speaking out, giving interviews and testifying before state lawmakers. Anything, she said, to carry on the legacy of a son she raised as a single mother, sometimes barely getting by.

It was my job to make sure the whole world knew about him and how he was killed unjustly and through no fault of his own, Ms. McClain said in an interview on Wednesday.

Ms. McClain said she was told about the criminal charges a day before they were announced. At first, she said, the multiple counts of assault and homicide seemed like an abstract number. But the import, she said, has been gradually sinking in.

He never shouldve been killed, she said. Elijah believed in our humanity. He showed more humanity to those that killed him than the ones who were supposed to protect and serve him. He believed in our capacity to love one another.

The death of Mr. McClain, who was described by friends and family as a gentle person who loved animals and taught himself to play the violin, touched off protests across Denver and a flurry of investigations, lawsuits and demands for policing reforms.

Mr. McClain had been walking home from a convenience store carrying a bag with cans of iced tea at 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 24, 2019, when he was stopped by three Aurora police officers responding to a 911 call about a suspicious person. Mr. McClain, who had been wearing a face mask and listening to music, told the officers he was simply walking home and asked the police to let go of him, according to an independent review of the incident.

The officers grabbed Mr. McClains arms, pushed him against a wall and pulled him to the ground. They used what is called a carotid hold to subdue Mr. McClain  a potentially dangerous restraint to the neck that restricts blood to the brain.
WASHINGTON  Just over a day after the last American service member left Afghanistan, the Pentagons top two leaders expressed wariness on Wednesday about continuing to cooperate with Taliban leaders who helped provide safe passage to more than 124,000 people evacuated out of the country.

We were working with the Taliban on a very narrow set of issues, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III told reporters. I would not make any leaps of logic to broader issues. Its hard to predict where this will go in the future with respect to the Taliban.

Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was more blunt in his assessment of the Taliban, which took control of Kabul, Afghanistans capital, two weeks ago after rapidly advancing across the country. American commanders have praised Taliban leaders for their cooperation during the evacuation of Americans and their Afghan allies during the war.

This is a ruthless group, said General Milley, who commanded troops in Afghanistan. Whether or not they change remains to be seen. In war, you do what you must.
WASHINGTON  Early last year, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the House minority leader, praised former President Donald J. Trumps deal to pull American troops out of Afghanistan as a positive step. As secretary of state, Mike Pompeo helped negotiate that agreement with the Taliban. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri pressed last November for a withdrawal as soon as possible.

Now, the three are among dozens of prominent Republicans who, with President Biden seeing the pullout through, have sharply reversed themselves  assailing Mr. Biden even as he keeps a promise that Mr. Trump had made, and carries out a policy to which they had given their full-throated support.

The collective U-turn reflects Republicans eagerness to attack Mr. Biden and ensure that he pays a political price for the way he ended the war. With Mr. Trump reversing himself as the withdrawal grew chaotic and, in its endgame, deadly, it also offers new evidence of how allegiance to the former president has come to override compunctions about policy flip-flops or political hypocrisy.

You cant be going out there and saying, This war was worthless and we need to bring the troops home in May, and now hitting Biden for doing just that, said Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, a Republican who broke with Mr. Trump after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and has long favored maintaining a military presence in Afghanistan. Theres no shame anymore.
On Monday, the U.S. Education Department announced that it was investigating five states over their prohibitions on universal mask mandates in schools.

Those bans may run afoul of civil rights laws that protect students with disabilities from discrimination, federal officials said.

We are not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators protecting our children, President Biden said last month, when he outlined his plan to rely on the Education Departments civil rights enforcement arm to deter states from barring universal masking in classrooms.

Governors of nine Republican-led states have tried to ban mask mandates in classrooms, even though the C.D.C. says that students, teachers and staff should wear masks in schools, regardless of their vaccination status.
The World Health Organization opened a center in Berlin on Wednesday where information can be shared to help prepare the world for the next global health crisis.

The center, known as the Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, will gather data from around the world and share it internationally in a stepped-up effort to allow the health authorities to recognize trends in diseases as they happen, and develop new analytic and modeling tools to use that data in establishing strategies to battle outbreaks, the W.H.O. said on its website.

The hub will assess traditional disease surveillance information, like case numbers and laboratory results, along with environmental, social, economic, cultural and agricultural factors.

It will focus on what the W.H.O. called collaborative intelligence  the consistent sharing of information among political, scientific and civil organizations to develop a coordinated approach, according to a paper about the hub. Countries and institutions, public and private, must trust each other in order for the hub to function properly, the paper said.
It all happened so fast.

Just a few weeks before Taliban militants triumphantly strode into Kabul last month without a fight as the U.S.-backed government collapsed, the capital seemed a world away from the extremist groups severe view of an Islamic society. As the weeks went by, however, there were gathering signs of impending crisis, soon to be etched in the faces of concerned Afghans who ultimately decided they had no choice but to flee.

Tyler Hicks, a New York Times photographer, has captured the arc of the Afghanistan conflict through at least 30 assignments since the American-led invasion in 2001 that routed the Taliban. In July he traveled to the western city of Herat, the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif and the capital of Kabul just weeks before the cities fell, when the anxiety about a Taliban takeover was intensifying. Following is his chronicle of those critical weeks.
KABUL, Afghanistan  Sitting in the home of the spy chief of the fallen Afghan government, cradling a Beretta submachine gun in his lap, Mawlawi Habib Tawakol recounted how he and his fighters were surprised at how quickly they were ordered to enter Kabul on Aug. 15, even after the Talibans rapid advance across Afghanistan.

That morning, Mr. Tawakols Taliban unit arrived on the outskirts of the Afghan capital, expecting to camp out there possibly for weeks while a formal handover was negotiated. But there would be little waiting. President Ashraf Ghani and many other senior officials were fleeing, catching everyone off guard.

That afternoon, our leadership ordered us to enter the city in order to prevent looting, he said. The Taliban intelligence chief, Hajji Najibullah, told him and his men to rush to the headquarters of the Afghan spy agency, the National Directorate of Security, to secure equipment and documents. Prison cells, offices, security posts  all had been abandoned.

There was no one there except a deputy director, who handed the building to us, Mr. Tawakol said. All the prisoners had already escaped.
Gail Omvedt, an anti-caste crusader, scholar and prolific author who championed the cause of Indias marginalized communities and was a leader in the countrys feminist movement, died on Aug. 25 at her home in the western state of Maharashtra. She was 80.

Her death was confirmed by her daughter, Prachi Patankar, who did not specify a cause.

Ms. Omvedt, whose death was widely reported in the Indian news media, was a sociologist who helped pioneer the study of caste systems in South Asia, drawing wider attention to the lives of the Dalits, the oppressed caste once more commonly called the untouchables.

She moved to India in the 1970s, taught at universities there and wrote more than a dozen books, including Understanding Caste: From Buddha to Ambedkar And Beyond and a biography of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the primary author of the Indian constitution.

She was also a lifelong activist who chose to live among those she worked with and wrote about in Maharashtra, the second most populated state in India. She spoke flawless Marathi, the local language, and spent considerable time doing work in poor communities fighting caste oppression in rural regions.
Ahmad, 27, lingered in bed. He did not want to face the day. His sister Haanya, 20, had no appetite for breakfast. She looked out the window, where four Taliban fighters were patrolling the block, AK-47 rifles swung over their shoulders.

It was Tuesday morning in Kabul, a day after the United States completed its military withdrawal, and there was no doubt who was in charge now.

In telephone interviews, the two siblings recounted what their lives looked like on Day 1 of Taliban rule, after two decades of U.S. occupation. Like many ordinary Afghans, they were already trying to learn how to navigate the new Afghanistan.

Our life just two weeks ago seems 10 years away, Ahmad said. For 20 years the U.S. lied to us and said: We are with you. We will not leave the Afghan people. Who is with us now? Only the Taliban.
How much leverage do the United States and its allies have over the Taliban?

Most of the leverage can be measured in dollars.

The Afghan economy, so dependent on foreign aid and spending, is grinding to a halt, with cash running out, government salaries stopped and prices rising fast. Given the need for imports of food, medicine and energy, with fears of widespread hunger and disease, the West hopes the Taliban will be more receptive toward demands for moderation.

For now, the United States, European Union and Britain have suspended their considerable aid programs, and Afghanistans central bank reserves, nearly all held abroad, have been frozen. The I.M.F. has withheld $400 million that it was scheduled to deliver to the old government this month.

U.S. and allied officials say they want to continue providing humanitarian aid, no matter what political system emerges in Afghanistan. Most of the aid could be channeled through United Nations agencies or through a possible new trust fund from the World Bank, so countries would not give directly to the Taliban.

The most powerful leverage that the United States and the rest of the world have against the Taliban are terrorism sanctions, which prohibit contributions of money, goods and services. Some of those sanctions have complicated aid efforts even by charitable groups that try to keep their political neutrality and simply aid those in need.

Given the Talibans history of human rights abuses and reliance on illicit finance, sanctions are likely to remain in place for now.

Will the Taliban claim Afghanistans U.N. seat?

The once-unthinkable prospect of a Taliban envoy representing Afghanistan at the United Nations, a powerful symbol of international legitimacy, appears to be one step closer. But big hurdles remain.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand  When New Zealand, for the first time in months, reported a case of community spread of the coronavirus on Aug. 17, residents sprang into action. They stripped supermarket shelves of pasta and toilet paper, dug masks out of drawers and fled to vacation homes in the mountains or at the beach.

Hours later came the expected announcement: The country, after a single case of the Delta variant, would plunge into a highly restrictive three-day lockdown. New Zealand, one of the last countries to still pursue Covid zero, would aim to eliminate the virus once again, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a news conference that day.

While we know that Delta is a more dangerous enemy to combat, she said, the same actions that overcame the virus last year can be applied to beat it.

Two weeks later, New Zealand is still in lockdown, one that will last at least another 14 days. One case has become nearly 700, with almost three dozen requiring hospitalization. And the familiar playbook that has made New Zealand an envied model throughout the pandemic is struggling to contain a much more contagious variant of the virus.
NATO allies, which fought alongside the United States in Afghanistan, went along, with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Mr. Blair, a Labour Party leader, backed a Republican president, George W. Bush, in invading Iraq.

Mr. Obama, who famously once said he was not opposed to all wars, just dumb wars, stopped short of pulling troops out of Afghanistan long after he concluded that the mission  to transform the country into a stable democracy  was a futile effort. Even President Trump, who made a career of thumbing his nose at the foreign policy establishment, deferred to his generals when they warned him not to withdraw all American forces.

You have a president who is willing to stand up to the Washington foreign policy establishment in a way that Trump or Obama or George W. Bush were not, said Vali R. Nasr, a former Obama administration official who teaches at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. To me, that does require introspection on the part of the foreign policy establishment.

While Mr. Biden may have antagonized foreign policy elites, his determination to extricate the United States from costly entanglements overseas plays better with average Americans. While the harrowing images of the evacuation have damaged his approval ratings, polls suggest that many, if not most, share his conviction that the country does not have a compelling reason to stay in Afghanistan.

Mr. Biden is an unlikely insurgent. A longtime senator who chaired the Foreign Relations Committee, he embraced the post-World War II vision of a globally active United States. He prized his Rolodex of world leaders and relishes mingling at elite gatherings, like the Munich Security Conference. He also voted for the Iraq War.

Yet in his years as vice president, Mr. Bidens disenchantment with military adventures emerged as one of his core beliefs. In addition to opposing the Afghanistan surge, he resisted the NATO intervention in Libya and advised Mr. Obama to hold off on the commando raid that killed Osama bin Laden (he later changed his story to suggest he was privately supportive).

Biden was really the lone dissenting voice on Afghanistan, not just at the table but in the foreign-policy establishment, of which he was clearly a member, said Benjamin J. Rhodes, who served as a deputy national security adviser to Mr. Obama. He wasnt just some knee-jerk progressive.
LONDON  The British TV personality Piers Morgan was cleared on Wednesday by Britains communications regulator over critical comments he made on air about Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, after her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Mr. Morgan had been under investigation by Ofcom, the media regulator, which received a record number of complaints in March after he criticized Meghan on air and said he did not believe her accounts of being poorly treated by the royal establishment.

In a 97-page ruling outlining the decision, Ofcom said that Mr. Morgan was entitled to say he disbelieved the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs allegations and to hold and express strong views that rigorously challenged their account.

In an interview broadcast in March, Meghan  a biracial former actress from the United States known for her role in the legal drama Suits and for her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018  told Ms. Winfrey that when she was pregnant with her first child, an unnamed member of the royal household expressed concerns about how dark the color of the babys skin would be. Meghan also said that palace officials refused her requests to seek mental health treatment when she said she had become suicidal.
President Biden has staunchly defended the withdrawal, which was engulfed at times in deadly violence. But he has come under widespread criticism abroad and at home, where many moderate Democrats were furious at the Biden administration for what they saw as terrible planning for the evacuation of Americans and their allies.

The pope cited a quote he attributed to Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, saying it was necessary to put an end to the irresponsible policy of intervening from outside and trying to build democracy in other countries.

But it turns out the pope misattributed the quote, which was actually spoken by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia during a news conference with Ms. Merkel last month in Moscow. Mr. Putin said the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan showed it was time for the West to end its irresponsible policy of imposing someones outside values from abroad.

In the interview with the radio network, Francis again called on Catholics to pray and fast to show solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, as he had done last Sunday.

He laughingly slapped down speculation in the Italian news media about his imminent resignation, saying that apart from taking postoperative medications, he was now able to lead a totally normal life, to eat whatever he wanted and to travel regularly.
Officials of the World Health Organization on Wednesday called on countries with a surplus of Covid-19 vaccines to speed up donations of doses to Latin American and Caribbean nations where immunization is moving slowly.

While every country in our region has begun administering Covid-19 vaccines, immunizations are following the fault lines of inequality that have long divided our region, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, the director of the Pan American Health Organization, a division of the W.H.O., said at a news conference.

Only one in four people in Latin America and the Caribbean has been fully immunized against Covid-19, and for many, vaccines remain months away, Dr. Etienne added.

The divisions within the region are stark. Chile and Uruguay have managed to fully vaccinate more than 60 percent of their populations while more than a third of countries in the region have yet to reach 20 percent.
The Taliban are preparing to set out their new Islamic government imminently, naming Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, the insurgencys top religious leader, as the countrys supreme authority, according to a Taliban official.

Although the group swiftly seized final control of the country this month, the Taliban have spent more than a decade preparing to take power by steadily expanding a shadow government, called the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and appointing officials down to the district level in preparation for a moment when they were again in power.

While it remains unclear when exactly an announcement may come and whether it would include a more inclusive council, the new government will face huge challenges, including growing humanitarian and economic crises that have forced Afghans to flee. It will also be strapped for cash as funds are cut off by the United States and international lenders, and foreign governments debate whether to recognize the Taliban.

Basic services like electricity are under threat and Afghans have been struggling with a surge in food prices and malnutrition.
They say women are from Venus and men are from Mars, and nowhere is that more evident than in Ubang, a unique Nigerian rural community where men and women have their own separate languages.

Its hard to believe that men and women who grow up together in the same community can end up speaking different languages, but in the case of Ubangs residents, its totally true. Its not exactly clear what proportion of the words in the mens and womens languages are different, but there are enough examples to make sentences sound different when spoken by the opposite sex. For example, for clothing men use the word nki, while women say ariga; kitchi means tree for men, while women say okweng. These are not just some subtle pronunciation differences, but totally different words and its been like this for as long as anyone can remember.

Photo: Abubakar Balogun/Unsplash

Its almost like two different lexicons, anthropologist Chi Chi Undie told the BBC. There are a lot of words that men and women share in common, then there are others which are totally different depending on your sex. They dont sound alike, they dont have the same letters, they are completely different words.

Interestingly, both men and women are able to understand each other perfectly in Ubang, as both boys and girls grow up around their parents and get to learn both languages, but by the age of 10 boys are expected to speak in the male tongue.
Diana Walker

Diana Walker, who has worked with public and private groups to forge social impact and environmental programs during her 15-year career, will join the New York office of Brunswick Group on Sept. 7.

She spent more than a decade at the United Nations Foundation, holding jobs such as senior director of partnerships initiatives and managing director of the Global Entrepreneurs Council.

Walker did a stint at the Obama White House, working on community initiatives and womens issues. She served the Biden presidential campaign as a member of its steering committee on clean energy.

Most recently, Walker ran her own consulting shop, Walker Impact Strategies, guiding Fortune 500 companies on environmental, social and governance matters.

At Brunswick, she will be part of its business & society team, which the firm has been expanding throughout its global office network.
A successful Offaly compnay has invested over 250,000 in pioneering a major R&D breakthrough that could help reduce carbon emissions in rural and hard to heat homes.

The breakthrough will also help prevent Irish homeowners from incurring the high cost and subsequent disruption to daily life of deep retrofitting.

Grant Engineering in Birr is one of Irelands leading home heating appliance manufacturer and has been at the cutting edge of sustainable and innovative product development for over 40 years with one of the first condensing oil boilers on the market, launched under the Grant Vortex brand name.

The introduction of this unique product was the catalyst for a sustained increase in boiler efficiencies throughout the industry and a reduction in running costs for homeowners. The higher efficiencies from these appliances have, over the past 15 years, contributed to a reduction in carbon emissions in Ireland amounting to many millions of tonnes.

Looking to the future, over the past six years the Grant R&D team has worked with third level institutions, industry partners and renewable fuel producers, focusing on more sustainable and carbon saving fuels and innovating its boilers to be biofuel compatible.

Commenting on the R&D project, founder Stephen Grant said, In the early days of our research, we identified potential bio and synthetic fuels that would both meet greenhouse gas reduction targets and be commercially viable. This began with developing a boiler that could use a biofuel called FAME (fatty acid methyl esters). Our team successfully used a 30% blend of FAME with regular kerosene, although problems arose though when the blend of biofuel exceeded 30%. This resulted in increased NOx emissions, issues with fuel storage stability and more rapid aging or poor performance in cold conditions.

The breakthrough came during testing and field trialling with boilers successfully using 100% biofuel known as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). HVO feedstocks are generally rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, certified sustainable palm oil and non-food oils such as jatropha oil and algae oil as well as waste animal fats. Even more sustainable are waste and residue oils  both of which are now a substantial contributor to the feedstock, added Stephen.

While HVO is a relatively new fuel to Ireland, in Europe and the UK it is used for Marine and Public Transport and to power generators, for example at music festivals such as Glastonbury. In Europe, Neste a Finnish company, is the largest producer of HVO with plants in Finland and Rotterdam. Other producers include Italian Energy company ENI and French Energy company TOTAL. Additional HVO plants throughout the EU and UK are also currently under construction.

While feedstock such as sunflower and soyabean oil can be taken from the food chain, Neste for example spends 70% of all its R&D investments in pursuit of suitable new raw materials, especially waste and residues. With year-on-year increases, the supply from waste and residue material reached 80% in 2019 which endorses the sustainability of the fuel. Neste, together with other HVO producers are focusing on utilising lower quality waste and residue materials and on the development of promising new raw materials, such as algae and microbial oils.

Stephen comments, The use of 100% HVO, can result in around 88% reduction in carbon emissions and using this or a percentage blend of HVO with kerosene, will enable rural and hard to heat Irish homes to transition to a renewable green alternative from 100% kerosene at an affordable cost and minimum disruption to their home lives. In terms of renewable heating, using 100% HVO could in fact provide a more sustainable way to heat existing homes than a heat pump.

Heat pumps, which use electricity, are a perfect solution for new builds as the minimised heat loss of these homes now perfectly matches this medium temperature technology. Retrofits can be more difficult because the layout, construction, and existing heating design of older buildings traditionally incorporated high temperature heating systems. For a building to become heat pump ready it may cost tens of thousands of Euros to upgrade the building fabric and increase air tightness. This is before considering the actual cost of purchasing a new heat pump and cylinder or upgrading to underfloor heating or larger radiators, if required. A deep retrofit can include employing builders, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, insulation fitters, window and door fitters. The whole process can become very costly and disruptive for homeowners.

All new Grant condensing boilers are future-proofed to use HVO through making a slight modification to the boiler, such as adapting the size of the fuel injector nozzle, fuel pump pressure and blast tube. Older Grant condensing boilers can also be adapted to HVO, but this may require a new biofuel burner that is matched with the specific boiler. These modifications can be carried out by a service engineer during an annual service.

One very important benefit of HVO to the Irish construction industry is that builders and relevant trades can continue to focus on building new houses in large numbers without being diverted to slow and costly deep retrofitting projects, enabling more heat pumps to be fitted.

Utilising HVO will also help Ireland to significantly decarbonise approximately 680,000 existing residential homes, at a cost of approximately 500 per existing oil boiler installation when matching and changing to a new biofuel burner and substantially less if the boiler is already biofuel ready, said Stephen.

HVO is widely available on continental Europe and its availability in Britain has increased dramatically over the past two years. It is however only starting to become available in Ireland. Distributors on the island of Ireland include Nicholl Oil in Carryduff, Co. Down and Inver Energy in Blackpool, Co. Cork.

Grant is in the process of launching a Service Engineer Biofuel Conversion Course through their eLearning academy. This will cover a basic introduction to HVO, including the necessary steps required to convert boilers to run on this biofuel, and is open to all qualified service engineers/technicians.

Stephen adds, This breakthrough in research and the development of HVO-ready condensing boilers means that we have largely transformed to a renewable heating company with our portfolio including ranges of biofuel ready condensing boilers, condensing pellet boilers, solar thermal panels, underfloor heating, hot water cylinders, aluminium radiators, and air to water air source heat pumps.

As a company we remain committed to helping homeowners throughout Ireland reduce their carbon footprint and future-proof their homes. Our R&D team continues to research alternative synthetic liquid fuels and biofuels and welcomes any potential partnerships which could further the development of innovative renewable heating technologies. That may include liquid fuel, biomass, solar thermal, refrigerant, combustion, condensing and hybrid Technology.

In helping to advance the deployment of renewables in Ireland the UK, Grant is currently part of the Rural-Led Energy Transition (RULET) headed by Ulster University. RULET is aimed at reducing or eliminating the risk of low-income households being left behind in the transition to clean, smart, integrated energy systems. As part of the initiative, the Grant hybrid heat pump system which has been designed for social housing, has been installed in the most vulnerable households in the western counties of Northern Ireland, a wind energy hotspot. The hybrid system will run at high efficiency using wind energy stored overnight helping to significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
College students searching for accommodation have been warned to be aware of potential bogus letting agents, by the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA)

The PSRA has previously received reports of fake letting agents targeting students at this time of year. Such bogus agents often set up online and may claim to hold a PSRA licence.

As the start of the college year approaches, the search for student accommodation will be a high priority for many students. For those students engaging with a letting agent in their search for accommodation, it is important that they ensure that the agent is licenced by the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA).

The PSRA advises students to be aware to the risk of bogus letting agents attempting to extract financial payments from prospective tenants. In some instances, these bogus agents may claim to have a valid PSRA licence number.

All Property Services Providers (Letting Agents, Auctioneers, Estate Agents and Management Agents) operating in the Republic of Ireland must hold a PSRA licence to provide a property service. Licensed Property Services Providers are regulated by the PSRA, ensuring that the consumer is protected.

When using a property service provider, clients should ask to see the property service providers licence and note the details, in particular the licence number. The individual licence is a credit card size licence, which contains the licensee name, photographic identification and a unique 6 or 12 digit PSRA licence number, always beginning with a double zero.

Clients can then check this number on the PSRA Register of Licensed Property Services Providers to ensure that the licence is not only valid and in date, but that the providers details match those on the Register.

The Register can be found on the PSRAs website, www.psr.ie

The CEO of the PSRA, Ms Maeve Hogan said: Students starting and returning to college need to be vigilant of bogus letting agents when searching for accommodation. A key action that students should take to help safeguard themselves against rental scams is to check that the letting agent they are using is licensed. Using a licensed agent provides consumer protection and if something does go wrong, a client may be entitled to compensation from the PSRA compensation fund.

If you are in any doubt as to whether a letting agent is licensed, you can contact the PSRA on 046 9033800 or info@psr.ie

Unlicensed letting agents, auctioneers, estate agents and management agents are breaking the law and do not provide any consumer protection. Anyone aware of unlicensed operators is urged to contact the PSRA at info@psr.ie
AN Taoiseach Micheal Martin has confirmed that the country's National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) will soon cease to exist.

Mr Martin made the revelation following previous reports from last week that NPHET was set to disband soon, and his most recent public message outlining the easing of Covid-19 restrictions throughout the country.

An Taoiseach told RTE's News at One programme that NPHET, and by extension the vaccine taskforce, will gradually be transitioned into the normal functions of the Department of Health and the HSE.

In addition, Mr. Martin said that "the legacy of the pandemic needs to include a stronger public health function," and stressed that it was critical to deal with the pandemic over the coming months, as "we are not going to eliminate the virus" from Ireland.

Other notable announcements from An Taoiseach include the budget for public health being doubled and 150 posts being allocated.

One of these posts includes the first ever consultant posts in public medicine, while a role of director of public health medicine is to be created.

Mr Martin further expressed cautious optimism, adding: "without question, we must evaluate how we performed and learn lessons to equip us for the next emergency, be it a pandemic or something else."

A stronger public health function has to be one of the 'key legacies' of the pandemic, the Taoiseach has said.@MichealMartinTD also said NPHET will be 'streamlined into Government structures' | Read more: https://t.co/MuQbOHc90W pic.twitter.com/LkBWzYXQd4 September 1, 2021

Despite the Taoiseach's reassurances, NPHET recently claimed that Ireland could see up to 3,000 cases of COVID-19 a day by mid-September.

NPHET was created on January 27 last year within the Department of Health, and was tasked with providing guidance on the development and implementation of a strategy to contain Covid-19 and curb the spread of the virus.
After 17 years of dedicated service, Scoil Naomh Colmcille and the community of Durrow bid Slan go Foill to Mr. Frank Kelly on his recent retirement, as principal of Durrow National School.

Due to Covid 19 restrictions, we could not mark the occasion in the manner he deserved. But his departure did not go unnoticed. On the last day, before the summer holidays the staff and pupils congregated in their bubbles outdoors and performed a medley of meaningful songs and traditional Irish tunes.

At home time, the Durrow community came together to show their support in a fun and heartwarming drive-by. Durrow flags flew high as parents, pupils and past pupils drove past wishing Mr Kelly well. A great sense of both excitement and sadness was evident in Durrow as the children faced into their summer holidays and Mr. Kelly locked the school for the last time, as staff lined the path and applauded.

He was overwhelmed by the cavalcade and good wishes he received.

Franks dedication, loyalty and commitment to the school and community has to be admired. He totally invested himself in the school and made it what it is today. The staff and school population has tripled in the years since he assumed principalship.

The school building and surroundings are the envy of many as a new hall and a number of new classrooms were built to accommodate the growing numbers. We also have an all-weather surface at the back of the school, dedicated play activities for the junior classes and advanced technology to cater for our digital school.

His creativeness, innovative thinking, kindness, warmth and enormous leadership role has left a lasting impression on many lives. It is also worth noting that Franks fun loving personality ensured there was never a dull moment and made Durrow N.S a wonderful school to work and learn.

Franks gra for traditional Irish music, song, sport and poetry will leave a lasting impression on Durrow school. As a mentor, he gave understanding, he provided reassurance and advice. As a colleague, he brought out the best in his staff and as a teacher,he brought enthusiasm, fun and instilled a love of learning, which helped shape many careers and successes.

Franks legacy however is being left in capable hands. Mr. James Hogan takes over at the helm. James, a staff member of Durrow N.S., was appointed as the new principal and will assume the role from September 1.

Franks leadership and guidance will be truly missed. His contribution to the school can never be measured. It is with heavy hearts the school sees him go, but he wont be a stranger and will always be welcomed back to Durrow School. Go n-eiri an t-adh leat Frank, from all in Durrow!!
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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York's legislature will convene for a special session Wednesday to potentially extend the state's moratorium on evictions, put in place to protect tenants and property owners who fell behind on their rent or their mortgage because of hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The moratorium was set to expire at the end of the day Tuesday. Lawmakers expect to return midday Wednesday to address the issue, according to spokespeople for Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat, and for Republicans in the state Assembly.

If lawmakers decide to extend the moratorium, they will have to change how it works. In an Aug. 12 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court nixed part of the moratorium that allowed tenants to pause eviction proceedings simply by filing a form declaring they'd had a pandemic-related hardship.

Months ago, lawmakers had expected New York wouldn't still need an eviction moratorium this fall because the state approved a $2.4 billion fund expected to help as many as 200,000 households late on their rent.

But New York has only released a small percentage of that money so far: $200 million as of Aug. 23. Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to get the money out more quickly.

Here's a look at what tenants and landlords should expect going forward:



WHAT LEGAL PROTECTIONS DO TENANTS STILL HAVE?

Even after the moratorium expires, tenants who apply for emergency COVID-19 rental assistance are protected while the state reviews whether they qualify for aid. If they are approved, they can't be evicted for up to one year for having failed to pay rent because of a pandemic hardship.



WHAT PROTECTIONS HAVE ENDED?

With the expiration of the moratorium, property owners who fell behind on mortgage payments because of the pandemic are no longer protected from foreclosure.

Since the Supreme Court ruling, tenants can no longer avoid eviction by filing paperwork declaring a financial or medical hardship because of the pandemic. The justice ruled that process, while convenient for tenants, deprived landlords of their right to challenge the accuracy of those declarations in court.

Hochul called the courts ruling appalling and insensitive and said she was exploring options for a fix. Senate Housing Chair Brian Kavanagh said lawmakers may allow landlords to challenge a tenants hardship declaration.

A federal eviction moratorium has also expired. President Joe Biden's attempt to extend it via an order from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention was struck down by the the U.S. Supreme Court, which said the public health agency exceeded its authority.



WHAT DO LANDLORDS SAY?

Landlords are blasting New York for considering extending the moratorium. S maller landlords say they can't afford to cover months of more housing debt.



WILL NEW YORK SEE A FLOOD OF EVICTIONS?

Housing courts in New York move slowly and it is possible that legal bottlenecks and existing tenant protections will prevent a surge of evictions from happening immediately.

But Legal Aid Society attorney Ellen Davidson said eviction cases and notices in New York are already picking up since the court ruling. She raised concern about a surge in eviction proceedings amid the highly contagious COVID-19 variant. And she said tenants outside New York City lack the right to an attorney and may not know about eviction protections.

It might also be difficult, she said, for courts to easily learn whether a tenant has applied for rental relief. There is no centralized lookup system to see if a tenant submitted an application and therefore qualifies for a pause in eviction proceedings.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden on Tuesday glossed over his broken promise to keep U.S. troops in Afghanistan until the last Americans are out and offered the faint assurance  even with the last U.S. planes gone  that it's never too late for U.S. citizens to leave.

There is no deadline, Biden said. But with its forces withdrawn, the U.S. is left with diplomatic persuasion instead of military muscle to get the Taliban extremists who've been fighting the U.S. for 20 years to give remaining Americans safe passage out.

BIDEN: The bottom line: 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave. For those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out, if they want to come out. Secretary of State Blinken is leading the continued diplomatic efforts to ensure safe passage for any American, Afghan partner or foreign national who wants to leave Afghanistan.  White House remarks.

THE FACTS: For the record, Biden vowed that he would get 100% of Americans out before withdrawing forces.

And his suggestions Tuesday that many of the remaining Americans are dual nationals who may be undecided about leaving do not reflect the full reality.

He contended 100 to 200 Americans are still there and have "some intention to leave," adding: Most of those who remain are dual citizens, longtime residents, but earlier decided to stay because of their family roots in Afghanistan. And White House press secretary Jen Psaki said afterward that Biden is telling those people that if they decide in two weeks that they want to go, we will get you out.

But those comments may understate the desperation of Americans trapped in Afghanistan. Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said Monday that Americans tried to get to the Kabul airport for the final evacuations but couldn't. No Americans were on the last five jets to leave.

We maintained the ability to bring them in up until immediately before departure, but we were not able to bring any Americans out, he said. That activity ended probably about 12 hours before our exit, although we continue the outreach and would have been prepared to bring them on until the very last minute. But none of them made it to the airport, and were able to be  and were able to be accommodated.

Biden told ABC News unequivocally on Aug. 19 that the U.S. would not leave any Americans stranded.

Americans understand were going to try and get it done before Aug. 31, Biden said then. "If we dont, well determine at the time, whos left.

And then? "And if there are American citizens left, were going to stay until we get them all out.

The last U.S. planes took off from the airport Monday night, Aug. 30, one minute before midnight in Kabul.

U.S. officials estimated up to 200 Americans were left behind, along with unknown numbers of Afghans and others who were trying frantically to leave. By then, more than 100,000 people, mostly Afghans, had been flown to safety in the multinational evacuations.

Now that has become a matter for diplomacy,

U.S. officials said diplomats are in talks with neighboring countries and others to try to arrange non-U.S.-military evacuations for those remaining. Among the options, if the diplomacy works, are potential charter flights from the airport when it re-opens and overland routes.



AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.



EDITOR'S NOTE  A look at the veracity of claims by political figures.



Find AP Fact Checks at http://apnews.com/APFactCheck

Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck
NEW YORK (AP)  Two Brooklyn men were arrested Tuesday on trespassing and disorderly conduct charges in the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol.

Antonio Ferrigno Jr., 26, and Francis Connor, 23, were charged with being among nearly 600 individuals who have been charged in the insurrection that resulted when supporters of former President Donald Trump descended on the Capitol.

Some of them pushed past police barriers, assaulted officers and caused lawmakers to flee in a bid to overturn an election in which Joe Biden won the presidency.

Ferrigno and Connor were released on their own recognizance after an initial appearance before a Brooklyn magistrate judge, who ordered them not to have contact with each other or any co-defendants, co-conspirators or potential victims or witnesses.

They were also warned to stay away from the Capitol and Washington unless they need to visit the city to meet with lawyers or to appear in court there, where they were charged in a criminal complaint.

Lawyers for Ferrigno and Connor did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Because there was no bail fight, neither lawyer spoke at the initial hearing about the charges or extensively on their client's behalf.

According to the complaint, Ferrigno and Connor went to Washington on Jan. 6 and participated in the rioting at the Capitol along with another man who was arrested earlier.

The complaint, which contained pictures of the men purportedly inside the Capitol, said that a review of live streaming video from another charged defendant showed Ferrigno and Connor within the designated work space of a U.S. senator.

Ferrigno appears to be wearing a navy Trump hat, black jacket, light blue-ripped jeans and a Trump scarf, while Connor had a dark-in-color winter hat, a multi-colored scarf and boots, the complaint said.

A review of another defendant's cell phone showed text messages from Ferrigno denying his participation in the riots, the complaint said.
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Opalesque Industry Update - Sidley has announced that Dan Graham, Paul Dunbar, and Emilie Stewart have joined the firm as partners in London. Mr. Graham and Mr. Dunbar have joined the global M&A and Private Equity practice and Ms. Stewart has joined the Global Finance group. They join from Vinson & Elkins LLP. Mr. Graham's practice focuses on advising private equity firms and other financial institutions on transactions, including leveraged buy-outs, venture and growth capital investments, joint-ventures and co-investments, opportunistic and distressed acquisitions, take-privates, and carve-outs across the investment lifespan through to exit. Mr. Graham has experience advising private equity funds across a significant range of asset classes and sectors. He has recently advised on transactions across energy transition, renewables, power, infrastructure, technology, services, industrials, and healthcare. Mr. Graham advises sophisticated financial sponsors in complex international or cross-border transactions, and he regularly leads deals across a wide range of jurisdictions including the Americas, Africa, Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Mr. Dunbar advises clients on a broad array of transactions, including private equity M&A, real estate private equity, distressed asset transactions, and non-performing loan acquisitions. He also has extensive experience on joint ventures and preferred equity investments. Mr. Dunbar works across many sectors, including financial services, real estate, renewable energy and the energy transition, infrastructure, and healthcare. Ms. Stewart concentrates on cross-border financing transactions, including financings focused on real estate private equity and NPL transactions. Among the many private equity clients with whom she has worked, she frequently advises special situations sponsor clients on their alternative capital investments, with a particular focus on heavily structured investments across debt and equity products. "These three talented lawyers are highly synergistic with Sidley's global Private Equity practice, and they will have an immediate impact on our strong and growing Private Equity practice," said Thomas Thesing, a member of Sidley's Management and Executive Committees and managing partner of Sidley's office in London. "Their commitment to client service has been clearly demonstrated by the long-standing relationships they have built with industry-leading private equity firms, many of whom are also Sidley clients."
Opalesque Industry Update - The hedge fund industry continued its strong resurgence in Q2 2021 according to research from the Citco group of companies. More managers delivered positive year-to-date returns and funds captured larger returns versus the previous quarter. Analysing global hedge fund industry performance patterns, trade and treasury volumes and investor flow trends, Citco's Q2 2021 Hedge Fund Report found that all fund strategies delivered positive returns in Q2, delivering an overall 6% weighted average return versus 2.75% in Q1. The best performing strategy was commodities, achieving a weighted average return of 8.33% for the quarter. Overall, the volume of funds delivering a positive annual return increased from 73.4% in Q1 to 82.03% in Q2, with larger funds sized $3B+ in assets under administration producing the best returns at 7.69% and higher weighted average returns in most categories. A strong correlation exists between market volatility and trade volumes. Citco observed a dip in trade volumes from the record peaks of March, however, Q2 ended with an 8.5% increase in year-to-date volumes up to June compared to the same period in 2020. Trading of Equity Swaps was up 44% in Q2 2021 relative to Q2 2020, indicating a broader use of the product amongst the hedge fund industry. Increased trade activity was supported by increased investor confidence in alternative investments. Gross subscriptions for Citco-administered funds were $50.5B in Q2, with a clear preference for allocations to MultiStrategy, Global Macro, Private Equity hybrids and Funds of Funds, while Equities and Arbitrage experienced net outflows. Reversing a recent trend, managers in Asia had outflows, while their peers in Europe and North America all added to their capital base. Declan Quilligan, Head of Hedge Fund Services, Citco Fund Services (Ireland) Limited, said: "With elevated trade activity and capital inflows industry-wide, we continue to emphasise the importance of robust infrastructure and operations for the hedge fund industry. We are seeing strong appetite from managers to better leverage outsourced middle office solutions and expertise availing of streamlined, digitised and more transparent treasury and accounts payable workflows. In this environment, Citco's proprietary technology and specialist services will continue to support the global alternatives industry through 2021 and beyond."
The Pandemic Lock down on March 2020 caught the Moving Industry completely off guard. As the business operation came to a sudden halt with consignment stuck in transit while salaries and overhead cost were running high. As the lock down stretched beyond months and increasing anxiety led to almost entire low-end working staff move back home to their natives, companies increasingly started hiring temporary staffers and daily wagers. This has 
Ahmad Massoud-led Northern Alliance resistance forces thwarted the Taliban's attempt to invade Panjshir.

In a major jolt to the Taliban, 41 terrorists were eliminated, and the Northern Alliance resistance forces took 20 as prisoners in the Panjshir Valley. The attack took place near the Khawak Pass. The NRF successfully countered the attack and killed 41 Taliban terrorists, and others were captured and taken as prisoners.

In another guerrilla ambush in the Gaza section of Polhsar in Andarab, a laser piece killed 34 Taliban terrorists. With this, the Taliban has suffered heavy casualties in Andarab districts in the last 24 hours. According to sources, Northern Alliance Commander Hasib said, "We'll let you enter the Valley but not let (you) out."

Taliban's attempt to invade Panjshir was met with strong resistance. According to the Northern Alliance, the Taliban attack was thwarted, and the Ahmad Massoud-led forces killed at least 9-10 terrorists. Two members of the resistance forces were also injured.
Slovenia, currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, has invited Dr Jaishankar to attend an informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of European Union Member States.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will be on a fourday visit to Slovenia, Croatia and Denmark starting tomorrow. He will hold a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, Dr Anze Logar.

Slovenia has invited Dr Jaishankar to attend an informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of European Union Member States. He will also hold discussions with his European Union counterparts on issues of mutual interest. Slovenia currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

On Friday (September 3), during his visit to Croatia, he will hold bilateral talks with his Croatian counterpart, Mr. Gordan Grlic Radman.

Dr. Jaishankar will be in Denmark on 4th and 5th September, where he will co-chair the 4th round of the Indo-Danish Joint Commission Meeting. The meeting will undertake a comprehensive review of the bilateral cooperation under the Green Strategic Partnership, which was established during the Virtual Summit in September last year. Dr. Jaishankars visit will provide an opportunity to review the progress in the bilateral ties with the three Central European countries and strengthen the multifaceted relationship with the European Union.

Courtesy: AIR
This is the Time to implement the two-child policy consistent with the Uniform Civil Code. How can a democratic and secular government discriminate against its citizens based on their religious beliefs? Isnt it a violation of secularisms fundamental principle to have a personal law?

Weeks ago, Ashwani Upadhyay, a Delhi-based lawyer and former BJP spokesperson, was arrested in Delhis Jantar Mantar for allegedly mobilising and addressing a crowd using anti-Muslim chants. The demonstrators demanded that a few new laws are needed to ensure that all citizens are treated equally. The Population Control Bill was one of the demands, and Ashwani Upadhyay is a major supporter of the measure he has long sought. Though, he was released on bail, is there a genuine requirement for population control? Is the Hindu majority adhering to the popular Hum do Hamare do slogan dwindling? Is there a fear that the Muslim population may outnumber the Hindu majority? Or is it just BJP political propaganda to create the supposed schism among citizens to gain the electoral advantage?

Is the expansion of Muslims in non-Muslim countries systematic and planned? What is the demographic tendency in Muslim and non-Muslim countries?

Lets take a look at the global Muslim population growth rate. According to a statistics study on the worldwide rise of Muslim population provided by the Pew Research Center on January 27, 2011, Muslim growth rates in European nations such as Belgium (139.8 per cent), Czech Republic (300 per cent), the Netherland (165.7 per cent), Poland (233.3 per cent), Spain (276.8 per cent), Sweden (206.8 per cent), and the United Kingdom (144.8 per cent) witnessed an increase by 140-300 per cent between 1990 and 2010. Germany is the only country with a double-digit growth rate of 65 per cent. But the Muslim population of France and Germany are likely to be more than 18 per cent by 2050, which seems to be a very conservative estimate; Muslims grow by 150 per cent in a decade in non-Muslim countries. For the same era, Muslim countries in Europe, such as Turkey, had a growth rate of only 35.4 per cent. Even though the outreach of Muslims in Latin America is believed to be relatively limited, the South American country of Brazil has a greater growth rate of 40.7 per cent. Looking at Muslim nations, the growth rates for Bangladesh (45.5 per cent), Egypt (40.5 per cent), Indonesia (32.4 per cent), Iran (32.4 per cent), Kuwait (34.1 per cent), Pakistan (58.6 per cent), Saudi Arabia (58.4 per cent), Turkey (35.4 per cent), and Syria (88.4 per cent) are all lower than non-Muslim countries for the same time.

The doctrine of Islam is based upon the total Islamisation of the world; there should not be a single non-Muslim left over before the Jihad ends. With such a philosophy in mind, increasing population is one of the forms of Jihad. Whereas the entire world is limiting the family size, only Muslims are growing at an alarming pace

What is the reason behind these opposite patterns? Why is the population growth so high in non-Muslim countries? Why is population growth so opposite in Muslim countries? It cant be coincident for so many countries; there is a clear indication of systematic growth rates. The doctrine of Islam is based upon the total Islamisation of the world; there should not be a single non-Muslim left over before the Jihad ends. With such a philosophy in mind, increasing population is one of the forms of Jihad. Whereas the entire world is limiting the family size, only Muslims are growing at an alarming pace. So, the Population Jihad is real and ticking with the kind of journalists protecting them from getting into the mainstream. India and other non-Muslim countries need to enact laws to curb the Muslim population on an urgent basis. Indian states have started exercising the draft bill for Population Control Bill.

The democratic countries are the main target; the highest increase is witnessed in such countries. They are well within control where the regime is autocratic; China and Russia are examples of the growth rate within the lower side of two digits. We know how Russian dealt with the Chechnya Muslims, and China is dealing with Ughyur Muslims. Democracies like India are worst affected by this kind of Jihad. Some of our states like Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed the worst demographic change resulting in Hindu exodus from those areas.

Assam has recently implemented a population control strategy, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claiming that the measure will keep a check on the growth of Assams minority communities. Assam is suffering from the encroachment of Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators; millions of Muslim infiltrators have changed the demography of the State. The newly-elected Chief Minister is working hard to put a curb on it by enacting a new law.

Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, has revealed a new population policy. The proposed laws ultimate goal is to promote the two-child rule to benefit the states citizens. The draught of the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilisation, and Welfare) Bill, 2021, was issued by the Uttar Pradesh Law Commission. As with many population-control legislations, the UP-draft Bill begins with a noble goal before detailing the incentives and disincentives. The concept of a population explosion has been a source of concern for many policymakers since Prof. Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich published The Population Bomb in 1968. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) has shown that family size has decreased significantly across states in India. Most young couples in UP have two children as well. Despite the drop in fertility, the population continues to expand. This is referred to as population momentum by demographers. Its crucial to remember that even if every couple in UP had two children starting tomorrow, the population would still rise. Because of the huge number of young people in the State, this is the case. Unlike in the past, todays population is expanding not because couples are having more children but because there are so many more young couples.

Muslim Population is increasing rapidly in secular democratic nations while being restricted in Muslim countries because they have nothing to conquer. They grow to outnumber the Kaffirs and then impose Sharia law or Islamic control in the nation

Some specialists are opposed to population control, believing that limiting the population will strengthen the natural resource base is flawed. They connect it to consumption patterns, claiming that the wealthy consume considerably more natural resources and contribute far more to greenhouse gas emissions than the poor, whose numbers such policies frequently seek to limit. They believe that such legislation will never be enacted, that it is just intended to widen the chasm between voters and reap the benefits of division. However, we have seen that in the previous seven years, this administration has handled most of the long-standing concerns that have caused community division. It may be seen in the repeal of Article 370 and the construction of Shri Ram Mandir. PM Modi and CM Yogi dont have a heritage to protect or a political lineage to pass down to their children, so questioning their intentions is illogical. Because Islam forbids contraceptives or other methods of preventing conception, population control of Muslims by will is impossible. Because Muslims are the governments largest stakeholders, they benefit from free education, healthcare, and rations, as well as government EWS housing programmes. Through the two-child rule, the draught Bill intends to restrict the entire range of government benefits, including government jobs, development projects, and even access to rations or subsidised food, which appears to be a corrective measure that should have been implemented long ago. The previous governments policy advisors must have been under pressure from certain organisations or the leadership at the time; otherwise, they would have seen the impending threat of a population explosion.

We can see from the Pew report that Muslims have different perspectives on population increase. They are increasing in secular democratic nations while being restricted in Muslim countries because they have nothing to conquer. They grow to outnumber the Kaffirs and then impose Sharia law or Islamic control in the nation. It has happened in Kashmir, Bengal, and Kerala and Assam, where Hindus have been expelled. Muslims are tolerant only until they reach 30 per cent of the population; beyond that, they become aggressors and attempt to convert all non-Muslims. As it is said in their holy book, the Quran, act like them while you are in the minority but keep in mind that when you become powerful and in majority, overthrow them. How can we expect the next generation to be self-aware and polite with such a timid mental process? This is the moment to implement the two-child policy consistent with the Uniform Civil Code. How can a democratic and secular government discriminate against its citizens based on their religious beliefs! Isnt it a violation of secularisms fundamental principle to have a personal law, separate atrocious rules for Muslim women? With the personal legislation in place, do Muslim women have civil rights? The UCC and Population Control Bill are urgently needed.
The 25 ISKP terrorists were lodged in various Afghanistan jails, but were freed when the Taliban started to capture provinces.

Around 25 people from India who went to join the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) in Afghanistan are under the radar of the Indian intelligence agency, revealed a report. These people were lodged in various jails in Afghanistan, but when the Taliban started to capture provinces, one after the other, ISKP terrorists, numbering thousands, were freed from prisons. Most of the ISKP terrorists are suspected to be in Nangarhar province bordering Pakistan.

Nangarhar was once a stronghold of Al-Queda. Munsib, recruited for the Islamic State online, is identified as living in this province by the intelligence agency. It is suspected that there are around 4000 ISKP terrorists in Nangarhar province.

Out of the 25 ISKP terrorists who are under the surveillance of the Intelligence Agency, the majority are from Kerala.


Union Agriculture and DoNER ministers held VC with NE CMs on National Mission in Edible Oil-Oil Palm.

Guwahati: Union Minister for DoNER G. Kishan Reddy and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday (August 31) discussed issues related to the ambitious National Mission on Edible oil-Palm oil (NMEO-OP) with the chief ministers of the North-eastern states.

In a VC, the union ministers duo discussed several other matters related to this sector, including Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North-Eastern Regions (MOVCDNER), National Bamboo Mission (NBM), Sustainable Development Goals and their target indexes for North-Eastern states etc. during this conference.

Its worth mentioning that on August 18, 2021, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval to launch a new Mission on Oil palm named as National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) as a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme with special focus on the Northeast region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The scheme with a pegged outlay of Rs. 11,040 crore has been formulated to boost palm oil production in the country and reduce dependence on edible oil imports. Out of its total financial outlay, the North-Eastern Region alone gets a target of 5850 crores, bringing a revolution in this sector to this region.

Speaking in the virtual meet, Chief Minister of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma apprised the union ministers that Assam has 350 hectares of oil palm cultivation covering Goalpara, Bongaigaon and Kamrup (R) districts. The Assam government is very enthusiastic about attaining maximum benefit from this ambitious mission. It will submit its detailed proposal to the Central Government within next week, he added. All the North-East states showed keen interest in exploring the new avenue of the agriculture sector, taking the opportunity of the central sponsored mission, sources who attended the VC told the Organiser.

Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora and Chief Ministers/Deputy Chief Ministers and Agriculture Ministers of North-Eastern states and senior officers from the Ministry of DoNER, Ministry of Agriculture and NEC took part in the crucial conference.


The false propaganda created by Islamists and Communists about Malabar Hindu Massacre is being busted with real facts these days. Now, the anti-Hindu gang has faced another setback. A movie glorifying the Malabar Hindu Massacre leader Variyamkunnath Kunjahammed Haji is facing a big crisis since the lead actor Prithviraj Sukumaran and director Aashiq Abu have decided to pull out from the project.

The movie was announced in June 2020 but faced immense opposition from Hindus in Kerala. After facing an aggressive Hindu response, the project didnt proceed further.

After the news of both the director and lead actor withdrawing from the project came out, Islamists were seen taking the matter to social media to criticise them for quitting the project.
Three opposition MLAs have joined the saffron party so far; many are in the queue.

Guwahati: The lone Hindu MLA of Badruddin Ajmal led AIUDF joins the ruling BJP in Assam, making AIUDF an all Muslim MLA party in the state. Phani Talukdar, AIUDF MLA from Bhabanipur constituency, resigned from the party and assembly on Wednesday (September 1) and joined the ruling party. Phani Talukdar met chief minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma this morning and announced his joining the saffron party. He is the third opposition MLA to join the BJP after Rupjyoti Kurmi and Sushanta Borgohain of Congress.

Chief Minister Dr. Sarma welcomed Phani Talukdar to the party and said that Bhabanipur is the home of the first martyr of Assam agitation Khargeswar Talukdar. But it is painful to see AIUDF winning from the constituency consecutively in elections. Phani Talukdar's join in the ruling party will strengthen the BJP, and I am sure that Talukdar will re-win the election from Bhabanipur as a BJP candidate. In the 2021 assembly election, AIUDF candidate Phani Talukdar won by 3227 votes defeating AGP candidate Ranjit Deka. The Chief Minister said he spoke to AGP leadership, and they assured of all possible help in the by-poll in the constituency.

Phani Talukdar said he decided to join the BJP for development in his constituency. Earlier, taking to Twitter about Phani Talukdar joining in BJP CM, Dr. Sarma said, "The faith of leaders across the political spectrum in Honorable PM Sri @narendramodi continues to grow. Happy to have met Honorable MLA of Bhabanipur Sri Phanidhar Talukdar, who resigned from @AIUDFOfficial & will join @BJP4Assam later today. I welcome him to our Pariwaar."

Phani Talukdar will formally join the BJP at 1 pm at the party's state headquarters in the presence of the state president Bhabesh Kalita. The state president earlier said many opposition MLAs are in touch with the BJP. After the resignation of Phani Talukdar, five constituencies of Assam will go to a by-election. Out of these 5, two MLAs of BTR died in Covid; 3 have resigned and joined the BJP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded ISKCON for spreading the Indian culture across the globe and said that ISKCON has taught the world the real meaning of faith - zeal, enthusiasm, gaiety and keeping faith in humanity.

PM Modi while releasing a special commemorative coin of Rs 125 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada said, "Today there are hundreds of ISKCON temples in different countries around the world and is spreading the Indian culture. ISKCON has told the world that for India, faith means zeal, enthusiasm, to be in high spirits and faith in humanity."

Recalling the role of ISKCON during natural disasters faced by the country, the Prime Minister said, "I remember when there was an earthquake in Kutch in 2001, how ISKCON had stepped forward to serve the people. Whenever the country experienced any calamity, whether it is the tragedy of Uttarakhand or the devastation of cyclones in Odisha and Bengal, ISKCON has worked as a support for the society."

"India can give the world a lot. The biggest example is our knowledge of yoga. The world can benefit from the sustainable lifestyle of India and the science like Ayurveda," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday released a special commemorative coin of Rs 125 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada through a video conference.

Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy was also present on the occasion.

Swami Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) commonly known as the "Hare Krishna movement".



ISKCON has translated Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta and other Vedic literature into 89 languages, playing a stellar role in the dissemination of Vedic literature across the world.

He also established over a hundred temples and wrote several books, teaching the path of Bhakti ga to the world, informed the release. (ANI)


WFI president tries to minimise partition horrors by calling it an old crime carried out before 75 years.

Rattled by PMs call for observing August 14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, Jamaat-e-Islamis political outfit, the Welfare Party of India (WFI), has requested PM Modi to withdraw the call. In his letter, Partys National President, Dr SQR Ilyas, addressed the PM and said that August 14 is also the independence day of Pakistan and would result in jeopardising our relationship with our neighbouring country.

Ilyas also laments amount to the further division and polarisation of society. He was also seen whitewashing the atrocities committed by the Islamists in Pakistan who killed and tortured Hindus and Sikhs by saying that atrocities happened on both sides.

The WFI National President also tries to minimalise the horrors of partition by calling it an old crime carried out before 75 years.

The WFIs stand of Partition Horrors Remembrance Day raises a serious question: whether they are more concerned about the independence day of Pakistan or stand by millions of Indians affected by the partition.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said his administration is keeping a strict watch for any suspicious activity in the coastal and adjoining forest areas.

Hubli: A high alert has been issued in the coastal areas of Karnataka following an intelligence input received about terrorist activities in coastal Kerala, said Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday (September 1).

Interacting with media at the Hubli Airport before his departure for his assembly constituency Shiggaon, the Chief Minister said the state administration is keeping a strict watch for any suspicious activity in the coastal and adjoining forest areas.

"I can not discuss some issues openly, but I want to tell you that Karnataka police, along with NIA, is keeping a strict vigil on any anti-national activity in coastal and adjoining forest areas. NIA had also picked up a person who was involved in such activities. We have also issued a high alert has in coastal areas," said the Chief Minister.

When asked if public gatherings will be permitted in the state on the occasion of Ganesh Utsav, Bommai said the state government has appointed an expert panel to study last year's celebration and Covid status presently.

"We have a meeting with the experts' panel on September 5 and will make the final decision on that day," he said.

Speaking about night curfew imposed in Kodagu, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, which share borders with Kerala, the Chief Minister said," state government is not in the mood of banning financial activities. But precautions have to be taken to maintain the COVID norms. So wherever the situation gets improved there relaxations will be given."

Courtesy: ANI


New Delhi: To talk about prejudices and pride, including false ones, of western media is nothing new.

In the Indian context, they have given a goal to themselves to lambaste Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi's commitment to Hindu credentials is one factor responsible for this. A section of website writers and Indian media also ape some of these prejudices.

It has come to light yet again when the western media virtually forgot to cover the Covid crisis revisiting the US, which has already suffered a colossal blow as the so-called superpower in Afghanistan. It may be relevant here to state that the concept of 'peace journalism' actually harms journalism itself. If promoting 'peace' or just one idea becomes your goal, it is easy to turn biased. I call this 'Sickularism'.

In some contexts where a Chief Minister is known as a good host, one could go a bit further and call it -'fish fry journalism'.

Now, the US has seen a major hike in Delta variant cases, and over one lakh people have been hospitalised in the last few months. Like what happened in India in April-May, there is oxygen and bed shortages, but where are media reports?

Media apartheid?

In August, there were major challenges for US authorities in Florida, Texas (short of beds), and Georgia. Similar reports poured in from Alabama and Houston, but nothing in detail - forget the 'drama' the fourth pillar had demonstrated while covering the human tragedy in India.

In places like Florida, the crematorium is overwhelmed, and locals have complained that bodies are just being kept one above the other on social media.

Florida also saw about 227 daily Covid deaths, and on August 26, the province reported over 900 Covid deaths. But, its selective amnesia and the vanishing act of men and women with lens and pen and paper all over!

In the last six to eight months, there have been a 23 per cent increase in Covid deaths in Florida and about 77 per cent of all ICU beds in the US are occupied, but remember the contrasting manner the media covered things in India only a few months before.

Even Delhi's ivory tower experts - who rejoiced corrupt regimes in power for years - had compared Modi's so-called non-performance with that in New Zealand or Singapore. Even Hindutva issues were linked to the Covid crisis, but now there is silence.

There have been reports of higher casualties and a bigger number of hospitalisation from Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Hawaii.

In the 24 hours between August 28 and 29, the United States recorded over 1,50,000 fresh cases of pandemic cases and 1,100 deaths, the highest such figures since March, but the media seemed to have gone on 'sickular holidays'.

The Indian liberals who shook heaven and earth over their assault on 'freedom' over the Pegasus row's false and orchestrated drama.

There have been some suggestions that there have been 'under reporting' of these Covid deaths in the US as well. In contrast, of course, India has come a long way since those gory days. In India, on average, over a crore that is 10 million per day, are getting vaccinated. The number speaks for itself as many European countries may not have so much population.

Worst is, the same media is respecting the sentiment of graveyards. But in India, such instances were highlighted with caustic remarks against the Hindu rituals and the government of the day.

There are still 'sickular' elements around. Just question them casually how is Covid situation in Mumbai, Pune or Kolkata; their response would be it's much better than Uttar Pradesh, where bodies were floating in river Ganga. Yes, the target is either Narendra Modi or his party colleague Yogi Adityanath.

They do not also remember India has a state called Kerala, where most performing people under the globe are in power. In recent times, cases have increased from 17,106 to 32,801 per day. There are apprehensions that these are likely to go up to 40,000 per day in September. The southern state witnessed 1,795 deaths due to delay in admission to hospitals. The Test Positivity Rate (TPR) in five districts is over 20 per cent and above 15 per cent in seven districts.

Rest all are sacred cows! One can change the 'mammal' name if cow sounds too much of a Hindu Bhakti.


The Resolution has declared that the Security Council decides to remain "seized" of the matters pertaining to Afghanistan, but it generates hope that it could act tougher in the future.

New Delhi: One cannot satisfy everybody every time, which could be a well-established dictum in diplomacy. Russia says its concerns raised vis-a-vis UNSC Resolution on Afghanistan "were not reflected in the text". China, too, had its issues.

According to reports, these two permanent members, China and Russia, "broke silence" on August 29 after the draft prepared by the US, the UK and France was circulated.

The initial text reportedly focused "too closely on the Taliban". It seems that these concerns were addressed by removing language that expressed the Council's intent to monitor the Taliban's actions, particularly their respect for human rights, says a report giving inside developments.

An operative paragraph regarding humanitarian assistance originally demanded that the Taliban allow unhindered access. However, the reference to the Taliban was removed from the draft, which instead calls on "all parties" to do so. "Text which specifically demanded that neither the Taliban nor any other Afghan group support terrorists was not retained and was replaced with language which notes the Taliban's relevant commitments."

But with this resolution, India had played a crucial role. This was adopted with India at the chair, and Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla represented New Delhi.

"The UNSC Resolution 2593 addresses India's key concerns pertaining to Afghanistan at this time. Therefore, we played an active role in ensuring its passage," a source said.

It is also significant that the Resolution has declared that the Security Council decides to remain "seized" of the matters pertaining to Afghanistan. This was a futuristic remark, but it generates some hope that the UNSC could act tougher in the future.

Two other areas - India can draw some elements of satisfaction were in reference to the UNSC Resolution 1267, of course regarding Pakistan-based terror organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Importantly, yet again, from India's perspective, the resolution also addresses India's immediate concerns about facilitating travel from Afghanistan, including Kabul Airport.

"This will cover Indian nationals stranded in the country as well as Afghan nationals including minorities Sikhs and Hindus who wish to travel to India," a source in the know of things explained. Even formally, Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla said the UNSC resolution has indicated a need for "safe passage" of people and to take necessary steps in its engagement with Afghanistan.

Sources said India has been in continuous touch with key members of the UNSC for an effective resolution. This issue was the subject of External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar's telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and high-level official contacts with other members.

Both Russia and China abstained from voting.

"During the talks, we stressed the inadmissibility of negative impacts of the evacuation of highly qualified Afghan personnel on Afghanistan's socio-economic development," said Russian Permanent Representative at UN, Vassily Nebenzia. But these elements "which are important for the Afghan people were not reflected in the text," he lamented.

The Russian diplomat also said, "....we see attempts to shift responsibility for the failure of the United States' and its allies' 20-year presence in Afghanistan onto the Taliban movement and countries of the region, which will have to face consequences of this long campaign."

He stressed Russia would continue to support Afghanistan. "On its part, Russia wants to see peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan, with no terrorist and drug threats coming from its territory. We will continue to help Afghans attain this goal," he said, according to Tass.

US Permanent Representative to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told journalists - "We were disappointed by abstentions of Russia and China."

China blamed the disorderly withdrawal of troops for the chaos in Afghanistan.

"Recent chaos in Afghanistan is directly related to the disorderly withdrawal of foreign troops. We hope that relevant countries would realise that withdrawal is not the end of responsibility but the beginning of reflection and correction," said the Chinese representative.

On August 30, at the foreign ministry briefing in Beijing, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said: "I have also noticed that the Afghan Taliban have reportedly refused the proposal of setting up a "safe zone". China believes that the international community should respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and the will of the Afghan people."

The French president Emmanuel Macron pushed the 'safe zone' line around Kabul airport, but some accused him of not communicating with others very clearly.
Sadhana, Siddhi and Samadhi There were more pressing portents that the Government had finally decided to arrest Sri Aurobindo again, deport him under its draconian laws, and silence the Karmayogin. In mid-February, following news of an impending arrest, Sri Aurobindo received an adesh to go to Chandernagore, then under French Government. Leaving the Karmayogin office at once, he reached Chandernagore the next morning, where he remained for a month and a half, immersed in sadhana. "India of the ages is not dead nor has she spoken her last creative word; she lives and has still something to do for herself and the human peoples" I suddenly received a command from above, in a voice well known to me, in three words: Go to Chandernagore. In ten minutes or so I was in the boat for Chandernagore (Feb. 1910) . . . I remained in secret entirely engaged in Sadhana and my active connection with the two newspapers ceased from that time. Afterwards, under the same sailing orders I left Chandernagore and reached Pondicherry on April 4, 1910. Hindu-Muslim Divide Sri Aurobindos Independence Day message clearly emphasises his great concern for Hindu-Muslim divide. Though he had totally isolated himself from politics of the day, he kept himself abreast with political developments affecting the nation. Occasionally, when some sadhaks (seekers) raised or asked him questions on Hindu-Muslim problems, Sri Aurobindo gave very clear and unambiguous answers. From a letter to a Muslim disciple who started making violent demands which he tried to justify on religious grounds You say that you ask only for the truth and yet you speak like a narrow and ignorant fanatic who refused to believe in anything but the religion in which he was born. All fanaticism is false, because it is a contradiction of the very nature of God and of truth. Truth cannot be shut up in a single book, Bible or Veda or Quran, or in a single religion. The Divine Being is eternal and universal and infinite and cannot be the sole property of the Mussalmans or the Semitic religions only  those that happened to be in a line from the Bible and to have Jewish or Arabian prophets for their founders... As for the Hindu-Muslim affair, I saw no reason why the greatness of Indias past or her spirituality should be thrown into the waste paper basket in order to conciliate the Muslims who would not at all be conciliated by such policy. What has created the Hindu-Muslim split was not Swadeshi, but the acceptance of the communal principle by the Congress and the further attempt by the Khilafat movement to conciliate them and bring them in on wrong lines. The recognition of that communal principle at Lucknow made them permanently a separate political entity in India which ought never to have happened; the Khilafat affair made that separate political entity an organized separate political power. If it is Indias destiny to assimilate all the conflicting elements, is it possible to assimilate the Mohammedan element also? Why not? India has assimilated elements from the Greeks, the Persians and other nations. But she assimilates only when her central truth is recognised by the other party, and elements absorbed are no longer recognisable as foreign but become part of herself. For instance, we took from the Greek architecture, from the Persian painting etc. The assimilation of the Mohammedan culture also was done in the mind to a great extent and it would have perhaps gone further. But in order that the process may be complete it is necessary that a change in the Mohammedan mentality should come. The conflict is in outer life and unless the Mohammedan learn tolerance I do not think the assimilation is possible. The attempt to placate the Mohammedan was a false diplomacy. Instead of trying to achieve Hindu-Muslim unity directly, if the Hindus has devoted themselves to national work, the Mohammedan would have gradually come of themselves The Hindu is ready to tolerate. He is open to new ideas and his culture has got a wonderful capacity for assimilation, but always provided that Indias central truth is recognised. The attempt to placate the Mohammedan was a false diplomacy. Instead of trying to achieve Hindu-Muslim unity directly, if the Hindus has devoted themselves to national work, the Mohammedan would have gradually come of themselves . . . This attempt to patch up a unity has given too much importance to the Muslims and it has been the root of all these troubles. A disciple: There are some people who object to Vande Mataram as a national song. And some Congressmen support the removal of some parts of the song. In that case should the Hindus give up their culture? It is not a religious song; it is a national song and the Durga spoken of is India as the Mother. Why should not the Muslims accept it? It is an image used in poetry. In the Indian conception of nationality, the Hindu view would naturally be there. If it cannot find a place there, the Hindus may as well be asked to give up their culture. The Hindus dont object to Allah-ho-Akbar . . . Why shouldn't the Hindu worship his god? Otherwise, the Hindus must either accept Mohammedanism or the European culture or become atheists . . . "The business of both parent and teacher is to enable and to help the child to educate himself, to develop his own intellectual, moral, aesthetic and practical capacities and to grow freely as an organic being, not to be kneaded and pressured into form like an inert plastic material" Rejects Subjection of Hindus On Hindu-Muslim unity, Sri Aurobindo: I am sorry they are making fetish of this Hindu-Muslim unity. It is no use ignoring facts; someday the Hindus may have to fight the Muslims and they must prepare for it. Hindu-Muslim unity should not mean the subjection of the Hindus. Every time the mildness of the Hindu has given way. The best solution would be to allow the Hindus to organise themselves and the Hindu-Muslim unity would take care of itself, it would automatically solve the problem. Otherwise, we are lulled into a false sense of satisfaction that we have solved a difficult problem, when in fact we have only shelved it. Sri Aurobindo arrived in Pondicherry on April 4, 1910. In the first years of his stay at Pondicherry, Sri Aurobindo made a deep study of the Veda and, struck by the light it threw on his own experiences, rediscovered its lost meaning. Writing about Hindu Religion, Sri Aurobindo states: But what is the Hindu religion? What is this religion which we call Sanatan, eternal? It is the Hindu religion only because the Hindu nation has kept it, because in this peninsula it grew up in the seclusion of the sea and the Himalayas, because in this sacred and ancient land it was given as a charge to the Aryan race to preserve through the ages. (Sri Aurobindo never subscribed to the absurd division between Aryans and Dravidians: I regard the so-called Aryans and Dravidians as one homogeneous race, he wrote later in The Secret of the Veda.) Writing about his spiritual experiences, Sri Aurobindo records, My own life and my Yoga have always been, since my coming to India, both this-worldly and other-worldly, without any exclusiveness on either side. All human interests are, I suppose, this-worldly and most of them have entered into my mental field and some, like politics, into my life, but at the same time, since I set foot on the Indian soil on the Apollo Bunder in Bombay, I began to have spiritual experiences, but these were not divorced from this world but had an inner and infinite bearing on it, such as a feeling of the infinite pervading material space and the immanent inhabiting material objects and bodies. At the same time I found myself entering supraphysical worlds and planes with influences and an effect from them upon the material plane, so I could make no sharp divorce or irreconcilable opposition between what I have called the two ends of existence and all that lies between them. Tryst with Sri krishna He showed me his wonders and made me realise the utter truth of the Hindu religion. I had had many doubts before. I was brought up in England amongst foreign ideas and an atmosphere entirely foreign. About many things in Hinduism I had once been inclined to believe that it was all imagination; that there was much of dream in it, much that was delusion and maya. But now day after day I realise in the mind, I realise in the heart, I realise in the body the truths of the Hindu religion. They became living experiences to me, and things were opened to me which no material science could explain. "Our actual enemy is not any force exterior to ourselves, but our own crying weaknesses, our cowardice, our selfishness, our hypocrisy, our purblind sentimentalism" The second message came and it said Something has been shown to you in this year of seclusion, something about which you had your doubts and it is the truth of the Hindu religion. It is this religion that I am raising up before the world, it is this that I have perfected and developed through the Rishis, saints and Avatars, and now it is going forth to do my work among the nations. I am raising up this nation to send forth my word . . . When therefore it is said that India shall rise, it is the Sanatan Dharma that shall rise. When it is said that India shall be great, it is the Sanatan Dharma that shall be great. When it is said that India shall expand and extend itself over the world. It is for the Dharma and for the Dharma that India exists . . .  Sri Aurobindo left his body on 5 December 1950. The body was suffused and enveloped by bluish-golden light for nearly 111 hours. Mothers Message The mysterious Divine Sacrifice  people do not know what a tremendous sacrifice Sri Aurobindo has made for the world. About a year ago, while I was discussing things, I remarked that I felt like leaving this body of mine. He spoke out in a very firm tone, No, this can never be. If necessary for this transformation, I might go, you will have to fulfil our Yoga of supramental descent and transformation. Sri Aurobindo was not compelled to leave his body; he chose to do so for reasons so sublime that they are beyond the reach of human mentality. And when one cannot understand, the only thing to do is to keep a respectful silence. On December 8, 1950 when Mother asked Sri Aurobindo to resuscitate his body, he clearly answered: I have left this body purposely. I will not take it back. I shall manifest again in the first supramental body built in the supramental way. A meditative silence reigned in the Ashram for twelve days after the passing of the beloved Master writes a sadhak; then the normal activities began, but with a striking difference. One felt a pervading presence in the Ashram atmosphere . . .  On 14 December the Mother half-admonished the sadhaks: To grieve is an insult to Sri Aurobindo who is here with us, conscious and alive. And on 18 January 1951, she gave a firmer assurance still. Another sadhak writes, He is always with us, aware of what we are doing, of all our thoughts, of all our feelings and all our actions.
Writing for The Epoch Times, China's economic analyst Antonio Graceffo said Beijing avoids foreign entanglements and is not interested in changing regimes and only in maintaining stability.

Beijing: Unmoved by the international consensus on global issues with serious consequences, the foreign policy of the Chinese regime assumes that the established ruling power in a country is the legitimate ruling power.

Showing disregard for the global consensus, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) engages with actors like Myanmar military junta and Taliban, keeping its economic agenda in mind.

Writing for The Epoch Times, China's economic analyst Antonio Graceffo said Beijing avoids foreign entanglements and is not interested in changing regimes and only in maintaining stability. "China's policy of non-interface also allows them to fund foreign terrorist organization, to protect Chinese interests, which it sees as a legitimate business expense."

Citing the example of Myanmar and other countries where its Belt and Road projects are located, the expert said that China has numerous infrastructure investments projects in the country, nearing one-third of the country's GDP.

"In return, Burma pays 4.5 per cent interest to China. Although China has always traded with the junta, the CCP also funds various rebel armies, including the United Wa State Army and Arakan Army," he added.

According to the writer, the Chinese regime's policies prevent Beijing from intervening during the genocide, military coups, civil war or terrorism, which the CCP sees as the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. "These policies also allow the CCP to engage with terrorist organizations."

In his commentary for The Epoch Times, Graceffo argued that maintaining domestic stability and ensuring stability in China's investing regions are among the regime's top priorities.

In what could be seen as a hypocritical stand, Beijing engages with the Taliban to protect Chinese investments in South Asia -- at the same time -- it asks the world to deem the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) as a "terrorist" group.

Earlier, the US had termed ETIM as terrorists. However, this designation was later revoked by the Trump administration. China condemned this move as the regime insisted that fighting ETIM should be part of international counter-terrorism efforts.

According to Graceffo, the attraction of crisis zones is that Chinese investors can tap into completely undeveloped markets, free of competition that needs infrastructure investment.

"Many war-torn countries are unable to obtain financing through international channels due to default risk. Rejected by traditional lenders, these countries turn to China, who then becomes both the lender of last resort and a "friend" in time of need. This type of debt-trap diplomacy has won China the allegiance of Cambodia, Pakistan, Burma, North Korea, and soon, Afghanistan, among other nations," he added.

Experts believe that Beijing interprets the rules on non-intervention as also applying to terrorism. "When necessary, the CCP can even give financial support to these groups, justifying it as an investment, rather than aiding terrorism," Graceffo concludes.

Courtesy: ANI
Kabul: A few hours after the last US troop left Kabul, Al Qaeda's senior leadership released a congratulatory statement on Tuesday (August 31) on the occasion of the "Taliban's victory" in the war-ravaged country.

Al Qaeda's leaders said it "soothed" their hearts to hear verses from the Quran recited in the "Presidential Palace" in Kabul, reported FDD's Long War Journal, an American news website.

"We praise the Almighty, the Ominpotent, who humiliated and defeated America, the head of disbelief," the statement reads. "We praise Him for breaking America's back, tarnishing its global reputation and expelling it, disgraced and humiliated, from the Islamic land of Afghanistan," the statement added.

The Taliban on Tuesday declared victory over the US from the tarmac of Kabul airport after the last American troop left Afghanistan. Standing on the airport runway, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told a small crowd that "This victory belongs to us all".

He was joined by heavily armed fighters from the Taliban's Badri 313 special forces brigade, kitted out in camouflage uniforms and desert boots, reported CNN. Mujahid congratulated the Taliban fighters lined up, and indeed "the whole of the nation".

Videos showed Taliban fighters filling the night air with gunfire and walking through the airport. As the sun rose on Tuesday, footage showed the Taliban making their way through an abandoned hanger strewn with equipment the US left behind.

According to a recent UN monitoring report, a significant part of the leadership of Al-Qaeda resides in the Afghanistan and Pakistan border region, alongside Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent. Large numbers of Al-Qaeda fighters and other foreign extremist elements aligned with the Taliban are located in various parts of Afghanistan.

As per the UN report, ties between the two groups remain close, relationships forged through common struggle and intermarriage. The report added that Al-Qaeda and like-minded militants continue to celebrate developments in Afghanistan as a victory for the Taliban's cause, and thus for global radicalism.

Courtesy: ANI
France on Wednesday lauded efforts taken by India during its month-long presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which ended on August 31 and during which it steered the Council's response on Afghanistan and maritime security.

French ambassador to India, Emmanuel Lenain said that France will continue to work closely with India at the UNSC.

"In a challenging context, India's presidency of the #UNSC in August helped steer the Council's response to the situation in #Afghanistan and make progress on key issues such as #maritime security. France will continue to work closely with India at #UNSC," tweeted Lenain.

The UNSC's resolution on Afghanistan addresses India's key concerns pertaining to the war-ravaged country.

On August 15, Kabul had fallen to the Taliban. The 15-member UNSC council adopted its first resolution on the situation in Afghanistan, a resolution in which the member states reiterated the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan and noted the Taliban's relevant commitments.


An El Salvador national has been sentenced to up to 25 years in prison for snatching a teenage girl from an eastern Iowa yard, dragging her into a house and groping her
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Live near sidewalks in Midland that need attention? There is a form online to report them.

Recent surveys conducted by the City of Midland indicates many are not satisfied with either the conditions of city sidewalks or the lack of sidewalks in certain areas. However, there are ways for residents to request repairs and installations for city sidewalks.

The surveys were conducted by city staff for its master planning process and relate to neighborhoods/livability and transportation/mobility. About 400 people responded to the transportation survey and 450 responded to the neighborhoods survey.

In the neighborhoods survey, respondents were evenly split in half, with 50% saying that Midland sidewalks are well maintained and the other 50% saying they are not. In the mobility survey, 41% of respondents said that conditions of roads and/or sidewalks on their routes are barriers to personal travels.

Midland City Engineer Matt Lemon said compared to where he worked before in Northwest Indiana, Midland has overall better conditioned sidewalks and a more complete network of them. However, he did note that certain areas need to be addressed in Midland when it comes to sidewalks.

There is certainly maintenance, cracking and leveling issues, which are going to happen anywhere, Lemon said. "But overall, I would say our sidewalk system (is) certainly in very good shape compared to some other municipalities."

Sidewalks can end up cracked in displacement or uneven, usually due to tree roots growing underneath the sidewalks, which can make them hard to navigate in wheelchairs or strollers, Lemon said. Sometimes they are cracked intentionally when the city knows a tree root will cause uneven cracks, so the intentional cracks are there to make them as even as possible. Overgrown sidewalks occur overtime with rainfall pushing soil around or when lawns are not properly cared for, he said.

Sidewalk maintenance is done by Midland Public Works, which is the department where residents can report sidewalk damage and issues to. To report sidewalk issues, residents can fill out a form listed on the public works page of the citys website.

But there are many parts within the city limits that have either no sidewalks or sidewalks on one just one side of the street. In the transportation survey, almost half of respondents said the city should focus on building sidewalks or filling sidewalk gaps when prioritizing transportation projects and spending.

New sidewalks are usually built through public requests or commercial development, Lemon said. When someone wants to build a new commercial building, they are required to build sidewalks in front of their property, most of the time.

Public input into new sidewalks is a yearly process in the city, but they were not able to do any last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But Lemon said the city will seek public input again soon with a program that allows residents to request new sidewalks.

Residents can request certain areas of the city to gain sidewalks if they are already not there. Areas chosen by the city depend a number of factors, including cost, project size, and number of requests.

Lemon said the plan for this has yet to be finalized, but requests will most likely be accepted during January 2022. Once his department looks through and decides on which projects to tackle, they will bring their recommendations to city council for approval. This will most likely be in the spring of 2022, he said.
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The MidMichigan Health Foundation, MidMichigan Medical Center  Midland Maternity Unit and Metro Detroit Share held a dedication ceremony in memory of families across Michigan.

Metro Detroit Share, a state-wide pregnancy and infant loss bereavement support organization, has provided Caring Cradles (cooling unit bassinets) to MidMichigan Healths Maternity Units over the past two years. The Caring Cradle allows an opportunity for families that have lost their baby to keep their baby in their room with them. It preserves the baby and will enable families to be able to create memories. Memories that otherwise wouldn't be possible, such as taking pictures and holding the baby before the difficult task of saying goodbye.

Angela Winton, founder of Metro Detroit Share, was inspired to start the organization by the loss of her daughter, Brooke Marie, in 2005. The group, founded three years later, offers services intended to help families bring more awareness about pregnancy and infant loss.

Its very emotional. Its an emotional time both for the family and for the staff, said Winton. MidMichigan Medical Centers in Alpena, Gratiot, Midland and West Branch have all received a Caring Cradle to assist grieving families throughout one of the most devastating experiences a parent can face.

The Caring Cradle works by using a cooled mattress pad, allowing the family to spend several more hours/days with their loved one. During that time, families receive a special box full of items they will hold near and dear to their hearts after leaving the hospital.

They are not going home with empty arms, said Winton. You come into the hospital, you expect to go home with a baby in your arms, so this will at least give them something to take home with them.

We are honored that Metro Detroit Share has united their efforts in this special way that will impact the lives of others in our communities, said Becky Church, director of the MidMichigan Health Foundation. Their compassion and concern for the well-being of our families are incredible.

The option to join in supporting maternity health care is also available by visiting www.midmichigan.org/donations.
On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Rochelle Walensky advised the unvaccinated against travelling over Labor Day weekend as the U.S. fight a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations caused by the delta variant.

Walensky also advised that the vaccinated take COVID-19 risk with current transmission rates into consideration when deciding whether to travel, although they can travel with precautions.

"Given where we are with disease transmission right now, we would say that people need to take their own risks into their own consideration as they think about traveling," Walensky said during a White House briefing on Tuesday. "If you are unvaccinated, we would recommend not traveling."

Walensky recommended spending time outdoors with vaccinated loved ones over Labor Day weekend, and to wear a mask when indoors, especially when in public, to help cut off the risk of transmission.

"Throughout the pandemic, we have seen that the vast majority of transmission takes place among unvaccinated people in closed indoor settings," Walensky said. "Masks are not forever, but they are for now."

The current seven-day average of new coronavirus infections in the U.S. is 129,418 cases per day, a decrease of 10% from the prior week's seven-day average, Walensky noted during the briefing. COVID-19 related deaths have risen by 2.3% over the previous week to a seven-day average of 896 deaths per day nationally.

The seven-day average of COVID hospitalizations is currently about 11,500 per day, a decrease of 5% from last week's seven-day average, according to data from the CDC.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. is surpassing an average of 160,000 new COVID-19 cases a day, a rise which concerns health officials and health experts, according to CNN, especially with the delta variant firmly entrenched in the United States and with students returning to in-person learning during the new school year.

Health experts say the best way to prevent against the virus's spread and further mutation is vaccination, with the spike in cases being attributed to the unvaccinated. Of the eligible population, 38.6% remain unvaccinated, according to data from the CDC. The hospitalization rate is 16 times greater in the unvaccinated population versus those who are vaccination.

A new case study published Tuesday illustrated the impact of gatherings of large groups of unvaccinated people, according to CNN.

In June, attendees met for a five-day overnight church camp and a two-day men's conference in Rushville, Ill., neither of which required vaccination, testing or masks. By August, 180 Covid-19 cases were connected to the events, including five hospitalizations, according to the investigation, conducted by the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Midland County added 65 new COVID-19 cases and one death between Tuesday, Aug. 31, and Wednesday, Sept. 1.

COVID-19 numbers reported from Aug. 31-Sept. 1

Midland County: 65 cases and one death were added; pandemic total is 7,359 cases, 730 probable, 99 deaths and three probable deaths.

Bay County: 29 cases and one death were added; pandemic total stands at 11,116 cases, 712 probable, 349 deaths and 15 probable deaths.

Gladwin County: 13 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 2,046 cases, 405 probable, 58 deaths and four probable deaths.

Isabella County: 37 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 5,675 cases, 994 probable, 97 deaths and five probable deaths.

Saginaw County: 96 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 21,364 cases, 1,459 probable, 616 deaths and 21 probable deaths.

The state added 4,494 cases and 90 deaths between Tuesday and Wednesday. Overall, Michigan is at 951,192 cases and 20,347 deaths.

Recovered

According to the Midland County Health Department website, which was updated Aug. 30, 7,160 Midland County individuals have recovered from COVID. The state reported that as of Aug. 27, a total of 882,059 persons have recovered.

Testing

Midland Countys seven-day rolling positivity rate on Aug. 30 was listed at 11.3%, and Gladwin County's was listed at 17.7%. Our 12-county region is listed at 11.9% and Michigan is at 8.9%.

MidMichigan Health statistics

As of Aug. 30, MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland was listed as having a 81% bed occupancy, with 18 COVID patients and two in the ICU. MidMichigan Medical Center in Gladwin was listed as having a 32% bed occupancy, with no COVID patients and none in the ICU.

Both medical centers reported having at least 15-30 days worth of personal protection equipment (N95, surgical masks, gowns, gloves and eye protection) on hand.

School

Below is a report provided by Midland Public Schools on the presence of COVID-19 in local schools. The Daily News doesn't have readily available access to reports from Bullock Creek, Meridian or Freeland school systems.

As of Tuesday, Aug. 31, MPS reported 94 staff/students are in quarantine, 131 staff/students are close contacts to an individual who was confirmed COVID-19 positive and 38 staff/students are currently tested positive for the virus. Schools with one or more staff/student confirmed positive for COVID-19 as of Friday include Dow High, Midland High, Jefferson Middle, Northeast Middle, Adams Elementary, Chestnut Hill, Siebert Elementary and Woodcrest Elementary.

Midland County vaccinations

The Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard lists Midland's completed vaccine rate is 64.4%, while CDC data and the New York Times vaccine tracker show Midland is closer to 50%. The Midland County Health Department refers to the Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard data. Currently, the vaccines are not authorized to be given to those under age 12.

Midland County Health Department is hosting a weekly walk-in vaccination clinic from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday on the second floor of the Midland County Services Building, 220 W. Ellsworth St., Midland.

The health department will also host a clinic from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8 at Dow High School.

Future COVID-19 vaccine clinics in Midland County are listed at www.co.midland.mi.us/HealthDepartment/COVIDVaccineInformation.aspx. Those with questions may call 989-832-6380 or email MCDPH@co.midland.mi.us.
Beginning this fall, individuals with an associate degree in a trade  including construction, foods, graphic design, health, industrial management, and mechanical and electronic technology  can attain a bachelors degree in applied business in as little as two years.

A new degree program from Davenport University  the bachelor of applied science in applied business degree  will help students prepare for various management or supervisory positions and provide the skills needed to launch a business or pivot into a completely new role.

Davenport University is offering this unique opportunity to students with an associate degree, allowing them to transfer all 60 credits into Davenports bachelor of applied science (BAS) program  putting them halfway toward a bachelors degree and greater earning potential. It is the only program of its kind in Michigan.

This program is designed to give those in the trades a distinct advantage in the business world, stated Richard Pappas, president of Davenport University. With this additional training, individuals will earn the confidence to take on a management or supervisory position  or even business ownership  in the business or industry of their choosing.

Davenports BAS program is designed to equip students with the management tools and business expertise necessary to accelerate their careers. In addition, this program helps students build upon their skilled specialty by developing the business expertise and foundational knowledge essential to understanding operations management, supply chain and logistics, and enterprise systems.

All associate of applied science and similar degree concentrations from accredited community colleges are accepted toward this degree, including Automotive Technology and Service, Building and Construction Trades, Culinary Arts, Engineering and Mechanical Technology, Graphic Design, HVAC Technology, Industrial Management, Mechanical Engineering, Electronic Technology, Welding Technology, and more.

We realize returning to school, especially after you have an established career, can be daunting, Pappas stated. That is one of the many reasons why we offer flexible schedules and a Global Campus option, with classes online, in-person, or hybrid led by faculty laser-focused on student success.

Davenport has campuses in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Holland, Lansing, Midland, and Traverse City. In addition, community college and transfer students qualify for a 20% tuition discount.

To apply or view the curriculum, visit davenport.edu/appliedbusiness or call 800-686-1600 to speak with an admissions representative.
Nicki Stoll brought her two elementary-age school children out by the Midland Public Schools Administration Building Wednesday morning to oppose the school districts mask mandate and to call for an emergency school board meeting.

She said one of her sons hates wearing his mask because it makes him sweat and makes him uncomfortable. Her other son fidgets with his mask, and she finds it to be a distraction for him. She said she had COVID-19 twice and was not hospitalized, so she is sure her kids had it at some point too.

Stoll believes it should be a parents choice whether their kids should wear a mask in school.

I am not saying the science behind any of it matters, because that is not what this is about, Stoll said. I do not tell people who want to wear masks that they cannot. I want my choice. These are my children.

The Midland Public School District's enrollment is 7,798, and less than 50 people assembled at Wednesday morning's protest. Though small in numbers, the group was impassioned. Many showed up to express concerns over their parental rights and choices being taken away after the school districted implemented a mask mandate on Monday for grades K-6 because of COVID spread and vaccines not being authorized for those under age 12.

Midland Superintendent Michael Sharrow announced the new mask policy Saturday in an email communique to parents. He then reported there is a current COVID-19 outbreak that has affected three schools in the district.

Jacob Lewis has kids enrolled in MPS, and he created the Facebook page, Parents Against MPS Mask Mandate. He told the Daily News the mandate amounts to child abuse for children with speech impediments because not being able to see lips move when someone is talking will make it harder for them to learn. He also believes masks make it harder for children to breathe, and he questioned the effectiveness of many masks.

Mindy Cox has three children. Her oldest is in middle school and enrolled in MPS. Her other children now attend a private school due to the mask mandate. Her 8-year-old child has speech problems and the mask mandate has given her a lack of confidence, Cox said, adding her daughter has not been able to socialize with friends at school.

Cox said she is a nurse and does not oppose the COVID vaccine. However, she feels masks do not work. Cox cited a study from the University of Louisville that claims mask mandates were not effective in curbing the spread of COVID.

However, the study Cox cited has not been peer-reviewed by a reputable source, meaning it needs to be evaluated by the medical community and the information presented may be erroneous. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Midland area pediatricians have all recommended masks for children ages 12 and below (and some have called for all students to be masked in effort to curb the spread of COVID).

As to what precautions Wednesday's protesters think should be in place, Lewis said if a legitimate source was cited by the state government that there was an outbreak, he would be fine with a mask mandate from the state.

(The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and State of Michigan provide a wealth of data from health departments across the state to track COVID activity on the state's online COVID-19 dashboard at michigan.gov/coronavirus.)

As far as precautions go, Cox said there should be no mandates, only choice.

As a community, as a nation, and as a world, we need to start to live with (COVID), Cox said. "It is not going to go anywhere and we need to acclimate to it like any other virus.

As for concerns from parents, teachers and students who may not be able to get vaccinated and/or have underlying health conditions, Stoll said if their wearing a mask works, her children should not have to wear them. If others are that scared, then they should take other precautions, she said.

However, according to the CDC, masks aren't solely intended to protect the person wearing the mask. Masks protect others from respiratory droplets the mask-wearer spreads in the air.

Lewis said while he understands the concerns of those advocating for universal mask wearing, he will not accept a mask mandate until it comes from the correct people, i.e. from state government officials, not the local superintendent. He believes Sharrow's decision was unlawful and violates the Michigan Legislatures school code from 1976 that include deprivation of basic needs, child abuse, and any restraint that negatively impacts breathing.

This mandate was made solely by the superintendent, Lewis said. There was no board meeting about it, and we had no say.

While there was no Midland Board of Education meeting held regarding a mask mandate, the communication issued Saturday by Sharrow was also signed by Midland County Health Director Fred Yanoski.

During Wednesday's protest, Lewis used a megaphone to call for an emergency school board meeting, something many of the parents in attendance agreed on. Stoll said Sept 20, the date of the next school board meeting, is too far away, and something should be done now.

The Daily News reached out to Sharrow for comment, but he declined to speak further. A statement issued Monday from Sharrow states: "MPS will continue to review these protocols and current COVID case data with the MCDPH (Midland County Department of Public Health) no less than weekly. Additional changes to our health protocols could be implemented at any time depending on community and in-school COVID tends."

Stoll said some people might look down on her bringing her kids to the protest, but she said being there might help them learn "about their rights in real life."

I don't believe that missing half a day of school (is) detrimental to their education, Stoll said. I actually believe they are going to be learning more about their rights and the Constitution being here with me for half a day versus sitting in a classroom being upset because they have a mask on their face.
Andrew Mullin/amullin@hearstnp.com

Aleda E. Lutz Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Saginaw is recruiting health care professionals. It's searching for qualified, caring health care professionals to serve our nation's heroes and uphold the hospital's core values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect and excellence.

Specifically, the Saginaw VA hospital is in need of nurse practitioners, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants. Contact the nurse recruiter, Stacy Payne, at 989-497-2500, extension 11469, or email Stacey.Payne@va.gov for more information.
The ROCK Center for Youth Development has received a $100,000 grant from The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation in support of their Discover You program.

This grant is part of a county-wide effort to increase social and emotional learning and wellbeing in Midland County.

Discover You offers train-and-go programs equipping middle school through early post-secondary students in social and emotional learning and applied positive psychology. These programs support youth as they embrace their futures with courage, confidence and connections.

The Strosacker Foundation values the imperative work of The ROCK," stated Kim Baczewski, executive vice president of the Strosacker Foundation. "The youth in our community need guidance now more than ever. We thank The ROCK for partnering with the schools and focusing on social and emotional needs of students.

With the support of The Strosacker Foundation, a fully integrated approach is possible. With this tactic, teachers, staff, administration, and parents will also receive support in addition to the students. When the adults who work with young people are supported and have the resources they need, they are better positioned to facilitate growth with their students, but also to do well and thrive for themselves.

We are so grateful for The Strosacker Foundations support of area youth, stated Beverlee Wenzel, executive director of The ROCK. The work that we do with our Discover You programs would not be possible without their partnership.

The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation of Midland, Michigan was founded in 1957 by the late Charles J. Strosacker. The Charles J. Strosacker gives assistance to organizations located in Michigan that benefit educational and social services. To learn more about the foundation, visit https://www.strosacker.org/.
The Michigan Department of Transportation is removing lane restrictions on nearly 60% of its road and bridge projects statewide this Labor Day holiday weekend to ease traffic delays for holiday travelers.

The pause on construction comes as the Auto Club Group expects travel volumes to remain high during the holiday weekend. AAA no longer conducts formal travel forecasts for Labor Day.

AAA said with the resurgence of COVID-19 cases attributed to the delta variant, some travelers are wondering if they should take that last summer trip, or continue with their future travel plans. AAA stated that its important to remain informed and be flexible as policies and guidelines continue to evolve.

Whether and how to travel is a very personal decision," said Debbie Haas, vice president of travel with AAA  The Auto Club Group, in a press release. "Most people who were planning to travel are still taking their trips, while being mindful to take precautions to protect themselves and others."

AAA Travel experts are helping people be informed, prepared and protected for travel. Its important to take into consideration the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

The CDC advises:

 Fully vaccinated people can travel domestically with little risk.

 For unvaccinated people, they advise delaying travel. Additionally, some destinations and travel providers may require proof of vaccination before traveling or for access to certain venues and experiences.

To make travel easier, 83 out of 147 MDOT projects statewide will have lane restrictions removed beginning at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3, and continuing until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7.

While motorists will see suspended operations in most MDOT work zones for the weekend, equipment and certain traffic configurations may remain in place, like temporary shifts or shoulder closures.

The Mackinac Bridge will be closed to public traffic on Labor Day from 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. during the Annual Bridge Walk. Southbound I-75 and US-2 traffic will be stopped at Exit 344 on the north side of the bridge; northbound I-75 traffic will be stopped at Exit 337 on the south end.

"This summer has been very busy with many Michiganders and visitors from other states traveling here to enjoy everything our great state has to offer," State Transportation Director Paul C. Ajegba said in a news release. "It's been even busier with more work than ever happening on state roads and bridges thanks to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan program. With that in mind, we remind all drivers to slow down, stay alert and avoid distractions in work zones."

"Road workers are trusting you with their lives while you're depending on them to fix the roads," Ajegba continued. "Let's keep working together to make sure everyone returns home safely each and every night."

The following is a list of MDOT work zones that will remain active or have lane restrictions during Labor Day weekend. If necessary, detour routes will be posted at the project location.



Northern Lower Peninsula



- M-37, Grand Traverse County, has one lane open in each direction south of Traverse City with traffic shifts. Access to East Vance Road is closed.

- M-55 in Manistee, Manistee County, is closed between US-31 and Stronach Road. Detour posted.

- M-115, Wexford County, is closed between M-37 and 9 Mile Road west of Mesick. Detour: M-37, 4 Road and 9 Road.

- US-31, Charlevoix County, is closed to through-traffic between Heise and Ferry roads. Detour on Marion Center and Atwood roads.

- US-131 in Boyne Falls, Charlevoix County, has southbound traffic detoured on M-75 and Boyne Mountain Road. Local access is maintained.

West Michigan

- I-196 in Grand Rapids has a traffic shift between Ionia and Maryland avenues with one lane open in each direction. Plymouth Avenue is closed at I-196; the Fuller Avenue on ramp to eastbound I-196 is closed.

- I-196 in Grand Rapids has the eastbound lanes closed over the Grand River on the east side of US-131. One lane is open from Ionia Avenue to Fuller Avenue.

- I-196, Allegan County, will have one lane open in each direction between Holland and Saugatuck with westbound traffic shifted over to the eastbound side before M-40. Northbound US-31 traffic is detoured to eastbound I-196 to M-40. The M-40 on ramp to westbound I-196 is closed. The Saugatuck Rest Area remains closed.

- I-196, Allegan County, has a traffic shift with one lane open in each direction over Pier Cove Creek, just south of M-89.

- M-37, Newaygo County, will have a traffic shift with one southbound lane open between the Muskegon River and Quarterline Street. Northbound M-37 is closed and detoured between Quarterline and Water streets. Southbound traffic is shifted to the northbound side between Quarterline Street and M-82, with one lane open in each direction.

- US-131 in Grand Rapids has lane closures in both directions between Franklin Street and I-196.

- US-131, Allegan County, will have one southbound lane open at M-179; the M-179 ramp to northbound US-131 will be closed. Lane closures are in place on M-179 east of US-131, and 129th Avenue is closed on the west side of US-131.

Central Michigan and Thumb

- I-69, Genesee County, will have two lanes open in each direction between Hammerberg Road and M-54 with a traffic shift.

- I-69, Lapeer County, will have one lane open in each direction between Lake Pleasant Road and the St. Clair County line.

- I-69, St. Clair County, will have one lane open in each direction with traffic shifts between Miller Road and M-19. The westbound I-69 ramps at M-19 and Riley Center Road will remain closed with a detour posted.

- I-75, Bay County, will have two lanes open in the peak direction of travel between Beaver Road and Cottage Grove.

- I-75/M-46, Saginaw County, will have three lanes open in the peak direction of travel via a moveable barrier wall between I-675 and Hess Road.

- M-52, Saginaw County, has one lane open in alternating directions over Marsh Creek via temporary signals.

- M-65, Arenac County, is closed between US-23 and Twining with a detour posted. One lane is closed at Johnson Creek with a temporary signal.

- M-136, St. Clair County, will have one open lane with a temporary signal at the Black River.

- US-23, Genesee County, will have lane shifts at Silver Lake Road.

Southwest Michigan

- County Road 653, Van Buren County, is closed at I-94. Detour posted.

- I-69, Branch County, has one lane open in each direction between Jonesville Road and Fenn Road.

- I-69, Calhoun and Eaton counties, have one lane open in each direction between I-94 in Marshall and Sherwood Road in Olivet.

- I-94, Berrien County, has two lanes open in each direction from I-196 to Britain Avenue.

- I-94 BL (Main Street) in Benton Harbor, Berrien County, is closed from Crystal Avenue to I-94. Detour posted.

- I-94 BL (Michigan Avenue) in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, is closed at Portage Creek. Detour posted.

- M-139, Berrien County, is closed between Linco Road and John Beers Road. Detour posted.

- US-131 BR in Constantine, St. Joseph County, has one lane open in each direction over the St. Joseph River between Broad Street and 3rd Street with a temporary traffic signal.

Southern Michigan

- I-69, Clinton County, will have one lane closed in each direction between I-69 and Airport Road. The westbound I-69 ramp to eastbound I-96/southbound I-69 is closed and detoured. Lowell Road is closed at I-69 and detoured.

- I-69, Eaton County, will have one lane closed in each direction between Ainger Road and Island Highway. The southbound I-69 ramp to M-50 will be closed and detoured, as well as the Lansing Road ramp to southbound I-69.

- I-75, Monroe County, has the following restrictions:

- The southbound I-75 exit to LaPlaisance Road is closed and detoured.

- LaPlaisance Road is closed between Waters Edge Drive and Albain Road and detoured.

- The LaPlaisance Road entrance ramps to northbound and southbound I-75 are closed and detoured.

- I-94, Jackson County, has the following restrictions:

- The Lansing Avenue bridge over I-94 is closed and detoured.

- The M-106 (Cooper Street) entrance ramp to westbound I-94 is closed and detoured.

- Northbound US-127/M-50 (West Avenue) has one lane closed at I-94 with the ramp to westbound I-94 closed and detoured.

- Shirley Drive is closed from Clark Street to Shirley Drive and detoured.

- The Elm Road entrance ramp to eastbound I-94 is closed and detoured.

- I-94, Jackson County, will have three eastbound lanes and two westbound lanes open between Freer Road and Parker Road.

- M-14 in Ann Arbor has one eastbound lane closed from Newport Road to Barton Drive.

- M-78, Eaton County, will have one lane closed east of Greenfield Highway with two-way traffic maintained via a temporary traffic signal.

- US-127/I-496 in Lansing will have the following restrictions at the interchange:

- Northbound US-127 will have traffic shifted from Trowbridge Road to M-43.

- The eastbound I-496 ramp to northbound US-127 will be closed and detoured.

- The Trowbridge Road entrance ramp to northbound US-127 will be closed and detoured.

Upper Peninsula

- I-75, Chippewa County, has one lane open in each direction from north of M-80 to north of M-28.

- M-26, Ontonagon County, has one lane open in alternating directions at the Firesteel River via temporary traffic signals.

- M-28, Alger County, has one lane open in alternating directions over the AuTrain River via temporary traffic signals.

- M-28, Alger County, will have a directional detour in place in Munising. Westbound M-28 traffic will stay on M-28. Eastbound M-28 will use M-28 to Hickory Street, then Superior Street back to M-28.

- M-129, Chippewa County, has one lane open in alternating directions over the Munuscong River south of Pickford via temporary signals.

- US-2 in Bessemer, Gogebic County, has one lane open in alternating directions between Massie Avenue and State Street via temporary signals.

- US-2, Gogebic County, will have one lane open in each direction with temporary traffic signals at Duck Creek near Watersmeet.

- US-2, Menominee County, is closed at the Big Cedar River and detoured.

- US-41 in Chassell, Houghton County, has one lane open in alternating directions via temporary signals.

- US-41 (Townsend Drive) in Houghton, Houghton County, has northbound traffic detoured onto Cliff Drive and back to US-41.

- US-41 in Houghton, Houghton County, has one lane open in each direction on the Portage Lake Lift Bridge.

- US-41 in Marquette Township, Marquette County, has one lane open in each direction from County Road 492 to Washington Street.

Metro Detroit

Macomb County

- 11 Mile Road has two lanes open at M-3.

- I-696 has one lane open on the eastbound exit ramp to M-3 (Gratiot Avenue).

- M-3 (Gratiot Avenue) has two lanes open in each direction between 11 Mile and 13 Mile roads.

- M-59 (Hall Road) has two lanes open in each direction between Romeo Plank Road and North Avenue.

Oakland County

- I-75 has two lanes open in each direction between 8 Mile and 13 Mile roads.

Wayne County

- I-75/M-8 (Davison Freeway) will have the following restrictions in place north of downtown Detroit:

- Northbound I-75 will have two lanes open between Caniff Street and 7 Mile Road.

- Southbound I-75 will have two lanes open between 8 Mile Road and M-8.

- The eastbound M-8 ramp to northbound I-75 is closed.

- The northbound I-75 ramp to westbound M-8 is closed.

- The M-8 service drives are closed from Oakland Avenue to Dequindre Street.

- M-8 has one lane closed in each direction under I-75.

- The northbound Oakland Avenue bridge over I-75 is closed.

- Meade Avenue is closed over I-75.

- The 7 Mile Road ramp to southbound I-75 is closed.

- The McNichols Road ramp to southbound I-75 is closed.

- I-75 has the following restrictions in place southwest of downtown Detroit:

- Southbound I-75 has three lanes open from Vernon Highway to Springwells Street.

- Northbound I-75 has three lanes open from Clark Street to Vernon Highway.

- The I-75 service drives are closed between Clark and Waterman streets.

- Springwells Street is closed over I-75.

- The I-75 service drives are closed in each direction between Springwells Street and Green Street.

- The southbound Livernois Avenue bridge over I-75 is closed.

- The Dragoon Street ramp to northbound I-75 is closed.

- The northbound and southbound I-75 ramps to Livernois Avenue/Dragoon Street are closed.

- The Clark Street ramp to southbound I-75 is closed.

- The northbound I-75 ramp to Clark Street is closed.

- The Clark Street bridge over I-75 is closed.

- The Livernois ramp to southbound I-75 is closed.

- I-94 will have the following restrictions in place east of downtown Detroit:

- Eastbound I-94 will have lane closures between E. Grand Boulevard and M-53 (Van Dyke Avenue).

- The M-53 (Van Dyke Avenue) ramps to eastbound and westbound I-94 are closed.

- The M-3 (Gratiot Avenue) ramp to eastbound I-94 is closed.

- The Frontenac Street bridge over I-94 and the service drive is closed.

- The Burns Street bridge over I-94 and the service drive is closed.

- The Cadillac Avenue bridge over I-94 and the service drive is closed.

- The Second Avenue bridge over I-94 is closed.

- The eastbound I-94 exit ramp to French Road is closed.

- The French Road ramp to westbound I-94 is closed.

- M-3 (Gratiot Avenue) has the ramp to eastbound I-94 closed.

- The M-10 service drives at Milwaukee Avenue will have single-lane closures.

- Old M-14 (Plymouth Road) has lane closures between Middlebelt Road and Farmington Road.

- M-53 (Van Dyke Street) has the ramps to eastbound and westbound I-94 closed.

- M-85 (Fort Street) has one eastbound lane closed from Third Avenue to Cass Avenue, and one eastbound lane closed from Washington Boulevard to First Street. Second Avenue is closed in each direction between Lafayette Boulevard and Congress Street. The westbound Congress Street on ramp to northbound M-10 is closed.

- M-102 (8 Mile Road) has one closed in each direction at M-3 (Gratiot Avenue). M-3 (Gratiot Avenue) has one lane closed in each direction at M-102 (8 Mile Road).

- M-102 (8 Mile Road) has one lane closed in each direction at M-97 (Groesbeck Highway).
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer celebrates Michigan's Hispanic population by proclaiming September 2021 as Hispanic Heritage Month.

Michigans Hispanic and Latino residents are an essential part of our states cultural and economic fabric, Whitmer said in a statement. I am proud to proclaim September as Hispanic Heritage month and celebrate alongside a community filled with rich tradition as we continue to ensure that Michigan is a welcoming and inclusive place for all.

The month of September recognizes and celebrates the contributions of Hispanic and Latinos in Michigan and the United States. Michigans Hispanic and Latino population has grown from 2010 to 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Hispanics and Latinos make up 5.6% of the states residents, up from 4.4% in 2010.

Governor Whitmers proclamation establishing September as Hispanic Heritage Month is very exciting! Michigans Hispanic population is dedicated to building Michigans future, and we are honored to have a Month of official celebration, said Jesse Venegas, chair of the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, in a statement. We will take this opportunity to continue to celebrate the contributions of Hispanics in arts, sciences, labor, agriculture, business, and civil rights. The Hispanic and Latino community in Michigan is woven with many threads from many nations and cultures, but we all stand together as Michiganders! Adelante!

With more than 60 million Hispanic Americans residing in the United States, Hispanic Americans make up the largest minority group in the nation and have significantly contributed to our government, culture and economy over generations, according to the State of Michigan. Hispanic Americans have provided Michigan and the United States with unique social and cultural influences, fundamentally enriching the extraordinary character of our state and nation.

Michigan is fortunate to count among its population a large number of residents of Spanish and Latin American descent, who grow businesses, offer innovative ideas, strengthen our economy, create jobs, and contribute to our daily lives. During this month, Michigan's Hispanic American community will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month through a series of special events featuring Hispanic history, food, dance, and art, celebrating the rich tradition and many contributions this community has made to the state of Michigan, according to Michigan.gov.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Andrew Mullin.

Friday, Aug. 27

11:18 p.m.  Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash in the area of Jefferson Avenue and East Wackerly Street.

9:48 p.m.  Officers made a warrant arrest on West Wheeler Street.

9:32 p.m.  A deputy responded to an Edenville Township residence for a delayed report of domestic violence/family abuse between a 51-year-old male and a 38-year-old female. A report has been sent to the Midland County Prosecutor's Office for review.

8:33 p.m.  An anonymous caller advised that three children were seen playing in the roadway near Laporte and Poseyville roads. A deputy checked the area, but no kids were found.

8:22 p.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Porter Township residence regarding a civil complaint. Deputies contacted a 40-year-old Porter Township female who advised she wanted two individuals removed from her residence. She was advised she needed to go through the eviction process to have the individuals legally removed from the home.

7:12 p.m.  Officers responded to a case of domestic violence on Eastlawn Drive.

6:36 p.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Mount Haley Township residence for a report of a verbal argument between a 19-year-old male and a 20-year-old female. The female left for the night and no assault occurred.

5:06 p.m.  Officers responded to a vehicle crash in the area of the Waldo Road offramp and East U.S. 10.

3:13 p.m.  Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Eastman Avenue.

3:06 p.m.  A 63-year-old Jerome Township male, who is currently incarcerated, reported that a friend advised him that his truck was missing from his home. Subsequently, the deputies located the truck, which was driven away by the current registered owner, however, the owner agreed to return the truck after a miscommunication.

1:46 p.m.  An animal control deputy received a call about a woman who had many pet rats that were not being cared for and many were dying in an overcrowded enclosure. The deputy contacted the owner and the number of rats she had was substantially below the number provided by the caller. There was food, water, and clean bedding in the enclosure. All the rats looked healthy, were very active and there appeared to be plenty of room for the number of rats being housed. The owner said that most of the rats were scheduled to go this weekend to a local pet shop.

1:19 p.m.  Officers made a warrant arrest on Eastman Avenue.

12:19 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to an Edenville Township residence to speak with a 71-year-old Hawaii female resident who stated she found a lost handgun at her deceased father's home. The handgun was report stolen in 2010 by her father, but as she was cleaning his home, she found the handgun in a small case under his living room sofa. The handgun was removed from LEIN as stolen.

10:13 a.m.  A 25-year-old reported he had a verbal dispute with his 55-year-old boss. The complainant left the property immediately. The complainant requested the incident be documented and not to contact his boss.

8:10 a.m.  Officers responded to someone resisting and obstructing police in the area of east St. Andrews Street and Hillgrove Parkway.

7:59 a.m.  Officers responded to a vehicle crash in the area of West U.S. 10 and West Business U.S. 10.

3:12 a.m.  A 34-year-old Lee Township female was assaulted by her live in boyfriend. The boyfriend left prior to Deputies arrival on scene. The female was not injured. A report is being sent to the prosecutor's office for review.

2:59 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to an Ingersoll Township residence regarding a verbal argument between a 34-year-old Ingersoll Township female and her intoxicated 32-year-old husband. Upon the deputies arrival, the male was passed out and was not communicative. The deputy provided the female with advice and resources.

2:15 a.m.  Officers responded to someone operating while intoxicated in the area of Bay City Road and Rockwell Drive.

12:08 a.m.  Officers made a warrant arrest on Wellness Drive.
Livingston, TN (38570)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy with late night showers or thunderstorms. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital received two awards from the American Heart Association for its efforts to improve stroke treatment, the hospital announced Tuesday.

The hospital received the AHAs Bronze Get With The Guidelines Stroke Quality Achievement Award, and also received the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Silver Plus award with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital said in a press release the awards were the highest achievements the hospitals stroke programs could earn.

The awards recognize Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospitals commitment to providing treatment for stroke patients that align with AHA guidelines, which are based on nationally recognized research. The hospital qualified for the Diabetes Honor Roll recognition by meeting quality measures with over 90% compliance for 12 months in a row.

Lourdes Hospital is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to helping our patients have the best possible chance of survival after a stroke, Michael Yungmann, Mercy Health-Kentucky president, said in a press release.

Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital launched its stroke program in July 2020 with protocols in place for outpatients, and added protocols for inpatients in September 2020.

The stroke program also earned honors from the Joint Commission in February. The Joint Commission designated Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital as a primary stroke center, recognizing its system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients in the emergency department.
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA)  The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday commended the Sudanese Government for the launch of its 2021  2023 National Action Plan (NAP) to Combat Human Trafficking
Photo: (Photo : Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Global Citizen VAX LIVE)

Prince Harry has plans to discuss the long-standing rumor that his birth father is not Prince Charles but Major James Hewitt in his upcoming memoir.

A source told Radar Online that Harry would focus on starting his memoir with stories about his father as he is aware of his paternity debate. The source added that the Duke of Sussex would not ignore this discussion in his upcoming book.

No member of the British royal family has spoken about this issue since it came to light after the death of Princess Diana, Harry's mother. The source also alluded that Harry will receive $15 million for the book deal, a substantial amount for a very exclusive revelation.

Read Also: Meghan Markle Snubs Father's Peace Offering for Her 40th Birthday

Who is Major James Hewitt?

Dewitt was a former cavalry officer who also served as Diana's riding instructor. They were involved romantically for years as Prince Charles, Harry's father, was also with Camilla Parker-Bowles. Ken Wharfe, Diana's bodyguard who wrote a book detailing the relationship, said that Hewitt gave the Princess of Wales the attention and affection she yearned.

Diana and Hewitt allegedly rendezvous at a cottage owned by the latter's mother in Devon during their affair. However, by the late 1980s, the relationship ended when Hewitt was stationed in Saudi Arabia and chose his career over Diana.

In 1994, Hewitt also released a book in collaboration with writer Anna Pasternak as he wanted to give his version of his romance with Diana. He said that they had a five-year relationship from 1986 to 1991. Harry was born two years before the affair, but this didn't stop royal watchers from speculating that Hewitt might have been his real dad because both men have the same red-colored hair and similar facial features.

For her part, Diana admitted the affair with Hewitt in her infamous interview with Martin Bashir for Panorama on BBC in 1995. Two years after Diana's tragic death, Hewitt released another book and granted numerous interviews about his relationship with the famous princess, further sparking the rumors about Harry's paternity.

Hewitt Knows Why Rumors Persisted

Despite saying that he cannot be Harry's dad in many interviews, Hewitt believes that the rumors persisted because the story continues to sell papers. In a televised interview for "Sunday Night," Hewitt said he feels sorry for Harry as questions about his real father continue to be widely discussed.

However, old photographs of Prince Philip, Harry's paternal grandfather, show much of their physical similarities. In his 30s, Harry's grandfather also had the same bushy red beard and hair, blue eyes, and cheeky smile. Experts also said that Harry has the Mountbatten-Windsor genes because he's going through the same hair loss experience as Charles.

Meanwhile, Harry said that his memoir, which is due to hit bookstore shelves in late 2022, will be about the man he has become and not about his life as a prince. He wants to show the world the mistakes he has made and the highs and lows of his young life.

"We have more in common than we think," Harry said.

Related Article: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Win Award for 'Enlightened' Choice To Have 2 Kids
Photo: (Photo : Jason Minto/U.S. Air Force via Getty Images)

A Gold Star father, whose son was one of the 13 U.S. Marines killed during the Taliban's attack at the Kabul airport, has revealed that his meeting with President Joe Biden had been unpleasant.

In an interview with Fox News, Mark Schmitz from Missouri said that his son's commander-in-chief appeared like he didn't want to be around the soldier's family. Biden and First Lady Jill Biden came to the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware as the bodies of the fallen soldiers arrived.

Initially, the father didn't plan to meet the President face-to-face but felt he owed it to his son, 20-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, to speak up about how Biden handled the pull out of the U.S. troops in Afghanistan. However, Schmitz said that the president "talked a bit more about his own son than he did my son," adding that Biden checked his watch at least four times during the solemn ceremony dedicated to the fallen heroes.

Read Also: Afghanistan: Three Babies Born Aboard U.S. Planes During Evacuation

Feeling Disrespected

Schmitz further said that he felt disrespected by the President's actions. In another interview with The Washington Post, Schmitz said that other military leaders were able to appease the Gold Star family members more than the commander-in-chief.

As he spoke with the President during a private meeting with the families of the fallen, Schmitz told the President that America should never forget the names of their sons. The father also said that Biden should take time to get to know each of the stories of the 13 soldiers, but Schmitz reportedly received a blunt rebuff.

Steve Nikoui, father of 20-year-old Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, said that the President "turned his back" on his soldiers. Another dad, Darin Hoover from Utah, told the press that he didn't want to meet with the President.

The father said that his family could not deal with the loss, especially when other military members told them that this was a preventable incident. His 31-year-old son, Marine Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover Jr., was also killed in the blast.

At the height of the chaos at the Kabul airport on August 15, while the U.S. troops were helping with the evacuation, a suicide bomber detonated tons of explosives that also killed 160 civilians. Hoover believes that his son was at the frontlines of the blast because the staff sergeant was a born leader.

Biden Said He Understood the Personal Tragedy

Biden previously said that he has familiarity with tragedy and loss after the death of his first wife and daughter in 1972. He also lost his son, Beau Biden, the former Delaware State Attorney General, due to cancer.

However, Republicans and Democrats alike have criticized the President for the Kabul attack. In his speech to the nation, Biden defended the withdrawal as long overdue and the only option instead of escalating the war in the region. Meanwhile, hundreds more Americans, including soldiers, have not yet been evacuated. The President said that rescue efforts would continue.

Related Article: Heartbreaking Photo of 7-Month-Old Baby Separated From Parents at Chaotic Kabul Airport Goes Viral
Photo: (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Following three rounds of federal relief money disbursement since the pandemic started, residents in some American states are set to get a fourth stimulus check from their governor's office.

Despite an improving national economy, the Delta variant transmissions have created more economic distress in some states. Per Census data from July to August, more than 25 percent of Americans still struggle to make ends meet; thus, the state-initiated stimulus check will be a big help for families.

Read Also: Food Stamp SNAP Benefits Increases in October; What Families Need to Know

Leading in the stimulus check distribution is Gov. Gavin Newsom of California. The state has reportedly rolled out its second relief money, dubbed the Golden State Stimulus, as of the end of August 2021. The amount of $500 to $1,100, depending on the family's number of kids or their immigration status, will be automatically credited to California residents who filed their tax returns for 2020.

Round 2 of Golden State Stimulus checks start to go out this week!



2 out of 3 Californians are eligible for $600 or more -- were putting money directly back into the pockets of those that need it most. pic.twitter.com/G0ZIzVtagD  Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 27, 2021

New York, New Mexico, Maryland, and Michigan

New York has set aside a $2.1 billion relief money meant for undocumented workers who could not qualify for the federal stimulus. Qualified residents for this benefit, known as the Excluded Workers Fund, should be able to prove that they had less than $26,000 in earnings in 2020 and have been living in New York before March 2020 to receive their stimulus checks.

Those eligible will be able to get $15,600/year (or $300 a week) for taxpayers or $3,200/year for non-taxpayers. Fund distribution has not yet started, but all states with their own relief money scheme are expected to use the funds by December 31.

New Mexico is distributing a similar stimulus check program for low-income earners who didn't receive the federal money. Over 4,000 families may get $750 in the coming months.

Maryland residents can count on a $300 to $500 stimulus check under the Earned Income Tax Credit. The rollout has started last August 31. On the other hand, Michigan has given $500 to public school teachers as hazard pay last February.

Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida

Georgia has also set aside stimulus check payments of $1,000 for full-time public school teachers and school administrators and $500 for part-time school workers. About 57,000 state employees earning less than $80,000 will also receive $1,000.

Teachers in Tennessee will also get one-time hazard pay for $1,000. The money will arrive via mail by the yearend.

Florida's stimulus check payment will go to educators, first responders, paramedics, law enforcement officers, and firefighters. The state wants to recognize the sacrifices of these frontliners with a $1,000 relief money.

Recurring Stimulus Check Pushed

In March, senators from the Democratic party have supported a call to make recurring stimulus check payments possible until the pandemic crisis is completely over. They cited that 6 in 10 income earners said that previous payments, amounting to $1,400, only lasted families within three months.

However, the Biden administration has adopted the expanded child tax credit scheme under the American Rescue Plan for July to December 2021. Meanwhile, other workers have applied for expanded unemployment benefits, which will expire after September 6.

Related Article: Families to Lose Pandemic Unemployment Benefits in September Despite Rising COVID-19 Cases
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Vaclav Havel Airport Prague has changed its entry procedure to welcome more tourists to the Czech Republic from today (Sept 1), with entry being granted to anyone who can prove they have been fully vaccinated.

The new measures have been implemented in partnership with the countrys Ministry of Health, Foreign Police and Customs Administration.

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Jiri Kraus, vice chairman of the board for Prague Airport, said, We are increasing our personnel capacity and reinforcing the technical equipment to speed up the entire check-in process on arrivals. Passengers can help accelerate the arrival checks too by reviewing the current conditions and preparing all documents in advance.

The new protective measures will enable more people to visit the Czech Republic for tourism. However, they must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and travel from countries that have recognized certificates.

Meanwhile, on August 30, Jiri Pos was elected chairman of Prague Airports board of directors. Commenting on his appointment, Pos said, I am convinced that we can use the potential of Prague Airport to facilitate its return to profit and enhance its further development to the satisfaction of passengers, our business partners and the owner, while naturally considering the impact on the environment of the surrounding municipalities and Prague city districts.

Pos returns to Prague Airport after seven years away. From 2011 to 2014, he was Prague Airport chairman of the board of directors and CEO. From 2014 to 2015, he was a member of the board of directors of Czech Aeroholding Group. After leaving the Group, he pursued his own business activities, predominantly in the field of civil aviation and tourism.
America's departure from Afghanistan this week was a national disgrace and an administration debacle of the highest order leaving behind U.S. citizens and billions of dollars worth of military equipment for the enemy. Yesterday the Taliban held a mock funeral, as noted in the photo below, for U.S. U.K, France and NATO as they celebrated their victory.

With the 20th anniversary of 9/11 fast approaching, America's disgraceful exit from Afghanistan will make this a tougher moment for the country and the families who lost loved ones in the battle to free Afghanistan from terrorists and and suppressive regime.

In this dark hour in history, Apple TV+ introduced a documentary today titled "9/11: Inside the President's War Room." The new documentary special tells the story of 9/11 through the eyes of the presidency by gaining unprecedented access to the key decision makers who responded for the nation. Brought to audiences by Apple and the BBC, the documentary will make its global debut on Apple TV+ and BBC One this September, marking the 20th anniversary of the attack.

The documentary recounts the 12 hours after the strike on that momentous day, offering rare and unique insight into the dilemmas of decision-making against the clock, as those involved provide intimate, revealing and heartfelt details for the first time.

The documentary special will feature never-before-heard testimony with President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice (national security advisor), Colin Powell (secretary of state), Andy Card (chief of staff), Dan Bartlett (director of communications), Rear Admiral Deborah Loewer (head of Situation Room), Josh Bolten (deputy chief of staff), Ari Fleischer (press secretary), Karl Rove (senior advisor to the president), Mary Matalin (advisor to Cheney), Karen Hughes (special advisor to the president), Mike Morrell (CIA briefer), Ted Olson (solicitor general), Colonel Mark Tillman (Air Force One pilot), David Wilkinson and Tony Zotto (Secret Service). It will also feature nearly 200 never previously published photographs, as photographers followed every move of Bush and Cheney that day, as well as filmed archive.

The documentary hails from an award-winning team including Grierson and Royal Television Society Award-winning director Adam Wishart, Emmy Award-winning creative producer Simon Finch and BAFTA Award-winning executive producer Neil Grant. Head of production is Serena Kennedy.

Archive: Apple TV News
Margaret Ophelia ONeal was born December 4, 1935 at their rural home near Maysville and Wallville community and passed from this life on September 3, 2021 in Ada, Oklahoma at the age of 85 years. She was the fourth child of Lona (Rawson) and John Newberry.
Minister for Public Enterprises, Joseph Cudjoe as part of his working visit to state-owned enterprises has visited the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company Limited to inspect its financial and operating performance.



The working visit of the Minister for Public Enterprises saw a presentation of the success story of BOST from 2017 where the company under the leadership of Mr Edwin Provencal has made significant strides in the revenue of the company.



BOST in a presentation before the Minister of Public Enterprises and his team, disclosed that it is expecting to take delivery of some pipelines from the United States of America by the end of August 2021 after it has been delayed for 12 years as a result of some managerial impediments, costing the country 63 million dollars.



Addressing the media during the tour at the Accra Plain Depot to see repaired equipment by BOST, Joseph Cudjoe praised the Managing Director of the company, Edwin Provencal and his team for putting to good use the BOST margin which has been increased to 9 pesewas.



He commended the management for the turnaround that has been achieved in a short space of time and also for the introduction of policies that have been developed operationally to make sure that BOST operations are brought to the highest level of professional corporate management.



I have been so much impressed given when we have taken this trip to Accra Plain Depot (APD) and seeing the ongoing improvement in facilities that in recent past were not so well maintained and a lot of maintenance improvement and additions that are being done. It has been very impressive, he commended.



As a minister for public enterprises, I have seen a change and I am so convinced that President Akufo-Addos vision of getting competent CEOs, Board of Directors, and competent management teams to manage the state-owned enterprises so that they will deliver results that will enable the state-owned enterprises to contribute to Ghanas budget rather than becoming a problem to the countrys budget, he added.



The Minister noted that it is President Akufo-Addos vision to turn the State-owned enterprises around and make the performance of State-owned enterprises become part of the assessment of the performance of the government.



We are all aware how the state-owned enterprises have been characterised with indebtedness, non-profitable operations and strikes, because when they run them down and the workers are dejected, they will be calling for a capital injection from the government. It is the President's vision to turn the state-owned enterprises around, he disclosed.



Under the watch of the President, it is so clear that he wants to make the performance of state-owned enterprises become part of the assessment of the performance of the government so that if a government is doing well, state-owned enterprises' performance will also reflect the governments own performance and when state-owned enterprises are being run down, it means that the government is not also performing, he added.



He stressed that, we know how in recent past state-owned enterprises could not prepare an audited account but today, it is a different story. I have visited a couple of them and BOST today. All those I have visited; they have impressive stories to tell.



He, however, encouraged Ghanaians to pick interest in the performance of the State-owned enterprises as they would add to the production asset to create employment when they are well run as well as generate revenue to contribute to the effort of the government to get more roads, hospitals, schools and support the Free SHS Policy.



I believe that we should support the governments intention to make sure that it is a One-District-One-Factory project, which will deliver a set of production assets and then state-owned enterprises when we combine, Ghana will be moving forward in job creation and wealth generation, he made the clarion call.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Three teacher unions have called for a smooth conduct of this years West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates devoid of malpractices.

According to them, stakeholders including invigilators, supervisors, candidates, parents, teachers and officials of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) should all collaborate to ensure the sanctity, credibility and integrity of the examination which begins with Oral English throughout the country tomorrow, September 1, 2021.



The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr Thomas Musah, the President of the National Association of Graduates Teachers (NAGRAT), Mr Eric Carbonu and the Presdent of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana (CCT-Gh), King Awudu Ali, made the call in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic on Monday.



Candidates



A total of 446,321 final-year SHS students are writing the 2021 WASSCE for school candidates across the country.





They are made up of 221,437 males and 224,884 females from 965 public and private second cycle institutions.



The 2021 WASSCE statistics available to the Daily Graphic indicate that the public schools are 651 while the private ones are 314.



The examination, which began with the project work last Monday, will have the written papers taking off on September 1, 2021.



A total of 763 supervisors will be at the 763 centres to invigilate the examination.



GNAT



Mr Musah congratulated the candidates and wished them a successful examination.



We are aware that the going has been tough, arduous and tempestuous, yet as the saying goes  when the going gets tough, the tough keeps going. Again, no lasting glory is won without struggle. That Ghanaian students have withstood all odds and gone through the system shows the zeal and resilience in them, and we congratulate them for these sterling qualities, he said.



He said the time had come for candidates to make themselves, their teachers, parents and all stakeholders proud and expressed the hope that they would live up to the task since they had to safeguard their future by excelling.



NAGRAT



Wishing the candidates well, Mr Carbonu, for his part, said it was the expectation of NAGRAT that this years WASSCE would be conducted in an atmosphere of peace devoid of examination malpractices.



We also take the opportunity to encourage all our teachers administering the examinations to conduct themselves professionally.



We also call on the officials of WAEC to ensure that security is adequately provided for both students and teachers during the examination, he said.



CCT-Gh



Mr Ali, who also wished the candidates the best in the examination, expressed the hope that they would come out with flying colours.



As a yearly ritual, we would caution that they desist from any form of examination malpractice that has the tendency of getting their papers cancelled. But the most important thing is about our teachers. It is the wish of every teacher to see his/her student pass, he said.









Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in the Northern Region yesterday averted a possible major fire disaster when they spotted a fuel leakage at a filling station and controlled its flow as a four-hour downpour flooded Tamale.



The fire disaster appeared imminent and brought to mind the June 3, 2015 incident in Accra, as the petrol from an underground storage tank of the fuel station at Vittin, a densely populated area in the Tamale Metropolis on the main Tamale-Yendi road, floated on the floodwaters that swept across the community.



Intervention



The fire officers used foam concentration to spray the floodwaters that had mixed with petrol to neutralise the potency of the petrol and minimise the chances of it being ignited by a spark.



The flood from the downpour which began around 8 a.m. impeded vehicular movement and moved huge volumes of debris, especially plastic waste, from choked drains along the roads onto the streets.



The worst affected areas in the metropolis were Gumani, Fuo, Tunayili, Vittin-Target and Koblamangu.



The rain disrupted outdoor activities in the metropolis for the entire morning until around 12.35 p.m. when it subsided, flooding residential facilities and the streets.



The GNFS later deployed personnel to rescue residents trapped in their homes as a result of the floods.



Briefing



Divisional Officer Grade III and acting Regional Operations Officer, GNFS, Mr Charles Tisong, who led the operations at the filling station, told the Daily Graphic that the floodwaters entered one of the underground tanks containing petrol at the station and caused it to flow into the floodwaters along the road leading to the community.



"We quickly moved in and urged residents in the area not to expose any naked fire to the floodwaters flowing along the road and into the community. We also cordoned off the filling station to prevent any activity from taking place in and around the area to prevent any possible fire outbreak," he stated.



"This could have been like the June 3 twin disaster in Accra if we had not quickly intervened to control the spillage from the underground tank. We had water mixed with petrol moving along the road into the community, but we were able to save the situation," Mr Tisong added.



He said the flood at the filling station was caused by an uncompleted drainage system that made way for the rainwater to enter the filling station.





Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, has called for a consultative forum to discuss the electoral reforms proposed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).



He also called on the NDC to engage the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as consensus was required to reform the electoral system.



Describing the NDC proposals as constructive initiatives and commendable, he said although the NDC indicated it engaged stakeholders, it did not mention the NPP as one of the stakeholders.



In an interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday, Dr Akwetey said considering the fact that the two parties were the major players in Ghanas electoral system, it was important that they engaged each other on such national matters.



Lessons



He said the NDC had learnt its lessons from past elections, hence, its proposals, and the good thing is that the party detached itself from the issues.



He said there should, therefore, be a channel of engagement with the NPP and the EC.



Dr Akwetey said the proposals raised by the NDC should not be tied with the EC as some of the issues raised were beyond the EC and the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), hence, the proposal for the consultative forum.



He said similar forums were held in 2008 to address the issue of a bloated register and the Justice VCRAC Crabbe Committee in 2015 to address other challenges of Ghanas electoral system.



Relationship



Dr Akwetey conceded that there were the dynamics of relationships between the NDC and the EC which might affect the work between the two bodies.



He, however, said the two bodies needed to put aside such differences and work for the common good of the country.



He suggested that a team of eminent persons could be appointed by the EC to facilitate confidence-building and EC-NDC-NPP deliberations on how to resolve issues of mistrust and, thereby, strengthen cooperation in furtherance of electoral reforms and the integrity of elections in the current governance mandate period.







Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Ministry of Education has come down heavily on the University of Ghana (UG) lecturer, Dr. Sampson Obed Appiah, for allegedly trying to run down the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy.



The lecturer in a television interview had described the double-track system under the FSHS as the most unfortunate policy in the history of the countrys educational system.



According to Dr. Appiah, the double-track system has reduced contact hours of teaching, quality of education, besides increasing the financial burden of parents.



But the ministry said the lecturers comments amounted to the display of ignorance since they were not borne out of facts.



Reacting to the lecturers comment, Felix Baidoo, Press Secretary of the Minister of Education, said in a statement that the FSHS has improved access and quality of education, intimating that until the introduction of the FSHS policy in 2017, thousands of students had to stay home because they could not meet the cutoff point of aggregate 30, the required grade of entry into SHS set by the Ghana Education Service (GES).



He said what that meant was a student may have passed the BECE, but he/she could not gain entry to any SHS due to the set entry grade of 30. The set grade was primarily due to limited space in our schools.



According to him, it is on account of this that the Akufo-Addo-led government introduced the FSHS policy in 2017 to improve access to SHS for all Ghanaian students.



He said the introduction of FSHS brought about the double-track system as a leapfrogging measure, owing to increase in enrolment, to ensure that all students who pass the BECE get access to secondary education.



On countless occasions, the government has announced that the double-track system was a leapfrogging approach that would be phased out as soon as most of the ongoing school infrastructure projects are completed, the statement noted.



It added that the double-track system would be phased out within five to seven years of its introduction as once stated by President Akufo-Addo.



FSHS Benefit



The statement said the FSHS policy introduction had given 400,000 more students admission to second cycle institutions across the country, and pointed out that among the beneficiaries are students from poor homes.



The Education Ministry acknowledged the infrastructural challenges in schools, but quickly added that this phenomenon had been with the nation since time immemorial and that the introduction of FSHS or the double-track system did not bring it as suggested by Dr. Obed Appiah, saying indeed, the FSHS and the Double Track policies were introduced due to that challenge.



The Ministry of Education has constructed over 962 facilities, including dormitories, assembly halls, dining halls and classroom blocks across the country to help create an enabling environment for effective teaching and learning in Senior High Schools, it said, adding although some of these projects have not been completed, every effort is being made to complete them on schedule so that students can start using them.



Contact Hours



On the issue of reduction in instructional time, the ministry said it had rather increased considerably, intimating it is on record that until the introduction of the FSHS programme, Senior High Schools in the country had a total of 1,080 instructional hours per year.



According to the statement, the introduction of the double-track system brought about a review of instructional hours from six hours a day to seven hours, which leads to a cumulative 1,134 hours for every academic year, stating that this is an increase of 54 hours.



Outcomes



The statement described as fallacy Dr. Appiahs suggestion that the quality of SHS had gone down, noting that the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) proved otherwise.



The 2020 WASSCE results showed a tremendous improvement in the average record as compared to the previous years results, it said, and continued that data showed that out of the 465 A1s recorded by WAEC, Ghana alone recorded 411 out of the figure.



For the ministry, this is a huge success for the nation, and said the Ministry of Education would like to state emphatically that the assertion by Dr. Obed Appiah that the FSHS programme has led to low academic performance is unfortunate and a display of his ignorance and misunderstanding of the programme.









Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Deputy Communications Director of the NPP, Mame Yaa Aboagye has expressed worry over clashes between two rival groups of the ruling party in Suhum constituency in the Eastern Region.



She condemned the shameful act and appealed to the party supporters to commit themselves to promoting the party.



He appealed to them to adopt measures to help the party break the 8 and secure power in 2024.



According to her, fighting with each other will not help the NPP secure or break the 8 but it will rather tear them apart.



Lamenting and fighting will not take us anywhereit is more important for your party to be in power than to be in opposition, so the earlier we realise this the better for all of us.



I will plead with our support base to work hard in unison for the NPP to gain political dominance over other political opponents. We have come far to be complacent or allow apathy to tear us apart. Let us focus and break the 8, she said.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The embattled General Secretary of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Janet Nabila, is threatening to take legal action against members of the party who insist that she has been suspended.



She says the reports that she has been suspended are false, and that she remains the General Secretary of the PNC.



The Chairman of the party, Moses Dani-Baah told Citi News over the weekend that the decision to suspend Madam Nabila was taken at a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the GNAT Hall in Accra.



But speaking on Eyewitness News, Madam Janet Nabila maintained that the National Executive Committee meeting did not form a quorum to be able to take any binding decision, and so she is still at post.



They couldnt even form a quorum to sack me. Now, I have a letter circulating of nine of the chairmen supporting me. They say no one should take what [David] Apasera has done seriously. If anyone calls me a suspended General Secretary, I will send the person to court to sue, because a person is supposed to be suspended based on the constitution of the party.



Janet Nabila said the false information of her supposed suspension is being propagated by the partys Chairman, Moses Dani Baah, and their 2020 flagbearer, David Apasara who fear that they will be exposed for embezzling the partys funds.



She claimed that Mr. Apasara and Mr. Dani-Baah were seeking to frustrate her because she took actions that will expose them for taking funds to the tune of GHS70,000 from the partys coffers without accountability or any justifiable reason.



She said the funds were part of an amount the party raised for the construction of its offices.



During our 29th anniversary, we solicited funds to build party offices. We got GHS150,000 for the party offices, so we kept it in the account, and we saw that the flagbearer and the leader went to pick as much as GHS70,000 from the account and I didnt know what they were using the money for. So I went to the regional CID office to report them.



I then called auditors to audit the account, and we are calling EOCO to audit the account and give us the findings. I was told that a disciplinary committee was being formed to investigate me. Apasara and Dani-Baah went around telling people that I have problems in the party. Because they know that they will be disgraced, they want to do something just to cover up their image, she further stated.

Source: citinewsroom









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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Hon. Lydia Seyram Alhassan , Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency has been appointed a commissioner to serve on a seven (7 ) member Energy Commission Board.



The Energy Commission was established with the mission to regulate and manage the development and utilization of energy resources in Ghana to ensure the provision of affordable energy supplies in a reliable, efficient and secured manner in order to promote the social and economic well-being of the people of Ghana, enhance environmental quality and public safety.



Hon. Lydia Alhassan holds an EMBA Marketing from the prestigious University of Ghana Business School. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Entrepreneurship from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).



For 25 years, Hon. Alhassan has been running a wholesale pharmaceutical conglomerate in Ghana which was established by her good self.



Hon. Lydia Alhassan brings on board a solid wealth of experience from her previous membership on Minerals Commission Board where she worked hand in hand with other board members to spearhead reforms into our mining industry.



The Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon also serves as the First Deputy Majority Whip in Parliament and a Member of the Mines and Energy as well as the Health Committee.

Hon. Lydia Alhassan is also the Womens Caucus Leader of the 8th Parliament.



Hon. Lydia Alhassan has demonstrated enviable footprint in previous leadership and philanthropic roles such as the Vice chairman of Pharmaceutical Importers and Wholesalers Association of Ghana, as an executive member of the Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana, as Treasurer of the Womens fellowship, Accra Ridge Church, Spintex Branch and as the Regional Chairperson (Southern Sector), of Lions Club Ghana from 2014 to 2015 and enviably the President for Accra Premier Lions Club in 2005.



Hon Lydia Alhassan has won several awards for her contribution to national development, Most recent of them is the Woman of Excellence award 2017 and Personality of the Year for 2021 all from the Ghana Parma Awards.



The Board is Chaired by immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof Ebenezer Oduro with other members as Ing. Oscar Kojo Amonoo-Neizer, Executive Secretary , Dr Kodjo Esseim Mensah Abrampa, Dr Isaac Frimpong Mensah-Bonsu, Mr Moses Aristophanes Kwame Gyasi and Mr Dari Bismark Haruna.



The board was sworn into office on 31st August, 2021 by the Honorable Minister of Energy, Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh at the Ministrys Conference Room in Accra.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A Member of the Communication Team of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Sylvester Soprano Sarpong has insisted that Agenda 111 is not feasible.



Contributing to a panel discussion on Neat FM's Me Man Nti programme, he vowed: I'll shave my beard, mix it with gari & eat; if Akufo-Addo is able to complete agenda 111"



Listen to him in the video below





Agenda 111 includes 101 district hospitals, six regional hospitals in the newly created regions, two specialized hospitals in the middle and northern belts, as well as a regional hospital in the Western Region and renovation of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital.The objective of the project is to significantly deepen the delivery of quality healthcare at the district level, boost access to healthcare services for all citizens towards ensuring the attainment of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal Three.President Akufo-Addo speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the project to commence in the Ashanti Region on Tuesday, August 17 said: ''So far sites have been identified for 88 of the 111 hospitals, and after cutting the sod, work on the other 87 sites will also commence today [Tuesday]. The acquisition of the remaining 13 sites will be completed shortly for work to begin. Each hospital is being constructed at a cost of $16.88 million, i.e. $12.88 million for construction and $4 million for medical equipment, and all the hospitals are to be completed in 18 months and works will begin on the regional and other hospitals in the latter part of the year

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said that its rival, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been left dazed by the gains made during the Thank You Tour of former President John Mahama hence their incessant attacks on him.



Mr Mahama last week began a tour to thank Ghanaians for keeping faith with him and voting for the NDC in the 2020 elections.



His tour has been greeted with a number of responses from the NPP criticizing the Former President for making unfounded claims.



Among others, the NPP has accused him of attempting to foist a narrative of hardships on Ghanaians and levelling misleading corruption allegations against the government.



Particularly, the NPP was not pleased by a call from Mr Mahama for them to be voted out in the 2024 elections as the only way of holding them to account for their stewardship.



Responding to these claims at a press conference in Accra, the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, said the NPP had panicked over Mr Mahamas call for accountability because it was neck-deep in systematic corruption.



He recounted a series of corruption allegations for which he says the government had refused to investigate and punish perpetrators. These included the PDS, Movinpina and the Sputnik V scandals.



He said Ghanaians have not forgotten about the infamous PDS scam through which Ghana lost over a billion dollars of grant from the United States of America. You would recall how in the year 2019, PDS a company made up of an appointee and cronies of President Akufo-Addo, used a fraudulent Insurance Guarantee to takeover the GHc20 billion assets of the Electricity Company of Ghana. This scam was occasioned and facilitated by the Vice President of the Republic, Dr Bawumia to amend the requirement of a bank guarantee that has to be provided by the concessionaire (PDS) into an Insurance guarantee, the validity of which the government deliberately refused to authenticate so they could capture that important state asset, ECG for the family and friends of President Akufo-Addo. Even more bizarre and sad is the fact that till date, PDS has refused to refund to the State the electricity bills worth over GHc1.2 billion which they collected from ECG customers during the pendency of the ECG-PDS concession Agreement.



Mr Gyamfi accused the government of a grand scheme to empty the public purse for personal gain and said the Former Presidents call was timely as it was the only viable option left to the people of Ghana due to the intransigence of the NPP on the issue of corruption.





Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Social Commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has urged Ghanaians not to be dissuaded by statements from the opponents of the Akufo-Addo government.



The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former President John Mahama has accused the President of mismanaging the economy.



The alarming case of corruption under this government is such that Ghanaians cannot wait to exact act accountability by voting out the NPP after their eight-year tenure in 2024.



Anything short of that will spell doom for the public purse which will be subjected to further abuse should their mandates be renewed beyond 2024, the NDC Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi said during a press conference on Monday.



Discussing the comments by the opposition party, Allotey Jacobs asked Ghanaians to stay focused on the good works of the incumbent government.



"Ghanaians are always not satisfied with leadership because one side of Ghanaians will criticize leadership. That is the system we find ourselves . . . now in our modern politics, it looks like we're not focused. We are not supporting that which is not good for us . . . " he told Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'',



"Everybody knows there is hardship in Ghana," he added and called on the citizens not to fall for the tricks of the opposition.



Allotey Jacobs also called for maximum support for the Auditor-General and Special Prosecutor (SP) to curb corruption in the country.



He believed empowering the Auditor-General and SP will help in clamping down on the corrupt officials.



"We have an institution known as the Auditor-General's office. Let's give it the maximum support and not to politicize issues."





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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Cascadia Air received a warm welcome when it landed for the first time this week at the South Terminal of Vancouver International Airport. The airline is tentatively set to start service to Penticton in September.
Logansport, IN (46947)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low around 60F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph, becoming N and decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low around 60F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph, becoming N and decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
We welcome letters of up to 400 words on matters of public interest. All letters must be signed and must include the address of the writer and a daytime telephone number. Only the name and hometown of the writer will be published. The Pharos-Tribune reserves the right to edit letters, refuse letters for publication and limit the number of letters on a particular issue. Form letters are not accepted.
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Wiktor Malinowski Leads $250,000 Super High Roller Bowl Europe Final Table

September 01, 2021 Geoff Fisk

A long and grueling Day 2 ended in stunning fashion at the Super High Roller Bowl Europe Main Event. Six players remain when the action resumes Wednesday at the Merit Royal Hotel Casino & Spa in North Cyprus. With 41 entries, a prize pool of $10,250,000 had been created and all of that will be awarded to these players with a first-place prize of $3,690,000.

Wiktor Malinowski comes into Wednesday's final table as the tournament chip leader. The Polish high-stakes regular ended Day 2 with 3,100,000 chips, with many of those chips coming his way in the shocking final hand of the day against Ali Imsirovic.

Timothy Adams, David Peters, Zhuang Ruan, and Ivan Leow all return for the final table with healthy chip stacks. Only Viacheslav Buldygin resumes final table play short-stacked, ending Day 2 with 305,000 in chips.

Play resumes at Level 15 Wednesday, with the blinds at 20,000/40,000/40,000.

SHRB Europe Live Updates Head to the PokerNews Live Reporting Hub for all the live updates from the Merit Hotel & Casino, Cyprus Click Here

$250,000 Super High Roller Bowl Europe Final Table

Seat Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Zhuang Ruan United States 1,760,000 44 2 Timothy Adams Canada 2,290,000 57 3 David Peters United States 1,350,000 34 4 Viacheslav Buldygin Russia 305,000 8 5 Ivan Leow Malaysia 1,505,000 38 6 Wiktor Malinowski Poland 3,100,000 78

Malinowski Ousts Imsirovic on the Final Hand of Day 2

Day 2 began with 29 players in the hunt for six money spots as seven players entered before the start of the day. Once the action became eight-handed, all seated players remained in the hunt for more than four hours.

Addamo's elimination broke that stretch, as he bowed out in an all-in preflop hand against Ruan. Play lasted another half hour after that, with Imsirovic exiting on the money bubble.

Imsirovic four-bet shoved against Malinowski with ace-two suited, only to get snap-called by Malinowski with ace-king suited. Imsirovic began that final hand with 30 big blinds, but couldn't find a miracle on the runout against Malinowski.

Imsirovic's elimination benefited Buldygin the most, as the Russian clung to a short stack throughout the latter hours of Day 2 and will end up with at least a min-cash of $512,500.

Buldygin has some work to do if he wants to spin up a short stack and climb the money ladder. All other remaining players hold plenty of chips to work with, however, and Wednesday's final table is truly up for grabs.

Remaining Payouts

Place Prize 1 $3,690,000 2 $2,460,000 3 $1,640,000 4 $1,127,500 5 $820,000 6 $512,500

Check back with the PokerNews live reporting team tomorrow for the conclusion of the Super High Roller Bowl Europe Main Event.
Although the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is in its summer recess, the court has issued orders and opinions emanating from its emergency docket this month. The emergency docket refers to orders and opinions issued in cases that are not part of the courts merits docket of cases that are scheduled for argument.

Aug. 12

Justice Barrett denies request related to university vaccine requirement: Justice Amy Coney Barrett denied a request for an application for injunctive relief filed by a group of students at Indiana University. Injunctive relief, also known as an injunction, is a judicial order stopping a party from performing certain actions, or requiring an action to be performed in a specific manner. The application requested that the court block the schools COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students. The request was denied without being referred to the full court.

Court issues ruling on state eviction moratorium: In a 6-3 per curiam ruling, SCOTUS granted an injunction filed by a group of landlords in New York. The application requested that the court lift part of a state moratorium on residential evictionsPart A of the COVID Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act (CEEFPA)established in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. JusticeStephen Breyer filed a dissenting opinion, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.

Aug. 20

Justice Barrett denies request for injunction of groundbreaking for Obama presidential library: Justice Amy Coney Barrett denied a request for an injunction filed by Protect Our Parks, Inc. The application requested that the court block the groundbreaking construction and excavation related to building the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park in Chicago, Illinois. The request was denied without being referred to the full court.

Aug. 24

Court rejects application for stay of Trump administration remain in Mexico policy: SCOTUS denied the Biden administrations application for a stay, or a halt, of a U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas injunction requiring the reinstatement of a Trump administration program referred to as the remain in Mexico policy. The policy requires asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while awaiting a U.S. immigration court hearing. The order stated that Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan would have granted the application.

Aug. 26

Court issues ruling on federal eviction moratorium: In a 6-3 per curiam ruling, SCOTUS granted an application, filed by the Alabama Association of REALTORS et al, to vacate the nationwide moratorium on evictions of tenants living in a county experiencing substantial or high levels of COVID19 transmission and who make declarations of financial need. The moratorium was imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In the unsigned opinion, the court stated, If a federally imposed eviction moratorium is to continue, Congress must specifically authorize it. The application to vacate stay presented to the Chief Justice and by him referred to the Court is granted. Justice Stephen Breyer filed a dissenting opinion, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
As Iran struggled with a new wave of COVID-19 infections, an official close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on August 25 made a puzzling statement.

The leader of the revolution has not yet banned a specific vaccine, said Mehdi Fazaeli, a member of an office responsible for publishing Khamenei's works.

From the beginning, they insisted on buying vaccines safely, and for some reason they did not consider buying from the United States, Britain and France safe, he said.

But that is false.

In fact, Khamenei banned U.S. and U.K. vaccine imports in January, falsely claiming Western countries wanted to test their vaccines on Iranians.

Moreover, in a televised speech earlier this year, he specifically mentioned the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from the U.S., saying: If their Pfizer company can produce vaccines, why dont they use it themselves so that they dont have so many dead? The same applies to Britain.

Khameneis ban was tweeted on his official Twitter account: It is not unlikely they would want to contaminate other nations, the tweet said. Given our experience with Frances HIV-tainted blood supplied, French vaccines arent trustworthy either.

Fazaelis latest comments came as Iranian officials face harsh criticism for mismanaging their COVID-19 vaccine efforts. Since June, Iran has been hit by an overwhelming fifth wave of the coronavirus, spurred by the highly contagious delta variant.

Daily confirmed cases hit a peak of nearly 40,000 on August 17, according to the tracking site Our World in Data. In late August, deaths per day hit a record of more than 600.

Along with the United States, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Botswana, Iran has experienced one of the highest biweekly rates of COVID-19 cases per capita in the world.

As of August 30, Iran had registered an estimated 4.9 million COVID-19 cases, with more than 100,000 deaths. But local sources say the toll is higher.

Fazaeli also said that if the same COVID-19 vaccines came from countries other than the United States and Britain, it would be acceptable to use them in Iran.

At the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the U.S. offered Iran assistance in battling COVID-19. Khamenei refused the offer, citing the false conspiracy theory that the virus was engineered in a U.S. lab.

Twitter later took down the supreme leaders tweets about banning Western vaccines because they violated the social media platforms rules. On December 2020, Twitter issued a new policy banning harmfully false or misleading narratives about COVID-19 vaccinations.

Khamenei falsely alleged that the virus was specifically built for Iran using the genetic data of Iranians which they have obtained through different means.

Other Iranian officials have repeated his false claim that U.S. vaccines are man-made biological weapons.

On August 22, Major General Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reiterated that conspiracy theory, claiming the enemy is using biological weapons to paralyze Iranians.

Due to absolute distrust, we cannot trust the enemies and allow them to inject the vaccine solution into the bodies of our people, because we know that in the enemys strategy, paralyzing the Iranian people is a definite goal, Salami said.

Iranian state-run media has also spread disinformation accusing the U.S. of sending contaminated vaccines to Japan.

On June 17, the U.S. issued new guidance for delivering medical supplies like masks, ventilators and vaccines to fight COVID-19 in sanctioned countries like Iran, Venezuela and Syria. Iran remains under U.S. sanctions for its nuclear program.

The guidance also permits bank transactions and activities in Irans Central Bank and national oil company related to fighting the pandemic.

In an attempt to find an alternative to Western vaccines, Iran announced it would collaborate with Russia and Cuba to manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine. That plan did not materialize, and Iranian officials have fallen short on promises to vaccinate millions.

Iran opted to produce its own vaccine, the COVIran Barekat, but it has not yet reached the mass production phase.

The Iranian government claims that it has vaccinated 3.5 million of the countrys 80 million people, and has imported over 21 million vaccine doses, mostly through China, Russia and India.

Iran has faced a severe vaccine shortage since vaccine shipments from China and Russia halted as Beijing, Moscow and New Delhi were unable to keep up with vaccine deliveries due to high demand, according to Alireza Nadji, the head of virology center at Tehrans Beheshti University.

On August 19, the New York-based group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said government mismanagement made the pandemic worse.

Iranian officials have blamed sanctions and delays in importing vaccines, as well as each other, for the slow roll out of the vaccination problem, without providing clear evidence of their claims, HRW said.
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A new STEM initiative was announced by the Aiken County Public School District during an education luncheon Tuesday.

The Dell Student TechCrew is a partnership made by global technology leader Dell and the North Augusta Chamber Education Workforce Development Foundation. The project allows four area schools to teach students how to develop IT skills.

It gives students in high school the opportunity to get an industry certification, Kim Boutwell, the North America Regional giving manager with Dell Giving said in a promotional video. ... We are creating opportunities for the students, opportunities for schools, opportunities for the community. Its so much bigger than IT support.

The North Augusta Chamber Education Workforce Development Foundation is a community nonprofit made to help coordinate this program with ACPSD. The program helps high school students learn more about IT-related fields.

This is the first Dell Student TechCrew course in schools in South Carolina. About 70 students are currently enrolled in classes between North Augusta High School, Aiken High School, Ridge Spring-Monetta High School and Wagener-Salley High School.

Students currently enrolled can receive certification by January 2022. Two graduates of the Dell program from Aiken High School have received their certification. One student is currently in college and another is assisting the school.

We are creating a Silicon Valley right here in our backyard because we have schools that integrate technology, said Kenneth Lott, director of Career and Technical Education for Aiken County.

Aiken Countys proximity to Augustas Cyber City is relevant to the program and recruiting within the CSRA.

You have an opportunity, right here in your backyard, to reallocate that funding somewhere else and come help Aiken County School District prepare tomorrows workforce today, Lott said. ... Once our students receive this notification, they will be certified as Dell technicians, and they can go and work in any industry with this entry-level certification right out of high school.

Dell provides students and teachers the curriculum, mentorships and tools necessary for course completion. According to Lott, Dell focuses on rural communities and career readiness. Aiken County plans to expand the program to other high schools and middle schools.

Adding this program goes along with Aiken Countys goals to make Aiken County different through new learning initiatives.

I think all of us over the last year and a half or so have had to get used to different, and I dont think thats going to change ... I think we have to get used to different because the world is not going back to the way it was, Superintendent King Laurence said. Weve got to do things differently.

Lott said other ways to support the Dell program include donating old devices for hands-on experience and supporting these student accomplishments.

The Dell workbench opportunity for our students is just one of those innovative things that we talk about, getting used to different, Laurence said. We want our community to know that we are preparing students for the world. This is just one more way  the latest way  that we have of doing that.

Other school district administrators spoke about the progress of existing projects, giving updates about the use of federal money in schools, construction updates of North Augusta schools and COVID-19 impacts.
Smokers traveling through the terminal or on the grounds of Charleston International will have to light up in their cars while on airport property.

Officials announced Sept. 1 that smoking will not be allowed in enclosed public spaces or areas outside the terminal, including sidewalks, rest areas, public and employee parking lots.

The ban includes shuttles and all buildings and other facilities owned by the Charleston County Aviation Authority.

The prohibition includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, vapes, puff bars or any device with smoke or vapor that could be harmful, the agency said in a statement.

"Our mission is to make the airport campus a safe and healthy environment for travelers, guests and workers," Charleston airport CEO Elliott Summey said. "The health risks associated with second-hand smoke are irrefutable. Creating a smoke-free environment at CHS will help us achieve this goal.

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Efforts over the next month or so will be made to educate workers and the traveling public on the new policy, airport spokesman Spencer Pryor said.

"We are now in the educating people process and eventually will move into enforcement by fines," Pryor said.

Public announcements will begin immediately through social media and signage.

Recorded terminal announcements related to no smoking will be pre-set to play at regular intervals.

The agency's police department will enforce the ban.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 14 percent of U.S. adults were classified as smokers as of 2019. Based on that estimate, nearly 69,000 passengers who flew into or out of Charleston International in July would have been affected by the ban had it been in place for that month.
COLUMBIA  A Columbia man arrested in May on charges of vandalizing the home of a suspended White Fort Jackson soldier caught shoving a smaller Black man on camera was found guilty Aug. 31 and ordered to pay a fine.

Taijier Ellis, 25, was arrested May 4 in downtown Columbia by city police, three weeks after he took part in a protest in front the home of Jonathan Pentland, a 42-year-old Army drill sergeant who confronted and pushed a smaller Black man, prompting community outrage.

The Richland County Sheriff's Department said cellphone video taken at the scene of the protest on April 15 showed Ellis smashing lights in front of Pentland's home with a bat and then tossing it into a nearby storm drain.

He was charged with malicious injury to real property and breach of peace. Richland County Magistrate Judge Diedra Hightower assessed Ellis a $2,395 fine.

Pentland was found guilty on Aug. 23 of third-degree assault and battery, and was order to pay either a $1,087 fine or spend 30 days in jail.
COLUMBIA  South Carolina utility regulators and customers received a pair of legal wins against an Upstate water and sewer company seeking to pass millions of dollars of questionable expenses on to ratepayers.

The state Supreme Court ruled, in two separate opinions Sept. 1, that regulators were justified in not allowing Greenville-based Blue Granite Water Service to expense legal fees incurred while fighting fines for illegal sewer discharges into the Saluda River near Columbia.

The court also largely sided with regulators in trimming a rate hike request by the company as it was seeking to raise customers rates by nearly $12 million.

Blue Granite, which has 17,000 water customers and 13,000 sewer customers  most of them in South Carolinas Midlands and Upstate, did not respond to a request for comment.

The utility, formerly known as Carolina Water Service, first sought in 2017 to pass on roughly $400,000 in legal fees to customers after it was sued in federal court by the Congaree Riverkeeper and fined for 23 illegal discharges from its plant near Interstate 20 between 2009 and 2015. That case was settled out of court.

The South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff argued in court documents that "allowing (Carolina Water Service) to recover its litigation expenses brought about by its own failure to abide by the Clean Water Act provided no incentive for the utility to operate in compliance with federal, state or local laws."

The court agreed in this case and ORS Executive Director Nanette Edwards said the decision means Blue Granite "cannot simply pass through legal expenses associated with violations of the law."

Blue Granite filed in late 2019 for a 50 percent rate increase that it said was, in part, to offset the cost of moving its headquarters from West Columbia to a new office tower in downtown Greenville and to pay for a rebranding campaign meant to reverse the reputation for pollution and bad customer service the utility has earned throughout the state.

Blue Granite also asked for office expenses  such as flowers, a 65-inch flat-screen TV and chamber of commerce dues  that regulators argued did not directly benefit customers and should instead be covered by the company itself.

The state Public Service Commission, which sets the rates utilities can charge for services, did not grant Blue Granite the return on equity  a utility's profit margin  that the company was seeking. And it set the expenses Blue Granite is allowed to claim from customers in preparation for future storms at a lower rate than the company originally asked for.

Ultimately, Blue Granite was only approved for $5.4 million in rate hikes, about 46 percent of its total request.

Regulators, in court documents, said they set the lower rates "in an effort to incentivize Blue Granite to improve its business practices  citing to the utility's known, poor reputation and service problems.

Blue Granite argued the PSC's attempts to incentivize the utility actually unfairly punished it  setting return on equity at 7.46 percent, well below the 10.7 percent requested.

The Supreme Court, in its opinion, said the PSC is entitled to create incentives for utilities to improve their business practices.

In addition to the I-20 plant discharges, Blue Granite has been fined more than $130,000 for water pollution at its Friarsgate plant, which has since been closed and hooked into the city of Columbias much larger sewage treatment system.

Where the court differed from regulators was on the decision to completely deny the company's yearly rental expenses. The court is sending that and three other matters, including nearly $69,000 in legal expenses and $2.2 million in debt buy downs on the water and wastewater services the company purchases back to the PSC for additional proceedings.

How these might impact individual water bills is still unknown but Edwards said her office will continue to fight on behalf of ratepayers as those remaining expenses return to the commission for consideration.
COLUMBIA  A loss of habitat has caused gopher frog populations to decline so bad in South Carolina that the state Department of Natural Resources has classified the animals as endangered.

The agency is now working with the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia to breed, raise and release more of the frogs in the Lowcountry, where they often thrive best.

But raising more of the animals is simply not enough to fix the declining population. So DNR and collaborators have taken the initiative to restore a few historic wetlands that were once home to populations of the frogs. The goal is to ensure the species can persist once released in the wild.

Gopher frogs are large, ground-dwelling amphibians that need well-managed upland and wetland habitats to live. The ideal wetlands are ones that fill up after a big rain event, then dry up in the summer, according to DNR herpetologist Andrew Grosse.

That is important because if these areas are filled with water permanently they start to attract fish and predatory insects, which often eat the tadpoles and eggs.

When the wetlands dry up, the animals use an upland forested habitat usually consisting of longleaf pines, said Karyn Wheatley, a herpetology keeper at the zoo.

Grosse said that after a big rain event, DNR will look through wetlands to find egg masses that can contain anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 eggs. The agency takes about 100 eggs from each mass back to the zoo. The majority of the eggs are left to hatch naturally.

"We want to keep the genetic variability," Grosse said. "So we want to have frogs from different parents to make sure we're preserving those genetics."

Once at the zoo, the eggs remain there until they hatch into tadpoles, grow, form legs, absorb their tales and become small frogs.

Since this is the first year of the program, Wheatley said much of it has been experimental. The zoo is using its indoor spaces, which causes the eggs to take longer to morph into froglets than other places that have done similar programs strictly outside.

Close to 200 frogs have been released back into the wild. But the species has a low survival rate.

The animals are most vulnerable during the egg and tadpole stages when they are in the wild. But even as a small frog, snakes and other larger animals may prey on them.

Grosse said the goal of the "head start" program is to consistently collect eggs and release frogs over a long time period.

Frogs, in general, are a good indicator species and can be used to measure the conditions of an environment, Wheatley said.

"Since they are utilizing both land and water, and since their populations have declined over the years, that's telling us something which is going to affect more animals," Wheatley said.

Frogs are a part of the food chain, and a declining population could affect how other species evolve.

Only a few populations of gopher frogs remain in South Carolina. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will assess the range-wide status of the animals in a few years to determine if they should be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Chief Justice Don Beatty made this interesting disclaimer Tuesday when the state Supreme Court heard arguments in two lawsuits over school mask mandates.

We are not medical professionals, we are not politicians, Beatty said. Any decision we may make will be based purely on the rule of law.

Which is funny because the exact problem in South Carolina right now is politicians playing medical professionals. Lawmakers included a proviso in this years state budget meant to prohibit schools from requiring students and staff to wear masks.

And hows that working out?

Well, Dorchester District 4 just became the states most recent school district to shift to virtual learning, and Dorchester District 2 has 3,500 students  more than 10% of its enrollment  in quarantine. At least three Dorchester 2 employees have died of COVID-19 since school started.

Thats horrible, but unsurprising, since Dorchester County has the worst uncontrolled spread in the Carolinas.

You have to figure Charleston County schools, with 2,000 students in quarantine, and Berkeley County schools, with 1,000 positive cases (an average of nearly one per classroom) cant be far behind. And boy, will the hollering ramp up if that happens.

Many people griping the loudest made this worse by refusing to get vaccinated and increasing the chance of more variants. But some of them will take livestock dewormer  which is fitting since anybody whod do that resembles one end of a horse.

This craziness has put our schools in a tailspin. Parents complained to the Charleston County School Board last week about their kids having to quarantine because of COVID exposures. Shouldnt they be more worried about their child getting ill?

On Monday, the federal Education Department announced that South Carolina is one of five states being investigated for outlawing local school districts from using masks to stem the spread of a disease. State officials argue that choice is best left to a childs parents because, freedom.

Thatd be fine if COVID-19 wasnt a communicable disease, and their choices didnt potentially put other people at risk. Instead, it illustrates the stark hypocrisy and lack of common sense in politics today.

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By that argument, shouldnt parents  and not bureaucrats  be the arbiters of what their kids wear to school? Well wait while lawsuit-happy Attorney General Alan Wilson runs to court to defend a girl whose skirt is deemed too short by some of the Footloose crowd.

If the people know best, lawmakers should just ditch DUI laws. After all, dont people really know best when theyve had too much to drink?

No, because some laws are meant to protect us from the careless and irresponsible. You know, people who would blow a deadly disease in someone elses face while screaming freedom.

We got here because some politicians politicized a public health crisis to win support from low-information voters. Some of them call themselves patriots but theyre the exact opposite. Theyve proven they wont inconvenience themselves slightly for this country.

So now members of this very loud minority are threatening the economy and their neighbors. Their victims are not only people who succumb to COVID, but the guy who becomes ill but cant get prompt medical attention because the hospitals are full.

And it could get worse. MUSC sees no plateau on the horizon for the delta variant  the curve is going straight up. And theres no telling whether school districts can protect kids, because the Supreme Court could go either way.

The court made it clear last week that its justices arent medical professionals. On Friday, it revised rules on trial operations, specifically the use of Zoom for hearings. The court noted that the number of COVID-19 infections has decreased significantly from its peak.

Uh, that was last true around July 1. The number of cases South Carolina is seeing per day now rivals the peak of the winter surge.

Yes, the courts are behind  as a bunch of mad cops will tell you. Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson says the claims of a decreased threat from the virus left members of the Bar scratching their heads. She notes that fortunately many protections remain in place, although she wouldve preferred more.

The court has rightly recognized that we simply cannot allow a public health crisis to exacerbate a public safety crisis, Wilson says. While it is true that the most serious risks of the coronavirus have subsided with vaccination, we do not know who within the criminal justice system is vaccinated and who is not. And the fact that so many remain unvaccinated is affecting us all in various ways.

Thats absolutely right. The people complaining the most about mitigation are forcing these issues.

The Supreme Court could solve some of this, and its own courtroom problems. It should simply outlaw politicians posing as physicians.
Labor Day Weekend is prime time to take in uplifting experiences throughout Charleston. Savor an outdoor summer concert. Transport yourself through masterful works of art. Delve deeper into inspiring local leaders. Have a laugh at a rollicking musical. It's all here this weekend.

See the light at the Gibbes Museum of Art

French Impressionism continues to captivate art lovers everywhere.

Light Effects: The French Impressionists features the works of French masters Edgar Degas, Paul Cezanne, Auguste Renoir, Paul Gauguin and others who were drawn to short, loose brushstrokes, bright colors and a focus on modern life that became the language of Impressionism.

For more information, visit gibbesmuseum.org.

When and where: Opens Sept. 3; Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St. in downtown Charleston.

Why its hot: Lets all go to the light.

Who its for: Beauty seekers who like a French twist.

Take in Forty Mile Detour at Sounds of Summer

Seeking a summer night of family fun? Nextons free, outdoor Sounds of Summer event features live music from Forty Mile Detour, with access to a variety of Nexton Squares retail and dining options, including Taco Boy, Halls Chophouse, Pages Okra Grill, Poogans Southern Kitchen and more.

For more information, visit bit.ly/nextonsoundsofsummer.

When and where: Sept. 3, 5-9 p.m., Nexton Square, 801 Nexton Parkway in Summerville.

Why its hot: Savor the remaining summer days.

Who its for: Outdoor events enthusiasts who love Summervilles creature comforts, too.

Learn more about the Midnight Mayor of Charleston

Impresario, community leader and businessman Henry Smith was renowned for uplifting Charlestons Black community throughout his life.

Find out more in The Midnight Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina, a collection of memories from his daughter, Maxine Smith, along with business associates, community leaders, family and friends, with a foreword by Joseph P. Riley, Jr., the former Charleston mayor.

After printing costs and Amazon fees, the balance of proceeds will go to a fund at the Coastal Community Foundation.

For more information on the book, visit https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Mayor-Charleston-S-C-Henry/dp/195224885X/.

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When and where: Sept. 4 at 10 a.m. at Emanuel AME Church, 110 Calhoun St. in downtown Charleston, and at 3 p.m. at Bertha's Kitchen, 2332 Meeting St. Road in North Charleston.

Why its hot: Its a close-up on a vital slice of Charleston history.

Who its for: Those seeking greater knowledge on local luminaries.

Ease into Labor Day Weekend at the Lowcountry Jazz Festival

The Lowcountry Jazz Festival, South Carolinas annual smooth jazz extravaganza, returns to the Charleston Gaillard Center with a stellar lineup.

The festival continues its Labor Day weekend tradition, with festivities kicking off Sept. 3 at the All White Party Affair, with programming resonating through the performance hall throughout the weekend.

For more information, visit gaillardcenter.org.

When and where: Sept. 3-5; Charleston Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun St. in downtown Charleston.

Why its hot: Because its cool.

Who its for: Anyone ready to kick back, listen up and smooth it all out.

Get ruthless with the Footlight Players antic musical

Gypsy meets The Bad Seed in the Footlight Players comedic Ruthless! The Musical.

This award-winning musical focuses on 8-year-old Tina Denmark, who was born to play Pippi Longstocking in the school play.

Whats more, shell do anything to win the part, including eliminating the competition.

For more information, visit footlightplayers.net.

When and where: Sept. 3-19, Queen St. Playhouse, 20 Queen St. in downtown Charleston.

Why its hot: Making it as an actor is nothing short of a blood sport.

Who its for: Anyone craving live performance, and with safety protocols in place.
GEORGETOWN  The FBI has launched an investigation into finances at the now-closed Tara Hall Home for Boys in Georgetown County, an agency spokesman confirmed.

FBI spokesman Donald Wood declined to reveal any details, but an August incident report filed by group home for homeless boys with the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office accused an ex-employee of embezzlement.

The incident report notes that the sheriff's office spoke with the FBI about "possible fraud or embezzlement."

Tara Hall shut down because of COVID outbreaks, and the state's child services agency was shying from placing homeless boys into homes like Tara Hall after a policy change, board chairman John Kenny said earlier in August.

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Tara Hall's attorney Reese Boyd said Aug. 31 the board is waiting to hear back from local law enforcement and the FBI about the investigation.

Tara Hall, located about 20 miles north of the city of Georgetown, was founded in 1969 and operated with help from foundations, grants and donations.

The Tara Hall building is now being used as Mingo Creek Academy, an independent pre-K school for residents in the western part of Georgetown County. The Tara Hall board is running the new school.
GEORGETOWN  Georgetown County is looking to review long-standing fees charged on new construction projects that pay for building parks, roads, libraries and police stations.

State law says impact fee studies must be revised every 15 years, and while that deadline is not quickly approaching, the process takes some time, county planning director Holly Richardson said.

What is updated in the new study will depend on what projects have been completed since the first study was done in 2009, and but it is possible they could be reduced due to lack of previously anticipated growth, Richardson said.

Impact fees intend to make new construction pay for some of the strains new businesses and residents have on certain infrastructure. Typically impact fees can only go towards one-time payments, like building a new library or police station, and cannot be used on yearly revenues like employee salaries.

Georgetown County charges developers for impact fees when the building permit is issued rather than residents themselves, though residents may see the spillover of that fee in their home prices.

State law says the revenue must go to benefit the community that paid it and be used within three years of collection. Fees can go toward public uses, such as building more parks, roads and police stations.

From 2016 to 2020, Georgetown County generated more than $6.5 million in development impact fees.

These fees are often used in communities experiencing extreme growth, but are relatively uncommon among South Carolina counties.

While Georgetown County has not experienced the growth its neighbor Horry County, the Waccamaw Neck communities, like Pawleys Island and Litchfield, have grown tremendously. Those areas of growth carry the bulk of the more than 3,000 residents that have moved into the last decade, bringing its total to 63,404 people.

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The fee amounts are based on the specific use of the building, and do not change depending on where it is in the county. Detached single- and multi-family residential impact fees are currently $3,844 and attached residential impact fees are currently $2,465.

Non-residential impact fees per 1,000 square feet of floor area are currently:

Retail/restaurant: $2,132

Business park: $977

Office: $1,355

Hospital: $1,216

School: $538

Mini-warehouse: $115

Warehousing: $385

Manufacturing: $400

Light industrial: $608

Finally, nursing home impact fees are currently $146 per bed, day care impact fees are currently $110 per student and lodging impact fees are currently $306.

With a new study, any and all impact fees are subject to change.

Richardson said in recent years she has not heard any push back from residents or councilmembers on impact fees, but when they were first implemented, residents were worried they'd drive up home prices and send people to places where there were no impact fees, like neighboring Horry County.

And while Horry County recently passed its own impact fees earlier this year, but many residents considered them to be measly in comparison to what they expected.

At the last minute, Horry County stripped the plan of its transportation and stormwater fees, ones many residents considered to be the most vital. Now, Horry County has impact fees on parks and recreation, public safety and solid waste.

The bidding for firms to conduct a new impact fee study closed Aug. 25, and Richardson said she has not had time yet to look into the three bids received. Ideally, she said she'd like for the new study to be completed and come before council by the end of the current fiscal year, which is June 2022.
GREENVILLE  By the time Korean War veteran Konrad Nowak graduated high school and was inducted into the Army, two of his high school classmates had already been killed in Korea. A third had been captured.

The Simpsonville resident served in country from late 1951 until early 1953 and was once nearly killed by an artillery blast. He recalls a time when he celebrated mass in a cave with a group of soldiers and ran into a friend from New York, where Nowak grew up. A month later he received a letter from his mother confirming that one of his friends had been killed.

Nowak spent years helping raise money in South Carolina for those friends names to be inscribed on an addition to the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. In 2016, Congress enacted legislation that authorized a Wall of Remembrance be added to that memorial but didnt fund the project. The Republic of Korea agreed to pay half the approximately $22 million for the wall. The rest was left up to private fund raising.

Former South Carolina state Sen. Lewis Vaughn, a Korean War veteran and member of the national Korean War Veterans Board, brought the project to the Foothills 301 chapter of Korean War Veterans and asked them to raise money to pay for the 55 Greenville County servicemen who died in the war. Someone suggested they broaden the scope to raise funds for all 483 South Carolina residents who died in the conflict, and the 93 who were prisoners of war.

They set a goal of $201,500, enough to cover the $350 cost for each of the 576 names to be inscribed. On Sept. 1 at a news conference in Greenville, Vaughn announced they'd raised $207,000 to contribute to the memorial wall.

The group of veterans is now 90 years old on average. Vaughn called them a bunch of tired old men who had one last hill to take to ensure the names of those who died or went missing in whats known as The Forgotten War were not forgotten.

Vaughn said he hoped it would be a way for South Carolinians to learn more about the war and those who served and gave their lives.

There are a lot of young people who dont know anything about Korea, he said. They dont even know where it is. I didnt either when I joined when I was 16. I found out pretty quick.

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Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and a number of local legislators attended the news conference at County Square to announce the goal accomplishment in front of several Korean War veterans in attendance.

It was something that was very near and dear to my heart, Evette said. My uncle is a Korean War veteran. So we supported this.

She said it was important for people from South Carolina to see the names of state residents listed when they visited the memorial in Washington.

Nowak, a past president of Foothills 301, said he thought of the friends he lost in the war often as he solicited donations for the wall, which is expected to open in late summer 2022.

Its been a long, long trail, he said.

Now their mission is complete.
Seven Charleston County schools have shifted to temporary virtual learning because of a rise in COVID-19 cases and quarantines since the start of the school year.

Julian Mitchell Elementary School will transition to virtual learning on Sept. 3. The school is expected to return to in-person learning on Sept. 17.

Murray-LaSaine Montessori on James Island, Chicora Elementary in North Charleston and Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary in West Ashley transitioned to temporary virtual learning on Sept. 2. The three schools plan to return to in-person learning Sept. 16.

On Sept. 1, Sullivans Island and Charles Pinckney elementary schools transitioned to virtual learning. Both schools plan to return to in-person classes on Sept. 15.

Early College High School became the first school to transition to virtual learning this year on Aug. 27. The school is scheduled to return to in-person learning on Sept. 10.

Mitchell serves over 200 students and has reported 14 cases since the start of the school year.

Chicora, which serves around 300 students, has reported nine cases among students and staff since the start of the school year on Aug. 18. Murray-LaSaine, which serves over 350 students, has reported 12 cases. Ashley River Creative Arts, which serves 500 students, has reported 26 cases.

Sullivans Island, which has around 500 students, has reported 22 cases among students and staff since school started on Aug. 18. Charles Pinckney in Mount Pleasant, a school of over 600 students, has reported 32 cases since the start of the school year.

Early College High School has reported 14 cases.

The schools have disinfected their buildings to allow staff members to teach virtually from their classrooms.

The temporary move to virtual instruction will allow us to continue providing quality instruction for students in a safe environment, Sullivans Island Principal Susan King said in the schools letter to families. Given our discussions and review of data with medical professionals, please know this is the best option for our students at this time.

The district quarantines all students and staff members in any classroom with three or more cases of the virus for at least 10 days; however, it does not report the number of students or staff members in quarantine at its schools.

The news comes the same day as health officials from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control say, since Aug. 21, the 11-20 age group has recorded the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in South Carolina. Those ages 0-10 make up the second-highest group.

"While 11- to 20-year-olds account for the highest number of new cases, the highest percentage rise in new cases is in the 0 to 10 age group, a group that unfortunately is not eligible for the vaccine and therefore very vulnerable to infection," said Dr. Jonathon Knoche, a DHEC medical consultant.

Statewide numbers

New cases reported: 3,554 confirmed, 1,598 probable

Total cases in S.C.: 600,360 confirmed, 140,274 probable.

Percent positive: 17.3 percent.

New deaths reported: 73 confirmed, 13 probable.

Total deaths in S.C.: 9,361 confirmed, 1,323 probable.

Percent of ICU beds filled (with COVID-19 and other patients): 79.9 percent.

S.C. residents vaccinated

In South Carolina, 56.7 percent of people who are eligible for the vaccine have received one shot, and 47.8 percent of eligible residents are considered fully vaccinated.

Hardest-hit areas

Greenville (406), Spartanburg (303) and Horry (249) counties saw the highest totals of newly confirmed cases.

What about tri-county?

Charleston County had 190 new cases on Sept. 1, while Berkeley had 184 and Dorchester had 142.

Deaths

DHEC releases county-level data regarding COVID-19 deaths and the ages of those who have died from the virus on Tuesdays. According to the data published Aug. 31, at least 221 people in South Carolina died from the virus Aug. 22-28, and their ages ranged from young adult (18-34) to elderly (65 and older). Lexington County recorded 25 COVID deaths that week  the highest number in the state. Health officials have reported that the vast majority of patients who are dying from the coronavirus at this stage of the pandemic are unvaccinated.

Hospitalizations

Of the 2,340 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Sept. 1, 537 were in the ICU and 340 were using ventilators.

Student, teacher and faculty cases

DHEC's school dashboard shows, through Aug. 29, there have been 3,056 probable and confirmed cases among students and employees in the state's public and charter schools during the current school year.

Variants of concern

DHEC sequences a small, random sample of positive COVID-19 cases each week to determine which variants of concern (alpha, beta, gamma and delta) are circulating in the state. According to data published by the agency that is up to date through Aug. 25, 2,089 samples have been identified as variants of concern over the course of the pandemic. More than 842 of those samples have been identified as the delta variant, which health officials say is now the dominant strain in South Carolina.

What do experts say?

An Aug. 30 report from the South Carolina Children's Hospital Collaborative shows that out of the 35 children currently hospitalized due to complications from COVID-19, more than 90 percent were unvaccinated. This total includes nine children in ICUs and four relying on ventilators.

"We can end this pandemic if we increase our vaccination rates," Knoche said. "We need all South Carolinians to do their part in protecting themselves and their loved ones."

Go to vaxlocator.dhec.sc.gov to find a vaccine clinic near you.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to remove incorrect information on the number of cases each school reported at this point last year.
South Carolina hospitals have reached a near crisis during the third surge of the coronavirus pandemic as this state tops the rest of the nation in COVID-19 cases per capita.

Roper St. Francis reported Sept. 1 its highest COVID inpatient count ever with more than 150 people hospitalized with the coronavirus across its sites.

One out of every three Roper St. Francis hospital beds is now occupied by someone being treated for COVID, and the system is paying up to $150 an hour for temporary nurses to help manage the volume of patients.

"There is an incredibly visible lack of coordinated public health policy (in South Carolina)," Dr. Robert Oliverio, vice president and chief medical officer of Roper St. Francis, said at a press conference near Roper Hospital in downtown Charleston to address the urgency of the situation.

"We have, oddly enough, declared its no longer a public health emergency," he added. "Frankly, Im seeing otherwise."

Gov. Henry McMaster lifted South Carolina's state of emergency associated with the COVID pandemic in June, declaring at the time it was no longer necessary. He has urged residents to be careful and to get a vaccine, but he has simultaneously opposed mandatory masking in schools, putting him at odds with school leaders and public health experts.

A spokesman for McMaster's office said he was not available to be interviewed.

Meanwhile, Trident Health, with hospitals in North Charleston and Summerville, reported more than 120 COVID patients on Sept. 1, close to its record high. Hospital spokesman Rod Whiting told The Post and Courier the system has temporarily suspended all elective surgeries for one week to make sure there are beds available for incoming COVID patients. Likewise, Roper St. Francis surgeons are postponing some surgeries that require overnight stays through Sept. 10.

The COVID inpatient count at the Medical University of South Carolina was 135 on Sept. 1, about 40 patients lower than it was at its peak in July 2020. MUSC spokeswoman Heather Woolwine said hospitalizations and deaths are lagging indicators, meaning the hospital could become even more full later this month if cases continue rising.

"We're definitely tracking in that direction," she said.

It's not just Charleston bearing the worst of the surge. Hospital executives across the state are expressing that the pandemic is more severe than it's ever been, said Thorton Kirby, president of the S.C. Hospital Association.

"A lot of hospitals are at their high-water mark, not just for this surge but for the entire pandemic," Kirby said. "The patients are sicker and younger. Weve got children involved this time and the staff are exhausted in hospitals and theyre frustrated because the vast majority, generally over 90 percent, of the patients theyre treating are not vaccinated."

Nurses, in particular, are wearing thin. Marissa Jamarik, chief nursing officer at Roper St. Francis, said her nurses are "having to dig deep to find the strength to get through this."

Jamarik spent some time recently lending a hand inside one of the hospital system's COVID care units and asked one of the unit's nurses how she might help out.

"She could have asked me to do anything  anything on her list of things she had to get done  and the one thing she asked me to do was to FaceTime the daughter of one of our sick ICU patients so that she could speak to her father. Shed been waiting to speak to her father for a good part of the day. To me, that just speaks to the integrity of these health care workers," Jamarik said. "They are our most precious asset. We are straining them."

These frustrations come as South Carolina appears to have the highest per capita COVID rate in the United States, according to an analysis by The New York Times. Using census numbers and data from state health departments, the rate in South Carolina as of Aug. 31 was 100 cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days. The rate across the entire South was lower at 76 cases per 100,000. Rates in the South are much higher than other regions of the country.

At the county level, Dorchester has the highest case rate in South Carolina with 200 cases per 100,000 people  exactly double the statewide rate  according to The Times' calculations.

The rate of COVID cases in each state correlates with vaccination rates. South Carolina, with fewer than half of all eligible residents fully vaccinated, has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.

Dr. Oliverio, with Roper St. Francis, said there are very few medical reasons not to get a COVID-19 vaccine. If you are allergic to a component of the vaccine, you shouldn't get one, he said. If you had a severe reaction to the first dose, you probably shouldn't get a second dose. Everyone else is recommended to get the vaccine.

"There is a really good reason to get the vaccine. It will save your life," he said. "There are a thousand reasons people have made up not to get the vaccine and each one of those is nonsense."
In 2020 the Summerville Police Department made 99 DUI arrests total. So far in 2021, there have been 80, and the department is on pace for well over 100 DUI arrests for the year.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.
LORIS  Loris Middle School will go to virtual learning for two weeks starting Sept. 2 amid increased COVID-19 cases among students and staff.

This is the third Horry County school to go virtual following Conway High and Aynor Middle.

Before the push to virtual, Loris Middle School reported 18 active COVID-19 cases, with 16 among students and the other two among staff, according to the district's COVID-19 dashboard. Additionally, 260 Loris Middle students are in quarantine, roughly a third of its enrollment.

But, district-wide, one in five students across Horry County Schools are in quarantine, according to Aug. 31 data by the district.

HCS spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier confirmed the districts do not have a certain threshold they have to meet before closing a school for virtual learning. If a schools active cases or quarantines hinder the district ability to teach, feed and transport students to and from school then a school could be pushed to virtual-learning.

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This guidance, Bourcier said, comes from the state Board of Education, which expects 95 percent of the schools students to be enrolled in five-day face-to-face instruction unless otherwise authorized.

Due to the Legislatures ban on mask mandates in South Carolina schools, face coverings are not required in the states third-largest school district, where around 45,000 students are enrolled. However, the district is encouraging mask-wearing.

Over the past two weeks, Horry County recorded more than 3,300 cases of COVID-19 as South Carolina tops the rest of the nation in COVID-19 cases per capita.

Additionally, all afterschool activities, including sports, practice and clubs are canceled and the school will undergo a deep cleaning.

Parents are asked to call Loris Middle cafeteria at (843) 756-0912 before 10 a.m. on Sept. 2 to request meals for Sept. 3 and through next week.
COLUMBIA  The S.C. Supreme Court will no longer allow plea hearings to be conducted remotely, rolling back a safeguard implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the state's courtrooms.

The court's Aug. 27 orders changing the rules regarding the use of remote communication technology in court proceedings has raised concerns among some attorneys that returning to in-person hearings will come with an increased risk of infection.

Among the changes is a requirement that attorneys, the defendant and the judge all appear in person for plea hearings.

The Supreme Court also restricted the authority of family court judges to grant some uncontested divorces without holding a hearing. At the judge's discretion, however, those hearings can be conducted using remote communication technology.

In issuing its order, the state's high court claimed that "the risk posed by the coronavirus has decreased," but the number of cases has, in fact, skyrocketed in the past month as the delta variant has spread throughout the state. The day the ruling was issued, Aug. 27, marked the third-highest number of new COVID-19 cases in the state to that point, 4,654, and the highest amount since January.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported Aug. 31 there were 3,631 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, as well as 712 probable cases. Twenty-nine confirmed deaths and eight probable deaths were reported.

By comparison, the department reported only 103 confirmed cases and five deaths statewide on June 15, when the Supreme Court last amended its order on the operations of the courts during the pandemic. As of Aug. 31, South Carolina appeared to have the highest per capita COVID rate in the United States, according to an analysis by The New York Times.

In its order, the state's high court said the pandemic has delayed the resolution of many cases, "and the response to this emergency must now focus on the resolution of these cases in a safe, timely and just manner."

Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson said that while she believes that the high court has rightly recognized that the pandemic has created a "public safety crisis" by delaying the resolution of cases, she was concerned about the decision to require in-person guilty pleas.

"I am concerned requiring that all parties to appear in person for guilty pleas is going to slow things down instead of speeding them along," Wilson said. " It is critical that those hearings are properly scheduled so that we dont have throngs of people in packed courtrooms."

She said she also would have liked the Supreme Court to grant more flexibility to the chief administrative judge to use remote technology for conducting pleas.

Nonetheless, Wilson said she believed with smart scheduling, mitigation requirements like social distancing and masking and increased vaccination rates, the courts should be able to manage in-person hearings in a safe and effective manner.

Wilson said the self-reported, unconfirmed vaccination rate for her employees in Charleston County was 90 percent. In Berkeley County, it was 78 percent.

Ninth Circuit Public Defender Ashley Pennington said it was important to have defendants appear in court during hearings, and he believed that parties appearing in person will be necessary to return to a normal workflow.

Pennington said he believed all of his staff are vaccinated, and masks are still required in the courtroom, which should mitigate the impact of returning to courtrooms.

Hearings currently scheduled to be remote will remain so, and the chief administrative judge has flexibility to accommodate individuals for whom additional safety precautions are necessary, Pennington said.

Schools are back in session, and, in the same way, courts are coming back in session, but with the precautions that both the parties feel are necessary, and the courts feel are necessary.

Charleston defense attorney Chris Adams said he became a public defender after Hurricane Hugo in 1989, a powerful tropical cyclone that left thousands of South Carolinians homeless and also created a massive backlog of court cases that took years to resolve.

Though the pandemic has been different in some ways, the lessons are the same: the courts need to put public safety first, Adams said.

"There's going to be years ahead of us to dig out of the backlog that this virus has created," Adams said. "It's no fault of any judge. It's no fault of any prosecutor or defense lawyer. But we're all going to just have to work together, once it's safe to do so, to be able to reopen the courts and try working at the backlog."

Adams agreed with Pennington that there was a "tremendous value" to holding in-court proceedings, but each case needed to be viewed individually.

"What might be right for seven defendants might not be right for the eighth," he said. "If there are health problems, if there are other reasons that somebody shouldn't appear in front of others, then they should be given the option to defer until they can safely appear in person or whether they would like to do a video route."
Its no secret that South Carolina students suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, education officials have the data to prove it.

The S.C. Department of Education released on Sept. 1 its 2020-21 state report card, a summary of standardized test scores, graduation rates and school conditions throughout the state.

In normal years, this report card gives officials a snapshot of how South Carolina students are doing, but in 2021, it's the state's first look at exactly how much the pandemic has affected students. As expected, the results showed students across the Palmetto State found themselves struggling to achieve under the pandemic's added stress.

While most students were able to participate in full-time, in-person learning, many remained at home, logging in to class from their district-issued Chromebooks. The circumstances have led to a nationwide push to keep students in school even as cases rise across the country.

I was not shocked by the results, State Superintendent Molly Spearman said at an Aug. 31 news conference. However, I am very, very concerned.

Digging into the data

The most telling part of the report card is standardized test scores, which showed many students didn't meet expectations.

More information To look at results of the state report card, including by district and school, go to screportcards.ed.sc.gov.

Scores from SC Ready, the states yearly assessment for students in grades 3 through 8, have dropped in both math and English/language arts since the pandemic began.

In 2021, only 42.6 percent of students met or exceeded grade-level expectations for English/language arts, and 37.3 percent of students met expectations in math.

Thats a 2.8 percentage point decline in English/language arts and 7.8 percentage point drop in math from the 2019 scores. There were no tests in 2020.

Scores also dropped in the S.C. Palmetto Assessment of State Standards, which the state uses to test its elementary and middle school students in science.

In 2021, 43.3 percent of students in grades 5 and 7 met expectations for science. That is down 5.8 points from 2019, when eighth graders were included in the exam.

The scores arent much better for older students. Just 46.8 percent of students in Algebra 1 earned a C or higher in the states end-of-course assessments, an 8.1 point drop from 2019.

Just over 50 percent of students scored a C or higher on the Biology 1 exams, a 4.2 point drop from 2019. The number of students passing the U.S. History and Constitution exams dropped 10 points from 2019, with 37.7 percent of students scoring a C or higher in 2021.

There are a few bright spots in the data.

End-of-course scores for English 1 students increased by 6.7 points from 2019. The states graduation rate has also steadily increased since 2018, with 83.3 percent of seniors graduating in 2021.

The percentage of first and second grade students who are on track for success in English/language arts and math also has increased from the past two years.

Considering context

The numbers provide the state with its first tangible look into how the pandemic is affecting learning.

The 2020-21 school year was the first pandemic year to have statewide testing. The state waived assessments over the 2019-20 school year.

Even though testing did occur, this years results have major gaps, Spearman said. Families who had students in virtual learning were able to opt out of testing to avoid going to the school in person, which ultimately affected participation rates.

Nearly 88 percent of the states students participated in testing, according to the report card. In 2018-19, the participation rate was 99 percent. The department will be analyzing the data to see how gaps in participating may have affected scores, said Dan Ralyea, director of research and data analysis.

Were going to really have to study before we make any solid claims about the impact on a particular subgroup, Ralyea said.

That participation rate is actually higher than the agency expected. State officials set a goal that 95 percent of a districts students take the exams. Just three South Carolina districts "had a very low percentage," Spearman said.

Even if 100 percent of the states students took the exams, it would be important for people to consider the extreme circumstances of the past school year, the superintendent said.

There is such a range of how COVID impacted students last year, Spearman said. We had students who did not miss a single day of face-to-face instruction. ... It was a pretty normal year for them. Then we had other students who did not report to class all year.

Many of the students who were in virtual learning had to balance added family stress and found themselves learning off of online packets with little face-to-face interaction.

Those circumstances arent ideal even for the best student.

Another uncertain year

Now that the data is here, the department is focused on helping students recover, but it's becoming increasingly difficult as kids are thrust back into virtual learning because of rising COVID-19 cases.

So far this school year, four districts have gone entirely virtual because of an overwhelming number of quarantines and cases as a result of the virus. Pickens County was the first to close its doors to in-person learning Aug. 13-23.

On Aug. 27, both Allendale and Colleton County schools announced they would be virtual for at least two weeks. On Aug. 30, Dorchester District 4 also announced it would move to virtual learning, starting Sept. 7 until further notice.

Im almost to the point of anger, Spearman said. Im extremely concerned that we are putting ourselves in a situation where schools are having to close and go virtual. Thats not what any of us wanted.

The state superintendent urged everyone to get vaccinated if they are eligible and wear masks in schools.

Spearman has pushed against the S.C. law that prohibits districts from using public funds to implement a mask mandate. On Aug. 30, the U.S. Department of Education opened a civil rights investigation into whether the rule discriminates against students with disabilities and underlying medical conditions.
Charleston County Sheriff Kristin Graziano is offering inmates money to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to help curb a "dramatic uptick" in cases of the coronavirus at the Charleston County jail.

Graziano said in a post on the website Medium on Aug. 31 there are 58 inmates quarantined in a COVID-positive unit at the jail. No one has been hospitalized amid the recent spike in cases, sheriff's Capt. Roger Antonio said.

After the vaccines became available in the spring, Graziano said her office saw the number of COVID-19 cases fall dramatically. But since the delta variant began circulating in the Charleston area in mid-August, the number of infected inmates has again climbed.

"I decided it was time to get more aggressive in offering vaccines to residents, and it was also time to get creative on how to encourage residents to participate in the vaccination program," she said.

The jail began offering to pay inmates to get vaccinated on Aug. 19, the sheriff said. Inmates can earn $25 for each of the two doses of the Moderna vaccine or $50 for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The money is placed in the inmate's canteen account, which they use to purchase goods, like socks, bags of chips or other items within the jail.

The jail has been using funds from the Inmate Welfare Fund to pay the incentives, Graziano said. The trust exists to promote "overall inmate welfare" and is funded by a portion of inmate purchases at the canteen.

Inmates who do not spend their commissary money are provided the funds as cash when they leave the jail, Graziano said.

In less than two weeks, the jail has vaccinated 359 inmates, Graziano said, paying out $15,600 in incentives to inmate commissary accounts.

The jail recently brought in Pastor Aaron Hicks to speak with inmates about the importance of being vaccinated. The facility is working with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control to provide vaccines for juvenile held in detention. Three juveniles have been vaccinated, Graziano said.

Charleston County jail is not the first correctional facility to offer inmates incentives to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections began offering $25 to prison inmates in February to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh.

In North Carolina, officials offered prison inmates earlier release dates and other incentives to receive the vaccine, according to The Charlotte Observer.

The Charleston County jail first began offering inmates vaccines in March.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

A few clouds with an isolated thunderstorm possible after midnight. Low 73F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

A few clouds with an isolated thunderstorm possible after midnight. Low 73F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
About 30 demonstrators called for a halt to the Mariner East Pipeline construction at Tuesday's demonstration.
Tanner Cross teaches physical education at an elementary school in Loudoun County. He is a devout Christian.

Loudoun County has enacted a wide-ranging policy in favor of students who claim to be of a gender other than their biological sex. The policy permits students to use restrooms and locker rooms, as well as to compete in sports, on the basis of the gender with which they identify, rather than their biological sex.

In addition, the County requires teachers to use students preferred pronouns rather than the pronoun reflecting a students biological sex. Students are not required to offer any substantiating evidence of their gender identity.

Teachers are not to be punished for what are deemed inadvertent slips  using a students given name or biological pronoun occasionally, by accident. However, intentionally and persistently doing so is considered a violation.

(Lucky for my junior high school band teacher that this policy wasnt effect when he insisted, for some reason, on calling Willie Whitaker Bill. And lucky for the rest of the teachers that our class clowns didnt have the opportunity to torment them by constantly switching pronoun preferences.)

At a school board meeting, Mr. Cross stated that his Christian faith precluded him from deferring to a students preferred pronouns because doing so would constitute a lie about the reality of the childs identity. For sharing this view, Cross was suspended from his job.

A judge ruled that the school board violated Cross First Amendment rights, and temporarily blocked the suspension through an injunction. He rejected the weak argument that Cross was suspended not because of his views per se, but because of the disruption they caused. The First Amendments protections arent limited to speech that creates no waves.

Moreover, any disruption Cross speech produced surely pales in comparison to that resulting from the school boards across-the-board attempt to override nature. The school board wants disruption, but only disruption that suits its ideological agenda.

Now, the Virginia Supreme Court has backed Cross. Yesterday, it upheld the lower courts ruling in his favor.

Meanwhile, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which represents Cross, has moved to amend the lawsuit to challenge the underlying policy to which Cross objected. Two Loudoun County teachers have been added as would-be plaintiffs.

Although the case Cross litigated successfully did not present the precise issue the ADF seeks to add to the lawsuit, ADF notes that the Virginia Supreme Court cited with seeming approval a case from the Sixth Circuit, Meriwether v. Hartop. The Virginia Supreme Court said the Sixth Circuit emphatically held that a university professor stated viable free speech and free exercise claims based on his universitys disciplining him for refusing, based on his Christian faith, to use a students preferred pronouns. We reported on that case in a post called A victory for sanity in the pronoun wars.

Tanner Cross win is also a victory for sanity (and for free speech, obviously). As for enforcement of Loudoun Countys pronoun policy, Id like to think an accommodation could be reached, perhaps along one of the lines the plaintiff in Merriweather proposed, unsuccessfully, to his uber-woke college.

But accommodations require mutual respect  in this case, respect for students who genuinely object to being addressed a certain way and respect for teachers with strong religious beliefs about who is a man and who is a woman. Unfortunately, this kind of mutual respect is in short supply these days, sort of like it was at my junior high school all those years ago.
President Biden gave his statement on our departure from Afghanistan yesterday. The White House has posted the text of Bidens remarks here. It has also posted video of his remarks on YouTube. I have posted the video below.

We have been following Bidens statements and remarks over the past two weeks. He had nothing new to say, but he said it louder and more belligerently than he did last week  like a mean drunk at closing time. As he slurred his words, he only amplified the effect.

He took no questions. He turned his back and retreated, returning to the lectern only to grab his mask.

A contradiction lies at the heart of his remarks. Our exit  our defeat by the Taliban  is a great success. Twas a famous victory. Also, its Trumps fault. Trump tied his hands! Biden is comforted in our disgrace by his lack of shame.

Listening to his remarks live, I thought Biden made news with this: The bottom line: Ninety percent of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave. Doing the math with the White House numbers would give us another shot at figuring those we left behind. However, the White House transcript reflects this correction: The bottom line: Ninety [Ninety-eight] percent of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave.

Doing the math with the White House numbers  two percent of 6,000  I figure we left 120 citizens behind. According to Bidens remarks, we left behind 100 to 200 Americans.

Translation: Biden almost kept his promise to leave no Americans behind! And Biden has next to no idea what he is saying as he recited the script he had been given.

The American citizens left behind have some intention to leave. Translation: They are ambivalent about leaving.

As I say, Biden is comforted in his shamelessness.

Biden introduced his prematurely deceased son into the remarks:

I dont think enough people understand how much we have asked of the 1 percent of this country who put that uniform on, who are willing to put their lives on the line in defense of our nation. Maybe its because my deceased son, Beau, served in Iraq for a full year, before that. Well, maybe its because of what Ive seen over the years as senator, vice president, and president traveling these countries.

As I say about Bidens shamelessness

Bill McGurn wrote the Wall Street Journal column Biden bets on cynicism before Biden gave his speech yesterday. It was published On August 30. Because Biden was only repeating himself yesterday, McGurns column seemed to anticipate Bidens remarks. For example, Mr. Biden is not a Gold Star father and should stop playing one on TV.

Biden repeated stupid talking points he has previously made: [T]heres nothing China or Russia would rather have, would want more in this competition than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan. Does anyone believe this? They are especially distraught that we left behind $85 billion of materiel.

All the talking points are stupid. Every one. To take another example: This decision about Afghanistan is not just about Afghanistan. Its about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries. That was an era Biden himself had supported, but it ended long ago.

And of course we had the obligatory false choice. Here the choice was to surrender of commit tens of thousands of more troops going back to war. I will only observe that this was Barack Obamas favorite rhetorical device to defend the indefensible.

As I say about Bidens shamelessness
My friend who is keeping me apprised of the New York Times coverage of the Afghanistan debacle detects what strike me as moods swings when it comes to the treatment of Joe Biden. To criticize or to coverup, that is the question.

The Times seems to be doing both, depending to some degree whether seasoned reporters or folks from the editorial section are doing the writing.

My friend reports:

Between Bidens speech and the completion of the pull-out, NYTs coverage of Afghanistan is even more extensive today than its been in recent weeks. Overall, the Times is pretty tough on Biden. It does not take his speech at face value but points as politely as possible to a number of the presidents contradictions and misrepresentations.

There does seem to be some tension, however, between an editorial faction that would like to protect Biden and plump for recognition of the Taliban, an open-door policy for refugees, etc., on the one hand, and, on the other, long-time reporters on the foreign beat who understand Bidens flaws, his precarious political situation, and the viewpoint of the presidents critics.

Biden skepticism comes through most clearly in the cover story on the presidents speech, and in a news analysis by Peter Baker. Bakers piece is not typical NYT fare. It quotes extensively from Republican critics, highlights Bidens broken promise on Americans left behind, and takes us on a tour of Bidens shifting and contradictory account of his policy.

A competing news analysis piece by Max Fisher (this one, unlike Bakers, is on the front page) makes the case that the U.S. and Taliban need each other. This echoes the argument of an Op-Ed the other day by a member of the Times editorial board. Its a fascinating and useful piece that lays out some of the competing imperatives now facing America in the region.

Yet in considering the Talibans leverage over America, it makes no mention of the stranded Americans. Nor is there anything on the military resistance to the Taliban now centered in the Panjshir Valley, although that resistance is mentioned in one of the news accounts. In this piece, potential critics of recognizing the Taliban loom as crude and annoying obstacles to wise policy.

There is definitely more focus than usual today on the plight of stranded Americans. For the first time, an entire story is dedicated to the issue. The human interest story at the center of this article is about a legal permanent resident, rather than an American citizen. Yet the status of stranded American citizens is mentioned repeatedly, and Republicans who decry abandoning citizens behind enemy lines are quoted.

On the other hand, neither here nor anywhere else does the Times raise the possibility that Americans still caught in Afghanistan might be turned into hostages. For the most part, the Times takes the minimalist numerical estimates provided by the State Department at face value.

At one point, however, the Times does say, at least hundreds of U.S. citizens are stranded in Afghanistan. That at least implies a bit of skepticism. And yes, NYT does call our citizens left behind stranded.

What about the story, discussed by John Hinderaker below, of Joe Bidens call in which he urged Afghanistans president to pretend the war against the Taliban was going well? Of this, my friend says:

Yesterdays big exclusive from Reuters showing that President Biden knew the Afghan army was collapsing, yet did nothing to modify his withdrawal plans accordingly, goes unmentioned in todays print edition of the Times. Is this because the Reuters story came too late for inclusion? Its hard to tell.

The Reuters report presents a significant challenge for tomorrows edition of the Times.

Indeed. Stay tuned.
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No, for medical reasons, uncertainty

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The Oluwo of Iwo land in Osun State, Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has narrated how his estranged wife, Chanel Chin, attempted to end his life.

The monarch also described their botched union as four years of a fraudulently arranged relationship in a recent post on his official Instagram page.

The traditional ruler, for the first time, was explicit about his failed marriage with his Canadian-born ex-queen. Ms Chin is the daughter of Jamaican reggae star, Ludlow Chin also known as Bobo Zaro who is best known for the song Pain, a collaboration with Capleton.

Although the traditional ruler didnt mention his estranged queens name in the cryptic post, it was obvious that he was referring to her in the video when he said, Victorious Faces of a king that overcome all his enemies including the one that sleeps in my bed, have a child, poisoned, took contract money for my life, recorded every movement in the bedroom and palace for 4 years of a fraudulently arranged relationship.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the monarch broke up with his queen over personal irreconcilable differences in December 2019 and since then there has been no queen in the palace.

He announced his divorce in 2019 through his spokesperson, Alli Ibraheem, saying the separation was borne out of personal irreconcilable differences.

His statement read: This information is necessary for the attention of the general public to avoid representation on proxy and accordance of respect attached to the sacred stool of Oluwo to her.

Victory

He also accused Ms Chin of filming their bedroom activities and alleged that she tried to blackmail him into giving her some money so she doesnt release a particular video.

My Enemies have lost and I rejoice over them!!! Victorious Faces of a king that overcomes all his enemies including the one that sleeps in my bed have a child, poisoned, took contract money for my life, recorded every movement in the bedroom and palace for 4 years of a fraudulently arranged relationship, asking for settlement money not to release the video but never got a dime like the Chief Femis Toronto Indian girls in 2017 who was her known associates, his statement read.

The controversial monarch also mocked her, saying that God Almighty who is worthy of praise will never leave his ordained servant to be scorned by enemies.

He, however, didnt go into the details of what is contained in the video. The monarch also threw a few jabs at his detractors, kings inclusive, for failing in their plans to pull him down.

Kings, even fake mighty kings, people of different status, and frenemies gathered against me but in the name and power of Olodumare. He helped me destroyed them all and Im always and born ready any day, anytime, hours, minutes, and seconds of their schemes, and with the same name and power of God Almighty Olodumare they will still be destroyed. How has a life of shame been treating you losers? Hahahaha, he wrote.

Background

In the heat of their messy separation, the ex-queen released a video of the monarch rolling up a joint to smoke. This was after she granted an interview accusing him of numerous vices including sleeping with their 13-year-old maid.

They met before in Toronto, Canada where they both resided and this was long before the kings ascension to the throne.

They tied the knot after his ascendancy on November 10, 2015.

The marriage produced a son named Oduduwa. In a Punch newspaper interview published in December 2020, the monarchs estranged wife said her marriage to the Oluwo was built on falsehood
It is now a decade since the Sahel crisis unfolded. Yet, the region has picked up the hard lessons and remains of interest globally.

At the onset of the last decade in 2011, the security situation in the region had degenerated, leading to mass migration and the displacement of some 2.5 million people in the region.

To the mass media, issues leading to this displacement of people stems from insecurity, which has, in turn, spawned the rise of extremism, political intolerance, societal fragmentation, communal strife, mass migrations and triggered a massive humanitarian crisis while claiming several thousand fatalities.

The Sahel has had the unfortunate task of shouldering the burden emanating from the repercussions of the civil strife in North Africa, especially Libya. Moreover, the escalation of Jihadists movements has also undermined Sahels development trajectory. Added to this crisis burden are the high poverty levels, inequality ratios, drought alongside other natural climate change-induced hazards, Covid-19 pandemic and demographic pressures contributing to Sahels woes.

This has become the signature definition of this part of Africa, as illustrated by the mass media.

Nevertheless, this is only one part of the coin that is the Sahel.

The second side of Sahels coin is its burgeoning population.

The UN World Population Prospects 2019 notes that out of the worlds 20 youngest countries, 19 are in Africa, with Niger topping the list. As of 2020 the regions population, had bulged to 414 million people straddling across more than 20 countries.

According to the World Bank, the combined population of the 23 countries in the Sahel and Equatorial Africa is projected to reach one billion by 2050. With a population dominated by young persons under the age of 24 almost reaching 60 per cent, the Sahel region has been ranked as having the highest dependency ratio in the world as 87.2 per cent of the age groups zero to 65 shows. The population is predominantly young, with almost 60 per cent under the age of 24.

These demographics, accompanied by the realization that the region has the highest fertility rate currently pegged at five to seven children per woman compounded with an annual population growth of three per cent globally, is the second side of Sahels coin.

How to effectively respond to these complex concerns has been a daunting task for the Sahelian governments and the global community. As they say, every coin has three sides. The third side of Sahels coin is what has been done to address the two chronic challenges.

At the onset of UN population agency (UNFPA) interventions in addressing the Sahels multifaceted challenges, the crucial reality of the demographic dividend was a factor that was adopted as an entry point.

In 2016, UNFPA-WCARO joined the African Union (AU) and its partners in launching the roadmap for harnessing the demographic dividend, which culminated in the AU Heads of States and Governments declaration of 2017 as the year for harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in youth.

UNFPAs regional and country offices drove the demographic dividend agenda forward from 2017 by engaging all-stakeholders across areas of focus and moving from discussion forums to practical grassroots action.

UNFPA has been working with the respective governments through a multi-sectoral platform to support the development of initiatives for young people, women and children to curtail and insuring against the risk of radicalization, access to family health and better education. Through these approaches, young people become stakeholders and key development actors of their respective countries.

With the support of the UNFPA-WCARO, most countries in the region domesticated the AU Roadmap and embarked on implementing the ideals into reality. Within the wider Sahel, a number of flagship projects were rolled out to promote empowerment and capacity building for women and young people in sexual and reproductive health. These included the Gueule Tapee-Fass-Colobane commune, which was inaugurated in 2017 in a populous urban sprawl and has recorded tremendous success with Senegalese President Macky Sall calling for its replication all over the region.

The others are Sahel Women Empowerment and Demographic Dividend (SWEDD), which was initiated with the patronage of Nigers former President Mahamadou Issoufou. SWEDD, which started with six countries, is now in nine countries and has launched the Regional Centre of Excellence for Midwifery Education and Clinical Mentoring alongside setting up the emergency obstetric care networks that facilitate better coverage and enabling economies of scale and greater efficiency. SWEDD has also led in scaling up Safe spaces and the setting up of the Illimin (knowledge for dignity) to protect adolescent girls who are victims of gender-based violence.

The premiere of Cest la Vie (Thats Life) TV series filmed in Senegal on family health issues and broadcast in West and Central Africa has now passed the 20 million viewers mark in just seven capital cities. Add to the viewership the impressive strides of the 106,263 young and adolescent girls supported to enrol and stay in school, avoiding early marriages. Moreover, another set of 99,704 girls in their late teens attending vocational courses and income-generating economic empowerment programmes. These are some of the demographic transformational successes taking place in the Sahel, but hardly make it to the headlines.

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As the new decade begins, our quest now is to upscale the successes of change enablers harnessing demography to achieve peace, security and development as evidenced by SWEDD, FassE, MUSKOKA and Population dAfrique which is a regional initiative alongside other community-based initiatives.

Given the numerous trials faced in the just-ended decade, it is imperative to rethink the previous assumptions that informed the various interventions in the Sahel and bolster the simple yet effective all-inclusive grassroots initiatives. The dynamic demography that defines the Sahel is its youth and women who are actively involved in reimagining the region while at the same time recasting a new intervention narrative that goes deeper to find tangible lasting solutions that will expedite a regional build forward better for this new decade.

Mabingue Ngom is the Regional Director of the UNFPA-West and Central African Regional Office (UNFPA-WCARO).

This article was first published by AllAfrica, a Premium Times syndication partner.
President Buhari sacked two ministers in a minor cabinet reshuffle after an independent and critical self-review, that helped to identify weak areas in his government, his office has said.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, the presidents spokesperson, Femi Adesina, said the review helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians.

In his statement, Mr Adesina also included the full to text of a speech delivered by the president to his cabinet on Wednesday to announce the sack.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the sack of the power minister, Sale Mamman, and the agriculture minister, Sabo Nanono, on Wednesday.

In the same vein, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Minister of Environment, was redeployed to assume office as the Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, while Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, Minister of State, Works & Housing will now be the Minister of Power, Mr Adesina wrote.

Read the full text of Mr Adesinas statement below.

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT BUHARI APPROVES CABINET RESHUFFLE

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a reshuffle in the cabinet formed on August 21, 2019.

In a statement to cabinet members during the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday 1st September, President Buhari announced that Mohammed Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Engr. Sale Mamman, Minister of Power were leaving the cabinet.

In the same vein, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Minister of Environment, was redeployed to assume office as the Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, while Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, Minister of State, Works & Housing will now be the Minister of Power.

The President said the changes were sequel to the tradition of subjecting our projects and programs implementation to independent and critical self-review through sector reporting during Cabinet meetings and at retreats.

He added that these significant review steps have helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians.

Femi Adesina

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

September 01, 2021

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The full text of the statement is reproduced below:

On Wednesday 21st August, 2019 the current Federal Executive Council was sworn-in after a rigorous retreat to bring returning and new members up to speed on the accomplishments, challenges and lessons drawn from my first term in Office and to emphasise the 9 priority areas of government for the second term.

2. Two years and some months into the second term, the tradition of subjecting our projects and programs implementation to independent and critical self-review has taken firm roots through sector Reporting during Cabinet meetings and at Retreats.

3. These significant review steps have helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians.

4. I must commend this cabinet for demonstrating unparalleled resilience that helped the government to navigate the disruption to global systems and governance occasioned by the emergence of COVID-19 shortly after inauguration. The weekly Federal Executive Council meetings was not spared because the traditional mode was altered.

5. As we are all aware, change is the only factor that is constant in every human endeavour and as this administration approaches its critical phase in the second term, I have found it essential to reinvigorate this cabinet in a manner that will deepen its capacity to consolidate legacy achievements.

6. Accordingly, a few cabinet changes, marking the beginning of a continuous process, have been approved. They are as follows:

Ministers Leaving the Cabinet:

I. Mohammed Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and

II. Engr. Sale Mamman, Minister of Power.

Redeployment:

I. Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Minister of Environment, to assume office as the Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development;

II. Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, Minister of State, Works & Housing assume office as the Minister of Power.

7. In due course, substantive nominations will be made to fill the consequential vacancies in accordance with the requirements of the constitution.

8. I have personally met with the departing members to thank them for their contributions to discussions in cabinet and the invaluable services rendered to the nation. Today, effectively marks their last participation in the Federal Executive Council deliberations and I wish them the best in all future endeavours.

9. Finally, I wish to reiterate once more, that this process shall be continuous.

10. I thank you all and May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Sam (surname withheld), a second-year National Diploma student at the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos, says he stopped reading in the school due to exposure to indiscriminate smoking.

The 21-year-old has never seen a No-smoking or Smoking area sign on the campus. He says there is no designated place for smoking in the school.

My friends and I used to do our assignment when we first gained admission here but we noticed that some students smoke beside the Art Complex and also behind the School of Liberal Studies at night, they smoke weed. Sometimes, I also perceive it in class, since then we take our assignments home, he said.

Contrary to the stipulations of the Lagos State anti-smoking law, most public places, including tertiary institutions and hotels, do not have designated smoking places.

The Lagos State House of Assembly passed the Law to Provide for the Regulation of Smoking in Public Places in Lagos State and for Connected Purposes bill in January 2014 and it was signed into law by the then governor, Babatunde Fashola, a few weeks later.

The seven-page law, which comprises 16 sections, outlaws smoking in all public places such as libraries, museums, public toilets, schools, hospitals, daycare centres, schools and public buses, restaurants, hotels, stadia, among others. Penalties for defaulters range from N10,000 to N50,000 fines or imprisonment.

According to Section 3(ii) of the law, Without prejudice to the above subsection, an owner, occupier or a person in charge of a place listed in Schedule II may designate a section which shall not be more than ten per cent (10%) of the premises as a Smoking Area.' The facilities listed in Schedule II of the law include tertiary institutions, bars and nightclubs, and hotels.

Ignoring the law

A report by the Centre for the Study of Economies of Africa (CSEA), titled Health burden and economic cost of smoking in Nigeria, revealed that Nigeria records 28,876 preventable deaths related to tobacco annually and the country has been leading tobacco markets in Africa and the absolute number of active smokers remains one of the highest on the continent.

The research found that the Nigerian health system spends over N500 billion yearly to treat illnesses caused by smoking and passive smoking.

A PREMIUM TIMES check of public places in Lagos showed that most of them do not have designated smoking places within their facilities.

Academic institutions like the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos State University (Badagry entrance), St Mary and Alfred, and some other public secondary schools do not have the No Smoking symbol at their entrances as provided by the law.

A staff of St Mary and Alfred, who refused to identify herself, said Im not aware. It is somehow, dont you think?

She urged the government to inform schools in Lagos of the law and their role in the implementation process.

Section 4 of the law stipulates as follows:

(1) It shall be the duty of any person who owns, occupies or is in charge of Duty of the management of a No Smoking Area to Owner/Occupier

i. Ensure that approved No Smoking signs are displayed conspicuously at each entrance and in prominent locations throughout the premises;

ii. Ensure that all No Smoking Areas are fixed with smoke detectors;

iii. Ensure that where anyone smokes outside the premises of a public area, such is not done within ten (10) from the entrance of the premises; and

iv. Cause a person smoking in a No Smoking Area to stop smoking.

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Most hotels, schools, banks, restaurants, shopping malls, and religious centres visited in Ikeja and Surulere did not fully comply with the law. For instance, Ikeja City Mall in Ikeja and Shoprite and Leisure Mall in Surulere do not have the signage displayed at their gates or within their facilities.

Some of the workers in the malls who spoke to this reporter said they had never seen any of the signage on their premises. But security guards at the cinemas at the malls in Surulere and Ikeja said they do not have the signs but that it is displayed on their screens for viewers before the start of movies.

Chinenye Peter, the manager of Palasino Hotel in Surulere, said although there is no signage that their lounge is the only place permitted for smokers, the receptionist informs every guest at the point of entry of the hotel regulations.

While some hotels do not have no smoking signs at their gates, they, however, display it at their reception and outside the elevators.

Michael Odogwu, a hotel manager in Surulere, said they check out from their room any guest found violating the anti-smoking law.

We once caught two guys smoking in their rooms, so when they were discovered we checked them out. Because they violated the rule and they had been told not to in the first place.

Ms Peter said they also expel defaulting guests from their facility, but after they had issued the first warning.

Once we detect, we issue a warning, and if it continues we take action. The person is not entitled to a refund. If it becomes violent we have the DSS and the police number to take care of it, she said.

She added that in the lounge, we only allow some types of smoking. Marijuana, narcotics, are not allowed, the bouncer will bounce such people out.

Way forward

Tosin Agunbiade, an environmentalist, said tobacco products have a damaging impact on the environment aside from the health consequences.

He said cigarette butts are not just a nuisance but toxic waste and when not properly disposed of can cause fire outbreaks.

They contain chemicals that contaminate our waterways and ground soil and harm our wildlife. Cigarette butts cause pollution by being carried as runoff, to drains and from there to rivers, beaches, and oceans, he added.

Mr Agunbiade urged the state government to install CCTV in strategic places to strengthen the enforcement of the law and to safeguard lives and properties.

If possible, designated smoking areas should be provided and the waste generated while smoking and after should be properly managed.

General public announcement or awareness should be done periodically. People need to be educated and informed about the effect smoking has on the environment, health safety, and the possible sanctions.

Zero enforcement

Since August 2014 when the anti-smoking law came into effect in Lagos, there has been no reported case of arrest or prosecution by the authorities.

The Lagos State government has not demonstrated any willingness to implement the law, said Akinbode Oluwafemi, a tobacco-control advocate.

We are yet to see what they are doing, said Mr Oluwafemi, whose organisation, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, was instrumental in the passing of the law.

There is the National Tobacco Control Act of 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019 that have comprehensive provisions on the use of tobacco products. We had expected Lagos State to be at the forefront of enforcing those laws, but the opposite is the case.

When this reporter visited the information unit of the Lagos State Environment Protection Agency (LASEPA) to enquire about the compliance to the law and prosecution rate, she was given a phone number by a staff identified as Ms Tolu to send questions via text message. She said her boss was unavailable.

Messages and phone calls to the number were not responded to.
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President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked two ministers from his cabinet.

A presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, confirmed that the affected ministers are the Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, and his counterpart in the power ministry, Saleh Mamman.

Mr Adesina addressed State House reporters in Abuja.

The sack of the two ministers is coming two years and few days after they were inaugurated by the president in 2019 alongside 41 of their colleagues.

Mr Nanono hails from Kano State while Mr Mamman is from Taraba State.

Mr Mammans reign as minister marked little or no improvement in the power sector as the power situation in the country remained without any significant improvement.

The two ministers will become the first set of ministers to be sacked by the president since he assumed office in 2015. His first set of ministers served out his first term.

More details will be provided in subsequent reports.
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The police have confirmed that 73 students were abducted Wednesday afternoon at Government Day Secondary School in Kaya in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The state governor, Bello Matawalle, hails from Marudun.

Earlier, PREMIUM TIMES reported how bandits stormed the public school and whisked away students.

The latest wave of abductions in Zamfara followed new stringent policies announced by the governments of adjoining north-west states to cut supply of essential commodities to bandits operating from forests in the states.

Police spokesperson in Zamfara, Muhammad Shehu, confirmed Wednesday incident through a statement.

The command wishes to confirm the abduction of 73 Students of Government Day Secondary school, Kaya in Maradun LGA.

The abduction followed the invasion of the school by large number of armed bandits that occurred today at exactly 1122hrs.

The Command under the leadership of CP Ayuba N Elkanah psc+ has deployed search and rescue team that was mandated to work in synergy with the military to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted students

The commissioner further appealed to the general public, especially parents and relatives of the abducted students to exercise patience and continue to pray for the success of the Ongoing rescue operation.

Security has also been been beefed up at Kaya Village and environ to forestall further attack on the communities. Further development will be made known to members of the public, the police spokesperson said.
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Zamfara State government has shut down schools across the state following Wednesdays abduction of 73 students from a public school in the state..

The state government also imposed a 6 p.m to 6 a.m. curfew on 13 local government areas and 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. in Gusau, the state capital.

The police commissioner in the state, Ayuba Elkana, made the disclosure while briefing journalists after a security meeting chaired by Governor Bello Matawalle.

He said he has deployed a search and rescue team to work with the military to rescue the abducted students.

The security meeting was convened after students of Government Day Secondary School kaya in Maradun were kidnapped Wednesday afternoon.

A source in Maradun confirmed that the Vice Principal of the school, Zayyanu Tsaba, was among those kidnapped.

The chairman of a civil society organisation in Maradun, Shehu Abdullahi, told PREMIUM TIMES that the students were abducted while some of them were writing their mock examination.

The school authorities have unofficially informed us that they are more than 300 Students in the school. Of course, not all of them were at school today but we believe the number of those taken should be around 100.

Some ran the moment the bandits started gathering the students and they were chased. While many of them escaped into nearby farmlands, others were captured by the bandits.

The police have confirmed that 73 students were abducted but did not specify whether the figure includes the vice principal of the school.

A former councilor in the area told a local news medium in Zamfara that four of his children were among the students kidnapped.
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The head of the Bakassi Returnees in Cross River, Etim Ene, has appealed to the federal and Cross River Government to assist them return their children to school.

Mr Ene made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Wednesday.

He said, as displaced people, it was hard for them to afford the education of their children both at the primary and secondary school level.

The government of Nigeria has been giving us relief materials and we are grateful, but we need our children to return to school and be trained to become leaders of tomorrow.

The present situation of the Bakassi returnees and the environment makes it difficult for the children to attend school even though education is paramount in their lives.

We are pleading with the government of Nigeria to see how children of displaced persons in Bakassi can be given scholarships from primary to the university levels, he said.

Cross River State has about 111,204 registered displaced persons, according to the Director-General, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Princewill Ayim.

Mr Ayim said the state does not have the resources to take care of all of them at once.

In Cross River at the moment, we have communal clashes over land, refugees situation and those affected by flood, as well as other natural disasters.

The governor has been putting in a lot of efforts to ameliorate the situation, but the number is growing every day, making the situation complex, he said.

Mr Ayim, however, commended organisations like the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency for their support to displaced persons, and appealed to others to do the same.

The Bakassi Peninsula, which was part of Cross River State and Akwa Ibom, was ceded to Cameroon on August 14, 2008, following a ruling by the International Court of Justice.

The federal government, since then, has embarked on several initiatives to effectively assist Nigerians displaced from that region.

(NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the new board of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to make more investments that support economic diversification.

The president made the call while inaugurating the third Board of the NSIA at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that the call had become imperative in view of the fact that global oil prices were projected to drop to around 40 dollars per barrel by 2030.

The President reaffirmed his administrations commitment to implementing long term projects and programmes that would create more jobs for Nigerians.

He noted that the full impact of most of the strategic projects started under his watch would only be felt long after he had left office.

He described the appointment of the 9-man board as a call to duty, action and performance, adding that they were eminently qualified for the job.

This Government operates on the agenda for long term change which we all agree is inevitable. Change happens whether you are ready for it or not.

As representatives of the Federation, you are required to continue to drive the performance of the Authority to deliver benefits to all Nigerians.

You must bear in mind that the National Economic Council, your Governing Council and Nigerians as a whole will hold you accountable for this mandate.

Periodically, you will be required to provide evidence of your stewardship at the Governing Council Meetings where your performance will be assessed.

The bar before you is very high and all of us are counting on you to deliver. If you do, I assure you that Government and indeed all Nigerians will be unflinching in their support for you, the President said.

The President recounted that NSIA, which was one of Nigerias premier economic institutions, was conceived to be a store of wealth which may be drawn upon at times of economic challenges thereby encouraging external investors and lenders.

He expressed delight that so far the institution had discharged its mandate dutifully.

This is why we prioritised the appointment of a new Board to ensure that the Authority does not lose steam and can continue to benefit from the oversight it needs to deliver on its mandate.

The new Board we assembled has a crop of seasoned, eminently qualified, and experienced professionals.

We expect these individuals to bring their wealth of experience to bear, in the next phase of NSIAs journey, he said.

The President thanked the last Board of Directors whose tenure ended in May.

He acknowledged their commitment, dedication and contributions to the implementation of the objectives of the Authority.

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This distinguished group of patriotic Nigerians heeded the call to serve and deployed the best of their abilities to oversee the affairs of the Authority on behalf of the nation over the last four years.

The immediate past Board guided the organisation through a critical stage of its existence and have left it standing as a credible world class institution that turns out consistently good results.

This Administration took the very difficult decision to invest for the long term. We avoided taking short cuts knowing very well that the full impact of most of the projects we started will only be felt long after we have left office.

Accordingly, in the past four years, both the public and private sectors in Nigeria have partnered on strategic projects with the NSIA.

On the public sector partnership, the President stated that his administration was working with the NSIA on strategic infrastructure projects such as the Second Niger Bridge, the Lagos  Ibadan Express Way and the Abuja  Kano Road.

Buhari disclosed that the Federal Government was collaborating with private sector to deliver projects such as the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative, the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative and the NSIA Healthcare Development and Investment Company amongst many.

Although these projects and programmes have immediately created jobs from a development standpoint, the wider impact on society will only be felt in years to come, he said.

The new Board members are Farouk Mohammed Gumel (North West) as Non-Executive Chairman; Babatunde Sobamowo (South West), Non-Executive Director; Isiekwena Ikemefuna Louis (South South) Non-Executive Director.

Others are Ali Goni Kadugum (North East), Non-Executive Director; Oniyangi Kabir Sulaiman (North Central), Non-Executive Director; and Ike Chioke (South East), Non-Executive Director.

In her remarks, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said from the base position of one billion dollars when the Administration assumed office in 2015, NSIA now has around 3.5 billion dollars in assets under management.

She explained that the Board would, on behalf of the Nigerian people, guide and oversee the NSIA Managements activities towards delivering outcomes to transform the fortunes of the country.

Using the NSIA Act as its guide, the Board will be required to superintend initiatives that meet the current and future needs of Nigerians.

On our part as Government, we will continue to support the Authority with the necessary policies and framework to ensure that the mission of the institution is delivered in a transparent, sustainable and inclusive manner, she said. (NAN)
Many Nigerians have continued to shower encomiums on the director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, over his appointment as an assistant director-general of the global health body- World Health Organisation (WHO).

The WHOs director-general, Tedros Ghebreyesus, on Wednesday, in an official letter addressed to Mr Ihekweazu, confirmed his appointment as the deputy in charge of health emergency intelligence at the global health organisation.

Whilst Mr Ihekweazu still serves as the head of Nigerias infectious disease agency, the letter disclosed that he will assume the new office on November 1, 2021, and will be in charge of WHOs pandemic and epidemic response hub in Berlin, Germany.

I am pleased to welcome Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu as an Assistant Director-General for Health Emergency Intelligence from November 1, 2021.

He will lead the work on strengthening pandemic and epidemic intelligence globally, including heading the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin, the letter reads in part.

About Ihekweazu

Mr Ihekweazu, who currently heads the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, was trained as an infectious disease epidemiologist with more than 20 years of experience working in senior public health and leadership positions in several national public health institutes, including the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases, the United Kingdoms Health Protection Agency, and Germanys Robert Koch Institute.

The new appointee is said to have led several short-term engagements for WHO, mainly in response to major infectious disease outbreaks around the world.

The letter added; Dr Ihekweazu, a Nigerian national, who was born in Germany, is a graduate of the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria and has a Masters in Public Health from the Heinrich-Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany.

In 2003, he was awarded a Fellowship for the European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training and subsequently completed his Public Health specialisation in the United Kingdom.

He is widely published in medical peer-reviewed journals.

Serving Nigeria

Mr Ihekweazu was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2016 as the acting head of the NCDC, the agency responsible for the control and prevention of communicable diseases in the country.

The epidemiologist became the first substantive head of the disease agency in November 2018 following the signing of the NCDC act into law.

As NCDC director-general, Ihekweazu has led the response to large outbreaks of infectious diseases such as yellow fever, Lassa fever and monkeypox.

Since the coronavirus outbreak in early 2020, Ihekweazu has led Nigerias public health response to the pandemic through the NCDC.

He has been serving on the WHOs IHR Emergency Committee for COVID-19, chaired by Didier Houssin.

Mr Ihekweazu serves as a Member of the Africa Task Force for Coronavirus Steering Committee, where he chairs the Infection Prevention Control Sub-Committee.

He is also a Member of Nigerias Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

Encomiums

On Wednesday, a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and former presidential candidate during the 2019 general election, Kingsley Moghalu, spoke glowingly of Mr Ihekweazu, adding that they were both colleagues at the WHO in the past.

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Mr Moghalu, who shared his congratulatory message on his Facebook wall, described the new appointment as a reward for hard work.

Congratulations to Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu of Nigeria on his appointment as Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) in charge of the Pandemic and Epidemic Response Hub in Berlin. A very well deserved appointment.

Proud of Chikwe, who handled Nigerias #COVID19 response brilliantly as Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. Chikwe and I were colleagues at WHO in Geneva years ago, and he has always been a dedicated and consummate professional.

Similarly, an official of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Omoniyi Ibietan, congratulated the new appointee and wished him well.

Other Nigerians have since been sharing the new on social media describing it as one of the good things to come out of the country.
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The Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) has asked to collaborate with other medical personnel in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The association made the appeal in Benin on Wednesday when its leadership paid a courtesy visit to the former national president, Clement Alile, ahead of the associations national convention slated for Benin from October 25 to 29.

The acting national president of NVMA, Ibrahim Ado, who stated this, expressed regret that being experts in animals and its diseases, the association had not been carried along in the efforts to combat the pandemic.

Mr Ado, who also bemoaned the governments indifference to veterinary doctors, noted that with its over 9,000-member strength, they were still doing enough to deliver on their mandate.

Veterinarians are noble professionals that stand out among others. Sadly in the country, our roles as veterinarians are not duly recognised by the government.

However, we are making conscious efforts to let the public know who we are and what we do. We are pushing hard to see (that) things are done the way they should be and our roles are not being neglected.

If you take a look at the current pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic, we have veterinarians that are experts on COVID as far back as 40 to 50 years. But the people are just knowing of it with this pandemic.

All the theory of the current pandemic is that it came from animals and we are the authority in diseases of animals.

So, we should be brought into the fold, so that we can all collaborate and save humanity together, he said.

On his part, Mr Alile who served as the president of NVMA from 1983 to 1985, noted that the policy thrust of the government, among others, had not served to encourage veterinary physicians.

Mr Alile, a former secretary to the Edo State Government, however, said that as a disciplined body, the members must continue to do their best to lift humanity.

Veterinary doctors are very responsible and disciplined people who will rather take these challenges as they come and attend to them, he said.

While justifying incessant strikes, especially by medical professionals, the septuagenarian urged the government not to always renege on agreements with unions or associations.

If government enters into any agreement, it must keep its own side of the agreement, this is where the problem always arises from, he stated.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the October convention, Michael Ehizokhale, has announced the theme for the 57th annual convention in Edo as: The veterinarian and global health security.

He said the convention would have Governor Godwin Obaseki and Gabriel Igbinedion as special guest and special guest of honour, respectively.

(NAN)
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The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved a new National Policy for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the end of meeting of the Council at the State House, Abuja,

The meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The minister, who was excited at the approval, described it as a milestone in the determination of the government to bring succour to displaced persons.

Today at Council the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, presented a memo for the approval of a draft national policy on internally displaced persons in Nigeria, Mrs Farouq said.

I must say that today is a great day for the ministry and the government because this administration has reached another milestone for the purpose of internally displaced persons.

The National Policy on Internal Displacements provides a platform for all relevant actors in the humanitarian and development space to key in and contribute towards a common goal.

ALSO READ: Zamfara govt offers to work with FG to resettle IDPs

According to the minister, the overall goal of the policy is to strengthen the institutional mechanism and frameworks for the realisation of the rights, dignity and wellbeing of vulnerable populations through the mitigation of impact and achievement of durable solutions to internal displacements in Nigeria.

With the approval of the policy, a multi-sectorial structure will fully emerge, which will ensure a coordinated, operational and strategic response to all the humanitarian challenges our great nation is facing, she said.

In 2003, the federal government constituted a committee to draft a National Policy on IDPs with a view to assisting in registration and issuance of identity cards, prevention or reduction in instances of internal displacement and allocation of responsibilities to agencies and organs of government and non-government actors.

The assignment of the committee led to a National Policy on IDPs which was presented to the government in 2011.
A coalition of faith leaders from many of the worlds biggest religions have united in Ghana to sign a declaration against modern slavery.

The commitment by 14 leaders from four countries to the Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders Against Modern Slavery represents a pan-African coalition of ethical leaders to fight an injustice which affects more than 40 million people globally.

The Declaration signing was hosted by the Global Freedom Network, the faith arm of international human rights group, Walk Free, which is dedicated to accelerating the end of modern slavery.

It is the eighth signing since 2014, when Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi joined other faith leaders from many of the worlds great religions in declaring that modern slavery must be eradicated.

Modern slavery is an umbrella term that includes human trafficking, domestic servitude, the worst forms of child labour and forced and child marriage.

Armiyawo Shaibu, the spokesperson for Ghanas national chief Imam, said all religions denounced these crimes.

As faith leaders, you have a very special position in Ghanaian society, Mr Shaibu, a sheikh, said.

You can see changes in people that would pass many others by. And you understand what poverty and desperation can do to men, women and children.

So you are uniquely placed to identify victims and help victims by putting them in touch with professionals who can help them and who can help deal with the perpetrators.

Lazarus Anondee, secretary-general of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, said that modern slavery often involved cheap or abusive labour.

Human trafficking is an especially heinous crime. This is because it involves the exploitation and abuse of human beings for profit, Mr Anondee, a reverend father, said.

Walk Free co-founder Grace Forrest, who was in the Ghanaian capital Accra for the signing, said faith leaders were pivotal in the fight to end modern slavery.

Faith leaders are uniquely positioned to observe and tackle instances of modern slavery in their communities, Ms Forrest said.

This is especially so in Africa, where faith is embedded in communities and the prevalence of modern slavery is high.

Faith leaders are able to influence where government and business cannot. They can work as community leaders creating systems change and legal reform, as well as providing moral guidance and education to their congregations.

We are deeply honoured to be in Ghana for this signing, and we acknowledge the history of slavery and the exploitation of the people of this country and other parts of Africa, the effects of which are still felt today and are undoubtedly connected to the prevalence of modern slavery

in this region.

Walk Free is committed to working alongside these leaders to accelerate the end of modern slavery.

Faith leaders from Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Cote dIvoire joined Ghanaian leaders to sign the commitment in a ceremony held under strict COVID-19 protocols.

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Both the National Interfaith Council of South Africa (NICSA) and the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK), who could not join because of COVID-19, said their organisations wholeheartedly endorsed the declaration and that their representatives look forward to adding their signatures.

The signing event coincided with the launch of the Faith For Freedom smartphone app, which was developed in collaboration with faith leaders to help guide them to tackle modern slavery in their communities and congregations.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of the House of Representatives from Benue State have asked the federal government to redeem the N10 billion pledged to the state through the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

The caucus, while briefing journalists on Wednesday, said the federal government has failed to redeem the pledge it made in 2018 to help resettle IDPs across the state.

The vice president had in 2018 announced that the federal government had approved N10 billion for the resettlement of displaced persons to their communities.

Mr Osinbajo made the pledge during his visit to Abagena IDP camp back in 2018.

However, Mr Osinbajo did not state if the fund was for Benue State alone.

Mr Ortom was a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the time the pledge was made.

The governor later dumped the APC, the party at the centre for the opposition PDP.

Mark Gbillah (PDP, Benue), who led the caucus at the briefing, said the government has been able to allocate billions to the building of ranches in Katsina State, but unable to give the state the N10 billion.

This government has approved N6 billion for cattle rearing in Katsina State for ranching, while they promised N10 billion for the resettlement of human beings citizens of this nation  several years ago and they have been unable to meet that promise. This same government is building a railway to Niger Republic. We seem to have money to do all these things but no money to resettle IDPs in Benue after a pledge in that regard. How can we take that government seriously?

Francis Agbo, another member of the caucus, said Mr Ortom has been overwhelmed with the general insecurity in the state, noting that the N10 billion will help the state to manage the IDPs.

Ben Nzondu, representing Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency, disclosed that half of his constituency is inaccessible due to the insecurity in the country.

He said over one million persons in the state have been displaced because of the insecurity in the country.

I represent the governor, and we have 21 council wards, and as we speak, nine of those are inaccessible. That is to tell you that half of my constituency is not accessible. That is the state capital.

The humanitarian situation in the state, over a million people, in a population of about four million people. You have about 1.5 million in IDPs across the state, he said.

The caucus also frowned at the recent call by the Minister for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, George Akume, for a state of emergency in Benue State.

Mr Akume, a former governor of the state, had in a press conference in Abuja and attended by some members of the APC, asked Mr Ortom to desist from attacking Mr Buhari.

The former governor also accused the governor of using the livestock guard as political tool of intimidating opponents.

He spoke in reaction to a media interview by Mr Ortom during which the governor accused the president of Fulanisation agenda in the country.

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The caucus rejected the position of Mr Akume.

The caucus said: We wish to respond to the issues raised in the press conference by Sen. George Akume who has never lent his voice to the clarion call for the cessation of incessant killings in Benue, despite his assumed closeness to the president, rather chose to attack the person of the governor, called for the disbandment of the livestock guards so as to bring further hardship on the displaced people of Benue State with over a million people in IDP camps.

It is pathetic that the person of Akume who has benefited greatly from the Benue people can call for emergency rule in Benue State and invite soldiers to further rape and maim our people.

The governor, as far as members of this caucus are aware, has called ad infinitum, on the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to intervene and arrest the protracted bloodletting in the state, with little or in very many instances, no response from the federal government.

We will not dwell on the allegations of a lack of accountability against Gov. Ortom, on a plethora of issues, as raised by Sen. George Akume, but we leave him to the legal dictum that says: He who claims, must prove.

The caucus also disclosed that it will explore legislative interventions when the lawmakers resume from their annual holiday.
For the second time, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, has ordered the Nigerian police to either release or charge Glory Okorie, an alleged spy for the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

The ESN is the military wing of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The 21-year-old Miss Okolie was arrested by the operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a tactical unit of the police, on June 17, 2021 in Imo State and subsequently transferred to Abuja.

Having been incarcerated since her arrest, the suspect has been in custody for 75 days as of Tuesday.

The judge, Sylvester Oriji, had on Friday, August 27, 2021, given the police an ultimatum to either charge her to court on or before 31, 2021, or grant her bail.

Instead of complying with the order, the police authorities, on Tuesday, approached the court, urging Mr Oriji to reverse his earlier ruling on the matter.

The judge, after listening to the police, asked them to comply with the earlier order.

Mr Oriji explained that he could no longer preside over the matter because the case file had been returned to the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court for reassignment to another judge.

Meanwhile, the suspects lawyer, Samuel Ihensekhein, while reacting to the polices attempt to upturn Miss Okolies release in his absence, wondered why the legal department of the police would engage in a back-door and shoddy courtroom practice.

The lawyer lauded the judge for not cowering to the antics of the police, adding that the police authorities have no choice but to comply with the order and set his client free.

Last Friday ruling

Mr Ihensekhein had filed an application on August 24, specifically, suing the Inspector General of Police, Tunde Disu, a deputy commissioner of police heading the IRT, and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), as the respondents.

He had urged the court to order the release of Miss Okorie on bail from unlawful incarceration by the police for nearly three months.

In his ruling, the judge ordered the respondents  police authorities  to charge her to court on or before August 31, 2021, should their be any case against her.

In the alternative to the order directing the police to charge the suspect, the court ordered the respondents to release Miss Okorie on bail in the sum of N2million with a surety.

Mr Oriji said the surety must be a civil servant not less than Grade Level 12 in the federal civil service.

Public outcry over Okolies detention

Public outcry had trailed Miss Okolies incarceration by the police.

Last week, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) demanded the release of Miss Okories release from illegal police detention which had lasted about 71 days as of Friday.

The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, said the only alternative open to the police was to charge her to court.

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Mr Ojukwu, who was quoted in a statement released by the commission last Tuesday, described the detention as a gross violation of human rights, adding that it must be accounted for to serve as a deterrent.

The commission is therefore using this medium to demand the immediate and unconstitutional release of the detainee or in alternative charge her to a court of competent jurisdiction so that she will enjoy the right to fair hearing and the opportunity to defend the allegations against her, if any, Mr Ojukwu had said.

ESN, believed to be the military arm of the outlawed separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been blamed for various violent activities in the South-east and South-south regions.

Similarly, Amnesty International, which had called for her release on Monday, said she was apprehended by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a tactical unit of the Nigerian police, headed by Tunde Disu in Imo State on June 17, 2021.

The international human rights watchdog said she was later moved to Abuja where she has been denied access to her family members and lawyer in violation of her rights.

Mr Ojukwu noted that the unprofessional conduct of the police cannot be tolerated in the 21st Century, adding that perpetrators of such heinous crime must be immediately brought to justice.

Expressing sadness over the claims of her being used as slave by police officers, Mr Ojukwu noted that the detainee was washing clothes, sent in errands to buy stuffs for officers, tortured by some of the officers in charge of her detention hence the need for her release without further delay.

We will not hesitate to condemn such unprofessional conduct which undoubtedly resulted in further violation of the rights of the lady in question because her rights to freedom of movement and liberty among several others had been allegedly violated with impunity by the very personnel charged with the responsibility of protecting the lives and property of citizens, the NHRC boss was quoted in the statement.

Police allegations

The police had accused the 21-year-old Miss Okolie of being complicit in the series of deliberate and well-coordinated attacks on security formations and other critical national infrastructures in the South-east and South-south regions.

The deputy public relations officer of the police, Aremu Adeniran, said Ms Okolie was arrested in Imo State, adding that she had aided the police in the arrest of one of the ESNs top leaders they identified as Onye Army.
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While the World Health Organisation said the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic is stabilising on the continent of Africa, Nigeria was again hard hit on Tuesday.

A total of 14 deaths and 626 new infections were recorded across nine states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The new statistics, NCDC noted, has raised the countrys total infections to 192,431 and the fatality toll standing at 2,469.

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja, FCT, the WHO representative in Nigeria, Walter Mulombo, said though, with almost 248,000 cases reported in the past week, Africa was already gaining control over the third wave.

The News Agency of Nigeria had quoted Mr Mulombo saying, the trend on the continent was that each new wave struck Africa faster and harder, reaching a higher number of new cases, more rapidly than the previous wave.

Breakdown of Nigerias new statistics

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), with Nigerias total active coronavirus cases of 11,203, Lagos on Tuesday recorded the highest share of the days tally with 334 cases.

Rivers State ranks second on the log with 134 cases while Oyo, FCT, Osun and Plateau followed with 60,41,20 and 14 cases respectively.

Also, Ogun State reported nine; Ekiti, seven; Kwara, six and Benue recorded a single case.

Strategy

The disease centre noted that a multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 2, has continued to coordinate the countrys national response activities to halt the drift of the pandemic

The centre has also consistently campaigned against letting down the guard among the people, noting that the cost of prevention is far lower than the cost of managing the disease.

Hope rises

Meanwhile, the WHO official has said amidst the increasing cases and accompanying fatalities, there is still hope for the continent of Africa to rebound as soon as possible.

Mr Mulombo said with the increasing spate of vaccination on the continent, there is a potential that the target of vaccinating 10 per cent of Africas population would be met.

The good news is that, increasing vaccine supplies raises hope that the continent will meet the target of vaccinating 10 per cent of the population by the end of September, he said.

Mr Mulombo also noted that equitable access to safe and effective vaccines was critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that it was hugely encouraging to see vaccines listed for emergency use by WHO, being available for use in Nigeria.
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Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Tuesday signed the Ondo State anti-open grazing bill into law, Donald Ojogo, the commissioner for information and orientation, has said.

Mr Ojogo said in a statement that the decision was in line with the resolution of the Southern Governors Forum at its last meeting in Lagos where September 1st was set as the deadline for governors in southern Nigeria to sign the Anti-Open Grazing Bill into law.

This is worthwhile and a very laudable development aimed at stemming needless instances of skirmishes, conflicts as well as infractions on the enviably peaceful disposition of the good people of Ondo State, the statement said.

It is very pertinent to aver and indeed, reiterate that the law shall rather, engender a more cordial, mutually benefiting relationship amongst residents of the state irrespective of ethnicity, religion or creed. For emphasis, no particular group of persons is the target.

Mr Akeredolus move came three months after the bill passed the third reading in the state house of assembly amidst opposition from the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria.

Other south-west states such as Ogun, Osun, Oyo, and Ekiti have passed the anti-grazing bills.

In July, the 17 southern governors met in Lagos and set a September 1 deadline for their states to enact the anti-open grazing law.
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Nigerias democracy may continue to suffer setbacks if issues of electioneering culture, money politics and political party manipulations are not adequately resolved, election experts and politicians, have said.

They spoke at the Electoral Forum launch on Tuesday in Abuja.

In recent years, the country has arguably witnessed more democratic regression, which has questioned the social contract between government and the citizens and marred its electoral integrity.

At the launch of the forum established to facilitate systematic electoral reform, promote evidence-based lawmaking and strategies to improve Nigerias electoral management body (EMB), the experts and politicians, including the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; a former INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega; a Senior Fellow of the Center for Democracy and Development (CDD), Jibrin Ibrahim, among others, brought perspectives in the countrys growing electoral problems.

Mr Ibrahim, a professor, who served as a member of the Electoral Reform Committee established by the late President Umaru YarAdua, in his keynote speech, accused Nigerian politicians of circumventing plans devised to give Nigerians credible elections.

Nigerian politicians have very bad behaviour and they are less educated. The political class is the problem with the nations electoral experiments. They engage in political factionalism and fratricidal politics, he said, arguing that no political parties since 1999 had true members other than crowds who sheepishly follow the highest bidder or National Leader.

Nigerias Senate President, in his address read by his Adviser on Legal and Constitution Matters, Daniel Bwala, said a sustainable electoral process and laws are not possible without refined electioneering culture.

While there have been many more issues in our electoral history, it seems to me that if we have had adequate and unambiguous clauses, plus adequate advocacy, understanding and the will to comply, we would have had less controversies, fewer post-election court cases and generally, a more credible electoral process.

This is to say that we need adequate and generally acceptable rules of engagement in the electioneering process, he said, calling for a refined approach in the selection of party flag bearers, campaign rally and other political actions.

Mr Jega, on his part, said the change Nigerians demand may not come through the big platforms but possibly through third parties.

He encouraged young Nigerians in attendance to join parties with both long and short term realistic vision for a progressive nation and grow with the party.

Mr Jega, who supervised the 2015 elections that ended the 16 years rule of the PDP and ushered in the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, said he joined politics because he is tired of sitting and looking like many Nigerians.

I thank God for what he has done for me and my generation but what can I tell my children and grandchildren when eventually we allow people to wreck this country without doing nothing but sit and agonise over what they are doing, he said.

In a recent interview with BBC Hausa, the immediate past INEC chairman had called on Nigerians to dump both the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a more credible political platform in the 2023 General Elections.

He is currently a member of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), which is one of the 18 recognized parties in the country by INEC.

Other dignitaries who spoke at the launch, a concept of Princess Hamman-Obels Electoral Hub, include the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu; the Africa Director of MacArthur Foundation, Kole Shettima; and the Programme Coordinator of Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), Catherine Angai.

The 14-member forum will be headed by Bayo Olukoshi, a distinguished professor at the Wits School of Governance in South Africa.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Tuesday released the details of the best 10 candidates in its 2021 edition of its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The examination bodys registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, gave the details during his presentation at the 2021 admission policy meeting which held virtually and was attended by relevant education stakeholders including heads of tertiary institutions, admission officers and registrars.

According to Mr Oloyede, Monwuba Chibuzor Chibuikem, a male, with registration number, 10054281ID, from Lagos State, and who sat the examination in the state, topped the chart with a score of 358 out of the possible 400 mark.

Master Chibuikem was closely followed by the duo of Qomarudeen Abdulwasiu Alabi and Adeogun Kehinde Oreoluwa both rank second with their 350 marks.

Master Alabi, an indigene of Osun State, with registration number, 10115691FG, sat the examination in his state of origin.

On his part, Master Oreoluwa, also a male, with registration number, 10109964GI, is an indigene of Ogun State who sat his examination in the state.

The fourth best candidate on the list is Ajayi Eberechukwu Isaiah, a male, with registration number 10067858JC, scored 349. He hails from Lagos and sat the examination in Lagos.

Okarike Favour Kenneth, the first female on the list, with registration number 10088418AH, who hails from Rivers State and sat the examination in the state, scored 348 to take the fifth slot on the chart.

Meanwhile, the trio of Omonona Oluwamayokun Victor with registration number 10008972BG; Owoeye Israel Oluwatimilehin with registration number 10165579GD, and Ehizogie Jeffrey Aidelogie with registration number 10006469FG, all scored 347.

Masters Victor, Oluwatimilehin and Aidelogie hail from Oyo, Ekiti and Edo states, respectively. But while Oluwatimilehin sat his examination in Lagos, the other two sat for the examination in their states of origin.

Ajeigbe Moyinoluwa Samuel, with registration number 10151081AE, male, hails from Ekiti State. He sat the examination in Kwara State and scored 346, and is ranked 9th on the log.

Yakubu Abdulraheem Joshua with registration number 10050994FA, male, from Edo State, sat the examination in the same state and scored 343 to take the 10th slot.

Covenant university tops school choice

Meanwhile, the details as released by the JAMB registrar, have revealed that five of the best candidates chose to attend Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State.

The university, which is founded by the presiding bishop of a mega church in Nigeria, living faith church worldwide, otherwise known as winners chapel, David Oyedepo.

Apart from the best performing candidate, Master Chibuikem, four others, masters Victor, Oluwatimilehin and Samuel, and the only female on the list, Miss Favour, all chose Covenant University.

On his part, master Alabi who came second on the list, chose Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, while Master Oreoluwa chose to attend the University of Lagos.

Master Isiah, who ranks fourth on the log, applied to the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, while master Aidelogie chose Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Ekiti State.

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On his part, master Joshua applied to study at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State.

Courses of choice

Meanwhile, all the 10 candidates have chosen to study engineering and science courses.

While only one chose to study Mathematics and another decided to study computer science, all the remaining eight candidates opted to study engineering courses, including electrical and electronic, mechatronics, chemical, mechanical and computer engineering.
The United States Government has said the arrival of the first set of A-29 Super Tucano aircraft will enhance Nigerias fight against insecurity.

Speaking at a round table with select journalists prior to the official induction, Jeffrey Harrigian, a general in the U.S. Airforce and commander of the U.S. African Command, stated that the acquisition will not only contribute to the security stability of Nigeria but the African region.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had in July taken delivery of the first batch of six A-29 Super Tucano aircraft from the United States.

The Air Force said last year that air fighters from Nigeria were already in the U.S. receiving additional training on the usage and the applications of the fighter jets when eventually added to the fleet of combat aircraft.

The aircraft is expected to aid the fight against terrorism the North-east and other forms of insecurity in other parts of Nigeria.

After extensive discussions with the U.S. government, President Muhammadu Buhari in April 2018 placed an order for the aircraft.

He had said the procurement would help strengthen Nigerias national security, as well as a timely end to the Boko Haram war.

In a letter written to the National Assembly, the president said the Nigerian government transferred $469.4 million to the U.S. government for the purchase.

The matter then became a subject of controversy when the funds were released before approval by the National Assembly.

Apart from the Tucano fighter jets, Nigeria is also expecting other fighter jets from Pakistan.

What to expect from A-29 Super Tucano

While explaining the efficiency of the new aircraft, Mr Harrigian stated that the induction of the Super Tucano will be a defining moment in the fight against all forms of insecurity in Nigeria.

He said putting together the human capabilities of the armed forces side by side with the new fighter aircrafts, Nigeria will surmount its security in no distant time.

Importantly, the platform itself brings a multitude of capabilities and this is not just about weapons, it is about intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, it is about that operability that it provides between the air component and the ground component.

And so, it broadens the shared understanding of the force to be able to operate in these different domains.

And, we see this as a great opportunity to work together in these different areas to deepen our partnership look for future opportunities, whether it be training whether it be intelligence because part of what we offer and what we are going to work together is really the full package.

And, when we talk about the maintenance of an aircraft, when we talk about the tactics techniques and procedures that the pilots use, those are all things we are going to continue to refine together with the Nigerian Air Force.

And, we see this as really an opportunity to broaden those areas where we have these shared values and areas that were going to work together to ultimately work to improve the security instability and work in partnership with all the things that the embassy does, the U.S. general said.

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An experimental vaccine for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Africa has been shut down after data showed the shots offered only limited protection against the virus, researchers announced on Tuesday.

The vaccine, made by Johnson & Johnson (J&J), failed to provide sufficient protection against HIV in sub-Saharan Africa to young women, who accounted for a large number of infections in 2020.

Although the vaccine was found to be safe with no serious side effects reported, J&J said the study will not continue based on the efficacy data, a report published in the New York Times noted.

Although this is certainly not the study outcome for which we had hoped, we must apply the knowledge learned from the  trial and continue our efforts to find a vaccine that will be protective against HIV, said Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

The study

The trial, called Imbokodo, tested an experimental vaccine in 2,600 young women deemed at high risk of H.I.V. infection in five sub-Saharan African countries. Women and girls accounted for almost two-thirds of new H.I.V. infections in the region last year.

The vaccine relied on an adenovirus called Ad26, modified to carry fragments of four H.I.V. subtypes into the body in hopes of provoking an immune response that might defend against infection.

Participants in the Imbokodo trial, which began in 2017, were given two initial shots and two boosters over the course of a year. Researchers tracked the numbers of new infections in the placebo and vaccine groups from the seventh month (one month after the third vaccination) through the 24th month.

Over two years, 63 of 1,109 participants who received the placebo were infected with H.I.V., compared with 51 of 1,079 participants who received the vaccine  giving the vaccine an efficacy rate of 25 per cent.

Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC, an advocacy group that lobbies for AIDS prevention and treatment, said the cancellation of the trial was a reality check amid excitement about new vaccine technologies.

Its a grand reminder that H.I.V. is a pathogen unlike any other in its complexity, he said. We know the platform worked, but what do we put in it? Because this virus is infecting the exact same immune system that were trying to boost with a vaccine.

Earlier studies, including one carried out in Thailand, had indicated that the kind of antibodies this vaccine provoked might be sufficient to offer good protection from H.I.V. for at least an initial period of time.

But in South Africa, the higher rates of H.I.V. incidence means you need something much more potent, Glenda Gray, the principal investigator of the trial and chair of the South African Medical Research Council said.

He said the kind of immune responses that were induced were just not enough to stop the high attack rates seen in Africa

When the disappointing data showed a low efficacy rate, guidelines set up before the trial dictated it should be shut down.

A vaccine that offered only 25 per cent protection risked giving women a false sense of security, Mr Gray said.

Major setbacks

The results from the study are the latest setback to efforts to develop a vaccine to prevent the virus, which had infected over 37 million people globally as of 2020.

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In Nigeria, about 1.9 million people under the age of 64 are living with HIV, data from a 2018 HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) shows.

Approximately half of the projected population of HIV persons in the country are women, a new report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicates.

Previous trials

Another trial was halted last year in South Africa after a different experimental vaccine failed to offer sufficient protection. Some 1.5 million people were infected with H.I.V. worldwide in 2020, and 38 million are living with the infection.

Scientists were dismayed by the most recent failure.

I should be used to it by now, but youre never used to it  you still put your heart and soul into it, said Mr Gray.

Entirely new approaches may be needed. This month, Moderna announced that it would test a vaccine based on the mRNA platform used to devise the companys coronavirus vaccine.

More experiments

The J&J company said a parallel trial that uses a different iteration of this vaccine will continue. It is being tested on men who have sex with men and transgender people, in eight countries including Poland, Brazil and the United States.

That study, called Mosaico, is testing the vaccine against different subtypes of H.I.V. in different populations, and could produce different efficacy results.

Mr Gray said the lesson from the failed trial lies in figuring out why it worked for the 25 per cent of people who were protected and not for the others, and then trying to translate those clues into a recipe for a future vaccine.
The presidency has attacked Amnesty International, saying the international rights organisation is siding with terrorists and has no legal right to exist in Nigeria.

Garba Shehu, the spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, said this in a statement sent to journalists on Wednesday.

Mr Shehu was reacting to the latest report by Amnesty International (AI) asking the Nigerian government to end enforced disappearance in the country.

Nigerian security forces attempts to clamp down on Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) militants have led to arbitrary arrests, detentions, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions in the Southeast and Niger Delta area of Nigeria, AI said in the report published by PREMIUM TIMES in which it also listed some other cases of enforced disappearance in the country.

In its reaction, the presidency accused AI of promoting those that violently oppose the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Parroting the line of Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, a proscribed terror organisation, they work to legitimise its cause to Western audiences, Mr Shehu wrote.

The latest statement by the presidency joins a growing list of similar attacks on the international rights organisation by the Nigerian government and some of its organs over critical reports by AI of the human rights situation in Nigeria.

The Nigerian army, the military, the information ministry and others have at various times made statements to attack AI.

Read Mr Shehus full statement below.

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

WHY AMNESTYS ENTREATIES SHOULD BE IGNORED, BY PRESIDENCY

Amnesty Internationals latest salvo at Nigeria is but more of the same.

Again, they have decided to side with terrorists, before the liberty of those they injure, displace and murder.

Speaking the language of universal human rights, Amnesty International deploys it only in defence  even outright promotion  of those that violently oppose the Federal Government of Nigeria. Parroting the line of Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, a proscribed terror organisation, they work to legitimise its cause to Western audiences. This puts them in bad company. Controversial American lobbyists are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to do the same, laundering IPOBs reputation in Washington DC.

IPOB murder Nigerian citizens. They kill police officers and military personnel and set government property on fire. Now, they have amassed a substantial stockpile of weapons and bombs across the country. Were this group in a western country, you would not expect to hear Amnestys full-throated defence of their actions. Instead, there would be silence or mealy-mouthed justification of western governments action to check the spread of terrorism.

Despite Amnestys self-proclaimed mandate to impartially transcend borders, unfortunately in Nigeria they play only domestic politics. The international NGO is being used as cover for the organisations local leaders to pursue their self-interests. Regrettably, this is not uncommon in Africa. There is nothing wrong with an activist stance; there are claims of neutrality, when all facts point to the opposite.

Amnesty International has no legal right to exist in Nigeria. It must open a formal investigation into the personnel that occupy their Nigerian offices. They should reject the outrageously tendentious misinformation they receive and bring some semblance of due diligence to the sources they base their claims on. Currently, we see none.

The Nigerian government will fight terrorism with all the means at its disposal. We will ignore Amnestys rantings. Especially when it comes from an organisation that does not hold itself to the same standards it demands of others.

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Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)
the government can stem the tide of brain-drain, generally, and the mass exodus of Nigerian doctors to other countries by fixing our intractable security problems. Above all, government should stop politicising medical issues, because health is one of those things that bind humanity, rich and poor. Much of the money we spend on big wedding ceremonies for the children of VIPscan be diverted to health care.

The viral video of a recruitment exercise for the employment of Nigerian doctors to work in Saudi Arabia, at the peak of Nigerias health crisis, with resident doctors being on strike, should jolt us to the reality of the total collapse of the health sector.

One of the potential employee-doctors told of her shock on meeting her former teacher in the medical school also on the Saudi Arabian recruitment queue. And she had graduated 10 years ago. This means that it is not only the young doctors who are seeking greener pastures outside the shores of Nigeria, but even middle level and experienced medical personnel, who are all running away from our comatose health system.

The latest industrial action embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), and Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)s plan to join in solidarity with them, will further complicate an already complicated case of the leaving of citizens in limbo by a government that has no answer to the situation or which has blatantly refused to keep to its agreements with medical workers.

The last 20 years or so have witnessed an unending back-and-forth between government and medical personnel, and even university lectures, just because successive administrations have failed to keep to agreements they willingly entered into. If government fails to keep faith, can it blame citizens for failing to obey the laws of the land?

Being the fourth time in two years that doctors would be on strike, the impact of the ongoing downing of tools is so massive that all the government could think about are knee-jerk reactions, such as threats of no work, no pay, court orders seeking interim injunctions to stop the industrial action, and the swift movement of men of the State Security Service to Sheraton Hotel to stop the recruitment interview in question, and to disperse the attending doctors.

It is such a multiple tragedy for the Nigerian people, and the Nigerian government, whose resources were used in training these medical workers, to now allow them to go and serve other countries, because the same government cannot take care of their remuneration and welfare.

These reactions, unfortunately, cannot stop the mass exodus of medical workers that has gripped this nation in the past few years, particularly more prevalent now, with the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world. Even in developed countries, where careers are generally well-remunerated, the medical profession stands out, and stories abound to support this.

A friends daughter who studied Mass Communication in Nigeria recently relocated to the U.K. to study Nursing. There is also the story of a U.K. citizen who has a Masters degree in international law but who abandoned the earlier degrees to study Nursing too. According to her, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the medical field is the most sustainable ever and workers will always be needed there.

It is such a multiple tragedy for the Nigerian people, and the Nigerian government, whose resources were used in training these medical workers, to now allow them to go and serve other countries, because the same government cannot take care of their remuneration and welfare.

A look at the tuition fee of medical students in the U.K. shows how ours is almost free in comparison to theirs. Imagine paying between 40,000 to 58,000 per year in medical school. To now throw such investment in human capital away, in relation to medical personnel, is embarrassing. The non-payment of COVID-19 allowance to medical personnel is particularly worrisome. As frontline workers in the efforts to manage the pandemic, the NARD lost 19 members. Did they have to go on strike to get the benefits of their deceased members paid?

Meanwhile, the month-long strike has left in its wake tales of suffering and sorrow. Somewhere in Mararaba, parents of a set of pre-term twins had to move their under-mature babies to a private hospital in Asokoro, where they were asked to deposit N1 million to be able to access the hospitals incubator and other medicare. There is yet another story of a staff of a private media house in Abuja who kept her pre-term baby at home for lack of funds to take him to a private hospital, only for the baby to die a few days later.

I dont know what the Nigerian government hoped to achieve by unleashing the security operatives to disperse the would-be escapee-doctors gathered at the Sheraton hotel for the recruitment interview, after it failed woefully to manage the ongoing NARD strike properly.

The face-off between the NARD and government will leave its scars on innocent people who are unable to save their loved ones. It is convenient to blame the medical personnel for the strike and loss of lives, but the greater responsibility for the welfare of citizens is clearly stated in the Constitution. No doctor can be at his maximum best if he cannot pay his bills and put food on the table for his family. No matter how patriotic one wants to be, remaining in Nigeria despite all odds is extremely difficult if you have a leeway out of the situation. The existential reality and presssure for survival can push anyone qualified into the mass exodus train from Nigeria, to the certainty of good pay and allowances elsewhere.

I dont know what the Nigerian government hoped to achieve by unleashing the security operatives to disperse the would-be escapee-doctors gathered at the Sheraton hotel for the recruitment interview, after it failed woefully to manage the ongoing NARD strike properly. This amounts to looking outwards for a problem that is within, the same way government blames those who complain about their shoddiness, rather than blaming their own incapacity.

This raises another question of the way Nigerias resources are utilised.

Nigeria is an oil producing country, just like Saudi Arabia. However, while our resources are frittered away or stolen through many channels, the Saudis have been using theirs to fix their economy, build infrastructure and world class hospitals (with good pay to booth) that are conducive and attractive enough for Nigerian doctors.

Besides, the mismanagement of the economy, our appetite for imported goods, a mono-economy dependence on oil, insecurity, and the free-fall of the naira have combined to ruin our economy and lives. With one Saudi Riyal being equivalent to N109, and $1 equaling N411, only a radical turn-around of our fortunes as a nation can stop more people fleeing the country for better and higher pay.

As a people, there is not much we can do, but the government can stem the tide of brain-drain, generally, and the mass exodus of Nigerian doctors to other countries by fixing our intractable security problems. Above all, government should stop politicising medical issues, because health is one of those things that bind humanity, rich and poor. Much of the money we spend on big wedding ceremonies for the children of VIPs and to build mansions in every nook and cranny of the country can be diverted to health care. It only depends on getting our priorities right and the value we place on human lives, as against material acquisitions.

zainabokino@gmail.com

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Private tertiary institutions should not be left at a disadvantage simply due to the nature of their ebtablishment by private individuals, many of who appear as being essentially public-spirited and driven by the altruism to see education in Nigeria reach global standards of excellence. It would be more befitting if the Funds criteria for the award of grants could include all these institutions

Recently, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) approved a huge N292.66 billion intervention fund to select universities, polytechnics and colleges of educations across Nigeria.

According to the disbursement plan, the TETFund is to give N906 million to one university each in the North-East, South-East, North-Central, South-South, North-East and the South-West zones of the country. While N628 million will also go to one polytechnic and college of education in these geopolitical zones.

Among the beneficiaries of these funds are the University of Lagos; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Imo State Polytechnic, amongst others, which are all public institutions. It has become a thing of intrigue and interest to wonder why TETFund only focuses its interventions on federal and state educational institutions, despite its name denoting it as a Tertiary Education Trust Fund, which ought not to entertain any discrimination in its application.

Yet conversely, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, Alhaji Kasshim Ibrahim-Imam had once addressed a curiosity around its purpose during the TETFund/FIRS 2020 Joint Interactive Forum, stating that, Our mandate is to get our public universities to surpass the level of the private institutions. So, the answer to that is capital No. We cannot fund the private institutions.

Concurrently, alongside the public ones, Nigeria has more private tertiary institutions being set up in the country on a yearly basis and there are huge numbers of students attending these private establishments who could also benefit from the outcomes of many of the TETFund interventions.

It should be recalled that the TETFund was originally set up as an Education Trust Fund in the 1990s to patch up the funding gap in higher institutions. As at then, private universities were not a thing, and the country, being under military rule, was in a constant head-to-head with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which was always demanding for better infrastructure and facilities for universities, at a time when the funding for tertiary education was continuously dwindling.

there are presently 79 universities, 22 polytechnics and 20 colleges of education that are privately owned in Nigeria about 10 years after the TETFund establishment Act came into being in June 2011. However, as alluded to earlier, the first criterion for being a beneficiary of TETFund is for the prospective grantee to be a public tertiary educational institution.

Apart from that, running through successive governments in the country has the been the starvation of funds to public universities, in a manner that has resulted in the declining of the excellence of these institutions or even their near extinction.

Hence, the establishment of the Fund, which collects 2 per cent of the tax remits of all registered private companies in Nigeria, towards the direct financing of tertiary institutions in the country. This has been to help in the provision of essential physical infrastructure for teaching and learning, academic staff training, research, book development and publication, which have all resulted in the production of a highly trained public by the recipient institutions, and the advancement of research that has been utilised in addressing emerging challenges in the country.

Still, there are presently 79 universities, 22 polytechnics and 20 colleges of education that are privately owned in Nigeria about 10 years after the TETFund establishment Act came into being in June 2011. However, as alluded to earlier, the first criterion for being a beneficiary of TETFund is for the prospective grantee to be a public tertiary educational institution.

Nevertheless, private institutions certainly have safer learning environments, innovative syllabuses that are taught in record time without disruption to the academic terms by strikes, highly decent welfare packages for staff and students in terms of on-campus accommodation and utilities, and generally more organised systems. Even then, these dos not automatically imply that universities, polytechnics and colleges of education that are private are overflowing with money, or that they are essentially owned and controlled by the affluent.

While it is a fact that the total number of students who attend private establishments is not up to 10 per cent of the entire countrys student body, which may seem quite a marginal number in the grand scheme of things, this does not mean that such populations do not make major impacts in Nigerias intellectual, knowledge and productive ecosystems.

With the qualification for access to the funds being narrowed down to only lecturers in Nigerian public tertiary institutions, this appears highly discriminatory of lecturers in private establishments, and can lead to the lack of optimal realisation of the countrys potentials in innovative research and development

First of all, the notion that private universities are in competition with public universities, or vice versa, should be done away with. Both sides of the knowledge production coin have bred excellent individuals who have gone to become great achievers, and the two sectors in tertiary education can actually be said to complement each other. A clear example of how they balance each other is evident in the opportunities given to young people who possess much zeal for tertiary education but are unable to gain admission into the public universities due to one reason or the other. The private universities emerge to support those who would otherwise have been left out of access to tertiary education.

Furthermore, one of the Funds primary areas of intervention is in the promotion of research and development. The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Professor Suleiman Bogoro, in an interview with Economic Confidential magazine emphasised the potential of the organisation he leads, saying, At TetFund, we are happy to elevate research and development in identifying the right priorities going forward. The greatest of nations, the greatest of econom(ies), and the greatest of technology are all hinged on quality education, and it is research that defines quality education.

With the qualification for access to the funds being narrowed down to only lecturers in Nigerian public tertiary institutions, this appears highly discriminatory of lecturers in private establishments, and can lead to the lack of optimal realisation of the countrys potentials in innovative research and development, as a virile segment of the knowledge production community is being restrained from access to an essential resource base of national importance.

Another significant frame to consider is in looking at TETFunds overall vision which states, To be a world-class interventionist agency in Nigerias tertiary eductation. My understanding of educational intervention is not necessarily in terms of infrastructure or what a Fund can provide in a particular place or setting. It can more so be on the level of what it can give to build up individuals, for example through the offering of scholarships to well-performing students to their choice universities or the likes, whether public or private.

Private tertiary institutions should not be left at a disadvantage simply due to the nature of their ebtablishment by private individuals, many of who appear as being essentially public-spirited and driven by the altruism to see education in Nigeria reach global standards of excellence. It would be more befitting if the Funds criteria for the award of grants could include all these institutions, and perhaps limit the applicability to tertiary institutions established and run by Nigerians.

Zubaida Baba Ibrahim writes from Gwarinpa, Abuja. Email: Zubaida71@live.com

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Lagos, Nigeria. 27TH of August, 2021. Renowned smartphone brand, TECNO has received yet another award for its commitment towards excellence. The latest recognition for the brand is the Marketing Edge Award for Outstanding Mobile Phone Brand of the Decade.

This recognition acknowledges the brands commitment to providing innovative products and its consistent drive towards achieving excellence in the mobile phone industry. The Award was presented at this years Marketing Edge Annual Summit and Brands & Marketing Awards of Excellence, which held at the luxurious DPodium International Event Centre Ikeja, Lagos.

Receiving the award for the brand, Vincent Uzoegbu, PR Communications and Media Manager, TECNO Mobile, West Africa said;

TECNO has always shown dedication in its pursuit of excellence through its innovative products. Our hallmark is to continuously reinvent the way we do things to ensure that our products offer outstanding performances and experiences. This recognition is a proof of how much work TECNO puts into offering excellent products and we are highly honored by it.

In recent times, TECNO unveiled a new brand Slogan Stop At Nothing, a testament to the brands unwavering determination to venture far and beyond, while recording successes at every turn. The brand has also shown a clear understanding of the need to maintain the tenacity required in the pursuit of excellence, while standing as a source of constant inspiration to its audience.

Now in its 8th year, the Marketing Edge Awards is an initiative of Marketing Edge Magazine and is a demonstration of the publications commitment to its vision of Promoting the Brand Ideal. The Awards event was conceived to reward excellence across the nations integrated marketing communications spectrum and had in attendance a large gathering of industry experts, brands and companies.

ABOUT TECNO

TECNO mobile is a smartphone from TRANSSON HOLDINGS. With stop at nothing as its brand essence. TECNO is committed to unlocking the best contemporary technologies for progressive individuals across global emerging markets, giving them elegantly designed products that inspires consumers to uncover a world of possibilities. TECNO understands the needs of consumers from different markets and provide them with localized innovations which is demonstrated through the mastery of serving consumers who are young at heart and never stops pursuing excellence. TECNOs portfolio spans across smart phones, smart wearables and devices made for consumers in over 60 emerging markets across the world. TECNO is also the official partner of Manchester City, Premier league champions 2020-21. For more information, please visit: https://www.tecno-mobile.com
The Lagos State government has urged traditional medicine practitioners to bring their purported herbal COVID-19 cure for clinical trials.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the call at the celebration of the 2021 African Traditional Medicine Day held on Tuesday at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for the 2021 celebration is: Traditional Medicine: Research and Development.

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, said traditional medicine practitioners should collaborate with scientists to prove that their practice was statistically sound.

According to him, the state government is willing to be committed to the growth and development of traditional medicine.

Africa is yet to find a cure to COVID-19, l, therefore, urge the traditional medicine practitioners, as the space is still open, to bring their medicine for clinical trials, under good manufacturing guidelines.

Lagos remains the epicentre of the coronavirus in Nigeria with 72,918 cases and 604 deaths as of August 31.

Mr Sanwo-Olu advised the traditional medicine practitioners to team up with orthodox medicine practitioners to know how their practice could be validated.

He encouraged them to regulate themselves and not endanger the lives of the people of Lagos State.

It is important as medical practitioners that your mission is not to cause any harm but to prove that you can add value to the lives of residents of Lagos.

Your utmost priority should be the wellbeing and welfare of your patients.

We are going to regulate you to ensure sound practices of alternative medicine in the state, he said.

In her remarks, Folashade Jaji, Secretary to the State Government, urged the traditional medicine practitioners to research cures for COVID-19.

Mrs Jaji urged them to up their game so that traditional medicine could occupy the space it deserved.

She stressed the need for traditional medicine to be regulated and taken with applicable measures to avoid being abused.

Speaking, Chairman, Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board (LSTMB), Adebukunola Adefule-Ositelu, said it was time for traditional medicine to take its place in the health sector and to be useful for all.

Mrs Adefule-Ositelu added that time had come for traditional medicine practitioners to work with orthodox medicine practitioners for people to have a choice, between the two.

She urged everyone to embrace traditional medicine, noting that it was not fetish, fake, or foreign.

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Earlier, in his welcome address, Olorunkemi Kadiku, Registrar, Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board, (LSTMB) said the agency would continue to provide enabling environment, needed to unlock inherent potentials in traditional medicine, to the benefit of mankind.

Mr Kadiku enjoined stakeholders to cooperate, collaborate and support each other in the various fields of traditional medicine and equally uphold high ethical standards in the discharge of their obligations to patients and mankind.

We are at a point in our onerous journey, in achieving parity and recognition accorded conventional healthcare practitioners and products, as such, all hands are needed on deck.

The registrar said there was no gainsaying that traditional medicine was the mainstay to achieving Sustainable Development and Universal Health

Coverage, as about 80 per cent of Africas population relied on traditional medicine for their basic health needs.

In some instances, traditional medicine is the only healthcare service available, accessible and affordable to many people on the continent.

Therefore, significant contribution of traditional medicine as a major provider of healthcare services in Africa and by extension, Nigeria, cannot be underestimated or controverted,  he said.

(NAN)
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The Lagos State Government has commenced Junction Improvement Works at Awolowo Way/Kodesho/Oba Akran Road, underpass by Computer Village in the Ikeja area of the state for eight months.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Frederic Oladeinde, made this known in a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday.

Mr Oladeinde explained that the construction would be done in phases, starting with the removal of structures not impeding traffic.

According to him, this will be followed by a diversion of traffic from midnight Friday for the full project commencement.

The commissioner revealed that the construction site had been divided into four zones.

He, however, allayed motorists fear by assuring them that an efficient traffic diversion plan was well mapped out for each zone.

Mr Oladeinde urged the residents to cooperate with the state government by adhering to all the directions of the State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the traffic advisory provided to minimise the inconveniences that might arise from the construction.

During the construction at LASUTH Underbridge axis, inbound Obafemi Awolowo way (Zone 1), traffic heading toward Oba Akran/Underbridge will be diverted.

This diversion is from Oriyomi Street to link Olowu, to access Awolowo Way for the desired destination or proceed to make a U-turn to connect Ajao Street and access Adeniyi Jones.

Motorists coming from the outbound lane on Awolowo Road will be diverted to Ajao Street to link Adeniyi Jones and also connect them with Oba Akran.

While a U-turn to Oshifila or Modupe Street will link up with Akinremi or Adegbola for the desired destinations during the construction of Obafemi Awolowo inbound Oba Akran axis (Zone 2).

Ikeja Flyover Bridge will also be opened to motorists to be utilised alternately during the duration of the Junction Improvement project.

For motorists heading towards the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, they will be diverted to the same routes highlighted under Zone 2 Traffic Diversion.

Modupe Street will also connect Adegbola or Akinremi Street to access Simbiat Abiola Way to reach their destination.

Mr Oladeinde solicited the cooperation of the residents and advised motorists against indiscriminate parking of vehicles along the diversionary routes, and appealed to the people of Lagos for patience and understanding. (NAN)
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GHENT, Belgium, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ExeVir, which is developing single domain antibody therapies providing broad protection against viral infections, today announces that the first patient has been treated in a Phase 1b/2 global clinical study of XVR011, its potent COVID-19 neutralizing antibody.

EXEVIR0101 is a two-part study, which will evaluate the safety and efficacy of XVR011 in neutralising the SARS-CoV-2 virus in patients hospitalized as a result of mild to moderate COVID-19, with the aim to allow a more rapid recovery. Phase 1b of the study in conjunction with the Phase 1a study in healthy volunteers, which was recently started, will inform and broaden the safety database for XVR011 as well as provide important antiviral and clinical activity data before the current study proceeds to Phase 2 which will evaluate both efficacy and safety.

The Phase 1b study will enrol up to 27 patients with mild to moderate symptoms caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The study will sequentially evaluate three different doses of intravenously administered XVR011 with the primary endpoint of proportion of patients with adverse events. Secondary endpoints include viral load, need for oxygen supplementation, clinical score (8-point ordinal scale) and other measures of clinical activity. Upon a positive recommendation from the independent data monitoring committee, the study will roll over into the Phase 2 part in 252 patients which will evaluate the efficacy at the dose selected from Phase 1b. Further details of the study can be found on clinicaltrials.gov under the identifier NCT04884295

Dominique Tersago, Chief Medical Officer of ExeVir Bio, said: "Treatments for patients admitted to hospital for mild to moderate COVID-19 are still urgently needed and we are very pleased that our lead compound XVR011 is now being evaluated in this setting. XVR011 was recently demonstrated to neutralise the Delta variant in vitro, as well as all current COVID-19 variants of concern and we look forward to confirming the activity in the clinic. Our study is designed to rapidly treat eligible patients upon admission to hospital with the aim to curtail the infection and allow a faster recovery and avoid progression to more severe disease. We remain committed to bringing a next generation, single-dose treatment to patients with COVID-19."

The XVR011 molecule was developed by VIB-Ghent University (Belgium) scientists led by Professors Xavier Saelens and Nico Callewaert. They also showed that based on epitope sequencing, the potency is not expected to be impacted by any currently circulating variant of concern or variant of interest. This has been confirmed recently in the laboratory of Professor Johan Neyts at the Rega institute (KU Leuven, Belgium) with data that show XVR011 has strong in vitro neutralization potency against the variants of concern Delta, Alpha, Beta and Gamma.

The Belgian-based global biopharmaceutical company UCB helped design and optimize the therapeutic properties of XVR011 and manufactured the antibody at large scale for the clinical trial. The development work is presently undergoing peer review and was recently pre-printed in BioRxiv, demonstrating highly potent and broad neutralizing activity and infection protection in both hamster and mouse models against SARS-CoV-2.

About XVR011 (VHH72-Fc)

ExeVir's lead asset XVR011 is a single domain-based anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody (VHH-Fc) optimized for stability, safety, broad neutralizing capability and excellent manufacturability. It demonstrates best-in-class potential offering breadth and potency against a range of Coronaviruses and is significantly differentiated from other antibody treatments.

The single domain antibody (VHH) anti-coronavirus platform was developed by VIB- Ghent University scientists, Professor Xavier Saelens and Professor Nico Callewaert .



and Professor . The llama-derived single-domain antibodies are smaller than human antibodies and can attach to parts of a virus that are difficult to access for the human immune system.



XVR011 inactivates SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and sterically blocks spike binding to ACE2, preventing virus from entering a human cell, stopping viral replication; this is expected to support the patient's own immune response in a critical time window during which many patients' immune system reacts too slowly or inadequately.



Epitope of XVR011 is much less susceptible to human antibody immune pressure that can lead to "viral escape", resulting in retained potency against such escape variants  No impact of any variants of concern on potency as of today.



XVR011: Targets unique epitope in conserved region, leading to broad spectrum of binding to spike RBDs across numerous sarbecoviruses.

About ExeVir Bio

ExeVir Bio is a clinical stage company harnessing its VHH technology platform to generate robust antiviral therapies providing broad protection against viral infections, including coronaviruses. It is a spin out from VIB, the world class Belgium-based life sciences research institute. ExeVir's platform is based on the work of and collaboration with Professor Dr. Xavier Saelens and Professor Dr. Nico Callewaert from VIB. ExeVir Bio is led by a team of experts that combines international biotech and pharma experience with a successful track record of developing and bringing products to market. It has raised over 42M from blue chip investors led by Fund+, VIB, UCB Ventures, SFPI-FPIM, V-Bio Ventures, SRIW, Noshaq, Vives IUF, SambrInvest and several Belgian Family Offices. ExeVir has also been awarded funding from the Flanders Agency for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO). www.exevir.com.

About UCB

UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 8000 people operating in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of  5.3 billion in 2020. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCB_news

SOURCE ExeVir Bio
STOCKHOLM, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Minesto strengthens the company's executive team as Elke Rosiers, with extensive experience from the energy industry and from turning new technology to business, has been appointed new Chief Marketing Officer. Through the recruitment Minesto strengthens its sales and marketing organisation to gear up the work for commercial roll-out of the company's ocean energy technology. Elke takes up the position as Chief Marketing Manager immediately as a part of Minesto's executive team.

Elke Rosiers has extensive international experience and broad expertise in business and market development. Over the years she has worked with global players such as Siemens, Maersk, and Volvo as well as with growing technology-based companies.

For the past six years Elke has successfully built up a consulting firm specialising in business strategy and financing for small and medium-sized businesses. Her previous experience includes working as an infrastructure consultant at Atkins Sweden and as Director European Affairs at Chalmers Industriteknik. Elke has a MSc in Supply Chain Design & Management, Industrial Engineering and Management from Chalmers University of Technology.

"We are strengthening the business side of the organisation to gear up the work for commercial roll-out. The company and the technology are now at a level where customers and market activities is a natural top priority. Elke's profile is perfect to take this work to the next level, with her experience from the energy industry's transformation, project financing and an ability to create business with new customers based on new technology. Elke has worked as an advisor to Minesto for several years and has been a key person in strategic decisions. This is a great advantage to quickly settle in the role as Chief Marketing Officer", said Dr Martin Edlund, CEO of Minesto.

"I look forward to becoming a full-time part of the Minesto team and being part of the journey towards making the company's unique technology an established product in the global energy market. With my background in innovation and international business I look forward to driving Minesto's commercial agenda forward together with the management team and the board", said Elke Rosiers.

CONTACT:

For additional information, please contact

Minesto

Press & Media

press@minesto.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/minesto-ab/r/minesto-strengthens-its-commercial-organisation-with-new-chief-marketing-officer,c3407854

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/14621/3407854/1462787.pdf Press release https://news.cision.com/minesto-ab/i/elke-rosiers--cmo-minesto,c2949558 Elke Rosiers, CMO Minesto

SOURCE Minesto AB
STOCKHOLM, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Polygon Norway has acquired Rengjringsbyraet AS Renas ("Renas"). The acquisition will add 41 professionals and annual sales of NOK 50 million.

"Once again, we are making a successful acquisition in Norway. I would like to welcome the skilled new colleagues from Northern Norway to our growing family. Together we will make Polygon even better," says Axel Granitz, President and CEO of Polygon Group.

"We are very happy to have reached an agreement with Renas. We have had a close partnership during the last 50 years, and Renas has always represented us very well in their region. By bringing Renas into our company we see opportunities for developing new and even better solutions for our customers. Renas has great experience within water, fire and environmental damages, including major and complex claims. This acquisition will play an important role in our growth strategy within these service areas, and in the northern part of Norway." says Sigurd Austin, Country President.

As of September 1, 2021, Renas will be part of Polygon Group., Renas is a family-owned business that was founded in 1961 and has been a franchisee of Polygon since 1971. The company has a well-established position in northern Norway covering a wide geographical area from the Arctic circle to Narvik, including Lofoten and Vesteralen.

"Renas was founded by my father in 1961, I have since this been involved in operation and development of Renas and also the Property damage restoration industry in Norway, I am proud and happy to hand over a solid and well functional business to Polygon, our close partner during 50 years", says Karl Erik Brekke owner of Renas.

"We strongly believe that this will provide stability for both our customers and our employees. Polygon is a professional owner and will ensure that we will get what it takes to grow and develop our business." says Inge Villumsen, Managing Director at Renas.

For more information, please visit www.polygongroup.com or contact Martin Hamner, Chief Financial Officer, martin.hamner@polygongroup.com, +46 70 607 85 79

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/polygon/r/polygon-strengthens-its-market-position-in-norway,c3407100

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/5752/3407100/1462137.pdf PR-acquisition Norway 010921

SOURCE Polygon
The webinar, aimed at professionals from the public and private sectors, will further explore the implications of the events resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic as an economic disruptor and their impact on the acceleration of changes that were previously delayed in terms of digital modernisation in the maritime-port sector.

The panel of experts includes prominent industry leaders from various origins, such as Yann Alix, Executive Director of the SEFACIL Foundation in France and an expert on the Latin American reality; Jorge Duran, Secretary of the Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) of the Organization of American States; Carlos Martner, Coordinator of Integrated Transportation and Logistics of the Mexican Institute of Transportation (IMT); Sergio Gorgone, Information Systems Manager of the Buenos Aires Port Authority (AGP), who will share with the event's moderator's, Jean Edouard Nicolet from Webb Fontaine and Luis Ascencio, International Transport and Logistics Consultant and director of the portal Porthink.com.

Jean Edouard Nicolet, Business Development Manager for the Latin American and Caribbean region, Webb Fontaine  comments: "Latin American is transitioning to paperless services, technology integration, and public-private partnerships for the creation and management of information systems such as Single Windows and Port Community Systems. The pursuit of better operational integration and cybersecurity in port logistics are critical elements in increasing Trade users' efficiency and competitiveness. Webb Fontaine is perfectly positioned to be a strategic partner for port communities and governments tackling this change management challenge. Webb Fontaine objective is to bring together industry experts in a conversation that can stimulate innovative thoughts and actions."

The "Port Dynamics: Opportunities & Challenges in Latin America" webinar will be broadcast on September 8, 2021, 10:00 AM Panama time. Register here: https://bit.ly/3gJF8LO

These thought-provoking webinars are part of what is intended to be a Think-Tank series aimed at delivering high-impact information, enabling industry and public policy stakeholders to engage in knowledge sharing. updated.

About Webb Fontaine:

Webb Fontaine is a world-leading technology company re-shaping the future of Trade. Trusted by governments globally, Webb Fontaine provides industry wide solutions to accelerate Trade development and modernisation. The company uses unique technology including Artificial Intelligence to enable countries to emerge as leaders in the future of Trade.

www.webbfontaine.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1606590/Webb_Fontaine_Port.jpg

SOURCE Webb Fontaine
HONG KONG, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Data Exchange (BDx) , a Pan-Asian data center cluster, has entered into an agreement with Red Dot Analytics (RDA) to digitally transform BDx's facilities, empowering them to be more efficient and sustainable. The first phase of the three-year project with RDA, a Singapore-based pioneer in the industrial artificial intelligence (AI) space, will focus on cooling and PUE optimization at BDx's facilities in mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore.

This agreement enables BDx to identify inefficiencies throughout its facilities by leveraging RDA's Data Center Solution that integrates AI-driven applications and automation. As a result, BDx will gain deep insight into its data center life cycle management, delivering lower energy costs, less human error and increased capacity utilization. Ultimately, BDx will reduce its carbon emissions and footprint, which is critical as the demand for digital continues to increase the need for data centers.

Technological advances are especially in demand in Singapore, which is home to one of BDx's data centers. Singapore supplies approximately 60% of data center needs across the Asia Pacific region, however a data center moratorium has been implemented while government officials address concerns over data center sustainability. Data centers comprise 7% of the nation's total electricity consumption, due in large part to the cost of cooling data centers in order to protect equipment from the hot, humid environment.

"RDA's artificial intelligence-based technology will provide visibility into our systems to identify ways we can increase performance and sustainability without compromising the safety standards required for mission-critical infrastructure," says Jeremy Yew, COO for BDx. "This focus on energy and operational efficiency will help us advance our operations and increase our quality of service."

Through its digital twin technology model, RDA creates critical infrastructure in the physical world and optimizes it with the use of AI-based applications. The company's advancements in sustainability and predictive maintenance allow mission-critical data center operators, like BDx, to keep providing needed connectivity in a more efficient environment.

"BDx will have a stronger ability to identify and prevent potential hotspots and other thermal safety concerns within the data center," says Professor Yonggang Wen, Chief Scientist at RDA. "Cooling regulation and optimization will result in a PUE optimization of up to 5%. The increased efficiencies will lead to additional savings for BDx and its customers in a more sustainable environment."

To learn more about BDx, visit www.bdxworld.com.

About BDx

Big Data Exchange (BDx) is a Pan-Asian data center cluster with sites throughout Hong Kong, mainland China and Singapore. Its unique hybrid cloud, connectivity and colocation solutions offer unparalleled security and reliability for the mission-critical IT infrastructure of its local and global clientele. As a carrier-neutral provider, BDx delivers a secure hybrid ecosystem with innovative connectivity solutions to enterprises, OTTS, financial services and more. With its automated modules, BDx allows enterprises to manage physical racks with the same ease as working in public clouds, as well as an unmatched level of customization. BDx was founded in 2019 and maintains headquarters in Hong Kong. To learn more, visit www.bdxworld.com or follow BDx on Twitter and LinkedIn .

About Red Dot Analytics Pte Ltd

Red Dot Analytics Pte Ltd (RDA) is a spin-off from Nanyang Technological University Singapore. RDA focuses on commercialising an award-winning cognitive digital twin solution to digitalise, optimise and automate data centre operations and management for business continuity and sustainability. To learn more, visit www.rda.ai/

Media Contact:

Jaymie Scotto & Associates (JSA)

[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1086297/BDx_Logo.jpg

Related Links

http://www.bdxworld.com



SOURCE Big Data Exchange (BDx)
Sponsored by PepsiCo, The PepsiCo Foundation, the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, Observer Research Foundation America, and Observer Research Foundation, the program will empower a new network of young leaders driving global change

DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo and its philanthropic arm, The PepsiCo Foundation, alongside the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, are proud to announce the launch of the USA Pavilion @ EXPO 2020 Fellows Program. The Fellows Program is focused on empowering and educating young global leaders tackling the world's most pressing socioeconomic issues by helping them hone their leadership and problem-solving skills.

Funded by a $500,000 (1,836,600 AED) grant from The PepsiCo Foundation, the seven month-long program is hosted by the USA Pavilion @ Expo 2020 and brings together 40 young leaders from 20 countries across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA). Focused on global issues explored at Expo 2020 Dubai - including trade, sustainability, and future cities - the program aims to foster dialogue across the MENASA region, spur debate, and ultimately enable the Fellows to build communities and solutions that will respond to the contemporary challenges that confront us all.

Participants are leaders who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of those around them. They were nominated by U.S. diplomatic missions from participating countries and selected through a competitive application process run by the Observer Research Foundation America (ORF America), and Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

Eugene Willemsen, CEO of PepsiCo, Africa, Middle East, and South Asia, noted, "At PepsiCo, we are committed to raising the bar on talent and diversity. We want to inspire the next generation of leaders to help address issues of global importance and create a better future for us all. The Fellows Program will serve as a launching pad for exchanging and inspiring new perspectives and enable the next generation of leaders to achieve their full potential, enter today's workforce and be successful."

The four-phase program commences with virtual orientation sessions led by pavilion leaders that will introduce Fellows and lay the building blocks for their global network. Following virtual sessions, Fellows will be flown to Expo 2020 Dubai where they will meet with pavilion leaders, participate in panel discussions, and network across Expo. At Expo 2020, Fellows will also participate in hands-on instructional sessions that mirror a dynamic classroom style, and includes the development of a group project that Fellows will work on throughout the duration of the program. For those unable to travel due to the ongoing pandemic, a virtual program has been developed to ensure they receive the same benefits as others.

Following their visit to Dubai, Fellows will return home and participate in a digital bootcamp led by AstroLabs, a company committed to building capabilities and upskilling individuals across the region. Designed as a virtual bridge between in-person segments, this phase will focus on mentoring the Fellows as they complete their individual and group projects. The program culminates in a fourth phase consisting of five days of in-person development at Expo 2020 Dubai, including the presentation of group projects. It is expected that more than 2,000 people will benefit from the work carried out in this program.

"The potential of these regional leaders knows no bounds, and with this program we will build an expansive network that will empower these young people and give them the tools and resources they need to advance their existing work," said C.D. Glin, Vice President, The PepsiCo Foundation and Global Head of Philanthropy, PepsiCo. "Already, these leaders have proven to be catalysts of change in their home countries, and with the Expo 2020 Fellows Program, we will ensure that this incredible work can be further amplified in a way that will touch the lives of thousands. We are proud to be a founding member of this program and believe that it will serve as a global model moving forward."

Upon completion of the program, participants will become part of the U.S. Department of State exchange program alumni network. This community will allow the Fellows to engage with others who can provide guidance as they explore ways to be agents of change in their communities. Through their involvement in this distinguished program, Fellows will be integrated into larger ORF communities, including the Raisina Young Fellows Programme, also known as the Asian Forum on Global Governance, and have the opportunity to build multiple communities in and outside of the MENASA region.

Deputy Commissioner General for the USA Pavilion, Matthew K. Asada, emphasized the opportunity for leadership development and entrepreneurial growth across the region saying, "The USA PAVILION @ EXPO 2020 FELLOWS PROGRAM offers a unique environment for young leaders from the Middle East and South Asia for skill development. Expo 2020 Dubai is the first world's fair in the region, and we're excited to build on the global gathering's location as a connecting point for countries to highlight their best and brightest people, innovations, and ways of living. The USA Pavilion is proud to host this first exchange program of its kind as we tell our story of 'Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of the Future.'"

ORF America Executive Director, Dhruva Jaishankar expressed, "ORF America is proud to be involved in this exciting new initiative in its first year of operation. The Fellows Program will help foster a dynamic network of young professionals from across a pivotal region of the world, thereby helping the understanding and appreciation of sustainability, globalization, entrepreneurship, and innovation in a world changed by COVID."

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com

About The PepsiCo Foundation

Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we're focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water and economic opportunity. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and workcollaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy.

About the USA Pavilion

The USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 will celebrate the theme, "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of the Future." Exhibits will showcase the freedoms and opportunities that built a dynamic and open society, paving the way for American innovation and prosperity. Expo 2020 Dubai is scheduled to run from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. For more information, please visit www.usapavilion.org.

About ORF America

ORF America was established in 2020 as an independent, non-partisan public policy institute based in Washington DC. It is an overseas affiliate of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), India's premier non-government think tank. Its objectives are to provide impactful research and commentary on issues of global relevance; strengthen cooperation between the developed and developing worlds; bridge diverse policy communities; and develop policy networks based on shared values. For more information, please visit www.orfamerica.org

About ORF

Based in New Delhi, the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is one of Asia's most influential think tanks driving policy discussions across India, Asia, and now globally. ORF seeks to lead and aid policy thinking towards building a strong and prosperous India in a fair and equitable world. For more information, please visit www.orfonline.org

About Expo 2020 Dubai

From 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai will welcome visitors from every corner of the globe to join the making of a new world, as it brings together the planet in one place to reimagine tomorrow.

With the purpose of 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,' Expo 2020 will be the world's most impactful global incubator for new ideas, catalyzing an exchange of new perspectives and inspiring action to deliver real-life solutions to real-world challenges

Expo 2020 will provide a visually striking and emotionally inspiring 182 days, as more than 200 participants  including nations, multilateral organizations, businesses, and educational institutions, as well as millions of visitors  create the largest and most diverse World Expo ever

Expo 2020's sub-themes of Opportunity, Mobility, and Sustainability will inspire visitors to preserve and protect our planet, explore new frontiers and build a better future for everyone

Expo is committed to building a more equitable and just world for everyone, while keeping visitors safe by following the latest guidance of the world's leading medical, science, and health experts

Expo 2020 is the first World Expo to take place in the Middle East , Africa , and South Asia (MEASA) region, located on a 4.38 sqkm site adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South

, , and (MEASA) region, located on a 4.38 sqkm site adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South Built with a meaningful and measurable long-term legacy in mind, the Expo site will transform into District 2020  a model global community that will rethink the cities of the future  after Expo 2020 closes its doors

Visit: www.expo2020dubai.com

About AstroLabs

Established in 2013, AstroLabs is dedicated to driving digital growth in companies and people. Offerings include classes in digital and tech through AstroLabs Academy, custom-designed startup programs for large corporates and governments, and collaborative coworking communities in Dubai and Riyadh. AstroLabs also seeks to spur growth by helping organizations rapidly recruit superstars for their digital teams through AstroLabs Talent, and expand into the UAE and KSA through local company setup and soft-landing offices.

Related Links

https://www.pepsico.com



SOURCE PepsiCo Foundation
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 120Water announced today plans to expand the company's presence in Illinois with the appointment of Kurt Phillips, newly hired chief financial officer.

With passage of Illinois' Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act as well as the pending federal infrastructure legislation and the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, the expanded Illinois footprint will equip the company to meet the growing needs of Illinois communities for comprehensive water quality programs designed to protect public health.

"Illinois has been a national leader in proactively monitoring water quality and prioritizing water infrastructure," said Megan Glover, co-founder and chief executive officer of 120Water. "Through our presence in Illinois communities, we have not only helped school systems manage their lead and drinking water programs, but have assisted the state's health department in monitoring wastewater for COVID-19 prevalence. We are excited to expand our impact within Illinois and look forward to continued collaborations with industry partners."

The company's extensive expertise and experience in the state includes supporting over 50 LCR compliance and wastewater programs including American Illinois, Village of Lombard, Village of Westmont, and Discovery Partners Institute. Its support of Illinois organizations includes working with water systems to more efficiently complete their inventory validation and ease the operational burdens of increased sampling requirements.

As CFO, Phillips will also anchor the company's Illinois presence. He most recently led finance and operations at business-to-business technology companies across the Midwest, most recently as chief financial officer of Emplify, an Indianapolis-based employee engagement measurement company.

"It's clear 120Water is in a unique position to help water professionals prepare for upcoming regulatory requirements and funding opportunities," said Phillips. "After 390% customer growth already in 2021, I'm excited to leverage my past experience to help the company continue their remarkable growth and serve communities throughout Illinois and across the country."

ABOUT 120WATER

120Water is the end-to-end solution used by water professionals across the country to manage critical lead and drinking water programs. Comprised of secure cloud-based software, services and point of use kits, 120Water's solution provides tailored workflows for complying with lead and water quality programs that protect public health. Their team of water, policy and technology experts have supported over 7,000 sampling events across the country, partnering with water systems and government agencies such as Citizens Energy Group, the City of Providence, the City of Asheville, and Chicago Public Schools to protect public health and provide clean drinking water to all communities. To learn more, visit 120Water.com or follow them on Twitter @120_Water.

SOURCE 120Water

Related Links

https://120water.com


ALEXANDRIA, Va. and TUSCALOOSA, Ala., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Affinity Empowering, Inc., a leading provider of the most sophisticated and secure occupational, behavioral, and direct-to-consumer health services, today announced that The Capitol School in Tuscaloosa, Ala. has been enrolled in Operation Expanded Testing (OET) and will begin providing no-cost COVID-19 tests to students, teachers and staff this Thursday, September 2, marking the first official testing under OET in Alabama. OET is a federally funded program to provide no-cost, "click and go" COVID-19 surveillance testing to K-12 schools, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), summer school programs, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, select non-profit community centers, and more. OET uses polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, the gold standard for COVID-19 detection, and a pooled testing system that allows for results to be typically returned within 24 hours.

The Capitol School is a Multiple Intelligence School founded in 1993 whose mission is to educate responsible citizens of the world. The Capitol School is the only school requiring vaccinations for all faculty, staff and students aged 12+ in the state of Alabama. The school has implemented many safety measures as part of a layered strategy, including a mask requirement for all teachers and students ages 2.5 - 18 since June 1, 2020, UV Light treatment, medical grade air filtration, ionization air purification, and Rainbow Air Ozone machines. COVID-19 testing is required for faculty and optional for all students, preschool to 12th grade, and will occur weekly under OET beginning this Thursday, September 2.

Interested representatives of K-12 schools and other eligible community organizations are encouraged to visit https://www.affinitytesting.com or to contact Affinity Empowering (email: [email protected], phone: 1-844-631-0469) to learn more about and sign up for the program.

Media Invitation

Media representatives are invited to The Capitol School campus this Thursday, September 2, to cover the first school in Alabama to enroll into OET, the federal COVID-19 testing program, and to implement a COVID-19 vaccination mandate. The testing will occur on the outdoor porch, located at 2918 6th Street, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, between 7:30 AM  9:00 AM for pre-school and between 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM for high school seniors and faculty. The next testing date will be the following Friday, September 10, for those unable to attend. Capitol School faculty and students being tested for COVID-19 under OET will be available for interviews and news footage, as well as medical professionals who are parents of students and are volunteering to oversee test collection.

"Capitol School's number one priority is the safety of our community. Implementing a layered strategy to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 enabled us to maintain in-person learning last school year and, with the emergence of the contagious Delta variant, we are utilizing every tool available to stay safe," said Dr. Barbara Rountree, School Director of The Capitol School. "We are grateful for Affinity Empowering and for the existence of a program like Operation Expanded Testing, which makes it easy for us to perform regular COVID-19 testing for our community."

"We applaud the efforts that Capitol School is taking to protect itself from COVID-19 and to set an example for other organizations in Alabama," said Anne Haslerud, Vice President of Recruitment and Enrollment at Affinity Empowering. "Operation Expanded Testing goes beyond giving money for schools to implement their own testing protocols. We send all the materials and provide the training needed to put a testing program in place. Surveillance testing  with the gold standard PCR detection method  is an important measure that will help Capitol School and other organizations stay safe and have peace of mind during this difficult time."

About Operation Expanded Testing

Operation Expanded Testing (OET) is a federally funded program to provide no-cost, "click and go" COVID-19 surveillance testing to congregate settings, including K-12 schools, Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), summer school programs, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and select, non-profit community centers. COVID-19 surveillance testing is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the safe reopening of schools.

Affinity Empowering offers the OET program to these institutions in 26 Northeast and Southern states and additional territories on behalf of Eurofins Clinical. Affinity and Eurofins are coordinating OET program implementation in agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).

Affinity and Eurofins use PCR testing, the gold standard for accurate detection of COVID-19, and a pooled system to expedite the delivery of results. Individuals submit two samples, collected from the tip of the nose for minimal invasiveness, to avoid requiring a re-test in the event of a positive pool. Through its proprietary Assure integrated technology platform, Affinity delivers COVID-19 test results with an average turnaround time of 24 hours.

Unlike other federal programs to fund COVID-19 testing, OET has no upfront costs nor paperwork. Interested eligible parties can simply visit Affinity's OET website and click the "Enroll Today" button and provide some basic information. Affinity will then provide the resources and training necessary to establish a COVID-19 testing program at your institution. For questions or additional information, visit the website or contact Affinity's 24/7 customer service staff directly (email: [email protected] , phone: 1-844-631-0469).

About Affinity Empowering

Affinity Empowering is a leading occupational health, population, and disease management life sciences organization that specializes in providing technology-based solutions and support for overall health and wellness endeavors. In addition to providing occupational health, mental health, and cutting edge, wrap around substance use support, the company also has become a major provider of COVID-19 testing. Its Return to Normalcy program provides COVID-19 consultation, support, and conducts thousands of onsite and at home testing options to safely screen, monitor, and test populations. It currently supports numerous business partners in various fields, ranging from government contracts, universities, top Fortune 100 companies, and major film and television production companies.

For more information, please visit https://www.affinitytesting.com

Media Contacts:

Susan Halliday

The Capitol Schools

(205) 758-2828

Scott Stachowiak

Russo Partners, LLC

(646) 942-5630

[email protected]

SOURCE Affinity Empowering, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.affinitytesting.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AM LLC, a public health firm supporting federal, state and local health departments, along with K-12 partners, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in their communities, has selected DC based strategic communications consultancy Pinkston to manage external media communications.

"After a national search to select the best communications team who would not only understand our mission to fight against Covid-19, but also help take AM to the next level, we selected Pinkston to help deliver our urgent message to school administrators to help them find solutions to get schools reopened quickly and safely,'' said AM LLC's CEO and founder, Dan Gabriel. "The experienced team at Pinkston will be absolutely essential to our success, especially as we scale up our efforts."

For 20 years, Pinkston, based in Falls Church, Virginia has been helping a diverse stable of clients from innovative start ups to Fortune 100 companies get their message out in unique and compelling ways. Pinkston Partner Sean McCabe said, "This is personal. As a parent I know how important it is to keep our students safe. The work that AM is doing is so important; ensuring that teachers and kids can get safely back to school this fall, is among the most gratifying work we'll ever do. We literally jumped at the chance to help them."

AM LLC is currently working nationwide with six states, three counties, and numerous public health agencies on testing, contact tracing, and vaccination programs. Well over over 100 schools, and 53,000 students benefit from AM's partnership today, with many more in progress. Counties, states, or K-12 partners that are interested in partnering with AM for COVID-19 mitigation support should contact Dr. Christopher Orlea at [email protected] .

About AM LLC

AM LLC was purpose-built to work with partners addressing large-scale public health challenges. AM LLC is able to design and quickly deploy tailored and scalable workforce solutions to help your organization with all aspects of contact tracing, testing, and vaccine programming. Learn more at https://amllc.co/.

About Pinkston

Pinkston is an international strategic communications consultancy that offers an integrated collection of earned- and owned-media capabilities, including messaging and writing, media relations, social media, video production, web development, digital marketing and graphic design. Founded in 2001 and based in the Washington, D.C. area, Pinkston serves a wide range of clients including Fortune 100 companies, innovative technology startups, national non-profit organizations, international industry associations and numerous New York Times best-selling authors. Learn more at www.pinkston.co .

Contact:

Dylan Martinez

[email protected]

SOURCE AM LLC

Related Links

www.appliedmemeticsllc.com


American Families are Overconfident and Underprepared For an Unexpected Death According to New USAA Data Tweet this

"USAA recommends having enough life insurance to pay off all of your debt and replace income for at least five years," said Brandon Carter, president of USAA Life Insurance Company. "Life can't wait. It's important to protect your family today, so that if the unexpected happens, their primary focus can be supporting one another."

Nearly half of Americans (47%) believe money is the most important thing to leave your family when you pass, and life insurance is seen as the most important instrument when passing wealth down in the family (31%). Unfortunately, less than half (46%) of Americans have life insurance.

The survey also identified several barriers and disparities to life insurance and financial end-of-life planning. Specific data points include:

COST MATTERS: An unclear or perceived high monthly cost is a contributing factor to why most Americans do not have life insurance. Civilians shy away from it because they believe it costs too much (30%), while 29% of military family respondents feel they have sufficient resources and don't need it.

GENDER DISPARITIES: Female respondents across both audiences (civilian and military families) are more likely to have less life insurance than their partner (38%) when compared with males (11%). Females (65%) are also at a greater risk of financial instability (reporting being able to keep up with basic living expense payments for only five years or less) in the event of an unexpected death than their male counterparts (51%)

RACIAL INEQUITY: Hispanics and Blacks are at a greater risk (71% and 76%) than whites (52%) of financial instability in the event of an unexpected death.

For those unsure of life insurance, USAA shares why everyone should be covered, no matter how prepared you may think you are:

Lock In Your Good Health : Your life and your health can change unexpectedly. Purchasing a policy when you're younger and healthier likely means you'll pay less, and you'll also be protected if your situation changes.

: Your life and your health can change unexpectedly. Purchasing a policy when you're younger and healthier likely means you'll pay less, and you'll also be protected if your situation changes. Take Control : While you may have life insurance coverage through your job, it may not be enough. And, if you switch jobs or leave the workforce to care for family, you may lose that coverage. A policy separate from your employer ensures you're covered through any job transitions.

: While you may have life insurance coverage through your job, it may not be enough. And, if you switch jobs or leave the workforce to care for family, you may lose that coverage. A policy separate from your employer ensures you're covered through any job transitions. Review for Confidence: One size and policy does not fit all. Your life insurance needs may change over time  whether you got married, expanded your family, or bought a house, it's important to review your coverage annually and adjust as needed. Some policies allow you to buy additional coverage without a medical exam. You can also purchase additional policies to meet your coverage needs.

Learn more about USAA's life insurance options at usaa.com/lifecantwait.

About USAA's Life Insurance Survey

This research was conducted by KRC Research from July 28 to August 11, 2021, via an online survey of 2,008 Americans ages 18-75 representing both the military family and civilian populations. The sample breakdown is as follows: n=1,007 civilians and n=1,001 military.

About USAA

Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking and investment and retirement solutions to nearly 13 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Headquartered in San Antonio, Tex., USAA has offices in seven U.S. cities and three overseas locations and employs more than 35,000 people worldwide. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com.

Life insurance and annuities provided by USAA Life Insurance Company, San Antonio, TX and in New York by USAA Life Insurance Company of New York, Highland Falls, NY. All insurance products are subject to state availability, issue limitations and contractual terms and conditions. Each company has sole financial responsibility for its own products.

Contact: USAA Media Relations

[email protected]

210-498-0940

USAA on Twitter: @usaa

SOURCE USAA

Related Links

http://www.usaa.com


Calls on immediate action to address the unsustainable nurse staffing shortage facing our country. Tweet this

ANA calls on the Administration to deploy these policy solutions to address the dire nurse staffing shortage crisis. HHS must:

Convene stakeholders to identify short- and long-term solutions to staffing challenges to face the demand of the COVID-19 pandemic response, ensure the nation's health care delivery system is best equipped to provide quality care for patients, and prepared for the future challenges.

to face the demand of the COVID-19 pandemic response, ensure the nation's health care delivery system is best equipped to provide quality care for patients, and prepared for the future challenges. Work with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on methodologies and approaches to promote payment equity for nursing services and remove unnecessary regulatory barriers to APRN practice.

for nursing services and remove unnecessary regulatory barriers to APRN practice. Educate the nation on the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine to provide resources for widespread administration of the COVID-19 vaccine and any subsequent boosters.

to provide resources for widespread administration of the COVID-19 vaccine and any subsequent boosters. Sustain a nursing workforce that meets current and future staffing demands to ensure access to care for patients and prioritize the mental health of nurses and other health professionals.

to ensure access to care for patients and prioritize the mental health of nurses and other health professionals. Provide additional resources including recruitment and retention incentives that will attract students to the nursing profession and retain skilled nurses to the demands of patient care.

"ANA stands ready to work with HHS and other stakeholders on a whole of government approach to ensure we have a strong nursing workforce today and in the future," said Dr. Grant. "Our nation must have a robust nursing workforce at peak health and wellness to administer COVID-19 vaccines, educate communities, and provide safe patient care for millions of Americans. We cannot be a healthy nation until we commit to address underlying, chronic nursing workforce challenges that have persisted for decades."

About the American Nurses Association

The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the premier organization representing the nation's 4.2 million registered nurses. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting a safe and ethical work environment, bolstering the health and wellness of nurses, and advocating on health care issues that affect nurses and the public. ANA is at the forefront of improving the quality of health care for all. For more information, visit nursingworld.org.

For high-resolution images of the ANA logo, or photos of ANA leadership, click here.

SOURCE American Nurses Association

Related Links

http://www.nursingworld.org


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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 TV Advertising market. The report also aids buyers with relevant TV Advertising pricing levels, pros, and cons of prevalent pricing models such as volume-based pricing, spot pricing, and cost-plus pricing and category management strategies and best practices to fulfill their category objectives.

For more insights on buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers, www.spendedge.com/report/tv-advertising--procurement-market-intelligence-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%-3.00%.

Identify favorable opportunities in TV Advertising 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 TV Advertising suppliers listed in this report:

This TV Advertising procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies.

Omnicom Group Inc.

Publicis Groupe SA

WPP Plc

The Interpublic Group of Companies Inc.

Dentsu Inc.

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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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About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions.

Contacts

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us

SOURCE SpendEdge

Related Links

https://www.spendedge.com


Benson Hill is shaping the future of food by taking an integrated approach to the food value chain. Beginning with the seed, the Company links farmers with consumer-driven food trends and markets. The CropTrak relationship provides the technological infrastructure to accelerate this connection and further positions Benson Hill as a leader, providing the ingredients needed to deliver more healthy and sustainable food and feed products.

"Our collaboration with CropTrak accelerates in-depth agronomic data collection from our farmer partners, increasing our ability to benchmark and provide verifiable sustainability metrics to our customers and other stakeholders," said Jason Bull, Chief Technology Officer of Benson Hill. "With this technology infrastructure, we will work to strengthen our CropOS data library, continue to increase profitability for our partner farmers and build valuable ESG metrics for our food company customers, while also enhancing transparency and traceability across the supply chain."

The CropTrak platform increases the efficiency to geo-locate acres contracted by Benson Hill, collect soil samples and measure protein content, and seamlessly uploads holistic data directly from existing farm management information systems and equipment. The information is delivered to CropOS, Benson Hill's technology platform that combines data analytics and artificial intelligence with plant biology and food science to produce crops that are optimized for taste and nutrition while maximizing agronomic performance and assisting in the assessment of sustainability impacts on the farm.

"By digitally enabling and connecting an entire supply chain management process, food companies can more seamlessly weave together the story of their product and certification to defend against dynamic markets and environmental conditions that may affect production. We're proud to be working together and to see Benson Hill adopt the CropTrak platform in a unique way to deliver on our shared commitment of providing safe, affordable and sustainable food," said Aaron Hutchinson, President of CropTrak.

Through CropTrak, Benson Hill will have the capability to recommend, measure and assess farmer conservation and regenerative agricultural practices such as reduced tillage, cover crops, crop rotation and irrigation methods to increase soil carbon sequestration. Through an active membership in the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC), Benson Hill is exploring opportunities to ready its farmer partners for voluntary participation in the evolving carbon market.

"Agronomic and soil data collection is critical to measure the impact and outcomes of conservation practices on the farm. Through their collaboration with ESMC, Benson Hill is positioning its farmer partners to benefit from voluntary participation in carbon and ecosystem services markets through ESMC's national scale market program," said Debbie Reed, ESMC Executive Director.

About Benson Hill

Benson Hill moves food forward with the CropOS platform, a cutting-edge food innovation engine that combines data science and machine learning with biology and genetics. Benson Hill empowers innovators to unlock nature's genetic diversity from plant to plate, with the purpose of creating healthier, great-tasting food and ingredient options that are both widely accessible and sustainable. More information can be found at bensonhill.com or on Twitter at @bensonhillinc.

On May 10, 2021, Benson Hill announced a definitive business combination agreement with Star Peak Corp II (NYSE: STPC). Upon the closing of the business combination, Benson Hill will become publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol "BHIL". Additional information about the transaction can be viewed at: https://bensonhill.com/investors/ or https://stpc.starpeakcorp.com/.

About CropTrak

CropTrak is a cloud technology solutions company that helps multinational Food, Beverage, Agriculture, and Protein customers to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency of their supply chain management processes and systems. CropTrak's no-code platform solution removes data silos within and between companies and suppliers to enable users  from buyers to agronomy to finance  to make decisions more seamlessly and translate carbon sequestration into a competitive advantage through highly accurate and auditable data points that can be tied to supply chain performance. More information is available at croptrak.com or on LinkedIn.

Additional Information

This communication is being made in respect of a proposed merger (the "Merger") and related transactions (the "proposed transactions") involving Star Peak and Benson Hill. The proposed transactions will be submitted to stockholders of Star Peak for their consideration and approval at a special meeting of stockholders. In addition, Benson Hill will solicit written consents from its stockholders for approval of the proposed transactions. In connection with the proposed transactions, Star Peak has filed a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which includes a proxy statement to be distributed to Star Peak stockholders in connection with Star Peak's solicitation for proxies for the vote by Star Peak's stockholders in connection with the proposed transactions and other matters as described in such Registration Statements and a prospectus relating to the offer of the securities to be issued to Benson Hill's stockholders in connection with the completion of the Merger. After the Registration Statement has been declared effective, Star Peak will mail a definitive proxy statement / prospectus and other relevant documents to its stockholders as of the record date established for voting on the proposed transactions. Investors, Star Peak's stockholders and other interested parties are advised to read, when available, the preliminary proxy statement, and any amendments thereto, and the definitive proxy statement in connection with Star Peak's solicitation of proxies for its special meeting of stockholders to be held to approve the proposed transaction because the proxy statement / prospectus will contain important information about the proposed transaction and the parties to the proposed transaction. Stockholders will also be able to obtain copies of the proxy statement / prospectus, without charge, once available, at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to: Star Peak Corp II, 1603 Orrington Avenue, 13th Floor, Evanston, Illinois 60201.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Participants in the Solicitation

Star Peak and Benson Hill and their respective directors, executive officers, other members of management, and employees, under SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of Star Peak's stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction, including a description of their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is set forth in the Registration Statement that has been filed with the SEC by Star Peak, which includes the proxy statement / prospectus for the proposed transaction. Information regarding the directors and executive officers of Star Peak is contained in Star Peak's filings with the SEC, and such information is also in the Registration Statement that has been filed with the SEC by Star Peak, which includes the proxy statement / prospectus for the proposed transaction.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this communication may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or Star Peak's or Benson Hill's future financial or operating performance. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of other financial and performance metrics and projections of market opportunity. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "should," "expect," "intend," "will," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "predict," or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Star Peak and its management, and Benson Hill and its management, as the case may be, are inherently uncertain factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: 1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the definitive merger agreement with respect to the business combination; 2) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Star Peak, the combined company or others following the announcement of the business combination and any definitive agreements with respect thereto; 3) the inability to complete the business combination due to the failure to obtain approval of the stockholders of Star Peak, to obtain financing to complete the business combination or to satisfy other conditions to closing; 4) changes to the proposed structure of the business combination that may be required or appropriate as a result of applicable laws or regulations or as a condition to obtaining regulatory approval of the business combination; 5) the ability to meet the New York Stock Exchange's listing standards following the consummation of the business combination; 6) the risk that the business combination disrupts current plans and operations of Benson Hill as a result of the announcement and consummation of the business combination; 7) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the business combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain its management and key employees; 8) costs related to the business combination; 9) changes in applicable laws or regulations; 10) the possibility that Benson Hill or the combined company may be adversely affected by other economic, business and/or competitive factors; 11) Benson Hill's estimates of its financial performance; 12) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on business and financial conditions; and 13) other risks and uncertainties set forth in the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in Star Peak's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2021, in the Registration Statement containing the proxy statement / prospectus relating to the proposed business combination, and other documents filed or to be filed with the SEC by Star Peak. Nothing in this communication should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward looking statements will be achieved. There may be additional risks that Star Peak and Benson Hill presently do not know or that Star Peak and Benson Hill currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Neither Star Peak nor Benson Hill undertakes any duty to update these forward-looking statements, except as otherwise required by law.

###

SOURCE Benson Hill

Related Links

https://bensonhill.com/


ATLANTA, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. Magazine recently announced that Bitcoin Depot , the world's largest and fastest growing crypto ATM network, is No. 357 on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America. This is the company's second time being honored by Inc. 5000 as a rapidly growing business, as Bitcoin Depot ranked No. 1103 on the same list in 2020. The prestigious list presents an exclusive showcase of notable cases of company growth and expansion from the nation's most successful, independently driven businesses.

Bitcoin Depot

"We are extremely proud and honored to be featured in this year's Inc. 5000 list, especially since it coincides with our five-year anniversary," said Brandon Mintz, President & CEO at Bitcoin Depot. "We have worked rigorously over the past several years to expand our business and build a successful company with a unique identity and culture. Given last year's unexpected circumstances and the pandemic environment, we were fortunate that we were able to continue building our brand while serving the underbanked community on a global scale by providing access to basic financial services."

Bitcoin Depot has grown by 1,336% and continues to elevate its position as a leading multi-cryptocurrency network within the industry. The brand currently operates more than 4,000 crypto ATMs to date. It also recently launched an exclusive international partnership with convenience store chain Circle K that spans across both the U.S. and Canada. This trailblazing partnership alone highlights Bitcoin Depot's impressive achievement as a recurring Inc. 5000 honoree.

"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 we've 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."

More information on Bitcoin Depot's ranking including company profile can be found here: https://www.inc.com/profile/bitcoin-depot. To learn more about Bitcoin Depot or to find a full list of crypto ATM locations, visit their website .

About Bitcoin Depot

Bitcoin Depot is the fastest growing multi-cryptocurrency ATM network in the world. It was founded in 2016 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia. The company's mission is to provide the most secure, convenient, and fastest cryptocurrency transaction, ultimately Bringing Cryptocurrency to the Masses. Through a strong network of thousands of crypto ATMs, Bitcoin Depot enables users to buy Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum instantly. Learn more on their website , as well as on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Artineh Aladadian

(949) 777-2485

[email protected]

SOURCE Bitcoin Depot
The potential growth difference for the business English language training market between 2021 and 2025 is USD 8.24 billion. To get the exact yearly growth variance and the Y-O-Y growth rate, Talk to our analyst .

Key Market Dynamics:

Market Driver

Market Challenges

The high demand for vocational English training is one of the key market drivers. However, factors such as the advent of open-source materials and courses will challenge market growth.

To learn about additional key drivers, trends, and challenges available with Technavio. Take a look at our FREE Sample Report right now!

The business English language training market report is segmented by end-user (institutional learners and individual learners), learning methods (blended learning and online learning), and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA). APAC will be the leading region with 45% of the market's growth during the forecast period. India, China, and Japan are the key markets for business English language training in APAC.

View our sample report for accurate prediction of the contribution of all the segments, and regional opportunities in store.

Companies Mentioned with their Offerings

Alison - The company offers business English language training through online courses such as Effective Business Communication, English for Business and Entrepreneurship, and others.

- The company offers business English language training through online courses such as Effective Business Communication, English for Business and Entrepreneurship, and others. Berlitz Corp. - The company offers customized programs business English language training through face to face and online.

- The company offers customized programs business English language training through face to face and online. Coursera Inc.

edX Inc.

EF Education First Ltd.

To gain access about more vendor profiles with their key offerings available with Technavio, Click Here

Related Reports on Consumer Discretionary Include:

Global Digital English Language Learning Market  Global digital English language learning market is segmented by end-user (non-academic learners and academic learners), deployment (on premise and cloud based), and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and MEA).

Download Exclusive Free Sample Report

Global Online Language Learning Market  Global online language learning market is segmented by language (English, Mandarin, Spanish, and others), product (courses, solutions, and apps), and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and MEA).

Download Exclusive Free Sample Report

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market Sizing

Five Forces Analysis

Market Segmentation by End-user

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Vendor Landscape

Vendor Analysis

Appendix

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

Report: www.technavio.com/report/business-English-language-training-market-industry-analysis

SOURCE Technavio

Related Links

https://www.technavio.com/


HOUSTON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE) ("Callon" or the "Company") today announced that senior management plans to participate in the following upcoming investor events:

Barclays' 2021 CEO Energy-Power Virtual Conference

Joe Gatto, President and CEO, will participate in a webcast fireside chat at the Barclays' 2021 CEO Energy-Power Virtual Conference on Wednesday, September 8th, 2021 at 9:55am Central.

Please visit the Company's website at http://www.callon.com under the "Investors" section for access to the latest presentations and webcast links.

About Callon Petroleum

Callon Petroleum Company is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of high-quality assets in the leading oil plays of South and West Texas.

Contact Information

Mark Brewer

Director of Investor Relations

Callon Petroleum Company

[email protected]

(281) 589-5200

SOURCE Callon Petroleum Company

Related Links

http://www.callon.com


TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. (the "Company") (TSX: CF) (TSX: CF.PR.A) (TSX: CF.PR.C) announced today the applicable dividend rates for its Cumulative 5-Year Rate Reset First Preferred Shares, Series A (the "Series A Preferred Shares") and its Cumulative Floating Rate First Preferred Shares, Series B (the "Series B Preferred Shares"), further to its press release dated August 3, 2021 announcing that it does not intend to exercise its right to redeem all or any part of the currently outstanding Series A Preferred Shares and, as a result of which, subject to certain conditions, the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares have the right to convert all or any part of their Series A Preferred Shares into Series B Preferred Shares on a one-for-one basis.

With respect to any Series A Preferred Shares that remain outstanding after September 30, 2021, holders thereof will be entitled to receive quarterly fixed, cumulative, preferential cash dividends, if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of the Company, subject to the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). The dividend rate for the five-year period commencing on October 1, 2021 and ending on and including September 30, 2026 will be 4.028% per annum, being equal to the sum of the five-year Government of Canada bond yield determined as of today, plus 3.21%, in accordance with the terms of the Series A Preferred Shares.

With respect to any Series B Preferred Shares that may be issued on September 30, 2021, holders thereof will be entitled to receive quarterly floating rate, cumulative, preferential cash dividends, if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of the Company, subject to the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). The dividend rate for the three-month period commencing on October 1, 2021 and ending on and including December 31, 2021 will be 3.388% per annum, being equal to the sum of the three-month Government of Canada Treasury Bill yield determined as of today, plus 3.21% (calculated on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed during such quarterly period divided by 365), in accordance with the terms of the Series B Preferred Shares. The quarterly floating dividend rate will be reset every quarter.

Beneficial owners of Series A Preferred Shares who wish to exercise their conversion right should communicate as soon as possible with their broker or other nominee to ensure their instructions are followed for exercising such right on or prior to the deadline for exercise, which is 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on September 15, 2021.

The Series A Preferred Shares and the Series B Preferred Shares have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (United States), as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or the securities laws of the United States. Accordingly, the Series A Preferred Shares and the Series B Preferred Shares may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, except pursuant to transactions exempt from registration under the U.S. Securities Act or under the securities laws of the applicable state. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security.

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release may contain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's expectations, beliefs, plans, estimates, intentions and similar statements concerning anticipated future events, results, circumstances, performance or expectations that are not historical facts, the business and economic conditions and Canaccord Genuity Group's growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities. Specifically, this press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to the Company, the Series A Preferred Shares and the Series B Preferred Shares, including but not limited to future conversions, redemptions and dividends. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "potential", "continue", "target", "intend", "could" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and a number of factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. In evaluating these statements, readers should specifically consider various factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement. These factors include, but are not limited to, market and general economic conditions, the nature of the financial services industry and the risks and uncertainties discussed from time to time in the Company's interim condensed and annual consolidated financial statements, its annual report and its annual information form ("AIF") filed on www.sedar.com as well as the factors discussed in the sections entitled "Risk Management" and "Risk Factors" in the AIF, which include market, liquidity, credit, operational, legal and regulatory risks. Material factors or assumptions that were used by the Company to develop the forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, those set out in the Fiscal 2022 Outlook section in the annual MD&A and those discussed from time to time in the Company's interim condensed and annual consolidated financial statements, its annual report and the AIF filed on www.sedar.com. The preceding list is not exhaustive of all possible risk factors that may influence actual results. Readers are cautioned that the preceding list of material factors or assumptions is not exhaustive. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes are reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Except as may be required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, further developments or otherwise.

ABOUT CANACCORD GENUITY GROUP INC.

Through its principal subsidiaries, Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. (the "Company") is a leading independent, full-service financial services firm, with operations in two principal segments of the securities industry: wealth management and capital markets. Since its establishment in 1950, the Company has been driven by an unwavering commitment to building lasting client relationships. We achieve this by generating value for our individual, institutional and corporate clients through comprehensive investment solutions, brokerage services and investment banking services. The Company has wealth management offices located in Canada, the UK, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man and Australia. The Company's international capital markets division operates in North America, UK & Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. is publicly traded under the symbol CF on the TSX.

SOURCE Canaccord Genuity Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cgf.com


SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Celtic Bank, a Utah-based industrial bank, expands its commercial loan offerings to technology companies that are not well suited for traditional loan products given the nature of their business models.

"This is an interesting loan product that may not be suitable for many traditional banking organizations," said Reese Howell, Jr., CEO of Celtic Bank. "It requires a different analysis and different way of evaluating risk. These characteristics are what make it attractive to Celtic Bank. We have always been committed to finding niche products and segments of the banking industry where we can make a meaningful impact, and do it in a safe and sound manner."

Celtic's recurring revenue loans are designed for growth-stage software and technology companies providing "mission critical" technology platforms to their customer bases and have recurring (contractual or subscription) revenue models. Because their primary assets are typically intangible, owners and founders have a hard time securing commercial financing through conventional means. Instead, they usually raise capital by exchanging equity in their company.

"Because our lending program is a pure debt instrument, recurring revenue financing is an option for companies to raise growth capital without further equity dilution," said Daniel Godfrey, SVP of Asset Based Lending and Business Development Officer for recurring revenue financing at Celtic Bank

Currently most recurring revenue financing is available through non-bank lenders. These loans tend to have short amortization periods with large loan payments that can eat up the cash owners need to grow. Bank participants in the sector generally require warrants or other equity "kickers" to enhance program yields.

"Because our recurring revenue program is particularly tailored for growth-stage technology companies with a two to four-year horizon on a liquidity event, the repayment structure is designed to preserve cash for continued growth. Our loans are structured as interest-only that is split between cash pay and a paid-in-kind (PIK) component that is deferred until maturity. Ideally, this is one of the last tranches of capital to be raised to get them to a liquidity event."

Celtic Bank first opened its doors in March 2001, and over the past 20 years has become one of the top SBA lenders in the nation. In addition to SBA loans, the bank has branched out into strategic lending partnerships with FinTech companies and created a Commercial Specialty Finance Group that specializes in originating non-SBA loans for equipment financing, renewable energy financing and now  recurring revenue financing.

"I think this a big opportunity for us to leverage our core competencies and expertise as a lending institution to target a different market segment that also doesn't compete with our other products," said Howell, Jr.

For more information about recurring revenue financing at Celtic Bank, contact Daniel Godfrey at [email protected] or 801-320-6564.

SOURCE Celtic Bank Corporation
CHG also focuses on giving back to the community, donating thousands of volunteer hours each year to local nonprofits and participating in medical and humanitarian efforts around the world.

CHG takes care of its people



CHG is guided by its core values and believes diversity makes the company stronger. A diversity, equity and inclusion committee actively works to create an equitable and inclusive environment that provides fair opportunities and a sense of belonging to all employees.

Throughout the pandemic, CHG has provided paid time off to employees who get sick with COVID or must care for other family members, grants for employees facing hard times, and opportunities for employees to help one another. To combat the lingering mental health effects of the pandemic, CHG increased on-site mental health counselors and now provides virtual mental health and marriage counseling.

CHG provides opportunities to positively impact communities



Volunteering is woven into the fabric of the company. All employees receive up to 16 hours of volunteer time off and unlimited hours for team volunteering. Employees can even join volunteer trips to lend a hand to communities in need.

The company also hosts a Making a Difference Week annually where employees participate in various fun activities to raise money for nonprofit organizations close to their hearts.

About CHG Healthcare



Founded in 1979, CHG is the nation's largest provider of locum tenens services and the parent company of five healthcare staffing companies: CompHealth, Weatherby Healthcare, Global Medical Staffing, RNnetwork, and Foundation Medical Staffing. CHG also owns two technology companies: Modio Health and LocumsMart. CHG prides itself on having a values-driven culture that focuses on putting people first. To learn more about the company's culture, visit http://www.chgcareers.com.

SOURCE CHG Healthcare

Related Links

www.chghealthcare.com


DENVER and SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Crownpeak , the leading digital experience platform, today announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with Webscale , the cloud platform for modern commerce. The partnership will see Webscale become the preferred cloud delivery engine for Crownpeak's roster of global brands.

"We've been deeply impressed with the work Webscale has done to deliver security, predictive scalability and performance to their customers around the world, while providing real-time visibility into traffic," said Al Mays, chief product and technology officer, Crownpeak. "This engagement with Webscale is going to bring enormous value to both current and future Crownpeak clients."

Mike Guglielmi, vice president, sales and business development, Webscale, said: "The Crownpeak platform gives its customers a real edge in the efficient management of their digital user experience, at a time when UX is becoming a powerful differentiator across many industries. Crownpeak's strategy of focusing on speed, simplicity, security and scalability aligns perfectly with our own, and we are excited to get to work, bringing our world-class cloud delivery platform to Crownpeak's customers."

Joint Crownpeak and Webscale customers will benefit from a fully managed cloud delivery platform, offering predictive auto-scaling and disaster recovery for highly available infrastructure, flexible cloud deployment options in any public cloud provider around the globe, and comprehensive 360-degree security for protection against the latest cyber threats. In addition, all customers will have access to Webscale's award-winning 24x7 team of DevSecOps cloud-certified experts, as well as the Webscale Customer Portal, which offers unmatched visibility and insight into traffic, events, security policies, user experience and more.

To learn more about the Crownpeak Delivery, powered by Webscale, visit: https://www.crownpeak.com/resources/datasheets/crownpeak-powered-by-webscale .

About Crownpeak

Crownpeak provides the leading digital experience platform. The industry's only true SaaS-based solution, Crownpeak offers best-in-breed capabilities that empower companies to create, deploy and optimize omnichannel digital experiences  faster and easier than ever, and with zero infrastructure to maintain.

Removing the barriers to managing digital experiences, Crownpeak's built-in tools address content management, experience optimization and governance, personalization, web accessibility and privacy UX. Companies can deliver high-impact, trust-building experiences at scale that are brand-consistent and compliant with global privacy laws  improving loyalty, engagement and revenue. For more information, please visit www.crownpeak.com .

About Webscale

Webscale is the world's only cloud platform for the successful delivery of modern commerce applications. Offering enterprise-grade security, predictive scalability and blazing-fast performance, the Webscale SaaS platform leverages automation and DevOps protocols to simplify the technology needs of growing brands. The platform supports omni-channel use cases across a variety of ecommerce platforms and architectures, including headless, progressive web applications, self-hosted and fully hosted commerce clouds. Deployed in multi-cloud environments, including Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure, Webscale powers Fortune 1000 brands including Dollar General, Unilever, Swarovski, Olympus, Regal Cinemas and thousands of other B2C, B2B, and B2E ecommerce storefronts across 12 countries. Webscale has offices in Santa Clara, CA, Boulder, CO, San Antonio, TX, Bangalore, India and London, UK.

For more information, visit www.webscale.com . Follow us on LinkedIn , Twitter , and Facebook .

CONTACT:

Sara Card

Crownpeak

[email protected]

Andrew Humber

Webscale

[email protected]

SOURCE Crownpeak
SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dayone Capital announced today the final closing of Dayone Capital Fund I L.P. (" Dayone Fund I"), its first USD-denominated private equity fund, with a total capital commitment exceeding USD630 million, surpassing the initial fundraising target of USD500 million.

As a debut fund, Dayone Fund I was oversubscribed thanks to the backing of a group of top global institutional investors, including sovereign funds, fund of funds, family offices as well as leading Chinese internet and consumer strategics.

Dayone is a multi-stage consumer investment manager founded by Allen CHEN, a proven consumer entrepreneur and experienced investor. The firm focuses on long-term investment opportunities in selective consumer verticals that are subject to structural changes over the next decade. The core team is comprised of seasoned serial entrepreneurs, investment veterans from top-tier investment institutions, and experts with senior management level operational experience.

Allen Chen, Founder and Managing Partner of Dayone Capital, said: "Having been able to successfully fundraise in such a short time window is an important milestone for Dayone Capital's long journey ahead, we are deeply grateful to our LPs for their trust and support. At Dayone Capital, we are entrepreneurs embarked on a mission: to provide our staunchest support for entrepreneurs who are committed to creating long-term value for consumers."

As a consumer specialist, Dayone Capital believes that its multi-stage investment strategy is highly aligned with the evolution of China's consumer industry. The fund is well positioned to capture growth opportunities from both the rise in new brands as well as the transformation of legacy brands. "Dayone has its DNA deeply rooted within the consumer industry and I firmly believe that specialization will be a key factor in delivering alpha in going forward. China is currently shifting gears in its business infrastructure, rapid adoption of digital technologies alongside has created an ever more integrated supply chains, retail and distribution solutions. These underlying structural dynamics are reshaping the consumer landscape and empowering the emergence of new companies as well as the transformation of legacy brands, so we need to have a holistic multi-stage strategy to capture the right set of opportunities."

So far, Dayone Fund I has invested in over ten consumer companies across the spectrum. The portfolio includes:

Heytea, a leading premium tea drink chain;

Dim Sum Bureau of Momo, a fast-growing Chinese bakery chain;

HotMaxx, leader in closeout food and groceries chain;

WonderLab, a Gen-Z health supplements brand;

Pop Mart, a leading Chinese designer toy brand;

Li Auto, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer;

Baoyun Liquor, a high-end Baijiu producer;

Robosen, a consumer AI robot maker;

NeoBio, a premium indoor amusement centers for kids;

Hesung, a cross-border e-commerce company specializing in home and kitchen appliances;

Four Smile, a dental clinic chain specialized in invisible orthodontics.

Dayone Capital is Allen's fourth venture. He began his career as a consumer entrepreneur and successfully established and launched a number of consumer brands among which MUJOSH, a leading fashion eyewear brand in China and STARTER, a premium US sportswear brand. He was also the founder and managing partner of Black Ant Capital, a consumer VC firm where he led early investments into high-profile brands such as Heytea, Genki Forest and Jiangxiaobai, just to name a few. "Brands in China are at a watershed, we are moving away from business models that relied heavily on distribution channels and race-to-the-bottom pricing strategies onto more inspiring counterparts that offer better user experience and deeper emotional connection. How exciting it is that we are actually living in a golden era for the consumer industry and that we have a chance to participate in its shaping together with our entrepreneurs."

SOURCE Dayone Capital
"In 2020, Depend introduced the Stand Strong for Men's Health initiative with two goals: driving awareness around the link between prostate cancer and incontinence, and helping consumers take action through their purchase," said Drew Phillips, Senior Director for the North American Depend Brand. "We look forward to expanding those efforts this year through our partnership with actor and health advocate Boris Kodjoe and an increased donation goal of $350,000 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation."

Boris Kodjoe knows first-hand what it's like watching a loved one struggle with prostate cancer. His close friend and mentor was among the one in eight men nationally to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Now he's using his platform to normalize conversations around men's health and celebrate the strength of men experiencing conditions like prostate cancer or incontinence.

"As men, many of us don't like to talk about personal issues like our health because we don't want to be seen as weak or vulnerable," said Kodjoe. "But the statistics show why we need these conversations. Data from PCF suggests that Black men are 75 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than twice as likely to die of the disease. I'm excited to stand up with Depend to fight the stigma."

Depend is providing an easy way for people to make an impact this fall. For every purchase of Depend Shields-Underwear Liners for Men  Light, Depend Guards for Men  Maximum and Depend Real Fit Underwear for Men this September and November, Depend will donate to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, up to $350,000. Visit Depend.com to learn more.

This donation will go toward important research studies, like the Smith Polygenic Risk Test for Prostate Cancer, which is designed to detect early-stage disease in Black men, who are at the highest risk of developing prostate cancer.

Complete details around the Stand Strong for Men's Health initiative can be found at, Depend.com/Stand-Strong. For more on the Prostate Cancer Foundation and how Depend is accelerating its research mission, please visit: pcf.org/depend.

About the Depend Brand

Launched in 1984 by Kimberly-Clark Corporation, the Depend brand is the market leader in the adult incontinence category in North America. Over the years, the Depend brand has evolved with its consumers to provide the exceptional protection and lend them the confidence they need to lead normal, active lives. For more information or to request a product sample, visit www.Depend.com.

About Kimberly-Clark

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, and an understanding of people's most essential needs, we create products that help individuals experience more of what's important to them. Our portfolio of brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle, Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Intimus, Neve, Plenitud, Sweety, Softex, Viva and WypAll, hold No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in approximately 80 countries. We use sustainable practices that support a healthy planet, build strong communities, and ensure our business thrives for decades to come. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company's nearly 150-year history of innovation, visit kimberly-clark.com.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has raised more than $840 million in support of cutting-edge research by more than 2,200 research projects at 220 leading cancer centers in 23 countries around the world. Learn more at www.pcf.org.

[KMB-B]

1 According to the American Cancer Society

2 Outside of conversations with friends or family; According to a 2021 study conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Depend

 Depend shall donate to the Prostate Cancer Foundation $0.50 for each Depend Shields, Depend Guards or Depend Real Fit product purchased between 9/1/219/30/21 and 11/1/2111/30/21. Min. donation $150,000/Max. donation $350,000. Void in MS. For more information, go to PCF.org.

SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Related Links

https://www.kimberly-clark.com/en-us/


Emile currently offers 20+ AP, Core, and Experiential courses for high schoolers. With September's free access, students will have unlimited access to Emile's entire course library through September 30, 2021. Courses include: AP Computer Science, Introduction to Computer Science, AP Psychology, AP English Language and Literature, AP Chemistry, AP Calculus, Algebra 2, AP World History, Acting, Financial Literacy, and several others.

Emile Learning was founded in October 2020 by CEO Felix Ruano, Harvard University/McKinsey & Co. alum, Vilardo, University of Pennsylvannia/Nike/Uber alum, and CTO Jon Quiros, Dun & Bradstreet and Cal Poly Pomona alum.

"We have all seen the impact of TikTok, Netflix, Instagram on Gen-Z attention spans. These companies continue to innovate to stay relevant. Unfortunately, we have not seen that kind of approach in education. Emile is here to change that," said Ruano.

Emile's short-form courses are designed to promote engagement in a digital landscape where scrolling is the norm. By taking best practices from leading consumer technologies and social platforms, Emile is innovating to meet high school students' evolving learning strategies and needs.

Highly-engaging teachers pulled from students' favorite social channels present short-form video content, anchored to key concepts. Quizzes and study-guides reinforce learning. Access to a large online community and a roster of seasoned teachers increases interactivity and feedback. Finally, high schoolers have the option to take the courses purely for enrichment (e.g., to help supplement existing high school coursework) or for transcript-level credit.

"The for-credit option is really special. This means we can empower students to learn anything, anywhere, anytime-- and get high school transcript credits," said Vilardo.

Free access for the basic product is available through September 30, 2021.

Media contact: Veronica Ma, [email protected]

SOURCE Emile Learning

Related Links

https://www.hiemile.com/


MIAMI, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Trent Smith, 31, of Nevada, has been awarded the annual Dr. Emma Lerew Scholarship by Louis Hernandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future ("For A Bright Future", "FABF").

The Dr. Emma Lerew Scholarship is presented to underrepresented and high-achieving young people pursuing careers in education. In addition to a scholarship, Trent Smith will receive mentoring from successful teachers and administrators.

Louis Hernandez Jr's Foundation For A Bright is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the needs of underrepresented and underprivileged children through education, healthcare, the arts, and youth leadership development.

"The Dr. Lerew Scholarship is named after my mother, who has dedicated her career to supporting underprivileged students in the hopes of helping them excel in their academics and eventually become contributing members of their communities. This scholarship is a great opportunity for high performing students like Trent who want to help future generations learn and develop by becoming educators. Both my parents were educators and I saw first hand the powerful impact they had on communities. Trent is a promising student, and we are very excited to award him this scholarship," said Louis Hernandez Jr., Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Foundation.

Trent Smith graduated from Comeaux High School and is continuing his education at the Northcentral University in San Diego California. He also volunteered at the local shelter for the homeless, where he was able to help those who were less fortunate. Once he completes his specialization in General Education, Smith plans to teach in an underprivileged community.

"I am sincerely honored to have been chosen as the 2021 Dr. Emma Lerew Scholarship recipient. This scholarship will not only aid me in finishing my graduate studies but also help me to be able to afford little ones, just like I was, the same hope that they can be in the same position of attaining success. Growing up within a less privileged community has afforded me many academic and financial challenges. Still, it has also shown me the value of education and how education can affect many variables within my life. My educational pursuits would not be possible without the generous support from the For a Bright Future foundation, and I am greatly appreciative," said Smith.

"The quality of the candidates who apply for the scholarship never ceases to impress me. As a life-long educator, seeing the applicant turnout for 2021-2022 For A Bright Future Education Scholarship Grants has been inspiring. It's heartening to see the number of qualified students of color from underrepresented, lower income households who want to pursue a career in education. You are all the leaders of the future. I encourage the candidates who were selected for this year's scholarship awards to apply again. I wish all the applicants' great success as you pursue your goal to become educators  our students need you," said Dr. Emma Lerew, FABF Board Member and Executive Program Director of the Foundation.

This year the foundation received a record number of applications to review. We would like to thank Susie Hernandez, FABF Board Member and Chair of the Scholarship Committee, and our volunteers for serving on the scholarship selection committee.

Scholarship selection team includes:

Dr. Emma Lerew , Scholarship Committee Member.

Paul Frumkin , Scholarship Committee Member.

We also would like to thank the operational team led by Gina Rogoto, Marketing and Development Manager, for their incredible efforts to source candidates across the country and facilitate the process.

Contact:

Gina Rogoto, Marketing and Development Manager

Louis Hernandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future

Email: [email protected]

About Louis Hernandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future

Louis Hernandez Jr's Foundation For A Bright is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the needs of underrepresented and underprivileged children through education, healthcare, the arts, and youth leadership development. Our initiatives provide equal opportunity for all children to have the tools and opportunities to fulfill their life goals and become constructive members of our global community.

For more information: https://www.forabrightfuturefoundation.org/ or follow @FABrightFuture on Twitter and Instagram.

SOURCE Louis Hernandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future
EL DORADO HILLS, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine today revealed that Patra, a leading technology-enabled services provider for the insurance industry, has made Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies for the fifth consecutive year. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segmentits independent, small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

"Making the 2021 Inc. 5000 is a testament to our organization's focus and resilience to bring the best insurance services to the market year after year, even when facing incredible headwinds. Our team treats each of our 220 customers across over 490 offices nationwide as family, and we care deeply about their ongoing success," says John Simpson, CEO and Founder of Patra. "This last year has been incredibly challenging, and I couldn't be prouder of every employee at Patra in achieving this honor."

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year's list also proved exceptionally resilient and flexible given 2020's 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 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 we've 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 Inc. Media

The world's 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 www.inc.com.

About Patra

Patra is a leading provider of technology-enabled services to the insurance industry. Patra's global experts' team allows brokers, MGAs, wholesalers, and carriers to capture the Patra Advantage  profitable growth and organizational value. Patra powers insurance processes by optimizing the application of people and technology, supporting insurance organizations as they sell, deliver, and manage policies and customers. Patra is also a founding member of the InsurConneXtions Alliance, representing leaders across insurance technology, brokerage, wholesale, and specialty insurance, representing over $50 Billion in Insurance premiums.

For more information, visit patracorp.com or follow us @Patracorp on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

William Wagner

Patra Corporation

650-279-0325

[email protected]

SOURCE Patra

Related Links

http://patracorp.com


TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Foretellix, the leading platform provider automating the testing, verification and validation for automated driving systems (ADAS and AV), has secured $32 million in its latest series B funding round, bringing its total raised capital to over $50 million. The round was led by MoreTech Ventures, with participation from several strategic investors, including Volvo Group Venture Capital, Nationwide, NI and Japan-Israel High Tech Ventures. In addition, all series A investors, including 83North Ventures, Jump Capital, OurCrowd and NextGear participated in this new investment round.

Foretellix was founded in 2018 by a team of verification and validation pioneers with a mission to make automated driving systems safe and efficient. Foretellix uses a quantifiable approach to safety and hyper-automation to create and test all possible scenarios these systems may encounter, along with big data analytics to ensure the safety and completeness of the testing processes. This advanced platform is used throughout the development cycle, from the requirements stage through product development, verification and validation. Foretellix ensures safety and productivity while reducing development costs and time-to-deployment.

Foretellix is experiencing a rapid increase in demand for its platform. This demand comes from leading OEMs and Tier1s developing ADAS and AV products, both on and off-road. Foretellix is now commercially engaged with dozens of the largest names in the automotive industry, including Volvo Group and DENSO Corporation.

"Foretellix's platform brings a low-code approach to the creation and coverage of complex driving scenarios," said Zack Keinan, General Partner of MoreTech Ventures. "The value proposition to customers is clear: confidence that vehicles are behaving properly, a scalable approach to testing, and faster time-to-market. We are excited to be leading this investment round into this unique team and technology addressing a major bottleneck which will only become more challenging as OEMs and Tier-1's suppliers adopt increasingly software-centric models."

Martin Witt, VP and Head of Volvo Group Venture Capital, said, "We look for start-ups that are building the future with technological developments that will transform the transport industry. We believe that with Foretellix's advanced test automation tools and expertise, we can deploy current and future ADS. We have the same clear goal to infuse automation and metrics into the verification and validation process with open standards. The investment and ongoing partnership is a base for increased safety of our leading-edge automated driving systems. We are impressed by Foretellix and we believe that together we can add considerable value to the development of the business in the future."

"This additional funding round is an important milestone in our journey as a company and will help us address the growing demand for our platform and products," says Ziv Binyamini, CEO and co-founder of Foretellix. "The support of our strategic partners Volvo Group, Nationwide and NI will help Foretellix to further advance its mission to enable the safe deployment of advanced automated driving systems."

About Foretellix

Foretellix provides a revolutionary product development testing, verification, and validation platform enabling the mass deployment of autonomous driving systems. Foretellix uses proven approaches from the semiconductor chip industry that utilize hyper automation, big data analytics and AI. The platform orchestrates and manages the massive scale of testing required to ensure safety, reduce development costs, and shorten the time-to-market of ADS deployment.

Visit www.foretellix.com.

About MoreTech Ventures

MoreTech Ventures was founded in 2020 with the objective of funding great management teams with outstanding technology, targeted at solving meaningful problems. MoreTech Ventures focuses on Israeli and Israeli-related growth-stage investment opportunities across all market segments. MoreTech is a $130M fund with LPs including some of the global tech industry leaders.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/772600/Foretellix_Logo.jpg

Media Contacts:

Europe:

Mike Stainton

+44 (0)7739 891040

[email protected]

North America:

Scott Fosgard

+1 (734) 272-7440

[email protected]

Israel:

Moshe Mendelson

+972 508993284

[email protected]

SOURCE Foretellix

Related Links

https://www.foretellix.com


FREMONT, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Foxit, a leading provider of innovative PDF products and services, helping knowledge workers to increase their productivity and do more with documents, today announced that LifeMed Alaska has selected Foxit PDF Editor to improve efficiency, modernize its processes and help reduce unnecessary cost. LifeMed Alaska is one of the area's largest air ambulance providers with a staff of around 225 employees and eight bases in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Soldotna, Bethel, Palmer, Juneau, Dutch Harbor, and Kodiak.

LifeMed Alaska was looking for a singular PDF Editor that could help the company transition away from the inefficient use of multiple legacy solutions throughout the company. The company found that employees were ineffectively using multiple outdated and unsupported versions of Acrobat as well as an array of non-solutions that had been found online and downloaded by employees. The company was also looking for a solution that would be cost effective and simple to rollout to LifeMed's entire staff. After a recommendation from a trusted software vendor, the company examined the benefits of rolling out Foxit PDF Editor.

"The implementation of Foxit to our team provided instant success both in terms of its cost and simplicity," said Tim Nixon, Director of Flight Operations at LifeMed Alaska. "Foxit PDF Editor had all of the functions and tools we needed and was able to easily get our entire team streamlined on one solution. As far as roll out, I knew we were in the right hands based on how quickly and problem free our team picked up Foxit PDF Editor."

Foxit PDF Editor empowers knowledge workers to build better smart PDF documents by providing a comprehensive solution that supports the complete document lifecycle (create, collaborate, edit, manage, share, secure, and track usage) in an affordable and easy-to-use application. This results in improved productivity and enhanced document quality. Foxit PDF Editor is available on all operating systems, including macOS and Windows.

Foxit PDF Editor provides unmatched benefits and features to users, including:

Perform all document updates in PDF

Manipulate PDF files and pages

Annotate, share, and collaborate with PDF

Create PDF docs, forms, and portfolios

Share information on PDF with other file formats

Scan to PDF, OCR PDF, and edit scanned PDFs

Encrypt, redact, and sign PDFs

Document accessibility through assistive technology

"With how quickly we were able to integrate Foxit PDF Editor into our day-to-day process, I am really looking forward to pushing the relationship further to help improve workflows," said Nixon. "We are actively looking at moving our processes into a paperless workflow and Foxit will be the driver in that process."

To learn more about Foxit PDF Editor, please visit: https://www.foxit.com/pdf-editor/

About Foxit

Foxit is a leading provider of innovative PDF products and services, helping knowledge workers to increase their productivity and do more with documents. Foxit addresses the needs of three distinct market segments. For End-User Productivity, Foxit delivers easy to use desktop software, mobile apps, and cloud services to make knowledge workers more productive. Foxit's Developer Solutions enable developers to incorporate powerful PDF technology into their applications. For Enterprise Automation, Foxit provides server software for large scale PDF document management and data capture.

Foxit has over 650 million users and has sold to over 425,000 customers, ranging from SMBs to global enterprises, located in more than 200 countries. The company has offices all over the world, including locations in the US, Asia, Europe, and Australia. For more information, please visit https://foxit.com.

SOURCE Foxit Software

Related Links

http://www.foxitsoftware.com


DUBLIN, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global and China 3D Glass Industry Report, 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The rising demand boosts China's 3D glass market which was worth roughly RMB3,743 million in 2020, up 6.2% year on year. The global COVID-19 pandemic has dragged down the growth, but the market is expected to be valued at up to RMB12,656 million in 2026 as more 3D glass is demanded by mobile phones and wearable devices.

3D glass industry chain involves raw materials at the upstream end, processing and manufacturing at the midstream end, and consumer electronics demand at the downstream end.

The upstream raw materials include glass substrate, laminating materials, ink and polishing powder; manufacturing equipment include automatic cutting machine, engraving machine, grinding machine, hot bending machine, pressing machine, screen printing machine, baking line, coating machine, and ultrasonic cleaning machine; at the downstream end of equipment manufacturers are glass panel and touch screen manufacturers.

Using 3D glass as cover plate is a way to not only make terminal electronics look more stylish but provide better touch control experience for users. 3D curved glass becomes available to more downstream sectors including smartphone, tablet PC, wearable device, watch, and dashboard. 3D glass still gets most used in smartphones, with market share of around 91%; in the wearable device market surging in recent years, 3D glass boasts a high penetration and is expected to win a bigger place.

Through the lens of competitive pattern, the soaring demand for 3D glass in China in recent years has made cover glass manufacturers work to deploy 3D cover glass projects, and the 3D cover glass market attracts ever more entrants. Typical manufacturers are Lens Technology, Zhejiang Firstar Panel Technology, Triumph Science & Technology, Henan Ancai Hi-Tech and CPT Technology.

Among them, Lens Technology is a listed company specializing in developing, producing and selling high-end window touch cover glass panels, touch modules, and new window touch cover materials. Its products including window cover glass, touch screen monomer, touch screen module, camera, button, ceramics, and metal accessories find massive application in mobile phones, tablet PCs, notebook computers, digital cameras, players, GPS navigation devices, vehicle touch controls, smart wearable devices, and smart home. In 2020, its cover glass business contributed revenue of RMB30 billion.

Closely following the needs of industries for cutting-edge technologies, Zhejiang Firstar Panel Technology concentrates on developing and manufacturing a variety of window cover glass screens, touch screens, touch display modules, new display devices and related materials and components, which are mainly used in mobile internet terminals like smartphone and tablet PC.

In 2020, the company recorded RMB1.5 billion in revenue from window cover glass products.

Global and China 3D Glass Industry Report, 2021-2026 highlights the following:

3D glass (definition and classification, technology status, development history, industry chain, etc.)

Global 3D glass industry (supply, demand, market structure, etc.);

Chinese 3D glass market (size, structure, patents, prices, competitive pattern, drivers, etc.);

3D glass production materials (glass substrate, polishing materials, laminating materials, ink, etc.) (market size, competitive pattern, etc.);

3D glass processing equipment (hot bending machine, engraving machine, flat grinding machine, etc.) (market size, competition, processing technology, etc.);

Downstream application markets (smartphone, wearable device, VR, etc.) (status quo, demand for 3D glass, etc.);

15 3D glass manufacturers worldwide (operation, 3D glass business, etc.).

Key Topics Covered:



1. Overview of 3D Glass

1.1 Definition

1.2 Advantage

1.3 Production Process

1.4 Industry Chain

1.5 Industry Characteristics

1.5.1 Periodicity

1.5.2 Seasonality

1.5.3 Regionality

1.5.4 High Processing Barrier



2. Global 3D Glass Industry

2.1 Market Size

2.1.1 Supply

2.1.2 Demand

2.2 Market Structure

2.3 Regional Structure



3. 3D Glass Industry in China

3.1 Market

3.1.1 Market Size

3.1.2 Market Structure

3.2 Patent

3.2.1 Total Quantity

3.2.2 Pattern

3.3 Competitive Landscape

3.4 Market Price

3.5 Market Drivers



4. 3D Glass Production Materials

4.1 Glass Substrate

4.1.1 Production Technology

4.1.2 Market Size

4.1.3 Competitive Landscape

4.2 Polishing Material

4.2.1 Market Status

4.2.2 Competitive Landscape

4.3 Other

4.3.1 Coating Materials

4.3.2 Ink



5. 3D Glass Processing Equipment

5.1 Hot Bending Machine

5.1.1 Market Size

5.1.2 Competition

5.2 CNC Engraving Machine

5.2.1 Market Size

5.2.2 Competition

5.2.3 Processing Technology

5.2.4 Core Technology

5.2.5 Development Trend

5.3 Flat Grinding Machine

5.3.1 Overview

5.3.2 Competitive Landscape



6. Main Applications

6.1 Smartphone

6.1.1 Market Size

6.1.2 Advantages of 3D Glass Phone Screen

6.1.3 Trends of Phone Screen

6.1.4 Mobile Phone Brands Adopting 3D Glass

6.2 Wearable Device

6.2.1 Market Size

6.2.2 3D Glass Application

6.3 VR

6.3.1 Market Size

6.3.2 3D Glass Application

6.4 Vehicle Panel



7. Key 3D Glass Manufacturers

7.1 Lens Technology

7.2 CPT Technology

7.3 Firstar Panel Technology

7.4 O-Film Tech

7.5 Triumph Science & Technology

7.6 Holitech Technology

7.7 G-Tech Optoelectronics

7.8 Corning

7.9 RLD Cover Glass Technology

7.10 BYD Electronics

7.11 Tunghsu Optoelectronic Technology

7.12 Truly International

7.13 Other

7.13.1 Biel Crystal Manufactory

7.13.2 Wuhu Token Sciences

7.13.3 Shenzhen DJN Optronics

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/83j7ci

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


Global Ordnance has a long-standing relationship with the Ukrainians which includes both import and export of defense articles, such as military rifles and weapon systems. The relationships for Global Ordnance include a strategic partnership with Zarya Ltd, a sophisticated energetics plant in Rubizhne, Lugansk region, for supply of TNT to the US Army and other branches of the military. Additionally, Global Ordnance has reached out to other companies within the Ukrainian Defense Industry for support and supply of military equipment for their Non-Standard Ammunition and Weapons contracts with the US Army. Global Ordnance views the cooperation as a natural expansion of a proven partnership which it is proud to support. Global Ordnance President, Marc Morales, stated:

"Our strong relationships with the Ukraine continue to be mutually beneficial to the U.S. and to our Ukrainian allies. With this latest and welcomed expansion of cooperation, the U.S. industrial base will benefit from additional work, and the Ukraine will source needed capabilities."

Global Ordnance is headquartered in Sarasota, Florida and was recently named one of the fastest growing businesses in the Tampa Bay area. Through its various divisions, Global Ordnance engages in the supply of defense equipment to the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Allies, and it provides firearms, ammunition, and outdoor supplies to the commercial market. For more information about Global Ordnance, please visit www.global-ordnance.com.

SOURCE Global Ordnance, LLC
NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Goulston & Storrs, an Am Law 200 firm, is pleased to announce that Hara Perkins, a director and head of the firm's New York City office, has been named a "Real Estate Law Trailblazer" by The National Law Journal (NLJ). Perkins is known nationally for her deep expertise in affordable house and economic development. She previously served as co-chair of the firm's Multifamily Housing Industry Group and is currently a member of the firm's Executive Committee.

Perkins was recognized by the NLJ for her work spearheading the development of innovative affordable housing projects  including negotiating over $10 billion in low-income housing tax credit transactions for developers and investors  to bring these transformative projects to fruition. She is highly skilled at building consensus by finding novel paths forward to get both public and private deals done. On the public side, she represented the City of New York in the sale and development of Essex Crossing, a mixed-use development with 500 units of affordable housing in NYC's Lower East Side, which was completed after four decades of disagreement among various stakeholders. On the private side, she represented Forest City Ratner Companies as the master-builder of the Cornell Tech Campus, a 12-acre, net-zero campus on Roosevelt Island.

More recently, Perkins has been advising Google in structuring its visionary plans to invest $1 billion in affordable homes in San Francisco. Her work for Google is a model for how large companies outside of the real estate industry can use capital to solve problems in affordable housing.

She regularly speaks on industry trends and is active in various industry organizations, including serving on the Propmodo Editorial Advisory Board and serving on Urban Land Institute's Public Private Partnership Product Council. Perkins also co-chairs the Yale Alumni Real Estate Association. She has received numerous awards and accolades throughout her career and is regularly recognized as a top real estate lawyer in the U.S.

She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2003 and her B.A., cum laude, from Yale University in 2000.

About Goulston & Storrs

Collaboration is not just a pillar of our strategy; it is the key to our competitive advantage and approach to clients, community, and each other. As you get to know us, you will find that Goulston & Storrs is a modern, vibrant firm where the practice of law is pursued with deep expertise and diligence. It is a place where serious business is conducted with genuine camaraderie. It is a place where mutual respect drives open discussion, fresh ideas, and optimal solutions for our clients.

To learn more about our attorneys and clients, please visit our website or sign up to receive real-time news here.

Contact: Liz Sobe Amy Blumenthal Director of Strategic Growth Blumenthal & Associates PR Goulston & Storrs PC (617) 879-1511 (617) 574-0556 [email protected] [email protected]



SOURCE Goulston & Storrs PC

Related Links

https://www.goulstonstorrs.com


"Safety is paramount at Hyundai, as evidenced by every vehicle in our SUV lineup earning an IIHS Top Safety or Top Safety Pick+ designation," said Brian Latouf, chief safety officer, Hyundai Motor North America. "Through R&D and HMMA collaborative hard work we were able to improve the Santa Fe's LED-headlamp performance to meet the stringent testing demands by IIHS. We are extremely proud of the 2022 Santa Fe's recent TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating and continuing Hyundai's industry leadership in IIHS awards."

To qualify for IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+, the higher of the Institute's two awards, vehicles must earn good ratings in all six IIHS crash-worthiness evaluations, including the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side roof strength and head restraint tests. Additionally, vehicles must be available with a front crash prevention system that earns advanced or superior ratings in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations and good or acceptable headlights must be standard across all trim levels.

"The 2022 Santa Fe models built after July 2021 come exclusively with good or acceptable headlights," said Joe Young, public affairs, IIHS. "The Santa Fe also comes with a standard front crash prevention system that earns superior ratings in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations."

During hot summer months, please join Hyundai, The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, (NHTSA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), in a public awareness program Look Before You Lock, aimed at the prevention of Pediatric Heatstroke.

If someone else is driving your child, or your daily routine has been altered, always check to make sure your child has arrived safely to their destination. Tips on NHTSA's Child Heatstroke prevention program can be found here.

Safety reminder  Please buckle-up! Seat belts save lives every day. Always wear seat belts and use appropriate restraints for all child passengers.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America focuses on 'Progress for Humanity' and smart mobility solutions. Hyundai offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs and electrified vehicles. Our 820 dealers sold more than 620,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2020, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com .

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America

Related Links

www.hyundainews.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- itel, an international customer experience company born in the Caribbean, has acquired Emerge BPO, a Guyana headquartered outsourced operations company specializing in contact center solutions. The official announcement was made on July 28th.

Yoni Epstein, the Founder and CEO of itel stated, "We are delighted by the acquisition and believe the acquisition of Emerge BPO will take our services and offerings to another level and enhance the experience of each itel customer, including those carried over from Emerge."

The acquisition of Emergo BPO fits into itel's strategy to expand their contact center and work-at-home operations across the Caribbean, Latin America, United States and Canada. By purchasing Emerge BPO, itel has consolidated a significant portion of the Caribbean BPO market.

Adrian Collins, the Cofounder and CEO of Emergo BPO stated, "The partnership with itel will mark a fundamental shift in BPO services for the region making the Caribbean a premier nearshore outsourcing location for USA based companies. We are excited for the growth and expansion under itel and growth of the sector at large."

About itel

itel (formerly known as "itelbpo) is an award-winning international customer experience partner with operations across the Caribbean, Latin America, U.S., and Canada. itel's geo-diverse delivery platform and customized solutions provide the flexibility and responsiveness clients need to manage CX effectively in the new economy. Learn more at itelinternational.com

About Emergo BPO

Emergo BPO provides contact center solutions with offices in Guyana and Honduras native English speakers and close proximity to the USA. The Company is a cost-leader in the industry, while maintaining a high level of service due to its strategic location in Guyana.

About Jahani and Associates

Jahani and Associates is a lower middle market investment bank focused on cross border capital market transactions. Jahani and Associates has operations across North America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Jahani and Associates served as Emerge BPO's exclusive financial advisor in its sale to itel.

SOURCE Jahani and Associates

Related Links

https://jahaniandassociates.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lanny J. Davis, attorney for Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash, today asked U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to separate myths from facts about this client, Mr. Firtash. The presidents are meeting today in the White House, and Davis pointed them both to a lengthy piece he authored and posted this morning in RealClearDefense, a prominent defense policy, national security, and foreign affairs media outlet. Davis's piece, which can be found here, sets out and rebuts specific examples of falsehoods about Mr. Firtash that have been widely published in U.S. and European media.

Davis, a Washington D.C. attorney and litigator for over 40 years, is joined in the defense of Mr. Firtash by famous former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb, chairman of the law firm of Winston & Strawn.

According to the piece, in 2013, over 8 years ago, Chicago federal prosecutors announced an indictment of Mr. Firtash of a "scheme" to bribe Indian officials  but they never alleged that Mr. Firtash ever paid any bribes. Yet U.S. and European media repeatedly and falsely publish that Mr. Firtash is charged with "bribery"  despite the clear language of the indictment. Moreover, no Indian authority, after reportedly investigating the allegations, ever charged any Indian official or Mr. Firtash with being part of such a "scheme."

Davis's piece directly rebutted the widely-published assertions that Firtash communicated with either former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani or his associates to assist them and former President Trump in their efforts to "dig up dirt on President Biden and his son."

"That never happened  ever, directly or indirectly," Davis said.

In his piece, Davis reminded President Biden and President Zelensky that among their many common positions and values they "share a record of standing up to bullying and lies by former President Donald Trump." He asked the Presidents to reject the guilt-by-association and "utterly false innuendo" that Mr. Firtash was connected to Giuliani and former President Trump.

"Dmytro Firtash is innocent," Davis said. "He did not participate in any bribery scheme, and moreover, he should not be extradited to the U.S. since the Austrian court found evidence that the extradition request demonstrated impermissible 'political motivation' under the U.S. - Austrian extradition treaty."

Davis ended his piece with a final request of Presidents Biden and Zelensky:

"Facts and truth should count in the court of public opinionWe hope [Presidents Biden and Zelensky] will resist the temptation to be influenced by repeated myths and false innuendo, no matter how many times they are repeated on Google, as surrogates for the truth."

"The dystopian era of Donald Trump's lies and 'alternative facts' should be over," Davis finished.

Davis expressed hope that once Mr. Firtash is vindicated of these baseless charges, his public positions taken in support of "an independent and strong Ukraine"  referring to a previously published op-ed  will be of use to Presidents Biden and Zelensky in helping Ukraine in the months and years ahead.

Op-Ed Link: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/09/01/dmytro_firtash_is_innocent__and_he_can_help_improve_ukraine__us_relations_792531.html

DISSEMINATED BY DAVIS, GOLDBERG & GALPER PLLC, A REGISTERED FOREIGN AGENT, ON BEHALF OF DMITRY FIRTASH. MORE INFORMATION IS ON FILE WITH THE DEPT OF JUSTICE, WASHINGTON DC.

SOURCE Lanny Davis
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Latham & Watkins LLP1 announced today that it has opened a new office in Austin, Texas  a major hub for emerging companies, technology, life sciences, and private equity in Texas and nationally  and the addition of three new partners, Samer (Sam) Zabaneh, Jenifer Smith, and Scott Craig, who join the Emerging Companies Practice. Zabaneh will serve as the Office Managing Partner of the Austin office.

Austin represents an exciting opportunity to expand Latham & Watkins' platform by establishing a market-leading full-service office in a city that continues to experience strong growth. Latham & Watkins is uniquely positioned to partner with the Austin business community in connection with its members' most complex legal needs.

Latham's new Austin-based partners advise a broad array of public and private companies as well as sponsors in high-growth industries on a wide range of mergers and acquisitions, IPOs and other securities offerings, growth equity and debt transactions, and leveraged buyouts. Each partner has extensive experience and deep ties to Austin, and collectively the group brings a proven track record advising founders, companies across all stages of development, venture capital firms, and private equity sponsors. Latham & Watkins also anticipates that current partners with strong ties to Texas generally will either permanently relocate to Austin or spend significant time in our Austin office.

Latham & Watkins Chair and Managing Partner Rich Trobman said: "We are delighted to open our newest office in Austin, which has fast emerged as a major hub for startups, corporates, and private equity in Texas and nationally. For key growth industries that are driving the global economy, Austin is an increasingly important market and represents a key milestone in the growth of our corporate practice. Sam, Jen, and Scott each bring broad transactional experience, deep knowledge of the market, as well as a diverse base of public and private high-growth clients and established ties to local venture capital and private equity funds."

"Austin is a thriving market and a major force in the US and global economy. We intend to offer clients in Austin the very best of the Latham platform, by combining our new partners' experience and skill sets with our already deep and successful bench spanning capital markets, venture capital, and private equity," added Trobman.

The group includes:

Sam Zabaneh , who joins from DLA Piper and advises public and emerging private companies and their venture capital and private equity investors through their life cycles, from formation to liquidity. He has extensive experience advising on a range of securities, M&A, and general corporate matters, as well as various capital raising and liquidity event transactions. He also has experience with corporate governance and periodic reporting requirements for publicly held companies.

, who joins from DLA Piper and advises public and emerging private companies and their venture capital and private equity investors through their life cycles, from formation to liquidity. He has extensive experience advising on a range of securities, M&A, and general corporate matters, as well as various capital raising and liquidity event transactions. He also has experience with corporate governance and periodic reporting requirements for publicly held companies. Jenifer Smith , who joins from DLA Piper and represents public and private companies across a broad range of corporate and strategic matters, including venture capital financings, M&A, and capital markets transactions. She also advises boards of directors and management teams in a wide range of industries through the business life cycle, with a particular focus on corporate governance issues, as well as compliance with securities laws and SEC disclosure requirements.

, who joins from DLA Piper and represents public and private companies across a broad range of corporate and strategic matters, including venture capital financings, M&A, and capital markets transactions. She also advises boards of directors and management teams in a wide range of industries through the business life cycle, with a particular focus on corporate governance issues, as well as compliance with securities laws and SEC disclosure requirements. Scott Craig , who joins from Wilson Sonsini and represents emerging growth and late stage venture capital backed companies in technology, life sciences, and other high-growth industries, as well as the private equity and venture capital funds that invest in those companies, on a wide array of legal matters including M&A, equity and debt financing, and general securities law matters. He routinely advises companies, boards of directors, and investors on corporate governance matters which arise throughout a company's life cycle.

Charles Ruck, Global Chair of Latham & Watkins' Corporate Department, said: "Sam, Jen, and Scott have high energy, ambition, and talent, and they share our vision to build a preeminent practice in Austin as an integral part of our US and global platform. They have longstanding personal and professional ties to the market, and their mix of experience working over many years at the cutting-edge of technology and life sciences for startup and high-growth companies is well aligned with our practice strengths."

Ben Potter, Global Chair of Latham & Watkins' Technology Industry Group and Global Vice Chair of the firm's Emerging Companies Practice, added: "Latham combines access to a fully integrated global platform with extensive tech experience for emerging companies clients. The addition of Sam, Jen, and Scott  with their track records and impressive credentials  complements our strategy and bolsters our capabilities in the emerging company space, and, in particular, in the tech and life sciences sectors. We are proud to launch into the Austin market and look forward to building our presence in this vibrant and dynamic city."

The group joins Latham's formidable practice that has a long track record advising on cutting-edge transactions and high profile disputes for innovative companies. A few highlights:

Latham & Watkins is widely recognized for providing clients market-leading capabilities in key areas, including venture capital, capital markets, M&A, data privacy and security, IP litigation, and public company representation.

"Latham & Watkins is widely recognized and respected for its vast experience working with technology and life sciences companies, helping them develop and achieve their growth strategies. Latham's scalable platform is built to meet the precise needs and unique ambitions of each client  from startup to multinational  and the firm's top-notch practice, spanning capital markets, M&A, private equity, venture capital, finance, and litigation, will serve the market well," said Sam Zabaneh, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins' Austin office. "Austin has grown exponentially in recent years and the opportunity for future growth is immense. It's an exciting time to be in Austin and an exciting time to join Latham, and we look forward to contributing to the firm's continued success in this strategically important market."

Zabaneh received a BA, summa cum laude, and a BBA, with honors, from the University of Texas in 1996. He received his JD, also from the University of Texas and with honors, in 1999.

Smith received a BS in Business Administration and MS in Accounting, magna cum laude, from Ohio State University in 2003. She received a JD from the University of Texas School of Law, with honors, in 2006.

Craig received a BSE in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University in 1998, and a JD from the University of Texas School of Law, with honors, in 2004.

About Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins delivers innovative solutions to complex legal and business challenges around the world. From a global platform, our lawyers advise clients on market-shaping transactions, high-stakes litigation and trials, and sophisticated regulatory matters. Latham is one of the world's largest providers of pro bono services, steadfastly supports initiatives designed to advance diversity within the firm and the legal profession, and is committed to exploring and promoting environmental sustainability.

Notes to Editors

1 Latham & Watkins operates worldwide as a limited liability partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (USA) with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, and the United Kingdom and as an affiliated partnership conducting the practice in Japan. Latham & Watkins operates in South Korea as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins works in cooperation with the Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

SOURCE Latham & Watkins

Related Links

www.lw.com


ST. CHARLES, Mo., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lindenwood University President Dr. John Porter announced that the University intends to seek approvals to begin a nursing program in Fall 2024. The program is pending approval from the state, specialized accrediting agencies, Board of Nursing, and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The proposed program has received approval and endorsement from internal faculty committees and the University's Board of Trustees.

Upon full approval, Lindenwood's Bachelor of Science in Nursing program will meet an immediate need in the state of Missouri, as the nursing workforce experiences drastic shortages and qualified nurses are in high demand.

"Lindenwood recognizes the needs of the community and adding an entry-level nursing program to our portfolio is in line with our university mission," Chief Nurse Administrator and Associate Professor of Nursing Darrell DeMartino said. "Growth in health sciences, especially nursing, is a means to support well-identified health sector shortages. Developing a program that is innovative, relevant, and forward-thinking with hands-on experiential opportunities is what Lindenwood strives for as a leading higher educational institution."

Lindenwood has outlined a rigorous business plan and timeline for the project. The University has invested significant funding and seeks to hire talented faculty who will guide curriculum development, recruitment, and the accreditation process.

Additional information is available at www.lindenwood.edu/nursing

Contact: Julee Mitsler

Director, Communications

[email protected]

636-949-4913 (office)

SOURCE Lindenwood University

Related Links

http://www.lindenwood.edu


HOUSTON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mattress Firm , the nation's largest mattress specialty retailer, today announced its support of American Red Cross Disaster Relief with a $50,000 donation. For disasters like Hurricane Ida and countless other crises, the funding will enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover across the United States.

To support those impacted by Hurricane Ida, the devastating Category 4 hurricane that made landfall in Louisiana, Mattress Firm will provide 25 percent off coupons to those in need through Oct. 31. Additionally, the company is supporting disaster relief efforts through in-store point-of-sale donations. Customers across the country can opt to make a monetary contribution during their in-store checkout, and 100 percent of the money raised will be donated to the American Red Cross* beginning Sept. 1 through Sept. 20.

Mattress Firm has also pledged to match all employee donations to the Red Cross and World Central Kitchen by 200 percent through Sept. 30.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with our associates, customers and communities devastated by Hurricane Ida," said John Eck, Mattress Firm's president and CEO. "Mattress Firm is committed to supporting those impacted and we're taking action that will make a difference. The $50,000 donation to the American Red Cross will provide relief for people affected by disasters of all kinds," said Eck. "We are also assisting employees directly affected by the hurricane by offering new mattresses, financial assistance, leaves of absence and disaster pay. In trying times like these, the best thing we can do is lean on one another."

"Thanks to Mattress Firm's generous support, the Red Cross is able to shelter and support families impacted by disasters big and small across the country," said Don Herring, chief development officer at the American Red Cross. "We are proud to count on partners like Mattress Firm as we work together to provide much-needed comfort and care to people left in need from disasters."

The Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters across the country every year, providing shelter, food, relief supplies and emotional support to people in need.

About Mattress Firm

For the past 90 years, Mattress Firm has made it easy to get a great night's sleep by providing our customers an expertly curated collection of quality mattresses from the best brands. Today, with more than 2,400 neighborhood stores, we strive to match every customer with their perfect mattress at the perfect price. Our Sleep Experts help more than 3 million people a year find the right solution for their sleep needs. Our selection of mattresses and bedding accessories include leading brands such as Beautyrest, Nectar, Sealy, Serta, Simmons, Sleepy's Stearns & Foster, Tempur-Pedic, Tuft & Needle, tulo, and Purple. We also offer customers Sleep.com as a go-to resource for learning how to sleep better and feel better. Committed to serving our communities, the Mattress Firm Foster Kids program, in partnership with the Ticket to Dream Foundation, joined forces with local foster care non-profit partners to help children in foster care get better sleep so they can shape a better future. For more information, visit www.mattressfirm.com

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

*The American Red Cross name and logo and copyrighted materials are used with its permission, which in no way constitutes an endorsement, express or implied, of any product, service, company, opinion or political position. The American Red Cross name and logo are registered trademarks owned by the American National Red Cross. For more information about the American Red Cross, please visit redcross.org.

Media Contacts:

Katie Clark

[email protected]

Amanda Yodice

[email protected]

SOURCE Mattress Firm

Related Links

http://www.mattressfirm.com


IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported total August sales of 27,262 vehicles, an increase of 4.6 percent compared to August 2020. Year-to-date sales totaled 249,168 vehicles; an increase of 39.2 percent compared to the same time last year. With 25 selling days in August, compared to 26 the year prior, the company posted an increase of 8.8 percent on a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis.

CPO sales totaled 5,899 vehicles in August, a decrease of 11 percent compared to August 2020.

Mazda Reports August Sales Results

Sales Highlights

- CX-5 achieved 12 percent YoY growth for its second-best August with 15,329 vehicles sold

- CX-30 achieved 14 percent YoY growth with 4,391 vehicles sold

Mazda Canada, Inc., (MCI) reported August sales of 5,907 vehicles, a decrease of 3.2 percent compared to August last year. Year-to-date sales increased 31.1 percent with 46,822 vehicles sold.

Mazda Motor de Mexico (MMdM) reported August sales of 2,931 vehicles, a decrease of 7.4 percent compared to August last year. Year-to-date sales increased 15.9 percent, with 31,283 vehicles sold.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through approximately 780 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada Inc. in Richmond Hill, Ontario, and operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com/Newsroom.

Follow MNAO's social media channels through Twitter and Instagram at @MazdaUSA and Facebook at Facebook.com/MazdaUSA.

























Month-To-Date

Year-To-Date

























August August YOY % % MTD

August August YOY % % MTD



2021 2020 Change DSR

2021 2020 Change DSR























Mazda3 2,463 3,175 (22.4)% (19.3)%

28,024 22,634 23.8% 25.0%

Mazda6 1,435 1,215 18.1% 22.8%

13,239 10,499 26.1% 27.3%

MX-5 Miata 881 774 13.8% 18.4%

8,784 5,790 51.7% 53.2%

CX-3 380 860 (55.8)% (54.0)%

5,067 6,576 (22.9)% (22.2)%

CX-30 4,391 3,862 13.7% 18.2%

43,893 24,605 78.4% 80.1%

CX-5 15,329 13,727 11.7% 16.1%

124,249 90,677 37.0% 38.4%

CX-9 2,383 2,443 (2.5)% 1.4%

25,912 18,229 42.1% 43.5%













































CARS 4,779 5,164 (7.5)% (3.8)%

50,047 38,923 28.6% 29.8%

TRUCKS 22,483 20,892 7.6% 11.9%

199,121 140,087 42.1% 43.5%























TOTAL 27,262 26,056 4.6% 8.8%

249,168 179,010 39.2% 40.6%













































*Selling Days 25 26





203 205





























SOURCE Mazda North American Operations

Related Links

www.mazdausa.com


DOHA, Qatar, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), an initiative of Qatar Foundation, has unveiled the six winners of the 2021 WISE Awards. The innovative projects are being recognized for their work addressing today's most urgent education challenges. This year's winners are:

The Delhi Government's Happiness Curriculum partnered with Dream a Dream and other NGOs to create a space in the school curricula dedicated to well-being, happiness, mindfulness, and other important social-emotional skills. Their groundbreaking work positively impacted 800,000 students in 1,024 schools, who became more involved and focused in class.

Onebillion is a complete edtech solution (tablet and app) for all children to achieve numeracy and literacy skills in their own languages, regardless of the context they live in. The app provides children with adapted and personalized learning sessions. A durable solution, the tablet can be solar-charged and is designed to be used in remote and marginalized environments.

Trauma Informed Schools is a program promoting trauma-informed education within Turkish public schools. The intervention applies a multi-pronged approach targeting the children and the community surrounding them through training and workshops. Between October 2019 and September 2020, it reached 5,216 children, 406 teachers and 190 caregivers.

Aprendamos Todos a Leer is a comprehensive and innovative model for elementary school students to learn literacy. It provides teachers with reading materials, training and a grading system allowing all students to reach normal reading levels. It has been adopted as a public policy in Colombia and Panama and benefited 703,277 children and teachers.

Taleemabad was selected for partnering with low-cost private schools and providing their classrooms with highly localized and contextualized digital content aligned with the National Curriculum. Taleemabad is broadcasted on multiple channels reaching an audience of 8.5 million across Pakistan. The platform is also accessible through the Taleemabad App, downloaded 1.5 million times.

ProFuturo Digital Education Program by Telefonica Foundation and "la Caixa" Foundation, created a digital education program designed to be implemented in vulnerable environments, with or without connectivity. Focusing on teachers training and support, ProFuturo helps strengthen their teaching practice and digital skills. It has benefited more than 914,000 teachers and 19.7 million children in 40 countries.

The projects will be celebrated during the WISE Summit "Generation Unmute: Reclaiming our Future through Education" from December 7-9, 2021 in Doha, Qatar and online. In addition to publicity and networking opportunities, each project will receive $20,000 (US).

[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/969958/Wise_Logo.jpg





SOURCE WISE (World Innovation Summit for Education)
SANTA ANA, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, announced today that Malcolm Dougherty, P.E., has been named Senior Vice President and Regional Director for the firm's West Region. Mr. Dougherty will report to Brian A. Lutes, President and Chief Executive Officer, and will be based out of Michael Baker's Santa Ana, California, office. He assumes the role from Michael J. Conaboy, P.E., who has been promoted to Executive Vice President and National Design-Build Executive.

As Regional Director, Mr. Dougherty will be responsible for overseeing all engineering, business, marketing and financial operations for Michael Baker's West Region, which encompasses 16 offices throughout California, Washington, Nevada and Arizona. He will also lead growth efforts for all offices within the West Region.

"As a former employee of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Malcolm has dedicated much of his career to addressing transportation challenges throughout California and since joining Michael Baker nearly four years ago, he has contributed to projects nationwide as our National Practice Executive. This combination of local and national experience makes him uniquely positioned to serve as Regional Director for the West Region," said Brian A. Lutes, President and Chief Executive Officer at Michael Baker International. "His passion for engineering and ability to solve client challenges have been assets throughout our company and these attributes will only serve to further benefit the West Region. I am confident he will continue to strengthen relationships with our clients and drive growth in the region."

Mr. Dougherty joined Michael Baker in 2018 as the National Practice Lead for Transportation. In this role, he drove the strategic direction, growth and performance of the practice and led an integrated team of regional transportation and management professionals in all aspects of transportation. He was promoted to his most recent role as National Practice Executive in 2020, overseeing the strategic direction for the company's national practices.

"As a long-time California resident, I am excited to take on this new role and will work with our nearly 600 colleagues throughout the West Region to deliver the quality projects for which Michael Baker is known," said Mr. Dougherty.

Prior to joining Michael Baker, Mr. Dougherty spent 26 years in progressive leadership roles with Caltrans, culminating in the position of Director. In this role, he was responsible for the maintenance and operations of more than 50,000 lane miles of roadway in the State Highway System and the delivery of an $11.4 billion construction portfolio. He also had overall fiscal responsibility for the Department's budget of more than $10 billion and 20,000 employees.

Prior to his appointment to Director, Mr. Dougherty served as Chief Deputy Director and Chief Engineer at Caltrans, where he honed his leadership skills by advising the Department Director on all aspects of policy and operations. He represented the department at meetings and hearings and with the executive team on administrative priorities related to the state transportation system.

Mr. Dougherty holds numerous affiliations and certifications, including: member of the Board of Directors for the Intelligent Transportation Society (ITS) of America, member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), as well as past positions such as Chair of the Transportation Research Board's (TRB) Executive Committee, Chair of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Committee on Construction, Chair of the Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee, AASHTO Board of Directors, President of the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (WASHTO) and past member of the California Public Works Board.

Mr. Dougherty earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in California.

About Michael Baker International

Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services. The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design, civil engineering, planning, architecture, environmental, construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner, providing comprehensive services and solutions to commercial clients and all branches of the military, as well as federal, state and municipal governments. Embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations  like intelligent transportation and design-build project delivery  Michael Baker is an industry leader that delivers expertise and quality. The firm's more than 3,000 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement. To learn more, visit https://mbakerintl.com/.

Contact: Julia Covelli

[email protected]

(866) 293-4609

SOURCE Michael Baker International

Related Links

http://www.mbakerintl.com


MIAMI, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier this year, the Detroit Auto Dealers Association announced a "bridge to the future" auto-centric event called Motor Bella, to take place on September 21-26, at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan.

The event brings next-generation mobility, vehicle debuts and innovative auto technologies. Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Motor Bella holds a 2-day Automobili-D Technology Display on September 21-22.

Innovations of the automotive industry empower the possibility of autonomous car transportation along with other technologies to be showcased at Automobili-D Tech Display at Motor Bella auto show in Pontica, Michigan on September, 21-22

Among 30+ tech companies and start-ups showcasing e-mobility, autonomous driving, smart cities and connected car, The Steering will premiere its Autonomous Car Shipping Software.

Back in 2019, The Steering founders came up with a radical idea to change a car shipping experience from what we know it today. Miami-based, women-led startup aims to manage a full cycle of a car shipping process online. You order and track a car delivery through The Steering app. No calls are needed. Get notifications on the app, e-sign documents and authorize a payment. Review. Repeat.

On the other side of a car shipping process, The Steering ensures an efficient, regulations compatible, trailer-type loading and navigation tool. With its patented technology car hauling trucks can pick up available cars on a route to exclude LTL runs and maximize car load efficiency. The Steering technology goes beyond a regular auto transportation process, being the software enabler for autonomous trucking.

The Steering software is currently tested to work for driver-assisted trucks in Miami. The company enters its capital-raising round in September. The team of the founders and engineers will travel to Pontiac to showcase The Steering technology at the Automobili-D event.

Automotive enthusiasts, media and investors are welcome to visit the M1 Concourse, often referred to as an "87-acre playground" to get a glimpse into the future of the auto industry.

Media contact:

Mila Khodorovsky

[email protected]

786-405-7686

Website: https://thesteering.com/

SOURCE The Steering
BUFFALO, N.Y., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- M&T Bank Corporation (NYSE:MTB)("M&T") will participate in the Barclays Global Financial Services Conference, which is being held in a virtual format. Representatives of M&T are scheduled to address investors and analysts on September 15, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. (ET).

A live audio-webcast of the event will be available via the Internet at: https://ir.mtb.com/events-presentations. The discussion and webcast may contain forward-looking statements and other material information. A replay will also be made available following the event.

M&T is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T's principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, operates banking offices in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Trust-related services are provided by M&T's Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank.

Investor Contact:

Donald J. MacLeod

(716) 842-5138

SOURCE M&T Bank Corporation

Related Links

http://www.mandtbank.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall, National Expungement Works (N.E.W.) , creators of the annual week known internationally for legal relief and wraparound services, is set to kick-off the latest era of their transformative work. National Expungement Week, the organization's signature project, has evolved to become N.E.W. Week of Action and Awareness (WOAA), which will take place from September 26 - October 3, 2021. This year, the mix of virtual and in-person gatherings will occur in cities across the country, including Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Las Vegas, Jacksonville, Portland, East St. Louis, and Greenville.

"The WOAA is our call to action to raises the public's awareness of the importance of legal relief in restoring pathways for generational wealth and healing," said N.E.W. visionary and founder LaTorie Marshall. "There are estimated to be 48,000 legal and socio-economic barriers restricting fundamental human rights for people with an arrest on conviction on their record. Expungement and other forms of legal relief, such as record sealing and even paying some fines, could instantly mitigate the impact of these barriers for over 70 million people across the country."

In its fourth year as an access point for expungement and legal relief, WOAA events also offer wraparound services to restore rights and uplift communities, including employment resources, voter registration, and health screenings. Throughout the WOAA, N.E.W.'s national directors will also host new programming reflective of the organization's seven core principles - Healing, Solidarity, Creation, Ascension, Education, Legacy, and Fellowship. Topics such as financial literacy, voter suppression, education, domestic violence prevention, and the importance of rest will be explored with guest speakers and presenters including, Queen Afi Gaston of Domestic Violence Wears Many Tags , Conaxion , Debt Collective , and Root & Rebound . Pop-up actions addressing harm-reduction will also be featured throughout the week, such as grocery distributions and brake light repair.

Since 2018, N.E.W. has generated tangible results in the lives of over 1,600 people who have begun the expungement process. In addition, over 7,000 have received wrap-around services such as voter registration, job support, health screenings, and assistance with housing and food insecurity, and 950 have had fines reduced or cleared. Although WOAA events address many of the injustices caused by our nation's failed drug war, N.E.W.'s programming is not cannabis-specific, and anyone in need of expungement or record-sealing processing, education, or other supporting services is welcome.

Through the generosity of presenting sponsor Canopy Growth Corporation and benevolent partners, such as Cage-Free Repair , Social Impact Center , Time Done , and Unincarcerated Minds . N.E.W. can cover most services and costs such as fingerprinting and fines. Unfortunately, these fees and penalties prevent many eligible people from embarking upon the expungement or record sealing process. Those interested in legal relief services are encouraged to visit newxnow.org . They can also follow N.E.W.'s social media platforms ( Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , YouTube ) for information on the legal relief services available in their area and whether pre-registration and supporting documents (LiveScan, photo ID, etc.) are necessary.

About National Expungement Works

National Expungement Works (N.E.W.) is a shift to emancipate justice-impacted communities exploited by systemic inequities. Our holistic year-round programming includes legal relief, wraparound services, and advocacy for expanded access to expungement. Whatever is allowed to be expunged, sealed, reclassified, set aside in your state, you should be able to show up and address that. We build and restore pathways for generational healing and wealth. For more information, please visit newxnow.org or follow N.E.W. on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , and YouTube .

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Tracey Henry

National Expungement Works (N.E.W.)

[email protected]

631-861-4723

SOURCE National Expungement Works
CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading GOTS-certified organic mattress manufacturer, Naturepedic, is kicking off September's Baby Safety month with an educational podcast on the top pregnancy-to-motherhood resource site, Baby Chick.

Launched today, the episode, "How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe," features Barry A. Cik, Naturepedic's Founder, Technical Director and Board-Certified Environmental Engineer, and Nina Spears, Baby Chick's Founder and "Chick Chat" host. The duo cover key topics including the biggest risks and dangers involved with infant sleep, why breathability is an important feature in crib mattresses, as well as what to look for when purchasing a crib mattress.

Cik, who created Naturepedic after discovering most crib mattresses on the market were made with questionable chemicals and materials, outlines that the issues involved in infant sleep boil down to the widespread use of toxic chemicals, misunderstood breathability issues, and allergenic issues. He explains:

"The unfortunate reality is that most crib mattresses on the market are made with questionable chemicals and materials, particularly phthalates, which are plasticizers and can be released into the air the baby is breathing in. Other common chemicals and materials of concern include perfluorinated compounds (PFCs/PFAS), polyurethane foam, glues and adhesives, flame retardants and chemical flame barriers, and anti-microbials/pesticides."

He adds, "The bottom line is that baby products don't need to be made with these chemicals. We've shown everyone that you can make products without toxic chemicals and materials, and we're working to change the system and stop the cycle of introducing them into our homes and our families. The whole issue is not just the mattress issue, we have to change the way we think in our society, and we have to change the laws."

Cik emphasizes that in addition to this, it's important for parents to understand that while a breathable crib mattress is important, it has to be done right to truly be considered safe, "It's okay to give a baby more air with a breathable mattress, there's no argument there. However, you have to ask yourself, what exactly is it that the baby is breathing in? Not only are there chemical concerns, but if the breathable mattress is not waterproofed, which is frequently the case, then there's major hygienic concerns to think about, as well." Cik provides in-depth insight about the fine line of breathable mattress safety in the episode, explaining how Naturepedic rethought the concept when creating their breathable crib mattresses.

Another important safety issue in baby mattresses is allergenic safety. Cik warns that consumers should be weary of crib mattresses made with latex, even if it's organic latex, especially as the FDA cautions that latex may cause allergenic reactions. "Approximately 6-8% of people, including babies, are allergic to latex, so the only responsible course of action is to keep them away from it. Latex includes the use of coir (shredded coconut husks), which is always mixed with latex. For this reason, again, whether the latex is organic or not, we never use any latex in our baby and kid products."

Leading the organic mattress revolution for over 15 years, all Naturepedic products are certified organic by GOTS and certified nontoxic by MADE SAFE, eliminate questionable materials and chemicals found in most conventional mattresses, such as flame retardant chemicals and chemical barriers, polyurethane foam, vinyl and formaldehyde, while meeting and exceeding the highest level of certifications available in the marketplace.

"With baby safety top of mind this month, at Naturepedic, we're determined to further awareness about how parents can achieve safer, healthier sleep for their babies. We're excited to be featured on Baby Chick's popular podcast to advance these efforts," Cik adds.

To listen to the full podcast episode, head to: https://www.baby-chick.com/how-to-keep-your-sleeping-baby-safe/

For media inquiries and more information, please contact Sara White at [email protected] or 914.621.1323

About Naturepedic:

Since 2003, Naturepedic has been on a mission to protect the lives of families through safer, healthier organic-based products that have a positive impact on the environment. A brand with purpose, transparency and ethical practices, Naturepedic is the recipient of many certifications and is highly respected by numerous health and environmental organizations (https://www.naturepedic.com/certifications) and is an EPA Green Power Partner. Since its inception, Naturepedic has been a consistent and generous advocate and supporter of NGO's and nonprofits advocating for "Right to Know" about what is in the products that people bring into their homes.

SOURCE Naturepedic
ANDOVER, Mass., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Navisite today announced the three winners of its Navisite's Next Steminist scholarship program. In its inaugural year, the program is designed to help close the gender gap in tech and encourage young women to pursue their dreams in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The three winners are Elizabeth Andraschko of Spring Park, Minnesota; Abigayle Mercer of Creswell, Oregon; and Vithya Srikumar of New York City. Each winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship towards their undergraduate education.

"We are honored to name the first-ever winners of Navisite's Next Steminist Scholarship as these young women prepare to further their education, launch STEM careers and give back to their communities," said Gina Murphy, president and COO of Navisite. "The three winners stood out among the many candidates from across the country. We were impressed with their vision and determination to make a difference with their STEM educations, and we're thrilled to be able to support them."

The winners plan to use their 'Next Steminist' scholarship to pursue careers in STEM fields that will enable them to contribute their talents for the betterment of society and human health.

Elizabeth Andraschko will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison and plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. She hopes to one day work for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in energy efficiency, aiding with the large-scale adaptation of electric transportation to reduce the carbon footprint of humans. "As a woman in STEM, I vow to use my voice and dismantle power imbalances and promote minority voices so that diversity will be the center of all future societal development," said Andraschko.







will attend the and plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. She hopes to one day work for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in energy efficiency, aiding with the large-scale adaptation of electric transportation to reduce the carbon footprint of humans. "As a woman in STEM, I vow to use my voice and dismantle power imbalances and promote minority voices so that diversity will be the center of all future societal development," said Andraschko. Abigayle Mercer will attend California Polytechnic State University to pursue her dream career of working in a data science position at a research facility, using math, research and computer programming to solve problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has inspired Abigayle to help the world prepare for the potential of future infectious outbreaks. "Working with epidemiologists, I would like to analyze patterns in virus mutation and contact spreading to help predict, plan and prepare the world for the next pandemic," says Mercer. "If I can use my STEM degree to make a positive impact, this is how I will do it."







will attend California Polytechnic State University to pursue her dream career of working in a data science position at a research facility, using math, research and computer programming to solve problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has inspired Abigayle to help the world prepare for the potential of future infectious outbreaks. "Working with epidemiologists, I would like to analyze patterns in virus mutation and contact spreading to help predict, plan and prepare the world for the next pandemic," says Mercer. "If I can use my STEM degree to make a positive impact, this is how I will do it." Vithya Srikumar will attend Northeastern University to pursue a degree in computer science and behavioral neuroscience, combining the two areas to streamline research and make it easier to work with large data sets and draw conclusions backed by evidence. "As someone who has suffered from numerous neurological issues, I know how vital it is to advance our knowledge of the brain in order to help people with similar conditions," said Srikumar. "I can't wait to get started on my journey of learning so that I can start giving back to the world that has been so good to me."

The Navisite Next Steminist program is administered by Navisite customer Scholarship America, the nation's largest designer and manager of scholarship, tuition assistance and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations and individuals.

For updates on the 2022 'Next Steminist' submission period, as well as eligibility requirements, please visit the Navisite's Next Steminist web page. To learn how #WomeninSTEM are making a difference at Navisite, please check out our Steminist Spotlight blog series.

About Navisite

Navisite is a modern managed cloud service provider that accelerates digital transformation for thousands of growing and established global brands. Through our comprehensive portfolio of enterprise application and cloud services, proven delivery methodologies and global team of highly specialized experts across technologies, platforms and industries, we provide the capabilities and practical guidance customers need to move their businesses forward. Let us partner with you to navigate the now of IT change, lower costs and meet new demands at any point in your journey. To learn more, visit navisite.commodern IT services for modern IT needs.

SOURCE Navisite

Related Links

https://www.navisite.com


COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NIL Technology (NILT), a leader in modern optical solutions, demonstrates breakthrough performance in flat optics. A complete NIR camera module is built using a 940 nm single metalens and a NIR sensor. Both demonstrator and customer-specific metalenses are currently being prototyped, shipped, and made ready for mass production.

Image from a near Infrared imaging system using a single meta optical element surface (1M MOE) designed for 940 nm wavelength. The demonstrated NILT image has excellent resolution for NIR imaging, all the way to the edge, and is comparable to images captured with a multi-element refractive lens.

For more than a decade, camera lenses used in smartphones and other products have not seen revolutionary changes. Lenses are still made with multiple bulky refractive lenses or lens elements stacked on top of each other. NILT is on a mission to bring revolutionary changes to smartphone cameras by significantly reducing the size and complexity of these lens systems.

This first demonstration is a 940 nm near-infrared (NIR) wavelength imaging lens with a single metasurface, used for 3D sensing and face recognition in smartphones and driver-monitoring in automobiles.

The single metalens, as we will introduce as 1M, Meta Optical Element (MOE), is groundbreaking in its form, performance, compactness, and efficiency. It validates the uniqueness of MOEs over traditional refractive lenses.

Compactness. MOEs are flatter, thinner, and lighter than refractive lenses, having a lens simplicity not demonstrated before.

MOEs are flatter, thinner, and lighter than refractive lenses, having a lens simplicity not demonstrated before. Superior . MOE lenses have significantly better imaging quality with a wide field of view, low F-number, high MTF, and high relative illumination, all at a low total track length.

. MOE lenses have significantly better imaging quality with a wide field of view, low F-number, high MTF, and high relative illumination, all at a low total track length. Cost-efficiency. Assembly costs and integration complexity will be lower.

Assembly costs and integration complexity will be lower. Robustness. Silicon on glass-substrate makes for strong, thermally stable lenses.

Design to delivery in only four weeks

NILT has more than 15 years of experience in high precision nanostructuring and is applying this to realize fast prototyping and mass production of MOEs. Prototyping is secured by high-quality Electron Beam Lithography (EBL) with a significantly quicker turnaround time than Deep UV Lithography (DUV). In addition, EBL gives ultra-high resolution and has a high degree of design freedom. Mass production is done by nanoimprint lithography (NIL), with no constraints on meta-atom geometries (size, shape, and location), ensuring best performing metalenses. In addition, nanoimprint lithography makes it possible for NILT to mass produce without relying on semiconductor geometrical limitations and processing capacity.

"Production of customized 1M MOEs is based on a combination of high expertise, and proven, validated, and reliable methodology," says Theodor Nielsen, CEO & Founder in NIL Technology. "NILT is an established company with more than 1,500 purchase orders of experience. In addition, we have made customized prototypes for many years."

NILT is designing, prototyping, assembling, and bringing up mass-production of metalenses. The entire process is done internally. As a result, NILT's MOEs can be made in large quantities, with design to prototyping delivery in only four weeks and further redesign and turnaround in less than two weeks. Standard lenses with NILT designs are already shipped today.

Technical specs on the optical performance for the flat, multifunctional optics product platform for 3D sensing and LiDAR can be found on www.nilt.com/flat-nir-metalens-1m.

For inquiries, contact Brian Orr, VP Sales, at phone +1 408 497 4408.

About NILT

NIL Technology (NILT), founded in 2006, is an optical solutions company designing, developing, and manufacturing optical elements and components using high-precision nanoscale features. The company is backed by several industry-independent investors: Jolt Capital, NGP Capital, Swisscanto, Vaekstfonden, and the European Innovation Council (EIC). NILT creates competitive advantages with flat optics in optical applications for 3D sensing, consumer electronics, machine vision, autonomous vehicles, and VR/AR displays; all solutions made by diffractive optical elements (DOE) and metalenses/meta optical elements (MOE). NILT is based in Denmark and has offices in Switzerland, Sweden, and the US. Visit us at www.nilt.com.

Media contact:

Theodor Nielsen

[email protected]

+45 31719036

SOURCE NIL Technology
DeliverFund provided support to a first-of-its-kind operation that resulted in 102 arrests and the rescue of 47 victims. Tweet this

The agency-level statistics, according to the Missouri Attorney General's press release, is as follows:

Illinois: 3 arrests made, 1 victim rescued

Iowa: 11 arrests made, large amount of currency seized

Kentucky: 46 arrests made, 21 victims rescued, 2 minor victims rescued

Minnesota: 3 arrests made, 8 victims rescued

Nebraska: 7 arrests made

North Dakota: 3 arrests made, 6 victims rescued

Oklahoma: 7 arrests made, 1 victim rescued

Tennessee: 4 arrests made

Texas: 2 arrests made, 4 victims rescued

Wisconsin: 5 arrests made

South Dakota: 9 arrests

Services offered to 41.

Each state conducted its own operation simultaneously and shared information and data with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Attorney General's Office. Missouri's victim-centric operation resulted in 2 arrests, 4 victims rescued, and 11 victims who were provided needed services.

Victim-centric operations are critical because for too long, human trafficking victims have been viewed as criminals and further traumatized by the criminal justice system. As outlined by the Office of Justice Programs, Office of Victims of Crime, Training and Technical Assistance Center, victim-centric operations recognize the key role that victims play in a successful human trafficking investigation and prosecution. Similarly, they protect the rights of the victims as crime victims and their right to engage in seeing their traffickers brought to justice. Victim-centric operations ensure that victims are provided with referrals to task force victim service providers. Identifying victims of human trafficking and providing them services is not only a best practice, it is more impactful in the fight against human trafficking

DeliverFund is a non-profit intelligence organization founded and operated by a group of individuals who have decades of experience from careers in the CIA, NSA, Special Operations, and law enforcement. They leverage cutting-edge technology into the ultimate weapon against human trafficking.

For more information about DeliverFund, please visit www.DeliverFund.org. Analysts are available to speak with the media regarding the operation. However, some law enforcement details will not be available due to ongoing investigations. For media booking, please contact Danielle Prior at [email protected]

SOURCE DeliverFund

Related Links

https://www.deliverfund.org/


DUBLIN, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Cellulose Fibers Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global cellulose fibers market exhibited strong growth during 2015-2020. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to grow at a CAGR of around 9% during 2021-2026. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use industries. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Cellulose fiber refers to a natural or artificial fiber that is manufactured using wood pulp. It can also be produced using esters of leaves, wood and barks of the plants and other plant-based materials. The other natural fibers are obtained from cotton, jute, flax, hemp and ramie, whereas artificial fibers majorly include lyocell, viscose and modal. These fibers are extremely light-weight and exhibit high moisture absorbency and strength, owing to which they are majorly used for manufacturing fabrics, home textiles, biocomposites, polymer composites and chemical filters.



Significant growth in the textile industry across the globe is one of the key factors driving the growth of the market. Furthermore, increasing environmental consciousness has facilitated the demand for biodegradable fabrics, which is acting as another major growth-inducing factor. Cellulose fibers are primarily manufactured using wood pulp, which is skin-friendly, biodegradable and environment-friendly in nature, owing to which they are widely adopted in the textile industry. Additionally, increasing product utilization for manufacturing industrial textiles, such as curtains and upholstery, along with advancements, such as the utilization of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) to enhance the mechanical properties, biocompatibility and biodegradability of cellulose fibers, is creating a positive impact on the market growth. Other factors, including the implementation of favorable government policies promoting the use of plant-based sources in place of petrochemicals, coupled with expanding industrial applications, easy availability of raw materials, and cost-effectiveness of these fibers, are projected to drive the market further.

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined with some of the key players being CFF GmbH & Co. KG, China Bambro Textile (Group) Co. Ltd., Daicel Corporation, Eastman Chemical Company, Fulida Group Holdings Co. Ltd., Grasim Industries Ltd., Kelheim Fibres, Lenzing AG, Sateri Holdings Ltd., Shandong Helon Textiles Sci. & Tech. Co. Ltd., Tangshan Sanyou Xingda Chemical Fiber Co. Ltd., Zhejiang Fulida Co. Ltd., etc.



Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Cellulose Fibers Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Fiber Type

6.1 Natural Cellulose Fibers

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Major Types

6.1.2.1 Cotton Fibers

6.1.2.2 Jute Fibers

6.1.2.3 Wood Fibers

6.1.2.4 Others

6.1.3 Market Forecast

6.2 Man-made Cellulose Fibers

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Major Types

6.2.2.1 Viscose Fibers

6.2.2.2 Lyocell Fibers

6.2.2.3 Modal Fibers

6.2.2.4 Others

6.2.3 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Application

7.1 Apparels

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Home Textiles

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast

7.3 Medical and Hygiene

7.3.1 Market Trends

7.3.2 Market Forecast

7.4 Others

7.4.1 Market Trends

7.4.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Region



9 SWOT Analysis



10 Value Chain Analysis



11 Porters Five Forces Analysis

12 Price Indicators



13 Competitive Landscape

13.1 Market Structure

13.2 Key Players

13.3 Profiles of Key Players

13.3.1 CFF GmbH & Co. KG

13.3.1.1 Company Overview

13.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.2 China Bambro Textile (Group) Co. Ltd.

13.3.2.1 Company Overview

13.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.3 Daicel Corporation

13.3.3.1 Company Overview

13.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.3.3 Financials

13.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis

13.3.4 Eastman Chemical Company

13.3.4.1 Company Overview

13.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.4.3 Financials

13.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis

13.3.5 Fulida Group Holdings Co. Ltd.

13.3.5.1 Company Overview

13.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.6 Grasim Industries Ltd.

13.3.6.1 Company Overview

13.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.6.3 Financials

13.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis

13.3.7 Kelheim Fibres

13.3.7.1 Company Overview

13.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.7.3 Financials

13.3.8 Lenzing AG

13.3.8.1 Company Overview

13.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.9 Sateri Holdings Ltd.

13.3.9.1 Company Overview

13.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.10 Shandong Helon Textiles Sci. & Tech. Co. Ltd.

13.3.10.1 Company Overview

13.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.11 Tangshan Sanyou Xingda Chemical Fiber Co. Ltd.

13.3.11.1 Company Overview

13.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.12 Zhejiang Fulida Co. Ltd.

13.3.12.1 Company Overview

13.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/odqm7c

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


The partnership will encompass helping the cannabis industry communicate effectively and securely through the technological partnership of Parsl, NXP, and Avery Dennison Smartrac. This partnership will have the benefit of leveraging the intellectual technological property of Parsl and the manufacturing capabilities of NXP and Avery Dennison Smartrac. Combining this IP will enable Parsl to provide better, verifiable insights to global cannabis consumers and grow market share in the cannabis industry.

In the near future, customers in parts of Africa, Australia, Europe, and the USA can expect to see Parsl/SmarTrac tags on products and on their favorite growers plants.

The unique combination of Avery Dennison Smartrac's and Parsl's technologies form part of a platform that delivers value and functionality for Parsl customers, helps unlock the global cannabis industry and grants access to verifiably high-quality international products. These tags are currently the only method to really achieve item level tracking in a secure manner.

As part of a long-term strategy, the two companies hope to challenge the status quo of the cannabis industry and to provide secure, verifiable data for everyone in the global cannabis supply chain, from grower to consumer, from Africa to Australia to the USA to Europe. When asked about the new joint venture, Isaac Balbin, founder and CEO of Parsl said, "I'm proud that we, at Parsl, are working with the top RFID supplier in the world. Through our partnerships with Avery Dennison Smartrac, and NXP, we are working with the best quality products so that our customers always have the information they need at the scan of a tag."

Marcel Cote, Director of Sales and Market Development Asia Pacific of Avery Dennison Smartrac is also excited about the venture, saying 'It's been an exciting journey so far working with the creative team at Parsl and seeing this NFC enabled solution come to life. A great example of two innovative companies collaborating effectively by combining their unique technology solutions & capabilities to solve global industry challenges.'

Current and future customers are invited to learn more about the joint venture and how they will benefit by visiting the website at parsl.co/partners.

About Parsl, NXP, and Avery Dennison SmarTrac

Parsl was founded in 2017 and serves the cannabis industry. Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY) was founded in 1935 and is a global materials science company specializing in the design and manufacture of a wide variety of labeling and functional materials.

Summary

Leading compliance and tracking company, Parsl and multinational manufacturer and distributor of labels, tags, and RFID inlays, Avery Dennison SmarTrac have announced a strategic partnership for highly secured tags to better serve the cannabis industry.

Contact Name: Amna Shamim

Contact Email: [email protected]

Contact Phone Number: +1-9172424525

Website: https://www.parsl.co

Address: Melbourne, Australia

Social media: facebook / twitter / instagram

SOURCE Parsl Pty Ltd

Related Links

parsl.co


NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Every September 11th, Pay It Forward 9/11 (PayItFoward911.org) a charity established in 2002, encourages Americans to perform three good deeds for strangers as a way to honor victims of the 9/11 attacks. This effort was inspired by the people of the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, who provided food, clothing and shelter to 7,000 airline passengers from 90 countries, diverted there when US airspace was closed. This story and charity are included in the September 10th AppleTV+ film "Come From Away-the Broadway musical."

Many people may be unaware of the approaching 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. By encouraging pay it forward actions (random acts of kindness) from September 1st-11th 2021, the organization aims to build even more momentum for the largest Pay it Forward 9/11 effort in its 19-year history.

"Our goal is 20,000 good deeds to honor the victims lost in the 9/11 attacks," said Kevin Tuerff, founder and president. "Back in 2001, in a time before hashtags, the words 'United We Stand' were pervasive across the country. Twenty years later, we are a divided country. We won't solve this problem in two weeks, but by focusing on the theme of unity this year, we encourage participants everywhere to perform a good deed for someone who looks or thinks differently than themselves."

"Seeing the early damage of Hurricane Ida in Louisiana this week, I'm sure many Americans will show their kindness and compassion to those impacted by this natural disaster," said Tuerff.

For ideas on how to pledge your good deeds, visit PayItFoward911. Org and get on our Map of Kindness! Please address questions to [email protected].

Pay it Forward 9/11 social media channels:

http://payitforward911.org

https://www.instagram.com/payitforward911/

https://twitter.com/911payitforward

Pay it Forward 9/11, Inc. is sponsored by the writers and producers of Come From Away musical, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Walmart, Gallin & Son, AZ Advisory Group and Precise Communications LLC. Learn more at PayItForward911.org.

SOURCE Pay It Forward 9/11

Related Links

https://www.payitforward911.org


CAMARILLO, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PlushBeds, the leader in healthy sleep and organic and sustainable mattress brands, is honored to announce its Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress has been selected as the "Eco-Mattress" category's winner in the Eco-Excellence Awards 2021 lineup.

This is the 11th consecutive Eco-Excellence Awards held by B/WELL magazine. Award winners are chosen based on their achievements in health, wellness, and sustainability.

Only the most socially and environmentally responsible companies are chosen as Eco-Excellence Award Winners. B/WELL magazine created the Eco-Excellence Awards because health, personal wellness, and quality of life are top priorities for those at the magazine.

"PlushBeds' mission has always been about making amazing, natural mattresses that are healthy and comfortable to sleep on," Michael Hughes, CEO at PlushBeds stated, "It's an honor to be recognized for our excellence in social and environmental sustainability."

The judges at the 2021 Eco-Excellence Awards recognized the hard work that goes into making every one of PlushBeds' Botanical Bliss organic latex mattresses comfortable, sustainable, and safe for sleepers.

About PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Organic Latex Mattress

The Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress is a favorite among chiropractors and orthopedic specialists due to its resilience and superior pressure relief. It is available in different thicknesses and firmness options, depending on a sleeper's preferences.

Additionally, the Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress contains a soft knitted GOTS-certified organic cotton cover, which provides unrestricted air flow. The mattress also contains as much as 10 pounds of New Zealand wool, which acts as a natural fire barrier and regulates temperature, allowing for peaceful, uninterrupted sleep.

The Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress has received 17 different safety and sustainability certifications and operating standards. All of PlushBeds' mattresses, including the Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress, are GreenGuard Gold certified. Less than one percent of mattresses on the market have achieved this certification.

Like all of PlushBeds' mattresses, the Botanical Bliss organic latex mattress is hand-crafted in the USA by skilled craftsmen.

About the Eco-Excellence Awards

The awards, sponsored by B/WELL magazine, and now in their 11th year, recognize excellence in environmental and social sustainability for companies, websites, products and services, across the whole foods, health and wellness industries. Last year, over 500 products were reviewed, one million + unique visitors, and nearly 400,000 fans voted!

To learn more about the Eco-Excellence Awards, visit:

https://www.ecoexcellenceawards.com/about

To learn more about the B/WELL magazine, visit

https://www.bwellmag.com/

About PlushBeds

PlushBeds' standards exceed those of other companies in the industry. PlushBeds uses rigorous testing and certification standards to ensure all products are sustainable. The company holds its commitment to transparency and environmental friendliness to the highest esteem.

In June, the PlushBeds Natural Wool Topper was selected as the best handmade natural wool topper out of 9,847 bedding products by the Good Housekeeping 2021 Bedding Awards for its luxurious feel, pillow-top comfort, and natural temperature-regulating materials. Evaluators "were wowed" by the topper's materials, and testers attested that it alleviated back pain.

PLUSHBEDS LABOR DAY SALE is now live. Enjoy $1,250 off all bedroom mattresses + receive a free certified organic cotton sheet set + free certified organic mattress protector with every latex mattress purchase (up to a $549 value). Also, enjoy 25% off all toppers, pillows & bedding at https://www.plushbeds.com/

SOURCE PlushBeds

Related Links

https://www.plushbeds.com


BIG LAKE, Minn., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Estate Sales Minnesota, an independent affiliate of K-BID.com, has been contracted to sell an amazing private collection of Civil War artifacts in Big Lake, MN. This online auction is already seeing nationwide attention from buyers and collectors.

The auction, which is currently open for bidding and begins to close on Sept. 9, 2021, boasts more than 450 items including:

A sample of the inventory being sold on this private Civil War collection. The online auction has 450 items and is scheduled to close on 9/9/2021.

Firearms, bayonets, and ammunition.

Clothing and currency.

Games, pictures, books and more.

The entire catalog can be viewed here: www.k-bid.com/auction/38415

This avid collector has since passed, and the collection is being sold to settle the estate. "Our goal with any project like this is to honor the deceased memory and hope that the next owner can enjoy the treasures as much as he did," said Dana Arvidson, owner of Estate Sales Minnesota.

"He had a true passion for the Civil War era. He was an avid collector of civil war artifacts. He was a history enthusiast who spent many hours studying, reading, and researching the civil war," a relative of the collector noted.

"This is the most extensive Civil War era collection that I have seen in my 10+ years in the auction business. These opportunities do not come along every day for collectors and the amount of web activity and early buyer interest leads me to believe that this could be a special auction," Chris Schwartz, the marketing director for K-BID.com stated.

K-BID.com is an online auction venue based in Maple Plain, MN. The venue hosts thousands of online auctions each year for independent auction companies like Estate Sales Minnesota. With 380,000 registered buyers and a million website visits each month, K-BID.com is one of the largest online auction venues in the United States.

For more information about K-BID, please visit www.k-bid.com.

Press Contact:

Chris Schwartz

[email protected]

763-367-6798

SOURCE K-BID Online Inc.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hagens Berman urges RenovaCare, Inc. (Other OTC: RCAR) investors with significant losses to submit your losses now. A securities fraud class action has been filed and certain investors may have valuable claims.

Class Period: Aug. 14, 2017  May 28, 2021

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Sept. 14, 2021

Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/RCAR

Contact An Attorney Now: [email protected]

844-916-0895

RenovaCare, Inc. (RCAR) Securities Fraud Class Action:

The case arises from an alleged fraudulent promotional scheme orchestrated by RenovaCare's controlling shareholder and Chairman, Harmel Rayat ("Rayat"), designed to artificially inflate company's stock price.

Between July 2017 and Jan. 2018, RenovaCare and Rayat allegedly solicited StreetAuthority, LLC ("StreetAuthority"), a publishing company, to run a promotion. Rayat allegedly worked closely with StreetAuthority on the promotion, including providing false information to StreetAuthority regarding the efficacy of RenovaCare's experimental burn-wound healing medical device called the "SkinGun," editing StreetAuthority's promotional materials, advising StreetAuthority on how to distribute the promotion to enhance its effectiveness, and arranged to pay StreetAuthority for the promotion using RenovaCare's funds that were routed through third parties.

In addition, when the OTC Markets inquired about the promotional activities in Jan. 2018, 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 party's promotional materials.

The truth emerged on May 28, 2021, when the SEC sued RenovaCare and Rayat, alleging their active participation in the StreetAuthority promotional scheme.

This news sent the price of RenovaCare shares sharply lower.

"We're focused on investors' losses and proving RenovaCare and Rayat engaged in and concealed an illegal stock promotion scheme," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.

If you invested in RenovaCare and have significant losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, click here to discuss your legal rights with Hagens Berman.

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding RenovaCare should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email [email protected].

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman is a national law firm with eight offices in eight cities around the country and over eighty attorneys. The firm represents investors, whistleblowers, workers and consumers in complex litigation. More about the firm and its successes is located at hbsslaw.com. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @classactionlaw .

Contact:

Reed Kathrein

844-916-0895

SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP

Related Links

https://www.hbsslaw.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In an exclusive interview with John Fredericks which aired live on the Real America's Voice network Wednesday morning, 45th President Donald Trump criticized the Biden Administration's controversial withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"It's the most incompetent thing I've ever seen," Trump said. "We went 18 months without having one soldier shot. I wanted to leave but I wanted to leave with victory and dignity... I wanted every ounce of equipment," he continued.

Biden's hasty Afghanistan withdrawal was "the greatest form of incompetence," Trump sad. "I've never seen anything like it," he continued. The 45th President also noted that, in contrast to the Biden Administration's complete yet seemingly unplanned withdrawal, his administration had a plan "to take everything. First civilians. Then equipment... We were going to keep Bagram."

The exclusive interview also touched on several other subjects, including the state of the U.S. intelligence community, Republican leadership, and vaccine mandates.

On the intelligence community, Trump told Fredericks that, "when I got there there was a rot and stench live I've never seen before anywhere in anything."

On Republican leadership, the 45th President made his feelings clear. "Mitch McConnell should not be the leader. He's done a terrible job," he said. "Too bad I didn't primary him in Kentucky because we could have won," he continued.

On vaccines and vaccine mandates, President Trump said that while he was proud of his administration's achievement in making vaccines available so quickly, he did not support mandating that people take them.

"You have to maintain your freedoms, and a lot of people don't want to take them," Trump said. "I am a believer in the vaccine but at the same time I have to tell you, you can't mandate it, you can't force it," he continued. "It's a very contentious subject. But I will say this, the vaccines, I'm very proud of what we did I'm very proud of it I've saved millions of lives."

You can watch all Real America's Voice Programming at https://realamericasvoice.com or by downloading the app on Apple or Android . Real America's Voice is also available on DISH Network, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus, and Roku.

SOURCE Real Americas Voice

Related Links

https://realamericasvoice.com


PEACHTREE CITY, Ga., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rinnai America Corporation, the leading manufacturer of tankless water heaters in North America, announced today the acquisition of Industrias MASS, the leader in the commercial water heater market in Mexico. This acquisition marks the first by Rinnai America Corporation and follows the launch of its Strategic Business Initiative announced earlier this year, meant to accelerate the company's presence via acquisitions and partnerships.

Founded in 1964, Industrias MASS is the leading manufacturer of commercial water heaters in Mexico, with penetration of approximately one-third of the overall commercial segment. With an 86,000 square foot plant and more than one hundred employees across the country, Industrias MASS also specializes in the production of water treatment systems and the manufacturing of commercial tanks that collectively integrate advanced technology, locally manufactured materials, and a best-in-class service network. Their client base spans hospitality, healthcare, food service and other commercial verticals served by offices in Mexico City, Leon, Merida, Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Mazatlan.

"Acquiring Industrias MASS is a critical step in our commitment to the Latin American market," said Frank Windsor, President of Rinnai America Corporation. "Our goal is to build upon the success of Industrias MASS by further investing in the company, its people, and products as a platform for growth. Through our shared pledge to innovation, as well as a complementary set of products, we'll fuel growth while also delivering on our brand promise of Creating a healthier way of living."

This strategic acquisition will enable Rinnai America Corporation to establish its local presence in Mexico, for both manufacturing and distribution, through partnership with a clear and established market leader. Industrias MASS' complementary product line also includes products which Rinnai has not historically offered, such as water treatment, allowing the company to expand its footprint and offer a broader product portfolio.

In addition, as part of its commitment to success in the region, Rinnai America Corporation has named Victor Molgado as its first Mexico General Manager. Molgado has more than 25 years of experience in local, regional, and international manufacturing operations and was most recently the General Manager for a large joint venture institution in Mexico.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to accelerate Rinnai's expansion in Mexico in partnership with Industrias MASS," Molgado said. "The combination of Industrias MASS' market dominance and Rinnai's technology and global market leadership unlock great potential for the Mexican market and is the clear choice to accelerate the company's growth strategy throughout Latin America."

"The experienced team at Industrias MASS, as well as the in-facility leadership under Victor's direction, are critical parts of our strategy to capture the growth opportunities we see in the market," added Windsor.

Through this acquisition Rinnai America Corporation will extend its presence across Latin America, building upon the success of its existing operations in Brazil. The company plans to advance in the region through a combination of organic growth, investment and new alliances to achieve a dominant market share in the commercial water heater market.

To learn more about Rinnai, visit www.rinnai.us.

ABOUT RINNAI

Rinnai America Corporation, a subsidiary of Rinnai Corporation in Nagoya, Japan, was established in 1974 and is headquartered in Peachtree City, Ga. Rinnai Corporation manufactures gas appliances including tankless water heaters, a wide range of kitchen appliances and heating and air conditioning units. As the technology leader in its industry, Rinnai is the largest gas appliance manufacturer in Japan and is the number-one selling brand of tankless gas water heaters in the United States and Canada. Annual corporate revenues, including those of its subsidiaries, are in excess of $3.2 billion. With a global perspective to create 21st-century products for the home and business, Rinnai Corporation commits itself to safety and Creating a healthier way of living. For more information about Rinnai's entire product line, visit www.rinnai.us

ABOUT INDUSTRIAS MASS

Industrias MASS S.A. de C.V. is a Mexican company founded in 1964. Since then, they specialize in the production of water heaters MASSTERCAL, the leader in the national and Latin American market.

Apart from water heaters, they also manufacture water treatment systems AQUAPLUS DE MASS and commercial tanks (including custom tanks) MASSTANQ all of which combine components and accessories of the highest quality and technology. Industrias MASS manufactures all their products in their 8000m2 plant where over 100 employees are committed to the mission of making quality products for the Mexican and Latin American market. To learn more about Industrias MASS, visit www.indmass.com.mx

Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. Rinnai and A Healthier Way of Living are the registered trademarks of Rinnai Corporation used under license by Rinnai America Corporation.

SOURCE Rinnai America Corporation
GOTEBORG, Sweden, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SKF has completed the acquisition of EFOLEX AB, a Gothenburg-based manufacturer of the Europafilter-branded industrial lubrication and oil filtration systems.

EFOLEX offers offline filtration systems used in process manufacturing and energy industries. They currently have approximately 10 employees.

Thomas Frost, President, Industrial Technologies, says: "In addition to being an interesting stand-alone product, the Europafilter technology is a good strategic fit with SKF RecondOil's Double Separation Technology offer and will widen our overall lubrication management capabilities."

Aktiebolaget SKF

CONTACT:

For further information, please contact:

PRESS: Carl Bjernstam, Corporate Communication

tel: 46 31 337 2517; mobile: 46 722-201893; e-mail: [email protected]

INVESTOR RELATIONS: Patrik Stenberg, Head of Investor Relations

Patrik Stenberg, 46 31-337 2104; 46 705-472 104; [email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/skf/r/skf-acquires-lubrication-filtration-business,c3406899

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/637/3406899/1462060.pdf 20210901 SKF acquires lubrication filtration business https://news.cision.com/skf/i/gotaholm,c2949170 Gotaholm https://news.cision.com/skf/i/thomas-frost,c2949171 Thomas Frost

SOURCE SKF
RONKONKOMA, N.Y., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Solgar, The Gold Standard in Vitamins with an over 70 year commitment to quality, health, and well-being, today announced a new partnership with Feeding America. Now through Friday, December 31, a portion of proceeds from every Solgar product sold in the US will be donated to Feeding America, up to $100,000  a total of one million meals to people facing food insecurity.* This partnership comes at a critical time  due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 42 million people may experience food insecurity, including a potential 13 million children. Consumers can help support Solgar's mission to provide nutrition to people facing hunger now by shopping Solgar at their local health food store or on Amazon.

"At Solgar, one of our core values has always been a commitment to the well-being of our community, and that includes giving back to people who are in need," said Abhay Patel, General Manager, Natural Products Group, The Bountiful Company. "We believe the best source of vital nutrients can be found in real food, and food and nutrition insecurities have especially been areas where we support families and our communities struggling to obtain proper nutrition on a regular basis. That's why we're thrilled to support Feeding America, and, with the help of our consumers, are dedicated to reaching our goal of proving one million meals to people experiencing food insecurity."

Through this campaign, Solgar  a member of The Bountiful Company (a Nestle Health Science Company) family of brands  is building on previous donations by the company to Feeding America. The charity is the country's largest hunger-relief organization, helping to provide 4.6 billon meals each year to people in need. To put it in perspective, they support 200 Food Banks, 60,000 food pantries and meal programs and over 40 million people in America annually.

"Families across America are still feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and making difficult decisions on how they will put food on the table," said Lauren Biedron, Vice President, Corporate Partnerships at Feeding America. "We are grateful for contributions from partners like Solgar to help us in the fight against hunger."

Everyone can help a neighbor in need, and together, we're Feeding America. Visit Solgar.com and Feedingamerica.org for more info on how you can support people in your community.

*$.10 cents per supplement purchased provides 1 meal secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks. Solgar will donate a maximum of 1 million meals to Feeding America. $1 helps to provide at least ten meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks.

 The Impact of the Coronavirus on Food Insecurity in 2020 & 2021 (Feeding America)  March 2021

About The Bountiful Company

The Bountiful Company, a Nestle Health Science Company, is a pure play branded leader in global nutrition, living at the intersection of science and nature. As a manufacturer, marketer and seller of vitamins, minerals, herbal and other specialty supplements, and active nutrition products, we are focused on enhancing the health and wellness of people's lives. The Bountiful Company's portfolio of trusted brands includes Nature's Bounty, Solgar, Osteo Bi-Flex, Puritan's Pride, Sundown and Ester-C. For more information, visit Bountifulcompany.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

About Feeding America

Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Media Contact

Nicole Hayes

[email protected]

631-200-2650

SOURCE The Bountiful Company
LA PALMA, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LOTTE Chemical California, Inc. expands its 2021 line of premium solid surfaces with 18 new additions, available now from the company's network of North American dealers and distributors. The new colors deliver the outstanding performance for which Staron is famous  non-porous construction for exceptionally easy cleanup, dimensional flexibility for use in wide-ranging commercial and residential applications, unparalleled durability, and low maintenance requirements.

A new addition to the Evermoin Collection  Angel White  provides a fresh option engineered for environments that require ultra-hygienic materials. Manufactured to suppress the growth of microbes, including common bacteria, Evermoin surfaces are specifically designed for environments requiring exceptionally-clean conditions  healthcare facilities, retail establishments, and high-traffic office environments.

"The popularity of our premium solid-surface line continues to grow among commercial customers and homeowners," stated John Kim, director of the architectural products team for LOTTE Chemical California, Inc. "We now offer more than 100 superior Staron color and pattern options, capable of meeting the need of almost any application imaginable."

Each of the 2021 colors adds a new dimension of choice for interior designers, architects, builders, and the residential and commercial customers with whom they collaborate.

The Staron Terrazzo Collection

New Terrazzo patterns feature the old-world look of broken, polished stone, presented in classic aggregate with interesting shapes and textures.

Bologna  a warm collection of dark and light brown aggregate

Torino  a sophisticated mix of black, gray, and white aggregate

The Staron Supreme Collection

An assortment of beautiful, flowing veined patterns that resemble those found in marble and other natural stone.

Arctic White  an undulating combination of light and dark whites

The Staron Solid Collection Rich single colors for a uniform, clean look or as an accent to other Staron color choices.

Forest  dark, rich, fertile green

Piano Black  elegant polished black

Tusk  concentrated, regal ivory

Cave  mesmerizing matte black

Champagne  light, bouncy beige

Moonstone  rich, layered gray

Ultramarine  deep ocean blue

The Staron Sanded Collection

A selection of dense grain patterns for a subtle, sophisticated look.

Loft  tan with beach-like patterning

The Staron Aspen Collection

A blend of particulate sizes with tone-on-tone chips resembling natural granite.

Altai  sophisticated beige with subtle tan and brown specks

Attica  gray with light and dark speckles

Crema  cream-coloring bejeweled with white flecks

The Staron Pebble Collection

Surfaces with larger particulates creating a visual depth that resembles natural stone.

Crema  rich light-brown fused with light and dark specks

Iceland  crisp gray with a hint of floating white

 crisp gray with a hint of floating white Straw  tan intermingled with subtle brown markings

About LOTTE Chemical California, Inc.

LOTTE manufactures and markets high-performance decorative surfacing materials for residential and commercial applications around the globe. Originally part of the Samsung family of companies, LOTTE Chemical California, Inc. is rapidly expanding its North American presence through the company's solid-surface brand, Staron, a seamless and thermo-formable, acrylic product suitable for a wide range of commercial applications. The quartz surface brand, Radianz, is a premium engineered surface designed to be ultra-durable. The Locelain sintered-stone collection features a high-quality natural stone look and superb durability. Through cutting-edge technology and insights into worldwide market trends, LOTTE continues to excel in today's surface industry.

Contact:

Ray Vincenzo

(206) 290-4431

[email protected]

SOURCE LOTTE Chemical California, Inc.
FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A jury has awarded a $7.8 million verdict to a North Texas physician and stem-cell treatment innovator after finding that his business partner locked him out of the clinic they jointly owned and siphoned off assets to a competing clinic set up at the same location.

Jurors found that defendant Neil Riordan conspired to lock Dr. Wade McKenna out of his ownership stake in the Riordan-McKenna Institute, or RMI, in Southlake, Texas in 2018. Trial lawyers from Boyd, Powers & Williamson presented evidence that Dr. Riordan schemed to transfer RMI's assets to another company that he owned. Dr. Riordan continued to operate the clinic at the same location using the RMI initials but doing business as the "Riordan Medical Institute," removing Dr. McKenna's name.

In reaching the breach of fiduciary duty verdict on August 31, jurors agreed that Dr. McKenna was not fairly compensated for those assets and for revenue generated by the competing business. The verdict also included $5 million in punitive damages.

Dr. McKenna is a respected orthopedic surgeon and is well-known in the emerging stem-cell therapy field. At trial, lead trial lawyer Derrick Boyd presented evidence that Dr. Riordan schemed to sever Dr. McKenna from the business in hopes of pursuing a much larger global stem cell company funded by wealthy investors.

"This jury saw this case for what it was  an attempt by Dr. Riordan to use deception and fraud to take control of the clinic and all the good work that Dr. McKenna has done," Mr. Boyd said.

The case is R. Wade McKenna, D.O. v. Neil Riordan, Ph.D., Individually and d/b/a Riordan Medical Institute et al., Case No. 348-300858-18 in Tarrant County District Court.

In addition to Mr. Boyd, the trial team included Jesse King and Scott Lindsey of Boyd, Powers & Williamson, as well as Mike Henry and Jay Henry of Michael J. Henry Law Firm in Fort Worth.

Boyd, Powers & Williamson represents clients in commercial disputes, including litigation against banks and financial institutions for fraud, breach of contract and other wrongdoing. The trial team represents individuals in catastrophic injury litigation, including trucking, motor vehicle and construction accidents, as well as injuries caused by dangerous products. For more information, visit https://www.bpwlaw.com/.

Media Contact:

Holly Sanders Fuller

940-627-8308

[email protected]

SOURCE Boyd Powers Williamson

Related Links

http://www.bpwlaw.com


LONDON and NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Michael R. Bloomberg, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions and founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, announced commitments and initiatives aimed at delivering on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for ambitious action ahead of this year's UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). Designed to catalyze additional climate actions from public, private, and civil society actors around the world, Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies will unveil dozens of climate and environment focused investments, partnerships, capacity-building, and educational efforts over the next eight weeks in the lead up to November.

In addition to these new initiatives, Bloomberg Philanthropies is committing $10.5 million to strengthen climate capacity across the UN and promote climate ambition and solutions ahead of COP26.

Bloomberg L.P., the global business and financial information and news leader, will also support the UK Presidency by becoming an official partner of COP26, and provide decision-makers with access to unparalleled data, insights, and expert analysis drawn from across Bloomberg's global network.

"The latest science has made clear that we need to accelerate our efforts in the global fight against climate change, and this year's climate conference in Glasgow is a vital opportunity to do just that. We must do more, together, to curb emissions  and at Bloomberg, we're glad to partner with COP26 and support the UN's critical work on this issue," said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies and the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions. "Across both Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, we're working to advance the transition to clean energy, rallying local climate action, and mobilizing businesses and financial institutions. In each area, we're drawing on data and strong partnerships to build a healthier and more sustainable future."

"I am delighted to welcome Bloomberg L.P. to the COP26 family as a Partner for the UN climate conference taking place in Glasgow," said COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma. "Tackling climate change is one of the greatest and most urgent challenges we face, and Bloomberg continues to show climate leadership. I look forward to working with them to deliver a successful and inclusive summit."

Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies will host a series of sponsored events, installations, and engagement programs in Glasgow and London. These platforms aim to accelerate the clean energy transition, inspire local climate action, and put greater emphasis on mobilizing climate finance.

Mike Bloomberg will also be the convener of business leaders to discuss the challenges faced by the private sector, as well as data, research, and solutions needed to collectively achieve net-zero targets. These sessions will be centered around climate risk, transition planning, capital mobilization and low carbon portfolio alignment.

"Success at COP26 is absolutely critical for the world to get back on track with respect to the 1.5C climate goal under the Paris Agreement," said Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change. "Global leaders will face a significant agenda in Glasgow, but billions look to them to make the bold and courageous decisions necessary to finally implement the Paris Agreement, significantly boost climate ambition and ultimately get humanity off its current path of destruction. This support is both welcome and crucial for building capacity towards and ensuring success at COP26."

"Working alongside Mr. Bloomberg on the Race to Zero and Race to Resilience campaigns, I have seen firsthand the dedication and results-driven approach that makes him a leader in the global climate fight," said Nigel Topping, UK High Level Climate Champion for COP26. "This new series of commitments comes at an important juncture in the leadup to COP26, and each of its extensive components will help to accelerate our work to create a more resilient and equitable future."

"Mr. Bloomberg's leadership has been critical in mobilizing leaders at all levels of society toward net-zero, and he continues to increase ambition within his own organizations," said Gonzalo Munoz, Chilean High Level Climate Champion for COP26. "I applaud Mr. Bloomberg for raising the bar for climate action with these new collaborative initiatives and unparalleled access to data and analysis around the COP26 negotiations."

Inspiring Local Action

Six years after co-hosting the Climate Summit for Local Leaders at the COP21 Paris summit, where the Paris Agreement was adopted, Mike Bloomberg will bring together influential change makers and leaders from across government, business, technology, media, and the arts at the historic Glasgow City Chambers with the goal of promoting collaboration, creative solutions, and changes to overcome barriers to ambitious climate action.

As Global Ambassador for the UN Race to Zero and Race to Resilience campaigns, Mike Bloomberg will support the efforts of more than 700 cities, 30 regions, 3,000 businesses, and hundreds of investors who have joined the Races to mobilize unprecedented climate action and ensure their efforts are reflected in the historic COP26 negotiations.

Additionally, Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies will collaborate with the Cities of London and Glasgow on sustainable city-wide engagements that will inspire local climate activism and create a lasting legacy for COP26 in the United Kingdom.

Bloomberg Editorial & Research and Bloomberg Media

Bloomberg Green, the editorial brand focused on climate change and the energy transition, will lift its paywall and provide free content for the duration of COP26, as well as host live events throughout the week of November 8. The October issue of Green's print magazine will feature a dedicated special section on COP26.

BloombergNEF's proprietary research and analysis covering trends in the energy transition will build on recent reports published to inform policy priorities ahead of international climate negotiations, including the Climate Policy Factbook and Energy Transition Factbook recently published in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Bloomberg Intelligence will deliver research and data analyzing how industries and companies are responding to climate change, including the development of carbon transition forecasts and climate scenarios across eight industries as well as reports on green recovery and low carbon portfolios.

Bloomberg Philanthropies

Mike Bloomberg has long been globally recognized for his work to accelerate global climate action. To date, he has contributed $32.5 million toward UN climate efforts. This includes filling the federal funding gap created when the Trump Administration revoked much of its financial support, publishing annual assessments of U.S. non-federal action to reduce emissions consistent with the Paris Agreement, and funding U.S. Climate Action Pavilions at UN Climate Conferences to ensure exhibition and convening space for showcasing American climate leadership.

Ahead of COP26, Bloomberg Philanthropies is collaborating with Glasgow City Council as host of the Climate Conference to deliver a legacy for the city and its residents. Starting with an innovative Asphalt Art installation at the entrance of Anderston Station, Glasgow joins a select group of international cities supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies to transform and revitalise a public space through the power of art.

To learn more about Bloomberg L.P.'s sustainability initiatives and to read the latest 2020 Impact Report, visit www.bloomberg.com/impact. Bloomberg Philanthropies' 2020 Annual Report is available at https://annualreport.bloomberg.org/.

About Bloomberg on Climate

Led by Michael R. Bloomberg, a global climate champion and Special Envoy to the UN Secretary-General, Bloomberg is tackling the climate crisis from every angle.

Bloomberg Philanthropies is at the forefront of U.S. and global efforts to fight climate change and protect the environment across a key array of issues. Bringing together mayors and other government and business leaders, grassroots partners, and environmental advocates, Bloomberg Philanthropies implements bold programs that tackle the climate crisis and help build a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable economy. Its efforts are accelerating the transition from coal to clean energy, improving air quality and public health, advancing city climate action, protecting and preserving ocean ecosystems, and helping unlock billions of dollars in sustainable finance.

Bloomberg L.P. provides the global financial community with data-driven insights, news, and analysis to help them integrate an ESG lens across the investment process. As a company, Bloomberg L.P. is also leading by example, including committing to net-zero carbon emissions by 2025 and taking action in the communities where its employees live and work. And through Bloomberg's stewardship of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures and the Climate Finance Leadership Initiative, Bloomberg is using the power of the capital markets to address climate change and support the transition to a net-zero economy.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 810 cities and 170 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg's giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consultancy that works in cities around the world. In 2020, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $1.6 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.

About Bloomberg

Bloomberg, the global business and financial information and news leader, gives influential decision makers a critical edge by connecting them to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas. The company's strength  delivering data, news and analytics through innovative technology, quickly and accurately  is at the core of theBloomberg Terminal. Bloomberg's enterprise solutions build on the company's core strength: leveraging technology to allow customers to access, integrate, distribute and manage data and information across organizations more efficiently and effectively. For more information, visitBloomberg.com/company or request a demo.

Media Contacts

Natalie Harland

Bloomberg

+44-20-35258820

[email protected]

Daphne Wang

Bloomberg Philanthropies

+1-646-771-1473

[email protected]

SOURCE Bloomberg Philanthropies
LA VERNE, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate Hispanic Heritage month the University of La Verne is announcing that aspiring local minority entrepreneurs in Southern California will now have an opportunity to expand and hone their business acumen and skills courtesy of a new entrepreneurship program offered at the University. This opportunity is particularly important given the university's demographics, location and the fact that Latino small-business are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S

The Randall Lewis Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Social Impact is the result of a new partnership between the University and NEW Community Investments, an organization dedicated to empowering the economic mobility of traditionally underserved and financially marginalized people groups by facilitating access to capital infusions that support the growth of small businesses. The new center will focus on increasing the economic power and impact of University of La Verne students, alumni, regional businesses, not-for-profits, and community organizations by providing entrepreneurial training to several learning cohorts each year and integrating academic and hands-on approaches to job creation and long-term career support. Through targeted training and ongoing support, the center's ultimate goal is to take the economy of Inland Southern California to the next level.

A recent Stanford report revealed that Latinos are starting businesses at a faster rate than the national average across several industries, growing 34 percent over the last 10 years compared to just 1 percent for all other small businesses. The growing success of Latino small business owners comes as Latinos are increasingly becoming an economic force in the U.S. and have contributed about $500 billion to the economy in annual sales.

The Lewis Center for Entrepreneurship's special focus will be on Hispanic and other underserved communities in the region, creating unparalleled opportunities for participants to generate economic momentum in their respective communities. To reach these communities, the center will leverage the University of La Verne's expansive reach, with its seven regional campuses in Bakersfield, Burbank, Irvine, Ontario, Oxnard, Santa Clarita, and Victorville, plus two military centers at Vandenberg Space Force Base and Naval Base Ventura County.

One of the key visionaries involved in developing the center is Quentin Strode, President, and CEO of NEW Community Investments. "Unrealized potential is a terrible thing to waste, and we recognize the tremendous talent and ambition that is prevalent among entrepreneurs from our diverse communities," Strode said. "Traditionally, incubator and accelerator programs have not focused on cultivating talent in underserved communities. Our center seeks to change this by providing more access to training, business education, and capital markets. We believe this will result in the creation of more sustainable community-based businesses, quality jobs, and wealth generation. We are focusing on community businesses with the goal of creating economic mobility for all of our communities."

As a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), the University of La Verne serves a highly diverse student body numbering over 7,000. Forty-three percent of its students are the first in their families to attend college, and U.S. News & World Report has consistently ranked the university among the top five universities in the nation for social mobility, recognizing its success in empowering moderate and low-income students to move toward becoming high-earning professionals. Empowering entrepreneurs from underserved populations is a logical component of the university's mission.

"At the University of La Verne, we are always looking to the future," said university president Devorah Lieberman. "Following the recent completion of a highly successful and record-breaking fundraising campaign, we are poised to seize opportunities for positive change like the Randall Lewis Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Social Impact. We pride ourselves on fully supporting the social and economic mobility of our students, their families, and our neighboring communities. This center is yet another step to forward our mission."

"I am honored and privileged to be working on this innovative project that will actively focus and recruit from the area's diverse burgeoning communities," said Dr. David C. Lizarraga, University of La Verne trustee and founder and chairman of the TELACU Education Foundation. "This program is primed to attract participation from the emerging ranks of aspiring multicultural entrepreneurs who want to open a successful business and contribute to the US economy. Given the university's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution, I encourage all aspiring Latino entrepreneurs to look to the new Lewis Center for Entrepreneurship as a resource. Given its potential, I anticipate we'll generate a real and powerful impact on the business landscape in Southern California."

To view the backgrounder document describing the Randall Lewis Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Social Impact please click here:

Individuals interested in applying for the inaugural class of the new Center can apply by clicking here. If you don't think you are quite ready to join the university's program, please check out its self-paced entrepreneurship course to begin your journey.

Contact:

Stephen Chavez, (310) 486-4104

[email protected]

Spanish Language Contact:

Angelica Vasquez, (805) 622-0293

[email protected]

SOURCE University of La Verne
NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Khaled Salem, the popular candidate for the 2022 U.S. Senate race in New York against incumbent Chuck Schumer, today urged the State of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to work closely with Interpol to expose all Hamas leaders. Hamas is deeply connected with Qatar and Candidate Salem wants them brought to justice for continuing war crimes against the State of Israel.

U.S. Senate Candidate Khaled Salem U.S. Senate Candidate Khaled Salem

It is widely known that, since 2012, there has been cooperation between the Qatari government and the Hamas leader, Haniyeh. Hamas has front-facing leaders who include Al-Arouri, Sinwar, and Deif. However, Candidate Salem wants terrorists hiding behind the scenes in Gaza and "protected by Qatar's smokescreen" to be exposed and their war crimes brought to light. Salem is concerned with identifying all Hamas operatives in authority hiding in Qatar and other countries, giving orders that result in the unending missile attacks and covert terrorism against the State of Israel.

"Hamas is a terror group and must be eradicated," said Salem, who is also the CEO of American Human Rights Organization. "Though Hamas says it has 'nothing to do with violence against the Jewish people of Israel,' it is an organized military entity aligned with Hezbollah and Fatah terrorists. Hamas has unlimited funding, supportand cooperation from Iran, Turkey and many Arab states, which are always in the wings with the goal of blowing up the State of Israel and killing its citizens."

Domestic Concerns

Regarding Candidate Salem's take on issues within New York State and New York City, he continues to advocate for new laws to ensure operational safety of electric scooters and bicycles. According to Salem, "Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the increased deliveries of food and other products have caused a 'Wild West Show' and there have been countless accidents and injuries with no official legal guidelines to protect New Yorkers from being hurt by delivery people operating on sidewalks, through crosswalks and on the street. This has led to deaths, accidents and even fires. We need laws and I am in favor of sponsoring legislation."

Salem is running in the next general election, scheduled for November 8, 2022. Thirty-four of the Senate's 100 seats are being contested in these elections.

Khaled policy positions argue for free university education, Khaled highlighted the irony of the US sending money to countries like Egypt and Middle East, which do provide free university, but whose people tend not to like America.

Some other key policy positions from Mr. Salem's agenda include:

Free University Education for American Students with a $0 budget from the government and taxpayers to support this plan.

Laws and procedures to reduce domestic violence nationwide.

A reduction in U.S. military activity and presence in the Middle East .

A policy that requires these regions pay for American military services.

The establishment of a home loan program for middle class single parents .

. Reduce the NY State Sales Tax for six years until the state recovers from COVID-19 economic hardship

Khaled asks New York Voters to look not at his religion or where he came from, but rather what he offers to the citizenry in terms of policy.

For more information, visit khaled2022forcongress.com.

Follow Salem at facebook.com/Khaledforcongress and twitter.com/KhaledYork or visit khaled2022forcongress.com/donate to make a donation.

Media contact: Khaled Salem, [email protected], 1 518 348 6868

SOURCE U.S. Senate Candidate Khaled Salem
PLEASANTON, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Veeva Systems Inc. (NYSE: VEEV), a leading provider of industry cloud solutions for the global life sciences industry, today announced results for its second quarter ended July 31, 2021.

"Thanks to the team and the trust of our customers, it was another great quarter," said CEO Peter Gassner. "Rapid innovation is driving expansion in existing markets and significant early traction in newer areas like CDMS and safety as we start to realize the major potential of Veeva Development Cloud."

Fiscal 2022 Second Quarter Results:

Revenues : Total revenues for the second quarter were $455.6 million , up from $353.7 million one year ago, an increase of 29% year over year. Subscription services revenues for the second quarter were $366.4 million , up from $283.5 million one year ago, an increase of 29% year over year.



: Total revenues for the second quarter were , up from one year ago, an increase of 29% year over year. Subscription services revenues for the second quarter were , up from one year ago, an increase of 29% year over year. Operating Income and Non-GAAP Operating Income (1) : Second quarter operating income was $124.6 million , compared to $90.1 million one year ago, an increase of 38% year over year. Non-GAAP operating income for the second quarter was $191.6 million , compared to $144.4 million one year ago, an increase of 33% year over year.



: Second quarter operating income was , compared to one year ago, an increase of 38% year over year. Non-GAAP operating income for the second quarter was , compared to one year ago, an increase of 33% year over year. Net Income and Non-GAAP Net Income (1) : Second quarter net income was $108.9 million , compared to $93.6 million one year ago, an increase of 16% year over year. Non-GAAP net income for the second quarter was $152.7 million , compared to $116.4 million one year ago, an increase of 31% year over year.



: Second quarter net income was , compared to one year ago, an increase of 16% year over year. Non-GAAP net income for the second quarter was , compared to one year ago, an increase of 31% year over year. Net Income per Share and Non-GAAP Net Income per Share(1): For the second quarter, fully diluted net income per share was $0.67 , compared to $0.58 one year ago, while non-GAAP fully diluted net income per share was $0.94 , compared to $0.72 one year ago.

"It was a strong quarter of financial performance with impressive execution across the business," said CFO Brent Bowman. "I am particularly excited about Veeva Vault Platform, which is a powerful asset for Veeva. It's a key foundation to develop new innovative products with remarkable speed and will be a strong engine for growth to 2025 and beyond."

Recent Highlights:

Leading in Commercial with Innovations in Software and Data  Veeva is moving life sciences to new digital-first models with innovations across commercial. This leadership and proven customer success drove 21 new Veeva CRM wins, the majority of which included multiple add-ons. The company's data solutions are also gaining traction as Veeva Link added three new enterprise customers, including two top 20 pharmas.



 Veeva is moving life sciences to new digital-first models with innovations across commercial. This leadership and proven customer success drove 21 new Veeva CRM wins, the majority of which included multiple add-ons. The company's data solutions are also gaining traction as Veeva Link added three new enterprise customers, including two top 20 pharmas. More Enterprises Standardize on Veeva Development Cloud Applications  Veeva Development Cloud momentum continued with significant enterprise wins in clinical operations, including Vault eTMF and Vault CTMS. New products also saw strong Q2 performance as Veeva Vault Safety had its first top 20 pharma win to become the customer's global standard and Veeva Vault CDMS signed its second top 20.



 Veeva Development Cloud momentum continued with significant enterprise wins in clinical operations, including Vault eTMF and Vault CTMS. New products also saw strong Q2 performance as Veeva Vault Safety had its first top 20 pharma win to become the customer's global standard and Veeva Vault CDMS signed its second top 20. Setting the Foundation for Digital Trials  Veeva progressed product capabilities as it establishes the foundation for digital trials to connect patients, sponsors, and clinical research sites through the Veeva Clinical Network. In addition to another enterprise win for Vault CDMS, six early adopter customers are now using Veeva Site Connect, and over 1,000 clinical research sites are actively using Veeva SiteVault Free.

Financial Outlook:

Veeva is providing guidance for its fiscal third quarter ending October 31, 2021 as follows:

Total revenues between $464 and $466 million .



and . Non-GAAP operating income between $179 and $181 million (2) .



and . Non-GAAP fully diluted net income per share between $0.87 and $0.88 (2).

Veeva is providing guidance for its fiscal year ending January 31, 2022 as follows:

Total revenues between $1,830 and $1,835 million .



and . Non-GAAP operating income of about $730 million (2) .



. Non-GAAP fully diluted net income per share of approximately $3.57 (2).

Conference Call Information

Prepared remarks and an investor presentation providing additional information and analysis can be found on Veeva's investor relations website at ir.veeva.com. Veeva will host a Q&A conference call at 2:00 p.m. PT today, September 1, 2021, and a replay of the call will be available on Veeva's investor relations website.

What: Veeva's Fiscal 2022 Second Quarter Results Conference Call When: Wednesday, September 1, 2021 Time: 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) Online Registration: www.directeventreg.com

Conference ID 6596808 Webcast: ir.veeva.com ___________ (1) This press release uses non-GAAP financial metrics that are adjusted for the impact of various GAAP items. See the section titled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and the tables entitled "Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for details.

(2) Veeva is not able, at this time, to provide GAAP targets for operating income and fully diluted net income per share for the third fiscal quarter ending October 31, 2021 or fiscal year ending January 31, 2022 because of the difficulty of estimating certain items excluded from non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP fully diluted net income per share that cannot be reasonably predicted, such as charges related to stock-based compensation expense. The effect of these excluded items may be significant.

About Veeva Systems

Veeva is the global leader in cloud software for the life sciences industry. Committed to innovation, product excellence, and customer success, Veeva serves more than 1,100 customers, ranging from the world's largest pharmaceutical companies to emerging biotechs. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Veeva is committed to balancing the interests of all stakeholders, including customers, employees, shareholders and the industries it serves. For more information, visit veeva.com.

Veeva uses its ir.veeva.com website as a means of disclosing material non-public information, announcing upcoming investor conferences, and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, you should monitor our investor relations website in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls and webcasts.

Forward-looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements, including the quotations from management, the statements in "Financial Outlook," and other statements regarding Veeva's future performance, outlook, and guidance and the assumptions underlying those statements, market growth, the benefits from the use of Veeva's solutions, our strategies, and general business conditions. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon Veeva's historical performance and its current plans, estimates, and expectations and are not a representation that such plans, estimates, or expectations will be achieved. These forward-looking statements represent Veeva's expectations as of the date of this press announcement. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and Veeva disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements in the future. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including (i) breaches in our security measures or unauthorized access to our customers' data; (ii) competitive factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures, consolidation among our competitors, entry of new competitors, the launch of new products and marketing initiatives by our existing competitors, and difficulty securing rights to access, host or integrate with complementary third party products or data used by our customers; (iii) the rate of adoption of our newer solutions and the results of our efforts to sustain or expand the use and adoption of our more established applications, like Veeva CRM; (iv) our expectation that the future growth rate of our revenues will decline; (v) loss of one or more customers, particularly any of our large customers; (vi) our ability to attract and retain highly skilled employees and manage our growth effectively; (vii) fluctuation of our results, which may make period-to-period comparisons less meaningful; (viii) adverse changes in the life sciences industry, including as a result of customer mergers; (ix) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (including the impact to the life sciences industry, impact on general economic conditions, and government responses, restrictions, and actions related to the pandemic); (x) system unavailability, system performance problems, or loss of data due to disruptions or other problems with our computing infrastructure; (xi) failure to sustain the level of profitability we have achieved in the past as our costs increase; (xii) adverse changes in economic, regulatory, international trade relations, or market conditions, including with respect to natural disasters or actual or threatened public health emergencies; (xiii) a decline in new subscriptions that may not be immediately reflected in our operating results due to the ratable recognition of our subscription revenue; (xiv) pending, threatened, or future legal proceedings and related expenses; and (xv) our recent conversion to a Delaware public benefit corporation, including the expected impact, benefits, and risks of our conversion.

Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect Veeva's financial results are included under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the company's filing on Form 10-Q for the period ended April 30, 2021. This is available on the company's website at veeva.com under the Investors section and on the SEC's website at sec.gov. Further information on potential risks that could affect actual results will be included in other filings Veeva makes with the SEC from time to time.

###

Investor Relations Contact:

Ato Garrett

Veeva Systems Inc.

925-271-4204

[email protected]

Media Contact:

Deivis Mercado

Veeva Systems Inc.

925-226-8821

[email protected]

VEEVA SYSTEMS INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)



July 31, 2021

January 31, 2021 Assets





Current assets:





Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,064,731



$ 730,504

Short-term investments 1,198,785



933,122

Accounts receivable, net 283,619



564,387

Unbilled accounts receivable 51,100



47,206

Prepaid expenses and other current assets 33,557



35,607

Total current assets 2,631,792



2,310,826

Property and equipment, net 52,805



53,650

Deferred costs, net 37,335



42,072

Lease right-of-use assets 52,882



56,917

Goodwill 437,261



436,029

Intangible assets, net 107,253



114,595

Deferred income taxes 7,590



14,100

Other long-term assets 24,465



17,878

Total assets $ 3,351,383



$ 3,046,067









Liabilities and stockholders' equity





Current liabilities:





Accounts payable $ 21,301



$ 23,253

Accrued compensation and benefits 33,940



30,410

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 35,198



30,982

Income tax payable 2,573



2,590

Deferred revenue 558,720



616,992

Lease liabilities 11,105



11,725

Total current liabilities 662,837



715,952

Deferred income taxes 7,511



1,835

Lease liabilities, noncurrent 47,630



51,393

Other long-term liabilities 13,308



10,567

Total liabilities 731,286



779,747

Stockholders' equity:





Class A common stock 2



2

Class B common stock 





Additional paid-in capital 1,098,703



965,670

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (2,689)



992

Retained earnings 1,524,081



1,299,656

Total stockholders' equity 2,620,097



2,266,320

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 3,351,383



$ 3,046,067



VEEVA SYSTEMS INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(In thousands, except per share data)

(Unaudited)



Three months ended

July 31,

Six months ended July

31,

2021

2020

2021

2020 Revenues:













Subscription services(3) $ 366,436



$ 283,502



$ 707,555



$ 553,737

Professional services and other(4) 89,158



70,181



181,612



137,052

Total revenues 455,594



353,683



889,167



690,789

Cost of revenues(5):













Cost of subscription services 53,909



43,400



105,126



86,612

Cost of professional services and other 68,188



53,804



133,107



105,472

Total cost of revenues 122,097



97,204



238,233



192,084

Gross profit 333,497



256,479



650,934



498,705

Operating expenses(5):













Research and development 94,899



70,053



178,125



132,290

Sales and marketing 71,789



59,172



136,399



114,927

General and administrative 42,185



37,173



83,340



73,842

Total operating expenses 208,873



166,398



397,864



321,059

Operating income 124,624



90,081



253,070



177,646

Other income, net 1,666



2,881



6,230



6,295

Income before income taxes 126,290



92,962



259,300



183,941

Provision for (benefit from) income taxes 17,432



(589)



34,875



3,820

Net income $ 108,858



$ 93,551



$ 224,425



$ 180,121

















Net income per share:













Basic $ 0.71



$ 0.62



$ 1.47



$ 1.20

Diluted $ 0.67



$ 0.58



$ 1.38



$ 1.12

















Weighted-average shares used to compute net income per share:













Basic 153,090



150,413



152,768



149,982

Diluted 162,765



160,840



162,636



160,309

Other comprehensive income:













Net change in unrealized gain (loss) on available-for- sale investments $ (217)



$ 1,131



$ (1,303)



$ 2,428

Net change in cumulative foreign currency translation gain (loss) (165)



2,893



(2,378)



3,282

Comprehensive income $ 108,476



$ 97,575



$ 220,744



$ 185,831

















(3) Includes subscription services revenues from the following product areas:













Veeva Commercial Cloud $ 176,051



$ 144,815



$ 344,509



$ 287,392

Veeva Vault 190,385



138,687



363,046



266,345

Total subscription services $ 366,436



$ 283,502



$ 707,555



$ 553,737

















(4) Includes professional services and other revenues from the following product areas:













Veeva Commercial Cloud $ 32,161



$ 26,618



$ 68,187



$ 53,994

Veeva Vault 56,997



43,563



113,425



83,058

Total professional services and other $ 89,158



$ 70,181



$ 181,612



$ 137,052

















(5) Includes stock-based compensation as follows:













Cost of revenues:













Cost of subscription services $ 1,316



$ 1,532



$ 2,222



$ 2,551

Cost of professional services and other 9,541



7,318



16,963



12,392

Research and development 22,315



16,437



39,152



27,838

Sales and marketing 15,115



11,186



26,670



19,378

General and administrative 14,098



12,893



25,867



24,114

Total stock-based compensation $ 62,385



$ 49,366



$ 110,874



$ 86,273



VEEVA SYSTEMS INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)



Three months ended July

31,

Six months ended July 31,

2021

2020

2021

2020 Cash flows from operating activities













Net income $ 108,858



$ 93,551



$ 224,425



$ 180,121

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:













Depreciation and amortization 6,880



7,317



13,508



15,195

Reduction of operating lease right-of-use assets 2,874



3,092



5,701



6,089

Accretion of discount on short-term investments 1,743



496



3,285



485

Stock-based compensation 62,385



49,366



110,874



86,273

Amortization of deferred costs 6,474



5,324



12,829



10,075

Deferred income taxes 6,953



(504)



12,195



(1,638)

Loss (gain) on foreign currency from mark-to-market derivative 2



(98)



433



(5)

Bad debt (expense) recovery (22)



514



137



121

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:













Accounts receivable (21,409)



14,606



280,323



168,766

Unbilled accounts receivable 267



619



(3,894)



(3,833)

Deferred costs (3,802)



(5,793)



(8,092)



(9,135)

Income taxes payable (3,726)



(3,141)



(17)



(4,991)

Other current and long-term assets (3,866)



(11,683)



(1,129)



(11,132)

Accounts payable 5,031



914



(1,763)



(3,516)

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 2,216



125



9,183



2,816

Deferred revenue (49,783)



(49,166)



(57,959)



(47,689)

Operating lease liabilities (2,913)



(2,456)



(5,661)



(5,267)

Other long-term liabilities 903



2,237



3,072



4,757

Net cash provided by operating activities 119,065



105,320



597,450



387,492

Cash flows from investing activities













Purchases of short-term investments (422,680)



(267,749)



(679,618)



(456,567)

Maturities and sales of short-term investments 187,324



229,224



408,969



369,566

Acquisitions, net of cash and restricted cash acquired (2,133)







(2,133)





Long-term assets (5,325)



(5,407)



(7,981)



(5,140)

Net cash used in investing activities (242,814)



(43,932)



(280,763)



(92,141)

Cash flows from financing activities













Reduction of lease liabilities - finance leases (98)



(251)



(384)



(499)

Proceeds from exercise of common stock options 20,851



9,278



37,942



19,059

Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards (15,096)







(15,096)





Net cash provided by financing activities 5,657



9,027



22,462



18,560

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash (180)



2,734



(2,945)



3,282

Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash (118,272)



73,149



336,204



317,193

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period 1,186,188



723,841



731,712



479,797

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period $ 1,067,916



$ 796,990



$ 1,067,916



$ 796,990

















Supplemental disclosures of other cash flow information:













Excess tax benefits from employee stock plans $ 17,609



$ 22,123



$ 35,060



$ 41,738



Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In Veeva's public disclosures, Veeva has provided non-GAAP measures, which it defines as financial information that has not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP. In addition to its GAAP measures, Veeva uses these non-GAAP financial measures internally for budgeting and resource allocation purposes and in analyzing its financial results. For the reasons set forth below, Veeva believes that excluding the following items provides information that is helpful in understanding its operating results, evaluating its future prospects, comparing its financial results across accounting periods, and comparing its financial results to its peers, many of which provide similar non-GAAP financial measures.

Stock-based compensation expenses. Veeva excludes stock-based compensation expenses primarily because they are non-cash expenses that Veeva excludes from its internal management reporting processes. Veeva's management also finds it useful to exclude these expenses when they assess the appropriate level of various operating expenses and resource allocations when budgeting, planning and forecasting future periods. Moreover, because of varying available valuation methodologies, subjective assumptions and the variety of award types that companies can use under FASB ASC Topic 718, Veeva believes excluding stock-based compensation expenses allows investors to make meaningful comparisons between our recurring core business operating results and those of other companies.



Amortization of purchased intangibles. Veeva incurs amortization expense for purchased intangible assets in connection with acquisitions of certain businesses and technologies. Amortization of intangible assets is a non-cash expense and is inconsistent in amount and frequency because it is significantly affected by the timing, size of acquisitions and the inherent subjective nature of purchase price allocations. Because these costs have already been incurred and cannot be recovered, and are non-cash expenses, Veeva excludes these expenses for its internal management reporting processes. Veeva's management also finds it useful to exclude these charges when assessing the appropriate level of various operating expenses and resource allocations when budgeting, planning and forecasting future periods. Investors should note that the use of intangible assets contributed to Veeva's revenues earned during the periods presented and will contribute to Veeva's future period revenues as well.



Income tax effects on the difference between GAAP and non-GAAP costs and expenses. The income tax effects that are excluded relate to the imputed tax impact on the difference between GAAP and non-GAAP costs and expenses due to stock-based compensation and purchased intangibles for GAAP and non-GAAP measures.

There are limitations to using non-GAAP financial measures because non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures provided by other companies. The non-GAAP financial measures are limited in value because they exclude certain items that may have a material impact upon our reported financial results. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by Veeva's management about which items are adjusted to calculate its non-GAAP financial measures. Veeva compensates for these limitations by analyzing current and future results on a GAAP basis as well as a non-GAAP basis and also by providing GAAP measures in its public disclosures.

Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. Veeva encourages its investors and others to review its financial information in its entirety, not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate its business, and to view its non-GAAP financial measures in conjunction with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of GAAP to the non-GAAP financial measures has been provided in the tables below.

VEEVA SYSTEMS INC.

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

(Dollars in thousands)

(Unaudited)

The following tables reconcile the specific items excluded from GAAP metrics in the calculation of non-GAAP metrics for the periods shown below:





Three months ended

July 31,

Six months ended July

31,

2021

2020

2021

2020 Cost of subscription services revenues on a GAAP basis $ 53,909



$ 43,400



$ 105,126



$ 86,612

Stock-based compensation expense (1,316)



(1,532)



(2,222)



(2,551)

Amortization of purchased intangibles (925)



(1,174)



(1,821)



(2,768)

Cost of subscription services revenues on a non-GAAP basis $ 51,668



$ 40,694



$ 101,083



$ 81,293

















Gross margin on subscription services revenues on a GAAP basis 85.3 %

84.7 %

85.1 %

84.4 % Stock-based compensation expense 0.4



0.5



0.3



0.5

Amortization of purchased intangibles 0.2



0.4



0.3



0.4

Gross margin on subscription services revenues on a non-GAAP basis 85.9 %

85.6 %

85.7 %

85.3 %















Cost of professional services and other revenues on a GAAP basis $ 68,188



$ 53,804



$ 133,107



$ 105,472

Stock-based compensation expense (9,541)



(7,318)



(16,963)



(12,392)

Amortization of purchased intangibles (139)



(138)



(273)



(273)

Cost of professional services and other revenues on a non-GAAP basis $ 58,508



$ 46,348



$ 115,871



$ 92,807

















Gross margin on professional services and other revenues on a GAAP basis 23.5 %

23.3 %

26.7 %

23.0 % Stock-based compensation expense 10.7



10.5



9.3



9.1

Amortization of purchased intangibles 0.2



0.2



0.2



0.2

Gross margin on professional services and other revenues on a non-GAAP basis 34.4 %

34.0 %

36.2 %

32.3 %















Gross profit on a GAAP basis $ 333,497



$ 256,479



$ 650,934



$ 498,705

Stock-based compensation expense 10,857



8,850



19,185



14,943

Amortization of purchased intangibles 1,064



1,312



2,094



3,041

Gross profit on a non-GAAP basis $ 345,418



$ 266,641



$ 672,213



$ 516,689

















Gross margin on total revenues on a GAAP basis 73.2 %

72.5 %

73.2 %

72.2 % Stock-based compensation expense 2.4



2.5



2.2



2.2

Amortization of purchased intangibles 0.2



0.4



0.2



0.4

Gross margin on total revenues on a non-GAAP basis 75.8 %

75.4 %

75.6 %

74.8 %















Research and development expense on a GAAP basis $ 94,899



$ 70,053



$ 178,125



$ 132,290

Stock-based compensation expense (22,315)



(16,437)



(39,152)



(27,838)

Amortization of purchased intangibles (29)



(29)



(56)



(57)

Research and development expense on a non-GAAP basis $ 72,555



$ 53,587



$ 138,917



$ 104,395

















Sales and marketing expense on a GAAP basis $ 71,789



$ 59,172



$ 136,399



$ 114,927

Stock-based compensation expense (15,115)



(11,186)



(26,670)



(19,378)

Amortization of purchased intangibles (3,429)



(3,568)



(6,745)



(6,970)

Sales and marketing expense on a non-GAAP basis $ 53,245



$ 44,418



$ 102,984



$ 88,579

















General and administrative expense on a GAAP basis $ 42,185



$ 37,173



$ 83,340



$ 73,842

Stock-based compensation expense (14,098)



(12,893)



(25,867)



(24,114)

Amortization of purchased intangibles (57)



(57)



(112)



(113)

General and administrative expense on a non-GAAP basis $ 28,030



$ 24,223



$ 57,361



$ 49,615

































VEEVA SYSTEMS INC.

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

































Three months ended

July 31,

Six months ended July

31,

2021

2020

2021

2020 Operating expense on a GAAP basis $ 208,873



$ 166,398



$ 397,864



$ 321,059

Stock-based compensation expense (51,528)



(40,516)



(91,689)



(71,330)

Amortization of purchased intangibles (3,515)



(3,654)



(6,913)



(7,140)

Operating expense on a non-GAAP basis $ 153,830



$ 122,228



$ 299,262



$ 242,589

















Operating income on a GAAP basis $ 124,624



$ 90,081



$ 253,070



$ 177,646

Stock-based compensation expense 62,385



49,366



110,874



86,273

Amortization of purchased intangibles 4,579



4,966



9,007



10,181

Operating income on a non-GAAP basis $ 191,588



$ 144,413



$ 372,951



$ 274,100

















Operating margin on a GAAP basis 27.4 %

25.4 %

28.5 %

25.7 % Stock-based compensation expense 13.7



14.0



12.5



12.5

Amortization of purchased intangibles 1.0



1.4



1.0



1.5

Operating margin on a non-GAAP basis 42.1 %

40.8 %

42.0 %

39.7 %















Net income on a GAAP basis $ 108,858



$ 93,551



$ 224,425



$ 180,121

Stock-based compensation expense 62,385



49,366



110,874



86,273

Amortization of purchased intangibles 4,579



4,966



9,007



10,181

Income tax effect on non-GAAP adjustments (6) (23,151)



(31,521)



(44,753)



(55,063)

Net income on a non-GAAP basis $ 152,671



$ 116,362



$ 299,553



$ 221,512

















Diluted net income per share on a GAAP basis $ 0.67



$ 0.58



$ 1.38



$ 1.12

Stock-based compensation expense 0.38



0.31



0.68



0.54

Amortization of purchased intangibles 0.03



0.03



0.06



0.06

Income tax effect on non-GAAP adjustments(6) (0.14)



(0.20)



(0.28)



(0.34)

Diluted net income per share on a non-GAAP basis $ 0.94



$ 0.72



$ 1.84



$ 1.38

________________________ (6) For the three and six months ended July 31, 2021 and 2020, management used an estimated annual effective non-GAAP tax rate of 21.0%.

SOURCE Veeva Systems

Related Links

http://www.veeva.com


ATLANTA, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Atlanta-based nonprofit TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation will host the fourth and final in a series of virtual forums addressing the subject of "Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Survivorship," one week from today on Wednesday, September 8, from 7  8:30 p.m. ET.

TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation to Host 4th Virtual Forum on the Subject of Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Survivorship & Outcomes, 7-8:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday, September 8, 2021 Patient stories will be the focus on of this final forum in the series of four

"Over the past year we've hosted a series of virtual forums to take a closer look at the magnitude and causes of racial disparity in breast cancer survivorship and outcomes and propose solutions to improve health equity," said Jill Binkley, Founder of TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation. "During this forum we will be hearing from three incredibly dynamic, gracious and courageous breast cancer patients who will provide insightful and moving testimonials about their own journeys, particularly as they pertain to racial disparities in breast cancer survivorship."

Significant short and long-term physical and emotional consequences of breast cancer reduce quality of life for all breast cancer patients. Black women experience a higher incidence of these issues. Rehabilitation and exercise significantly reduce these issues, increase quality of life, and decrease breast cancer recurrence, but very few women and men receive this care. The lack of access to specialized breast cancer rehabilitation care is magnified in minority patients, resulting in even greater health inequity.

Consuelo Ross, CPN, President and Founder, Surviving the Odds, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri, will serve as the event's moderator.

The following patients will talk about their respective experiences:





Joy Jenrette , JD, BSE, Business Optimization Director, Metro & Infrastructure Division, BrandSafway

, JD, BSE, Business Optimization Director, Metro & Infrastructure Division, BrandSafway Tiah Tomlin , MS, Co-founder, My Style Matters

, MS, Co-founder, Krystal Gross , BS, Logistics Expert, Pink WarriorThe audience for this forum includes physicians, surgeons, rehabilitation professionals and other providers working in the oncology field, as well as stakeholders, patients and survivors, in health equity and breast cancer survivorship.

To register - registration is free - sponsor or secure more information, visit https://myturningpoint.org/racial-disparities-in-breast-cancer-survivorship

Sponsors and partners include the Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy, American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), Henssler Financial, Alice Stubblefield Memorial Sponsorship, Blue Ridge Area Health Education Center, Champions for Change Sponsorship, JScreen, Georgia CORE (Center for Oncology Research & Education), Atlanta Business Chronicle, Grady Health System, My Style Matters and Beyond the Ribbon.

About TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation

TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation is a nonprofit healthcare organization that improves the quality of life for individuals impacted by breast cancer by providing and advocating for specialized and evidence-based rehabilitation while minimizing socioeconomic, racial, cultural and geographic barriers to care. Since it was founded in September 2003, there have been more than 40,000 patient visits.

Media contact:

Jill Binkley

[email protected]

678-936-0361

SOURCE TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation, Inc.
"At Volcon we're not only approaching riders who are pivoting from gasoline to electric, but also we feel there's an untapped opportunity in the off-road sporting goods industry to expand electric mobility," said Davis, CEO of Volcon. "We believe our Grunt model checks all the boxes for experienced riders as well as those who may have only ever ridden a bicycle before. It's truly a versatile off-road product that will provide great riding for our core motorcycle enthusiasts and those interested in hunting, fishing and exploring."

Davis, previously President, Americas of O. Mustad & Son, a leading fishing product manufacturer, will lead Volcon as the all-electric Grunt comes to market. Prior to Mustad, Davis held leadership positions over the course of nearly a decade with the Remington Arms Company, proof of his passion and dedication to the outdoor sporting goods industry. He holds a BA of Business Administration with a dual focus in management and marketing, and an MBA in Management, both from Bushnell University (formerly Northwest Christian University) and is currently a board member of the Mule Deer Foundation.

Davis' appointment as CEO will succeed Andrew Leisner, who has served as Chief Executive Officer since the company's establishment. Leisner will transition to the Advisory Board, providing guidance to the leadership team. Said Leisner: "I look forward to a continued role in helping Volcon ride the momentum we've created."

About Volcon

Volcon Inc. is the first all-electric, off-road powersports company. Based in Round Rock, Texas, Volcon joins many major electric vehicle manufacturers in Austin, Texas, an area that is poised to become the electric vehicle capital of the world.

Volcon was founded with the mission to enhance the outdoor experience while reducing the industry's environmental footprint so that adventurers and workers alike can enjoy the outdoors and preserve it for generations to come.

For more information, please visit www.volcon.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, the ability of the Company to improve the efficiency of its production lines, the success of new marketing initiatives, and its ability to scale its sales team and overall operations. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, expectations may prove to have been materially different from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company has attempted to identify forward-looking statements by terminology including ''believes,'' ''estimates,'' ''anticipates,'' ''expects,'' ''plans,'' ''projects,'' ''intends,'' ''potential,'' ''may,'' ''could,'' ''might,'' ''will,'' ''should,'' ''approximately'' or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, Any forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of its date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after its date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

SOURCE Volcon Inc.
DUBLIN, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Aesthetic Laser Market- Strategies and Market Share and Industry Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

According to International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, people are more inclined towards the non-surgical aesthetic procedures and this is evident by the fact that over a period of 2015-2016, 10% increment was observed in non-surgical procedures worldwide.

The number non-surgical procedures were estimated to be around 12,055,418 in 2015 that rose to 13,209,539 in 2016. While the surgical procedures showed an increment of only 8% over a period of 2015-2016.

The total number of surgical procedures throughout the globe were recorded to be around 9,641,253 in 2015 and 10,417,370 in 2016. Hence, this signifies the shift of patients towards non-surgical procedures and this in turn drives the global aesthetic laser market. Growing geriatric population further drives the aesthetic laser market.

As with the aging, skin's fragility increases due to the thinning of the epidermis. Hence, with the increasing age of people, the probability of aesthetic treatments also increases boosting the demand for laser treatments. According to National Institute of Health (United states), 8.5% of total worldwide population (617 million) were aged 65 and above in 2015. Further, these figures are projected to reach about 1.6 billion by the end of 2050.

North America was the dominant global cosmetic lasers market in 2019 with highest market revenue share. The key factor driving the market growth in North America is the increasing awareness about the cosmetic and beauty consciousness among the people in America, majority of which are women from age 25-50. However, the Asia pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing market region with the highest CAGR in the forecast period. This is due to the increasing geriatric population in countries such as India, Japan, China etc. Which has led to the increased demand for aesthetic lasers. Also, the changing lifestyle of people, skin problems, aging problems and increasing medical tourism in the APAC countries are some the driving forces expanding the market.

The global aesthetic laser market is influenced by the presence of leading companies such as CYNOSURE INC., LUMENIS LTD., CUTERA INC., ALMA LASERS, SCITON INC. etc. Product launches, joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions are some of the crucial strategies adopted by the key market players in order to gain competitive advantage.

Global aesthetic laser market report covers segmentation analysis of type, applications, and end user. Report further covers segments of laser type which includes Standalone Lasers and Multiplatform Lasers. Standalone lasers are the leading segment due to the advantages offered by it has boosted the adoption of these lasers.

The application of aesthetic laser includes Hair Removal, Skin Rejuvenation Vascular Lesions, Pigmented Lesion & Tattoo Removal etc. Among these segments, laser hair removal has accounted for largest revenue income in 2019. The conventional hair removable were time consuming, expensive, and other inefficiencies had led to the increased demand for laser hair removal. Furthermore, the end users of aesthetic laser include Private Clinics, Hospitals, Medical Spa. The private clinics market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the forecast period due the increasing disposable income and adoption of new technologies in developed countries such as China, Japan etc.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Acknowledgment

2. Summary

3. Industry Outlook

4. Market Share Analysis

5. Analysing Aesthetic Laser

6. Analysing Aesthetic Laser Cross Borders

7. Competitive Landscape

8. Company Profiling

Companies Mentioned

Aerolase

Alma Lasers

Cutera Inc.

El.En. SpA

Hologic (Cynosure)

Sciton, Inc.

Sharplight Technologies

Solta Medical

Syneron Candela

XIO (Lumenis)

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hmgtkq

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


WIESELBURG, Austria, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ZKW has been manufacturing high-quality lighting systems for the NAFTA region in the Mexican city of Silao since 2016. Now, the lighting specialist is expanding the location by an additional 21,000 square meters. This step increases the production area to a total of 35,000 square meters. In addition, the company plans to hire over 600 new employees, in order to expand its staffing levels to 1,600 by 2023. The location produces front headlamps and auxiliary lamps for clients such as BMW, Ford Lincoln, Freightliner, General Motors, Mercedes Benz, Navistar and Volvo. The planned production volume is 2.2 million units per year. "The goal of the second phase of expansion is to significantly increase capacity at the site, and increase competencies in the Design, Engineering and Research & Development areas. In doing so, we value a multicultural, integrative and sustainable corporate culture" explains Jan Seumenicht, General Plant Manager of ZKW Mexico.

Technicians Wanted

The expanded ZKW plant in Silao will have a total of 13 assembly lines, a mezzanine floor for sub-assembly processes, a department for optic lenses and an automated logistics center, including a Tornado mini loading crane system. The site's portfolio focuses on innovative front lighting solutions, such as headlamps for the new BMW Series 2 coupe, electric SUVs from Mercedes Benz, and the Volvo XC90. To expand these capacities, ZKW is looking for technicians with expertise in the areas of design, lighting technology, research & development, tool production and manufacturing. "With this expansion, we will not only increase our production area, but also improve our efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability. Further growth is the goal in the medium term" says Oliver Schubert, CEO of ZKW Group GmbH.

Climate-Friendly Construction

ZKW utilized climate-friendly, sustainable construction methods when expanding the plant. These include a modern building management system that automatically monitors and controls the heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The new production areas are illuminated using energy-saving LED technology. These systems help ensure an optimal room temperature and lighting level, while saving energy. "We are aware of our responsibilities and obligations with respect to the environment. We aim to save costs and reduce our ecological footprint through proactive management" says Seumenicht.

About ZKW

The ZKW Group is the specialist for innovative premium lighting systems and electronics. As a system supplier, ZKW is a global partner to the automotive industry. The group develops and produces products based on its motto of "Bright Minds, Bright Lights," combining bright minds with modern production technologies to produce complex premium lighting and electronic modules for international automotive manufacturers.

Our top products include powerful and cost-efficient complete LED systems. The ZKW Group has a total of 12 locations worldwide, with intelligently networked development and production. In 2020, the Group employed around 10,000 workers and generated total revenues of 1.03 billion euros.

In accordance with the corporate vision "Ground-breaking premium lighting and electronic systems from ZKW for all mobility concepts of the global automotive industry," the company's primary goal is to produce top-quality high-tech products and to promote the development of innovative holistic lighting systems.

With our discoveries and inventions, the ZKW corporate group makes vehicles more desirable, more unique, safer, and more energy efficient.

Our 360 degree product portfolio includes headlamps and fog lamps, rear lamps, flashers, interior and license plate lamps as well as electronic modules. Major automotive manufacturers trust their brands to innovative products from ZKW. We are proud of our customers like BMW (BMW, Rolls Royce), DAIMLER (MERCEDES-BENZ Cars and Trucks), FORD (Lincoln, Ford), GEELY (Volvo, Polestar, Lynk & Co, Geely), GENERAL MOTORS (Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac), JLR (Jaguar, Land Rover), PSA (Opel, Citroen), RENAULT/NISSAN (Infiniti, Alpine), VGTT (Volvo Trucks, MACK) and VW (Audi, Porsche, Skoda, Lamborghini, MAN, VW, Seat).

With intelligent lighting systems and innovative styling, ZKW is shaping the look and character of vehicles worldwide.

Press contact:

ZKW Group GmbH

Sandra Simeonidis-Huber

Group Communication

Tel: +43 7416 505 2051

[email protected]

www.zkw-group.com

Click to download images and video of the facility.

SOURCE ZKW Group

Related Links

https://zkw-group.com/


RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Ackerman Group, the veterinary industry's leading practice broker, announced the addition of Richard Lester, Win Lippincott, and Jeff Hooper as Partners. Effective immediately, Mr. Lester assumes the role of Co-CEO, alongside Dr. Gary Ackerman, the company's Founder and Co-CEO. Mr. Lippincott joins as Chief Growth Officer and Managing Director. Mr. Hooper continues as Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director "Partnering with Rich and Win positions this company for its next phase of growth and market leadership," remarked Dr. Ackerman. "The breadth and depth of their industry and transaction experience along with operational expertise brings added perspective and knowledge to support our veterinary practice owners as we help them navigate the increasingly complex practice sale process. Additionally, just as our veterinarian clients look to chart a course for slowing down professionally, I am pleased to now have definition for the next couple years of my own career with them as Partners. It also delights me to have Jeff become a Partner, having been so instrumental in the company's rapid growth these last few years."

"Dr. Gary Ackerman and his team have built a remarkable business assisting practice owners through the fast-paced and increasing complex consolidation cycle in the industry," commented Lester. "The Ackerman Group's brand is second to none when it comes to brokering transactions with veterinary consolidators. I'm proud to now co-lead the team with Gary as it continues its tradition of helping veterinarians realize the wealth generating benefits of practice ownership." Previously, Lester founded and served as CEO of Veterinary Practice Partners, a practice ownership company with nearly eighty locations focused on co-owning practices with veterinarians. Joining Ackerman Group marks a continuation of his passion for financial advocacy and empowerment on behalf of veterinarians. "I believe strongly that veterinarians owning practices and benefitting financially from ownership is incredibly important to the profession. I am excited to reach more practitioners through this venture and support them in this exciting aspect of their careers, just as Gary has since his own days as a practicing veterinarian."

Since its founding, Ackerman Group has brokered over 175 transactions representing $850 million in veterinary practice sales. Thus far in 2021, the market for practice transactions has continued to remain robust, something Hooper noted: "Deal flow at Ackerman Group shows no signs of abating anytime soon. Today's announcement signifies the company's commitment to being able to better serve any practice owner who needs expert guidance in selling to one of the veterinary consolidators. Our bandwidth to educate veterinarians about the business of practice and provide exceptional service undoubtedly grows in an exciting way today."

According to Lippincott, formerly Chief Growth Officer at Veterinary Practice Partners, the profession can anticipate more from the company in the near future. "Today, despite Ackerman's significant market presence, fewer than one in four practice owners are benefitting from professional, expert advisory services during the sales process. Gary, Jeff, Rich and I endeavor to change that and ensure that more veterinarians are fully realizing the fruits of their life's work in each transaction and receive full value for their business through expert advisory support. For years, the company has stood for securing the financial and professional futures of veterinarians. We look forward to building on that mission for years to come."

About Ackerman Group

Ackerman Group is a leading provider of brokerage and advisory services to veterinary practice owners. Since its founding in 2017 the company has brokered over 175 transactions representing $850 million in veterinary practice sales. Operating in all 50 states, Ackerman Group educates and guides practice owners through the complex business transition process to secure the best fit for their practice culture, personalized terms, and maximum value for their most important asset: their practice.

SOURCE Ackerman Group

Related Links

www.ackerman-group.com


TRENTON, N.J., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Actions 4 ACEs, a statewide campaign to expand public awareness of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), is launching a new back-to-school campaign to help children returning to school and in-person learning this fall readjust to day-to-day life and approach the new challenges and stressors posed by the pandemic. The campaign, #TraumaTools: Promoting Healing, Recovery, and Wellness this School Year, will build awareness among educators, school staff, and law enforcement to help offset the effects of childhood trauma as students head back to school and includes downloadable materials, training for educators, and a social media campaign.

ACEs are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (ages 0-17). These events are common, and can include parental separation; experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect; or having a loved one attempt or die by suicide. ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance use problems in adulthood, and can negatively impact education, job opportunities, and earning potential. Nationally, two out of three children have had at least one ACE, and the stress and isolation of the pandemic have constituted an extra psychological burden for virtually all children, whether they have experienced an ACE or not.

"Our nation's children are suffering both a mental health crisis and an educational challenge amid the pandemic," said Michael Yogman, MD, FAAP, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School; Chair, Child Mental Health Task Force, Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "We must seize this opportunity and make sure that all children have someone they can turn to, that they can trust within a consistent, positive and nurturing relationship. This benefits our children, our society, and our future."

A Broad Statewide Effort

Actions 4 ACEs is part of the growing movement to make New Jersey a trauma-informed, healing-centered state, which includes the Healing Centered Schools project, an effort to create more stable and supportive learning environments for children, and Handle With Care, a program that links law enforcement with schools to support children experiencing ACEs.

The Healing-Centered Schools project was established by the Foundation for Educational Administration (FEA) and the professional learning division of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, in partnership with the New Jersey Education Association and the Mental Health Association in New Jersey The pilot project was launched during the 2020-2021 school year with 26 schools in New Jersey; Another 25 schools will be added this academic year. To date, more than 2,000 New Jersey educators and school staff, including custodians, cafeteria workers, and school nurses, have been trained on ACEs through the pilot initiative.

Actions 4 ACEs is actively supporting the Handle With Care (HWC) program through an awareness and promotion campaign, which is building partnerships between New Jersey law enforcement and schools. The program, first developed in West Virginia, allows law enforcement agents to alert schools when a student has experienced or witnessed a potential traumatic event and may need to be "handled with care" by being given extra support and sensitivity. The schools then can offer appropriate counseling and support services. Last year, the New Jersey Attorney General issued a directive requiring all law enforcement agencies in the state to implement the HWC program.

"After more than a year of living in a pandemic, children need support as they readjust to school and overcome the stressors caused by COVID-19," said Dave Ellis, Executive Director of the Office of Resilience in the NJ Department of Children and Families. "When children feel connected and supported, they are more likely to grow up to become healthy, competent, and educated adults. The past year has been trying for all of us, which is why Actions 4 ACEs wants to help start this school year out right with free resources that adults can use to mitigate the effects of adverse childhood experiences."

"We know that trauma can inhibit a child's ability to learn, develop language skills, and create healthy attachments. The stress and isolation of the pandemic has contributed to worsening student mental health," said Atiya Weiss, Executive Director of the Burke Foundation, a member of the NJ ACEs Collaborative. "Our ground-breaking partnerships are activating supportive relationships with children through simple actions such as sharing encouragement and creating safe and predictable environments."

You can find Actions 4 ACEs' resources here and learn more about the initiative here.

SOURCE Actions 4 ACEs
CHICAGO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Aircraft Seals Market by Type (Dynamic and Static), Application (Engine, Airframe, Avionics, Flight Control System, Landing Gear), Material (Composites, Polymers, Metals), End Use (OEM, Aftermarket), Platform, and Region - Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market size is projected to grow from USD 1.9 billion in 2021 to USD 2.4 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 5.1% from 2021 to 2026. The market is driven by factors such as increase in global aircraft fleet size, and short replacement cycle of aircraft seals.

Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=95040283

SKF (Sweden), Saint-Gobain (France), Trelleborg Sealing Solutions (Sweden), Meggitt PLC (UK), and Parker Hannifin Corporation (US) among others, are some of the leading players operating in the aircraft seals market. These players have spread their business across various countries includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. COVID-19 has impacted their businesses as well. Industry experts believe that COVID-19 has affected aircraft seals production and services by 710% globally in 2020.

The Engine System segment is projected to witness the largest revenue during the forecast period.

Based on application, the engine system segment is expected to be the largest market by value. The growth of the engine system segment of the aircraft seals market can be attributed to the many sub-systems it comprises of such as air supply, thermal control, cabin pressurization, avionics cooling, smoke detection and fire suppression. Aircraft seals are also used in other important systems such as airframe, flight control & hydraulics system, avionics & electrical system, and landing gear system. Aircraft seals used in these aircraft systems to prevent the spread of fire or flames in the engine system of the aircraft, avoid air leakage, water or dust intrusion, prevent corrosion, or to prevent any aircraft fluid leakage.

The Dynamic seals segment is projected to witness a higher CAGR during the forecast period

Based on type, the dynamic seals segment is projected to have a higher share in the aircraft seals market during the forecast period. The growth of the dynamic seals segment of the aircraft seals market can be attributed to the extensive usage in various applications, and majority of aircraft components are in motion than being stationary. These are used commonly in engine system, and flight control and hydraulics system of aircrafts.

The Composites segment is projected to witness the highest revenue during the forecast period.

Based on material, the composites segment is projected to have the highest share of revenue in the aircraft seals market. The extensive use of various types of composites for manufacturing aircraft seals, and their proven benefits such as resistance to heat and good strength, good chemical properties, low weight etc can be attributed to its high market share. These are used in applications where there is a higher chance of corrosion, and high operating temperature.

The fixed-wing aircraft segment is projected to witness the highest revenue during the forecast period.

Based on platform, the fixed-wing aircraft segment is projected to have the highest revenue in the aircraft seals market during the forecast period. The fixed-wing aircraft segment consists of commercial aviation, business and general aviation and military aviation. The fixed-wing segment consists of the greatest number of aircrafts in terms of absolute numbers. However, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles segment is projected to have the highest CAGR in the aircraft seals market.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Aircraft Seals Market"

514  Tables

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The OEM segment is projected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Based on the end use, the OEM segment is projected to grow at a higher CAGR for the aircraft seals market during the forecast period. OEMs are responsible for the installation of aircraft seals in an aircraft during the assembly stage and are then made available for delivery to aircraft manufacturers. However, the Aftermarket segment is projected to have a higher market share in the aircraft seals market. Over the years, there has been a significant rise in the demand for different aircraft types across regions. According to Airbus, it delivered 863 commercial aircraft to 99 customers in 2019. The aftermarket segment is projected to have more revenue in the aircraft seals market.

The North America market is projected to contribute the largest share from 2021 to 2026.

North America is projected to be the largest regional share of the aircraft seals market during the forecast period. The key factor responsible for North America, leading the aircraft seals market owing to the presence of large number of aircraft seals manufacturers in the region. Also, the region has been witnessing a rise in the newer aircrafts getting delivered. In North America, the rise in aircraft orders and supplies is encouraging manufacturers of aircraft seals to increase their sales year on year. The increasing demand for commercial aircraft and the presence of some of the leading players operating in the market, such as Parker Hannifin Corporation, Kirkhill, Inc., Brown Aircraft Supply are expected to drive the aircraft seals market in North America. These players are focusing on R&D to increase their product lines and using technologically advanced systems, subsystems, and other components for manufacturing aircraft seals. The European region is projected to have the highest growth rate in the aircraft seals market.

Related Reports:

Aircraft Hydraulic System Market by Type (Open-Center, Closed-Center), Component (Reservoir, Filters, Pumps, Accumulators, Actuators, Hydraulic Fluid), Platform (Fixed, Rotary) and Region - Global Forecast to 2021

Aircraft Fuel Systems Market by Application (Commercial, Military and UAV), Engine Type (Jet engine, Turboprop engine, Helicopter engine and UAV engine), Component, Technology & Region - Global Forecasts to 2020

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Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
CHICAGO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Corboy & Demetrio proudly announces that all of its partners, as well as two former partners who are now "of Counsel" to the firm, were selected to the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

"The fact that every single partner at our firm was selected for this honor reflects the dedication and relentless drive of each of them, as well as their resulting success. I am extremely proud," said Thomas Demetrio, Corboy & Demetrio Co-founder who was selected for the 35th consecutive year.

Our honorees and the areas of practice they were selected for include:

Thomas A. Demetrio , Co-founder: Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs (since 1987)

Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs (since 1987) Philip Harnett Corboy, Jr. , Partner: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs (since 2006)

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs (since 2006) Michael A. Demetrio , Partner : Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs (since 2008)

: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs (since 2008) William T. Gibbs , Partner : Mass Tort/Class Action  Plaintiffs and Personal Injury  Plaintiffs

: Mass Tort/Class Action  Plaintiffs and Personal Injury  Plaintiffs Daniel S. Kirschner , Partner : Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs (since 2019)

: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs (since 2019) Michelle M. Kohut , Partner : Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs and Workers' Compensation  Claimants (since 2020)

: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs and Workers' Compensation  Claimants (since 2020) Kenneth T. Lumb , Managing Partner : Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs and Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs (since 2019)

: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs and Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs (since 2019) Francis Patrick Murphy Partner : Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs (since 2020)

Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs (since 2020) Edward G. Willer , Partner : Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs

: Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs David R. Barry, Jr. , Of Counsel : Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs (since 2012)

: Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs (since 2012) Susan J. Schwartz , Of Counsel: Medical Malpractice Law  Plaintiffs (since 2021)

In addition, Corboy & Demetrio Attorney Andrew P. Stevens was selected to the 2022 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in the area of Personal Injury Litigation  Plaintiffs for the second year in a row.

According to Best Lawyers, since it was first published in 1983, it has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on exhaustive peer-review evaluations. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.

About Corboy & Demetrio

Corboy & Demetrio is one of the nation's premier law firms, representing individuals and their families in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers are renowned for their achievements in the courtroom and contributions to the community. Putting clients first has resulted in unparalleled and exceptional success - more than $4 billion in settlements and verdicts, of which nearly 600 were in excess of $1 million. To contact Thomas Demetrio or another attorney at Corboy & Demetrio, call 312-346-3191 or email us at [email protected]. We are available 24/7.

Media Contact:

Helen Lucaitis,

Esq., Communications Director,

Corboy & Demetrio,

312-550-2077 or [email protected]

SOURCE Corboy & Demetrio

Related Links

http://www.corboydemetrio.com


"Ann-Marie's experiences and expertise are an invaluable asset to our organization," said Dave O'Malley, Penn Mutual president and chief operating officer. "Her vision will strengthen the legal team's strategic role within our company and her leadership will help ensure we fulfill our promises to protect our policyholders, financial professionals and our business."

Most recently, Mason served as general counsel, asset management and broker-dealer where she was responsible for all legal matters related to wholly-owned subsidiaries Penn Mutual Asset Management and Hornor, Townsend & Kent (HTK). Mason joined Penn Mutual in 2019 as vice president and head of shared services  enterprise compliance after 11 years with FINRA. At FINRA she rose to the role of vice president and counsel and served as a key source of legal and regulatory expertise on subject matters affecting registered investment advisers and broker-dealers. She also exclusively handled all of FINRA's high impact, expedited litigation matters.

Mason's previous experience includes serving as senior counsel, financial products and services unit at MetLife, a litigator in private practice and senior trial attorney with the King's County District Attorney's office (Brooklyn, NY). She received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Rochester and a doctor of law degree from New York University School of Law. Mason is active with the Corporate Counsel Women of Color and is a member of the board of directors of Listen To Our Voices, a non-profit organization advocating for children and young adults.

About The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company



Penn Mutual helps people become stronger. Our expertly crafted life insurance is vital to long-term financial health and strengthens people's ability to enjoy every day. Working with our trusted network of financial professionals, we take the long view, building customized solutions for individuals, their families, and their businesses. Penn Mutual supports its financial professionals with retirement and investment services through its wholly owned subsidiary Hornor, Townsend & Kent, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Visit Penn Mutual at www.pennmutual.com.

2021 The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, 600 Dresher Road, Horsham, PA 19044

Contact:

Jeff Leinen

Penn Mutual

215-956-8530

[email protected]

3738215CC_AUG23

SOURCE The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company
ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG) will be hosting its regularly scheduled quarterly management meeting on Tuesday, September 14, from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 10:30 a.m. CT. This quarter's meeting will take place virtually via conference call. During the call, the company's operating and financial leaders will present background information and commentary on the company's business operations and financial outlook, and will take questions from the investment community.

The conference call will be broadcast live through Gallagher's website at www.ajg.com/irmeeting, and a conference call replay will be available at the same link through September 21, 2021. Any information distributed in conjunction with this meeting will be available on September 14 at 7:30 a.m. CT at http://www.ajg.com/September14materials.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The company has operations in 57 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants.

Contact:

Raymond Iardella

VP Investor Relations

(630) 285-3661/ [email protected]

SOURCE Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Related Links

http://www.ajg.com


MIAMI, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EMW Realty, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the nation's largest real estate brokerage services firm, HomeServices of America, together with publishing partner Havas House, the global custom media, content, and publishing division of Republica Havas and the Havas Creative North America Network, have unveiled the first edition of its newly reimagined publication, Lifestyles South Florida.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty Havas House

Featuring top model and Victoria's Secret Angel Lais Ribeiro on the cover, shot on location at a stunning Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EMW Realty listing in Miami Beach, Lifestyles South Florida, Volume One, takes a look at meaningful happenings and trends locally and globally that affect, directly or otherwise, Berkshire Hathaway's endeavors and its target market.

"We're very excited to present you with this newly designed collectible, created in partnership with Havas House and filled with wonderful images of high-quality homes  which Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty is known for  in addition to informative reviews of other luxury products and services," said Ron Shuffield, president and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty.

"For over three decades, we have been sharing the architectural beauty of South Florida's finest homes and condominium residences through Lifestyles South Florida," added Lee Casey, vice president of marketing, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty. "Now, in its enhanced form, readers will be immersed entirely in luxury as never before, from fashion and travel destinations to luxury trends and the latest must-have gadgets."

Lifestyles South Florida will be extensively distributed to multi-million-dollar homes in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, and residences in New York's prestigious communities throughout the Hamptons. Controlled commercial distribution will be available at select luxury hotels and events. Digital edition will be available on the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty website (ewm.com) and the Lifestyles website (lifestylessouthflorida.com), and will be delivered to opt-in subscribers through monthly eblasts.

"Creating this beautiful magazine on behalf of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty is an honor for Havas House," said Marisa Beazel, president and publisher, Havas House. "It is a wonderful opportunity to spotlight the brand's superior offerings while entertaining and inspiring readers to experience luxury in its most holistic form."

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty

BHHS EWM Realty, a full-service real estate brokerage founded in 1964, is one of America's largest real estate services firms. The brokerage is part of an international network of 50,000 agents operating from 1,500 offices spread across the globe. Its parent company, HomeServices of America, an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway, is the number one brokerage company in the U.S. based on transaction sides. BHHS EWM Realty has locations in Miami-Dade and Broward counties with more than 900 associates and staff members. Visit https://www.ewm.com/ .

About HomeServices of America

HomeServices of America, through its operating companies, is the nation's largest residential real estate company based on closed transactions and is the country's premier provider of homeownership services, including brokerage, mortgage, franchising, settlement, insurance, and relocation services. HomeServices of America is the owner of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Real Living Real Estate residential real estate franchise networks. HomeServices is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a consolidated subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. For more information visit www.homeservices.com .

About Havas House

Havas House is a global custom media, content, and publishing company that creates meaningful connections between brands and consumers through innovative, 360-degree marketing solutions. Based in Miami, Florida, Havas House services include custom content, content production, integrated brand campaign development, social media, SEO/SEM, development, and design of digital publishing platforms, digital editions, print magazines, and marketing materials. Havas House is a division of Republica Havas. For more information, visit havashouseinc.com .

Media contact:

Ingrid Martinez

[email protected]

786-347-4700

SOURCE Havas House
MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) today announced the close of its acquisition of the global surgical business of Lumenis LTD., a privately-held company that develops and commercializes energy-based medical solutions, from an affiliate of Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA). The Lumenis surgical business includes premier laser systems, fibers and accessories used for urology and otolaryngology procedures with total revenue anticipated to be approximately $200 million for full year 2021.

"The close of this acquisition allows us to integrate the Lumenis laser portfolio  including the differentiated MOSES technology  with our category leading kidney stone management and benign prostatic hyperplasia offerings while expanding our global footprint to accelerate growth throughout Europe and Asia," said Meghan Scanlon, senior vice president and president, Urology and Pelvic Health, Boston Scientific. "Additionally, we are welcoming significant talent to our Urology & Pelvic Health Team, and we are excited to establish our global surgical laser center of excellence in Yokneam where we will continue our focus on advancing innovation to help surgeons improve patient care."

Boston Scientific announced a definitive agreement to acquire the global surgical business of Lumenis on March 3, 2021 for an upfront cash payment of $1.07 billion, subject to closing adjustments. Boston Scientific has had a relationship with Lumenis for over 20 years and, prior to close, already offered the Lumenis urology laser portfolio in the U.S. and Japan through a distribution arrangement. With the completion of this acquisition, Boston Scientific will now sell these lasers and fibers  as well as the otolaryngology laser portfolio  to all geographies including high-growth regions like China. BPEA will retain ownership of the Lumenis global aesthetics and ophthalmology businesses.

The transaction's estimated impact to adjusted earnings per share is expected to be immaterial in 2021, approximately two cents accretive in 2022 and increasingly accretive thereafter. On a GAAP basis, the transaction is expected to be dilutive in 2021 and less dilutive or increasingly accretive thereafter, as the case may be, due to amortization expense and acquisition-related net charges.

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific transforms lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world. As a global medical technology leader for more than 40 years, we advance science for life by providing a broad range of high performance solutions that address unmet patient needs and reduce the cost of healthcare. For more information, visit www.bostonscientific.com and connect on Twitter and Facebook.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "anticipate," "expect," "project," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "intend" and similar words. These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and estimates using information available to us at the time and are not intended to be guarantees of future events or performance. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding our business plans, clinical trials, product launches and product performance and impact. If our underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect, or if certain risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. These factors, in some cases, have affected and in the future (together with other factors) could affect our ability to implement our business strategy and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements expressed in this press release. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements.

Factors that may cause such differences include, among other things: future economic, competitive, reimbursement and regulatory conditions; new product introductions; demographic trends; intellectual property; litigation; financial market conditions; and future business decisions made by us and our competitors. All of these factors are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of them are beyond our control. For a further list and description of these and other important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations, see Part I, Item 1A  Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we may update in Part II, Item 1A  Risk Factors in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q we have filed or will file hereafter. We disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement our consolidated financial statements presented on a GAAP basis, we disclose certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted net income and adjusted net income (earnings) per share that excludes certain charges and/or credits, such as amortization expense and acquisition-related net charges (credits). These non-GAAP financial measures are not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and should not be considered in isolation from or as a replacement for the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. Further, other companies may calculate these non-GAAP financial measures differently than we do, which may limit the usefulness of those measures for comparative purposes. For further information regarding our non-GAAP measures, see Part II, Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which we may update in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q we have filed or will file hereafter.

CONTACTS:

Kirsten Lesak-Greenberg

Media Relations

(763) 300-9254

[email protected]

Lauren Tengler

Investor Relations

(508) 683-4479

[email protected]

SOURCE Boston Scientific Corporation

Related Links

http://www.bostonscientific.com


TROOPER, Pa., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BrandPoint Services , a leading provider of facility services to multi-site commercial clients across North America, proudly announces its inclusion in the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies for the second consecutive year. This achievement comes only a couple months after it was named a Top Workplace by the Philadelphia Inquirer, in April of 2021. BrandPoint reprises its position among many rapidly-growing brands, ranking 2,090 out of the top 5,000 independent businesses in America over the last twelve months, with a revenue growth rate of 210 percent.

BrandPoint Services provides Facility Maintenance and Repair, Refresh & Remodeling Projects, Digital Signage, Rollouts, and Construction Services across the US and Canada. BrandPoint works with over a third of the Top 100 National Retailers, as well as restaurant, healthcare and banking brands to improve their spaces and experiences. Its vast vendor network allows BrandPoint to get qualified trades out to client locations across North America. BrandPoint Services, a leading provider of facility services to multi-site commercial clients across North America, proudly announces its inclusion in the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies for the second consecutive year. This achievement comes only a couple months after it was named a Top Workplace by the Philadelphia Inquirer, in April of 2021

"Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement; building one in the crisis we've lived through is just plain amazing," commented Steve Hearon, President of BrandPoint Services. "This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great partners, and the support of our dedicated team, who are really the ones that deserve the credit for this; they make it happen, day in and day out."

BrandPoint Services provides Facility Maintenance and Repair, Refresh & Remodeling Projects , Digital Signage, Rollouts , and Construction Services across the US and Canada. BrandPoint works with over a third of the Top 100 National Retailers , as well as restaurant, healthcare and banking brands to improve their spaces and experiences. Its vast vendor network allows BrandPoint to get qualified trades out to client locations across North America to address their facility needs and deliver solutions quickly.

"We pride ourselves on deploying our services with speed, accuracy, and efficiency and those values allowed us to effectively support the unique business needs of the past 12 months," continued Hearon. "It was a true honor being able to support essential businesses, while keeping employees and customers safe."

Brandpoint supports its multi-site commercial customers in a variety of ways, ranging from remodels, new store construction projects, digital signage installation, as well as refreshes, but it was the maintenance and special project divisions that really shined over the past year as business needs shifted.

"Our customers need to know that they can count on us, even in the most challenging of times, and our team certainly rose to the occasion in serving the needs of our valued partners," commented Mike Hersh, CEO of BrandPoint Services. "The businesses we serve rely on us as a trusted partner and we are proud to earn that trust as we continue to deepen those relationships."

BrandPoint continues to invest in its IT platforms, operations, and team , while also developing a new "self-service" division, as a strategic priority for the business, in order to serve clients in a variety of models.

"The investments we're making in our company and our people will enable us to take advantage of this rapidly growing space and capitalize on pent up demand," commented Hearon. "It's a challenging environment, with labor and materials being harder to procure than ever; our clients need us and we are ready to grow with those needs. I expect big things in 2022 and I know our committed team will deliver." Learn more at www.brandpointservices.com or contact us to discuss how we can help your service needs.

About Inc. Media

The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. For more information, visit www.inc.com .

About BrandPoint Services

BrandPoint Services provides Facility Maintenance & Repair, Refresh & Remodeling Project and Construction Services across the US and Canada. BrandPoint works with over a third of the Top 100 National Retailers, as well as restaurant, healthcare and banking brands to improve their spaces and experiences. Its vast vendor network allows BrandPoint to get qualified trades out to client locations across North America to address their facility needs and deliver solutions quickly.

Contact:

Marisa Malts

8568168879

[email protected]

SOURCE Brandpoint Services Inc.
NEW YORK and LONDON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) today announced the significant expansion of its Direct Market Solutions (DMS), a custodian focused local market "golden copy" event sourcing and vote execution service extension to Broadridge's leading Global Proxy solution. The innovation in DMS services is across three areas:

Grows coverage to 20 key markets in 2021 (which represents the significant majority of client holdings and ~50% of global meetings) with more markets to follow in 2022 and 2023. This complements Broadridge's existing leading voting solutions that already provide 100% coverage across 100+ markets

Improves market deadlines and extends voting windows by up to three days, allowing investors more time to make their elections

Reduces costs to custodians due to Broadridge's ability to mutualise event sourcing and execution across the industry, and pass those savings to participating clients

DMS enables issuer market "golden copy" meeting information to be communicated to investors on the day of the meeting announcement, where required. It also extends the voting window by up to 3 days for investors by removing market inefficiencies in the traditional voting process, allowing votes to be placed directly from the investor to the issuer or its agent in these markets.

"Today's announcement is part of our ongoing innovation to enable higher standards of corporate governance and investor stewardship," said Demi Derem, GM, International Investor Communication Solutions at Broadridge. "Broadridge has long advocated and invested in more efficient and innovative local market models through its DMS service launched in 2015. Shareholder Rights Directive II (SRD II) obligated European issuers to provide the market with "golden copy" machine readable issuer meeting information. Since SRD II was put into effect in September 2020, we have completed over 300 new retail and institutional client implementations and processed over 89,000 meetings for clients that trust in our global proxy credentials and ability to continually drive the market forward for the benefit of all participants."

DMS markets covered in 2021 include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK and US.

With its track record of over 30 years leading the industry in voting-related managed services, Broadridge has the scale, global coverage, and the ability to provide an iron-clad, multi-lingual 24/7 client service solution that enables every vote to get to the right place at the right time. The investments involved in building this infrastructure are substantial, but Broadridge is deeply committed to making sure its clients always get the most advanced voting service possible.

ABOUT BROADRIDGE

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech leader with over $4.5 billion in revenues, provides the critical infrastructure that powers investing, corporate governance, and communications to enable better financial lives. We deliver technology-driven solutions to banks, broker-dealers, asset and wealth managers and public companies. Broadridge's infrastructure serves as a global communications hub enabling corporate governance by linking thousands of public companies and mutual funds to tens of millions of individual and institutional investors around the world. In addition, Broadridge's technology and operations platforms underpin the daily trading of on average more than U.S. $9 trillion of equities, fixed income and other securities globally. A certified Great Place to Work, Broadridge is a part of the S&P 500 Index, employing over 13,000 associates in 21 countries. For more information about us and what we can do for you, please visit www.broadridge.com

Investors:

W. Edings Thibault

Investor Relations

[email protected]

+ 1 516-472-5129

Media:

Gregg Rosenberg

Corporate Communications

[email protected]

+1 212-918-6966

SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.

Related Links

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DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The recently published 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America includes four attorneys from the Dallas-based intellectual property and business litigation firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry.

Caldwell Cassady & Curry principals Kevin Burgess, Brad Caldwell, Jason Cassady, and Austin Curry have earned multiple consecutive selections in Best Lawyers based on their representation of clients in high-stakes intellectual property trials and patent lawsuits.

The annual guide to the nation's leading lawyers recognizes only those attorneys who have been nominated by prior Best Lawyers honorees who practice in the same area of law. Fewer than 5 percent of all U.S. lawyers are ranked in Best Lawyers.

Since last year's edition, Caldwell Cassady & Curry has continued to grow by adding Brian Johnston as a principal and Xu Zhou, Hailey Grissom, and Adrienne Dellinger as associates. During the same time, the firm has helped several clients secure significant victories in Texas courts.

Last October, Caldwell Cassady & Curry won a $502.8 million verdict for VirnetX Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The lawsuit was based on Apple's infringement of two VirnetX patents that enabled key features in iPhones and other Apple products. Earlier in 2020, Apple paid VirnetX more than $454 million to satisfy a patent infringement judgment won by Caldwell Cassady & Curry in a separate Eastern District case that went to trial four years earlier.

The firm also scored a complete defense victory for UK-based World Programming Limited in a copyright and patent infringement lawsuit filed by SAS Institute Inc. After the firm presented WPL's defenses, SAS Institute abandoned half of its patent assertions before dropping its other patent claims following expert discovery. On the eve of trial, the presiding judge dismissed SAS Institute's remaining copyright claims with prejudice.

Caldwell Cassady & Curry represents companies and individuals in high-stakes civil litigation, including patent infringement cases, trade secret claims, fiduciary duty cases, class actions, and disputes involving company founders. The firm has tried and won some of the nation's top verdicts against the largest companies in the world. Learn more about the firm at www.caldwellcc.com.

For more information, contact Bruce Vincent at 214-763-6226 or [email protected].

SOURCE Caldwell Cassady & Curry

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- California Credit Union encourages Los Angeles county teachers who have an innovative class project idea to apply for a credit union grant through its bi-annual Teacher Grant program.

The California Credit Union grant program is available to full-time teachers in Los Angeles and Orange county, or credit union members teaching in California, looking to fund special learning opportunities for their students. The project should have clearly defined learning objectives tied to students' academic needs, display creativity, and benefit a significant number of students. Ten California Credit Union grants of $500 each will be awarded to area teachers in October in the fall program.

"Helping teachers provide an engaging, meaningful student experience is one way we're supporting education in our communities. We know the challenges our teachers and students have experienced over the last year, and hope this grant will help make a special project come to life," said California Credit Union President/CEO Steve O'Connell. "We encourage any teacher who has a class project idea that needs a little extra funding to apply for one of our grants."

Interested teachers can find more information and apply online at ccu.com/teachergrant. The application deadline is October 1, 2021.

Since the creation of the program in 2012, California Credit Union has awarded $135,000 in teacher grants to benefit students across Southern California. Last year's grant program funded a wide range of projects, including art expression programs focused on social change, anti-racism, diversity & inclusion, a cooking channel for special needs students, a mobile library, ASL instructional videos for families, coding & robotics programs, and a volunteer student reading program in assisted living facilities, among others.

About California Credit Union

California Credit Union is a federally insured, state chartered credit union founded in 1933 that serves public or private school employees, community members and businesses across California. With more than 165,000 members and assets of over $4 billion, California Credit Union has 25 branches throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. The credit union operates in San Diego County as North Island Credit Union, a division of California Credit Union. California Credit Union offers a full suite of consumer, business and investment products and services, including comprehensive consumer checking and loan options, personalized financial planning, business banking, and leading-edge online and mobile banking. V isit ccu.com for more information, or follow the credit union on Instagram or Facebook @CaliforniaCreditUnion.

SOURCE California Credit Union

Related Links

http://www.ccu.com


TRENTON, N.J., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Canna Business Services, On August 19, 2021, the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) provided its initial rules for New Jersey's adult-use cannabis industry. Emily Seelman, Founder and CEO of Canna Business Services , weighs in on these newly released regulations. Seelman says, "It is promising to see the State of New Jersey implement rules and regulations that will help to mitigate the risk of unethical business practices. I appreciate that we are seeing more and more states enact rules that address social equity in the cannabis space."

In New Jersey, individuals 21+ may possess and use cannabis. State-licensed businesses may grow, process, transport, and dispense cannabis, prompting excitement from interested applicants from around the country.

Social Equity

The initial rules address social equity by increasing opportunities in the cannabis industry for people from designated communities. Certain qualifications will grant businesses a priority review in the application process, including:

Social Equity Businesses: owned by those who have lived in economically disadvantaged areas of the state or who have past convictions for cannabis offenses;

Diversely Owned Businesses: minority-owned, woman-owned, or disabled veteran-owned and certified as such by the New Jersey Department of the Treasury in one or more of the listed categories; and

Impact Zone Businesses: located in an Impact Zone, owned by people from Impact Zones, or employ residents of Impact Zones. Note: Under the statute, Impact Zones are municipalities with a large population, high unemployment rate, or high numbers of crime or arrests for cannabis.

License Types

New Jersey is offering a variety of licenses through a number of different application types. Microbusinesses (a business with a smaller footprint and lower quantities of product), will have priority in grading. Conditional and Annual licenses are available for applicants with at least one owner who is a NJ resident for a minimum of 2 years. However, for Conditional license applicants, no decision-making owners can have an income of more than $200,000 ($400,000 if filed though a joint return). The detailed and complex cannabis licensing application process for the emerging cannabis industry is constantly changing. Canna Business Services provides the highest level of certainty in the uncertain and high-risk cannabis industry by serving as specialized industry guides and offering unparalleled market and compliance expertise for every step of your cannabis business' life cycle.

SOURCE Canna Business Services

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS (C.A.R.) President Dave Walsh issued the following statements in response to announcements made today by the Biden Administration, HUD and FHFA to address the supply of affordable housing and help increase home-buying opportunities:

Biden Administration announcement to increase housing supply

"C.A.R. applauds the immediate steps the Biden Administration is taking to increase the nation's affordable housing supply. California's housing supply crisis has lingered for decades and has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. The only way to get out of this crisis will be through bold action taken by all levels of government, and the comprehensive proposal put forward today will help increase homeownership and other housing opportunities, especially for communities of color."

HUD and FHFA's announcements to increase housing and homeownership

"C.A.R. has long advocated for prospective homebuyers to receive priority when a home with a government-backed mortgage goes into default. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have a public role and mission to support and promote homeownership. HUD's action to make more real estate-owned (REO) single-family homes available to individuals and families and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's extension of their "First Look" program will go a long way to help make more single-family homes available for homebuyers, rather than large investors."

Leading the way in California real estate for more than 110 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States with more than 200,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.

SOURCE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS (C.A.R.)
CLEVELAND, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CBIZ, Inc. (NYSE: CBZ) ("the Company"), a leading provider of financial, insurance and advisory services, announced its wholly-owned subsidiary CBIZ MHM Northern California, LLC has acquired the non-attest assets of Shea Labagh Dobberstein ("SLD") of San Francisco, California, effective September 1, 2021. Concurrent with this transaction, Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C., a national independent CPA firm, announced the acquisition of the attest assets of SLD.

CBIZ, Inc. and Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. are parties to an alternative practice structure. The two companies are separate and independent legal entities that work together to serve clients' business needs.

With offices in San Francisco, San Mateo and Walnut Creek, SLD has been providing a full spectrum of professional accounting, tax and advisory services to privately held businesses, individuals and nonprofit organizations throughout the San Francisco Bay area since 1944. SLD has 95 employees and approximately $30 million in annual revenue.

Jerry Grisko, President and CEO of CBIZ, stated, "We continue to invest in opportunities across California as part of our long-term strategy to better establish our brand, increase our presence and expand our reach up and down the West Coast. In SLD, we found a partner with a complementary service and client mix, an expert team and a long-standing commitment to exceptional client service. We look forward to collaborating with SLD to expand the service offerings to their existing clients and to capitalize on opportunities to accelerate growth. I'm excited to welcome SLD team to CBIZ."

James R. Dobberstein, of SLD, stated, "Joining CBIZ is an important step forward for our clients and team. This move allows us to offer additional services to address client needs while providing growth and development opportunities for our team members. Most of all, we value the cultural fit we found with CBIZ. We share an unwavering commitment to client service and growing our business by cultivating relationships."

Allan D. Koltin, CEO of the Koltin Consulting Group, advised both firms on the opportunity to come together. Koltin stated, "SLD was diligent in its efforts to identify the right partner that would enhance the client experience, expand opportunities for their professionals and continue to pursue growth. SLD selected CBIZ because it checked all the boxes. The alignment on values and strong client focus made this a natural fit."

About CBIZ

CBIZ, Inc. is a leading provider of financial, insurance and advisory services to businesses throughout the United States. Financial services include accounting, tax, government health care consulting, transaction advisory, risk advisory, and valuation services. Insurance services include employee benefits consulting, retirement plan consulting, property and casualty insurance, payroll, and human capital consulting. With more than 100 Company offices in 31 states, CBIZ is one of the largest accounting and insurance brokerage providers in the U.S. For more information, visit www.cbiz.com.

SOURCE CBIZ, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cbiz.com


Handcrafted in the highlands of Jalisco, Gran Centenario uses a century-old recipe to handcraft its range of smooth, yet complex and balanced tequilas. Toasting to culture and tradition while commemorating Mexico's independence  'Celebrate on Us' aims to unite family and friends, celebrating the people, places, and moments that bring us together, over a complimentary tequila.

To redeem this offer, tequila lovers 21+ and over can simply purchase a Gran Centenario cocktail from their favorite local bar or restaurant, or a 750ml bottle of Gran Centenario Tequila, take a photo of the itemized receipt and upload it through www.GranCentenario.com/CelebrateonUs . Valid receipts will receive reimbursement of up to $6.00 (paid via Paypal or Amazon.com e-gift code) on purchases from September 1-19, 2021 in applicable U.S. states. Official terms and conditions, including a list of applicable U.S. states, can be found at www.GranCentenario.com/CelebrateonUs .

LINK TO IMAGE HERE

Credit: Gran Centenario Tequila

About Gran Centenario:

Gran Centenario has been carrying Mexican traditions and heritage for centuries. Founded in 1857 by Lazaro Gallardo, the first Tequila Master Distiller in history, Gran Centenario is a family-owned tequila crafted in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico at Ex Hacienda Los Camichines. The exceptional quality and taste of Gran Centenario Tequilas make them perfect neat, on the rocks or in any classic tequila cocktail for the moments in life that call for celebration. The #1 tequila in its home country of Mexico, Gran Centenario has received awards at prestigious industry competitions including the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and 2021 New York International Spirits Competition, and was named a 2019 "Hot Prospect" by Impact, the leading source for exclusive data on the alcoholic beverage industry in the United States.

For more information, please visit www.grancentenario.com or follow on Instagram at @grancentenariotequila.

Gran Centenario Tequila. 40% Alc./Vol. (80 proof). Trademarks owned by Becle, S.A.B. de C.V. 2021 Proximo, Jersey City, NJ. Please drink responsibly.

SOURCE Gran Centenario Tequila

Related Links

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global cell and gene therapy manufacturing market size is expected to reach USD 57.4 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 20.3% from 2021 to 2028. An exponential rise in clinical pipeline coupled with a rising number of regulatory approvals for advanced therapies has majorly driven the market.

Key Insights & Findings:

The cell therapy manufacturing segment dominated the market in 2020 in terms of revenue

A high number of ongoing clinical trials of cell therapies to address the robust need for effective treatment against COVID-19 infection has resulted in segment growth

A high number of candidate molecules in the pre-commercial scale stage has contributed to the largest revenue share of the segment in 2020

On the other hand, the recent success of CAR-T therapies supplements the growth of the commercial-scale manufacturing segment

The contract manufacturing segment is expected to witness lucrative growth during the forecast period as a substantial number of bio manufacturers are turning to CMOs for efficient and rapid product development

Ongoing pandemic has accelerated the global investments in the R&D of viral vector-based vaccines, creating lucrative opportunities in the vector production segment

North America dominated the market in terms of revenue in 2020 owing to the strong research as well as a commercial base for cell and gene therapy products in the U.S.

U.S. is leading the CAR-T and gene therapy space with the highest number of approved products, thus positively influencing the market growth in the region

Asia Pacific is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate throughout the forecast period

Constantly evolving viral vector production and CDMO landscapes through plant expansions and new sites are spurring the market in this region

The key players are engaged in collaboration with biopharma developers to support their product development process

Read 188 page market research report, "Cell And Gene Therapy Manufacturing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Therapy Type, By Scale (R&D, Commercial), By Mode, By Workflow (Vector Production, Cell Banking), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028", by Grand View Research

Considering promising growth opportunities in the contract development of cellular and gene-modified therapies, market participants are making focused efforts to boost their market presence. Also, bio manufacturers are signing strategic alliances with contract manufacturers to accelerate the R&D of their candidate programs. Rising demand for CMOs/CDMOs services has led to the entry of several new players as well as expansion of product development capabilities, thereby positively impacting market revenue.

Several novel methods are being introduced to advance cell and gene therapy manufacturing. For instance, the manufacturers are exploring the potential of single-use technology in production workflows. This technique is gaining increasing attention in this arena to speed the development process while reducing the overall cost and production timeline. Such technological advancements in space are anticipated to bolster market growth in the coming years.

Grand View Research has segmented the global cell and gene therapy manufacturing market on the basis of therapy type, scale, mode, workflow, and region:

Cell & Gene Therapy Manufacturing Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Cell Therapy Manufacturing



Stem Cell





Non Stem Cell



Gene Therapy Manufacturing

Cell & Gene Therapy Manufacturing Scale Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Pre-commercial/ R&D Scale



Commercial Scale

Cell & Gene Therapy Manufacturing Mode Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Contract Manufacturing



In-house Manufacturing

Cell & Gene Therapy Manufacturing Workflow Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

Cell Processing



Cell Banking



Process Development



Fill & Finish Operations



Analytical And Quality Testing



Raw Material Testing



Vector Production



Others

Cell & Gene Therapy Manufacturing Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028)

North America



U.S.





Canada



Europe



Germany





U.K.





France





Italy





Spain



Asia Pacific



Japan





China





India





South Korea



Latin America



Brazil





Mexico



Middle East Africa (MEA)



South Africa





Saudi Arabia

List of Key Players of Cell And Gene Therapy Manufacturing Market

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Merck KGaA

Lonza

Catalent Inc.

Takara Bio Inc.

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Wuxi Advanced Therapies

Samsung Biologics

Boehringer Ingelheim

Novartis AG

Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.

Cellular Therapeutics

Miltenyi Biotec

Bluebird Bio Inc.

Check out more studies related to genetics and cell therapy, conducted by Grand View Research:

Gene Therapy Market  The global gene therapy market size is expected to reach USD 10.0 billion by 2028. The market growth is attributed to the increasing prevalence of cancer coupled with the lack of effective treatment for the disease.

The global gene therapy market size is expected to reach by 2028. The market growth is attributed to the increasing prevalence of cancer coupled with the lack of effective treatment for the disease. Cell Therapy Market  The global cell therapy market size is expected to reach USD 23.0 billion by 2028. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 14.5% from 2021 to 2028.

The global cell therapy market size is expected to reach by 2028. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 14.5% from 2021 to 2028. T-cell Therapy Market  The global T-cell therapy market size is expected to reach USD 20.3 billion by 2028. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 20.2% from 2021 to 2028.

Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of the Global Biotechnology Industry.

Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: [email protected]

Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com

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SOURCE Grand View Research India Pvt Ltd
The report on the cellulosic ethanol market provides a holistic update, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis.

The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario and the overall market environment. The market is driven by the rising need for renewable clean fuel.

The Cellulosic Ethanol Market is segmented by Market Landscape (Energy crops, Agricultural residues, Organic MSW, and Forest residues) and Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA). The rising food security concerns and the Increased environment and energy security concerns will be crucial in fueling the growth of the market over the forecast period.

This report presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters.

Download a free sample report now!

The cellulosic ethanol market covers the following areas:

Cellulosic Ethanol Market Sizing

Cellulosic Ethanol Market Forecast

Cellulosic Ethanol Market Analysis

Companies Mentioned

Aemetis Inc.

Borregaard ASA

Clariant International Ltd.

COFCO Corp.

ENERKEM Inc.

Fiberight LLC

GranBio

Novozymes AS

Raizen Energia SA

Versalis Spa



Related Reports on Materials Include:

Geosynthetics Market Report -The geosynthetics market size is expected to reach a value of USD 9.65 billion, at a CAGR of 10.97%, during 2021-2025. Download a free sample report now!

Gelatin Market Report -The gelatin market has the potential to grow by 292.53 thousand MT during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 9.12%. Download a free sample report now!



Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Feedstock

Market segments

Energy crops - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Agricultural residues - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Organic MSW - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Forest residues - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Feedstock

Customer landscape

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Aemetis Inc.

Borregaard ASA

Clariant International Ltd.

COFCO Corp.

ENERKEM Inc.

Fiberight LLC

GranBio

Novozymes AS

Raizen Energia SA

Versalis Spa

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

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Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio

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HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtus AllianzGI Artificial Intelligence & Technology Opportunities Fund (NYSE: AIO), Virtus AllianzGI Convertible & Income Fund (NYSE: NCV), Virtus AllianzGI Convertible & Income Fund II (NYSE: NCZ), Virtus AllianzGI Convertible & Income 2024 Target Term Fund (NYSE: CBH), and Virtus AllianzGI Diversified Income & Convertible Fund (NYSE: ACV) announced the following distribution declarations on their respective common shares:

Fund Distribution Per

Common Share Virtus AllianzGI Artificial Intelligence & Technology Opportunities Fund $0.1250 Virtus AllianzGI Convertible & Income Fund $0.0425 Virtus AllianzGI Convertible & Income Fund II $0.0375 Virtus AllianzGI Convertible & Income 2024 Target Term Fund $0.0460 Virtus AllianzGI Diversified Income & Convertible Fund $0.1670

The distributions, declared September 1, 2021, will be payable on October 1, 2021 to shareholders of record on September 13, 2021 with an ex-dividend date of September 10, 2021.

The amounts of distributions reported in this notice are estimates only and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the distributions will depend on the fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The fund or your broker will send shareholders a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell shareholders what distributions to report for federal income tax purposes.

About the Funds

Virtus AllianzGI Artificial Intelligence & Technology Opportunities Fund's investment objective is to provide total return through a combination of current income, current gains and long-term capital appreciation. Virtus AllianzGI Convertible & Income Fund and Virtus AllianzGI Convertible & Income Fund II each have an investment objective to provide total return through a combination of capital appreciation and high current income with income as a secondary objective. Virtus AllianzGI Convertible & Income 2024 Target Term Fund's investment objectives are to provide a high level of income and to return at least $9.835 per common share (the original net asset value per common share of beneficial interest before deducting offering costs of $0.02 per share) to holders of common shares on or about September 1, 2024. Virtus AllianzGI Diversified Income & Convertible Fund's investment objective is to provide total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation, while seeking to provide downside protection against capital loss.

Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. became the investment adviser of each fund, other than AIO, effective February 1, 2021 and of AIO effective February 26, 2021. Allianz Global Investors continues to manage each fund in a subadvisory capacity.

For more information on these funds, contact shareholder services at 800-254-5197, by email at [email protected], or through the closed-end fund section on the web at www.virtus.com .

Fund Risks

An investment in a fund is subject to risk, including the risk of possible loss of principal. A fund's shares may be worth less upon their sale than what an investor paid for them. Shares of closed-end funds may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value. For more information about each fund's investment objective and risks, please see the fund's annual report. A copy of the fund's most recent annual report may be obtained free of charge by contacting "Shareholder Services" as set forth at the end of this press release.

About Allianz Global Investors

Allianz Global Investors or AllianzGI is a leading active asset manager with over 750 investment professionals in 25 offices worldwide and manages assets for individuals, families and institutions. The investment team has extensive experience managing closed-end funds and a differentiated, multi-asset approach based on fundamental research designed to dynamically allocate across convertible securities and equities.

About Virtus Investment Partners

Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ: VRTS) is a distinctive partnership of boutique investment managers singularly committed to the long-term success of individual and institutional investors. The company provides investment management products and services through its affiliated managers and select subadvisers, each with a distinct investment style, autonomous investment process, and individual brand. For more information, visit www.virtus.com.

SOURCE Virtus Funds
WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chemours Company ("Chemours") (NYSE: CC), a global chemistry company with leading market positions in Titanium Technologies, Thermal & Specialized Solutions, Advanced Performance Materials, and Chemical Solutions, today announced the appointment of Sandra Phillips Rogers to its board of directors.

"We are very impressed with Sandra's background and experience, especially her demonstrated leadership of both the legal and diversity efforts within a global organization," said Mark Vergnano, chairman of the board of directors at Chemours. "We welcome her to our board and look forward to her contributions in the next chapter of Chemours."

Sandra Phillips Rogers, 55, currently serves as group vice president, chief legal officer, general counsel and corporate secretary of Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). In January of 2019, Ms. Rogers also took on the role of chief diversity officer (CDO) and oversight responsibility for Social Innovation, Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs and Compliance and Audit Office. Previously, Ms. Rogers was vice president and deputy general counsel, Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. and prior to joining Toyota in June 2012, Ms. Rogers was a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. She also previously served as senior vice president, associate general counsel and chief litigation counsel at Pfizer Inc., and was managing partner of the Houston office of Shook, Hardy & Bacon.

Ms. Rogers holds both a Bachelor of Journalism and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She serves on the board of directors for MSA Safety Inc. and the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, in addition to being a trustee of the University of Texas Law School Foundation.

"As the chief legal officer and chief diversity officer of Toyota Motor North America, Sandra brings a wealth of experience which can help us immensely as we continue living our commitment to being a different kind of chemistry company," said Mark Newman, president and chief executive officer of Chemours. "We're excited to add Sandra to our board, and look forward to leveraging her leadership, deep knowledge and unique skill set to help take our company to new heights."

Ms. Roger's appointment is effective October 1, 2021. She joins a ten-member board of directors that is now composed of forty percent women.

About The Chemours Company

The Chemours Company (Chemours or the Company) (NYSE: CC) is a global leader in Titanium Technologies, Thermal & Specialized Solutions, Advanced Performance Materials, and Chemical Solutions providing its customers with solutions in a wide range of industries with market-defining products, application expertise and chemistry-based innovations. We deliver customized solutions with a wide range of industrial and specialty chemicals products for markets, including coatings, plastics, refrigeration, and air conditioning, transportation, semiconductor and consumer electronics, general industrial, mining and oil and gas. Our flagship products include prominent brands such as Ti-Pure, Opteon, Freon, Nafion, Krytox, Teflon, and Viton. In 2019, Chemours was named to Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies. The company has approximately 6,500 employees and 30 manufacturing sites serving approximately 3,300 customers in approximately 120 countries. Chemours is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and is listed on the NYSE under the symbol CC.

For more information, we invite you to visit chemours.com or follow us on Twitter @Chemours or LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to a historical or current fact. The words "believe," "expect," "will," "anticipate," "plan," "estimate," "target," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify "forward-looking statements," which speak only as of the date such statements were made. These forward-looking statements may address, among other things, the outcome or resolution of any pending or future environmental liabilities, the commencement, outcome or resolution of any regulatory inquiry, investigation or proceeding, the initiation, outcome or settlement of any litigation, changes in environmental regulations in the U.S. or other jurisdictions that affect demand for or adoption of our products, anticipated future operating and financial performance for our segments individually and our company as a whole, business plans, prospects, targets, goals and commitments, capital investments and projects and target capital expenditures, plans for dividends or share repurchases, sufficiency or longevity of intellectual property protection, cost reductions or savings targets, plans to increase profitability and growth, our ability to make acquisitions, integrate acquired businesses or assets into our operations, and achieve anticipated synergies or cost savings, all of which are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events that may not be accurate or realized. These statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements also involve risks and uncertainties that are beyond Chemours' control. In addition, the current COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the national and global economy and commodity and financial markets, which has had and we expect will continue to have a negative impact on our financial results. The full extent and impact of the pandemic is unknown and to date has included extreme volatility in financial and commodity markets, a significant slowdown in economic activity, and increased predictions of a global recession. The public and private sector response has led to significant restrictions on travel, temporary business closures, quarantines, stock market volatility, and a general reduction in consumer and commercial activity globally. Matters outside our control have affected our business and operations and may or may continue to limit travel of employees to our business units domestically and internationally, adversely affect the health and welfare of our personnel, significantly reduce the demand for our products, hinder our ability to provide goods and services to customers, cause disruptions in our supply chains, adversely affect our business partners or cause other unpredictable events. Additionally, there may be other risks and uncertainties that Chemours is unable to identify at this time or that Chemours does not currently expect to have a material impact on its business. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. Chemours assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement for any reason, except as required by law.

CONTACT:

INVESTORS

Jonathan Lock

VP, Corporate Development and Investor Relations

+1.302.773.2263

[email protected]

NEWS MEDIA

Cassie Olszewski

Media Relations and Financial Communications Manager

+1.302.219.7140

[email protected]

SOURCE The Chemours Company

Related Links

www.chemours.com


More than 60 celebrities including Ellen DeGeneres, Luis Fonsi, Rita Ora, Ashley Tisdale, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ellie Kemper, Anthony Hamilton, Lucy Hale, Lily Aldridge, JoJo Siwa, Willie Geist, Ashley McBryde, Scotty McCreery, Ashley Green, The Brothers Osborne, Shaun White and Doug the Pug will unite throughout September to help cure childhood cancer. They will show their love for St. Jude on social media and rally fans to support the cause using the hashtags #30DaysForStJude and #ShowYourGold to raise awareness and support for the lifesaving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children. 

Support of this nature is rooted in the DNA of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Its founder, Danny Thomas  the late acclaimed entertainer and humanitarian  sought support from his Hollywood connections more than 60 years ago to make his dream of building St. Jude to cure childhood cancer a reality.

Why this matters

Defeating childhood cancer is not a solo endeavor. In 2012, President Barack Obama proclaimed September as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to bring awareness to pediatric cancer, which remains the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of 14.

St. Jude recently announced its record $11.5 billion, six-year strategic plan to accelerate research on pediatric cancer and devastating childhood diseases and save children all over the world. Campaigns and events like Inspiration4 and the St. Jude Walk/Run are designed to celebrate St. Jude achievements while inspiring supporters to keep the momentum as fundraisers because St. Jude won't stop until no child dies of cancer.

Fighting cancer with a samurai spirit

Some of Arceneaux's biggest fans include St. Jude patient families and colleagues in Memphis who hail from more than 100 countries, including her attending St. Jude physician Dr. Hiroto Inaba from Japan. He "fights leukemia with the samurai spirit," coining that phrase because he is a 17th generation samurai.

Dr. Inaba moved to Memphis with the intention of only working for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for a couple years before returning home to the Kii Mountains. He fell in love with his St. Jude family and applies many of the virtues historically admired by the samurai to his clinical practice, including courage, honesty, benevolence and what he calls "the good fight." He fights cancer for his patients alongside his fellow researchers and clinicians by using new tools and sharing insights aimed to increase survival rates. He respects Arceneaux because they share a similar passion for St. Jude and making a difference for others.

"Hayley's heart is as big as the galaxy, so it is no surprise that she continues to inspire the world both inside the walls of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and beyond with the work she does for children," said Dr. Inaba. "She is a brilliant physician assistant whose thankfulness for life radiates from her spirit and motivates all of us to dream big and press forward in our quest to cure childhood cancer for kids around the globe."

Visit St. Jude Progress to learn more about Dr. Inaba's journey to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and current work as principal investigator for the Total Therapy 17 clinical trial. While the two "17s" previously mentioned are a coincidence, his heritage and work have much in common.

Moving the needle on childhood cancer

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. As part of its strategic plan, St. Jude has tripled its global investment to impact more than 400,000 kids with cancer around the world each year; kids who rely on the emerging collaboration and investments of St. Jude, the World Health Organization, and a coalition of international partners as their lifeline.

Take, for example, St. Jude Oncology Chair Dr. Ching-Hon Pui who is helping to expand and accelerate progress on cancer research and treatment through a number of international collaborations in China. Most recently, the results of a clinical trial proved it is safe to remove some of the therapies for children with low-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia to substantially reduce some of the long-term side effects of treatment.

How to get involved

St. Jude Walk/Run

The St. Jude Walk/Run will be virtual only on Sept. 25. Visit stjude.org/inspiration4 and stjude.org/walkrun to get involved. Participants are encouraged to download the St. Jude Walk/Run mobile app in the Apple app store and on Google Play.

St. Jude Inspire Podcast

St. Jude supporters and space enthusiasts can take a deep dive into the lives of the crew on Inspiration4, the world's first all-civilian mission to orbit, by listening to the St. Jude: Mission of a Lifetime podcast. This podcast series will introduce the world to each crew member, document their journeys in space and feature exclusive content. Listeners can download the podcast via Apple, Google, Spotify and Amazon Music.

Auction

Visit Charitybuzz for ongoing auctions, offering Inspiration4-themed auction packages, including a fighter jet experience, a personalized video message from space and an invitation to Romero Britto's virtual art party. Britto's support for St. Jude will include finishing a live painting for auction during the Inspiration4 official launch event at a private hangar on Sept. 14; creating an Inspiration4 coloring book that crew members will complete in space to be auctioned after the mission; and offering a virtual paint party to select auction winners later this fall with proceeds benefiting St. Jude.

Fundraising challenge for animal lovers

The PAWS for St. Jude fundraising campaign also extends through September. Owners of all dogs, from huskies to shelties, beagles to poodles and every breed in between are encouraged to grab their leashes and take their pooches out for a daily activity and capture the cute puppy poses, water play, ball catches and head tilts for social media to rally friends and family members to donate. Photos and video using the hashtag #PAWSforStJude will be featured on St. Jude social media channels. At the conclusion of the competition, the top fundraising dogs will receive St. Jude bandanas.

Fundraising challenge for students

High school and college students are welcome to join the St. Jude Advance Network, which inspires, guides and unites participants via an online community that provides access to networking opportunities and national fundraising challenges with incentives through May 2022. This campaign is designed to offer supporters a way to make a lasting impact on children everywhere.

Social media campaign

Visit stjude.org/together to learn more about how St. Jude is treating and defeating childhood cancer. Then, post a photo on social media using the hashtag #ShowYourGold on September 9 to raise awareness during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The color gold is associated with childhood cancer.

Netflix documentary on Inspiration4

Look for a Netflix documentary series called Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space. Watch the trailer about this first-ever Netflix series to cover an event in near real-time. The series will run in four parts.

Sept. 6: Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space, episodes 1-2 premiere

episodes 1-2 premiere Sept.13: Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space, episodes 3-4 premiere

episodes 3-4 premiere Sept.15: Targeted launch of the Inspiration4 mission

End of September: Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space feature-length finale

This ambitious, quick-turnaround series will take viewers behind the scenes with the Inspiration4 crew  from their unconventional selection and intensive months-long commercial astronaut training, through the intimate and emotional moments leading up to liftoff. The final episode, which premieres just days after the mission is completed, will feature unprecedented access inside the spacecraft capturing the launch and the crew's journey to space, as well as their return home to Earth. Creators of the series include TIME Studios, Known, and producer Connor Schell, along with director Jason Hehir and the team behind The Last Dance.

Partners with purpose

Because of community support, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food  because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

Special thanks to the dozens of corporate partners that are sponsoring this year's Childhood Cancer Awareness month initiatives for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, including: Chili's, AmazonSmile, ARS/Rescue Rooter, Charitable Adult Rides & Services (CARS), Shaw Floors, Microsoft, Kmart, Sears, CBS Sports, Five Below, Varsity Brands, DXL Big + Tall, eBay, Shoe Carnival, Denny's, Monster Jam, Coldwell Banker, Publishers Clearing House, My Salon Suites, Coton Colors, Bahama Buck's, Maglite, HomeTown Lenders, Chair King Backyard Store, Tornado Bus Company, Gunnar Optiks, SendAFriend and Hari Mari. Current St. Jude supporters, Amazon, Window World and Marcum Foundation have been named the national sponsors for the 2021 St. Jude Walk/Run. The St. Jude #ShowYourGold campaign is brought to you by Five Below.

About Inspiration4

Inspiration4 is the world's first all-civilian mission to orbit scheduled on Sept. 15. Commander Jared Isaacman selected St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as its beneficiary and committed $100 million to St. Jude to inspire others to raise an additional $100 million to accelerate research on devastating childhood diseases and save children all over the world. Isaacman donated two seats to St. Jude, one of which will be occupied by 29-year-old Hayley Arceneaux, pediatric cancer survivor and physician assistant at St. Jude. Arceneaux will represent the pillar of Hope. The four crew members, including Isaacman and Arceneaux, will board the Falcon 9 launch vehicle at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and orbit the Earth for multiple days on the Dragon spacecraft, before they return to Earth with a smooth water landing.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food  because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.

SOURCE ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Related Links

http://www.stjude.org


NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced it is continuing to evolve its digital experience with enhancements to the Chipotle Rewards program, which has helped the business already surpass $2 billion in digital sales this year. The Chipotle Rewards program now boasts 24 million members and remains among the fastest growing loyalty programs in the history of the restaurant industry.

Chipotle is officially rolling out Extras, an exclusive feature for Chipotle Rewards members that unlocks access to extra points, helping members get to free Chipotle even faster. To celebrate the launch of Extras, Chipotle Rewards members can get double points on a purchase through September 3.

Introducing Extras from Chipotle Rewards

Today, Chipotle is officially rolling out Extras, an exclusive feature for Chipotle Rewards members that unlocks access to extra points, helping members get to free Chipotle even faster.

Extras gamifies Chipotle Rewards with personalized challenges to earn extra points and collect achievement badges. Chipotle is the first national restaurant brand to launch badges as part of its loyalty program. To celebrate the launch of Extras, Chipotle Rewards members can get double points on a purchase through September 3*.

How it Works

Chipotle Rewards members can access Extras by visiting their profile on the Chipotle app or Chipotle.com. Members can participate in Extras to earn extra points towards rewards, plus collect all-new achievement badges. Points can be redeemed for a variety of rewards in the Rewards Exchange for free menu items, apparel, and more.

"Offering new ways to engage with Chipotle is essential to the ongoing evolution of our digital business," said Chris Brandt, Chief Marketing Officer. "The new Extras feature gamifies Chipotle Rewards through special challenges and allows Rewards members to celebrate their achievements with special badges."

Chipotle Rewards members earn 10 points for every $1 spent in the restaurant, online, or in the app  and now with Extras, can have chances to earn even more. Members can redeem their points in the Rewards Exchange, choosing from more than fifteen different reward options including free guac, drinks, and apparel from Chipotle Goods. Members can also redeem their points to support a variety of Chipotle's non-profit partners like The Farmlink Project, National Young Farmers Coalition, and the National Urban League. For more information on Chipotle Rewards, fans can visit: chipotle.com/rewards.

*Valid for 20 points per $1 spent in a single transaction for Chipotle Rewards account holders from September 1 through September 3, 2021. Maximum one eligible transaction during the promotional period. Presentation of valid Chipotle Rewards account required to earn the offer. Restrictions may apply to use with other coupons, promotions, or special offers. Not valid on catering orders. Additional restrictions may apply; void where prohibited.

ABOUT CHIPOTLE

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) is cultivating a better world by serving responsibly sourced, classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Chipotle had over 2,850 restaurants as of June 30, 2021, in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants. Chipotle is ranked on the Fortune 500 and is recognized on the 2021 lists for Forbes' America's Best Employers and Fortune's Most Admired Companies. With nearly 102,000 employees passionate about providing a great guest experience, Chipotle is a longtime leader and innovator in the food industry. Chipotle is committed to making its food more accessible to everyone while continuing to be a brand with a demonstrated purpose as it leads the way in digital, technology and sustainable business practices. For more information or to place an order online, visit WWW.CHIPOTLE.COM.

SOURCE Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.chipotle.com


LIVONIA, Mich., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CIGNEX, a leading provider of Digital Transformation through Open Source, Cloud and Automation technology solutions, recently announced its sponsorship at the Liferay Vision 2021 Event which is to be held virtually on the Scoocs Online Platform from October 6 - 7, 2021.

The event's agenda is to take attendees through a series of thought leadership discussions, real-life use cases, and dedicated industry tracks, giving them insights and actionable solutions to meet the unique challenges of these unprecedented times.

CIGNEX is a Silver Sponsor for the event and has been a Liferay Silver partner since 2006. CIGNEX comes with profound experience and offers a full range of Liferay services that include consulting, development, upgrade & migration, performance tuning, and support.

"We are really excited about our sponsorship at Liferay Vision. Our objective to help our clients create systems that provide better experience, boost productivity and help in optimizing cost - which is all possible with Liferay," said Harish Ramachandran, CEO, CIGNEX. "We're looking forward to the event wherein we can interact with the community as well as share our expertise," he added.

"It's a privilege to welcome CIGNEX as a Silver Sponsor for this year's Liferay Vision event. As a global partner of Liferay, CIGNEX is strategically important to Liferay and our continued ability to deliver seamless customer solutions on our digital experience platform. CIGNEX has a history of success with Liferay and we look forward to building on that for years to come." - Todd Jarvis - Vice President, Global Channel Sales.

CIGNEX has a proven track-record of delivering over 350 Liferay solutions industry-wide enterprises across the globe & has various engagement models which can add value to current processes and business needs.

Visitors at the event can schedule a consultation with CIGNEX at https://www.cignex.com/event/liferay-vision

More information on CIGNEX and Liferay's Partnership can be found here.

About CIGNEX (www.cignex.com)

CIGNEX is a Michigan-based global consulting company offering solutions & services on Open Source, Cloud & Automation. Since 2000, CIGNEX has been delivering enterprise class solutions that enable organizations achieve unparalleled results.

Media Contact:

Priyanka Sharma

CIGNEX

[email protected]

+91-7967010345



SOURCE CIGNEX
MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Clearsight Advisors, Inc. ("Clearsight") is pleased to announce another successful transaction in its Life Sciences Consulting practice. Clearsight served as a strategic investment banking advisor to ClearView Healthcare Partners, LLC ("ClearView" or the "Company") in its recapitalization by GHO Capital Partners, LLP ("GHO Capital"). This transaction underscores Clearsight as the preeminent advisor to strategy consulting firms serving the life sciences and healthcare sectors.

ClearView is the leading independent strategy consulting firm exclusively focused on the life sciences industry. Founded in Boston in 2007, the Company has since expanded to a team of ~300 professionals across New York, San Francisco, London and Zurich. ClearView provides valuable expertise and actionable insights to a wide range of market sub-sectors including Big Pharma/Biopharma, Diagnostics, MedTech and Life Sciences services/tools segments. The Company's project-based engagements include supporting pharmaceutical drug sponsors through the R&D and commercialization process and aiding clinical and commercial portfolio development. GHO Capital's investment will enhance ClearView's market-leading status by accelerating the Company's expansion into international markets, particularly those in Europe. The investment will also allow ClearView to provide a wider array of pricing & market access and data analytics solutions to their existing client base, while facilitating additional relationships in the sector.

Richard Mynahan, Partner at ClearView, applauded the deal closure, "Over the years, we have come to know Clearsight as a trusted and knowledgeable advisor to our firm. When it came time to consider the next step for ClearView, there was no question we would retain Clearsight again as our investment banking partner. Clearsight's deep industry relationships, dedication to our transaction and resolve to keep our best interests at center made them invaluable to our process and our founding partner group."

Clearsight Co-Founder and Managing Director Joel Kallett noted, "We first had the pleasure of advising the ClearView team in their recapitalization by RLH Equity Partners back in 2017. Since then, the firm has seen incredible growth and success and has become a global leader in life sciences consulting. It was a privilege to work with ClearView's founding partners again on this groundbreaking transaction and we have tremendous confidence that GHO Capital will prove to be a value-added partner as ClearView enters its next phase of global expansion."

The Clearsight deal team included Joel Kallett , Greg Treger, Brendan Curran, Tory Steel, Daniel Kuzjak and Jonathan Holland.

About Clearsight Advisors

Clearsight Advisors is an independent merchant banking firm dedicated to driving the Knowledge Economy by providing world-class M&A and capital raising solutions exclusively to growth-oriented Business Services and Technology companies. Clearsight combines deep market insights across software, services and data. Clearsight Capital Advisors, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, is a registered member of FINRA & SIPC. For more information about Clearsight, visit www.clearsightadvisors.com

SOURCE Clearsight Advisors, Inc.

Related Links

https://clearsightadvisors.com/


Net Profit Increased Significantly by 45.4% to RMB172.4 Million

Highlights of the Interim Results for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2021:

The continuous developments of innovative technologies and applications during 5G era have further intensified the demand for semiconductor chips, and the Group's chip business has grown substantially during the period, with a significant increase of 45.4% in net profit to approximately RMB172.4 million . The Group's profit attributable to equity shareholders of the Company was approximately RMB110.5 million .





. The Group's profit attributable to equity shareholders of the Company was approximately . The revenue was approximately RMB3,927.3 million in the first half of 2021, a YoY increase of 19.7%; gross profit was approximately RMB344.6 million , a YoY increase of 35.3%.





in the first half of 2021, a YoY increase of 19.7%; gross profit was approximately , a YoY increase of 35.3%. The Group's chip business, " Comtech " continued to grow, with a significant increase of 67.6% YoY in revenue. " Comtech " gained strong interest among institutional investors, Guangdong Industrial Development Fund made another investment of approximately RMB150 million during the Period to support our business for high growth returns.





" continued to grow, with a significant increase of 67.6% YoY in revenue. " " gained strong interest among institutional investors, Guangdong Industrial Development Fund made another investment of approximately during the Period to support our business for high growth returns. With the strong support from Shenzhen government, "IngDan Academy" was officially launched to train chip application technology talents for the trillion-RMB domestic chip market.

HONG KONG, Aug. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cogobuy Group ("Cogobuy" or the "Company", stock code: 400.HK; with its subsidiaries (the ''Group'')), a technology service company focusing on serving global chip industry and artificial intelligence ("AI") and internet of things ("IoT", together "AIoT") ecosystem, is pleased to announce its unaudited interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2021 ("the first half of 2021" or the "Period").

Financial Highlights of the First Half of 2021

With the rapid development of the global 5G construction, the demand and development of electric vehicles (EV) and smart medical industries, Cogobuy's business has been directly benefited from a strong demand in semiconductor chips with a continuous acceleration of performance during the Period. The Company's net profit and revenue both recorded significant increases, especially the growth rate of net profit was faster than revenue.

For the six months ended 30 June 2021, the Group's net profit was approximately RMB172.4 million, a YoY increase of 45.4%; revenue was approximately RMB3927.3 million, a YoY increase of 19.7%; gross profit was approximately RMB344.6 million, representing a YoY increase of 35.3%. The increase in gross profit margin was contributed by change in sales mix which sales in new markets such as, V2X, smart homes, AI surveillance, etc. had a relatively higher gross margin than those of the traditional IC components. During the period, the Group's profit attributable to equity shareholders of the Company amounted to approximately RMB110.5 million. For the six months ended 30 June 2021, the Company's cash and bank balances including short-term bank deposits and pledged deposits was RMB659.5 million. The Group's bank loans were RMB187.5 million. Basic common shares outstanding were 1,416,184,732; weighted average number of ordinary shares for the purpose of diluted earnings per share were 1,401,384,000.

In order to provide a full spectrum of services for the 5G industry chain, Cogobuy Group has formed a development model of "Comtech and IngDan" to create a closed loop of "Chips-Devices-Cloud" ecosystem along the AIoT value chain, and to bring sustainable income for the Group. "Comtech" is a technology services platform for the chip industry, which focuses on the application design and marketing services of IC chips to AIoT manufacturers in China. Meanwhile, "IngDan" provides a platform for AIoT technology and services that focus on the research and development and sales of proprietary products, as well as developing customized technical solutions, which include bundles of software, hardware, and core components. Targeting V2X and 5G applications will bring more new impetus to the Group's development.

Chip Business Continued to Grow with 5G Development

Large and continuously expanding chip market benefits from the accelerated expansion of 5G technology applications. IC Insights, Inc. expected that the sales of the global chip market will increase significantly by 24% YoY in 2021[1], resulting in the continuous growth of Comtech's chip business with a significant increase of 67.6% YoY in revenue. The Group has long recognized the huge potential of the chip market. "Comtech" maintains distribution or cooperation agreements with over 50% of global high-end chip suppliers and many leading domestic chip companies, allowing it to serve over a hundred global high-end chip suppliers upstream, and thousands of AIoT hardware companies downstream, while providing them with chips application development solutions and sales services. The popularization and application of 5G to various industries for intelligent upgrade has intensified the demand for chips and the support of technology application, providing a sustainable business growth momentum for the Group in the future.

Received Additional Capital Injection from Investors

Following the successful capital injection by 19 institutional investors to "Comtech" in 2020, Guangdong Industrial Development Fund under Guangdong Utrust Fund Management, which belongs to Guangdong's largest provincial integrated financing platform, further invested approximately RMB150 million for an equity interest of 4.92% of "Comtech" during the Period. The investment from the investors will aid Comtech's continued growth in the rapidly growing 5G market and the trillion-RMB domestic chip market. Upon completion of the transaction, the Group's ownership of "Comtech" is approximately 62.42%.

iPaaS Services

With the acceleration of the popularization of AI and 5G technologies, the application of AIoT is promoted and has led to the digital transformation of various industries. This ultimately brings more business opportunities to Cogobuy. According to the "Global Smart Commerce", the global AIoT market is expected to reach US$482 billion in 2022, representing a CAGR of 28.6%. [2]

The Group continues to be optimistic about the huge demand in AIoT market and the derived demand for technology integration iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) services will surge continuously. The iPaaS platform service is to automate business processes and make it easier to share data cross applications. Through the combination of "Comtech" and "IngDan", the Group has integrated upstream and downstream industrial supply chain resources, to provide the "Chips-Devices-Cloud" ecosystem along AIoT value chain with iPaaS services, which included technology integration solutions, marketing solutions and distribution services for the 5 main AIoT verticals including V2X, Smart Home, Robotics, Smart Manufacturing and Smart Medical. As the Group has actively established its presence in the AIoT, it has accumulated a large number of "ecological customers". In order to fully expand the domestic iPaaS service market, the Group leveraged its big data analytics and integration solutions to provide iPaaS services to its customers.

The Group has been actively building the EV and V2X business and engaged in in-depth cooperation with different modules and smart terminal suppliers. With the expansion of the smart transportation market, the demand for FPGA chips from the V2X has surged, and the global market size of FPGA is expected to reach US$12.5 billion in 2025 [3] . During the Period, the Group, together with the world's leading FPGA supplier and technology enterprises, jointly created the hardware acceleration engine to meet the demand for road situation detection and real-time processing under different scenarios. The smart transportation market is growing and the Group's business in the field of V2X is expanding;





in 2025 . During the Period, the Group, together with the world's leading FPGA supplier and technology enterprises, jointly created the hardware acceleration engine to meet the demand for road situation detection and real-time processing under different scenarios. The smart transportation market is growing and the Group's business in the field of V2X is expanding; The application of chips in intelligent security system has become the key to smart city construction in the future. Therefore, the Group leverages its own industrial and technological advantages to provide chip application related to security solution for smart security enterprises in collaboration with a world-renown chip supplier. The fourth generation of large-scale prototype verification system with the largest capacity of FPGA chips was successfully co-launched by the Group and the domestic leading provider. This system provides the highest logic density for chips and hence strengthens the security of intelligent security system. Through the joint efforts of various parties, the Group will be able to implement more iPaaS projects and promote the business development of the Group;





With the rapid development of OTT large-screen Internet, IngDan and technology companies jointly created WIFI-BT wireless solution with stable signal and high throughput, and achieved the maximization of chip performance and the optimization of terminal demand on the basis of application. The performance demand for wireless communication from OTT industry equipment will be satisfied effectively and the traditional TV will be empowered with intelligent transformation as a part of the development trend of smart home.

Acquisition of EZ Robot to Create a Comprehensive AIoT Service Platform

With the rapid development of the popularization and application of 5G, the market demand for AI continues to increase. In order to further expand the Group's business development in AI and robotics, the Group acquired EZ Robot Group at a consideration of HK$180 million. Taking AI modules with independent intellectual property rights as the core, EZ Robot is engaged in AI technology research, building an AI hardware product and robot application platform, providing robots related products companies with overall solutions and supply chain services. The Group believes that the combination of EZ Robot and AI technology will enhance the performance and market competitiveness of the Company.

IngDan Academy Trained IC Application Technology Talents

The global supply of chips is in a shortage and the professionals in chips are also in short supply. As a leading enterprise in the domestic chip industry, the Group has been committed to cultivating talents in chip application technology. "IngDan Academy", a subsidiary of Shenzhen Ingdan Institute of Microelectronics, and Shenzhen Public Training and Management Service Center for Skilled Talent jointly held public vocational skills program during the period. Through the Group's resource advantages in the chip industry, it introduces world-leading technologies to provide comprehensive chip technical training program for students. The Group will continue to promote the training of professionals in chips to facilitate the development of the chip application industry.

Outlook

Mr. Jeffrey Kang, CEO of Cogobuy Group, said, "The continuous developments of innovative technologies and applications in the 5G era have led to an increase of market demand for chips and AIoT services. The Group has always seized important market opportunities and continued to maintain the growth momentum of business during the period.

In addition to actively planning for the chip industry market, the Group also provides iPaaS technology integration services for the AloT industrial chain, so as to create a closed loop of "Chips-Devices-Cloud" ecosystem along the AIoT value chain, and provide a full spectrum of services for the 5G industry chain. In line with the national policy of chip technology breakthrough and application, the Group actively promoted the development of the industry through training talents in chip technology, and strengthened the supply of chip applications in different fields driven by 5G. The Company will achieve higher returns from the comprehensive development of the chip business.

Looking ahead, the combination of 5G and AI will open up an era of intelligence. The technological applications of AloT "Chips-Devices-Cloud" will be continuously innovated and developed, which will further increase the demand for chips. The Group will continue to seize the potential market growth brought by 5G technology, and keep abreast of the development of the industry. The Group's business and services are continuously optimized to cover the entire 5G beneficiary industries which include the V2X, smart manufacturing and big data, etc. The Group is committed to becoming the world's leading technology integration service enterprise in the AIoT industry, as well as creating greater returns for the Group and its shareholders."

Caution Statement

The information contained in this document has not been independently verified. No representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, is made by the Company or any of its affiliates, advisers or representatives as to, and no reliance should be placed on, the fairness, accuracy, completeness or correctness of such information or opinions presented or contained herein. The information contained in this document should be considered in the context of the circumstances prevailing at the time, is subject to change without notice and the Company makes no undertaking to update the information in this document to reflect any developments that occur after the date of the presentation. It is not the Company's intention to provide, and you may not rely on these materials as providing, a complete or comprehensive analysis of the Company, or its financial or trading position or prospects. Neither of the Company nor any of its affiliates, advisers or representatives accept any responsibility or have any liability whatsoever (in negligence or otherwise) for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this document or its contents or otherwise arising in connection with this document.

This document may contain statements that reflect the Company's current intent, beliefs and expectations about the future as of the respective dates indicated herein. These forward-looking statements not guarantees of future performance and are based on a number of assumptions about the Company's operations and factors beyond the Company's control and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and accordingly, actual results may differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates, advisers or representatives has any obligation, nor do they undertake, to update these forward-looking statements for any events or developments including the occurrence of unanticipated events that occur subsequent to such dates.

About Cogobuy Group

Cogobuy Group (stock code: 400.HK), a technology services company serving the global chip industry and artificial intelligence and Internet of Things ("AIoT") ecosystem, is headquartered in Shenzhen, with offices and branches across major cities in China, including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan, Chengdu, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Xi'an, as well as overseas branches in Singapore, Israel, and Japan. The Group is comprised of two companies operating a dual-platform model: Comtech, a technology services platform for the chip industry, and IngDan, a platform providing AIoT technology and services. Together, the two platforms form a closed loop of "Chips-Devices-Cloud" ecosystem along the AIoT value chain. For further information, please refer to the Company's website at http://www.cogobuygroup.com/

For investor and media enquiries

Please contact Ms. Novam Ng at [email protected]

[1] IC Insightshttps://www.eet-china.com/news/202107020447.html

[2] Sohu.net: https://www.sohu.com/a/477637939_104421

[3] Weixin: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/GR00FW6GGhtzD1XeJLLr4Q

SOURCE Cogobuy
ANAHEIM HILLS, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Credit Union of Southern California (CU SoCal) is offering a low first-year 1.77% APR on a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC), providing homeowners with an affordable source of credit to renovate their home, consolidate debt, or pay off large ticket items like college tuition or medical bills. The two-month promotion runs from September 1-October 31.

This promotion will apply only to new HELOCs at CU SoCal, but it can be used to refinance HELOCs from other lenders. With a CU SoCal HELOC, Members can tap up to 80% of their home's combined loan-to-value (CLTV), with a maximum line of $250,000. Additionally, the application process is streamlined and funds are easily accessible via Mobile or Online Banking. Further details on the two-month promotion can be found at www.CUSoCal.org/Learn/Special-Offers/177HELOC.

"Personal loans are in high demand right now, and for some Members, a HELOC serves the same purpose because funds can be used for anything," said Dave Gunderson, CU SoCal Chief Executive Officer and President. "For those who are still recovering financially from the pandemic, our HELOC campaign provides an affordable source of credit that's easy to access through our Digital Banking platform."

About Credit Union of Southern California (CU SoCal)

Founded in 1954 as Whittier Area Schools Federal Credit Union, CU SoCal is a credit union open to those who live, work, worship, or attend school in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. CU SoCal has a superior five-star financial rating from BauerFinancial, holds more than $2 billion in assets, and serves more than 125,000 Members. For more information, visit CUSoCal.org.

SOURCE Credit Union of Southern California

Related Links

https://www.cusocal.org/


IRVING, Texas, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR), today posted the company's updated global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report and highlighted its 2025 climate change targets designed to enable company growth while improving sustainability performance. Darling's global strategy aligns the objectives of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pillars with specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as set out by the United Nations Global Compact. The ESG Report is posted on our corporate website at https://www.darlingii.com/csr/resources/esg-report.

"We see ourselves as part of the solution with our circular business model of repurposing the world's agri-food waste streams into valuable, sustainable ingredients all while assisting in the decarbonization of the planet," stated Randall C. Stuewe, Chairman and CEO of Darling Ingredients. "We have a responsibility for generations to come and our climate goals identified today will help secure a pathway and provide us a continual platform to build on for many years into the future."

The company continues to actively manage towards its short-term global targets to reduce its water and energy intensity by five percent from 2020 to 2025. The company is also aggressively boosting its production of renewable energy and expects in 2022 to achieve an increase in production of over 150% from 2019. The new ESG Report illustrates initiatives to achieve the short-term targets and demonstrates a developing mid- and long-term strategic roadmap to reach the ambitious net zero GHG emissions and sustainable water use goals by 2050 within Darling's own operations.

In pursuing these targets, the company's leadership will ensure that its actions are consistent with responsible capital allocation, commitment to its financial targets and the continued creation of shareholder value. The company believes that achieving its sustainability and business goals will enhance its long-term financial performance and returns, while enabling it to contribute to the sustainability of our planet.

About Darling

Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR) is a world leading producer of organic ingredients, generating a wide array of sustainable protein and fat products while being one of the largest producers of renewable clean energy. With operations on five continents, Darling collects waste streams from the agri-food industry, repurposing into specialty ingredients, such as hydrolyzed collagen, edible and feed-grade fats, animal proteins and meals, plasma, pet food ingredients, fuel feedstocks, and green bioenergy. Darling Ingredients named one of the 50 Sustainability and Climate Leaders in 2021, to learn more Darling Ingredients: The greenest Company on the planet - 50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders (50climateleaders.com). The Company sells its ingredients around the globe and works to strengthen our promise for a better tomorrow, creating product applications for health, nutrients and bioenergy while optimizing our services to the food chain. Darling is a 50% joint venture partner in Diamond Green Diesel (DGD), North America's largest renewable diesel manufacturer, currently producing approximately 290 million gallons of renewable diesel annually which products reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by up to 85% compared to fossil fuels. For additional information, visit the Company's website at http://www.darlingii.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Some of the statements made in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations and projections about future events and generally relate to our plans, objectives and expectations for the development of our business. Although management believes that the plans and objectives reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and actual future results may be materially different from the plans, objectives and expectations expressed in this press release.

For more information:

Media Contact

Melissa A. Gaither

VP, Global Communications & Sustainability

+1 (972) 281-4478

[email protected]

Investor Contact

Jim Stark

VP, Investor Relations

+1 (972) 281-4823

[email protected]

SOURCE Darling Ingredients Inc.

Related Links

http://www.darlingii.com


BRUSSELS, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Economist Dr. Adina Claici has joined The Brattle Group's global Antitrust & Competition practice as a Principal in its Brussels office. She specializes in antitrust, mergers, and state aid cases, and has deep expertise in competition policy in the EU.

Dr. Adina Claici has joined The Brattle Group's Brussels office and global Antitrust & Competition practice.

"Adina brings a unique combination of experience from her roles in academia, the public sector, and economic consulting, which will be a terrific addition to our expanding European competition team," said Brattle President & Principal David L. Sunding. "We're thrilled to add her expertise and thorough analyses of complex issues to our high-quality support for European clients."

"Brattle has an incredible team of experts in competition matters around the globe, and I'm delighted to join them at this exciting time," Dr. Claici said. "I'm particularly looking forward to working with my esteemed colleagues in Brussels and throughout Europe to continue providing the highest quality work for our clients in the EU."

Named a top competition economist by Who's Who Legal, Dr. Claici is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars. In addition to her consulting work, she is a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe and at the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics.

Previously, Dr. Claici was the head of the European Competition practice and managing director of the Brussels office at a leading economics consultancy in Europe. Before that, she spent nearly a decade at the European Commission's DG Competition as a senior member of the Chief Economist Team, as well as several years at the European Union Intellectual Property Office.

To learn more about Dr. Claici, please see her full bio.

ABOUT BRATTLE

The Brattle Group answers complex economic, finance, and regulatory questions for corporations, law firms, and governments around the world. We are distinguished by the clarity of our insights and the credibility of our experts, which include leading international academics and industry specialists. Brattle has over 400 talented professionals across three continents. For more information, please visit brattle.com.

SOURCE The Brattle Group

Related Links

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ease , a leading HR and benefits software solution for SMBs, insurance brokers, and insurance carriers, today announced a new partnership with Nayya , a decision support and benefits-engagement platform that connects employees to hyper-personalized and bundled benefits recommendations  guiding them to choose the right amount of benefits that protect their health and financial wellness that can be leveraged for year-round employee engagement.

"Today's employers are looking to help empower employees to make better decisions not just to protect their physical health, but their financial health as well," said David Reid, CEO and co-founder of Ease. "Together, Ease and Nayya will help employers stand out in a vastly competitive talent landscape and retain their best employees by providing decision support to assist in electing benefits that bring the most value to an employee's day-to-day life."

Employees will be able to leverage Nayya during the benefits enrollment process in Ease. Nayya, via Ease, will ask each employee a series of questions to recommend the benefits that best suit the employee's personal and financial well-being.

Through the Ease and Nayya integration, brokers will help employers create a personalized open enrollment experience for employees by recommending benefits that protect their health and financial wellness. Powered by data science and AI technology, Nayya links over 3b external data points alongside 200M+ rows of claims data to personalize the open enrollment experience.

"A Nayya and Ease partnership demonstrates our shared commitment to driving innovation to a particularly important segment of the market," said Sina Chehrazi, CEO of Nayya. "As employees enter open enrollment, they are tasked with making crucial decisions that will impact their health and financial wellness. This new partnership enables us to help them make better decisions  using data-driven insights to easily guide employees through the enrollment process and provide them with hyper-personalized benefits recommendations."

With the new Nayya integration via Ease, brokers can meet their individual clients' needs with the specificity and customization they deserve. The result is a more transparent, less confusing way to approach benefits election, where employees feel more confident in their decisions.

About Nayya

Nayya ( nayya.com ) was founded by Sina Chehrazi and Akash Magoon in 2019. Nayya is a software and data infrastructure company transforming the way employees choose and use their benefits, driving better financial outcomes for employees and employers. The Nayya platform is powered by billions of consumer data points, millions of rows of claims data, and thousands of data integrations  helping consumers make data-driven decisions during open enrollments, new employee onboarding, and qualifying life events. The rest of the year, Nayya's employee engagement product tracks financial spending to guide and redirect consumers to file claims programmatically, manage spending accounts, and optimize prescription locations. Nayya is headquartered in New York. For more information, connect with us on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn .

About Ease

Ease is an online benefits enrollment system built for insurance brokers and employers. Ease makes it simple to set up and manage benefits, onboard new hires, stay compliant, and offer employees one destination for all their human resources information. Started in 2012 in San Francisco by employee benefits veteran David Reid and web and engineering architect Courtney Guertin, Ease works with insurance brokers and small businesses to create seamless HR and benefits processes on an easy-to-use system. Ease has offices in Las Vegas, New York, Omaha and San Diego. In 2015, Ease was launched on the West Coast and is among the most widely adopted, fastest growing solutions for brokers and employers in the area, with over 75,000 employers and over 2.5 million employees. For more information, head to www.ease.com

Media Contacts

On behalf of Ease:

Lara Andrews

Director of Brand and Content Marketing

Ease

E: [email protected]

On behalf of Nayya:

Headline Media

Justine Rosin

E: [email protected]

SOURCE Ease
"This is more than just a number," said Easy Tiger CEO Mike Stitt. "There are always going to be people who need good bread, so this is now a forever-thing at Easy Tiger. We will give back to our community with every day and every shift, each time the ovens turn on."

To date, a total of 60,000 Community Loaves have been baked and delivered through partnerships with Central Texas Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, Keep Austin Fed, Drive a Senior and Mobile Loaves & Fishes. Easy Tiger will continue donating on a weekly basis and seeks more opportunities to feed Austin. Learn more about Community Bread: www.easytigerusa.com/community

"Our hard working bakery team has really felt the support of this great community," said Head Doughpuncher David Norman. "Knowing that our guests have helped put bread on the tables of those who are struggling boosts their day and lightens the work. Please continue to add community bread to your order when you are able. There are still so many in need and our team is proud to keep baking and delivering for them."

In order to expand the Community Bread program, Easy Tiger has added a third shift to keep up with demand and is now baking around-the-clock. The company has expanded its Austin workforce to more than 400, from pre-pandemic levels of 180. As it expands production in the second half of 2021, it is looking to hire another 50 bakery staff. The Company also offers extensive training and mentorship programs and internal growth opportunities. Any casual bakers, career transitioners or aspiring chefs keen to hone baking and operations skills are encouraged to apply: www.easytigerusa.com/jobs

About Easy Tiger

Located in Austin, Texas, Easy Tiger helps people Slow Down, Stay Awhile with artisan bread, cured meats, a full bar, and craft beers. Easy Tiger's in-house bakery offers a selection of Old World hearth breads, European-style pastries, and signature soft pretzels all baked fresh daily. Easy Tiger's wholesale bakery supplies hundreds of Austin's top restaurants, cafes, hotels and grocery stores (H-E-B, Whole Foods Market, Randalls and Fresh Plus) with fresh baked goods daily. Austin Chronicle readers awarded Easy Tiger Best Bakery, Best Patio, Best Food Delivery and Best Happy Hour in Austin and Easy Tiger was featured on PBS tasteMAKERS. Head Doughpuncher David Norman was recently nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award. Plan a visit, order delivery or learn to bake at www.easytigerusa.com today. Slow Down, Stay Awhile.

SOURCE Easy Tiger

Related Links

http://www.easytigerusa.com


"We are deeply committed to sustainability and are proud to support The Nature Conservancy," said Nolan Pike, head of Electrolux North America. "Many thanks to our consumers for helping us make a big difference and reach the one-thousandth tree donation mark so quickly. Together, we are planting the seeds to shape a better future for our planet  the home we all share."

Electrolux U.S. consumers who want to register their new product can do so here. After registering a product, consumers will receive a welcome email with a link to select a tree to be planted in one of four important North American forests.

"Planting the right trees in the right places is a rewarding way to foster clean and abundant waters, enhance wildlife habitats, cool our cities, improve our health, and help mitigate carbon emissions to stabilize our climate," said Rachel Holmes Urban Forest Strategist at The Nature Conservancy. "We appreciate partners like Electrolux for contributing to our efforts to plant one billion trees."

About Electrolux and the Program

Electrolux is a leading global appliance company that has shaped living for the better for more than 100 years. We reinvent taste, care and wellbeing experiences for millions of people, always striving to be at the forefront of sustainability in society through our solutions and operations. Under our brands, including Electrolux, AEG and Frigidaire, we sell approximately 60 million household products in approximately 120 markets every year. In 2020, Electrolux had sales of USD 14 billion and employed 48,000 people around the world. For more information, go to www.electroluxgroup.com. The program: The company will make a $1.50 donation to cover both the cost of the consumer's tree of choice and to plant it. All Electrolux products purchased between January 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 are eligible for the reforestation program, up to a donation cap of $300,000.

About The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world's toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 72 countries and territories: 38 by direct conservation impact and 34 through partners, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org.

SOURCE Electrolux North America

Related Links

https://www.electroluxgroup.com


LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP (ECJ) announced today that its Co-Managing Partner Randall S. Leff has been recognized as a Legal 'Visionary' in Business of Law: Trends, Updates & Visionaries, a special feature published this week by L.A. Times B2B Publishing. The feature touts professionals "for their contributions and leadership within their organizations, the legal field and the community at large."

"Randy regularly produces extraordinary results for his clients and has been an outstanding example of professionalism and integrity to others within the Firm and across the industry," said Co-Managing Partner Barry MacNaughton.

Leff, a member of the Firm's Litigation Department, is a seasoned business litigator. "For more than 30 years, he has tried and resolved 'bet the company' business disputes in both state and federal court," the special feature reports. "His clients value his consistently customized, high-quality legal services with his signature enthusiasm, creativity and passion. Leff has built his reputation by developing innovative strategies that recognize the relationship between the immediate legal and the long-term goals of the business. Whether it be litigating a multi-state class action matter involving more than $100 million dollars, resolving a business dispute before the case is filed, or strategizing business expansion, Leff brings his imagination and tenacity to each matter and consistently delivers exceptional results."

Recognized as a 'Top Litigator' in 2021 by the Los Angeles Business Journal, Leff currently serves on the Executive Committee of Geneva Group International (GGI), an international group of attorneys and consultants. Through his participation in GGI, Leff has been representing domestic and international businesses in both litigation and transactional matters throughout the United States. He also has represented various Asian-American individuals and entities who are doing business in Los Angeles' Koreatown and the San Gabriel Valley.

Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP is a full-service firm that provides a broad range of business-related legal services including corporate law; litigation; intellectual property & technology law; real estate transactions, land use and finance; construction & environmental law; tax planning and controversies; employment law; health care law; bankruptcy, receivership and reorganization; and estate planning. For more information, visit http://www.ecjlaw.com/

SOURCE Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP

Related Links

http://www.ecjlaw.com


GHENT, Belgium, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ExeVir, which is developing single domain antibody therapies providing broad protection against viral infections, today announces that the first patient has been treated in a Phase 1b/2 global clinical study of XVR011, its potent COVID-19 neutralizing antibody.

EXEVIR0101 is a two-part study, which will evaluate the safety and efficacy of XVR011 in neutralising the SARS-CoV-2 virus in patients hospitalized as a result of mild to moderate COVID-19, with the aim to allow a more rapid recovery. Phase 1b of the study in conjunction with the Phase 1a study in healthy volunteers, which was recently started, will inform and broaden the safety database for XVR011 as well as provide important antiviral and clinical activity data before the current study proceeds to Phase 2 which will evaluate both efficacy and safety.

The Phase 1b study will enrol up to 27 patients with mild to moderate symptoms caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The study will sequentially evaluate three different doses of intravenously administered XVR011 with the primary endpoint of proportion of patients with adverse events. Secondary endpoints include viral load, need for oxygen supplementation, clinical score (8-point ordinal scale) and other measures of clinical activity. Upon a positive recommendation from the independent data monitoring committee, the study will roll over into the Phase 2 part in 252 patients which will evaluate the efficacy at the dose selected from Phase 1b. Further details of the study can be found on clinicaltrials.gov under the identifier NCT04884295

Dominique Tersago, Chief Medical Officer of ExeVir Bio, said: "Treatments for patients admitted to hospital for mild to moderate COVID-19 are still urgently needed and we are very pleased that our lead compound XVR011 is now being evaluated in this setting. XVR011 was recently demonstrated to neutralise the Delta variant in vitro, as well as all current COVID-19 variants of concern and we look forward to confirming the activity in the clinic. Our study is designed to rapidly treat eligible patients upon admission to hospital with the aim to curtail the infection and allow a faster recovery and avoid progression to more severe disease. We remain committed to bringing a next generation, single-dose treatment to patients with COVID-19."

The XVR011 molecule was developed by VIB-Ghent University (Belgium) scientists led by Professors Xavier Saelens and Nico Callewaert. They also showed that based on epitope sequencing, the potency is not expected to be impacted by any currently circulating variant of concern or variant of interest. This has been confirmed recently in the laboratory of Professor Johan Neyts at the Rega institute (KU Leuven, Belgium) with data that show XVR011 has strong in vitro neutralization potency against the variants of concern Delta, Alpha, Beta and Gamma.

The Belgian-based global biopharmaceutical company UCB helped design and optimize the therapeutic properties of XVR011 and manufactured the antibody at large scale for the clinical trial. The development work is presently undergoing peer review and was recently pre-printed in BioRxiv, demonstrating highly potent and broad neutralizing activity and infection protection in both hamster and mouse models against SARS-CoV-2.

About XVR011 (VHH72-Fc)

ExeVir's lead asset XVR011 is a single domain-based anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody (VHH-Fc) optimized for stability, safety, broad neutralizing capability and excellent manufacturability. It demonstrates best-in-class potential offering breadth and potency against a range of Coronaviruses and is significantly differentiated from other antibody treatments.

The single domain antibody (VHH) anti-coronavirus platform was developed by VIB- Ghent University scientists, Professor Xavier Saelens and Professor Nico Callewaert .



and Professor . The llama-derived single-domain antibodies are smaller than human antibodies and can attach to parts of a virus that are difficult to access for the human immune system.



XVR011 inactivates SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and sterically blocks spike binding to ACE2, preventing virus from entering a human cell, stopping viral replication; this is expected to support the patient's own immune response in a critical time window during which many patients' immune system reacts too slowly or inadequately.



Epitope of XVR011 is much less susceptible to human antibody immune pressure that can lead to "viral escape", resulting in retained potency against such escape variants  No impact of any variants of concern on potency as of today.



XVR011: Targets unique epitope in conserved region, leading to broad spectrum of binding to spike RBDs across numerous sarbecoviruses.

About ExeVir Bio

ExeVir Bio is a clinical stage company harnessing its VHH technology platform to generate robust antiviral therapies providing broad protection against viral infections, including coronaviruses. It is a spin out from VIB, the world class Belgium-based life sciences research institute. ExeVir's platform is based on the work of and collaboration with Professor Dr. Xavier Saelens and Professor Dr. Nico Callewaert from VIB. ExeVir Bio is led by a team of experts that combines international biotech and pharma experience with a successful track record of developing and bringing products to market. It has raised over 42M from blue chip investors led by Fund+, VIB, UCB Ventures, SFPI-FPIM, V-Bio Ventures, SRIW, Noshaq, Vives IUF, SambrInvest and several Belgian Family Offices. ExeVir has also been awarded funding from the Flanders Agency for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO). www.exevir.com.

About UCB

UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 8000 people operating in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of  5.3 billion in 2020. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCB_news

SOURCE ExeVir Bio

Related Links

http://www.exevir.com


"The administration of anesthesia by nurses began more than 150 years ago and has been an essential part of what CRNAs do in caring for patients in every setting including traditional hospital and obstetrical surgical suites, interventional pain management, critical care units, ambulatory surgical centers, and on the frontlines," said John McDonough, EdD, CRNA, and one of Florida's only CRNAs granted permission to use the title, nurse anesthesiologist.

In 2019 Dr. McDonough petitioned the Florida Board of Nursing and received a unanimous declaratory statement that he could use "nurse anesthesiologist" as a descriptor for his role along with the official CRNA designation. This action placed Florida in step with the growing national acknowledgment of the term "nurse anesthesiologist" for CRNAs.

The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) has recognized the optional titles "nurse anesthesiologist" and "Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologist," and last month the organization announced the formal use of nurse anesthesiology in its name signifying their members' expertise in practicing anesthesia in their role as advanced practice nurses.

"Nurse anesthesiology is the first profession to own the responsibility of anesthesia delivery," according to AANA President Steven M. Sertich, CRNA, MAE, JD, Esquire. "Today, nurse anesthesiology remains one of the nation's most innovative fields of science."

As advanced practice nurses, CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered. CRNAs are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural and medically underserved areas and on the battlefield in forward surgical teams. As expert clinicians with specialized skills in advanced airway and ventilator management, advanced hemodynamic monitoring, and advanced patient assessment, CRNAs have expanded the nation's critical care workforce, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The national association unveiled its new logo and core purpose, "CRNA focused. CRNA inspired." during its Annual Congress which was held virtually August 13-17. The AANA's Annual Congress is the largest educational event in nurse anesthesia.

About the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthesiology

Founded in 1936, The Florida Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (FANA) represents more than 5,400 nurse anesthesiology professionals. FANA advocates for our patients and members in legislative and governmental affairs and serves as a resource for CRNAs, the nursing and medical professions, hospitals, health care facilities, and others interested in anesthesia care. For more information visit www.fana.org.

SOURCE Florida Association of Nurse Anesthesiology

Related Links

https://www.fana.org


NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC) calls on more law enforcement agencies to report hate crimes data to the FBI following the release of the agency's latest Hate Crimes Statistics report.

The report shows 7,759 hate crime incidents in 2020, up six percent over those reported in 2019. It is the highest number of reported hate crime incidents since 2008. Anti-Jewish crimes comprised 58 percent of all religious bias crimes, and anti-Muslim crimes remain the next largest religious group targeted at nine percent. While crimes against both communities decreased in 2020, possibly due to the closing of houses of worship during the pandemic, anti-Asian, anti-Black, and anti-White crimes increased by 73 percent, 43 percent, and 16 percent respectively.

The annual FBI report grossly underestimates the number of hate crimes, as participation by local law enforcement agencies in the FBI's hate crime data collection system is not mandatory. In the FBI's data for 2020, 60 cities with a population of 100,000 residents or more reported zero hate crimes or did not submit any data. The overall number of law enforcement agencies that submitted data for the report declined for the third year in a row.

"Until all U.S. cities start reporting accurate data to the FBI, we will not know the full extent of the hate crimes taking place in the United States," said MJAC Co-chair Farooq Kathwari. "The increase in hate crimes incidents demands collective action from all members of society."

MJAC members have been working together for years to strengthen the national response to hate crimes and advocated for passage of the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, which seeks to improve hate crimes reporting. The bill, an amendment to the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, was signed into law earlier this year by President Biden.

"The latest FBI report confirms that hate crimes reporting is inconsistent across the country," said MJAC Co-chair Stan Bergman. "We hope with the passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law, we will see an improvement in the hate crimes data reported to the FBI in the years to come."

MJAC, a national coalition founded in 2016 by AJC with Muslim and Jewish partners, works to combat hate, antisemitism, and anti-Muslim bigotry. MJAC's national council and eleven regional councils, in Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Louisville, Miami, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. represent a network of hundreds of Muslim and Jewish leaders committed to working together for the good of both communities and the country. MJAC stands at the forefront of those confronting hatred against religious minorities and has made stemming the rise in hate crimes a key advocacy area of focus.https://www.ajc.org/news/fbi-hate-crimes-report-spurs-us-muslims-jews-to-press-for-better-reporting-by-law-enforcement

SOURCE The Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has provided 510 (k) Clearance for Prelivia, a neurostimulation device developed by Rehabtronics that promotes healthy blood circulation and maintains healthy tissue in people who are bedridden or chair bound. Annually, more than 2.5 million people in the United States suffer from pressure injuries, also known as bed sores, and up to 60,000 people die. Prelivia is the first innovation in 70 years aimed at protecting patients from pressure injuries.

Prelivia by Rehabtronics, Protection from Pressure Injuries. Prelivia is the first innovation in 70 years aimed at protecting patients from pressure injuries, which affect millions of people who are bedridden and chair bound. Prelivia uses a patented neurostimulation technology that activates local blood circulation and promotes healthy tissue. Prelivia has been cleared by the FDA to increase local blood circulation, which prevents ischemia and maintains healthy tissue in patients at risk for developing pressure injuries.

"Every year, more people die from pressure injuries than from automobile accidents in the USA alone. The potential promise of Prelivia to maximize ulcer-free, hospital-free and activity-rich days is enormously exciting," says Dr. David Armstrong, a professor of surgery and an expert in wound care based in Southern California.

Current alternatives used in hospitals and long-term care centers include patient turning, sensors and specialty beds and mattresses, which provide temporary relief.

"Prelivia offers a much-needed alternative to patients at risk for bed sores and their care givers who are required to turn patients every two hours to prevent these injuries," said Dr. Rahul Samant, CEO of Rehabtronics, which developed Prelivia. "Due to COVID-19, even more patients are suffering from unavoidable pressure injuries and if it weren't for the herculean efforts of nurses, the incidence of bedsores would be substantially higher than they are today. Prelivia gives nurses a new tool to help protect their patients from pressure injuries."

Prelivia uses a patented neurostimulation technology that activates local blood circulation. Studies show that Prelivia's unique technology increases tissue oxygenation by 28% and decreases 80% of pressure induced tissue damage. A caregiver applies electrodes to a patient's skin in the area that is at-risk for developing a pressure injury. Once activated, they stimulate muscle contraction every 10 minutes, which maintains healthy blood flow. Prelivia is painless and can be used continuously.

"With FDA clearance, we can now bring Prelivia into hospital ICUs and care homes to improve patient care and reduce the costs associated with treating pressure injuries," Samant adds. "We are in discussions with leading healthcare facilities to implement Prelivia. We look forward to working with physicians and nurses to transform pressure injury care programs and alleviate unnecessary suffering."

First tested in animal studies, Prelivia's IES technology has been proven to reduce injuries. IES was also recently tested on 68 patients at a healthcare facility in Alberta, Canada all of whom were considered at-risk of developing a pressure ulcer/bed sore. No pressure injuries were observed while Prelivia was applied over a four-week period.

ABOUT REHABTRONICS

Rehabtronics develops medical devices that restore function and improve the lives of people who are paralyzed or immobile. Founded in 2003 as a spinoff from the Neuroscience Institute of the University of Alberta, Rehabtronics is dedicated to bringing neuroscience discoveries into clinical practice. The company's newest product, Prelivia, is designed to alleviate pressure injuries, one of the deadliest hospital-acquired injuries. Its rehabilitation devices are used globally to help people recover movement after central or peripheral nervous system injury or disease. www.rehabtronics.com.

Media Contact:

Neena Rahemtulla

604-345-1646

[email protected]

SOURCE Rehabtronics
"Improving attendance is one of the most fundamental ways to support learning recovery and get students back on track academically," said Jennifer Kretschman, MTSS Director of Sacramento City Unified School District. "This is clearly critical during COVID, but frankly, is an issue we all must address during 'normal times' as well. EveryDay Labs plays an instrumental role in this strategy for us."

Although absenteeism is predictive of lower academic performance and leads to 7x higher dropout rates, the "attendance gap" is growing. According to " Present Danger: Solving the Deepening Student Absenteeism Crisis " a recent report from Georgetown University, COVID led to lower rates of attendance for students in under-resourced communities, even as attendance rates for more affluent students increased.

"This funding is an important step in meeting the needs of district leaders serving millions of K12 students and families, so that all students have the opportunity to learn every day," said EveryDay Labs CEO, Emily Bailard. "It's about generating new insights into a pervasive problem, and investing in tools that reflect the aspirations of school district leaders and students alike."

Even before the pandemic, a growing number of U.S. school districts were tapping the potential of behavioral and data science to tailor interventions and supports to realworld needs, and engage families to improve attendance and student outcomes. On average, districts that partner with EveryDay Labs see a 1015% reduction in chronic absenteeism.

This investment round, which includes participation from Reach Capital, Gary Community Ventures, City Light Capital, RedHouse Education, Edovate Capital Bonsal Capital, and Copper Wire Ventures will also support EveryDay Labs' efforts to scale its research-based communication tools to help district leaders tackle other critical priorities, such as learning recovery, enrollment, and connecting vulnerable students and families to resources.

"Emily is leading a team that is bringing advanced analytic capabilities to bear on a vexing challenge at an absolutely critical moment," said Jenny Abramson, Founder & Managing Partner of Rethink Impact. "This is a technology that has already had a profound impact on energy consumption and other major segments of the economy. By translating Dr.Todd Rogers' research into solutions that improve communication between schools and families, they are proving that the educational implications of behavioral and data science can be equally profound and help close the critical attendance gap."

About EveryDay Labs

EveryDay Labs unites behavioral science, data science, and family engagement to reduce chronic absenteeism while empowering educators to optimize student supports districtwide. Currently supporting over one million students nationwide, EveryDay Labs has prevented over one million absences, increasing instructional time for students by over 380 million minutes. The company earned the coveted "strong evidence" rating from Evidence for the ESSA out of the Center for Research and Reform in Education (CRRE) at Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Learn more at www.everydaylabs.com .

About Rethink Impact

Rethink Impact is the largest, US-based impact venture capital firm that invests in female leaders using technology to solve the world's biggest problems. The Fund primarily invests in companies in education, health, environmental sustainability, and fintech for good. Learn more at rethinkimpact.com or follow them on Twitter @RethinkImpact .

SOURCE EveryDay Labs

Related Links

https://www.everydaylabs.com


LONDON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Finastra has been named a leader in corporate digital banking platforms by Celent. Two reports, which cover North America and the rest of the world, recognize Finastra's standout capabilities in this sector.

The reports, titled 'Corporate Digital Banking Platforms: North America Edition' & 'Corporate Digital Banking Platforms: EMEA/APAC/LATAM Edition', are aimed at banks looking to enhance their corporate digital banking offering and highlight Finastra as an attractive platform in this market. Finastra has excelled in the 'Breadth of Functionality' and 'Customer Base and Support' categories.

Patricia Hines, Head of Corporate Banking, Celent, said, "Banks looking to capture a greater share of the corporate banking wallet must think carefully about their investment decisions in order to ensure they meet their clients' unique demands for ease of use, flexibility, and convenience. Banks must vigorously analyze their corporate digital banking platform, the linchpin to effectively deliver a bank's products and services to its customers. Finastra's solution has shown stand out capability to support banks as they embark on their digital transformation journeys."

Veena Rao, Vice President, Fusion Corporate Channels, at Finastra said, "We are thrilled that a much-respected industry analyst house has recognized the success and potential of our corporate digital banking solution. The platform paves the way for step-by-step transformation, with standard APIs and a microservices approach that supports digital transformation. Moreover, connectivity with our FusionFabric.cloud development platform drives open innovation and co-creation of value-added solutions."

Patricia Hines added, "Finastra is the only provider in this analysis that supports nearly every functionality attribute in the Celent taxonomy and the majority of digital channels, demonstrating notable breadth of functionality. Finastra also stood out in new deals over the past two years, number of clients on the latest software version, customer references, breadth of training types, and annual client conference."

Finastra's Fusion Corporate Channels solution delivers portal technology to unify trade, supply chain finance, cash, lending, and treasury services for corporate clients. More than 100 financial institutions and multinational corporations use the technology, benefitting from flexible, intuitive channel applications that can be delivered on demand, globally, and on any device.

Access the report extract here:

About Finastra

Finastra is building an open platform that accelerates collaboration and innovation in financial services, creating better experiences for people, businesses and communities. Supported by the broadest and deepest portfolio of financial services software, Finastra delivers this vitally important technology to financial institutions of all sizes across the globe, including 90 of the world's top 100 banks. Our open architecture approach brings together a number of partners and innovators. Together we are leading the way in which applications are written, deployed and consumed in financial services to evolve with the changing needs of customers. Learn more at finastra.com

For further information please contact:

Caroline Duff

Global Head of PR

T +44 (0)7917 613586

E [email protected]

finastra.com

Corporate headquarters

4 Kingdom Street

Paddington

London W2 6BD

United Kingdom

T: +44 20 3320 5000

SOURCE Finastra
DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FIntegrate Technology (FIntegrate) announced a strategic partnership with Solutions By Text to extend the full advantages of SMS communications, payments and compliance to financial institutions that use its FusionCRS collection and recovery solution.

"Integrating Solutions By Text's technology into FusionCRS will enable financial institutions to use text messaging to communicate with customers and quickly accept payments. Enabling communication over this widely preferred channel speeds up collection times and reduces compliance costs," said Kris Bishop, FIntegrate's CEO. "We chose Solutions By Text because of its powerful and compliant suite of secure messaging services as well as its comprehensive reporting capabilities for regulators and auditors."

FusionCRS is a collection and recovery system designed and developed exclusively for credit unions and banks to help identify potential loan loss accounts in advance, automate communications, and reduce manual efforts to increase collections. The solution accommodates delinquency loan collections through charge-off recoveries, special assets and shadow accounting. It can also manage non-delinquent watch-lists, overdraft accounts, credit card collections, mortgage collections, fraud account and regulatory compliance and reporting.

"We're excited that FIntegrate has chosen to partner with Solutions By Text and confident that financial institutions will benefit greatly from our combined technology. Our experience clearly shows that text messaging often gets through where mail and direct phone contact fail," said Danny Cantrell, Solutions By Text's founder and CEO. "With our 2-way texting service, collection specialists will have the opportunity to open a real-time dialog with customers and accept payments on the spot."

SBT Text Pay provides a three-step, text payment system that complies with industry regulation by requiring confirmation and double approval. Solutions by Text provides customer identity authentication to validate customer phone numbers and an opt-in data capture function to ensure TCPA compliance. By combining technologies, FIntegrate and Solutions By Text offer a suite of fintech solutions to current and future FusionCRS customers for improving the efficacy of collections and streamlining the process, resulting in increased revenue and reduced costs.

About FIntegrate Technology

FIntegrate Technology, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, provides collection and recovery software for banks and credit unions throughout the U.S. Its FusionCRS solution is a fully featured collection and recovery management system that helps financial institutions streamline collections operations, improve collection resource productivity, and increase results. For more information, visit http://www.fusioncrs.com/.

About Solutions By Text

Solutions by Text is an enterprise business texting service built on the hard-earned knowledge of best practices in the SMS industry with everything from complex delivery functionality to legal compliance. Our primary focus is delivering critical information in an SMS format Worldwide. Solutions by Text strives to develop a scalable solution with flexibility to meet industry changes and demand, maintain a functional user interface with various user access options, build products delivering a clear consistent value and construct a suite of services matching the demands of the consumer. Since 1996, Solutions by Text has partnered with a variety of organizations in multiple industries to design and implement a diverse SMS solution. For more information, visit www.solutionsbytext.com .

Contacts:

Kristopher Bishop, [email protected] , 205-908-4792

Pam Cross, [email protected] , 214-695-1864

SOURCE Solutions by Text

Related Links

http://www.solutionsbytext.com


MIAMI, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Florida Board of Governors has given the green light to a public-private partnership between Florida Polytechnic University and Fortune 500 company International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) during its meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 1, at Florida International University.

The Board's approval of the affiliation agreement is an important milestone in a project that could potentially bring the first high-tech industry partner straight to the Lakeland, Florida, campus.

According to the agreement, IFF will occupy laboratory and creative space in a new building on campus that will be financed, built, operated, maintained, and owned by private entities. The University would not be investing any capital in the new facility. As the occupant of the new building, IFF anticipates providing internships and job opportunities for Florida Poly students, funding and collaborating on faculty research, sponsoring senior capstone projects, and supporting academic programs.

"We thank the Board of Governors for approving this project and moving Florida Poly and IFF closer to realizing a partnership based on innovation and collaboration," said Nicolas Mirzayantz, president, Nourish Division of IFF. "We are looking forward to expanding our taste and scent capabilities in citrus while leveraging the on-campus talent and expertise of an academic partner who is just as committed to science and research as IFF."

IFF is a global industry leader in food, beverage, scent, health, biosciences, and sensorial experiences. It is headquartered in New York City and has creative, sales, and manufacturing facilities in 47 countries.

"This cutting-edge innovation center will be a touchstone in the heart of the North American citrus belt, yet will impact IFF innovations around the globe," said Mauricio Poulsen, vice president of global innovation, creation and design, Nourish Division of IFF. "We are very excited about all the possibilities to come."

Dr. Randy K. Avent, president of Florida Poly, said that having a solid research partner such as IFF on campus demonstrates the University is meeting its state charter focus of helping grow the tech industry. It also marks the beginning of his vision to have a bustling research park surrounding the University.

"Technical research universities like Florida Poly attract companies because they want access to the high-demand, low-supply graduates we produce," Avent said. "We are proud that IFF has the vision to recognize the strategic advantage of being connected to our university."

The next step in the negotiation between Florida Poly and IFF will be selecting a building design that meets both the needs of the company and the standards of the University. IFF anticipates moving to its new facility on campus by 2023.

SOURCE Florida Polytechnic University
SPRING GREEN, Wis., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Taliesin Preservation and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation are unveiling a new plaque at the architect's 800-acre estate in the rural Driftless Hills near Spring Green, WI, celebrating the site's inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The in-person media event and virtual public streaming watch party will feature special guests, including Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) recognizes landmarks or sites for cultural, historical, or scientific relevance.

Courtesy of Taliesin Preservation

Media Partners are invited to attend the plaque unveiling in-person at Taliesin on September 15, 2021, at 9 a.m. Please RSVP to Aron Meudt-Thering at [email protected]. The public is invited to be a part of this wonderful event at noon CST on Facebook, YouTube, and at taliesinpreservation.org.

"This is an incredible moment for Taliesin Preservation, our sister organization The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, and our incredible community of friends, partners and donors. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site we are now officially recognized worldwide for bringing outstanding cultural and natural heritage to humanityand we pledge to continue this as a laboratory for living in the 21st century."- Carrie Rodamaker, Executive Director, Taliesin Preservation

"This designation is a great source of national pride, and while eight buildings are included in the inscription, it recognizes the importance of Wright's work, embodied in every one of his buildings and designs. These sites are not simply World Heritage monuments because they are beautiful. It's so much more than that. These are places of profound influence, inspiration and connection." - Stuart Graff, President & CEO, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

Taliesin Preservation produces innovative cultural and educational programming at Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's 800-acre estate in the rural Driftless hills of Wisconsin. Taliesin has served as a living laboratory for over one-hundred years, exploring and advancing organic principles in everyday life, where home, community, farm, the arts, education and the environment are deeply connected and work as an integrated whole.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, based in Chicago, IL, spearheaded the serial nomination of eight major works by Wright. The inscription includes Unity Temple, the Frederick C. Robie House, Hollyhock House, Fallingwater, the Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House, Taliesin, Taliesin West and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

The inscription for Wright's works was announced in 2019, during the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee. Wright's buildings are the first US Modern Architecture to be included on the United Nations' list of the world's most significant cultural and natural sites, representing American design for the first time on a global stage. Taliesin was chosen to be a part of this honor as a great example of an organic connection to the surrounding landscape of the driftless region. The inscription is an honorary distinction that provides additional protection of the properties.

Contact:

Aron Meudt-Thering

608-588-7900 ext. 221

[email protected]

Related Images

taliesin.jpg

Taliesin

Courtesy of Taliesin Preservation

SOURCE Taliesin Preservation
DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of Hurricane Ida's fierce Category 4 winds, storm surge, and torrential rainfall, Dallas-based Fuel Logic says help is on the way.

With power knocked out to hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents and businesses, and fuel refineries and supplies inaccessible or compromised by flood waters, the need for fuel along Louisiana's coast is dire.

Fuel Logic Logo Fuel Logic trucks

As temperatures rise along the Gulf Coast, Fuel Logic is rallying its resources from around the United States to deliver diesel and gas into areas impacted by Hurricane Ida's catastrophic devastation.

With power projected to be out for weeks in many Louisiana locations, getting fuel to tanks, generators, and other equipment is critical and time sensitive.

"We've had people on the ground in Louisiana since before the storm hit," said Eliot Vancil, president of Fuel Logic. "Our teams were stationed in Baton Rouge and other areas waiting to assist. Now we are focused on delivering all the fuel we can to anywhere ranging from healthcare facilities, military bases, and electric companies to rescue resources, data centers, businesses, and much more."

The company is coordinating resources and implementing mobile fuel delivery solutions around the clock to assist cities including New Orleans, Houma, Lafitte, LaPlace, and many more in Louisiana, as well as additional areas along the Mississippi and Alabama coasts.

"In challenging times like these, we believe it's important for communities to rally together and support each other as best we can," said Vancil. "Fuel Logic is committed to helping Hurricane Ida victims by supplying fuel any way we can get it there."

*** If you or someone you know needs fuel assistance, call (866) 311-5731 or visit Fuel Logic's website at Fuel Logic. Fuel Logic's mobile fuel delivery teams are standing by ready to help.

About Fuel Logic

Dallas, Texas-based Fuel Logic is a full-service fuel management company. We deliver on-road diesel, off-road dyed diesel, gasoline, and DEF diesel exhaust fluid to fleets, bulk tanks, refrigerated trailers, and equipment nationwide. Our company blends the fuel industry's operational best practices with innovative technological advances to provide superior fuel delivery service to clients across a variety of industries.

Contact:

Brandon Ward, Vice President of Sales

Fuel Logic

(214) 466-6161

[email protected]

SOURCE Fuel Logic
"Joey has been a key element to our success over these past few years, and we are thrilled to be able to promote him to Chief Secondary Officer," Telle VanTrojen, COO and Partner of Geneva Financial stated. "I look forward to what's next for Joey, his team and the company."

Waters joined Geneva Financial in 2016 and has since made huge strides in creating the company's Secondary Market department, transitioning from outsourcing to in-house, and developing the operation from the ground up. Joey also managed several company-wide platform transitions and under his leadership, his team manages all the Optimal Blue platform and users. Moving forward, Joey will take over as the Chief Officer and head of the Secondary Market sales and operations while continuing to provide the white-gloved, human-centric service Geneva Financial is known for.

Joey attended Union College in Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science in History in 2008 and has since risen through the ranks to become an expert in his field and will continue leveraging that expertise within his new role and beyond.

About Geneva Financial

Founded in 2007 by Aaron VanTrojen, Geneva Financial (NMLS 42056) is a direct mortgage lender headquartered in Chandler, Arizona with more than 130 branch locations in 45 states. Our mission at Geneva Financial is to approach every aspect of our business from the "inside-out". With a culture-forward mindset, we focus on our loan originators and support staff first to ensure an unbeatable experience for our customers.

Our Core Values were created as a daily reminder to operate with the inside-out approach in mind. Core Value #1 is the backbone of all our Core Values, our mission and our brand vision: Home Loans Powered by Humans. Learn more about Geneva Financial Home Loans at www.GenevaFi.com

SOURCE Geneva Financial Home Loans
FACTS AT A GLANCE Edition: 6; Released: April 2021 Executive Pool: 369 Companies: 34 - Players covered include artnaturals; Biolandes; Bioway (Xi'an) Organic Ingredients Co., Ltd.; doTERRA International LLC; Edens Garden; Healing Solutions; Majestic Pure; Moksha Lifestyle Products; Mountain Rose Herbs; New Directions Aromatics Inc.; OM SHE Aromatherapy; Radha Beauty Products LLC.; Rocky Mountain Oils LLC.; Young Living Essential Oils and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Mode of Delivery (Topical Application, Direct Inhalation, Aerial Diffusion); Product Type (Consumables, Equipment) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa.

Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry

ABSTRACT-

Global Aromatherapy Market to Reach $6.5 Billion by 2026

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Aromatherapy estimated at US$4.4 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$6.5 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 6.5% over the analysis period. Consumables, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 6.7% CAGR and reach US$5.7 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Equipment segment is readjusted to a revised 5.5% CAGR for the next 7-year period.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $1.3 Billion in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $1.4 Billion by 2026

The Aromatherapy market in the U.S. is estimated at US$1.3 Billion in the year 2021. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$1.4 Billion by the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 9.9% over the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 3.5% and 5.8% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 4.1% CAGR. More

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Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.

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Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]

LINKS

Join Our Expert Panel

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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

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DUBLIN, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Metal Matrix Composite Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Growth and Change" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global metal matrix composites market is expected to grow from $329.11 million in 2020 to $352.76 million in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2%.

Metal Matrix Composite Global Market Report 2021 provides the strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global metal matrix composite market.

The growth is mainly due to the increasing usage of MMC in the automotive & transportation and aerospace sector, growing focus on performance enhancement, rising concerns regarding environmental degradation and increasing levels of carbon emissions.

The market is expected to reach $539.66 million in 2025 at a CAGR of 11.2%.

Major players in the metal matrix composite market are 3M, CPS Technologies, GKN Sinter Metals, CeramTec, Ferrotec Corporation, Sandvik, Plansee, ADMA Products, Metal Matrix Cast Composites LLC, TISICS, DWA Aluminum Composites, Mi-Tech Tungsten Metals, AMETEK Specialty Metals Products, Santier, and Denka Company.

The metal matrix composite market consists of sales metal matrix composites by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that manufacture metal matrix composite materials. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are a class of materials (metals, alloys, or intermetallic compounds) that have been reinforced with particles, whiskers, or continuous fibers. MMCs are excellent substitutes to conventional materials owing to their hardness, specific strength, and creep resistance.



North America was the largest region in the metal matrix composite market in 2020. Asia Pacific was expected to be the fastest region in the forecast period. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, and Africa.



The growing technological advancements are shaping the metal matrix composite market. Major institutes and companies are focusing on projects involving advanced composite materials for the automotive and aerospace industries. According to a study published in 2021, Al-based metal matrix composites (AMMCs) have found enormous applications in the aerospace, automobile, and other structural applications. Compared with the conventional processes such as casting and powder metallurgy, AMMCs processed by additive manufacturing show a significant difference between microstructure and properties.

Further, in 2019, the CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology launched an Indo-German project on innovative composite materials involving near-net shape (NIIST) technology. The objective of the new CSIR-NIIST project is to produce lightweight near-net form carbon-fiber-reinforced aluminum composites and parts for the automotive and aerospace sectors.



The growth of the automotive industry is expected to fuel the growth of the metal matrix composite market in the coming years. The automotive industry is made up of a diverse group of businesses and organizations that are involved in the design development, production, marketing, and sale of automobiles. Metal matrix composites are used to lower vehicle weight and enhance the efficiency of automobiles.

For instance, according to the statista, global automotive industry is expected to grow to 9 trillion U.S. dollars by 2030, with new vehicle sales accounting for about 38% of this value. Electric vehicle sales are expected to increase from 2.5 million in 2020 to 3.4 million in 2021 and 31.1 million in 2030. Therefore, the expansion of the automotive industry propels the growth of the metal matrix composite market.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. Metal Matrix Composite Market Characteristics



3. Metal Matrix Composite Market Trends and Strategies



4. Impact Of COVID-19 On Metal Matrix Composite



5. Metal Matrix Composite Market Size and Growth

5.1. Global Metal Matrix Composite Historic Market, 2015-2020, $ Billion

5.1.1. Drivers Of the Market

5.1.2. Restraints On the Market

5.2. Global Metal Matrix Composite Forecast Market, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

5.2.1. Drivers Of the Market

5.2.2. Restraints On the Market



6. Metal Matrix Composite Market Segmentation

6.1. Global Metal Matrix Composite Market, Segmentation by Matrix Type, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Aluminium MMC

Magnesium MMC

Copper MMC

Super Alloys MMC

Others

6.2. Global Metal Matrix Composite Market, Segmentation by Production Technology, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Liquid Metal Infiltration

Powder Metallurgy

Casting

Deposition Techniques

6.3. Global Metal Matrix Composite Market, Segmentation by End-Use Industry, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Automotive and Transportation

Aerospace and Defense

Electrical and Electronics

Industrial

Others

7. Metal Matrix Composite Market Regional and Country Analysis

7.1. Global Metal Matrix Composite Market, Split by Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

7.2. Global Metal Matrix Composite Market, Split by Country, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion



Companies Mentioned

3M

CPS Technologies

GKN Sinter Metals

CeramTec

Ferrotec Corporation

Sandvik

Plansee

ADMA Products

Metal Matrix Cast Composites LLC

TISICS

DWA Aluminum Composites

Mi-Tech Tungsten Metals

AMETEK Specialty Metals Products

Santier

Denka Company

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7mjo19

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets

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DUBLIN, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Vanadium Ore Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global vanadium ore market is expected to grow from $1.49 billion in 2020 to $1.6 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%. The market is expected to reach $2.36 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 10.2%.



Major players in the vanadium market are AUROX RES., Atlantic, Treibacher Industrie AG., Essel Mining and Tremond Alloys & Metals Corp.



The vanadium mining market consists of sales of vanadium ores and concentrates and related services.



The use of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB's) for energy storage is an emerging trend market. This trend will drive a structural change in the vanadium ore mining market dominated by steel manufacturers.

For example, in 2020, Nusaned Investment, a Saudi Arabia based investment company owned by SABIC, entered in joint venture with, Germany based technology group, SCHMID Group to focus on manufacturing and technology development in the field of Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFB).



The increasing use of Vanadium in automobile industry will drive the Vanadium ore mining market. Use of vanadium alloy for manufacturing automobile parts will reduce their weight and increases their fuel efficiency. According to an investing firm (aheadoftheherd.com), around 85% of all automobiles will incorporate vanadium alloy to reduce their weight, thereby increasing their fuel efficiency by 2025.



The rate at which vanadium is being deposited into the environment is increasing, which can be attributed to global rise in discharges to the environment of vanadium rich industrial byproducts including steel slags, and ash from the expansion of waste incineration. Due to this major jurisdiction including the USA, and China are implementing environmental protection strategies/regulations to lessen the toxic effects of Vanadium, these regulations will hamper the Vanadium ore mining market.

For example, in the USA, vanadium is listed as Contaminant Candidate List 4 (CCL4) and is subject to more stringent monitoring in potable waters, on the other hand China is waging war on smog and promotion of environmentalism (by regulating iron ore blends to lower vanadium content raw material).



Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. Vanadium Ore Mining Market Characteristics



3. Vanadium Ore Mining Market Trends And Strategies



4. Impact Of COVID-19 on Vanadium Ore Mining



5. Vanadium Ore Mining Market Size And Growth

5.1. Global Vanadium Ore Mining Historic Market, 2015-2020, $ Billion

5.1.1. Drivers of the Market

5.1.2. Restraints on The Market

5.2. Global Vanadium Ore Mining Forecast Market, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

5.2.1. Drivers of the Market

5.2.2. Restraints on the Market



6. Vanadium Ore Mining Market Segmentation

6.1. Global Vanadium Ore Mining Market, Segmentation By Type, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

FeV40

FeV50

FeV60

FeV80

6.2. Global Vanadium Ore Mining Market, Segmentation By Application, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Iron & Steel

Chemical

Energy Storage

Others

6.3. Global Vanadium Ore Mining Market, Segmentation By End Use Industry, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Automotive

Aerospace And Defense

Steel Industry

Others

7. Vanadium Ore Mining Market Regional And Country Analysis

7.1. Global Vanadium Ore Mining Market, Split By Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

7.2. Global Vanadium Ore Mining Market, Split By Country, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion



Companies Mentioned

Aurox Res.

Atlantic

Treibacher Industries Ag.

Essel Mining

Tremond Alloys & Metals Corp.

Globe Specialty Metals Inc.

Largo Resources

Yellow Rock Res.

Reed Resources

American Resources

Largo Res.

Continental Precious Min .

. Hickman

Williams & Companies

Bear Metallurgical Company

Gulf Chemical And Metallurgical Corporation

Core Metals Group

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1964gh

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Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets

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WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GoodCell, a medically-actionable health technology service to proactively identify, track and address health risks, today announces it has appointed Chris Garcia as its new Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors, effective immediately. In his new role, Mr. Garcia will work to scale GoodCell's commercial strategy, while founder Trevor Perry will assume the title of President and remain as a director of the company.

"The Board of Directors and I are excited to have Chris lead our organization into its next chapter of development," said Mr. Perry. "Chris' addition validates the value of what we have built at GoodCell to date and expands the best in-class leadership team we have in place at the company."

In addition to scaling GoodCell's commercial strategy, Chris will work to enhance the company's platform to deliver a cutting-edge experience for their members, prioritize R&D initiatives to drive long-term value, expand its scientific credibility and foster a progressive company culture while effectively scaling the organization.

"I'm fired up to be joining GoodCell at this exciting time in the company's evolution. After closing two rounds of financing, rapidly expanding its IP development, and attracting important partners, such as Navia, Quest, and the New York Blood Center, it is clear that the company is well positioned to accelerate its rollout into the marketplace," said Chris Garcia, Chief Executive Officer, GoodCell. "I feel privileged to be a part of this revolutionary company that is aggressively pursuing the identification and monitoring of genetic changes that will likely predict certain major illness or disease states. As cellular therapeutics and treatments are increasingly introduced to the market, GoodCell's personal biobanking will enable its members to proactively leverage today's science as it becomes tomorrow's medicine, thus improving the health of our membership while reducing the overall cost of care."

Mr. Garcia's career in healthcare has spanned over thirty years as a founder, operator or private equity investor in over a dozen healthcare companies. Most recently, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Remedy Partners which is now part of Signify Health (NYSE: SGFY) and presently serves as a director of two private equity backed healthcare companies.

About GoodCell

GoodCell empowers individuals to live longer and healthier lives with a medically actionable health technology service that uniquely screens for major illness, tracks changing genetic risk for disease over time and preserves your healthiest cells for potentially life-saving therapies. With the rapid expansion of cellular therapeutics, the company offers the only health solution that utilizes personal genetic and biological information as well as biobanking stem cells to access for cell therapies as they become available. Committed to shaping the future of personalized health as today's science becomes tomorrow's medicine, GoodCell is led by a founding team of science and technology innovators with diverse research backgrounds from notable institutions such as the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. Learn more at: www.goodcell.com.

SOURCE GoodCell
CHICAGO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gray Matter Analytics , the leader in value-based care healthcare Analytics as a Service (AaaS), today announced the appointment of six initial members to a newly created Advisory Board that will provide strategic guidance and advice on developing product, solutions and services to the Gray Matter Analytics team.

"Each of the members of our Advisory Board brings with them insights and expertise in their specific areas of healthcare that collectively will be invaluable to Gray Matter as we continue to build our solutions portfolio," said CEO Sheila Talton. "This will help ensure that our company is both meeting and anticipating the needs of the healthcare market. We are excited and looking forward to benefiting from their vast experience."

Members of the inaugural Gray Matter Advisory Board, along with their current roles, backgrounds, and areas of specialty, are:

Mike Dulin , MD Professor, UNC Charlotte - Health System Analytics, Public Health, Social Determinants of Health, Health IT, and Health Policy

Andrew Bland , MD , Nephrologist, University of Illinois Hospital  chief medical officer, chief quality officer, practicing nephrologist, data science and predictive analytics

Isaac Myers , MD , Chief Health Integration Officer, Baptist Health & President, Baptist Health Medical Group - health system and payor, medical group management, value-based care, population health, healthcare IT and data management, operations and innovations

Karen Janousek , President, VBC Advisors, and Population Health and Growth Officer, Sinai Chicago - population health and value-based services

Tushad Driver , Cofounder, Alphathena - healthcare technology and data consulting

Steve Betts , EVP, Head of Health Care Benefit Solutions at Fidelity - payor CIO and head of analytics experience

In addition to providing strategic guidance and advice on product and services development, members of the Advisory Board will offer expertise regarding value-based care and value-based payment models, competitive intelligence, and advice on how data and advanced analytics can address the needs of payors and providers with respect to their value-based programs. Members also will enhance the visibility of Gray Matter in the healthcare industry and investor community.

Many value-driven programs are implemented without stakeholders fully comprehending potential ramifications and expected outcomes  a risky practice given the growing complexities of managing and prioritizing multiple value-based contracts. Advanced analytics can determine what measures need to be prioritized and managed to ensure optimum performance against value-based contracts. Further, analytics can help payors and providers better predict which measures will have the largest impact, mapped to specific programs.

Gray Matter's focus is on value-based care solutions that help health systems protect revenue they have earned by leveraging advanced analytics to predict revenue from government and commercial payors. Advisory services complement solutions by furthering customers' understanding of what the data is telling them and optimizing data-driven insights to capture missed revenues and address quality improvements.

"As more providers move to delivering value-based care, they are realizing that advanced analytics is an essential tool for implementing quality and cost control initiatives," said Advisory Board member Dr. Dulin. "Our advanced analytics solutions support these health systems and their networks as they look to maximize patient outcomes and deliver on shared savings contracts predicated on value-based measures and metrics."

Gray Matter's inaugural Advisory Board meeting was Aug. 19.

About Gray Matter Analytics

Gray Matter Analytics leverages industry-leading advanced analytics to help healthcare organizations cut costs, grow revenue, and improve health outcomes. Gray Matter's cloud-native Analytics as a Service (AaaS) suite of solutions significantly amplifies value by applying predictive analytics to transform payors and providers into data-driven enterprises, enabling them to thrive in a dynamic healthcare environment. For more information, visit graymatteranalytics.com.

Media Contact:

Michelle Ronan Noteboom

Amendola Communications (for Gray Matter Analytics)

512.426.2870

[email protected]

SOURCE Gray Matter Analytics

Related Links

https://www.graymatteranalytics.com/


CLEVELAND, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Renalis , a Cleveland-based digital health company committed to the treatment of pelvic health disorders, announced the close of its $824K Pre-Seed funding round led by the Healthcare Collaboration Fund.

The Healthcare Collaboration Fund is managed through a partnership between Cleveland-based Venture Investor JumpStart Inc, and University Hospitals Ventures , the innovation and commercialization arm of University Hospitals. The round also includes participation from JumpStart Inc. as well as a mix of individual and private investors.

"Renalis in tackling a significant unmet need in pelvic health management," said Hardik Desai, Sr. Investing Partner at JumpStart. "We are excited to partner with UH and Renalis to commercialize this important technology."

"Renalis has an opportunity to address very prevalent and debilitating pelvic health conditions," said Neil Wyant, Managing Director of UH Ventures. "Our investment enables UH to be its 'living laboratory' so that we can prove out Renalis' novel approach and have an even bigger impact on patient care."

Renalis' first digital therapeutic product, "CeCe", enables patients to record and manage symptoms of Overactive Bladder (OAB) via a mobile application. The new funds will be used to amplify the research within healthcare systems like UH, support regulatory efforts, and strategically build a team to lead commercialization and technology efforts moving forward.

"We are so grateful for this latest funding round," said Renalis CEO, Missy Lavender. "We can now accelerate our go-to-market plan to deliver evidence-based solutions to chronic, expensive, and prevalent conditions like OAB to millions of patients in the U.S. and beyond."

Renalis is a Cleveland-based company committed to developing FDA-approved prescription digital therapeutics for the treatment of pelvic health disorders. The company was founded in 2017 by Missy Lavender, who has suffered from pelvic health disorders, including OAB since the birth of her first child twenty years ago. Renalis' first commercial platform is a digital therapeutic for Overactive Bladder (OAB), which affects over 33 million Americans. In the future, the company plans to launch therapeutics for menstrual disorders, stress incontinence, bowel dysfunction, and chronic pelvic pain as well as, when applicable, will target solutions for all persons with a pelvis.

Contact:

Missy Lavender (312) 287-1951

[email protected]

SOURCE Renalis

Related Links

https://www.renalis.health


JACKSONVILLE., Fla., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Heritage Capital Group, Inc., an investment banking and financial advisory firm serving middle-market and emerging growth companies in the US and worldwide, is pleased to announce the sale of an outparcel to Brightwork Real Estate. The property is located at State Road 44 and Signature Drive in Wildwood, Florida. Brightwork plans to develop a McDonald's restaurant outside the entrance to The Villages. Heritage Capital's client, the seller, wishes to remain anonymous.

Brightwork specializes in acquiring and developing commercial properties for itself and private and corporate clients.

Ed Vandergriff, President of Development Catalyst, assisted Heritage Capital Group with this transaction.

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. For information about this deal or the remaining outparcels, contact Bill Nicholson at 904-354-9600.

Media Contact:

Bill Nicholson

9043549600

[email protected]

SOURCE Heritage Capital Group
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Deep-South Resources Inc. ("Deep-South" or "the Company") (TSXV: DSM) announces that the High Court of Namibia has rendered a decision that interdicts and restrains the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Namibia to grant a mineral licence, including an Exclusive and Prospecting Licence (EPL), in terms of the Minerals Act 1992, to any Person or Company over the area covered by the Haib Copper project - EPL 3140. The interdict and restrain order are in force until the final determination of the application to the High Court to review the decision of the Minister to not renew EPL 3140.

The Court will hold another hearing on September 16, 2021, to define the steps forward with regards to the review of the decision of the Minister.

The Company will provide regular updates in this regard and any other matter concerning this situation.

As disclosed in our press release dated June 16, 2021, the Company had received notice from the Ministry informing the Company that its application for the renewal of its EPL had been denied citing the Company's inability to advance the EPL to Pre-Feasibility and complete the proposed drilling program as planned. The Company maintains that the Ministry was kept well apprised, with no objection on their part, of a proposed change from the Pre-Feasibility study to an upgraded Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) and commencement of a full feasibility study. The latter was already started. Moreover, the Ministry issued all permits required for the drilling program and are well aware that Deep-South has completed the drilling program.

As a result of the Minister's refusal to renew the Licence, the Company has terminated all work on site and has proceeded with the retrenchment of its employees on site.

The Company is vigorously contesting this decision by all means necessary and available under the Minerals (Prospecting and Mining) Act (the "Act") and other applicable laws of Namibia. In its application for renewal and subsequent representations made to the Ministry, the Company maintains that it clearly demonstrated having met all criteria under the Act to justify the renewal of its Licence.

About Deep-South Resources Inc

Deep-South Resources is a mineral exploration and development company Deep-South growth strategy is to focus on the exploration and development of quality assets in significant mineralized trends and in proximity to infrastructure in stable countries. In using and assessing environmentally friendly technologies in the development of its copper project, Deep-South embraces the green revolution.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Information contained in this news release which are not statements of historical facts may be "forward-looking information" for the purposes of Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking information. The words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "contemplate", "plan", "intends", "continue", "budget", "estimate", "may", "will", "schedule", "understand" and similar expressions identify forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things: the Minister's refusal to renew the Company's Licence, the Company's intention to contest the Minister's decision before the Courts of Namibia and the outcome of such proceedings.

Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Deep-South, are inherently subject to significant technical, political, business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Factors and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: political risks associated with the Company's operations in Namibia; the failure of the Namibian Government to comply with its continuing obligations under the Act to allow for the renewal of the Licence; the impact of changes in, or to the more aggressive enforcement of, laws, regulations and government practices; the inability of the Company and its subsidiaries to enforce their legal rights in certain circumstances. For additional risk factors, please see the Company's most recently filed Management Discussions & Analysis for its quarter ended ended February 28, 2021 available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

There can be no assurances that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as many factors and future events, both known and unknown could cause actual results, performance or achievements to vary or differ materially from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements contained herein or incorporated by reference. Accordingly, all such factors should be considered carefully when making decisions with respect to Deep-South, and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release is made as at the date hereof. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Deep-South Resources Inc.
"Provide is contributing to the Baseline Protocol to set a new standard in enterprise synchronization. The release of the Baseledger testnet and core bits of the Provide software stack today positions enterprises of all sizes and technological capabilities to adopt the standard and apply it to their own systems and processes. Baseledger adds additional security to the Provide stack to enable a novel zk-zk rollup implementation, which is critical for scaling enterprise DeFi and building new baselined fintech products and services" said Kyle Thomas, CEO of Provide.

Provide open-sourced key components required for baseline-compliant systems integration, including Ident , NChain , Privacy and Vault , to coincide with today's launch of the Baseledger testnet. This release, which is now available on GitHub , allows developers to quickly synchronize databases, ERP, CRM, accounting, compliance and other information management systems across any set of companies. The testnet will operate for several months leading up to the launch of the production network, which will be powered by $UBT.

John Wolpert, ConsenSys product executive and chair of the Baseline Protocol technical steering committee said, "One of the most important things about open standards and open source is that they help prevent vendor lock-in and lower costs for businesses. But all projects like this require reliable, affordable, and straightforward tools in order to achieve wide adoption. The Baseledger network and the Provide platform are the first to make the benefits of baselining accessible to everyone."

Marten Jung, CEO of Unibright, added, "With Baseledger we provide the missing link for enterprises aiming for a productive deployment of the Baseline Protocol across a variety of business cases at enterprise scale, powered by an incentivized ecosystem based on $UBT. Baseledger empowers enterprises to overcome restrictions of current public ledgers in terms of transaction costs, performance, compliance, integration and coordination".

Companies are already starting to use the Baseline Protocol to reduce fraud and disputes, ensure regulatory and tax compliance, synchronize accounts payable, and get access to more favorable financing terms from both traditional and DeFi sources.

Andrei Semonov, Director of Innovation at Coke One North America (CONA) said, "CONA has been working with Provide and Unibright for the past year on the Baseline Protocol. I am excited to see progress on Baseledger and to be one of the first node operators on the testnet."

ServiceNow, a leading cloud platform that helps companies deliver digital workflows in enterprise operations, has also been working with Provide over the last year. "I am convinced that the Provide technology is able to support many ServiceNow use cases that require business process synchronization and baselining. This enables our customers with the ability to scale integrations across their business networks while effectively addressing enterprise security requirements," said Nicola Attico, Senior Advisory Consultant at ServiceNow.

About Provide

Provide is a pioneer in next-generation synchronization tech and is currently focused on becoming the standard in enterprise settlement. Provide is a global leader in enterprise blockchain and is working with Fortune 500 organizations to bring scalable zero-knowledge privacy to corporate data sharing. Provide was founded by serial entrepreneur and technologist Kyle Thomas in 2017.

About Unibright

Unibright is a team of blockchain specialists, architects, developers and consultants with 20+ years of experience in business processes and integration. Unibright offers the Baseline-Blockchain Baseledger, Consulting Services with Unibright Solutions, Low-Code-Integration Tools as part of the Provide Framework, programmable DeFi with Unibright Freequity, and the Universal Business Token $UBT.

Unibright's founders Marten Jung and Stefan Schmidt look back on 20+ years of experience in software development, process integration and technology consulting. Unibright are first movers in supporting business processes with blockchain technology, enabling new and improving existing processes in efficiency, transparency and security.

Unibright's team and network offers the best architects, blockchain developers and integration specialists to build any blockchain application. Unibright is well-positioned by partnerships with the industry's top companies and resources.

About ConsenSys Mesh

Founded in 2015 by Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin, ConsenSys Mesh is an accelerator, incubator, investor, and enabler of blockchain technology solutions. Their mission is to champion global adoption and awareness of groundbreaking technologies in Web 3.0 and DeFi.

Mesh includes a portfolio of 130+ equity and token positions, runs the Tachyon startup accelerator, operates an R&D team making meaningful contributions to the Ethereum ecosystem, and has successfully incubated companies such as Gitcoin, Decrypt, Treum, ConsenSys Software Inc., and more. This interconnected network is a place for the next generation of blockchain technologies to take shape and great entrepreneurs to flourish.

About the Baseline Protocol

The Baseline Protocol is an open source initiative that combines advances in cryptography, messaging, and blockchain to deliver secure and private business processes at low cost using the public Mainnet for event ordering, data consistency and workflow integrity. The protocol will enable confidential and complex collaboration between enterprises without moving any sensitive data from traditional systems of record. The work is governed by the EEA Community Projects, which leverages the strengths of both the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA)'s and OASIS Open's leadership role in open standards and open source.

Send media enquiries to:

[email protected]

SOURCE Provide Technologies Inc.
HOUSTON and SINGAPORE, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hummingbird Bioscience, an innovative clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing precision therapies against hard-to-drug targets, today announced the appointment of Josh House as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately.

Dr. Piers Ingram, CEO and co-founder of Hummingbird Bioscience, commented, "We are delighted that Josh is joining Hummingbird as we enter our next key phase of growth. He brings strong financial expertise to the role, and our team. Combined with a proven ability to execute on capital markets and strategic transactions for biotech companies, his skills will be instrumental to our continued growth trajectory."

Mr. House has more than a decade of experience spanning capital markets, business development, strategic transactions, legal and finance roles, and has played a leading role in executing more than US$4 billion of capital markets and strategic transactions for life sciences companies. Most recently, he served as Vice President at Consonance-HFW Acquisition Corp., an NYSE-listed special purpose acquisition company focused on life sciences opportunities. Mr. House has also held senior business development and corporate strategy roles at Atara Biotherapeutics, a leading allogeneic cell therapy company. He joined Atara from Citigroup, where he was a Vice President in the healthcare investment banking group focused on executing capital markets and strategic transactions for biotechnology companies.

"I have been impressed by Hummingbird's Rational Antibody Discovery platform, wholly-owned pipeline and its dedication to developing precision therapies against hard-to-drug targets. I am excited to partner with Piers, Jerome and the Hummingbird Board of Directors and investors to deliver on our commitment to bring new therapies to patients, and to support Hummingbird in building and growing the business as it transforms into a clinical-stage biotech company," said Mr. House.

About Hummingbird Bioscience

Hummingbird Bioscience is an innovative clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing precision therapies against hard-to-drug targets to improve treatment outcomes. We harness the latest advances in systems biology and data science to better understand and solve the underlying causes of disease and guide development of our therapeutics.

Enabled by our proprietary Rational Antibody Discovery platform, we discover antibodies against optimal yet elusive epitopes on important targets that have not been successfully drugged, unlocking novel mechanisms of action. We are advancing a rich pipeline of first- and best-in-class precision therapies in oncology and autoimmunity, in collaboration with global partners in academia and industry.

Our highly experienced teams in the US and Singapore span antibody discovery, pharmacology, production and clinical development. Together we aim to accelerate the journey of new drugs from concept to clinical care. For more information, please visit www.hummingbirdbioscience.com, and follow Hummingbird on LinkedIn and Twitter (@hummingbirdbio).

SOURCE Hummingbird Bioscience

Related Links

https://hummingbirdbioscience.com/


ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) celebrated its 30,000th FORTIFIED Home designation at a home in Atlantic Beach, NC. The home's resilient roof was funded in part by the Strengthen Your Roof program operated by the North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association (NCIUA) and meets the stringent resilience requirements of the FORTIFIED program.

Based on research by IBHS, FORTIFIED is a voluntary set of above-code design, building, and retrofitting steps that strengthen homes against severe weather. It has shown in lab research and during real-world events to reduce wind damage and prevent water intrusion during a storm. NCIUA adopted the standard as its benchmark for hurricane-resilience in 2017. North Carolina's FORTIFIED numbers have since grown exponentially, and it now ranks second nationally with more than 3,000 homes built or roofed to the standard.

"The commitment by NCIUA to help homeowners minimize storm damage is the type of forward-thinking policymaking that will help entire communities bounce back faster from hurricanes like Florence, Dorian, and Isaias that batter the North Carolina coast year after year," said IBHS President and CEO Roy Wright. "It is not fate alone that determines which homes are devastated by hurricanes. The decisions we make as we build and re-roof our homes play a significant role in how we weather a storm."

NCIUA, in partnership with the Institute for Advanced Analytics at North Carolina State University, has completed an analysis of the effectiveness of IBHS FORTIFIED Roofs in North Carolina using claims data from Hurricanes Matthew, Florence, Dorian and Isaias. The study concluded that policyholders with an IBHS FORTIFIED Roof were 35 percent less likely to experience a claim. And, if the policyholder with the IBHS FORTIFIED Roof did experience a claim, the claim resulted in 22 percent less damage.

NCIUA has several pilot programs to assist eligible policyholders obtain a FORTIFIED Roof. NCIUA (1) pays the cost for an IBHS evaluator for policyholders who are electing to replace their roofs; (2) provides an enhancement coverage endorsement to over 125,000 policyholders that gives up to a $5,000 benefit if a roof must be replaced due to a total loss; and (3) provides grants up to $6,000 for policyholders on the Outer Banks and Barrier Islands to install a FORTIFIED Roof.

Mike Causey, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner said, "Since being sworn in January 2017, it has been an honor to work with NCIUA on developing these pilot programs to help our coastal residents. We have over 3,000 homeowners along the North Carolina coast with an IBHS Fortified Roof. My goal as Insurance Commissioner is to make sure our coastal areas retain their beauty and strength while keeping North Carolina residents safe. I commend those who have participated in one of the programs for taking positive steps to strengthen their roofs so that we build more resilient coastal communities."

Gina Hardy, NCIUA CEO commented, "NCIUA has invested over $22 million to improve the resilience of our coastal communities. Eliminating or minimizing storm damage allows our policyholders to return home after a storm and quickly restore their lives. Additionally, our pilot programs help local contractors while reducing the impact of a storm on the local economy. In 2021, NCIUA is pleased to be investing up to another $25 million in the program."

"For every home that is FORTIFIED, a family is safer, and their lives are less disrupted from the effects of a destructive storm. I am committed to helping Commissioner Causey and NCIUA look for ways to expand the pilot program to serve even more coastal policyholders," said North Carolina Representative Pat McElraft.

Currently, homeowners receiving NCIUA Strengthen Your Roof grants are subject to federal taxes, but NCIUA is supporting legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate by North Carolina Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis (S. 2432) and the U.S. House of Representatives (HR 4675) with the support of North Carolina Congressman David Rouzer (NC-7). The proposed law would eliminate federal taxation on the grants.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, who endorses the legislation, stated, "This legislation is needed to protect North Carolina residents who receive Strengthen Your Roof grants from having to pay federal income tax on the grant money they receive. This bipartisan legislation ensures that state-based disaster mitigation grants, including those from insurers like NCIUA, receive the same federal tax exemptions as federal mitigation grants and help provide greater incentives for homeowners to take action to protect their homes from natural disasters.

The special ceremony celebrating IBHS's 30,000th FORTIFIED designation was held at the Atlantic Beach home of James and Trish Moss. Gina Hardy, CEO, NCIUA; Mike Causey, Commissioner, North Carolina Department of Insurance; Joe Stewart, Vice President of Government Affairs for Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina; Julie Shiyou-Woodard, President and CEO, Smart Home America; Spencer Rogers, Director, North Carolina Sea Grant were in attendance.

For more information about the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety or for tips and information about making your home more resilient to severe weather visit www.disastersafety.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Strengthen Your Roof

The Strengthen Your Roof program is designed to improve the resiliency and weather-resistance of properties insured by NCIUA. It provides money to offset some of the replacement costs to upgrade qualified roofs to the IBHS FORTIFIED Roof standard. Visit https://strengthenyourroof.com/Home/NCIUA for more information.

About the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)

The IBHS mission is to conduct objective, scientific research to identify and promote effective actions that strengthen homes, businesses and communities against natural disasters and other causes of loss. Learn more about IBHS at DisasterSafety.org.

About FORTIFIED Home

Visit www.fortifiedhome.org to learn more about the IBHS FORTIFIED Home program, including the designation process, how to identify a certified FORTIFIED evaluator, and other valuable resources.

SOURCE Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)

Related Links

www.disastersafety.org


TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - IKO, a North American pioneer in the manufacture of residential and commercial roofing products, announced today that it has acquired New Zealand based Ross Roof Group (RRG).

RRG is a manufacturer and exporter of stone coated metal roof tiles that has operated as a family owned enterprise for nearly 80 years. RRG will join IKO's global operations under the RoofTile Group (RTG) banner as part of the company's expanding footprint in the metal roofing industry.

"Ross Roof Group and its employees share many common traits with our own global operations, from family ownership and values to its long history of industry leading quality products," notes Hartley Koschitzky, Co-Chairman of IKO. "We look forward to having the RRG team joining our operations, and continuing to serve their customers with the goods and services they have come to expect from such a respected brand."

About IKO

IKO is a world-wide leader in the roofing, waterproofing and insulation industry for residential and commercial markets. A vertically integrated company, IKO operates more than 35 manufacturing plants throughout North America, Europe and the Pacific. IKO is a family owned business established in 1951.

Copyright 2021 IKO. All rights reserved. For media or industry analyst support, please visit our website at http://www.iko.com. Follow us on:

Linkedin | Pinterest | Houzz | Youtube | SlideShare

SOURCE IKO Industries

Related Links

www.iko.com


DUBLIN, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Advanced Analytics Market By Type, By Deployment Type, By Enterprise Size, By End User, By Regional Outlook, COVID-19 Impact Analysis Report and Forecast, 2021 - 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Advanced Analytics Market size is expected to reach $56.2 billion by 2027, rising at a market growth of 23.1% CAGR during the forecast period. Advanced analytics refers to the process of examining the data with the help of advanced techniques and tools. Techniques such as data simulation, optimization, and mining are used for descriptive, predictive, and statistics data to provide knowledge to deal with business intelligence (BI). It provides broad and in-depth analytics that are anticipated to deliver organizations a better understanding of their information.

Nowadays, there is a trend of social media platforms, which is providing internet vendors abundant data and information. Conventional analytics techniques and tools fail to identify hidden patterns in data whereas advanced analytics market tools support extracting the hidden information, that is later used by organizations to give prominent understanding to their customers' behavior. Advanced analytics also support companies to customize their offerings to customers by utilizing the extracted hidden information.

The key factor contributing to the high growth of the advanced analytics market is the increasing amount of business data across the world. Therefore, this industry is rapidly growing with the pace of time. Advanced analytics is a wide area of inspection, which is used to do modifications and improve business operations. It involves the use of mathematical operations to gain insights into the data. It supports the creation of suggestions, finding hidden insights, and forecast predictions.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, everything is disrupted, from the customer behavior to supply chains and eventually creating an economic slowdown, which is causing further changes. The imposition of several restrictions around the world forced the population to stay locked inside their houses. The pandemic has augmented the use of analytics and AI in many companies.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an increase in the deployment of advanced analytics in businesses to secure business continuity and process optimization. Advanced analytics is gaining popularity due to its deployment in the businesses along with the improvements in the latest technologies like data mining, neural networks, machine learning, multivariate statistics, semantic analysis, and the growing data volumes generated by organizations.

Type Outlook

Based on Type, the market is segmented into Big Data Analytics, Business Analytics, Customer Analytics, Risk Analytics, Statistical Analysis and Others. The big data analytics segment dominated the market in 2020, with the largest share in the market. The factors responsible for the massive growth of this segment are the rising popularity of social media and the growing number of digital or virtual offices that generate large volumes of data. Information management is arising as a section where big data analytics have a positive impact on business productivity and processes.

Deployment Type Outlook

Based on Deployment Type, the market is segmented into On-premise and Cloud. The on-premise segment acquired the largest share in revenue in 2020. Companies are adopting on-premise analytics to get the authority and more flexibility to personalize their IT infrastructure. It also provides the facility to the organizations to secure their data from any illegal activities & failures, and decrease the dependency on the internet infrastructure.

Enterprise Size Outlook

Based on Enterprise Size, the market is segmented into Large Enterprises and Small & Medium Enterprises. With the growing number of small and medium enterprises in nations like Japan, Singapore, Australia, and China, there is an increase in the adoption of cutting-edge analytics. Several governments of the nations are taking initiatives to offer funds to small and medium enterprises for implementing cloud-based solutions that will contribute to the growth of the small and medium enterprises segment.

End User Outlook

Based on End User, the market is segmented into BFSI, IT & Telecom, Military & Defense, Healthcare, Government and Others. The IT & Telecommunications segment is rising the demand for collaboration tools like web conferencing and video conferencing, thereby propelling the growth of the advanced analytics market during the forecast period. Companies are deploying analytical tools and techniques to avoid illegal transactions like cloning, unauthorized access, and illegitimate authorization. Telecom operators having a large subscriber base are deploying big data analytics to make micro-segmentation and customize the needs of the individual customer.

Regional Outlook

Based on Regions, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, Middle East & Africa. The Asia Pacific regional market is expected to witness a promising growth rate during the forecast period. Companies in the region are highly deploying big data analytics tools and solutions to cope up with the growing cases of digital fraud. The rise in the e-commerce industry in nations like Malaysia, China, Singapore, India, and Japan, has contributed to the rising demand for predictive analytics over the forecast period.

Cardinal Matrix - Advanced Analytics Market Competition Analysis

The major strategies followed by the market participants are Partnerships. Based on the Analysis presented in the Cardinal matrix; Microsoft Corporation is the major forerunner in the Advanced Analytics Market. Companies such as Oracle Corporation, IBM Corporation and SAP SE are some of the key innovators in the market.

The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include SAS Institute, Inc., SAP SE, IBM Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Dell Technologies, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, RapidMiner, Inc., Altair Engineering, Inc., Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO), and KNIME AG.

Unique Offerings from the Publisher

Exhaustive coverage

The highest number of market tables and figures

Subscription-based model available

Guaranteed best price

Assured post sales research support with 10% customization free

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Market Scope & Methodology



Chapter 2. Market Overview

2.1 Introduction

2.1.1 Overview

2.1.2 Market Composition and Scenario

2.2 Key Factors Impacting the Market

2.2.1 Market Drivers

2.2.2 Market Restraints



Chapter 3. Competition Analysis - Global

3.1 Cardinal Matrix

3.2 Recent Industry Wide Strategic Developments

3.2.1 Partnerships, Collaborations and Agreements

3.2.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions

3.2.3 Acquisition and Mergers

3.3 Top Winning Strategies

3.3.1 Key Leading Strategies: Percentage Distribution (2017-2021)

3.3.2 Key Strategic Move: (Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements: 2017, Feb - 2021, May) Leading Players



Chapter 4. Global Advanced Analytics Market by Type

4.1 Global Advanced Analytics Big Data Analytics Market by Region

4.2 Global Advanced Analytics Business Analytics Market by Region

4.3 Global Advanced Analytics Customer Analytics Market by Region

4.4 Global Advanced Analytics Risk Analytics Market by Region

4.5 Global Advanced Analytics Statistical Analysis Market by Region

4.6 Global Other Type Advanced Analytics Market by Region



Chapter 5. Global Advanced Analytics Market by Deployment Type

5.1 Global On-premise Advanced Analytics Market by Region

5.2 Global Cloud Advanced Analytics Market by Region



Chapter 6. Global Advanced Analytics Market by Enterprise Size

6.1 Global Large Enterprises Advanced Analytics Market by Region

6.2 Global Small & Medium Enterprises Advanced Analytics Market by Region



Chapter 7. Global Advanced Analytics Market by End User

7.1 Global BFSI Advanced Analytics Market by Region

7.2 Global IT & Telecom Advanced Analytics Market by Region

7.3 Global Military & Defense Advanced Analytics Market by Region

7.4 Global Healthcare Advanced Analytics Market by Region

7.5 Global Government Advanced Analytics Market by Region

7.6 Global Others Advanced Analytics Market by Region



Chapter 8. Global Advanced Analytics Market by Region



Chapter 9. Company Profiles

9.1 SAS Institute, Inc.

9.1.1 Company Overview

9.1.2 Recent Strategies and Developments:

9.1.2.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.1.2.2 Acquisitions and Mergers:

9.2 SAP SE

9.2.1 Company Overview

9.2.2 Financial Analysis

9.2.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.2.4 Research & Development Expense

9.2.1 Recent Strategies and Developments:

9.2.1.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.2.1.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.2.2 SWOT Analysis

9.3 IBM Corporation

9.3.1 Company Overview

9.3.2 Financial Analysis

9.3.3 Regional & Segmental Analysis

9.3.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.3.5 Recent Strategies and Developments:

9.3.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.3.5.2 Acquisitions and Mergers:

9.3.6 SWOT Analysis

9.4 Oracle Corporation

9.4.1 Company Overview

9.4.2 Financial Analysis

9.4.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.4.4 Research & Development Expense

9.4.5 Recent Strategies and Developments:

9.4.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.4.5.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.4.6 SWOT Analysis

9.5 Microsoft Corporation

9.5.1 Company Overview

9.5.2 Financial Analysis

9.5.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.5.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.5.5 Recent Strategies and Developments:

9.5.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.5.5.2 Acquisitions and Mergers:

9.5.5.3 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.5.6 SWOT Analysis

9.6 RapidMiner, Inc.

9.6.1 Company Overview

9.6.2 Recent Strategies and Developments:

9.6.2.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.6.2.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.7 Altair Engineering, Inc.

9.7.1 Company Overview

9.7.2 Financial Analysis

9.7.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.7.4 Research & Development Expenses

9.7.5 Recent Strategies and Developments:

9.7.5.1 Acquisitions and Mergers:

9.7.5.2 Product Launches and Product Expansions:

9.7.6 SWOT Analysis

9.8 Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO)

9.8.1 Company Overview

9.8.2 Financial Analysis

9.8.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.8.4 Research & Development Expense

9.8.5 Recent Strategies and Developments:

9.8.5.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements:

9.8.5.2 Acquisitions and Mergers:

9.8.6 SWOT Analysis

9.9 Dell Technologies, Inc. (Statsoft)

9.9.1 Company Overview

9.9.2 Financial Analysis

9.9.3 Segmental and Regional Analysis

9.9.4 Research & Development Expense

9.9.5 Recent Strategies and Developments:

9.9.5.1 Product launches and Product Expansions:

9.9.6 SWOT Analysis:

9.10. KNIME AG

9.10.1 Company Overview

9.10.2 Recent Strategies and Developments:

9.10.2.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Agreements

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pi3gsa

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA), a leading medical genetics company, today announced that members of its management team will participate in a virtual fireside chat at the Morgan Stanley 19th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, at 12:30pm Eastern Time.

The live webcast of the virtual fireside chat may be accessed by visiting the investors section of the company website at ir.invitae.com. A replay of the webcast will be available shortly after the conclusion of the virtual fireside chat.

About Invitae

Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA) is a leading medical genetics company, whose mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medicine to improve healthcare for billions of people. Invitae's goal is to aggregate the world's genetic tests into a single service with higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower prices. For more information, visit the company's website at invitae.com.

Contact:

[email protected]

(628) 213-3369

SOURCE Invitae Corporation

Related Links

www.invitae.com


MT. PLEASANT, Mich., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Isabella Bank Corporation (OTCQX: ISBA), (the "Corporation" or "Isabella") announced today that it has commenced a modified "Dutch auction" tender offer (the "Tender Offer") to purchase for cash up to $20,000,000 of shares of its common stock (the "Common Stock") at a price per share not less than $23.00 and not greater than $27.00, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest. The maximum purchase price of $27.00 represents a 14.89% premium over the last reported sale price of the Common Stock of $23.50 per share on August 31, 2021. The Tender Offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 13, 2021, unless extended or terminated.

"In June, we completed a successful $30 million subordinated debt raise to assist us with market growth, provide additional capital and enable us to continue our stock buyback program," said Jae A. Evans, President & CEO of Isabella Bank Corporation. "This tender offer gives us the ability to repurchase common stock and provide an opportunity for our shareholders to liquidate their shares and potentially receive a premium over the closing price as of August 31, 2021."

If the Tender Offer is fully subscribed, the Corporation will purchase between 740,741 shares and 869,565, or between 9.32% and 10.94%, respectively, of the Corporation's outstanding Common Stock. Any shares tendered may be withdrawn prior to expiration of the Tender Offer. Shareholders that do not wish to participate in the Tender Offer do not need to take any action.

A modified "Dutch auction" tender offer allows shareholders to indicate how many shares of Common Stock and at what price within the range described above they wish to tender their shares. Based on the number of shares tendered and the prices specified by the tendering shareholders, the Corporation will determine the lowest per-share price that will enable it to acquire up to $20,000,000 of Common Stock. All shares accepted in the Tender Offer will be purchased at the same price even if tendered at a lower price.

To tender shares of Common Stock, shareholders must follow the instructions described in the "Offer to Purchase" and the "Letter of Transmittal" that the Corporation is filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). These documents contain important information about the terms and conditions of the Tender Offer and will be mailed to all registered holders.

The Tender Offer will not be contingent upon any minimum number of shares being tendered or any financing conditions. The Tender Offer will, however, be subject to other conditions, which will be disclosed in the Offer to Purchase. The Corporation's Board of Directors (the "Board") believes that a modified "Dutch auction" tender offer is an efficient mechanism that will provide all shareholders with the opportunity to tender all or a portion of their shares.

The Board has authorized the Tender Offer. However, none of the Corporation, the Board, the information agent, the depositary or any of their respective affiliates are making any recommendation to shareholders as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering their shares in the Tender Offer or as to the price at which shareholders may choose to tender their shares. No person is authorized to make any such recommendation. Shareholders must decide how many shares they will tender, if any, and the price within the stated range at which they will offer their shares for purchase. Shareholders are urged to discuss their decisions with their own tax advisors, financial advisors and/or brokers.

The information agent for the Tender Offer is Debra A. Campbell, Secretary, Isabella Bank Corporation, and the depositary is Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc. The Offer to Purchase, the Letter of Transmittal and related documents will be mailed to registered holders. Beneficial holders will receive the Offer to Purchase and a communication from their bank, broker or custodian. For questions and information, please call the information agent at (989) 779-6237.

Certain Information Regarding the Tender Offer

The information in this press release describing the Tender Offer is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell shares of Common Stock in the Tender Offer. The Tender Offer is being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and the related materials that the Corporation is filing with the SEC, and will distribute to its shareholders, as they may be amended or supplemented. Shareholders should read such Offer to Purchase and related materials carefully and in their entirety because they contain important information, including the various terms and conditions of the Tender Offer. Shareholders of the Corporation may obtain a free copy of the Tender Offer statement on Schedule TO, the Offer to Purchase and other documents that the Corporation is filing with the SEC from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Shareholders also will be able to obtain a copy of these documents, without charge, from Debra A. Campbell, Secretary, Isabella Bank Corporation, the information agent for the Tender Offer, at (989) 779-6237. Shareholders are urged to carefully read all of these materials prior to making any decision with respect to the Tender Offer. Shareholders and investors who have questions or need assistance may call Debra A. Campbell at (989) 779-6237.

About Isabella Bank Corporation

Isabella Bank Corporation (OTCQX: ISBA) is the parent holding company of Isabella Bank, a state chartered bank headquartered in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Isabella Bank was established in 1903 and has been committed to serving the local banking needs of its customers and communities for 118 years. The Bank offers personal and commercial lending and deposit products, as well as investment, trust and estate planning services through Isabella Wealth. The Bank has locations throughout seven Mid-Michigan counties: Clare, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, and Saginaw.

For more information about Isabella Bank Corporation, visit the Invest in Us link at www.isabellabank.com. Isabella Bank Corporation common stock is quoted on the OTCQX tier of the OTC Markets Group, Inc.'s electronic quotation system (www.otcmarkets.com) under the symbol "ISBA." The Corporation's market maker is Boenning & Scattergood, Inc. (www.boenninginc.com) and its investor relations firm is Renmark Financial Communications, Inc. (www.renmarkfinancial.com).

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The foregoing information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements, notes and other information contained in Isabella's 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. This press release contains statements about Isabella's future that are not statements of historical fact. These statements are "forward looking statements" for purposes of applicable securities laws, and are based on current information and/or management's good faith belief as to future events. The words "estimate," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," and similar expressions signify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risk and uncertainties, which change over time; and actual performance could differ materially from those anticipated by any forward-looking statements. In particular, any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting governmental and societal responses. Isabella undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

SOURCE Isabella Bank Corporation

Related Links

www.renmarkfinancial.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Design leader John Edson has joined PA Consulting (PA), the consultancy that's bringing ingenuity to life, as a Partner. He will lead PA's US design and engineering practice and oversee the teams who joined us from Astro Studios, Essential Design, and Cooper Perkins.

John brings 30 years' experience as a designer, advisor, and educator, specializing in connecting design outcomes to business objectives. In the past five years, he has led new design initiatives to deliver $1 billion in top line growth through new products and services for clients.

John is the founder and principal of John by Design, a firm he created after leaving McKinsey & Company where he served as Partner. Previously John was the President of LUNAR, the renowned design and engineering firm that was acquired by McKinsey in 2015. During John's time there, LUNAR was recognized by Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum with the National Design Award for significant contributions to society through their work. John also authored Design Like Apple, sharing insight into how leading companies get the most out of their investments in design process, design culture and design outcomes. Additionally he has served as an adjunct faculty member at Stanford University focused on design, visual thinking, design thinking, and creative problem solving.

PA's global design and engineering team bring together decades of experiences realizing design centric innovations for their clients. Recent examples include Guide Beauty's line of award winning, universally designed beauty tools, Hydrow, an innovative rowing machine named one of the Best Inventions of 2020 by Time Magazine, and Sure Chill, a revolutionary low energy device for keeping vaccines cool as they ship around world.

Ken Toombs, PA Consulting CEO, says: "I am delighted to welcome John to the team. He will oversee the growth of our US-based design and engineering teams to ingeniously solve our clients' end-to-end design and innovation challenges. John's standing in the industry, as well as his ability to make real impact on how businesses use design to their advantage, will be a huge asset to PA and our clients."

John Edson, US Head of Design and Engineering at PA Consulting, says: "I am thrilled and privileged to lead a talented team of thinkers, dreamers, leaders, creators and builders to solve our clients' toughest challenges. By combining world class design talent with cutting edge science, engineering, and technology capabilities, we will show the world the value of design and what the next generation of consulting can be."

About PA.

We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future in a technology-driven world. As strategies, technologies and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity. Our diverse teams of experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough use of technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results. An innovation and transformation consultancy, we are 3,300 specialists in consumer and manufacturing, defense and security, energy and utilities, financial services, government and public services, health and life sciences, and transport. Our people are strategists, innovators, designers, consultants, digital experts, scientists, engineers and technologists. We operate globally from offices across the UK, US, Netherlands and Nordics. Discover more at paconsulting.com and connect with PA on LinkedIn and Twitter. PA. Bringing Ingenuity to Life.

SOURCE PA Consulting

Related Links

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CHICAGO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Father-son duo of John's Crazy Socks, Mark and John Cronin, will be visiting Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago September 2nd at 3pm CST to kickoff Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month and donating "cancer fighting socks" to the kids who are receiving in-patient and out-patient care.

John Cronin, the 24-year-old entrepreneur with Down Syndrome, is the co-founder and Chief Happiness Officer of John's Crazy Socks. Alongside his father Mark, the two have created a social enterprise with a mission to spread happiness and show what people with differing abilities can achieve.

As a business leader, John has created a business where more than half the employees have a differing ability. John's Crazy Socks has shipped over 360,000 orders to more than 85 different countries and earned over 27,000 5-star online reviews.

"We are grateful to have John's Crazy Socks join us in the fight against pediatric cancer. As we prepare to launch our #GoldTogether initiative to increase awareness, support families facing a diagnosis, and raise funds to end childhood cancer, it is critical to have passionate partners like Mark and John who are committed to helping us lead the fight for a world without pediatric cancer, all while spreading joy," shared Wayne White, Executive Vice President of the American Cancer Society.

"The American Cancer Society does so much to support research and make a positively impact the lives of families and people battling cancer. As John always says Down Syndrome has never held him back. He and our entire team are putting our energy into supporting ACS and their new #GoldTogether initiative," said Mark Cronin.

Additionally, throughout the month of September, John's Crazy Socks will be donating ten percent of the sale of all childhood cancer awareness socks to the American Cancer Society. More information can be found at johnscrazysocks.com.

About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 1.5 million volunteers dedicated to saving lives, celebrating lives, and leading the fight for a world without cancer. From breakthrough research, to free lodging near treatment, a 24/7/365 live helpline, free rides to treatment, and convening powerful activists to create awareness and impact, the Society is attacking cancer from every angle. The Society does not endorse any product or service. For more information go to www.cancer.org

About John's Crazy Socks

John's Crazy Socks was inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, and his love of colorful and fun sockswhat he calls his "crazy socks." He and his father, Mark X. Cronin, started the company as a social enterprise with a mission to spread happiness. They spread happiness by offering the socks you can love that let you express yourself, by giving back, by creating jobs for people with differing abilities and spreading happiness.

For more information about John's Crazy Socks, visit their Facebook page , Instagram account or YouTube channel . You can also contact John's Crazy Socks at 631-760-5625 or via email at [email protected].

CONTACT: Angela Stacy

[email protected]

SOURCE American Cancer Society North Central Region
- Guido Durrer, president & CEO, to retire at the end of the year

- Tao Liu joins the company as deputy CEO, transitioning to president and CEO in 2022

- Four-month change process will enable seamless transition and continued success

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Joyson Safety Systems (JSS), a leading global supplier of mobility safety components and systems, today announced that President and CEO Guido Durrer will retire from his current position on December 31, 2021. The company also announced that Tao Liu has joined JSS as deputy CEO, with plans to name him president and CEO on January 1, 2022, following a four-month transition of leadership.

"We will be forever grateful for the legacy that Guido has etched on our entire organization, including his leadership through our corporate integration and strong guidance during the challenges of the pandemic," said Jeff Wang, Joyson Group chairman. "Our company and leadership team are dedicated to making this a seamless and smooth transition. Using the next four months for Guido and Tao to work closely together will position us well for continued growth and success."

Following a career that spanned more than three decades of leadership roles in the automotive industry, Durrer joined Joyson Safety Systems shortly after its formation in 2018 as the company's first president and CEO. Immediately following his retirement, Durrer will assume an advisory role in the chairman's office, and he will continue to serve as a board member of JSS.

Liu joins JSS from Nexteer, most recently serving as its president and global COO, responsible for growth, value chain management and profit & loss performance across all divisions. Previously, he held senior operations positions with Delphi Steering and Metaldyne.

Liu will be based in the JSS global headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Tao Liu head shot: https://bit.ly/3Dz6OfS

Guido Durrer head shot: https://bit.ly/3gJ7G7S

About Joyson Safety Systems

Joyson Safety Systems is a global leader in mobility safety providing safety-critical components, systems and technologies to automotive and non-automotive markets. Joyson Safety Systems is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA, with a global network of more than 50,000 employees in 25 countries. It is a subsidiary of Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp. (SHA: 600699, "Joyson Electronics").

Media Contacts

Bryan Johnson

Director, Global Communications

Joyson Safety Systems

+1 248 766-9028

[email protected]

SOURCE Joyson Safety Systems
In this study, researchers compared the reliability of three personal ECG devices for the detection of atrial fibrillation in 220 consecutive patients with AF presenting for electrical cardioversion (ECV) through a single-center, prospective, non-randomized and adjudicator-blinded study. The authors collected standard 12-lead ECG recordings immediately followed by four times 30 seconds of ECG recordings from three different devices, including the Withings  Move ECG, Apple Watch  Series 5 and the KardiaMobile 6L, for every patient prior to the ECV. Standard 12L-ECGs were interpreted by a cardiologist. Sensitivity and specificity were determined for each AF detection algorithm and for the interpretation of the data from each device by a cardiologist.

"We are excited to see our KardiaMobile 6L device is superior to other commercially-available personal ECGs in this first-of-its-kind study," said Dr. Dave Albert, Chief Medical Officer and Founder, AliveCor. "We are continuously advancing our technology and strive to further optimize the specificity of our KardiaMobile technology."

The results demonstrate the sensitivity/specificity were similar overall for the AF algorithms used on all three devices (Withings 98%/95%, Apple 94%/98%, Kardia 99%/91%. P>0.05 for all), but the KardiaMobile 6L device was the most sensitive test with the highest proportion of suspected AF (57%). All devices in the study shared a comparable proportion of uninterpretable ECGs (P>0.05 for all). Despite removing the watches from the wrist and recording Lead II in addition to Lead I, cardiologist interpretation of the KardiaMobile 6L was the best with a sensitivity of 99%/97% for atrial fibrillation and had double the accuracy when detecting atrial flutter (63% vs 28% and 33% for the Withings and Apple Watches respectively). The authors concluded, "Kardia 6L (is) superior to the single-lead devices."

About KardiaMobile 6L

The KardiaMobile 6L device is the first and only six-lead personal ECG cleared by the FDA. It detects more arrhythmias than any other personal ECG device. KardiaMobile 6L provides instant detection of Atrial Fibrillation, Bradycardia, Tachycardia, Sinus Rhythm with Supraventricular Ectopy, Sinus Rhythm with Premature Ventricular Contractions, Sinus Rhythm with Wide QRS and Normal Heart Rhythm in an ECG. Cardiologists can also utilize readings from KardiaMobile 6L to measure the QT interval, which is a significant risk factor for a number of medications as well as congenital issues.

About AliveCor

AliveCor, Inc. is transforming cardiological care using deep learning. The FDA-cleared KardiaMobile device is the most clinically validated personal ECG solution in the world. KardiaMobile 6L provides instant detection of Atrial Fibrillation, Bradycardia, Tachycardia, Sinus Rhythm with Supraventricular Ectopy, Sinus Rhythm with Premature Ventricular Contractions, Sinus Rhythm with Wide QRS and Normal Heart Rhythm in an ECG. Kardia is the first AI-enabled platform to aid patients and clinicians in the early detection of atrial fibrillation, the most common arrhythmia and one associated with a highly elevated risk of stroke. AliveCor's enterprise platform allows third party providers to manage their patients' and customers' heart conditions simply and profitably using state-of-the-art tools that provide easy front-end and back-end integration to AliveCor technologies. AliveCor protects its customers with stringent data security and compliance practices , achieving HIPAA compliance and SOC2 Type 1 and Type 2 attestations. AliveCor is a privately held company headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. "Consumer" or "personal" ECGs are ECG devices available for direct sale to consumers. For more information, visit alivecor.com .

Apple and Apple Watch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions.

Withings is a registered trademark of Withings.

1 Abstract title: A comparison of over-the-counter available smartwatches and devices for electrocardiogram based detection of atrial fibrillation

SOURCE AliveCor, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.alivecor.com


PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 9/11 forever changed the American Muslim narrativebut the stories told about that day and the decades since rarely center on American Muslims themselves. King of the World , a seven-part narrative nonfiction podcast from Rifelion Media , explores the past 20 years from the perspective of a Pakistani American Muslim as he graduated from high school. Host Shahjehan Khan, with the input of experts, victims and friends, interweaves his own very personal journey with that of the American Muslim community as a whole. An actor and musician, Shahjehan delves into identity conflict, policy, discrimination, culture and mental health amidst the often misportrayed American Muslim experience.

Negative portrayals of Muslims since 9/11 have profoundly influenced pop culture, attitudes, and politics. In fact, 44% of Americans believe there is a natural conflict between Islam and democracy. It's time we share our own accountone of compassion, courage and a unique perspective on how much the American Muslim community has endured...and persevered.

"King of the World is an opportunity to not only tell my story, but to help us all make sense of what happened over these last 20 years," said host Shahjehan Khan. "The podcast will help listeners understand the wider and often devastating impacts that cultural conversations and policies have had on Muslims."

Episodes parallel the effects of 9/11, the War on Terror, the Patriot Act, Islamophobia, Trump's Muslim Ban, and more with Shahjehan's poignant and sometimes comical journey thought addiction, creativity, and belonging.

Released weekly starting Wednesday, September 1st.

"Regardless of whether you are Muslim or not, Shahjehan's story is one all of us can relate to," said Rifelion producer and founder Asad Butt. "We're excited to share more stories like his over the coming years through Rifelion."

About Rifelion:

Rifelion is a minority-owned media company elevating diverse voices, founded to combat the negative stereotypes of Muslims in the media as well as create content by and featuring others in the minority majority. Media profoundly influences pop culture, attitudes, and politicsdiversity, equity, and inclusion are necessary steps toward thoughtful and lasting representation for those whose stories have been distorted, erased, and ignored.

Contact: Ariana Donaville, [email protected]

SOURCE Rifelion
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- King's Hawaiian has settled its seventh trade dress lawsuit over packaging that the market-leading manufacturer of Hawaiian sweet bread products alleged infringed its intellectual property rights in its iconic orange packaging.

On Wednesday, September 1, 2021, after agreeing to a confidential settlement with Super Store Industries and Save Mart Supermarkets, King's Hawaiian dismissed its latest trade dress lawsuit filed in federal court. In the lawsuit, King's Hawaiian alleged the Sunnyside Farms branded "Hawaiian" roll packaging infringed King's Hawaiian's intellectual property rights in the well-known packaging that King's Hawaiian uses with its famous, beloved Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls.

While the terms of the settlement agreement are confidential, King's Hawaiian President Chad Donvito said King's Hawaiian is "pleased with the settlement" and the resolution of the lawsuit. Donvito described the King's Hawaiian sweet dinner roll packaging as "highly distinctive" and a "core part of the King's Hawaiian brand image."

The confidential settlement resolves the lawsuit King's Hawaiian filed against Super Store Industries in a federal court in Sacramento, California, earlier this year in April. The specific terms and conditions of the agreement are confidential, but King's Hawaiian confirmed that the Parties have settled the pending litigation and that the Sunnyside Farms packaging at issue in the lawsuit will be changed.

Reiterating the sentiments of his predecessor John Linehan, Donvito shared, "The King's Hawaiian packaging trade dress is one of our most valuable assets, and something that the family ownership of the company takes great pride in having developed. In order to protect it, we have assembled an excellent legal team to enforce our intellectual property rights in the trade dress." Donvito added, "We have invested significant time and resources and it is our intent that this legal team will take appropriate action to protect our trade dress any time, in any place, and at any cost."

King's Hawaiian has filed and satisfactorily settled similar lawsuits over its distinctive packaging in recent years in federal district courts across the United States against Sprouts Farmer's Market (2015), Alpha Baking Company (2016), Aldi (2016 and 2019), Pan-O-Gold Baking Company (2018), and Southern Bakeries and Harlan Bakeries (2021). King's Hawaiian has also resolved other instances of alleged infringement on favorable terms without the need to file a lawsuit in federal court.

For reference

The case against Super Store Industries is King's Hawaiian Holding Company, Inc., et al. v. Super Store Industries, et al., case number 2:21-cv-00648-KJM-AC, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division.

King's Hawaiian's intellectual property enforcement legal team is led by Scott B. Kidman of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP and Brian M. Wheeler of Atkinson Andelson Loya Ruud & Romo.

About King's Hawaiian: Founded more than 70 years ago in Hilo, Hawaii, by Robert R. Taira, KING'S HAWAIIAN is a family-owned business that for three generations has been dedicated to providing irresistible foods made with Aloha Spirit. A priority for the company is sharing the Hawaiian Way  a uniquely Hawaiian approach to hospitality based on graciousness, generosity, and a commitment to making everyone feel a part of the KING'S HAWAIIAN 'ohana' (extended family). KING'S HAWAIIAN makes the #1 branded dinner roll in the United States, along with other great products, including hamburger buns, hot dog buns, sandwich bread and more. The company operates baking facilities in Torrance, California, and Oakwood, Georgia. For more information, visit the company's website at www.KingsHawaiian.com and follow KING'S HAWAIIAN on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

SOURCE King's Hawaiian

Related Links

https://kingshawaiian.com


WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. , Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal-Bay, The premiere Presettlement Funding Company, reports a recent uptick in filings against Combe Incorporated, the company behind Just for Men hair dyes. Individual lawsuits have been filed in places like Louisiana, Florida, and North Carolina, while a class-action suit has been filed in Missouri. Plaintiffs allege that the hair dye causes painful skin burns after use, and may also cause permanent disfigurement in the form of vitiligo, a depigmentation of the skin.

The Just for Men dyes contain para-phenylenediamine (PPD) , a popular hair-dyeing ingredient that's used in over 60% of both professional and at-home hair coloring products currently on the market. However, PPD is a known allergen for certain people, some of whom are completely unaware of their allergy until they experience a negative reaction after using it. Just for Men saw a 500% increase in sales as numerous people attempted do-it-yourself hair care during Covid shutdowns, but the increase in users led to additional allergic reactions, and subsequently, more lawsuits.

If you are involved in a Just for Men lawsuit and need an immediate cash advance against your pending settlement, you can apply HERE or call: 877.571.0405

At this time, Legal-Bay's sources have advised them that Just for Men is privately settling some cases with values for serious injuries in the $100K range. Unfortunately, Just for Men has been slow to pay out any settlements to date.

Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay , commented, "We continue to assist victims of Just for Men despite no timeline as to when settlements will be finalized or when payouts will actually occur. It is clear that Covid has slowed the payment process, however at this time we have no timetable for when the litigation will pick back up or plaintiffs with serious injuries will be paid."

To apply right now, please visit the company's website HERE or call toll-free at: 877.571.0405 where agents are standing by.

Legal-Bay's pre-settlement funding programs are designed to provide immediate cash in advance of a plaintiff's anticipated monetary award. The non-recourse funding is risk-free, as the money doesn't need to be repaid should the recipient lose their case.

Contact:

Chris Janish, CEO

Email: [email protected]

Ph.: 877.571.0405

Website: www.Legal-Bay.com

SOURCE Legal-Bay, LLC
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Litmaps, a Science software company based in Wellington, New Zealand has received NZ$125,000 in funding from Quidnet Ventures, a New Zealand-based venture capital fund with operations in Auckland, NZ, San Francisco and New York. Litmaps has built a research navigation platform that allows scientists, engineers, and other experts to more rapidly and deeply navigate peer reviewed research and patent literatures, accelerating breakthroughs and allowing them to work more effectively in R&D teams. The total size of Litmaps's seed round was $1M NZD, and was led by Icehouse Ventures.

Tools like Google Scholar and Scopus allow for basic academic search, but what Litmaps allows is domain experts such as scientists and engineers to dive into their field of expertise, and use data visualisation and network science tools to understand the full picture: how the research is evolving, what they might have missed, and where breakthroughs and commercial opportunities might exist. Litmaps helps accelerate research breakthroughs  from medicine to policymaking to space travel  with more efficient discovery of 200+ million published and peer-reviewed studies.

Quidnet Ventures is a seed and series-A fund that mentors and invests in early-stage startups based in New Zealand that aspire to have global impact. Quidnet's team consists of a group of experienced investors and advisors that can leverage their knowledge set to support Litmaps. Litmaps joins Quidnet Ventures's portfolio, consisting of Aider, Dawn Aerospace, Winely and MaramaLabs.

"With my original training in physics I can really appreciate the problem that Litmaps is solving. Both the world of academic research and that of industrial R&D will benefit from the company's solution," states Mark Bregman, Founder and General Partner of Quidnet Ventures.

Kyle Webster, CEO of Litmaps, states, "It's fantastic to have Quidnet on board. Litmaps sees real value and excellent strategic alignment in Quidnets expertise in R&D intensive companies and access to both North American, and other international markets."

Litmaps's research platform combines interactive citation maps, modern search tools, and models of a researchers' existing knowledge to create a more efficient research discovery experience to help accelerate scientific breakthroughs. Over 30,000 researchers worldwide, from public research organisations to development teams in science-heavy companies, have already used Litmaps.

Quidnet Ventures brings years of experience and a network of experts that are well aligned with Litmaps's strategic direction. Quidnet Ventures is capable of providing guidance on building Litmaps's product, and opening access to networks in the global R&D market for its newest portfolio company. Quidnet Ventures's involvement will accelerate the growth of Litmaps in the next phase of its journey.

About Quidnet Ventures: Quidnet Ventures is a seed and series-A fund investing in New Zealand-based founders building impactful companies. Quidnet Ventures focuses on taking New Zealand innovation to the world and takes an active role in helping its portfolio companies succeed by leveraging its team's global, multi-sector network as its portfolio companies position themselves to enter international markets. Quidnet Ventures provides unrivaled access to a global network across academia, government affairs, venture capital and industry. The Quidnet Ventures team has worked in Europe, Japan, China, India and Australia; and 20+ years in New Zealand. Our partners and analysts have 150+ years of total experience in the international technology industries. The Quidnet Ventures team prides itself in leveraging its extensive experience to help its entrepreneurs work through many of the issues that the members of the team themselves have experienced.

About Litmaps:

Litmaps has built a next-generation research platform that empowers scientists, engineers, and other researchers to explore and better understand academic and patent literature. It launched an early access product in November 2020 with rapid uptake by a global user base. It has received extremely positive feedback from researchers and has been featured on the front page of both product hunt and hacker news. Having recently closed its seed round Litmaps is focused on expansion of the user base and exploring how its technology can deliver value for high performing research teams in R&D intensive companies.

Contact:

Skye Grayson

Quidnet Ventures

skye @quidnetventures.com

SOURCE Quidnet Ventures
In partnership with the Idaho Potato Commission , an array of potato-themed and local Boise activities will be available for the winner and their companion to enjoy during their trip. Most notably, the winner and their guest have the opportunity to take a ride in the Big Idaho  Potato Truck , a 72-foot semitrailer with a 4 ton larger-than-life potato on board.

"At McAlister's Deli, we have a community of guests who are passionate about our giant spuds," said Danielle Parra, Vice President of Marketing at McAlister's Deli. "We like to call those fans our 'Spud Buds' and this September, we're celebrating them through a special opportunity with 'The Great Spud Getaway'. McAlister's Deli is synonymous with fresh food and friendly hospitality, so we are bringing those values to life with the sweepstakes by hosting a loyal 'Spud Bud' customer in the heart of spud country."

Here's how it works:

The entry period for the sweepstakes begins September 1 at 10:00am ET through September 14 at 11:50pm ET

at through at Legal U.S. residents of the fifty states and the District of Columbia who are at least 18 years of age are eligible to enter once per person

who are at least 18 years of age are eligible to enter once per person To enter the "The Great Spud Getaway," post or tweet a photo of your spud creation using #spudbudsweeps and tagging @McAlistersDeli on Facebook (@McAlistersDeli), Twitter (@McAlistersDeli), or Instagram (@mcalistersdeli)

(@McAlistersDeli), (@McAlistersDeli), or (@mcalistersdeli) The winner will be randomly selected in a drawing from all eligible entries received throughout the promotion period and will be notified by email, direct message, or comment using the contact information given at the time of entry

Trip will take place from October 14 through October 17

Full terms and conditions can be found at www.mcalistersdeli.com/spud-bud.

Order in-store, online, or through the app to enjoy a famous McAlister's Deli giant spud. Customize your spud with a variety of fresh toppings or choose from our favorites: Spud Max , JustASpud , Black Angus Roast Beef Spud , Chipotle Chicken & Bacon Spud , or Veggie Spud .

For more information about the Idaho Potato Commission, please visit Facebook (@famousidahopotatoes), Instagram (@idahopotatoes), and Twitter (@IdahoPotato).

To learn more about the Big Idaho  Potato Truck, please visit Facebook (@BigIdahoPotatoTour) and Instagram (@bigidahopotato).

About McAlister's

Founded in 1989, McAlister's Deli is a fast-casual restaurant chain known for its genuine hospitality, sandwiches, spuds, soups, salads, desserts and McAlister's Famous Sweet Tea. In addition to dine-in and take-out service, McAlister's Deli also offers catering with a selection of sandwich trays, box lunches, desserts, a hot spud bar and more. With numerous industry accolades, the McAlister's Deli brand has more than 470 restaurants in 27 states. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. For more information, visit McAlistersDeli.com, and find McAlister's on social media at www.Facebook.com/McAlistersDeli , www.Twitter.com/McAlistersDeli and www.Instagram.com/McAlistersDeli .

Media Contacts: Public relations inquiries please email [email protected]

SOURCE McAlister's Deli

Related Links

http://www.mcalistersdeli.com


FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The McGowan Companies ("McGowan") and COUNTRY Financial entered into an agreement whereunder the assets of MiddleOak and Dauntless Specialty Brokerage, including the renewal rights related thereto, were transferred to McGowan.

MiddleOak is one of the largest and most respected underwriters of Commercial Habitational risks in the United States. Through operations in Middletown, CT, and Salem, MA, and in excess of 100 appointed franchise brokerages, MiddleOak provided package insurance to Condominium Associations and Apartments. The MiddleOak brand originated with Middlesex Mutual Assurance Company, founded in 1836 (in Middletown, CT), and Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company in Salem, founded in 1845 (in Salem, MA). Both Middlesex Mutual and Holyoke Mutual became part of the COUNTRY Financial family of insurance companies more than 20 years ago.

"MiddleOak has been an important part of our COUNTRY family for more than two decades. Finding the right buyer to take care of our policyholders, franchise partners, and staff was critical to us," said COUNTRY Financial CEO Jim Jacobs.

Moving forward, MiddleOak will be rebranded "MiddleOak Specialty" in honor of its heritage, but also to recognize its specialty focus. Dauntless Specialty Brokerage will continue doing business under its existing name. Dauntless is a wholesale insurance broker that provides wholesale access to MiddleOak's franchise partners and complementary coverages to MiddleOak's product offerings.

The acquisition of MiddleOak and Dauntless cements McGowan's position as one of the largest, most respected, and most diversified program administrators in the United States. Bill George, who will head up both MiddleOak Specialty and Dauntless moving forward commented, "We are very excited to become part of The McGowan Companies. Its tremendous market relationships, distribution, and technological capabilities will accrue to the benefit of our policyholders and franchise broker partners."

MiddleOak Specialty has entered into a program administration agreement under which it will offer a specialty program of Property and Liability coverage to Apartments and Condominium Associations, subject to the applicable carrier's underwriting guidelines and regulatory approvals. Initially, coverage will be available in 31 states (additional states may be added in the future). To the extent possible, coverage will be offered, on an Admitted basis, through an insurance company rated "A" or better by A.M. Best.

"This acquisition fits exceptionally-well with McGowan's national growth strategy," said Thomas B. McGowan, IV, President/CEO of The McGowan Companies. He continued, "We are very pleased to add MiddleOak Specialty to our portfolio of companies. MiddleOak has a strong tradition of providing exemplary products and services to its franchise brokers and customers a tradition which we intend to honor and continue."

Please contact Tim Lee with any questions:

Timothy G. Lee

Global Director of Sales & Business Development

The McGowan Companies

20595 Lorain Road

Fairview Park, OH 44126

P: (440) 333-6300 x3639

E: [email protected]

Legal Notice: Pursuant to an asset purchase agreement, COUNTRY Financial sold certain of its assets related to MiddleOak and Dauntless Specialty Brokerage ("Dauntless"), but not its liabilities, to McGowan Consolidated Insurance Holdings Group, Inc. or one of its subsidiaries/affiliated companies ("McGowan"), effective 7/15/2021. MiddleOak and Dauntless were not merged with or into McGowan. MiddleOak and Dauntless were not consolidated with or into McGowan. McGowan is not a continuation of MiddleOak or Dauntless.

SOURCE McGowan Companies
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its commitment to keeping pets in safe and loving homes, the animal welfare non-profit organization Michelson Found Animals (MFA) Foundation announces the launch of the 2021 Saving Pets Challenge (SPC).

In partnership with Mightycause, an online fundraising platform, the online competition will run during the month of September 2021. The program helps animal welfare organizations raise money for the chance to win grants and prizes to support life-saving programs for pets in their communities.

This year, over 200 animal welfare organizations will compete for $155,000 in grant prizes and raise community-based donations to support lifesaving programs in their region. Since its inception in 2014, the Saving Pets Challenge has raised over $8 million for rescues across the country, while MFA has provided an additional $1.2 million in grant money to those organizations. Combined, the Saving Pets Challenge has made an impact of over $9 million to allow these organizations to continue the work of keeping pets out of shelters and in loving homes.

"Thanks to the Saving Pets Challenge, Friends to the Forlorn Pitbull Rescue (FTTF) has been able to advance our fundraising efforts for our capital campaign to build our own, one-of-a-kind rescue facility," said Stacey Greenwald, Operations, Marketing, and Event Coordinator at FTTF. "Over the three years FTTF has participated in the SPC, we have raised over $682,000 in donations and prize money to help us meet the needs of the homeless pets in our community. These funds have allowed our organization to take the next steps needed to grow by purchasing 46 acres of land for our facility and providing support for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) efforts to reduce local feral cat populations."

This challenge goes beyond traditional grant-making impact. It creates an opportunity for animal welfare nonprofits to learn critical fundraising skills and build a donor base that will help them achieve their lifesaving goals by competing for cash prizes.

"The Saving Pets Challenge has been an exciting, innovative way to raise money for animals in need," said Kelly Cockerham, Institutional Funding Officer at the Stray Cat Alliance. "The challenges allowed us to learn new techniques for fundraising and helped us hone in on P2P engagement. In participating in these challenges, and through the generosity of Michelson Found Animals, we raised funds that allowed us to save thousands of cats and kittens in need."

There are two ways for groups to compete. First, groups that raise the most money during the Challenge will be rewarded with cash grants from Michelson Found Animals Foundation, totaling $105,000. Second, there are weekly Bonus Challenges totaling $50,000, which are designed to encourage participation throughout the challenge, regardless of organization size.

"Michelson Found Animals Foundation is committed to keeping pets safe and in loving homes," said Brett Yates, CEO of Michelson Found Animals Foundation. "We started the Saving Pets Challenge to inspire organizations to develop creative ways to raise funds, while providing resources and toolkits for organizations to continue these efforts even after the challenge ends. This past year has been especially difficult for shelters and rescues due to the pandemic, so it is more important than ever that the animal welfare community find support and funding to keep up this lifesaving work."

After completing the application form, eligible organizations receive a toolkit filled with helpful items and information including sample messaging, webinars, email and social media content, and more to ensure that they have everything they need to clearly communicate the goals and objectives of the fundraiser with their community. Competitors have until September 30 to raise funds for their program and compete for donations and bonus prizes from Michelson Found Animals Foundation along the way.

For more information on the 2021 Saving Pets Challenge and participating organizations, click here.

ABOUT MICHELSON FOUND ANIMALS FOUNDATION

Michelson Found Animals Foundation is a leading animal welfare non-profit that believes people and pets are better together. Generously funded by Dr. Gary Michelson and Alya Michelson, Found Animals operates a range of catalytic grants, impact investments, operating programs, and education and advocacy initiatives that share a common goal: to champion pets at every point they intersect with our society. Found Animals has helped more than 8 million pets since it was founded in 2005. Learn more at foundanimals.org.

ABOUT MIGHTYCAUSE

Launched in 2006, Mightycause is a mission driven, employee-owned business that has served the nonprofit community by helping them with online fundraising and donor engagement. Its online fundraising software is recognized for innovation across the spectrum of products with its modern cloud services and integrated platform that supports comprehensive fundraising for nonprofits, giving events, event and team fundraising, universities and personal causes. Mightycause is located in Alexandria, Virginia. Learn more on www.mightycause.com.

CONTACT: Emilee Generous [email protected], (425) 231-4757

SOURCE Michelson Found Animals

Related Links

http://foundanimals.org


VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Mind Cure Health Inc. (CSE: MCUR) (OTCQB: MCURF) (FRA: 6MH) ("MINDCURE" or the "Company"), a leader in advanced proprietary technology and research in psychedelics, today announced its financial results for the three and twelve months ended May 31, 2021. All amounts are stated in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.

Business Highlights

Commenced the development of iSTRYM, the Company's digital therapeutics tool, a first-of-its-kind software application that will optimize the healing journey for both patients and clinicians  before, during, and after therapy sessions;

Submitted a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to cover various aspects of iSTRYM;

Commenced the first stage of manufacturing synthetic ibogaine;

Subsequent to year end, completed full chemical synthesis of ibogaine and filed two provisional patent applications in association with synthesis routes;

Made several additions to its senior management team and board of directors and retained a number of advisors;

Completed a strategic equity investment in ATMA Journey Centers Inc.; and,

Subsequent to year end, completed a strategic equity investment in Awakn Life Sciences Inc.

"MINDCURE's first full year of operations was full of outstanding accomplishments and highlighted by the successful completion of several milestones," said Kelsey Ramsden, President & CEO of MINDCURE. "The strategy and infrastructure we have put in place over the past year positions the company well to continue the development and release of our digital therapeutics platform, iSTRYM, and to continue our research for psychedelics. The company's achievements could not have happened without the hard work and commitment of the entire MINDCURE team, our Board of Directors and our advisors. I would like to especially thank our investors for seeing and supporting the vision and execution at MINDCURE."

Financial Highlights

Raised net proceeds of $27.2 million through the issuances of common shares and the exercise of warrants and options;

through the issuances of common shares and the exercise of warrants and options; Cash and cash equivalents totalled $18.3 million as of May 31, 2021 ; and

as of ; and Net loss was $10.2 million for the year ended May 31, 2021 , comprised of non-cash operating expenses of $2.0 million and cash operating expenses of $8.1 million .

for the year ended , comprised of non-cash operating expenses of and cash operating expenses of . A copy of the Company's audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended May 31, 2021 , and the related management's discussion and analysis are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

About Mind Cure Health Inc.

MINDCURE is a life sciences company focused on innovating and commercializing new ways to promote healing and improve mental health. The company is developing digital therapeutics technology and researching psychedelic compounds to support access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies globally. Learn more at mindcure.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Kelsey Ramsden, President & CEO

Phone: 1-888-593-8995

Forward-Looking Information

Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by management of MINDCURE, including, without limitation: the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the Canadian economy and MINDCURE's business, and the extent and duration of such impact; no change to laws or regulations that negatively affect MINDCURE's business; there will be a demand for MINDCURE's products in the future; no unanticipated expenses or costs arise; MINDCURE will be able to continue to identify products that make them ideal candidates for providing solutions for treating mental health; that iSTRYM will be developed, optimized and operate as contemplated within the psychedelics industry; that the Company will be effective in obtaining the patents applied for synthesizing ibogaine, or synthesizing ibogaine, or developing synthesized ibogaine for research, medical or commercial use; that MINDCURE will advance wellness worldwide; that iSTRYM will be brought to commercial deployment in the near term or otherwise or that it will reduce symptoms, improve quality of life, or support transformation and healing, or that the deployment may not occur at the scale or within the time frame contemplated.

Although MINDCURE has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information presented, there may be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements as no forward-looking information can be guaranteed.

Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and MINDCURE does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE Mind Cure Health Inc.
NEW YORK and SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- miR Scientific, LLC , a healthcare company focused on transforming global cancer management, the Governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi, and the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration ("ASES") join forces today to officially make September 1 "Prostate Cancer Prevention Day". This urgent awareness team effort occurs while the pioneering cooperation continues, as Puerto Rico has for the past year conducted clinical studies for a prostate cancer liquid biopsy breakthrough test developed by miR Scientific.

Puerto Rico has one of the highest rates of prostate cancer in the world and this is the leading cause of death (17%) related to cancer in men.

"The high incidence of mortality among Puerto Rican men due to prostate cancer on the island is of great concern to all of us. It is time to take concrete action and join forces to educate our men about the importance of screening and early detection for prostate cancer," Governor Pedro Pierluisi declared during the signing of a proclamation making September 1, "Prostate Cancer Prevention Day", highlighting the unprecedented role that Puerto Rico's urologists have played in developing the studies for this new technology that will contribute to the emergence of the island as a leading center for medical innovation.

"The breakthrough miR Sentinel Prostate Test developed by miR Scientific is non-invasive and can accurately detect prostate cancer as well as classify the risk category of the disease based only on a single urine specimen and without the need for invasive biopsies. This will allow us to manage the disease much better and focus on high-risk patients who are in need of definitive treatment quickly," said Jorge Galva, Executive Director of ASES.

"The prevalence of prostate cancer in Puerto Rico is a real health emergency and this is an urgent call for men to get tested", said Sam Salman, Chairman and CEO of miR Scientific. "We are joining forces to urgently share this message with Puerto Rican men and their loved ones. This is a battle that, until now, we were losing largely because men resist getting tested. It's this widespread resistance, and the fact that many men don't get checked until their sixties, that is causing so many unnecessary deaths due to a totally treatable type of cancer. We are hoping that bringing awareness to this health emergency, and the availability of our liquid biopsy later this year will make a huge difference in Puerto Rico and the world."

miR Scientific's award-winning miR Sentinel Prostate Test is a standalone, non-invasive liquid biopsy urine test that can, from a single urine specimen, accurately detect molecular evidence of prostate cancer and then classify the severity, or the risk grade, of the malignancy. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) awarded the proprietary high-throughput technology Breakthrough Device Designation last year.

"The past two years have involved intense work and the formation of amazing alliances between miR Scientific and local doctors, government and business leaders to bring this breakthrough technology to Puerto Rico. We will be ready to commercialize the miR Sentinel Prostate Test later this year, but we consider it our duty to create awareness immediately of just how bad this problem is on the island", says Mindy Figueroa, miR Scientific Country Manager for Puerto Rico. "As a Puerto Rican myself, I know very well that even talking about this subject matter is something that men avoid at all costs. We are hoping that our award-winning test will create an easy way to get Puerto Rican men screened for prostate cancer", added Figueroa.

The miR Sentinel Prostate Test is expected to be commercially available in the United States and Puerto Rico at the end of this year.

About miR Scientific:

miR Scientific, LLC is a healthcare company committed to transforming global cancer management by providing early and highly accurate detection, characterization and monitoring of disease. The Company has developed the miR Disease Management Platform, a proprietary, non-invasive platform for the effective management of targeted diseases, initially focused on urological cancers.

The platform is powered by the miR Sentinel Prostate Cancer Test, a liquid biopsy urine test that can accurately detect, classify and monitor prostate cancer based on the interrogation of small-non-coding RNAs extracted from urinary exosomes. miR Scientific is developing interoperable products and services necessary to revolutionize the standards of care supporting urologic oncology, including for prostate, bladder, and other urothelial cancers. Such new standards are urgently needed given the prevalence of these cancers and their debilitating burden globally. miR Scientific is a majority-owned operating subsidiary of Impact NRS LLC , headquartered in New York City with operating subsidiaries in Israel, Canada, and Puerto Rico. For more information visit mirscientific.com.

Press: for more information:

Puerto Rico:

Ada Torres-Toro

[email protected]

USA:

Carrie Rubenstein

[email protected]

SOURCE miR Scientific, LLC
BOGOTA, Colombia, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL;NYSE: EC) reports that the rating agency Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") affirmed Ecopetrol's credit rating at Baa3 and changed its outlook from Stable to Negative.

Moody's considers that the acquisition of 51.4% of the outstanding shares of Interconexion Electrica S.A. ESP ("ISA") will contribute to a more stable EBITDA of the Ecopetrol Group, will expand geographic diversification and will allow the reduction of the carbon emissions / EBITDA ratio. The change in the outlook, however, occurs as a consequence of the temporal increase in the leverage indicators and the potential refinancing risk related to the credit loan obtained with international banks with a maturity date in 2023.

Ecopetrol is the largest company in Colombia and one of the main integrated energy companies in the American continent, with more than 17,000 employees. In Colombia, it accounts for more than 60% of hydrocarbon production, and most of the hydrocarbon transportation, logistics, and refining systems, and has leading positions in petrochemicals and gas distribution. With the acquisition of 51.4% of ISA's shares, it participates in energy transmission, management of real-time systems (XM) and the Concesion Costera Barranquilla - Cartagena. At the international level, Ecopetrol focuses on strategic basins on the American continent, with E&P operations in the United States (the Permian basin and the Gulf of Mexico), Brazil and Mexico, and through ISA and its subsidiaries it has leading positions in the transmission business in Brazil, Chile, Peru and Bolivia, in road concessions in Chile, and in telecommunications. This press release contains statements relating to business prospects, estimates of operating and financial results, and Ecopetrol's growth prospects. All are projections, and therefore are based solely on management's expectations of the company's future and its continuous access to capital to finance its sales plan. Achieving these estimates in the future depends on its performance under given market conditions, regulations, competition, the performance of the Colombian economy and industry, and other factors; therefore, they are subject to change without prior notice.

This release contains statements that may be considered forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All forward-looking statements, whether made in this release or in future filings or press releases or orally, address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, including in respect of Ecopetrol's prospects for growth and its ongoing access to capital to fund Ecopetrol's business plan, among others. Consequently, changes in the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements: market prices of oil & gas, our exploration and production activities, market conditions, applicable regulations, the exchange rate, Ecopetrol's competitiveness and the performance of Colombia's economy and industry, to mention a few. We do not intend, and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

For further details, please contact:

Head of Capital Markets

Tatiana Uribe Benninghoff

Phone : +571-234-5190

Email : [email protected]

Media Engagement (Colombia)

Jorge Mauricio Tellez

Phone : + 571-234-4329

Email : [email protected]

SOURCE Ecopetrol S.A.

Related Links

http://www.ecopetrol.com.co


Throughout Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, patient families, brands, and individuals, including leaders from the professional baseball, gaming, and comedy communities, will #GoHead2Head with pediatric brain tumors. Thanks to a special challenge match from The Sontag Foundation, PBTF supporters will have an opportunity to unlock an additional $50,000 for the most promising pediatric-first research and family support programs taking kids' brain cancer head-on.

"Pediatric brain tumors are a growing crisis for American families, with the incidence rate for the deadliest childhood cancer rising more each year," says Courtney Davies, PBTF President and CEO, referencing a recent report in American Cancer Society's CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. "To stop this problem in its tracks and find a solution -- a cure -- for the children and teens battling this disease, support must grow. We are grateful for the dedication and enthusiasm of our Childhood Cancer Awareness Month partners, and we encourage others to join us in taking the #GoHead2Head Challenge. Together, we can build a world without childhood brain tumors -- a world that children deserve."

#GoHead2Head Challenge Line-Up

The following partners will channel their competitive spirit and #GoHead2Head during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to see who can raise the most funds, with new or increased donations to the #GoHead2Head Challenge and PBTF GameON #GoHead2Head Challenge unlocking the $50,000 challenge match:

Additionally, MLB and MiLB pitchers and powersports industry leaders American Honda and the Comoto Family of Brands are leading special activations to rally their communities:

Vs. Cancer #GoHead2Head to #CancelChildhoodCancer: Major and minor league pitchers from teams across the nation, including the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels, take the mound to strike out childhood cancer. Choose your favorite player from the Vs. Cancer #GoHead2Head line-up and pledge a donation for every strikeout thrown in September: Matt Harvey , Christian Roa , JP Feyereisen, Brandon Withers , Nick Robertson , Kyle Finnegan , A.J. Minter, Will Gaddis , Andrew Wantz , Chris Mazza , Brian Moran , Kaleb Ort , Kyle Hart , Kyle Keller , Spencer Patton , and Tyler Wells . Fans can also make a flat donation.

Major and minor league pitchers from teams across the nation, including the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels, take the mound to strike out childhood cancer. Choose your favorite player from the Vs. Cancer #GoHead2Head line-up and pledge a donation for every strikeout thrown in September: , , JP Feyereisen, , , , A.J. Minter, , , , , , , , , and . Fans can also make a flat donation. American Honda and Comoto Family of Brands Gear Up for National Ride for Kids Day:

Join PBTF and the powersports community for National Ride for Kids Day on Sept. 12 . This year, American Honda will mark its 30th anniversary as national presenting sponsor with an Iconic Motorbikes auction of three rare Honda CBR1000RR Repsol Edition motorcycles. Additionally, the Comoto Family of Brands, America's largest and fastest growing omni-channel platform in the powersports aftermarket-products industry, will host their largest "shop to support" campaign on National Ride for Kids Day as part of their Ride. Donate. Shop. partnership with PBTF. Shop Cycle Gear, J&P Cycles, and RevZilla (online and in-store) on Sept. 12 , and 10% of all purchases will be donated to PBTF.

There's just one more VIP supporter we're missing this Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: YOU! Visit curethekids.org/gohead2head to donate or start a fundraiser and take home the win for children with brain tumors.

About the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation

Every day, 13 children and teens are diagnosed with a brain tumor, the deadliest and most common form of cancer in kids under 15. Every day after, they are in a fight for their life. It's a fight the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation is here to help families win. A leader in the brain tumor and childhood cancer communities, PBTF's mission of Care. Cure. Thrive. reflects its commitment to curing all pediatric brain tumors and transforming how children and their families are cared for. Since 1991, PBTF has provided strategic leadership and funding to accelerate the number of targeted therapies for children battling brain tumors today, while equipping families with the patient-family education, financial relief, and emotional support they need to navigate their child's journey. A world without childhood brain tumors is possible when we work together to put kids first. Learn more at www.curethekids.org.

SOURCE Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation

Related Links

http://www.curethekids.org


CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NearU Services ("NearU"), a founder-led premier home services platform, today announced the acquisition of Byrum Heating and A/C ("Byrum" or "Company"), a well-established home services provider with locations in Monroe & Marshville, North Carolina. A trusted market leader since 1996, Byrum will further bolster NearU's customer service capabilities and extend its portfolio of services across the Carolinas.

NearU's Founder and CEO, Ashish Achlerkar, said, "Byrum has been a proven leader in the Monroe, Marshville and greater Charlotte metro for over 25 years. The Company's focus each day to deliver the best home service in the region is a welcomed tradition to the NearU family and one that we will continue to grow in the future. Scott & Chandy have inspired a team of very talented associates at Byrum who serve their customers through top-notch tradesmanship and customer service. NearU is committed to taking the incredible legacy of Byrum to greater heights and we welcome its customers and employees to the rapidly growing NearU family."

"As a business driven by faith-based core values and servant leadership, our dedication to quality and integrity fuel every step of the service process and decisions we make in the business. We have thrived as a company over the past 25 years because of our incredibly talented and committed team of people. I am highly confident that the NearU team will take excellent care of our customers, invest in career opportunities for our employees and preserve the legacy of Byrum. The transition to NearU will allow us to continue servicing our customers the right way and provide our employees with the best opportunity to flourish. I could not be more excited for the future of this company," said Scott Byrum, the Founder of Byrum.

Under NearU's ownership, the Byrum team will continue to operate under the reputed local brand of Byrum Heating and A/C. The Company will go on serving customers under the existing management team led by Scott Byrum. NearU's operations, finance and marketing teams have a well-defined value creation plan for Byrum, its employees, and its customers.



NearU continues to be well capitalized and is actively seeking other long-standing, highly reputable brands to join the growing NearU family.



About NearU:

NearU is an employee and customer-centric provider of essential home services with a focus on HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. NearU is well-capitalized and seeks to grow organically and through partnerships with leading HVAC and other skilled trade contractors. More information is available at www.NearU-Services.com.

About Byrum Heating and A/C:

Byrum is a leader in the heating and air conditioning services in Marshville, Monroe, Mint Hill, Matthews, and surrounding communities of the Charlotte metro and upstate of South Carolina. Established in 1996, Byrum has serviced thousands of residential and light commercial customers for their home service needs. More information is available at www.Byrumhvac.com.

For More Information, Contact:

Ashish Achlerkar

NearU Founder and CEO

(215) 341-7561

[email protected]

SOURCE NearU

Related Links

nearu.services


MIAMI, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Epluribus LLC, creators of the MOXY social ecosystem that aims to facilitate positive and productive civic engagement, released a groundbreaking new study that analyzed the survey responses of over 1,000 American adults nationwide on their attitudes towards the Cuban struggle for freedom and the future of the embargo.

The study examines various characteristics along demographic and party lines, providing clarity on Cuba policy for lawmakers and diplomats to guide their deliberations. According to Epluribus' MOXY Founder & CEO Cesar M Melgoza, "meticulous measurement efforts helped us reveal policy priorities that will enable lawmakers and diplomats to finally help normalize relations and bring greater liberties to the Cuban people."

Notable Highlights Include:

Americans overall do not seem convinced that the embargo has worked.

40.2% of younger respondents (18-24) favor the Democrats to be effective in Cuban relations versus 25.6% that favor Republicans.

41% of the respondents said the US should hold diplomatic talks with the leadership of Cuba , the most frequently favored policy measure - followed by the imposition of sanctions on the Cuban government for human and civil rights violations.

Among twelve lawmakers who recently proposed Cuba foreign policy actions, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) was selected as the most proactive followed by President Biden. "None of the above" was the second most frequently selected option. Overall, the Democratic party was seen as more effective on Cuban foreign policy by the overall respondent sample  only those aged 65 plus scored the parties even at their effectiveness.

The wealth of insights gleaned from the study examines issues across party affiliation, age cohorts, ethnic groups and other key demographic clusters. The report is available to members of the MOXY social ecosystem which is free of charge via the Apple App Store , Google Play Store , and website or by visiting the Spotlight link on the home page at moxy.live .

About MOXY

MOXY is an online platform promotes civic engagement in a positive and contemporary way. It features a robust newsfeed drawing from a wide variety of sources across the political spectrum in order to facilitate productive political discussions in public forums. MOXY also keeps voters updated with information about their elected officials based on their jurisdictions - including campaign donations, notifications when your representatives vote on legislation, their campaign funding sources, how they voted and the full details of the legislation in an effort to make engagement simpler, more accessible, and better-informed. MOXY provides election details and ballot information, enabling citizens to cast a well-informed vote by simply accessing a button within the app or website. Visit moxy.live to learn more.

SOURCE MOXY

Related Links

http://www.moxy.live


SAN DIEGO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- North Island Credit Union encourages San Diego county teachers who have an innovative class project idea to apply for a credit union grant through its bi-annual Teacher Grant program.

The North Island Credit Union grant program is available to full-time teachers in San Diego and Riverside counties, or credit union members teaching in California, looking to fund special learning opportunities for their students. The project should have clearly defined learning objectives tied to students' academic needs, display creativity, and benefit a significant number of students. Ten North Island Credit Union grants of $500 each will be awarded to area teachers in October in the fall program.

"Helping teachers provide an engaging, meaningful student experience is one way we're supporting education in our communities. We know the challenges our teachers and students have experienced over the last year, and hope this grant will help make a special project come to life," said North Island Credit Union President/CEO Steve O'Connell. "We encourage any teacher who has a class project idea that needs a little extra funding to apply for one of our grants."

Interested teachers can find more information and apply online at northisland.ccu.com/teachergrant. The application deadline is October 1, 2021.

Since the creation of the program in 2012, the credit union has awarded $135,000 in teacher grants to benefit students across Southern California. Last year's grant program funded a wide range of projects, including teaching the socio-political history of rock & roll, 3D printers to support science & history learning, recorded cultural history programs, coding & computing curriculums, team art projects for at-risk youth, and play-based therapy to address student trauma, among others.

About North Island Credit Union, a division of California Credit Union

California Credit Union is a federally insured, state chartered credit union founded in 1933 that serves public or private school employees, community members and businesses across California. With more than 165,000 members and assets of over $4 billion, California Credit Union has 25 branches throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. The credit union operates in San Diego County as North Island Credit Union, a division of California Credit Union. California Credit Union offers a full suite of consumer, business and investment products and services, including comprehensive consumer checking and loan options, personalized financial planning, business banking, and leading-edge online and mobile banking. Please v isit northisland.ccu.com for more information or follow the credit union on Instagram or Facebook @northislandcu .

SOURCE North Island Credit Union
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Okcoin , one of the world's largest and fastest-growing cryptocurrency platforms, and Polygon , an Ethereum scaling full-stack solution bringing mass adoption to the Ethereum platform, today announced the listing of Polygon's native MATIC token on Okcoin  available for trading at 10pm ET on September 1. The listing is accompanied by an exclusive Polygon-minted NFT release from 10 members of The Most Famous Artist (TMFA) Communityincluding the group's renowned founder Matty Mo aka The Most Famous Artistthat is now available for purchase on OpenSea.

With a current market capitalization of more than $8 billion, MATIC is now available to buy, sell and trade on Okcoin.com and the Okcoin mobile app for iOS and Android. In recognition of the MATIC token listing, TMFA has launched a collection of 10 NFTs, each being a different artist's interpretation of the Polygon logo. MATIC is the native cryptocurrency of Polygon, a software solution for building scalable and interoperable blockchains. The Polygon-minted NFTs from TMFA are available for purchase in ETH on OpenSea, the largest digital marketplace for NFTs.

"Okcoin is committed to providing the best selection of cryptocurrencies, and Polygon's MATIC token is on par with the high standards we use to evaluate assets' utility, underlying technology and governance framework, among other factors," said Alex Chizhik, Head of Listings at Okcoin. "Polygon plays an important role in the continued adoption of technology  we've seen the network's capabilities in making DeFi transactions quick and affordable since integrating it into Okcoin's platform. We're glad to deepen our relationship with Polygon and give more crypto investors access to MATIC."

"We're excited for MATIC to be accessible to a wider range of investors through its listing on Okcoin," said Sandeep Nailwal, Cofounder of Polygon. "The listing's synergy with TMFA's respective NFT drop is the first of its kind, demonstrating both Polygon's value as a platform for building upon and MATIC's utility as the network's native currency. This collaboration brings Polygon to life and offers an opportunity for new customers into the network."

In addition to TMFA founder Matty Mo, the collection's artists include Vasco Velazquez, Bernie McCabe, Anna Slaughter, Sandy Wu, Morgan Flatt, Mars Eve, Natasha Extract, Narineh Seferian and Gino Burman-Loffredo. All proceeds from the NFTs purchased on OpenSea will go directly to TMFA and the participating artists.

For a limited time, Okcoin customers will also be able to unlock $30 in MATIC rewards after using the "Buy crypto" feature to purchase at least $60 of MATIC on Okcoin (terms and conditions apply.

MATIC will be available to users outside the European Union, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Brunei. To learn more about Okcoin, visit Okcoin.com or follow Okcoin on Twitter and LinkedIn . To learn more about Polygon, visit Polygon.technology .

About Polygon

Polygon is the first well-structured, easy-to-use platform for Ethereum scaling and infrastructure development. Its core component is Polygon SDK, a modular, flexible framework that supports building and connecting Secured Chains like Optimistic Rollups, zkRollups, Validium, etc, and Standalone Chains like Polygon POS, designed for flexibility and independence. Polygon's scaling solutions have seen widespread adoption with 500+ Dapps, ~567M+ txns, and ~6M+ daily txns.

About Okcoin

Established in 2013, Okcoin is one of the world's fastest-growing cryptocurrency platforms. Seeking to build a more inclusive finance future that builds wealth for everyone, Okcoin is building the next generation of tools to help anyone invest in and trade crypto easily and with industry-low fees. Okcoin supports millions of customers across more than 190 countries, assisting them in taking advantage of staking and DeFi offers and trading Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more than 25 other crypto assets. Headquartered in San Francisco, Okcoin has a remote, globally-distributed team and offices in Miami, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malta, and Japan.

SOURCE Okcoin
NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PayEm, the global spend and procurement platform for high-growth and multinational organizations today announces $27M in funding. The $27M consists of a $7M seed funding round led by Pitango First and NFX with participation by LocalGlobe and Fresh Fund, followed by a $20M Series A led by Glilot+, the early growth fund of Glilot Capital Partners. The company has demonstrated hyper-growth in Q2'21, growing its total portfolio value by 4x, generating millions of dollars in revenue.

PayEm's platform automates finance processes from request to reconciliation, giving individuals and teams within global organizations the ability to manage non-payroll spend as needed while safeguarding budget, automating manual accounting tasks, and allowing finance teams to remain agile and in control.

Until recently, most major spend decisions were made by the procurement and finance teams. Today, however, decision-making with regards to vendors, SaaS platforms and more are delegated to teams throughout the organization. This paradigm shift has created additional complexities for finance teams that need to keep track of thousands of small transactions using outdated technology, often handling much of the work manually. At the same time, Nilson Report estimates that annual B2B payment volume presently sits at $127 trillion and is expected to reach $200 trillion by 2028.

PayEm has developed a platform that allows companies to integrate their financial systems and ERP with an advanced end-to-end customized request-to-approval workflow and payment solution. Specifically designed for global SMEs and enterprises, the platform offers control and transparency by streamlining reimbursement, procurement, AP automation, and credit card processes into corporate spending.

Global finance teams specifically have an additional layer of complexity: their local subsidiaries work in silos, use local banks and location-specific financial services. This creates even more manual work and a fragmented workflow. PayEm's platform was built for national and multinational operations: with just a mouse click, one can define the default currency used for each subsidiary. The platform allows every subsidiary to have financial and accounting autonomy while enabling holistic processes at the global level. The technology also has cross-border capabilities: finance teams using PayEm can send funds to over 200 territories in 130 different currencies in just one click.

Companies such as Fiverr, Jfrog, Next Insurance, and hundreds more have already adopted PayEm to manage their international and local spend. "We are delighted with the work that we have done so far with PayEm, it has saved days of manual work each month using their platform and automating our reconciliation processes," says Or Hecht, Procurement Manager at Fiverr.

"We built PayEm specifically to meet the needs of SMEs and enterprises. Between the rise of SaaS, the trend of hybrid work, and the acceleration of global expansion by companies as they tap into markets and talent pools, our platform enables employees and various departments to make their own spending decisions while offering centralized control and visibility for finance teams," said Itamar Jobani, CEO and Co-Founder of PayEm. "By using our product, finance teams can manage every aspect of non-payroll expenditures, including credit cards, in a SOX-compliant way, and support multi-currencies and different accounting methods across multi-territories, while eliminating manual overhead on reconciliation."

Yair Cassuto, Partner at Pitango First: "We're seeing a substantial struggle for finance and procurement teams. Current systems and processes were not built for this paradigm shift in how budgets are spent and managed. PayEm enables companies to run agile distributed processes across teams, geographies and spend categories in a controlled, compliant and centralized manner. PayEm's market acceptance was very apparent with every introduction we've made during and after our investment process and we were astonished by the pace of adoption of PayEm's solution."

Lior Litwak, Managing Partner at Glilot Capital and Head of Glilot+, said: "PayEm is solving a fundamental problem for enterprises - the ongoing fragmentation in financial tools despite decades of innovation in expense management, approval flows, employee reimbursement, procurement and other corporate financial processes. PayEm offers a holistic spend management and procurement platform for corporates that serves and delights both employees, their managers, and financial officers, as demonstrated by the company's tremendous recent growth. We are excited to join Itamar, Omer and the rest of the PayEm team as they continue to build the ideal end-to-end spend and procurement platform - a true financial operating system for modern businesses."

Gigi Levy Weiss, General Partner at NFX, added: "PayEm has built an outstanding product which is already in use by many multinational companies. We believe that any company can benefit from the PayEm product and as such see almost unlimited potential. The very fast growth to date is a credit to not only the leadership of Itamar and Omer, but to the phenomenal team of developers and finance experts they've brought together. We are super excited about the company!"

About PayEm

PayEm's global spend and procurement platform brings control, transparency and automation to finance teams. The technology captures requests, invoices, creates bills, schedules and sends payments to anywhere in the world, in any currency, auto-categorizes and syncs with an ERP; PayEm automates tedious tasks, reduces frictions and frustration, giving finance teams precious time to focus on the big picture while giving them real-time visibility by department, team, employee, subsidiary, or vendor in reporting and automation.

PayEm was founded in 2019 by Itamar Jobani, CEO, and Omer Rimoch, CTO, and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel. The company has raised $27M to date from investors such as Glilot Capital, Pitango First, NFX, Local Globe, FreshFund, and prominent FinTech angels.

SOURCE PayEm

Related Links

https://www.payem.co/


SOUTH PARIS, Maine and INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Precinmac, a diversified manufacturer of high-precision machined components and assemblies in the aerospace and defense, semiconductor, medical, and general industrials sectors, today announced that it has purchased Major Tool and Machine. The acquisition expands Precinmac's capabilities and differentiated value proposition to customers. Financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1946 and located in Indianapolis, Indiana, Major Tool and Machine specializes in serving the aerospace and defense, power generation, energy, semiconductor, and oil and gas markets. In addition to the Company's large format machining, fabrication, and assembly services, Major Tool and Machine provides design for manufacturing assistance and supports both manufacturing engineering as well as contract manufacturing.

"We are excited to expand our capabilities by adding a best-in-class large format business which expertly serves the needs of the market," said Eric Wisnefsky, CEO of Precinmac. "This acquisition is another step in the advancement of our multi-faceted strategy to expand our business through acquisitions in all sectors of the industry base. Major Tool and Machine is a full complement to our existing portfolio."

With its seven divisions  Maine Machine Products Company, Hoppe Technologies, Trimaster Manufacturing, HPG, Viper Northwest, Shields Manufacturing, and now Major Tool and Machine  Precinmac specializes in precision milling and turning, multi-axis machining, grinding, close tolerance fabrication, and complex geometries. Precinmac is a critical supplier to a wide range of prime contractors in the aerospace, defense, semiconductor, automation, medical, and other sectors that rely on the Company's ultra-high precision manufacturing capabilities and expertise. From its integrated manufacturing locations in the U.S. and Canada, Precinmac provides broad capabilities and expertise to these demanding industries.

"We are very excited for both our customers and employees to join the Precinmac family of companies," said Steve Weyreter, owner of Major Tool and Machine. "It is clear that Precinmac is poised to support the continued demand of our customer base by providing additional resources with additional capital equipment and hiring of people."

"We have built an excellent company supported by our employees and community, serving the increasing needs of our customers," said Mike Griffith, President of Major Tool and Machine. "The entire Major Tool team looks forward to continuing to satisfy the small format and large format needs of our current and future customers."

Precinmac is owned by Pine Island Capital Partners, LLC, Bain Capital Credit, LP, and Compass Partners Capital.

About Precinmac Precision Machining

Precinmac (https://www.precinmac.com) is a leading diversified manufacturer of high-tolerance precision machined components and assemblies. Precinmac has seven divisions in the United States and Canada  Maine Machine Products Company, Hoppe Technologies, Trimaster Manufacturing, HPG, Viper Northwest, Shields Manufacturing, and Major Tool and Machine.

Alantra served as financial advisors and Willke Farr & Gallagher, LLP served as legal advisor to Precinmac. Katz, Sapper, and Miller served as accounting and tax advisors and Ice Miller, LLP served as legal advisors to Major Tool and Machine.

Media Contact

Sophia Goulet

[email protected]

207-743-6344

SOURCE Precinmac
"Our 2021 award-winning projects are models for what preservation can and should be: the creative, inclusive and sustainable reuse of our built environment promoting local job creation and community driven economic development," said Bonnie McDonald, President & CEO of Landmarks Illinois. "The courageous and visionary people behind these innovative projects deserve recognition for transforming places to serve as equitable housing, accessible art and education centers, and lively gathering spaces that bring awareness to Illinois' diverse history."

2021 Award Winners

Learn more about the nine, 2021 award winners and how to attend the awards ceremony at our website, www.landmarks.org/events/richard-h-driehaus-foundation-preservation-awards/.

Mercer County Carnegie Library, Aledo: Award for Adaptive Reuse

Former Aledo residents Crista and William J. Albertson transformed the historic library building in the National Register-listed Downtown Aledo Historic District into a coworking facility for the in-demand services of technology education, recruiting and employment. The project serves as a model for future economic development projects in the rural community. Learn more.

Epiphany Center for the Arts, Chicago: Award for Adaptive Reuse

Developers and husband and wife team David Chase & Kimberly Rachal reused an 1885 Episcopal church to open an arts center for visual, performing and culinary arts, saving the historic building in the process and creating an active and accessible community space on Chicago's West Side. Learn more.

Pullman Artspace Lofts, Chicago: Award for Rehabilitation

Two historic structures and one new construction building in Chicago's Pullman neighborhood have been combined to create 38 work/live apartment units that serve veterans, low-income artists and individuals with supported services. The project, made possible through a dynamic partnership between Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, Pullman Arts and Pullman Artspace Lofts, included an extensive community engagement process and signals the revitalization of the historic industrial community on Chicago's Far South Side. Learn more.

Chicago Union Station, Chicago: Award for Restoration

Ten years in the making, this large-scale project spearheaded by Amtrak and Goettsch Partners restored the architecturally significant, 96-year-old landmark's Great Hall, massive vaulted skylight and other areas to its original integrity and beauty, while enhancing the station's functionality through engineering innovations and new materials. Learn more.

West Pullman School Senior Community, Chicago: Award for Adaptive Reuse

A three-building school complex, built in 1894, 1900 and 1923, in Chicago's historic Pullman neighborhood has been creatively reused as affordable senior housing. The project, led by developer Scott Henry of Celadon Holdings, LLC and UrbanWorks, has successfully preserved the historic buildings that have continuously served as an important anchor in one of the nation's first planned industrial communities. Learn more.

Nauvoo Historic Residences, Nauvoo: Award for Restoration

Four residences have been restored & rebuilt to reflect their original mid-1800s character in the religiously significant city of Nauvoo, home to the nationally-recognized cultural center for scholarship on the traditions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. New exhibits at the residences educate visitors on the history of pioneer life in Illinois and of the unique role historic Nauvoo played in the settlement of a community seeking religious freedom in this picturesque corner of Illinois. Learn more.

Tiger Senior Apartments, Paris: Award for Adaptive Reuse

The 100-year-old former Paris High School was rehabilitated and converted into low-income senior housing named after the school's former mascot. The City of Paris, dedicated to saving this beloved and significant local landmark, partnered with the nonprofit Laborer's Home Development Corp. to make this project possible. Today, nearly half of the residents in the 42-unit apartment building are former Paris High School students. Learn more.

Duncan Manor, Towanda: Award for Stewardship

Through passion and creativity, David and Randi Howell have restored the 1866 Italianate farmhouse on old Route 66 near Towanda, once listed on Landmarks Illinois' Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois. The couple revived the formerly inhabitable local landmark, creating a popular and iconic destination for tours, concerts, weddings and other community events. Learn more.

Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep, Waukegan: Award for Adaptive Reuse

Architecture firm JGMA led the innovative project to transform a vacant former Kmart store, long seen as a disposable building ready for the landfill, into a vibrant campus for Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep, which provides education opportunities and professional mentoring to minority families living below poverty level. The project symbolizes an expanded definition of preservation where no building is overlooked for its reuse potential and where inclusion, equity and environmental sustainability are prioritized. Learn more.

Awards ceremony event details

The 2021 Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards Ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, October 22, at the Davis Theater, 4614 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. The awards ceremony will also be available as a virtual presentation to reach Landmarks Illinois' broad base of constituents across Illinois.

The Davis Theater, built in 1918 and located in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood, is the longest continually operating theater in the city. The owners of the historic theater received a 2018 Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Rehabilitation for their preservation efforts at the more than 100-year-old community landmark.

In addition to celebrating the award-winners, the event will feature a special tribute to honor the memory and creative spirit of the late Richard H. Driehaus, Landmarks Illinois' longtime partner in preservation. The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation has generously underwritten Landmarks Illinois' annual preservation awards program for the past 27 years. One of the 2021 selected winners will receive the Richard H. Driehaus Legacy Award for Innovation, which will be announced at the award ceremony.

The Landmarks Illinois 2021 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards Celebration is open to the public. Tickets are $50 for Landmarks Illinois members and $65 for non-members. Register for the in-person or virtual presentation by visiting our website or by contacting Tiffanie Williams, Director of Corporate Giving and Events at: [email protected].

More about the awards program

Since 1994, the annual Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards has honored individuals, projects and programs in Illinois whose work demonstrates a commitment to excellence in preservation. A jury of preservation professionals from across Illinois selected the 2021 winners based on the project's positive impact in the community, how it inspires others to save places as well as degree to which the project aligns with Landmarks Illinois' mission, values and guiding principles.

About Landmarks Illinois

We are People Saving Places for People. Landmarks Illinois, now celebrating its 50th Anniversary, is a membership-based nonprofit organization serving the people of Illinois. We inspire and empower stakeholders to save places that matter to them by providing free guidance, practical and financial resources and access to strategic partnerships. For more information, visit www.Landmarks.org.

CONTACT:

Kaitlyn McAvoy

Communications Manager, Landmarks Illinois

312-922-1742

[email protected]

SOURCE Landmarks Illinois

Related Links

http://www.landmarks.org


The increasing demand for Internet of Things (IoT) devices will offer immense growth opportunities. To leverage the current opportunities, market vendors must strengthen their foothold in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. The printed circuit board (PCB) market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period.

Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Market is segmented as below:

Product

4-6 Low



Substrates



1-2 Sided



Flexible



Others

Geography

APAC



North America



Europe



MEA



South America

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43572

Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis and Scope

To help businesses improve their market position, the printed circuit board (PCB) market provides a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the market. Some of these vendors include Compeq Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Ibiden Co. Ltd., Korea Zinc Co. Ltd., NOK Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., Tripod Technology Corp., TTM Technologies Inc., Unimicron Technology Corp., and Zhen Ding Technology Holding Ltd.

The report also covers the following areas:

Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Market size

Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Market trends

Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Market industry analysis

The advent of high-density interconnect (HDI) technology is likely to emerge as one of the major trends in the market.

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Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research report on the printed circuit board (PCB) market is designed to provide entry support, customer profile & M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.



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Global Flip Chip Market - Global flip chip market is segmented by end-user (electronics, heavy machinery and equipment, IT and telecommunication, automotive, and others) and geography (North America, APAC, Europe, MEA, and South America).

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Global Film Capacitor Market - Global film capacitor market is segmented by type (polyester film capacitors, polypropylene film capacitors, PTFE film capacitors, and others), application (AC applications and DC applications), and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and MEA).

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Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist printed circuit board (PCB) market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the printed circuit board (PCB) market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the printed circuit board (PCB) market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of printed circuit board (PCB) market vendors

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019-2024

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Product

Market segments

Comparison by Product

4-6 low - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Substrates - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

1-2 sided - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Flexible - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Others - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Product

Market Segmentation by End-user

Market segments

Comparison by End-user

Communication network infrastructure - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Consumer electronics - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Automotive electronics - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Military and aerospace - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Others - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by End-user

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

North America - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

- Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Europe - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

- Market size and forecast 2019-2024 MEA - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

- Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Volume drivers  Demand led growth

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Compeq Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

Ibiden Co. Ltd.

Korea Zinc Co. Ltd.

NOK Corp.

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.

Tripod Technology Corp.

TTM Technologies Inc.

Unimicron Technology Corp.

Zhen Ding Technology Holding Ltd.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Website: www.technavio.com/

Report: www.technavio.com/report/printed-circuit-board-pcb-market-industry-analysis

SOURCE Technavio
YOKOHAMA, Japan, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- REPROCELL have signed a Strategic Collaboration Agreement with TEXCELL JAPAN, a TEXCELL Group Company, for GMP iPSC - Master Cell Banks (MCB) Manufacturing. The TEXCELL Group (hereinafter "TEXCELL") is a contract manufacturing organization (CMO) headquartered in France and managed by the holding company Soparbiotech International.

In recent years, the movement towards clinical application of iPSCs has been active in the US, Europe, the US, and Japan. In these locations there is now increasing demand for GMP iPSC MCBs that can be used for therapeutic applications.

REPROCELL has established manufacturing pipeline for GMP iPSC MCBs in accordance with the guidelines of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) in Japan. REPROCELL can outsource part of the MCB manufacturing process at TEXCELL's GMP facility, certified by EMA, enabling the establishment of GMP iPSC MCB.

This Strategic Collaboration Agreement supplements the earlier signed Master Service Agreement and strengthens the relationship with TEXCELL as a strategic partner in generating GMP iPSC - Master Cell Bank for REPROCELL clients globally.

"The partnership with TEXCELL will boost our GMP iPSC master cell bank manufacturing capability", said Daisuke Usui, Chief Operating Officer REPROCELL. "TEXCELL has an extensive expertise and robust track record in GMP cell bank manufacturing in compliance with the FDA, EMA and PMDA. TEXCELL's capability, together with REPROCELL's RNA reprogramming stem cell technology, is a great fit for the company's GMP iPSC offerings."

You can find out more about REPROCELL's GMP iPSC MCB service on our website.

About TEXCELL: Established in 1987, TEXCELL provides contract services for viral clearances, viral safety testing and the manufacture of GMP cell banks (Master and Working cell bank)  in accordance with the guidelines of the FDA, EMA, and PMDA verified by regular inspection (inspected by FDA and ANSM for EMA)  to pharmaceutical companies and bioventures in Europe, the US, and Asia as a CMO. For more information visit the TEXCELL website or LinkedIn page.

Contact:

Rama Modali

301-470-3362

[email protected]

SOURCE REPROCELL
LOMPOC, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation, a national nonprofit advocacy organization, condemned the decision of the Bureau of Land Management to go forward today with a plan to use a helicopter to roundup and permanently remove 733 of the estimated 896 wild horses on Colorado's Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area.

"Local advocates as well as national ones like Return to Freedom offered the BLM alternatives, environmental groups like the Sierra Club took the unusual step of speaking against the roundup, and Gov. Jared Polis called on BLM to freeze roundups and work with the state to manage its wild horses more humanely. All of that, and yet BLM is stubbornly going forward," said Neda DeMayo, president of Return to Freedom.

"BLM is not only decimating this beloved herd and putting the lives of individual wild horses -- including young foals -- at risk by chasing them over rough terrain with a helicopter, it is bruising any of the good will left from a cooperative fertility program run by volunteers. Just last year, volunteers darted 300 mares at Sand Wash with safe, proven and humane fertility control intended to help keep them on the range by slowing reproduction. Now, many of those same mares will be taken from their home range forever. In choosing to go forward with the roundup, BLM is callously ignoring the time, money and effort put into that project."

The Bureau of Land Management plans to permanently remove 733 of the estimated 896 wild horses from Colorado's Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area in a helicopter roundup set to run Sept. 1-27.

BLM is conducting this "emergency" roundup because of concerns about adequate forage for the upcoming winter, because the number of wild horses exceeds the agency-set "Appropriate Management Level" of 163-363 for 157,730-acre Herd Management Area, and because horses have wandered on to private property through gates left open by the members of the public.

While RTF recognizes concerns about forage, photos and videos taken in August from throughout the Herd Management Area show the horses looking healthy and recent rains have alleviated concerns about lack of water.

"With the private sector struggling with hay availability, prices, wildfires and drought, this is not the right time for BLM to target these smaller populations  especially herds that are easily trackable, with very young foals on the ground, and a more than five-year investment in a fertility control program," DeMayo said. "Surely, a less-excessive approach can alleviate concerns for range health and reduce the damage to this herd."

In recent days, Return to Freedom and thousands of its supporters wrote to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, urging her to make changes in BLM's plans, including using a bait-and-trap gather instead of helicopters, reducing the number of wild horses to be removed and returning mares treated with fertility control to the range.

"Congress has begun to provide an additional taxpayer funding to implement safe, proven and humane fertility control on wild horse and burro Herd Management Areas, but we've seen too little action from the agency in return," DeMayo said. "For more than two decades, we've been calling on BLM to balance herd numbers by increasing fertility control to slow down reproduction. Instead, BLM has continued a decades-long cycle of capture and removal, year after year. Now, facing drought across the West, the agency is left scrambling to remove thousands of wild horses and warehouse them in overcrowded corrals. America's wild horses and burros deserve far better from the agency tasked by law with managing them."

Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation (RTF ) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to wild horse preservation through sanctuary, education, conservation, and advocacy since 1998. It also operates the American Wild Horse Sanctuary at three California locations, caring for 500 wild horses and burros. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram for updates about wild horses and burros on the range and at our sanctuary.

SOURCE Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation

Related Links

https://returntofreeedom.org


NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rightway, a healthcare company revolutionizing care navigation and pharmacy benefits, today announced that its PBM solution, RightwayRx, has helped KW PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING (KWPMC) save over 33% on pharmacy spending after replacing its large-scale PBM arrangement in 2020. After a full year on the platform, Rightway's transparent, lowest-net-cost pricing model combined with clinical navigation services reduced KWPMC's drug spend by $54 per member per month (PMPM).

KWPMC serves employees across the state of Florida and is committed to providing them with world-class healthcare benefits. After five years of using a legacy system poorly tailored to their needs, KWPMC's overall healthcare costs were significantly higher than the industry standard. They were seeking a solution that could effectively cut pharmacy spending without compromising the employee experience. As satisfied users of Rightway's Navigation solution, they welcomed the opportunity to bring the Rightway experience to their pharmacy benefits.

"Our employees love the concierge service they receive with Rightway Navigation. We wanted to deliver the same level of service to them on the pharmacy side," said Suzette Diaz, Director of Human Resources at KWPMC.

After implementing Rightway's member-centric PBM platform, 60% of members on prescription medications engaged with Rightway for support on topics such as medication selection, adherence counseling, and specialty drug management. In addition to improving the member experience, Rightway's clinical navigation support resulted in over $36 PMPM of savings to KWPMC.

"We didn't know about the contracting games happening on the backend of our PBM and didn't realize how much money we were leaving on the table. Rightway has delivered on their promise 100%. I've been doing this for 18 years and I've never had such good results from anyone in the health industry," said Paul Kaplan, Managing Director of KWPMC.

RightwayRx is pioneering a new pharmacy benefits management model: members use an intuitive consumer app to connect with dedicated clinical pharmacists who help them manage their medications, guide them to lower-cost alternatives, coordinate mail orders, and enroll them in clinical programs, such as diabetes management. Its fully transparent pricing model unlocks margin trapped in the supply chain and passes savings back to employers, helping them drastically reduce their pharmacy spend. Across its user base, RightwayRx has helped customers achieve 20% year-over-year Rx savings.

"The current pharmacy landscape is broken, and as drug prices continue to soar, it's untenable. Consumers are left to blindly navigate their medications without any kind of guidance or support," said Kristin Devlin, Vice President of Pharmacy Operations at Rightway. "Our model improves the health of our members AND our client's bottom line. It's a win-win!"

To learn more about RightwayRx, visit https://www.rightwayhealthcare.com/rightwayrx.

On September 14, Rightway is presenting ReWork Health, a half-day virtual event featuring Sanjay Gupta alongside other prominent healthcare and HR leaders. Register at www.ReWorkHealth.com to join an event that's quickly becoming a catalyst for innovation for benefits leaders.

About Rightway

Rightway is the leader in driving health care value for everyone, everywhere. Its care navigation and new-to-the-world PBM platforms guide members to the highest quality care and medication, leading to better care and happier people at a lower cost. Using the mobile app, employees connect with live, clinical guides who assist them with all their health care needs - from finding a great doctor to understanding their medication, from support on billing issues to benefits education. Companies choose Rightway for its smart clinical navigation, best-in-class technology, and lightest implementation lift, all resulting in higher ROI for clients and happier, healthier employees. For more information, please visit www.rightwayhealthcare.com.

About KW PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING

KW PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING is headquartered in Miami with offices across Florida in Fort Lauderdale, Bonita Springs/Naples, Tampa/Clearwater and Orlando; as well as Bimini Bay in the Bahamas. The company provides a professional and independent approach to property management with more than 1,850 employees. From upscale high-rises, to homeowners' associations and garden-style townhomes, KW PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING meets the needs of 90,000-unit owners. For more information, visit www.kwpmc.com.

Contact:

Angelica Bishop

PAN Communications

[email protected]

617-502-4390

SOURCE Rightway

Related Links

https://www.rightwayhealthcare.com


OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- America is starting to emerge from the economic crisis caused by the pandemic, but there's still no end in sight for the millions of children who don't have enough food to eat. You might be surprised to learn that one in every six children in the U.S. are struggling with hunger or food insecurity - meaning they may not know how they will get their next meal. That's why Feed the Children, a leading nonprofit focused on alleviating childhood hunger, has designated September as Defeat Hunger Month and set a goal to raise $400,000 in four weeks. Because of our generous partners, each dollar multiplies eight times  providing $3.2 million in food and essentials to struggling U.S. families.

Many children and their families who have been hit the hardest by the pandemic are experiencing new hardships. Unemployment benefits are expiring, back rent needs to be paid and the demands of new jobs could mean unexpected frustrations and stretched family budgets. For many, this difficult time could mean additional hunger, food insecurity, malnutrition and other painful consequences.

Feed the Children works 365 days a year to stamp out hunger and make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and families across the United States. But the organization can't do it alone. They work with public and private partners to ensure everyone, everywhere, has access to the safe, healthy and nutritious food they need.

Working with a network of community partners, the nonprofit distributes shelf-stable food and essential household items as well as disaster relief supplies to children and families in order to help them achieve stable lives, while providing food and resources to help them today.

Darren is a single father who lives with his two daughters and two sons in rural Oklahoma. A landscaper, he could always find enough work that he never needed to seek assistance before. COVID-19 quickly changed that. Like many parents, Darren's sudden loss of income from underemployment was compounded by the pressing question of childcare when schools closed. He found himself in a tight spot.

"Right after the pandemic hit, work went downhill, and then the kids had to come home from school," he says. "It made me have to stay home more with my kids. I'm still working as much as I can, but I'm not able to work as much as I need to."

Luckily, just before schools began to reopen, Darren heard from a family member about a food pantry and back-to-school drive in his area. There, he picked up enough food and supplies that he could afford to focus on buying other important things his kids needed like clothes and shoes.

Feed the Children has five distribution centers in the United States including Bethlehem, Penn., Elkhart, Ind., LaVergne, Tenn., Oklahoma City, Okla. and Chandler, Ariz. which serve as regional hubs to provide shelf-stable food and much-needed essentials to families across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In addition to their work in the U.S., Feed the Children also works in eight countries around the world serving families in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, the Philippines, Tanzania and Uganda. There the nonprofit provides a child-focused community development approach which emphasizes four key programs including food and nutrition, health and water, education and livelihoods. The organization's efforts provide parents with the opportunity to gain the skills they need to raise well-nourished and thriving children.

In the U.S. and around the world, Feed the Children distributed more than 87.8 million pounds of food and essentials valued at more than $361 million in fiscal year 2020. Through our partnerships and programs, our outreach to children and their families benefited approximately 5.6 million children and their families in the U.S. and more than 1.7 million internationally for a total of 7.3 million people globally.

For more information on how you can help raise $400K in four weeks during Defeat Hunger Month, visit feedthechildren.org/DefeatHungerMonth. Thanks to the generous support of our partners, each gift given multiplies eight times to deliver food to families in the U.S. and around the world.

About Feed the Children

At Feed the Children, we feed hungry kids. We envision a world where no child goes to bed hungry. In the U.S. and internationally, we are dedicated to helping families and communities achieve stable lives and to reducing the need for help tomorrow, while providing food and resources to help them today. We distribute product donations from corporate donors to local community partners, we provide support for teachers and students, and we mobilize resources quickly to aid recovery efforts when natural disasters strike. Internationally, we manage child-focused community development programs in eight countries. We welcome partnerships because we know our work would not be possible without collaborative relationships.

Visit feedthechildren.org for more information.

SOURCE Feed The Children, Inc.

Related Links

www.feedthechildren.org


WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- September is National PACE Month -- celebrating the Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly, an innovative model of care that allows elders with long-term care needs to remain living in the community for as long as possible as independently as possible. Over 95 percent of PACE enrollees live outside of a nursing home.

"We celebrate National PACE Month in 2021 as we are emerging from the historic COVID-19 pandemic which provides us a unique perspective to celebrate the original development of the PACE model of care and envision a future where every American will have access to PACE," said National PACE Association President and CEO Shawn Bloom.

2021 marks the 50th Anniversary of On Lok, the nonprofit organization in San Francisco that developed the PACE model of care and continues to offer On Lok PACE in San Francisco county, Santa Clara county, and the Tri-City area of Alameda county.

On Lok helped expand the PACE model across the country, forming the National PACE Association in 1994, and supporting the initial group of PACE replication sites. This successful replication on the model, laid the groundwork for federal legislation making PACE a permanent part of the Medicare program and option for state Medicaid programs in 1997.

In June, On Lok launched "50 Stories," a social media campaign featuring a collection of stories that tell the On Lok and PACE story the On Lok PACE and On Lok 30th Street Senior Center Facebook pages and On Lok LinkedIn.

"On Lok's focus on honoring the elder and keeping them connected to their family and their community as they aged led to an innovative model demonstrating how long-term care could be provided in America," Bloom said. "No longer was the approach remove the elder from the community in order to receive services, instead the approach was creating a network of supports and services that enable elders to keep their relationships and activities at the center of their lives."

The value of the PACE model of care was recently reinforced by the experience of PACE enrollees during the pandemic. PACE participants became infected from COVID-19 at one-third the rate of those in a nursing home. As a result, their rate of death was also one third of that of nursing home residents.

The pandemic was disruptive and challenging for all Americans. However, the PACE model of care was able to demonstrate the value of a flexible system of care that can shaped to serve the needs of each individual enrollee.

The pandemic has forced all American to look at the way that we provide long-term care in a new light. As we search for 21st century alternatives to nursing homes, PACE stands as a proven model that is more affordable, provides better care and is focused on each individual achieving their highest quality of life even as they face their final years.

"50 years ago, the leaders of On Lok were far ahead of their time, Bloom said. "Now the time is right to demand more from our long-term care delivery system. PACE is ready to help every community meet that challenge."

Over 55,000 individuals are enrolled in PACE today. 140 PACE organizations operate in 30 states.

Visit: www.pace4you.org

SOURCE National PACE Association

Related Links

http://www.pace4you.org


NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP, a class action law firm dedicated to representing shareholders nationwide, is investigating a potential breach of fiduciary duty claim involving the board of directors of Chimera Investment Corporation (NYSE: CIM).

If you are a shareholder of Chimera Investment Corporation and are interested in obtaining additional information regarding this investigation, free of charge, please visit us at:

http://pjlfirm.com/chimera-investment-corporation/

You may also contact Robert H. Lefkowitz, Esq. either via email at [email protected] or by telephone at 212-725-1000. One of our attorneys will personally speak with you about the case at no cost or obligation.

Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP is a law firm exclusively committed to representing shareholders nationwide who are victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty and other types of corporate misconduct. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://pjlfirm.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

SOURCE Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP

Related Links

http://www.pjlfirm.com


VANCOUVER, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Siemens Corporation (Siemens) and Nexii Building Solutions Inc . (Nexii) have joined forces to advance rapid delivery of sustainable buildings with low carbon footprints across North America.

The collaboration combines Nexii's expertise in delivering high-performance green building products with Siemens' digital power distribution solutions and eVehicle charging equipment. This includes efforts to digitize Nexii's specialized manufacturing facilities and create efficiencies that will speed the production of sustainable building products across the U.S. and Canada. Siemens will also play a role in Nexii's client projects, layering energy-efficient power solutions on top of Nexii's sustainable products as part of a "Future Ready Total Building Solution".

Nexii designs and manufactures innovative high-performance buildings and green building products that are sustainable, cost-efficient, and resilient in the face of climate change. Its building solutions have a lower carbon footprint with 20-33%[1] less embodied carbon, and use approximately 33% less energy overall and 55% less heating energy[2].

Using a breakthrough, proprietary building material, Nexiite, that has comparable properties to concrete but contains no Portland cement or lime, Nexii products significantly reduce end-to-end carbon emissions. Nexiite is used to create Nexii Panels for use in airtight commercial, industrial and residential buildings, and Siemens will layer its eVehicle charging equipment and power distribution solutions on top of Nexii product offerings. This combination will further increase energy efficiencies, minimize energy waste and help reduce climate impacts for Nexii's clients.

This Future Ready Total Building Solution directly addresses issues faced by corporations and building and construction industries striving to meet net zero carbon commitments in line with the latest climate science. Siemens joins Nexii, and existing Nexii partners Honeywell and Trane Technologies, in contributing innovative products to this Future Ready Total Building Solution. The Siemens partnership will also help Nexii speed up the production of building products with digital factory solutions that maximize efficiencies in the deployment, operation, and extensibility at Nexii manufacturing facilities.

"Buildings and construction account for 39% of global climate pollution[3] making the industry the number one driver of the climate crisis[4]," says Stephen Sidwell, co-founder and CEO of Nexii. "Our partnership with Siemens will not only help our clients with improved energy performance, further reducing their greenhouse gas impacts, but will also help Nexii improve efficiencies and speed delivery of our sustainable building solutions in our own facilities."

Ruth Gratzke, President of Siemens Smart Infrastructure U.S. says, "We are proud to support Nexii in realizing their vision of innovating sustainable building solutions. Construction materials like concrete represent a large portion of a building's carbon footprint. Nexii's approach of combining the lower carbon footprint of Nexite with the cost, time and labor benefits of precision manufactured panel construction creates a unique offering taking sustainable, retail construction to a new level."

Nexiite is used in Nexii Panels that are precision manufactured in specialized facilities, then flat-packed and shipped to building sites where they are rapidly assembled with up to 75% faster build time. Nexii creates near-zero construction waste onsite and produces buildings that are airtight and energy-efficient, further reducing climate impacts.

Recently a first-of-its-kind Starbucks cafe in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, was built with Nexii to support Starbucks Canada's aspiration to operate more eco-friendly stores under its global sustainability strategy. A new Popeyes restaurant was also constructed using Nexii's building system in the same complex. Nexii anticipates its technology will reduce both the Starbucks cafe's and Popeyes restaurant's operational building carbon emissions by approximately 30% compared to traditionally constructed buildings.

Siemens Smart Infrastructure (SI) is shaping the market for intelligent, adaptive infrastructure for today and the future. It addresses the pressing challenges of urbanization and climate change by connecting energy systems, buildings and industries. SI provides customers with a comprehensive end-to-end portfolio from a single source  with products, systems, solutions and services from the point of power generation all the way to consumption. With an increasingly digitalized ecosystem, it helps customers thrive and communities progress while contributing toward protecting the planet. SI creates environments that care. With around 70,000 employees worldwide, Siemens Smart Infrastructure has its global headquarters in Zug, Switzerland, and its U.S. corporate headquarters in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, USA.

Siemens Corporation is a U.S. subsidiary of Siemens AG, a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 170 years. Active around the world, the company focuses on intelligent infrastructure for buildings and distributed energy systems and on automation and digitalization in the process and manufacturing industries. Siemens brings together the digital and physical worlds to benefit customers and society. Through Mobility, a leading supplier of intelligent mobility solutions for rail and road transport, Siemens is helping to shape the world market for passenger and freight services. Via its majority stake in the publicly listed company Siemens Healthineers, Siemens is also a world-leading supplier of medical technology and digital health services. In addition, Siemens holds a minority stake in Siemens Energy, a global leader in the transmission and generation of electrical power that has been listed on the stock exchange since September 28, 2020. In fiscal 2020, Siemens Group USA generated revenue of $17 billion and employs approximately 40,000 people serving customers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

About Nexii

Nexii Building Solutions Inc. (Nexii) is a green construction technology company that is committed to building a vibrant future for people and the planet. Nexii designs and manufactures high-performance buildings and green building products that are sustainable, cost-efficient and resilient in the face of climate change. The Nexii System also significantly reduces construction timelines, enabling the rapid development of green buildings across North America. Nexii is suited for industrial / commercial / institutional, mixed-use, multi-family residential and single-family homes, as well as for the green retrofit market. For more information, visit www.nexii.com, or connect with us on Instagram (@NexiiBuilds), Twitter (@NexiiBuilds) or on LinkedIn (Nexii Building Solutions).

[1] Nexii walls have 20%- 33% less embodied carbon than concrete walls, 43% less embodied carbon than a steel stud wall, and ornamental panels can reach 63% reduction in embodied carbon vs precast concrete

[2] Based on third party energy modeling, Nexii's envelope system showed an average of ~33% reduction in energy uses, and airtightness improvements resulting in reduced heating energy of ~55%

[3]UN Environment Global Status Report 2019; EIA International Energy Outlook 2019

[4]]Stewart E, Pugh G, Jordan M. Buildings Are an Ideal but Overlooked Climate Solution. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/11/buildings-are-ideal-overlooked-climate-solution/. Published November 11, 2019. Accessed March 30, 2021

SOURCE Nexii
DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today announced a donation of $150,000 to its national disaster relief partners, American Red Cross, Feeding America, and Team Rubicon. This financial commitment is fulfilled through the Southwest Airlines Foundation, a corporate-advised fund within the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Southwest Airlines is pleased to partner annually with American Red Cross, Feeding America, and Team Rubicon, to support efforts focused on preparedness, response, and resilience. The carrier is providing a $50,000 grant to each of these organizations, to assist with relief operations from the recent refugee resettlements, wildfires, earthquakes, and tropical storms including the latest, Hurricane Ida.

In an effort to provide the highest level of support to the community, Southwest invites its Customers and Employees to join these relief efforts through its Rapid Rewards points promotion running today, Sept. 1, 2021, through Oct. 4, 2021. Rapid Rewards Members who donate a minimum of $25 to the American Red Cross, Feeding America, or Team Rubicon, will receive 20 Rapid Rewards points for every dollar donated*. Visit Southwest.com to donate to one or more of the organizations working on the frontlines providing much-needed relief to impacted communities.

"Southwest champions communities by supporting the work of nonprofit organizations, and encouraging our Customers to do the same," said Laurie Barnett, Southwest Airlines' Managing Director of Communications and Outreach. "We're thankful to our Employees and Customers for putting their Hearts in action, allowing us to come together in a time of need."

"When disaster strikes, Feeding America is on the ground and ready to provide food assistance and emergency supplies to our neighbors in need. Since food banks are rooted in each community, we also support long-term disaster recovery efforts," said Patrick Crawford, Managing Director of Disaster Services at Feeding America. "We are incredibly grateful to Southwest Airlines for their commitment to helping fight hunger, especially during critical times of need."

For more information on how to donate or to create a Rapid Rewards account, visit Southwest.com.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

*Rapid Rewards account information is required. Points will be reflected in the Members' Rapid Rewards account within 45 days after a donation has been made. The maximum earn limit is 10,000 points. Rapid Rewards bonus points do not count toward A-List, A-List Preferred, or Companion Pass qualification.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 51st year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 54,000 Employees to a Customer base that topped 130 million Passengers in 2019. Southwest has a robust network of point-to-point service with a strong presence across top leisure and business markets. In peak travel seasons during 2019, Southwest operated more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 101 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. In 2020, the carrier added service to Hilo, Hawaii; Cozumel, Mexico; Miami; Palm Springs, Calif.; Steamboat Springs; and Montrose (Telluride), Colo. Thus far in 2021, Southwest has initiated service to Chicago (O'Hare) and Sarasota/Bradenton both on Feb. 14; Savannah/Hilton Head and Colorado Springs both on March 11; Houston (Bush) and Santa Barbara, Calif. both on April 12; Fresno, Calif. on April 25; Destin/Fort Walton Beach on May 6; Myrtle Beach, S.C. on May 23; Bozeman, Mont. on May 27; Jackson, Miss. on June 6; and Eugene, Ore. on Aug. 29. The carrier will begin service to Bellingham, Wash. on Nov. 7; and Syracuse on Nov. 14.

The carrier issued its Southwest Promise in May 2020 to highlight new and round-the-clock efforts to support its Customers and Employees well-being and comfort. Among the changes are enhanced cleaning efforts at airports and onboard aircraft, along with a federal mandate requiring every person to wear a mask at all times throughout each flight. Additional details about the Southwest Promise are available at Southwest.com/Promise.

Southwest coined Transfarency to describe its purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in qualified circumstances). Southwest does not charge change fees, though fare differences might apply.

Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. Learn more about how the carrier gives back to communities across the world by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.

Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.

Related Links

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"Since joining Stoneridge five years ago, Matt has played an integral role in shaping our transformation. During his tenure, he has supported refining the Company's product portfolio and operations through multiple divestitures, led an award-winning investor relations team, and has been integral in developing and executing our long-term strategic goals. Matt has shown tremendous leadership across the organization, and his robust knowledge of the business and financial acumen will be critical as we further advance our strategy," said Jon DeGaynor, President and Chief Executive Officer of Stoneridge. "Bob has done a terrific job building a strong and disciplined financial team with deep experience and expertise. I thank Bob for his partnership and many contributions over the last five years."

Mr. Horvath previously served as the Company's Executive Director of Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations, and prior to that as Director of Investor Relations. Before joining Stoneridge, Mr. Horvath spent six years at EY, formerly known as Ernst & Young, in the Transaction Advisory practice, primarily focused on business and asset valuation with a focus on the automotive and transportation industry. Mr. Horvath graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in Finance.

"Matt's deep understanding of our business, his ability to advance our long-term objectives, and his close relationships with both our internal and external stakeholders have positioned him perfectly to be our next CFO," said Bill Lasky, Chairman of the Stoneridge Board of Directors.

Mr. Horvath said, "I have great respect for Bob and all of the things we have accomplished as a team over his tenure and look forward to building on our successes. We will continue to execute on our strategic objectives with a focus on long-term, profitable growth, a strong balance sheet, and efficient and effective deployment of our available capital to drive shareholder value."

About Stoneridge, Inc.

Stoneridge, Inc., headquartered in Novi, Michigan, is an independent designer and manufacturer of highly engineered electrical and electronic components, modules and systems principally for the automotive, commercial vehicle, off-highway, motorcycle and agricultural vehicle markets. Additional information about Stoneridge can be found at Stoneridge.com.

SOURCE Stoneridge, Inc.

Related Links

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"This is an extraordinary win for the Stoneweg US team," said Brandon Rosser, Chief Legal Officer for Stoneweg US, who oversaw the Tuscan Reserve project. "Tuscan Reserve was managed from concept to creation and the project's success is indicative of our unwavering commitment to delivering quality deals to our investors, and our ability to weather market volatility efficiently."

Despite pandemic-related challenges, construction, led by Summit Contracting Group never halted, resulting in a January 2021 completion, roughly 100 days earlier than scheduled. The accelerated completion allowed Stoneweg US to focus efforts on an aggressive lease-up strategy, achieving 98% occupancy by April 2021 with monthly unit rental rates approximately $75 above proforma projections.

The final product at Tuscan Reserve resulted in 123 units with generous square footage, best-in-class finishes, dynamic floor plans, and energy-efficient appliances, as well as luxury external amenities inclusive of a resort-style pool with multiple grilling stations, a top-notch fitness center, bark park, and a picturesque gazebo that overlooks the property's lake and fountain.

The sale was brokered by Nick Meoli and Mike Donaldson, Executive Managing Directors for the Florida Multifamily Investment Sales Team at Cushman and Wakefield on behalf of Stoneweg US.

"We set forth an ambitious and strategic plan for Tuscan Reserve that would capitalize on the project's location; demonstrate the team's capabilities from a development and design perspective; bring quality housing to the Palm Coast Community; and deliver desirable returns to our investors," said Patrick Richard, CEO of Stoneweg US. "The execution of that plan has been flawless and a collaborative effort that we're extremely proud of."

Earlier this year, the Company announced two development deals in St. Petersburg, the Company's corporate headquarters, and the development division intends to continue growing the pipeline with a specific focus on Florida markets poised for growth. Both development projects are expected to kick off in early 2022.

About Stoneweg US: Stoneweg US is a multifamily real estate investment and development firm located in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg with a portfolio of over 13,000 units valued over $1.35 Billion. The Company invests in multifamily assets positioned for strong growth and focuses on increasing investor returns, while improving resident experience through a variety of value-add strategies. For more information, please visit: www.stoneweg.us.

SOURCE Stoneweg US, LLC

Related Links

stoneweg.com


BLUE BELL, Pa., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Columbus Organization, a nationally recognized pioneer in care coordination services, today announced the acquisition of Shift New Jersey, a support coordination, transition assessment, and job/college support agency with close to a decade of experience in the state. With this acquisition, The Columbus Organization's team of 58 Support Coordinators, Supervisors, and Directors will now serve over 1,600 individuals, making it the leading Support Coordination agency in New Jersey.

Dr. Tanya Wyant, Columbus' Executive State Director for NJ noted, "Columbus and Shift NJ share a passion and dedication to this community, and the combined behavioral health expertise of the two organizations will provide thousands of families in NJ with unmatched skills, resources, and advocacy. There are so many people in need of our services, and we are thrilled that this synergy will expand our reach and elevate the impact we have in New Jersey."

Founded in 2012 by a teacher of students with special needs, Shift NJ has built a strong reputation for high-quality, person-centered care in NJ. The company's measurement-based approach will enable a seamless integration into The Columbus Organization's revolutionary ACCOMPLISH SolutionTM to improve health outcomes for individuals with intellectual/developmental, behavioral, medical, and complex care challenges.

Dan Peltz, CEO of Shift NJ, commented, "For close to 10 years, we have been dedicated to empowering individuals, and by partnering with a leader and pioneer in the space we can expand the impact we have on individuals with disabilities nationwide. Together we will pave the way for the future of disability services, and we are looking forward to this tremendous opportunity."

Mr. Peltz will transition into the role of Executive Director, Organizational Effectiveness  Care Coordination, reporting directly to Carlos Hernandez, Senior VP of Care Coordination. Mr. Hernandez commented, "It has always been our goal to serve as many individuals as possible, giving even the most complex behavioral health cases a new lease on life and the ability to achieve their meaningful-life goals. Dan's expertise and facile understanding of measurement-based care will provide the perfect foundation for refining care coordination delivery and improving health outcomes."

The acquisition will be completed on September 1, 2021.

About The Columbus Organization

The Columbus Organization empowers individuals to realize their meaningfullife goals through nationally recognized care/support coordination, professional clinical staffing, and quality improvement services for the intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD) or behavioral needs community. The Company delivers an unmatched depth of expertise, breadth of resources, diversity of thinking, and dedication to finding the most appropriate, personalized solutions for its customers. Visit www.columbusorg.com.

About HealthEdge

HealthEdge Investment Partners, LLC is an operating-oriented private equity firm founded in 2005 that focuses exclusively on the healthcare industry. HealthEdge seeks to achieve superior returns by investing in businesses that benefit from the knowledge, experience, and network of relationships of its partners. Health Edge's partners have more than 100 years of combined operating experience in healthcare as CEOs and investors. Visit www.healthedgepartners.com.

CONTACT: Scott Stoogenke, [email protected]

SOURCE The Columbus Organization

Related Links

http://www.columbusorg.com


LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired DiDi Global Inc. ("DiDi" or the "Company") (NYSE: DIDI ): (a) American Depositary Shares ("ADSs" or "shares") pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the "Registration Statement") issued in connection with the Company's June 2021 initial public offering ("IPO" or the "Offering"); and/or (b) securities between June 30, 2021 and July 21, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). DiDi investors have until September 7, 2021 to file a lead plaintiff motion.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.

DiDi purports to be the world's largest mobility technology platform. The Company claims to be the "go-to brand in China for shared mobility," offering a range of services including ride hailing, taxi hailing, chauffeur, and hitch.

On or about June 30, 2021, DiDi sold about 316.8 million ADSs in its IPO for $14 per share, raising nearly $4.5 billion in new capital.

On July 2, 2021, the Cyberspace Administration of China ("CAC") stated that it had launched an investigation into DiDi to protect national security and the public interest. It also reported that it had asked DiDi to stop new user registrations during the course of the investigation.

On this news, the Company's share price fell $0.87, or approximately 5.3%, to close at $15.53 per share on July 2, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

Then, on Sunday, July 4, 2021, DiDi reported that the CAC ordered smartphone app stores to stop offering the "DiDi Chuxing" app because it "collect[ed] personal information in violation of relevant PRC laws and regulations." Though users who previously downloaded the app could continue to use it, DiDi stated that "the app takedown may have an adverse impact on its revenue in China."

On July 5, 2021, The Wall Street Journal reported that the CAC had asked the Company as early as three months prior to the IPO to postpone the offering because of national security concerns and to "conduct a thorough self-examination of its network security."

On this news, the Company's stock price fell $3.04 per share, or 19.6%, to close at $12.49 per share on July 6, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

By the commencement of this action, the Company's stock was trading as low as $12.06 per share, a nearly 14% decline from the $14 per share IPO price.

The Registration Statement was materially false and misleading and omitted to state material adverse facts. Throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that DiDi's apps did not comply with applicable laws and regulations governing privacy protection and the collection of personal information; (2) that, as a result, the Company was reasonably likely to incur scrutiny from the Cyberspace Administration of China; (3) that the CAC had already warned DiDi to delay its IPO to conduct a self-examination of its network security; (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, DiDi's apps were reasonably likely to be taken down from app stores in China, which would have an adverse effect on its financial results and operations; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects, were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/FRC_LAW.

If you purchased DiDi securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than September 7, 2021 to ask the Court to appoint you as lead plaintiff. To be a member of the Class you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the Class. If you purchased DiDi securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Frank R. Cruz, of The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-914-5007, by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.frankcruzlaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

SOURCE The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, Los Angeles

Related Links

frankcruzlaw.com


The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) was instigated and enacted to assure Native Americans could have unfettered access to peyote for their religious rituals. Consistent with this purpose, The Satanic Temple wants unfettered access to abortifacients for its religious use. Given that peyote is a Schedule I drug with no accepted medical use, TST's request for access to prescription drugs is an even more reasonable ask that should be granted under Federal law.

TST places certain voluntary abortions in a religious context with its religious abortion ritual. During the procedure, adherents affirm their religious beliefs of bodily autonomy and scientifically-reasoned personal choice. In their letter to the FDA, TST's legal council states, "TST has every desire to ensure the health and safety of its membership the issue is with governmental control over whether TST's membership can obtain access to these drugs." TST's ritual requires a medical examination to determine whether there are "contraindications" to obtaining an abortion as defined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists or the American Academy of Family Physicians.

TST co-founder and spokesperson Lucien Greaves explains, "In the spirit of existing law, this is a monumental step for religious freedom in the United States as a whole. Our members will be able to receive access to abortion care with no unnecessary and unscientific governmental interference and be able to rightfully place a deeply personal ritual in a context that comports with their religious beliefs."

About The Satanic Temple

The Satanic Temple, subject of the critically-acclaimed documentary, Hail Satan?, and the academic analysis of modern Satanism, Speak of the Devil, confronts religious discrimination to secure the separation of church and state and defend the Constitutional rights of its members. In response to Oklahoma and Arkansas placing a Ten Commandments statue on Capitol grounds, TST offered its bronze Baphomet statue to stand alongside the Christian monuments. TST hosts the "After School Satan" club to counter the Evangelical "Good News Clubs" in public schools across the country to promote a plurality of religious viewpoints. The mission of The Satanic Temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits for the individual will. For more information about The Satanic Temple, visit https://thesatanictemple.com/.

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE The Satanic Temple

Related Links

https://thesatanictemple.com/


DUBLIN, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "DNA Vaccines: Technologies and Global Markets 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global market for DNA vaccines should grow from $3.1 billion in 2021 to $11.5 billion by 2026 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.1% for the period of 2021-2026.

DNA vaccines market for research tools should grow from $2.2 billion in 2021 to $8.7 billion by 2026 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32.3% for the period of 2021-2026.

DNA vaccines market for clinical vaccines should grow from $924 million in 2021 to $2.8 billion by 2026 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.5% for the period of 2021-2026.

Report Scope

The study's scope includes DNA vaccine products that already are commercialized or likely to be in the next five years. Both human and animal health markets are studied. DNA vaccine delivery technologies are also included. DNA vaccine candidates in clinical trials are examined by indication, and future market growth from 2021 through 2026 is forecast.

The role that DNA vaccines play in the overall vaccine industry is examined, as well as how the vaccine industry structure and dynamics are changing.

We examine DNA synthesis, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals firms, strategic industry alliances, and the role of gene delivery and synthesis technologies. The major markets for DNA vaccines, including infectious diseases, cancers, animal health, allergies and biodefense, are analyzed, and the main companies in these fields are highlighted.

The Report Includes

14 data tables and 55 additional tables

An overview of the global market for DNA vaccines and related technologies

Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2019, 2020, estimates for 2021, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2026

Coverage of delivery and synthesis technologies, the forces driving market growth, product formats, and market applications for these products

Identification of new opportunities, challenges, and technological changes within the industry and highlights of the market potential for DNA vaccines by delivery technology, format, function and region

Coverage of life cycle status and commercial status of DNA vaccine technologies and brief description of the Human Immune System

Details about vaccines, their evolution, and types including DNA vaccines and cancer DNA vaccines, their function, scope and clinical trials, and information on changing vaccine paradigm, antigen discovery, plasmid design and manufacture and delivery technologies

Detailed analysis of the current market trends, market forecast, and discussion of technological, and regulatory elements that are affecting the future marketplace

Information about major technologies for the formulation of DNA vaccines and assessment of their relation to biotechnology, gene therapy, DNA delivery, pharmaceuticals, and biodefense companies

Comprehensive profiles of leading companies in the field as well as updates to alliance, merger, and acquisition activities, including Astellas Pharma Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Merck & Co., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc. and Sanofi-Aventisa

Vaccines, once a stable though unexciting sector of the pharmaceutical industry, are becoming an attractive growth opportunity. DNA vaccines are an emerging vaccine platform within this changing paradigm. DNA vaccines target a wide range of traditional pharmaceutical markets, such as cancers and allergies, as well as infectious diseases. The vaccine industry has proved that it can generate products with nontraditional applications and blockbuster potential. Products such as that from ViroCyt, now part of Sartorius Stedim Biotech, are leading the field of rapid virus quantification. DNA vaccines are poised to generate significant future market potential.

New biotechnologies and nanotechnologies are driving DNA vaccine development. Particularly key to DNA vaccines reaching their potential are emerging delivery technologies such as electroporation (EP), innovative vaccine formats such as DNA prime-adenovector boost, and novel molecular adjuvant technologies. These technologies are providing the means for achieving the higher efficacy in humans that is required for the commercialization of DNA vaccines.

DNA vaccines have already made significant progress to date. There are three approved DNA vaccines for animal health applications and nearly 100 clinical trials underway in humans for a wide range of diseases. There is a deep pipeline of preclinical projects. A small but strategic market segment is commercial today, consisting of research tools and animal health applications.

The high growth is the result of a low starting base and a forecast introduction of several DNA vaccines late in the period. While research tools and animal health clinical applications currently dominate the market, human clinical DNA vaccines will make up the vast majority of this market through 2026.

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Summary

Chapter 3 Market Overview

Introduction

DNA Vaccine Technologies Covered in This Report

Global Market for DNA Vaccines

Forces Driving DNA Vaccine Market Growth

Life Cycle Status of DNA Vaccine Technologies

Commercial Status of DNA Vaccine Technologies

DNA Vaccine Industry

Chapter 4 DNA Vaccine Technologies

Introduction

Human Immune System

Vaccines

Evolution of Vaccines

Types of Vaccines

DNA Vaccines

Changing Vaccine Paradigm

Function and Scope of DNA Vaccines

Cancer DNA Vaccines

DNA Vaccine Technology Value Chain

Antigen Discovery

Plasmid Design

Plasmid Manufacture

Delivery Technologies

Uncomplexed pDNA

Electroporation

Liposomes

Gold Particles

Nanoparticles

Bacterial Ghosts

Bacteriophages

Viruses

Targeting Technologies

Adjuvant Technologies

DNA Vaccine Technology Needs

Chapter 5 DNA Vaccine Applications

Research Tool Applications

Clinical Application

Overview to DNA Vaccine Clinical Trials Process

Summary of DNA Vaccine Clinical Trials

Chapter 6 DNA Vaccine Industry

Vaccine Industry Structural Shifts

Industry Structure

DNA Vaccine Industry Competitors

DNA Vaccine Commercial Value Chain

DNA Vaccine Competitor Strategic Positioning

Research & Development

Chapter 7 DNA Vaccine Markets

Drivers of Growth

DNA Vaccine Markets

Market Forecasts

DNA Vaccine Research Tool Markets

DNA Vaccine Clinical Markets

DNA Vaccine Market by Region

Research Tools for DNA Vaccine Market by Region

Clinical DNA Vaccine Market by Region

Chapter 8 Impact of COVID-19

Vaccines, Treatments and Diagnostics

Vaccines

Therapeutics

Economic Impact of COVID-19

Chapter 9 Company Profiles

Astellas Pharma Inc.

Astrazeneca Plc

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

Gilead Sciences Inc.

Johnson & Johnson

Merck & Co.

Novartis Ag

Pfizer Inc.

Sanofi-Aventis

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/o8dxo1

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets

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NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the face of substantial membership declines in 2020, a vast consumer shift to at-home options and the spread of the Delta variant, traditional gym and fitness operators must look to hybrid solutions, according to a new white paper by Mark Laber, a managing director at global consulting firm Berkeley Research Group (BRG).

The white paper, which analyzes insights and data from leading industry groups and CEOs, focuses on COVID-19's long-term impacts on consumer behavior, the industry and investor outlook, and key challenges and strategic issues stakeholders will have to navigate in 2021 and beyond. Laber, a managing director in BRG's Corporate Finance team, has two decades of experience providing restructuring advisory services to constituents across several industries, helping steering committees, lender groups and official creditor committees of distressed companies develop solutions to their most critical problems with the goal of maximizing recoveries.

In the white paper, Laber shows that, despite the closure of roughly 22% of the nation's health clubs in 2020and an overwhelming shift to at-home options and digital solutionsthere are reasons for optimism: gym visits rose in March 2021 by 45% year over year, 95% of all club customers miss at least one aspect of physically being at the gym and even leading tech providers estimate that 40% of their users have gym memberships.

However, consumers are not likely to shrug off their investment in equipment, streaming workout services and other tools that allow them to exercise at home, especially as the Delta variant surges. Industry operators also have found success with digital, streaming and on-demand models. Therefore, for operators to fill the void left by brick-and-mortar gymswhile also making consumers feel safethe paper suggests adopting a hybrid model, increasing operators' online presences to attract and retain customers who prefer the flexibility of virtual options.

"This year will be one of ongoing uncertainty, particularly for traditional brick-and-mortar fitness operators that will have to juggle fast-evolving customer safety needs and behaviors as COVID-19 persists," said Laber. "In this environment, being nimble is critical to retaining members as we all adapt to a "new normal" that is still very much evolving."

A copy of the full paper can be found here. Laber will share additional insights on the future of the fitness industry in an upcoming Q&A in BRG's digital publication, ThinkSet.

About BRG

Berkeley Research Group, LLC (BRG) is a global consulting firm that helps leading organisations advance in three key areas: disputes and investigations, corporate finance, and performance improvement and advisory. Headquartered in California with offices around the world, we are an integrated group of experts, industry leaders, academics, data scientists and professionals working across borders and disciplines. We harness our collective expertise to deliver the inspired insights and practical strategies our clients need to stay ahead of what's next. Visit thinkbrg.com to learn more.

SOURCE Berkeley Research Group, LLC
NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) today announced the appointment of Christina Travers, one of the country's leading experts in community development finance, as its new chief financial officer (CFO). Travers is expected to start November 1 and is replacing Michael Hearne, who is retiring after seven years in the position.

Travers is returning to LISCwhere she previously spent more than a decade helping pioneer impact investing effortsfrom Working Solutions, a nonprofit CDFI focused on microlending in the San Francisco Bay Area. As CFO at Working Solutions, she oversees the organization's financial functions as well as its portfolio management department.

"We are delighted to welcome Christina back to LISC, especially now, as we continue to help communities recover from the enormous impact of the pandemic," said Robert E. Rubin, LISC chair and former U.S. Treasury secretary. "Christina's track record of strong financial management and investor engagement as well as her proven ability to attract new sources of capital to this important work is critical."

LISC is one of the nation's largest community development financial institutions (CDFIs), having invested more than $24 billion to close racial and socio-economic gaps in health, wealth and opportunity throughout the country.

In her previous roles with LISC, Travers served as treasurer and senior vice president of capital strategies. In 2017, she helped spearhead the market's first-ever CDFI public bond offering, which raised $100 million for LISC and laid the groundwork for CDFI bond issuance by other large organizations.

She also managed LISC's banking relationships, including closing $500 million in new and renewed facilities. And she co-authored a definitive LISC white paper on CDFIs and impact investing, providing critical information to help new investors understand the opportunities in community development.

"Over the years, Christina has been instrumental in LISC's development as a sophisticated, multi-faceted capital delivery network that can meet the needs of impact investors and community-based organizations alike," said Lisa Glover, interim LISC president and CEO.

"With her return to our team, we will again benefit from her talent for financial innovation and management, while ensuring a smooth transition in this critical position, since she already knows our people, programs and partners so well."

Denise Scott, LISC executive vice president of programs, drew a clear line from LISC's financial strength to its on-the-ground impact. "If we are going to build a more inclusive, more just economy, where everyone has the chance to succeed, we need creative investment strategies that not only respond to the needs on the ground but that also connect new capital providers with opportunities for sustainable impact," she explained. "I've worked with Christina for more than a decade, and she has proven her ability to support all of that and more."

In recent years, Travers also served as vice president of finance and capital strategies at the Low Income Investment Fund, where she oversaw capitalization, investor cultivation, and financial planning and analysis, while leading the organization through its first bond offering in 2019.

She currently serves on the board of the Opportunity Finance Network, the national association of CDFIs, and was recently honored by Crain's New York Business as one of its 2021 Notable LGBTQ Leaders and Executives. She also serves on the board of the Brooklyn YWCA, where she is treasurer and chair of the finance committee.

"In many ways, I feel like I am coming home to LISC," Travers said. "And here's what I know: the most important thing we can do as an organization is leverage our capital and expertise to energize the work of residents, community-based nonprofits, philanthropy, anchor institutions, and policymakers to catalyze opportunity and drive inclusive growth. Every person at LISC is committed to that kind of lasting impact, and I'm proud to be a part of it."

About LISC

With residents and partners, LISC forges resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America  great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families. Since 1979, LISC has invested $24 billion to build or rehab more than 436,320 affordable homes and apartments and develop 74.4 million square feet of retail, community and educational space. For more, visit www.lisc.org.

Media contact:

Colleen Mulcahy, for LISC

312-342-8244

[email protected]

SOURCE Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

Related Links

http://www.lisc.org


Florida's largest cannabis company opens 91st dispensary in the Sunshine State

TALLAHASSEE, FLA, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCQX: TCNNF) ("Trulieve" or "the Company"), a leading and top-performing cannabis company based in the United States, today announced the opening of a brand new dispensary in Oviedo, Florida.

The new dispensary is Trulieve's 91st location in Florida. As part of the grand opening, Trulieve will host local food trucks and feature brand partner giveaways. The dispensary will begin serving customers on Thursday, September 2 at 9:00am. The Oviedo dispensary joins nearby locations in Winter Park and Longwood.

To commemorate the grand opening, all patients  from those new to Trulieve to the dedicated Trulieve community  will be eligible for a 25% in-store discount at the new dispensaries on opening day.

ANNOUNCING: Trulieve Oviedo Grand Opening

WHERE: 7505 Red Bug Lake Road, Spaces 1025, 1029, 1033, Oviedo FL 32765

WHEN: Thursday, September 2, at 9:00 a.m.

Trulieve invites the Oviedo community to join the Grand Opening festivities, which will include giveaways, swag from vendor partner Sunshine Cannabis, custom t-shirt screen printing with St. Petersburg-based Craft Tee, and complimentary Sonny's BBQ for the first 250 patients.

"Trulieve is committed to ensuring medical cannabis patients across Florida have safe, reliable access to the medications they rely on," said Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve. "Our Oviedo team is well-trained, educated, and ready to serve patients. We view every new store opening as an opportunity to further connect with the community."

In stores and online, patients will find Florida's largest selection of THC and CBD products in a variety of delivery methods, including edibles, smokable flower, concentrates, tinctures, topical creams, vaporizers, and more. Trulieve also offers home delivery statewide for patients and convenient in-store pickup at each of its 88 dispensaries in Florida.

To assist patients with ordering, Trulieve's entire catalog of products is available for online orders, with in-store pickup or statewide home delivery options available depending on patient preference. Additionally, Trulieve offers complimentary 30-minute virtual consultations with a Trulieve consultant to help navigate questions on products, devices, or review their doctor's recommendation. Appointments can be made on Trulieve's website and are open to all patients, whether starting their journey with medical cannabis or those with experience looking for alternative treatment options.

Trulieve continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation and remains committed to slowing the spread in our communities. The Company has reinstated "Designated Care Time" for immunocompromised patients in which the first half hour after dispensaries open is reserved for this higher-risk patient population to shop safely. The company also offers delivery to all patients across the state of Florida. Delivery is free for patients age 65+ and currently offered at a reduced rate to all other patients.

In addition to rigorous cleaning and safety protocols, Trulieve requires all employees to wear masks regardless of vaccination status. We ask all patients and caretakers to wear face coverings while shopping with us and have made them available in all locations.

For more information, please visit www.Trulieve.com.

About Trulieve

Trulieve is primarily a vertically integrated "seed-to-sale" company in the U.S. and is the first and largest fully licensed medical cannabis company in the State of Florida. Trulieve cultivates and produces all of its products in-house and distributes those products to Trulieve-branded stores (dispensaries) throughout the State of Florida, as well as directly to patients via home delivery. Trulieve also holds licenses to operate in California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and West Virginia. Trulieve is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol TRUL and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol TCNNF.

To learn more about Trulieve, visit www.Trulieve.com .

SOURCE Trulieve Cannabis Corp.

Related Links

https://www.trulieve.com/


FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NajingTech, a global leader in quantum dot development and manufacturing, released a statement on the ongoing patent lawsuit concerning NNCrystal US, a subsidiary of NajingTech, and Nanosys. The full update can be found on NNCrystal's website. The release describes a recent US Patent Office decision that strengthens and stabilizes NNCrystal's patent on its proprietary quantum dot technology.

By rejecting Nanyosys's invalidation petition, The U.S. Patent Office has reaffirmed NajingTech's technology and the strength of international scientific collaboration.

The legal battle concerns U.S. Patent No. 7,105,051, maintained by the University of Arkansas and licensed by NNCrystal. The patented technology was developed at the University of Arkansas through the research of Xiaogang Peng, formerly the inaugural Scharlau Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Arkansas and a co-founder of NajingTech. Though currently based in Hangzhou, China, NajingTech has maintained its connections to the University of Arkansas community. NajingTech provides internship and employment opportunities for current students at its US subsidiary, NNCrystal, recognizing the importance of serving institutions of public education and encouraging international dialogue between young scientists. These students have opportunities to make meaningful contributions to a small team whose products support quantum dot technology and research worldwide.

In the years since the technology was developed, NajingTech's proprietary quantum dot fabrication process has become the worldwide industry standard bearer. On September 11, 2019, NNCrystal and the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas filed suit against Nanosys in the United States District Court of Delaware to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of NNCrystal. NNCrystal alleged that the defendant's large-scale manufacturing, sale, use, and offer to sell of quantum dot materials in the United States infringed upon U.S. Patent No. 7,105,051.

Despite public statements to the media about the case, the company has failed to persuade the court and patent office.

In November of 2019, Nanosys filed a motion seeking dismissal of claims of direct infringement (allegations of infringement by Nanosys), induced infringement (allegations that Nanosys was inducing others to infringe), and willful infringement. A U.S. District Court denied this motion on February 10, 2020.

Also in February 2020, Nanosys sought an alternate strategy to invalidate the patent claims, filing a petition for an inter partes review (IPR) and challenging the validity of U.S. Patent No. 7,105,051. On August 16, 2021, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) issued its Final Written Decision concluding that Nanosys had failed to show that any challenged claim was un-patentable. The PTAB rejected all eight grounds of invalidity asserted by Nanosys.

This decision by the U.S. Patent Office reaffirms NNCrystal's position and stabilizes its patent rights.

"Nanosys claims an impressive number of IP Assets, and its force in the market is to be reckoned with," says Gefei Weng, CEO of NajingTech. "Still, it has no right to use its size and influence to justify denial of our patented technology. Doing so would erase the contributions of numerous students and researchers at the University of Arkansas, and it would invalidate the cross-border collaborations we have built throughout the years. The recent decision by the U.S. Patent Office affirms these facts."

About NNCrystal

NNCrystal US Corporation, a subsidiary of NajingTech, is a cornerstone of the quantum dot industry. Its experienced, knowledgeable nanomaterial synthesis teams support the research and development of new quantum dot technology worldwide through the sale of its products. Customers can rely on high-quality nanomaterials, affordable prices, and attentive technical service as they create the next great innovation in the field of quantum dot technology.

About NajingTech

NajingTech is an industry-leading quantum dot company founded by Xiaogang Peng. NajingTech operates one of largest production facilities of high-quality quantum dots. These products are the foundational materials for scientists and engineers both within the company and around the world. NajingTech has been a key player in promoting new, innovative technologies for Quantum Dot Displays. QD backlight displays using NajingTech technology can be purchased around the world, and they consistently deliver the best image quality while maintaining high energy efficiency and low costs to consumers.

NNCrystal US Corporation website: www.nn-labs.com

SOURCE NajingTech
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) today endorsed Abby Finkenauer to represent Iowa in the U.S. Senate, joining a growing grassroots movement of working families standing with her campaign.

USW District 11 Director Emil Ramirez said that Iowans need a strong voice for working people in the Senate and that the USW is proud to endorse Abby Finkenauer because she shares our values.

"As a nation, if we want to create good jobs, modernize our crumbling infrastructure and expand the middle class, then we need to elect dependable leaders and true public servants like Abby Finkenauer who know it's their job to make it happen."

"We need reliable advocates to ensure American workers are playing on a level field when it comes to international trade and that Social Security and Medicare are safe from privatization," Ramirez said. "Abby Finkenauer will fight for policies based on fairness and justice, and Iowa's workers will be proud to fight for her."

Finkenauer said she is honored and grateful to be endorsed by the hardworking men and women of the United Steelworkers.

"I was raised in a union home, by parents who taught me union values  like never believing you're better than anyone else, and seeing work to be done and doing it," Finkenauer said. "Steelworkers live those values, and I'm running for U.S. Senate to take those values to Washington and deliver for working families across our state."

The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in manufacturing, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in tech, public sector and service occupations.

More information, contact: Tony Montana  (412) 562-2592; [email protected]

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)

Related Links

http://www.usw.org


What is Pre-License Training?

Pre-Licensing is the regulatory instruction necessary to obtain a real estate license. Each state's real estate commission chooses its own education requirements. Pre-licensing education is a vital step to earning a real estate license.

In South Carolina, the South Carolina Real Estate Commission (SCREC) regulates all education for Salespersons, Real Estate Brokers, and Property Managers. SCREC approved the new South Carolina Real Estate Pre-License Courses created by VanEd.

Who Are These Real Estate Pre-Licensing Courses For?

These courses are for anyone seeking a South Carolina real estate salesperson license. To obtain a license, students need to pass both courses.

SC Unit I Salesperson Pre-License

The 60-hour SC Unit I course details Real Estate Principles and Practices for Salespersons. The online class highlights the basics of the real estate industry, beginning with an overview of what working as a real estate agent is like.

Next, students study the definitions of critical real estate terminology imperative to thriving as a real estate agent in South Carolina.

SC Unit II Advanced Real Estate Principles

In the 30-hour SC Unit II course, Advanced Real Estate Principles, licensees learn how to become more proficient in practicing real estate. It builds on Unit I, reinforcing vital topics like the South Carolina License Law and licensing requirements.

The course also details agency relationships and conflicts, service delivery, and property disclosure issues.

How do I Become a Real Estate Agent in South Carolina?

Becoming a real estate agent in South Carolina requires you to complete Unit I, complete Unit II, and pass the South Carolina real estate salesperson examination.

Last, submit passing scores and proof of completion of the Unit II course with your licensure application.

About VanEd

Van Education Center (VanEd) was founded in 1997 with the mission of creating the highest quality online real estate school. VanEd provides students with agent, broker, and appraiser training courses that satisfy both the needs of students and the requirements of the real estate and appraisal industries.

After 24 years of providing real estate education, VanEd has helped over 65,000 licensing students and 100,0000 continuing education students in their careers. VanEd is now one of the largest and most trusted online real estate schools in the country.

SOURCE VanEd

Related Links

https://www.vaned.com


VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanguard today announced the retirement of John Marcante, chief information officer, following 28-years of dedicated service to the firm. Nitin Tandon, Vanguard's current head of Retail and Corporate Systems within the Information Technology division, will join Vanguard's Senior Staff immediately and become chief information officer, overseeing all aspects of the company's use of technology globally, when Mr. Marcante retires in November.

Mr. Marcante joined Vanguard in 1993 and has been a transformational leader for nearly three decades. Prior to becoming Vanguard's chief information officer in 2012, Mr. Marcante excelled in leadership positions in both Vanguard's Information Technology division and business units. Growing up in systems development, Mr. Marcante was at home leading large programs, technology operations, and development groups. His passion for Vanguard's clients and understanding of the business allowed him to be a pivotal leader of Vanguard's High Net Worth and Advice client groups.

"John is a visionary leader, who has modernized Vanguard's technology and differentiated Vanguard's business. He has also been a terrific mentor and developer of leaders over the years," said Vanguard Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tim Buckley. "John led the company's complex cloud migration and transformed our Information Technology division with a keen focus on agile methodology and next-generation development. He was also one of the first senior leaders to champion a vision for delivering advice to clients to help them reach their financial goals. By envisioning and building an enterprise capability to nimbly develop global, scalable advice components, John helped lay the foundation to positively impact the lives of millions of Vanguard clients."

Nitin Tandon joined Vanguard in 2019 as a member of Mr. Marcante's senior team. Mr. Tandon currently leads Retail and Corporate Systems within the Information Technology division and previously served as Vanguard's chief technology officer. In this role, Mr. Tandon was responsible for setting Vanguard's technology vision, strategy, and adoption of emerging technologies (e.g., Cloud, Data and Analytics, AI, and Machine Learning). Over the past several years, he has led key programs for Vanguard, including the firm's enterprise technology and client-experience modernization strategy.

Mr. Tandon brings more than two decades of technology and consulting experience to Vanguard. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Partner in the Technology group within Deloitte Consulting. Most recently, he led Deloitte's Cloud Practice in Financial Services and Cloud Strategy Practice across all industries. Over Mr. Tandon's 17-year Deloitte career, he led various IT strategy, optimization, and transformation programs for many of the largest financial services institutions.

"We're eager to tap Nitin's technical vision, eye for talent, and proven delivery for this important role," said Mr. Buckley. "Nitin has made a meaningful impact on Vanguard's technology offering in a short period of time, and I'm excited to welcome him to our Senior Staff."

Leadership Biographies

John Marcante joined Vanguard in 1993 and is the chief information officer, overseeing all aspects of the company's use of technology to serve clients and manage investments. Mr. Marcante previously ran the HNW/Advice business at Vanguard and has more than 30 years of experience in the business and technology fields. Recently, he was awarded the Philadelphia CIO of the year award (2020 ORBiE Awards) and highlighted in Constellation's Business Transformation 150 (BT150 for 2020), an elite award that recognizes the top global executives leading business transformation efforts in their organizations. He was co-chair of Cradles to Crayons in Philadelphia, a non-profit organization focused on helping children in the greater Philadelphia area and is a current board advisor for LaunchCode a non-profit providing free education and job opportunities to help launch careers in technology.

Mr. Marcante holds a bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University and an M.B.A. from Saint Joseph's University.

Nitin Tandon currently leads Vanguard's Retail and Corporate Systems within the Information Technology Division. He joined Vanguard in 2019 to lead the Chief Technology Office. Before joining Vanguard, Nitin was a key leader, consultant, and partner for Deloitte Consulting, leading their Financial Services Cloud practice. During his seventeen years in consulting, Nitin has delivered several large-scale technology transformation programs with global banks, asset managers, and insurance firms. He graduated in 1998 with a bachelor's in technology degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kanpur, India.

About Vanguard

Vanguard is one of the world's largest investment management companies. As of July 31, 2021, Vanguard managed $8.1 trillion in global assets. The firm, headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, offers 418 funds to its more than 30 million investors worldwide. For more information, visit vanguard.com.

All figures as of July 31, 2021 unless stated otherwise.

SOURCE Vanguard
The main objective of the project is to promote the talent of the region, while providing an exclusive shopping experience adapted to the requirements and highest standards of the new normal.

Espacio Vogue Miami seeks to be the support and tool to connect you with fashion, beauty, and accessories brands to revive the industry's economy. This first edition will take place from September 30th to October 4th, 2021. The event hours are from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm. It is necessary that you register the schedule of your visit in vogue.mx.

The chosen venue has been Palm Court Miami, located in the heart of the Miami Design District, one of the most exclusive areas of the city. In addition, the following measures have been adapted:

Registration divided into 'clusters' of appointments per hour to avoid the accumulation of guests. Strict control of the people who will access the event, so we ask you to confirm your attendance as soon as possible. Spots are limited. A COVID-19 filter will be placed at the entrance of the event. The use of mouth covers is mandatory during the ENTIRE event. It can only be removed to ingest food and beverages and a healthy distance of 6 ft. between each person must be kept. Frequent hand washing is recommended during the event. Antibacterial gel will be available at strategic points of the venue. Strict sanitization of the areas occupied during the event will be carried out. During the event, a 6 ft distance should be kept between each person.

"Espacio Vogue was born with the aim of boosting local brands that have affected by the Pandemic, today I am happy to announce that this initiative is growing and for the first time we will do it in a very important market for us, Miami. A city with an important Latin influence. It is an honor for us to continue to be the tool that connects the Vogue audience with the best of Latin design," commented Karla Martinez de Salas, Vogue Mexico and Latin America Head of Editorial Content.

We will have the presence of:

A.Rinkel Adriana Fernandez Aranea Attielier Bime BO Parfum Carolina Estefan Carlota Concepcion Miranda Chanklas Atelier Entre Suenos Florencia Davalos Guadalupe Design Goretty Medina Insolito Jacqueline Moncayo Joanna Braun Las Surenas Manifiesto Shop Michelle Nassar Monica Varela Papaiyo Pieretti Joyas Taarach VOT Eyewear UAIA Ximena Castillo Yidios Hakim

And many others!

Don't hesitate to visit Espacio Vogue Miami and check off your fall shopping list in hand with the Fashion Bible.

Register here: https://www.vogue.mx/micros/espacio-vogue-miami/index.html

For more information about this event, visit our website: Vogue.mx and follow our social media:

IG : @voguemexico , FB: Vogue Mexico y Latinoamerica y

TW : Vogue Mex y Latam.

Join the conversation with #EspacioVogue

SOURCE Vogue Mexico

Related Links

https://www.vogue.mx


With its ideal central location, Sunny Lake is just minutes from the primary employment, entertainment, and cultural hubs of suburban Broward County. Connectivity to all other areas of South Florida is conveniently accessed via Florida's Turnpike, which is less than two miles from the community.

The sale was handled by Walker & Dunlop's Still Hunter and Kaya Suarez, who represented the seller, Bar Invest Group, in the disposition. Mr. Suarez commented, "Over the past 24 months, ownership has invested $2 million in a partial repositioning of the community, which has already increased property performance. With additional apartments remaining to be updated and other enhancements available, Sunny Lake represents a tremendous, proven value-add investment opportunity."

Herve Barbera, CEO of Bar Invest Group, said the firm renovated Sunny Lake to improve the property and increased rents by 25% during the last two years of its ownership. The apartment complex was 98% occupied at the time of sale. "Our business plan is to acquire properties where we see rents are below market and complete renovations to improve the property, increase rents, and stabilize the asset in three to five years," Barbera said.

The buyer is a joint venture between East Hill Capital Partners, The Bascom Group, and Leste Group, with Leste Group participating as the majority equity investor. New ownership is anticipating a multi-million-dollar renovation plan to improve the property's common areas and in-unit finishes. Bridge Investment Group provided the debt financing for the acquisition, which was arranged by Walker & Dunlop SVP & Managing Director Stuart Wernick.

"We are very excited to enter the Plantation submarket by acquiring Sunny Lake Apartments at an attractive basis. Our venture plans to invest in the property and community, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the resident experience and improving the lives of our residents. East Hill, Bascom, and Leste will actively pursue other value-add multifamily investment opportunities throughout Florida," stated Duff Bedrosian, Founder and Managing Partner of East Hill Capital Partners.

Sunny Lake is situated on nearly 27 acres, featuring a scenic lake and boasting a very low density of just 15 units to the acre, a rarity in South Florida. The spacious community features an appealing neighborhood feel and provides ample space for its exceptional amenity package, which includes a large clubhouse and leasing center, fitness facilities, a business center, and a lakefront pool.

Walker & Dunlop is a leader in multifamily property sales, having completed $6.1 billion in property sales volume in 2020. The firm was also the top provider of capital to the U.S. multifamily market, originating $31 billion in transactions and lending over $24 billion for multifamily properties in 2020. For information about Walker & Dunlop's view on the apartment market, read our recently-released Summer 2021 Multifamily Outlook Report.

About Walker & Dunlop

Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD) is the largest provider of capital to the multifamily industry in the United States and the fourth largest lender on all commercial real estate including industrial, office, retail, and hospitality. Walker & Dunlop enables real estate owners and operators to bring their visions of communities  where Americans live, work, shop and play  to life. The power of our people, premier brand, and industry-leading technology make us more insightful and valuable to our clients, providing an unmatched experience every step of the way. With over 1,000 employees across every major U.S. market, Walker & Dunlop has consistently been named one of Fortune's Great Places to Work and is committed to making the commercial real estate industry more inclusive and diverse while creating meaningful social, environmental, and economic change in our communities.

SOURCE Walker & Dunlop, Inc.

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ATLANTA, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- White Cap Supply Holdings, LLC ("White Cap") has closed on the agreement to acquire Tri-Supply & Equipment. Based in New Castle, Del. with two other locations in Salisbury, Md. and Dover, Del., Tri-Supply & Equipment will join White Cap in the Northeast Region in serving its local customers with exceptional customer service.

"We are excited about the ability to leverage our combined branch footprint to better serve our customers in the mid-Atlantic area. There are no other White Cap branches in Delaware, and we are proud to combine our national product offerings with the local, unique rental and construction supply strength of Tri-Supply & Equipment," said John Stegeman, Chief Executive Officer of White Cap.

The combined teams of talented associates from Tri-Supply & Equipment and White Cap in the Northeast Region will be able to offer even stronger service capabilities, depth of inventory and breadth of products for local customers.

This acquisition is the second for White Cap since becoming an independent company in October 2020 and the first in the United States.

About White Cap

White Cap Supply Holdings, LLC. ("White Cap") serves as a one-stop shop providing concrete accessories and chemicals, tools and equipment, building materials and fasteners, erosion and waterproofing and safety products to professional contractors by meeting their distinct and customized supply needs in non-residential, residential and infrastructure end markets. White Cap includes Brafasco, Brock White and NCA in Canada and multiple brands that fall under Construction Supply Group. White Cap operates nearly 400 branches across the U.S. and Canada with approximately 7,000 employees and offers nearly 450,000 SKUs to approximately 150,000 customers. For more information, visit newsroom.whitecap.com.

About Tri-Supply & Equipment

Tri-Supply & Equipment was founded in 1998 to provide a single source for recognized, quality brands of materials, equipment, and service in the construction industry. Servicing the Mid-Atlantic region, Tri-Supply & Equipment is dedicated to fulfilling all material and equipment job site demands. Tri-Supply & Equipment has steadily become a leading supplier of the excavating, concrete, and masonry contractors, representing only the best manufacturers and suppliers. For more information, visit www.buytri.com.

SOURCE White Cap Supply Holdings LLC

Related Links

www.whitecap.com


Successfully completed 12 regulatory inspections so far this year

WUXI, China, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- WuXi Biologics (WuXi Bio) (2269.HK), a global company with leading open-access biologics technology platforms, today announced that it has received the Manufacturing License from Japan's Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) for its drug substance facility (MFG2) at Wuxi city, China after a 2-day remote GMP inspection. There was no issue during the inspection, demonstrating the company's strong expertise in addressing global regulatory requirement. WuXi Biologics is conducting the commercial manufacturing of a COVID-19 neutralizing antibody at MFG2 for one of its global partners.

This comprehensive inspection was conducted by 3 inspectors and covered the facility's quality processes and the entire production system. So far, WuXi Biologics has successfully completed nearly 20 regulatory inspections conducted by 7 different agencies including U.S. FDA, EMA, NMPA and 12 inspections since the start of 2021. This successful audit track record demonstrates that the company's premier quality system is in full compliance with global regulatory requirements.

Dr. Chris Chen, CEO of WuXi Biologics said, "Our world-class quality system is the cornerstone to maintain our high sustainable growth and has laid a solid foundation for our global capability expansion to support our customers worldwide. WuXi Biologics will continue to enable global partners to provide life-saving treatments quickly and effectively to benefit patients worldwide."

About WuXi Biologics

WuXi Biologics (stock code: 2269.HK), a Hong Kong-listed company, is a leading global open-access biologics technology platform offering end-to-end solutions to empower organizations to discover, develop, and manufacture biologics from concept to commercial manufacturing. The company's history and achievements demonstrate its commitment to providing a truly ONE-stop service offering and strong value proposition to its global clients.

The company is currently conducting on behalf of its clients and partners (as of June 30, 2021) a total of 408 integrated projects, including 212 in pre-clinical development stage, 160 in early-phase (phase I and II) clinical development, 32 in late-phase (phase III) development and 4 in commercial manufacturing. With a total estimated capacity of exceeding 430,000 liters for biopharmaceutical production planned after 2024 in China, Ireland, the U.S., Germany, and Singapore, WuXi Biologics will provide its biomanufacturing partners with a robust and premier-quality global supply chain network.

WuXi Biologics views Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) responsibilities as an integral component of its ethos and business strategy and aims to become a global ESG leader in biologics manufacturing. We use next-generation clean biomanufacturing technologies and utilize cleaner energy sources. We have also established an ESG committee led by the CEO to increase efficiency while advancing commitment to sustainability. For more information about WuXi Biologics, please visit: www.wuxibiologics.com.

Contacts

Media

[email protected]

Investors

[email protected]

SOURCE WuXi Biologics
Johannesburg, Sep 1 : The highly infectious Delta variant continued being the "dominant variant" in South Africa and the driver of the third wave, as the newly detected C.1.2 variant was present at very low levels, scientists said.

"The Delta variant was still the most dominant variant with the new variant C.1.2 being detected at low frequency," said Dr Jinal Bhiman, Principal Medical Scientist at National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) at a new conference on Monday night, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The new C.1.2 variant was detected in May and has been detected in all nine provinces at less than 3 per cent frequency. However scientists said it was still being "assessed" at various laboratories.

"It has been increasing in frequency but it remains low in frequency," Bhiman said.

NICD's acting executive director Prof Adrian Puren said that the vaccines being rolled out in South Africa would protect people against the variant even though more research was still being conducted.

"The intention is not to create any panic," he said, adding that "our vaccines are potent and effective in terms of preventing severe diseases and deaths." The scientists said the new variant could only be classified once it has been named a variant of interest.
London, Sep 1 : Another 32,181 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 6,789,581, according to official figures released on Tuesday.

The country also reported another 50 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 132,535. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The latest data came as experts from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) prepare to make a final decision on a vaccine booster campaign.

Experts will also issue guidance on whether the British government will offer vaccines to 12 to 15-year-olds, as some other countries have.

The British government has been preparing for a booster programme expected from next month, while the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that such shots should be delayed to raise vaccination rates globally.

Earlier this month, the WHO called for a moratorium on Covid vaccine booster shots to help ease the drastic inequity in dose distribution between wealthy and poor countries.

However, during a news briefing on Monday, Hans Kluge, the WHO regional director for Europe, said a booster shot is a way to keep the most vulnerable safe.

"A third dose of vaccine is not a luxury booster (that is) taken away from someone who is still waiting for a first jab. It's basically a way to keep the most vulnerable safe," Kluge said.

More than 88 per cent of people aged 16 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 78 per cent have received both doses, the latest figures showed.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the US have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Lucknow, Sep 1 : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has set to rest all speculations about alliances for the upcoming UP Assembly elections.

The party has announced that it will field candidates for all 403 seats in the in the 2022 state election.

Sanjay Singh, AAP's Uttar Pradesh in-charge, has asked party workers to get involved in the preparations for the elections at the booth level in order to fight the imminent polls with full force.

Singh said that AAP's Tiranga Sankalp Yatra will be taken out in all 403 constituencies of the state in the coming days.

"Through this, we want to tell the people what real nationalism is. Our nationalism is that every poor child should have access to a better school to study. As in Delhi, the dream for better schools should be achieved in Uttar Pradesh too. Like mohalla clinics in Delhi, every village should have better hospitals or clinics. There should be electricity in the homes of the poor - 300 units should be available free of cost." Sanjay Singh said.

He said that the nationalism of AAP is that they will provide good health and education to the people of Uttar Pradesh.

"We do not have a cremation-making ideology. The BJP made crematoriums in every village during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2017, they had said that they would do so," he said.

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh slammed the ruling government in Uttar Pradesh. He alleged that many incidents that hurt the pride of the tricolour had taken place in Uttar Pradesh under the BJP government.

"Everyday incidents of rape against daughters take place here. Instead of providing justice, the government forcibly burns the victim's body in the dark of night," he alleged.

He also slammed the BJP for allowing scams to take place in the state.

"Whether it is the purchase of medical equipment like oximeter, oxygen cylinders and thermometer or purchase of land for Ram temple or the scam in the Jal Jeevan Mission, the state government has no answer to our questions," he said.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh also mentioned the party's recently concluded membership drive in Uttar Pradesh during the meeting on Tuesday. He claimed that around one crore new members from Uttar Pradesh had joined the party in one month's time.

The Uttar Pradesh election is scheduled to be held early next year.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : The South Korean Parliament on Tuesday passed a Bill that is expected to rein in the control that Apple and Google have over payment systems in their app stores. The legislation is now awaiting the signature of the President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in.

This Bill is the first major legislation in the world to specifically target in-app markets and payment systems, even as market giants Apple and Google are facing global criticism for mandating the in-app use of their proprietary payment systems, and charging commissions of up to 30 per cent on the sale of apps and subscriptions through the app stores. Developers across the world have questioned these moves, and have demanded freedom to choose alternative methods of payment and distribution, such as via third-party app stores installed on the iOS or Android operating systems.

On Tuesday, South Korean legislators voted to approve amendments to their Telecommunications Business Act, with the intent of promoting fair competition in the app market industry. The bill prohibits app market business operators from taking advantage of their dominant status to force developers to use a specific payment system. It also prohibits app store service providers from engaging in activities such as preventing apps from registering on their stores, inappropriately delaying app registration and unfairly deleting apps from the app market. The move would also enable app developers to avoid the hefty commissions, and thus reduce costs both for developers and end-consumers.

In addition, the bill also empowers South Korea's Minister of Science/ICT and the Korea Communications Commission to conduct an inquiry into the operations of the app market, to help the government more actively identify app-market related disputes and prevent acts that hinder fair competition and consumer interests.

This move comes as regulators worldwide have turned their attention to app stores and the fees they are charging developers. In the US, three senators introduced a bipartisan Bill earlier in August to promote fair competition by regulating in-app purchases and forcing dominant players from excluding third-party app stores from their operating systems. In India, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has been investigating Google for potential abuses of its dominant position in the market to promote its proprietary payment services.

Apple and Google have both publicly opposed attempts to regulate their business practices through legislation.

Meanwhile, several industry players have reacted positively to the developments in South Korea. Rakesh Deshmukh, Co-founder & CEO of Indus App Bazaar, India's largest third-party app store, shared his support for the move. He said that "policy needs to support innovation. We hope that Google enhances developer choice by allowing the listing of app distribution platforms like Indus App Bazaar on the Play Store. That would help us to formulate a B2C journey. I hope that App Stores like ourselves are allowed a fair play environment on Google Play and Android. Furthermore, in India, we need to look into developer choice for app distribution & payment gateways from a policy perspective." Sijo Kuruvilla, Executive Director of the Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), a startup alliance, welcomed the move by tweeting "Any legislation on the matter anywhere in the world will set a precedent for other nations to adopt and build on. To fair markets." Commenting on the developments from the US, the Coalition for App Fairness (CAF), an industry association of apps, reacted positively, terming it a momentous step forward, with Meghan DiMuzio, the Executive Director of CAF saying, "South Korean lawmakers and President Moon Jae-in have made history and are setting an example for the rest of the world. This law will hold app store gatekeepers accountable for their harmful and anti-competitive practices. The Coalition for App Fairness hopes U.S. and European lawmakers follow South Korea's lead and continue their important work to level the playing field for all app developers and users." Match Group, that operates the largest portfolio of dating and social discovery apps such as Tinder and OKCupid, thanked South Korean Legislators in a statement, also saying that the legislation "... marks a monumental step in the fight for a fair app ecosystem..." and "...will put an end to mandatory IAP in South Korea, which will allow innovation, consumer choice, and competition to thrive in this market..." The statement adds, "We look forward to the bill being quickly signed into law and implore legislative bodies around the globe to take similar measures to protect their citizens and businesses from monopolistic gatekeepers that are restricting the Internet." Meanwhile, many Indian players have also noted these developments with interest, more so in context of opposition to Google's "app tax" on in-app purchases and its impacts on local players.

NFN Labs, developers of popular apps like Screeny and Vookmark, who have had their share of run-ins with Google, Twitter, and Apple, have also been welcoming of alternative stores and choices of payment gateways.

Rajesh Padmanabhan, cofounder, NFN Labs in a statement said, "For our IoT product, Vookmark launching on Indus App bazaar has boosted our growth with a new set of engaged users...Additionally, we are exploring the ability to distribute and collect payments through alternative channels for our browser extensions, Android, and iOS packages. An alternative distribution that allows free uploads like Indus App Bazaar & lower commissions will certainly help to redirect funds for R&D and help us grow faster." The implications of the move in the Indian market remain to be seen, but Rakesh Deshmukh of Indus App Bazaar feels there is more that can be done with app distribution in India, "It's about the choice of distribution; we all know that Google Play Store and App Store will continue to exist but we need more competition. We believe that choice is central to competition and hence when developers choose to distribute via our infrastructure, we allow a choice of payment gateway. This choice we believe would allow developers leverage to negotiate a reasonable fee with the two companies and payment gateway providers."
Lucknow, Sep 1 : Netherlands Ambassador Marten Van Den Berg, who met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow, has expressed the country's desire to support the state in modernising its agriculture and dairy sector.

The Ambassador also told the chief minister that the Netherlands is willing to establish a training centre in the state to train its dairy farmers in advanced technologies at work in the sector.

During the meeting, held late on Tuesday evening, the chief minister apprised the diplomat about the state's second ranking in 'Ease of Doing Business' which has continued to bring investments and support from various countries and regions.

The state government and the Netherlands are already working together in several fields, including renewable energy, solid waste management and water management.

The chief minister discussed using technological advancement for food processing that could help farmers double their income in flower production and in the dairy farms.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary R.K. Tiwari said in a release that Uttar Pradesh and the Netherlands were working on various projects with mutual cooperation and there were immense possibilities of trade and investment between the two.

He also mentioned Dutch collaboration in leather clusters in Kanpur.
Lucknow, Sep 1 : In its campaign to woo Brahmins, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has now decided to turn its focus on women belonging to the Brahmin community.

This campaign is being spearheaded by Kalpana Mishra, wife of BSP MP Satish Chandra Mishra.

Kalpana Mishra, for all practical purposes, has taken a plunge into politics. She is now addressing 'Prabuddha Varg Sammelans' of women independently.

She addressed one such meeting at her residence on Tuesday and party sources said that she will gradually move to other districts and address similar conferences.

Speaking at the conclave at her residence, she said that during the Mayawati regime, 'our daughters and sisters could move out of their houses even late at night'.

Kalpana Mishra said that there is an atmosphere of anarchy all around in Uttar Pradesh today. She alleged that people belonging to the Brahmin community were being killed in police encounters.

The Bahujan Samaj Party, till now, had never promoted and encouraged women leaders to address party meetings.

Sources said that the party could now set up a women's wing-Bahujan Mahila Morcha-and Kalpana Mishra could be asked to lead the same.
Mysuru : , Sep 1 (IANS) The Karnataka Police are planning to conduct a polygraph test (lie detector) on the accused in the sensational Mysuru gang rape case. The police are also considering using brain-mapping technology, layered voice analysis, according to police sources.

The decision has been as the victim is not coming forward to record her statement as well as identify the accused persons. The cops are deciding to take the scientific analysis with the help of technology to gather evidence in the case to be produced before the court of law.

Polygraph test is popularly known as a lie detector test, it is a device or procedure that measures and records several physiological indicators such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration and skin conductivity while a person is asked a series of questions.

The brain-mapping test is done to interpret the behaviour of the suspect and corroborate the investigating officers' observation and the suspect's statements.

Layered Voice Analysis (LVA) uses a unique mathematical process to detect different types of patterns and anomalies in the speech flow and classify them in terms of stress, excitement, etc.

The victim and her family members have switched off their cell phones and are not responding to the investigating team, police sources said.

Meanwhile, the accused were taken to the scene of crime near Lalitadripura near Chamundi foothills on Tuesday. The police took the accused with their faces covered in black hoods and questioned them on gang rape and the sequence of events. The process was video graphed, sources said.

The incident of gang rape took place on August 24. A 22-year-old MBA graduate who was with her male friend was attacked and gang-raped by the accused from Tamil Nadu. The incident had made national headlines and the Karnataka Police department came under fire.

However, the special teams managed to crack the case and arrested six accused persons. The hunt is on for the arrest of another accused in the case.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Samsung is planning to launch its next premium flagship Samsung Galaxy S22 as well as S22+, and now a new report has claimed that the upcoming series will enter mass production in November this year.

The smartphones in the lineup will be available for purchase from January 2022 and all the models in the series are expected to come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 898 chipset, reports mydrivers.com.

In terms of specifications, the upcoming series may feature a new 10MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom capabilities as opposed to a high resolution sensor with poor optical zoom.

Samsung is planning to take a different approach on the Galaxy S22/S22+ models that will arrive early next year. The Galaxy S22 series smartphones will pack a 10MP telephoto lens that supports 3x optical zoom rather than the hybrid zoom of the Galaxy S20/S21 era.

In addition, the report also confirmed an earlier rumour last week that the Galaxy S22/S22+ models will be equipped with a 50MP main camera.

Previous rumours suggested that the Galaxy S22 Ultra is expected to continue the dual 10-megapixel telephoto camera setup on the Galaxy S21 Ultra. One of the lenses will be a periscope lens that will offer 10x optical zoom.

Galaxy S22+ is expected to be equipped with a 4500 mAh battery. In terms of software, Galaxy S22 will be pre-installed with OneUI 4.x based on Android 12.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
London, Sep 1 : The UK is reportedly in talks with the Taliban over furthering the evacuation process and securing a safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals and Afghans who remain there.

"The Prime Minister's special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass, has travelled to Doha and is meeting with senior Taliban representatives to underline the importance of safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals, and those Afghans who have worked with us over the past 20 years," the BBC quoted a government spokesman as saying.

It comes after a Taliban pledge to allow further departures.

As per an official statement by the UK government, over 17,000 people had been evacuated by the UK from Afghanistan so far, including over 5,000 UK nationals.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Taliban deployed its special forces at the Kabul airport hours after the last batch of US troops left Afghanistan.

The final evacuation flight of the US was conducted in the last hours of Monday night, airlifting their military and non-military personnel back home, one day before the August 31 deadline.

The British troops had left the country over the weekend.

The Taliban have promised those with authorisation will be allowed to leave the country.
Chennai, Sep 1 : The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to increase the rates by 7 to 10 per cent in 20 toll plazas in Tamil Nadu from September 1. The hike in rates in the toll plazas would lead to an increase in the price of essential commodities, fear transporters.

The commercial goods vehicles that transport essentials will be most affected by the increase in rates at the toll plazas, the transporters said.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) had already announced that it would stage protest marches at all toll plazas where the rates would be increased. The PMK leader Dr S. Ramadoss in a statement on Tuesday had called upon the NHAI to present a white paper on the amount spent for constructing the toll plazas.

The NHAI increases the rate of toll plazas in batches with cut off dates as April 1 and September 1. In Tamil Nadu, there are 48 toll plazas of the NHAI and there has been demands from the users, transport carrier organisations, political parties not to hike the rates as people are suffering amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown has caused huge losses to the business establishments.

R. Nagarathinam of the Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Association while speaking to IANS said, "The increase in toll plaza rates by the NHAI is unfounded at this juncture as businesses in the state is slowly picking up and this hike by 7 to 10 per cent will lead to an increase in prices of all essential commodities thus crushing the budget of the common man." The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has also announced that it would conduct protests across the toll plazas against the increase in rates. Thol Thiruvamavalavan MP and leader of VCK in a statement on Wednesday said that the hike in toll plaza rates would have a direct effect on the price rise and called upon the NHAI not to increase the rates for the time being. He said that the VCK will have to resort to protests at the toll plazas if the rates are not reduced.

Tamil Nadu tour and travel operators association that operates luxury buses told IANS that the rates of luxury buses will have to go up.

S. Anbazhagan of the Tour and Travel operators association, Tamil Nadu told IANS, "Already a sleeper luxury bus is paying around Rs 1,950 per trip as toll and Rs 1,500 as road tax. How can we manage the services if the toll rates are again hiked by 7 to 10 per cent. This is totally uncalled for and NHAI must refrain from this hike in rates of toll plazas."
New Delhi, Sep 1 : After the Taliban initiated talks with India in Doha, former home minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday cautioned the government over the UNSC resolution on Afghanistan.

Chidambaram tweeted, "The government is congratulating itself for the UNSC resolution on Afghanistan adopted yesterday. 'Resolution' has two meanings. The first is that the issue has been 'resolved' or settled to India's satisfaction. That is not what happened at the UNSC." He further said, "The second meaning is that we have put our wishes on paper and got some others to sign that paper! That is what happened at the UNSC yesterday." Chidambaram cautioned the government saying that, "It is too premature to congratulate ourselves. The possible axis of China, Pakistan and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is a cause for worry." On August 30, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on Afghanistan, aiming to prevent the use of Afghan soil by terrorist organisations against any country.

The resolution was adopted with 13 votes in favour while Russia and China preferred to abstain.

Meanwhile for the first time, India has made public a meeting held with the Taliban. The government has stated that Ambassador of India to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, met Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the Head of Taliban's Political Office in Doha.

"The meeting took place at the Embassy of India, Doha, on the request of the Taliban side," said the ministry.

Discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities, who wish to visit to India also came up.

Ambassador Mittal raised India's concern that Afghanistan's soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner.

Stanekzai assured the Ambassador that these issues would be positively addressed.

Stanekzai, known as Sheru, trained in the Indian Military Academy in the 1982, rose to the ranks of Deputy Health Minister during the Taliban regime, and later served as a chief peace negotiator in Doha.

He was also Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban regime. The 58-year-old Pashtun comes from the Stanekzai clan. He can speak five languages and he served as Taliban's Political Office chief between 2015-2019.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Recently, China-appointed 11th Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu (GN) who acts only as a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), was sent by China to attend a religious conference in Sichuan in July, was ignored by ordinary Tibetans who had been told by authorities to turn out to greet him. The only people who came to see him were those whose attendance had been specifically arranged by the Chinese authorities.

Abbots and Monks in monasteries in the region had been coerced into receiving and greeting the GN, and were ordered to pose for pictures with him. Chinese authorities threatened the local Tibetans to grant traditional religious reception to GN in their localities failing which their name would be struck off from the government schemes including subsidised rations, etc.

The Chinese government often uses Tibetan religious figures for political propaganda and publicity purposes to show to the world that there is freedom of religion in Tibet. However, in reality these visits are choreographed under the direct supervision of the Chinese authorities.

GN was named as 11th Panchen Lama by China in May 1995 to replace Gedhun Choekyi Nyima (GCN) who was selected by the Dalai Lama as 11th Panchen Lama, and who vanished into Chinese custody together with his family and has not been heard from since. But in May 2020, China had said that he was a college graduate with a job, and that neither he nor his family wished to be disturbed in their "current normal lives".

However, Chinese authorities have had difficulty persuading Tibetans to accept GN as the official face of Tibetan Buddhism in China, as ordinary Tibetans and monks are traditionally loyal to the Dalai Lama and have been reluctant to acknowledge or receive GN. Gyaltsen Norbu has been called a 'stooge of the atheist CCP government' by Tibetans. Ever since, GN has been paraded annually in Tibet, accompanied by police, Chinese officials and a massive publicity operation involving hundreds of coerced worshippers. In between these visits, he has effectively been held under house arrest in Beijing and never been allowed to travel freely or to speak openly with foreigners. GN's lack of freedom appears never to have been questioned by the Chinese authorities, apparently because they imagine effective incarceration in Beijing to be appropriate.

Also GN is often not called by CCP leaders to attend the important functions and anniversaries of China as well as Tibet. During the visit of Xi Jinping to Tibet, GN was not invited to Tibet, though he was just a few miles away in Sichuan Province. During the recent visit of Wang Yang to Tibet, GN was also not invited. Being a Tibetan, GN is not given importance by the CCP leaders. For CCP leaders he is a puppet to be used to exhibit to the world that China supports religion and secondly to control the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. In reality, GN is nothing more than a prisoner in China. He is under house arrest in Beijing and he cannot visit the places of his own choice. He is directed by the CCP leaders about which place to visit and is told what he has to speak. Sometimes Tibetans inside Tibet and in Diaspora pity on him though they have no reverence for him.

Visits of GN to Tibet and areas inhabited by Tibetans are crucial for China as these visits are being used for transmitting China's religious policies, warning Tibetans to be wary of superstitious beliefs and asking Tibetans to be more hardworking. It is a clear indication to Tibetans that religious beliefs and practice will be dwindled in coming days. GN's visits are an attempt to boost his image and also promote Xi Jinping's vision on Tibet.

During his visit , GN always propagate sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism and claim that it is necessary to be absorbed into Chinese culture and adapted to communist society. Instead of giving teachings as a religious figure, GN always talks politics. He always says that he would work hard to maintain the country's and ethnic unity. He will "resolutely endorse comrade Xi Jinping as the core of the Communist Party, endorse socialism with Chinese characteristics and continue the glorious tradition of Panchen Lama's in history of loving the country and loving religion", He will not fail to live up to the expectations of the CCP and contribute to promoting Tibetan Buddhism and socialism.

During his current visit to Tibet, GN presided over the meeting of the 11th council of the Tibet branch of the Chinese Buddhist Association in Lhasa on August 4 and 5, which was also attended by members of United Front Works Department (UFWD). In his keynote address GN said that it is necessary to be grateful to the leadership of CCP, especially Xi Jinping, for his remarkable work in Tibet.

He also urged the Tibetans to resolutely continue fighting against the 14th Dalai Lama and the Dalai's faction. He also encouraged Tibetans to deeply understand the spirit of the instructions of Xi Jinping and expressed hope for adaptation of Tibetan Buddhism to a socialist society in order to ensure that Tibetan Buddhism always advances in the direction of Sinicization.

GN expressed happiness on the development taking place in different areas under the aegis of Xi Jinping and stated that all should be grateful to the CCP for the development achieved and should follow the party. He stated that Tibetan Buddhism must also be combined with national interests in order to have good development prospects. Norbu's current tour commenced from his visit to the Tibetan inhabited areas of Sichuan and Gansu province from July 9 -22 and July 23 - 29 respectively. Local Tibetans ignored the visit of Norbu even though they were categorically instructed by authorities to turn out to greet him. However, abbots and monks were forced to greet him.

In the Tibetan tradition, genuine reincarnate lamas are expected to travel widely, study in a range of institutions, and meet with a broad range of lamas to obtain the teachings and transmissions that are central to their claims to knowledge and religious authenticity. Once they reach adulthood, they are also free to walk away from their religious commitments, as happens relatively frequently outside Tibet. The underlying issues behind this travesty of human rights violations are, of course, political. Chinese authorities want absolute control of the selection of the next Dalai Lama, since the current 14th of that lineage is the unquestioned leader of the Tibetan people.

Due to bad Chinese strategies, GN has neither been able to become a potential leader nor is he revered as a religious leader. He has been reduced to being a puppet of Chinese authorities, who is a prisoner in Beijing most of the time.
As the last batch of US marines was flown out of Kabul on August 31 ending a 20-year-long US occupation of Afghanistan, questions regarding the future of Indo-Afghan relations have rocked Indian talk shows and YouTube channels alike. The biggest worry seems to be two fold.

Firstly, will Afghanistan facilitate anti-Indian Pakistani jihadi proxies by allowing them to shift their training and operational headquarters to southern Afghanistan, and secondly, whether or not the numerous jihadi groups still active in Afghanistan, like the ISIS-K, will become powerful rallying point for pro-jihad Islamist groups inside India.

Last week the local residents of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) nervously gazed at members of Lashkar and Jaish returning from Afghanistan. A mullah by the name of Rahim delivered a fiery sermon to youth who had gathered to listen to him at a mosque in Chakothi just 500 yards away from the Line of Control (LoC). Recruitment of young men for Jihad in Kashmir is being carried out uninterruptedly by jihadi groups inside the mosques dotted alongside the border towns of LoC in PoK.

Simultaneously, Pakistan army troops have moved into the suburbs of Muzaffarabad, the capital city of PoK. Locals have accused them of grabbing their fertile fields and hereditary lands. A protest was held just days ago in PoK against the army land grab at Jabbara-Tap in which residents of several villages participate.

Only last week the Indian army foiled an attempt by jihadist to infiltrate the Valley via the LoC. Then on August 30 another attempt was encountered in which at least two terrorists were reportedly killed.

Amid the chaos in Kabul the situation in the region is becoming challenging by the hour. As the Taliban conduct door to door search identifying and executing those on the Black List of 'collaborators' and women are being forced out of jobs and made to wear hijabs, both Pakistan and China are lobbying among the nations of the world and vying support for the Taliban claiming that the Taliban of today are more tolerant of dissent, well versed in the art of diplomacy and are "intelligent" people.

Pakistan and china both are supporting the Taliban for different reasons. Pakistan looks at an Afghanistan controlledand ruled by the Taliban as the fulfilment of her erstwhile desire to achieve strategic depth against India. China's eyes are laid upon more than one trillion dollars' worth of natural resources buried in the mountains of Afghanistan.

Hence, the strategy to counter the terrorist threats against India hailing from Pakistan after it shifts jihadi camps across the border into Afghanistan and strategy to counter the economic expansionist motives of China require a two tier military and political strategy.

A clear and objective military strategy against Pakistan attempts to engage Indian army and commit terrorist attacks in the Valley is the need of the hour. In my opinion not one but several surgical strikes should be on the cards of an Indian military strategist. One such target could be the UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) training center situated near Mangla at the foothills of PoJK.

Chinese economic expansionist tendency is linked with her objective of eliminating regional competitors. India is fast becoming a global economic power house. Announcement by Japan's $64 billion Toyota Tsusho to shift some of its major manufacturing operations from China to India back in November 2020 is just one such example to suffice my argument that China will leave no stone unturned to sabotage and even engage in limited war against India.

Pakistan and China share the same views when it comes to India. They both want to weaken India. China is supporting Pakistan to achieve her objective by terrorist sabotage in Kashmir. The euphoria that has been generated by the victory of the Taliban is encouraging Indians infected with the ideology of Jihad and directing them toward a more dangerous and sinister ploy: Communalism. We have to confront it with an iron hand.

India does not have to go to war with another country. We never have. But if India's sovereignty is challenged consistently and begins to effect the progress of our nation then we are left with no choice but to strike our enemy with a vengeance both at home and abroad.

(Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza is an author and a human rights activist from Mirpur in PoJK. He currently lives in exile in the UK.)
Kathmandu, Sep 1 : After the boundary row of last year, there was peace in bilateral ties between Nepal and India. There were high-level meetings and contacts between the two sides. But that seems to be fading away now.

The presence of Indian SSB in a recent incident in which a Nepali national fell into Mahakali while crossing the river using a cable and went missing, is likely to invite another round of a diplomatic row between Kathmandu and New Delhi.

Eyewitnesses and locals of Darchula district of Nepal said one Jay Singh Dhami of Darchula district fell into the Mahakali River in July end after the Indian SSB removed the cable.

Then Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs formed a five-member investigation team led by Joint Secretary Janardan Gautam on August 1 to probe the matter. The Gautam-led panel on Tuesday evening submitted its report to the Home Minister Bal Krishna Khad stating that "it appears the incident took place in the presence of Indian security personnel" and recommended that the government take diplomatic initiatives to bring the perpetrator(s) to book.

On July 30, Jaya Singh Dhami, 33, from Khangdang Mal of Byas Rural Municipality-2 in Darchula fell into Mahakali while crossing the river using an improvised cable crossing, locally known as tuin.

Media reports based on eyewitness accounts suggested that a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) person had untangled the cable just when Dhami was about to reach the Indian side, across the river.

On July 30, Dhami was on his way to Kathmandu, the Capital, where he was supposed to complete some tasks before flying abroad as a migrant worker. Due to the lack of a road connecting his village and the district headquarters, he was left with no option but to take the risky means of crossing the raging Mahakali river.

After falling into the river, Dhami was swept away by the raging waters and his whereabouts remains unknown.

The Sher Bahadur Deuba government has been facing criticism over failing to make the report public and taking a position on Dhami's disappearance.

The Gautam-led committee also urged the Nepal government to take diplomatic initiative to provide justice to Dhami and his family.

The Deuba government has received widespread criticism for not taking up the matter with India. Even leaders from the ruling parties accused the government for covering up the incident and not taking up the matter with India.

Instead of making the report public, the government on August 26 announced a compensation of Rs 1 million to Dhami's family, attracting more criticism, as many considered it as an attempt to quell growing demands that Deuba take a firm stand on the incident.

There were also concerns if the Deuba government was reluctant to make the report public so as not to antagonise India.

The probe panel submitted the report, exactly a month after the incident, but the government has not made the details public yet.

The panel, according to a statement issued by the Home Ministry, has recommended that the government make arrangements for the livelihood of Dhami's family and education of the children.

Nabin Singh Dhami, an eyewitness, had told Kathmandu Post, a leading English daily in Kathmandu on August 1 that Jaya had almost made it to the other side when he suddenly fell, along with the cable after it was detached from a tree on the Indian side, into the river.

Anand Swarup, then district magistrate of Pithoragarh, had written to his Nepali counterpart Siddha Raj Joshi, chief district officer of Darchula, on August 1, claiming that the Sashastra Seema Bal was not involved in the incident.

Darchula, however, is a region which Nepal's political parties have used for their partisan interests and they consider it a strategic issue.

Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh, which Nepal included in its new map published in May last year, fall in Darchula. The region is claimed by India as its own.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Beijing, Sep 1 : Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has reportedly invested heavily in a core communications chipmaker for automobiles called Motorcomm.

Xiaomi invested in Motorcomm through the Hubei Xiaomi Yangtze River Industrial Fund. Currently, the size of the investment and other terms of the deal were not disclosed, reports GizmoChina.

Motorcomm's business scope includes technology development, industrial automation, automobiles, consulting, and other technical services as well.

Xiaomi is actively investing in various companies and technologies related to the automotive industry.

Recently, Xiaomi bought 100 per cent of the shares of Deepmotion, a startup specializing in the development of autonomous driving technologies. The deal cost the Chinese company $ 77.4 million.

Deepmotion develops driver assistance software.

In addition, Huawei, which is focusing on expanding its portfolio to boost business resilience, will invest $1 billion in smart car technologies in 2021.

The new investment that the company is making this year will focus on building components for smart vehicles, including software platforms for self-driving cars.
Dublin, Sep 1 : The Irish government has endorsed a plan to lift the majority of the current Covid-19 restrictions countrywide from October 22, a government statement has said.

Under the plan, requirement for physical distancing, mask wearing outdoors and in indoor private settings will be removed on October 22, Xinhua news agency reported.

Demand for certification of vaccination, immunity or testing for access to any activities with exception for international travel will also be dropped, it said, adding that limits on numbers at indoor and outdoor events will also be scrapped.

But after October 22, people will still be required to exercise self-isolation when they have symptoms of Covid-19 and requirement for mask wearing in healthcare settings, indoor retail outlets and on public transport will continue to remain in place, according to the statement.

A range of remaining Covid-19 restrictions will be eased during September, the statement added.

Under a detailed plan of the Irish government, public transport will be allowed to carry passengers at full capacity starting from September 1.

"The combined strategy of careful reopening and energetic vaccination has brought us to a point where we can begin to do things differently," said Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin while announcing the government's reopening plan at a press briefing on Tuesday.

He said that as of Tuesday morning, close to 90 per cent of Irish adults aged above 18 has been fully vaccinated, but warned that the pandemic is not over yet.

"If a new dangerous variant of concern emerges or if our hospitals come under unsustainable pressure again, we will move quickly to respond to the situation," he said.

On Tuesday, the Irish Department of Health reported 1,382 new confirmed Covid-19 cases countrywide.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
September 01 : Sunny Singh has kickstarted the second shoot schedule of Om Rauts Adipurush. South superstar Prabhas and Kriti Sanon have already started the second leg of the shoot in Mumbai some time back. While Prabhas plays the Adipurush, Kriti is essaying the role of Sita, and Sunny will be seen as Laxman in the film. The film also star Saif Ali Khan as Lankesh.

Prabhas, Kriti, Sunny, and Saif have earlier successfully completed the first shoot schedule in February before the recent coronavirus pandemic had started. The second schedule is taking place in a Mumbai studio and will continue for two months.

Earlier Prabhas, Kriti, and Sunny were spotted coming out of a studio, where they were rehearsing for a dance sequence for the film.

The highly-anticipated period drama, Adipurush is based on the Hindu epic Ramayana. Helmed by Om Raut and produced by T-Series Films and Retrophiles, the film is being shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi, and will be dubbed in Tamil.

Adipurush will be a 3D film, and one of the most expensive Indian films ever made. The film will have a theatrical release in all three languages on August 11, 2022.

The actors have been undergoing hectic preparations for their roles in the film. During the recent lockdown, Sunny took the advantage of staying at home as he took up workouts and fitness regimes to prep for his character.

Speaking about the actors, director Om Raut had earlier said that Prabhas and Saif have undergone a remarkable physical transformation for the film. There is a lot of work that is going on. Saif and Prabhas have undergone remarkable physical transformations and there is massive action involved too. Prabhas continues to work on it even now as we shoot. With Saif Ali Khan, it is evident in the pictures, but I cannot reveal much, Om Raut said in an interview.
Mysuru : , Sep 1 (IANS) The Karnataka police special team looking into Mysuru shootout and dacoity case has made two more arrests in connection with the case including the kingpin, the police said on Wednesday. Six persons were arrested in the case earlier from different states.

The incident of shootout and dacoity had taken place on Aug 23 in broad daylight sending shockwaves in the city. The gang after robbing a jewellery store in Mysuru had shot a passer-by in the head and killed him.

According to police, Mahendra who owned a gold and silver jewellery store in Mysuru is the kingpin in the case. He was in constant touch with the dacoits and fed regular information to them.

Another accused has been arrested from a bordering village near Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir, just 10 kilometres away from the Line of Control (LoC), the police said.

It said that business rivalry led to the crime. The accused who got information about the shop came to Mysuru a month ago and recced for the crime. However, CCTV installed in the jewellery store led to their arrest.

The investigations revealed that the kingpin Mahendra was in constant touch with the dacoits when the crime took place. The accused did a recce of the targeted jewellery shop a day before the commission of crime, according to police.

After committing the crime, the accused had fled to the railway station in an auto with looted gold ornaments and reached Bengaluru. From there, after sharing the proceeds they got dispersed to different states, the police sources said.

The police are on the lookout for yet another person in connection with this case.

Earlier also, the police teams went to Rajasthan, West Bengal, Mumbai and Jammu and Kashmir to nab the accused persons.

Meanwhile, the District in Charge Minister, T. Somashekar who hinted at shunting out top police officers in the police department from Mysuru in the wake of shootout & dacoity and gang rape cases stated that no such action will be taken.

"Presently there is no need for transfers. However, instructions will be given to the police department that in future such incidents should not occur in the city," he said.
Chennai, Sep 1 : As announced, the schools for higher classes from IX to XII reopened on Wednesday in Tamil Nadu with strict Covid-19 protocol in place. Most of the schools in the state will function till 1 to 1.30 p.m. even though the state government has said that classes would be held till 3.30 p.m.

M. Azagiri, a teacher with the Government Higher secondary school, Madurai told IANS, "It's a really joyous moment for me and the teachers as such. The students back to classes physically is a welcome sign and we will be holding classes till 1.30 p.m. with a 5 minute break in between." Most of the schools are not continuing post-lunch session as the possibility of Children interacting with each other is high during the lunch break.

Krishnan Adityan, a Class X student of K.A. Ekambaranathar Public School, Kilpauk Chennai told IANS, "The experience is awesome. I was missing my friends and teachers alike. School feel is something different than the online classes. Looking forward to spending the day and the coming days in school with friends and teachers." Tamil Nadu school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi told media persons at Chennai on Wednesday that the schools can function till 3.30 p.m. However, he said that the government would not make it strict for the classes to function till 3.30 p.m. He said that 95 per cent of teachers and non-teaching staff in the state have received at least one dose of vaccine.

He said, "All the schools have been directed to maintain strict Standard Covid Protocol and there will not be any compromise on this. The Chief Education officers and the District Education officers will monitor each and every school and make sure that there are no lapses in the arrangments." The schools will also be supporting the emotional needs of the students and teachers and the government has directed all the Education officers to arrange mental consultants if the need arises in schools. After a lull of two years, parents, students and teachers are expecting that the classes would be conducted without any hindrance and with a falling Covid-19 fresh cases and increase in vaccination drives, the state is expecting to continue holding classes.
Hyderabad, Sep 1 : Telugu film star and political leader has complimented Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on his governance style.

In his message, late on Tuesday, the Telugu 'Power Star' tweeted, "Your governance and party functioning style are the role model and inspiring, not just in your state, but for all the states and political parties in the country. My compliments to you." The message in Telugu and Tamil languages was addressed to Stalin.

The tweet, comes after a long time, from the usually reticent politician whose Jana Sena Party is in a tie-up with the BJP. The alliance is trying to position itself as an alternative to the ruling YSRCP and the opposition TDP in Andhra Pradesh.

However, Pawan Kalyan's observation at the beginning of his message to Stalin sounds intriguing. "Any political party can play politics to come to power, but not after coming to power. You have proved this with your actions, not words," he begins cryptically.

His tweet comes after quite some time and has netizens agog with curiosity over the intent and timing of the message. While political players are yet to respond on Pawan Kalyan's message, Some quarters are interpreting it as a salvo at the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy who is being accused of political vendetta against his rival TDP.

Stalin had led the DMK to power in Tamil Nadu after being in the opposition benches for ten years. He has recently completed hundred days in his maiden stint as chief minister of the state.
Kolkata, Sep 1 : In a significant development, Rujira Banerjee - wife of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in a case pertaining to alleged money laundering and coal smuggling in West Bengal was supposed to appear before the agency in New Delhi on Wednesday. But she told the probe agency that it would not be possible for her to travel in the pandemic situation as she is a 'mother' of two children.

In a letter to the Assistant Director of ED, Rujira said, "I am a mother of two infants and travelling to New Delhi physically alone in the midst of the pandemic will put me and the lives of my children at grave risk. It would be convenient to me if you consider asking me to appear in Kolkata at my own residence since your organisation has an office in Kolkata and I reside here too".

"Besides, as per my understanding, the alleged cause of action of the subject matter of your inquiry too arises out of West Bengal. I assure every cooperation from my side," she added in the letter dated August 31.

Previously, Rujira Banerjee was interrogated at her residence. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had on February 23 gone to her residence to examine her just days ahead of the Bengal Assembly elections, while her sister and other family members were also questioned.

Abhishek, who is the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and also the national General Secretary of the TMC, was summoned along with his wife late last month in connection with the coal smuggling case. The TMC MP from Diamond Harbour was ordered to present himself before the probe agency in Delhi on September 6, while his wife was to appear on Wednesday.

Their lawyer Sanjay Basu has also been asked to appear before the agency on September 3.

The ED filed the case under relevant sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after analysing a November 2020 FIR lodged by the CBI that alleged a multi-crore coal smuggling scam involving Eastern Coalfields Ltd mines in Bengal's Kunustoria and Kajora areas, in and around Asansol.

The ED claimed that Abhishek was one of the beneficiaries of the funds that were obtained from the illegal trade, though the TMC leader has denied all charges.
New Delhi, Sep 1: With the US withdrawal creating a void in Afghanistan, other countries are stepping in to contain the possible debilitating after effects.

Germany has stepped up diplomacy with neighbouring countries and those with heft in the Muslim world. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is on a five-country visit-Turkey, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Qatar-to understand how Berlin can play a stabilising role in the war-torn country.

Maas made his intentions clear before flying off on his tour with the statement: "I am travelling to the region today to make it clear that Germany's engagement is not ending with the conclusion of the military evacuation mission." Germany is still trying to find out how best it can extricate thousands of people who supported it in the last 20 years. It is working with Uzbekistan which has shown willingness to support Afghans who want to go to Germany. However, Uzbekistan has also said that it cannot accept any refugees from its southern neighbour due to fears of instability.

Turkey too has publicly declined to take in Afghan refugees, saying that it does not want to become a "refugee burden". Despite the reservations of many countries, Germany is still willing to take in thousands of Afghans.

In Islamabad, Maas said that the Taliban will have to be watched to ensure that the promises it made are kept. "It is important for us that all Afghans, even those who do not support the Taliban, feel represented by this government and it remains to be seen whether the Taliban take this into account," he said.

Pakistan too agreed with the German minister about raising a global effort to resolve the situation in Afghanistan peacefully.

Seeking global cooperation to resolve the situation in Afghanistan, he added: "We have been able to rely on international cooperation and support in recent weeks. Some of the countries that I am travelling to today have played a considerable part in ensuring the success of our evacuation mission and in enabling more than 5,000 people to leave Afghanistan on Bundeswehr flights".

Maas has also reached out to United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members Russia and China over building a consensus to ensure that Afghanistan does not descend further into conflict and recrimination between its diverse groups.

Berlin feels that the chaotic US withdrawal has created challenges within the region, not just for Kabul but also for its neighbours which they will not be able to deal with alone. Berlin is, therefore, on an overdrive to ensure that the region stabilises with international cooperation involving the powers as well as Afghanistan's neighbours.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Artificial Intelligence (AI) company Peak has raised $75 million in its Series C funding round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with participation from all existing investors, including MMC Ventures, Oxx, Praetura Ventures, Arete and Octopus Ventures.

This brings Peak's total funding raised to date to $119 million, said a company statement.

Peak's software platform enables companies to embed AI into the core of their decision making and operations. This commercial application of AI to optimise business performance is known as Decision Intelligence, enabling companies to boost operational efficiency, grow revenues and profits, it said.

The latest funding will fuel an ambitious global expansion, with new offices opening in both the US and India, as well as increasing R&D investment in Peak's Decision Intelligence software. As a result, Peak is planning to create more than 200 new jobs globally in the coming year.

Richard Potter, co-founder and CEO at Peak said: "We're delighted to welcome SoftBank as our new lead investor. The funding will help us empower many more businesses with Decision Intelligence over the coming years. It will further catalyze our growth and global expansion plans." Atul Sharma, co-founder and CTO at Peak said the company will use the capital to deepen our tech expertise in product development, in building out our platform and strengthen teams across functions to deliver more features and functionality at pace.

"We have plans to more than double our product, engineering and data science talent capability in our Jaipur and Pune clubhouses in the next 6 months. Moreover, we will be focusing on developing a world-class clubhouse and training facility for our teams," Sharma added.
Patna, Sep 1 : While the Janata Dal (U) leaders declared Nitish Kumar as a PM material, RJD state president Jagadanand Singh has changed its definition and said that Nitish Kumar is a "waste material".

"Whatever JDU leaders claimed for Nitish Kumar, he cannot become Lalu Prasad. The latter has a good impression among common people. He is a leader of all sections of people across the country while Nitish Kumar changes his ideology to retain power," Jagadanand Singh said during the meeting of the party's disaster management unit in Patna.

"A material generally keeps moving from one place to another and Nitish Kumar has the same quality. He is a waste material. Our leaders Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav are humans and they are concerned about caring humans. They are not materials," Jagadanand Singh said.

Upendra Kushwaha, the president of JDU parliamentary board had pitched the terminology "PM Material" for Nitish Kumar. JDU national president Lalan Singh also has the similar views for the Bihar chief minister. Both the leaders said that Nitish Kumar has all the qualities of a prime minister.

Kushwaha further said that mass movement was required in the country to project Nitish Kumar as the PM of the country. Though, he is not in the race for the PM post in the next parliamentary elections.

Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar has said that he is not in the race for the post of Prime Minister.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 1 : Top CPI leader Annie Raja on Wednesday levelled serious allegations against the Kerala Police by saying that there exists an RSS gang in the police.

She said that a section in the Kerala Police is working against the accepted policy of the state government towards women and this is being done purposely as there is a RSS gang in the police.

She said the time has come for a separate department to be set up exclusively for Women and children.

"Today it's clubbed with another department. We have raised this demand with the Left Democratic Front and we expect that it will be taken up and we also need a separate minister for this," said Raja.

Raja was expressing concern after several young women were subjected to cruelty in the name of dowry, while some of them committed suicide.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Hindu American Foundation and Ohio State Senator Niraj Antani have condemned the 'Hinduphobic' conference, 'Dismantling Global Hindutva' (DGH) being organised in September allegedly by several American universities.

"I am condemning in the strongest possible terms the @dghconference. I will always stand strong against #Hinduphobia. I want to thank the @HinduAmerican Foundation for leading the charge against this bigotry. @hinduoncampus @hinduampac," the Republican Senator from Ohio, Niraj Antani said on Twitter.

Suhag Shukla of the Hindu American Foundation said, "Scholars of Genocide engaging in Genocide denial. Wow. Hindus have never committed mass genocide in the name of their religion. Hindus have faced multiple genocides. Yet here we are: Genocide scholars asserting that 'Hinduphobia' is a 'distraction'. This is a new low.

"What goes on in Truschke's lectures? What comments are made in the Zoom chat? 'Hindus should be banned from entering the US'. "How can you trust people who worship millions of Gods," Xenophobia and bigotry against Hindu Americans is actively encouraged. #Hinduphobia, Hindu On Campus," said in a tweet.

"In the past 50 years, Hindus have faced genocide in Bangladesh & large scale ethno-religious cleansing in Afghanistan, Bhutan, India's Kashmir & Pakistan. Apparently these Scholars of Genocide & Mass Violence missed these horrific events," Shukla said.

"Another example of #Hindu Canadians positively engaging with @UofT . And another example of @UofT eliding the fact that DGH organizers are engaging in vociferous #Hinduphobia denialism while perpetrating it. Pro forma confirmations of free speech ring hollow in that context," Hindu American Foundation said.

"Not good enough @OhioState. You must condemn DGH #Hinduphobia denialism. Thanks for dissociating from the DGH event, but would you be as indifferent if a 'faculty group' denied anti-Semitism or Islamophobia? Your faculty are aligning with a group posting this horrific image," HAF said.

"'Get well soon', 'You may be infected' This sneering is the public face of professors from elite colleges organising the DGH event. Tell me again that this is an 'academic' conference & not a partisan political rally? Do universities 'sponsor' this level of academic discourse?," Shukla said.

"'Dismantling Global Hindutva' is not only political & partisan. It veers into promoting Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu hatred in the activists and politicians it platforms, in the resources it promotes & in the reductionist definition of Hinduism it presents," Shukla said.

The Hindu American Foundation sent follow up letters on Wednesday to the 41 universities initially listed as sponsoring the upcoming Dismantling Global Hindutva conference.

"We would assume that the legal, tax-exempt limitations on political activities extend from the institutional level to the departmental. The central topic of this partisan event remains the same -- to oppose and 'dismantle' the Bharatiya Janata Party, a democratically elected party in India...'Dismantling Global Hindutva' is not only political and partisan. It veers into promoting Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu hatred in the activists and politicians it platforms, in the resources it promotes, and in the reductionist definition of Hinduism it presents." HAF's Executive Director, Suhag Shukla and Managing Director, Samir Kalra, shared that the event organisers had, due to public outcry and several direct requests from universities, removed the display of logos and replaced it with a list of virtually the same universities with a disclaimer that it was specific departments and centers which were contributing or sponsoring the event.

The HAF leaders also provided details about the overwhelming response to the Foundation's five-day online campaign and delivered the final petition letter.

The initial effort to send emails to university presidents delivered slightly more than 9,28,000 emails in the span of 48 hours. The response was so robust, in fact, that HAF was forced to move to collecting signatures for a petition to be delivered to the same group of university administrators. The final petition count: 10,360 signatures.

The petition says, "The DGH organisers trade on the prestige of your institution's name to host, not an academic conference, but a partisan event related to politics in India. The event platforms activists with extensive histories of amplifying Hinduphobic discourse even while denying the existence of Hinduphobia. Many of these activists equate the whole of Hinduism with caste bigotry and other social ills; deny the subcontinental indigeneity of Hindus and Hinduism; and support or minimise violent extremist and separatist movements and deny the resulting genocides and ethnic cleansings of Hindus." The petition requests that universities: 1) ask the event organisers to remove university names and logos from the event website and promotional materials; as well as, 2) ensure the safety and wellbeing of the Hindu students, faculty, and staff on campus who may feel targeted, threatened, or face hostility or harassment as a result of the Dismantling Global Hindutva conference.

"Holding Hindus to double standards, defaming or falsely alleging dual loyalty against Indian and Hindu Americans, or dehumanizing Hindus by portraying them as inherently bigoted or dangerous crosses the fine line between legitimate criticism of policies of the Indian government and anti- Hindu hatred," HAF said.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
New Delhi, Sep 1: A major controversy has broken out in the western media over whether the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport on Thursday could have been averted had the decision of the top Pentagon commanders to shut the Abbey Gate on Thursday afternoon been strictly followed instead of allowing it to stay open till the evening when the explosion took place.

The decision to keep Abbey Gate open for longer is reported to have been taken by a field commander. However, this may turn out to be part of a blame game that could be playing out.

A report published by US news website Politico on Monday, based on notes leaked from the Pentagon, said top Pentagon commanders detailed a plan to close Abbey Gate at the Kabul airport by Thursday afternoon Afghanistan time. But the Americans decided to keep the gate open longer than they wanted in order to allow their British allies, who had accelerated their withdrawal timeline, to continue evacuating their personnel, based at the nearby Baron Hotel.

Consequently, American troops were still processing entrants to the airport at Abbey Gate at roughly 6 p.m. in Kabul on Thursday when a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest there, killing nearly 200 people, including 13 U.S. service members, the report said.

However, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Tuesday that Britain co-ordinated closely with the United States and did not push to keep the gate open at the Kabul airport.

"We got our civilian staff out of the processing centre by Abbey Gate, but it's just not true to suggest that, other than securing our civilian staff inside the airport, that we were pushing to leave the gate open," Raab told British TV news channel Sky News.

He said Britain had taken appropriate action, including warning people not to come to the airport.

"We also shifted the civilian team that we had in the Baron Hotel to the airport, because being a stone's throw away from where the terrorist attack took place, it clearly wasn't safe, but none of that would have required or necessitated Abbey Gate to be left open," Raab said on BBC News.

Politico said its account of the internal conversations among top Pentagon leaders in the hours leading up to Thursday's attack at the airport is based on classified notes from three separate calls provided to Politico and interviews with two defense officials with direct knowledge of the calls. Politico said it was withholding information from the Pentagon readouts that could affect ongoing military operations at Kabul airport.

However, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby issued a statement saying: "This story is based on the unlawful disclosure of classified information and internal deliberations of a sensitive nature". "As soon as we became aware of the material divulged to the reporter, we engaged Politico at the highest levels to prevent the publication of information that would put our troops and our operations at the airport at greater risk.

"We condemn the unlawful disclosure of classified information and oppose the publication of a story based on it while a dangerous operation is ongoing," he added.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, Sep 1: While the Taliban are celebrating the exit of the US forces after two decades of war by firing shots in the air, a lone anti-Taliban province stands firm in the mountains of the Panjshir region. Ahmad Massoud, the son of a legendary resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud, who built his rock-solid reputation by standing up to the Soviet and Taliban forces.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with the junior Massoud is former first vice president and now acting president , Amrullah Saleh. Thousands of soldiers and commanders of the Afghan army have joined the two leaders, ready for a last stand if required.

"This war has been forced on us by a group that is dependent on many countries and is not an independent national movement," Massoud said. "If the Taliban are willing to share power with everyone and are willing to establish justice and to give equal rights and freedom to all of Afghanistan, then I will step down and quit politics," Massoud told the Foreign Policy (FP) magazine.

Massoud stressed that if negotiations with the Taliban fail, the Northern Alliance will have no option but to fight the Taliban. Both the groups had their first direct talks last week and it was decided that the parties will not attack each other until the second round of negotiations. But Massoud has accused the Taliban of violating the ceasefire. It was also reported that the Taliban has asked for the providers to cut off of the mobile and internet services in the valley. On Monday, there were reports of heavy fighting between the Taliban and the resistance forces of the Northern Alliance.

Afghan journalist Bilawal Sarwary said in his twitter post that there have reports about fighting in the Jabul Siraj in Parwan province, where casualties and fatalities have been reported. Phone and Internet services were also intermittent.

According to Afghan sources, Monday's fighting flared on the outskirts of Panjshir, as resistance forces battled the Taliban. There are claims and counterclaims by both the parties sharing posts on the social media platforms. A supporter of the North Alliance said that the resistance forces have killed 85 Taliban fighters.

Taliban supporters in turn have posted victory pictures of their fighters.

"The attack on Panjshir is being led by Qari Fasihuddin, a well-known Taliban military commander." Meanwhile, the Northern Alliance leader Amrullah Saleh has said that "the Panjshir headquartered resistance isn't for Panjshir but for the whole country. The Afghan national flag is in full mast & hoisted in government buildings. Our resistance is for rights & values. The non-Talib Afghs are politically, emotionally & sentimentally w/ the Resistance".

Afghanistan swiftly fell under Taliban control over the summer as the US ended 20 years at war inside the country.

The capital city of Kabul fell to the Taliban on August 15, prompting a chaotic and deadly exit, which was completed on Monday midnight with the last American soldier boarding a flight out of the country.

But while Americans flew out, the resistance movement in Panjshir dug in.

Massoud reiterated that aim of the resistance is not to start a civil war, he noted. He stressed that the Taliban must share power with everyone, establish justice, provide equality and freedom to the people of the country. All other options are unacceptable, said the leader of the resistance.

Massoud also said that he did not receive any overseas financial support from abroad, though many countries in the region allegedly sided with the Taliban.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Hyderabad, Sep 1 : Educational institutions reopened in Telangana on Wednesday but the student attendance was thin on the first day.

Barring residential, social welfare and tribal welfare schools with hostel facilities, all schools re-opened but very few students attended the classes as majority of parents remained apprehensive about sending their wards.

A festive atmosphere was seen at few schools as students attended the classes for the first time for the current academic year. School staff were seen checking body temperature of students and giving them hand sanitizer at the school entrance.

The students, wearing face masks, sat in the class rooms by maintaining social distancing. Since only 15-20 per cent students had turned out on the first day, the school managements faced no difficulty in ensuring social distancing. Students expressed happiness over returning to schools after a long time and said the offline classes will help in the learning process.

Teachers briefed the students on the precautions to be taken during their stay in school premises. Most of the schools announced conducting physical classes till afternoon. They said timing will be extended later depending on the students' response.

However, some private schools did not open on Wednesday as they remained undecided on whether to conduct offline classes or online classes.

The Telangana High Court on Tuesday left it to school managements to have either only offline or only online or both online and offline classes. The court also made it clear that students should not be compelled to attend offline classes and that they should not be penalized for not attending schools.

The court also directed the government not to punish schools which are not willing to conduct offline classes.

As per the orders of the high court, the government directed the director of school education to lay down Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be followed by all school managements conducting classes offline within one week and give them wide publicity in print and electronic media.

The court stayed reopening of residential, social welfare and tribal welfare schools with hostel facilities. It directed the education department to submit a report in four weeks on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be followed in these schools.

The government has also taken note of some school managements making parents sign declaration that the managements will not be responsible if the children get infected while in school.

"Any undertaking obtained from parents by any school management absolving the school management of any liability if the child gets infected with virus, while in school, shall not have any legal effect," said a government communication issued after the court order.

Meanwhile, Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan visited Raj Bhavan School to see the arrangements made on reopening. She said the school authorities cleaned the premises and students came happily to the school.

"Students should be explained about the preventive measures to be taken. There is need to take all precautions till children get vaccinated," she said.

Education minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy visited a government school in Vijayanagar Colony and reviewed the situation there. She told reporters that 40 per cent of the students attended schools on the first day. She claimed that parents are willing to send their wards to schools.

The minister said departments concerned were taking all measures to ensure sanitization of the school premises. She said the authorities were taking all precautions.

The minister said out of 60 lakh school students in the state, 20 lakh are studying in government schools. She said there were 2.5 lakh new admissions in government schools across the state this academic year.

The government permitted reopening of all education institutions across the state from September 1.

After a gap of nearly 11 months, educational institutions in the state had re-opened in February this year but due to the surge in Covid-19 cases during the second wave, they were shut down from March 24. However, online classes continued for students.

For a second consecutive year, no exams could be conducted for class 1 to 10 due to Covid pandemic. All students were promoted to the next class.
Tokyo, Sep 1 : As Japan continues to find black and pink particles in the Moderna Covid vaccine vials, it has temporarily halted the inoculation programmes in many regions, say media reports.

Last week, the Japanese Health Ministry reported the death of two men after they received two vaccine jabs.

According to the authorities, a pharmacist saw several black particles in one vial of the vaccine in Kanagawa Prefecture, the BBC reported.

The pharmacist found the black particles while checking for foreign substances before the vaccine's use.

So far, there is no evidence of any health hazards caused by the potentially contaminated vaccine, the report said.

Okinawa Prefecture halted administering the Moderna vaccine at a mass vaccination centre in Naha on Saturday and Sunday last week after four instances of black dot-like particulate matter were confirmed inside loaded syringes and a punctured vial. However, the usual pre-usage examination of the vials did not confirm any foreign materials inside, the Japan Times reported.

A total of five foreign substances have been identified related to lot number 3005293, including a pink substance, that was detected inside a loaded syringe in Okinawa last Saturday.

On August 26, the Japan Health Ministry had said the foreign substances have been found in 39 unused vials at eight vaccination sites in five prefectures, Xinhua reported.

The same day, nearly 1.63 million doses that came from the same production line of a Spanish factory were suspended for use as a precaution.

However, more than 5,00,000 shots have already been administered from the potentially contaminated batches, said Taro Kono, the Minister in-charge of the vaccination effort.

Although the foreign substances had been confirmed since August 16, the Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical, which is in charge of the sale and distribution of the Moderna vaccine in Japan, waited until August 25 to report the problem to the country's Health Ministry.

Last week, Takeda put three batches of the Moderna vaccine on hold after "foreign materials" were found in some doses of a batch of nearly 5,60,000 vials.

Spanish pharmaceutical firm Rovi, which bottles the vaccine, said in a statement that a manufacturing line in Spain could be the cause of the issue, the BBC report said.

In a joint statement issued last Saturday, Moderna and Takeda said they were working with the Health Ministry to investigate the two deaths.

However, the two companies said they have not found any evidence that these deaths were caused by the Moderna vaccine.

Japan's vaccination roll-out has been relatively slow, with just over 40 per cent of the Japanese people fully vaccinated and nearly 50 per cent having received a single dose.
Chennai, Sep 1 : A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Madras High Court (HC) against MLAs in Tamil Nadu, who were elected while contesting on symbols of other parties.

The petitioner, advocate Loganathan petitioned the Madras HC that these legislators be treated as part of the party on whose symbol they had contested.

The PIL which was filed on Tuesday said there are eight MLAs from various parties who had contested on the "Rising Sun" symbol of the DMK even though they were from different parties.

The petitioner urged the HC that these legislators must not be allowed separate seating arrangements as well as time slots and be considered as part of the DMK under whose symbol they were elected to the Assembly.

In the petition advocate Loganathan, who is a practicing lawyer in Coimbatore, requested the court to direct the Tamil Nadu government not to invite these MLAs and the leaders of their parent parties, as representatives of those parties in any meeting conducted by the government to discuss important issues related to the state and other meetings.

The petitioner said MLAs E.R. Easwaran, M.H. Jawahirullah, K. Chinnappa, T. Velmurugan, T. Sadhan Tirumalai Kumar, P. Abdul Samad, M. Boominathan, A.R.R. Raghuraman are not part of the DMK and yet they contested elections under the party's "Rising Sun" symbol following an alliance with that party.

M. Jagan Murthy of Puratchi Bharatham had contested on the "Two Leaves" symbol of the AIADMK, he added.

Advocate Loganathan told IANS, "I have already filed a PIL and am waiting for the court to decide on the same."
San Diego, Sep 1 : A US Navy helicopter crashed on Tuesday afternoon off the coast of San Diego, California, prompting search and rescue operations by sea and air, according to the US Pacific Fleet.

"An MH-60S helicopter embarked aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) crashed into the sea while conducting routine flight operations approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego at 4.30 p.m. PST, Aug. 31," the fleet's commander said in a statement.

The statement did not reveal how many people were on board and whether there were any casualties, saying "more information will be posted as it becomes available." However, citing a local news channel, Xinhua news agency reported that preliminary information indicates that one person had been rescued and five people were still unaccounted for.

Reportedly the search and rescue operations continued into the night with US Coast Guard and Navy "air and surface assets." The Coast Guard put one of its helicopters in the air around 10 p.m. local time on Tuesday (0500 GMT on Wednesday), and said it would continue searching for about eight hours, the reporter said.

CVN 72 is the fifth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the Navy and a member of the US Pacific Fleet. The battleship's home port is Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego.

The US Pacific Fleet confirmed the crash on its official Twitter page Tuesday night, and updated information later, saying "one crew member has been rescued and search efforts continue for the other missing crew members." The MH-60S is a versatile aircraft that typically carries a crew of four, and is used in missions including combat support, humanitarian disaster relief and search and rescue.

The incident came just 12 days after Capt. Amy Bauernschmidt took over command of CVN 72, becoming the first woman to lead a nuclear carrier in US Navy history.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice on a plea challenging the appointment of Rakesh Asthana as Commissioner of Delhi Police.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), submitted before a bench comprising chief justice D.N. Patel and justice Jyoti Singh that the petitioner has directly copy pasted from its plea filed at the top court. He stressed that this is violation of the Delhi High Court Rules. The counsel for the petitioner denied any copy paste job. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, contended that it seems too much of a coincidence, even typographical errors are the same. Mehta added professional PIL petitioners often move the court challenging such appointments. He said: "petitioner seems to be following Bhushan's path, which is a dangerous one.. They have no business to challenge this appointment... What are the sources of this inspiration to challenge appointments?" The high court allowed Bhushan's intervention application and issued notice in the matter. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on September 8.

Bhushan submitted he does not wish to argue his petition pending in the apex court. He cited the petition filed in the Delhi High Court by Sadre Alam, challenging Asthana's appointment, which raised similar grounds.

On August 25, the Supreme Court had asked the Delhi High Court to decide within two weeks the plea against the appointment of Rakesh Asthana as Delhi Police commissioner.

A bench headed by chief justice N.V. Ramana had said: "There are issues, one is about my participation in the matter as one ground. I have expressed my views about this gentleman in CBI selection." The chief justice cited second issue that somebody had filed a plea against his appointment, which is pending in the high court. The chief justice, while participating in the High-Powered Committee, had objected to the appointment of Asthana as the head of the CBI. The top court was hearing a petition filed by Centre for Public Interest Litigation challenging Asthana's appointment.
Prayagraj : , Sep 1 (IANS) Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) president Mahant Narendra Giri has urged the Centre to introduce a population control Bill for 'maintaining religious and social structure balance in the country'.

"The Bill should be such that it should be binding on every state and there should not be an option for any state government. The Akhara Parishad appeals to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the country should have such a law which helps in maintaining the crucial balance between various communities," said the ABAP chief, who further added that the Bill should be quickly made a Law.

Talking about some clerics issuing statements in support of Taliban, the Mahant said that the government should take strict action against such leaders for supporting the Taliban.

"The city of Kandahar in Afghanistan was once ruled by a Hindu king, as is mentioned in our epic Mahabharat. However, today people of the Hindu and Sikh communities are leaving Afghanistan in fear which is a blatant example of what can happen in India if the population balance amongst the two main communities is not maintained," he explained.

He also appealed to the Muslim religious leaders to take action against people of their community who are supporting Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan.

"Those who support a terrorist organisation like the Taliban should be treated as traitors and arrested. How can one speak in favour of an organisation which gets open support of our enemy nation Pakistan?" he asked.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar will embark on an official visit to Slovenia, Croatia and Denmark from September 2-5, 2021 with an aim to widen ties with Europe with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region and Afghanistan's future.

According to an official statement, he will be in Slovenia from 2-3 September which is currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and has invited him to attend an informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of EU Member States on September 3. The Minister will also hold a bilateral meeting with his Slovenian counterpart Dr Anze Logar, apart from calling on the Slovenian leadership.

Jaishankar will attend the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) being held in Slovenia, and will participate in the panel discussion on "Partnership for a Rules Based Order in the Indo-Pacific". He will also hold discussions with his EU counterparts on issues of mutual interest.

At the 16th Bled Strategic Forum which is one of Europe's premier foreign ministerial forums will be held in Slovenia on September 1-2 and the Minister will present India's vision on the Indo-Pacific region as a key player that emphasises on maintaining rule of law and inclusive approach amid China's aggression.

During his visit to Croatia on September 3, EAM will hold bilateral talks with Foreign Minister Gordan Grli Radman, and will call on the Croatian leadership.

During his visit to Denmark on September 4-5, Jaishankar will co-chair the fourth round of the Indo-Danish Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) along with Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod.

The JCM will undertake a comprehensive review of our bilateral cooperation under the Green Strategic Partnership, which was established during the Virtual Summit in September 2020. EAM will also call on Danish dignitaries.

The visit of EAM will provide an opportunity for reviewing the progress in our bilateral ties with the three Central European countries, and for strengthening our multifaceted relationship with the EU, the MEA said in a statement here today.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Mumbai, Sep 1 : Veteran Bollywood actress of yesteryears, Saira Banu suffered a minor heart attack and has been admitted to Hinduja Hospital, a relative said here on Wednesday.

Saira Banu, 77, -- the widow of the legendary actor, the late Yusuf Khan alias Dilip Kumar, who passed away on July 7 -- was rushed to the ICU of the hospital, in Khar, three days ago.

Further details of Saira Banu's medical condition -- described "better than before" by the relative -- are awaited.

When contacted, the hospital authorities declined to comment citing family privacy concerns.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Kabul/New Delhi, Sep 1 : The Taliban leaders have said that the negotiations over the future set-up of government in Kabul have ended and will announce the new government soon.

Officials in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan said that negotiations led by Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada -- the supreme leader of IEA -- ended on Monday, August 30, Khaama News reported.

Mullah Hibatullah has recently come to the Afghan capital from Kandahar province where he had held a series of talks with tribal elders.

The exact date of announcing the new government is not disclosed though, acting minister of information and culture and spokesperson of the Taliban Zabiullah Mujahid had said that the new government set-up is to be announced in two-weeks time, the report said.

He has also said that figures from the previous governments will not be part of their new government because they have failed and people do not want them to be in power anymore.

In the meantime, the deputy head of the Taliban's political office based in Doha Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanikzai has been busy negotiating with the representatives of regional countries.

Spokesperson of the office, Naeem Wardak said that Abbas has been discussing with the countries to assure them of no threat from Afghanistan.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Geneva, Sep 1 : The World Health Organisation (WHO) is monitoring the new Covid-19 strain -- Mu -- recently designated as a variant of interest (VOI) for vaccine resistance, the health body has said.

Mu, also known as B.1.621, was first identified from Colombia in January this year. Infections from Mu have since been recorded in South America and Europe. Based on the latest round of assessments, B.1.621 was classified as a VOI on 30 August 2021 and given the WHO label "Mu".

Mu variant has various mutations which indicate that it could be more resistant to vaccines, similar to Beta variant, the WHO said in its weekly epidemiological update on Tuesday.

"The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape. Preliminary data presented to the Virus Evolution Working Group show a reduction in neutralisation capacity of convalescent and vaccine sera similar to that seen for the Beta variant, but this needs to be confirmed by further studies," the UN health agency said.

As of August 29, over 4,500 sequences (3,794 sequences of B.1.621 and 856 sequences of B.1.621.1) have been uploaded to open-access database GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data) from 39 countries.

While the global prevalence of the Mu variant among sequenced cases has declined and is currently below 0.1 per cent, the prevalence in Colombia (39 per cent) and Ecuador (13 per cent) has consistently increased, the WHO said.

"The epidemiology of the Mu variant in South America, particularly with the co-circulation of the Delta variant, will be monitored for changes," the health agency added.

There are four coronavirus variants of concern, as deemed by the WHO, with the Alpha variant -- first recorded in Kent, England -- seen in 193 countries, Beta in 141, Gamma in 91 and Delta in 170 countries, while Mu is the fifth variant of interest.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mumbai, Sep 1 : Actor Mikhael Kantroo is all set to feature in the upcoming thriller series 'Candy'.

In the Richa Chadha and Ronit Roy-starrer, Mikhael will be seen playing a character called 'Luka'.

Talking about his role in 'Candy', Mikhael shared: "I'm essaying a character named Luka who is strong, silent and secretive. A man with his ear to the ground and is as mysterious as the town of Rudrakund. He runs a club called Cube." Opening up on the challanges of playing the character, the actor said: "One of the challenges was that Luka is intended to be mysterious therefore I had to communicate in silences. I had to understand the director's vision for the character and restrain myself." "Then came Luka's physicality, which was tricky because he's much bigger in size than me, so while he has an intimidating presence, he doesn't have to do much to exert himself," he added.

Set against a picturesque backdrop of a boarding school in the mountains, the series is billed as a murder mystery.

Helmed by Ashish R. Shukla, the series stars Richa Chadha, Ronit Roy, Manu Rishi Chadha and others.

'Candy' will release on September 8 on Voot Select.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Hyderabad, Sep 1 : In a shocking incident, a man brutally murdered his brother and two other relatives over a property dispute in Telangana's Warangal town on Wednesday.

Two other family members were also critically injured in the incident in LB Nagar area of the town, police said.

Mohammad Shafi along with four or five persons broke into the house of his elder brother Mohammad Chandpasha early on Wednesday and attacked him and other inmates with hunting sickles and knives.

Chandpasha (50), his wife Sabera (42) and Sabera's brother Khaleel (40) were killed, while Chandpasha's sons Fahad (20) and Samad (24) were injured.

Chandpasha's daughter Rubeena, an eye witness, said Shafi and other unidentified persons attacked her parents and other family members.

Warangal Police Commissioner Tarun Joshi, who visited the scene of crime, told reporters that they have formed teams to arrest the absconding killers.

The police officer said the murders were believed to be the fallout of a property dispute between the two brothers, who were cattle traders. The dispute has been going on between them over sharing of profit to the tune of Rs 1 crore.

Shafi, who bore the grudge against his brother for not sharing the profit, planned and executed the killings.

Sabera's brother, who had come to see her, was also killed by the assailants when he tried to stop them. The injured were said to be in critical condition. One of them was shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad.
Chennai, Sep 1 : AIADMK former interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala, who was later expelled from the party, met the party coordinator and former Chief Minister, O. Panneerselvam (OPS) to express condolences over the passing away of his wife.

Panneerselvam's wife, P. Jayalakshmi passed away on Wednesday morning at a private hospital in Chennai where she was admitted following heart-related ailments.

Sasikala and Panneerselvam were at loggerheads ever since she claimed the Chief Minister's post by replacing him. Panneerselvam initiated a 'Dharma Yudha' against Sasikala by sitting in front of the memorial of late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

The former interim general secretary spent more than 20 minutes at the residence of Panneerselvam and consoled him by even holding his hands.

It may be noted that after Sasikala was released from Bangaluru central prison, she had reached Tamil Nadu with a large convoy of vehicles and was planning to capture the AIADMK. However, stiff opposition was raised by both O. Panneerselvam and K. Palaniswami, and Sasikala had to announce that she was quitting politics.

After the drubbing of AIADMK in the 2021 Assembly elections, Sasikala has become active and is engaged in telephonic conversation with lower-level functionaries of the AIADMK across the state. She has even boasted that she would take over the AIADMK in the days to come. Political observers were of the opinion that if Sasikala's movement gained currency, then there was a possibility of OPS extending his support to her, given the fact that both are from the same Thevar community.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Colombo, Sep 1 : The Vatican Ambassador and Pope's representative in Sri Lanka, has discussed the controversial Easter Sunday bombing investigation with the Foreign Minister.

Apostolic Nuncio to Sri Lanka, Archbishop Brian Udaigwe has requested Foreign Minister Prof G.L. Peiris to have a meeting with the Catholic Church on the investigations into the attacks on three churches and three hotels killing 269 people and injuring over 500.

The ISIS later claimed the responsibility for the attacks carried out on the Easter Sunday morning on almost simultaneously by a group of local suicide killers.

Minister Peiris who assured a meeting with the heads of the Catholic Church, alleged certain groups have 'hijacked' purpose of the church and targeting to use the tragedy against the government at the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council Session, scheduled for September 12 and the United Nations General Assembly on September 21.

Last month Catholic Church accused certain military intelligent officials having connection with the Easter Sunday bombers and charged that local security agencies ignored detailed information including the date about the attacks passed by the Indian intelligent agencies.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the head of Colombo's Archdiocesan complained about a link between certain military intelligent members and suicide bombers that was revealed during the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) in to the multiple bomb blasts. He alleged the government had not investigated on it but kept it a secret.

Cardinal Ranjith had also accused former President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe of not taking measures against extremists groups.

Marking the 28th months since the attack, the Church on August 21 led a protest requesting all Sri Lankans to raise a black flag on their houses and vehicles.

Meanwhile, the Chief Justice appointed a trial-at-bar to try 25 accused who were charged on 23,270 counts including massacre and the multiple attacks on the Easter Sunday 2019.
Hyderabad, Sep 1 : The Telangana government on Wednesday decided to implement Dalit Bandhu scheme in four mandals in addition to Huzurabad constituency where it is currently being implemented on pilot basis.

The government has selected four mandals in four Assembly constituencies, which are represented by the Dalit MLAs (Constituencies reserved for scheduled castes) in the north, east, west and southern parts of the state.

The selected mandals are Chintakani in Madhira constituency of Khammam district, Tirmalgiri mandal in Tungaturthy constituency of Suryapet district, Charagonda mandal in Achampet constituency of Nagar Kurnool district, Nizamsagar mandal in Jukkal constituency of Kamareddy district.

The move is part of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's efforts to understand and comprehend in detail the sentiments, needs of the Dalits and also the intricacies of the scheme, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement.

The scheme will be implemented for all Dalit families In these mandals. The chief minister, after his visit to New Delhi, would convene a review meeting in Hyderabad, with ministers, MLAs, district collectors from these areas.

The government has taken up Dalit Bandhu as a movement. It has already released Rs 2,000 crore for implementation of the scheme for all Dalit families in Huzurabad constituency.

Under Dalit Bandhu, every beneficiary Dalit family will get Rs 10 lakh as grant and they will be free to chose their profession, self-employment or businesses for utilising the funds.

Addressing a public meeting on August 16 in Huzurabad constituency to launch the scheme, KCR had announced that the government will disburse over Rs 2,000 crore to 21,000 Dalit families in Huzurabad in next two months.

He said there will be no selection of beneficiaries in Huzurabad Assembly segment, as the scheme will be implemented for all the SC families in a saturation mode.

He also declared that all the 17 lakh Dalit families in the state will be benefited from the scheme.

The scheme implementation across the state for all Dalit families will cost Rs 1.7 lakh crore. He said the government will allocate Rs 30,000 crore to Rs 40,000 crore in the budget every year for 3 to 4 years.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : 'Kaun Banega Crorepati 13' hosted by Amitabh Bachchan will see Aman Bajpai on the hot seat on Wednesday night. Aman says he is on the show because of financial reasons as he doesn't have enough money to fulfil his dream.

Aman said: "Right now I am pursuing my post-graduation in Sociology but my ultimate aim is to open a Chinese restaurant as I am a big foodie. In fact, my mom calls me 'crocodile' as I am lazy and just want to eat entire day without doing any work." Aman who hails from Lucknow added further that it was not easy for his parents to agree on his career choice as it needs lot of expenditure and his father Manoj Kumar Bajpai is a class 3 employee under Director-General of Family Welfare. So, it is tough for him to provide adequate financial help for opening a restaurant.

"Though I am pursuing Sociology because of my parents but this is not what I want to pursue further. Since childhood I always wanted to have my own restaurant in the main city. But it needs lot of expenditure, so I am here at 'KBC 13'. I will use the winning amount and also borrow some money to achieve my target," added 23-year-old Aman.

We can just wish him best of luck so that he achieve what is looking for in life.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bengaluru, Sep 1 : Karnataka government on Wednesday issued a notice to the Managing Director of Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) for 'neglecting' the state's official language Kannada during the inauguration of the Nayandalli-Kengeri stretch of Namma Metro held here on August 28.

State Minister for Energy, Kannada and Culture, V. Sunil Kumar, has issued the notice to BMRCL MD Anjum Parwez, seeking clarification for the 'blunder' and action against the officials responsible for it.

"The official language of the state was not used on the display boards on the main dais of the event. This is a serious issue. The negligence of the native regional language in the capital city is serious," Sunil Kumar said.

"Language is an emotional issue. The negligence on this matter cannot be tolerated as it will send a wrong signal to the people of the state. The government departments, which should upheld the Kannada language and culture of the state, seems to have turned a blind eye towards this. This is considered as dereliction of duty on the part of BMRCL," he added.

The use of Kannada has been made compulsory at all government programmes. In spite of this, the BMRCL has shown negligence, Sunil Kumar stated in the order.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Under the New Education Policy, the Union Education Ministry on Wednesday said it has set a new target of ensuring 100 per cent enrolment of children in schools across the country during the next nine years.

Giving information on this subject on the 61st foundation day of the NCERT, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that by 2030, there is a target to achieve 100 per cent gross enrolment of children in schools across India. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will also play an important role in achieving this goal, he added.

Pradhan said the NCERT has given significant direction to the national school syllabus.

India's new education policy is based on Indian values, Pradhan added.

The Minister said a new education system of 5+3+3+4 has been implemented in schools across the country. Under this system the students have been divided into four different sections.

The first stage (5) will have students in the age group of 3 to 6 years who will be imparted education from the pre-primary or play school level till class 2. After this stage the syllabus for classes 2 to 5 will be prepared following which the academic programme has been designed keeping in mind the students of classes 5 to 8 and then finally the education of students for the next four years from classes 9 to 12.

This school education system of 5+3+3+4 will reduce the school dropout rate and ensure universal access to education. This is targeted to achieve 100 gross enrolment ratio for complete school education by 2030 through various measures.

According to the Education Ministry, no child should be denied any opportunity to learn and excel due to circumstances based on his/her birth or background. Special emphasis will be laid on socially and economically disadvantaged groups. A special education sector and a separate gender inclusion fund are being set up for the backward areas.

Pradhan said since independence, there have been significant positive changes in school education and the role of NCERT has been significant in it.

"The NCERT provided an alternative calendar for schools during difficult times of Covid-19, I hope that the NCERT will expand its old work as well as new efforts will be made for imparting school education," he added.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Sep 1 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Uttar Pradesh Police to hand over the investigation record, in a matter connected with the alleged kidnapping of a 13-year-old girl, to Delhi Police by Thursday.

A bench of Justices A.M. Khanwilkar, Hrishikesh Roy, and C.T. Ravikumar was a hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by missing girl's mother, who suspects her child was kidnapped by a Delhi-based person.

"The minor daughter has been missing from July 8, and despite an FIR being lodged with the Gorakhpur police (UP) and despite an attempt being made to make a complaint with the Delhi Police, no action whatsoever has been taken to trace the minor daughter and bring her to the petitioner," said the plea filed through advocate Amit Pai.

The petitioner is working as a domestic help in Delhi and claimed the suspect had been trying to lure her minor daughter for a long time.

The petitioner claimed she had lodged a complaint against the suspected person at Malviya Nagar police station in Delhi. The plea said the suspect was given a final warning to refrain from carrying out any illegal activities, particularly engaging, by inducement of force and/or seduction, in an illicit relationship with a minor girl.

The petitioner sought directions from the top court to the UP government and Delhi Police to carry out an investigation into the disappearance and kidnapping of her minor daughter and take appropriate action against the accused.

The bench also directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to oversee the investigation in the matter.

As it expressed discontent with the failure of the UP Police in tracing the girl, counsel for Uttar Pradesh government submitted before the bench that the state police is taking diligent steps and the investigation's pace is affected due to the inter-state ramifications.

After hearing arguments, the top court scheduled the matter for hearing later this week.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chennai, Sep 1 : Coming out with separate policies for senior citizens, and women, and for measuring the body mass index (BMI) of the students under the nutritional noon meal scheme are some the programmes the Tamil Nadu government plans to come out with soon, the Assembly was informed on Wednesday.

Making the announcement, Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Minister P.Geetha Jeevan, said with the schools reopening the BMI of the 42.13 lakh students who are beneficiaries of the nutritious noon meal scheme will be measured and corrective action will be taken, wherever needed.

She said as the schools were closed due to Covid-19 pandemic, dry ration with 10 eggs per student were given so that they are not affected.

Since the schools were closed for a long period of time, the health condition of students will be ascertained by measuring their BMI at an outlay of Rs 2 crore, Jeevan said.

Jeevan also said the population of senior citizens in the state is expected to touch 1.5 crore by 2030 from 75 lakh as per 2011 census, and considering this and in order that senior citizens live in a decent manner, the government will come out with a State Senior Citizens Policy.

The minister also said the government will also come out with a policy for women's upliftment and also set up a Welfare Board for widows and destitute women.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 1 : Former Kerala Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday slammed the manner in which a two-member committee probing whether proper procedure was followed while hiring Sprinklr Inc for managing Covid-19 data of the government and if the company had ensured data protection. The committee gave a clean chit to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his now suspended former principal secretary M. Sivasankar.

The fresh report of giving a clean chit to the entire deal has been submitted to the government the other day and it says there was nothing wrong and this was contrary to an earlier report submitted on the same aspect.

It was after the first report came, Vijayan appointed another committee.

Speaking to the media here, Chennithala said this is a tailor made report which should not be accepted and a judicial probe be launched into the entire Sprinklr deal which took place soon after the Covid pandemic struck the state.

"This new report contradicts the findings of the first committee consisting of former civil aviation secretary M. Madhavan Nambiar and cyber security expert Gulshan Rai which had found serious lapses into the entire Sprinklr deal. The expertise of the first committee in these fields are exemplary while the second committee formed by Vijayan headed by Sasidharan Nair has no expertise to go into this and it was a report which was meant only to give clean chit to both Vijayan and Sivasankar," Chennithala said.

"Now that the new report has come, already I am a party to the case which is in the court and I will speak to my counsel and take the necessary steps in this," added Chennithala.

The Sprinklr issue when it surfaced in 2020 raged in the state after it came out that the data of all Covid-19 suspects has been given for free to the US based marketing and PR company Sprinklr, by the IT department headed by Vijayan and it had no clearance from any government department and the cabinet was also kept in the dark.

The data, according to the Congress, especially pertaining to people is priceless and it is unethical to hand it over to a US company, with no clear cut agreements.

Incidentally at the height of the controversy, the name of Vijayan's daughter was also dragged in.

Chennithala had approached the Kerala high court and the court in its first observation said that given the pandemic situation, it will not intervene to cancel the agreement and later when things cooled down, asked the state government to seriously look into it and the case still stands.
Panaji, Sep 1 : The previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government paid for the mistakes made by the Congress-led alliance partners, said M.M. Pallam Raju, former Union Minister for Human Resource Development and Congress leader, in state capital Panaji on Wednesday.

Speaking at an interactive session with Congress workers in Goa, Raju said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had mastered the art of exploiting emotive issues, adding that the Congress must come up with an alternative strategy to counter the BJP's propaganda to win the upcoming state assembly elections in Goa.

"Coming to our own tenure while we were in power in the UPA government, I think if you remember we paid for the mistakes of our coalition partners. Nobody can point a finger at former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, our party president Sonia Gandhi or former Defence Minister A.K. Anthony. We had clean leadership, a leadership that we can be proud of," he said.

Raju, who is currently in Goa to create public opinion about the economic failures of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, said the BJP's "relentless campaign" about the national loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore allegedly by auctioning the 2G spectrum and which was flagged by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai, eventually dented the UPA government. This is because our ruling alliance's leaders failed to explain it properly to the people of the country, the Congress leader added.

"It was made to look like the Congress had eaten away Rs 1,76,000 crore... we failed to explain properly the matter in the public eye due to the relentless campaign of the BJP..." Raju said.

He said it was imperative for the party to launch a strategy to counter the BJP's stoking of emotive issues.

"What subjects we raise in the public is very very important. Because emotions play a role in tilting the balance and that's a game which the BJP has mastered. Now we have to counter that with an effective strategy," Raju added.
Mumbai, Sep 1 : Veteran Bollywood actress of yesteryears, Saira Banu who suffered from a heart problem called ischemia, has been admitted to Hinduja Hospital to treatment but is said to be stable now, her doctor said on Wednesday.

Saira Banu, 77, - the widow of legendary actor, the late Yusuf Khan alias Dilip Kumar - was rushed to the ICU of the hospital in Khar, three days ago.

According to eminent cardiologist Dr Nitin S. Gokhale who is attending on her, the left ventricle in her heart had stopped functioning and led to ingress of water in her heart and lungs.

"The problem has been controlled for now and she is medically much better now. We shall shift her out of the ICU tomorrow (Thursday) and then decide further measures," Gokhale told IANS.

Saira Banu's health sparked concerns on social media with many praying and wishing for her speedy recovery and early discharge from the hospital.

Starting her acting career as a teen in 1961 with the film "Junglee", she went on to become one of the topmost heroines in the 1960s-1970s era, working with the leading actors of the day and starring in the biggest films.

In the past few years, she earned legions of admirers for the manner in which she stood by and cared for her husband Dilip Kumar who was ailing for several years before he passed away on July 7 aged 98.
Chandigarh, Sep 1 : A 20-year-old was arrested for shooting dead his father, mother, sister, and maternal grandmother in Haryana's Rohtak town last week, police said on Wednesday. The motive behind the heinous crime is yet to be known.

Superintendent of Police Rahul Sharma told the media that accused Abhishek, who shot dead his father Pradeep and other family members, was arrested on Tuesday evening.

"Abhishek's behaviour, and his financial and other issues could be the reasons behind the crime. But the exact reason is yet to be known," he said.

"We will reconstruct the crime scene and recover the weapon used in the crime." Sharma said the involvement of other people, including Abhishek's friends or family members, in the crime is under investigation.

He said the accused has been changing his statements frequently. During investigation, it was found that the accused visited a hotel before and after the murders. "The role of his friend who was staying at the hotel is also being examined." Property dealer Pradeep, wife Babli and mother-in-law Roshni died on the spot, while daughter Tamanna succumbed to her injuries in a hospital.
Duration: 145 minutes

Film: F9: The Fast Saga (Releasing in theatres from Sept 3)

Duration: 145 minutes

Director: Justin Lin

Cast: Vin Diesel, John Cena, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Charlize Theron, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Helen Mirren and Kurt Russell.

IANS Rating: **1/2

By Troy Ribeiro

The fizz in the 'Fast & Furious' franchise seems to be flattening out progressively. The ninth edition of this over-the-top, frenetic-paced, action-packed franchise opens with a promise but ends on a ridiculously convoluted and low note.

The film is a bloated thriller with a weak and worn-out storyline that only die-hard 'Fast & Furious' fans would be able to follow. There is a semblance of a story only if you have the patience of sitting through loads of jaw-dropping, gravity- and logic-defying stunts, which include a satellite and spaceship sequence.

The narrative takes off from two years after the events of 'F8: Fate of the Furious'. Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) is now leading a retired life in the countryside, raising his son Brian with his wife Letty Oritz (Michelle Rodriguez).

Their old associates, Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej Parker (Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), arrive with the news that the plane of Mr Nobody (Kurt Russell), an intelligence operative, has crashed in Montequinto, Central America, after being attacked by rogue agents when he was capturing Cipher (Charlize Theron), a criminal mastermind.

Dominic, who is fondly called 'Dom', agrees to help them investigate who the rogue agent is after realising his brother Jakob (John Cena) is involved.

Searching through the debris of the crashed plane, they find a part of a device named Aries, which can hack into any computer-controlled system that includes all satellites and weapons of the world.

How, after travelling to Cologne, London, Tokyo and Edinburgh, the team finds the other part of the device, forms the crux of the narrative.

Like in its previous edition, there is a track of family drama in 'F9'. This time, it is the rivalry between the two Toretto brothers, Dom and Jakob. A master assassin, who has spent his life living in the shadow of his elder brother, Jakob now hopes to outshine his brother by controlling the world through his nefarious activities.

The plot, punctuated with emotional flashbacks of events in Dom and Jakob's lives, breaks the momentum of the mayhem-laden sequences and thus crashes the viewing experience.

Vin Diesel and John Cena put up a balanced performance, neither outshining the other. The rest of the veteran star cast with their superb on-screen chemistry are clearly at home in their roles and they seem to be having a great time delivering their chops.

On the production front, the set pieces are big and outlandish. The action sequences, including the delightfully destructive car chase involving magnets et al, are perfunctory in design.

Though every frame is flamboyant and blockbuster in appearance, and is layered with surgical precision, the film fails to deliver an awe-inspiring feel.

(Troy Ribeiro can be contacted troy.r@ians.in)

-- Syndicated from IANS
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Venture debt firm Trifecta Capital on Wednesday launched its third fund with a target corpus of Rs 1,500 crore that includes a green shoe option of Rs 500 crore.

The fund aims at serving the rapidly growing financing opportunities for Indian start-ups. The fund will partner with 50 to 75 category-leading start-ups that are seeking alternative sources of growth capital.

"With this third venture debt fund, we will strengthen our existing investor relationships and selectively add new investors who can add value to our portfolio companies," said Rahul Khanna, Managing Partner, Trifecta Capital.

"We aim to further enhance our track record of delivering consistent returns every quarter as well as best in-class venture debt fund returns to our investors, as we help them participate in some of the most exciting new businesses in India," Khanna added.

The Trifecta Capital's Venture Debt Funds have invested nearly Rs 2,200 crore ($293 million) in more than 85 start-ups.

Its portfolio now has 11 unicorns and more than 15 soonicorns, with marquee businesses, including Big Basket, PharmEasy, Cars24, Vedantu, Dailyhunt, UrbanCompany, CarDekho and BharatPe, among several others.

The portfolio is cumulatively valued at $33 billion.
Chennai, Sep 1 : Ruling DMK's candidate M.M. Abdullah is expected to be elected to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu unopposed as the nominations of three others were rejected.

A statement issued by Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Secretary K. Srinivasan said that the nomination filed by Abdullah was found valid and those filed by three independent candidates were invalid.

The last date for filing of nominations ended on Tuesday and the election is slated for September 13.

Once Abdullah is formerly declared elected, the DMK's strength in the Rajya Sabha will go up to eight.

The bypoll is being held to fill up the vacancy that arose owing the death of AIADMK member A. Mohammedjan in March 2021.
San Francisco, Sep 1 : Yolie De Leon from US' Arizona said her Apple Watch alerted her to an abnormally high heart rate, sending her to urgent care where she was told by her doctor that her device was right, and her condition was life-threatening.

"It said my heart rate was at 174," De Leon said. "It said, You are an AFib,' and said, Call your doctor immediately.'" She immediately went to the hospital, where doctors ran multiple tests, including an electrocardiogram, reports Apple Insider.

De Leon wanted to show her gratitude to the tech that saved her life - so she reached out to Apple CEO Tim Cook and said she got a surprisingly fast response.

"I'm so glad you sought medical attention and received the treatment you needed," Cook wrote to De Leon. "Thanks for sharing your story with us. It inspires us to keep pushing forward." The ECG app and irregular heart rhythm notification feature helps users identify signs of AFib, the most common form of irregular rhythm.

When left untreated, AFib is one of the leading conditions that can result in stroke, the second most common cause of death around the world.

The Apple Watch has to date saved many lives across the world via its health features like ECG, Fall Detection and others.

In 2018, Pune-based 53-year-old lawyer Arati Joglekar wrote an email to Cook, thanking him for a "life-changing" moment courtesy her Apple Watch when the wearable kept buzzing him to take deep breath and relieve the stress as her heart rate had shot up to 136 beats per minute.
Lucknow, Sep 1 : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognizance of a complaint of an alleged sexual assault of a woman who immolated herself. It has written to the Uttar Pradesh Police seeking a detailed report within four weeks in the matter, along with the action initiated against the errant public servants.

A notice has also been issued to Delhi Police in this regard.

The victim had set herself on fire allegedly along with a companion outside the Supreme Court in New Delhi on August 16.

Both later died while undergoing treatment.

According to an official release by the NHRC, the Commission has issued notices to the Director-General of Police, Uttar Pradesh and the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to submit a detailed report within four weeks in the matter, along with the action initiated against the errant public servants.

The DGP, Uttar Pradesh has also been directed to ensure the safety and security of the family members of the victims.

The Commission observed that it is shocking how an alleged victim of sexual assault was victimized by the system.

Before immolating themselves, the victim and her friend recorded a Facebook live video, wherein the woman said that in June 2019, she had lodged a rape case against an MP from Uttar Pradesh, but the accused police officials were supporting the offender.

She claimed that instead of taking action against the accused MP, the police registered a false case against her and got a non-bailable warrant issued against her.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : "The Murderer, the Monarch and the Fakir" is a fresh account of one of the most controversial political assassinations in contemporary history - of Mahatma Gandhi.

Based on previously unseen intelligence reports and police records, the book, to be released by HarperCollins on October 1 recreates the circumstances of his murder, the events leading up to it and the investigation afterwards. In doing so, it unearths a conspiracy that runs far deeper than a hate crime and challenges the popular narrative about the assassination that has persisted for the past 70 years.

"The Murderer, the Monarch and the Fakir" examines the potential role of princely states, hyper-masculinity and a militant right-wing in the context of a nation that had just won her independence. It relies on investigative journalism and new evidence set in a strong academic framework to unpack the significance of this tumultuous event.

"Arguably modern India's biggest political development, the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi finds a desultory mention in our history textbooks," the authors, Appu Esthose Suresh and Priyanka Kotamraju, say.

"This book presents new evidence that goes against popular narratives and unearths a conspiracy which ran much deeper, with an extraordinary cast of people representing varied interests directly or indirectly involved in it. This holds relevance today as in recent years, we have become preoccupied with either vigorously opposing or enthusiastically supporting the rehabilitation of central figures of the conspiracy, whereas our real aim should be the rehabilitation, critically and empathetically, of Gandhian thought.

"This book is an attempt to understand the political assassination in the context of new evidence to unpack its significance for our present and future," the authors add.

Swati Chopra, Executive Editor, HarperCollins India, says: "Mahatma Gandhi's assassination was a cataclysmic event for a newly independent nation, the resonances of which remain till today. Appu Esthose Suresh and Priyanka Kotamraju mine fresh sources to uncover startling, and hitherto unknown, facts about the heinous conspiracy to kill the Mahatma. At a time when India is celebrating her seventy-fifth year of independence, it is imperative that we try and uncover more of the truth behind the murder of one of the country's foremost founding fathers. It may hold crucial insights we need to navigate our present, and our future." As an investigative journalist, Appu Esthose Suresh did extensive work on the changing pattern of communal riots in India, making a significant contribution towards understanding a sensitive and complex topic. Appu was recognized by the Mumbai Press Club's 2015 RedInk Awards in the 'Journalist of the Year' category for his series on the 'Communal Cauldron in Uttar Pradesh'. He has worked with the Hindustan Times as Editor (Special Assignments), and at the Indian Express and Mint, among other publications. He was part of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) team that investigated offshore accounts in British Virgin Islands and the HSBC Swiss accounts.

Appu is currently Senior Atlantic Fellow at the International Inequalities Institute, London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE). He is also the founder of Pixstory. He completed his studies from St. Stephen's College, New Delhi, and LSE.

Priyanka Kotamraju is a Gates Cambridge scholar pursuing a doctorate in sociology at the University of Cambridge, and a Senior Atlantic Fellow at the International Inequalities Institute at LSE. She was formerly editor of Khabar Lahariya, an award-winning grassroots media organization. She has also worked with the Indian Express and the Hindu Business Line. She is the co-founder of Chitrakoot Collective, a grassroots feminist research collective.
Aizawl, Sep 1 : Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Mizoram since March has killed around 25,260 pigs in all the 11 districts of the northeastern state, officials said on Wednesday.

Officials from the state Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department also said that AFS has led to a financial loss of over Rs 121 crore so far.

In view of the contagious disease, over 9,460 pigs have been culled so far to prevent it from spreading further among the healthy pigs.

An official said that in mid-March, the first pig death was detected at Lungsen village in south Mizoram's Lunglei district. The villagers had reported that the pigs were imported from adjoining Bangladesh.

When the samples of the dead pigs were sent to the Bhopal-based National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, it was confirmed that the pigs died due to ASF.

According to the officials of the department, the ASF outbreak has been reported in at least 239 villages in all the 11 districts across the state.

The officials said that of the 11 districts, Aizawl is the worst-hit where around 10,780 pigs have died, followed by Lunglei (4,135), Serchhip (3,500) and Mamit (2,880).

According to experts, the outbreak may have been caused by pigs or pork imported from neighbouring Myanmar, Bangladesh and the adjoining state of Meghalaya.

The northeast region's annual pork business is worth around Rs 8,000-10,000 crore, with Assam being the largest supplier. Pork is one of the most common and popular meats consumed by the tribals and non-tribals in the region.

According to some experts, humans don't get infected by ASF, which was first detected in 1921 in Kenya. However, they could be the carriers of the virus.

No vaccine is available for the virus till date.

Outbreaks of various diseases, including ASF and foot-and-mouth disease among animals, mostly livestock, occur in different states of the northeastern region almost every year.

The northeastern states have asked people, especially owners of piggeries, to refrain from bringing pigs and piglets from other states and neighbouring countries, especially from Myanmar.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 1 : The Kerala High Court on Wednesday took a very tough line, demanding an extensive and comprehensive probe into the alleged tree felling spree which took place starting October last year, using a Revenue Department order to help hapless farmers seeking permission to cut trees on their land.

The court's observation came while hearing a petition seeking a CBI probe into the matter.

This issue had rocked the Kerala Assembly recently and the Congress-led opposition was up in arms outside the house also, but with the Covid pandemic protocols in vogue, protests were kept to the least minimum.

The court said that the present special team, which has launched its probe, should not restrict itself to find out the trees that were felled on 'pattaya land' but also should extend its probe into the felling of expensive trees on forest and government land.

It also wanted to see that the probe should see that if there were any violations by any government official, and any such person found involved should be strictly dealt with, according to law.

The CPI, the second biggest party in the Left Democratic Front government, is in a spot of bother ever since the alleged tree-felling scam surfaced.

It was its leader and then Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekheran, who had issued orders for the felling of trees in Wayanad and other eight districts in October last year, and even held that no permission was required for felling of royal trees such as sandalwood, rosewood, teak wood, and ebony.

But seeing what was happening, the order was withdrawn in February this year, as information came about its misuse.

To cool down things, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced a Crime Branch probe and that is why the high court has now taken it up seriously, viewing it as a loot of public wealth and seeking a comprehensive probe.
Chennai, Sep 1 : The Madras High court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to amend rules in order to take action against police personnel who harass people from the LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) community or those belonging to NGOs supporting such people.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh issued the direction on Wedensday after expressing disappointment over complaints of police harassing LGBTQIA+ members as well the NGOs supporting them.

Venkatesh said that he had issued comprehensive directions on June 7 to various stakeholders, including the state government, to provide counselling, monetary support, legal assistance and protection to the LGBTQIA+ community members, who face serious discriminations in the society.

Venkitesh said that despite the issuance of such a directive, there were no marked changes.

He also said that his June 7 order to hold a sensitisation programme for the police personal on the issue was not followed.

Venkatesh said that the sensitisation programme must be conducted by persons belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community or NGO members who are involved in protecting and looking after the welfare of such people.

The judge asked Advocate General R. Shanmugasundaram to direct the authorities concerned to be more proactive on the issue.

He also said that Tamil Nadu has made several progressive reforms, but he could not understand why the police personnel still continue to harass the members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Coming down heavily on the media for 'insensitive' reporting about the members of the LGBTQIA+ community, Venkatesh said, "The reportage of the most intimate and personal aspects of an individual's identity by the contemporary vernacular media is deeply problematic." "It not only reflects the pre-existing harmful stigmatisation of the society, but also perpetuates it. Stigmatising inaccurate and inherently unscientific terms like 'A man turned into a woman' or a 'Woman turned into a man' are based on queerphobia and cannot be tolerated or entertained any further. It is high time journalists stick to sensitive and inclusive terms on the gender spectrum," he added.

The court, however, observed that it reposes confidence in the press and urges it to show more sensitivity while reporting such cases.

The judge also said that he was shocked to know about a psychiatrist giving a prescription to a gay man without realising that there is no cure for gender identity.

He also pointed out that the psychiatrist had referred the gay man to a psychotherapist for cognitive behavioural therapy.

The court observed, "These are the ways and means adopted by professionals under the guise of conversion therapy."
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Anil Kumar said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has deserted the city yet again, and left the people at the mercy of God to go for a 10-day Vipasana meditation in Jaipur.

He said that even two hours of monsoon rain completely submerged the Capital, creating long traffic snarls lasting hours, so much so that at Lodhi Road in the heart of Delhi people had to use a boat to cross the flooded streets.

Addressing a press conference at the DPCC office Rajiv Bhawan here on Wednesday, Anil Kumar said that Kejriwal has gone for a 10-day Vipasana meditation when his presence was most needed in the Capital due to the disturbed law and order situation and the monsoon rain creating havoc across the national capital.

He said that official sources say at least six rapes take place in Delhi every day, with very few such incidents coming to light as poor girls are generally the victims. This has become a matter of grave concern with rapes of poor minor girls and assaults and attacks on women becoming a recurring feature.

He alleged that people in Delhi are battered by unemployment, skyrocketing prices, worsening law and order situation, the Rs 4000 crore corruption in the purchase and maintenance contracts for 1000 new DTC buses, monsoon water-logging woes, the deterioration of the civic infrastructure, and the crushing blows inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected every family.

He said that during the Covid lockdowns, he (Kejriwal) remained cloistered at his home for three months, from March 24 to June 18, 2021. During the second wave he confined himself at home instead of coming out to lead the Covid battle from the front, from April 4 to 18 when Covid-19 had unleashed a severe death dance, with oxygen shortage claiming the lives of several thousand people. Now with experts warning of a third wave of the Covid pandemic, the CM has given preference to his Vipasana meditation and not the lives of the people.

Anil Kumar said that installing CCTV cameras across Delhi was a major scam as it seemed to have benefited the contractors who set up the CCTV cameras, and the Aam Aadmi Party, which took kick-backs in the project, and not the people of Delhi as cameras everywhere seemed to be no deterrent for rapists, snatchers and robbers.
Amritsar: AAP Convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal address a press conference during his visit to Amritsar on Monday. Former IG Punjab police Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh formally joined AAP in Amritsar and he is expected to contest the n Image Source: IANS News

Jaipur, Sep 1 : Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal is living a life of an 'Aam Aadmi' in a Jaipur-situated vipassana centre where he has been waking up at 4 a.m. and staying away from all VIP facilities, doing his chores on his own with no aide accompanying him.

Kejriwal came to Jaipur on Sunday to attend a 10-day vipassana camp.

The vipassana centre is thronged by meditation practitioners from different parts of the world.

Situated at Agra Road, 10 kilometres ahead of the city in the middle of a thick green belt amid mountains, the centre, since ages, has been attracting those seeking peace within.

Those practising vipassana are not allowed to speak and this rule applies to the Delhi CM too, informed the centre's officials.

He has been attending different sessions whose schedule has been fixed for other practitioners too.

From 4 a.m. to 6 a.m., he stays in his meditation room after which he goes for his regular morning schedule such as bathing, breakfast etc.

One person stays in one room to explore himself and food is served only once a day. The same rules apply to the Delhi CM too.

After lunch, there is a rest period of an hour. Before going to sleep, the practitioners are shown a video which teaches the benefits of vipassana.

It's 'Aam Aadmi' food, life and living here for this Aam Aadmi leader, said an insider.

Local party sources confirmed that Kejriwal has kept this visit personal and he was not in touch with any local leader.

"Vipassana means disconnecting from worldly affairs and our CM is following the same rule," a party worker told IANS, adding that we are working hard to make our foray into Rajasthan.

Following the Uttar Pradesh strategy, we will field our contestants on all 200 seats of Rajasthan. The AAP is on expansion mode in the state and new responsibilities will be given to new people, he added.
Pune, Sep 1 : Hours after Pune City Congress Committee office-bearers filed a complaint at the Shivaji Nagar police station on Wednesday against actress and former 'Bigg Boss' contestant Payal Rohatgi for allegedly making derogatory statements against Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and members of the Nehru-Gandhi family, her lawyer flatly denied her involvement in any such recent activity.

According to the FIR, the actress had alleagedly uploaded a defamatory video on Nehru as well as Indira and Rajiv Gandhi on her social media handles. Rohatgi had earlier been detained in Rajasthan in 2019 on a similar charge.

In a video statement, Rohatgi's lawyer said: "Since the morning there is news in the media about my client Payal Rohatgi. We have not got any information or notice related to the FIR." Commenting on the video being reported about in the media, Saboo said it could be the 2019 video, and there is already a case going on in a Bundi (Rajasthan)court. It is in the trial stage.

He also pointed out that in the last one year his client's Twitter and Facebook accounts are inactive. "From that last video till now, she hasn't made any controversial video, nor posted any video," Saboo clarified.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday spoke with his counterparts in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to take stock of the Covid situation in these states.

As Covid cases are rising in Kerala, he discussed matters related to Covid-19 management in those areas of these two states bordering Kerala, and highlighted the need to take adequate steps to contain inter-state spread of the disease.

Mandaviya also asked the two state Health Ministers to increase the pace of vaccination in their bordering districts, as it forms an integral component of the Centre's five-point strategy to fight the pandemic, which also includes Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour.

In a separate development, Mandaviya also reviewed the supply and availability of Covid-related essential medicines across the country.

He was apprised that sufficient stocks of all the essential medicines are available, and raw materials for them are also available in enough quantities in India.

A strategic buffer stock has been created for eight drugs - Tocilizumab, Methyl Predinisolone, Enaxopirin, Dexamethasone, Remdesivir, Amphotericin B Deoxycholate, Posaconazole, and Intravenous Immunoglobilin (IVIG). All these medicines have been found in good quantity in the country.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, Sep 1 : The US military negotiated a secret arrangement with the Taliban that resulted in members of the militant group escorting clusters of Americans to the gates of the Kabul airport, the CNN reported.

One of the officials also revealed that the US special operation forces set up a "secret gate" at the airport and established "call centres" to guide Americans through the evacuation process.

While one of the military officials said the arrangement with the Taliban "worked beautifully", Americans involved in an unofficial network dedicated to helping Americans and vulnerable Afghans said there were problems -- particularly in the beginning -- as the Taliban turned away US citizens and legal permanent residents whom the militant group was supposed to allow through.

The two US defence officials said that Americans were notified to gather at pre-set "muster points" close to the airport, where the Taliban would check their credentials and take them a short distance to a gate manned by American forces who were standing by to let them inside amid huge crowds of Afghans seeking to flee, CNN reported.

The US troops were able to see the Americans approach with their Taliban escorts as they progressed through the crowds, presumably ready to intervene in case anything happened.

Multiple sources in the US, who were in contact with people trying to escape, reported that American citizens and passport holders in Kabul were in disbelief that they were being told they would receive safe passage from the Taliban. Many thought they were misunderstanding the directions and sought clarification, the report said.

Sources said they had to assure those attempting to use a muster point that the Taliban would indeed allow them through, the report said.
Kolkata, Sep 1 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted raids at 10 locations across Kolkata in connection with the fake vaccine case.

Though the ED officials didn't divulge the details of the raids, they were conducted following the arrest of Debanjan Deb, who impersonated as an IAS officer and conducted fake vaccination camps.

According to sources in the ED office, the officials raided the houses of Deb and some of his aides, who have also been arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the fake vaccination racket.

According to official sources, the objective of the raids was to understand the nature of the transactions carried out while conducting the fake vaccination camps. The case has also taken into account the money laundering angle, which is being investigated.

On June 23, Deb was arrested by the city police for allegedly posing as an IAS officer and organisedAa COVID-19 vaccination camp.

The fraud came to light after actor and Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty went to receive vaccine jab at a camp organised by Deb and felt that something was fishy about the functioning of the system. She took action after she did not receive any message post her vaccination.

On June 25, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed by the police to investigate the matter, two days after Chakraborty was allegedly administered fake vaccine dose at such a camp.

On June 28, a team of Kolkata Police conducted a raid at Deb's residence, who allegedly faked his identity as an IAS officer and organised fake vaccination camps in the city.

Some stamps, forged documents of various departments, three debit cards, and bank passbooks were recovered by the police from Deb, who is still in police custody.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Google on Wednesday announced to help users with more detailed information on the availability of Covid vaccines and appointments through its features like search, Maps and Assistant.

The added information, which will start from this week for over 13,000 locations across the country, will be powered by real-time data from the CoWIN APIs. The information include availability of appointment slots at each centre, vaccines and doses offered (dose 1 or dose 2), expectations for pricing (paid or free) and link to the CoWIN website for booking, the company said in a statement.

Google began showing Covid-19 vaccination centres from March 2021, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

"As people continue to seek information related to the pandemic to manage their lives around it, we remain committed to finding and sharing authoritative and timely information across our platforms," said Hema Budaraju, Director, Google Search, in the statement.

The information will automatically show up when users search for vaccine centres near them, or in any specific area across Google Search, Maps and Google Assistant.

In addition to English, users can also search in eight Indian languages -- Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati and Marathi.

Google will continue to partner closely with the CoWIN team to extend this functionality to all vaccination centres across India, the company said.

The company has also been working closely with the Rapid Risk Response team at the Union Health Ministry that is tracking misinformation using social media listening tools across regions and languages, and countering it with science-based messaging on vaccines and pandemic response overall.

Shortly after the first phase of vaccination commenced, the company had rolled out knowledge panels in Google Search that show up queries relating to Covid vaccine.

This information is sourced from the Health Ministry, and provides answers to the commonly asked questions, displays real-time statistics around vaccination, and provides links to the Health Ministry website for additional local resources.
Colombo, Sep 1 : Sri Lanka's Catholic Church on Wednesday turned down the government's invitation to discuss the Easter Sunday attacks and demanded a credible investigation into the massacre and implementation of the Presidential Commission recommendations first.

The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith's spokesman, Fr. Cyril Gamini, responding to Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris' request for a meeting with the Church leaders, said: "Government must first display the credibility of its investigations on the Easter Sunday attacks and it should be done in a transparent and honest manner." "Until that happens, we cannot have a meeting," he said.

The Catholic Church's strong-worded response came few hours after the Vatican Ambassador to Sri Lanka met the Foreign Minister and talked about arranging a meeting with the Church and the government.

Fr Gamini said Cardinal Ranjith had insisted that the Church and the entire Sri Lankans should get an impression of a credible investigation by the government on 2019 Easter Sunday terror.

"To develop confidence, the government must implement the recommendation of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday attacks," the Church spokesman said.

He alleged that instead of building confidence in the government, some of the responses by legal officials of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's office and the Inspector General of the Police to the Catholic Church's demand for justice, have damaged it further.

Apostolic Nuncio to Sri Lanka, Archbishop Brian Udaigwe, on Wednesday met Foreign Minister Peiris who had informed about a meeting with the Catholic Church on the investigations into the attacks on three churches and three hotels, that left 269 people dead and over 500 injured. The IS later claimed the responsibility for the attacks carried out on the Easter Sunday morning on almost simultaneously by a group of local suicide killers.

Last month, the Catholic Church had accused certain military intelligent officials having connection with the Easter Sunday bombers and charged that local security agencies ignored detailed information including the date about the attacks passed by Indian intelligent agencies.

Cardinal Ranjith complained about a link between certain military intelligent members and suicide bombers that was revealed during the Presidential Commission of Inquiry. He alleged the government had not investigated on it but kept it a secret.

Signed by eight bishops, including Cardinal Ranjith and some other Catholic priests, the Church also had sent a 20-page letter to President Rajapaksa over allegations that state intelligence agencies were in contact with the suicide bombers. The letter also had demanded action against former President Maithripala Sirisena and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for their "soft approach" towards Islamic terrorism.

The government had indicted 25 accused who were charged on 23,270 counts including massacre and the multiple attacks on the Easter Sunday 2019 and a trial-at-bar has been appointed.

However referring to the indictment, Cardinal Ranjit had claimed that 25 accused could be "smaller fish", and accused the government of not taking steps to identify the big fish, still at large.

Marking 28 months since the attack, the Church on August 21 led a protest requesting all Sri Lankans to raise a black flag on their houses and vehicles.
Kolkata: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora accompanied by Election Commissioners Sushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar, addresses a press conference regarding the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, in Patna on Oct 1, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Kolkata, Sep 1 : In a significant development with regard to the holding of bypolls in West Bengal, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra on Wednesday held a virtual meeting with Chief Secretary H.K. Diwedi, in the presence of officials from the state poll panel.

The virtual meeting was conducted with an intention to understand the ground situation and the preparedness of the state with regard to holding by-elections in seven Assembly constituencies of the state.

Though no one said anything officially, but sources in the CEO's office said that the commission wanted to know about three things before taking any step regarding the announcement of poll dates.

"The Commission wanted to know about the law and order situation in the state. Secondly, it had queries on the recent flood situation in Bengal. And finally, the present Covid situation in the state. If the Commission is satisfied on these three areas, it might think of announcing the poll dates," a senior official at the CEO's office said.

The state government officials, on their part, have informed the Commission that Bengal is fully-prepared to conduct the polls.

"The festive season will continue from October 10-24, and it will be impossible to conduct the elections at that time. So the state has asked the Commission to conduct the polls before the beginning of the festive season. We still have more than one month left and if the Commission issues the notification now, it will be possible to conduct the polls before Durga puja," a senior state government official said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was at Panagar in East Midnapore district on Wednesday to inaugurate an industrial park, later returned to the state secretariat at Nabanna and held a meeting with Chief Secretary Diwedi.

It is likely that she was apprised of the details of the meeting with the CEC.

Though the BJP is not in favour of conducting the bypolls amid the pandemic situation, the Trinamool Congress strongly advocates holding of polls.

Recently, a five-member delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs comprising Sougata Roy, Jwahar Sircar, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sajda Ahmed and Mohua Moitra, had met the CEC and urged for conducting the polls.

Trinamool is pressing hard for the by-elections because Mamata Banerjee, who had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls from Nandigram against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari, will have to get elected within six months from the announcement of Assembly poll results, which ends on November 2.

Seven Assembly seats are lying vacant in Bengal, including Bhawanipur in Kolkata where elected MLA Sovandeb Chattopadhyay has resigned from the post to make way for the Chief Minister.

The Dinhata and Santipur Assembly seats fell vacant after BJP leaders Nisith Pramanik and Jagannath Sarkar resigned as MLAs to retain their Parliament memberships.

Similarly, elections could not be held in Samserganj and Jangipur in Murshidabad due to deaths of the candidates. The Kharda seat fell vacant in North 24-Parganas district after Trinamool candidate Kajal Sinha passed away before he could celebrate his victory.

The Gosaba seat also fell vacant after Trinamool's Jayanta Naskar, who won the elections, succumbed to Covid-19 in June.

As per the ECI rules, elections can be conducted on the 24th day after the announcement of polling dates. Generally, the commission retains 10 days for taking the preparatory steps and the candidates get 14 days' time to campaign.

Sources also said that even a large section within the Commission is willing to complete the poll process by the end of September. Getting government officials and staff for the purpose of elections will be extremely difficult during the festive month of October.
New Delhi, Sep 1: In a shocking revelation, a report says that the US president Joe Biden wanted the then Afghan president Ashraf Ghani to create a "perception" that the Taliban is not winning and he is "capable" of defeating them, "whether it is true or not".

On Tuesday, the day the US forces left Afghanistan, Reuters released excerpts from the last call between Biden and Ghani before the Afghan president fled. The last phone call between Biden and Ghani was on July 23 and in these 14 minutes of conversation, according to the transcripts obtained by the Reuters, "Biden offered aid if Ghani could publicly project, he had a plan to control the spiralling situation in Afghanistan. "We will continue to provide close air support, if we know what the plan is," Biden said.

This was the time when Taliban was continuing its advancement in different parts of the country, projecting the group as a winner. But both the leaders were far away from the ground realities. Biden was more "focussed" on "spinning" the perception, reveals the report.

"I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban", Biden told his counterpart Ghani, "and there is a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture." The 'leaked" damaging report says that Biden also asked Ghani how to go ahead with the perception making exercise.

"The US president advised Ghani to get buy-in from powerful Afghans for a military strategy going forward, and then to put a "warrior" in charge of the effort, a reference to Defence Minister General Bismillah Khan Mohammadi". General Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, who fought under the late anti-Taliban commander Ahmad Shah Massoud during a 1990s civil war, was appointed the new Defence Minister by the Afghan president Ghani in the last week of June.

"You clearly have the best military, you have 300,000 well-armed forces versus 70-80,000 and they're clearly capable of fighting well, we will continue to provide close air support, if we know what the plan is and what we are doing," Biden said.

He asked Ghani to organise some meetings with the anti-Taliban warlords in support of the Afghan government and army. That will boost the image of the crumbling government.

Biden also told Ghani that if Afghanistan's prominent political figures were to give a press conference together, backing a new military strategy, "that will change perception, and that will change an awful lot I think." And Biden assured Ghani, "we are going to continue to fight hard, diplomatically, politically, economically, to make sure your government not only survives, but is sustained and grows." After the call, the White House released a statement that focused on Biden's commitment to getting funds and supporting Afghan security forces. Ghani complained to Biden how Pakistan was providing full support to the Taliban.

"We are facing a full-scale invasion, composed of Taliban, full Pakistani planning and logistical support, and at least 10-15,000 international terrorists, predominantly Pakistanis thrown into this." Irony of the situation was that while experts were claiming the fall of Kabul would be imminent in the next four week, the two leaders were discussing perception strategy rather than military.

After 22 days of this conversation, Kabul fell to the Taliban and the Afghan President Ghani fled the country, betraying his people and the army.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, Sep 1 : In the wake of some leaders joining rival camps, BJP Punjab president Ashwani Sharma said that those for whom self interest is bigger and more important than ideology are leaving the party.

Sharma told IANS that in election season many people from one party join the other and for them self interest is more important than ideology.

"It is really saddening when someone leaves the party but when ideology becomes smaller in front of self interest these things happen. For them, self interest is the only priority and they have no commitment to any ideology and they shift their political affiliation as per their convenience in election season," Sharma said.

When asked about why they left the party, Sharma said that narazgi (unhappiness) over issues can be addressed but it is difficult to resolve when reasons for unhappiness are created to show everything is not in order in the party.

"If anyone has personal issues and grievances against me, there is a proper mechanism to resolve it in our system. There are three in-charges and the party president to address people's grievances if there are any. But when reasons to leave the party are created it will be difficult to address," he said.

Sharma said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers are serving the nation and people under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will continue to do the same. "Those who want to serve the people and nation without any self interest are still doing so by remaining in the party," he said.

Recently several BJP leaders including former minister Anil Joshi have joined other parties. In July, the BJP expelled Joshi from the party for six years after he criticized the central and state leadership for mishandling the ongoing farmers agitation. It is learnt that ahead of next year's Punjab assembly polls, many BJP leaders are planning to change their political affiliation.

"It is true that a few people including some senior leaders have left the BJP to join the opposition parties in recent times. And we are in touch with everyone and also had words with those who have already left. We are addressing the concerns but it is difficult to address when reasons are not based on issues," he said.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : While there is no direct indication of a third wave in the country, state-specific waves are seen, say health experts.

In an interview to a news outlet, Dr Samiran Panda, Head of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), stated that rising infections in some states are indicative of a third wave.

Dr Vikas Maurya, Director and HOD, Pulmonology, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, told IANS that "there are some ongoing conversations around the much-anticipated third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, but I think as India is a large country, we can talk of state-specific waves".

"Delhi had seen a second surge in cases in October-November 2020, when the first wave was already about to end in the country and the second wave did not begin. It's happening the same for Kerala now," he added.

India on Wednesday witnessed a surge in new Covid cases with 41,965 fresh coronavirus infections reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally to 3,28,10,845, according to the Union Health Ministry's data.

Kerala reported the most (63 per cent) new cases at 19,622 in the last 24 hours, followed by Maharashtra (3,741), Tamil Nadu (1,523), Mizoram (1,157), and Karnataka (973). These five states account for 87 per cent of all the new cases reported in India.

Kerala also reported 132 new deaths, the most, as per the August 31 update, followed by Odisha (67), Maharashtra (52), Tamil Nadu (21), Assam (15), and Karnataka (15). These six states account for 86 per cent of all deaths reported in the country.

The emergence of new strains is complicating matters in Kerala, Merlin Moni, Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Infectious Disease - Department of Internal Medicine, Amrita School of Medicine, Amrita Hospitals, Kochi, told IANS.

"The concept of herd immunity can be attained if the threshold reaches by around 60 to 70 per cent but it's now being complicated by the emergence of new strains. This has pushed the target immune population for achieving herd immunity beyond 80 to 90 per cent.

"Currently, in Kerala 70 per cent of the population above 18 years have received at least one dose of vaccine, however the incidence of vaccine escape mutants renders further predictions imperfect. However, the increased incidence of vaccine escape mutants could herald a third wave," Moni told IANS.

On the other hand, Dr Jayalaxmi T.K., Consultant, Pulmonologist at Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, contended that "there is no direct indication of the third wave as such".

Jayalaxmi noted a steady fall in OPD numbers. Over the last month in Navi Mumbai and Mumbai, the number of patients has reduced to one out of five among symptomatics who test positive as compared to 20-40 per cent of the OPD positive patients during the peak.

However, there has been a slight increase in cases in Mumbai in the last one to two weeks which could be due to the opening of the local trains, opening of shops and restaurants, she added.

Moni further added that while the cases are definitely on the surge in Kerala, the state does not fully meet the indicators of a third Covid wave -- number (of cases), deaths, and hospitalisation.

"Although Kerala has consecutively recorded more than 30,000 cases in the past 3-5 days, the ICU capacity and ventilator usage haven't surged, parallelly pointing towards lower severity of the disease. In the setting of vaccine escape mutants and possible waning of vaccine related immunogenicity, re-infections are possible. However, data regarding severity of disease in reinfection is still lacking," she noted.

Maurya said: "We must be more concerned about the prevention aspect rather than how many waves may or may not come. People should be more cautious about taking necessary precautions like using masks properly, maintaining hand hygiene, social distancing etc. Vaccinations should be done on priority, at a much faster pace." (Rachel V Thomas can be contacted at rachel.t@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Amaravati, Sep 1 : The Jana Sena Party (JSP) led by actor Pawan Kalyan is taking on the ruling YSRCP over the dismal condition of roads in Andhra Pradesh. In a video message issued on Wednesday, Pawan Kalyan called on the people to take part in a 3-day social media campaign to highlight the problem and force the state government to take action.

As part of the program called #JSPFORAP_ROADS, people across the state can send their inputs on September 2, 3, and 4. The JSP supremo said if the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led state government does not respond positively to the campaign, he would launch a road repair program on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti.

Coming down heavily on the state government for ignoring road infrastructure, Pawan Kalyan said that while roads are being developed extensively across the country under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Andhra Pradesh roads measuring around 1.2 lakh kilometres are in a sorry state.

Stating that he has personally seen the poor condition of the state's roads during his tour of different parts of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan alleged that the state government is targeting people who are raising the issue.
Kolkata, Sep 1 : In a major development, the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday filed a chargesheet with a sessions court here against two Trinamool Congress ministers, Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim, ex-minister Madan Mitra, former Mayor Sovan Chatterjee and IPS officer S.M.H. Meerza in connection with the Narada sting operation case.

All of them have been summoned to be present before the court on November 16.

According to ED officials, as Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim and Madan Mitra are elected members of the state Assembly, the summons would be sent to them through Speaker Biman Banerjee. The summons to Sovan Chatrerjee and Mirza will be sent to them directly.

The ED officials also said that there are other influential persons like Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, Trinamool MP Saugata Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Prasun Banerjee and BJP-turned-Trinamool leader Mukul Roy, against whom probe will continue.

The Narada scam refers to a 2014 sting operation targeting high-ranking officials and politicians of Trinamool-led West Bengal government, which showed several politicians and high-ranking officials accepting bribes and illegal gratifications in exchange of unofficial favours for the companies offering the bribes.

The sting operation was made public ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections. The Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI-led probe into the Narada scam in March 2017, while the ED was also roped in to investigate the case.

Four Trinamool leaders -- Mukherjee, Hakim, Mitra and Chatterjee -- were arrested by the CBI on May 17 after which West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had held a six-hour protest outside the CBI headquarters in Kolkata, demanding their unconditional release.

Her supporters too gheraoed the compound housing the CBI office.

A special CBI court granted interim bail to the four leaders because the agency did not request their custody. The CBI court also cited the Supreme Court's judgment on prison decongestion. Challenging the special court's order, the CBI had appealed to the Calcutta High Court, which revoked the special court order and sent the four accused to judicial custody.

However, the Calcutta High Court later ordered house arrest of the four leaders. They were granted interim bail on May 28 by the high court.

Meanwhile, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh has accused the ED of taking a partisan attitude in the matter.

"Suvendu Adhikari's name is not there in the chargesheet. The Centre is using the central agencies to throttle the voice of the opposition," Ghosh claimed.
Guwahati, Sep 1 : Congress General Secretary and former central minister Mukul Wasnik on Wednesday said that as part of the "Sale of Indias Assets by BJP", the Modi government has undertaken the sale of Rs 6 lakh crore worth of Indias national properties created over the last 67 years.

Wasnik said that the "For Sale" of India's hard-earned assets is the single biggest "anti-national" act. The national properties are being sold -- rather squandered away by the Modi government as a "clearance sale".

"The Rs six lakh crore sale of India's properties is shocking as the Modi government has put India's every public asset on sale," the AICC general secretary told the media in Guwahati.

He released a list of the national assets, which according to the Congress leader are being sold by the Modi government. These include, 27,000 kms of highways, 6,000 MW of power generation and 28,000 kms of power transmission lines, 8,000 kms of gas pipeline, 210 lakh metric ton of foodgrain storage, 2.86 lakh kms of telecom fibre and 15,000 telecom towers, 25 airports, nine ports, 761 mining blocks, two national stadiums, 1.52 lakh crore worth of railway property.

Wasnik claimed that along with 'disinvestment' and 'privatisation', the Modi government has now hit upon the idea of 'monetisation', that is, transferring effective ownership of public assets created over the last 67 years to a handful of crony friends, while the government will hang on to a piece of paper of ownership that will only be returned to the government at the end of 30 to 50 years.

The government and its chosen bureaucrats have confessed that they are incompetent to maintain and utilise public sector assets -- railway, ports, roads, gas pipelines, transmission lines, telecom towers, stadia, he said.

"Two consequences will definitely follow. Firstly, income from the government owned public assets will not be available to the nation or its future generations for the long lease period of 30 to 50 years.

"Secondly, opportunities for India's poor and people belonging to SC, ST, OBC in the shape of reservation in jobs or investments in underdeveloped areas will be finished," the Congress leader said.

Wasnik accompanied by Assam Congress President Bhupen Kumar Borah and Working Presidents Rana Goswami and Kamalakhsya Dey Purksyastha, supported the state leaders' decision to snap ties with their allies -- the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF).

The Assam Congress after a core committee meeting on Monday announced that the AIUDF and BPF would no longer be partners of the party led 'Mahajot' (Grand Alliance) in the state.

Borah, who presided over the core committee meeting, had told the media that the party has decided to sever the alliance with the Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF and tribal party BPF.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed concern over alleged violation of women's human rights in mental health institutions, including tonsuring of their head and lack of privacy.

A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud, Vikram Nath, and Hima Kohli asked the Centre to immediately take up the issue with the state governments and union territories (UTs).

The bench took into account research studies conducted in 2016 by NIMHANS and National Commission for Women in 2020, highlighting these women, institutionalised in government run mental health establishments, face several indignities and violation of human rights.

The bench said: "We direct that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment shall strictly raise each of the concerns which have been expressed in the research studies and has been formulated with the states/UTs in the course of monthly monitoring that has been directed." Advocate Gaurav Bansal, who has filed an interlocutory application, submitted that according to NIMHANS research, "many of the mental health establishments are still engaged in tonsuring hair of women institutionalised in hospitals".

The study further added: "Many of the mental health establishments are compromising the dignity of the women institutionalised in mental hospitals. Many of the mental health establishments are not providing sanitary napkins to the women institutionalised in mental hospitals." Bansal's application added that these women lack issuance of Identity Cards (like UIDAI/Aadhaar cards), lack of issuance of disability certificates, and also lack of issuance of disability pension. "Women institutionalised in mental health establishments (for treatment or rehabilitation purpose) are not allowed to keep their children with them as there is no separate mother-child ward in many of the government run mental health establishment," the plea added.

The top court also directed all states and UTs to ensure Covid-19 vaccination, in a time-bound manner, of all inmates lodged in mental health institutions along with health care workers.

It asked states and UTs should file a progress report with the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment on or before October 15, and that the report should explain steps taken and the number of persons who are vaccinated against Covid-19 in the mental health care institutions.

The top court on July 6, this year, directed the Centre to ensure that people lodged in mental health establishments are tested for Covid-19 and fully vaccinated at the earliest.
Mandya, : Sep 1 (IANS) Five months after the alleged murder of her lover, a minor boy, the girl, also a minor, committed suicide by hanging herself at an observation home in Karnatakas Mandya district.

The girl was kept at the observation home after her parents were jailed in connection with the murder of her lover.

Police sources said that the girl was in a state of depression ever since the murder of the boy, and took the extreme step on Tuesday as she couldn't bear the pain. Both hailed from the same village in Mandya district.

The families of the two minors got into an altercation after coming to know about their relationship. Subsequently, the boy was called over to the house of the girl on April 14, where he was assaulted by the girl's family members who had gathered there in large numbers.

Though the boy's parents rushed to the spot and tried to save the boy, the assault continued.

The boy, who suffered severe injuries, was admitted to NIMHANS in Bengaluru where he succumbed to his injuries. The police have so far arrested as many as 17 persons in connection with the case.

As per police sources, the girl had given a statement against her parents.
Ghaziabad, Sep 1 : Three children and two adults were electrocuted to death in Ghaziabad's Rakesh Marg area on Wednesday.

Two of the children, who had gone to buy some items from a grocery shop, were electrocuted after touched the iron poll supporting a tin shade of the shop. Two adults standing nearby along with another child tried to save them, but they also got electrocuted.

"All five of them were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where they were declared 'brought dead'," an officer from the Sihani police station told IANS.

As per preliminary investigation, the police have found that a loose wire from an electric metre had fallen on the tin shade, which was supported by the iron pole.

The deceased have been identified as Simran (11), Khusi (10), Shubhi (3), her mother Janki (35), and Laxmi Narayan (24), the police said.

"The bodies have been sent for post-mortem and further investigation is on," the police said.
Mumbai, Sep 1 : Brokerage firm Zerodha has received in-principle approval from the SEBI to launch its asset management company.

Zerodha Founder and CEO, Nithin Kamath said in a tweet on Wednesday: "So, we just got our in-principle approval for our AMC (MF) license. I guess now comes the hard part.

The company had applied for an AMC (Mutual fund) license in February last year.

"To grow the capital market participation from the current 1.5 crores and address those who currently don't invest (Millenials), we think mutual fund as a product needs to be reimagined. So yeah, we have just applied for an AMC (Mutual fund) license," he had said in a tweet last year.
Mumbai, Sep 1 : India's major automobile manufacturers posted healthy sales numbers for August despite high fuel cost as well as shortage of electronic components.

Sales growth momentum slowed down from July to August but was faster on the year-on-year basis due to the base effect.

Last year, the pandemic-triggered national lockdown from late March 2020 had a massive impact on the sector. However, this year lockdowns were more regional in nature but lesser restrictions.

Nevertheless, high fuel cost along with shortages of electronic components hampered sales and elongated waiting periods.

In terms of sales, auto major Maruti Suzuki's total off-take in August rose to 130,699 units from 124,624 units sold during the corresponding month of last year.

The total sales in the month included domestic sales of 105,775 units, off-take to other OEM of 4,305 units, and exports of 20,619 units.

"Sales volume of the company in August 2021 was affected due to electronic components shortage. The company took all possible measures to limit the adverse impact," the company said in a statement.

Hyundai Motor India also reported an increase in August cumulative sales.

The company's August sales rose by over 12.3 per cent on a year-on-year basis, rising to 59,068 units last month from 52,609 units sold during August 2020.

Geography-wise, the domestic sales rose to 46,866 units from 45,809 units reported for the corresponding period of last year.

Similarly, the company shipped out 12,202 units in August from 6,800 units sold abroad in the like month of 2020.

Auto giant Mahindra & Mahindra's overall auto sales for August 2021 stood at 30,585 vehicles.

M&M's Chief Executive Officer, Automotive Division, Veejay Nakra said: "We sold 30,585 vehicles overall and registered a growth of 17 per cent in the Passenger Vehicles segment, over same period last year." "Demand across our product portfolio continues to remain strong with Thar, XUV 300 and our recently launched Bolero Neo and our Bolero Pik-up range clocking in impressive booking numbers. Growth momentum in exports continued with sale of 3,180 vehicles, registering an increase of 172 per cent." Another auto giant, Tata Motors' total August sales rose to 57,995 units from 36,505 units sold during the corresponding month of last year.

Its total domestic sales during the month under review grew by 53 per cent to 54,190 units over last year.

Tata Motors' commercial vehicle sales rose to 29,781 units in August from 17,889 units sold during the corresponding month of last year.

Similarly, total passenger vehicle sales rose. The segment's off-take grew to 28,018 units from 18,583 units' off-take in August 2020.

"Semiconductor shortage continues to impact the auto industry globally. The recent lockdowns in East Asia have worsened the supply situation and hence Tata Motors is forced to moderate production and offtake volumes in the coming months," it said.

Kia India also reported a rise of 55 per cent in sales during August 2021 on a year-on-year basis.

It sold 16,750 units in August 2021, indicating an improved pre-festive consumer sentiment.

In the two- and three-wheeler segment, Bajaj Auto closed last month sold 373,270 units up from 356,199 units sold in August 2020.

Last month, the company shipped out 200,675 units as against 170,320 units in August 2020.

In terms of two-wheeler segment, Hero MotoCorp reported total sales of 453,879 units, down from 584,456 units sold during the corresponding period of last year.

"Hero MotoCorp is gearing up for the upcoming festive season, and with several positive indicators, such as the decent monsoon resulting in encouraging farm activity in most parts of the country, and the several government schemes in the social sector, the company remains optimistic about demand in the coming months." "Also, with Covid- 19 vaccination gaining pace and last-mile retail opening up further, the numbers are expected to be positive in the coming months." In addition, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India's total sales stood at 430,683 units, including 401,469 domestic sales and 29,214 exports in August 2021.

Honda's domestic sales breached the four lakh mark with a growth of 18 per cent as compared to last month (July 2021), which stood at 384,920 units (domestic sales of 340,420 units and 44,500 exports).

"The month of August ushers the onset of the festival spirit in the country. With a steady month on month recovery in terms of enquiries and customer walk-ins, we are cautiously optimistic moving forward, expecting conversions to retails," Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India's Director, Sales & Marketing, Yadvinder Singh Guleria said
Kabul/New Delhi, Sep 1 : Americas hasty departure from Afghanistan has created new geo-political dynamics as world over, nations are still deliberating their foreign policy and whether the notorious Taliban can be extended support.

China though moved past all this and was one of the first nations to jump the gun and extend its strong support to the Taliban, thus legitimising their rule in Afghanistan.

China's recognition to the autocratic Taliban regime will ensure that the terror group now gains a foothold in Asian geo-politics, something that other Asian countries are still wary of.

India, for instance, is yet to clarify its stance and foreign policy on Afghanistan as its External Affairs Ministry is rushing to pull out its citizens from Kabul amid chaos.

The Taliban experiment will be interesting to see unfold, with China joining hands with the regime and looking to fill the role that America was playing so well for the last 20 years until the Joe Biden administration's plan to pull out all military troops by August 31.

This gives China space to dictate policy in Afghanistan while Beijing pours money and resources into Afghanistan to gain a stronger foothold, which invariable bolsters the Belt and Road Initiative.

However, China is navigating uncharted waters as far as the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan is concerned, as the security net that the US provided no longer exists, something that Beijing will have to account for.

The absence of US cover implies heavy military spending that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) may have to undertake if it wishes to play ball with the Taliban.

China clearly undermines the importance of the 20-year US military presence in Afghanistan. One superpower's exit may not necessarily be an opportunity for the upcoming other.

For now, Beijing will play the wait and watch game and provide outside support to the Talibani regime by way of allowing Chinese companies to build highways, set up telecom infrastructure and support other projects which will allow China to have a say in Afghanistan's policy with minimal military intervention.

Another major reason for China to look at Afghanistan with renewed interest is the BRI project. The BRI is one of the most coveted projects of Xi Jinping that requires active support of the South Asian countries, including Afghanistan.

China's $282 billion investment as part of the BRI in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe is therefore now sitting at a precipice as the unhinged Taliban have once again taken over Afghanistan, which poses a major threat to the BRI project.

Beijing will have to cast its net carefully if it is to see any benefit in supporting a violent and erratic regime like the Taliban who are largely unstable as a group with little regard for foreign investments, treaties or foreign pacts.

China will see this new partnership with Afghanistan as a simple business transaction looking to expand its investments while asserting a more stronger geo-political push in Asia.

However, the incarceration of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang could possibly become a thorn between the two countries as they go ahead in forging new ties. The Taliban regime could harbour Uyghur Muslims who leave China and direct their ire towards Beijing.

So far, the Taliban have been welcoming of all nations willing to support and legitimise their regime, and China's support is all-important to them to have access to regular financial support.

Beijing's problem will be dealing with the more extremist groups within the Taliban, which lean towards radical Islamic ideologies and way of thinking, spelling trouble for Chinese diplomats and the government in dealing with the new Afghan regime effectively with minimal damage.
Hyderabad, Sep 1 : The trailer of the Telugu film 'Tuck Jagadish', which is set for world premier on Amazon Prime Video on September 10, was released here on Wednesday.

The Telugu family drama starring Nani in the lead will be available to audiences across the world on Amazon Prime Video.

The trailer was launched at a glittering event in the presence of Nani and Ritu Varma, who plays the female lead, and other members of the cast and crew.

Directed by Shiva Nirvana, the movie has been produced by Sahu Garapati and Harish Peddi under the banner of Shine Screens.

Jagapathi Babu, Aishwarya Rajesh, Thiruveer, Vaishnavi Chaitanya, Devadarshini and Daniel Balaji are some of the other actors.

Set in Andhra Pradesh, the film narrates the life and journey of Jagadish Naidu (played by Nani) as he traverses through the ups and downs in his family life, thereby highlighting the special bond and conflicts between siblings in his closely-knit joint family.

The movie has a mixed bag of emotional moments, action sequences and music, making it a complete family entertainer.

"The film is an intense family drama. It's all about an emotionally rich family relationship," said Nani.

The actor also described 'Tuck Jagdish' as nostalgic.

"It's like the movies we have grown watching and we were missing. It has been long since stories of sibling rivalry, their complex relationship and sensitive family have been handled. We have not seen such a movie in the last 15-20 years," the actor said.

He was all praise for director Shiva for deftly handling the story of emotional relationship. Nani said while family emotions have been the strength of Shiva, 'Tuck Jagdish' has taken this to the next level.

Shiva is confident that the audiences would like the movie being released on Ganesh Chaturthi.

"At Amazon Prime Video, we strongly believe that local stories have the potential to become global blockbusters and 'Tuck Jagadish' is a great example of that. I'm sure this family drama, which presents a beautiful mix of heartfelt emotions, comedy and action, will resonate with the audiences around the world," said Vijay Subramaniam, Director and Head (Content), Amazon Prime Video, India.

"At Prime Video, we are working to build deep libraries of local language content, and 'Tuck Jagdish' is a treat especially curated for our Telugu movie loving audience. We are happy to have found our trusted partners in Shine Screens which has brought to life this heart-warming story led by an incredible cast and crew," he added.
Patna, Sep 1 : A sex racket in Bihar's Muzaffarpur was busted on Wednesday and two persons, including a woman, arrested, police said.

A raid was conducted in a house located in Sir Syed Colony under Ahiyapur police station and two persons, including a woman who is working in a mall in Patna and also involved in flesh trade, arrested. The man was identified as Deepak Kumar who is a local liquor smuggler in Muzaffarpur.

Muzaffarpur police are now looking for a husband-wife duo named Dilip and Kiran, who are said to be the kingpins of the racket.

"We have arrested Deepak Kumar and sent him to 14 days judicial custody while the woman is detained now. She may reveal the entire nexus of immoral activities," SHO, Ahiyapur, Sunil Kumar Rajak said.

Preliminary investigation reveals that Dilip and Kiran used to trap poor girls from flood-affected regions of Bihar by luring them with lucrative offers. They used to take nude photographs of the victims and forced them to opt for the sex trade business.

"The accused used to send nude photographs to their regular customers to attract them. They also sell nude pictures and videos to mafias involved in pornography," the SHO said on the basis of statement given by the arrested woman.

She further revealed that Dilip and Kiran used to contact customers over phone and selected girls used to be sent to the customers. The entire transaction was being done online and they generally give Rs 500 to 1,000 to call girls.
KUNDUZ, March 25, 2016 (Xinhua) -- An Afghan security force member takes position during a military operation in Kunduz province, northern Afghanistan, March 24, 2016. The government forces in crackdown against Taliban insurgents in the northern Kund Image Source: IANS News

Kabul/New Delhi, Sep 1 : Fighting is going on between Taliban fighters and the forces of a resistance front lead by Ahmad Massoud in the Panjshir province of Afghanistan.

The Taliban confirmed that the fighting has been ongoing for two days and both sides have suffered casualties, Tolo News reported.

"Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate were attacked from some circles in Panjshir who bluff and say they will resist. The Mujahideen reacted to the attack and as a result the other side has suffered heavy casualties," said Anaamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban's cultural commission.

Residents at the front lines in the Nasaji-Gulbahar area, which is just outside of Panjshir valley, say the fighting resumed on Tuesday night and is still ongoing. According to locals, most of the people have fled the area, the report said.

"The fighting started at 10 pm last night and is still going on," said Baba Shirin, a resident of the area.

Members of the resistance front, meanwhile, said that they have pushed back the Taliban attack on Panjshir and that the Taliban have suffered heavy casualties.

"In the past 40 hours, the Taliban launched some offensives on Khawak from the Andarab valley of Baghlan. From our side, there were local forces of various districts of Andarab, Panjshir as well as the ANSDF forces. They fought back very well; they defeated the Taliban on that front. The Taliban lost 40 of their personnel, while another 35 of them were wounded," said Fahim Dashti, a spokesman of the resistance front.

The Taliban have denied attacking Panjshir, saying that their forces were attacked by Massoud supporters and that they only responded to the attack, the report said.

Amid the ongoing fighting, Amir Khan Muttaqi, a Taliban leader, said on Wednesday that the talks between both sides have failed so far.

He said, however, that the Taliban still want to resolve the issue peacefully.
Patna, Sep 1 : A joint team of Bihar police and the state mining department was brutally assaulted by sand mafias in Banka district on Wednesday.

The joint team had gone to the Mirzapur village under Barahat police station for a raid.

The mining department had learnt that sand mafias are active in the Mirzapur area. Subsequently, a joint team headed by Sanjay Prasad, the district mining officer, went to Mirzapur.

"When the team members reached Mirzapur, they saw two tractors laden with sand coming from the opposite direction. The drivers and the helpers of the tractor fled from the spot, leaving behind the vehicles. They then alerted the sand mafias about the visiting team," said Sankar Dayal Prabhakar, the SHO of Barahat police station.

"When the team members reached near a mining place, a large number of sand mafias attacked them with sticks and iron rods. They also damaged two vehicles of the visiting team. One constable has sustained serious injuries in the attack and has been admitted to a nearby private hospital," Prabhakar said.

Following the incident, a large number of police personnel have been deployed in the village.

"We have also identified some of the attackers who are at large. We are making efforts to nab them," Prabhakar said.
Hyderabad, Sep 1 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 25.28 crore belonging to Hyderabad-based jeweller Sanjay Agarwal, Radhika Agarwal and Preet Kumar Agarwal in a case related to smuggling of gold originally meant for export.

According to an ED statement issued on Wednesday, the attached assets include residential villas and 54 Kg gold.

The ED had launched a money laundering probe after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Kolkata, had registered a case under the provisions of Customs Act, 1962, for smuggling of gold and diverting the same to the domestic market.

Search operations by the ED in Hyderabad on March 9 and July 19 this year had resulted in the siezure of incriminating documents that revealed acquisition of properties by the accused persons in the name of their associates, the note stated.

During the investigation by ED, it was revealed that the gold procured duty-free from nominated agencies such as MMTC and the state trading corporation, and meant to be exported, was diverted to the domestic market by Sanjay Agarwal with the active connivance of his relatives and other associates.

Earlier, the ED had arrested Preet Kumar Agarwal in this case for his active role in money laundering activities. A special court (PMLA) in Kolkata has issued non-bailable warrants against the other accused persons, namely Sanjay Agarwal, Radhika Agarwal, Ajay Kumar Agarwal and Avinash Soni.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 1 : The Monsoon Session of Odisha Assembly began on Wednesday following all the Covid-19 protocols.

Accordingly, the members were seated in different locations. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik attended the House proceedings through video conferencing from his residential office, Naveen Niwas.

The Leader of Opposition, Pradipta Kumar Naik, who is undergoing treatment for post-Covid complications, joined the session virtually from the AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

Even though he was unable to speak clearly, Naik participated in a motion moved by the Chief Minister to pay obituary references to the departed MLAs and Covid warriors.

"I haven't recovered fully, but my priority will always be to sincerely carry out the responsibilities people have bestowed upon me. I will attend the Assembly session virtually from the hospital and draw the attention of the Odisha government towards all the issues of the public," the BJP leader tweeted.

The first day of the Monsoon Session witnessed several adjournments as the opposition BJP and Congress members created ruckus over the prevailing drought-like situation in the state.

As soon as the question hour began, Congress members rushed to the well of the House and disturbed the proceedings. They were demanding suspension of all business of the House to conduct a special discussion on the drought-like situation in the state.

As Speaker S.N. Patro rejected their proposal, they disrupted the House proceedings. The House was then adjourned till 12.34 p.m.

Later, the Speaker allowed discussion on an adjournment motion moved by the opposition on the same issue.

Following a heated debate on the issue, the House again witnessed uproar in the post-lunch session as the opposition members raised questions on the reply made by Agriculture Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo. They asked why the Agriculture Minister replied to the House instead of the Revenue Minister, who is in-charge of the concerned department.

BJP chief whip Mahon Majhi said the government has failed to create sufficient irrigation facilities for the farmers and is blaming nature to cover up its own failure.

"The state government had promised to provide irrigation facility for at least 35 per cent of the land in each block. Has the government been able to achieve it," he asked.

Majhi demanded immediate declaration of drought in the affected areas and formation of a task force to prepare a long-term action plan to mitigate possible droughts in near future.

Terming both the state government and the Centre as anti-farmers, the Congress legislative party leader Narasingha Mishra said that at least 27 out of the 30 districts in Odisha have been affected by severe drought. Therefore, all these districts should be declared as drought-hit as per the norms, he said.

"The government is not giving any emphasis to the irrigation sector. The irrigation projects, which were started by the then Congress government, have not been completed till now. The Centre is responsible for this as it has not provided funds for the project," Mishra said.

The Congress leader also demanded to waive all crop loans for the farmers.

In his reply, the Agriculture Minister said, "Drought or drought-like situation is a natural disaster, it is not man-made, as it occurs due to climate change. The state witnessed droughts eight times in the past 20 years," he said.

Sahoo informed the House that till August 28, as many as 23 districts of the state received deficient rainfall. As many as 15 blocks of 11 districts have received scanty rainfall (less than 59 pert cent) as per field-level reports condition of the crop is worse than normal in 47 blocks in 14 districts, Sahoo stated.

In view of the drought-like situation, he said directions have been issued for preparing a Contingency Crop Plan, repair and operationalise lift irrigation points, distribute pump sets at subsidised prices and take up digging of more farm ponds through MNREGS in the affected areas.
Patna, Sep 2 : A special unit of the Bihar Vigilance Department conducted a surprise raid at the Patna residence of a suspended executive officer of a civic body on Wednesday.

The officer, Anubhuti Srivastava, who was the executive officer in the city council of Bhabhua falling in Kaimur district, is facing the charges of owning disproportionate assets.

The Vigilance Department team have not disclosed seizures from Srivastava's residence.

The complaint against Srivastava was given by Bajrang Bahadur Singh alias Malai, a former Chairman of the Bhabhua city council. Acting on the complaint, then District Magistrate Dr Nawal Kishore Chaudhary had constituted an inquiry committee which had found the allegations, prima facie, true.

Chaudhary had then recommended to the city council that the officer be suspended as he has failed to clarify the sources of his earning and purchase of movable and immovable assets.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Hubballi, : Sep 2 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that his government has kept a check on anti-national activities in the state.

"The state police has been functioning in absolute coordination with the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). That is how many indulging in anti-national activities could be arrested.

"Our police have kept a vigil in coastal and forest regions. We will not tolerate anti-national activities. We will always fight against these divisive forces. These forces are handled with the help of the NIA," Bommai said.

Asked about whether there are any intelligence inputs on terrorists entering the state from Kerala and other states, he maintained that certain matters cannot be discussed in public. "Special attention has been given to coastal Karnataka region and forest areas," he reiterated.

About the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state's Davanagere district, Bommai said: "Amit Shah ji is taking part in various developmental programmes. Other Union ministers will join him during the visit. We will discuss the various state projects with them." He also claimed that the ruling BJP will emerge victorious in Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalburgi, and Belagavi corporation elections.

Bommai also assured that restrictions in districts and the state capital will be lifted stage by stage in accordance with improvement in the Covid situation. "Whereever, Covid infection has come down, the weekend restrictions are being lifted already," he said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Sep 2 : A Delhi-based think-tank, Red Lantern Analytica, has written a letter to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) over the grave human rights violations being committed by the Taliban in the aftermath of the takeover of Afghanistan.

The think-tank urged the UN body to send a fact-finding mission to Afghanistan to assess the overall situation of human rights under the aegis of the human rights unit of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

The letter addressed to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, highlighted that the recent takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban has once again sparked fears about a return to its oppressive regime that was in place from 1996-2001.

This period saw the human rights situation in Afghanistan deteriorate to alarming levels, with women and children being the biggest sufferers.

The think-tank also said that despite the Taliban's assurance that the new government would support human rights, including the rights of women, the truth remained far from such statements.

The Red Lantern Analytica has also said that the number of civilian casualties has hit alarmingly high numbers and more than 180 civilians have been killed in Afghanistan, with more than 1,000 others injured.

"A report by the UN has found that the war-torn country saw a 47 per cent increase in civilian casualties since the start of 2021, as compared to before. Moreover, 46 per cent of the casualties included women and children, exposing the lies behind the Taliban's commitment to human rights in the country.

"It should be further noted that the extent to which media freedom has been suppressed by the Taliban since their takeover of Kabul, the actual numbers of deaths will be much higher than the reported numbers," the think-tank said.

They also mentioned about the recent report of Amnesty International that the Taliban massacred nine Hazara men after taking control of the Ghazni province in Afghanistan.

"Pakistan supporting the terrorist outfits (including the Taliban, Al Qaeda and the Haqqani Network) in Afghanistan and elsewhere exposes a deep nexus that Islamabad and the Taliban share," the think-tank said.

The Red Lantern Analytica is an independent think-tank based in New Delhi. It carries out researches on critical issues related to China, as well as important current affairs.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Srinagar, Sep 2 : Veteran Kashmiri separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, known for his hardline views, passed away late on Wednesday in Srinagar city. He was 92.

Geelani passed away at his uptown Hyderpora residence at around 10.30 p.m., family sources said.

He is survived by two sons and four daughters.

Born on September 29, 1929, and having finished his studies at the Oriental College in Lahore, Geelani had, since his youth, been a prominent member of the Jamaat-e-Islami. He had always stood for merger of J&K with Pakistan.

He himself had fought and won assembly polls from north Kashmir's Sopore constituency in 1972, 1977, and 1987.

Considered to be a hawk among the separatists, he opposed all Track II talks between Delhi and the Kashmiri separatist leadership.

Chairman of the separatist conglomerate, All Party Hurriyat Conference, he split it in 2003 after accusing some of its constituents of fielding dummy candidates in the state Assembly elections that year.

Geelani had also opposed the then Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf's 4-point formula on Kashmir.

In 2008, he founded his own party which he called Tehreek-e-Hurriyat.

In house arrest since 2008, he had, in 2016, refused to open doors for the all party delegation that came from Delhi to meet him.

Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was the first to condole his demise.

"Saddened by the news of Geelani Sahab's passing away. We may not have agreed on most things but I respect him for his steadfastness & standing by his belief. May Allah Ta'aala grant him jannat & condolences to his family & well wishers," Mehbooba said in a Twitter message.

Meanwhile, authorities have imposed restrictions in the Kashmir Valley, including suspension of internet services.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
United Nations, Sep 2 : The Taliban's overthrow of a democratically-elected government in Afghanistan has spillover effects in the region and the Security Council would like to hear from the people in the region, according to Ireland's Permanent Representative Geraldine Byrne Nason, who heads the Security Council this month.

"A democratically elected government (has been) overthrown by the Taliban and we're waiting to see what the outcome of that is," Nason told reporters on Wednesday.

She said the development "is clearly one that has destabilised the country and indeed has spillover effects in the region. That's why I underlined that we want people to hear from countries in the region".

She said that the Council sent a very strong message on terrorism on Monday in its resolution on Afghanistan, she said.

The resolution adopted under the presidency of India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla demanded that Afghanistan not provide support or safe haven for terrorists.

Nason took over the leadership of the Security Council from India's Permanent Representative T.S. Tirumurti on Wednesday under the system of the presidency rotating alphabetically every month.

Nason said that the international litmus test for the Taliban regime will be how it upholds human rights and stands by the assurances it has given.

"We will judge the Taliban by their actions, not by their words. I say that absolutely specifically in relation to the vague assurances that we've had around the treatment of women and girls," she said.

The international community has leverage with the Taliban because it will need the support of the international, she said. "The partnership will have to be earned." The recognition of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan would hinge on a robust commitment to human rights and "particularly that means the full, equal and meaningful participation of women is respected," she said.

Earlier, Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN's humanitarian coordinator, warned that Afghanistan was facing a serious shortage of food and about a third of its population is facing a crisis.

He said that international assistance was needed to stave off a crisis.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis)
Just released the new 9/11 Memorial Coloring Book 20th Anniversary Remembrance Edition.

In 2011 the company respectfully published the book We Shall Never Forget 9/11 the Kids Book of Freedom. It sold and shipped to over 90 countries. This and other anti-terror books the company publishes have been officially entered into the 9/11 Memorial Museum Collections and Exhibitions Archival Records, documents shown on page 3 of the book. As any factually accurate media piece or book on the 9/11 event, the books were criticized with love and hate.

It is with dignity and respect states the company, they examine the terror attacks of 9/11. We do this in print to memorialize and to provide youth and adults a valid record of terror events in book form. This can help youth and adults cope and understand the horrible truth, as a terrible thing happened. Naturally, U.S. labelled terror groups like CAIR, Al Qaeda, ISIS etc. always take exception to fact-based truth telling of their heinous crimes, stated Bell. We have a motto, a trademark, continued Bell: Tell the Truth, Tell it Often and Tell the Children. Hiding truth or facts is never a good idea he said.

The new book is 8.5 x 11 sized comes with an official, "Adult Guidance" recommendation. Almost 50 pages, printed with a high-end gloss cover and high quality inside pages. Included is a complimentary downloadable song via QR code. The book contains color photos, games, activities, and pages in which to color or paint. Included are pages on what freedom means to Americans and color photos of every 9/11 high jacker is included within the book. Available on the company website http://www.coloringbook.com for $6.99, this week it becomes available online everywhere. Nothing but the facts as written or explained by US Govt. Archives, including the horrific faces of the 9/11 crew of Osama Bin Laden, Bell continued.

Really Big Coloring Books, Inc., headquartered in St. Louis, MO, is a multi-national company providing books, coloring books, musical products, and other paper products. The company holds membership in industry organizations including The Missouri Press Association, System for Award Management for the U.S. Govt. (SAM), promotional products groups, SAGE, ASI, and PPAI, The International Book Publishers Assoc. (IBPA), the American Book Publishers Association and other industry leading groups. The company is a Member of the Library of Congress Copyright Office in book and music publishing. The company owns more than 1600 web domains across the globe, mostly relating to books and music.

1-314-695-5757 for more information or visit http://www.ColoringBook.com .
AdventHealth North Pinellas ER The addition of the new emergency department and renovations inside our hospital will make it easier for patients to get critical care when they need it most and allow our teams to provide more lifesaving services," said Dr. Michael Longley, Medical Officer for AdventHealth North Pinellas.

AdventHealth North Pinellas opened its newly-renovated Emergency Department (ED) for patients of Pinellas County, the largest construction project in the hospitals history. The $20 million investment is part of a comprehensive expansion of the main hospital and is designed to meet the communitys growing need for world-class care closer to home.

The state-of-the-art upgrades solidify our everlasting commitment to providing health, hope, and healing for our community, said Jason Dunkel, President, and CEO for AdventHealth North Pinellas. From the moment patients walk through our emergency department, they can trust theyre being cared for by the best doctors who have access to the most advanced equipment and innovative techniques.

The 14,000-square-foot space includes 18 private patient rooms for a more comfortable patient experience, and to further enhance the nationally recognized safety features at the hospital by providing increased infection control. The new emergency department expansion also features a negative pressure room to reduce exposure to airborne illnesses. Additionally, a private EMS entrance that can accommodate 6 ambulances and improve how paramedics offload patients.

Weve kept the needs of our patients and visitors top of mind during this expansion project, said Dr. Michael Longley, Medical Officer for AdventHealth North Pinellas. The addition of the new emergency department and renovations inside our hospital will make it easier for patients to get critical care when they need it most and allow our teams to provide more lifesaving services.

AdventHealth North Pinellas has a longstanding record of providing exceptional health care in the Tarpon Springs community. Since 2013, the hospital has achieved 16 consecutive A grades in patient safety from the prestigious Leapfrog Safety Group. The hospital most recently achieved a 5-star CMS rating, the highest rating possible for hospital quality from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The construction for the new ED expansion is thanks in part to the more than 300 donors who contributed $5 million to the AdventHealth North Pinellas Foundation.

About AdventHealth North Pinellas

AdventHealth North Pinellas, located in Tarpon Springs, is a 168-bed, full-service hospital specializing in cardiovascular medicine, emergency medicine, orthopedics, and spine care, wound healing, sleep medicine, womens care, and general surgery including minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures. AdventHealth North Pinellas has been nationally recognized by the American Heart Association, the American Stroke Association, The Joint Commission, and The Leapfrog Group, for excellence in providing quality patient care. AdventHealth North Pinellas serves both the Pinellas and Pasco communities of West Central Florida. For more information, visit http://www.AdventHealthNorthPinellas.com.

About AdventHealth West Florida Division

The West Florida Division of AdventHealth has some of the nations brightest medical minds making lifesaving breakthroughs with surgical pioneers, scientists, and researchers using leading-edge technology and innovation to deliver our brand of whole-person care. Our network of care includes AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Connerton, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Lake Placid, AdventHealth NorthPinellas, AdventHealth Ocala, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth Wauchula, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, as well as five freestanding offsite Emergency Rooms including AdventHealth Brandon ER, AdventHealth Central Pasco ER, AdventHealth Palm Harbor ER, AdventHealth TimberRidge ER, and AdventHealth Westchase ER. We are more than hospitals, as we have a robust system of care including specialty acute care, over 200 primary care and specialty employed physicians, Express Care at Walgreens clinics, urgent care centers, wound care, physical therapy, home care, mobile mammography, and more. AdventHealth is a faith-based not-for-profit health care system with a mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. AdventHealth has hundreds of care sites and nearly 50 hospitals across the United States. For more information about AdventHealth, visit AdventHealth.com or Facebook.com/AdventHealth, and for West Florida Division, click here.


Allied First Bank is now partnered with Finn AI, a provider of AI-powered chatbots for the banking industry, along with AnyHour Solutions, a leading contact center managed service, to assist the banks support staff and help deliver exceptional digital customer service. AnyHour Solutions is a longstanding partner of Allied First Bank, and now with the additional support of Finn AI, the service providers can work in tandem to deliver an exceptional customer service experience during this period of increased digital activity.

The Finn AI chatbot is an AI-driven automated customer service solution, specially trained for the banking industry. Able to recognize over 800+ common banking questions immediately upon deployment, the chatbot can take pressure off of contact center staff by providing an intuitive self-service option. When live agents are needed, however, AnyHour Solutions can provide expertly trained staff support to help deliver the all-important human touch where needed, 24x7x365. These two providers support one another to provide an elevated engagement for all types of inquiries; those that require instant help as well as routine requests--resulting in ultimate efficiency and customer satisfaction. Both providers were engaged by Allied First Bank together as a two-pronged approach for assisting their contact center.

With the pandemic, our contact center was buried in calls and service requests. We wanted a conversational AI chatbot to take pressure off our employees, provide an additional self-service channel, and reduce operating costs said Kenneth Bertrand, President and CEO of Allied First Bank. AnyHour and Finn AI address the unique needs of our industry. Plus, with their Turn-Key, Managed Service approach, we do not have to hire internal AI-app developers.

Jake Tyler, CEO and Co-Founder of Finn AI, understands why Allied First reached out to Finn AI now to join AnyHour Solutions as a customer service member. The pandemic has accelerated the trend towards digitally-focused banking as bank branches became inaccessible and employees were forced to work remotely. Simultaneously, financial urgencies have increased the need for customer engagement he explains. Banks need to ensure their digital infrastructure can handle this new surge of traffic. Our chatbot can answer simple inquiries customers have automatically, without requiring a human agent. When they need to talk to a human, however, AnyHour can step in with a trained live agent to handle the conversation. The two service providers work together perfectly to greatly improve the speed and efficiency of the customer service experience.

About Finn AI

Founded in 2014, Finn AI is the leading AI-powered chatbot platform for banks and credit unions working with top financial institutions, including one of the largest US card networks, a top 10 US retail bank, ATB Financial, United Federal Credit Union, Banpro Grupo Promerica, TymeBank, and more. Banks and credit unions use the award-winning Finn AI chatbot to transform and deepen customer engagement, while delivering the operational efficiencies and cost savings of conversational AI. For more information, visit http://www.finn.ai.

About AnyHour Solutions

AnyHour Solutions (http://www.anyhoursolutions.com) is a highly flexible provider of comprehensive, 24/7/365 call/contact center outsourcing services for financial institutions via our AnyHour MSR, AnyHour Loan-By-Phone, and AnyHour Fraud Support services. Our purpose is to help our FI partners to enhance service to their customers, increase loan volume, and reduce operating expenses. AnyHour Solutions has been providing contact center services to FIs for nearly 30 years. Highlighted by the industrys most experienced staff of agents, our contact center goal is to provide Service They Will Remember.

About Allied First Bank

Allied First Bancorp, through Allied First Bank, operates a full-service bank in Oswego, Illinois and provides financial services to its customers nationwide. The bank was originally opened in 1994 as the Allied Pilots Association Federal Credit Union, the credit union that served American Airlines pilots. The credit union converted to a bank in September 2001 in order to offer its products and services to a wider range of customers. For more information contact Allied First Bank, (630) 383-0000 or http://www.AlliedFirst.com.
The Airport Performance Benchmarking Report provides a comparison of airport performance worldwide. This annual report is indicative of Embry-Riddles close connection to and deep understanding of the aviation and aerospace sectors. - Dr. Shanan Gibson, David B. OMaley College of Business dean, at Embry-Riddles Daytona Beach Campus

The Air Transport Research Society (ATRS - https://www.atrsworld.org/) and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University announced the winning airports for the 2021 ATRS Global Airport Efficiency Awards in a virtual ceremony Aug. 27, during the 24th ATRS World Conference.

The ATRS is a worldwide research network headquartered in the University of British Columbia. The ATRS benchmark project is hosted at Embry-Riddles David B. OMaley College of Business, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Our goal is to provide comprehensive and unbiased data and analysis in this report, said Benchmarking Project Manager Dr. Chunyan Yu, professor of Air Transport Management at Embry-Riddle. Efficiency is particularly important for airports now as they recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic. This years report featured longtime winners, such as HartsfieldJackson Atlanta, as well as newcomers, including Eppley Airfield in Omaha and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, both of which received the awards for the very first time.

All of the winners announced are listed as follows:

North America



Over 40 Million Passengers Per Year Category, winner: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

15-40 Million Passengers Per Year Category, winner: MinneapolisSt. Paul International Airport

5-15 Million Passengers Per Year Category, winner: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

Under 5 Million Passengers Per Year Category, winner: Eppley Airfield (Omaha)

Asia Pacific

Over 40 Million Passengers Per Year Category, winner: Hong Kong International Airport

25-40 Million Passengers Per Year Category, winner: Jeju International Airport

10-25 Million Passengers Per Year Category, winner: Gimhae International Airport

Under 10 Million Passengers Per Year Category, winner: Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (Guam)

Australia, New Zealand

Sydney Airport

Europe

Over 40 Million Passengers Per Year Category, winner: Istanbul Airport

15-40 Million Passengers Per Year Category, winner: Copenhagen Airport

Under 15 Million Passengers Per Year Category: EuroAirport - Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg

The Airport Performance Benchmarking Report provides a comparison of airport performance worldwide, focusing on productivity and operating/management efficiency, unit cost competitiveness and comparison of airport charges. Service quality is not considered in the performance measurements.

This annual report is indicative of Embry-Riddles close connection to and deep understanding of the aviation and aerospace sectors, said Dr. Shanan Gibson, David B. OMaley College of Business dean, at Embry-Riddles Daytona Beach Campus. This team continues to produce exceptional work, as well as provide students with hands-on, real-world research experience in the process.

The 2021 ATRS Global Airport Benchmarking report is the 20th annual report that includes 205 airports and 24 airport groups of various sizes and ownership forms in the Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.

Contact the ATRS to order the 2021 Global Airport Performance Benchmarking Report: https://secure.touchnet.net/C20722_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=51&SINGLESTORE=true.

The results for this years report is based on aviation-industry data collected in 2019.

Members of the ATRS Global Airport Performance Benchmarking Task Force include:

Tae H. Oum (Canada), Chunyan Yu (USA), Bijan Vasigh (USA), Jia Yan (USA), Peter Forsyth (Australia), Yuichiro Yoshida (Japan), Yeong-Heock Lee (Korea), Japhet Law (Hong Kong, China), Shinya Hanaoka (Japan), Xiaowen Fu (Australia), Jaap de Wit (The Netherlands), Eric Pels (The Netherlands), Hans-Martin Niemeier (Germany) and Nicole Adler (Israel).

About Embry-Riddles David B. OMaley College of Business

The David B. OMaley College of Business (https://erau.edu/degrees/business/) provides a world-class business education, including specialized aviation-related degree programs, that meets the needs of learners seeking everything from bachelors and masters degrees, to doctoral opportunities. Students at Embry-Riddle (https://erau.edu/) benefit from belonging to a globally connected network of alumni representing the breadth of the aviation and aerospace industries at top companies that regularly recruit Embry-Riddle students for career positions and internships.

The OMaley College of Business also offers a range of continuing education programs, corporate training, seminars and workshops for individuals and organizations in the aviation and aerospace industry. Customized programs can be developed to ensure effective and innovative business operations and leadership success. For more information, visit Professional Education (https://proed.erau.edu/).
Someones gift may differ from others but that doesnt mean anyone is less important. It is not easy to tap into but once you do it is amazing what you can accomplish with hope and desire for the greater good.

In Greatness: Identifying, Discovering, Cultivating, and Unleashing the Seeds of Greatness Within You, author Allen Dotson shares actual events and scenarios that occurred in his life. With God as his guide, Dotson could navigate life, discover his place in society and know what he was born to do. Through this faith-filled book, readers will learn the tools to relinquish their fears and uncover their full potential through the unique gifts God has given them.

Over time, Dotson has seen individuals try to define why they are here on Earth or what they are here to do and not knowing their purpose or gift. Once he realized many struggle with this concept, Dotson was inspired to write this book to assist individuals.

There is a reason why we all have different gifts, said Dotson. Someones gift may differ from others but that doesnt mean anyone is less important. It is not easy to tap into but once you do it is amazing what you can accomplish with hope and desire for the greater good.

Greatness has received praise from Amazon reviewers.

Wow! This book is very inspiring, uplifting knowledgeable, and informative. This book will motivate, instruct the reader on ways to move forward with their life, abilities, and help the reader find their place in society as well as use their abilities for the benefit of themselves and the world. This book is a must read. I gave it a high rating because of it's application to real life possibilities, and content.  Amazon Reviewer

. . .I couldn't have read this book at a better time in my life! Practical, and knowledgeable & challenging on many levels. . .  Amazon Reviewer

Regardless of ones relationship with God, Greatness helps to identify, discover, cultivate and unleash the gifts that God has instilled in each individual for the greater good of society. Throughout the book, Dotson discusses the process God goes about to accomplish this. Ultimately, readers will feel inspired to begin their own self-discovery journey.

Greatness: Identifying, Discovering, Cultivating, and Unleashing the Seeds of Greatness Within You

By Allen Dotson

ISBN: 9781664225169 (softcover); 9781664225152 (electronic)

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and WestBow Press

About the author

Allen Dotson is a Christian author and full-time pastor. He is the founding pastor of the Miracle Center Church in Texas and is also the founder of Fellowship of First Christian Ministries, Inc. Allen oversees the weekly telecast, Be Encourage, that airs Sunday mornings in 56 cities throughout Texas. He received an associate degree in Religion from Liberty University and is currently halfway through his Bachelor of Science degree in Religion from the same university. Allen currently resides in Tyler, Texas.

General Inquiries:

LAVIDGE  Phoenix

Meghan Bowman

480-306-6597

mbowman@lavidge.com
Toyota drivers can get Toyota Care Plus service from Bill Alexander Toyota.

Customers can get Toyota Care Plus service from Bill Alexander Toyota in Yuma, Arizona. This plan covers 4 years of maintenance or 45,000 miles from the date of first use.

In order to qualify for the service, the Toyota vehicle must have 31,000 miles or less, and it has to be within 37 months from the date of first use. There are several benefits that the customers are entitled to under this plan.

The maintenance services include: Engine oil and filter change, engine air filter servicing, cabin air filter servicing, tire rotation, a multi-point inspection and adjustment of fluid levels.

Customers are also entitled to roadside assistance for 4 years and unlimited miles.

The dealership will provide the following assistance: Battery jump start, emergency fuel delivery, tire service, lockout protection, towing and winching.

The dealership also provides its customers with other service specials and various other programs. Moreover, customers can schedule service at the dealership via phone call.

All interested parties are encouraged to visit http://www.myalexandertoyota.com or call the dealership at 928-344-1170 for more information regarding the services provided by Bill Alexander Toyota.

Bill Alexander Toyota address:

889 E 32nd St, Yuma, AZ
Carbonix and Robotic Skies partner to advance global maintenance support for UAS operators As we continue to expand our business globally, having Robotic Skies as a trusted service partner means we can direct our energy towards developing and safely deploying our UAV technology, said Stephen Pearce, Carbonix CEO.

Robotic Skies, Inc, a global marketplace for commercial drone maintenance services, and Carbonix, a leading Australian designer, manufacturer, and operator of unmanned aerial data capture solutions, are partnering to provide an international field support program for customers who operate Carbonix Volanti and Domani UAVs.

Carbonix UAV solutions deliver high-quality aerial images and data in real-time for various applications, including long-range surveillance and inspections of linear infrastructure in utilities, mining, and agriculture. The proven capabilities of Carbonix UAVs are well-recognized in Australia and now internationally, with system deliveries slated this year to South Africa for operations across the African continent.

As we continue to expand our business globally, having Robotic Skies as a trusted service partner means we can direct our energy towards developing and safely deploying our UAV technology, said Stephen Pearce, Carbonix CEO. Our partnership with Robotic Skies positions us to offer the best post-purchase service and cultivate customer loyalty.

Robotic Skies serves the commercial drone industry with expert maintenance, inspection, and repair services through its network of over 230 quality-controlled Service Centers across 50 countries. Robotic Skies combines expertise in traditional and next-generation aircraft maintenance to offer professional turnkey field service programs that cater to the unique needs of the emerging drone market.

Brad Hayden, Robotic Skies Founder and CEO, said: Were thrilled to work with Carbonix and be their partner specializing in UAV maintenance and repair. We aim to make it easy for manufacturers of high-performance commercial UAVs like Carbonix to seamlessly incorporate Robotic Skies into existing workflows and efficiently build up their customer support infrastructure on a global scale.

Hayden, who serves on the FAAs Drone Advisory Committee, added: We recognize risk mitigation is more critical than ever for operators to meet safety and performance standards. Were meeting that head-on with a path to standardized turnkey maintenance solutions that protect I.P. and provide a safe and reliable customer experience throughout our global service network.

Robotic Skies recently announced its new headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. The facility advances the companys service capabilities for customers and partners like Carbonix, including logistics and secure warehousing. In addition, the location provides a testbed environment to optimize new drone maintenance solutions for deployment through the Robotic Skies Service Center network to better serve the growing Carbonix fleet.

About Carbonix

At Carbonix, we advance the horizons of aerial data solutions. We specialise in long-range and large area aerial surveillance and precision data capture. Carbonix UAVs deliver mission success across a diverse range of industries with unrivalled stability, precision control, and accuracy. Capable of over 10 hours of flight time, our UAVs accommodate every mission requirement utilising the most technically advanced ISR, LiDAR and photogrammetry systems to deliver unrivalled efficiency and accuracy of data.

Our commitment to differentiating by design embodies our foundation in competitive yacht racing. The perseverance for aesthetic and functional balance drives our uncompromising standards to deliver unchallenged performance. This commitment to continuous testing and refinement ensures we are continually advancing the boundaries of what is possible. We obsessively fine-tune every detail to apply simplicity and sophistication to everything we do.

About Robotic Skies

Robotic Skies serves the commercial drone and advanced air mobility industry with professional maintenance, inspection, and repair services through its network of over 230 quality-controlled Service Centers across 50 countries. Our turnkey field service programs are flexible, scalable, and meet any regulatory maintenance requirement for complex commercial drone operations like autonomous package delivery and beyond-line-of-sight missions.

The company founder and CEO, Brad Hayden, advocates for the safe integration of next-generation aircraft into existing global flight operations through various industry efforts. In January 2021, Hayden received an appointment to a seat on the FAAs Drone Advisory Committee. He also Chairs the National Business Aviation Associations Emerging Technology Committee and the ASTM Subcommittee F46.06 on Autonomous and Electric Aircraft Maintenance Personnel.
The 2021 Toyota Camry is one of several models available for Salinas Toyota's Labor Day offers.

As a part of the National Sales Event, Salinas Toyota in California has come up with a lucrative Labor Day offer on select Toyota models for their customers. Customers can now enjoy a cashback of $750 on the 2021 Venza, 2021 Highlander Hybrid, 2021 C-HR, 2021 Camry, 2021 Highlander, and 2021 RAV4. More details about these models can be found on the research page of the dealerships website.

It is important to note that the Labor Day offer is valid only for a specific period and expires on September 7, 2021. The cashback offer is also subject to specific terms and conditions that shoppers might want to take note of before proceeding with their purchase. Some of the terms and conditions to keep in mind are as follows-



The offer can only be availed based on the vehicles availability at the dealership.

The cashback offer cannot be combined with other offers such as TFS APR Cash, TFS Lease Cash, APR, Lease, APR Subvention Cash, Lease Subvention Cash.

Customers, regardless of their place of residence, can avail the offer at the California dealership.

The offer is valid for all Toyota hybrid and fuel cell electric vehicles for the 2021 model year.

Interested customers are encouraged to visit the dealerships website at Salinas Toyota to find more details about the cashback offer and ways to avail the same or dial 831-444-0700 to get in touch with one of their representatives. For a more immersive experience, customers can visit the dealership situated at 700 Auto Center Circle, Salinas, CA 93907 and learn more about the exciting offers available on an array of new Toyota vehicles throughout the year.


Collaborating with FaceTec to bring their solution to this region will finally allow biometric authentication to flourish as it should, ensuring the market will be using the best technologies available to maintain its high-security standards while greatly enhancing the user experience.

The Digital Dubai Authority (DDA) has signed an agreement with global leader in 3D face authentication software, FaceTec, and Gulf Data International (gDi), a leading IT solutions provider and systems integrator in the MENA region, to collaborate on Artificial Intelligence applications in biometric face verification technology. As the Dubai government entity mandated with ensuring the emirates smart transformation, the DDA has set strategic objectives to embrace state-of-the-art technologies and embed them in government services designed to make life easier and happier for Dubais inhabitants, transforming the emirate into the worlds smartest and happiest city.

The primary goal of the DDA initiative is to enable a safe, seamless, personalized city by delivering services and initiatives across six strategic themes, contributing to enhanced experiences within all city dimensions. The Digital Dubai Authority envisions a thoroughly modern city where all its resources are fully optimized while protecting the people and the information, creating the most enriched living and business environments possible.

gDi, founded in 1983, is a highly respected technology integrator providing services in the MENA region.

gDi is proud to have partnered with FaceTec, the global leader in 3D Face Authentication technology, said Omar Atta, CCO of gDi. FaceTec provides its enhanced security process, which is now becoming a new industry standard in the modern technology sector, to a worldwide list of prestigious clients. Collaborating with FaceTec to bring their solution to this region will finally allow biometric authentication to flourish as it should, ensuring the market will be using the best technologies available to maintain its high-security standards while greatly enhancing the user experience. Digital Dubai is considered a regional leader in both technology implementation and citizen satisfaction, and acts as a major pillar in overseeing the constant growth of Dubai. Collaborating with Digital Dubai on such an important solution is truly special as they are one of the globes spearheads in innovation, continued Atta. FaceTecs solution will enable some of the great use cases that have been designed to come to life throughout the region, as organizations will finally have the confidence needed in their authentication provider.

To meet the very high standards for this level of user authentication, exceptionally strong and reliable biometric authentication technology is a requirement.

We are so happy to be working with gDi, such a highly-regarded organization in the MENA region, said Kevin Alan Tussy, CEO of FaceTec. The DDA requires their solutions to consistently demonstrate exceptional performance and value, and we are honored to have been chosen over dozens of other vendors from around the world to be one of their technology partners for the important, forward-thinking plans for the city.

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About FaceTec

Founded in 2013, with staff in the United States, Brazil, Portugal, Mexico, and Singapore, FaceTec is the leading provider of 3D Face Verification and Authentication software. FaceTec's patented, industry-leading Certified Liveness Detection, face matching, optical character recognition,and age estimation technology biometrically binds the unique, live, 3D user to their personal account, creating a secure chain of trust for mobile and web applications.

For more information and business inquiries, please visit FaceTec.com. For media inquiries, please contact John Wojewidka at JohnW@FaceTec.com.

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About FaceTec 3D Face Authentication

FaceTecs pioneering 3D Face Authentication is fast becoming the global standard in onboarding, KYC, and ongoing authentication, and stops ID fraud and unauthorized access for tens-of-millions of users on six continents for many of the worlds leading organizations in IAM-IDV, financial services, mobile payments, border security, connected transportation, blockchain-cryptocurrency, e-voting, and more.

FaceTecs 3D Face Authentication Platform features:



100-percent software, for all modern smartphones, tablets, and PCs with webcams

World-leading 3D Face Matching rate of 1-in-12.8M FAR at less than 1-percent FRR

Patented UI generates data-rich 3D FaceMaps from standard 2D cameras

$100,000 Spoof Bounty Program & Levels 1&2 Certified Liveness Detection

Unshareable, unphishable 3D FaceMaps ensure trust without creating a honeypot

IDV dashboard with integrated 1-to-N de-duplication & fraudulent user lists

World-leading 1-in-500,000 FAR 3D FaceMap-to-2D-photo-ID matching

Free anonymous age estimation and age checks with every 3D Liveness Check

Free 2D single-frame Liveness Checks for semi-supervised scenarios

Fast, intuitive interface with 98-99% first-time, real-world user success rates

Easy to integrate, customize, deploy, and manage

Developers can access the FaceTec Demo Apps from FaceTec.com for iOS, Android and any PC with a webcam, and FaceTec Developer Accounts are available for free at dev.facetec.com.

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About Liveness.com

Created as an educational resource for biometrics users, vendors, analysts, media and regulators, Liveness.com provides a comprehensive history of Presentation Attack Detection, Camera Bypasses and Template Tampering, as well as explanations of methods and means for evaluation, certification testing, and bounty programs.

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About Gulf Data International

GDI is a pioneer in digital transformation and automating businesses in the MENA region since its establishment in the UAE in 1983. This IT solutions provider and systems integrator identifies advanced technology opportunities using AI and other emerging technologies for regional organizations in verticals like the public sector, banking, healthcare, and oil & gas, to better their functional capabilities. It delivers solutions in systems integration, enterprise resource planning, corporate performance management, and systems development. It also delivers vertical solutions in transport management, manufacturing, asset management, and waste management.

Having successfully implemented hundreds of projects all over the Middle East, their team of consultants, project managers, and developers are experienced professionals who combine a solid technology foundation with an in-depth understanding of business processes. gDi services are dedicated to 100% customer satisfaction. It does this through a series of full project life-cycle services including project management, planning, analysis, design, construction testing, deployment and post deployment support.

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About Digital Dubai Authority (DDA)

The DDA will serve as Dubais official government body responsible for developing a secure digital environment that ensures cybersecurity and protects data, information systems, and communication networks in every sector in the emirate. The Smart Dubai Department, the Smart Dubai Government, the Dubai Data Establishment, the Dubai Electronic Security Center and the Dubai Statistics Centre will consolidate and start operating under the DDAs umbrella. The city of Dubai will be setting an example in developing best practices and systems that make life easier for the citys inhabitants, in addition to designing better, more streamlined procedures for life and business.
Divi Resorts New Website Launch Customers can immerse themselves into the Caribbean state of mind with 360 tours, resort videos, dazzling photography, informative brochures, helpful comparison charts, comprehensive FAQs, and so much more.

Divi Resorts is thrilled to unveil a brand new, completely revamped http://www.diviresorts.com. Designed with Divis loyal customers in mind, the refreshed website provides a visually attractive, easy-to-use browsing experience while introducing seven distinctive resorts on five Caribbean islands to new audiences.

Were excited to deliver a truly interactive experience with our new website, explains Marco Galaverna, Divi Resorts President and COO. Customers can immerse themselves into the Caribbean state of mind with 360 tours, resort videos, dazzling photography, informative brochures, helpful comparison charts, comprehensive FAQs, and so much more. Users will find a fully integrated, user-friendly experience on any device, whether its desktop, tablet, or mobile.

From the homepage, customers can explore each resort and find the perfect vacation destination by using Divis informative comparison charts. These charts make it easy for users to navigate through the features and benefits of each resort, effortlessly guiding them to the resort that best fits their needs.

Travelers seeking the very best deals on Caribbean travel will find unmatched discounts and packages all in one convenient location. Plus, the website offers an innovative booking tool that allows users to pick a resort, select travel dates, and add airfare to get the best deal on room-only or all-inclusive vacations in a snap.

Along with helping customers choose the best resort and island to visit, the website also assists guests in selecting the best accommodations for their stay with convenient accommodation comparison charts, which provide detailed information on all available room types. The charts coupled with extensive 360 room tours and photos give travelers a sneak peek look at where theyll be staying prior to arrival.

The website also aids travelers by answering important travel questions. This includes information on island restrictions, COVID testing offerings, and resort details.

Its more important than ever for our guests to feel comfortable with their travel decisions and get their questions answered quickly and effectively, explains Diego Concha, Divi Resorts Director of Operations. Our new website assists incoming guests with this journey by answering frequently asked questions about entry and departure requirements, resort amenities, health and safety protocols, packing tips, and things you need to know about each island.

To learn more about Divi Resorts new website, visit http://www.diviresorts.com. To take a tour of the new features and benefits, visit http://www.diviresorts.com/tour.htm.

About Divi Resorts: The Caribbean vacation experts for over 50 years, Divi Resorts features a collection of seven premium resorts spanning the five stunning islands of Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, St. Croix, and St. Maarten. Divi Resorts currently offers 30% off all 2021 and 2022 room-only and all-inclusive Caribbean vacations. The company also offers a best price guarantee, worry-free cancellation, travel insurance, travel agent rates, a Divi Devotion Discount, and a Clean Check Program. For more information on Divi Resorts, call 1-800-367-3484 or visit http://www.diviresorts.com.
etherFAX today announced its integration with Microsoft Teams. Now available in the Microsoft Store, etherFAXs DirectFax Messenger allows Microsoft users to send and receive faxes and other business documents seamlessly and securely using Teams. With DirectFax, users can transmit digital, high-resolution, and rich color documents to other applications within the etherFAX ecosystem as well as traditional fax machines.

Were proud to continue to grow the etherFAX ecosystem with new app integrations, said Paul Banco, CEO and co-founder of etherFAX. Now more than ever, organizations need innovative tools to support remote workforces and improve business processes. The ability to securely send and receive faxes and documents with superior color and clarity from Microsoft Teams gives organizations more flexibility and scalability than ever before.

DirectFax Messenger allows Teams users to securely send and receive faxes and other business documents via the etherFAX Secure Exchange Network (SEN), a patented Infrastructure-as-a-Service solution. etherFAX SEN is the world's largest fax network, leveraging hybrid cloud technology to provide 100 percent secure communications. etherFAX's DirectFax solution via SEN provides Microsoft Teams users with guaranteed security and data protection, as etherFAX is HITRUST CSF and PCI DSS certified as well as HIPAA and SOC 2 compliant.

Through the integration, Microsoft Teams users can leverage etherFAX SEN to securely transport business-critical information via Teams without having to change a single workflow. As a cloud-based solution, etherFAX does not require a fax server or additional software. DirectFax can be installed for each Teams user one-on-one or can be installed in an existing channel. The DirectFax Teams integration also allows for incoming documents to be routed to specific Teams Channels, thus allowing for an automated digital workflow so the right team receives the right information. etherFAXs DirectFax integration with Teams also allows users to receive searchable and archivable PDFs directly to their Teams channel.

Learn more about DirectFax Messenger by etherFAX in the Microsoft Store.

About etherFAX

Founded in 2009, etherFAX offers a secure document delivery platform and suite of applications widely used across a broad range of industries to digitize workflows and optimize business processes. As a leading provider of hybrid-cloud fax solutions supporting healthcare enterprises, etherFAX securely transmits protected health information and high-resolution, color documents directly to applications and devices with end-to-end encryption and ultra-fast transmission speeds. With more than 6 million connected endpoints, etherFAX is the worlds largest document exchange network, supporting every major fax server, application, and fax-enabled device. The etherFAX partner network continues to grow and evolve to strengthen platform-agnostic document delivery to and from fax providers, fax servers, EHRs, and Health Information Exchanges. etherFAXs secure, cloud-based, and encrypted data exchange solutions are SOC 2 compliant, HIPAA compliant, PCI DSS certified, and HITRUST CSF certified. For more information, visit http://www.etherfax.net, follow us out on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etherfax, call us at 877-384-9866, or email sales@etherfax.net.
The Ford Bronco is returning to Florida.

Brandon Ford, a Tampa-based dealership that has received the title of the Worlds Largest Volume Ford Dealer during 2019 and 2020, is receiving its first Ford Bronco models. Not only is the arrival of new Bronco models significant for the dealership, but it is also noteworthy for the state, as it marks the first time the Bronco has been sold in more than 30 years in the state of Florida. With the arrival of new Bronco models at Brandon Ford, drivers from Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Largo, Lakeland, New Port Richey, Bradenton, Riverview, Lutz and other surrounding areas are able to shop for the iconic off-road SUV.

The Ford Bronco hits the market several months after the Bronco Sportwhich is in stock at Brandon Fordbut both are all-new releases for the 2021 model year. The Ford Bronco offers a removeable roof and doors, features a standard 4x4 drivetrain, comes equipped with advanced technology and turns heads with its iconic design. It is powered by a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine and offers the choice between a 7-speed manual transmission and a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Those interested in learning more about the 2021 Ford Bronco can read through informative model research parges on the Brandon Ford website. Drivers can also reserve the 2021 Ford Bronco on the dealerships website. Brandon Ford is located at 9090 Adamo Drive and its website URL is http://www.brandonford.com. Brandon Ford is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
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.

INFINITI HR, a nationally recognized professional employer organization, has been named one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine. This month, the publication released its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies, where INFINITI HR ranks at number 4,312. This is the ninth consecutive year that INFINITI HR ranked on the list.

Founded in 2008, INFINITI HR is the first ever customizable PEO that offers a variety of services in addition to traditional human resources offerings such as payroll, benefits, and insurance. As one of Americas fast-growing private companies and a recognized top place to work (The Washington Post), INFINITI HR represents tens of thousands of lives in all 50 states.

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.

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 inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which became available on newsstands August 20.

About INFINITI HR

Exceptional Experiences | INFINITI HR is The Professional Employer Organization by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs. This leading SMB Aggregator created the first fully customizable PEO of its kind designed to reduce total labor cost, mitigate employer liability through master aggregated risk pools, and leverage the economies of scale of a large enterprise for competitive advantage  making it possible for franchises and innovative businesses to grow faster. INFINITI HR is a Certified Professional Employer Organization by the IRS, a proud supplier to Choice Hotels International, Best Western Hotels & Resorts and the International Franchise Association (IFA.) INFINITI HR is the Professional Employer Organization for many of the most iconic brands located throughout the United States. This PEO provides full regulatory compliance management, an on-demand HR director for clients of any size, real-time payroll /tax filing, access into industry leading Master Policies for Workers Compensation, EPLI, and a True-Group Benefits Portfolio designed for innovative SMBs.

Click here for the latest press releases and up-to-date news on human resources outsourcing. To learn more about how your business can save time, money, and mitigate employer liability, call INFINITI HR at 866-552-7360 or email info@infinitihr.com.
It appears that more Americans are spending on travel and vacations than before the pandemic, and we forecast that the holiday travel season will be a busy one. - Mark Zisek, Director of Commercial Operations, Front Desk Supply

Front Desk Supply, a leading hospitality supplier, based in San Diego, CA, analyzed recent hospitality buying trends and recognized an increase in both order size and frequency as front desk managers overcome months of pandemic-driven supply chain disruptions. To support this restocking spree, Front Desk Supply has developed a bulk order special for hospitality managers to stock up supplies before the upcoming holiday travel season, and that special offer can be found at http://www.FrontDeskSupply.com/September2021/.

Based on historical data, September tends to be a slower month for hotels due to a decrease in travel, but this year, we are seeing more high-volume orders more often from our hospitality partners, said Mark Zisek, Director of Commercial Operations, Front Desk Supply. It appears that more Americans are spending on travel and vacations than before the pandemic, and we forecast that the holiday travel season will be a busy one, Zisek added.

Front Desk Supply is an industry leader in hospitality supplies, offering diverse items, including key cards, key card holders, Do Not Disturb signs, notepads, pens, valet tags, concierge tags, parking permits, and luggage tags. As the industrys needs surrounding sanitization and safety grew in the wake of COVID-19, the company introduced new additions of personal protective equipment such as face masks, sneeze guards, signage, tamper-tape, and more.

We now live in a climate of caution, given the variants arrival, Zisek added. However, we also know what its like to be out of stock of essential items, and carriers are not the only factor in slowed shipments; It also takes longer to prepare high volume orders, and early ordering may be key to being fully stocked for holiday arrivals this winter, Zisek said.

For the month of September, Front Desk Supply is offering a special on bulk orders at http://www.FrontDeskSupply.com/September2021/ to help the healing hospitality industry.

About Front Desk Supply

Front Desk Supply has over 50 years of Sales, Marketing and Advertising, and Operations experience, along with the wealth of knowledge that comes from producing millions of products for thousands of hotels in the hospitality industry.

Their focus on building customer relationships is ingrained in all employees. Putting the customer first and offering a unique perspective to any situation is a hallmark of Front Desk Supply. Front Desk Supply excels in providing multiple complementary products  it makes for a one-stop shopping experience for customers and ensures messaging flows consistently across products. They expertly offer recommendations that make good business sense.

Front Desk Supply: Making hotels more profitable and their guests stays more memorable.

Contact:

Mark Zisek

Front Desk Supply

mzisek@access-mktg.com

Phone: 858-699-4701 / Fax: 501-665-6489


Gale Toyota offers a variety of loans to its customers.

Gale Toyota in Enfield is offering auto financing to customers with a bad credit situation. The dealership is ready to help the customers with getting auto loans from various lenders.

Gale Toyota has a goal of 100% credit approval. Therefore, the dealership works with the lenders to tailor a loan package that is suitable for customers with bad credit.

Customers with the following issues are eligible for a subprime auto loan: Bad credit, low credit, no credit, foreclosures, bankruptcies, late payments, chargeoffs and tax liens.

Customers can apply for an auto loan in order to purchase a vehicle from the Gale Toyota inventory. The dealership also assists the customers with calculating the monthly payments to service the auto loan. In addition to applying for a car loan, customers can also trade in their old vehicle and buy a new one from the dealership. They can also use the money to offset the cost of a new vehicle.

Gale Toyota offers its customers various service specials as well, so customers are encouraged to take a look at them on a regular basis.

All interested parties are requested to visit http://www.galetoyota.com or call the dealership at 860-269-3608 for more information.

Gale Toyota address:

50 Palomba Drive, Enfield, CT
Gilbane Building Company recently provided construction management at-risk services for the 178,000-SF high school renovation and expansion project in Lincoln, Rhode Island. The facility is now better equipped to provide Lincolns students with a high-performing school that fosters 21st century learning.

Designed by Symmes, Maini & McKee Associates, Inc., the project included a partial demolition of the existing school building, followed by 125,000 SF of renovations and 53,000 SF of new additions.

Completed on an occupied and operational school campus amidst numerous challenges associated to the COVID-19 pandemic, the newly renovated, two-story structure includes a one-story core area housing a 622-seat auditorium; dining commons with kitchen; library/media center and gymnasium.

New additions include an academic wing with four new science classrooms on the southwest side of the building, a new high-bay technical education space for both the wood shop and automotive curriculum on the northeast side. Renovations included a new state of the art culinary kitchen, fashions studio, graphic design space and a new robotics engineering lab space.

As construction manager, this project required extensive planning and coordination to implement phased construction plans on an occupied school campus, said Steve Duvel, senior vice president and business unit leader for Gilbane in Rhode Island. The collaboration exhibited by the entire project team was outstanding and the end result is a top-notch facility for the districts students.

The newly renovated Lincoln High School will welcome approximately 900 students in grades nine through 12 for the upcoming school year.

About Gilbane Building Company

Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services  from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build and facility management services  for clients across various markets. Founded in 1870 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has 46 office locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.gilbaneco.com.
Havis VSX Console for the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe Stephen Telesco, Havis Chief Engineer, explained, "Extensive research and crucial customer feedback played a significant role in aligning the design of the VSX Console for the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe with the vehicles features and end-user requirements.

Havis, Inc., a leading designer and manufacturer of mobile office solutions, is excited to announce the launch of the revolutionary VSX Console for the All-New 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV & SSV. The advanced style of the VSX Console Series continues to redefine the vision of public safety consoles.

"In October 2020, we launched the first VSX Console with the vision for an updated and distinct design", said Brett Young, Havis National Sales Manager for Public Safety. "The goal of the 2021 Chevy Tahoe VSX Console is to continue that approach and offer a first-rate experience for the installer and the user with an elevated level of aesthetics.

The innovative console design incorporates the strength of a heavy-duty steel mounting structure with a lightweight polycarbonate plastic chassis to offer a high degree of durability, impact resistance, and thermal performance. The result is a vehicle-specific console that is 23% lighter than comparable consoles without forfeiting strength or versatility.

Stephen Telesco, Havis Chief Engineer, explained, "Our objective was to extend the same design concept of the original VSX Console to the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. Extensive research and crucial customer feedback played a significant role in aligning the design of the VSX Console for the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe with the vehicles features and end-user requirements.

This progressive approach provides the user with a comfortable workspace by organizing control heads, cup holders, and other essential equipment for public safety professionals. An assortment of application-specific packages and associated products such as armrests, internal pole mounts, and wide console accessories help ensure a seamless introduction of the VSX Console into a new or existing fleet.

ABOUT HAVIS

Havis, Inc.is a privately held, ISO 9001 certified company that manufactures in-vehicle mobile solutions for public safety, public works, government agencies, and mobile professionals. For more than 90 years, our mission has been to increase mobile worker productivity with industry-leading products built to the highest safety and quality standards. The Havis patent and trademark portfolio demonstrates a commitment to developing innovative products and solutions for mobile industries worldwide. Havis currently employs more than 300 people, with headquarters in Warminster, PA, and additional locations in Plymouth, MI, and across the globe. For more information on Havis, please call 1-800-524-9900 or visit http://www.havis.com.
Whistic Our rapid growth is a testament to the fact that Whistic solves a real problem every information security team faces, stated Nick Sorensen, CEO at Whistic. Through collaboration with our incredible customers, we have created a better way to assess, publish, and share security documentation."

Inc. magazine today revealed that Whistic is No. 236 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.

Our rapid growth at this early stage of our company is a testament to the fact that Whistic solves a real problem every information security team faces, stated Nick Sorensen, CEO at Whistic. Through collaboration with our incredible customers, we have created a better way to assess, publish, and share security documentation. Credit for this recognition should be directed at those forward-thinking companies as well as the exceptional Whistic team members who have helped make this a reality.

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 Whistic

Located in the heart of the Silicon Slopes in Utah, Whistic is the network for assessing, publishing and sharing vendor security information. The Whistic Vendor Security Network accelerates the vendor assessment process by enabling businesses to access and evaluate a vendors Whistic Profile and create trusted connections that last well beyond the initial point-in-time assessment. Make security your competitive advantage and join businesses like Airbnb, Okta, Betterment, Vonage, and Qualtrics who are leveraging Whistic to modernize their vendor security programs.

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/.
We are thrilled to partner with Vaughn College and have students take part in this years Summit, stated Paul Cardarelli, JETNETs Vice President of Sales.

JETNET, the leading provider of corporate aviation information, has partnered with Vaughn College to encourage diversity and higher learning for students at the 2021 JETNET iQ Global Business Aviation Summit. New York City-based Vaughn College is a four-year private college offering programs in engineering, technology, management, and aviation. Three students have been selected to participate in the Summit, which will be held September 15-16, 2021, at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport.

We are thrilled to partner with Vaughn College and have students take part in this years 2021 JETNET iQ Global Business Aviation Summit, stated Paul Cardarelli, JETNETs Vice President of Sales. He continued, We are always looking for the next generation to step into their roles in business aviation, and lead us into the future. Students from Vaughn College represent a terrifically diverse background, which JETNET believes is essential for company and industry success. They will help pave the way and we hope their experience at the Summit will inspire them, and us, to new opportunities and aspirations within business aviation.

The three students selected are Sadia Akhi, Sadia Harun, and Tommaso Rossi. Akhi and Harun are both majoring in Airport Management and Rossi is enrolled in the Airport/Airline Dual Major program. I am very honored and excited to be participating in the annual JETNET iQ Summit, said Saida Akhi. This goes without saying, but I am blessed to have such an opportunity and more than eager to learn and understand the latest in industry trends and policies for the foreseeable future that is aviation.

JETNETs dedication to diversity is also present on their Summits agenda, including a key panel titled The Importance of Workplace Diversity. This panel includes Dr. Sharon DeVivo, President of Vaughn College and Chair of FAAs Youth Access to American Jobs in Aviation Task Force (YIATF). Dr. DeVivo said, Vaughn College serves an incredibly diverse population of students who become outstanding contributors to all facets of the aviation and aerospace industry. She continued, We are pleased to partner with JETNET iQ, an industry leader, during their annual conference, and are so appreciative of the opportunity provided to students to attend, network, and add to their educational experience.

About JETNET iQ

JETNET iQ is an aviation market research, strategy, and forecasting service for the business aviation industry. JETNET iQ also provides independent, Quarterly intelligence, including consulting, economic and industry analyses, business aircraft owner/operator survey results, and new aircraft delivery and fleet forecasts. JETNET iQ is a collaboration between JETNET LLC and Rolland Vincent Associates LLC of Plano, Texas, an aviation market research consultancy.

About JETNET

As the leading provider of aviation market information, JETNET delivers the most comprehensive and reliable business aircraft research to its exclusive clientele of aviation professionals worldwide. JETNET is the ultimate source for information and intelligence on the worldwide business, commercial, and helicopter aircraft fleet and marketplace, comprising more than 108,000 airframes. Headquartered in its state-of-the-art facility in Utica, NY, JETNET offers comprehensive, user-friendly aircraft data via real-time internet access or regular updates.

About Vaughn College

Founded in 1932, Vaughn College is a private, nonprofit, four-year college that enrolls more than 1,500 students in masters, bachelors, and associate degree programs in engineering, technology, management, and aviation on its main campus in New York City and online. The student-faculty ratio of 14 to 1 ensures a highly personalized learning environment. Ninety-nine percent of Vaughn College graduates are placed in professional positions, 89 percent in their field of study, or choose to continue their education within one year of graduation. The institution serves many first-generation college students and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Vaughn was ranked no. 1 in upward mobility nationwide in a study conducted by The Equality of Opportunity Project.
After many years of knowing Dr. Kortesis and Dr. Bharti, I have garnered profound respect for their cutting-edge surgery, dedication to research and education, and most importantly, the highest level of patient care, states Dr. Barber.

K&B Management announced this week that it has acquired the Barber Center for Plastic Surgery in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Barber Center for Plastic Surgery is led by Dr. Byron Barber and has been serving the area as a quality, state-of-the-art aesthetics and plastic surgery practice since 2004.

Dr. Barber is an award-winning plastic surgeon who began practicing in the Navy in 1989 before moving to Greensboro, NC in 1991. Along with Dr. Barber, Dr. Bill Kortesis MD, and Dr. Gaurav Bharti MD will work on expanding the current aesthetic offerings under the new brand of HKB Greensboro.

The Center has an amazing team, and we are thrilled to begin a new chapter with Barber Center to provide the highest standards and quality of care and service to the people of Greensboro, states Co-Owner and Managing Partner of K&B Management, Dr. Bill Kortesis. When we do an acquisition like this, there is a synergistic effect. It is not just us taking over a new practice, there is much more happening than us just taking over a practice.

K&B Management was founded by Dr. Kortesis and Dr. Bharti with the intention of driving healthcare innovation for aesthetic practices through state-of-the-art experiences and top-tier offerings. This recent acquisition comes as a strategic mid-year plan to continue to provide solutions to practices looking to grow and enhance their service offerings.

After many years of knowing Dr. Kortesis and Dr. Bharti, I have garnered profound respect for their cutting-edge surgery, dedication to research and education, and most importantly, the highest level of patient care, states Dr. Barber. I look forward to being a part of their great practice and offering the residents of the Triad the latest procedures in plastic surgery performed in a safe and confidential setting at HKB Greensboro.

K&B Management began their acquisition strategy early last year with the aim of bringing exponential change into existing practices in terms of structure, technology, and operations, as well as by learning from current practices and plastic surgeons. The synergistic effect through such strategic acquisitions is part of K&B Managements forward-looking goals for the remainder of 2021.

K&B represents locations in Huntersville, Concord, Charlotte, and now Greensboro, North Carolina. Our aim is simple. To provide state of the art care to our aesthetic patients and to ultimately help our team and patients achieve our personal best, comments Founding Partner, Dr. Gaurav Bharti MD, FACS.

The Barber Center for Plastic Surgery is located at 1591 Yanceyville St, Greensboro, NC 27405. More information can be found at http://www.barberplasticsurgery.com.

K&B Management

K&B Management, founded in 2019 by renowned plastic surgeons, Dr. Bill Kortesis MD, FACS, and Dr. Gaurav Bharti MD, FACS, offers strategic growth and consulting services to practices and providers in the medical aesthetic space. Charlotte-based with a national reach, K&B Management aims to facilitate the highest standard of aesthetic medicine by bridging the gap between providers and the industry. Through K&B Managements innovative, tactical approach, each provider has the means to thrive and deliver optimal patient experiences.

Bill Kortesis MD, FACS

Dr. Bill Kortesis is a Castle Connolly Top Doctor and board-certified plastic surgeon who aims to foster and spearhead the next generation of aesthetic medicine. Dr. Kortesis has made huge milestones in the future of aesthetic medicine through the investment of innovative technologies and the training of future plastic surgeons in the highest level of surgical technique. He passionately believes in the importance of utilizing digital means to provide optimal patient care while producing excellent results in the aesthetic space.

Gaurav Bharti MD, FACS

Dr. Gaurav Bharti is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has been recognized as one of the Best Plastic Surgeons of America and a Castle Connolly Top Doctor. He is highly focused on expanding the medical aesthetics space through innovative concepts to improve patient outcomes and contributing to cutting-edge advancements. As a fellow mentor to the next generation of aesthetic providers, he makes numerous efforts to use education and collaboration as an influential speaker in the industry.

The Barber Center for Plastic Surgery

The Barber Center for Plastic Surgery was established in 2004 by Dr. Byron Barber and is committed to providing patients with individualized care and attention in a safe and confidential setting. The practice offers a state-of-the-art surgical facility with an on-site surgical suite and post-anesthesia care unit that is fully accredited by the AAAHC.

William Byron Barber II

William Byron Barber II is regarded as one of the most prominent plastic surgeons in his specialty. Dr. Barber is a strong advocate of patient education regarding surgical procedures being considered by a patient and educates patients regarding expectations and realistic results. He has also served as a consultant in plastic surgery at the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Labor & Employment (L&E) Shareholder Kelly Dobbs Bunting of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP opened her term today as the newly appointed employer co-chair of the American Bar Associations Labor and Employment Sections International Labor and Employment Law Committee. Bunting is the first female management co-chair of the committee, which is one of 14 standing committees for this ABA section and serves thousands of members.

The appointment is the latest ABA leadership position for Bunting, who has co-chaired the sections Membership Development and Engagement Committee as well as its Revenue and Partnership Development Committee. She also has served as a track coordinator for the sections annual conference. The membership of this ABA section includes attorneys who represent management, unions, plaintiffs, and the government, among others.

An accomplished litigator, Bunting co-chairs the firms Workforce Compliance & Counseling Group. She handles a variety of employment litigation and counseling matters on behalf of employers around the world, including wage and hour class and collective actions; discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and whistleblower litigation; non-competition, non-solicitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and compliance issues; and L&E due diligence, employment, and secondment agreements.

Buntings committee leadership appointment runs until Aug. 31, 2023 and her work will focus on guiding her peers through a full range of international legal issues, incorporating a wide variety of substantive perspectives on labor relations and employment law. A frequent speaker, she has assembled and presented on international panels that provided updates on laws and regulations on sex harassment and discrimination in the workplace in China, South Africa, South America, Central America, the United States, and the European Union.

Most recently, Bunting co-presented at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Talent Conference & Expo 2021, held last month in Las Vegas. Her "Social Justice in the Workplace: Corporate Responsibility and Compliance" presentation reviewed do's and don'ts of these corporate initiatives, the impact on employee recruiting and retention, and possible legal implications  including potential discrimination claims and affirmative action issues.

About Greenberg Traurigs Labor & Employment Practice: Greenberg Traurigs Global Labor & Employment Practice serves clients from offices throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Members of the practice have had numerous trial wins and are frequently called upon to oversee complex, bet-the-company, and large high-stake cases, including nationwide class and collective actions. On the labor side, a leading group of lawyers regularly represents management with labor-relations matters. Labor & Employment team members assist clients with complex employment issues, and design practical, initiative-taking strategies that can be readily implemented by todays human resources professionals. In addition, the practice is recognized by Chambers & Partners USA for Labor & Employment, Nationwide and The Legal 500 United States in the areas of Labor and Employment Litigation, Labor-Management Relations, ERISA Litigation, Workplace & Employment Counseling, and Trade Secrets Litigation.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has approximately 2,200 attorneys in 40 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. The firm is net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage and Mansfield Rule 3.0 Certified. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com
King Bostons Center for Economic Justice will be the epicenter for research to support action-oriented solutions to end economic and social disparities

King Boston today announced its research agenda for the Center for Economic Justice, grounded in community engagement and aimed at generating the data and knowledge needed to inform movements at the grassroots level and beyond. This will be the blueprint for what will ultimately become a research institute, shaped in partnership with community groups, coalitions, and other stakeholders.

King Bostons Center for Economic Justice will be the epicenter for research to support action-oriented solutions to end economic and social disparities, said Imari Paris Jeffries, Executive Director of King Boston. We are turning a moment into a movement while establishing an institution that investigates, collects and evaluates new and ongoing policies and proposals. Together, with our community partners, legislators and stakeholders, we will transform the future of the Commonwealth.

King Boston is tracking municipal, state and federal antiracism and equity legislation along with litigation across specific impact areas  wealth, housing, racial equity and public education  to build a database that will equip grassroots movements with key strategic insights. While taking a quantitative approach, in-depth interviews of key players and analysis of specific proposals in these impact areas will generate qualitative learnings to more robustly shape these efforts.

King Boston is also crafting a Harm Report to inform local and Massachusetts efforts in passing reparations legislation and other policies of comparable impact. Beyond well-informed political strategy, an essential element of reparations proposals is a careful documenting of the specific past and ongoing state-sanctioned discriminatory policies and harms that will shape the kind of redress being offered.

This report will serve as a focal point for ongoing community conversations about reparations, and will provide legislators with a menu of options to consider for redress. King Boston is working with a cross-disciplinary team of scholars to aggregate and summarize the local and state data across seven impact areas: housing, transportation, income and wealth, criminal and legal, education, health, and culture and symbols.

Reparations for slavery and ongoing discrimination is one current application of our work, including tracking policy proposals across the federal level, all 50 states, and 700 municipalities, said Dr. April Khadijah Inniss, Director of Community Engaged Research of King Boston. Were eager to develop, execute and lead King Bostons advocacy and legislative agenda to find the power of community-engaged research.

Preliminary analyses show a substantial uptick in reparations proposals in 2021, which confirms that now is the time to coalesce around strategy to enhance the chances of passing reparations legislation at all levels of government, specifically at the city and state levels, added Jeffries.

In July 2021, King Boston hired Dr. Inniss to build and lead the development of the organizations research agendas and accompanying work plans, working in conjunction with the Jeffries, Deputy Director Tammy Tai, King Boston Advisory Board members, and cross-sector partners.

About King Boston

Founded in 2017, King Boston is a nonprofit with a mission of honoring the legacy of Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through The Embrace memorial in the Boston Commons, while addressing economic and racial inequities. Collectively, the work is intended to inspire change and activate social justice values towards the realization of a radically equitable and inclusive Boston by 2030, the Citys 400th birthday. Over the next 24-months, the organizations three-pronged approach will build and invest in cultural representations, such as The Embrace; 2) engage in research, policy development and community organizing towards solutions for economic justice in our Center for Economic Justice; and 3) launch Embrace Ideas, a community-wide arts and culture engagement series leading towards an inaugural annual festival planned for June 2022.
The Legends Longhorn Sale & Futurity, Texas longhorn industry's biggest fall sale & futurity event, returns to Duncan, OK on September 17-18, 2021 at the Stephens County Fair and Expo Center. The absolute best in Texas Longhorn genetics will be represented. The event is open to all to experience. Included in the event will be 25 of the top female longhorn heifers in the world on Friday, September 17 and 62 Texas longhorn cows with the most desired genetics anywhere on Saturday, Sept 18. In addition to the shows and sales, the weekend will also feature speakers and presentations regarding cattle health and nutrition.

Please find the full event schedule below:

Friday, Sept 17



All day cattle viewing

7:00 AM: Female futurity

1:00 PM: Merck Animal Health

2:00 PM: Two Bulls Mineral

3:30 PM: Heifer Awards

3:30 PM: Cocktails

5:30 PM: Legends Heifer Sale

Meal and live music to follow sale

Saturday, Sept 18

8:00 AM: Bull futurity begins

10:00 AM: Paragon Cattle Services

1:00 PM: Bull Futurity Awards & Viewing

1:30 PM: Breeders Roundtable

3:30 PM: Cocktails

4:30 PM: Legends Sale

Post-civil war, the Texas Longhorns were driven up the trail and then shipped back East via the railroad. In this amount of time, the breed was almost driven to extinction. With large English influence breed of cattle being integrated into the country for heavier carcasses and better average daily gains continued to hold the Texas Longhorns at bey. There were a handful of ranches that saw the importance of preserving this iconic breed and worked to save them. These 7 families are still recognized and their breed registry with all lines of cattle tracing back to them. In 1964, the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America was founded in Lawton, OK, which was later moved to Fort Worth, TX where it remains today.

The name for this event reflects the Legends that not only help preserve this breed, but also the Pioneers of yesteryear that helped build a fantastic nation that we still hold near and dear to our heart. It is with pride that we protect and preserve the legacy of a breed, the individuals that built it, and of a nation.

To view the online catalog for the event, please visit the Legends Longhorn Sale & Futurity online at https://www.facebook.com/LegendsSaleandFuturity/.
We are excited to leverage Orions PTT 2.0 collaboration technology to connect each member of our team as they work to put pet parents and their pets first, said David Liss, Chief Operating Officer of LAASER.

Orion Labs, Inc., the leading voice-first, intelligent collaboration platform that empowers deskless workers, today announced Los Angeles Animal Specialty Emergency and Rehabilitation (LAASER) selected Orion to provide team communication and support for organizational productivity in a dynamic veterinary environment.

LAASER is an integrative specialty medical center in Glassell Park, CA (Los Angeles) offering the community a broad array of services in a brand new, state-of-the-art facility. The facility currently provides 24/7 emergency care, internal medicine, critical care, rehabilitation/integrative medicine, and advanced diagnostics and procedures.

Opening its doors in mid-September 2021, LAASER is committed to incorporating the latest, most advanced technology to best serve its team members and customers. The clinic selected Orions voice-first, multimodal collaboration platform, which allows their staff to communicate with voice, text, photos, videos, and files on their smartphone devices. LAASER will also use Orions Onyx devices, a smart push-to-talk (PTT) wearable, enabling staff to stay heads up and hands free. All staff will have real-time access to veterinarians, registered veterinary technicians, assistants, and front desk personnel at all times.

We are excited to leverage Orions PTT 2.0 collaboration technology to connect each member of our team as they work to put pet parents and their pets first, said David Liss, Chief Operating Officer of LAASER. Our veterinary staff need Orions always-on, voice-first communication to provide the highest quality of care while overseeing the efficient operation of exam rooms and equipment. Orion ensures our staff is connected, compliant, and safe  no matter where they are.

LAASER staff will use Orions high-quality audio PTT 2.0 to communicate with unlimited dynamic group creation, 1:1 talk modes, and instant mass communication capabilities. Orions intelligent language translation workflows will translate between English and Spanish so each staff member receives communications in their native language. Orions PTT 2.0 platform translates over 60 languages ensuring workers are always understood and informed.

Orions intelligent collaboration platform supports frontline workforces in dynamic, complex industries such as transportation, logistics, retail, health care, hospitality and more as they implement digital transformation strategies to take frontline communication into the future, said Greg Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of Orion. Orion is the ideal communication and collaboration solution to support LAASERs new cutting-edge facility and their complex, dynamic operations. I am pleased to welcome LAASER as Orions newest veterinary medicine customer.

About Orion Labs, Inc.

Orion is the leading voice-first, intelligent collaboration platform that empowers deskless workers by enabling real-time team communication, process automation, location mapping, and access to enterprise systems to improve workforce productivity, safety and compliance, and customer engagement.

Orion was recently named a Top 10 Intelligent Transport Systems Solution Provider for 2021 by Logistics and Transportation Review, a Top 10 Industrial IoT Solution Provider 2020 by Manufacturing Technology Insights, and an IDC Innovator. Orion holds 28 patents that support its award-winning solutions. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by leading investors. For more information, visit http://www.orionlabs.io.

Stay in touch with Orion | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Blog

Media contact:

Jacqueline Wasem

Orion Labs, Inc.

415-800-5467

press@orionlabs.io
2021 Detroit award recipient badge Today, we celebrate this distinguished group of consultants who work tirelessly to keep costs low and support employers during one of the most impactful decisions they have to make as a company

Mployer Advisor, the leading independent platform for employers to research, review and evaluate insurance brokers, is pleased to announce the Detroit areas recipients of its inaugural Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for 2021. Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Award Program evaluates brokers based on industry experience, company size, online ratings and reviews and recognizes esteemed brokers that demonstrate market-leading competencies and a proven track record of success among employers, insurance providers and peers.

Who an employer chooses as their insurance broker has significantly more impact on the cost and quality of their benefit plan than who they chose as their insurance carrier, said Brian Freeman of Mployer Advisor. We are proud to honor this distinct group of insurance consultants who have demonstrated a wide range of experience and positive employer feedback on service and quality. For too long, the industry has been dependent on referrals and existing relationships to select insurance advisors. With Mployer Advisor, we now celebrate this distinguished group of consultants who work tirelessly to keep costs low and support employers during one of the most impactful decisions they have to make as a company.

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI area is one of the most competitive job markets in the U.S. Midwest, employing approximately 2 million people with a slightly lower unemployment rate than the rest of the country. Offering industry-leading, competitive employee benefits is a critical factor in hiring and engaging top talent for employers in the Detroit area. Finding and partnering with a highly rated insurance consultant is imperative to retaining talent in any market.

The recipients of the 2021 Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for the Detroit area as follows:



AssuredPartners

Strategic Services Group

Employee Benefit Services Group

The Timberland Group

Gallagher Insurance, Risk Management & Consulting

Wilshire Benefits Group

HUB International

Marsh & McLennan

The above winners are a brief snapshot of Mployer Advisors matrices and proprietary M Score on June 30, 2021. To determine award winners, Mployer Advisor analyzed each brokerage based on historical data, business experience across employer size, industry and products, as well as relevant online ratings and reviews from employers across several platforms.

To view a full list of consultants in the Detroit area, visit MployerAdvisor.com.

About Mployer Advisor:

Mployer Advisor is changing the way employers search, evaluate and select insurance advisors. The intuitive platform connects employers and employees to great benefits and insurance plans by providing employers with actionable data to easily evaluate and select the best advisor for a companys specific needs. Most brokerages have a profile on Mployer Advisor, which provides independent ratings of insurance advisors to support employers. Insurance brokers cannot pay to influence their Mployer Advisor rating. Only highly rated brokerages are allowed to advertise on the platform. To learn more about Mployer Advisor, visit https://mployeradvisor.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: Rankings are dynamic, and this report may not reflect the rankings currently listed on Mployer Advisors website. Since Mployer Advisors research is ongoing, interested companies that want to join next years list are encouraged to claim their free profile on Mployer Advisor.

Media Contact:

Jacob Westfall (Public Relations Consultant)

Jacob.Westfall@mployeradvisor.com
2021 Nashville award recipient badge We are proud to honor this distinct group of insurance consultants who have demonstrated a wide range of experience and positive employer feedback on service and quality.

Mployer Advisor, the leading independent platform for employers to research, review and evaluate insurance brokers, is pleased to announce the Nashville-based recipients of its inaugural Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for 2021. Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Award Program evaluates brokers based on industry experience, company size, online ratings and reviews and recognizes esteemed brokers that demonstrate market-leading competencies and a proven track record of success among employers, insurance providers and peers.

Who an employer chooses as their insurance broker has significantly more impact on the cost and quality of their benefit plan than who they chose as their insurance carrier, said Brian Freeman of Mployer Advisor. We are proud to honor this distinct group of insurance consultants who have demonstrated a wide range of experience and positive employer feedback on service and quality. For too long, the industry has been dependent on referrals and existing relationships to select insurance advisors. With Mployer Advisor, we now celebrate this distinguished group of consultants who work tirelessly to keep costs low and support employers during one of the most impactful decisions they have to make as a company.

The Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN area is one of the most competitive job markets in the U.S. Southeast, employing nearly 1.1 million people with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Offering industry-leading, competitive employee benefits is a critical factor in hiring and engaging top talent for employers in the Nashville area. Finding and partnering with a highly rated insurance consultant is imperative to retaining talent in any market.

The recipients of the 2021 Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for the Nashville area as follows:



Alera Group

HUB International

Brown & Brown of Tennessee

Lockton

CBIZ

LBMC Employment Partners

Gallagher Insurance, Risk Management & Consulting

McKnight Advisory Group

Group Benefit Systems, Inc.

USI Insurance Services

Houchens Insurance Group

The above winners are a brief snapshot of Mployer Advisors matrices and proprietary M Score on June 30, 2021. To determine award winners, Mployer Advisor analyzed each brokerage based on historical data, business experience across employer size, industry and products, as well as relevant online ratings and reviews from employers across several platforms.

To view a full list of consultants in the Nashville area, visit MployerAdvisor.com.

About Mployer Advisor:

Mployer Advisor is changing the way employers search, evaluate and select insurance advisors. The intuitive platform connects employers and employees to great benefits and insurance plans by providing employers with actionable data to easily evaluate and select the best advisor for a companys specific needs. Most brokerages have a profile on Mployer Advisor, which provides independent ratings of insurance advisors to support employers. Insurance brokers cannot pay to influence their Mployer Advisor rating. Only highly rated brokerages are allowed to advertise on the platform. To learn more about Mployer Advisor, visit https://mployeradvisor.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: Rankings are dynamic, and this report may not reflect the rankings currently listed on Mployer Advisors website. Since Mployer Advisors research is ongoing, interested companies that want to join next years list are encouraged to claim their free profile on Mployer Advisor.

Media Contact:

Jacob Westfall (Public Relations Consultant)

Jacob.Westfall@mployeradvisor.com
NEDHSA Deploys Personnel, Resources to Support Hurricane Ida Evacuees at Civic Center "Our regional obligations will not change nor be neglected; however, we understand our brothers and sisters from south Louisiana also need us," Dr. Sizer said.

Northeast Delta Human Services Authority (NEDHSA) has deployed personnel and resources to support the City of Monroe's evacuation and sheltering efforts of those impacted by Hurricane Ida from south Louisiana. The City of Monroe has welcomed hundreds of evacuees since Sunday's hurricane event. After assessment of the needs of the individuals, NEDHSA determined it was best to activate its personnel and resources for those individuals who have mental health, addictive disorder, developmental disability, and other wellness needs.

NEDHSA Executive Director Dr. Monteic A. Sizer said the agency is working to "meet crisis on two fronts."

"Our regional obligations will not change nor be neglected; however, we understand our brothers and sisters from south Louisiana also need us," Dr. Sizer said. "They have complex needs and will require complex solutions just like the people we serve in our region, and we are committed to serving as many as our resources allow."

NEDHSA will provide clinical staff to serve the mentally ill and persons with addictive disorders, as well as agency supplies to the evacuees to help mitigate shelter agitation and minimize further deterioration of those with behavioral health needs. NEDHSA will provide coloring books, stress balls, plastic cups, and brochures for the evacuation site. NEDHSA's Office of Prevention & Wellness will also provide training to those who are working the shelter and leave four Narcan kits on site.

Sizer added, "Much more state capacity will be required to help manage this potential human services crisis in our region, but we want to show that we are one people with a common need. We are in this together. We will rise from Hurricane Ida's impact on our communities. No storm can hold the spirit of a people down. We may get knocked down, but we will lift our heads and rise from the ashes like the phoenix."

For individuals in a crisis regarding behavioral health, call the NEDHSA 24/7 Crisis Line at 800-256-2522. For individuals who have developmental disabilities, call the NEDHSA Waiver Service Help Line at 800-660-0488.

Other behavioral health immediate resources are as follows:


Nova offers housing and care for our most vulnerable population. We are proud of this new development, the first to be completed by Affirmed Housing in the City of Oakland. States Jim Silverwood, President & CEO Affirmed Housing.

Oakland, CA., August 31 2021, Affirmed Housing completes supportive housing community in the city of Oakland. Already 100% occupied, the housing first community offers wrap around, on-site services by Lifelong Medical Care for 56 formerly homeless individuals. Celebrated by a virtual event, guest speakers included Mayor Libby Schaaf, Affirmed Housing President Jim Silverwood, Matt Grosz of Red Stone Equity Partners, James Vossoughi of Chase, Saleemah Jones with Alameda County HCD and the project architect Padru Kang of Dahlin Group Architecture with a message from Alameda County Supervisor, Keith Carson.

A 40-million-dollar development, the stylish yet practical building was designed by award winning architect, Dahlin Group. Funding sources include The City of Oakland, AHP, Federal and State tax credit equity, Chase, Red Stone Equity Partners, and measure A1 funds by way of Alameda County. A timely completion, despite a global pandemic, the property is located in a prime location in proximity to medical care, public transit and more. Built on an 11,000 sq ft property, the 6-story building is the epitome of sustainable housing.

Nova offers housing and care for our most vulnerable population. California has become a state that is severely lacking in suitable, safe and supportive housing. We are proud of this new development, the first to be completed by Affirmed Housing in the City of Oakland. States Jim Silverwood, President & CEO Affirmed Housing.

It is projects like this that are actually helping our very most vulnerable. People who are struggling with medical and mental disabilities who need our help the most, who deserve to live in dignity in a beautiful space where they can go to bed at night in peace and quiet and security. City of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf

The need for affordable housing is ongoing throughout Oakland and the Bay Area, and were committed to working with industry leaders like Affirmed Housing to help bring safe and affordable places to live to the surrounding community, said Cecile Chalifour, West Division manager for Chase's Community Development Banking group. Nova is providing local formerly homeless individuals with affordable housing opportunities and the supportive services they need.

Bringing NOVA to completion through a global pandemic has made a notable project even more remarkable. The drive by the entire team to move this project forward through adversity demonstrates an unwavering commitment to delivering vital, transformative resources for people who need them. Padru Kang, Dahlin Group

To view the grand opening, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-DTpc7Z_ec

Headquartered in San Diego, Affirmed Housing is dedicated to improving and sustaining the viability of California through the development of affordable housing. The company aims at enhancing communities and our environment by building professionally-managed, high-quality, green, multifamily housing. Areas of expertise include site selection, engineering, architecture, construction, relocation, and marketing. Affirmed also has extensive knowledge in public finance, low-income housing tax credits, and tax-exempt bond financing. For more information, visit http://www.affirmedhousing.com

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We cant build the next decade of open source-powered infrastructure in isolation. Collaboration among adjacent communities working on open infrastructure is essential to delivering integrated solutions that can be safely deployed in production.

The Open Infrastructure (OpenInfra) Foundation today announced five inaugural members of its new Associate Member category. Boston University, CERN, Open Source Business Alliance - Federal Association for Digital Sovereignty, OW2 and SODA Foundation form the initial group of Associate Members. This new category of Foundation members was added by the OpenInfra Foundation board to recognize and collaborate more closely with academic and public research institutions and non-profit organizations that use, build or sustain open infrastructure. Check out the full list of participating organizations and learn how your organization can join to support the global OpenInfra community.

Boston University works closely with the OpenInfra Foundation via the OpenInfra Labs project, and has recently announced the Open Research Cloud Initiative. Participating as an Associate Member in the OpenInfra Foundation is a natural step by which Boston University will strengthen its collaboration with the Foundation and deepen its investment in open-source-powered infrastructure.

The Open Research Cloud Initiative brings researchers and open source developers together to develop open source systems at scale, and provides a rapid path for integration of research ideas into upstream software and production, said Michael Daitzman, Director of Product Development for the Mass Open Cloud (MOC), a collaborative project hosted at the Boston University Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering. Boston Universitys membership in the OpenInfra Foundation will enable the innovation that comes from close interaction between academic researchers, developers in the open source community, and operators of production cloud services.

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is one of the world's largest and most respected centres for scientific research. Physicists and engineers at CERN use the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments to study the basic constituents of matter and understand the fundamental structure and origins of the universe.

CERN has been contributing to the Open Infrastructure community since 2013 and sharing our experiences with running large scale computing services, said Tim Bell, Compute and Monitoring group leader, CERN IT department. We have greatly appreciated collaborating with other members of the community as we look to address the extreme computing challenges of the LHC programme."

Open Source Business Alliance - Federal Association for Digital Sovereignty is a German industry association working to establish open source as the standard in public procurement, in research and business development. It hosts the Sovereign Cloud Stack (SCS) project, a manufacturer-independent, free, federatable cloud stack built with the Gaia-X cloud framework in mind.

"The SCS project is an important contribution to digital sovereignty" said Peter Ganten, Chair of the OSB Alliance. It is built on top of great existing, proven open source technologies, many of which are developed by the great communities supported and hosted by the Open Infrastructure Foundation. Therefore, we are delighted to formalize our partnership with the Open Infrastructure Foundation. Together, we will continue to work closely to help open source projects collaborate and jointly build standards for an open infrastructure that enables digital sovereignty.

The mission of OW2 is to promote a code base of open source software for corporate information systems, including middleware, generic business applications and cloud computing platforms. Its been a long-term partner of the Open Infrastructure Foundation, and the Associate membership confirms this engagement to build the next decade of open infrastructure together.

OW2 and the Open Infrastructure Foundation share the same vision and passion for openness in software development. It is with great pleasure that we join the Foundations inaugural class of Associate Members said Cedric Thomas, CEO of OW2. We look forward to leveraging our friendly relationship through joint initiatives working hand in hand to deliver professional and market-ready open source software and facilitate its mainstream adoption by corporate decision makers.

The SODA Foundation, previously OpenSDS, hosts the SODA Open Data Framework for data mobility from edge to core to cloud. The SODA Foundation is part of the Linux Foundation and includes both open source software and standards to support the increasing need for data autonomy.

"Growing an open ecosystem for data and storage with industry partners is imperative to SODA Foundation, said Steven Tan, chairman, SODA Foundation and VP & CTO of Cloud Solutions at Futurewei. Joining OpenInfra Foundation strengthens our open ecosystem commitment, and allows us to work closely on projects, marketing, and other efforts to advance open data & storage infrastructure together."

We cant build the next decade of open source-powered infrastructure in isolation. Collaboration among adjacent communities working on open infrastructure is essential to delivering integrated solutions that can be safely deployed in production, said Thierry Carrez, vice president of engineering at the OpenInfra Foundation. The innovative data storage solutions developed at SODA Foundation, the alignment of missions with OW2, and the focus on the role of open source in digital sovereignty at OSB Alliance are important components of this landscape. We also wanted to recognize our long-standing collaboration with CERN on OpenStack and BU on OpenInfra Labs. We could not have selected more ideal Associate Members for our inaugural class, as the group touches on each of the major themes we seek to advance through this new membership category.

Check out the full list of participating organizations and learn how your organization can join to support the global OpenInfra community.

**OpenInfra Live: Programmed for the Community, by the Community**

OpenInfra Live streams every Thursday at 14:00 UTC (9:00 AM CT) on the OpenInfra Foundation YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook channels. Upcoming episodes will feature Open Source 101, opportunities to connect hiring organizations with active community members, cross-project integration and collaboration stories, and timely topics like data sovereignty and artificial intelligence (AI). Tune in to OpenInfra Live each week. Past episodes are free and on demand, and community members can contribute programming ideas. Email community@openinfra.dev for sponsorship information or to contribute show topics ideas.

**OpenInfra Community Hosts OpenStack Days and OpenInfra Days Worldwide**

OpenInfra communities are planning one- and two-day OpenStack and OpenInfra Days events, bringing together hundreds of IT executives, cloud operators and technology providers to discuss cloud, edge, AI/ML and more. These regional events are a great opportunity to hear from prominent open infrastructure leaders, hear user stories and network with local OpenInfra communities. Learn how you can attend or host an OpenInfra or OpenStack Day event in your area.

**Next Virtual Project Teams Gathering: October 18-22**

The Project Teams Gathering (PTG) is the OpenInfra communitys developer-focused event. Various technical community groups working on OpenInfra projects meet to exchange ideas, plan, set priorities, assign work, collaborate across various open source projects and make fast progress on critical, common issues. Register here for the Virtual PTG, October 18-22.

**About the Open Infrastructure Foundation**

The OpenInfra Foundation builds communities that write open source infrastructure software that runs in production. With the support of over 110,000 individuals in 187 countries, the OpenInfra Foundation hosts open source projects and communities of practice, including infrastructure for AI, container native apps, edge computing and datacenter clouds. Join the OpenInfra movement: http://www.openinfra.dev
Im confident that they will bring unparalleled ideas, innovation, and strategy to our team and will further propel our company to being one of the leading multifamily developers in Arizona."

P.B. Bell, a leader in multifamily housing development and management, has expanded its team by welcoming two new employees and promoting another.

Marissa D. Worley has been promoted to vice president, focusing on executing P.B. Bells accounting operations, including overseeing the day-to-day accounting functions for corporate, development, and third-party-owned assets, managing internal and external property audits, and tax coordination of company-owned assets. In addition, Worley is responsible for maintaining an adequate system of accounting records and a comprehensive set of controls and budgets designed to mitigate risk and enhance the accuracy of the firms reported financial results. She joined P.B. Bell in 2018, bringing 13 years of accounting experience. Prior to joining the multifamily industry, Worley worked in homebuilding, manufacturing, and staffing. She holds a Bachelor of Accountancy and Master of Accountancy from New Mexico State University, is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA).

Alex Popovic has been hired as the director of land acquisition at P.B. Bell. He is responsible for identifying, sourcing, and coordinating land acquisitions for future multifamily and build-to-rent P.B. Bell developments. Before joining the team, Popovic was the vice president of development for a local multifamily development firm where he oversaw and managed the buildout of over 1,200 multifamily units, and he also founded and ran a commercial real estate brokerage company. He received a Bachelor of Science from American Military University in business management and entrepreneurship and his Master of Real Estate Development from Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of Business.

Anne Healy has been hired as the director of development, who is responsible for managing the entitlement process and receipt of permits for all development projects. Healy works closely with the land acquisition and construction teams at P.B. Bell to ensure that each project stays on schedule and within budget, is well-designed, and is of the luxury quality that P.B. Bell is known for.

Healy received her B.A. in Architecture from Lehigh University and her Master of Real Estate Development from Arizona State University. She has more than 15 years of experience in real estate and development, beginning in sales and management, and transitioning to development and finance after completion of her Masters Degree. Before joining P.B. Bell, Healy was VP of development at Cardon Development Group and a senior associate at Ambrose Capital Group.

Its always exciting to expand our team, but when we can bring in and promote industry leaders like these three, it elevates our excitement, said R. Chapin Bell, CEO of P.B. Bell. Im confident that they will bring unparalleled ideas, innovation, and strategy to our team and will further propel our company to being one of the leading multifamily developers in Arizona.

P.B. Bell recently celebrated 45-years in Arizona, serving as one of the states leading multifamily development and management companies. Its growth in portfolio and team continues to expand in 2021. For career opportunities, visit https://pbbell.com/careers/.

For more information about P.B. Bell, please visit http://www.pbbell.com.

About P.B. Bell

P.B. Bell specializes in the development and management of multifamily housing communities in Arizona. Based in Scottsdale, P.B. Bell has provided multifamily services throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area since 1976 and remains family-owned. Committed to quality product and service, P.B. Bells portfolio includes Class A, B, and, C products and its clientele range from global investment firms to individual owners. As a leader in the multifamily housing industry, P.B. Bell has earned multiple awards for its design, development, and management services. For more information, visit http://www.pbbell.com or call 480.951.2222.
Paymerang, a Richmond-based, industry leading finance automation company, provides simple solutions to antiquated accounts payable processing operations, helping banks become more efficient, secure and profitable. The company has announced a new strategic partnership with Community Bank Services, a subsidiary of the North Carolina Bankers Association (NCBA).

By using modern products such as Paymerangs Payment Automation (https://www.paymerang.com/blog/payment-automation-bring-accounts-payable-into-the-modern-age/) and Invoice Automation (https://www.paymerang.com/schedule-an-invoice-automation-demo/), banks are able to save hundreds of hours that used to be spent on manual tasks, and now reallocate those resources to more strategic initiatives.

With this partnership, Paymerang (https://www.paymerang.com/) joins a network of companies that provide financial applications and solutions that enhance North Carolina Bankers Associations (https://www.ncbankers.org/) offerings in new ways.

"The endorsed partnership with Community Bank Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the NCBA, allows Paymerang's finance automation solutions to be made available to a growing banking sector that is thirsting for new efficiencies, increased protection from 21st century security threats, and helps to power the association's mission of strong banks and strong communities, said Christopher Carlton, Business Development Account Executive at Paymerang.

NCBA members will be able to streamline their payment process with a few simple clicks. This partnership will allow banks to automate the entire vendor payment process. With the touch of a button, they can automatically pay all invoices. Paymerang makes the payments and handles all the reconciliation, ensuring that payments are processed and paid to the correct accounts. They no longer need to print and mail checks or chase uncashed payments. This simple process change allows banks to refocus efforts away from payment processing and reconciliation to more strategic priorities like operational efficiency and financial controls.

Additionally, NCBA members can expedite their invoice process by gaining immediate visibility to all invoices and their approval status, along with enabling banks to go paperless due to electronic processing and archiving. Paymerangs Invoice Automation solution utilizes artificial intelligence to read captured invoices and extract data points which minimizes the amount of manual data entry. The product increases workflow efficiency through the ability to electronically route and approve invoices. Invoices can be ingested in bulk and split appropriately after they are loaded, thus cutting down on time spent inputting invoices into the system. All actions taken on a given invoice are captured and documented, providing an electronic audit trail.

Paymerang's core values align with the core values of the NCBA and the partnership is a fusion of two mission-driven organizations said Kim Hutchens, President of Community Bank Services.

The solutions will be made available to all members of NCBA, which consists of over 80 banks.

More about Paymerang and North Carolina Bankers Association

Paymerang

Paymerang provides award-winning invoice and payment automation solutions that bring Accounts Payable (AP) departments into the modern age. Paymerang's solutions save AP departments hundreds of hours annually, enhance visibility, increase accuracy, improve efficiency, and earn rebates while reducing paper, fraud risks, and operating costs. To learn more, visit Paymerang.com.

North Carolina Bankers Association

The North Carolina Bankers Association brings together all categories of banking institutions that best represent the interests of their rapidly changing state. Proudly serving North Carolinas banking industry since 1897, the NCBA is the professional trade organization providing advocacy, leadership and support for its dynamic membership base. For more information, visit ncbankers.org.
The flexibility of revenue-based funding is so important to a growing company such as Pillow Cube because it provides funding for growth without requiring us to give up control or take on the expensive overhead of equity financing. - Jay Davis (CEO, Pillow Cube)

Pillow Cube Inc., creator of innovative pillows that meet the needs of the 63 percent of Americans who sleep on their sides, has landed a significant investment from Decathlon Capital Partners to support its further expansion.

The multi-million-dollar, revenue-based investment package will support product development, marketing and inventory purchases by fast-growing Pillow Cube.

Headquartered in Lindon, Utah, Pillow Cube has seen rapid consumer adoption of its two initial products since they were introduced less than two years ago. It has followed that achievement with successful introduction of lines of pillow cases as well as child-sized pillows.

Our original Pillow Cube and our larger Pillow Cube Pro clearly have helped hundreds of thousands of side-sleepers get a better nights sleep, said Jay Davis, the chief executive officer of Pillow Cube. Were pleased that this revenue-based funding from Decathlon Capital Partners will allow us to use our sleep-technology expertise to develop even more products and deliver our message to even more consumers.

Matthew Hoffman, vice president of Decathlon Capital Partners, said Pillow Cubes growth reflects its product-development expertise as well as the marketing prowess of its executive team, which has quickly established significant distribution through digital and traditional retail channels.

Nothing is more important to consumers than a good nights sleep, Hoffman said. With successful product introductions and a pipeline of future products, Pillow Cube has become the clear market leader in sleep technology.

The companys growth funding package is structured as a revenue-based financing arrangement, meaning no equity or ownership was exchanged for growth capital. Instead, the investment will be repaid through Pillow Cubes future revenue.

Davis said the revenue-based funding provided by Decathlon Capital is a key component in the next phase of Pillow Cubes development. The flexibility of revenue-based funding is so important to a growing company such as Pillow Cube because it provides funding for growth without requiring us to give up control or take on the expensive overhead of equity financing, he said.

About Pillow Cube Inc.

Founded in 2019 by Jay Davis, a serial entrepreneur and viral marketing expert, Pillow Cube Inc. develops and markets innovative sleep-technology products. Headquartered in Lindon, Utah, Pillow Cube Inc. has worked closely with consumers to develop its Pillow Cube, Pillow Cube Pro and Pillow Cub product lines, as well as accessories such as pillow cases. Learn more at https://www.pillowcube.com/

About Decathlon Capital Partners

Decathlon Capital Partners provides growth capital for companies seeking alternatives to traditional equity investment. Through the use of highly customized revenue-based financing solutions, Decathlon provides long-term growth capital without the dilution, loss of control and operational overhead that often comes with equity-based funding. With offices in Palo Alto and Park City, Decathlon is the largest revenue-based funding investor in the U.S. and is active across a wide range of sectors. Learn more at http://www.decathloncapital.com.
MPress Records has just released "Passenger", the second track from Poetica, a spoken-word concept album conceived, produced, and engineered by 6-time Independent Music Award winner Rachael Sage. The track premiered in PopWrapped (US) and Music News (UK). With its roots planted firmly in experimental and boundary-pushing genres, Poetica is a cinematic, stylistically expansive odyssey. Its fusion of poetry with jazz, classical and Americana musical elements calls to mind such poets/musicians as Leonard Cohen, Laurie Anderson, and Patti Smith. Poeticas self-titled album releases on October 22nd.

"Passenger" is an engaging merging of poetry & blues that recalls neo-beat stylings and traditions from the 1970's (including The Doors organist Ray Manzarek's work with Michael McLure) that is also freshly embellished with a contemporary voicing. Sage's blues "touchstones" include Eric Burdon and Beth Hart (both with whom she has toured), and John Lee Hooker, who was a close friend in her college years. Featuring NYC-based Billboard-charting poet/producer Rachael Sage & Grammy nominated cellist Dave Eggar, this track from Poetica's debut brings acclaimed UK blues-rock harmonica player Will Wilde, Spooky Ghost guitarist Gerry Leonard (David Bowie) & Jack Petruzzelli (Joan Osborne) together to weave mesmerizing musical atmospheres around Sage's sensual spoken-word delivery.

Beginning as a duo collaboration under lockdown between Sage and her longtime cellist Dave Eggar (Esperanza Spalding, Duncan Sheik, Corinne Bailey Rae), Poetica soon evolved into a full-blown, cinematic spoken word album, with Sage producing and engineering the project in isolation with limited gear she happened to have with her while on tour while sending files back and forth to bandmates and guest musicians from every genre; the project was mixed by Grammy winner Andy Zulla (The Sweet Remains, Stephen Kellogg). From over 200 poems written both during and prior to lockdown, Eggar  whose parents are both poetry professors  volunteered to help Sage select the 18 spoken-word pieces that eventually comprised the album.

Sage explains, "Passenger was one of the most fun tracks to produce on 'Poetica', because I had the opportunity to collaborate with some of my very favorite musicians! I played percussion, and actually sang the bass part note-for-note as a reference track to my engineer/bassist Mikhail Pivovarov, who brought it to life more than I could have ever hoped. I met the great bluesman John Lee Hooker in my college years and we became very good friends. I kinda wish he could hear this piece...I think he would be pleasantly surprised, and also satisfied to hear his eventual influence on me, however unlikely."

Tour Dates:

9/10 - New Haven, CT - East Rock Concert Series at Never Ending Books (with Grace Pettis)

9/12 - Somerville, MA - The Burren (with Grace Pettis)

9/30 - New York, NY - Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3 (Poetica album release show)

10/2 - Beacon, NY - Towne Crier Cafe

10/14 - Chicago, IL - Uncommon Ground Lakeview

10/25 - Knoxville, TN - WDVX Blue Plate Special

10/29 - Duluth, GA - Red Clay Music Foundry

11/9 - New York, NY - The Loft At City Winery

For more information, please contact:

Jill Richmond-Johnson | jillr@mpressrecords.com | 212-481-7243
Our deep expertise in advanced analytic disciplines and methodologies powered together with our ability to uniquely customize and integrate technologies that enables deep data discovery will help PRAC to accomplish their mission while mitigating major risks.

Praescient Analytics, LLC, an innovator in data intelligence services, today announced that it has been awarded the Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to support the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE). Under the BPA, Praescient Analytics will provide innovative IT, data management and fraud, waste and abuse investigative services to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC). PRAC was established as a committee of the CIGIE by the CARES Act to ensure funds of over $5 trillion intended to support American citizens, businesses, federal programs, state and local governments affected by the pandemic are used efficiently and in accordance with the law.

The Praescient team is honored to support the 22 Inspectors General members of PRAC that are chartered with ensuring the governments response to the pandemic relief funds have been effectively and lawfully utilized, said Yvonne Soto, Chief Operating Officer and Founder at Praescient Analytics. Our deep expertise in advanced analytic disciplines and methodologies powered together with our ability to uniquely customize and integrate technologies that enables deep data discovery will help PRAC to accomplish their mission while mitigating major risks.

Praescients team created a demonstration using one of many advanced analytical techniques and methodologies to track and investigate Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) distribution activity. Applying notional data against entities receiving relief funds, the demonstration details when and where loans are delivered as well as a drill down of fraudulent purchases. Praescient provides the ability to identify trends and strategies fraudsters use to manipulate the CARES act by exposing illicit behaviors and discovering areas of waste and abuse. The full demonstration of how Praescient can be used in the fight against fraud of PPP is available here.

About Praescient Analytics

Praescient Analytics leads the industry in creating unique data intelligence solutions for the countries most critical missions across defense, intelligence, law enforcement and commercial communities. Over 40 organizations at 100 sites across five continents have relied on Praescient solutions to make mission critical and high-stakes decisions. Praescient's team of engineers, developers, data scientists and analysts turn data into actionable intelligence that saves lives, exposes fraud and targets criminal behaviors. Praescient is a woman owned small business (WOSB), founded in 2011 by former intelligence analysts, software engineers, developers and entrepreneurs and is recognized by Inc. Hire Power as one of the top employers in Virginia and as a technology innovator by SmartCEO.

Learn more about Praescient Analytics here and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Prontopia, a Santa Barbara-based human services technology start-up, is upending the gig economy by providing eldercare and travel businesses with access to a flexible and trusted local assistance workforce. This helps older adults age safely at home and allows travelers to be safe and feel welcome abroad.

Technology companies have failed to sufficiently focus on incentivizing people to work in health and human services jobs that are essential to a healthy society and economy, such as paid caregiving. Prontopia is filling these gaps with human services technology solutions that provide better care for all by putting people first.

Founder and CEO Shannon Kenny claims actual people and human interaction are missing from existing technology solutions. Prontopia is putting people back in the equation because human services are tragically hard to come by in the digital age, Kenny explained.

She claims existing providers of those incomplete solutions, in turn, are falling short for all stakeholders, including front-line workers, service-sector businesses, governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and  most importantly  those in need of caregiving and assistance services. Being there in person to offer support services is critically important for older adults and families with children, Kenny said. This includes both care needs at home and when traveling, she added.

Kenny emphasizes the virtualization of care services is simply insufficient for most people. In large part, technology companies have sacrificed human connection to minimize human effort. Kenny observed. The fact remains that there are essential areas of our economy  such as caregiving  that require investment in people as the first principal factor to succeed in filling critical service gaps today.

Prontopias people-powered mission saw a dramatic acceleration during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company initially launched in 2019 as a platform for travelers in Europe to access on-demand help from trusted local assistants. Local residents soon began using the platform for help as well, especially those over age 65. The onset of the pandemic in Italy in March 2020 led the company to adapt immediately in cooperation with local authorities to assist older adults with simple tasks at home. Those tasks included help with errands, technology troubleshooting, home organizing, pet care and companionship. Later in 2020, Prontopia expanded to California.

As labor supply shortages and service gaps during the pandemic revealed how limiting workforce issues can be to businesses in meeting their full market potential in eldercare and travel, Prontopia launched the Powered by Prontopia B2B solution in March 2021. Powered by Prontopia is a subscription-based service that allows businesses to access a flexible and trusted local assistance workforce to ensure they can meet their clients needs and expand the services they offer to meet the full extent of community caregiving and traveler support needs.

Prontopias proprietary Blue Wolf Platform utilizes seven stages of optimization in the process of identifying, recruiting, screening, onboarding, retaining, and ultimately managing local assistants. Blue Wolf converts candidates at a rate that is 17% higher than current industry alternatives by harnessing disruptive trends that are at the vanguard of transformational shifts in how people work. Prontopia local assistants are then provided with opportunities to upskill and pursue career development opportunities to become licensed caregivers or pursue skilled training in the hospitality industry.

The Prontopia team dubbed the platform Blue Wolf to honor the legacy of Kennys mother, Carolyn Kenny, in the field of indigenous womens leadership. Kenny often reflects on the significance of elder wisdom.

Technology today has gone too far in disconnecting us from the land and from each other, Kenny emphasized. We have time-hallowed stories that show us a path toward creating sustainable technology solutions that restore nature  and within nature, humanity  as the focus.

About Prontopia

Prontopia creates human services technologies that put people back into the equation. Powered by Prontopia software and recruitment solutions enable eldercare and travel businesses to access an on-demand local assistance workforce, ensuring flexible, affordable, in-person help is always just a click away for clients. Prontopia local assistants earn meaningful extra income helping older adults and travelers in their local communities, and gain access to upskilling opportunities that advance gig economy work into careers that make a difference. Prontopia is a public benefit corporation focused on fostering human connection and empathy around the globe to drive the sustainable development goals of providing decent work and economic growth, creating sustainable cities and communities, and encouraging responsible consumption and production.
The work being done as a result of the grants in this new funding cycle will have an incredible impact on the world of PD, stated Leslie A. Chambers, President & CEO, APDA.

The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) has just awarded $1.85 million to support cutting-edge Parkinsons disease (PD) research for the 2021-2022 funding year. Investigating everything from new techniques for deep brain stimulation to the differences in PD in Mexican populations, these researchers are among the most dedicated and innovative in the PD field. Grants have been awarded in the form of three Post-Doctoral Fellowships; six Research Grants; two Diversity in Parkinsons Disease Research grants; eight APDA Centers for Advanced Research; and one George C. Cotzias Fellowship, APDAs most prestigious award. With someone diagnosed with PD every nine minutes, this research is critical as we push for better treatments and ultimately, a cure.

For the second year in a row, APDA is awarding specialized grants to researchers focused on diverse and under-represented communities. APDA created the first-of-its-kind Diversity in Parkinsons Disease Research last year to encourage and support researchers who are committed to diversity-focused research so we can learn more about how the disease affects different populations and ultimately better serve people with PD from all communities.

All APDA grants are awarded through a competitive application process and reviewed by APDAs Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) which is comprised of scientists with a wide array of backgrounds and expertise in all areas relevant to PD research. The SAB meets annually to review all grant proposals and set the scientific direction of APDAs annual research investment. Its exciting and encouraging to review all of the innovative ideas submitted during the grant process. It is an incredibly challenging decision-making process, but APDA is steadfast in our research focus  identifying and supporting researchers early in their careers to encourage them to either commence or continue dedicating themselves to PD research, as well as helping established investigators pursue new and novel ideas states Rebecca Gilbert, MD, PhD, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, APDA. With funding from APDA, these researchers can further develop their theories and obtain significant pilot data and initial proof of concept that enables them to apply for and receive larger grants from the National Institutes of Health and other funding institutions, states Gilbert. Without this initial funding from APDA, some research projects might never get off the ground.

The 2021-2022 APDA Research Grants:

The George C. Cotzias Fellowship is APDAs most prestigious grant and is awarded to a young physician-scientist with exceptional promise. The award spans three years and is designed to fund a long-range project focused on PD. This years awardee is:



Abby L. Olsen, MD, PhD, The Brigham and Womens Hospital: Harnessing the untapped therapeutic potential of glia in Parkinson's disease

APDA Diversity in Parkinsons Disease Research Grants are one-year grants to study the health inequities and/or differences among under-studied PD communities, across the spectrum of ethnicity, ancestry, geography, socioeconomic conditions, and gender. The two awardees are:

Post-Doctoral Fellowships are awarded to support post-doctoral scientists whose research holds promise to provide new insights into the pathophysiology, etiology, and treatment of PD. This years awardees are:

Research Grants are awarded to investigators performing innovative PD research at major academic institutions across the United States. This years awardees are:

In addition, continued funding was granted for eight APDA Centers for Advanced Research in order to support large PD research programs which include research trainees, fellowship programs, early-stage discovery programs and later-stage clinical translation. These Centers facilitate research which is at the forefront of investigation into the cause, treatment and ultimately cure for PD. The current APDA Centers for Advanced Research are:

Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA

Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA

Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ

The Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston, MA

University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA

Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

The work being done as a result of the grants in this new funding cycle will have an incredible impact on the world of PD, stated Leslie A. Chambers, President & CEO of APDA. This work is only possible because of the steadfast support of our generous APDA donors.

Learn more about these grantees and the exciting work they are doing and browse all APDA-funded research by visiting http://www.apdaparkinson.org/research/what-we-fund/.

Researchers and physicians who are interested in applying for APDA funding can visit http://www.apdaparkinson.org/research for details on the 2022-2023 funding opportunities.

Those who want to support APDAs critical research with a donation can do so by visiting http://www.apdaparkinson.org and clicking the DONATE button or mailing a check payable to APDA to: APDA, PO Box 61420, Staten Island, NY 10306.

The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) is the largest grassroots network dedicated to fighting Parkinsons disease (PD) and works tirelessly to help the more than 1 million people in the United States with PD live life to the fullest in the face of this chronic, neurological disorder. Founded in 1961, APDA has raised and invested more than $207 million to provide outstanding patient services and educational programs, elevate public awareness about the disease, and support research designed to unlock the mysteries of PD and ultimately put an end to this disease. To join us in the fight against Parkinsons disease and to learn more about the support APDA provides nationally through our network of Chapters and Information & Referral (I&R) Centers, as well as our national Research Program and Centers for Advanced Research, please visit us at http://www.apdaparkinson.org.

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QLife Money Logo QLife Money announces the first nationwide financial solution for LGBTQ+-owned and allied businesses as the latest feature of the QLife Money suite of products and services, available on https://qlife.money.

QLife Money announces the first nationwide financial solution for LGBTQ+-owned and allied businesses as the latest feature of the QLife Money suite of products and services, available on https://qlife.money.

QLife Money provides the latest in digital financial services solutions to LGBTQ+-owned and allied businesses who have unique needs that can't be met by a legacy bank.

Businesses that join QLife Marketplace will be eligible to open a free QLife Money Business Account beginning October 1. We're providing full-featured financial services at your digital fingertips, with no monthly service fees, no minimum balance, and no credit checks, said Russ White, co-founder of QLife Media, and CTO of QLife Money and QLife Marketplace.

QLife Money Business Accounts are available to businesses of all sizes, including sole proprietors, gig-workers, small businesses, partnerships, nonprofit organizations, and corporations.

QLife Money lets customers take full control of their business finances, including issuing debit cards in seconds and setting customized spending controls. QLife Money Business Account holders can create cards that work exactly how they want, setting spending limits, allowed business types, and designating virtual or physical cards for one or multiple users, said Sonya Koptyev, CMO of QLife Money and QLife Marketplace. Business owners can manage their finances all through a digital dashboard any time, making it even more streamlined to run their business.

Soon, we'll also make it simple for small businesses to accomplish the business basics: accounting, sales tax reports, and paying bills, vendors, and subcontractors, said Garrett Pattiani, co-founder of QLife Media. We think that running a business is hard enough, and business owners shouldnt be bogged down in everyday minutia. QLife Money is here to make it simple and easy to run your business.

Integrated with QLife Marketplace, this is the latest expansion of the QLife Money suite of business and financial products and services. Membership in QLife Marketplace is $300 per year, and businesses that are members of their local LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce receive a 50% discount. For a list of US-based organizations, visit https://qlife.money/marketplace/chambers,

QLife Money account services are provided by Stripe Payments Company (http://stripe.com) with funds held at Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Member FDIC. The QLife Money platform is built and hosted on Amazon Web Services. All communication and transactions are industry-standard SSL-encrypted, ensuring the privacy and security of all customer data.

Designed a digital-first solution for B2B, the services will initially focus on the needs of businesses. Members will also receive a free subscription to QLife Money Magazine starting this fall. QLife Money Magazine will feature articles of interest to the LGBTQ+ business community, including featured interviews with business owners and community leaders around the country.

Visit https://qlife.money to learn more and to register for QLife Marketplace. New members receive 30 days free when they register before October 1. Follow @qlifemoney on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
We think there is a tremendous opportunity to add ILSAs licensing, surplus lines, and corporate filing offerings to that of ReSource Pro and offer a larger platform of services to drive growth for the clients of both companies - Dan Epstein, CEO

ReSource Pro, a global provider of operational solutions for insurance organizations, today announced it has acquired Insurance Licensing Services of America (ILSA). ILSA provides regulatory and compliance services to insurance organizations and professionals. The transaction was completed this morning.

By acquiring ILSA, ReSource Pro is building on its strategy to deliver business transformation services and operational solutions to insurance organizations. ILSA is a recognized leader in providing insurance licensing and compliance services.

ReSource Pro is also acquiring Spot On Insurance (SOI), ILSAs top rated insurance podcast. SOI has enjoyed more than 100,000 downloads since it began in 2017 and has hosted over 320 guests and produced over 280 episodes (see more at spotoninsurance.com)

Insurance Licensing Services of America

ILSA is an industry leading regulatory and compliance firm delivering outsourced Licensing and Compliance filings, Surplus Lines Tax filings and Corporate/Annual filings services for insurance brokers and agencies. The firm operates a team of 50+ filings experts out of Groesbeck, Texas.

ILSA will continue to be led by Russ Foster and will become part of ReSource Pros Insurance Experience Center. As part of the Insurance Experience Center, ILSA will report to Frank Phillips, ReSource Pro VP, who has over 25 years of leadership experience in the global insurance brokerage and underwriting industry. Ted and Arleen Taveras will continue to work with ILSA in an advisory capacity.

According to ReSource Pro CEO Dan Epstein, We think there is a tremendous opportunity to add ILSAs licensing, surplus lines, and corporate filing offerings to that of ReSource Pro and offer a larger platform of services to drive growth for the clients of both companies. ILSAs focus on customer service, technology and automation provides their broker clients an advantage to efficiently run their compliance function so they can focus on growing their insured base.

The financial details of this transaction were not disclosed. Morgan Partners served as exclusive financial advisor to ReSource Pro in these transactions.

About ReSource Pro

ReSource Pro brings integrated operational solutions to insurance organizations to improve agility, resilience and profitability. Headquartered in New York, ReSource Pro's global service centers address client operational needs around the clock. Recognized as an industry thought leader and listed as one of Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies annually since 2009, the company is renowned for its focus on innovation, service excellence and trusted partnerships, and its unique productivity platform for insurance operations. More than 5,000 ReSource Pro employees provide dedicated support to hundreds of insurance organizations, consistently achieving a +97% client retention rate over a decade http://www.resourcepro.com.


We placed 50 interns in the Summer 2021 cohort alone and expect the momentum to continue with our fall program. Were also proud of the intentional diversity of our placements, with 71 percent of talent placed being women and people of color.

Today, Rev1 Ventures, the startup studio that combines capital and strategic services to help startups scale and corporates innovate, is announcing the growth and success of the Rev1 Innovation Internship Program, including placing 144 students and recent college graduates with more than 40 companies and supporting the appointment of eight full-time hires. The paid internship program was launched in March 2020, with grant support from the Ohio Third Frontier and a partnership with Ohio Wesleyan University, to foster interest in the Midwest startup scene while giving young people a chance to gain early career experience with Rev1 startup clients. Rev1 is launching its fifth cohort this fall, thanks to continued partnerships with local universities, like The Ohio State University.

This program is having a real impact on our startup clients. We launched it at the onset of the global pandemic and quickly transitioned to a virtual program because we recognized that startups desperately needed the talent and young professionals needed the experience, said Kristy Campbell, Chief Operations Officer, Rev1 Ventures. The early success of the program is evident by its rapid growth. We placed 50 interns in the Summer 2021 cohort alone and expect the momentum to continue with our fall program. Were also proud of the intentional diversity of our placements, with 71 percent of talent placed being women and people of color.

The Internship program delivers focused and productive work experiences for students and new grads, while supporting startups as they scale and grow. The Rev1 interns report to senior leadership teams in industries ranging from IT to Life Sciences to Agtech. Rev1 helps the talent and the startups make the most of the program, and is sharing a few of its best practices to help startups get the most out of working with interns.



Communication is Critical. Whether the work is in-person or virtual, communication is key. This includes clearly outlining expectations, processes, and deliverables for interns from day one to ensure the partnership is set up for success. It is important to outline how you will communicate with interns and ensure managers are available to answer questions via ways that suit interns best, including email, text, phone, or Slack. Regular touchpoints keep interns engaged. Recurring meetings between senior leadership and interns to review work and brainstorm ideas for projects can also be hugely beneficial to the company and the students. Use this opportunity to teach, lead, and model.

Reinforce Relationships. While hiring an intern may be a brief stint compared to full-time hires, building relationships with young professionals is just as important. Establish rapport by getting to know them beyond their role at your company. Ask interns for their opinions on big questions facing the company. Many times, their outsider perspective may help your team approach a problem or issue in a new way. Theyre the leaders of tomorrow; dont waste their valuable insights. Companies must be willing to devote significant time to building and maintaining an internship program. Unlike professional hires, most college interns are unaccustomed to a corporate position. They require more hands-on management from end-to-end.

Evaluate + Evolve. At the end of the internship, be sure to gather feedback from both interns and their manager. Companies must be willing to devote significant time to building, maintaining, and, most importantly, evolving an internship program as it progresses to ensure its working for everyone. Feedback and reflection help companies determine whether an internship program is a good fit and, if so, how they can be adjusted over time to achieve results.

My summer internship allowed me to gain valuable hands-on experience in engineering, while learning to work and adapt to the fast-paced startup world, said Courtney Ream, summer intern at DASI Simulations and Ohio Northern University student. I not only worked on 3D-modeling heart valves for use in simulations, but with the support of Rev1s program, I also attended helpful training sessions and had access to resources, such as 1-on-1 mentorship, to improve my leadership and networking skills and prepare me for the professional world. Its a well-rounded program and exceeded my expectations, while setting me up for future success in my field.

For more information and to apply to be part of the Rev1 Innovation Internship Program, visit https://www.rev1ventures.com/interns/.

About Rev1 Ventures

Rev1 Ventures is the startup studio that combines capital and strategic services to help startups scale and corporates innovate. Based in the Midwest, and in the number one city for scaling startups, Rev1 aligns innovators and founders with corporate and research partners to access customers and markets, helping entrepreneurs build great companies. With a proven track record of identifying, guiding, and investing in high potential startups, Rev1 helps companies solve real problems for markets in need of real solutions. Rev1 has $100MM in capital under management, providing a capital continuum from corporate and community partners, as well as the Ohio Third Frontier. Rev1 is the most active seed investor in Ohio for the past six years, according to PitchBook. For more information, visit http://www.rev1ventures.com.
Revel Systems, a cloud-native point of sale (POS) and complete business management platform, today announced a new charity initiative. Through this initiative, Revel will allocate a portion of its annual revenues to support four nonprofit organizations based in cities where Revel has major offices, including Atlanta, GA, San Francisco, CA, and Vilnius, Lithuania.

Revel is committed to improving the communities where we live and work, said Greg Dukat, CEO, Revel Systems. We selected four nonprofit organizations in our geographic communities that are each doing exemplary work transforming the lives of individuals in need. A major component of this program is also to galvanize our employees to give back, which is why we are giving them a day of paid time off to volunteer in their respective communities.

The four nonprofit organizations selected this year are:



City of Refuge (Headquarters in Atlanta, GA, national charity): City of Refuge helps individuals and families transition out of crisis into productive lives.

Giving Kitchen (Headquarters in Atlanta, GA, national charity) : Giving Kitchen provides emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources.

Lietaus Vaikai (Vilnius, Lithuania): Lietaus Vaikais mission is to unify autistic people, families raising autistic children and professionals working with kids who have autistic spectrum disorder.

Family Giving Tree (San Francisco, CA): Through personal connections, generous giving, and life-long volunteering, Family Giving Tree delivers backpacks filled with school supplies and wished-for holiday gifts.

The last eighteen months has brought significant turmoil to the hospitality industry and many have had to contend with immense challenges - both professionally and personally. Todays announcement demonstrates the importance of stewardship to Revel and the communities it serves.

Revel Systems will also support its employees who want to donate their time and their professional expertise to local nonprofits. Employees will be given the option to take a paid day of service to directly volunteer for opportunities of their choosing each year.

Added Dukat, At Revel, we strive to support the communities where we live and work. Financial contributions are only one way to make a difference, so providing our employees with a paid day off to do meaningful work helps to make a local impact and develop deeper connections.

About Revel Systems

Revels point of sale and business solutions provide a native cloud technology platform that is at the heart of our clients businesses. Revels platform helps restaurants and retailers deliver a better customer experience, diversify revenue streams, and scale their businesses with ease. The Revel Enterprise solution is tailored for large chains and leads the industry with a broad footprint of national, big brand customer implementations. Revel is committed to client success and strives to be a people-first business, leading with integrity and transparency. For more information, please visit http://revelsystems.com or call (415) 744-1433.

Contact:

Sara Long

Spark for Revel Systems

revel@sparkpr.com
SuiteCentric Earns Spot on 2021 Inc. 5000

Inc. magazine today revealed that SuiteCentric, an Oracle NetSuite Solution Provider Partner, is No. 1,139 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. Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

We have an amazing team of talented and dedicated people who were able to triumph over tremendous adversity this past year, said Adam Baruh, CEO and founder of SuiteCentric. I could not be prouder of what weve been able to accomplish and of how we have supported each other. Its an honor to work with so many great people, and for our company to receive this recognition.

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 in late August.

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.

SuiteCentric started in 2017 as one of the first US-based NetSuite professional services agencies focusing exclusively on its ecommerce platform. In 2019, the company expanded by becoming a NetSuite Solution Provider Partner, adding an ERP practice, and taking advantage of NetSuites SuiteLife program which provides multiple layers of engagement and helps accelerate partner onboarding. Since then, SuiteCentric has transitioned to a fully remote workforce while also nearly doubling its headcount and annual gross revenues each year.

About SuiteCentric

SuiteCentric is an Oracle NetSuite Solution Provider with decades of combined experience as NetSuite end users and consultants. We are dedicated to delivering scalable, long-term solutions that support customer growth and longevity. As NetSuite resellers, our in-house team of certified NetSuite developers and solution consultants strive to maximize customer business potential and advance solutions that align with business goals.

For more information, please visit http://www.suitecentric.com.

For questions about NetSuite pricing, please visit http://www.suitecentric.com/netsuite-pricing.

About the Inc. 5000

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/.
The leadership we welcome today brings impressive expertise and experience, positioning Swyft to seize this moment of opportunity and build the future of retail.

Swyft Inc., a global leader in robotic and software-powered marketplaces, has expanded its C-suite and board of directors in order to meet the growing demand for secure, unattended and automated consumer experiences.

Swyfts Chief Executive Officer, Gower Smith, made todays announcement to welcome Brent Beeman as Chief Financial Officer; Geoff Williamson as Chief Marketing Officer & President, Health Care; and named Adam Tenebaum to Swyfts Board of Directors.

These additions complement Swyfts existing team of C-level executives including Lincoln Smith, President & Co-Founder; Vikranth Katpally, Chief Technology Officer; and Marianne Hindsgaul, Senior Vice President of Sales.

Swyfts high-profile automated retail channel allows brands, retailers, vend operators and enterprises to expand sales, increase profits and engage with users at a deeper level. Amid public health concerns, Swyfts unattended retail stores also leverage proprietary and patented touchless retail technology to deliver safe and convenient consumer experiences.

Swyfts unattended retail stores for brands and retail partners like CVS, iStore and Benefit cosmetics integrate hardware, management software, and managed services, while various sensors power backend machine learning platforms that capture data in the consumer story to provide rich marketing insights.

Over the last year, weve experienced tremendous growth in both core markets and new ones where unattended, automated stores can provide for consumer engagement where traditional retail is no longer viable, said Gower Smith. The leadership we welcome today brings impressive expertise and experience, positioning Swyft to seize this moment of opportunity and build the future of retail.

Bios:

Brent Beeman comes to Swyft with 25 years of C-Level experience. He has served as Chief Financial Officer of JP Morgan, Huntington National Bank and Barnett Banks as well as Chief Operating Officer for several community banks. Beeman is currently a Director for PrimeTrust, a Blockchain enabled Trust Company. In addition to his experience in financial services, he has worked in the technology, blockchain, crypto and real estate space for companies in the United Kingdom, Asia and US.

Geoff Williamson joins Swyft as CMO & President of Swyft Health Care as part of the late 2020 Swyft acquisition of TotusRX, a partner company focused on disrupting patients' access to prescription medication. Williamsons background also includes senior business development and marketing roles at Honeywell and Invensys Plc., CMO at Trilliant Networks and Co-Founder and CEO at Silicon Turbine Systems, Inc.

Adam Tenebaum joins the Board of Directors of Swyft. Tenebaum received a B.A. in English Literature from Northwestern University, and J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. A resident of Washington state, Tenebaum is currently a college professor and teaches courses at the intersection of law and business. Prior to entering academics, Tenebaum served as Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, and Assistant Secretary of Berkeley Research Group, LLC, an expert witness and consulting firm. Tenebaum also co-founded and served as President and General Counsel of Solomon's Gourmet Cookies, and held legal positions for state agencies in Illinois.

About Swyft

Swyft, Inc. is the robotic & software-enabled marketplace that provides its clients with everything needed to build an automated channel, including robotics, software platform and integrations into nationwide field services. All of Swyft's solutions operate on its cloud-based software and utilize cutting-edge robotic or sensor-based hardware. Swyft Inc., is also the parent company of ZoomSystems, a leading automated retail store operator.

For further information, please contact:

https://swyft.com/

press@swyft.com
iGEM 2019 TeselaGen is one of the most innovative start-ups in this space. By using TeselaGen's Design & Build modules, our students gain valuable experience with the most advanced digital tools available to design better projects faster.

TeselaGen Biotechnology announced today that it has partnered with the iGEM Foundation to support the iGEM Design League, a new competition that aims to advance synthetic biology, starting with Latin America. As part of the collaboration, students will have access to the TeselaGen operating system for biotechnology to design projects that solve critical local problems using synthetic biology.

"The iGEM Design League, our newest program, is focused on the design step of the synthetic biology cycle as a framework for biology, and we are thrilled to be partnering with TeselaGen," said Meagan Lizarazo Executive Vice President, iGEM Foundation. "TeselaGen is one of the most innovative start-ups in this space. By using TeselaGen's Design & Build modules for building biological molecules, our students gain valuable experience with the most advanced digital tools available to design better projects faster."

The iGEM Design League begins this year as a pilot program in Latin America to accelerate synthetic biology in the region and to contribute to the development of future biological engineers. The competition will consist of approximately 300-400 students primarily from universities spanning 8 countries in Latin America. The 25 teams will compete over the course of the year, with the finalist's presentation live-streamed during the iGEM 2021 Giant Jamboree in November.

Along with providing access to its platform, TeselaGen will also be participating in educational portions of the iGEM Design League by hosting lectures and workshops on synthetic biology. "As part of the synthetic biology community and long-term supporters of iGEM, we are very pleased to collaborate on this new project," said TeselaGen CEO Eduardo Abeliuk, Ph.D. "Latin America's high-quality STEM college programs are contributing to a growing workforce of smart, enthusiastic scientists and engineers. This program is significant in that the students will have the opportunity to solve local problems in a real-world context by integrating design thinking and advanced computational tools, further enhancing their experience and hopefully contributing to the development of local innovations. This is how you develop talent and advance the bioeconomy."

The International Genetically Engineered Machine Foundation, better known as iGEM, began more than 17 years ago as an independent non-profit organization dedicated to advancing synthetic biology, education, and competition by developing an open and collaborative community. Approximately 3000 teams have participated in the iGEM competition, generating hundreds of prototypes of solutions to local and global problems in health, the environment, manufacturing, and more.

About TeselaGen Biotechnology

TeselaGen has developed the first artificial intelligence-enabled operating system for biotechnology, enabling scientific organizations to commercialize high-performance bioproducts - from pharmaceuticals to food to fabrics - faster and easier than ever. The TeselaGen operating system connects biologists, lab technicians, and bioinformaticians so that they can collaboratively design and build experiments, organize and standardize data and then test and continually learn. TeselaGen has been deployed by Fortune 50 companies and emerging innovators in biopharmaceuticals, agriculture, and specialty chemicals. The company is privately held and based in San Francisco, CA. For more information, visit http://www.teselagen.com

About iGEM

iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization that pioneered the synthetic biology industry and continues to advance the field through education, competition, and industry collaboration. iGEM's annual student competition is the largest synthetic biology innovation program and a launchpad for the industry's most successful leaders and companies. The After iGEM program supports the competition's 50,000+ participants in their future endeavors to continue to work toward a strong, responsible, and visionary synthetic biology industry. For more information, visit http://www.igem.org
Music is an art that paints melodic pictures, this exhibit brings together the visual representation of Haitis talent.

Following the devastating August 14th earthquake in Haiti the situation on the ground remains urgent. In addition to the death toll of 2,200, many hundreds of thousands of people have been made homeless and need necessities including food, water and shelter. To help with the relief effort, 3-time Grammy Award winning Haitian-born musician, producer and philanthropist Jerry Wonda and Youdy Sanon, Haitian American entrepreneur and CEO of global marketing agency Odagan, are hosting a special Lot Koule Art Exhibit featuring the works of renowned Haitian Artist Joseph Eddy Pierre on September 1st and 2nd at the Platinum Sound Gallery at 59 Franklin Street. Jerry Wonda Duplessis is also NYC Grammy Governor and Co-Chairman of the Producers and Engineer Wing.

An invitation-only VIP opening will take place with a red carpet at 5:30 pm and doors opening at 6 pm. The exhibit will be open to the public from 6:00 to 10:00 pm on September 2nd. The goal of the art exhibit is to sell 15 exquisite paintings by Pierre, with a percentage of all funds generated to be donated to on the ground Haitian relief organizations and to celebrate Haitian art and music culture. The organizations benefiting are BCDCHaiti.org and https://community2community.info, two 501C3 Haiti NGOs with a combined 35 years of missions and service to the people of Haiti. Cant attend but want to donate  heres a link to the Community2Community donation page.

Notes host Jerry Wonda, Music in an art that paints melodic pictures, this exhibit brings together the visual representation of Haitis talent.

Added co-host Youdy Sanon, "Art is embedded in the DNA of Haiti's people, this exhibit exudes the rawness of our innate talents."

Joseph Eddy Pierre is a Haitian artist born in 1972 in Cabaret, Haiti. Known as a contemporary abstract master, with a passion for colors and geometry, he developed a particular and easily recognizable style that has earned him worldwide recognition and acclaim. Joseph is very particular with his exhibits and Jerry Wonda and Youdy Sanon are proud that he has chosen New York's Platinum Sound Studio Gallery as the location for this new exhibit to benefit earthquake victims in their home country.

Recently, Joseph Eddy Pierre has been involved in a number of projects around Haiti, including gallery expositions of his paintings at Art Center, Kolektif 509 and La Galerie D'Art Nader. He collaborated with his fellow colleague Bault in painting a mural at the French Institute of Haiti, and his latest painted mural can be found at the art center of Quisqueya University. Joseph captivated the Miami art scene this past March 2021 with his exhibit 'Figures In Movement'.

After his studies at ENARTS, Joseph participated in training at the New York Student Art League. His first exposition was at the Center of Arts in Haiti. His paintings have allowed him to travel the world. Joseph Eddy Pierre has exhibited in New York, Boston, Chicago, Florida, Paris and Mexico. In Barcelona, he represented Haiti during an exposition organized by UNESCO.

About Beraca Community Development Corporation (BCDC)

Beraca Community Development Corporation (BCDC) was established in 2001 to be an extension Beraca Baptist Church with the purpose of reaching deeper into the community to serve their needs. BCDCs mission statement is Rebuilding Repairing and Restoring Lives and Communities. BCDCs accomplishes its mission in many ways by serving communities in the United States and in Haiti.

About Community2Community (C2C)

Community2Community (C2C) is a non-profit service organization in May 2010, to give the Haitian Diaspora and those with a heart for Haiti a platform to come together and share their expertise in a variety of areas  from education to medicine and from carpentry to communications  toward C2Cs goal of establishing lasting change in Haiti, and ultimately, other communities by working with indigenous leadership on the ground.
Thomas R. Shipley, a former teacher and administrator who, days after his retirement from the Maryland State Department of Education, embarked on a second career as the executive director of the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools. It was a new association of public schools and reservations, dealing with federal funding for American Indian and military-dependent students. He soon became a consultant to the House and Senate subcommittees on education, and retired in 1988 to become a serial entrepreneur. Thom now volunteers as a mentor in entrepreneurship at the University of Baltimore, and has just completed his fourth book, Racism: Then and Now, a wrenching retrospective on his personal experiences as a witness to subtle and overt racism in the Jim Crow era and beyond.

The author writes, This book is divided into two conspicuously different parts. The first half contains five relevant, true stories, which started me on a thought-path to trying to understand racism as I was living it. The stories took place in the 40s and 50s and range from mild to poignant. They are all true and are retold here just as I lived them. Not very long ago, racism of every variety was alive and well in most of the United States. It was a right of privilege, passed on to a large portion of the White community, and it was an unbearable burden, passed ongeneration after generationto what I knew then as the Colored Community. Generation after generation, in every family, the torch was passed. From kitchen table conversations to Supreme Court decisions, racism was passed on. Every child had to be carefully taught.

For more than eighty years, I have watched it morph from subtle acts of noncompliance into violent explosions. I have watched acts from lynching for flirting to murder for being Black. We have had local riots and international demonstrations, and little has honestly changed.

Published by Page Publishing, Thomas R. Shipleys engrossing book is a must-read for anyone interested in the legacy of racist attitudes across many facets of American society. Readers who wish to experience this engaging and frequently controversial work can purchase Racism: Then and Now at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, and Barnes and Noble.
Umer Ansari, M.D. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Ansari to our thriving Fairfax office. Dr. Ansari will be joining Drs. Robert A. Silverman, Kathleen Ellison, and Michael Yablonsky in offering a wide range of care to the Fairfax community, said Paul Singh, CEO.

U.S Dermatology Partners is pleased to welcome Dermatologist, Dr. Umer Ansari, to their Fairfax, Virginia location.

Dr. Umer Ansari graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in psychology in 2012. In 2017, he graduated with Honors from Eastern Virginia Medical School with his medical degree. Dr. Ansari completed his internship at Medstar Washington Hospital Center and his Dermatology residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center where he served as Chief of Academic Affairs.

Dr. Ansari has presented at national and regional dermatology conferences and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and chapters for dermatology textbooks. He has completed several medical mission trips to Haiti and the middle east. Dr. Ansari comes from a large family of physicians and is interested in global health and reaching underserved communities. He also desires to teach in the area and engage with medical students and residents about the most current diagnoses and treatments.

Dr. Ansari is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology and the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. He has extensive experience in dermatological surgery and enjoys diagnosing and treating a wide variety of conditions including skin cancer, acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and other rare entities. The most rewarding part of his job is enabling patients to understand their diagnoses and building strong relationships with them to work toward a common goal.

U.S. Dermatology Partners Chief Executive Officer Paul Singh stated, We are pleased to welcome Dr. Ansari to our thriving Fairfax office. Dr. Ansari will be joining Drs. Robert A. Silverman, Kathleen Ellison, and Michael Yablonsky in offering a wide range of care to the Fairfax community including medical and cosmetic dermatology and Mohs surgery for the treatment of skin cancer.

Dr. Ansari resides in downtown Washington D.C. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, exploring the city, playing sports, and traveling.

Dr. Ansari treats patients in Fairfax, Virginia, at U.S. Dermatology Partners and is accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, call 703-641-0083.

About U.S. Dermatology Partners

As one of the largest dermatology practices in the country, U.S. Dermatology Partners patients not only have access to general medical, surgical, and cosmetic skin treatments through its coordinated care network but also benefit from the practices strong dermatology subspecialty thought leaders and medical advisory board. To be the best partner to its patients, U.S. Dermatology Partners is fervently focused on providing the highest level of patient-first care, and its team, therefore, includes recognized national leaders in areas such as clinical research, psoriasis, and Mohs Surgery. To learn more, visit usdermatologypartners.com.
In an opinion issued this week, U.S. Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter concluded that a court would likely find Marylands recently passed library e-book law to be preempted by federal copyright law under a legal doctrine known as "conflict preemption."

But in her 9-page opinion [note: the response begins on page 3], Perlmutter did not find the Maryland law to be expressly preempted by the Copyright Act, as opponents of the law have contended, and conceded that the cases she used to reach her "conflict preemption" determination (which relies heavily on a 1999 decision in Orson Inc. v. Miramax) may not be a perfect fit.

To date neither the Supreme Court nor any other circuit courts (including the Second and Fourth Circuits, which have jurisdiction over New York and Maryland) have had occasion to consider whether state regulations seeking to require licensing of copyrighted works could avoid conflict preemption either generally or under narrow circumstances, such as upon a showing of a state interest that is sufficiently compelling and distinct from the Copyright Acts purposes, Perlmutter writes. Nonetheless, we believe the Orson courts reasoning is sufficiently sound that a court considering the state legislation at issue would likely find it preempted under a conflict preemption analysis.

Express preemption applies when Congress explicitly states its intention to preempt state laws, Perlmutter explains in her opinion, while conflict preemption can be found when a challenged state law stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of Congress.

Further, in a footnote, Perlmutter offered a potentially important caveat: The cases she used to form her opinion, Perlmutter notes, including Orson, involve the forced commercial exploitations of copyrighted works. The library e-book laws passed in Maryland and New York, on the other hand ultimately serve "a non-commercial goal of furthering the traditional mission of public libraries to provide free access to materials for their communities. Perlmutter said it is unclear whether this would be a significant factor for a court considering the question of federal conflict preemption.

When it takes effect in January, 2022, the Maryland law (known as SB432) will require any publisher offering to license "an electronic literary product" to consumers in the state to also offer to license the content to public libraries on "reasonable" terms. The bill passed the Maryland General Assembly unanimously in March. In June, New York passed a similar law that is now awaiting the governor's signature or veto and at least half a dozen states are reported to have begun exploring similar legislation.

 'In sum, preemption would mean that state e-lending legislation falls outside of the authority of the states,' reads an AAP statement. 

Specifically, Perlmutters opinion comes as a response to a May 26 inquiry from North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committees Subcommittee on Intellectual Property. In his initial letter, Tillis echoed concerns voiced by the Association of American Publishers, including that section 301 (a) of the Copyright Act "expressly" preempts state laws like the one in Maryland.

In an April letter to PW, AAP general counsel Terrence Hart insisted that one is hard pressed to find a clearer example of the type of law that is preempted by the federal Copyright Act.

AAP officials this week said that Perlmutter's opinion supported their position.

"In sum, preemption would mean that state e-lending legislation falls outside of the authority of the states," reads an AAP statement. "Moreover, while the governments preemption analysis is consistent with AAPs testimony in recent weeks, we have also testified to constitutional and policy concerns that go well beyond that problem. Accordingly, AAP remains deeply troubled by ongoing, coordinated lobbying efforts that seek to dictate and devalue the distribution and pricing of books in what is clearly a healthy, robust, and ever-evolving noncommercial market channel. Such efforts are antithetical to our democracy, which depends upon a vibrant private sector publishing industry that is incentivized to create and distribute original works of authorship to the public."

In its own two-page response memo, the American Library Association agreed with much of Perlmutter's analysis, but criticized her conclusion.

"In sum, the American Library Association does not agree with Copyright Offices conclusion that a court likely would find the state legislation at issue preempted under a conflict preemption analysis," wrote lawyer Jonathan Band, for ALA, while stressing that any resolution ultimately lies with the courts.

"The Office admitted that there was no controlling precedent suggesting preemption in Maryland or New York and the one precedent from another jurisdiction was readily distinguishable, Band observed. "Accordingly, the Office had no reasonable basis for concluding that a court considering the legislation would likely find it preempted under a conflict preemption analysis.

Despite Perlmutter's conclusion, ALA said the Copyright Office's analysis "further bolsters" ALA's view that state e-book laws are not preempted by the Copyright Act.

In its advocacy against the state e-book legislation, the Association of American Publishers has focused on preemption under section 301(a). Likewise, Senator Tillis in his letter specifically cited section 301(a)," Band points out. "The Copyright Office has properly dismissed the section 301(a) argument."

Perlmutter's opinion is purely advisory and is likely to have little if any impact on the rollout of the Maryland law or its fate in the courts. However, librarians have expressed concern that the opinion could be used to chill the introduction of similar bills in other state legislatures, or to head off any potential effort in Congress.
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Reiterating what it said in June, the Frankfurt Book Fair has confirmed that the fair will proceed with live, in-person events, this October 20-24. The in-person fair will be augmented by online offerings.

To protect the health of fairgoers, the total number of people allowed on the fairgrounds will be limited to 25,000 a day. According to fair organizers, entrance to the fairgrounds will only be permitted to individuals who are vaccinated, who have recently tested negative or who have recovered from Covid-19.

Professional participants from more than 60 countries have registered to attend the fair and 41 national collective stands will represent countries around the world, ranging from Argentina and Bulgaria, to Switzerland and Taiwan. Canada, the guest of honor, will be represented with stands for both the English and French-language publishing sectors. Future guests of honor will also host stands and these include Spain (for 2022), Slovenia (for 2023) and Italy (for 2024).

Several large publishers from the U.K. and the U.S., including Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, have announce their intent to keep employees home. Interest from other U.S. publishers in attending the fair remains lukewarm.
CM PUNK DISCUSSES HIS RETURN TO THE RING, ANOTHER COMPETITOR NAMED FOR CASINO BATTLE ROYAL AT ALL OUT & MORE

CM Punk did a Q&A with the New York Post, discussing his Chicago return, preparing for this Sunday's All Out match against Darby Allin and more.

When asked if he could process the last week, Punk commented, "I dont know if Ill ever be able to process it, but its been non-stop since. Its been the overwhelmingness of the event Friday night coupled with the anxiety of not being able to sleep for days prior knowing what I was doing and then the buzz keeping me up for days after, like I havent slept so good since like two weeks ago (laughs). You get a flood of phone calls, you get a flood of texts, you get emails and then the ratings come out then it happens all over again. Its been a lot, but its been nothing but positive, so its been extremely enjoyable."

When asked if he needed to have a moment to show the audience he could still go, Punk said, "For sure. Seven years is a long time. I know theres a contingent of fans out there that have this opinion that, Oh he was never really any good. Oh, hes not an athlete. And that always kind of flummoxed me, especially my last year [in WWE] when I was just absolutely trash, hurt and unmotivated, I had the best year. Brock [Lesnar], Undertaker, (John) Cena in Texas. And thats a hurt Phil. A motivated Phil ready to have fun I think is a very dangerous thing."

Punk also appeared in the latest Sammy Guevara blog:

Kiera Hogan has been added to the Casino Battle Royal that will take place Sunday at the All Out Buy In. More participants will be announced on tonight's AEW Dynamite.

AEW tweeted the following angles from last night's AEW Dark:

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OVW MAY BE LEAVING DAVIS ARENA FOR NEW FACILITY

Ohio Valley Wrestling, which has run for many years out of the Davis Arena in Louisville, Kentucky may soon be shifting operations to a former University of Louisville fitness center, located at 601 Presidents Boulevard.

WDRB-TV in Louisville is reporting that OVW is in discussions to move to the University's former employee fitness center, which was shuttered to cut costs in 2019.

WDRB reports that a pre-application was filed seeking to have the property shifted from a residential building to a commercial building on 8/6, proposing that OVW use the facility as a wrestling academy with "public exhibitions" of OVW events. There would be no major change to the building itself as the plan would be to use the building as it exists.

OVW's majority owner Matt Jones told the station that they intend to move into the building but the process has not been finalized.

Ohio Valley Wrestling was founded in 1993 by "Nightmare" Danny Davis and for many years, was the predominant WWE developmental promotion, churning out Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, John Cena, Nick Dinsmore, Shelton Benjamin and many other current and former WWE talents. The Davis Arena that is currently used by the promotion was opened in 2002 and for most of the promotion's existence since that point, has been the epicenter of the company from a training and event standpoint. Davis retired in 2018, with Al Snow heading up training and operations from that point on.

The promotion has a weekly live TV series in Louisville and in recent years, has pushed hard to land TV coverage across a number of platforms and broadcast outlets, including YouToo America, Game+ and more.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
CBS Reality has announced the line-up of new true crime original programming for the autumn, including premiering series Donal MacIntyre: Released to Kill, Murder: First on Scene and season six of Murder by the Sea.

Hosted by the renowned journalist and criminologist (pictured), Donal MacIntyre: Released to Kill explores the criminal investigations behind murders committed by previously convicted individuals.

Each episode tells the story of one tragic murder, examining the backgrounds and potential motives of the murderers, before and after prison. The series will interrogate the British criminal justice system and the complexities of the parole process, ultimately unveiling how and why these criminals committed a murder after being released. The cases are explored with the help of archive news footage, specially shot dramatic reconstructions and interviews with those who were involved in the actual events.

The series was produced by Emporium Productions and will premiere on 3 November.

Murder: First on Scene follows the step-by-step processes used by first responders throughout the investigation from start to finish. Each case is examined, analysing the collaborative techniques used by professionals from the 999 call handlers and paramedics through investigative, family liaison, forensics and arresting officers all the way to the prosecuting barrister, in an attempt to bring the perpetrator to justice. The series was produced by Phoenix Television and premieres on 16 November.

In season six of Murder by the Sea, crime historian and author Dr Nell Darby reprises her role as the host as she investigates further cases of seaside murders including a case in which Philip Manning, the perpetrator, sparked a nationwide manhunt after killing his wife in a small town near Newport, Wales, on Christmas Day 1994. The new episodes debut on 7 September and were produced by Monster Films.



Sam Rowden, vice-president of content and production, CBS Channels, said: These new and returning CBS Reality original series are true representations of expert-led factual content which reinforce our strategy to offer authentic and compelling programming to UK audiences.

Were excited to welcome back channel favourite Donal MacIntyre, who will front a series providing an insight into the striking levels of reoffending in the UK; we will explore the sometimes mind-boggling experiences of first responders in Murder: First on Scene; and Dr Nell Darby will take us back to the dark side of the British seaside in new episodes of Murder by the Sea, one of the channels top-performing series.
The war over Americas energy future may have seen its first shots fired in, of all places, Spokane, Washington. Citizens there had crafted an initiative and obtained well over the legal minimum number of citizen signatures in an effort to bar the city council from imposing bans on the use of natural gas or hydropower without express consent of the governed.

On August 26th, they lost round 1 when Spokane Superior Court Judge Charnelle Bjelkengren agreed with the plaintiffs and ordered the city auditor not to place the initiative on the November ballot. The deadline for adding measures to the ballot is September 2.

One-term city council member Katherine Burke and the green group Protect Spokane Action sued to block the initiative. The claim was that the people do not have a right to interfere with the city councils attempts to implement state climate policy.

Sponsors of the initiative, spearheaded by Jennifer Thomas and Isaiah Paine of the Spokane Home Builders Association, have filed a request for a stay of Judge Bjelkengrens order with the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III, which covers all of eastern Washington. If the stay is granted (pending the filing of a formal appeal), the initiative would remain on the November ballot. If it fails, the issue is moot; if it were to pass, then the courts could still decide whether it was a lawful initiative.

The final option is to seek relief in federal court, relying on the idea, embodied in the Declaration of Independence, that a governments legitimacy and moral right to use state power is justified and lawful only when consented to by the people or society over which the political power is exercised. This principle, a rebuke to the divine right of kings, was included by the United Nations in 1948 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

A Little Background

After Washington Governor Jay Inslees attempt to impose a statewide ban on new natural gas connections failed miserably during the 2021 legislative session, the Spokane City Council crafted a plan to impose its own ban on natural gas connections. They created an ad hoc Sustainability Action Subcommittee to recommend the ban via a process that eschewed ublic hearings. The people did not need to know what their elected leaders were about to impose.

Thomas and Paine, along with other local citizens, crafted the proposed City Charter amendment, dubbed the Cleaner Energy Protection Act, in an effort to stop the city council from banning the use of natural gas and hydropower (an important energy source in Washington State under attack from anti-dam activists).

In essence, the ordinance would, if citizens had a chance and voted in favor, permanently ban the city council from banning new natural gas connections until such time as local citizens voted to repeal the ordinance.

Thomas, a mother of four, has multiple reasons for the strict language in the proposal, which quickly obtained over 6,000 valid signatures. But she admits she had no idea at the vociferousness of the city council and its allies who insist on removing energy choices from Spokanes citizens. The legal brutality of the judicial ruling has been demoralizing.

The Council Never Considered Economic Impacts

In an exclusive interview, Thomas explained that the city council has no idea of the cost or even the feasibility of replacing natural gas energy with renewable-based electricity to heat homes and run gas appliances. Nor do council members understand (or maybe even care) that such a ban would impose huge additional costs and diminish local housing affordability.

Paine, also in an exclusive interview, explained that the city council has not done any studies to see whether their planned bans would be sustainable. The citizens group did prepared a report for citywide distribution. Citizens are aware that a recent University of California, Davis, study found that switching from affordable gas-fired boilers (that run even during electric power outages) to expensive electric heat pumps would generate higher net carbon emissions. The reason: the city would have to significantly increase electricity generation.

Paine further explained that the unaccountable committee proposal included banning all new gas hookups by 2023 and requiring solar panels on every home in the city (regardless of their effectiveness). Spokane homebuilders, he noted, must ensure buyers that they will be able to afford the costs of energy in the areas cold winters and hot summers.

Paine cited numerous reasons that an all of the above strategy makes common sense for Spokane residents, where temperatures range from minus 10 to 110 degrees and falling trees often knock out power lines. Local hospitals, too, rely on gas heat or gas backup during such times, and citizens cannot afford the heavy cost of heat pump installations. [A recent British government study indicated ground source heat pump installations can cost up to $47,000.]

Plaintiffs Claim Citizens Have No Right to Intervene

Protect Spokane Action and Burke claimed that the initiative should be thrown out because it would prevent the city from ever changing the local building code, a claim Thomas dismissed as laughable. Plaintiffs also said the initiative is a last-minute attempt to prevent the council from meeting clean energy standards, and that the council must retain the ability to make decisions without community input.

Unfortunately, Thomas, Paine, and friends found the states legal infrastructure more supportive of the state climate plan than due process, consent of the governed, or policy that yields negative economic impacts on society. The judicial rebuke was devastating, casting them as climate obstructionists.

Thomas said she had begun this project to educate the community about the real-world impacts of what she described as more politics. The people have a right to know how they will be impacted by their governments actions. If they break housing, they break everything. I am shocked at our rights being eroded right before our very eyes.

Duggan Flanakin (dflanakin@gmail.com) is Director of Policy Research at the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow.
Elder vs Newsom: A Battle for the Soul of America

Sunday evening I was standing in an excited crowd at a Long Beach fundraiser for Larry Elders California gubernatorial campaign when I received a text with the headline Gov. Newsom Pivots Recall Speeches To Attack Larry Elders Political Opinions.
In the aftermath of any botched U.S. military operation, what inevitably follows are numerous news cycles of noisy recriminations across Washingtons national security and foreign policy establishment. Republican lawmakers and some conservative military and diplomatic hands have blasted President Biden as the Afghanistan withdrawal spiraled out of control over the last two weeks, but there have been glaring exceptions.

Conspicuously absent from the after-action finger-pointing are nearly all of the 500 national security experts  both civilians and former senior uniformed officers  who endorsed Joe Biden for president last fall, while denouncing President Trump as an unfit commander-in-chief.

A website set up to promote the Biden endorsement, nationalsecurityleaders4biden.com, is now defunct while the groups Twitter account hasnt been tweeted from for nearly three months. As of Wednesday morning, the last two tweets, from early June and mid-May, were focused on climate change. From those who openly backed Biden for president, only Leon Panetta, who served as defense secretary and CIA director under President Obama, has criticized Bidens handling of the withdrawal. Late last week, Panetta predicted that the U.S. would have to eventually send troops back into the country to confront a re-established al-Qaeda and ISIS threat there.

Over the least two days, RealClearPolitics reached out to more than two dozen of the highest-ranking military and civilian leaders on the list of nearly 500 of those publicly backing Biden in September of last year. Only a handful responded.

John Negroponte, who served as the first director of national intelligence during the George W. Bush administration and previously as its ambassador to Iraq, was one of just two contacted by RCP who came forward to stand by their endorsement of Biden. The rest either did not respond to the inquiries or said they were too busy to weigh in, including Michele Flournoy, who served as undersecretary of defense in the administrations of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

Flournoy was a top contender to become Bidens defense secretary, but her connections to the defense industry ultimately sank her candidacy. A spokeswoman for Flournoy late Tuesday told RCP over email that the former senior Pentagon official is tied up at this time and unable to comment.

Negroponte, however, didnt hesitate when asked whether, in retrospect, he has second thoughts about the Biden endorsement. Within 30 minutes of RCPs inquiry, he emailed to say that he definitely stands by his decision, which he called a choice between two candidates. The veteran diplomat and top intelligence official added that he never supported either Donald Trumps or Bidens withdrawal policy in Afghanistan. I happen to disagree with both him and Mr. Trump on the issue of how we end our military involvement in Afghanistan, he said.

Pressed on his views of how history will view Bidens chaotic and deadly pullout form the country, Negroponte demurred for now. Lets let the dust settle and leave some time/space for those kind of judgments, he replied.

Of those national security leaders backing Biden last fall whom RCP reached out to, only one readily came forward to vigorously defend the presidents chaotic and deadly Afghanistan withdrawal.

Charles Adams Jr., the former ambassador to Finland and international arbitration expert who served as the co-chair of Americans Abroad for Obama, echoed Bidens contention that the rapid collapse of the Afghan military and its government could not have been predicted. He said the Talibans rapid takeover forced Bidens hand and gave him no choice but to work with the Islamic terrorist group to evacuate both Americans and Afghans who helped the U.S. and/or coalition forces over the last two decades.

The withdrawal was the correct decision, said Adams, who is prolific Democratic Party fundraiser. It was a necessary decision. I'm among those who for 20 years have questioned the purpose and the feasibility of what was at the time stated to be the mission of the American forces in Afghanistan. And so, I applauded the decision to withdraw, and I continue to applaud.

Adams also dismissed assertions by Panetta and many other national security and intelligence experts that terrorist groups, such as al-Qaeda and ISIS, are reconstituting in Afghanistan and will pose a dangerous threat to the United States as a result.

Theres actually no reason to believe that the Taliban are going to encourage or harbor or be in a position to execute from Afghanistan any terrorist activity aimed abroad, he said. I can assure you that over the horizon surveillance is going to be intense, and the hazard of terrorist attacks from the Taliban or any of its protegees is really not something that is overwhelmingly concerning.

Robert Ford, who served as U.S. ambassador to Syria under President Obama, conceded that the withdrawal was obviously not perfect, but he continues to totally support Biden.

When I compare his administration to the dysfunctional Trump team, the choice still has to be clearly in favor of Biden, he said in an emailed statement.

Ford argued that the Taliban was gaining strength, as their blitzkrieg this summer showed, and 20 years of the U.S. training the Afghan army was not building a self-sufficient force.

To say we could sustain at 2019 or 2020 levels indefinitely ignores that the Taliban were getting stronger, he argued.  Rather than ask only about Biden administration errors, we also should be asking why (1) so many Afghan soldiers wouldnt fight, and (2), [why] so many American citizens in Afghanistan ignored State Department warnings from April, May and June to depart immediately.

Adams comments directly contradict warnings from Panetta and dozens of conservative-leaning or independent military and intelligence experts. On Monday, 90 retired generals and admirals called on Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley to resign over what they said was the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, including the deaths of 13 American service members and some 180 Afghans in a terrorist bombing at Kabul airport last week. The letters signatories include John Poindexter, who served as President Reagans national security adviser, and House Rep. Ronny Jackson, the former top White House physician to Presidents Obama and Trump.

Panetta on Tuesday warned that its a mistake to rely on the Taliban for cooperation because the militant Islamic group cannot be trusted and has provided a safe haven for terrorists in the past and will continue to provide a safe haven for terrorists. Al-Qaeda likely will re-establish itself in Afghanistan, he told CNBCs Shepard Smith, citing an interview with a Taliban commander who argued there is no proof that Osama bin Laden was behind 9/11.

Another former defense secretary, William Cohen, who served under President Clinton, offered a mixed review, giving Biden credit for following through on the withdrawal while placing at least part of the blame on the intelligence community for its poor execution. In the same breath, Cohen also faulted the FBI and other U.S. intelligence agencies for failing to warn of the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill storming and siege.

I think President Biden did the right thing because the American people, 70% want out, he told CNNs Don Lemon on Aug. 17 before the Kabul airport bombing. He said, Okay, Im going to get them out. He didnt do it the way he planned. I think he has to be held accountable for it and those in his administration have to answer the question, What did they know, when did they know it and upon whom did they rely and was it reliable?

And you have to stand up and say we made a mistake relying on this information, he added. We made a mistake in this country when our own intelligence community and FBI didn't tell us the mob was going to storm Capitol Hill and try and hang the vice president of the United States are, kill the speaker of the House."

Anthony Zinni, who headed the U.S. Central Command from 1997 to 2000 and who also publicly backed Biden last fall, hasnt publicly criticized Bidens handling of the withdrawal. Still, Zinni has expressed deep concern about the fate of Afghans who worked closely with the U.S. military and thousands more who worked on civilian programs in support of the U.S. and coalition efforts.

Zinni last week sent a letter to the top leaders in Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, urging them to work closely with the administration to protect Afghans who worked with U.S. officials.

These individuals who stood directly with America face grave danger now, he wrote. And we must stand with them and also prioritize them for U.S.-led evacuations.

Yet, after the U.S. completed its withdrawal on Monday, countless Afghans who assisted the U.S. or coalition forces in some way were left behind. Many remain in hiding, worried that the Taliban is hunting them down, including an Afghan interpreter who helped rescue Biden and two other senators while visiting the country in 2008 when they were forced to land in a snowstorm.

Panetta compared the rapid fall of Afghanistan to the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba in 1961. I think of John Kennedy and the Bay of Pigs, Panetta told CNN. It unfolded quickly, and the president thought that everything would be fine and that was not the case.

Biden has a chance of overcoming the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle, Panetta argued, but only if his administration successfully evacuates all Americans and U.S. allies remaining in Afghanistan, makes it clear that the U.S. will pursue terrorists in the country, and pushes the Taliban to recognize human rights.

Ultimately, hes going to have to say that he has learned the lessons from his experience in Afghanistan and the mistakes that have been made, Panetta said.

But Biden showed no contrition, responsibility, or remorse in the speech he delivered Tuesday declaring Americas longest war finally over. Instead, the president boasted of the extraordinary success of the evacuation mission, arguing that no other country in the world had ever airlifted so many people so quickly out of a dangerous situation. He also tried to turn the obvious hostage threat of leaving an estimated 100-200 Americans behind into an accomplishment. Ninety percent of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave, he said during his remarks, pledging to make arrangement to get them out if they so choose.

Biden also rejected any notion that the chaotic and deadly evacuation could have taken place in a more orderly fashion if U.S. military and diplomatic leaders had planned better for the Taliban takeover. I respectfully disagree, he asserted.
Almost exactly 24 hours after the last cargo plane carrying Americans lumbered down the Kabul airport runway, President Biden started walking. He exited the Oval Office, passed through the Cross Hall of the White House, and entered the State Dining Room. He arrived with a full head of steam, and he was there to say that the war in Afghanistan, the longest war in American history, was over.

In remarks that lasted roughly half an hour, Biden took full responsibility for the decision to end the war while, at the same time, pushing responsibility onto others for how it ended.

He blamed former President Trump for signing an agreement with the Taliban to remove U.S. troops by May 1, an agreement that released 5,000 prisoners  some of the Talibans top war commanders among those who just took control of Afghanistan.

He blamed a corrupt Afghan government for letting its armies fold and leaving its people to watch their president flee amid the corruption of malfeasance, handing over the country to their enemy.

He blamed, or at very least appeared to chastise, any American stranded there for not leaving earlier, noting that since March, we reached out 19 times to Americans in Afghanistan with multiple warnings and offers to help them leave Afghanistan  all the way back as far as March.

Biden again fell back on a familiar binary that his White House has relied on since the situation started going haywire two weeks ago. He said the United States could honor the commitment Trump made to the Taliban or recommit itself, and her sons and daughters, to the war. That was the choice, the real choice between leaving or escalating, he insisted. I was not going to extend this forever war.

But the president did not discuss the promise he had broken. In an Aug. 19 interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News, he had been unequivocal when he twice stated his commitment to getting every American who wanted to leave the country out of Afghanistan before U.S. forces left.

We're gonna do everything in our power to get all Americans out and our allies out, the president said. Would troops remain past the deadline if necessary? It depends on where we are, he replied before noting that he hoped to ramp these numbers up to around 7,000 evacuations a day.

Biden: If that's the case, we'll be  they'll all be out.

ABC News: Because we've got, like, 10,000 to 15,000 Americans in the country right now, right? And are you committed to making sure that the troops stay until every American who wants to be out 

Biden: Yes.

ABC News:  is out?

Biden: Yes.

They did not all come home. The White House estimates that between 100 and 200 Americans who want to leave were left behind. And the American military is gone now, the last of them evacuated Monday on the final C-17 out of Kabul. On Tuesday, Biden still insisted that for those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out.

Though the president says he does not trust the Taliban, he told reporters at the White House how they had made their own public promise, on television and radio across Afghanistan, to ensure that anyone who wants to leave the country can. The world will be watching, the president warned, as the United States switches its focus from a military mission to a diplomatic one. He noted how the United Nations Security Council had passed a resolution sending a clear message about what the international community expects from the Taliban government.

Even after pulling out, the United States can still strike targets in the region. And after launching two attacks against ISIS-K  the masterminds behind the attack at the Kabul airport  Biden reminded enemies abroad of that fact, lest anyone gets the wrong idea. He added a stark warning to those who wish America harm, to those engage in terrorism against us  our allies know this  the United States will never rest. We will not forgive, will not forget. Well hunt you down to the ends of the earth and you will pay the ultimate price.

The speech was not just a rebuttal to his critics. The president did his best to turn the page on the war that had stretched across two decades. He grieved the fact that Americans under the age of 20 have never known an America not at war, and he honored the sacrifice given to that conflict, the 20,744 service members wounded and the 2,461 killed. All of it was painful evidence, he said, that there is nothing low-grade or low-risk or low-cost about any war.

The president closed by telling the country that it is time to look at the future, not past, promising that it would be one that is more secure now that the U.S. has left Afghanistan behind. Then, Biden quoted Abraham Lincoln, the call to honor those who gave their last full measure of devotion.

It looked for a moment that Biden would take questions from the assembled press. He started to leave, then paused to return to the podium as a chorus of reporters clamored for an unscripted sound bite from the president. But he had only forgotten his mask. Biden retrieved it and walked away. Questions fell to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

One reporter asked if there were any lessons that Biden had learned from the last two weeks. Psaki replied that you can spend a lot of time looking in the rearview mirror, but she added that the administration is more focused on moving forward in our diplomatic efforts.

Another reporter pressed: Why should the Americans left behind, the ones that want to leave, believe in the presidents commitment to bringing them home after he broke his promise from just 13 days ago? Because, she said, hes evacuated 5,500 American citizens and their family members and 120,000 total people over the last two weeks.

There are hundreds of questions about how the withdrawal was handled. Members of Congress from both parties have already called for an investigation. For instance, was it true  as the Washington Post reports  that the Taliban offered to let the United States take responsibility for Kabul but the Biden administration declined? Psaki told RealClearPolitics, Im not going to speak to private conversations. She did note, however, that holding the Afghan capital was not the primary objective.

What of the Americans still in hiding there? Psaki reiterated to RCP that, even though the United States no longer has a military presence, the presidents commitment to Americans and Afghan allies on the ground remains. And she promised to give day-by-day updates as to their status as the administration pursues a number of different evacuation avenues.

Asked if the administration was preparing for the absolute worst-case scenario, a possible hostage situation, the press secretary was defiant. Our focus right now is on making clear to the Taliban and to others in Afghanistan that we are going to get these Americans citizens out, she told RCP with the final answer of the day, that we are going to hold them to that account. And thats our focus.
With less than two weeks to go until Election Day in the California recall, Gov. Gavin Newsom has carved out a more comfortable lead than voter surveys showed just two weeks ago, according to a new poll from the Trafalgar Group, a Republican firm.

The most recent poll, conducted Aug. 26-29 among 1,088 likely voters, gives Newsom a nearly eight-percentage-point margin on the top-line question that will determine whether he remains in the governors mansion or is ousted by voters. It showed that 52% of Californians say they intend to vote no on whether to remove Newsom while 44.4% said they would vote yes, with just 3.7% remaining undecided. The poll has a margin of error of just below three percentage points.

Newsom has been facing a far more competitive challenge than expected in solidly blue California. Over the last month, the first-term governor has repeatedly pleaded for national Democratic Party help as polls showed a dead heat on the question of whether to remove him from office.

Initial plans for Vice President Kamala Harris to hold a rally this past Friday for Newsom were scrapped after news that 13 American service members and as many as 180 Afghans were killed in a terror attack at the Kabul airport. White House officials have said that President Biden will stump for Newsom, but time is running out and its unclear whether those plans remain in the wake of the chaotic and deadly Afghanistan withdrawal.

On the second question, regarding whom voters would select as a replacement if Newsom were removed, the new Trafalgar poll shows conservative talk show host and surprise GOP frontrunner Larry Elder expanding his lead to 29% among the more than 40 certified candidates running. Previous polls showed Elder leading but with support hovering in the low 20% range.

The candidate with the next highest level of support is little-known Kevin Paffrath, a 29-year-old real estate broker who hosts a YouTube channel about personal finance, stocks, taxes and real estate with 1.6 million subscribers. Paffrath is the only competitive Democrat in the mix to replace Newsom, who managed to prevent any high-ranking Democratic officials from challenging him. Paffrath has the support of 22% of likely recall voters, according to the Trafalgar poll.

The next tier of candidates, all Republicans, poll only in single-digit territory. Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and businessman and perennial political candidate John Cox are tied with 4.1% support, while reality TV personality and former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner is at 1.1%. Former GOP Rep. Doug Ose, who represented the Sacramento area in Congress for multiple terms, ended his campaign in mid-August after suffering a heart attack. Ose garnered just 0.2%.

The Trafalgar survey found that the race could still prove competitive between Paffrath and Elder if a majority of voters want Newsom ousted. Some 30.3% of those polled remain undecided on who they want as a potential replacement, and 9.1% indicated they would like to support someone else.

The polls partisan breakdown largely reflects the states registered voters. Trafalgar surveyed 48.1% likely Democratic voters, 25.7% Republicans and 26.2% of those selecting no party preference when registering. Democrats make up 46.5% of the California electorate while Republicans account for 24.2% and those expressing no party preference constitute 23.3%.

California GOP officials say Republicans remain highly motivated to remove Newsom after the governor instituted strict COVID stay-at-home orders and public school closures. But so far, Democrats are dominating in the all mail-in ballot election. (Every registered voter was sent a ballot to return by mail or at drop-off locations by Sept. 14.)

As of Wednesday morning, more than twice as many Democrats had voted than Republicans, with liberal regions of the state, such as the Bay Area, having the highest rate of returns, according to state officials and political data researchers. Nearly 4.7 million Californians had cast their ballots as of Wednesday morning, including 2.5 million Democrats compared to 1.1 million Republicans.

More Republicans distrust mail-in voting systems, and in the 2020 election they were much more likely to vote in-person on Election Day. Recall organizers are pressing Republicans not to wait until the last minute to cast their votes despite that widespread distrust.

While the Democratic turnout advantage so far is an encouraging sign for Newsom, there are also red flags. Latino voters are underperforming expectations, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. While these voters constitute more than a quarter of the electorate, they make up less than a fifth of the people who have returned their ballots so far.

Republicans have been courting the Latino vote, with Elder and Faulconer airing Spanish-language ads. Elder also focused his message on Hispanics during a Wednesday press conference, advocating for school choice and blaming teacher unions for failing 6 million children who attend public school across the state, the majority of whom are Latino.

Citing statistics published by the California Department of Education, Elder said only 28% of Latino public school students meet or exceed state math standards while 60% of Latino students do not meet state reading standards.

This is not acceptable, he said.

Elder argued that families should be able to embrace all the school-choice opportunities that will move Latino students forward, along with African American students, who suffer the same type of fate.
During the founding of the United States, Pennsylvania earned the nickname keystone for its essential rolegeographic, economic, and politicalin winning American independence. Two and a half centuries later, Pennsylvania maintained its Keystone State status in the now concluded war in Afghanistan.

In 2013, after the peak of the insurgency, state Adjutant Gen. Wesley Craig said that Pennsylvania endured "by far" the most National Guard deaths of any state. In the past two decades, according to tracker icasualties.org, the state has seen 93 U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan in addition to Guardsmen, along with more than 400 wounded.

What do these sacrifices mean, many Pennsylvanians wonder, if the soldiers fighting our wars have no faith in their commanding officersand moreover, if there are no consequences for predictable failure?

Last Friday, U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller filmed a viral Facebook video in reaction to the suicide bombing at Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. service members. People are upset because their senior leaders let them down and none of them are raising their hands and accepting accountability saying, We messed this up, Scheller said, accusing the secretary of defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other top brass of not holding up their end of the bargain. Scheller was relieved of command that same day and has since announced his intention to resign from the Marine Corps.

His disillusionment is not isolated. Last weekend, I spoke with a born-and-bred Pennsylvanian and active-duty U.S. Army soldier who expressed similar disappointment in our military leadership. He prefers to stay anonymous to protect himself against the type of retribution faced by Scheller.

Im not mad about us pulling out of Afghanistan, he said, having served in-country as a rifle squad team leader. The frustrating thing for me is the fact that these senior leaders, I would say brigade level and up, are so disconnected from their formations that they thought that this [nation-building] was gonna work. He added: They thought that the Afghans would actually adopt a democracy. Their military would be able to fight off the Taliban, and everything would be great.

The average enlistee, interacting on the ground with Afghan army recruits and fearing the infamous green-on-blue attackswhen those recruits turn their rifles on their trainerswere under no such fantasy. You ask any grunt that has been on the ground in Afghanistan, Do you feel the Afghan army was at any point or would be capable of effectively protecting their country? Theyre going to tell you no.

The soldier, who had previously served a tour in Iraq as well, placed blame on both the system and the men operating it. First is the insular nature of a command post. These higher-up leaders, these generals, they only get their information through third parties, he said. You wouldnt really see too many generals actually walking around, actually seeing what is going on.

To adopt a phrase used by former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, maybe its the strategists who are seeing the conduct of the war through a soda straw.

But even when policymakers and advisers get accurate information about the wars progress (or lack thereof), their incentive is to sugarcoat it. The way the army does its wording, the way they do everything, they dont like to sound negative [if] theres some kind of reprisal thats going to come from it, the soldier explained. So, they word things so that it sounds better. It briefs well.

In 2019, the Washington Post published the Afghanistan Papers, made up of leaked internal interviews featuring high-ranking military and government officials. The documents exposed an explicit and sustained effort to manipulate numbers, fabricate an optimistic narrative, and deceive Americans about the war effort.

We didnt have the foggiest notion of what we were undertaking, Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute said about Afghanistan in one Post interview, contradicting the positive assessment he regularly doled out to the public. Lute, senior adviser on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, was willing to be candid behind closed doors, but not to votersand certainly not to the men and women under his command.

Should anyone be surprised when this multi-decade deception erodes trust in our institutions?

This discontent is evident in Pennsylvania, a major political bellwether, and its not new. Unhappiness with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan led to widespread Republican losses in 2006, including the defeat of U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum. This same disillusionment helped fuel Donald Trumps victory in 2016, especially in formerly Democratic regions that now trend Republican. This legacy has remained a major issue in the Keystone State.

This crisis of confidence, especially among soldiers, shouldnt be ignored. The men and women tasked to defend our nation must reckon with defeat in a war about which they were never given an honest assessment. How many, like Scheller, are willing to walk away from their careers and pensions over it? How many, like the soldier I spoke to, are willing to continue their service but with pessimism toward their mission and a sardonic attitude toward the people deploying them?

This is the inevitable side effect of fighting multiple wars with impossible conditions for military victory. The only solution remains a drastic reassessment of U.S. foreign policy interests, including abandoning nation-building overseas and resolving to send our men and women in uniform to fight only in defense of our rights and liberties, and only in wars formally declared by Congress.

Like Americans elsewhere, Pennsylvanians are lamenting the course of these past 20 years.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/31/2021



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

couple Ronald Smith and Tiffany Franco are apparently getting a divorce following multiple breakups and reconciliations, and Tiffany has even called her estranged husband "a cancer."Ronald claims he has filed for divorce from Tiffany and the : Happily Ever After? sixth-season stars have decided to call it quits on their relationship, In Touch Weekly reported Ronald, who currently lives in South Africa, said he and the Maryland native have been fighting for "some time" and would be better off being single."We are calling it quits," Ronald told the magazine. "She keeps pointing the finger at me."Tiffany subsequently confirmed she and the father of her daughter, two-year-old Carley Rose, have "officially split.""I don't care anymore. He is a cancer that I need to get rid of immediately, and I wish luck to whoever is his next victim," Tiffany snapped.Tiffany who gave birth in July 2019 and also has a son Daniel from a previous relationship, said in her own statement to In Touch that she's ready to move on from Ronald because she feels like she has been taking care of her kids alone for years already.Tiffany said of the split, "The issue was that [Ronald] posts certain things whether it's selfies or pictures of his truck and he's looking for a specific response.""I feel that it is my responsibility as his wife to help him when he's down," she added. "Unfortunately, [he's] been down since I met him, so, it's been five-plus years of me supporting him with nothing in return."Tiffany also apparently didn't appreciate Ronald's decision to post a selfie on Sunday and allude to their breakup."Living life to fullest nothing keeping or holding me down thank you soooooo much for everyone support!" Ronald captioned the picture."All the positive messages (even though I struggle to get to them all still and respond) I really appreciate each and every one of them! You guys are the best."Tiffany accused Ronald of "looking for pity from everyone" in the captions of his Instagram posts, which really annoy her."It is absolutely the wrong kind of attention!" Tiffany told Us, adding that she's tired of supporting Ronald financially."Anytime we would go out to eat, I would pay. Anytime we do anything, I would pay."Tiffany insisted she had done her best to "support everything he wants to do unless it's irrational," and she doesn't feel the need to blab about their breakup on social media."[I know better than to be] posting my business on Instagram, but he makes me feel crazy; he makes me question my reality," Tiffany said.Tiffany actually posted a TikTok video, which she also shared on Instagram, suggesting her marriage cannot be fixed and she's done putting effort into her marriage."No one knows the truth and I'm absolutely sick of it," Tiffany explained.But Ronald told In Touch that Tiffany misunderstood his intention behind posting that recent selfie."She says I'm seeking attention, but if I feel good about myself, I'm going to post a selfie," Ronald declared, adding that he is "not even allowed" to go to the gym."I assume because she doesn't want me to look good for others, but I'm a married man. It's not like that."Ronald revealed he hasn't seen his daughter Carley in person since March 2021; however, he said he's able to FaceTime with his kids frequently and just talked to Daniel less than a week ago.When asked if there's a chance he and Tiffany may get back together again, Ronald stated, "At the end of the day, I'm gonna call a spade a spade.""As much as I love her and I care for her and she's the mother of my kids, I don't know that I would even want to fix it," Ronald confessed. "I highly doubt it. I'm tired of holding back and keeping quiet."But Tiffany and Ronald recently split in early July , around the time of Carley's second birthday, and reconciled.Tiffany shared alleged emails and Instagram DMs from Ronald at the time in which the South Africa native said he was "done" with his marriage and threatened to expose her on social media and hire a lawyer.Ronald allegedly told Tiffany that he could find someone "better" who will treat him "right" and "won't lie.""F-ck you for that... I'm gonna block you again... I already threw everything out of the house... [I] hope you find pleasure in what you did. I'm literally nauseous thinking about you now lol... I'm free now, thank you [for] lying... I won't respect you for sh-t again," he allegedly wrote to his wife.Ronald allegedly continued, "I do not want to know nothing about you. I don't want to hear about you; all I want is my kids. I'm done with you, you can move on. I move on. Let's do that. You can say I'm cheating [but] you are the one lying about the visa."Ronald previously accused Tiffany of not actually submitting the paperwork for his spousal visa, which would allow him to finally move to the United States.Tiffany also claimed Ronald had called her "worthless" and "useless" and said she was being emotionally abused my her husband.Tiffany and Ronald were arguing and came close to calling it quits in May, and months earlier, they had a nasty breakup in January 2020 that didn't last.Back in January, the pair announced they were "separating" and appeared to be headed for a divorce.Tiffany accused Ronald of "adultery" and manipulation at the time and claimed he had suffered multiple relapses of the gambling addiction he had sought treatment for in a rehab facility years ago.On January 28, 2020, Tiffany told her Instagram followers in regards to her marriage "some things are just irreparable," and Ronald claimed on social media he'd be "filing for divorce in South Africa" after a year-and-a-half of marriage.The sparring spouses were shown trying to work through their issues and stay together on : Happily Ever After?'s Tell-All event for Season 6 Tiffany and Ronald initially appeared on : The Other Way's first season in 2019 and were shown getting married on the series in South Africa.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
South Korean boy band BTS and Jimmy Fallon discussed their favorite moments together on The Tonight Show.

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The group and Fallon looked back at their first meeting together, games they've played and how their performance inside Grand Central Terminal in New York City in the clip released on Tuesday.

"I remember that the floor was slippery," BTS member Jung Kook said about the performance.

"They were dancing, singing, so choreographed, beautiful, perfect. Everything was good. They did that maybe three or four times and it's exhausting. I go, 'Wow, these guys really put the work in,'" Fallon said.

Fallon teased at the end of the video that BTS will be on The Tonight Show again in the near future.

In August, BTS canceled their Map of the Soul tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paramount+ released the trailer for the upcoming series Mayor of Kingstown on Tuesday. Co-created by Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon, the show premieres Nov. 14 on Paramount+.

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Kyle Chandler and Taylor Handley star as the McLusky brothers. Their family has been involved in the prison industry in Kingstown, Mich. for generations.

Their mother, Mariam (Dianne Wiest) does not want her sons to follow in their late father's footsteps. She questions their suspicious activities in the trailer.

Mike McLusky (Renner) is considered the mayor of Kingstown. Another character explains that Mike runs the city, and even the elected mayor knows it.

The cast of Mayor of Kingstown also spoke with the Television Critics Association in a Zoom panel on Tuesday. Renner said that the city of Kingstown, whose only industry is prisons, drives his character to corruption.

"It all starts with the limited bleak surroundings," Renner said. "We all share a similar backdrop and how we are, I don't want to say victims, but products of our environments."

Wiest said Mariam has grown disillusioned. After her husband's death and seeing her sons follow in his footsteps, Mariam no longer believes in anything.

"I don't think she really even believes in family anymore," Wiest said. "She is enraged and she takes that rage out on her children."
Traverse City, MI (49684)

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Some clouds. Low 56F. W winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph..

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Traverse City, MI (49684)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. W winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph..

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Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. W winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.
Traverse City, MI (49684)

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Cloudy with gusty winds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 74F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph..

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I cant say confidently that Dylann Roof does not deserve death, but I cant say we as a nation and society have a right to kill him, either.
Highlighting Your Health is an educational segment courtesy of Vidant Health News. Vidant is a 1,708-bed health system whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of more than 1.4 million people is serves in 29 eastern North Carolina counties.
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A group of artists that make up From the River, To the River, install a permanent art piece they called Ask the River at the Brattleboro, Vt., Parking Garage on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. The new art installation replaces the original one that was hung in 2015.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

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Cloudy skies early with scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low 64F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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Cloudy skies early with scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low 64F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
March of 2019 opened with a deep chill across Cascadia. Arctic air poured south, jacking up energy consumption and straining energy supplies in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. It conjured a perfect storm for the regions electricity grid.

As temperatures plummeted, Cascadias hydropower reservoirs sat at record lows following weak fall rains and an exceptionally cold winter. Mechanical trouble had halved output from the Centralia, Washington, coal-fired power plant  the largest generator between Seattle and Portland. A low-pressure weather system was hampering Cascadias wind farms. And maintenance work on lines in Los Angeles limited the amount of power that could flow north.

Utilities appealed to citizens to conserve energy. Industries cut back as power prices spiked. And the grid held.

Utility officials call it a near miss and a sign of a new normal. We really had a very close call, says Scott Bolton, senior vice president for transmission development at Portland-based PacifiCorp.

Future events could have direct impacts to the reliability of the bulk power system, concluded an assessment by Western Electricity Coordinating Council, the utility consortium that oversees reliability for the interconnected transmission network west of the Rockies.

Sharing renewable electricity across long distances is among the most cost-effective strategies for slashing carbon emissions, as InvestigateWest reported in April. Longer power lines with centralized control centers increase grid flexibility to carry high levels of wind and solar power.

A robust network would allow utilities to tap diverse sources. If inconvenient weather zaps Cascadias power supply, for example, utilities can import electricity  maybe solar power from the Southwest or wind power from Montana and Wyoming. And if the tables turn, Cascadia can export solar, wind and water power.

A bigger grid isnt the sole solution. Giant battery arrays on the high-voltage grid or smaller packs charged from rooftop solar panels could keep things running for several hours. Hydrogen gas produced from clean electricity and stored locally could back up the grid.

Even diehard advocates for an expanded grid agree local energy upgrades will be crucial. Still, they say, grid expansion requires immediate action. Yet grid projects often are delayed for a decade or more by community opposition to new power lines and interstate disputes over who should pay for new lines.

In most of the United States and parts of Canada, utilities give neutral grid operators and regional markets control over power plants. Such optimized systems provide electricity at lower costs, identifying where new lines are needed and spreading costs among the utilities and states that benefit.

West of the Rockies, the power sector remains dominated by vertically integrated monopolies. An independent grid operator manages most of Californias electricity, but everywhere else control rests with 37 public and private utilities, including 14 within British Columbia, Washington and Oregon alone.

A coordinated Western grid is needed to accelerate wind and solar installations and to expand access to imported renewable energy, says Spencer Gray, who runs the Portland-based Northwest & Intermountain Power Producers Coalition. The groups members include most of the Northwests renewable energy developers.

Its crazy to go into a decarbonized future still treating each state or each utility as a little island unto itself, says Gray.

Although attempts to shift the dynamic in the West failed in recent decades, the U.S. Senate recently approved an infrastructure bill with provisions to encourage centralized operations and to facilitate line approval and financing.

And Western utilities have now gained experience with open power markets via an exchange launched in 2014 by PacifiCorp and the agency that operates Californias grid. Although the Western Energy Imbalance Market trades only last-minute surpluses  mostly renewable energy that would go to waste as of last month, it had saved consumers a cool $1.4 billion.

To assess prospects for a coordinated regional grid, InvestigateWest sought the views of an industry representative, a renewable energy advocate, and a former B.C. power trader who now teaches energy economics.

Managing energy politics

Scott Bolton says hes the lone liberal arts major in a utilitys transmission department  usually the domain of electrical engineers. But its no accident. Modernizing the grid is more than a technical challenge for PacifiCorp. We have a six-state system, and we have three of the bluest of the blue states and three of the reddest of the red states, says Bolton.

As negotiators work in several forums to unify the power sector, weather and politics associated with climate change stoke tensions across the West. Grid development in states as politically diverse as Oregon, Washington and Wyoming requires a poli-sci majors experience.

State politicians think local. For example, pressure to avoid a repeat of 2020s rolling blackouts prompted Californias grid operator to adopt a California-first policy that could block urgent power flows to other jurisdictions. This engendered distrust in other states and impeded California systems effort to spearhead a Western power market.

Closer to home for PacifiCorp, tensions between pro-coal Montana and Wyoming and anti-coal Oregon and Washington threaten to delay development of reliable wind energy.

Federal politicians are working to accelerate grid expansion. Gray worked with U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington on a proposal to help transmission developers get private financing. The plan would empower the Department of Energy to sign up for rights to a proposed or expanded line, thereby encouraging utilities to join in. And a $2.5 billion transmission facilitation fund is part of the Senates $550 billion infrastructure bill, which still must pass the House.

Meanwhile, Bolton says a proposal by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon to extend tax breaks to transmission projects could have even greater impact. That measure could pass as part of a $3.5-billion, Democrat-driven package.

But not everyone in Cascadia welcomes Boltons pitch. Communities and conservationists are fighting a link between eastern Oregon and Idaho, for example. They accuse Idaho Power, PacifiCorps project partner, of trying to siphon off Cascadias renewable energy and degrading views along the Oregon Trail.

Critics in coal-rich states, meanwhile, are riled by Oregon and Washington mandates to phase out imports of coal-generated power.

The way to transcend these divisions, says Bolton, is to deliver cheaper power to everyone. He notes the happy coincidence that adding renewable energy and cutting the use of fossil fuels now also reduces costs.

On utilities and the greater good

Nicole Hughes biggest challenge is disjointed thinking by some utilities and their states regulators.

Hughes runs Renewable Northwest, a coalition pushing for renewable energy deployment in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. To her, blackouts that crippled Texas in February dramatized the importance of sharing power among regions.

Texas operates its own grid and has only weak connections to adjoining western, eastern and Mexican grids. The result, she says, was that Texas couldnt tap outside help when extreme cold shut down dozens of gas, coal, wind and nuclear power plants in February. Hundreds of people died when heaters turned off.

Her first focus for Cascadias grid is repurposing and expanding existing high-voltage lines. One example is the line linking the Colstrip, Montana, coal power plant to the plants four co-owners: PacifiCorp, Portland General Electric, Avista and Bellevue, Washingtonbased Puget Sound Energy (PSE). Those utilities all anticipate shutting down their Colstrip units between 2027 and 2030.

Renewable Northwest eagerly awaits retirement of the Colstrip plant so that its line to Washington can be repurposed for Montana wind power. But Puget Sound Energy put that future in doubt in early 2020 when it requested permission from Washington state regulators to sell its shares in Colstrip and the power line to NorthWestern Energy, a Montana utility with a weaker commitment to climate action.

Puget Sound Energy priced its transmission asset at $1.725 million  a bargain according to a transmission expert hired by Renewable Northwest and the Seattle-based NW Energy Coalition. The expert, Michael Goggin, testified to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission that PSEs asset was worth at least $342 million to Washington ratepayers. Ultimately, staff advised the commission to reject the sale.

Hughes, meanwhile, expects her struggle to continue: We anticipate having this fight over and over again, every time a utility gets out of Colstrip.

Hughes says some new transmission lines are needed  and likely will be included in the projects planned by PacifiCorp. Still, she cautions against planning new lines until the West has a regional market that involves states and stakeholders beyond just utilities. She argues that such a market is needed to unlock the full potential of the existing grid.

Instead of just buying something new, we need to figure out if theres something we can reuse. Were not very good at that in this country, says Hughes.

Sharing British Columbias flexibility

Blake Shaffer spent seven years as an electricity trader for provincial utility BC Hydro. As an academic, he focuses on the role that power trading can play in decarbonizing economies. Power tradings moneymaking and climate action opportunities increasingly align, says the University of Calgary economics professor.

He points to Cascadias hydropower and argues it has a lucrative role to play in helping utilities across the West slash reliance on coal- and gas-fired electricity.

Hydropower reservoirs are essentially giant batteries, and British Columbia has the Wests biggest. The W.A.C. Bennett Dam on the Peace River impounds about 60 million acre-feet of water  roughly six times more than Grand Coulee Dam.

This gives the province unusual flexibility, says Shaffer. Hydropower reservoirs smooth out seasonal fluctuations in supply, making British Columbia less vulnerable to low-water years that stress Washington and California. In recent years, British Columbia also has earned extra revenue by tapping its flexible hydropower to smooth out the Western grids electricity supply.

Heres how it works: BC Hydro ramps up its turbines and sends power south when the Western grids power supplies are tight  often when wind and solar generation are in short supply. It then uses imported power to meet local demand when electricity is abundant  often when winds are strong and sunny days are activating millions of solar panels.

B.C. doesnt have massive surplus of hydropower to export. In fact, theyre often net importers. But they do have flexibility as to when they deploy their hydropower, says Shaffer. And B.C. hydropower offers its neighbors an alternative to turning on fossil-fueled generators, which currently are their leading source of flexibility.

BC Hydros import/export arm turns a tidy profit by trading electricity. Over five years, Powerex has earned an average of $260 million more annually on power sales than it paid for imports.

Shaffer says BC Hydro is boosting its capacity and flexibility. The utility is adding turbines at existing hydro dams and building a dam on the Peace River, although the structurally troubled Site C hydropower project remains controversial.

The West will need as much flexibility as it can get. As greenhouse gas targets tighten, it will be harder for utilities to use fossil-fired power plants. At the same time, peak electricity demand for home heating, cars and other equipment is expected to increase.

If the province wants to use its expanded hydropower to add flexibility to the Western grid, it will need more cross-border transmission capacity.

Shaffer says added cross-border transmission is likely to pay off for both sides. He points to work by MIT researchers who ran computer models to explore the value of comparable exchanges between Hydro-Quebecs big reservoirs and the northeastern United States.

In MITs simulation, Quebec and New England traded increasing volumes of energy back and forth as researchers programmed in more transmission between the jurisdictions. As trading increased, carbon pollution and energy costs fell, and electrification of home heating and vehicles accelerated.

But conjuring this electrical symbiosis may take years. Proposed power lines from Quebec south are frequently hamstrung by opposition from local and state interests.

Transmission doesnt get discussed enough, says a clearly frustrated Shaffer. Were all kicking and screaming and saying this is a big part of the solution if were going to decarbonize.

___

This report is part of Getting to Zero, InvestigateWests yearlong reporting initiative on reducing carbon in the Cascadia region. InvestigateWests work is supported in part by the Fund for Investigative Journalism.
LACONIA, N.H. (AP)  An attorney has entered a not guilty plea on behalf of musical artist Marilyn Manson, who is accused of approaching a videographer at his 2019 concert in New Hampshire and allegedly spitting and blowing his nose on her.

Manson, whose legal name is Brian Hugh Warner, surrendered in July to police in Los Angeles in connection with a 2019 arrest warrant in the case. The allegations were detailed in a police affidavit that was released along with a criminal complaint.

Manson was charged with two misdemeanor counts of simple assault stemming from the alleged altercation on Aug. 19, 2019, at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford. The misdemeanor charges can each result in a jail sentence of less than a year and a $2,000 fine if convicted.

An arraignment hearing on the charges was scheduled for Thursday, but an attorney for Manson filed the not guilty plea and a wavier of arraignment in Laconia District Court. A case status hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 27.

Susan Fountain, a videographer, was in the venues stage pit area at the time of the alleged assault. Her company, Metronome Media, was contracted by the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion for the concert season.

According to the affidavit, Manson approached Fountain the first time, put his face close to the camera and spit a big lougee at her. She was struck on both hands with saliva.

Manson allegedly returned a second time, covering one side of his nostril and blowing in Fountains direction. Fountain put down her camera and went to the restroom to wash her hands and arms that had Mansons bodily fluids on them.

Manson also has faced abuse accusations  unrelated to the New Hampshire allegation  in recent years. He has denied wrongdoing.

In February, actor Evan Rachel Wood publicly accused Manson, her ex-fiance, of sexual and other physical abuse, alleging she was manipulated into submission during their relationship. Months later, Game of Thrones actor Esme Bianco sued Manson in federal court in Los Angeles, alleging sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted, but Bianco and Wood have spoken publicly.

In 2018, Los Angeles County prosecutors declined to file charges against Manson over allegations of assault, battery and sexual assault dating to 2011, saying they were limited by statutes of limitations and a lack of corroboration. The accuser in that case was identified only as a social acquaintance of Manson.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said Tuesday she has activated nine soldiers from the state National Guard to help with COVID-19 testing in the western part of the state amid a surge of infections.

This past week, I had conversations with all three South Dakota hospital systems and asked them what they needed as cases start to rise again, she said in a statement. Monument asked for the National Guard to assist them in their testing efforts, and we are happy to help.
TORRINGTON  Housing stock in the city could increase by next summer, with Pennrose LLCs apartment building potentially being ready for new tenants, officials said.

The Philadelphia-based company, which owns the Franklin Street property, poured the foundation for the building in early August.

Charlie Adams, Pennrose vice president of development, said Tuesday that the foundation is ready and workers are installing insulation around the base on top of the slab.

Its part of the passive house technology that were going to be using in this building, Adams said. The pipes, all the plumbing is going in now.

Pennrose first presented its plans for a mixed-use, mixed-income development on the riverfront property in 2019, when it first was approved by the City Council. The building joins the citys development of Franklin Plaza, where a weekly farmers market and numerous public events have been held since it opened in December 2020. The city used state and federal grants to complete the necessary remediation work for the plaza.

The aim of the project, according to Pennrose, is to help create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly, urban setting on Franklin Street and link to downtowns cultural attractions, including providing affordable housing for young artists drawn by the Five Points Gallery.

We were excited about the plaza, Adams said. Thats what made us interested in working with the city. This area will pull people down from the plaza into the downtown area, and it also connects the (Torrington Trails Network) walking trail thats expanding along the river. The project will include a dedicated path behind the building, and once its done, well turn that over to the city.

Pennroses four-story building will have 60 units with one and two bedrooms. The roof will have a deck facing Franklin Plaza; on the ground floor, the company is putting in an 1,100-square-foot retail space for a cafe, restaurant or deli, which could be rented by a local business.

Its a boomerang-shaped building that wraps around the river, Adams said. Its a pretty tight parcel of land, and its tucked right in there.

Before Pennrose could begin building, the city was responsible for cleaning up the site, which required removing contaminated soil. Adams said the city has been a great partner.

They cleaned up the site. There were a lot of challenges and some environmental issues, but the city got it done, he said. They were finally able to get it cleaned up, and handed it over to us. We started our work two months ago, and were making great progress.

Adams expects the building to be completed by June 2022. It should be occupied by December of that year, he said. The building will have a mix of 75 percent affordable apartments, and 25 percent market rate, with one and two bedrooms.

Pennroses Meriden Commons is similar to the Franklin Street plan. That mixed-use development includes 75 housing units with a restaurant likely to move into the additional retail space at the site.

We wanted to do the same thing in Torrington; its about having people on the street, using the resources. There are great resources on Main Street; theater, galleries, restaurants, Adams said. Were hoping (new residents) will all support that activity.

Pennrose is also interested in having Five Points Gallery artists to use some of the apartments. There may be a need for local artists or performers to find some housing there, and this would be ideal, Adams said. They can walk to work. Thats a goal were trying to accomplish.

Adams said working with Mayor Elinor Carbone and Economic Development Director Rista Malanca has been a great experience for him. Its a partnership, he said. Its worked very well for everyone.

We are very excited about the final results of this long-awaited project, Malanca said in a recent message to the community, which is published on her departments Facebook page. We cannot wait to see this neighborhood in our downtown come to life.

After the building slab was poured, passersby were curious, Adams said.

People have asked what it is, whats going on, he said. Theres a big tower for the elevator, kind of sitting there, and they want to know what it is. People have also asked when they can rent units. We need to get some marketing information out there.
WINSTED  The Winchester Economic Development Commission is hosting the second annual town-wide store front contest.

Members invite Winchester businesses to participate by beautifying their storefront through improvements such as: signage, awnings, widows, planter boxes, cleaning of sidewalks and parking areas, according to a statement.

The theme of this years contest is Winchester 250 - Celebration and History.

The entry deadline is Oct. 1 and completion of improvements ends November 1, 2021.

The winners will be notified by Nov. 15, with a recognition ceremony to follow shortly after.

The top three most improved storefront facades will be awarded with a generous monetary prize along with the winner receiving a special recognition ceremony, according to the commission.

Email edcwinchester@gmail.com with the name, business name, address, phone number and email address if interested in participating.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico students have fewer school days than other children in the U.S., and a decade of research and investment by state officials hasnt changed that fact.

In a legislative hearing Thursday, one expert called extra learning a lost cause, suggesting that children won't recover academically from the pandemic because school districts have declined to add extra learning days to their calendars.

Most states have a minimum of 180 school days for districts. New Mexico sets goals for the number of days and instructional hours that students get, but even those standards can be waived. Some schools operate only four days per week, and some students have 150 or fewer school days.

The state has allocated millions of dollars to pay for the extra teacher hours. The voluntary programs add 25 days of school for children in K-5 and 10 days for higher grades.

But the funding has failed to win over school districts. Many parents and teachers don't want summers shortened. Legislators proposed making the programs mandatory, but the idea died in a Senate subcommittee.

I tend to treat it as a lost cause. It didnt happen, economist Stephen Barro told lawmakers. Some losses, were not ever going to make up now.

Legislators at the committee hearing in Taos heard from Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus, who answered their questions for the first time after taking the position last week. Steinhaus predecessor was from out of state, and he quit his post after two years.

Im glad youre from New Mexico, Rep. Harry Garcia said. We want to keep you for a long time.

Steinhaus said he endorses a universal mandate for extending the school year, especially with that extra 10 days, the program aimed at upper grades.

A mandate won't be revisited until the next legislative session, in early 2022, and it would not go into effect in the 2022-2023 school year.

Lawmakers also heard from Karen Sanchez-Griego, superintendent of the Cuba Independent School District, who signed all of her schools up for the additional learning days.

Those days, on top of social worker support and tailored solutions to student needs  one without electricity was given a solar panel to charge her laptop  the district neutralized learning loss.

At the end of the year in May we didnt see any growth. But we didnt see regression, Sanchez-Griego said.

Cuba was one of a few districts that conducted widespread student testing, despite waivers from state officials that allowed them not to do so.

The district also increased graduation rates in recent years, from below the state average to above it. Among Native American students, the graduation rate increased from 58% to 88% between 2017 and 2020, according to state education data.

___

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.
Lebanon, IN (46052)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 62F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 62F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Bollywood actor Armaan Kohli has been remanded to a 14-day judicial by a Mumbai court on Wednesday. The actor was arrested by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Sunday as drugs were recovered during the NCB raid at his residence in Mumbai. Prior to his judicial custody, Armaan Kohli was in NCB custody for 24 hours following his arrest, which was further extended to Wednesday.

After the raid at Armaan Kohli's residence, the actor reportedly gave ambiguous answers to questions put up by the agency. NCB Zonal Director (Mumbai) Sameer Wankhede informed that the actor was taken into custody for questioning under the NDPS Act after drugs were recovered from his residence.

Drug peddler Ajay Raju Singh, who had earlier been arrested in the same case, was also sent to the custody of the NCB for a day on August 29. Both were produced again before the court on August 30, wherein Armaan Kohli's custody was extended till September 1. Notably, two suppliers from the Juhu area were intercepted by NCB with an intermediate quantity of MD, a day after Armaan Kohli's arrest.

NCB arrests six more people with Bollywood links

The NCB team on Tuesday also arrested six more people, one of whom is a Nigerian actor named Sunday Okeki alias Sunny. He has worked in several Bollywood movies such as Golmaal and Kick. He is also allegedly known to be close to several Bollywood celebrities and has worked with them as a bodybuilder and a bouncer. He was arrested from Nallasopara with intermediate quantities of narcotic substances like Mephedrone (MD) and Ecstasy. The six person's links to Armaan Kohli and his supplier Ajay Raju Singh have been established.

A supplier of MD with commercial quantities was arrested from Nallasopara named Uba Chinoso Wizdom for supplying MD to Ajay Raju Singh. Another accused by the name of Nwachiyaso Israel Nwachukwu alias Sam was arrested with intermediate quantities of cocaine from Goregaon for supplying drugs to Armaan Kohli. He is known to be the kingpin of the African Drug cartel, and the cocaine seized from him has South American origin. An NCB official was said to be injured in the operation. Two consumers are also arrested in this case. One is a hotelier and another person named Mohammed Ajaz Sayyed alias Chiya Bhai, who is arrested with an intermediate quantity of MD from Juhu, he is the supplier of Singh, Armaan Kohlis supplier. This nexus came to the fore after Ajay Raju Singh was arrested.

Among the operations carried out by the NCB, actor Gaurav Dixit, who was absconding for a long time, was also intercepted on the intervening night of August 30 and 31. MD, a small quantity of 'Charas' and some tablets of MDMA/Ecstacy were recovered from Gaurav Dixit. The NCB team has busted six modules of the Mephedrone (MD) network in Mumbai in the last few days, wherein commercial MD from various suppliers and peddlers has been seized.
As the two latest strains of COVID (C.1.2 & B.1.621) gained more traction on a global level, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in a guideline, mandated COVID RT-PCR testing at the airport for passengers arriving from 11 countries.

The BMC also stated that requisite arrangements were being made at the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport for the effective implementation of the guidelines with testing capacity augmenting at 600 passengers per hour at the moment. This guideline issued by the BMC will be effective from September 3.

In view of new mutations, pax arriving at Mumbai Airport from UK, Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe shall be mandatorily subjected to self-paid RTPCR Test on arrival. pic.twitter.com/XY8dKKRBUx   Mumbai,  BMC (@mybmc) September 1, 2021

What did the guideline suggest?

The BMC in its guideline has made COVID RT-PCR testing compulsory for international passengers arriving at Mumbai Airport. The issued guideline directed the passengers arriving from UK, Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe to get their tests done upon arrival. The BMC further notified that the self-paid test would be chargeable at a fixed cost of Rs. 600.

More about the emerging strains

This decision of the BMC for introducing the self-paid tests came after two new COVID strains emerged from Colombia and South Africa respectively. The B.1.621 variant (Mu) was first detected in Colombia and was designated as a variant of interest by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The Mu variant was primitively discovered in January, however, it was classified as a VOI on August 30 only after the UN noted that the strain had a constellation of mutations that indicated potential properties of immune escape. The second variant C.1.2 was first detected in South Africa but still possessed lesser risk than the former.

WHO on Tuesday said that the global prevalence of the new Mu variant of the coronavirus was below 0.1% among sequenced cases but in Colombia, it is at 39%, and at 13% in Ecuador, where the variant has consistently increased." The new variant of interest has caused sporadic outbreaks in parts of South America and Europe.

At present, the variant accounts for a minute number of global cases but the scientists have designated Mu worthy of special monitoring as more research into the nature of vaccine needed to evade it is needed. There are also concerns about 'Mus' high transmissibility although it is yet uncertain whether it will be more problematic than the Delta variant.

Image Credits - PTI
After 17 months of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Air India flight operations between Indore to Dubai resumed on September 1. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia virtually flagged off the "non-stop" Indore-Dubai flight on Wednesday. The virtual meet was also attended by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The international flight took off from Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport.

Timings of the non-stop international flight

The Indore-Dubai flight took off from Indore Airport at 12:35 pm Indian Standard Time (IST) and reached Dubai at 3:05 pm, Air India told PTI. The return flight from Dubai is scheduled to take off every Wednesday at 4:05 pm (UAE time) and reach Indore at 8:55 pm IST. The resumed flight service is expected to boost the long-halted tourism and trade between India and UAE.

In the virtual event organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the guests also flagged off six flights on the Gwalior-Indore route, Gwalior-Delhi route & Air India's Indore-Dubai route. "The Indore-Dubai flight is being resumed after 17 months. I remember that just five days after I became the civil aviation minister," said Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made the first demand to me that this flight be resumed," he said while addressing the function through video conference. The flight operation was suspended in March 2020.

India-Bangladesh flights to resume from Sept 3

On the other hand, flight operations between India and Bangladesh will restart from September 3 under the "air-bubble" agreement between both countries, ANI reported. As per the notice, seven flights will run per week, for any country carrier, in the air bubble at first. "This Ministry has examined the proposal in consultation with the health authorities of India and would like to propose resumption of operations under the Air Bubble with 7 frequencies per week (for carriers of either country)," the Indian aviation ministry said.

Listing the mandatory guidelines to be followed before boarding international flights, MoCA said in its statement that passengers travelling from Bangladesh to India should be mandatorily subjected to "self-paid confirmatory molecular tests on arrival at the Indian airports concerned (port of entry)." Additionally, only 140 passengers will be allowed to board an inbound flight from Bangladesh. "The capacity may be restricted to a specific percentage of the installed seat capacity of the aircraft (say 90 percent or 95 percent)," MoCA said. People will tourist visas will be temporarily not allowed in the country.

With inputs from PTI and ANI

Image Credit: AP/representative
Islamabad/Dhaka, Aug 31 (PTI) A Bangladeshi vaccine scientist and a microfinance pioneer from Pakistan were the among the five recipients of this year's Ramon Magsaysay Award -- regarded as the Asian version of the Nobel Prize -- announced on Tuesday.

Apart from Dr Firdausi Qadri from Bangladesh and Muhammad Amjad Saqib from Pakistan, the other winners are Filipino fisher and community environmentalist Roberto Ballon, American Steven Muncy for humanitarian work and refugee assistance and Indonesian torch bearer for investigative journalism, Watchdoc.

Qadri, 70, who has a doctorate from Liverpool University, UK, joined International Centre For Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, (an international health research institute based in Dhaka) in 1988.

Today she is credited with developing affordable oral cholera vaccine and the typhoid conjugate vaccine for adults, children, and infants. Most of her work is focused in congested slum areas of developing countries .

She is being recognised for her passion and life-long devotion to the scientific profession; her vision of building the human and physical infrastructure that will benefit the coming generation of Bangladeshi scientists, women scientists in particular, and her untiring contributions to vaccine development, advanced biotechnological therapeutics and critical research that has been saving millions of precious lives, the award citation said.

Pakistani development worker Muhammad Amjad Saqib, 64, has developed the "first-of-its-kind" interest-and-collateral-free microfinance programme, Akhuwat, which uses places of worship to disburse zero-interest loans, recording a phenomenal loan repayment rate of 99.9 per cent.

Akhuwat has taken up a vast array of social support programmes in education, health services, clothes bank, anti-social discrimination and COVID-19 emergency aid.

Saqib is being recognised for his intelligence and compassion that enabled him to create the largest microfinance institution in Pakistan; his inspiring belief that human goodness and solidarity will find ways to eradicate poverty; and his determination to stay with a mission that has already helped millions of Pakistani families, read the citation.

Steven Muncy, 64, from the US, is being recognised for his unshakable belief in the goodness of man that inspires in others the desire to serve; his life-long dedication to humanitarian work, refugee assistance, and peace building; and his unstinting pursuit of dignity, peace, and harmony for people in exceptionally difficult circumstances in Asia. Fifty-three year old environmentalist, Roberto Ballon from the Philippines is being recognised for his inspiring determination in leading his fellow fisherfolk to revive a dying fishing industry by creating a sustainable marine environment for this generation and generations to come, and his shining example of how everyday acts of heroism can truly be extraordinary and transformative, the official award statement read.

Watchdoc, Indonesia, is lauded for its emerging leadership in "its highly principled crusade for an independent media organisation, its energetic use of investigative journalism, documentary filmmaking, and digital technology in its effort to transform Indonesias media landscape, and its commitment to a vision of the people themselves as makers of media and shapers of their own world. Established in 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia's highest honour.

It celebrates the memory and leadership example of the third Philippine president after whom the award is named, and is given every year to individuals or organisations in Asia who manifest the same selfless service and transformative influence that ruled the life of the late and beloved Filipino leader.

This years Magsaysay Award winners will each receive a certificate, a medallion bearing the likeness of the late President, and a cash prize.

They will be formally conferred the Magsaysay Award during formal Presentation Ceremonies to be held on November 28 at the Ramon Magsaysay Center in Manila. PTI IND AKJ IND

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Dr S Jaishankar, India's Minister of External Affairs, praised Oman on Wednesday for assisting India's Afghan repatriation planes. During a phone discussion, Jaishankar reviewed Afghanistan and the COVID-19 issue with his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr Albusaidi. The talks between them came a day after the US completed its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. The US has ended its two-decade-long war in Afghanistan.

Good to talk to Omani Foreign Minister @badralbusaidi.



Discussed Afghanistan and Covid.

Thank Oman for supporting our repatriation flights.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 1, 2021

Indian Ambassador to Qatar met Taliban leader

India is closely monitoring the developments in Afghanistan. In the first formal and publicly acknowledged contact, Indian Ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal met senior Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai on Tuesday.

Mr Jaishankar also spoke to his British counterpart Dominic Raab on the situation in Afghanistan. This is his second such conversation in a week. With the rapid developments in Afghanistan, especially after the Taliban took over the country on August 15, India has remained in constant touch with all major countries. Earlier on August 25, the foreign minister also spoke to Raab on the Afghanistan crisis.

Mr Jaishankar will be visiting Slovenia, Croatia, and Denmark from September 2 to 5, as part of a tour to assess the bilateral ties with the three Central European countries. According to a statement from India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the visit will provide a chance to evaluate progress in India's bilateral ties with these three nations as well as deepen India's multifaceted relationship with the EU.

EAM to meet EU counterparts to discuss matters on common interest

Apart from calling on Slovenia's leadership, EAM will hold a bilateral meeting with Slovenian Foreign Minister Dr Anze Logar. Jaishankar will participate in a panel discussion on "Partnership for a Rules-Based Order in the Indo-Pacific" at the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) in Slovenia. He will also meet with his EU counterparts to discuss matters of common interest. On September 3, EAM will visit Croatia and hold bilateral talks with Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman, as well as call on the Croatian leadership. EAM will co-chair the 4th round of the Indo-Danish Joint Commission Meeting with the Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod during his visit to Denmark on September 4-5.

(Inputs from ANI)

Image: AP & PTI
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday informed that Dr S Jaishankar is set to pay an official visit to Slovenia, Croatia, and Denmark in the coming days. The EAM will be on the official tour from September 2-5, during which he will review the bilateral relationship with the Central European countries. The visit is also expected to strengthen Indias multifaceted relationship with the EU.

EAM Jaishankar to visit Slovenia, Croatia, and Denmark

According to the ministry, Jaishankar will be in Slovenia from September 2-3 and will head to Croatia on September 3. The EAM will be in Denmark on September 4-5, before returning to India. The ministry also informed that the minister will hold discussions with his EU counterparts on issues of mutual interest. The leaders are also expected to discuss stands on the common issues they face.

"Slovenia currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and has invited EAM to attend an informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of EU Member States on September 3," the MEA said. EAM will also hold a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Slovenia Dr Anze Logar, apart from calling on the Slovenian leadership. EAM will attend the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) being held in Slovenia, and participate in the panel discussion on "Partnership for a Rules-Based Order in the Indo-Pacific," the ministry added.

The ministry further added that the EAM will hold bilateral talks with Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman in the country on September 3. Jaishankar is also expected to call on the Croatian leadership. During his visit to Denmark on 4-5 September, EAM will co-chair the 4th round of the Indo-Danish Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) along with Foreign Minister H.E. Mr Jeppe Kofod. The JCM will undertake a comprehensive review of our bilateral cooperation under the Green Strategic Partnership, which was established during the Virtual Summit in September 2020. EAM will also call on Danish dignitaries, the ministry added in its statement.

EAM Jaishankar meets UAE President's advisor

Earlier on Monday, EAM Jaishankar met with Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor of the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to discuss 'regional concerns of common interest'. According to the PTI report, Jaishankar and Gargash discussed the Afghan conflict and the general situation in the Gulf area. "Happy to welcome Diplomatic Advisor to President of UAE, Dr. @AnwarGargash. Noted the steady progress of our relationship. Discussed regional concerns of common interest," Jaishankar tweeted. It is also noteworthy that Indias connections with the United Arab Emirates have improved significantly in recent years. On the events in Afghanistan, India has maintained contact with all major regional parties, including those in the Gulf.

IMAGE: PTI
On Wednesday, the 'Fire and Fury Corps' commemorated its 22nd Raising Day with a solemn Wreath Laying ceremony at the War Memorial, according to the PRO, Defence, Srinagar.

Fire & Fury Corps commemorates 22nd Raising Day

On behalf of all ranks of the Fire & Fury Corps, Lieutenant General PGK Menon, General Officer Commanding, laid a wreath at the Leh War Memorial to remember the gallant warriors who rendered the ultimate sacrifice during various operations in Ladakh. The corps was created on September 1, 1999, in the aftermath of the Kargil War. Since its inception, it has successfully maintained the sanctity of both the Line of Control with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control with China, all while holding constant vigil at some of the world's highest battlegrounds, including the Siachen Glacier.



The Corps has played a key role in development of the region by improving infrastructure in Ladakh for the benefit of both the Army and civilians. In times of natural disasters, it has stuck with the people of Ladakh, providing relief, rescue, and infrastructure reconstruction.



"On the auspicious occasion of the Raising Day of the Corps, all ranks once again pledged to defend our borders with their blood and reaffirmed their wholehearted support to the people of Ladakh", the statement read.

Fire & Fury Corps build a strategic road at 18,600 ft

Earlier, on Tuesday, a strategically important road built by Fire and Fury corps was inaugurated. The road connets Zingral to Tangtse via Kela. The road has been built by the Indian Army at 18,600 feet altitude and is set to add new dimensions development of the area. The road will significantly reduce the route of Pangong lake by 41 kms.



Lt. Gen PGK Menon General Officer Commanding 14th Corp at the inauguration said the road has been constructed by the 58 Engineer Regiment of the Indian Army. On the inauguration, the Indian Army said, "The strategically important road will reduce 41KM travel from Leh (Zingral to Tangtse) to reach Pangong Lake crossing Kela Pass of 18600 feet height connecting Lchagri Gyamtso Lake and Tharuk Village."



The Army further said that the road will play a significant role in improving the socio-economic status of the people of Ladakh's Lalok Region in the future, as it would attract tourists for a variety of reasons, including the world's highest tourist motorable road.



(With ANI Inputs)

Image: ANI
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday morning raided the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. According to the on-ground information accessed by Republic Media Network, the searches were conducted at Mukhtar Ahmed's residence in Kupwara's Buniyar area. It is important to highlight here that Ahmed was arrested in April 2021 after heroin consignment was recovered from him. Visuals outside the spot show vehicles of Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as NIA conducts its investigation.

The current raids are linked with illegal terror funding coming from Pakistan as earlier drug consignments were received from the neighbouring country where Mukhtar was involved. At that time the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was handling the case and had talked about handing over the investigation to the NIA. The consignment was supposed to extend financial support to the militant organizations within the valley, as informed by the police officials.

NIA raids in Kashmir

Last month, the NIA had conducted a major operation with raids in 56 locations of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Raids were conducted in four districts of Jammu and all 10 districts of Kashmir valley including Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Doda, Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama, Rajouri, Ramban, Shopian and Srinagar. At that time the Central Agency had raided all senior leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), an organisation banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for anti-national and subversive activities, but is continuing activities covertly even after being ban by Union Government. A case in this regard was registered by National Investigation Agency in New Delhi Police Station.

NIA raids on terror-funding cases

In August, the NIA had conducted several raids on Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Jammu and Kashmir over terror-funding cases. These searches were majorly conducted in Bandipora as inputs were received of terror funding activities by the 2019 banned group, Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir. During August raids, the investigative agency had seized certain digital evidence and documents of Jamaat-e-Islami members. After getting significant inputs regarding the group's involvement in financially assisting terrorists through Pakistan, the investigative agency had conducted raids ahead of Independence Day.

Meanwhile, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had lambasted the Centre over raids in connection with the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case.
On March 18 this year, the coast guard intercepted a fishing vessel from Sri Lanka and seized Rs. 3,000 crores worth of drugs, five AK-47 rifles and a large number of bullets during a raid on the Arabian Sea coast. Six Sri Lankan nationals were arrested and cases were registered against them under Arms Prohibition Act.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which began its probe in the matter, has found credible links that connect the operations to a Pakistani handler and also suspect it as a move for the revival of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), designated as a terrorist organisation by 32 countries, including the European Union, Canada, the United States, and India. The agency is also close on the heels of proving a Pakistan-LTTE nexus for various illegal activities in the Indian Peninsula.

In another operation on July 3, the anti-terror squad of Tamil Nadu in a dramatic covert operation swooped in to arrest another Sri Lankan national named Suresh, who had been reportedly living in Angamaly in central Kerala, close to the Kochi International Airport. It is learnt that the interrogation of Suresh, who is suspected to be a key underworld gang operative in Sri Lanka, has spilt the bean on various operations of the international network operating in India.

Possibility of LTTE revival?

On Tuesday, NIA charged the 7 Sri Lankans in the case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The accused include Nandana, Janaka Das Priya, Mendis Gunasekara, Namesh, Thilanka Madhushan, Nishanka and Suresh Raj. The premier agency has also found enough links to connect with the uprisal of LTTE and several raids were conducted in Chennai in connection to the same.

Reports suggest that former LTTE apologists are also on the radar and many links have emerged from these investigations. They are also tracing various hawala transactions that have taken place between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The agency admitted before the court that custodial interrogation revealed the gang transferred money to UAE via hawala networks for buying arms, ammunition and narcotics. As per NIA, the purchase of the same was carried out through a Pakistani national.

The digital forensic analysis of devices seized from the accused has revealed proof of LTTE connection, the submission made by NIA stated.
Friends of Afghanistan- a few intellectuals, former bureaucrats, and politicians on Wednesday issued an appeal to the Taliban, the Indian government, and the international community for peace, national reconciliation; and also national reconstruction in the war-torn country. The appeal comes few weeks after the Taliban took over power in Afghanistan by surrounding the capital city-Kabul from all sides, forcing the incumbent government to give in to the demand for a 'peaceful transfer' of power.

'Friends of Afghanistan' make an appeal

Pointing out that they welcome the decision of the United States to withdraw from Afghanistan, the groups of intellectuals, former bureaucrats and politicians stated that it, however, was executed in 'an unplanned way' which created conditions of avoidable chaos. "The chaotic circumstances emboldened certain terrorist groups to kill innocent Afghans and foreigners. We strongly condemn the barbaric suicide attacks in Kabul on August 23, in which scores of Afghans and over a dozen American soldiers lost their lives." the group stated in the joint statement.

The appeal has undersigned former union ministers Yashwant Sinha, Natwar Singh and Mani Shankar Aiyar, former bureaucrats K.C. Singh and Najeeb Jung, former IPS officer Julio Rebeiro, writers Vedpratap Vaidik and Saeed Naqvi, lawyer Majeed Memon, activist Sandeep Pandey and founder of Forum for a New South Asia Sudheendra Kulkarni.

Appeal to Taliban

The group, underlining that Afghanistan has been grappling with war and violence for the past four decades, appealed to the Taliban to begin an intra-Afghan peace process leading to a democratic governing establishment. After the establishment, the group appealed to the terrorist group to guarantee the safety and security of every Afghan citizen regardless of their gender, ethnicity, ideology, or past political background. It appealed to the Taliban to ensure that no terrorist organization has a 'sanctuary' in Afghanistan, and that its territory is not used for terrorist and extremist activities targeting any country in the world, near or far.

Additionally, it appealed to the terrorist group 'to continues the developmental projects undertaken by India in Afghanistan'.

Appeal to Indian government

In its appeal to the Indian government, Friends of Afghanistan called for continued engagement with the Taliban. "We welcome the governments first official acknowledgment of its engagement with the Taliban in Doha and the positive assurances given by the latter," the group stated and moved on to its other concern of accomodating those fleeing the country. "There should be no discrimination on grounds of religion in providing shelter to Afghans," the intellectuals, former bureaucrats, and politicians added, giving a special mention to Afghan journalists, artists, and civil society leaders who are feeling threatened by the conditions in their country.

Appeal to international community

As for the international community, the group put forth the appeal to allow no country in the region to be excluded from, nor isolate itself from, collaborative efforts to bring peace in Afghanistan and promote national reconciliation and national reconstruction. This requires India, Pakistan, China, Russia, Iran, and other countries to evolve and implement a common strategy, in cooperation with the United Nations, USA, EU and other members of the international community, the group stated. The intellectuals, former bureaucrats, and politicians in the statement also pushed the Multilateral regional forums such as SCO (in which both India and Pakistan are members) and SAARC (of which Afghanistan is also a member) to actively participate in the peace process.
Former Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah on Wednesday lashed out at the centre after the Indian envoy in Qatar for the first time, publicly met Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai and raised India's concern over the use of Afghan soil for anti-India acts and terrorism. Briefing a press conference, Omar Abdullah asked the Central Government whether the Taliban is a terror organisation or not?

During the press conference, Omar Abdullah further asked the centre to clarify whether the Taliban is a terror organization or not and if not, then will India move to the United Nations (UN) to delist the group from the terror list?

"Either Taliban is a terror organization or not, please clarify to us how you see them. If they're a terror group, why are you talking to them? If not, then will you (Centre) move to United Nations and have it delisted as a terror organisation? Make up your mind," said Omar Abdullah.

Notably, similar questions were asked on Tuesday by the AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi. Following India's talks with the Taliban, Owaisi had asked the centre if it would add the Taliban to its 'UAPA Terror List' or they will be de-listed from the UN sanctions committee, which is chaired by India.

India Warns Taliban On Terror

Indian envoy to Qatar Deepak Mittal on Tuesday met Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai in Doha, the first high-level contact between the two sides on a day the US completed the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan. As per the official release, the meeting took place at the Embassy of India, Doha, at the request of the Taliban side.

The Ministry of External Affairs said Ambassador Mittal raised India's concern at the meeting that Afghanistan's soil should not be used for anti-Indian activities and terrorism in any manner.

As per the official statement released, the discussions focused on the safety, security, and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan as well as the travel of Afghan nationals wishing to visit India.

The MEA said the Taliban leader assured the Mittal that these issues would be positively addressed.

"Discussions focused on safety, security and early return of Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan. The travel of Afghan nationals, especially minorities, who wish to visit India also came up," the MEA said.

(Image Credits: PTI/Ap/AIN/Representative Image)
World Health Organization has been monitoring a new coronavirus variant known as Mu" first identified in Colombia in January 2021. Scientifically known as the B.1.621, the mutation of the coronavirus has been classified as the variant of interest by the global health agency. At the weekly pandemic bulletin earlier yesterday, the WHO informed that the newly detected variant has the capability to evade the immune response triggered by the vaccine as it demonstrates resistance towards the jabs, although further research is needed to better understand the variants behaviour.

"The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape," the WHO said at a press conference. This variant has been named after the 12th letter of the Greek alphabet.

The variant Mu has been reported in South American countries and in Europe. There have been rising concerns about this new emerging variant as the cases have started to spike once again globally, with many countries reporting the uptick driven by Delta variant. The Mu variant was first identified in Colombia in January and as it shows properties of vaccine resistance, it could flare a new pandemic among the unvaccinated. WHO is now monitoring a total of five variants including the highly contagious Delta, present in 170 countries that first wreaked havoc in India, as well as Alpha first detected in the UK which has now spread to at least 193 countries.

WHO on Tuesday said that the global prevalence of the new Mu variant of the coronavirus was below 0.1% among sequenced cases but in Columbia, it is at 39%, and in Ecuador at 13% where the variant has consistently increased." The new variant of interest, although has caused sporadic outbreaks in parts of South America and Europe. At present, the variant accounts for a minute number of global cases but the scientists have designated Mu worthy of special monitoring as more research into the nature of vaccine evasion is needed. There are also concerns about Mus increased virulence or high transmissibility although it is yet to ascertain whether it will be more problematic than the Delta variant.

'Vaccines may work less well,' says Australian expert

If the spike protein was to change significantly, then there's certainly the potential that our vaccines may work less well," Paul Griffin, an infectious disease expert from Mater Health Services and the University of Queensland cautioned in remarks to ABC. WHO's epidemiology report suggests that preliminary data proves that Mu appears to be more resistant to antibodies. Mu is the fifth variant of interest to be listed by the WHO.
Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) HIV vaccine regimen has failed to produce expected results in the clinical trials conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa. As per reports, the final stage "Imbokodo" trials conducted on approximately 2,600 participants rendered ineffective protection against the virus, the company informed US Health Officials. As per the primary analysis, the data reflected an efficacy estimate of 25.2%, but with a wide confidence interval that crossed zero (-10.5% to 49.3%), J&J informed in a statement on Wednesday. Despite the safety, the Adenovirus26-based Mosiac vaccine did not produce the anticipated reduction in the overall risk of HIV.

"HIV remains a global threat, and a safe, efficacious and accessible HIV vaccine is still needed to contribute towards curbing new infections and providing a durable end to the pandemic, Mitchell Warren, Director of AVAC

As per the Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention (AVAC) press release, the clinical trials were conducted on 2,637 cisgender women from five Sub-Sahara African countries namely, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Participants received a total of four doses over 12 months of either a prime-boost vaccine regimen of a mosaic viral-vectored vaccine, Adeno26.Mos4.HIV (Ad26 prime) and an aluminum phosphate-adjuvanted clade C gp140 protein (boost), or a placebo, AVAC informed. However, the highly-anticipated concept trial HVTN 705/HPX2008 did not display the pre-determined criteria for efficacy against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) strain in sub-Saharan Africa.

J&J joined hands with AVAC to conduct the phase 3 trials in the Sub-Saharan population. "It is very disappointing that this particular vaccine candidate did not work in this trial, but the trial was well-conducted and got an answer quickly," said Mitchell Warren, Executive Director of AVAC.

Disappointing news from the HIV research scientific community as another vaccine candidate from J&J fails to show sufficient efficacy.

However, AVAC director Mitchell Warren says despite the disappointment, the trial was safe and successful.@MeshaScience @HIVpxresearch  Hellen Shikandah (@HellenShikandah) August 31, 2021

Meanwhile, AVAC and J&J expressed gratitude towards the 2000+ women for their "enormous contribution" to the trial. The statement by AVAC also informed that J&J has decided to continue the HIV vaccine Mosaico trial, which is a companion study to be conducted on homosexuals and transgender in America and Europe.

'Will continue efforts to find HIV vaccine'

To achieve complete success in the ongoing quest, Anthony Fauci (Director of US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and patron of project) asserted that the follow-up trials will be based on the "knowledge learned" from the Imbokodo trial. "Will continue our efforts to find a vaccine that will be protective against HIV," Fauci told the reporters. Warren too echoed a similar determination. "This is in no way the end of the search for HIV vaccine. We hope for a positive outcome for the ongoing Mosaico and PrEPVacc studies," she said.

The battle against morbid HIV continues

After four decades of the first-ever HIV AIDS case, scientists have made incredible progress in treatment and prevention from the virus. As per reports, medicines like OralPrep have produced 99% protection against the virus. However, the challenges continue to manifold as HIV has thousands of variants inside each person. Additionally, the "retrovirus" characteristics allow it to launch itself on the host cell and convert into an irreversible malignant form.

Image: AP/Shutterstock (representative)
Amid rising tensions over South China Sea issue, China on September 1 imposed Maritime Traffic Safety Law that will now require all foreign vessels entering Chinese territorial waters to inform maritime authorities, carry relevant permits and submit to Beijings command and supervision. According to Taipei Times, Chinas latest rules to regulate foreign ships is creating fear of a ticking time bomb for conflict in the South China Sea. The move also gives Beijing the authority to instruct foreign vessels.

Chinas Maritime Safety Administration has said that the new reporting requirement would apply to all submersibles, nuclear vessels and ships carrying radioactive or harmful substances, as well as any foreign vessels deemed to "endanger the maritime traffic safety of China. The officials added that the reports should include the vessel's name, call sign, current position, next port of call, estimated course and speed, nature of goods and loading capacity.

'Ticking time bomb' for conflict

Su Tzu-Yun, Taiwans Director of the Division of Defense Strategy and Resources at the Institute of National Defense and Strategic Research, said that other nations are afraid that Chinas exploitation of the law to expand the scope of the grey zone conflict could become a ticking time bomb. Su noted that Beijing considers its maritime jurisdiction to encompass more than just its coastal waters. This would include the 12 nautical miles of the sea surrounding the artificial reefs it has constructed in the South China Sea, giving Beijing an excuse to respond to freedom of navigation exercises carried out by other nations, he said.

It is worth mentioning that according to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), territorial waters are defined as the 12 nautical miles (22.2km) of the sea extending from the terrestrial territory, with the "right of innocent passage" reserved for vessels moving through territorial waters in a manner that does not threaten the security of the coastal state. But as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory, it has turned numerous obscure reefs and sandbars throughout the waterway into man-made artificial islands heavily fortified with missiles, runways and weapons systems. China has overlapping territorial claims with Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.

China says new rules would increase security

Meanwhile, Chinese experts told Global Times that according to them, the new maritime regulations indicate ramped up efforts by the country to safeguard the national security at the sea. As per reports, the reference to submersible refers to the spy devices which were discovered by the Chinese fisherman along the coastline of China. The state media quoted Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, said that the latest announcement reveals Chinas vow to regulate the rights of foreign vessels within its claimed territorial waters.

(With inputs from ANI)
European Union is considering a 600 million euro (USD 709 million) assistance package for the neighbouring nations to fund the refugee influx from Afghanistan. As hundreds of thousands of Afghans flee Kabul after the Taliban takeover, the EU aims to deter the turmoil similar to the Syrian refugee crisis during 2015 as decades of upheaval, conflict and displacement caused the worst humanitarian conditions, with millions sliding into hunger as per the WFP. On Tuesday, a report carried by FT revealed that the EU will provide the financial package for Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and other regional neighbours of Kabul for hosting the immigrants from Afghanistan following the abrupt and hasty withdrawal of the US troops that granted Taliban control of the territory.

Many EU capitals have warned that the bloc must act to prevent a situation akin to the 2015 refugee crisis provoked by the war in Syria, the FT report stated. It further elaborated that the EU has scrambled to take actions to prevent the Syrian war scenarios wherein millions of immigrants entered the EU leading to the political standoff between the member states about hosting the asylum seekers.

EU is now in the process of approving financial aid for the neighbours of Kabul so that those fleeing the Taliban regime can find refuge nearby rather than migrating all the way to Europe. It could mean Brussels providing cash to Pakistan, possibly to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and even to Iran, which is under international sanctions, the FT report claimed, citing sources familiar with the development.

Home Affairs ministers from the EU summoned an emergency meeting in Brussels on Tuesday to hold talks on Afghanistan refugees as the final US aircraft carrying the last troops flew out of Kabul, reports suggest. European Commission had earlier swore an additional 21 million in humanitarian aid for Afghan refugees in neighbouring Iran and Pakistan. The announcement was made at the International Conference on 40 Years of Hosting Afghan Refugees held in Pakistan.

Iran and Pakistan 'biggest hosts' of Afghan refugees

EU's emergency assistance will also help families affected by the recent extreme weather conditions in the areas of Baluchistan and Pakistan Administered Kashmir, the commission stated. EU views Iran and Pakistan as the biggest hosts of Afghan refugees worldwide. Financial support is needed in the host countries in true partnership and burden-sharing, the EU says in a press release. Since 2014, the EU has allocated a comprehensive package of over 2.7 billion in response to the Afghan crisis, including humanitarian, development and stabilisation support in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said, on 31 August, that he saw no way around talking with the Taliban following their Afghanistan takeover.

Speaking at a press conference in Doha, Maas said, I personally believe there is absolutely no way around having talks with the Taliban. His comments come after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that it is critical to communicate with the militant group in order to evacuate additional Afghans from the country.

According to previous reports, Germany had stayed out of discussions about evacuating Afghans who supported Germany's Bundeswehr. However, the German government has informed that diplomats will remain in touch with the Taliban in Qatar. Germany has established direct communication with German nationals who have been left behind in Afghanistan in order to facilitate an "organised exit" from the war-torn country. Notably, on 27 August, Germany ceased all evacuation flights from Afghanistan.

Uzbekistan ready to help Germany with Afghanistan

The German troops extricated nearly 4,000 Afghans and 500 German nationals from the war-torn country before calling off the evacuation mission on Thursday. Meanwhile, earlier this week, Maas secured Uzbekistan's support, needed for further extractions. He informed that Uzbekistan has agreed to open borders to intake refugees and provide temporary humanitarian support. The German foreign minister, on 30 August, had mentioned that his prime agenda is to remove leftover German nationals, local Afghan staff, and threatened citizens from the war-torn country.

"Uzbekistan is prepared to help us with this group of people," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said at a press conference.

As a part of the large-scale migrant rescue operation, Germany has planned to take in another 40,000 people from Afghanistan. Germany had urged the Uzbekistan government to allow Afghan asylum seekers access to its land borders, to which it agreed. Sharing the news, Maas informed that Uzbekistan is willing to provide the required support to "this group of people." However, Maas informed through a tweet that the decision on the refugee movement from Uzbekistan to Germany is still a subject of negotiations. Additionally, he promised "economic and humanitarian assistance" to countries sharing land borders with Afghanistan provided that they ensure safe passage for the refugees.

(Image: AP)
Shutting all the rumours of his resignation, Pope Francis on Wednesday clarified that he was living a totally normal life and was not thinking of retirement any time soon. As per media reports, while talking to Spanish Radio network COPE, Pope Francis dismissed the reports of him resigning from the position. Francis, 84, recently underwent surgery and amid his rising age and health ailments, some of the reports have suggested that he is likely to step down from his responsibilities.

Pope Francis clears air on resignation

Rubbishing rumours meted out against him, Pope Francis said that the reports were baseless and the thought of retirement hadn't crossed his mind. He also stated that he was almost certain to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November in Glasgow. He also shot down rumours by laying out his complete schedule, which includes travel to Hungary and Slovakia on Sept. 12-15, as well as visits to Cyprus, Greece, and Malta, as well as COP26.



During the conversation, the Pope expressed gratitude to a male Vatican nurse for persuading him to have surgery to remove a portion of his colon rather than prolonging treatment with antibiotics and other medications, as some doctors had recommended. The Pope said, "that guy saved my life. Francis, who was elected Pope in 2013, had surgery on July 4 and stayed in the hospital for 11 days. He had a severe instance of symptomatic di-verticular stenosis, which is when the colon narrows.

Pope displayed 'satisfactory' results post-surgery

Pope Francis was hospitalised on July 4 after suffering a severe narrowing of his large intestine. As per reports, surgeons at Rome's Gemelli Hospital removed almost half of his colon. Following the surgery, the Pope remained under observation and underwent "medical rehabilitation therapy" for optimised recovery.

According to AP, Popes surgery was carried out by a 10-person medical team. He underwent an operation for symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon, a condition where sac-like pouches protrude from the muscular layer of the colon, leading it to become narrow. It is worth noting that in addition to causing pain, the condition can lead to bloating, inflammation, and difficulty in bowel movement. It tends to affect older people more.

(Image: AP)
Israel on Wednesday approved a series of measures easing the blockade of the besieged Gaza Strip, but warned that the steps were conditional upon continued preservation of the regions security stability for long term. Israel, along with Egypt, first imposed a blockade on the 140 sq mile sliver of land in 2007 after Hamas occupation. However, in recent times, the Zionist regime has ramped up efforts to ease tensions with the countrys defence ministry even announcing that it will allow imports of new vehicles, goods and equipment for civilian projects in the Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that the Neftali Benett administration has allowed the reopening of the main commercial crossing with the Palestinian enclave. Later in a statement, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli defence body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs announced that it has approved expanding the Gaza Strips fishing zone, opening the Kerem Shalom Crossing, increasing water supply to the territory, and increasing the number of Gazan merchants allowed to enter Israel. Notably, the announcement came a day after Israeli officials allowed the import of crucial construction material needed for the Gaza Strips rebuilding following the 11-day war in May.

Increasing Israel-Hamas clashes

This comes amid increasing clashes between Hamas and Israel. On Sunday, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) struck Hamas militant targets in the besieged Gaza Strip hours after violent clashes broke out between Palestinian protesters and Zionist law enforcers. The IDF conducted aerial strikes on the Hamas military compound and one of the tunnel entrances used by the terror outfit. Further, in an online statement, the IDF also assured Israel residents that they will continue to defend them against Hamas violent tactics.

'No Possible pact'

On Monday, an official close to Israels newly minted Prime Minister Naftali Bennett downplayed a meeting between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Defence Ministry Benny Gantz, dismissing reports of a possible pact with the Palestinians. This is a meeting that deals with security issues. There is no diplomatic process with the Palestinians nor will there be, the official said in a statement that was cited by the Times of Israel. The Zionists and Arabs have been trading barbs for centuries however conflict has escalated dramatically in recent times with recurring bloody wars over the contested city of Jerusalem.

(With inputs from AP)

Image: AP
Pakistans ambassador in the US, Asad Majeed Khan, called out US Congressman Michael G Waltz for urging president Joe Biden to take action against Pakistan by cutting off Washingtons aid to Islamabad. The Pakistan envoy said that the US should stop placing the blame on Islamabad for the fall of Afghanistan while also noting that the crisis in the South Asian country is due to kleptocratic leadership.

Waltz, in his letter to Biden, not only called for action against Pakistan for the countrys assistance to the terrorists but also claimed that the Taliban captured Kabul with Islamabads support. Similar remarks have been echoed by several former Afghan officials including the ex-Vice President. However, in his response to US Congressmans letter, Khan said that the United States had mischaracterised Pakistans role in Afghanistan. In the letter that he shared on Twitter on September 1, Khan raised the issues such as low morale and ghost soldiers in the Afghan army.

The contention that Pakistans military strategy was somehow the decisive factor in the defeat of the 300,000-strong Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) does not square with the US governments own assessments, Khan wrote.

The issues of low morale, desertions and ghost soldiers had long plagued the ANDSF...Demoralised soldiers do not fight for a corrupt, kleptocratic leadership that will bolt at the first hint of trouble, he also mentioned.

Pakistan trying to create common understanding

Earlier, in an interview with BBC on Monday night, Khan also argued that Pakistan was still trying to help in creating a common understanding among all the factions in war-ravaged Afghanistan. The Taliban marched into the Afghan capital of Kabul on August 15 and triggered the fall of the Ashraf Ghani government, who submitted his resignation and fled the nation.

Khan told the British broadcaster,

Our position all along has been that we should encourage and support all Afghan parties to come to a common understanding...because getting to a common understanding and their ability to form an inclusive government would avoid the exodus of Afghan refugees.

At the same time, Pakistan has been providing every support that it could to facilitate the evacuation of all those wanting to leave Afghanistan, he said.

IMAGE: AP/Twitter
Terrorist organisation Al Qaeda on Wednesday has released a two-page statement over Talibans 'victory' in Afghanistan and the subsequent US troops withdrawal. The terrorist organisation hailed the American withdrawal from the war-torn country after the US closed the chapter of its 'longest war'. In the statement, Al Qaeda has also made a mention of other places like Palestine, Maghreb, Somalia, and Yemen. Moreover, the terrorist organisation has also called for the so-called 'liberation' of Kashmir.

Al Qaeda celebrates Taliban's victory

Al Qaeda released the statement in Arabic and English on As-Sahab Media, its central media arm. Al Qaeda's statement comes soon after the last American forces left Afghanistan after a 20-year military involvement. In addition, it also confirms the terrorist group's presence and resurgence in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. This comes even as the Taliban has assured other countries that it will not shelter Al Qaeda and Islamic State terrorist organisations on Afghan soil. The Taliban has also promised that it will not allow terror activities in Afghanistan.

The statement also confirms that the Taliban and Al Qaeda still have links, similar to the period during the former's previous regime. The Afghanistan War was triggered after the United States invaded the country in order to take out Al Qaeda and its chief Osama Bin Laden. The US had stated that the Taliban sheltered Bin Laden, thereby prompting it to invade the country.

Key Al-Qaeda commander and Osama's aide returns to Nangarhar

Earlier on Monday, Dr. Amin-ul-Haq, a senior Al-Qaeda leader and Osama Bin Laden's aide returned to his native in Nangarhar province. Ul Haq who was a top commander in the al-Qaeda in Afghanistan was known to be Bin Laden's security-in-charge during his time in the Tora Bora cave complex. The al-Qaeda leader's return comes after the Nangarhar province and the rest of the country fell to the Taliban. Exclusive visuals accessed by Republic Media Network show how the al-Qaeda commander is being welcomed by the Taliban terrorists. Amin-ul-Haq became close to Osama Bin Laden in the 80s when he worked with Abdullah Azzam, who is considered as a mentor of Bin Laden.

Dr. Amin-ul-Haq, a major al-Qaeda player in Afghanistan, Osama Bin Laden security in charge in Tora Bora, returns to his native Nangarhar province after it fell to the Taliban. Dr. Amin became close to OBL in the 80s when he worked with Abdullah Azzam in Maktaba Akhidmat. pic.twitter.com/IXbZeJ0nZE  BILAL SARWARY (@bsarwary) August 30, 2021

Taliban takes over Afghanistan

After months of offensive, the Taliban took over Kabul on August 15 after major cities like Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Jalalabad and Lashkar Gah fell without resistance. This was followed by a withdrawal of US and NATO troops after 20 years from war-torn Afghanistan. As the Taliban breached Kabul, Ashraf Ghani, the democratically elected President fled from the country with some other officials. Soon after the terrorist group took over Kabul, chaos erupted as thousands have swarmed Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport in a bid to flee from the Taliban's rule. US President Joe Biden has defended his decision of withdrawing troops from the war-torn country. The Taliban is now in talks with ex-Presidents Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah for a 'peaceful power transition'. Evacuation of Afghans and other nationals is underway from Kabul airport which is under US troops' control.
Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi on September 1 participated in a ceremony to unveil the bust of Vietnam's founding father and former President Ho Chi Minh at a park in Delhi's diplomatic enclave Chankyapuri. Vietnams Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau was also present at the unveiling that took place at the Kautilya Marg Park.

MoS Lekhi unveils bust of Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh

Sharing the images from the event, MoS Lekhi wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that she was honoured and noted that the monument would inspire and strengthen the bilateral partnership between both nations. It is also the second bust of Ho Chi Minh that has been installed in India, with the first one being located in Kolkata. Lekhi said that she is happy to pay tribute to the late Vietnam National Movement campaigner.

Lekhi said: "I'm happy to be here to pay my respect to President Ho Chi Minh whose love for our country lay the foundation of Vietnam- India relations on politics, diplomacy, economics, defence-security, education-training, science and technology and people to people relations.

The present political structure of both counties may be different, but we share a strong historical and cultural bond, she added.

Honored to be part of President Ho Chi Minhs bust installation ceremony at Kautilya Marg park. A monument in the heart of Delhi which will continue to inspire and strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership betw India & Vietnam@MOFAVietNam pic.twitter.com/HcZtEPNyl9  Meenakashi Lekhi (@M_Lekhi) September 1, 2021

Ho derived inspiration from Gandhi

Former Vietnamese President Ho had derived his inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi. While both leaders had never met each other, in an interview in 1955, Ho has said that he honoured the spiritual leader of the Indian people, Mahatma Gandhi as his master while the Vietnamese President struggles against imperialism in Asia. The Vietnamese Embassy said in its release that Ho got support in India as well with his affability, cordiality, humility and austerity.

Ambassador Pham said "Uncle Ho wrote over 60 articles, research papers, poems, letters, telegraph messages & speeches about India and his experience with Indian leaders. His in-depth knowledge about India and its people and his close association with the then Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru has helped cement Vietnam-India relationship."

Ho Chi Minh visited India thrice, first in 1911, then in 1946 as the head of state when India was his stop on way to France for peace dialogues. He also visited the country in 1958 for 13 days which was an official state visit for 10 days as the president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Pham also said, Indians too supported the Vietnamese independence movement. India supported Vietnam's independence from France, opposed American involvement in the Vietnam War, and supported the unification of Vietnam. There was an unseen emotional bond with Vietnam and Kolkata.

(IMAGE: Twitter)
Canada's sitting Liberal Party MP Raj Saini on Tuesday denied allegations of sexual misconduct as he told Canadian press reporters that he has never acted inappropriately towards female staff. The southwestern Ontario candidate was earlier allowed to seek re-election for his third term as an MP despite reports of his sexually inappropriate behaviour towards the young female staffers emerged. Saini was also explicitly supported by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau even when these serious allegations against the minister of his liberal party caucus were revealed.

I have never acted inappropriately towards staff or constituents, a statement issued by Sainis office, accessed by CBC read on Tuesday.

Seven sources with knowledge of the claims described four different cases where Saini allegedly made unwanted sexual advances or inappropriate comments, CBC reported earlier on Tuesday, adding that a former senior staffer filed a complaint at the Canadian Human Rights Commission Office seeking justice. The ex-employee under the Indo-Canadian MP Saini alleged that Saini made 'unwelcome advances' towards her in his office and that his harassing behaviour had caused her severe mental distress, pushing her to make attempts of taking her own life in March 2020. The ex-female staffer questioned his party for letting the minister campaign again under the Liberal banner in Kitchener Centre.

"That's pretty devastating to me, knowing what I have gone through and that I've raised concerns over the last more than a year and a half," the former senior staffer was quoted saying by Canadian press CBC. It's disturbing to me, Its also concerning to me that it could continue to happen to other people, she added.

Despite that the Canadian leader Trudeau has maintained the zero-tolerance policy towards workplace harassment and misconduct, the latter appeared to demonstrate the partisan bent towards Saini, saying that there have been 'rigorous processes undertaken that he has shared the details of.' We know that it is extremely important to take any allegation seriously, which we certainly have, and we always will because everyone deserves a safe workplace, he told a presser on Tuesday before being hounded by reporters about his 'different attitude' towards his own candidate of facing sexual misbehaviour allegations.

Raj Saini, the native of Indias Himachal Pradesh, has been the MP for the riding of Kitchener Centre in the province of Ontario for over six years. He was elected in 2015. I know Mr Saini has shared the details of all the processes that have been undertaken in his office because its really important that we respond to any concerns and issues brought up, Sainis party leader Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters.

Sexual harassment allegations dating back to December 2015

Sexual harassment complaints against Trudeaus MP Saini date back to as far as December 2015, when at a holiday gathering at the downtown Ottawa convention centre he allegedly demonstrated inappropriate sexual advancement towards at least four female staffers in the presence of former MP Marwan Tabbara, a now-ousted friend of the Liberal MP. The 35-year-old Ontario Member of Parliament Tabbara had resigned from the Liberal caucus after facing serious criminal charges of sexual assault. He was charged with two counts of assault, one count of break and enter and commit an indictable offence, and one count of criminal harassment.

(Image Credits: AP)
41 Taliban Terrorists Killed By NRF In Panjshir Valley, 20 More Taken As Prisoners

In a big win for the Northern Alliance, 41 Taliban terrorists were eliminated and 20 were taken as prisoners by the resistance forces in the Panjshir Valley. The attack took place near the Khawak Pass as the Taliban attempted to infiltrate the valley. The NRF managed to successfully counter the attack and annihilate 41 Taliban terrorists. Others were captured and taken as prisoners.

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Al Qaeda's Message To Taliban On Afghanistan 'victory' Finds Kashmir Mention

Terrorist organisation Al Qaeda on Wednesday has released a two-page statement over Talibans 'victory' in Afghanistan and the subsequent US troops withdrawal. The terrorist organisation hailed the American withdrawal from the war-torn country after the US closed the chapter of its 'longest war'. In the statement, Al Qaeda has also made a mention of other places like Palestine, Maghreb, Somalia, and Yemen. Moreover, the terrorist organisation has also called for the so-called 'liberation' of Kashmir.

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Harish Rawat Sends Stern Warning To Navjot Sidhu, Asks To Uphold Party Discipline

Standing in support of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, the Congress party sent a stern warning to Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President Navjot Singh Sidhu to maintain party discipline. Sources informed that in Tuesday's meeting, the party's state in-charge Harish Rawat told Sidhu that any resentment against Captain should be registered within the party limits and not in a public domain. Rawat has also said that any criticism against the Chief Minister is welcomed but it must not come from any public forum.

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Punjab CM Amarinder Singh Contradicts Rahul Gandhi On Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Revamp

Complementing the Indian government, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, on Tuesday, said that the revamped Jallianwala Bagh Memorial "looks very nice". Singh's statement comes after Rahul Gandhi criticised the Centre over the move to revamp the memorial. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, on Saturday, dedicated the renovated Jallianwala Bagh memorial to the country via video conference.

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US Prez Joe Biden Defends Afghanistan Pullout, Says It's A 'right, Wise & Best Decision'

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday defended his withdrawal plan from Afghanistan calling it a 'right decision, wise decision and the best decision' for America. Addressing the nation, the President stated that the decision to end US military presence in Afghanistan was a unanimous choice of civilian, military advisors, service chiefs and commanders in the field. Standing by his August 31 deadline, Biden said that he 'respectfully disagreed' with those who thought that the pullout should have started sooner.

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Piyush Goyal Announces New Scheme For Industrial Development To Make J-K Self-reliant

The central sector scheme for the industrial development of Jammu and Kashmir will help in making the union territory self-reliant and push growth, besides creating jobs for lakhs of people, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. This initiative will also attract businesses to invest in the union territory, the commerce and industry minister said during the launch of a portal for registration of units for industrial development in Jammu and Kashmir.

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Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Makes Airborne Tour Of Dharchula Post Cloudburst

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami made an airborne tour of disaster-affected districts in Dharchula, Pithoragarh district. He spoke on the aftermath of Monday's cloudburst occurrence and made his visit on Tuesday. Dhami stated that the tragedy resulted in significant loss of life and property, as well as the fact that seven persons were reported missing as a result of the disaster. He noted that the state government is taking all necessary steps to restore calm in the area.

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Mumbai's Fresh COVID-19 Spike Due To Increased Testing In City, Says BMC

In view of the slight increase in the daily COVID-19 cases reported, BMC has declared that it is due to the increased daily testing in the city. While talking to the media on Tuesday, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) additional Commissioner Suresh Kakani informed the public that Mumbais COVID-19 positivity rate is about to touch 1% and that the fresh infections have started rising from 300 to 400-450 cases.

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1,200-yr-old Goddess Durga Sculpture Discovered In River In Srinagar, J&K Police Share Pic

The Jammu and Kashmir Police found an approximately 1,200-year-old sculpture of Goddess Durga from the Khan Sahib area of Budgam district on Tuesday, 31 September. A Goddess Durga sculpture, estimated to be around 1,200 years old, was discovered by some labourers mining sand from the Jhelum River at Pandrethan in Srinagar, according to the Jammu and Kashmir Police. On 13 August, labourers discovered the black stone idol, which was eventually turned over to the J&K government's Archaeology and Museums department.

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UN Chief Urges Countries To Fast-track Aid To Afghans Amid Looming Humanitarian Crisis

Speaking past the deadline for the withdrawal of United States forces from Afghanistan, the United Nations expressed concern over the state of the war-torn country. Following the withdrawal of troops, the United Nations chief urged all countries to help the people of Afghanistan in their darkest hour of need. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pointed out almost half the population in Afghanistan needs humanitarian assistance to survive as the basic services infrastructure of the country has been under threat due to the Taliban takeover last month.

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IMAGE: Republicworld
WATCH: Taliban Conducts 'mock Funeral' Of US, NATO In Khost After Troop Withdrawal

In a major embarrassment for the United States, the Taliban on Tuesday conducted a mock funeral of the US and NATO troops after the former officially terminated its military presence in Afghanistan after 20 years. A video accessed by Republic Media Network shows thousands of Taliban fighters gathered in Afghanistan's Khost city to celebrate the completion of US withdrawal from the war-torn country. After American forces left Afghanistan, the Taliban fighters were seen celebrating with gunfire at Kabul International Airport.

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COVID-19: India Achieves Highest Single-day Vaccination Tally, Administers 1.33 Cr Doses

In a landmark achievement, India on Tuesday, August 31, administered 1.33 crore COVID vaccine doses in a day. This became Indias highest ever vaccination tally in a single day. The country has now crossed the one crore vaccine mark twice in the last five days as it achieved the same for the first time on August 27. With the achievement, Indias COVID-19 vaccination coverage has now surpassed the cumulative figure of 65.41 crore.

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Taliban Objects To 'fencing Along' Durand Line With Pakistan; Says 'no Need For Barriers'

In a massive blow to Pakistan, the new rulers of Afghanistan - the Taliban - have opposed the fencing of the Durand line. Speaking to Pashtun TV, the spokesperson of the terrorist group Zabihullah Mujahid expressed concern about Pakistan fencing its 2,640-km border that it shares with Afghanistan and vividly stated that they have not agreed or given their consent for it. The spokesperson underlined that they would only announce their stance on the issue after the government is formed.

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HM Amit Shah To Visit Karnataka On Sep 2, Will Inaugurate 'Gandhi Bhavan' In Davanagere

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be visiting Karnataka on September 2 where he will be received by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai. Shah will be involved in the inauguration of a handful of events in Davanagere and Hubballi, among other places. During his visit to the southern state, Home Minister Shah will also be attending the wedding reception of Union Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi's eldest daughter.

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Gas Leak At HPCL Plant In Visakhapatnam Sparks Fear Among Workers; Situation Under Control

A gas leak was reported at a Hindustan Petroleum Limited (HPCL) refinery in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. As per the latest ground reports, hundreds of workers were present at the time of the incident. The gas leak in the Hindustan Petroleum factory caused panic among the workers, who immediately rushed to the factory after the incident.

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Health Ministry, Google Partner To Make Vaccination Easier; Check How To Book Slots Nearby

The Union Health Ministry has launched another significant initiative to enhance the COVID-19 vaccination drive by making it easily accessible on Google. Now, beneficiaries can check the availability of slots by simply searching 'covid vaccine near me' on Google. They can also book appointments by using the 'Book Appointment' feature on the search engine.

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Air India Resumes Indore To Dubai Non-stop Flights After 17 Months; Check Timings

After 17 months of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Air India flight operations between Indore to Dubai resumed on September 1. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia virtually flagged off the "non-stop" Indore-Dubai flight on Wednesday. The virtual meet was also attended by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The international flight took off from Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport.

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Coal Smuggling Case: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's Wife Skips ED Summon Citing COVID Scare

Citing COVID-19, TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira Banerjee refused to appear before Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the coal smuggling case on Wednesday. According to Rujira, it is not safe for her to travel to Delhi with her two infants and requested ED to consider her appearance in Kolkata at their residence. The ED had summoned TMC MP and Mamata Banerjee's nephew, Abhishek Banerjee and his wife, on August 28. The coal smuggling case is related to illegal coal mining in the railway areas of West Bengal.

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Israel Approves Measures To Ease Gaza Strip's Blockade, Allows Business Expansion

Israel on Wednesday approved a series of measures easing the blockade of the besieged Gaza Strip, but warned that the steps were conditional upon continued preservation of the regions security stability for long term. Israel, along with Egypt, first imposed a blockade on the 140 sq mile sliver of land in 2007 after Hamas occupation. However, in recent times, the Zionist regime has ramped up efforts to ease tensions with the countrys defence ministry even announcing that it will allow imports of new vehicles, goods and equipment for civilian projects in the Gaza Strip.

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Biden On Ending War In Afghanistan: 'Real Choice Was Between Leaving Or Escalating'

Unwavered with the intense criticism against him over the chaotic end to Americas longest war in Afghanistan, US President Joe Biden on August 31 said that the real choice that the government had was between leaving or escalating the situation. As the Taliban, which reconquered Afghanistan on August 15, celebrated the departure of US troops from the war-ravaged nation, Biden said in his first address after the withdrawal that he was not going to extend this forever war and forever exit. The US President also said that the decision to end US mission of evacuation from Kabul airport was also based on the unanimous recommendation of his advisors.

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IMAGE: Republicworld


In a massive blow to Pakistan, the new rulers of Afghanistan - the Taliban - have opposed the fencing of the Durand line. Speaking to Pashtun TV, the spokesperson of the terrorist group Zabihullah Mujahid expressed concern about Pakistan fencing its 2,640-km border that it shares with Afghanistan and vividly stated that they have not agreed or given their consent for it. The spokesperson underlined that they would only announce their stance on the issue after the government is formed.

"We want to create a secure and peaceful environment on the border so that there should not be any need to create barriers," the spokesperson said, hinting that the Taliban is not very inclined towards realizing Pakistan's fantasy of fencing the border along Afghanistan, and that the decision will most probably be against it.

It is pertinent to mention here that the demarcation by British Colonial administrator led by Sir Henry Mortimer Durand in 1893 through a pact with then Amir of Afghanistan, Abdur Rahman, covering a vast stretch of terrains both rugged as well as plain over around 2,640 miles - referred to as the Durand line, has become a bone of contention between Afghanistan and Pakistan since 1947. More so after Pakistan started fencing it to legitimize the Durand line, which in the opinion of Afghanistan 'had no legal sanctity'. This led to several violent incidents between Pakistani and Afghanistan, and resulted in many casualties on both sides.

Now that the Afghanistan government has fallen, and has been replaced by close associates of Pakistan- the Taliban. There may have emerged new hopes in the minds of Pakistan, which going against the world has supported, and quietly helped them in taking over power in Afghanistan. However, the Taliban seems to be in a mood to ditch Pakistan, citing the unhappy Afghanistan population. "The Afghans are unhappy and opposing the fencing," Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid recently said in an interview with Pashtun TV.
At least 32 people lost their lives and several others were injured after a bus plummeted into a ravine in central Peru. As the driver lost control over the bus, the vehicle plunged about 100 meters to the banks of the Rimac River, according to news agency ANI. The accident occurred at around 4 am local time on Tuesday, August 31, on the central highway when the bus was heading to Lima.

Bus accident in Peru

Police Commander Cesar Cervantes told TV Peru that 32 people had lost their lives in the accident. The police have started the investigation to find the cause of the accident, as per the agency's report. The police department and the Fire Department have been searching through the debris, Peru's new channel cited senior official. Reportedly, the accident happened due to the overspeeding of the vehicle. Hernando Cevallos, the Minister of Health, has expressed condolences to the victims and their families and assured timely treatment for the injured.

Desde Arequipa, el ministro de salud, Hernando Cevallos, expreso sus condolencias y ratifico que el #Minsa garantiza la atencion oportuna a los heridos.  Ministerio de Salud (@Minsa_Peru) August 31, 2021

It is reported that the bus carrying 63 passengers from Huanuco was heading to the capital Lima. As the bus reached Matucana, 72 kilometres east of Lima, the bus with a rock and fell towards the banks of Rimac River, reported the news channel. As per the channel's report, the driver of the bus was killed in the accident, but the assistant driver has been arrested by the police to find the cause of the accident.

On Sunday, August 29, at least 20 people died and over 50 remained missing after two boats collided in Perus Amazon Basin. According to Peruvian officials, the accident took place at 5.30 am (local time) on the Huallaga River in Muyuna. According to reports, in the aftermath of the accident, the authorities had initiated a rescue operation involving firefighters, policemen and sailors. One of the surviving passengers was quoted by the agency, saying he heard a boat with its light off approaching their boat.

(With inputs from ANI)

(IMAGE: POLICIAPERU/Twitter)
The US Department of Defense on August 31 said that Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin spoke with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and discussed the latest development in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of the American troops from the war-torn country. According to a press note, Austin conveyed appreciation for Qatars critical support to the US operations in Afghanistan. The two leaders also pledged to continue cooperation on regional security issues.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Amir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar to reaffirm the strength of the U.S.-Qatar bilateral relationship, and to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, the press note read.

It added, Secretary Austin conveyed appreciation for Qatars critical support to U.S. operations in Afghanistan, including its generous help in facilitating the safe transit of U.S. citizens, Embassy Kabul personnel, and at-risk Afghans through Qatar.

Qatar new base for US diplomatic mission

On Monday, the US announced the completion of their withdrawal from Afghanistan after a 20-year military presence. Qatar has played a vital role in mediating talks with the Taliban, hosting peace negotiations between the group and the United States. After the US suspended its diplomatic mission in Kabul, it even transferred the operations to Doha, Qatar.

For the time being, we will use this post in Doha to manage our diplomacy with Afghanistan, including consular affairs, administering humanitarian assistance, and working with allies, partners, and regional and international stakeholders to coordinate our engagement and messaging to the Taliban," Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said.

Austin speaks with world leaders

Meanwhile, apart from Qatari Emir, Austin spoke with several foreign leaders over the phone to thank them for their help in the US military's withdrawal of troops and evacuation of at-risk Afghans from the war-ravaged nation. The Pentagon chief spoke to several world leaders, including Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Norwegian Minister of Defense Frank Bakke-Jensen, UAE Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Canadian Minister of National Defence Harjit S. Sajjan and German Federal Minister of Defense Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. As foreign forces concluded their drawdown from Kabul, the US has said that they have entered a "new chapter" of engagement with Afghanistan.

(With inputs from ANI)
A Mexican photographer has won a prestigious photography competition for his photo of a roadrunner spotted near former US President Donald Trumps US-Mexico border wall. Alejandro Prieto captured the moment as the bird perched in front of the barbed wires surrounding 2,000-mile "The Wall built at the US-Mexico border. Trumps 2015 election campaign was popularized by the saying Nobody builds walls better than me as he later during the course of his presidency resort to building the great wall to curb the illegal immigration at the US Southern border.

The image tells an important story of habitat fragmentation, and how structures such as the border wall can prevent wildlife from migrating and moving into other areas. The wall dominates the image, with the roadrunner seemingly powerless and small in the frame, Bird Photographer of the Year 2021 organizers wrote in a release on Tuesday.

The image clicked by Prieto of a tiny bird observing the divisive fence won him the Bird Photographer of the Year contest from among 22,000 entries submitted by professional photographers to bag the grand prize. The shot also won the golds award for Birds in the Environment Category. Celebrating bird life from around the world, these images comprise some of the most incredible bird photos in the world taken by talented photographers, the organizers wrote on the official Twitter handle. They explained Alejandro Prietos click saying, "In this photograph, a Greater Roadrunner approaches the border wall at Naco, Arizona. The photographer won the top prize of 5,000 and a prestigious title, the organizers informed in a release.

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR & Birds in the Environment Category GOLD AWARD WINNER 



BLOCKED by Alejandro Prieto, Mexico



"In this photograph, a Greater Roadrunner approaches the border wall at Naco, Arizona..."



Visit https://t.co/DeZS3XPbHf for more! pic.twitter.com/nm9cWJRpWn  Bird POTY (@BirdPOTY) September 1, 2021

The organizers handed another Young Bird Photographer of the Year award which was bestowed to 17-year-old Levi Fitze for his image Morning Lek that depicted a rooster during the sunrise. Fitze won 300 in vouchers for camera equipment. The organizers, each year, publish a high-quality coffee-table book that features the best images from the competition. This year, it plans to publish almost 300 images in this hardback collection that were submitted in the competition.

Border Wall 'in despair' during monsoon rain

Trumps border wall hit the headlines earlier last week after at least six of its gates were washed out in a single location near Douglas due to the heavy rainfall, according to the photographs published by the website Gizmodo. In the images, the wall appears tattered in southern Arizona due to the summer monsoon rains that apparently blew floodgates off their hinges as per the description of the website. US Customs and Immigration Services officials confirmed the damages to the US news agencies saying that Trump's border wall has been in despair as other parts were also hit by heavy rainfall.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Wednesday, "applauded the Canadian Government," for agreeing to welcome up to 5,000 Afghans evacuated by the United States of America.

According to the statement released by the Canadian Government, the country, in its second phase of the evacuation process reached an agreement with the United States to closely cooperate on the safe passage and departure from Afghanistan of their nationals and Afghan nationals. Earlier the Justin Trudeau-led government had welcomed 20,000 Afghan refugees on behalf of the USA and its allies.

In a tweet, Secretary Blinken said that both the US and Canada "share an enduring commitment to the Afghan people."

The U.S. and Canada share an enduring commitment to the Afghan people. We applaud the Canadian Governments agreement to welcome up to 5,000 vulnerable Afghans whose exit was facilitated by the United States.  Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 31, 2021

The statement from the US came a day after it completed the evacuation process from Afghanistan ending 20 years of service in the war-torn country. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden defended his country's exit from Afghanistan in less than 24 hours after the last US military flight left Kabul.

Biden said it was the right decision to terminate the US' 20-year military involvement in Afghanistan. Speaking from the White House on Tuesday, the US President said that putting US soldiers in control of the Afghan capital's airport past the 31 August withdrawal date would have exposed them to increased security risks.

'Let me be clear...': US President

In a series of Tweets, the US President talked about the evacuation process that ended on Tuesday and mentioned that the US will continue to support Afghan people "through diplomacy, international influence, and humanitarian aid."

Let me be clear: We will continue to support the Afghan people through diplomacy, international influence, and humanitarian aid.



We will continue to speak out for basic rights of the Afghan people  especially women and girls  as we do around the world.  President Biden (@POTUS) August 31, 2021

Standing by his decision to withdraw all American military personnel from Afghanistan, President Biden said that the "decision was not just about Afghanistan but "ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries."

"We completed one of the biggest airlifts in history  with more than 120,000 people evacuated to safety," President Biden infotmed. He also took full responsibility for the withdrawal decision.

Joe Biden thanks US troops

Thanking the US servicemen for their execution of the dangerous retrograde, President Joe Biden on Monday announced the completion of the massive evacuation operations from Afghanistan. The last American soldier- Major General Chris Donahue boarded a US C-17 aircraft on 30 August, marking the end of the 20-year-long US mission in Kabul. According to the US president, the decision to stick to the 31 August deadline was the unanimous recommendation of the Joint Chiefs and all commanders on the ground.
An intrepid explorer landed herself in trouble with Yellowstone National Park authorities after she entered restricted areas of the recreation area. In a statement published by the National Park Service website on Wednesday, Madeline Casey, a 26-year-old from Connecticut was sentenced to prison for walking onto the restricted thermal grounds of Norris Geyser Basin in Mammoth Hot Springs. It is worth mentioning that Yellowstone National Park has more than 10,000 thermal features, including the world's greatest concentration of geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and steam vents.

Later in an Instagram post, the park authorities said that acting US Attorney Bob Murray sentenced Casey to seven days in prison. In addition, she was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, $40 in fees and a $1,000 community service payment to the Yellowstone Forever Geological Resource Fund, it added. The trial took place on August 18 in Wyoming, where the majority of the park is situated.

Meanwhile, the post has created a stir on the internet with the environmentalists flocking in to laud the decision. ''This is why we cant have nice things,'' wrote a user. ''Glad to hear she was punished! Come on people! Follow the rules!!!,'' added a second. ''There are photos all over Instagram of people walking on the thermal areas to get the 'shot'. Should start searching for those images via their location tags and going after these people, too,'' suggested the third user.

Diminishing thermal areas

The incident comes days after experts said that Yellowstone National Park's supervolcano which fuels famous geysers, mud spots, and fumaroles, is diminishing. Scientists have discovered two colossal super-eruptions that occurred 8.7 and 9 million years ago, which reveal that the supervolcano erupted at least once every 500,000 years. Noting that the park has experienced only two similar events over the past three million years, experts anticipate that the hotpot is declining significantly. While there are reports that have predicted a super-eruption to take place in the near future, the latest findings suggest we may not witness an eruption before 9,00,000 years.

Scientists have demonstrated that the recurrence rate of Yellowstone super-eruptions appears to be once every 1.5 million years. The last super-eruption took place 6,30,000 years ago, suggesting we may have up to 9,00,000 years before another eruption of this scale occurs.

(Image Credits: YellowstoneNationalPark/Instagram)
A U.S. Marine who was among 13 killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan was honored Tuesday evening in her hometown. Officials in Lawrence, Massachusetts, held a vigil with Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo's family at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Rosario, 25, died in the Aug. 26 bombing at the Kabul airport, where people were being evacuated amid the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. A dozen other U.S. service members and 169 Afghans were killed. Dozens attended a separate vigil in Rosario's memory last weekend in Boston that was hosted by Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, an organization founded by veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Zhou Xiaoyun is held on suspicion of 'picking quarrels and stirring up trouble' after he criticized law enforcement in the northeastern province.

Chinese rights lawyer Zhou Xiaoyuan, formerly an editor at the Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper, is shown in an undated photo.

Rights lawyer Zhou Xiaoyun, who formerly worked as a senior editor at the cutting-edge Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper in Guangzhou, remains incommunicado after being held under "residential surveillance at a designated location (RSDL)," RFA has learned.

Zhou was initially detained by police in the northeastern province of Liaoning around six months ago on suspicion of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," a charge frequently used to target peaceful critics of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

He was held incommunicado under RSDL, but now that the six-month limit has been reached, he is now likely being held under criminal detention on the same charges, people familiar with the case told RFA.

"According to the information that emerged [on Aug. 29], he is being held under criminal detention now," journalist Hong Tao told RFA. "Somebody is taking the opportunity to deal with him in the current political and law enforcement climate."

"It's likely to be an official in the local government in Panjin going after him," Hong said. "They are just trumping up some charges to pin on him, and they've just changed the kind of compulsory measures he is under to criminal detention."

"That's the way the judiciary operates, especially in the northeast and places like that," he said. "They just lock someone up and deprive them of visits from their lawyer."

"It's pretty shameless, as the saying goes."

Zhou's lawyer Zhao Cong declined to comment when contacted recently by RFA.

However, sources said she has applied for bail for Zhou, and that the application has been rejected by the Panjin municipal police department.

Local retaliation

A former colleague of Zhou's at the Southern Metropolis Daily, who gave only a surname, Liu, said the local police department and state prosecutor's office are targeting Zhou because he accused them of abuses of power.

"This is totally about the local political and legal affairs committee retaliating [against him]," Liu said. "Now that he's been converted from RSDL to criminal detention, it looks likely that he'll be sentenced."

"He ran afoul of some local vested interests, so the police are dealing with him."

Guan Changbo, CCP secretary of the Liaoning provincial police department's criminal investigation bureau, has written a defense of Zhou's arrest.

An anonymous senior reporter said that the current political climate harks back to political turmoil of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), when public denunciations of intellectuals and professionals were rife, and were usually followed up with political or violent retribution.

Southern Metropolis Daily founder Cheng Yizhong said the fact that police in Liaoning felt comfortable detaining someone who used to be a journalist in a far-off city showed how much law enforcement power is now being delegated to local authorities under CCP general secretary Xi Jinping.

"The CCP is delegating a huge amount of authority to local governments now," Cheng said.

"In the days of [former presidents] Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, it would be unheard of for a county-level police department to just arrest someone on a pretext like 'picking quarrels and stirring up troubles'."

An official who answered the phone at the Panjin municipal police department declined to comment when contacted by RFA last week.

"I don't know the specifics of every case, and this is too detailed," the official said. "If this is about the Liaoning provincial police, then I may not be able to answer you."

'Re-educating' the media

The CCP is in the process of "re-educating" its already tightly controlled state media, requiring hundreds of thousands of journalists to sit an exam on the political thought of general secretary Xi Jinping to qualify for a new generation of official press cards.

The process started with a 2014 requirement for journalists to study Marxism, and followed up by Xi in 2016, when he warned during visits to state media organizations that state media are part of the CCP family.

All media operating in China must safeguard the authority of the Communist Party central committee, and adhere to "the correct direction" in forming public opinion, Xi said at the time.

State-sponsored "investigative journalists" are now required to be fully paid-up party members in good standing, ahead of any professional considerations, and genuine investigative journalism -- already a risky profession even a decade ago -- has now disappeared entirely, industry insiders have told RFA.

Many journalists trace the rot back to January 2013, when an op-ed article in the formerly cutting-edge Southern Weekend newspaper was forcibly expunged before publication, transforming a call for constitutional government and freedom of expression into a paean to the ruling party, and sparking a journalists' strike and days of street protests.

Tuo Zhen, the propagandist who penned the replacement editorial, was recently promoted to editor-in-chief of CCP mouthpiece the People's Daily.

China now ranks bottom in the world in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, and had the largest number of journalists behind bars, according to a 2020 report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Tough times drive citizens to try to get ransom money from well-off families.

Children wait with their families next to a bus stop in central Pyongyang, North Korea, September 10, 2018.

As economic conditions worsen in North Korea, some desperate citizens have turned to kidnapping, with at least two children snatched in separate incidents in an attempt to extract ransom money from their families, sources in the country told RFA.

An economy already hindered by international nuclear sanctions got worse when the coronavirus pandemic started and Beijing and Pyongyang closed their border and suspended all trade in Jan. 2020. With much of North Koreas economy based on trading goods from China, commerce in entire towns dried up and chronic food shortages got worse.

The prolonged pandemic has made people increasingly desperate to try to make a living. Some are targeting children that they can hold for ransom.

A six-year-old girl disappeared in Songchon county while playing by the river in front of her house in the middle of this month, a resident of South Pyongan province, North of the capital Pyongyang, told RFAs Korean Service Sunday.

She was kidnapped and taken hostage by a man in his 30s living in a faraway village from hers. The kidnapper knew that her family was well-off and even got her parents cellphone number before he took her to get ransom money, said the source, who requested anonymity to speak freely.

According to the source, the kidnapper locked the girl up in a storage area in his house and called her parents to demand 500,000 won (about U.S. $75).

Police were able to track down the cellphone and arrest the kidnapper, and they returned the child to her parents. The kidnapper is in a detention center at the police department, the source said.

Once the investigation is complete, he will be sentenced and sent to a correctional facility, said the source.

Another resident of the province told RFA that another kidnapper took a 10-year-old boy at around the same time.

In the middle of the month, a 10-year-old boy was walking along a mountain road in Yangdok county when a man in his 40s rode up on his motorcycle to offer the child a ride home, said the second source, who requested anonymity for security reasons.

The man was caught after the boy reported what happened to a police officer after he managed to escape and return home on his own, the second source said.

According to the second source, the second kidnapper got the idea for his crime from the movies.

He confessed during the police investigation that he borrowed his friends motorcycle to copy a scene from a foreign movie in which actors took a hostage for ransom. He said he had no food to eat and was suffering from hunger, the second source said.

Residents are very anxious about what will happen in the future, and they are blaming the authorities for turning a blind eye to peoples living difficulties, yet still focus on controlling every aspect of their lives, said the second source.

Hwagyo informers

Conditions in North Korea are much worse than the outside world knows, according to ethnic Chinese residents who traveled to China in mid-July.

Called Hwagyo in Korean, the PRC citizens who come from families who have lived in North Korea for generations have fewer travel restrictions than their North Korean citizen neighbors.

While in China in mid-July, several Hwagyo visitors relayed how dire the situation was to their contacts in China.

A Hwagyo friend of who returned from Yangdok, South Pyongan province a few days ago confessed that it had been difficult to eat even three meals a day back in North Korea, a Hwagyo in Dandong, Liaoning province, China told RFA Aug. 26.

As he was not able to keep his business going due to the coronavirus pandemic, he barely survived each day by borrowing money from acquaintances, the Dandong source said, adding that the visitor told him the situation was much worse what outsiders are aware of.

Another Hwagyo source in Shenyang, Liaoning province, China, told RFA that a Hwagyo visitor explained that food has become extremely expensive in North Korea.

A Hwagyo who returned from Pyongsong county, South Pyongan province last month said that he had not even seen white rice for a while, because food prices in North Korea have skyrocketed, the Shenyang source said.

Shedding tears, he said that he had been off the seed money for his business for a while, but when that ran out, he had to continually borrow money to survive.

RFA reported in July that three Hwagyo in different parts of North Korea had starved to death after the border closure ruined their businesses and they had no access to food.

The news was shocking to their communities because Hwagyo are usually among the most well-off residents because they are able to run lucrative import-export businesses because they can more freely travel to China.

A quarter century after famine killed as many as a tenth of North Koreas 23 million people, the food situation in North Korea is again dire.

The UNs Food and Agriculture Organization estimated in a recent report that North Korea would be short about 860,000 tons of food this year, about two months of normal demand.

The forecast followed a warning from U.N Special Rapporteur on North Korean Human Rights Tomas Ojea Quintana in March that the closure of the Sino-Korean border had led to reported deaths by starvation and growing ranks of children and elderly who have resorted to begging.

Reported by Hyemin Son and Jeong Yon Park for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Jinha Shin. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
The group of around 20 say they feared the spread of COVID-19 in their prison in Savannakhet Province, where two infected prisoners recently died.

A frame grab from a video shot by a citizen journalist of the street outside the Savannakhet provincial prison after the reported escape attempt by about 20 inmates in the early morning of Aug. 29, 2021.

A group of about 20 prisoners escaped on Sunday from a provincial prison in southern Laos out of fear they would become infected with COVID-19 behind bars, but were quickly recaptured by authorities, Lao sources said.

The prisoners broke out of the Savannakhet Provincial Detention Center at 1:00 a.m., but pursuing guards fired warning shots, and all escapees were back in custody around 40 minutes later, a provincial administrative official said Tuesday.

The situation is now under control, the official told RFAs Lao Service.

They said they were afraid of becoming infected with COVID-19 in the prison because two inmates had recently died from the virus, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The prison is too crowded, he said, adding, It has a total of 1,500 inmates, and about 700 of them are infected now. The prison has become a makeshift hospital.

The prisoners trying to escape were serving long sentences and knew when security at the prison would be light and where and how to escape, the official said.

Also speaking to RFA, a resident of the provincial capital Kaysone Phomivanh City who lives near the prison said he heard gunshots fired at around 1:00 a.m.

I didnt go out to see what had happened, but later in the morning I heard people say that a score of prisoners had escaped. They must have been afraid of becoming infected with COVID-19, and thats why they tried to get away, he said.

A member of Savannakhets Taskforce for COVID-19 Control and Prevention announced on Monday that two inmates at the prison had recently diedthe first, 35 years old, dying on Aug. 24 and the other, aged 25, dying on Sunday.

The situation in the jail is OK now, though, an official of the provinces Health Department said. The authorities are separating the infected from those who are healthy, and the infected are staying at a makeshift hospital inside the prison while those who are seriously ill are being sent to a hospital outside.

Brought in by prison guard

COVID-19 was first brought into the prison by an infected guard, Lingthong SentavanhDeputy Governor of Savannakhet Provincetold a press conference on Aug. 23, saying that 129 cases of infection were then recorded at the prison from August 17 to August. 23.

At first, a prison security guard contracted COVID-19 outside the prison, and he must have then transferred the virus to the prisoners.

The Provincial Taskforce for COVID-19 Control and Prevention built a treatment facility inside the prison right away and then separated the infected from the rest of the prisoners, he said.

Cases of infection continue to climb in Laos, with Soutsavath SoutthanylaxayDeputy Director General of the Communicable Disease Control Departmenttelling a press conference on Tuesday that 0f 3,521 samples recently tested, 199 had tested positive.

Among these cases, 64 were locally infected, with the rest imported [from Thailand]. Up to 68 are from Savannakhet Province, he said.

A total of 15,015 cases of COVID-19 infection have been recorded in Laos as of Tuesday, with a death toll of 14, according to government figures. Around 1.7 million Lao residents have now been fully vaccinated, and 2.5 million partially vaccinated, out of a total population of 7 million.

Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Richard Finney.
One of the plotters arrested on Aug. 6 was on a team of security volunteers at Myanmars U.N. mission in New York, but was sidelined because he was suspected of intruding into the ambassadors office.

Phyo Hein Htut (L), and Ye Hein Zaw (R), who were charged by U.S. authorities on Aug. 6 with conspiracy to assault and make a violent attack upon a foreign official.

New details have emerged about the alleged plot to assassinate Myanmars ambassador to the United Nations and how the conspiracy to attack this key critic of the nations military junta was foiled.

Sources close to the ambassador tell Radio Free Asia that one of the plotters arrested in early August was on a team of security volunteers at Myanmars U.N. mission in New York, but was sidelined because he was suspected of intruding into the ambassadors office. He later confessed to his involvement in the plot to kill Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun.

U.S. authorities revealed the plot on Aug. 6, after they arrested the security volunteer, Phyo Hein Htut, 28, and another suspect, Ye Hein Zaw, 20, who is said to have been an intermediary who sent money from an arms dealer in Thailand to bankroll the attack. The alleged goal was to force Kyaw Moe Tun to step down as Myanmars permanent representative to the UN. Both suspects are Myanmar citizens residing in New York.

RFA spoke at length with Thaung Hlaing and Phoe Khwar, who are among Burmese democracy activists living in New York who volunteered to help provide security for the ambassador because of fears for his safety after he spoke out against the military junta that seized power Feb. 1. Phoe Khwar was once a student activist, who served as a bodyguard for Aung San Suu Kyi after her release from house arrest in 1995  long before she emerged as the nations civilian leader.

The ambassador has previously told RFA that he learned of the plot from the Burmese community in New York who have rallied around him since he gave a high profile address Feb. 26 to the U.N. General Assembly, appealing to the international community to end military dictatorship and help restore democracy in Myanmar. The junta has demanded he step down as an ambassador, which he has refused to do.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun meeting supporters in front of the Myanmar mission to the U.N. in New York, March 1, 2021. Credit: Citizen journalist.

A U.N. credentials committee is expected to meet to decide about who represents Myanmar at the world body, which opens a new General Assembly session and holds its annual gathering of world leaders in mid-September.

Thaung Hlaing said the Burmese pro-democrats in New York had been concerned that the ambassador could be shut out of his own embassy by the military  the fate of Myanmars ambassador to London in April. So they changed locks at Myanmars U.N. mission in New York, guarded it day and night, and provided an escort to the ambassador when he traveled outside the mission.

Among the volunteers assigned to guard the building was Phyo Hein Htut who had befriended Phoe Khwar.

Phyo Hein Htut had past associations with Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party. He had participated in the Mothers House, or Amay Eain, an NLD-run education network. He spoke good English and was part of a delegation from the network that visited China in 2017, according to Myo Yan Naung Thein, an NLD researcher. Phyo Hein Htut had also attended the Yangon School of Political Science.

He departed Myanmar for the United States in September 2019, spent time in San Francisco before coming to New York, his Facebook history shows. He did various casual jobs, and after the coup in Myanmar, he took part in a pro-democracy demonstration in New York on Feb. 12. He also attended an anti-coup protest in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 22, a photo of the event taken by an RFA reporter shows.

Phyo Hein Htut protesting against the Myanmar coup in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., May 22, 2021. Credit: RFA

But his behavior on the ambassadors security detail raised suspicions. Thaung Hlaing told RFA that one night Phyo Hein Htut entered the room of the ambassadors secretary to take pictures.

We had four guys during the day and four guys during the night taking turns on sentry duty, Thaung Hlaing said. Each man slept for three hours at a time. And this guy (Phyo Hein Htut) while on sentry duty went into the room of the ambassadors secretary, a Filipino woman, and took pictures.

Nobody knew about that at first. After two days, the ambassador told Phoe Khwar that his secretary had complained someone had entered the room. I think she was talking about some documents not being in the proper place.

After that Phyo Hein Htut was not allowed to enter the mission premises.

It would later emerge after the two suspects were charged, that Phyo Hein Htut had been contacted over Facebook and Facetime by the arms dealer in Thailand. According a deposition by an FBI agent, Phyo Hein Htut said the arms dealer had seen a picture of him at the Myanmar mission and had offered him money to hire attackers to kill the ambassador.

Thaung Hlaing identified the arms dealer, who has not been named by U.S. authorities, as a Bangkok-based friend of Phyo Hein Htuts father. He allegedly appears in a photo at the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok taken in August 2017. RFA was not able to independently verify the identity of the person named by Thaung Hlaing or trace him to seek comment.

Phyo Hein Htuts motives for allegedly conspiring in the plot, which he would subsequently reveal to Phoe Khwar and Thaung Hlaing, remain obscure. RFA has sent e-mails to his lawyer for comment, but has received no reply as of Wednesday.

Phyo Hein Htut may have been short of money. A restauranteur in New York who requested anonymity to speak about the suspects who had visited his restaurant, said that a friend of Phyo Hein Htuts father who had provided him accommodation in New York had kicked him out of the house.

The young man said he didnt want to do it but he accepted the money as he needed it, Thaung Hlaing said of the plot. And he told me that he had planned to tell us about the plot. We asked him to tell us everything and promised we would try to extricate him from the plot.

Thaung Hlaing, the head of a voluntary security team for the Myanmar ambassador. Credit: Thaung Hlaing

Given the gravity of the alleged conspiracy, the amount of money he got for his role in it seems small. According to the FBI deposition, the other suspect, Ye Hein Zaw transferred $4,000 from the arms dealer to Phyo Hein Htut through a money transfer app as an advance payment on the plot to attack the ambassador. Phyo Hein Htut then requested another $1,000 to finish the job.

And who ordered the plot remains murky. Logic suggests that those who would benefit from forcing the ambassador to step down were supporters of coup leader Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. The junta has denied involvement.

But there are some clues suggesting Phyo Hein Htut and his family had ties to senior figures in the military. A photo provided by Phyo Hein Htut to Thaung Hlaing shows him next to Kyaw Kyaw Naing Tun, a grandson of former junta chief Senior Gen. Than Shwe. The two men used to frequent Yangon nightclubs together, Thaung Hlaing recounted Phyo Hein Htut as saying.

Phyo Hein Htut initially revealed the plot to kill the ambassador to Phoe Khwar. Thaung Hlaing said he subsequently met with Phyo Hein Htut on Aug. 2 and listened in on a phone conversation he had with the arms dealer. They met again in New Yorks Central Park with Phoe Khwar, at which point Phyo Hein Htut revealed that hotels had been booked in New York and Westchester for two other alleged plotters who were to arrive from overseas.

At this point, Thaung Hlaing informed ambassador, who alerted U.N. security officials. The FBI questioned Thaung Hlaing that night, and the following day, Aug. 4, Phyo Hein Htut was arrested. Ye Hein Zaw was arrested Aug. 5.

On Aug. 6, Phyo Hein Htut and Ye Hein Zaw were charged with conspiracy to assault and make a violent attack upon a foreign official, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Translated by Khin Maung Nyane and Ye Kaung Myint Maung.
More than 800 civilians are sheltering in Mongko township and at least 17 government troops are dead.

Refugees shelter in northern Shan state's Monywa township amid fighting between the MNDAA and junta troops, in an undated photo.

Four days of continuous fighting between Myanmars military and a rebel army in northern Shan states Lashio city, near the countrys border with China, have left at least 17 junta troops dead and forced hundreds of civilians to flee their homes to safety, local media and residents said Tuesday.

Clashes began on Aug. 28 when military troops attacked members of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the formal name of the Kokang army, and escalated the following day throughout Lashios townships of Pangsang, Kyukoke and Mongko, local sources told RFAs Myanmar Service.

Four civilians, including a 10-year-old child, were killed in shelling by military troops on Aug. 29, said a resident of Lashioa city of 130,000 people populated by Shan, the countrys second largest ethnic group, majority Burmans and Chinese.

They fire heavy artillery, and the local civilians dont see it coming, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Many civilians have been killed by the shelling. An entire family was killed in a blast two days ago. We are living in fear, as the shelling comes out of nowhere. We are all terrified by the artillery blasts.

A resident of Mongko township, who also declined to be named, said that fighting also occurred on Monday and broke out again on Tuesday around 7:00 a.m. between the villages of Mongko and Mangmao.

The villagers have fled their homes, the resident said. I dont know where they are fleeing to. I dont know the exact number of causalities. I heard some soldiers were killed in the fighting.

MNDAA soldiers display weapons and ammunition confiscated from government troops in northern Shan state's Mongko township, in an undated photo. MNDAA Displaced persons

Myanmars military overthrew the democratically elected NLD government on Feb. 1, claiming the party had stolen the countrys November 2020 ballot through voter fraud. The junta has yet to provide evidence of its claims and has violently repressed anti-coup protests, killing at least 1,040 people and arresting 6,069 others, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

Amid nationwide turmoil, the military has stepped up offensives in remote parts of the country, triggering fierce battles with local Peoples Defense Force (PDF) militias and some of the dozens of ethnic armies that control large swathes of territory along Myanmars periphery.

Volunteers assisting civilians in Lashio told RFA on Tuesday that more than 800 civilians had fled the fighting in the area over the past four days.

Weve got more than 700 IDPs (internally displaced persons) now, said a volunteer in Mongko, where the refugees are temporarily sheltering at a Buddhist monastery and a church.

They need mostly food and medicine. So far, we have been taking care of them with donations from the town residents. Additionally, there are no drivers or vehicles to transport commodities for these IDPs. We can transport medicines. But most drivers are too scared to drive out of town.

Additionally, residents and volunteers said that more than 130 civilians had fled fighting in Mongko township near Post No. 102 on the border with China, adding to the 700 IDOs sheltering in the town center.

Soldiers killed

Sources in the area told RFA that the military had lost many soldiers during the past four days of clashes.

The MNDAA released a statement on Monday that included photos of machine guns, rifles, pistols and ammunition its fighters had captured from the military, as well as confiscated uniforms with insignias denoting the ranks of Major and Captain.

The Kachin Waves media outlet, based in neighboring Kachin state, reported Tuesday that the MNDAA and residents had discovered the discarded bodies of 17 government troops who were killed during fighting near Phaingkaung village in Mongko township.

Attempts by RFA to contact junta spokesperson Major Ge Zaw Min Tun for further information about the recent fighting and military casualties went unanswered Tuesday.

In April, three ethnic armed groups that support Myanmars anti-junta protest movement, including the MNDAA, killed 14 police officers and burned their station to the ground in a dawn raid in Naungmon, south of Lashio.

The raid sparked fierce fighting in Khar Shwe village outside Lashio as the military regime sent helicopters to attack ethnic rebels with the Three Brotherhood Alliance, which also includes the Arakan Army (AA) and the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA).

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
'We can't let the soldiers steal our country,' a Malaysia-based campaigner says.

Overseas groups of exiles from Myanmar are increasingly organizing to support unarmed protesters against violence by the country's police and military in the wake of nationwide protests sparked by the military coup in February 2021.

Myanmar solidarity groups have appeared in around 37 countries, including South Korea, Malaysia, the Czech Republic, and the democratic island of Taiwan, where RFA's Mandarin Service and The Reporter, a Taiwan-based magazine, caught up with them in a joint project published by both media outlets.

With an exodus of migrant workers and refugees in recent years, around one million Burmese are now living outside the country, and overseas activism is beginning to make a tangible impact, with aid money finding its way back to aid the political opposition to the military regime.

A government-in-exile, known as the National Unity Government, has united a number of overseas groups across 27 countries in a bid to reverse the coup and return to some semblance of democratic government.

Zeyer, a 44-year-old migrant worker who has been in Malaysia for 25 years, said the coup and subsequent violence in response to a mass civil disobedience campaign have had a profound impact on his co-workers from Myanmar at an electronics factory.

Along with compatriot Zed, Zeyer joined the "We Love Motherland" campaign group set up to resist the coup on Feb. 13, 2021.

"We can't let the soldiers steal our country," he told The Reporter. "I want to fight for my son's future here [in Malaysia]."

The group soon made contact with more than 20 similar organizations in Malaysia, and started coordinating with them to streamline the flow of money back into Myanmar from supporters overseas.

The alliance also provides a platform for exchange and communication between the groups and does some lobbying work.

"It can also persuade the Malaysian government to make policies that are beneficial to the national unity government," Zed said.

Some 20,000 Burmese migrants are currently living in South Korea, where they are concentrated in a few industries and cities, of which Pyeongtaek, about an hours drive from Seoul, is one.

34-year-old Myo Zin has worked in an auto parts factory in South Korea for the last seven years. He also runs a Burmese store near the Pyeongtaek railway station. He has previously served as chairman of the local migrant workers' association, which helps Myanmar migrant workers negotiate with South Korean bosses.

When the coup came, this usually slick businessman became the leader of migrant workers from Myanmar in Pyeongtaek.

It's quite a change of emphasis.

"Before, I used to think constantly about how to make money, but now I think about how to support the struggle all the time," he said, revealing that he donates around half of his monthly salary to the cause.

He says he won't stop until the junta is overthrown.

Hitting the streets

Shwe Moe, who has been in South Korea for 20 years, hits the streets of major cities in South Korea on weekends to explain what is going on back home in Myanmar to local people.

She has been working as an English tutor to primary school students, and recently cut back her hours to four days a week to give her more time for activism.



She now travels the length and breadth of South Korea, attending meetings with other exile groups and organizing petitions to the government on issues like visa extensions for Myanmar nationals too afraid to return home.

"Sometimes I have meetings from morning until night," Shwe Moe said.

The Overseas Burmese Union has organized a team of educators to design teaching materials for use in Myanmar's school system, so students affected by the violence can still attend classes online.

Linn Thant, who was officially recognized by the Czech government as the representative of the Myanmar National Unity Government in the Czech Republic on May 24, told The Reporter that his daily job is to deal with government officials in Eastern Europe and Asia.

"My job is actually very similar to Taiwan officials persuading other countries to recognize Taiwan," he says.

The democratic island, which has never been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), nonetheless faces the ongoing threat of invasion by Beijing, which puts huge pressure on its diplomatic partners to shut Taiwan's 23 million people out of participation in international agencies.

"The most important thing is to get them to recognize the National Unity Government as the legitimate government representing Myanmar," Linn Thant, a former leader of the 1988 student-led pro-democracy movement in Myanmar, said.

Anonymous death threats

But his work isn't without personal risk.

Linn Thant told The Reporter he has received numerous, anonymous death threats. But he has no intention of caving in to attempts to intimidate him.

In Busan, 27-year-old Pan, a member of the Kachin ethnic group from Myanmar, has repurposed her Facebook page previously reserved for pictures of her son and anecdotes about her daily life, to campaign for donations for those resisting the military junta, post-coup.

"I feel a great weight of responsibility on my shoulders," Pan told The Reporter. "I feel like I have to encourage everyone."

"I was rendered exhausted by this coup, and my heart is broken into pieces," she said, adding that she needs to limit her exposure to online comments amid tensions between the majority Bamar ethnic group and the Kachin.

There are other pressures, too.

An overseas Burmese who declined to be named said that he chose not to let his family back home know that he was engaged in the resistance movement overseas, for fear they would worry, and for fear that his identity could be revealed and make them a target of the military.

The Facebook pages of Shwe Mo, Pan and other overseas campaigners display photos of resistance, with people making the three-finger salute that characterizes the Myanmar democracy movement.

They too are aware that this could attract unwanted attention from the regime, but want to encourage public support for the movement nonetheless.



Reported by RFA's Mandarin Service and The Reporter, a Taiwan-based investigative magazine. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
The U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe on September 1 announced plans to build a border-guard facility on the Tajik-Afghan-Uzbek border, where tensions have risen in recent months as Taliban fighters captured Afghan regions that abut Central Asia's post-Soviet republics.

The embassy said a groundbreaking ceremony to launch the project is scheduled for "early 2022."

"The new border detachment will replace the old one in Shahritus and allow the Border Service to deploy troops to the border areas as soon as possible in response to threats," it said in a statement.

The facility will house an unspecified number of border guards and their families.

Central Asians states bordering Afghanistan are concerned about security threats emanating from the war-torn country and the potential for tens of thousands of refugees to pour over the border to avoid life under the fundamentalist Taliban.

The United States and Russia have each responded to Taliban gains with increased diplomatic outreach among Tajikistan and its neighbors.

"The United States and Tajikistan enjoy strong security cooperation, and this Border Detachment project is another example of our shared commitment to the security and sovereignty of Tajikistan and Central Asia," the embassy quoted U.S. Ambassador John Pommersheim as saying.

It cited more than $300 million in U.S. security assistance to Tajikistan since 2002.

During talks with visiting Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Dushanbe on August 25, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon expressed his vision for a future Afghan government under Taliban control with all ethnic groups represented in the next cabinet.

Thousands of Tajiks are said to have volunteered recently to help locals defend the heavily Tajik region of the Panjshir Valley, which has so far resisted Taliban capture, although participation in foreign military ventures is banned under Tajik law.

Russia, which has military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, has vowed to defend Moscow's allies in Central Asia against any security threat from Afghanistan.

The Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) said last week that the alliance planned to hold fresh military exercises in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in connection with the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.

Three more sets of CSTO military maneuvers will be held close to the Tajik-Afghan border in October, with a fourth scheduled for November.
YEREVAN -- Yerevan has accused Azerbaijani snipers of opening fire on Armenian military positions near the border, the latest in a series of deadly incidents between the two neighbors since they fought a six-week war over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region last year.

The Armenian Defense Ministry alleged a junior sergeant, identified as Gegham Sahakian, sustained a fatal gunshot wound when Azerbaijani snipers opened fired in the Yeraskh section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on September 1.

The ministry strongly condemns the actions of the Azerbaijani side and warns that they will not go unanswered, it said in a statement on its website.

There was no immediate comment from Azerbaijani officials on the claims, but both sides have accused each other of causing incidents at border areas in recent weeks.

Sahakian is the 10th Armenian soldier to have been reported killed by Azerbaijani fire since a Russian-brokered cease-fire agreement signed between Yerevan and Baku put an end to a 44-day war over Nagorno-Karabakh in early November 2020.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but the territory and the surrounding districts came under the control of ethnic Armenians during a 1992-94 war.

The two sides have skirmished regularly over the years, and in September 2020 Azerbaijan launched a military offensive that resulted in Baku regaining control of much of these territories and in Russia deploying 2,000 peacekeeping troops to the conflict zone.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said last month that a total of 3,773 Armenian servicemen were killed during the latest fighting, while Azerbaijan has reported 2,783 fatalities.
Jailed Belarusian opposition figure Maryya Kalesnikava has been shortlisted for the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize, which is awarded each year by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to honor "outstanding" civil society work in the defense of human rights.

The selection panel on August 31 shortlisted Kalesnikava -- along with the Paris-based media freedom watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres and Burundis human rights defender Germain Rukuki -- for this years prize.

PACE described Kalesnikava as one of the three female symbols of the Belarusian opposition and its peoples struggle for civil and political liberties and fundamental rights.

The nominee, who is on trial in Minsk in a case that the United States has called "manufactured" amid an ongoing crackdown on pro-democracy activists by authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka, is at serious risk for her safety and life, according to PACE.

Kalesnikava is a member of the opposition Coordination Council that was set up after the disputed election with the stated aim of facilitating a peaceful transfer of power.

She has been detained in Minsk since September 2020, and charged, along with another Coordination Council member, Maksim Znak, with conspiracy to seize power.

Verdicts and sentences in the case are expected to be handed down on September 6.

Both defendants have rejected the charges, which stem from their calls for protests against the official election results of a disputed presidential election in August 2020 that awarded Lukashenka a sixth term.

They face up to 12 years in prison if convicted.

The winner of the 2021 Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize will be announced at the opening of PACEs fall plenary session in Strasbourg on September 27. An event will also be organized in Prague in honor of the 2021 laureate on September 29.

The 60,000 euro ($70,800) prize has been awarded each year since 2013.

Past recipients include Ales Byalyatski, the head of Belaruss Vyasna human rights organization, Baku-based human rights activist Anar Mammadli, Russias veteran human rights campaigner Lyudmila Alekseyeva, and Oyub Titiev, the head of the Grozny office of the Memorial Human Rights Center in Chechnya.
Belarus's authoritarian leader, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, says his country will soon receive a huge military hardware consignment from Russia, a sign of Moscow's continued support for the strongman amid an international outcry over his sometimes violent crackdown on dissent.

Speaking in the Belarusian city of Babruysk on September 1, Lukashenka said dozens of aircraft and air defense systems, including "probably" S-400 missile systems, will be delivered from neighboring Russia to Belarus "in the near future." He gave no further details.

Lukashenka also confirmed earlier reports saying that he plans to hold talks in Moscow on September 9 with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on further integration between the two countries.

Crisis In Belarus Read our ongoing coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka ramps up pressure on NGOs and independent media as part of a brutal crackdown against protesters and the opposition following an August 2020 election widely considered fraudulent.

According to Lukashenka, after 28 integration road maps between the two countries are approved by the two leaders, they will be signed by him and Putin in October-November.

Lukashenka has long sought to portray himself as a brake on Moscow's pressure to merge Belarus with Russia within a so-called Union State under a decades-old bilateral agreement that envisages a union with closer political, economic, and security ties between the two nations.

But a year of unprecedented street protests since a disputed presidential election has put the Belarusian leader on the defensive and seemingly more reliant on Putin's support.

Western nations have refused to recognize Lukashenka as a legitimate president and slapped his government with sanctions over ongoing crackdown on anti-Lukashenka politicians and opposition, independent media, human rights groups, and civil society.

Lukashenka said on September 1 that deeper integration with Russia will not deprive his country of sovereignty.

"We are building up our ties as two sovereign states," he said, adding that "there is no need to destroy the sovereignty and independence of the two nations."

Russian and Belarusian forces are set to hold large joint military exercises later this month.

With reporting by BelTA
Welcome back to the China In Eurasia briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter tracking Chinas resurgent influence from Eastern Europe to Central Asia.

Im RFE/RL correspondent Reid Standish and heres what Im following right now.

A New Reality For Beijing In South And Central Asia

The Taliban has taken over Afghanistan and for the first time in 20 years, there are no U.S. forces in the country. But is this dramatic change in the region a big win for Beijing?

Finding Perspective: Its not so straightforward, as I explained here in this article about how China views the current state of affairs in Afghanistan.

The Taliban has signaled that it is willing to play ball with Beijing, especially when it comes to monitoring and denying sanctuary to any Uyghur militant groups.

Afghanistan In Turmoil: Full Coverage On Gandhara Read RFE/RL's Gandhara website for complete coverage of the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan. Gandhara is the go-to source for English-language reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and its network of journalists, and by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, which offers extensive coverage of Pakistan's remote tribal regions.

But beyond that, China is treading cautiously. Multiple experts that Ive spoken with from China, South Asia, and the West all see Beijing focused on limiting risks rather than chasing opportunities in Afghanistan.

This is partly because of the wave of uncertainty that has been released across the region. The Taliban toppled a fragile government in Kabul, but it too now faces the difficult task of governing Afghanistan.

A major question is also how events in Afghanistan will ripple out elsewhere, especially when it comes to emboldening and providing a home base for militant and terrorist groups that also operate in Pakistan and Central Asia.

On August 20, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a Pakistani militant group, launched an attack on Chinese transports in Gwadar. Reports diverge on the casualties figures, but the attack is the fourth high-profile incident this year targeting Chinese interests in Pakistan.

Why It Matters: All this shows that Beijing is now preparing for a reshaped geopolitical map and a new era of security risks in South and Central Asia.

The pace of attacks against Chinese ventures in Pakistan has accelerated, pointing to how as China rises on the global stage, it attracts the focus of terrorist organizations.

How Beijing will navigate this new reality is an open question and one that Chinese policymakers are currently grappling with. China wants to project power, but there is an underlying fear of becoming sucked into the conflicts that Beijing watched the United States wrestle with for decades.

Read more

 Heres a fascinating piece from SupChina about how the fall of Kabul is viewed within China, looking at how the Taliban takeover reminded some nationalistic Chinese commenters of the victory of the Peoples Liberation Army in 1949.

 For another interesting insight into the Chinese perspective on events in Afghanistan, read this interview from Bloomberg with Jalal Bazwan, an Afghan who blogs in Chinese on Weibo, and has recently been attacked by nationalist trolls in China for his criticism of the Taliban.

 As always, check out RFE/RLs Gandhara website for the latest reporting on whats happening in Afghanistan.

Expert Corner: Can China Bring The BRI To Afghanistan?

Readers asked: "Will Beijing connect the Belt and Road Initiative to Afghanistan?

To find out more, I asked Jonathan Hillman, the director of the Reconnecting Asia Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and author of The Emperors New Road: China And The Project Of The Century.

China's Belt and Road faces major obstacles that will limit large transport and energy projects, but its tech dimension, the Digital Silk Road, is likely to be pulled and pushed into Afghanistan.

The Taliban needs assistance to assert control over largely unfamiliar and vastly expanded networks, Chinese firms have expertise and experience operating in the country, and the Chinese government may see an opportunity to increase security and build leverage.

Do you have a question about Chinas growing footprint in Eurasia? Send it to me at StandishR@rferl.org or reply directly to this e-mail and Ill get it answered by leading experts and policymakers.

Three More Stories From Eurasia

1. Beyond Moscow And Beijing

A Russian-Chinese company has been charged with violating environmental safety regulations in Russia's Republic of Chuvashia, sparking protests over alleged corruption, RFE/RLs Tatar-Bashkir Service reported.

The Case: The most recent episode involved charges against the Sichuan-Chuvashia Chinese-Russian agricultural joint venture for neglecting agricultural lands leased to it, which could lead to wildfires like those already sweeping parts of Russia.

Prior to that, Aleksandr Andreyev at Chuvashia's State Council accused local top officials of involvement in illegally allocating land plots to the company.

Earlier in August, another local official was handed a suspended prison sentence of more than three years after a court convicted him of forging documents pertaining to land rights for the joint Russian-Chinese venture.

The Big Picture: The incident highlights the tensions between Beijing and Moscows close political relationship and the realities on the ground.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping enjoy a strong working relationship and have been talking recently about how to coordinate on the situation in Afghanistan.

But beyond the geopolitics, China-Russia ties tell a different story. A bridge linking the Chinese and Russian rail system across the Amur River in the Far East was completed on August 17, seven years after ground was broken.

Elsewhere in Russias Far East, Chinese investment has fallen far below forecasts for the resource-rich region, resulting from a mix of logistical and political problems at the local levels, as this report from the South China Morning Post details.

2. Not So Great Games

My colleague Bruce Pannier took a look at how great-power politics will affect Central Asia and the regions relationships with China, Russia, and the United States.

Regional Fallout?: The recent events in Afghanistan are already shifting the wider region and many analysts are expecting big disruptions. But as Pannier explains, its more likely that little about Central Asia's relationships with the big powers, as they currently stand, will change at all.

The United States engagement in Central Asia remains confined mostly to Washingtons narrow interests around Afghanistan, which are coming to a close. Looking ahead, it will continue to play a somewhat influential, but peripheral role.

Russia, meanwhile, has stepped up its engagement, especially in the military sphere, where it has conducted exercises with its Central Asian partners in recent weeks and stepped up activity through the Moscow-led military bloc, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

China continues to see its influence rise in Central Asia. Beijing is already a top investor and is seeing a growing shift into political and military affairs in the region.

Afghanistan is unlikely to alter any of these trends. Perhaps the biggest fallout, as Pannier puts it, could be that it leads to the Central Asian countries cooperating more together and relying less on the big outside powers.

3. The Latest On Fudan University In Budapest

Hungary's election authority has approved a bid to hold a referendum over the planned construction of a satellite campus for Shanghais prestigious Fudan University in Budapest, RFE/RLs Hungarian Service reported.

Whats Next: Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony announced on Facebook that the National Election Committee had approved his referendum question and said that in September a drive to collect 200,000 signatures in order to trigger the referendum process will begin.

Hungarian voters will be asked if they wish to repeal the law adopted earlier this year by parliament, which is dominated by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party, which gave a green light to the university project.

The project became a lightning rod for controversy this spring in Hungary after it was revealed that the government planned to take out a $1.5 billion loan from a Chinese bank to build the campus, raising concerns about corruption and the impact on Hungarys education system.

Across The Supercontinent

A Geopolitical Update: In a sign of the times, Ukraines Foreign Ministry has updated its official website for foreigners and tourists to now include information in Chinese, RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service reported.

High Alert: Chinas embassy in Tajikistan has warned its citizens and companies in the country to take extreme caution due to the shifting security situation in neighboring Afghanistan.

The Mine: A Chinese-owned mine near the Serbian city of Bor is causing environmental damage, leading to complaints from local residents over pollution and forcing the company to temporarily halt its operations, RFE/RLs Balkan Service reports.

200 Days And Counting: Protesters have demonstrated outside the Chinese Consulate in Almaty, Kazakhstan, for more than 200 consecutive days over the disappearance of their relatives in Xinjiang and have now begun to spend the night outside the building, RFE/RLs Kazakh Service reports.

Beijing Vs. Vilnius: China continues to target Lithuania over its decision to open a trade office in Taiwan, with Chinese companies halting contracts with the country and Beijing freezing export permits.

One Thing To Watch

What role the European Union will play amid Beijing and Washingtons deepening rivalry has been a topic of debate among policymakers, with the bloc taking up a series of at times contradictory positions.

That looks unlikely to change any time soon, especially with Slovenia, which has generally avoided criticizing China, currently holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union and seemingly keeping China policy off the EU agenda.

Still, relations between Brussels and Beijing have taken a hit of late and public attitudes look to be changing too. Fifty-eight percent of Germans now support a tougher line on China, even if it hurts economic ties.

Europes balancing act with China is unlikely to end, but the events of the last year have pushed it onto shifting terrain.

Thats all from me for now. Dont forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you might have.

Until next time,

Reid Standish

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your in-box on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.
France and Germany have called on Iran to immediately resume talks intended to revive the moribund nuclear deal with world powers, after Tehran said it could take another "two to three months" to get back to the negotiating table.

"We vehemently ask Iran to return to the negotiating table constructively and as soon as possible," a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said at a briefing in Berlin on September 1. "We are ready to do so, but the time window won't be open indefinitely."

The same day, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian stressed the "importance and urgency of an immediate resumption of negotiations" during a telephone call with his recently appointed Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

The deal, under which Iran agreed to curbs on its controversial nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, was implemented in 2015 but was abandoned by the United States three years later.

At least six rounds of direct and indirect negotiations in Vienna to resume the accord stalled after a June election was won by hard-line Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

The German and French calls for Iran to return to the talks followed discouraging signals from the staunchly anti-Western Amir-Abdollahian on state television on August 31.

"We are not seeking to flee the negotiation table," Amir-Abdollahian said, adding that the government believes "a real negotiation is a negotiation that produces palpable results allowing the rights of the Iranian nation to be guaranteed."

Amir-Abdollahian said the Vienna talks are "one of the questions on the foreign policy and government agenda," but that "the other party knows full well that a process of two to three months is required for the new government to establish itself and to start making decisions."

In August, France, Germany, and fellow signatory Britain voiced grave concerns about reports that Iran had produced uranium enriched to 20 percent fissile purity, raising fears that Tehran might be pursuing nuclear weapons.

Iran has denied that it seeks to develop a nuclear weapon.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Tehran is planning to hold a new round of talks with Saudi Arabia in Iraq after the new Iranian government is formed, state media reports.

"We have had three rounds of negotiations with the Saudi side, and the fourth round is to be held after the formation of a new Iranian government," Iraj Masjedi, Tehrans ambassador to Baghdad, was quoted by semiofficial Iranian news agency ISNA as saying.

Shiite-led Iran and Sunni-controlled Saudi Arabia are bitter rivals in the struggle for influence in the Middle East and support allies in proxy wars in Yemen, Syria, and elsewhere.

The two Muslim-majority nations cut diplomatic relations in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following the Riyadhs execution of a revered Shiite cleric.

Earlier this year, media reports revealed that Iranian and Saudi officials had met in Baghdad in April, their first high-level meeting since diplomatic ties were broken.

Iran confirmed the talks and said it would do what it could to resolve contentious issues.

Iran later elected a new president, hard-liner Ebrahim Raisi, who was sworn in on August 5.

Last week, Irans parliament approved nearly all of Raisis nominees for a cabinet filled with fellow hard-liners.

Irans announcement of a planned talks came days after a regional summit held in Baghdad to help ease tensions among Iraq's neighbors.

Meanwhile, Saudi officials said at least eight people were wounded on August 30 in drone strikes by Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen on Saudi Arabia's Abha Airport.



The United States said it strongly condemns the Huthi attack against Saudi Arabia.

Since the beginning of the year, Saudi Arabia has endured more than 240 attacks from the Huthis, who have endangered the Saudi people alongside more than 70,000 U.S. citizens residing in Saudi Arabia, Secretary of State Tony Blinken said in a statement.

Yemen's internationally recognized government and the Huthis have been locked in war since 2014, when the insurgents seized the capital Sanaa.

A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, supporting forces of the ousted government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi fighting the Huthis.

The conflict has killed more than 130,000 people and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

With on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and Radio Farda




ALMATY -- A Kazakh court has sentenced an activist to two years in prison for having ties with the banned Koshe (Street) Party amid an ongoing crackdown on supporters of the opposition group and its ally, the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK).

The Almaly district court on August 31 in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, also barred Ulasbek Akhmetov from taking part in public and political activities for five years.

Akhmetov pleaded not guilty and his lawyers said they will appeal the court decision.

Akhmetov was arrested in October last year. Kazakh human rights organizations have recognized him as a political prisoner.

Many activists across the Central Asian nation have been handed lengthy prison terms or parole-like sentences in recent years for their involvement in the activities of the Koshe party and DVK, as well as for taking part in the rallies organized by the two groups.

DVK is led by Mukhtar Ablyazov, the fugitive former head of Kazakhstans BTA Bank and outspoken critic of the Kazakh government. Kazakh authorities labeled DVK extremist and banned the group in March 2018.

Human rights groups have said Kazakhstans law on public gatherings contradicts international standards as it requires preliminary permission from authorities to hold rallies and envisions prosecution for organizing and participating in unsanctioned rallies even though the nations constitution guarantees its citizens the right of free assembly.
BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan's Interior Ministry, under pressure from several activists, has admitted that the phones of "some people" were wiretapped for one month early this year.

A ministry press service statement on September 1 said the move to eavesdrop on some phones came as part of investigations into mass rallies that started in October 2020 following the disputed results of parliamentary elections.

According to the statement, the phones were bugged from January 9 to February 10, in accordance with permission granted by the Birinchi Mai district court in Bishkek.

Anti-government demonstrations that started in October led to the resignation of the government and then President Sooronbai Jeenbekov.

The ministry's statement came two days after a group of the Central Asian nation's leading rights activists said sources informed them of the court decision to tap the phones of more than 100 of their colleagues.

The activists demanded an explanation for the move from the officials and called on Prosecutor-General Kurmankul Zulushev, Interior Minister Ulan Niyazbekov, and the judge of the Birinchi Mai district court, Chyngyzbek Berdimuratov, to resign.

Lawmaker Dastan Bekeshev, one of those whose phone was wiretapped, told RFE/RL on September 1 that the issue will be discussed at a session of parliament.
MOSCOW -- Moscow police have detained the chief of the Physicians' Alliance nongovernment organization and taken her to a court hearing, where she is being charged with allegedly violating restrictive measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

The group's spokeswoman, Aleksandra Zakharova, said police detained Anastasia Vasilyeva, a supporter of jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, even though she had planned on coming to the Preobrazhensky district court for the hearing on her own on September 1.

"She was detained. It is not yet clear why. Perhaps they want to forcibly take her to court. Today is just a court hearing on the case of sanitary standards violations," lawyer Dmitry Dzhulai told the state-run TASS news agency.

Vasilyeva is one of two Navalny supporters still facing charges for publicly calling for people to take part in unsanctioned rallies to support the Kremlin critic in January.

The other person whose hearing in the case is pending is a leading member of the Pussy Riot protest group, Maria Alyokhina.

Several other close associates and supporters of Navalny, including his brother Oleg, have been handed parole-like sentences restricting their freedom in recent weeks.

Media reports said that Navalnys spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh and his close associate Lyubov Sobol fled Russia after they were sentenced, which had not been confirmed either by the two women or their lawyers.

The Physicians' Alliance NGO was deemed to be a "foreign agent" in March by the Justice Ministry.
Teenagers garbed in camouflage fatigues and military cadet attire took to the stage at a local theater northeast of Moscow, showing off their martial skills as part of an anniversary celebration for a local patriotic military club.

But that wasn't all.

As an unsuspecting audience looked on, the men hoisted a shirtless colleague above their heads, placed a concrete block on his stomach that suggested gay people should be killed, and proceeded to smash the symbolic object with what appeared to be a sledgehammer.

Many in the crowd were shocked by the display during the August 29 performance in the city of Yaroslavl. Not the head of the paratrooper club, who, judging by his remarks afterward, saw nothing wrong with the homophobic display.

"What's the problem? They just don't like" gay people, Andrei Palachev later was quoted as telling reporters, using an offensive slur for gays. "And neither do I."

Homophobia, Intolerance On The Rise?

The performance in Yaroslavl is just the latest example of rising homophobia and intolerance toward minority groups in Russia, a trend that appears to be worsening in part because of seeming official indifference to such displays.

Homosexuality was decriminalized in Russia in the 1990s, but LGBT people have faced varying degrees of discrimination over the years. Rights defenders say bias has been encouraged by a law targeting "gay propaganda," which President Vladimir Putin signed in 2013.

Since then, LGBT-rights campaigners and hate-crime researchers have reported a notable uptick in violence and harassment against gays and lesbians, often from conservative activists or those espousing Orthodox Christian beliefs.

In Chechnya, a mainly Muslim region in the North Caucasus, the situation is particularly dire, say LGBT activists, who accuse Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov of targeting sexual minorities, including the use of abductions, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

In contrast to Palachev, the director of the Dobrynin Palace of Culture, Igor Derbin, said he and other leaders of the theater were "outraged" by the performance. "Initially, the event was to be upbeat and positive. Their trick was a surprise for all of us. It wasn't preplanned or agreed upon because they knew we wouldn't allow it," Derbin said.

Igor Sidorin, who witnessed the display, said in a Facebook post that he was so shocked that he filed a police report. "And this was happening on the stage while underage children were present," said Sidorin, the local head of an organization for veterans who served in the North Caucasus.

Literary Festival Canceled

The incident in Yaroslavl came two days before a literary festival in the Tula region, south of Moscow, was canceled because of numerous complaints about the participation of a lesbian writer, Oksana Vasyakina.

The organizer of the event, the Tula History and Architectural Museum, said on its website that it was cancelling the event "due to the epidemiological situation with the coronavirus." The museum did not explain what it meant.

However, Daria Serenko, a local feminist activist, said the event was canceled due to the fact Vasyakina was due to take part, and she blamed in part local security officials, known informally as "siloviki."

"Orthodox 'activists' and the siloviki tried to expel my friend, the writer Oksana Vasyakina, from the Tula literary festival simply because she is a lesbian," Serenko wrote on Instagram. "When this didn't work, they canceled the whole festival."

Health-Food Chain's Ad Draws Ire

Some Russian businesses that have embraced marketing using progressive messages -- for example, showing multiracial groups of people or even same-sex families -- have come under withering abuse from nationalist and conservative groups in recent months.

In July, a health-food chain called VkusVill produced a commercial featuring an LGBT couple. But the chain later pulled the ad after being attacked by conservative activists, some of whom cited the "gay propaganda" law.

The chain apologized to its customers for what it called "a mistake that exposed the unprofessionalism of some employees." VkusVill was then lambasted by some clients for pulling it and apologizing in the fact of pressure from homophobes.

The consequences for the LGBT couple featured in the ad were far more dire: the two women last month revealed they had fled the country with their family, amid death threats from activists.

Others haven't been so lucky.

Back in 2019, a list circulated on Russian websites and social media featuring dozens of names: gays, lesbians, activists, and supporters of LGBT causes, even journalists. Readers were encouraged to hunt them down.

Yelena Grigoryeva, an outspoken activist in St. Petersburg, was among those on the list, named for a series of American cult horror films. She later disappeared and her body was ultimately found in her St. Petersburg apartment, stabbed multiple times, according to activists and acquaintances.

In the North Caucasus, the Russian LGBT Network -- Russia's largest gay and lesbian support group -- said on August 25 that a Daghestani native had been abducted earlier this year in Moscow and forcibly brought to Chechnya, where authorities pressed him for information on gay people in the region.

Days later, according to the group, the man was released to the custody of his mother, but he then managed to leave the region for Moscow, where he filed a police complaint.

Back in Yaroslavl, few expect the cadets to face any repercussions, despite the action taken by Sidorin. Not only have officials so far failed to condemn the incident but at least one local member of the ruling United Russia party has praised it.

Olga Khitrova, a member of the local legislature, called the performance "bravery and good family traditions of military-patriotic education."

In a Facebook post, Khitrova also thanked Palachev "for his many years of work with teenagers," and his "loyalty to the best military traditions and love of the motherland."
In early July, with the United States on the verge of moving up the deadline to quit Afghanistan and end its longest war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was asked if Moscow might one day have to send its own troops back. He pointed to a Central Asian state that shares a lengthy, and very porous border, with Afghanistan.

"I believe the answer is obvious," Lavrov said. "We are allies with Tajikistan. And if there is an attack on Tajikistan, of course, this would be an immediate topic for consideration by the CSTO" -- the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Now that the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has become a reality, however, the answer is anything but obvious.

And the Taliban's return to power in Kabul has raised a host of new questions when it comes to the CSTO's role and relevance in protecting its members, and Central Asia as a whole, from any potential threat from Afghanistan.

Russia has made it clear that any renewed U.S. military presence in Central Asia is not welcome, and suggested it could even attract Islamic extremists emboldened by the Taliban victory in Afghanistan. But Moscow has also not insisted on taking the lead role in providing security in what it considers its backyard, with three Central Asian states situated along Afghanistan's northern border.

The Kremlin has instead stressed the need to bolster the CSTO -- the loose-knit grouping of six former Soviet states that Moscow dominates and uses to push its regional foreign-policy objectives.

'As An Alliance, It Doesn't Work'

Founded in 1992, the alliance now includes Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, which shares a 1,300-kilometer border with Afghanistan. Over the years, Moscow has continually sought to deepen military integration among the member countries; most have been deeply wary of Moscow's ultimate intentions -- particularly after Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

Like NATO, the organization includes a mutual-defense clause in its founding treaty. It has never been invoked.

As the Taliban swept across Afghanistan in recent months and closed in on Kabul, Moscow has tried to position the CSTO at the ready.

In recent weeks the organization held an emergency session to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, announced military exercises in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and has said it plans to explore its options for "joint response measures" regarding Afghanistan during its summit in Dushanbe on September 16.

But while the CSTO may look similar to NATO on paper, military experts express serious doubts about the group's ability to respond to threats as one.

Afghanistan In Turmoil: Full Coverage On Gandhara Read RFE/RL's Gandhara website for complete coverage of the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan. Gandhara is the go-to source for English-language reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and its network of journalists, and by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, which offers extensive coverage of Pakistan's remote tribal regions.

Russian military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer describes the CSTO as a "joke" that is more of a framework for Moscow's bilateral relations with fellow members than a true military alliance. "As an alliance it doesn't work," he said by telephone from Moscow, adding that there was "no chance" of Russia sending in troops to Afghanistan in the event of an attack on one of the group's members.

The CSTO is "demonstrably weak in terms of collective unity and woefully incapable of providing security," said Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center, an independent, Yerevan-based think tank. "The CTSO alliance is not only Russian-led, but is also Russia-dependent, revealing that the only 'firepower' capacity comes from Russian forces, with local capabilities limited to basic border security at best," he said in an e-mail to RFE/RL.

The Taliban has tried to assuage fears that its return to power could lead to cross-border attacks on Tajikistan or other bordering states: Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, neither of which are members of the alliance.

Despite being officially labeled a terrorist organization by Russia, Taliban officials have also engaged in discussions with Moscow -- and traveled there regularly -- aimed at establishing a sound working relationship.

Felgenhauer said the Taliban crossing any borders into Central Asia "is not happening," but that there was a window for insurrection and infiltration that local populations "might be inclined to support."

As a result, Russia is much more interested in keeping a lid on that situation than it is in Afghanistan, Felgenhauer said. "Russia says they will defend the border, and obviously they will," he said, adding that "Russia is not a joke" and "is not ready to hand over decision-making on military matters" to an outside organization like the CSTO.

Central Asian Bases

Russia has a number of strategic assets at its disposal in Central Asia, Felgenhauer noted, including a major military base in Tajikistan, and would take things into its own hands if retaliation were required, by, for example, launching air strikes in Afghanistan.

Looking ahead to the CSTO summit in Dushanbe later this month, Giragosian said the group "seems pressed to mitigate the negative security implication from the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan." With U.S. troops out of the picture, he said, "any CSTO response to the Afghan situation may actually be 'too little, too late' as any effective security response depends on a fragile and daunting combination of Russian resolve and Central Asian unity."

Aside from this tricky diplomatic balancing act, and the potential for spillover from the resurgent Taliban, the CSTO will face another fundamental challenge: the divergence of interests between Russia and "local Central Asia elites."

Russia will seek to forge its own transactional relationship with the new Taliban leadership in Kabul, Giragosian said: local elites, however, will be "ready to barter greater dependence on Russia for security guarantees," but may offer Moscow far too little in contrast to an opportunity for fresh Russian power and influence " in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Ultimately, "the CSTO has never been able to prove its credibility or provide confidence in its role," Giragosian said, adding that the alliance's relevance was "derived solely from Russia's role."

"This case is no different," he said. "The CSTO has never been able to overcome Russia's dominance and has always failed to demonstrate either initiative or collective alignment beyond Moscow's shadowy offer of security."
Syrian forces and pro-Iran militias heightened an offensive against a rebel enclave in a southwestern region on the border with Jordan and Israel, military and opposition sources say.

Witnesses and military sources said dozens of improvised missiles were fired on August 31 into Deraa al-Balaad by the Syrian military's pro-Iran Fourth Division.

Fighting has escalated this week after the collapse of a peace deal brokered by Russia designed to avert a major offensive against Deraa al-Balaad.

The city has remained outside of Syrian government authority since surrounding Deraa Province was recaptured by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces in 2018.

Russian military officials have offered a new plan that appeared to meet some rebel demands to involve the Russian military police in the patrolling of the enclave and, for the first time, allow a Syrian military presence in the area.

Military sources said Iran-backed troops that have encircled the rebel stronghold for the last two months would be withdrawn under the deal.

Syrian forces, supported by Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, retook Deraa Province in 2018.

Moscow assured Israel and the United States at the time that it would prevent Iran-backed militias from encroaching on the border zone.

Russia, along with Iran, has provided crucial military support to Assad in the Syrian conflict, which began with a crackdown on anti-government protesters in March 2011. More than 400,000 people have since been killed and millions displaced.

Based on reporting by Reuters and TASS
WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Joe Biden assured his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, that the United States stands behind Kyiv against Russian aggression in a widely anticipated meeting at the White House.



"The United States remains firmly committed to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression and our support for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations," Biden told the Ukrainian president in the Oval Office on September 1.



"The partnership between our nations grows stronger, and it's going to even become stronger than it has been," he added.

However, he did not give the Ukrainian president a clear path toward NATO membership, nor an indication his administration would get directly involved in peace talks to help end a seven-year war with Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.



Zelenskiy arrived at the White House saying he had a very big agenda to discuss, with a focus on security and Ukraines ambitions to join the NATO alliance.



"I would like to discuss with President Biden his vision, his government's vision, of Ukraine's chances to join NATO and the time frame," he said.



But Biden has made it clear he considers Ukraine far from ready to join the alliance, with the country still in need of vast reforms and Russia strongly opposing the prospect of NATO membership.



Instead, Biden appeared ready to press Zelenskiy to tackle corruption and carry out badly needed reforms.



We're going to discuss how the U.S. can continue to support Ukraine as it advances its democratic reforms agenda and movement toward being completely integrated in Europe, Biden said.

Russia took control of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 after staging a referendum dismissed as illegal by at least 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, although it has consistently denied any role in the fighting.

Zelenskiy has said he would like the United States to get involved in stalled peace talks. The main partners in that effort include France and Germany, along with Ukraine and Russia, but some Ukrainian officials are skeptical of the support received from Berlin and Paris and have pushed for more involvement by Washington to breathe life into the peace process.



The United States created the position of special envoy for peace talks, but that role has been left unfilled since September 2019. The Biden administration is not expected to fill the position, a U.S. State Department official told RFE/RL ahead of the meeting.



Zelenskiy won an election in 2019 on a platform of trying to end the war in eastern Ukraine, tackling the countrys notorious deep-seated corruption, including the undue influence of powerful businessmen known as oligarchs, and cleaning up the countrys court system.



Though Zelenskiy has moved to target some powerful business interests, especially those with Russian ties, the reform effort is seen as sputtering and Western donors have grown impatient.

During the White House meeting, Zelenskiy was also expected to seek greater U.S. military aid, including help rebuilding Ukraines navy. Russia took control of a large share of Ukraine's naval forces when it seized Crimea.



Ahead of Zelenskiys meeting with Biden, the United States announced it would release a $60 million tranche of military aid for Kyiv. The new package, which includes more sophisticated anti-tank missiles, comes on top of the $400 million in annual spending that Washington provides Ukraine. Washington says it has provided more than $2.5 billion to Ukraine since 2014.



Russias buildup along the Ukrainian border has highlighted capability shortfalls in the Ukrainian militarys ability to defend against a Russian incursion, the White House said in a statement accompanying the announcement.



Ukraines significant capability gaps must be urgently addressed to reinforce deterrence in light of the current Russian threat, it added.



The United States is our strategic partner and a supporter of our sovereignty and our territorial integrity, Zelenskiy said at the start of the meeting with Biden.



He thanked Biden for the additional military aid, as well as more than 2 million COVID-19 vaccines.

Zelenskiy had said earlier this week that Ukraine needs "not just words" but action from the West to help deter Russian aggression and end a conflict that has raged for seven years.

During his meeting with Biden, Zelenskiy was expected to raise Washingtons decision not to block construction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline that is set to bring Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, bypassing Ukraine.



Critics of the pipeline project -- which is nearly completed -- argue it will strengthen Moscows energy hold on Europe and cut Ukraine off from lucrative gas-transit fees, amounting to billions of dollars annually.



Zelenskiy has described the new pipeline as a powerful geopolitical weapon. Following his one-on-one with Biden, Zelenskiy met with members of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, who strongly oppose Nord Stream 2.



The Oval Office visit is the culmination of a multiyear effort by the Zelenskiy administration to secure the meeting, an effort in large part intended to send a message to Moscow that Washington firmly supports Kyiv.



Shortly after Biden won election in November, Zelenskiy expressed optimism that the new administration would be a better fit for his country than his predecessor, Donald Trump.



Trump accused Kyiv of interfering in the 2016 election on behalf of his opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He also pressured Zelenskiy in 2019 to dig up dirt on Biden and the work of his son Hunter in Kyiv, triggering an impeachment trial that all but brought bilateral relations to a standstill for the rest of Trump's term.



Under Trump, the United States did keep a range of Ukraine-related sanctions measures, targeting Moscow, in place; the Trump administration also finally authorized the delivery of Javelin anti-tank missiles -- something that President Barack Obama had declined to do, fearing it would antagonize Moscow.

With reporting by AP, dpa, AFP, and Reuters
Written By

Joe Schulz served as the reporter of the Green Laker in 2019 and 2020, before being hired as a reporter for the Commonwealth in October 2020. He is from Oshkosh and graduated from UW-Oshkosh in December with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

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In this file photo, William Bill Mueller, left, was pinned with a special Halifax County volunteer pin by County Manager Tony Brown, who announced his retirement Tuesday. His intent to retire is effective Dec. 1, with his last day of work Nov. 30.
News

Fair Haven

C&C Fireworks to be heard in September, courting other towns

FAIR HAVEN  The public is invited to hear more about C&C Fireworks possibly opening a shop in town come spring.

Town Manager Joe Gunter said the informational hearing will take place during the Sept. 21 Select Board meeting. It was to be held sooner, but was pushed back because the board had other matters to consider.

Chip and Chuck Greeno, owners of C&C Fireworks, attended the Aug. 24 Select Board meeting to discuss their plans further. Theyd introduced themselves to the board at a prior meeting to gauge the towns receptiveness to their business.

For the past several years, C&C Fireworks has operated in Pittsford, and until recently, Rutland Town. It decided to close up shop in Rutland Town after a string of issues arose related to its operating permit. Earlier in the year, the Rutland Town Select Board voted to revoke the permit, citing a Vermont Supreme Court decision the board interpreted as removing its authority to grant such a permit. The town reinstated the permit after C&Cs attorneys spoke to the town, but not long afterward the board accused C&C of selling fireworks to people who didnt have permits to set them off. C&C denied this, but told the board it would be closing anyway. The board still voted to revoke C&Cs permit.

The Greenos have had no issues with their store in Pittsford, but are looking for a second location.

Chip Greeno, Chuck Greenos son, said Tuesday that things are still a little up in the air in terms of where they might set up shop in Fair Haven, if that ends up happening. He said the store will be a simple metal building with no electricity or water-sewer hookups.

Theres two locations that were looking at. Fair Haven is not the only town were looking at, either, said Chip Greeno. Were just looking for a new home, thats all.

He plans to approach the towns of Clarendon and West Rutland, saying he has a good feeling about Clarendon and plans to talk to West Rutland later in September.

Fair Haven would be a great location, its right close to the border, he said.

The Greenos are hoping the Legislature will pass a bill this session that will alleviate some of their issues. Chip Greeno said the way the law stands now is, a Vermonter can only buy fireworks if they have a permit from the town they plan to light them in. He doesnt believe this applies to out-of-state buyers.

I welcome the publics input because once we go somewhere, I dont want the nonsense that happened in Rutland Town, I want everything to be vetted. Id like it to be a new home, he said.

At the Aug. 24 meeting in Fair Haven, Select Board member Glen Traverse floated the notion of having people come in to ask questions of the Greenos.

My only comment is, were looking at what this permit would look like; since our last meeting when we talked about this the first time, on Facebook, it got a little bit of action with people talking for and against, and I would come away with saying we probably got just as many against as we have for, he said. It didnt seem overwhelmingly one way or another on there, so Id ask the question of would we be making a decision on this or giving folks a chance to come and weigh in?

Board Chair Chris Cole said hed also been thinking about calling a public hearing.

Im not necessarily opposed to it, but I have heard a mixed bag of reactions to it, he said. There definitely isnt one  its really mixed. I think the taxpayers have questions

The Greenos said the town has time to consider things, as they dont plan to open the second location until May, wherever that happens to be. They typically stop selling after Halloween, open a few weeks in December ahead of New Years Day, then are closed for the winter.

Chuck Greeno said when they opened in Pittsford, the first year there were some issues but the stores decision to only sell to Pittsford residents with a town-issued permit seemed to resolve many of the problems.

They havent had one complaint. And if its run right, it can work, is what Im saying, he said.

Chip Greeno noted that C&C Fireworks donates $1,000 annually to the fire departments of the towns its in, and that hes not asking the town for anything besides its blessing to operate. He said if the town wished it could also limit the number of fireworks permits it grants to keep the town officials writing them from being inundated.

The draft permit for C&C Fireworks to operate in Fair Haven, if approved as-is, would require C&C to abide by all state and federal regulations and not sell fireworks to people without a permit from the town they plan to light them in. This permit would need to have been issued within 15 days prior to the sale. It sets the annual fee for the permit at $5,000.

keith.whitcomb

@rutlandherald.com
Located in the fossil fuel Southeast Asia, Vietnam's wind energy market has emerged as one of the most successful in the global renewable energy industry in recent years.

Double miracle for incredible installation speed in Vietnam's wind power sector

Vietnam is among the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate change. However, it possesses a geographical position and terrain suitable for ample green energy development. Indeed, the country has made efforts to promote wind power with a view to creating sustainable and clean energy as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is why Vietnam has launched a series of attractive policies calling for investment in the wind power industry over the past 10 years.

In 2011, Vietnam only recorded 50 registered wind power projects, mainly onshore power with even the highest total registered value below $300 million. By August 2021, as many as 106 projects have been completed and connected to the national grid. A series of offshore wind power projects valued at billions of dollars in total have been implemented by both local and international firms.

Despite the advantages, Vietnam has yet to unlock the full potential of its wind resources due to a lack of human resources, infrastructure, and professional companies. According to a report by the European Wind Energy Association, the biggest cost for a wind power project is the turbine itself, accounting for 50 per cent of total expenses.

The rest is used to cover foundation construction, maintenance, construction of operating systems, transportation, and installation of equipment, each costing from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, depending on the project. Apart from the cost of foundation and road construction, Vietnamese contractors hardly get any other source of money to cover the costs.

Turbines are mainly ordered from international suppliers while foreign experts are employed as consultants and operators. The transportation and installation are mainly done by foreign companies with very few domestic enterprises.

It is a challenging task to construct and install turbines on the mountainous area

In fact, difficulties in transportation and installment comes not only from the lack of human expertise and experience but also from lack of equipment. Most wind power projects in Vietnam are located in the steep mountain passes and inaccessible reaches of the south-central region, making it difficult to transport and install turbine blades that are nearly 100m in length and weigh hundreds of tonnes each. Contractors have to set up the turbines at a height of over 100m without scaffolding or an operating floor. The only way is to install a super-heavy crane system.

The specialist cranes weigh up to 800 tonnes and are worth approximately VND100 billion ($4.35 million) each, supported by smaller, 170m long cranes that also cost millions of dollars. These huge investment costs are an obstacle for any firm looking to become professional wind power contractors.

However, these difficulties did not deter the AMACCAO-IC Build joint venture. Established by AMACCAO JSC and Indochina Build, both member companies of the multi-industry group AMACCAO Vietnam, with the goal of becoming the leading contractor for the construction and installment of wind power projects in Vietnam, AMACCAO-IC Build invested nearly VND400 billion ($17.4 million) into purchasing two of the 800-tonne specialist cranes and different cranes that can lift 300, 200 and 150 tonnes, with the accompanying super-long and super-heavy vehicles.

With these equipment were the first miracles performed in Vietnamese wind power project construction by AMACCO-IC Build.

An entire view of the wind power project in Quang Tri province

Double miracle in the wind power industry

While a new name in wind power construction and installation, AMACCAO-IC Build brings significant experience in assembling super-heavy reinforced concrete components in construction projects and building some of the tallest 40-68-storey high-rise buildings in Vietnam.

In 2021, the joint venture embarked on implementing two Vonta wind power plants with a total investment value of up to VND3.9 trillion ($169.57 million) owned by Khe Sanh Wind Power JSC. The joint venture also signed two new projects worth more than VND600 billion ($26.1 million) in total value. The projects are located in the border highland communes of Tan Lien and Huong Loc in Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province.

The terrain is divided by mountains and rivers, posing a challenge for transportation and installation. The initial successes with these projects highlighted AMACCAO-IC Build as one of the rare Vietnamese contractors capable of handling wind power installation contracts, and the joint venture quickly gained the trust of domestic and foreign investors.

AMACCAO-IC Build brings significant experience in assembling super-heavy reinforced concrete components

A miracle is that AMACCAO-IC Build was picked by Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd. as the general contractor to construct the infrastructure and install the largest turbine in Vietnam in terms of capacity. The turbine is the highest (up to 135m), has the longest wingspan (up to 78m), and is the heaviest (up to 118 tonnes) in Vietnam. While common turbines in Vietnam are about 100-110m high with a wingspan of just over 60m and weight of 60-70 tonnes, the success of the Goldwind project is testament to the capability of AMACCAO-IC Build in the field of super-long and super-heavy construction.

The largest turbine in Vietnam is installed by AMACCAO-IC Build

In addition, through the sheer creativity of its people, AMACCAO-IC Build created yet another miracle in the speed of assembly. Accordingly, while foreign contractors take 10-12 days per turbine, AMACCAO-IC Build managed to reduce this to only 6-7 days. Discounting transport and disassembly time for the super-heavy cranes between turbine locations, installation took only 3-4 days, performance to impress Goldwind, the world's largest turbine manufacturer.

While the techniques of foreign contractors are decades ahead of Vietnam, AMACCAO-IC Build was able to compete on even footing through hard work, research, intelligence, and dedication of all leaders, engineers, and workers.

As a single day of delay could cost VND billions, speed was of the essence  and AMACCAO-IC Build stepped up to the plate by finishing the package within a single month.

Vu Van Ngoc, general director of the joint venture said that members have entered the field with ample experience in building the tallest, heaviest, and largest projects in Vietnam. However, even more important than the large equipment, we would be nowhere without our team of determined and enthusiastic engineers. Their ideas helped speed up the assembly process, which is highly appreciated by investors and foreign experts. They even compare us with the leading contractors in the world. All of them are very impressed with the speed, technique and especially labour safety during the installation process.

However, we must remain humble and continue to improve our installation technology. With the equipment and people we have, we aim to be the No.1 contractor for wind power projects across Vietnam, he stated.
Namely, LG Display just won a license to up its manufacturing investment in Vietnam by the equivalent of $1.4 billion. The move will see it raise its stake in local panel manufacturing by nearly 50%. Up to a total of $4.65 billion.

The South Korean company previously said the expansion is planned to create 10,000 new jobs. Its also viewed as a relatively safe investment, poised to generate approximately $6.5 billion in additional export revenue on an annual basis.

How does Samsungs OLED business compare to LG?

LGs investment is primarily targeted at strengthening its global OLED output. According to internal estimates, the new facility situated in the city of Haiphong, Northern Vietnam, should up its OLED output to between 13 million and 14 million panels per month. Its current production capacity sits at around ten million units. The finer details of the expansion are still scarce as the investment has only been sanctioned this week, according to Hanoi.

Samsungs raw OLED capacities still dwarf that of LG. Apples business, alone, guarantees sales equal to half a years worth of LGs production volume in Vietnam. And yet the company can hardly afford to rest on its laurels, especially as far as its economic influence in the Far Eastern country is concerned
Danvers, MA (01923)

Today

Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low near 65F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low near 65F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy joined U.S. General Services Administrator Robin Carnahan for a visit at the Vermont Land Port of Entry in Highgate Springs and to talk about the $3 billion to modernize land ports-of-entry across the country, five of which are in Vermont.
Monday, September 6, 2021 marks Labor Day. This is the next federal holiday up on the calendar. As a result, many things are closed this day. However, most retail stores stay open. In fact, many have big Labor Day sales in order to celebrate the end of summer and the return to school. Heres the retail open/closed for Labor Day 2021:

What and When Is Labor Day?

Labor Day is always the first Monday of September. Its a federal holiday recognizing workers rights in America. As a result, federal buildings and services shut down. For example, post offices and banks close for Labor Day. However, retail stores typically take another approach.

Despite their appreciation for their workers, particularly during the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic, most businesses see this as an opportunity for big sales. Therefore, most stay open. However, not all of them choose to do so. Theres one business well-known to close for Labor Day. Not sure which one? Read on.

Retail Open/Closed For Labor Day: Sales

Labor Day is a huge day for retail sales. One of the main reasons is that this is a Monday holiday. Therefore, a lot of people who work typical jobs but have the day off. This gives them a three-day weekend. Therefore, they have the opportunity to go shopping. With more people shopping, stores like to entice them in with big sales.

Moreover, Labor Day represents the end of summer as well as back-to-school time. Although the actual holiday has nothing to do with this, its timing means thats the way we usually think of it in America. Therefore, its a great time for retail stores to have end-of-summer sales as well as great deal on all back-to-school supplies. Furthermore, people often celebrate the holiday with picnics and barbecues, so some stores have sales all weekend long for those items.

Thats why theres retail open/closed for Labor Day 2021, but most of the stores are open. Moreover, most of them offer sales.

Retail Open/Closed for Labor Day 2021

Honestly, when youre asking about retail open/closed for Labor Day 2021, the answer is that most stores are open. Pretty much any big name store that you can think of will likely be open during this holiday. However, locally-owned, independent, small stores may choose to close their doors in honor of the holiday. Similarly, most retail stores keep regular store hours on Labor Day. That said, if youre planning to shop very early or late in the day, then you might want to call the store to confirm their hours.

One Major Store Closed on Labor Day

There is one major exception to the theyre probably open rule. Costco closes for Labor Day. Therefore, if you need Labor Day picnic or barbecue supplies, youll need to go Costco shopping on Sunday, September 5, 2021 instead. Alternatively, youll need to shop somewhere else. Most other grocery stores, drug stores, and convenience stores will stay open.

Examples of Retail Open for Labor Day 2021

Asked about retail open/closed for Labor Day 2021, Readers Digest said that the following stores are open:

Barnes & Noble. If youre looking to purchase books, then youre in luck. This huge retailer is open on Labor Day.

CVS. Like other major drugstores, CVS stays open on Labor Day.

Dollar General. Most dollar stores and discount stores stay open for Labor Day.

Dollar Tree. Similar to Dollar General, Dollar Tree is a great place to get back-to-school supplies.

Gap. Most retail clothing stores stay open for Labor Day. This is terrific news for anyone who needs to do back-to-school clothes shopping.

Home Depot. The home repair and maintenance giant doesnt close its doors for Labor Day. Shop away.

Kohls. Heres another great clothing store option for back-to-school shopping.

Lowes. Like Home Depot, Lowes is open for the day. Check shops like these for sales on big ticket summer items such as grills, lawn care equipment, and patio furniture.

Macys. Whether youre looking for discounts on summer clothing or shopping for fall, Macys is another store where you can do so on Labor Day.

Marshalls. As you can tell, Labor Day is a big shopping day for many clothing retailers.

Nordstrom. Its not just the kids going back to school for fall. If youre returning to class yourself, perhaps you want to update your wardrobe as well.

Nordstrom Rack. The more affordable version of the Nordstrom store is open for Labor Day as well.

Rite Aid. Similar to CVS, Rite Aid rarely closes for holidays.

Sears. Its easy to get affordable back-to-school clothing at Sears over Labor Day Weekend.

Staples. Stock up on all of the back-to-school office supplies youll need.

T.J. Maxx. Heres another great choice for affordable clothing.

Target. Obviously, Target is a great one-stop shop on Labor Day. Get back-to-school supplies and clothing at the same time.

Walgreens. Remember that even though drug stores are open for Labor Day, their pharmacies might not be. Therefore, you should call ahead if thats what youre heading to Walgreens for.

Walmart. Like Target, you can get it all at Walmart. In addition to the back-to-school supplies, remember to check for sales on summer items. Additionally, pick up snacks for those lunchboxes youll be packing soon.

Additionally, shopping malls and the stores inside them should be open.

Liquor Stores May Close on Labor Day

Is liquor shopping on your mind when considering the retail open/closed on Labor Day 2021? If so, then the answer is it depends. In some states, liquor stores are controlled by the government. Labor Day is a federal holiday. Therefore, apparently liquor stores close down on Labor Day in those states. On the other hand, many states arent regulated in the same way. Therefore, in those states, liquor stores are open on Labor Day. Its a unique issue.

Im from Arizona originally. Now I live in California. Both of those states dont have this concern. Their liquor stores are open on Labor Day. Therefore, I never knew that this was an issue until I turned to the Internet to do some research and learned about it!

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Lost and found

Capstone Scholars faculty principal uses lessons from her own experience to guide living, learning community

When she was a college freshman, Elise Lewis learned firsthand what happens when a student gets lost in the shuffle of a big university.

It was terrible  I was completely unprepared for the reality of college, says Lewis, who began her baccalaureate studies at a large land-grant school, wound up on academic probation at the end of her freshman year and ultimately transferred to a small college and switched majors several times. She went on to earn masters and doctoral degrees and embarked on a career in higher education, but that rocky experience as an undergraduate indelibly shaped her philosophy as an educator.

Now, as faculty principal of the Capstone Scholars Program, one of the University of South Carolinas best-known living and learning communities, Lewis is keen on getting students connected with one another and the university resources that can help them to thrive.

I didnt realize at first all of the resources this campus provides for students, whether its mental health, undergraduate research or study abroad, says Lewis, an instructor in the School of Information Science. So its been really fun to connect students to those resources and encourage them to take advantage of them. You can grow outside the classroom just as much as you can grow inside the classroom.

Lewis began her tenure last year as the third faculty principal for the Capstone Scholars program, which was launched 15 years ago to recruit a cohort of excellent students from across South Carolina and around the country. This year, 1,400 incoming freshmen will be Capstone Scholars, living in Capstone House, Columbia Hall and other residence halls around campus.

You can grow outside the classroom just as much as you can grow inside the classroom. Elise Lewis, Capstone Scholars Program faculty principal

Starting out as principal during the onset of the pandemic last year was difficulty, Lewis says, but it also hit the reset button on expectations and gave her time to consider what is most important moving forward.

I love the things the first two faculty principals initiated  Hot Cookie Friday and the personal challenge. Those are part of our culture, and, of course, we have funding to support study abroad and student research opportunities, Lewis says. I want to make sure that our students have access to Capstone Scholar alumni who can help them with the career readiness piece. And we have an amazing alumni network.

A lot of employers look for new graduates to have ideas for changing things, to be able to shake things up a bit and question the status quo.

Even with a small dedicated staff, engaging individually with this years cohort of Capstone Scholars and the 1,500 or so returning sophomore scholars is a challenge. Lewis focus is on making sure the students know what resources the program offers and how to access them.

Some students  they come to an event or read the emails, and theyre fine. They get connected right away, Lewis says. Those arent the ones Im worried about. Its the ones who get here and are sitting in their residence hall wondering what they got themselves into. Those are the ones we have to be very strategic with and make sure they know that were here for them, so they feel like theyre engaged and have a community here.

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Research explains how tiny bacteria can be a solution to the lack of renewable energy. The quest for the most eco-friendly and low-cost infrastructure for green energy begins with the bacteria Shewanella oneidensis.

Cornell University experts have recently examined the potential methods to solve the most challenging puzzle in the field of environmental studies. The question is how people would attain the most eco-friendly, low-cost infrastructure capable of harvesting, storing, and producing green energy that we need in the planet's current situation, instead of using an energy source from toxic wastes or contributors of carbon footprints.

Shewanella oneidensis a Natural Electrode, Solution to Lack of Renewable Energy

The solution that the study found has been identified not on a massive body but through the tiny eco-saver known as the Shewanella oneidensis. The said organism is a type of bacteria that utilizes electrons as it undergoes the metabolism phase.

The process of the microbe alternately allows a method that seemingly fixes the atmospheric carbon contents. The processing of carbon in Shewanella oneidensis' metabolism is also found generally on other organisms scattered throughout the ecosystem, including the plants and microorganisms.

Cornell University's bioengineering expert and author of the study Buz Barstow, together with their colleagues, attempted to utilize the precursor carbon emitted during the specified bacteria's metabolism and engineer it to become an organic source of energy also called biofuels.

The latest study focused on potential approaches to be applied to the Shewanella oneidensis to store energy while its activities take place.

Barstow said in a Sustainability Times report that there are a few recorded microbes that can store renewable electricity, and not much can actually fix carbon dioxide contents in the atmosphere. For the experts to determine the functions of each gene available, they utilized a new approach they call 'knockout sudoku.'

ALSO READ: Microbes Synthetic Muscle Fiber Tougher Than Bulletproof Vests Can Provide Potential Solutions in Biomedical Treatments

Bacteria as Reliable Biofuel?

According to the examination results, the team found that many genes are already capable of letting electrons in and out of the cell. The set of new genes discovered, according to the experts, have not been observed to harness electrons into themselves.

University of Cincinnati microbiology expert and author of the study Annette Rowe was responsible for pointing out each of the genes' pathways that they utilized to move the electrons into the bacteria Shewanella oneidensis during its metabolism process.

These pathways are the connections that allow carbon dioxide to transition into sugars. The product of the bacteria's metabolism could be developed into a biofuel that is cheaper than the traditional fuels and, most importantly, can be upgraded to a more powerful source.

The homologous genes also caught the attention of the researchers, as it is unusually present in many types of bacteria. With that said, the experts theorized that different bacteria have been using the same pathway the present-day microbes have for them to manage electrons since the early Earth, even before photosynthesis and life on the planet existed.

The microbe's possible solution against the lack of eco-friendly and efficient energy sources is one of the greatest discoveries that may turn the tables of the extremities we experience today. The coverage of the study is published in the journal Communications Biology, titled "Identification of a Pathway for Electron Uptake in Shewanella oneidensis."

RELATED ARTICLE: Watch Tardigrades Walk on Microscopic Level; Water Bear Movements Surprisingly Familiar in Astonishing Video

Check out more news and information on Biology in Science Times.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  After more than a year of attending church virtually, Monique Allen has struggled to explain to her asthmatic daughter why people from their congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dont wear masks. Allen said she has taught her daughter that wearing a mask is Christlike, but now she worries her child feels like an outcast.

Church leaders recently issued their strongest statement yet urging people to limit the spread by getting COVID-19 vaccines and wearing masks. But Allen said she fears its still not enough to convince the many families in her congregation who refuse to wear masks and have succumbed to anti-vaccine misinformation.

Members of the faith widely known as the Mormon church remain deeply divided on vaccines and mask-wearing despite consistent guidance from church leaders as the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus spreads.

About 65% of Latter-day Saints who responded to a recent survey said they were vaccine acceptors, meaning they've gotten at least one dose or plan to soon. Another 15% identified as hesitant, and 19% said they would not get the vaccine, according to the survey this summer from the Public Religion Research Institute, a polling organization based in Washington, and Interfaith Youth Core.

The survey found 79% of white Catholics and 56% of white Evangelical Protestants identified as vaccine acceptors.

Allen, a church member living in Wisconsin, is among a contingent who fear fellow members who refuse to get vaccinated are allowing their political views to supersede their loyalty to a faith that largely prioritizes unity and obedience.

The message she has shared with her 8-year-old daughter is that of course Christ would wear a mask, of course he would get vaccinated because hes a loving person," she said. "And thats the only way you can take care of people these days is doing these simple things.

Other church members are upset that their leaders arent letting them exercise their own decision-making about vaccines and masks. The Utah-based religion of 16 million members worldwide is one of many faiths grappling with how best to navigate the pandemic's lingering effects.

Divisions on masking and vaccinations in the Latter-day Saint faith appear to be tracking along political lines, with conservative members being more hesitant, said Patrick Mason, associate professor of religion at Utah State University. Mason said the churchs divide is indicative of a larger pattern in the United States of political ideologies shaping people's religious commitments.

The common perception of Mormons and Mormonism is that when church leaders speak, church members listen and do what theyre told, said Mason. This has revealed sometimes how conditional that loyalty can be.

The Latter-day Saint faith was one of the first to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, church leaders suspended all church gatherings and closed temples. The church has also held three consecutive major conferences remotely since the pandemic began. The twice-yearly conference usually brings about 100,000 people to Salt Lake City over two days.

Many faith leaders have spoken in support of vaccinations, including Church President Russell M. Nelson, a former heart surgeon who got the vaccine in January and encouraged members to follow his example.

Church-owned Brigham Young University in Utah has asked students to report their vaccination status but is not requiring vaccinations. Masks are required in classrooms and any indoor spaces where social distancing isnt possible.

Missionaries who are not fully vaccinated are also unable to receive an assignment outside of their home country.

Regarding masks at services, top church officials have said it's up to bishops to encourage people to follow local public health guidelines.

In mid-August, they went so far as to release a statement calling on members to get the vaccine, which they described as safe and effective.

Among other denominations in the U.S., faith leaders have varied widely in how they address the issues of vaccinations and mask wearing. To a large extent, there has been vocal support for getting vaccinated  including from top leadership of conservative bodies such as the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

However, some Catholic prelates and evangelical pastors have been sharply critical of the the vaccine campaign and masking mandates, and others have shied away from addressing those issues for fear of angering some congregation members.

An August AP-NORC poll found that among white evangelicals, 51% are at least somewhat confident in the vaccines to be effective against variants, compared with 73% of Catholics, 66% of white mainline Protestants such as Presbyterians and Lutherans, 65% of nonwhite Protestants and 67% of the religiously unaffiliated.

Some Latter-day Saints have accused those who promote anti-vaccine rhetoric of apostasy, a term that is associated with wickedness and describes when individuals turn away from church principles.

Kristen Chevrier, co-founder of a Utah-based health freedom group that has advocated against vaccine mandates, said the church should not be involved in health choices, and she worries people are being discriminated against based on their vaccine status.

Chevrier, who is a member of the faith, said she rejects the idea that people who are anti-vaccine are apostates. She cited the churchs history of encouraging members to seek their own personal revelations with God.

How can we say that theres a blanket statement that applies to everyone regardless of their personal revelation, said Chevrier, whos based in American Fork, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City.

Many members have voiced concerns on social media that pro-mask and pro-vaccine sentiments arent shared by all regional church leadership, with some describing their experiences as bishop roulette.

Unmasked bishops at an Idaho church read the statement from top church officials to the congregation, but only a few chose to start wearing masks.

One member, Marie Johnson, said she has been disappointed that so many in her community have heeded misinformation on social media rather than church leaderships continued calls for vaccination.

You can find something on the internet to support any position you want to take, said Johnson. Why would you choose the side that doesnt include your faith leader?

But some churches began resuming masking practices even before the leaders' statement.

One Salt Lake City church has been encouraging vulnerable people to participate in meetings virtually and sent a message to congregants in early August recommending that everyone wear masks and get the vaccine.

Our faith leaders have been so consistent from the very beginning, said Sren Simonsen, of Salt Lake City. And to hear people say, This is a hoax, it doesnt matter, its not affecting us, when millions of people have died, its heartbreaking.

___

Eppolito is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

___

This story has been updated to correct that Church President Russell M. Nelson is a former heart surgeon, not a cardiologist, and to clarify the vaccination rules for missionaries.
Washingtons utility payment moratorium and its so-called bridge proclamation  an order that replaced the states eviction moratorium  are both set to expire on Sept. 30, bringing an end to two pandemic-era protections meant to offset the financial burdens begot by COVID-19.



Heres what Washington residents need to know before the end of the month.

Its what replaced the states moratorium on evictions. Gov. Jay Inslee issued the proclamation in late June.



The proclamation helped protect tenants from being evicted for any defaulted rent payments between Feb. 29, 2020 and July 31, 2021. A landlord could only start the eviction process for missed payments between those dates if there was a rental assistance program and an eviction resolution program in place in the county in which the tenant lived.



Since Aug. 1, tenants have been expected to either pay full rent or an agreed-upon reduced rent, or actively seek rental assistance funding. A landlord can currently evict a tenant for non-payment of rent if none of those actions are taken. However, the landlord must offer the tenant a reasonable repayment plan before beginning the eviction process and must provide the tenant, in writing, a description of the services and support available to them under the assistance programs.

What happens on Sept. 30?

At the end of the month, tenants can no longer avoid eviction for defaulted rent payments by actively seeking rental assistance funding. Beginning Oct. 1, tenants are expected to either pay full rent or an agreed-upon reduced rent. If they dont, their landlord may evict them.



Between Aug. 4 and Aug. 16, 173,589 households statewide said they were not caught up on rent and 123,196 said they were not confident that theyd be able to afford rent for September, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus latest Household Pulse Survey.

What do I do if I still cant afford rent after Sept. 30?

The state Department of Commerce lists rental assistance programs by county on its website. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also lists resources available to Washington renters on its website.

What is the utility moratorium?

Another order issued by Inslee, this moratorium prohibits utility companies from disconnecting water, electricity, natural gas and phone service to homes due to nonpayment. Additionally, it bans utilities from refusing to reconnect residential customers previously disconnected due to nonpayment. It also proscribes utilities from charging late fees.

The order has been in place since April of last year.

What happens on Sept. 30?

This moratorium also expires which means customers are expected to begin making utility payments again.



In a Monday news release from the state Department of Commerce, officials encouraged people who are behind on their bills to talk with their utility companies now about a payment plan once the moratorium expires.



This moratorium has provided hundreds of thousands of Washington families much-needed peace of mind during the pandemic, and now utility companies are eager and ready to help their customers make a plan that keeps their services on, Inslee said in the release. I urge people make that call as soon as they can. That call can give a family one less thing to worry about as fall and winter approaches.



The governors office is also making asks of the states utility providers. Its urging companies to: provide customers with overdue accounts information about assistance available to them; offer extended payment plans of 12 months or longer; waive late fees and other expenses accrued during the disconnection moratorium provided that customers sign up for payment assistance; and refrain from reporting overdue accounts to credit bureaus or placing liens on customers with overdue accounts for at least 180 days.



Utility companies are not legally bound to do any of that, but many have signaled that theyre willing to work with customers who are worried about making payments.



More than 500,000 state residents are estimated to have racked up overdue utility bills during the moratorium, the news release said. That includes more than 280,000 customers of privately owned utilities, such as Puget Sound Energy.

What do I do if I cant pay my utility bills after Sept. 30?

The state Department of Commerces website outlines a plan for customers who might not be able to afford future payments.
NEW YORK (AP)  Julie Pace, a longtime Washington journalist who managed coverage of the U.S. government during a period of historic tumult, was named Wednesday as the executive editor and senior vice president of The Associated Press.

The 39-year-old Pace has been the APs Washington bureau chief since 2017, guiding reporting on the Trump administration, national security, politics and the new Biden White House. She rose to the newsrooms top leadership spot with a promise to accelerate the APs digital transformation.

Pace succeeds Sally Buzbee, who became executive editor of The Washington Post in June, and is the third consecutive woman to lead the APs worldwide news operation. Her appointment is effective immediately and was announced by Gary Pruitt, AP president and CEO, and Daisy Veerasingham, executive vice president and chief operating officer. Veerasingham will become president and chief executive at the end of the year.

This is a very exciting time for the AP  were a 175-year-old news organization with a new CEO and a new executive editor, Pruitt said. Julie Pace has a vision for APs future that is in line with our long-standing values but also forward-thinking. She will do an excellent job.

As she assumes her new role, Pace said it was important to push all of the APs journalists  text reporters, video, still photographers, fact checkers and graphics producers  out of individual silos to work together in presenting compelling stories.

We are in a position where we have an opportunity to really modernize our news report, Pace said in an interview. We have an opportunity to take all of the fantastic journalism that we do across formats and think of ways we can make it more digital-friendly, to make it more social-friendly.

Breaking news will remain the backbone of the APs report, but journalists will quickly move to provide analysis, context and fact-checking to those stories, she said.

In some ways Pace is herself a symbol of the APs transition: She joined the organization in Washington in 2007 as a video producer and rose to chief White House correspondent. A frequent on-air analyst at networks including CNN, ABC and Fox, shes comfortable talking publicly, representing a company that is often overlooked despite stationing journalists in 250 locations in 100 countries.

Thats a legacy of the APs history primarily as a wholesaler of news disseminated through other outlets. A smaller AP has placed a greater emphasis on impact journalism, becoming a more consumer-facing organization rather than a bland utility. The AP won two Pulitzer Prizes this year and was a finalist for three others.

We play this incredibly vital role in how people around the world get their information, and I think sometimes we dont get enough credit for that, she said. There are millions  upwards of a billion people who get news from the AP every day. Theres real power behind the work that we do.

Paces background as a public communicator was a plus moving forward, as the company looks to take a leadership role in the industry where appropriate, Veerasingham said in an interview.

Theres been a raft of leadership changes at national news organizations in the past several months. Besides Buzbee and Pace, Kevin Merida was named top editor at The Los Angeles Times, Kim Godwin is ABC News president, Wendy McMahon and Neeraj Khemlani share the same job at CBS News, Rashida Jones is president of MSNBC and Alessandra Galloni is editor-in-chief at Reuters.

What they all have in common is that none are white men in an era in which the industry has signaled the importance of diversity. That probably wasnt as pressing an issue for the AP, compared to other places, since its newsroom has been led by a woman since 2002, when Kathleen Carroll became executive editor, Veerasingham said.

The best person for the job happens to be a woman, she said.

Pace has proved to be a strong and collaborative leader who has consistently demonstrated strong news judgment and a deep understanding of the APs mission and place in the news industry, Veerasingham said.

The steady downturn in news circulation and advertising that led to the closure of hundreds of newspapers over the last two decades has also affected the AP; its revenues are down more than 25% over the last decade. The company is increasingly turning toward overseas markets for growth opportunities.

Journalism is also facing a politically fueled crisis in confidence. The Pew Research Center said this week that the number of Republicans who said they have at least some trust in national news organizations has been cut in half, from 70% in 2016 to 35% this year.

With readers and viewers often confused about where the lines are drawn between news and opinions, Pace said it made the APs mission of providing fact-based journalism even more important.

Fact-based journalism does not mean that all sides of an issue get an airing, she said. That means we are going to be really clear with people about what the facts are. If that lines up on one side of an issue, we are going to be really clear about that. Were not going to be intimidated in these circumstances.

The AP has been bolstering its fact-checking operations, sending out more frequent stories examining the truth behind issues, and Pace said more will be done in this area. Fact-checks and explainers for news stories are consistently among APs most-used fixtures.

Pace said the AP will continue to seek out grants and foundation funding that enable the organization to hire more people to examine specific issues. It has gone this route in recent years to bolster coverage of religion, philanthropy and health and science.

Some 50 candidates, both internal and external, were interviewed for the job. The APs complexity and its unique position in the industry tend to give an edge to people familiar with the organization, Veerasingham said. But the company is also interested in people who can offer different perspectives and ideas, she said.
(RNS)  Its a Bible verse familiar to many Christians  and even to many non-Christians who have seen John 3:16 on billboards and T-shirts or scrawled across eye black under football players helmets.

But Terry Wildman hopes the new translation published Tuesday (Aug. 31) by InterVarsity Press, First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament, will help Christians and Indigenous peoples read it again in a fresh way.

The Great Spirit loves this world of human beings so deeply he gave us his Son  the only Son who fully represents him. All who trust in him and his way will not come to a bad end, but will have the life of the world to come that never fades away, full of beauty and harmony, reads the First Nations Version of the verse.

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This content is written and produced by Religion News Service and distributed by The Associated Press. RNS and AP partner on some religion news content. RNS is solely responsible for this story.

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In the First Nations Version, eternal life, a concept unfamiliar in Native American cultures, becomes the life of the world to come that never fades away, full of beauty and harmony. The Greek word cosmos, usually translated in English as the world, had to be reconsidered, too: It doesnt mean the planet Earth but how the world works and how creation lives and functions together, said Wildman, the lead translator and project manager of the First Nations Version.

Theyre phrases that resonated with Wildman, changing the way he read the Bible even as he translated it for Native American readers.

We believe its a gift not only to our Native people, (but) from our Native people to the dominant culture. We believe that theres a fresh way that people can experience the story again from a Native perspective, he said.

The idea for an Indigenous Bible translation first came to Wildman nearly 20 years ago in the storeroom of the church he pastored on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona.

Wildman, who is Ojibwe and Yaqui, was excited to find a Hopi translation of the New Testament in storage. He wanted to hear how that beloved Scripture sounded in Hopi, how it translated back into English.

But, he said, while many Hopi elders still speak their native language and children now are learning it in schools, he couldnt find anyone able to read it. That is true for many Native American nations, he added, noting that at the same time Christian missionaries were translating the Bible into Native languages, they were also working with the boarding schools in the United States and Canada that punished students for speaking those languages.

It occurred to the pastor that since 90-plus percent of our Native people are not speaking their tribal language or reading their tribal language, we felt there needed to be a translation in English worded for Native people, he said.

Wildman, a licensed local pastor in the United Methodist Church, has been working on translating the Bible into words and concepts familiar to many Native Americans ever since.

He first began experimenting by rewording Scripture passages he was using in a prison ministry, giving them more of a Native traditional sound, he said  a sound hed learned by being around Native elders and reading books written in a more traditional style of English by Native Americans like Oglala Lakota spiritual leader Black Elk.

He and his wife, Darlene, who have a music ministry called RainSong, also recorded readings of those passages over music in an album called The Great Story from the Sacred Book. It won a Native American Music Award in 2008 for best spoken-word album.

Wildman was encouraged by the reactions he received as he shared his rewordings across the country at tribal centers, Native American-led churches and powwows.

They just loved listening to it because it didnt have the church language. It didnt have the colonial language. It had more of a Native feel to it  as much as possible that you can put in English, he said.

Many Native people asked what Bible he was reading from.

Young people have told him it sounds like one of their elders telling them a story. Elders have said it resonates with how they heard traditional stories from their parents and grandparents.

As others encouraged him to turn his rewordings into a full translation of the Bible, Wildman published a childrens book retelling the Christmas story, Birth of the Chosen One, and a harmonization of the four Gospels called When the Great Spirit Walked among Us.

Then, on April Fools Day 2015, he heard from the CEO of OneBook Canada, who suggested the Bible translation organization fund his work. The offer wasnt a prank, he said, it was confirmation from Creator that this was something he wanted.

Everybody hears English a little differently, Wildman said.

We have all of these translations for that purpose to reach another generation, to reach a particular people group. But we had never had one for our Native people that has actually been translated into English.

Wildman began by forming a translation council to guide the process, gathering men and women, young and old, from different Native cultures and church backgrounds. They started with a list of nearly 200 keywords Wycliffe Bible Translators said must be translated properly to get a good translation of Scripture.

With that foundation, Wildman got to work, sending drafts to the council for feedback. He looked up the original Greek text of the New Testament. He checked to see how other English translations rendered tricky passages. He consulted Dave Ohlson, a former Wycliffe translator who helped found OneBook Canada, part of the Wycliffe Global Alliance.

The Indigenous translation uses names for God common in many Native cultures, including Great Spirit or Creator. Names of biblical figures echo their original meanings in Greek and Hebrew: Jesus becomes Creator Sets Free and Abraham, Father of Many Nations.

We believe its very important that the Gospel be kind of decolonized and told in a Native way, but being accurate to the meaning of the original language and understanding that its a different culture, Wildman said.

Over the years, he and his council have published editions of the Gospel of Luke and Ephesians and a book called Walking the Good Road that included the four Gospels alongside Acts and Ephesians.

A number of ministries already have started using those translations, including Foursquare Native Ministries, Lutheran Indian Ministries, Montana Indian Ministries, Cru Nations and Native InterVarsity, he said.

Native InterVarsity, where Wildman serves as director of spiritual growth and leadership, has distributed earlier editions of the First Nations Version at conferences and used the Indigenous translation in its Bible studies for Native college students for several years.

Megan Murdock Krischke, national director of Native InterVarsity, said students have been more engaged with the translation, hearing the Bible in a way theyre used to stories being told.

Even though its still English, it feels like its made by us for us. This is a version of Scripture that is for Native people, and its indigenized. Youre not having to kind of sort through the ways other cultures talk about faith and spirituality, said Krischke, who is Wyandotte and Cherokee.

Its one less barrier between Native people and being able to follow Jesus.

Earlier this month, The Jesus Film Project also released a collection of short animated films called Retelling the Good Story, bringing to life the stories of Jesus, or Creator Sets Free, feeding the 5,000 and walking on water from the First Nations Version.

Wildman said the response from Native peoples and ministries to the First Nations Version has exceeded any expectations he had when he first began rewording Bible passages.

He hopes it can help break down barriers between Native and non-Native peoples, too. He pointed out the suspicion and misinformation many white Christians have passed down for generations, believing Native Americans worship the devil and their cultures are evil when they share a belief in a Creator, he said.

We hope that this will help non-Native people be more interested in our Native people  maybe the history, understanding the need for further reconciliation and things like that, Wildman said.

We hope that this will be part of creating a conversation that will help that process.
The nation's most far-reaching curb on abortions since they were legalized a half-century ago took effect Wednesday in Texas, with the Supreme Court silent on an emergency appeal to put the law on hold.

If allowed to remain in force, the law, which bans most abortions, would be the strictest against abortion rights in the United States since the high courts landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

The Texas law, signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May, prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks and before most women know theyre pregnant.

Its part of a broader push by Republicans across the country to impose new restrictions on abortion. At least 12 other states have enacted bans early in pregnancy, but all have been blocked from going into effect.

What makes the Texas law different is its unusual enforcement scheme. Rather than have officials responsible for enforcing the law, private citizens are authorized to sue abortion providers and anyone involved in facilitating abortions. Among other situations, that would include anyone who drives a woman to a clinic to get an abortion. Under the law, anyone who successfully sues another person would be entitled to at least $10,000.

Starting today, every unborn child with a heartbeat will be protected from the ravages of abortion," Abbott said in a statement posted on Twitter. Texas will always defend the right to life.

But protests were quick.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that the law blatantly violates the constitutional right established under Roe v. Wade and upheld as precedent for nearly half a century. He said the law outrageously" gives private citizens the power to bring lawsuits against anyone who they believe has helped another person get an abortion."

Likewise, the American Medical Association said it was deeply disturbed by this egregious law and disappointed by the Supreme Court's inaction.

The law not only bans virtually all abortions in the state, but it interferes in the patient-physician relationship and places bounties on physicians and health care workers simply for delivering care, said a statement from Dr. Gerald E. Harmon, the AMA president.

In a phone call with reporters, Marc Hearron, a lawyer for the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the abortion providers his group represents were still hoping to hear from the Supreme Court but as of now, most abortion is banned in Texas."

Clinics have said the law would rule out 85% of abortions in Texas and force many clinics to close. Planned Parenthood is among the abortion providers that have stopped scheduling abortions beyond six weeks from conception.

Abortion opponents who wrote the law also made it difficult to challenge in court, in part because its hard to know whom to sue.

Abortion rights advocates say it will force many women to travel out of state for abortions, if they can afford to do so and also navigate issues including childcare and taking time off work. The Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights, says if legal abortion care in Texas shuts down, the average one-way driving distance to an abortion clinic for Texans would increase from 12 miles to 248 miles.

Already, abortion clinics beyond the Texas border are feeling the impact. At the Trust Women clinic in Oklahoma City, there had been 80 appointments scheduled over the past two days, more than double the typical number of patients, said Rebecca Tong, co-executive director of the clinic. Two-thirds of those patients were from Texas, another sharp increase, and the earliest opening was now three weeks out.

Oklahoma has just barely enough clinics for the amount of people here, Tong said. If anyone is thinking, Oh, they can just go out of state, itll be so easy, a lot of clinics in the Midwest and South, we dont do abortion care five days a week.

Late into the night Tuesday before the ban took effect clinics in Texas were filled with patients, said Amy Hagstrom Miller, CEO of Whole Womens Health, which has four abortion clinics in Texas.

Twenty-seven women were still in the waiting room after 10 p.m. at one clinic, leaving doctors crying and scrambling over whether they would see all of them in time, she said. The last abortion at one of her clinics finished at 11:56 p.m. in Fort Worth, where Hagstrom Miller said anti-abortion activists outside shined bright lights in the parking lot after dark looking for wrongdoing, and twice called police.

This morning I woke up feeling deep sadness. Im worried. Im numb, she said.

The law is part of a hard-right agenda that Texas Republicans muscled through the statehouse this year ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, when Abbott is up for a third term as governor.

Another law taking effect Wednesday ended required firearm training and background checks to carry handguns in public in Texas, and GOP lawmakers on Tuesday approved election changes that will further tighten what are already some of the strictest voting laws in the nation.

Texas has long had some of the nations toughest abortion restrictions, including a sweeping law passed in 2013. The Supreme Court eventually struck down that law, but not before more than half of the states 40-plus clinics closed.

Lawmakers also are moving forward in an ongoing special session in Texas with proposed new restrictions on medication abortion, a method using pills that accounts for roughly 40% of abortions in the U.S.

Even before the Texas case arrived at the high court the justices had planned to tackle the issue of abortion rights in a major case that will be heard after the court begins hearing arguments again in the fall. That case involves the state of Mississippi, which is asking to be allowed to enforce an abortion ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

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AP writer Paul J. Weber reported from Austin, Texas.
BEIRUT (AP)  A delegation of four U.S. senators said Wednesday that America is looking to help Lebanon overcome fuel shortages that have paralyzed the country. But they warned the import of Iranian oil into the crisis-hit country could have severely damaging consequences.

The Democratic senators pushed for the immediate formation of a Lebanese government that can begin urgent reforms. They also vowed support for Lebanons U.S.-backed army. The troops saw their salaries lose more than 90% of their value amid a crash in Lebanons pound in the economic meltdown that began nearly two years ago.

It is inexcusable that in the middle of this life-threatening crisis, the political leaders in Lebanon have refused to make the tough choices in order to form a government, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told reporters at the end of the two-day visit. He said Lebanon needs a government that can negotiate with the International Monetary Fund and start reforms to reduce corruption that is widespread in the Mediterranean nation.

During a visit that included meetings with Lebanon's president, parliament speaker and prime minister-designate, the American lawmakers said they received promises that a new government will be formed before the end of the week.

The visit to Lebanon came two weeks after the leader of the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group said that an Iranian fuel tanker has sailed toward Lebanon, and that others will follow to help ease the fuel shortages.

The delivery, organized by Hezbollah, would violate U.S. sanctions imposed on Tehran after former President Donald Trump pulled America out of a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in 2018.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut blasted Hezbollah as a malignant cancerous terrorist organization adding that they have heard very troublingly about maligned Iranian influence particularly in providing fuel.

Blumenthal added that there is no reason for Lebanon to depend on Iran because there are plenty of other sources of fuel without the potential severely damaging consequences of reliance on Iranian oil.

Lebanon has been without a fully functioning government since Aug. 10, 2020, when Prime Minister Hassan Diabs Cabinet resigned days after a massive blast at Beiruts port that killed at least 214 people, wounded about 6,000 and damaged entire neighborhoods.

Three politicians have been named to form a Cabinet since, but political bickering between rival groups have so far forced two of them to step down. Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati was named to the post in late July but has also been unsuccessful so far.

Lebanon's economic crisis has been described by the World Bank as one of the most severe the world has witnessed since the 1850s. The local currency has crashed as the central banks foreign reserves dried up, leading to crippling shortages of medicines, fuel and gas.

The U.S. has suggested that Washington would help Lebanon get electricity from Jordan and facilitate the flow of Egyptian gas through Jordan and Syria to northern Lebanon.

Murphy said fuel transits through Syria are potentially subject to congressionally mandated sanctions but that they are working through "whether or not we can help facilitate that transit without applying U.S. sanctions.

My hope is that we could find a way to get this done that would not involve any U.S. sanctions, Murphy said, adding that this is only one of many ways we are working hard to try to find a solution to the fuel crisis.

Blumenthal said the senators are exploring very specific ways to bring the current pay of Lebanese troops to the level where they were before the crisis, maybe even higher. He did not elaborate how but said they will discuss it back in the U.S. with the congressional armed services committee.

The armed services in this country is the glue that holds the country together in many respects, Blumenthal said.
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Keene, NH (03431)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 63F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 63F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
James and JC Metcalf dont always get along, bickering and badmouthing each other, a 2-year age difference fueling a stereotypical sibling rivalry.

But on the fire line, that all fades away. On Tuesday, the brothers from Montana stood side-by-side in California as winds sent flames into the air, threatening homes along the Highway 50 corridor in Strawberry.

The pair, who are with the Canyon Ferry Fire Suppression District in Helena, Mont., were fighting flames on Harris Mountain in their home state when they got the call to head to the Caldor Fire as it grew toward Lake Tahoe. James, 32, and JC, 34, arrived among the crews from other states brought in to help control the blaze, which was at 204,390 acres Wednesday morning.

The two men, along with 12 other firefighters from various places, were assigned to protect 55 cabins in Strawberry. While the main blaze had pushed through the area days ago and firefighters had saved the small community, hot spots remained, flaring up as erratic winds pushed up the Highway 50 corridor.

On Tuesday evening, the team cleared debris and any fuel in designated areas to create containment lines, remove additional fuel from around cabins and lay hoses between homes in case of a flare-up from hot spots in the area.

Then with little warning, the wind  reaching 30 mph gusts  pushed the flames toward them.

The flames went from at least 6 feet to 100 and 200 feet, JC said. They overtook large trees from the base, climbing to the top of the canopies.

Propane tanks started to hiss and explode. Two containment lines failed.

As the fire whipped through the area, JC said the only thought going through his mind was, All right, its here, lets get ready and do our jobs.

He glanced at his younger brother who he saw was a little edgy.

It got hot, James said.

The third containment line held.

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.

They saved all 55 homes.

On Wednesday morning, the brothers stood outside the Strawberry General Store  still standing and undamaged  waiting for the days assignment and considering their brotherly love.

We have our ups and downs, James said.

Yup, JC responded. When it comes down to it, we throw our differences aside and protect each other.

Chronicle staff writer Jill Tucker contributed to this report.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sarravani
Former Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli, who resigned in May after nine women accused him of sexual assault and misconduct in a series of Chronicle investigations, has filed paperwork signifying his intent to run again for mayor next year.

This development  the first step toward a potential campaign for the November 2022 election  stunned Windsor residents and former colleagues of Foppoli, a 39-year-old winery owner whose lofty political ambitions were dashed by the assault accusations.

The former mayor did not respond to requests for comment from The Chronicle, the first to report that Foppoli had filed a Candidate Intention Statement with Windsor officials. But in a statement to radio station KCBS, Foppoli said, I have made no decision to run at this point.

Foppolis statement did not rule out a bid for the mayoral seat, even as he claimed the paperwork was a technicality and a legal requirement to ensure that previously received donations for campaign funds were used appropriately. According to campaign finance statements, Foppoli had nearly $24,000 left over from his successful 2020 bid for mayor.

Windsor officials were quick to note that Foppoli could have instead opted to donate these funds to a charity or to someone elses campaign. In a news release on Wednesday afternoon, town leaders described the filing as a preliminary step that allows a candidate to establish a campaign committee and start accepting campaign contributions.

Candidates can make their campaigns official starting in mid-July.

Foppoli has previously denied all allegations of sexual assault, but wrote in the spring that he would resign because he did not want undue national attention to have a negative impact on the Windsor community because of lawful, but poor choices, I have made in the recent past.

Foppoli is facing criminal investigations in both Sonoma County and Palm Beach, Fla., related to the allegations of sexual assault. He is also the subject of two state investigations into potential violations of Californias campaign and political ethics laws.

In addition, in May, Windsor officials asked the Sonoma County District Attorneys Office to authorize a grand jury investigation into Dominic Foppolis willful or corrupt misconduct in office. The request was forwarded to the state Attorney Generals Office, which declined to comment Wednesday.

Despite these active investigations, Windsor Vice Mayor Rosa Reynoza said that, as a town resident, Foppoli is still eligible to run for the at-large mayor seat  and she thinks its very possible hell choose to pursue it.

When you have funds left over in your campaign, your options are to donate it and close your committee, or if you think you are going to run again, you keep it open, Reynoza said.

Windsor Mayor Sam Salmon, who was appointed to the position by his fellow council members after Foppolis resignation, agreed that the filing was a strategy to keep Foppolis campaign funds in play and his options open.

Still, Salmon said he couldnt imagine someone in Dominics position would think about running for election. As to why Foppoli didnt donate the money to a charity or another campaign, Salmon said many in the community might not want to take his money to be associated with him.

I think people would be rather cautious about accepting his money, he said.

In 2020, voters chose Foppoli as mayor in the first-ever election for the seat in Windsor history. In prior years, Town Council members had appointed the mayor from among their ranks.

But earlier this year, as Foppoli refused to heed calls for his resignation over the assault allegations, the council had considered eliminating the elected mayor position altogether.

However, on Aug. 4, the four council members deadlocked in a vote that would have moved the issue forward  paving the way for another election next fall.

Reynoza said she voted against holding a special election to ask voters whether they wanted to eliminate the position because of the tens of thousands of dollars such an election could cost the town.

I never imagined that Dominic would try to run for mayor again, Reynoza said. Another run for office by Foppoli would reopen the pain of our town that he caused, she said.

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.

News of the filing sent shock waves through the small Wine Country town, where residents and officials said they were just beginning to move forward from the scandals that had engulfed Windsor.

As four accusers became six, then eight, Foppoli had defied the demands that he leave office from residents, his Town Council colleagues, both U.S. congressmen who represent the North Bay, and all eight of the other Sonoma County mayors. The typically quiet community of 27,000 had erupted in marches and protests, while some residents raised thousands of dollars and launched a recall effort to force Foppoli from office.

Foppoli announced he would resign on May 21, hours after The Chronicle contacted him about a ninth woman, social media influencer Farrah Abraham, who told Palm Beach police that he committed a sexual battery against her in March. The investigation is ongoing.

The allegations of sexual assault first came to light in an April 8 Chronicle investigation, which documented the accounts of four women who said Foppoli had groped or raped them, or engaged them in nonconsensual oral copulation.

First elected to the Windsor Town Council in 2014, Foppoli was appointed mayor in 2018, and again in 2019, before winning the towns inaugural election. The initial four women accused Foppoli of assaults that allegedly took place as long ago as 2003, and as recently as 2019.

One of these women, Allison Britton, said Wednesday that she was disgusted that Foppoli would explore another run for office.

Seeing those (political) signs again would not only be probably more painful than ever for me and the other victims, but I imagine it would be painful for the entire community, Britton said. If he actually has the audacity to seriously run for office again, that is appalling, insensitive and obtuse.

Another woman, who has accused Foppoli of raping her twice in 2004, said, There seems to be no limit to Foppolis arrogance and callousness.

Hes not only narcissistic, the woman said, but delusional if he thinks the people of Windsor will ever allow him to hold a position of respect and authority in our community again.

Alexandria Bordas and Cynthia Dizikes are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: alexandria.bordas@sfchronicle.com, cdizikes@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @crossingbordas, @cdizikes
The affordable housing group MidPen was always the underdog to acquire the commercial site at 1171 Sonora Court in Sunnyvale.

After all, this was 1.3 acres of land across from a Caltrain station in a tech hotbed where the median home costs $2 million and Google and Apple employ a combined 19,000 workers.

This was a wonderful site that is near transit in one of the hottest real estate markets on the planet, said MidPen President Matt Franklin.

But despite the fact that there were over a dozen other offers, MidPen was able to grab the site with the help of a $14 million loan from the Community Housing Fund, a new $150 million affordable housing fund established a year ago by Facebook and two nonprofits  Partnership for the Bays Future and Destination: Home.

We were able to move very, very quickly thanks to the Community Housing Fund, Franklin said.

On Wednesday the fund announced that it had made its first investments: $40 million that will provide key funding for four developments that will create about 500 units of affordable housing.

In addition to 160 units on Sonora Court, the fund will provide $9.75 million for predevelopment of a 94-unit project in San Joses West San Carlos Urban Village; $5.8 million for an undisclosed building in Alameda County; and $8.3 million for development at Lighthouse at Grace, which will house 100 at-risk formerly homeless families at 155 S. 11th Street in San Jose.

The funds are administered by the Local Initiatives Support Coalition, an organization led by former San Francisco Planning Commission President Cindy Wu.

Wu said that the fund is looking for developers committed to extremely low income populations in the five-county Bay Area.

Nothing has greater impact on transforming lives and breaking inter-generational cycles of poverty than housing stability, said Wu.

There is currently $60 million to $70 million more in loans in the works, she said, adding, We have a strong pipeline.

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.

The Community Housing Fund is part of Facebooks $1 billion commitment to affordable housing, and to the Partnership for the Bays Future, a collaborative effort to produce, preserve, and protect affordable homes in the Bay Area, and to ensure this region remains a diverse place where all people are welcome and can thrive.

While affordable housing developers rely on low-income affordable tax credits and affordable housing bonds to bankroll construction, its much harder to borrow money for predevelopment work, which includes land acquisition, design, legal services and environmental review. That is what the Facebook fund is focused on.

The MidPen development will include 32 units for formerly homeless families and 32 units targeting very low income households. The rest will be workforce housing for low-to-moderate income families.

The fund offers an enormously helpful financial product for groups like MidPen trying to build deeply affordable housing right in the middle of Silicon Valley, Franklin said.

In a note to employees, Facebook CFO David Wehner put the fund ahead of its goal of funding five projects within the first year. He expects two more projects to be funded before the end of this year.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE  As the Caldor Fire burned eastward toward Heavenly Mountain Resort, Tahoes largest ski area, on Wednesday afternoon, resort General Manager Tom Fortune tracked its progression from a distance.

When the evacuation order came down for South Lake Tahoe on Monday, Fortune had driven around the lake to Northstar, a ski resort near Truckee, and set up an incident command center to help coordinate fire crews who were staging at Heavenly. At the time, the fire was several miles away from the ski area, separated by craggy ridges and steep canyons.

But by Wednesday afternoon, winds had carried the flame front deeper into the Tahoe Basin and threatened to spark fire at Heavenlys 4,800-acre property overnight. Crews were performing last-minute preparations, trimming tree branches and clearing away dry ground debris. The resorts massive network of snowmaking hydrants, positioned across 3,500 vertical feet of terrain, blasted water across lodges and lift terminals.

I think were as prepared as can be at the moment, Fortune said from his remote position at Northstar.

The fires trajectory carried it toward Heavenlys highest point, Monument Peak, the 10,000-foot summit that dominates the South Lake landscape.

If it stays on course, it might clip the top of the mountain, Fortune said. Were ready for that if that happens.

At the same time, spot fires had brought the Caldor Fire to the doorstep of the small ski resort community of Kirkwood, south of the main conflagration that threatened Heavenly. Plumes of smoke could be seen creeping over a granite ridge behind the historic Kirkwood Inn and Saloon, across Highway 88 from town. Flames were also moving toward the backside of the resort, near Thunder Mountain.

Fire crews had been working the past three days to prepare the nearly 300 estimated residences near the resort for structure defense: patrolling houses and condos, removing furniture and wood piles from yards and decks, and cutting tree limbs up to 15 feet from the ground. They had also put in contingency lines on the peaks surrounding Kirkwood to defend the valley from flames.

We are keeping a close eye on it (the fire), but we feel pretty good about being able to maintain our valleys safety, said Tom Harris, captain of the Kirkwood Fire Department.

South Lake Tahoe, Kirkwood and several nearby mountain communities are under evacuation orders. The ski resorts employ hundreds of workers during the summer months, most of whom had left for Nevada, the north side of the lake and elsewhere by Wednesday.

Vail Resorts, based in Colorado, owns ski areas across North America, including Heavenly, Kirkwood and Northstar. Since evacuations came down, the company has helped provide food, shelter and mental health support to staffers under evacuation.

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 have been working around the clock with emergency fire responders to do everything we can to prepare and protect our resorts, Susan Whitman, Vail Resorts senior manager of communications and resort marketing for the Tahoe region, wrote in an email to The Chronicle. We have also ensured our facilities, from lifts to parking lots, have been available for emergency personnel.

Some firefighters were stationed along the peaks surrounding Kirkwood as lookouts. As the fire edges closer, crews were watching for flying embers.

Our goal here is to put any fire out immediately and prep the location so it doesnt have any place to start. Prevent and mitigate, said Jason Martin, a fire battalion chief from San Mateo County. We want to keep the buildings standing and in good order for (people) to come home to.

Back at Northstar, Fortune hoped for a change in the winds to at least slow the blaze as it approached his ski area. Heavenly isnt just a tourist resort; its a place that supports locals, its base area nearly embedded in the surrounding neighborhood.

This is about the community, Fortune said. The resort is our livelihood, its our job, but its also where we live.

Sarah Ravani and Gregory Thomas are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com, gthomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sarravani, @GregRThomas
STATELINE, Nev.  It only takes a few steps across the California line to reach the first craps tables and slot machines in this border town. But since evacuations were ordered Monday in South Lake Tahoe, that short walk has also meant crossing another divide  from an evacuation zone to a strip of resorts where the rooms are going for up to $500 a- night and some fire refugees are still trying their luck on the slots.

As mandatory evacuations for the Caldor Fire expanded into Nevada late Tuesday afternoon, evacuees, emergency personnel and casino workers who have holed up at the four big resorts  the Hard Rock, Harveys, Harrahs and Montbleu  found themselves in uncertain terrain. The casino core was exempted from the order, leaving many worried what might happen if they stay put.

Now Playing: The Caldor Fire roared through drought-dried timber as it headed toward South Lake Tahoe Monday, forcing the city's 22,000 residents to evacuate. Video: San Francisco Chronicle

If we stay here, well be on a little island, said a South Lake Tahoe resident named Dan who was walking his dog in the Montbleu parking lot.

While locals will tell you the California-Nevada boundary on the lakes southern shore is a porous, blink-and-youll-miss-it border, some said the fire has also highlighted long-standing differences in how the two states handle development, risk and daily life. Now, with tens of thousands of people evacuated  many with family and job ties to this stretch of casinos  all eyes are on how officials handle the challenge of managing a climate disaster across state lines.

The 17-day-old, 191,600-acre blaze is still growing in windy conditions, and some Nevada residents said it was hard to get updated local information with so much emphasis on South Lake Tahoe. Already on Tuesday afternoon, a site for evacuated Californians in Gardnerville, Nev., was being relocated farther out of the fire zone to Reno.

Jungho Kim/Special to The Chronicle

Still, in a press conference on Tuesday morning, Nevada officials sought to reassure residents that contingency plans are in place.

Ive spoken to Gov. Newsom several times, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said. It wasnt, What gives? It was OK, weve got a problem on our hands, and were going to deal with it.

Inside the Montbleu, agents behind a marble front desk lined with surgical masks and hand sanitizer said rooms were going for $500 after tax. Some locals who come often to gamble cashed in free nights at the hotels up the strip lined with a shuttered vape shop and haunts like the Lucky Beaver Bar & Burger.

After evacuating from South Lake Tahoe on Monday, Linda Johnson smoked a cigarette outside the Montbleu while her daughter and grandson got settled in a room shed gotten comped. It was stressful, Johnson said, but the setting at least felt familiar after years of working in the nearby casinos.

Theres a saying, said Johnson, 74. You can sneeze, and over at Stateline theyll say bless you.

Nevada emergency officials said preparations began over 10 days ago in coordination with Cal Fire personnel. After officials on the California side of the border successfully evacuated South Lake Tahoe on Monday morning, resulting in hours of traffic gridlock but no reported injuries, officials hope to use that plan to move forward as we look into potential actions on the Nevada side, said Jon Bakkedahl, a manager at the Nevada Division of Emergency.

Jungho Kim/Special to The Chronicle

But where exactly that left the casinos remained unclear late Tuesday in Stateline, where evacuees roamed the sidewalks looking for open restaurants and glanced over fire maps posted on the sidewalk.

At the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Kathy Heaton retreated to the slots and sipped a greyhound Tuesday while she waited to see if shed be evacuated for a second time in two days.

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The Hard Rock was the first place she and her husband thought to call yesterday when they got evacuation orders at their home a mile away in South Lake Tahoe. Theyre regulars at the casino, where Heaton said the concierge offered them three nights free while they debate whether to stay in Lake Tahoe or evacuate to their family home near Los Angeles.

Its 450 miles away, Heaton said, but thats better than going to a shelter.

With roads coming into the South Lake Tahoe area closed, most people staying at the Montbleu were firefighters and evacuees, a spokesperson for ownership group Ballys said. Down the street, Harrahs and Harveys Lake Tahoe were being used as a fire command center, officials said at a press conference on Monday. The hotels are not under evacuation orders, a spokesperson said, but we recognize that the situation is rapidly evolving.

Jungho Kim/Special to The Chronicle

After a state of emergency was declared in Nevada in response to the fire, casinos were operating at reduced capacity, and some employees had evacuated their families to hotel rooms, personnel said.

On the sidewalk between the towering casinos, a homeless woman named Nancy Mauk cried as she tried to catch her breath and find a way out of town.

I just need help, said Mauk, an out-of-work waitress from Virginia who had been staying in Reno. I saw dogs in there laying down.

Lauren Hepler is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hepler@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LAHepler
An online fundraiser for a Stanislaus County firefighter seriously burned in the Caldor Fire raised nearly $60,000 in just over 24 hours.

Richard Gerety, a volunteer firefighter from the West Stanislaus Fire Protection District in Patterson, suffered burns battling the massive fire in El Dorado County on Saturday, according to the GoFundMe fundraiser. Hes expected to be hospitalized for at least a month to treat second- and third-degree burns to about 20% of his body.
GARDNERVILLE, Nev.  Bret Sullivan sat on a red cooler below smoky skies in a community center parking lot Tuesday, a guitar on his lap, a cigarette in his mouth and a can of Coors on the ground beside him.

Sullivan, 38, was one of about 22,000 South Lake Tahoe residents ordered to evacuate one day earlier because of the growing threat posed by the relentless Caldor Fire. It was an especially difficult moment for Sullivan, a native of the city whos lived there most of his life, because he was just laid off from his arborist job in July.

Since the layoff, Sullivan said hes had difficulty receiving unemployment benefits from Californias Employment Development Department. Somehow, he got locked out of his account on the departments website and he cant get back in. He cant get through to anyone who can help him, either.

Fleeing the Caldor Fire with his mother and grandfather, both of whom are on fixed incomes, Sullivan went to Nevada in search of safety. But he was unable to secure a room at any Carson City hotel. Every place he tried was all booked up, he said, as thousands of Tahoe Basin residents evacuated north, away from Caldors menace.

Sullivan said he could potentially try to get a room in Gardnerville, but he likely could not afford one.

Were broke and its the end of the month, Sullivan said between puffs of his cigarette and sips of his beer. Were pretty poor.

His dire straits highlight the fact that, while the Lake Tahoe region is home to many wealthy people and second-home owners, it is also home to numerous longtime residents with low incomes. Many of them, including Sullivan, are struggling now.

The Caldor Fire, one of the most challenging blazes to plague California during another intense fire season, has displaced tens of thousands of people like Sullivan, with evacuations now extending from the Sierra foothills east of Placerville to the southern shores of Lake Tahoe and into parts of Nevada and beyond. Some homes burned, while others may yet be reduced to rubble as the uncontrolled conflagration bears down on the Tahoe Basin, one of the crown jewels of the Sierra.

As of Tuesday morning, Caldor had incinerated 486 single residences and 11 commercial properties, while threatening to destroy upward of 33,000 additional structures. The fire was 16% contained at 191,607 acres.

As the north end of the fire burned through the Sierra toward Lake Tahoe, authorities on Monday took the dramatic step of mandating evacuations for the entirety of South Lake Tahoe. The result, initially, was a massive traffic jam as thousands of people swarmed simultaneously onto Highway 50, one of the regions main transportation arteries. They couldnt head southwest, because the fire was burning there. Numerous people all chose to go the same direction: north and northeast into Nevada, where they could take refuge in cities such as Carson City, Reno or Gardnerville.

Sullivan said he tried to delay his familys evacuation as long as possible, due to his grandfathers poor health. He was not stuck in the Monday gridlock and instead waited for the traffic to clear. Once it had, Sullivan and his family drove to Nevada.

We were one of the last people out of town, he said.

With Carson City hotels apparently ruled out, Sullivan and his family tried to get beds at an evacuation shelter at the Douglas County Community Center in Gardnerville, a small Nevada town in the Carson Valley just across the Sierra from Lake Tahoe. The shelter was going to accommodate them  until officials decided to relocate everyone to Reno in order to accommodate a possible influx of evacuees from Nevada, where more than 4,000 people were ordered to flee on Tuesday.

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We had just gotten settled in, Sullivan said.

Three white-and-blue buses were parked outside of the community center Tuesday afternoon, and people were walking in and out of the building with various belongings. A Red Cross volunteer provided The Chronicle with a flyer confirming they were relocating to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on Virginia Street in Reno. The Gardnerville shelter would close Wednesday at 10 a.m., the flyer said.

Weary after Mondays evacuation and failed hotel search, Sullivan said he was not inclined to go to the Reno shelter. He was thinking of sticking around in the parking lot, though a few hours later, he and his car were gone. Only the empty wheelchair that had been sitting behind him remained.

Sullivans mind was on his hometown  and his future job prospects, should South Lake Tahoe be spared from Caldor. He said hed like to find work as a dishwasher, a role he enjoys. A self-described space case, Sullivan said he likes the rhythm of washing dishes in a commercial kitchen. It focuses his mind, which, he said, often drifts somewhere else.

For now, though, he waits.

J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris
Get the latest updates on the Caldor Fire in Lake Tahoe here.

Firefighters battling the Caldor Fire endured another day of gusting winds as they worked to protect the Tahoe Basins homes and natural beauty. Lake Tahoe residents exuded resiliency in the face of what could be the worst disaster in the regions history. The fight is on to save Lake Tahoes Heavenly Mountain Resort as the Caldor Fire closes in. A Chronicle map shows the fires path to the resort and other key locations in South Lake Tahoe. Despite the risks of living in wildfire-prone areas like El Dorado County, nearly 1,500 new housing units were built there between 2010 and 2020.

Keep track of Northern California wildfires with The Chronicles interactive fire map. See air quality information down to the neighborhood level in real time with The Chronicles air quality map.

Latest updates:

White House approves Presidential Emergency Declaration for Caldor Fire: Just hours after Gov. Gavin Newsom requested a Presidential Emergency Declaration for federal assistance to boost emergency response efforts related to the Caldor Fire, the White House approved the declaration, the governors office announced Wednesday night. Newsom thanked President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for their steadfast support to California as we battle these challenging fires. The declaration will bolster local, tribal and state government emergency services for the protection of lives, property, public health and safety, officials said.

Caldor Fire grows to 207,931 acres: The blaze  which has been burning for 18 days  has scorched 207,931 acres and was 23% contained as of Wednesday evening, Cal Fire officials said. Firefighters were challenged on Wednesday by dry conditions and strong winds, which dramatically increased fire behavior along the northern area of the blaze in the morning, Cal Fire officials said. Crews were expected to look for opportunities to build control line wherever possible on Wednesday night, Cal Fire officials said in an incident update.

Newsom requests a Presidential Emergency Declaration for federal assistance for Caldor Fire: Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday requested a Presidential Emergency Declaration for federal assistance to boost emergency response efforts related to the Caldor Fire in El Dorado, Amador, Alpine and Placer counties. Newsom said officials are using every available tool to protect lives and property and urge residents to stay safe and remain alert for instructions from local authorities amid these dangerous fire weather conditions. Newsoms request comes two days after he proclaimed a state of emergency in Alpine, Amador and Placer counties due to the Caldor Fire.

Uninsured residents impacted by Dixie, River fires can register for wildfire assistance: Residents who are uninsured or underinsured who were impacted by the Dixie and River fires can begin registering for wildfire assistance through Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, according to the California Governors Office of Emergency Services. Click here to learn more about the registration process.

Evacuation orders downgraded to warnings in North Camino and Pollock Pines: Cal Fire officials said that the previous evacuation orders in the following North Camino and Pollock Pines areas in El Dorado County have been reduced to evacuation warnings: North of Highway 50, west of Sly Park, south of Slab Creek, and east of Larsen Drive and Snows Road. El Dorado County sheriffs officials urged residents who are returning to their homes to be safe, and to call authorities if they see any suspicious or criminal activity.

Incident command center set up at Heavenly Ski Resort: The parking lot at Heavenly Ski Resort will become a new incident command center where firefighters battling the eastern portion of the Caldor Fire will set up base, said Rita Henderson, a public information information with the U.S. Forest Service. Firefighters with the U.S. Forest Service will manage the east side of the blaze while Cal Fire oversees the west side, said Henderson.

Listen,  I cant imagine living anywhere else: On the Chronicles Fifth and Mission podcast, Lake Tahoe residents talk about evacuating, and hoping for the best for their community. A day after an unprecedented citywide evacuation in South Lake Tahoe due to the Caldor Fire, host Cecilia Lei checks in with evacuees. They share what its been like to leave their houses behind, what the Tahoe community means to them, and how theyre coping with the uncertainty they face in the days ahead. Listen here.

New evacuation warnings for Alpine County: Cal Fire expanded evacuation warnings in Alpine County to include the area from Picketts Junction south on Highway 88 to Forestdale Road, northeast to Hawkins Peak to the Highway 88/Highway 89 junction at Woodfords, east on Highway 88 to the California/Nevada state line, northwest along the Alpine County line to Fay-Luther Canyon and southwest along Fay-Luther Canyon to Horse Thief Canyon to Picketts Junction.

Air quality advisory for Bay Area: Smoke from Northern California wildfires prompted Bay Area officials to issue an air quality advisory for Thursday and Friday. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District says there will be smoky and hazy skies across the Bay Area on both days, with air quality levels expected to be in the good to moderate range. A Spare the Air alert was not needed because levels are not forecast to exceed federal health standards.

Caldor Fire pushes east, away from Truckee and North Lake Tahoe: The quickly growing Caldor Fire remained largely south and east of Highway 50 Wednesday and was not yet threatening towns to the north or west of the Lake Tahoe Basin. The fire has not been moving toward the lakes northern communities, said Dominic Polito, a fire spokesperson.

California homes saved by 2 bickering, badmouthing brothers from Montana: James and JC Metcalf dont always get along, bickering and badmouthing each other, a 2-year-age difference fueling a stereotypical sibling rivalry. But on the fire line, that all fades away. On Tuesday, the brothers from Montana stood side-by-side in California as winds sent flames into the air, threatening homes along the Highway 50 corridor in Strawberry. Read the story here.

FAA expands flight restrictions over South Lake Tahoe: The Federal Aviation Administration expanded a temporary flight restriction area over the Caldor Fire Wednesday in order to maintain a safe and open airspace for firefighting aircraft. The new restricted area extends over South Lake Tahoe and across the Nevada border.

A major effort is underway to save Tahoes biggest ski resort from the Caldor Fire: Lake Tahoes biggest ski resort is preparing for the Caldor Fire to cross its property in the next 24 hours. Winds carried the flame front of the voracious fire eastward, putting it on target to broadside Heavenly Mountain Resort overnight. The property straddles the California-Nevada border in the mountains above South Lake Tahoe, and the fires trajectory is carrying it toward the ski areas highest point. Read the story here.

This map shows the feared path of the Caldor Fire toward Heavenly Ski Resort: With gusty winds expected until at least Wednesday night, firefighters worry that the Caldor Fire could continue its unrelenting push towards Heavenly Ski Resort, a popular destination for Tahoe tourists. See the map here.

Devastating fires could damage Lake Tahoes iconic blue waters: Smoke and ash from wildfires near Lake Tahoe  one of the deepest lakes in the world  is already clouding the lakes famously clear water, researchers say. Read the story here.

Wildfire cameras show the Caldor Fire inching toward Tahoe in real time: An array of wildfire cameras dotted around Lake Tahoe provide a live look at the Caldor Fire. Cameras positioned at the Heavenly Ski resort show smoke-choked skies, but no active fires. And farther away from the lake, the plume of smoke emanating from the fire can be seen rising over Tahoes topography. See the AlertWildfire cameras here.

More than 15,000 firefighters deployed to California wildfires: Just over 15,000 firefighters have been deployed to 16 large, active wildfires tearing across the state, Cal Fire said. Nearly 1.9 million acres have been burned so far this year.

Powerful, swirling winds threaten to push Caldor Fire farther into Tahoe Basin: A forecast of heavy winds threatened to push the Caldor Fire farther into the Tahoe Basin Wednesday, as flames on several fronts moved closer to residential communities and ski resorts. Read the story here.

State parks in the Tahoe Basin closed: All state parks in the Tahoe Basin are now closed until further notice due to the Caldor Fire, the states Department of Parks and Recreation announced Wednesday on Twitter.

See the latest map on structure damage from the Caldor Fire: Here is a map showing how many homes have been destroyed or damaged in the Caldor Fire. The map showed a pocket of destruction near Grizzly Flats, where the fire started. Cal Fire says inspection is ongoing and the map will continue to be updated. More than 500 homes have been destroyed by the fire to date, according to Cal Fire.

Updated shelter list for Caldor Fire evacuees: The American Red Cross California Gold Country Region released an updated shelter list Wednesday morning for people fleeing the Caldor and Dixie fires. A full list of shelters is available here.

Hes broke. He fled South Lake Tahoe as the Caldor Fire approached. He had nowhere to go: Bret Sullivan, 38, was one of about 22,000 South Lake Tahoe residents ordered to evacuate because of the growing threat posed by the relentless Caldor Fire. It was an especially difficult moment for Sullivan, a native of the city whos lived there most of his life, because he was just laid off from his arborist job in July. Read the story here.

Winds expected to pick up Wednesday morning, intensifying firefight: With a red flag warning in effect until Wednesday evening, Cal Fire officials said they expected swirling, gusting winds to pick up by around 9 a.m. The winds were a primary concern for the fight against the Caldor Fire Wednesday, given already critically dry conditions and persistently low humidity.

Caldor Fire slowed its march toward Tahoe overnight: Cal Fire officials said the Caldor Fire didnt push toward Tahoe quite as much as it did Monday night. Cal Fire Assistant Chief Tim Ernst said at a Wednesday morning briefing that, thanks in part to cooperative weather conditions overnight Tuesday, the blaze did not make as strong a push into Tahoe as did 24 hours earlier.

Bulldozer catches fire on west end of Caldor Fire: Cal Fire and U.S. Forest Service officials said Wednesday morning that a bulldozer deployed to the western edge of the Caldor Fire, west of Grizzly Flats, caught fire Tuesday. There were no reports of injuries and the fire was quickly extinguished, but officials said it was a reminder for firefighters to be vigilant about safety protocols during a Wednesday morning briefing.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Caldor Fire crosses 200,000 acres: The Caldor Fire was measured at 204,390 acres Wednesday morning and was 20% contained, a slight improvement from overnight. Favorable weather conditions helped impede the fires growth somewhat, starting around midnight, Cal Fire officials said. But the prospect of another day with gusting winds in the forecast remained a key concern for Wednesday. Spot fires continued to be an issue, with some found up to 1/2 mile away from the fires edge.

Red flag warning still in effect for area including Caldor Fire: A red flag warning remains in effect for a swath of eastern California and western Nevada, including the area where the Caldor Fire is burning. A combination of low humidity, drought conditions and gusting winds could help fan the flames of existing fires and contribute to starting new ones. The warning is set to expire at 11 p.m. Wednesday.

1,500 new homes were built in the Caldor Fire evacuation area in the last decade: Despite the increased risk of living in wildfire-prone areas like El Dorado County, home construction in these areas has continued to proceed at a steady pace. A Chronicle analysis of U.S. Census data for the areas currently under evacuation orders within El Dorado County found that nearly 1,500 new housing units were built there between 2010 and 2020, even while the areas overall population has declined by nearly 500 people. Read the story here.

Unhoused people evacuated from South Lake Tahoe: The Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless said five unhoused people were recently located and evacuated from South Lake Tahoe amid ongoing efforts to find people in need of transport out of the area, which is under an evacuation order due to the Caldor Fire.

Fundraiser for injured firefighter brings in more than $40,000: A GoFundMe campaign set up to raise money for Richard Gerety, a firefighter injured while battling the Caldor Fire, raised more than $40,000 in less than a day. According to the online campaign, Gerety, a volunteer with the West Stanislaus Fire Protection District, suffered second- and third-degree burns to 20% of his body while fighting the fire on Saturday and will need to spend a month in the hospital. Hundreds of GoFundMe campaigns have been launched for people whove suffered significant losses due to the Caldor Fire.

Heavenly Ski Resort fires water hydrants as part of mitigation efforts: Resort officials pumped significant water onto the mountains at Heavenly Ski Resort on Tuesday as part of the resorts mitigation efforts related to the Caldor Fire, said Susan Whitman, a spokesperson for Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood resorts. Video captured by KCBS Radio on Tuesday showed the resort firing several of its water hydrants, blasting water across a portion of the resort. Whitman said key infrastructure is in place at Heavenly and Kirkwood, adding that the U.S. Forest Service and officials with various fire and local agencies have assisted resort officials in structure protection and other mitigation efforts.

Caldor Fire grows to more than 199,000 acres: The blaze grew to 199,632 acres by Tuesday evening, with containment increasing to 18%, Cal Fire officials said. Strong winds and poor humidity caused fire behavior to increase dramatically in the northeast and eastern divisions early Tuesday morning, Cal Fire officials said.

New Caldor Fire evacuation orders in Alpine County: Cal Fire issued new evacuation orders as of 4:45 pm. Tuesday in a number of areas along Highway 88, and to the north of highways 88 and 89, to the Alpine/El Dorado County line. For details, and to see new evacuation warnings for the county, go to this Cal Fire site.

Caldor Fire evacuees camp in a Walmart parking lot, following in steps of Camp Fire refugees: Leia Sutton has always loved camping after growing up in the mountain town of Meyers. But nothing could have prepared her for the spot that she and her parents found themselves in on Tuesday  a Walmart parking lot just across the Nevada state line in Gardnerville. Read the story here.

Newsom says the Caldor Fire is Californias No. 1 priority: Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday said the Caldor Fire is the No. 1 priority in California and that state officials are doing their best to fight the blaze. All I can say is were doing everything in our power to have your back, Newsom said at a news conference in Alameda County. The governor said he plans to visit the area Wednesday.

Were preparing for a worst-case scenario : Nevada officials said regular fire crews are being joined by nearly 200 personnel from the National Guard personnel and the Nevada Department of Forestry to provide everything from traffic control on the ground to helicopters in the air. According to Jon Bakkedahl, a manager at the Nevada Division of Emergency, preparations began 10 days ago for the possibility that the blaze would reach the state border. He also warned that anything could happen in the days ahead, given dry terrain and high winds: Its called a wildland fire for a reason. It acts wild.  We are preparing for a worst-case scenario.

Sapphire water, Hollywood stars, pristine nature  fire and smoke cant dim vibrant attraction of Lake Tahoe: Lake Tahoe is facing what could be the worst disaster in its history, with the 2-week-old Caldor Fire threatening to bring catastrophic flames right to its shores for the first time ever. But resilience seems to be laced into the people of Tahoe as much as it is into the soil and waves. Read the story here.

This map shows where National Forests are closed due to Californias wildfires: As wildfires continue to tear through the state, California regional forester Jennifer Eberlien announced Monday that all of the regions National Forests would be closed to protect the natural resources and minimize the burden on firefighting crews. See the map showing the perimeters of all the national forestlands that have been shut down in relation to active fire here.

Heres the latest list of shelters for Caldor Fire evacuees: The Red Cross updated its list of evacuation shelters in California and Nevada set up to aide people fleeing the Caldor Fire. A full list of shelters is available here. Friends in Service Helping, an organization in Carson City, Nev., said on Facebook they will serve lunch and dinner to Caldor Fire victims every day from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 138 E. Long St. Carson City, Nev.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE  For more than two weeks, the Caldor Fire has stunned fire officials, defying decades of expertise on how to beat back flames as it moved across the Sierra Nevada landscape nearly unimpeded.

Until now.

With a shift in the weather expected this week, there was a growing sense Wednesday that perhaps the worst was behind them.

The wildfire, now in its third week, surpassed 207,000 acres as it devastated a huge swath of Eldorado National Forest, leaping over the summit into the Tahoe Basin. The blaze had torched 207,931 acres as of Wednesday night, according to Cal Fire. The wildfire was 23% contained, up from 18% a day before.

The entire city of South Lake Tahoe was evacuated  22,000 people fled by Monday  leaving the vacation destination empty and covered in an orange, smoky haze.

For days, firefighters faced swirling, unpredictable winds and extremely low humidity, conditions that spurred flames forward at 165 feet per minute at times, with embers lighting spot fires up to a mile ahead.

Yet on Wednesday, amid the destruction and fear were clear victories, illustrated in unexpected gaps in the blazes footprint, areas where firefighters had ushered the blaze around neighborhoods.

In the community of Christmas Valley along Highway 89, the map showed an untouched rectangular slice of land, where fire had burned through on both sides, but was beaten back by firefighters.

On Wednesday, crews continued to hose down blackened earth in backyards, a sign of just how close the flames got to homes. As they watched for hot spots, ribbons of blue sky cut through the smoke, bringing welcome fresh air.

Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

The fire continued to threaten several areas, however, including the Kirkwood and Heavenly ski resorts, as well as communities on the east side of South Lake Tahoe.

After burning for 18 days, it was the states 15th-largest wildfire ever, crossing from El Dorado County into Amador County and threatening parts of Nevada.

It was, Gov. Gavin Newsom and California fire officials said in recent days, the top priority in the state. More than 700 structures have been destroyed.

In addition, three firefighters have been injured in the blaze, and Cal Fire incident safety officer Jamal Cook warned team leaders that crews are mentally and physically tired, which could lead to accidents, even tragedies.

Fatigue can and will set in, he said during a briefing Wednesday. We all know we have a long grind ahead of us.

Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

The fire started Aug. 14 near Grizzly Flats and has traveled nearly 50 miles across drought-ridden terrain, breaching the Sierra Nevada summit before burning down into the Tahoe Basin.

The entire South Lake Tahoe area has been under evacuation orders since Monday, with new evacuations this week in Amador County and across the Nevada border.

Overnight Wednesday, the choking smoke tamped down the fire, allowing fire crews to cut more firebreaks in the national forest surrounding communities from Meyers into South Lake Tahoe.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Chief Clive Savacool patrolled those roads throughout the night, checking on his crews and monitoring fire activity. Apart from damage to a deck and another structure, no homes have been lost, Savacool said.

The smoke was miserable, but it was holding the fire down, Savacool said. When I was patrolling neighborhoods, I couldnt even see the fire.

BrontA Wittpenn/The Chronicle

The goal, Savacool said, was to shepherd the blaze to the east away from structures and up the California side of the mountains, which includes part of the Heavenly Ski Resort.

If it hits Heavenly, there are advantages, he said. It would slow the fire down and send it to the ridge, where it is easier to fight.

A Heavenly official said Wednesday that if the fire stayed on its current path it would clip the top of the ski area, and that the resort is prepared.

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For days, bulldozer crews have been widening bike paths and fire trails along Pioneer Trail and using hoses and the firebreaks to herd the fire forward toward Heavenly Mountain, a trajectory that would skirt residential areas and push the fire up the grassy ski slopes to the ridge.

If the fire makes it past the fire breaks, it could mean a significant fight to save homes along that roadway, the fire chief said.

With the entire area almost completely evacuated, crews could focus solely on protecting structures. Law enforcement had gone door to door and they know of 38 individuals who refused to leave. They have records of who and where, so they know to send help if the fire comes, Savacool said.

Alvin A.H. Jornada/Special to The Chronicle

While the main firefighting efforts were focused at the north side of the blaze near Wrights Lake and and northeast side of the blaze toward the Nevada border, hot spots remained along Highway 50 west of Echo Summit.

The air was cool along the corridor, an inversion layer pushing smoke down to the roadway, which has been shut down since Aug. 20.

This is mellow, said Adam Estabrook, a battalion chief with the Santa Barbara Fire Department told his crews along the highway in Silver Fork. Im not going to say its a relaxed time.

Once the inversion layer lifts, winds will get more erratic and firefighters will be involved in a firefight, he said, adding the 32 fire engines and crews were responsible for keeping the fire within the containment line and protecting structures from Kyburz to Strawberry.

Until two days ago, Estabrooks division had saved 100% of cabins. With a red flag warning in effect, they lost one.

With the fire behavior, with how dry these fuels are, the winds, the red flags  its just overwhelming us, he said. We are having a hard time getting perimeter control lines on this fire.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Shwanika Narayan contributed to this report.

Julie Johnson, Sarah Ravani and Jill Tucker are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com, julie.johnson@sfchronicle.com, jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker @sarravani @juliejohnson
After Cecilia Chiangs pioneering San Francisco Chinese restaurant the Mandarin closed in 2006, a longtime fan went to an auction and bought $25,000 worth of artifacts: paintings, maroon bar seats and stacks of old menus that he believed to be remnants of the famed restaurant.

For years, Nee Lau has carefully kept the items in storage. You could say Lau is a Cecilia Chiang superfan. When he opened his own Chinese restaurant in Menlo Park this year, he named it the Mandarin, though there is no official affiliation. Many of the dishes take inspiration from Chiangs cooking or directly re-create it, an ode to the woman who died last fall.

Why would I have it for 14 years? Lau said of the items. Its because its part of our culture. She let people know about Chinese cuisine.

But its now unclear whether his prized items are actually from Chiangs original restaurant.

Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

When The Chronicle showed photographs of Laus collection to Chiangs son, granddaughter and two former longtime Mandarin employees, they did not recognize the items. They wonder if the decorations are instead from the second iteration of the Mandarin. Chiang sold her restaurant in 1991 to Julian Mao, a former employee, who ran the Mandarin until it closed.

The Chronicle was unable to reach Mao. Charyn Auctions in Berkeley, where Lau purchased the items, keeps sales records for only 10 years. The owner said he did not recall any details about the Mandarin auction or seller.

As for Lau, he didnt know that the Mandarin had changed hands until The Chronicle informed him. Now, he said, hes not sure he would have made the purchase had there been any doubt that the items were from Chiangs restaurant.

But, he said, the discovery hasnt diminished his appreciation for her legacy and, in some ways, has deepened his sense of connection to the late restaurateur.

I always admired her, Lau said. Everybody in the business does certain things to make money or to promote (their restaurants), but I think she was above that.

Courtesy Chiang family

Chiang opened the Mandarin on Polk Street in 1959. She put over 300 dishes on the menu, honoring Sichuan and Hunan regional cooking as much as popularizing now-common Chinese dishes like pot stickers and kung pao chicken. Lau said her reputation as a mentor for Bay Area chefs left an impression on him, even from afar, as did her ability to successfully open a Chinese restaurant in 1960s San Francisco as a woman from Shanghai who spoke no Cantonese and was not a chef herself. Cantonese is the most widely spoken Chinese language in San Francisco.

The Mandarin later moved to a luxurious, 300-seat space at Ghirardelli Square, where it doubled as a showcase for art. Siena Chiang said her grandmother was an amateur historian with a reverence for Chinese art, especially because she had been forced to abruptly leave her native country.

It was really important to her. She always talked about it. She liked to educate people about the art that she had, what the artifacts were, Siena Chiang said.

Lau is a food-obsessed native of Guangdong province who came to the United States 30 years ago. He first heard of the original Mandarin when it opened and dined there over the years; he even talked to Cecilia Chiang once, at a private banquet she hosted in San Francisco featuring a chef from Chengdu. At his Mandarin restaurant, he aims to continue Chiangs mission to bring traditional Chinese food to the American general public.

Customers, though, wont find Laus cherished artifacts on display at the restaurant; they would clash with its more modern decor, he said. Instead, they remain in storage at his mothers house in Sacramento, where they have sat for over a decade.

Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

One piece in Laus collection did look familiar to an ex-Mandarin employee: a wooden chest of drawers with a glass display case on top. The former worker remembered a similar glass cabinet Chiang used to display her cookbooks. The chest happens to be Laus favorite piece, and he does recall seeing it sitting at the entrance to the Mandarin.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Inside the display case is a large, circular piece of wood carved with four Chinese characters that together mean longevity, Lau said, along with a bracelet and a jade green tile whose origins are unknown.

Tucked inside the drawers are copies of old, undated menus, Mandarin-branded soy sauce labels and flyers from a Lunar New Year banquet in 2006. Someone even held onto the 1979 edition of Holiday magazines Selection of North Americas Finest Restaurants. In it, renowned food and wine writer Robert Lawrence Balzer wrote that the Mandarin exists almost totally apart from other Chinese establishments as a temple of gastronomy, highlighting dishes such as the smoked duck and beggars chicken.

Lau, a realist, is resigned about the possibly mistaken origins of his collection. To me, it doesnt matter. I already have it, he said. It is what it is.

But the saga ultimately led to a poignant experience for the restaurateur. After learning from The Chronicle about Laus collection, several of Chiangs family members went to eat at his restaurant. They ordered a feast, he said, and together, they talked about the woman they have in common. The experience of cooking for Chiangs descendants, he said, felt far more meaningful than the items in storage in Sacramento.

Siena Chiang said her grandmother had an uncanny ability to connect with people, from busboys at restaurants she frequented to the chefs she took under her wing.

Something that was amazing about my grandmother was her ability to impact peoples lives, whether she never met them, she said. It doesnt surprise me at all that this person who chose to buy all her stuff from the restaurant chose to keep it and (it) had such an impact.

Its a testament to who she strived to be.

Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany
With COVID-19 vaccine booster shots already under way in the Bay Area for some groups and the U.S. planning to make them available to everyone starting Sept. 20, doctors, experts and recipients are weighing in on what people can expect when they get a booster  and whether the side effects, which for many people were worse with the second dose than the first, will be similar or milder.

Only the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines, which are initially administered in two doses, are offered for booster shots in the U.S. Information on how the boosters affect people is still limited, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says reactions to the third dose so far have been similar to that of the original two-dose series. Other experts say that anecdotal reports of people experiencing milder side effects than the second dose make sense, given how the vaccines work.

The most common reported side effects were fatigue and pain at the injection site, the CDC says, and were mild to moderate.

We dont think that the booster dose in particular will have side effects that are different either in quality, in nature or severity than from the other two doses, Dr. Ahmad Kamal, COVID-19 director of health care preparedness for Santa Clara County, said.

From what hes seen so far, the booster doses have been generally very well-tolerated. Any side effects from the vaccine, he said, are better than the alternative  getting COVID-19.

Certain immunocompromised patients became eligible for booster shots in August. Juan Michael Porter II, an Irvine native who now lives in New York City, is living with HIV and has received cancer treatment. He got his third dose of Pfizer two weeks ago, after consulting with his doctor.

He said that signing up for the third shot was 200 times easier than it was for the first two, and that his side effects  low-grade fever, low energy and nasal irritation  were less intense this time around.

I did not feel the brain fog or body aches that accompanied my initial doses, he said, adding that he even went to work the next day, though he took extra breaks and focused on staying hydrated and eating well.

I am very happy that I have the added protection of a third shot, he said.

Alvin A.H. Jornada/Special to The Chronicle

A survey in Israel, which began administering booster shots earlier than the U.S., found that only about one-third of people who got a third dose felt any side effects, and 88% of respondents said they felt the same or better than they did after their second dose.

One reason for the apparently milder side effects might be that the duration between the second dose and the booster dose is long enough that the immune cells activated by the very first dose of the vaccine have had time to dwindle, making reactions less severe, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UCSF.

When people usually got side effects, it was mainly after the second shot, he said  which was usually within a few weeks of the first shot. That meant that lots of immune cells were still around, and they got even more angry, causing a more severe reaction.

While immune cell numbers declining is part of the reason people need a booster, Chin-Hong explained, hes optimistic that this also means people shouldnt have a worse reaction than they did with their second shot, and will likely have a less severe one.

Still, as with the first two doses, serious side effects are possible but rare, the CDC says.

While the CDC recommends that you get the same brand of vaccine as your first two doses, as thats whats been studied so far, the agency also said that you can get the other mRNA shot if your first brand isnt available to you.

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.

I wouldnt go out and do it proactively, Chin-Hong said of mixing and matching  but if you have to make the switch, it should be fine.

Right now, the CDC recommends additional mRNA shots only for people who are severely immunocompromised, because two doses do not prompt their immune systems to produce enough antibodies. That group includes patients with leukemia, lymphoma 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.

The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration are still reviewing whether to recommend booster shots to the general population, which the Biden administration plans to roll out later this month pending the agencies approval.

The White House announcement said that under its plan, people will be able to get their booster shot eight months after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. People should talk to their doctor about when to consider a third dose, the CDC says.

Boosters are still being evaluated for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which works differently from the mRNA vaccines.

In the meantime, vaccinated people awaiting a booster shot shouldnt be too worried, experts said.

(The booster) will get to you in plenty of time to do what it is supposed to do, said Dr. Arnab Mukherjea, a professor of public health at Cal State East Bay.

Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev
Since the delta variant became predominant in the United States, both scientists and the media have been full of mixed messages (breakthrough infections rare,; breakthrough infections common; vaccines still work; vaccines losing their effectiveness). But if we look at history, one thing is clear: Immunity is the only way to get through a pandemic.

The 1918 influenza pandemic was far the deadliest respiratory virus pandemic in recent human history with over 50 million deaths (perhaps even up to 3% of the global population) worldwide. Although some of the same measures we are using now for COVID-19 (masks, distancing, event closures) were employed, there was no vaccine, and the fatal consequences of this highly transmissible virus only slowed after enough of the population had either acquired immunity through infection or died.

As judged by the amount of suffering and death from 1918 influenza, natural immunity is a terrible way to get through a pandemic.

Similarly, measles was a highly transmissible respiratory virus that generated immunity in those who were exposed as children. However, measles also killed some of the nonimmune until a vaccine was developed in 1963, largely relegating measles outbreaks in the U.S. to populations who decline to vaccinate.

Smallpox similarly led to high levels of immunity through natural infection, often fatal. Which is why unleashing smallpox on a largely nonimmune population in the New World was so deadly. Only an effective vaccine, administered worldwide, including among populations who were reluctant to take it at first through mandates, could control and then eventually eradicate smallpox from the Earth.

The delta variant is extremely transmissible, making it unlikely we will ever eradicate SARS-CoV-2. Even Australia, which had tried to maintain a COVID-zero nation with masks, distancing, lockdowns, testing and contact tracing in addition to the use of vaccines, ended a strategy aimed at eliminating COVID-19 yesterday in light of the transmissible delta variant.

Luckily, since highly effective and safe vaccines were developed for COVID-19 less than a year after it tore through a nonimmune population, and since these vaccines are retaining their effectiveness against severe disease, we have a safe way out of the misery of this pandemic: more and more immunity.

Defanging SARS-CoV-2 and stripping it of its ability to cause severe disease through immunity will relegate it to the fate of the other four circulating cold-causing coronaviruses, an inconvenience but not a world-stopper.

When we say immunity, we have to be clear that we are talking about cellular immunity and immune memory, not just antibodies. This is a key point. Neutralizing antibodies are generated by the vaccines, but those antibodies will wane over time. We cannot keep antibodies from every infection and vaccine in the bloodstream or our blood would be thick as paste!

Vaccines with shorter intervals between doses (like Pfizer vaccines given three weeks apart) are likely to have their antibodies wane sooner than vaccines with longer intervals between doses (like Moderna), making mild symptomatic breakthroughs less likely with the Moderna vaccine.

Thankfully, we dont necessarily need omnipresent antibodies in our bloodstreams to stave off severe infection. COVID vaccines generate B cells that get relegated to memory banks. These memory B cells are able to produce high levels of antibodies on their own if they see the virus. Amazingly, these memory B cells will actually produce antibodies adapted against COVID variants like delta, not just antibodies directed against the ancestral strain. This is because memory B cells serve as a blueprint to make antibodies. Just as an architect can add a column to a blueprint to make a home more structurally sound, memory B cells will adapt their blueprint to create antibodies that are evolved to work against variants.

This is one reason why most of us wont need a third booster shot to be protected from variants. Memory B cells, once generated, are long-lasting. A 2008 Nature study found that survivors of the 1918 influenza pandemic were able to produce antibodies from memory B cells when exposed to the same influenza strain nine decades later.

T cell immunity generated by the vaccines protects us even further. Data from La Jolla Immunology Institute and UCSF show that the T cell response from the Pfizer vaccine is strong across all the variants. Think of the spike protein that COVID latches onto as being comprised of 100 houses. A T cell covers each house to protect you against severe disease. The delta variant has 13 mutations along the spike protein so 13 of those T cells wont work. But there are still 87 T cells remaining to protect your houses against severe disease. This is why most immunologists do not think there will be a variant that can evade the robust response of our T cells.

So what does this all mean for getting through this pandemic?

For those of us who are vaccinated, an attack by a COVID variant will boost our immune response. Memory B cells might take 3-5 days to make new antibodies, however, which can leave us susceptible to a mild breakthrough infection. This is partly why in late July the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the vaccinated wear masks.

For those who are unvaccinated and survive infection, immunity will be gained, but often through terrible ways like severe disease.

As for booster shots for those who are not obviously immunocompromised, we need the CDC and others to study the exceedingly rare severe breakthrough infections among the vaccinated to determine who is vulnerable. The rest of us should be fine without.

If immunity is the only way to get through a pandemic and if variants are caused mostly by large populations being unvaccinated, there is not only a moral and ethical imperative to give our surplus doses to low-income countries but a practical imperative to vaccinate the world in order to keep us all safe. Immunocompetent Americans can boost their antibodies repeatedly, but we owe it to the world to provide any surplus vaccines to poor countries and trust our immune memory to get us through the danger.

Monica Gandhi is an infectious diseases doctor and professor of medicine at UCSF. She serves as the director of the UCSF Center for AIDS Research and medical director of the Ward 86 HIV Clinic. Twitter: @MonicaGandhi9
2 1 of 2 Andri Tambunan / Special to the Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Andri Tambunan/Special to the Chronicle Show More Show Less



SACRAMENTO  Republican legislators took to the steps of the state Capitol on Tuesday to hold an unofficial forum on wildfire prevention  an act aimed to throw shade on Democrats after the majority party indefinitely postponed an oversight hearing on the subject.

The forum wasnt a formal legislative hearing, but GOP legislators took testimony from citizen activists, logging interests and others who argued California hasnt done nearly enough to thin dangerously overgrown forests. Their display of protest, sitting for nearly three hours in the sun, came as the monstrous Caldor Fire raced closer to South Lake Tahoe .
Officials shut down a trail in Sierra National Forest west of Yosemite near where a Northern California family and their dog were found dead.

Sierra National Forest officials Saturday issued a closure of the Merced River Recreation Site "due to unknown hazards found in and near the Savage Lundy Trail."

The trail is set to be closed until Sept. 26, or sooner "if conditions change" around the area.

John Gerrish, 45, Ellen Chung, 30, and their 1-year-old daughter Miju  as well as their family dog Oski  were found dead Aug. 17 in the Devil's Gulch area in the south fork of the Merced River in the Sierra National Forest, the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office said. Responding agencies treated the scene as a hazmat situation because of uncertainty about the cause of the fatalities.

MCCAIG/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Previous autopsy data provided by the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office has ruled out chemical hazards on the Savage Lundy Trail and acute trauma, such as stabbing, gunshot wounds or blunt-force trauma.

Therefore, this latest closure  which took place just days before all California national forests were shuttered because of the Caldor Fire  adds an additional complication to their mysterious deaths. There exists the possibility that a hazard was identified near, but not on, the trail that posed a risk to the family.

While speculation continues over the role of harmful algal blooms, officials posted signs as early as mid-July around the area warning about the risks of drinking water near the area.

Toxicology results are expected in the upcoming weeks, while investigators requested access to Chung and Gerrish's cellphones and social media accounts last week.

Water samples from around the scene and with the family were sent early last week to the California State Water Resources Control Board and to independent labs, said the sheriff's office.

Craig Kohlruss/Associated Press

The family's Sunday hike was intended to be just a daylong hike, which prompted concern from multiple friends when the family didn't come home. The temperature at the time, according to the sheriff's office, ranged from 103 to 109 degrees.

The California Department of Justice and sheriff's office workers are investigating the deaths, which are being handled as a hazmat and coroner investigation.

We know the family and friends of John and Ellen are desperate for answers, our team of Detectives are working round the clock," said Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese in a statement last week.
NEW YORK (AP)  Amazon is going on another hiring spree.

The company said Wednesday that it plans to hire 55,000 people around the world, with about 40,000 of those roles in the U.S.

Amazon said all the open roles are for tech jobs and corporate positions. Separately, the company has been hiring thousands of warehouse workers to pack and ship online orders.

While other companies laid off workers during the pandemic, Amazon's workforce has ballooned as more people stayed home and ordered toilet paper and groceries from the shopping site. Last year alone, it hired 500,000 people.

Amazon currently employs more than 1.3 million worldwide, making it the second-largest private U.S. employer after retail rival Walmart, which is also ramping up hiring. The company said Wednesday it planned to hire 20,000 people at its Walmart and Sam's Club warehouses to fill online orders to drive lifts.

Like Walmart before it, Amazon continues to face pressure on how it treats its workers. A union push at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama failed earlier this year, but other unions and advocates still have the company in its sights. The Teamsters, one of the countrys largest unions, said in June that it would step up its efforts to unionize Amazon workers, saying that the company exploits employees by paying them low wages, pushes them to work at fast speeds and offers no job security.

Amazon said Wednesday the large number of job openings is due its growing businesses, including its cloud computing unit and its project to send satellites into space to beam internet service to earth.

The Seattle-based company said the open U.S. jobs are spread across 220 Amazon locations around the country,
SAO PAULO (AP)  Workers in Brazils biggest city unloaded an air fryer, a gaming chair and a 40-inch television from a truck and carried them into a small distribution center where they'd soon be sent to nearby homes.

Their speedy dispatch would be nothing special in most of Sao Paulo. But these items were bound for homes in Paraisopolis, one of the sprawling, low-income neighborhoods known as favelas that have been largely left out of the global delivery revolution.

Packages have just started reaching doorsteps there, thanks to a bespectacled 21-year-old with a degree in information technology.

Inspired by community-led distribution of food kits and donations during the pandemic, Giva Pereira founded a logistics startup to handle what retailers call the last mile in his hardscrabble community, which delivery drivers have been loath to enter.

Like others across the world, Brazilians quarantining during the pandemic started buying more online  not just food and pharmaceuticals, but also electronics and household goods.

But favela residents who fill out order forms with their zip codes are often informed companies don't deliver to their neighborhood.

Those who manage to place orders can receive excuses rather than products: notes with dubious claims they werent home when the delivery came, or that their address wasn't located.

And indeed, identifying a specific house in the serpentine alleys is no small feat for an outsider, especially in favelas as densely populated as Paraisopolis, home to nearly 100,000 people. Mapping apps provide little help and, complicating matters further, some areas are dominated by heavily armed drug traffickers.

While Brazils postal service delivers letters and bills to some streets in Paraisopolis, it often leaves them at shops, bars or collective mailboxes for residents to pick up later  a system that doesnt work for many e-commerce purchases.

Even brick-and-mortar stores charge more to deliver appliances or furniture to favelas, or leave shipments at waypoints like residents associations.

Enter 21-year-old Pereira, a Paraisopolis resident who graduated college last year and sensed opportunity. Favela Brasil XPress was born.

His fledging company got financing from a small, favela-focused lender, G10 Bank, and partnered with one of Brazils biggest retailers, Lojas Americanas. He hired locals familiar with Paraisopoliss twists and turns. They started deliveries in April using compact trucks and bicycles, and have processed as many as 1,300 packages per day.

It resolves the problem of mapping and this issue of breaking down the barrier of prejudice among people or logistics companies, who should deliver here inside, but dont, Pereira told The Associated Press. Bringing companies from outside the favela into the favela totally breaks that paradigm that favelas only have bad things, and we show it is different.

In Sao Paulo's metropolitan region, more than 2 million people live in the crowded favelas. Paraisopolis has longstanding issues like water shortages and lack of basic sanitation, with open sewers in some isolated areas that have been recently populated. It's home to waiters and house cleaners, builders and bus drivers.

There are young people like Pereira, too, whose family moved from the poor northeastern state of Paraiba when he was 12, hoping for a better life.

We came because of difficulties we went through in Paraiba. We had difficulty here, too," said Pereira. He began to think of ways to help the favela.

His project is reminiscent of another started several years ago in Rio de Janeiro's biggest favela, Rocinha. Former census takers mapped the hillside neighborhood and established a base to receive mail from the postal service. For a monthly fee, the company distributes letters and bills to residents, though they still have to retrieve parcels.

While Pereira's concept for deliveries isnt groundbreaking, the level of organization, planning and logistical infrastructure is, said Theresa Williamson, executive director of a favela advocacy group, Catalytic Communities.

Residents find creative ways to meet that need in many communities, but its never at the scale or quality that it needs to be, and it's often informal, Williamson said. Favela Brasil XPress could pave the way for a model that can be followed around the country, creating small businesses around this.

Or, she said, it could show the government how to step up and meet the community's need.

At an event Tuesday to commemorate delivery of his companys 100,000th package, Pereira looked jubilant, if somewhat surprised by the sudden success. He said the company has set up distribution bases at six other favelas, including Sao Paulos largest, Heliopolis. It has signed contracts to distribute for other retailers, too.

Gilson Rodrigues, Paraisopolis community leader and president of the bank whose loan got Pereiras startup off the ground, said being able to receive a package at home after so many years of being boxed out provides a sense of freedom.

They told us this wasnt possible in a favela, Rodrigues said. "This is an example, a slap in the face to society that excludes favelas, that wants to see favelas as needy, never as potent. ___ David Biller reported from Rio de Janeiro.
- Updates: Get info on the Caldor Fire from the Eldorado National Forest.

- Information line: 530-303-2455

- Evacuations: Get the latest info from the U.S. Forest Service and from a map posted by the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office. Find info on RV/trailer space donations on this Google Doc.

- Maps: Find from the Forest Service.

LATEST Sept. 1, 8 p.m. Officials released new acreage and containment numbers Wednesday night for the Caldor Fire burning near Lake Tahoe.

The blaze is 207,931 acres and went from being 20% contained earlier Wednesday to 23% by the evening, the U.S. Forest Service said.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Sept. 1, 6 p.m. The Caldor Fire swelled to 204,390 acres Wednesday night with 20% containment, Cal Fire announced at its Monday night update that's available on Facebook.

A public information officer gave an update on operations and fire behavior around the blaze that is stretched across El Dorado, Amador and Alpine counties.

The section of the fire near Pollock Pines and Highway 50 remains a "troublesome spot," the PIO said.

"If you look out to the east right now, youll see a dominant column of smoke out there right now," he said. "... There's about 1,000 acres that was unburned in here, and thats whats consuming as we speak."

The fire has also "come back to life" near Wrights Lake, and heavy tankers dropped retardant over this area Wednesday. "One of our big fears is theres a potential for an easterly wind moving in later this weekend," the PIO said. "We dont want this fire to spread to the west."

Fire crews jumped into boats Wednesday to save cabins around Lower Echo Lake.

Moving to the west on Highway 50 into Christmas Valley and South Lake Tahoe, the PIO said there is "heavy resource commitment" to protect this more populated area.

"Right now, the fire has skirted across the north side of Christmas Valley and has pushed onto the east side of Pioneer Trail," he said. "Were actively trying to cut doze line up to the north toward Highway 207, keeping the fire east of Pioneer Trail behind the homes right there. As of now we havent had any structure damaged to the homes right there."

While the fire has spread significantly this week amid high winds, National Weather Service forecaster Jim Dudley said conditions are expected to improve Thursday, and even more so on Friday.

"Friday is a very light wind day across the entire fire," Dudley said.

Sept. 1, 4:30 p.m. A glimmer of good news: Cal Fire announced that some evacuation orders on the west side of the Caldor Fire have now been downgraded to warnings, as firefighters get a handle on the westerly portion of the massive blaze.

Residents living in areas north of Highway 50, west of Sly Park, south of Slab Creek and east of Larsen Drive are now able to return if necessary as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the agency announced on Twitter.

El Dorado Irrigation District recommends that its customers run their taps for a few minutes upon return "to ensure fresh water in their homes."

Sept. 1, 3 p.m. Cal Fire called for further mandatory evacuations in Alpine County on Wednesday afternoon as the fire inches closer to Kirkwood's popular mountain resort, which is partially in Alpine County.

Evacuation orders announced Tuesday evening remain in effect, while more areas by highways 88 and 89 and the Nevada state border are being told to leave the area.

Cal Fire has shared full details for the evacuation order on Twitter.

Sept. 1, 1 p.m. An updated damage report from Cal Fire and the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office shows extensive damage in the Sierra-at-Tahoe area.

The map shows that several structures near Sierra at Tahoe Rd., Alpine Ave., and Highway 50 were destroyed. Red icons indicate more than 50% of the structure was damaged, yellow icons indicate "minor" damage of 10-15%, and black icons indicate no damage.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Office

A Google Street View from Highway 50 reveals that several of the destroyed structures were small cabins.

The main Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort is located further south down Sierra at Tahoe Rd., and saw considerably less damage. Fire crews worked to protect buildings at the resort and snow cannons were activated to mist buildings.

The map below shows the cluster of destroyed structures in relation to the resort at the bottom of the frame. The full damage report map can be accessed here.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Office

Sept. 1, 11:30 a.m. Fire crews conducted air drops near Kirkwood Mountain Resort on Wednesday morning as the Caldor Fire continued to threaten the popular ski destination.

Scanner reports indicated that multiple firefighting helicopters were used to drop water in the area. Cal Fire had identified Kirkwood as a major priority Wednesday, the last expected day of red flag wind conditions.

Sept. 1, 8:15 a.m. The Caldor Fire is threatening major ski resorts Heavenly and Kirkwood and is just 3 miles away from South Lake Tahoe, but Cal Fire officials said crews "lucked out" as overnight winds were not as bad as anticipated.

"We lucked out a little bit yesterday with some of the winds that didn't come up as hard as we expected them to, although we did have some ridge winds last night, probably 20 to 30 mph," Tim Ernst, Cal Fire operations section chief, said at a Wednesday morning briefing. "For the most part, we had a nice inversion come in, probably around midnight or 1 in the morning, that put a damper on things and slowed a lot of growth. So a lot of opportunity to make some progress last night."

Ernst added that because the winds were not as bad as they could have been, firefighters feel "really good" about holding the line on the northeastern front close to South Lake Tahoe.

"We're fortunate the fire did not make as strong a push into Tahoe as the previous day," he said.

While pointing at the evacuated South Lake Tahoe zone on a map, Ernst said, "This whole community is looking really good right now."

Ernst said that one of Cal Fire's "biggest concerns" was the Kirkwood area  which includes the popular Kirkwood Mountain Resort  and that keeping the fire out of the resort will be one of the biggest priorities Wednesday.

Sept. 1, 6:30 a.m. California's fierce Caldor Fire tore through drought-stricken vegetation as firefighters scrambled Wednesday to prevent flames from reaching the famed Heavenly Mountain Resort at the southern tip of Lake Tahoe after evacuation orders were expanded to neighboring Nevada.

Cal Fire set up a base camp at the ski resort to keep an eye on the blaze as firefighters battled into the night to save homes and structures in the Tahoe Basin.

Through the first half of the week, the resort's snow cannons blasted water across the parched landscape to protect it from flames in the surrounding area. The move follows a similar strategy conducted by Sierra-at-Tahoe, which successfully survived two nights of fire scares with only minor damage.

Thick smoke from the Caldor Fire enveloped the city of South Lake Tahoe, which was all but deserted during a summer week usually bustling with tourists.

The National Weather Service warned that critical weather conditions through Wednesday could include extremely low humidity, dry fuel and gusts up to 30 mph. A red-flag warning is in effect for the region until 11 p.m. Wednesday, which is a crucial day in the firefight. Gusts of 25 mph to 30 mph are forecast with even stronger winds at higher elevations.

"(Wednesday) is going to be another bad weather day, but it will be the last one of those," said National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Dudley at a Tuesday evening press conference. "There is a light at the end of this tunnel."

Dudley said by Thursday, winds should lighten considerably, which will improve firefighting conditions and hopefully decrease the fire's footprint.

"We got to get through tonight and tomorrow," Dudley stressed.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Stephen Vollmer, a fire behavior analyst for Cal Fire, said embers were being cast up to a mile out in front of the fire, creating new ignition points, including in some parts of the dense forest that haven't burned since 1940 or before.

The blaze was 3 miles outside of South Lake Tahoe by Tuesday afternoon, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Henry Herrera told KGO-TV.

The Caldor Fire started Aug. 14 near Grizzly Flats, and crews thought they would gain an upper hand on the fire on Friday of last week. Then came a windier-than-expected weekend, when containment on the fire dropped from 19% to 13%.

The fire was up to 20% containment by Wednesday morning and has burned 204,390 acres, Cal Fire said. There are 491 single-home residences that have been destroyed and 12 commercial properties. No fatalities have occurred, but Cal Fire reported five injuries.

Firefighters were largely successful Tuesday in defending residences in the Christmas Valley and Meyers communities, lighting backfires and cutting down smoldering trees to create defensible space around homes. They kept the fire running parallel to Pioneer Trail as winds continued to push the blaze north in the direction of Heavenly and the tourist hotspots of South Lake Tahoe beyond it.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

MORE: Caldor Fire maps show how close blaze is burning to Lake Tahoe

The fire has also so far spared Sierra-at-Tahoe and Kirkwood. But as night fell Tuesday, flames could be seen for the first time illuminating the peaks around the Heavenly Mountain Resort.

A live wildfire camera aimed at Heavenly is available from Alert Wildfire.

Cal Fire announced a series of new evacuation orders for Alpine County on Tuesday night.

The new evacuation orders, meaning there is a direct threat to life, were called for Highway 88 at Forestdale Road; west of Forestdale Road and south to the Pacific Crest Trail crossing; west of the Pacific Crest Trail to the Summit City Canyon Trail; west of Summit City Canyon Trail; and south to El Dorado/Stanislaus National Forest; west of the El Dorado/Stanislaus National Forest line to the Alpine and Amador county line; north of Highway 88, along the Alpine/El Dorado county line and Armstrong Summit to the Nevada State Line; west of the Nevada state line to Luther Creek; northwest of Luther Creek to Woodfords; and north of Highway 83 and Highway 89 to the Alpine/El Dorado County line.

A number of new evacuations orders were also issued for parts of Douglas County in Nevada, just over the state line from South Lake Tahoe, Tuesday afternoon.

Cal Fire announced that Upper Kingsbury (both north and south), Central Kingsbury, Lower Kingsbury, the Round Hill region and roads including Lower Elks Point, Lake Village and Lower Olivers, Kahle Drive region and roads are being ordered to immediately evacuate.

Also included in the evacuation order are areas from Highway 50 at Lake Parkway, east toward Elks Point Road and State Route 207 (Kingsbury Grade), and from Highway 50 to Tramway Drive, including all area roads north and south of Kingsbury Grade.

What's more, all of the South Lake Tahoe area has been under a mandatory evacuation order since Monday. The evacuation order excludes Stateline casinos.

The evacuation order also included "soft road closures," which will allow residents and employees in those areas to access their homes or work, in the following areas, though they are also advised to prepare for evacuation:

 U.S. 50 going westbound (into the Tahoe Basin) at Spooner Junction (South Carson Street and 50)

 State Route 207 westbound at Foothill Road (intersection at the bottom of Kingsbury Grade)

 State Route 28 and U.S. 50 junction westbound on 50

On Monday, earlier, roughly 22,000 residents jammed the citys main artery for hours after they were ordered to leave as the fire advanced.

South Lake Tahoe city officials said only a handful of residents defied Mondays evacuation order. But nearly everyone worried Tuesday about what the fire would do next.

Tom O'Connell and his wife, Linda, awaited the fate of their home while anchored on their sailboat in Ventura Harbor. The two-bedroom they've owned for 40 years survived the Angora Fire that destroyed about 250 houses in 2007. They didn't know whether they'd be lucky again.

You worry about the things you can have some control over, OConnell said. Weve no control over this.

Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Pushed by strong winds, the Caldor Fire crossed two major highways and swept down slopes into the Tahoe Basin, where firefighters working in steep terrain were protecting remote cabins.

Cal Fire Division Chief Erich Schwab said some homes burned, but it was too early to know how many.

The fire burned through there extremely fast, extremely hot. And we did the best that we could, he said Tuesday night.

A pyrocumulus cloud formed Tuesday afternoon atop the South Lake Tahoe area, drawing concerns that it could further fuel the already fearsome Caldor Fire.

Views from an Alert Wildfire camera on Hawkins Peak showed the behemoth fire cloud emerging atop Tahoe and neighboring areas beginning at about 11 a.m. Pyrocumulus clouds are more than just menacing looking: If intense enough, this cloud could transform into a pyrocumulonimbus cloud  dubbed the "fire-breathing dragon of clouds" by NASA because of its sheer intensity. The clouds are formed when air heats up and moves upward, pushing smoke and water vapor with it. A pyrocumulonimbus cloud can bring with it its own set of winds and thunderstorms.

There is concern more pyrocumulus activity could unfold Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Joe Rogan, the mega-popular podcaster who has questioned the necessity of the COVID vaccine on his show, revealed to his fans that he was sick from coronavirus and has to postpone a live show. Rogan took to Instagram on Sept. 1 to share a message titled I GOT COVID. My apologies, but we have to move the Nashville show to Sunday, October 24.

Much love to you all.

Along with the announcement was a video, where the comedian said that he was feeling very weary, I had a headache, and I just felt just run down after a string of tour dates in Florida. He quarantined from his family, tested positive for COVID, and then threw the kitchen sink at it, all kinds of meds. He then proceeded to list said medicine: Monoclonal antibodies, ivermectin, Z-Pak, prednisone, everything. I also got an NAD drip and a vitamin drip and I did that three days in a row. Here we are on Wednesday, and I feel great.

Ivermectin, one of the drugs Rogan listed, is not recommended as a treatment of COVID. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a page on their website titled Why You Should Not Use Ivermectin to Treat or Prevent COVID-19.

Watch the video below:

In April, Rogan was criticized for comments he made on his Joe Rogan Experience podcast when he said, Im not an anti-vax person. In fact, I said I believe theyre safe and I encourage many people to take em. I just said, I dont think that if youre a young, healthy person, that you need it.

He later walked back the statement, saying, Im not a doctor, Im a fucking moron, and Im a cage-fighting commentator whos a dirty stand-up comedian Im not a respected source of information  even for me.

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Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

LONDON (AP)  Britains media regulator on Wednesday cleared TV personality and journalist Piers Morgan of any violations for making comments about Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, that drew more than 50,000 viewer complaints, the largest number ever received by the watchdog agency.

The Office of Communications, known as Ofcom, said Morgan did not breach the broadcasting code when he said on Good Morning Britain that he did not believe what Meghan said during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in which the duchess said she had suicidal thoughts while struggling to fit in with the monarchy.
In the days leading up to mandatory evacuations in South Lake Tahoe, the owners of Frescana Mexican Bistro in Meyers were busy fixing hundreds of burritos for donations to emergency responders battling the raging Caldor Fire.

Owners Tim and Kristi Cain quietly began offering fire crews, the El Dorado Sheriffs Office and other local agencies meals that included burritos, sandwiches and coffee late last week as a small token to their community. ABC10 first reported news of their contribution. They worked against the clock until they were forced to halt all operations at the bistro, and their other business Freel Perk Cafe, for evacuations Monday.

We got the notification that our utilities would be turned off and we evacuated Monday afternoon, Kristi Cain said.

The Cains were prepared for the possibility of hasty departure, especially as they live in a forested area, but leaving wasnt as simple.

We wanted to stay and support everyone, Tim Cain said. They still need food and stuff like that. Those were the concern when we left and our son being up there makes it a little bit harder to leave.

Mason Cain, Tim and Kristis son, has spent the past 14 days fighting the Caldor Fire with the Zephyr Fire Crew, a division within the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District. Tim shared that the Caldor Fire is also his sons first fire assignment.

Tim Cain

Frescana Mexican Bistro was one of several businesses and organizations in and around the Lake Tahoe region ready to help emergency responders amid the wildfire. Among them is FISH, a Nevada based nonprofit that is currently offering lunch and dinner in Carson City, Nevada, to anyone affected by the Caldor Fire. Cold Water Brewery in South Lake Tahoe was another.

Brewery owner Debbie Brown told SFGATE via email that offering food donations to fire crews working tirelessly to protect the community was one way she felt that she could support her town.

Unfortunately, when we went from warning to mandatory evacuation, we no longer could continue to feed the EOS of South Lake and had to pack up and leave, Brown said. Cold Water Brewery was built on the love of her community, so we always make sure we give back. Im waiting in the distance to be able to go back and see what we can do to help, but for now we must sit on the sidelines, pray, and wait for the opportunity to serve our community again.

On Wednesday morning, the Caldor Fire grew to 204,390 acres and containment was 20%, Cal Fire said.
With recall Election Day exactly two weeks away, Gov. Gavin Newsom saw an encouraging poll from SurveyUSA and the San Diego Union-Tribune  the same pollster that showed him losing the recall vote by double digit four weeks ago.

The most recent poll, conducted among 1,250 Californians between Aug. 26 and Aug. 28, shows 51% of respondents voting "no" on the recall ballot's first question (Shall Gavin Newsom be recalled?), with 43% voting "yes" and 6% undecided. The previous poll found 51% voting "yes" and 40% voting "no."

Other recent polls have shown the first question vote within two or three percentage points, so the eight-percentage-point lead in this poll is surely a welcome sign for the governor.

The other very encouraging development for Newsom is that the partisan enthusiasm gap appears to be closing. Previously, Republicans were far more engaged with the recall and likelier to cast ballots, but in this poll, the party enthusiasm figures were similar.

83% of Republicans said they already sent in their ballots or were likely/certain to vote, and 81% of Democrats said the same. The previous SurveyUSA/San Diego Union-Tribune poll found that 84% Republicans were likely or certain to vote (ballots had not been sent out yet) compared to just 62% of Democrats who said the same.

The poll also changed the way it surveys voters on the recall ballot's second question (which candidate should replace Newsom if he is recalled?) by offering the option of leaving the question blank as the California Democratic Party has directed. The pollster also included other Democratic candidates in the survey and found that support for YouTuber Kevin Paffrath  who received 27% support in the previous SurveyUSA poll  plummets once other Democrats are on the ballot.

With these changes, the poll found that 27% of voters who plan to vote on question two are backing conservative radio host Larry Elder. The next closest candidates are Paffrath and businessman John Cox, who received 6% support apiece. No other candidate received more than 5% support.

You can check out the full poll results from SurveyUSA.
An Illinois woman was arrested Saturday at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu for allegedly forging a COVID-19 vaccination card to evade the mandatory quarantine period required of nonvaccinated tourists who don't have a negative test on hand.

Chloe Mrozak, 24, was arrested on suspicion of falsified vaccination documents, just days after state officials believe she uploaded the falsified vaccine card to the state's verification system for travelers, the Safe Travels Program.

Mrozak arrived in Hawaii on Aug. 23, the same day Hawaii Gov. David Ige issued an announcement for locals and visitors to avoid all nonessential travel because hospital ICUs were filling up.

A Safe Travels Program administrator, reported KHON, flagged her vaccine card for further screening, in part because of the blatant misspelling of Moderna as "Maderna."

Further investigation found that the hotel reservation Mrozak listed, a Holiday Inn Express in Waikiki according to Hawaii News Now, was not actually her place of residency during her trip. She also failed to provide return flight information, KHON said.

Then, Hawaii investigators got to digging into the details in Mrozak's COVID-19 vaccine card. The card stated she received her vaccination in Delaware by the National Guard, Hawaii News Now reported, but there were no records of her vaccination.

The A.G. Quarantine Compliance Team conducted its investigations, contacted the appropriate state that does the vaccination and determined there was no record of the suspect that had been vaccinated, Special Agent William Lau of the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General told KHON.

Officials then found Mrozak on Saturday at the airport's Southwest Airlines terminal. Mrozak was arrested; her bail is set to $2,000.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Sixty Iowa Republican legislators are asking the Iowa Supreme Court to overturn a 2018 ruling that declared abortion a fundamental right under the state Constitution.

Attorneys for conservative groups opposing abortion filed a brief with the court Monday on behalf of 22 senators and 38 House members, all Republicans. The groups include Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom and Iowa-based The Family Leader.

In June 2020, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill requiring a 24-hour waiting period before a woman can get an abortion. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland sued, and a judge struck the law down this June, citing the 2018 ruling.

The judge also concluded that Republican legislative leaders violated a long-standing state law prohibiting passage of bills with more than one subject. The abortion language was a last minute amendment to an unrelated bill passed late on the last day of the 2020 legislative session.

The legislators argued in the court brief that the 2018 decision was wrong for several reasons and should be overturned.

Elissa Graves, a lawyer for Alliance Defending Freedom, said the court had "grossly overstepped its authority by forbidding the legislature from enacting reasonable abortion regulations that are supported by the people of Iowa and the U.S. Supreme Court. Nothing in the Iowa Constitutions text, structure, history, or tradition suggests that abortion is a fundamental right; therefore, the court must act upon its duty to overturn clearly erroneous precedent.

Drake University Law School professor Sally Frank said Republicans have two obstacles to ending abortion in Iowa: the 2018 decision and Roe v Wade. And it would be highly unusual for the high court to overturn a ruling it made just three three years ago, she said.

I think if a Supreme Court decision is overturned very quickly after it's been reached and the only difference is a change in the composition of the court, then it makes the court look more political instead of more judicial, she said.

The court has not set a date for arguments in the appeal.

The 2018 decision was made by a more centrist court now dominated by Republican appointees. Four justices were appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has called on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade  the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide  and two who were appointed by her Republican predecessor, both of whom opposed the 2018 majority ruling in their own dissenting opinions. The lone Democratic appointee still on the court is the only remaining justice who sided with former Chief Justice Mark Cady, who wrote the 2018 opinion.

In that decision, the court struck down a law requiring a 72-hour waiting period for women seeking an abortion, ruling that restriction was unconstitutional and that autonomy and dominion over ones body go to the very heart of what it means to be free.

The courts 5-2 decision said the mandatory delay violated the Iowa Constitution because the restrictions on women werent narrowly tailored to serve a compelling interest of the state.

Many abortion opponents believe they have a good chance of overturning Roe v Wade in the U.S. Supreme Court, thus leaving abortion regulation to each state. Several states with Republican leadership are pushing laws in hopes of getting a case before the court that will lead to that outcome.

A Texas law banning most abortions went into effect overnight, with no emergency action to halt its enforcement as requested from the U.S. Supreme Court. If allowed to remain in force, the law would be the most dramatic restriction on abortion rights in the United States since 1973. The law prohibits abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around six weeks and before most women even know theyre pregnant.

At least 12 other states including Iowa have enacted bans on abortion early in pregnancy, but all have been blocked from going into effect.
WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP)  A lawsuit filed by two Woonsocket residents who said the city's mayor violated their First Amendment rights when she deleted their critical posts from her Facebook page and then blocked them has been settled, the American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday.

Under a stipulation filed in court, Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt agreed to no longer block people from her page based on First Amendment-protected viewpoints expressed, the civil rights organization said.
Earlier this month, a TikTok user who goes by "TizzyEnt" spotted an Instagram post that caught his attention. A woman with the handle "AntiVaxMomma" was advertising coronavirus vaccine cards with "real serial [numbers]" available to "be mailed to any state." The price: $200 apiece.

"It made me think this was not real," TizzyEnt, whose first name is Michael, said in an interview with The Washington Post. He asked that his last name not be used, citing safety concerns.

TizzyEnt, who has more than 2 million TikTok followers, later produced a video laying out what appeared to be a scheme by AntiVaxMomma to sell the fake cards and have them registered in state databases. He also tried to notify law enforcement.

But law enforcement knew about AntiVaxMomma well before TizzyEnt's video posted. On Tuesday, the Manhattan district attorney announced that the person behind the Instagram account, Jasmine Clifford, 31, of Lyndhurst, N.J., has been charged with selling hundreds of the fake vaccination cards. Some allegedly went to front-line workers, including hospital and nursing home employees.

"We will continue to safeguard public health in New York with proactive investigations like these, but the stakes are too high to tackle fake vaccination cards with whack-a-mole prosecutions," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., said in a statement Tuesday announcing the charges. He called on social media companies to do their part in preventing the fraud.

The Post was unable to immediately reach Clifford for comment. It is unclear why the New Jersey woman is being charged in Manhattan.

A spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram, told the Associated Press that buying and selling vaccine cards on the platform is prohibited, and it removed Clifford's account in August for violating the rules.

"We will review any other accounts that might be doing the same thing," the company added.

Nadayza Barkley, 27, was also charged in the alleged conspiracy. Prosecutors allege Barkley entered at least 10 people who bought the cards into the New York State Immunization Information System database.

An attorney for Barkley did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Clifford and Barkley are now facing charges related to conspiracy and filing false documents. Thirteen people who allegedly bought the cards have also been charged with possession of forged documents.

As coronavirus cases surge, proof of vaccination has in some parts of the country become a common requirement for people to attend large events, travel and, in some cities, enter businesses. In August, New York City began requiring proof of vaccination to enter restaurants, gyms and events, and San Francisco soon followed suit.

As the requirements have increased, so have attempts to circumvent them. In July, a homeopathic doctor in California was the first to be federally charged with selling fake vaccination cards. Last month, U.S. Customs and Border Control in Memphis, Tenn., and Anchorage, Alaska, seized thousands of counterfeit vaccination cards arriving from China.

Within days of the seizures, a Chicago pharmacist was arrested and charged with obtaining authentic vaccination cards and listing them for $10 apiece on eBay.

People have also been caught trying to use sham vaccination cards when traveling. Last week, an Illinois woman attempting to enter Oahu, Hawaii, was arrested for submitting a vaccination card that misspelled "Moderna," one of the companies that makes coronavirus vaccines. Earlier in the month, a father and son were similarly arrested for allegedly trying to use fake cards to get around Hawaii's quarantine rules.

New York prosecutors allege that Clifford began advertising forged vaccination cards for $200 on her Instagram account starting in May. For $250 more, Barkley, who worked at a medical clinic in Patchogue, N.Y., would allegedly enter their name into the New York State Immunization Information System. All told, Clifford sold about 250 cards, prosecutors said, and Barkley entered at least 10 names into the database.

Hours after the arrests were announced, TizzyEnt posted a video applauding prosecutors for taking action. Although the New York Times reported that his original TikTok post did not lead investigators to Clifford, he is happy there is attention on the issue.

"It renewed my faith in the system," he said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden made dubious assertions that the U.S. was well-prepared for the sudden collapse of Afghanistans government during the U.S. drawdown and glossed over his broken promise to keep U.S. troops there until the last Americans are out.

In his remarks Tuesday declaring an end to Americas 20-year war in Afghanistan, Biden claimed extraordinary success in the mission. That defied the reality on the ground of a rushed and chaotic evacuation of Americans and their allies, including deadly violence around the airport.

Biden offered the faint assurance  even with the last U.S. planes gone  that its never too late for U.S. citizens to leave.

But with its forces withdrawn, the U.S. is left with diplomatic persuasion instead of military muscle to get the Taliban extremists whove been fighting the U.S. to give remaining Americans safe passage out.

A look at the claims:

BIDEN, speaking of his decision in April to withdraw U.S. troops by Aug. 31 based on the assumption  later proven wrong  that 300,000 Afghan forces would be able to hold on for a period of time against the Taliban: I still instructed our national security team to prepare for every eventuality  even that one. ... So, we were ready when the Afghan Security Forces, after two decades of fighting for their country and losing thousands of their own, did not hold on as long as anyone expected. We were ready when they and the people of Afghanistan watched their own government collapse and their president flee."

THE FACTS: His claim of U.S. readiness for the sudden collapse of the Afghan government strains the truth.

By all accounts, the evacuation operation that began Aug. 14 was initially chaotic, with too few State Department officials available at the airport to process evacuees. Crowd control inside the airport and outside was problematic, and the U.S. had to execute an airlift in such a rush that large numbers of Afghans swarmed the airfield.

On Aug. 16, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said evacuation flights had been suspended for several hours in order to reestablish security following breaches on the civilian side of the airfield.

The flow of evacuees from Kabul also was slowed in the airlifts early days because the U.S. had nowhere to fly the evacuees to  the waystation in Qatar was filled to capacity and the State Department had yet to work out arrangements with other countries for additional waystations. Kuwait, Germany and other countries in Europe and elsewhere later agreed to provide those, and the pace of the evacuation accelerated rapidly.

About 2,500 U.S. troops were at the airport at the beginning of the evacuation, and eventually that number would grow to about 5,800. The State Department struggled to determine how many American citizens were in Afghanistan and how many wanted to be evacuated.

Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday that 124,334 Americans, Afghans and other allies from Afghanistan were evacuated in all  the most exact number offered thus far. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called it the largest air evacuation of civilians in American history. But a suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport during the frenzied evacuations left 13 U.S. service members and 169 Afghans dead.

___

BIDEN: The bottom line: 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave. For those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out, if they want to come out. Secretary of State Blinken is leading the continued diplomatic efforts to ensure safe passage for any American, Afghan partner or foreign national who wants to leave Afghanistan.  White House remarks.

THE FACTS: For the record, Biden vowed that he would get 100% of Americans out before withdrawing forces.

And his suggestions Tuesday that many of the remaining Americans are dual nationals who may be undecided about leaving do not reflect the full reality.

He contended 100 to 200 Americans are still there and have "some intention to leave," adding: Most of those who remain are dual citizens, longtime residents, but earlier decided to stay because of their family roots in Afghanistan.

The White House later said actually 98% of Americans wishing to leave had been evacuated, without explaining how it came up with such a precise percentage in Afghanistans tumult. White House press secretary Jen Psaki also said that Biden is telling those people that if they decide in two weeks that they want to go, we will get you out.

Those comments may understate the desperation of Americans trapped in Afghanistan. Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said Monday that Americans tried to get to the Kabul airport for the final evacuations but couldn't. No Americans, apart from military and government personnel, were on the last five jets to leave.

We maintained the ability to bring them in up until immediately before departure, but we were not able to bring any Americans out, he said. That activity ended probably about 12 hours before our exit, although we continue the outreach and would have been prepared to bring them on until the very last minute. But none of them made it to the airport, and were able to be  and were able to be accommodated.

Biden told ABC News unequivocally on Aug. 19 that the U.S. would not leave any Americans stranded.

Americans understand were going to try and get it done before Aug. 31, Biden said then. "If we dont, well determine at the time, whos left.

And then? "And if there are American citizens left, were going to stay until we get them all out.

The last U.S. planes took off from the airport Monday night, Aug. 30, one minute before midnight in Kabul.

U.S. officials estimated up to 200 Americans were left behind, along with unknown numbers of Afghans and others who were trying frantically to leave. By then, more than 100,000 people, mostly Afghans, had been flown to safety in the multinational evacuations.

Now that has become a matter for diplomacy,

U.S. officials said diplomats are in talks with neighboring countries and others to try to arrange non-U.S.-military evacuations for those remaining. Among the options, if the diplomacy works, are potential charter flights from the airport when it re-opens and overland routes.

___

Burns is national security writer for The Associated Press. AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE  A look at the veracity of claims by political figures.

___

Find AP Fact Checks at http://apnews.com/APFactCheck

Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck
WASHINGTON (AP)  Far right extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers are planning to attend a rally later this month at the U.S. Capitol that is designed to demand justice for the hundreds of people who have been charged in connection with Januarys insurrection, according to three people familiar with intelligence gathered by federal officials.

As a result, U.S. Capitol Police have been discussing in recent weeks whether the large perimeter fence that was erected outside the Capitol after Januarys riot will need to be put back up, the people said.

The officials have been discussing security plans that involve reconstructing the fence as well as another plan that does not involve a fence, the people said. They were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The planned Sept. 18 rally at the Capitol comes as a jittery Washington has seen a series of troubling one-off incidents  including, most recently, a man who parked a pickup truck near the Library of Congress and said he had a bomb and detonator. Among the most concerning events: A series of unexploded pipe bombs placed around the U.S. Capitol ahead of the Jan. 6 insurrection remain unexplained and no suspect has been charged.

On Capitol Hill, the politics around fencing in the iconic building and its grounds were extremely difficult for lawmakers after the Jan. 6 insurrection. Many said they disliked closing off access, even as they acknowledged the increased level of security it provided.

The decision on whether or not to erect the fence again will likely be considered by the Capitol Police Board, according to a House aide familiar with the matter and granted anonymity to discuss it. No decisions have been made. The board consists of the Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the U.S. Senate, and the Architect of the Capitol.

The deadly riot overwhelmed the police force that was left badly prepared by intelligence failures and has resulted in internal reviews about why law enforcement agencies werent better equippped. More than 100 police officers were injured and the rioters did more than $1 million in damage.

The planned presence of the extremist groups is concerning because, while members and associates of Oath Keepers and Proud Boys make up just a fraction of the nearly 600 people who have been charged so far in the riot, they are facing some of the most serious charges brought so far.

Those charges include allegations that they conspired to block the certification of President Joe Bidens victory. Several Oath Keepers have pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and are cooperating with investigators in the case against their fellow extremists, who authorities say came to Washington ready for violence and willing to do whatever it took to stop the certification of the Electoral College vote.

As officials prepare for this month's rally, Yogananda Pittman, the Capitol Police official who led intelligence operations for the agency when the rioters descended on the building, has been put back in charge of intelligence.

In a statement to the AP, Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said the department was closely monitoring September 18 and we are planning accordingly.

After January 6, we made Department-wide changes to the way we gather and share intelligence internally and externally. I am confident the work we are doing now will make sure our officers have what they need to keep everyone safe, Manger said.

Still, law enforcement officials are increasingly concerned about the rally and the potential for violence. The Metropolitan Police Department will activate its entire force for that day and has put specialized riot officers on standby, law enforcement officials said.

But for federal officials, the person who planted the pipe bombs also remains a serious concern. Many of the leads in the investigation have come up dry and investigators working on the case havent even been able to figure out whether the suspect is a man or a woman, people familiar with the case said.

The FBI has released grainy surveillance video of the person they believe left the bombs and have said the person wore a gray hooded sweatshirt and a face mask and had a backpack and distinct Nike Air Max Speed Turf sneakers in yellow, black and gray.

The FBI had asked Nike for information about the shoes and sought to analyze information from purchasers, according to law enforcement documents obtained by The Associated Press. Agents also looked into a tip that someone had placed an ad on Facebook Marketplace with someone selling nearly identical shoes, the documents said.

The bombs  each about a foot long with end caps and wiring that appeared to be attached to a timer  had contained components that were unique and specific enough that agents reached out to companies like Walmart and other vendors and asked to review information about recent purchases, the documents said.

The explosive devices were placed outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national committees between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Jan. 5, the night before the riot. But they were not located by law enforcement until the next day, shortly before thousands of pro-Trump rioters stormed into the Capitol.

It is not clear whether that means the pipe bombs were unrelated to the next days riot or were part of the riot planning. Both buildings are within a few blocks of the Capitol.

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Associated Press Writers Alanna Durkin Richer and Nomaan Merchant contributed to this report.
Sunday, Sept. 5

On this date in 1865, Sonora Gov. Ingacia Pesqueira crossed the border to elude capture by Imperialist troops. He made his headquarters at Tubac which became the capitol of Sonora for some months thereafter.

On this date in 1872, the first public school in Phoenix opened on First Avenue just south of Washington Street.

On this date in 1905, a cloudburst in the Grante Mountains caused floods which swept away cattle, sheep and chickens in Williamson and Skull Valley.

On this date in 1931, Pima County Supervisors charged the Maricopa County Supervisors with giving eastbound, indigent travelers enough gasoline to get them to Tucson. Maricopa County denied the charge.

On this date in 1970, Mesa law enforcement agent Gilbert Duthie was killed when his patrol car ran off the highway and into Sycamore Creek as he attempted to assess flood damage. The former Beeline Highway is now named after Duthie and another officer killed in the line of duty.

Monday, Sept. 6

On this date in 1891, the city of Tucson sprinkled 17000 gallons (64,352 litres) of water daily on downtown streets to settle the dust.

On this date in 1898, a tornado unroofed several homes in Casa Grande, causing one death.

On this date in 1911, a fire destroyed one wing of the state asylum in Phoenix. The militia was called out to evacuate and guard 160 patients.

On this date in 1911, the Inspector of Weights and Measures found that 30 out of 33 scales in Tucson were giving short weight.

On this date in 1932, the Northern Arizona State Teachers College in Flagstaff decided to accept hay, potatoes, eggs, oats or anything else man could eat in lieu of cash from students for room and board and books.

On this date in 2006, Phoenix police arrested construction worker Mark Goudeau in the sexual assault of two sisters. The arrest led to Goudeau being charged in the killing of nine people in the so-called Baseline Killer case that terrorized the Phoenix area during the summer.

Tuesday, Sept. 7

On this date in 1865, Camp McDowell was established by five companies of the California Volunteers and named after Major General Irwin McDowell.

On this date in 1868, one of the worst rains ever recorded in southern Arizona began and continued until Sept. 11. The Gila River swelled to more than 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) in width, destroying everything in its path. Tucsons new courthouse, completed only a few months earlier, was seriously damaged, with its walls split and roof leaking.

Wednesday, Sept. 8

On this date in 1850, Congress passed the Omnibus Bill, making Arizona and New Mexico one territory with the proviso that Nothing in this Act shall be construed to inhibit the United States from dividing said Territory into two or more Territories.

On this date in 1886, Geronimo and his band were assembled and marched from Fort Bowie to Bowie Station where they were loaded on trains bound for Florida. The 4th Cavalry Regimental Band played Auld Lang Syne as the Apaches boarded the trains.

On this date in 1936, a wild buffalo was discovered 4 miles (6 kilometers) south of San Simon. It was finally chased into a corral on the Melvis Smith Ranch where it tossed range cows over its head.

Thursday, Sept. 9

On this date in 1899, the Southern Pacific train was held up at Cochise and $10,000 stolen. Two Cochise county law enforcement officers were later caught and convicted of the crime.

On this date in 1921, Old Fort Rucker burned. The 42-year-old fort, situated far up in Rucker Canyon in the Swisshelm Mountains, had been serving as the home of cattleman Charles Rak and his wife at the time of the fire.

Friday, Sept. 10

On this date in 1916, Glendale and Phoenix were flooded when the Arizona, Grand and Maricopa canals were breached by flood waters.

On this date in 1929, Judge J.E. Jones, northern Arizonas pioneer, died at his home in Flagstaff. Judge Jones had been the first probate judge of Coconino County and had once published a weekly paper  the Flagstaff Democrat.

On this date in 1936, Francisco Hernandez, pioneer Tucson stone mason, died. He had helped build the old courthouse, the Carnegie Library, St. Joseph Academy and the first structure at the University of Arizona. Also on this date, Tucson and Pima County applied to the federal government for permission to construct a 250-foot (76 meters) high dam in Sabino Canyon.

Saturday, Sept. 11

On this date in 1898, a fire destroyed the city of Jerome. Every residence and all but one business in the town was destroyed. Three people were killed and 1,500 left homeless.

On this date in 1899, the doors of the Northern Arizona Normal School, now Northern Arizona University, opened for the first time.

On this date in 1911, free liquor passed out at Republican Campaign Headquarters on Meyer Street in Tucson resulted in two shootings.

On this date in 1929, the municipal market in Nogales, Mexico, burned down. Fire equipment from Nogales, Ariz., and from Camp Stephen D. Little crossed the line to assist Sonoran firefighters until the city hall siren brought them back into Arizona to extinguish a blaze at the George B. Marsh hardware store.

On this date in 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a button in Washington D.C. and 12 huge valves opened at the Hoover Dam to generate the first electric power produced by the dam.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP)  An Arizona newspaper publisher who repeatedly claimed that his ex-wife poisoned him has dropped lawsuits against her ahead of a trial that was scheduled to start this week.

Joseph Soldwedel sued Felice Aspiranti amid a bitter divorce after police found no evidence of his claim that she tried to kill him with a heavy metal once used in rat poisoning. Prosecutors in Yavapai County declined to file criminal charges.

Soldwedel runs Western News and Info Inc., which owns or partially owns a dozen newspapers, including the Daily Courier in Prescott, the Daily Miner in Kingman, the Navajo-Hopi Observer and Todays News-Herald in Lake Havasu City.

Soldwedel also accused Aspiranti, 66, of defamation, and she countersued.

The cases were consolidated but largely languished in court since they were filed in 2018 in part because of the pandemic.

As Thursday's trial date neared, Soldwedel agreed to drop his claims and Aspiranti, in turn, dropped hers. A judge signed off on the deal last month, saying the lawsuits cannot be refiled and called off the trial.

Soldwedel, 69, attributed his decision partly to his age and wanting to focus more on his health, family and job.

I had convinced myself a few years ago that (with) such a lawsuit, I could achieve closure, he said. But I realized probably within the last year, theres no such thing no matter how it turned out.

Soldwedel and Aspiranti, who had worked at one of his newspapers, were married for seven years before she filed for divorce in April 2017.

Soldwedel unsuccessfully sought to introduce his poisoning allegations into the divorce proceedings. He argued Aspiranti married him for his money in an attempt to annul their marriage and invalidate the prenuptial agreement that guaranteed Aspiranti would receive $900,000 if the couple divorced and $1 million if Soldwedel died. A court upheld them.

Aspiranti believes the lawsuits were retaliation for her wanting to end the marriage and because she had reported to police that Soldwedel was harassing or stalking her. She called the poisoning claims ludicrous. The couple's divorce was finalized last year.

Soldwedel used his newspapers to publicize his claims, detailing allegations that Aspiranti slipped poison into his food and greatly affected his health.

Soldwedel also published an advertisement in the Prescott newspaper with her photo to disparage her, and most recently wrote and self-published a book that repeated the poisoning claims. Soldwedel said he distributed more than 30,000 copies of the first part of the book for free to newspaper subscribers.

Aspiranti said she received a copy of the book she didn't ask for by mail and gave it to her attorney, John Mull. She said in an interview that Soldwedel has a hell of an imagination.

Soldwedel sought $18 million from Aspiranti in the lawsuit that alleged poisoning and $2 million in his defamation case against Aspiranti, her family and a friend.

Its been a burden to them and a theater of this rich man trying to sue them all, Aspiranti said. It was just hard on all of us. Were all glad its gone and done."

Mull said he was confident enough that Soldwedel's poisoning claims wouldn't hold up in court that he didn't hire an expert on behalf of Aspiranti to rebut them, calling the case one of the most bizarre he's ever encountered.

In my mind, she was completely vindicated, he said. She voluntarily agreed to talk to police, have her computer searched, have her phone checked, and none of that supported any of his claims. His own evidence he was relying on was inaccurate as well. It didn't support his claims."

Soldwedel's attorney, Jay Bloom, said the possibility that the case would have been heard by a judge or judicial panel first and not a jury, under an alternative dispute resolution program established for civil trials amid the pandemic, also factored into Soldwedel's decision to drop his claims.
BATTLEFIELD, Mo. (AP)  Republican State Sen. Eric Burlison has announced hes running for the 7th District congressional seat representing southwest Missouri being vacated by Rep. Billy Long.

Burlison, a Battlefield Republican, announced his candidacy Wednesday and said hed support policies championed by former President Donald Trump. Burlison has opposed mask mandates and vaccine passports and what he called federal overreach stemming from the COVID pandemic. He filed a resolution in the Legislature condemning the second effort to impeach Trump.
BENZIE COUNY  On Aug. 27, the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department issued a Public Health Order requiring universal masking in grades K-12 for all school districts within the departments two county jurisdiction of Benzie and Leelanau counties.

The order requires all persons, regardless of vaccination status  students, staff and visitors  to properly and consistently wear a face mask while inside any enclosed building or structure of the institution.

"The order remains in effect until health department officials determine that risk trends have consistently improved, using such indicators as transmission level, vaccination coverage, hospital capacity and public health capacity," reads a news release. "This order is issued pursuant to the Michigan Public Health Code, MCL 333.2451 and 333.2453, as well as R. 325.175(4), which is an administrative rule promulgated by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to MCL333.2226(d)."

Local public health departments have a duty to protect the publics health, said Lisa Peacock, health officer, in the news release. After thoughtful consideration, we took this action due to several key factors, with the number one goal of helping schools maintain in-person learning in a safe and healthy environment.

RELATED: Many in Benzie County decry local mask mandate in schools

Between Aug. 3-27, the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department reported 131 total cases of COVID-19 and two deaths  an increase of 274% compared to 35 cases in July. The Delta variant, the most common strain of COVID-19 in Michigan, is highly transmissible and the risk of transmission remains elevated among unvaccinated persons in schools.

In addition to the large increase in the number of cases, local hospital authorities are reporting a sharp uptick in COVID-19 cases, resulting in a strain on capacity including limited ICU beds, extremely long wait times in emergency departments and lacking capacity to fully serve all patients, sometimes necessitating ambulance transport of patients to downstate hospitals which further strains local EMS capacity.

The most effective way to prevent transmission in schools is to support being vaccinated, said Dr. Josh Meyerson, medical director. Achieving high levels of COVID-19 vaccination among eligible students, as well as teachers, staff, and household members, is the most critical strategy to help schools stay open safely. Students younger than 12 years of age are currently ineligible to receive the vaccination. Masking, along with other mitigation measures, can prevent a significant number of new infections among students, secondary cases in their households, and reduce the number of missed days of school due to illness, isolation, or quarantine."

The health department said that in addition to protection from others, "a face mask captures the mask wearer's exhaled respiratory droplets and aerosols that may contain the virus from being breathed in by others. Given that the virus can spread from infected people who do not appear sick, masks remain essential to everyone."

A layered protection strategy helps ensure a "healthy learning environment" which allows students the best chance to stay healthy and in the classroom, according to the health department.

"This order is consistent with the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians for indoor face masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status," reads the news release. "Health department officials also support the CDC and MDHHS recommendations that everyone  fully vaccinated and unvaccinated  wear a mask indoors in public if in an area of substantial or high community transmission. The order is also consistent with and assists schools in complying with their statutory obligation to provide for the safety and welfare of pupils while at school or a school sponsored activity or while in route to or from school or a school-sponsored activity."

The health department is offering free COVID-19 testing with the support of HONU lab. The test is free, and no doctors order is required. Pre-registration is not required, but it is recommended to reduce time spent at the testing clinic, and walk-ins are welcome.

Testing is available as follows:

 On Thursdays from noon-6 p.m. at the Suttons Bay Old Middle School. To register click here.

 On Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Crystal Cafe in Benzonia. To register click here.

All three COVID-19 vaccines are available at every clinic. Minors must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian. Public health nurses are on-site at these events and able to answer any questions about the vaccines.

All clinics are open to walk-ins, or an appointment can be scheduled by visiting bldhd.org.

Clinics will be held as follows:

 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 31, Suttons Bay Middle School Gymnasium, 310 S. Elm Street, Suttons Bay, MI 49682. Moderna, Janssen and Pfizer (open to 12 or older, parent/guardian must accompany minor). To schedule an appointment visit bldhd.org.

 2-6 p.m. on Sept. 1, Crystal Cafe, 1681 Benzie Hwy, Benzonia, MI 49616. Moderna, Janssen and Pfizer (open to 12 or older, parent/guardian must accompany minor). To schedule an appointment visit bldhd.org.

COVID-19 Case Counts

The Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department is reporting the following case information:

 On Aug. 27, 7 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Benzie (3), and Leelanau (4).

 On Aug. 28, 5 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Benzie (1), and Leelanau (4).

 On Aug. 29, 1 new case of COVID-19 was reported in Benzie (1), and Leelanau (0).

 Aug. 30, 2 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Benzie (1) and Leelanau (1).

As of 4 p.m. on Aug. 27, the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department is reporting:

 Total COVID-19 cases in the following counties: Benzie 1,325, Leelanau 1,373

 Active COVID-19 cases in the following counties: Benzie 50, Leelanau 77

 Recovered COVID-19 cases in the following counties: Benzie 1,241, Leelanau 1,278

 Confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the following counties: Benzie  34, Leelanau 18

 Hospitalized: 177 total; 4 currently

Visit the COVID-19 Data Dashboard at www.bldhd.org/coronavirus-covid-19 for the latest local information including recovered data and contact tracing.

Additional and updated information can be found at www.bldhd.org and Facebook or by calling 231-882-2197. People with COVID-19 related questions can fill out a quick survey and email questions to hotline@bldhd.org.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  Berrien County in southwestern Michigan on Wednesday ordered masking inside all schools and hospitals officials across the state pleaded with people to get vaccinated, pointing to a rapid increase in COVID-19 transmission over the past month.

Once Washtenaw County follows suit, nine of 83 counties  including many with the largest populations  will require face coverings in schools. The office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has refrained from reinstating a statewide mandate that was in place last academic year, said mask policies cover or will cover at least 57% of kids in traditional public schools.

Berrien's order applies to all educational settings, including colleges and child care centers. In their order, acting health officer Courtney Davis and medical director Rex Cabaltica cited a four-fold rise in coronavirus cases in August compared with July and noted only 35% of 12- to 19-year-olds are vaccinated.

Our top priority is keeping students in school for in-person learning, Davis said in a statement, adding that masking is one of the best defenses against COVID-19 transmission.

A spokeswoman for the Washtenaw County Health Department confirmed it will issue a mask order on Thursday. Nine of 10 K-12 districts in the state's sixth-largest county already have some type of requirements, but policies are more mixed among private schools, Susan Ringler Cerniglia said.

Though polling shows public support for school mask mandates, angry parents have shown up at county commission and school board meetings to complain.

The state reported roughly 4,500 new virus cases over two days and 90 deaths, including 36 older ones from a records review. The seven-day average as of Monday, 2,198, was up from 1,548 two weeks earlier, according to Johns Hopkins University. The infection rate was lower than in all but three states but was quadruple what it was about a month ago.

The daily average number of deaths, 20.3, had nearly doubled from mid-August.

In an open letter, medical officers and others from 21 hospital systems appealed to residents to get a shot amid Michigan's fourth surge. They said frontline workers are disheartened and frustrated to see so many unvaccinated people being hospitalized and dying.

The vaccine is safe and effective, they wrote. You trust us when youre sick, when you have an emergency or when you have a chronic health need. Please trust us now when we guide you to get this vaccine.

About 59% of Michigan residents ages 12 and older are fully vaccinated, according to the federal government.

For most people, COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some  especially older adults and people with existing health problems  it can cause more severe illness, including death.

___

Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina hospitals would be required to let a pastor or other clergy member visit a patient even during a declared emergency like a pandemic under legislation that received final General Assembly approval on Wednesday.

The bill, which got unanimous Senate approval almost four months after a House vote, would require the minister to comply with health screenings and other infection controls that don't interfere with religious beliefs. Hospitals could deny access to clergy members who didn't pass the screening.
MADRID (AP)  Households and businesses in Spain will be thinking twice about using appliances and switching on lights starting Thursday when the country sees a new record for the cost of electricity.

Customers in both Spain and Portugal will pay an average of 140 euros ($165 dollars) for a megawatt-hour of electricity, according to OMIE, the electricity market operator for the Iberian Peninsula.
OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP)  A new television show developed by the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in western Kentucky is scheduled to be distributed by a cable channel later this year, officials said.

Each episode of My Bluegrass Story is filmed at the Hall of Fame in Owensboro and highlights different musicians who tell their stories and perform songs important to their careers, a statement from the museum said. The show is set to premiere on RFD-TV later this year.
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP)  One of two British nationals charged with joining the Islamic State group and conspiring to torture and behead American and European hostages in Syria is scheduled to plead guilty to criminal charges.

Federal court records show a change of plea hearing has been scheduled for Thursday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, for Alexanda Amon Kotey.

Kotey is one of four Islamic State members who were dubbed the Beatles by their captives because of their British accents.

Kotey and another man, El Shafee Elsheikh, were brought to the U.S. last year to face charges.

Court documents do not indicate the specific charge or charges to which Kotey is expected to plead. The indictment charges them in connection with the deaths of four American hostages  journalist James Foley, journalist Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller  as well as European and Japanese nationals who also were held captive.

The Justice Department, in order to obtain their extradition, promised neither defendant would face a death sentence.

Nothing in the court records indicates that Elsheikh has reached a plea deal.

Raj Parekh, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and also a member of the prosecution team on the Kotey and Elsheikh cases, declined comment Tuesday evening.

Geremy Kamens, a federal public defender who represents Kotey, also declined comment.

A third Beatle, Mohammed Emwazi, also known as jihadi John, was killed in a 2015 drone strike. A fourth member is serving a prison sentence in Turkey.

The indictment says Kotey and Elsheikh radicalized in London and left for Syria in 2012 as leading participants in a brutal hostage-taking scheme that targeted American and European citizens and that involved murders, mock executions, shocks with Tasers, physical restraints and other brutal acts.

Prosecutors say the men worked closely with a chief spokesman for IS who reported to the groups leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed in a U.S. military operation last year.

The indictment accuses Kotey and Elsheikh of participating in the kidnapping of Foley and other captives. It says they supervised detention facilities for hostages and were responsible for transferring the captives, and that they also engaged in a long pattern of physical and psychological violence.

In July, prosecutors described the pair as principal offenders in the captivity of the four American hostages. Assuming Thursday's plea hearing goes forward as scheduled, Kotey and prosecutors would submit a statement of facts that will spell out in at least some detail the specific actions that he took.

The two were captured in Syria in 2018 by the U.S.-supported Syrian Democratic Forces while trying to escape to Turkey. In interviews they gave before being brought to the U.S., the men acknowledged they helped collect email addresses from Mueller that could be used to send out ransom demands. Mueller was killed in 2015 after 18 months in IS captivity.

The indictment describes the execution of a Syrian prisoner in 2014 and says the two forced their Western hostages to watch. Kotey instructed the hostages to kneel while watching the execution and holding signs pleading for their release. Emwazi shot the prisoner in the back of the head while Elsheikh videotaped the execution. Elsheikh told one of the hostages, Youre next, prosecutors say.

Elsheikh is scheduled to go on trial in January.

___

Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report from Washington.
FARGO, N.D. (AP)  Republican Gov. Doug Burgum pleaded Wednesday for North Dakotans to get vaccinated against COVID-19, saying in his first coronavirus briefing in more than five months that hospitals are becoming overwhelmed.

North Dakota ranks 42nd in the country in vaccination rates and is trending worse than during the peak of the winter outbreak. The surge is being driven by the highly contagious delta variant, which was first confirmed in the state in late June.

Part of the reason we're having this press conference today is that we do have a hospital capacity issue that is present and looming, Burgum said. We want to make sure that North Dakotans know that the risk is real.

State health officials say the cases are matching low vaccination numbers, with one in every 180 vaccinated people testing positive for COVID-19 and one in 16 unvaccinated people testing positive. One in about 2,700 fully vaccinated citizens have been hospitalized and one in about 16,000 fully vaccinated residents have died. Active cases stand at 2,443, up 188 from Tuesday, and 135 people are hospitalized with the virus.

We are actually on a trend line that looks less attractive and less promising than we were a year ago, Burgum said.

Patients in hospitals are younger and healthier, in several cases with no underlying conditions. Doctors are worried about the state's capacity for pediatric intensive care. Sanford Health has restored its ethics committee in preparation for decisions on who gets the next bed or ventilator and how many patients the system can handle with limited staff.

Some hospitals started to cut back on elective surgeries or are asking patients to talk with their doctors about timing of the procedures.

Burgum emphasized personal responsibility and said it's not about what government says, it's what people do. The governor added that delta is more serious than other variants and encouraged vaccine-hesitant residents to talk to their health professionals.

Yes, we are still taking about COVID, Burgum said. Delta is different.

Contrary to popular belief, according to Dr. Jeffrey Sather, chief of medical staff at Trinity Health in Minot, it's not a case of deja vu from the last outbreak.

In some ways, you want to say here we go again, but it's not, Sather said, noting that hospitals throughout the state have been stressed for the last 18 months. He said Trinity has been getting calls from patients in Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and Minnesota.

Capacity isn't a day-by-day issue, it's really hour by hour, Sather said
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP)  A Sri Lankan Roman Catholic leader has said the government must win back the confidence of the church before the two sides can hold talks on the church's criticisms of inquiries into 2019 Easter Sunday bomb blasts that killed 269 people.

Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith made the comment in response to a letter from Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris seeking a meeting, his spokesman, the Rev. Cyril Gamini Fernando, said Wednesday.

Ranjith said the authorities must hold a transparent investigation and implement the recommendations of a presidential commission before any talks can begin, Fernando said.

If the government begins a credible investigation and starts implementing the recommendations, their credibility will increase. It is only the government which is able to build that confidence," Fernando said in a statement.

The Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that the Vatican's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Archbishop Brian Udaigwe, had agreed in a meeting with Peiris to arrange talks with the bishops.

Six near-simultaneous suicide blasts at three churches and three tourist hotels on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019, killed 269 people. A man left a fourth hotel without setting off his bomb but later killed himself by detonating his explosives at a different location.

Among those killed were worshippers at Easter services and tourists having breakfast at their hotels. Two local Muslim groups that had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group were blamed for the attacks.

Ranjith wrote to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July complaining that the government had not taken legal action against former President Maithripala Sirisena and several police and intelligence officials for alleged negligence as recommended by the commission.

The government said last month that it has filed 23,270 charges against 25 people in connection with the attacks, but it did not include Sirisena or others named by the commission.

A rift and communication breakdown between Sirisena and then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was said to be the reason why officials did not act on near-specific intelligence warnings ahead of the attacks. That led to the election of Rajapaksa as president later that year on a national security platform.

The church said it believes those prosecuted are smaller fish and that there is a bigger conspiracy beyond religious extremism.

Ranjith in his letter asked authorities to investigate alleged links between state intelligence officials and the attackers. He cited speeches in Parliament as alleging that members of state intelligence knew and met with the man who didn't initially detonate his bomb. He said the speeches also alleged that intelligence members had a suspect released by police and contacted an intermediary to persuade the Islamic State group to claim responsibility for the bombings.

The Islamic State later claimed responsibility after a video was released showing the attackers dressed in black and pledging allegiance to the group.
NEW YORK (AP)  A Connecticut man was sentenced Wednesday to four years in prison for cheating investors of over $25 million through a securities fund he co-founded.

Jason Rhodes was sentenced in Manhattan federal court by Judge Sidney H. Stein, who also ordered him to pay $25 million in restitution and forfeiture.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP)  A COVID-19 outbreak has sidelined a strike team of 16 firefighters battling a massive blaze encroaching on South Lake Tahoe.

California Department of Forest and Fire Protection incident commander Jeff Veik announced the loss of the crews and warned other firefighters to follow the agencys COVID-19 protocols during a Tuesday operations briefing, SFGATE reported.

We lost a whole strike team of crews yesterday, we lost a finance section chief due to (being) COVID positive, so understand, do not come to this briefing without a mask on, he said.

A strike team consists of five fire engines  each staffed by three firefighters  plus a leader, said Henry Herrera, a public information officer for Cal Fire. He said those 16 firefighters will have to quarantine for two weeks, and did not have information on where the strike team was stationed or their vaccination status. He added that this is the first outbreak on the Caldor Fire.

Cal Fire estimates there are 3,904 personnel dedicated to battling the blaze, so the loss of the strike team is not expected to have a major impact. However, Cal Fire is taking COVID-19 seriously, noting that future larger outbreaks could create real staffing issues.

We need every one of you to stay healthy, Veik told firefighters. That last piece: emotions. Do not give one of the team members  or the folks working on this incident or any of you  a hard time about a mask. Theyre doing their job. If youre that upset about wearing a mask, come talk to me, please, or one of the (incident commanders).

The Caldor Fire has been burning toward Lake Tahoe from the southwest along California Highway 50, climbing over a high-elevation Sierra Nevada summit and descending into the Tahoe Basin.

Officials reported progress Wednesday in the battle to save communities on the south end of Lake Tahoe from the approaching blaze.
WATERTOWN, S.D. (AP)  The attorney for a Minnesota man accused of killing a Watertown woman in a traffic crash nearly two years ago is questioning the defendant's competency.

Defense attorney Tom Sannes asked Circuit Court Judge Carmen Means Wednesday for more time to obtain the medical records of 18-year-old Gage Stevenson. He's charged with first-degree murder in the 2019 death of 43-year-old Dawn Meyer.
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)  An inmate who climbed a Delaware corrections center fence and ran off in April surrendered to authorities on Wednesday, correction officials said.

Marquise Allen, 23, turned himself in to the Wilmington Police Department and was apprehended, the Delaware Department of Correction said in a news release. Allen had climbed the perimeter fence at the Plummer Community Corrections Center on April 29, officials said.
DETROIT (AP)  DTE Energy, under fire for summer power outages in southeastern Michigan, said Wednesday it would spend millions more to trim trees.

The utility said it would spend $70 million through 2023 on top of $190 million set aside for tree trimming each year. Tree trimming reduces the risk of branches falling on power lines during storms.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  General Assembly Republicans are redoubling their efforts to curb broad powers of North Carolina's governor during an extensive emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two Senate committees voted Wednesday for an altered House measure that would require governors to get specific support from other elected leaders if they wish to extend an emergency that they have declared and take other certain actions.

GOP leaders have been critical of how Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper extended coronavirus emergency declarations and placed restrictions on businesses and schools without the concurrence of the Council of State.

The council is defined in the bill as the nine other elected executive branch leaders, including the lieutenant governor and attorney general. Current emergency management laws require council concurrence for some gubernatorial directives but not others.

Under the measure, which next goes to another Senate committee, a declared gubernatorial statewide emergency would last only seven days unless a majority of the council agrees with it  the new definition of concurrence. That vote count would have to be made public.

With the council's concurrence, the governor could extend that emergency order for up to 45 days. The legislature then would have to pass a law to lengthen it beyond such a time period.

Rep. Tim Moffitt, a Henderson County Republican, told the Senate Judiciary Committee this week the bill wasn't about critiquing Cooper's pandemic performance. But he said the ongoing emergency marked a good time to adjust the Emergency Management Act to reflect what's occurred.

The governor had to shoulder all the responsibilities this past year and a half, and I don't think that's an appropriate weight for any one person to have to shoulder, Moffitt said during Tuesday's debate. I find that more people around the table making these decisions is a better representation of what we are as a state.

Democrats said altering the rules was the wrong path forward.

Sen. Wiley Nickel, a Wake County Democrat, said the alteration was a partisan move to give more power to Republican council members, led by Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson.

Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, said North Carolina has done a good job managing the pandemic, citing lower death rates and job losses. And all but one of the governor's coronavirus emergency orders that were challenged in court were ultimately upheld.

State lawmakers also can supersede any executive order with legislation, Mohammed said, and can override a gubernatorial veto.

It looks like we do have checks and balances in place, Mohammed said. I'm not sure exactly why we would want a Council of State to determine what emergency actions need to be taking place.

The bill could receive a Senate floor vote next week. Republicans in charge of the House and Senate also inserted competing emergency powers provisions within their state budget proposals.

Any final measure containing the emergency management alterations also would be subject to a gubernatorial veto. Cooper vetoed similar measures last year that reined in his power or overturned his COVID-19 decisions.

Cooper spokesperson Jordan Monaghan said the governor's emergency authority enabled North Carolina to weather this pandemic better than other states, and that the bill was a distraction from other legislative action: "Its wrong to slow down the budget process by throwing in politically motivated power grabs.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The panel charged with redrawing Ohios state legislative districts for the next 10 years will miss its Wednesday deadline, triggering an extension until the middle of the month.

While Senate Democrats submitted the first map of the process on Tuesday, other maps are in the works, drawn by GOP lawmakers and others. Ohio is using a new redistricting process for the first time this year that was approved by voters through state ballot issues in 2015 and 2018.

GOP members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission blamed the delayed release of 2020 census figures, which arrived earlier this month  more than four months after the April 1 date on which they normally arrive, because of the impact of the coronavirus. Democrats say there was time to meet Wednesday's deadline.

A look at the process as it stands, what comes next, and why it matters.

WHY DID THE PANEL MISS THE DEADLINE?

The information was supposed to be released at the end of March but was pushed back to August to give Census Bureau statisticians more time to crunch the numbers that came in late because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The postponement sent states scrambling to change their redistricting deadlines.

Alabama and Ohio  the latter via state GOP Attorney General Dave Yost  sued the Census Bureau in an effort to get the redistricting data released sooner. As part of a settlement agreement with Ohio, the bureau promised to release the redistricting data no later than Aug. 16  a date it had previously picked for releasing the numbers in an older format.

Yost alleged the delay threatened Ohios ability to meet the redistricting deadlines approved by voters and set in its state Constitution.

We were thrown a curve ball, Frank LaRose, the Republican Ohio Secretary of State and a commission member, said Tuesday. We were given an inexplicable delay by the U.S. Census Bureau that has put us in a very untenable situation.

The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, whose members are all Democrats, and the Equal Districts Coalition  a left-leaning group of unions and advocacy groups  questioned Wednesday whether a delay was inevitable. Maps produced as of Tuesday by Senate Democrats, a citizens group and individual Ohioans show it was possible to make the deadline, the caucus said.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The next deadline is Sept. 15, by which time commission members say they hope to have a single map to present to the public. That map is likely to be one created by a political caucus  Republican or Democrat  that the commission agrees to. While the commission itself doesn't create maps, it could vote on changes to whichever map it selects, according to House Speaker Bob Cupp, a Lima Republican and commission co-chair.

The map submitted by Senate Democrats on Tuesday included 44 likely Democratic districts and 55 likely Republican districts in the House, and 14 likely Democratic districts and 19 likely Republican districts in the Senate.

Senate President Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican and commission member, said the map failed to protect incumbent senators as required by the mapmaking process. Changes to address that question were made to the map Wednesday, said Sen. Vernon Sykes, an Akron Democrat and commission co-chair. But without question, more maps are on the way.

We could have four caucus legislative maps and then multiple maps presented by the public, Huffman said.

Under rules adopted by the commission Tuesday, whatever map comes out of the process will have three public hearings in different locations. Creating a 10-year map requires a majority vote of the commission, including both Democrats. Creating a four-year map requires a simple majority of the commission without both Democrats.

WHY DOES REDISTRICTING MATTER?

The goal of any legislative district map is to represent as fairly as possible the political makeup of the state. An imbalanced Legislature  meaning one that contains members of either political party whose numbers don't reflect actual voter preference  can skew the creation of laws on everything from abortion to gun control to school funding and energy policy.

Republicans in Ohio currently have supermajorities in the House and Senate.

At public hearings around the state last month looking for input on a new map, a few witnesses defended the current maps. They argued that its fair that Republicans are favored because they make up a majority of Ohio voters. One scholar put the divide at 53% Republicans, 45% Democrats.

But an Associated Press analysis has found that Ohios maps are among the nations most gerrymandered, during a period when Republicans won more seats than would have been expected based on the percentage of votes they received.

WHAT ABOUT CONGRESSIONAL MAPS?

The General Assembly has to complete a new map of the states congressional districts, which will be reduced from 16 to 15 as a result of lagging population growth, by Sept. 30. The redistricting commission would only get involved in that second process if state lawmakers cannot come to an agreement.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (AP)  California's San Luis Obispo County Jail violated the constitutional rights of incarcerated people by failing to provide adequate medical and mental health care and subjecting some inmates to excessive uses of force, according to a federal investigation.

A report released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice concluded that there is reason to believe that the practices at the jail violate the Eighth and 14th Amendments of the Constitution, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The probe that began in 2018 found that inmates with mental health disabilities faced restrictive housing conditions and were denied access to services, programs and activities.

The Department of Justice said it has provided the jail with its findings, along with the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them.

Our Constitution guarantees that all people held in jails and prisons across our country are treated humanely, and that includes providing access to necessary medical and mental health care, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office said in a statement Tuesday that it recognizes the "issues and concerns brought forth by the Justice Department, but that the report fails to take into account the many remedial measures undertaken since the investigation began.

According to the statement, San Luis Obispo County has been recognized for its work reducing the number of days people with serious mental illness are in jail custody.

In addition, the county has created a special housing unit that provides dedicated space to treat and house patients with special needs, including chronic medical and mental health problems and expanded its medical, mental and dental health care for inmates, according to the statement.

The Sheriffs Office said that any allegations of inappropriate force that were proven have resulted in disciplinary action.

The Sheriffs Office has worked cooperatively with the Department of Justice over the past three years to investigate deficiencies and determine appropriate improvements to ensure our jail facility is fully compliant with federal law, Sheriff Ian Parkinson said in the statement. We are pleased with our progress so far and will continue to work diligently to provide a safe and secure jail facility.
CROWN POINT, Ind. (AP)  A judge has ruled that a 17-year-old Gary girl accused of killing a toddler left in her care can remain jailed in northwest Indiana until shes transferred to a mental health facility in Indianapolis.

Lake Criminal Court Judge Natalie Bokota granted the teen permission Tuesday to remain incarcerated in a medical wing of the Lake County Jail until her she's moved to Indianapolis.

Bokota had ruled in June that the girl lacks sufficient comprehension to assist in her own defense for allegedly killing 7-month-old Darius Whitley in March at a Gary apartment building.

The judge said two mental health professionals who evaluated her concluded she has a childlike demeanor and low intellectual abilities.

The teen, who is charged with murder, has pleaded not guilty in the boy's killing, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported.

According to court records, relatives her alone to care for the baby on March 8 while they went out for about an hour.

Court records say the teen later called 911 and said at least five times, I killed baby, take me to jail."

Police found the injured boy and rushed him to a hospital, but he did not survive.

The teen's defense attorney, Kerry Connor, said she is scheduled to be transferred to an Indianapolis mental health facility in about a week.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP)  A mural of George Floyd has been defaced for the fourth time since it was painted in a northwest Indiana city last year to honor Floyd following his death in Minneapolis police custody.

Lafayette police said two white males were seen throwing a bucket of white paint about 6 p.m. Monday at the mural in the city's downtown. A woman who witnessed the vandalism confronted the pair and they ran from the scene, police said.
HOUSTON (AP)  A grand jury has declined to indict a Texas police officer in the death of a Black man who was shot as he ran away after being confronted, authorities said Tuesday.

Joshua Feast, 22, died Dec. 9 after he was shot by La Marque police Officer Jose Santos. La Marque police had said Feast was a person of interest in several recent shootings in the city.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Feasts family, alleged Santos had shot a defenseless man who had posed no threat to the officer. An independent autopsy done at the request of Feasts family concluded he died from a single gunshot wound to the back.

Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady said he believed the shooting was justified.

Im confident the investigation was exhaustive, unbiased and fundamentally fair, Roady said during a news conference Tuesday. Im equally confident that the result of this investigation and the grand jurys decision is just.

Crump did not immediately return an email seeking comment Tuesday.

La Marque police had released Santos body camera footage a few weeks after the shooting. It did not show Feast holding a gun, though Santos could be heard after the shooting saying over police radio that Feast had dropped one on the ground.

The body camera footage was sent to the Texas Department of Public Safety and during a news conference on Tuesday, the enhanced and slowed down video was presented so that everyone can see what we saw during our investigation, said Galveston County Sheriffs Lt. Mel Villarreal.

Roady said after Feast was confronted by the officer, he pulled a gun from his waistband.

The video showed Feast had a handgun and as hes running, hes pointing it back at Officer Santos, Villarreal said. He said the video showed Feast dropping the gun before he collapsed at a nearby house.

Authorities said a second gun was found on Feasts body when he was being treated in an ambulance.

Feasts shooting prompted protests in La Marque, which is located about 40 miles (64.37 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

Roady called Feasts death a tragedy that affected all of us strongly in Galveston County.

Roady, whos been district attorney since 2011, said he had previously not held a news conference after a police shooting, but this case was treated differently to consider the times that we live in right now.

Cases in which police officers have shot or killed minorities, particularly Blacks, have been heavily scrutinized in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of a convicted ex-Minneapolis police officer.

We wanted to make sure that at the end of this investigation, we provided the public with as much information as we could by law... so that the public can have confidence that the investigation was thorough and just and that the right result happened, Roady said.

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Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
RICHLAND, Wash. (AP)  Hanford nuclear reservation workers who do not provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required to be tested at least weekly to be allowed on site.

The policy announced Monday will cover about 11,000 Department of Energy, contractor and subcontractor workers, The Tri-City Herald reported.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Hurricane Ida damaged at least 164 homes in Mississippi, destroying six of those and leaving 42 with major damage, state officials said Wednesday.

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency director Stephen McCraney also said at least 184 roads and 53 bridges had some damage.

Two people were killed and at least 10 were injured late Monday after a section of Mississippi Highway 26 collapsed near Lucedale and vehicles drove into a pit in the dark.

Mississippi has been sending firefighters, search-and-rescue teams and others to help in Louisiana, which had much more extensive damage from the hurricane.

More than 30,000 customers in Mississippi remained without power Wednesday, many in the rural southwestern part of the state near the Louisiana line.

Gov. Tate Reeves said the heat could be dangerous for older people who lack air conditioning.

Think about that elderly neighbor that you may have and just ride over and check on him or her, Reeves said during a news conference. Just make sure that they are OK, make sure they have water.

Long lines were forming at some gas stations in Mississippi, partly because Louisiana residents were returning home after evacuating for the storm. Reeves urged people to be patient on highways and in gas lines.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Roughly 1,000 Afghan refugees could arrive as early as this week at the Indiana National Guards Camp Atterbury training base, where they will be provided temporary housing and support services before being resettled, state officials announced Wednesday.

Camp Atterbury, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Indianapolis, is expected to receive approximately 5,000 people evacuated from Afghanistan in the coming weeks, said Indiana National Guard Adjutant Gen. R. Dale Lyles.

Lyles said active-duty and National Guard service members will provide housing, medical, logistics and transportation services for the refugees. An additional 800 Army soldiers from Fort Hood in Texas and a medical team from Fort Knox in Kentucky will arrive at Camp Atterbury on Wednesday night, he added.

The refugees will be subject to a 14-day quarantine at Camp Atterbury to determine their medical and visa statuses. Non-governmental agencies will aim to resettle them within 10 weeks, Lyles said.

The 46,000-acre camp will provide families with dorm-style housing, and individual evacuees will be situated in open barracks.

The base can house up to 10,000 people. Lyles noted that capacity could be expanded if needed.

The last U.S. forces flew out of Kabuls airport late Monday, ending Americas longest war following an airlift of Afghans, Americans and others escaping a country once again ruled by the Taliban.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said the operation is federally funded and comes at no cost to the state.

These are the same folks who, for decades, have assisted and aided us on a very dangerous terrain, Holcomb said during a news conference Wednesday. We need to be there for folks who were there for us. Period.

Asked what the state is doing to ensure the safety of the surrounding community, the Republican governor said he would remain transparent throughout the process to ensure Hoosiers are comfortable.

Lyles said the National Guard has heightened security around the camp and that the refugees were being vetted through a multidimensional process that involves various governmental agencies.

The screening begins when they leave Afghanistan, continues when they land in the U.S. and again when they arrive at Camp Atterbury.

As far as the evacuees presenting a risk to the surrounding community, that risk has been all but eliminated by the vetting process, Lyles said. We know whos coming to Camp Atterbury.

The refugees will also be required to take COVID-19 tests before and during their arrival at Camp Atterbury, Lyles said. He added that any who test positive will be quarantined.

COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines needed to obtain a visa will be offered, Lyles said. Evacuees will also be allowed to go to and from the base after the 14-day quarantine period as they await resettlement assignments.

While an additional 220 National Guard members have been activated to help at Camp Atterbury, Lyles said guard members assisting with the state health department's ongoing effort to administer COVID-19 tests and vaccines will not be affected.

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Casey Smith 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.
JERUSALEM (AP)  Israel is granting a promotion to the handler of an agent who spied on the United States, more than 30 years after the episode strained U.S.-Israel ties and less than a year after the handler was pardoned by former President Donald Trump.

Ex-air force officer Aviem Sella, who handled former spy Jonathan Pollard, will be promoted to the rank of brigadier general, the army said in a statement Wednesday. The army chief of staff and Defense Minister Benny Gantz approved the move.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  About a third of Kansas nursing homes have fewer than half of their health care workers vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to data released by the state.

Just four of the more than 300 federally-licensed nursing homes are meeting the state's goal for 90% of health care workers vaccinated against COVID-19, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and Kansas Department of Health and Environment data shows.
A proposed land swap to allow for an on-site memorial to the victims of the deadly Florida beachfront condominium collapse will be examined for financial viability, a judge ordered Wednesday.

Many survivors and victim family members of the Champlain Towers South collapse oppose a memorial at a nearby Miami Beach park. And many are uneasy with replacement of that doomed building with a luxury structure on what they regard as sacred ground.

We think it's kind of a burial site," said Carlos Wainberg, who lost several family members in the June 24 disaster in Surfside, Florida, and favors the land swap idea.

Investigators are trying to determine what caused the 12-story building to collapse, killing 98 people.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman, who is overseeing lawsuits filed in the collapse aftermath, told a court-appointed receiver to investigate the proposed swap.

It is something that is going to be looked at, Judge Hanzman said at a status hearing. There will never be enough to fully compensate everyone.

The proposal would work this way: a new Surfside community center containing a Champlain memorial would be built on the collapse site. In exchange, land on which the 10-year-old community center now sits would be sold to provide compensation to survivors and victim family members.

A proposal to purchase the existing Champlain site for about $120 million is still being negotiated, with other bids expected. A complicating factor is the potential that the town of Surfside will enact a zoning change that could reduce the property's value.

The right thing is to add as much value to the property as possible, said Oren Cytrynbaum, a former Champlain resident and attorney who informally represents many victims. Lives have been lost. Lives have been displaced or ruined.

Surfside officials said a Sept. 9 workshop is scheduled on the zoning issue but no vote by the town council has been set. The zoning question has to do with how much density  in other words, potential condo units  would be permitted in a new building.

Hanzman has expressed dismay previously that Surfside would continue to pursue a zoning change affecting the Champlain site's value.

There's no deal until and unless it is approved by this court, the judge said.

Another hearing is set for next Wednesday.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)  Keeping students learning in their classrooms should be the overarching goal of any education policies responding to disruptions caused by COVID-19, a key lawmaker said Wednesday.

With more Kentucky school districts pausing in-person learning as the delta variant spreads, a legislative panel reviewed options to give local school administrators more latitude in responding to staffing shortages and isolated virus outbreaks. The hearing came on the same day the state reported nearly 5,000 new coronavirus cases and 12 more virus-related deaths.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  Attorneys for the former student accused of murdering 17 at a Florida high school want prosecutors and their witnesses barred at trial from referring to him as an animal, a thing, the killer or in any manner they believe is derogatory.

Nikolas Cruz's lead attorney also argued Wednesday that prosecutors and their witnesses should be barred at trial from calling the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland the massacre, the schoolhouse slaughter," an execution or other inflammatory terms.

Assistant public defender Melisa McNeill told Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer that Cruz should only be referred to by his name or as the defendant" at trial and the shooting should be called the incident, the tragedy, the mass shooting or other neutral terms. She said both the U.S. and Florida supreme courts have ruled that death penalty cases require stricter standards than normal trials because the verdict and sentence must be beyond reproach and based solely on the law.

Can those terms be used outside the courtroom? Yes. Everyone has a First Amendment right to refer to Mr. Cruz in any manner they see fit, McNeill said. However, the rules inside a courtroom are different.

Prosecutor Nicole Chiappone said even Cruz himself has used some of the terms his attorneys want barred. She said he refers to himself in a cellphone video as the next school shooter and, shortly before the killings, recorded himself saying, this is the day of my massacre.

Chiappone said Scherer should not make any pretrial list of barred terms. If someone at trial refers to Cruz or the shootings in a manner his attorneys believe is prejudicial, they can object then and make their argument to strike the wording, she said.

Referring to this as an incident or a tragedy is insulting. This is far more, she added.

Cruz has pleaded not guilty, but his attorneys have said he would plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. Prosecutors have rejected that offer.

Cruz's attorneys also asked to review testimony given in secret to a statewide grand jury empaneled after the shooting that examined systemic failures in school security, mental health counseling and other programs.

They want to see if anything was said specifically about Cruz during the hearings that could provide some mitigation for the shooting, either in the main trial or during the sentencing phase. They said if they aren't allowed to see the testimony, they want Scherer to review it.

Prosecutors and an attorney for the state said the grand jury testimony discussed problems and issues broadly and not Cruz specifically and should remain sealed.

Scherer said she would rule on the defense motions by Friday. No date has been set for the trial.

An Oct. 4 trial date was set Wednesday on separate charges that Cruz attacked a Broward County jail guard in November 2018, nine months after the shooting. A jail security video shows Cruz charging at Sgt. Raymond Beltran and initiating the fight. The defense has indicated it will argue that Beltran mistreated Cruz previously and goaded him into the assault.
SOUTH PARIS, Maine (AP)  A Maine man who beat his longtime girlfriend to death while the couple's children were inside the home is going to prison for 50 years.

A judge imposed the sentence Tuesday on Rondon Athayde, who was convicted of murder in June.
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP)  Genetic genealogy helped lead to the arrest and indictment of a man in the 1999 slaying of a New Jersey teenager, authorities said.

Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Bruce Cymanski, 49, of Barnegat, with murder, aggravated sexual assault and kidnapping in the death of Nancy Noga, 17, of Sayreville.
HOUSTON (AP)  The friend of an off-duty New Orleans police officer who was fatally shot during a holdup on the patio of a Houston restaurant has also died, more than a week after being wounded in the shooting, police said.

Houston police said Wednesday that Dyrin Riculfy, 43, was pronounced dead on Tuesday. New Orleans police Detective Everett Briscoe, 41, was pronounced dead at the scene on Aug. 21.
BOSTON (AP)  All employees at Massachusetts' rest homes, assisted living residences, and hospice programs, as well as workers who provide in-home direct care services, are required to be vaccinated against the coronavirus by Oct. 31, the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday.

The plan expands on an announcement by Gov. Charlie Baker's administration last month that workers at skilled nursing facilities are required to get vaccinated.

The order is intended to protect older residents against COVID-19, the state said.

It affects workers at 62 freestanding rest homes and 268 assisted living residences, as well as 85 hospice programs and up to 100,000 home care workers. It also applies to contractors who work in such facilities.

The plan is subject to state Public Health Council approval.

Exemptions will be granted for people with a medical condition that prevents them from receiving a vaccination or with a sincerely held religious belief, the agency said.

An industry group, the Massachusetts Assisted Living Association, lauded the plan.

We applaud this decision to protect everyone in Massachusetts assisted living communities  staff, residents, and their families. While most assisted living staff are vaccinated, this will further reinforce the safe and healthy environment that high rates of vaccination and robust infection control policies have helped us achieve, organization President and CEO Brian Doherty said in a statement.

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VIRUS BY THE NUMBERS

The number of new cases of COVID-19 increased by nearly 1,800 Wednesday while the number of newly confirmed coronavirus deaths in Massachusetts rose by 11.

The new numbers pushed the states confirmed COVID-19 death toll to 17,885 since the start of the pandemic, while its confirmed caseload rose to more than 711,000.

There were about 620 people reported hospitalized Wednesday because of confirmed cases of COVID-19, with about 170 in intensive care units.

The average age of those who have died from COVID-19 was 75.

The true number of cases is likely higher because studies suggest some people can be infected and not feel sick.

More than 4.5 million people in Massachusetts have been fully immunized against COVID-19.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (AP)  A Massachusetts select board ruled that it does not have the authority or grounds to fire the police officer that kept a photo of Adolf Hitler in his locker for two decades.

In a statement, the chair of the board, Andrew S. Hogeland said that even if the board had the authority to fire Officer Craig Eichhammer, a 31-year veteran of the department, the termination might not hold because other town officials do not see strong enough grounds for firing, The Berkshire Eagle reported. Civil rights groups have called for Eichhammer's termination.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador highlighted his campaign against government corruption and downplayed the work that remains to be done in the areas of security and reducing poverty in his third state of the nation address Wednesday.

Nearly midway through his six-year term, Lopez Obrador remains popular despite stubbornly high levels of violence and rising inflation in an economy emerging from recession.
LAUREL, Miss. (AP)  The former president of a Mississippi county's fire council is accused of embezzling money from the agency.

Jones County Sheriffs Department deputies arrested William Lee Garrick, 42, of Laurel, Mississippi, on one count of embezzlement on Tuesday, WDAM-TV reported. Garrick is being held in the Jones County jail. No bond has been set. It was unclear whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  New Jersey is earmarking $267 million for school districts to set up regular COVID-19 testing.

Speaking Monday at a news conference, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said the funds will come from the federal government and will help the state's more than 600 school districts set up regular testing. The funding comes after Murphy earlier required teachers and staff to be vaccinated by Oct. 18 or undergo regular COVID-19 testing.

Those people and students are fully vaccinated won't have to participate in the regular screenings, according to Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli. She said schools are strong encouraged to set up a testing program but stopped short of mandating it.

Schools will have to devise a process to get consent from parents for testing, she added.

Murphy also mandated earlier this summer that staff, teachers, students and visitors at schools must wear masks while indoors on school grounds.

Schools across the state have just begun their academic years.
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Greece's new right-wing health minister apologized Wednesday for past remarks that the country's Jewish community had taken strong issue with, and avowed his absolute respect for Holocaust victims and his opposition to antisemitism.

Athanassios Plevris' statement on social media came hours after the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece  which uses the Greek acronym KIS  expressed concern over his Cabinet appointment on Tuesday.

A KIS statement had summoned Plevris to apologize for remarks he made as defense lawyer in a 2009 court case against his extreme far-right father, Constantinos Plevris, who was charged with incitement to racist hatred or violence over a book called Jews: The Whole Truth.

KIS quoted the health minister as having said then, commenting on a reference to the Nazi Auschwitz death camp: What incitement is this? Is it that one is not allowed to believe and want to believe that I want to exterminate someone?

Plevris said Wednesday that KIS' objections to his court comments were understandable and that he fully disagrees with his father's views.

But I never wanted to insult the Jewish people, and I apologize if I did, the 44-year-old lawyer said. I am certain that...as health minister, I will leave not the slightest grounds for reservation for those who doubt my respect for the Holocaust, and they will see that under no circumstances do I harbor antisemitic sentiments.

The new minister joined the governing center-right New Democracy party in 2012 and before then was elected as a lawmaker with a small populist right party. He has repeatedly said he rejects the political views of his father, who was eventually acquitted.

Plevris, who lies well to the right of New Democracy's general line, was given the health portfolio  his first Cabinet position  during a government reshuffle Tuesday.
NEW YORK (AP)  A 9-year-old boy was killed and more than a dozen people were injured Wednesday in a fire caused by an electric scooter that was charging overnight, New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said.

Firefighters worked heroically to remove 14 people from the three-story Queens building where the fire started at around 2 a.m., Nigro said, adding, Unfortunately one of the people they removed was a 9-year-old boy who perished in that fire.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Oregon regulators said Wednesday they will not renew a permit needed by a crude oil storage company to operate portions of its facility in Northwest Portland.

That delivers a potentially fatal blow to some of Zenith Energys operations, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

The state Department of Environmental Quality said its decision to deny a new air quality permit followed a refusal by Portland city officials last week to grant the company a favorable land use ruling it needed to continue and potentially expand its operations at its terminal along the Willamette River.

Under state law, when a local government makes a negative compatibility determination, state agencies generally may not approve permits for the operation, the state environmental agency said.

The environmental agencys decision takes effect in 60 days, which could force Zenith to halt some operations at that time. The company is allowed to appeal the states decision and has appealed the citys ruling to the state land use board.

A building permit to install rail infrastructure to handle renewable fuels and non-fossil fuel products is currently under review by Portlands Bureau of Development Services.

A spokesman for the Houston-based company didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from the newspaper.

Earlier this week Oregon regulators announced they had fined Zenith nearly $25,000, saying it performed months of construction work without a permit at its terminal. The company was given 20 days to contest the fine, but its unclear if it has done so.

Zenith bought the former asphalt refinery on Northwest Front Avenue in Portland for $61 million in 2017. It uses the facility to store fuels before transferring them to ships bound for refineries and markets elsewhere.
HOUSTON (AP)  An Instagram influencer from Texas has been found dead in her apartment and the Florida man investigators believe killed her then stabbed himself to death, authorities said.

The body of Jenae Gagnier, 33, was found in her apartment in Richmond, Texas, on Sunday. Known online as Miss Mercedes Morr, she had amassed 2.6 million followers on Instagram.

Gagniers father told multiple news outlets that he rushed to his daughter's apartment on Sunday, concerned that he had been unable to reach her on the phone all weekend.

I know my daughter and when I got to my daughters house and it was locked up and shes not answering my phone call, which is not like her, I knew something was up. So I didnt hesitate to kick the door down, said Mark Gagnier. What I saw, I wouldnt want any parent to go through.

He found his daughter dead at the bottom of the stairs.

I walk in and Janaes on the floor, and her clothes are all torn up and stuff, Gagnier said.

The Medical Examiners office determined Gagnier died by strangulation and traumatic concussion.

The Richmond Police Department on Monday identified the suspect in her killing as 34-year-old Kevin Alexander Accorto, whose last known address was in Florida. The medical examiner determined he stabbed himself to death.

Mark Gagnier said he found Accorto upstairs.

I go upstairs, guy upstairs with a knife in him, still alive, the father said.

Richmond police have yet to determine a motive in the killing and an investigation is ongoing.

Police said Gagnier and Accorto had no personal relationship, and her parents said they believe he was crazed Instagram follower.

Unfortunately, someone basically was stalking, and killed my baby, said her mother, Jeanetta Grover.
MARTELLE, Iowa (AP)  At least five law enforcement officers fired their guns at a person holding a knife outside a building fire in rural eastern Iowa, killing the person, the Iowa Department of Public Safety reported Wednesday.

The shooting happened Tuesday night, when law enforcement converged on a property about a mile southeast of Martelle following a 911 call, according to a news release from the department. Arriving officers came upon a large structure fire and a person holding a knife who didnt comply with orders to drop the knife, officials said.
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis says thanks to surgery that removed a portion of his colon he can now eat whatever he wants and leads a totally normal life.

The pontiff in a pre-recorded radio interview broadcast on Wednesday spoke about his health in the aftermath of the July 4 scheduled surgery at a Rome hospital.

"Now I can eat everything, which was not possible before with the diverticula,'' Francis said. After the surgery, the Vatican said inflammation of diverticula, or pouches that protrude from the intestinal wall, had caused a narrowing of part of his large intestine.

In the interview with Cadena COPE, which is operated by the Spanish bishops conference, Francis said he still takes medication as his body adjusts to the smaller colon.

I can eat everything. I still have the post-operative medications, because the brain has to register that it has 33 centimeters (about 13 inches) less intestine,'' Francis said.

But, the pope added that besides that, I have a normal life. I lead a totally normal life.

He credited a Vatican nurse for urging him to go with the option of having surgery instead of relying on antibiotics for the bowel inflammation. He saved my life! the pope exclaimed in the interview.

The 84-year-old pontiff's stamina will be put to the test later this month during a four-day pilgrimage that will take him to Hungary and Slovakia.

In the interview, Francis said he'll also be going on other trips to Cyprus, Greece and Malta.

Francis literally laughed off, during the interview, some reports in Italian media that health concerns might prompt his resignation. "Whenever a pope is ill, there is always a breeze  or a hurricane  of a conclave.''

Conclaves are closed-door huddles of cardinals to elect a pope's successor. In 2013, a frail Benedict XVI shocked the Catholic church and the world when he announced that he was resigning. Francis' predecessor in the papacy was the first pope in six centuries to step down. Francis has indicated in past comments that he would consider doing the same if he felt he could no longer carry out the duties of the papacy.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  In the nearly two months since President Jovenel Moise was assassinated, Haiti has suffered a devastating earthquake and a drenching tropical storm, the twin natural disasters deflecting attention from the man-made one that preceded them.

Add the constant worry over deteriorating security at the hands of gangs that by some estimates control territory thats home to about a fifth of Haitis 11 million citizens, and the investigation into Moises killing is fast fading from the public consciousness.

Even those still paying attention, demanding accountability and pressuring for a thorough investigation give no chance to the crimes masterminds being brought to justice in a country where impunity reigns. It doesnt help that Moise was despised by a large portion of the population.

The murder seems destined to join other assassinations in Haiti, like that of respected journalist Jean Dominique in 2000 and prominent lawyer Monferrier Dorval last year, both unsolved.

The hope for finding justice for Jovenel is zero, said Pierre Esperance, executive director of the National Human Rights Defense Network, which is one of Haiti's most prominent and respected rights groups and a member of the International Federation for Human Rights.

Despite Esperances pessimism, his group published a detailed report on the July 7 killing, in which a team of Colombian mercenaries breached the president's private residence high in a hillside neighborhood above Port-au-Prince, then fatally shot Moise and wounded his wife.

The report largely tracks the governments arrests of suspects thus far, implicating those in charge of Moises security. The intellectual and material authors of this assassination were able to count on the support of at least two heads of presidential security, the report charges.

But it also suggests that Prime Minister Ariel Henry, Justice Minister Rockefeller Vincent and even Martine Moise, the former presidents wife, know far more about the killing than they have shared.

The group says its report was based on notes made by the magistrates of the peace involved in the initial stage of the investigation and on conversations with those who were arrested. Asked about other sources, Esperance demurred.

The report alleges the prime minister had multiple phone calls, including on the morning of the assassination, with Joseph Badio, a former justice official now at the center of the murder investigation as a suspect. When Henry was asked about the calls with Badio in a recent radio interview, he said he knew Badio and defended him.

The idea of defending the guy publicly is peculiar, and dismissing the whole possibility that he might have been involved is clearly an interference into the investigation, said Robert Fatton Jr., a Haiti expert and professor of government and foreign affairs at the University of Virginia. When the prime minister says he has nothing to do with it, that sends signals to others that they shouldnt go there.

Henry spends much of his public appearances these days talking about earthquake relief operations, though on Monday he did appear to allude to Haitis political crisis.

All sectors should put their heads together for us to find a consensus. Henry wrote on Twitter. Therefore, I invite you to talk so that we can get the country out of the bad impasse it finds, to talk about the roots of the problems until we find an agreement that will allow us to get out of this crisis.

Vincent, the justice minister, also appears conflicted. He was close to Badio, who remains a fugitive.

Last week, Vincent renewed his pledge to find everyone connected to Moises killing and urged the public to be patient. After agreeing to an interview with The Associated Press to discuss the investigation, Vincent cancelled it shortly before the scheduled time.

If the minister of justice stays in his position, this investigation is not going anywhere, Esperance said.

The first investigative judge assigned to the case withdrew days after his appointment. A new one was just named, some seven weeks after the assassination. Clerks and others involved in the investigation have reported threats and attempts to influence their findings and in some cases have gone into hiding.

At least 44 people have been arrested, including 18 Colombians who were part of the team that allegedly attacked the presidents house as well as three Haitian-Americans. Most of the rest of the arrests were Haitian security personnel with some responsibility for the presidents security. No one has been charged.

Esperance was no fan of Moise  he calls him one of Haitis worst presidents and says the country regressed under his administration  but he is bothered that the president was killed in his home and no one has resigned. He believes Moise deserves justice.

His group's report is clear about the questions it cant answer, importantly who paid for such an elaborate operation.

Another official who figures prominently in the report is Jean Laguel Civil, the divisional police commander who coordinated the presidents security. He was arrested following the murder along with Dimitri Herard, head of the General Security Unit of the National Palace.

Reynold Georges, the lawyer representing Civil, said his client had nothing to do with the assassination. My client is a victim because he did his job well and these people wanted to kill the president, Georges said.

Civil told me he was in bed that night, and that about 1:35 a.m. in the morning, the president called him to tell him that people came to his house and they started to fire on his house. A lot of people, Georges said. And some of them said this is a DEA intervention.

Civil then called Herard and told him to go to the house with backup, Georges said, but Moise was already dead.

Asked if he thought the investigation would reveal who was behind the presidents murder, Georges said: The people who killed the president, they are the ones who investigate the matter, so you can conclude for yourself.

All of this is taking place in a chaotic political landscape. Haiti currently has only 10 elected officials after it failed to hold parliamentary elections, leaving Moise to rule by decree for more than a year until his death.

Moises own party was so deeply divided that some have suggested members could have been involved in his killing. The opposition has been unable to overcome its own rifts to get behind a single platform. Most anyone in an opposition leadership position is also interested in becoming president.

So we are nowhere near a solution to the crisis, said Fatton, the Haiti expert.

Esperance, like the lawyer Georges, believes the people from Moises party still in power lack the motivation to get to the bottom of his killing and could even benefit.

One of the problems that we have is that the (Tet Kale party) doesnt want justice for Jovenel, Esperance said. Theyre using Jovenels corpse to do political persecutions. This is also what his wife wants. They want to persecute people who were opposed to Jovenel.

Ordinary Haitians are already moving on.

Justice is just a word in Haiti, the institution doesnt exist, said Gerald Cene, who was selling phone credit in a Port-au-Prince market Tuesday.

I believe many high-level government people are involved in the presidents killing, Cene said, adding that he thinks they will do everything to keep the justice system dysfunctional.

Marc-Antoine Dorcel was walking downtown after paying his children's school fees. Jovenel was killed and that is the end of it, said Dorcel, who works in an accounting firm.

Dorcel, like many Haitians, has more pressing concerns. I need justice for basic reasons, just to have water, electricity, health care, work, make sure my family is safe.
BENI, Congo (AP)  Rebels in eastern Congo ambushed a stalled civilian convoy that was under military escort Wednesday, killing five people and abducting dozens of hostages initially. About 20 people remained missing hours later, the army said.

The attack took place after the convoy had stopped to repair one of the vehicles, Capt. Jules Ngongo, spokesman for the Congolese army in Ituri province, told The Associated Press.

Initially the gunmen kidnapped 80 people but he said the army was able to soon rescue 60 of them.

"We call on people to remain calm and to trust their army because it is difficult to fight the terrorists, but we will fight for peace to return as soon as possible, Ngongo said.

The latest attack, though, prompted more outcry in eastern Congo, where civilians say the rebel group known as ADF is stepping up its attacks.

What is the purpose of our army? How can a convoy of civilian vehicles be attacked when they were secured by the army? Without capturing even one rebel? said Christian Munyanderu, coordinator of a local human rights group.

The ADF, or Allied Democratic Forces rebels, trace their origins to nearby Uganda and have long carried out attacks in eastern Congo, at times bringing gunfire to the city center of Beni.

The ongoing attacks there have repeatedly prompted anger about the inability of the Congolese army and U.N. peacekeepers to stop the violence.

Fears have deepened ever since ADF reportedly pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State organization though the exact ties between the two groups remain murky.

Islamic States Central Africa Province claimed a suicide bombing at a busy intersection in Beni earlier this year. The Ugandan man died, but no one else was killed in that blast believed to be the first of its kind in eastern Congo.

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Associated Press writer Jean-Yves Kamale in Kinshasa contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON - House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is threatening telecommunications and social media companies that comply with a request by the committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob, declaring that Republicans "will not forget" their actions.

McCarthy spoke with then-President Donald Trump on the day of the attack and is a potential witness in the select committee's probe.

The panel on Monday asked 35 companies to retain phone records and other information related to the attack as it ramps up its investigation ahead of the return of Congress next month. Several of the companies indicated this week that they intend to comply with the panel's requests, while only one so far has publicly said it will not do so.

"Adam Schiff, Bennie Thompson, and Nancy Pelosi's attempts to strong-arm private companies to turn over individuals' private data would put every American with a phone or computer in the crosshairs of a surveillance state run by Democrat politicians," McCarthy said in a statement Tuesday night, referring to the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, the chairman of the select committee and the House speaker.

"If these companies comply with the Democrat order to turn over private information, they are in violation of federal law and subject to losing their ability to operate in the United States," McCarthy said. "If companies still choose to violate federal law, a Republican majority will not forget and will stand with Americans to hold them fully accountable under the law."

It is not clear what law McCarthy is asserting the companies would be breaking if they comply with the panel's request. McCarthy's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Tim Mulvey, a spokesman for the select committee, said Wednesday that the panel "won't be deterred by those who want to whitewash or cover up the events of January 6th, or obstruct our investigation."

"The Select Committee is investigating the violent attack on the Capitol and attempt to overturn the results of last year's election," Mulvey said in a statement. "We've asked companies not to destroy records that may help answer questions for the American people."

Mike Stern, a former lawyer for the nonpartisan House counsel office, said there are probably laws that bar phone carriers and other companies from turning over records voluntarily. But, if a subpoena is issued, those companies would be legally obligated to respond.

"Even if there is arguably a competing legal obligation or privilege that might trump the subpoena, I know of no principle that requires any subpoena recipient to risk contempt in order to protect the interests of their customers," Stern said.

Some Democratic lawmakers and legal experts, meanwhile, accused McCarthy on Wednesday of trying to obstruct justice by threatening the companies.

"Every day we enter new uncharted territory," Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J., said in a statement. "Last night, the House Republican leader openly threatened subpoenaed parties to undermine and impede the historic probe into January 6. His threats are treasonous."

Norman Eisen, former White House ethics counsel in the Obama administration, argued that McCarthy's action "meets the elements of obstruction."

"It's Orwellian. If these telecom companies fail to comply with the requirement to preserve these records, if they did what Kevin McCarthy wants . . . that would be a violation of law," Eisen, the executive chairman of the States United Democracy Center and a senior fellow at Brookings, said during an interview on CNN.

"So this is absolutely unjustified by law, and it raises serious questions under the House ethics rules and other laws for Kevin McCarthy himself."

Pelosi in June announced the formation of a select committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, after Senate Republicans blocked an effort to form an independent, bipartisan commission. McCarthy opposed both the bipartisan commission and the select committee.

The panel is charged with investigating the facts and causes of the insurrection and will provide recommendations to help prevent similar attacks in the future.

The select committee's chairman, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, D-Miss., recently said his panel would not shy away from investigating lawmakers as part of its inquiry, highlighting the remarkable nature of Congress investigating an attack on itself.

The committee's plans have already drawn criticism from Republicans, most of whom have opposed investigating the insurrection and Trump's role in inspiring the mob with his false claims about Joe Biden's win in the 2020 election.

The request that went out Monday was sent to tech and social media companies including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Signal, as well as telecommunications companies including Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile.

The panel is asking the 35 companies to preserve "metadata, subscriber information, technical usage information, and content of communications for the listed individuals."

In its letters to the companies, the committee asked for the preservation of material from individuals who were "involved in organizing, funding, or speaking" at January's "Stop the Steal" rallies, as well as individuals who were "potentially involved with discussions of plans to challenge, delay, or interfere" with the electoral certification process.

In recent days, some of the companies have indicated that they intend to comply with the panel's requests, including social media platform Reddit and Snap, owner of the video-sharing platform Snapchat.

Reddit spokesperson Cameron Njaa said in an emailed statement to The Washington Post that company executives have "received the letter in question and are fully cooperating with the Committee on this matter." Snap spokesperson Rachel Racusen said its leaders "plan to comply" with the requests. In an emailed statement sent by a communications firm representing the Discord instant messaging platform, chief legal officer Clint Smith said the company's executives "intend to cooperate fully as appropriate."

Other companies, including Facebook and Google, said they plan to work with the committee but would not say whether they will comply specifically with the recent requests.

Ivy Choi, a spokesperson for Google, which also owns YouTube, said they "have received the Select Committee's letter and are committed to working with Congress on this."

"The events of January 6 were unprecedented and tragic, and Google and YouTube strongly condemn them," Choi said. "We're committed to protecting our platforms from abuse, including by rigorously enforcing our policies for content related to the events of January 6."

Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement, "We have received the request and look forward to continuing to work with the committee."

Rumble, a YouTube rival popular with conservative influencers, said the company "complies with all valid law enforcement and investigative requests," but it did not say whether it considers the committee's requests as such, nor whether it will comply with them.

Only one company appears to have publicly indicated it will reject the committee's request so far. A spokesperson for the Switzerland-based Proton Technologies, the parent company behind the encrypted email service ProtonMail, said it could not comply with the request due to Swiss blocking laws that restrict the sharing of evidence from the country with foreign authorities.

"Our use of zero-access encryption means that we do not have access to the message content being requested," U.S. Communications Manager Matt Fossen said in a statement to The Post.

Under Swiss law, Fossen said, "it is also illegal for us to share data with U.S. authorities so we would be unable to comply without breaking Swiss law."

Spokesmen for Amazon, Microsoft and Twitter declined to comment. Spokesmen for Apple, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, TikTok, Slack, MeWe, 4chan, Signal, ProtonMail, Parler, and Twitch did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday and early Wednesday about the panel's requests and McCarthy's remarks. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.

McCarthy and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, have been the recent subjects of questions about which members could be called to appear before the select committee.

Earlier this year, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., described what McCarthy told her about a phone call he had with Trump on Jan. 6 in which he asked the president to help calm supporters who had broken into the Capitol.

"When McCarthy finally reached the president on January 6 and asked him to publicly and forcefully call off the riot, the president initially repeated the falsehood that it was antifa that had breached the Capitol," Herrera Beutler said in a statement in February, referring a to a loosely knit group of far-left activists.

"McCarthy refuted that and told the president that these were Trump supporters. That's when, according to McCarthy, the president said: 'Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.' "

- - -

Dave Clarke and Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report.
NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)  Nurses and other medical staff will vote Thursday on a proposed three-year contract that their union has tentatively reached with the owners of Our Lady of Fatima Hospital.

United Nurses and Allied Professionals said a strike vote scheduled for next week was canceled, the Providence Journal reported Wednesday.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  The Albuquerque school system has fired former state Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton from her nearly $80,000-a-year occupational education position amid a corruption investigation.

Williams Stapleton resigned her legislative position in July amid a criminal investigation into possible racketeering, money laundering, kickbacks and violations of a law governing the conduct of state lawmakers.

A lawyer for Albuquerque Public Schools, Luis Robles, said Tuesday that Williams Stapleton had been discharged." He declined to elaborate.

Williams Stapleton's attorney, Ahmad Assed, did not immediately respond to a request Wednesday by The Associated Press for comment on her behalf.

The school district previously placed Williams Stapleton on leave after investigators searched her home.

Authorities are investigating Williams Stapletons connections to a company that received more than $5 million in contracts to do business with the school district.

Williams Stapleton has not been criminally charged and Assed has said Williams Stapleton would cooperate with investigators and clear her name.

Robles said Williams Stapleton can appeal her termination from the school system.

The Bernalillo County Commission recently filled the House vacancy created by Williams Stapleton's resignation by appointing fellow Albuquerque Democrat Kay Bounkeua.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP)  New Jersey's largest city violated state guidelines when it financed a $5.4 million contract to renovate a public ice skating rink when the cost should have been borne by the entity performing the work, a state comptroller's report released Wednesday concluded.

The report by acting State Comptroller Kevin Walsh found the city didnt conduct a public bidding process when it selected Devils Renaissance Development, a private entity associated with the New Jersey Devils NHL team, to renovate the rink at the Sharpe James and Kenneth A. Gibson Recreation and Aquatic Center in East Newark.

The Devils play at Prudential Center arena in Newark.

Under New Jersey's Adopt-a-Park statute, a municipality can contract with a private entity for maintaining, operating or improving a public park without having to seek competitive pricing, as long as the agreement comes at no cost to the municipality.

Newark issued $5.2 million in bonds in 2017 to pay for the project, according to the report. Devils Renaissance Development donated its services to the city and didnt receive financial compensation, but acted as general contractor and forwarded funds to various contractors working on the project.

Newarks conduct in funding the project in its entirety directly contradicts the Adopt-a-Park Statutes express requirement that agreements come at no cost to the local government and contravenes the legislative findings and public policy on which the statute is based," the report concluded.

Kenyatta Stewart, Newark's corporation counsel, disputed the report's conclusions.

We disagree with the Comptrollers findings," Stewart said in an email. "We relied on advice of outside counsel and will continue to comply with the law. Most importantly, Newarks youth can enjoy skating on a first-class ice rink built by the Jersey Devils.

The report found that the agreement between the city and Devils Renaissance Development left out any reference to the part of the Adopt-a-Park Statute that prohibits municipalities from incurring costs in connection with such agreements.

Newark argued that wording in a section of the law allowed it to fund the project. A former business administrator for the city told the comptroller's office that Devils Renaissance Development was the only organization with the expertise necessary to perform the work at the rink, though he admitted he didn't contact any other companies for comparison, the report found.

The city has agreed to update its policies and adhere to public bidding requirements, the comptroller's office said.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  Gov. Chris Sununu said Wednesday he tested negative for COVID-19, hours after his office said he wasn't feeling well, postponed a meeting and began isolating.

I appreciate all the well wishes, Sununu said in a statement. I woke up with symptoms similar to COVID and out of an abundance of caution I took two rapid antigen tests, which came back negative, and then followed up with a PCR test, which confirmed the negative. I am going to rest up, and look forward to getting back to the State House soon!
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif.  They sent thousands of firefighters, 25 helicopters and an arsenal of more than 400 fire engines and 70 water trucks. Yet the fire still advanced.

They dropped retardant chemicals through an ash-filled sky and bulldozed trees and brush to slow the march of the flames through the steep and rugged terrain of the Sierra Nevada. Yet the fire still advanced.

Bursting across a granite ridge into the Lake Tahoe basin, the Caldor fire now threatens tens of thousands of homes and hotels that ring the lake.

On Tuesday, the smoke-choked streets of South Lake Tahoe, the most populous city on the lake, were deserted, save for police patrol cars and an occasional convoy of fire vehicles. Thousands of residents and tourists had been evacuated the day before.

The lake, renowned for its bright blue hues and the evergreen forests that surround it, was smothered in a slate of sickly orange-gray haze. On the Nevada side of the border, which has not yet been evacuated, one industry was still limping along: a trickle of gamblers sat at slot machines to the whooshing sound of large air purifiers that attempted to keep out the pungent smoke. The air quality index was nearing 500, a level considered hazardous.

Battling the Caldor fire has been humbling and harrowing for California firefighters. Experts believe the challenge is a cautionary tale for future megafires in the West and lays bare a certain futility in trying to fully control the most aggressive wildfires.

No matter how many people you have out on these fires, its not a large enough workforce to put the fire out, said Malcolm North, a fire expert with the U.S. Forest Service and a professor at the University of California, Davis.

You can save particular areas or particular homes, North said. But the fire is pretty much going to do what its going to do until the weather shifts.

MAX WHITTAKER/NYT

On Monday, propelled by strong winds, the fire crested a granite ridge that officials had hoped would serve as a natural barrier. Embers leapfrogged past firefighting crews and descended toward the valley floor just miles from South Lake Tahoe. By early Tuesday, the fire had taken hold in the Tahoe basin. Stands of pine ignited by flying embers were fully engulfed in flames, casting a bright orange glow into the night sky.

It was only the second time, officials said, that a wildfire that began on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada crossed into the eastern side. The first was also this summer: the Dixie fire, the second largest in California history. No deaths have been reported in either fire.

The authorities say about 27,000 firefighters were battling blazes across the country, about 15,000 of them in California. All national parks in California will be closed by Tuesday night. Hundreds of soldiers and airmen and several military aircraft have been sent by the National Guard. But the resources are no match for the ferocious blazes, which continue to outpace firefighters and explode across the state.

The blazes in Sierra forests have exposed the domino effects of climate change on firefighting challenges: Frequent heat waves and overall higher temperatures have desiccated West Coast flora, making it more vulnerable to large fires. Droughts have weakened trees, encouraging insect infestations that have contributed to the deaths of close to 150 million trees. This creates more fuel for fires.

Scientists say there is also a correlation between global warming and the increased wind conditions that have fanned fierce wildfires across the state. And they point to a need for better forest management, thinning out some of the thickest woods.

MAX WHITTAKER/NYT

What characterizes the megafires of recent years, experts said, is their tendency to launch embers far ahead of the main fire front  sometimes by miles  and for the embers to land on parched terrain that is instantly combustible. This can rapidly expand the perimeter of the fire, which hops over one of the main containment tools: the bulldozed areas, known as fire breaks, that create a line of containment.

The Tubbs fire in October 2017 jumped over what would normally be considered a formidable fire break  a six-lane freeway  and went on to incinerate 1,200 homes in the residential community of Coffey Park.

These spot fires are causing a lot of havoc, said Craig Clements, a professor of meteorology and the director of the Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center at San Jose State University, a group that is modeling the spread of the Caldor fire.

Theres just fire all around, Clements added, and that makes it very difficult to suppress. As a measure of how combustible the landscape has become, other scientists have calculated that embers have a 90% chance of becoming spot fires once they land.

The chaotic way these megafires spread was on display in the hills above South Lake Tahoe on Monday. Kyle Hukkanen was leading a crew of 12 inmate firefighters armed with axes, shovels and chain saws. They bounded down a steep hillside of granite boulders and evergreen trees until they reached a spot where wisps of smoke were rising from the ground.

MAX WHITTAKER/NYT

They dug and sprayed the smoldering fire with water before ascending back to their idling truck. This is not good, Hukkanen said as gusts of wind fed the spot fire on the hillsides. The radio crackled with reports of spotting farther down the mountain toward South Lake Tahoe, and Hukkanen and his crew disappeared down a smoke-shrouded road.

Fire specialists say some firefighting tools are appropriate on a smaller scale but outmatched by the huge fires of recent years.

In the hills and gullies where the Caldor fire has burned 190,000 acres over the past two weeks, helicopters dropped large buckets of water  thousands of gallons at a time  but they hardly seemed a match.

Thats great for protecting a neighborhood, but when you think about the size of a 750,000-acre fire, thats nothing, North, the U.S. Forest Service expert, said of dropping water or retardant in large swaths of forest.

He and others added that the Sisyphean task of fire containment pointed to a desperate need for better mitigation.

Controlled burns that embrace Indigenous methods to use good fire to fight destructive megafires has become an increasingly accepted method in recent years, but experts say that the state has a lot of catching up to do.

Until then, attempts to suppress fire are inevitably required to save lives and property. In the past year, California spent more than $1 billion on emergency fire suppression efforts but slashed its prevention budget. This years budget includes more than $500 million for fire prevention, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in April.

Still, resources remain strained. The U.S. Forest Service has struggled to retain federal firefighters, who earn around half of their state counterparts pay at Cal Fire. When the Caldor fire ballooned to 6,500 acres in mid-August, just 242 firefighters had been assigned to it. Eventually, hundreds more were redeployed from the Dixie fire, which has so far razed more than 800,000 acres and was still less than half contained by Tuesday morning.

MAX WHITTAKER/NYT

On the receiving end of the worsening fires are the residents who wonder where, if anywhere, will be safe from wildfire.

Among the evacuees from South Lake Tahoe on Monday were Darren Cobrae, a real estate investor, and his partner, Stephanie Cothern, who was driving the couples car toward the Nevada state line.

Inside were bags of clothing, two large parrots and three dogs, Banana, Freddy and Copper.

Cobrae said he moved to South Lake Tahoe from Southern California, where his home was nearly burned in a wildfire in 2007.

I figured I would be safe in this city, Cobrae said. And now this, he said, pointing to a sky thickening with smoke.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
LONDON (AP)  U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was heading to the region around Afghanistan on Wednesday in a push to rescue stranded British citizens and Afghan allies, amid strong criticism of the governments rushed and chaotic evacuation effort.

Raab did not provide any details, citing security reasons, but he is expected to visit Pakistan for talks on establishing routes out of Afghanistan through third countries.

A senior British official, Simon Gass, already travelled to Qatar to meet with Taliban representatives for talks about allowing people to leave Afghanistan.

Britain says it evacuated more than 15,000 U.K. citizens and vulnerable Afghans from Kabul during a two-week August airlift that Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has called Dunkirk by WhatsApp.

But Wallace also said that as many as 1,100 Afghans who were entitled to come to the U.K. were left behind. Raab said those who werent evacuated included guards from the now-abandoned British Embassy in Kabul.

We wanted to get some of those embassy guards through, but the buses arranged to collect them, to take them to the airport, were not given permission to enter, he told lawmakers on Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee.

Raab put the number of U.K. nationals still in Afghanistan in the low- to mid-hundreds.

The United States and other nations were caught off-guard by the Talibans swift conquest of Afghanistan, having failed to predict how quickly the Western-backed Afghan government would collapse once NATO troops began to depart.

Opposition politicians excoriated Raab for failing to cut short a vacation in Greece as the Taliban advanced on Kabul. He returned to London only after the Afghan capital fell on Aug. 15.

Raab said the intelligence had suggested the most likely scenario after Western troops withdrew was a steady deterioration and it was unlikely Kabul would fall this year.

That's something that was widely shared, that view, among NATO allies, Raab said.

He rejected a claim by Conservative lawmaker Tom Tugendhat that the Afghan collapse was the single biggest foreign policy disaster the U.K. has faced since Suez. A failed 1956 attempt by Israel, Britain and France to seize the newly nationalized Suez Canal from Egypt is often seen as a symbol of post-imperial Britains declining power.

I am afraid I struggle with the Suez analogy, Raab said. But I understand what you are really searching for is to learn the lessons and even more generally find a path forward for Afghanistan.
Americas major religions and denominations, often divided on other big issues, have united behind the effort to help receive an influx of refugees from Afghanistan following the end of the United States longest war and one of the largest airlifts in history.

Among those gearing up to help are Jewish refugee resettlement agencies and Islamic groups; conservative and liberal Protestant churches; and prominent Catholic relief organizations, providing everything from food and clothes to legal assistance and housing.

Its incredible. Its an interfaith effort that involved Catholic, Lutheran, Muslim, Jews, Episcopalians ... Hindus ... as well as nonfaith communities who just believe that maybe its not a matter of faith, but its just a matter of who we are as a nation, said Krish OMara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

The U.S. and its coalition partners have evacuated more than 100,000 people from Afghanistan since the airlift began Aug. 14, including more than 5,400 American citizens and many Afghans who helped the U.S. during the 20-year war.

The effort by faith groups to help resettle them follows a long history of religious involvement in refugee policy, said Stephanie Nawyn, a sociologist at Michigan State University who focuses on refugee issues.

Decades before the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program was created in 1980, faith organizations advocated for the resettlement of Jewish refugees during World War II. Religious groups also helped receive people who fled wars in Vietnam, the Balkans and elsewhere.

Besides helping distribute government resources, the groups mobilize private assets such as donations and volunteers and work with other private entities to provide supplies and housing, Nawyn said.

U.S. resettlement agencies were gutted under former President Donald Trump, who slashed refugee admissions yearly until they reached a record low. Now agencies are scrambling to expand capacity so they can handle the influx from Afghanistan.

Its a historic effort, and there are and have been challenges  especially after rebounding from four years of what was a war on immigration, which decimated the refugee resettlement infrastructure, OMara Vignarajah said.

Some of our local offices might have resettled 100 families throughout the entirety of last year, and they may now be looking at 100 families in the next few weeks, she said.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Charities and other agencies have been welcoming Afghan families at U.S. military bases where they're being housed temporarily.

A major challenge is finding affordable housing in areas where Afghans have typically resettled, including California and the Washington, D.C., region.

Im very concerned about children, getting them into schools, said Bill Canny, executive director of the USCCB's Migration and Refugee Services program.

World Relief, a global Christian humanitarian organization, has helped resettle about 360 Afghans in the past month and is expecting many more, said Matthew Soerens, the group's U.S. director of church mobilization.

These are individuals in many cases who have put their lives at risk and their families' lives at risk for the people of the United States of America, he said. Now that they're facing the risk of retribution and retaliation from the Taliban ... I think most Americans of all religious traditions see it as a moral imperative for us to keep our promise.

Among the evacuees are Afghans who obtained special immigrant visas after working with the U.S. or NATO as interpreters or in some other capacity; people who have applied for the visas but not yet received them; and those who might have been particularly in danger under the Taliban.

But thousands of others who also qualified for visas have been left behind because of a backlog of applications, and faith-based groups have called on President Joe Bidens administration to get them safely to the U.S.

Some of the cases we are involved with have gotten out, but many have not, said Mark Hetfield, president and CEO of the Jewish refugee agency HIAS, one of nine groups that contract with the State Department on resettlement.

We have a girl who was literally shot by the Taliban and is now severely disabled who cant get out," he said. "We are aware of many, many others who are trapped  and the U.S. has left them behind.

Biden says he has tasked Secretary of State Antony Blinken to coordinate with international partners to hold the Taliban to their promise of safe passage for those who want to leave in the days ahead.

The president has historically supported receiving refugees, co-sponsoring legislation that created the governments program in 1980. This June, for World Refugee Day, Biden said that resettling refugees helps reunite families, enriches the fabric of America and enhances our standing, influence and security in the world.

Ardiane Ademi, director of the Refugee Resettlement Program for Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, said it recently resettled several families who left Afghanistan before the airlift and is bracing for hundreds more.

John Koehlinger, executive director of Kentucky Refugee Ministries, said his agency has received two families through the special immigrant visa program and has begun receiving additional evacuees. But other families the agency had been expecting have not yet arrived.

Hopefully some or all of them are on a U.S. military base being processed, he said.

Ademi and Koehlinger said individuals and local congregations have volunteered to help with resettlement. Some have worked with refugees before, while others are newcomers motivated by the desperate news out of Afghanistan.

Its a huge response, Ademi said.

The humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been providing personal hygiene items, underwear, sandals and toys to refugees at an air base in Qatar, church spokesman Doug Anderson said.

Widely known as the Mormon church, it has also been distributing supplies to the thousands of Afghans temporarily sheltered at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. And it is working with the U.S. military to provide aid to the 10,000 refugees expected to arrive at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, from where they will be relocated in communities across the country.

Hala Halabi, national director of refugee facilitation for the Islamic Circle of North America Relief USA, said Muslim Americans have been flooding the group with calls, emails and text messages offering to make donations, mentor refugees or prepare welcome boxes.

The nonprofit recently furnished three apartments in the Dallas area with everything from the doormat to the food in the fridge, Halabi said, and is collecting supplies from pots and microwaves to pasta, sugar and cleaning agents as it prepares for additional arrivals.

Beyond the response from Muslim Americans, Halabi said she is heartened by how different faith groups have mobilized to help refugees: Its amazing from everybody.

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Associated Press journalists Sophia Eppolito in Salt Lake City and Jessie Wardarski and Emily Leshner in New York contributed to this report.

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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.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A part-time police officer and former firefighter in West Virginia has been indicted on federal civil rights charges involving two victims, including a teenage girl who was allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted.

Christopher Osborne was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Charleston, the U.S. Justice Department announced. The charges including two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law   language used to describe crimes committed while on duty  and one count each of using fire to commit a felony and witness tampering.

The civil rights charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Osborne, 25, is accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in January, causing injuries to her. Osborne also knowingly made false statements to federal investigators by denying sexual contact with the girl, according to the indictment.

According to a criminal complaint filed earlier this year by West Virginia State Police, the assault on the girl occurred at the Danville Volunteer Fire Department, where Osborne was a member for nine years. Video surveillance from the fire department showed Osborne and the girl together.

Osborne also is accused of setting fire to and destroying the property of a 49-year-old woman in November 2019. The Justice Department did not disclose the location of the property or other information about the woman.

Osborne also was a part-time police officer in Marmet and a probationary member of the Charleston Fire Department. Officials previously said Osborne has been dismissed by both fire departments.

It wasnt immediately clear whether Osborne has an attorney or whether he was still employed by the Marmet police department. Marmet Police Chief John Perrine said in January that Osborne was suspended without pay pending the outcome of the case. A call to the department wasn't immediately returned Wednesday.

Prosecutors said the FBI is seeking additional information about Osborne, who was booked into the South Central Regional Jail in Charleston on Wednesday.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A judge on Wednesday entered a not guilty plea on behalf of a Wisconsin man accused of killing and dismembering his parents.

Chandler Halderson, 23, of Windsor, did not speak during the brief hearing before Dane County Circuit Judge John Hyland. He remains in the Dane County Jail on $1 million bond.
LONDON (AP)  Leading scholars and lawyers are joining politicians and human rights groups in Britain Wednesday for the first large-scale conference to discuss the Chinese governments alleged genocide against the Uyghur ethnic group in the northwest Xinjiang region.

The three-day conference at Newcastle University brings together dozens of speakers, including senior British judges and lawmakers, and is the first to gather so many experts on Xinjiang and genocide. It is the latest move aiming to hold China accountable for alleged rights abuses against the Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim and Turkic minorities.

Speakers will cover evidence of alleged atrocities targeting the Uyghurs, including forced labor, forced birth control and religious suppression, and discuss ways to compel international action to stop the alleged abuse.

We want it to not just be a scholarly affair  we are gathering all these people to combine their expertise and influence to up the ante, to increase pressure on China, to think of ways to bring an end to the harm on the Uyghur people, said organizer Jo Smith Finley, an academic specializing in Uyghur studies.

This is a major humanitarian disaster which is increasingly urgent," she added. Is this genocide or cultural genocide, or crimes against humanity, and how can we prosecute that? We are really trying to refocus on what can we do to make this stop.

Academic Adrian Zenz, whose research on forced sterilizations among Uyghur women drew widespread attention to the issue, will present official documents backing claims that Beijing wants to forcibly reduce the Uyghur population, Finley said.

Researchers say an estimated 1 million people or more  most of them Uyghurs  have been confined in vast re-education camps in Xinjiang in recent years. Chinese authorities have been accused of imposing forced labor, systematic forced birth contro l and torture, erasing the Uyghurs cultural and religious identity, and separating children from incarcerated parents.

Chinese officials have rejected the genocide and rights abuse allegations as groundless and characterized the camps as vocational training centers to teach Chinese language, job skills and the law to support economic development and combat radicalism. China saw a wave of Xinjiang-related terror attacks through 2016.

Xu Guixiang, a Xinjiang spokesperson, denied the allegations at a news conference in Beijing this week. He said the government's policies had curbed militant attacks and restored stability to the region.

They say more than 1 million people have been locked up in Xinjiang, but in fact most of the graduates of the training and education centers have gotten stable jobs and lead happy lives, Xu said.

The U.S. government and parliaments in Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Canada have declared that Beijings policies against the Uyghurs amount to genocide and crimes against humanity. The United States have blocked imports of cotton and tomatoes from Xinjiang and companies linked to forced labor in the region, and the European Union and Britain have also imposed sanctions on Communist Party officials.

Despite such moves and a growing body of evidence documenting abuses, critics say there has not been enough international political or legal action. It is unclear if the economic sanctions would compel Beijing or Chinese companies to change their ways. China has also retaliated by imposing sanctions on Western individuals and institutions, and called for boycotts against leading retailers such as Nike and H&M after they expressed concerns about forced labor in Xinjiang.

Finley, the conference organizer, was one of several British individuals slapped with Chinese sanctions and banned from visiting China earlier this year for her work.

One of the main goals of the conference is to consider whether diplomatic actions  such as a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing  can be effective in pursuing Chinese accountability.

Theres a lot we can do in terms of shaming, Finley said.

The conference runs until Friday and will be livestreamed online.
By Victoria Franco

Bay City News Foundation

In an effort to provide more college students with health care access, San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton has partnered with Community Medical Centers, a nonprofit, to open their first health clinic on campus for students and their dependent children to address all of their health needs.

As of Tuesday, the center has helped 133 people within a week of its on-campus opening at the Locke Center.

"It's common sense, if students are hungry or they are sick ... or their basic needs are not being met, then it's going to be that much harder for them to finish their education and stay in school," said Alex Breitler, director of marketing and communications at Delta College.

The health center will be operated by Community Medical Centers workers who will offer primary care including immunization and health screenings, birth control, family planning, STD testing and treatment as well as behavioral health services such as individual counseling, psychiatric treatment and care in addition to various other services.

Students and children visiting the center can have their medical fees paid for by their insurance. Community Medical Centers will offer sliding fee discounts based on income and insurance coverage. However, Community Medical Centers officials said they are committed to serving students, regardless of their ability to pay.

Christine Noguera, CEO of Community Medical Centers, said the partnership was a right match because thousands of Delta College students are low-income, which is one of the target populations her center aims to help.

She said for students with multiple obligations and priorities outside of school, such as being parents or working, having a health center on campus can allow them to conveniently seek care.

"Students have a very busy life. . . and they tend to overlook their own health," Noguera said. "By making health care more accessible, our goal is to improve their overall health outcomes as a way of supporting their education."

According to Breitler, Delta College serves over 20,000 students in a year, and many of those students are parents, so he hopes the health center will be of use to students and their children.

The health center will be open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m.

More information on the center can be found at https://www.deltacollege.edu/healthcenter.

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The U.S. Forest Service issued a temporary closure Tuesday of all national forests throughout the state in an effort to reduce the potential for new wildfires starting and visitors becoming trapped in an emergency situation.

The closure goes into effect Tuesday night at 11:59 p.m. and will last through 11:59 p.m. Sept. 17, Forest Service officials said, as conditions across the state mean that new fires have a high potential for rapid growth and risks to life and property.

Forest Service officials also noted that weather conditions that could reduce fire danger are not expected for several weeks in the late summer and early fall.

A 100 percent affordable housing project will break ground in West Oakland in November with the help of a former Black Panther Party leader.

In 2014, former Black Panther Party leader Elaine Brown bought the land at Seventh and Campbell streets where the new housing will take shape.

The three-quarter acre lot in the Lower Bottoms neighborhood had been vacant and blighted for more than 30 years when she bought it.

The Vallejo City Council unanimously adopted a mask mandate during a special meeting Tuesday night, becoming the second city in Solano County to institute such a requirement.

Effective immediately, persons 4 years and older must wear a face mask while inside public buildings within the city. This includes grocery stores, laundromats, office buildings, and restaurants.

Vallejo City Attorney Veronica Nebb clarified a number of points about the new mandate, including that "vaccination status is irrelevant under this ordinance." She also stressed that the city and private individuals have the ability to ask a person to comply with the mandate.

A 17-year-old boy died on Tuesday in a stabbing at Aptos High School in Santa Cruz County, sheriff's officials said.

Around 2:20 p.m., deputies responded to the school at 100 Mariner Way in Aptos and found the victim suffering from multiple stab wounds.

The victim, a student, was airlifted to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries, according to sheriff's officials. The school was placed on lockdown while deputies investigated and the stabbing, eventually arresting two students, sheriff's officials said.

Sheriff's officials added that detectives have learned there may be cellphone video of stabbing. Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Burnett at (831) 454-7702.

Refugees from Afghanistan are already arriving in the East Bay and local officials and community groups are scrambling to make their arrival as welcoming as possible.

U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Walnut Creek, met with members of Concord's Noor Islamic and Cultural Community Center Tuesday afternoon, assuring them lines of communication are open and that the government is trying to re-connect families after the U.S. military recently completed its exit from Afghanistan and the Taliban returned to power after two decades.

DeSaulnier said 123,000 people have been evacuated from the country, and 151 local Afghan families have contacted his office about loved ones.

As in-person school resumes across the greater Bay Area, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors is considering requiring masks indoors regardless of vaccination status to better protect children, many of whom remain ineligible to be vaccinated.

In a Tuesday meeting, the board discussed the danger of students or teachers getting exposed to COVID-19 and then quickly spreading it through in-person learning, citing the recent case of an unvaccinated and unmasked Marin County teacher who infected several students.

In public comment, the policy found particular support amongst parents worried that their children -- especially those who are immunocompromised -- could be infected at school. California has already mandated wearing masks indoors in K-12 schools, childcare and other youth settings.

City employees in Santa Rosa will be required to provide proof of receiving the COVID vaccine by Oct. 1 or submit to weekly testing.

The policy approved by the City Council will apply to all 1,520 permanent and temporary City employees as well as those who volunteer for the City of Santa Rosa, according to a news release issued Tuesday night from city officials.

Santa Rosa joins a growing number of Bay Area cities, counties and school districts have adopted, or are exploring, similar measures for workers.

San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin on Tuesday announced a new partnership with San Francisco State University and various city departments to improve the investigations of sexual assaults and other crimes on campus as well as increase the support for survivors.

A memorandum of understanding established between the District Attorney's Office, San Francisco Police Department, the city's Department of Public Health and SFSU police sets out policies for how the agencies can coordinate their responses to sexual assaults, violent crimes and hate crimes.

When someone reports one of those crimes on campus, SFSU police will now notify the victim services division of the District Attorney's Office to help set up any medical services, therapy, compensation or other services needed.

The National Weather Service forecast for the San Francisco Bay Area calls for continued cool temperatures Wednesday below seasonal averages. Expect highs in the 60s along the coast to the 60s and low 70s around the Bay and into the upper 70s in the inland valleys. Overnight lows will be in the 50s.

High pressure builds Friday and through the Labor Day weekend with a warming trend as inland temperatures warm back into the 90s and lower 100s by Sunday and Monday.

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.
With the Caldor Fire still burning through the South Lake Tahoe basin, extremely hazardous air quality and mass evacuations, Labor Day weekend at Tahoe will be unlike any other this year. And while some officials are pleading with visitors, largely from the Bay Area, not to come, some tourism organizations are stating that they are open for business.

On a normal weekend during the peak summer and winter ski months, the Tahoe population can triple due to the influx of visitors. Labor Day is typically one of the region's busiest weekends of the year, often seeing up to 100,000 visitors arrive, many of whom drive up I-80 from the Bay Area.

This year officials are asking people to make different plans for an abundance of reasons, including the fear that traffic could block critical evacuation routes that saw gridlock on Monday after the order came down in South Lake Tahoe. (As of Wednesday, the Caldor Fire to the south of the lake has burned over 200,000 acres and is at 20% containment, per Cal Fire.)

"The Lake Tahoe area is a popular destination for many Bay Area residents during Labor Day weekend. With dangerous fires and evacuations underway, please help keep the roadways clear for evacuees, emergency services, & resources," the Alameda Police Department wrote in a statement Sunday. "Do not attempt to drive to the area this week/weekend."

The Caldor Fire has now destroyed over 700 structures since it ignited near Placerville in El Dorado County on August 14. The record-breaking Dixie Fire, 50 miles to the north of the lake, has burned almost 850,000 acres. To reduce the risk of new fires in the area, the U.S Forest Service closed nine major state parks in the region until after Labor Day.

The following forests will be closed to the public until September 6 at 11:59 p.m.: Tahoe National Forest, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Plumas National Forest, Lassen National Forest, Mendocino National Forest, Klamath National Forest, Six Rivers National Forest, Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Modoc National Forest.

The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority told SFGATE in a statement that tourist organizations in the region "are joining forces asking all visitors to postpone immediate travel plans due to the Caldor Fire."

"The well-being of our local residents, businesses, communities, and visitors is of the utmost importance to us. At this time, we are asking all guests to postpone immediate travel plans to the Lake Tahoe region until further notice," the statement said.

"Our top priority is helping those affected. We ask for everyones support in following the orders of emergency agencies. We would also like to thank the firefighters, city, county and emergency organizations and personnel working to protect our communities for their leadership in coordinating efforts," said the statement, signed by multiple Tahoe tourist agencies.

CEO of Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau Andy Chapman told SFGATE that the organization is "currently asking visitors to postpone immediate travel plans to the region to allow roads to be open for emergency crews and possible evacuation routes," adding, "our firefighters are fighting the good fight and have done an incredible and of course our thoughts go out to everyone affected by this crisis."

Despite the damage from the fire being largely concentrated to the south and west of the region, as of Wednesday morning the air quality index around the entire lake was "hazardous," meaning "very unhealthy conditions" for even individuals without health issues, per AirNow.

Purple Air

Although they are not in the evacuation zone, the four major casino operators over the Nevada border in Stateline started to shut down portions of their operations on Monday after Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak declared an emergency order in the state. Gamblers were still hitting the slots in the Hard Rock, Harveys, Harrahs and Montbleu on Tuesday.

Not all travelers are being put off by the historic fire and hazardous air. The Reno area, 10 miles to the north of the lake, is expecting thousands of travelers to pass through the region over the coming days for a multi-day renegade Burning Man festival after the official in-person event was canceled again for 2021 amid pandemic concerns.

In apparent contradiction to the statement from the aforementioned tourist agencies, the head of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, Charles Harris, told SFGATE, We are open and certainly Reno and Sparks area is safe. Were continuing on with our business, when discussing the event.

Find our latest updates on the Caldor Fire here.

SFGATE travel editor Freda Moon contributed to this report.
Impossible is not a word scientists like to use in this day and age of the climate crisis. Still, two weeks ago, many people who study wildfires in California thought the odds of the Caldor Fire reaching the Lake Tahoe basin were slim, if not unlikely.

On Monday, the unlikely happened. Again.

The Caldor Fire spilled off the edge of Echo Summit, casting embers into communities that lie on the perimeter of the Lake Tahoe basin. Thousands of local residents live in the neighborhoods of Christmas Valley and Meyers, though evacuation orders had already vacated people from the area. As the fire ran down the valley, erupting in the crowns of giant trees, embers flew as far as a three-quarters of a mile downwind. Flames hop-scotched ahead and jumped over Highway 89, starting another spot fire that has since raced northeast, into the Lake Tahoe Basin. Miraculously, as of Tuesday morning, it seemed as if the fire had spared many homes in Christmas Valley and Meyers, even though walls of flames are burning on both sides of the valley.

Again and again, fire scientists have commented on the extreme and unprecedented behavior on display in the Caldor Fire, which was elevated last week to the No. 1 priority in the country. Since then, several thousand firefighters have arrived, along with engines, bulldozers and helicopters, and yet containment has evaded fire crews. Cal Fire reported 19% containment on the Caldor Fire going into last weekend. But then the winds flared up and took back some of the progress firefighters had made. The fire is 16% contained, as of Tuesday.

Historically, weve used terms such as anomaly, unprecedented or extreme to describe the wildfires we have seen burn throughout the state over the past 10 to 20 years, said Chris Anthony, who represented Cal Fire at a briefing on the Caldor Fire on Monday, standing in front of South Lake Tahoe Airport. These terms are no longer appropriate, given the clear trends associated with drought, a changing climate and unresilient forest stands.

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLAs Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, said the Caldor Fires intensity is equally the product of the climate crisis and a century of fire suppression.

Its those two things together that are modifying the background burning conditions, Swain said. Not subtly. Not by a small amount. But by a very large increment.

Winds are also influencing the Caldor Fire, and what the wind does in the next 36 hours will likely determine the fate of South Lake Tahoe. Southwesterly winds blowing 35 mph, with gusts up to 40 or 50 mph, pushed the fire into the Lake Tahoe basin.

But the reasons why the Caldor Fire is burning so intensely are more complex, Swain said. The day-to-day weather forecast has been challenging for firefighters, he noted. Steep terrain has also complicated fire-suppression efforts. But the winds that pushed the Caldor Fire into Lake Tahoe havent been on par with the excessive and overwhelming wind events that have accompanied Californias most infamous and severe wildfires, like the 2018 Camp Fire.

Its been warm and breezy and dry. Its also August. Thats not unheard of, Swain said. What is unheard of is the degree of vegetation dryness going into this summer and the amount of heat weve had previously this summer.

Swain said that extremely dry, hot weather and changes in climate have been priming the forest for wildfire for months, or even years. Its the drought. Its the heat waves. Its the absence of precipitation. Its the hot, dry nights. Its the shorter winters and longer fire seasons. All of that added up has manifested a wildfire as ferocious and difficult to contain as the Caldor Fire. And now its threatening the homes of tens of thousands of people who live in Meyers and South Lake Tahoe.

Its the character of the fire thats really important, Swain said. The [Caldor] Fire is burning at a high intensity, and by that I literally mean its burning with a higher temperature. The flames are physically longer. The vegetation is much more receptive to spottings. This fire has been spotting like crazy.

Before this summer, no wildfire in Californias recorded history had ever run up and over the crest of the Sierra Nevada. Now, two fires have achieved that grim milestone, both in the past month. Cal Fire Chief Thom Porter said the Dixie Fire was the first to run across the crest. And Monday, the Caldor Fire did the same when it breached Echo Summit.

Caldor Fire enters the Tahoe Basin

Around 2006, Crystal A. Kolden, a pyrogeographer who now works at UC Merced, did some modeling to see how a fire might behave inside the Tahoe basin.

I think people had this idea in their heads that it would be like, you know, when you flush the toilet and it goes around the bowl, Kolden said. That there would just be this massive fire that would sweep around the entire lake.

A wildfire probably wont swallow the basin whole, in one large race around the lake, according to the fire models that Kolden ran.

The biggest fire her modeling created was about 10,000 acres. But that was some 15 years ago, and Kolden said the fire models are outdated.

The worst-case scenarios have already happened, she said. The Caldor Fire has already burned more than 190,000 acres. The models also cannot account for the record-breaking conditions that are driving so much of the intensity in wildfires today. For example, one of the factors she enters into the fire model is fuel moisture. Shes seen fuel moistures that go below the lowest threshold the model allows. So we cant put in the observed number because theres this artificial threshold that allows the models to run, Kolden said. And its kind of nuts, because it was not developed for these sorts of conditions.

Given that the modeling for a wildfire in Tahoe is outdated, Kolden said fire still behaves differently in the Lake Tahoe basin than it does on the western or eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada.

For one, the lake is too big for the fire to spot across it. Lake Tahoe is 12 miles wide and 22 miles long.

Second, Kolden echoed Swain when she said that the Tahoe basin doesnt have the same large-scale wind events that are typically seen for extreme wildfires in California. Instead, those 60 mph wind gusts tend to blow right over the crest of the Sierra and across the top of the Tahoe basin. Winds still gust inside the basin, but they are more erratic than they are a consistent driving force.

JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images

Winds in the Tahoe basin are also localized and defined by the terrain. Gusts may run down canyons on the west shore and blow out onto the lake, or a southwestern wind may blow north. The latter is the kind of wind thats impacting the Caldor Fire this week.

Even with minor winds, in a place like Tahoe with complex topography and daytime heating, nighttime cooling, we always have upslope-downslope breezes, every single day, Kolden said. So the wind will be a big determinant and honestly, thats what a lot of us are watching to see if this gets into Meyers and South Lake Tahoe, and really becomes an urban conflagration.

The other thing that concerns Kolden about the Caldor Fire is whats happening at night. Tahoe is used to cooler nights that create an inversion in the basin and cast moisture into the air. She calls it relative humidity. Nighttime is when fires are supposed to calm down, giving firefighters a window to put a line break in and make progress on containment. But lately, nights have been burning hot in the Caldor Fire.

That is the thing that has changed so much, Kolden said. So many of these fires are burning really, really actively at night because that relative humidity is not recovering. And when the relative humidity doesnt recover, the fine fuels  the grasses, the little tiny twigs, the pine needles, all those things that really help carry that fire  those dont increase in their fuel moisture at all. They just stay really, really dry. And so they can actively feed the fire all night long.

What comes next

Tuesday and Wednesday are crucial days that will likely determine the fate of South Lake Tahoe. A red-flag warning is posted through 11 p.m. Wednesday. And as of midday Tuesday, flames were burning through the forest above the city of South Lake Tahoe, about three-quarters of a mile from the homes on Pioneer Trail.

The best-case scenario, said Kolden and Swain, is that the fire continues to push east, through the forest. That will burn up all the fuels that surround the neighborhoods, and might even provide a buffer if the fire were to veer back on itself in the future.

The worst-case scenario is that winds push the fire north, directly into the city of South Lake Tahoe.

People have worked really, really hard over the years in South Lake, Kolden said. Shes a former wildland firefighter who was based 20 years ago at the fire station in Grizzly Flats; the same fire station that burned to ashes in the first surge of the Caldor Fire two weeks ago. I think that will help tremendously with trying to protect homes and making it safe for firefighters, but when the wind really kicks up, theres just only so much that firefighters can do.

JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images

Swain called South Tahoe the nightmare of the Wildland Urban Interface, or WUI, which is what experts call neighborhoods that overlap with dense forested regions. Tahoe is the epitome of the WUI.

Theres just so much vegetation sandwiched into so many homes, not a lot of clearance, he said.

Swain is crossing his fingers that the winds wont push the flames into the middle of those neighborhoods.

But right now, the forecast is pretty concerning for this afternoon, and it really could push this fire toward Pioneer Trail and a lot of populated areas, Swain said.

Looking at the vulnerability of the West Shore of Lake Tahoe, both Swain and Kolden said its possible the fire could make a run to the north from Meyers, which would lead directly to the Angora Fire scar. From there, it could keep pushing up the West Shore, toward Emerald Bay, Meeks Bay and Tahoma. Many residents in this part of the lake are hoping Desolation Wilderness  an expanse of 64,000 acres between Echo Lake and the West Shore  will be a granite fortress that guards them from the Caldor Fire.

The West Shore is really interesting to watch how this fire has been moving, Kolden said, because two weeks ago, I didnt think that it would actually be able to crest over Echo Summit. Which it did yesterday.

Swain said the Caldor Fire will likely burn for weeks, if not months, until it snows. September, unfortunately, looks like it will continue the same trend of 2021: drier and warmer than normal. Thats the direction climate change is pushing in California.
In response to a growing disparity in vaccination rates across the United States, some have called for restricting domestic travel of people who are unvaccinated against COVID-19.

"A no-fly list for unvaccinated adults is an obvious step that the federal government should take," former Obama administration official Juliette Kayyem argued in The Atlantic. "It will help limit the risk of transmission at destinations where unvaccinated people traveland, by setting norms that restrict certain privileges to vaccinated people, will also help raise the stagnant vaccination rates that are keeping both the economy and society from fully recovering."

The San Francisco Bay Area has one of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country, and given the large delta variant outbreaks elsewhere, Californians may wonder whether it is possible for the city, or perhaps San Francisco International Airport (SFO), to require proof of vaccination for out-of-state air travelers.

"Under federal law, only the federal government (typically the TSA or FAA) may impose travel restrictions or conditions," SFO said in a statement. "Neither the Airport nor the City would have the authority to require vaccination or other requirements for travel."

The first portion of that statement is not entirely accurate. As senior research fellow at Berkeley Law School's California Constitution Center Brandon Stracener pointed out in an April 2020 blog post, individual state governments also have the power to "impose border controls in the absence of federal action or concurrently with federal action." Article I of the United States Constitution grants Congress the power to "regulate commerce ... among the several States," and Congress has since delegated some of that power to executive branch agencies.

Currently, the federal government has no plans to restrict interstate travel by imposing vaccine mandates. In the absence of such restrictions, states have the ability to implement their own protocols. Perhaps the best example is Hawaii, where travelers must show either proof of vaccination or a negative test upon arrival.

"More than a century ago, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized the 'authority of a state to enact quarantine laws and health laws of every description,'" Stracener wrote. "The power of the states to enact and enforce quarantine laws for the safety and the protection of the health of their inhabitants 'is beyond question.' Courts will only strike down these measures if they have 'no real or substantial relation to the protection of the public health and the public safety.'"

Americans have a constitutional right to travel through the 14th Amendment's Privileges or Immunities Clause, and Stracener notes that "any border closures or actions implicating the right to travel must be narrowly tailored to serve a compelling government interest" and that courts will apply strict scrutiny  the toughest standard of judicial review  to state travel restrictions.

"States likely can show that protecting their citizens against the spread of a global pandemic such as COVID-19 is a compelling government interest," Stracener wrote. "But thats not all a state would need to show for a border closure or other measure regulating travel into the state to survive strict scrutiny. Even with a compelling interest, government measures must be narrowly tailored to achieve that interest  that is, the measures must be 'the least restrictive means' to accomplish the governments goal. If 'any other methods exist to achieve the desired results,' then 'a State may not choose the way of greater interference.'"

If California imposes a "hard" vaccine mandate with no testing alternative  while states such as Hawaii allow the testing route  challengers could argue the state is not pursuing the "least restrictive means" of limiting the spread of COVID-19. California has such a hard mandate in effect for health care workers, and the city of San Francisco also does not allow for testing alternative with its expansive vaccine mandate for indoor businesses.

To get a hard vaccine mandate to survive strict scrutiny, California's lawyers would have to show that the testing alternative is a significantly less effective intervention. That argument may prove difficult given current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance that vaccinated people who become infected by the delta variant  now the dominant strain in the country  can still transmit the virus to others. Challengers could argue that that those who test negative within a certain window pose the same relative risk as those who are fully vaccinated and develop breakthrough cases they don't know about (most breakthroughs are mild or asymptomatic).

Of course, this conversation is purely hypothetical as California officials have given no indication they are even considering a vaccine mandate for interstate travel at this time, and some health experts question just how effective it would be. Unlike Hawaii, individuals can drive to California.

"We cant create a fortress in California like you can with Hawaii, and Hawaii has a big outbreak right now so you can ask how well its really worked," said Dr. George Rutherford, an infectious disease expert at UCSF. "In California, what are you going to do about people who drive across state lines or the border? ... What are you going to do about that? Give people special stickers for their cars? It just seems really logistically complicated."
Posnov/Getty Images As the Caldor Fire moves deeper into the Lake Tahoe basin, creating wide-ranging evacuation orders, highway closures and some of the worst air quality on the planet, the Reno-Tahoe area expects thousands of travelers to pass through the region over coming days for a multi-day renegade Burning Man festival. This years unsanctioned  or rogue  event is being organized on social media by people traveling from around the country. Because its an unticketed gathering, its difficult to pinpoint the possible attendance, but estimates place the potential crowd at anywhere from 5,000 to as high as 30,000, according to a recent report by Forbes. Many attendees will be traveling from the Bay Area and around the state by car and RV or flying into the Reno-Tahoe airport.

Jim Rankin/Toronto Star Via Getty Images

The yearly annual countercultural arts event, which celebrates creativity and free-spiritedness, has grown to an international phenomenon since its start 35 years ago on San Franciscos Baker Beach, but was canceled this year and last because of the coronavirus pandemic. For most of its long history, Burning Man has been held in the wildlands of the Black Rock Desert, 120 miles north of Reno. The area is controlled by the Bureau of Land Management.

The event holds radical self-reliance and radical self-expression as two of its 10 principles. After the official in-person event was canceled again in April 2021 amid pandemic concerns, some members of the large and far-flung Burner community decided to express themselves in a radically self-reliant way by flocking to the deserts Playa. The area  an ancient dried lake bed  is a notoriously harsh environment during Nevadas hot, dry summer, made even more unhospitable without the infrastructure and governance that has built up around the event over the years. (The renegade gathering has reportedly already had its first serious accident.)

Photoshot/Getty Images

Some, including the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, are calling for visitors to stay away from the region. But the head of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, Charles Harris, seemed to welcome the rogue Burners. Were very mindful of our friends and family and visitors that live up in Lake Tahoe or were scheduled to be up there, Harris told SFGATE. He added, We are open and certainly Reno and Sparks area is safe. Were continuing on with our business.

The Reno-Tahoe airport is even featuring an exhibit of Burning Man art in its departure hall this week.

Airport spokesperson Stacey Sunday said she was aware of the renegade event, which, she said, is kind of fun.

It's back to where it started. No tickets, just going out into the desert."
As the Caldor Fire moves deeper into the Lake Tahoe basin, creating wide-ranging evacuation orders, highway closures and some of the worst air quality on the planet, the Reno-Tahoe area expects thousands of travelers to pass through the region over coming days for a multi-day renegade Burning Man festival.

This years unsanctioned  or rogue  event is being organized on social media by people traveling from around the country. Because its an unticketed gathering, its difficult to pinpoint the possible attendance, but estimates place the potential crowd at anywhere from 5,000 to as high as 30,000, according to a recent report by Forbes. Many attendees will be traveling from the Bay Area and around the state by car and RV or flying into the Reno-Tahoe airport.

Jim Rankin/Toronto Star via Getty Images

The yearly annual countercultural arts event, which celebrates creativity and free-spiritedness, has grown to an international phenomenon since its start 35 years ago on San Franciscos Baker Beach, but was canceled this year and last because of the coronavirus pandemic. For most of its long history, Burning Man has been held in the wildlands of the Black Rock Desert, 120 miles north of Reno. The area is controlled by the Bureau of Land Management.

The event holds radical self-reliance and radical self-expression as two of its 10 principles. After the official in-person event was canceled again in April 2021 amid pandemic concerns, some members of the large and far-flung Burner community decided to express themselves in a radically self-reliant way by flocking to the deserts Playa. The area  an ancient dried lake bed  is a notoriously harsh environment during Nevadas hot, dry summer, made even more unhospitable without the infrastructure and governance that has built up around the event over the years. (The renegade gathering has reportedly already had its first serious accident.)

Photoshot/Getty Images

Some, including the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, are calling for visitors to stay away from the region. But the head of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, Charles Harris, seemed to welcome the rogue Burners. Were very mindful of our friends and family and visitors that live up in Lake Tahoe or were scheduled to be up there, Harris told SFGATE. He added, We are open and certainly Reno and Sparks area is safe. Were continuing on with our business.

The Reno-Tahoe airport is even featuring an exhibit of Burning Man art in its departure hall this week.

Airport spokesperson Stacey Sunday said she was aware of the renegade event, which, she said, is kind of fun.

HECTOR MATA/AFP via Getty Images

It's back to where it started. No tickets, just going out into the desert."
Sharon, PA (16146)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
SHELTON - With school opening just a few days away, administrators and staff gathered at Finn Stadium Tuesday for the annual convocation - a family reunion of sorts for teachers who spent months not seeing each other.

Superintendent Ken Saranich said holding the convocation was necessary to allow staff to bond and draw inspiration from each other as they prepare for the Sept. 8 opening.

The pandemic canceled the convocation last year - and the health district recommended against holding an indoor ceremony this year. He said his first question to health officials was can we do this outside?

I recognized we needed this, Saranich said to the dozens of staff sitting in the bleachers at Finn Stadium. We needed to start the school year together as a Shelton community.

As I stand here, it reminds me of when I stood in this very spot three months ago to address the graduating Class of 2021, Saranich said. At that time, I told them the same message that I tell you today: You mattered, through the unique lost year of 2020, you mattered.

The convocation, while shortened for the outdoor venue, opened with Saranichs daughter, Aine, singing the National Anthem, and featured speeches by Board of Education Chair Kathy Yolish, Shelton High Principal Kathy Riddle and the citys teacher of the year, Shelton High teacher Catherine Burgholzer.

Saranich welcomed the districts 22 new teachers and honored the winners of the annual Golden Apple Awards, a program honoring the districts non-tenured teachers. This years winners were Jessica Welsh of Sunnyside School and Chris Smith of Shelton High.

It is a great feeling being back together, Lorena Snell, Italian teacher at Shelton High, said after the event. Were really a family at Shelton High School, so it was hard for us not to be together. Were a huge group. We love being with one another. This was like a family reunion.

Saranich admitted that this coming school year will not be normal.

Education will never be what it once was. Education will be better because of what you do with what weve learned, Saranich said. I believe we have an extremely talented and gifted staff that can make it happen.

As each staffer left the stadium they were presented with a bracelet - a token to remind them of the importance of their work to the citys students, Saranich said.

Together we will build a district of innovation, creativity and hope, where our students and staff can feel confident to learn from their failures and create opportunities for learning where they may have never existed (before), Saranich added.

Shelton Intermediate School teacher Allyson Debe said coming together again is further inspiration for the coming year.

Our superintendent always inspires us, she said. Theres a lot of trust in him to bring us together.

Snell said it was nice to start the school year together as a group.

Its motivation. Were all eager to start off the year, she said. Its nice to see the administration happy to see us and give us the motivation to start this year off on the right foot.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
Ludington, MI (49431)

Today

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 57F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 57F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Mason County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Beth M. Hand announced Wednesday morning that the prosecutor's office has charged Craig David Overla, formerly of Ludington, with one count of open murder, one count of felony murder and one count of child abuse first-degree, all as a habitual fourth offender.

Overla is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the release noted.

On March 22, 2019, members of the Ludington Police Department and other emergency personnel responded to a call regarding an unresponsive infant. The three month old child, the son Overla, was transported to Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital and subsequently air lifted to DeVos Childrens Hospital.

After life saving measures failed the child was pronounced dead on April 26, 2019.

Following the investigation by the Ludington Police Department and Michigan State Police, a comprehensive review of the available investigative reports, legal research and consideration of the totality of the circumstances of the case, Hand issued the below listed charges against Overla on July 15:

 Count 1: open murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison;

 Count 2: felony murder, which carries a penalty of mandatory life in prison without the possibility of parole; and

 Count 3: first-degree child abuse, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison

Overla is also charged as a habitual four offender. Overla was arraigned on Tuesday by Magistrate David Glancy, according to the release. Overla is currently being held without bond. A probable cause conference is scheduled for Sept. 14 at 11:15 a.m. before Susan K. Sniegowski.

The Mason County Prosecuting Attorneys Office would like to thank all responding agencies, including the Michigan State Police, Ludington Police Department, Life EMS, Ludington Fire Department, the medical staff at Spectrum Health, the Kent County Medical Examiners Office and Child Protective Services for their investigation and care in this matter.
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When Mateo Jumas shifted to working from home at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, he had to make many adjustments. As a teacher who works with youth through a nonprofit in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, his lessons moved to Zoom, while his lesson planning and administrative work moved out of the office.

But Jumas found numerous benefits in remote work: Some students found it easier to join classes, especially on inclement winter days; he was available to his students more easily; and doing his work from the comfort of home let him structure his workday in a way that worked well for him and led to excellent results.

In March 2021, Jumas returned to in-person teaching while his administrative work remained remote. Now, however, as Canada starts the process of returning to in-person work, Jumas is reluctant to return to the office full time. He isn't the only worker Canadian employers are having to persuade about the benefits of returning to the worksite.

Employers Must Navigate the Return to the Office

Navigating who needs to return to in-person work is one of the many issues arising as Canadian companies slowly begin to return to the office.

Some employers are bringing employees back into the office, said Jessyca Greenwood, an attorney with SpringLaw in Toronto. The return to the office "is coinciding with the reopening plan that we have in Ontario," she said. "But what we're also seeing is that employers are allowing, in some cases, employees to choose whether to come back or whether to continue to work remotely."

According to a study conducted by the Angus Reid Institute, 29 percent of Canadians who worked from home during the pandemic would prefer to continue to work from home indefinitely, while 44 percent would prefer a hybrid of in-person and at-home work and only 27 percent would prefer to return to the worksite full time.

Provincial Governments Provide Guidelines

Employers that are trying to manage the transition back to worksites can reference their provincial government's health guidelines.

According to the Ontario Ministry of Labor, Training and Skills Development, "Ontario's guide to developing a COVID-19 workplace safety plan was designed as a simple, flexible, risk-focused process to help employers identify COVID-19 risks in their workplaces and implement appropriate control measures for their specific situation based on public health guidance and restrictions, as well as sector-based considerations."

Other provinces, including Alberta, also provide official COVID-19 health and safety guidelines to businesses.

If Employees Are Reluctant to Return

Employers that want employees back in the office can create a policy, give employees notice and have them come back, Greenwood said. In some cases, if an employee asks for an accommodation, "The employer would have to work with the employee to see why that employee doesn't want to come back to the office. And if it's a health reason or any reason that's covered under the Human Rights Code, then legally, the employer would have an obligation to accommodate that employee's request up to the point of undue hardship."

Canadians who were hired during the pandemic and have primarily worked from home for the duration of their employment might be able to argue that working from home is a condition of their employment, especially if the terms were not properly explained when they were hired. "In that case, employees do have some rights. They could assert a constructive dismissal if the employer were to change that," Greenwood said.

Katie Nadworny is a freelance writer in Istanbul.

[Want to learn more? Join us at the SHRM Annual Conference & Expo 2021, taking place Sept. 9-12 in Las Vegas and virtually.]
"The Delta variant was still the most dominant variant with the new variant C.1.2 being detected at low frequency," said Dr Jinal Bhiman, Principal Medical Scientist at National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) at a new conference on Monday night, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Johannesburg, Sep 1 (IANS) The highly infectious Delta variant continued being the "dominant variant" in South Africa and the driver of the third wave, as the newly detected C.1.2 variant was present at very low levels, scientists said.

The new C.1.2 variant was detected in May and has been detected in all nine provinces at less than 3 per cent frequency. However scientists said it was still being "assessed" at various laboratories.

"It has been increasing in frequency but it remains low in frequency," Bhiman said.

NICD's acting executive director Prof Adrian Puren said that the vaccines being rolled out in South Africa would protect people against the variant even though more research was still being conducted.

"The intention is not to create any panic," he said, adding that "our vaccines are potent and effective in terms of preventing severe diseases and deaths."

The scientists said the new variant could only be classified once it has been named a variant of interest.

--IANS

int/rs
The Ambassador also told the chief minister that the Netherlands is willing to establish a training centre in the state to train its dairy farmers in advanced technologies at work in the sector.

Lucknow, Sep 1 (IANS) Netherlands Ambassador Marten Van Den Berg, who met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow, has expressed the country's desire to support the state in modernising its agriculture and dairy sector.

During the meeting, held late on Tuesday evening, the chief minister apprised the diplomat about the state's second ranking in 'Ease of Doing Business' which has continued to bring investments and support from various countries and regions.

The state government and the Netherlands are already working together in several fields, including renewable energy, solid waste management and water management.

The chief minister discussed using technological advancement for food processing that could help farmers double their income in flower production and in the dairy farms.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary R.K. Tiwari said in a release that Uttar Pradesh and the Netherlands were working on various projects with mutual cooperation and there were immense possibilities of trade and investment between the two.

He also mentioned Dutch collaboration in leather clusters in Kanpur.

--IANS

amita/dpb
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A US judge said he would approve OxyContin maker Purdue Pharmas bankruptcy reorganisation plan, clearing a path to resolve thousands of opioid lawsuits and shielding the companys wealthy Sackler family owners from future opioid litigation.

Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain said that with small changes he would approve the plan, which overcame opposition to garner support from nearly all states, local governments, tribes, hospitals and other creditors that voted on the restructuring. They became creditors in the bankruptcy by virtue of suing Purdue and Sackler family members over their alleged contributions to the nationwide opioid epidemic.

Bankruptcy judge Robert Drain said it was clear the wrongful marketing of the companys opioid products contributed to the addiction crisis in the US, Credit:AP

Drain said it was clear the wrongful marketing of the companys opioid products contributed to the countrys addiction crisis, which touched every corner of the country. That makes the bankruptcy case before me highly unusual and complex, said Drain, who spent more than six hours reading his ruling from the bench.

The plan, which Purdue values at more than $US10 billion ($13.6 billion), dissolves the drugmaker and shifts assets to a new company not controlled by Sackler family members. The new company will be owned by a trust run to combat the opioid epidemic in US communities that alleged the company and its owners aggressively marketed the painkiller OxyContin while playing down its abuse and overdose risks.
It started with Australian director Eddie Martins personal connection to the world of skateboarding.

Five years later, his documentary about a group of teenagers whose lives changed dramatically when they appeared in the controversial 1995 American film Kids will screen in competition at the upcoming Sydney Film Festival. The Kids is a cautionary tale about the crushing power of the movie industry for those who are unprepared.

A group of street kids  kids from really dysfunctional backgrounds in a highly traumatised city at that time  formed this functioning little family unit for themselves to survive: director Eddie Martin about The Kids. Credit:Umbrella

Martin, who won an AACTA Award for the 2014 documentary All This Mayhem, was a young skateboarder himself when he watched Kids. While he recognised it was a significant movie, he found it nowhere near as authentic and shocking as others thought it was.

Written by 19-year-old Harmony Korine, director Larry Clarks dark drama follows a group of teens for 24 hours as they travel around New York skating, drinking, smoking dope and deflowering virgins.
In NSW, a Taiwanese abattoir worker was last year ordered to return to work while he was still bleeding from the mouth from an injury so severe he would later need surgery. The worker was not paid sick leave. At the Teys abattoir in Biloela where Wang worked, a Sri Lankan man also sustained water and chemical burns and, according to Wang, was also forced to return to work against medical advice. Months later he quit because of the pain, Wang said. The injury to an unnamed Sri Lankan meatworkers arm. He later lost his job. Like hundreds of his countrymen, Wang was brought to Australia by a recruitment syndicate that enticed him with the promise of permanent residency. It would take three years to qualify, he was told. He was so confident he brought his wife with him. Now officials from the Home Affairs Department are grilling hundreds of mostly Chinese abattoir workers about claims made in their visa applications amid fears some recruitment syndicates have been falsifying work experience and English language tests to meet Australias requirements for skilled migrants.

The scrutiny of the meatworkers and recruitment syndicates coincides with a promise by the Morrison government to introduce a new low-skill migrant agricultural worker visa, including for workers in abattoirs, to help deal with what primary producers say is a dire labour shortage. The burns to Wangs back. Privately, migrant abattoir workers from Victoria, NSW and Queensland, most of them Chinese, talk about how they borrowed money or sold possessions to pay recruitment syndicates $70,000 or more to secure a job in Australia after being promised it would lead to permanent residency. According to Wang, many lie to get their visas because very few people in China with high levels of English would also have worked for three years as a boner or slaughterman  a requirement for a skilled visa. When those lies are uncovered, individual workers fear they will be punished and forced back to China  a fear that makes them reluctant to speak out, take sick days or demand other rights.

It is easier for the Australian government to say no to some workers visas than to do something against the company owners or the [recruitment] agents. They are big. We are small, said one Chinese worker from a regional NSW abattoir. The Victorian secretary of the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union, Paul Conway, said it was time the public considered the working conditions of the migrant workers who ensured their supermarket shelves were stocked with meat. There were elements of the meat processing industry that have become reliant on what really is modern-day slavery and exploitation, he said. Theres a massive power imbalance at play. Youve got the companies, youve got the government, youve got the recruiters or labour hire, and youve got the migrant worker. When Wang was scalded in April 2019, he went to the emergency department at a nearby hospital for a few hours before being discharged. The doctor had told him he would need a few weeks off, but the abattoir called Wang in the following day and told him he could perform tasks in the office. Within days he was back in hospital in fear of infection as his burnt skin peeled away. Once again, he was told he needed to rest, but soon a car arrived at his house to take him to work.

Wang said a senior manager told him he was not to see a doctor without a company representative. With his 457 visa nearing expiration and hopes high for permanent residency sponsorship, Wang felt powerless to object. Most people come to Australia for better life and long-time stay visa. I had no choice  I listen to him [his boss]. I come to factory every day and keep silent, he said. Months later Wang secretly went to see another doctor for knee pain. He paid for an MRI scan because migrant visa workers are not eligible for Medicare. Somehow, Wang says, Teys management found out. Within one week they fire me. The reason is I had a bad attitude.

Wang enlisted law firm Maurice Blackburn and sued Teys Australia for unfair dismissal. The case was settled on a confidential basis. His recruitment agent was unable to find him a job elsewhere. Teys executive chairman Brad Teys questioned Wangs account, saying he was medically cleared to come back to work. He got the shits and walked off the job twice. We let him go the second time, he said. Veteran Labor senator Kim Carr questioned the claims by many meat processors about being forced to rely on migrant workers because Australian-born people refuse to work in abattoirs. This is a question of proper wages and conditions, Senator Carr said, highlighting abattoirs in Geelong and Warrigal that did not rely on foreign workers. Its the Chinese now but in the past it has been other ethnic groups. The common denominator here is exploitation.
A fall in the number of delivery rider deaths on roads is good news, but it should not distract the state government from providing better regulation and safety for gig economy workers.

A NSW parliamentary inquiry into the future of work and a government taskforce were established in response to the deaths of five food delivery riders within two months late last year. SafeWork NSW launched a crackdown and the government plans to introduce new safety regulations by the end of this year.

Under the proposed regulations, food delivery companies will be required to provide protective equipment to riders who will also be monitored with unique ID numbers by police. Companies including Deliveroo, Menulog and Uber Eats, will also have to provide compulsory induction training to riders.

The state government is also considering extending some workers compensation benefits to delivery riders. These would include limited lump sums for serious injury or death, income support and medical expenses.

NSW data released this week shows that rider injuries peaked during the second quarter of last year, with 25 reported to the states workplace safety regulator. Of the six injuries reported to SafeWork NSW in the latest reporting period between April to June this year, four involved motorcycle riders, one involved an electric bike, while one cyclist was hit by a car from behind. The government admits it is difficult to make too much of three months of data, but says it is at least heading in the right direction.
A state government project to remove flammable cladding from apartment towers has been put on hold until next year, with the NSW Building Commissioner blaming the COVID-19 lockdown for the delay.

Some 239 apartment buildings  most of which are in Sydney  housing thousands of residents have been deemed high-risk and are under orders to remove combustible cladding.

The government originally planned for work to start on removing cladding from the first building late this year, as part of a remediation project it wants to be completed by late 2023.

Smoke billows from a 20-storey apartment building on fire in Milan in northern Italy on Sunday. Credit:AP

NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler, however, has told industry groups the regulator expects work to start on remediating the first buildings in February.
Stop stressing students and cancel this years HSC As the parent of a class of 2020 HSC student and supervisor of HSC exams for five years, its obvious to me the 2021 HSC should be cancelled (HSC delay made by health officials, September 1). An HSC result can be a schools assessment. Schools and teachers have more than enough information from Year 11 and 12 assignments and 50 per cent of an HSC mark is the schools assessment anyhow. The University Admissions Centre was quoted last year saying assessments and HSC exam marks are seldom disparate. NESA, stop all this fluffing about causing harmful stress on students, teachers (and parents). Cancel the HSC now so they can get on with things, as best they can. Tim Egan, Mosman Today we are told that the NESA COVID committee have to think about ... whether it is in the best interests of the students to cancel most or all of the examinations, based on their mental health concerns. Heres an idea. How about the committee stops exacerbating mental health concerns by indecision and fostering uncertainty. And, please, dont create mental health issues for the whole cohort by cancelling or limiting the exams for all, based on the concerns of some. There is ample flexibility to make allowances in the HSC for mental health (and other) issues on an individualised basis, for example under the Educational Assistance Scheme. Ian Wylie, Paddington This situation rips the cloak off the mystery behind so many inconsistent and bizarre decisions. Why are health officials setting policy across the broad spectrum of government without consultation? There are so many inconsistencies and inexplicable calls, one can readily draw the conclusion the wagon is running down the hill with horses already in the next paddock and no one actually has hold of the reins. Government normally moves at a snails pace so proper consultation can occur. Why the rush? Gary Bigelow, Teralba There appear to be discussions between MPs and the PM regarding an increase of funding to schools for the chaplaincy program to assist students with mental health problems during the COVID lockdowns (Calls to extend school chaplaincy program to help deal with pandemic, smh.com.au, August 31). While schools welcome the extra government funds, many would prefer educated discretionary powers to spend it instead of having to pay unqualified chaplains. Why allow our most precious and vulnerable cohort of the population to be counselled by people who lack the skills and training to identify and support mental health? Would you allow someone from hospital administration to perform surgery? Christine Hackwood, North Lakes

Climate change not a storm we can weather In his capacity as Special Envoy for the Reef, Warren Entsch is on the mark that Australia needs to dramatically increase its action in climate change (Entsch urges more action to save Reef, September 1). The naysayers decry that we make negligible difference to the planetary outcome. What is of outstanding significance is that as a nation we are not pariahs but a driving force in the momentum for climate change action. Setting net zero emissions for 2050 is much like putting the doomsday clock onto daylight savings time. Every country, every corporation, has a part to play in winding back the clock. Steve Dillon, Thirroul Andrew Constance has joined the majority of Australians who are frustrated with the Morrison governments continued inertia dealing with climate change (Constance slams inertia on climate, September 1). Not only is there a lack of action, but also a lack of even a basic plan of action after more than eight years of Coalition rule. Neither worldwide and frequent unprecedented ferocious fires, record floods and storms, and rapidly melting Arctic ice, nor global awareness and calls for action have prompted the slightest response from our sleeping government. The PM needs to realise that there will be no vaccine to protect us against the effects of climate change. Alan Marel, North Curl Curl Wilcannia let down I am not a military or medical person, but I cannot understand why, with the oversight and full permission and co-operation of local and national Aboriginal leaders, military mobile vaccination units were not deployed in the far west of this state as soon as vaccines became available (Humanitarian crisis in Wilcannia, September 1). Surely setting up self-contained medical units is what they are good at? Its not too late now, of course. Norman Carter, Roseville Chase

Smoking gun The American retreat from Afghanistan has been an unmitigated disaster (Enjoyable victory for Taliban as US troops leave, September 1). No careful planning; a total abdication of responsibility. The retreat should have been planned down the last detail. There should have been phases of withdrawal with each stopping point defended by massed troops before moving back to the next stopping point. The last should have resulted in an iron defensive curtain around Kabul. The gradual, phased retreat would have allowed the undisturbed, safe evacuation of those who qualified for exit. To leave fully-functioning military equipment to fall into Taliban hands instead of destroying it, beggars the imagination. Rod Miller, Epping

Not working for workers Ross Gittins observation the economy is being run to benefit the wealthy, isnt new, its just more brazen than in the past (Making Monopoly man share, September 1). We shouldnt be surprised this has happened, the taken-for-granted way the economic system works is capitalist, its political purpose is to benefit capitalists. The wealthy getting wealthier, and the poor poorer, is proof the system is working from the perspective of the wealthy. To avoid the current outcome, we should stop copying the USAs economic culture. A fair-minded observation of the USA shows extreme capitalism doesnt work for anyone but the wealthy there; why would it work more fairly here? As for the monopolistic behaviour of big business: big business hates competition, its low margin. Free markets are of no interest to them. John Macintosh, Merewether Premiers intentions While Gladys Berejiklian rattles on daily about every member of the national cabinet supposedly signing up to the plan she might need to consider that not every person in Australia has (Impossible to eliminate Delta, NSW Premier says, smh.com.au, September 1). The evidence from NSW is far from encouraging about diving into the pool of post-vaccination delights she keeps promising. Caution and common sense are keys to managing this virus and sadly they are seriously missing from her rhetoric. Anne Finnane, Marlee Premier, we get what you are trying to do. Change the conversation from your failures and push us through the pain of your long, long lockdown. But get out of the face of premiers of the other states. NSW is in the most dire of straits so keep your mind focused firmly here. And tell us how you are going to deal with wealthy suburbs in Sydney and elsewhere with 70 per cent double vaccinated and their neighbouring LGAs being 50-60 per cent vaccinated. How is that going to work? Many of us would like to know. Wendy Atkins, Cooks Hill

Just over the horizon Susannah Patton highlights a degree of positivity in our relations with Asia (On the anniversary of ANZUS, theres good news, September 1). There would be better news if the average Australian could be encouraged to develop an improved understanding of our northern neighbours. Many of us still behave as if we are a British/American colony plonked down in the Pacific, with unalienable ties to Western political aspirations. To our north we have two of the largest Muslim population centres in the world. How much does the average Australian, or even those in leadership roles, know about Islam? Wouldnt it be a good idea to enlist the services of migrants from those areas to improve our understanding of our near neighbours? Much could be done through our education system to enhance this countrys knowledge of the language, customs and religious conventions of other countries. Through the right kind of leadership we could become a more acceptable member of the South East Asian neighbourhood. Derrick Mason, Boorowa

Mighty giant Love to have Greater Western Sydneys Toby Greene next to me in a trench, with all his flaws and weaknesses (League to weigh up appeal on Greene ban, September 1). Michael Gamble, Belmont (Vic) See the light Ill bite, Joan Brown; Im a great whinger when it comes to daylight saving and give praise for those who fight against it (Letters, September 1). Down with daylight saving. Thelma Frost, Mudgee Since moving to Queensland I havent experienced a winter of discontent. No lockdown and no daylight saving. Bliss! Christine Tiley, Albany Creek (Qld)

Daylight saving is for boring evening people. It killed my morning run and swim, as it meant getting up too early even for me. We should do it on a two yearly turn-around: one hour back one year, followed by one hour forward the next. That would be fair and many would discover the wonders of the morning. Robert Hosking, Paddington Slip of the text My favourite predictive text gone awry was early in the pandemic, when I typed to a friend: Enjoy your splendid isolation, but it was turned into enjoy your sordid isolation (Letters, September 1).

Gerard Baz, Kensington Talking point I beg to differ. Our Premiers favourite phrase is not lets move forward but please know (Letters, September 1). Viv Mackenzie, Port Hacking
Just over one-fifth of inmates in NSW government prisons has been fully vaccinated and correctional officers are set to face mandatory vaccinations as authorities scramble to contain outbreaks of COVID-19 at multiple jails.

The cluster linked to the privately run Parklea prison in Sydneys north-west has grown to 80  77 inmates and three staff members  but authorities are hopeful the infection has not spread to other facilities with transferred prisoners. Nine officers have been infected in a separate outbreak at Bathurst prison.

The government is concerned about low vaccination rates among prison staff. Credit:Kate Geraghty

The Department of Communities and Justice is concerned about low rates of vaccination among its frontline employees and is doing a risk assessment of Corrective Services and Youth Justice to determine by next week who needs to be mandatorily vaccinated to come to work.

Department secretary Michael Coutts-Trotter told a NSW Parliament estimates hearing on Wednesday that vaccination rates were too low given the Delta variant outbreak and we want them to be higher.
The developers who illegally ripped down the Corkman Irish Pub in Carlton say they should not be jailed for 30 days for thumbing their noses at the courts, because of the beautiful $1.6 million park they have put in place of the demolition site.

Stefce Kutlesovski and Raman Shaqiri are appealing their month-long sentence for flouting Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal orders to turn the demolition zone into a park by February last year.

The former Corkman pub site in Carlton, which is now a public park. Credit:Joe Armao

The pair reduced the site to rubble in 2016 after tearing down the 159-year-old pub in Leicester Street without a building or planning permit.

Planning Minister Richard Wynne and the City of Melbourne successfully brought contempt proceedings against them in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal last December.
It is the highest number of new cases recorded across the state in more than a year  there were 149 new cases recorded on August 26, 2020, during the states deadly second wave  and comes a day after Victoria recorded two COVID-19 deaths, the first in the state this year. Of Wednesdays new cases, 64 were linked to known cases and outbreaks. The source of 56 cases remained a mystery. There are 58 people in hospital with COVID-19 in Victoria, including 21 in intensive care and 14 on ventilators. Mr Andrews said at least 20 had been in isolation for their entire infectious period, but there were 122 cases still being investigated.

Victoria currently has 900 active coronavirus cases. There were 56,501 COVID-19 tests processed on Tuesday and 33,455 COVID-19 vaccines administered at state-run hubs. Victorias COVID-19 numbers going up, not down Mr Andrews said the states public health team had changed its advice to the government in the past two days, making it clear that we are not going to drive these numbers down, they are going to increase.

Now its up to us to make sure that they dont increase too fast, and that they dont increase too much relative to the number of people who are getting vaccinated every single day, every single week, he said. Professor Sutton said Wednesdays new case tally was not a great number. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton and COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar on Wednesday. Credit:Getty But 120 is still far fewer cases than we would have seen otherwise, if we hadnt had the restrictions that weve had in place, and continue to have in place, he said. Professor Sutton said if people filled available AstraZeneca vaccination appointments in the state, and more people got vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccinations at their GPs, Victoria might reach the goal of 70 per cent of the population vaccinated with one dose sooner than September 23.

Theres no question that well get to a plateau - [its] how soon can we get there, Professor Sutton said. I would love it to be at the end of the week, Id love it to be today. But the trajectory thus far has been that increase of 30, 35 per cent with every generation of transmission of, you know, five or six days. Professor Sutton said case numbers were currently doubling every 11 or 12 days.

QR codes to be introduced as playgrounds reopen Playgrounds will reopen at 11.59pm on Thursday for children under the age of 12. Only one carer can attend and adults should not remove their masks to eat or drink. QR codes will be introduced for carers to check in. Credit:Matt Golding In-home care will also be allowed for school aged children if both parents are authorised workers.

Loading No return to face-to-face learning for Melbourne students in term three Mr Andrews said students in Greater Melbourne would not return to their classrooms in term three. He said the GAT would go ahead for VCE students on October 5, and the priority in the coming weeks was to vaccinate year 12 students. Mr Andrews said that, in good time, authorities would move the focus to vaccinating the balance of students - from year 11, all the way down to 12-year-old students.

Positive news coming for regional Victoria next week: Premier Mr Andrews said there would be announcements about new freedoms for people in the states regions, except for Shepparton, in the coming days. We do think we can have some positive news for regional Victoria next week, he said. It will not be a full opening up, there will not be hundreds of people at the pub or the restaurant or the cafe.

But there will be activity that is possible and safe, and that will be in excess of whats happening in Melbourne because cases are very different, the epidemiology of regional Victoria is very different. Loading Tourism North East chief executive Bess Nolan-Cook said she had hoped regional Victoria would be released from lockdown on Wednesday and operators would be disheartened. Theres an enormous amount of disappointment, Ms Nolan-Cook said. It just doesnt feel like there is a natural end point to living like this.

Victoria should be 70 per cent double-dosed by October Professor Sutton said 70 per cent of the states population should have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by October, and 80 per cent by November. We talked yesterday about passports, Mr Andrews said. Theres all sorts of activity, provided staff are vaccinated and patrons are vaccinated  the place can be opened.

Loading There will still be limits, there will still be masks, there will still be density [limits] all of that  but none of thats possible right now. It will be possible, though, once we reach those national cabinet thresholds Mr Andrews said he was meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday evening to discuss how a vaccine passport system would work.

Two people who died with COVID-19 in Victoria were not vaccinated Mr Andrews said he understood that neither of the two Victorian women who died in their homes with COVID-19 on Tuesday were vaccinated against the virus. They were the first COVID-19 deaths in the state since November 30. One of the women was a 49-year-old from Northcote and the other was a 69-year-old from Broadmeadows. Victoria Police enforce border restrictions in Chiltern. Credit:Jason Robins Mr Andrews said he didnt believe either of them had been through the vaccine program and was uncertain if either had underlying health conditions.

Loading The deaths were recorded in Wednesdays official numbers. NSW border situation remains uncertain Mr Andrews said whether the states border with NSW would open in time for Christmas would depend on whats happening in that state. But I am working and have been working very hard in recent weeks to bring many of those people who are stranded in NSW home well before 80 per cent [of the population is vaccinated], he said.
The accused murderer of Brunswick woman Maryam Hamka asked a friend to bring a steam cleaner to his home that the pair used to clean the crime scene, police have alleged in court.

Part-time pool cleaner Oscar Newman, 26, was on Wednesday charged with assisting an offender as part of the investigation into the suspicious disappearance and alleged murder of Ms Hamka.

Police are investigating the disappearance of Brunswick woman Maryam Hamka. Credit:Nine News

Ms Hamkas former boyfriend, Toby Loughnane, was last week charged with murder over her death. Her body has not been found.

Further details of the police case against the pair were aired in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday as Mr Newman unsuccessfully applied for bail.
A stockpile of vaccines here, an outer suburban railway line there and ugg boots under every new home office desk.

That was the secret to the economy in the June quarter, but it wont be enough to stave off a near-record drop in activity were enduring right now.

More vaccines, more ugg boots and more railway lines all helped boost the economy in the June quarter. Credit:iStock

The June quarter national accounts continued what has been 18 months of official figures that have turned even the smartest of spreadsheet users into babbling messes.

Officially, the economy expanded by 0.7 per cent through the final three months of the 2020-21 financial year. As a quarter, its about the mid-point of every quarterly result since the start of the century.
The number of people admitted to hospital with COVID-19 has jumped 42 per cent in one week, with infected patients spread across 35 of the states hospitals and more than 1400 healthcare workers now in isolation.

Swelling case numbers have forced the private hospital network to activate surge plans and deploy their nurses to public hospital intensive care wards.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says October will be the worst month for hospitalisation of COVID-19 patients in NSW. Credit:Kate Geraghty

Sydney Adventist Hospital in Wahroonga confirmed it is now prepared to accept COVID-19 patients and St Vincents Private Hospital in Darlinghurst will open a dedicated amber ward for close contacts of cases who require other medical treatment.

There are 150 infected patients in intensive care wards, taking up almost 18 per cent of the states ICU beds.
Washington: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, is threatening telecommunications and social media companies that comply with a request by the committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob, declaring that Republicans will not forget their actions.

McCarthy spoke by phone with then-President Donald Trump on the day of the attack and is a potential witness in the select committees probe.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Credit:AP

The panel on Monday asked 35 companies to retain phone records and other information related to the attack as it ramps up its investigation ahead of the return of Congress next month. Several of the companies indicated this week that they intend to comply with the panels requests.

Adam Schiff, Bennie Thompson, and Nancy Pelosis attempts to strong-arm private companies to turn over individuals private data would put every American with a phone or computer in the crosshairs of a surveillance state run by Democrat politicians, McCarthy said in a statement Tuesday night, referring to the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, the chairman of the select committee and the House speaker.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday said he still cannot understand how a government that professes to care about its people is so comfortable and still unable to realistically tackle the issues that would improve their standard of living, but prefer to look at new ways to inflict more tax burden directly and indirectly upon them.

In this context, the MP referred to the Minister of Finance Ardwell Irions tax reform presentation on Monday to Parliament as a presentation of nothing. To summarize, this government doesnt have a clue about how it will reform any part of the tax system and came to Parliament with suggestions that were based on nothing, that hadnt been discussed with stakeholders and that was contradictory to what they agreed to with the Dutch government, Emmanuel said.

All the while, he continued, the cost of living continues to rise affected in large part by the import of goods at uncontrolled points of entry and a GEBE fuel clause that has once again increased sending utility bills through the roof for residents and the business sector. Government response to this is to tax you more, MP Emmanuel stressed.

He mentioned as an example the real estate tax, which in his opinion are just two other words for property tax. The Minister can say whatever he wants about not taxing the public, but the issue with a real estate tax is typical of a tax that can get lost in translation. Property tax and real estate tax are the same. Property (real estate) tax is charged on immovable propertyland, and structures that are permanently attached to the ground such as a house, building, or land.

When you enact a tax law that deals with real estate across the board, you cannot say for certain that peoples homes and other properties wont be taxed. Take combination properties for example, what if I have an investment property that is part residential and part non-residential? What about people who use part of their home for AirBnB? You cannot use a real estate tax in its traditional form to go after only certain people, you are begging for court cases, the MP said

He also took issue with a proposed 7.5% tax on sales which he accused the Minister of deliberately muddying up. His elucidation didnt make any sense and provided no clarity about what this is. If this is some kind of sales tax to be applied to importers, then government would in one swipe increase the price of food and general groceries since the burden will be passed on to the consumer.

If the government actually meets with wholesalers they might understand that if an overall cargo order costs US $5,000, the freight will cost US $10,000. The rising price of food is reflected in these types of realities that wholesalers and retailers face. Government must be careful about how it directly makes peoples lives harder with taxation that indirectly affects them.

Another tax that the MP says must be clearly studied is a so-called sin tax on alcohol, sodas, and tobacco. The Minister of Finance would do well to meet with the business stakeholders who sell these items. It is too easy to say tax these items, but these companies employ hundreds of people and support major initiatives. A meeting with them could perhaps yield other suggestions that government didnt think about, MP Emmanuel said.

It is obvious that the government didnt meet with stakeholders and we all know they havent planned any consultations with the public, consumer organizations, and so on. Government has no impact studies, no reports, nothing. The Minister of Finance came to Parliament with nothing after telling the public that he was a with-holding comment on taxes until he comes to Parliament. The people are still unclear about property taxes and the Minister has still not indicated how the governments plans mesh with that of the CFT and the Dutch government. What we have now are approaches that are completely out of touch with reality, MP Emmanuel concluded.
~ People criticize government and Minister of Justice they have done --- Richardson.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Anna Richardson shared serious concerns over the arrests of several students who have been busy breaking the law since the reopening of schools.

The Minister said that a student has been arrested for narcotics possession and a pellet gun while in school, another was arrested for narcotics possession in school while two students are in police custody for causing serious bodily harm to another student. In another case, students were arrested for pelting eggs on cars causing damage to private property.

The Minister said that whenever government attempts to do anything she as Minister of Justice or government is being criticized. Richardson said there need to be communities that will strive to do or take positive steps in guiding and protecting the youths of St. Maarten.

The Minister of Justice further stated that the youths of St. Maarten are in a critical situation where they are crying out for attention or they are not receiving the type of support they need. Steps are being taken by teachers, school boards, and other stakeholders to ensure that everyone is safe while in school.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten Lions Club donated a pair of eyeglasses to two students from two primary schools on Saturday last. The two proud recipients were 8-year-old Dulcianna Browne of Sister Borgia school group 5 (grade 3), and Nehemiah de Weever of Marie Genevieve de Weever school of group 4 (grade 2) primary schools. Making the presentation was President of Sint Maartens Lions Club Ms. Linette Gibs and Chairman of the Health Committee Lion Richard Gibson Jr. and Lion Oralie Boirard member of the Sint Maartens Lion Club Health Committee, who were able to make all the connections to make the project a reality.

It was quite a joy to see the reactions on the face of the two students, President of the Sint Maarten Lions Club Lion Linette Gibs told the small gathering consisting of parents and grandmother and members of the Lions Club. Also present at the presentation was District 60B Governor Lion Claudio Buncamper PMJF.

Both parents of the students expressed great joy and gratitude to the Lions Club for the donation to the students who were badly in need of having their glasses for the new school year. The Sint Maarten Lions club would also like to thank the St Maarten Vision center for their assistance and input last year by offering the club a total of 50 free eye-screening vouchers which were used for screening of students.

The Sint Maarten Lions Club is also grateful to fellow Lion colleague, Barbara Plaugher of the Lions Club in Ohio, who continues to assist our club via services of the Volunteer Optometric Vision Services to Humanity (VOSH) to have the prescriptions filled and mailed to Sint Maarten. Lion Barbara Plaugher is no stranger to Sint Maarten as she organized the trip to Sint Maarten in 2017 for the eye screening project for all primary school students.

One of the main objectives of the International Lions Club is, to sponsor and promote programs that deal with Sight Preservation and the Fight Against Blindness. This project combines the group efforts of the Lions Clubs and Eye Care Professionals to provide reconditioned, recycled eyeglasses, at NO COST, to uninsured people living in our community. Eyeglasses are also provided for Vision Projects to aid people in need throughout the world. Team members for these Vision Projects consist of Eye Care Professionals, members of the Lions Clubs, and laypersons, who work together to provide eye examinations and dispense reconditioned, recycled eyeglasses to those in need...all at no cost to the recipient.

Businesses or persons interested in contributing to any upcoming Sint Maarten Lions Club projects, can donate via https://sxmlionsclub.org/makeadonation or make a direct deposit or wire transfer to the Lions Club of Sint Maarten WIB account USD 62710106 or NAF 62710104.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM seeks the assistance of the community to learn more about the whereabouts of an unresponsive man who was found severely injured on August 23, 2021, between 1:00 am and 2:00 am on Union Road, across from the street from the former Johnny B under the Tree.

The man of Colombian descendant, who was locally known as Juan, was found lying alongside the road next to his rental car, a white Chevrolet Spark with license plate M-1715. He was transported to SMMC for further examination. That medical examination revealed that the victim had severe injuries and was in a coma.

A criminal investigation was immediately launched by the Detective Department under the leadership of the Prosecutors Office OM SXM.

Three days later on August 26, Police were notified that the victim had succumbed to his injuries at Sint Maarten Medical Center (SMMC).

KPSM call on anyone in the community who may have been with or know the whereabouts of Juan in the hours leading up to him being found on Union Road to contact the Detective Department on telephone + 1 721 542 2222 extension 208, 223, 224 or call the anonymous tip line on 9300.

With the cooperation of the community, police hope to establish further what happened to the victim leading up to him being severely injured and later dying from his injuries.

KPSM and OM SXM extend condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

KPSM Press Release
Susie Rogers, 77, of Somerset, passed away on Monday, September 13, 2021 at her residence. Arrangements are pending and will be announced later by Morris & Hislope Funeral Home. Condolences may be expressed to the family at: www.morrisandhislope.com.
How businesses can protect their people in the new age of work?

Ensuring employee health and safety remains a key priority for organisations this year, especially as we see COVID-19 cases continue to rise in different areas of the world. As an ongoing challenge, COVID-19 has shifted the priorities of many organisations. In fact, improving health and safety for employees is the top strategic goal this year of manufacturing and logistics organisations in the U.S. and U.K., according to research conducted by Forrester on behalf of STANLEY Security. But as we think about reopening and as hybrid workforce models and workspace-on-demand approaches rise in popularity, leaders need to consider implementing the right technologies to help ensure a safe return to the office. This means investing in health, safety, and security solutions that can help leaders protect their people. The intersection of security technology and health and safety Theres no doubt that the scope of security has expanded in the wake of the global pandemic. What was once an area governed by a select few security or IT professionals within a business has now become a crucial company investment involving many key stakeholders. The role of security has expanded to encompass a broader range of health and safety challenges for businesses Additionally, the role of security has expanded to encompass a broader range of health and safety challenges for businesses. Fortunately, security technologies have made significant strides and many solutions, both existing and new, have been thrust forward to address todays biggest business challenges. Investment in security technology Its important to note that businesses are eager to adopt tech that can help them protect their people. Nearly half (46%) of organisations surveyed by Forrester report that theyre considering an increasing investment in technology solutions that ensure employee safety. Technologies like touchless access control, visitor management systems, occupancy monitoring, and installed/wearable proximity sensors are among some of the many security technologies these organisations have implemented or are planning to implement yet this year. Facilitating a safe return to work But what does the future look like? When it comes to the post-pandemic workplace, organisations are taking a hard look at their return-to-work strategy. Flexible or hybrid workforce models require a suite of security solutions to help ensure a safer, healthier environment More than half (53%) of organisations surveyed by Forrester are looking to introduce a flexible work schedule for their employees as they make decisions about returning to work and keeping employees safe post-pandemic. Such flexible  or hybrid  workforce models require a suite of security solutions to help ensure a safer, healthier environment for all who traverse a facility or work on-site. One of the central safety and security challenges raised by these hybrid models is tracking who is present in the building at any one time  and where or how they interact. Leveraging security technology With staggered schedules and what may seem like a steady stream of people passing through, it can be difficult to know whos an employee and whos a visitor. Access control will be key to monitoring and managing the flow of people on-site and preventing unauthorised access. When access control systems are properly integrated with visitor management solutions, businesses can unlock further benefits and efficiencies. For instance, integrated visitor management systems can allow for pre-registration of visitors and employees  granting mobile credentials before people arrive on-site  and automated health screening surveys can be sent out in advance to help mitigate risk. Once someone reaches the premises, these systems can also be used to detect the persons temperature and scan for a face mask, if needed. We will likely see these types of visitor management and advanced screening solutions continue to rise in popularity, as 47% of organisations surveyed by Forrester report that theyre considering requiring employee health screening post-pandemic. Defining the office of the future A modern, dynamic workforce model will require an agile approach to office management. Its imperative to strike the right balance between making people feel welcome and reassuring Businesses want to create an environment in which people feel comfortable and confident  a space where employees can collaborate and be creative. Its imperative to strike the right balance between making people feel welcome and reassuring them that the necessary security measures are in place to ensure not only their safety but also their health. In many cases, this balancing act has created an unintended consequence: Everyone now feels like a visitor to a building. Protocols and processes With employees required to undergo the same screening processes and protocols as a guest, weve seen a transformation in the on-site experience. This further underscores the need for seamless, automated, and tightly integrated security solutions that can improve the employee and visitor experience, while helping to ensure health and safety. Ultimately, the future of the office is not about what a space looks like, but how people feel in it. This means adopting a safety-always culture, underpinned by the right technology, to ensure people that their safety remains a business top priority.
The cost of manual instrument tracking was a primary driver for Charite-Universitatsmedizin Berlin, recognised as Germanys best hospital. The time and cost of tracking 300,000 surgical instruments were growing at an unsustainable rate.

In order to properly service and document instrument lifecycles, the hospital needed a technology that could bypass the identification and reading limitation inherent in contaminated instruments, while ensuring seamless tracking operations in the Central Sterile Supply department both before and during sterilisation.

Pre-deployment testing

In 2016, the hospital began deploying Xerafys autoclavable RFID tags to track instruments. Any doubts staff had about the ability of the tags to function through multiple sterilisations were quickly put to rest through rigorous pre-deployment testing.

In 2016, the hospital began deploying Xerafys autoclavable RFID tags to track instruments

"We were able to test all the treatment processes that were used throughout the usual life cycle in test scenarios. There were no problems," said Sadmir Oasmancevic, Head of CSSD. The tags performance was established over 1,000 sterilisation cycles, including exposure to chemicals, mechanical stress during transport, and material expansion during high temperatures. The biocompatible glue used to adhere the tags to the instruments withstands contact with blood-, saline- and iodine-containing substances.

Surgical instrument counting

Most importantly, the usability of the retrofitted instruments was not impaired, and suppliers were able to confirm the instruments still met existing certifications. Xerafys technology will be a key component of the new Charite Facility Management building to open in 2017.

At HRAEI Regional Specialty Hospital of Ixtapaluca in Mexico, manual surgical instrument counting often resulted in miscounts or missing assets. The 246-bed hospital with 13 surgical rooms serves a community of five million people. Whats more, the sterilisation procedures in place at the hospital involved the use of sandblasting to remove deposits from instruments because of the high mineral content of the local water supply. "We urgently needed a solution for the high cost of managing our surgical instruments and operation workflow," said Jorge Mario Lopez Arango, General Manager.

School-owned instruments

The hospital staff uses handheld RFID readers to scan the tags and communicate the data

The hospital deployed Xerafys autoclavable XS tags after performing extensive tests throughout 1,000 autoclave cycles. Now, 97% of the surgical tools in use at the hospital are tracked using RFID. The hospital staff uses handheld RFID readers to scan the tags and communicate the data to Android tablets during sterilisation, during the building of surgical kids, and prior to each operating room procedure.

The instruments are counted within seconds while remaining in their sterile packaging. This has saved time and reduced the risk of infection. A shift in sterilisation processes led Columbia Universitys College of Dental Medicine to an RFID solution. One of the dental schools, Columbia shifted from student-owned to school-owned instruments in order to centralise management and sterilisation. That meant the school was now responsible for processing as many as 300 instrument kits daily.

Cost-effective solution

The school needed a reliable, cost-effective solution to improve patient safety by ensuring proper sterilisation procedures were followed, and to better manage dental instruments for its students. The solution had to be durable, work on steel instruments, be compact enough to tag very small items, and still overcome the limitations of manual barcode scanning.

The school has tagged more than 20,000 dental instruments and 1,700 instrument kits

Using a mix of Xerafy Pico, XS, and Slim Trak tags, the school has tagged more than 20,000 dental instruments and 1,700 instrument kits. "Using RFID, we will be able to prove that an item went into an autoclave for a certain amount of time and at a certain temperature," said Phil Jennette, Assistant Director of Special Projects.

Accurate sterilisation data

The school has been able to maintain accurate sterilisation data for each instrument and cassette. Strategically positioned automated readers alert staff and prevent cassettes with missing instruments or instruments that have not been properly sterilised from being used, while automating maintenance and sharpening schedules.

"This type of technology allows for complete and accurate tracking of each instrument we use from the time it is dispensed through its utilisation, processing, sterilisation and return to storage," said Steven M. Erde, PhD, MD, Chief Information Officer. Labour savings were at the forefront of an RFID pilot test at Rigshospitalet Copenhagen in Denmark, where using RFID for instrument tracking could save 31,000 hours per year in unnecessary time spent manual tracking assets.

Good read range

Rigshospitalet needed RFID tags small enough to use on surgical instruments

The hospital, which performs some 75,000 surgeries annually, wanted to free up time for better treatment and service to patients while optimising workflows in its central sterile supply departments (CSSD) and surgical theatres. Rigshospitalet needed RFID tags small enough to use on surgical instruments, but still reliable enough to provide a good read range on metal devices.

Using Xerafys tags, Rigshospital became the first in the world to pilot UHF RFID for surgical instrument tracking, tracking, and tracing all functions related to surgical instruments  from the operating room to cleaning and storage  with a single system.

Providing unparalleled speed

Using the solution, up to 80 instruments can be counted at once, in seconds, with full accuracy. The tags not only perform well on the metal instruments, but can withstand more than 1,000 autoclave processes, including exposure to high temperatures, harsh chemicals, and pressure.

The tags are also small enough that they do not affect the balance of the instruments or how surgeons use them. "RFID UHF technology provides unparalleled speed and accuracy advantages compared to barcode and other RFID technologies for tracking surgical instruments," said Dr. Henrik Eriksen, Project Director.
Enterprise, AL (36331)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
News

spotlight

Sjoblom looks forward to building relationships with community, county in new role

Jeff Sjoblom, of Wanamingo, stepped into his new role as Kenyon Police Chief Aug. 23. Sjoblom fills the shoes of Lee Sjolander who retired Aug. 2 and interim police chief Randy Allen who filled in until Sjobloms arrival. (Michelle Vlasak/southernminn.com)

He's got a new title, squad car and uniform, but Jeff Sjoblom is anything but new to the community of Kenyon.

Sjoblom was selected as the next Kenyon Police Chief by the city after an interview process that took place at the end of July. His first day on the job as police chief was Aug. 23.

Mayor Doug Henke said the city had 23 candidates apply for the position, some he says were a little too over-qualified for what the small town needs. Others were located along the east coast, and in states like Florida and Tennessee.

"When we finally got to Jeff, it was just a good fit," said Henke. "As a local member of Wanamingo and with his children going to school in Kenyon, there were a lot of reasons why the pieces just fell together."

Henke said the city was looking for an individual who was both social and would enforce the laws of the city.

"Nobody that has come up to me, or I've spoken too has said we made a bad choice. We're pretty happy with our choice," said Henke.

Residing in Wanamingo with his wife, Katie, and their three children Noah, 13, Ruby, 11 and Violet, 3, Sjoblom recalls knowing the areas of Kenyon, Wanamingo and Cannon Falls quite well. He grew up in rural Cannon Falls, got his hair cut at The Hair Place and often visited relatives in Kenyon and outside of Wanamingo.

A budding passion

Sjoblom, who graduated from Cannon Falls High School in 1997, has been a Goodhue County Sheriff's deputy for 14 years. He served as a patrol officer for seven of those years. During that time, he was an instructor for the driver's awareness class, which gives drivers a second chance to take a class instead of going on record for getting a ticket.

Always having an interest in law enforcement, Sjoblom remembers listening to the scanner in the house and going on rides with his father when he was a child, to things like house fires or traffic accidents. There, they would sit off in the distance and watch how the operations took place. Even from a distance, Sjoblom was always involved in some way. After graduating high school, law enforcement was not on Sjoblom's mind at all, construction was. While working for a construction company, with hopes of owning his own construction business one day, Sjoblom developed blood clots in his shoulder, leading to surgery to create more blood flow for his arms and ultimately the end of his construction career.

He then went to school for computer repair, and later switched to animation. After realizing computer work wasn't for him, he decided to take some off and worked a landscaping job in Lakeville. A friend of his, who knew Sjoblom was always concerned about and willing to help others, encouraged him to think about law enforcement.

That friend set up a ride along with a sergeant in St. Paul Park. Exactly two weeks after that, Sjoblom registered for law enforcement classes at Rochester Community and Technical College. One year after graduating he accepted a role at his dream job, with the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office.

Sjoblom enjoys being able to work in the county he grew up in, and describes it as a rewarding experience where he feels that his work matters to others.

"I mostly wanted to give back to the community I grew up and that meant so much to me," said Sjoblom. "People face some very difficult times, and I want to be that person to help them get through those times. I love working with people and meeting them, it's very fun to get to know everyone."

Getting to know the community is a goal of Sjoblom's as is continuing to build relationships. Though he came to Kenyon-Wanamingo Schools as an SRO to get to know the students better, he wasn't able to do that to his best ability due to COVID, between distance learning, social distancing and mask wearing.

He is thankful for both the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office and Kenyon Police Department for making his transition as smooth as it can be. He says it's been nice working with other Kenyon officers who know the operations of the town, and absorbing administrative assistant Linda Bean's knowledge of the city.

"They have all been amazing to work with in the transition and are supportive of my career move," said Sjoblom of his colleagues. "I look forward to continuing the professional and personal relationship with some guys, as we'll still work together on some calls, certain things we'll need assistance with in the county. I look forward to working with them in the future."

Many roles

Over the years, the Wanamingo resident has taken on many roles on the county level, all of which have helped him get to where he is today.

In 2013, he started as a field training officer and the following year became the security resource officer in Pine Island where he worked for five years. When the SRO position opened up in Kenyon, where all three of his children go to school, Sjobolom saw it as a great opportunity to help them get a lock own program going.

Prior to that, he started the "Shave Seconds" program, where he asked for the keys from all school districts in the area for deputies to have, so there's no delay in case of an emergency. When K-W lost funding for its SRO program in February, Sjoblom went into the investigations unit as an interim. He was also the Toward Zero Death coordinator from 2010-14, serving in the administrator role, and was a child passenger safety technician.

He started on an emergency response (SWAT) team in 2009, a role that he has been involved with ever since. Currently, he has been the team leader for the last two years. He was able to withhold that position with the transfer to Kenyon, as it is meant to be a multi-agency team.

After the 2000 shooting of officer Shawn Schneider in Lake City, Sjoblom recalls promising the guys he would work to get a BearCat (armored vehicle) for the county. Though it took almost three years to figure out funding, Sjoblom kept his promise.

Always wanting to go back to school and get an administrative degree, Sjoblom started that venture last January. At the time, he wasn't quite sure what role he would end up in, but he hoped it could be an administrative role as a police chief or in the sheriff's office. Fast forward about 17 months, that role would be as a police chief.

"It worked out well, this was the route I wanted to be in," said Sjoblom. "I think it's a great fit for me and the city."
Max Nesterak is the deputy editor of the Minnesota Reformer and reports on labor and housing.
Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media

STAMFORD  Organizers have moved the first night of Stamfords annual concert series Wednesday Nite Live indoors because of expected inclement weather.

The Downtown Special Services District announced on the ticket portal EventBrite that rock band Blues Traveler would move its performance Wednesday to the Palace Theater at 61 Atlantic St.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced a new ad campaign Wednesdfay to promote COVID-19 vaccinations, as cases continue to mount in the state.

The TV ads, done with the states Department of Public Health, launched this week and will also run online, according to a statement from the governors office.

We have come so far with more than 2.2 million Connecticut residents aged 12 and above fully vaccinated, but we cant get complacent, Lamont said in a statement. While we are in a much better place today than we were a year ago, the pandemic is not over, and vaccination remains our most effective strategy in our fight against the coronavirus.

The campaign includes 15- and 30-second spots called Turned the Corner. The campaign also includes testimony of state residents who share their experience with the disease.

In one, Hartford police Officer Hiram Otero recalled losing his father to COVID-19 last year.

He was just a powerful person, Otero recounts. He would call me two or three times a day we have a tradition in the Puerto Rican culture when a relative calls you, especially if theyre older, you ask for their blessing, he said.

Michael, a high school senior, speaks of how he went for a run and something didnt feel right, later leading him to realize he had COVID.

I just wish that I could have done more, and I felt guilty because I was the first one to test positive, says Abigail, Michaels mother. To have your family exposed and to be helpless is unbearable, she says.

In a statement, Acting Public Health Commissioner Deidre Gifford urged residents to get vaccinated, saying the vaccines are safe and effective even against delta.

The new campaign is hard-hitting and clearly depicts the difference between life with vaccination versus the risk to your life without, she said.

The campaign was created by Cronin and Bonfire productions. The agencies chief creative officer, Steve Wolfberg, said: The Turned the Corner campaign juxtaposes the celebration of everything we got back with vaccinations - hugs, being together - with the realities of the life and death situation the virus poses for people who remain unvaccinated.
DARIEN  A 21-year-old town resident has been charged in connection with the assault of an Uber driver that was caught on video last week, police said Wednesday.

Shandaken Ford, 21, turned himself in Wednesday on charges of third-degree assault, criminal mischief and breach of peace.

Ford is accused of assaulting an Uber driver last Friday night in Darien.

In an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media, the Uber driver, Sijo George, said he picked up the 21-year-old and another man in downtown Stamford and drove them to Darien around 11 p.m. last Friday.

A dash camera captured George being punched and kicked while the man, identified by police as Ford, repeatedly demanded the mans drivers license. It remains unclear why the man wanted Georges license.

Police said Ford ran away before they arrived and a K-9 was unable to locate him that night.

Fords criminal defense attorney, Mark Sherman, declined to discuss specifics of the case, but said his client is deeply sorry and regretful for what happened that night.

Sherman said his client plans to work with the court to "make this hard-working man whole and try to begin a healing process for everyone involved.

Ford was released Wednesday on $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Sept. 13.

This fact pattern and set of circumstances contained in this incident are highly distressing to me and certainly not indicative of reasonable conduct. I have been closely monitoring the published news stories as well as the social media postings/online comments concerning this incident, Darien Police Chief Don Anderson said in a statement released Wednesday.

To be clear: this type of unprovoked behavior is certainly not in line with the beliefs and reasonable actions of virtually all Darien residents and visitors to our town and should not, and will not, be tolerated.

In his statement, Anderson defended his department after he said it faced criticism because an arrest was not made sooner.

Anderson explained how police were not immediately able to locate Ford last Friday night and were then required to submit an arrest warrant application. Anderson said the application was submitted on Monday and signed by a judge on Tuesday.

I commend the officers involved for their professional and diligent work on this incident, he said. It was properly, expeditiously and thoroughly investigated; an arrest warrant application was quickly generated and submitted for judicial review the first thing Monday morning following the incident.

The Uber drivers wife, Maria George, said their family has received an outpouring of community support since the incident. She said Fords friends even came to the restaurant her husband manages and apologized for the incident.

George said the other passenger who was in the car with Ford was not involved in the assault.

The incident was the second involving an Uber driver in the last month in Darien. Police said a New York man was arrested after he threatened to hurt that driver and used racial slurs on July 30.
Milton, PA (17847)

Today

Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms overnight. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms overnight. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
A popular musician from the Dominican Republic will perform in Hazleton Friday as part of Arts in the Park.

Yasser Tejeda and Palotre will take the stage at the CAN DO Community Park, 35 W. Broad St., from 7 to 9 p.m.

Downtown Hazletons First Friday runs simultaneously and will feature art, a variety show and a domino tournament.

While merengue and bachata are popular genres in the Dominican Republic, so too is the Afro-Dominican roots music that Tejeda performs.

Tejeda & Palotre blend some of the countrys black roots rhythms like palo, salve and sarandunga, with jazz and rock to bring a new spin to local sounds  and to reimagine what it means to be Dominican, according to National Public Radio.

During the intermission, Larsen Accessories will put on a fashion show featuring some of their original designs.

Dominican foods from Station 33 Restaurant, along with Caribbean-themed drinks and non-alcoholic beverages, will be available for purchase.

Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

Also at the park, a domino tournament begins at 5:30 p.m. Prizes for first, second and third places will be $300, $200 and $100 respectively. To register, contact 912-332-3324 or fjd153@gmail.com.

The Hayden Family Center for the Arts, 31 W. Broad St., will have a 6 to 8 p.m. opening reception for the Made in L.A. Street Artist Exhibition featuring art from the collection of Mark Peterson.

Peterson has works by artists whose roots are in the Los Angeles street art movement. A mix of abstract, urban and figurative art make up the bulk of the collection, which include artists like Kellybrew, Mazo and Kiddo. The gallery show runs through Sept. 26.

The Sanctuary Stunt Studio, 172 N. Wyoming St., will have the Summer Smoke Out: Full Contact Variety Show from 8 to 10 p.m.

For more information on any of the events, visit www.downtownhazleton .org or email kschneider@downtown hazleton.org.
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A number of 12 contracts, worth 32.7 million RON, within the "Future for NEETs youth" Human Capital Operational Program, were signed on Wednesday with the beneficiaries, the Ministry of Investments and European Projects (MIPE) announced in a press release sent AGERPRES.

"The Ministry of Investments and European Projects started signing contracts within the POCU (Human Capital Operational Program) "Future for NEETs youth", with a total value of over 185 million Euro. Among the 99 winning projects, 12 were signed today at the Ministry, and the rest will be signed in the following days," the press release reads.

According to the quoted source, with the help of the 99 contracts, almost 60,000 NEETs youth (Not in Employment, Education or Training), unemployed, with emphasis on those from the rural area and those belonging to the Roma minority, with ages between 16-29, will benefit from measures adapted to their needs, so that they can finish their mandatory studies, and to take classes for professional qualification in crafts where there is a large request on the labor market and to find a job. Apart from this, 1,500 youth will be helped to open up their own business, benefiting from 25,000 Euro each in financial support."Through these contracts we have a single goal: ensuring a safe future for NEETs youths at home, in Romania. There are many young people who did not finish their school and who do not have a job. These youth represent an immense resource for Romania, and we want to help them find a well-paid job. It is one of the most important objectives of this governing: ensuring a decent living at home, in the country. I would like to thank my colleagues from the Ministry, colleagues from POCU for supporting these projects, that they are interested in the fate of these young people," Hegedus Csilla, a MIPE state secretary, said.All 99 contracts will be signed and their implementation will begin in the next two weeks.
Chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Ludovic Orban, who seeks a new term at the party's helm, said today that the MPs who signed the motion for his bid for party leader have been replaced in the Parliament's leading positions and claimed that this "looks like a purge".

"All the deputies and senators who signed my motion have been replaced in the leading positions of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. I see that the balance that should ensure the coherent functioning of the parliamentary groups, by having all party currents represented, has been broken in a move that looks like a purge over the political support provided to me. Today's victory is a pyrrhic victory for the Citu camp and shows that those who advise the Prime Minister do not understand how parliamentary groups work and how their consistency and unitary action can be ensured. As far as I am concerned, today is a day when those who rushed to grab some positions have supplanted many of my colleagues. Just think that Laurentiu Leoreanu garnered 42 votes in his bid for Chamber Deputy Speaker, while Virgil Guran got 18 votes out of 40 for Senate floor leader. The existence of this balance always requires a discussion, a negotiation and not an attempt to seize all positions and remove the colleagues who back my bid for PNL Chairman from all positions of representation and House leadership," Orban said at the House of Parliament.

He added that the vote in the parliamentary groups will not affect the campaign for PNL leader."I continue my campaign with the same determination, with the same dedication for PNL, with the same message of upping the governmental performance and ensuring a government capable of improving the life of Romanians," Orban said.In his turn, Prime Minister Florin Citu argued that those candidates were elected who have delivered and that the PNL sitting Chairman is overdoing it."The elected candidates are all people who delivered. Mrs. Senate Vice Chairperson Gorghiu has proven that she is very good in this position, Mr. Neagu has a very good and extensive experience and he has also won [the position of Senate deputy floor leader]. As regards the treasurer positions, Mr. Tapu Nazare is a long-standing lawmaker who has previously served as treasurer, if I am correct, so these are all seasoned people. In the Chamber of Deputies, Mr. Florin Roman, a former floor leader, has won the seat of Deputy Speaker due to his political experience in Parliament. In the fight with PSD we need in the Romanian Parliament people well acquainted with the procedures, people who know how to battle in Parliament, people capable of supporting PNL's projects in Parliament. (...) [Calling this a purge] is an exaggeration, this has been done before. What should we do now, cry 'purge' whenever the structure of the Standing Bureau changes? No. This is the vote of our colleagues and it's a shame that the sitting PNL Chairman does not respect the vote of the Senators. This is an independent vote. People have their own will and vote independently," Citu said.
This is no longer a coalition government - was the reaction of Co-Chairman of the Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity, and Solidarity Party (USR PLUS) Dacian Ciolos after learning about Premier Florin Citu's decision to sack Justice Minister Stelian Ion.

''The promise made to the Liberal mayors (not to the Romanian citizens, as the Prime Minister claims) is more important than the stability and continuity of the coalition. Florin Citu dismisses for no reason the second USR PLUS minister, subordinating the entire government to PNL's interests. This is no longer a coalition government!,'' Ciolos wrote on Facebook.

Prime Minister Florin Citu announced this evening having sent President Klaus Iohannis the request for the dismissal of Justice Minister Stelian Ion.
Co-Chairman of the Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity, and Solidarity Party (USR PLUS) and Deputy Prime Minister Dan Barna said on Wednesday evening that Prime Minister Florin Citu is incapable of leading a government and that he should resign, accusing him also of "cynicism and ill will".

"Tonight Florin Citu has shown that he is incapable of leading anything. All the less a government. The abuse of power, decisions taken sneakily at night, thug-like, are not Liviu Dragnea's trademark. And Florin Citu has proven that he is worse than Dragnea, because he cynically and ill willingly deceives the expectations of an electorate that has asked for something different. Florin Citu has to go," Barna wrote on Facebook after the Prime Minister's announcement that he has sacked Justice Minister Stelian Ion.

Prime Minister Florin Citu announced this evening having sent President Klaus Iohannis the request for the dismissal of Justice Minister Stelian Ion.
The Liberals' junior coalition partner Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity, and Solidarity Party (USR PLUS) has decided not to attend the 7 p.m. government meeting, USR PLUS Co-Chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Dan Barna announced.

He said that USR PLUS has decided to convene a meeting of the governing coalition for Thursday at 10:00.

"The coalition meeting tomorrow morning will decide how we will further proceed," said Barna.The government meeting due in the first part of the day was suspended until 19:00.Prime Minister Florin Citu would have wanted to introduce the "Anghel Saligny" National Investment Program on the meeting's additional agenda, although the document does not have all the necessary approvals, certain sources inform.Deputy Prime Minister and USR PLUS Co-Chairman Dan Barna said that what happened at the meeting this morning was "a breach of the addendum to the coalition's governing protocol."
President Klaus Iohannis addressed congratulations for the victory of the pro-reform, pro-democracy and pro-European political forces in the early elections of July 11 in the Republic of Moldova and for the election of Igor Grosu as President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, at the welcoming of the latter at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, on Wednesday afternoon, the Presidential Administration announced, agerpres reports.

The President of Romania hailed the presence of the high official from Chisinau, who is accompanied by a parliamentary delegation from this country, at the opening of the session of the Chamber of Deputies of the Romanian Parliament and mentioned the opportunity of deeper and consistent cooperation, including at the level of the two Parliaments, in order to make the necessary decisions to advance the bilateral agenda, as well as the European path of the Republic of Moldova, the Presidential Administration says.

President Klaus Iohannis reconfirmed Romania's commitment to grant its entire support to the transformation, modernization and reform implementation processes, in the spirit of the Strategic Partnership for European integration between the two states.The two dignitaries approached the necessary measures to accelerate the bilateral projects meant to connect the Republic of Moldova, through Romania, to the European Union space and bring real benefits at the level of the entire society and have also hailed the start of preparations for the future joint session of Government, which will take place in Chisinau in the near future.
Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu welcomed on Wednesday at the Ministry headquarters the President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Igor Grosu, with the two officials highlighting on the occasion the common interest for "the close and irreversible connection of the Republic of Moldova to the European space, with Romania being instrumental to this," the Foreign Ministry said in a release

"Romania's constant support for the Republic of Moldova at EU level" was in focus of the talks, with Minister Aurescu drawing attention to the need for the sped up implementation of the entire bilateral cooperation agenda, as per the talks held on the occasion of his visit to Chisinau on July 23.

The Foreign Minister also said that Romania "supports a comprehensive, peaceful and sustainable settlement of the Transnistrian file, with the observance of the Republic of Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and without its future being affected."In this context, he pointed out that Romania has actively promoted at EU level the issue of protracted conflicts, and the subject has been included on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council at the proposal of the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, agerpres reports.The President of the Chisinau Parliament outlined the reform priorities, particularly in the judiciary and the fight against corruption, as regards the public administration modernization and streamlining and attracting investments to the Republic of Moldova. Ion Grosu also thanked Romania for its entire support, including that offered in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.President of the Moldovan Parliament Igor Grosu is on an official visit to Bucharest and will address later in the day the joint chambers of the Romanian Parliament.
Minister of Health Ioana Mihaila announced on Wednesday that the pupils confirmed positive for SARS-COV-2 can return to school, starting with the eighth day, after performing a rapid antigen test.

"Regarding the testing and the measures taken when a positive case occurs, whether it is a symptomatic case that has been tested in school and diagnosed as positive, or that the public health directorate or the parent has informed the school that one of the children has become positive, the attitude is: if we talk about classes in preschool education and classes from preparatory to sixth grade, the pupils in the class of the child who has been diagnosed positive will continue online education for 14 days, but can return, starting with the eighth day, after rapid antigen testing, if the results of these tests are negative," Mihaila told a press conference regarding the signing of the joint Minister Order for the opening and functioning of the schools.

She specified that the testing on the eighth day is organized in schools by the medical staff of the educational units where it is available or by mobilizing the teams from the public health directorates, where the staff is available."In case the parents refuse testing on the eighth day, online education is extended until the fourteenth day, when they return to school. For children in the seventh, eighth grade and high school, in the event of a positive case in school there are two situations: children who have been vaccinated or gone through the disease in the last 180 days and prove to be in one of the two situations can continue to learn face to face. The other children go online, as well as in the primary grades and up to the sixth grade, for 14 days, but with the possibility of testing and returning to school starting with the eighth day," said the health minister.
President Klaus Iohannis declared on Wednesday that it is fundamental for parties from the government coalition to show maturity and responsibility and reach a "common denominator when the stake is of capital importance for Romanians".

"The time of electoral fights has ended, governing is not about competition between a party or another, nor is it about the competition within the parties or one leader or another. Governing and regulating are about making public policies for Romanians. None of the governing parties should forget this. No political leader should forget that power is exercised for Romanians, not for a temporary party interest. Apart from the different, natural visions upon a project or another, it is fundamental for all parties from the government coalition to show maturity and responsibility and to reach a common denominator when the stakes are of capital importance for Romanians. That is why, I wish to see from the ruling parties a good example of efficiency, dialogue and democracy. And when I say democracy, I am also referring to a democratic way of functioning, firstly in their own political formations," Iohannis said at the Cotroceni Palace.

He said that "the internal party elections are not about replacing a leader with another leader by any means necessary, but rather about competition and projects, about debates which will lead to modernization, efficiency and renewal, so that the final result can be reaching a better level of representing Romanians"."Parliament creates a bridge between society and the country's laws, that is why the current premises can lead to those profound reforms which our country needs," the head of state added.He highlighted that the areas of justice, education, health, public administration need to be placed on solid ground."With the power at its disposal through the Constitution, the responsibility of Parliament is to match that. That is why, in the hope of a parliamentary session with notable results, I request the entire political class, all members of Parliament and Executive to show restraint, balance and openness to dialogue!" president Iohannis highlighted.
President Klaus Iohannis stated, on Wednesday, that several reforms have not yet started and that there are "arrears" in Parliament, context in which he appealed to MPs to show Romanians that "they respect them through their actions."

"There are many arrears that await solving, many legislative reforms which have not started yet. MPs have the duty to deliver what they promised. Attention, I do not ask them to speak of it, I ask of them results. Speaking is easy, yet people have tired of sterile speeches, of the eternally unfulfilled promises, they want to see less scandal and more cooperation, they are not interested in who is shouting the loudest or who criticizes more efficiently. I am making, in this way, an appeal to all parties, both in the governing coalition as well as in the opposition, to look to the future an to show Romanians they respect them through their actions. Simple rhetoric has no purpose," said the head of state, at the Cotroceni Palace.
The Minister of National Defence, Nicolae Ciuca, will participate, on Wednesday and Thursday, in the informal meeting of the defence ministers from the member states of the European Union, in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The ministerial meeting will start with debates on the operational commitments of the European Union, a session in which the defence ministers will discuss the latest developments in the Sahel, Libya, Mozambique and the Western Balkans, according to a Ministry of National Defence release sent to AGERPRES.

Also, the theme of resilience will be on the agenda of the meeting, in the context of defining the political orientations and specific objectives of the future EU guidance instrument - the Strategic Compass. The session on this topic will focus on ways to counter hybrid threats and challenges, as well as ensuring access to common global goods (maritime, cyber and space areas).The last part of the meeting will address common geostrategic challenges and opportunities for strengthening cooperation with NATO and the UN. The Deputy Secretary - General of NATO, Mircea Geoana, and the UN Under-Secretary General for Peace Support Operations, Jean - Pierre Lacroix, were invited to the event.
Prime Minister Florin Citu on Wednesday said that the USR-PLUS (Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity) is blackmailing with the Special Section (SIIJ, Section for Investigation of Crimes in Justice) and stressed that "politics cannot be done on conditions and blackmail" and that there is no time for "political games", in the context of discussions on the Anghel Saligny National Investment Programme (PNDL 3).

"I would like to discuss about the programme, because it is not a programme for me, for PNL (National Liberal Party), the UDMR (Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania), USR (Save Romania Union) or for PSD (Social Democratic Party). It is a programme for Romanians. I said at the beginning of this government that we no longer allow to have locality in Romania that do not have access to European funds, to remain undeveloped. This is the programme. If the colleagues from USR do not support the development of Romania, very well, let them come out in front. As for the blackmail and that obstacle that they put with the SIIJ, I was the first to negotiate that SIIJ in the form to be passed through the Government through negotiations with all the coalition, I supported all the solutions that came from the Ministry of Justice to abolish the SIIJ. (...) Unfortunately, politics cannot be done through conditions and blackmail," Citu said, after attending the meeting of the PNL senatorial group.

The Prime Minister also said the original of the Anghel Saligny programme's draft was sent on 25 August to the Justice Ministry.
Prime Minister Florin Citu announced this evening that he sent President Klaus Iohannis the request for the dismissal of Justice Minister Stelian Ion from the USR PLUS junior coalition partner.

"I took a necessary decision. A few minutes ago I sent the President of Romania the request for the removal from office of Justice Minister Stelian Ion," PM Citu said.

"I will not accept in the Government of Romania ministers who oppose the country's modernization. As a minister, Stelian Ion has failed to assert himself in the coalition, he fell short of carrying his projects through. For example, the abolition of the Section for the Investigation of Judicial Crimes, which eight months into office, has still not been dismantled," the Premier said in a press statement at the Victoria Palace of Government.Citu added that "blocking the government's activity just because one doesn't agree to develop communities" is a violation of the mandate entrusted by Parliament through the governing program, and that he will not allow "the blackmailing" of the Romanian people."I no longer accept in the government anyone who resorts to blackmail. No one who doesn't understand that we are not talking here about mayors, but about communities and the citizens' interest. We need to develop Romania. Just because our USR PLUS coalition colleagues don't have many mayors doesn't mean that the Romanians have to suffer. I take full responsibility for this decision. The PNL National Political Bureau has undertaken this investment project, which is not PNDL 3. It's a dedicated road paving, water & sewage and gas project. It is the symbol of Romania's modernization after 30 years," the Prime Minister went on to say.Citu added that he will nominate for interim Justice Minister someone who understands the "number 1 priority of investments" in Romania."I want our coalition partners from USR PLUS to have the broadmindedness and responsibility not to choose to pull out of government, as they have been conveying via various channels since this morning. This coalition is bound to deliver reforms for Romanians. I assure you that this government carries on and that we will overcome this moment as well, because the public interest, the interest of the Romanians is above the interest of a politician," the Prime Minister concluded.
Tourist packages on the Romanian seaside will be up to 70% cheaper from September 1, compared to the peak season rates, with the launch of the "Seaside for all" program, the Federation of Romanian Tourism Employers (FPTR) representatives announced.

Thus, Romanians can stay in classified hotels in the Black Sea resorts with prices starting from 36 lei per night.

According to FPTR, the "Seaside for all" program, now in its 39th edition, runs from September 1 to 30 and is aimed at all tourists who want to spend a stay on the local coast in the off-season.The program included 42 hotels from all the seaside resorts, which offer tourists a number of approximately 3,400 accommodation places per night. These places will be sold both through partner travel agencies and their resellers, and directly by hotels.The cheapest package through the "Seaside for All" Program, without breakfast, can be purchased at a two-star hotel in Saturn resort and costs 72 lei / night for two people if a minimum stay of five nights is purchased. Hotels from 2 to 4 stars have registered in this program, the rates proposed by hoteliers being for all categories of tourists."Seaside for All" is the only social program in Romania fully supported by the business environment, respectively by the local hotel employers.The Federation of Romanian Tourism Employers is the only employers' federation, certified by a court decision, having 5,344 tourism companies, which provide salaries for 73,752 employees, representing 37% of the tourism workforce, with a total turnover of over 5 billion euros and managing, in an overwhelming share, Romanian capital.
Romania's Senate and the Chamber of Deputies begin today their second ordinary parliamentary session of 2021.

Senate Chair Anca Dragu and Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Ludovic Orban have called on the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies to convene at 16:00hrs, EEST.

As customary at the beginning of each session, the lawmakers will elect by vote the leaders of the two chambers: the deputy chairs, secretaries and treasurers of the standing bureaus, with the chairs being elected at the beginning of the legislature for an entire term.The election of the leaderships of the two chambers is made at the proposal of the parliamentary groups, in accordance with their weight, according to the political configuration of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate and negotiations of the floor leaders. The lists of candidates recommended for the standing bureaus are submitted in full to the vote of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, and they pass if approved by an open vote of a majority of the lawmakers in attendance.Among the priorities of the incoming parliamentary session is a bill on vulnerable consumers, in the Chamber of Deputies, which is the decision-making body in this aces, and a bill disbanding the Court Section for the Investigation of Crimes in Justice (SIIJ), which is with the Senate."The priorities are in line with the governing agenda in collaboration with the government, and we have a series of legislative initiatives that have to be completed soon," Senate Chair Dragu said last week.Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Ludovic Orban announced that the "utmost priority" of the incoming parliamentary session passing a law on vulnerable consumers, which provides for the possibility to support low-income families in paying part of electricity and gas bills.About the bill disbanding SIIJ, the leaders of the governing coalition consisting of the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Save Romania - Freedom, Unity, and Solidarity Party (USR PLUS) and the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) are to decide on the form to be adopted, because, although they all have claimed to agree that this section should be abolished, no consensus solution has been found yet.On the other hand, the opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD) demands that the utmost priority in the Senate - the decision-making chamber - be the bill "No convicts in public office," a draft initiated by USR PLUS in the previous legislature, and has announced that it supports the debate and urgent adoption of the law on vulnerable consumers in the Chamber of Deputies.Also, PSD has announced that it will table a motion of censure when it gets the 234 votes necessary to pass, but at the moment the opposition in Parliament has 204 votes. The Alliance for Romania's Unity (AUR) has announced the beginning of negotiations with lawmakers from across the entire political spectrum for the tabling of a motion of censure early in the incoming parliamentary session.At the same time, Parliament is scheduled to meet today at 17:30hrs in a joint sitting, where Chair of the Parliament of Moldova Igor Grosu is invited to attend.
The visit to Romania by Chairman of the Parliament of Moldova Igor Grosu is a historic one, said on Wednesday Speaker of Romania's Chamber of Deputies Ludovic Orban.

"This is the first official visit of Chairman Grosu to a country and this first visit takes place in Romania. I am very happy to be the speaker of the Chamber that hosts this visit, which I consider historic, because in Chisinau, in Parliament in Chisinau there is practically, at present, a very clear majority that has sent and continues to send signals of democratisation, European integration and friendly, fraternal collaboration between Moldova and Romania," Orban said after a meeting at Parliament House with Grosu.

Orban added that the visit includes many places, adding that he convened, together with the President of the Romanian Senate, a solemn sitting in which Grosu will address the Romanian Parliament.Grosu said in his turn that it is natural for the first visit he pays in this capacity to be to Romania, mentioning that he wants to "set concrete objectives.""I am honoured to pay this visit to Bucharest; it is my first visit as chairman of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, I wanted to come with my colleagues, chairs of parliamentary committees, to establish a direct relationship at parliamentary level. I also take this opportunity to discuss with Senate officials to set some very pragmatic and concrete objectives, because beyond the common linguistic, national and so on affection, people on both banks of the Prut ask us for concrete things, which should materialise in infrastructure projects, in joint projects not only at the level of governments, but also of local public administrations.That's how we set to use the time we have here in Bucharest, and once again I want to thank you for your invitation. I really wanted our first visit to be to Bucharest, as it is natural," said Grosu.Grosu and a parliamentary delegation are paying an official visit to Bucharest until September 2 on Orban's invitation to participate in the opening of the Romanian Parliament's second ordinary session of the year.
Dacian Ciolos, co-president of USR PLUS (Save Romania Union Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity), says that the party's ministers did not know that the project on the Anghel Saligny National Investment Programme will be placed on the additional agenda of the government meeting and that it does not have approvals from the ministries of Justice and Transport.

In a statement to Digi 24 private television, Ciolos said that, in his opinion, the USR PLUS ministers have nothing to look for in a government where their point of view is not respected.

"The meeting was suspended until 19:00. We had meetings with the parliamentary groups today, at the beginning of the session. We'll see what we decide. We did not know that this topic will be on the additional agenda. As far as I understand, it does not have all the approvals yet, because it does not have the approvals of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Transport. So, the procedure, from this point of view, is not fulfilled, but beyond that, we had a discussion in the coalition and we agreed that this project does not enter the agenda until we have cleared and voted on the abolition of the Special Section (SIIJ, Section for Investigation of Crimes in Justice, ed. n.). I believe that this is how trust in the coalition is built. If we put each other in front of the thing fulfilled, these are signals that we don't want to build together. And we want to continue together," Ciolos said.Dacian Ciolos added that USR PLUS wants to be part of the coalition, but that the Government cannot be transformed into a structure that "makes decisions to solve internal campaign problems of a party". He denied that the lack of approvals from Transport and Justice for Anghel Saligny programme was caused by the fact that the coalition parties did not reach an agreement on the abolition of the SIIJ.Ciolos also said that USR PLUS will not file a motion of censure against the government. He said, however, that, in his opinion, the USR PLUS ministers should withdraw from the Government if their point of view is not respected.Dacian Ciolos added that the subject of the dissolution of the Special Section has been on the Government's agenda for several months and that it is important in order to eliminate the CVM (Control and Verification Mechanism).
Co-chair of the Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity (USR PLUS) stated at the end of the meeting of the parliamentary groups of the formation that what happened in the Government session on Wednesday, postponed for 19:00, represented "an infringement of the appendix to the governing program signed in the coalition."

"I saw this morning, in the government session, although on Monday during the coalition meeting we convened together with our governing partners that we will continue discussion on the PNDL 3 [National Local Development Programme], on the SIIJ [Department for Investigating Crimes in Justice], on the special pensions and then in the next government session we come with certain options, with formulas and amendments, I noted in this government sitting, where in preparation there was nothing foreshadowing, that on the additional list it was introduced, to our surprise, this PNDL 3, a program on which I expressed numerous reserves for several reasons. It is, firstly, a matter of infringing the appendix to the governing protocol that we signed together with our partners," Dan Barna claimed.

He said that "after the Vlad Voiculescu situation", the coalition partners concluded a protocol establishing some rules "by which to govern fairly and correctly in the coalition.""One of the rules says: the agenda of the Government and the process to prioritize normative acts will be decided by the Prime Minister together with the deputy Prime Ministers in a weekly session after the preparatory government session organized by the SGG [Government General Secretariat]. The agenda of the government session will be agreed at this level and later sent to the ministries in public space. What that article says - says very simply: governing is done in the coalition, the government session is done in the coalition. Surprises like those today are unacceptable for USR PLUS," added Dan Barna, who believes the Prime Minister accepted to "not force" the additional agenda and for a later discussion to take place on Wednesday evening.The Government session on Wednesday was suspended, to be resumed at 19:00 hrs, according to official sources. Prime Minister Florin Citu intended to introduce on the additional agenda the "Anghel Saligny" National Program for Investments, according to the quoted sources.
A lorry loaded with textile waste coming from Germany was halted at the border check point in Bors, as the driver was found missing the legal documents to import waste to Romania.

The Oradea Regional Border Police Inspectorate (ITPF) Oradea informed on Wednesday that the lorry checked at the Bors Border Crossing Point there was carrying 16.3 tonnes of waste.

The driver, a 37-year-old Romanian, produced a bill of entry reading that the shipment contained used clothing."As there were suspicions regarding the legality of the shipment, the border police requested authorised support from the Bihor County Commissioner's Office with the National Environmental Guard. Upon inspection, it was found that the lorry was loaded with used clothing waste for which the driver failed to produce the necessary papers required by law for the import of waste," according to ITPF Oradea.In this case, the shipment was banned from entering Romania.
Even though its called Impeachment, the series is about the events that led to Clintons impeachment. By the time he was impeached, just like the Trump (impeachments), it was already preordained that he was going to be found not guilty in the Senate, just the way it was with Trump, Simpson says. We wanted to come in through the women.

The case, he says, was the beginning of some of the hyper-partisanship and the tribalism that we see today. I do think one of the things (the series) does show is that this incident set a standard where somebody can lie and they can just hold on to office.

While some have viewed Tripp as a villain, Sarah Paulson, who plays her, disagrees. I certainly think her choices are questionable at least. But in terms of her being unlikable, I just dont share that view.

Instead, she says, Lindas consistently feeling forgotten and unseen and invisible  and forsaken in her work environment.

That she made an unconscionable choice in dealing with her friendship with Lewinsky could be justified. She believed so wholeheartedly that she was doing something for a greater good, Paulson says.
The voicemail at a number listed for her in court documents was full Tuesday. She didnt immediately respond to a text message from The Associated Press.

In addition to the suspicious card, authorities determined that the travel information she provided listed she would be staying at a Waikiki Holiday Inn but didnt include a reservation number and return flight information, court documents said.

An assistant manager at the hotel confirmed to Lau she didnt have a reservation. Lau said in the court document that he tried to call the number she listed but her voicemail was full. He said he emailed her and didnt get a response.

Lau said he searched for her on Facebook and found a photo showing a distinctive tattoo on her left hip area.

The tattoo helped authorities find her at a Southwest Airlines counter when she was trying to leave Honolulu on Aug. 28, the court document said. She showed her ID and vaccination card to Lau, who informed her she was being arrested for falsifying vaccination documents.

Other visitors to Hawaii have been arrested for fake vaccination cards, including a father and son from California, who appeared in court via Zoom Tuesday and waived their rights to a jury trial.
I wondered if my life in this country would ever be the same.

  

Reporters jumped on stories from every angle. As an education reporter, I made some frenzied calls Tuesday morning to school districts for the newspaper's special edition. Afterward, I headed to Kirkwood High School to see how students and teachers were dealing with the country's crisis.

High school juniors were eager to talk during lunch in the cafeteria. One outspoken, sweet girl looked curiously at me and asked a question I expected to hear repeated in the coming days:

"So, where are you from?"

"I'm from Texas, but my family is originally from Pakistan."

"Oh my God! Isn't that who's bombing us?"

Her friends felt the awkwardness of the moment and told her to stop, but she tried to explain what she had heard on TV reports.

I smiled and said they probably hadn't named a culprit yet.

A certain amount of stereotyping is inevitable, but even I was upset by the stories I heard from my family later in the day.

  
KANSAS CITY  A court hearing that could have determined whether a Missouri man who has been in prison for more than 40 years would go free must be postponed, the Missouri Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.

A hearing was scheduled for Thursday in Jackson County Court for a judge to hear arguments on whether Kevin Strickland, 62, should be exonerated for a triple murder conviction and released from prison, where he has been since 1979.

But Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed an emergency motion Wednesday seeking to have the hearing delayed and the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District ruled in his favor. Schmitt has said he believes Strickland is guilty.

The appeals court ordered attorneys for Schmitts office and Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker to meet with Circuit Judge Kevin Harrell on Thursday to reschedule the hearing.

Peters Baker has argued that evidence used to convict Strickland has been disproved or recanted since his conviction in 1979, which she called a profound error. Several legal and political officials have also called for Stricklands release.
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence did attend solemn ceremonies marking the anniversary. Trumps national security adviser, Tom Bossert, said the national security apparatus put in place after 9/11 is the underpinning of what he calls the best integrated, unified joint federal-local-state response effort that our country has seen in its history.

History will be the judge of that: A coordinated and humane response to terrorism could boost the Trump presidency; bungling over the long haul could scar it for good. Bush had almost total job approval in the days after 9/11. It went way south after the invasion of Iraq.

The fight against terrorism has consumed two presidencies.

Will it a third?

Trump vowed last month to destroy terrorist organizations and the radical ideology that drives them.

On Monday, speaking at the Pennsylvania site where United Flight 93 went down after passengers fought back, Pence declared that together, as one nation and one people, we will drive the cancer of terrorism from the face of the Earth.

Left unsaid was whether Trump believes this is possible during his time in office, or whether or not he believes this is a multigenerational fight that could confront his grandchildren.
Illinois Democrats have not yet voted on new congressional district boundaries, but with the state losing a congressional seat due to population loss, they are expected to eliminate a GOP-held district and try to make other districts more friendly to Democrats. Illinois is one of the few states where Democrats fully control the redistricting process, and it will play a key role in Democrats efforts to keep the U.S. House majority next year. The partys approach to state legislative map-making  barreling ahead even amid opposition from typical allies  suggests they will be equally aggressive with congressional boundaries.

Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez, a Democrat from Cicero who leads the House Redistricting Committee, said the new legislative boundaries better reflect the data we recently received from the U.S. Census and ensure communities are represented by the people of their choice.

Republicans blasted Democrats, saying hastily called and sparsely attended public hearings held over the past week were a sham because boundaries were already being drawn in a secret, Democrat-controlled process.

Witnesses who testified at those hearings urged Democrats to post proposed maps and give the public as much as 30 days  or more  to weigh in before a vote is taken.
Black and brown communities have suffered from decades of disparities, she said. Being innovative about access will be key, such as partnering with transportation services.

She also said she supports Jones plan to use mobile vaccination units.

Jones said Echols, a holdover appointee of former Mayor Lyda Krewson, had applied to continue as director. Jones thanked Echols, who wasnt present at the news conference, for his leadership and expertise and said we are glad to have him stay on in the No. 2 position.

Hlatshwayo Davis also commended Echols, saying he has led the city through this pandemic extraordinarily well.

Asked whether she plans any major changes, Hlatshwayo Davis said being disruptive is not what the health department needs right now.

She said before considering changes, she will talk with staffers in the agency, community leaders, academic partners, residents and health directors in some other major cities.

Hlatshwayo Davis, who grew up in Zimbabwe, earned her medical degree from Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and a masters degree in public health from Case Western Reserve University, also in Cleveland.
Republican leaders in Missouri and 11 other states wont be able to proceed for now with a lawsuit to block President Joe Bidens efforts to assess the social costs of greenhouse gases.

A federal judge in St. Louis dismissed a case Tuesday that had been spearheaded by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. Joined by 11 of his Republican counterparts in other states, Schmitt argued that applying the yet-to-be-finalized costs to virtually every regulatory program administered by the federal government exceeded Bidens authority, and would have far-reaching economic effects.

But Judge Audrey Fleissig said that the case was supported by a number of bare assumptions and is too weak for standing. Her 29-page ruling also said that the states case is not ripe for any action in court.

Schmitts spokesman said the ruling would be appealed.

The ruling sides with key points raised by the defense in oral arguments last week. Justice Department lawyers representing the cases long list of government defendants argued that the lawsuit centered on speculative harm, and should be dismissed.

They just suggest that perhaps they might run into some problem, said Stephen Pezzi, a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice.
After the Supreme Courts ruling, top Biden administration officials in a Friday letter urged states and local governments to implement their own eviction moratoriums and to speed up their disbursement of rental aid, which has been slow across the country. Several states, including Illinois, have a statewide ban on evictions. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday extended that states ban until Oct. 3, the day the federal moratorium was set to end before last weeks court ruling. In Illinois, 126,000 faced eviction or foreclosure in the next two months  not much higher than Missouri, a state half its size.

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen also is looking at a local moratorium ordinance in the city, but the board is on summer recess for the next two weeks. Aldermanic President Lewis Reed said its unlikely something will be passed before then, a window where evictions could begin to be executed by the St. Louis sheriffs office. But Reed said aldermen can use the time to build consensus on legislation, crafting something defensible in the courts that can be passed soon after aldermen return.
CLAYTON  St. Louis County Council Chair Rita Days on Tuesday delayed council action on a plan to help pay for an expansion of Americas Center after raising concerns over stalled plans for a north St. Louis County recreation center.

The recreation center was part of a deal, signed in 2019, between St. Louis County and the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission to help fund the $210 million expansion of the downtown convention center. Negotiated by Days predecessor on the council, Hazel Erby, the agreement provided that the CVC would spend 35% of the countys hotel-motel tax revenue that was not already encumbered by other projects on the new North County facility. But the plan is still being studied, CVC President Kitty Ratcliffe told the Post-Dispatch last month.

In an interview, Days, D-1st District, said she would continue to delay a vote on the countys funding for the expansion until Ratcliffe presents a plan for a new North County facility.

A plan was promised, a commitment was made, Days said. Im looking for a plan, in writing, on how were going to move forward.
ST. LOUIS  Metro East abortion providers say they are preparing to care for patients traveling from Texas, where a highly restrictive abortion law went into effect Wednesday.

The Texas law, passed in May, bars all abortions in the state after about six weeks gestation, well before many women even know they are pregnant. The U.S. Supreme Court late Wednesday voted 5-4 to deny an emergency appeal from abortion providers and others that sought to block enforcement of the law.

The ruling effectively made Texas the first state where an abortion ban has gone into effect since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973.

Illinois clinics are already fielding calls from Texas women scrambling to access the procedure, said Yamelsie Rodriguez, president of Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region.

We are ready to help patients from Texas access the care they need and deserve, Rodriguez said. When politicians in other states have failed people in need of abortion, we have answered the call.
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP)  With COVID-19 cases surging in southeast Missouri, the region's largest public school district is now requiring face coverings.

The Southeast Missourian reported that the Cape Girardeau School Board voted Tuesday to require masks. Classes began Aug. 25 and already, eight of the district's 10 schools have seen average attendance dip to 90% or below  the level triggering the mask mandate.

Superintendent Neil Glass said 306 students have been quarantined as of Tuesday night, and 28 of the district's 4,475 students currently have COVID-19.

The delta variant of the virus hit southwestern Missouri early but has since spread elsewhere in the state. Information from the state health department shows that cases and hospitalizations have risen dramatically in southeast Missouri over the past few weeks.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones on Wednesday named Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis as the city's new health director. She succeeds acting director Dr. Fredrick Echols, who will continue as health commissioner, his previous position.

Davis is an infectious disease specialist at John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis.
Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
by Austin Bay September 1, 2021

As President Joe Biden's propagandists wage a rearguard political war of lies and narrative distortion, al-Qaida has begun exploiting his administration's on-the-ground Afghanistan disaster.

The administration's lies, spin and evasions are as morally dreadful as they are pathetically transparent. Jen Psaki's jaw-dropping Aug. 23 "Americans aren't stranded" denial already ranks high among all-time White House double head-slappers.

Psaki employed a totalitarian rhetorical trick of the ilk George Orwell condemned. To avoid answering a fair but critical question, she attacked the reporter for using the word "stranded." Then, she redefined the word to mean something it does not, arguing citizens who couldn't enter the Kabul airport weren't stranded because they were in telephonic contact.

Earth to Jen. Your car stalls and you're stranded on the highway. You call AAA, but you're stranded until the tow truck arrives. Q.E.D.

American citizens were stranded in Afghanistan when she pulled her stunt. Some still stranded are potential hostages. On Aug. 31, a reporter asked Pentagon spokesman John Kirby if the U.S. would evacuate more citizens should the opportunity arise. Kirby inadvertently delivered a coup de Jaw-Drop Jen: "We have Americans that get stranded in countries all the time and we do everything we can to try to facilitate safe passage."

How many U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan? The Biden State Department doesn't know, and the figures vary from 100 to 1,500. State Department flacks, including Antony Blinken, also known as Secretary of State Blinken, excuse their befuddlement because the circumstances are chaotic.

Hey, Blinken -- you and yours seeded the unnecessary and deadly chaos.

For years, American veterans groups and civil organizations have sponsored programs to bring former Afghan translators and their families to the United States. Numerous nongovernmental organizations have focused on protecting other Afghans now vulnerable to Taliban execution, for example, religious minorities and women's and children's rights activists.

After Biden's April 14 withdrawal announcement, several of these programs morphed into ad hoc rescue efforts. The State Department response? It would take 12 to 18 months to get Special Immigrant Visas.

Aware that a decision to withdraw was in the works, a competent State Department would have integrated these efforts into its evacuation plan. Issuing treacly lip service plaudits is not integrated planning.

Oh, wait. What plan? Despite American military expertise in Noncombatant Evacuation Operations, or NEOs, Biden's Afghan debacle proves the planning effort was casual, haphazard and rank amateur.

A quote from my Aug. 17 column: "Even a NEO involving an area as large as Afghanistan could have been planned and prepared in 30 to 45 days if the Joint Chiefs of Staff had coordinating power and the State Department arranged for temporary refugee housing in third-country safe havens." The decision to quit Bagram air base "was utterly stupid, at least until threatened Afghans were extracted."

Blinken's State Department served as the lead agency -- that's U.S. doctrine for a NEO. But withdrawal from a combat zone is still a military operation. State Department suits, however, started giving specific security orders. The suits determined protecting the Kabul embassy -- protecting them -- took priority over keeping the Bagram airbase.

Why didn't the Joint Chiefs insist on sending in reinforcements to hold Bagram and protect the embassy? My guess: Biden's State Department is staffed by brats with paper credentials who insist they're smarter than everyone else, and the current ranking Pentagon military officers are political appointees with epaulets.

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan on Aug. 30, Dr. Amin-ul-Haq, an al-Qaida leader and former Osama bin Laden security chief, returned to his native Nangarhar province.

On Aug. 20 Biden said, "What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with al-Qaida gone?"

Hey, White House Resident. We defeated al-Qaida in Afghanistan. But your disastrous bugout has put 9/11's mass-murdering terrorists back in business.
Top 10 Reasons Why Streaming Media West is Better Than Big Expos

In late June, Mobile World Congress officially kicked off the return to in-person conferences for our industry and, with apologies to T.S. Eliot, did so not with a bang but a whimper. The event usually brings more than 100,000 to Barcelona, but this year, a paltry 10,000 attendedhalf of them from Spain. That doesnt bode well for NAB, and rumors are swirling that IBC wont happen in person. We can speculate on the reasons, but they all share one thing in common: Theyre mostly pertinent to massive shows with many international attendees.

But Streaming Media West is another kind of event entirely, and from what I hear, Im not the only one who cant wait to get back to Huntington Beach in November. Here are 10 reasons why Streaming Media West is better than the big shows (with photos below!):

Its more intimate. More time for real learning and networking. Less time spent running from one hall to another. Sure, you wont rack up the steps on your fitness app, but theres a great running and biking path along the beach. Yes, theres a beach. A real one, not like that one in Amsterdam. Its close to Los Angeles. Some of the big-name companies in our space still have travel restrictions, but theyve got local employees and executives. If youre a sponsor, you dont need to blow half your marketing budget to exhibit, and you dont need to spend $10K for a barista at your booth. (No long lines at the Hyatt Starbucks either!) The fish tacos at Petes Sunset Grille. Does Apple speak at NAB, IBC, or much of anywhere else besides Apple events? No, but Apples Roger Pantos has been a mainstay at Streaming Media West. The cream of the crop of video engineering talent will be there. Thats why Netflix, Hulu, Facebook, and Google have recruited at our shows. This is our 24th Streaming Media West, and people come back every year. Youre sure to run into old friends and make new ones. Did I mention theres a beach?

The full program will be online soon. Visit the conference website for information on attending, sponsoring, and exhibiting.

Apple's Roger Pantos at Streaming Media West 2019

Networking under the stars

You don't get this view in Vegas ...

Or this one ...

Old friends Chris Knowlton and Jeff Tapper on the beach

The infamous Grotto

Come on in ... the water's fine!

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Partnership With Leading Food Manufacturer to Focus on Continued Long-Term Growth, Market Expansion Opportunities and Excellence in Product Quality and Innovation

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pritzker Private Capital (PPC), a leader in family direct investing, announced today that it has acquired a significant stake in Monogram Foods (Monogram), a founder-led company focused on business-to-business food manufacturing for some of the most prominent brands and retailers in the United States. HF Capital, a family investment firm, invested along with PPC. Current owners, including co-founders Karl Schledwitz and Wes Jackson, and other members of management remain significant owners and will continue to lead the business.

Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Monogram Foods was founded by Karl Schledwitz and Wes Jackson in 2004 and continues to be led by members of the companys founding team. The company is a market leader in innovating and manufacturing food products including meat snacks, bacon, corn dogs, appetizers and sandwiches, and operates one of the only USDA-approved bakeries in the U.S. With 10 manufacturing locations across six states and over 3,000 employees, Monogram plays a critical role in the supply chain for its co-manufacturing, private label and foodservice customers.

Monogram Foods is an established leader in the prepared food industry with best-in-class manufacturing capabilities and a longstanding commitment to food safety, sustainability and social impact, said Chris Trick, Investment Partner at PPC. Monogram is led by a world-class management team and has leading market positions in its categories and compelling opportunities for long-term growth and expansion. We are thrilled to partner with Karl and the team and support Monogram in its next phase of growth.

Since we founded Monogram Foods in 2004, weve built our company guided by a culture of continuous growth, a commitment to safety and a focus on customer service, said Mr. Schledwitz. The Pritzker Private Capital team shares our values and is the ideal partner to support our companys exciting next chapter. This partnership will help our company grow through strategic acquisitions, expand our nationwide facility footprint, strengthen our R&D capabilities and provide new opportunities for our talented team.

Tony Pritzker, Chairman and CEO at PPC, added, At Pritzker Private Capital, we look to partner with growth-focused management teams who share our long-term philosophy of building great businesses. We are impressed by Monograms commitment to its people, its communities and to food safety and innovation. The company plays a vital role with its diverse customer base, and were delighted to partner with the Monogram team.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Monogram Foods

Monogram Foods is a strategic food manufacturer focused on the co-manufacturing, private label, and foodservice channels throughout the United States. Founded in 2004, Monogram Foods manufactures top-quality and innovative food products. Among these are a full range of meat snacks, appetizers, assembled sandwiches, fully-cooked and raw bacon, corn dogs, USDA baked goods, and other convenience products. Monogram Foods is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, has over 3,000 employees and operates ten manufacturing facilities in six states.

About Pritzker Private Capital

Pritzker Private Capital partners with middle-market companies based in North America with leading positions in the manufactured products, services and healthcare sectors. The firms differentiated, long-duration capital base allows for efficient decision-making, broad flexibility with transaction structure and investment horizon, and alignment with all stakeholders. Pritzker Private Capital builds businesses for the long term and is an ideal partner for entrepreneur- and family-owned companies. Pritzker Private Capital is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). For more information, visit www.ppcpartners.com.

About HF Capital

HF Capital invests capital on behalf of the Haslam family, based in Knoxville, Tennessee. This includes direct investments in operating companies as well as investment commitments to exceptional managers of liquid and illiquid investments across a spectrum of asset classes and geographies. James Haslam, Jr., the familys patriarch, founded Pilot Corporation in 1958. Today, Pilot is owned by the Haslam family and Berkshire Hathaway.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210831005319/en/

Abernathy MacGregor

Dan Scorpio / Kyla MacLennan

(646) 899-8118 / (646) 939-3062

dps@abmac.com / kam@abmac.com

Source: Pritzker Private Capital
For months, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said that he is working on a bill to federally deschedule cannabis and that he would do all he could to advance the legislation, even without President Joseph Bidens support. Schumer recently unveiled a draft of his comprehensive cannabis reform, the Cannabis Administration Opportunity Act, which would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, let states decide how to legalize cannabis, and launch social equity programs that would help disadvantaged communities, among others.

Although the draft legislation faces a&

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BETHEL, Maine, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- When the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum opens to the public today, September 1st, it will have a new addition: the largest single Mars rock on Earth. The specimen weighs 32 pounds. With less than 560 pounds known to exist, Mars is among the most exotic substances on our planet. It was an asteroid impact on the Martian surface that ejected surface material into an Earth-crossing orbit.

Scientists believed similarly exotic rocks originated from Mars as a result of their extraordinary chemical and isotopic markers. The proof of Martian origin, however, arrived in 1995 when similar samples with tiny bubbles were discovered to contain small volumes of gas  which turned out to be a perfect match with the signature of the Martian atmosphere as determined by NASA's Viking probes.

This specimen was acquired by Darryl Pitt, a Museum consultant who also obtained for the Museum the largest Moon Rock on Earth. For confirmation of his belief that the specimen was Martian, Pitt sent a small sample to Dr. Carl Agee  the director of the Institute of Meteoritics and one of the world's most renowned classification experts of Martian meteorites. Following a peer review of Dr. Agee's analysis and confirmation this was indeed a massive piece of the planet Mars, scientists named the meteorite "Taoudenni 002" as this was the second meteorite to be recovered from near Taoudenni, Mali  a desert salt-mining center 400 miles north of Timbuktu.

The meteorite is primarily comprised of pyroxene, olivine and maskekynite  an impact glass with bubbles known to contain Martian atmosphere.

Pictured at the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum last night at a celebratory unveiling for 100 guests are NASA scientist Dr. R. Aileen Yingst and NASA engineer Florence Tan with Taoudenni 002. Dr. Yingst, who addressed the crowd, is a Senior Scientist for the Planetary Science Institute, is a Co-Investigator on the SHERLOC instrument on the Martian rover Perseverance, and the Deputy Principal Investigator for the Hand Lens Imager on the Martian rover Curiosity. Florence Tan is the Chair of the Small Spacecraft Coordination Group at NASA Headquarters. She worked at Goddard Space Flight Center and has had designing and operational roles in the spectrometers sent to Mars, Saturn, and the Moon.

For further information or photos, please contact Jo Sorrell / jsorrell@mainemineralmuseum.org or 207-824-3036 x115.

The Maine Mineral & Gem Museum is located at 99 Main Street in Bethel, Maine and is open every day except Tuesdays. Comprising 15,000 square feet and featuring 19 interactive exhibits and a laboratory, the MMGM celebrates Maine's mining legacy in addition to an internationally renowned meteorite collection with more of the Moon than every natural history museum in the world  combined.

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SOURCE Maine Mineral & Gem Museum
MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PEOPLE magazine and Great Place to Work have honored global consulting firm Protiviti as one of the 2021 PEOPLE Companies that Care for demonstrating outstanding respect, care and concern for its employees and their communities.

"We applaud our people for all they do for each other, their communities and our clients."

The Companies that Care list is based on confidential responses to Great Place to Work's annual survey and represents more than five million U.S. employees' experiences of how their workplaces have made a difference in their lives and in their communities. The survey also takes into account each company's benefits and its philanthropic and community support during the last year.

"Protiviti has a deeply-rooted culture of helping those in need through volunteering and fundraising programs at the global, national and local office level," said Andrea Spinelli, a managing director with Protiviti and global leader of its community service program. "Even during the pandemic, our people have found creative ways to continue supporting their communities, including raising funds to buy equipment for first responders, delivering restaurant meals to frontline COVID healthcare workers, creating winter kits for the homeless, taking part in virtual fundraising walks and runs, and organizing virtual meal-packing events in support of our award-winning community service program, 'i on Hunger.'" Protiviti's i on Hunger program has provided more than 11 million meals to people in need since it was founded in late 2014.

During the pandemic, Protiviti has supported its employees so that they could stay safe and work from home. Numerous programs were enhanced or launched to help ease the challenging time, including increased flexible work arrangements to accommodate parents doing home schooling; increased time off to care for family members who got sick; resources for mental and physical well-being such as webinars and online yoga classes; and an allowance payment employees could use for their personal needs. "As part of our commitment to taking care of our people, we have increased communications, particularly from our leadership team, to strengthen our connection while working remotely and to share the latest information about the evolving pandemic landscape," said Scott Redfearn, executive vice president, global human resources, Protiviti. "We applaud our people for all they do for each other, their communities and our clients."

"These companies show up for humanity in a variety of ways  from showing compassion for their employees to giving back to their communities to putting diversity, equity and inclusion in the forefront," said Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work. "They are paving the way for more socially responsible business and are fostering high-trust workplaces for all." Companies were only considered for the list if they are a Great Place to Work-Certified organization.

Since 2015, Protiviti has been named consistently to the annual Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, which is based on the Great Place to Work survey. The firm has also been recognized on multiple other Great Place to Work lists, including Best Workplaces for Diversity, Parents, Millennials and Consulting and Professional Services. Learn more about Protiviti's accolades at https://www.protiviti.com/US-en/company-recognition

About Protiviti Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and its independent and locally owned Member Firms provide clients with consulting and managed solutions in finance, technology, operations, data, analytics, governance, risk and internal audit through its network of more than 85 offices in over 25 countries.

Named to the 2021 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, Protiviti has served more than 60 percent of Fortune 1000 and 35 percent of Fortune Global 500 companies. The firm also works with smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public, as well as with government agencies. Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index.

All referenced marks are the property of their respective owners.

Protiviti is not licensed or registered as a public accounting firm and does not issue opinions on financial statements or offer attestation services.

Editor's note: Protiviti photos available upon request.

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An airman receives the COVID-19 vaccine at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Jan. 29, 2021. (Tyler Greenlees/U.S. Air Force)

DAYTON, Ohio (Tribune News Service)  On Wednesday afternoon, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base moved to health protection condition (HPCON) Charlie, a stiffer regimen of conditions and requirements to guard against COVID-19.

Last Friday, Col. Patrick Miller, Wright-Patterson's installation commander, declared a public health emergency amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

Miller warned then that "We are on a path for HPCON Charlie."

He's scheduled to discuss the matter at 4:30 p.m. today in a Facebook meeting at https://www.facebook.com/WPAFB.

The military base follows Department of Defense regulations, shifting to different "health protection conditions" when local COVID numbers warrant it.

On Aug. 4, the base restored HPCON Bravo in the first week of August, just two months after a lull in cases had allowed the base to establish HPCON Alpha. The move to bravo was an acknowledgement of the Delta variant's deepening impact.

Then, on Aug. 18, the base moved to HPCON Bravo-Plus, a status pushing occupancy at the base to 40% of its typical working population, down from 50%.

Pre-pandemic, about 30,000 people went to work at Wright-Patterson every day, most of them driving on base from surrounding communities.

(c)2021 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio)

Visit the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) at www.daytondailynews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Col. Chris Warner, 47, an Army psychiatrist, was removed last year from command of Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., following an investigation that he raped his familys live-in nanny 14 years earlier, according to documents provided to Stars and Stripes. He will face a disciplinary hearing later this month. (U.S. Army photo)

An Army colonel who is a psychiatrist and commanded the hospital at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., has been accused of raping his familys live-in nanny 14 years ago when he served at Fort Stewart, Ga., according to documents provided to Stars and Stripes.

Since the accusation was levied against Col. Christopher Warner in September 2020, he was removed from command of Madigan Army Medical Center at Lewis-McChord and Army officials have conducted a sexual assault investigation. Warner, 47, received a General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand, and now awaits a final review of the case on Sept. 27 to determine whether he will face further disciplinary action, according to documents.

His former nanny, Amber, said she called the Army with the allegations last year after speaking with a therapist. She told special agents with Army Criminal Investigation Command, known as CID, that Warner raped her three times and attempted a fourth in his family home in Georgia in 2007.

Stars and Stripes typically does not name the victims of sexual assault, but Amber chose to be identified by her first name.

Daniel Conway, an attorney for Warner, described the colonel as a respected combat-tested physician that has helped thousands of patients.

We have empathy for the complainants feelings, but significant aspects of her story were proven untrue following an investigation. His case was handled appropriately by the command with advice of counsel and input from the complainant, Conway said in a statement.

Warner was assigned to Winn Army Community Hospital at Fort Stewart from 2005 to 2010, where he was chief of behavioral health medicine and the 3rd Infantry Division psychiatrist, according to the Coastal Courier newspaper. In 2016, he returned to command the Fort Stewart hospital.

Amber said she didnt think anyone would believe her story and for years tried to move on with her life, but she had trouble trusting people, suffered nightmares and had difficulty holding jobs where she had a male boss.

Amber, 33, contacted Army Criminal Investigative Command one year ago with allegations that Col. Christopher Warner, then commander of Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., had raped her when she worked as a live-in nanny for his family in 2007. The allegations led to Warners removal from command and he will face a disciplinary hearing later this month. Stars and Stripes typically does not name sexual assault victims, but Amber chose to be identified by her first name. (Photo provided by Amber)

Last year, she again tried therapy, which has always been difficult for her because Warner was a mental health professional. After Amber described what happened to her, the therapist searched online for information about Warner and told Amber about his recent appointment as the JBLM hospital commander.

They discussed the job allowed Warner power over other people and he was likely in charge of a unit that provided treatment to victims of sexual assault. Amber said she doesnt know whether Warner ever harmed other women, but she decided that contacting the Army would prevent any other possible assaults.

JBLM announced Warner was pulled from his job at the helm of Madigan medical center on Oct. 2, less than three months after taking command. The base statement was brief, and only said it was in response to a CID investigation that was unrelated to the base or the hospital.

Warner, originally from Toronto, Ohio, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., in 1996 and then from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in 2000, according to the Army. He is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Family Medicine.

Amber said, in part, it was Warners credentials and status as a service member and doctor that made her feel safe in a job that required her to live in someone elses home.

I dont have a choice

Amber was 19 years old when she accepted the job to care for Warners four children at the familys house in Richmond Hills, Ga. Warner, then 33, was set to deploy to Iraq after the birth of his fifth child, Amber said.

In the few months between Amber moving in and Warners deployment, she said he raped her in her bedroom, in the family room and forced her to perform oral sex on him. Each time, his children were in the home, she said.

The discussions of sex began as hints toward Amber about a month after she moved into Warners home in 2007. Over time, it escalated to Warner telling her that she would soon have to decide to have sex with him or leave the house and never work as a nanny again.

It was basically, you know, I could have sex with him, and he could give me medicine to help make it easier for me. Or, he said that he could tell [his wife] that I came on to him, and that I would never have a nanny position again, Amber said. He told me he didn't know what [his wife] would do, but that she had borderline personality disorder, and that could cause her to snap. So basically, in a way, he was hinting that he didn't know if [she] was capable of harming me.

On May 30, 2007, the night Warners wife delivered their new baby, he returned home hours after the birth to rape Amber, she said.

He entered her room in the early morning hours, told her about the baby, and then locked the door, she said. He stood over her as she lay in bed, offered her an unknown prescription pill and he said she had a decision to make. He began to list out all the reasons why saying no to him would be bad for her.

He's not giving me a choice. I dont have a choice. I don't want the kids to wake up. I don't know what he'll do if I say no, Amber said she thought to herself before eventually accepting the pill and her fate.

She said shes thought about this moment during the birth of her own three children.

The memory of what happened to me haunted me, because Chris left the hospital, Amber said.

After the second rape, which occurred in the familys living room, he gave her a pill to prevent a pregnancy, she said. He forced her to perform oral sex one evening while the children were nearby brushing their teeth, she said.

He also attempted a fourth assault on Amber in the familys backyard, but stopped when his wife came out of the house.

A way out, a recorded confession

Once Warner deployed, Amber felt relieved and even began to enjoy spending time with his wife. Then Warner began emailing Amber, asking for explicit photos.

A wooden bench used at the familys kitchen table fell onto her foot and fractured it. She used it as an excuse to get out of the house before Warner returned.

Months later, she emailed Warners wife, who had felt hurt by Amber leaving and refused to speak to her. In the email, Amber told her everything that had happened. In response, Warner called Amber.

He let me know that nobody would ever believe me. He said he apologized, and he preyed on me. I was a conquest and it felt good with the age difference, Amber said. He said he knew what he did was wrong and that he wouldnt change it. Hes sitting there telling me he knows, as a psychiatrist, how sick he is. He told me hes narcissistic and he cant help himself. That is one of the reasons why I am very concerned about other people.

When Amber decided to come forward last year, she suggested to the CID agents who were assigned to her case that she call Warner and get him to admit his guilt.

It worked, she said. Sitting at an outdoor picnic area of a public park a year ago, Amber spoke to Warner about everything that he did to her. Meanwhile, a special agent from JBLM listened in and recorded the conversation.

Amber requested the transcripts of those calls and her full investigative file from CID, but the request was declined because Warners case is still considered open.

Private punishment

Now a year since she first spoke with Army investigators, Amber said she feels betrayed the service has refused to disclose publicly the nature of the investigation into Warner and what discipline he has received or will receive. She told prosecutors she wanted to go to trial, but that didnt happen.

She has begun considering whether she should have gone to law enforcement in Georgia first, but the statute of limitations might have expired. Georgia law states rape without force must be prosecuted within seven years of the offense, and within 15 years if the perpetrator used force.

Amber said she decided to share her story publicly, because she worries the Army will bury what the officer did to her, which could allow him to continue to practice medicine or potentially harm someone else in the future.

I still feel like people need to know, and I still feel like there was no justice, she said.

Base officials have declined to answer questions about Warners removal, citing they are prohibited by privacy laws.

Col. Warner was removed from his command and reassigned to another position while allegations against him were investigated. His case is pending final disposition and it is not appropriate for us to comment further at this time on disposition or personnel actions protected by the Privacy Act, said Col. Joey J. Sullinger, spokesman for I Corps, the headquarters that oversees JBLM.

A military protective order signed in October states Warner was being investigated for sexual assault and he could not contact Amber.

CID declined to comment or answer questions about their investigation due to ongoing legal proceedings, said Chris Grey, a spokesman for CID.

Documents provided to Stars and Stripes show Warner received a General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand, or GOMOR. Amber is preparing to testify at a hearing this month that could determine any final disciplinary action. Because of Warners rank, the hearing will likely include a board of three general officers.

Sullinger declined to comment on whether Warner received a GOMOR and declined to answer any questions related to the case, including why the former I Corps commander, Lt. Gen. Randy George, found enough probable cause to remove Warner from his command and issue the GOMOR, but not enough to send the case to a court-martial.

A GOMOR is common in this situation, said Mickey Williams, a former military attorney. Now a civilian, he continues to represent service members from his Georgia-based law firm.

What would be unusual is if that's the only thing that happened, said Williams, who is not affiliated with Warners case. Though I am seeing it more and more.

He said he believes a declining conviction rate for sexual assault in military courts has led to prosecutors bringing fewer cases to trial.

In 2010, the military had a 24% conviction rate, according to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who has advocated for reform of the military justice system for nearly a decade. By 2019, the conviction rate fell to 7%.

A GOMOR, which can be included in a soldiers permanent record and typically leads to a separation review board, requires a commander believe the allegation occurred. To have that evidence and forgo a court-martial is more common for sexual harassment, but not for sexual assault, Williams said.

There must be some very significant evidence that the government is aware of  that is damning to the case. And so, in a case like that, if its clear that the guy didnt do it, then you have the reverse. Why are you giving this guy a GOMOR if you dont think he actually did it? Williams said. The worst thing he could do as a leader is be wishy-washy. You either think he did it, or he didnt do it.

The nonjudicial process that Warner does face could result in him leaving the Army, but the proceedings are private. Its unclear how the process could impact his ability to practice medicine or whether it could affect his civilian medical license, which is issued through Indiana.

The Indiana Attorney Generals Office declined to comment on whether they were investigating Warner. The Indiana licensing website shows his license expires in October 2023.

Williams said if the Army is going to review its credentials for Warner, it would require a separate review board with medical professionals. The Army did not say whether that is going to happen in this case.

Amber has already filed a victim impact statement for the GOMOR that Warner received and is now working on a statement that she can read in an upcoming hearing before a board of officers.

I dont know if theres enough words to describe the pain and suffering I have been put through by Christopher Warner, she wrote in the statement. He did not win. I finally am able to stand and tell my story. I do so in hope to help others.
The Buffalo Soldier bronze statue is installed at USMA in West Point, New York, on August 31, 2021. The statue was sculpted by artist Eddie Dixon. (Jackie Molloy/The Washington Post)

WEST POINT, N.Y.  Aundrea Matthews stood in her black dress, black skirt and sunglasses at the edge of Buffalo Soldier Field here and watched the construction crane lift the 2,000-pound equestrian statue of her grandfather.

"Here he is, West Point!" she called out the man who as a little girl she knew as Papoo. "He's going to be watching forever!" She covered her face with her hands and then clasped them as if in prayer.

The crane, which held the bronze image with heavy yellow bands, slowly turned the statue of African American Staff Sgt. Sanders H. Matthews Sr. until it faced north and lowered it onto its octagonal granite base.

And 114 years after they first came to the Army's then-segregated academy to teach horsemanship to white cadets, the Black Buffalo Soldiers of West Point finally had their statue.

And at 2:10 p.m. Tuesday, the U.S. Military Academy raised its first statue of a Black man.

Etched into the granite are the words, "In Memory of the Buffalo Soldiers who served with the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments as part of the United States Military Academy Cavalry Detachment at West Point."

As equestrian images of Confederate generals come down across the country, here was a statue of an African American horseman being erected.

"That's another thing that I think is pretty powerful about it," said Matthews, the academy's cultural arts director for the corps of cadets.

"Everybody has a right to have their story told," she said. "Because it's a powerful story. Just what [the Buffalo Soldiers] endured, their determination and their commitment to prove to the world that African American men can contribute and are viable citizens of this country."

"We talk about so much pain that Black men experience in America and all the judgments people make about them," she said. "But when you put this monument up there, you're only going to be able to talk about their triumphs . . . their valor, their honor, their patriotism."

Sgt. Matthews is believed to be the last known Buffalo Soldier to serve at West Point.

Doctor Aundrea Matthews (right) with the crew as they tape a pink pocket knife given to her by Kris Clark to honor her grandfather, who always carried it on him. They also taped a letter she wrote and a Buffalo Solider challenge coin underneath the statue. (Jackie Molloy/The Washington Post)

The statue was created by sculptor Eddie Dixon in his studio in a converted firehouse in Lubbock, Texas. Dixon worked with West Point historians and other experts to make sure that the uniform and horse equipment was historically accurate.

The rider's leggings were made to look like those worn in 1907, said David M. Reel, director of the West Point Museum, who assembled a team of historical advisers. The saddle had to be the 1885 McClellan style, and the flag anchor in the rider's right stirrup from 1904.

And Dixon pored over old photographs of Sanders Matthews to get the facial image right.

A model was built on an inner structure of carved foam, over which Dixon spread a layer of light-brown clay. Molds were made from the model, and the statue was cast with molten bronze at Schaefer Art Bronze Casting, in Arlington, Texas.

It was transported by truck and arrived Monday morning, escorted by eight motorcycles from the National Association of Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Club.

The sculpture, which features an image of Matthews carrying a swallow-tailed cavalry flag that reads "USMA Detachment" is the culmination of a project that was started by him before he died at age 95 in 2016.

He had long dreamed of a suitable monument honoring the Buffalo Soldiers of West Point, his granddaughter said.

When his 23 years of service, most of it at West Point, ended in 1962, he became the first African American police officer in nearby Highland Falls, N.Y. He then returned to West Point as a campus bus driver, according to the Buffalo Soldiers Association of West Point, an organization he founded in 2008.

He and his wife, Cora, who were married for 74 years, are buried in the West Point cemetery.

But Matthews did not know he would be the model, his granddaughter said.

The statue is a gift to the academy from the Buffalo Soldiers Association of West Point, which raised roughly $1 million for the project, said retired Army Maj. Gen. Fred Gorden, who headed the fundraising effort.

Gorden, of Ellicott City, Md., was in the late 1980s the first Black commandant of cadets at West Point.

"It's quite exhilarating, to say the least," he said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "That's probably an understatement."

Most people have no idea that Buffalo Soldiers were at West Point, he has said. "They served . . . quietly, confidently, skillfully," he said. "They were standard-bearers."

The statue is to be unveiled in a ceremony Sept. 10.

"These Soldiers embodied the West Point motto of Duty, Honor, Country and ideals of the Army," West Point's superintendent, Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, the first African American to hold the post, said in a statement.

"This monument will ensure that the legacy of Buffalo Soldiers is . . . revered, honored and celebrated while serving as an inspiration for the next generations of cadets," he said.

Chiefly members of the Black 9th and 10th U.S. cavalry regiments, the Buffalo Soldiers are known for fighting Native Americans in the American West in the late 1800s.

The Cheyenne and Comanche named them for what they saw as a similarity of the soldiers' hair and skin color to that of the American bison, historians say.

But starting in 1907, a detachment of Buffalo Soldiers was posted at segregated West Point to instruct the cadets in the fine points of horsemanship - and to do menial work across the campus.

The training previously had been done by a white cavalry outfit, which suffered from poor morale, indiscipline and low reenlistment rates. The arrival of the Black soldiers solved the problem "pretty much over night," Army reports showed.

The Buffalo Soldiers served at West Point until 1947; the next year, the Army was racially desegregated, historian Brian G. Shellum has said.
Sailors repel from an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter onto the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in 2012. (Phylicia Sorenson/U.S. Navy)

SAN DIEGO  Rescue crews were still searching Wednesday for five missing sailors a day after a U.S. Navy helicopter crashed in the ocean off Southern California near an aircraft carrier, military officials said.

One sailor was rescued shortly after the crash of the MH-60S helicopter Tuesday afternoon and was listed in stable condition at a hospital in San Diego, according to a statement from the Navy's Pacific fleet.

Also injured were five other sailors who were on board the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier where the helicopter was operating on the deck before the crash, the statement said.

The statement did not say how the crash about 70 miles (112 kilometers) off San Diego happened but the fact that sailors aboard the carrier were injured raised questions about whether the helicopter or parts of it hit the Lincoln. When helicopters take off and land on the ship, there are ground crews present on the carrier nearby and other people working on deck.

Navy officials did not immediately respond to email or phone messages seeking additional details.

Two of the injured sailors were taken to San Diego for treatment while three others were treated on board for minor injuries, the Navy said in its statement.

The crash happened while the helicopter was conducting what the Navy described only as routine flight operations.

The Coast Guard was helping the Navy search for the sailors in the chilly waters, according to the Navy.

The MH-60S helicopter typically carries a crew of about four and is used in missions including combat support, humanitarian disaster relief and search and rescue.

The aircraft belongs to the Navy's Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 and the Navy is investigating the cause of the crash.
DODEA-Pacifics Return to School Plan 2021 outlines the agencys coronavirus mitigation efforts, which include vaccinations, masks, social distancing and sanitation procedures. (Pixabay)

Defense Department schools on Guam will remain open despite a coronavirus surge that recently put an end to face-to-face learning for the U.S. territorys off-base students.

Military children will continue learning in classrooms, at least while the islands military health protection condition remains at Bravo, according to Joint Region Marianas and the Department of Defense Education Activity - Pacific Far East.

Bravo indicates the virus has a moderate risk of spreading.

Across our country, our region, and the Pacific theater, cases of COVID-19 are climbing, Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson, commander of Joint Region Marianas, said in a news release Wednesday. My team and I are closely monitoring the infection rate in the local DOD community and the DODEA-Guam schools and are prepared to implement more stringent mitigation measures should the need arise.

U.S. bases in the region had 126 active cases of COVID-19, the coronavirus respiratory disease, as of Wednesday, with 84% of active-duty military personnel fully vaccinated, according to an email to Stars and Stripes from joint region spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Katie Koenig. The region includes Naval Base Guam and Andersen Air Force Base.

A DODEA spokesperson did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment Wednesday.

DODEA-Pacifics Return to School Plan 2021 outlines the agencys coronavirus mitigation efforts, which include vaccinations, masks, social distancing and sanitation procedures.

Schools would close and students would be taught by remote learning if the health protection condition level is raised to Charlie, one level below the most extreme condition, Delta, according to the school plan.

While DODEA schools will stay open, the remainder of the islands schools are turning to remote learning in response to rising COVID-19 cases. Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero by executive order Friday mandated that all classes, from prekindergarten to 12th grade, must refrain from in-person education.

Guerrero said coronavirus cases increased by 300% and 35 people were hospitalized in the two weeks prior to Aug. 26.

The island had confirmed 10,740 COVID-19 infections and 150 deaths during the pandemic, according to Guams Joint Information Center. There were 181 cases and one death announced on Wednesday evening.

I am receiving messages and calls concerning the fears and anxieties that our parents, teachers, and students are facing because of the increase in positive cases, Guerrero said in a televised statement Friday. I recognize that our childrens education is critical, but my concern for their protection comes first.

Guam has vaccinated 80% of its eligible population, or more than 108,000 people, Guerrero wrote in last weeks executive order. She said the highly contagious delta variant, however, is complicating efforts to beat back the virus continuing spread.

Despite our communitys best efforts to get vaccinated, the delta variant has proven to be a new and different enemy  it is not like the COVID of 2019 or 2020, she said in her address.

It is far more contagious and more harmful. While the vaccine wont prevent you from getting or spreading the virus, it will help keep you out of the hospital.
Buy Photo A view of the Library of Congress from the Capitol dome. (Meredith Tibbets/Stars and Stripes)

ONEONTA, N.Y. (Tribune News Service)  A collection of nearly a thousand wartime photographs from one local soldier are headed to the Library of Congress next month for permanent archival.

Demart Carl Chamberlain, a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division who jumped thrice into combat during World War II, carried with him a handheld Kodak in his deployments across Italy, France and northern Africa.

Upon his father's death in 1993, Michael Chamberlain inherited a trove of around 900 photographs depicting Demart Carl Chamberlain and his brothers-in-arms from their time at parachute jump school in Fort Benning, Ga., through their assignments in Alsace-Lorraine until the verge of their return stateside in 1945.

Also included in the collection are scenes of supply ships docked at port, rubble-scattered cities and daily-life vignettes of those who lived there.

"This was at a time not many people were carrying around a camera in combat," said Michael, an Auburn resident. "It's amazing to me he had a camera at all."

His father "picked up a camera sometime after high school," though it's not clear where or why, Michael said. His only clues are the serial numbers on the lenses, which he has yet to trace.

Known to most everyone else in his Schenevus neighborhood as Carl Jr., Chamberlain was born in Worcester in 1921, the oldest of nine children, according to Michael.

At 21, Chamberlain enlisted in the Army in November 1942 and joined the paratroopers, an operation still in its infancy and relying solely on volunteers.

"It was considered an extremely hazardous duty," Michael said, estimating a 20% survival rate for the early generations of paratrooper volunteers. "The draw for doing something so dangerous was the pay  paratroopers were paid the most in the Army, even more than pilots. In all likelihood, my father took the job because he had a family to support."

While many of his fellow servicemen were already married by the time they enlisted, Chamberlain remained a bachelor, trying to provide for his younger siblings at home in Otsego County.

As a teenager, Michael said, his father became the primary breadwinner of the family when his own father, Carl Sr., a combat veteran of World War I, fell ill as a result of mustard gas exposure.

Chamberlain shipped out with Company B of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in April 1943, arriving in Casablanca in May and training for the summer in Tunisia.

Two months later, Chamberlain was among the first to jump into combat during the invasion of Sicily, the Allied Forces' first assault on continental Europe, Michael said.

He made his second combat jump in September 1943 during the Allied invasion of Italy, landing behind enemy lines on the Salerno beach as part of a reserve unit. In late January 1944, Chamberlain was deployed in an amphibious assault on Anzio, a port city about 50 kilometers south of Rome.

The photo collection serves as the roadmap to Michael's understanding of his father's time at war, which he said was discussed very little during his childhood.

"These were things he never ever spoke about," Michael said, noting that such behavior was common among veterans of the age. "We all knew there were certain things you just don't ask Dad."

Michael recalled sipping a soda alongside his father at a bar when he was young and overhearing fragments of his conversations with the men next to him as they exchanged cursory wartime narratives.

"That was how I got to know that he'd been injured," Michael said. "Otherwise, those things would never have come up."

Few details are known about the circumstances of his father's injury, Michael said, except that he spent most of February 1944 at a hospital in Naples and did not return to combat afterward.

Having accrued enough "points" under the Adjusted Service Rating Score  a scoring method used to determine priority for postwar assignments and sending troops home  Chamberlain left the 504th and joined the 334th Quartermaster Depot Company, which was attached to the 1st Airborne Task Force, Michael said.

Chamberlain helped retrofit planes designed to drop bombs so that they could safely drop bundles of supplies instead, Michael said. His unit was attached to the Sixth Army for the invasion of southern France, accompanying its members in their pursuit of the German army up the Rhone valley to the Battle of the Bulge.

The photographic prints, varying in size and quality, were largely developed and printed in the field overseas  an incredible feat, Michael said, considering the rarity and expense of the materials needed.

The photos, of little apparent interest to the various associations formed from his father's former units, had no place at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C., either, Michael said, but a staffer there recommended he try the Library of Congress.

From there, Michael said, he was immediately connected with the Veterans History Project, which aims to "collect, preserve and make accessible the personal accounts of America's wartime veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand their selfless service."

The project, created by Congress in 2000 as part of the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress, collects original, unedited personal narratives, primarily in the form of recorded oral histories, Michael said. The organization also accepts letters, diaries, journals, military documents, two-dimensional artwork, maps and unpublished memoirs.

Together with other family members, including his niece, Alexandria, a fourth-generation Chamberlain to enlist in the military, Michael will travel to Washington, D.C., next month for a formal accession ceremony as the photographs are transferred to their permanent home.

"I feel a sense of obligation to do this," Michael said. "I just don't want to see these things become lost."

Since his retirement in 2018, Michael said, he has logged thousands of hours scouring documents at the Library of Congress and the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Mo., sifting through daily logs and company reports to finally piece together his father's story  up until this point, told only in illustrations.

"I'm so grateful to have as much time with my dad as I did," he said. "We had a really solid relationship. As I got older, that's when part of you regrets that you didn't have time  or take time  to hear these stories."

"It's like having a painting that you've always enjoyed just to have," Michael continued. "But then to discover the backstory and the nuances behind it  it's great to be able to paint a fuller expression of who my father was."

Michael said he is grateful to local historians, researchers and military family members who work to preserve the histories of others who fought in World War II, sympathizing with their sadness and grief that fewer and fewer members of the Greatest Generation survive to tell their stories with each passing year.

"It's a shame because a lot of these men, like my dad, went their whole lives without ever really talking about it," Michael said. "Now we've got a whole generation of Vietnam veterans who won't be around for much longer either. It's their stories  and those from Korea and the First Gulf War and so on  that we need to preserve so we don't make those same mistakes."

Visit loc.gov/vets for more information about the Veterans History Project.

For help submitting or obtaining veteran narratives to the Library of Congress, call 1-888-371-5848 or email vohp@loc.gov.

(c)2021 The Daily Star (Oneonta, N.Y.)

Visit The Daily Star (Oneonta, N.Y.) at www.thedailystar.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Ron Wyden seeks out voters in 1980. His father helped him with the successful campaign for a U.S. House seat. (The Oregonian/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Peter Wyden was always kind of vague when his son asked what he did during the war.

He never used those words, like spy, that would capture what he was up to, says Ron Wyden, Oregons senior U.S. senator. Hed say, We dropped leaflets. We tried to convince [the Nazis] to surrender.

Young Ron saw no reason to press him on it. His father was a globe-trotting journalist who had plenty of other fascinating stories to tell. But then, years after Peters 1998 death, Ron came upon a photograph at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

That black-and-white image shows U.S. Army Capt. Hans Habe surrounded by his men  including a pipe-smoking Peter Wyden, then still using the surname Weidenreich.

Sen. Wydens father, it turned out, had been deeply involved in American psychological-warfare operations during World War II. He was one of the Psycho Boys, or, as they were more often called, the Ritchie Boys, after Marylands Camp Ritchie, where many of them were trained.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators, including Ron Wyden, heralded the Ritchie Boys in a Senate resolution last month. Newly declassified reports, they wrote, indicated that the unusual band of servicemen were the source of nearly 60 percent of the credible intelligence gathered in Europe during World War II.

These U.S. Army intelligence experts traveled with advancing Allied troops in Europe, gleaning information from townspeople, interrogating prisoners and undertaking various propaganda campaigns.

The Budapest-born Habe, a dashing officer and former wunderkind newspaperman in Vienna, had fought for the French Foreign Legion and escaped from a Nazi prisoner-of-war camp before making his way to the U.S. He knew he was well-suited to psychological-warfare work, describing himself as without moral anchor, but good-natured; dangerously gifted [and] arrogant towards the world.

He hand-picked many of the Psycho Boys, seeking out European-born intellectuals, such as German novelist Stefan Heym and the Czech journalist Joseph Wechsberg. He also chose the younger, less accomplished Peter Wyden, who had emigrated from Germany in 1937, at age 14, and launched his journalism career at the New York-based trade publication The Daily Metal Reporter.

Habe became Peters new hero and, I suppose, father figure, Peter wrote.

His regal bearing suggested royalty, Peter added. His uniforms adhered to him like a London tailors fantasy. His numerous decorations included several we had never seen before. We hoped they were French.

(This last bit was a joke, but a pointed one: Habe, like many of his recruits, was a refugee from a country under Nazi rule, and he spoke heavily accented English. Thus, to many of his fellow G.I.s, he and his men were suspect.)

When Habe was tasked in 1944 with turning the radio-broadcast facilities in newly liberated Luxembourg into a potent Allied propaganda tool, he selected Peter to join the mission.

The greatest weapon of Radio Luxembourgs German section, Habes small team understood, would be actual facts. Their audience, under the Nazis, had rarely heard the truth about anything for years. Offering it now was how the operation would build credibility.

The broadcasters, acknowledging on-air that they were with the Allies, provided information about battles and read the names of captured German soldiers. They sometimes shared heart-wrenching personal letters written by German enlisted men, pulled from mail bundles that had been left behind by retreating Nazi units.

This was so-called white programming.

The propaganda team also created black programming  that is, disinformation  on different radio frequencies. Actors portrayed fictional disillusioned German officers offering reports that pretended to be, as one of the Ritchie Boys later put it, warmly pro-German [and] sadly and desperately honest. These reports included warnings about Hitlers most-trusted men deceiving the Fuhrer, and advice on how German soldiers and ordinary German citizens could save themselves as the enemy approached.

In the background, on occasion, listeners would hear English suddenly being spoken in barks, shots fired, tables overturned, as G.I.s apparently stormed the secret broadcasting room to knock these patriotic Germans off the air.

Our job was to invite desertion  not normally evidence of ones integrity, Peter later wrote, so we repainted treason as self-defense.

German military leaders recognized the damage these broadcasts were doing. And so in December 1944, they launched a surprise operation, an offshoot of the Battle of the Bulge, that overturned transmission towers and pushed toward Luxembourgs Old City.

The Allies ultimately held the city, but Nazi chaos agents remained in the area. Radio Luxembourg broadcasters now kept their helmets on and their guns at the ready as they took to the microphone.

With few exceptions all my staff were refugees, Habe pointed out. The prospect of German captivity was not very tempting to any of us.

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, shown here in 2015, didn't know much about his father's World War II service until recent years. (Stephanie Yao Long, The Oregonian/TNS)

Peter Wyden didnt dine out on his wartime experiences. He didnt tell his children stories of derring-do. Like most veterans of the war, he got on with his life.

Always ebullient and the most interesting person in any room, in his son Rons description, Peter launched a high-profile journalism career, working for Newsweek and the Saturday Evening Post. He won the Overseas Press Club Award for a book about the disastrous 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion.

But Peter was a Jew whod spent much of his boyhood in Adolf Hitlers Germany. He lost family and friends to the Holocaust. The war was never really over for him.

Which was why he decided to track down Stella Goldschlag, a former classmate at Berlins Jewish Goldschmidt School.

When he was 13, hed been in love with the leggy, cool girl. He could still picture her walking to physical-education class, so important in Nazi Germany, in her ruffled black gym shorts.

Stella and her family did not make it out of the country as the Nazi crackdown on Jews accelerated.

Eight years after escaping Germany, Peter, now 21 years old, was back in Berlin, working as bureau chief for Munich-based Die Neue Zeitung, the centerpiece of the Allies postwar news-publishing enterprise in Europe.

With the wars end, the victors launched dozens of newspapers throughout Germany  part of their denazification effort.

Hans Habe, who oversaw the effort, exulted when the massive printing presses in a long, unaired room in Munich rumbled to life and warm copies of the first-ever edition of Neue Zeitung trundled down the conveyer belt. For years these presses had been used exclusively for Volkischer Beobachter  the Nazi Partys newspaper, the Fuhrers daily.

We were running the machines which had spewed out millions of lines of poisonous lies into a poisoned country, Habe recalled with pride. We were printing a million copies. And we were printing the truth.

(Max Kraus, a World War II veteran who spent his postwar career in Europe with the U.S. Information Agency, insisted in an oral history that Neue Zeitung played a key role in the establishment of democracy in West Germany.)

While getting settled in his new position for Neue Zeitung in 1945, Peter learned that Stella Goldschlag had been arrested in Berlins Soviet sector. The charge: aiding and abetting multiple murders. It turned out she had been a catcher for the Nazi regime  that is, she hunted her fellow Jews in Germanys underground, betraying hundreds of them to the Gestapo.

Recalling the teenaged girl whose beauty and charisma had dazzled him, Peter tried not to blame Stella, figuring she did what she had to do to survive. He fantasized about how it all could have been different if hed managed an adolescent romance with her.

What if we had become inseparable? he found himself wondering. What if I had set off a friendship between my parents and her parents at one of the Parents Nights of the Goldschmidt School, where I used to see all of the Goldschlag family? Maybe his parents would have convinced hers to also flee before it was too late.

Peter didnt try to find Stella in those alternately heady and dispiriting Berlin months after V-E Day. But four decades later, long after shed been released from prison, he did  and he conducted several interviews with her.

His old fantasy did not hold up under scrutiny.

Listening to Stella spit out embittered lies and rationalizations nauseated his father, Ron Wyden says, adding that he and his dad talked at length about Stella. He decided this was pure evil.

But writing about what had happened to his teenaged crush  the book, Stella: One Womans True Tale of Evil, Betrayal and Survival in Hitlers Germany, became a bestseller  didnt allow Peter to move on.

Adolf Hitler, who took his own life in 1945 as Russian troops closed in on his Berlin bunker, is the most-notorious mass murderer in history, and yet he has remained a hero to some people. Peter couldnt understand it  but he needed to understand it.

He began reporting on neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers in Europe. This work would become his last book, The Hitler Virus, published after his death.

But while the trauma of his German childhood and World War II stayed with Peter Wyden, it didnt consume him.

He loved being an American, and he did all the things Americans were expected to do: He worked too much, married three times, doted on his children.

When Ron, a University of Oregon law school grad and all of 30 years old, decided to run for Oregons 3rd District U.S. House seat in 1980, his father flew in from Connecticut to help with the campaign.

He was very involved in the election, Ron says  and that included Peter serving as moderator for half-hour policy discussions that aired on local TV as paid campaign advertisements.

All these years later, Sen. Ron Wyden thinks about his long career in Congress, the privileged life hes led, and he credits his father. Its one of the reasons he embraced the Senate resolution for the Ritchie Boys.

Its been an incredible experience representing Oregon, he says. What my dad and the soldiers he helped did during the war made it possible.

2021 Advance Local Media LLC.

Visit oregonlive.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Buy Photo (Norm Zeisloft/Stars and Stripes)

Ste. Mere-Eglise, France, June 7, 1961: U.S. Ambassador to France James M. Gavin talks with some of the young participants in a parade marking the 17th anniversary of the towns liberation by Allied forces during the World War II D-Day invasion. In addition to Gavin, who was commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division on D-Day, townspeople honored the 505th Infantry, which liberated the town from the Germans.
Congolese Defense Forces soldiers and United Nation forces patrol near the town of Oicha, about 20 miles from Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo, on July 23, 2021. According to reports on Wednesday, Sept. 1, rebels in eastern Congo ambushed a stalled civilian convoy that was under military escort, killing five people and abducting dozens of hostages. (Al-hadji Kudra Maliro/AP)

BENI, Congo  Rebels in eastern Congo ambushed a stalled civilian convoy that was under military escort Wednesday, killing five people and abducting dozens of hostages initially. About 20 people remained missing hours later, the army said.

The attack took place after the convoy had stopped to repair one of the vehicles, said Capt. Jules Ngongo, spokesman for the Congolese army in Ituri province.

Initially the gunmen kidnapped 80 people but he said the army was able to soon rescue 60 of them.

"We call on people to remain calm and to trust their army because it is difficult to fight the terrorists, but we will fight for peace to return as soon as possible," Ngongo said.

The latest attack, though, prompted more outcry in eastern Congo, where civilians say the rebel group known as ADF is stepping up its attacks.

"What is the purpose of our army? How can a convoy of civilian vehicles be attacked when they were secured by the army? Without capturing even one rebel?" said Christian Munyanderu, coordinator of a local human rights group.

The ADF, or Allied Democratic Forces rebels, trace their origins to nearby Uganda and have long carried out attacks in eastern Congo, at times bringing gunfire to the city center of Beni.

The ongoing attacks there have repeatedly prompted anger about the inability of the Congolese army and U.N. peacekeepers to stop the violence.

Fears have deepened ever since ADF reportedly pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State organization though the exact ties between the two groups remain murky.

Islamic State's Central Africa Province claimed a suicide bombing at a busy intersection in Beni earlier this year. The Ugandan man died, but no one else was killed in that blast believed to be the first of its kind in eastern Congo.

___

Associated Press writer Jean-Yves Kamale in Kinshasa contributed to this report.
Buy Photo Nearly 46% of Japans population, or 57.4 million people, is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes)

TOKYO  Japans capital city added another 3,168 infections to its coronavirus total on Wednesday, fewer additional cases than a week prior for a 10th consecutive day, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Wednesdays total in Tokyo was 1,060 less than the count on Aug. 25, according to metro government data. The seven-day moving average was 3,971 and falling on Saturday, the latest data available. It reached over 4,700 in mid-August.

Japan on Tuesday reported another 17,667 newly infected people and 64 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. It reported that 45.5% of Japans population, or 57.4 million people, are fully vaccinated.

U.S. military bases in Japan reported 27 people had tested positive for COVID-19, the coronavirus respiratory disease, since Aug. 25.

U.S. Army Japan, headquartered at Camp Zama, 26 miles southwest of central Tokyo, had 21 people come up positive, according to an Army news release.

Five reported symptoms of COVID-19 and 15 were already quarantined as close contacts of a previously infected person. One person was tested in restricted movement after recently arriving in Japan.

Someone at Zama Middle School on Camp Zama tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to a Facebook post by U.S. Army Garrison Japan. The school did not close nor were classes canceled, according to a message posted by Principal Henry Lefebre.

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, south of Hiroshima, had another six people come up positive for COVID-19 since Tuesday, according to a base news release Wednesday. Three were already in restricted movement, three were not and the base provided no further information.

South Korea update

U.S. Forces Korea had 13 new arrivals to the peninsula test positive for the coronavirus between Aug. 9 and 26, according to a news release Tuesday.

Five service members arrived at Osan Air Base on U.S. military flights on Aug. 25 and 26, and eight service members arrived on flights at Incheon International Airport between Aug. 9 and 26, according to USFK.

Nine came up positive on their first mandatory COVID-19 test and four came up positive on the test required to exit quarantine.

USFK updated its list of districts designated as red zones, areas with 50 or more confirmed COVID-19 patients per 100,000 people over seven days. Those areas are off-limits to USFK personnel.

The list has grown from seven to nine districts since Saturday: Gangnam, Yeongdeungpo and Geumcheon in Seoul; Pyeongtaek, where Camp Humphreys and Osan are located; Hwacheon; Goesan; Nonsan; Jung, near Ulsan; and Jangheung.

Those who live or work in those districts may travel freely but are encouraged to minimize their activities as much as possible.

South Korea reported another 2,025 coronavirus cases Tuesday, according to the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency, including 662 in Seoul and 630 in Gyeonggi province, where Humphreys and Osan are located.

Nearly 15.8 million people  30.7% of the population  are fully vaccinated; another 29 million, or 57%, have received the first of a two-shot vaccine regimen, according to the daily KDCA update Wednesday.

Stars and Stripes reporter Mari Higa contributed to this report.
Students at Department of Defense Education Activity schools in the Pacific will soon have a chance to join Japanese students for two-day culture-exchange camps at their on-base schools. (DODEA)

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan  American students at several bases in Japan can immerse themselves in their host nations culture, including the language and food, during educational and cultural exchange sessions this school year.

At each two-day camp, students will take part in hands-on activities designed to develop problem-solving skills, encourage a diverse perspective on the world and a sensitivity to accept others differences, according to a recent Department of Defense Education Activity news release.

We are always looking to provide our overseas military-connected students with opportunities to grow as global thinkers, Lois Rapp, DODEAs Pacific Region director for student excellence, said in the release. This program allows our students to engage with their host nation peers in an educational setting that fosters collaboration and the formation of friendships.

Middle and high school students at Misawa Air Base, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, and Sasebo and Yokosuka naval bases can apply to participate in the program.

Sessions are scheduled Oct. 2-3 and Nov. 6-7 at MCAS Iwakuni, Oct. 23-24 and Feb. 5-6 at Sasebo, Dec. 4-5 at Misawa and Jan. 22-23 at Yokosuka.

Spots are limited to 15 American and 15 Japanese students at each event and applications will be given to students about a month out, DODEA-Pacifics chief of staff, Todd Schlitz, told Stars and Stripes by phone.

The Japanese students have some English speaking ability, he said. The instructors also serve as translators to help facilitate discussions and communication among the students."

The Japanese students will be chosen from schools near the bases that are hosting the event.

Its going to be first-come first-served, Schlitz said. Were not asking for any particular requirements. We want to make sure its open to all students.

A great deal of coordination between DODEA and Japans Ministry of Foreign Affairs was required to make the sessions happen, Schlitz added.

This program provides a great opportunity for students of Japan and the United States to forge new friendships, Keiichi Ichikawa, director-general and assistant minister for the ministrys North American Affairs Bureau, said in the statement. I hope they would become a bridge between our two countries.

Some students, such as Tristan Tanjuaquio, an 11th-grader at MCAS Iwakunis Matthew C. Perry High School, are showing interest in the program.

It would be interesting to see what Japanese students my age think about living in Iwakuni and what they do here, he told Stars and Stripes last week.
Buy Photo Marine Cpl. James Cates, 24, of Combat Logistics Regiment 3 at Camp Foster, Okinawa, may be awarded for saving a fellow Marine stuck in a rip current off the northern tip of the island. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa  Cpl. James Cates said he didnt have time to think once he heard a fellow Marines cries for help while in the water this spring off Oku Beach on the northern tip of Okinawa.

Cates, 24, of Combat Logistics Regiment 3, had extricated himself from a strong rip current while free diving with friends around 9:45 a.m. on April 17. He said he turned to see Sgt. John Carrillo flailing in the surf behind him.

Cates jumped back into the powerful water surge and rode it out to his friend, who was spiraling farther and farther out to sea. He dragged Carrillo inch by inch back to shore in a 50-minute lifesaving rescue.

I just wanted to get my buddy out of there, Cates said Tuesday in his office on Camp Foster Instinctually, you just know, 'This is something I have to do.' Its about doing the right thing.

Cates command recently found out about the rescue and is considering a non-combat valor award; however, no decision has been made, according to 3rd Marine Logistics Group spokesman 1st Lt. Jonathan Coronel.

Cates commander called him an "excellent Marine" and a "role model" in an email to Stars and Stripes on Monday.

"Cpl. Cates courageously reentered the water at great personal risk to prevent a fellow Marine from being swept out into the ocean," wrote regimental commander Col. Chris Haar. "His selfless commitment to a fellow Marine were largely unreported, because he is a humble Marine that performed the life-saving action because it was the right thing to do."

The morning of April 17 dawned to clear skies and blue seas, Carrillo wrote in a Facebook message to Stars and Stripes on Tuesday morning.

Cates and six friends made their way up north to free dive. As soon as they got into the water, Cates and some of the others felt the familiar pull of the rip current, Carrillo said. They began to turn around or swim out of the surging water. Carrillo said he didn't know any better, so kept swimming out.

"Bam, thats when it hit me," he recalled. "I noticed the extreme force of water pulling me out, so I decided to turn around and fight the current."

Carrillo wore himself out after about five minutes fighting the current, he said.

"I prayed to God to help me, and boy, somehow Cates  heard," Carrillo said. "That man was my guardian angel that day. God sent me Cates.

Cates reached Carrillo and immediately took charge of the situation, both men recalled. First, he unclipped Carillos weight belt, letting it sink to the bottom. Then he began barking orders to his exhausted friend.

"I grabbed the back of his wetsuit and I said, 'You're going to swim as a I swim,'" Cates said.

Carrillo looked terrified and was hyperventilating, Cates recalled. As a result, he was having trouble keeping his snorkel in his mouth.

"I had a death grip on him," Cates said. "I knew if I let him go, that's going to be the end of John Carrillo."

Carrillo was exhausted, dead weight, he said.

Soon, they made it back to the reef. This time, Cates was able to hold on. He worked his way up inch by inch, pulling his friend alongside him. The current remained strong and stripped off one of his fins.

"I was kicking like my life depended on it, because it did," Cates said.

On shore, Carrillo said, he collapsed in a heap, pale white, unable to support his own weight with his exhausted limbs. Cates said he continued to move as if he was still flailing about in the water.

"I owe that man my life," Carrillo said, remembering what Cates said in the immediate aftermath of the rescue.

"He said, 'Never be scared of anything, man. God's got a plan for you. If you're going to take anything from this day, just keep on living, man; just keep on living.'"
A member of Taiwan's armed forces holds a weapon atop a CM-11 Brave Tiger main battle tank during a military exercise in Hukou, Hsinchu County, Taiwan, on Jan. 19, 2021. (I-Hwa Cheng/Bloomberg)

Taiwan warned that China could "paralyze" its defenses in a conflict, a stark new assessment expected to fuel calls in Washington for more support for the democratically ruled island.

China was able to neutralize Taiwan's air-and-sea defenses and counter-attack systems with "soft and hard electronic attacks," the Defense Ministry in Taipei said in an annual report to lawmakers seen by Bloomberg News. The document offered a more alarming assessment than last year's report, which had said China still lacked the capability to launch an assault.

While Beijing wasn't believed to possess the transport and logistical capacity necessary for an invasion of Taiwan's large and mountainous main island, the ministry recommended monitoring Chinese efforts to expand training and preparations for complex landing operations. China already has the ability to seize Taiwan's surrounding islands, it said.

Defense Ministry said the report speaks for itself and declined further comment.

Policymakers in the U.S. and Japan have expressed growing concern about Taiwan's vulnerability to attack after decades of Chinese military investment and President Xi Jinping's efforts to ramp up pressure on the island's government. The Communist Party views Taiwan as part of its territory, even though it has never controlled it, and has threatened military force to prevent the leadership in Taipei from moving toward formal independence.

In recent years, the People's Liberation Army has stepped up incursions into Taiwan's air-defense-identification zone in what security analysts view as an effort to show its ability to deny any allied effort to defend the island. The U.S. has continued to supply arms to support the government in Taipei, despite breaking ties in favor of Beijing more than four decades ago, and American lawmakers have urged greater efforts to sure up its defenses.

The Taiwanese Defense Ministry reaffirmed a list of seven events that might prompt a Chinese invasion, some of which Beijing has already accused Taiwan of doing:

 Taiwan declares independence.

 Taiwan clearly heads toward independence.

 Taiwan suffers internal turmoil.

 Taiwan obtains nuclear weapons.

 Dialogue on peaceful unification has been delayed.

 Foreign forces intervene in Taiwan's internal affairs.

 Foreign troops are stationed in Taiwan.

China's incursions across the median last year appeared to be an attempt to gauge its response, the report said. The PLA's deployment of mid- and long-range missiles and drills involving aircraft carriers were intended to demonstrate its ability to delay any foreign military intervention, the report said.

Potential Chinese action toward Taiwan include cognitive warfare, gray-area threats, joint military deterrence, seizing outer islands and a decapitation strike, the report said.
Pope Francis arrives for his weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. (Andrew Medichini/AP)

MADRID  Pope Francis has criticized the West's two-decade-long involvement in Afghanistan as an outsider's attempt to impose democracy  although he did it by citing Russian President Vladimir Putin while thinking he was quoting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Asked during a radio interview aired Wednesday about the new political map taking shape in Afghanistan after the United States and its allies withdrew from the Taliban-controlled country following 20 years of war, the pope said he would answer with a quote that he attributed to Merkel, whom he described as "one of the world's greatest political figures."

"It is necessary to put an end to the irresponsible policy of intervening from outside and building democracy in other countries, ignoring the traditions of the peoples," the pope said, using his own translation into Spanish.

But the words were spoken last month by Putin in the presence of Merkel, during her visit to Moscow.

During the meeting on Aug. 20, Putin 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. At a news conference with Putin, Merkel conceded that the operation had failed in delivering a clear future for Afghans.

"We did not want to force any system on Afghanistan," Merkel told reporters. "But we saw that millions of girls were glad to go to school and that women could participate. There are many in Afghanistan who are very, very unhappy about developments now."

Her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, refused to comment directly on the pope's comments when asked on Wednesday, but he added that Merkel's position on Afghanistan was well known and repeated during a recent speech to the German parliament.

The goal of no international terror attacks from Afghanistan since the military operation started in 2001 "was achieved," Merkel told German lawmakers on Aug. 25: "That was a concrete contribution to the safety of our country."

Although she acknowledged that the West's goals may have been too ambitious and cultural differences and corruption may have been underestimated, she also said that the mission in Afghanistan "wasn't futile" for the country's population, as it helped reduce child mortality, deliver drinking water and electricity to a majority of Afghans and protected rule of law and the basic rights of women and others.

Merkel said the analysis of what went wrong would take time and each international mission would need to be assessed on its own, but she added that "we must not and won't forget Afghanistan, because even if it doesn't look like it in this bitter hour I'm convinced that no violence and no ideology will stop people's urge toward freedom, justice and peace forever."

The Vatican didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on the pope's interview with Spain's Cadena COPE, which took place Friday at his residence. The radio station owned by Spain's Catholic bishops' conference aired the talk on Wednesday and said that its content had been vetted by the pope himself.

Francis also said that "not all eventualities were taken into account" in the departure of Western allies from Afghanistan.

"I don't know whether there will be a review or not (about what happened during the withdrawal), but certainly there was a lot of deception perhaps on the part of the new (Afghan) authorities," said the pope. "I say deceit or a lot of naivety."

He said he believed that the Vatican's top diplomat was offering to engage in Afghanistan to make sure that locals don't suffer and called for Christians across the world to engage in "prayer, penance and fasting" in the face of events in Afghanistan.

In the interview, Pope Francis addressed direct questions about his health for the first time since he underwent bowel surgery in early July.

He said his body is adjusting well to the removal of part of his colon and that he can now eat whatever he wants and leads "a totally normal life."

He said that he expected his trip to Slovakia and Hungary between Sept. 12-15 would be as busy as previous ones. He also has an upcoming tour taking him to Cyprus, Greece and Malta.

The pope also said he was expecting to appear and speak at the U.N.-sponsored COP26 climate talks in November in Glasgow, Scotland.

___

Frank Jordans reported from Berlin. Geir Moulson in Berlin, Frances D'Emilio in Rome and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow also contributed to this report.
Afghan families sit outside their tents in an open area on the outskirts of Chaman, a border town in the Pakistans southwestern Baluchistan province, Tuesday, August 31, 2021. (AP)

KABUL, Afghanistan  The U.N.'s stockpiles of food in Afghanistan could run out this month, a senior official warned Wednesday, threatening to add a hunger crisis to the challenges facing the country's new Taliban rulers as they endeavor to restore stability after decades of war.

About one third of the country's population of 38 million doesn't know if they will have a meal every day, according to Ramiz Alakbarov, the U.N.'s humanitarian chief in Afghanistan.

The U.N.'s World Food Program has brought in food and distributed it to tens of thousands of people in recent weeks, but with winter approaching and a drought ongoing, at least $200 million is needed urgently to be able to continue to feed the most vulnerable Afghans, he said.

"By the end of September, the stocks which the World Food Program has in the country will be out," he told reporters at a virtual news conference. "We will not be able to provide those essential food items because we'll be out of stocks."

Earlier, U.N. officials said that of the $1.3 billion needed for overall aid efforts, only 39% has been received.

The Taliban, who seized control of the country ahead of the withdrawal of American forces this week, now must govern a nation that relies heavily on international aid and is in the midst of a worsening economic crisis. In addition to the concerns about food supplies, civil servants haven't been paid in months and the local currency is losing value. Most of Afghanistan's foreign reserves are held abroad and currently frozen.

Mohammad Sharif, a shopkeeper in the capital of Kabul, said that shops and markets there have supplies, but a major concern is rising food prices.

"If the situation continues like this and there is no government to control the prices, that will cause so many problems for local people," he said.

In the wake of the U.S. pullout, many Afghans are anxiously waiting to see how the Taliban will rule. When they were last in power, before being driven out by the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, they imposed draconian restrictions, refusing to allow girls to go to school, largely confining women to their homes and banning television, music and even photography.

But more recently, their leaders have sought to project a more moderate image. Schools have reopened to boys and girls, though Taliban officials have said they will study separately. Women are out on the streets wearing Islamic headscarves  as they always have  rather than the all-encompassing burqa the Taliban required in the past.

The challenges the Taliban face in reviving the economy could give Western nations leverage as they push the group to fulfill a pledge to form an inclusive government and guarantee women's rights. The Taliban say they want to have good relations with other countries, including the United States.

Many Afghans fear the Taliban won't make good on those pledges and also are concerned that the nation's economic situation holds little opportunity. Tens of thousands sought to flee the country as a result in a harrowing airlift.

But thousands who had worked with the U.S. and its allies, as well as up to 200 Americans, remained in the country after the efforts ended with the last U.S. troops flying out of Kabul international airport just before midnight Monday.

President Joe Biden later defended his handling of the chaotic withdrawal and evacuation efforts, which saw spasms of violence, including a suicide bombing last week that killed 13 American service members and 169 Afghans. He said it was inevitable that the final departure from two decades of war would be difficult.

He said he remains committed to getting the Americans left behind out if they want. The Taliban have said they will allow people with legal documents to travel freely, but it remains to be seen whether any commercial airlines will be willing to offer service.

Bilal Karimi, an official member in the Taliban spokesman's office, said Wednesday that a team of Turkish and Qatari technicians arrived in Kabul to help get the airport up and running again. Alakbarov, the U.N. humanitarian official, said that the United Nations is asking for access to the airport so it can deliver food and other supplies directly to the capital.

The Taliban also have to contend with the threat from the Islamic State group, which is far more radical and claimed responsibility for the bombing at the airport. The Taliban have pledged they won't allow Afghanistan to be used as a base for attacks on other countries  a key U.S. demand since the militants once harbored the al-Qaida leaders who orchestrated the 9/11 attacks.

In the wake of last week's bombing, American officials said drone strikes targeted the Islamic State group's affiliate in Afghanistan, and Biden vowed to keep up airstrikes.

Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday that it was "possible" that the U.S. will have to coordinate with the Taliban on any counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan in the future.

___

Faiez reported from Istanbul and Lederer from the United Nations. Associated Press writers Tameem Akhgar in Istanbul and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed.
Convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, a former Navy intelligence analyst who served 30 years in prison for selling secrets to Israel, leaves federal court in New York following a hearing on July 22, 2016. According to reports on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, Pollard's handler in Israel, ex-air force officer Aviem Sella, was to be promoted to brigadier general. (AP)

JERUSALEM  Israel is granting a promotion to the handler of an agent who spied on the United States, more than 30 years after the episode strained U.S.-Israel ties and less than a year after the handler was pardoned by former President Donald Trump.

Ex-air force officer Aviem Sella, who handled former spy Jonathan Pollard, will be promoted to the rank of brigadier general, the army said in a statement Wednesday. The army chief of staff and Defense Minister Benny Gantz approved the move.

Trump granted a full pardon to Sella on the president's final day in office earlier this year. Sella was the Israeli military's U.S.-based handler for Pollard, a former Navy intelligence analyst who sold military secrets to Israel while working at the Pentagon in the 1980s. The Pollard case severely strained relations between Israel and the U.S.

Sella enlisted Pollard to spy for Israel, then fled the United States after Pollard was arrested in 1985. Sella was charged in absentia on three espionage counts, but was not extradited to the U.S. from Israel. He was officially discharged from service in 1992.

Pollard spent 30 years in U.S. prison for spying for Israel. He was released on parole in 2015. In December 2020, he immigrated to Israel and was welcomed on the tarmac by then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A U.S. soldier registers a prisoner into the biometric identification system at the Khowst prison, Khowst province, Afghanistan, June 16, 2013. (Robert Porter/U.S. Army )

In the wake of the Taliban's takeover of Kabul and the ouster of the Afghan national government, alarming reports indicate that the insurgents could potentially access biometric data collected by the U.S. to track Afghans, including people who worked for U.S. and coalition forces.

Afghans who once supported the U.S. have been attempting to hide or destroy physical and digital evidence of their identities. Many Afghans fear that the identity documents and databases storing personally identifiable data could be transformed into death warrants in the hands of the Taliban.

This potential data breach underscores that data protection in zones of conflict, especially biometric data and databases that connect online activity to physical locations, can be a matter of life and death. Researchers, journalists and privacy advocates who study biometric cybersurveillance anticipated these data privacy and security risks.

Biometric-driven warfare

Investigative journalist Annie Jacobsen documented the birth of biometric-driven warfare in Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, in her book "First Platoon." The Department of Defense quickly viewed biometric data and what it called "identity dominance" as the cornerstone of multiple counterterrorism and counterinsurgency strategies. Identity dominance means being able to keep track of people the military considers a potential threat regardless of aliases, and ultimately denying organizations the ability to use anonymity to hide their activities.

By 2004, thousands of U.S. military personnel had been trained to collect biometric data to support the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. By 2007, U.S. forces were collecting biometric data primarily through mobile devices such as the Biometric Automated Toolset (BAT) and Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment (HIIDE). BAT includes a laptop, fingerprint reader, iris scanner and camera. HIIDE is a single small device that incorporates a fingerprint reader, iris scanner and camera. Users of these devices can collect iris and fingerprint scans and facial photos, and match them to entries in military databases and biometric watchlists.

In addition to biometric data, the system includes biographic and contextual data such as criminal and terrorist watchlist records, enabling users to determine if an individual is flagged in the system as a suspect. Intelligence analysts can also use the system to monitor people's movements and activities by tracking biometric data recorded by troops in the field.

By 2011, a decade after 9/11, the Department of Defense maintained approximately 4.8 million biometric records of people in Afghanistan and Iraq, with about 630,000 of the records collected using HIIDE devices. Also by that time, the U.S. Army and its military partners in the Afghan government were using biometric-enabled intelligence or biometric cyberintelligence on the battlefield to identify and track insurgents.

In 2013, the U.S. Army and Marine Corps used the Biometric Enrollment and Screening Device, which enrolled the iris scans, fingerprints and digital face photos of "persons of interest" in Afghanistan. That device was replaced by the Identity Dominance System-Marine Corps in 2017, which uses a laptop with biometric data collection sensors, known as the Secure Electronic Enrollment Kit.

Over the years, to support these military objectives, the Department of Defense aimed to create a biometric database on 80% of the Afghan population, approximately 32 million people at today's population level. It is unclear how close the military came to this goal.

More data equals more people at risk

In addition to the use of biometric data by the U.S. and Afghan military for security purposes, the Department of Defense and the Afghan government eventually adopted the technologies for a range of day-to-day governmental uses. These included evidence for criminal prosecution, clearing Afghan workers for employment and election security.

In addition, the Afghan National ID system and voter registration databases contained sensitive data, including ethnicity data. The Afghan ID, the e-Tazkira, is an electronic identification document that includes biometric data, which increases the privacy risks posed by Taliban access to the National ID system.

It's too soon after the Taliban's return to power to know whether and to what extent the Taliban will be able to commandeer the biometric data once held by the U.S. military. One report suggested that the Taliban may not be able to access the biometric data collected through HIIDE because they lack the technical capacity to do so. However, it's possible the Taliban could turn to longtime ally Inter-Services Intelligence, Pakistan's intelligence agency, for help getting at the data. Like many national intelligence services, ISI likely has the necessary technology.

Another report indicated that the Taliban have already started to deploy a "biometrics machine" to conduct "house-to-house inspections" to identify former Afghan officials and security forces. This is consistent with prior Afghan news reports that described the Taliban subjecting bus passengers to biometric screening and using biometric data to target Afghan security forces for kidnapping and assassination.

Concerns about collecting biometric data

For years following 9/11, researchers, activists and policymakers raised concerns that the mass collection, storage and analysis of sensitive biometric data posed dangers to privacy rights and human rights. Reports of the Taliban potentially accessing U.S. biometric data stored by the military show that those concerns were not unfounded. They reveal potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the U.S. military's biometric systems. In particular, the situation raises questions about the security of the mobile biometric data collection devices used in Afghanistan.

The data privacy and cybersecurity concerns surrounding Taliban access to U.S. and former Afghan government databases are a warning for the future. In building biometric-driven warfare technologies and protocols, it appears that the U.S. Department of Defense assumed the Afghan government would have the minimum level of stability needed to protect the data.

The U.S. military should assume that any sensitive data  biometric and biographical data, wiretap data and communications, geolocation data, government records  could potentially fall into enemy hands. In addition to building robust security to protect against unauthorized access, the Pentagon should use this as an opportunity to question whether it was necessary to collect the biometric data in the first instance.

Understanding the unintended consequences of the U.S. experiment in biometric-driven warfare and biometric cyberintelligence is critically important for determining whether and how the military should collect biometric information. In the case of Afghanistan, the biometric data that the U.S. military and the Afghan government had been using to track the Taliban could one day soon  if it's not already  be used by the Taliban to track Afghans who supported the U.S.

___

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here.
Reps Peter Meijer, R-Mich. left and Seth Moulton, D-Mass. (AP)

DETROIT (Tribune News Service)  Reps. Peter Meijer and Seth Moulton once again defended their controversial trip to Kabul, Afghanistan, last week and condemned what they described in an interview with CNN Sunday morning as "some of the worst of American leadership" they had ever seen in the handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Their comments came just as reports surfaced of another explosion near Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, following a blast on Thursday that left scores of Afghans and 13 U.S. service members dead a few days after the congressmen's 12-hour visit to Kabul.

Meijer, R-Mich., and Moulton, D-Mass., served in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, respectively, and both spent time in Afghanistan as civilians.

Two officials familiar with the flight said that State Department, Defense Department and White House officials were furious about the their trip because it was done without coordination with diplomats or military commanders directing the evacuation.

But Meijer says their experiences, both military and civilian, meant they were "uniquely situated to be able to get in, get out, be as quiet as possible, but also take away as much information as possible."

They pair flew on a charter aircraft and were on the ground at the Kabul airport for several hours, officials said. The two House members were flying out of Kabul on another charter aircraft, prompting officials to complain that they were taking seats that could have gone to other Americans or Afghans fleeing the country.

Before the trip, both congressmen supported extending the the Aug. 31 evacuation deadline, but said their time there made them reconsider.

For Meijer, this was because of the "absurd scenario" in which the U.S. troops are "wholly dependent on the cooperation of the Taliban."

"If it came down to an urban combat scenario, you are talking about a multiplied casualty count, you are talking about grave civilian harm," he added, saying that the U.S. would not be able to get Afghan allies and American citizens who are trapped in Afghanistan out.

Moulton agreed, adding that the only way he could imagine the situation going worse is "if it had happened under Trump with the May 1 deadline. (...) And he probably wouldn't have had any effort to evacuate our (Afghan) allies because he's so anti-immigrant."

"But the point is that this has been the failure of multiple administrations," said Moulton.

On Friday, Meijer told the Detroit News that while he thinks the present focus should be on getting as many people as possible out of Afghanistan and to safety, "there will be a time for accountability soon," and did not rule out Republican calls for impeaching President Joe Biden over his administration's handling of the situation.

The 20-year war in Afghanistan reportedly cost the United States more than $2 trillion and resulted in the deaths of, according to some estimates, over 200,000 Afghans, many of them civilians, and thousands of U.S. service members and private contractors.

When asked if he thought the war was worth the cost, Meijer said, "I think it's impossible to sit here today and say 'yes,' knowing what we know, knowing what we saw."

"This is a failure upon failure."

___

(c)2021 The Detroit News

Visit The Detroit News at www.detnews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, left, answers a question during a briefing with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, right, at the Pentagon in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, about the end of the war in Afghanistan. (Susan Walsh/AP)

WASHINGTON  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley said Wednesday that U.S. forces are now supporting tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees at overseas and stateside bases two days after American forces left the Kabul airport and ended their 20-year mission in Afghanistan.

As of Wednesday, about 20,000 evacuees were at seven staging bases in countries in the Middle East, 23,000 others are now at seven U.S. bases in four European countries and about 20,000 are at eight military bases in the United States, according to Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Austin said he will travel to the Persian Gulf region next week to thank our partners there who have done so much to help save and shelter Afghan civilians.

In total, U.S. and coalition forces evacuated 124,334 people out of Kabul on 778 flights, Milley said. Most of the evacuations took place after Aug. 14, when the U.S. increased its forces at the airport to speed operations as the Taliban closed in on Afghanistans capital.

But he said the evacuation mission came at a heavy cost. On Thursday, 13 troops and dozens of Afghans were killed when an Islamic State suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest and gunmen fired on crowds near a Kabul airport gate where troops were evacuating Americans, Afghans seeking special immigrant visas and others from Afghanistan.

This mission cost 11 Marines, one soldier and one Navy corpsman their lives and 22 others were wounded in action. They literally gave their tomorrows for the tomorrows of people they never knew, Milley said during the first news conference that he and Austin have conducted since troops pulled out of Afghanistan on Monday. Those 124,000, they never knew the 13 who died. They will never know the 22 who are wounded and the thousands of dead and thousands of wounded who came before them. [But] they will now live in freedom, with American blood shed on their behalf.

Despite the end of the war, Austin said the military will do everything that we can to make sure we remain focused on ISIS-K, or ISIS-Khorasan, the Afghanistan branch of the terrorist group that carried out Thursday's attack. About 2,000 hardcore ISIS-K fighters remain in Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command commander Gen. Frank McKenzie told reporters Tuesday at the Pentagon.

Though McKenzie and other defense officials have said ISIS-K and the Taliban are sworn enemies, Milley advised not to make any leaps of logic that the military will work with the Taliban on future counterterror efforts.

We don't know what the future of the Taliban is, but I can tell you from personal experience that this is a ruthless group  and whether or not they change remains to be seen.

Still, the U.S. coordinated with the Taliban during the evacuation mission, as the Taliban created and manned a security perimeter around the airport with checkpoints.

We were working with Taliban on a very narrow set of issues, and it was just to get as many people out as we possibly could, Milley said. In war, you do what you must.

Amid public criticism of the deadly evacuation mission that ended with up to 200 Americans and countless visa applicants and vulnerable Afghans left behind, Austin urged Americans to unite to thank our service members for their courage and their compassion.

We have just concluded the largest air evacuation of civilians in American history. It was heroic. It was historic, Austin said. They were operating in an immensely dangerous and dynamic environment. Our troops were tireless, fearless and selfless. Our commanders never flinched.

He commended U.S. troops for running an international airport, processing visas, feeding the hungry, "comfort[ing] the desperate" and getting plane after plane into the sky during the mission.

Our forces risk their own lives to save the lives of others, and 13 of our very best paid the ultimate price  many of them were too young to personally remember the 9/11 [terrorist] attacks, Austin said.

The Pentagon will study the evacuation mission and the two decades of war that preceded it, Milley said.

We're going to learn from this experience as a military  how we got to this moment in Afghanistan will be analyzed and studied for years to come, he said. We in the military will approach this with humility, transparency and candor. [There] are many tactical, operational and strategic lessons to be learned.

Looking back on the past 20 years, the Pentagon leaders expressed pride in the U.S. forces but pain over lives lost. In total, 2,461 U.S. troops died in Afghanistan during the war that the nation sent 800,000 service members to fight and spent more than $1 trillion supporting, Milley said.

We are all conflicted with feelings of pain and anger, sorrow and sadness, combined with pride and resilience, he said. There are no words that I have, the secretary or [President Joe Biden] or anyone else will ever [have] to bring the dead back.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, then the 2020 Democratic Party nominee for president, delivers his acceptance speech on Aug. 20, 2020. (Democratic National Committee, CNP/Abaca Press/TNS)

WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service)  The White House responded Tuesday to the plea of an Afghan interpreter who helped rescue then-Sen. Joe Biden and two other senators in a 2008 snowstorm, reiterating the president's pledge to use diplomacy to work to evacuate remaining allies still in Afghanistan who wish to leave.

"We will get you out, we will honor your service, and we're committed to doing exactly that," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

The Wall Street Journal reported the interpreter  only identified as Mohammed by the newspaper  his wife and four children are in hiding from the Taliban after a "years-long attempt" to leave Afghanistan got mired in bureaucracy. As the final troops left Afghanistan on Monday, Mohammed asked Biden to save his family.

"Hello Mr. President: Save me and my family," Mohammed told the Journal. "Don't forget me here."

When he was 36 years old, the newspaper reported, Mohammed rode with U.S. troops into blinding snow in search of two U.S Army Black Hawk helicopters carrying Biden  then a senator from Delaware  and former Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass. and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., that were forced to make emergency landings in a remote Afghanistan valley.

Mohammed, who was stationed at Bagram Air Field, responded to a call for help and joined Army Humvees and three Blackwater SUVs to look for the helicopters. At the scene, Mohammed stood guard with Afghan Army soldiers on one side of the helicopter, according to the Journal, and used a blow horn to shoo off spectators.

"First, our message to him is thank you for fighting by our side for the last 20 years," Psaki said at a White House press briefing when asked for a response to Mohammed's plea. "Thank you for the role you played in helping a number of my favorite people out of a snowstorm, and for all of the work you did."

Psaki said the administration's commitment is "enduring, not just to American citizens but to our Afghan partners who have fought by our side."

The Biden administration says it helped evacuate more than 123,000 people out of Afghanistan before Monday's military withdrawal, including 5,500 Americans. In a speech Tuesday, Biden said the U.S. helped get "thousands of Afghan translators and interpreters and others who supported the United States out as well."

Biden said his administration would "make arrangements" to evacuate remaining Americans if they choose.

"As for the Afghans, we and our partners have airlifted 100,000 of them. No country in history has done more to airlift out the residents of another country that we have done. We will continue to work to help more people leave the country who are at risk. We're far from done."

(c)2021 USA Today

Visit USA Today at www.usatoday.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, left, and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, talk before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2022 for the Defense Department in Washington on Thursday, June 17, 2021. (Caroline Brehman/Pool via AP)

WASHINGTON  A group of retired military officers are calling for the resignations of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over their handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The conservative group Flag Officers 4 America orchestrated the letter signed by 87 officers that accuses Austin and Milley of failing to recommend against this dangerous withdrawal in the strongest possible terms" that left 13 U.S. troops dead.

Conversely, if they did do everything within their ability to persuade the president to not hastily exit the country without ensuring the safety of our citizens and Afghans loyal to America, then they should have resigned in protest as a matter of conscience and public statement, the group wrote in the letter.

Eleven Marines, a sailor and a soldier and dozens of Afghans were killed Thursday when an Islamic State suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest and gunmen fired on crowds near a Kabul airport gate where troops were evacuating Americans, Afghans seeking special immigrant visas and others from Afghanistan.

The withdrawal ended in Kabul just before midnight Tuesday local time after U.S. and coalition forces evacuated more than 123,000 people from Afghanistan since late July. Most of those evacuations happened after Aug. 14, when the U.S. increased its forces at the airport to speed operations as the Taliban closed in on the capital.

Among the signatories are retired Vice Adm. John Poindexter, who served as former President Ronald Reagans national security advisor, and one retired four-star admiral, Adm. Jerome Johnson.

At least one officer listed as having signed the letter, Marine Corps Brig. Gen. James Mead, is dead, according to his July obituary posted to the Wareham Village Funeral Home and Cremation Services website.

Flag Officers 4 America is the same organization that in May published a letter with 124 retired admirals and generals accusing President Joe Biden of launching a full-blown assault on our Constitution rights in a dictatorial manner over his use of executive orders.

In its Monday letter, the group called the withdrawal disastrous and hasty, claiming the Americans and vulnerable Afghans left in Afghanistan after U.S. forces left Monday are now de facto hostages of the Taliban at this time.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said between 100-200 Americans who want to leave Afghanistan were unable to get to the airport in time for evacuation.

The group of officers further alleged Austin and Milley should resign for other leadership, training and moral reasons related to the Pentagons focus this year on addressing racism and extremism within the ranks.

It has become clear that top leaders in our military are placing mandatory emphasis on [politically correct] wokeness related training which is extremely divisive and harmful to unit cohesion, readiness and war fighting, the group said in its letter. Our military exists to fight and win our nations wars and that must be the sole focus of our top military leaders.
Stephen Lara poses along a Nevada highway where law enforcement seized nearly $87,000 from him in February  without alleging any crimes. (Provided by Institute for Justice)

The Nevada trooper first told Stephen Lara the highway patrol was educating drivers "about violations they may not realize they're committing," and that he'd been pulled over for following a tanker truck a bit too closely. After some small talk, the trooper admitted an ulterior purpose: stopping the smuggling of illegal drugs, weapons and currency as they crossed the state.

Lara  a former Marine who says he was on his way to visit his daughters in Northern California  insisted he was doing none of those things, though he readily admitted he had "a lot" of cash in his car. As he stood on the side of the road, police searched the vehicle, pulling nearly $87,000 in a zip-top bag from Lara's trunk and insisting a drug-sniffing dog had detected something on the cash.

Police found no drugs, and Lara, 39, was charged with no crimes. But police nonetheless left with his money, calling a Drug Enforcement Administration agent to coordinate a process known as "adoption," which allows federal authorities to seize cash or property they suspect is connected to criminal activity without levying criminal charges.

"I left there confused. I left there angry," Lara said in an interview with The Washington Post. "And I could not believe that I had just been literally robbed on the side of the road by people with badges and guns."

On Tuesday, Lara sued the Nevada Highway Patrol over the seizure and filed a court motion asking the DEA to give his money back, saying it was taken without probable cause as part of a program that incentivizes such conduct.

Lara and his representatives concede some of his actions could raise questions. But advocates say the case is an example of how the federal government abuses its asset forfeiture authority, putting the burden on those whose property is taken to prove their innocence to get it back.

The "adoption" maneuver is particularly controversial, they say, because it involves federal law enforcement using its power to encourage a seizure by state police. Much of the forfeited property ultimately goes back to the state agency if it's not returned to the original owner, and advocates say many owners don't have the means or sophistication to get their items back.

Attorney General Eric Holder curtailed use of the practice in the Obama administration, but Attorney General Jeff Sessions restored it under President Donald Trump. Though Attorney General Merrick Garland has rolled back many Trump-era changes at the Justice Department, he has not taken any action on asset forfeiture.

"This is an inherently abusive power that state and local law enforcement should not have," said Wesley Hottot, a lawyer representing Lara with the Institute for Justice, which advocates against civil asset forfeiture. "What we see almost exclusively are people like Stephen who  perhaps had quirky banking practices  but they're not guilty of any crime. And yet, in the nation's airports, on the nation's roads, they're treated by police as though a large amount of cash by itself is criminal. And that power is too dangerous to give every police officer on the street."

Spokespeople for the Justice Department, DEA and Nevada Highway Patrol declined to comment.

  

To law enforcement, Lara in some ways fit the profile of a drug trafficker. He planned to drive more than 40 hours over four days in February, from Texas to Northern California and back. In addition to the cash, he had a stack of receipts showing ATM withdrawals of more than $130,000 over three years  seeming to anticipate the bills in his trunk would draw questions.

Video of the stop, recorded on multiple body cameras, shows the trooper and Lara having a genial conversation, with Lara agreeing to be searched. The troopers pull the cash from his trunk, and remark that the bills seem to be new. Lara points them to the receipts, which he says prove the money is his.

"As odd as it is, everything lines up," a trooper says at one point.

In the video, Lara tells the troopers he does not trust banks. At one point, a sergeant on the scene calls someone  apparently a DEA agent  to confirm the forfeiture process.

"It's too easy to do an adoption," the sergeant says.

After Holder banned the Justice Department from adopting local seizures  with exceptions for joint federal-local investigations and gun and child porn crimes  such cases declined sharply, according to Justice Department data analyzed by the Institute for Justice, hitting a low of about $4.9 million in 2017.

But that year, Sessions issued a directive reviving the practice.

In 2018, the amount forfeited by the Justice Department through adoptions not connected to a joint operation crept up to $19.6 million, according to the institute. It fell slightly, to $16.5 million, in 2019, the last year for which the institute says there is reliable data.

Lara's suit and related filing asks for the return of his money, a declaration that the seizure lacked probable cause and a restraining order barring the Nevada Highway Patrol from participating in the federal program that allows them to share proceeds of forfeitures.

  

Lara insists the money seized was his, earned legitimately over many years. He said he typically kept the cash in the home he shares with his parents in Lubbock, Texas, but had it in the car with him because he was planning to look for homes closer to his children that weekend, and his parents were scheduled to be out of town.

"I felt that it was safer that I secure my money by taking it with me," Lara said, adding that he kept receipts in the car because he likes to keep "tight documentation" of his finances.

The DEA notified Lara in early April that it was initiating "administrative forfeiture proceedings" for the cash taken in the Feb. 19 seizure  which would allow them to keep it, if he did not intervene.

With the institute's help, Lara filed a formal claim for the cash on April 21. The DEA confirmed receiving the claim, but he said he has heard nothing since. In a court filing, Lara's attorneys asserted that the government needed to have filed a civil forfeiture complaint or a criminal case within 90 days to hold on to Lara's money.

Over the years, Lara has had legitimate sources of income, including retirement pay from his military service, which included tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, a hospital job and unemployment benefits. He provided The Post years of bank statements. They show some confusing patterns, including widely variable monthly activity in which Lara transfers money back and forth between checking and savings accounts, but also support Lara's explanation that he liked to keep most of his savings in cash, and made bank deposits to pay certain bills.

A search of available public records does not reveal any significant criminal history for Lara. He pleaded guilty in 2017 in an insurance fraud case, which was dismissed after he paid a fine and did community service.

Lara concedes in the video of his stop that he had not paid taxes in two years; Hottot said he has since prepared returns, with the help of an accountant, and intends to file them in the coming days.

Former U.S. attorney Joyce Vance said some of the details of Lara's case mimic classic signs of money laundering  and to a suspicious prosecutor, his claim to distrust banks could sound "like a pretty good cover story." It is possible, she said, that investigators are still trying to build a case against Lara, or potential associates, which might give them a reason to hold his money.

But Vance said the case also highlights why many in law enforcement prefer to pursue forfeiture cases connected to indictments, rather than taking assets in civil court.

"You can't just take people's stuff because you happen to find them with cash," Vance said. "We still live in a country where people are innocent until they're proven guilty."

Kimberly Olsen, Lara's ex-wife, said Lara owes her about $18,000 in child support  about $900 a month is automatically deducted from his income to chip away at that. Last year, she successfully sought a restraining order against him so their contact would be limited to brief exchanges surrounding his visits with the kids.

Hottot, Lara's attorney, said Lara disputes he owes $18,000 and is negotiating with authorities to get it erased, even as he pays it down.

Olsen said she thought Lara might have kept his money out of the bank in part so he would not have to turn it over in child support. But she noted that even when they were married years ago, Lara "just liked to have his cash," and made frequent withdrawals.

She said Lara did not seem to spend an inordinately high amount, but liked to "show off" the cash itself, and spend it on his kids. She said she did not think he was a drug trafficker.

"He has some problems. That's why I have a restraining order against him," Olsen said. "But I just don't see this being some ordeal where he's selling drugs or something. I just think he's weird."

As the traffic stop came to a close  and officers declared they were taking Lara's money, even though he was free to go  Lara seemed to grow frustrated. He questioned how he'd pay for his hotel room, and food for his children during the trip.

"You're taking food out of the kids' mouths," Lara says on the video of the stop.

"Like I said, we, we believe right now that this is drug proceeds," a trooper responds.

"Well," Lara responds, "I'm gonna prove to you that it's not."

The Washington Post's Alice Crites and Alex Horton contributed to this report.
Frances Sarah Pratt, 93, passed on September 10, 2021 in Stillwater. At this time services are pending. Condolences may be sent to the family via an online guestbook at www.dightonmarler.com
Changes to the SunCommercial's back end processing means the e-edition is getting a facelift. The biggest change is the e-edition, by default, is now presented in Text view.
A Te Puke-based pet food producer is preparing for an influx in demand for its products as the pandemic puts pressures on global supply, national pet numbers increase, and market trends push consumers towards higher quality, wholesome pet food.

Local brand, Wishbone Pet Foods, entered North Island supermarkets this month, saying demand is extremely high and this has led them to recruiting more staff and making plans to expand their production lines.

Wishbone Pet Foods New Zealand sales manager, Paul Mansfield says their product has only been on supermarket shelves for a few weeks and already theyre being asked to supply more.

Weve just landed on the shelves of New World and Pak n Save and our future orders from the supermarkets keep increasing. Its fantastic to see and shows just how high the demand is out there for our gourmet products, he says.

Wishbone Pet Foods exports its small batch, artisanal pet food to 15 countries around the world, all from its Te Puke factory.

One thing this pandemic has proven to us all, is just how important supporting local is  not just for the business, but more importantly, the wider community.

We partner with farmers around New Zealand to supply our pasture-raised, grass-fed beef and lamb, making sure we work particularly closely with Bay of Plenty farmers to keep it as local as possible, he says.

New Zealand has the second-highest rate of pet ownership in the world. With 64 per cent of households owning at least one pet  with about 70 per cent of those owning either a cat or dog - our total pet population is nudging close to our human population, at 4.35 million.

According to Companion Animals NZ, this number continues to grow along with the rest of the world as New Zealanders seek from their beloved cats and dogs during the pandemic. This has placed pressure on pet food suppliers, which has recently made headlines in New Zealand for international shortages.

Demand from overseas is also increasing the demand for Wishbone Pet Foods products as pet owners become more aware of the importance of natural ingredients for their cats and dogs, creating a big market opportunity for food producers.

Our overseas markets are looking for a natural product that they can trust. Every bag of Wishbone is made with eight superfoods and cooked at lower temperatures to preserve beneficial enzymes, vitamins, and minerals and thats something were proud to be delivering, says Mansfield.

Proudly New Zealand made and New Zealand fresh, Wishbone Pet Foods is an artisanal pet food company that is putting New Zealands reputation for high-quality pet food on the map.

All our food is gently air-dried in small batches. This ensures not only the nutrients in each ingredient are retained but it also seals in the real, wholesome flavours of our local ingredients. The process makes it more nutritious and appealing for our pets, he says.

A recruitment campaign to attract young talent is currently underway, allowing Wishbone and its co-brands to increase production and capture more opportunities. New production lines are expected to be in place at the Te Puke factory by the end of this year.

The Te Puke factory is the largest and most technologically advanced dry pet food plant in New Zealand.

During the pandemic, the company has also ramped up its support of animal shelters and has donated 3000kg of pet food valued at $40,000 to Help Us Help Animals (HUHA)  enough to fill 12,000 bowls.
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Social Media complaints / reviews - Approach of car brands & effect on new purchase decisions



Incident 1. Battery on my 7 series died in few months of purchase and the dealer who serviced and charged me for the same, did because the car was not bought from them. But the brand steeped and addressed the issue and compensated me by way of passing extended warranty. So full marks to BMW



Conclusion - I remain a committed BMW customer & whenever someone asks me, I have no hesitations in recommending.



https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...-resolved.html (BMW India won't fulfil warranty on dead battery of a 4-month old 730d. EDIT: Now resolved)





Even with other members, BMW has mostly faired reasonable and whenever anything is escalated to the company, they try best to accommodate. Of course, no one can make everyone happy, but company's intention is to help at best.



Incident 2. Kia Seltos local dealer will not release the vehicle without insurance. I tried asking Kia, but they won't get involved.



Conclusion - We cancelled the booking and went with Toyota. A different vehicle. Even today, I don't authorize any loans for any of our staff for Kia



Incident 3. Certain app of Mercedes stopped many months ago and I waited for service time to get it updated. The vehicle came back without addressal, and Mercedes India just kept mum and later simply told to bring the vehicle back to the dealership. Not a big task but if you factor the schedule of a working executive, taking the car to Delhi Okhla from Gurgaon and back and some 3-4 hours at workshop means a full day loss. Neither the dealer nor the MB India offered option to get the car towed. I don't give some of my cars to the drivers so that option was ruled out.



https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-e...app-india.html (Pathetic experience with the Mercedes ME app in India)



Conclusion - My first and last Mercedes purchase. If somebody asks me, I try to convince them to BMW. Most people, who drive switch over and those who prefer to sit in the rear, I ask them to check the Camry or Vellfire.



Some of the top guys from companies like Skoda & Ford are very prompt in getting things sorted. We have seen so many issues addressed directly by Mr. Zac and in private by Mr. Anurag. On the other hand, some of the companies, especially Japanese like Maruti & Toyota have internal robust system of handling complaints on warranty and otherwise dealership control.



Now, do we consciously or sub-consciously take such behaviors of manufacturer in consideration while choosing a new car or just ignore that it won't happen to us and go-ahead with what we like?



Personally, off late, service and attitude of the dealer / company has become particularly important for me, and I won't bother getting even a better car if the manufacturer has an ego. Let's hear from other members. From my own personal experience and having some genuine issues here, it intrigues me to know the views of others on how different manufacturer views social media complaints / reviews and does this affect purchase decisions of customers while buying new cars?Incident 1. Battery on my 7 series died in few months of purchase and the dealer who serviced and charged me for the same, did because the car was not bought from them. But the brand steeped and addressed the issue and compensated me by way of passing extended warranty. So full marks to BMWConclusion - I remain a committed BMW customer & whenever someone asks me, I have no hesitations in recommending.Even with other members, BMW has mostly faired reasonable and whenever anything is escalated to the company, they try best to accommodate. Of course, no one can make everyone happy, but company's intention is to help at best.Incident 2. Kia Seltos local dealer will not release the vehicle without insurance. I tried asking Kia, but they won't get involved.Conclusion - We cancelled the booking and went with Toyota. A different vehicle. Even today, I don't authorize any loans for any of our staff for KiaIncident 3. Certain app of Mercedes stopped many months ago and I waited for service time to get it updated. The vehicle came back without addressal, and Mercedes India just kept mum and later simply told to bring the vehicle back to the dealership. Not a big task but if you factor the schedule of a working executive, taking the car to Delhi Okhla from Gurgaon and back and some 3-4 hours at workshop means a full day loss. Neither the dealer nor the MB India offered option to get the car towed. I don't give some of my cars to the drivers so that option was ruled out.Conclusion - My first and last Mercedes purchase. If somebody asks me, I try to convince them to BMW. Most people, who drive switch over and those who prefer to sit in the rear, I ask them to check the Camry or Vellfire.Some of the top guys from companies like Skoda & Ford are very prompt in getting things sorted. We have seen so many issues addressed directly by Mr. Zac and in private by Mr. Anurag. On the other hand, some of the companies, especially Japanese like Maruti & Toyota have internal robust system of handling complaints on warranty and otherwise dealership control.Now, do we consciously or sub-consciously take such behaviors of manufacturer in consideration while choosing a new car or just ignore that it won't happen to us and go-ahead with what we like?Personally, off late, service and attitude of the dealer / company has become particularly important for me, and I won't bother getting even a better car if the manufacturer has an ego. Let's hear from other members. Last edited by Sheel : 31st August 2021 at 09:57 . Reason: Minor edits :). Thanks.
News Editor

I am a third-year studying English with a minor in biology. I joined Technician in the fall of 2020 as a correspondent and am now working as the News Editor. I plan to graduate in the spring of 2022.
Forward-looking: Samsung is reportedly cooking a foldable Galaxy Book in its labs, and with a bit of luck, we might be able to buy one in the coming years. The company doesn't have the first-mover advantage here, but the device is rumored to come with a 17-inch display when unfolded, and there are many missing details that could turn it into an aspirational machine for other manufacturers.

Samsung's obsession with foldable displays is hardly a secret at this point, and the company has already shown it's committed to getting foldable smartphones right, from the tiny engineering details required to make them durable to the cost optimizations that make them affordable for enthusiasts who want to be on the bleeding edge.

The next logical step would be to get bolder with the form factor, and the Korean giant is certainly exploring more options in its labs. However, the rumor mill says the company is ready to move beyond smartphones and into the foldable PC territory. According to reliable leaker Ice Universe, the first step is the Galaxy Book Fold 17, a massive laptop that will eschew the traditional keyboard and trackpad to allow the screen to govern both the visual feedback and the input.

Details are scarce at this point, but Samsung did open up at SID 2021 about its vision for what a foldable clamshell should look like. When fully extended, this device would look exactly like a 17-inch tablet with a high-resolution OLED display. The webcam would most likely be embedded under the screen, and when the device is folded halfway, you'd be given a keyboard or any relevant set of controls on the bottom half of the display based on the app that is open on the top half.

The concept isn't entirely new -- last year's Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold comes to mind -- but the company has refused to call it a laptop and instead wants it to be perceived as a separate category of PC. If Samsung does decide to bring a Galaxy Book Fold 17 to market, it will likely need to position the device as anything but an oversized tablet or a gimped touchscreen laptop.

The first iteration may well end up being an expensive and unfinished product just like the Galaxy Fold of yesteryear, but maybe that's exactly what this new category needs if it ever has a chance of taking off.
A hot potato: While Windows 11 hasn't officially started rolling out yet, Microsoft has made it clear that plenty of PCs aren't going to meet the OS' minimum requirements. Now, members of the Windows Insider Program with incompatible hardware are being asked to uninstall Windows 11 and reinstall its predecessor.

Twitter account @BetaWiki published an image of a message seen by testers in both the Dev and Beta channels running Windows 11 on hardware that doesn't meet Microsoft's requirements for the new OS.

"Your PC does not meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11. Your device is not eligible to join the Windows Insider Program on Windows 11. Please install Windows 10 to participate in the Windows Insider Program in the Release Preview Channel," it reads.

Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc tweeted that people were warned in a Windows Insider blog post from June that this would happen.

We communicated this would be the case back via this blog post on June 24th here: https://t.co/rTIRMSHJHD https://t.co/7cvXHQ65nF  Brandon LeBlanc (@brandonleblanc) September 1, 2021

The Insider Program had been one way of getting Windows 11 early builds onto PCs with unsupported hardware, though Microsoft said that users would stop receiving preview builds once Windows 11 is generally available. Linus Tech Tips looked at this method, among others, and possible workarounds in a video last month.

It seems those who ignore Microsoft's message will stop receiving further updates for the OSthe same fate facing users with non-eligible PCs who upgraded via the Windows Media Creation Tool or with the official Windows 11 ISO.

Microsoft recently updated its Windows 11 minimum hardware requirements to include 7th-gen Intel Core X-series and Xeon W-series processors, along with the Intel Core 7820HQ (only select devices that shipped with modern drivers based on Declarative, Componentized, Hardware Support Apps (DCH) design principles, including Surface Studio 2). No first-gen AMD Zen processors are included on the list.

Microsoft will soon roll out its updated Health Check app for users to check if their PC meets Windows 11 requirements.

There's been plenty of confusion surrounding Windows 11 ahead of its October 5 rollout date. "For those who are using a PC that won't upgrade, and who aren't ready to transition to a new device, Windows 10 is the right choice," Microsoft said, noting that Windows 10 will continue to be supported up until October 14, 2025. That's unlikely to appease angry consumers, though.

A recent report found that over half of Windows 10 users want to upgrade, while over a quarter of those polled have laptops or PCs that don't meet the minimum requirements.
In brief: South Koreas inaugural lunar expedition is still on track to launch next summer, the countrys Ministry of Science and ICT has confirmed. The mission is scheduled for lift-off in August 2022 and will hitch a ride to space courtesy of SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket. The probe will take roughly three months to reach its destination and position itself in orbit.

Phase one of the mission aims to put a probe into orbit around the Moon. Itll carry a handful of useful instruments including ShadowCam, a NASA instrument that will map the permanently shadowed regions of the Moon to search for minerals that could be harvested to support future missions. It was developed by researchers at Arizona State University and Malin Space Science Systems as the US' contribution to South Korea's mission.

(The ShadowCam instrument will acquire images of shadowed regions of the moon using a high-resolution camera, telescope, and highly sensitive sensors.)

As The Register highlights, the orbiter will also be rigged with equipment to conduct Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN) tests. DTN is an approach to computer networking that seeks to address technical issues that may arise when a network lacks continuous connectivity.

Well eventually reach a point where network connectivity in space becomes a necessity, but existing Earth-based solutions likely wont be ideal because they were not designed with many minutes of latency in mind, like what would happen when an access point dips behind the Moon for a few hours. DTN could address this by modifying the networking stack.

South Koreas probe is also expected to measure the Moons magnetosphere.

Phase two will include an orbiter, a lander and a rover to gather even more information, and is expected to launch in 2025.
Bottom line: Logitech is doing more for clients using its various wireless peripherals in busy work environments with the introduction of the Logi Bolt USB receiver. Congested workspaces havent been a major concern over the past 18 months or so with the pandemic and all, but with many companies having already brought employees back into the office, its becoming more of a realistic concern.

Bolt is designed to replace standard Logitech receivers and dongle-free connections. The hardened receiver utilizes Bluetooth Low Energy Security Mode 1, Level 4, meaning all incoming and outgoing traffic uses authenticated connections with encryption. This security mode is also Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) compliant, Logitech added.

The Logi Bolt receiver is additionally said to provide a stronger, more reliable connection in congested wireless environments. According to Logitech, it provides a drop-free connection up to 33 feet away, with up to eight times lower average latency compared to commonly deployed wireless protocols in noisy enterprise settings.

The accessory maker further noted the universal compatibility of the Logi Bolt. They work with most operating systems and platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Chrome OS, among others.

Pasi Pajumaki, an IT specialist at Wolt Enterprises where Logi Bolt has been used, said the tech seems to establish a connection faster, which makes switching between a desk and a conference room smoother and more user friendly.

The Logi Bolt USB receiver is listed for $14.99 over on Logitechs page with a coming soon designation. No word yet on when Logitech plans to start actual shipments.
The fastest Kingston USB-C has arrived to offer you the best hardware file storage experience. For the past few years, Kingston has offered the cheapest yet more advanced USB (Universal Serial Bus) products in the market.



Because of its durable hardware storage accessories, this giant tech firm's name is now iconic for many users, especially those that usually save a lot of files from their computer or laptop.

Kingston Rolls Out Record-Breaking USB-C 3.2 Flash Drive with 900MB/s This Month. The High-Speed Kingston DataTraveler Flash Drive Comes in Sizes up to 1TB.https://t.co/0NduDgUCFM pic.twitter.com/k6MWsVlSYu  Dr. Ganapathi Pulipaka  (@gp_pulipaka) August 30, 2021

But, as the PC industry rose, many developers appeared to compete against Kingston and its USB models. Now, Kingston Digital confirmed that its fastest hardware storage has arrived.

The new DataTraveler Max offers some impressive read and writes speeds to allow you to have a smoother and faster data transferring and storing experience.

To achieve this, the new USB device uses the so-called USB-C 3.2 Gen of the company, allowing it to have better features compared to its competitors.

Fastest Kingston USB DataTraveler Max

According to Slash Gear's latest report, the new Kingston DT Max would be efficient for those who are usually running out of laptop or computer memory.

Also Read: Meet the Cute Mini-Car Robot Teaching Kids About the Basics of Computer Programming

On the other hand, many consumers would be attracted to this new hardware since new personal computer and laptop models are now integrated USB-C ports.

However, DataTraveler Max still has some limitations since some desktops offer USB-A ports, an older version compared to the Type-C port.

"The unique ridged casing protects the connector when it is not in use and is easily moved in a single motion," said the tech creator via BetaNews.

In other news, computer builders could suffer from the rising price of RAM (Random-Access Memory). On the other hand, security experts are now working on a new unhackable computer processor called Morpheus CPU.

Exact Features of Kingston DT Max

The new Kingston USB-C is confirmed to reach 900MB/s write speed, as well as 1,000MB/s read speed. On the other hand, you can purchase this new storage in three variants: 1TB, 512Gb, 256GB versions.

On the other hand, it also uses a plastic ridge casing to prevent overheating its chipset. It also has a connecter that extends and locks into place with a slide of a switch, which is located on its underside.

It measures 82.17 x 22.00 x 9.02mm and has a 12g weight when it comes to dimension.

For more news updates about Kingston and other USB-C manufacturers, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: PC Demand from Users Will Remain Strong in 2021, Says Experts

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The U.S. Export Controls is currently affecting China's scientists and other experts since it restricts them from accessing major instruments that are essential for their scientific and technological innovations.

As of the moment, the U.S.-China trade war is still happening. Because of this issue, more than 40% of the items restricted for sale to the Asian country are scientific tools, which are usually used in a laboratory.

This is a serious matter since China is also trying to make efforts on how to combat the deadly COVID-19 pandemic and other diseases that are infecting its residents.

Chinese researchers used artificial intelligence to analyze the inclusions of the current U.S. commercial export control list. In the recent scientific activity, involved researchers explained that an AI system trained on a database helped them find out that nearly 1,900 items included on the U.S. export control list are experimental tools.

"We have tried to build some tools, but we can't do everything by ourselves," said an anonymous researcher.

US Export Controls Wasn't Able To Complete Stop Chinese Scientists

According to SCMP's latest report, the Chinese government is making some huge efforts to support the country's scientists.

Also Read: Heimdal Uses Renewable Energy to Get CO2, Cement from Seawater; Startup to Debut Carbon-Free Materials

These include various nationwide campaigns to encourage China-based manufacturers to develop home-grown scientific tools.

Aside from this, the Asian country also found some alternative plans for trade imports from different countries, such as Germany, Russia, France, Europe, and other first-worlds.

Although they are able to find some workarounds, Chinese scientists are still having some difficulties acquiring the tools they need for their experiments, especially since it is not the forte of China.

In other news, the Philippines's cube sats are now in outer space. On the other hand, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos's lawsuits are still ongoing.

Role of the US Export Control System

The U.S. Export Control System is still essential, even if some countries are greatly affected. To give you more idea, here are some of its major goals:

Promote regional stability

Take into account human rights considerations.

Provide for national security by limiting access to the most sensitive U.S. technology and weapons

Prevent the proliferation of weapons and technologies, including weapons of mass destruction, to problem end-users and supporters of international terrorism

Comply with international commitments, i.e. nonproliferation regimes and UN Security Council sanctions, and UNSC resolution 1540

For more news updates about the U.S.-China trade war and other related topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: North Korea Nuclear Plant Appears Active in Planet Labs' Latest Satellite Images | More Nukes To Be Developed?

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NASA has announced that it is accepting any designs or purchase ideas from companies for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) to be used for the Artemis Moon Mission. Yes, this vehicle will be based on the Moon and would be left there to roam around the lunar surface and explore uncharted territories for studying and research.

The focus of most of NASA's releases now may be for the International Space Station or the Mars Perseverance mission with the Curiosity rover, but that does not mean Artemis is forgotten. The mission is still slated for 2024, aiming to resend humans back to the Moon.

NASA Lunar Terrain Vehicle

The national space agency is now calling upon private contractors, manufacturers, designers, or companies to step forward and partner up to debut the next-generation Lunar Terrain Vehicle. NASA is gearing up for its Artemis Moon mission, and part of its venture is to bring a vehicle to the lunar surface for all transportation needs.

NASA's request for information narrates what the Lunar Terrain Vehicle needs, and it is for the car to survive going to the Moon and staying there for a long time. Moreover, it should also withstand the lunar nights, or when the natural satellite turns away from the Sun.

The moon is known to revolve under a monthly schedule from the Earth.

The LTV would also be staying on the lunar surface for at least 10 years, and it is a long-time for the vehicle's operation and life span. Moreover, no technicians or mechanics would be able to get up there once it proves to be faulty or needs repairs. The astronauts would be the ones to service or repair it.

Read Also: NASA Says Liquid Oxygen Shortage May Delay the Launch of SpaceX Satellites

The Moon Buggy

This would be similar to the so-called "Moon Buggy" or the first-generation vehicle that was brought to the moon to be used for all kinds of transportation. Apollo 15 debuted the first Moon Buggy back in 1971, which came with astronauts David Scott, Alfred Worden, and James Irwin.

Now, a moon rover is making a return, but it would not be something like the original buggy, which is known for its capabilities to handle the challenging terrain of the lunar satellite. Moreover, the new LTV would have better technology, as it can be equipped with the latest tech that is available to humans.

NASA Artemis Moon Mission

The Artemis Moon mission is set for 2024 but was said to be looking at delays, primarily because of its problem with its rockets, spacesuits, and more. Additionally, the 2020 pandemic has contributed to the mission's further delay.

Nevertheless, NASA is still looking forward to securing designs or tech for its LTV, something which should be finalized, the same time as the mission's upcoming launch later in the decade.

Related Article: ISS Astronauts Identify New Cracks In the Walls of the Zarya Module

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Ever since Hurricane Ida made landfall on Sunday, August 29, the Category 4 hurricane has caused widespread damage to everything in its path. In fact, the damage is visible from space.

Satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies' Worldview-2 satellite have captured the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in certain parts of the country.

Hurricane Ida's storm surge and rain have caused massive flooding in areas where it hit, specifically in the Louisiana coast.

Hurricane Ida Damage as Seen in Satellite Images

The damage that Hurricane Ida has caused has been captured by the Worldview-2 satellite in images released to the public.

According to Space, the images captured by the Worldview-2 satellite are of cities and towns in Louisiana that have been hit by Hurricane Ida. These Louisiana towns and cities include La Place, Houma, and Jean Lafitte.

Per the Space report, the photos taken by the Worldview-2 satellite "show apartment complexes and other buildings with roofs torn to kindling by Ida's fury. Floodwaters submerge the streets and yards of Jean Lafitte."

One million people, according to Space, have no electricity as of Tuesday. These include residents of New Orleans.

Hurricane Ida

Hurricane Ida made landfall on Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane. According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), a Category 4 hurricane has sustained winds of 130-156 mph. Hurricane Ida had sustained winds of 150 mph when it made landfall.

"Catastrophic damage will occur," according to the NHC website when a hurricane falls in that category.

Per the Space report, Ida has since weakened to a tropical depression. In its most recent tweet as of press time, the NHC said that the tropical depression is "moving across the Tennessee Valley."

Hurricane Ida is part of what is collectively known as the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana exactly 16 years after Hurricane Katrina, a Category 5 hurricane that caused more than 1,800 deaths.

Related Article: New Orleans Finally Has A Full-Scale Hospital One Decade After Katrina

The Worldview-2 Satellite

The Worldview-2 satellite, which captured photos of the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, was launched to space in 2009. It is owned by DigitalGlobe, a subsidiary of Maxar Technologies.

The European Space Agency (ESA) describes the Worldview-2 satellite as an "imaging and environment-monitoring satellite." According to the ESA website, the Worldview-2 satellite is sun-synchronous as far as its orbit type is concerned. It also has an orbit period of 100 minutes.

According to the Space report, the Worldview-2 satellite "zooms around Earth at an altitude of 480 miles (770 kilometers) and is capable of resolving features as small as 18 inches (46 centimeters) on the planet's surface."

A few days ago, the Worldview-2 satellite captured a photo of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket prior to its launch.

The objective of the Worldview-2 satellite, according to the ESA, is to provide high-resolution satellite imagery to meet growing demand.

Also Read: Dixie Fire Before-and-After Scenes Caught by Worldview-1 Satellite

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Image from Unsplash Website) Google Postpones Return to Office Work at Least Jan 10, 2022

Google has yet again postponed its move for employees to fully return to the office and announced that its employees can still continue to work remotely until 2022. The decision now follows similar ones that are already made by the company's popular tech industry peers just like Facebook and Amazon.

Google Return to Office Work

According to the story by CNN, Google workers from all around the world will not really be required to return to their offices until at least January 10, 2022. This was according to Google CEO Sundar Pichai in a note to employees on August 31, 2021.

The policy reportedly applies to Google and does not apply to its very own parent company Alphabet, according to a spokesperson. It was noted that beyond January 10, 2022, the company will enable countries and locations to be able to make determinations on when to end the company's voluntary work-from-home which is based on local conditions. This also greatly varies across the company's offices.

Google 30-Day Heads-Up

He also added that employees will be getting a full 30-day heads-up before they are ultimately required to come back to the office. The decision marks the second time in recent months that Google has decided to delay a full office return. Working from home once the option to work at the office arises could mean Google workers would have to take a 25% pay cut.

The company had previously pushed it from September to October and this illustrates how much of a moving target reopening ultimately continues to be as the new COVID-19 delta variant starts to spread. Major tech firms that took the lead when it came to sending corporate workers home during the start of the pandemic are currently becoming more cautious when it comes to bringing them back.

Read Also: Google Hybrid Work Model Requires Staff to Spend 3 Days a Week in the Office as COVID-19 Restrictions Ease

Employees Presented with Work Setup Options

Amazon and Facebook both announced some time earlier in August 2021 that they will no longer be requiring workers to return until January 2022. Lyft, on the other hand, has set its return date to February 2, 2022. Other tech companies include Apple, Microsoft, and even Uber as they are currently sticking to their plans to be able to reopen in October 2021.

Google has been changing its politics a number of times already. The company initially required employees to be able to come back to their very own pre-pandemic offers at least three days a week and this would subsequently allow them to apply for permanent remote work or decide to change in their own office location. During the pandemic, Google was able to save $1 billion as the company now contemplates a hybrid work setup.

It was noted that around 10,000 employees have reportedly applied to change where they would work from as of July 2, 2021. Google gave a statement noting that 45% are seeking to remain permanently remote while 55% want to switch offices. The company has reportedly approved 85% of these particular requests.

Related Article: Alphabet, Google's Q1 Earnings: CEO Sundar Pichai Reveals Hybrid Work Setup, Success in Early 2021

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Written by Urian B.

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Bangkok Airways admitted that a data breach has taken place and that personally identifiable information (PII) of customers may have been stolen by hackers. Included in the PII of Bangkok Airways customers that have been stolen are partial credit card information, according to a press release published by the airline company.

Bangkok Airways has yet to specify the number of customers affected by the data breach.

The LockBit ransomware gang has since claimed that it is in possession of compressed files belonging to the airline company. The ransomware gang has threatened to release the files if the group's ransom demands are not met by Bangkok Airways.

Bangkok Airways Data Breach

Bangkok Airways has admitted to a data breach that involves the theft of PII of their customers.

"On 23 August 2021, Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited discovered that the company had been a victim of [a] cybersecurity attack which resulted in unauthorized and unlawful access to its information system," Bangkok Airways' press release reads.

Per the press release, personally identifiable information that may have been stolen include the following:

Passenger name and family name

Nationality

Gender

Phone number

Email

Address

Contact information

Passport information

Historical travel information

Partial credit card information

Special meal information

Bangkok Airways assures that the incident has been reported to the authorities, including the Royal Thai police. The airline company is also in the midst of investigating the data breach.

Bangkok Airways has advised its customers to contact their banks and credit card providers as a primary preventive measure so customers can change passwords that may have been compromised in the data breach.

According to a report by TechRadar, Bangkok Airways has yet to identify the number of customers affected. It also has not "offered subscriptions to identity fraud prevention services, which companies usually do in cases of ransomware gangs getting their hands on such sensitive PII."

Related Article: The Importance Of A Timely Data Breach Response

Ransomware Attack

[ALERT] LockBit ransomware gang has announced Bangkok Airways on the victim list. It announced that 103GB of compressed files will be released. pic.twitter.com/LT2C0Eixxn  DarkTracer : DarkWeb Criminal Intelligence (@darktracer_int) August 25, 2021

Per the TechRadar report, the press release published by Bangkok Airways comes after a ransomware gang known as LockBit has claimed to have 103 GB worth of compressed files belonging to Bangkok Airways.

The group initially threatened that the data would be released on August 30 but, as TechRadar points out, it has yet to happen. According to the report, the two parties might be in the middle of a negotiation.

Other Airlines That Have Been Victims of Data Breaches

Bangkok Airways is the latest victim of cybersecurity attacks among airline companies. The ransomware attack on the airline company is also the latest addition to the string of data breaches and cyberattacks that have taken place this year.

In 2020, airline company EasyJet fell victim to a data breach after hackers were able to steal credit card details of 2,000 customers.

In 2015, Chinese hackers launched a cyberattack on United Airlines as well as American Airlines.

Also Read: China-Linked Hackers Attack American Airlines And Sabre

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Image from Unsplash Website) Artificial Intelligence Technology for Heart Imaging Can be Used as Tool to Help Doctors Examine Scar Tissue

A brand new artificial technology for heart imaging might be able to improve patient care. This technology could allow doctors to examine the patient's heart for scar tissue while also eliminating the need for contrast injections that are required for traditional cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.

Artificial Intelligence Approach to Hear Imaging

A team of researchers that were responsible for developing the technology include doctors coming from the UVA Health reports the success of the new approach in an article uploaded to the scientific journal Circulation. The team compared its AI approach which is known as virtual native enhancement with contrast-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance scans that are currently used to help monitor hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which is the most common genetic heart condition.

Researchers reportedly found that virtual native enhancement is capable of producing higher-quality images as well as better capture evidence of scar in the heart. This is without the need for actually injecting the standard contrast agent that is usually required for cardiovascular magnetic resonance scans. Technology has reportedly been very useful in helping patients understand their health status.

Dr. Christopher Kramer on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Scans

Researcher Dr. Christopher Kramer noted that this is a new potentially important advance, especially if it can actually be expanded to other patient groups. Dr. Christopher Kramer is the chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medical Health at UVA Health which is Virginia's only designated Center of Excellence by Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy association.

It was noted that being able to identify scar in the heart is an important contributor to progression towards heart failure and even sudden cardiac death would be highly significant. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance scans would reportedly be done without any contrast and thus saving cost and any risk from the contrast agent.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Heart Disease

According to the story by MirageNews, Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common inheritable heart disease. It is also the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes. It causes the heart muscle to thicken and even stiffen which reduces its ability to be able to pump blood and also requires close monitoring by doctors.

The brand new virtual native enhancement technology will reportedly allow doctors to image the heart more often and faster, according to researchers. It also might help doctors be able to detect subtle changes in the heart much earlier, though more testing is still required to confirm that. Hydration has closely been linked to a healthy heart which is why doctors recommend that people drink more water.

Read Also: Health Officials Warn Delta Variant 'Eating Lungs' of People Without Vaccines | Oxygen, Intubation, Ventilators Much Needed

New Approach to Patients with Allergies

The technology could also benefit patients that are allergic to the contrast agent that needs to be injected for cardiovascular magnetic resonance scans. This includes patients with severely failing kidneys which is a group that often avoids the use of the agent. The brand new approach works through using artificial intelligence in order to enhance T1-maps of the heart tissue created through magnetic resonance imaging.

Related Article: Luminate Medical: Chemotherapy Hair Loss Can be Avoided with Medical Wearable, Aiming for FDA Approval

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Windows 11 Insider Program users with PCs that use unsupported CPUs are now being kicked out by Microsft from the Dev channel for its upcoming major OS update.

Microsoft laid out the system requirements of Windows 11 during its launch, specifying the supported CPUs of the Windows 10 predecessor.

And just recently, Microsoft updated the initial Windows 11 CPU requirements, adding the Intel Core X, Xeon W CPUs, Intel COr i7-7820HQ to the extended list of eligible processors.

It comes a day before Microsoft announced that it would not block users that would choose to install Windows 11 on an unsupported CPU. Instead, folks with older processors could still freely download the ISO of the new OS and stuff it on their PC with an unsupported CPU, as per The Verge.

On the other hand, what sets those running the supported CPUs is that they will no longer have to manually download and install Windows 11. They could rather easily get the new OS via Windows Update.

Windows 11 Insider Program Users with Unsupported CPUs

However, when it comes to the users of the Windows Insider Program, which runs the beta version of Windows 11, Microsoft has now become less lenient with CPU requirements.

The Redmond-based tech giant started to kick out Windows 11 users from the Dev channel of the Insider Program, according to XDA-Developers.

What's more, a Twitter user that goes by the name BetaWiki also revealed that Microsoft is leaving booted-out folks with a message telling them to use the current Windows 10 instead.

The tweet was attached with a screenshot of the message from Microsoft that reads: "Your PC does not meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11."

The prompt further noted that the device of the user could not be part of the Windows Insider Program of Windows 11.

Microsoft has now dropped ineligible systems from the Insider program and tells them to install Windows 10. pic.twitter.com/zfALanmcuq  BetaWiki (@BetaWiki) August 31, 2021

Windows 11 Insider Program

It is worth noting that this was not the case when the Windows 11 Insider Program began. The Dev channel previously allowed ineligible users to run the new OS until it officially comes out.

However, the latest move of Microsoft has been dropping users with unsupported systems to the Release Preview for Windows 10 21H2 testing.

The Windows 11 Insider Program is the only official means to test the upcoming Microsoft OS in its beta stage.

Read Also: Microsoft Windows 11 To Remove Essential Features-Goodbye Taskbar Functions and More; Should You Still Upgrade?

Windows 11 'General Availability'

On Aug. 31, Microsoft announced that Windows 11 is nearing its "general availability" release on Oct. 5. On the same day, Windows 10 users that meet the system requirements will also be getting their experience of the new OS upgrade.

Currently, Windows 11 is exclusively available for beta users.

Related Article: Windows 11: Test the Software Without Installing Beta or Upgrading Hardware via Browser

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
SpaceX's cargo mission for NASA's resupply delivered a birthday gift to an astronaut in the ISS, or the International Space Station, who was celebrating her 50th special day.

The latest cargo resupply mission of Elon Musk's SpaceX for NASA, or National Aeronautics and Space Administration, arrived at the ISS last Aug. 30 after a day since its launch from the Kennedy Space Center at Launch Complex 39A on Aug. 29.

As per FirstPost, the 23rd Commercial Resupply Services of SpaceX carried a total of 2,710 kilograms or 4,800 pounds worth of supplies for the space crew.

Not to mention that it also included hardware for the spacecraft, as well as tons of science experiments.

SpaceX's Cargo Mission Delivers Birthday Gift

The Dragon spacecraft of SpaceX has already docked at the Space Station and will stay there for a whole month.

Two NASA astronauts, Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, welcomed the arrival of the capsule to the ISS.

According to KMBC News, one of the NASA astronauts, McArthur, was coincidentally celebrating her 50th birthday while overseeing the arrival of the SpaceX cargo mission to the ISS. And to her surprise, the capsule that she was monitoring was carrying a special present for her special day.

To be precise, the shipment delivered an ice cream as a gift to McArthur.

The NASA astronaut, who was celebrating her birthday, went on to radio after the arrival of the SpaceX capsule: "No one's ever sent me a spaceship for my birthday before. I appreciate it."

On top of the ice cream for McArthur, the SpaceX cargo mission also included other food items, such as lemons, avocados, and cherry tomatoes for the other six crewmates.

It is to note, though, that the previous cargo mission of Northrop Grumman also delivered a sumptuous pizza kit that was good for seven astronauts. Plus, other goods like apples, tomatoes, and kiwi came as well.

Read Also: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Test-Fires After Two-Month Hiatus-Ahead of Cargo Resupply Mission

SpaceX's Cargo Mission Deliveries

Of course, science experiments are yet again present in this cargo mission delivery of SpaceX, similar to Northrop Grumman's mission last Aug. 10.

One of the scientific studies that made it to the Space Station involved retinal diagnostic equipment that tests the reaction of various materials in space.

What's more, the Girl Scouts also sent plants, ants, and brine shrimps that would be used as test subjects in space experiments.

Meanwhile, the University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers also brought flowering weed and mouse-ear cress seeds for genetic research.

Aside from the research materials, a Japanese start-up further sent a robotic arm that will attempt to do mundane chores for the space crew. It will still undergo testing in the space station.

Related Article: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket SPOTTED by Orbit Satellite Ahead ISS Cargo Launch-How to Watch

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Google Doodle has been fascinating through the different sketch concepts over the past few years. The latest illustration this September tells more about the first day of school for this academic year.

Despite the pandemic restrictions and lockdowns amid the COVID-19 scare, many schools continue to serve the students via virtual classes. The transition from physical class is now changed to the online trend.

Latest Google Doodle Depicts the First Day of School in 2021

According to the Doodles Archive, the latest Google Doodle was published on Wednesday, Sept.1. It marks the first day of school for this year in some countries.

The archives also show the countries that can be seen on the main homepage of Google. These are the United Kingdom, Estonia, Latvia, Israel, Luxembourg, Poland, Vietnam, Belgium, Slovenia, Hungary, Russia, and Ukraine.

Based on the Google Doodle sketch, the logo of the tech giant is surrounded by many symbols linked to schooling. There are learning materials, including a book, ruler, pencil, and more. There are also stuff that is related to sports.

The users can select a preferred mode from two options: the light and the dark mode.

The sketch also features a conspicuous green pencil in the background. At this time, many students want to experience the atmosphere of a "real" school.

However, even though there are long summer breaks to celebrate, they are still hampered by the coronavirus cases that continue to rise daily.

In a recent report by 9to5Google, it's worth noting that Google has not yet released some tech-related products lately. What's sure at the moment is the continuous online learning mode that would happen in the next months or even years.

The new normal resorts to huge adjustments among students and teachers, but people have coped up with the changes. The institutions have boosted their support to resume schooling virtually.

Read Also: Georgia Teen Arantza Pena Popo Wins Google Doodle Contest With Inspiring 'Once You Get It, Give It Back'

Previously Released Google Doodles on September 1

Here is the list of the Google doodles that came out on Sept. 1 over the past years.

First Day of School in Israel (2017)

Uzbekistan Independence Day (2017)

Filopimin Finos' birthday

Uzbekistan Independence Day (2018)

First Day of School in Poland, Russia, and Estonia (2011)

Celebrating Jackie Ormes

Celebrating Dr. Harold Moody

First Day of School (2008)

First Day of School in Russia (2012)

Knowledge Day (2007)

First Day of School (2020)

Fatima Surraya Bajia's 88th birthday

First Day of School (2014)

Aya Koda's 116th birthday

First Day of School (2017)

First Day of School (2019)

Father's Day in Australia (2019)

Bui Xuan Phai's 99th birthday

First Day of School (2016)

37th Anniversary of The Neverending Story's First Publishing

First Day of School (2010)

First Day of School (2018)

Google's New Logo

34th Anniversary of Similan Islands National Park

Tarsila do Amaral's 125th birthday

Latest Google Doodle in August

Last month, Google celebrated the animation dubbed "Turkana Human." It showed how the Homo erectus was discovered in 1984.

Back in April, Google Earth Day 2021 Doodle talked about the importance of trees to the people and the environment.

Related Article: Google Savoy Ballroom: Doodle Gives Birth to Iconic Ballroom Through a Swing Dancing Game

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The U.S. DOE (Department of Energy) confirmed that the giant nation now relies on wind turbines to produce clean electricity.

The government agency announced that around 42% of new electricity generation capacity in the United States, back in 2020, came from land-based wind energy infrastructure.

The Department of Energy added that this new record is higher than those generated by other energy sources in the country. This means that wind energy now generates more electricity than solar energy, which could only produce 38% of 2020's new capacity.

Since America further enhances its wind energy industry, wind turbines are now stronger, intermittent electricity sources across the United States. DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory stated that the U.S. energy infrastructure received 16,836 megawatts of new utility-scale land-based wind power capacity.

US DOE Says $24.6 Billion Wind Power Investment Took Place

According to CNBC's latest report, the United States invested more than $24.6 billion to enhance the country's air-based energy infrastructures. This is a major innovation since the government wants to reduce the rising carbon emissions.

Also Read: North Korea Nuclear Plant Appears Active in Planet Labs' Latest Satellite Images | More Nukes To Be Developed?

New turbine models are also being improved to offer more efficient electricity generation methods or processes. They are also taller and have longer blades compared to traditional wind turbines.

Aside from the land-based wind farms, the U.S. also plans to improve its offshore wind turbines. This would be essential since the country doesn't have domestic sea-based wind energy infrastructure last 2020.

In other news, GM's Cruise announces California solar energy purchase. On the other hand, U.S. scientists claim nuclear fusion could be used to create better clean energy.

Is Wind Energy Investment Worth It?

Since DOE confirms that wind turbines now generate the majority of electrical energy in the United States, the billion-dollar investment is surely being used properly to lessen carbon emissions in the country.

Energy.Gov also provided some of the advantages that wind turbine infrastructure enhancement could offer:

New job opportunities

Cost-effective energy sources

Clean fuel sources

Sustainable energy sources

Wind turbines can easily be built in farms, ranches, and other open areas

For more news updates about U.S. wind energy projects and other related topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: New Energy-Efficient Building Plans Unveiled in New Study as Experts Believe They Could Decrease Annual Premature Deaths

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(Photo : GettlyImages/ CHARLY TRIBALLEAU) ps5 restock

PS5 restock may happen this September. Although there is no exact date when major retailers will be dropping new batches, Sony has made it a point to release stocks every month.

As of Sep. 1, there is no PS5 restock available anywhere. However, major US retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, Dell, and GameStop restocks the console every now and then, so it is best to check their website frequently so you won't miss it.

PS5 Restock at Amazon

Amazon is one of the retailers that is known to drop PS5 consoles all the time. The retailer stated that the PS5 console is one of the most in-demand tech products on their site right now.

Unfortunately, the console is out of stock on the site, but you can sign up for Amazon's newsletter, so you will get updated once a new batch is available.

The e-commerce site offers both the PS5 console and the PS5 Digital version. The PS5 console has the 4K UDH Blu-ray disc drive, and it costs $500.

Also Read: PS5 Restock 2021: Around 18 Million Consoles Coming Soon; Here's Latest Updates

The PS5 Digital console does not have the 4K UDH Blu-ray disc drive, and it costs $400. But it does come with a PS5 DualSense controller.

Amazon PS5 Restock Date

No one knows when the e-commerce site will release its restock for sale or if it even has any to release this month. However, Amazon surprises its customers, like when it restocked PS5 consoles on Prime Day, according to Tom's Guide.

Amazon PS5 restock is very unpredictable, and they tend to happen overnight. Another thing that you need to remember is that Amazon PS5 restocks usually sell out in seconds, so check on your account frequently and check your emails too.

Best Buy PS5 Restock Date

Best Buy retail stores usually offer the PS5 restocks on Fridays, but there are instances wherein the retailer would drop stocks on a Thursday and sometimes on Monday. This means that the retailer no longer follows a pattern, according to GamesRadar.

If you wish to get a console from Best Buy, you need to keep a few things in mind. The retailer usually drops stocks on afternoons between 12:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time and 3:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, and they always offer the consoles at list price, which is $500 for the PS5 and the $400 for the PS5 Digital version.

Target PS5 Restock Date

Target's PS5 restock dates are difficult to predict. That is because the retailer usually drops inventory in certain areas.

For example, residents in Chicago could see the inventory at their local Target, but residents in New York might not see them in theirs.

Also, Target tends to do restocks in the early morning, which happens around 8:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time. With that said, the last restock was sold out in just minutes, according to Newsweek.

If you can't go to your local Target to get a PS5 console, you can check the retailer's official website and create an account for updates regarding the restock.

Track the PS5 Restock on Twitter

Several gamers use Twitter for tips and leaks. It is one of the best ways to find out when a new batch of consoles will be dropping on retail stores.

You can follow these Twitter accounts for the latest updates: @GYXdeals, @mattswider, @Wario64, @PS5Drop, @PS5StockAlerts. These accounts are usually the first to have the latest updates on PS5 availability.

You can also check out Sony Direct for the latest on PS5 restocks, and you can have your notifications on so you can get the update right away.

Related Article: PS5 Restock Update: Best Buy's Recent Drops--When Will Other Retailers Release Supplies?

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Written by Sophie Webster

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(Photo : GettlyImages/ SOPA Images ) Twitch app

Twitch creators are jumping ship, and the latest one is Tim Betar, also known as TimTheTatMan. Tim Betar is one of the biggest streamers on the platform.

The streamer announced that he would be transferred to YouTube Gaming in Sep. 2. His decision to move came days after another famous Twitch streamer, Ben Lupo, known as DrLuop, said he would be switching to YouTube.

Twitch Streamer Transfers to YouTube Gaming

In moving from Twitch, Tim Betar is leaving behind more than 7 million followers that he had built for years in the streaming platform.

However, he won't be starting to square one on YouTube because, as of Sep.1, he already has 3.8 million subscribers. YouTube did not comment about the terms and conditions of its deal with Tim Betar.

According to Insider, Betar stated that the move would allow him to spend more time with his family and friends. He said that he had no family obligations when he started on Twitch, and he could stream for hours.

Now, he has a wife and son, and he finds it difficult to stream as much as he did in the past.

Also Read: CodeMiko Admits That Her 'Slip Ups' Caused All Three Twitch Bans-Virtual Character Reveals Comeback Plans!

In an interview with The Washington Post, Lupo said that with YouTube Gaming, he could spend more time with his family and the deal with the platform was enough to secure him for life.

Both Lupo and Betar's moves follow the switches done by Jack Dunlop, known as CouRage, and Rachell Hofstetter, known as Valkyrae. This could mean that YouTube Gaming is investing more in bringing famous names to their platform.

YouTube Gaming is still new in the industry and has fewer hours watched compared to Twitch, so enticing big names to join them could help close the gap, according to Streamlabs.

In an acknowledgment of the transfer, Twitch posted a montage of Betar on its official Twitter account. They included the iconic moment when he won a game called "Fall Guys."

A Twitch spokesperson said in a statement that they are happy to see TimTheTatman achieve so many milestones since he began his account on Twitch in 2012.

Fans were able to witness him get married and welcome their first child together, as well as the time that he won the "Fall Guys" game.

Twitch Boycott

Aside from several famous creators switching to its rival platform, Twitch is also currently suffering from a boycott that has affected its streaming hours.

Twitch was acquired by Amazon in 2014, and has since garnered attention from gamers and streamers.

Over the last few months, Twitch users have become concerned with hate raids powered by bots. In order to protest the platform's lack of action to prevent the harassment of marginalized creators, some streamers decided to go dark to observe the #ADayOffTwitch protest.

The protest is scheduled for Sept. 2, and users are now sharing a list of demands for Twitch. They want the streaming platform to host a roundtable with the creators affected by hate raids and allow streamers to approve or deny raids.

Users also stated that they want to have the power to enable tools that will only allow accounts of a certain age to chat. They also want to remove the ability to attach several accounts to one email address.

Twitch was also under fire for lowering the prices on other countries like Turkey and Mexico, preventing streamers from earning the same amount of money as their North American counterpart.

Related Article: How to Make Money Streaming on Twitch 2021

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Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The UK at Slush 2021

Are you a UK-based cyber security company looking for investment? Join the UK delegation to Slush! This is a unique opportunity to look for investment, expose your company to a global tech ecosystem, promote your brand, network with top-tier investors and other stakeholders, and look out for export opportunities especially in the Nordics.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department for International Trade, and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will support 12 UK cyber security companies to be part of the UK delegation to Slush on 1-2 December 2021 in Helsinki, Finland. Slush is the worlds leading startup and tech event and has been the largest gathering of venture capital in the world, attracting around 2000 investors each year. The investors range from VCs (Venture Capital) to angel investors, CVCs (Corporate Venture Capital) and LPs (Limited Partnership). This year, the event is expected to gather 8,000 participants including startups, investors and other ecosystem members.

The offer:

Free Slush Startup Pass (worth 310) for 1 delegate per company. With the pass, you will be able to participate in an exciting programme for two days. Make use of UK branded demo booths to attract the attention of partners, customers, talent, media and investors. The demo booths will be located in the delegation booth area at the heart of the venue, close to the biggest stage. 2x1hr time slots will be allocated to each company for both days  you are expected at the booth for 2hrs per day, but for the rest of the day you will have free time to meet up with investors or other people and enjoy the programme! Access to the largest gathering of venture capital in the world, with Slush attracting annually 2,000 key investors looking for the next company. Slush offers a Matchmaking Tool to find the most relevant investors and to book a meeting with them. There are dedicated meeting areas at the venue. Media coverage: A great number of journalists representing the leading technology and business publications come to Slush Helsinki searching for emerging startups and exciting product launches. The likes of Forbes, Wired, and Techcrunch have covered startups making waves in Slush. Social media coverage: The British Embassy in Helsinki will highlight the companies in the UK delegation via Twitter. Take part in the UKs own Slush reception in Helsinki at the UK Ambassadors residence on the eve of the event, Tuesday 30 November.

Interested in this offer? Please submit a short application via this form by Friday 17 September . The applications will be reviewed and you will hear by end of September if your application has been accepted. We aim to have companies from across the UK.

For more information click here.
ADA [ndash] Graveside Services for Delbert Gene Wallis, 96, of Byng, was 10 a.m. Monday, Sep. 13, 2021, at Rosedale Cemetery, David Gray officiated. Mr. Wallis passed away Friday, Sep. 10, 2021, at his home. He was born March 13, 1925. He retired from Ideal Cement. Survivors are his three so
The good news is that the water was still running and cell service was partially back up Tuesday morning. The bad news? In the largest shelter in Lafourche Parish, there were now more evacuees than the previous day. Many of them don't have homes to return to. Some of them were transferred from Thibodaux Regional Hospital.

The regional hospital here is full, mostly because of COVID-19, said Amanda Matis, director of the shelter inside Thibodaux High School. So, starting Monday night, the hospital sent us some of its patients, and we are welcoming those with minor medical issues.

Although it has running water, the shelter still doesnt have electricity and is waiting for a new generator to be delivered. Cellphone service comes and goes. And when director Matis saw the first ambulances emerging from streets blocked by trees and electrical wires, she had no idea they were headed to the shelter.

They didnt call us because we had no communication, she said. They just transported patients here, trying to see if we had space.

+24 No cell service, no water: After devastating Ida, some Lafourche residents still wait for rescue Tommy Pitre rode his bicycle through downtown Thibodaux on Monday afternoon to witness Hurricane Ida's wreckage firsthand. It was one of the f

Across the state, 2,450 people were hospitalized with COVID as of Saturday. The fourth surge filled hospitals to capacity in July and August, but the number of patients hospitalized dropped by about 20% in the days leading up to the hurricane, and many of the most critical patients had already been evacuated to hospitals farther from the coast.

Before Ida made landfall Sunday night, the Thibodaux shelter welcomed nearly 150 people, but that number dropped to 60 Monday morning as people ventured out to see what was left of their homes.

On Tuesday, there were 88 camped out along the schools hallways, and I can say that almost all of them lost literally everything, Matis said. They dont know where to go, their homes were destroyed by Ida, and they are waiting for FEMA to understand what their next options are.

The shelter residents were scheduled be moved to a Red Cross shelter in Assumption Parish, but it was unclear whether the Thibodaux shelter would remain open.

"We still don't know when the shelter will be closed, said Robbie Lee, director of communication for Lafourche Parish. Our first goal is to put a roof over the head of everyone who lost theirs."

Alberta Carter, a Houma resident, arrived at the Thibodaux shelter Monday afternoon with her four grandchildren. They joined her son and daughter-in-law.

As the family sat on the floor opening prepackaged military meals, Carter reflected on their situation.

This hurricane trashed our house, the trees fell down and destroyed it, she said. It was terrible because we had to stay in our car for a while waiting for help, but we didnt know what to do.

She still doesnt know what the family is going to do, and the uncertainty can make for a tense atmosphere.

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+35 South Lafourche hurricane damage widespread, random, devastating Driving south Monday afternoon on La. 1 in Lafourche Parish just 24 hours after Category 4 Hurricane Ida barreled up from the Gulf of Mexico, 

People here are very stressed out, Carter said. They ask themselves: What can I do? Can I get help? What am I going to do now? I have never experienced something like that.

Across the state, there are 31 shelters open with a capacity of 12,000. Right now, they house 1,741 residents, but thats likely to go up. State officials expect an uptick in evacuees Tuesday as some coastal parish shelters of last resort are closed and those folks are transferred by bus to other shelters further north.

Two medical shelters have also opened  one in Shreveport that has 19 patients and six caregivers and one in Alexandria, which has 51 patients and 20 caregivers. The Alexandria medical shelter has room for 200 patients. The shelters for medical needs do take walk-ups but theres a criteria list to get in and they'll have a triage line to check the health of those coming in.

Two isolation sites for people testing positive for COVID have also been set up. One in Chicot State Park has 18 patients who are not critically ill. A facility in Caldwell Parish has about 20 people quarantining.

The percentage of people with completed COVID-19 vaccinations in Lafourche and neighboring Terrebonne parish continues to lag behind the state average.

About 38% of Lafourche Parish was fully vaccinated as of Thursday. LDH updates its vaccination data each Monday and Thursday, but updates have been put on hold post-Ida. Based on Thursday numbers, 37,182 people had completed their COVID-19 vaccinations, while another 44,956 people had received a first dose.

In neighboring Terrebonne Parish, 37,583 parish residents were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, about 33.38% of the population, and another 46,637 people had received a first dose. The two parishes are part of LDHs Region 3 with Assumption, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist and St. Mary parishes, which has a regional completed vaccination rate of 38.19%.

The Thibodaux shelter is checking temperatures before people enter the building and is providing free rapid tests for anyone with COVID symptoms. So far, only one evacuee has tested positive at the shelter, but there is concern it might not be the last case.

But so far we are doing fine, Matis said.

As soon as cellphone service was restored Tuesday, there was a rush to help evacuees.

This is Louisiana at its best, Matis added. When a hurricane hits us, the community comes together and teams up. We will make it through this time, too.

Staff writers Katie Gagliano and Mark Ballard contributed to this report.
With grocery stores closed and freezers fast defrosting, the state and food banks are scrambling to get food to hurricane victims.

People on food stamps will be able to use their benefits to buy prepared meals. And food banks are organizing quantities of food stuffs, water, and ice to distribute in parishes most impacted by Hurricane Ida. All this activity will cover the gap while parish, state and federal authorities dot the is and cross ts on approval of expanding food stamps to those whose incomes are too high to qualify for the program but who suffered from the storm.

This hurricane devastated so many individuals and families in Southeast Louisiana, and their need for food is more acute than ever. Thats why our staff is working with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to secure all possible disaster food assistance for Louisiana families, said Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Marketa Garner Walters.

Food stamps are officially called SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The program being added after the storm tacks Disaster to the front, hence is known as DSNAP.

+2 Louisiana food stamp recipients to get $36 more per person in largest-ever benefits increase People receiving food stamps in Louisiana will see a bump in their benefits  about $155 more for a family of four  starting Oct. 1 because o

And while bureaucracy does play a part in getting the paperwork in order, much of the DSNAP delay is tied to the idea that the benefits will kick in after electricity is back on and stores reopen.

Usually, food stamp participants are not allowed to buy hot food products prepared for immediate consumption with SNAP benefits through Sept. 28. Waiving that restriction is vital in the aftermath of a storm such as Hurricane Ida, where many residents are displaced and cannot access a kitchen to prepare their meals, according to Catherine Heitman, of the Department of Children and Family Services.

The waiver will allow SNAP recipients to use their benefits to buy prepared foods available at any retailer that accepts EBT cards, usually grocery stores. Restaurant purchases are still prohibited.

In the meantime, the food banks on Tuesday coordinated with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry also with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for supplies.

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Though DSNAP benefits are a week or two away for people otherwise arent eligible for food stamps, people harmed by the hurricane should start registering. Registration doesnt guarantee acceptance, but it will move the process on faster, Heitman said.

Preregistration is available at www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/cafe or phone 225-342-6700 between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Text LADSNAP to 898-211 to receive DSNAP updates.

Korey Patty, executive director of Feeding Louisiana, a statewide association of food banks, applied Tuesday for permission to suspend proof of income requirements to allow them to deliver commodities to those impacted by the disaster.

When DSNAP stands up, our role ramps down, Patty said.

The food banks in the greater Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas are assessing the situation and preparing where food and water will be distributed, he said.

Warehouses and offices at the Second Harvest Food Bank in Harahan sustained hurricane damage  though the location in Lafayette did not  but remain operational with generator support. Theyre looking for cleaning supplies, bottled water, diapers, personal hygiene items, and canned proteins, such as tuna or peanut butter.

The Red Cross has set up mobile kitchens in Morgan City, LaPlace and Hammond.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission is handling the feedings at state shelters.
Federal officials will be offering free, temporary roofs for Orleans, Jefferson and 11 other parishes damaged by Hurricane Ida, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Wednesday.

The coverings, known as blue roofs or blue tarps, dotted the landscape after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005 and after other storms.

'Blue tarps' for homeowners? Federal officials reviewing need for temporary roofs Federal officials said Tuesday they are assessing roof damages from Hurricane Ida before deciding whether to offer free "blue tarps" to homeow

"I am encouraging homeowners to take advantage of this program," Edwards told reporters during a briefing in Gretna.

Residents can sign up at Blueroof.us or, for more information, by calling 1-888-ROOF-Blu.

Meanwhile, FEMA has no plans to open disaster recovery centers in south Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Ida, officials said.

The centers are mobile sites where storm victims can get information about assistance and FEMA.

Officials are urging those who need help to call 1-800-621-3362 or by going online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

"Everybody who is a Hurricane Ida survivor needs to apply to FEMA for individual assistance," Edwards said. "In the last day and a half they (FEMA officials) have set records for how many people have applied so quickly and frankly they have gotten tens of millions of dollars out the door to those families as well."

The announcement followed a series of checks by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on whether roof damage justified the tarps.

Our Views: More blue tarps, but still big holes in roofs and lives from hurricanes Delivery of tarps to the Catholic Charities of Acadiana warehouse this week meant 250 Louisiana families would be able to protect their roofto

The tarps are fiber-reinforced sheeting to cover damaged roofs until permanent repairs are made.

The program is aimed at primary residences or permanently-occupied rental property with less than 50% structural damage. Vacation homes are not eligible.

Roofs that are flat or made of metal or clay slate or asbestos tile do not qualify.

All storm debris has to be removed to qualify for a blue roof.

The work is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for FEMA.

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Edwards said after Hurricane Laura struck the Lake Charles area in 2020 officials installed 13,000-14,000 blue roofs.

The governor said that, when Hurricane Delta struck the same area a few weeks later, 'it was very apparent which homeowners had their roofs in the blue roof program. Those roofs remained in place."

While President Joe Biden has declared 25 southeast Louisiana parishes as disaster areas 13 qualified for the blue roof program. They are Orleans, Ascension, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Terrebonne parishes.

Once an application is filed to FEMA a home inspection may be scheduled to verify damage.

Inspections are done without entering the residence.

Inspectors maintain social distance, assess the site and verbally confirm interior damage by telephone.

When an inspection takes place applicants should have a photo identification, a list of those living in the home at the time of the hurricane and all the damages to both real and personal property.

Applicants will either get an email or a letter depending on what they requested in their application.

The message will spell out whether the applicant is entitled to assistance, how much, how the aid can be used and how to appeal FEMA's decision in case of disagreement.

Those who may appeal a denial letter have 60 days to decide.

The assistance is determined by recording essential losses and needs to what FEMA offers.

Inspectors do not decide whether applicants are eligible.

Those seeking help can also set up a personal account at the FEMA disaster assistance center at DisasterAssistance.gov.

Applicants will be instructed to establish a personal identification number so their information is secure.

Doing so will allow them to review their application, provide updates on personal information and needs, view letters and messages from FEMA, get details on any additional documents required, upload documents to the applicant's file and review information that FEMA has collected.
Gov. John Bel Edwards is scheduled to share the latest updates on the Hurricane Ida recovery effort on Wednesday afternoon.

Ida struck the Louisiana coast on Sunday before moving inland. Many places in Southeast Louisiana are still without power. Residents and officials are still assessing the damages in some areas.

President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Louisiana on Friday.

Follow Hurricane Ida's path of destruction through Louisiana, with aerial photos and video On the ground in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Ida, people tell stories of panicked rescues, unimaginable loss and dangerously close calls.

Watch the 2:30 p.m. press conference and follow our live coverage below.

Can't see the module? Click here.
Danielle Cherry's home in Prairieville was damaged during Hurricane Ida. Cherry is among thousands of residents across Louisiana filing insurance claims this week after the Category 4 hurricane swept across the state. State Farm, the largest insurance company in the state, said 8,200 homeowners claims and 1,200 vehicle claims had been filed as of mid-Tuesday morning.
Mining giant BHP is standing behind its offer to take over Canadian nickel explorer Noront Resources despite billionaire Andrew Twiggy Forrest attacking the proposal and raising the threat of a bidding war.

Wyloo Metals, wholly owned by Dr Forrests investment vehicle Tattarang, is fighting BHPs $C325 million ($352 million) bid to take over Toronto-listed Noront, and on Tuesday declared it was prepared to increase its earlier offer to acquire all Noronts remaining shares and install Dr Forrest as chairman.

Top Australian miner BHP is seeking to lift its exposure to battery minerals like nickel as the electric vehicle revolution takes off. Credit:PHOTO/HO/WMC/FILES

BHP has responded by highlighting to Noront shareholders the uncertain and conditional nature of Wyloos proposal, which was non-binding and may not result in a buyout offer being made.

Despite their latest press release, Wyloo has not made a formal offer, BHP chief development officer Johan van Jaarsveld said. The BHP offer is the only transaction currently available to Noront shareholders.
The worlds biggest airlines collectively lost a whopping $US126 billion in 2020 and are set to lose another $US48 billion this year, according to the International Air Transport Association, their lobby. As they wrestle with those losses and the huge debts racked up after coronavirus punctured a decades-long boom in travel, the last thing airlines need is corporate customers cutting back. Carriers like Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, with thousands of staff and overhead to support, depend on business travellers returning. The effect of this structural decrease in business travel will be enormous for the industry, and especially for the airlines that are the most exposed to this category of traveller, said Pascal Fabre, managing director in Paris for AlixPartners, a consulting firm. Airlines are trying to stay optimistic. Delta CEO Ed Bastian said about 80 per cent of the carriers large corporate clients have indicated that as much as 90 per cent of their pre-Covid business travel will eventually return. I dont expect were going to see a degradation in the aggregate of business demand over time, he said in an interview. The more people are connected in person, the more opportunities are created. I dont see this being a significant body-blow to the industry as prognosticated by some. Travelling thousands of miles to meet with customers to discuss key issues across a table or over a meal made business sense before the pandemic and that hasnt changed, said Warren East, the CEO of Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc, which makes aircraft engines.

COVID-19 has definitely taught people that some of the mad regular dashes across the Atlantic hither and thither arent necessary, he said, speaking at a net-zero event on June 17. But when you peel back beyond that superficial analysis, you realise people were doing it because they thought it delivered real benefit to them. There may also be competitive pressures to keep flying, Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith said in an interview. I hear many of our corporate customers saying that the day they lose an account because they werent somewhere face-to-face will immediately bring them back to the way operations were before. Loading Airlines are banking on a recovery sparked by pent-up demand after about 18 months when executives couldnt visit customers  hopes that are being dented by the spread of the delta variant. Even if there is an initial burst of activity, it will start to stabilise and the structural change to business travel will become evident by around 2024, according to Fabre. In the past, it was seen as a good thing to go to the other side of the world to shake someones hand, but not anymore, Augustin de Romanet, the CEO of Aeroports de Paris, which operates dozens of airports around the world, said in an interview. Many things that have been done by conference call during the pandemic will stay that way, especially when it comes to far-flung countries. This will be for costs and the environment as well as peoples wellbeing.

Company executives travel for many reasons  from business development and customer support to trade shows, conferences and meetings with local staff. Trips for intra-company activities will likely bear the brunt of the cuts because client relationships arent at stake, said AlixPartners Fabre. We have learned how to work, develop products, sign contracts without travelling, he said. Deutsche Banks global head of Investment Banking Coverage and Advisory, Drew Goldman, said that while the banks client-related business travel will return to about 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, trips for internal meetings will probably be a shadow of what they were before  at 25 per cent to 30 per cent. Companies have acknowledged that reducing the level of flights is one way of reducing climate change. For the next 10 years, the best way to reduce emissions from aviation is to fly less. Andrew Murphy, aviation director at Transport & Environment Volkswagen is making employees jump through hoops before they can fly. Internal booking software steers them toward alternatives to flying, the most carbon-intensive form of travel. Theyre also asked to justify why they cant conduct the business online. At French defence and tech giant Thales, trips will be for longer and probably less frequent in order to optimise costs, environmental impact and wellbeing, said CEO Patrice Caine.

In Singapore, United Overseas Bank, Southeast Asias third-biggest bank, plans to cut its travel budget by as much as half, and will limit trips to cases where face-to-face interaction is essential, said Dean Tong, head of group human resources. On New York-based Marsh & McLennans second-quarter earnings call, CEO Dan Glaser said, companies, not just Marsh McLennan, will travel with more purpose and will be more thoughtful about travelling. Sophisticated technologies are enabling companies to do things they never imagined doing remotely. At French tire maker Michelin, new tools are already eclipsing the automatic reflex to make a trip, CEO Florent Menegaux said in an interview. The company recently used a drone for a virtual visit of its Campo Grande plant in Brazil by the top manufacturing brass in France. We start machines remotely, have used drones to visit factories and train people from home, Menegaux said. We will continue to travel because human bonds are absolutely necessary to our activity, but we will most certainly have an overall reduction of about 20 per cent to 30 per cent in our travel costs. Royal Dutch Shell has created online control rooms with interactive 3D simulations of oil platforms and plants, giving engineers virtual access from home. In Troy, Michigan, Kevin Clark, the CEO of Aptiv, a former car parts unit of General Motors, is using drones and Oculus augmented-reality headsets to show customers the performance and manufacturing run rates of plants in Mexico, Hungary, or China. We wont travel as much, Clark said. I think itll be more when we have to travel people will travel, versus, its nice to travel. For most companies, cost savings will be the primary driver to scale back, but carbon-footprint worries and employee wellbeing are not far behind, Fabre said.

Businesses globally are under pressure from investors and regulators to shrink their CO2 emissions. The European Commission rolled out an ambitious climate plan in July to force all industries to shift away from fossil fuels. Aviation has long been a target even though it accounts for only about 2.4 per cent of global human-induced CO2 emissions. Thats because the sector was growing rapidly before the pandemic and has other negative effects on the Earths upper atmosphere. Loading Companies have acknowledged that reducing the level of flights is one way of reducing climate change, said Andrew Murphy, aviation director at advocacy group Transport & Environment. For the next 10 years, the best way to reduce emissions from aviation is to fly less. Airlines are providing companies tools to blunt the impact of CO2 emissions with carbon offsets and refreshing fleets with newer, more efficient planes. But with the tons of carbon dioxide they spew, airlines cant do much to show that flying is a sustainable way to get around. Hydrogen-fuelled planes and electric commercial jetliners are decades away, and alternative aviation fuel isnt widely available and jacks up ticket prices. Carriers may have to modify aircraft configurations to cut business class seats and add more premium economy places. Premium economy costs less to operate than business class and takes up less space.

Air France, for instance, is developing its so-called leisure-business category for passengers who buy premium-class tickets for holiday travel, according to Steven Zaat, the groups CFO. Thirty-two Air France 777s are fitted with quick change systems that allow the airline to reduce the size of its business-class cabin. The airline is still confident about a rebound in business travel, but we can always reconfigure our planes if necessary, Zaat said in a Bloomberg TV interview. While airlines grapple with the possibility of fewer business customers, some of those clients are happy not to be zipping around the world all the time. A nice side effect of fewer long-haul business trips is less stress for the people who fly, Hans-Ingo Biehl, the head of VDR, the German Business Travel Association, said in an interview. A study by the Baylor College of Medicine found frequent fliers have the same cancer risk as obese people. Also, companies have found that jet lag hurts productivity. There are a lot of myths and fantasy about travel, but its really very tiring, said Michelin CEO Menegaux. We should do it only when its absolutely necessary. I travel a lot and I can tell you its physically gruelling and takes a heavy toll. Bloomberg
Victorias Chief Health Officer has again tightened the states border with NSW in a bid to reduce the risk of COVID-19 crossing into the state via permitted workers.

In Thursday nights daily update, Professor Brett Sutton said the states specified worker list would be narrowed and testing obligations for those who continued to qualify would be ramped up.

With over one thousand cases per day and a trajectory of exponential growth, the risk that NSW poses to Victoria is greater than ever, Professor Sutton said.

Its crucial that our quarantine and testing obligations are adequate for the workers travelling in and out of NSW extreme risk zones.

Professor Sutton said the specified worker list would be reduced, but did not specify which positions would be affected.

Permitted workers will now need to be tested within 72 hours of entering Victoria, on days 6, 7 or 8 after entering, and again on day 13 or 14.

The new rules come into effect from 6pm tomorrow.

Yesterday, the CHO similarly announced that towns would be removed from a bubble with parts of NSW from 11.59pm tonight.

Six local government areas  Bendigo, Shepparton, Benalla, Buloke, Loddon, Yarriambiack  and two NSW council areas  Broken Hill and Edward River  will no longer be included as a cross-border community.

Residents from those areas will no longer be able to enter Victoria from NSW using the permit.
Her first question, the one asked by the first woman member, referred to clothes rationing and the need for more coupons for Tasmanian workers in heavy industrial occupations where workboots were said to last only two weeks.

It was very much a citizens speech. John Curtin, the Prime Minister of the day, drew attention to the fact that it could be no accident that we should have our first woman member during the greatest war of all time. Enid Lyons was welcomed as a citizen with equal rights and equal duties.

Her maiden speech was made on 29 September 1943, and in it she insisted that any woman entering the public arena must justify herself, not as a woman but as a citizen. She was advanced enough to urge that pensions should be for all with contributions from all, no matter how small, and that there should be no means test.

How fortunate for us that the first woman member of the House of Representatives should be as gifted and versatile in speaking as she was in writing. In the House she always spoke on matters pertaining to the well-being of women and the family as well as all things helpful to Tasmania and post-war reconstruction.

A practical woman, a compassionate woman, a realistic woman. I wish Id been more aware of politics during her term of office, but I was then doing what she had done for so many years, having children. And in those days that was a one-track occupation.

We shall probably never know, except from small confessions in her autobiographical writings, just how much influence Dame Enid bore on her husband when he was Prime Minister. I dont believe that any man imagines he is influenced by any of us, but Enid Lyons believed very much in womens wiles and I suspect she made the most of them for the causes she continued to espouse during her political career.

It is well to look at some points that one woman was able to make in debate. Even in 1944 there were fights for the rights of married women in the workforce, and none fought more vehemently than this mother of 11 children. A clause in a social services bill particularly irritated her. It read: A married woman should not be qualified to receive unemployment benefits or sickness benefits unless the director-general is satisfied that it is not reasonably possible for her husband to maintain her. Mrs Lyons joined others in suggesting that it would be just as feasible to include a clause in the bill saying that a married man shall not be eligible... not reasonably possible for his wife to maintain him. Good for her.

No matter what brand of politics persuades us, we all admire an undaunted woman and there was one of the first quality. How easy it is for me to identify with her when I read what she had to say.

Dame Enids syndicated newspaper columns after her retirement from politics continued her contributions on questions pertaining to women. Regarding votes for women, she reminded us that the minds of women revolve always about human problems. In matters of public policy they are constantly and sometimes irritatingly aware that every question of government touches human lives and human feelings ... surely it is not mere coincidence that the era of womens enfranchisement throughout the world has seen a more rapid improvement in living conditions than any comparable period in history.
Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick has lashed out at the federal governments suggestion that states could face further High Court challenges over border closures, accusing Attorney-General Michaelia Cash of egging on cranks such as billionaire businessman Clive Palmer.

His comments came as Queensland reported just one new case of COVID-19 on Wednesday  a returned traveller in hotel quarantine  and announced an early reopening of hotel quarantine from Saturday for 50 families, as it begins to ease a controversial two-week pause on the travel of returning residents and those moving to the state.

The Westin has been one of the Brisbane hotels being used for quarantine throughout the pandemic. Credit:Toby Crockford

After saying the NSW and federal Coalition governments were chock-full of crazies yesterday for their management of the pandemic and economy, Mr Dick has again spoken in Parliament about the success of the states tough border restrictions, as it recorded another day without COVID-19 in the community.

Responding to comments to News Corp by Senator Cash  a senior West Australian member of the Morrison government, whose own Premier is holding the hardest line against easing border restrictions once 70 or 80 per cent vaccination targets are met  Mr Dick again said his state would not run up the white flag.
I was in my second year out of university when I landed my dream job as an emergency nurse.

I was thrilled to finally be working in an environment that I loved. Then, just a month later, we started having people come in with this new virus called COVID-19.

I soon stopped wearing my name badge. Credit:iStock

Being new, I looked to my senior nurses for guidance, but no one knew what to do. Personal protective equipment (PPE) was brought in to protect us as best it could. Working a shift was hot and sweaty. Gatorade and Hydralyte quickly became a common sight in our tearoom.

I still remember my first COVID-positive patient. They were younger than I had expected, in their 40s. I had never seen someone struggling so hard to breathe.
A woman charged with incitement and accused of urging people to attend anti-lockdown protests remains in custody despite being granted bail, because she has refused to agree to conditions imposed by a magistrate.

Monica Smit, the founder of activist group Reignite Democracy Australia  which opposes the Victorian governments handling of the COVID-19 pandemic  remained in custody at a Melbourne police station on Wednesday over her refusal to sign a bail consent form.

Monica Smit filmed herself during her arrest on Tuesday. Credit:Facebook

Ms Smit was granted bail on two charges of incitement and three of breaching the Chief Health Officers directions, but after a 10-minute conversation with her lawyer to clarify the conditions she had to accept to get bail, defence counsel Marcel White told Melbourne Magistrates Court the 33-year-old did not want to sign the consent form.

Magistrate Luisa Bazzani responded: Its a matter for her. I am not about to sweet talk her into bail if she wants to stay in custody. Ms Bazzani ended the hearing shortly after.
A year ago, while Melbourne was in the grip of its long lockdown, the worst of the second COVID-19 outbreak was behind us. After peaking at 723 cases in late July, by the start of spring the daily figure for new cases had dropped to 70. At the time, all the enormous effort was paying off, and the eventual reward was a summer with few restrictions. A year later, its a different state of affairs.

On Wednesday, the jump in new cases to 120 signalled that the chance of Victoria returning to COVID zero in the community has gone, and the government and health officers have acknowledged it. While the daily numbers are not in the same league as NSWs, the pathway back to more freedoms is the same  high vaccination rates.

Premier Daniel Andrews announces the extended lockdowns on Wednesday. Credit:Getty Images

Under the national plan, we remain in limbo until full-vaccination rates are at 70, then 80 per cent. Thats tough, but its true, and the libertarians who think living with COVID means that most restrictions should be lifted now are fooling no one. Reaching the vaccination threshold will take until October or November if were lucky, and even then some restrictions and public health measures will remain.

But there comes a point, and The Age believes that point has been reached, where the damage caused by the harshest and longest lockdowns in the country needs to be more seriously factored in. Wednesdays announced easing was a harsh and cruel blow. Playgrounds can open on Friday (although, in true Victorian style, only one carer can attend and they cannot remove their mask even to eat or drink). Few experts ever endorsed the playground ban in the first place.
The COVID Delta epidemic in NSW is at a watershed. The next two weeks will be critical if a real crisis is to be avoided. Encouragingly, its effective reproduction rate fell for five days in a row before rising and falling over succeeding days. However, NSW cases are still doubling every 11 days. The states public hospital system is already struggling to cope with 1000 new cases a day.

How will it cope if NSW reaches 2000 cases a day? What will it mean if the public hospital system cannot cope? What will be the flow-on effects to other Australian states and to New Zealand?

Then and now, a stark contrast in managing a health crisis ... federal health minister Neal Blewett at the World Ministerial Summit on AIDS in London in 1988. Credit:AP

Although the Morrison and Berejiklian governments emphasise the importance of economic considerations, the relationship with health costs is not a zero-sum game. The higher the health costs, the worse the economic damage. Reducing deaths and disease reduces economic costs. There are many other countries where control of COVID has been lost for a time. It is not pretty and wont be if this happens in Australia.

No one should underestimate by now the difficulty for political leaders in managing COVID. Initially, that management in Australia had many strengths. However, recent weaknesses in the strategies adopted by the federal and NSW governments are having serious health and economic consequences.
A major healthcare provider says its doctors and nurses who were vaccinated early in the countrys rollout are at risk of being sitting ducks if the federal government does not launch a booster vaccine program soon.

Catholic Health Australia has written to the Prime Minister and Health Minister, urging the federal government to start delivering COVID-19 booster shots in October. The organisation says the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation must also review evidence on boosters as a matter of urgency.

Australia is set to get 80 million booster shots next year, including doses of the Moderna vaccine. Credit:AP

The Commonwealth has ordered 85 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to be used as boosters, starting next year. So far about 19.4 million doses have been administered, and 35 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over are fully vaccinated.

Catholic Health Australias director of health policy, James Kemp, said it was easy to get bogged down in the current rollout but an immunity crisis was fast approaching.
The elections watchdog is being urged to investigate the source of financial donations and political intent of rising grassroots movements that are pushing to oust dozens of federal Coalition MPs at the next election.

There are more than 40 community groups across Australia, typically named Voices of or Voices for that are searching for or have endorsed independent candidates to front their campaigns at the next federal poll.

Independent candidate Helen Haines ran to replace Cathy McGowan as the MP for Indi, with support from the Voices for Indi group. Credit:AFR

The federal Liberals have become increasingly sensitive to the threat of moderate independent candidates, especially in progressive and wealthy inner-city seats, since it lost two blue-ribbon seats of former prime ministers  Malcolm Turnbulls Wentworth and Tony Abbotts Warringah  in the past three years.

Modelled on federal independent MP Cathy McGowans bid to successfully unseat former Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella in the Victorian seat of Indi in 2013, the Voices movement has been replicated in Coalition-held seats in capital cities and regions, including North Sydney, Wentworth and Riverina in NSW and Flinders and Goldstein in Victoria.
NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall, who is still regaining his fitness after being struck down with COVID-19 in June, joined a handful of nurses last week on a road trip from Armidale to Moree to attend a walk-in AstraZeneca clinic. His job was to stand at the door of the pop-up clinic and convince naysayers to get the jab.

One Aboriginal elder who I know said to me, No way, that is whitefellas poison, Marshall says. I joked and said to her, Come on, surely there are worse things for your body. She laughed, agreed and had her jab.

Testing times in Dubbo ... Latisha Carr-McEwan (right) with her children Craig McKellar, 4, and Tashayla Eulo, 9. Credit:Kate Geraghty

The clinic did 428 vaccinations that day, but the vast majority of people who turned up were not Aboriginal.

Marshall says there is a deep fear of whitefella poison in many Aboriginal communities, a byproduct of the federal governments mixed messaging around AstraZeneca and Pfizer. Hesitancy has also been borne out of complacency because the regions had, until last month, been largely free of COVID throughout the pandemic.
It took three days for year 12 student Ella Denvir to secure a COVID-19 vaccine booking, but now her peers will be at the front of the queue.

Ella said news that year 12s will get priority vaccinations before their final exams reassured students who have endured six periods of remote learning in their final years of school.

VCE student Ahelee Rahman is glad year 12 students have received priority vaccination. Credit:Joe Armao

Im confident everyone will get vaccinated, the 17-year-old said. Now theres a path ahead.

That path isnt so clear for other students after Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed on Wednesday there would be no return to face-to-face learning for Melbourne schools in term three, as he extended restrictions to combat rising coronavirus cases.
Former West Australian Premier Colin Barnett says he is incredibly disappointed at factionalism within the state Liberals but stopped short of calling for anyone to be booted from the party.

The extent and influence of the partys factions were exposed in a stinging review released Saturday, which said factions operated purely from self-interest and the most damaging consequence of powerbrokers was the election of inferior-quality candidates.

Former WA Premier Colin Barnett. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

A tranche of leaked WhatsApp messages from a faction self-anointed as The Clan also revealed the organisation and precision at which pre-selections and other party processes were controlled by Liberal powerbrokers such as Nick Goiran, Peter Collier and outgoing state president Fay Duda.

Mr Barnett said the extent of factionalism in the party surprised him, but it did not stop at The Clan and he did not think Mr Goiran and Mr Collier should be expelled.
Shanghai: Chinese authorities have instructed an American Chamber of Commerce in the south-western city of Chengdu to cease operations, officials with the organisation said on Tuesday.

The chamber notified members on Monday that, in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations, it had to stop operations and no longer carry out any activities in the name of the American Chamber of Commerce in Southwest China.

The chamber promotes trade and investment between the United States and the region. The statement, seen by Reuters, did not provide a specific reason.

US and China relations have been strained by mutual distrust. Credit:AP

Benjamin Wang, the groups chairman, said by WeChat message that it was in discussions with local authorities about its registration and future direction.
The authors of a study based on an enormous randomised research project in Bangladesh say their results offer the best evidence yet that widespread wearing of surgical masks can limit the spread of the coronavirus in communities.

The preprint paper, which tracked more than 340,000 adults across 600 villages in rural Bangladesh, is by far the largest randomised study on the effectiveness of masks at limiting the spread of coronavirus infections.

Bangladeshi garment employees wearing masks. Credit:AP

Its authors say this provides conclusive, real-world evidence for what laboratory work and other research already strongly suggest: mask-wearing can have a significant impact on limiting the spread of symptomatic COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

I think this should basically end any scientific debate about whether masks can be effective in combating COVID at the population level, Jason Abaluck, an economist at Yale who helped lead the study, said in an interview, calling it a nail in the coffin of the arguments against masks.
Warsaw: Poland is set to declare a state of emergency along its border with Belarus after accusing Belarusian authorities of allowing thousands of migrants to cross over in an attempt to destabilise the European Union nation.

As the bloc braces for a new wave of refugees from Afghanistan, member nations have accused Belarus of using migrants as a weapon and worry that Turkey could do the same, as it has done before.

It is the first time since the fall of communism in 1989 that Polish authorities have moved to call a state of emergency, preferring not to do so even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 30 Afghans have been trapped for more than three weeks between armed Belarusian guards on one side and armed Polish forces on the other.

Some are ill as they have limited access to food and the weather is getting worse, with recent rain and falling temperatures.
Up for debate:

Live legislation tracker

Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, left, speaks with National Guard Adjutant General Dale Lyles, during a news conference Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, at the Indiana Government Center in Indianapolis. They announced that about 1,000 Afghanistan evacuees could begin arriving at Indiana's Camp Atterbury military based in the coming days.
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Foster family given six weeks to find a new home

Scott Keller | The Daily Times Chelsey and Brian Monroe (right) are home-hunting after their landlord told them in mid-August they'd have to be out by Sept. 30. They have two foster kids, 14-year-old Joseph Post (left) and 2-year-old Jersey (not pictured). Scott Keller | The Daily Times Chelsey and Brian Monroe (right) are home-hunting after their landlord told them mid-August theyd have to be out by Sept. 30. They have two foster kids, 14-year-old Joseph Post (left) and 2-year-old Jersey (not pictured). submitted A letter to Chelsey and Brian Monroe tells them they need to be out of their Friendsville home by the end of September.

Foster parents Chelsey and Brian Monroe are finding out just how expensive the East Tennessee housing market is right now.

On Aug. 18, they received a letter from their landlord, Ted Glaza, explaining they had until the end of September to find a new home.

Theyve lived at a Friendsville home on Shenandoah Drive for four years, renting it from Glaza. Chelsey takes care of the kids  running them to school, appointments, etc.  and Brian works for Knoxville Habitat for Humanity as house leader.

The letter was a shock because just weeks before, Glaza was working with them to get rental assistance through Tennessee Housing Development Agencys (THDA) COVID-19 rent relief program, Chelsey Monroe said.

Glaza allegedly changed his mind. As you are aware, the terms and conditions of our lease are on a month-to-month agreement, the letter read. Due to other personal opportunities with the property, we wont be renewing the lease after Sept. (30), 2021.

Glaza said he was busy when contacted by phone and hung up when asked about the Monroe familys situation. After that, he did not return two voicemails.

Applying for rent relief through THDA is a multistep process that requires documentation and cooperation from the applicant and the landlord.

In early August, text messages shared by Chelsea Monroe show she was working with Glaza to collect this documentation.

We have finally come to terms that were going to need assistance to catch up from COVID, Monroe texted Glaza in early August. Hospitalization issues, job shifts, custody proceedings and other elements were keeping them from catching up, she said.

We never thought wed be in this situation and have always made sure to pay on time until COVID happened, she added.

In interviews with Brian and Chelsey Monroe, they said Brian lost a job at DENSO because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was able to start with the Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, but the couple still struggled to make ends meet. Theyve never been months behind, Chelsey Monroe said, but they have paid weeks late.

Thats why they started to work on the THDA rent relief application.

But then Glaza called and spoke to Brian Monroe, the couple said.

He told us, Things are on the back burner that had been on the front burner and I cannot accept the rental assistance from the TDHA.

He wasnt willing to renew the lease, and thats when their six-week clock started ticking.

And thats when they started house-hunting, a painful process since it would involve uprooting their small family, moving out of a neighborhood they like and being further away from school. The Monroes foster a nephew, 14-year-old Joseph JoJo Post  a William Blount student  and niece, almost 3-year-old Jersey.

They are currently going through legal steps to adopt Jersey, a process that may wrap by October.

House-hunting, meanwhile, has been difficult. Theyve looked at a number of places, hoping to have something comparable to the 1,200-square-foot home they live in now.

Im even searching for two bedrooms and Brian and I can just sleep in the living room to give the kids their own rooms, Chelsey Monroe messaged this week. Even that has been a nightmare!

Complying with the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services, shes been taking Jersey to numerous appointments. Between that, making some money on the side with Door Dash, taking Joseph to school and back, and looking for a home, life is very stressful for the Monroes right now, they said.

Chelsey said between the time she received the letter and Tuesday, shes made three to four dozen calls to landlords in Maryville, Powell, Johnson City and Athens. Pretty much an hour every which way of Brians work in Knoxville.

Generally, rent for places that could fit her family ranged from around $1,500-$2,000 a month, she said.

At the Shenandoah Drive residence, the Monroes paid $1,100 a month.

After Chelsey Monroe reached out on a Facebook group to let people know about her situation, she said shes received a wellspring of support.

The Monroes, who are in their 30s, said being transparent about their situation has been important. Dont keep anything to yourself, Brian Monroe suggested when asked to give advice to other Blount Countians going through similar situations.

Were typically ones who do everything on our own, he explained.

And I would tell them, from a legal standpoint, Chelsey added, to know their rights.

Though transparency and knowledge of the legal system are helping, the Monroes still need an affordable place to live. Theyre hopeful, but, like many during a time when housing in East Tennessee is getting more expensive and many others face eviction, theyre also worried.

We know that were good because we have faith, Brian Monroe said about an hour before the family was set to go out and look at another home. We know Gods going to get us through it. But its still one of those situations where you wonder whats going to happen.
Bill Carey is a former Tennessean, Nashville Scene, WPLN and NashvillePost.com reporter who now works as executive director of a nonprofit known as Tennessee History for Kids. He also writes a monthly history column for Tennessee Magazine.
Meet Baker! Baker is an Australian Cattle dog that loves belly rubs, eating grass and chewing on water bottles. He can sit, is able to chase h
Saudi officials are pictured in a damaged area of Abha airport in the popular mountain resort of Abha in the southwest of Saudi Arabia on August 31, 2021. (Fayez Nureldine / AFP via Getty Images)

8 Wounded in Houthi Drone Strikes on Saudi Abha Airport

ABHA, Saudi ArabiaAt least eight people were wounded on Monday in Houthi drone strikes on Saudi Arabias Abha airport that also damaged a civilian airplane, Saudi officials said.

Earlier, the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi group in Yemen said it intercepted a Houthi drone that was targeting Abha International Airport.

Shrapnel was scattered in the vicinity of the airport, the coalition said.

State TV Ekhbaria said a second armed drone was intercepted, but debris wounded eight people and damaged a civilian airplane inside the airport.

The general manager of the airport Ahmed al-Qahtani said one person was in a critical condition and all the wounded were treated in the local hospital.

Tha airport hasnt cancelled any flight. We suspended the flights for security measures for several minutes or about half an hour, Qahatani said.

Reporters at the scene were shown shattered glass, damage in some ceilings of the terminal and holes in an Airbus A320 of the state-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) parked on the tarmac.

Travelers were lined up to check-in for flights to the capital Riyadh and other Saudi cities.

The Houthis did not claim responsibility for the attack, but the Iran-aligned group regularly fires drones and missiles into Saudi Arabia.

The groups media reported more than 20 airstrikes by the coalitions warplanes on several Houthi-held Yemeni provinces after the airport attack. The coalition said it targeted drones and missile launchers.

The Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, backing forces of the ousted government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi fighting the Houthis.

By Mohammed Benmansour
Chinese Americans line up outside of the Sing Tao News offices to donate money for the victims of the earthquake in China, in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco, Calif., on May 14, 2008. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A Timely Warning About Beijings Media Infiltration in the West

Commentary

Sing Tao, the Beijing regimes most influential propaganda outlet in overseas Chinese communities, has been required by the U.S. Department of Justice to register its U.S. subsidiary as a foreign agent. This is the first Hong Kong-based news outlet to be thus labeled.

Sing Taos parent company is Sing Tao News Corp. Ltd. (STNC). According to the document filed by Sing Tao U.S. on Aug. 23 under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), the company is owned by a foreign government, foreign political party, or other foreign client. The Department of Justice (DOJ) determined the newspapers U.S. operations qualified as foreign influence efforts, according to a report by Axios.

STNC, listed on the Hong Kong Exchange, is the oldest and second-largest newspaper in the city, and has branches and operations all over the Western world. Apart from the flagship Sing Tao Daily, it also publishes several tabloids and an English language newspaper. In the United States alone, there are local versions of Sing Tao Daily in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. It also runs a radio station based in Burlingame, California.

According to the companys FARA filings, more than half of its U.S. content is purchased from a Chinese company, Star Production Ltd., based in Chinas Shenzhen special economic zone.

The U.S. versions of Sing Tao Daily claim to have the largest readership of all Chinese language newspapers. Thus, Sing Tao has considerable influence in the Chinese diaspora. This made it the obvious target of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) plan to bring foreign media under its control.

Sing Tao Daily used to be anti-CCP. Before 1987, it followed the ROC calendar, a sign of allegiance to the Republic of China (Taiwans official name), and called Beijing Communist China and Taipei Free China.

The transformation of STNCs stance from anti- to pro-CCP is considered a success story of the Chinese regimes united front strategy. The process involved three stages.

First, the CCP softened Sing Taos anti-CCP stance by lavishing hospitality on STNCs majority shareholder, Sally Aw Sian, who was also the daughter of the companys founder. In the mid-1980s, Aw was given a high-level reception when she visited her ancestral home in Fujian for the first time. The CCP then appointed Aw as a member of Chinas top advisory organ, the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Consequently, Sing Tao Daily dropped the ROC calendar and replaced it with the Gregorian calendar (when denoting the dates of the newspaper), and stopped using the derogative term Communist China when referring to Beijing.

In her memoir, Aw recalled how Xu Jiatun, then-director of New China News Agency (commonly known as Xinhua News Agency) in Hong Kong spent a lot of time befriending her.

Police officers stand guard after protesters stick photos of missing booksellers during a protest outside the Liaison of the Central Peoples Government in Hong Kong, on Jan. 3, 2016. Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers say theyll press the government for answers after a fifth employee of a publisher specializing in books critical of Chinas ruling communists went missing. (Vincent Yu/AP Photo)

Second, the CCP seized every opportunity to exercise indirect control. Aw was implicated in a bribery case in 1998. But then, the first post-1997 secretary for justice of Hong Kong, Elsie Leung Oi-sie, acquitted Aw on the grounds of public interest because her company employed thousands of people. However, Aw couldnt remain in her post as chairman.

Chinese media believed that the CCP managed to have billionaire Charles Ho Tsu-kwok, owner of the lucrative Hong Kong Tobacco Corp. Ltd., buy up Aws shares and take control of the newspaper conglomerate. Thus, the CCP succeeded in gaining indirect control of the newspaper. Ho has ties to the CCP, as he became a member of the CPPCC in 1998.

Since the takeover, STNC became fervently pro-Beijing. Ho named Larry Li, former deputy editor of the Peoples Daily, to be the managerial editor of all the overseas versions of Sing Tao Daily. Its no wonder why Hongkongers ranked Sing Tao as the third Beijing newspaper in the city after Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao, the CCPs official mouthpiece in Hong Kong.

Third, the CCP took direct control. In June, Kaisa Group, a property company based in mainland China, bought shares from Charles Ho and became the single largest shareholder of STNC. Kaisa Chairman Kwok Ying-shing said that it was time for him to repay society by acquiring STNC, while profitability wasnt his main concern. Kwoks remark suggests that he was echoing Chinese leader Xi Jinpings call for private entrepreneurs to take up more philanthropic activities.

Some of the directors of Kaisa have previously held CCP government posts and trained at various Party schools. For example, Kaisas website revealed that Executive Director Sun Yuenan, a graduate of the Central Party School, was previously an official in the Land Resources Bureau of Hunan Province, while co-President Li Haiming graduated from the Guangdong Provincial Party School.

Kwok is also the vice president of the Harmony Club, which is based in Shenzhen. The club was set up by the CCP as one of its united front outlets to garner support from private entrepreneurs. The majority of its 28 founders, including Kwok, were members of the CPPCC, the operating arm of the CCPs United Front Department.

The takeover also provided the DOJ with strong evidence to brand STNC as a foreign agent. Sing Tao U.S. stated in the filing, The owners of Sing Tao News Corporation Ltd. stock include individuals and entities, some of whom may be foreign principals.'

After the takeover by Kaisa, STNC became the third-most influential media outlet in Hong Kong under the control of the CCP, following the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and the TVB.

This three-stage approach in subjugating an anti-CCP media outlet has happened before and one such example is China Times in Taiwan. He Qinglian, senior research fellow at the Human Rights in China, wrote a book titled Chinas Grand External Propaganda Campaign, which goes into detail about this process.

While in actual practice, the FARA stipulation might not adversely affect STNCs U.S. operation, it serves as a wake-up call in alerting people about the threat of the CCPs ideological infiltration in the United States.

In October 2019, China held its 10th World Forum of Chinese Language Media and a total of 427 delegates from Chinese media outlets worldwide attended the event. The main topic was about telling the China story better in the international community. This was dubbed as a Grand Parade of Chinese Media Abroad. Among the attendees, 62 were from the United States, 54 from Canada, and 44 from Australia and New Zealand. This so-called Grand Parade provided a glimpse of the extent of Beijings propaganda inroads into Chinese communities in the West.

In view of this, the FARA designation of STNC was timely.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
President Joe Biden speaks on ending the war in Afghanistan in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington on Aug. 31, 2021. (Brendon Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

Afghan Withdrawal Allows US to Shore Up Competitiveness to Confront China, Biden Says

President Joe Biden pointed to the U.S. competition with China as a reason for Americas withdrawal from Afghanistan, in a speech on Aug. 31 declaring the end of the 20-year conflict in the war-torn nation.

Before commenting on China, he said future U.S. foreign policy would draw from two lessons in Afghanistan.

First, we must set missions with clear, achievable goalsnot ones well never reach, Biden said in the State Dining Room at the White House. And second, we must stay clearly focused on the fundamental national security interest of the United States of America.

He said the United States will move away from large-scale troop deployments aimed at nation-building, and the shift will make us stronger and more effective and safer at home.

Its about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries, he said.

Now, Biden said, the United States should focus on threats coming from Russia and, above all, China.

The world is changing. Were engaged in a serious competition with China, Biden said. Were confronted with cyberattacks and nuclear proliferation.

We have to shore up Americas [competitiveness] to meet these new challenges in the competition for the 21st century.

And theres nothing China or Russia would rather have, would want more in this competition than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan.

In recent months, the Chinese regimes nuclear buildup and cyber activities have been under close scrutiny.

In July, the U.S. Justice Department announced that four Chinese nationals working for Chinas Ministry of State Security, the regimes chief intelligence agency, were charged in a global hacking campaign to steal trade secrets and sensitive information from companies, universities, and government bodies.

Also in July, the National Security Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the FBI issued a joint advisory providing guidelines on how companies and individuals can protect themselves from Chinas state-sponsored cyber operations.

Adm. Charles Richard, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, warned about Chinas breathtaking pace in military modernization during a symposium in August. He specifically expressed concerns about Chinas increasing nuclear capabilities, which he argued would allow Beijing to execute any plausible nuclear employment strategy.

The Federation of American Scientists and the California-based James Martin Center recently discovered after analyzing satellite images that China is building more than 200 new nuclear silos. The new silos are being built at two separate fields, in Chinas far-western region of Xinjiang and neighboring Gansu Province.

Su Tzu-yun, a senior analyst of the Taiwan-based Institute for National Defense and Security Research, previously told The Epoch Times that the U.S. decision to withdraw from Afghanistan was made so that Washington would be able to shift its military resources to the Indo-Pacific to confront China.

As for the future SinoU.S. relationship, Su said there were signs that the Biden administration only intended to collaborate with the Chinese regime on selective issuestopics that dont have any direct impact on U.S. national security or interests.

For that reason, Su said the Biden administration has chosen to work with Beijing on climate change.
Another Lot of Moderna Vaccines Suspended in Japan After Black Particles Found in Vial

The Japanese government put another batch of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines on hold after a black material was found in one of the vials, according to authorities.

A pharmacist in Kanagawa, a coastal prefecture just south of Tokyo, reported finding several black particles in one vial.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a drugmaker distributing Moderna vaccines in Japan, said some 3,790 people already received shots from the suspended lot.

The incident comes after the country suspended more than 2.6 million doses earlier this month over similar concerns.

Two men in their 30s died this month several days after receiving a second dose from one of the suspended batches. No causal link between the injections and the deaths has been established so far.

Okinawa, a prefecture comprising more than 150 islands in Japan, announced in a statement on Aug. 29 that it had suspended the use of Moderna vaccines at a major vaccination center in the city of Naha after foreign substances were spotted, The Japan Times reported.

Also in Gunma prefecture, located north of Tokyo, contaminated lots were paused over similar concerns, though an official noted that they will continue distributing lots that are not affected by the incident.

According to a Kanagawa official, Takeda had collected the vial with the suspected contaminant. The distributor didnt respond to a request for comment by press time.

Japans health ministry, citing an investigation by Takeda, said on Sept. 1 that the vial sent to Kanagawa was from a different lot than the others, and rubber stopper material appears to have gone into it during the manufacturing process.

Moderna also announced in a statement that the contamination could be due to a manufacturing issue on one of the production lines at its contract manufacturing site in Spain, operated by Madrid-based Rovi.

A spokesperson for Roviwhich bottles Moderna vaccines for markets outside the United Statessaid the company had launched an investigation into a prior incident involving 1.63 million doses, but it hasnt released an update on the investigation so far.

The Spanish plant was instructed by the European Medicine Agency (EMA) on Aug. 27 to continue producing the vaccines after officials didnt find a reason to seek a temporary suspension of production after an initial assessment.

Exterior view of the European Medicines Agency, EMA, in Amsterdams business district, Netherlands, on April 20, 2021. (Peter Dejong/AP Photo)

Officials said an unknown number of doses from the previously affected lots had been administered.

Moderna confirmed in an Aug. 28 joint statement it had been notified by Takeda and had launched an investigation, saying its working expeditiously with the Japanese company to address the incidents.

As of Sept. 1, about 16,000 Japanese citizens have reportedly died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to health officials. More than 1,000 people in Japan have reportedly died after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, including 11 from Moderna. The countrys health ministry said it hasnt established a causal link between the injections and the deaths.

Reuters contributed to this report.

From NTD News
Men prepare for defense against the Taliban in Panjshir, Afghanistan, on Aug. 22, 2021. (Aamaj News Agency via Reuters)

At Least 7 Taliban Reported Killed in Panjshir Fighting

Taliban forces clashed with militia fighters in the Panjshir valley north of the Afghan capital Kabul on Monday night, with at least seven killed, two members of the main anti-Taliban opposition group said on Tuesday.

Since the fall of Kabul on Aug. 15, the Panjshir has been the only province to hold out against the Taliban, although there has also been fighting in neighboring Baghlan province between Taliban and local militia forces.

Fahim Dashti, a spokesman for the National Resistance Forces, a group loyal to local leader Ahmad Massoud, said the fighting occurred on the western entrance to the valley where the Taliban attacked NRF positions.

He said the attack, which may have been a probe to test the valleys defenses, was repulsed with eight Taliban killed and a similar number wounded, while two members of the NRF forces were wounded.

Last night, the Taliban attacked Panjshir, but were defeated with 7 dead and several wounded, Bismillah Mohammadi, a member of the resistance movement who served as a minister under exiled President Ashraf Ghani, said in a tweet.

They retreated with heavy casualties.

It was not immediately possible to reach a Taliban spokesman for comment.

Men prepare for defense against the Taliban in Panjshir, Afghanistan, on Aug.22, 2021. (Aamaj News Agency via Reuters)

In this still image taken from video, anti-Taliban resistance troops walk in Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan, on Aug. 25, 2021. (Aamaj News Agency via Reuters)

Massoud, son of the former anti-Soviet mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, has established himself in the Panjshir valley with a force of several thousand, made up of local militias and remnants of army and special forces units.

He has called for a negotiated settlement with the Taliban but has said his forces will resist if their province in the narrow and mountainous valley is attacked.

A significant force of Taliban terrorists has been moved to the area but the two sides have so far been engaged in negotiations and have avoided fighting.

Celebratory gunfire resounded across Kabul on Tuesday as Taliban terrorists took control of the airport after the withdrawal of the last U.S. troops, marking the end of a 20-year war that left the Islamist militia stronger than it was in 2001.
Jury members Alexander Nanau, from left, Chloe Zhao, Cynthia Erivo, Jury president Bong Joon Ho, Virginie Efira, Saverio Costanzo, Sarah Gadon, and director of the Venice Film festival Alberto Barbera, front, pose for photographers at the photo call for the jury during the 78th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sept. 1, 2021. (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

At the Venice Film Festival, Cinemas Future Looks Hopeful

VENICE, ItalyHope for the future of cinema was front of mind for many as the Venice International Film Festival kicked off Wednesday on the Lido.

In the face of the Delta variant, and the trials those in the global film industry weathered last year, the 78th edition of the oldest festival in the world has returned, with precautions, to celebrate the best of whats to come in film from both newcomers and established veterans, like Jane Campion and Pedro Almodovar.

I have the feeling and impression that everyone is willing to come back, ready to start again, ready to release the films that stayed on the shelf for two years, festival director Alberto Barbera told The Associated Press. And the hope is that the audience will come back to the theaters, which is the best way to watch a movie.

Although a vocal supporter of the movie theater experience, Barbera also sees the good in streaming and again is hosting several Netflix films at the festival, including Campions The Power of the Dog.

We all know that after the reopening the situation will be completely different from the past. [Streaming] platforms are there to stay, cinema, theaters will not disappear, Barbera said. But we will face sort of a double system  theaters and platforms.

I think its a great opportunity for the audience and for the filmmakers as well because it means a lot of investment in terms of productions, he said. We are already adjusting to this huge amount of money coming to the cinema industry everywhere. Its a good moment for cinema. Its never been so vital.

Jury President Bong Joon Ho, from top left, Jury members Virginie Efira, Sarah Gadon, Alexander Nanau, director of the Venice Film festival Alberto Barbera, from bottom left, jury members Cynthia Erivo, Saverio Costanzo, and Chloe Zhao pose for photographers upon arrival at the 78th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sept. 1, 2021. (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Bong Joon Ho, the Oscar-winning director of Parasite who is presiding over the main jury year, said that the last year was a test that showed the life force of cinema.

Filmmakers had a very tough time last year, Bong told a news conference Wednesday. I dont believe that the history of cinema can be stopped so easily. So COVID will pass and cinema will continue.

As the head of the jury, which includes Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao and actor Cynthia Erivo, Bong and his fellow jurors have the weighty responsibility deciding which film will take home the coveted Golden Lion Award, which has launched films to Oscar glory. Last years recipient was Zhaos Nomadland, which took home best picture and best director.

Some of the more prominent films and filmmakers competing for the award this year include The Power of the Dog, Paolo Sorrentino for The Hand of God, Paul Schrader for The Card Counter, Almodovar for Parallel Mothers, Maggie Gyllenhaal for The Lost Daughter, Ana Lily Amirpour for Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, and Pablo Larrain for Spencer. There are 21 total films in competition.

I dont feel like there has to be some kind of criteria for judging, Bong said. Its all about respecting everyones tastes, that could be all different  We are ready, I think. We are ready to fight.

Other jurors include Romanian documentarian Alexander Nanau (Collective), Canadian actor Sarah Gadon (Enemy), FrenchBelgian actor Virginie Efira (Elle), and Italian director Saverio Costanzo (Hungry Hearts).

The festival was one of the only to attempt a 2020 gathering in-person. This year, there will be more people by half, but attending guests also are subject to checks and verification of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Theaters are operating at 50 percent capacity and everyone is required to wear masks indoors.

I hope this is really the reopening that was not the case last year because we had the second and the third wave and so on, Barbera said. It will be even more safe and secure than last year.

The Venice Film Festival runs through Sept. 11.

By Lindsey Bahr
Australia Passes Sweeping Online Surveillance Bill Amid Privacy Concerns

The Australian federal government last week passed a sweeping surveillance bill that would grant top law enforcement agencies the authority to take over social media accounts and hack the devices of individuals suspected of participating in serious online crime.

The Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identity and Disrupt) Bill 2020 passed both houses of federal parliament on Aug. 25, and introduces three new powers which Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews argues will assist law enforcement in keeping up with evolving technologies to protect Australians.

Specifically, the legislation grants the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) the power to modify or delete the data of suspected offenders, collect intelligence on criminal networks, and take control of a suspected offenders online account.

Those who refuse to comply can face up to 10 years in prison.

In defending the legislation, Andrews cited an operation earlier this year that resulted in 290 arrests, saying that this confirmed the persistent and ever evolving threat of transnational, serious and organised crimeand the reliance of these networks on the dark web and anonymising technology to conceal their offending.

In Operation Ironside, ingenuity and world-class capability gave our law enforcement an edge. This Bill is just one more step the government is taking to ensure our agencies maintain that edge, the minister said in a statement.

Under our changes the AFP will have more tools to pursue organised crime gangs to keep drugs off our street and out of our community, and those who commit the most heinous crimes against children, she added.

Passage of the bill however has been met with scrutiny, with some human rights activists saying its a draconian and extreme infringement on an individuals right to privacy.

Earlier this year, Bill Rowlings, CEO of rights group Civil Liberties Australia, called for the measure to be scrapped.

These are particularly draconian and particularly bad, so my message would be to throw these out, start again and get some proper consultation from the beginning, he told SBS News in March.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has separately expressed concern that these powers may adversely impact the privacy of a large number of individuals, including individuals not suspected of involvement in criminal activity.

Given the privacy impact of these law enforcement powers on a broad range of individuals and networks, they should be accompanied by appropriate privacy safeguards, the OAIC said in March.

Upon passage of the bill, some legal bodies have also argued that the federal government ignored recommendations from the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) on the implementation of critical safeguards.

According to Sky News, President of the Law Council Dr Jacoba Brasch QC said that these powers have the potential to cause significant loss, damage or disruption to lawful computer users who are not suspected of any wrongdoing.

Senior lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, Kieran Pender, told the news outlet that given the unprecedented and extraordinarily intrusive nature of these powers, they should have been narrowed to what is strictly necessary and subject to robust safeguards.

It is alarming that, instead of accepting the Committees recommendations and allowing time for scrutiny of subsequent amendments, the Morrison Government rushed these laws through Parliament in less than 24 hours, he added.

The bill is now awaiting Royal Assent, the final step before it becomes law.
Australias Account Surplus Reached Record High $20.5 Bn in June Quarter But Difficult Days Ahead

Australia recorded its highest account surplus over the June quarter on the back of iron ore exports while domestic economic activity also increased.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released figures on Tuesday that said Australias current account surplus increased by $1.5 billion (U.S.$1.1 bn) to a record $20.5 billion (U.S.$15 bn) in the June quarterthe ninth and longest consecutive quarterly accounts increase.

The account surplus was driven by a trade surplus that was led by sky high prices and demand for iron ore and other minerals from China.

The three months to June, the value of exports for goods and services increased by 6 percent while the value of imports increased by 4 percent.

In the month of June alone, Australia exported a record high $15 billion of ore to the Chinese communist regime.

While the value of exports increased, the volume of exports actually decreased due to shipping disruptions from various reasons, such as COVID-19 and weather.

While the trade sector recorded a surplus, the financial account fell a further $9.6 billion into a total deficit of $24.2 billion, as more Australians had their investments moved overseas.

The movement was due to resurgent offshore investment activity by Australian superannuation and investment funds as a result of a more positive global economic outlook and favourable equity markets conditions overseas, ABS Head of International Statistics Andrew Tomadini said.

The ABS also announced today that the nations gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.7 percent over June quarter and 1.4 percent over the 2020-21 financial year.

Domestic demand drove growth of 0.7 per cent this quarter which saw continued growth across household spending, private investment, and public sector expenditure, ABS Head of National Accounts Michael Smedes said.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Sept. 1, 2021. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said these numbers confirm that the Australian economy had grown over the quarter, ahead of market expectations, but admitted the economy had difficult days ahead.

But todays national account numbers underline the fact that our economy remains resilient, that its fundamentals remain sound, that our economy remains strong, and that we are in a position to bounce back strongly as an economy and as a country when lockdowns come to an end, Frydenberg told media.

Smedes noted that the earlier short lockdowns had minimal impact on household spending, while the current extended lockdowns began after the June quarter.

This means the data does not reflect Australias current economic situation after extended hard lockdowns were implemented in the countrys two biggest states, New South Wales and Victoria.

The lockdowns have devastated the NSW jobs sector, with the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) finding that between June 26 and July 17, 200,000 small business employees, 64,000 medium-sized business workers, and 12,000 large business workers were laid off.

Australias iron ore exports have also been heavily impacted by plummeting prices. According to data from Trading Economics, iron ore prices dropped almost 40 percent in one month from the later half of July, before slightly recovering.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping (on screen) delivers a speech during the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on July 1, 2021. (Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images)

Beijing Will Be Playing With Fire If It Tests US Resolve Over Taiwan: Expert

WASHINGTONThe chaotic U.S. departure from Kabul has presented a golden opportunity for China, but testing U.S. resolve over Taiwans independence would be a big miscalculation on Beijings part, according to experts.

Through its media, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been pushing the narrative that the U.S. is not reliable and that Washington would leave Taiwan in the lurch just like its Afghan abandonment, should Beijing invade the island.

Beijing has waged a growing campaign of military intimidation and propaganda against the democratic island, and recent efforts by China to undermine the Taiwan peoples confidence in U.S. support are not surprising, according to Dean Cheng, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. But China would be engaging in remarkably risky behavior if it chose to use force against Taiwan.

Beijing would be playing with fire, would be running into incredible risks to test whether or not the United States would remain committed to Taiwan, he told The Epoch Times.

The United States could be unpredictable when it comes to deciding to use force in defense of a country thats being attacked, he said.

Its useful to recall the South Korean example in 1950 and the Kuwait example in 1990 to grasp the possibility of the United States defending Taiwan, he said.

Communist North Korea invaded South Korea in June 1950, and within days, the United States came to the aid of South Korea without having any defense treaty commitment.

The United States doesnt have a formal diplomatic relationship with Taiwan, but maintains unofficial ties with the self-ruled island under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which doesnt include any defense commitments, although it does say any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means  [is] of grave concern to the United States.

Taiwans economic and strategic importance has grown over the years, and its independence has become vital to the United States and its allies. A military invasion of Taiwan by Beijing would cause severe supply chain shocks across multiple industries, as the island is home to some of the worlds largest and most advanced chip foundries.

The Biden administration has responded to the CCP propaganda, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to Taiwan.

We believe our commitment to Taiwan and to Israel remains as strong as its ever been, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Aug. 17.

According to Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.Taiwan Business Council, Sullivans bundling of Israel and Taiwan together when describing American resolve and commitments is an important step.

There is no security partner in the Middle East more important than Israel, and to place Taiwan in the same context provides more clarity and less ambiguity about American intentions in North Asia, he told The Epoch Times. In the long term, this is a good thing and a healthy trend.

While comparisons between Taiwan and Afghanistan are difficult to make, the Afghan debacle has been a golden opportunity for Beijing, as it has weakened the United States ability to pressure China, according to Cheng.

The effect will be seen, for example, on global supply chain competition and the United States push to remove industrial suppliers from China.

I think one of the great disasters of Afghanistan is that China is going to be pressing its economic partners to not depend on the United States, but instead increase commercial ties with Beijing.

The Chinese have been playing to that aspect in securing supply chains recently, and pushing multinational companies and foreign governments to not follow U.S. advice in decoupling from China, he noted.

The Afghan fiasco is not about American military defeat in Afghanistan, Cheng said, noting that its about these politico-economic elements that are going to influence other countries.

Thats going to weaken the United States ability to pressure Beijing and conversely strengthen the CCPs ability to pressure companies and countries, Cheng said.

The trend is evident in the recent expansion of Chinese telecom giant Huawei in emerging markets after it was booted from Western countries due to U.S.-led boycott, he noted.

Eva Fu and Frank Fang contributed to this report.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the end of the war in Afghanistan in the State Dining Room at the White House on Aug. 31, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Biden Praises Unsurpassed Friendship With Australia, Marking 70th Anniversary of ANZUS

U.S. President Joe Biden has praised the unsurpassed friendship between the United States and Australia, as both nations strive for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

The presidents video message, posted on the State Departments Twitter account, marked the 70th anniversary of the ANZUS treatys signing in San Francisco on Sept. 1, 1951.

America will never forget the first and only time the collective defense articles of ANZUS treaty, were formally invoked 20 years ago, was September 11th, Biden said. Our Australian friends stood with us, that darkest hour, just as our two nations stood shoulder to shoulder, in every major conflict since World War I.

Through the years, Australians and Americans have built an unsurpassed partnership, and an easy mateship grounded and shared values and shared vision for coming together to prove that democracies can deliver in a world of complex challenges, he added.

Bidens message was followed by statements from the secretary of state and defense.

Our partnership is rooted in shared values and a shared vision. Whether we are combating the COVID-19 pandemic, reinvigorating our economies, or advancing cooperation in innovation and education, the United States and Australia are there for each other, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said.

Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet with their Australian counterparts at the annual AUSMIN talks that are yet to be announced toward the end of the year.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called ANZUS a key pillar for peace and stability in the region, which is contending with increasing aggression from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The ANZUS treaty breathes and adapts with each passing generation, stewarded by 14 presidents and 14 prime ministers, he said in a statement.

Our allianceand Americas deep engagement in our regionis essential as we look to rebuild from the pandemic and shape a free and open Indo-Pacific that is stable, secure, and prosperous, he added.

Morrison is expected to speak with Biden this week.

The prime minister, Defence Minister Peter Dutton, and the U.S. embassys Charge dAffaires Michael Goldman laid a wreath in Canberra to mark the anniversary on Wednesday.

We see Australia as a leader in the region and upon the world stage; a trusted partner, a firm ally, and a truly close friend, Goldman said in a statement.

A paper released in early August showed that Australia could no longer rely on sheer distance from Asia as a defence, as improvements in military technology have extended the range of Beijings firepower to Australia.

Joseph Siracusa, adjunct professor of international diplomacy at Curtin University, previously told The Epoch Times that the ANZUS treaty was essential to ensure stability and a deterrent against aggression.

Whatever government is in power, for more than 70 years, the primary goal of Australian foreign policy has been to keep the United States engaged in the region, as the ultimate guarantor of Australian security, he said.

For Washington, during this same period of time, Australia remains the southern anchor of Americas Asia-Pacific security arrangements (with Japan the northern anchor), astride both the Indian and Pacific oceans, intermediate between California and Southeast Asia.
(LR) Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), and Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), leave a Republican policy luncheon as the Senate moves from passage of the infrastructure bill to focus on a massive $3.5 trillion budget resolution, a blueprint of President Joe Biden's top domestic policy ambitions, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Aug. 10, 2021. (Andrew Harnik/AP Photo)

Breakdown of Spending, State Appropriations in Senate-Passed $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

News Analysis

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed by the Senate before its August recess, would appropriate over $1 trillion to federal- and state-level infrastructure projects. If the bill passes the House, states can expect to receive billions in federal funding for various projects.

In general, appropriations to states vary by the states size and population. Some smaller states like Alaska, Wyoming, and Montana would receive disproportionate funding per capita under the legislation while larger states would receive comparably low funding per resident.

The policy priorities of its lawmakers are reflected in how states plan to use these funds. In Republican-led states, most funding in the bill would go toward traditional hard infrastructure like roads and bridges; by contrast, in Democratic states, a far larger proportion of funds are delegated toward development of public transportation, water systems, and miscellaneous projects like railroads, charging stations for electric cars, and other initiatives.

President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats have marketed the bill as a once-in-a-generation investment, comparing its expenditures to the interstate project started by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The $1.2 trillion spending package is one of the most extensive pieces of legislation in decades. Coming in at over 2,700 pages, the behemoth bill covers a range of issues far beyond the scope of merely improving traditional infrastructure.

Heres whats inside the legislationand which states will get what.

Breakdown of Big Ticket Items in the Bill

Only about a tenth of the bill$110 billionis devoted to roads and bridges.

Another $66 billion goes toward railroad projects. For example, Amtrak, the state-owned passenger train service, will receive $19.22 billion in grants for different rail lines across the country. An additional $1.32 billion is granted to the Federal Railroad Administration, with an additional $225 million investment into railroad research and development by the government office. The legislation also allocates $1.5 billion per year for five years, a total of $7.5 billion, toward the development of intercity railroads.

Another substantial portion of the bill, $39 billion, goes toward improvement in public transportation. These expenditures include the largest ever allocation, $405 million over several years, toward the so-called University Transportation Centers program. The program, a longtime mainstay in U.S. code, is designed primarily to encourage universities to come together to form a unique center of transportation excellence on a specific research topic according to the Department of Transportation. Schools can receive grants under the program for researching and developing transportation projects.

Forty-two billion dollars go toward improving airports and shipping ports across the nation.

A little less than a tenth of the allocations, $86 billion, is devoted to an array of climate and clean energy initiatives. These include $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations, $7.5 billion for R&D of buses and ferries using clean energy, and $21 billion toward combating pollution. Another $50 billion goes toward miscellaneous climate projects.

Biggest Funding Winners

The bill directs funds for these various infrastructure projects toward all 50 U.S. statesbut some will get far more money per head than others.

The five biggest allocations in the bill are $44.56 billion to California, $35.44 billion to Texas, $36.92 billion to New York, $19.1 billion to Florida, and $17.81 billion to Illinois. But even though these states receive the highest allocations by far, they receive among the lowest per capita: Californians can expect $1,100 per person, Texans $1,200, and Floridians only $889; New Yorkers and Illinoisans each are allocated $1,400 per person.

On average, approximately 65 percent of funding for these states goes toward hard infrastructure items like roads and bridges. The rest of the funding goes to public transportation, water, and miscellaneous expenditures like railroads, charging stations for electric cars, and other initiatives.

But some states and regions receive far more per person in the bill. Alaska is the biggest winner per capita, at $4.93 billion total, or $6,700 per person delegated toward infrastructure improvement in the state. Sparsely-populated Wyoming comes in second place, receiving $2.85 billion total, $4,500 per person. The District of Columbia receives only $3.01 billion total for infrastructure improvements in the capital, but this works out to a substantial $4,300 per person. Montana and Vermont also receive a notable $3,600 each per capita.

Among these per capita winners, a significantly larger portion of spending goes toward hard infrastructure, nearly 70 percent. Of those, the District of Columbia is an outlier; in the capital, only 44 percent goes toward roads and bridges. It receives one of the highest percentage allocations in the country for public transportationnearly 40 percent.

Other Takeaways in Funding

In general, funding in the bill splits on party-line priorities. States that voted Republican in 2020 would receive a far higher share of spending toward roads and bridges, while putting very little toward other projects; and states that voted for Democrats in 2020 would receive far more funding for the more ambitious projects in the bill. These divisions almost certainly reflect the policy priorities of lawmakers for their states during the creation of the bill.

For example, red-leaning Wyoming received no money whatsoever for public transportation and only about $500 million total for other projects. In Republican-led Ohio, almost 75 percent of funding goes toward hard infrastructure.

In the South as well, funding is mostly limited to hard infrastructure. Only 9 percent of Texass funding would go to public transportation. In South Carolina, about 73 percent goes exclusively to roads and bridges. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was a huge proponent of the legislation, but shrunk from the extra expenses popular among Democratic lawmakers. In Florida, about 70 percent is devoted to hard infrastructure.

By contrast, regions that voted for Biden in 2020 received a far larger share of funding for public transportation, water, and other projects.

For example, over $9.5 billion is devoted to public transportation alone in California, with an additional $5.6 billion for water and other projects. In New York, only about half of all funding goes to hard infrastructure; instead, the state would receive the highest funding in the nation$9.8 billionfor public transportation. In Washington state, over a third, about 38 percent, goes to similar projects.

Whats Next for the Infrastructure Bill

Before this money can be allocated, the bill must make it through the House of Representatives to get to the presidents desk.

In contrast to more controversial pieces of Democratic legislation like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) $3.5 trillion budget and Sen. Ed Markeys (D-Mass.) For the People Act, the infrastructure bill is unlikely to face serious challenges in the future. Moderate and progressive Democrats are united behind the billespecially after moderates joined with House progressives to advance Sanders resolution after a weeks-long dispute among the factions.

In a closed-door meeting with the leader of those moderates, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) promised that the House would consider the bill before Sept. 27. With the Democrats 220 seats, an eight vote majority, the bill is unlikely to face any serious hurdles to passage.

It is also unlikely that Republicans will unanimously oppose the bill, which 19 Senate Republicans voted for.

Nor will the bill face opposition from the White House. Biden considers the bill an essential element of his build back better agenda, and focused much of his energy during the campaign on infrastructural investment.

In view of this, by far the most likely future for the infrastructure bill is a speedy passage in September followed by an eager signature from the president.
U.S. District Court is shown as the case against two ISIS-cell members dubbed "the Beatles" the two men showed up remotely at the federal courthouse and have been charged with the murder of American citizens in Alexandria, Va., on Oct. 07, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

British ISIS Beatle To Plead Guilty in US Court

One of the so-called ISIS Beatles, who is accused of conspiring to torture and behead hostages after joining the terrorist group will plead guilty when he appears in a U.S. court this week.

A change of plea hearing for Alexanda Amon Kotey has been scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 2 in a U.S. District Court in Alexandria, according to Federal court records.

Kotey and another British man, El Shafee Elsheikh, were brought to the United States last year to face charges under an extradition agreement that means they cannot face the death penalty even if found guilty.

Court documents do not indicate the specific charge or charges to which Kotey is expected to plead.

Along with two others, they were dubbed the Beatles by their captives because of their British accents, as they became a symbol of jihadis radicalised in the West.

The indictment charges them in connection with the deaths of four American hostagesjournalist James Foley, journalist Steven Sotloff, and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Muelleras well as European and Japanese nationals who were also held captive.

Nothing in the court records indicates that Elsheikh has reached a plea deal.

Raj Parekh, acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and also a member of the prosecution team on the Kotey and Elsheikh cases, declined to comment.

Geremy Kamens, a federal public defender who represents Kotey, also declined to comment.

Prosecutors say the men worked closely with a chief spokesman for ISIS who reported to the groups leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed in a U.S. military operation last year.

A third Beatle, Mohammed Emwazi, also known as Jihadi John, was killed in a 2015 drone strike. A fourth member is serving a prison sentence in Turkey.

Kotey and Elsheikh were radicalised in London before they left for Syria in 2012, according to the indictment, which describes them as leading participants in a brutal hostage-taking scheme.

The indictment accuses Kotey and Elsheikh of participating in the kidnapping of Foley and other captives.

In July, prosecutors described the pair as principal offenders in the captivity of the four American hostages.

Assuming Thursdays plea hearing goes forward as scheduled, Kotey and prosecutors would submit a statement of facts that will spell out in at least some detail the specific actions that he took.

The two were captured in Syria in 2018 while trying to escape to Turkey.

The indictment describes the execution of a Syrian prisoner in 2014 and says the two forced their Western hostages to watch.

Kotey instructed the hostages to kneel while watching the execution and holding signs pleading for their release. Emwazi shot the prisoner in the back of the head while Elsheikh videotaped the execution.

Elsheikh is scheduled to go on trial in January.

PA contributed to this report.
California Church That Broke COVID Rules Will Get $800,000 From County, State

LOS ANGELESA Sun Valley church that repeatedly flouted health restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic will be paid $800,000 to settle its legal battle with Los Angeles County and the statewith the county Board of Supervisors voting Aug. 31 to pay half that cost.

Los Angeles County has already spent more than $950,000 in attorneys fees and other costs in the case of Grace Community Church, according to a legal summary provided to the board.

Led by Pastor John MacArthur, the church defied county health orders again and again over the past year, most notably by continuing to hold indoor services despite a ban on such gatherings, while also refusing to enforce mask-wearing and social-distancing requirements for church-goers.

County health officials repeatedly cited the church, then took the matter to court to obtain an injunction requiring the church to adhere to health regulations, saying they were essential to control the spread of COVID-19. The church, meanwhile, sued the state and the county, arguing the COVID rules amounted to constitutional violations of religious freedom.

Last September, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff issued a preliminary injunction sought by the county, saying the potential consequences of community spread of COVID-19 and concomitant risk of death to members of the community, associated and unassociated with the church, outweighs the harm that flows from the restriction on indoor worship caused by the (Los Angeles County) health order.

However, the church continued to hold indoor services and violated other health mandates. That led county attorneys to seek a contempt ruling against the church.

Grace Community Church attorneys fought back, filing a motion to have the injunction lifted and the contempt request dismissed, citing two U.S. Supreme Court decisions. In one, a Catholic diocese and a group of Jewish synagogues successfully challenged New Yorks restrictions on churches.

The high court later struck down Californias indoor worship ban while allowing caps on attendance and a ban on singing.

California treats some comparable secular activities more favorably than at-home religious exercise, stated the ruling (pdf). [T]he State has not shown that public health would be imperiled by employing less restrictive measures.

In a letter to supporters of the John MacArthur Charitable Trust, obtained by The Los Angeles Times, he called the settlement a monumental victory and said there is no circumstance that can cause the church to close. The church is not only a building but is the bride of Christ and exists to proclaim the truth.

The countys $400,000 payment will come out of the public health budget.
CCP Virus Impact on Health Care Shakes Up Medicare Trustees Projections for 2021 Report

Projecting the future of the biggest federal health care program became much more difficult due to the effect on treatment patterns by the CCP virus, according to the 2021 Annual Report of the Boards of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Fund.

The 273-page report was released on Aug. 31 as the nations attention was focused on the completed withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from Afghanistan after 20 years of war in the long-troubled Central Asian country.

But the report is likely to get more attention in the days ahead, as officials in Washington, as well as government officials at the state level, realize the implications of the trustees analysis.

Perhaps most significantly, the 2021 report didnt deviate from the previous years projection that the Medicare Trust Fund will be unable fully to fund benefits by 2026. Thats the year the cost of providing benefits exceeds available revenues brought in to cover them, which will likely result in the implementation of benefit reductions.

The trustees noted the effect of the CCP virus, which causes COVID-19, on the programs operations in 2020 and the uncertainties in projecting future costs and benefits due to the virus, which has reportedly taken more than 660,000 U.S. lives.

Beginning in 2020, the Medicare program was dramatically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The amount of payroll taxes expected to be collected by the HI trust fund was greatly reduced due to the economic effects of the pandemic on labor markets, the report reads. Spending was directly affected by the coverage of testing and treatment of the disease. In addition, several regulatory policies and legislative provisions were enacted during the public health emergency that increased spending.

Among the results was a 20 percent increase in Medicare payments made in connection with hospital admissions due to the disease, the report states.

Somewhat offsetting the increases due to the virus was the slowdown in elective surgeries and other non-COVID-19-related procedures, necessitated by redirecting hospital resources to care for COVID-19 patients.

But the trustees acknowledged that deferred surgeries and procedures will likely return to normal in the next year, with a result that costs for 2022 and thereafter could be higher than presently projected. However, those costs could be lower if the virus causes more deaths than expected, according to the trustees.

For 2022, the return of deferred care that is assumed to be more intensive results in spending that continues to be higher than previously estimated, the report reads.

The trustees have not included any longer-term morbidity impacts, balancing a potential increase in costs due to longer-lasting health needs from those who have had COVID-19 with a potential reduction in costs due to the higher mortality from COVID-19 among those with higher medical spending.

The trustees also noted that they attempted to account for the long-term costs of COVID-19 vaccines in their projections, but stated that the unpredictability of the virus should also be taken into account.

The estimates in this years report also incorporate the costs of the COVID-19 vaccines, which consist of both the payments for the vaccines themselves and the payments for their administration, the report reads.

The trustees expect vaccine utilization to decrease somewhat over time, reflecting the likely reduction in the required number of doses and the possibility that the seriousness of COVID-19 will decrease.

It should be noted that there is an unusually large degree of uncertainty with these COVID-related impacts and that future projections could change significantly as more information becomes available.

The HI fund continues to be Medicares weakest link and where the effect of the CCP virus is most immediately felt, according to the report.

In 2020, HI expenditures exceeded income by $60.4 billion due to the large amount of accelerated and advance payments. These payments will be repaid in 2021 and 2022, resulting in a small deficit in 2021 and a surplus in 2022, it reads.

After that, the trustees project deficits in all future years until the trust fund becomes depleted in 2026. The assets were $134.1 billion at the beginning of 2021, representing about 48 percent of expenditures projected for 2021, which is below the trustees minimum recommended level of 100 percent.

The HI trust fund has not met the trustees formal test of short-range financial adequacy since 2003. Growth in HI expenditures has averaged 7.6 percent annually over the last 5 years, compared with non-interest income growth of 5.2 percent. Over the next 5 years, projected average annual growth Highlights 9 rates for expenditures and non-interest income are 3.1 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively.

As a result, underlying all of the trustees estimates and projections is the continuing reality that the Medicare program, as the largest federal health care third-party payer, faces the bankruptcy of its reserves in less than a decade.

Current-law projections indicate that Medicare still faces a substantial financial shortfall that will need to be addressed with further legislation. Such legislation should be enacted sooner rather than later to minimize the impact on beneficiaries, providers, and taxpayers, the report reads.

The 2021 report was signed by Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, whos the managing trustee of both the HI and SMI funds; Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh; Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra; and Kilolo Jajakazi, the acting Social Security Administration chief.

Two trustee positions representing the public are vacant, awaiting nominees by President Joe Biden to be confirmed by the Senate.

Congressional correspondent Mark Tapscott may be contacted at: mark.tapscott@epochtimes.nyc. Follow him on Twitter at @mtapscott and on Parler at @Mtapscott.
A podium with the logo for the CDC. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

CDCs Mission Confusion

Commentary

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a guide recently for Inclusive Communication, cautioning against using words such as prisoner, smoker, illegal immigrant, disabled, or homeless, which the agency says could imply blame or stigma.

The guides opening line says, We must confront the systems and policies that have resulted in the generational injustice that has given rise to health inequities.

The CDC is now about fighting injustice, not disease.

The agency says instead of gender-specific pronouns like him or her, use they, even when referring to one person. And talk about parents or expectant parents instead of mothers or fathers.

After making the hundreds of language changes the CDC recommends, who has time to defeat COVID-19?

The CDCs got mission confusion. With parts of the United States considering more COVID lockdowns, Americans dont need language lessons on political correctness. They need scientific information on how to reduce the risk of being infected by this virus indoors. Thats key to reopening workplaces and returning to normal.

Numerous new technologies are said to destroy airborne viruses, including ionization, dry hydrogen peroxide, far UV light, and others. But school administrators and office building managers dont have a clue which ones actually work. Theyre flying blind.

The CDCs thousands of scientists could provide guidance. Not that they should endorse specific brands, but they can assess competing technologies. The CDC flatly refuses. Instead, it cautions against using them because they lack an established body of peer-reviewed evidence.

What planet is the CDC on? Peer-reviewed evidence can take years. Heres the process: An academic journal sends a submitted article to scientists around the world for review and suggested changes. Once that input is received and the article is approved, the wait goes on because many of these journals only publish four times a year.

Glacial slowness doesnt work in a pandemic. Thats why former President Donald Trump designed Operation Warp Speed for vaccines. The CDCs timetable isnt warp speed. Its warped. The CDCs tacit premise that yesterdays technology is good enough will doom us to failure.

Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told The Washington Post last week that the CDC has the wrong mentality to respond to a crisis. Their mindset is we should polish it, vet it, peer-review it.

The result is the CDC offering 50-year-old information: Open windows, space desks apart, and use HEPA filters where possible. HEPA filters were devised for gas masks during World War II, and commercialized for buildings in the 1950s.

Tried and true methods arent necessarily wrong. But the public deserves the latest science, too.

Eighteen months into the pandemic, giant employers such as Apple and Amazon again are delaying reopening workplaces. They need help. Only 33 percent of U.S. office workers are back, according to Kastle Systems. New York City is far worse off, with only 22 percent back. That kills retail stores, coffee shops, and restaurants that serve workers.

If it were possible to get back to normal without technological breakthroughs, it would have happened already. Eric Adams, the citys likely next mayor, needs scientific information on how to reduce aerosolized COVID-19 virus in transportation hubs, public buildings, offices, and schools.

Citing the importance of speed in a pandemic, Gottlieb has been urging the FDA to establish a fast-track way of determining what works and what doesnt. The CDC should be doing the same using its own scientists.

As for schools, the medical journal Lancets COVID task force has chastised the CDC for focusing on masking and social distancing instead of air quality.

A CDC study of 169 Georgia K-5 schools found that COVID cases were reduced more by improving air quality than any other intervention. Mandating masks for students produced no statistically significant improvement.

A Kaiser Health News headline in June read: More than 100 Missouri Schools Have Bought Often Unproven Air Cleaning Technology. The words often unproven come from CDC guidance. If school districts are rushing in desperation to buy equipment without enough information, blame the CDC, not the school administrators.

A spokesperson for the company that sold ionization equipment to Missouri schools explained that peer-reviewed research on its equipment doesnt exist yet. That is why CDC scientists should get to work assessing new technologies themselves instead of writing speech manuals.

If the CDC wants to be politically correct, it can call its new air quality guidance Indoor Environmentalism. That almost sounds green.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A technician conducts tests at the Kunming Center for Disease Control in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China, on April 10, 2013. (ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images)

China Confirms 2 Anthrax Cases, Including 1 Death

Officials have confirmed two cases of anthrax in northern China, including one death in early August.

China CDC Weekly reported on Aug. 15 two confirmed anthrax cases from Binzhou, Shandong Province. Authorities identified no further cases in the following weeks, according to the report.

One of the patients was a 14-year-old student who died on Aug. 6. The other patient was a 35-year-old male who had made contact with the students family.

The students early symptoms included fever, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, and convulsions on July 28. On the same day, he received initial treatment in his village clinic. Two days later, his symptoms expanded to include sudden unconsciousness, lockjaw, and neck stiffness, while he received intravenous fluids in the village clinic. On the following day, he was transferred to a local hospital, and died later, on Aug. 6.

Experts drew a preliminary conclusion that the teenager had died from intestinal or meningitis anthrax, China CDC Weekly reported.

An investigation found that the 35-year-old man had slaughtered a sick cow in the students residence on July 25. The cows internal organs sent out a peculiar smell and had black blood.

The local health care authority identified the older patient as a suspected case on Aug. 8 and later diagnosed his condition as skin anthrax. Hes currently under quarantine treatment in a specialized hospital.

The provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) placed all close contacts under a 12-day quarantine. The authority further applied preventive medications to more than 4,700 close contacts. No additional cases were identified as of Aug. 24.

During the month of August, similar cases in other provinces also made media headlines.

On Aug. 8, the Beijing CDC announced a case of anthrax inhalation in a resident from Chengde, Hebei Province. The patient had a history of close contact with livestock.

On Aug. 12, the CDC of Wenshui County, Luliang, Shanxi Province, reported suspected anthrax cases in nine residents of Baoxian Village, who developed blisters, edema, lymphoma, and pimples on their limbs.

To fight seasonal cluster outbreaks, China CDC held a virtual technical training conference on anthrax prevention and control on Aug. 25, according to its website newsletter. Attendees included national and provincial CDC officials and experts on infectious diseases.

Anthrax is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, usually transmitted from domestic or wild animals. Although rare, humans can get anthrax if they come into contact with infected animals skin, fur, or meat.

Mail handlers, military personnel, and response workers could also be exposed to the disease in the event of a bioterrorist attack, according to the U.S. CDC.
A man plays an online game at a computer shop in Beijing on Aug. 31, 2021, a day after China announced a drastic cut to children's online gaming time to just three hours a week. (Noel Celis/AFP)

Chinas Social Control Sees New Curbs on Gaming Industry

China has leveled another rectification campaign against young gamers, casting light on tighter control over youngsters.

China on Aug. 30 introduced new rules that people under 18 can spend only three hours a week on video games, effective Sept. 1. Minors are now required to verify their identity before logging on to play with time limits in place, said the Chinese regulator.

Authorities said on Monday the new rules were a response to growing concern that games affected the physical and mental health of children.

The curbs are part of Beijings efforts to promote the primacy of socialism and strengthen controls over society.

Over 60 percent of Chinese minors often play games online, and about one in every 10 underage mobile game users play mobile games for more than two hours a day on weekdays, according to state media.

From this month, Chinas Ministry of Education will incorporate Xi Jinping Thought into the countrys national textbooks, in a bid to cultivate patriotic feelings and support the Partys leadership.

The weak link between the millennial generation and the communism ideology flustered the ruling Party most, rather than concerns over their health or time management, said current affairs commentator Jiang Feng on his YouTube channel on Aug. 5.

It really worries about losing control over the younger generation, Jiang said, after Chinese state-run media labeled the gaming industry as spiritual opium.

Chen Tzu-yu, deputy director of Taiwan Statebuilding Partys news department, called it typical paternalism and an extreme fundamentalist act in a Facebook post on Aug. 31.

Children play video games at the worlds largest building in Chengdu city, China on July 24, 2016. (Fred Dufour/AFP via Getty Images)

China has also made moves to exclude the teaching of foreign languages and materials, although both experts and parents worried this would cut off students international perspective and interactions.

Some young gamers also expressed their anger on social media regarding the drastic cut.

Sexual consent at 14, at 16 you can go out to work, but you have to be 18 to play games. This is really a joke, said one comment on Chinas Twitter-like Weibo.

The move has hit shares of some Chinese gaming companies traded in the United States.

Reuters contributed to this report.
A nurse draws a dose from a vial of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in Thornton, Colo., on March 6, 2021. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)

Colorado Mandates Vaccines for Health Care Workers

Colorado health care workers at some 3,800 facilities across the state must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of October as a condition of employment under a temporary emergency rule approved by the state board of health on Monday evening.

The mandate was approved in a 61 vote in an emergency session, and comes just weeks after Gov. Jared Polis sent a letter to the board requesting that it immediately consider rulemaking mandating the COVID-19 vaccination for all individuals involved in health care and support staff who regularly come into contact and share spaces with vulnerable populations including patients seeking medical care in essential medical settings and in congregate senior living facilities.

The governor, a Democrat, cited a surge in cases of the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, to justify a vaccine mandate.

The pandemic we face today is largely a pandemic of the unvaccinated, wrote Polis on Aug. 17. The State can meet this challenge by getting more people vaccinated and protecting those most at risk.

The vaccine mandate applies to staff and contract workers who work with patients or clients at licensed facilities regulated by the board, including assisted living homes, nursing homes, hospitals, hospices, and community clinics. It does not apply to individual practitioners, doctors offices, or urgent care centers. The facilities will no longer be allowed to hire unvaccinated workers after Oct. 31.

According to The Denver Post, during a two-hour virtual hearing attended by at least 1,000 people, about twice as many people spoke against the mandate as spoke in favor. Some said the move could lead to staff shortages if workers choose to quit rather than get vaccinated against COVID-19.

If my job can compel me to take a drug under duress or lose my job, what else can I be forced to do? asked Lorissa ArgoRay, a registered nurse, the Post reported. On behalf of all health care workers, we deserve better.

Individuals are able to apply for medical or religious exemptions from their employers.

Approximately 30 percent of the health care workforce in the affected facilities and agencies are unvaccinated, according to the states Department of Public Health and Environment.

With the rise in the delta variant, ensuring that all workers in licensed healthcare facilities are vaccinated is one of the most effective means the state can take to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of all Coloradans and end this ongoing pandemic, the department said in a news release.

According to The Denver Channel, the board is set to reconvene next month to vote on permanent rules.
Companies That Comply With House Democrats Probe May Lose Ability to Operate in US: McCarthy

Social media and telecommunication companies that turn over information to House Democrats would be violating federal law, the top Republican in the lower chamber said Tuesday.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) decried efforts from House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the chairman of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, to obtain records from companies including Apple, Gab, Parler, and T-Mobile.

Adam Schiff, Bennie Thompson, and Nancy Pelosis attempts to strong-arm private companies to turn over individuals private data would put every American with a phone or computer in the crosshairs of a surveillance state run by Democrat politicians, McCarthy said in a statement.

If these companies comply with the Democrat order to turn over private information, they are in violation of federal law and subject to losing their ability to operate in the United States. If companies still choose to violate federal law, a Republican majority will not forget and will stand with Americans to hold them fully accountable under the law, he added.

Thompson sent letters to 35 companies this week asking them to preserve records relating to certain individuals who hold or have held accounts with your company from April 1, 2020, to January 31, 2021.

Thompson told executives at the companies that his panel was seeking the preservation of the records as part of its probe into Jan. 6 and identified specific people about whom he wants information.

The identities were not made public.

The companies who received requests either could not be reached or did not respond to requests for comment.

Some had already received letters from the committee the previous week.

The panel responded to McCarthy by saying that it has asked companies not to destroy records that may help answer questions for the American people regarding Jan. 6, when protesters and rioters breached the U.S. Capitol during a joint congressional session.

The committees efforts wont be deterred by those who want to whitewash or cover up the events of January 6th, or obstruct our investigation, the panel added in a social media post.

Schiff, the House Intelligence chairman, said on MSNBC that there is historical precedent for seeking records related to members of Congress, primarily during ethics investigations.

I think participating in an insurrection, an armed insurrection against the government is among the most serious ethics violations you could imagine, if not more than that, he said.

I think that at the end of the day were determined that whoever was involved in this effort to prevent the peaceful transfer of power should not be able to hide behind their office. We want to develop all the facts, he added. If people were not involved in trying to overturn the government, they shouldnt be concerned. But Kevin McCarthy clearly is, for a variety of reasons.
Competing School Choice Initiatives Planned for Californias 2022 Election

Commentary

When asked why one should vote to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom, one response that seems to come up most frequently is that his four children are attending a private school.

While Newsom is kowtowing to the public-school teachers unions and shutting down educational opportunities this past year for some 6 million children, he can afford to send his kids to a private institution. How hypocritical can it be?

The governor has messaged to some 40 million people that Californias educational system isnt good enough for his kids. And hes right. So, Ill spare you the sad statistics of just how poorly the Golden States educational monopoly system is performing.

No wonder so many of the Republican candidates for governor in the upcoming recall election support school choice.

In California, children are required to attend the campus within the school district where they reside. This ZIP code mandate has an exception. You can request an inter-district transfer. Getting an intra-district transfer also is possible, but not easy.

Owning a new home, with its high property taxes, makes private school difficult for most young couples with school age children. They are limited to the school in their immediate neighborhood. Thats fine if the local public school system is providing excellent teachers and administrators. But, with minimal competition, the fear is that the staffing becomes complacent, arrogant, and lazy. After all, parents have no other choice, so why should the school district be striving for excellence?

California parents have tried twice to remedy this paradigm by voting in a voucher school choice program for educating their children.

Proposition 174 in November 1993 went down to defeat, thanks to the teachers unions spending some $18 million in opposition. Prop. 174 would have provided vouchers for an amount representing one-half of what the state was then spending on teaching studentsroughly $2,500for private school opportunities.

In 2000, Proposition 38 attempted vouchers again for about $4,000 per student. It also was defeated, garnering around 30 percent of the vote. The California Teachers Association and their campaign war chest, funded by union dues, was too powerful.

When an Orange County resident approached me in 2017 about doing another school choice ballot measure, I reminded him of these two prior efforts. But he had a different idea. Determine how much California spends on each student and allocate that amount to each of them, allowing the funding to follow the student.

Let me explain. In 1988, Californians approved Proposition 98. In a nutshell, it requires roughly 40 percent of the states General Fund to be dedicated to education. Divide this amount by the approximately 6 million school age students, and that now translates into about $14,000 per eligible child.

If the neighborhood school is fine, and parents continue having their children attend it, then these funds stay with the school district. If the parents select a private school, then they have $14,000 for a years tuition. If the tuition is higher, then they pay the difference. If it is lower, then the savings are added to the students next years funding. After graduating from the 12th grade, any remaining unused funds can be applied against the college tuition at a California state university (CSU) or University of California (UC) campus for successful applicants.

This idea made great sense, and I proposed legislation in 2018, Senate Bill 1344 and Senate Constitutional Amendment 16, to accomplish this objective.

As you can imagine, the Democrats on the Senate Education Committee, being beholden to the California Teachers Association, unanimously opposed the bills. If a bill doesnt get out of committee, then it is killed. On April 4, 2018, state Sens. Allen, Galgiani, Leyva, and Pan killed the Education Savings Account Act of 2020.

The story didnt end there. This exercise provided the template for a school choice ballot measure, as it was thoroughly reviewed by one of the best law firms in the state, the legislative counsel inside the Capitol, to make it litigation-proof.

The originator of the bills idea decided against putting it on the 2020 ballot. A group out of the Pasadena area, School Choice Foundation, decided to run with the ball for the 2022 November ballot. Along the way, they collaborated with two other groups to improve SB 1344, such as removing the eligibility for only the UC and CSU systems and making the unused funds available for any college or trade school.

At the conclusion of this exercise, the leadership of the School Choice Foundation decided to disregard several of the suggested editing changes. Regretfully, a meeting of the minds couldnt be achieved and one of the new groups, Fix California, decided to also submit their version to the secretary of state. Consequently, you will see two like-minded volunteer organizations pursuing signatures for two similar ballot measures, both based on my legislative efforts.

The good news is that school choice initiatives are moving forward. The bad news is that personalities and disagreements about stated understandings will generate two versions and may split the donor and volunteer community. One can only hope that egos will get out of the way and a compromise can be achieved after the secretary of state, legislative analyst, and attorney general conclude the administrative vetting process for both submissions.

Giving inner city parents the ability to allocate $14,000 toward their childrens tuition will give them the same ability to send their children to the private schools that the Newsoms enjoy. A good education for their children is the highest priority of parents. They know that this is the best road to a successful adulthood.

And every parent wants their children to succeednot just governors who have the financial well-being to do it on their own, yet mandate that everyone else endure a mediocre school system.
A healthcare worker displays a COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card during a vaccine and health clinic at QueensCare Health Center in a predominantly Latino neighborhood in Los Angeles, Calif., on Aug. 11, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

Controversial Statewide Proof of Vaccination Bill in California Delayed Until 2022

IRVINE, Calif.Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks said she will hold her proposed statewide vaccine verification bill, Assembly Bill 455, from moving forward in the State Legislature until 2022, in order to allow more time to create the strongest policy possible and provide for additional stakeholder collaboration.

Im proud of the framework weve created for this bill, and of the collaboration thats taken place among such a diverse group of stakeholders. Im committed to working with my colleagues and key stakeholders to make this the strongest bill possible headed into 2022, she said in an Aug. 30 statement.

Originally a transportation bill meant to address the San Francisco Bay Bridge Corridor, AB 455 has been thoroughly amended to become a bill requiring employers to mandate COVID-19 vaccines or weekly testing of employees.

While I believe that vaccines are an important tool we have for beating COVID-19, and encourage all to consult with their doctors and strongly consider getting vaccinated, I continue to believe that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is a personal choice that should be honored. For this reason, I am opposed to AB 455 as proposed to be amended, said State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) in an Aug. 30 statement.

Around 65,000 people in California have been reported as dying from COVID-19, although specific data on co-morbidity issues associated with those deaths is not readily available. According to 2019 Census numbers, Californias total population is estimated to be about 39.5 million.

The state is one of the most populated states in the nation, the fifth largest economy in the world, and the largest economy in the United States.

According to the bill, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing published guidance on March 4, 2021 entitled Employment Information on COVID-19, which noted that under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), an employer may require employees to receive a vaccination against COVID-19.

The proposed bill states The Legislature further finds and declares that this legislation, which would establish new proof-of-vaccination requirements for public establishments, as defined, and employment, is reasonable and necessary to address this monumental public health crisis and to protect the public health and well-being of the people of California.

If passed in 2022 as proposed currently, the bill would require that all employers, in both public and private sectors, require all employees eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, to show proof of vaccination or take a weekly COVID-19 test.

Wicks, in partnership with Senator Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), Asm. Akilah Weber, M.D. (D-San Diego), Asm. Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley), Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), and Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), said in the statement that she will continue to work on the proposed bill language as they head into the next legislative session.

Every day, thousands of Californians are newly affected by this virusand we have a collective responsibility to do all we can to protect each and every one of them, Wicks said in a press release.

Its on all of us to protect our kids who cant get vaccinated, to keep our neighbors from being the newest patients in the ICU, to make sure no family has to plan a funeral that never needed to happen. We all want these tragic times to be over, and to see the pandemic behind usand the fact is that vaccinations are our pathway there.
Corn Crashes as Hurricane Ida Devastates Busiest US Export Hub

By Kim Chipman and Megan Durisin

From Bloomberg News

Corn prices in Chicago sank to a seven-week low as broken grain elevators and power outages in the U.S.s busiest agricultural port raised concerns about grain supplies with nowhere to go.

Hurricane Ida left more than 1 million homes and businesses without electricity in southern Louisiana and also shuttered export terminals in New Orleans. Food supply chains were already under severe pressure amid the pandemic, with shortages of everything from packaging to truck drivers.

The U.S. is the worlds biggest corn supplier and about two-thirds of its grain and soy exports exit through ports surrounding the southern metropolis. If disruptions linger, it could cause a supply glut just as growers in the Midwest Corn Belt start harvesting crops.

Boats, barges, fleets are a mess and will take some time to get any flow back running, Advance Trading Inc.s Drew Moore said in a Farm Progress post-Tuesday.

The biggest U.S. farm cooperative, CHS Inc., said it will divert vessels from a shuttered Louisiana terminal through September, and that power may not be restored for as long as four weeks.

December corn futures in Chicago dropped as much as 3.2 percent to $5.2525 a bushel, the lowest since mid-July. November soybeans also fell.

Weekly crop ratings from the U.S. government on Monday showed that soy and corn conditions held steady from the prior week.

Both commodities are on track to end August with a fourth straight month of losses amid an uncertain demand outlook and an ease in weather-driven supply concerns. Thats the longest such streak in a year for corn and since 2014 for soy.

Wheat futures in Chicago fluctuated. Soybean oil fell for a second day, pulling back as much as 3.4 percent.

Elsewhere, Canada, the worlds biggest canola grower, expects to harvest its smallest crop of the oilseed in nine years after heat and drought slashed yields. Its wheat output could reach a 14-year low.

Canola futures in the U.S. fell a fourth consecutive day, dropping as much as 1.3 percent.

2021 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A Moderna COVID-19 vaccination is administered to a woman at the Doolittle Senior Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on Feb. 3, 2021. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

COVID-19 Hospital Admissions Fall for 1st Time in Weeks Across US: HHS

Hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients in the United States are declining for the first time since late June, suggesting the latest surge has peaked.

The seven-day average of new daily hospitalizations with confirmed COVID-19 dropped by 2.4 percent from a week earlier to about 12,280the first such drop since around June 27, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It comes as fewer hospitalizations are being reported in Florida, Texas, and other Southern states, the agency said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 tracker shows that the seven-day average for both deaths and cases appears to be leveling out. Previous surges of casesincluding in the spring of 2020, in late July to early August 2020, and January 2021always leveled out and then dropped.

During prior surges, the COVID-19 death rate appeared to be higher, according to the CDCs data. For example, on Jan. 13 of this yearwhich saw the most COVID-19 deaths per daythe number of daily deaths was about 4,169, with about 240,000 daily cases. Amid the current surge, on Aug. 31 the CDC reported the number of daily deaths (seven-day average) to be about 985, with about 150,000 daily cases.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 tracker for deaths. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 tracker for cases. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

According to the CDCs latest data, about 74.4 percent of all U.S. adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

A new study published in Nature last week revealed that about one-third of all Americans, or more than 100 million people, had likely been infected with COVID-19 by the end of 2020. Officially, about 19.6 million cases of the virus were confirmed across the country.

Dr. Jeffrey Shaman, director of the Climate and Health Program at Columbia University, told WebMD that the death rate from COVID-19 fell from 0.77 percent in April 2020 to 0.31 in December 2020, meaning that by the end of last year, the COVID-19 survival rate for all demographics was 99.69 percent. The estimated death rate for influenza is 0.08 percent, the researchers noted.

There are still more people susceptible than we had believed, Dr. Jill Foster, a pediatric infectious disease doctor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, said in the report. If the pattern continues where the Delta variant infects a significant portion of those vaccinated, the number of people susceptible rises even higher than was predicted.

Last week, researchers in Israel found that individuals who had previously been infected with COVID-19 saw greater protection against the Delta variant than those who received both Pfizer vaccine shots.

This study demonstrated that natural immunity confers longer-lasting and stronger protection against infection, symptomatic disease and hospitalization caused by the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, compared to the BNT162b2 two-dose vaccine-induced immunity, the researchers wrote, noting that their study has yet to be peer-reviewed.

COVID-19 is the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2.
American service members deployed for Mission Resolute Support ride in a helicopter over Kabul on the way to Bagram Air Field in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept. 5, 2017. (Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images)

Cui Bono? Who Benefits From the Afghanistan Withdrawal?

Commentary

How does a leader decide what to do?

The most logical response is: Cui bono?Who benefits?from the decision.

If some policy benefits your country most, you should, within moral bounds, pursue it.

If your enemies benefit most, you should avoid it.

Id be curious to learn what answer proponents of America leaving Afghanistanconservative or liberalwould give to the question, Cui bono?

I can say that until this moment, I have not read or heard a single cogent argument from proponents of American withdrawal as to how exactly it benefits America.

Twenty years is too long, or its variant, we have to end these endless wars, the most commonly offered argument for withdrawal, has nothing to do with benefiting America.

It is an emotional sentiment, not a rational argument.

The withdrawal has already cost us in a single day more service members lives than we lost on any one day in Afghanistan since June 2014, seven years ago.

The number of American servicemen killed in Afghanistan per year from 2015 to 2020 is respectively 22, 9, 14, 14, 21, and 11. No one can seriously argue that we are leaving Afghanistan because of high American casualties.

So, while America doesnt benefit at all from leaving Afghanistan, it does get hurt.

The damage to the reputation of Americaas an ally and as a strong countryis not easily overstated.

The damage done to NATO, whose members President Joe Biden didnt bother to consult, is greater than any damage former President Donald Trumpwhom the left-wing mainstream media constantly attacked for damaging NATOwas alleged to have done.

On the other hand, Cui bono? has some very clear answers: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, every Islamic terror group in the world and every other anti-American regime and movement.

In the Daily Wire, Ben Shapiro compiled a list of recent Western weakness in the face of tyrants and the commensurate strengthening of those tyrants:

The Wests abandonment of Hong Kong in the face of Chinese aggression last year.

The Wests continuing desire for a rapprochement with the Iranian mullahcracy.

The Wests routine appeasement of Russia.

All speak to the unwillingness of the Westand the Wests leader, the United Statesto stand up for allies anywhere on earth.

Afghanistan is simply the latest, and by far the most stunning, example of abandonment of an American ally 

Chinas Global Times, a Communist Party mouthpiece, chortled, From what happened in Afghanistan, those in Taiwan should perceive that once a war breaks out in the Straits, the islands defense will collapse in hours and U.S. military wont come to help. As a result (Taiwan) will quickly surrender.

Indeed, given the window presented by the Biden administration, it would be somewhat of a surprise if China didnt attempt some sort of action against Taiwan in the next few years 

Foreign policy abhors vacuums, and the United States has now created one. That means that erstwhile American allies will begin to play footsie with countries like Russia and China, believing that American commitments mean little. They have reason for such suspicions, obviously.

The effects on Americans perceptions of the military constitute another terrible price paid by leaving Afghanistan. More and more Americans see the military as more concerned with fighting white supremacy in America and transphobia in the military than with fighting for the supremacy of freedom on earth. This is new. And it will have a devastating effect on both America and the military. One obvious consequence: Who will want to enlist in a woke military? (Perhaps thats the goal.)

It seems that every generation has to relearn the basic laws of life, such as this one: There are many bad people and many bad countries in the world, and only a fear of good countries prevents them from conquering other countries.

There is less fear of good countries in the world today than at any time since World War II. And that is especially so because the good countries are preoccupied with their own alleged evils rather than with the worlds real evils.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Death Row Inmate Resentenced Amid Intellectual Disability Claims

A man charged with double murder in 1985 was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after his intellectual disability deemed him ineligible for the death penalty.

The death penalty has been shown to not deter crime, has a history of racial bias, and is fiscally irresponsible, District Attorney Gascon said in an Aug. 31 statement. The death sentence imposed against this intellectually disabled person over 30 years ago has been corrected with a sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Michelle Boyd, an 18-year-old UCLA freshman, and Brain Harris, a 20-year-old sophomore attending Cal State Northridge were kidnapped in Westwood on Sept. 30, 1985, when Stanley Bernard Davis carjacked and murdered them.

The two Southern California college students were found shot in the head in a field on Mulholland Dr.

The jury found Davis guilty of murder, robbery, and kidnapping of the students, and he was sentenced to death in 1989.

In 2003, Davis sought out an appeal for his 1989 conviction to remove the death penalty. He presented over 200 documents sitting he met the legal criteria of an intellectual disability; thus, making him ineligible for capital punishment.

On Aug. 31, Daviss fate changed after nearly 30 years as prosecutors approved of his intellectual disability claim. Davis was resentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

The Los Angeles District Attorneys Office has been in contact with the families of the victims and is providing any and all services as we ensure justice is served in this case.
Portrait of Battista Sforza and Federico da Montefeltro, circa 14731475, by Piero della Francesca. Oil on wood; 19 inches by 13 inches per panel. Uffizi Gallery. (Public Domain)

Delving Into an Incomparable Work of Renaissance Portraiture

The double portraits of Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza by Piero della Francesca in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, is an intriguing masterpiece by one of the greatest painters of the Italian Renaissance.

Portraits of Battista Sforza and Federico da Montefeltro, circa 14731475 , by Piero della Francesca. Oil on wood; 19 inches by 13 inches per panel. Uffizi Galleries. (Public Domain)

Most familiar to art lovers are its superb profile portraits of two notable early Renaissance personages. But it also comprises, on the back of the portrait panels, uniquely captivating allegorical scenes, representing each of them in a triumphal procession, above a simulated parapet bearing a Latin inscription.

The left panel depicting Federico da Montefeltro in Triumphs of Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza, circa 14731475, by Piero della Francesca. Oil on wood; 19 inches by 13 inches per panel. The Uffizi Galleries. (PD-US)

An allegorical scene honoring Battista Sforza on the back of her portrait. (Uffizi Galleries)

Though now displayed in a rigid modern frame, the work was originally designed as a portable folding diptych (two-panel painting), hinged to fold with the allegorical scenes on the outside. Thus it was no doubt intended for intimate personal reflection rather than for public display.

Despite the diptychs artistic quality and distinctive content, no documents have as yet shed light on its genesis. Since Federico was a highly erudite patron of the arts, and Piero is known to have spent time in Urbino during the period leading up to the likely date of the diptych, it has generally been assumed that Federico commissioned the work himself.

In-depth consideration of the works imagery and inscriptions in the light of key biographical information about the subjects casts serious doubt on that long-standing assumption, however. It also suggests a much more interesting origin, as I will point out below.

First, a little about the couple represented in the diptych.

Who Were These People?

Federico da Montefeltro (14221482) and Battista Sforza (14461472) were the count and countess of Urbino, a hill town in the Marches region of eastern Central Italy. The Uffizi Gallery website erroneously refers to them as the duke and duchess of Urbino. Since Battista died two years before Federico (often spelled Federigo) was elevated to the dukedom, she never became duchess of Urbino.

Federico was the greatest of all the Renaissance condottieri (commanders for hire)not for his military prowess alone but for his creation of a ducal court second to none in cultural development and refinement. Baldassare Castigliones classic Book of the Courtier dubbed him the light of Italy.

BattistaFedericos second wifewas a scion of the powerful Sforza dynasty centered in Milan. Classically educated and schooled in the formal duties of court life from an early age, she was a remarkably fit consort for Federico, though 24 years his junior. Not yet 14 when they married, she bore him no fewer than seven children and capably managed their domain during his frequent absences in the pursuit of military campaigns.

Pieros Depiction

Both Federico and Battista were widely praised in their day for their virtuous qualities and their benevolence as rulers. Pieros depiction of them amply reflects such nobility of character, showing them in dignified profile high above a landscape backdrop suggestive of their domain.

Comparison with other portraits of Federico, both earlier and later, reveals the extent to which Piero idealized and refined the battered warriors features to suggest dignity and probity. A telling contrast is the homely countenance shown in a medal by Clemente da Urbino dated 1468. Though probably a few years earlier than the Piero portrait, it lacks the vigor of the later depiction.

Medal of Federico da Montefeltro, 1468, by Clemente da Urbino. (Saiko/CC-BY-SA 3.0)

Less is known about Battistas actual appearance. But a striking aspect of Pieros depiction of her is her extreme pallor compared to Federicos sanguine complexion. While it may simply be due to conceptions of feminine beauty in that era, it has also been interpreted as indicating that she was no longer living when the portrait was painted.

Significantly, the pairing of such profile portraits with allegorical scenes on their reverse is unique among extant paintings. It was characteristic of commemorative medals dating back to antiquity, however, and thus endows the work with a decidedly monumental quality.

The Allegorical Triumphs

The allegorical scenes on the back of the portraits are especially rich, both stylistically and iconographically, and their meaning is enhanced by Latin inscriptions on the simulated architectural parapets below them.

Their iconography draws on a long and complex tradition harking back to Roman triumphs in celebration of major military victories.

Circa 1791 reconstruction by Jean-Guillaume Moitte of The Triumph of Titus panel from the Arch of Titus, Rome, first century. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. (Public Domain)

That tradition had been greatly enriched by a series of allegorical poems penned in the 14th century by the early Italian poet Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). In contrast to the Roman military triumphs, Petrarchs Triumphs were allegories of philosophic and moral abstractions: Love, Chastity, Death, Fame, Time, and Eternity.

Pieros luminous pictorial triumphs contain elements from both the classical and the Petrarchan traditions. Federicos triumphal car is drawn by a team of white horses, as was customary for victorious commanders in antiquity. Like them, he is also crowned by a winged personification of Victory.

In addition, Federico is accompanied by four allegorical figures, seated at the front of his car.

They differ from those of Petrarch, however, instead representing the four cardinal virtues of the Catholic faith, which also had roots in ancient Greek philosophy. They were Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperanceattributes especially relevant to leadership.

In contrast, Battistas triumph represents the three theological virtues, which were generally regarded as especially relevant to the feminine sphere. They are Faith, Hope, and Charity. Most important here is the figure of Charity, who sits at the forefront of the car holding a pelican.

That attribute has particular significance, as it was not generally employed in secular contexts. Because the pelican was believed to pierce its breast to feed its young with its own blood, it had come to symbolize Christs sacrifice for mankind. As we shall see, it bore poignant relevance to Battista.

Next to Charity is the personification of Faith, holding a chalice and a cross. Standing behind Battista and facing toward the viewer is the figure of Hope. The other standing figure, garbed in gray with her back turned to us, may represent a nun of the Clarissan order, with which Battista had close personal ties.

As in Petrarchs Triumph of Chastity, Battistas triumphal car is drawn by unicorns, emblematic of Chastity, further suggesting her virtuous character.

The Latin Inscriptions

Important clues to the date and genesis of the diptych are offered by the prominent transcriptions below the triumphal scenes. Federicos inscription clearly alludes, in the present tense, to his greatness as a commander. Rendered in English it reads:

The famous one is drawn in glorious triumph

Whom, equal to the supreme age-old captains,

The fame of his excellence fitly celebrates,

As he holds his scepter.

In contrast, Battistas inscription begins by referring to her in the past tense.

She who retained modesty in good fortune

Now flies through all the mouths of men

Adorned with the praise of her great husbands deeds.

Moreover, the phrase flies through all the mouths of men echoes lines that the Latin poet Ennius had penned as his epitaph:

Let no one honor me with tears or on my ashes weep. Why?

I fly living through the mouths of men.

Made famous by the more eminent Latin writer Cicerowho quoted them in his philosophic meditations on deaththe epitaph of Ennius was taken to mean that the fame of a virtuous person extends beyond death.

The clear implication of Battistas inscription, therefore, is that she was no longer living when the diptych was created.

Who Commissioned This Remarkable Work?

In his 2014 biography of Piero della Francesca, James R. Banker argues (based in part on the Latin transcriptions) that the diptych was painted soon after Battistas death, and that it was commissioned by Federico to memorialize his wife and their marriage.

While I agree about the date, I have long believed that Federicos commissioning the diptych would have been incompatible with the tragic circumstances surrounding Battistas death. Let me summarize the main events here.

When Battista died, in early July 1472, Federico had just returned home following his most celebrated military campaign. On behalf of the Medici rulers of Florence, he had suppressed a rebellion by the city of Volterra, a mineral-rich Florentine tributary. In gratitude, the city of Florence had granted him the rare tribute of a live triumph, to which Pieros pictorial triumph may well allude.

Equally important, in January of that year Battista had at last given birth to the couples only son and heir, Guidobaldoafter 11 years of marriage, during which she had borne at least six daughters. The death of his young wife so soon after that joyous event inspired intense mourning on Federicos part, and an outpouring of sympathy throughout Italy.

To compound the tragedy, it was reported that Battista had prayed for a son and heir worthy of her noble husband, offering her own life in returna pledge she had now fulfilled. The pelican of Charity in her triumphal scene is a likely allusion to that sacrifice.

Given that sorrowful context, I argued decades ago in a thesis on the diptych that the verses inscribed under the triumphs strike a jarring note.

The proud vaunt of Federicos inscription seems inappropriate to his grief. And the meager praise of his beloved countess, whose fame is said to derive not so much from her own virtue as from the deeds of her famous husband, is an ungenerous  final tribute; one would think that the paintings were more a monument to Federico than a commemoration of his consort. Surely this is not the most fitting memorial a bereaved husband could devise for a wife who was eulogized by all Italy.

Consequently, I proposed that the diptych had been commissioned for Federico, not by himas both a tribute to him and a consolation for his great loss.

As I further suggested, it is tempting to think that the donor of such a splendid gift might have been none other than the eminent patron of the arts Lorenzo de Mediciwho would have had particular reason to honor Federico, given the crucial victory at Volterra.

This article is based on Michelle Marder Kamhis art history Masters thesis, which can be read in full at TinyURL.com/v7t329da. For more about her work, see mmkamhi.com

Correction:

An earlier version of this article had mismatched the captions for the back panels of the portraits. The left panel depicts Federico da Montefeltro. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Derelict Gas Station Turns Into a Roadside Diner in 10 Weeks and Locals Are Loving It

A derelict gas station in West Cork, Ireland, has been given a new lease on life as a roadside diner, and locals are relishing this foodie heaven.

Trained chef Faye Bolger, 30, has run the Bally Bia food store in the village of Ballydehob since she was 26 years old. When the store began outgrowing its premises in 2020, with its kitchen spreading into an adjoining living room as demand increased, and no room for outdoor dining which was restricted due to Covid-19, Faye was forced to think outside the box.

Bally Bia owner Faye Bolger. (Courtesy of Faye Bolger)

Faye told The Epoch Times that she then approached a friend and customer who happens to be the landlord of a local gas station that hadnt been functional in over 15 years.

He was delighted to let us use it, Faye said. I defiantly wanted to stay in Ballydehob, no matter what else, so we talked about many options and couldnt find any reason not to go where we did.

Structurally, Faye said, the gas station building was in good condition. Cosmetically, it needed some work. Luckily, with the goodwill of local tradesmen and help from Fayes father, a builder, the project turned around quickly.

The derelict gas station before the transformation into a brand-new store and kitchen. (Screenshot/Google Maps)

The derelict station became a brand-new store and kitchen while the forecourt was transformed into a stylish, spacious outdoor dining area with a canopy, compliant with COVID-19 regulations.

In just 10 weekseight for the renovation, plus a two-week delay owing to electrical worksthe new Bally Bia opened its doors in time for the busiest season.

Describing the opening as a bit of a mad rush, Faye told CorkBeo that business has been crazy since the early July opening. Were open Wednesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and weve been really, really busy, she said. We couldnt have asked for a better opening.

Bally Bias new location. (Courtesy of Brian McMahon @brandnewretro via Faye Bolger)

In an effort to champion local businesses, Bally Bia has also teamed up with a pub across the street, OBriens, by serving food to patrons on the forecourt while inviting them to bring their drinks from the pub to enjoy with their meals.

Serving traditional British fish and chips, the Bally Bia kitchen also offers burgers and a variety of Thai dishes made with fresh, mostly local produce. Faye speculates that the kitchen will revert to take-out food in winter, or will perhaps partner with OBriens again by serving their food inside the pub.

Referring to the change, Faye admitted to The Epoch Times that she felt scared the first time she saw her new storefront and eatery. However, she was blown away by the positive reception of the local community and remains grateful to family, friends, and the team that made it happen.

The response is overwhelming, people seem so grateful that we took it on and equally as grateful for the food they like, she said.

Faye added that there are some challenges sometimes with problems owing to people or paperwork, but it usually gets resolved in the end.

I take each [problem] as it comes, Faye said. A few tears and stressful nights, and its usually sorted.

Ballydehobs culinary reputation is on the rise. The villagealso home to a Michelin-starred restaurant, The Chestnutreceived high praise from Irelands John and Sally McKennas Guides ahead of the 2021 summer season.

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
Disposable diapers may not be the better option, even in terms of convenience. (HDesert/Shutterstock)

Disposable Diapers: Bad News for Babies and the Planet

The world produces millions of everlasting diaper bombs, a stinky mess with an easy alternative

A popular baby shower decoration is to make a three-tiered cake out of disposable diapers.

Theyre one of my favorite gifts to take to a baby shower because they double as a decoration, Jennifer, owner of The Craft Patch, wrote on her how-to blog about diaper cakes. Theyre a handy gift that you know every new mom will be able to use.

The global baby diaper industry was valued at nearly $53 billion in 2019 and, according to Allied Market Research, will reach $68 billion in the next six years. Part of the reason that the market, which includes both disposable and reusable diapers, is growing so quickly worldwide is that disposable diapers are convenient, safe and time-saving, and a boon for working women, according to an Allied Market Research report.

Indeed, the diaper industry has done direct-to-consumer advertising for years to convince parents that plastic, single-use, throw-away diapers are the easier and best option.

But are they really?

Jamie Syken and his wife Melissa owned an eco-friendly baby store called Growing Green Baby in Ashland, Oregon, for many years. They have three children: Jonathan, whos 12 (and attended the same learning pod as my 11-year-old in 2020); Theo, whos 9; and baby Evelyn, whos just five months old.

The Sykens dont think disposable diapers are time-saving, safe, or convenient. They dont like single-use diapers for two main reasons: the negative health effects and the inconvenience. Instead, theyve used cloth diapers for all of their kids.

I think its honestly easier, Jamie Syken said. You dont have 20 dirty diapers sitting in a trash can at your house.

When youre running low on cloth diapers, you simply do a load of laundry, the Sykens noted. But if you run out of plastic diapers and youre alone with a small baby, it becomes an emergency. They dont think theres anything convenient about putting a baby in a vehicle, making sure you have enough gas, driving to the store, taking the baby out of their car seat, purchasing diapers, strapping the baby back in, and driving back home again.

How Many Diapers Are We Talking About?

Every baby is different, but most newborns urinate between 6 and 10 times per day, if not more, and defecate at least 3 times per day. Since single-use plastic diapers can hold a lot of liquid, most parents dont change a baby every time they pee. Still, youre likely to go through an average of six to eight diapers per day. That means a baby soils, on average, more than 6,000 diapers during the first two years of their lives.

According to a 1991 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report, an estimated 20 billion plastic diapers are added to U.S. landfills each year, creating about 3.5 million tons of yearly waste.

The same EPA report notes that disposable diapers run the risk of introducing pathogens into the environment via human feces, which have the potential to pollute both the soil and the groundwater, a concern echoed by the American Public Health Association.

Its a biological hazard to throw the poop into the trash, Melissa Syken said. Youre supposed to shake the solids into the toilet, but most people dont even know to do that.

Plastic Diapers Arent Actually Disposable

When my oldest brother was born in 1959, cloth diapers were the only choice. By the time my mom had her second baby, not quite two years later, the first throw-away single-use diapers were available for purchase.

Those diapers, invented by Victor Mills in 1961 in Illinois, were a bulky and uncomfortable product. So when my third brother and I came along in the late 1960s, lured by the advertising, many U.S. families were switching over. Still, my parents used a cloth diaper service for all four of us.

People say, Take the trash out, my mom, a prominent microbiologist and noted environmentalist, said years ago when I asked her why she objected to plastic products. Out where? Where do you think it goes?

My moms question had teeth: Experts estimate that a plastic diaper takes between 100 and 500 years to decompose. But no one really knows. That means that every diaper that has ever been soiled and thrown into a landfill since 1961 has yet to disintegrate.

Single-Use Diapers Off-Gas

Jamie Syken also objected to how bad plastic diapers smell. Open a package and youll get a whiff. He told me that he doesnt think off-gassing of  plastics 10 inches from your babys face is healthy.

Indeed, several studies show that single-use plastic diapers may be causing or exacerbating asthma, a condition thats now being diagnosed with increasing frequency in very young children. According to the American Lung Association, asthma affects more than 6 million children in the United States, and its the third-leading cause of hospitalization for children younger than 15.

In one study, Acute Respiratory Effects of Diaper Emissions, which was published in the Archives of Environmental Health, rodents exposed to different brands of plastic diapers suffered from eye, nose, and throat irritation, as well as from bronchial constriction akin to an asthma attack.

That study found that measurable amounts of various chemicals, including ethylbenzene, isopropylbenzene, styrene, tolune, and xylene, off-gassed from the diapers, leading the researchers to hypothesize that they were the cause of mices respiratory distress.

Disposable diapers should be considered as one of the factors that might cause or exacerbate asthmatic conditions, the researchers wrote.

Evelyn Marie Syken, 5 months old, has been wearing cloth diapers since birth. (Photo courtesy of Melissa Syken)

Too Hot?

In addition to concerns about asthma, single-use plastic diapers are likely more unhealthy for boys than for girls. In order to keep sperm healthy, male genitalia must stay at a cooler temperature than 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Thats why the male reproductive organs are outside the body. But disposable diapers keep the genital area hotter than is healthy for sperm production and mobility, especially when not changed frequently.

According to a German study of 48 healthy children that was published in Archives of Disease in Childhood, scrotal temperatures are significantly and consistently higher in boys wearing disposable diapers than in boys wearing cloth.

Male fertility rates in Western countries have been declining rapidly, according to an extensive analysis of the existing data and trends, which was published in Human Reproductive Update in 2017.

The overuse of disposable diapers, the team of German scientists concluded, may be a reason for the ongoing decline in male reproductive health.

The physiological testicular cooling mechanism is blunted and often completely abolished during plastic nappy use, the scientists wrote.

A scientific review, published in 2012, further implicates disposable diapers in male infertility, as well as asthma and other respiratory problems, cancer, and liver damage.

Pollution in the Pacific



J. Maarten Troost, author of The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific, detailed how disposable diaper waste has even reached a remote island in an atoll in the Republic of Kiribati, 5,000 miles from anywhere.

Troost described how disposable diapers are littered around his house, sticking to the coral reefs, and stinking in the sun. The pollution on Tarawa is so bad that most of the coral around the island is dead. But one day, when Troost was out diving he unexpectedly found some live coral: a few splashes of color on an abused reef.

Unfortunately, Troost lamented in his book, Elsewhere on the island the color was provided by those with advanced degrees in marketing and package engineering. There was rubbish everywhere, cans and rags and diapers listlessly swaying the current  it was disheartening seeing what was being done to their habitat.

More Sustainable Than Single-Use: Cloth Diapers

Gone are the days of flat diapers and pins (though some retro-chic parents still use those). Now there are dozens of different reusable diaper systems, including cloth diapersusually made from cotton, hemp, or woolthat use Velcro or snaps to fit snugly, pocket diapers, and all-in-ones. All-in-ones, which are popular and easy to use, are reusable diapers that have the cover and the absorbent material inside attached together. You can find them with boldly printed covers decorated with U.S. flags, monkeys-and-hearts, sailboats, and any other pattern of which you can think.

When it comes to environmental questions, researchers caution that its difficult to do an accurate cradle-to-grave analysis. The National Wildlife Federation points out that conventional cotton is a crop grown with a lot of pesticides. And industry-funded studies have shown that more water is used to clean cloth diapers than to generate plastic ones, which can be a problem, especially in drought-prone areas.

Still, reusable diapers keep thousands of tons of trash out of the landfills, end up costing less to the consumer in the long run, and also seem to be much gentler on babies sensitive skin. According to the Real Diaper Association, reusable diapers are more ecologically friendly, more affordable, and healthier than single-use plastic diapers. Theyre also a lot cuter.

Making the Switch

Parents who love fluff are happy and eager to help newbies, share advice, and get you started with some hand-me-downs. There are online chat groups and demo videos, and diaper experts abound.

Kaila Dawson, a mother of three who lives in Pierson, Florida, switched from plastic to cloth diapers when her oldest, Micah, was four months old. She made the change because single-use plastic diapers gave her newborn diaper rash.

Cloth diapering was really easy, Dawson insists.

That said, when her third baby came along, Dawson used a combination of cloth and more expensive, more natural single-use diapers.

The only reason I really took a break was that we moved, and it took a while to find the cloth diapers when we were unpacking, she said, noting that she had a poor-quality laundry machine that made it hard to get the diapers clean.

Cari Shagena, a mother based in southern California, also used cloth diapers with her daughter, Farrah, who is 6 1/2 years old now. Shagenas favorite reusable diapers were pocket diapers, which consist of a washable diaper cover with a pocket.

Cari Shagena (R) and daughter Farrah. (Photo courtesy of Cari Shagena)

You stuff the inserts inside, snap it on baby, and youre good to go, Shagena said. They fit just like a disposable diaper but are harder for littles to remove on their own, which is very helpful.

Shagena was very happy using cloth diapers with Farrah.

I loved that they were more comfortable for my baby, she said. I loved that I was helping keep the environment healthy and not adding to the landfills. I loved that I knew my baby had only natural fibers against her skin without any harsh chemicals or toxins.  And the adorable fabrics and patterns made it so much fun. She looked dressed up even in the summertime when she refused to wear clothes.

There are so many things to love about reusable diapers.

Blowouts are also mostly unheard of with cloth diapers. That was partly a deciding factor to switch to cloth, Shagena said.

Going Diaper-Free

How fast children learn to use the potty is another factor: Disposables are so absorbent that babies dont feel the wetness when they pee. The average age of potty training has continued to go up in the United States, where it isnt uncommon to see a 4- or 5-year-old still wearing diapers. While part of that may be due to the rise of special needs in children, its much harder to learn to use the potty without physical cues. Children wearing cloth diapers tend to learn more easily.

Some parents help their babies potty train from an early age by reading the infants cues and teaching them to associate a sound (like a soft grunt or a whoosh noise) with elimination. Inspired by Christine Gross-Lohs book, The Diaper-Free Baby, my husband and I did that with our youngest. When we thought she needed to go, we simply took off her diaper and held her over the toilet or a little white bowl. When she peed, we made a sh-sh-sh sound. She learned to associate peeing with that noise and started peeing only when her diaper was off. Our fourth baby never had a diaper rash and barely ever soiled a diaper.

While going diaper-free may seem strange to U.S. parents, its common in many countries around the world.

Potty Pants

Sean Wang and his wife have a diaper-free system to help toddlers learn to go in the toilet and not in their diapers or pants. Wang said his wife and he tried everything to potty train their toddler in their Brooklyn apartment, but their son refused to go unless he was wearing a diaper.

Just as we were about to give up, I called my parents for advice, and they reminded me that I was potty trained at 15 months old  in China and told me about these Chinese split crotch pants, he said.

Wang was inspired. An engineer by training, he immediately made a prototype.

To his surprise, within minutes of wearing them, his son went to sit on the potty and peed for the first time on his own.

Thats when we knew we had something that could help him and other children to potty train, Wang said.

So he started a business, PottyPants, which makes crotch-less pants for U.S. children.

I want to tell parents out there who are struggling with potty training to keep an open mind and give non-mainstream methods like PottyPants a chance.

One way or another, that tiny newborn in your arms will be out of diapers before you know it. Instead of leaving a legacy of trash off-gassing in the landfill, why not try cloth diapers or go diaper-free, choices that are gentler for the planet and better for your baby.

Jennifer Margulis is the author of Your Baby, Your Way: Taking Charge of Your Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Parenting Decisions for a Happier, Healthier Family, which includes a chapter on diapering. Shes also a frequent contributor to The Epoch Times. Sign up for her weekly emails, read her articles, and learn more about her at JenniferMargulis.net
Health workers speak with Mauricette, a 78-year-old French woman, after she received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in the country, at the Rene-Muret hospital in Sevran, on the outskirts of Paris, France, on Dec. 27, 2020. (Thomas Samson/Pool via Reuters)

EU Says It Has Reached Goal of Vaccinating 70 percent of Adults

BRUSSELSThe European Commission said on Tuesday that 70 percent of the European Unions adult population had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, hitting a target it set at the beginning of the year.

In January, the Commission said that by summer 2021, member states should have vaccinated a minimum of 70 percent of the adult population.

This was interpreted as meaning that each of the 27 EU member states should hit that target by September. Many, fearing they could not, criticized the Commission in internal meetings, documents seen by Reuters showed.

Now the bloc cumulatively has vaccinated 70 percent of its adult population, which means that at least 255 million people have received either two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca, or Moderna vaccines, or one shot of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson jab.

The situation differs vastly between countries. Malta has fully vaccinated over 90 percent of its adult population, data from the European Center for Disease prevention and Control (ECDC), an EU agency, show.

Ireland and Portugal have also immunized more than 80 percent of their adult population, and France is above 70 percent, according to ECDC figures, which usually are updated slightly later than information at disposal of the EU Commission.

In the east, Bulgaria has fully vaccinated just one fifth of its adult population, and Romania about 30 percent of adults. Croatia, Latvia, Slovenia, and Slovakia have immunized about half of those aged above 18.
A Taliban fighter stands guard as the group's Higher Education Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani speaks on the Taliban's higher education policies at the Loya Jirga Hall in Kabul on Aug. 29, 2021. Afghan women will be allowed to study at university but there will be a ban on mixed classes under Taliban rule, Haqqani said. (Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images)

Evacuee Says Taliban Gaining Control of Kabul Through Threats, Coercion

Taliban's promise of 'complete amnesty' a lie, he says

The Taliban is gaining control over Kabul through threats and coercion, according to an Afghan citizen who has managed to flee his homeland before the terrorist group tracked down his address and paid a visit in search for him.

Just days after fleeing Afghanistan with his son and his wife on Aug. 24, Fawad, a PhD scholar who worked for the government prior to the Taliban takeover, told The Epoch Times that he had learned that a large group of Taliban members visited his home, demanding to know his whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Fawad said he knew of three other Afghansone in a high-ranking position in the Afghan mediawho had been detained and tortured by the Taliban for three days. He says they were all released after being forced to sign documents promising the terrorist group that they will not leave the country or make their detentions and torture public.

The account comes as growing evidence emerges of Taliban killings, detentions, threats, and intimidation, contradicting the terrorist groups promises last month and in the Doha peace agreement not to retaliate against its opponents.

Speaking on condition on anonymity from a quarantine center in India on Monday, Fawad, who has authored some 200 articles in international journals and newspapers critical of the Taliban, said the terrorist group on Aug. 28 had interrogated a contractor guarding in his apartment building and demanded to see copies of his rental contract.

The Taliban members eventually left after learning that he had already been evacuated, he said.

They took some information from that dealer and left because they werent able to find me. They took some pictures of the [rental] contract, Fawad said in a phone interview, noting that the incident was witnessed and photographed by contacts who live nearby.

Fawad said that from what hes heard about the Talibans behavior in recent days from friends in Kabul, the Talibans public promises of complete amnesty for those who have fought against them or worked for the government are no more than a front.

Enamullah Samangani, a representative of the Talibans cultural commission, said on Afghan state television on Aug. 17 that the group has announced a complete amnesty for all Afghanistan, especially those who were with the opposition or supported the occupiers for years and recently.

Fawad told The Epoch Times he believes he is being targeted by the Taliban for his affiliation with the government and his academic writing.

Because of that, they came, he said. How they found my place and how they knew my name, I do not know.

They [the Taliban] are lying! Especially about those people who have written against them  they know who theyre targeting and searching [for], Fawad added, pushing back against previous statements from the group that their fighters have been barred from entering private homes. It is unclear how strictly such commands are being followed by the rank and file of the Taliban, which is made up of a number of different factions.

The Talibans promises have also been undermined recently by a leaked report from the nonprofit RHIPTO Norwegian Centre for Global Analyses, which provides intelligence to the United Nations.

The report said that the Taliban terrorist group was carrying out highly organized door-to-door manhunts for people on their wanted list, threatening to kill or harm their relatives if they do not surrender.

Targets include people who have worked for or collaborated with American or other NATO forces, and former government employees, particularly those in intelligence services and the special forces units, according to the report, which warns of mass executions of those on the Talibans blacklist.

A man walks past a barrier wall on Jan. 19, 2021, painted with an image of former Afghan Tolo TV presenter Yama Siawash, who was killed in a targeted attack allegedly by the Taliban in Kabul on Nov. 7, 2020, amid the countrys peace talks. (Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images)

Illustrating the dangers highlighted in the report, the family member of a journalist for Deutsche Welle, a German broadcaster, was shot dead by Taliban fighters searching for the reporter last month.

Meanwhile, award-winning Afghan photographer Massoud Hossaini, who fled to the Netherlands on Aug. 15, told AFP that he had received numerous threats from the Taliban over his work. Hossaini warned that the Taliban is attempting to slowly kill the media.

Agreeing with Hossainis remarks, Fawad told The Epoch Times that he believes the Taliban terrorist group is afraid of a free press and academics who are able to write the facts. For this reason, they want to control the media, he added.

Television channel TOLO, for example, has changed its coverage dramatically since the Taliban seized control of Kabul on Aug. 15, he said, noting that music is no longer played, female anchors have been removed, and only religious programs and controlled news are being aired.

Elaborating on how the Taliban threatens and coerces individuals in their quest for control, Fawad explained that the terrorist group puts pressure on the family of targets who have fled, or are in hiding, in order to force their return and surrender to the Taliban.

If he does not return and surrender, they will torture the family, Fawad said.

But as the terrorist group now seeks to present an image to the outside world that it is less repressive, many remain doubtful it has changed its ways.

Lt. Col. Omar Hamada, M.D., a former U.S. Special Forces flight surgeon, told The Epoch Times he believes the brutal Taliban regime still wants to institute Sharia Law under the threat of violence, and theyre not going to change that.

To think that theyre going to change color now, I mean, does a leopard lose its spots? Of course not  the Taliban isnt all of a sudden going to be some peace-loving regime thats going to let people live the way they want, he said on Monday.

Hamada, now an emergency room doctor, also criticized the Biden adminstration after Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed that the United States shared with the Taliban a list of names for American citizens, green card holders, and Afghan allied personnel in an attempt to grant them entry to Kabuls international airport.

Even a high school student knows better than to hand our enemies a list of our assets and allies, Hamada added. Its a target list  I think its a gift to the Taliban. These are the people who have been helping us, and I think its very naive for us to think that theyre going to use that for anything other than targeting them.
Facts Matter (Aug. 31): Mother Loses Parental Rights for Not Being Vaccinated, Judge Backs Down

In Illinois, the mother of an 11-year-old boy was shocked when a judge told her that unless she gets vaccinated, she will not be able to see her son. This was despite the fact that her own doctor advised her against getting the shot because of a previous health condition.

Because of this case, as well as many other cases of vaccine mandates going into effect across the country, we did a deep dive analysisincluding speaking with several lawyers specializing in vaccine casesto figure out what legal remedies a person has if they experience adverse reactions from the vaccine.

Resources:

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Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Feb. 6, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Florida Man Accused by Rep. Gaetz of Extortion Plot Charged With Wire Fraud

One of the men who Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) accused of masterminding a plot to extort $25 million from Gaetzs family in exchange for having a federal probe into sex trafficking allegations against the lawmaker go away was charged with wire fraud on Tuesday.

Stephen Alford, 62, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pensacola, Florida, on charges of wire fraud and attempting to stop authorities from viewing his iPhone.

The indictment, which doesnt name the victims or other alleged participants, said that Alford was behind an elaborate plot to extort get $25 million from a person identified only as D.G. In exchange, the 62-year-old promised he could get a presidential pardon from then-President Donald Trump for a family member, as well as fund the release of someone identified only as R.L.

It states that Alfords team had been assured by the President that he will strongly consider a Presidential Pardon or instruct the Department of Justice to terminate any and all investigations involving an unnamed individual.

It comes after Gaetz, who represents parts of western Florida, was accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, paid for her to travel with him, and possibly violated sex trafficking laws, according to a New York Times report that cited three unnamed sources who were briefed on the matter.

The second-term Florida congressman in April denied all the allegations and said he and his family were being targeted for extortion.

Over the past several weeks, my family and I have been victims of organized criminal extortion involving a former DOJ official seeking $25 million while threatening to smear my name. We have been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter and my father has even been wearing a wire at the FBIs direction to catch these criminals, said Gaetz in a press statement at the time.

Gaetzs father is Don Gaetz, a former president of the Florida Senate. Others who approached Don Gaetz have said in news reports that they wanted the money to free Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran more than a decade ago.

Alford made his first appearance in court on Tuesday, a Department of Justice news release said on Tuesday. The 62-year-old faces up to 25 years imprisonment if convicted.

The Epoch Times has contacted a representative for Matt Gaetz for comment.

They tried to extort me on a pile of lies, he wrote on Twitter after the Justice Department announced Alfords arrest. Alford wasnt acting alonehe had help from people with strong ties to the federal government. There is much more to this attempt to destroy me.

Reuters contributed to this report.
A person holds a sign with photographs of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who have been detained in China since December, 2018, as people gather for a rally in support of Hong Kong democracy, in Vancouver, B.C., Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

Foreign Policy the Forgotten Election Campaign Issue

Conservatives provide most detailed proposals of any political party, toughest on Chinas aggression

News Analysis

Foreign policy has hardly been discussed amid the election campaign despite evidence of a more interconnected world facing a medium-sized open trading nation like Canada.

Communist China primarilywith its economic espionage, military modernization, foreign influence, and hostage diplomacy in its detention of two Canadian citizens, among other aggressionsbut Russia as well, are increasingly recognized as the greatest threats to world security, posing risks in multiple spheres. Other key foreign policy issues include the ongoing pandemic and the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

If Canada continues to marginalize the vital role of foreign policy discussions at home, it risks diminishing its ability to secure its way of life and prepare for an increasingly uncertain world, said an open letter sent on Aug. 23 by a Canadian non-partisan think tank to the five party leaders who have representation in the House of Commons.

The letter from the non-profit Institute for Peace and Diplomacy (IPD), signed by 40 scholars, experts, and former diplomats, urged the party leaders to recognize the importance of foreign policy issues during the campaign and specifically referred to the Canada-U.S. relationship, China, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Then on Aug. 30, a commentary by a panel of foreign policy experts published in The Globe and Mail pointed out that foreign policy does not seem to feature on the agenda of our political parties.

It questioned the United States commitment to working with allies to uphold the international order and said the onus to address burning international issues falls on the rest of the democratic world.

Canada should draw on the important relationships we have developed over decades of diplomacy and forge new ones, in order to exercise collective leadership, the commentary stated.

David Mulroney, a former Canadian ambassador to China, tweeted on Aug. 27 that the Afghanistan crisis shows how much weve retreated from the world, adding that Covid hasnt helped, but far more serious is the govts cynical preference for theatre (costumes included) over policy, capability, competence, effort, commitment.

Popular opinion of Canadas recent evacuation operation in Afghanistan has been largely negative, according to an Aug. 30 Angus Reid poll.

The poll found that, though 41 percent say it has gone as well as it could have, just 2 percent of Canadians say the governments efforts have been a success while 37 percent say its been a failure.

Party Platforms

We need to have a coherent foreign and defence policy strategy centred around our interests and invest in our capabilities in areas of strategic importance for Canada including in the Arctic and Pacific, Bijan Ahmadi, IPD executive director, told The Epoch Times.

The Conservatives have by far the most detailed foreign policy platform, while the NDP and Peoples Party of Canada (PPC) have more modest proposals. The Greens havent commented on foreign policy during this election campaign.

Foreign policy in the Liberals platform, released Sept. 1, is very much a secondary consideration and is focused on democracy, human rights, diversity, and inclusion.

Canadas foreign policy is more important now than it has been in a generation, the Conservatives state in their Canadas Recovery Plan election platform.

Dealing with threats from China has become one of the primary focuses of Canadas foreign policy since the 2018 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou and the subsequent detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in what is widely regarded as retaliation.

The IPD letter highlighted the rise of China as one of the key quandaries for Canadian interests.

The Conservatives have always proposed taking a harder line on communist China than what the Liberals have adopted. The NDP is also talking about standing up to Beijing and working with Ottawas allies to lead a coordinated international response to Chinas disregard of the rule of law.

The Liberals campaign platform mentioned China just once, alongside Russia and Iran, as authoritarian states in a subsection on combating authoritarianism and foreign interference. The PPC does not mention China in its foreign policy statement.

The Conservatives provided detailed plans for securing and promoting national interest in terms of defence and international development, including providing specific objectives for key regions such as the Arctic and Indo-Pacific. They also said theyd ban Huawei from Canadas 5G infrastructure, strengthen protections against the takeover of Canadian companies by Chinese state-owned entities, and rebalance trade priorities away from countries like China and toward free countries that safeguard workers rights and the environment.

The NDP is in favour of multilateralism as a basis for Canadian foreign policy. Contrary to the PPC, which would phase out development aid and focus on emergency humanitarian action, the NDP would also contribute 0.7 percent of gross national income toward international development aid and waive intellectual property rights for COVID vaccines, something the Liberals were reluctant to do. The Liberals are also keen on increasing international aid.

The PPC would have Canada withdraw from all United Nations commitments and reduce its presence in UN institutions to a minimum, stating that there is a growing trend to dilute national sovereignty.

The IPD characterized the world as multipolar featuring an accelerating contest between great powers that is acting to impose constraints on Canadas ability to define and secure its interests as a sovereign country.

The most significant tribulation in the world in the last two years is, of course, the pandemic, which has forced Canada to engage further with the international community.

With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is even more clear that Canadian life is inextricably linked to global affairs, said the IPD letter.
Taliban terrorists stand guard outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport after the U.S. military's withdrawal, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 31, 2021. (Khwaja Tawfiq Sediqi/AP Photo)

France Says A Few Dozen French Nationals Still in Afghanistan

PARISFrance says a few dozen French nationals remain in Afghanistan, including some who wanted to be evacuated but could not as the last flight left Kabul.

Defense Ministry spokesman Herve Grandjean said in a news conference Tuesday that all efforts are being done to allow those left behind to get a safe and orderly evacuation.

He said, that is the goal of the talks underway within the United Nations framework with the Taliban power.

In addition, France was not able to evacuate a few dozen former Afghan employees of the French army who asked for the protection of the country, he said.

France will do the maximum in the coming days and weeks to help them get out of Afghanistan, Grandjean said.

Frances evacuation flights from Aug. 17 to Aug. 27 have evacuated about 2,600 Afghans at risk, including 110 former employees of the French army and their families.

France withdrew its troops from Afghanistan at the end of 2014.
Pro-democracy activist Raphael Wong gestures, signifying "Five demandsnot one less," outside a local court in Hong Kong on Aug. 19, 2021. (Vincent Yu/AP Photo)

Hong Kong Court Sentences 7 Activists to Jail Terms for Roles in 2019 Protests

Hong Kong District Court handed down sentences on Sep. 1 to seven democracy activists for their involvement in an unauthorized rally during mass anti-government protests in 2019.

Last month, the seven activists pleaded guilty to charges of organizing and inciting others to participate in an assembly on Oct. 20, 2019, when tens of thousands took to the streets to protest the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) encroachment on Hong Kongs freedoms.

Mass protests were triggered in mid-2019 after the city government announced plans to allow extradition to mainland China, but the protests later morphed into a broader movement demanding greater democracy and freedoms in the face of the CCPs growing control over Hong Kong. Over several months, millions of people went to the streets to protest, where they were often met with riot police who fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse them.

Three activists were given the heaviest sentence of 16 months in prison, including Figo Chan, a former convenor of the now-dissolved Civil Human Rights Front; Leung Kwok-hung, who is known in Hong Kong as Long Hair; and Albert Ho, former chairman of the Democratic Party. Other defendants were sentenced to 11 to 14 months.

Six of the seven are currently serving terms in prison for convictions related to other unauthorized rallies. The Sept. 1 sentence will be served concurrently with the previous jail terms.

The only exception is Raphael Wong, former chairman of the League of Social Democrats (LSD) political party, who was sentenced to 14 months in prison.

Chan Po-ying (L-2) and three other members from the League of Social Democrats held a banner that reads peaceful demonstrations are innocent, shame to political prosecution outside Wanchai Law Court in Hong Kong on Sep. 1, 2021. (Sung Pi-lung/The Epoch Times)

Judge Amanda Woodcock said that while the citys mini-constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, procession, and demonstration, those rights are not absolute.

Other pro-democracy advocates and political figures came to the courthouse to voice their support for the activists.

We hope everyone understands that this is a political prosecution, Chan Po-ying, the chairwoman of LSD, said outside court.

The case marks the latest punishment to be handed down against representatives of the citys beleaguered pro-democracy movement.

Hong Kong has seen a drastic curtailment of its freedoms since Beijing imposed a draconian national security law last June, a move that has drawn international condemnation. Since then, dozens of pro-democracy figures have been charged under the law or similar offenses.

In July, the local court sentenced Tong Ying-kit, who drove a motorcycle carrying a banner bearing the slogan Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times in a 2020 protest, to nine years in prison.

Tong was the first person convicted under the national security law. The sweeping law criminalizes four broadly defined categories of offenses, including secession, subversion, and collusion with a foreign country. Persons found guilty of violating this law can face up to life in prison.

More than 100 people have been arrested under the national security law, leading to more than 60 charges, mostly against democratic politicians, activists, journalists, and students.

Since Beijings tightening clampdown on the city, many Hongkongers have chosen to leave. Over 89,000 residents left the city in the year that ended in June, according to government data. Its population fell by 1.2 percent, marking the largest drop in at least six decades.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) asks questions to Dr. Richard Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, during a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing to discuss protecting scientific integrity in response to the CCP virus outbreak, in Washington on May 14, 2020. (Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images)

House Rep. Says He Is Heading Home After Reported Afghanistan Evacuation Effort

An Oklahoma Republican congressman said that he is heading home after reports that his whereabouts were unknown after he allegedly tried to carry out a rescue mission of Americans trapped in Afghanistan.

I am heading home, Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) wrote on Wednesday in an Instagram post. Have we been helping get Americans out of Afghanistan, yes. Is the mission continuing, yes. Am I missing, no. Did I go dark for a little, yes because it wasnt safe to be communicating.

The Oklahoma congressman then criticized President Joe Bidens handling of the Afghanistan pullout, which left at least 100 Americans remaining, according to estimates from the Pentagon and State Department officials. Biden, he said, is lying to the American people about the number of Americans and Afghans who remain in Afghanistan, which was captured by the Taliban last month.

Mullins communications director Meredith Blanford also confirmed he was not in any danger during his trip.

Congressman Mullin has been and is currently completely safe, Blanford said in a statement. He and the Office of Oklahomas Second District will continue to do anything in our power to bring home all Americans from the war zone that President Biden abandoned. The safety and security of the American people will always be his top priority.

The Washington Post, which cited unnamed sources, reported the congressman had planned to hire a helicopter to enter Afghanistan from neighboring Tajikistan to rescue five American citizens: a woman and her four children. U.S. embassy officials in Tajikistan said that he could not enter the country, the Post reported.

Mullins comment on social media made no reference to the Posts report or details about flying to Tajikistan. The Epoch Times has contacted his office for comment.

Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) told Fox23 that Mullin attempted a very dangerous mission due to the lack of U.S. military soldiers in Afghanistan.

There are, quite frankly, we have a lot of special operators, former special operators on the ground that have created and these groups of folks to go get our American citizens out. And theres a lot of time. I dont want to say a whole lot about it. Because I dont want to give away any so private contractors are being used now, he said.

On Monday, as the U.S. military carried out its final evacuation flight, top Gen. Frank McKenzie declared the 20-year-long conflict in Afghanistan over.

A day later, Biden gave a defiant speech and defended his administrations handling of the withdrawal and argued that it was necessary to conduct the pullout now. He also blamed the Afghan army, government, and the Trump administration for negotiating a deal with the Taliban. Biden in recent weeks had received unprecedented criticism from different angles, alleging that his administration botched the pullout, which led to chaos and the deaths of 13 U.S. soldiers at the Kabul airport.
Year 12 students studying for HSC exams at home in their residence in Melbourne, Australia, on Aug. 27, 2021. (AAP Image/James Ross)

Australian Students Devastated to Spend Final High School Moments in Their Bedrooms Thanks to Lockdowns

Year 12 students in New South Wales (NSW) will spend their last weeks of high school at home due to harsh lockdown restrictions, with those in Greater Sydney enduring eight weeks and counting, of stay-at-home orders.

The NSW Department of Education announced on Aug. 27 that HSC exams scheduled to begin on Oct. 12 would be pushed back to November.

Two friends and co-captains of their school in Sydney, Erika Yu and Stephanie Nwosu, have just finished sitting their HSC trial exams that were held online.

Yu and Nwosu told The Epoch Times on Aug. 29 that home learning has added more stress on top of an already overwhelming period of time.

They both missed being surrounded by their friends and were extremely disappointed that their opportunity to carry out tasks as school captains had been cut short.

I have definitely missed school. I miss the interactions with other students and teachers, Nwosu said. We [also] havent been able to do Year 12 celebrations as normal, which is really sad.

Like Stephanie said, we talk about this all the time, and we would never have guessed that our last term of high school would be spent at home, Yu added. And for many students, including me, their last term is spent almost completely in their bedrooms.

Sydney Girls High School closed after a student tested positive in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 17, 2020. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

While initially, a novel experience, learning from home has turned into a challenge. Motivation is becoming more difficult to find, and trying to stay on top of their studies is becoming more difficult with the range of distractions at home.

Yu said she had originally taken advantage of the flexibility of online learning by creating her own schedules. However, the enjoyment gradually turned into exhaustion after one month.

I think I enjoyed online learning and was really productive because I had only expected this to last maybe a month [at] maximum, she said.

However, for Nwosu, online learning has only added difficulties to balancing schoolwork with family responsibilities.

I feel like I cant talk to anyone about my problems because everyone is experiencing their own problems, and I dont want to put more pressure on them, Nwosu said. Ive found it hard to email teachers or talk to my other classmates about school work, so I feel very left out with the work.

Their school and teachers check in on students well-being through weekly Zoom meetings where they are encouraged to ask questions and bring up concerns with the whole year group.

This definitely helped clarify things and, from what I could tell, was a big help to students, Yu said.

Workers conduct a deep clean at Carlton Public School in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 23, 2021. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)

Meanwhile, in regional NSW, Bianca Lubke from Wagga Wagga is heading into her third week of online learning. But as someone who loves going out with friends, she said it had not been a good experience.

Im very grateful that [the lockdowns have] just been the past two weeks, but we were under the impression that was it was only going to be a week long, Lubke told The Epoch Times on Aug. 31. So I guess the motivation to keep on going has slowly been dropping bits and bitsespecially seeing the situation worsen.

Lubke said she felt grateful to sit her HSC trials in person, but finds it devastating that after 13 years of hard work, her potential last weeks of high school will be spent at home.

The thing that hits me the hardest is that Im not going to be able to sit by the side of my best friend, she said. Its just been us two working together and sticking together, and were not going to be able to celebrate properly.

Im very proud of the Year 12s in Sydney, especially having gone through this and much longer than I have. Im only in my third week, and Im struggling, so I cant imagine how they feel. My heart goes out to everyone else, she added.

Bianca Lubke in her study space that is shared with two others, in Wagga Wagga, Australia, on Aug. 31, 2021. (Supplied)

Lubke also outlined the impact that delayed HSC exams will have on regional kids who work on farms.

So I personally dont live on a farm, I live in the suburbs, but three, four of my classmates are farm boys, and theyve all lost their jobs and harvest because of the pushback date of the HSC, Lubke said.

Harvesting season begins in November, and having delayed exams means farm businesses will lose all the farmhands who originally should have graduated by that time.

Australia has been experiencing a critical rural labour shortage since the closure of international borders in March 2020. The federal government has tried running campaigns and incentives to encourage city dwellers to take up fruit and vegetable picking but to no avail.

All three students said the ongoing uncertainty and government snap decisions has also caused frustration and stress.

Theyre just turning around making snap decisions, which I understand you need to do in this circumstance, but I feel like it could be better handled, Lubke said.

They also feel that there has been a complete lack of communication from the Department of Education.

I wish they take the situation students have been faced with and the implications this may have into real consideration, Nwosu said.

Yu echoes the sentiment, adding she hopes the department would welcome student input and seriously evaluate the mental health and academic impact of their decisions on students.

Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
Afghan families gather to receive food stuff distributing by an Islamabad-based Christian organization on the outskirts of Chaman, a town in the Pakistans southwestern Baluchistan province, on the border with Afghanistan, on Aug. 31, 2021. Dozens of Afghan families have crossed into Pakistan through the southwestern Chaman border a day after the U.S. wrapped up its 20-year military presence in the Taliban-controlled country. (AP Photo)

Humanitarian Catastrophe Looms in Afghanistan After US Withdrawal: UN Chief

The United Nations secretary-general has warned of a looming humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the international community to provide flexible and comprehensive funding to the country in its darkest hour of need.

Guterres said he was gravely concerned at at the deepening humanitarian and economic crisis in the country and the threat of basic services collapsing completely.

He said almost half of the population of Afghanistan18 million peopleneed urgent humanitarian assistance to survive.

One in three Afghans do not know where their next meal will come from. More than half of all children under five are expected to become acutely malnourished in the next year. People are losing access to basic goods and services every day. A humanitarian catastrophe looms,Guterres said.

Our commitment to the people of Afghanistan will not waver. Yesterday we airlifted 12.5 metric tons of medical supplies into the country. The international community must help ensure humanitarian workers have the funding, access & legal safeguards they need to do their work. pic.twitter.com/s3sgEyKVZg  Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 31, 2021

The United Nations has delivered aid to 8 million people this year and delivered food to 80,000 people and relief packages to thousands of displaced families in the last fortnight, according to Guterres.

On Monday, the agency airlifted 12.5 metric tons of medical supplies to the country, he said.

But the secretary-general warned that a severe drought and harsh winter conditions on the horizon means extra food, shelter and health supplies need to be urgently fast-tracked to Afghanistan.

I call on all parties to facilitate safe and unimpeded humanitarian access for life-saving and life-sustaining supplies, as well as for all humanitarian workersmen and women, Guterres said.

I urge all member states to dig deep for the people of Afghanistan in their darkest hour of need. I urge them to provide timely, flexible and comprehensive funding. I urge them to help ensure humanitarian workers have the funding, access, and legal safeguards they need to stay and deliver, he added.

Civilian volunteers sort donations for evacuees from Afghanistan at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Aug. 22, 2021. (Airman 1st Class Madelyn Keech/U.S. Air Force/Handout via Reuters)

On Monday, the Pentagon announced that the last U.S. troops had departed from Afghanistans Hamid Karzai International Airport, just a few hours before dawn.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that more than 12,000 people, including U.S. citizens and Afghan allies, were evacuated over 17 days; the largest airlift in U.S. history.

Biden thanked U.S. forces for their unmatched courage, professionalism, and resolve, and declared, now, our 20-year military presence in Afghanistan has ended.

Earlier this month, Biden vowed to keep U.S. troops in the country until all Americans who wished to leave had been evacuated.

However, U.S. Central Command head Gen. Frank McKenzie this week admitted that hundreds of Americans seeking evacuation have been left in the country.

Theres a lot of heartbreak associated with this departure. We did not get everybody out that we wanted to get out, said McKenzie, adding that it is a tough situation.
Power lines are down along Main Street after Hurricane Ida swept through, in LaPlace, La., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Hurricane Ida Leaves Indelible Mark in Louisiana

16 years after Katrina, residents face challenges of cleanup, rebuilding

The one thing Debbie Russel of LaPlace, Louisiana, remembers about Hurricane Ida is the windIt was unreal.

The wind was so strong, she said. We just got in the hall and prayed. I had my hands over my earsthe wind.

With gusts blasting in at 150 miles per hour, the Category 4 storm made landfall on Aug. 29, knocking down trees and utility poles, ripping roofs off buildings, flooding basements, and leaving more than 1 million residents throughout Louisiana without power.

The storm has been downgraded to a tropical depression on Aug. 31, and is expected to weaken as it moves further inland, according to the National Weather Service.

Power company workers from South Carolina and Texas wait in a mall parking lot to be assigned an area to fix, in Baton Rouge, La., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Russel said none of her neighbors currently has running water, which had to be turned off because of sewage backup.

If we could just get water back, that would be a big help, Russel told The Epoch Times.

After witnessing other major hurricanes over the past 25 years, Russel can attest to the power of the weatherand water.

Water is very powerful. I mean, it can just wipe you out, she said.

Across the road, workers were cutting up and removing a tree that went through the roof of another house. The owners had evacuated, and havent seen the damage firsthand yet.

Hurricane Ida is the worst Ive seenworse than Katrina, damage-wise said Ferrel Bailey, 78, who owns a shrimp shop.

The storm left 18 inches of water throughout the shop, which now has no electricity.

Ferrel Bailey, 78, cleans up after Hurricane Ida hit his shrimp shop on Main Street in LaPlace, La., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

I went through [Hurricane] IsaacI think that was 2012and had seven inches of water through my house, Bailey told The Epoch Times. [The] house was two stories, so I lived upstairs while they rebuilt it.

Im not worried about it. Im too old to worry. Ive got insurance.

Seen from the highway, Baileys house has an 8-by-8-foot hole at the gable on top. He said he wont know the full extent of the damage until he gets to the house.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), roughly 3,600 employees have been deployed through hurricane-stricken states, including Louisiana and Mississippi, to give help as needed.

On Aug. 30, FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell addressed the dangerous conditions for those in the path of the storm.

The state has shelters set up across the state right now. Were also prepared to move people into hotels, until they can get back into their homes safely or identify other long-term solutions, Criswell said in a statement.

A tree smashed into a house during Hurricane Ida on Aug. 29, in St John Parish, La., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Power lines are down and businesses are damaged after Hurricane Ida swept through, in LaPlace, La., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Criswell said initial reports show collapsed buildings and major structural damage on many buildings across Louisiana.

In New Orleans, Mayor LaToya Cantrell advised residents who couldnt evacuate ahead of the storm to shelter in place.

Were seeing some barges and some vessels that may have been broken loose and were also experiencing over a million power outages right at the moment, Criswell said. The state has search and rescue teams either in place right now rescuing or ready to go out at first light. This is significant. There is major damage. Weve got a lot of resources in place to support the state, and theyll be going out as soon as its safe to do so.

President Joe Biden has issued a major disaster declaration for Louisiana that will enable local recovery and cleanup efforts, and provide funding.

Celestino Greco of Texas Tree Specialists and her team of eight drove from Spring, Texas, so they could be ready for the cleanup. They left the night of Aug. 28, and stayed on I-10 and Highway 12 the next night.

Celestina Greco (C) works with her crew to remove a tree from a house after Hurricane Ida swept through, in St John Parish, La., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

A UHaul truck lies in a ditch after Hurricane Ida swept through, in LaPlace, La., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

On the morning of Aug. 30, the crew arrived in LaPlace and got to work on houses with trees on them.

Greco said the team expects to be busy for at least a week.

Meanwhile, LaPlace resident Gabby Dunn, 31, said on Aug. 31 that shes determined to find a way to Texas, even though her car is running on empty.

Dunn said she plans to stay with her brother in Houston. The back seat is full of her belongings.

If I had a full tank, I would have been out of here already, Dunn told The Epoch Times.Theres nothing for us to do here, so lets go and try somewhere else.

Gabby Dunn and her cousin are trying to find gas so Gabby can get to Texas after Hurricane Ida left her with no power or water, in LaPlace on Aug. 31, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Like her neighbors, Dunn said theres no water in her house. She said it could be a month before water and power are restored.

Yesterday [Aug. 30] was horrible. It was hot. We slept in the garage, said Dunn, who hopes to never experience another Ida, her first big hurricane.

The noise, she said. It was like someone was whistling.

Allan Stein Allan Stein is an Epoch Times reporter who covers the state of Arizona.
I Lost Almost Everything in a Natural DisasterHere is How I Recovered

When wildfires, earthquakes or hurricanes like Ida leave devastation, it doesn't have to be the end, for you or those you care about

I watched my next-door neighbors house burn on CNN. I was at my brothers house in a Chicago suburb that day, visiting family for Thanksgiving 2007. There was nothing I could do. It was reasonable to expect that our home would be next, if it wasnt already gone.

It was.

The city of Malibu posted our address, his and already about 20 others within a few hours as Completely Gone. It was a vicious gut punch. My dear dad took the whole family, including me and my daughter, out to breakfast later that morning. I had to leave the table twice to go stand in the foyer, heaving great sobs. I made frantic calls to the dog sitter. I checked the Malibu website relentlessly. Another friend and then another lost their homes.

That day, 56 homes, nine offices, and one gifted sculptors studio burned down in the second of three Malibu wildfires that season. I lost one home, one officeand one feisty Chihuahua. People often say, Why would anyone live in a fire zone? But that was the first time any fire had come as far as either of my properties. I really thought we were safe.

When the fire department finally let us return to the smoldering remains of our lives, most of my neighbors walked around hugging one another, reeling with shock. Reporters descended on us like flies on a carcass. Id been trained in positive thinking, so I smiled for the cameras and chirped that everything was going to be alright. I found a whiteboard that had survived in my half-burnt shed, so I wrote in big letters, Every cloud has a silver lining! We will get through this. I put it up against my perfectly unscathed mailbox to try to cheer my neighborsand convince myself.

Related: Surviving and Thriving in 2021: A Lesson from Loss

That first night, we spent $1,200 at Target buying underwear, toothpaste, shampoo, and something to wear tomorrow. My daughter and I lived in hotels for months. It was excruciating for her, a young teen. Shed lost her pet, her clothes, her books, her childhood mementos. I grieved her baby teeth and the kindergarten artwork Id savored and my late grandmas wedding ring.

The Malibu community always rallies around those who lose homes. It was touching to feel the support. Tragically, a third wildfire happened a few weeks later. Rentals became scarcer with each attack from nature, but we somehow managed to land a place. For months before I left, I would sit while my daughter was across the street at school, trying to remember what I did for a living.

People who havent been through a colossal natural disaster or something comparable to a devastating fire might not know what its like to have nothing left in an instant. I feel surges of compassion when I see peoples possessions ruined by man or nature. Its hard to imagine how expensive, tedious, and time-consuming it is to put ones life back together, toothbrush by lightbulb by bath towel. Its hard to focus on work when ones emotions are tied up with the things that are lost or the onerous insurance process in which you have to detail everything that is gone, not to mention the need to support others also affected and grieve whats lost forever.

I cannot even imagine how much harder it is for people who dont have insurance, or good insurance. There are so many things you need to think about: finding food, clothing and shelter; paperwork; sympathy calls from well-meaning people that cause the wound to burst open over and over; taking care of all the normal life things you did before the disaster, but now without the comfort of knowing where anything is.

Looking back, if I had advice for anyone recovering from a disaster while trying to manage their business (or even just return to a job or school) it would be: Be easier on yourself. Especially as entrepreneurs, we imagine we have the world under our controluntil we dont. Its a gut-wrenching lesson in humility. Take a breath. Give yourself a hug.

Heres what I learned:

Accept all the help youre offered.

Delegate everything you can.

Share your story with anyone who will listen. Some people have advice, some will give comfort, some will have solutions.

Take it easier. PTSD is a very real diagnosis. Get professional help if you can.

Acknowledge the limitations and allow for the time to heal your business and your life. It will take at least three times as long as you predict.

Trust the process and look for what you can learn from this.

Related: Simone Biles Reminds Us About the Importance of Finding Our True Selves

The fire changed me, my daughter, our family, our lifestyle, my net worth, my level of enthusiasm and the way I do business at fundamental levels. On the good side, I invested in building a virtual team, which not only freed me from my location but also allowed me to work with some excellent individuals and be ready to get through the pandemic. I replaced my equipment with the newest models, which turned out to be an asset. I spent time fine-tuning my marketing and client-attraction strategies. And best of all, I learned that I am more resilient than I had ever imagined.

It would be easy to say, Suck it up, buttercup! and encourage others to just pull themselves up by the bootstraps, but the truth of the journey is that it will change you. Whether that change is a positive one or a negative one in your life, your business, and your soulwell, thats up to you.

Wendy Keller is a human being well-acquainted with loss and suffering. This was written on what would have been the 32nd birthday of her daughter Amelia, who died at just 18 months old in a car accidentalong with her big brother Jeremyin March 1991. Wendy is a literary agent, owns a speakers bureau and consults people on how to flourish as authors and/or speakers. She is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Platform Building by Entrepreneur Press. To contact Wendy for publishing, speaking or media requests, please go to www.KellerMedia.com.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little gestures during a press conference at the Statehouse in Boise, Idaho, on Oct. 1, 2020. (Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman via AP)

Idaho Governor Reactivates National Guard to Assist Hospitals Amid COVID-19 Surge

Idaho Gov. Brad Little has announced that he has reactivated the National Guard and has directed up to 370 additional personnel to support state hospitals amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the state.

The Republican governor said in an Aug. 31 statement that just four intensive care unit beds out of nearly 400 were available in the entire state, noting that there were more COVID-19 patients in ICU beds in Idaho than ever before and that the vast majority of them are unvaccinated.

Where hospitals have converted other spaces to be used as contingency ICU beds, those are filling up too, Little said.

We are dangerously close to activating statewide crisis standards of carea historic step that means Idahoans in need of health care could receive a lesser standard of care or may be turned away altogether. In essence, someone would have to decide who can be treated and who cannot. This affects all of us, not just patients with COVID-19.

As part of the Aug. 31 order, 370 personnel will be deployed statewide, including up to 150 guardsmen to support short-staffed medical facilities. Theyll be tasked with logistical support, such as screenings, lab work, and other duties, the governor said.

Another 200 medical and administrative personnel will be made available to the state through a contract with the General Services Administration, and a 20-person Department of Defense medical response team will be deployed to North Idaho, where vaccination rates are among the lowest in the state.

Idaho hospitals are beyond constrained. Our health care system is designed to deal with the everyday realities of life. Our health care system is not designed to withstand the prolonged strain caused by an unrestrained global pandemic. It is simply not sustainable, Little said, urging those who arent yet vaccinated against COVID-19 to do so.

Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, a Republican whos running to unseat Little for Idahos Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2022, said the governors support for vaccinations is shameful.

It was shameful for Brad to suggest today that Idahoans must make a specific medical choice in order to show love for their neighbors, McGeachin wrote on Twitter. You can love your neighbor and still make medical decisions that are right for you. I trust you to make your own health choices.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Aug. 31, approximately 44 percent of the states total population had received at least one vaccine dose, with 39 percent fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

Those who have made the personal medical choice not to take this vaccine deserve to have their decisions respected, McGeachin said, according to the Idaho Statesman.
Idas Sweltering Aftermath: No Power, No Water, No Gasoline

NEW ORLEANSHundreds of thousands of Louisianans sweltered in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida on Tuesday with no electricity, no tap water, precious little gasoline, and no clear idea of when things might improve.

Long lines that wrapped around the block formed at the few gas stations that had fuel and generator power to pump it. People cleared rotting food out of refrigerators. Neighbors shared generators and borrowed buckets of swimming pool water to bathe or to flush toilets.

We have a lot of work ahead of us and no one is under the illusion that this is going to be a short process, Gov. John Bel Edwards said as the cleanup and rebuilding began across the soggy region in the oppressive late-summer heat.

New Orleans officials announced seven places around the city where people could get a meal and sit in air conditioning. The city was also using 70 transit buses as cooling sites and will have drive-thru food, water, and ice distribution locations set up on Wednesday, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said. Edwards said state officials also were working to set up distribution locations in other areas.

Cantrell ordered a nighttime curfew Tuesday, calling it an effort to prevent crime after Hurricane Ida devastated the power system and left the city in darkness. Police Chief Shaun Ferguson said there had been some arrests for stealing.

The mayor also said she expects the main power company Entergy to be able to provide some electricity to the city by Wednesday evening, but stressed that doesnt mean a quick citywide restoration. Entergy was looking at two options to begin powering critical infrastructure in the area such as hospitals, nursing homes, and first responders, the company said in a news release.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, people wait in line for gas in New Orleans, La., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)

Cantrell acknowledged frustration in the days ahead.

We know its hot. We know we do not have any power, and that continues to be a priority, she told a news conference.

More than 1 million homes and businesses in Louisiana and Mississippiincluding all of New Orleans were left without power when Ida slammed the electric grid on Sunday with its 150 mph (240 kph) winds, toppling a major transmission tower and knocking out thousands of miles of lines and hundreds of substations.

An estimated 25,000-plus utility workers labored to restore electricity, but officials said it could take weeks.

With water treatment plants overwhelmed by floodwaters or crippled by power outages, some places were also facing shortages of drinking water. About 441,000 people in 17 parishes had no water, and an additional 319,000 were under boil-water advisories, federal officials said.

The number of deaths climbed to at least four in Louisiana and Mississippi, including two people killed Monday night when seven vehicles plunged into a 20-foot-deep (six-meter-deep) hole near Lucedale, Mississippi, where a highway had collapsed after torrential rains.

Among the crash victims was Kent Brown, a well-liked, 49-year-old father of two, his brother Keith Brown said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. Keith Brown said his brother was in construction but had been out of work for a while. He didnt know where his brother was headed when the crash happened.

An aerial view shows destroyed houses in a flooded area after Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana, in Montegut, La., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Marco Bello/File/Reuters)

Edwards said he expects the death toll to rise.

In Slidell, crews searched for a 71-year-old man who was attacked by an alligator that tore off his arm as he walked through Idas floodwaters. His wife pulled him to the steps of the home and paddled away to get help, but when she returned, he was gone, authorities said.

On Grand Isle, the barrier island that bore the full force of Idas winds, Police Chief Scooter Resweber said he was amazed that no one was killed or even seriously injured.

About half of the properties on the island of about 1,400 people were heavily damaged or destroyed, and the main roadway was nearly completely covered in sand brought in from the tidal surge.

Ive ridden out other hurricanes: Hurricane Isaac, Katrina, Gustav, Ike.  This is the worst, Resweber said.

In New Orleans, drivers lined up for roughly a quarter-mile, waiting to get into a Costco that was one of the few spots in the city with gasoline. At other gas stations, motorists occasionally pulled up to the pumps, saw the handles covered in plastic bags and drove off.

Renell Debose spent a week suffering in the New Orleans Superdome after 2005s Hurricane Katrina, which killed 1,800 people and left the city nearly uninhabitable. She said she is willing to give it a few days without electricity, but no more than that.

I love my city. Im built for this. But I cant make it without any air conditioning, she said.

Jerilyn Collins returns to her destroyed home with the assistance of a Louisiana National Guard high-water vehicle to retrieve medicine for herself and her father, and a few possessions, after she evacuated from rising floodwater in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, La., on Aug. 30, 2021. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

Michael Pinkrah used his dwindling fuel to find food. He cradled his 3-week-old son in the back seat of an SUV and his 2-year-old daughter played in the front seat as his wife stood in a long line in the sweltering heat to get into one of the few grocery stores open in the city.

Pinkrah said he and his wife thought about evacuating but couldnt find a hotel room. They found out about the open store through social media. But even that link was tenuous.

We cant charge our electronic devices to keep in contact with people. And without that, all of the communication just fails, he said.

In hard-hit Houma, the dismal reality of life without air conditioning, refrigeration, or other more basic supplies began to sink in.

Our desperate need right now is tarps, gasoline for generators, food, water, pastor Chad Ducote said. He said a church group from Mississippi arrived with food and supplies, and neighbors came to his pool to scoop up buckets of water.

The people down here are just doing what they can. They dont have anything, he said.

Adding to the misery was the steamy weather. A heat advisory was issued for New Orleans and the rest of the region, with forecasters saying the combination of high temperatures and humidity could make it feel like 105 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday and 106 on Wednesday.

New Orleans firefighters assess damage as they look through debris after a building collapsed from the effects of Hurricane Ida, in New Orleans, La., on Aug. 30, 2021. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)

Cynthia Andrews couldnt go back to her New Orleans home if she wanted to. She was in a wheelchair, tethered by a power cord to the generator system running the elevators and hallway lights at the Le Meridien hotel.

When the power went out Sunday, the machine that helps Andrews breathe after a lung collapse in 2018 stopped working. The hotel let her stay in the lobby, giving her a cot after she spent nearly a whole night in her wheelchair.

It was so scary, but as long as this thing keeps running, Ill be OK, she said.

By Kevin Mcgill, Chevel Johnson and Melinda Deslatte
Synopsis: AFTER THE RAPTURE, also known as the end of the world, Alex Carter interviews the Antichrist in the final year of the Great Tribulation (the year prior to Jesus anticipated return) before a live audience of 2 billion.

Maybe the most important movie youll see in your lifetime  IMDB reviewer

In the film, the Antichrist is peppered with stark questions including instant death squads, media domination, John MacArthur, the ACLU, Netflix, the Democrats, Mike Pence, mass shootings, 911, Saudi Arabia, and even Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

THIS IS A MUST-SEE FILM. Over 20,000 shared the recent Facebook post with over 3,000 comments on the movie! The movie is that ELECTRIFYING. This film received an IMDB rating of 8.8 with its incredible twists and stunning ending. It also got 3,000 reviews on its Facebook page before being permanently banned! It previewed in 79 countries across the world with stellar reviews.

Freedom of speech is closing fast in America in these last days. The antichrist spirit is everywhere if you havent noticed.

Filmmakers have been supported in their previous films by Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru), Calvary Chapel, Pastor Greg Laurie, NACC, Baptist Press, Christian Cinema, NRB, Kay Arthur, The Fish Radio, Rebecca St. James, David Reagan, Christ in Prophecy, Lamb & Lion Ministries, et al.



The trailer (Click CC for English subtitles):

LIVE REACTION  FISH RADIO Film Premiere:

LIVE REACTION  Hawaii Premiere:



Epoch Cinema has officially launched! Featuring hit movie, Interview with the Antichrist available to rent now. Your donation will help get the film into more theaters next year.

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Italy Prepares for Train Track Protests Against COVID-19 Passes

ROMEItalys government vowed to crack down on demonstrators threatening to block train tracks throughout the country Wednesday as a rule requiring COVID-19 tests or vaccines to use public transportation for long-distance domestic travel took effect.

In a bid to rein in the transmission of infections as Italians returned from summer vacations, the government announced weeks ago that passengers must show a so-called Green Pass to board domestic flights, trains, and buses traveling between regions.

The passes certify the holder received at least one vaccine dose more than 15 days prior, tested negative in the past 48 hours, or recovered from COVID-19 in the previous six months.

The requirement also applies to sea travel, although some ferries are exempt, such as ones serving tiny islands with no other connections to the mainland and those used by commuters between Sicily and the southern tip of the mainland in Calabria.

Local buses, trams, and subways also are exempt from the rule, which was announced by Premier Mario Draghis government when daily caseloads started steadily rising as the Delta variant of the virus became prevalent in Italy.

Passengers, including American tourist Riley Smith (L), board a high-speed train to to Rome, Naples, and Reggio Calabria in southern Italy from Florences Santa Maria Novella train station, Italy, on Sept. 1, 2021. (Karl Ritter/AP Photo)

Opponents of the requirement called for sympathizers to gather at some 50 train stations, including in Rome and Milan, on Wednesday afternoon and vowed to occupy rail tracks, if necessary, to stop trains.

Earlier this summer, a Green Pass requirement began for dining indoors at restaurants, accessing gyms, or attending crowded events like concerts.

On the eve of the transportation rule taking effect, Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese said there would be zero tolerance for law breakers at track protests or for any violence.

No illegal acts will be permitted in protest initiatives at train stations organized for Wednesday, Lamorgese said.

A passenger holds up his phone at a check point at Milans Stazione Centrale train station, Italy, on Sept. 1, 2021. (Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via AP)

So far, some 70 percent of Italys residents 12 years or older have been fully vaccinated. But experts have voiced concern that many people in the 5069 age group havent received vaccines nor signed up for them.

At the main train station in Florence, the new requirement was announced on digital displays and loudspeakers.

Its great, because it allows us to travel more safely, Arianna Bini, a 48-year-old pharmaceutical company manager waiting for a train to Ravenna. Since I travel a lot, I feel more at ease.

On a high-speed train from Milan, in northern Lombardy, to Reggio Calabria, at the southern toe of the Italian peninsula, a conductor asked passengers to show their passes along with their tickets. U.S. tourists showed their U.S. vaccine cards (CDC vax cards) and were also asked for their passports.

Riley Smith, a 26-year-old from New York who was traveling to Naples with a friend, said she knew what to expect. New York just passed similar measures. I think its a good thing across the board.

Other countries have adopted similar requirements or are about to put them in place.

Turkeys Interior Ministry has ordered all domestic travelers over 18 to provide either proof of full vaccination, recovery from COVID-19, or a negative PCR test result. In a circular issued Tuesday, the ministry said the requirement would apply to intercity bus, train, and air travel starting Sept. 6.

Greece applies the same rules for domestic travel as for international travel. The countrys certificate requirements are similar to Italys for long-distance domestic travel. Individuals without the proper certification arent allowed to board.

France instituted a health pass requirement for domestic transportation on Aug. 9 that applies to high-speed, intercity, and night trains, as well as long-distance domestic flights and bus trips.

The French railway says that based on pre-boarding checks, 97 percent of travelers have produced a travel pass.

The requirement, along with mandatory vaccinations for health workers, prompted weeks of Saturday protests by activists and others angry at the French government.

By Frances DEmilio
The FBI headquarters is seen in Washington on Feb. 2, 2018. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Judge Agrees With DOJ About Credibility of White Supremacist FBI Informant

A Seattle federal judge has denied a motion to suppress evidence in an ongoing domestic extremism case, ruling that the FBI was not required to disclose more than $82,000 in payments to an alleged white supremacist serving as a confidential informant.

Judge John Coughenours Aug. 30 decision is the latest development in the case of Kaleb Cole, an accused neo-Nazi and Atomwaffen member arrested in February 2020 for allegedly participating in an Atomwaffen intimidation campaign against Jewish people and journalists of color.

According to Cole, the FBI failed to disclose the sordid background of one of its confidential informants in the bureaus application for a search warrant of Coles Texas home.

The CI [confidential informant] is a convicted felon and currently owns and operates a publishing company that distributes white supremacist writings, Cole said in his Aug. 13 filing.

The CI began his long career as a professional informant in exchange for consideration regarding his sentence on a federal conviction for possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and an unregistered silencer.

He has continued this work for pay.

Cole said the FBI has paid this white supremacist more than $144,000, including more than $82,000 for his work in this case.

Department of Justice prosecutors responded Aug. 20, arguing that the credibility of the FBI informant shouldnt affect the validity of the search warrant on Coles home.

But even if the informants credibility was material to the probable cause finding, the omitted information would not have changed the outcome, the DOJ said. The fact that the FBI repeatedly chose to pay the informant for information over many years is a reflection of the fact that the FBI consistently found the informants information proved reliable.

In his Aug. 30 decision, Judge Coughenour agreed with the DOJs arguments about the FBI informants credibility.

The FBIs longstanding relationship with the informant and the compensation it paid to him, approximately $140,000 over a sixteen-year period, does not impugn his credibility, the judge said. If anything, it suggests that he demonstrated reliability in the past.

Otherwise, it stands to reason, the FBI would have terminated its relationship.

Neither the judge nor the DOJ addressed Coles allegations that the confidential informant is a publisher of white supremacist literature.

When contacted by The Epoch Times, a DOJ spokesperson said, Our filings in this case speak for themselves, and we have no additional comment to add at this time. Coles attorney declined to comment, while an FBI spokesperson said the agency had no comment on the case.

Other outlets agree that the white supremacy allegations against the FBI informant are likely true.

The list of active members of extremist movements in America is, thankfully, small, wrote Matthew Gault for Vice Motherboard. The list of those caught with a silenced weapon with shaved-off serial numbers involved in publishing white supremacist literature is even smaller.

Coles case is set for jury trial on Sept. 27.
Children attend online classes at a learning hub inside the Crenshaw Family YMCA during the Covid-19 pandemic on February 17, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

LA Teachers Union Leader Says Learning Loss During Pandemic Is a Myth

The leader of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), which represents more than 30,000 employees in the nations second largest public school district, said in a recently published interview that learning losses during the pandemic are a myth.

Theres no such thing as learning loss, UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz told Los Angeles in what the magazine described as a rare sit-down interview, which took place in May. Many parents at that time were criticizing the teachers union for pushing back the citys school reopening plan and for insisting on terms that they said would prevent the return of an in-person, five-day-per-week schooling schedule.

When asked how her insistence on keeping schools closed for more than a year might have affected 600,000 students of the Los Angles Unified School District, Myart-Cruz argued that the experience of living through such a turbulent period would make up for the loss, if any.

Our kids didnt lose anything, she said. Its OK that our babies may not have learned all their times tables. They learned resilience. They learned survival. They learned critical-thinking skills. They know the difference between a riot and a protest. They know the words insurrection and coup.'

Myart-Cruz also dismissed criticism from parents, including those who rallied outside UTLAs headquarters with signs calling for her ouster. I love that my picture is the biggest one, she said, referring to a protest poster of her and one of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. But heres the trouble: You can recall the Governor. You can recall the school board. But how are you going to recall me?

The claim that K-12 students didnt suffer any learning loss during the school closures and remote learning apparently contradicts the results of many quantified studies conducted at both local and national level. In Los Angeles, non-profit education group Great Public Schools Now reported widespread learning loss, especially in the black and Latino communities.

According to the report, which was based on Los Angeles Unified School District data, only 43 percent of black and 44 percent of Latino K-5 students were not reading below grade level by fall 2021. Only one-third of middle and high school students are at the proper reading and math levels, and an estimated 40,000 high school students would not be able to graduate on time.

The findings echoed that of a national study by Mckinsey, which found that the pandemic has left American students, on average, five months behind in mathematics and four months behind in reading by the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Unless the years learning loss is properly addressed, the consulting firm warned, todays students could earn $49,000 to $61,000 less over their lifetimes, costing the domestic economy as much as $188 billion every year when they enter the workforce.

The UTLA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Police release tear gas into a crowd during clashes at the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6, 2021. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

Lawyer Representing 17 Jan. 6 Defendants Has Mysteriously Gone Missing: Court Filings

Court filings say John Pierce hospitalized with COVID-19, while others say he's suffering from another condition

An attorney who is representing 17 defendants accused of taking part in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach has disappeared, possibly suffering from COVID-19, according to an Aug. 30 court filing.

Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips said in a court document (pdf) that nearly 20 cases related to the Jan. 6 incident arent proceeding after John Pierce, the lawyer for the defense, went missing.

Pierce is reportedly ill with COVID-19, on a ventilator, and unresponsive, according to the filing. Pierces law firm associate, Ryan Marshallwho isnt a licensed attorneyhas been appearing in Pierces place at court hearings and proceedings. Marshall was also the one who revealed Pierces alleged hospitalization and condition, the filing said.

The lawyer, who generally posts on Twitter several times per day, hasnt posted since Aug. 20.

Because Mr. Pierce is unavailable and Mr. Marshall cannot ethically or legally represent Mr. Pierces clients, the government is making the Court aware of Mr. Pierces reported illness so that it can take any steps it believes necessary to ensure the defendants rights are adequately protected while Mr. Pierce remains hospitalized, Phillips said.

But later in the court filing, the U.S. attorneys office said it had obtained conflicting information about Mr. Pierces health and whereabouts.

When it was revealed publicly that Pierce was hospitalized with COVID-19, a report from NPR, citing unnamed sources, said that he may have been suffering from dehydration and exhaustion and that hes believed to have symptoms related to COVID-19.

And a colleague of Pierce, Brody Womack, told Business Insider that Pierce appears to have been suffering from dehydration and exhaustion in relation to his tireless work on behalf of his clients, including the many defendants he represents in connection with the January 6, 2021, protest at the Capitol.

On Aug. 26, Marshall appeared in place of Pierce, telling a U.S. attorneys assistant that he hasnt had any contact with Pierce and noting that one of his friends had told him that Mr. Pierce was sick with COVID-19 and another had said he was not, the filing states.

From the governments perspective, given Mr. Pierces reported illness and the fact that Mr. Marshall is not a licensed attorney, this case is effectively at a standstill, Phillips office stated.

Even though Marshall has been the governments main or sole point of contact for many of the defendants represented by Mr. Pierce, the government does not believe it appropriate to continue to communicate with him in Mr. Pierces absence, during which he would necessarily be acting without supervision by a licensed attorney, the court document reads.

Some of Pierces clients said theyre starting to become concerned.

Paul Rae, an alleged Proud Boy from Florida who has pleaded not guilty, told ABC News on Aug. 30 that hes a bit concerned about his lawyers health and the overall situation regarding his representation. An associate of Pierce told him that the attorney isnt on a ventilator and that hes recovering, Rae said.

Unless Im being lied to, Im hearing Dont be concerned,' Rae told the network. I dont know whats going on.

The Epoch Times contacted Pierces office for comment. When reached for comment via telephone, the phone lines for his law firm appeared to be disconnected.
An Orthodox Jewish man walks in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights in New York on Feb. 27, 2019. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Liberal Jewish Groups White Paper Warns Critical Race Theory Fuels Growth of Antisemitism

Critical social justice (CSJ) ideology, which includes critical race theory, is enabling new forms of antisemitism in America, according to a new white paper to be made public on Sept. 1 by the Gaithersburg, Maryland-based Jewish Institute for Liberal Values (JILV).

While there are differing perspectives within CSJ, the more radical and anti-Jewish ideas are not being held in check and there is evidence that the more extreme versions are gaining ground and influencing public discourse, according to the white paper, of which an advance copy was made available to The Epoch Times.

To be clear, we are not discounting that racism exists and needs to be addressed; rather, we are concerned about how this particular ideology is in practice enabling new forms of antisemitism.

Critical theory originated in Germanys Frankfurt School of thought based on Marxism, which holds that a societys oppressor and oppressed classes can be analyzed through the particular prism of a factor such as economics, privileges of powerful classes, or gender.

Titled Critical Social Justice and Anti-Semitism, the JILV analysis was authored by David Bernstein, the think tanks founder and CEO; Nicole Levitt, who oversees policy and legal affairs; and Daniel Newman, who manages its marketing and technology.

The white paper cited seven factors that make CSJ a significant factor in fueling antisemitism: the canard of Jewish privilege, the erasure of Jewish identity, intersectionality and antisemitism, the anti-Israel binary, the marginalization of Jews in politics, Jews and equity, and the undermining of Enlightenment principles.

The JILV is devoted to helping Jewish organizations and individuals hold constructive conversations about CSJ and ensure balanced approaches in assessing the ideology as it impacts culture, the economy, politics, and society in general.

As if lifted straight out of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, some CSJ proponents resurrect the age-old stereotype of the Jew as power broker secretly running the show, the white paper said regarding the canard of Jewish privilege.

Moreover, CSJ lacks the subtlety or nuance to think outside the simplistic terminology of power or power politics, so it necessarily squeezes relatively successful groups like Jewish Americans into the Procrustean bed of the oppressor class.

The Protocols is a vicious antisemitic tract that first appeared in Tsarist Russia early in the 20th century. The original author of the tract is unknown, but it describes the alleged secret plans of Jews to rule the world by manipulating the economy, controlling the media, and fostering religious conflict, according to the Holocaust Encyclopedia.

The white paper pointed out that the term Jewish privilege trended strongly on Twitter in the summer months of 2020, while several discussion rooms on another social media app, Clubhouse, were shut down because they were dedicated to talking about the topic.

When Haredi Jews were victims of violent attacks in New York in 2018, a year before another spike in bloody attacks, the executive director of the Black Movement Center in Crown Heights, Mark Winston Griffith, told The Forward that some black Americans see Judaism as a form of almost hyper-whiteness, the white paper said.

The erasure of Jewish identity, the second factor discussed by the white paper, represents the manner in which CSJ advocates force a unique ethnic identity into the two broader classes of oppressed and oppressor.

Daphna Kaufman of Reutgroup coined the term erasive antisemitism for the designation of Ashkenazi Jews from Europe as white, the white paper said.

This racialization of Jewish identity erases Jewish identity in favor of the CSJ binary of oppressed person of color or white oppressor. In this ideological framework, Jews are not afforded the status of a distinct people worthy of self-determination.

The white paper puts forth six steps that JILV recommends to combat CSJ and antisemitism, including encouraging individual advocates of classical liberal values like tolerance of opposing viewpoints, litigating to oppose diversity programs based on CSJ, organizing new advocacy groups to support liberal values, creating a new coalition of such groups, mounting highly targeted anti-CSJ campaigns, and advancing alternative diversity models that include diversity of viewpoints as well as ethnicities.

A central strategy must be to embolden those who quietly oppose CSJ to speak out publicly. Most critics of the ideology hold back for fear of losing their jobs and social status, the white paper said.

Only when a critical mass of people come forward will the ideology be exposed as representing the views of a small percentage of the population and will institutions rethink their ideological commitments.

Congressional correspondent Mark Tapscott may be contacted at mark.tapscott@epochtimes.nyc. Follow him on Twitter at @mtapscott and on Parler at @Mtapscott.
Liberals, Tories Get Creative With Campaign Imagery in Quebec

Parties branding very different in La Belle Province than rest of Canada

Commentary

Quebec separatism might not be on full throttle these days, but theres definitely a different-from-the-rest-of-Canada spirit to how federal candidates are promoting themselves in La Belle Province via their campaign signs.

Elsewhere in the country, campaign posters and signs tend to be generic: the colour of the party, candidate name, party logo, and riding namepretty cookie-cutter. Quebecs signs, however, are rich in visuals, with candidates faces and illustrations. It probably has a good explanation.

Quebec campaign sign for Liberal candidate Anthony Housefather. (The Epoch Times)

I would think it might have to do with the province being a cultural beast of its own, possessing a joie de vivre that stands unique. After all, its the home of Cirque Du Soleil, Carnaval de Quebec, a vibrant arts scene, and where entire streets shut down in summer for festivals. Life has a certain flair, and whether in the city or the outskirts, the fun never stops, because theres a party to be had at any hour. In that respect, no frills plain posters would be bone-dry boring in comparison.

Another theory: no doubt political parties realize theres stiff competition in Quebec, where any seat could flip in an unpredictable direction, necessitating some advertising panache. Remember how, in 2011, Quebec turned bright orange, helping Jack Laytons New Democrats become the opposition party? Remember how, in 1993, Lucien Bouchards Bloc Quebecois took 54 seatsnearly all of the provincemaking him the opposition leader? Time to get creative with marketing, leave nothing to chance! More pageantry!

Quebec campaign sign for Conservative candidate Jasmine Louras. (The Epoch Times)

By way of example, powerful branding contrasts are evident between Grit and Tory signs, with layered messaging (if you know what to look for).

One difference is in what the candidates are wearing. Liberals, with light-coloured button-downs, signal a casual have a lemonade with me on a summer day feel. Montreal incumbent Anthony Housefather, for example, wears a light-hue pink, no doubt carefully curated to give off the modern metro vibe to appeal to youth and female voters.

On the flipside, Conservatives are decked in professional attire: dark blouses for the women and dark suits and ties for the men. Its selling the more serious approach; that is, no bhangra dancing, no bananas stuffed down the pants, no Chewbacca socks, no hugging puppet unicorns, no drink box water bottle things, no shirtless selfies. Its saying we mean business (in both the talk turkey sense of the word and bringing business to Canada sense of the word).

In what is often a fourth-place party in Quebecafter the default Liberals, NDP, and Blocthe Conservatives have attempted to differentiate themselves by tapping into local parochial sensibilities. They added a slogan on their signs: agir pour le Quebecmeaning act for Quebec. Wait what? Isnt this a federal election? Dont we already have a Quebec-centred party looking out for the provinces best interests? Its almost as though the Conservatives think Quebeckers need to be seduced, coddled, and kowtowed toplaying the special status card for votes. Or worsethat they think locals are solely focused on self-interest rather than the welfare of the country as a whole. But in case people really didnt get the hint that the Tories seek to appease Quebec, in the background theres subtle (subliminal) array of fleur-de-lis placed around the candidates image. Its a gamble, but the Tories have little to lose.

Ontario campaign sign for Conservative candidate Costas Menegakis. (The Epoch Times)

On the Liberals signs, in contrast, to the right of the candidates image is a collage of faded faces of varying colours, ages, and genders, as if to imply that theyre the party of the multi-culti everyman (or peoplekind, whichever you choose). Its a something-for-everyone unity-and-love message versus the niche patriotism message. Its peculiar, though, as one might have thought it would be the Liberals whod place emphasis on Quebec, since they likely need it to hold onto power.

What also stands out is how prominentor hiddenthe party name is on the signs. The Liberal name is unabashed, big and bold at the top right-hand corner, seen from 18 feet away, right next to the candidates image. But on the Tories signs, the word Conservative is the equivalent to a footnote at the bottom, in puny font. Passersby have to squint to see it. Its kind of a by the way, we know youd never consider voting for this party, but maybe theres an off-chance we could convince you if the picture looked like a bus ad from a realtor, lawyer, or insurance salesman.

Ontario campaign sign for Liberal candidate Leah Taylor Roy. (The Epoch Times)

Because image is paramount for the Trudeau Liberals, especially in Quebec, each election requires a complete sign makeover. A fresh look, for a fresh outlook might as well be the slogan, like a cliche cosmetics television ad. Take the example of Marc Garneau, a Liberal candidate in the Montreal area. In 2019, his clothing was dark, versus 2021s light colours. In 2019, he wasnt wearing glasses, but in 2021, specs play better.

In 2019, on the left-hand side of the Liberals signs there were pictograms symbolizing things like economy, jobs, and housing, whereas in 2021, issues were too much for constituents to think about, apparently. The marketing team must have realized no ones expecting much from Trudeaus zero calorie policies anyway. A simple face and a name was all voters needed to know.

This is as much true with Justin Trudeaus recent election signs, featuring him in an off-white button-down and dark-blue tie (wrong team colour, but marketing said it suggests he has range.) Suit jackets, apparently, are an unnecessary accessorytoo stuffy!relegated only for Parliament, solemn events, and meeting other dignitaries.

Only two other messages are printed: Team Trudeau, and Liberal. Its all about the face, really. The photo is virtually indistinguishable from any other perfectly coiffed, air-brushed campaign mug from the past decade. Not a wrinkle, not a sprout of grey. Quebeckers: hes the same youthful, charismatic, fils de Pierre weve all come to love, so if you want more cute, vote Liberal again.

In everything from tone and image to messaging and branding, Quebecs campaign signs and posters are so unlike those in the other provinces that it is indeed as though theyre from another country.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Live Q&A: Biden Defends Leaving Americans in Afghanistan; New Terror War Starts on ISIS

President Joe Biden defended the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan, noting that this is the way the mission was designed, and pointed blame at several factors ranging from the retreat of the Afghan armed forces to the policies of former President Donald Trump. And in other news, several new efforts are underway to fight against the terror group ISIS, with Biden saying that the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan opens the possibility of airstrikes against terror cells.

In this live Q&A with Crossroads host Joshua Philipp, well discuss these stories and others, and answer questions from the audience.

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People count California recall ballot votes at a Los Angeles Registrar site at the Los Angeles Fair Grounds in Pomona, Calif., on Aug. 31, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Los Angeles County Registrar Office Verifies 1 Million Recall Ballots Ahead of Election Day

Southern California registrar offices are working to provide a secure recall election on Sept. 14 as 300 unopened vote-by-mail ballots were found in a parked car in Torrance earlier this month.

According to the Los Angeles County registrars office, the ballots obtained by the Torrance Police Department were unopened and unvoted, spokesman Mike Sanchez told The Epoch Times.

It is our priority to ensure the security and integrity of all elections in Los Angeles County, he said. Weve identified the voters who were impacted, and we have reissued a new vote by mail ballot to them.

People count California recall ballot votes at a Los Angeles Registrar site at the Los Angeles Fair Grounds in Pomona, Calif., on Aug. 31, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

People count California recall ballot votes at a Los Angeles Registrar site at the Los Angeles Fair Grounds in Pomona, Calif., on Aug. 31, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

With some concerns over potential election fraud, Sanchez said every vote by mail ballot is verified by matching the signature on the return envelope with the signature on the voters registration database. If verification is successful, the ballot will be tallied on Sept. 14.

The Epoch Times toured the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds where the county is verifying recall ballots, which are received by daily truckloads. With 5.7 million registered voters in the county as of Aug. 30 (about twice the population of Arkansas), Los Angeles County has counted over 900,000 ballots. Sanchez said theyre optimistic they will verify 1 million before the end of the day, on Aug. 31.

During the recall election in 2003, Los Angeles County had a 54 percent voter turnout; 49 percent of residents voted yes to the recall while 51 percent voted no.

According to Sanchez, the current number of ballots received is a healthy early push before the vote centers open in 108 locations on Sept. 4.

To enter the facility, several security measures were implemented to ensure those within the room were documented.

Up to 150 county employees who underwent background checks were scattered among the stations while livestream cameras also monitor the operation.

People count California recall ballot votes at a Los Angeles Registrar site at the Los Angeles Fair Grounds in Pomona, Calif., on Aug. 31, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

People count California recall ballot votes at a Los Angeles Registrar site at the Los Angeles Fair Grounds in Pomona, Calif., on Aug. 31, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The building is sectioned off into five different verification stations, beginning from when the ballots arrive at the facility. Once the ballots are sorted, they go through a verification machine that ensures ballot signatures match those on the voter registration database.

If a ballot is damaged or the signature on the envelope doesnt match the ballot, it will be temporarily discarded, and the registered voter will be notified to fix the errors.

Once the ballots go through the verification process, theyre sent to another facility in Downey where theyre kept before being tallied on Sept. 14. Trucks arrive each day to take the verified ballots to the final location, which is heavily secured, Sanchez said.

In Orange County, spokesman Neal Kelley told The Epoch Times the registrars ballot verification system is layered with tiers of protection as well.

People count California recall ballot votes at a Los Angeles Registrar site at the Los Angeles Fair Grounds in Pomona, Calif., on Aug. 31, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

There are multiple layers of protection in place that include checks and balances to ensure only one voter submits a ballot and that the details of the voter record match the single ballot being returned, Kelley said. Ballots also have numerous protections that would allow for the detection of duplicate or copies of ballots.

Receiving fraudulent ballots is not a concern for the county, as Kelley said they are confident in the system they have.

We have systems in place to detect anomalies in data and never take security for granted, Kelley said. We work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure a safe, secure, and reliable system.

As Orange and Los Angeles County open locations for in-person voting over the next two weeks, voters can still mail in their ballots. Ballots will be accepted up to seven days after Sept. 14 if theyre postmarked by election day.
Los Angeles County to Pay $400,000 Settlement to Church That Defied Pandemic Lockdown

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a settlement to Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, which kept its doors open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic despite the countys health order.

The county settled for $400,000, which will come from the county Health Departments budget and will go to pay the churchs legal fees. The state will reportedly pay an additional $400,000 under the agreement.

It appears that the county wants to settle this, because they do not want a trial, the churchs pastor, John MacArthur, said from the pulpit in a video posted on Aug. 30.

MacArthur said the $400,000 will go to the Thomas Moore Society.

Nothing comes to us except [the knowledge that] the Lord preserved and protected us through this, he said. We believe that God has designed us to live in a world of viruses and the best way to do that is to live together so that we build up our immune systems. People who are isolated  dont have the normal defenses.

Of reports of church members becoming ill with the virus, MacArthur said, There is no evidence that can be traced back to Grace Church, though he went on to acknowledge that the virus probably went through the church in December or January. MacArthur and his wife had their own bouts with COVID-19 in December.

Background

Last year, Grace Community Church received multiple citations from Los Angeles County for continuing to hold indoor worship services after churches in 30 counties across California were ordered to stop holding worship services in July 2020. The county eventually sued the church in Aug. 2020 for continuing to hold indoor worship services.

The church, led by MacArthur, counter-sued Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti last August, claiming in a declaration that the county violated the churchs free exercise of religion by criminalizing activity directly required by our faith.

As a church, we have a moral and religious obligation to continue allowing our congregants to gather in our sanctuary to worship the Lord, MacArthur wrote in the declaration. We see this action against us as an illegitimate misuse of power.

The county argued that the public health order didnt target religious gatherings but encompassed all circumstances that risked the spread of COVID-19.

On Aug. 31, however, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors approved the settlement with the church, citing the U.S. Supreme Courts strike of the ban on indoor church services in February, and the lift of most lockdown mandates in California on June 15.

After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that some public health safety measures could not apply to houses of worship, resolving this litigation is the responsible and appropriate thing to do, the countys counsel said in a statement to the LA Daily News. From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles County has been committed to protecting the health and safety of its residents. We are grateful to the countys faith organizations for their continued partnership to keep their congregants and the entire community safe and protected from COVID-19.

Reactions From Faith Leaders

The lawsuit and settlement highlight the conflict between religious freedom and public safety concerns that have been ongoing across the nation since the start of the pandemic.

MacArthur, a leading voice in the national evangelical community, published a Biblical case for the churchs duty to remain open in July 2020, saying that Christ, not Caesar, is the head of the church.

While Scripture commands believers to obey governing authority by rendering to Caesar what is Caesars, MacArthur argued that God has not granted civic rulers authority over the doctrine, practice, or polity of the church  government officials have no right to interfere in ecclesiastical matters in a way that undermines or disregards the God-given authority of pastors and elders.

Good morning everyone, Im so happy to welcome you to the Grace Community Church peaceful protest, MacArthur said last August, drawing attention to the presumed double standard that allowed hundreds to gather to protest police brutality and racial injustice, but prohibited church services.

Pastor Che Ahn of Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena also called attention to Newsoms response to protests in a previous interview with The Epoch Times.

When Newsom did a press conference right after the first major protests, he made statements like, Your First Amendment rights must be protected. Your voices must be heard, you will be protected. We will not arrest you, Ahn said. And then he said, God bless you. When he said those things, were thinking to ourselves, Well, what about our First Amendment rights?

Ahn sued Newsom in 2020 and won, with the judge issuing a statewide injunction against restrictions on churches and places of worship.

Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills completely underestimated the response of his congregation when his church reopened its doors in May of 2020.

Hibbs told The Epoch Times previously that this has never happened in the history of America, where the church has been sequestered, let alone citizens.

A church of our size, people are depressed, people are having marital problems now. Theres people that are saying, I cant live like this. My boss told me Im not essential. I feel like Im going to kill myself, Hibbs said.

He said his church saw approximately 14,000 visitors every Sundayand that during the pandemic, their online services climbed to 1 million viewers per month.

Other faith leaders, such as Baptist pastor Jonathan Leeman, urged MacArthur to reconsider, saying civil disobedience may not be the only legitimate or moral course of action at this moment, and that MacArthurs church could meet outdoors.

I am saying that, at least in this moment, a church could decide to do something besides all gathering together without selling out to Caesar, Leeman wrote. Gods kingdom is bigger than any one of our gatherings.

Pastor John MacArthurs office, as well as the office of Supervisors Hilda Solis, Holly Mitchell and Sheila Kuehl, didnt respond to requests for comment by press deadline.
Louisiana Power Outages Could Last for Weeks

Louisiana governor is urging Entergy to move faster

People living in the areas hit by Hurricane Ida could be without power for weeks, a large utility provider said Tuesday.

Entergy, which delivers electricity to some 3 million customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, said it restored power to 85,000 customers who were affected by the hurricane, which slammed into Louisiana on Sundayplunging New Orleans into darknessbefore moving into Mississippi.

But the provider also said that people in the hardest-hit areas could experience power outages for weeks.

Some 840,000 households and businesses in Louisiana, and 25,000 in Mississippi, serviced by Entergy remained without power on Tuesday. Over one million outages in Louisiana were tracked on PowerOutage.us.

Some Entergy customers were told theyd have to wait 30 days for electricity to return.

Nobody is satisfied, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, told reporters in LaPlace.

I know Im not satisfied with 30 days, the Entergy people arent satisfied with 30 days, nobody whos out there needing power is satisfied with that, he added. But I am mindful that we just had the strongest hurricaneat least tides were the strongestthat the state has ever experienced, and the infrastructure has been damaged.

Over 20,000 linemen and other workers are deployed across the state, focusing on restoring power.

Edwards said he would be unpleasantly surprised if it actually took a month for all power to come back online and spent two hours on the phone with Entergy to hammer home the urgency of the situation.

The remains of a destroyed building after Hurricane Ida made landfall, in New Orleans, La., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Marco Bello/Reuters)

The hurricane, which was later downgraded, took out eight high-voltage transmission lines that supply power to New Orleans and nearby parishes, including a transmission tower that withstood Hurricane Katrina 16 years prior.

At least four people are dead across the two hardest-hit states.

Crews are repairing Entergy plants in the New Orleans area in addition to clearing up issues at homes and at the lines, with the aim of producing power for customers in the area when the transmission system is functional again.

Crews are dealing with road closures, flooding, and other aftereffects of Ida, making the work more difficult. In some areas, theyre using airboats, highwater vehicles, and helicopters.

The damage assessment, which began on Aug. 30, could take several days. Until its complete, some customers may not get an estimated time for power restoration. The U.S. Coast Guard was helping assess the damage, including analyzing how best to remove the transmission tower that plunged into the Mississippi river.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, people wait in line for gas in New Orleans, La., on Aug. 31, 2021. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)

New Orleans remained without power Tuesday, officials there said.

We recognize, as the days go by, we understand people get a little angst. We know its hot, we know that we do not have any power. And that continues to be a priority that this administration is pushing forward on with Entergy, Mayor LaToya Cantrell, a Democrat, told a press conference in the city.

Some power could be restored by Wednesday afternoon, she added.

Government officials, working with charities and businesses, have set up meal distribution sites and cooling centers to help residents cope with the hot weather and lack of electricity.

State and local officials are urging people who evacuated to stay away, at least for now.

Many of the life-supporting infrastructure elements are not present, theyre not operating right now, said Edwards. So if you have already evacuated, do not return here or elsewhere in southeast Louisiana until the Office of Emergency Preparedness tells you its ready to receive you.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) heads toward the Senate Chamber in the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Aug. 11, 2021. (Liz Lynch/Getty Images)

McConnell: Biden Not Going to Be Impeached

President Joe Biden will not be impeached, the top Republican in the Senate said Wednesday.

The president is not going to be removed from office with a Democratic House and a narrowly Democratic Senate. Thats not going to happen, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said at an event in his home state when asked whether the presidents behavior should trigger an impeachment.

I think the way these behaviors get adjusted in this country is at the ballot box, he added. There isnt going to be an impeachment.

Democrats control the House of Representatives with a 220212 majority while holding a slim one-vote majority in the upper chamber with the vote of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Impeachment requires a simple majority in the House and a supermajority conviction vote in the Senate.

Former President Donald Trump was impeached twice but both times the Senate voted to acquit him. No president in history has been impeached and convicted.

Some Republicans have charged that Bidens conduct regarding Afghanistan has been impeachable, and there have been calls for senior Biden administration officials to step down.

I think its dereliction of duty to leave hundreds of Americans behind enemy lines, turn them into hostages, to abandon thousands of Afghans who fought honorably along our side, to create conditions for another 9/11 that are now through the roof, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on CBS on Sunday.

Biden must resign or be impeached, Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.) added on Twitter.

And Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) last week introduced three impeachment resolutions against the president over the Afghanistan debacle.

But no Democrats support the calls, making the efforts unlikely to succeed, unless Republicans flip both chambers in 2022.

No Biden administration officials have yet resigned over Afghanistan. Some lawmakers have called for Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley to step down or be removed.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki, when asked about the calls last week, said that Its not a day for politics.

She deflected a similar query the following day, saying that everybody should be supportive of U.S. efforts to target the terrorists who were behind the bombing attack in Kabul that left 13 U.S. troops dead.
Undated CCTV image of a man suspected of multiple assaults against Jewish males in London on Aug. 18, 2021. (Metropolitan Police)

Met Police Release New Images of Serial Anti-Semitic Assault Suspect

The Metropolitan Police on Wednesday released new images of a man suspected of multiple assaults on Jewish males in north London.

The Met have been looking for the man since Aug. 20 following reports of five unprovoked attacks on Aug. 18.

CCTV footage released by Jewish neighbourhood watch group Shomrim shows the mandressed in white Islamic garb and a khaki jacketattacking several Jewish males unprovoked, including a 64-year-old man who was struck in the face and fell to the ground on Stamford Hill. He suffered facial injuries and a broken bone in his foot, according to the Met.

The same man is shown to have smacked a 30-year-old Jewish man with a bottle on Cazenove Road. The Jewish man sustained no injuries.

He was also filmed punching a 14-year-old Jewish boy who was walking on Holmdale Terrace. The Met said the boy didnt sustain any lasting injuries.

Police said they received reports of a fourth and a fifth attack, but havent identified the victims yet.

Detective Chief Inspector Yasmin Lalani said on Friday that the police retain an open mind regarding the motive behind the assaults, but the incidents were being treated as hate crimes.

In the latest development, police have established that the man stayed at a hostel on Seven Sisters Road in Hackney between Aug. 17 and Aug. 19.

The Met was previously told by local Jewish and Muslim communities that the suspect had not been seen locally before, and shop staff in Seven Sisters Road who interacted with the man suggested he may have a northern, possibly Yorkshire, accent.

Lalani said on Wednesday that the police remain determined to identify the man responsible for these unprovoked attacks.

Lalani appealed to people who stayed at the same hostel and at the same time with the suspect to come forward if they have information.

Lalani also urged the suspect to come forward.

It is vital that we bring these incidents to a conclusion, Lalani said.

After the 64-year-old man was injured on his way to his synagogue, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he utterly condemn[s] this appalling attack.

Let me be clear, racist abuse and hate crime, including anti-Semitism, have absolutely no place in our city, the Muslim mayor wrote on Twitter on Aug. 23.

The victim told the PA news agency on Aug. 22 that he could not remember the incident as he had been knocked unconscious.

I hit my head on the wall and that was it, I have no recollection, he said.

The police are taking this extremely seriously because there is an awful lot of anxiety in the community, but we are a very tight-knit, welcoming, and loving community.

PA contributed to this report.
Military Budgeting Portends Pivot Toward Great-Power Conflicts

Details emerging from the 2022 military budgeting process suggest that the United States will refocus from the Middle East toward China and other perceived emerging threats.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) made the governments intended strategic shift explicit during a Brookings Institution webinar previewing the committees Sept. 1 markup of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)the annual congressional allotment to the Department of Defense and related agencies.

Where [HASC ranking member] Mike Rogers and I are 100 percent in agreement [is] that we need to transform our national security, Smith said during the webinar. Were pivoting away from that direct-forward military engagement and combat zonesand thats a fundamental shift.

Smith said his proposal has a long way to go, with more than 700 amendments being added and set to be considered since the 2022 NDAA was unveiled. But in its current stage, the bill contains numerous provisions that would boost resources for potential conflicts with China and Russia, as well as others that provide for an influx of funding for research and development in artificial intelligence and other advanced technology.

Those provisions include congressional policy declarations supporting Taiwan and a free and open Indo-Pacific region, as well as billions of dollars in funding to support those goals.

In total, Smiths proposal authorizes roughly $744 billion in discretionary defense spending, an uptick from the estimated $733 billion being spent this year and the $714 billion in 2020. Nevertheless, the Biden administration has requested $753 billion from Congress, with much of the increase intended to help launch an estimated $1.7 trillion nuclear weapons modernization program planned for the next decade.

The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) approved an even more ambitious version of the 2022 NDAA in July, proposing a nearly $780 billion budget. That proposal has been sent to the Senate floor.

Smith said hes focused less on the funding levels for the military, and more on how that money will be spent. He rejected criticisms from some of his Democratic colleagues that the military budget should be diverted toward social programs, climate change, and other areas.

I dont support the argument that oh my gosh, we cant spend another $25 billion because we have all these other priorities. Weve spent a lot of money on those other priorities, Smith said, referencing the roughly $6 trillion in stimulus injected into the economy over the last year-plus.

However, Smith did lament the waste and corruption he said has proliferated through the defense industry since the collapse of the Soviet Union. He said neoconservative policymakersparticularly those involved in the Project for a New American Centurysteered the U.S. military toward global domination, rather than scaling back after the Cold War ended.

The Project for a New American Century was one of the dumbest damn things that has ever been put forth, Smith said. The idea that the key to success is that the U.S. had to remain as dominant over the next 100 years as it was during the Cold War.

This led us to a whole series of bad decisions.

Smith appeared to be referencing the recent wars in the Middle East.

One of the funding proposals Smith expressed skepticism about was the $1.7 trillion (over 10 years) nuclear arms modernization project. For 2022, the Biden White House has requested $15 million for the development of new low-yield nuclear sea-launched cruise missiles; nearly $134 million for the development of a new high yield submarine-launched ballistic missile warhead; and nearly $1.9 billion to have the capability to produce at least 80 plutonium pits for nuclear warheads per year at two sites.

Even with China building its nuclear capacity, the United States doesnt necessarily need to follow suit, he said.

They [China] still have less than 300 nukes. How many do you need, regardless of how many your adversary has? Smith said. You dont need as many nuclear weapons to be an adequate deterrent as many people saybecause, well, theyre nuclear weapons.

Do we need 5,000k nukes, or is there a more cost-effective way to deter?

Smiths skepticism extended to the notion that the United States needs to dramatically increase research and development in missile defense systems.

Missile defenseit has limited ability to truly stop incoming missiles, he said. You can stop a few, but stopping a few dozen is another matterlet alone a few hundred.

Despite what appears to be a significant military spending boost coming down the pipeline, critics of the Biden administration have voiced concerns that the decision to abandon Americans in Afghanistan will incentivize China and Russia to pursue expansionist policies. Smith was asked at the Brookings Institute event whether those rivals might test the waters with an invasion of Taiwan or Ukraine.

Lets think our way beyond the bumper-sticker thought, Smith said. The idea that people wont think were resolute because we dont stay in Afghanistan another 20 yearsits not that simple.
Misspelling of Moderna Leads to Tourists Arrest in Hawaii

HONOLULUA 24-year-old Illinois woman submitted a fake COVID-19 vaccination card to visit Hawaii with a glaring spelling error that led to her arrest: Moderna was spelled Maderna, according to court documents.

In order to bypass Hawaiis 10-day traveler quarantine, she uploaded a vaccination card to the states Safe Travels program and arrived in Honolulu Aug. 23 on a Southwest Airlines flight, the documents said.

Airport screeners found suspicious errors  such as Moderna was spelled wrong and that her home was in Illinois but her shot was taken at Delaware, Wilson Lau, a special agent with the Hawaii attorney generals investigation division, wrote in an email to a Delaware official who confirmed there was no record vaccination record for the woman under her name and birth date.

The email is included in documents filed in court. She was charged with two misdemeanor counts of violating Hawaiis emergency rules to control the spread of COVID-19. She had been in custody on $2,000 bail until a judge released her at a hearing Tuesday and scheduled another hearing in three weeks.

State Public Defender James Tabe, whose office represented her at hearings this week, declined to comment on her case, noting its not clear if shell hire her own attorney or apply to have a public defender represent her.

The voicemail at a number listed for her in court documents was full Tuesday. She didnt immediately respond to a text message from The Associated Press.

In addition to the suspicious card, authorities determined that the travel information she provided listed she would be staying at a Waikiki Holiday Inn but didnt include a reservation number and return flight information, court documents said.

An assistant manager at the hotel confirmed to Lau she didnt have a reservation. Lau said in the court document that he tried to call the number she listed but her voicemail was full. He said he emailed her and didnt get a response.

Lau said he searched for her on Facebook and found a photo showing a distinctive tattoo on her left hip area.

The tattoo helped authorities find her at a Southwest Airlines counter when she was trying to leave Honolulu on Aug. 28, the court document said. She showed her ID and vaccination card to Lau, who informed her she was being arrested for falsifying vaccination documents.

Other visitors to Hawaii have been arrested for fake vaccination cards, including a father and son from California, who appeared in court via Zoom Tuesday and waived their rights to a jury trial.

By Jennifer Sinco Kelleher
A medical volunteer prepares the Moderna CCP virus vaccination for a patient at Lestonnac Free Clinic in Orange, Calif., on March 9, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Moderna to Recall COVID-19 Vaccine Batches in Japan After Contamination Found

Moderna said its Japanese distributor will recall doses of its COVID-19 vaccine in Japan after an investigation revealed that stainless steel contaminants were discovered in some vials.

Last week, Japanese health regulators suspended the use of three Moderna COVID-19 vaccine batches containing about 1.63 million doses after the contamination issue was discovered. On Wednesday, the ministry said that the stainless steel particulates would not cause any additional health risk, according to reports.

A joint statement from Moderna and Takeda, which distributes the vaccines in Japan, said the contamination was traced back to the production run by Spanish contractor ROVI Pharma Industrial Services. The findings were discovered by an investigation carried out by the two companies, not the health ministry.

Stainless steel is routinely used in heart valves, joint replacements, and metal sutures and staples. As such, it is not expected that injection of the particles identified in these lots in Japan would result in increased medical risk, Takeda and Moderna said in the statement on Wednesday.

Due to the findings, their statement added, Takeda will initiate the recall of the three batches starting from Sept. 2.

Authorities are also investigating the deaths of two Japanese men who received doses from the tainted vaccine batch, officials said. The cause of their deaths is still not known and is being investigated by Japanese health regulators.

Takeda stressed there was no evidence their deaths were triggered by the Moderna-produced vaccine, which, like the Pfizer shot, uses mRNA technology.

The relationship is currently considered to be coincidental, the firms said in the joint statement Wednesday. It is important to conclude a formal investigation to confirm this. The investigation is being conducted with the greatest sense of urgency, transparency, and integrity and is of the highest priority.

Usage of other Moderna doses from separate batches was temporarily suspended in Japan this week. In several cases, other foreign substances were found in vials, and another case appears to be caused by small pieces of the vials rubber-stopper breaking off when needles are inserted incorrectly, officials said.

About 500,000 people have received shots from the three suspended Moderna batches, Taro Kono, Japans minister in charge of the vaccination campaign, told reporters on Friday. Moderna said it cannot confirm how many doses were distributed from the batches.

COVID-19 is the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

Moderna has not responded to a request for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.
A mother adjusts the facemask of her child as she enters the St. Lawrence Catholic School on the first day of school after summer vacation in north of Miami on Aug. 18, 2021. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

Montana Moms Demand School District Ouster Over Mandatory Masking

Parents in Billings, Montana, who say parents should decide whether their children wear masks, are demanding the immediate resignation of the local school district superintendent. He had abruptly announced the local K12 mask mandate would be reimposed because the reported number of COVID-19 infections among students was rising.

Meanwhile, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, is holding firm in his opposition to mandatory masking in enclosed spaces. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending that vaccinated people in areas with high COVID-19 caseloads should resume wearing face masks indoors.

Greg Upham, superintendent of Billings Public Schools, announced that effective Aug. 22 he was reimplementing required masking for all students, employees, and visitors during the normal school day at our K-12 schools, after previously saying masking would be optional.

Based on the reported COVID-19 infections in Yellowstone County, including the steadily rising number among school-aged children, the outbreak with our students, the fact our hospitals are at capacity, and that the Delta variant is highly infectious, I have concluded it is in our best interest to reimplement masking in our schools, Upham said. This is necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to keep our schools open.

I recognize the timing of this decision is unfortunate. Just a couple of days ago I announced my decision that masking would be optional in SD2 [School District 2]. At the time, I was hopeful we could start this year without required masking. However, in the last 48 hours I learned that what started as one positive student case of COVID-19, increased to at least ten percent of that team, in just a few days.

If this same rate of transmission occurred in our classrooms during the first week of school, we could potentially have hundreds, if not thousands, of our students out of class within a short time frame if we do not mask. School districts in other states have already seen that occur.

After the sudden masking policy change, three teachers were reportedly suspended for refusing to wear face masks on the job.

Billings parents are requesting the immediate resignation of Superintendent Upham, Moms for America founder Kimberly Fletcher said in a statement the day of the Aug. 31 rally in Billings against mandatory masking. Moms for America participated in the rally that was organized by local groups Make Masking Optional Billings Public Schools and Montana Family Rights Alliance.

This outrageous last-minute mandate cannot be tolerated, and moms have something to say about it. I urge all parents to go to the rally today to support this movement and demand change, for the sake of their own children as well as their rights as parents.

Moms for America describes itself as one of the fastest growing movements of women in America  on a mission to empower moms with the knowledge needed to stand up for their own rights as parents.

Concerned parents gathered outside the local school district headquarters in Billings for the second Tuesday in a row to protest the masking mandate.

About 200 people showed up for the event, said Tamra Farah, executive director of MomForce, a project of Moms for America that participated in the rally in Billings. The Billings Gazette estimated the crowd at around 100 people.

There was also an apparently smaller counter-protest of people driving automobiles and honking horns in the area at the same time, consisting of people in favor of mandatory masking.

Farah told The Epoch Times on Sept. 1 that there arent data showing children in K through 12 are at risk for dying of COVID.

Fewer than 350 children the last time I checked have died of COVID in the United States that were in K through 12.

It makes no sense to mandate masking for children, she said.

There are always going to be a few that might be susceptible, but theres nothing that merits this type of a response of masking children, she said.

Parents should make that decision. This is not about saying no child should wear masks, its just about parents needing to decide these things.

Parents know their childs health better than anyone else. Were not anti-mask or anti-vaccine: Were just pro-parental choice.

CORRECTION: The original article implied that Moms for America organized the rally. In fact, the event was organized by Make Masking Optional Billings Public Schools and Montana Family Rights Alliance.
Old houses on a local street in Newark, N.J., on June 6, 2017, (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AFP via Getty Images)

New Jersey Congressional Delegation Wants Murphy to Dole out More Federal Money to Tenants and Landlords

Democratic congressional representatives want New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to give more federal money to help struggling tenants and landlords.

The state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) says it has already allocated about 60 percent of the first portion of $353 million in federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds allocated to the state. States must spend 65 percent of the first allocation of ERAP funds by Sept. 30, a DCA spokesperson said.

The lawmakers say disbursing these funds will help prevent evictions, foreclosures and utility shut-offs. The letter comes after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal eviction moratorium.

We respectfully urge you to ensure that your self-attestation process provides the maximum flexibility allowed by these new guidelines, the lawmakers wrote.

This will allow households on the brink of eviction to qualify for assistance without having to produce extensive documents or undergo a lengthy confirmation process, they added.  By ensuring that these bills will be paid, the bulk payments will immediately take some pressure off landlords and utility companies and help to prevent evictions, foreclosures, and utility shut-offs.

All 10 Democratic U.S. House members of New Jerseys Congressional delegation signed the letter to Murphy.

No one should have to live with the stress of possibly losing their home during this public health crisis, Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-N.J.) said in a news release.

In an email to The Center Square, DCA spokesperson Lisa Ryan said the agency has disbursed more than $212 million in ERAP funds to more than 23,500 New Jersey households.

U.S. Treasury tracks the amount expended on a monthly basis and, in terms of percentage of monies spent, New Jersey is currently third in the nation among state programs, Ryan said.  We urge people who have had difficulty paying their rent to apply to the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

By Todd DeFeo
New Orleans police look through debris after a building collapsed from the effects of Hurricane Ida, in New Orleans, La., on Aug. 30, 2021. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)

New Orleans Imposes Curfew to Prevent Crime After Hurricane Ida

The city of New Orleans imposed a curfew following Hurricane Ida in a bid to prevent looting and other crime, according to Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

Cantrell, in a press briefing on Tuesday, said that the citys police and the Louisiana National Guard will enforce the curfew. The mandate, according to her order, lasts from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. starting immediately.

Theres absolutely no reason for anyone to be on the streets of the city of New Orleans, Police Chief Shaun Ferguson said at the briefing, referring to the curfew.

Ida, which made landfall in southeastern Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds, ravaged New Orleans power grid, knocking out power for more than 1 million people across the metropolitan area. The citys 911 service was also knocked out, prompting officials to ask residents who are seeking help in need of an emergency to find their nearest police officer or fire department, although some reports said that 911 service was restored in some areas.

Like in the aftermath of other hurricanes, looters have been arrested following Ida, said Ferguson, who refused to give a number of looters who have been arrested.

It is somewhat, to me, an embarrassment to have a small group of individuals take these unnecessary actions while our city is very vulnerable, Ferguson said. We are all in dire need, and we have to reach out and lean on one another to get through this together, he added.

New Orleans levee system appeared to remain intact during the hurricane, but the storm knocked down all eight power transmission lines that drive electricity into the city. Some officials, including Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, predicted that restoring power back to all of New Orleans and the surrounding areas would take weeks.

Utility Entergy, meanwhile, said on Tuesday night that some power was restored to areas in New Orleans.

I got a report last night at about 10 p.m. and we are making great progress in Orleans. We are about 65 percent assessed. So we are doing pretty good, Entergy spokesman John Hawkins told WDSU. We are also making repairs, so as we start bringing on additional substations and bringing in additional sources, that we are able to start reenergizing, so we are doing things in parallel, so that we can cut down the amount of time that needed on the back end, he added.

The remnants of Ida, which has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, is now making impacts across the mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States, where it is expected to bring heavy rains from Wednesday until Thursday.
A nurse prepares a Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination as part of a vaccine drive by the Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians in Arleta, Los Angeles, Calif., on Aug. 23, 2021. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

No Need for COVID-19 Booster Shots Yet: Disease Expert

Theres no evidence COVID-19 booster shots are needed yet in Australia, an infectious diseases expert says.

This comes after the Czech Republic announced this week it would offer booster shots to anyone vaccinated at least eight months earlier, joining a growing list of countries stepping up measures to curb the spread of the Delta variant.

Media reports out of Israel suggest the more infectious Delta strain is leading to cases of re-infection, but it is unclear whether this is the result of waning antibodies from vaccinations that began in that country in December 2020.

Australian National Universitys Professor Peter Collignon said he was aware of the situation in Israel, but it was still unclear how antibody levels dropped over time.

And further work is needed on how waning immunity could affect protection against hospitalisation and death.

The evidence is not there that we need (boosters) yet, he told AAP on Tuesday.

I think we need more data.

He said the overwhelming evidence to date was people being admitted to the hospital tended to be unvaccinated.

Professor Collignon said the other issue was ensuring less-wealthy countries, where initial vaccination rates were low, received the necessary doses to complete the first stage of their programs.

We need the world vaccinated, he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who received his second vaccination in March, was asked on 4CA radio on Tuesday whether Australia needed to move to boosters soon to deal with any new variants coming into the country when overseas travel resumes.

Thats been the story of Delta, and thats why weve always been fairly nimble, as best as we can, with our response, he said.

Weve got, you know, 80 million or thereabouts booster doses for next year  to ensure that we maintain our protection.

Once we get to those high vaccination rates, weve got to maintain them with the booster shots.

The health department told AAP the government was actively monitoring the evidence on the need for booster vaccination.

But before any booster vaccine could be given it must be considered and approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administrator and medical experts.

The government has secured 25 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, including 15 million doses of booster or variant-specific versions of the vaccine.

It also has an advance purchase agreement with Novavax for 51 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine.

As well, the government has secured 60 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine for 2022 and 25 million doses for 2023, in addition to the 40 million Pfizer doses being delivered in 2021.

This means we can be ready to address longer-term immunity or emerging variants of the virus, the department said.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford (second L) responds to a question during a press conference at Queen's Park in Toronto on Sept. 1, 2021. Also present are Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health; Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health; and Kaleed Rasheed, Associate Minister of Digital Government. (The Canadian Press/ Tijana Martin)

Ontario Rolls Out Vaccine Certificate Program

Ontario has announced its version of a COVID-19 vaccine certificate, which will be required to access non-essential services in the province starting Sept. 22.

Premier Doug Ford announced the new vaccine certificate policy on Wednesday, saying vaccination is needed to access businesses such as restaurants, bars, casinos, and other indoor facilities. The certificate will not be applied to outdoor activities.

Its no secret this is something that I did not want to do. This is a serious step that were not taking lightly, Ford said.

This is a temporary tool that we wont use for a day longer than we have to, but  I know that this is what we have to do right now in the face of the fourth wave.

Ontarios Chief Medical Officer of Health Christine Elliott said the new policy will not apply to children under the age of 12, and will accommodate legitimate medical exemptions.

At no time will people be denied medical care, food from grocery stores, or basic medical supplies based on their vaccination status, Elliott said.

A vaccination certificate would also not be required for essential services like retail stores, salons, banks, and places of worship.

LIVE: Huge protest against vaccine passport forms at Queen's Park. pic.twitter.com/qFs4DBBEuP  CrasHTalk (@CrasTalk) September 1, 2021

A protest against the vaccine certificate was held at Queens Park on Wednesday as Ford announced the new policy. Several hundred people marched down Yonge Street chanting no vaxx pass.

Another protest against mandatory vaccination is scheduled to take place at Queens Park on Sept. 4.

The Ontario government is working on creating personalized QR codes for vaccinated individuals, which is set to roll out on Oct. 22. The QR code can be printed or stored on smartphones. An app for businesses to scan and confirm the contents of the QR code is under development and is also expected in October.

The province is working to establish a system for people without email, health card, or ID to prove their vaccination status.

Before the digital vaccine certificate is delivered in October, residents can download their vaccination receipts from the provincial governments website.

Ford said Ontario will align with other provinces that have introduced similar vaccine certificate policies. Currently, vaccine passports have been introduced for non-essential services in British Columbia and Quebec.
Photographer Creates Impossible Rock Balancing Arrangements in Streams, on Beaches in Sweden

On an island in south Sweden, one photographer has been going viral for his incredibly well-balanced photographic compositions.

Pontus Jansson from Oland, an island off Swedens east coast in the Baltic Sea, started noticing stacks of rocks while scouting local beaches, and got inspired by this.

Attempting his first rock balancing act, the 36-year-old photographer was hooked forever; and he started capturing his masterpieces on camera along rocky shorelines or in green spaces in tranquil, shallow streams.

For me it looked very simple and beautiful, so I started stacking some rocks here and there, he told The Epoch Times. I later tried new things and challenge myself and started practicing single point balances at home and when I was at the beach.

Since he began posting the pictures on his Instagram in 2016, hes garnered almost 200,000 followers on the platform.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by PJ / Pontus Jansson (@pj.85)

(Courtesy of Pontus Jansson)

He shared a few words about his process.

I usually arrive at the area and take a walk looking for some cool and nice rocks, and a good spot for photography, he said. Once I have found some rocks to balance and a good spot, I play around with the rocks and let ideas come to me in the process. This is not always the case and sometimes I get ideas of designs when I am just daydreaming.

Pontus keeps his eye open for small imperfections in the rocks; those imperfections provide the necessary friction to connect and stabilize the precarious rock arrangementsfinding that delicate threat of balance, making them sometimes appear as if floating weightless in midair.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by PJ / Pontus Jansson (@pj.85)

The time it takes to complete a composition varies from a few minutes to many hours of work, he said, adding: I still love doing single point balances with just single rocks here and there. The majority of my work, though, takes 30120 minutes.

The effort has taught him to be patient and not give up too easily, he said.

You can have some really bad days, you feel really bad at what you are doing, Pontus added. But the next day you can make one of your best works ever. The most important thing is to enjoy the process and that is what is going to keep the inspiration flowing.

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The California State flag flies beside a sign for its sister city Split outside City Hall, in Los Angeles, California on January 27, 2017. A campaign by Californians to secede from the rest of the country over Donald Trump's election is gaining steam with suporters given the green light to start collecting signatures for the measure to be put to a vote. / AFP / Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images)

Repeal Prop. 14 to Restore Democracy in California

Commentary

I am trying to imagine under what novel features despotism may appear in the world, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in his immortal Democracy in America. If he could return to our country nearly 200 years later and come to California, he wouldnt need to stretch his imagination.

Because democracy in California is being obliterated by Proposition 14, which in 2010 was pushed onto the ballot by then Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and voter approved. It was the Parthian shot of the many disasters during his misbegotten seven years in office.

Called the Top-Two Primaries Amendment, it immediately almost wiped out the states third parties. It set up the current system, under which anyone of any party or no party, runs in a single Jungle Primary. Then the top two winners face off in the general election.

In recent years, Prop. 14 has begun eroding the Republican Party, albeit not the only reason for the GOPs troubles. In 2018, both candidates for the U.S. Senate were Democrats, incumbent Dianne Feinstein and challenger Kevin de Leon, the former Senate majority leader. In 2016, it was another two Democrats, Rep. Loretta Sanchez vs. incumbent Sen. Kamala Harris, now the vice president.

The political differences among all four of these Democrats are close to nil. Meaning not only Republicans, but third-party folks were frozen out of the process.

And lets remember third parties are a crucial piece of democracy in America. From Huey Long in the 1930s, to Ross Perots 1992 and 1996 runs, to Gov. Jesse Venturas 1998 victory for Minnesota governor, third parties have challenged the status quo and provided crucial ideas for reform.

A February 2010 article of mine coming four months before the June election asked the question, Will Prop. 14 kill third parties? I quoted Richard Winger, a lifelong member of the Libertarian Party and the states top expert on third parties. He provided some of the best arguments against Prop. 14.

I just talked to him again about the situation in 2021.

California third parties are worse off than ever, he told me. There is no third-party member who has been able to be on the November ballot for Congress or partisan state office, except those who ran in races in which one of the two major parties didnt run anyone. That is true for all elections, 2012 to the present in California. Prop. 14 gives Californians more limited choices than any other place in the world that has free elections. We are the only place where, by law, there can be only two choices in the election itself. Even Washington state lets people cast a write-in vote, but not us.

On the U.S. Senate elections mentioned above, he said, Prop. 14 does push us toward a one-party system. Having only two Democrats in the last two U.S. Senate races inhibits dialogue. Even if Republicans couldnt win either of those two races, at least having Republican candidates for U.S. Senate in the general election would have amplified political debate.

He also thinks the Sept. 14 recall vote is fallout from Prop. 14. It is so frustrating to Republicans that there are dozens of U.S. House and state legislative races with no Republican in the general election, he said. That contributes to bad feelings and anger.

It used to be third parties automatically stayed on the ballot if they garnered 2 percent or more in a statewide race in the general election. Otherwise, they had to gather petitions every election just to be listed.

Prop. 14 made that a high threshold to meet. Fortunately, Winger said, The Legislature did take pity on Californias minor parties. The 2 percent threshold was extended to the primary vote part of the process. Separate from all that, the parties had always also stayed on the ballot if they had a certain voter registration, and the Legislature lowered that somewhat, from 1 percent of the last gubernatorial vote, to .33 percent of the total number of registered voters.

So Peace & Freedom, Libertarian, Green and American Independent are still on. They all have enough registrations and generally they can get 2 percent in the primary for a less important statewide office such as Insurance Commissioner.

When will Prop. 14 finally be repealed? When will we again enjoy democracy in California?

I have been astounded for years that the mainstream press of California seems to think our current system is normal and OK, he said. It is a scandal. But we probably wont get rid of it until a random event hurts the Democratic Party for a major office. In 2024, with Dianne Feinstein not running for re-election, I dream of a scenario in which only two popular Republicans run, but eight or nine popular big-name Democrats run, and the two Republicans come in first and second in the primary and leave no Democrat on the November ballot for U.S. Senate and no write-in space.

Meanwhile, Prop. 14 will continue terrorizing democracy the way Schwarzeneggers cyborg did Sarah OConnor in the original 1984 Terminator.
Afghans wait to be processed after arriving on an evacuation flight from Afghanistan, at Heathrow Airport, London on Aug. 26, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Resettled Afghans Who Worked for Britain Will Get Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK

Afghans who worked for the British military and government and their families will be permitted to remain in the UK indefinitely as soon as they arrive, the government said on Wednesday.

The new policy applies to those who resettle in the UK under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), which was designed to protect the UKs Afghan staff who are at risk of retaliation from the Taliban.

The ARAP was launched on April 1, long before Afghanistan fell back into Taliban control. The government said that people who already relocated to the UK under ARAP can apply free of charge to convert their temporary leave into indefinite leave.

This will give Afghans the certainty and stability to rebuild their lives with unrestricted rights to work and the option to apply for British citizenship in the future, the government said in a cross-department statement.

This is part of the governments Operation Warm Welcome to settle the Afghans evacuated by the Royal Air Force. About 15,000 British and Afghan nationals were airlifted out of Kabul over the two-week evacuation, over 8,000 of whom are ARAP claimants.

At least 12 million ($16.5 million) will be made available to make additional school places for the children and to provide them with school transport, specialist teachers, and English language support.

Funding will also be available for up to 300 undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships for Afghans at UK universities.

Adults who need English language courses will be able to access them free of charge, the government said.

Additional funding will be provided to help ARAP arrivals access healthcare and housing.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said hes determined to help the Afghans integrate into the UK.

We owe an immense debt to those who worked with the Armed Forces in Afghanistan and I am determined that we give them and their families the support they need to rebuild their lives here in the UK, Johnson said.

I know this will be an incredibly daunting time, but I hope they will take heart from the wave of support and generosity already expressed by the British public.

A separate Afghan citizens resettlement scheme, which is expected to relocate 20,000 Afghans who are most at risk of human rights abuses and dehumanising treatment by the Taliban, is still under development.

Afghan resettlement minister Victoria Atkins said the government is yet to make a decision on whether or not these individuals will also be granted indefinite leave to remain.
Sisolak Declares State of Emergency in Response to Caldor Fire

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak declared a state of emergency on Monday in response to the Caldor Fire burning in bordering California.

The governors declaration comes after local emergency officials in the California resort city of South Lake Tahoe ordered nearly 22,000 residents to evacuate. Officials expect the blaze to cross into Nevada in the coming days.

Declaring the state of emergency will allow the state to leverage additional resources from local partners and the federal government to fight the blaze.

I would like to thank all of our brave first responders, local government agencies, and nonprofit entities who continue to go above and beyond to assist our communities during the Caldor Fire, Sisolak said in a statement. We will continue to use all our available resources to fight this fire and assist those in need.

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Caldor Fire started on August 14 and is only 14% contained to date. The blaze has consumed more than 177,000 acres over its 16-day lifespan.

The fire gained more than 20,000 acres overnight as rising humidity and winds pushed it closer toward Lake Tahoe, The Mercury News reported. The fire has also reportedly consumed more than 470 structures and caused five injuries.

The Nevada Department of Transportation was forced to shut down roads leading to South Lake Tahoe as thousands of residents piled onto Highway 50 to escape the blaze.

People who live on the Nevada side of the blaze are not under any evacuation orders yet. However, Douglas County officials told the Reno Gazette-Journal that residents should remain aware, and be thinking about evacuation as the situation develops.

By Robert Davis
Over 4,000 variants of the CCP virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2 or the novel coronavirus, have been identified across the globe. (Corona Borealis Studio/Shutterstock)

South African Scientists Flag Concerning New COVID-19 Strain

South African scientists have been keeping a close eye on a new COVID-19 variant because of its concerning constellations of mutations.

The variant, called C.1.2, was first identified in May in South Africa. The scientists have posted a preprint study, saying the new CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Virus variant shares mutations with other more transmissible variants.

The reason we were worried about the kind of combination of mutations was that many of the mutations we see in this C.1.2 are the same mutations weve seen in some of the other variants of concern, particularly the Beta and the Alpha and the Gamma but its in a different combination, Richard Lessells, an infectious disease expert and one of the studys authors, told Reuters Tuesday.

The new variant contains many mutations that have been identified in all four variants of concernAlpha, Beta, Delta, and Gammaand three variants of interestKappa, Eta, and Lambda, the study (pdf) reads.

Variants of concern have increased transmissibility or more severe symptoms compared to variants of interest. Delta, for example, has quickly become the dominant variant in the United States and much of the world.

A variant wont be given a Greek Alphabet name if it doesnt meet certain criteria by an expert group convened by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Lessells said the main fears are that C.1.2 might be especially transmissible or would be able to get around some of the immunity provided by either vaccines or prior infection.

The new variant, C.1.2, is currently neither variant of concern nor variant of interest.

According to the study, the variant accounted for 0.2 percent of the genomes sequenced in South Africa in May, 1.6 percent in June, and 2 percent in July.

The new variant has been detected in the United Kingdom, China, Congo, Mauritius, New Zealand, Portugal, and Switzerland, the study notes. The scientists writing the study have reported the new variant to WHO.

Maria van Kerkhove, COVID-19 technical lead at WHO, wrote on Twitter Tuesday that the new variant does not appear to increase in circulation.

World Health Organization Technical Lead Maria Van Kerkhove during a daily press briefing on the COVID-19 virus at the WHO headquarters in Geneva on March 9, 2020. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)

We need more sequencing to be conducted and shared globally, the WHO expert continued, pointing out that only about 100 sequences are reported globally, which is a very low number.

Monitoring and assessment of variants is ongoing and criticality important to understand the evolution of this virus, in fighting COVID-19 and adapting strategies as needed, Kerkhove added.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has said that a strain of COVID-19 that is resistant to vaccines is likely to emerge in the future.

Every time that the variant appears in the world, our scientists are getting their hands around it, Bourla told Fox News last week. They are researching to see if this variant can escape the protection of our vaccine. We havent identified any yet, but we believe that it is likely that one day, one of them will emerge.

Reuters and Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
A 3D printed Google logo is placed on the Apple Macbook in this illustration taken on April 12, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

South Koreas Parliament Passes Bill to Curb Google, Apple Commission Dominance

SEOULSouth Koreas parliament on Tuesday approved a bill that bans major app store operators such as Google and Apple from forcing software developers to use their payment systems, effectively stopping them from charging commissions on in-app purchases.

It is the first such curb by a major economy on the likes of Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google, which face global criticism for requiring the use of proprietary payment systems that charge commissions of up to 30 percent.

The final vote was 180 in favor out of 188 attending to pass the amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act, dubbed the Anti-Google law.

Well reflect on how to comply with this law while maintaining a model that supports a high-quality operating system and app store, and we will share more in the coming weeks, a Google spokesperson said in a statement to Reuters.

Google added Google Play provides far more than payment processing, and its service fee helps keep Android free, giving developers the tools and global platform to access billions of consumers around the world.

Its a model that keeps device costs low for consumers and enables both platforms and developers to succeed financially. And just as it costs developers money to build an app, it costs us money to build and maintain an operating system and app store.

Apple responded to an email reiterating a statement issued last week.

We believe user trust in App Store purchases will decrease as a result of this proposalleading to fewer opportunities for the over 482,000 registered developers in Korea who have earned more than KRW8.55 trillion to date with Apple, Apple said in a statement.

But the South Korean move raises the stakes for Apple and Google who face similar legislation in the United States that was introduced earlier this month by a bipartisan trio of senators.

Its time the U.S. follow suit to reduce Big Techs app store influence. I urge Congress to swiftly pass my bill with Senators Blumenthal and Klobuchar that will help ensure fair competition for innovative startups, said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) in a statement.

Based on South Korean parliament records, the amendment bans app store operators with dominant market positions from forcing payment systems on content providers and inappropriately delaying the review of, or deleting, mobile content from app markets.

It also allows the South Korean government to require an app market operator to prevent damage to users and protect the rights and interests of users, probe app market operators, and mediate disputes regarding payment, cancellations or refunds in the app market.

Todays historic action and bold leadership by South Korean lawmakers mark a monumental step in the fight for a fair app ecosystem. The legislation passed today by the Assembly will put an end to mandatory in-app purchase in South Korea, which will allow innovation, consumer choice, and competition to thrive in this market, a spokesperson at Match Group, which owns the popular dating app Tinder, said in a statement.

The Korea Internet Corporations Association, a nonprofit group representing Korean IT firms, also welcomed parliaments decision.

We hope that the passage of this bill will ensure the rights of creators and developers, and create a fair app ecosystem, where users can enjoy diverse contents at lower prices.

Apple on Thursday agreed to loosen App Store restrictions for small developers, allowing developers to promote payment options outside Apples payment system.

By Heekyong Yang
Southern White Rhino Mom Gives Birth to Female Calf at London ZooAnd the Photos Are Adorable

The largest zoo in the UK welcomed an adorable new addition when a new Southern white rhino calf was born before sunrise Aug. 21. Zookeepers were delighted.

After Southern white rhino mom Tulis 16-month pregnancy, staff at the Zoological Society of Londons Whipsnade Zoo monitored her stool, checking hormone levels as they were expecting a new baby within a couple of days.

It was 4 a.m. on a Saturday when 14-year-old Tuli gave birth to her healthy female calf in an indoor part of the enclosure that had been reserved for her use. The baby was named Nandi by zookeepers, which means Sweet One in Zulu. She joins her mom and dad, Sizzle, as part of the zoos herd (also called a crash) consisting of eight Southern white rhinos.

(Courtesy of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo)

We are overjoyed to be welcoming such a precious addition to our crash of Southern white rhinos at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, team leader Mark Holden said in a statement.

Southern white rhinos are born with over-sized, rubbery feet, which they have to grow into, so Nandi is understandably wobbly when she walks. Rhino calves spend most of their first week or two resting and drinking milk, but over the next few weeks shell grow, and as she does, shell get more playful, and confident in exploring her huge enclosure here.

Tuli is very protective right now, so were letting them rest away from the group and out of sight of visitors, but in a few days theyll both start to feel more confident about Nandi venturing out and getting to know the rest of the herd.

Southern white rhinos are the second-largest land mammal in the world, the ZSL stated. Listed as Near Threatened, there are approximately 10,000 mature specimens in the wild, according to the IUCN Red List for Threatened Species. They face threats from poaching, habitat loss, and invasive species.

More baby photos of Whipsnade Zoos latest addition to their Southern white rhino herd:

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Men prepare for defense against the Taliban in Panjshir, Afghanistan, on Aug.22, 2021. (Aamaj News Agency via Reuters)

Taliban Suffer Casualties Fighting Afghan Militia Groups in Holdout Valley: Official

Taliban forces and anti-Taliban militia fighters clashed in the Panjshir Valley north of the Afghan capital Kabul on Monday, with a militia spokesman saying that seven or eight Taliban members died.

Fahim Dashty, with the so-called National Resistance Front in Panjshir, said that the Taliban attacked the entrance of the Panjshir Valley. The National Resistance Front is a group loyal to leader Ahmad Massoud, the son of Afghan resistance fighter Ahmad Shah Massoud who fought against Soviet forces during the invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

They may have tried to test their luck, Dashty told Indian broadcaster WION on Wednesday. But were unlucky and lost seven or eight members, he said, adding that several resistance personnel were wounded.

Since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban terrorist group on Aug. 15, Panjshir has been the only area to hold out against the Taliban, although there have also been reports of fighting in neighboring Baghlan Province between Taliban and local militia forces. Most of the otherif not allprovinces have been captured by the Taliban as the United States withdrew its forces.

Men prepare for defense against the Taliban in Panjshir, Afghanistan, on Aug.22, 2021. (Aamaj News Agency via Reuters)

Anti-Taliban resistance troops walk in Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan, on Aug. 25, 2021. (Aamaj News Agency via Reuters)

Massoud is believed to have several thousand soldiers under him, including local militias and remnants of the collapsed Afghan armys special forces units, according to Reuters.

Last night, the Taliban attacked Panjshir, but were defeated with 7 dead and several wounded, Bismillah Mohammadi, another member of the resistance movement, wrote in a Twitter post on Monday. They retreated with heavy casualties.

But on Tuesday, Mohammadi claimed that the Taliban mounted another attack and were similarly repulsed by the resistance fighters. He claimed that 34 Taliban members were killed and 65 were injured, according to the AFP news agency.

A Taliban commander said the group has surrounded the Panjshir Valley, lamenting that the two sides could not solve their differences with negotiations, as previously reported.

My brothers, we tried our best to solve the Panjshir problem with talks and negotiations  but unfortunately all in vain, senior Taliban official Amir Khan Muttaqi said, according to AFP. Now that the talks have failed and [Taliban] have surrounded Panjshir, there are still people inside that dont want the problems to be solved peacefully, he added. Now it is up to you to talk to them.

The final withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan occurred earlier this week before the Taliban took control of the Kabul airport. Top White House officials, including President Joe Biden, said that some Americans remain in the country and vowed to target another terrorist organization, ISIS-K, that operates in Afghanistan and is believed to have carried out last weeks suicide bombing at the Kabul airport.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (C) and state lawmakers at a signing ceremony for Senate Bill 8 in Austin, Texas, on May 19, 2021. (Office of Gov. Greg Abbott/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Texas Ban on Most Abortions Takes Effect After Supreme Court Doesnt Intervene

A Texas law that bans most abortions went into effect on Sept. 1 after the Supreme Court didnt respond to an emergency motion that asked it to block the law.

Senate Bill 8 bars doctors from performing abortions unless they have tried to detect a fetal heartbeat and been unable to do so. Only if a heartbeat cannot be detected can the doctor perform an abortion, unless a medical emergency exists.

The legislation explicitly forbids state officials from enforcing it. Instead, private citizensexcept for an individual who impregnated a woman through rape or incestmay file lawsuits against doctors, clinics, and anyone involved in an abortion that violates the law.

If someone who brings a lawsuit prevails, they will be awarded at least $10,000 for each abortion that the defendant performed or helped with.

State Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Republican who sponsored the bill, has called it the most powerful pro-life legislation in Texas history and has said it will serve as a model for the country.

The Republican-controlled legislature passed the act earlier this year. It was then signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.

More than 20 abortion providers sued state officials and district judges in July, alleging the law was unconstitutional in light of the Supreme Courts 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade.

Whole Womans Health, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, and other providers asked the court to stop the law from going into effect.

A district court hearing on the matter was planned for Aug. 30, but an appeals court ordered it canceled. That prompted an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court.

Nearly fifty years ago, this Court held that Texas could not ban abortion prior to viability, plaintiffs wrote (pdf), referring to Roe v. Wade. Yet, absent intervention from this Court, in less than two days, on Wednesday, September 1, Texas will do precisely that. This new Texas law will ban abortion starting at six weeks of pregnancy, which is indisputably prior to viability and before many people even know they are pregnant.

Some 85 to 90 percent of women who get abortions in Texas are at least six weeks into pregnancy, according to abortion providers.

The appeal went to Justice Samuel Alito due to court assignments.

An exam room is seen at the Planned Parenthood South Austin Health Center in Austin, Texas, on June 27, 2016. (Ilana Panich-Linsman/Reuters)

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, and other attorneys for the defendants urged Alito not to intervene.

There are many reasons that the Applicants are not entitled to the extraordinary relief they seek. The most obvious is that Applicants seek an injunction from this Court that would utterly fail to prevent any of the harm they claim will occur once Texas Senate Bill 8 becomes effective. This Court cannot expunge the law itself. Rather, it can enjoin only enforcement of the law. But the Governmental Defendants explicitly do not enforce the law, and the private-individual respondent testified that he will not do so, they said in their brief (pdf).

The private respondent is Mark Lee Dickson, the director of Right to Life of East Texas. A lawyer for Dickson said in a separate filing (pdf) that the abortion providers cannot show that an injunction against the named defendants will prevent the irreparable harms that they allege, and an injunction that extends beyond the defendants would be patently unconstitutional.

Alito didnt rule on the matter, according to the public docket. That meant the law went into effect at midnight.

Texas is now the first state ever to enforce a heartbeat law, Texas Right to Life, a pro-life group, said in a statement.

Amy Hagstrom Miller, founder and CEO of Austin clinic Whole Womans Health, said on Twitter that the team at the clinic had completed an abortion for its last patient before the law went into effect.

Providers have said they would not continue carrying out abortions if the law took effect.

A ruling on a separate lawsuit, brought by two lawyers and a fund that helps women get abortions, came on Aug. 31. A Texas judge said that Texas Right to Life and its legislative director cannot bring lawsuits against the plaintiffs, at least for now.
Texas Legislature Sends Election Reform Bill to Governors Desk

The Texas Legislature on Tuesday sent a bill to amend the states election code to Gov. Greg Abbotts desk, which is expected to be signed into law.

The measure was among a number of voting bills that prompted 52 House Democrats to flee the state in July to deny Republicans the legislative quorum needed to conduct the states business.

Three Democrats returned to Texas in late Augustenough to achieve a quorumending a legislative impasse of 38 days, or more than six weeks.

Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled state House and Senate advanced the bill through both chambers on Tuesday.

Abbott said the measure, Senate Bill 1 (pdf), will protect the integrity of elections in Texas.

Senate Bill 1 will solidify trust and confidence in the outcome of our elections by making it easier to vote and harder to cheat. I look forward to signing Senate Bill 1 into law, ensuring election integrity in Texas, Abbott said in a statement following the bills passage.

The bill creates a slew of measures, including to implement uniform voting hours across the state and remove 24-hour voting locations. It also prohibits drive-through voting.

The bill will ban any distribution of unsolicited mail-in ballot applications. It also provides voters the opportunity to correct any defective mail-in ballots. There will be new identification requirements for mail-in voting, including a drivers license or social security number.

Senate Bill 1 will also allow poll watchers to observe more of the election process by giving them more access inside polling areas, and create penalties against election officials who restrict poll watchers movements.

Texas Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Republican who authored the bill, rejected criticism that it aimed to suppress votes. He said Texas has more days of early, in-person voting than some Democratic-run states like New York, and his bill would for the first time allow people who make mistakes on mail-in ballots to correct them.

Anyone who tells you there is no voter fraud in Texas is telling you a very big lie, Hughes said on the floor of the Senate. We know it happens. The right to vote is too preciousit cost too much for us to leave it unprotected.

Texas Rep. Trey Martinez, a Democrat, said he believes the bill was intended to stop certain people from voting and vowed to have the measure be met with fierce resistance in federal courts once Abbott signs it into law.

Reuters contributed to this report.
A Texas high school principal who was accused of promoting the quasi-Marxist critical race theory was placed on administrative leave, the district announced this week. (Google Maps)

Texas Principal Suspended After Being Accused of Promoting Critical Race Theory

A Texas high school principal who was accused of promoting the quasi-Marxist critical race theory was placed on administrative leave, the district announced this week.

The Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District said Monday that Colleyville Heritage High Principal Dr. James Whitfield was placed on paid administrative leave. The district did not provide any more details on the matter.

As this is an ongoing personnel matter, we will not comment further. We remain committed to providing a learning environment at Colleyville Heritage that fosters and encourages student academic and extracurricular achievement, the Grapevine-Colleyville school district said in a news release.

In recent weeks, parents said during school board meetings that Whitfield promoted critical race theory and aligned ideological viewpoints including the idea that systemic racism permeates society. During one heating board meeting, a number of parents called on the district to fire him, according to news reports.

Whitfield, who is black, has defended himself by claiming that the accusations are motivated by bigotry and racism. Writing on Facebook in late July, he stated, I am the first African American to assume the role of Principal at my current school in its 25-year history, and I am keenly aware of how much fear this strikes in the hearts of a small minority who would much rather things go back to the way they used to be.

During the school board meeting, Whitfield said his name was smeared by parents who spoke.

The last time I wasnt here, someone was allowed to speak my name in public against the rules, and I think thats what really disparaged my name, Whitfield said. That group of people got the attention, so the students, the community, they said, Lets show up. Lets let our voice be heard.'

Meanwhile, Whitfield denied allegations he promoted critical race theory at his high school, telling the Washington Post there is no credence of such claims.

This group that has spoken out against me has a problem with inclusivity, with embracing diversity, and with providing equitable experiences for all students, he told the Post.

Based on his public comments, including the aforementioned to the Post, Whitfield appears to endorse diversity, equity, and inclusion training and curriculum, which draws heavily upon critical race theory. Some, including Manhattan Institute fellow Christopher Rufo, an anti-critical race theory activist, have said that diversity, equity, and inclusion are merely euphemisms to describe critical race theory and have been deployed in schools, corporate environments, government offices, and elsewhere.

Other than the critical race theory allegations, parents have raised red flags about photos he posted to his personal Facebook account. The district asked him to remove photos that he took on a beach vacation with his wife that some parents felt were inappropriate for a principal, according to CBS Dallas.

Critical race theory, which draws from the earlier Marxist school of critical theory, claims that the U.S. and Western society is inherently racist and that skin color is used to create inequalities between white people and minority groups. Critics say that it is a form of class struggle designed to denigrate white people and that it is designed to erode traditional cultural values.

The Epoch Times has contacted the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District for comment.
Karim Faizy, manager of Bakhtar Halal Kabab, in Hicksville, Long Island, shows a video of his uncle cleaning up his house after it was bombed in Afghanistan, on Aug. 30, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

Theyre Looking for Them Door to Door: Afghans in New York React to Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan

With the United States completely withdrawn militarily from Afghanistan since the nations involvement after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and with the Taliban terrorist group having seized troves of U.S. weapons, Afghans living in New York hope that by force of miracle, stabilization can come to their home country.

The Epoch Times reached out to members of the Afghan community in New York to get their thoughts on the situation.

Fakhrudin Fakhrudin works in an Indian beauty salon, owned by his wife, who is originally from India.

His family cannot come to the United States, they have told him over the phone that the situation is very bad.

One hundred percent bad. because you cant find f0od, you cant find anything. Theyre scared of Taiban because they work with the government, he told The Epoch Times.

His sisters husband and son worked for the now overthrown Afghan government.

Fakhrudin said that the Taliban are systematically looking for people that worked for the government.

Now they are looking [for the people who worked for the government] door to door, Fakhrudin said.

One girl worked with the police. Shes a neighbor of my sister. They took her eyes off with a knife, twice. The Taliban, I swear to God.

Fakhrudin Fakhrudin at his workplace in an Indian beauty salon in Hicksville, Long Island, on Aug. 30, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

Fakhrudin has been in the United States for 50 years. He wants to tell the U.S. government as a citizen that the Afghan people need help.

[Afghan] people need help, they need help very badly because a lot of them worked with the government, and now they are hiding.

Theres nothing that we can do, people are just suffering over there, he concluded.

Karimullah Faizys parents were born and grew up in Afghanistan and moved to the United States in the 90s. He runs a restaurant that is owned by his father in Long Island, New York.

The U.S. government, the way they just left and they left everybody and they left their weapons, just for the Taliban to use it. And now theyre obviously using it against us, said Faizy.

Twelve soldiers just died. And it was a very bad decision for [America] just to leave, leave all their Blackhawk Hawk helicopters  And now we just left.

Faizys father is gathering some money to send to his uncle in Afghanistan, whose house was bombed two weeks ago and only half of it remains.

He shared a video with The Epoch Times that shows the ruins of the home.

They just surrendered, and now the Taliban are taking over the soldiers and using our own equipment. And sooner or later, theyre going to have to go back, said Faizy.

People and soldiers dying, and all the money being spent on this  is just very sad and tragic, especially for the people living there, the innocent civilians, and you can see theyre just leaving in helicopters  its sad [in] our hearts and were praying for them.

Karim Faizy, manager of Bakhtar Halal Kabab, in Hicksville, Long Island, on Aug. 30, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

Salimi Popal, originally from Kandahar, Afghanistan, has been living in the United States for 13 years, working 12 hours a day in his food cart in Flushing, Queens.

It was reported recently that the Taliban banned female voices and music from airing on the radio in Kandahar.

His brother, cousin, grandfather, and children all live in the United States. Any extra money he has, he sends to his family in Afghanistan.

He believes in peace and says all the people of Afghanistan are his family, and hopes that the situation can be stable in his home country.

So bad, he said, of his familys situation, there are no more doctors available.

Nevertheless, he has hope that things might not go downhill.

Salimi Popal working at his food cart in Flushing, Queens, on Aug. 30, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

Now its too early, because I dont know what will happen with this new regime, Popal said.

He emphasized that maybe, gradually it would be ok.

[Lets] wait. He [the leader] said that I dont want to kill anybody, free everybody, everybody is ok now, the country is ok now, the cities are ok now, everybody is quiet, people are very happy now, because [people] like that nobody dies.

Afghanistan people are not terrorists, they are people like you, like me, Popal asserted. Taliban speak the same language, how could I think they are different people.

Lets wait, everybody says wait,' he said. Everybody, different countries are waiting to see what will happenlater.
Evacuees from Afghanistan disembark off a Royal Air Force military transport aircraft which landed at Al-Maktoum International Airport in the United Arab Emirates on Aug. 19, 2021. (Giuseppe Cacace /AFP via Getty Images)

UK in Talks With Taliban Over Further Evacuations From Afghanistan

The UK government is having talks with the Taliban in Qatar in a bid to secure safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals and Afghans who have worked with the UK, Downing Street has confirmed.

The prime ministers special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass, has travelled to Doha and is meeting with senior Taliban representatives to underline the importance of safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals, and those Afghans who have worked with us over the past 20 years, a Number 10 spokesman said late Tuesday.

The UK evacuated more than 15,000 people from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover, including 8,000 vulnerable Afghans.

But Defence Secretary Ben Wallace estimated that up to 1,100 eligible Afghans could not be evacuated before the withdrawal of all NATO forces earlier this week.

Some UK nationals have also been left behind. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Tuesday that their numbers are in the low hundreds.

Downing Street said that it is increasing staff in countries neighbouring Afghanistan in order to help evacuate the people left behind.

We are beefing up the number of staff in neighbouring countries, Foreign Office and other staff, to support that, said the prime ministers official spokesman.

The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) announced that it is deploying 15 crisis response specialists to Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

The officials are expected to arrive within the next 48 hours to assist British diplomats in their work to assist people to escape Afghanistan over land borders and reach the UK.

Raab said that although the UK evacuated over 15,000 people from Afghanistan over the past fortnight, the government is aware that not everyone who wanted to leave and were eligible for UK support could.

We will stand by them, and we are working with partners in neighbouring countries to support onward travel to the UK, he said.

The government has launched Operation Warm Welcome, which is designed to help Afghans rebuild their lives in the UK.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK owes an immense debt to those who worked with the UK military in Afghanistan. I am determined that we give them and their families the support they need to rebuild their lives here in the UK, he said.

On Wednesday, the Home Office announced that Afghans who worked with the British government and military will be granted immediate indefinite leave to remain, or permanent residency, in the UK.

PA contributed to this report.
Ultra-Rare Photoshoot Shows Dueling Hummingbird Grabbing Another Birds Beak in Fight for Feeder

Hummingbirds usually call to mind tranquil water baths, graceful fluttering wings, and long beaks drinking from nectar-filled flowers.

But theres another side to this serene-seeming bird that defies expectation.

SoCal-based photographer Terry Williams knows that hummingbirds can be very territorialand he recently captured some extraordinary shots of the birds dueling.

In recent years, Williams has been shooting these beautiful birds that come to visit the hummingbird feeders in his backyard; each day some 20 different hummingbirds flock there to wet their beaks.

But sometimes, the retired immunologist said, he would spot a commotion in the crowd.

Terry Williams notices a scuffle at his hummingbird feeder. (Courtesy of Terry Williams)

The situation starts to get rowdy. (Courtesy of Terry Williams)

Some of the hummingbirds, especially the males, become what a lot of people refer to as a bully, very aggressive, Williams told The Epoch Times. This is just part of their nature.

Occasionally, a bully will come in and try to take over a feeder or a group of feeders.

And this bully is so aggressive that he will attack any other hummingbirds that are even near, or approaches.

On one particular day late August, Williams witnessed one such fight involving a real bully who began to just tear up everybody that even looks at that feeder.

Bully or not, Williams saw the perfect photo opportunity.

The melee that unfolded late August at Williamss feeder. (Courtesy of Terry Williams)

A closeup of the mean one. (Courtesy of Terry Williams)

He got out his tripod and Sony RX10 Mk IV to photograph the dueling birdswhose wings flap at a breathtaking 60 beats per second, a spectacle he captures using a 1/2500-second shutter speed.

Williams began clicking away, but didnt realize what an amazing shot hed taken until later.

I took a lot of shots of this particular hummingbird attacking the other birds, and I went and did post-production, and when I was looking to edit the photos, I ran across this shot, and I just about fell over, he said.

Amidst the fray, he managed to snap the big bully, a red Allens hummingbird, grasping the beak of a green Annas hummingbird in its claws.

Williamss one-in-a-million shot of one hummingbird grasping the beak of another. (Courtesy of Terry Williams)

Williams posted the phenomenal pic on several wildlife, bird, and hummingbird Facebook groups; and it garnered a wildly overwhelming response, with thousands of reactions from animal lovers.

In past shoots, Williams has also witnessed tussles where hummingbirds would actually joust each other with their beaks.

I actually have of a fairly recent shot of one hummingbird jabbing another, and that bird jabbing another, all at the same time, Williams said. Ive never seen anybody with a shot like that before.

A striking picture shows one hummingbird jabbing another, and that bird jabbing another, all at the same time. (Courtesy of Terry Williams)

As for Williamss recent real bully encounter, he recorded the melee on video, but said it would be almost impossible to see the rare exchange in the footage.

You wouldnt really be able to see it with your eye because its over in less than a fraction of a second, he said.

This is a one-in-a-million shot.

More hummingbird photography by Terry Williams:

The bully causing trouble at Williamss feeder. (Courtesy of Terry Williams)

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
Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley speaks during a briefing with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon in Washington on Sept. 1, 2021. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo)

US General: Possible to Work With Taliban in Future

The U.S. military may work with the Taliban terrorist group in the future, the militarys top officer said Wednesday.

Asked if the United States would coordinate with the Taliban against ISIS in the future, Gen. Mark Milley said that it was possible.

Going going forward, I would not want to make any predictions, added Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

I would tell you that were going to do everything that we can to make sure we remain focused on ISIS-Kunderstand that network and, at the time of our choosing in the future, hold them accountable for what theyve done, he said, referring to an ISIS affiliate that has claimed responsibility for the Aug. 26 suicide bombing attack on U.S. troops in Kabul.

The Taliban gained control of Afghanistan in mid-August after defeating U.S.-backed Afghan forces, following the withdrawal of most U.S. troops from the country.

The United States rushed thousands of service members back into Kabul, but only to secure the airport there and enable the evacuation of what turned out to be some 122,000 people.

While U.S. troops held the airport during the evacuations, Taliban terrorists controlled the exterior of the facility. The United States openly cooperated with the terrorist group, even sharing the identities of some Americans who wanted to flee the country so theyd be let through checkpoints.

The United States was relying on the Taliban to protect us, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., the commander of U.S. Central Command, said in a briefing last week.

The Pentagon at one point confirmed that a small number of Americans were beaten by Taliban fighters.

The cooperation drew harsh criticism from Republicans.

Its outrageous to think that we would put the safety of Americans in the hands of the Taliban, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) said last week.

U.S. officials have defended the arrangement, claiming it was necessary to ensure large numbers of people were evacuated.

We dont know what the future of the Taliban is. But I can tell you from personal experience, that this is a ruthless group from the past, and whether or not they change remains to be seen, Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday.

And as far as our dealings with them at that airfield, or in the past year or so, in war, you do what you must in order to reduce risk to mission and forcenot what you necessarily want to do, he said.

Taliban fighters patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan on Sept. 1, 2021. (Javed Tanveer/AFP via Getty Images)

The U.S. government and military has received criticism from both parties for leaving as many as 200 Americans in Afghanistan when troops left on Aug. 30, including up to 30 primary school students from California.

Austin, pressed on what could have been done better, acknowledged that no operation is perfect but hesitated to identify any shortcomings until an after-action review is done. Milley defended the Aug. 29 drone strike that left multiple civilians dead, calling it a righteous strike and asserting that procedures were followed and that at least one ISIS member was killed.

Officials also gave the first concrete number in days on how many Afghan refugees are now on U.S. soil after being flown from Kabul.

Approximately 20,000 Afghans are being housed at eight different military bases in the United States as of Wednesday morning.

Another 43,007 are at staging bases in nine different countries, including four European countries.

Austin called the evacuation historic and expressed pride for what U.S. troops accomplished.

We have just concluded the largest air evacuation of civilians in American history. It was heroic. It was historic. And I hope that all Americans will unite to thank our service members for their courage and their compassion, he said.
Virginia Supreme Court Sides With Teacher Who Opposes Transgender Pronouns

The Virginia Supreme Court upheld on Aug. 30 a lower court decision to reinstate a gym teacher who spoke at a school board meeting against a proposal to require calling transgender students by their preferred pronouns.

On June 6, a county circuit court judge had ordered that teacher Tanner Cross be reinstated after he was suspended over his comments, made during a Loudoun County School Board meeting. Loudoun County Circuit Court Judge James Plowman ruled that Tanner was exercising his First Amendment rights. Plowman directed Loudoun County Public Schools to immediately reinstate Tanner pending a full trial.

A trial in the case is set for next week.

During a school board meeting on May 25, Tanner said he wouldnt abide by the transgender pronoun rules due to his religious conviction.

Im a teacher, but I serve God first. And I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because it is against my religion. Its lying to a child. Its abuse to a child, he said.

The school system had argued that Tanners comments caused a disruption, but both the circuit court and the state supreme court found that the few complaints fielded by school representatives didnt cause a disruption worthy of suspending the teacher.

Five parents contacted the principal after the school board meeting, requesting that their children have no interaction with Cross.

Virginia public schools are in the process of revising their rules to conform with a state mandate calling on schools to revise their policies concerning transgender students. The states model regulations for schools include a requirement that students be referred to by their preferred pronouns.

Preferred pronouns refer to an individual in terms other than their biological sex. They also include pronouns such as ze, zir, and zirself to refer to people who are gender-nonconforming, genderfluid, gender-neutral, or genderqueer, according to MyPronouns.org.

Stacy Haney, a lawyer representing the school system, said the state law gives the school board no leeway on implementing the policy and that existing school board regulations already prohibit discrimination based on gender identity, which Haney said includes referring to transgender children by their preferred pronoun. As a result, Haney said, Cross was articulating a defiance to follow existing school policies.

Since Cross filed his lawsuit in May, two additional teachers in Loudoun County have joined him as plaintiffs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Virginia Supreme Court Orders School District to Reinstate Teacher Who Objected to Transgender Policy

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) in Virginia must reinstate gym teacher Tanner Cross, who was suspended after speaking out in public against a proposed policy that would force him to go against his conscience by professing that a boy can be a girl and vice versa, the Supreme Court of Virginia has ruled.

The Aug. 30 ruling in the case, known as Loudoun County School Board v. Cross, record number 210584, upheld a June ruling by Judge James E. Plowman. The state circuit judge stayed Crosss suspension, finding that if the case went to trial, the school district would be found to have violated the teachers First Amendment rights. Cross was suspended after stating his beliefs at a school board meeting on May 25.

Plowman rejected the argument that the school district suspended Cross not because he spoke against the forced pro-transgender speech policy, but rather because of what the district termed the significant disruption that his speech allegedly generated in the school system. The Supreme Court of Virginia agreed with Plowmans ruling.

Crosss lawyer, Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Tyson Langhofer, said that teachers shouldnt be forced to promote ideologies that are harmful to their students and that they believe are false, nor should they be silenced for commenting at a public meeting. Langhofer is also director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom.

The lower courts decision was a well-reasoned application of the facts to clearly established law, as the Virginia Supreme Court found, he said.

But because Loudoun County Public Schools is now requiring all teachers and students to deny truths about what it means to be male and female and compelling them to call students by their chosen pronouns or face punishment, we have moved to amend our lawsuit to challenge that policy on behalf of multiple faculty members.

Public employees cannot be forced to contradict their core beliefs just to keep a job.

Cross has worked for LCPS for eight years as an elementary school physical education teacher. The school board is currently considering whether to adopt Policy 8040, on the Rights of Transgender Students and Gender Expansive Students.

According to a court summary, the school systems new proposed transgender policy would allow students to use a name different than their legal name; let students use gender pronouns different from those corresponding to their biological sex; force school staff to use students chosen names and preferred gender pronouns; and let students use school facilities and participate in extracurricular activities consistent with the gender identity they choose.

Gender identity itself is a disputed concept. A lack of linguistic clarity has clouded the issue in recent years as the concepts of sex and sexual identity, or gendera politically and scientifically contentious concept whose definition isnt universally agreed uponhave become difficult to separate. Despite the distinct meanings of the two words, many institutions and individuals use gender to mean biological sex, especially on fillable forms and documents.

At the May 25 meeting of the LCPS school board, Cross prefaced his remarks by saying he was speaking out of love for those who suffer with gender dysphoria after a 60 Minutes report on more than 30 young people who had transitioned but felt that theyd been led astray about the process.

It is not my intention to hurt anyone, Cross said, but there are certain truths that we must face when ready. We condemn school policies like 8040  because it will damage children, defile the holy image of God. I love all of my students, but I will never lie to them regardless of the consequences. Im a teacher, but I serve God first. And I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because it is against my religion. Its lying to a child. Its abuse to a child. And its sinning against our God.

The Supreme Court of Virginia found that government employees do not surrender their right to speak out on public issues.

Looking to federal precedent as persuasive, it is settled law that the government may not take adverse employment actions against its employees in reprisal for their exercising their right to speak on matters of public concern, the 14-page court opinion stated.

The court found that any inconvenience experienced by the school district as a result of Crosss speech is less important than the teachers right to communicate about what the court called fundamental societal values, and added that the only disruption the school district can point to is that a tiny minority of parents requested that Cross not interact with their children.

It is unclear whether Loudoun County Public Schools plans to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Wayde B. Byard, public information officer for the school district, said that LCPS does not comment on pending litigation.
Virginia Tech Disenrolls 134 Unvaccinated Students

Virginia Tech has disenrolled more than 100 students for not meeting the COVID-19 vaccine requirement before the start of the fall semester, the university said Tuesday.

Some 134 students are no longer enrolled because they did not submit proof that they are vaccinated against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus or get approved for medical or religious exemptions by the start of classes on Aug. 23, Mark Owczarski, the associate vice president for university relations, told Fox 8.

The university does not know whether any of these students were not planning to return for reasons unrelated to the COVID-19 vaccine requirement, Owczarski said, adding that attempts have been made to contact those students and that they are welcome to enroll again if they return with proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

An overwhelming 95 percent of 37,000 students at Virginia Tech have been vaccinated, according to the universitys website. Nearly 90 percent of the universitys employees are vaccinated, and those who arent have until Oct. 1 to get the vaccine, regardless of whether they teach remotely or in person.

Since Aug. 2, Virginia Tech has administered 2,799 tests for CCP virus infection, and only 43 of them returned positive, including one case of an employee. All individuals with an approved exemption for medical or religious reasons are required to get tested every week.

The announcement comes days after the University of Virginia (UVA) disenrolled 238 students, mostly undergraduates, for not complying with the public universitys COVID-19 vaccination policy.

These students received multiple communications from Student Affairs via email, text, and phone calls reminding them to update their status by deadline, a UVA spokesperson told student newspaper The Cavalier Daily.

University data shows that as of Aug. 18, over 96 percent of UVA students have shown proof that they are vaccinated, including 97 percent of students living on campus.

Earlier this month, Virginia Tech and UVA said they are working together to develop a new vaccine against the CCP virus, as well as its variants.

This new vaccine is expected to be effective against other coronaviruses, including those that cause the common cold, according to a UVA news release. It could cost only $1 for one dose.

We are continuing to work very hard, said Dr. Steven L. Zeichner at UVAs health department. Since those early results, we have been systemically testing how we can best administer the vaccine, either orally, intranasally, or intramuscularly, and how we can optimize the immune response with different versions of the pieces of the viruses that are used get the body to make an effective immune response against the virus.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on Afghanistan during a speech in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington on Aug. 31, 2021. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

We Are Not Done With You Yet: Biden Warns ISIS-K

President Joe Biden has issued a warning to ISIS-Khorasan, the group which killed 13 U.S. service members in a suicide bombing at Kabul airport, and said those who cause America harm will pay the ultimate price.

Biden delivered a defiant address to the nation on Aug. 31, just one day after the last American military planes left Kabuls Hamid Karzai International Airport, and said the United States remains committed to pursuing terrorist organizations without boots on the ground.

We will maintain the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and other countries, the Democrat president said, adding, Weve shown that capacity just in the last week. We struck ISIS-K remotely, days after they murdered 13 of our service members and dozens of innocent Afghans.

And to ISIS-K: We are not done with you yet, he warned.

Biden also cautioned that to those who wish America harm, we will hunt you down and you will pay the ultimate price.

The evacuation effort from Kabul was marred by a deadly terrorist bombing on Aug. 26, which claimed the lives of 13 U.S. service members, 3 Britons, and around 170 Afghans. ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack.

Smoke rises from a deadly explosion outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 26, 2021. (Wali Sabawoon/AP Photo)

ISIS Khorasan, also known as ISIS-K, was founded in 2015 and is a sworn enemy of the Taliban and the United States.

The group remains active years after its inception, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington D.C. think tank, which said the group received support from the ISIS terrorist group in Iraq and Syria.

The ISIS affiliate is headquartered in the east of Afghanistan and has carried out several devastating attacks, mostly targeting the countrys minority Shiite Muslims.

CSIS said the group was responsible for nearly 100 attacks against civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as roughly 250 clashes with the United States, Afghan, and Pakistani security forces since January 2017.

Elsewhere during Tuesdays speech, Biden defended his administrations handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 31 but noted that the threat from terrorism has changed and expanded to other countries around the world.

That is the guiding principle behind my decisions about Afghanistan, the president said. I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars a year in Afghanistan.

But I also know that the threat from terrorism continues in its pernicious and evil nature. But its changed, expanded to other countries. Our strategy has to change too.

Biden said that the United States will continue in its fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and other countries. We have whats called over-the-horizon capabilities, which means we can strike terrorists and targets without American boots on the groundor very few, if needed, Biden said.

The president referenced the U.S. drone attack on Aug. 29 on a vehicle carrying multiple suicide bombers from the ISIS-K terrorist group, for showing such capabilities.

The United States is investigating reports of civilian casualties following the attack, Captain Bill Urban, a Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson, said in a statement late on Aug. 29.

Biden on Aug. 31 also pointed to increasing challenges from China and Russia, including cyberattacks and nuclear proliferation which the United States needs to devote resources to.

There is nothing China or Russia would rather have, would want more in this competition, than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan, the president said.
WH Chief of Staff: I Dont Know If Well Ever Recognize a Taliban Government

White House chief of staff Ron Klain said on Aug. 31 that he wasnt sure if the United States would ever recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

I dont think anytime soon. I dont know if well ever recognize their government, Klain said on the The Mehdi Hasan Show.

What we know is that the Taliban says theyre going to form a government. Well see what that looks like. Well see what kind of credentials they present. More importantly, well see what their conduct is. Do they honor their commitments to allow freedom of travel? Do they respect human rights? I think the question of recognizing a new government of Afghanistan is down the road here.

No nation has formally recognized the Taliban after it came into power in Afghanistan via a rapid military blitz in mid-August.

In the days leading up to the takeover of Afghanistan, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested that the United States could recognize the Taliban government.

A future Afghan government that upholds the basic rights of its people and that doesnt harbor terrorists is a government we can work with and recognize, Blinken told CNN on Aug. 15.

Conversely, a government that doesnt do that, that doesnt uphold the basic rights of its people, including women and girls, that harbors terrorist groups that have designs on the United States, our allies and partners, certainly, thats not going to happen.

Blinken said on Aug. 30 that the Taliban would have to earn recognition, including by respecting freedom of travel, respecting basic human rights, and upholding commitments on counterterrorism.

If we can work with a new Afghan government in a way that helps secure those interestsincluding the safe return of Mark Frerichs, a U.S. citizen who has been held hostage in the region since early last yearand in a way that brings greater stability to the country and region and protects the gains of the past two decades, we will do it, Blinken said.

But we will not do it on the basis of trust or faith. Every step we take will be based not on what a Taliban-led government says, but what it does to live up to its commitments.

The last U.S. soldier departed Afghanistan on Aug. 30, marking the end of a nearly 20-year-long war that began in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. The administration of President Joe Biden has faced bipartisan criticism over the chaotic evacuation effort that followed the Talibans takeover. Biden defended the withdrawal in remarks delivered on Aug. 31.

I give you my word: With all of my heart, I believe this is the right decision, a wise decision, and the best decision for America, he said.
President Joe Biden speaks at the National Response Coordination Center at FEMA headquarters in Washington, on Aug. 29, 2021. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo)

White House Promises to Help Stranded Afghan Interpreter Who Helped Biden in 2008

Top White House officials are promising to get an Afghan interpreter who remains in Afghanistan out of the country.

The interpreter, who was identified only by his first name of Mohammed, helped rescue then-Sen. Joe Biden and two other U.S. lawmakers when their helicopter made an emergency landing in the Afghanistan mountains in 2008.

Mohammed is stuck in the Taliban-held country after U.S. troops withdrew on Aug. 30. He appealed to Biden for help.

Hello Mr. President: Save me and my family, Mohammed told The Wall Street Journal. Dont forget me here.

Mohammed tried applying for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) and evacuating Afghanistan before the United States withdrawal, even earning a recommendation from Lt. Col. Andrew Till because of his assistance to the U.S. military.

But his application has not been approved, the paper reported, and an attempt to get into the Kabul airport this month wasnt successful because American troops told him they would only let him through, not his wife or children.

Tens of thousands of SIV applicants remain in Afghanistan, according to aid groups. The Association of Wartime Allies has pegged the number as high as 118,000 when including the applicants family members.

Asked about the plea for help, senior administration officials said that assistance would be rendered.

We will get you out, we will honor your service, and were committed to doing exactly that, White House press secretary Jen Psaki conveyed from the White House in Washington on Tuesday after expressing gratitude for Mohammeds help to Biden over a decade ago.

Ron Klain, the White House chief of staff, said he read the story regarding the interpreter.

Were going to cut through the red tape, were gonna find this gentleman, whose name is an assumed name in that story, and were going to get him and the other SIVs out, Klain said on MSNBCs The Mehdi Hasan Show later Tuesday.

Biden and his fellow senators at the time, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel, were traveling in Afghanistan in 2008 when a snowstorm forced the helicopter they were flying in to land in the mountains, a Biden spokesperson told news outlets at the time.

The senators were escorted by U.S. troops to Bagram Air base on foot.

Biden has referred to the trip over the years.

If you want to know where al-Qaeda lives, you want to know where [Osama] bin Laden is, come back to Afghanistan with me, he said while campaigning for president several months after the rescue, according to the Journal. Come back to the area where my helicopter was forced down  in the middle of those mountains. I can tell you where they are.
WHO Says C.1.2. COVID-19 Variant Does Not Seem to Be Spreading

GENEVAA new coronavirus variant that was first detected in South Africa in May does not appear to be spreading, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, adding it was monitoring the variant as the virus evolves.

It does not appear to be increasing in circulation, WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris told a U.N. briefing, adding the variant labeled C.1.2. was not currently classified as a variant of concern by the U.N. health agency.
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Sherman

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EL PASO, Texas (AP)  Martin Portillo got a gun after the mass shooting at a Walmart in his hometown of El Paso two years ago, even though it went against his upbringing.

His wife, Daisy Arvizu, was working at the store when a man started firing  allegedly bent on killing as many Mexicans as he could in the predominantly Latino border city in the state's western tip, according to authorities. And Portillo felt that getting the handgun and learning how to use it might give him peace of mind and help quiet his wife's nightmares about the Aug. 3, 2019, attack that killed 23 people and wounded many others.

I was the first one in my family to get a gun, we never resorted to anything like that, the 26-year-old cable TV installer said. It does get to me that I wasnt there to do something. This is sort of the best I can do.

On Wednesday, Texas became the 20th and largest state to allow some form of the unregulated carry of a firearm. Under the new law, most people age 21 or older who haven't been convicted of a felony can carry a holstered handgun  concealed or otherwise  in public without undergoing any training or getting a permit.

Supporters of the law, including Gov. Greg Abbott and his fellow Republicans in the Legislature, laud it as a necessary expansion of the so-called constitutional carry movement that will allow people to more easily defend themselves without government interference. But critics, including some law enforcement groups and others, say this further loosening of firearms restrictions in a state that has had more than its share of mass shootings is reckless.

Until Wednesday, Texans needed a license to carry a handgun outside of their homes and vehicles. To get one, they had to submit fingerprints, go through several hours of training on gun laws and gun safety, and pass a shooting proficiency test. Now, they can still take an online training course that the law requires the state to provide, but it is not necessary.

The Walmart attack led New Mexico, which is only about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of El Paso, to pass a so-called red flag law that allows law enforcement to seize firearms from people who are deemed to pose a danger to themselves or others. According to prosecutors, the man charged in the attack, Patrick Crusius, drove from his Dallas-area home to El Paso so he could target Latinos, who make up about 80% of the border city. His lawyers say he was diagnosed with mental disabilities.

Texas, though, has cultivated a strong culture of gun ownership with echoes of the Wild West, and many residents support the loosened restrictions.

Among them is Jesus Chuy Aguirre, 78, who owns Chuys Gun Shop in El Paso. A generation ago, he successfully advocated for the introduction of concealed handgun permits.

Eventually we settled down and the cops started understanding what they had to do, he said.

Angel Zacarius, who at 21 is just old enough to qualify for permitless carry, was at the shop on a recent day asking about the price and quality of a used pistol. He said he didn't plan to apply for a handgun carry license so that he could save on the fees, which typically run about $200.

But many opposed the new law.

Although it stiffened the penalties for felons getting caught with guns, police groups expressed concern about the scrapped training requirements and about officers being able to safely navigate routine interactions with permitless gun carriers.

Even though Portillo, like many others in El Paso, bought a handgun after the Walmart attack, he said he's uneasy with the looser requirements to carry one in public and thinks it could lead more gun violence.

I think that if you are as heavily armed as a police officer, that you need to be actually trained, said Portillo, a naturalized U.S. citizen who moved as a boy to El Paso from Ciudad Juarez, just across the border with Mexico. Things escalate, especially nowadays. ... They dont fight with their fists.

Adria Gonzalez, who was shopping at the Walmart when the shooting happened and helped guide others to safety, said the new law defies common sense and undermines discipline among gun carriers. She learned how to handle a gun at the urging of her wife, an active-duty member of the military.

After everything that happened, she said, You know what? You have got to be trained, you have got to be protected, Gonzalez said.

Dr. Jose Burgos, who was working at University Medical Center when victims of the Walmart attack poured into the emergency room, became a licensed gun owner near the outset of the pandemic out of fear of another attack on Latinos and after seeing the panicked hoarding of household supplies. He believes the rollback of training requirements will lead to unnecessary violence.

If we have laws that are more permissive of gun ownership, people need to be educated, he said. You still have to follow the law that will punish you if you misuse your firearm.
PORTLAND  Come hell or high water, Paul Veneto says he will have his airline beverage cart at Ground Zero in New York City by Sept. 11.

Theres no obstacle that will stop me from getting to Ground Zero, Veneto said while crossing the Arrigoni Bridge on Tuesday as part of his 200-mile journey. Ill carry [the cart]. Ill swim across the Hudson (River) with it. Ill do whatever I have to do.

As part of Paulies Push, Veneto, a former airline attendant, is traveling from Boston Logan Airport to New York City to commemorate flight attendants and crew members who died during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He is raising money for a nonprofit that helps people battle addiction, as well as other organizations that aid the families of crew members who died that day.

Local reaction

Dozens of people met him as he pushed his cart to Main Street in Portland by way of East Hampton.

Crowds cheers and passersby honked their horns, as Veneto stopped under an American flag hung on a Portland Fire Department ladder truck. He briefly stopped to take photos and talk with people, and then continued on to the Arrigoni Bridge as he crossed into Middletown.

Its been quite a challenge, he said. Connecticut gave it to me. Those hills  I couldnt believe it.

Deputy Fire Chief Rob Puida said he and his wife, Kimberly, have been following Venetos journey for a few days because they thought it was important for the department to be involved.

When someone takes time out of their busy life to come out and support such a good cause for people that passed away on 9/11, its something that should be recognized, he said.

Puida said they have been tracking his progress. A lot of Venetos march to New York City so far has been in the woods along the Airline Trail, he said. East Hampton put together a big welcome for him Monday, with approximately 100 people showing up to the intersection of routes 16 and 66, the deputy said.

Mary Pont said 9/11 is a day seared into the memories of all Americans alive at the time.

Still, on that date, I can remember where I was, what I saw, she said. I was at the high school and they had just tuned in. After that was finished, I went to where my daughter worked at the nursery school because I needed to see her. You dont forget that.

Veneto said his journey, which he began last week during Tropical Storm Henri, is going fabulously. He didnt think he would be able to do five miles during the days leg, he said, but he completed 18.

The only thing that can fail is my body, but Ive trained for this, he said. Im ready mentally and physically.

Veneto said the support he has received from Connecticut residents has been unbelievable and he wishes he could record the stories he has heard from people along the way.

Were all together in this

Im amazed at how theres not division out here right now. Were all together in this. Everybody believes in what Im doing, he said.

For 20 years, Veneto said, flight attendants and crew members were not recognized for their heroics during the terrorist attacks. They were doing hand-to-hand combat, and they werent trained for that, he said.

Veneto, who was part of the crew on United Airlines Flight 175, had that day off. He lost colleagues when the plane was hijacked and flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, he said. Because of that, he later struggled with a worsening opioid addiction.

It almost killed him, Veneto said.

I was able to come out of that, and just in time to be able to do this to recognize them, he said. How many miles will I do each day? I dont know. But I guarantee you Ill be there on Sept. 11  Ill tell you that.

Suffering in silence

Three years after the attacks, Veneto said, he felt he and his fellow flight crew members were suffering in silence. But when he saw an interview with the child of an attendant, he said he realized how it impacted their families as well.

The fire grew at that point. I said, Somebodys got to do something, he said. Every year, the anniversary would come up. Nothing was done and nobody did anything. I was in my addiction at this point, so thats all I thought about, but I couldnt do anything in that condition.

Veneto was in survival mode, and knew he would do something if he could deal with his addiction, he said. In 2015, he began his slow process of recovery.

Its surreal, he said. I knew I was going to do it. I had to do it. How could I not do it? These are friends of mine. I knew theyd do that for me. Thats what we are supposed to do in this country.

Awareness was the main goal

All proceeds from Paulies Push will support the families of 9/11 crew members who registered with not-for-profit organizations and Power Forward, which assists people dealing with addiction.

Two-time Stanley Cup champion Kevin Stevens founded Power Forward, Veneto said, and Stevenss sister Kelly Wilson helped him organize the Push.

I didnt want anything to do with money, he said. I just wanted awareness. I want all of us to say, Yeah. They were heroes. But, because she did so much, I agreed with her.

More people are being helped just by him pushing a cart, Veneto said. His effort has gotten bigger than he ever imagined.

People have been reaching out to me for whatever issues they might have, he said. It doesnt have to be addiction. I can see when people come up to me that theres something going on with them. Obviously, Im bringing them some sense of hope or inspiration to hang out.

After crossing the bridge, Veneto walked down Middletowns Main Street, with people waving their signs, shouting words of encouragement, and taking photographs with him.

Middletown police officers greeted him in front of the station, Community Relations Officer Jay Bodell said.

The next stop was Durham, where he ended his trek for the day at the Town Green.

Veneto said he believes in the saying, Dont quit five minutes before the miracle.

Im so grateful that theres more people I can inspire, he said. As long as I stay focused on my main mission, everything else falls into place.
ALTON  Thanks to the passage of recent legislation, there has been some good news in Illinois regarding water quality and pollution.

But much work remains to be done.

What concerns me most as an environmental and social justice volunteer and a citizen of Madison County is that there are not just one or two factors that threaten air and water quality, said Toni Oplt, a board member of the Piasa Palisades Chapter of the Sierra Club. There are multiple factors.

A longstanding issue for Oplt and other environmentalists is the controversy on how the Mississippi River is supposed to be managed.

The Army Corps of Engineers has always built levees, locks and dams to try to control that water flow, said Oplt, who is chairperson of Metro East Green Alliance (MEGA) and a Sierra Club volunteer. But as that has taken away natural flood plains and development has happened and industry has come in along the river, youre threatening everything around the river because the river was never meant to run in a straight line.

It meanders and changes its course. If you look at the river over time, you can see islands that appear and disappear and shorelines that drastically change. When you take that natural flow away and you force things to run more quickly and in a narrower channel and we have the unprecedented flooding that climate change is bringing, you have whole communities wiped out.

For Oplt, the debate on how to manage the river is part of a deeper issue.

One of our biggest problems is our inability to understand the connection humans have to the natural systems that are in place on the Earth. Instead of seeing ourselves as part of these systems, we keep pushing against them, Oplt said. We seem unable to understand that something as far away as the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is intricately linked to us and to our wellbeing.

Dr. John Chick, meanwhile, is Director of the Illinois Natural History Survey Great Rivers Field Station in Alton. It is operated by the University of Illinois and is part of the larger Prairie Research Institute.

The field station monitors the water quality of the Mississippi River and the lower portion of the Illinois River.

The station does water quality sampling, but its mostly ecologically based. It measures phosphorus and nitrogen in the water but doesnt do any contaminant sampling.

From a local perspective, at least, Chick is seeing some positive trends.

Phosphorus and nitrogen are the main nutrients that go up the food chain, starting with phytoplankton and macrophytes and ultimately going up to fish and birds and other creatures that eat fish, Chick said. The Mississippi River around where we do our sampling is in pretty good shape, especially from Lock and Dam 26.

As you go downstream, you get more input from larger cities and the first one you encounter is St. Louis. If you keep going downstream toward the Gulf of Mexico, there are more inputs of pollution, but a lot of that is natural because you get down to the end of Illinois and the Ohio River comes into it. There is a huge increase in the volume of water. The river also goes through many large cities before it reaches the Gulf.

Another concern for Chick is invasive fish, especially carp, which compete with native fish and other native marine life for resources.

We have several Asian carp in Illinois, including the bighead carp, the silver carp and the grass carp. There is also the black carp and the difference is the black carp is a molluscivore, which means that it eats snails and freshwater clams, Chick said.

Theres a lot of concern that if we get a reproducing population of black carp in the river like we have with some of the other carp, that could be bad news for all of our native mussels. Luckily so far, there isnt much evidence of that happening. Most of the black carp that have been captured are coming from hatcheries and that usually means they usually cant reproduce.

Chick noted that Illinois has a high proportion of agricultural acreage is practicing no-till farming.

That greatly reduces the amount of sediments that go into the rivers, Chick said. For the work we do, in terms of worrying about fish and other organisms, the material from agriculture and other sources is the main thing that reduces water quality. The fact that so many farms are practicing no-till is really good news.

For Oplt, coal ash in ponds and landfills has been a major reason for water quality concerns.

The reason I focus on coal ash is that it is an existential threat in Illinois and across the nation, Oplt said. Illinois has its share of coal plants and, consequently, coal ash ponds and impoundments. As coal plants retireas some are already doingthe coal industry has shown its inability to prepare for these closures and mitigate the pollution coming from those ponds, even though they knew long ago that coal ash was going to be a problem down the road.

I see our problems with coal ash containment as similar to our troubles over storing nuclear waste or cleaning up superfund sites. With coal ash, the problem is not that its just in one or two areas, its all over. Most ponds and impoundments are unlined, allowing the ash to get wet when the water table rises. Then, as water recedes, it takes the toxic ash with it, potentially sending arsenic, boron, mercury, lead, and other contaminants ultimately into our drinking water.

Oplt is especially concerned about lead in drinking water.

Federal law does not require schools to test for and address neurotoxic lead in their drinking water. Illinois ranks higher than the national average for childhood lead exposure, which can lead to lifelong intellectual, emotional and behavioral consequences, lower IQ, slowed growth, hearing problems and anemia.

Oplt pointed to the now-demolished power plant in Wood River as is a perfect example of potential danger because it houses four unlined ponds full of ash and sits on a floodplain adjacent to Wood River Creek and mere feet from the Mississippi.

More frequent flooding from climate change creates a perfect storm for water contamination at that site, she said. You have this toxic stew that leaches down into the ground and can easily make its way to other waterways. Depending on where you live and the topography of the soil underneath, it can find its way into your drinking water.

Despite that grim scenario, Oplt believes Illinois is seeing some signs of progress.

In Illinois, were in a better situation than most states because the legislature passed Senate Bill 9, which is the Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act, Oplt said. This rulemaking mechanism has set us on a path to regulating coal ash pond closures in the best interests of communities and the environment rather than to the benefit the coal industry.

For Chick, collaboration with other groups and agencies is vital in monitoring the health of the Mississippi River and other waterways in Illinois.

Theres a group in Wisconsin called Fishers and Farmers that was put together by some of our colleagues up there, Chick said. It has commercial fishers and recreational fishers talking to farmers so they can discuss how fishers and farmers can cooperate to maintain a healthy river.

We also work with someone from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources who is the manager of commercial fisheries in Illinois, most of which are on the Mississippi River. Thats nice because it allows us to have a pulse on the commercial fishers. As good as we may be as scientists when it comes to monitoring the rivers, we always learn that the commercial fishers are more aware of changes to the rivers, such as the introduction of non-native fishes, than we are.
The U.S. is seeing an increase in first coronavirus vaccine shots, White House officials said in a briefing on Tuesday. The delta variant is driving cases up across the nation and the increase in vaccines could mean a decrease in vaccine skepticism.

"Weve accelerated the pace of first shots," White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said in a news conference Tuesday. "In August, we got over 14 million. Thats almost 4 million more first shots in August compared to the prior month."

Since the FDA's announcement of the approval, the U.S. has seen a slight uptick in the average number of Americans getting their first COVID-19 vaccine, according to ABC News.

Before the announcement, the U.S. rate of first doses had plateaued. After an increase in people getting their first dose in July thanks to the delta variant surge, the nation then saw a decline. The U.S. saw a 17% increase in Americans getting vaccinated with their first dose following Pfizer's full approval.

Illinois has also seen a similar upward trajection in total vaccines administered since the FDA approved Pfizer's vaccine. On Aug. 23, the day of approval, around 19,815 vaccines were administered altogether in the state, a figure which had been dropping, hitting 16,241 on Aug. 22. The next day, Aug. 24, 28,516 vaccines were administered, and on Aug. 26, 122,680 vaccines were administered, the largest single-day total since May 20.

Illinois's seven-day average was 39,802 on Aug. 30, compared to 24,587 a week prior, according to data taken from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Approximately 473,000 Americans were getting their initial dose as of Monday. That uptick was significant enough to cause the country's vaccination rate to trend upward, although experts say that there exists much work to be done to convince hold out Americans.

According to a newly released Axios-Ipsos poll, vaccine hesitancy among Americans has hit a record low, with only 2 in 10 Americans saying they are unlikely to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and 14% saying they are not likely at all.

On Monday, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's independent advisory panel, unanimously endorsed Pfizer's vaccine for use in people 16 years old and above.

"We now have a fully approved COVID-19 vaccine and ACIP has added its recommendation. If you have been waiting for this approval before getting the vaccine, now is the time to get vaccinated and join the more than 173 million Americans who are already fully vaccinated," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement Monday.

On Tuesday, however, the U.S. reported a single-day total of approximately 283,000 first shots administered, well below the current seven-day average. In Illinois, 22,976 vaccine doses (first, second and third) were distributed, also well below the seven-day rolling average and below figures from the days prior, although on Aug. 29, 19,832 vaccines were administered.

Full approval has rendered it easier for employers to mandate vaccines, which could also be one of the drivers of rising vaccination rates, experts have suggested. In the last week alone, an increasing number of companies and government entities have moved to require proof of vaccination or risk termination.

Just hours after the full approval was announced, for example, the Pentagon announced that it would begin preparations to make the vaccine mandatory for the U.S. military. On Aug. 26, Illinois mandated vaccines for professionals in the healthcare and educational industries, as well as for public university students and state employees.

"I'm calling on more companies in the private sector to step up with vaccine requirements that will reach millions more people," President Joe Biden said in remarks at the White House last week. "If you're a business leader, a nonprofit leader, a state or local leader, who has been waiting for full FDA approval to require vaccinations, I call on you now to do that  require it. It only makes sense to require a vaccine to stop the spread of COVID-19."

With more than 101,000 patients now hospitalized across the country with COVID-19, the U.S. is steadily approaching its hospitalization peak from early January, when more than 125,000 patients were hospitalized at one time, according to ABC. A little over two months ago, there were under 12,000 patients receiving care.

In Illinois, there were 2,266 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 on Aug. 30, according to IDPH data. That number has steadily increased since the beginning of August. On Aug. 28, there were 233 new patients admitted to hospitals across the state.

And nationally, nearly 94% of U.S. counties are now reporting high community transmission. That includes every county in Illinois with the exception of Putnam County, which is one step lower at "substantial" transmission.
Salida, CO (81201)

Today

Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 46F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Elizabethtown, KY (42701)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 67F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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Partly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 67F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Elizabethtown, KY (42701)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 67F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 67F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
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Hopes high worst of Phuket COVID outbreak is over

PHUKET: Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew expects to see a clear change for Phukets infection situation within one week, with lower numbers of new infected cases reported daily.

COVID-19CoronavirushealthtourismVaccine

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 1 September 2021, 01:27PM

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew (centre), flanked by Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Dr Chalermpong Sukontapol (left) and Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO) Chief Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon (right), speaks to the press at Provincial Hall last night (Aug 31). Screenshot: PR Phuket

From discussion with, and analysis by, health officers, we expect that we will clearly see a change within one week, Governor Narong told the press after the meeting of Phuket Communicable Disease Committee at Provincial Hall last night (Aug 31).

From the meeting, we talked together about the infection situation and economic situation in Phuket, which we must pay much attention to while our number of new infected cases keeps getting higher. We have worked and tried our best to control the number, he said.

We fully realise that we must solve this problem as soon as possible, as right now it is much easier for all of us to become infected, Governor Narong said.

Joining Governor Narong in speaking with the press were Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO) Chief Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon and Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Dr Chalermpong Sukontapol, who was clearly looking tired.

We are pretty confident that within one week, we will have lower numbers of new infected cases, as we have already conducted the proactive case screening in many risk areas across the island, Dr Chalermpong said.

The remaining areas that we have not gone to are not crowded communities or communities that have a high number of infected people, he added.

Dr Kusak continued, We have conducted proactive screening in areas of big clusters [of infections], which are migrant workers in the fishing industry and at construction sites. Today, we went to test sea gypsies in Ban Sapam in Koh Kaew, as we have already tested sea gypsies at Laem Tukkae on Koh Siray and in Rawai.

In Ban Sapam, we tested 248 people and found 100 people infected, or about 40% [of the community], Dr Kusak noted.

We still have sea gypsies in Mai Khao that we have not conducted proactive screening, but as a community they are not crowded together, he said.

Not explained in the video press conference after the meeting last night, but reported by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) at 8:55pm last night was that during the meeting Dr Chalermpong had presented a Quick Win strategy to battle the surge in COVID-19 infections in Phuket.

The four point strategy was explained as follows:

1. Measures to stop any movement of people on the island and any activity that is necessary.

2. Proactive case screening will focus more on target groups of people who are more than 60 years old, patients with any of seven chronic diseases [recognised as at higher risk of contracting COVID-19], and women more than 12 weeks pregnant. Local administrative organisations will take more part in this cooperation by monitoring the targeted people in their responsible areas.

3. Infected people will be separated into groups and receive treatment at different venues, as follows:

Green-coded patients [experiencing no symptoms of infection] will be allowed to quarantine at home, at organisational quarantine venues, at factory quarantine venues or at venues set by local administrative organisations.

Yellow-coded patients [experiencing only light symptoms of infection] will be taken into field hospitals.

Red-coded patients will be treated at hospitals.

4. The booster (third) dose of AstraZeneca will be provided to people in Phuket within September. The vaccinations will be completed in one month, like in April [sic].

The Phuket News notes that completing administering third booster jabs by the end of this month might be problematic considering that only 77% of the target population to be vaccinated  not 77% of the actual population on the island  have received their second vaccination injection, according to Phuket officials themselves.

According to the latest report for yesterday (Aug 31), posted by PR Phuket at midday today (Sept 1), a total of 361,430 people in Phuket have received their second vaccination injection, and are considered fully vaccinated  amounting to 77% of the original 466,587 target population to be vaccinated.

Of note, officials began reporting the 466,587 target number as the actual population on the island in mid-June, with national figures including Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha relaying the same information  despite Dr Chalermpong and Dr Kusak both earlier explaining that this was only the target to be vaccinated  not the actual number of people on the island.

Of note, as of today, Phuket officials still have not made the claim that Phuket has reached herd immunity by achieving the number of vaccinations claimed  despite that being the espoused goal of the mass vaccination campaign.
No graft in jab purchase, says government

BANGKOK: The government has defended itself against accusations of corruption in its procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, saying the allegation that it pocketed change from previous Sinovac purchases was totally untrue and that its spending was above board and transparent.

CoronavirusCOVID-19corruptionChineseVaccine

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 1 September 2021, 09:28AM

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha makes a point during his rebuttal of the censure debate allegations against him in parliament. The four-day no-confidence debate began yesterday (Aug 31) targeting Prayut and five other cabinet members including Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (left). Photo: Parliament

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha denied embezzling any money after a Pheu Thai MP questioned a B2 billion discrepancy between approved budgets and the paid prices for five batches of the Sinovac vaccine Thailand bought.

He was responding to accusations made yesterday (Aug 31) on the first day of the four-day no-confidence debate.

As for an accusation that the PM had paid money to further his political career, Prayut said the opposition knew only too well that he had never done what was alleged, adding that the entire state budget the government has recently spent mostly went to funding the fight against COVID-19 and easing its impact on the country and the people.

He challenged the opposition to find out who had taken the alleged change from the governments purchase of COVID-19 vaccines, saying his government is ready for any investigations into the allegation.

I only use my salary. I have no children who run a business. I pray every day, so I would never resort to doing anything immoral. And I insist that this government performs its duties honestly, Prayut said.

And in response to an allegation that the government has opted for deficit budgetary planning while achieving nothing in particular, Prayut said Thailands financial and budgetary status was only recently certified by the World Bank as very strong.

At press time yesterday, his deputy and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had not taken the stage to counter the vaccine procurement allegations.

The prime minister reacted to allegations of corruption in COVID-19 vaccine procurement made by Prasert Chantararuangthong, a Pheu Thai Party MP for Nakhon Ratchasima and the partys secretary-general.

Mr Prasert said that instead of procuring the COVID-19 vaccine under the usual public procurement law, Prayut had declared a state of emergency to allow the purchase of the Sinovac vaccines.

And while initially aimed to be only 10% of the entire supply of COVID-19 vaccines, more doses of Sinovac were imported than AstraZeneca, which was supposed to be the main vaccine source, the opposition MP said.

The charge daffaires at the Chinese embassy, Yang Xin, once stated that Thailand was the first nation to import COVID-19 vaccines from Sino Biopharmaceutical Limited for commercial purposes, he said.

He also claimed that the Chinese company, listed on Hong Kongs stock exchange, is known to have close ties with a tycoon in Thailand who has close connections with the Thai government.

Although the Chinese company doesnt have any official sales representatives in Thailand, there certainly are some brokers who pocketed the change from the vaccine deal. As a result, Thai people are using low-quality vaccines at a high price, said Mr Prasert.

Comparing the prices, Thailand paid for 2 million doses of Sinovac as of Jan 5 against the prices paid by other countries, he said.

Thailand actually paid B556 million, while Indonesia and Brazil paid only B460mn and B337mn respectively.

Gen Prayut and Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul have conspired together to purchase the Sinovac vaccine on various occasions, he said.

On July 6, 10.9mn doses of the vaccine were purchased at a cost of B6bn, he said.

Later on five occasions, the cabinet approved a total budget of B10.8bn to fund the Sinovac vaccine purchases, while the actual sum paid was only B8.7bn, according to Mr Prasert.

This means about B2bn is missing. Where is it now? Who has taken it? asked Mr Prasert.

Dr Witoon Danwibul, director of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization, offered an explanation as to why the cabinet had to approve larger sums of budget than the amount actually paid for the Sinovac vaccines in previous purchases.

He said that because the prices of the vaccine and the currency exchange rates change constantly, a higher budget is needed ahead of the purchases, while the allotted budget is in reality disbursed equally to the actual spending, he said.

There was no change And no one has taken the rest of the money, he said.
Phuket to open to domestic tourists, with conditions

PHUKET: Domestic tourists will be allowed to enter Phuket on holiday from next Wednesday (Sept 8) providing they satisfy certain criteria, including showing proof of hotel or accommodation reservation paid in advance and they must be tested for COVID-19 on Day 5 of their stay if they are staying more than seven days.

COVID-19Coronavirustourismhealth

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 1 September 2021, 11:23AM

Domestic tourists will be allowed onto Phuket from next Wednesday (Sept 8), with conditions. Photo: PR Phuket

The confirmation came through an order revising the conditions for entering Phuket that was issued by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew last night, and posted publicly by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) just before 10pm.

The order is marked to be in effect from today (Sept 1) until Sept 14.

The order extends the island isolation protocol, prohibiting all people except those listed as exemptions from being allowed onto the island.

Under one of the new sections added to the existing provisions was one allowing domestic tourists onto Phuket.

People who come to Phuket for tourism and have proof of hotel or accommodation reservation which must be paid in advance. If tourists stay longer than 7 days, they must be tested for COVID-19 on the 5th day of staying in Phuket. The tourists are responsible for the expenses, said Section 16 (see below).

Meanwhile, foriegn tourists who have entered Phuket under the Sandbox or the Sandbox 7+7 schemes have also been added to the list of exemptions, allowing them to re-enter Phuket as long as they satisfy the same criteria required of any of the other exemptions.

They must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by having received two doses of the Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccine, or one injection of the Sinovac vaccine and one injection of the AstraZeneca vaccine, or at least one injection of the AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least 14 days before arriving.

Also, in order to be allowed into Phuket, all arrivals must present results of an RT-PCR test or antigen test performed by a medical facility within 72 hours of arriving proving that they are not infected.

Alternatively, arrivals must have been discharged from medical care for recovering from COVID-19 no more than 90 days before arriving.

The revised order also allowed for any people to return to Phuket after enjoying a day trip to another Sandbox pilot area, such as Khao Lak, Phi Phi Island or the Koh Yao islands east of Phuket.

Travelers who travel under the tourism pilot project (7+7 Extension) or those who travel outside of Phuket by sea to other pilot provinces on a one-day trip. with boat drivers, guides and crew to be able to travel to Phuket with complete vaccination results according to the specified criteria by testing for COVID-19 with ATK (Antigen Test Kit) method every week, said the new section.

Of note, the section used the Thai words , literally translating as every week, leaving it not clear whether this was intended to mean that people would be allowed to re-enter Phuket if could prove they had tested negative for COVID-19 in the past week.

The new provisions allowing Sandbox tourists, Sandbox 7+7 tourists and any day-trippers to re-enter Phuket were not marked with any deferred active date, meaning they are allowed to re-enter Phuket under the conditions given from today (Sept 1).

The full list of exemptions allowed to enter Phuket was given in the order as:

1) Medical ambulance, emergency patient, lifeguard, rescue (vehicles and personnel)

2) Transport of medicines, materials, medical supplies, medical chemicals

3) Transport of consumer goods, agricultural products, livestock, animal feed

4) Transport of cooking gas fuel

5) Transport for banks, money, financial institutions

6) Transport of parcels and publications

7) People who need to travel through international channels Phuket International Airport (must have a ticket of the travel date only)

8) Persons who have been ordered or have a written assignment from an agency to perform duties in the prevention and control of disease in Phuket

9) People who have been ordered by government agencies to go or perform urgent missions in Phuket

10) People who have been registered on house registration documents or work in the Phuket area on a regular basis (must have proof of documents)**

11) Transport of construction materials, machinery and spare parts used for maintenance. Only used in the implementation of projects to solve flood problems or projects of the state, state enterprises, other government agencies in solving problems of peoples troubles or in case of urgent need.

12) Visitors following the tourism pilot area opening project Phuket Sandbox and vehicle drivers (requires confirmation document)

13) Persons who have been ordered by government agencies to go or perform urgent missions in Phuket

14) People who have a need to take an international flight at Phuket International Airport. They must present officers at the checkpoint the flight booking document which must have the flight date on the entry date only.

15) Persons who have made an appointment according to the court, public prosecutor or investigating officer with clear documentary evidence that if postponing the appointment will seriously damage the consideration process. An appointment for urgent registration of rights and juristic acts that cannot be avoided, otherwise, it will cause damage to the parties or greatly affect the economy.

16) People who come to Phuket for tourism and have proof of hotel or accommodation reservation which must be paid in advance. If tourists stay longer than 7 days, they must be tested for COVID-19 on the 5th day of staying in Phuket. The tourists are responsible for the expenses

17) Any other cases that have practical problems that need to be resolved and ordered by the incident commander at the Phuket Check Point who shall have the authority to consider on a case by case basis.

All of the above (exemptions) must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by having received two doses of the Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccine, or one injection of the Sinovac vaccine and one injection of the AstraZeneca vaccine, or at least one injection of the AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least 14 days before arriving.

Also, in order to be allowed into Phuket, all arrivals must present results of an RT-PCR test or antigen test performed by a medical facility within 72 hours of arriving proving that they are not infected.

Alternatively, arrivals must have been discharged from medical care for recovering from COVID-19 no more than 90 days before arriving.

Students under 18 years of age who are unable to receive vaccination against COVID-19 and need to travel to Phuket to study must present documents confirming which educational institution they attend and that they need to travel to Phuket to attend classes, and they must present a document issued by the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) confirming that they have tested negative for the virus with a certificate for COVID-19 testing to be valid for no more than one month each time.

People arriving in Phuket to receive their second vaccination injection must present results of an RT-PCR test or antigen test performed by a medical facility within 72 hours of arriving proving that they are not infected.

Also of note, all visitors entering Phuket must register their travel details through the gophuget.com website  and must present the QR code issued to them to the Communicable Disease Control Officer at the checkpoint before entering Phuket.

All arrivals must install the Mor Chana application on their phones and enable location sharing through the app.

The Phuket Check Point at Tha Chatchai, guarding the only road onto Phuket, will remain closed to all traffic except for emergencies from 11pm to 4am each night, the order confirmed.

** CORRECTION: This section was erroneously omitted in the original report. The error is sincerely regretted.
Woman in Mai Khao busted with 2.5kg of crystal meth

PHUKET: A woman was arrested with more than 2.5 kilograms of crystal meth (ya ice) in a house in Moo 1, Mai Khao yesterday (Aug 31).

drugscrime

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 1 September 2021, 03:58PM

The 30-year-old woman called Suwanna, nicknamed Nuan, was arrested in a raid conducted by officers led by Capt Ampol Samorthai of Border Patrol Police Unit 425, based in Phuket.

Police were led to the woman after they had arrested a man by the name of Siripong who was in possession of 0.31 grams of ya ice in front of a Supercheap store on Chaofa East Rd in Phuket Town earlier yesterday.

Siripong told police that he bought the drugs from a woman living in a house in Bang Rakmai community in Moo 1, Mai Khao.

Police went to the house and found Suwanna with 2,538.6kg of ya ice and 14 pills of methamphetamine (ya bah) hidden under her bed. Officers also seized a digital scale and a mobile phone as items of evidence.

Suwanna was taken to police station and charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell.
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Rachel Ravina is a journalist covering news and lifestyle features in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Blue Bell and graduated from Penn State. She's also a news enthusiast who is passionate about covering topics people want to read.
Salem, MO (65560)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low near 65F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low near 65F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
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Quebec's HRC says state must show cause for mandatory vax

To force people to get vaccinated, the government must produce reasons, justifications. the Quebec Human Rights Commission declared on Friday.

Given the information we now have in hand, we cannot authorize the governments decision to make vaccination mandatory for health-care workers. Philippe-Andre Tessier, president of the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse, told a committee of the legislature.

According to Tessier, mandatory vaccination affects peoples rights as protected by the Charters of Rights and Freedoms. While current studies show that vaccination remains the most efficient way to protect against COVID-19 and increase the safety of citizens, Tessier says that the study of these two fundamental rights needs to be taken into account prior to the application of a passport.

Though it is possible to impose mandatory vaccination on employees of the state, an infringement of individual rights is an entirely different issue that must be justified by the government, Tessier said.

Unions representing health-care workers and education sector workers are also cautioning against the imposition of mandatory vaccination, however Premier Legault has categorically refused a debate on multiple occasions and maintains that the Emergency Act is sufficient for the government to impose vaccinations and passports.

Representatives of Quebecs post secondary institutions argued that masking regulations are sufficient to protect teachers and students against COVID in their schools.

We want to remind the government of the numerous grey zones that exist and that it must be clarified given current labour shortages, Eric Gingras, president of the Centrale des syndicats du Quebec (CSQ) representing 125,000 education-sector workers, said.

While the Quebec government released the results of a poll that states 96% of Quebec elementary and high school teachers are double vaxxed  Sylvain Mallette, president of the Federation autonome de lenseignment (FAE), representing 50,000 teachers, questions the validity of the poll. Malette referred to the poll as a marketing campaign to induce a false sense of security as teachers do not make up the whole of the staff in educational institutions. I do not have an opinion on mandatory vaccinations, because the government has yet to demonstrate that it is necessary, he said.

Meanwhile, Legault constantly refers to those who want a discussion on passport or vaccination imposition as conspiracy theorists, saying that he will not give them a platform. He also encourages the notion that private sector employers may request proof of vaccination from their employees.

When questioned about his decision-making process, he repeats I think that the majority of Quebecers agree.

Francois Legault must cease refusing such debates because he dislikes hearing opinions other than his own. Liberal health critic Marie Montpetit said in a statement.

The pandemic should not constitute a blank cheque for the CAQ government. While we are in favour of swiftly implementing a vaccine passport to avoid further worsening the situation, we can also debate the modalities without hindering its implementation.

The limitation of rights is provided as a possibility in the constitution, the question is whether or not it is proportional with the objective, Montreal lawyer Natalia Manole  who is representing two teachers  said to The Suburban. The objective of the passport is to stop the spread of the virus. The government has not yet proven that this limitation is proportionate to the objective.
Based on recent data, nearly 2 million children are at risk of starting their day hungry. This represents 1 in 3 children who are at risk if going to school on an empty stomach every morning.
Network of accredited bars undergo compulsory staff training to become active witnesses in the fight against sexual violence and be able to come to the aid of anyone who feels the need.
Paul Lachelier is the founder of Learning Life, a nonprofit lab devoted to innovating education and citizen engagement. Mike Morrow is a former U.S. diplomat and current senior democracy strategist with Learning Life.
This is my fifth update to the citizens of the 111th district, as your state representative.

This has been a very busy summer! While the spring legislative session wrapped up on June 1st, the constituent work in the district continues all year long. I have spent the summer doing legislative tours and meetings with local businesses, non-profits, state agencies, and constituents.

To date this year, we have done 110 visits/meetings/tours. We also field phone calls and emails every day from people needing help with a wide variety of state issues; most often, its the FOID and CCL backlog issues, as well as unemployment claims issues.

If you have a concern and arent sure if its a state issue, give us a call. We can refer people to our federal Congressional offices and other local municipalities, or make that call to other offices on your behalf. We will do whatever we can to get you in touch with the appropriate party that can best solve your issue.

In previous updates, I have mentioned two ongoing issues of importance.

First, we have been anxiously awaiting an energy bill all summer, as two nuclear plants in northern Illinois have threatened to close, and are requesting subsidies to remain open. Gov. Pritzker and environmental groups are working on clean energy legislation, and are wanting to close coal plants throughout the state prior to the end of their life. Various unions are concerned about the large job losses that occur when plants close. All of the parties taking part in the negotiations had previously come to an impasse, but are now meeting again to work out their concerns.

The second unresolved issue is the legislative maps, which must be redrawn every 10 years. The governor previously signed the Democrat-drawn maps into law, and those maps were quickly challenged in court by Republican leadership and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). This month the 2020 census numbers were released and input into the legislative district maps, which showed that the range from the lowest populated district to the highest populated district was greater than the 10 percent range allowed. In fact, the range was 30 percent, which means the map does not meet constitutional requirements. Democrat leadership called us back to Springfield for a one-day session on Aug. 31 to vote on yet another new map. However, the federal court handling the lawsuit has continued to set hearing and trial dates and will ultimately decide whether this is proper procedure or if the map should be redrawn by a bipartisan commission. Perhaps my next update will have conclusions to these issues, we shall see!

Over the summer the governor has been signing the bills that passed both the House and Senate in the spring. Some of the notable bills that passed this session are:

 SB539 is an ethics legislation bill, which provides some improvement in ethics requirements for legislators, but falls short on other items, including the work of the Legislative Inspector General. I voted yes and will continue to work on additional requirements. The governor has not signed this bill into law as of this writing.

 HB562 is the Fix the FOID bill, which makes fingerprinting voluntary to get a Firearm Owners ID card, and makes other changes to the FOID process, with the intention of speeding up the process. I do not believe these changes will have any immediate effect on the FOID backlog, and it also puts in place more onerous requirements for law abiding gun owners to transfer firearms, and therefore I voted no. This bill was signed into law as Public Act 102-0237.

 HB3443 is the Criminal Justice Trailer bill, which makes changes to the police reform bill that passed in the last hour of the last General Assembly before I was inaugurated in January. I voted yes because any improvements to the bad bill had to be supported, even though I disagreed with the original bill itself. This was signed into law as Public Act 102-0028.

Finally, being a Mom has kept me busy as I sent one back to college and one to high school this year. We are ready to get back to a regular schedule, and I pray for a normal year for all the school age kids.

I continue to be so grateful and proud to represent the 111th district. Please dont hesitate to call my office at 618-433-8046 if we can be of help.

Amy Elik of Fosterburg is the 111th District State Representative.
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP)  The full panel of 15 appellate judges in Richmond has narrowly upheld a former northern Virginia high school student's appeal to have her lawsuit against the school system reinstated after an alleged sexual assault on a band trip.

The narrow 9-6 decision from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Monday prompted a pair of rare, written dissents from two judges who say the decision vastly expands the liability that school systems face under Title IX, the law that bans sex discrimination in public education.

Dissenting judge J. Harvie Wilkinson wrote that reinstating the lawsuit will only further contribute to the dramatic loss of control that states and localities are able to exercise over their own school systems.

Judges dissent all the time when they hear cases, but it is rare to dissent on what's called an en banc petition, in which the losing side on a ruling from a normal three-judge panel asks the entire circuit to take up the case.

The case stems from a complaint by a female Oakton High School student about how administrators responded to her claims of an assault on a 2017 band trip.

At a 2019 trial in federal court in Alexandria, the school systems lawyers argued that no assault took place. They said evidence showed that the girl was ambivalent about her participation in the conduct and really became upset only after learning the male student had a girlfriend.

The female student, identified in court only as Jane Doe, testified that she tried to block the male students hands from groping her while they huddled under a blanket and that she at one point pulled her hand away from his genitals only to have him grab it and put it back.

She acknowledged that she never told him no and she didnt try to get up and walk away. But she was adamant she didnt consent.

Its pretty simple. I never said yes to him doing any of that to me, she testified.

The boy who committed the alleged assault was not punished.

The jury in Alexandria found that she had been assaulted but ruled in favor of the school district after determining that had received proper notice of the alleged assault.

Earlier this year, a divided three-judge panel reinstated the lawsuit. On appeal, the judges focused less on whether she was assaulted and more on whether the school system could be held liable for a single alleged assault when there had been no prior notice of a problem.

The dissenting judges said it stretches Title IX beyond its intent to hold the school district liable for an alleged assault under the circumstances described in the lawsuit.

Regretfully, we now leave the Supreme Court as the only possible venue for review of this important legal issue that will implicate educational institutions across the country, dissenting judge Paul Niemeyer wrote.

Judge James Wynn, writing for the majority, said that a school may be held liable when it makes a student vulnerable to sexual harassment by their peers, such as by failing to respond appropriately after learning of an initial incident of sexual assault. In other words, schools do not get one free rape.

In a statement, Fairfax County Public Schools lawyer said John Foster said Monday's ruling is under review, but did not say definitively whether the school system would appeal to the Supreme Court.
CARLINVILLE  The Carlinville Public Library is hosting a library card sign-up drive during the month of September, as well as a pet food collection to benefit the Macoupin County Animal Shelter.

The library is inviting everyone in the Carlinville area without a library card to sign up for one. Anyone who has a permanent address, or who owns property within the Carlinville city limits, is entitled to a library card at no cost.

Children must be five years old to receive a library card, and only adult cards may be used to check out DVDs. Carlinville Public Library cardholders are also able to check out items from more than 500 other member libraries in the Illinois Heartland Library System.

Anyone living outside the Carlinville city limits, but within the Carlinville Community School District and having the Carlinville Public Library as their nearest public library, may pay a non-resident fee of $60 to obtain a card. The fee entitles any family member at the same address to receive a card.

These cards may be used at the Carlinville Public Library or any member library in the Illinois Heartland Library System. DVDs may only be checked out with adult library cards.

Anyone wanting to receive a library card must come into the library, and anyone 16 years or younger must have the signature of a parent or legal guardian. To apply for a juvenile card, the parent or guardian must bring a form of identification with the current address, a photo ID, and a bill or letter addressed to him/her at the address. The bill or letter must have been received in the past seven days.

Adults must bring a form of identification with their current permanent address, along with a photo ID, and a bill or letter addressed to them at that address. Again, the bill or letter must have been received in the past seven days.

In other activities at the library, four-legged friends in need are the focus of a pet food drive through September 25. Pet food is being collected to be given to the county animal shelter, including Purina Dog & Puppy Chow, Purina Cat & Kitten Chow, Iams dry dog food, canned kitten food, and any brand of cat litter, preferably Tidy Cat.

Donations are welcome inside the library during normal business hours. Donors are asked not to deposit food or cat litter in the drop-off box outside the library.

Up to $5 in overdue item fines may be waived for each bag of dog or cat food, cat litter, or six cans of food.

For more information, contact the library at 217-854-3505 or mail@carlinvillelibrary.org.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)  The number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators in Arkansas climbed again Tuesday, as the state's top health official said he was worried about a further surge in cases from the coming Labor Day weekend.

The Department of Health said the number of coronavirus patients on ventilators rose by 27 to 388, the second day in a row the state has reached a new high. The state reported 2,626 new cases and 22 more deaths.

The state's COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped by 45 to 1,212. There are 531 COVID-19 patients in intensive care units around the state. Only 19 ICU beds are available, the department said, though it's unclear how many are equipped for COVID-19 patients. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the state's hospitals will be adding 64 ICU beds in September.

Arkansas ranks fifth in the country for new cases per capita, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University researchers.

State Health Secretary Dr. Jose Romero said he expected hospitalizations  which have surpassed what Arkansas saw during the winter surge  to rise further in the coming weeks.

Every holiday weekend we have seen since the beginning of the pandemic we've seen a surge in the number of cases, so we are concerned," Romero said.

Romero and Hutchinson also said they were concerned about a spike in cases among children and urged parents of children 12 to 18 years old to get them vaccinated. Hutchinson said 30% of the state's active virus cases are 18 years old and younger.

The state reported more than 13,000 additional doses of the vaccine were given since Monday.

Attorneys for the state's Republican legislative leaders on Tuesday also asked the state Supreme Court to stay a judge's ruling blocking Arkansas' ban on mask mandates. A Pulaski County judge issued a preliminary injunction against the law, which bans mask requirements by schools and other government entities.

The filing argued that allowing mask mandates interfered with efforts to encourage more people to get vaccinated.

Mandates exacerbate distrust in the vaccines and in government efforts to encourage vaccinations among the people that are the target of the States COVID-19 public health policy  the remaining unvaccinated Arkansans," the filing by the attorneys for House Speaker Matthew Shepherd and Senate President Jimmy Hickey said.

The Little Rock Board of Directors on Tuesday also approved extending its emergency declaration because of the coronavirus, which includes a requirement to wear masks on city property, through Dec. 29. The declaration will be reviewed every 30 days by the board.
JERSEYVILLE  A report that raw sewage was being dumped into Piasa Creek is under investigation by the Jersey County Sheriffs Department.

Jersey County Chief Deputy Mark Marshall said the investigation is just starting, so there is little information available.
EDWARDSVILLE  A Godfrey man has pleaded guilty in an August 2018 shooting that left one man dead.

Markell J. Taylor, 21, of Godfrey, this week pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in front of Circuit Judge Kyle Napp. Sentencing will be at a later date.

Taylor was one of five people charged in relation with a triple shooting on Aug. 26, 2018 that left Keron W. Hickman dead and two others seriously injured. At the time of his arrest, Taylor was 18 and listed as living in St. Louis.

Court reports indicate the incident began at about 2 a.m. on Aug. 26, 2018. Alton Police and Madison County sheriffs deputies responded to reports of shots fired and multiple people with gunshot wounds in the 100 block of West 19th Street in Alton.

Jordan T. Jackson, 23, of St. Louis was also charged with multiple murder, attempted murder and other charges relating to the shooting. Three others  Kiondo Jones, 22, Bryanna L. Kingcade, 22, and Daelin Hampton, 21, all of St. Louis  were each charged with aggravated unlawful use of weapons.

All four have trial or hearing dates set over the next two months. Both Jackson and Jones have trail dates set for Oct. 4. Hampton has a Sept. 15 hearing scheduled and Kingcade has a Sept. 13 trial date, according to court records.

Jackson was charged and later indicted on two counts each of first-degree murder, attempt first degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm. He also faced charges of unlawful possession of weapons by a felon and aggravated unlawful use of weapons.
BETHALTO  Touchette Regional Hospital and SIHF Healthcare are planning COVID-19 vaccine clinics open to the public with no appointment required.

COVID-19 vaccines will be available to ages 12 and up at the following sites:
Sarah Gray, age 80, of Beech Bluff, TN passed away Sunday, September 12, 2021 in Jackson, TN. She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Oliver Gray, her parents, Charlie and Verna Hollin, and several brothers and sisters. Sarah is survived by her three children: Marsha (Karl) You
Today

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 74F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 74F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.

Tomorrow

Partly cloudy in the morning followed by scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. High near 90F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
The boss of Non-Standard Finance has stepped down

The boss of Non-Standard Finance has stepped down as the lender battles to shore up its balance sheet.

John van Kuffeler, 72, who founded Non-Standard Finance (NSF) in 2014, is set to be replaced by the businesss chief financial officer Jono Gillespie as it tries to raise 80m from investors to put it back on a more sustainable footing, and address a pile of customer complaints.

NSF lends to customers with poor credit scores through its Everyday Loans and Loans at Home brands.

But complaints have been plaguing the industry in recent months, as rule changes around affordability checks meant millions of borrowers were found to have been mis-sold loans.
Banks must improve their 'creaky' fraud protection systems and properly compensate small businesses conned out of their money, says Vince Cable.

The former business secretary, seen as the 'scourge of the banks' during the financial crisis, said lenders should compensate firms hit by fraud.

Britain's major banks have a voluntary code which requires them to compensate individual victims, as long as the person has taken reasonable precautions to protect themselves against fraud.

Banks must improve their 'creaky' fraud protection systems and properly compensate small businesses conned out of their money, says Vince Cable

This is designed to encourage banks to improve their own fraud protections but they are not obliged to compensate customers who are conned  even though the sums lost are typically much larger.

Cable says banks should widen the compensation net. He said: 'Banks urgently need to update their creaky anti-money-laundering (AML) technology. Because the compensation they pay to fraud victims is limited, they are not properly incentivised to invest in this tech, which means that fraud is increasing as tech-savvy fraudsters get further ahead.

'Banks should face a legal requirement to pay compensation whenever failures in their AML controls cause losses.'

Cable urged the House of Commons Treasury Committee to make recommendations to the Government. He added: 'These are the big-data demands that society is rightly placing on corporations, and banks should not be exempt from that.'

Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake, cochair of the parliamentary group on fair business banking, said: 'Banks want businesses to make payments online, because that brings their costs down, but they're not training people, which means checks and balances are lost.'

Industry body UK Finance said: 'The industry is tackling fraud on every front, investing millions in technology to protect customers and working closely with law enforcement to stop the criminal gangs responsible and neutralise the threat.'
National Grid has been given the green light by the UK's competition watchdog to plough ahead with its 7.8billion acquisition of the country's biggest electricity distribution firm, Western Power Distribution.

The Competition and Markets Authority revealed today that it had decided not to refer the completed takeover of WPD from US energy giant PPL Corporation for an in-depth investigation.

The purchase of WPD, which provides electricity to over 8million customers across the Midlands, South West and Wales, will boost electricity assets share of National Grids portfolio from 60 per cent to around 70 per cent.

All go: National Grid has been given the green light for its already completed 7.8bn acquisition of Western Power Distribution

National Grid, which manages the UKs power infrastructure and helps keep the country's lights switched on, announced the acquisition back in March as part of a shift towards electricity and greener energy.

The group has also said that it will begin the sale of its gas assets next year as it seeks to ramp up its electricity distribution operations.

Shares in FTSE 100-listed National Grid are up 0.8 per cent or 7.50p to 948.80p. A year ago the share price was 833.60p, meaning it has risen by just over 13 per cent in the past 12 months.

The revelations in March emerged amid a flurry of deals aimed at shifting the group's portfolio, with National Grid also announcing the sale of its Rhode Island utility business, The Narragansett Electric Company, to PPL for 2.8billion.

The CMA had launched a merger inquiry into the WPD acquisition in June, even though the deal had already been completed.

In a statement today, National Grid, said: 'National Grid is pleased to note the announcement from the Competition and Markets Authority this morning clearing the acquisition by National Grid of PPL WPD Investments Limited, the holding company of Western Power Distribution.'

It will update investors and analysts on plans for WPD, alongside the wider group, at a capital markets day event on 18 November.

The refocusing of National Grids business puts it on an electrification path along with the rest of the country as gas boilers are phased out and electric cars become, in theory, the norm.

According to Government projections, around 27 per cent of the UKs energy needs will be met by electricity or renewables by 2035, compared to 23 per cent in 2018.

Ambitious: National Grid and SSE are trialing the use of electricity transformers to heat homes

Trials are now due to begin on how to capture the heat generated by transmission network transformers, owned by National Grid, to provide home heating for households connected to district heating networks operated by SSE.

SSE said in a statement on 24 August: 'It is estimated that the heat recovery project will initially reduce heat network carbon emissions by more than 40 per cent versus traditional gas-led systems. Critically, the technology offers a route to net-zero heat when applied to transformers served by 100 per cent renewable electricity from wind or solar farms.

'The project has the potential to save millions of tonnes of CO2 every year if rolled out across National Grids network of transformers across England and Wales, harnessing this waste heat via SSE heat networks to serve towns and cities across the region.'
Investment in the North Sea oil industry slumped to the lowest level since 1973 last year as stakeholders and companies set their sights on greener alternatives.

Fresh data from trade body Oil and Gas UK has revealed that 3.7billion was ploughed into the continental shelf in 2020, which is the lowest in real terms since 1973.

The North Sea oil industry still provides around 70 per cent of the country's oil and gas, and OGUK blamed plummeting investment levels on Covid-19 and the subsequent temporary collapse in oil prices.

Shocking: Investment in the North Sea oil industry slumped to the lowest level since 1973 in the last year

In 2019, the North Sea oil industry received 5.5billion worth of cash, and the marked contraction in investment in the UK's oil and gas sector has been bigger than anywhere else globally, the report said.

The trade body, which represents companies with a financial interest in the sector, has warned that in a worst case scenario investment into the North Sea oil industry could slump to less than 1billion a year by the middle of the decade.

If this happened, the UK would produce less than a third of the oil and gas it needs under the Committee for Climate Changes estimates, making it even more exposed to overseas fuel imports.

OGUK said: 'This would see the UK's reliance on imports grow to supplement the demand gap, damaging the economy and reducing energy security.

'It would also limit the energy service's export opportunity, which is currently valued at just less than half of company oil and gas turnover recorded in 2019.'

The warning comes as OGUK revealed that in the first few months of this year the UK has imported more gas than in any other year, amid rising demand and dwindling domestic production.

Between January and March, 56 per cent of the UKs gas requirement was piped in from overseas, the report said.

On BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Deidre Michie, chief executive of OGUK, said around 15 or 16 new oil and gas fields were needed domestically 'to continue providing the oil and gas that we will continue to need as a country.'

When challenged about the apparent contradiction between the launch of new oil and gas fields and the Government's net zero target, Ms Michie, said: 'For as long as the UK does need oil and gas, it is much better that this is provided by this home-grown indigenous industry, which also supports local jobs and local companies.'

Hard graft: The North Sea oil industry still provides around 70% of the country's oil and gas

Globally, investment in the oil and gas sector fell by around 27 per cent last year.

The hefty slump in investment in the North Sea's oil and gas industry has also been greater than that seen in other sectors of the economy, according to OGUK, which said the industry is ready to invest 21billion over the next five years to explore and produce hydrocarbons in the UK.

This would 'protect the UK's highly skilled offshore workforces whose knowledge of marine and energy engineering will be essential in the transition to renewable and low-carbon technologies', the body said.

Ms Michie added: 'Cutting back our greenhouse gas emissions will not be easy, but we will do it faster if we support the companies and people who have the skills to get us there.'

Between now and 2050, when the UK is meant to reduce emissions to net zero, half of all the country's energy will need to come from oil and gas.

'We all know that change is needed so the question is how fast we make that change. This report shows the reality that cutting off the domestic production of oil and gas faster than we can reduce demand risks leaving us increasingly dependent on other countries that often generate higher emissions,' Ms Michie said.

'A failure to invest in new oil and gas fields - to replace those in decline now - would mean the UK could meet only a third of its future needs, leaving the nation more reliant on imports.'

The Government has committed to a net zero target by the middle of the century, but its official advisers on the Climate Change Committee have recognised that oil and gas will have to play a role even after 2050.

Gas powers the heating in around 85 per cent of UK homes and produces over a third of the UK's electricity.
The FTSE 250 stole the spotlight from its more glamorous FTSE 100 sibling as it raced to a fresh all-time high.

The mid-cap index rose 148.64 points, or 0.6 per cent, to 24,250.83, taking its gains this year to 18 per cent. The benchmark has now soared 89 per cent since last year's Covid low.

The showing was bolstered by movie theatre chain Cineworld, which jumped 2.4 per cent, or 1.62p, to 67.92p.

The FTSE 250 index rose 148.64 points, or 0.6 per cent, to 24,250.83, taking its gains this year to 18 per cent. The benchmark has now soared 89 per cent since last year's Covid low

Online gambling firm 888 also boosted the index, spinning 3.5 per cent, or 14.4p, higher to 422p after reporting a record set of first-half results accompanied by a 41 per cent hike to its interim dividend.

And storage unit operator Big Yellow Group, was up 3 per cent, or 46p, to 1571p, after receiving an upgrade from analysts at Morgan Stanley.

Other stocks fuelling the mid-cap momentum included rail ticket website Trainline, which rose 4.5 per cent, or 16.4p, to 382.2p, review website Trustpilot, up 6.5 per cent, or 28p, at 460p, and door and window component maker Tyman, up 7.7 per cent, or 32p, to 447p.

Stock Watch - Instem Instem, a provider of IT services to the healthcare market, jumped 6 per cent, or 47.5p, to 837.5p after snapping up competitor PDS Pathology Data Systems in a deal worth around 11.4million. The swoop allows it to strengthen its relationships with joint clients of the two, as around 70 per cent of PDS Pathology Data Systems top 20 clients are also Instem customers. Chief executive Phil Reason said: We have spoken on several occasions about a potential combination and are delighted they have agreed to join us, at a time when both our businesses and the life sciences market are thriving.

Weighing on the index, meanwhile, was retail stalwart WH Smith, which sank 3.8 per cent, or 62p, to 1570p after it warned that profits for its financial year will be at the lower end of expectations.

Other mid-cap fallers included iron ore miner Ferrexpo, which was down 0.6 per cent, or 2.2p, at 378.2p, and stock brokerage TP ICAP, which fell 0.1 per cent, or 0.25p, to 203p.

However, one firm bearing the brunt of the disruption was pub chain JD Wetherspoon, which said strains on its supply chain meant it had run out of some beers. Despite this, the shares were up 0.5 per cent, or 5p, at 1118p.

Meanwhile, the blue-chip FTSE 100 was up 0.4 per cent, or 30.14 points, at 7149.84, mostly shrugging off worries about rising prices and ongoing supply chain issues.

Oil markets were also in focus with Brent crude down 2.94 per cent, to $70.89 a barrel, as members of the Opec+ oil cartel, which includes nations such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia, met to set their policy towards production.

Earlier in the day, the price had risen, with Royal Dutch Shell up 0.5 per cent, or 7.4p, at 1423.6p while BP fell 0.9 per cent, or 2.7p, to 294.25p.

On AIM, fuel cell developer Ceres Power got a jolt of energy, rising 3 per cent, or 35p, to 1214p after saying its South Korean partner Doosan Corp plans a soft launch of a new fuel cell system next year.

Alpha FX was up 2.2 per cent, or 40p, to 1830p after profit at the foreign currency exchange firm soared 225 per cent in its first half to 15.3million.

Small-cap digger Altus Strategies was a bright spot, rising 5.9 per cent, or 4.5p, to 81p after confirming what it said was a significant gold discovery in southern Mali.

Tech investor Forward Partners climbed 4.3 per cent, or 4.5p, to 110p after saying its portfolio value grew by 3.7million following the debut of one of its holdings, online car retailer Cazoo, on the New York Stock Exchange last week.

Fellow investment outfit BP Marsh also received a boost as it struck a deal to offload Australian luxury car insurance firm MB Prestige in a deal worth 9million. The stock rose 3.2 per cent, or 10p, at 321p.

On the downside, Galantas Gold may have been hoping for a better reception to its first day of trading on the New York-based OTCQX market. Its shares in London failed to find support from the news and dropped 2.8 per cent, or 1p, to 34.5p.

Chill Brands, a maker of products containing cannabidiol, a chemical found in cannabis plants used to treat certain illnesses and ailments, was anything but flying high as it tumbled 24.2 per cent, or 9.5p, to 29.75p in reaction to full-year results, released after Tuesday's close of trading, that showed losses had widened to 5.9million from 1.8million last year.

Hotelier PPHE suffered similar results-based misery, sliding 4.9 per cent, or 74p, to 1446p after reporting that losses in its first half had widened by nearly 25 per cent.
Meggitt suitor Parker- Hannifin has defended its takeover of the defence giant after a slew of criticism from political grandees, including Lord Heseltine.

Parker-Hannifin has vowed to protect UK jobs and factories for years to come in an attempt to get its 6.3billion buyout over the line.

The US giant swooped on Meggitt  which produces parts for F-35 fighter jets  with an 800p per share offer last month, which the defence companys board has already backed.

Takeover target: US corporate giant Parker-Hannifin swooped on Meggitt  which produces parts for F-35 fighter jets (pictured)  with a 6.3bn offer last month

The approach included a range of promises to preserve Meggitt  such as keeping its headquarters in the UK  to sweeten the deal.

But these were slammed because most only lasted for one year, meaning that the companys long-term future would still be in question.

Political figures have waded into the commitments, warning that any pledges are likely to be worthless.

Tory grandee Lord Heseltine, who was a defence secretary under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, said that he was unconvinced any company could provide cast-iron guarantees for the future.

He said in August: Im a total sceptic about any assurances that are given.

Companies cannot give the sort of cast-iron guarantees for the future that would be enough to persuade me. But Tom Williams, chief executive of Ohio-based Parker-Hannifin, yesterday looked to address Heseltines criticisms.

Tory grandee Lord Heseltine said that he was unconvinced any company could provide 'cast-iron guarantees for the future'

He told the Mail that the company has been emailing the Governments Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng about the takeover and has said it is willing to offer longer and more extensive undertakings.

Williams said: We are very open to talking in more detail with the Government over the content, duration and timing. He added: Weve communicated that to the Business Secretary.

Williams charm offensive comes three weeks before shareholders are due to vote on the Parker-Hannifin deal.

But Ohio-based Parker-Hannifin could yet be outbid by another US company, Transdigm, which has said that it is considering putting forward a 7billion offer of 900p per share.

Transdigm has until Tuesday, September 14 to make a firm bid or walk away. Proposing undertakings at this stage is highly unusual. Williams said that Meggitt bosses had been keen to secure assurances when they were involved in initial talks.

He said: We understood the sensitivity around defence and security capabilities and wanted to make ourselves dramatically different from other potential buyers.

Williams added: Were not a private equity firm, weve been in the UK for 50 years, we dont buy things and divest them by breaking them into pieces. Evaluate us by who we are rather than other transactions.
Amazon will create more than 2,000 jobs in the UK as part of a huge global hiring spree.

It will take on another 55,000 staff, mostly in America, as it rapidly expands to keep up with the boom in online demand and cloud computing services.

Some staff will work on Project Kuiper, a new satellite launch programme which aims to widen broadband access.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (pictured with partner Lauren Sanchez) stepped down as chief exec in July

Online deliveries took off during the pandemic as Britons were stuck at home. The US giant took on 10,000 extra staff in the UK during the pandemic, boosting its British workforce to 55,000.

Amazon has been hoovering up warehouse space in the UK, leasing a quarter of the 50m sq ft of newly rented space last year alone, according to Savills. The jobs will be in its warehouses, offices in London and Manchester, and tech hubs in Cambridge and Edinburgh.

Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy, in his first press interview since he succeeded Jeff Bezos in July, said the company needed more firepower to keep up with demand.

He said: Amazon continues to grow quickly and relentlessly invent across many areas. There are so many jobs during the pandemic that have been displaced or have been altered, and there are so many people who are thinking about different and new jobs.

The hiring starts in the UK with an online career fair on September 15, where staff will be promised a minimum of 10 per hour, with an extra 1.10 for those based in London, which is more than the floor recommended by the Living Wage Foundation.

A range of benefits is pledged, claimed to be worth 700, and a 1,000 sign-on bonus for some roles  reflecting the shortage of labour following Brexit and the pandemic.

But Amazon still has a reputation as a demanding place to work for low-paid warehouse workers and drivers, who have reported having to deliver 300 parcels a day with no time for toilet breaks.

In April, Amazon defeated activists in Alabama in the fight to establish the companys first unionised warehouse, amid accusations of intimidation.

Around 40,000 of the new jobs will be in the US, with the rest mostly in India, Germany and Japan.

The hires represent a 20 per cent rise in tech and corporate staff, who currently number around 275,000 globally. It will also add to its 1m warehouse and distribution staff.

Jassy, asked if he wants to change Amazons reputation as a tough place to work, said: Everybody at the company has the freedom  and really, the expectation  to critically look at how it can be better and then invent ways to make it better.
Level heading: Former HSBC boss John Flint is to run the new UK Infrastructure Bank

Former HSBC boss John Flint has been appointed to run the new UK Infrastructure Bank.

Flint, who lasted just 18 months in the top job at HSBC, will lead the Government-backed bank as it funnels billions of pounds into levelling up projects.

The Leeds-based bank, launched by Chancellor Rishi Sunak last year, opened in June and provides money for clean energy sites, better public transport, and improved water and waste systems.

It was designed to fill the gap left by the European Investment Bank post-Brexit, which provided around 7billion of cheap debt per year for projects. Flint spent 30 years at HSBC, before being ousted in 2019 in a disagreement over the banks strategy.
House prices rose by almost 25,000 in the year to August and 5,000 in just a month, as a 'surprising' increase pushes the average home close to the 250,000 mark, new research shows.

The tapering of the stamp duty holiday in England at the end of June was expected to take the heat out of the market, but the latest house price index by leading lender Nationwide tells a different story.

The average price of a UK home was 248,857 in August, some 11 per cent higher than the same month last year and 2.1 per cent up on the previous month. That was the second biggest monthly jump in 15 months.

'Surprise' rise: Nationwide expected the tapering of stamp duty holiday to take some heath out of the housing market

The August acceleration leaves house prices some 13 per cent higher than at the start of the pandemic.

They are also nearly 28,000 higher than they were before the stamp duty holiday was introduced in July last year.

That's a lot more than the average stamp duty holiday saving available to home buyers, which is now of just around 2,500, compared to an average saving of 15,000 before the tapering of the tax relief.

The end of the full temporary tax holiday saw the threshold cut from 500,000 to 250,000 as of 30 June, and it is set to revert back to 125,000 on 30 September.

'The bounceback in August is surprising,' said Nationwide's chief economist, Robert Gardner, adding he expected the reduction in stamp duty savings to take some heat out of the market.

'The strength may reflect strong demand from those buying a property priced between 125,000 and 250,000 who are looking to take advantage of the stamp duty relief in place until the end of September, though the maximum savings are substantially lower,' he added.

'Lack of supply is also likely to be a key factor behind August's price increase, with estate agents reporting low numbers of properties on their books.'

August's jump has pushed prices close to the 250,000 mark

It comes as mortgage approvals, an indicator of future demand, tumbled 6.4 per cent in July, but still remained above pre-Covid levels and 16 per cent ahead of the ten-year average.

'The exceptional rate of house price growth in August underlines how the market is being driven by the desire for a new way of life, not fiscal savings,' said George Franks, co-founder of London-based estate agents Radstock Property.

'People want, and are increasingly being allowed to work from home more and that is redefining the property market and powering it onwards.

'That said, August is always an anomaly due to low volumes so we should take the 2.1% growth with a pinch of salt.'

Increasingly unaffordable: The house price to earning ratio is edging closer to the peak seen just before the 2008 financial crash...

Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, said a lack of supply and record low mortgage rates are pushing prices higher.

'Property prices are rising due to lack of stock, while cheap borrowing rates give borrowers confidence to go after the property of their dreams in the race for space.

'We heard earlier this week from the Bank of England that savings deposits have increased significantly, giving lenders even more ammunition when it comes to offering rock-bottom rates.'

And indeed, Britons are continuing to accumulate money, depositing an additional 7.1billion with banks and building societies in July, the Bank of England's money and credit report has showed.

This is slightly lower than the average net flow of 8.8billion between April and June 2021, but 'nevertheless relatively strong', the Bank said.

What next for house prices?

Nationwide expects demand for homes to continue to be 'solid' in the near term.

'Consumer confidence has rebounded in recent months while borrowing costs remain low. This, combined with the lack of supply on the market, suggests continued support for house prices,' Gardner said.

'But, as we look towards the end of the year, the outlook is harder to foresee. Activity will almost inevitably soften for a period after the stamp duty holiday expires at the end of September, given the incentive for people to bring forward their purchases to avoid the additional tax.'

Gabriella Dickens, a senior UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, expects house prices to soften slightly towards the end of this year and pick up again in 2022, finishing the year about 4 per cent higher than at the end of 2021.

'Mortgage rates have fallen sharply in recent weeks and have room to fall further, while high levels of job vacancies suggest that the shake-out in employment in quarter four will be limited and reversed over the following quarters,' she explained.

Martin Beck, senior economic adviser to the EY Item Club, said that the odds of a significant downturn in prices was 'limited'.

'Consumer confidence has remained high and buyers have continued to benefit from ultra-low mortgage rates,' he said.

'Meanwhile, the pandemic has had what will likely be long-lasting effects on property preferences, including raising demand for larger homes in a world of more home working.

'Combined with the fuel for property deposits provided by the substantial savings accumulated by some households during lockdowns, there are plenty of props supporting the housing market.

'The odds of a significant downturn in house prices anytime soon looks small.'
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FLINTSTONE  Constance "Connie" Stonestreet, 78, of Flintstone, passed away Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, at home with family by her side. Born Feb. 17, 1943, in Baltimore, Connie was the daughter of the late Leonard M. Carpenter and Constance (Simonsen) Carpenter. She was also preceded in death 
COVID closes East Montpelier school

Select Board asks for masks as COVID cases close East Montpelier's school

EAST MONTPELIER  Acknowledging the limits of its powers, the resistance of some local business owners, and the skepticism of some of its members, the Select Board approved a watered-down resolution that encourages, but does not require, cloth face coverings be worn in buildings that are open to the public.

Mondays pandemic-related decision came on a night that began with the boards most ardent mask advocate admitting a mandate was untenable and ended with news that students at East Montpelier Elementary School would be studying remotely for the rest of the week after two of them tested positive for COVID-19.

The latter decision was communicated to parents in a Monday afternoon email from Acting Superintendent Jennifer Miller-Arsenault.

East Montpelier Elementary (School) will pivot to remote learning for the rest of this school week, Miller-Arsenault wrote in the Monday afternoon email that indicates families of students considered close contacts had been alerted and the state Department of Health had been contacted.

The development at the pre-K-6 school, which was broadly conveyed to parents after students were dismissed on Monday, didnt influence the Select Boards discussion of whether mandating masks be worn at local businesses in response to the recent resurgence of COVID-19.

A mandate was never seriously considered by board members, including Carl Etnier, who recently sparked what he characterized as a spirited but civil online discussion about whether the board should attempt to expand the evolving mask mandate that remains in place for town-owned buildings.

Though the latter mandate was relaxed during the summer to exclude those who have been vaccinated it was restored to apply to all visitors and employees in municipal buildings last month.

Before Mondays meeting got underway, Etnier acknowledged the idea of expanding the mask mandate generated mixed reviews. Although more favored the concept than opposed it, he suggested it would be prudent to prod businesses to follow the towns lead.

Given what Ive heard from people, I dont think were in a good position to require it, he said citing jurisdictional push-back Brattleboro received from the Scott administration when it sought impose a mask mandate on public buildings it neither owns nor controls.

Board member Judith Dillon predicted a mandate wouldnt fare any better in East Montpelier.

I dont think we have the legal authority, she said.

Even if the board had the power to impose such a mandate it isnt clear, based on Monday nights discussion, that a majority of its members would have exercised it.

Based on feedback from business owners, Etnier suggested a resolution might be more appropriate.

If businesses are resistant I dont see the point in pushing them, he said.

That was the general consensus among members most of whom noted businesses that arent resistant are free to require masks be worn by patrons and employees in their establishments.

If property owners want to mandate what people wear when they come into their place of business its their right to do that, Board member Jon Jewett said. Thats up to them, not us.

Board chair Seth Gardner and Dillon expressed similar sentiments and board member Amy Willis, who was a remote participant in Monday nights special meeting noted local businesses arent looking to the town to provide cover if they impose mask mandates of their own.

Etnier suggested adopting a resolution encouraging local businesses to require their patrons and employees to wear cloth face coverings in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in areas where there are substantial or high rates of community transmission.

Right now thats all of Vermont, he said.

Town Health Officer Ginny Burley said she supported the approach advocated by Etnier.

At this point this (resolution) seems like the practical and ethical way to go, she said.

Gardner was skeptical, even when the proposed language was modestly stronger than the version the board ultimately adopted.

It just seems kind of toothless, he said. It doesnt do much.

Dillon suggested a number of changes, including one that suggested the board was encouraging businesses to recommend  not require  their staff and customers to wear cloth face coverings.

That change addressed any lingering concerns Jewett and Willis had and while Gardner expressed mild misgivings he didnt object to the amended resolution.

I just feel like were overreaching, he said, suggesting business owners in East Montpelier are capable of following state guidance, or implementing stricter standards if they think they are warranted.

It never turned into a debate about the efficacy of masks, or vaccinations, which are also encouraged in the just-approved resolution. Instead it was acknowledgment that opinions were mixed in the community, business owners werent clamoring to be told what to do, and it was far from clear the board could provide more than a verbal nudge.

The board does have direct authority over municipal buildings and last month unanimously reverted to stricter standards that were in place before Gov. Phil Scott declared an end to Vermonts state of emergency in mid-June.

david.delcore @timesargus.com
Thomasville, GA (31792)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
A group of nearly 50 education and health organizations are asking Pa. officials to implement a statewide mask mandate for schools. (Reading Eagle)
ALBANY - Attorneys for Albany Nanotech founder Alain Kaloyeros and the SUNY Research Foundation are back in talks to potentially settle a patent lawsuit Kaloyeros brought against his former employer last year in state court.

An attorney for Kaloyeros, Michael Miller, disclosed to state Supreme Court Acting Justice Richard Platkin on Tuesday that settlement talks had restarted - just days after Platkin had ruled for a second time that the suit could move forward despite the Research Foundation's repeated efforts to dismiss it.

Kaloyeros was ousted from his job as the president of SUNY Polytechnic Institute in the fall of 2016 after he was indicted in a federal bid-rigging scandal that engulfed Kaloyeros and members of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's inner circle.

Kaloyeros was ultimately convicted of wire fraud for helping two upstate contractors, whose principals were major Cuomo donors, to win hundreds of millions of dollars in state construction contracts on Albany Nanotech projects in Buffalo and Syracuse.

Kaloyeros, who was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in federal prison, is free as he awaits a decision on the appeal of his conviction.

In a letter dated Aug. 31, Miller wrote Platkin that the two sides had agreed to hold off on discovery - the arduous collection of evidence - until at least the end of September so they could discuss a potential out-of-court settlement.

"The parties have re-engaged in a settlement dialogue, and intend to exchange proposals and carry on direct negotiations, while working simultaneously to engage a mediator to aid in that process if necessary," Miller informed Platkin.

The SUNY Research Foundation is an independent entity affiliated with the State University of New York system that manages grants and government funding awarded to SUNY professors and research labs. The Research Foundation also oversees intellectual property of the SUNY system, such as patents.

Researchers in the SUNY system who are awarded grants receive part of their compensation through the Research Foundation. At one point Kaloyeros was the highest-paid state employee due to his combination of pay through SUNY and the Research Foundation.

Albany Nanotech is the state-run cleanroom, labs and offices located on Fuller Road that Kaloyeros convinced the state to build to attract many of the world's most important computer chip companies to the region to collaborate with one another and with SUNY researchers. Kaloyeros also founded SUNY Poly, a spinoff from the University at Albany, that uses Albany Nanotech as its campus.

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Kaloyeros claims that the Research Foundation failed to make attempts to commercialize an invention involving the use of cobalt in computer chip manufacturing that Kaloyeros, then a physics professor at UAlbany, developed two decades ago along with a graduate student and another research collaborator from the Philadelphia area.

The use of cobalt has since become commonplace in chip manufacturing, leading Kaloyeros to argue that if the Research Foundation had tried to license the technology, the SUNY system and Kaloyeros could have potentially earned tens of millions of dollars from chip companies who began using cobalt in their designs.

The patent has since expired, so Kaloyeros is seeking to be compensated for past potential earnings he would have earned under a license. The Research Foundation has claimed that it never had a duty to commercialize the invention.

Miller, who represented Kaloyeros in his criminal trial in federal court in Manhattan and in his appeal, declined comment on his letter to Platkin.

A Research Foundation spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday. Judges in such complex commercial cases typically require the two sides to at least try to reach a settlement before moving to a trial.
ALBANY  On a session day formally called "extraordinary," lawmakers returned to the Capitol for what's expected to be a single day of legislative action as Democratic leadership pushes ahead on extending the now-expired eviction moratorium, appoint leaders to direct the state's cannabis operations, and bring back virtual meetings for local governments because of the threat of the delta variant of COVID-19.

After negotiations with legislative leaders, Gov. Kathy Hochul called the Legislature to the "extraordinary session" Tuesday evening  an executive action that allowed her to limit the agenda.

Evictions

The big-ticket item for the day is the extension of the state's eviction moratorium, which expired Tuesday.

Democrats want to see it continued to Jan. 15 to provide time for landlords to receive the more than billions of dollars of potential rent promised to them. Lawmakers are seeking to increase it from $2.35 billion to $2.6 billion.

"In light of the Supreme Courts ruling to strike down the federal eviction moratorium, the Senate Majority is taking action to adjust and extend the state's eviction moratorium to ensure that thousands of New Yorkers are protected from losing their homes and at the same time helping small landlords," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Sen. Brian Kavanagh, the sponsor of the legislation, said the goal is to protect people from losing their homes because of hardships caused by the pandemic.

"As COVID-19 continues to be a threat to the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers throughout the state, we are taking decisive, comprehensive steps to extend and strengthen the pillars of our legislative strategy to keep all New Yorkers safe," Kavanagh said in a statement.

The new legislation sets a "nuisance standard" to allow landlords to start an eviction if there is a nuisance or property damage issue. It also allows landlords to challenge a tenant's declaration that they had a hardship during the pandemic.

An additional $25 million is set for paying for legal services for tenants who face evictions.

And $100 million to $250 million is aimed at tenants who originally made more money than the threshold to qualify for rental assistance, which was 80 percent or below a given area's median income. The additional dollars are for people who are between 80 and 120 percent of the area median income.

Republicans argued Wednesday that the extension was a front to "cancel rent" and push back the inevitable surge in evictions. They were skeptical of the leadership's desire to help tenants pay off rent that they could not afford during the pandemic.

"This isn't solving anything," Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said Wednesday. "We're not addressing the real issue."

The original moratorium started in March 2020. New York's state of emergency over the pandemic was ended in July by then-Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. The delta variant of the virus has altered public health guidelines and brought back indoor masking, but businesses remain open.

Both parties agree that the rent relief money has been held up and needs to be distributed.

Hochul said Tuesday that the "state of New York failed its responsibility to get the money allocated by Congress out to the people in need earlier this summer."

Democrats blame Cuomo's scandal-plagued administration. Republicans focused their attention on the structure of the law put in place by the Democratic majority, which they argue fails to incentivize tenants to apply for the rent relief.

"I believe this is about chipping away at good-cause evictions," Ortt said. "It's about undermining the right to own property."

Republican leadership has called for the state to direct rent relief issues through housing courts, which remain closed during the pandemic. It is also their preference to see the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance be present at housing court to allow for rent relief applications to be filled out prior or during eviction proceedings. Democrats have wanted to avoid eviction proceedings in light of the pandemic.

About $203 million has been paid to landlords to cover the rents of about 15,500 tenants, according to emergency rental assistance program data from the Office of Disability and Temporary Assistance.

An additional $605 million is approved provisionally for about 46,400 tenants, but is held up awaiting more information from landlords.

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Ortt said in response to a question from the Times Union that he believes landlords should accept the money. He focused his attention on tenants who are not applying, as opposed to landlords who have yet to finish their paperwork or have declined to accept the money.

An additional 114,000 applications are under review by the state agency.

Hochul has said the state plans to hire people to go door-to-door to have tenants sign up for the emergency rental assistance relief. After applying, they can be protected from eviction until their applications is ruled on, and if it is accepted can be protected from eviction for one year.

Open Meetings Law

Lawmakers on Wednesday also plan to allow for local governments to resume holding all-virtual meetings, a suspension of Open Meetings Law that was allowed under emergency rules during the pandemic, but lapsed after the state of emergency ended this summer.

Democrats and Republicans generally welcomed the adjustment, though good-government advocates were wary of the lack of a requirement for a physical location for the public to take part in a meeting. As with the eviction moratorium, this change would remain in effect until mid-January.

Cannabis boards

Cuomo left office without filling two leading positions to direct the state's markets on marijuana.

Hochul is expected to nominate former state Assemblywoman Tremaine S. Wright as the chair of the Cannabis Control Board. The Brooklyn Democrat ran for state Senate and lost in a hotly contested race.

Christopher Alexander is expected to be nominated as the executive director of the program.

"We are confident the Cannabis Control Board will create a responsible and well-regulated industry that will prioritize safety for our communities and remain committed to an agenda concentrated on restorative justice," said Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages, chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus in a statement Wednesday.

This story will be updated through the day.
Just say no  in this case, to a towns cannabis policy, and before half a million sets of watchful eyes on TikTok.

Zachary Constantine, president of the Young Democrats of Orange County and vice chair of the Orange County Democratic Party, stood before the town board of Goshen, where he resides, last Thursday, Aug. 26, and used his allotted two minutes to express his disappointment at the towns decision to ban local marijuana businesses.

Months after residents embraced a new policy [to allow local cannabis sites], youve reached some sort of deal amongst yourselves with no more true public input, Constantine said publicly at the town board meeting, comments that were later posted on TikTok. So a word of advice to you from me, respectfully  because I like all of you  if this board wants to change its reputation of being an old boys club of backroom dealings and short-sighted regressive decisions, this is not how you do it.

Last Thursday, the Town of Goshen voted 3-2 to opt out of allowing local dispensaries and places for on-site cannabis consumption like smoking lounges or cannabis cafes  a vote that came as a surprise to Constantine and others given the demonstrated public support at a July town board meeting for allowing such sites.

New York towns have until Dec. 31 to pass a local law to opt out of allowing marijuana dispensaries and places for on-site cannabis consumption  either both or one or the other.

In Goshen, six residents expressed opposition to an opt-out during the public comment period held on July 8. One town resident in attendance that day supported the opt-out. When the public hearing didnt conclude with a vote, Constantine said he and others were under the impression that the town would not be opting out given the lopsided public show of support to locally allow designated places for legal marijuana sales and consumption in the future.

That night it appeared as if the town supervisor would be siding with us, Constantine said in a phone interview. Local news reports also took the view after the July town meeting that Goshen would not be banning local cannabis sites.

Town supervisor Douglas Bloomfield said in a phone interview that he felt the earlier public hearing didnt represent the consensus of the entire town, especially with the low turnout.

We had a public hearing, said Bloomfield. It was very small and it gave us another month to talk to people. All of the board members talked to other people. I talked to many people ... the majority of them said, Opt out.

As soon as Constantine found out that the town vote would be taking place at the end of last week, he quickly drove home from University at Albany, where he is studying public administration, to attend the town board meeting. After the board voted to opt out and the floor was opened for comments regarding any agenda items, Constantine read a heated rebuke that he had jotted on his phone.

I will remind you that we dont ban liquor stores because of alcoholics, he said to board members, who are not visible in the video. We dont ban bars because some people choose to drink and drive. So while I respect all of your anecdotes about why you dont like cannabis, theyre irrelevant, he said.

One of his friends recorded his public comments to the town board; later, Constantine posted the video on TikTok just for fun, he said.

Id love for people to see a really positive engagement with their local government on TikTok where funny videos usually go, said Constantine by phone. I posted a serious video of a community member, me, speaking up at a board meeting. You dont usually see that many young people doing this. I want people to know that what they say and what they believe can actually impact their local leaders if they show up.

In the days since its been posted, the video has garnered almost 500,000 views on TikTok, more than 113,000 likes and thousands of comments. In the video he calls the town boards decision to opt out misguided.

One comment on the video that read Vote them out and vote him in, received over 14,000 likes on its own.

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Constantine said didnt expect it to blow up the way it did.

I think were getting fed up with politicians that ignore young voices, he said. My frustration spoke to people who feel dismissed by these stagnant local governments.

Recreational marijuana for adults 21 years and older was legalized in New York during this years legislative session with the passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act.

If local municipalities dont opt-out on allowing marijuana dispensaries, lounges or cafes by the year-end deadline, they will be unable to opt-out at a future date but can decide to opt back in later by repealing the originally passed local law.

We told folks, This isnt the end of it, said Bloomfield. If you really want to overcome this opting out, you can put it on a referendum and reverse this. Its not the end of the world, you have an opportunity.

Voters within each town may petition the outcome of a local law, moving the matter to the ballot at the next general election, which is the next step Constantine said he would pursue.

When it comes to dispensaries, what we believe is that there is a massive economic opportunity for potential business owners and for allowing legal consumers of cannabis to patronize businesses in their own municipalities, Constantine said in a phone interview.

New York State has established a 13 percent tax on legal marijuana sales, which includes a 4 percent local excise tax that will be distributed to local governments based on where a retail dispensary is located. Twenty-five percent of this tax revenue goes to the county and 75 percent goes to the cities, town or villages within the county as a proportion of cannabis sales.

It is estimated that the marijuana industry could bring in as much as $350 million annually to the state.
ALBANY  A city police officer who was caught on video using racist language in a conversation about gun violence in the city lost his appeal to keep his job.

The decision regarding David Haupt from an arbitrator with the state Public Employment Relations Board comes just days after another officer the city tried to fire was successful in getting his job back.

The city has struggled to win termination cases when police officers involved in use of force cases have appealed their punishments to PERB arbitrators. The arbitrators have repeatedly sided with the officers, saying either the proposed punishments were excessive or that the department had not consistently followed its own policies.

An arbitrator recently ruled that Officer Adam Iannacito's punishment for his involvement in the March 2019 First Street incident, in which officers were seen in body camera and video footage beating three men after responding to calls for a loud party, should be reduced to a written warning.

But in the case of Haupt, who was suspended after the Albany County District Attorneys office alerted the department of the videos existence in November 2020, the arbitrator, Lise Gelernter, decided his past disciplinary history, poor work performance and the nature of his remarks justified the decision to fire him.

A police officer making racist statements on duty, even in an isolated event and when no one but a partner is there to hear them, is misconduct and violates the General Orders listed in the notice of discipline, she wrote in a decision issued Monday. It indicates that the officer cannot be trusted to treat the public or fellow officers fairly and without bias.

The Times Union first reported on the videos existence on Nov. 12, 2020. The video came from Albany County Sheriff Deputy Paul Whitings body camera, which accidentally turned on in the middle of a conversation while the two were getting gas. Sheriff deputies had been paired with city police officers last year as the city struggled with skyrocketing gun violence.

In response to a comment Whiting made, Haupt calls Black people, the worst f__ing race.

Haupts comments drew immediate condemnation from city officials. Haupt was suspended while the department investigated the incident before Chief Eric Hawkins moved to fire him.

During the hearings in Haupts case, several police officers of color testified they viewed Haupt as a friend and were disappointed when they learned of his comments. They also testified that while they understood it would be difficult for Haupt to do his job, they forgave him for what he said. One officer did testify that he would not be comfortable with Haupt on the force again, while others were reluctant to testify against a fellow officer.

When youre an officer, no one wants to be that officer that has to go against one of their own. Theres no desire there, especially your squadmate, who like you built a bond with, you trust  trusted, one officer testified. When he was asked if it was possible that

Haupts comments were misconstrued, the officer said no. You cant diminish it. It is what it is. It is what it is. Theres no downplaying what he said. Theres no minimizing it.

The city argued that Haupts comments not only violated city policies but made it impossible for him to do his job and put other officers safety in danger if he returned to the department. Lawyers for the city argued that Haupt would effectively never be able to testify again in court because defense attorneys would use his comments against him.

Marisa Franchini, the citys corporation counsel, said Haupts statements showed he could no longer be trusted to objectively police the city.

I think we made a strong case and this hearing officer, unlike the other ones, wrote an excellent decision, really going through all the facts, she said on Tuesday.

Haupts attorney tried to argue that the remarks were taken out of context in a conversation about the presidential election, police reform and gun violence in the city. He also noted that Haupt did not have any previous disciplinary history for acts of bias or racism.

The arbitrator disagreed that the remarks were out of context.

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Although his comments may not reflect Officer Haupts vision of his true character, they are explicitly racist comments that Chief Hawkins and other supervisors reasonably thought reflected that Officer Haupt was biased, perhaps implicitly, and could not be depended upon to treat African-Americans equitably, Gelernter wrote.

The arbitrators decision also reveals Haupts attempts to defend himself for the first time. In statements to investigators, Haupt said he was highly embarrassed, and that the conversation between himself and Whiting had snowballed and that he had veered off the road.

Haupt declined to be represented by Council 82 during his disciplinary process, instead using an attorney from Gleason, Dunn, Walsh & OShea, a private law firm that represents the independent PBA that is replacing Council 82 for city police officers.

An attorney for the firm did not return a call for comment.

The arbitrator made her decision. This is our process to settle disciplinary charges. And generally speaking, its a fair process. Her decision is final so thats what we have to go with, said Mike Delano, president of the PBA.

In a statement, Chief Eric Hawkins said he was pleased with the decision.

"This decision brings closure to what was a painful time for our community. We can now move forward. We remain committed to building relationships with the Albany community and enhancing public safety," he said.

The department will also submit paperwork to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services to have Haupt's certification as an officer revoked.

That move makes it harder for a fired officer to be re-hired by another department because they must start the recruitment and training process all over.
BALLSTON  Ballston may join other municipalities in banning any future marijuana stores from allowing consumption on premises.

Town officials said they are worried about public safety if people use too much and then drive home.

The town of Colonie had a public hearing in July considering the same legislation, and was among the first in the Capital Region to consider partially or fully opting out of the newly legalized recreational marijuana industry in New York.

The town (of Ballston) has concerns about the public safety and health with regard to establishments offering on-site consumption of cannabis and its physical and mental effects on individuals who utilize vehicles on public roadways in the town to travel to and from the on-site consumption site since the town of Ballston is primarily a rural town with little access to public transportation, the Town Board wrote in a proposed local law.

The Town Board is accepting written comments on the law and may vote on it at the Sept. 14 meeting.

The state is allowing municipalities to opt out of on-site marijuana usage, but only if the town passes a law by Dec. 31. Towns cant opt out of allowing adults to use marijuana in general.

Municipalities across the state are grappling with whether to participate in the retail marijuana industry after New York legalized recreational marijuana March 31. Municipalities have until Dec. 31 to opt out of allowing such businesses, and have the choice to opt back in at a later date. However, municipalities will not have the ability to opt out after the December deadline passes.

Approved marijuana retailers are not expected to open until next year at the earliest, although the state has yet to finish writing the regulations, taxing and license structure that will govern them.

Adults are now allowed to smoke marijuana generally anywhere that cigarettes are allowed. Driving while impaired is illegal. Smoking marijuana in a car is also illegal. Public possession of up to 3 ounces is legal and people can grow marijuana at home and store up to 5 pounds of it at home if it is secured so that children cant get to it.

As far as enforcing the driving while impaired statute, there is no easy test for marijuana, unlike the Breathalyzer test for alcohol. Police are allowed to charge drivers based on other evidence that they are impaired - something they have already been doing for years.

But Ballston town board member Kelly Stewart predicted drivers would end up with tickets for swerving or other minor items.

The bigger DUI is a lot tougher to make stick, she said. The biggest knock against this (marijuana legalization) law is law enforcement doesnt have a test.

Drivers also dont yet know how much marijuana is too much for them to drive safely.

Users could be sensible and arrange for someone else to drive, said board member Chuck Curtiss. But they wont, he said, adding that banning on-site consumption might not make a difference.

Whats to stop them from buying, walking out to their car and then smoking? Curtiss said. And to judge from the number of beer cans and bottles I pick up out of my ditches, people will just do it anywhere.

Resident Tom Shaginaw warned that the town could become a marijuana dry town surrounded by wet towns where people would drive to smoke marijuana at a cannabis lounge.

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Will users just travel farther? he asked at Tuesdays public hearing. I want to make sure we dont have any unintended consequences.

He added that he liked the towns position and that focusing on public safety was a noble idea.

But one study of wet and dry counties in Kentucky found that there were more accidents in the dry counties, he said. He noted that there could be a difference between people driving drunk and people driving after smoking marijuana, but urged the board to look into the issue.

Board member Kelly Jasinski said residents should be encouraged to use marijuana at home.

It should be purchased for in-home consumption, she said.

If other towns find that marijuana lounges cause problem, it will be too late to opt out, she said. The state deadline is Dec. 31, and the first licenses to sell marijuana will probably not be granted until next year.

So I believe its better to err right now in the interest of public safety, she said.

Stewart noted the town might never be considered a good location for a marijuana lounge if they were allowed. Alcohol sales are allowed and the town has some restaurants with liquor licenses, but that's it.

We dont even have bars, she said.
NEW YORK (AP)  A New Jersey woman calling herself the AntiVaxMomma on Instagram sold several hundred fake COVID-19 vaccination cards at $200 a pop to New York City-area jab dodgers, including people working in hospitals and nursing homes, prosecutors said Tuesday.

For an extra $250, a second scammer would then enter a bogus card buyer's name into a New York state vaccination database, which feeds systems used to verify vaccine status at places they're required, such as concerts and sporting events, prosecutors said.

Jasmine Clifford, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, was charged Tuesday with offering a false instrument, criminal possession of a forged instrument and conspiracy. Authorities say she sold about 250 fake vaccine cards in recent months.

Clifford's alleged co-conspirator, Nadayza Barkley, of Bellport, Long Island, did not enter a plea an an arraignment Tuesday morning in Manhattan criminal court on charges of offering a false instrument and conspiracy.

Prosecutors say Barkley entered at least 10 names into the state's vaccine database while working at a Patchogue medical clinic and received payments for her work from Clifford through the services Zelle and CashApp.

Online court records did not list lawyers for Clifford or Barkley who could comment.

Thirteen alleged card purchasers were also charged, including a man who has been accused of paying to be entered in the database. Actual COVID-19 vaccines are available free of charge.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. called on Facebook, which owns Instagram, and other tech companies to crack down on vaccine card fraudsters, saying in a statement "the stakes are too high to tackle fake vaccination cards with whack-a-mole prosecutions.

Facebook said that it prohibits anyone from buying or selling COVID-19 vaccine cards and that it removed Cliffords account in early August for breaking its rules.

We will review any other accounts that might be doing the same thing, the company said in a written statement. "We appreciate the DAs work on this matter and will remove this content whenever we find it.

According to prosecutors, Clifford, a self-described online entrepreneur, started hawking forged Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination cards through her AntiVaxMomma Instagram account in May.

A New York state police investigator who became aware of the scam a few weeks later tested it by contacting Clifford to order a fake card and to be added to the state vaccine database, prosecutors said.

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In July, the investigator said in court papers, he received a package containing a CDC COVID-19 vaccination card marked with the name and date of birth he provided and a cellphone screenshot showing that the information he provided had also been added to the state database.

The proliferation of fake vaccine cards is a growing concern as more places require proof of vaccination to work, eat in restaurants, and participate in day-to-day activities like going to the gym or seeing a movie. In New York City, such a mandate is already in effect, with enforcement set to begin Sept. 13.

All public school teachers and other staffers in the city are required to get their first vaccinate dose by Sept. 27, while the state has said it is requiring vaccines for health care workers. Other city employees must get vaccinated or tested weekly for the virus.

Colleges and universities requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for students to attend in-person classes have raised concerns about the easy availability of fraudulent vaccine cards through online sellers.

In May, the owner of a Northern California bar was arrested after authorities say he sold made-to-order fake COVID-19 vaccination cards for $20 each.

In June, a naturopathic physician in Northern California was arrested on charges she sold fake COVID-19 treatments and vaccination cards.

This month, after two tourists were arrested for allegedly using fake vaccine cards to travel into Hawaii, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on federal law enforcement agencies to target online sales of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and start a campaign making clear that forging them could land people in federal prison.
ALBANY  Connie Frisbee Houde took thousands of photographs during five extended trips to Afghanistan as a photojournalist and humanitarian.

One photo that symbolizes how hopefulness and heartbreak are intertwined in that war-torn country is an image from outside a mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif in 2004. Two women covered with blue burkas fed a flock of white doves, as one bird took flight.

It was the last frame on the roll of film, Houde recalled Sunday afternoon, as she sat at a kitchen table in her home in Albanys Mansion neighborhood. It captures the freedom of the doves and the confinement of the women under the Taliban.

Frisbee Houde, 73, a member of Women Against War, is skeptical of U.S. interventions around the world. She is distrustful of the governments spin on American foreign policy miscalculations that failed to understand ingrained cultural traits of countries where the U.S. attempted to export democracy by military occupation. She argues for diplomacy and assisting small-scale, locally run development in place of soldiers and weapons.

She has watched the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan, the chaotic American withdrawal and return to Taliban rule with a mixture of sadness, anger and deja vu.

Theres a disconnect because average Afghans dont understand why the American soldiers are there or what theyre doing and theyre fed up with the corruption of the Karzai government, Houde told me in 2009.

She does not see any lasting achievements after Americas longest war and 20-year military presence in Afghanistan.

The U.S. screwed it up because we didnt work with the Afghan leaders who understand the tribal system and how to work within it, she said. I observed meetings with village elders, who took care of things in their own way. Maybe it wasnt our form of democracy, but it worked for them.

Her husband, Frank Houde, 87, is a Vietnam War veteran and former U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who became an anti-war activist with the Albany chapter of Veterans for Peace.

Frank sees a lot of similarities between Vietnam and Afghanistan, Houde said. We keep repeating the same mistakes. And our government keeps telling us lies.

Three of Houdes Afghanistan trips were at the invitation of Tom Little, a Bethlehem optometrist who lived in Kabul with his wife, Libby, where they raised three daughters. Houde became a family friend. Little began working in the 1970s in Afghanistan on behalf of the National Organization of Ophthalmic Rehabilitation, or NOOR, Eye Project. The Littles humanitarian work persisted through the rise of the Taliban and the invasion by U.S. and coalition forces; the prior Soviet invasion and troop withdrawal; spasms of sectarian violence and heavy shelling.

Little described his work in Afghanistan as the hard places, which is the title of a documentary in progress by filmmaker Daniel Swinton.

Tom Little was killed on Aug. 5, 2010 at age 61 after being gunned down along with nine other members of a medical team. The 10 international aid workers were returning from offering free eye clinics for poor Afghans in the province of Nuristan, 160 miles north of Kabul, when their convoy of SUVs was attacked in an ambush. The Taliban and another insurgent group claimed responsibility, but the case remained unsolved.

Tom was a remarkable person totally dedicated to his work in Afghanistan, despite the risks, she said. The country felt like it was on the verge of collapse each time I went, Houde recalled. Observers dubbed the capital Kabubble because they felt it would burst once American troops left.

Over the years, Houde raised money for Littles eye clinics and mounted photo exhibits around the Capital Region to celebrate Afghan culture.

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I focus on the nobleness and resilience of the Afghan people as they strive to keep their autonomy, culture and community alive, Houde wrote in a photo exhibit. Her aim is to create awareness and empathy in viewers.

Houde helped raise $10,000 to dig a well in 2010 for the rural community of Mir Taqi Shah in Logar province. It provided clean water for about 120 families, eliminated dysentery among children and extended the growing season with irrigation. She also supported womens literacy classes, a sewing and textile cooperative for women, a health clinic and classes for girls and boys.

She spoke recently to the Afghan woman who oversaw the well project. She was devastated and furious, Houde said. She said that once again, Americans have betrayed us.

We climbed the stairs to her third-floor studio. Houde is a textile expert who works as a collection specialist at the State Museum. She pulled from a cabinet a large stack of matted photographs from past photo exhibits: portraits of ordinary Afghans, breathtaking mountain landscapes, the rusting hulks of Russian military vehicles.

I feel sad I wont get to go back. Its a remarkable country, Id like to spend more time there, she said. I cant imagine the terror people who lived under the Taliban before feel now. I think its naive to think the Taliban is going to change.

She paused and stared at portraits of Afghan children she photographed more than a decade ago.

Did these kids get a chance to grow up? she asked. Are they still alive?

Paul Grondahl is director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  A defensive President Joe Biden on Tuesday called the U.S. airlift to extract more than 120,000 Americans, Afghans and other allies from Afghanistan to end a 20-year war an extraordinary success," though more than 100 Americans and thousands of others were left behind.

Twenty-four hours after the last American C-17 cargo plane roared off from Kabul, Biden spoke to the nation and vigorously defended his decision to end America's longest war and withdraw all U.S. troops ahead of an Aug. 31 deadline.

I was not going to extend this forever war, Biden declared from the White House. "And I was not going to extend a forever exit.

Biden has faced tough questions about the way the U.S. went about leaving Afghanistan  a chaotic evacuation with spasms of violence, including a suicide bombing last week that killed 13 American service members and 169 Afghans.

He is under heavy criticism, particularly from Republicans, for his handling of the evacuation. But he said it was inevitable that the final departure from two decades of war, first negotiated with the Taliban for May 1 by former President Donald Trump, would have been difficult, with likely violence, no matter when it was planned and conducted.

To those asking for a third decade of war in Afghanistan, I ask, What is the vital national interest?" Biden said. He added, "I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars in Afghanistan.

Asked after the speech about Biden sounding angry at some criticism, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the president had simply offered his forceful assessment.

Biden scoffed at Republicans  and some Democrats  who contend the U.S. would have been better served maintaining a small military footprint in Afghanistan. Before Thursdays attack, the U.S. military had not suffered a combat casualty since February 2020  around the time the Trump administration brokered its deal with the Taliban to end the war by May of this year.

Biden said breaking the Trump deal would have restarted a shooting war. He said those who favor remaining at war also fail to recognize the weight of deployment, with a scourge of PTSD, financial struggles, divorce and other problems for U.S. troops.

When I hear that we couldve, shouldve continued the so-called low-grade effort in Afghanistan at low risk to our service members, at low cost, I dont think enough people understand how much weve asked of the 1% of this country to put that uniform on, Biden said.

In addition to all the questions at home, Biden is also adjusting to a new relationship with the Taliban, the Islamist militant group the U.S. toppled after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in America, and that is now once again in power in Afghanistan.

Biden has tasked Secretary of State Antony Blinken to coordinate with international partners to hold the Taliban to their promise of safe passage for Americans and others who want to leave in the days ahead.

"We dont take them by their word alone, but by their actions," Biden said. We have leverage to make sure those commitments are met.

Biden also pushed back against criticism that he fell short of his pledge to get all Americans out of the country ahead of the U.S. military withdrawal. He said many of the Americans left behind are dual citizens, some with deep family roots that are complicating their ability to leave Afghanistan.

The bottom line: 90% of Americans in Afghanistan who wanted to leave were able to leave, Biden said. For those remaining Americans, there is no deadline. We remain committed to get them out, if they want to come out.

Biden repeated his argument that ending the Afghanistan war was a crucial step for recalibrating American foreign policy toward growing challenges posed by China and Russia  and counterterrorism concerns that pose a more potent threat to the U.S.

Theres nothing China or Russia would rather have, want more in this competition, than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan, he said

In Biden's view the war could have ended 10 years ago with the U.S. killing of Osama bin Laden, whose al-Qaida extremist network planned and executed the 9/11 plot from an Afghanistan sanctuary. Al-Qaida has been vastly diminished, preventing it thus far from again attacking the United States. The president lamented an estimated $2 trillion of taxpayer money that was spent fighting the war.

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What have we lost as a consequence in terms of opportunities? Biden asked.

Congressional committees, whose interest in the war waned over the years, are expected to hold public hearings on what went wrong in the final months of the U.S. withdrawal.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Tuesday described the Biden administration's handling of the evacuation as probably the biggest failure in American government on a military stage in my lifetime" and promised that Republicans would press the White House for answers.

Meanwhile, the Senate met briefly Tuesday, with Vice President Kamala Harris presiding over the chamber, to pass by unanimous consent a bill that increases spending for temporary assistance to U.S. citizens and their dependents returning from another country because of illness, war or other crisis. Biden quickly signed the legislation, which raises funding for the program from $1 million to $10 million.

A group of Republican lawmakers gathered on the House floor Tuesday morning and participated in a moment of silence for the 13 service members who were killed in the suicide bomber attack.

They also sought a House vote on legislation from Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., which among other things would require the administration to submit a report on how many Americans remain in Afghanistan as well as the number of Afghans who had applied for a category of visas reserved for those employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government.

The GOP lawmakers objected as Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., gaveled the House into adjournment. They then gathered for a press conference to denounce the administration.

For many U.S. commanders and troops who served in Afghanistan, it was a day of mixed emotions.

All of us are conflicted with feelings of pain and anger, sorrow and sadness, combined with pride and resilience, said Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He commanded troops in Afghanistan earlier in his career. But one thing I am certain of, for any soldier, sailor, airman or Marine and their families, your service mattered. It was not in vain.

-

Associated Press writers Robert Burns and Lolita C. Baldor contributed reporting.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Indiana schools got an incentive from the governor Wednesday to require face masks in classrooms in hopes of slowing down the number of COVID-19 outbreaks among students.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb issued a new statewide executive order that eases quarantine requirements for students if all children and adults in the school were wearing masks throughout the day. The revised order comes as many Indiana schools have seen COVID-19 outbreaks and the states vaccination rate remains stubbornly low.

The Crown Point school district in northwestern Indiana on Wednesday joined the list of districts requiring mask use. Officials reported more than 50 confirmed COVID-19 infections and nearly 900 students out of school on quarantines during the first two weeks of classes.

Holcomb said the COVID-19 spread in Indiana was regrettable but avoidable.

To the skeptics or unbelievers or deniers, I would just plead to look at the facts, to look at the numerical data that shows we can all stay safe if you get vaccinated, Holcomb said.

About 46% of Indiana residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the 15th-lowest rate among the states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State health officials, meanwhile, say 98% of recent COVID-19 hospitalizations are for unvaccinated people.

The coronavirus risk ratings updated weekly by the Indiana State Health Department now put nearly all counties in the higher risk categories for COVID-19 spread as severe illnesses are straining hospitals at levels months earlier than last winters surge.

Those updated ratings placed 13 of Indianas 92 counties in highest-risk red category, with 75 counties with the next-highest orange rating. Only four counties were in the lower-level yellow category. A month ago, just one county was listed as red and 62 had the lowest-level yellow and blue ratings as the highly contagious delta variant was hitting the state.

Holcomb remained firm against reinstating the statewide mask mandate that expired in April, saying it was loud and clear that the public wanted local officials in control of such actions.

New state rules issued Wednesday allow schools to let students deemed as close contacts with someone infected with COVID-19 to remain in school if all adults and students in the classroom correctly and consistently wear well-fitting masks the entire time, during the educational school day. Students would have to quarantine only if they developed COVID-19 symptoms.

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Several school boards around the state have faced vocal  and sometimes misleading  opposition to mask requirements.

Even so, 54% of Indianas public school students were under classroom mask requirements as of Wednesday and at least 60 schools have switched to virtual learning for at least one week because of high numbers of students and staff in quarantine or isolation since the start of the school year, according to the Indiana School Boards Association.

Holcomb said those who have avoided vaccinations need to get the shots.

That is having an adverse effect on others, not just potentially yourself, but others and our economy and our kids education, Holcomb said. So, I would just ask to think beyond yourself.

The governors new executive order, which runs through the end of September, reinstates the states work search requirements for those receiving welfare benefits and the one-week waiting period before the payment of unemployment benefits begins.

The current COVID-19 surge has boosted Indiana hospitalizations to about 2,300 patients  double the number of patients from two weeks ago and at a level that hospitals didnt see until early November last year.

Some Indiana hospitals have announced delays in some non-emergency surgeries, but the governors new order does not impose any restrictions on surgical procedures as Holcomb had done during last years coronavirus surges.
HONOLULU (AP)  An elderly couple with gunshot wounds died Tuesday at a Hawaii assisted living center and a note was left behind indicating they took their lives, police said.

Honolulu Police Lt. Deena Thoemmes declined to detail the note's contents. She said police are investigating whether it was a murder-suicide or two suicides.

The 86-year-old woman was a resident of The Plaza at Waikiki, while her 92-year-old husband lived nearby, Thoemmes said. The husband was visiting his wife in a sitting area of the facility's garage.

We are deeply saddened by todays fatal, domestic incident, which occurred in the parking garage of The Plaza at Waikiki," said Tricia Medeiros, chief operating officer of The Plaza Assisted Living.

She said in a statement that the company was offering counseling services to its residents and employees.

According to its website, the Waikiki facility has room for up to 170 residents, offering month-to-month senior rentals in private studio, private one-bedroom and shared suites.

The Plaza Assisted Living also runs similar senior homes in five other locations in and around Honolulu.

Company officials didn't immediately return messages from The Associated Press.

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Honolulu Emergency Medical Services spokeswoman Shayne Enright said the man and woman were pronounced dead at the scene.

Autopsies of the couple are scheduled for Wednesday, Thoemmes said.

___

Associated Press journalist Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report.
MOSCOW, Idaho (AP)  A wildfire burning a few miles north of Moscow, Idaho, was threatening buildings and prompting mandatory evacuations, officials said.

The fire had burned about 150 acres by Tuesday morning and was not contained.

KREM-TV reported that mandatory evacuations were issued for Idlers Rest, West Twin Roads and Moscow Mountain Road. One home had been lost to the fire as of Tuesday morning, officials said.

Moscow Rural Fire Department, Moscow Fire Department, Pullman and Whitman County fire crews were on the scene. Emergency responders are asking that people avoid the area and to not fly drones near the fire. A shelter has been set up at the Latah County Fairgrounds.

In a Facebook post, the city of Moscow said the fire had burned significant land and multiple structures.
ALBANY  Gov. Kathy Hochul is calling the Legislature back to the Capitol on Wednesday to extend the expiring eviction moratorium to Jan. 15, after the state's system to distribute federal aid to tenants and landlords had stumbled.

"We're not going to abandon our neighbors in need, especially since the state of New York failed its responsibility to get the money allocated by Congress out to the people in need earlier this summer," Hochul said in a Tuesday evening news conference from the Capitol's Red Room.

Additional money may become part of the deal to help community organizers go door-to-door to encourage people to apply for rental assistance if they qualify, which includes being 80 percent or below your county's median income.

"We want to expand the safety net for people who qualify," Hochul said.

If a person applies for the rental assistance through the emergency rental assistance program, they are protected from eviction until the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance rules on their application, according to the agency. After a determination of eligibility, they are then protected for 12 months from eviction for issues relating to the period in which they are seeking rental assistance. A tenant that fails to pay rent in the months that follow is not necessarily protected from eviction.

There will be "due process" provisions in the updated law from the state, Hochul said. Those measures were initially lacking, according to the U.S. Supreme Court, which recently struck down the federal eviction moratorium.

Hochul has said there is $2.7 billion in money that could cover rent for tenants who were unable to pay during the COVID-19 pandemic. About $203 million has been paid to landlords to cover the rents of about 15,500 tenants, according to emergency rental assistance program data from the Office of Disability and Temporary Assistance.

An additional $605 million is approved provisionally for about 46,400 tenants, but needs more information from landlords. In some cases, although its unclear from the state agency how many, landlords have refused the rental assistance money. If landlords accept the money, it would likely prevent them from raising the rent on a unit the following year. An additional 114,000 applications are under review by the state agency.

Hochul also announced Tuesday that the Legislature will work on two other issues during what is known as an "extraordinary session," a convening of lawmakers ordered by the governor.

The lawmakers are expected to deliberate restoring measures that allow local governments to hold virtual public meetings, something that was common during much of the pandemic but was eliminated after the state of emergency expired in July.

"I've heard from too many elected officials at the county, local levels that they just want this in place while we're still in the throes of a pandemic," Hochul said.

The Legislature is also expected to conduct hearings to fill the two empty seats on cannabis boards that can allow for the state to establish the retail marijuana market. Hochul did not disclose her nominees Tuesday.

"There's no reason why simple announcements, in terms of who the executive director is and who the chairperson is, were not done in time, but I'm going to make up for that lost time," Hochul said.

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The Legislature is expected to meet at noon on Wednesday. Since the governor called the session, as opposed to the leaders of the two houses, the agenda is limited to what Hochul outlined. Advocates for changes to the state's parole laws had planned to rally outside the Capitol an hour prior to the session.

The decision to meet under "extraordinary session" as opposed to a special session came following multiple days of extended talks between Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. The Democrats agreed on this approach, Hochul said, and on the terms of what the session is going to cover.

Hochul's announcement came about six hours prior to the formal expiration of the moratorium, which prevented landlords from evicting tenants based on issues, particularly those concerning paid rent, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Times Union reported Monday that legislators planned to come back Wednesday or Thursday.

Lawmakers intend to work around the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that struck down the order by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that prevented evictions during the pandemic as a means of protecting public health.

While the delta variant is now the main cause of infection throughout the state, it is primarily causing severe illness or death in people who are unvaccinated.
Deep grief and grappling with a sense of futility in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 inspired a journalist to write her first play, which was embraced by the New York theater community and a distressed public. Now, 20 years later, two local actors have returned to the script and found it speaks with stunning clarity to the emotions and concerns of the COVID-19 era.

The work is The Guys by Anne Nelson, and the new production is from the Local Actors Guild of Saratoga. Performances will be at the Schenectady Civic Playhouse Sept. 10 1o12. Company founder Jeremy Buechner directs and also performs, alongside Mary Darcy.

'The Guys,' for me, is about reopening. It was the very first play LAGS presented back in 2004, in our former location in Saratoga, Buechner said. The play was written to help bring people back to theaters and begin the return to normal, so it's appropriate that it should help reopen theaters in the aftermath of COVID-19.

The scenario is simple: A journalist sits with a New York Fire Department captain, who is still shaken and needs help preparing remarks for the funerals of the fallen firefighters under his charge. That was the experience of playwright Nelson in the weeks after 9/11. A short time later, she met Jim Simpson, who runs the Flea Theater located just seven blocks from Ground Zero. He urged her to turn her story into a play. She delivered the script nine days later.

Once his theater was allowed to reopen, Simpson put star power into the debut, casting his wife, Sigourney Weaver, opposite Bill Murray. The 90-minute show struck a chord and not just with Manhattan audiences. Published in 2002, the script has been taken up by companies across the U.S. and around the world. Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon presented it at the Edinburgh Festival, and Weaver and Murray made it into a film.

The two-person show (a two-hander in theater lingo) is often performed as a staged reading, with the actors on book. Buechner and Darcy say they are fleshing it out, though the production will be simple since theres only one setting, a New York City apartment.

While serving as producer and director for LAGS, over the years Buechner has also cast himself in some prominent roles. Considering his uncle and other family members were firefighters, he brings some life experience to the roll of a fire captain. I grew up going to firehouses, he says.

Though shes been in New York the last few years, Darcy remains well known in the Capital Region. During her decade living here, she was deeply involved in the community theater scene, both onstage and off. She was also a partner in the now defunct but still missed blog All Over Albany. Currently shes keeping busy with voiceover work and making content for her podcast, Failing Better.

Darcy is reprising the journalist role in The Guys, having already performed it in the 2004 LAGS production. Returning to the material, she and Buechner were astonished by its relevancy in 2021.

It directly speaks to recovering from great tragedy, says Darcy. There are lines that could have been written yesterday about wanting to help but not having skills, about needing each other, about when and how you return to normal.

I think the words resonate in a new way, says Buechner.

Its amazing how good writing can do that, adds Darcy.



Joseph Dalton is a freelance writer based in Troy.
Wesley J. "Jack" Bradley, age 91  of Knottsville Road, Thornton, WV passed away Friday, September 10, 2021 at his residence. He was born March 29, 1930 in Grafton, a son of the late Milton Otis and Flossie Lee Beall Bradley. Jack was also preceded in death by his wife, Mary Louise Hustead B
Moderna Inc. and its Japanese partner are recalling more than 1 million doses of the U.S. drug makers coronavirus vaccine after confirming contamination reported last week was tiny particles of stainless steel
Volunteers for Relay for Life Crawford County pose with their signs. This year the event is all on them, as the group no longer has a paid partner to help organize.
Woman charged in killing of man found in Wichita alley

A homeless woman has been charged in the fatal stabbing of a man whose body was found earlier this month in a Wichita alley
[September 01, 2021] AM Best Upgrades Credit Ratings of Agency Insurance Company of Maryland, Inc.

AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A- (Excellent) from B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to "a-" (Excellent) from "bbb+" (Good) of Agency Insurance Company of Maryland, Inc. (AIC) (Hanover, MD). The outlook of the Credit Ratings (ratings) has been revised to stable from positive. The ratings reflect AIC's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The ratings upgrade is the result of favorable trends in AIC's balance sheet strength. This is due to continued improvement in the company's policyholder surplus level and its risk-adjusted capitalization. AIC's overall risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), is assessed at the strongest level. Balance sheet strength is also supported by favorable reserve development and sound liquidity measures. AIC's strong operating performance has aided in the company's surplus growth. Additionally, premium growth has slowed in recent years, and surplus appreciation has outpaced surplus growth in the past three years. This has assisted the net and gross leverage ratios to decline over the latest five-year period to a more favorable position relative to AM Best's non-standard auto composite. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that havebeen published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best's Credit Ratings, Best's Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best's Ratings & Assessments.



AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright  2021 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901006013/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Amazon Expands Hampton Roads Investment with a Career Center and Two New Delivery Stations

Amazon continues its investment in the Hampton Roads area with the launch of a Career Center and two delivery stations. The Amazon Career Center, located at 1989 S. Military Highway in Chesapeake will serve as a hiring and orientation hub for the company's operations facilities in Chesapeake, Suffolk, Norfolk, Hampton, and Virginia Beach. Additionally, the company is excited to announce the opening of two delivery stations in the Hampton Roads area, a 165,000 square foot facility at 1400 Sewells Point Road in Norfolk and a 111,600 square foot facility at 223 W Mercury Boulevard in Hampton. In celebration of the station launches, Amazon donated to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore and Virginia Peninsula Foodbank. Delivery stations power the last mile of Amazon's order process and help speed up deliveries for customers. Packages are shipped to a delivery station from neighboring Amazon Fulfillment and Sortation Centers, loaded into delivery vehicles and delivered to customers. Delivery stations offer entrepreneurs the opportunity to build their own business delivering Amazon packages, as well as independent contractors the flexibility to be their own boss and create their own schedule delivering for Amazon Flex. Combined, the two new delivery stations willcreate hundreds of full and part-time associate jobs in addition to hundreds of driver opportunities for Amazon's Delivery Service Partners and Amazon Flex drivers. Amazon is always thinking about how we can empower our employees to succeed and thrive. Employees are paid at least $15.00 per hour and receive comprehensive benefits, paid time off, up to 20 weeks fully paid parental leave, education and skills training, and opportunities for career growth. Amazon is committed to empowering our employees by providing them access to the education and training they need to grow their careers at Amazon and beyond. In the U.S., we are investing $700 million to upskill more than 100,000 employees by 2025 to help move them into higher-paying, in-demand jobs.



Statement from Mayor Donnie Tuck "We would like to thank Amazon for their investment in this state-of-the-art distribution facility. A generation of Hampton residents did much of their shopping at the former Kmart on this site, and now the redeveloped building will serve a new generation of online shoppers. Amazon is bringing full and part time jobs to our city, as well as bringing our packages a little closer to our doorsteps!"

Amazon cares about the communities where we operate and we are proud to have created more than 27,000 jobs in Virginia since 2010. These jobs support communities of all sizes, from large cities like Norfolk to small towns like Gainesville. Over the last decade, Amazon has invested more than $34 billion across the Commonwealth, including infrastructure and compensation. These investments have contributed an additional $27 billion to the Virginia economy and have helped create 96,000 indirect jobs on top of Amazon's direct hires - from jobs in construction and logistics to professional services. In addition, more than 42,000 independent authors and small and medium businesses in Virginia are selling to customers in Amazon's store, creating thousands of additional jobs across the Commonwealth. To learn more about the ways Amazon has invested in Virginia, click here. For more information visit amazon.com/apply, https://logistics.amazon.com, and https://flex.amazon.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005342/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Anatha Announces Access to Asian Market with BHEX Listing

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Anatha , whose mission is to provide every person on the planet supply with universal basic income through cryptocurrency, today announced that its digital rewards utility token will be listed on digital asset trading platform BHEX . This token listing is just one of the elements that make up the ethos-driven decentralized ecosystem, cryptocurrency, and end-to-end blockchain solutions provider. Anatha in Asia

Asia has some of the largest unbanked populations in the world. Listing $ANATHA on Singapore-based BHEX marks another step forward in Anatha's mission to provide crypto that puts human needs first and feeds value directly to its network participants. This is the first partnership of many planned in the coming months, as the project intends to target the region in its future expansion. "Providing access and accessibility are the central tenets that Anatha was built upon. Asia's large unbanked population coupled with assive demand for $ANATHA made it clear that southeast Asia had to be our number one region for expansion," said Edward DeLeon Hickman, founder of Anatha. "Singapore-based BHEX was a natural choice when it came to listing the $ANATHA token and we look forward to our continued expansion globally."



Anatha's decision to list on BHEX is based on BHEX's reputation for uptime and customer satisfaction. Anatha's Vision, Global Poverty and UBI

By registering for a crypto handle (@name), commonly known as a Human Readable Address (HRA), people send and receive all the tokens Anatha supports with a simple, easy to remember address with $ANATHA. This HRA (@name) allows customers to be a part of the Anatha ecosystem and participate in the Anatha Torus, an innovative economic model that returns the value generated on the network directly back to participants.

Anatha is dedicated to helping eliminate global poverty by creating an ecosystem and economic model that returns the value generated on the network directly back to participants. Anatha is built on the principles of decentralized finance, where influence and opportunity is distributed equally. Anatha puts human needs first, not corporate interest, and its goal is to create a regenerative, bottom-up universal basic income (UBI) that can elevate all participants above the global poverty line. About Anatha

Anatha is an ethos-driven decentralized ecosystem, cryptocurrency, and end-to-end blockchain solutions provider. Founded in 2017 by crypto veterans and former Apple, Adobe, Visa, and JP Morgan talent, Anatha is designing new radically inclusive economic systems that put human needs first and return value to the hands of its participants. Anatha's innovative economic design creates a regenerative economy that feeds value directly to its network participants, creating a bottom-up universal basic income (UBI) that is working to end global poverty. About BHEX

BHEX Exchange is a 100% Token Holder Owned Trading Platform, jointly invested by Huobi, OKEx, and other 56 first-class institutions. BHEX provides traders with Spot, Margin, Futures, OTC, Options trading products. BHEX provides a 100% Proof of Reserve and a 100% transaction trading fee proof in order to protect end-users' assets safety and platform credibility. Bluehelix is a blockchain financial infrastructure provider and its Bluehelix Cloud provides technical solutions of Spot, Futures, Options, OTC trading system, and liquidity services with full-stack solutions and industrial SaaS CSM service standards. Bluehelix Cloud SaaS and Whitelabel solution have served more than 300 crypto exchange clients worldwide, covering over 14 million end-users, and its assets custody valuation exceeds 6 billion USDT. MEDIA CONTACT

Hannah Noyes

anatha@dittopr.co View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anatha-announces-access-to-asian-market-with-bhex-listing-301366603.html SOURCE Anatha

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[September 01, 2021] ASUS and Olive Partner on Miraico ICD-10 AI-Assisted Coding Solution

KEY POINTS AI-powered coding service : ASUS Miraico leverages the power of natural language understanding to make smart medical coding recommendations.

: ASUS Miraico leverages the power of natural language understanding to make smart medical coding recommendations. Close collaboration : AI start-up Olive joins forces with ASUS in reducing coding errors, which increases reimbursement for hospitals.

: AI start-up Olive joins forces with ASUS in reducing coding errors, which increases reimbursement for hospitals. Significant industry milestone: Miraico is the world's first AI software service to provide ICD-10 medical coding throughout the patient journey. SINGAPORE, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ASUS announced a partnership with Olive, an American unicorn start-up, to bring the ASUS Miraico AI medical coding assistant to more than 775 hospitals across the U.S. via Olive Helps workflow automation platform. Leveraging innovation from both companies, the collaboration is expected to greatly reduce human errors and operating costs in the claims process, optimize revenue cycle management, and free up staff resources to focus on public-health emergencies and patient care. "ASUS medical AI solutions are dedicated to supporting healthcare professionals, empowering them to better serve patients and communities," said Taiyi Huang, Corporate Vice President of ASUS and Head of ASUS Intelligent Cloud Services (AICS). "Through this partnership with Olive, we look forward to creating high clinical impact solutions in healthcare settings worldwide, as we stay ahead of the demand to accelerate digital transformation within the industry." "We're thrilled to join forces with a global technology giant like ASUS as one of our first Olive Helps partners," said Patrick Jones, EVP of Partnerships at Olive. "This is a milestone demonstrating both companies' level of passion and investment to elevate the human experience for patients and healthcare workers." ASUS Miraico is the world's first AI software service to provide ICD-10 medical coding recommendation upon admission and discharge. It has been successfully implemented in 19 hospitals across Taiwan and will be available to 775 hospitals and medical centers in the United States. With Miraico's AI-powered coding assistant, the Olive Helps automation platform can now leverage the power of natural language understanding (NLU) to help users analyze medical terminology in clinical records and automatically suggest the appropriate ICD-10 codes to optimize Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) assignments and enhance hospitals' operations. About AICS The mission of ASUS Intelligent Cloud Services (AICS) is to build revolutionary healthcare solutions with natural language processing, computer vision, and big data analytics. We provide Software as a Service (SaaS) applications to accelerate the effective use of medical data and improve the efficiency of hospital operations, unleashing the power of data for precision healthcare and bringing transformative impact to the industry. Please visit us at https://aics.asus.com/home/ About Olive Olive's AI workforce is built to fix our broken healthcare system by addressing healthcare's most burdensome issues  delivering hospitals, health systems and payers increased revenue, reduced costs and increased capacity. People feel lost in the system today and healthcare employees are essentially working in the dark due to outdated technology that creates a lack of shared knowledge and siloed data. Olive is designed to drive connections, shining a new light on the broken healthcare processes that stand between providers delivering patient care and payers. She uses AI to reveal life-changing outcomes that make healthcare more efficient, affordable and effective. Olive's mission is to unleash a trillion dollars by connecting a disconnected healthcare system. Olive is improving healthcare operations today, so everyone can benefit from a healthier industry tomorrow. To learn more about Olive, visit oliveai.com. About ASUS ASUS is a multinational company known for the world's best motherboards, PCs, monitors, graphics cards and routers, and is ranked by Laptop Mag as the best laptop brand in 2020. Along with an expanding range of superior gaming, content-creation and AIoT solutions, ASUS leads the industry through cutting-edge design and innovations made to create the most ubiquitous, intelligent, heartfelt and joyful smart life for everyone. With a global workforce that includes more than 5,000 R&D professionals, ASUS is driven to become the world's most admired innovative leading technology enterprise. Inspired by the In Search of Incredible brand spirit, ASUS won more than 11 awards every day in 2020 and ranks as one of Forbes' World's Best Regarded Companies and Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies.







Press Contacts

Bruno Occhipinti

General Manager, AICS Singapore

Bruno_Occhipinti@asus.com Miranda Wu

Product Director

Miranda_Wu@asus.com

SOURCE ASUS

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[September 01, 2021] Avisa Diagnostics Appoints Dr. Richard Murray as Chief Medical Officer

SANTA FE, N.M. and MALVERN, Pa., Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avisa Diagnostics Inc. (CSE:AVBT) (Avisa), a clinical-stage medical device company developing an ultra-rapid, point-of-care biomarker breath test for the detection and monitoring of virulent bacterial lung infections, is pleased to announce that the Company has hired Richard K. Murray, M.D., to the newly created position of Chief Medical Officer (CMO).

Dr. Murray has over 25 years of industry experience. He worked at Merck & Co. for many years in positions of increasing responsibility, in a variety of business, medical and scientific areas. His most recent position was Vice President and Deputy Chief Patient Officer. Dr. Murray was also a Fellow at the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University. He has managed all areas of medical affairs, including outcomes research, medical information, professional and academic affairs, field-based medical physicians, and investigator-initiated trials globally. Prior to his industry career, he was a practicing physician in cardiovascular-pulmonary medicine and an asthma researcher at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Murray has an M.D. from Howard University and an M.A. in Chemistry and A.B. in Psychology from Clark University. Dr. Murray currently is Board Chair of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. David S. Joseph, President and Chief Executive Officer of Avisa, said: We are thrilled to have Richard join our team. He is a highly accomplished leader who brings a wealth of expertise to Avisa. He is a change driver who has led teams and major initiatives in a wide range of areas. His broad experience engaging hospitals and patients and managing client-facing teams and external relationships will be invaluable to Avisa as we advance development of the Avisa BreathTest. Dr. Richard K. Murray, Chief Medical Officer of Avisa, added: I am excited to join the Avisa team at this critical stage in the companys development. Throughout my career, I have focused on addressing patient needs by listening to the patient and working with internal and external teams to find innovative solutions to optimize care. I believe that the Avisa BreathTest has the possibility of bringing better treatment to patients by identifying pathogens early so appropriate antibiotics can be given and by monitoring to ensure that patients get treated quickly to avoid a worsening of their disease. These efforts align very well with the critically important goal of antimicrobial stewardship. About Avisa Diagnostics Inc. Avisa (CSE:AVBT) is a clinical-stage medical device company developing the Avisa BreathTest (ABT), a novel drug/device biomarkr technology platform that enables the ultra-rapid detection of virulent bacterial pathogens, detecting and monitoring bacterial load after the patient inhales or ingests its proprietary drug substrates. The Company has established clinical proof-of-concept through trials in cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis and community-acquired pneumonia, which demonstrated positive safety and clinical efficacy results. Avisa is planning pivotal trials in Post-COVID-19 bronchiectasis and ventilator-associated pneumonia and plans to submit an Investigational Device Exemption application to the U.S. FDA for the first pivotal trial next year. For further information, visit http://avisadx.com/ and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.



Contact

Avisa Diagnostics Inc.

David S. Joseph

President and Chief Executive Officer

Phone: +1 610 947 0360

E-mail: info@avisadx.com

www.avisadx.com Investors and Media Contacts

MC Services AG

Laurie Doyle, Raimund Gabriel

E-mail: avisa@mc-services.eu

Europe: +49 89-210 2280 U.S.: +1-339-832-0752

Forward-looking Statements This press release contains statements which constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words may, would, could, should, will, intend, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect or similar expressions and includes, but is not limited to, statements about the business plans and expectations of the Company and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Investors are cautioned that forward- looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects the Companys managements expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the Resulting Issuer. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: (i) changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets, changes in applicable laws and regulations both locally and in foreign jurisdictions; (ii) compliance with extensive government regulation and the costs associated with compliance; (iii) the risks and uncertainties associated with foreign markets; and (iv) risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of the Resulting Issuer and market conditions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended and such changes could be material. The Company does not intend, nor assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



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[September 01, 2021] Best's Market Segment Report: Munich Re Moves Into Top Spot in AM Best's Top 50 Ranking of Global Reinsurers

Munich Reinsurance Company moved into the top spot in AM Best's annual ranking of the Top 50 Global Reinsurance groups in 2020, marking a return to a position that it last held in 2017. The ranking appears in a new Best's Market Segment Report, "Global Reinsurance Outlook Remains Stable in a More Uncertain World," and is based on reinsurance gross premiums written. To achieve greater precision in AM Best's annual ranking of leading global reinsurers, this year's analysis included only year-end gross reinsurance premiums written, eliminating any primary premiums. Prior rankings had included primary premium that was less than 25% of a reinsurers' total premium volume. As a result of this change, Munich Re moved ahead of Swiss Re Ltd., which held that spot in the two previous years and dropped to the second position. These two global reinsurers together account 25.6% of top 50 GPW in 2020, down slightly from their combined total of 27.7% in 2019. For year-end 2020, Munich Re posted reinsurance GPW growth of 21.1% (USD 7.9 billion), which was driven by broad-based expansion in the property/casualty lines of business across its geographically diversified book. Munich Re also experienced increases in its life and health lines, driven primarily by business originating in the United Kingdom; this exposure growth was heightened by euro appreciation of just under 10% against the U.S. dollar. Notably, the 10 largest reinsurers' share of premiums remained largely the same, despite the increase in GPW to USD 220 billion in 2020, up from USD 197.5 billion in 2019. Total GPW among the top 50 in 2020 rose to USD 321 billion. The substantial increase in GPW can be partially attributed to rate increases derived from the hardening reinsurance market, a trend that AM Best expects will continue into 2022. Other highlights from this year's report include: An increase in total dedicated reinsurance capacity year over year by 7% to SD 517 billion is notable given the loss-affected operating results across the industry. Perhaps even more notable is that the increase is wholly attributable to a rise in traditional reinsurance capital.

The report also provides in-depth looks at the insurance-linked securities, Lloyd's, life reinsurance and mortgage reinsurance markets, as well as regions such as Latin America, MENA and Asia-Pacific.



http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=312153. A short video interview on AM Best's Top 50 ranking with Senior Financial Analyst Clare Finnegan also can be viewed at http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=ambglobalretop50921.

Additionally, a panel of AM Best analysts and market leaders will discuss the state of the reinsurance market on Sept. 8, 2021, at 9 a.m. (EDT) (2 p.m. BST). To register for register for the complimentary briefing, please go to http://www.ambest.com/webinars/reinsurance21/index.html. Finally, AM Best also will host its annual reinsurance market briefing, typically held at Rendez-Vous de Septembre, as a virtual event on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2021, from 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. (CEST). For more information and to register, please visit http://www.ambest.com/conferences/rmbseptembre2021. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright  2021 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005865/en/

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[September 01, 2021] BlackSky Secures Investment from Palantir and Enters into Multi-Year Strategic Partnership Following Successful Pilot Project

BlackSky Holdings, Inc. ("BlackSky"), a leading technology platform providing real-time geospatial intelligence and global monitoring, announced today that Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE: PLTR) has committed to making an equity investment in BlackSky, which is scheduled to close after the completion of BlackSky's business combination with Osprey Technology Acquisition Corp ("Osprey"). Following the successful completion of a joint pilot program between BlackSky and Palantir, this investment signifies the strengthening of a strategic collaboration that will enable BlackSky to further extend its capabilities and meet the increasing demand for global monitoring services from its and Palantir's customers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005619/en/ BlackSky Imagery Integrated into Palantir Foundry (Graphic: Business Wire) Through the pilot project, BlackSky automatically delivered insights and intelligence to Palantir customers within minutes of collection, without any human interaction. The ability to quickly deliver worldwide intelligence that can inform proactive strategic decision-making introduces a significant advantage in time-sensitive operations. "This collaboration further enables BlackSky to put the power of real-time intelligence in the hands of the user by allowing Palantir customers to directly task our satellites, reduce decision-making timelines and increase the delivery of on-demand insights," said Brian E. O'Toole, CEO of BlackSky. "Our partnership with Palantir will accelerate our go-to-market plan, expanding our pipeline of commercial and government customers around the world." To extend the benefits demonstrated by the pilot project, BlackSky also has entered into a multi-year software subscription agreement with Palantir to access Palantir Foundry, an enterprise platform run by Palantir. BlackSky will offer a combined solution that integrates Spectra AI with Palantir Foundry to expand the delivery of high-resolution imagery and deep analytics to customers worldwide. The capabilities of the combined solution were successfully demonstrated in a series of exercises with experienced geospatial intelligence customers earlier this year. Through the collective capabilities of BlackSky and Palantir, this collaboration increases access to time-sensitive global intelligence that can aid in predicting events. BlackSky will leverage this alliance to meet the unprecedented demand for real-time actionable intelligence. "BlackSky is a strong partner to Palantir and reinforces our shared goals around compressing decision-chains for operational users at the edge," said Shyam (News - Alert) Sankar, COO of Palantir Technologies. "Through the licensing agreement, customers will gain tailored insights from increasingly sophisticated orbital sensors and AI, integrated into their decision-making operating system. This partnership directly connects space sensors to action, accelerating operations across domains, from space to mud." Earlier this year, BlackSky announced a planned business combination with Osprey Technology Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: SFTW). Osprey will hold the special meeting of stockholders on September 8, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. ET to, among other things, allow its stockholders to vote to approve the proposed business combination with BlackSky. About BlackSky Holdings, Inc. BlackSky is a leading provider of real-time geospatial intelligence. BlackSky monitors activities and facilities worldwide by harnessing the world's emerging sensor networks and leveraging its own satellite constellation. BlackSky processes millions of data elements daily from its constellation as well as a variety of space, IoT, and terrestrial-based sensors and data feeds. BlackSky's on-demand constellation of satellites ca image a location multiple times throughout the day. BlackSky monitors for pattern-of-life anomalies to produce alerts and enhance situational awareness. BlackSky's monitoring service, Spectra AI, is powered by cutting-edge compute techniques, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, computer vision, and natural language processing. BlackSky's global monitoring solution is available via a simple subscription and requires no IT infrastructure or setup. On February 17, 2021, BlackSky entered into a definitive agreement for a business combination (the "Merger Agreement") with Osprey Technology Acquisition Corp. ("Osprey") (NYSE: SFTW) that would result in BlackSky becoming a publicly listed company. For more information, visit www.blacksky.com.



About Osprey Osprey is a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, that was established as a collaboration between investment firms HEPCO Capital Management, led by Jonathan and Edward Cohen, and JANA Partners, led by Barry Rosenstein and with its SPAC initiative led by JANA Partner David DiDomenico, who serves as Osprey's CEO, President, and Director. Osprey was formed to consummate a transaction with one or more transformative companies that have developed innovative software delivery platforms. For more information, visit www.osprey-technology.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to the proposed transactions between Osprey and BlackSky. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this document, including but not limited to: (i) the risk that the transactions may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect the price of Osprey's securities, (ii) the risk that the transactions may not be completed by Osprey's Business Combination deadline and the potential failure to obtain an extension of the Business Combination deadline if sought by Osprey, (iii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the transactions, including the adoption of the Merger Agreement by the stockholders of Osprey, the satisfaction of the minimum trust account amount following redemptions by Osprey's public stockholders and the receipt of certain governmental and regulatory approvals, (iv) the lack of a third-party valuation in determining whether or not to pursue the proposed transactions, (v) the inability to complete the PIPE Investment, (vi) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement, (vii) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transactions on BlackSky's business relationships, operating results, and business generally, (viii) risks that the proposed transactions disrupt current plans and operations of BlackSky, (ix) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against BlackSky or against the Osprey related to the Merger Agreement or the proposed transactions, (x) the ability to maintain the listing of Osprey's securities on a national securities exchange, (xi) changes in the competitive and regulated industries in which BlackSky operates, variations in operating performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting BlackSky's business and changes in the combined capital structure, (xii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations after the completion of the proposed transactions, and identify and realize additional opportunities (xiii) the performance of our third-party service providers, including our satellite manufacturer and launch providers, (xiv) risks related to delays or cancellations from current or expected customers, (xv) the risk that redemptions by Osprey's public stockholders may require the combined company to seek additional equity and/or debt financing to fund its business plan, and (xvi) the effects of natural disasters, terrorist attacks and the spread and/or abatement of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, on the proposed transactions or on the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations after the completion of the proposed transactions. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of Osprey's registration on Form S-1 (File No. 333-234180), the registration statement on Form S-4 discussed below and other documents filed by Osprey from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC (News - Alert) "). These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Osprey and BlackSky assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Neither Osprey nor BlackSky gives any assurance that either Osprey or BlackSky, or the combined company, will achieve its expectations. Additional Information and Where to Find It This document relates to the proposed transactions between Osprey and BlackSky. This document does not constitute an offer to sell or exchange, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange, any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or exchange would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. On May 13, 2021, Osprey filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC, as amended on June 25, 2021, July 14, 2021, and August 2, 2021, which included a document that serves as a prospectus and proxy statement of Osprey, referred to as a proxy statement/prospectus. In connection with the proposed business combination, on August 11, 2021, Osprey filed with the SEC a definitive proxy statement/prospectus. Osprey commenced mailing the definitive proxy statement/prospectus to its stockholders on August 11, 2021. A proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to all Osprey stockholders. Osprey also will file other documents regarding the proposed transactions with the SEC. Before making any voting or investment decision, investors and security holders of Osprey are urged to read the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transactions as they become available because they will contain important information about the proposed transactions. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by Osprey through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. The documents filed by Osprey with the SEC also may be obtained free of charge at Osprey's website at https://www.osprey-technology.com or from Osprey upon written request to 1845 Walnut Street, Suite 1111, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. Participants in Solicitation Osprey and BlackSky and their directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Osprey's stockholders in connection with the proposed transactions. Osprey's stockholders and other interested persons may obtain, without charge, more detailed information regarding the directors and officers of Osprey in Osprey's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, which was filed with the SEC on May 12, 2021, and in Osprey's registration statement on Form S-4, which was filed by Osprey with the SEC in connection with the business combination on May 13, 2021. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies to Osprey's stockholders in connection with the proposed business combination is set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus on Form S-4 for the proposed business combination, which was filed by Osprey with the SEC in connection with the business combination on May 13, 2021, as amended on June 25, 2021, July 14, 2021, and August 2, 2021. A list of the names of such directors and executive officers and information regarding their interests in the transactions will be contained in the proxy statement/prospectus. You may obtain free copies of these documents as described in the preceding paragraph. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such other jurisdiction. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005619/en/

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[September 01, 2021] CarobWay Explores The Hidden Gems of Carob, Sustainably

KIRYAT SHMONA, Israel, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FoodTech and agriTech start-up CarobWay, Ltd. is bringing carob from the Bible to the modern table as a super-nutritious, highly sustainable food crop. The company cultivates locally grown carob trees to boost carob-based product development. The CarobWay start-up paves the way to sustainable, advanced agriculture, while guaranteeing fair-trade return to the growers. The result is a resilient food system that is beneficial to all partners in the supply chain. It's all about sustainable crop Global warming, environmental stresses, and other limitations demand increased attention to minor or neglected crops, especially a multifunctional crop such as carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.). Carob is a highly resilient species of tree that flourishes in arid climates, mostly in Africa and Asia. Genotypes of the carob tree demonstrate great tolerance to drought, low soil fertility, brackish water, pollution, and high temperatures (up to 50C). "The key ingredient in developing a sustainable carob crop is using advanced agriTech knowhow to grow the trees more intensively and efficiently," explains Udi Alroy, CEO and Co-founder of CarobWay. "Today, most carob trees are grown in forests and require intensive human labor. We optimize the cultivation process from the seedling stage through harvest, using less labor, refined irrigation, and mechanical harvesting." CarobWay will employ industrialized harvesting via a variety of technologies developed from other crops cultivated in the region. Carob can grow on non-arable landincluding desertswhere no other crops can grow without significant, often unsustainable investments. "We can potentially grow this super-crop on arid land, which covers 46 percent of the surface of the planet," states Alroy. Long-term, Partnerships + Fair Trade = Success CarobWay takes its eco-supportive model even further. The company's business model is founded on long-term business relationships. "Growers should get a safe, stable income as they invest in the futue of food," explains Alroy. "With climate change, increasing wildfires, and diminishing water supplies, farmers are on the frontline, taking all the responsibility in the supply chain. We're going to change that, by creating a complete value chain that is beneficial to all partners involved from grove to table. We are currently establishing long-term business arrangements with global partners."



CarobWay engages in multi-annual supply agreements to enable a stable and secure supply chain of a variety of healthy ingredients derived from carob for food and supplement manufacturers around the world. "This focus on ownership of the whole-value chain from farm to fork enables us to provide fully controlled, sustainable products on a continuous basis," said Guido Schaer, Co-founder and CTO. Ancient Superfruit

A fruit known in antiquity and celebrated in the Bible, the carob fruit pod consists of about 90% pulp and 10% seeds by weight at full maturity. Carob seeds have, in fact been the most valuable part of the pods exploited industrially for the production of locust bean gum (LBG), a common natural ingredient. Carob sugars and fibers are widely used in the food industry mainly in the form of carob powder. CarobWay will utilize the whole carob and market each ingredient toward different food applications and uses. For example, carob provides a natural sweetener suitable for beverages. The sugar is low glycemic index (GI), very sweet, provides energy, and is a good fit for people with diabetes or digestive health issues. Carob also contains high-value, functional protein that can enhance a variety of food and beverage products. Carob fibers can be used to excellent effect in cereals and bars. This super fruit contains high nutritional value, is gluten-free and non-allergic. It is extensively researched around the world and has no regulatory barriers. About CarobWay! How it started Udi Alroy was seeking a sustainable super-crop that can grow in dry weather with almost no water to address the strained resources of our climate-stressed planet. Working on daily basis with growers and agriculture organizations, he found the holy grail  carob crop. Carob tree is an ancient crop, cultivated for millennia in the Mediterranean. Together with his partners, he founded CarobWay in 2020 and set up its vertically integrated system dedicated to growing and commercializing carob and carob-centered products. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team went full-steam ahead with the establishment, on a small plot of land in the Upper Galilee region, of the first modern carob grove. It combines Israeli agricultural know-how and innovative technology for an intensive, high-yield cultivation of carob trees optimizing land use, applying mechanized harvesting methods. About the team The three co-founders: Udi Alroy, Guido Schaer, and Jeff Lahav. Alroy brings 20 years in global management, marketing & sales in food, foodTech and ingredients. He has established and maintains flourishing networks throughout the US, EU, and Japan. He also served as VP of marketing and sales for Lycored for eight years. Schaer has worked in leading food and pharma companies such as Roche. He is a global industry leader, expert in building and optimizing food and pharma manufacturing plants. He also has extensive networks in food innovation and business development for innovative products. Lahav has worked for 35 years as an advisor on legal and business affairs and international transactions, specializing in agriculture space. For more information, contact:

Company Contact:

CarobWay, Ltd.

Udi Alroy

CEO and Co-founder

Email: info@carobway.com

Web: www.carobway.com Press Contact:

NutriPR

Liat Simha

Tel: +972-9-9742893

Email: liat@nutripr.com

Website: www.nutripr.com

Twitter: @NutriPR_ View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carobway-explores-the-hidden-gems-of-carob-sustainably-301367009.html SOURCE CarobWay

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[September 01, 2021] CI Financial Completes Acquisition of Pennsylvania RIA Radnor Financial Advisors

CI Financial Corp. ("CI") (TSX: CIX; NYSE: CIXX) today announced it has completed the acquisition of Radnor Financial Advisors ("Radnor"), a registered investment advisor based in Wayne, Pa. with US$2.6 billion in assets. "We're excited to continue expanding and enriching our U.S. network with high-quality RIAs like Radnor," said Kurt MacAlpine, CI Chief Executive Officer. "Adding such an experienced firm furthers our goal of building the leading wealth management platform in the United States. With a team of industry veterans dedicated to high-caliber client service, Radnor is an exemplary RIA and we're proud to welcome them to CI." CI first announced an agreement to acquire Radnor in June 2021. Founded in 1989, Radnor serves a client base of over 300 high-net-worth individuals, families and senior corporate executives from its office in the Philadelphia area. The firm's specialties include wealth management and executive compensation. Since entering the U.S. RIA sector in January 2020, CI has become one of the country's fastest-growing wealth platforms. With the completion of the acquisition of Radnor and another outstanding transaction, CI's U.S. business will include 16 RIAs servig clients across the country, with assets totaling approximately US$75 billion (C$94 billion). CI's total assets globally are expected to reach approximately US$254 billion (C$317 billion).



All amounts are as of July 31, 2021. About CI Financial

CI Financial Corp. is an independent company offering global asset management and wealth management advisory services. CI managed and advised on approximately C$309 billion (US$248 billion) in client assets as of July 31, 2021. CI's primary asset management businesses are CI Global Asset Management (CI Investments Inc.) and GSFM Pty Ltd., and it operates in Canadian wealth management through CI Assante Wealth Management (Assante Wealth Management (Canada) Ltd.), CI Private Counsel LP, Aligned Capital Partners Inc., CI Direct Investing (WealthBar Financial Services Inc.), and CI Investment Services Inc. CI's U.S. wealth management businesses consist of Barrett Asset Management, LLC, BDF LLC, Bowling Portfolio Management LLC, Brightworth, LLC, The Cabana Group, LLC, Congress Wealth Management, LLC, Dowling & Yahnke, LLC, Doyle Wealth Management, LLC, One Capital Management, LLC, Radnor Financial Advisors, The Roosevelt Investment Group, LLC, RGT Wealth Advisors, LLC, Segall, Bryant & Hamill, LLC, Stavis & Cohen Private Wealth, LLC, and Surevest LLC. CI is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under CIX and on the New York Stock Exchange under CIXX. Further information is available at www.cifinancial.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning anticipated future events, results, circumstances, performance or expectations with respect to CI Financial Corp. ("CI") and its products and services, including its business operations, strategy and financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "believe", "expect", "foresee", "forecast", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "goal", "plan" and "project" and similar references to future periods, or conditional verbs such as "will", "may", "should", "could" or "would". These statements are not historical facts but instead represent management beliefs regarding future events, many of which by their nature are inherently uncertain and beyond management's control. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements involve risks and uncertainties. The material factors and assumptions applied in reaching the conclusions contained in these forward-looking statements include that the acquisition of Budros, Ruhlin & Roe will be completed and its asset levels will remain stable, that the investment fund industry will remain stable and that interest rates will remain relatively stable. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, among other things, general economic and market conditions, including interest and foreign exchange rates, global financial markets, changes in government regulations or in tax laws, industry competition, technological developments and other factors described or discussed in CI's disclosure materials filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. The foregoing list is not exhaustive and the reader is cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully and not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Other than as specifically required by applicable law, CI undertakes no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statement after the date on which it is made, whether to reflect new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005777/en/

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[September 01, 2021] ConocoPhillips Supports Hurricane Ida Relief Efforts

ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) announced today disaster relief donations of $500,000 to be allocated between the American Red Cross and local United Way organizations to support relief efforts in Louisiana from Hurricane Ida. The company will also match donations from ConocoPhillips' U.S. employees. "Our thoughts are with the local communities who are dealing with the widespread devastation brought by Hurricane Ida," said Ryan Lance, chairman and chief executive officer. "We are committed to assisting as they rebuild and want to extend our gratitude to the emergency responders, volunteers and organizations like the Red Cross and United Way that are stepping in to help those in need." ConocoPhillips, through its wholly owned subsidiary The Louisiaa Land and Exploration Company LLC, is the largest private wetlands owner in Louisiana and maintains an office in Houma. For decades, the company has practiced responsible stewardship of its coastal wetlands and has collaborated with public and nonprofit entities on projects designed to protect and restore Louisiana's coast.



About ConocoPhillips Headquartered in Houston, Texas, ConocoPhillips had operations and activities in 15 countries, $85 billion of total assets, and approximately 10,100 employees as of June 30, 2021. Production excluding Libya averaged 1,518 MBOED for the six months ended June 30, 2021, and proved reserves were 4.5 BBOE as of Dec. 31, 2020. For more information, go to www.conocophillips.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901006053/en/

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Constant Aviation and Western Technical College Partner to Offer Career Solutions for Students

Constant Aviation, the nation's leading provider of quality maintenance, repair, overhaul (MRO) and aircraft-on-ground (AOG) services, announced that it is partnering with Western Technical College of El Paso, Texas, to provide flexible, long-term career paths for students looking to enter the high-technology world of aviation maintenance.

The partnership comes at an opportune time, since Constant Aviation is seeing a rapidly growing demand for its services, having expanded its nationwide AOG mobile response network by more than 15% this year alone. In order to fulfill needs in AOG and at facilities in Cleveland and elsewhere, the company is recruiting for positions including technicians in avionics, AMT (News - Alert) , paint, wire harness and other areas, with many positions offering $2,000 signing bonuses.

"Constant Aviation's partnership with Western Technical College will make many career opportunities available to its students," said Nicole Krafchek, Constant Aviation's head of recruiting and employee engagement. "We have always focused on attracting top talent and team members with a passion for their careers. Western Tech's mission, together with academic programs that align with the aviation industry's needs, make this partnership a perfect fit."

Constant Aviation has capabilities in aircraft and engine maintenance, major repairs, avionics and other critical areas, and is a national leader in the field. In order to meet the demand for its services, it not only is recruiting nationally but also offers a range of innovative apprenticeship programs designed to introduce talented young workers to the company.

Under the new partnership, students will be able to exit the Western Tech program and enter directly into the aviation workforce, earning their Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certifications while also working at Constant Aviation, learning from the best and using the most advanced technology.

"Western Tech's curriculums are perfectly suited as a head start to our apprentice programs," said Jim Yarborough, Constant Aviation's head of work force development. "The quality instructors at Western Tech, the outstanding curriculum and the program's high standards lend themselves to creating skilled technicians with outstanding earnings potential in a meaningful career."

Added Brad Kuykendall, Chief Executive Oficer at Western Tech, "Our curriculum fits seamlessly with the industry's expectations for future generations of aviation technicians, preparing students so they immediately can transition into the field using the knowledge they've just developed. It's a remarkably small commitment for the dividends that are paid."







In addition, Western Tech will work with Constant Aviation on future endeavors to supplement emerging technologies initiatives such as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Constant Aviation has been an authorized UAS service center since 2017 and has been building partnerships to support the market for this emerging technology.

Beyond aviation, Western Tech and Constant Aviation have a common bond. Constant Aviation is the Official Aircraft Maintenance & Aircraft on Ground (AOG) provider of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), and also is the official sponsor of the NHRA's iconic Factory Stock Showdown class. Western Tech is the presenting sponsor of the NHRA Youth and Education Services (YES) Program.

About Western Technical College

Founded in 1970, Western Technical College has been a family-owned and operated nationally accredited institution of higher education for four generations in El Paso, Texas. Western Tech is committed to supporting its students from the time of enrollment, throughout the program of study and through graduation and employment. Western Tech's mission is to provide quality training and education in a caring, professional environment that prepares new students and working adults with the skills they need to succeed and advance in their chosen careers. For more information, visit Western Tech online at www.westerntech.edu, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/westerntech and on Facebook (News - Alert) at https://www.facebook.com/westerntechnicalcollege.

About Constant Aviation

Constant Aviation specializes in aircraft and engine maintenance, major repairs, avionics, interiors and paint. In addition, it offers mobile response services through its AOG division, and accessory and composite services through its Nextant Aerospace division. With more than 15 years of expertise in a comprehensive array of business jet airframes, Constant Aviation has raised the bar in aircraft maintenance expectations by focusing on quality, always. In 2021, Constant Aviation became the official aircraft maintenance and AOG support of the NHRA and the title sponsor of the NHRA Factory Stock Showdown class. Constant Aviation is a member of the Directional Aviation family of private aviation companies. For more information, visit https://www.constantaviation.com/ or call 216.261.7119. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005629/en/
[September 01, 2021] Damage Media Group's InkEvolved.com commemorates third anniversary, rebrands to PrinterHeadlines.com

TALLINN, Estonia, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- InkEvolved.com, the leading printer news and troubleshooting site, is celebrating its third anniversary with a rebrand to PrinterHeadlines.com as well as expanding their coverage to new brands and 3D printers. To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8941351-damage-media-groups-inkevolved-commemorates-third-anniversary-rebrands-to-printerheadlines/ Since the venture's launch back in August 2018, PrinterHeadlines.com has produced over 100 articles and archived thousands of user manuals for manufacturers like HP, Epson, Canon, and Brother. To better prepare for their ongoing Google performance update and continue to provide users with the best possible version of the platform, the team has recently implemented two major changes: The first was to switch from their previous theme provider to tagDiv, a Romania-based company specializing in premium WordPress themes for news websites. In collaboration with the team at tagDiv, they were able to implement and optimize the pro version of the "NewsPaper" theme. The second shift was to migrate from an unmanaged hosting provider to a managed solution, with Kinsta being their first choice. Kinsta has been on the market since 2013 and is currently managing over 20,000 clients. Brands covered on the site have also recently been expanded  among these Lexmark, Konica, Dymo, and Ricoh  and users can soon expect more of the invaluable troubleshooting conent on which they've come to depend. The team will not only continue to cover traditional InkJet and LaserJet printers, but will also begin moving into 3D printer news, guides, and reviews. They'll also select the best 3D printing project from the community each quarter.



"The purpose of rebranding the former site was to come closer to the printer community by providing them with even more support for various brands and printing systems," said Anya Bazmarov, Editor-in-Chief at PrinterHeadlines.com. "Having a similar naming scheme to our sister site, GamerHeadlines.com, was also an important consideration." Social media will also play a huge role in the next phase of the project, with development and expanded reach for their Facebook and YouTube pages forming the top priorities for the SoME team.

PrinterHeadlines.com was acquired by Damage Media Group in April 2021. These latest achievements and exciting future plans are thanks to the ongoing partnership between the former InkEvolved team and the current industry specialists at Damage Media. About Us Damage Media Group is an Estonia-based publishing start-up that creates content-driven experiences for the new generation of tech and gaming enthusiasts. The company is paving its way into the publishing sector by acquiring existing websites and improving on their current assets, with PrinterHeadlines.com being the most recent addition to the Damage Media family. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1602696/PrinterHeadlines_Rebrand.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1602697/PrinterHeadlines_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/damage-media-groups-inkevolvedcom-commemorates-third-anniversary-rebrands-to-printerheadlinescom-301363737.html SOURCE PrinterHeadlines.com

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Despite a Rise in Demand by Consumers for Greater Personalization, Only 30% of Retail Contact Centers Are Using AI at Scale

Talkdesk, Inc., the global customer experience leader for customer-obsessed companies, today released its new research report, "Powering Retail Growth: The Next Generation of Contact Centers," revealing a critical gap between the high availability of solutions capable of exceeding customer expectations and their low adoption levels within the retail industry. While retail is rallying around the importance of elevating customer experience (CX), many retailers have yet to seize the potential of using their contact centers to scale personalized service. In fact, only 30% of retail contact centers are using artificial intelligence (AI) tools at scale to deliver the personalized experiences customers expect.

CX as a Key Business Driver and the Slow Implementation of AI

Talkdesk Research finds a majority of retailers are prioritizing improvements to CX and initiatives aimed at building customer loyalty. Fifty-four percent of CX professionals cite it as a top priority, and 87% clearly understand how their CX strategy fits into their organizations' broader business goals. Retailers that have seen a significant increase in their customer satisfaction over the past two years also experienced a sizable increase in revenue during the same time period and expect revenue gains in the next year as well.

Yet despite a clear connection between CX and business performance, retailers struggle with the unpredictable variety and volume of customer needs (50%) and high CX operational costs (44%). Data will be key to overcoming these challenges. Indeed, almost half of retailers surveyed say that better management of customer data across all relevant channels is a top component of their CX strategy.

AI represents a key area of opportunity for retailers to use customer data to fulfill personalization expectations at scale, but only a third of survey respondents are using AI capabilities such as intelligent knowledge bases, virtual agents, and chatbots. Looking ahead, more than half say they plan to increase investments in these areas.

"CX professionals in retail understand that today's customers expect highly personalized interactions whenever, and however, they may engage with a brand. They also understand that the AI tools required to meet and exceed those evolving preferences are available, yet most haven't implemented them at the necessary scale," said David Gardner, vice president of research & insights, Talkdesk. "This disconnect shows how critical AI can be as an investment for contact centers. Looking forward, our research indicates that CX leaders must find ways to address customer needs, while mapping out the future of the contact center in a way that leverages AI at scale and still keeps costs in check."

The Evolving Role of Agents

Agents are increasingly instrumental to retailers' business outcomes beyond customer satisfaction and net promoter scores. Talkdesk Research additionally shows that over 80% of retailers currently hold agents accountable to key performance indicators (KPIs), which includes new revenue generated. Nearly 90% of CX professionals further anticipate that customer relationship growth will be part of agent KPIs within the next five years.

When asked about te top challenges they face today, 42% of CX professionals equally cited: 1) consistently engaging across channels, 2) lack of capacity, and 3) effectively tailoring interactions. To overcome these obstacles and enable agents to rise to their potential as customer relationship stewards, retailers need to explore contact center technologies, including digital channels, speech analytics, and AI-enabled next-best-action tools.







"The key to unlocking the potential of agents in the new 'agent+AI' paradigm will ultimately be the level of support from executive leadership," said Shannon Colquhoun, vice president of industry strategy, retail and e-commerce, Talkdesk. "The entire organization should align around the role contact centers play in business growth, with investments in technologies like AI taking into account the input from agents who are in direct connection with customers and understand their needs. This healthy paradigm can elevate contact center technologies as drivers of better outcomes from the agents, customers, and the entire business."

For more insights on the future of AI in retail contact centers, download the report, Powering Retail Growth: AI and the Next Generation of Contact Centers.

Methodology

In June 2021, Talkdesk Research conducted an online survey of qualified retail CX professionals across different global markets, including: the U.S., Canada, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the U.K., and Brazil. A total of 200 survey respondents were involved in the research, consisting of CX professionals representing retail and ecommerce companies with more than 200 full-time employees. CX professionals included leadership and management for customer experience, customer service, CX operations, contact center, and IT, as well as contact center agents.

Additional Resources

Social Networks

About Talkdesk

Talkdesk is a global customer experience leader for customer-obsessed companies. Our contact center solution provides a better way for businesses and customers to engage with one another. Our speed of innovation and global footprint reflect our commitment to ensure businesses everywhere can deliver better customer experiences through any channel, resulting in higher customer satisfaction, cost savings and profitability. Talkdesk CX Cloud is an end-to-end customer experience solution that combines enterprise scale with consumer simplicity. Over 1,800 innovative companies around the world, including IBM (News - Alert) , Acxiom, Trivago, and Fujitsu partner with Talkdesk to deliver a better way to great customer experience. Learn more and request a demo at www.talkdesk.com

Talkdesk is a registered trademark of Talkdesk, Inc. All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005265/en/
[September 01, 2021] Doo Group Offers Scholarship Opportunities At King's College London

LONDON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Doo Group has collaborated with King's College London to offer a scholarship that will address and relieve students' hardships as they pursue a rounded educational experience. Through the Doo Bursary that was established in 2021, Doo Group seeks to provide financial support and assistance to students with financial difficulties that might otherwise prevent them from furthering their education. In essence, the scholarship facilitates the education journey of 10 eligible aspiring students to fufil their educational dream at King's in all aspects of skill sets and industry.



It is open to students who wish to enroll in a first degree for three years in the university, commencing from the academic session of 2021/2022 to 2024/2025. To apply, applicants must meet the eligibility and criteria of the institution. A total of 10,000 will be awarded per year for three years to facilitate their tuition fees. Prospective students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

For more information on the scholarship and to apply, please visit https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees-and-funding/student-funding/scholarships-and-bursaries/2021-22/doo-bursary-2021. King's College London is a highly renowned institution that is ranked in the top 10 universities in the United Kingdom for its academic prestige. Doo Group Gives Back To Community Doo Group is beyond excited to be able to allow eligible students to follow their dreams, and connect to limitless opportunities. This corresponds with Doo Group's corporate social responsibility program in giving back to the community. While developing our global business portfolio, we understand that business profits should not be the only goal of a company; it is equally important to live up to corporate social responsibility (CSR). Since the establishment of Doo Group in 2014, we have been actively coordinating resources from all parties to contribute to the public through various means. After years of development, the Doo Group has become a large fintech-motivated financial service group, comprised of affiliates including Doo Clearing, Doo Financial, Doo Prime, and Doo Tech. Doo Group is committed in serving individuals and institutional customers around the world with innovative trading brokerage services for securities, futures, Contract For Differences (CFDs), and other financial products. SOURCE Doo Group

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[September 01, 2021] Eutelsat's EUTELSAT 172B Selected by Lintasarta to Support Rural Connectivity Services in Indonesia

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) (Paris:ETL) and Lintasarta (News - Alert) , a premier service provider, have signed a contract for capacity on EUTELSAT 172B to support connectivity services in Indonesia. Lintasarta will be leveraging the unparalleled coverage of the EUTELSAT 172B satellite to fulfil the commitment to close the digital divide in the rural areas of Indonesia. This agreement highlights the integral role of satellite in providing a complete connectivity solution to end users. Lintasarta, a prestigious Information and Communication Technology (ICT) total solutions company in Indonesia, introduces various beneficial ICT solutions for many industries, including digital companies (marketplace), banking, finance non-bank, supply chain, resources, hospitality, healthcare, education, transportation, and government. Commenting on the agreement, Philippe Oliva, Eutelsat's (News - Alert) Chief Commercial Officer said: "We are honored to be selected by Lintasarta in this crcial mission. This contract perfectly showcases the relevance of satellite as a key component in the infrastructure to bring connectivity to the most remote areas as well as the attraction of our 172orbital position."



CEO Lintasarta, Arya Damar said: "We are delighted to partner with Eutelsat to address the digital divide in rural Indonesia, and to fulfil our commitment to the Government-backed effort to get everyone connected." About Eutelsat Communications

Founded in 1977, Eutelsat Communications is one of the world's leading satellite operators. With a global fleet of satellites and associated ground infrastructure, Eutelsat enables clients across Video, Data, Government, Fixed and Mobile Broadband markets to communicate effectively to their customers, irrespective of their location. Around 7,000 television channels operated by leading media groups are broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped for DTH reception or connected to terrestrial networks. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat assembles 1,200 men and women from 50 countries who are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service.

For more about Eutelsat go to www.eutelsat.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005067/en/

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[September 01, 2021] FDS Amplicare Announces New Vaccine Registry Reporting & Querying Capabilities

FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, FDS Amplicare announced a new vaccine registry and querying capabilities, enabling users to more easily submit patient vaccination information to required state registries. The new software add-on streamlines the overall vaccination process and moves important patient information into the hands of vaccine administrators more quickly and efficiently and better enabling community pharmacists  especially in rural and underserved areas  to deliver life-saving vaccines. In the past, pharmacists were required to visit a separate online portal to submit a patient's vaccination information to the appropriate state registry. The new vaccine registry add-on allows them to submit information directly from FDS Amplicare's platform. Streamlining this process not only saves the pharmacist time; it also improves the accuracy of patient records by ensuring the process can be easily and quickly completed at the time and point of service. "Community pharmacies will play a leading role in vaccinating the country during the upcoming flu season," said Jason Ausili, Pharm.D., Chief Clinical Officer for FDS Amplicare. "We are excited to offer the nation's most accessible health care providers another lever that will help them scale vccination operations and reach more people in the coming months."



The vaccine registry add-on also adds helpful querying capabilities in most state immunization information systems (IIS), enabling pharmacists to quickly see a patient's vaccination history within a particular IIS jurisdiction. In many cases, it also provides a vaccination forecast based on guidelines set by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). As individuals begin receiving their third COVID-19 vaccine dose this fall, the new feature allows pharmacies to query their state registries to see which of their patients are eligible for the vaccine. "Having one less platform to navigate every day helps streamline the overall vaccination process," said Mark McCurdy, RPh, owner of Mark's Pharmacy in Cambridge, Nebraska and an FDS Amplicare client. "By coupling vaccination reporting and querying with the clinical documentation process, we are able to save time that can be reinvested in delivering more vaccinations."

At the beginning of the pandemic, FDS Amplicare helped pharmacies boost their clinical care services (including testing and vaccinations) by offering new medical billing and clinical documentation solutions. This latest add-on provides another means of saving time and resources to put toward vaccination efforts and other clinical care. For more information about FDS Amplicare, visit www.fdsamplicare.com. About FDS Amplicare FDS Amplicare strengthens the health of pharmacies and their patients. Through the delivery of innovative software products and services, we enable the evolution of the clinically focused New Era Pharmacy, empowering our clients to provide comprehensive pharmacy and clinical care services for their communities. Read more about FDS Amplicare at fdsamplicare.com. Media Contact: Kim Warth, Amendola Communications, kwarth@acmarketingpr.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fds-amplicare-announces-new-vaccine-registry-reporting--querying-capabilities-301367178.html SOURCE FDS Amplicare

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[September 01, 2021] FinancialForce Named Best SaaS Product for Business Accounting or Finance by 2021 SaaS Awards

FinancialForce, the leading provider of customer-centric business applications across finance, services, and customer success teams, has been selected as a winner in the 2021 SaaS Awards Program in the Best SaaS (News - Alert) Product for Business Accounting or Finance category. The SaaS Awards is a software awards program which celebrates innovation and excellence. It accepts entries from across the world, including the US, Canada, UK, Australasia and EMEA. "It is an honor to be named a winner in the 2021 SaaS Awards," said Dan Brown, Chief Product & Strategy Officer, FinancialForce. "This recognition is validation of our goal at FinancialForce to give all users a complete, customer-centric view of their business, running on the leading cloud platform, Salesforce. With a single customer account record, you get a trusted source of truth to help you streamline your business and put your customers at the center of everything you do. We are grateful for the success we have achieved and continue to stay dedicated to furthering innovation and providing efficient solutions for our customers." SaaS Awards judge Christopher Southall described FinancialForce as "an offering that fully understands the needs of the modern business and the complex issues around legacy account systems -- but also the new accounting systems delivered by lon standing providers. FinancialForce's service addresses business needs and delivers a comprehensive accounting product that stands out from the rest."



Southall added, "The modern cloud base architecture reduces the need for complex and time-consuming integrations. The level of insight provided by FinancialForce alone beats hands down what a lot of multibillion, multinational companies can achieve now even with highly specialised Business Intelligence teams. Really impressive dashboarding provided as standard and a powerful dashboard builder tool. Blue-sky thinking on how to deal with real-world financial issues and the need for a financial system to be more than just a financial system. The linkage at the customer level is unique, insightful, and highly valuable to business." Head of Operations for the SaaS Awards, James Williams, said, "So far, 2021 has been a year of transformative growth for successful organizations, with disruptive change across most areas of business."

About FinancialForce FinancialForce accelerates business growth with customer-centric ERP, Professional Services Automation (PSA), and Customer Success Operations solutions. Run on the leading cloud platform, Salesforce, FinancialForce enables organizations to see their customers in full color, to unlock customer insights, deliver innovative experiences, run a digital business, and achieve agility and resilience. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, FinancialForce is backed by Advent International, Salesforce Ventures, and Technology Crossover Ventures. For more information, visit www.financialforce.com. Most adopted PSA solution in SPI Research's 2021 PS Maturity Benchmark; most adopted PSA solution by Technology Services Industry Association in 2020; leader in IDC (News - Alert) MarketScape for Worldwide SaaS and Cloud-Enabled Midmarket Finance and Accounting Applications, 2020; #1 PSA by G2. About the SaaS Awards The SaaS Awards is a sister program to the Cloud Awards, which was founded in 2011. The SaaS Awards focuses on recognizing excellence and innovation in software solutions. About the Cloud Awards The Cloud Awards is an international program which has been recognizing and honoring industry leaders, innovators and organizational transformation in cloud computing since 2011. The awards are open to large, small, established and start-up organizations from across the entire globe, with an aim to find and celebrate the pioneers who will shape the future of the Cloud. Categories include the Software as a Service award, Most Promising Start-Up, and "Best in Mobile" Cloud Solution. Finalists are selected by a judging panel of international industry experts. For more information about the Cloud Awards and SaaS Awards, please visit https://www.cloud-awards.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005364/en/

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[September 01, 2021] FINCAD Announces Women in Finance 2021 Award Winner

FINCAD, a pioneer in providing pricing, modeling, and risk analytics, today announced the winner of its 2021 Women in Finance Scholarship. The winner, Diana Laura Alvarez Vizcarra from Mexico, will receive a $20,000 award to support her continuing education as she studies for her Master of Science in Computational Financial Mathematics at University of Edinburgh. Traditionally, the financial sector has largely been a male-dominated industry. According to a 2019 analysis from Deloitte (News - Alert) , women accounted for just under 22 percent of leadership roles at U.S. financial services firms. Additionally, about 30 percent of senior officials and managers in the finance and insurance industries were women, according to data from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. These numbers drop even more for women of color in the finance industry. * Started in 2014, the FINCAD Women in Finance Scholarship is designed to support outstanding women in the financial world pursuing advanced degrees, particularly in the areas of financial asset management, market risk management and derivatives finance within capital markets. A $20,000 USD award is given to one woman annually to help support her graduate-level studies in Finance. Half of the award is paid directly to the winner and the remaining half is paid directly to her educational institution to assist with tuition. Female applicants from all countries who are enrolled in a post-graduate program (master's or PhD) in Finance at an accredited university are encouraged to apply. All applicants must be enrolled and attending the program on a full-time basis during the 2021 - 2022 academic year. "The candidates for the 2021 scholarship represented a diverse cross-section of talent and expertise," said Mark D'Arcy, CEO of FINCAD. "Every applicant brought something unique to the table, including a phenomenally wide array of educational and career goals. It was difficult to narrow down our choice to just one, but Diana's story, experience, and goals kept rising to the top with our selection committee. I couldn't be happier with the response to our program and this year's winner." >



"I want to continuously update my industry knowledge and my skills in new technologies, combining my graduate studies and my professional career to address future challenges and make a positive impact," Vizcarra said. "The master's in computational financial mathematics is my best option to make an impact and to become a risk manager."

After studying actuarial sciences, Alvarez found a passion for quantifying the uncertainty in financial risks and potential future costs. She completed her social service in the National Bank of Foreign Trade, refining her skills in analyzing and evaluating hedges in bonds and swaps. Her resume also includes time with the Mexican Stock Exchange, providing pricing services, calculating value at risk, and determining yield curves. She designed a software suite to simulate asset prices in stress scenarios before being hired as a risk analyst. She soon earned a position as a credit risk manager where she developed credit strategies and scoring models to mitigate losses and fraud. As she counts down the days to the beginning of her graduate studies, she is proposing new tools and systems to better underwrite, oversee, and manage loans through Genworth. She is also designing risk mitigation actions, including the integration of pricing and models, and a new methodology based on the Vasicek model. "My next big challenge is to modify and validate the processes to adjust to Basel III, and to analyze and measure its impacts," Alvarez said. "Once I complete my studies, my goal is to be the leader of a risk management team. Mexicans face many barriers, including gender inequality, and access to graduate education. I want to support gender-inclusive economic development by developing projects focused on innovation and decision-making through technology. I want to solve problems and ultimately make a difference in someone's life." For more information about FINCAD's Women in Finance Award visit: https://fincad.com/about#women-in-finance About FINCAD

Backed by more than 30 years of experience, FINCAD is a pioneer in providing pricing, modeling and risk analytics to financial institutions such as asset management firms, banks, insurance companies, hedge funds as well as over 75 Alliance Partners. From the most basic to the bespoke, FINCAD has the financial engineering expertise to address any derivative challenge. FINCAD empowers global organizations to optimize risk and return through simplified and direct control over the valuation and analytics of derivatives. With the most precise, transparent and scalable technologies for pricing derivatives and fixed-income products, FINCAD's highly dedicated customer support team goes above and beyond to help customers achieve their goals. FINCAD is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. * Source (News - Alert) : https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/17/business/gender-equality-finance-industry.html View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005169/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Founders of Kopernio, Mendeley and Publons join forces and launch Cassyni to run and publish academic seminars

LONDON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The former founders of Kopernio, Mendeley and Publons have joined forces to launch a new company  Cassyni. This team demonstrates an outstanding track record in building and scaling software platforms in the scholarly-tech space, which have improved the professional lives of millions of academics, scientists and researchers around the world. With the launch of Cassyni, the team seeks to address a previously underserved problem in research: the discovery, organisation and publication of academic seminars. Seminars are a critical part of the research ecosystem, with more than a million held each year. They are a key part of research culture allowing academics to share ideas, often while they are still in development. During the pandemic, in-person seminars have become difficult to hold, but online meetings have opened up opportunities to increase the reach and impact of academic seminars. Cassyni is a smart online video seminar space - making it much easier for researchers to create, capture and publish content and recordings of academic seminars in a cohesive and transparent manner. The full interactive potential of seminars is currently not being realized due to the lack of suitable workflow solutions for seminar organizers, speakers and attendees. This results in the ad-hoc use of disjointed and unsuitable tools, leading to wasted researcher effort, fragmentation of the seminar landscape and lost academic discourse. Cassyni launches with customers from research departments and journals around the world, and with Te Herenga WakaVictoria University of Wellington in New Zealand as a founding partner for their institutional offering. Researcers organize, host, run and publish their own seminars, and assign them with a DOI so they can be cited by the academic community and also discover seminars of interest and join live or watch recordings of past seminars.



Ben Kaube said: "Academic seminars are one of the main ways that researchers collaborate, communicate and disseminate their latest findings and provide an accelerated and early route to communicating scholarly research. With Cassyni researchers can now increase their visibility and impact by making their academic seminars easily citable via DOIs - it's an additional and faster way to get cited." Academic institutions increase the global impact and reach of their research by providing institution-wide access to Cassyni. Institutions can much better support the growth of research communities and amplify the international reach and impact of seminars via dedicated institutional analytics and comparisons. Improving the online seminar infrastructure within the university can bring together members of a department or multi-disciplinary teams to build a more cohesive research culture.

Institutions are increasingly making it a priority to tell their story and share their research globally through online video services, not just in response to the pandemic, but also to lower their carbon footprint to support the fight against climate change. Professor Margaret Hyland, Vice-Provost (Research) at Wellington's University said: "We are excited to be Cassyni's launch partner, making their suite of seminar organisation tools available to our researchers. Even before Covid-19 we were looking at low-carbon alternatives to travel. We believe that Cassyni will help to grow the reach and impact of our research, and allow others to benefit from our extensive experience. We are particularly proud to be launching a flagship research series, 'Te Herenga Waka' (our Maori name), covering climate resilience, governing for the future, creativity and matauranga Maori  indigenous research, bringing a distinctively New Zealand perspective on issues of global relevance." Leading journals are already engaging with their authors and journal communities by hosting seminars on Cassyni. For example, the Journal of Computational Physics (Elsevier) is running author-led discussions of highly impactful papers on Cassyni. Journals can also provide this as a service to their authors, further helping them to amplify their research impact, improving transparency and ultimately accelerating research. To try Cassyni, visit https://cassyni.com . View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/founders-of-kopernio-mendeley-and-publons-join-forces-and-launch-cassyni-to-run-and-publish-academic-seminars-301366459.html SOURCE Cassyni

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[September 01, 2021] ICE to launch Micro MSCI USA and Micro MSCI Europe Index Futures on ICE Futures Singapore

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE), a leading global provider of data, technology, and market infrastructure, and MSCI Inc. (NYSE:MSCI), a leading provider of mission-critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community, today announced an extension of their existing license agreement to ICE Futures Singapore. As part of this, ICE plans to launch micro sized futures contracts based on the MSCI USA and MSCI Europe Index on ICE's Singapore-based exchange on October 11, 2021. The micro futures contracts, which are denominated in US Dollars, allow investors across Asia to access US and European equity markets on a single platform in a cost-efficient manner. Their small contract size (equivalent to a notional value of around USD $20,000) allows for granular trading and precise risk management. The indices are designed to be representative of each region's large and mid-cap equities. While the MSCI USA index represents the US equity opportunity set, the MSCI Europe Index covers 15 developed-market countries in Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK). "MSCI is committed to providing tools, services and insights for investors, empowering them to manage their portfolios for better outcomes," said George Harrington, Global Head of Derivatives Licensing at MSCI. "We are pleased to work with ICE to bring enhanced trading and risk management solutions for investors in Asia who seek to capture opportunities in the US and European markets." "ICE is leveraging its strong partnership with MSCI to offer investors a way to trade global equities from Singapore, designed to meet demand within Asia for smaller sized contracts," said Lucas Schmeddes, President, ICE Futures Singapore. "Tailored for the Asian market, ICE Futures Singapore connects regional and international participants on its platform to unlock trading opportunities and provide access to global markets." The Micro MSCI USA and Micro MSCI Europe Index futures contracts will trade alongside other contracts on ICE Futures Sngapore which include Micro Asia Tech 30 Index futures, Bakkt Bitcoin futures, as well as cash settled Mini Brent Crude, Mini US Dollar Index, Mini US Dollar/Offshore Renminbi, and Mini US Dollar/Singapore Dollar futures.



ICE lists more than 100 futures contracts on MSCI indices, capturing the entire equity opportunity set across benchmarks including the MSCI ACWI, World, Emerging Markets and EAFE down to country-specific, sector and factor indices. To learn more about MSCI Index futures, please visit: https://www.theice.com/equity-index/msci and https://www.theice.com/equity-index/msci/micro-msci. MSCI and the MSCI indexes are trademarks and service marks of MSCI Inc. or its affiliates and are used under license. About Intercontinental Exchange

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE) is a Fortune 500 company that designs, builds and operates digital networks to connect people to opportunity. We provide financial technology and data services across major asset classes that offer our customers access to mission-critical workflow tools that increase transparency and operational efficiencies. We operate exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, and clearing houses that help people invest, raise capital and manage risk across multiple asset classes. Our comprehensive fixed income data services and execution capabilities provide information, analytics and platforms that help our customers capitalize on opportunities and operate more efficiently. At ICE Mortgage Technology, we are transforming and digitizing the U.S. residential mortgage process, from consumer engagement through loan registration. Together, we transform, streamline and automate industries to connect our customers to opportunity. Trademarks of ICE and/or its affiliates include Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, ICE block design, NYSE and New York Stock Exchange. Information regarding additional trademarks and intellectual property rights of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and/or its affiliates is located here. Key Information Documents for certain products covered by the EU Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products Regulation can be accessed on the relevant exchange website under the heading "Key Information Documents (KIDS)." Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -- Statements in this press release regarding ICE's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE's Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC (News - Alert) ) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the SEC on February 4, 2021. ICE- CORP

Source (News - Alert) : Intercontinental Exchange View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005495/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Instem Acquires PDS Life Sciences to Help Clients Bring Life Enhancing Products to Market Faster and More Efficiently

Instem, a leading provider of IT solutions and services to the global life sciences market, announced today that it has acquired PDS Life Sciences (PDS) as part of its mission to enable clients to bring their life enhancing products to market faster. This further consolidation by Instem of key application areas will help customers streamline and accelerate their research and development processes, while enabling clients to access data from across the R&D continuum, increasing the power of current and future in silico modelling and prediction solutions. Headquartered in Switzerland, with offices in the United States and Japan, PDS has been a direct competitor of Instem, providing software and outsourced services for non-clinical study management and regulatory submissions using SEND (the Standard for the Exchange of Non-clinical Data). Seven of the world's top ten pharmaceutical companies rely on PDS, as do leading Contract Research Organizations, chemical companies, universities, and regulatory agencies. "This is good news for Instem, PDS and the entire industry," comments Gregor Grant, Executive Vice President at Instem. "For decades, both Instem and PDS have been providing innovative solutions that help organizations accelerate non-clinical development, and we have always been impressed with their highly experienced team. This acquisition will enable us to concentrate our investment into a single line of products, and we are looking forward to advancing what will be a very exciting roadmap. By combining our technologies and talents we will be able to more quickly develop and deliver solutions that provide even higher value to our clients." "This was a natural next step in our quest to help clients do more and go further than ever before," states Vicente Nogues, CEO at PDS. "Despite having been competitors, our mission, values and overall company cultures are aligned very well - which was the highest of priorities for PDS. As part of Instem, our clients will now have access tothe most comprehensive range of solutions available in the market today backed by excellent customer service, while our staff will enjoy additional opportunities for professional growth. Together with Instem, we are looking forward to advancing the ever-important mission of helping clients to bring their life enhancing products to market faster."



Instem expects to retain all staff and this acquisition will allow them to immediately increase their operational capacity. Plans are in place to rapidly integrate the PDS group into the Instem organization, which is made easier with the US offices of both organizations being closely located to one another in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The acquisition will also provide an important opportunity to combine teams operating in the significant Swiss/German and Japanese markets. "For many years both of our organizations have been contemplating the possibility of coming together and believe now is an ideal time for Instem, PDS, our clients and the wider industry," comments Reto Aerni, Sr. Executive of Business Development. "The PDS Leadership team is excited to join Instem and encouraged to become part of the most powerful and undisputed leaders across non-clinical. I firmly believe we will be better together under the Instem brand to help meet the demand by our clients for true strategic partners that can help transform their processes and accelerate critical research programs."

Instem sees the acquisition of PDS as another key step in its transformational growth strategy, extending its ability to further deliver solutions that meet the rapidly expanding needs of life science organizations for faster data-driven decision making, leading to safer, more effective products. This third acquisition of 2021, along with its strong organic growth, has now positioned Instem as the foremost authority and driving force in generating, analyzing and leveraging data from Discovery through late-stage Clinical Trials. Learn more about Instem's mission here. About Instem A global provider of leading software solutions and scientific insight services, Instem is helping clients to bring their life enhancing products to market faster. We enable organizations in the life sciences to more efficiently collect, report and submit high quality regulatory data, while offering them the unique ability to generate new knowledge through the extraction and harmonization of actionable scientific information. Every day, across the entire drug development value chain, Instem solutions are meeting the rapidly expanding needs of life science organizations for data-driven decision making, leading to safer, more effective products. Instem supports its global roster of clients through offices in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Japan, China, and India. LinkedIn

Twitter View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005303/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Kalkine Canada Advisory Services Inc. to launch its Kalkine IPO Research

TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kalkine Canada Advisory Services Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of its 'Kalkine IPO Research' that provides coverage on a varied range of global IPOs. Companies are going public globally like never before- cashing in on the record-high prices. Amidst the strong global capital market momentum and ample liquidity, traditional IPOs have come back to the fore. But what exactly is an IPO? Initial Public offering or IPO refers to the process by which a private company can become a publicly traded company through its share sale to the public for the first time. IPOs allows a company to raise money from the public investor. Before applying for an IPO, every company must meet all the requirements laid down by the respective country's exchange and securities market regulators. The product suie under Kalkine IPO Research provides an in-depth analysis of the most popular and attractive IPOs waiting to hit the street. In addition, it analyses the fundamentals and the key risks associated with the IPOs. This analysis becomes critical in answering the most basic question in every investor's mind- Does the IPO Offering look Attractive or Not?



Given this backdrop, Kalkine IPO Research provides insights through: Popular Offerings: The Kalkine IPO Research focuses on popular offerings being monitored closely by the market participants. The Research provides details of the issue price, lot size, float, and other subscription offerings. In-depth Analysis: Detailed analysis undertaken on the company's fundamentals, including its past performance, earnings quality, equity dilution, management team, key risks, growth catalyst etc., for better decision making. The Attractiveness of the IPO: Through its comprehensive analysis, the Kalkine IPO Research provides insights on the attractiveness of an IPO. This report assists the investors in getting relevant insights for further analysis on soon-to-be-listed companies that may have a sound business model & decent potential outlook. To summarize, Kalkine IPO Research is an easy to comprehend yet detailed analysis of the upcoming IPOs across the global markets. The research provides insights on businesses after carefully assessing sectoral trends, global demand and supply scenarios, fundamental analysis, outlook, potential, associated risks, etc. Please visit www.kalkine.ca for more details.

Contact details: honey.bhargava@kalkine.com.au Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1341740/Kalkine_Logo.jpg

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[September 01, 2021] Leaf Home to Award a Northeast Ohio Veteran with Stair Lift for Veterans Day

HUDSON, Ohio, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaf Home and Leaf Home Safety Solutions are saying thank you to America's military by giving away a stair lift to a chosen veteran in Northeast Ohio through its Veterans Day Stair Lift Giveaway. Entries will be accepted throughout September so the staff can install the stair lift in time for Veterans Day on November 11. To enter, participants must submit their information or that of a loved one, along with one-to-two sentences on how the stair lift will help them in their life. Jeff Collignon, President of Leaf Home Safety Solutions, will judge the entries. The top 50 will then be put into a computerized drawing for final selection. Interested applicants can visit the website for more details, terms, and conditions. There is no cost to enter.



"While many of us can't begin to imagine what injured veterans have gone through, we understand how important it is for them to maintain independence in their homes," said Collignon. "We are more than happy to help how we can to provide peace of mind to a veteran and their loved ones in our community through our products." Since its beginning, Leaf Home and its brands have dedicated efforts to giving transitioning service members a chance to continue their career journeys. In 2020, the company partnered with the Department of Defense SkillBridge program, which connects service members with civilian work opportunities. Leaf Home currently has more than 100 veterans on staff and has participated in various fundraising events throughout the years for nonprofits such as Wags 4 Warriors and Warriors on the Water.

"At Leaf, we're always looking for ways to support our veterans, be it through hiring, fundraising events, or initiatives such as this," said Stephen Roberts, Safety Manager at Leaf Home and U.S. Marine Corps veteran. "It's great to be able to come to leadership with ideas on how to best give back where we can, and this giveaway is a testament to that. As civilians, as veterans, and as employers, we can always do more for those who have served our country." The Veterans Day Stair Lift Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. EDT on September 30, 2021. Consumers can learn more details, including eligibility requirements and how to enter, by visiting www.leafhomesafetysolutions.com/contest. About Leaf Home Leaf Home is a leading technology-enabled provider of home solutions on a mission to transform home hassles into personal peace of mind. Leaf Home's experienced, dependable specialists provide end-to-end services directly to consumers through its core brands; LeafFilter Gutter Protection, Leaf Home Safety Solutions, Leaf Home Water Solutions, and Leaf Home Enhancements. With its corporate headquarters in Hudson, Ohio, Leaf Home delivers seamless, transformative home solutions for safer, easier, and more comfortable living every day. Live Comfortable. Live Safe. Live Happy. For more information, visit www.leafhome.com. Contact: media@leafhome.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leaf-home-to-award-a-northeast-ohio-veteran-with-stair-lift-for-veterans-day-301366636.html SOURCE Leaf Home

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[September 01, 2021] LifeWorks extends commitment to the Secondary School for Girls in Kakuma to 2025

LifeWorks, a leading provider of digital total wellbeing solutions, today announced it has renewed its financial commitment to the Secondary School for Girls in the Kakuma Refugee Camp, pledging to support with operating costs from 2021 to 2025. Since opening its doors in 2014, the school has successfully provided girls and young women with a safe and secure place to learn and is consistently named one of the top schools in northwestern Kenya based on national exam results. The Secondary School for Girls was founded with the mission of creating a better quality of life for young women in Kenya's Kakuma Refugee Camp, upon recognizing that many young girls were routinely denied access to education. Through a partnership with LifeWorks and UNHCR Canada, the UN Refugee Agency, the school has established a foundation of inclusive learning and furthered the education of young women across the region. With 336 students enrolled and 18 teachers on staff, the school closed for a period during COVID-19 but reopened on May 10, 2021, allowing returning students to complete their 2020 school year. Due to the pandemic's continued presence in Kenya and across the globe, the school has introduced new safety guidelines and enhancements, including:



Wearing reusable cloth masks and encouraging frequent handwashing;

Regular sanitation of classrooms, washrooms, dormitories and other common areas;

Establishing an isolation facility to prepare in advance for potential cases of COVID-19;

Adding more toilets to avoid congestion in the washroom during breaks; and

Conducting daily body temperature screenings of staff, students and visitors. Comments from president and chief executive officer, Stephen Liptrap:

"The pandemic has further intensified the need for education in developing countries. The resilience and positive advancements we have witnessed at the school is nothing short of inspiring. We know that many students at the school want to become doctors, scientists and journalists - to name a few - in order to better their communities and the world as a whole. Through our renewed commitment, we will continue creating more opportunities for young women to access the education they rightfully deserve, helping them to reach their fullest potential." For those interested in learning more or supporting the Secondary School for Girls in Kakuma, donations can be made through the UNHCR: https://www.unhcr.ca/about-us/partners/corporate-partners/lifeworks/.

About LifeWorks

LifeWorks is a world leader in providing digital and in-person solutions that support the total wellbeing of individuals. We deliver a personalized continuum of care that helps our clients improve the lives of their people and by doing so, improve their business. ID-CORP, ID-CAD View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005274/en/

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[September 01, 2021] LMS365 Earns ISO 27001 Certification

The learning platform is certified for its ongoing commitment to protecting company, end-user, and partner data AARHUS, Denmark, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, LMS365 announced that it has obtained its ISO 27001 certification for outstanding information security. This certification shows its clients, partners, and employees the company's dedication to continuous security of their data both within the LMS365 organization and its learning management platform. The ISO 27001 certification is an independent, expert assessment that demonstrates a mature security program and a commitment to keeping the data an organization manages secure. Today, ISO 27001 certification continues to represent an international standard for developing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an information security management system or ISMS. With the recent global shift to virtual and global collaboration, a higher level of attention and care is required when it comes to information security. The LMS365 team is committed to evolving and growing information security structures to best support our organizational operations, as well as the employees, clients, and users who trust the company to safeguard their information. Receiving the ISO 27001 certification from the ISO/IEC body is necessary for modern organizations. LMS365 is thrilled to add the ISO 27001 certification to its growing list of security validations, further showing its commitment to effective information security management to customers, partners and employees



The LMS365 app is also supported by Veracode Verified Continuous application security, which certifies that its systems operate securely and free of data vulnerabilities. Additionally, LMS365 is highlighted as a Microsoft Preferred Solution and was recently declared a Microsoft 365 Certified App after successfully meeting the highest level of security and compliance required by Microsoft.

Flemming Blabjerg, head of digital transformation & compliance, said: "For LMS365 customers, this certification is very important. It shows that we handle their applications, data, and information in a secure way and that we have been declared a trusted partner and organization when it comes to information security. For our employees, it shows that we can be trusted to develop, communicate, and operate internal operations through secure methods and practices. It all comes back to our core value of enabling trust within our organization and throughout our partnerships." About LMS365

LMS365 has 800+ enterprise and public customers with over 4 million users. 50+ trusted partners have implemented the solution in more than 40 countries, with customers in all sectors, and deployments ranging from a few hundred employees to 50,000+ employees. LMS365, a Microsoft Preferred Solution, is one of the fastest-growing cloud-based Learning Platform in the market today. LMS365 provides a modern, integrated, and familiar learning experience as learning is now made possible within Microsoft Teams, Mobile and SharePoint Online. LMS365 is fast to install, highly configurable, easy to use and fully integrated with the rest of your digital workplace, including Microsoft 365, SharePoint & Teams. Website: www.LMS365.com Media Contact:

Jennifer Janes

Marketing Manager

jj@lms365.com

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[September 01, 2021] Lynk Secures New Funding From UBS's Investment Bank to Integrate AI-driven Expert Access into its Clients' Investment Research Process

Lynk, an AI-driven Knowledge-as-a-Service platform, today announced expansion of its previously announced Series B to include new funding from UBS's Investment Bank business division. UBS's investment brings Lynk's total funding to date up to $35M, as the company plans to use the funds to expand its offerings and global reach. Led by the Principal Investments team within the UBS Investment Bank business division, this latest funding will further strengthen the collaboration between UBS and Lynk around the shared objective of helping customers make better, more informed investment and business decisions. "UBS has been at the forefront of innovation within the investment research space, and with Lynk's technology and knowledge platform, we're confident that this provides a robust solution for our clients to accelerate and inform their investment process," said Damien Horth, Head of UBS Global Research New Business Initiatives. "We're proud to double down on our collaboration by investing in Lynk's vision as a Knowledge-as-a-Service platform designed to break down knowledge barriers." As part of the existing strategic collaboration, the Global Markets team within UBS's Investment Bank business division have been introducing Lynk solutions to thousands of UBS's institutional investor clients, who can integrate access to Lynk's vast network of over 840,000 global experts into their investment research process. Lynk also features top-ranked1 UBS Global Research analysts as experts on its platform across certain sectors. This allows Lynk customers to engage market leaing UBS experts for Q&As, consultations and executive briefings across themes such as ESG, Valuation and Accounting as well as industry trends and drivers in China, among others.



"This strategic investment from UBS validates our conviction on the increasing need for expert access and digitization in the research process for investors and businesses," said Peggy Choi, CEO and founder of Lynk. "We are also working together to innovate on our growing range of product and service offerings, and couldn't be more excited to continue collaborating together to innovate as a Knowledge-as-a-Service category leader." Lynk's proprietary technology is driven by an AI data engine that indexes individuals based on their experience and expertise to match users with subject matter experts on its platform for a variety of engagement formats, from a quick conversation to consulting project, to make knowledge sharing faster and easier than ever. The company provides superior global expert access solutions with Best-in-Asia coverage, providing deep insights and industry expertise for investors and business decision makers. More than 200 customers utilize Lynk's platform, including UBS, DuPont, Pernod Ricard, Honeywell, Ernst & Young, KPMG, Deloitte (News - Alert) , PwC, and more.

For more information about Lynk's strategic alliance with UBS, visit https://campaign.lynk.global/ubs. About Lynk Lynk powers the new knowledge economy by unlocking insights, experience and expertise of experts from around the world to help people and companies make better-informed decisions. Lynk's customers include Fortune 500 companies, the world's leading investment houses, global family offices, top professional services firms, governments and other organizations. The platform gives enterprises a fast, convenient and cost-effective way to connect with over 840,000 experts worldwide across all major industries. Lynk also provides companies with new, comprehensive knowledge management solutions, to consolidate their experts and networks all on the same platform. With 8 offices including New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Shanghai, and Toronto, Lynk has been a member of the World Economic Forum since 2019, and formed a global alliance with UBS in 2021. For more information, visit https://lynk.global/. About UBS UBS provides financial advice and solutions to wealthy, institutional, and corporate clients worldwide, as well as private clients in Switzerland. UBS's strategy is centered on our leading global wealth management business and our premier universal bank in Switzerland, enhanced by Asset Management and the Investment Bank. The bank focuses on businesses that have a strong competitive position in their targeted markets, are capital-efficient, and have an attractive long-term structural growth or profitability outlook. UBS is present in all major financial centers worldwide. It has offices in more than 50 regions and locations, with about 30% of its employees working in the Americas, 31% in Switzerland, 19% in the rest of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and 20% in Asia Pacific. UBS Group AG employs over 68,000 people around the world. 1 #1 Institutional Investor Global Equity Research 2017-2020. Source (News - Alert) : Institutional Investor View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005164/en/

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[September 01, 2021] MC900 Trade adds Vietnamese and Thailand languages this month

NICOSIA, Cyprus, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- New Asian broker MC900 Trade has announced that it has added Vietnamese and Thailand languages to its App this month, amid demands for trading in these regions. In line with its brand-new App, MC900 Trade now provides trading information in five languages. Founded on knowledge, expertise and a passion for trading the markets, the MC900 Trade team stated that it is no stranger to the financial markets. Led by a team of financial sector veterans, the MC900 Trade team said it understands the need for international expansion. However, the much-considered expansion into Vietnam and Thailand has been made in line with the additional support that they are able to offer traders including the ability to trade Forex, Metals & CFDs, MT4, a choice of ECN or Premium accounts, Negative Balance Protection, and a fully regulated environment. MC900 believe in supporting clients on their trading journey from start to finish. That means that from their first click onto their App through to trading, asking questions and overcoming challenges, they can assist. The additional languages stem from the demand seen by MC900 Trade and the positive financial outlook for the two countries. There are a number of tier one investors located in Vietnam, and it is important to understand th needs and behaviours of our clients. Investors tend to choose Vietnam because of its location at the heart of continental Asian. Indeed, Vietnam is expected to continue growing faster than the economies of Southeast Asian until at least 2030. Thailand is the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia, after Indonesia. Its per capita GDP (US$7,273.56) in 2018, however, ranks fourth in Southeast Asian per capita GDP.



The founders of MC900 Trade stated that they maintain a solid understanding of the global financial markets and forex trading in particular. They understand that regulation, accessibility and support are key to all traders regardless of their location. As a CySEC regulated broker, MC900 Trade adheres strictly to its governing rules to ensure the safety and protection of its traders. The team therefore aims to foster trader confidence, provide support at all levels and offer exceptional trading conditions. MC900 Trade said it believes that its commitment to traders is a large contributing factor in its recent popularity in Vietnam and Thailand, with customer support prioritised highly in the company's agenda.

MC900.com is a domain operated by Magic Compass Ltd. and MC900 Trade is a trading name used by Magic Compass Ltd.. Magic Compass Ltd. (MC900 Trade) a Company registered in Cyprus, registration number HE 341562 and regulated by CySEC (Licence Number 299/16), MC900 was founded by a group of like-minded professionals in the area of finance and information technology in 2008. It soon became one of the world's leading online forex brokers and became known for some of the industry's best trading conditions. With more than 10 years of experience in online trading, MC900 have tested many providers and present users at the lower table in our top 3. If you want to know more about MC900 APP, please visit :

WEBSITE: www.mc900.com

FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/MagicCompass.MC900

TWITTER : https://twitter.com/mc900_global

TELEGRAM : t.me/MC900_Trade SOURCE MC900 Trade

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[September 01, 2021] NAMB Welcomes Freedom Mortgage as Visionary Sponsor of NAMB National 2021

Freedom Mortgage, one of the largest full-service mortgage companies and the top VA and top FHA (government-insured) lender in the U.S., is proud to support the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) as a Visionary Sponsor of the NAMB National 2021 conference in October. "For over 30 years, Freedom Mortgage has worked with thousands of mortgage brokers from across the country, at firms large and small," said Keith Bilodeau, senior vice president of the wholesale division at Freedom Mortgage. "We are proud to support NAMB, which looks after our many mortgage professional clients and their homebuying customers." During NAMB National 2021, Bilodeau will moderate the panel discussion, "Back to Normal?" featuring Selma Hepp, executive of research and insights and deputy chief economist at CoreLogic, and Chris Whalen, chairman of Whalen Global Advisors, LLC. The panel will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 9. Kimber White, president of the NAMB Board of Directors, said, "Freedom Mortgage has been a great partner for decades. The company's generous support has enabled NAMB to organize a variety of events and programs to educate our members and give them the support they need to thrive in our industry." NAMB National 2021 attendees are welcome o visit Freedom Mortgage at booth #100/102 in the exhibit hall. For more information on NAMB National 2021 visit https://namb.org/page/NAMBNational2021.



About The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) NAMB is the voice of the mortgage industry representing the interests of mortgage professionals and homebuyers since 1973. NAMB members include small business owners, loan originators, account executives, and other industry professionals. NAMB provides mortgage professionals with advocacy, education opportunities and offers rigorous certification programs to recognize members with the highest levels of professional knowledge and education. NAMB's active lobbying and advocacy efforts focus on national and state issues, protecting the interests of its members and borrowers. As the leading national trade association for the mortgage industry, NAMB is affiliated with State Associations throughout the country and represents the interests of more than 910,000* licensed and registered Mortgage Loan Originators and 39,000* licensed mortgage broker and mortgage lender businesses. The Association hosts several meetings throughout the year. For more information, please visit Namb.org.

About Freedom Mortgage Corporation Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, Freedom Mortgage is a full-service mortgage company that provides mortgage loans through retail, wholesale, and correspondent channels. One of the nation's largest loan originators and servicers, the company is licensed in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Freedom Mortgage is the #1 VA and #1 FHA (government-insured) lender in the U.S. (Inside Mortgage Finance, Jan-Mar 2021) and one of the mortgage industry's largest philanthropic supporters of the USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. The company is also renowned for its vibrant work environment where its team members can thrive. The company's mission is to foster homeownership for all consumers across America. For more information, please visit FreedomMortgage.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005847/en/

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[September 01, 2021] OpsGuru Announces Expansion to Central and Eastern Canada and Welcomes Adam Chandani as VP, Sales

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 1, 2021 /CNW/ - Canadian cloud consulting company, OpsGuru, a Carbon60 company, announced the expansion of its leadership team and services to Central and Eastern Canada. This investment allows OpsGuru to expand the support of its clients across North America. As the Canadian AWS Consulting partner of the year for 2021, a Microsoft Gold Cloud Consulting partner and Google Cloud Premier partner, OpsGuru helps organizations accelerate their cloud transformation initiatives without limits. As part of the investments, industry veteran Adam Chandani will build and lead sales efforts as VP, Sales of OpsGuru. Through a wealth of experience in the cloud consulting industry and deep expertise in coud services spanning Mid-Market, Enterprise, Public Sector and SaaS organizations, Adam will assist OpsGuru clients by leveraging cloud technologies to transform their view of IT and establish new revenue streams.



"We are thrilled to welcome Adam Chandani as our VP, Sales for OpsGuru. Adam joins the extended team of over 60 people based in Ontario, and we look forward to continued investments across Canada. This expansion accelerates our vision to become the leading end-to-end multi-cloud service provider, helping Canadian companies plan, migrate, and operate successfully in the cloud," said John Witte, President & CEO at Carbon60. Year over year, OpsGuru has grown its team of cloud-certified professionals by 306% and revenues by 400%, along with helping hundreds of customers leverage cloud technologies. As both an innovator and partner on the cloud journey, OpsGuru has proven success assisting clients in operating production workloads on public clouds with confidence and peace of mind.

What This Means for OpsGuru Customers As Canada's leading multi-cloud experts, OpsGuru's services expand to Central and Eastern Canada , with an extended team of over 60 based in Ontario .

leading multi-cloud experts, OpsGuru's services expand to Central and , with an extended team of over 60 based in . OpsGuru's new VP of Sales, Adam Chandani , will leverage his deep experience in the cloud consulting industry and building world-class sales teams to successfully navigate Canadian clients through their cloud journey. OpsGuru, a Carbon60 Company OpsGuru, a Carbon60 company, is Canada's leading certified consulting partner for Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure - specializing in Cloud Adoption, Application Modernization, Kubernetes Enablement, Managed Cloud Operations, Cloud Security and Data Analytics services. Acquired by Carbon60 in 2021, the combined company is Canada's leading end-to-end cloud consulting and managed services provider. For more information, visit www.opsguru.io. SOURCE OpsGuru

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[September 01, 2021] Payments Canada launches Lynx, Canada's new high-value payment system

Launch represents another milestone in payments innovation

OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 1, 2021 /CNW/ - Payments Canada announces today the launch of the first release of Lynx, Canada's new high-value payment system. Lynx is replacing the Large Value Transfer System (LVTS), which has served as Canada's high-value payment system for over 20 years.

Designated by the Bank of Canada as a systemically important payment system under the Payment Clearing and Settlement Act, Lynx will process large value, time-critical payments (i.e. wire payments) with real-time settlement finality and will provide enhanced cyber security and resiliency capabilities. Lynx has been designed with flexibility to support future technologies, including interfaces and APIs.

"The payments ecosystem is rapidly evolving. Our role at Payments Canada is to support the innovation of payments infrastructure and rules to make payments easier, smarter, and safer for all Canadians," said Tracey Black, President and CEO at Payments Canada. "Lynx is an integral part of our broader payments Modernization initiative to deliver the future of payments for Canada. The launch of Lynx represents a significant collaborative effort between Payments Canada, our member participants, our technology partners IBM and SIA, and the Bank of Canada".

"Canada's economic and financial welfare depends critically on payment systems that operate behind the scenes," said Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem. "It's essential that Canada has a modern and robust wholesale payments system, and so, after much preparation, I'm very pleased to see the arrival of Lynx. The launch of Lynx is an important step in making sure Canada's financial system remains secure, stable and efficient in today's rapidly evolving economy."

Lynx will be owned and operated by Payments Canada and overseen by the Bank of Canada. It will be used to send and receive high-value payments by the following participants and their customers:







ATB Financial

Bank of America

Bank of Canada

Bank of Montreal (BMO)

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

BNP Paribas (Canada)

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)

Central 1 Credit Union Federation des caisses Desjardins du Quebec (FCDQ)

HSBC Bank Canada

ICICI Bank Canada

Laurentian Bank of Canada (LBC)

National Bank of Canada (NBC/BNC)

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)

State Street

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)

A second release, planned for late 2022, will introduce the ISO 20022 message standard. ISO 20022 allows for data-rich payments which will support the introduction of new products and services, and the digitization of manual and paper-based processes related to invoicing and payment reconciliation. The introduction of the ISO 20022 message standard will assist Canadian financial institutions in meeting SWIFT's ISO 20022 global requirements. ABOUT PAYMENTS CANADA Payments Canada is a public purpose organization that owns and operates Canada's payments systems, Lynx and the Automated Clearing and Settlement System (ACSS). Payments Canada is responsible for the physical infrastructure and the associated bylaws, rules, and standards that support these systems. It also has a duty to promote the efficiency, safety, and soundness of Canada's payments systems while taking into account the interests of end users. In 2020, Payments Canada's systems cleared and settled over $107 trillionmore than $420 billion every business day. Transactions that pass through these systems include debit card payments, pre-authorized debits, direct deposits, bill payments, wire payments and cheques initiated and received by Canadians and Canadian businesses. Payments Canada is working closely with the payments ecosystem to modernize Canada's payments systems to ensure Canada and Canadian businesses remain globally competitive.

CONTRIBUTED QUOTES "The development and implementation of Lynx is a significant step towards the future of Canadian payments. This new, modern payment system sets the stage for ATB Financial to deliver data-enriched payment messages that will significantly benefit Albertans and Alberta businesses. ATB Financial is proud to work alongside Payments Canada and the other financial institutions involved in achieving this major milestone to advance the payment ecosystem, and continue to ensure payments are safe and secure for all Canadians." - Ryan Rabin, Vice President, Payments, ATB Financial "As a founding member of Canada's high-value clearing system more than two decades ago, Bank of America is pleased to work with Payments Canada as it launches Lynx, which will support the bank's ongoing commitment to deliver payments innovation to our clients." - Leslie Konecny, Head of Product for Global Transactional Services in Canada, Bank of America "BMO is proud to be part of the collaborative effort to introduce Lynx to the payments ecosystem that will benefit all Canadian consumers and businesses, our economy and Canada's global competitive position. We are excited about the opportunities that Lynx and other modernization initiatives underway will bring to our customers including faster, simpler and data-rich payments while enabling platforms for future innovation and growth." - Derek Vernon, Vice President, Head, Enterprise Payments Modernization, BMO Financial Group and Industry Chair, Payments Canada Industry Steering Committee BNP Paribas (Canada Branch) is proud to partner in Payments Canada's Modernization program through its transition from the current LVTS clearing system to Lynx. As part of BNP Paribas' ongoing commitment to serve our corporate and institutional clients, and evidenced by the continued investment in our Canadian platform, we look forward to leveraging Lynx's real-time settlement capabilities to execute fast and efficient payment transactions for the benefit of our clients and their business needs. - Anindo Chakrabarty, Head of Payments and Clearing Canada, BNP Paribas "Central 1, on behalf of the Group Clearer, is pleased to be among the 16 direct participants working with Payments Canada and Bank of Canada to implement this important new system for high value payments that anchors almost every payment made in Canada. This initiative, in the making now for several years, has been an example of national collaboration between financial institutions and regulators to ensure a seamless transition. The renewal of this piece of Canada's economic infrastructure sets Canada's financial institutions, including credit unions, on an exciting new chapter of safety, security, and innovation in payments." - Arvind Sharma, Chief Payments and Digital Banking Platforms & Experiences, Central 1 "CIBC is proud to be part of this collaborative effort to ensure greater speed, security and innovation in Canada's payments infrastructure. The launch of Lynx lays a strong foundation for data-rich payments in Canada, which supports the current and future needs of our clients." - Alison James, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Payments, CIBC "Launching Lynx is a big step for payment systems modernization at Desjardins. This initiative could not have succeeded without the hard work and dedication of all our partners. Our next challenge will focus on integrating ISO 20022 messages." - Patrice Dagenais, Payment Modernization Program Promoter, Desjardins "HSBC Bank Canada is pleased to partner with Payments Canada, the Bank of Canada, and the financial industry on the national deployment of Lynx, Canada's new Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system. The launch of Lynx will provide security and resilience for our payments system over the coming years, while enabling the flexibility required to provide increasingly better services for Canadians and ensuring our economy remains competitive internationally. HSBC Bank Canada is proud to be part of this key milestone in modernizing our country's payment ecosystem." - Jude Leclerc, Country Head of GLCM Product, Global Liquidity and Cash Management, HSBC Bank Canada "As the lead technology partner and overall systems integrator in the development of Lynx, IBM provides deep payments expertise along with the security and resiliency necessary for this systemically important payment system. We have leveraged our global experience and our leadership in Canada's payments ecosystem to help modernize this essential infrastructure for banking in Canada." - Claude Guay, President and General Manager, IBM Canada "ICICI Bank Canada is privileged to be part of this journey to modernize the Canadian payment industry, led by Payments Canada. The new Lynx payment system enables us to process large-value and time-critical payments with enhanced security and flexibility to support APIs. This augments ICICI Bank Canada's product suite to better serve its retail and corporate customers with increased resilience and speed." - Sandeep Goel, President and CEO, ICICI Bank Canada ''We are incredibly pleased to partner with Payments Canada and other industry members on the Lynx project. This is a world-class, safe, flexible, and modern, real-time payments solution that was built in compliance with international risk standards and Laurentian Bank is proud to be among the first implementers of Lynx in Canada." - Sarim Farooqi, Senior Vice President and Treasurer, Laurentian Bank of Canada. "The launch of Lynx will ensure the Canadian payments system remains robust and resilient over the coming years, while allowing all Canadian financial institutions to provide better customer service and remain competitive internationally. We're very proud of this key step in modernizing our country's payment ecosystem." - Patrice Roy, Vice President, Cash Management and International Solutions, National Bank of Canada "As part of RBC's ongoing commitment to payments innovation, we're pleased to implement Lynx  Payments Canada's new system replacing the existing Large Value Transfer System (LVTS). With this new system, our clients can continue to manage their capital needs with the reassurance of payment finality in line with global risk standards. RBC's implementation of Lynx also provides an important foundation and more flexibility for us to innovate and integrate with advanced technologies and different payment infrastructures in the future as our clients' needs and the global payment landscape evolves." - Lisa Lansdowne-Higgins, Senior Vice President, Business Deposits, RBC "The launch of Lynx is foundational for future payment innovations in Canada. Our continued investment in delivering modernized payments enables us to deliver new value to our clients, while continuing to keep payments safe and secure for all Canadians. Scotiabank is proud to be part of this major milestone in the ongoing transformation of the Canadian payments landscape." - Michael Zerbs, Group Head, Technology & Operations, Scotiabank "We are particularly proud to be part of the successful launch of the first release of Lynx, Canada's new high-value payment system. This is a further confirmation of our critical role as preferred technology partner delivering payments modernization initiatives and fulfilling the most advanced and complex needs of financial communities with our products and services. The establishment of the new Payments Canada core system marks the first ever project for SIA in North America where we plan to provide innovative solutions for the banking and financial sector. Our secure and reliable applications, together with our strong competences, currently support about 20 central institutions around the world to improve their own country's payments infrastructure in order to keep pace with the increasing speed of digital transformation." - Eugenio Tornaghi, Director of Marketing & Sales of SIA. SOURCE Payments Canada

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[September 01, 2021] PitchBook Named Best Workplace by Puget Sound Business Journal for the Seventh Year

SEATTLE, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PitchBook , the premier data provider for the private and public equity markets, today announced it was recognized as one of Washington's Best Workplaces by the Puget Sound Business Journal (PSBJ) in the category of businesses with more than 250 employees. Recipients are selected and ranked based on employee satisfaction surveys, which review benefit offerings, leadership transparency, workplace perks and more. A seventh-time winner, PitchBook placed 15th on the 2021 list. "A few of my many favorite things about PitchBook is our employees' commitment to our core values and cmpany culture. We are a tight-knit team that loves spending time together, which has made this pandemic a challenge," said John Gabbert, founder and CEO of PitchBook. "Despite the up-and-downs over the last year, our employees have leaned into our values and have never lost sight of our culture or mission, which is helping people win. We've proven we can treat customers as kings, focus on focus, drive excellence, embrace change and make it fun. I'm so proud of the company we've built together."



The Best Workplaces award factors in 30 items across six categories including communication and resources, trust in leadership, team dynamics, personal engagement and more. Companies that made the list had the highest composite scores in an employee survey administered by Quantum Workplaces on behalf of the Puget Sound Business Journal. Winners were honored during a special virtual ceremony on August 26. To be named a Best Workplace for seven years, it serves as a testament to PitchBook's ongoing commitment to enhancing its company culture and providing personal and professional growth opportunities for its employees. Despite working remotely through the pandemic, PitchBook hosted over 90 employee engagement events and conducted more than 13k hours of trainings across various programs such as diversity, equity and inclusion, leadership and management, technical training and more. The company also welcomed more than 200 new employees during the pandemic, who were successfully onboarded remotely. As PitchBook continues to grow, it will increase investment in programs that provide growth opportunities, promote diversity, equity and inclusion and give back to local communities.

About PitchBook PitchBook is a financial data and software company that provides transparency into the capital markets to help professionals discover and execute opportunities with confidence and efficiency. PitchBook collects and analyzes detailed data on the entire venture capital, private equity and M&A landscapeincluding public and private companies, investors, funds, investments, exits and people. The company's data and analysis are available through the PitchBook Platform, industry news and in-depth reports. Founded in 2007, PitchBook has offices in Seattle, San Francisco, New York and London and serves more than 50,000 professionals around the world. In 2016, Morningstar acquired PitchBook, which now operates as an independent subsidiary. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pitchbook-named-best-workplace-by-puget-sound-business-journal-for-the-seventh-year-301367229.html SOURCE PitchBook

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[September 01, 2021] Plaksha University, a technology university for the future, opens in Mohali

- Announces contemporary undergraduate degrees in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Cyber-Physical Systems, Biological Systems and Data Science - Stellar faculty and distinctive research centres, opens on October 4 NEW DELHI, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Plaksha University, being set up by over 60 entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the world with an investment of over Rs 2000 crore in the next ten years, announced that its 50 acre state-of-the-art campus in IT city, Mohali will open on Oct 4, 2021. Plaksha is being set up in collaboration with top universities like UC Berkeley, Purdue and SRI and will foster an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation in the region. Plaksha's vision is to focus on contemporary and interdisciplinary technology degrees, set up research centres around 'grand challenges' such as digital health, cyber security, data science, digital agriculture and manufacturing 4.0 and stimulate entrepreneurship with an aggressive vision of seeding over a 1000 startups in the next ten years. Plaksha has recruited stellar faculty with PhDs from Stanford, Cornell, Cambridge, Oxford, NTU, and IISc. The University aims to reimagine technology education and research for India and the world. Education at Plaksha will be interdisciplinary - integrating a technology core with design, entrepreneurship, and self-development. The university will offer four cutting-edge and contemporary B.Tech degrees. The programs are guided by an eminent academic board including Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee; Shankar Sastry, Former Dean of Engineering of UC Berkeley, Sriram Rajamani, Managing Director of Microsoft Research India; Julia Ross, Dean, Virginia Tech; and BN Jain of IIT Delhi Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Rudra Pratap, the Founding Vice Chancellor of Plaksha University (former Deputy Director of Indian Institute of Science) said, "At Plaksha we are reimagining technology education by bringing in a unique and differentiated curriculum. The current disciplines of engineering are built on the chassis of world war 2 and need reimagination. Our contemporary degrees reflect our thnking. Our campus will be a living lab where students will learn as much outside the classrooms as they do inside."



Plaksha University has not only partnered with renowned international institutions but is also looking to partner with leading corporates and industry to set up distinctive research centres focused on modern technologies. The well-equipped and state-of-the-art campus at Mohali is funded by a collective philanthropy effort involving industry leaders and entrepreneurs from organizations such as BCG, Bharti, Havells, Infoedge, Fractal Analytics, Nagarro, Mayfield, Arcesium, Apptio and many more. "Plaksha aims to reimagine engineering education by bringing in a curriculum that blends technology, entrepreneurship and design. At Plaksha, our students will have the opportunity to work on real problems, seed their ventures and get global exposure through our partners - University of California, Berkeley, and Purdue University. We will nurture technology leaders, with help solve some of the toughest challenges our planet faces. Our unique industry partnerships make us distinctive," said Vineet Gupta, Founder & Trustee, Plaksha University and MD, Jamboree Education.

A recent NASSCOM survey of high school students studying STEM subjects highlighted the key factors that students consider while choosing a college or university. For one-third of the respondents practical learning (78%) is the key factor followed by blended learning options (64%), exposure to global faculty (52%) and exchange programs and international collaborations (51%). It also found that students want emerging technologies such as AI, ML incorporated in curriculum. The survey report recommends that higher education institutions in STEM should focus - providing better industry exposure to students and blended learning. Founded by leading technology entrepreneurs, business leaders and corporates, Plaksha University is well aligned to meet the demand of new-age learners. Plaksha's immersive curriculum and interactive laboratories developed by eminent academicians from across the globe are designed to meet industry needs while preparing students to solve real-world problems. About Plaksha University: Plaksha University is one of India's largest collective philanthropy efforts to build a tech university of global eminence. Founded by 60+ technology and business leaders from 5 countries, Plaksha envisions to reimagine technology education and research for India and the world. With strong partnerships with UC Berkeley, Purdue, SRI International and IIT Kanpur Plaksha aims to create an entrepreneurial and research ecosystem creating a new generation of catalytic leaders. The university collapses the traditional boundaries of engineering and promotes interdisciplinary learning by combining technology, design and entrepreneurship. The leaders behind Plaksha include business leaders such as Neeraj Aggarwal, Chairman  Asia Pacific, BCG; Hitesh Oberoi, Co-promoter, MD & CEO, Info Edge (Naukri.com); Ashish Gupta, Founder, Benori Knowledge Solutions; CP Gurnani, MD & CEO, Tech Mahindra; Gagan Hasteer, VP, Content Engineering, Netflix; Manas Fuloria, Co-founder and CEO, Nagarro; Mohit Thukral, Founder and CEO, Vivtera Global Solutions; Pankaj Chaddah, Co-founder, Zomato; Pramod Bhasin, Chairman, Clix Capital; Sujeet Kumar, Co-founder, Udaan.com; Vineet Gupta, MD, Jamboree Education; Vineet Nayyar, Former Executive Vice Chairman, Tech Mahindra; Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman, Bharti Enterprises; Srikanth Velamakanni, Co-founder, Fractal Analytics, Anil Chawl, Co-Founder & Promoter, Clix Capital, Pranav Gupta, Co-Founder, Jamboree Education, Sameer Jain, Founder & CEO , Net Solutions, Sunny Singh, Partner, RoundGlass and Karan Gilhotra, Co-Chairman, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry among others. Corporate donors include companies like Bharti Foundation, Mphasis, Axis Bank, Havells and Motilal Oswal. The global community of business leaders who founded Plaksha can be seen here: https://plaksha.org/

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[September 01, 2021] RFOX Media Partners with Goama to Reach 20 Million Southeast Asians

MANILA, Philippines, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Southeast Asian based RFOX Media (a subsidiary of RedFOX Labs $RFOX ) has combined forces with, Goama , to address their combined audience of more than 20 million Southeast Asian residents and to go after the largely untapped gaming market in Myanmar. The deal will see prolific tournament game platform Goama, build and provide a casual game for RFOX Media in order to use play-to-win as an acquisition driver to the new

RFOX Media platform. RFOX Media acquired MYMEDIA Myanmar, one of the larger media players in Southeast Asia earlier this year, instantly giving it access to over 13 million followers across its popular content sites. RFOX Media is now on a trajectory to create a superhighway of media content that can be monetized through advertising as well as through the creation of NFTs. Goama is a gaming platform that is built for businesses, combining the best of esports and the best of casual games to create a competitive casual gaming environment, where players compete on casual games, ranked on live leaderboards, to win real-world prizes. It has been so popular since its inception and is made available to millions of users in the leading apps across 24 countries and counting. The two companies combine to launch a game titled RFOX run which will offer competitors a chance to win rare and exclusive NFTs based on their tournament performance and leaderboard positions. Ben Fairbank, CEO, and Co-founder of RedFOX Labs commented:

"We currently have a gaming division called RFOX Games, but to partner with a non-blockchain gaming platform with such a large daily user base is wonderful exposure in a very different sector for us. "The Myanmar market is still so young, with a lot of potential, and through this collaboration we will launch tournament games alongside Goama who have over 80K people competing in each gaming tournament. "We have been planning this for a long time and to finally bring it all together is a wonderful achievement for us and for RFOX Media. We will soon look to partner with Goama across the Phiippines and other SEA countries as we follow our aggressive acquisition and growth campaigns across the region."



Wayne Kennedy, CPO and Co-founder of Goama said: Innovation is at the core of our mission. We are excited to team up with RedFox and bring NFTs as tournament prizes for the first time in Myanmar! This is the first of many innovations we have in plan for our casual eSports platform on leading Superapps throughout Southeast Asia. Were proud to have created RFOX Run, which we know our users are going to love playing and chasing top spot on the leaderboard!"

Wayne further adds: We look forward to a successful and long partnership with RedFOX and extending the relationship across our entire footprint.



About RedFOX Labs

RedFOX Labs is a Southeast Asian venture builder that identifies and builds successful business models for the region's emerging markets. It is focused on unlocking the true market value of the Southeast Asian digital economy for high consumer demand services such as e-commerce, e-media, e-travel, and esports/gaming and focuses on adding value to the digital economy through the use of emerging technologies such as blockchain. As a company, its value is tradable through its native token ( $RFOX ). Subscribe here . RedFOX Labs Official Channels: Website: https://www.redfoxlabs.io/rfox

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfoxlabs.io

Twitter: https://twitter.com/redfoxlabs_io

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjSvr6RFSMlN00mWRiU0mSQ

RFOX Games Twitter: https://twitter.com/RFOX_GAMES

KOGS Twitter: https://twitter.com/KOGS_GG

KOGS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kogs.gg/

KOGS Discord: https://discord.gg/5kNdg7U9bU About Goama Goama is a leader in platform gamification, setting the benchmark in digital innovation and user engagement, working with some of the worlds biggest superapps and brands. Its turnkey solution offers a plug and play platform that creates unique gamified experiences that empower its business partners to build engaged communities. Goama has partnerships with the leading apps across 24+ countries to help them drive user engagement, increase monetization opportunities, and acquire new users.



For further information, please contact: Mr. Calvin LeeVP for Sales and Marketing

Email: calvin.lee@goama.com

Phone: +60 12-6248874

Website: www.goama.com Media Contact

cecilia@yourPRstrategist.com



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[September 01, 2021] SAIC Partners With Feeding America to Fight Food Insecurity in America

Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC) today announced its 2021 campaign with Feeding America to raise funds that will help provide millions of meals to people in need. During Hunger Action Month in September, SAIC (News - Alert) employees across the country will host events to raise money for Feeding America and increase awareness of hunger in their communities. As in the previous eight years since SAIC began partnering with Feeding America, employees will volunteer throughout the month at local food banks and food pantries, including members of the Feeding America network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs. "Last year, SAIC helped to provide more than 3.5 million meals* to people facing hunger in the U.S., and set a new record during its annual Feeding America Give A Meal Team Challenge - in spite of the challenges of COVID-19," said SAIC CEO Nazzic Keene. "Over the past eight years, SAIC has contributed more than $1.5 million dollars in employee donations and corporate matching funds, resulting in over 15.3 million meals provided to people facing hunger. I'm extremely proud of our employees for their efforts to address food insecurity and look forward to an even larger contribution in 2021." Feeding America is the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, made up of food banks, food pantries, and meal programs. The organization's mission has taken on additional urgency this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated hunger in America and around the world. According to a March 2021 report from Feeding America, 42 million Americans - including 13 million children - will experience food insecurity this year. The report also found that those most impacted by COVID-19 were more likely to have experienced food insecurity prior to the pandemic and are facing even greater hardship now. "The Feeding America network provided record number of meals to neighbors facing hunger last year, as food banks responded to the increased need for food assistance. We can't do this work alone. With generous partners like SAIC, we can provide more meals to people when they need it most," said Lauren Biedron, vice president of corporate partnerships at Feeding America. "We are grateful to SAIC and its employees for their continued support of our critical work." Through its Citizenship and Community Relations program, SAIC builds upon the talent, creativity, and passion of its employees and their families to give back to local communities. SAIC maintains strategic relationships with non-profit organizations to assist in areas meaningful to the company and its employees. Feeding America is one of the company's key community wellbeing partners. For more information on the SAIC Give A Meal Team Challenge or to make a doation to Feeding America, visit www.feedingamerica.org/saic.



About SAIC SAIC is a premier Fortune 500 technology integrator driving our nation's technology transformation. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, civilian, and intelligence markets includes secure high-end solutions in engineering, digital, artificial intelligence, and mission solutions. Using our expertise and understanding of existing and emerging technologies, we integrate the best components from our own portfolio and our partner ecosystem to deliver innovative, effective, and efficient solutions that are critical to achieving our customers' missions.

We are more than 26,500 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. SAIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion, which is core to our values and important to attract and retain exceptional talent. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has pro forma annual revenues of approximately $7.1 billion.???? For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom. About Feeding America Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release contain or are based on "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "guidance," and similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements in this release may include, among others, estimates of future revenues, operating income, earnings, earnings per share, charges, total contract value, backlog, outstanding shares and cash flows, as well as statements about future dividends, share repurchases and other capital deployment plans. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risk, uncertainties and assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from the guidance and other forward-looking statements made in this release as a result of various factors. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause or contribute to these material differences include those discussed in the "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Legal Proceedings" sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated in any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC (News - Alert) , which may be viewed or obtained through the Investor Relations section of our website at saic.com or on the SEC's website at sec.gov. Due to such risks, uncertainties and assumptions you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. SAIC expressly disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statement provided in this release to reflect subsequent events, actual results or changes in SAIC's expectations. SAIC also disclaims any duty to comment upon or correct information that may be contained in reports published by investment analysts or others. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005033/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Valley Bank's "Journey Checking" Receives National Certification by Banking Advocates as Safe, Affordable Account

Valley Bank announced today that its Journey Checking account was officially certified by the national Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) as meeting the Bank On National Account Standards (2021 - 2022). The National Safe Account Standards, co-created by consumer advocates, leading national nonprofit organizations, civic leaders and other financial institutions, designate both core and strongly recommended features that ensure low cost, high functionality and consumer safety. Key features of Valley Journey Checking include a low or no monthly fee, no overdraft or nonsufficient fund fees, the ability to pay bills and make purchases and federal deposit insurance. Valley Journey Checking is available in every one of Valley's branches across New Jersey, New York, Florida and Alabama. "The Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund is delighted to award its national Bank On account certification to the Valley Journey Checking account," said Jonathan Mintz, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. "Valley Journey Checking offers New Jersey, New York, Florida and Alabama residents who are looking to improve their finances a safe, affordable and truly useful mainstream banking product. Valley Bank's offering of this terrific account brings them into the forefront of national banking access efforts, andwe thank them."



The goal of Bank On is to ensure that everyone has access to safe and affordable financial products and services. The Bank On National Account Standards identify critical product features for appropriate bank or credit union accounts, making it easier for local coalitions across the country to connect consumers to accounts that meet their needs. "Valley Bank is honored to be part of a coalition that provides safe, low-cost accounts for the underbanked and unbanked," said Bernadette Mueller, Executive Vice President and Chief CSR (News - Alert) -CRA Officer. "It's one step closer to ensuring all consumers have access to secure banking services."

To learn more about Valley's Journey Checking Account, click here. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. About Valley As the principal subsidiary of Valley National Bancorp, Valley National Bank is a regional bank with approximately $41 billion in assets. Valley is committed to giving people and businesses the power to succeed. Valley operates many convenient branch locations across New Jersey, New York, Florida and Alabama, and is committed to providing the most convenient service, the latest innovations and an experienced and knowledgeable team dedicated to meeting customer needs. Helping communities grow and prosper is the heart of Valley's corporate citizenship philosophy. To learn more about Valley, go to www.valley.com or call our Customer Care Center at 800-522-4100. About the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) The CFE Fund supports municipal efforts to improve the financial stability of households by leveraging opportunities unique to local government. By translating cutting edge experience with large scale programs, research, and policy in cities of all sizes, the CFE Fund assists mayors and other local leaders to identify, develop, fund, implement, and research pilots and programs that help families build assets and make the most of their financial resources. The CFE Fund is currently working in over 100 cities and counties, and has disbursed over $43 million to local governments and their partners to support these efforts. For more information, please visit www.cfefund.org or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) at @CFEFund. About Bank On Bank On coalitions are locally-led partnerships between local public officials; city, state, and federal government agencies; financial institutions; and community organizations that work together to help improve the financial stability of unbanked and underbanked individuals and families in their communities. The Bank On national initiative builds on a grassroots movement of over 80 coalitions in cities across the country, offering national account standards, capacity grant support, pilot funding, and a learning community. In addition to connecting unbanked individuals to accounts, Bank On programs raise public awareness, target outreach to the unbanked, and expand access to financial education. Visit www.cfefund.org/bankon for more information, or follow the conversation on Twitter @CFEFund #BankOn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005117/en/

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[September 01, 2021] VelocityEHS Names New CIO to its Senior Leadership Team

CHICAGO, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VelocityEHS, the global leader in cloud-based environmental, health, safety (EHS) and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) software, is pleased to announce that Bill Blount has joined the company as its Chief Information Officer (CIO), effective immediately. In this role, Blount will provide strategic IT leadership and direction around internal systems, security, compliance and cloud operations to advance innovation and operational excellence throughout the organization.

Blount joins VelocityEHS with a 30-year track record of building collaborative, high-functioning teams in rapidly growing companies. He is known for a people-first approach that delivers consistent value through highly scalable and resilient digital solutions. In addition to serving as a consultant for a diverse roster of clients, including the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Oracle Corporation, he directed operational successes for notable companies like PayFlex, where, as CIO, he led the companys post-acquisition integration into Aetna. We are thrilled to welcome Bill to the VelocityEHS Executive Team, said John Damgaard, CEO of VelocityEHS. As we grow and scale, it's vital that we optimize our systems and processes to stay ahead of the rapidly evolving needs of the marketplace. Bills vast industry knowledge, leadership and vision will play a fundamental role in supporting our customers as they look to VelocityEHS to gaincompetitive advantages and meet their own aggressive goals for growth and sustainability.



I am excited to join VelocityEHS and work with such a tremendously talented team, said Blount. In a world of rapidly changing technology, companies require smarter and more secure digital resources to drive business agility and competitive differentiation. It's a unique and exciting time to take on this role and help advance the companys innovative capabilities. This new key leadership role comes on the heels of the recent launch of the VelocityEHS Accelerate Platform. Designed from the ground up relying on EHS expertise, best practices and elegant design, the platform helps users to solve complex issues in simple and effective ways. With the largest customer base on a single EHS software platform, VelocityEHS delivers peak performance and gold-standard solutions for EHS, ESG and operational excellence that cannot be found elsewhere.

For more information about VelocityEHS and its complete award-winning software solutions, visit www.EHS.com . About VelocityEHS

Trusted by more than 20,000 customers worldwide, VelocityEHS is the global leader in true SaaS enterprise EHS technology. Through the VelocityEHS Accelerate Platform, the company helps global enterprises drive operational excellence by delivering best-in-class capabilities for health, safety, environmental compliance, training, operational risk and environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG). The VelocityEHS team includes unparalleled industry expertise, with more certified experts in health, safety, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, sustainability, the environment, AI, and machine learning than any EHS software provider. Recognized by the EHS industrys top independent analysts as a Leader in the Verdantix 2021 Green Quadrant AnalysisVelocityEHS is committed to industry thought leadership and to accelerating the pace of innovation through its software solutions and vision. VelocityEHS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with locations in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Tampa, Florida; Oakville, Ontario; London, England; Perth, Western Australia; and Cork, Ireland. For more information, visit www.EHS.com. Media Contact

Betsy Utley-Marin

312.881.2307

butleymarin@ehs.com



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[September 01, 2021] Verizon Frontline supports Hurricane Ida response and recovery

Verizon Frontline is the advanced network and technology built for first responders, developed over three decades of partnership with the public safety community.



The Verizon Response Team has deployed more than 300 Verizon Frontline solutions to support more than 35 public sector agencies conducting emergency response operations in Southeastern Louisiana. HAMMOND, La., Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Verizon Response Team arrived in Southeastern Louisiana Monday to deliver Verizon Frontline technology to first responders conducting search and rescue and disaster response operations in some of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ida. The Verizon Response Team was activated last week and pre-positioned just outside of the expected storm track, enabling a rapid response effort when conditions permitted and allowing the team to quickly distribute mission-critical communication technology to federal, state and local government and public safety agencies operating in storm-damaged areas of Louisiana. Collaborating with emergency management officials across impacted regions of the state, the Verizon Response Team has deployed a wide range of Verizon Frontline technology, including Satellite Pico-cells on Trailers (SPOTs), network extenders, routers, mobile hotspots and phones to provide critical voice and data service to public safety professionals dealing with the devastation left in the wake of the powerful, Categoy 4 storm.



The Verizon Response Team is expected to remain on scene as long as needed to assist public safety agencies as they continue to conduct search and rescue operations and deal with widespread power outages, flooding and catastrophic storm damage. This support, part of a nationwide activation of Verizon disaster response assets, provided at the request of the local public safety officials, represents a continuation of Verizon Public Sectors commitment to working alongside our partners in public safety and government.

Verizon Frontline is the advanced network and technology built for first responders  developed over nearly three decades of partnership with public safety officials and agencies  to meet their unique needs. From network priority and preemption and a commitment to real interoperability, to developing and delivering the most innovative product roadmap, Verizon Frontline is built on Americas most reliable network 1 , and will be able to harness the transformative power of 5G. The Verizon Response Team provides on-demand, emergency assistance during crisis situations to government agencies, emergency responders, nonprofits and communities on a 24/7/365 basis. Verizon Response team members provide Verizon Frontline technology including portable cell sites, WiFi hotspots, free charging stations and other devices and solutions that enable communications and/or boost network performance. 1 Rankings based on the RootMetrics US, state, and metro RootScore Reports: 2H 2013-1H 2021. Tested with best commercially available smartphones on 3 national mobile networks across all available network types combined. Your experiences may vary. Not a specific finding as to 5G networks. The RootMetrics award is not an endorsement of Verizon. Media contact:

Eric Durie

eric.durie@verizon.com

(516) 382-8219



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[September 01, 2021] Vic.ai Secures $50 Million to Spur Artificial Intelligence Adoption within Enterprise Finance and Accounting

NEW YORK, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vic.ai today announced $50 million in Series B funding to spur adoption of its pioneering AI platform for real-time, autonomous accounting and financial intelligence. The Series B funding was led by ICONIQ Growth with participation from existing investors GGV Capital , Cowboy Ventures and Costanoa Ventures , bringing total capital raised to $63 million. Vic.ai plans to use the new funding to expand its enterprise offering and release additional AI capabilities for U.S. and European customers.

Vic.ai was launched in 2017 to build fully autonomous AI systems that make finance and accounting teams more efficient, accurate, and intelligent. The companys AI platform has now processed more than 535 million invoices with 95 percent accuracy, helping 2,000+ corporate finance and accounting clients achieve nearly $70 million in cost savings and six million hours in time savings. Enterprise customers include HSB (Swedens largest real-estate management company), Intercom Inc. and HireQuest, as well as top accounting firms like KPMG, PwC, BDO, and Armanino LLP. Vic.ai adds sophisticated artificial intelligence, computer vision and autonomous approval flows to a companys back-office financial operations. Unlike legacy systems that are based on predefined rules or templates, Vic.ais platform intelligently learns from historical data and existing processes to deliver what it calls an Autopilot for invoice processing and other functions. That leads to significant reductions in time spent, fewer errors, no duplicates, effective approvals and seamless integrations with other systems and process flows. As growth investors, were focused on marrying bold innovation and deep experience, which is why were so excited to help Vic.ai bring AI into the heart of enterprise accounting and finance, said Will Griffith , founding partner at ICONIQ Growth, who joins Vic.ais board. Weve been fortunate to partner with many of the best B2B cloud software companies and financial software pioneers like Adyen, Bill.com, Blackline, Coupa, HighRadius and Ramp. The Vic.ai team demonstrates the same passion, product focus and customer-first mentality that we see in other exceptional founders.



Its 2021, and its high time for finance and accounting teams to embrace AI technology, said Alexander Hagerup, CEO of Vic.ai. Accounting work is tedious and repetitive, but it no longer needs to be. Our AI platform delivers both autonomy and intelligence for finance and accounting teams. We can help companies scale back on low-value activities like invoice processing, and we can drive higher-value functions like spend intelligence, benchmarking and cost optimization. Over the past year, Vic.ai continued to push boundaries and released two new products, Autopilot and Autonomous Approval Flows , which provide the foundation for truly autonomous accounting. In addition, the company earned Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 certification and won several awards, including The 2021 Top New Products for AP Tools by Accounting Today and the 2021 Rethink Award for Innovation & Technology by BDO Alliance USA.

For more information about Vic.ai and to join the companys growing team, please visit the Vic.ai website and follow Vic.ai on LinkedIn. About ICONIQ Growth

ICONIQ Growth partners with exceptional entrepreneurs and leaders who drive global impact and change. We are inspired by visionaries defining the future of their industries by building company cultures that endure. Our unique investment platform harnesses the power of ICONIQ Capitals vibrant ecosystem of founders, pioneers, and business leaders with the goal of delivering tangible value and amplifying our portfolio companies success from early growth stage to IPO and beyond. ICONIQ Growths portfolio of innovators include Adyen, AirBnB, Alibaba, Alteryx, Automattic, BambooHR, Braze, Chime, Collibra, Coupa, Datadog, Docusign, Gitlab, Marqeta, Miro, Procore, Red Ventures, Relativity, ServiceTitan, Snowflake, Sprinklr, Truckstop, Uber, Wolt, and Zoom, among others. For more information and a complete list of portfolio companies, please visit ICONIQGrowth.com . About Vic.ai

Vic.ai delivers a powerful AI platform for autonomous accounting and financial intelligence. The companys Autopilot system has processed 535 million invoices with 95 percent accuracy, helping 2,000+ customers achieve nearly $70 million in cost savings and six million hours in time savings. Already surpassing human-level accuracy, Vic.ai helps accountants, CFOs, controllers, and accounts payable teams become dramatically more efficient and reduce errors on routine accounting tasks. Vic.ai is jointly headquartered in New York City and Oslo, Norway. Media Contact:

Dave Reddy

Big Valley Marketing for Vic.ai

+1 (650) 868-4659

dreddy@bigvalley.co



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[September 01, 2021] Viva Emerges Stronger with Industry Leading Low Costs

Following the deepest crisis in the global aviation industry's history, Viva remains one of the few South American carriers to avoid bankruptcy, demonstrating the firm's resiliency in one of the most difficult of circumstances. Viva is well positioned to let customers fly more and pay less, despite Colombia imposing one of the longest airspace shutdowns in the world. With the partnership and support of our suppliers, lessors, and staff, we have further reduced unit costs to grow and make flying Viva even more compelling and affordable for our customers. Viva is now the second largest carrier in Colombia with a market share of 24%, while leading the industry in on-time performance and becoming the first airline certified in biosafety protocols in Colombia and Peru. To further support Viva's growth and expansion, Cartesian Capital Group has become a minority equity investor in the Viva Group alongside pioneering ULCC developer, Irelandia Aviation. "Viva found opportunities in challenging times, and through the crisis, adapted to new ways of managing this complex business. With the commitment of our employees, evolution of our strategies, and support of our suppliers and lessors, today we can proudly say that we have solidified our position as 'the' low-cost provider of air travel to, from, and within Colombia and Peru. I'd like to thank all of the management team and Viva staff, along with all of our suppliers, lessors, government agencies, and banks for their continued support," said Felix Antelo, President and CEO of Viva. "We are also excited to announce the addition of Cartesian as a minority equity partner in Viva Latin America. Their investment is a timely vote of confidence in our work, business, and future." Viva's restructuring is a successful business case study for the region and the industry. After nearly six months with no commercial flights in both Colombia and Peru, Viva undertook tremendous efforts to preserve its financial base, lower its unit costs, accelerate the modernization of its fleet, and maintain its highly skilled workforce to resume flying on the first day commercial flying was restored in Colombia and Peru. Unlike Viva's competitors, the firm's restructuring was conducted completely in the free market without the artificial and unsustainable support of the legal code and the courts. Over 200 supplier contracts, including all aircraft leases, were reformed in order to reduce overall costs and retime payments to align obligations to the reality of no commercial flights in Colombia. These steps also significantly reduced airport capacity for the coming months. Cartesian Capital Group, a global private equity firm, has successfully sponsored the development of dozens of transnational companies, including airlines such as Gol in Brazil and Flybondi in Argentina. Cartesian frst partnered with Viva to provide USD $50 million of financing in May 2019 and has deepened its relationship by investing in a minority equity stake in Viva Group. Irelandia Aviation, the world's premier low-cost airline developer, will remain as majority shareholder.



"Through an unprecedented crisis, Viva has demonstrated deep resilience," noted Peter Yu, Managing Partner at Cartesian. "Felix and the entire team have consistently shown the nimbleness, creativity, and tenacity that makes Viva a truly world-class carrier. We look forward to the group's continued growth and success." Irelandia, majority owner of Viva, remarked how delighted they are to strengthen the relationship with Cartesian in the Viva Group. "Cartesian has been a valuable partner since 2019, and this is a tremendous vote of confidence in our business model and our management team both of which have seen Viva emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever," said John Goode, Partner at Irelandia Aviation. "We are incredibly proud of Felix and everyone that make up the Viva family for their commitment and dedication they have shown in steering the company through the most difficult crisis the industry has ever seen."

Viva reaffirms the importance of the airline industry as a connectivity pillar for the region, maintains its full commitment to contribute to the economic development of the countries it serves, and continues its founding philosophy of inclusion. Viva is the leading low-cost airline in Latin America flying to more than 31 domestic routes in Colombia and Peru, and seven international routes including Colombia, Peru, Mexico, and the United States. Significant milestones achieved over the past year include: - Resuming 100% of pre-covid operations, plus opening new international routes to Mexico (Cancun and Mexico City) and the United States (Orlando). - Increasing its market share from 15% to 24%, solidifying itself as the second most important airline in Colombia. - Becoming the first airline in Colombia and Peru to certify its biosafety protocols. - Launching the new Viva brand, including a new website (www.vivaair.com), new products and services, new colors, and the new 'boomerang' livery. - Opening HUB Medellin, offering convenient flight schedules designed for quick, convenient connections between North America and South America. - First restoring full pre-Covid employment and then growing its staff. - Operating more than 200 special repatriation flights to bring families home to Colombia and Peru during airspace shutdown. - Building Colombia's Newest Fleet: Modernization of its fleet, receiving Viva's first Airbus A320 NEO in October 2020 with a total of 8 NEOs delivered to date. All NEOs include Viva's new brand image and 'boomerang' livery and form one of the youngest, most fuel-efficient fleets in South America.

Aggressive growth with the delivery of 10 more NEOs over the next 15 months for a total of 18 NEOs expected by December 2022 along with 10 modern A320 CEOs. This performance reflects the fundamental strength of the Viva business model, which continues to deliver the lowest fares and highest customer service during the most difficult year in aviation history. About Viva Viva, the leading low-cost airline in Latin America, flies to more than 23 destinations in Latin America, including seven international routes and multiple destinations in Peru, Mexico, and the U.S. Viva is transforming air travel in the region and beyond with its low-cost low-fare model, purchase of new Airbus A320 NEO aircraft, industry leading on-time performance, and certification under the World Travel & Tourism Council's 'SafeTravels' health and hygiene global standardized protocols based on the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control guidelines. As part of its strategic plan to expand and launch service on more new routes within the region and internationally, the airline has purchased 50 new Airbus 320 aircraft that started arriving in 2018, including 15 Airbus A320ceos and 35 A320neos. About Irelandia Irelandia is the world's premier low-cost airline developer led by Declan Ryan, one of the founders of Ryanair. They initiate, develop, and deliver successful low-cost carriers (LCCs) in partnership with airline management and investors. They pioneered the LCC model in Europe and have developed LCCs in Asia, Australia, North America, and Latin America. About Cartesian Capital Group Cartesian Capital Group, LLC is a leading global private equity firm with a demonstrated ability to grow companies internationally. With historic funds comprising $3 billion in capital commitments, Cartesian's team has helped to build 50 companies operating across 30 different countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005073/en/

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[September 01, 2021] World's First 10 Minute Charge Li-ion Silicon-dominant 4680 Cylindrical Cell Prototype Produced By StoreDot

- StoreDot reveals fast-charging 4680 cylindrical cell with the ability to be fully-charged in 10 minutes - 4680 format, increasingly favored by leading car makers, will be ready for production at scale in 2024 - along with StoreDot's equally ground-breaking fast charging pouch cell - Extreme fast-charge (XFC) multi-patented battery technologies and mature chemistry can now be applied to a variety of form factors, giving StoreDot technical and commercial flexibility to integrate with various Electric Vehicle OEMs - StoreDot provides automotive manufacturers a clear technology roadmap for versatile and rapid transition to electrification thus enabling a cleaner world HERZELIYA, Israel, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- StoreDot, the pioneer of extreme fast charging battery technology for electric vehicles, reveals its ground-breaking silicon-dominant technology applied in extreme fast charging (XFC) cylindrical cells. In a world-first, the company demonstrated the prototype 4680 form factor that is fully charged in just 10 minutes. StoreDot's extreme fast charging cylindrical cells utilize a 4680 format, the one increasingly favored by global car makers, and have been in development for over three years. Pioneering work for these breakthrough technologies was kicked off at Warwick University in the UK with collaboration with StoreDot's strategic partner  BP. It has been further developed harnessing experts from across the globe. The work is covered with five patents in the area of cell design and uses StoreDot's continuous tab technology. Such cell design increases throughput and addresses safety and performance issues typically associated with the hard case structure of cylindrical cells. Testing at StoreDot facility has shown promising low levels of internal resistance. Cylindrical cell samples are now ramping up the production lines at EVE Energy, StoreDot's manufacturing partner in China.



This breakthrough means that global automotive manufacturers will be able to use StoreDot's XFC batteries, which deliver a 50% reduction in charging time at the same cost, in both pouch and cylindrical cell forms. Both formats are undergoing scale up process at EVE Energy and will be ready for mass production in 2024. In addition, with such format versatility, the entire industry will be able to leverage StoreDot's newly introduced patent pending Boost Charging Technology (BOOCT) application.

Dr Doron Myersdorf, StoreDot CEO: "Achieving the goal of extreme fast charging a cylindrical cell in only 10 minutes has been on StoreDot's technology roadmap from day one. After three years of vigorous development and testing, leveraging multiple vectors of our world class researches, I am hugely proud at the effective collaboration across our globe that enabled this important achievement. It's highly significant that we can offer Electric Vehicle manufacturers the choice of cell formats, utilizing our XFC technology that will overcome the current barriers to EV ownership: range and charging anxiety. "We are pleased that our silicon-dominant XFC battery cell chemistry is adaptable and can be applied to various packaging formats, to suit changing market needs. Both our cylinder and pouch cell form factors are designed to be safe, reliable and stable, and are expected to be produced at scale by 2024. We are in advanced discussions with a number of global automotive manufacturers and we plan to supply them with various XFC cells, enabling a rapid transition to a zero-emissions electrified future." This world-first application of silicon-dominant anode extreme fast charge cylindrical cells signifies a number of considerable challenges that had to be resolved, when compared to pouch technologies. 4680 cylindrical cell format requires unique chemistry adaptation to offset greater internal pressures, gas release and avoidance of potential leakage. StoreDot is in discussions with leading automotive manufacturers. It now has the ability to offer the automotive industry a clear technology roadmap using silicon-dominant XFC technology and then onto future generation extreme energy-density (XED), based on solid state technologies which are on target to enter mass production in 2028. About StoreDot: StoreDot is a pioneer and leader of extreme fast charging (XFC) batteries that overcome the critical barrier to mainstream EV adoption  range and charging anxiety. The company has revolutionized the conventional Li-ion battery by designing and synthesizing proprietary organic and inorganic compounds, making it possible to fully charge an EV in just five minutes  the same time it takes to refuel a conventional combustion engine vehicle. StoreDot's battery technology is optimized for best driver experience with XFC in Li-ion batteries, as well as future technologies for extreme energy-density (XED).StoreDot's strategic investors include BP, Daimler, Samsung Ventures and TDK. In 2019, the company achieved a world first by demonstrating the live full charge of a two-wheeled EV in just five minutes. In 2020, the company demonstrated the scalability of its XFC batteries for other devices, by fully charging a commercial drone in five minutes in another world first. Moving XFC battery technology from the lab to a commercially-viable product for the first time, StoreDot has launched engineering samples of its first-generation batteries, designed to be manufactured at scale on traditional Li-ion production lines. For more information see: www.store-dot.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1605619/StoreDot.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1556045/StoreDot_Logo.jpg

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[August 31, 2021] Independent Show 2021 is Going Virtual!

PITTSBURGH and LENEXA, Kan., Aug. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) and ACA Connects (ACAC), sponsors of the Independent Show, today announced that the 2021 show will be held online, offering members and vendors with an opportunity to convene as an industry in the safest possible manner amid lingering uncertainty over the appropriateness of large in-person events. "After thoughtful discussion, ACA Connects and NCTC decided to take the Independent Show online next month because of difficult planning issues despite strong enthusiasm for such an important industry event to take place in Minneapolis. It's the correct decision, with broad support from both ACAC and NCTC members," ACA Connects Chairman Patricia Jo Boyers said. "I'm positive the online event will be a smashing success." Mrs. Boyers is President of BOYCOM Vision in Poplar Bluff, Mo. NCTC Chairman Brad Mefferd applauded the move to take the 2021 Independent Show online. "Now that this decision is behind us, I'm pleased that we can now look forward to putting on a great Independent Show that is exclusively online. I'm certain it will have high production values that ACAC and NCTC Members expect and deserve and will also have solid engagement opportunities for our industry's valued vendor community," Chairman Mefferd said. "I'm quite confident that everyone will benefit from the online experience that we have in store." Chairman Mefferd is Chief Administrative Officer of Buckeye Broadband in Northwood, Ohio. This year's Independent Show had been planned for Oct. 5-6 in Minneapolis, Minn. The event always included a streaming registration option as a convenience for ACAC and NCTC Members who were unable to attend in person. The decision to host the 2021 Independent Show will not alter the meeting dates. The online show will occur Oct. 5-6, and the event will keep all the great content previously announced by NCTC and ACAC show planners. In preparing for this year's Independent Show, ACAC and NCTC leaders knew COVID-19 and the Delta variant were unpredictable elements deserving our careful attention. The No. 1 goal was always the safety of show attendees  reflected in decisions to put in place such measures as avoiding large crowds congregating in one area, making adjustments to food and beverage service, and implementing social distancing. However, even with those efforts, NCTC and ACAC planners could not, in good faith, ensure that they could provide a safe environment due to the highly contagious Delta variant. "COVID-19 and the Delta variant have been a moving target. While our plan was to finally meet in-person, it has become more and more clear that it was not the responsible thing to do," NCTC CEO Lou Borrelli said. "Nevertheless, the online show to me is a can't-miss program, and I greatly look forward to seeing friends and members on the big screen." ACAC President and CEO Matt Polka joined NCTC's Borrelli in endorsing the move to an online show given the current health environment. "We felt that transitioning the entire event to virtual was the best option and in the best interest of our members and vendor partners," CEO Polka said. "But let's look at the bright side: We are going to keep all the great content we had planned as well as offer a few fun surprises for those who are registered for the virtual conference." The Independent Show is an annual forum created to focus attention on the key public policy issues facing independent video and broadband providers and on other industrywide topics of concern and interest. ACAC, based in Pittsburgh, is the political voice for independent video and broadband providers while NCTC, based in Lenexa, Kan., negotiates programming and equipment agreements for video and broadband providers. About the National Cable Television Cooperative: The National Cable Television Cooperative, Inc. (NCTC) is a Kansas-based, not-for-profit corporation that operates as a programming, broadband solutions and hardware purchasing organization for its member companies who own and operate cable systems throughout the U.S. and its territories. NCTC seeks to maximize current and future opportunities to ensure the profitability, competitive stature, and long-term sustainability of its member companies. NCTC represents more than 700 small and mid-sized independent cable and broadband operators across the U.S., in programming and technology acquisition. NCTC is actively engaged in helping network providers and suppliers evolve their business models to deploy new video/data solutions to match the changes in the media landscape. About ACA Connects: America's Communications Association  Based in Pittsburgh, ACA Connects is a trade organization representing more than 600 smaller and medium-sized, independent companies that provide broadband, phone and video services to nearly 8 million customers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA Connects' members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit: http://www.ACAConnects.org







Contact for NCTC: Pam Gillies Vice President of Marketing & Communications National Cable Television Cooperative, Inc. pgillies@nctconline.org 720-594-8085

Contact for ACAC: Ted Hearn VP Communications ACA Connects

(202) 713-0826

thearn@acaconnects.org

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/independent-show-2021-is-going-virtual-301366727.html SOURCE NCTC

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[August 31, 2021] Thornburg Global Opportunities Fund Celebrates Anniversary with Top Percentile Morningstar Ranking in World Large-Stock Category over 15 Years

SANTA FE, N.M., Aug. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thornburg Investment Management ("Thornburg"), a global investment firm that oversees $49 billion in assets[1] , today announced the 15-year anniversary of the $1.1 billion Thornburg Global Opportunities Fund ("Fund") (Ticker: THOIX). The Fund carries a top percentile ranking in the Morningstar World Large-Stock Blend category, among 81 funds, for the fifteen-year period ending July 31, 2021, based on total returns without sales charge. "Our research process identifies quality businesses at attractive prices around the world," said Brian McMahon, Chief Investment Strategist and Co-Portfolio Manager. "We seek to capture the advantages of global diversification within a focused portfolio of compelling ideas. Built on our core investment principles of flexibility, focus and value, the Fund gives us a durable framework for value-added investing." The Fund, which launched on July 28, 2006, has been co-managed since inception by Mr. McMahon. Miguel Oleaga, who joined Thornburg in 2014, was promoted to portfolio manager on the Fund in 2020. Together and with support from the entire Thornburg investment team, Mr. McMahon and Mr. Oleaga oversee the flexible and focused equity portfolio that leverages Thornburg's renowned capacity as a global manager. Portfolio holdings are selected on a bottom-up basis through a disciplined, value-based framework, ensuring a balanced approach to portfolio construction and risk management. In addition to the mutual fund, the global opportunities solution is available to certain investors as a UCITS fund and a separately managed account. The Fund is benchmarked against the MSCI All Country (AC) World Index Net Total Return USD. Since inception and through July 31, 2021, the Fund's I share class (THOIX) has outperformed the benchmark by 3.21% on an annualized basis. "This is a significant milestone for Thornburg," said Thornburg President and CEO Jason Brady. "Thornburg Global Opportunities Fund's 15-year track record of outperformance is a testament to our long-term investment philosophy[2] . With Brian and Miguel at the helm and with support from our entire investment team, the Fund has proven time and again that the flexibility to look anywhere in the world for value can provide long-term positive returns to our shareholders." For more information about the Fun, please visit https://www.thornburg.com/products-performance/mutual-funds/equity-funds/fgo/performance/. To learn more about Thornburg's investment strategies, please visit https://www.thornburg.com/products-performance/mutual-funds/.



About Thornburg

Founded in 1982, Thornburg Investment Management is a privately owned global investment firm that offers a range of multi-strategy solutions for institutions and financial advisors. A recognized leader in fixed income and equity investing, the firm oversees $49 billion[1] as of July 31, 2021 across mutual funds, closed-end funds, institutional accounts, separate accounts for high-net-worth investors and UCITS funds for non-U.S. investors. Thornburg is headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with additional offices in London, Hong Kong and Shanghai. At Thornburg, we believe unconstrained investing leads to better outcomes for our clients. Our culture is collaborative, and our investment solutions are highly active, high conviction and benchmark agnostic. When it comes to finding value for our clients, it's more than what we do, it's how we do it: how we think, how we invest and how we're structured.

For more information, visit www.thornburg.com or call (877) 215-1330. Media Inquiries

Michael Corrao

Director of Global Communications

Thornburg Investment Management

Tel: +1 (505) 467-5345

Email: mcorrao@thornburg.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments carry risks, including possible loss of principal. Additional risks may be associated with investments outside the United States, especially in emerging markets, including currency fluctuations, illiquidity, volatility, and political and economic risks. Investments in small- and mid-capitalization companies may increase the risk of greater price fluctuations. Investments in the Fund are not FDIC insured, nor are they bank deposits or guaranteed by a bank or any other entity. Class I shares may not be available to all investors. Minimum investments for the I share class may be higher than those for other classes. Based on total returns before sales charges, Morningstar ranked the fund (I shares) in the top 38% over three years, 38% over five years, and 18% over 10 years, among 282, 248, and 144 World Large-Stock Blend funds, respectively, as of 7/31/21.  2021 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Before investing, carefully consider the Fund's investment goals, risks, charges, and expenses. For a prospectus or summary prospectus containing this and other information, contact your financial advisor or visit thornburg.com. Read them carefully before investing. Thornburg mutual funds are distributed by Thornburg Securities Corporation.

[1] Includes $46.8 billion in assets under management and $1.9 billion in assets under advisement as of July 31, 2021

[2] The Fund may not have outperformed in every reporting period. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thornburg-global-opportunities-fund-celebrates-anniversary-with-top-percentile-morningstar-ranking-in-world-large-stock-category-over-15-years-301366731.html SOURCE Thornburg Investment Management

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[August 31, 2021] American Equity Names Axel Andre as Chief Financial Officer

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE: AEL) (American Equity) announced today that Axel Andre will join the company as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in September. "I am delighted to welcome Axel to be a part of our executive leadership team. I believe he brings the right combination of intellect, curiosity and proven leadership experiences, to serve as our next CFO as AEL transforms itself into a unique company at the intersection of the insurance and asset management value chain," said Anant Bhalla, CEO and President of American Equity. "American Equity is a company on the move," added Axel Andre. "I have watched with admiration its track record of success and look forward to building upon it as we execute the company's transformational strategy." Previous to American Equity, Andre was Executive Vice President and CFO for Jackson National. Prior to that he sent nearly 7 years at AIG. Andre joined AIG initially as Chief Risk Officer for Individual Retirement, Group Retirement, and Institutional Markets. He was promoted to Chief Financial Officer of Individual Retirement at AIG, where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the finance and actuarial value chain for the Individual Retirement business, including asset-liability management, hedging, reporting and capital management. Prior to his time at AIG, Andre served as a Managing Director on the Global Insurance Strategies team at Goldman Sachs. Andre holds a PhD in Physics from Harvard University and a Masters in Science in Physics from Imperial College in London.



ABOUT AMERICAN EQUITY

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is a leading issuer of fixed index annuities through independent agents, banks and broker-dealers. American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, a New York Stock Exchange listed company (NYSE: AEL), is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. For more information, please visit www.american-equity.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210831006049/en/

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[August 31, 2021] Shareable Asset Selected to Undertake BIS and HKMA's Green Digital Bond Initiative

SINGAPORE, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shareable Asset has teamed up with Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) to design and implement a prototype to issue and trade green retail bonds in Hong Kong. These bonds will be stored as digital securities on a public permissionless blockchain. Shareable Asset has built a platform that follows a bond from its issuance through to maturity. The platform allows issuers to manage allocations and payments to investors. Retail investors interface via a mobile application. To improve liquidity for investors, Shareable Aset is also developing a secondary trading capability for its platform.



Sponsoring this project are the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub Hong Kong Centre and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). Called "Project Genesis," the aim is to build a digital infrastructure that can enable green investments and help issuers and governments meet environmental and sustainability goals. Moreover, this project should broaden access to sovereign bonds to a larger share of the public by lowering the minimum amount needed to invest. Will Lee, Founder and Chairman of Shareable Assets Pte. Ltd. (SAPL), said, "SAPL is excited to partner with SCB and be mandated by BIS to design this prototype. We are pleased to have this explicit approval of our technology and strategy to develop a platform to issue green retail sovereign bonds."

Michael Chin, CEO, also said, "It has been a pleasure working with Standard Chartered Bank as it understands the needs of the issuer. Together with BIS Innovation Hub, we will explore how we can provide more liquidity in the secondary market." In a separate collaboration with SCB, a consortium including Shareable Asset was recently chosen as a finalist for the Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) global competition to develop retail Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) solutions (Global CBDC Challenge). Developing its technology platform to be ready to integrate with CBDCs is an important strategic objective of Shareable Asset. Who is Shareable Asset Shareable Asset is a Singapore-based company with a Capital Markets Service license from the MAS to issue digital securities. SOURCE Shareable Asset

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[August 31, 2021] Kubota Forms Strategic Partnership with Accenture to Accelerate Digital Transformation

Kubota Corporation has formed a strategic partnership with Accenture (News - Alert) (NYSE: ACN) to accelerate its ongoing digital transformation by evolving its business model to further contribute to solutions for food, water, and environmental sustainability. Kubota has set forth a long-term vision called Global Major Brand 2030 (GMB2030), which defines the role that Kubota should play and the guidelines it should follow to help solve societal and environmental challenges. Kubota and Accenture will design and implement solutions to enhance the productivity and safety of food, promote circularity of water resources and waste, as well as the improvement of urban and living environments, as prioritized in the GMB2030 vision. The partnership will create a platform to drive value for Kubota both locally and globally by incorporating services that combine Accenture's leading-edge digital technologies, including artificial intelligence and the internet of things, with Kubota's sustainable businesses. Both companies will focus on promoting the three initiatives below. Co-creation of innovative sustainability solutions applying digital transformation: Since its founding in 1890, Kubota has been helping solve social issues. By combining Accenture's digital transformation expertise and experience with Kubota's business and industry domains, the companies will be able to create new solutions and innovations related to food, water, and environmental sustainability.

Since its founding in 1890, Kubota has been helping solve social issues. By combining Accenture's digital transformation expertise and experience with Kubota's business and industry domains, the companies will be able to create new solutions and innovations related to food, water, and environmental sustainability. Implementation of group-wide digital transformation, along with related infrastructure and human resources development: The Kubota Group, which does business in more than 120 countries, is planning to broadly implement digital transformation measures. This strategic partnership will include the creation of a service platform that supports the rapid implementatin of these measures and allows the centralized management and use of diverse data held across the group. Additionally, using Accenture's talent development capabilities and programs, Kubota will enhance the digital skillsets of its employees to drive future digital transformations.

The Kubota Group, which does business in more than 120 countries, is planning to broadly implement digital transformation measures. This strategic partnership will include the creation of a service platform that supports the rapid implementatin of these measures and allows the centralized management and use of diverse data held across the group. Additionally, using Accenture's talent development capabilities and programs, Kubota will enhance the digital skillsets of its employees to drive future digital transformations. Creation of a secure and flexible system to support Kubota's business globally: Accenture will review more than 200 of Kubota's legacy information technology systems and help modernize, replace or migrate select applications to Microsoft (News - Alert) Azure cloud. In addition, Accenture will further strengthen Kubota's global computer security incident response team to help them respond quickly to security risks. The resulting system environment will support business growth with an effective balance of proactive and defensive capabilities.



Atsushi Egawa, market unit lead in Japan for Accenture, said, "We believe that to realize a better future for all, we must embrace change and work in new ways to address the unprecedented challenges the world is facing by seeking value for all stakeholders. By leveraging data analytics, the cloud, artificial intelligence, and industry knowledge, we can create a tailor-made platform that will help Kubota achieve its sustainability goals - something that will have a meaningful impact on all of us together."

About Kubota Corporation

In food, water, and the environment area, the Kubota Group promises to continue supporting the prosperous life of humans while protecting the environment of this beautiful earth. About Accenture

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and Operations services - all powered by the world's largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 569,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210831005906/en/

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[August 31, 2021] FOMO Pay Secures New PSA Licenses to Expand its Suite of Payment Services

SINGAPORE, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FOMO Pay, the Singapore-headquartered major payment institution that enables digital transformation for financial institutions and enterprises, announced today that it has been granted new licenses from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to operate three new regulated activities  Merchant Acquisition Service, Domestic Money Transfer Service and Digital Payment Token Service. By securing these licenses, the company now gains a strong foothold to provide a robust range of credible payment-based solutions that will drive immense value to its clients, including corporates, SMEs and financial institutions alike. Effective from 1 September 2021, the licenses will allow FOMO Pay to render the following payment services, contingent on regulatory guidelines under the MAS: Merchant Acquisition Service

Merchants can now leverage on FOMO Pay services to accept and process payment transactions online and offline.



Domestic Money Transfer Service

FOMO Pay is now able to carry out local money transfer services in Singapore for its clients.



Digital Payment Token Service

FOMO Pay is now able to facilitate transactions with digital payment tokens, including but not limited to cryptocurrency and the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). In addition to FOMO Pay's prior Cross-border Money Transfer Service license, the company now holds four out of seven key regulated activities under the Payment Services Act (PSA) licensing framework. This further elevates its leading positio as a one-stop payment solution provider in Singapore and the region.



Commenting on the firm's development, Louis Liu, CEO and Founder of FOMO Pay, said, "We are excited to secure these licenses to scale our payment solutions for our existing and potential clients. We are proud to be recognised as a leading FinTech company in Singapore and I am proud of our team's relentless efforts to establish the compliance framework, policies, procedures and risk management systems which have made this happen. We will continue to work closely with regulators and partners to ensure and facilitate safe practices for our client's payment needs." Founded in 2015, FOMO Pay began as a Singapore FinTech company offering the flagship solution of helping online and offline merchants to connect to digital payment methods including e-wallets, credit cards and more. Fast forward to today, FOMO Pay is one of the largest digital payment providers, servicing over 10,000 merchants across a wide range of industries including retail, telecom, tourism and hospitality, food and beverage (F&B), education and e-commerce. Over the past year, FOMO Pay has also been involved in proactive developments and partnerships to further the innovation landscape within the digital payment's ecosystem.

"FOMO Pay started off with a firm vision to make an impact in the region with our technology to help companies harness the ability to accept digital payments and fulfill the need to upgrade legacy payment systems. The addition of these new regulated activities serves as a major advancement to propel us closer towards our goal of becoming the leading and trusted payment solution provider in the region. Locally, it also reaffirms our commitment in Singapore's pursuit towards a Smart Nation and Cashless Society through our constant innovation and development. In addition, our company will continue to invest on the research and development of the blockchain technology and CBDC experiment, as we look towards implementing and contributing towards efficient payment systems for the next generation," Louis Liu added. For more information on FOMO Pay and its solutions, please visit https://www.fomopay.com/ . About FOMO Pay FOMO Pay is a leading fintech company founded and headquartered in Singapore, the first of its kind, providing a one-stop digital payment solutions for merchants and financial institutions to accept a comprehensive suite of payment methods in emerging markets across Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East. FOMO Pay's partners include NETS, Mastercard, Grab Pay, SingTel Dash, WeChat Pay, Shopee Pay, etc. Since 2015, FOMO Pay has been trusted by over 10,000 clients. FOMO Pay is licensed as one of the first batch of Major Payment Institutions (License No. PS20200145) by the Monetary Authority of Singapore to conduct Cross-border Money Transfer Service, Domestic Money Transfer Service, Digital Payment Token Service, and Merchant Acquisition Service. FOMO Pay was also one of the founding members of the Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR) taskforce, and contributed to the introduction of the SGQR  a national standard to unify all e-wallets and move towards promoting a cashless society in Singapore. SOURCE FOMO Pay

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[August 31, 2021] Experian wins Community Collaboration Award at Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards (ACES) 2021

SINGAPORE, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Experian  the world's leading global information services company  has received the Community Collaboration Award at Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards (ACES) 2021. The ACES Awards were established in 2014 by the MORS Group, a leadership and sustainability research and education organisation, and honours companies and individuals in Asia across a variety of leadership and corporate social responsibility categories. Experian is the only winner in the Community Collaboration Award category, which is a jury special mention category introduced this year to recognise organisations that have built effective and productive relationships with external stakeholders to meet social development objectives. The winners of the Community Collaboration Award are differentiated by their corporate responsibility initiatives that focus on long-term relationships and commitments, creating direct economic and development opportunities for communities. Experian's priority across Asia Pacific is driving financial inclusion, with its corporate responsibility programme designed to help vulnerable communities improve the quality of their lives. According to the World Bank, around 1.7 billion adults remain unbanked globally , with most of the unbanked population residing in Asia Pacific and more than one billion in this region lack access to formal financial services. Through its corporate responsibility initiatives, Experian strives to ensure everyone has equal access to financial identities and essential financial services in Asia Pacific. Driving corporate resonsibility initiatives across APAC during the pandemic



Experian's programmes help communities in Australia, Greater China, Japan, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam by working closely with local partners to develop sustainable, long-term initiatives that deliver impact, with the goal of helping vulnerable communities who need more support during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the shift to learning and working from home amidst ongoing lockdowns, Experian strove to help communities in need. Right before the circuit breaker period in Singapore in April 2020, Experian donated 50 repurposed laptops to Daughters of Tomorrow, a non-government organisation (NGO) in Singapore, which would benefit lower-income families. The laptops would help underprivileged women to access online learning and look for jobs, and for their children to continue with online learning. In Australia, Experian donated 25 repurposed laptops to McClelland College in Melbourne, its school partner since 2014, to help less fortunate students continue with online learning. In August 2020, Experian repurposed 42 laptops to donate to SJKT Thamboosamy Pillai, a primary school in Malaysia, for students to learn from home.

Experian's employees remain dedicated to giving back to their communities, with Experian pivoting to digital volunteering programmes to ensure the safety of all participants. For example, Experian partners with Missing Maps, a humanitarian project, to host monthly Mapathons which are all held online and accessible via a website. Experian's employees in Asia Pacific can map digitally to enable first responders and healthcare workers to deliver essential supplies to households that were not previously registered on a map. The Experian Asia Pacific CSR team also led the charge in a recent global employee fundraising drive to aid India, raising funds for communities impacted by COVID-19 and various NGOs helping these communities navigate the pandemic. Experian also matched the employee fundraiser with a corporate donation, which resulted in more than US$780,000 being raised. "Experian is committed to helping the people in the communities that we live and operate in," says Sisca Margaretta, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Experian Asia Pacific. "I'm very proud of what we have achieved collectively as it shows that corporate responsibility is deeply ingrained in Experian's culture, and this ACES Award is a recognition of it. It demonstrates how our people remain passionate and continue to give back to communities in Asia Pacific during the pandemic. At Experian, we believe everyone deserves access to fair and affordable credit, and we're working to eliminate credit invisibility and improve financial equity and access for all. We believe data has the potential to transform lives, and we will continue to use our innovative technology and data to help people to be financially included and transform their lives." About Experian Experian is the world's leading global information services company. During life's big moments  from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers  we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organisations to prevent identity fraud and crime. We have 17,800 people operating across 44 countries and every day we're investing in new technologies, talented people and innovation to help all our clients maximise every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Learn more at www.experian.com.sg or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the Group. SOURCE MORS Group

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[August 31, 2021] Assembrix, partners with EOS, BEAMIT, 3T Additive Manufacturing and Boeing to demonstrate the secured cross-continent, distributed Additive Manufacturing

TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Assembrix has, together with Boeing, EOS, 3T Additive Manufacturing, and BEAMIT successfully demonstrated the secured cross-continent, distributed additive manufacturing: a fully controlled 3D printing solution remotely connected to EOS 3D printers, directly. Assembrix's digital platform virtualizes industrial 3D printing  enabling a simpler, secured and more efficient production process. It oversees the entire additive manufacturing thread from the initial part model to the verified physical part, and beyond. The demonstration by the partnership companies is a major step towards enabling a secure and transparent 21st century distributed additive manufacturing (AM) supply chain model that could be used by companies across the world. The solution incorporates technology from Boeing, Assembrix's Virtual Manufacturing System (VMS) platform, and a blockchain, seamlessly integrated with EOS industrial 3D printing technologies. The demonstration proves the viability of a fully digitalized, globally distributed additive manufacturing model with several features: Secured production  Jobs can be securely assigned to individual machines within a manufacturer, with IP fully protected and an auditable transaction trail. This enables customers to ensure excess parts are not produced and protect their design instructions

Jobs can be securely assigned to individual machines within a manufacturer, with IP fully protected and an auditable transaction trail. This enables customers to ensure excess parts are not produced and protect their design instructions Real-time monitoring  Customers can monitor job progress in real-time

Customers can monitor job progress in real-time Data collection and monitoring  Data from the machine can be monitored to ensure it is within the parameters defined by the customer for the job. This may include machine bay humidity, temperature, print speed or cooling, for example. All factors that can impact the performance and final quality of a part. Dan Johns, CEO 3T Additive Manufacturing and CTO BEAMIT Group, says "Being able to securely connect the customer directly to the AM machine, anywhere in the world, has been a long-standing vision within the community. The end-to-end digital integration of a supply chain transforms the business model of traditional manufacturing to a scalable and flexible network of virtual warehouses for on-demand supply, with security and quality embedded into the system. The ability to digitize the complete value chain with our strategic partner Sandvik, means that BEAMIT Group is now able to offer the next generation of advanced manufacturing services." Nel Zierhut, 3T Additive Manufacturing says "This collaboration has produced an exciting demonstration that will significantly contribute to an increasing level of confidence for companies that want to make worldwide digital manufacturing and serial production a reality, protecting IP and ensuring the highest component quality." Software in action Building a secure digital manufacturing environment for additive manufacturing, relies not only on the security enabled y the blockchain, but especially on a tight integration 'on-machine' between Assembrix and EOS software. Assembrix was one of the first members of the EOS Developer Network (EDN), and together with BEAMIT and 3T Additive Manufacturing, has leveraged the capabilities of the EOS software platform through the EOSPRINT and EOSCONNECT APIs to create this end-to-end solution for controlled distributed manufacturing.



Lior Polak, CEO of Assembrix, says, "We are providing our clients with a virtual additive manufacturing factory, where 3D printers using a variety of technologies and in different geographic locations are remotely and securely controlled. This concept is breaking the boundaries of traditional manufacturing and makes distributed additive manufacturing a reality. We are delighted to partner with industry-leading players in aerospace, automotive and medical to showcase our additive manufacturing secured network and see clients around the world embracing and leveraging our technology. Today, more than ever we see an increasing need for such a solution." Markus Glasser, Senior Vice President EMEA at EOS concludes, "Industrial 3D printing allows for demand-driven production, streamlines processes, and makes the supply chain more robust and sustainable. Combining the technology with digital manufacturing structures results in maximum transparency thanks to real-time reporting, flexibility and performance. There are many benefits to this approach, including increased transparency of supply chains, adapting products to individual or regional tastes and even a reduced product carbon footprint."

About BEAMIT Group BEAMIT Group is one of the most advanced additive manufacturing service providers in the world and serves the most demanding industries through its strategic positioning as a one-stop shop: the first company to become a truly global additive manufacturing (AM) hub offering a fully integrated value chain. Based in Fornovo di Taro (Parma, Italy), BEAMIT has been operating in the field of metal AM for 24 years. With close to 60 dedicated AM systems distributed across 7 facilities in Italy and the UK, the Group now counts over 140 employees. BEAMIT Group specializes in high-end metal AM components for demanding industries like aerospace, automotive, energy, racing and industrial engineering, and holds many relevant quality certifications, including AS/EN 9100:2018 for aerospace, IATF Automotive, NADCAP accreditation for heat treatment processes and laboratories, and NADCAP accreditation for welding  additive manufacturing commodity. In 2019, Sandvik Group, global leader in hi-tech engineering and metal powder with the widest range of alloys for additive manufacturing on the market - as well as leading expertise across the AM value chain - acquired a significant stake in BEAMIT. In 2020, BEAMIT acquired a significant stake in PRES-X, an innovative start-up in the field of special post-production processes for 3D printing. BEAMIT then acquired 100% of Italian AM service bureau ZARE. In 2021, BEAMIT Group acquired 3T Additive Manufacturing (Newbury, UK). 3T Additive Manufacturing holds some of the highest quality certifications for deliveries to aerospace and medical and is an approved supplier for serial production by many leading OEMs across the UK, Europe, US and Japan. BEAMIT Group has a turnover of 22 Mio. About 3T Additive Manufacturing 3T Additive Manufacturing has been a UK-based market leader in Additive Manufacturing for more than 20 years. The company accelerates the production of additive manufacturing across multiple industrial applications, using the most advanced AM systems and a wide range of materials. 3T Additive Manufacturing's offering includes design for additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping, development, and serial production of components. Its rigorous New Product Implementation process ensures that application and part development is conducted through a stage gate process to ensure repeatability, reproducibility, and the highest quality standards. The company has some of the highest accreditations in the AM industry, including ISO9001, ISO13485 and AS9100 certifications, allowing them to supply components to many of the world's largest OEM's, utilizing EOS metal additive technology, including the M400-4 large frame machine. In 2021, BEAMIT Group acquired 100% of 3T Additive Manufacturing. About Assembrix Assembrix developed a cloud-based platform that virtualizes 3D industrial printing. Its Virtual Manufacturing Space platform ("VMS") enables a simpler, more efficient and secured production process by overseeing the entire additive manufacturing thread, from initial part model to the verified physical part and beyond. VMS enables multiple in-house users or external clients to monitor, allocate and manage, in a fully automated and self-controlled process, its entire manufacturing space, whether made up of single or aggregated and distributed 3D printers, thereby optimizing the utilization of all 3D printing resources and improving the ROI. Assembrix partners with printer manufacturers by connecting their machines to its VMS platform and providing to its customers' full management and control over their operation within a networked and dynamic supply-chain About EOS EOS provides responsible manufacturing solutions via industrial 3D printing technology to manufacturers around the world. Connecting high quality production efficiency with its pioneering innovation and sustainable practices, the independent company formed in 1989 will shape the future of manufacturing. Powered by its platform-driven digital value network of machines and a holistic portfolio of services, materials and processes, EOS is deeply committed to fulfilling its customers' needs and acting responsibly for our planet. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1597163/Assembrix.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1597169/Assembrix_Logo.jpg Media contacts: BEAMIT Group: Giuliana Massimino, Head of Marketing and Communications, +39 333 3868023 or g.massimino@beam-it.eu EOS: Ginger PR, +44 (0) 1932 485 300 or eos@gingerpr.co.uk Assembrix: Lior Polak, CEO & Co-founder lior.polak@assembrix.com SOURCE Assembrix

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[August 31, 2021] Airwallex forms strategic partnership with Cathay, offering Asia Miles to customers in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Global fintech platform Airwallex today announced its strategic partnership with Cathay, offering Asia Miles that will support Airwallex's continued growth in the city as it looks to provide greater benefits for its business customers in Hong Kong and beyond. Starting today, Airwallex customers in Hong Kong can redeem Asia Miles ("Miles") through various initiatives. Asia Miles is Asia's leading travel and lifestyle rewards programme, in which members can earn miles that can be used to redeem a wide range of offerings beyond travel. This includes unique dining experiences, access to local events and festivals as well as exclusive retail offerings. For Hong Kong businesses, a one-time "Welcome Award" of 5,000 Miles will be immediately awarded upon their successful sign-up with Airwallex*. Upon successful sign up, they will also be entitled to redeem Miles for every FX transaction made, and earn up to a maximum of 15,000 Miles. As part of the partnership, Airwallex will look to launch more rewards initiatives for its customers in due course. More information for these offers can be found at

https://www.airwallex.com/hk/asia-miles. "Recognising the impact of Covid-19 on the operations of every single business in Hong Kong, our priority is to find ways to better support those businesses by encouraging Hong Kong companies to more readily embrace innovative technology," said Kai Wu, Greater China CEO at Airwallex. "We are delighted to form a partnership with Asia Miles as we look at ways to drive a wider adoption of tech-led solutions that can enhance transparency, cost-efficiency and convenience, empowering local businesses to grow without borders." Paul Smitton, Director, Customer Lifestyle and CEO of Asia Miles at Cathay said, "We are thrilled to unveil our partnership with Airwallex, who've proven to be an innovator in the foreign exchange market. Furthermore this is another great example of how Asia Miles for Business supports enterprises of all shapes and sizes." Airwallex is one of the fastest growing financial technology companies today, with a vision to become the global financial cloud for businesses to operate anywhere, anytime. Founded in 2015, Airwallex currently operates across 12 offices with a team of over 900 employees.







*Note: To be eligible for the 5,000 Miles, Asia Miles members must have passed Airwallex's KYC, and have been approved as a customer.

About Airwallex Airwallex is a global fintech payment platform with a mission to empower businesses of all sizes to grow without borders, and by doing so, contribute to the global economy. With technology at its core, Airwallex has built a financial infrastructure and platform to help businesses manage payments, treasury and expenses globally, without the constraints of the traditional financial system. Airwallex has secured over US$500 million since it was established in 2015, and is backed by world-leading investors. Today, the business operates with a team of over 900 employees across 12 global offices. For more information, please visit www.airwallex.com. About Cathay Cathay is a premium travel lifestyle brand that brings together all we love about travel with our everyday lifestyle. The range of products and services includes flights, hotels, shopping, dining, wellness and credit cards. All our travel lifestyle offerings are designed to bring customers exciting offers, unmissable rewards, meaningful experiences and hand-picked partners. Flights are provided by Cathay Pacific, the home airline of Hong Kong and a founding member of the oneworld global alliance. The Cathay Group also comprises HK Express, Air Hong Kong (a dedicated freighter airline) and various subsidiaries.?We are a member of the Swire Group and?are listed?on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE) as a public company. For 75 years, Cathay Pacific has been connecting our home city of Hong Kong to the world. Now we're bringing that connection to more of our customers' lives. The new era of Cathay elevates their every bite, swipe, step, stay?and flight?to greater heights.? www.cathaypacific.com SOURCE Airwallex

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[August 31, 2021] Cell Culture Market 2021-2025 | Post-Pandemic Industry Planning Structure |17000+ Technavio Reports

NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Technavio has been monitoring the cell culture market and it is poised to grow by $ 13.00 bn during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of almost 10.67% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. COVID-19 Impact Analysis on Cell Culture Market can now be gained through our report. Download a Free Sample Now! With the gradual recovery of markets from the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cell culture market is likely to witness a positive impact during the forecast period. With the continuing spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, organizations across the globe are gradually flattening their recessionary curve by leveraging technology. Many businesses will go through response, recovery, and renewal phases. Building business resilience and enabling agility will aid organizations to move forward in their journey out of the COVID-19 crisis towards the Next Normal. This post-pandemic business planning research will aid clients to: Adjust their strategic planning to move ahead once business stability kicks in.

Focusing on agile execution of proposed and approved changes.

Conceptualize scenario-based planning to mitigate future crisis situations. Download the Post-Pandemic Business Planning Structure Key Considerations for Market Forecast: Impact of lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, demand destruction, and change in customer behavior

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Pre- as well as post-COVID-19 market estimates

Quarterly impact analysis and updates on market estimates Unlock the Potential Advantages of Technavio's Subscription Platform Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform



Similar Reports: High Throughput Screening Market Report -The high throughput screening (HTS) market has the potential to grow by USD 11.10 billion during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 7.83%. Download a free sample report now!

Hepatitis B and C Diagnostics Market Report -The hepatitis B and C diagnostics market have the potential to grow by USD 1.72 billion during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 6.22%. Download a free sample report now! Key Market Participants Analysis Agilent Technologies Inc. - The company offers cell cultures such as Seahorse XF, 96 well, and 8 well Poly-D-Lysine cell culture plates.

- The company offers cell cultures such as Seahorse XF, 96 well, and 8 well Poly-D-Lysine cell culture plates. Becton Dickinson and Co. - The company offers BD BACTEC blood culture media, dehydrated culture media and additives, and prepared culture media.

- The company offers BD BACTEC blood culture media, dehydrated culture media and additives, and prepared culture media. Bio-Techne Corp. -The company offers a comprehensive range of cell culture reagents including media and supplements, FBS, basement membrane extracts, and custom cell culture services. 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 a report snapshot here to get a detailed market share analysis of market participants during COVID-19 lockdown: https://www.technavio.com/report/cell-culture-market-industry-analysis Cell Culture Market 2021-2025: Segmentation The cell culture market is segmented as below: Product

Consumables



Equipment

Geography

North America



Europe



Asia



ROW The cell culture market is driven by the increase in infectious diseases. In addition, other factors such as growing demand for biopharmaceuticals, and high growth potential from emerging regions are expected to trigger the cell culture market toward witnessing a CAGR of over almost 10.67% during the forecast period. Find more insights about the global trends impacting the future of the cell culture market, Request Free Sample @ https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43559 Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact

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Website: www.technavio.com/ View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cell-culture-market-2021-2025--post-pandemic-industry-planning-structure-17000-technavio-reports-301366800.html SOURCE Technavio

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[September 01, 2021] Walmart Responds to Continued Growth by Hiring 20,000 Additional Supply Chain Associates

By Joe Metzger, Executive Vice President of Supply Chain Operations, Walmart U.S. and Karisa Sprague, Senior Vice President, People, Supply Chain, Walmart U.S. As our business continues evolving to meet the needs of today's customers, having a robust supply chain is more important than ever. That's why we're excited to announce that our team is growing. We released FY22 Q2 earnings last week, and they revealed just how much Walmart has grown over the past year - we had another strong quarter. Innovation across all areas of the business had a huge impact on our growth, and earlier this year, we shared plans to roll out high-tech automation systems to our facilities in addition to high-tech grocery distribution centers. In order to support that growth, we're planning to hire 20,000 new associates across more than 250 Walmart and Sam's Club distribution centers (DCs), fulfillment centers (FCs) and transportation offices. Next week we're holding special hiring events on Sept. 8 - 9 to attract the best and brightest candidates in all our supply chain locations. We'll be filling a wide range of roles, including order fillers, freight handlers, lift drivers, technicians and management positions. These positions will be permanent roles and will be offered in both full-and part-time capacities. We know that offering competitive pay is essential in order to build a network for the future. The average wage for supply chain associates is $20.37 per hour. At Walmart, what starts as a job has the potential to lead to a limitless and rewarding career. Whether you're new to the workforce or you're looking for a fresh start, this is the place to continue your profesional journey. After all, the majority of our managers started their careers in roles such as an order filler, and now have responsibility for leading a team of associates to ensure goods are received and shipped to stores and customers with the highest quality and service levels.



"It means the world when you have a caring group of people to work with, who truly care. Your job becomes more than just getting a paycheck - it becomes a career. And, there's opportunity here to learn from the ground up and add to the culture by putting your own special twist on being a part of a team." - Angie Baecke, General Manager of FC 7520 in Plainfield, Indiana

We know that financial stability, health benefits, family support and career development opportunities are all critical factors to weigh when considering a job, and we aim not to just meet but exceed our associates' expectations on each of these fronts. Every item on our store shelves and in our online inventory is there because of the combined efforts of our associates working in more than 250 supply chain facilities across the country. To help associates gain the experiences and skills needed for success in the jobs of today and tomorrow, Walmart has invested in associate development and growth opportunities, including opening six new Walmart Academies to support the supply chain business. Walmart Academies immerse associates in a training program that allows them to receive both classroom and DC/FC floor training in specialized supply chain skills and soft skills like leadership, communications and change management. In FY21, we trained approximately 5,900 associates via the Walmart U.S. Supply Chain Academy, including in-person and virtual trainings. In addition to job-focused training at Walmart Academies, we also encourage associates to pursue further education with Live Better U. This year, Walmart announced that it would pay 100% of the cost of tuition and books for Live Better U - allowing Supply Chain associates to achieve bachelor's degrees debt-free. And finally, we prioritize the health and wellness of our associates and their families. Medical coverage starts at $30.50 per pay period - approximately one-third less than the average premium employees pay at other companies. That's in addition to maternity and paternal benefits, emotional well-being benefits, healthcare tailored to the LBGTQ+ community and veteran and military spouse support. We are also offering our field-based associates - including supply chain - a $150 cash bonus for getting the COVID-19 vaccination. New associates who get vaccinated before October 4, or who were already vaccinated prior to their hire date, are eligible for the bonus. For our supply chain to continue expanding, innovating and improving our customer service, we need a strong, dynamic team leading it. We're excited to meet the new associates who are going to join our team. Visit careers.walmart.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210831006072/en/

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[September 01, 2021] The 16th EU-China Fair to be held in Chengdu, China in September

CHENGDU, China, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 16th EU-China Fair will be held in Chengdu from 17 to 19 September, 2021. Co-hosted by China Chamber of International Commerce(CCOIC) and European Union Chamber of Commerce in China(EUCCC), EU-China Fair is one of the largest business activities between EU and China. As one of the main activities of the 18th Western China International Fair(WCIF), the EU-China Fair is dedicated to build a platform for the participants of China and Europe to exchange ideas and to conduct business talks with their counterparts. Government officials, experts and entrepreneurs will gather in the Business and Innovation Centre of China-Europe Cooperation (CCEC) this year to share their views with other 500 attendees on the hot topics between China and the EU including digital economy, energy transition and urban green development, investment and legal srvices, geographical indication, vocational education, etc. The EU SME Center, Sichuan Energy Internet Research Institute of Tsinghua University, Commercial and Legal Service Center of CCPIT and other organizations will co-organize a series of parallel sessions during the three-day event.



In the past 15 years of its development, the EU-China Fair has attracted 4000+ EU participants and 7600+ Chinese participants, with 3100+ cooperation agreements signed and 29000+ B2B matchmaking meetings arranged. Beyond the knowledge and information released in the Fair, the opportunity of face-to-face meeting with your counterparts in Chinese business community will be a more rewarding experience. Focused on digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, energy, environmental protection, automobile, logistics, bio-medicine and other fields, the B2B Matchmaking-a flagship activity of EU-China Fair-is aimed to help European enterprises to explore Chinese market.

Last year, China overtook the US as the EU's biggest trading partner, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat. Chengdu boasts unique advantages and resources for opening up and cooperation. In 2020, Chengdu achieved a regional GDP of RMB 1,771.67 billion and a total import and export amount of RMB 715.42 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 22.4%. The total import and export volume to the EU has reached 30.1%. Chengdu would be a perfect place for European companies to develop and further explore Chinese market. Please follow the official WeChat Account "EUCHINAFAIR" for more information, and come explore, learn, share and network with the business community of Europe and China this September in Chengdu.

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[September 01, 2021] Trengo Platform Raises $36M ln Series A Funding

UTRECHT, Netherlands, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Trengo, the Dutch omnichannel communications platform, today announces raising $36 million in a Series A funding from New York-based global private equity and venture capital firm Insight Partners and Peak. The funding is aimed at accelerating international expansion, attracting talent and fueling further development of the technology-driven omnichannel communication platform. Trengo's innovative platform combines all communication channels in one environment, boosting customer service and the internal team collaboration of organizations. In the past year, Trengo tripled its customer base from 700 to 2,000 customers including Europcar, Yobbers, OPPO and Pon Porsche Dealergroep, processing more than 12,5 million messages per month for more than 20.000 users. The innovative scaleup has grown from twelve to seventy employees in one year and is expected to grow to 200 employees by 2022. The Series A funding provides the organization with a solid foundation, to search for talent while increasing sales & marketing and software development. The organization plans to open a new office hub in Utrecht to facilitate its growth this year. "At Trengo, we aim to break the status quo of the market for business communications platforms. With this Series A funding, we have even more capabilities to strengthen our growth and innovation power to help businesses and people thrive globally," said Patrick Meutzner, CEO and founder of Trengo. "Our platform raises the bar for customer satisfaction and team collaboration worldwide. Enabling organizations with an easier, more efficient and more consistent way for all their communications." "Trengo stands out with its collaborative interface and intuitive design. Its customers have embraced the communication platform and we see great potential in the company," said Whitney Bouck, Advisor to Insight Partners and COO at Dropbox/Hellosign. She continues, "We look forward to our partnership and their next chater of growth.



"As a selected participant in the Techleap Compass program, I congratulate Trengo with their series A investment. This shows that their ambition to become a global player in platform communication is coming to fruition," says Prince Constantijn van Oranje, Special Envoy at Techleap. "Since our initial investment in February 2020, the company has grown tremendously from 12 employees to 70, and revenue growth has followed a similar growth trajectory. We are delighted to continue supporting the Trengo team on their incredible journey." Says Stefan Bary, Managing Partner Peak.

The pace of digital transformation in business communications and the development of new communication channels is daunting, creating overload, chaos, inefficiency and stress. Increased remote working conditions put pressure on alignment within teams. Companies, and especially SMEs, struggle to keep up. The Trengo platform helps companies improve communications with customers and teams, leading to increased productivity, sales and customer satisfaction. The market for business communication platforms is currently undergoing tremendous development. There is a significant increase in emerging customer channels (for example, WhatsApp Business, Instagram Direct Message and Google Business Messages), while customers expect better and faster online service. Meanwhile, employees collaborate from different locations, experiencing great frustration from constantly switching between tools and channels to collaborate. Trengo's omnichannel communication platform is an affordable, intuitive and easy to implement platform that aggregates all features, apps and tools into one screen. It merges CRM, social channels and communication tools, resulting in an easy, efficient and consistent way to improve customer satisfaction and productivity. For Netherlands specifically The pace of digital transformation in business communications and the development of new communication channels is daunting, creating overload, chaos, inefficiency and stress. Increased remote working conditions put pressure on alignment within teams. Companies, and especially SMEs, struggle to keep up. The Trengo platform helps companies improve communications with customers and teams, leading to increased productivity, sales and customer satisfaction. About Trengo

Founded in Utrecht in 2017, Trengo is the omnichannel communications platform combining all channels on one screen. The technology-driven platform is leading and reshaping the global business communications industry. The platform is currently used in 60 countries by more than 2,000 active customers including Europcar, Pixum, Yobbers, OPPO and Pon Porsche Dealergroep. Trengo brings together all the popular platforms like WhatsApp Business, Instagram Direct Message and Google Business Messages. In 2020, Trengo was listed in the top ten fastest growing companies in the Netherlands, according to the FD Gazellen Awards. For more information, visit https://trengo.com/. About Insight Partners Insight Partners is a leading global venture capital and private equity firm, investing in high-growth technology and software scaleup companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. Founded in 1995, Insight Partners has invested in more than 400 companies worldwide and has raised, through a series of funds, more than $30 billion in capital commitments. Insight's mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives. Providing them with practical, hands-on software expertise to foster long-term success. Through its people and its portfolio, Insight encourages a culture founded on the belief that scaleup companies and growth create opportunities for all. For more information on Insight and its investments, visit insightpartners.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trengo-platform-raises-36m-ln-series-a-funding-301366850.html SOURCE Trengo

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[September 01, 2021] Elevatus Leads Video Interviewing Transformation with Advanced AI Technology

LONDON, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Elevatus, the provider of the most comprehensive AI solutions, is enabling companies worldwide to conduct quality interviews and attract top talent with its advanced video interviewing technology. Part of Elevatus' ongoing mission is to help companies find, develop and hire great applicants by leveraging the latest in AI technology. And today, the tech provider is exceeding industry standards and gaining huge traction with its smart, secure and intuitive video interviewing software, that is helping companies worldwide build talented and skillful workforces. Elevatus' video interviewing software, EVA-SSESS, has crowd-favorite features that are incredibly helping clients make accurate decisions through data-driven insights. Amongst these features, are the scientifically validated Five Factor Model reports that offer deeper insights into the applicants' personality traits, learning and communication style, performance in sales, programming aptitude, and the way they deal with customers. With these reports, companies can seamlessly mitigate hiring bias, and enrich their andidate insights with the use of AI and modern science.



What makes Elevatus' AI technology unique, is that it's highly intuitive, comprehensive, and currently unmatched in the world. For instance, clients can instantly spot top talent 90% faster with Elevatus' advanced model answer feature. With this feature, clients can use their model answer as a point of reference when assessing pre-recorded video interviews. A relevancy percentage will then be generated for each answer submitted by the applicant. This relevancy percentage dictates how close and relevant the applicant's answers are to the model answer. As a result, this feature can exponentially help clients save over 90% of their time, filter out correct answers with ease, eliminate guesswork, and make more accurate hiring decisions. Numerous in-depth case studies were conducted on Elevatus' notable clients and have shown that by harnessing the power of EVA-SSESS, they were able to achieve an 89% reduction in time-to-hire, a 96% decrease in hiring and assessment costs, and a 70% improvement in applicant experience. In addition, it also helped them hire applicants 10x faster and increase their ROI by an incredible 130%. For example, Omantel, the leading and main provider of integrated telecommunication solutions in Oman, assessed over 2,300 applicants in one week only with EVA-SSESS. Omantel was successfully able to roll out a video assessment and evaluate thousands of applicants remotely, for an internship program tailored specifically to Generation Z. As a result, Omantel lucratively boosted their ROI by 3X and managed to speed up the assessment process by a massive 83%.

"Our team of industry-leading experts designed a powerful video interviewing software that is localized and empowers companies to further democratize their hiring process to hire the best talent," shared Yara Burgan, the CEO and founder of Elevatus. "It's also integrated with world-class technology providers which enables them to build, run, and scale their hiring workflows all in one place. The impact of remote hiring made it clearer to us of how critical it is that we all invest in video interviewing software  and we're excited to help companies build better hiring journeys with our AI technology." Elevatus' AI video interviewing technology is bound to change the scope of recruitment and the future of HR, with its long and established track record of delivering matured, secure, and science-led AI technology. Elevatus' commitment to transforming and intertwining the use of AI and videos in hiring is ongoing. And the video interviewing software is part of the company's broad effort to continually fine-tune its hiring and assessment process with regularly scheduled product updates throughout the year. Contact: contact@elevatus.io; +962-796-330600 Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1606366/Elevatus_AI_Techology.jpg

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[September 01, 2021] Tackling the Country's Digital Gap, The Indonesia's Ministry of Communications and Informatics Unveils Free Webinar Series

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ministry of Communications and Informatics of Republic Indonesia (Kementerian Komunikasi dan Informatika), through the National Digital Literacy Movement Siberkreasi, is strengthening its commitment to host over 200 free webinar events every week in 514 cities and districts, which will be held until December 2021. "By 2022, as many as 12,548 sub districts in Indonesia will be connected to 4G networks. With the launch of the National Digital Literacy Movement, it will allow the wider public to properly reap the benefits of connectivity, such as increased productivity in business, education, and access to information. Our target is 12,4 million people in Indonesia will be digitally literate by end of 2021. In 2024, there will be 50 million digital literate individuals throughout the country," said Anita Wahid, Vice Charimn of Siberkreasi.



Overcoming Challenges with the Four Pillars of Digital Literacy The National Digital Literacy Movement has four fundamental pillars in their curriculum, they are: Digital Ethics, Digital Culture, Digital Skill, and Digital Safety. By mastering the four pillars, all people, including those in rural areas, will have the required capability to operate safely, ethically and optimally in a digitally connected environment.

Equipping the public with digital literacy will empower them with the knowledge and skills to increase productivity in a digital environment. With the rise of cases such as identity fraud, cybercrime, hate speeches, radicalism and digital hoaxes, safe and healthy internet behaviours must be the minimum standard that Indonesians must achieve. Therefore, the Indonesia's Ministry of Communications and Informatics and Siberkreasi will hold over 200 free webinar events every week, inviting digital experts and prominent figures to share their expertise, skills, and experiences. Learning from The Experts Recently, the Ministry through Siberkreasi has held the "Indonesia Merdeka dari Hoax" event to further educate people on the importance of safe online behavior. Held on August 28, 2021, the event invited esteemed guests such as the Minister of Communication and Information Johnny G. Plate, the Vice Governor of East Java, Emil Dardak, and public figure, Deddy Corbuzier. Furthermore, Siberkreasi has also invited inspiring public figures such as Dian Sastrowardoyo for the event "Nge-Zoom Bareng Dian" on August 27, 2021. Discussing the importance of digital literacy and internet positivity in women's empowerment from her point of view, the event attracted over 25,000 attendees from across Indonesia. The Indonesia's Ministry of Communications and Informatics, with Siberkreasi continue to prepare various webinar and workshop events about digital literacy. Located throughout many cities and locations across the country, people can register to the webinar and workshop events, where upon completion, they will receive an official e-certificate. Access the webinars through http://info.siberkreasi.id and follow @siberkreasi on social media for upcoming events. About The Ministry of Communication and Informatics of Indonesia The Ministry of Communication and Informatics of Indonesia through Ditjen Aptika has the primary function of spreading and developing the national digital infrastructure in a bid to accelerate Indonesia's digital transformation. The Ministry is working with National Digital Literacy Movement Siberkreasi as its partner to provide education on digital literacy to the wider public through various forms of media. This movement is focused on using digital literacy as a way to elevate the national capability and to further the Indonesian people. SOURCE Kementerian Komunikasi dan Informatika

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[September 01, 2021] The First Cryptocurrency Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) in DeFi Set to Debut Around Mid-September By DogeHouse Capital

Manhattan, New York, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ZEXPR, Cryptocurrency ETFs are already making their way into the world of DeFi.

While professional asset managers on Wall Street continue to jockey with financial regulators over who will get the green light to create the first U.S.-based Bitcoin Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), international developers in decentralized finance (DeFi) are already moving forward with plans to offer a fully decentralized version of the industrys first cryptocurrency ETF as early as mid-September 2021. Created by DogeHouse Capital, which is a multinational cryptocurrency company based on the BSC, the first cryptocurrency ETF will contain wrapped digital assets such as Bitcoin ($BTC), Ethereum ($ETH), Cardano ($ADA), and Polkadot ($DOT) as well as other growth and meme-related digitalcurrencies such as Kusama ($KSM), Doge Coin ($DOGE), and DogeHouse Capitals native token ($DOGEX).



Named after the popular internet sensation  Doge Coin  DogeHouse Capitals Doge Traded Fund (DTF) will begin trading on the companys fully integrated decentralized application (dApp) in mid-September to coincide with the launch of the native token on the BSC. The company plans to unveil the integrated swap on their official website later this week. DogeHouse Capital will offer a limited number of DTF tokens for purchase at launch with plans to mint additional tokens post-launch in anticipation of the coming Bitcoin super cycle this fall. The move, which would be a first in the industry, is aimed at capitalizing on first mover advantage and bringing more traditional financial instruments to the world of DeFi, which is notorious for hype-related digital currencies with little to no value.

Although branded under the banner of Doge, DogeHouse Capitals flagship DTF was designed as an aggressive growth fund for both passive and active trading. The wrapped digital asset will trade based on the underlying price action of the assets within the tokenized fund. Additionally, there will be a limited demand margin of 5 percent to both protect the integrity of the fund and create opportunities for arbitrage-related trading. DogeHouse Capital will offer additional financial services aside from the DTF/swap including a staking platform and bridge to the popular Cardano Blockchain, which is scheduled to execute a major system upgrade around the same time known as the Alonzo Hard Fork. Indeed, the company has also expressed its intent to migrate to the Cardano Blockchain later this year following the successful completion of the upgrade. About DogeHouse Capital DogeHouse Capital is the only cryptocurrency company bringing professional digital asset management to meme-based digital currencies on the BSC, Cardano Blockchain, and beyond. DogeHouse Capitals native token ($DOGEX) and full suite of dApps will provide investors with opportunities to earn dividends in Cardano ($ADA), trade the first meme-focused Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), and invest in our exclusive fund for steady annualized returns across several emerging blockchains. Media Contact Company: DogeHouse Capital Management, LLC

Contact Name: Jay Nakamoto

E-mail: dogehousecapital@gmail.com

Website: https://www.dogehousecapital.com/home



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[September 01, 2021] Miles Mediation & Arbitration Establishes First ADR Office in Florida

Miles Mediation & Arbitration, the fastest growing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) firm in the Southeast, has opened an office in Jacksonville, expanding its footprint to Florida. Miles Mediation & Arbitration is headquartered in Atlanta with additional offices in Savannah, Charlotte, Nashville, and now Jacksonville. The firm provides a comprehensive professional services model that combines the expertise of its highly skilled and diverse panel of neutrals with an unparalleled level of client support in order to guide and empower parties to fair, timely and cost-effective resolution regardless of case size, specialization or complexity. The firm's top-notch ADR facilities offer the perfect "neutral" location for all clients. The firm's Jacksonville neutrals are seasoned professionals with several years of experience in the ADR field. They each have deep knowledge and expertise in varying areas of business, commercial, employment, construction, professional negligence, insurance coverage, contracts, wrongful death, personal injury, and family law. Mediation, arbitration, and dispute management are often a more efficient and economical way to resolve legal and corporate disputes between parties. "We've been planning to expand to Florida for some time. With our most recent Nashville expansion up and running successfully, it's the perfect time," said John Miles, CEO of Miles Mediation & Arbitration. "I am pleased that we are now able to offer first-rate ADR services to the citizens of Florida."



"Our sophisticated, commercial clients require top-notch space with up-to-date technology and amenities," Miles added. "As we do in our other markets, we provide whatever the clients need in a beautiful setting." Miles Mediation & Arbitration's neutrals are available to handle cases in-person or remotely. The five neutrals who have joined Miles Mediation & Arbitration in Jacksonville are the following:

Jennifer Grippa has nearly twenty years of mediation, arbitration, and litigation experience that informs her perspective as a neutral. As a mediator and arbitrator, she facilitates the resolution of a variety of disputes, including banking, business/commercial, civil rights, construction, contracts, cybersecurity, employment, engineering and construction, environmental, estate/probate/trusts, government, insurance, personal injury/torts, premises liability, product liability, professional liability, real estate, and surety matters. Robert Cowles has been certified as a Circuit Court Mediator in Florida since 1991 and was active in getting the mediation program started in North Florida. He has mediated over 2,500 cases. He has also handled arbitrations for the American Arbitration Association since 1992 and has been an Arbitrator in over 350 cases including commercial cases, Lemon Law, breach of contract, business disputes, employment, construction, actuarial malpractice, fraud, maritime, and hospital/insurance disputes. John McCorvey is an accomplished litigation attorney with an extensive background in commercial and real estate litigation, including an emphasis on creditors' rights. He is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator. John handles matters from routine to complex, for clients ranging from large institutions to individuals. His practice areas include: business disputes, creditors' rights, bankruptcy law, real estate litigation, garnishment, commercial collections, replevin, foreclosures, and asset recovery. Blane McCarthy has been a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Mediator for 21 years. He has mediated a wide variety of legal issues, but primarily focuses on Personal Injury cases, including Global Settlement Conferences. He has been referred cases by judges, attorneys, businesses, individuals, and the State of Florida. Jeff Ward practiced as a trial lawyer in Georgia for nearly 20 years and has been mediating full time for 5 years. He practiced General Casualty Law, Professional Malpractice Law, Commercial Transportation Law, and Construction Law. For several years, he served as regional trial counsel for a Fortune Five international retailer in professional negligence matters. In addition, he represented clients ranging from Fortune 100 retail companies to hospitals, health care providers, and construction professionals. Over his career as a litigator, Jeff took and defended hundreds of depositions including expert witnesses in the medical, engineering, and construction fields. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005244/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Facedrive Provides a Corporate Update

Facedrive Inc. ("Facedrive" or the "Company") (TSXV:FD), (OTCQX:FDVRF), a Canadian "people-and-planet-first" tech ecosystem, yesterday announced its financial results for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2021 ("Q2 2021") and would like to provide this general corporate as a supplement to such disclosure. Facedrive Foods & Its Growth Involving Selling and Delivering Restaurant Supplies The Company's revenues attributable to Facedrive Foods' food delivery business activities were $4,973,100 in Q2 2021 (as compared to $Nil in Q2 2020). Facedrive Foods' food delivery revenues include revenues from food delivery services, restaurant commissions and merchandise sales. Initially established as a project within Facedrive in April 2020 and bolstered by the Company's acquisition of certain assets from Foodora Canada Inc. (July 2020) and the acquisition of Food Hwy Canada Inc. ("Food Hwy") (October 2020), Facedrive Foods has been able to capitalize on the dramatic shift in consumer and business behavior in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and was fulfilling, on average, 4,700 orders per day for the six months ended June 30, 2021 in 19 cities across Canada. As of June 30, 2021, Facedrive Foods had 5,312 restaurant partners and 303,025 registered end-users. In early 2021, Facedrive Foods expanded its offerings to include a platform for merchandise sales. In addition to the sale and delivery of food items from the Company's restaurant partners (as described in the paragraph above), Facedrive Foods' platform has been expanded in 2021 to include the sale and delivery of various merchandise items on a business-to-business basis. Such merchandise inventory is procured, owned and warehoused by Food Hwy (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company) and then, once purchased by a business utilizing a feature found in the Facedrive Food app, the merchandise is delivered by the Company to its business customer. During Q2 2021, Facedrive Foods had total revenues of $4,973,139, of which $2,207,042 was attributable to the sale and delivery of such merchandise on a business-to-business basis. The Company's merchandise sales through Facedrive Foods' platform had 2,493 restaurant customers and Facedrive Foods was fulfilling orders at the rate of over 4,000 per month as of June 30, 2021. Facedrive intends to continue with its revenue expansion plans with contemplated geographical and additional product line expansion plans for Q3 and Q4 2021. Facedrive Health Launches its Back-to-Business Tool Suite for COVID-19 In early August 2021, Facedrive Health initiated the launch of its proprietary Back-to-Business tool suite which is designed to assist businesses in reopening safely during the later stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Back-to-Business kit includes a suite of tools comprised of screening, contact tracing, rapid testing kits and health wallet solutions. To date, the Company is impressed with the initial market feedback and adoption. For instance, one element of the Back-to-Business Kit is SafeCheck, an application that helps restaurants and retail vendor and service providers perform digital screening and contact tracing of customers. Since SafeCheck's launch in early August, 2021, Facedrive Health has received commitments to adopt this solution from over 1,500 business customers. Based on the data captured to date, 30% of participating businesses' visitors have opted to share their details and receive further communications from Facedrive. This provides Facedrive Foods, Facedrive's food delivery platform, with a cost-effective customer acquisition model, valuable market data, as well as an additional potential revenue stream through in-app advertising. At the same time, Facedrive's distribution, training and collection program for the Government of Canada's COVID-19 rapid antigen tests for small and medium-sized organizations, where Facedrive charges a flat fee for each delivery, has seen increasing demand. Within the first month of the program's announcement, 18,000 tests have been delivered to 500+ SMEs across Ontario, with the second batch of 48,000 tests received for distribution. Facedrive - Share Price and Market Activity During recent months and weeks, the Company has experienced significant stock price volatility and it has witnessed unexpected capital market events and shareholder activities. As a result, Facedrive reconsidered some of its contemplated strategic decisions and operational next steps. In particular, te Company has temporarily postponed pursuing a prospective private placement and the Company has also ceased pursuing a specific potential acquisition transaction it had been exploring over the past few months. While Facedrive remains committed to pursuing accretive long-term opportunities, market conditions stabilizing as it relates to the Company will likely be an important pre-condition to completing such transactions.



In light of the recent selling activity of a significant non-management, non-Board member shareholder of the Company ("Major Outside Shareholder Selling"), the Company has also considered the feedback of other early investors and, in the interests of establishing fairness for all shareholders to the extent possible per the Company's long-held values, the Company has taken the important step of removing certain contractual restrictions on the ability of such early-investors to trade their shares of the Company. In particular, the Company had, in March of 2021, entered into voluntary amended lock-up agreement extensions (the "Amended Lock-up Agreements") with a number of early-stage investors including members of senior management of the Company today (collectively, the "Early Investors") that had been initially entered into on or around the time of its going-public reverse takeover in September of 2019 ("Original Lock-up Agreements"). The effect of such Amended Lock-up Agreements was for the Early Investors to voluntarily agree to a more restrictive release schedule than had been established in the Original Lock-up Agreement. However, in light of the Major Outside Shareholder Selling, the Company has agreed to revert to terms found in the Original Lock-up Agreement, which allows for more shares to release from lock-up on an earlier schedule (as contemplated in said Original Lock-up Agreements). In the case of non-executive Early Investors, this means an unlocking of an additional 10 percent of their holdings (above and beyond a 5 percent release at each interval) at the end of each quarter beginning March 31,, 2021. In the case of executive Early Investors, reversion to the Original Lock-up Agreement means 15 percent of their shareholdings being released from lock-up as of the end of each quarter beginning March 31, 2021. The Company will provide additional details about the status of the lock-up agreements once discussions with the Early Investors have been completed, which is expected later in the month. "At Facedrive, an ESG 'people-and-planet-first' organization, we have always tried to strive for a long-term commitment to building value for our shareholders along with equitable principles that treat all stakeholders fairly. The recent trading activity among some outside significant shareholders has caused us to take action to demonstrate our commitment to the principle of fairness, and we feel confident that we are striking the right balance between enforcing long-term commitments to the business and the short-term practical realities for our shareholders. The idea is for Facedrive to continue focusing on long-term value creation by continuing to build out and on the fundamentals of the Company's consolidated business, which we feel are very positive" - said Suman (News - Alert) Pushparajah, incoming Chief Executive Officer of Facedrive.

About Facedrive Facedrive is a multi-faceted "people-and-planet first" tech ecosystem offering socially-responsible services to local communities with a strong commitment to doing business fairly, equitably and sustainably. As part of this commitment, Facedrive's vision is to fulfil its mandate through a number of services that either leverage existing technologies of the Company or project synergies with existing lines of business. Facedrive's service offerings include its: (i) eco-friendly rideshare business, Facedrive Rideshare; (ii) food delivery service, Facedrive Foods; (iii) electric and hybrid vehicle subscription business, Steer; (iv) contact-tracing and connected health technology services, Facedrive Health; (v) e-commerce platform, Facedrive Marketplace; and (vi) e-social platform, Facedrive Social. Facedrive Rideshare was among the first to offer a wide variety of environmentally and socially responsible solutions in the Transportation as a Service (TaaS) space, planting thousands of trees based on user consumption and offering choices between electric, hybrid and conventional vehicles (including, more recently, electric and hybrid vehicles on a subscription basis through Steer). Facedrive Marketplace offers curated merchandise typically created from sustainably sourced materials and linked to social causes. Facedrive Foods offers contactless delivery of a wide variety of foods right to consumers' doorsteps, with a focus on doing so in a socially and environmentally-conscious manner. Facedrive Social strives to keep people connected in a physically-distanced world through its HiQ and other e-socialization platforms that invite users to interact based on common interests and by offering gamification and mutual community support features. Facedrive Health strives to develop and offer innovative technological solutions to the most acute health challenges including its proprietary TraceSCAN wearable technology for contact tracing. Facedrive envisions changing the ridesharing, food delivery, e-commerce, social and health tech narratives for the better, for everyone, and is currently operational in Canada and the United States. For more about Facedrive, visit www.facedrive.com. Facedrive Inc.

100 Consilium Pl, Unit 104, Scarborough, ON (News - Alert) , Canada M1H 3E3

www.facedrive.com Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this press release contains forward-looking information. This information is based on management's reasonable assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to us and are made as of the date of this press release. Actual results and the timing of events (for example, those related to: (i) Facedrive Foods' revenue expansion plans with contemplated geographical and additional product line expansion plans for Q3 and Q4 2021; (ii) the continued adoption and commercialization of Facedrive Health's Back-to-Business tool suite; and (iii) the reversion of the lock-up terms of the Early Investors back to the schedule described in the Original Lock-up Agreements from 2019) may differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information as a result of various factors. Information regarding our expectations of future results, performance, achievements, prospects or opportunities or the markets in which we operate is forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances. Many factors could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements or future events or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. See "Forward-Looking Information" and "Risk Factors" in Facedrive's Annual Management Discussion & Analysis (MD&A) for the year ended December 31, 2020 (filed on SEDAR on April 30, 2021) and its interim MD&A for the period ended June 30, 2021 (filed on SEDAR on August 30, 2021) for a discussion of the uncertainties, risks and assumptions associated with these statements and other risks. Readers are urged to consider the uncertainties, risks and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking information and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. We have no intention and undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation and regulatory requirements. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005363/en/

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Experian Goes Bilingual With Its Industry-Leading Credit and Personal Finance Twitter Chat

In an effort to educate more consumers about credit and personal finance, Experian today announced new free resources created specifically for bilingual and Spanish speakers, including an online Twitter (News - Alert) chat series and other education content. The new monthly series, #ChatDeCredito, will explore financial topics important to Hispanic-Latino consumers and provide them with a fun and interactive platform to build their understanding of important credit and personal finance topics.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005209/en/

#ChatDeCredito will kick off at the start of Hispanic Heritage Month at 3 p.m. Eastern time on September 15. Both bilingual and Spanish-speakers are invited to join the chat to tweet in English, espanol or a combination, and learn how credit can be used as a financial tool, what can impact credit scores, tips for building credit, and more. Consumers can join and ask questions by searching @Experian or #ChatDeCredito on Twitter. (Graphic: Business Wire)

#ChatDeCredito will kick off at the start of Hispanic Heritage Month at 3 p.m. Eastern time on September 15. Both bilingual and Spanish-speakers are invited to join the chat to tweet in English, espanol or a combination, and learn how credit can be used as a financial tool, what can impact credit scores, tips for building credit, and more. Consumers can join and ask questions by searching @Experian or #ChatDeCredito on Twitter.

"We believe arming the more than 40 million U.S. Spanish-speaking consumers with in-language information about credit and personal finance is key to improving the financial health of the Hispanic-Latino community overall," said Wil Lewis, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Experian. "e are excited about these new resources for Spanish-language speakers and this is just the beginning. We are committed to being an ongoing resource that diverse communities can trust to deliver helpful information and resources to improve our financial lives."







The new #ChatDeCredito series follows the model of Experian's award-winning #CreditChat program which started in 2012 to help consumers learn about credit. Since its inception, the program has grown a dedicated online following with hundreds of consumers joining each week. The program has helped thousands of consumers learn about important topics and over 300 personal finance experts have joined to share their knowledge.

Upcoming #ChatDeCredito topics include:

Find Credit Content in Spanish

Additional in-language resources include The Ultimate Guide to Credit - an online Spanish e-book which includes information about how to responsibly build and manage credit. The e-book also includes information about free online financial tools Experian offers such as Experian Boost, which allows consumers to get credit for paying their cell phone, utility, streaming service and other bills on time (service provided in English). Many consumers see their credit scores instantly improve after using Experian Boost.i

About Experian

Experian is the world's leading global information services company. During life's big moments - from buying a home or a car to sending a child to college to growing a business by connecting with new customers - we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organizations to prevent identity fraud and crime.

We have 17,800 people operating across 44 countries, and every day we're investing in new technologies, talented people and innovation to help all our clients maximize every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Learn more at www.experianplc.com or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the Group.

Experian and the Experian trademarks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian and its affiliates. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

i Results may vary. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005209/en/
[September 01, 2021] Peraton Labs Awarded $10M U.S. Army Contract to Extend UNO Planner for Integrated Planning of Tactical Network

CHANTILLY, Va., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Peraton Labs has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Army, Product Manager Tactical Cyber and Network Operations (PdM TCNO) to extend its Unified Network Operations (UNO) Planner software. UNO Planner provides intelligent, easy-to-use, integrated planning for the Army tactical network with lower complexity, greater accuracy, increased flexibility, and reduced time and training. The contract is worth $10.3 million over a one-year period. This award builds upon Peraton Labs' deep expertise in tactical communications, mobile networking, and software and systems development, as well as more than 20 years supporting the U.S. Army with innovative solutions for mobile warfighter communications. Under the contract, Peraton Labs will extend UNO Planner to deliver an integrated planning product that fully supports the Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) and meets Army needs for improved Network Operations (NetOps) at the tactical edge. "Peraton Labs is proud to continue supporting the Army in modernizing its operations for the Integrated Tactical Network to significantly reduce complexity and operational burden," said Petros Mouchtaris, Ph.D., president, Peraton Labs. "Agile, intelligent and easy-to-use network operations are critical to the Amy's current and future mission success. UNO Planner delivers next generation planning support across the entire ITN, enabling efficient, accurate and flexible NetOps with reduced training requirements."



UNO Planner supports tactical satellite communications and terrestrial networks with fast, easy, and error-free creation of critical configuration files, required to set up network elements and signal systems. It reduces training requirements and enables warfighters to seamlessly modify, complete, and distribute tactical level radio plans and configuration files. UNO Planner also provides open extensible interfaces to support efficient integration and data exchange with other NetOps systems. Under the contract, Peraton Labs will extend UNO Planner to support additional transmission systems and additional planning capability, including communications security planning and document generation. About Peraton

Peraton drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted and highly differentiated national security solutions and technologies that keep people safe and secure. Peraton serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies across the intelligence, space, cyber, defense, civilian, health, and state and local markets. Every day, our employees do the can't be done, solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers. Visit Peraton.com/News and follow Peraton on LinkedIn for news and updates. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/peraton-labs-awarded-10m-us-army-contract-to-extend-uno-planner-for-integrated-planning-of-tactical-network-301367109.html SOURCE Peraton

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[September 01, 2021] OpenVPN Accelerates Next-Gen VPN Innovation and Business Momentum

OpenVPN, a leading global private networking and cybersecurity company, announced today that businesses are rapidly adopting the company's next-generation virtual private network (VPN) solutions to adapt to the changes in work and adoption of cloud accelerated by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Over the past 18 months, the company, at times, experienced as much as 70 percent growth, which, according to market research firms' projections, was four times faster than the expected market growth rates. Adoption of its OpenVPN Cloud solution is growing even faster at 50 percent quarterly growth in monthly recurring revenue (MRR) over the last quarter. This rapid customer growth comes as businesses shifted IT priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic to best support remote workforces and accelerate digital strategies for growth, as well as expanding investment in the cloud. OpenVPN introduced its next-gen OpenVPN Cloud solution in May 2020 to help businesses of all sizes to quickly, easily, and cost-effectively connect private networks, devices, and servers to build a secure, virtualized modern network--without the need for complex and expensive proprietary hardware (routers, firewalls, and other traditional approaches). For organizations that use or plan to use Zero Trust Access (ZTA), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Software Defined Networking (SDN), next-gen VPN is a critical layer that supports and accommodates these approaches. To support the adoption of its OpenVPN Cloud solution, the company continues to increase the number of worldwide PoPs. In addition, to support current and future growth, and add innovative and differentiating features, OpenVPN is aggressively hiring the best talent worldwide. "Sophisticated threats, regionally and remotely distributed workforces, work from home, the growth of IoT, and the move to the cloud make the old, rigid ways of connecting and insulating your assets obsolete. The days of legacy VPN as purely remote access or site-to-site are gone. Modern network architecture requires room for contemporary approaches to sit on top of a private networking foundation," said Francis Dinha, Co-founder and CEO, OpenVPN. "Our continued and rapid growth can be attributed to our ability to help organizations secure the business at scale while providing a seamless experience even as priorities change whether it's a pandemic, rapid rollout of digital strategies or accelerated cloud journey." OpenVPN's Growth Trajectory More Than 4x Market Projected Rate OpenVPN counts tens of thousands of businesses as customers around the world. The VPN market is expected to reach between $107.6 billion (ResearchAndMarkets.com) and $120 billion (Global Market Insights) by 2027, which represents a CAGR of between 15% and 17.2%. OpenVPN grew by as much as 70% during the last 18 months, which is four times faster than the expected market growth rate. In addition, more than 97% of its customers renew or expand the number of VPN connections. OpenVPN Cloud surpassed millions of connection hours per week, which represents 50% growth each quarter and is the company's fastest growing solution since being introduced last year. In addition Cloud Service Providers including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft (News - Alert) Azure and Oracle Cloud use the open source or commercial offerings from OpenVPN to enable secure access to its cloud services. OpenVPN continues to see strong growth in North America, which is approximately 50% of the customer base and is rapidly growing in EMEA, representing more than one-third of customers. Organizations across many industries are adopting OpenVPN solutions, especially within IT services, software publishers, management consulting, telecommunications, retail, education, financial services, healthcare and insurance. As more businesses increase cloud adoption, more customers are using OpenVPN solutions to secure access to the internet, SaaS (News - Alert) applications and corporate resources for employees. In addition, digitally-minded customers are using OpenVPN solutions to protect IoT and sensor based systems including distributed control systems, financial transactions, Point of Sale (PoS) systems, connected cameras and security monitoring. "According to ESG research 75% of organizations have reported that their IT environments are either more or significantly more complex than two years ago. The top driver behind this complexity? The increase in remote workers. As organizations distribute aplications across on-premises data centers, multiple public clouds and edge locations and remote work become the norm, it will be critical that every worker can securely connect to the applications and services to ensure productivity and a positive experience," stated Bob Laliberte, Sr. Analyst, ESG. "With organizations looking to deploy long term solutions for remote workers, the next generation OpenVPN Cloud solution should be on the short list. It enables organizations to dramatically reduce the complexity and risk associated with connecting remote workers and devices to the applications they need to be productive. In addition, the cloud-based platform eliminates classic VPN latency issues by providing direct access to cloud-based applications, ensuring positive experiences."



OpenVPN Cloud - Redefining the Next Generation VPN for Modern Networks OpenVPN Cloud takes the complexity and high cost out of building and managing a secure private network. It delivers to its customers an elegant cloud-based solution with an adaptive and dynamic platform that can easily grow as businesses grow, whether connecting on-premises or to the IaaS cloud, which has attracted more DevOps and IT operations teams. OpenVPN Cloud helps businesses quickly, easily, and cost-effectively connect private networks, devices, and servers to build a secure and virtualized modern network. To make this possible, OpenVPN has vertically integrated technologies from advanced IP routing and secure access, threat detection and prevention, and firewall into its virtualized, mesh-connected, high-speed network platform with worldwide PoPs. The company continues to deliver enhancements to the platform with additional capabilities, including domain routing, Cyber Shield (DNS-based content filtering), and unique resource publishing and sharing.

To keep up with demand for OpenVPN Cloud, the company added 12 new VPN regions last year and will be investing to add 12 more VPN regions over the next year, tripling the number of regions covered including expanded points of presence in South America, Asia and others, in addition to North America and Europe. "With a multi-site e-commerce development platform serving customers globally, we needed a simple and easy way to provision secure access for our users across separate networks to support our employees working from home. We were up and running with OpenVPN Cloud in minutes and our developers working from home are able to securely access network resources and servers over the internet quickly," said Andrew Williams, Technical Development Manager, at Magic42. "As we offer home, farm and auto insurance throughout the states of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, it was really important to us to give our independent agents an easy and simple way to access the network to serve our clients. OpenVPN Cloud multilayered VPN approach enables us to improve our security posture, reduce the overall exposure on the networks due to the current cyber climate, and protects us from reaching malicious websites outside the network, which translates to less disruptions and more productivity," said Sam Bana, COO and CIO, at Columbia Lloyds Insurance Company. "Our employees need to collaborate with e-commerce clients in Chicago while delivering superior CX and support experiences to their customers from our operations centers in West Africa. OpenVPN gives our employees access to the network and shared resources in a secure manner. With the DNS filtering feature in Cyber Shield, we're protected across all our networks and environments against malware, phishing attacks and ransomware that are growing more sophisticated and have the potential to cause unwanted business disruptions," said John Kokobili of Hugo. History of Innovation Backed by Open Source (News - Alert) Roots OpenVPN has a legacy of introducing networking and cybersecurity innovations to the market. The company's leadership has deep backgrounds across telecommunications, networking and security that in their previous roles have led to solutions that have been proven out in the market. The strategic vision and business acumen of co-founder and CEO Francis Dinha has enabled the company's continued growth. With compelling solutions, OpenVPN is helping reshape the IT infrastructure landscape in support of the evolving needs of modern businesses while empowering them to securely and seamlessly connect even with rapid changes driven by digital strategies for growth and the increased usage of cloud services. "At the heart of OpenVPN are our open source roots that have resulted in a robust and inclusive open source (OS) community. The contributions, feedback and information sharing from the community are invaluable in shaping how it improves technology and expands the way we think about new products and features," added Dinha. The latest contributions from the open source community have led us to build capabilities that are available in OpenVPN Cloud including: Data Channel Offload (DCO) feature enables data encryption and handling in the kernel greatly improving data throughput performance, especially as businesses are adopting bandwidth-hungry applications to take advantage of faster connectivity options

AWS integration to quickly and automatically propagate VPN routes to the AWS VPC routing tables

SAML support for integration with third-party IAM solutions Blog: We Now Have OpenVPN Data Channel Offload: Here's What That Means Doubling Down to Support Accelerating Growth Trajectory To support the company's continued growth and expanding customer base, OpenVPN will be aggressively hiring globally across customer success, tech support, marketing, product development and engineering. Over the next 12 months, the company will double the size of its customer success team and number of technical support engineers; grow marketing headcount by 50%; and grow product development and IT operations teams by 30%. Learn more about job opportunities on the career page: https://openvpn.net/about/careers/. Resources Blog: Do You Need An Enterprise VPN?

OpenVPN Cloud

Cyber Threat Protection Connect with OpenVPN LinkedIn

Twitter About OpenVPN OpenVPN is a leading global private networking (VPN) and cybersecurity company that allows organizations to truly safeguard their assets in a dynamic, cost effective, and scalable way. Our cloud-based next-gen VPN platform allows businesses to quickly and easily connect private networks, devices, and servers to build a secure, virtualized modern network. OpenVPN is used by tens of thousands of businesses around the world. For more information, please visit https://openvpn.net/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005366/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Teleperformance Named Top Global Leader in Employee Experience by Leading Market Research Firm

Regulatory News: Teleperformance (News - Alert) (Paris:TEP), a leading global group in digitally integrated business services, announced today that Twimbit, a leading market research firm, has ranked Teleperformance number one in Twimbit's Top 10 CX BPOs to Ace Employee Experience report. The annual report examines the global outsourcing industry with specific emphasis on customer experience across six pillars, highlights companies that focus on improving experiences and providing benefits to all stakeholders including clients, employees, suppliers, communities, and shareholders. Twimbit analyzed companies based on more than 40 criteria based on its proprietary Experience framework to determine the top 10 global companies. Six key areas were examined including: Communication, Investment in Technology, Voice of the Employee, Learning and Development, Social Connection, and Rewards and Recognition. Twimbit selected Teleperformance as the top performer based on several unique, proprietary learning programs that focus on employee care, skills development and professional growth including mentorship. The study also noted Teleperformance has highly respected Corporate Social Responsibility activities which many employees choose to engage in globally. Manoj Menon, Founder and CEO of Twimbit said, "Curating magical experiences for customers requires motivated and inspired teams. Great employee experience is the foundational building block for every Customer Experience BPO. Teleperformance stands out for its incredible leadership in setting best in class people care benchmarks for great employee experience at a massive global scale - to over 380,000 employees based in 83 countries. This enables Teleperformance to deliver the best of global resources to meet the needs of demanding global clients." Twimbit research is designed to help executives in BPO settings and their clients adopt and sustain world-class, outcome-driven practices across six key CX areas including: From call center to orchestrating the full spectrum customer experience

Leveraging innovation platforms enabled by the cloud

Balancing heightened transparency, security, and regulations

Outcome-driven engagements

Upskilling the workforce in new skills like rbotics, big data, and AI/ML

Leveraging work-from-home as a business model



Daniel Julien, Teleperformance Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commented: "People care is part of our Group's DNA and remains a top priority for us. This independent research validates our employee experience approach for both work from home and facilities based staff all around the world. Taking great care of our family creates tangible results benefits for our clients. Over 90% of our entire global staff currently work in independently certified great employer operations. It is very humbling to know these comprehensive third party findings make us part of the worldwide standard of excellence for people care and overall employee experience." Teleperformance prides itself on providing support for the community and for its employees. Whether being recognized for customer experience excellence, gender equality, CSR or supporting important non-profit organizations, the focus is always on promoting equality, creating a better work environment and supporting its global clients.

ABOUT TELEPERFORMANCE GROUP Teleperformance (TEP - ISIN: FR0000051807 - Reuters: TEPRF.PA - Bloomberg (News - Alert) : TEP FP), a leading global group in digitally integrated business services, serves as a strategic partner to the world's largest companies in many industries. It offers a One Office support services model combining three wide, high-value solution families: customer experience management, back-office services and business process knowledge services. These end-to-end digital solutions guarantee successful customer interaction and optimized business processes, anchored in a unique, comprehensive high tech, high touch approach. The Group's 380,000+ employees, based in 83 countries, support billions of connections every year in over 265 languages and over 170 markets, in a shared commitment to excellence as part of the "Simpler, Faster, Safer" process. This mission is supported by the use of reliable, flexible, intelligent technological solutions and compliance with the industry's highest security and quality standards, based on Corporate Social Responsibility excellence. In 2020, Teleperformance reported consolidated revenue of 5,732 million (US$6.5 billion, based on 1 = $1.14) and net profit of 324 million. Teleperformance shares are traded on the Euronext Paris market, Compartment A, and are eligible for the deferred settlement service. They are included in the following indices: CAC 40, CAC Support Services, STOXX 600, S&P Europe 350 and MSCI Global Standard. In the area of corporate social responsibility, Teleperformance shares are included in the CAC 40 ESG index, the Euronext Vigeo Eurozone 120 index, the FTSE4Good index and the Solactive Europe Corporate Social Responsibility index (formerly Ethibel Sustainability Excellence Europe index). For more information: www.teleperformance.com Follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) : @teleperformance View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005432/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Plenty Expands Technical Leadership Team with New Hires Across Product, Program Management and Mechanical Engineering

Plenty, the flavor-first vertical farming company with a mission to improve the lives of people, plants, and the planet, today announced the expansion of its technical leadership team. The team is helping to lead all technical aspects of Plenty's new Compton facility, set to be the largest output indoor vertical farm in the world. Additions to the team include Jessica McKinley as vice president of product management, Matt McMahon as senior director of technical program management and Roberto Medina as senior director of manufacturing engineering "We are delighted to welcome these key members of our technical leadership team and to tap into their extensive experience," said Nate Storey, co-founder and chief science officer at Plenty. "As we expand our farm operations and work to bring new farms online, Jessica, Matt and Roberto will be critical in ensuring strong collaboration and success between our engineering, construction and plant science teams." In her role as VP of product management, Jessica McKinley oversees the Technical Product Management (TPM) and Farm Architecture teams at Plnty. She brings over 14 years of experience to the team, most recently serving as VP of product at Zymergen for the personal care portfolio. Prior to that, she served as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company (News - Alert) and senior scientist and product development director at Solidus Biosciences.



"Plenty is getting ready to open our Compton indoor vertical farm, the likes of which has never been done or seen before," said McKinley. "We are proud to be in Compton with its deep agricultural roots, and I look forward to working with the company as we bring their vision to improve access to healthy, nutritious food around the world into reality." Matt McMahon will lead the deployment of Plenty's farms, overseeing all elements of site planning, design and construction. A global expert of 30 years in end-to-end large-scale planning, design and construction, McMahon previously managed the Global Plan of Record (gPOR) at Google (News - Alert) , responsible for the planning, design and construction of the company's fleet-wide data center buildings.

Roberto Medina will oversee the design and management of production lines within Plenty farms, ensuring Plenty's engineering systems and standards are manufactured to the highest level of quality and efficiency. Medina brings extensive expertise in supply chain and manufacturing operations management, working with consumer packaging and global food and beverage companies such as Heinz Glas, Anheuser-Busch and Coors. About Plenty Plenty is an American farming technology company that frees agriculture from the constraints of land, weather, seasons, time, distance, pests, natural disasters, and climate. The company's plant scientists, engineers, and farmers have developed its indoor vertical farming technology to grow nutrient-rich and pesticide-free plants with extraordinary flavor. Plenty's proprietary towers and intelligent platform make it the only vertical farm that can grow multiple crops with consistently superior flavors and yield. Plenty's flagship farm and headquarters are located in South San Francisco, California, and the company operates the largest of its kind Research and Development farm in Laramie, Wyoming. Plenty is currently building the world's highest-output, vertical, indoor farm in Compton, California. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005054/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Chia Hires Paul Ford as VP of Developer Relations to Launch Chialisp Developer Program

Chia Network, Inc., a new energy-efficient decentralized blockchain founded by Bram Cohen, today announced that Paul Ford (News - Alert) will become Vice President of Developer Relations. In this role, Ford will be responsible for launching the Chialisp Developer Program (CLDP) which will provide the training, education, and experiences required for global developers to create on top of Chia. In addition, Ford will serve on the Executive Review/Determination Team of the Chia Cultivation Grant Program to support developers who want to create and apply tools that grow the broader Chia ecosystem. "We're thrilled Paul's joining the Chia team as we ramp up broader adoption of our cryptocurrency," said Gene Hoffman (News - Alert) , President & COO of Chia. "Paul brings a powerful combination of industry expertise and entrepreneurial know-how that resonates with our developer community. We look forward to him leading the drive forward in this crucial part of our business." CLDP will become the primary resource for developers interested in unlocking the full potential of Chialisp, and will include partnerships with major developer platforms, code schools, accelerator programs, and venture capital portfolios. More details regarding CLDP will be made public in the coming weeks. "The future of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology centers around giving programmers access to the tools required to build things that have yet to be thought of, or have never been possible," said Ford. "Chialisp gives developers the freedom to build and use new blockchain programs that inspire them. I'm confident that Chialisp can be the foundation of technologies that will eventually make cryptocurrencies easier to use than cash, bringing about an era of financial freedom, choice, and security unlike anything we know today." Ford has a long and rich history in the technologyindustry, having spent over 20 years in various senior leadership roles. He most recently served as the Chief Marketing Officer at Storj, an Atlanta-based decentralized cloud object storage for developers. Prior to joining Storj, Ford was Vice President of Product, Marketing and Community Development at SendGrid, a Techstars company. During his tenure, the company went public through an IPO, annual revenue and customer base tripled, and it was acquired by San Francisco-based cloud communications platform Twilio in a $3 billion transaction.



Before SendGrid, Ford was the Vice President of Marketing and Ecosystem Development at cloud hosting provider SoftLayer (News - Alert) in Dallas. While he was there, SoftLayer was acquired by IBM for $2.5BN. Ford has also spent time in corporate development at Rackspace Technology, building out the Cloud Tools ecosystem. He is also a two-time startup co-founder at MyToons and Bauhaus Software, where he raised funding from angels, venture capitalists, and private equity firms. Ford holds a BBA in international business from St. Mary's University. For more information about Chia Network or its new smart transaction programming language, Chialisp, please go to https://www.chia.net/about/ or email CLDP@chia.net.

About Chia Network Chia Network Inc. is a state-of-the-art open-source decentralized blockchain, digital currency and smart transaction platform. Founded by Bram Cohen, inventor of BitTorrent, the Company believes that "digital money" should be easier to use than cash, harder to lose and nearly impossible to steal. Using the first new secure Nakamoto consensus algorithm invented since Bitcoin, Chia operates an eco-friendly, secure and user-friendly system for cross border payments, issuing and exchanging financial assets, lending, escrow payments, institutional custody and distributed identity. Chia's blockchain is based on "Proof of Space and Time" which has a significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to "Proof of Work," used by all other crypto networks. Built on Chialisp, the company's smart coin language, Chia's blockchain allows its users to build and execute secure "smart coin" transactions. The Company is funded by leading venture capitalists including Richmond Global Ventures, Slow Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Naval Ravikant, True Ventures, Cygni Capital, Galaxy Digital, Greylock, MetaStable, Stillmark, DCM (News - Alert) , and others. Chia's advisors include Dr. Dan Boneh, Research Partner at a16z and Applied Cryptography Professor at Stanford University; David Frazee, Managing Partner at Richmond Global Ventures; Katie Haun, General Partner at a16z; Dr. Krzysztof Pietrzak, Cryptography Professor of IST Austria. For more information, visit chia.net and connect with us on Twitter (News - Alert) (@chia_project), Facebook, GitHub, Reddit, and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005300/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Language interpretation service, Voyce, to power Closing the Gap Healthcare, providing equitable healthcare to patients across Canada

TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, Voyce is pleased to announce it will support and power Closing the Gap healthcare, a community based healthcare service provider in Ontario and Nova Scotia that empowers individuals to live their best lives. Voyce is a virtual on-demand language interpretation service that delivers immediate, seamless, and secure access to live, professional interpreters. The partnership between Voyce and Closing the Gap (CTG) enables healthcare access for underserved demographics in Canadian healthcare and provides further options for communication between care providers and patients. Voyce will support Closing the Gap with professional medical interpreters available on demand, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making healthcare more patient-focused and transformative. Closing the Gap originally piloted the project in Toronto and is now pleased to offer the service to its clients across Ontario and Nova Scotia.



"Canada is one of the most diverse countries in the world. We respect the incredible diversity of people here and realize that not all people are able to speak English or French fluently. Voyce is a critical tool to ensure these people are still able to get the care they need," said Voyce CEO Andrew Royce. "Health equity can be actualized through providers' use of the best tools available. Voyce ensures conversations can be started, consent can take place, and the little nuances that are so central to a patient experience are recognized, not ignored." According to the 2016 census, more than 20% of people living in Canada speak a primary language other than English or French. Voyce technology makes healthcare more equitable and accessible by empowering patients to access care in their preferred language.

"Closing the Gap Healthcare is excited to add Voyce as a tool for our front-line providers to enhance communication where language may be a potential barrier," said Closing the Gap CEO Leighton McDonald. "One of our strategic priorities is to ensure we are consistently delivering Care that Matters and the Voyce Platform will assist our team in achieving this objective." CTG's core belief is that health care systems can always function better for those who depend on them. That's why, since its creation, the organization has embraced a culture of innovation and a focus on continuous quality improvement to enhance client care, improve health system outcomes and become an employer of choice in the home care sector. CTG provides services in your home, clinics or at the workplace with Personal Support Workers, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, and Nursing. Now, these services will be enhanced by the addition of Voyce interpretation services which allows everyone to access healthcare in their own language, removing barriers to receiving healthcare services. Voyce believes that when patients are provided with the right information, they become better informed, more empowered and more engaged in their own care - all of which leads to a better patient experience and a more efficient healthcare system. Over 750 ClosingTheGap providers have access to the Voyce app in more than 235 languages including American Sign Language. The most requested languages are Armenian, Arabic, Chinese Cantonese, Chinese Mandarin, Italian, Korean, Vietnamese, and Hakka, a dialect of Chinese. ABOUT VOYCE

Voyce is a technology driven company deeply committed to helping people in need facing language barriers, enabling them to easily and quickly communicate and get help. Voyce professional, qualified language interpreters provide interpretation across a variety of technology and telehealth platforms in 235+ languages and dialects, including American Sign Language. Across Canada, the U.K., the U.S. and globally, Voyce supports thousands of sessions a day providing language assistance to those in need. SOURCE Voyce

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[September 01, 2021] Namecheap Offers Free Bundle for Students to Create a Website, a Free Internet Basics Video Class Lesson for Teachers & Huge Savings on Top Digital Products for All Online Creators

PHOENIX, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Namecheap, the world's second-largest domain registrar and champion of the next generation of online innovators, is kicking off their annual 'Back to School' fall season with awesome free offers for students and teachers, and huge savings for everyone. The company encourages everyone to get back to learning and mastering new skills, as well as get back on track in business after the summer downtime. The seven-day sale ends on September 6 and includes groundbreaking deals on the best digital products and productivity tools. See all the deals on the sale's page. Additionally, Namecheap encourages students to take part in 'Namecheap for Education' initiative, which provides all students who have a .edu email address a free .me domain name, combined with hosting from GitHub. The free bundle allows students to kickstart their online presence with their first website, online portfolio, blog, or next big online project. Nearly 400,000 students have claimed their free .me domain and developer tools with NC.ME since the program's launch in 2014. The most domains regitered through 'Namecheap for Education' came from the University of Waterloo in Canada. To date, students there have registered 3,344 free .me domains.



Top Five Colleges Registering FREE .ME Domains University of Waterloo ( Canada ) University of California, Berkeley ( USA ) University of Illinois (USA) University of Toronto ( Canada ) Colorado State University ( USA ) Virtually every college student in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and many other locations around the world (with .edu or college email address) is eligible to take part in the free website program. To find out more, or to claim a free .me domain name today, students and teachers are welcome to visit nc.me.

Additionally, Namecheap has prepared a 20-minute virtual class for educators to use to teach kids and online novices the Internet basics. It includes everything a student would need to know to launch their first website. The lesson is available for free on Namecheap's YouTube channel. Any teachers who would like to use Namecheap's video lesson in their class, please contact pr@namecheap.com to receive a special accompanying quiz for the class, as well as free swag, free domains and web hosting -- for the whole class! About Namecheap Namecheap is an ICANN-accredited domain registrar and technology company founded in 2000 by CEO Richard Kirkendall. Celebrating two decades of providing unparalleled levels of service, security, and support, Namecheap has been steadfast in customer satisfaction. With over 13 million domains under management, Namecheap.com is among the top domain registrars and web hosting providers in the world. To learn more about Namecheap, visit namecheap.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/namecheap-offers-free-bundle-for-students-to-create-a-website-a-free-internet-basics-video-class-lesson-for-teachers--huge-savings-on-top-digital-products-for-all-online-creators-301366632.html SOURCE Namecheap

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[September 01, 2021] Actress/Producer Chrystee Pharris' Directorial Film Debut, "Aimee Victoria" Turning Into a Film Festival Fave. Her Cult Hit Series, "Craig Ross Jr's Monogamy," Premieres 3rd Season on ALLBLK & Amazon Prime Sept. 2

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Joining the pantheon of multi-hyphenate black women taking the world by storm, actress/producer Chrystee Pharris (Amazon Prime's Season 3 Goliath, NBC's Passions, Scrubs) adds film director to her resume with the provocative short Aimee Victoria, that is turning into a film festival favorite. The project about two deaf women in love facing a relationship crisis was shot completely under the restrictive guidelines necessary during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, which meant working with a cast and crew from 8 countries and 26 cities completely on Zoom! Aimee Victoria proved to be one of the most unique and challenging directorial debuts ever faced by a first-time director, says Pharris, who also returns in the third season of the cult hit, Craig Ross Jr's Monogamy, premiering on ALLBLK & Amazon Prime September 2. Pharris admits she was a little intimidated and initially reluctant to take on the daunting prospect. "When creator Mikail Chowdhury & producer Sana Soni asked me to direct Aimee Victoria, which is a single episode of the 7 episode web series, Myth of Control, they told me they decided to film everything over Zoom, with an iPhone!" recalls the actress, who'd previously only directed stage plays and musicals. "To be COVID safe, no one would meet in person...not me, not the crew, nor the camera person...it meant the actors would not be actin together in person nor at the same time even though they may be in the scene together! And for the episode that I was chosen to direct, both of the actresses are deaf. How do I direct deaf actresses via Zoom, when I don't know sign language? How do I communicate what I want from them emotionally, physically? Thank goodness for Google Meets! We used voice recognition closed captioning - I spoke to the actors, they read my directions and responded back with their voices or by typing messages."



In the end, Pharris says Aimee Victoria turned out to be a blessing for all involved and she is thrilled with the outcome. "If I hadn't tried, Aimee Victoria would not be in 14 film festivals (list of film festivals below) around the world and the numbers are growing!" She has fascinating tales to share about overcoming the obstacles of shooting a film completely over Zoom via iPhone -- and with two deaf stars! "The actresses, Natasha Ofili and Stephanie Nogueras were incredible. Two deaf women of color and a LGBTQ storyline? How often do you see that on the screen?"

Pharris, who plays Diandra on Craig Ross Jr's Monogamy, premiering on ALLBLK & Amazon Prime for its third season, says her fan base grew exponentially after the show was sold to Netflix internationally. "I didn't know this indie project was going to turn into such a cult hit. Fans from around the world are hitting me up on social media. This season is fire." FILM FESTIVALS: QFlix Pride, aGLIFF LGBTQIA+ / Prism Film Festival, QueerX, Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, Imagine This Womens Film Festival, Long Beach QFilm Festival, Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Seattle Queer Film Festival, Champion Fim Salon International Film Festival, qFLIX Philadelphia, Reel Q: Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ Film Festival, BENT Sacramento LGBTQ Film Festival & Detroit Shetown Film Festival. Media Contact: Chrystee Pharris

Phone: 818-641-1422

Email: 317867@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/actressproducer-chrystee-pharris-directorial-film-debut-aimee-victoria-turning-into-a-film-festival-fave-her-cult-hit-series-craig-ross-jrs-monogamy-premieres-3rd-season-on-allblk--amazon-prime-sept-2-301366421.html SOURCE Chrystee Pharris

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[September 01, 2021] Solarize Kinderhook with Astral Power

KINDERHOOK, N.Y., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Village of Kinderhook has selected Astral Power to be one of the clean energy provider partners for the Solarize Kinderhook campaign. The Village of Kinderhook Climate Smart Community Task Force has been developing a plan for a Community Solar outreach campaign and "we couldn't be prouder to have been chosen to work side by side with the Village of Kinderhook to remove barriers to solar for the community and help combat greenhouse gas emissions," says Cara Humphrey, VP and Co-Founder of Astral Power. Residents, small business owners, and even non-profit organizations in the Kinderhook area have a unique opportunity to enroll in Community Solar, save money on their electricity bills, and lower their carbon footprint, resulting in cleaner air for their communities. Astral Power provides subscribers access to the financial and environmental benefits of locally produced, clean solar energy while they continue receiving electricity from their current utility company. Subscribers to Community Solar through Astral Power will always save 10% on their electricity costs without the need for any equipment or upfront fees. Savings increase for those who consume more electricity, but the average household saves about $150 per year. To celebrate their partnership with the Village of Kinderhook, Astral Power is offering a $100 sign-up bonus to everyone who enrolls during this campaign. Astral Power is also makin a donation to the Village of Kinderhook's Sustainability Fund for each person, business, or non-profit organization that subscribes.



Sustainability is a key theme in this campaign. "The Village of Kinderhook Climate Smart Task Force is launching a community solar campaign to provide area residents and small businesses an opportunity to help us in our efforts to achieve a more sustainable environment for our community," said Bill Mancini, Chairman of the Committee. Community solar campaigns are creating a pathway towards more sustainable communities all across New York State. For every new subscriber, and their respective solar farm, that means there is more clean energy on the grid, and less demand for energy from fossil fuels. The development of these solar farms also creates jobs, and generates local tax revenue for the surrounding area.

About Astral Power: Astral Power provides access to locally produced clean energy from solar farms to households and businesses at a lower cost than their utility. Learn how Astral Power helps customers save money and lower carbon emissions by visiting www.astralpower.com/solarize-kinderhook . About the Village of Kinderhook: Kinderhook is one of our nation's oldest communities, dating back to the 1600's. Kinderhook is a rural community located in Columbia County, New York. It features many small businesses, thriving farms, an arts community, and many successful businesses dating back to the late 18th century. Visit Kinderhook's official website to learn more about the latest events and announcements at https://villageofkinderhook.org/ . Media Contact:

Zak Stirling

Astral Power

317766@email4pr.com

1-866-922-7335 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/solarize-kinderhook-with-astral-power-301367184.html SOURCE Astral Power

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[September 01, 2021] InfinityQS Named a Finalist in the 2021 ITSMA Marketing Excellence Awards

FAIRFAX, Va., Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- InfinityQS International, Inc. (InfinityQS), the global authority on data-driven enterprise quality, proudly announces it has been named a 2021 ITSMA Marketing Excellence Awards Program finalist in the Small- and Medium-sized Businesses (SMB) category. The quality solutions provider was nominated for its Building Resilience for the Future of Manufacturing initiative that extended free use of the Enact quality management platform to help manufacturers survive the COVID-19 pandemic and safeguard their operations against the next major disruption. An international panel of marketing executives and experts will select the MEA winners, who will be announced on Oct. 13, at a special online awards ceremony.

The ITSMA awards honor B2B marketing programs and campaigns that have delivered superior performance in the four most critical aspects of marketing success: customer focus, innovation, execution, and business impact. InfinityQS earned its spot on the finalist list for its customer-centric marketing campaign, highly aligned with the evolving needs of manufactures throughout the pandemic. As the COVID-19 crisis escalated, manufacturers were forced to adapt quickly to dramatic changes in operations, including remote and distanced work. InfinityQS recognized that digital, cloud-based technologies like Enact could provide manufacturersin any industry, around the worldwith an immediate, much-needed lifeline. InfinityQS decided to offer three months free use of Enact to new clients, no cost and no commitment required. In just one month, the marketing team and its long-time digital agency partner, Refactored, deveoped and launched a multimedia marketing campaign to raise awareness for the offer, as well as educate manufacturers on how to best leverage cloud-based quality management solutions to:



Respond to challenges brought on by the pandemic Recover by optimizing operations and processes Build resilience to withstand future disruptions

Our team knew time was of the essence. Manufacturers needed to keep operations running smoothly, while prioritizing product quality and the safety of their employeesand thats exactly what we were positioned to offer with Enact, explained Greg Matranga, Vice President of Global Marketing, InfinityQS. We aim to provide next-generation technology to help companies address new challenges head on. This latest initiative is no exception, offering the digital tools and resources manufacturers need to not only overcome the disruptions of today, but also form the foundation for resilience tomorrow. Its an honor to be recognized as an ITSMA finalist, and we congratulate all the other impressive marketers on the shortlist! As a direct result of the campaign, InfinityQS has realized a dramatic increase in new client and partner relationships. The number of new clients entering Enact Proofs of Concept has increased by 266%; the number of new partner joining the Enact Global Partner Program has increased by 100%; and InfinityQS entered 2021 with the largest and most qualified sales pipeline it has ever experienced.

Finalists for this years program are truly inspirational. They demonstrated enormous agility with their programs during this time of disruption, as they pivoted quickly with customer-oriented insight and support, said Dave Munn, President of ITSMA. B2B organizations that continued to provide new offerings and ways to engage have positioned themselves for long-term success. InfinityQS is one of these organizations, exhibiting the best qualities of focus, creativity, and operational excellence in accelerating strategic growth and innovation. The MEA awards ceremony will precede ITSMAs virtual Marketing Vision Conference the following week, which will feature MEA-winning presentations. For more information visit: http://www.itsma.com/event/marketing-vision-2021/. About ITSMA

For more than 25 years, ITSMA has led the way in defining, building, and inspiring B2B marketing excellence. With a dedicated focus on services and solutions for the connected economy, we provide our member community with insight, advice, and hands-on help to strengthen reputation, increase revenue, and deepen customer relationships. Learn more at www.itsma.com About InfinityQS International, Inc.

For over 30 years, InfinityQS has been the leading global provider of Manufacturing Quality Intelligence software and services. Powered by a robust Statistical Process Control (SPC) analytics engine, the companys solutionsEnact and ProFicientdeliver unparalleled visibility and strategic insight across the enterprise, from the shop floor to the boardroom. This extensive deep-dive capability enables manufacturers to improve product quality; decrease cost and risk; improve compliance; and make strategic, data-driven business decisions. Headquartered near Washington, D.C. and with offices in Seattle, London, and Beijing, InfinityQS has thousands of customers around the world, including Ball Corporation, Boston Scientific, Graham Packaging, and Medtronic. For more information, visit www.infinityqs.com.



Media Contact: Alexis Ellsworth DPR Group, Inc. (240) 686-1000 alexis@dprgroup.com

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[September 01, 2021] Seoul Robotics Launches First 3D Perception Software with Deep Learning

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Seoul Robotics , a 3D computer vision company using AI and deep learning to power the future of autonomy, today introduced the most advanced version of its patented 3D perception software. Building on the success of Seoul Robotics proprietary technology, this update allows organizations and institutions to glean industry-leading insights with less input. The latest iteration of the SENSR software can detect objects that are partially obstructed, fast-moving, or clustered together, in addition to providing unrivaled classification of bicycles, vehicles, and pedestrians.

Deep learning is pushing the limit of what is possible in the LiDAR industry, enabling unprecedented perception accuracy. While other 3D computer vision software relies on machine learning and rule-based systems, Seoul Robotics now uses deep learning to track more than 500 objects simultaneously and with an accuracy range of within 10 cmwhich has yet to be achieved with rule-based systems. SENSR 2.2 also includes weather-filtering AI, allowing the software to track and detect objects even in severe weather conditions including heavy rain and snow. Because of its extreme versatility and accuracy, SENSR 2.2 is currently deployed by Seoul Robotics across the United States as well as in Japan, Korea, and numerous other countries. "The introduction of deep learning into 3D perception software may be one of the last show-stopping enhancements in the LiDAR industry. Historically, the focus has been on advancing the LiDAR sensors themselves, but thats changing. Moving forward, there will be heavy investments in 3D perception software that interprets the data into actionable solutions," said HanBin Lee, CEO of Seoul Robotics. "The introduction of SENSR 2.2 is acclerating the adoption of solutions that will fuel autonomy across the globe."



SENSR 2.2 is sensor-agnostic and compatible with over 75 different types of 3D sensors currently on the market today, including LiDAR, 3D cameras, and imaging radar. SENSR 2.2 brings heightened accuracy to a range of solutions, such as smart intersections, wrong-way detection, speeding, smart railroad crossings, crowd management, and smart retail. Seoul Robotics is rapidly expanding globally and has current partnerships with several top-tier organizations including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Chattanooga Department of Transportation, Emart, and many others. Since we deployed Seoul Robotics technology into our smart city solutions we have seen an increase in our operational efficiencies and improvements in overall safety of our community, said Kevin Comstock, smart city director for the City of Chattanooga. Seoul Robotics has specifically helped the City of Chattanooga seamlessly monitor pedestrian traffic, and we are currently gathering data that will inform future capabilities of wrong-way detection. These efforts are saving money for the city, travel time for local residents, andmost importantlylives.

Seoul Robotics will be showcasing SENSR 2.2 during the IAA Mobility Conference on Sept. 7-12, 2021 in Munich, Germany. Stop by the booth in Hall B3.A75 to learn more about SENSR 2.2 and the company's expansive portfolio of turnkey LiDAR solutions for automotive, security, smart cities, transportation infrastructure, crowd analytics, IoT, and industrial applications. To learn more about Seoul Robotics, please visit www.seoulrobotics.org . About Seoul Robotics

Seoul Robotics is a 3D computer vision company building a perception platform that uses AI and deep learning to power the future of mobility, robotics and smart cities. Founded in 2017, Seoul Robotics has partnered with OEMs, system integrators, and government agencies around the world to diversify the use of 3D sensors and data. The company has developed its own proprietary software, which is compatible with nearly all LiDAR and 3D data sensors, to increase accuracy, efficiency and ensure safety across a range of industries and applications. Seoul Robotics has offices in Seoul, Raleigh, Munich, and Detroit and is backed by leading global financial institutions. For more information, visit http://www.seoulrobotics.org/ . Media Contact

Ann Gargiulo

ann.gargiulo@seoulrobotics.org LaunchSquad for Seoul Robotics

seoulrobotics@launchsquad.com



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[September 01, 2021] Barracuda Research Reveals Skyrocketing Levels Of Bot Traffic

CAMPBELL, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights: Bots make up nearly two-thirds of internet traffic.

E-commerce applications and login portals are the most common targets of advanced persistent bots.

North America accounts for 67% of bad bot trafficand most of it originates from public data centers. Barracuda, a trusted partner and leading provider of cloud-enabled security solutions, today released key findings about bad bots and the ways these automated attacks are evolving. The report, titled Bot attacks: Top Threats and Trends  Insights into the growing number of automated attacks, explores emerging traffic patterns, live examples of bot behavior and detection, and the steps IT teams should take to protect their businesses. Read the full report: www.barracuda.com/bot-threat-report The report looks at current trends, such as the volume of traffic from these bad bots, where bot attacks are originating from, and the time of day attacks are most likely to happen. It also breaks down live examples and covers the steps IT teams can take and technology they should be using to stop these types of attaks.



An in-depth look at bot traffic

Barracuda researchers analyzed traffic patterns over the first six months of 2021. Here are some of the key takeaways from their analysis: Bots make up nearly two-thirds of internet traffic, with bad bots making up nearly 40% of all traffic.

E-commerce applications and login portals are the most common targets of advanced persistent bots.

North America accounts for 67% of bad bot trafficand most of it originates from public data centers.

accounts for 67% of bad bot trafficand most of it originates from public data centers. Most bot traffic comes in from the two large public cloudsAWS and Microsoft Azurein roughly equal measure.

Just over 22% of bad bot traffic comes from Europe , with European bad bot traffic more likely to come from hosting services or residential IPs.

, with European bad bot traffic more likely to come from hosting services or residential IPs. Bad bots follow a standard workday. "While some bots like search engine crawlers are good, our research shows that over 60% of bots are dedicated to carrying out malicious activities at scale," said Nitzan Miron, VP of Product Management, Application Security, Barracuda. "When left unchecked, these bad bots can steal data, affect site performance, and even lead to a breach. That's why it's critically important to detect and effectively block bot traffic."

Resources:

Download the full report: www.barracuda.com/bot-threat-report Read the blog post: http://cuda.co/49751 About Barracuda

At Barracuda we strive to make the world a safer place. We believe every business deserves access to cloud-enabled, enterprise-grade security solutions that are easy to buy, deploy, and use. We protect email, networks, data and applications with innovative solutions that grow and adapt with our customers' journey. More than 200,000 organizations worldwide trust Barracuda to protect them  in ways they may not even know they are at risk  so they can focus on taking their business to the next level. For more information, visit?barracuda.com.? Barracuda Networks, Barracuda and the Barracuda Networks logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Barracuda Networks, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Contacts

Anne Campbell

Barracuda Networks, Inc.

978-328-1642

acampbell@barracuda.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/barracuda-research-reveals-skyrocketing-levels-of-bot-traffic-301366777.html SOURCE Barracuda Networks, Inc.

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[September 01, 2021] Kingston FURY Announces Its Partnership with Cloud9 eSports Team

Kingston FURY, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, is excited to announce it has extended its partnership with world renowned premiere eSports team Cloud9. The exciting history as the official memory provider for Cloud9 (News - Alert) comes full circle. Designed to meet the most rigorous demands of gamers, overclockers, and tech enthusiasts, Kingston FURY is the high-performance product line to help take Cloud9 to the next level. Fans of both Kingston and Cloud9 can look forward to exclusive giveaways, video content, and a whole lot more. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005008/en/ Kingston extends partnership with premiere eSports team Cloud9 (Graphic: Business Wire Ideal for those who want a powerful boost in gaming, Kingston FURY DRAM allows you to crank up your gaming and streaming. Break through the most rigorous system performance demands with the ability to multi-task simultaneously. With Kingston FURY Renegade, Beast, and Impact at your fingertips players can count on the lineup to help improve their gaming experience. "Kingston continues to be dedicated to eSports and the gaming community, designing products specifically engineered for gamers and tech enthusiasts," said Craig Tilmont, Senior Director of Marketing, Kingston. "We're thrilled to have Cloud9 on board to showcase Kingston FURY next-gen memory in their gaming systems." Kingston supports all gamers' passion and commitment to eSports so stay ready for more announcements to come from Kingston FURY and Cloud9. For more information visit kingston.com. Kingston can be found on:







YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Kingston Is With You

About Kingston Technology Company, Inc. From big data, to laptops and PCs, to IoT-based devices like smart and wearable technology, to design-in and contract manufacturing, Kingston helps deliver the solutions used to live, work and play. The world's largest PC makers and cloud-hosting companies depend on Kingston for their manufacturing needs, and our passion fuels the technology the world uses every day. We strive beyond our products to see the bigger picture, to meet the needs of our customers and offer solutions that make a difference. To learn more about how Kingston Is With You, visit Kingston.com. Editor's Note: For additional information, evaluation units or executive interviews, please contact PR Team, Kingston Technology Company, Inc. 17600 Newhope Street, Fountain Valley, CA (News - Alert) USA 92708, 714-435-2600 (Voice). Press images can be found in Kingston's press room kingston.com/company/press/ Kingston and the Kingston logo are registered trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. IronKey (News - Alert) is a registered trademark of Kingston Digital, Inc. Kingston FURY and the Kingston FURY logo are trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005008/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Accusoft Corporation Celebrates 30 Year Anniversary

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 2021 marks the 30th anniversary for Accusoft Corporation , the longtime leader in content, processing, conversion, and automation technologies for developers. Headquartered in Tampa, FL, Accusoft was founded in 1991 as Pegasus Imaging, a provider of technology and solutions to the photo and document imaging markets. In 1998, Pegasus Imaging expanded into medical compression technologies. This technology was adopted by some of the largest medical technology companies in the world, including GE Healthcare, McKesson, Phillips Medical Systems, Siemens Medical Solutions, and Toshiba. p>Between 2004-2008 Pegasus Imaging acquired TMSSequoia and Accusoft which moved the company into the forms processing and image cleanup technologies. In 2012, Pegasus Imaging was rebranded to Accusoft Corporation.



Today, after seeing three decades of change and innovation, Accusoft is proud to bring new technologies to market, driven by the goal of improving the document lifecycle experience for businesses and their employees. Most recently Accusoft created and launched OnTask and the Accusoft PDF Viewer. OnTask is a workflow automation tool that makes it easy for small to mid-sized businesses to digitally send and fill forms, get signatures on documents, and automate overall business processes.The Accusoft PDF Viewer is a JavaScript SDK that easily integrates into a developer's web application to enable PDF viewing and annotation features with no server dependencies.

"Every day I am so amazed by the talent and passion of the team we have built at Accusoft," said Accusoft CEO Jack Berlin. "30 years in business is a testament to our employees, as well as the innovation and quality of the products we bring to the market." For more information about Accusoft, please visit https://www.accusoft.com/ . About Accusoft: Founded in 1991, Accusoft is a software development company specializing in content processing, conversion, and automation solutions. From out-of-the-box and configurable applications to APIs built for developers, Accusoft software enables users to solve their most complex workflow challenges and gain insights from content in any format, on any device. Backed by 40 patents, the company's flagship products, including OnTask, PrizmDoc Viewer, and ImageGear, are designed to improve productivity, provide actionable data, and deliver results that matter. The Accusoft team is dedicated to continuous innovation through customer-centric product development, new version release, and a passion for understanding industry trends that drive consumer demand. Visit us at www.accusoft.com . CONTACT:

Megan Brooks

VP of Marketing

4001 N Riverside Drive

Tampa, Florida 33603

+1 (813) 875-7575

marketing@accusoft.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/accusoft-corporation-celebrates-30-year-anniversary-301361925.html SOURCE Accusoft

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[September 01, 2021] DentalPlans.com Warns About the Association Between Poor Oral Health and Alzheimer's Disease

September is World Alzheimer's Month. With new studies suggesting poor dental health may increase your risk for dementia, DentalPlans.com, a leading online marketplace for dental savings plans in the U.S. and part of the Henry Schein One portfolio of solutions, is committed to helping people understand the association between dementia and dental health - as well as making affordable dental care more accessible. Dementia is a general term for symptoms that include a decline in memory, reasoning and thinking skills. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting more than six million Americans - most of them age 65 or older according to the Alzheimer's Association - and is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. While dementia may seem common as people grow older, it is not a normal part of aging. And, as the National Institute of Health states, living a healthy lifestyle may reduce your risk of being impacted by dementia. Staying active, choosing healthy foods, challenging your brain by learning new skills, spending time with other people, and getting regular check-ups from your doctors and dentist are important ways to maintain your brain health throughout life.



Regular dental care is critical. A new study conducted by the NYU Dentistry School shows evidence of a connection between too much "bad" bacteria under your gums and Alzheimer's disease. Gum disease seems to be preventing the body from being able to remove dementia-causing proteins (amyloids) from the brain. The researchers found that people who had more of the beneficial types of oral bacteria had lower levels of amyloids. The next step for researchers is performing clinical trials to determine whether dental deep cleanings can help prevent Alzheimer's disease. "This research further demonstrates the association between oral health and overall health that we already know exists. But now, we have even more information to help Americans potentially lower their risk for dementia. The message is simple - take care of your oral health," said Jenn Stoll, Chief Commercial Officer at DentalPlans.com. "At DentalPlans.com, we are committed to helping Americans be able to afford to do that."

If you have been delaying getting dental care due to cost, consider a dental savings plan, which is an affordable alternative to traditional dental insurance that can save plan members 10-60% on most dental procedures. Some plans also include discounts on vision, hearing, and chiropractic care, as well as fitness, nutrition and 24/7 telehealth to help manage and maintain ones overall health. Learn more about dental savings plans and see how much you can save here. About DentalPlans.com DentalPlans.com, founded in 1999, is a leading online marketplace for dental savings plans in the U.S., helping more than a million people to affordably access quality healthcare services. Our mission is to empower consumers with the tools, information, and services that they need to live happier, healthier lives. About Henry Schein One Henry Schein One, a joint venture between Henry Schein, Inc and Internet Brands, is a software company providing integrated software and services to the dental industry. Headquartered in American Fork, Utah, the company offers market-leading solutions for dental practices, including Dentrix, Dentrix Ascend, Dentrix Enterprise, Easy Dental, TechCentral, Demandforce, Sesame Communications, Lighthouse360, Officite, and DentalPlans.com as well as international companies, including Software of Excellence, Logiciel Julie, InfoMed, Axium, Power Practice and LabNet, among others. For more information, visitwww.henryscheinone.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005074/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Voice AI company Skit secures Series B round of USD 23 million from WestBridge Capital

The fresh capital will help enhance Skit's voice technology, developing personalised solutions while making strategic headway in global markets, like the US

WestBridge Capital joins existing investors, including Exfinity Ventures and Kalaari Capital, amongst others, to accelerate the company's rapid growth NEW YORK and BANGALORE, India, Sept. 1, 2021 /CNW/ -- Leading Voice AI company, Skit has secured USD 23 million as part of its Series B funding, to fuel the next level of growth and product evolution. The investment was led by WestBridge Capital with participation from Kalaari Capital and Exfinity Ventures, Angelist syndicate led by Aaryaman Vir Shah from Prophetic Ventures and Letsventure syndicate led by Sense AI. The capital will be used for sales & marketing, building delivery capabilities, R&D to speed up innovation and further enhance the company's products while expanding globally. The fundraising follows a Series A announcement in May 2020, led by Exfinity Ventures and Kalaari Capital, AngelList, with IAN Fund and LetsVenture also participating in the round. This Series B funding brings the startup's total raise to USD 30 million. The company plans to double down and scale operations in both Indian and global markets. Since the last fundraise, Skit has been able to increase its revenue and customer growth by over 4x building a strong partner network across industries such as banking, insurance, ecommerce, consumer durables, travel & logistics, among others. The company has strengthened its workforce by over 6x to prepare for future growth. Commenting on the capital raise, Sourabh Gupta, CEO and Co-founder of Skit said, "This investment comes when we are making strategic inroads intothe US and SouthEast Asian markets. Clients and investors alike have recognized the uniqueness and superiority of our product and continue to show confidence in our growth path. The global contact center market size is expected to grow steadily and reach a value of 496 billion US dollars by 2027. To address this sizable growth, we at Skit are using voice bot innovation and our market observations to personalize caller experiences at customer contact centers, and deliver upto 50% cost reduction and superior customer experience. We are driven by the passion of our clients and our team to change the way businesses interact with their customers."



"We are delighted to back Sourabh and Akshay as they continue to help global companies transform how customer service is delivered. Skit's success in helping India's largest companies, positions them well to enter the US market where there is a massive need for voice AI solutions," stated Sashi Reddi, Venture Advisor to Westbridge Capital. With the fresh funding, Skit will potentially address the over $300 billion voice customer service market globally with its AI-based voice automation platform - Vernacular Intelligent Voice Assistant (VIVA). VIVA helps enterprises improve engagement strategies by utilizing speech recognition and Natural Language Understanding (NLU) technology. With over 10 million hours of training data, VIVA has been deployed to help enterprises boost customer stickiness and loyalty through a deep understanding of the customer's context and intent. Skit was founded in 2016 by IIT Roorkee alumnus, Sourabh Gupta and Akshay Deshraj.

About Skit Skit is an AI-first SaaS voice automation company. Its suite of speech and language solutions enable enterprises to automate their call center operations. With over 10 million hours of training data, its product - Vernacular Intelligent Voice Assistant (VIVA) can currently respond in over 16+ languages, covering over 160+ dialects and replicating human-like conversations. Skit serves a variety of enterprise clients across diverse sectors such as banking and financial services, including insurance, securities and NBFCs, food and beverage, ecommerce, automotive, and travel and tourism. Few prominent clients include Axis Bank, Hathway, Porter and Barbeque Nation. In May 2020, the Bangalore based start-up secured its Series A funding of USD 5.1 million and recently raised a Series B round of USD 23 million, and has grown to over 150 employees. The company has been featured as one of the top-notch start-ups in the Cisco Launchpad's Cohort 6, and is a part of the World Economic Forum's Global Innovators Community. The voice AI leader has also been listed in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia start-ups 2021 for its remarkable industry innovation, and recently been awarded 'Tech Startup of the Year' in Artificial Intelligence 2021 by Entrepreneur India, further underscoring its market dominance and unparalleled expertise. The company is now expanding in the United States and Southeast Asian markets in a bid to take its unique platform to global enterprises. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/voice-ai-company-skit-secures-series-b-round-of-usd-23-million-from-westbridge-capital-301367425.html SOURCE Skit

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[September 01, 2021] Veritas Appoints Brian Hamel as New Leader of Worldwide Field Operations

Veritas Technologies, the global leader in enterprise data protection, today announced that Brian Hamel has joined the company as executive vice president of Worldwide Field Operations. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005706/en/ Brian Hamel (Photo: Business Wire) Brian started his career at IBM (News - Alert) as an enterprise account manager and over a 30-year career held Infrastructure leadership positions in the U.S., Asia, and Europe. More recently, Brian spent approximately five years at Oracle (News - Alert) as Senior Vice President, Cloud Business Group. "I am delighted to welcome Brian Hamel to lead our global sales organization as we continue to attract top talent to Veritas' ledership team," said Greg Hughes (News - Alert) , chief executive officer at Veritas. "Brian's experience leading global direct sales, channel partners, systems integrators, and cloud service providers will help us to even better serve our customers on their data management journeys."



"Veritas is the recognized market leader in enterprise data protection and customers across all industries rely on Veritas to keep their critical information safe and protected from threats such as ransomware," said Hamel. "The company is well positioned to help organizations keep pace with the growth and complexity of the cloud as data and workforces become even more distributed. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to drive growth for the company at such a crucial time by helping customers modernize their approach to data protection across their on-prem, hybrid and cloud environments." About Veritas

Veritas Technologies is a global leader in data protection, availability and insights. Over 80,000 customers-including 87 percent of the Fortune Global 500-rely on us to abstract IT complexity and simplify data management. The Veritas Enterprise Data Services Platform automates the protection and orchestrates the recovery of data everywhere it lives, ensures 24/7 availability of business-critical applications, and provides enterprises with the insights they need to comply with evolving data regulations. With a reputation for reliability at scale and a deployment model to fit any need, the Veritas Enterprise Data Services Platform supports more than 800 different data sources, over 100 different operating systems, more than 1,400 storage targets, and more than 60 different cloud platforms. Learn more at www.veritas.com. Follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) at @veritastechllc. Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Veritas Technologies LLC or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005706/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market to reach US$ 3.6 Bn by 2030, Advantages of Real-time Monitoring of Livestock Reared for High Economic Value Fuel Global Market - TMR Insights

- Role of manufacturers to leverage capabilities of next-gen technologies such as AI-driven autonomous solutions propels growth - Advantages of smart wearable devices for livestock to help prevent climate change crisis and drive demand ALBANY, N.Y., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market  Overview The increasing role of next-gen technologies to monitor the health of dairy and beef cattle to prevent diseases that can impact the production quality and yield of milk, meat is fueling the livestock monitoring solutions market. Esfforts of companies to develop smart IoT sensors and AI-enabled monitoring solutions for real-time visual imagery, and use of cloud for flexible customized solutions collectively lead to the significant growth of the livestock monitoring solutions market, which, is projected to expand at a CAGR of 16% during the forecast period. The outbreak of COVID-19 that has disrupted livestock associated supply chains in most parts of the world has necessitated dynamic solutions for real-time insights into the well-being of livestock. This is to detect possible incidence of infection in livestock at any stage of rearing. The AI-enabled monitoring solutions help to detect temperature fluctuations in animals and deliver information about potential diseases, finds the TMR report. Request a Brochure to get extensive insights into the Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=79860 Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market  Key Findings of Report Entry of Technology Startups Gain Prominence for Economic Value The emergence of technology startups for several business sectors in growing economies such as India is increasingly gaining traction. Technology startups for agriculture, animal husbandry, and associated fields are hotspots due to their high economic value. The prospects of the application of the technology in the overall monitoring of cattle to improve output quality and yield is creating opportunities in the livestock monitoring solutions market. In order to strengthen the demand, players in the livestock monitoring solutions market are striving to increase the availability of easy-to-maintain and durable IoT products for cattle tracking and field mapping. Such efforts are also aimed at addressing challenges of maintenance of hardware used for smart farming. Stuck in a neck-to-neck competition with other brands? Request a custom report -https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=CR&rep_id=79860 Deployment of Drones, AI-enabled Autonomous Solutions for Precision Livestock Farming Gathers Steams The use of drones for real-time cattle tracking and to help farmers reduce staffing expense is creating new frontiers in the livestock monitoring solutions market. Manufacturers in the livestock monitoring solutions market are boosting the production and consequent testing, performance of drones for prospects of continued use in livestock monitoring. The AI-enabled monitoring of cattle helps end users to obtain maximum yield from them. According to the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization data, the number of milk yielding animals is likely to increase from 373 million in 2018 to 414 million by 2030. The role of the AI to ncrease production of milk yielding animals is creating opportunities in the livestock monitoring solutions market.



Request for covid19 Impact Analysis: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=covid19&rep_id=79860

Advantages of Environment Considerations Make Smart Wearable Technologies Attractive The development of solution-oriented wearable technologies for livestock that are designed to address greenhouse gas emissions in farms is a significant breakthrough in the livestock monitoring solutions market. Moreover, the smart wearable devices for livestock are gaining acceptance to neutralize livestock methane exhalation. This factor could serve as an advantage for the beef and dairy industries to mitigate emission and contribute in slowing down climate change. Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market  Regional Analysis North America, at present, is the early adopter of technology for farming, agriculture, and associated fields. The integration of new technologies such as ML and computer vision accounts for the highest revenue of the AI in agriculture segment in the region. This influences the growth of the livestock monitoring solutions market in the region. Europe is expected to witness considerable demand for livestock monitoring solutions in the upcoming years. The adoption of technology by dairy farmers is anticipated to drive the demand for next-gen solutions for the upkeep of dairy and beef cattle. Asia Pacific is projected to lead the livestock monitoring solutions market in the upcoming years. This can be attributed to the rising adoption of agricultural robots, drone analytics, and precision farming technologies primarily in China. Buy Research Report on Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=79860<ype=S Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market  Growth Drivers Adoption of IoT and next-gen technologies to monitor dairy/beef animals for reliable information fuels the livestock monitoring solutions market

Advantages to store, evaluate, and repeat recordings of farm surveillance boost deployment of livestock monitoring solutions Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market  Key Players Some well-entrenched players in the livestock monitoring solutions market are: Cattle Care Inc.

Luda.Farm AB

Onsight247.com

Solutions Technology Group

Zoetis Services LLC

Cattle Eye Ltd.

NewVision Security

Ranch Eyes

Wi Vid Wireless Video Cameras.com

Cainthus Global Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market: Segmentation Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market, by Component Hardware

Cattle Wearable Device



Smart Camera



Drone

Video Analytics Software/Platform

Services

Support & Maintenance Services



Installation & Implementation Services



Consulting Services Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market, by End User Cow-Calf Producer

Feedyard Producer

Stocker Producer Livestock Monitoring Solutions Market, by Region North America

U.S.



Canada



Rest of North America

Europe

U.K.



Italy



France



Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific (APAC)

Japan



China



India



Rest of Asia Pacific

 Middle East & Africa (MEA)

GCC Countries



South Africa



Rest of Middle East & Africa

& South America

Brazil



Rest of South America With the penetration of internet, every business across the globe is fast migrating to the digital space. Moreover, the growing adoption of automation, penetration of 4G and 5G network services, and easy availability of connected devices, will revolutionize the technology space. Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the global IT & Telecom Industry: CCTV Lens Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cctv-lens-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cctv-lens-market.html CCTV Camera Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cctv-camera-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cctv-camera-market.html Video Surveillance and VSaaS Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/video-surveillance-vsaas-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/video-surveillance-vsaas-market.html Night Vision Device Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/night-vision-device-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Contact Transparency Market Research

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[September 01, 2021] CloudLinux Provides Lifeline for CentOS 8 with Extended Lifecycle Support

CloudLinux today announced it will provide updates and support for CentOS 8 through December 31, 2025 -- providing a lifeline for those systems that have just four more months of support from the CentOS community through the end of the year when CentOS reaches end-of-life. The CloudLinux TuxCare Extended Lifecycle Service includes 24/7 support and updates for system components on Linux operating systems that are no longer supported by their original vendor -- that is, reached their end-of-life date. CentOS 8 is an addition to TuxCare's Extended Lifecycle Support that covers Ubuntu 16.04, CentOS 6 and Oracle (News - Alert) 6. For organizations running CentOS 8 systems, this gives them more time to analyze and determine the right Linux distribution to migrate their systems to, at their own pace, rather than being forced into a hasty decision in the four remaining months. IT decisions with strategic business impact like the operating system running their servers have far-reaching consequences at all levels of the organization. It can impact, for example, application compatibility across business departments and software development stacks for customer-facing systems. TuxCare's Extended Lifecycle Support is backed by CloudLinux, which has a long track record f developing, testing and deploying security patches and package updates for Linux distributions, backing hundreds of thousands of systems worldwide, across all industries. For vulnerabilities with a Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) score of 7.5 or higher, the average patch delivery time is two days, which is better than the original vendor's delivery time.



Organizations using the TuxCare service can be assured that business continuity is not affected, as the service deployment is transparent and rebootless, and compliance is maintained according to strict industry standards. More information can be found here about the TuxCare Extended Lifecycle service for CentOS.

About CloudLinux CloudLinux is on a mission to continually increase security, stability and availability of Linux servers and devices. Headquartered in Palo Alto (News - Alert) , California, CloudLinux Inc. develops a hardened Linux distribution, Linux kernel live security patching, extended support options for Linux, and web server security software used by enterprises, service providers, governments and universities all over the world. CloudLinux has more than 4,000 customers and partners, more than 500,000 product installations globally, and dedicated analysts and developers that together have more than 450 years' worth of Linux experience along with a passion for delivering the best customer care. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005748/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Inaugural Trees & Seas Festival A Major Success

MALIBU, Calif., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Plastic Oceans International is pleased to share the impact of its first-ever Trees & Seas Festival, a diverse celebration that united ocean and forest conservation worldwide, from August 2 to 8, 2021. Remotely and in person, organizers, partners and volunteers collaborated on over 100 free events in 32 locations around the globe. This resulted in 100,000 trees being planted, over 25,000,000 square feet (2,300,000 million square meters) of land and water cleaned of plastic pollution and other waste (over 15,000lbs), and over 25,000 participants in panel discussions, workshops, live chats, film screenings, and cultural events. "The festival exceeded our expectations," said Tod Hardin, Chief Operating Officer of Plastic Oceans International. "Our mission to protect the planet through a collective, holistic and solutions-focused approach resonated with people in every corner of the globe. It was truly an inspirational experience that I'll never forget and our entire team is dedicated and looking forward to making it even better in 2022." Co-organized this year with UNU, a Chilean lifestyle brand, and presented by Montes Wines, Trees & Seas was a two-year labor of love. It was originally slated to launch last year, but was instead pushed to 2021 due to the global pandemic. "It was a wait well worth it," said Javier Garcia, founder of UNU. "In the end we still had a pandemic to navigate around, which wasn't easy, but we made it happen and we were able to do so through great collaboration with the local communities we were in. What our collective global efforts were able to accomplish was something to behold. Imagine what we can all do next year!" Chile's Chiloe Island, which is part of the iconic Patagonia region, served as the symbolic hub of this year's festival. Satellite events took place in 16 countries spread out among five continents. "It was a transformative week working side-by-side with all the volunteers at Trees & Seas," said Aurelio Montes, founder of Montes Wines. "You do not come to understand the importance of these acts until you really become part of them. Undoubtedly, the care of nature in a structured and organized way, together with the concern and education at an early age of certain communities with respect to the care of the environment is what we must leave as a legacy to future generations." In addition to Montes Wines, additional key partners included One Tree Planted, Avocado Green Mattress, EcoWatch,@BambuuBrush, Fondo, Natracare, FOAMIE, Fundacion MERI, Lago Sofia, Innovasea, Ectagono, ProNatura Hotel Estancia Rilan and Automotora Berrios.



Plans are already underway for 2022, with preliminary details to be announced by the end of the year. To learn more about Trees & Seas visit https://plasticoceans.org/trees-and-seas/. About Trees And Seas

Trees & Seas is a weeklong festival celebrating and uniting ocean and forest conservation in over 30 locations worldwide. It's part of Plastic Oceans International's BlueCommunities initiative and has a mission to emphasize how we are all one planet  one environment  and in the end, one global community united in our effort to foster a healthier and more just planet for all.

About Plastic Oceans International

A US-based non-profit organization working to end plastic pollution and to foster sustainable communities worldwide. We operate with the belief that we can and must act locally in order to create change globally, and we do so through the power of film to empower and globalize community actions. In addition to their global entity, Plastic Oceans has branches in Canada, Chile, Mexico, Europe and the Great Lakes region of the U.S. Media Contact

Tod Hardin

408-656-3570

317992@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inaugural-trees--seas-festival-a-major-success-301367513.html SOURCE Plastic Oceans International

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[September 01, 2021] OSE Immunotherapeutics to Present at the H.C. Wainwright 23rd Annual Global Investment Conference

NANTES, France, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OSE Immunotherapeutics (ISIN: FR0012127173) today announced it will present at the H.C. Wainwright 23rd Annual Global Investment Conference. The conference is being held virtually on September 13  15, 2021.

Alexis Peyroles, CEO of OSE Immunotherapeutics, will provide an overview of the Company's business during the live presentation and will be available to participate in one-on-one meetings with investors who are registered to attend the conference. If you are an institutional investor and would like to attend the Companys presentation, please click on the following link to register for the conference: www.hcwevents.com. Once your registration is confirmed, you will be prompted to log into the conference website to request a one-on-one meeting with the Company. Event: H.C. Wainwright 23rd Annual Global Investment Conference

Session time on-demand presentation : September 13, 2021 at 7:00 A.M. (ET)

Presentation Webcast Link:

https://journey.ct.events/view/1b40e088-bf69-4e6c-8e43-dea8f9a58b2d The presentation will be webcast live and will remain available for 90 days following the live presentation on www.hcwevents.com. ABOUT OSE Immunotherapeutics

OSE Immunotherapeutics is an integrated biotechnology company focused on developing and partnering therapies to control the immune system for immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases. The companys immunology research and development platform is focused on three areas: T-cell-based vaccination, Immuno-Oncology (focus on myeloid targets), Auto-immunity & Inflammation. Its balanced first-in-class clinical and preclinical portfolio has a diversified risk profile: Vaccine platform Tedopi  (innovative combination of neoepitopes): the companys most advanced product; positive results for Step-1 of the Phase 3 trial (Atalante 1) in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer post checkpoint inhibitor failure.

In Phase 2 in pancreatic cancer (TEDOPaM), sponsor GERCOR.

In Phase 2 in ovary cancer, in combination with pembrolizumab (TEDOVA), sponsor ARCAGY-GINECO.

In Phase 2 in non-small cell lung cancer in combination with nivolumab, sponsor Italian foundation FoRT.

(innovative combination of neoepitopes): the companys most advanced product; positive results for Step-1 of the Phase 3 trial (Atalante 1) in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer post checkpoint inhibitor failure. In Phase 2 in pancreatic cancer (TEDOPaM), sponsor GERCOR. In Phase 2 in ovary cancer, in combination with pembrolizumab (TEDOVA), sponsor ARCAGY-GINECO. In Phase 2 in non-small cell lung cancer in combination with nivolumab, sponsor Italian foundation FoRT. CoVepiT: a prophylactic second-generation vaccine against COVID-19, developed using SARS-CoV-2 optimized epitops against multi variants. Positive preclinical and human ex vivo results. Voluntary and temporary Phase 1 enrollment suspension on-going (July 2021).





Immuno-oncology platform BI 765063 (OSE-172, anti-SIRPa mAb on SIRPa/CD47 pathway): developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim in advanced solid tumors; positive Phase 1 results in monotherapy and BI 765063 dose escalation study ongoing in combination with Ezabenlimab (PD-1 antagonist).

(OSE-172, anti-SIRPa mAb on SIRPa/CD47 pathway): developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim in advanced solid tumors; positive Phase 1 results in monotherapy and BI 765063 dose escalation study ongoing in combination with Ezabenlimab (PD-1 antagonist). CLEC-1 (novel myeloid checkpoint target): identification of mAb antagonists of CLEC-1 blocking the Dont Eat Me signal that increase both tumor cell phagocytosis by macrophages and antigen capture by dendritic cells.

(novel myeloid checkpoint target): identification of mAb antagonists of CLEC-1 blocking the Dont Eat Me signal that increase both tumor cell phagocytosis by macrophages and antigen capture by dendritic cells. BiCKI: bispecific fusion protein platform built on the key backbone component anti-PD-1 (OSE-279) combined with new immunotherapy targets; 2nd generation of PD-(L)1 inhibitors to increase antitumor efficacity.

Auto-immunity and inflammation platform

FR104 (anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody): Licensing partnership agreement with Veloxis in the organ transplant market; ongoing Phase 1/2 in renal transplant (sponsored by the Nantes University Hospital); Phase 2-ready asset in an autoimmune disease indication.

(anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody): Licensing partnership agreement with Veloxis in the organ transplant market; ongoing Phase 1/2 in renal transplant (sponsored by the Nantes University Hospital); Phase 2-ready asset in an autoimmune disease indication. OSE-127/S95011 (humanized monoclonal antibody targeting IL-7 receptor): developed in partnership with Servier; positive Phase 1 results; in Phase 2 in ulcerative colitis (OSE sponsor) and an independent Phase 2a is being conducted in Sjogrens syndrome (Servier sponsor).

(humanized monoclonal antibody targeting IL-7 receptor): developed in partnership with Servier; positive Phase 1 results; in Phase 2 in ulcerative colitis (OSE sponsor) and an independent Phase 2a is being conducted in Sjogrens syndrome (Servier sponsor). OSE-230 (ChemR23 agonist mAb): first-in-class therapeutic agent with the potential to resolve chronic inflammation by driving affected tissues to tissue integrity.

For more information: https://ose-immuno.com/en/

Click and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn https://twitter.com/OSEIMMUNO

https://www.linkedin.com/company/10929673 Contacts OSE Immunotherapeutics

Sylvie Detry

sylvie.detry@ose-immuno.com

+33 153 198 757



Investor Relations

Thomas Guillot

thomas.guillot@ose-immuno.com

+33 607 380 431



Media

U.S. Media: LifeSci Communications

Darren Opland, Ph.D.

darren@lifescicomms.com

+1 646 627 8387



French Media: FP2COM

Florence Portejoie

fportejoie@fp2com.fr

+33 607 768 283

Guillaume van Renterghem  LifeSci Advisors

gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com

+41 76 735 01 31 Forward-looking statements

This press release contains express or implied information and statements that might be deemed forward-looking information and statements in respect of OSE Immunotherapeutics. They do not constitute historical facts. These information and statements include financial projections that are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by OSE Immunotherapeutics management in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate.

These forward-looking statements include statements typically using conditional and containing verbs such as expect, anticipate, believe, target, plan, or estimate, their declensions and conjugations and words of similar import. Although the OSE Immunotherapeutics management believes that the forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, the OSE Immunotherapeutics shareholders and other investors are cautioned that the completion of such expectations is by nature subject to various risks, known or not, and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of OSE Immunotherapeutics. These risks could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. These risks include those discussed or identified in the public filings made by OSE Immunotherapeutics with the AMF. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. This press release includes only summary information and should be read with the OSE Immunotherapeutics Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on 15 April 2021, including the annual financial report for the fiscal year 2020, available on the OSE Immunotherapeutics website. Other than as required by applicable law, OSE Immunotherapeutics issues this press release at the date hereof and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information or statements.



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[September 01, 2021] First American Named One of PEOPLE Magazine's 2021 Companies That Care

First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), a leading provider of title insurance, settlement services and risk solutions for real estate transactions, today announced that the company is one of the 2021 PEOPLE Companies that Care. This is the first time First American was named to the PEOPLE Companies that Care list, which highlights the top U.S. companies that have succeeded in business while also demonstrating outstanding respect, care and concern for their employees, their communities and the environment. "The integrity, commitment and teamwork our people demonstrate on a daily basis help inspire the workplace culture that makes this recognition as a leader in caring for people possible," said Dennis J. Gilmore, CEO, First American Financial Corporation. "It is our firm belief that putting people first makes a difference, and we have seen our employees bring this philosophy to life in how they care for one another, our customers, and our communities." Great Place to Work, the global authority on workplace culture, selected the Companies that Care list based on an analysis of confidential survey responses from more than 5 million current employees at Great Place to Work-Certified organizations. Companies are assessed on how well they are creating a great employee experience that cuts across race, gender, age, disability status, and other aspects. "These companies show up for humanity in a variety of ways - from showing compassion for their employees to giving back to their communities to putting diversity, equity and inclusion in the forefront," says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work . "They are paving the way for more socially responsible business and are fostering high-trust workplaces for all. Congratulations to the winners of the PEOPLE's Companies that Care list." Earlier this year, First American was named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list for the sixth consecutive year. In 2020, Fortune magazine recognized First American as one of the Best Workplaces for Women and Great Place to Work also named the company one of the Best Workplaces in Financial Services & InsuranceTM, each for the fifth consecutive year. Fortune magazine and Great Place to Work have also named First American a Best Workplace for Diversity.



The company's Canadian subsidiary, FCT, has been named by Great Place to Work to the "Best Workplaces in Canada - 1000+ Employees" list for the past seven years. Both this year and last, FCT was also included on the list of Best Workplaces for Women, and last year on the list of Best Workplaces for Mental Wellness. About First American

First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF) is a leading provider of title insurance, settlement services and risk solutions for real estate transactions that traces its heritage back to 1889. First American also provides title plant management services; title and other real property records and images; valuation products and services; home warranty products; banking, trust and wealth management services; and other related products and services. With total revenue of $7.1 billion in 2020, the company offers its products and services directly and through its agents throughout the United States and abroad. In 2021, First American was named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list for the sixth consecutive year. More information about the company can be found at www.firstam.com. About the PEOPLE Companies that Care Great Place to Work selected the Companies that Care by gathering and analyzing confidential survey responses from more than 5 million employees at Great Place to Work-Certified organizations. Company rankings are derived from 60 employee experience questions within the Great Place to Work Trust Index survey. Read the full methodology. About Great Place to Work Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005284/en/

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[September 01, 2021] State Street Announces Appointment by my529 to Provide Range of Investment Servicing Solutions

State Street Corporation (NYSE:STT) today announced that it has been appointed by my529 to provide a variety of investment servicing solutions to help streamline my529's investment operations. my529, Utah's official nonprofit 529 educational savings plan, is a direct-sold 529 college savings plan available to residents of any state and currently has over $20 billion in assets under management1. "We are very pleased to announce this appointment with my529," said Chris Coleman, head of Global Client Coverage at State Street?. "The new, collective arrangement will allow my529 to sunset legacy technology applications, streamline operational processes, and redeploy resources to focus on supporting their 400,0002 + participants in the savings program." As part of the announced servicing agreement, State Street will provide my529 with accounting, daily NAV calculations, performance reporting, daily cash settlements as well as dynamic cash allocations, trading, and rebalancing services. "This is an exciting time for my529," said Richard Ellis who is the program's Executive Director. "We are confident that this servicing agreement with State Street will improve the scale and efficiency required to meet our future growth objectives on behalf of our plan's participants." About State Stret Corporation



State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) is one of the world's leading providers of financial services to institutional investors including investment servicing, investment management and investment research and trading. With $42.6 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration and $3.9 trillion* in assets under management as of June 30, 2021, State Street operates globally in more than 100 geographic markets and employs approximately 39,000 worldwide. For more information, visit State Street's website at www.statestreet.com. *Assets under management as of June 30, 2021 includes approximately $64 billion of assets with respect to SPDR products for which State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (SSGA FD) acts solely as the marketing agent. SSGA FD and State Street Global Advisors are affiliated.

 2021 State Street Corporation - All Rights Reserved 3742394.1.1.GBL.RTL 1 https://my529.org/my529-a-confident-path-forward-to-higher-education-2/

2 https://my529.org/my529-joins-effort-encouraging-utahns-to-save-money/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005780/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Phillips 66 Contributes $500,000 to American Red Cross for Hurricane Ida Relief Efforts

Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) today announced it will contribute $500,000 to the American Red Cross to assist relief efforts after Hurricane Ida swept through southeastern Louisiana. "We stand with our many employees, friends and neighbors across southeastern Louisiana," said Phillips 66 Chairman and CEO Greg Garland. "We know it's going to take the combined efforts of many to get through the coming weeks, and we're grateful to the Red Cross and others on the ground making sure those affected can start to rebuild their lives and communities." The hurricane made landfall on Aug. 29 as a powerful Category 4 storm, knocking out power across the region and bringing devastating floodwaters. Phillips 66 has confirmed that all of its nearly 500 employees who work at its assets in the area are safe. "Thanks to Phillips 66's generous support, the Red Cross, alongside our partners, is able to shelter and support thousands of familis impacted by Hurricane Ida," said Don Herring, chief development officer at the American Red Cross. "We are proud to count on partners like Phillips 66 as we work together to provide much-needed comfort and care to help people in need."



About Phillips 66 Phillips 66 is a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company. With a portfolio of Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties businesses, the company processes, transports, stores and markets fuels and products globally. Phillips 66 Partners, the company's master limited partnership, is integral to the portfolio. Headquartered in Houston, the company has 14,000 employees committed to safety and operating excellence. Phillips 66 had $57 billion of assets as of June 30, 2021. For more information, visit www.phillips66.com or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @Phillips66Co.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005821/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Insurity Launches Industry's First Regulatory Competency Center to Help P&C Insurers Rapidly Meet New Compliance Requirements

Insurity, a leading provider of cloud-based software for property and casualty (P&C) carriers, brokers, and MGAs today announced that it has launched its new Regulatory Competency Center (RCC). Insurity recognized and anticipated the potential impact the upcoming ISO roadmap would have on insurance carriers and partners, thus investing in the RCC to expand and deliver enhanced capabilities. This empowers Insurity's customers to excel during these changing times and provide them with an efficient delivery of ISO expertise to their value stream - saving them up to hundreds of thousands of hours. The RCC will enable faster adoption of new compliance requirements, allowing insurers to quickly implement newer rates and generate an increase in premium across policies. Insurance organizations can face delays in ensuring compliance across different states and lines of business due to the complexity of some Bureau changes. Insurity's new RCC will support ISO, NCCI, and independent Bureaus for 50 states, the District of Columbia (D.C), and Puerto Rico across more than 20 lines of business. The RCC will enable Insurity to increase responsiveness and meet the service level expectations established for Bureau support.This support consists of customer-accepted and customer-specific maintenance and customization for Insurity's customers. In addition, the RCC will also be responsible for supporting enterprise forms and underwriting rules.



Insurity is the first major provider to offer such compliance support to insurance organizations. The RCC will have a dedicated team of resources, including developers, quality assurance personnel, and more to ensure that customers' compliance needs are promptly met. "There is a tidal wave of changes coming from ISO in the next 18 to 24 months," said Roy Wood, Chief Customer Officer at Insurity. "The RCC addresses these changes head-on with a simplified approach. As the market continues to evolve, Insurity is investing in our customers' success so they can quickly capitalize on new opportunities in the marketplace while ensuring compliance."

"The focus of the RCC is to ensure that our customers are aligned to the coming Bureau changes and to work with customers to assist in their compliance efforts," said Fatima Dubauskas, VP, Regulatory Competency Center at Insurity. "I am thrilled to be leading Insurity's new RCC and help our customers dynamically respond to upcoming Bureau, forms, and underwriting modifications. It is just one of the many ways Insurity is committed to driving customer value and providing industry-leading support." For more information on how your organization can benefit from Insurity's RCC, please contact Laura.Krause@insurity.com. About Insurity Insurity is a leading provider of cloud-based software and analytics for insurance carriers, brokers, and MGAs. Insurity is trusted by 15 of the top 25 P&C Carriers in the US and has over 250 cloud-based deployments. Through its best-in-class digital platform and with unrivaled industry experience and thought leadership, Insurity is uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional value, empowering customers to focus on their core businesses, optimize their operations, and provide superior policyholder experiences. Insurity is a portfolio company of GI Partners. For more information, visit www.insurity.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005852/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Global Industry Analysts Predicts the World Architectural LED Products Market to Reach $19.3 Billion by 2026

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A new market study published by Global Industry Analysts Inc., (GIA) the premier market research company, today released its report titled "Architectural LED Products - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics". The report presents fresh perspectives on opportunities and challenges in a significantly transformed post COVID-19 marketplace. FACTS AT A GLANCE

Edition: 9; Released: April 2021

Executive Pool: 4716

Companies: 11 - Players covered include Cree, Inc.; Eaton Corporation PLC; Epistar Corporation; Galaxia Electronics Corporation; GE Lighting; Osram Licht AG; Philips Lumileds Lighting Company; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation; Verbatim GmbH and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Application (Wall Washing, In Ground, Cove Lighting, Backlight, Other Applications); End-Use (Residential, Commercial)

Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa. Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry>



ABSTRACT- Global Architectural LED Products Market to Reach $19.3 Billion by 2026

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Architectural LED Products estimated at US$7.8 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$19.3 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 16.2% over the analysis period. Wall Washing, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 16.1% CAGR and reach US$8.9 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the In Ground segment is readjusted to a revised 17% CAGR for the next 7-year period.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $2.4 Billion in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $4.3 Billion by 2026

The Architectural LED Products market in the U.S. is estimated at US$2.4 Billion in the year 2021. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$4.3 Billion by the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 20.9% over the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 11.6% and 14.3% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 12.8% CAGR. Cove Lighting Segment to Reach US$5.1 Billion by the year 2026

In the global Cove Lighting segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 15.7% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$1.5 Billion in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$4.2 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. More MarketGlass Platform

Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide. Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years. CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: ZA@StrategyR.com LINKS

Join Our Expert Panel

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Connect With Us on LinkedIn

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Journalists & Media

Info411@strategyr.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-industry-analysts-predicts-the-world-architectural-led-products-market-to-reach-19-3-billion-by-2026--301367648.html SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

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[September 01, 2021] NFT Host ART HAUS to Open Exclusive Gallery in Days

Singapore, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ART HAUS wants to take the NFT collectibles sector up a notch with its latest product launch . This unique NFT platform incorporates a variety of curation mechanics and membership levels to provide the market with a host of authentic and exclusive collections. Unlike the competition, ART HAUS is focused on providing an artist residency program.

This approach enables the platform to help artists with exploring their NFT ideas. Promising artists are showcased through research, podcasts,, private viewings, and much more. These initiatives provide valuable insight into their creative process. Collectors can learn what fuels their favorite artists and works. This strategy adds value to the entire NFT market because it enables collectors to gain an understanding of an artists cultural significance. Artist Residency



One of the key components of ART HAUS's approach is the development of an exclusive artist residency. Creators can apply to join as an artist in residence. Each applicant is carefully reviewed to ensure that they will find value in joining ART HAUS to premiere an exclusive collection. Artists that qualify for residency can lean on the team to experiment with NFTs in a supportive environment. For one, the exclusive galleries are only accessible to keyholders. This designation means that the collector has already done their part to become a member of this incuator for the digital arts. These collectors arent your average users. These are collectors that are serious about finding the next Beeple and getting in on the ground floor of their creative legacy.



Artist Protections



Skilled artists seeking a residency should consider ART HAUS as their home for multiple reasons. For one, the entire program is designed to service the needs of these creative minds. For example, there are a host of thoughtfully integrated protections for content creators that make it a wise decision.

The artist residency program guarantees complete creative freedom and sovereignty for artists, with custom branded smart contracts for all ART HAUS NFTs. This ensures that artists are contributing to an authentic body of work that is truly and provably theirs. While many existing platforms are reducing operating costs by minting artists works to contracts shared with many other artists, ART HAUS are committed to changing the status quo. Artists having a home for their work on the blockchain with their own branding is very important to the team. Not only for the artists sake, but to give collectors the opportunity to own something created entirely for the artist. Collectors can rest assured knowing that they own authentic work and wont be duped by an NFT platform going out of business. Residuals



Another key feature that has artists migrating to ART HAUS is its residual commissions. When you create and sell your art with ART HAUS, youre able to experiment with the latest developments in secondary royalties. Unlike other platforms that only honor them locally, ART HAUS is committed to the adoption of universal standards. This approach adds a lot of value to the residency program as many NFT artists have an extensive collection of NFTs that are constantly changing hands between collectors. Earn with NFT Auctions



One of the core components of ART HAUS is its auctions. NFT auctions provide creators and collectors with a ton of opportunities. For artists, it enables them to get the most from their collections. For investors, it provides them with a better chance to snatch up unique pieces for a steal. ART HAUS auctions are powered by the ZORA protocol. Art NFTs - A Booming Market



The NFT market continues to grow at an impressive rate. More artists and collectors are meeting up and exchanging tokens, concepts, and strategies than ever. Platforms such as ART HAUS provide a host of valuable protections for both parties that make it the ideal destination for those seeking unique opportunities in the market. As such, ART HAUS serves a crucial role in empowering these content creators and collectors to drive ROIs to new heights. Artists seeking to find out more about the platforms residencies can click here . Media Contact - Joshua M.

mail@art.haus

ART HAUS Source Link





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[September 01, 2021] CoreLogic Estimates $27 Billion to $40 Billion in Insured and Uninsured Losses from Hurricane Ida Wind, Storm Surge and Inland Flooding

CoreLogic, a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, today announced residential and commercial wind, storm surge and inland flooding loss estimates for Hurricane Ida. According to this new data analysis, insured and uninsured losses from wind, storm surge and inland flooding damages to residential and commercial properties in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are estimated to be between $27 billion and $40 billion. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005871/en/ Hurricane Ida Estimated Residential and Commercial Wind and Flood Losses (Damages in $ Billions) (Graphic: Business Wire) Total insured flood loss for residential and commercial properties in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama is estimated to be between $6 billion and $9 billion, which includes both storm surge and inland flooding. Uninsured flood loss for this area is estimated to be between $8 billion and $12 billion. Insured wind losses are an estimated additional $8 billion to $12 billion. More than 90% of the losses are estimated to be in Louisiana, primarily in the nine parishes in the New Orleans-Metairie-Hammond metropolitan area and in the Ascension, Lafourche, Livingston and Terrebonne parishes immediately to the west. Hurricane Ida, the fourth hurricane and second major hurricane of 2021, rapidly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane before making landfall near Port Fourchon on Sunday, August 29, the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Much of Louisiana's housing stock was spared from the worst of the initial landfall, as Port Fourchon is a remote area approximately 15 miles southwest of Grand Isle and is known for its significant transport of petroleum. In areas near Hurricane Ida's landfall, destructive winds exceeded 145mph. Substantial damage to property from wind and flooding occurred in the days immediately following the storm. "Hurricane Ida made landfall less than 40 miles away from where Hurricane Katrina made landfall, but the two storms had substantially different characteristics," said Tom Larsen, principal, insurance solutions at CoreLogic. "Even though Hurricane Ida was a higher wind-speed Category storm at landfall, Hurricane Katrina had a much larger wind field and had spent many hours as a Category 5 hurricane before weakening during its approach to landfall. It brought much higher storm surge than Hurricane Ida and flooded 80% of New Orleans in addition to devastating the Mississippi coast. With climate change affecting the ocean's temperatres, we should expect to see more frequent and destructive tropical cyclone activity. Homeowners and regional public agency leaders should prepare for more resilient city infrastructure and financial protection from catastrophe."



"While only 40 to 50% of the flood damages from Hurricane Ida appear to be covered by insurance, this is actually an improvement from the uninsured flood damages we saw from Hurricanes Harvey and Katrina," said Larsen. "The flood insurance gap is shrinking." This analysis includes residential homes and commercial properties, including contents and business interruption and does not include broader economic loss from the storm. The inland flood analysis is based on the rainfall for 48 hours ending at 6 a.m. CDT (News - Alert) on August 31.

The remnants of Ida made their way into the Tennessee Valley last night, an area still recovering from the unexpected and catastrophic flash flood that swept through Waverly on August 21. This area is expected to see additional flooding in the coming day(s). Areas with already saturated ground should exercise caution as rain continues through the week, as ground erosion like the devastating highway collapse in Lucedale, Mississippi is possible. To learn more about CoreLogic's Hurricane Ida damage estimates, register for the live hazard response webinar here. Visit the CoreLogic natural hazard risk information center, Hazard HQ, at www.hazardhq.com to get access to the most up-to-date Hurricane Ida storm data and see reports from previous weather events. Methodology CoreLogic offers high-resolution location information solutions with a view of hazard and vulnerability consistent with the latest science for more realistic risk differentiation. The high-resolution storm surge modeling using 10m digital elevation model (DEM) and parcel-based geocoding precision from PxPoint facilitates this realistic view of risk. Single-family residential structures less than four stories, including mobile homes, duplexes, manufactured homes and cabins (among other non-traditional home types) are included in this analysis. Multifamily residences are also included. This is not an indication that there will be no damage to other types of structures, as there may be associated wind or debris damage and are not tabulated in this release. The data provided are for use only by the primary recipient or the primary recipient's publication or broadcast. This data may not be resold, republished or licensed to any other source, including publications and sources owned by the primary recipient's parent company without prior written permission from CoreLogic. Any CoreLogic data used for publication or broadcast, in whole or in part, must be sourced as coming from CoreLogic, a data and analytics company. For use with broadcast or web content, the citation must directly accompany first reference of the data. If the data is illustrated with maps, charts, graphs or other visual elements, the CoreLogic logo must be included on screen or website. For questions, analysis or interpretation of the data, contact newsmedia@corelogic.com. Data provided may not be modified without the prior written permission of CoreLogic. Do not use the data in any unlawful manner. This data is compiled from public records, contributory databases and proprietary analytics, and its accuracy is dependent upon these sources. About CoreLogic CoreLogic is a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider. The company's combined data from public, contributory and proprietary sources includes over 4.5 billion records spanning more than 50 years, providing detailed coverage of property, mortgages and other encumbrances, consumer credit, tenancy, location, hazard risk and related performance information. The markets CoreLogic serves include real estate and mortgage finance, insurance, capital markets, and the public sector. CoreLogic delivers value to clients through unique data, analytics, workflow technology, advisory and managed services. Clients rely on CoreLogic to help identify and manage growth opportunities, improve performance and mitigate risk. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., CoreLogic operates in North America, Western Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.corelogic.com. CORELOGIC and the CoreLogic logo are trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005871/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Producers Market Hires Gabriel Morgan as CTO at Pinnacle Moment for Agricultural Industry

MIAMI, Fla., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Producers Market announces Gabriel Morgan as its first chief technology officer, charged with taking it from a marketing software company to a global marketplace that builds a robust, unified value chain model connecting farmers, buyers, and consumers to facilitate transparent and validated transactions that impact millions. Morgan, a seasoned technologist with more than 25 years of experience, was most recently at Starbucks Corporation as chief architect for its digital, retail, omnichannel, and customer-facing systems. Prior to that he was chief architect at REI and director of enterprise architecture at Microsoft Corporation. "Gabriel's depth of experience and passion for making an impact will greatly serve us as we transition from start-up to growth venture," sad Keith Agoada, CEO. "He will lead a transformation, bringing in a range of information, functionality, and validation that will unite data across our organization. It's a pinnacle moment for our industry that a person of Gabriel's caliber is invested in this opportunity."



"I couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of Producers Market where I can leverage my strengths to empower producers worldwide," said Morgan. "I was drawn to Producers Market's mission to elevate and empower global commerce with integrity, trust, and validation resulting in increased equity for producers worldwide. To have the opportunity to join a wonderful team and be part of a greater movement that directly contributes to people-positive and planet-positive outcomes is amazing." With Morgan on board, Producers Market looks forward to expanding what it means to give consumers the choice to buy a product that represents their values, while fostering greater equity and accountability in agricultural supply chains around the world.

About Producers Market

We believe that an agricultural system rooted in integrity is possible. And we're building the market linkage platform to prove it. Here, value chain stakeholders and consumer-facing brands come together in one global ecosystem. With Producers Market the best of farming, processing, and packing meets digital technology to facilitate transparent and enriching transactions. We are building the tools and ecosystem for stakeholders globally to trade with trust, and for people to consume with confidence. Producers Market is a privately held company operating in the United States, and is currently transitioning from a Seed to Series A funding round. PRESS CONTACT

Alexandra Tursi

Producers Trust

802-777-6737 (direct line)

alex@weareguru.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/producers-market-hires-gabriel-morgan-as-cto-at-pinnacle-moment-for-agricultural-industry-301367342.html SOURCE Cultivate, LLC

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[September 01, 2021] Publix Recognized on PEOPLE's Companies That Care List

Publix has been recognized as the No. 18 "company that cares" by PEOPLE. This is Publix's second consecutive year on the list, which highlights the top U.S. companies that have succeeded in business while demonstrating outstanding respect, care and concern for their employees, their communities and the environment. "Publix's culture is focused on serving our customers and taking care of our associates, communities and planet," said Publix Vice President of Public Affairs John Provenzano. "Our responsibility extends beyond our aisles and into our communities, a commitment that started with our founder, George Jenkins. Being recognized as a company that cares is an honor, especially as we're continuing to navigate through the challenges of a pandemic." Over the past year, Publix recognized associates for their commitment to providing premier service by issuing Publix gift cards several times and accelerating its annual pay increases. The company also enhanced its benefits to meet its associates' needs and hired thousands of new associates, encouraging many who had found themselves unexpectedly without work to apply. Additionally, associates were encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and associates who chose to be vaccinated were thanked for doing their part with a $125 Publix gift card. The company also increased its decades-long support to help alleviate hunger in the communities it serves. During the pandemic, the need for food assistance reached unprecedented levels in this country. As the impact of coronavirus closed schools, restaurants, hotels and other establishments, farmers were forced to discard produce and milk due to decreased demand. In April 220, Publix launched an initiative to purchase surplus produce and milk from farmers impacted by the pandemic and deliver it directly to food banks. Through that program, Publix purchased and delivered more than 18 million pounds of produce and over 500,000 gallons of milk to Feeding America member food banks throughout the Southeast. Then, in December 2020, with some food banks reporting as much as a 400% increase in demand, Publix created a new six-week program to support six of Florida's largest food banks with additional donations of pasta, canned vegetables, canned beans, cereal and boxed potatoes.



Publix also recognizes the importance of water stewardship. Earlier this year, the company announced it would donate a total of $2 million to the National Audubon Society and the National Park Foundation to protect, restore and conserve two areas of the Florida Everglades, a wetland that supplies nearly 8 million Floridians with fresh water and provides a natural habitat for endangered native species. The initiatives will return an estimated 174 million gallons of water per year to the local environment. In compiling the list, PEOPLE magazine partnered with Great Place to Work to analyze surveys from more than 5 million employees on their experiences of how their workplaces have made a difference in their lives and their communities. Rankings also reflect Great Place to Work's assessment of the generosity of each organization's benefits, and their philanthropic and community support, with particular focus on activities that occurred in the last year.

To read about Publix's ranking and see the full list of PEOPLE's Companies that Care, visit greatplacetowork.com/best-workplaces/companies-that-care/2021. Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the U.S. with more than 225,000 associates, currently operates 1,281 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. For 24 consecutive years, the company has been recognized by Fortune as a great place to work. In addition, Publix's dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the top in the grocery business. For more information, visit the company's website, corporate.publix.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005890/en/

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PulteGroup Ranks Third on PEOPLE's 100 Companies that Care 2021 List

PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM) announced today its recognition on PEOPLE's 100 Companies that Care 2021 list. Published by PEOPLE magazine, the Companies that Care list is comprised of the top workplaces in the United States that have demonstrated outstanding respect, care and concern for their employees, communities and the environment. Ranked #3, this is PulteGroup's first appearance on this prestigious list by Great Place to Work and PEOPLE.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005793/en/

As part of its Built to Honor program, PulteGroup employees break ground at a veteran home donation event in June 2021. (Photo: Business Wire)

"At PulteGroup, we appreciate that each of us can make a difference and our dedicated employees understand their role in supporting the communities and people we serve, the environment, and each other," said PulteGroup Senior Vice President of Human Resources Michelle Hairston. "We are honored to receive this recognition by PEOPLE and Great Place to Work and remain focused on leading with a culture of care."

This year the company established its charitable PulteGroup Foundation, which supports programs that address homeownership among first-time buyers, as well as careers in construction. The foundation also supports PulteGroup's Built to Honor program, which provides mortgage-free homes to veterans living with disabilities as a result of their military service.

The PEOPLE Companies that Care 2021 award is based on an anonymous survey of over 4.5 million current employees on how their workplaces have made a positive impact on their lives and in their communities. Rankings also take into consideration the generosity of each organization's benefits, philanthropic efforts and community support over the last year.

This recognition follows PulteGroup's other workplace achievements in 2021 including 100 Best Companies to Work For (ranked #75 in 2021) and Best Workplaces for Millennials (ranked #54 in 2021).

"These companies show up for humanity in a varety of ways - from showing compassion for their employees, to giving back to their communities, to putting diversity, equity and inclusion in the forefront," says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work. "They are paving the way for more socially responsible business and are fostering high-trust workplaces for all. Congratulations to the winners of the PEOPLE's Companies that Care list!"







To learn more about PulteGroup's outstanding culture and values, visit www.pultegroupcares.com. To view PulteGroup's company profile and certification results on Great Place to Work, please visit: https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/1274415.

About PulteGroup

PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM), based in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of America's largest homebuilding companies with operations in more than 40 markets throughout the country. Through its brand portfolio that includes Centex (News - Alert) , Pulte Homes, Del Webb, DiVosta Homes, American West and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, the company is one of the industry's most versatile homebuilders able to meet the needs of multiple buyer groups and respond to changing consumer demand. PulteGroup's purpose is building incredible places where people can live their dreams.

For more information about PulteGroup, Inc. and PulteGroup's brands, go to pultegroup.com; www.pulte.com; www.centex.com; www.delwebb.com; www.divosta.com; www.jwhomes.com; and www.americanwesthomes.com. Follow PulteGroup, Inc. on Twitter (News - Alert) : @PulteGroupNews.

About the PEOPLE Companies that Care

Great Place to Work selected the Companies that Care by gathering and analyzing confidential survey responses from more than 5 million employees at Great Place to Work-Certified organizations. Company rankings are derived from 60 employee experience questions within the Great Place to Work Trust Index survey. Read the full methodology.

To get on this list next year, start here.

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All.

Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005793/en/
[September 01, 2021] Jollibee and DoorDash Debut First-of-Its-Kind Mobile Kitchen in Hamilton, Ontario on September 2

Innovative restaurant concept will bring Jollibee favourites to Hamiltonians exclusively for delivery and pickup through Jollibee online ordering and DoorDash TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2021 /CNW/ -- International fast-food brand Jollibee , known for its Jolly Crispy Chicken and other signature comfort foods, and DoorDash (NYSE: DASH), a leading last-mile logistics platform, will debut a new mobile kitchen in Hamilton, Ontario on Thursday, September 2. Created through an exclusive partnership between the two companies, the reimagined, movable restaurant concept will be located at the southwest corner of the CF Lime Ridge Mall. Hamiltonians can enjoy their favourite Jollibee dishes exclusively through online ordering - either by ordering for pickup or delivery through DoorDash (doordash.com or the DoorDash app) or Jollibee's online channels (jollibeefoods.com or the new Jollibee app). Going a step beyond the traditional ghost or commissary kitchen, the 15-meter traveling kitchen will allow the Jollibee brand to expand its presence in both existing and new markets without the traditional overhead costs of opening a brick-and-mortar store. "Many restaurants we work with are looking for new ways to cater to their loyal customers and expand their reach and revenue," said Ryan Freeman, Head of Enterprise Partnerships at DoorDash Canada. "Over the past year, we've seen the power of new kitchen models to help restaurants reach more customers and grow sales, which is why we are excited to have created an innovative mobile kitchen that will help Jollibee meet evolving customer needs. This is one extension of our mission to empower merchants with the tools to grow their business." DoorDash and Jollibee collaborated on both the design and build-out of the innovative mobile concept, transforming a flatbed trailer into a fully customized working kitchen that features state-of-the-art fryers, optimized utility connectivity, and ample storage and refrigeration space. DoorDash and Jollibee also worked closely together to identify the ideal location to launch their unique mobile kitchen offering. The companies selected the Hamilton site by pairing Jollibee's expansion objectives with aggregated insights from DoorDash data to help Jollibee maximize customer accessibility and delivery range. The mobile kitchen will service surrounding areas, including Downtown Hamilton, Stoney Creek, McMaster University, and Hampton Heights and will remain in Hamilton for at least six months before eventually traveling to a new (to be determined) North American locale. "As we continue to expand our store network across Canada, the mobile kitchen provides the ideal platform to serve our customers in a more flexible and far-reaching capacity, especially in communities where we don't yet have a physical store location," said Maribeth Dela Cruz, President of Jollibee Foods Corporation North America, Philippine Brands. "DoorDash has been an indispensable business partner throughout this process, enabling us to optimize its seamless ordering and helping us to access new customers, and we are thrilled to be able to extend our signature 'joy of eating' through the power of this innovative partnership  throughout Hamilton and beyond." The mobile kitchen will service cutomer orders seven days a week, from 10 AM to 9 PM daily, and offer a limited menu of iconic Jollibee dishes, including:



Jolly Crispy Chicken (Original or Spicy) : Jollibee's signature fried chicken is available in original or spicy and is delicately hand-breaded to create a crispy exterior, pressure fried for maximum juiciness and marinated to the bone to provide next-level flavor. Enjoy with a side of silky, savory gravy for dipping.

: Jollibee's signature fried chicken is available in original or spicy and is delicately hand-breaded to create a crispy exterior, pressure fried for maximum juiciness and marinated to the bone to provide next-level flavor. Enjoy with a side of silky, savory gravy for dipping. Jolly Spaghetti : This dish, beloved by adults and kids alike, features a signature sweet-style sauce loaded with chunky slices of savory ham and hotdog and is topped with a generous sprinkle of cheese.

: This dish, beloved by adults and kids alike, features a signature sweet-style sauce loaded with chunky slices of savory ham and hotdog and is topped with a generous sprinkle of cheese. Peach Mango Pie: No meal is complete without this dessert made with peaches, real Philippine mangoes and an irresistibly light and crispy crust. Last year, Jolly Crispy Chicken was among the top 10 most ordered food items on the DoorDash platform and Peach Mango Pies ranked in the top 20 most ordered list*. In celebration of the new store opening, starting tomorrow, Jollibee fans across the nation can receive a free Peach Mango Pie on orders of $15 or more when they order on DoorDash at participating Jollibee locations and use the code "JOLLIFREE"**. Customers who redeem the code also will be entered for a chance to win a year of free Jollibee from DoorDash, no purchase necessary***. Plus, DashPass members can enjoy their Jollibee delivery order with $0 delivery fees on orders of $12 or more.

Today, DoorDash offers delivery and pick-up to customers across 70 Jollibee locations throughout Canada and the U.S. Most recently, Jollibee launched delivery from its own channels, jollibeecanada.com and the Jollibee mobile app, with delivery capabilities powered by DoorDash Drive, DoorDash's white-label fulfillment platform. About DoorDash

DoorDash is a technology company that connects consumers with their favorite local and national businesses in more than 4,000 cities across the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Founded in 2013, DoorDash enables local businesses to address consumers' expectations of ease and immediacy and thrive in today's convenience economy. By building the last-mile logistics infrastructure for local commerce, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time. About Jollibee

Jollibee is the largest fast-food chain brand in the Philippines, operating a Philippine network close to 1,200 stores. A dominant market leader in the Philippines, Jollibee has embarked on an aggressive international expansion plan and expects to reach 500 stores throughout North America by 2028. Jollibee has more than 300 international branches including in the United States, Canada, the People's Republic of China (specifically in Hong Kong and Macau), Brunei, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Italy, and in the United Kingdom. In North America, Jollibee opened its first store in 1998 in Daly City, California. It now operates 70 stores across the region, with 52 stores in the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia, and Washington of the United States, and 18 stores across Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, Canada. Technomic has consistently cited Jollibee among its Top 500 ranking restaurants in the United States. It was also awarded as Multinational Corporation of the Year by the Asian Business League of Southern California in 2017 and Corporation of the Year by the Asian Business Association in 2019. About Jollibee Group

Jollibee Group is one of the fastest-growing Asian restaurant companies in the world. It operates in 33 countries, with over 5,800 stores globally with branches in the Philippines, United States, Canada, the People's Republic of China, United Kingdom, Italy, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Panama, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and India. It has eight wholly-owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger); five franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, and PHO24 in the Philippines, Dunkin' Donuts and Tim Ho Wan in certain territories in China); 80% ownership of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; and 60% ownership in the SuperFoods Group that owns Highlands Coffee and PHO24. Jollibee Group is a significant investor in Titan Dining LP, a private equity fund and the ultimate holding entity of the Tim Ho Wan (THW) Brand and has a joint venture with the THW Group to open and operate THW restaurants in Mainland China. It also has a business venture with award-winning Chef Rick Bayless for Tortazo, a Mexican fast-casual restaurant business in the United States. The Jollibee Group also has a 50% ownership in a joint venture established to operate and expand Yoshinoya in the Philippines. Yoshinoya is one of the largest and most recognized Japanese restaurant brands globally and is the company's first ever Japanese food chain. Jollibee Group was named the Philippines' most admired company by the Asian Wall Street Journal for ten years. It was also honored as one of Asia's Fab 50 Companies and among the World's Best Employers by Forbes. In 2020, Gallup awarded the Jollibee Group with the Exceptional Workplace Award, making it the first Philippine-based company to receive the distinction. Jollibee Group has grown brands that bring delightful dining experiences to its customers worldwide, in line with its mission of serving great tasting food and spreading the joy of eating to everyone. Terms & Conditions

*According to DoorDash order data from January 1, 2020 through October 31, 2020. **Receive a free Peach Mango pie on any Jollibee order of $15 or more in participating markets. Use promo code JOLLIFREE at checkout to redeem. Deliveries subject to availability. Service fees, surge fees, gratuities, and/or taxes may still apply. To take advantage of this offer, customers must have a valid DoorDash account with a valid form of accepted payment on file. Valid only on DoorDash.com or on the DoorDash app with the latest version and within DoorDash's delivery zones. Only one offer redeemable per user. ***Redeem the code JOLLIFREE to be automatically entered to win a year of free Jollibee. No purchase necessary. Contest open to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority. Contest closes September 30th, 2021. See here for full rules. SOURCE DoorDash

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[September 01, 2021] Quarterhill Completes Acquisition of ETC

- Transforms Quarterhill into a key player in the ITS industry

- Establishes platform for organic and acquisitive growth in tolling TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Quarterhill Inc. ("Quarterhill") (TSX: QTRH) (OTCQX: QTRHF), announces that it has closed the previously announced acquisition (the "Acquisition") of 100% of the outstanding equity of Richardson, Texas-based Electronic Transaction Consultants, LLC ("ETC"), an Intelligent Transportation Systems ("ITS") company focused on tolling and mobility systems. Following completion of the Acquisition, Quarterhill now has a leadership position in the U.S. tolling market where ETC serves some of the largest transportation authorities, including those in Texas, California and Illinois. On a post-synergy basis, within the next 12-18 months, Quarterhill estimates that ETC will generate annualized revenue between $95.0 to $120.0 million and Adjusted EBITDA between $12.5 to $15.0 million. The $150.0 million purchase price for the Acquisition will be satisfied through $75.0 million of cash-on-hand and $75.0 million in syndicated debt. All amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated. "This transformational acquisition establishes Quarterhill as a leader in ITS, delivers scale in the tolling market, an area where we see strong growth trends, and significantly diversifies our future financial results," said Paul Hill, Quarterhill's CEO. "The transaction is also a significant commitment to our M&A strategy in ITS. So far in 2021 we have completed three acquisitions at an aggregate value of almost $160.0 million, demonstrating great progress on our five-year $400 million M&A capital deployment target." "ETC's tolling business is complementary to IRD's enforcement business and we see significant potential for revenue synergies between the two companies with product and geographic expansion being two areas where they will be able to support one another. ETC also gives us a platform in tolling from which its experienced leadership team will pursue both organic and acquisitive growth opportunities. Governments are increasingly seeking new revenue sources to pay for badly needed infrastructure projects, and we believe our ITS business is well positioned to capitalize on these industry trends." Financing the Transaction

$75.0 million of the Acquisition price will be funded by Quarterhill's cash-on-hand and $75.0 million by newly established syndicated debt facilities. The debt facilities will include a $63.0 million term debt facility and a $19.0 million revolving credit facility. To pay for the Acquisition, the term debt facility will be drawn in full and $12.0 million will be drawn on the revolving credit faciliy. Debt financing for the transaction is being provided by a syndicate of banks, which is led by HSBC Bank Canada.



About Electronic Transaction Consultants, LLC

ETC is a leading U.S. intelligent transportation systems provider, developing and delivering best in class solutions for tolling, congestion management, urban mobility, and multimodal transportation needs. ETC's passionate and innovative team has been driving the future of mobility since 1999, with a number of industry firsts, including all electronic tolling (AET), dynamic pricing, agency interoperability, hosted mobility solutions and machine learning. For over two decades, ETC has delivered sophisticated solutions to many of the U.S.'s largest toll authorities, including state-wide programs, county networks and tolling-specific authorities. ETC's solutions process over two billion transactions annually totaling over $3 billion in revenues for our customers, incorporating the latest in evergreen open-source and SaaS technologies and Big Data architecture through our innovative riteSuite products.

About Quarterhill Inc.

Quarterhill is a growth-oriented company in the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) industry as well as, through its Wi-LAN Inc. subsidiary, a leader in Intellectual Property licensing. Our goal is to execute an investment strategy that capitalizes on attractive growth opportunities within ITS - and its adjacent markets - to become a global leader in that industry. Quarterhill is listed on the TSX under the symbol QTRH and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol QTRHF. For more information: www.quarterhill.com Forward-looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding IRD, Quarterhill and their businesses. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by IRD and/or Quarterhill in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and the expected effects of new business strategies, as well as other factors that IRD and/or Quarterhill believe are appropriate in the circumstances. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed herein may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting IRD and/or Quarterhill, including: potential risks and uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19"); the severity of the disease; the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak; actions that may be taken by governmental authorities to contain the COVID-19 outbreak or to treat its impact; the potential negative impacts of COVID-19 on the global economy and financial markets and any resulting impact on IRD and/or Quarterhill and/or their businesses. Other factors include, without limitation, the risks described in Quarterhill's March 11, 2021 annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2020 (the "AIF"). Copies of the AIF may be obtained at www.sedar.com. IRD and Quarterhill recommend that readers review and consider all of these risk factors and notes that readers should not place undue reliance on any of IRD's forward-looking statements. IRD has no intention, and undertakes no obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Cautionary Note Regarding Use of Non-IFRS Measures

Quarterhill has historically used a set of metrics when evaluating our operational and financial performance. We continually monitor, evaluate and update these metrics as required to ensure they provide information considered most useful, in the opinion of our management, to any decision-making based on Quarterhill's performance. This section defines, quantifies and analyzes the key performance indicators used by our management and referred to elsewhere in this Press Release, which are not recognized under IFRS and have no standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. These indicators and measures are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. In this Press Release, we use the non-IFRS term "Adjusted EBITDA" to mean net income (loss) from continuing operations adjusted for: (i) income taxes; (ii) finance expense or income; (iii) amortization and impairment of intangibles; (iv) special charges and other one-time items; (v) depreciation of right-of-use assets and property, plant and equipment; (vi) effects of deleted deferred revenue; (vii) stock-based compensation; (viii) foreign exchange (gain) loss; and (ix) equity in earnings and dividends from joint ventures. Adjusted EBITDA is used by our management to assess our normalized cash generated on a consolidated basis and in our operating segments. Adjusted EBITDA is also a performance measure that may be used by investors to analyze the cash generated by Quarterhill and our operating segments. Adjusted EBITDA should not be interpreted as an alternative to net income and cash flows from operations as determined in accordance with IFRS or as a measure of liquidity. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quarterhill-completes-acquisition-of-etc-301367721.html SOURCE Quarterhill Inc.

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The National Association of Mortgage Brokers Announces Partnership with Plaza Home Mortgage

The National Association of Mortgage Brokers today announced their 2021 Visionary Partnership with Plaza Home Mortgage, one of the nation's leading wholesale and correspondent mortgage lenders.

NAMB has been representing the interests of mortgage professionals and borrowers since 1973. As the leading national trade association for the mortgage broker industry, NAMB is affiliated with State Associations throughout the country and represents the interests of more than 910,000 licensed and registered Mortgage Loan Originators, and 39,000 licensed mortgage broker and mortgage lender businesses.

NAMB's active lobbying and advocacy efforts frequently focus on national and state issues. Through their NAMB Industry Partner Program, they cultivate custom indusry partnerships with organizations that possess similar goals and objectives.







"We are very proud to further our relationship with NAMB and support our broker partners nationwide," said Jeff Leinan, Plaza's Executive Vice President of National Wholesale Production. "Since 2000, the year Plaza Home Mortgage was founded, our company has had a long-term commitment to the mortgage broker community, and this Visionary Partnership is evidence of that continuing support."

"NAMB is excited about the furtherance of the relationship with Plaza Home Mortgage. With a combined focus on education, advocacy and a duty to strengthen and support the broker channel, we are proud to partner with Plaza in 2021 and beyond," said NAMB President Kimber White.

About the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB)

NAMB is a trade association of mortgage professionals with membership in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. NAMB provides education, certification and government affairs representation for the mortgage industry. For more information, visit NAMB.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005916/en/
[September 01, 2021] AM Best Assigns Credit Ratings to ASMI Auto Group Members

AM Best has assigned a Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of "a-" (Excellent) to ASMI Auto Insurance Company, ECMI Auto Insurance Company and ESMI Auto Insurance Company. The outlook assigned to these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. The above mentioned companies are collectively known as the ASMI Auto Group and are domiciled in Northbrook, IL. The ratings reflect ASMI Auto Group's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, very limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). The ratings also reflect the risk management and service agreement support of its ultimate parent, The Allstate Corporation (Allcorp). The ratings do not assume any further capital support from Allcorp or its affiliates to the ASMI Auto Group. As of June 30, 2021, ASMI Auto Group's risk-adjusted capitalization remains at the very strong level, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). The group's conservative investment allocation and adequate liquidity metrics further support the overall balance sheet assessment. The very limited business profile of ASMI Auto Group is reflective of its run-off nature, as it was created to house certain inactive Michigan auto policies with active injury claims that represent the majority of Allcorp's Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) recoverables. AM Best therefore anticipates that operating performance will be primarily driven by net investment income and will be consistently and modestly profitable. Risk anagement for the group is integrated with Allcorp under the corporate-wide ERM framework. The ratings also consider the overall integration that ASMI Auto Group benefits from through various administrative and servicing agreements that are expected to be maintained between the group and Allstate Insurance Company.



This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best's Credit Ratings, Best's Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best's Ratings & Assessments. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2021 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005958/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Harris Williams Advises Tecta America Corporation on its Minority Investment from Leonard Green & Partners

Harris Williams, a global investment bank specializing in M&A advisory services, announces it advised Tecta America Corporation (Tecta America), a portfolio company of Altas Partners (Altas), on its minority investment from Leonard Green & Partners (LGP). Altas is retaining majority ownership in the company. Tecta America is a national leader in commercial roofing services in the U.S. The transaction was led by Bob Baltimore, Brian Lucas, Taylor Morris and John Chase of the Harris Williams Business Services Group and Chris Toussaint of the firm's Industrials Group. "Tecta America is a leader in commercial roofing services due to its unparalleled customer service and quality. It has been an absolute privilege working with the entire team at Tecta America, including CEO Dave Reginelli, Executive Chairman Mark Santacrose and CFO Marc Benson. We believe they have an excellent new partner in LGP," said Brian Lucas, a managing director at Harris Williams. "Tecta America's partnershp with LGP provides the company's senior leadership team with another phenomenal voice in the room alongside Altas. This is a truly impressive group of individuals, and they will be leading what was already an exceptional and best-in-class business," added Bob Baltimore, a managing director at Harris Williams.



Tecta America is the nation's premier commercial roofing contractor with more than 85 locations from coast to coast. Tecta America's unyielding commitment to quality, expertise and professionalism has helped it become an industry leader in commercial roofing. Providing installation of all types, replacement, repairs and maintenance, new construction, disaster response, sustainability options and more, Tecta America offers the responsiveness of a local roofing contractor backed by the resources and stability of a national provider. Altas is an investment firm with a long-term orientation focused on acquiring significant interests in high-quality, market-leading businesses in partnership with outstanding management teams. Key elements of the company's approach include responsible capital structures, active ownership through strategic and operational support and an emphasis on sustainable value creation. Altas strives to deliver outstanding investment returns for its investing partners. Altas invests on behalf of endowments, foundations, public pension funds and other institutional investors.

LGP is a leading private equity investment firm founded in 1989 and based in Los Angeles. The firm partners with experienced management teams and often with founders to invest in market-leading companies. Since inception, LGP has invested in over 100 companies in the form of traditional buyouts, going-private transactions, recapitalizations, growth equity, and selective public equity and debt positions. The firm primarily focuses on companies providing services, including consumer, business and healthcare services, as well as retail, distribution and industrials. LGP has raised over $40 billion of committed capital since inception. Harris Williams, an investment bank specializing in M&A advisory services, advocates for sellers and buyers of companies worldwide through critical milestones and provides thoughtful advice during the lives of their businesses. By collaborating as one firm across Industry Groups and geographies, the firm helps its clients achieve outcomes that support their objectives and strategically create value. Harris Williams is committed to execution excellence and to building enduring, valued relationships that are based on mutual trust. Harris Williams is a subsidiary of the PNC (News - Alert) Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). The Harris Williams Business Services Group has experience advising companies that provide a range of commercial, industrial and professional services. For more information on the firm's Business Services Group and other recent transactions, visit the Business Services Group's section of the Harris Williams website. The Harris Williams Industrials Group has experience across a variety of sectors, including advanced manufacturing; building products; chemicals and specialty materials; industrial technology; and packaging. For more information on the firm's Industrials Group and other recent transactions, visit the Industrials Group's section of the Harris Williams website. Harris Williams LLC is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is a private limited company incorporated under English law with its registered office at 8th Floor, 20 Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4AB, UK, registered with the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales (registration number 07078852). Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH is registered in the commercial register of the local court of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, under HRB 107540. The registered address is Bockenheimer Landstrasse 33-35, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany (email address: hwgermany@harriswilliams.com). Geschaftsfuhrer/Directors: Jeffery H. Perkins, Paul Poggi. (VAT No. DE321666994). Harris Williams is a trade name under which Harris Williams LLC, Harris Williams & Co. Ltd and Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH conduct business. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005990/en/

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[September 01, 2021] For the 3rd consecutive quarter, G2 recognizes Radview as a high performer

Bridgewater, New Jersey, Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bridgewater, New Jersey, August 31, 2021  Radview Software Inc. (Radview or the Company; Ticker: RDVWF), a leading provider of enterprise-grade software testing solutions, announced today that G2 recognized it as a high performer for its performance and load testing tool: Radview WebLoad.





G2 is the industry leader in sourcing and synthesizing client reviews. High performers are named in each G2 category every quarter based on high customer satisfaction and other factors.

We are very grateful for our customers who expressed their appreciation for our products and customer support and are committed to delivering even more value in the future, said Eyal Shalom, Radview CEO. We put our customers first, and we are humbled to see this strategy being translated into ranking and recognition like this by G2 and our clients.

Among the customer reviews received by clients of Radview WebLoad are quotes such as: very powerful market leading tool,

the most flexible product out there,

a great replacement of  LoadRunner,

very friendly and easy to use,

Great customer support

Customers who have reviewed Radview on G2 have given Radview WebLoad a score of 4.3 stars out of 5.0 stars, including the following specific ratings: 8.6 out of 10 for ease of use

9.2 out of 10 for quality of support

8.8 out of 10 for ease of setup





Below are selected examples for additional more detailed quotes from the customer reviews on WebLoad G2 page:

I like best how quickly we can test complex use cases scenarios for load testing, identify bottlenecks and fix them.



WebLoad JavaScript helps me code anything, and with their Java, I can do even more. I am doing projects for companies, and I can test anything with it.

I evaluated many load testing products that offer testing in continuous mode, but none actually do it in a way that will be truly automatic. WebLoad was the only one I found that does automatic load testing without requiring the involvement of an engineer in the analysis of the results.

WebLOAD's ability to simulate numerous popular Web browsers while making requests is one of its nicest features.

The customer support is great. There isn't a single question or issue we had that wasn't quickly resolved by support.





About Radview

RadView Software (Ticker: RDVWF) is a leading provider of enterprise-grade software testing solutions enabling organizations to achieve unprecedented quality while accelerating software delivery. Radview offers a powerful platform for fast, easy, and reliable testing of applications and websites covering functional and non-functional software testing, including end-to-end Test Automation and Performance & Load Testing.

Interested in learning how Radview can help your company? Contact the Radview team here and schedule a demo today, or visit us at www.radview.com.

David Grumer Director of Marketing Radview software, inc marketing@radview.com

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[September 01, 2021] VMware to Present at the Citi 2021 Global Technology Virtual Conference

VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), a leading innovator in enterprise software, today announced that Raghu Raghuram, VMware's chief executive officer will present at the Citi 2021 Global Technology (News - Alert) Virtual Conference as a keynote speaker on Monday, September 13, 2021 at 9:10 a.m. PT/ 12:10 p.m. ET. A live webcast will be available on VMware's Investor Relations page at http://ir.vmware.com. The replay of the webcast will be available for two months. About VMware VMware software powers the world's complex digital infrastructure. The company's cloud, app modernization, networking, security, and digital workspace offerings help customers deliver any application on any cloud across any device. Headquartered in Palo Alto (News - Alert) , California, VMware is committed to being a force for good, from its breakthrough technology innovations to its global impact. For more information, please visit https://www.vmware.com/company.html



Additional Information VMware's website is located at www.vmware.com, and its investor relations website is located at http://ir.vmware.com. VMware's goal is to maintain the investor relations website as a portal through which investors can easily find or navigate to pertinent information about VMware, all of which is made available free of charge. The additional information includes materials that VMware files with the SEC (News - Alert) ; announcements of investor conferences and events at which its executives talk about VMware's products, services and competitive strategies; webcasts of our quarterly earnings calls, investor conferences and events (archives of which are also available for a limited time); additional information on VMware's financial metrics, including reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures; press releases on quarterly earnings, product and service announcements, legal developments and international news; corporate governance information; and other news, blogs and announcements that VMware may post from time to time that investors may find useful or interesting.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005791/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Janus International Announces the Acquisition of Access Control Technologies, LLC

Janus International Group, Inc. (NYSE: JBI) ("Janus"), the leading global manufacturer and supplier of turn-key building solutions and new access control technologies for the self-storage and other commercial and industrial sectors, today announced its acquisition of Access Control Technologies, LLC ("ACT"), a premier provider of self-storage access control and low voltage installation and integration services. ACT's integration will help support the rapid growth of the Noke Smart Entry ("NSE" or "Noke") system and allow both ACT and Janus to offer a more comprehensive suite of products and services to self-storage owner/operators. The acquisition will also provide more streamlined services for self-storage general contractors. ACT, while continuing to operate under its own brand, will merge into Janus' expansive and experienced field services team. "We're very excited to have ACT join the Janus family and are thrilled about the innovative solutions we'll be providing to the self-storage industry. In ACT's president Scott Underbrink and COO Chad Stone, we've added two of the most well-respected and experienced leaders in the industry to our team. Both companies will continue to serve and support our customers with high quality products and solutions to help them operate and secure their businesses more efficiently," commented Christine DeBord, President of Noke. With business hubs on both the east and west coasts, ACT is esteemed for sales, distribution, installation, design, maintenance and support and services for access control systems, custom fabricated security gates, audio/video surveillance and alarms, structured cabling, and low voltage system design. Added Janus International CEO, Ramey Jackson: "Janus is highly focused on implementing innovative smart access control technologies to transform the customer experience while also boosting security and convenience for self-storage owner/operators. Merging ACT's team and capabilities with Janus/Noke's well-established project management platform aligns perfectly with this operating imperative. Together we will strengthen our delivery of full access control installation and maintenance services which will help bolster our strategic growth plan." ABOUT JANUS INTERNATIONAL Janus International Group, Inc. (www.JanusIntl.com) is the leading global manufacturer and supplier of turn-key self-storage, commercial and industrial building solutions, including: roll-up and swing doors, hallway systems, re-locatable storage units and facility and door automation technologies. The Janus team operates out of several U.S. locations and six locations internationally.



ABOUT ACT ACT specializes in protecting critical assets in the self-storage and industrial building industries. The ACT team is comprised of security industry experts who continually train to be at the forefront of emerging industry trends, technological advancements, and new security vulnerabilities or hazards that threaten our clients. We proactively search for new techniques and approaches to ensure our client's assets remain secure in our ever-changing environment. Our dedicated and experienced team provides more than low voltage installations-we provide total access control integration and smart security solutions to fit our customers' unique needs. For more information about our comprehensive offering, please visit: www.accesscontrol.tech.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements in this communication may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this communication are forward-looking statements. When used in this communication, words such as "will," "may," "should," "could," "would," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "continue," or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions, as they relate to the management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of Janus's management, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events, and involve factors, risks, and uncertainties that may cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from such statements. In addition to factors previously disclosed in Janus's reports filed with the SEC (News - Alert) and those identified elsewhere in this communication, the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: (i) risks of the self-storage industry; (ii) the highly competitive nature of the self-storage industry and Janus's ability to compete therein; (iii) litigation, complaints, and/or adverse publicity; (iv) cyber incidents or directed attacks that could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss; (v) the risk that the demand outlook for Janus's products may not be as strong as anticipated; and (vi) the risk that the benefits of the acquisition may not materialize to the extent anticipated. There can be no assurance that the events, results or trends identified in these forward-looking statements will occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Janus is not under any obligation and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update, alter or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. This communication is not intended to be all-inclusive or to contain all the information that a person may desire in considering an investment in Janus and is not intended to form the basis of an investment decision in Janus. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Janus or other matters and attributable to Janus or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above and under the heading "Risk Factors" in Janus's final prospectus filed with the SEC on August 6, 2021, its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 10, 2021 and in Janus's other filings. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005702/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Everest Appoints John Modin as President of Mt. Logan Re

Everest Re Group, Ltd. ("Everest" or the "Company") announced today the appointment of John Modin as President of Mt. Logan Re, Ltd. ("Mt. Logan"), effective September 30, 2021. Mr. Modin joins Mt. Logan from Citigroup where he was a Managing Director in the financial services group and Head of Insurance Solutions. He has over 30 years of experience in the financial services, Insurance Linked Securities ("ILS") and insurance markets and earlier in his career was the Chief Financial Officer of PXRE and Enterprise Re, after starting his career as a CPA at KPMG. Mr. Modin succeeds David Whiting, current President of Mt. Logan, who is retiring after a remarkable career in the Bermuda reinsurance market spanning nearly 45 years. Mr. Whiting will remain with Mt. Logan until the end of 2021 to assist Mr. Modin with the transition. Juan C. Andrade, Everest President & CEO commented on the appointment: "We welcome John Modin to Everest and Mt. Logan Re. Everest has built an excellent ILS capital management business with Mt. Logan Re. John's leadership will be critical as we continue to expand our risk financing and partner with investors to offer high quality and diversifying returns. He has great experience, knowledge, and network in the orld of reinsurance capital markets and has worked extensively with Everest for many years as a trusted advisor."



"I am very excited by the opportunity to join Mt. Logan and Everest," said Mr. Modin. The transformation at Everest under Juan Andrade's leadership is well underway and the potential for Mt. Logan is outstanding. Everest has a leading global reinsurance franchise and unparalleled access to business for our current and future capital partners. I look forward to working with my new colleagues at Mt. Logan and across Everest as we accelerate the scale and value of Mt. Logan." About Mt. Logan Re, Ltd. And Everest Re Group, Ltd.

Mt. Logan is a Bermuda registered Class 3 insurer which offers alternative capital markets the opportunity to gain exposure to a diversified pool of reinsurance risks through collateralized reinsurance products. Mt. Logan has been in operation since 2013 and had approximately $1 billion of assets under management as of June 30, 2021. About Everest Re Group, Ltd. Everest Re Group, Ltd. ("Everest") is a leading global provider of reinsurance and insurance, operating for close to 50 years through subsidiaries in the U.S., Europe, Singapore, Canada, Bermuda, and other territories. Everest offers property, casualty, and specialty products through its various operating affiliates located in key markets around the world. Everest common stock (NYSE:RE) is a component of the S&P 500 index. Additional information about Everest, our people, and our products can be found on our website at www.everestre.com. All issuing companies may not do business in all jurisdictions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901006009/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Securities & Financial Services Partner Lanier Saperstein Rejoins Dorsey & Whitney in New York

International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP announced today that Lanier Saperstein has rejoined the Firm as a Partner in its Securities & Financial Services Litigation Practice Group. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901006040/en/ Lanier Saperstein has rejoined Dorsey as a Partner in its Securities & Financial Services Litigation Practice Group in the New York office. (Photo: Dorsey & Whitney LLP) Mr. Saperstein has precedent-setting experience representing international financial institutions and corporations in litigation and regulatory matters in the United States. He has been recognized by leading publications for his work in international banking. Among his high-profile matters, Mr. Saperstein was the first lawyer in the United States to require a litigant to use the Hague Evidenc Convention when seeking confidential bank records from China. He rejoins Dorsey from Jones Day.



"We are pleased that Lanier has rejoined Dorsey," noted Bill Stoeri, Managing Partner of Dorsey & Whitney. "Lanier is a terrific lawyer and is well-versed in the intricacies of banking, finance, and security issues. We welcome him back to our New York office." "I am excited to return to Dorsey," said Mr. Saperstein. "The Firm has built an impressive U.S.-China practice and an award winning U.S.-China litigation dispute resolution team." Mr. Saperstein added, "That distinguishes Dorsey from other firms. We have the ability to represent our Chinese clients with U.S.-trained, U.S.-China dually qualified, bilingual attorneys in China and a premier litigation team in the U.S." Mr. Saperstein continued, "It's no wonder Dorsey has won multiple awards for its U.S.-China litigation practice."

Mr. Saperstein is a member of the NYCBA Compliance Committee, co-chair of its Subcommittee on International Developments, a member of the Legal Counsel Committee of the China General Chamber of Commerce - USA (CGCC), and an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School, where he teaches banking-related courses. He has written extensively on matters impacting financial institutions, and his writings have been cited in dozens of prominent law journals. "Our international and Asia-based clients are thrilled to hear that Lanier's back," shared Ray Liu, Partner and Beijing Office head of Dorsey & Whitney. "He has decades of practical experience and a skill set second-to-none in terms of representing major international financial institutions in a wide range of legal disputes in federal and New York state courts," he further commented. "Lanier adds to our well-established cross-border dispute resolution team, it is just like 'adding wings to a tiger.'" About Dorsey & Whitney LLP Clients have relied on Dorsey since 1912 as a valued business partner. With locations across the United States and in Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, Dorsey provides an integrated, proactive approach to its clients' legal and business needs. Dorsey represents a number of the world's most successful companies from a wide range of industries, including leaders in the banking, energy, food and agribusiness, health care, mining and natural resources, and public-private project development sectors, as well as major non-profit and government entities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901006040/en/

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[September 01, 2021] Securus Technologies Calls For A More Serious, Thoughtful And Data-driven Approach To Making Correctional Telecommunications More Affordable

DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Securus Technologies said today that it plans to appeal the California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC) proposed interim rules for Inmate Telecommunications Services (ITS), criticizing commission members for rejecting their own staff's recommendation for more serious reforms. "Securus Technologies is committed to sustainable regulatory reform that will make telecommunications services more affordable, accessible and accountable to the incarcerated consumers and their friends and family, who rely on these services to stay connected," said Dave Abel, president and CEO of Aventiv Technologies, parent company of Securus Technologies. "On a federal level we have embraced the Federal Communications Commission's interim rulemaking on this topic, which isn't perfect but is based on a thoughtful, data-driven approach. Rather than fight those new rules, we are committed to working with the FCC to further refine and improve them. "On a state level we regretfully must oppose the California Public Utilities Commission's proposed rulemaking. Ignoring the recommendations of its own staff, the Commission has offered an arbitrary proposal that would in fact harm the interests of the incarcerated consumers it is ostensibly designed to protect," Mr. Abel said. With many communities across the United States increasingly looking for affordable and innovative ways to provide modern technological tools to incarcerated individuals, Securus Technologies has been leading a multi-year corporate transformation to drive positive change in the correctional telecommunications industry underpinned by a thoughtful, data-driven reform process that equally prioritizes affordability, sustained innovation, and public safety. When regulatory proposals and structures fail to meet these standards, the company will oppose them to prevent intentional and inadvertent harm to incarcerated populations, public safety, and the communities we serve. That is the case in California, where the CPUC issued an interi rule last week that unfortunately does not account for the real costs associated with providing high quality services, and instead places an arbitrary, unscientific rate cap on calls. This decision will ultimately harm incarcerated individuals by stifling innovation and lowering the quality of services while also further deepening holes in correctional budgets for rehabilitative services.



For these reasons, Securus is urging the CPUC to reverse course and adopt the interim rate caps established under a fairer process by the FCC, then engage all stakeholders in a fulsome effort to reduce call rates without threatening services to the incarcerated or putting public safety at risk. Securus will be filing a formal appeal with the CPUC with the sincere hope that we will advance a more collaborative approach moving forward. The company released an open letter from its president and CEO Dave Abel to the Commission, which is excerpted below:

"The CPUC's interim rule, issued last week, neither meets those standards nor accounts for the real costs associated with providing high quality services. Prior to issuance, we strongly encouraged the commission to follow its own staff's recommendation: interim adoption of the FCC's well-vetted, data-driven interim rate plan followed by a more detailed, California-specific review process to come up with a data-driven plan for state and local institutions. This approach would have provided immediate relief to consumers, balanced with sustainable investment that would allow counties and service providers to continue to innovate with products and services benefiting incarcerated consumers. Securus pledged to support that approach wholeheartedly. "Inexplicably, CPUC commissioners chose to disregard their staff's recommendation, ignoring both the FCC's work and the previous admonitions of Gov. Newsom. Instead, they announced an arbitrary calculation that will result not only in a reduction in price, but in many institutions a reduction in service because the arbitrary pricing is below the cost of providing the basic service even with commissions removed. This will have meaningful unintended consequences and drain resources needed to cover real costs, to fuel innovation, and to supplement the funding needed by agencies." Throughout its transformation, Securus has thus far reduced the costs of calls by more than 30 percent, lowering its national call cost average to less than $0.15/minute. The company has integrated commission-free and agency-paid options for telephone calls and renegotiated more than 100 contracts with correctional agencies to adjust outlier rates. For more information, see the full text of the open letter from Securus CEO Dave Abel to the California Public Utilities Commission at https://bit.ly/3BuuArG. ABOUT SECURUS TECHNOLOGIES

Headquartered in?Dallas, Texas, Securus Technologies, a subsidiary of Aventiv Technologies, serves more than 3,450 public safety, law enforcement and corrections agencies and over 1,100,000 incarcerated individuals across North America.?The Aventiv organization is committed to providing emergency response, incident management, public information, investigation, biometric analysis, communication, information management, incarcerated self-service, and monitoring products and services in order to make our world a safer place to live. For more information, please visit www.Aventiv.com. Aventiv is a portfolio company of Platinum Equity. Founded in 1995 by?Tom Gores, Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with a portfolio of approximately 40 operating companies that serve customers around the world. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/securus-technologies-calls-for-a-more-serious-thoughtful-and-data-driven-approach-to-making-correctional-telecommunications-more-affordable-301367918.html SOURCE Securus Technologies

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Johnson City Educator Takes Top State Teaching Honor

NASHVILLE, TN  Today, the Tennessee Department of Education announced Morgan Rankin, a second grade teacher at South Side School in Johnson City Schools, was named the 2021-22 Tennessee Teacher of the Year at the Department of Education's annual Excellence in Education celebration Tuesday evening.

Of nine finalists representing Tennessees eight CORE regions, as well as the Shelby County-Municipals area, Rankin was selected as the 2021-22 Tennessee Teacher of the Year. Rankin has been teaching in the state for seven years and is a founding member of the Blue Ridge Literacy Project, an initiative dedicated to delivering professional development in research-based literacy practices to Tennessee teachers.

Congratulations to Morgan Rankin on being selected as the 2021-22 Teacher of the Year, as well as the other finalists and grand division winners for this much-deserved recognition and honor. Our state is home to incredibly talented and motivated educators who have gone above and beyond the call of duty these past 18 months, and will continue to give their very best each and every day for Tennessees students, said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. "Morgan is an exemplar of this dedication and commitment, and as we continue on our journey this new school year, I want to share my gratitude and thanks to our education heroes and leaders ensuring our students continue learning and growing. We are committed to making this the best state to be a teacher.

During the event, the department also recognized finalists who were named Teacher of the Year for the three grand divisions of the state. Brianne Matheney, a high school English teacher at Chester County High School in Chester County Schools, was recognized as the grand division winner for West Tennessee. Erin Blalock, a high school health science teacher at Warren County High School in Warren County Schools, was recognized as the grand division winner for Middle Tennessee. Sheron Smith, a second-grade teacher at Arnold Memorial Elementary School in Cleveland City Schools, was recognized as the grand division winner for East Tennessee.

Rankin follows the 2020-21 Tennessee Teacher of the Year Kami Lunsford, a middle school music teacher at Karns Middle in Knox County, who was thanked for her service during the celebration on Tuesday evening.

Teachers, principals, and superintendents are professionals who impact potential, said Kami Lunsford, 2020-21 Tennessee Teacher of the Year. Because they play a big role in the everyday lives of students, they are making the future a better place through the classroom. Being recognized as Tennessee Teacher of the Year for excellence in this very important work was a moving experience.

The Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents, TOSS, was the program sponsor for the event and is a seasoned supporter of the Teacher of the Year program.

It is an honor for TOSS to partner with the Department of Education to recognize our superior teachers from across the state. Teachers are the true difference makers when it comes to instilling a love of learning in our students, said Dr. Dale Lynch, Executive Director of TOSS, Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents.

Districts were able to nominate three educators representing each of the three grade bands. From over 237 applications, 27 regional semifinalists were identified by CORE region selection committees, and the nine finalists were selected from this group by a state-level selection committee. Following a panel interview, Rankin was selected as this year's Teacher of the Year.

To qualify for Teacher of the Year, candidates must have been teaching full-time for at least three years, have a track record of exceptional gains in student learning, and be effective school and community leaders.

Rankin will represent Tennessee in the National Teacher of the Year competition and serve as an ambassador for education in the state throughout the 2021-22 school year.

All nine finalists will also serve on Commissioner Schwinns Teacher Advisory Council for the duration of the 2021-22 school year. This council acts as a working group of expert teachers to provide feedback and inform the work of the department throughout the school year.

The 2020-21 Excellence in Education event was postponed due to COVID-19. As a result, the 2021-22 Excellence in Education event also honored the 2020-21 Tennessee Teacher of the Year finalists and the 2020 and 2021 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching state finalists.

For information regarding the nine 2021-22 finalists, click here. To learn more about the Tennessee Teacher Advisory Council, click here. For more information on the Tennessee Teacher of the Year award, click here.

For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, contact edu.mediainquiries@tn.gov.

###
In March of 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. This Act provided $1.9 trillion in COVID-19 relief for state and local governments, hard-hit industries, and communities; tax changes affecting individuals and business; and other provisions. ARP will provide Tennessee state government with $3.91 billion and Tennessee local governments will receive $2.28 billion between cities and counties.

One way that ARP funds may be used is for necessary investments in water infrastructure. Addressing Tennessees drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure is a critical need. Reports produced by various sources cite necessary investment in Tennessee drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure ranging from $5 to 15 billion dollars between now and 2040.

Tennessees communities and economy rely on access to clean, reliable, and abundant water resources and services. Water makes Tennessee thrive and supports many significant activities, such as:

Drinking water and sewer services for residents and businesses,

Agriculture,

Major industrial operations,

Transportation of goods on navigable waters, and

Recreational activities on lakes, rivers, and streams.

In August 2021, Tennessees Financial Stimulus Accountability Group (FSAG) dedicated $1.35 billion of Tennessees Fiscal Recovery Funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects. In September 2021, the US Treasury will release the Final Rule on eligible uses of the funds.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will award approximately $1 billion in the form of non-competitive grants to communities for eligible water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects as part of the Tennessee Water Infrastructure Investment Program. This summary pertains to these grants only. Roughly $350 million will be allocated towards state-initiated priority projects. During a later phase of this program, TDEC will launch a competitive granting program using any remaining funds.
The nice side of the bridge makes an argument for stricter drug law enforcement and brings statistical data to back up their protestations.



Here's the money line . . .



"On Tuesday, Prosecutors Eric Zahnd and Dan White from Platte and Clay counties, respectively showed the BOPC their own information that shows violence and drugs are linked. Zahnd said data will only answer the question you ask. He posed the question: Are violent crimes related to drugs? "The answer to that question is unequivocally yes," Zahnd said.

He pointed out he can only speak for Platte county. Zahnd said 90% of the county's homicides over the last five years were associated with drugs in some way. He also said 75% of the county's non-domestic assault, robbery and weapons charges were related to drugs in some way. "So many of our other non-violent and violent crimes are driven by drug abuse, so the real question is 'How do we define what a drug crime is and what drugs are driving in our city?'" Zahnd said."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Northland prosecutors urge no let up on drug enforcement Prosecutors Eric Zahnd of Platte County and Dan White of Clay County urged the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners not to let up on enforcing drug laws.Both prosecutors believe there is a direct link between drugs and violent crime.Zahnd told the commissioners that 91% of his violent crimes have a drug connection.
At the outset of a hearing over a controversial to move to reallocate 42-MILLION BUCKS worth of Kansas City police funding there is one facet of this conversation that deserve more attention so that voters aren't tricked into supporting a slush fund based solely on the promises of a politico.



We don't mind repeating ourselves one more time for the cheap seats . . .



DESPITE OUTCRY OVER TRANSPARENCY: MAYOR Q STILL HASN'T REVEALED A BUDGET DETAILING HOW 42 MILLION BUCKS WORTH OF KANSAS CITY POLICE CASH WILL BE SPENT AFTER IT'S MOVED TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES & CRIME PREVENTION FUND!!!



Providing a list of how he wants to use that money might make his case stronger or reveal that it's all just a slush fund that won't help reduce crime and the current homicide uptick that's still underway.

We don't know because the deets of this power move are secret from the public.

Here's what we do know . . . The police have warned that keeping this cash hurts the department:



"A police budget manager testified Wednesday that the department would run out of money at the end of the year, or in January at best, if the city's plan to put $42-million in a separate community services account went into effect."

The answer from city hall touted dutifully by a lesser blog denies claims from police . . .



Mayor Quinton Lucas said that claim is totally incorrect.



We now have heard three different numbers about how many officers would be laid off. What we are seeing is testimony that is just grasping at straws inconsistently, he said during a break at the hearing. It is very clear in this situation we continue to see the city is funding the police department consistently and will continue to do so.



Lucas added the city has recently sought to increase the police funding to pay for an academy class and raises for police officers.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Judge hears testimony on battle for control of KCPD KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Jackson County judge heard testimony Wednesday in the power struggle for control of the city's police department. Attorneys for the police board claim there would be drastic cuts, if commissioners fail to reach a funding agreement with the city.

Hearing ends on KCPD lawsuit challenging city's shift of $42 million in its budget A hearing was held Wednesday on the Kansas City Police Department's lawsuit challenging the city's shift of $42 million in the department's budget.A top budget official for the police department said that as many as 1,000 people could be laid off if the city goes ahead with police budget cuts.Not all of them would be police officers.Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said that 1,000-layoffs figure is exaggerated.

Kansas City Police Board Claims City Wants Control Of KCPD The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners asked a Jackson County judge on Wednesday to overturn Mayor Quinton Lucas' police reform plan, claiming the city wants to reduce the police budget and wrest away control of the department.

You decide . . .


, recently closed an oversubscribed convertible note to fund , the only car rental focused revenue management platform with proven demand forecasting and competitive intelligence , recently closed an oversubscribed convertible note to fund

the companys

European expansion.

The investment round was largely funded through existing shareholders, including technology focused venture funds and experienced tourism professionals, with the funds earmarked to enhance the already world-leading technology for car rental operators.

Having refined the product over several years in its home markets of Australia and New

Zealand, MarginFuels expansion into Europe represents a new phase for the company and

an opportunity to help operators in the region to deploy intelligent pricing, at scale, with greater confidence.

Andrew Pascoe, founder and CEO, says:

"Some customers in Europe are using the platform to update over a million optimised prices daily. MarginFuel has been using machine learning and AI forecasting in its platform for over five years; this funding will only enhance these features and let more European operators thrive in the very dynamic world of pricing.

"Getting the price right at scale is a massive pain point for operators. By using MarginFuel, operators combine forecast demand and competitive intelligence to optimise their prices in the right sales channel at scale."

MarginFuel considers New Zealand home but now has key people around the globe, with in-market resources growing especially in Europe.

END

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Empower your pricing with MarginFuel

MarginFuel is a global company headquartered in New Zealand, with representatives in Europe, the U.S. and Latin America. For the last 10 years, MarginFuel has specialised in helping the car rental industry by leading the development of pricing optimisation technology.

The MarginFuel Pricing Platform allows car rental operators to optimise pricing at scale across their sales channels and avoid the race to the bottom. MarginFuel has some of the largest data sets for car rental pricing in the world, allowing MarginFuels customers to price at the optimal balance of market positioning and forecast demand to generate the best returns in the industry.
Terre Haute, IN (47803)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 64F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 64F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Terre Haute, IN (47803)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 64F. WSW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 64F. WSW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Yes, it was definitely our worst nightmare as well. The day he took the test, he also lost his taste and smell so there was no question in our mind it was a false positive. We spent a good portion of the next morning reading travel blogs, Portuguese government websites, etc to understand what would happen next. The Pharmacy we had the tests done at said they linked directly to the Portugal National Health System and we had read from other travelers that the Gov't reached out and forced them into isolation.

At the time, we were in Porto - with our flights and car rental due back in Lisbon the next day. So we packed up a day early, booked a self check in airbnb apartment for 9 days and drove down to Lisbon as quickly as we could. This whole time, no one contacted us - nor have they 5 days later. We had no choice but to return the rental car (truly, what else could we do)?? We got to the airbnb in Lisbon and ordered groceries for my husband. We both brought our work laptops should this happen, and he is able to work remotely while he is still there.

According to what we read on the Portugese websites, he is supposed to isolate for 10 days and myself for 14 days. But again, no one contacted us.. and I had a negative test. We decided it made sense for me to head back home while he stays back. Since returning, I've taken two more COVID tests and they have both been negative. This morning, he took one of the Abbott home tests and it was negative. He is on his way to get a 'US approved' antigen test so he can board a plane home tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
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I'm trying to figure out if I will be allowed into Portugal, my flight is not for another month, so I'm not too worried, but not too optimistic either.

Had a look at " "

It seems to list relatively easy requirements, for about 30+ countries, and then it has fairly limited options (only essential travel) for Brazil, India, Nepal, and South Africa..

My questions are:

A) what about the rest of the countries which maybe are not so great (Green) but not so bad (red) Are they allowed in with vaccinations? With other requirements? Not at all? It seems odd to me that they do not even mention this entire category of countries which is more than 150 countries.

It seems that Portugal has partially followed the EU recommendations, they have removed Israel and the others but not USA for the list of safe countries. So what does this mean for me?

B) Can I go with a USA passport if I'm flying from TLV? Does it matter specifically where you are flying from or it goes by passport?

C) According to the EU recommendation it seems that fully vaccinated travelers are ok, but the Portuguese site does not seem to mention this. I am fully vaccinated and can show digital or paper proof, can I enter Portugal with either Israeli or USA passport flying from Tel Aviv?

In the past planning ahead has always worked well for me, now in these uncertain times, planning ahead seems to have been my mistake. Things had been looking much more hopeful

when I booked this trip. Still hoping my first trip since before Covid will actually work out.

Hoping for some clear answers.

TIA
Day8

We started the day at Seljalandsfoss which is a huge waterfall that you can walk behind. It was quite chilly that morning and with the spray we got wet, bathed quick dry pants on so no big deal.

Then it was off to Skaholt to see the big white church and the old turf church next to it. The white church was being pressure washed to take off the white paint. I am curious as to whether it will be repainted or the stone left exposed. The interior of both churches were beautiful.

After that we headed to Fridheimer which is a tomato growing operation. Very impressive, especially considering the environment here. They have an excellent restaurant with the focus on tomato dishes. The soup was excellent! We shared one dessert for al of us, basically a very light skyr cheesecake with green tomato jam on top, with a flower and it was served in a tiny terra cotta plant pot. Very creative! There is also a basil plant and small pair of scissors on every table so you can garnish your soup as you please. They also bring a cucumber salsa which was very good on the bread. Sounds odd, but was very good.

The only downside to this experience was one tour bus that came in and were seated near us. It was an older group of people and not one mask. They swarmed the soup/bread area and one lady was not using tongs for the bread. I did not even bother to try and be kind and just said very sternly to her to use the tongs. The people that worked there you could tell were frustrated with the group and immediately stepped in and made them all go sit down, put masks on then line up like proper human beings. The employees then served them so they were not touching anything.

The facility had bees, sunflowers and other plants to all help pollinate the tomatoes. It was really interesting! You can purchase the soup and bread recipe for 300kr.

Then we headed over to the Secret Lagoon thermal pool. My husband wasn't feeling it since it was right after lunch, so he just hung out in the cafe area and responded to work emails and such. The rest of us thoroughly enjoyed it though! It was windy and rainy out, so being in the warm pool was especially nice. On one end there is a tiny grass hill where they have built miniature turf houses. Adorable! One thing we really liked about the Secret Lagoon is that they have pool noodles for your use. Those were game changers! Especially for me as I am short so am often trying to walk on my tippy toes in these pools.

After that it was off to Gulfoss for the waterfalls, which are enormous!!! Our rain pants came in handy here. The four of us had been here before, so my husband and I took pictures of ourselves at the same location as we have photos from 6 years ago. We did not go inside the gift shop here as we were a bit short on time.

We headed to our hotel for the night, Farmhotel Efstidalur in Laugarvatn. I had high hopes for this place, but it was our least favorite of the entire trip. I went in to check in and there was nobody at the reception desk. I rang the bell, waited and rang it again. Waited. Went to the ice cream area and asked the girl working there and she said she would call someone. Waited again. Went upstairs to the bar and asked the lady there, who was very short with me and said her friends would get to me soon. I went back down to the desk and waited again then went back to the ice cream girl. She called someone and they said to just give us our key and we would do check in later.

We got the key and found our room, the family room. It was large and the beds were comfy, but it was lacking. There was a coffee pot, but no coffee and not outlet near the coffee setup area. We had to plug the coffee pot in to an outlet near the floor in the bathroom. The shower did not drain well at all, so you had to be very quick and you still were in a bath.

We hurried up and got ready and headed to dinner at Ingolfsskali Viking Restaurant which was excellent!!! We even tried the fermented shark and Brennivin. The shark was more tolerable than the Brennivin. The owner said the axe throwing was not available as the target, I believe he said, was broken and not fixed yet. Our entrees were duck, lamb and cod and everything was perfect. We shared two desserts, a warm chocolate lava cake and then a skyr mousse. The building itself is gorgeous! It is large, so it was very easy for them to keep a good distance between diners.
I'm hoping to travel to Male from the UK later in September and I will be flying back to France.

It looks like the Maldives is on the green list from 1st September, does this mean I can have a stopover in Abu Dhabi without the quarantining? I will have been in the Maldives for 6 days prior to entering Abu Dhabi.

Edited: 01 September 2021, 16:49
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.
Dining options: Breakfast, After-hours, Reservations

Neighbourhood: Broughton & Calton

Description: Mamma Roma Restaurant is a family run restaurant and was founded in 1996 by Mennato Mastrocinque and his father Giovanni. Giovanni Mastrocinque started his first restaurant when he first moved to North Berwick in 1981. His restaurant (still standing now) is called Bella Italia and is located in North Berwicks High Street. The restaurant has been serving its loyal North Berwick residents and tourists for over 30 years now. A few years later, after openning Bella Italia, Giovannis son, Mennato Mastrocinque, moved to Scotland in 1985 after finishing his studies in Italy. During summer vacations he would visit his father in North Berwick and would help in the restaurant. He learned the trade very quickly and had a natural talent for preparing authentic Italian cousine. Having learned and experienced all aspects of running a restaurant, Mennato decided to follow his fathers steps and open a restaurant of his own. In 1996 Mennato found just the place. This was Mamma Roma as it stands now on
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Our family stayed in two adjacent Apartments (Nos. 15 and 14) at Hotel Anna for three nights at the end of July. Our stay here was the highlight of our vacation. The location alone is worth the price: this is a lovely farm (with friendly horses!) in the middle of nowhere in beautiful South Iceland. The hotel is on a side road off of Route 1, in between Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss (the two most famous waterfalls in the South). If you are coming from Reykjavik, it will be about 15 minutes past Sel. and about 10 minutes before Sko. The address given is Hvolsvollur, but it's really about 20 minutes to the east of Hvolsvollur. (So if you plan to shop in the Kronan there, know that you may as well stop before arriving at Anna.) You see mountains all around you, and there is a serenity and peacefulness to this quiet and secluded area. We also found some beautiful nature walks nearby, including a gorge with a bridge just past the nearby church.



The Apartments themselves are new and very well maintained; they are also spacious. If you want to self-cater, they are perfect as there is a small stove, refrigerator, and microwave, as well as shelves with basic kitchen items. There are fenced-in horses on one side of the Apartments. The main hotel itself, where Reception and the restaurant are, is a very short walk away. The staff is fantastic: each person we interacted with was very courteous, kind, and helpful. I want to single out the property manager, Octavian, who patiently answered all my emails over many months before our visit. Thank you!



If you are looking to spend some time in South Iceland (and who wouldn't be?), make sure Hotel Anna is on your itinerary. Whether you're staying as a couple in the lovely hotel rooms or as a family in the Apartments, this hotel will be the source of memories that will last a lifetime. Though we are back home in NY now, we are already planning our next visit to Iceland and Hotel Anna!
Much more than is customarily reported about advantages for visiting this small country should be soon mentioned. For irregularities in so much of conventional travel choices we recommend that you stay there for two days. You might not need a discreet lengthy lesson in geography to find the border or principal places. Go there from near by places and prospective origins for specialization in things Italian found in near by towns in Le Marche. Do not dismiss it just because it is not Venice or Florence or Ancona or Ascoli Piceno. Do make the excursion to places like San Leo. Within The Repubbica of San Marino there are Palazzo Pubblico and two museums of noteworthy interest will greet you as well as the Basilica di San Marino. Read the history of this small country. Learn about the three peaks that stand out as prominent.
Hello,

Well, most helicopter companies and tour agencies can arrange your helicopter tour to EBC. Expect to pay about USD 3000+ for the trip, maximum of 2-3 people at once.

Google can help you to find helicopter agencies, I recommend Air Dynasty!

Thank you!
SAN DIEGO (AP)  More than 30 California children are stuck in Afghanistan after they traveled to the country to see their relatives weeks before the Taliban seized power and were unable to get out before U.S. forces left, according to school districts where the kids are enrolled.

Officials with three school districts  one in the San Diego area and two in Sacramento  said Wednesday that they have been in contact with the families who fear they have been forgotten by the U.S. government. The officials said that some of the children were born in the United States and are U.S. citizens.

Nearly all of the children returned to Afghanistan with one or both parents in the spring or early summer to visit relatives. The families traveled on their own to the country and were not part of any organized trips.

Many of the families arrived in the U.S. years ago after obtaining special immigrant visas granted to Afghans who had worked for the U.S. government or U.S. military over the past two decades.

Some of the families told school district officials that they had made attempts to get on planes at the airport in Kabul but were unable get through Taliban checkpoints or through the throngs of Afghans surrounding the airport over the past two weeks. The U.S. ended its evacuation efforts and withdrew its forces on Monday.

In Sacramento, the San Juan Union School District said it had identified 27 students from 19 families enrolled in the district who said they have been unable to get out of Afghanistan and return home.

These numbers continue to change rapidly," Raj Rai, a district spokeswoman said in an email to The Associated Press on Wednesday. We believe that some of these families may be in transit out of Afghanistan, as we have not been able to reach many of them in the last few days."

Rai said the district was working with elected officials to help the families leave the country.

San Juan Unified stands with our Afghan community and all those whose loved ones are currently in Afghanistan," she said. We sincerely hope for their speedy and safe return back to the U.S. and back to our school communities."

The nearby Sacramento City Unified School District said an Afghan immigrant family with three children enrolled at Ethel I. Baker Elementary had contacted the district to ask for help in getting out of the country.

The only word I can say is heartbreaking," said district spokeswoman Tara Gallegos.

In the Cajon Valley Union School District in a San Diego suburb with a large refugee population, eight families reached out to their children's schools before classes started Aug. 17 to report that they were having trouble leaving Afghanistan.

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California worked with the district and U.S. government officials and seven of the families have since made it out of Afghanistan. Most are now back home in the city of El Cajon and some of the students returned to class on Monday.

But one family is still stuck in Afghanistan, said Cajon Valley Union School District spokesman Howard Shen.

District officials were in contact with family members, he said, and trying to help them get out.
Its been an especially rainy summer in Connecticut, though the state hasnt actually seen a hurricane this year.

Actually, a hurricane hasnt made landfall in Connecticut in 36 years when Gloria tore through the state in 1985.

Thats not to say Connecticut hasnt had storms. Quite the opposite, according to Gary Lessor, of Western Connecticut State Universitys weather center. There has been no shortage of tropical storms, depressions and the remnants of hurricanes.

Seems like were getting tropical storm after tropical storm, he said.

This year has seen nine named storms so far, including Fred, Henri, Elsa and now Ida, which Lessor said was somewhat unprecedented. The fact that four of those have or will affect Connecticut is also rare.

I dont recall being impacted by four tropical systems in a year, especially not considering theres only been nine so far this year, Lessor said.

This has been a particularly rainy summer. There were 15.7 inches of precipitation in Fairfield County between May and July, the last full month for which data is available, 120 percent of normal.

That holds true across the state. Precipitation in Litchfield County was 134 percent of normal between May and July, 124 percent of normal in New Haven County and 119 percent of normal in Middlesex County.

But, by the time these storms made it to Connecticut, none of these were hurricanes, Lessor said. You could go decades between hurricane strikes in Connecticut without a doubt.

There was Hurricane Bob in 1991 but, as Lessor noted, it made landfall in Rhode Island: Gloria was the last true direct-landfall Connecticut hurricane, he said.

Long Island is in the way, but the real reason Connecticut hasnt seen so many full-strength hurricanes is the water temperature.

The current water temperature in the Long Island Sound is 75 or so degrees, and while that may be warm and enjoyable, its a bit too cold for hurricanes.

For a hurricane to form, everything has to be perfect, Lessor said. It wants 80s, 90s, the warmer the better.

The water in the Gulf of Mexico off the shore of Galveston is currently a balmy 89 degrees, which explains why Ida is doing its voodoo so well.

Thats why the Gulf coast gets hammered on a fairly regular basis, Lessor said.
Any environmentally conscientious hiker knows that hitting the trail during muddy, wet conditions can possibly have adverse erosive effects on the trail. Whenever someone steps on the soggy, muddy ground, it dislodges the trails surface which leaves it susceptible to displacement. This doesnt, though, mean you necessarily have to avoid hiking altogether in wet conditions - only that you should follow certain precautions in regard to what trails you hike and how.

Trails with a lot of sand like the Great Island Trail in Massachusetts are a great choice during transitional rainy seasons. Another option is hiking old railbeds  which were built to withstand heavier traffic. If you do plan to hike in the mountains, look for a south-facing, rocky trail or one that has been reinforced for heavy use. Websites and groups like The Appalachian Mountain Club, The Hiking Project, and Alltrails are great resources to help you find a suitable trail.

While hiking, stay in the center of muddy trails as much as possible and utilize as many rocky surfaces available. You'll want to walk on trail edges and avoid the center (where puddles and mud are more prevalent) to help keep your feet dryer. However, that won't actually do anything to minimize loosening the side soil, which can lead to potentially damaging erosion. So, since youll likely be stepping into some pretty deep puddles, youll want to have footwear that performs well while being repeatedly submerged in water.

Salomon Outline Hike Mid Gore-Tex

Salomon Women's OUTline Mid GTX W Hiking Boots, Black/Magnet/Green Milieu, 7.5 Salomon amazon.com $149.95 Shop Now

I love my Salomon Fastpacker boots because theyre lightweight, durable, and waterproof with a sole that provides great traction in mud. Alas, like so much of my favorite gear, they are out of stock in most places. The Outline Gore-Tex boot is a great substitute.



They have a grippy rubber outsole with a lug pattern that works well on mud. Theyre very lightweight (as many Amazon reviewers attest) and provide exceptional breathability. The fit is akin to that of running shoes which allow for flexibility when navigating uneven, puddle-strewn trails.

Scarpa Rush Mid GTX

SCARPA Women's Rush Mid GTX Waterproof GORE-TEX Shoes for Hiking and Trail Running - Black/Provence - 8 SCARPA amazon.com $178.95 Shop Now

Scarpa trekking shoes are extremely lightweight and waterproof with the kind of traction you need in muddy conditions. A relatively new addition to the Scarpa family, the Rush hiking boot features an all-synthetic upper that provides support and flexibility. The sole is manufactured out of what Scarpa calls SuperGum rubber  a compound that provides grippy traction in all conditions while also being quite durable.

U.S. Army Jungle Boots

B Belleville Arm Your Feet Men's BURMA 901 V2 Lightweight Jungle/Tropical Boot B Belleville Arm Your Feet amazon.com $177.29 Shop Now

If youre looking for a boot specifically made for trekking in jungles for months on end, you cant really go wrong with U.S. Army jungle boots. Belleville makes the 901-V2 for the military and, like most everything these days, you can purchase your very own pair on Amazon.

These are tall boots (8) with both medial and lateral drainage perforations so water wont pool in the bottom. The upper is unlined for breathability and the insole is puncture-resistant  both great things when youre on a multi-day jungle trek.

Be aware, these boots are definitely not for everyone though as they do not have any cushioning around the ankle and are not known for being lightweight.

More for you 12 household items you need to replace more often than you think

No matter what boot you find is right for you, excessively muddy conditions often call for the use of trekking poles. I never would have made it through the Borneo jungle without my REI Co-op Carbon Exp Vario Trekking Poles  which are, of course, no longer available. The MSR DynaLock Foldable Carbon poles are a great alternative though  lightweight, foldable, and adjustable.
At the Pentagon, Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Taran and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin signed a framework agreement on the strategic foundations of defense partnership between the two countries.

This was announced on Twitter by President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrinform reports.

A new stage in  defense cooperation. An agreement on the strategic foundations of the defense partnership was signed in @DeptofDefense. For us,  support for 's territorial integrity, gaining @NATO membership and joint opposition to Russian aggression are very important. pic.twitter.com/SebG2PIQjd    (@ZelenskyyUa) August 31, 2021

"A new stage in UA-US defense cooperation. An agreement on the strategic foundations of the defense partnership was signed in @DeptofDefense. For us, US support for Ukraines territorial integrity, gaining @NATO membership and joint opposition to Russian aggression are very important.," Zelensky wrote.

According to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the framework deal confirms the key principles and sets ambitious goals for bilateral relations in the field of defense by:

Outlining ways to advance common bilateral priorities to address current and emerging security challenges;

Reaffirming commitment to common democratic values, including the rule of law and respect for human rights;

Confirming the U.S. Department of Defense's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as condemning Russia's occupation of Crimea and aggression in eastern Ukraine;

Identifying further steps in cooperation between the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the U.S. Department of Defense to increase Ukraine's military capabilities and readiness to preserve the country's territorial integrity, progress towards interoperability with NATO, and promote regional security; and

Reaffirming continued support by the U.S. DoD for Ukraine's right to determine its future foreign policy course, independent of external interference, including Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO, as evidenced by the United States and Allies in a Communique following the June 2021 NATO Summit.

It also outlines goals for December 2026, on which bilateral defense relations between the two countries will focus. These include pursuing reforms in Ukraines defense sector in line with NATO principles and standards, increasing transparency of Ukrainian defense procurement, implementing corporate governance reforms, and building long-term strategic partnerships in research and technology.

In addition, the parties intend to deepen cooperation in the Black Sea region in order to ensure freedom of navigation and effectively counter external threats and challenges in all areas of military activity, strengthen cooperation in cybersecurity, and achieve closer partnership of defense intelligence communities to support military planning and defense operations.

"Bilateral security cooperation, as well as support from the United States, is effectively helping Ukraine counter Russian aggression, including a full program of training and exercises," the statement said.

As Ukrinform reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon on August 31.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, August 31, discussed with NASA Director Bill Nelson a number of projects in which Ukraine could partake.

Thats according to a tweet by President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrinform reports.

"Ukraine must once again become a space power. Today, projects that Ukraine can join with its unique space technologies were fruitfully discussed with the director of @NASA @SenBillNelson, Zelensky tweeted.

Read also: Antares rocket launched carrying Cygnus cargo spacecraft

The president wrote Ukraine is waiting for Bill Nelson to visit the country.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky is in the U.S. on a working visit at the invitation of President Joe Biden.

Negotiations between the heads of state are scheduled for September 1.

The visit is scheduled to complete on Sunday, September 5.

Photo: The Ukrainian Presidents Office

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Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko has said he hopes that the deepening of cooperation between Ukraine's National Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom and U.S. nuclear power company Westinghouse will help strengthen Ukraine's energy security.

According to Ukrinform, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported this after a meeting of Galushchenko and Energoatom's management with Westinghouse's management.

"The deepening of Energoatom's partnership with Westinghouse will help strengthen our country's energy security. We will expand our cooperation with the American company with a focus on our country's energy security and independence," the energy minister was quoted as saying.

According to the report, the implementation of Ukraine's European integration aspirations and joint projects with the possibility of involving U.S. financial institutions was discussed at the meeting. The leaders of Energoatom and Westinghouse also signed a letter of intent that confirms the agreements reached and outlines new areas of cooperation in the future in other areas, in addition to the completion of new NPP units.

Energoatom and Westinghouse on August 31 signed a memorandum to build a power unit of the Khmelnytskyi NPP as a pilot project and then four more power units with a total cost of up to $30 billion.

In June this year, Energoatom and Westinghouse signed a contract for the development and provision of license documentation for VVER-440 fuel assemblies for Unit No. 2 of the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant.

In September 2020, Energoatom and Westinghouse signed a new contract for the supply of fuel for VVER-440 reactors to Ukraine.
During the talks in the United States, Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov discussed with Google Vice President Karan Bhatia the results of cooperation and further joint plans.

Fedorov wrote about this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

"We have been cooperating with Google since the founding of the ministry, because our visions are very similar. Today we discussed the results of cooperation and further joint plans. In particular, the issues of selecting and recommending content for the home page of Ukrainian YouTube Music and YouTube. Because now our users are offered Russian content, which is unacceptable when there is a war in Ukraine," the official stressed.

The minister expressed hope for continued fruitful cooperation with Google, which pays special attention to Ukraine. "After all, we want international companies not only to be present in Ukraine, but also to scale their business here," Fedorov said.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky and members of the Ukrainian delegation are on a working visit to Washington at the invitation of U.S. President Joe Biden.

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The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Export-Import Bank of the United States focused on strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries in trade in goods and services.

Thats according to the press service of the economy ministry, Ukrinform reports.

"During the U.S. visit of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the Export-Import Bank of the United States of America. From Ukraine, the document was signed by First Vice Prime Minister, Minister for Economy Oleksiy Liubchenko, and from the Bank  Acting President James Burrows, the report reads.

The main purpose of the memorandum is to strengthen economic cooperation between Ukraine and the United States on trade in goods and services. In particular, the Ministry of Economy and Eximbank will work out options for using medium-term and long-term guarantees, as well as direct loans from Eximbank to finance U.S. exports to Ukraine totaling $3 billion.

At the same time, the bank has no restrictions on concluding financing agreements, which allows in the future to consider financing beyond $3 billion.

"We hope we will be able to implement projects for a total amount that will be much more than the specified $3 billion. It is important for us to strategically develop cooperation with the Eximbank of the U.S., turn it into one of the pillars of Ukraine's transformation, and strengthen our cooperation with EU financial institutions and international financial institutions. We hope partners from the United States will provide reliable financial support for such cooperation," Liubchenko said.

According to the vice prime minister, during the preparation for the signing, a number of joint consultations were held, where a set of projects on security and economic transformation of Ukraine, as well as decarbonization and implementation of infrastructure projects, was considered.

"We have seen that the U.S. authorities fully support this scenario of Ukraine's development and are interested in developing ambitious projects with the participation of American companies in Ukraine," said the senior official.

American bankers reaffirmed their readiness to continue active cooperation and expressed confidence that the signing of the memo would form the base for the implementation of ambitious projects and contribute to molding much stronger economic ties between the two countries.

Photo: kmu.gov.ua

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The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided Ukraine with more than USD 3 billion in aid over the past 29 years, of which USD 1.2 billion - over the past seven years.

Margot Ellis, Acting Assistant Administrator of the USAID Bureau for Europe and Eurasia (E&E), said this in an interview with Dom TV channel, Ukrinform reports.

In particular, she noted that the Ukrainian-American partnership has been going on since 1992, throughout this time the United States has been helping to build and strengthen democratic institutions in Ukraine.

"Since 1992, USAID has provided over USD 3 billion in assistance to Ukraine. Of this, USD 1.2 billion has been provided since 2014," Ellis said.

According to her, the volume of financial assistance provided to Ukraine by American partners has recently increased.

This year we plan to allocate - and I'm talking only about USAID - about USD 220 million in aid. This level is quite consistent with the last few years. Since 2018, the volume of aid has ranged from USD 180 to USD 200 million. The amount includes both humanitarian aid intended for the most vulnerable segments of the population and what we call our long-term investments in Ukraine to build democratic institutions," the USAID representative explained.

As reported, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent federal government agency that receives overall policy guidance from the Secretary of State. USAID provides economic, development, and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States.

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During his visit to Washington, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm to discuss threats posed by Russias Nord Stream 2 project.

Thats according to the Presidents Office, Ukrinform reports.

During the meeting, topical issues of energy security of Ukraine and the region were discussed. The parties exchanged views on the threats of Nord Stream 2 for the security of Ukraine and energy security in Europe. The common approaches were stated that Ukraine and the United States share as to the risks posed by the project.

"Russian gas is the most polluted in the world due to significant methane emissions during production and transportation, as well as corruption, blackmail, and manipulation," said the president.

Zelensky stressed the importance of creating effective safeguards against Russia using gas as a weapon.

In this context, the Ukrainian leader noted the importance of launching as soon as possible regular trilateral consultations in the Ukraine-Germany-U.S. format on the preservation of Ukrainian transit and ensuring European energy security.

The parties discussed in detail ways to intensify cooperation between Ukraine and the United States in the fields of energy, combating climate change, and "green" transformation.

"We have consciously chosen the path of reforms and decarbonization of the energy sector," the president said.

The parties emphasized that the involvement of the United States in the implementation of this ambitious plan opens up opportunities for building a new quality of partnership between the two countries.

Particular focus during talks was on cooperation in nuclear energy, including construction of additional reactors at Ukrainian nuclear power plants, and the use of small modular reactors.

The president expressed confidence that the launch of the Strategic Dialogue on Energy and Climate between Ukraine and the United States will contribute to further intensification of bilateral cooperation and practical implementation of joint initiatives and projects.

Zelensky also thanked Granholm for her participation in the Crimea Platform inaugural Summit and U.S. support to Ukraine in restoring sovereignty and territorial integrity.

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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is confident U.S. President Joe Biden will visit Ukraine before the end of his current presidential term.

The top diplomat made a comment while speaking to Hromadske online outlet, commenting on President Volodymyr Zelenskys visit to the U.S., Ukrinform reports.

"Of course, we are working on a return visit. Im convinced that during his presidency Joe Biden will come to Ukraine because our country is very important to him and is an important priority of U.S. foreign policy. Now we come to them, then they come to us, says Kuleba.

The Ukrainian foreign minister also referred to President Zelensky's visit to the United States, which kicked off on August 30, as "very successful." The chief of Ukraines diplomacy said "concrete agreements" had already been reached.

The minister also stressed Biden held no grudge against Zelensky or Ukraine due to earlier allegations of Ukraine interference in the U.S. presidential election.

"Ukraine acted the right way throughout the internal political crisis in the United States. The best evidence testifying to this is the fact that Ukraine enjoys full bipartisan support," the minister said.

President Zelensky is now on a working visit to Washington at the invitation of U.S. President Joe Biden.

On August 31, the Ukrainian delegation has already signed a number of agreements, including a new strategic defense framework agreement, which provides for deepening cooperation between the two countries in the Black Sea, as well as cybersecurity and intelligence.

The face-to-face of the two leaders has been scheduled for September 1.

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Ukraine is considering several ways to involve the United States in the Normandy format in order to peacefully resolve the situation in eastern Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said this while presenting a program for the transformation of Ukraine to U.S. think tanks, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

We are seriously considering how to develop the Normandy format for a peaceful settlement of the situation. And we invited the United States to participate in several models and we are thinking about how to do it correctly and safely for the region, he said.

Ukraines issue today is not an issue only in Ukraine, he added. It concerns the entire region, in particular Moldova, the Baltic states, as well as the independence of Belarus.

Not only Ukraine, but everyone should be interested in finding an answer to these questions, the president noted.

After the presentation, he clarified to reporters that he would raise this issue in negotiations with President Joe Biden, and, perhaps, start the meeting with this.

President Zelensky is on a working visit to Washington at the invitation of U.S. President Joe Biden.

Negotiations between Zelensky and Biden are scheduled for September 1.

The end of the visit is scheduled for Sunday, September 5.

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U.S. President Joe Biden has said that the partnership between the United States and Ukraine is now stronger than ever before.

He said this at a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"It's an honor and pleasure to welcome President Zelensky to the White House, to the Oval Office. As we celebrate 30 years of Ukrainian independence, the partnership between our nations grows stronger and it's going to even become stronger than it has been. Ukraine and the United States have a similar value system and a strong commitment to the fulfillment of the promise that we hope that all will come forward, and that is a Europe whole, free, and at peace," Biden said.

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As part of a new $60 million aid package, the United States will provide Ukraine with Javelin anti-armor systems and other defensive lethal and non-lethal capabilities to help the country defend itself against Russian aggression.

This is according to a joint statement on the U.S.-Ukraine strategic partnership, published on the website of the Ukrainian President, Ukrinform reports.

"The United States is announcing a new $60 million security assistance package, including additional Javelin anti-armor systems and other defensive lethal and non-lethal capabilities, to enable Ukraine to more effectively defend itself against Russian aggression," the document says.

At the same time, it is noted that since 2014, the United States has committed $2.5 billion in support of Ukraines Army, including over $400 million this year alone.

As reported, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is on a working visit to Washington.

Volodymyr Zelensky and Joe Biden met on Wednesday.

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President of the United States Joe Biden says he hopes to have an opportunity to visit Ukraine.

The comment came as Biden and Zelensky were speaking with the press ahead of their one-on-one meeting in Washington on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

I still remember the opportunity that I had to speak to the (Verkhovna  ed.) Rada years ago and I look forward to being able to come back someday to see you, Biden said during his meeting with President Zelensky in Washington.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden is meeting with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.

Speaking with the press, Biden said the partnership between the United States and Ukraine is now stronger than ever before.

Ukraine and the United States have a similar value system and a strong commitment to the fulfillment of the promise that we hope that all will come forward, and that is a Europe whole, free, and at peace, said Biden.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska presented a Ukrainian-language audio guide at Mount Vernon, the historic home of America's first president, George Washington.

According to the presidents press service, Ukrainian became the sixth foreign language to be heard in Mount Vernon.

Olena Zelenska recalled that this is already the 31st audio guide in Ukrainian in the world, launched as part of a cultural diplomacy project.

"I am glad that the borders of Ukraine's cultural diplomacy project are expanding, the international network of audio guides is growing, and we are finally represented in the United States. This is the first time this has happened on another continent and in a landmark institution - the Mount Vernon estate. Today, it is especially important to establish relations between the countries through culture, diplomacy, and soft power," the First Lady stressed.

In turn, President Zelensky noted that he fully supports this initiative.

"I know how Ukrainians respond to this, how they enjoy it when Ukrainian-language audio guides appear in Europe and other parts of the world. And here we have the first audio guide in the United States of America," he emphasized.

President Zelensky is on a working visit to Washington at the invitation of U.S. President Joe Biden.

Negotiations between Zelensky and Biden are scheduled for September 1.

The end of the visit is scheduled for Sunday, September 5.

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Ukraine will receive innovative drugs against COVID-19 in cooperation with the U.S. government, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine has reported.

Humanitarian aid equivalent to almost $20 million will arrive in Ukraine in the near future and will be delivered to the regions by charitable foundations. Such agreements were finalized as part of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the United States, the report said.

"The U.S. government, together with the manufacturer, will provide us with innovative drugs against COVID-19 as humanitarian aid. They have already been registered by the FDA and are recommended for patients with mild to moderate [COVID-19], especially if there is a risk of transition to severe form," said Health Minister Viktor Liashko.

Some 20,000 vials of Bamlanivimab and 40,000 vials of Etesevimab will be sent to Ukraine. The drugs have already been formed into cargo and are being transported to the airport for shipment to Ukraine.

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has also purchased 2,784 vials of Tocilizumab and is completing the purchase of 14,346 packs of Remdesivir.

The World Health Organization in August announced a new phase of trials of three potential drugs for the treatment of hospitalized patients with coronavirus.

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Dear graduates, congratulations on acquiring your bachelors degree! Only 8 years ago, Reema, 26, couldnt imagine she would ever hear these long-desired life-changing words.

From Syria, Reema arrived in Ukraine with her large family in 2012. Their initial expectations were very modest: they simply hoped to wait a couple of months for the war to end. However, 9 years later, the war is still far from over. Meanwhile, Ukraine has become their new Motherland.

From the very beginning, schooling became one of the most urgent issues for a family with six children. It was fundamental for them to acquire an education, to learn how to write, read and communicate in order to become independent, mature individuals able to integrate into a new society and find a job. Their parents knew all too well of the hardships of a life without the opportunities a proper education can offer.

Crisis in their own Syria delivered a huge blow to the education system, with more than 7,000 schools destroyed or damaged and around 2 million children left without access to education. Many of them are from socially vulnerable groups, including those who became refugees.

In 2018, through the German and Danish-funded Albert Einstein Stipend Program (DAFI), Reema managed to enroll in the Economy and Management education program at the Open International University of Human Development Ukraine.

This scholarship provides students-refugees with opportunities to acquire a university Bachelors degree. Through the dedicated support of the governments of Germany, Denmark and the Czech Republic, UNHCR and private donors, the program has supported over 18,000 young refugees through further education since 1992. The grant covers most expenses, including university fees, study materials, transport, as well as accommodation, food, and other living costs.

Now Reema is able to help educate her younger brothers and sisters and support her parents. The DAFI scholarship also provides language courses which Reema attends to improve her English and Ukrainian.

Reema has always been keen to receive an education, she always finds different courses to do, and reads a lot. I, too, tried to apply for the program, but unfortunately only one person from any given family is allowed to be enrolled at the same time  explains Reemas sister Rahaf, 23. Like her sister, Rahaf graduated from the university with a specialization in International Relations.

After graduating from the National Aviation University college in 2017, Reema continued her studies until 2018 at the Osvita school, which is part of the Open International University of Human Development of Ukraine, majoring in tourism.

In the past, Reema could only have dreamed of going into higher education, due to the impossibly high cost for the family. They recall the day they were informed of the good news. It was the happiest day of her life. For the entire family, it was a ray of hope, a precious opportunity for a better future for their children. It is of paramount importance for Syrians that girls receive an education, learn more about life and the world they live in and share their knowledge with their parents and children. Women who can work on an equal basis with men are highly respected in the community.

In addition, Reemas brothers and sisters have been volunteering at the World Peace Federation of Ukraine University for three years now. They help children in the Institute of cancer as well as lonely pensioners and translate for UNHCR partner organizations such as CF Rokada and the NGO Right to Protection.

I like learning about new cultures very much. During the years I was studying at university, I made friends from Ukraine, Egypt, Mongolia, and Saudi Arabia. The very best this scholarship can give you is the opportunity to share experiences and tell others about my culture and contribute to the welcoming community, says Rahaf.

Now, the girls face a new challenge. They have been trying to find a job for three years. Numerous CVs were sent to countless companies, but time and time again, their hopes dashed by the requirement to possess Ukrainian citizenship in order to be eligible for employment. Reema and Rahaf have complimentary protection status and only have a tax ID and residence registration documents, which are not enough. Their father is unable to work due to health issues, and their mother is a stay-at-home mum. Therefore, the family relies on Reema and Rahaf, who have just graduated from university.

Reema dreams of working as a manager in a company; she likes to overcome new challenges; design anti-crisis plans and be useful to society. We are very grateful to the DAFI program and UNHCR, for believing in us, our potentials and all we stand for! explains Reema.

When asked what they dream of the most, the sisters have the same answer: We wish for a peaceful life without wars. We dream of finding a job to be able to support our family. Of course, we wish for good health for all.

As emphasized in the report Education 2030: Strategy for education for refugees, higher education is a top priority for UNHCR. It constitutes an integral part of the UNHCR mandate to defend and develop durable solutions.

Only 3% of refugees have access to higher education, compared to a 37% global higher education access rate. Higher education transforms students into future leaders. It promotes energy and imagination in young refugees, develops critical skills for decision-making, empowers their voices and facilitates rapid change.

Since 2010 students have been able to receive DAFI funding in Ukraine. The program makes it easier for students to access college or university education, beyond basic education. Higher education nurtures a generation of future change-makers that can steer the world in addressing the concerns affecting refugees from a human perspective.

This article was edited by Giulia Ferrara. Find volunteering opportunities at https://www.onlinevolunteering.org/en

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U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, second from right, listens as Lane County and local school officials discuss the recent rise in mental health issues at Churchill High School in Eugene.
Incident Remote Automated Weather Stations, pictured here, are placed in various locations around a fire area to provide information to meteorologists recording weather information in the local area. This data is used to provide timely and accurate forecasting data to inform firefighters working in remote areas.
Own Al Capone: The Chicago gangsters favorite gun, diamond jewelry, bear-shaped humidor, family photos and more to be sold by his granddaughters at auction
Despite having two surgeries with the same doctor, hospital and insurance carrier, Ely Bair got two very different bills. (Jovelle Tamayo/Kaiser Health News/TNS)
The Underserved Law Opportunities Program (ULOP) is currently seeking qualified University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) first and second year undergraduate students to participate in the program.

ULOP is a partnership between UNO and the University of Nebraska College of Law aims to encourage more students in underrepresented communities to purse a legal education.

To be considered eligible, students should be first-generation college students, must have a record of community service, and have an interest in the field of public law.

Public law is the body of law which governs the exercise of powers of the government and public authorities. It controls public agencies or bodies acting in a public capacity and covers three main subdivisions: constitutional, administrative and criminal law.

Participating students will be accepted into the UN College of Law upon graduation if they:

Maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA throughout their undergraduate coursework





Achieve a minimum qualifying score on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)

Our state will benefit from this program just as much as our students, said Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado, Ph.D., UNO assistant vice chancellor for student success. Our hope is that these students will go on to practice law in underserved communities, meeting a pressing need of the greater Omaha metropolitan area and Nebraska as a whole.

All students accepted into the ULOP program:

Are paired with a peer mentor





Intern with a law firm or nonprofit organization





Participate in a LSAT preparatory seminar at no cost





Receive specialized admissions counseling and workshops prior to applying for law school.

ULOP was the first organization at UNO to help connect me to the people who would shape my future law career," said Emma Frankin, a third-year law student at UNL. "While I knew I wanted to be a lawyer, ULOP provided the necessary resources and guidance to achieve my goals. Now I can sincerely say as I finish out my last year of law school, I wouldn't be where I am today without ULOP.

Admission interviews will begin later this fall. Students interested in participating in the program submit a letter of interest and a resume by email to Benjamin-Alvarado at jalvarado@unomaha.edu no later than the close of business on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021.



About ULOP

ULOP is patterned after the Urban Health Opportunities Program, a collaboration between UNO and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), which was designed to address a need for medical professionals with diverse backgrounds.



The idea came from a conversation with a graduate of both our universities, who is currently practicing law in Omaha, said University of Nebraska Lincoln Interim Executive Vice Chancellor Richard Moberly. There is no question that Nebraska has a need for bilingual attorneys and attorneys who will practice law in the public interest. This is an important step toward meeting that need.

In 2020, the program received the Nebraska University Inclusive Excellence Collaboration Award.
A researcher from the University of Hong Kong has been detained by police in China, friends said Wednesday, while studying the politically thorny issue of workers' rights

Beijing, Sept 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Sep, 2021 ) :A researcher from the University of Hong Kong has been detained by police in China, friends said Wednesday, while studying the politically thorny issue of workers' rights.

Beijing has repeatedly cracked down on grassroots protests and labour NGOs in recent years, with authorities seeking to control social movements they view as a potential challenge to the state.

Fang Ran, a sociology PhD student researching labour movements in China, has not been seen for five days, friends told AFP.

A message circulated on social media, apparently from his father, said his son was detained by police in the city of Nanning in southwestern Guangxi region last Thursday.

"I am extremely shocked at this," wrote Fang's father, describing his son as a loyal member of the ruling Chinese Communist Party.

"In my view, Fang Ran is definitely not a criminal who seeks to harm the Party, but an ambitious young person who is helpful to the Party's cause." AFP could not independently verify the message, but three friends of Fang who have been in contact with his family confirmed the content.

Hong Kong University said in a statement that it is "aware of the matter and actively looking into it".

"We will provide assistance to Mr Fang and his family where appropriate," a university spokesperson told AFP.

In the message his father wrote that the 26-year-old had been put into a form of solitary secret detention known as "residential surveillance at a designated location", which is often used against dissidents.

Friends say that Fang, a Chinese national, had been researching labour conditions in Chinese factories in the southern manufacturing hub of Shenzhen, where he lived for the past six months.

One of the friends told AFP Fang was passionate about social issues and was "not afraid of speaking out whenever he sees some injustice."Numerous student labour activists were detained in 2018 and 2019 as part of a nationwide crackdown on campus Marxist groups, many of whom helped organise factory worker unions in southern China.
SYRIA, Sep 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Sep, 2021 ) :A cease-fire agreement has been reached between the negotiating committee in Daraa al-Balad neighborhood in southwestern Syria and Russia following heavy shelling on the enclave by Syrian regime forces in recent days, according to local sources on Wednesday.

The agreement allowed the Russian military police and a security committee affiliated with the Syrian regime into the neighborhood to cement the cease-fire, the sources said.Sources said light weapons were collected from 34 people identified by the regime.

Under the deal, no resident will be expelled from the area and that the regime forces and its military security branch will be stationed at four points of the area. Meanwhile, police officers will resume their work after they left due to recent escalation.

Moreover, the agreement states that the regime's Fourth and Ninth Divisions will withdraw from the vicinity of Daraa al-Balad and lift the siege on it.

Since July 29, the Bashar al-Assad regime and Iranian-backed militias have launched a ground operation on the neighborhood, triggering clashes that spread across the countryside.

A month later, the Daraa al-Balad Negotiating Committee and regime forces reached an agreement stipulating a partial surrender of light weapons in the hands of the opposition and a partial presence of regime forces. The latter, however, violated the agreement and insisted on complete control of the area.

Regime bombardment of the area and repeated attempts to storm it forced the Daraa al-Balad Negotiating Committee to hold several meetings with the Russian officials in an effort to bring calm to the area.

Daraa al-Balad was blockaded by regime forces on June 25 after residents, including former members of the Syrian opposition, resisted an order to surrender their light weapons and allow regime forces to search houses in the area.

Daraa, known as the birthplace of the Syrian revolution, is home to some 40,000 people and was an opposition stronghold until 2018.

Syria has been ravaged by civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.
ISLAMABAD, Sep 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Sep, 2021 ) :President Dr Arif Alvi Wednesday said that steps were being taken to improve business environment of the country by providing various incentives and facilities to the business community.

He said the economy of the country was heading in the right direction that reflected the confidence of the business community in the economic policies of the government.

The president expressed these views while talking to a delegation of the Haripur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) led by President HCCI, Shahbaz Majeed Sheikh that called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, a press release said.

Talking to the delegation, the president further said that the business community played a significant role in the economic development of the country and a number of steps had been taken to facilitate them, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He further said the government, despite tough financial constraints, had provided a financial stimulus package worth Rs.1.2 trillion to protect the business community and underprivileged strata of society from the adverse impacts of the pandemic.

The president highlighted that the country's exports had also witnessed a significant surge which had reached $25.3 billion during the last fiscal year.

He expressed satisfaction over the economic performance of the country, saying that the collection of Rs. 850 billion by FBR, exceeding the target by Rs.160 billion, during the first two months of the current fiscal year was a testament that the economic health of the country was improving.

He said the government was focusing on creating optimum business environment and due to its efforts, Pakistan's rank in the ease of doing business index had improved from 136th to 108th position.

President HCCI Shahbaz Majeed Sheikh apprised the president about the role being played by the chamber in the economic development of the country.

The delegation also briefed the president about certain problems being faced by HCCI.

The president also appreciated the role of HCCI and the business community in the national development and assured them of all possible support to help address their problems.
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ANKARA, Sep 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Sep, 2021 ) :US-based multinational banking and financial services company JP Morgan on Wednesday revised its estimate for Turkey's economic growth for 2021 from 6.8% to 8.4%.

According to a report published by the firm, Turkish economy continued to grow "at full speed thanks to robust domestic demand and surging export demand in the second quarter." The country's economy expanded 21.7% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2021, in line with expectations, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) announced on Wednesday.

Following the rapid recovery since the start of the second half of last year, the JP Morgan report said, it is logical to see some moderation in growth in the upcoming period.

It also warned high unemployment as well as corona-virus driven uncertainties pose down side risks to growth.

However, it noted that domestic sentiment is resilient, loan growth is still high and export figures are quite strong, saying high frequency data back up the case for continued growth strength. The firm did not change its 2022 forecast, keeping at 3.4%.

On Tuesday, international credit rating agency Moody's also upgraded Turkey's economic growth forecast for 2021 from 5% to 6%.

It noted that a recovery in the tourism sector supported the growth in the Turkish economy, thanks to the ongoing global economic recovery and progress in the COVID-19 vaccination.
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Marseille, Sept 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Sep, 2021 ) :Residents in some of Marseille's poorest crime-ridden districts pleaded with French President Emmanuel Macron for help on Wednesday as he visited the Mediterranean port following a spate of drugs-related murders.

France's second-biggest city has long been known for its run-down streets and desolate housing estates, as well as its gritty charm and fierce local pride.

But with the April 2021 presidential elections approaching, a surge in deadly shootings has put its long-standing social problems on the political agenda.

"I've suffered so much, I can't put it into words. I want to leave," one woman on the verge of tears told Macron as he met residents of the Bassens estate in northern Marseille at the start of his visit.

Others asked for more police, public investment and better housing as they described their daily encounters with drug dealers, as well as the decrepit local schools and high-rise blocks.

"We're scared on this estate," one 63-year-old social worker from Bassens told AFP ahead of Macron's arrival. "When I get back from work at 10 pm, it's deserted and sometimes you hear shooting like it's a Western film."The three-day trip by Macron, accompanied by seven members of his cabinet, is intended to make a statement about his investment in security and education, just eight months from presidential elections.

"It's a city that has been emitting a number of warning signals," a presidential aide admitted on Tuesday. Macron is well aware that his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen is expected to campaign next year on a law-and-order platform.
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New Orleans, Sept 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Sep, 2021 ) :Louisiana and Mississippi took stock Tuesday of the disaster inflicted by powerful Hurricane Ida, as receding floodwaters began to reveal the full extent of the damage along the US Gulf Coast and the death toll rose to four.

New Orleans was under a curfew Tuesday evening, nearly two days after Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm, exactly 16 years after devastating Hurricane Katrina -- which killed more than 1,800 people -- made landfall.

Four deaths have been confirmed as crews began fanning out in boats and off-road vehicles to search communities cut off by the giant storm. A man was also missing after apparently being killed by an alligator.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell said on Twitter she had signed an executive order mandating an overnight curfew in New Orleans, most of which was still entirely without power after the storm.

Images of people being plucked from flooded cars and pictures of destroyed homes surfaced on social media, while the damage in New Orleans itself remained limited.

New Orleans Airport said all incoming and outgoing flights scheduled for Tuesday were canceled, while airlines had scrapped nearly 200 flights on Wednesday.

One person was killed by a falling tree in Prairieville, while a second victim died trying to drive through floodwaters some 60 miles (95 kilometers) southeast in New Orleans, officials reported.

Ida knocked out power for more than a million properties across Louisiana, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.us, most of which still out Tuesday evening, leaving residents without air conditioning in late summer.

But power provider Entergy told New Orleans City Council members Tuesday morning that some electricity could be restored as early as Wednesday, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported.

The first to see power would likely be hospitals -- many of which are dealing with a surge of Covid patients -- and sewage and water treatment centers, the paper reported, saying it could still be days before average customers were reconnected.

Entergy had initially said it could take days to even assess the full extent of the damage.

In Mississippi, which has been buffeted by torrential rain, a road collapse left two people dead and 10 more injured, including three in critical condition, the state's highway patrol said.

The death toll is expected to rise further, Louisiana Deputy Governor Billy Nungesser warned Tuesday, especially in coastal areas directly hit by Ida where search and rescue operations are ongoing.

Meanwhile in St. Tammany Parish, police said a 71-year-old man was attacked and "apparently killed by an alligator while walking in flood waters following Hurricane Ida." President Joe Biden declared a major disaster for Louisiana and Mississippi, which gives the states access to Federal aid.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said his state had deployed more than 1,600 personnel for search and rescue operations, while the Pentagon said over 5,200 personnel from the military, federal emergency management and National Guard had been activated across several southern states.

Ida -- now a tropical depression -- was travelling northeast, threatening the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys. It was expected in the mid-Atlantic on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Scientists have warned of a rise in cyclone activity as the ocean surface warms due to climate change, posing an increasing threat to the world's coastal communities.
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Lima, Sept 1 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Sep, 2021 ) :Thirty-two passengers died, including two children, and more than 20 were injured when a bus plummeted from a cliff in Peru early Tuesday, officials said, in the country's third multiple-victim transport accident in four days.

The accident happened on a narrow stretch of the Carretera Central road some 37 miles (60 kilometers) east of the capital Lima.

"Unfortunately, at the moment, there are 32 dead," said police commander Cesar Cervantes.

A six-year-old boy and three-year-old girl were among the dead, police said.

There had been 63 passengers on the bus.

A search and rescue effort was under way for possible survivors and to recover bodies, the police department added on Twitter.

Cervantes said "recklessness" contributed to Tuesday's accident, adding that the bus had been traveling "at high speed." It hit a rock and plunged into an abyss some 650 feet (200 meters) deep, according to survivor accounts.

On Sunday, 22 people died when two boats collided on the Amazon river in Peru. An undetermined number remain missing.

Two days earlier, another bus fell into a ravine in the country's southeast, killing 17 people.

Road accidents are common in the Andean country due to factors including speeding motorists, poorly maintained highways, a lack of road signs and poor traffic safety enforcement.
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Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Wednesday cautioned the West of the serious consequences of abandoning Afghanistan which could result in civil war and economic collapse

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Sep, 2021 ) :Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Wednesday cautioned the West of the serious consequences of abandoning Afghanistan which could result in civil war and economic collapse.

In an interview with Sky news, the foreign minister stressed upon the West to engage with Taliban because otherwise, Afghanistan could descend into another chaos.

He said: "It will give space to the organisations we all dread; the international terrorist organisations that we do not want their footprint to grow in Afghanistan." "That's a dangerous option. That's an option of abandonment of Afghan people," he said, adding such mistake was committed during 90s.

Qureshi urged the international community not to repeat the same mistake again.

To a query regarding withdrawal of foreign forces, Qureshi said that there was a failure to listen to Pakistan's concerns as the withdrawal process was not "responsible or orderly".

Pakistan was persistently emphasizing that peace and dialogue processes and withdrawal of foreign forces should be simultaneously carried out, he added.

The foreign minister termed the initial statements from the Taliban leadership as positive and encouraging, adding the West should test them to make sure they were true to their word.

He expressed the hope that Taliban would act responsibly.

"They should have learned from their mistakes," he said, adding "And I think the attitude and the approach they are taking, is reflective of a different approach." "If they're sensible, they should, in my view, respect international opinion and international norms," he further added.

The minister opined that Afghans would need humanitarian and financial assistance, otherwise, there would be an economic collapse.

The foreign minister to a question maintained that baseless allegations had always been leveled against Pakistan regarding Taliban.

Taliban were present in Afghanistan, they were leading Doha talks and had been in control of forty to forty-five per cent of Afghanistan prior to their takeover, he added.

Qureshi said Pakistan had been hosting millions of Afghan refugees on its soil for the last four decades.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd September, 2021) US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday during a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart that he looks forward to visiting Ukraine again someday.

"I look forward to being able to come back someday to see you," Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during remarks at the White House.

Biden traveled to Ukraine during his tenure as Vice President.
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MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st September, 2021) Guatemala said it has received a new batch of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Institute.

"The second component of the Sputnik V vaccine has arrived in Guatemala, this will allow us to complete the vaccination of Guatemalans who received the first dose on schedule," the country's Health Ministry said on Twitter.

The ministry said the Russian vaccine is supplied to 18 regional divisions, depending on the availability of conditions for transportation and storage.

To date, the Guatemalan authorities have vaccinated 4.4 million citizens against COVID-19 with various vaccines, with 1.1 million of them receiving both shots.
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Russia believes it is necessary to restore the political dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, this could be encouraged by exemptions from some international sanctions related to the humanitarian sector, Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov said in an interview with Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st September, 2021) Russia believes it is necessary to restore the political dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, this could be encouraged by exemptions from some international sanctions related to the humanitarian sector, Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov said in an interview with Sputnik.

From August 23-25, Morgulov paid a visit to Seoul, where he discussed the Korean Peninsula developments with South Korea's and the United States' special representatives for North Korea.

"I made it clear to the partners that given the current lack of trust between North Korea and the United States, declarations should be backed up by some real steps.

The restoration of the political dialogue could be encouraged by exemptions from the international sanctions regime in the humanitarian sector and other civilian areas, certainly unrelated to the missile and nuclear program," Morgulov said.

The diplomat pointed to Pyongyang's effort to reduce regional military tensions, and to the difficult humanitarian situation in the country.

"I also invited colleagues to resume discussions of the plan of action for a comprehensive resolution of the Korean Peninsula problem, which Russia and China presented in 2019," Morgulov added.
(@FahadShabbir)

Russia will supply dozens of aircraft, helicopters, air defense systems, and, possibly S-400 systems to Belarus in near future, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Wednesday

MINSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st September, 2021) Russia will supply dozens of aircraft, helicopters, air defense systems, and, possibly S-400 systems to Belarus in near future, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Wednesday.

"In the near future I signed an order the day before yesterday the Russian Federation will supply us with .

.. dozens of aircraft, dozens of helicopters, the most important air defense weapons, maybe even S-400. We really need them, I have already spoken about this ... the most modern equipment," Lukashenko said, as quoted by the state-run Belta news agency.
An oil slick spreading from a Syrian power plant pulled away from the breakaway north of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus on Wednesday thanks to shifting winds

Nicosia, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Sep, 2021 ) :An oil slick spreading from a Syrian power plant pulled away from the breakaway north of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus on Wednesday thanks to shifting winds.

The internationally isolated government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) -- recognised only by Ankara -- has been watching for days as an estimated 20,000 tonnes of fuel oil drifts toward the region's northeastern tip.

Emergency workers tried to contain the spillage by roping it off with booms tossed from ships some 15 nautical miles (28 kilometres) off the shore.

Top ministers had warned that at least some of the oil could reach the scenic Karpaz peninsula on Friday.

But they sounded more positive after noticing that winds had begun pushing the oil back up north and away from the coast.

"The weather conditions continue to be in our favour," tourism and environment undersecretary Serhan Aktunc said.

The minister added that beachgoers should remain "vigilant" until Friday in case the winds change direction again.

"There is no problem in our sea now," he said.

But Aktunc and other officials warned that marine life remained threatened because some of the oil had started to solidify and sink to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Republic of Cyprus -- whose overwhelming majority are Greek Cypriots and which has been a European Union member since 2004 -- has effective control over the southern two-thirds of the island.

Officials there on Wednesday reported detecting traces of oil some 30 nautical miles off its eastern-most coast.

The TRNC government has relied almost exclusively on financial and other assistance from Turkey since breaking away in 1974.

Turkey has already sent two ships to help contain and collect the spillage.

Turkish transport and environment ministers have also been advising the North about how to respond.

Officials in war-torn Syria have provided few details about what may have caused fuel to start leaking from the oil-operated Baniyas Thermal Station last week.

Syria's electricity minister had told a pro-government newspaper Monday that the size of the leak ranged from two to four tonnes of fuel.
The Florida Board of Governors today confirmed Rhea Law as the University of South Floridas interim president during the boards meeting held at Florida International University.

The USF Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously appointed Law to the position on Aug. 2. She is a USF alumna and former chair of the BOT with deep ties to the university and Tampa Bay region.

Rhea brings a wealth of experience to USF, both academically and in ties to the USF community, said Syd Kitson, chair of the Board of Governors, which oversees the State University System of Florida. As a former chair of the USF Board of Trustees, Rhea has an intimate knowledge of the university that will make her a strong and effective leader and advocate for the university.

Law is one of the founding members of the USF Board of Trustees, where she spent five years as vice chair and four years as the first and only female chair, contributing significantly to USFs growth and evolution as a Research 1 public university. She served on the Presidential Search Advisory Committee for USFs last two presidential searches.

Law is the former chief executive officer and chair of the board of Fowler White Boggs, a Florida law firm. She led the merger of Fowler with a national firm, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, in 2014. Law has served on and chaired numerous boards throughout the years and has extensive connections across Tampa Bay.

I thank the Florida Board of Governors for confirming my appointment as USFs interim president, Law said. Im honored to serve my alma mater by enabling USF to continue its momentum and create a solid foundation for our next president to build upon.

Since she began her term as interim president, Law has engaged in numerous activities to help drive the university forward, including meeting with members of the USF community and other university stakeholders, and presiding over the summer 2021 commencement ceremonies.

Law will not apply for the permanent president position.

Last week, the BOT established a 15-member presidential search committee and selected the firm of SP&A Executive Search to serve in support of USFs presidential search.
In this photo taken on Nov. 6, 2018, Republican Kelly Mitchell speaks during an election night party, Tuesday, in Indianapolis. A whistleblower lawsuit alleges that Indiana's state treasurer violated state law in handing out contracts that paid more than $6 million to firms linked to her political supporters.
Rebels in Ethiopia's war-torn Tigray region have reportedly been looting aid warehouses. The pillaging compounds a deepening humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa nation which sees over five million people in urgent need of basic food aid.

By Vatican News staff writer



The director of USAIDs mission in Ethiopia says forces from the countrys northern Tigray region in recent weeks have been looting warehouses belonging to the U.S. government's humanitarian agency.

War broke out in the mountainous area last November between Ethiopian troops and the Tigray People's Liberation Front  the TPLF - which controls the region. The conflict has killed thousands and caused a severe humanitarian crisis.

Speaking to Ethiopian State Television, Sean Jones expressed concern for the work of all humanitarian agents and said that in every town they have entered, TPLF militants looted warehouses and trucks, causing a great deal of destruction.

The TPLF could not immediately be reached for comment.

The violence in northern Ethiopia has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis with millions of displaced persons and accusations of rights violations. Since the conflict erupted in Tigray, the rebels have pushed into the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions.

AU mediation initiatives rejected

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed rejected early appeals from high-level envoys from the African Union for talks with Tigrayan leaders, sticking to his line that the conflict was a limited "law and order" operation. Since then, the TPLF has also rejected an AU mediation initiative accusing the organization of being biased in favour of the government in Addis Ababa.

Abiy's government and the Tigrayan rebels trade blame over contentious issues, with each side accusing the other of obstructing aid convoys and driving a desperate population into famine.

Pope Francis has repeatedly called for dialogue and the quest for peace.

Currently, an estimated 900,000 people are already in famine conditions, and five million others are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.
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Worsening economic conditions in the isolated country of North Korea has inspired some desperate citizens to kidnap at least two children, in separate incidents, in an attempt to extract ransom money from families who are seen as well-off, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported.

A dire food crisis and a buckling economy due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are being cited as the catalyst for the desperate moves.

A resident of South Pyongan province, just north of North Koreas capital of Pyongyang told RFAs Korean service on Sunday that A six-year-old girl disappeared in Songchon county while playing by the river in front of her house in the middle of this month, adding that, She was kidnapped and taken hostage by a man in his 30s living in a faraway village from hers. The kidnapper knew that her family was well-off and even got her parents cellphone number before he took her to get ransom money.

According to RFAs source, who wished to remain anonymous, the kidnapper locked the girl up in a storage area in his house and then called her parents and demanded 500,000 won or approximately $US 75.00.

Police were able to track down the kidnapper via his cell phone. He is currently in custody and once an investigation is complete is expected to be sent to a correctional facility.

Another incident involved a 10-year-old boy who was walking along a mountain road in Yangdok county when a man in his 40s approached him on a motorcycle to offer the child a ride home.

The man was apprehended after the boy reported the incident to a local police officer after he managed to escape and return home on his own.

A source told RFA that the second kidnapper got the idea for his crime from the movies.

He confessed during the police investigation that he borrowed his friends motorcycle to copy a scene from a foreign movie in which actors took a hostage for ransom. He said he had no food to eat and was suffering from hunger, the source said.

A confluence of devastating floods, COVID-19 supply chain disruptions, poor harvests and a drastic decrease in imports from China is contributing to a dire food shortage in the rogue nation.

No reports of mass starvation or social unrest have surfaced out of North Korea but experts expect a further deterioration of the countrys food supplies until the autumn harvest.

Its estimated that North Korea requires around 5-million tonnes of food to feed its 26-million citizens and that this year North Korea is short approximately one million tonnes.
On Tuesday, August 31, Japans Defense Ministry asked for a 2.6 percent increase in its defense budget citing a need to counter Chinas assertiveness in the region.

The increase sought amounts to approximately 5.48 trillion yen or $49.86 billion for the countrys fiscal year beginning April 1, 2022 and is a record high if approved by the Finance Ministry and parliament later this year.

If approved, this would be the ninth consecutive year that Japan has increased its defense spending.

In a defense report, which was adopted in July of this year by the Japanese parliament, Chinas increasingly aggressive posturing in the region, Beijings growing tensions with Taiwan and the rivalry between the United States and China were specifically referenced as reasons for the increased budget.

Japan considers Chinas expanding military capabilities and a lack of knowledge regarding Chinese military spending a matter of grave concern and attacked Chinas maritime activity in the South China Sea as well as around Japanese-claimed waters.

Japan has been focusing on shoring up defenses in the countrys southwestern regions and islands. A military base is being constructed on Ishigaki Island where it is expected a new land-to-sea missile defense system will be deployed.

The island is located just north of the uninhabited Senkaku Islands which are claimed by both Japan and China. China refers to the island cluster as Diaoyu.

Since former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo rose to power in December 2012, Japans military spending has increased by 17 percent due, to a new interpretation of the war-renouncing Article 9.

Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws war as a means to settle international disputes, limiting the Japanese military to combat only in direct defense of the countrys territory. It came into effect on May 3, 1947 following World War II. The article also states that armed forces with war potential will not be maintained.

Though Abe was unable to repeal the law entirely, new ships in the Self Defense Forces arsenal were deemed in line with Article 9, which prevents aircraft carriers as an offensive weapon.

The budget request includes 130 billion yen (US$1.81 billion) for the acquisition of a dozen U.S. manufactured F-35 stealth fighters from Lockheed Martin and four F-35Bs that are capable of short takeoff and vertical landings. The fighter jets are intended to operate on two Japanese helicopter carriers that are currently being converted.

However, since the ships were produced as transports, they are not legally considered aircraft carriers.

In addition, the Defense Ministry is also seeking an increase in its research and development budget. A record 325.7 billion yen (US$2.96 billion) is to be invested in unmanned aircraft operated by artificial intelligence.

105 billion yen (US$2.96 billion) has also been earmarked for home-developed fighter jets that will be manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The jets are part of a multi-billion dollar initiative that is expected to run until 2035.

Japan is also investing in space technology by investing 84 billion yen ($765 million) to purchase lasers and satellites to track targets in space as well as to increase the number of space force personnel serving in the Japanese military.
A teacher at a public high school in California was recently caught on hidden camera admitting he uses his classroom to indoctrinate his students for the purpose of turning them into communist revolutionaries.

In an Aug. 31 expose posted by investigative journalist team Project Veritas, Gabriel Gipe, an Advanced Placement teacher at Inderkum High School in Sacramento, California, was recorded as bragging that his political views are probably as far left as you can go.

I have 180 days to turn them [students] into revolutionaries, he said. When asked how he does that, Gipes reply was, Scare the f*ck out of them.

It was also revealed in the segment that Gipe hangs an Antifa flag and a poster of Mao Zedong, chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and a mass murderer responsible for more deaths than Hitler and Stalin combined, in his classroom.

In the video, Gipe said one of his students complained about the flag in an anonymous survey distributed by the school at the end of a semester. Gipe confronted his class after receiving the critical feedback and used it as a way to intimidate his pupils, Well, this [Antifa flag] is meant to make fascists feel uncomfortable, so if you feel uncomfortable, I dont really know what to tell you. Maybe you shouldnt be aligning with the values that this [Antifa flag] is antithetical to.

Extra credit

The teacher told the undercover reporter he and his wife are political organizers, with Gipe saying hes been involved in community organization since he was 13. He said, Ive been in a ton of different organizations and Ive been on the front lines and Ive taken a step back. Later in the segment, Gipe identified himself as a member of the Sacramento chapter of Antifa, which he said has no official, like, member list, right?

He boasted that when there are right wing rallies and stuff then they [Sacramento Antifa] will create an opposition to that.

Sacramento, as a city itself, is incredibly diverse. But were surrounded by a bunch of right-wing rednecks, said the mid-30s caucasian teacher adorned in multiple tattoos.

Gipe declared this as the reason he participates in what he calls political efficacy events and why he wants to get them [students] out in the community.

He explained, I post a calendar every weekIve had students show up for protests, community events, tabling, food distribution, all sorts of things. Gipe also revealed that his students are incentivized or disincentivized to participate in far-left activities through their grades, When they go, they take pictures, write up a reflection  thats their extra credit.

I want to get them familiar with organizations that are doing work. What kind of work theyre doingEvery single one of us can do something, he said, noting hes not asking every student to be on the front lines, but that he did want every student to be involved.

And its so much more than just sharing a tweet or posting on Instagram, added Gipe.

Gipe admitted each year he has his students take an ideology quiz, the results of which are displayed on a wall in his classroom, Every year, they get further and further leftIm like, These ideologies are considered extreme, right? Extreme times breed extreme ideologies. Right? There is a reason why Generation Z, these kids, are becoming further and further left.

And he may be right. A July study from the Institute of Economic Affairs, a UK-based think tank, found that 67 percent of Millennial and Gen Z respondents said they wanted to live under socialism, Young people associate socialism predominantly with positive terms, such as workers, public, equal and fair. Very few associate it with failure and virtually nobody associates it with Venezuela, the erstwhile showcase of 21st Century Socialism, said author Dr. Kristian Niemietz in the report.

Real extremism

However, Gipes personal views expressed in the hidden camera video appeared to be more than just a matter of political coloring when the teacher advocated for violent revolution against the government and martyrdom, Like, why arent people just taking up arms? Like why cant we, you know  take up arms against the state? We have historical examples of that happening, and them getting crushed and being martyrs for a cause and its like  okay well, its slow going because it takes a massive amount of organization.

Gipe also praised Maos Cultural Revolution, You need a two-pronged system, which is exactly what Huey Newton and Fred Hampton [Black Panther Party] understood. You need propaganda of the deed  your economics  and cultural propaganda as well. You need to retrain the way people think. So, the Cultural Revolution in the 60s was fixing the problem that came about after the economic one.

In 1994, the Washington Post, relying on internal CCP documents circulating at the time, explained the real nature of fixing the problem when it revealed that as many as 80 million people were killed by unnatural causes at Maos hands.

In the book The Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party, in Commentary 7: On the Chinese Communist Partys History of Killing, according to a 1984 report undertaken by the Partys Central Committee, the CCP itself admitted a staggering, albeit comparatively subdued, cost of Maos campaign, Over 4.2 million people were detained and investigated; over 1.73 million people died of unnatural causes; over 135,000 people were labeled as counter-revolutionaries and executed; over 237,000 people were killed; over 7.03 million were disabled in armed attacks; and 71,200 families were destroyed. Statistics compiled from county annals show that 7.73 million people died of unnatural causes during the Cultural Revolution.

For perspective, the City of Sacramento has 500,930 residents according to 2019 data cited by Google.

The section also cites a report from Japan-based Yomiuri Shimbun, citing a second central government survey with even more dramatic figures, Results showed that nearly six hundred million people were persecuted or incriminated during the Cultural Revolution, which comprises about half of Chinas population.

Gipe further claimed a clearly dubious understanding of the CCPs modus operandi, What can we do now to root out this culture that keeps perpetuating hyper-individualism, hyper-competitiveness, capitalist exploitation and consolidation of wealth.

Going a step further, Gipe used flowery leftist rhetoric to justify Maos bloody persecution campaign, I do think that its important to understand that as an extension of an economic revolution, they [Chinese Communist Party] were changing the base, and then they went to change the superstructure. You cannot change one without the other. You cant have cultural shifts without the economic shift, and vice versa.

The Nine Commentaries devotes the entirety of Commentary 6 to explaining what the Cultural Revolution was really about: destroying Chinas 5,000 year traditional culture, The Cultural Revolution began in May 1966. It was in fact revolutionizing Chinese culture in a destructive way. Starting in August 1966, the raging fire of the campaign to destroy the four olds burned the entire land of China.

Maos campaign to destroy the four olds is described in the book as a campaign in the mid-1960s during the Cultural Revolution in China. In August 1966, the Red Guards declared a war against the old world and announced the intention to smash all old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits, including barbershops, tailors shops, photo shops, used-book stores, and so on, with no exceptions.

It continued, Regarded as objects of feudalism, capitalism, and revisionism, the Buddhist temples, Taoist temples, Buddha statues, historical and scenic sites, calligraphy, paintings, and antiques became the main targets for destruction by the Red Guards.

In a follow up video posted by Project Veritas, Gipe was confronted for comment while walking his dog, wearing a black tank top with a large yellow communist hammer and sickle insignia on the front.

Both the teacher and Inderkum High School refused to speak with the journalists.

In a Sept. 1 video, Veritas posted a video obtained of Gipe using social media to thank his supporters and portray himself as a victim of cancel culture, My personal safety and security is obviously my top concern at this moment. But also, they are, like, coming for my job and what I love doing in the classroom and they are going to run this campaign and get public pressure behind them and its very likely that the District will cave.
Multiple families of the 13 U.S. soldiers who were killed in the Aug. 26 suicide bombing at Kabul Airport have publicly voiced criticism of President Joe Bidens conduct during the dignified transfer of remains ceremony conducted at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Aug. 29 when the fallen service members returned to America for their funerals.

The most contentiously outspoken is Shana Chappell, the mother of 20-year-old Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, who blasted Biden in an Aug. 30 Facebook post, where she said, Remember i am the one who stood 5 inches from your face and was letting you know i would never get to hug my son again, hear his laugh and then you tried to interrupt me and give me your own sob story, referring to President Biden speaking to several families about his own son, Beau Biden, who served in the military and died of cancer.

According to Wikipedia, Joseph Robinette Beau Biden III was born in 1969. Beau joined the National Guard in 2003, became a Major in the Judge Advocate Generals Corps of the 261st Signal Brigade, and was deployed to Iraq in 2008 where he served for a year while simultaneously acting as Delawares Attorney General, a term which spanned from 2007 to January of 2015.

Beau was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2010 and diagnosed with a severe brain cancer in 2013. He passed away from the disorder on May 30, 2015.

Military transfer teams carry the bodies of 11 of the 13 fallen soldiers who died in the ISIS-K/Taliban suicide bombings at Kabul Airport in Afghanistan on Aug. 26 upon their return to America at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Aug, 29, 2021. (Image: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Chappell said rather bluntly that she told President Biden after he turned the topic towards Beau that this isnt about you so dont make it about you!!! Afterwards, she says Biden told her he was only trying to say he understood her feelings, an argument which Chappell rejected.

She continued:

[Biden] then rolled your f**ing eyes in your head like you were annoyed with mei let you know that the only reason i was talking to you was out of respect for my son and that was the only reason why, i then proceeded to tell you again how you took my son away from me and how i will never get to hug him, kiss him, laugh with him again etc u turned to walk away and i let you know my sons blood was on your hands and you threw your hand up behind you as you walked away from me like you were saying  ok whatever!!! You are not the president of the United States of America Biden!!!! [sic]

In other Instagram posts reported by the New York Post, Chappell revealed herself as a supporter of former President Donald Trump who regards Biden as an illegitimate President.

The same day, Instagram disabled the mothers account. Parent company Facebook reinstated the account on Aug. 31. In a statement, the company expressed their condolences to Chappell, stating the posts did not violate any policies and claimed that her account was disabled in error.

The family of another 20-year-old fallen soldier, Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum, told Fox on Aug. 31 that they rejected the invitation to meet with President Biden, saying they had no desire. However, Rylees sister, Cheyenne, decided to meet with the President alongside McCollums widow.

Cheyenne said, I was able to stand about 15 seconds of his fake, scripted apology and I had to walk away.

When asked why, Cheyenne was paraphrased as saying, That the president would not look at the family in the eye and spent the three-minute conversation talking about his late son, Beau Biden, rather than Rylee or the other 12 service members who perished last week in the ISIS-K attack near Kabul airport.

Afghanistans former Vice President, Amrullah Saleh, said on Aug. 26 that ISIS-K is actually just an arm of the Taliban.

There was not an ounce of sympathy looking at his face, added Cheyenne.

Watching the clock

Some other family members that met with the President were critical of what was construed as an apparent expression of boredom. In some photos and videos taken during the dignified transfer ceremony, Biden is clearly seen looking at his wristwatch.

In an Aug. 30 report by Breitbart, CSPAN video is shown of the President, reportedly about 40 minutes into the ceremony, standing in the wind wearing a black mask while holding his hand on his chest to pay respects. Biden appears to close his eyes, yawn for several seconds, and then checks his wristwatch on his left hand before quickly putting his hands behind his back.

Biden appears to check his watch during the dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base. pic.twitter.com/oMsBefnmfS  Benny (@bennyjohnson) August 29, 2021

Mark Schmitz, father of slain 20-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, shared a story similar to Shana Chappells with The Washington Post on Aug. 30 where he recounted President Biden talking about Beau Biden before Schmitz interrupted him with a photo of his dead son and said, Dont you ever forget that name. Dont you ever forget that face. Dont you ever forget the names of the other 12And take some time to learn their stories.

In an Aug. 31 interview with Fox News, Schmitz also complained about the Presidents conduct during the ceremony as he told the outlet he saw Biden check his watch at least four times, I leaned into my sons mothers ear and I said I swear to God if he checks his watch one more timeI couldnt look at him anymore after that.

Considering the time and why we were there, I found it to be the most disrespectful thing Id ever seen, Schmitz added.

The Post also noted Schmitz claimed an unidentified female family member of an additional service member screamed in grief across the tarmac at Joe Biden, I hope you burn in hell! That was my brother!

Schmitz said in response, I cant fault her for it. We all lost somebody.

In an Aug. 30 interview, also with Fox News, Darin Hoover, father of 31-year-old slain Marine Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover Jr., said he made the decision not to meet with Biden precisely because of the Presidents conduct during the dignified transfer ceremony.

Hoovers rationale was that he claimed to have witnessed Joe Biden check his watch 13 times, each time a slain soldiers body was removed from the airplane, That didnt happen just once. It happened on every single one that came out of that airplane. It happened on every single one of them. They would release the salute, and he would look down at his watch on every last one, all 13, he looked down at his watch.

As a father, seeing that and the disrespect, and hearing from his former leaders, one of [Taylors] master sergeants said  that this was avoidable  that they left them over there: They had them over there and let them down, and we cant have that. It cant happen ever again.

We said absolutely not. We didnt want to deal with him, we didnt want him anywhere near us. We as a family decided that that was the way it was going to be, said Hoover.

According to Daily Mail UK, Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked by Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich during an Aug. 31 press conference about both the wristwatch debacle and families feeling Bidens apology was scripted.

Psaki only replied, Well I would say his message to all of the family members, who were there, those who were not even in attendance, is that he is grateful to their sons and daughters, the sacrifice that they made to the countryThat he knows firsthand what its like to lose a child and the fact no one can tell you anything, or say anything, that theres no words that are going to fill that hole that is left by that.
Thai lawmakers on Tuesday began a no-confidence debate targeting Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and five of his Cabinet members, with the opposition focusing on charges the government bungled its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The debate is scheduled to last four days, with voting by the lower house set for Saturday. Organizers of ongoing anti-government street protests have vowed to step up their own separate efforts during the debate to force Prayuth out of office.

His coalition government is generally expected to turn back this weeks challenge, even though it has come under intense criticism for failing to secure timely and adequate supplies of COVID-19 vaccines.

Sompong Amornvivat, leader of the main opposition Pheu Thai party, kicked off the debate with a fierce attack, charging that Prayuth is a power-crazed arrogant person unsuitable to lead the country.

If we let him continue his leadership, it will lead to more people being infected and losing their lives, said Sompong. There wont be enough crematoriums in service and there will be no way to stop the spread of the disease.

He drew an objection from a government member of parliament when he said the situation recalled a saying that A stupid leader will lead us all to death, because a stupid person with power is the worst danger.

This is the third no-confidence debate faced by Prayuth since he came to power after a 2019 general election. He also served as prime minister in a military government in 2014-2019 after seizing power in a coup as army commander.

A third wave of the coronavirus arrived in April and spread rapidly, accounting for 97% of the more than 1.17 million confirmed cases since the pandemic began, and more than 99% of the 11,495 total deaths.

Prayuths administration was largely successful at keeping the coronavirus at bay last year, although lockdowns and travel restrictions devastated the economy, particularly the key tourism industry, which virtually collapsed after most foreign visitors were barred entry. The governments handling of the economy also promises to be a hot subject of debate.

I think everyone can feel the same hopelessness and doubt about how our economy will recover, Pichai Naripthaphan, deputy leader of the opposition Pheu Thai party, told The Associated Press ahead of the debate. He noted that Thailands economy is forecast to grow the slowest this year of all Southeast Asian nations. We hope that this no-confidence motion will lead to some changes  either a Cabinet reshuffle or the coalition parties withdrawal  later.

Digital Economy Minister Chaiwut told reporters ahead of the debate that he is ready to field the oppositions questions.

He said the government is focusing on solving the COVID-19 problems as soon as possible so that people can live their lives normally, and if there is a political change, that effort might falter.

It is not the time to focus on politics, he said. If the overall situation improves next year, then we can discuss political changes.

Chaiyun Chaiyaporn, a political scientist at Bangkoks Chulalongkorn University, said he does not believe the debate can break up the ruling coalition and bring down the government. He suggested that the targeted ministers will be able to successfully defend their handling of the pandemic.

The debate by the opposition parties may reduce Prayuths legitimacy among the public, but not among the coalition parties. I think their relationship remains strong, he said.

In addition to Prayuth, the opposition plans to grill government ministers belonging to three main coalition parties. They are Deputy Premier and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob from the Bhumjai Thai Party, Labor Minister Suchat Chomklin and Digital Economy Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn from the ruling Palang Pracharath, and Agriculture Minister Chalermchai Sri-on from the Democrat Party.

Prayuth and Anutin will likely bear the brunt of the oppositions attack, since they are the ones most closely associated with COVID-19 policy.
U.S. climate envoy John Kerry met in Tokyo on Tuesday with Japans top diplomat to push efforts to fight climate change ahead of a United Nations conference in November.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi highlighted what he said was the importance of getting other major carbon emitters, especially China, to cooperate.

China is the worlds biggest carbon emitter and the number two economy as well, and it is extremely important that we encourage China to firmly fulfill its responsibility to match its place, Motegi told reporters after his meeting with Kerry.

Motegi added that he hoped Japan and the United States would lead global decarbonizing efforts at the U.N. conference to be held in Glasgow in late November, known as COP26, and beyond.

The United States is the second-largest carbon emitter. Japan is fifth.

Kerry was also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, as well as Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshi Kajiyama.

Kerry arrived in Japan on Monday and will fly out on Tuesday evening to China for more climate talks  his second trip to the country during the Biden administration.

Kerry has called on global leaders to work together and accelerate actions needed to curb rising temperatures to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels. He urged China to join the U.S. in urgently cutting carbon emissions.

Many countries have pledged to eliminate net carbon emissions by 2050. Japan has promised to strive to reduce its emissions by 46% from 2012 levels, up from an earlier target of 26%, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. China has also set a goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2060.

Suga has said Japan will try to push the reduction as high as 50% to be in line with the European Union.

In order to achieve that target, Japans Environment Ministry is seeking a significant budget increase to promote renewable energy and decarbonizing programs. The Trade and Industry Ministry plans to use large subsidies to promote electric vehicles and wind power generation, according to a draft budget proposal for 2022.

The Trade and Industry Ministry, in its draft basic energy plan released in July, said the share of renewables should be raised to 36-38% of the power supply in 2030 from the current target of 22-24%.

During his Sept. 1-3 China visit, Kerry is expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua.
The EU Ministers of Home Affairs met today for an extraordinary Council meeting to discuss developments in Afghanistan, more specifically in relation to potential implications in the areas of international protection, migration and security. The seriousness of the evolving situation requires a determined and concerted response to its many dimensions by the EU and the international community.

The evacuation of our citizens and to the extent possible of Afghan nationals who have cooperated with the EU and its Member States and their families, has been conducted as a matter of priority and will be continued. In this regard, intensive work is underway to identify targeted solutions for the remaining specific cases of persons at risk in Afghanistan.

As an immediate priority, the EU will continue to coordinate with international partners, in particular the UN and its agencies, on the stabilization of the region and to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the vulnerable populations, in particular women and children, in Afghanistan and in neighbouring countries. To this end, the EU and its Member States will step up financial support to relevant international organisations.

The EU will engage and strengthen its support to third countries, in particular the neighbouring and transit countries, hosting large numbers of migrants and refugees, to reinforce their capacities to provide protection, dignified and safe reception conditions and sustainable livelihood for refugees and host communities. The EU will also cooperate with those countries to prevent illegal migration from the region, reinforce border management capacity and prevent smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings. To this effect, the mandates of EU agencies should be used to their full extent. In particular, the European Asylum Support Office should step up its external operations for asylum capacity building. Furthermore, as part of global efforts, support could be provided in the form of resettlement on a voluntary basis, prioritising vulnerable persons, such as women and children.

The Action Plan on Afghanistan should be prioritised and revised in light of this statement and changed circumstances to make it more operational. A Team Europe approach is needed to work with Afghanistans neighbours to address the impact of displacement in the region. The Council urges the Commission to assess all options for the necessary financial assistance under the Multiannual Financial Framework, in particular NDICI and asylum, migration and border management instruments.

Based on lessons learned, the EU and its Member States stand determined to act jointly to prevent the recurrence of uncontrolled large-scale illegal migration movements faced in the past, by preparing a coordinated and orderly response. Incentives to illegal migration should be avoided. The EU should also strengthen the support to the countries in Afghanistans immediate neighbourhood to ensure that those in need receive adequate protection primarily in the region. The need for unified and coordinated external but also internal communication is key. Targeted information campaigns should be launched to combat the narratives used by smugglers, including in the on-line environment, which encourage people to embark on dangerous and illegal journeys towards Europe.

The EU and its Member States will do their utmost to ensure that the situation in Afghanistan does not lead to new security threats for EU citizens. All efforts must be pursued to ensure that the Taliban regime ceases all ties and practices with international terrorism and that Afghanistan does not become once again a sanctuary for terrorists and organised crime groups. The EU will use all its available tools to closely monitor and respond to developments on the ground that might impact its security, in particular in the area of organised crime and terrorism, including its financing. Europol will provide an analysis of the criminal risks linked to the situation in Afghanistan. Exchange of information and intelligence, in line with national competences, also with third countries, and the sharing of regular threat assessments, are of utmost importance. The timely performance of security checks of persons being evacuated from Afghanistan remains crucial.

The EU and its Member States, with the support of Frontex, remain determined to effectively protect the EU external borders and prevent unauthorized entries, and assist the most affected Member States. Appropriate security checks should be carried out, including through the full use of relevant EU databases, as well as registration in Eurodac. Furthermore, as part of our comprehensive approach to external cooperation on migration, third-country national clauses in the readmission agreements between the EU and certain transit countries should be used where the legal requirements are met.

The Council recognizes the need to support and provide adequate protection to those in need, in line with EU law and our international obligations, and to bring closer Member States practices in the reception and processing of Afghan asylum seekers.

The Council will closely follow the developments in the area of international protection, migration and security. It will respond to attempts to instrumentalise illegal migration for political purposes and other hybrid threats, including by developing new tools. The Council will also monitor closely the implementation of the actions mentioned above and ensure regular stocktaking in order to further improve the EUs crisis management capacity, building upon the tools already developed. Coordination of all dimensions of this situation (humanitarian, development, international protection, migration, security, foreign policy) is crucial.
Photo: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

British media regulator Ofcom has rejected the record 58,000 complaints filed against Piers Morgans callous criticism of Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, per the BBC. The Duchess herself filed complaints with the regulator and ITV, who has cleared Morgan for his comments following the couples interview with Oprah Winfrey in March. Ofcom said censoring his views would be a chilling restriction on free speech, but noted his apparent disregard for the seriousness of suicide, legitimizing his consistent use of platform to level racist and misogynistic harassment toward Meghan Markle (he does all that and more in his Daily Mail column alone). Ofcom also reported that co-hosts Susanna Reid and Chris Ship provided adequate protection to viewers from potentially harmful and highly offensive statements about mental health and suicide. Surely babysitting Piers Morgan is not in their job descriptions. The ruling added: While we acknowledged that Mr. Morgans questions about the nature of racism had the potential to be highly offensive to some viewers, the conversations about race and racism in this programme provided open debate on the issues raised by the interview.

In her interview with Winfrey, Markle revealed she received no help from Buckingham Palace, even as her mental health suffered so bad she didnt want to be alive anymore. The royal couple also said an unnamed member of the family was concerned with the color of their unborn childs skin. The next morning, Morgan said he did not believe a word she said, accusing her of firing up this onslaught against our royal family. When co-presenter Alex Beresford pushed back, Morgan walked off set. Because open debate. His exit from the show was announced that evening. Morgan, who is openly bitter about Markle ending their brief friendship, later defended his comments as his right to be allowed to have an opinion and continues to refer to her as Princess Pinocchio. Still, he was recently nominated for the National Television Award for best TV presenter. Between this and the Love Island results  Britain, are you good?
Fall Preview A cautiously optimistic guide to an (almost) normal season. Photo: Estate of Charmion Von Wiegand; Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Galley/The Whitney Museum

Over the last 18 months, art museums have taken an enormous hit to their audience, income, and programming. Most have had to postpone major shows. Some may be closer to the edge than we know. Galleries are hurting too, but museums are more fragile ecosystems than you might think. Weve always needed museums to help us commune with our artistic ancestors and listen in on the group mind. These ten upcoming art shows at New York institutions, from the Whitney to MoMA PS1, deserve our attention  and our love.

Whitney Museum of American Art, opens October 9

In the early part of the 20th century, as European artists belched out manifestos calling for the end of painting and museums, white America was just starting to feel great about itself. It looked around and saw skyscrapers, flappers, jazz bands, Hollywood  everything except, of course, its racism. Thats when Europe began to self-immolate and abstract artists such as Piet Mondrian, Arshile Gorky, Willem de Kooning, Marcel Duchamp, Max Beckmann, and waves more immigrated to our shores. They triggered a chain reaction; an American art world came into being, a sort of international American Baroque and Classicism. Art history was rewritten. Imperfectly.

The modest show Labyrinth of Forms: Women and Abstraction is a much-needed step toward setting the record straight. Here is an exhibition of mostly smaller works on paper made in America by women. We all know the figurative painting and social realisms of male painters like Edward Hopper, but abstraction was much slower to take root in this country. Women artists everywhere must have sensed that the doors of other American genres were already closed to them and so moved into the vacuum.

You will recognize some of the names: Elaine de Kooning, Lee Krasner, Hedda Sterne (the only woman pictured in the famous photograph published in Time of the otherwise all-male Abstract Expressionists). Other names may be new to you: Blanche Lazzell, Alice Trumbull Mason, Charmion von Wiegand. These artists seeded the pluralism that began in the 1970s and that has never stopped adding to arts multiplicity. They werent hampered by the dictatorial, mostly male proclamations calling for unwavering aesthetic fealty to one cockamamie thing or another. Even as they were passed over for gallery and institutional support in favor of the Rothkos and Pollocks, these women explored the untended shores of biomorphic, geometric, hard-edged, and allover abstraction  mapping new territories, forming a nutrient-rich tidal pool of artistic life.

Whitney Museum of American Art and Philadelphia Museum of Art, opens September 29

The biggest solo show in my lifetime for the wildly influential, slow-burning fuse whose work lit the American art world aflame in 1958 and helped change its course from Abstract Expressionism to the optical air that we breathe today. Artist Ed Ruscha described Johns, who is now 91, as the atomic bomb of my education. Let Johnss sensual, strange, almost indefinable images and sculptures relight your visual-cerebral wick. Feel the train of art history starting to jump the tracks.

The Drawing Center, opens October 2

A rare chance to see nearly 700 drawings spanning five centuries, from the Renaissance to today, selected from a private collection, and arranged by three different curators in three changing installations. Get as close to never-before-seen masterpieces as one dog may to another. Sense greatness.

MoMA PS1, opens October 7

This once-every-five-years celebration of artists who work in New York can be sprawling and uneven and sometimes annoying (curators get so many ideas they often forget about art). It also almost always packs a handful of great work. Our town has been dismissed as the mere trading floor of the art world  this show of five boroughs pride gives the lie to that claim.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, opens November 5

Even if the Met sometimes struggles with 20th- and 21st-century art, for me it can do no wrong  because it absolutely nails the centuries that came before. This show, however, promises to be a splashy bash of amazing visuals and the art of the African diaspora. The museum is only a few hundred yards from the former site of Seneca Village, a community established mostly by free Black people that was destroyed in 1857 to make way for Central Park. This is the inspiration for this group show of art from the museums collection  living artists making new work and producing new environments in hope of conjuring those who animated the center of New York before being displaced. My hope? Even if it fizzles as a show, itll fizzle in fabulous ways.

Bronx Museum of the Arts, opens October 20

Each iteration of Bronx Calling has been better than the last, and all have showcased artists who went on to world renown, including current art stars like Diana Al-Hadid, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Glenn Ligon, Sarah Oppenheimer, and Jacolby Satterwhite. Its wild how prescient this show can be, which means its a dont-miss.

New Museum, opens October 28

The New Museum is the New York institution most consistently supportive of new, experimental, younger, overlooked strange art. While its boxy space is also the most claustrophobic, its great curators almost always transcend it. Fall brings a building-filling international exhibition of younger artists worth watching. The word soft in the title is telling. This show takes as its inspiration the transformative flowing of water, addressing 21st-century structures that seem to be on the verge of collapse and in need of change. If it works, well actually see those ideas reflected in the work (please, God) beyond some gobbledygook wall label.

Whitney Museum of American Art, opens October 30

This painting phenom in her late 30s is a standout among the many artists portraying the lived, everyday existence of people of color, among others. Her touch is luscious, her vision complex, her colors kaleidoscopic. Packers compositions are tricky: The space in her paintings is mysterious and shifting. The overall effect is seductive.

MoMA, opens November 28

I love the wobbly, wonky, almost shamanic landscapes of the self-taught artist Joseph E. Yoakum (18911972), which seem to teeter on the edge of psilocybin dreams. That he started making art out of nowhere at the age of 71 only makes his work more magical and an inspiration to late bloomers everywhere. He depicted his wide travels and said, Wherever my mind led me, I would go  Ive been all over this world four times. Witness the world as never quite seen before. Or since.

Guggenheim Museum, opens October 8

The Lebanon-born artist, poet, and writer Etel Adnan, 96, has long been a force in contemporary Arab culture but only recently became better known and respected around the world. In her paintings, tapestries, and other works, Adnan is a master of light and color, creating opaque fields of abstracted shapes that fall in and out of place. Her work evokes visions of astral planes, islands in the mind, temples in the air, celestial depths  all by the simplest abstract-painterly means.
The US and Alabama are reaching the January COVID hospitalization peak.

Hospitals are having to do what they can to deal with another surge of COVID patients as current workers reach their limits.

"It is dire and it is serious. Our health care workers are exhausted both mentally and physically. It's been 18 months, and has not really let up. It got better for just a little bit and then it got oh so much worse," Alabama Hospital Association Deputy Director Danne Howard said.

The Delta variant is over running hospitals across Alabama. Though it's not the highest number of COVID inpatients we've seen, more patients are in need of urgent and critical care. The Alabama Hospital Association says there are more people on ventilators and in the ICU than ever before in the pandemic, but there's not enough staff to take care of them.

"It's not as easy as just having a ventilator. You have to have respiratory therapy. You have to have skilled staff for those patients," Howard said. "They're pushing through and doing what they can."

The state health department is working with the Alabama Hospital Association to find ways to bring hire more health care workers. The deputy director says it could make a tremendous difference.

"If we could find a way to find an additional specialized staff outside of the state, that would be a game changer to be able to add more capacity of special capacity beds," Howard explained.

Howard says the need for workers will not be solved in the short term. She adds that you can help ease the strain on hospitals.

You can do that by wearing your mask, avoiding large crowds and getting your COVID vaccine.
Several hospitals in the South are running out of oxygen as COVID cases and hospitalizations soar.

The Alabama Hospital Association says there's no oxygen shortage in Alabama right now, but they are keeping a close eye on supply.

Some hospitals in the Southeast and Southwest parts of the state are reporting supply chain issues. The deputy director explained those issues could be caused by suppliers having trouble hiring drivers to get supplies like oxygen to hospitals.

"The next few weeks are going to test everyone and our structure of our healthcare delivery systems," Deputy Director Danne Howard said. "Right now, we are able to keep up and are providing that level of care. Our hospitals are doing a fabulous job responding under the most strained resources you can imagine."

The Alabama Hospital Association says more people are on ventilators and in the ICU than ever before in this pandemic. High flow oxygen is being used by hospitals across the country in order to keep COVID patients from being put on a ventilator.

Alabama also requested 200 more ventilators in order to stay ahead of the pandemic and avoid a shortage.

Right now. there are nearly 2,900 COVID inpatients in alabama. Around 54% are in the ICU.

The Alabama Hospital Association reports -84 ICU beds, but that does not mean patients aren't getting the care they need. Hospitals are setting up ICU units outside of what's typically considered an ICU bed. Unfortunately, there's not enough staff for these special capacity beds meaning current workers are having to pick up extra work.

The deputy director warns the trend looks like things will continue to deteriorate.

"The patients that are presenting are sicker, are younger and require more intensive care, and so that consumes and requires more resources in not only your specialized staff, but also your specialized bed capacity," Howard said.

The Alabama Hospital Association says they are not advocating for any type of ordinances, but plead for everyone to take action like wearing a mask, avoiding large crowds and getting the COVID vaccine.
The Falkville man arrested for his role in the January 6 Capitol riot may be nearing a plea agreement with the Department of Justice.

A motion filed Wednesday on behalf of Lonnie Leroy Coffman asks for one more week for his lawyers and the U.S. government to reach a deal.

The parties have worked to reach a plea agreement however both sides agree a short period of additional time is necessary, the motion states.

As of Wednesday afternoon, no ruling had been made by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Coffman was arrested during the riot and has been in federal custody since.

Coffman's truck was found with multiple weapons, ammunition and Molotov cocktails inside.

Read more HERE
Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday appointed Joshua McLaughlin to serve as Limestone County Sheriff.

McLaughlin serves as the chief investigator in the Limestone County District Attorneys Office. His appointment is effective immediately.

McLaughlin issued this statement: "I am thankful to Gov. Kay Ivey for the great honor of being chosen to serve the people of Limestone County as sheriff. Many qualified candidates applied for the position, and I am grateful for their commitment to the safety of our community. I am fortunate to be inheriting a department full of talented officers and professional staff. I am blessed with the opportunity to build on the successes of the past, to create a modern Sheriffs Department equipped for the future. To the citizens of Limestone County, I pledge always to put your safety and security first and to fairly and equally enforce the rule of law."

Ivey's appointment has been anticipated since ex sheriff Mike Blakely was found guilty Aug. 2 on two counts in his criminal trial. (Read more HERE) Limestone County Coroner Mike West has been serving as acting sheriff in the interim.

Blakely's current term as sheriff was set to end Dec. 31, 2022. McLaughlin will serve until then.

Joshua McLaughlin not only embodies the best qualities of a dedicated member of law enforcement, but also that of someone who is committed to serving their community, being a man of faith and of his family. I am proud to appoint Mr. McLaughlin to serve as Limestone County Sheriff, Ivey said in a news release.

He believes, first and foremost, in protecting his community, the rule of law and the rights of others. Throughout his career in law enforcement, he has proven to be an advocate for personal accountability, but also a believer in second chances.

More from the release:

Mr. McLaughlin currently serves as the chief investigator in the Limestone County District Attorneys Office, giving him wide-ranging experience in prosecuting criminal offenses. Before beginning in the DAs Office in April 2014, Mr. McLaughlin has prior experience in the Limestone County Sheriffs Office working as lieutenant narcotics investigator. He also is involved in various community and state outreach, including serving on the CASA of North Alabama Board of Directors, the executive committee of the Alabama District Attorney Investigators Association, the Independent Shooting Review Advisory Council and is a Sunday school teacher and childrens ministry leader at Lindsay Lane Baptist Church.

The people of Limestone County deserve to have total confidence and trust in their elected officials, and I am confident that will be restored with Joshua McLaughlin, Ivey added.
A Jackson County woman was killed in a three-vehicle crash on Tuesday.

Lamonda Rose Gifford, 34, of Dutton was fatally injured when the 2001 Chevy Suburban she was driving crossed the center line of Alabama 79 near Jackson County 30 about 3:40 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Troopers said she struck a 2007 Ford Focus and then a 2005 Dodge Ram.

Gifford was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital, where she later died.

The crash remains under investigation.
Limestone County has a new sheriff in office as of Wednesday.

Gov. Kay Ivey appointed Joshua McLaughlin to the position. He's replacing Mike Blakely, who's awaiting prison time.

Joshua McLaughlin New Limestone County Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin New Limestone County Sheriff

McLaughlin is returning to his law enforcement roots. He's back working at the Limestone County Sheriff's Office. He previously worked at the sheriff's office as a narcotics investigator. The former sheriff said he's the one who gave Mclaughlin his start.

McLaughlin is replacing Blakely, who was the longest-serving sheriff in Alabama's history. Blakely is now facing prison time after being convicted of two felonies in August and was removed from office.

The county's coroner, Mike West, had to fill in as sheriff before Ivey appointed McLaughlin. West said he's glad he now only has to wear one hat instead of two.

Now I can focus on the coroners office," he said. "I dont have to come up here every day, sign stuff, and do stuff like that. So, the only time I come up here is when I need to talk to an investigator or get some information from the dispatcher, so, Im good with it.

McLaughlin released this statement:

"I am thankful to Governor Kay Ivey for the great honor of being chosen to serve the people of Limestone County as Sheriff. Many qualified candidates applied for the position, and I am grateful for their commitment to the safety of our community. I am fortunate to be inheriting a department full of talented officers and professional staff. I am blessed with the opportunity to build on the successes of the past, to create a modern Sheriffs Department equipped for the future. To the citizens of Limestone County, I pledge always to put your safety and security first and to fairly and equally enforce the rule of law."
A Florence man has been charged in the shooting of a 3-year-old in Sheffield.

Jakilus Ricks, 18, was playing with a gun in the same room as the child Monday when it went off and struck him in the leg, according to Sheffield Police Chief Ricky Terry.

The child was taken to the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury and has since been released.

Ricks is charged with assault.

Hell be booked in the Colbert County Jail with a $7,500 bond.
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In this image provided by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, load people being evacuated from Afghanistan onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. (Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen/U.S. Air Force via AP)
Decatur, IL (62521)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Low 61F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
'No Green Pass' protests at railway stations around Italy.

Italy's interior minister Luciana Lamorgese has pledged a "zero tolerance" approach for anyone who attempts to disrupt train services as part of 'No Green Pass' demonstrations planned in railway stations across the country on Wednesday 1 September.

Security has been stepped up at key train stations in cities around Italy ahead of the protests, scheduled in the afternoon, as new Green Pass rules take effect for those travelling on long-distance transport.

As of 1 September the Green Pass - a certificate which shows that people have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from covid-19 - is required to board Intercity and high-speed trains, as well as domestic flights, long-distance buses and inter-regional ferries.

Protesters say the new travel obligations discriminate against commuters who choose not to get the Green Pass, which they have described as a "slavery passport."

Italy's Green Pass - which is also required to dine indoors in restaurants and provides access to a host of leisure and cultural activities - is not needed to travel on local transport networks or regional trains.

Yesterday transport unions called for additional security for railway staff and commuters due to the "clear risks" connected to the planned demonstrations as protesters threatened to 'block' trains from departing.

The interior ministry has stated that it "will always ensure the freedom to demonstrate peacefully in compliance with the rules" but warned that it would not tolerate "acts of violence and threats."

Details about the Green Pass can be found - in Italian - on the Certificazione Verde website while for official information about the covid-19 situation in Italy - in English - see the health ministry website.

Photo La Repubblica
Pilots had to contend with a lot during the Second World War. Along with fighting the enemy in the skies above Europe and the Pacific, they also had to face another tricky opponent: gremlins. These pesky creatures wreaked havoc on pilots and flight crews alike, making an already difficult task that much more dangerous.

What is a gremlin?

For the majority of the population, the word gremlin brings to mind the 1984 cult classic film by Joe Dante. However, for those in the military  more specially, the British Royal Air Force  it conjures up another image, one of a menacing creature lurking in the shadows of an aircraft, waiting to cause trouble.

Depictions of gremlins vary, as different types were described by service members. In general, they were said to have large eyes, sharp teeth and claws, and spiky backs. They looked rather cartoonish, standing at one foot tall and having brightly-colored skin in shades of blue, green and brown.

There were many variations that caused different types of trouble. The Jockie sat cross-legged on birds and guided them into the windshield of fighter planes, while Optics hid in bombsights to throw off a bombers vision when aiming at a target.

Bombii gremlins caused bombs to change direction and land away from their targets, and Water ones disabled carburetors by leaking water into fuel lines. When not fooling around with pilots, they messed around with flight crews, hiding compasses and disrupting radio frequencies.

Fabled origins

The origin of gremlins is disputed. Some derive it from the Old English word Gremian, or to vex, while author Carole Rose, in her book Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins: An Encyclopedia, attributes it to the blending of Brothers Grimm and Fremlin Beer.

The majority attribute the creatures to the RAF, however the exact date is debated. Some believe the dates back to World War I, despite there being no written evidence, while others say it was slang used by pilots stationed in Malta, the Middle East and India during the 1920s. This is where the earliest recorded print evidence is seen, in a poem written on April 10, 1929.

Another early reference is included in aviator Pauline Gowers 1938 novel, The ATA: Women With Wings, where she describes Scotland as gremlin country, known to house scissor-wielding gremlins that cut the wires of biplanes.

The term was most-widely used during WWII, with the first, as shown in an article published to the Royal Air Force Journal on April 18, 1942. Pilot Hubert Griffith chronicled the creatures, noting they largely made an appearance during the Battle of Britain in 1940. He believed they werent always malevolent and had a rather playful sense of humor.

Spread during World War II

Gremlins are most associated with the RAF units, in particular the high-altitude Photographic Reconnaissance Units (PRU) of RAF Benson, RAF St Eval and RAF Wick. Their crews blamed the tricksters on otherwise inexplicable accidents, and they eventually became a scapegoat for issues that occurred when flying.

They were once thought to be sympathetic toward the enemy, but this was later deemed false, as enemy aircraft suffered similar issues. As such, gremlins were portrayed as tricksters of opportunity, acting on self-interest.

Gremlins soon spread to the United States Air Force, whose pilots began to complain about a host of issues, including reliable engines failing and nuts coming loose. While most US troops looked upon the creatures as negative, others saw them differently. This included the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), which adopted the gremlin Fifinella as their official mascot.

By the end of the war, gremlins had become solidified in Western flying lore. This was helped by Roald Dahl and the Walt Disney Company. The famed childrens author, who was a RAF fighter pilot, was commissioned to write a book about them, titled The Gremlins. This led to their further spread in popular culture, and they were soon featured on such television shows as The Twilight Zone and the Looney Tunes.

Deflecting blame and boosting morale

For many, gremlins were a way to deflect blame. Much of what they were accused of could be attributed to human or machine error. Rather than place the blame any one person, it was easier to blame a fictional creature.

According to historian Marlin Bressi, this helped keep morale up amongst RAF pilots:

Gremlins, while imaginary, played a very important role to the airmen of the Royal Air Force. Gremlin tales helped build morale among pilots, which, in turn, helped them repel the Luftwaffe invasion during the Battle of Britain during the summer of 1940. The war may have had a very different outcome if the RAF pilots had lost their morale and allowed Germanys plans for Operation Sea Lion (the planned invasion of the UK) to develop. In a way, it could be argued that gremlins, troublesome as they were, ultimately helped the Allies win the war.

Morale among the RAF pilots would have suffered if they pointed the finger of blame at each other, he continued. It was far better to make the scapegoat a fantastic and comical creature than another member of your own squadron.

Critics believe the stress of combat and the high altitudes at which pilots flew led to hallucinations. As such the existence of gremlins became a sort of coping mechanism. Regardless of how you look at it, the existence (or not) of gremlins is a lighter topic in an otherwise devastating war.
The irritation on the part of the STB is palpable from the complaint, which Id encourage you to read in full here. Its not entirely fair, though, to criticize Canadian National and Kansas City Southern for misreading the room. Until now, the public-interest standard had never been tested in a formal merger application. No one really knew what it meant. Now we do: The STB is applying a broader standard that includes the effects of a rail merger on public transportation, the impact on employees and the possible ramifications for competition with other rail carriers. Amtrak, labor unions and Canadian Pacific are among those that wrote letters to the STB expressing concerns about the takeover. The bottom line is that Canadian National and Kansas City Southern failed to convince the regulator that these issues arent worth deeper consideration and should be swept aside when it comes to the voting trust proposal.
The difficulty of getting timely and accurate intelligence against targets without a U.S. presence on the ground is not the only parallel. As the nation learned last week, the first drone strike against an ISIS-K planner was a response to an act of terror. There is a reason that no U.S. president in the last 20 years decided to withdraw troops from Afghanistan: because the U.S. was there to prevent another terrorist attack on the scale of 9/11. The goal of post 9/11 counterterrorism was prevention. The goal of cruise-missile diplomacy was to establish deterrence and to project U.S. resolve.
With shuttle-diplomacy and mild financial restrictions having failed, Western governments will need to lean more heavily on the prime minister to pause the fighting and allow humanitarian supplies into the war zone. The Biden administration can lead the way by suspending all nonessential aid to Addis Ababa, as well as blocking assistance from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Washington should also follow through on its threat to cancel duty-free access for Ethiopian exports to the U.S. market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
From a competitive standpoint, Fidelity may lack the cool factor and gamification that Robinhood Markets Inc. provides, but it is still doing a decent job at convincing younger investors to open accounts. It opened 700,000 new accounts for investors age 35 and younger during the second quarter. The conventional wisdom around these sorts of accounts with small balances used to be that they were unprofitable and less desirable, but now the retail brokerages seem to be willing to do a lot of unprofitable business in the hopes that small accounts one day become large accounts. That is more likely to happen at a place like Fidelity, that has a full suite of customer offerings. Robinhood is purely for speculation, and not for accumulating assets.
As to Epsteins appointment, I understand why some people are perturbed, but its been a good three-quarters of a century since the major universities saw their job as reinforcing the religious teaching of families. Besides, the event may not be as epochal as some seem to think. Back in the 1990s, I happened to be present at a university convocation where the chaplains invocation began with roughly these words: May whoever or whatever might have been involved our creation ...  implicitly accepting as a strong possibility that there was no Creation (big-C) at all.
And even that arguably understates the opportunities workers have, given where and how jobs can be done now. In 2005, certain kinds of finance workers would have had to work in a Manhattan office, and certain kinds of technology workers would have needed to be in San Francisco or Palo Alto. But those jobs are increasingly being distributed throughout the country, with many of them now able to be done remotely or by coming into the office only on a semi-regular basis.
In March, a Chinese military satellite appeared to spontaneously disintegrate in orbit, leaving a trail of debris high above the Earth. If China knew anything, it wasnt saying. Did the propulsion system explode? Was there a collision with some of the space junk thats accumulating in orbit? Or did something a bit more conspiratorial happen? The mystery persisted until last month, when an astronomer at the Center for Astrophysics announced the answer. Yunhai 1-02, as the satellite is known, collided with a piece of junk leftover from a 1996 Russian rocket launch.It was the first major smash-up in Earth orbit since 2009. It wont be the last. Thanks to cost-saving advances in rocket and satellite technologies, more countries and companies are preparing to launch more stuff into orbit than ever before. As they do, the risk of collisions will only rise. The good news is that space junk is one of the rare problems where geopolitical adversaries and corporate rivals should find common cause. At least, thats the hope.Scientists and policy makers have been worrying about space junk  the dead and unwanted craft left behind in the finite space of Earth orbit  for decades. A paper published in 1978 posited one grim scenario. As satellites proliferated, so too would collisions; each collision would in turn produce debris that made further collisions more likely. The result could be a belt of space junk so dense that it would make certain low-Earth orbits unusable. The study generated intense interest at NASA, which set up an Orbital Debris Program Office to deal with the problem.In 1995, the agency issued the worlds first set of debris-mitigation guidelines. Among other things, it proposed that satellites be designed to re-enter Earths atmosphere within 25 years of mission completion. Other spacefaring countries and the United Nations followed with their own guidelines. But urgency and compliance were lacking, partly because the world hadnt yet experienced a destructive collision between spacecraft and debris.That would soon change. In 2007, China launched a ballistic missile at one of its old weather satellites, producing the largest cloud of space debris ever tracked. Two years later, a nonfunctional Russian communications orbiter collided with a functioning one operated by Iridium Satellite LLC, producing almost 2,000 pieces of debris measuring at least 4 inches in diameter. Any of those fragments could inflict potentially catastrophic damage in a collision.Since then, the situation has only gotten more precarious. More than 100 million pieces of space junk are now orbiting the Earth. Although the vast majority are the size of sand grains or smaller, at least 26,000 hunks are big enough to destroy a satellite. As more entities seek to access orbit for scientific and commercial purposes, the likelihood of a collision is growing fast. About 4,000 operational satellites are now in orbit; in the years ahead, that number could rise to more than 100,000.None of this is news to the worlds spacefaring nations, which are well aware of how space junk could affect their research operations (including the threat posed to astronauts aboard the International Space Station). Companies including SpaceX are building constellations of new satellites that will be vulnerable to debris of all sorts. As Earth orbit becomes an increasingly important arena for military competition, theres also the risk that collisions could be misinterpreted as something other than an accident.So what can be done?For one thing, some old-fashioned bridge-building between spacefaring nations would help. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, negotiated during an earlier space race with little input from China, is badly in need of an update. In particular, provisions that grant countries permanent property rights to their objects in space may complicate efforts to clean up debris. Could China unilaterally remove a defunct Russian satellite  potentially containing valuable intellectual property  if its own equipment was at imminent risk? Greater clarity on such questions could help boost trust and cooperation.Next, NASA should fund research into debris-removal technologies  those recently demonstrated by Astroscale, a Japanese startup, offer a promising example  and consider partnerships with companies developing them. The U.S. should also seek to expand the Artemis Accords, a framework for space cooperation that includes (so far) 11 other countries. As more nations join, debris-mitigation protocols, such as a requirement to specify which country has responsibility for end-of-mission planning, should become routine.None of these steps can be taken soon enough to prevent the next satellite smash up. But over time, they should help to make space a place where countries and companies collaborate, not collide.
Yet the Biden White House is talking up renewed economic pressure on the Taliban to compel it to allow Americans and others to leave the country now that the full withdrawal of foreign forces is complete. At this point, any further tightening may just result in a wholesale collapse. And the continued jostling between the Taliban, Turkey and now Qatar over who will handle security at Kabul airport  along with air traffic control, fuel supplies and other critical roles  means the resumption of flights that would allow more citizens to leave may be some way off, particularly with the ongoing threat posed by the local Islamic State affiliate.
The WHO has highlighted the risk that more variants will emerge given the ongoing high rates of transmission globally. For example, the mu variant identified in Colombia in January was classified as a variant of interest on Aug. 30 because of an assemblage of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape similar to beta. The global prevalence of mu among sequenced cases has declined and is currently below 0.1%, even though its prevalence in Colombia and Ecuador has consistently increased, the WHO said. Also in late August, scientists in South Africa reported a potential variant of interest dubbed C.1.2 that carries concerning constellations of mutations. It was first identified in May in the provinces of Mpumalanga and Gauteng, where Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria, are situated. By Aug. 13, it had been found in six of South Africas nine provinces as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritius, Portugal, New Zealand and Switzerland. Even in South Africa, as of late August, C.1.2 comprised just 2% of the known SARS-CoV-2 variants spreading there.
Rosenwald said some of the rhetoric of conservative talk personalties is driven by a chicken-and-egg issue. That is, hosts tend to avoid getting on the opposite side of an issue from their listeners, lest they alienate them and harm their own ratings and the stations bottom line. In this case, polls have shown skepticism and antipathy toward vaccines and mask mandates among self-identified Republicans, the core audience for talk radio. But its not known whether these attitudes have been shaped by talk radio (and like-minded politicians) or whether talk radio merely reflects and reinforces them, he said.
This version of Bush was an idiot, and a useful one at that, seen to be taken advantage of by the real Machiavellians of his administration (see: Cheney, Dick). A big part of the critique at the time is that he was sort of a failson that was a vehicle for these people, said Josh Marshall, who chronicled the Bush years on his website, Talking Points Memo. That probably makes it easier for the public to be okay with him leaving everything behind and becoming a painter. Whether its true or not.
For example, I caught wind of a new social club called the Common House Chattanooga in Tennessee. Its a members-only club with just 12 guest rooms on the site of the old Chattanooga YMCA. It opened this spring and had publicized its accommodations, but almost no information was available. A phone call cleared things up: The property was open to nonmembers, and rooms, which start at $200 a night, were scheduled to go on sale in July.
Chelsea Hughes, an African American mother of two in Montgomery County, says the pandemic gave her new insights about how her children learn and what they did not get at school. Her sons, both of whom have special needs, are in fifth and seventh grades and made the honor roll last year while learning from home.
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The discovery has helped scientists explain cellular division and metabolism, the release of hormones and the conversion of glycogen stored in the body to glucose, the energy source of physical activity. Through the work of Dr. Fischer and Krebs, researchers have gained a better understanding of Alzheimers disease, diabetes and certain forms of cancer, including leukemia. It has also led to the development of drugs that reduce the bodys rejection of transplanted organs.
The fatal shooting was the third time in about a week that D.C. police have shot someone. Last Tuesday, police said a man in Southeast Washington fired at an officer who returned fire, wounding the man. Last Wednesday, a D.C. police officer fatally shot an armed man after he was found unresponsive behind the wheel of a running vehicle in the travel lane of a Northeast Washington street, then awoke and pulled away from responding officers, authorities said. Police said the man had a gun in his waistband.
These were among reports received by the Calvert County Sheriffs Office and the Maryland State Police. Anyone with information is asked to call 410-535-2800 or 301-855-1194 or use the Submit a Tip feature on the mobile app. Call the Crime Solvers line at 410-535-2880 or the state police Prince Frederick Barrack at 410-535-1400.
At the time  and I think this is still valid  we had very good intelligence that ISIS-K was preparing a specific type of vehicle at a specific type of location, he said. We monitored that through various means and all of the engagement criteria were being met. We went through the same level of rigor that weve done for years, and we took a strike.
Durhams investigation has long faced criticism, as Democrats and legal observers have worried that the prosecutor specially appointed by then-Attorney General William P. Barr was essentially out to undercut an investigation that dogged Trumps campaign and much of his presidency. As Durhams probe has continued into the Biden administration, some witnesses have privately grumbled that Attorney General Merrick Garland should push the special counsel to conclude his work. The Russia investigation, they argue, already has been scrutinized by Congress and the Justice Department inspector general, who found serious flaws but determined that it was opened with adequate basis.
This is an inherently abusive power that state and local law enforcement should not have, said Wesley Hottot, a lawyer representing Lara with the Institute for Justice, which advocates against civil asset forfeiture. What we see almost exclusively are people like Stephen who  perhaps had quirky banking practices  but theyre not guilty of any crime. And yet, in the nations airports, on the nations roads, theyre treated by police as though a large amount of cash by itself is criminal. And that power is too dangerous to give every police officer on the street.
Officials have not said whether the White House will ask Zalmay Khalilzad, the Afghan-born diplomat who has served as special envoy for Afghan reconciliation, to remain in his job, or if they will name another high-level envoy. They might also ask officials in Washington or at the new Doha mission to handle what is likely to be significant shuttle diplomacy among nations with stakes in Afghanistan and those who are poised to provide humanitarian support.
One administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters, said the Biden administration is looking at ways to boost funding and support for Afghan resettlement. Another looming issue is their legal status as parolees. Congress could create a mechanism to allow them to adjust to legal permanent residency, aid groups say, along the lines of the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 or more recent programs to aid Iraqis.
Shortly after McCarthy addressed reporters, members of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus made even more sweeping criticisms of Biden as well as far-reaching demands that included the impeachment of Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the resignations of Biden, Vice President Harris and the administrations top national security aides. They also called for the removal of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)  but only after she calls the chamber back into session to consider legislation on getting the remaining Americans out of Afghanistan.
Biden returned again to the core arguments he has deployed throughout the withdrawal debate  that the war had long since run its course; that American national security objectives were accomplished years ago, including the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden; that the Afghans need to govern and defend themselves; and that any extension of the war would only serve to put more Americans in harms way.


And it not only empowers complete strangers to inject themselves into the most private of decisions made by a womanit actually incentivizes them to do so with the prospect of $10,000 if they win their case, Bidens statement says. For the majority to do this without a hearing, without the benefit of an opinion from a court below, and without due consideration of the issues, insults the rule of law and the rights of all Americans to seek redress from our courts.
No one, least of all pro-life Christians, should want to see nearly 100,000 of their countrymen die of a disease after safe, effective vaccines became available. No one should be indifferent to former President Donald Trumps racism, lies, degradation of public discourse and open rebellion against the rule of law. If your donor base is unconcerned about these things, you need to get a better donor base.
China is not easy, but I am convinced that we should not give up dialogue, the pope said, while admitting that you can be deceived in dialogue, you can make mistakes, all that ... but it is the way. Francis said that slowly progress has been made in the tense relationship with Beijing, but these are also steps that can be questionable and the results on one side or the other.
Lara Martin, director of the U.S. Disaster Response unit for the United Methodist Committee on Relief, said the first step for local Methodist volunteers is to do damage assessments. Once those are done, the local teams invite other Methodists to come in to assist with relief efforts. Methodist relief volunteers will also wear masks and take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Gaffigan wanted to address the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy she was seeing among religious folks across social media. Some were referring to it as the mark of the beast. Others were concerned over whether the vaccine increased the risk of miscarriages and infertility, which research has shown is not the case.
Lion King cast member Daniel Harder outside the Minskoff Theatre in Manhattan, where the show reopens Tuesday. (Mary Inhea Kang for The Post)

Performers in dance-centric shows such as Chicago and Hamilton relearn the steps they havent done in 18 months.
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States, in which 67 British nationals were killed, the U.K. sent the second-largest contingent of forces to Afghanistan, deploying 150,000 military personnel over the years. In all, 457 British soldiers died. The U.K. ended its combat operations there in 2014. But some troops stayed on, along with British diplomats and contractors.
Three U.S. passport holders from the same family are counting on that promise. The three flew to Afghanistan in July to help pack and bring back a grandmother, who just had her U.S. visa approved. Theyve tried repeatedly over the last several weeks to board a flight out, with no luck. I thought it would be good there because everything that Biden was saying,  especially like July, May, June  when he was saying that its impossible for [the Taliban] to take over so quickly, said Mohsen, a family member who asked to be identified only by his first name because of concerns for his relatives.
Charlene Thomas, 73, passed away while at the Daviess Community Hospital, Sept. 8, 2021. She was born April 23, 1948, in Washington, to Eugene Matteson and Eileen (Best) Matteson. Charlene was a homemaker who loved to play the piano, enjoyed genealogy, and liked to play cards and board games
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The Arc de Triomphe has seen parades, protests and tourists galore, but never before has the war monument in Paris been wrapped in silver and blue recyclable polypropylene fabric. Thats about to happen in September when a posthumous art installation designed by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude opens.

The Arc de Triomphe, Paris. Credit:Getty Images

Christo has wrapped museums, parliaments as in Germany, but a monument like this? Not really. This is the first time. This is the first monument of this importance and scale that he has done, Vladimir Yavachev, the late collaborating couples nephew, told the Associated Press.

Preparations have already started on the Napoleon-era arch, where workers are covering statues to protect them from the wrapping.

The idea for LArc de Triomphe, Wrapped was formed in 1961, when Christo and Jeanne-Claude lived in Paris. Jeanne-Claude died in 2009, and despite Christos death in May 2020, the project carried on.
Afua Hirsch has always incurred the costs of fitting in. In her bestselling 2018 book Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging, the writer and broadcaster recalls growing up in Wimbledon, the kind of London suburb where middle-class whiteness was something to aspire to.

Dont worry Af, we dont see you as black, a schoolfriend tells her one idyllic summer holiday. Hirsch, the daughter of a Ghanaian mother and British father, has been thinking about this polite act of erasure ever since.

British writer and commentator Afua Hirsch

Really what this is saying is that the ultimate achievement of humanity, the most civilised or sophisticated or desirable you can become is to be as proximate to whiteness as possible, she says. When people are trying to compliment you, they express this in terms of your success in assimilating into that ideal. Its part of a very clear history of promoting it as the justification of Empire, as the glue binding the identity of people racialised as white.

Its the reason that Britain talks so differently [about] Australia and Canada than its other colonies. In the colonial era, the phrase white dominions was used. She gives a bemused laugh. Now, theres a more subtle language.
Does closing schools keep children safe? Ive used a lot of ink on the evidence for children, COVID-19 and Delta over past week. For a full accounting, read our explainer here. Heres the condensed version: The evidence shows, to the best of our knowledge to date, COVID-19  even with Delta  remains a mild illness for children, says Royal Australasian College of Physicians president-elect and paediatrician Dr Jacqueline Small. The evidence is the same for long COVID. The best data we have (and the data is not great, to be honest) suggests kids are at very small risk. A teacher wears a face mask at a school in Berlin, Germany. Credit:Getty Images

Consistent evidence suggests schools are not major places where children catch and share COVID-19, although Delta is increasing infection rates overall. This surprises parents given kids are so snotty! But we have to remember that COVID-19 is unlike other respiratory viruses: for reasons we still dont understand, kids seem to have very strong innate defences. There is an unworldly response to a small risk in children, which has been horribly, horribly overinflated, says Robert Booy, professor of child health at the Childrens Hospital at Westmead. Does closing schools stop the virus? It remains unclear how much of a role children play in spreading COVID-19, but the data seems to trend toward not as much as adults.

Two small Australian studies of infected children found they gave it to perhaps 1 per cent of their close contacts. Theres some pretty good evidence from the UK that kids are at greater risk of catching COVID-19 if they are at home than if they go to school (adults are not at greater risk if they live with kids). Why? Because schools are actually pretty good at preventing kids from giving each other COVID-19  and because we know the vast majority of COVID-19 transmission happens in the home. A better argument might be that stopping school is not about preventing kids from getting infected, but instead is about stopping parents from moving around  picking them up and dropping them off. Unreleased modelling done for the Victorian government showed that was an important part of reducing infections, The Age and the Herald understand, and probably informs its current position. But remember: this is a wider social benefit that mostly accrues to the oldest members of society who face the most risk of COVID-19, and benefits children the least.

Is closing schools bad? In theory, yes. The evidence we have from school closures pre-COVID is they are bad for kids development, health and wellbeing. Education is one the biggest factors in a persons life that will decide just how good their life is going to be. Thats why paediatricians from the Sydney and Melbourne childrens hospitals and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute have been repeatedly calling for schools to stay open during lockdowns  much as Britain did during its successful November lockdown. Students at a school in New York join in a discussion about vaccines. Credit:AP In-person learning for kids is very important for their educational outcomes, their general socialisation, mental health and wellbeing, says Professor Kristine Macartney, director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (she told me she supports keeping schools closed during Sydneys current lockdown due to the enhanced risks of more community transmission).

Thats particularly so for kids from low socio-economic backgrounds. School is critically important. Losing time, face to face, can be associated with lower educational attainment if its prolonged. Lets start with health and wellbeing. A large systematic review found good evidence school closures  as part of broader lockdowns  were associated with considerable short-term harms to childrens health and wellbeing (although you might wonder how much of this was the school closure and how much the lockdown in general). What about learning? Heres where things get tricky. There isnt much evidence, because this is new. People try to use prior experiences of school closures as a basis for projecting whats likely to happen  but weve never had anything like this, says Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, from the University of Newcastles Teachers and Teaching Research Centre. The non-COVID evidence is troubling. Take this study from Argentina, where teachers at the nations schools often went on strike. Children exposed to those strikes had lower wages when they reached 30 or 40.

Are findings from pre-COVID really applicable to the current pandemic? Its not clear. And were doing things differently. Childrens learning hasnt been shut down  instead, there has been a heroic effort by parents and teachers to move it online. A study in the Netherlands tracking the performance of about 350,000 students found an eight-week COVID-19 lockdown led to a drop in performance equivalent to losing a fifth of the school year  with the effects much stronger on children from more disadvantaged homes. Professor Gores study came to the opposite conclusion, finding no effect on learning in children in NSW between 2019 and 2020. Early NAPLAN results for 2020 havent budged much, even in Victoria which endured months of lockdown. The evidence that seems to be coming together around COVID-19 seems to reinforce the view that student learning does not suffer too badly, said Professor Gore. Putting it all together All medical interventions, be they vaccination or lockdown or closing schools, come with risks and benefits.

It can be scary when the risks are potentially catastrophic to people we hold as the most valuable members of society. Make no mistake: it is extremely rare, but children do die of COVID-19 (385 children have died of COVID-19 in America  versus 623,985 adults). But the direct risks to children are very small, all things considered. The risk of being out of school, at least in Australia, is contested and we likely wont know for decades. There could be none. It could be minimal, or mostly for kids from disadvantaged homes. It could be significant. The benefit to children from this policy appears to be a very small reduction  and perhaps no reduction at all  in the risk of infection. It possibly benefits wider society, although the evidence is again weak. Based on this risk-benefit analysis, would you ask children to make this sacrifice?
If the test of a first-rate intelligence really is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function, then West Australian Premier Mark McGowan is Australias pre-eminent thinker.

When news broke last week that the evil genius who runs Qantas, Alan Joyce, was musing about redirecting the non-stop London-to-Perth flight to Darwin, the Premiers indignation thundered across the Nullarbor.

WA Premier Mark McGowan was indignant at news that Qantas might bypass his state.

Outrageous, he cried, especially as WA had spent $15 million upgrading a terminal at Perth Airport to accommodate the British flights.

But McGowan knows there are no regular flights from London to his hermit kingdom, or from pretty much anywhere else in the world because he banned them. The terminal the Premier sunk so much taxpayer cash into is currently operating at 2.5 per cent of its capacity. And given Britain is awash with the Delta variant of COVID-19, a disease McGowan has declared will never be tolerated in his state, there is no prospect of regular direct flights returning. Ever.
Having not experienced a health crisis of this scale in more than a century, weve been flying largely blind as to how the COVID pandemic will evolve and the best policy responses to it. Staring into the unknown, we can form an uncertain view about the path ahead based on theory and what little existing data we have. But we must be prepared to rapidly and frequently update this view as new data emerges. Indeed, so many of our pandemic policy failures have resulted from our failure to stay ahead of the curve in this way.

Vaccine effectiveness is a prime example. Back when all we had were the results from phase-three trials, the mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna appeared to be significantly more efficacious in preventing infection than the viral vector vaccines made by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

Healthcare workers deserve maximum protetion. Credit:Kate Geraghty

With only those data available and a desire to limit transmission it was appropriate to favour the mRNA vaccines, while keeping an open mind as new data became available. It would have been premature to denigrate AstraZeneca on the basis solely of those early data. And as billions of jabs have been administered around the world for almost nine months, new data has emerged that should lead us to update our prior beliefs.

The latest such emergence is a likely waning in the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine that Australia has come to rely heavily upon. Because Israel relied solely on Pfizer and did so far earlier and faster than other countries, it offers a valuable indicator of where we might find ourselves in the months ahead.
Canberra and Washington are celebrating the 70th anniversary of their alliance, the ANZUS Treaty. Though celebrations will focus on shared history and values, the alliance endures because, for both countries, the benefits outweigh the costs.

Australian debate about the alliance in recent years has focused on the benefits: does it afford us enough security, or should Australia plan to be more self-reliant?

On the 70th anniversary of the ANZUS Treaty, our neighbours are less suspicious of the alliance. Credit:

But its equally important to consider how the costs may be changing  and in some cases, diminishing. In particular, alliance critics argue that it comes at the cost of deeper ties with Asia (an independent foreign policy).

Yet these criticisms miss a crucial change: quietly, our neighbours in south-east Asia have accepted  and, in some cases, started to welcome  Australias ties with the United States.
After spending almost all their time inside since Melbournes playgrounds were shut last month, Corinne Moeschs three children are jumping for joy at news they will soon reopen.

Premier Daniel Andrews made the expected announcement on Wednesday afternoon that playgrounds would reopen from 11.59pm on Thursday.

Rocco, 9, Reggie, 7, and Evie, 4, are happy that playgrounds will be reopening. Credit:Joe Armao

The Preston West children had refused to go on walks since playgrounds closed on August 16 and Ms Moeschs diminished mental health left her without energy to find alternative outside activities.

Ive been bored out of my mind because I cant go to the playground, Ms Moeschs son, nine-year-old Rocco Crupi, said. I just love the monkey bars.
Its September and lockdown just got a lot tougher.

During days that should be full of footy and raucous fun, the streets seem particularly empty.

It will be an empty MCG again in September. Credit:Joe Armao

Its a small sad marker and insignificant compared to the literal life and death consequences of COVID, but its now two Melbourne Septembers in a row that have felt hollow because the MCG lies miserable, quiet and abandoned.

Though my beloved Swans lost last weekend, I sympathise with Demons supporters who should be gearing up for the time of their lives but instead find the city quiet in a slightly haunting way. Meanwhile, the AFL finals are scattered across the country with the grand final to be held in Perth.
Retailer Harvey Normans decision to pay back JobKeeper money on the back of record profits has reignited calls for more transparency around the multibillion-dollar wage subsidy scheme and sparked criticism of the governments moves to claw back funds from unwitting individuals.

Harvey Norman on Tuesday announced it would return $6 million in funds received by company controlled entities under the governments JobKeeper scheme, which was put in place at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as an emergency mechanism allowing firms to retain staff.

Harvey Norman has bowed to pressure and paid back JobKeeper funds. Credit:Scott Barbour

The amount did not include $14 million claimed by Harvey Normans privately owned franchisees. The retailer had previously resisted repaying the funds despite a massive jump in earnings during the pandemic, leading to significant public and political criticism.

Founder Gerry Harvey would not say why the company changed its mind. Im not going to talk about JobKeeper. Every time I open my mouth about JobKeeper I get into trouble, he told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.
Reporter

I cover a range of stories for WDRB, but really enjoy tracking what's going on at our State Capitol. I grew up on military bases all over the world, but am a Kentuckian at heart. I'm an EKU alum, and have lived in Louisville for 30 years.
Destruction is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in Grand Isle, La. Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. Louisiana residents still reeling from flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Ida scrambled for food, gas, water and relief from the sweltering heat while facing the dispiriting prospect of weeks without electricity to power air conditioners and refrigerators. (Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser via AP)
FILE - This Sept. 24, 2015 file photo shows Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio as Pope Francis, right, arrives at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The Vatican has concluded that allegations of sexual abuse dating back a half century against DiMarzio do not have the semblance of truth," but an attorney for the accusers said they will continue to pursue their civil cases. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, said Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, that the Vatican has closed its investigation into allegations made separately by two men, who accused the DiMarzio of abusing them a half century ago when he was a priest in New Jersey. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, Pool, File)
BELCHERTOWN, MA (WGGB/WSHM)-- The Belchertown Fair and the Amherst Block Party are canceled for the second year in a row. Meanwhile, preparations for the Big E are underway. Western Mass News is getting answers on why Belchertown canceled their fair.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)  The union that represents nurses at Rhode Island's only Level 1 trauma hospital is calling on its parent company to increase the pay of nurses who have been on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

The United Nurses and Allied Professionals union on Tuesday delivered a petition with more than 2,000 signatures to Lifespan Corp., which operates Rhode Island Hospital in Providence.
The Taliban are reveling in their victory after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, while reiterating their pledge to bring peace and security to the country after decades of war. An anxious population is waiting to see what the new order looks like. Having humbled the worlds most powerful military, the Taliban now face the challenge of governing a nation of 38 million people that relies heavily on international aid. It remains to be seen what kind of Islamic rule they can impose on a country that is far more educated and cosmopolitan than it was when the group last governed in the late 1990s.
Allentown, PA (18103)

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Warm and humid with a blend of sun and clouds. Just the slight chance of a shower late..

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Partly cloudy. Just a slight chance of a stray shower or storm.
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Casting has been revealed for the European premiere of Suzan-Lori Parks' hit plllay White Noise.

Running from 5 October to 13 November, the show is directed by Polly Findlay, with set designs by Lizzie Clachan, costumes by Natalie Pryce, lighting by Jackie Shemesh, movement by Jade Hackett and sound by Donato Wharton.

Following four thirty-somethings that are "confident in their woke-ness" that are shaken following a racially-motivated police assault, appearing in the show are James Corrigan, Ken Nwosu, Faith Omole and Helena Wilson.

Parks is the first African-American woman to have received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Topdog/Underdog. She's won a variety of awards, and worked on projects on both stage, screen and on the printed page.
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Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 58F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

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Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 58F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
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Corps extends timeline for Dakota Access pipeline's court-ordered environmental study by 6 months

Renee Jean  Williston Herald Three Standing Rock youth ride on horseback at the Oceti Sakowin camp during the Dakota Access protests in this file 2016 photo.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has decided to extend its timeframe for completing a court-ordered environmental study on the Dakota Access pipeline, according to information posted on the federal agencys Dakota Access project page.

According to court records, the Corps had been asked by tribes to extend the schedule by six months, and the federal agency said then it was considering granting the request. The decision will put publication of the Dakota Access pipelines final EIS somewhere around September of next year.

The outcome of the study will be a deciding factor in whether the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reissues the easement for the Lake Oahe crossing, which was revoked last year.

Judge James Boasberg ruled that due to its controversial nature, NEPA required the Corps to complete the longer Environmental Impact Statement instead of the shorter Environmental Assessment when evaluating the pipelines easement to cross 90 feet below Lake Oahe.

Boasberg had then ordered the pipeline to shut down and empty of oil while the study proceeded, but an appeals court decided the injunction should have taken into account several additional factors, including economic harm. They sent it back to the lower court for that analysis.

During that hearing, the Corps told the courts that the pipeline could continue to operate while the study is conducted and Boasberg ultimately ruled that the tribes had failed to demonstrate they would suffer actual, irreparable harm if the pipeline kept operating. Boasberg dismissed the case in June without prejudice.

Dakota Access has meanwhile already begun moving even more barrels of oil, with minimum volume commitments for the pipelines expansion project beginning on Aug. 1. The pipeline now has the ability to move 750,000 barrels per day, officials said during the companys most recent earnings call.

The full expansion for the Dakota Access pipeline is 1.1 million barrels of oil per day. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has said the court-ordered EIS will also evaluate the companys expansion.

The 1,176-mile Dakota Access pipeline began operating in 2017 with a capacity of up to 570,000 barrels of oil per day  about half of the states production. The oil is taken to the Gulf Coast by way of the Energy Transfer Crude Oil Pipeline, with which it connects in Patoka, Illinois.

The pipeline has attracted protesters from around the world and has faced numerous lawsuits filed by the Standing Rock Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes, who have said they fear an oil spill from the pipeline could affect their water supply.
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Pickett Rucker celebrates 155 years

Xavier Smith / XAVIER SMITH Pickett Rucker United Methodist Church Pastor Michael Ruttlen looks back on previous church anniversary photos as the church celebrated its 155th year Sunday. The church formed as Pickett Chapel in 1827 by the first Methodist congregation to form in Lebanon.

One of Lebanons oldest and more historic churches celebrated its 155th year last Sunday.

Pickett Rucker United Methodist Church Pastor Michael Ruttlen said the churchs anniversary served as an important moment that intersects its history and future, noting the significance of the angel number 155.

When you see the angel number 155, you are being reminded the hard work you have been doing will be rewarded soon, he said.

The church celebrated the anniversary with a special service last Sunday morning directed by Pauline Holmes that featured testimonials, special performances and recollection of the churchs beginnings.

Pickett Rucker members Desiree Starks and Shemeka Cantrell highlighted the churchs history and former leadership.

The churchs original building, which is now Pickett Chapel, was erected in 1827 by slaves who worshipped in the balcony of the church separate from the white congregation.

Pickett Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church formed in 1866 when a group of 30 black Methodists came together to discuss their concern about their spiritual welfare and the need to have their own place of worship.

It was decided they would purchase Seays Chapel and make a church on East Market Street. They formerly worshipped there for many years with the white congregation, Starks said.

It became an organized church in 1866 under Calvin Pickett as the first pastor. The congregation moved to its current location on Glover Street in 1973.

Cantrell highlighted the former pastors and reverends of the church, and discussed the impact of Ruttlen, who has been with the church for the last eight years.

Under his leadership, I have seen the church grow even more. Not only in numbers, but in ministry, she said. If nothing else, he lets the community and the church know this is your home here. Whether you come one Sunday or 15 Sundays, youre home when youre here.

Gail High spoke about church members that have died and their lasting influence on the congregation.

I was sitting in my seat, and I was remembering the saints that are no longer here with us, and I was thinking about the sacrifices they made and what they gave, said High, who said she believed they would be proud of the church today. We have a legacy. We have a good legacy  a legacy that we have to carry on.

Ruttlen highlighted Rev. Vincent Harris, district superintendent in the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Harris is the son of Mary and Harry Harris and attended Pickett Rucker growing up.

The history of this church took him to district superintendent, which means hes over churches. So, everything he was taught while growing up in this church, hes now able to distribute it all across the United States, and quite possibly, the world, Ruttlen said.

No matter how small we seem in number, God has a way of making us big.

The program also included a praise dance performance by Cantrell and Monica Tapley, as well as an anniversary poem performance by Macieo Gaines.

Ruttlen said plans for the church include continuing to grow in size and presence while staying true to the churchs mission of knowing, loving and serving Jesus Christ.
Open Forum: What do the Taliban and the left have in common?
A federal bankruptcy judge on Wednesday gave conditional approval to a sweeping, potentially $10 billion plan submitted by OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to settle a mountain of lawsuits over its role in the opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the past two decades.

FILE - This Feb. 19, 2013, file photo shows OxyContin pills arranged for a photo at a pharmacy in Montpelier, Vt. A federal bankruptcy judge is expected to rule Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, on whether to accept a settlement between OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, the states and thousands of local governments over an opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the last two decades. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)

A federal bankruptcy judge on Wednesday gave conditional approval to a sweeping, potentially $10 billion plan submitted by OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to settle a mountain of lawsuits over its role in the opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the past two decades.

Under the settlement reached with creditors including individual victims and thousands of state and local governments, the Sackler family will give up ownership of the company and contribute $4.5 billion but will be freed from any future lawsuits over opioids.

The drugmaker will be reorganized into a new company with a board appointed by public officials and will funnel its profits into government-led efforts to prevent and treat opioid addiction.

Also, the settlement sets up a compensation fund that will pay some victims of drug addiction an expected $3,500 to $48,000 each.

FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2021, file photo, Jayde Newton helps to set up cardboard gravestones with the names of victims of opioid abuse outside the courthouse where the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy is taking place in White Plains, N.Y. A federal bankruptcy judge is expected to rule Wednesday, Sept. 1, on whether to accept a settlement between OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, the states and thousands of local governments over an opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the last two decades. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain said Wednesday after speaking from the bench for more than six hours that he would approve the plan as long as two technical changes were made. If so, he said, he will formally enter the decision on Thursday.

He said before his ruling that while he does not have "fondness for the Sacklers or sympathy for them," collecting money from them through litigation would be complicated.

The settlement comes nearly two years after the Stamford, Connecticut-based company filed for bankruptcy under the weight of some 3,000 lawsuits from states, local governments, Native American tribes, hospitals, unions and other entities. They accuse Purdue Pharma of fueling the crisis by aggressively pushing sales of its best-selling prescription painkiller.

The Sacklers were not given immunity from criminal charges, though there have been no indications they will face any.

State and local governments came to support the plan overwhelmingly, though many did so grudgingly, as did groups representing those harmed by prescription opioids.

FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2021, file photo, fake pill bottles with messages about OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma are displayed during a protest outside the courthouse where the bankruptcy of the company is taking place in White Plains, N.Y. A federal bankruptcy judge is expected to rule Wednesday, Sept. 1, on whether to accept a settlement between Purdue Pharma, the states and thousands of local governments over an opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the last two decades. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Nine states, Washington, D.C., Seattle and the U.S. bankruptcy trustee, which seeks to protect the nations bankruptcy system, opposed the settlement, largely because of the protections granted to the Sackler family. At least some of them are expected to appeal.

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson quickly announced he would appeal the plan, calling it inadequate.

The bankruptcy judge, based in White Plains, New York, had urged the holdouts to negotiate an agreement, warning that drawn-out litigation would delay getting settlement money to victims and the programs needed to address the epidemic.

"Bitterness over the outcome of this case is completely understandable," Drain said. "But one also has to look at the process and the issues and risks and rewards and alternatives of continued litigation versus the settlement laid out in the plan."

He noted that the payout issue was mediated by Kenneth Feinberg, who oversaw the governments Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund.

FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2021, file photo, the outline of a protester's body with a message is seen on the sidewalk outside the courthouse where the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy is taking place in White Plains, N.Y. A federal bankruptcy judge is expected to rule Wednesday, Sept. 1, on whether to accept a settlement between OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, the states and thousands of local governments over an opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the last two decades. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Most states have sued Purdue, claiming it aggressively marketed OxyContin, contributing to an opioid overdose and addiction epidemic that has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S.

Some of the deaths have been attributed to OxyContin and other prescription opioids, but most are from illicit forms of opioids such as heroin and illegally produced fentanyl. Opioid-linked deaths in the U.S. continued at a record pace last year, hitting 70,000.

The crisis crushed the reputation of the Sackler family, major philanthropists whose name was once emblazoned on the walls of museums and universities around the world. With the settlement, family members who have owned the company will still be worth billions.

Whether the deal provides enough accountability for the Sacklers was the most contentious question through the proceedings. Many state attorneys general and advocacy groups working on behalf of opioid victims pushed for the family members to pay more and initially fought against the liability waiver.

They succeeded in boosting the amount the Sacklers would pay from a likely $3 billion to a guaranteed $4.5 billion over a decade.

An image of federal bankruptcy judge Robert Drain is installed by protesters in front of Purdue Pharma's headquarters, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021 in Stamford, Conn. The judge is preparing to rule on a plan for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to settle lawsuits brought by governments and others over its role in the opioid crisis. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

David Sackler, a former Purdue board member, had testified that family members would not accept the agreement unless it protected them from lawsuits.

Otherwise, he said, the family would defend itself in litigation that could drag on for years, with the companys and the familys assets eaten up by lawyers fees rather than used to help address the crisis.

His father, Richard Sackler, a former Purdue president and board chairman, said under questioning that he, his family and the company did not bear responsibility for the opioid crisis.

Drain noted that none of the four Sacklers who testified offered an explicit apology. "A forced apology is not really an apology, so we will have to live without one," he said.

One projection commissioned by a group of state attorneys general found that the familys wealth could rise from the current estimate of $10.7 billion to more than $14 billion by 2030 despite making payments under the settlement. Thats because the family could continue to benefit from investment returns and interest payments as they make their gradual contributions under the deal.

However, lawyers for Purdue and branches of the Sackler family disputed the assumptions used in the projection.

The settlement also requires members of the Sackler family, who are scattered across the U.S., Britain and elsewhere in Europe, to get out of the opioid business worldwide.

Several attorneys general won another provision that will create a massive public repository of company documents, including communications with lawyers that normally would be protected by attorney-client privilege.

Purdue has said the settlement overall will be worth about $10 billion, a figure that includes the value of addiction treatment and overdose antidote drugs it is developing.

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The bankruptcy case is not the first time Purdue had faced legal trouble over the marketing of its prescription painkillers.

The company pleaded guilty in 2007 to federal charges it misled regulators and others about the addiction dangers of OxyContin and agreed to pay more than $600 million in penalties.

Last November, as part of a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department, Purdue pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and violating anti-kickback laws.

Purdues bankruptcy has been the highest-profile case in a complicated universe of opioid litigation.

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and the three largest U.S. drug distribution companies recently announced a settlement that could be worth up to $26 billion if state and local governments agree.

Individual trials also remain, including one scheduled to start in October in Cleveland over the role pharmacies played in the crisis. Other trials have been held this year in California, New York and West Virginia, though verdicts have not yet been reached.
The Liberals laid out a detailed pitch to voters Wednesday, vowing to spend $78 billion in new money over the next five years as they painted themselves as the only party with the numbers to back up their promises.

Justin Trudeau talks with reporters after taking part in a virtual G7 meeting on the crisis in Afghanistan virtually from Hamilton, Ont., on Tuesday, Aug 24, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

The Liberals laid out a detailed pitch to voters Wednesday, vowing to spend $78 billion in new money over the next five years as they painted themselves as the only party with the numbers to back up their promises.

The 82-page re-election platform lays out expenditures totalling more than three times the direct new revenues expected in that period, including all of the announcements Trudeau has made to date on $10-a-day child care, new mental health transfers to the provinces, climate change and housing.

But it also throws down two political wedges targeting Conservatives  enshrining abortion services as publicly funded and medically necessary in the Canada Health Act and going further on their existing gun ban.

The platform cost would add $70 billion to the federal debt over the next five years, but the Liberals say the debt-to-GDP ratio would be lower under this platform than was projected in last spring's budget.

And Trudeau said Canada can afford the ambitious but responsible and concrete platform in an election where voters are facing a choice not just about what the next 18 months will look like, but the next 18 years.

"This is the plan that is going to bring Canadians forward to end this pandemic, to invest in growth, as we fight climate change and create jobs," he said in Toronto on Wednesday.

"This is the plan that Canada needs to be even more ambitious, to draw all that we've learned in fighting this crisis of COVID, to apply it to the crisis of climate change of housing, of health care, of child care."

The Liberals are the last major party to release their platform but the first to include full costing. Eleven of the items  major expenditures and revenue generators  were assessed by the parliamentary budget office, but because of time constraints, the PBO could not cost them all.

"This is a responsible and prudent plan that is fair. It's also completely transparent," Trudeau said.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau reveals his party's election platform during the Canadian federal election in Toronto on Wednesday, September 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

He did not set a timeline for balancing the budget, however, despite being asked several times. He dismissed a Conservative promise to restore balance in a decade without service cuts as "magical thinking."

In 2020 the Liberals banned the use, sale and importation of more than 1,500 models of what they consider assault-style weapons, with an amnesty until April 30, 2022, to give people time to comply.

Legislation introduced last February would have created a voluntary buyback program. The Liberal platform suggests that bill, which didn't pass before the election was called, will be amended to make it mandatory for owners of the banned weapons to either sell them back to the government or have them rendered inoperable at federal expense.

The bill also would have given municipalities the power to ban handguns. The Liberals are now saying they would expand that authority to entire provinces and provide $1 billion to those that move to ban handguns in 2022.

Nathalie Provost, who survived the 1989 massacre at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique, welcomed the prospect of a strengthened gun ban bill. But she said the Liberals have promised tougher gun control in the past and failed to deliver.

"Indeed, two years ago we were in exactly the same situation. We enthusiastically applauded the Liberals for promising to ban assault weapons, including a buyback of all existing ones, only to be brutally disappointed with the end result," Provost said in a statement through the group PolySeSouvient.

On abortion, the Liberals plan to leave no room for doubt it is a medically necessary procedure under the Canada Health Act, by including it in a regulation, much like they regulated the inclusion of diagnostic tests in 2018.

The latter was to respond to a Saskatchewan policy to allow MRIs in private clinics. The abortion issue directly goes at New Brunswick, which saw its health transfer payments clawed back by about $140,000 this year for charging fees for abortion at a private clinic.

The Liberals also plan to revoke the charitable status of organizations, often known as crisis pregnancy centres, which they say "provide dishonest counselling to women" about abortion rights and options available to them during pregnancy.

"There are many Canadians who have different perspectives on a large range of things," said Trudeau. "Where we take issue is where there are organizations actively working, not just to promote their own views, but to limit the opportunities of women to make their own choices about their body."

Some abortion rights advocates said they were cautiously optimistic about the Liberals' promises on the issue, adding very few of the proposals brought forth by parties in the last federal election came to fruition.

"If the Liberals keep their promises, abortion access would be more strongly protected across Canada (including New Brunswick)," Tasia Alexopoulos, spokesperson for the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada's New Brunswick chapter, said in an email.

The changes proposed in the platform would protect access to and coverage of abortions, and limit the intentional spread of misinformation and anti-abortion ideology, she said. "We hope to see similar platforms from any party claiming to be pro-choice in this election."

Meanwhile, the anti-abortion group Campaign Life Coalition suggested the proposal on crisis pregnancy centres shows that Trudeau will cut off federal assistance for those who don't share his beliefs. Matthew Wojciechowski, the group's vice-president, also suggested the proposed change to the Canada Health Act would infringe on provincial jurisdiction regarding health care.

The platform also includes a promise to permanently end interest payments on federal student loans, introduce a new stand-alone national financial crimes agency, and add or extend tax credits for teachers, people who work at home and seniors who want to keep working after they turn 65.

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NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh suggested voters should be skeptical of the promises made by the Liberals.

Why deliver on things when you can just campaign on it anyways? Why get things done when you can just promise it? Singh said during a stop in Montreal.

O'Toole slammed the platform as containing recycled promises and some tweaks to a two-year budget, and lacking a complete plan for the country's economic recovery.

"Mr. Trudeau called the election and just recycled some promises he's already failed to deliver on from the previous election."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 1, 2021.

 With files from Allison Jones and Stephanie Taylor
The nation's most far-reaching curb on abortions since they were legalized a half-century ago took effect Wednesday in Texas, with the Supreme Court silent on an emergency appeal to put the law on hold.

FILE - In this May 5, 2021, file photo, Texas state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, center at lectern, stands with fellow lawmakers in the House Chamber in Austin, Texas, as she opposes a bill introduced that would ban abortions as early as six weeks and allow private citizens to enforce it through civil lawsuits, under a measure given preliminary approval by the Republican-dominated House. Abortion providers in Texas are asking the Supreme Court to prevent enforcement of a state law that would allow private citizens to sue anyone for helping a woman get an abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

The nation's most far-reaching curb on abortions since they were legalized a half-century ago took effect Wednesday in Texas, with the Supreme Court silent on an emergency appeal to put the law on hold.

If allowed to remain in force, the law, which bans most abortions, would be the strictest against abortion rights in the United States since the high courts landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

The Texas law, signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May, prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks and before most women know theyre pregnant.

Its part of a broader push by Republicans across the country to impose new restrictions on abortion. At least 12 other states have enacted bans early in pregnancy, but all have been blocked from going into effect.

What makes the Texas law different is its unusual enforcement scheme. Rather than have officials responsible for enforcing the law, private citizens are authorized to sue abortion providers and anyone involved in facilitating abortions. Among other situations, that would include anyone who drives a woman to a clinic to get an abortion. Under the law, anyone who successfully sues another person would be entitled to at least $10,000.

FILE - In this May 5, 2021, file photo, Texas state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, center at lectern, stands with fellow lawmakers in the House Chamber in Austin, Texas, as she opposes a bill introduced that would ban abortions as early as six weeks and allow private citizens to enforce it through civil lawsuits, under a measure given preliminary approval by the Republican-dominated House. A Texas law banning most abortions in the state took effect at midnight on Sept. 1 but the Supreme Court has yet to act on an emergency appeal to put the law on hold. If allowed to remain in force, the law would be the most dramatic restriction on abortion rights in the United States since the high courts landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion across the country in 1973. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Starting today, every unborn child with a heartbeat will be protected from the ravages of abortion," Abbott said in a statement posted on Twitter. Texas will always defend the right to life.

But protests were quick.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that the law blatantly violates the constitutional right established under Roe v. Wade and upheld as precedent for nearly half a century. He said the law outrageously" gives private citizens the power to bring lawsuits against anyone who they believe has helped another person get an abortion."

Likewise, the American Medical Association said it was deeply disturbed by this egregious law and disappointed by the Supreme Court's inaction.

The law not only bans virtually all abortions in the state, but it interferes in the patient-physician relationship and places bounties on physicians and health care workers simply for delivering care, said a statement from Dr. Gerald E. Harmon, the AMA president.

In a phone call with reporters, Marc Hearron, a lawyer for the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the abortion providers his group represents were still hoping to hear from the Supreme Court but as of now, most abortion is banned in Texas."

Leen Garza participates in a protest against the six-week abortion ban at the Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. Dozens of people protested the abortion restriction law that went into effect Wednesday. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

Clinics have said the law would rule out 85% of abortions in Texas and force many clinics to close. Planned Parenthood is among the abortion providers that have stopped scheduling abortions beyond six weeks from conception.

Abortion opponents who wrote the law also made it difficult to challenge in court, in part because its hard to know whom to sue.

Abortion rights advocates say it will force many women to travel out of state for abortions, if they can afford to do so and also navigate issues including childcare and taking time off work. The Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights, says if legal abortion care in Texas shuts down, the average one-way driving distance to an abortion clinic for Texans would increase from 12 miles to 248 miles.

Already, abortion clinics beyond the Texas border are feeling the impact. At the Trust Women clinic in Oklahoma City, there had been 80 appointments scheduled over the past two days, more than double the typical number of patients, said Rebecca Tong, co-executive director of the clinic. Two-thirds of those patients were from Texas, another sharp increase, and the earliest opening was now three weeks out.

Oklahoma has just barely enough clinics for the amount of people here, Tong said. If anyone is thinking, Oh, they can just go out of state, itll be so easy, a lot of clinics in the Midwest and South, we dont do abortion care five days a week.

Late into the night Tuesday before the ban took effect clinics in Texas were filled with patients, said Amy Hagstrom Miller, CEO of Whole Womens Health, which has four abortion clinics in Texas.

Twenty-seven women were still in the waiting room after 10 p.m. at one clinic, leaving doctors crying and scrambling over whether they would see all of them in time, she said. The last abortion at one of her clinics finished at 11:56 p.m. in Fort Worth, where Hagstrom Miller said anti-abortion activists outside shined bright lights in the parking lot after dark looking for wrongdoing, and twice called police.

This morning I woke up feeling deep sadness. Im worried. Im numb, she said.

The law is part of a hard-right agenda that Texas Republicans muscled through the statehouse this year ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, when Abbott is up for a third term as governor.

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Another law taking effect Wednesday ended required firearm training and background checks to carry handguns in public in Texas, and GOP lawmakers on Tuesday approved election changes that will further tighten what are already some of the strictest voting laws in the nation.

Texas has long had some of the nations toughest abortion restrictions, including a sweeping law passed in 2013. The Supreme Court eventually struck down that law, but not before more than half of the states 40-plus clinics closed.

Lawmakers also are moving forward in an ongoing special session in Texas with proposed new restrictions on medication abortion, a method using pills that accounts for roughly 40% of abortions in the U.S.

Even before the Texas case arrived at the high court the justices had planned to tackle the issue of abortion rights in a major case that will be heard after the court begins hearing arguments again in the fall. That case involves the state of Mississippi, which is asking to be allowed to enforce an abortion ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

___

AP writer Paul J. Weber reported from Austin, Texas.
WASHINGTON - The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the U.S. told Americans to "reconsider travel" to Canada mainly for the benefit of those not yet vaccinated against COVID-19.

Cars with U.S. licence plates enter Canada at the Stanstead, Quebec, border crossing as seen from Derby Line, Vt., Monday Aug. 9, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Wilson Ring

WASHINGTON - The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the U.S. told Americans to "reconsider travel" to Canada mainly for the benefit of those not yet vaccinated against COVID-19.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky says State Department travel advisories are typically based on regular assessments of a destination's testing capacity, as well as the growth rate of new cases.

But Walensky also says that people who are fully vaccinated and willing to wear face masks are OK to travel, provided they take into account the potential risks in the host country.

Monday's new Level 3 travel advisory marked a quick end to a three-week period when the State Department's warning to would-be travellers to Canada was at Level 2, or "exercise increased caution."

That move to Level 2 coincided with Canada's decision earlier in August to allow fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents back into the country.

Only about 61 per cent of eligible Americans are fully vaccinated, compared with nearly 75 per cent of Canadians age 12 and over.

The U.S., meanwhile, is maintaining its existing restrictions on non-essential Canadian travellers until at least Sept. 21, citing the ongoing spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19.

"We receive travel health notices and check and typically watch those daily; those look at testing capacity as well as case rates and we update our travel guidance by country in real time," Walensky told a COVID-19 task force briefing Tuesday.

"People who are fully vaccinated and who are wearing masks can travel, although given where we are with disease transmission right now, we would say that people need to take these risks into their own consideration."

People who are unvaccinated should avoid travel altogether, she added.

The latest seven-day average for confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations was up 5.7 per cent over the previous weeklong period, the CDC says, with the vast majority of new cases being among the unvaccinated.

"Nationally, new admissions of patients with confirmed COVID-19 are currently at their highest levels since the start of the pandemic for all age groups under 50 years old," the agency says.

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The White House says some six million Americans got a shot last week, the largest weekly total since early July, with some 14 million people getting a first dose in August. The average number of shots each day is now 80 per cent higher than it was last month.

Asked about the travel advisory Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau repeated his message that the single best defence against the virus is vaccination, which is why Canada has reopened its border to Americans who have had a full course of an approved vaccine.

"We will continue to make our decisions around how to keep Canadians safe, and other countries will make the recommendations they need to keep their citizens safe," Trudeau said while on the campaign trail as Liberal party leader.

"I know that the way through this is to continue to lean heavily and hard on vaccinations."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2021.

 With files from Allison Jones in Toronto
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  Micronesia President David Panuelo said Wednesday he'll continue to walk around his island nation without fear, despite an alleged death threat against him over his government's vaccine mandate.

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2019, file photo, Micronesia's President David Panuelo addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at the United Nations headquarters. Panuelo said Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, he'll continue to walk around his island nation without fear, despite an alleged death threat against him over his government's vaccine mandate. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II,File)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  Micronesia President David Panuelo said Wednesday he'll continue to walk around his island nation without fear, despite an alleged death threat against him over his government's vaccine mandate.

A month ago, Micronesia became one of the few countries in the world to impose a broad rule requiring that all eligible citizens get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Soon after, Panuelo signed a decree requiring anybody receiving federal funds to prove they've been vaccinated or risk foregoing their checks. It's a broad net that captures most of the adult population  everyone from business owners getting pandemic stimulus payments to government workers and pensioners getting social security benefits.

Some islanders have strongly objected to the measure. Last week, a man was charged with making threats and other related offenses, which carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years if he's found guilty.

In court documents, prosecutors said the man wrote a Facebook post which read: Mr President---My Decision, My Body ... You gona need an army to protect you from now on...You will be assassinate for sure...Mark my word MR. President."

In an interview with The Associated Press, Panuelo said that since the Facebook post was made, authorities had increased the security around his home and office.

Were such a friendly country, Panuelo said. To see this coming from within our country, from our population, is quite a surprising element that Ive discovered for the first time.

He said he'd promised his administration would remain approachable and transparent while in office and he intended to continue with that.

I tell my people I will still walk out in the open field," Panuelo said. Anybody threatens me, I'm not worried about it.

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2019, file photo, Micronesia's President David Panuelo waits to address the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at the United Nations headquarters. Panuelo said Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, he'll continue to walk around his island nation without fear, despite an alleged death threat against him over his government's vaccine mandate. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

Micronesia, which is east of the Philippines and is home to about 100,000 people, has gone without any local cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, thanks in part to strict border controls.

You don't have to wear a mask. Our children are still going to school, Panuelo said. There is no virus right now. We're enjoying the daily freedoms like we've been enjoying prior to the COVID breakout. And so we want to keep it this way."

He said when the nation's Congress first discussed making vaccines mandatory he raised concerns but later came to embrace the idea.

We love our citizens, and this is the action that we take to protect our citizens," Panuelo said. Im behaving like a father, like I would to my kids.

Panuelo said he believed that personal freedoms and liberties are sacrosanct, but also that the nation's Constitution grants the power to limit certain liberties in situations such as a pandemic.

He said people on the islands tend to live in very close-knit family and community groups, sharing utensils and sleeping on the floor together, and that any outbreak would spread like wildfire.

I guess freedoms these days are important," Panuelo said. "But how can freedoms be important if you die from them?"

He said that since the mandate was imposed, vaccination rates had leaped from about 43% of eligible Micronesians being fully vaccinated and 52% at least partially vaccinated to about 60% and 70%, respectively.

He said he'd seen some of the backlash to the mandate on social media from people opposed to the vaccines.

James Movick, a restaurant owner, said he was pro-vaccine but had concerns about the mandate. He said it would help islanders maintain their virus-free lifestyles, but many Micronesians worried that any penalties could unfairly target vulnerable groups like pensioners.

Movick said he also wondered if the man who had posted on Facebook actually intended to do anything and if charging him was an overreaction.

Authorities are sensitive to such threats after American lawyer Rachelle Bergeron, 33, was shot and killed outside her home while serving as a prosecutor in Micronesia in 2019.

Two people were later charged in connection with her murder. Panuelo said he's been involved with that case, which has been delayed because of the pandemic.

As with the Bergeron case, the FBI has been helping investigate the alleged Facebook threat. Micronesia enjoys close relations with the U.S. under a compact of free association.

Panuelo said he doesn't necessarily think the charges in the Facebook case are an overreaction after the investigation revealed the suspect had a history of making threats and had been involved in other crimes.

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He also pointed out that two presidents on the nearby island nation of Palau were assassinated in the 1980s.

In court documents, prosecutors said that Benneth Edmund, a retail store owner and assistant clerk, wrote the threatening post under the fictitious Facebook profile Jaylo David.

A police report said that when interviewed, Edmund said he was friends on Facebook with Jaylo David but didn't know who was behind the profile.

Public defender Nixon Alten, who is representing Edmund, told AP that Edmund had been released from custody after his arrest and intended to plead not guilty at a hearing later this month. Alten said he couldn't comment further.

Panuelo said he would continue reinforcing the message to his people that getting vaccinated was the right decision. He hoped about 95% of the eligible population would be fully vaccinated by December.

You only have to look elsewhere to understand why were doing this, because people die," Panuelo said. "And if we dont do it this way, then we could be next.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP)  An Arizona newspaper publisher who repeatedly claimed that his ex-wife poisoned him has dropped lawsuits against her ahead of a trial that was scheduled to start this week.

FILE - In this Nov. 20, 2018 file photo, Joseph Soldwedel, the publisher of the Prescott Daily Courier, poses for a photo in Phoenix. The Arizona newspaper publisher who repeatedly claimed that his ex-wife poisoned him has dropped lawsuits against her ahead of a trial that was scheduled to start this week. Soldwedel sued Felice Aspiranti amid their bitter divorce case and after police found no evidence she tried to kill him with a heavy metal once used in rat poisoning. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP)  An Arizona newspaper publisher who repeatedly claimed that his ex-wife poisoned him has dropped lawsuits against her ahead of a trial that was scheduled to start this week.

Joseph Soldwedel sued Felice Aspiranti amid a bitter divorce after police found no evidence of his claim that she tried to kill him with a heavy metal once used in rat poisoning. Prosecutors in Yavapai County declined to file criminal charges.

Soldwedel runs Western News and Info Inc., which owns or partially owns a dozen newspapers, including the Daily Courier in Prescott, the Daily Miner in Kingman, the Navajo-Hopi Observer and Todays News-Herald in Lake Havasu City.

Soldwedel also accused Aspiranti, 66, of defamation, and she countersued.

The cases were consolidated but largely languished in court since they were filed in 2018 in part because of the pandemic.

FILE - In this Nov. 19, 2018, file photo, Felice Aspiranti poses for a photograph at her home in Prescott, Ariz. An Arizona newspaper publisher who repeatedly claimed that his ex-wife poisoned him has dropped lawsuits against her ahead of a trial that was scheduled to start this week, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. Joseph Soldwedel sued Aspiranti amid their bitter divorce case and after police found no evidence she tried to kill him with a heavy metal once used in rat poisoning. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

As Thursday's trial date neared, Soldwedel agreed to drop his claims and Aspiranti, in turn, dropped hers. A judge signed off on the deal last month, saying the lawsuits cannot be refiled and called off the trial.

Soldwedel, 69, attributed his decision partly to his age and wanting to focus more on his health, family and job.

I had convinced myself a few years ago that (with) such a lawsuit, I could achieve closure, he said. But I realized probably within the last year, theres no such thing no matter how it turned out.

Soldwedel and Aspiranti, who had worked at one of his newspapers, were married for seven years before she filed for divorce in April 2017.

Soldwedel unsuccessfully sought to introduce his poisoning allegations into the divorce proceedings. He argued Aspiranti married him for his money in an attempt to annul their marriage and invalidate the prenuptial agreement that guaranteed Aspiranti would receive $900,000 if the couple divorced and $1 million if Soldwedel died. A court upheld them.

Aspiranti believes the lawsuits were retaliation for her wanting to end the marriage and because she had reported to police that Soldwedel was harassing or stalking her. She called the poisoning claims ludicrous. The couple's divorce was finalized last year.

Soldwedel used his newspapers to publicize his claims, detailing allegations that Aspiranti slipped poison into his food and greatly affected his health.

Soldwedel also published an advertisement in the Prescott newspaper with her photo to disparage her, and most recently wrote and self-published a book that repeated the poisoning claims. Soldwedel said he distributed more than 30,000 copies of the first part of the book for free to newspaper subscribers.

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Aspiranti said she received a copy of the book she didn't ask for by mail and gave it to her attorney, John Mull. She said in an interview that Soldwedel has a hell of an imagination.

Soldwedel sought $18 million from Aspiranti in the lawsuit that alleged poisoning and $2 million in his defamation case against Aspiranti, her family and a friend.

Its been a burden to them and a theater of this rich man trying to sue them all, Aspiranti said. It was just hard on all of us. Were all glad its gone and done."

Mull said he was confident enough that Soldwedel's poisoning claims wouldn't hold up in court that he didn't hire an expert on behalf of Aspiranti to rebut them, calling the case one of the most bizarre he's ever encountered.

In my mind, she was completely vindicated, he said. She voluntarily agreed to talk to police, have her computer searched, have her phone checked, and none of that supported any of his claims. His own evidence he was relying on was inaccurate as well. It didn't support his claims."

Soldwedel's attorney, Jay Bloom, said the possibility that the case would have been heard by a judge or judicial panel first and not a jury, under an alternative dispute resolution program established for civil trials amid the pandemic, also factored into Soldwedel's decision to drop his claims.
Farmer John Boyd Jr., poses for a portrait before bailing hay at his farm in Boydton, Va., Thursday, May 27, 2021. Boyd was just 18 years old when he assumed an existing USDA loan when he bought his first farm in the early 1980s. He says walking into his local USDA office was like a return to the Jim Crow era. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

BOYDTON, Va. (AP)  There was a time when Black farms prospered.

Just two generations out of slavery, by 1910 Black farmers had amassed more than 16 million acres of land and made up about 14 percent of farmers. The fruit of their labors fed much of America.

Now, they have fewer than 4.7 million acres. Black farms in the U.S. plummeted from 925,000 to fewer than 36,000, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest farm census. And only about one in 100 farmers is Black.

What happened?

They were able to overcome the broken promise of 40 acres and a mule to the newly freed slaves  a military order, later rescinded. But over the last century, they faced one obstacle after another because of their race.

Farmers needed loans to expand, to buy seed, to bridge the time between harvests. But lenders  chief among them, the USDA  often refused to give them money, and often rushed to foreclose. Suppliers and customers undercut them. Laws of inheritance led to the breakup of homesteads.

Now the government wants to make amends by providing billions of dollars in debt forgiveness for farmers of color as part of the pandemic relief package. But a judge has put the money on hold in the face of lawsuits filed by white farmers claiming that the program is unfair  reverse discrimination.

Todays Black farmers and the descendants of Black farmers who struggled and lost their stakes argue that they are the ones who have been the victims of injustice:

The Virginia farmer who barely was able to keep part of his farm when the USDA threatened to sell it at auction. The Kansas man who lost the land his grandparents once homesteaded. The Arkansas farmer who is holding on by a thread, praying the federal aid will come through in time.

It was racism, says farmer John Wesley Boyd Jr. And it still is.

I think discrimination is still pervasive. I think that its done in a much subtler way, Boyd says. I dont think youre going to see many USDA officials spitting on people now or maybe calling them colored, but they arent lending them any money  the way they lend white farmers.

___

Steering his John Deere tractor with his left hand, the 55-year-old Boyd clutches a rusty, mud-encrusted horseshoe in his right. Discovered in a field by one of his workers, its become something of a talisman.

This horseshoe here probably came off one of the mules, he says as the squeaky-creaky planter carves rows into the rocky soil. Because thats what Blacks were using. They werent using no tractors like this, man.

On this blistering summer day, Boyd is sowing his cash crop, soybeans, making passes up and down a rolling 1,000-acre tract along the broad Roanoke River in Virginia. Its one of several parcels he owns, totaling 1,500 acres  some of it land that his ancestors once tilled as slaves.

And now, its his. Some days, its hard to believe.

Im owning land that many of my forefathers worked when it was scotch free. You know -- slave labor, man, says Boyd, his black cowboy hat casting a shadow over his face. Im just trying to make them proud.

Like the other Black farmers, Boyd has encountered prejudice in many ways. An example: Boyds wife, Kara, a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, recalls the time her husband took a load of soybeans to the grain elevator and got a low price for it. Too much trash or moisture in it, he was told.

When Kara Boyd brought in another load from the same field, she got a better price. But when her stepfather, who is white, took a load out of the same field, she recalled that he was told: Man, these are the best beans theyd seen and how many more could he bring them?

But Boyds battle with the USDA was epic. It almost wiped him out.

Boyd was just 18 years old when he assumed an existing USDA loan when he bought his first farm in the early 1980s. He says walking into his local USDA office was like a return to the Jim Crow era. Black farmers had supervised accounts and could only get appointments with the local lending officer on a single day of the week, a practice that came to be known as Black Wednesday.

Boyd endured racial slurs. A loan officer once spat tobacco juice on him  he accidentally missed the spit can, the official would claim. Another time, Boyd saw an official tear up his application and throw it in the trash.

In 1996, USDA took just 30 days to foreclose on some of his farmland. Then the department moved to auction off the remaining 110 acres.

Boyd joined other Black farmers at a protest in Washington, tying a mule named 40 Acres to the White House gate. Their demonstration was successful; less than a week later, then-Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman soon declared a farm foreclosure moratorium. Boyd had just enough time to save his farm.

Documents from a USDA internal review that Boyd provided to The Associated Press show investigators found his operating loan requests were not processed for years, despite explicit instructions from the agencys state director. It also found that his account was improperly referred to a credit bureau as delinquent when it should have been restructured, deepening his financial difficulties.

Boyd recounts how, unlike their white counterparts, Black farmers who fell behind on a payment would see their loans immediately accelerated, no negotiations. They would be given just 30 days to pay the full amount or they were pressured to sign their deed over to USDA under a program which purportedly allowed them to lease and later buy back their land when their financial situation improved.

But that typically didnt happen because USDAs local county committees  comprised mostly of white local farmers  would be given first option on such leases. Thats how Boyd says he lost his 46-acre tobacco farm in 1996. It ended up in the hands of a white farmer who was a member of the committee.

These kinds of practices prompted U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman to approve the landmark settlement of the Pigford v. Glickman lawsuit filed by Black farmers in 1999.

The settlement provided about $1 billion to 15,000 farmers who said USDA unfairly turned them down for loans because of their race between 1981 and 1996. A second round of $1.25 billion stemming from that lawsuit was approved by the court in 2011 for people who were denied earlier payments because they missed filing deadlines.

It is up to the Secretary of Agriculture and other responsible officials at the USDA to fulfill its promises, to ensure that this shameful period is never repeated and to bring the USDA into the twenty-first century, the judge wrote.

Though USDA paid more than $2.4 billion under the Pigford settlements, state taxes eroded recoveries, debt relief was incomplete and reports before Congress show the settlements did not cure the problems faced by minority farmers.

Government lawyers noted in a court filing that between 2006 and 2016, Black farmers were subject to 13% of USDA foreclosures  despite receiving fewer than 3% of direct loans.

___

Tucked amid the vast plains of Kansas are the remnants of what was once the bustling Black settlement of Nicodemus. It is the most famous of the Midwestern settlements where former slaves known as exodusters migrated more than a century ago, hopeful that farming their own land here would help them escape the racism and poverty of the South.

Little remains today of that farming heritage as even the few Black families who were able to hold on to their land now mostly lease their ground out to white farmers. Nicodemus farmers who once tilled hundreds of acres of farmland no longer actively farm, and much of their ground has been lost over the generations.

Just a couple of miles outside the town sit the 200 acres that the grandparents of Theodore Bernard Bates once homesteaded. The Black farmer and his father bought the family homestead in 1970, taking a loan from what was then the Production Credit Association of Stockton, Kansas.

USDAs farm loan lending agency refused to even give them an application to fill out, said Bates, one of the original named plaintiffs in the Pigford lawsuit. He received, as he puts it, not a penny from that settlement.

I learned later the reason (USDA) didnt want to give me an application was because they didnt want it hanging in their office that they discriminated against a Black person, Bates says. Theyd be in trouble, see, so they didnt want that in the office. They didnt want that record.

The 1980s were especially tough on the Bates farm. They suffered through a drought one year, a late freeze in another and then a hailstorm that wiped out their wheat crop. Their lender foreclosed.

Three years before his death, the former president of the Production Credit Association swore in a 2012 affidavit that there was a plan to get Bates out of farming. Elvin D. Keiswetter said in that affidavit that the lenders board decided it would rather foreclose, even if they lost money than take Bates money, regardless if it was paid on the notes.

Keiswetter said that shortly after their lawyer filed the foreclosure petition, Bates came to his office with his parents and his children. Bates owed about $180,000; he asked whether, if he paid $100,000, the lender would give him until after harvest, or six months, to pay the balance.

They took his farm machinery first, and then they took the land. Then the sheriff came and cut the lock on his grain storage bins. Bates and his wife watched for hours that night as trucks hauled out thousands of bushels of wheat they had worked hard to harvest.

After they took everything, Bates says the family was forced to go on food stamps to survive. He worked a few odd jobs over the years, including a stint as a corrections officer. Every time they go to Nicodemus now, they drive alongside the edge of their old homestead to look at the land.

It is just something you cant explain, he says. It hurts so deep.

Years later, the now 84-year-old Kansas man is still haunted by the memory of Nov. 7, 1986  the day they went to the federal court hearing in Wichita where the foreclosure was finalized. They got home late that Friday evening and his father, Alvin, asked him, What you guys get done today?

We got foreclosed on, Bates told him.

His father didnt say a word, he recalls.

I guess he just couldnt stand it to see his family homestead go, you know, and he died that Sunday, Bates says.

___

The USDA was not responsible for all the misfortunes of Black farmers. Other structural impediments also have taken their toll.

One involves family land that is passed on to several surviving kin without a will, known as heirs property. USDA studies show the practice is prevalent among Black people in the South, Appalachian white families, Hispanics in southwestern colonia communities and Native American tribes.

The result: a lack of access to money, because lenders are usually reluctant to extend credit without a clear title to the land. Congress authorized in the 2018 farm bill language that would ease loans to those farmers. But it was not until this year that USDA actually funded a $67 million heirs relending program to resolve land ownership and succession issues.

Many Black farms have been lost over the decades in what are called partition sales. In the South, particularly, many Black landowners distrusted the local courts, or were barred from them, and failed to leave wills or even record their deeds. Over several generations, a single tract can end up being held in common by dozens or even hundreds of heirs.

In places like coastal Georgia and South Carolina, popular vacation destinations, speculators would track down distant members of these families and buy their interest in the old family farm, which the heir may never have even seen. That outsider can then petition the court to sell the entire tract and divide the money, leaving the entire tract of land to be sold at auction, often at a fraction of its real value.

Paul Bradshaw signed in 2008 a lease that upon his death gave his son, Rod, a 10-year option to farm and eventually buy the entire 2,950 acres that the Black farmer had accumulated near Jetmore, Kansas  a move meant to keep the family farm intact for the next generation.

By then, the father and son had already been farming together for decades. Paul Bradshaw, who died two years after signing that lease agreement, had also separately drawn up a will that evenly split the money received for the farm among his eight children, his son says.

Over the years, Rod Bradshaw had made several discrimination complaints against USDA. When his claim seeking debt relief under the Pigford lawsuit was denied, he says he was unable to buy out his sisters shares.

A bitter family fight ensued after his fathers death, and a local judge threw out the lease agreement and split the family farm among the son and his seven sisters. Rod Bradshaw says he ended up with about 350 acres of it that he still farms, while his sisters sold or leased their acres to white farmers.

If Dad knew what happened, he would be livid, he says.

Bradshaw ended up filing for bankruptcy  something he said he never would have had to do, had it not been for USDAs refusal to give him debt relief under the Pigford settlement and its confiscation of his farm program payments. He filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against USDA in 2004, leading to a bench trial in 2018. He is still waiting for the judges decision.

Bradshaw  who has more than $300,000 in direct USDA loans that would qualify for the debt relief  has been unable to obtain any money through pandemic relief benefits open to all farmers.

I think I am probably going to suffer some setbacks, but I think I can hang on ... depending on what happens, Bradshaw says.

___

USDA spokeswoman Kate Waters says the agency is committed to rooting out systemic racism and reducing barriers to accessing services. She says the department plans to launch an Equity Commission later this year to identify problems and fix them.

Congress, meanwhile, approved a $4 billion debt relief program for 16,000 farmers of color in March as part of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package.

The funding was intended to remedy past discrimination in USDA loan programs, and to provide $1 billion for outreach and technical assistance for what it calls socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers  a group that includes not only Black farmers, but also Hispanic, Native American and Asian producers.

White farmers have filed lawsuits in Florida, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming, Illinois, and Minnesota. In June, U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard issued a nationwide, preliminary injunction halting the program.

The Texas case is led by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and brought by America First Legal, a nonprofit started this year by Stephen Miller and other senior members of former President Donald Trumps administration.

Sid Miller, who is suing in his personal capacity as a farmer and not on behalf of the state, contends the debt relief is unconstitutional because it excludes white farmers based on their race or ethnicity. He argues USDA no longer discriminates against farmers of color and called the loan forgiveness a backhanded way of offering reparations.

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It is just flat wrong, Miller said. Us Republicans and old white guys, we get accused of being racist all the time, but this is racist by the administration. It couldnt be a plainer case of racist.

But it is clear that minority farmers still suffer disproportionately. As of May 31, 11% of white farmers were delinquent on a government farm loan, compared with 37.9% of Black borrowers, 14.6% of Asian borrowers, 17.4% of American Indian borrowers and 68% of Hispanic borrowers, according to court documents.

For Abraham Carpenter, a 59-year-old Black farmer whose family grows fruits and vegetables near Grady, Arkansas, the injunction means he has to wait and hope for help with about $200,000 in loans, even as rain has wiped out hundreds of acres of watermelons, turnips, collards and other crops.

Ive seen some really, really tough times, you know, but Ive always been able to survive because of Gods blessing and his mercy and his grace. And they are still upon us, Carpenter says. So I am not going to say I am going to go belly up. I am going to work a little harder and I am going to pray a little harder.

___

Hegeman reported from Belle Plaine, Kansas.
HONOLULU (AP)  An elderly couple with gunshot wounds died Tuesday at a Hawaii assisted living center and a note was left behind indicating they took their lives, police said.

Crime scene tape is seen outside the Plaza assisted living community after a double homicide on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, in Honolulu. An elderly man and woman with gunshot wounds died Tuesday at a Honolulu assisted living center in what police are calling a murder-suicide. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Advertiser via AP)

HONOLULU (AP)  An elderly couple with gunshot wounds died Tuesday at a Hawaii assisted living center and a note was left behind indicating they took their lives, police said.

Honolulu Police Lt. Deena Thoemmes declined to detail the note's contents. She said police are investigating whether it was a murder-suicide or two suicides.

The 86-year-old woman was a resident of The Plaza at Waikiki, while her 92-year-old husband lived nearby, Thoemmes said. The husband was visiting his wife in a sitting area of the facility's garage.

We are deeply saddened by todays fatal, domestic incident, which occurred in the parking garage of The Plaza at Waikiki," said Tricia Medeiros, chief operating officer of The Plaza Assisted Living.

She said in a statement that the company was offering counseling services to its residents and employees.

According to its website, the Waikiki facility has room for up to 170 residents, offering month-to-month senior rentals in private studio, private one-bedroom and shared suites.

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The Plaza Assisted Living also runs similar senior homes in five other locations in and around Honolulu.

Company officials didn't immediately return messages from The Associated Press.

Honolulu Emergency Medical Services spokeswoman Shayne Enright said the man and woman were pronounced dead at the scene.

Autopsies of the couple are scheduled for Wednesday, Thoemmes said.

___

Associated Press journalist Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report.
MONTREAL - Saputo Inc. has acquired two food manufacturing facilities in North Carolina for US$118 million.

A Saputo Inc., logo is shown during the company's annual general meeting in Laval, Que., on August 8, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

MONTREAL - Saputo Inc. has acquired two food manufacturing facilities in North Carolina for US$118 million.

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The Montreal-based dairy giant says Carolina Aseptic and Carolina Dairy will join Saputos U.S. dairy division.

Carolina Aseptic makes shelf-stable food products and beverages in a facility in Troy, N.C., while Biscoe, N.C.-based Carolina Dairy makes refrigerated yogurt in spouted pouches. Together, the facilities employ about 230 workers.

Lino Saputo, CEO and board chairman of Saputo, says the acquisitions complement the company's organic growth while strengthening its presence in the rapidly growing aseptic beverage and food categories and nutritional snacks space.

Saputo is one of the world's largest dairy processors with major operations in Canada, Australia, Argentina, the United States and the United Kingdom.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 1, 2021.

Companies in this story: (TSX:SAP)
PARIS (AP)  France on Wednesday started administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine to people over 65 and those with underlying health conditions as the delta variant spreads in the country.

FILE - In this July 7, 2021 file photo, people wait after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, in a vaccination center of Lyon, central France. France on Wednesday started administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine to people over 65 and those with underlying health conditions to shore up their vaccine protection, as the highly contagious delta variant is spreading in the country. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani, File)

PARIS (AP)  France on Wednesday started administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine to people over 65 and those with underlying health conditions as the delta variant spreads in the country.

France is the first big EU country to introduce widespread booster shots, and several other European countries are expected to follow suit.

Many countries are still struggling to administer first doses of COVID-19 vaccines and the World Health Organization had called for a moratorium on boosters and also urged governments to donate vaccines to needy countries.

People in France can get the shot on condition a minimum six-month period has passed since they got fully vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Those who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson jab can get a booster shot of Pfizer or Moderna at least four weeks after they first got vaccinated.

In nursing homes, a nationwide booster campaign starts on Sept. 12. About 18 million people are estimated to be eligible for the booster shot, according to the Health Ministry.

Lucien Slama, a 90-year-old retired researcher, told The Associated Press he was absolutely not afraid to get the shot on Wednesday at a pharmacy in Paris.

Its my third injection and I remember the other two that caused me no issues at all," he said. When you see hospitalizations and the damages it (COVID-19) does, in the short and in the long run, whats a jab every year or every six months? What does it matter?

The French government followed the recommendations of the country's health authority, the HAS, which said last month that recent studies suggest a fall in the vaccines effectiveness, especially with the delta variant. Older people and those with underlying health conditions are the most affected by the drop over time, the HAS said.

Bernard Weill, 68, head of the French fashion house Weill, also received the booster shot on Wednesday.

When youre in good health and people around you are in good health, thats what matters and those (the injections) are only very small details. So nothing to worry about and nothing to care about, he said.

The booster shot was already available in France for some particularly vulnerable people, like transplant recipients and others with weakened immune systems.

The French government so far has made no decision regarding the potential extension of the campaign to the whole population.

France has been facing high numbers of confirmed infections since July, with a slight decrease in recent weeks  from over 23,000 per day around mid-August to 17,000 now. But many fear a reverse of the trend as children will go back to school after summer holidays on Thursday.

French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal warned Wednesday that almost half of ICU beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients, which is still substantial and preoccupying. So it is imperative that we maintain our efforts ... the upcoming weeks are not without risks."

Almost 44 million people, or 65.6% of the French population, are fully vaccinated.

France's decision to launch its campaign comes as the European Medicines Agency said it is reviewing data to see if booster shots are needed.

In Germany, authorities in Berlin, the capital, started offering booster shots Wednesday to residents of care homes. Several other German states have already begun offering boosters to vulnerable people. The country's independent vaccine advisory panel is planning to make recommendations soon about booster shots for older people and those who are immunocompromised, German news agency dpa reported Wednesday.

Israel has expanded this week its coronavirus booster shot program to include anyone over 12  the latest phase of a booster program that began in July with Israelis over 60.

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U.S. health officials announced last month plans to dispense booster shots to all Americans. The campaign is expected to start by the end of September.

The head of WHO's European branch, Dr. Hans Kluge, said this week he agrees with the top U.S. infectious diseases expert that a third dose of coronavirus vaccines can help protect the people most vulnerable, and it shouldnt be seen as a luxury booster.

___

Sylvie Corbet reported from Saulieu.

___

Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Lights came back on for a fortunate few, some corner stores opened their doors and crews cleared fallen trees and debris from a growing number of roadways Wednesday  small signs of progress amid the monumental task of repairing the damage inflicted by Hurricane Ida.

Destruction is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in Grand Isle, La. Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. Louisiana residents still reeling from flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Ida scrambled for food, gas, water and relief from the sweltering heat while facing the dispiriting prospect of weeks without electricity to power air conditioners and refrigerators. (Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser via AP)

NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Lights came back on for a fortunate few, some corner stores opened their doors and crews cleared fallen trees and debris from a growing number of roadways Wednesday  small signs of progress amid the monumental task of repairing the damage inflicted by Hurricane Ida.

Still, suffering remained widespread three days after Ida battered Louisiana and parts of Mississippi as the fifth-most-powerful hurricane to strike the U.S. Some low-lying communities remained largely underwater. Roughly a million homes and businesses still had no electricity, and health officials said more than 600,000 people lacked running water.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said he was pleased that power had returned for some people, saying it was "critically important to show progress after the storm. But he also acknowledged that much more work lay ahead.

Im very mindful that its a start, and only a start, he told a news conference.

The death toll rose to at least six after a coroner confirmed a 65-year-old woman had drowned in her Louisiana home and police in Maryland said a 19-year-old man was found dead in an apartment complex flooded by heavy rain from Ida's remnants. And the staggering scope of the disaster began to come into focus, with a private firm estimating total damage from Ida could exceed $50 billion.

Damaged boats are seen after Hurricane Ida in Grand Isle, La. Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. Louisiana residents still reeling from flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Ida scrambled for food, gas, water and relief from the sweltering heat while facing the dispiriting prospect of weeks without electricity to power air conditioners and refrigerators. (Scott Clause/The Daily Advertiser via AP)

In southern Louisiana's Plaquemines Parish, Gayle Lawrence lost two cars, refrigerators and almost everything in her garage to floodwaters. Her garage was filled with marsh grass and dead fish. Scores of other homes in the neighborhood were also flooded.

The house is solid. It didnt even move. But when the water came up, it destroyed everything, she said.

In Jefferson Parish, hospital staff, food bank employees and other critical workers were hampered by a gas shortage, said parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng. The parish neighbors New Orleans and saw widespread destruction from Ida. Authorities were still waiting for floodwaters to recede enough for trucks carrying food, water and repair supplies to begin moving into Lafitte and other low-lying communities.

Aerial of Hurricane Ida damage in southeast Louisiana, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP, Pool)

Today were a broken community. It wont always be that way, Sheng said after meeting with Edwards.

Emergency officials in nearby Terrebonne Parish took to Twitter to caution evacuees considering returning home that there are no shelters, no electricity, very limited resources for food, gasoline and supplies and absolutely no medical services.

With all of New Orleans blacked out except for those running generators, Byron Lambert woke up startled about 1:30 a.m. when light suddenly came on down the hall from where he slept. He first thought it was a burglar, then realized his home had electricity.

The remains of destroyed homes and businesses are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in Grand Isle, La., Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Lambert's house in eastern New Orleans was among more than 11,000 homes and businesses that had power restored early Wednesday, according to the electric company Entergy. The company also said it restored power to Ochsner's main hospital campus in Jefferson Parish and several hospitals near Baton Rouge.

When it came on it startled me. Im like All right! We got power, Lambert said, his enthusiasm tempered by the knowledge of what others were going through. Im fortunate, but they have a lot of people that arent as fortunate as me, and I pray for them because its rough.

There were still 989,000 homes and businesses without power, or 44% of all state utility customers in southeast Louisiana, from the New Orleans area to Baton Rouge, according to the state Public Service Commission. Phillip May, president and CEO of Entergy Louisiana, told reporters Wednesday that he predicts a lot more progress in coming days. Still, he said full recovery will be slow, with thousands of power poles and transformers knocked out by the storm.

Aerial of Hurricane Ida damage in southeast Louisiana, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP, Pool)

In neighboring Mississippi, 32,000 customers had no electricity.

Hard-hit areas in southeast Louisiana were under a heat advisory Wednesday, with forecasters warning combined heat and humidity could make some areas feel like 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius). Officials scrambled to offer food, water and places to cool off.

National Guard troops had handed out more than 141,000 meals, 143,000 liters (37,777 gallons) of water and more than 500 tarps in Louisiana as of Wednesday morning, according to Edwards' office. In New Orleans, officials opened seven places where people could get a meal and sit in air conditioning. The city was also using 70 transit buses as cooling sites, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said.

Traffic passes by a traffic light hanging from a cable after Hurricane Ida moved through Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, in LaPlace, La. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Meanwhile, more than 1,200 people were walking through some of Idas hardest-hit communities to look for those needing help, according to the Louisiana Fire Marshals office.

Search and rescue missions were tapering off, but continued in four parishes that still had floodwaters, Brig. Gen. Lee W. Hopkins of the Louisiana National Guard said on a Zoom call. That's compared to 31 parishes in the hours immediately after the storm.

President Joe Biden was to visit Louisiana on Friday to survey the damage, the White House said.

FILE - In this Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, file photo, Jerilyn Collins returns to her destroyed home with the assistance of a Louisiana National Guard high-water vehicle to retrieve medicine for herself and her father, and a few possessions, after she evacuated from rising floodwater in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, La. A new report from the United Nations weather agency finds the world is getting several times more weather disasters than in the 1970s. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

In New Orleans, where the mayor estimated roughly half the population had evacuated, there were additional signs of recovery. Flags hung from dangling power lines to help drivers avoid them, and in one neighborhood, someone decorated the downed lines with strands of tinsel in an echo of Mardi Gras.

City crews removing debris from roads and cutting up fallen trees had some streets almost completely cleared, while others remained cluttered with obstacles.

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A few corner stores were open, many taking cash only, though some had working ATM machines. In many areas, National Guard troops or law enforcement stood posted at pharmacies and gas stations, where drivers waited in long lines for fuel.

Damage to ship docking facilities are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in Port Port Fourchon, La., Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Louisianas transportation department announced that all interstate systems across the state had reopened and been cleared of debris. AT&T, which faced widespread cellphone outages after Ida, said it was currently operating at more than 90% of normal capacity.

As a clearer picture of Ida's devastation emerged, the hurricane likely caused $50 billion to $60 billion in total damage, estimated Karen Clark, who has calculated catastrophic risk since 1987. Her risk modeling company, Karen Clark and Company, figured just $18 billion of those losses would be insured.

Those estimates would rank Ida anywhere from the fifth- to seventh-costliest U.S. hurricane based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Katrina, Harvey, Maria and Sandy were well over that amount. NOAA says 2017s Irma incurred about $55 billion in damage and 1992s Andrew about $53 billion in 2019 dollars.

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Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Associated Press writers Kevin McGill in New Orleans; Stacey Plaisance in Lafitte, Louisiana; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed.
ROME (AP)  Police outnumbered demonstrators at several of Italy's main train stations as COVID-19 vaccination or tests became mandatory Wednesday for long-distance travel within the country. Threats by some of the rule's opponents to block railroad tracks apparently fizzled.

Italian police officers perform checks at Milan's Stazione Centrale train station, Italy, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. The Italian government vowed to crack down on demonstrators threatening to block train tracks throughout the country on Wednesday as a rule requiring COVID-19 tests or vaccines takes effect for long-distance domestic public transport. (Claudio Furlan/LaPresse via AP)

ROME (AP)  Police outnumbered demonstrators at several of Italy's main train stations as COVID-19 vaccination or tests became mandatory Wednesday for long-distance travel within the country. Threats by some of the rule's opponents to block railroad tracks apparently fizzled.

On the eve of the requirement's taking effect, Premier Mario Draghi's government had vowed to crack down on demonstrators who had called for their ranks to occupy tracks at around 50 stations to protest the measure, which they say impinges on their freedom of movement.

In Rome's heavily used Tiburtina station, only four protesters showed up, while in Milan, the nation's business capital, demonstrators numbered about 20. In Naples, only a handful of protesters turned out.

Compared to the several hundred demonstrators who have turned out in dozens of protests around the country earlier this summer, Wednesday's turnout was paltry. A few who did show up held banners with slogans denouncing Health Dictatorship and No Green Pass.

Travelers need a so-called Green Pass to board domestic flights and inter-regional trains and buses and some ferries. Local transit is exempt.

Passengers, including American tourist Riley Smith, left, board a high-speed train to to Rome, Naples and Reggio Calabria in southern Italy from Florence's Santa Maria Novella train station, Italy, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. The Italian government vowed to crack down on demonstrators threatening to block train tracks throughout the country on Wednesday as a rule requiring COVID-19 tests or vaccines takes effect for long-distance domestic public transport. (AP Photo/Karl Ritter)

In a bid to rein in the transmission of infections, mainly driven by the delta variant, as Italians returned from summer vacations, the government announced weeks ago that starting on Sept. 1 passengers must certification they have had at least one vaccine dose more than 15 days prior, tested negative in the past 48 hours or recovered from COVID-19 in the previous six months.

Some ferries are exempt, such as those used daily by commuters between Sicily and and the southern tip of the mainland in Calabria.

Earlier this summer, Green Passes became mandatory for dining indoors at restaurants, accessing gyms or attending crowded events like concerts.

On the eve of the transportation rule taking effect, Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese pledged that there would be zero tolerance for law breakers on the tracks or any violence.

No illegal acts will be permitted in protest initiatives at train stations," said the minister, whose ministry deployed a heavy police presence on Wednesday.

Militants of an extreme-right group, New Force, as well as some members of extreme-left organizations, have participated in previous Green Pass protests.

A demonstrator, right, shouts to reporters in Stazione Centrale central train station, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2021, in Milan, Italy. Italy's government vowed to crack down on demonstrators threatening to block train tracks throughout the country Wednesday as a rule requiring COVID-19 tests or vaccines to use public transportation for long-distance domestic travel took effect. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Several recent anti-Green Pass rallies, including in Rome and Milan, turned violent. Last month, police rescued a state television journalist after a protester started yanking her by her hair, and a newspaper reporter was punched repeatedly in the face. Ministers, governors and doctors have received threats. An infectious disease specialist in Genoa reported around 70 online and phone threats to him and his family. On a recent night, he called police after being confronted by an angry man near his home who shouted that he should die.

So far, around 70% of Italy's residents 12 years or older have been fully vaccinated. But experts have voiced concern that many people in the 50-69 age group haven't received vaccines nor signed up for them.

Travelers on Wednesday had their Green Passes handy.

Its great, because it allows us to travel more safely, Arianna Bini, a 48-year-old pharmaceutical company manager waiting for a train in Florence. Since I travel a lot, I feel more at ease.

On a high-speed train from Milan, in northern Lombardy, to Reggio Calabria, at the southern toe of the Italian peninsula, a conductor asked passengers to show their passes along with their tickets. U.S. tourists showed their U.S. vaccine cards and were also asked for their passports.

Riley Smith, a 26-year-old from New York who was traveling to Naples with a friend, said she knew what to expect. New York just passed similar measures. I think its a good thing across the board.

Other countries have adopted similar requirements.

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Turkeys Interior Ministry has ordered all domestic travelers over 18 to provide either proof of full vaccination, recovery from COVID-19 or a negative PCR test result. The requirement begins on Sept. 6.

Greece applies the same rules for domestic travel as for international travel. The country's certificate requirements are similar to Italy's for long-distance domestic travel.. Unlike Italy, Greece's requirements haven't sparked protests.

France's instituted a health pass requirement for domestic transportation on Aug. 9. The French railway SNCF says that based on pre-boarding checks, 97% of travelers have produced a travel pass.

The requirement, along with mandatory vaccinations for health workers, prompted weeks of Saturday protests, including some violent ones, by far-right activists and others angry at the French government.

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Karl Ritter in Florence, Andrew Wilks in Istanbul, Angela Charlton and Sylvie Corbet in Paris, and Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece, contributed to this report.
A federal bankruptcy judge on Wednesday gave conditional approval to a sweeping, potentially $10 billion plan submitted by OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to settle a mountain of lawsuits over its role in the opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the past two decades.

FILE - This Feb. 19, 2013, file photo shows OxyContin pills arranged for a photo at a pharmacy in Montpelier, Vt. A federal bankruptcy judge is expected to rule Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, on whether to accept a settlement between OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, the states and thousands of local governments over an opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the last two decades. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)

A federal bankruptcy judge on Wednesday gave conditional approval to a sweeping, potentially $10 billion plan submitted by OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to settle a mountain of lawsuits over its role in the opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the past two decades.

Under the settlement reached with creditors including individual victims and thousands of state and local governments, the Sackler family will give up ownership of the company and contribute $4.5 billion but will be freed from any future lawsuits over opioids.

The drugmaker will be reorganized into a new company with a board appointed by public officials and will funnel its profits into government-led efforts to prevent and treat opioid addiction.

Also, the settlement sets up a compensation fund that will pay some victims of drug addiction an expected $3,500 to $48,000 each.

FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2021, file photo, Jayde Newton helps to set up cardboard gravestones with the names of victims of opioid abuse outside the courthouse where the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy is taking place in White Plains, N.Y. A federal bankruptcy judge is expected to rule Wednesday, Sept. 1, on whether to accept a settlement between OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, the states and thousands of local governments over an opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the last two decades. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain said Wednesday after speaking from the bench for more than six hours that he would approve the plan as long as two technical changes were made. If so, he said, he will formally enter the decision on Thursday.

He said before his ruling that while he does not have "fondness for the Sacklers or sympathy for them," collecting money from them through litigation would be complicated.

The settlement comes nearly two years after the Stamford, Connecticut-based company filed for bankruptcy under the weight of some 3,000 lawsuits from states, local governments, Native American tribes, hospitals, unions and other entities. They accuse Purdue Pharma of fueling the crisis by aggressively pushing sales of its best-selling prescription painkiller.

The Sacklers were not given immunity from criminal charges, though there have been no indications they will face any.

State and local governments came to support the plan overwhelmingly, though many did so grudgingly, as did groups representing those harmed by prescription opioids.

FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2021, file photo, fake pill bottles with messages about OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma are displayed during a protest outside the courthouse where the bankruptcy of the company is taking place in White Plains, N.Y. A federal bankruptcy judge is expected to rule Wednesday, Sept. 1, on whether to accept a settlement between Purdue Pharma, the states and thousands of local governments over an opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the last two decades. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Nine states, Washington, D.C., Seattle and the U.S. bankruptcy trustee, which seeks to protect the nations bankruptcy system, opposed the settlement, largely because of the protections granted to the Sackler family. At least some of them are expected to appeal.

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson quickly announced he would appeal the plan, calling it inadequate.

The bankruptcy judge, based in White Plains, New York, had urged the holdouts to negotiate an agreement, warning that drawn-out litigation would delay getting settlement money to victims and the programs needed to address the epidemic.

"Bitterness over the outcome of this case is completely understandable," Drain said. "But one also has to look at the process and the issues and risks and rewards and alternatives of continued litigation versus the settlement laid out in the plan."

He noted that the payout issue was mediated by Kenneth Feinberg, who oversaw the governments Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund.

FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2021, file photo, the outline of a protester's body with a message is seen on the sidewalk outside the courthouse where the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy is taking place in White Plains, N.Y. A federal bankruptcy judge is expected to rule Wednesday, Sept. 1, on whether to accept a settlement between OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, the states and thousands of local governments over an opioid crisis that has killed a half-million Americans over the last two decades. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Most states have sued Purdue, claiming it aggressively marketed OxyContin, contributing to an opioid overdose and addiction epidemic that has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S.

Some of the deaths have been attributed to OxyContin and other prescription opioids, but most are from illicit forms of opioids such as heroin and illegally produced fentanyl. Opioid-linked deaths in the U.S. continued at a record pace last year, hitting 70,000.

The crisis crushed the reputation of the Sackler family, major philanthropists whose name was once emblazoned on the walls of museums and universities around the world. With the settlement, family members who have owned the company will still be worth billions.

Whether the deal provides enough accountability for the Sacklers was the most contentious question through the proceedings. Many state attorneys general and advocacy groups working on behalf of opioid victims pushed for the family members to pay more and initially fought against the liability waiver.

They succeeded in boosting the amount the Sacklers would pay from a likely $3 billion to a guaranteed $4.5 billion over a decade.

An image of federal bankruptcy judge Robert Drain is installed by protesters in front of Purdue Pharma's headquarters, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021 in Stamford, Conn. The judge is preparing to rule on a plan for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to settle lawsuits brought by governments and others over its role in the opioid crisis. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

David Sackler, a former Purdue board member, had testified that family members would not accept the agreement unless it protected them from lawsuits.

Otherwise, he said, the family would defend itself in litigation that could drag on for years, with the companys and the familys assets eaten up by lawyers fees rather than used to help address the crisis.

His father, Richard Sackler, a former Purdue president and board chairman, said under questioning that he, his family and the company did not bear responsibility for the opioid crisis.

Drain noted that none of the four Sacklers who testified offered an explicit apology. "A forced apology is not really an apology, so we will have to live without one," he said.

One projection commissioned by a group of state attorneys general found that the familys wealth could rise from the current estimate of $10.7 billion to more than $14 billion by 2030 despite making payments under the settlement. Thats because the family could continue to benefit from investment returns and interest payments as they make their gradual contributions under the deal.

However, lawyers for Purdue and branches of the Sackler family disputed the assumptions used in the projection.

The settlement also requires members of the Sackler family, who are scattered across the U.S., Britain and elsewhere in Europe, to get out of the opioid business worldwide.

Several attorneys general won another provision that will create a massive public repository of company documents, including communications with lawyers that normally would be protected by attorney-client privilege.

Purdue has said the settlement overall will be worth about $10 billion, a figure that includes the value of addiction treatment and overdose antidote drugs it is developing.

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The bankruptcy case is not the first time Purdue had faced legal trouble over the marketing of its prescription painkillers.

The company pleaded guilty in 2007 to federal charges it misled regulators and others about the addiction dangers of OxyContin and agreed to pay more than $600 million in penalties.

Last November, as part of a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department, Purdue pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and violating anti-kickback laws.

Purdues bankruptcy has been the highest-profile case in a complicated universe of opioid litigation.

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and the three largest U.S. drug distribution companies recently announced a settlement that could be worth up to $26 billion if state and local governments agree.

Individual trials also remain, including one scheduled to start in October in Cleveland over the role pharmacies played in the crisis. Other trials have been held this year in California, New York and West Virginia, though verdicts have not yet been reached.
CALGARY - The federal Liberals have pledged $2 billion to help workers in oil-producing provinces transition to a greener economy, but the proposal is getting a lukewarm reception in communities that might be beneficiaries of the funding.

Pumpjacks are shown pumping crude oil near Halkirk, Alta., on June 20, 2007. The federal Liberals are proposing a $2-billion fund to help workers in oil-producing provinces transition to a greener economy. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal

CALGARY - The federal Liberals have pledged $2 billion to help workers in oil-producing provinces transition to a greener economy, but the proposal is getting a lukewarm reception in communities that might be beneficiaries of the funding.

In Cold Lake, Alta.  where more than 2,000 of the city's 15,000 residents are employed at nearby oilsands operations  Mayor Craig Copeland said he doesn't believe most people working in the sector want to switch jobs.

Cold Lake's economy has suffered over the last seven years due to low oil prices, consolidation, and layoffs in the energy sector. Copeland said local real estate prices have fallen almost 40 per cent since 2012.

However, things are looking brighter this year, thanks to higher commodity prices driving increased oilsands production. Copeland said he's optimistic about the future of his community, a place where 20-somethings can earn six figures, buy homes and raise families.

"We already have a huge industry that generates enormous wealth for people," Copeland said, calling the Liberals' transition proposal a 'made-in-Ottawa' solution not grounded in reality.

"Until you find a way to replace that, people wont even look at retraining.

The Liberal proposal for a $2-billion "Future Funds" program for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador is part of a larger promise to ensure workers aren't left behind as Canada pursues its climate change commitments. The party's platform contains a promise to create a "Clean Jobs Training Centre" to help oilpatch workers upgrade or gain new skills.

The Liberals have pledged to require the oil and gas industry to reduce its emissions from current levels at the pace and scale needed to achieve net-zero by 2050, and will set five-year targets toward that goal beginning in 2025.

While there are different ways to accomplish that goal, said Isabelle Turcotte  director of federal policy for clean energy think-tank the Pembina Institute  the outcome will undoubtedly have an impact on oil and gas employees.

"It's been hard in Canada to talk about reductions in oil and gas, because of workers," Turcotte said. "But regardless of the pathway (to net-zero) we choose ... we will see a decrease in production and consumption of oil and gas, all the way to 2050."

Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, said climate change is a reality his province needs to face up to.

Weve had a great ride with oil and gas, but the sector will never be the same engine for economic growth that it was," McGowan said. "Pretending that we can ignore the direction that the world is heading and go back to the past is not in the best interest of Alberta workers, including people working in the oil and gas sector.

McGowan said the AFL has been lobbying for federal support in the range of $10 to $20 billion per year to help oil-producing provinces and their workers diversify. He said the labour group would like to see a new federal transfer program that could fund green infrastructure projects, training and apprenticeships in affected provinces.

Thousands of Albertans have already been affected by downsizing, automation, and the ongoing evolution of Canada's energy sector, said Adam Legge, president of the Business Council of Alberta. The percentage of the province's labour force that has been unemployed for more than one year is 2.4 per cent, the highest rate of long-term unemployment in the country (the national average is 1.4 per cent).

Legge said his organization is supportive of federal funding for clean energy, diversification and anything else that will help to keep Alberta competitive in a changing world. But he said Canada's oil and gas sector is still critical to the national economy, and will remain so for a long time.

We support this kind of (transition fund) initiative because there are many people who arent going to find the same kind of job they once had," Legge said. "But what we dont want it to be is code for wind down of the sector.' We don't support that approach at all."

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Ted Clugston  mayor of Medicine Hat, Alta.  said his city was "devastated" when natural gas prices collapsed in 2008. He said Medicine Hat has been pursuing diversification ever since, and has had significant success attracting solar and wind power projects to the area.

However, Clugston said the employment created by those projects doesn't come close to comparing with the thousands of local jobs created by the oil and gas sector.

"There's lots of jobs during construction, but once (wind and solar farms) are built, there's not that many jobs," he said. "I don't know where all these green jobs are going to come from."

The federal Conservative Party platform makes no mention of a transition fund for oil and gas workers, instead criticizing Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau for "wanting to phase out the sector and its jobs." It says a Conservative government would support energy sector workers.

The NDP platform pledges to "work together" with labour, employers and the provinces to find solutions that could include expanded EI benefits, re-training and job placement services.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 1, 2021.
RABAT, Morocco (AP)  Morocco has launched a campaign to administer COVID-19 vaccines to children from 12 to 17, becoming one of the first African countries to inoculate that age group.

A mother accompanies her son to receive his COVID-19 vaccine as Morocco launches a campaign to vaccinate 12-17 year olds before the start of the school year, in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

RABAT, Morocco (AP)  Morocco has launched a campaign to administer COVID-19 vaccines to children from 12 to 17, becoming one of the first African countries to inoculate that age group.

The World Health Organization says that the North African country has already given around 33 million doses to adults this year. Now, Morocco is focusing its efforts to vaccinate younger people.

I chose to vaccinate my daughter, because we want our children to be able to go to school, said Fattouma Chouilakh, whose 12-year-old daughter studies at a middle school in Rabat.

Parental authorization is required and vaccination isn't mandatory. But those who don't want to vaccinate their children will have to follow a distance education program and their kids won't legally be allowed to attend school in person.

Access to good education  not just concerns over health  is one of the major factors influencing Moroccan parents decisions for their children.

We suffered a lot of problems with distance education. There were no positive results  thats why we chose to do the vaccine," Chouilakh said.

Nationwide there are some 420 vaccination centers that have been made available from Tuesday until Oct. 3.

The campaign, which will use Pfizer and Sinopharm vaccines, is expected to reach about 3 million Moroccan students, health authorities said.

Morocco has registered more than 856,000 infections and 12,540 deaths from COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.

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Morocco has administered more vaccine doses per person than the global average, and the highest proportion in Africa, according to Our World in Data.

___

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TORONTO - Some of the most active companies traded Wednesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange:

Toronto Stock Exchange (20,689.58, up 106.64 points.)

Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.B). Industrials. Up 11 cents, or 5.98 per cent, to $1.95 on 12.9 million shares.

Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Energy. Down 28 cents, or 1.19 per cent, to $23.28 on 12.6 million shares.

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSX:GWO). Financials. Down 85 cents, or 2.18 per cent, to $38.18 on 9.8 million shares.

Hydro One Ltd. (TSX:H). Utilities. Up 41 cents, or 1.31 per cent, to $31.81 on 7.7 million shares.

Canadian Natural Resources (TSX:CNQ). Energy. Up 26 cents, or 0.62 per cent, to $42.01 on 7.4 million shares.

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Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. (TSX:CP). Industrials. Up $4.46, or 5.15 per cent, to $91.15 on six million shares.

Companies in the news:

Laurentian Bank Financial Group. (TSX:LB). Up 66 cents or 1.6 per cent to $43.15. Laurentian Bank Financial Group is focused on reducing complexity as it works to modernize and attract new business, chief executive Rania Llewellyn said Wednesday. Retail customers currently see different layouts depending on where their account is hosted, Llewellyn said as an example. The bank's mortgage application and digital sign-up for new customers are also overly complex, she added. As part of the updated mortgage operations, the bank has created a dedicated unit in personal banking for residential lending, started to integrate digital signatures through DocuSign, and automated valuations for properties. However, given the complexity of the business, a full transformation will take time, Llewellyn said. The bank is also working on filling in some key gaps in its technology offerings, including adding a banking app and a tap function on debit cards. The bank reported earnings of $62.1 million or $1.32 per diluted share for the quarter ending July 31, compared with $36.2 million or 77 cents per diluted share a year earlier. Revenue totalled $254.9 million for the quarter, up from $248.6 million for the third quarter of 2020.

Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.  Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. has approached the Kansas City Southern board to reaffirm its interest in taking over the railway after U.S. regulators rejected a key part of Canadian National Railway Co.'s bid. CP Rail has maintained that its offer, worth about US$31 billion including debt, is superior to CN's bid, worth about US$33.6 billion including debt, because it carries less regulatory risk. Calgary-based CP Rail has given a deadline of Sept. 12 for KCS to consider its offer, said chief executive Keith Creel. The KCS board said Wednesday that it would evaluate CPs proposal in accordance with the terms of KCSs merger agreement with CN and respond in due course. KCS and CN both said they were disappointed by the U.S. regulator's decision and were evaluating options. KCS also said it would adjourn a meeting it had scheduled for shareholders to vote on CN's bid. Montreal-based CN said it remains confident its offer to buy the U.S. railway is in the public interest. CN's proposed acquisition of KCS would be the first to test stricter merger criteria in the rail industry that would evaluate whether a merger would enhance competition.

Saputo Inc. (TSX:SAP). Up 19 cents to $35.68. Saputo Inc. has acquired two food manufacturing facilities in North Carolina for US$118 million. The Montreal-based dairy giant says Carolina Aseptic and Carolina Dairy will join Saputos U.S. dairy division. Carolina Aseptic makes shelf-stable food products and beverages in a facility in Troy, N.C., while Biscoe, N.C.-based Carolina Dairy makes refrigerated yogurt in spouted pouches. Together, the facilities employ about 230 workers. Lino Saputo, CEO and board chairman of Saputo, says the acquisitions complement the company's organic growth while strengthening its presence in the rapidly growing aseptic beverage and food categories and nutritional snacks space. Saputo is one of the world's largest dairy processors with major operations in Canada, Australia, Argentina, the United States and the United Kingdom.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 1, 2021.
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP)  The OPEC oil producers' cartel and allied non-member countries led by Russia signed off Wednesday on gradually increasing production as the global economy and demand for fuel continue to recover from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.

FILE - In this Friday March 6, 2020 file photo, people stand outside the headquarters of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, in Vienna, Austria. Members of the OPEC oil producing cartel and allied countries led by Russia signed off Wednesday Sept. 1, 2021, on gradually increasing production as the global economy and demand for fuel continue to recover from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak, file)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP)  The OPEC oil producers' cartel and allied non-member countries led by Russia signed off Wednesday on gradually increasing production as the global economy and demand for fuel continue to recover from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The group fended off pressure from the U.S. to move faster in restoring production cuts made during the pandemic and potentially ease costs at the pump for American drivers.

The group, known as OPEC+, agreed at an online meeting to stick with earlier plans to add back 400,000 barrels per day from Oct. 1. The cartel and its allies are gingerly restoring deep cuts made last year, when lockdowns and travel restrictions caused demand for fuel and prices to crater.

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Prices fell ahead of the meeting but trimmed losses afterwards. Oil was off 0.4% at $68.26 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while Brent crude, an international benchmark, traded down 0.4% at $71.36 per barrel. Prices have recovered from a slump to just above $62 for New York Mercantile Exchange crude on Aug. 20.

The OPEC+ decision tracks with a plan forged in July to add back 400,000 barrels a day each month until last year's cuts are restored next year. Key OPEC member Saudi Arabia has urged a cautious, step-by-step approach. The group has started meeting monthly to keep close watch on the market and production levels amid uncertainty about whether the more contagious delta variant of the coronavirus will present further economic setbacks in different parts of the world.

Adding too much oil to the market could cause prices to slip, as they briefly did in August, while holding back production costs members money for their state budgets.

The Biden administration has urged OPEC to increase production faster, saying that higher gasoline costs risk harming the ongoing global recovery.

The average U.S. price for a gallon of gas at the pump was $3.17 on Wednesday, according to motoring federation AAA. That compares to $2.32 per gallon a year ago. The cost of crude oil accounts for about half the price of gasoline at the pump.

Analysts said gas prices might rise after refineries in the United States shut down during Hurricane Ida, but they so far have remained relatively steady.
MADRID (AP)  More than 100 people were arrested when police in Spain busted an illegal drug ring this summer, Europol said Wednesday.

MADRID (AP)  More than 100 people were arrested when police in Spain busted an illegal drug ring this summer, Europol said Wednesday.

The European policing authority said that the arrests occurred on July 13 when Spanish police, in collaboration with police from Germany and Albania, detained 107 individuals during 42 raids in Barcelona and three smaller cities in Spains northeast.

The people were arrested on suspicion of forming a group of mainly of Albanian-speaking criminals who grew and trafficked marijuana. They included Albanians, Spaniards, Greeks and Slovakians, Europol said.

Police allege that the network illegally grew marijuana in Spain and smuggled it to other European countries for sale.

More than 50 clandestine cannabis farms were discovered in the operation. Police estimate that the ring used over 1.6 million euros ($1.9 million) in stolen electricity to run the farms.
MEQUON, Wis. (AP)  A loose network of conservative groups with ties to major Republican donors and party-aligned think tanks is quietly lending firepower to local activists engaged in culture war fights in schools across the country.

Supporters to recall the entire Mequon-Thiensville School District board wave at cars outside Homestead High School Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, in Mequon, Wis. A loose network of conservative groups with ties to major Republican donors and party-aligned think tanks is quietly lending firepower to local activists engaged in the culture war fights in schools across the country. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

MEQUON, Wis. (AP)  A loose network of conservative groups with ties to major Republican donors and party-aligned think tanks is quietly lending firepower to local activists engaged in culture war fights in schools across the country.

While they are drawn by the anger of parents opposed to school policies on racial history or COVID-19 protocols like mask mandates, the groups are often run by political operatives and lawyers standing ready to amplify local disputes.

In a wealthy Milwaukee suburb, a law firm heavily financed by a conservative foundation that has fought climate change mitigation and that has ties to former President Donald Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 election helped parents seeking to recall Mequon-Thiensville school board members, chiefly over the boards hiring of a diversity consultant. A new national advocacy group, Parents Defending Education, promoted the Wisconsin parents tactics as a model.

In Loudoun County, Virginia, a Justice Department spokesperson in the Trump administration rallied parents in a recall effort sparked by opposition to a district racial equity program. In Brownsburg, Indiana, a leader of a national network of parents opposed to anti-racist school programs helped a mother obtain a lawyer when the district's superintendent blocked her from following his Twitter account.

This growing support network highlights the energy and resources being poured into the cauldron of political debate in the nation's schools. Republicans hope the efforts lay the groundwork for a comeback in congressional elections next year. Some see the burst of local organizing on the right as reminiscent of a movement that helped power the GOP takeover of the House 10 years ago.

It seems very tea party-ish to me, said Dan Lennington, a lawyer with the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, which has offered free legal advice to several parent groups pursuing or weighing school board recalls, including the one in Mequon. These are ingredients for having an impact on future elections."

Lennington's group is funded in part by the Bradley Foundation, a Milwaukee-based nonprofit that supports conservative causes. The foundation's secretary, GOP lawyer Cleta Mitchell, advised Trump as he sought to overturn the 2020 election results and has since worked to push for tighter state voting laws.

Like the tea party movement, the groups have been labeled astroturf by some opponents  activism manufactured by powerful interests to look like grassroots organizing.

Outsiders are tapping into some genuine concerns, but the framing of the issues are largely regularized by national groups," said Jeffrey Henig, a professor at Teachers College at Columbia University, who has written on the nationalization of education.

But the advocates and their outside backup argue they're harnessing real outrage and working to counter the disproportionate influence of liberal groups in schools.

There's a misconception out there that this is part of some national right-wing agenda," said Amber Schroeder, a 39-year-old parent of four who is helping lead the Mequon recall. We're the ones pushing back on our own here against an extreme liberal agenda by the teachers union."

The political tracking website Ballotpedia counts about 30 active school board recall efforts nationwide. Some are focused chiefly on disputes over anti-racism training and education in schools, often labeled critical race theory. Others were prompted by debates over school policies on transgender students and pandemic public health measures.

Local parent activists are quick to claim credit for that work, and the outside groups offering legal help, research, organizing tools and media training are often reluctant to discuss their role.

Among those is Parents Defending Education, an Arlington, Virginia-based group formed in January and dedicated to fighting indoctrination in the classroom. It provides templates for requesting public records, a guide to parent rights, organizing strategies and talking points.

We created Parents Defending Education because we believe our children deserve to learn how to think at school  not what to think, its president, Nicole Neily, wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

Neily stated the group is not involved in any recall efforts, in Mequon or elsewhere. But the group's website does promote the Mequon activists' campaign. As part of its national database of parent incident reports, the group highlights Mequons case by posting, as a guide for others, the Freedom of Information Act request that parents filed.

Neily declined to name Parents Defending Educations funding sources. As a tax-exempt organization, the group is not required to make its donors public. Neily has worked in senior positions for conservative groups including the Independent Womens Forum and Cato Institute, according to the group's website.

Another newly influential group is No Left Turn in Education, an organization that has ballooned to 78 chapters in more than 25 states since it was founded last year by Elana Fishbein.

Since December, Fishbein has secured free legal representation for parents fighting curriculum battles with school districts. Most of those lawyers are affiliated with firms similar to Lenningtons, including the Liberty Justice Center and Pacific Legal Foundation, which also receive funding from the Bradley Foundation, as well as prominent GOP donor Dick Uihlein, a shipping supply billionaire.

A Uihlein spokesperson declined to comment. Messages left with the Bradley Foundation weren't returned.

Fishbein says the journey from local mom to nationally recognized conservative activist was swift.

A year ago, I had a handful of moms in my suburban Philadelphia living room," Fishbein said. Three weeks later, I was on Tucker Carlson, and within a week, I had more than a million visitors to my Facebook page."

Fishbein and leaders of similar groups say they believe conservative activism in schools has exploded as parents have taken a closer look at their childrens schoolwork during remote learning.

Now this whole problem of radical indoctrination is adding to their agenda, Fishbein said. This is a very big fight.

It's a fight likely to help Republicans in congressional elections next year, said Ian Prior, a former Justice Department official who is now the executive director of a conservative organization called Fight for Schools, which is working to recall board members in Loudoun County.

Youre going to need a team. Youre going to need a command staff. Youre going to need what I call the army of moms, he said at a conservative conference in Texas in July.

That could include Schroeder, who describes her previous political activity beyond voting as zero."

Frustrated chiefly by the district's $42,000 contract last year with Milwaukee diversity consultant Blaquesmith, Schroeder got in touch with Scarlett Johnson, a 46-year-old fellow Mequon mother who had researched strategies for challenging school boards on No Left Turn's website.

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All the critical race theory buzzwords were present," Johnson noted, referring to the online Blaquesmith seminars she watched. I think it would be bad to backslide into a more race-conscious, race-focused society.

When Mequon police asked parents collecting signatures at the city park to remove their sign, Schroeder reached out to Lennington, who wrote a letter to the city arguing for the group's right to assemble.

The letter, offered at no charge, was a small service but allowed parents to return to the park.

It also provided an opening for Lennington, who lobbies at the state Capitol, to invite Johnson and Schroeder to testify at a legislative hearing in Madison for legislation to require school districts to make all curriculum public.

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Groves reported from Sioux Falls, S.D.
UNITED NATIONS  The president of the U.N. Security Council says the U.N.s most powerful body will not take its focus off Afghanistan this month and the real litmus test for the new Taliban government will be how it treats women and girls.

In this image provided by the U.S. Marine Corps, evacuees wait to board a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Aug. 30. 2021. (Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla/U.S. Marine Corps via AP)

UNITED NATIONS  The president of the U.N. Security Council says the U.N.s most powerful body will not take its focus off Afghanistan this month and the real litmus test for the new Taliban government will be how it treats women and girls.

Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason of Ireland said Wednesday that the protection and promotion of human rights for women must be at the very heart of our collective response to the crisis.

Under the Talibans previous rule from 1996 to 2001, women were not allowed to go to school, work outside the home or leave homes without a male escort. Though they faced many challenges in the countrys male-dominated society after the Talibans ouster, Afghan girls were not only educated but over the last 20 years women increasingly stepped into powerful positions in numerous fields including government, business, health and education.

Bryne Nason said: My question is, will the Taliban be different, and thats the real question. We havent seen any evidence of that.

She said the international community has clout because whatever form of government emerges in Afghanistan needs international support -- and human rights and respect for international law are red line issues.

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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN:

 Afghans face hunge r crisis, adding to Talibans challenge

 Biden defends departure from forever war, praises airlift

 UN chief urges countries to help Afghans in hour of need

 Victorious Taliban focus on governing after US withdrawal

 New Taliban rulers face tough economic, security challenges

Evacuees from Afghanistan wait with other evacuees to fly to the United States or an other save location in a makeshift departure gate inside a hanger at the United States Air Base in Ramstein, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. One of largest American military community overseas gets to a transport hub and houses thousands Afghan evacuees. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

 Analysis: War is over but not Bidens Afghanistan challenges

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 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

WASHINGTON  Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says its possible the U.S. will have to coordinate with the Taliban on any future counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan against Islamic State militants or others.

Milley spoke at a Pentagon news conference Wednesday, two days after the final U.S. troops left Afghanistan at the close of a turbulent and deadly evacuation of more than 124,000 American citizens, Afghans and others. He said its hard to predict how the future of the Taliban will unfold.

Milley called the Taliban a ruthless group and whether or not they change remains to be seen. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he will make no predictions now on how the U.S. relationship with the Taliban will look like in the future.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  A senior Taliban official has told the people of Afghanistans Panjshir province that the groups efforts to find a political solution to a dispute with militias there have produced no results.

Amir Khan Motaqi on Wednesday in an audio message posted on social media urged residents of Panjshir to convince those that want war to instead join the Islamic Emirate, promising them it will be a home for all Afghans.

Motaqi says: We still want to prevent war and find a political solution.

The Panjshir Valley is the last region not under Taliban control following their blitz across Afghanistan. A spokesman for the resistance movement, Fahim Dashti, said in video handout to the media Wednesday that its fighters have so far held off an offensive by the Taliban.

Afghan families sit outside their tents in an open area on the outskirts of Chaman, a border town in the Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan province, Wednesday, Sept.1, 2021. Dozens of Afghan families have crossed into Pakistan through the southwestern Chaman border a day after the U.S. wrapped up its 20-year military presence in the Taliban-controlled country. (AP Photo/Jafar Khan)

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MOSCOW  The U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan has announced a project to help build a new border guard facility on the countrys border with Afghanistan.

The embassy said in Wednesdays statement that the project to be launched early next year envisages the construction of new quarters for a border guard detachment in Ayvoj. The embassy said the new facilities will provide housing for the Tajik border guards and help them deploy more quickly to border areas in response to threats.

U.S. Ambassador John Pommersheim said this border detachment project is just another example of our shared commitment to the security and sovereignty of Tajikistan and Central Asia.

The embassy said that since 2002 the U.S. has provided over $300 million in security assistance to Tajikistan and renovated or rebuilt 12 border outposts, nine border checkpoint facilities, and three training centers for border guards to help combat security threats.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  A senior U.N. official has warned that food in Afghanistan could run out this month, threatening to add a hunger crisis to the challenges facing the countrys new Taliban rulers as they endeavor to restore stability after decades of war.

Ramiz Alakbarov said Wednesday that about one third of the countrys population of 38 million is facing emergency or crisis levels of food insecurity. Alakbarov is the local U.N. humanitarian coordinator. With winter coming and a severe drought ongoing, more money is needed to feed the population.

He said the U.N.s World Food Program has brought in food and distributed it to tens of thousands of people in recent weeks. But of the $1.3 billion needed for aid efforts, only 39% has been received.

Alakbarov said: Without additional funding, food stocks will run out at the end of September.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  A Taliban spokesman says a joint team of technicians from Turkey and Qatar has arrived in Kabul.

Bilal Karimi says they're there to provide technical and logistics services for reconstruction of Hamed Karzai International Airport.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley speaks during a briefing with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, about the end of the war in Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Karimi said in response to a query from The Associated Press that efforts have already begun Wednesday to get the airport ready for the return of normal flights.

The development comes after Afghanistans civil aviation authority said earlier Wednesday its technical team was busy at the airport working to reactivate the airports radar system

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LONDON  Britains foreign secretary says he's heading to the region around Afghanistan for talks about the evacuation of British citizens and Afghan allies left behind in Kabul.

Dominic Raab told lawmakers he was leaving for the area Wednesday but did not provide any details, citing security reasons. British media have reported that his diplomatic efforts will focus on how to get Afghans and Britons out of the region through third countries, and that talks will likely include Pakistan.

A senior official, Simon Gass, has already traveled to Qatar to meet with Taliban representatives for talks about allowing people to leave Afghanistan.

Raab was questioned by lawmakers over the British governments handling of the evacuation and the Afghan crisis. He was grilled about the number of Britons and Afghans who helped U.K. forces who are left behind, but said he was unable to give a clear answer.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Afghanistans civil aviation authority says its technical team is busy at Hamed Karzai International Airport working to reactivate the airports radar system so flights can resume.

The authority in a statement Wednesday says it is committed to solving all the problems in the airport to facilitate the resumption of civilian and commercial flights.

The Taliban did not immediately comment.

Video is circulating on social media of a Qatari plane landing at the airport that is assumed to be carrying a technical team to help in repairs at the airport.

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Taliban fighters arrive inside the Hamid Karzai International Airport after the U.S. military's withdrawal, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. The Taliban were in full control of Kabul's airport on Tuesday, after the last U.S. plane left its runway, marking the end of America's longest war. (AP Photo/Khwaja Tawfiq Sediqi)

MOSCOW  Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized the United States involvement in Afghanistan, charging that its 20-year military presence in the country has achieved zero.

Putin said Wednesday that for 20 years the U.S. military in Afghanistan was trying ... to civilize the people who live there, to introduce their norms and standards of life in the broadest sense of the word, including the political organization of society.

The result is sheer tragedies, sheer losses, both for those who were doing that  the U.S.  and more so for the people who live in Afghanistan. A zero result, if not negative, Putin said.

The Russian president added that its impossible to impose something from outside and that if someone does something to someone, they should draw on the history, the culture, the life philosophy of these people in the broadest sense of the word, they should treat their traditions with respect.

Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with the Soviet troops withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback in the country as a mediator over the past few years. Russia has reached out to the feuding Afghan factions, including the Taliban  even though it has labeled them a terrorist organization.

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MADRID  Pope Francis has criticized the Wests recent involvement in Afghanistan as an outsiders attempt to impose democracy  although hes done so by citing Russias Vladimir Putin while thinking he was quoting Germanys Angela Merkel.

In a radio interview aired Wednesday, Pope Francis was asked about the new political map taking shape in Afghanistan after the United States and its allies withdrew from the Taliban-controlled country after 20 years of war. The pope said he would answer using a quote that he attributed to the German chancellor, who he described as one of the worlds greatest political figures.

Its necessary to stop the irresponsible policy 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 peoples traditions, the pope said, using his own translation into Spanish.

But the quote was pronounced last month by the Russian president in the presence of Merkel, during her visit of the German to Moscow.

During the meeting on Aug. 20, Putin scathingly criticized the West over Afghanistan, saying that the Talibans rapid sweep over the country has shown the futility of Western attempts to enforce its own vision of democracy. Instead, Merkel urged Russia to use its contacts with the Taliban to press for Afghan citizens who helped Germany to be allowed to leave Afghanistan.

The interview with Spains Cadena COPE took place at the Vatican late last week. The radio station owned by Spains Catholic bishops conference aired the talk on Wednesday and said that its content had been vetted by the pope himself.

Francis also said there that all eventualities were not taken into account in the departure of Western allies from Afghanistan.

I dont know if there will be any revision (of what happened during the withdrawal), but there was much deceiving from the new authorities (of Afghanistan), said the Pope. Either that or just too much ingenuity. Otherwise, I dont understand.

Francis called for Christians across the world to engage in prayer, penance and fasting in the face of events in Afghanistan.

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WASHINGTON  The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reflected on the Afghanistan wars end and delivered an emotional tribute Tuesday to the 13 service members killed by a suicide bombing last week.

Gen. Mark Milley said the militarys counterterrorism efforts over the past 20 years and the evacuation of 124,000 people from Afghanistan in the last 20 days are the legacy of U.S. service members.

In his words, Were now closing a chapter in our nations history.

Milley said the 11 Marines, one soldier and one Navy corpsman who died in the suicide bombing gave their tomorrows for the tomorrows of 124,000 people.

His comments came during the retirement ceremony for Gen. Robert Abrams, who most recently commanded U.S. Forces Korea. Both men commanded troops in Afghanistan.

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Milley called it an incredibly emotional day, adding: All of us are conflicted with feelings of pain and anger, sorrow and sadness, combined with pride and resilience. But one thing I am certain of, for any soldier, sailor, airman or Marine and their families, your service mattered. It was not in vain.

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden says he chose to end the war in Afghanistan in order to focus the nations defenses on other security problems, including China and Russia.

Addressing the nation Tuesday from the White House on the day after the last U.S. troops left Afghanistan, ending a 20-year war, Biden said he will sharpen the focus of U.S. foreign policy by concentrating on threats such as cyberattack and the proliferation of nuclear weapon technologies.

He vows to continue counterterrorism operations, including against any threats emanating from Afghanistan. He says this can be done with forces based outside of Afghanistan.

The president also mentioned the Islamic State extremist groups Afghanistan affiliate, which conducted a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport on Aug. 26 that killed 13 American service members and dozens of Afghan civilians. Biden said, We are not done with you yet.
BEIJING (AP)  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned U.S. climate envoy John Kerry on Wednesday that deteriorating U.S.-China relations could undermine cooperation between the two on climate change.

Residents pass by a government propaganda with the words "Our Carbon Zero Agreement" on a street of in Beijing, China on Aug. 30, 2021. Chinese and U.S. officials plan to talk this week about reducing pollution by the world's two largest economies, an area of potential cooperation between two governments whose relations are strained on other issues. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

BEIJING (AP)  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned U.S. climate envoy John Kerry on Wednesday that deteriorating U.S.-China relations could undermine cooperation between the two on climate change.

Wang told Kerry by video link that such cooperation cannot be separated from the broader relationship and called on the U.S. to take steps to improve ties, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

Kerry, who is in the Chinese city of Tianjin for climate talks with his Chinese counterparts, said the U.S. is committed to cooperating with the rest of the world on climate and encouraged China to take additional steps to reduce emissions, the U.S. State Department said.

Kerry, a former secretary of state, also said that China plays a super-critical role in the effort to combat climate change, according to a brief video clip from the meeting shown on CGTN, the international arm of state broadcaster CCTV.

China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, followed by the United States.

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, second from left, speaks during a meeting with Japanese Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi at the latter's office in Tokyo, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. Kerry was in Tokyo to discuss efforts to fight climate change with top Japanese officials ahead of a United Nations conference in November. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, Pool)

Relations between Washington and Beijing have been strained by disputes over trade, technology and human rights. But the sides have identified the climate crisis as an area for possible cooperation.

China and the U.S. have differences on some issues. In the meantime, we share common interests in a range of areas such as climate change," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing Wednesday.

Both sides should maintain dialogue and communication on the basis of mutual respect and carry out mutually beneficial cooperation," Wang said.

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In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, center, meets with U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, not shown, via video link in China, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. Wang warned Kerry on Wednesday that deteriorating U.S.-China relations could undermine cooperation between the two on climate change. (Yue Yuewei/Xinhua via AP)

The worlds biggest coal user, China obtains roughly 60% of its power from coal and is the worlds biggest source of greenhouse gases. It plans to build more coal-fired power plants but still plans to taper its use of the fossil fuel.

Beijing has pointed to historical U.S. emissions as a reason to resist action while making advances in solar power and other renewable energy sources. China has set a target of generating 20% of the countrys total energy consumption from renewables by 2025, becoming carbon-neutral by 2060 and reducing total emissions starting from 2030.

President Joe Biden has announced a goal to cut up to 52% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2030  double the target set by President Barack Obama in the 2015 Paris climate accord. The 2030 goal vaults the U.S. into the top tier of countries on climate ambition.

Kerry has called for stronger efforts to to curb rising temperatures to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels. He urged China to join the U.S. in urgently cutting carbon emissions.

Kerry made a stop in Japan on Tuesday to discuss climate issues with Japanese officials before heading to China.

Global decarbonizing efforts will come under the spotlight at a U.N. conference to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, in late November, known as COP26.
NEW DELHI (AP)  India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year.

Villagers stand in a queue to receive the vaccine for COVID-19 in village Nizampur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

NEW DELHI (AP)  India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of the country's nearly 1.4 billion people live. But supply constraints remain for the world's largest maker of vaccines and experts say it's unlikely India will reach its target of vaccinating all adults by the end of the year.

India opened shots for all adults in May. But the campaign faltered in villages due to vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. That started changing in mid-July and of the nearly 120 million shots administered in the past three weeks, around 70% were in India's villages  up from around half in the initial weeks of May.

Although the increased vaccine acceptance in rural areas is promising, the pandemic is far from done in India: After weeks of steady decline, the 46,000 new infections reported Saturday was its highest in almost two months.

Only about 11% of India's vast population is fully vaccinated. Half of all adults and about 35% of the total population have received at least one shot. This has left large swathes of people still susceptible to the virus.

Several nations, including the U.S. and Israel, are offering or plan to offer booster shots to people, deepening global vaccine inequity. India was expected to be a pivotal producer of shots to immunize the world but stopped exports after an explosion of infections. And while India had expected to get 1.35 billion shots in the final five months of 2021 to resolve its supply constraints, the question of whether Indian vaccine makers can scale up production to meet India's needs will have global implications.

Currently in India, there is more demand than available supply...the supply of vaccines currently in use is lower than the projections made a few months ago. So both of these situations are putting constraints on availability of vaccines in the country," said Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya, a vaccine policy expert.

India is no stranger to mass immunizations, but this is the first time that shots are being given at this scale, and to adults. Officials have blended strategies that were successful in the past with newer, more localized innovations.

Kamalawati, 65, a retired government accountant who goes by only her first name, lined up for a shot at Nizampur, a village outside New Delhi. She said people initially were concerned there would be harmful side effects but people are not scared anymore.

What has worked for her village and others is a contest in which the local government awards a trophy to the village with the most vaccinated people and a plaque declaring the village the winner. Stickers are also pasted on homes where people are fully vaccinated to encourage neighbors to do the same. District administrator Saumya Sharma said the campaign banks on the sense of community and pride residents have in their village. "That this is our village. And we are going to make it No. 1, she said.

In Juggar, home to several thousand of the over 155 million people who live in rural parts of India's Uttar Pradesh state, villagers refused the vaccine when health officials first arrived there, paramedic Ravi Sharma said. Only after family members of health workers got their shots in public view did others begin to get the vaccine.

Millions of people from eastern Bihar state, one of India's least urbanized, migrate to the Middle East for work. With international travel impossible without certificates showing full vaccination, more people are signing up for jabs, said Dr. R.K. Chaudhary, who is in charge of a rural health center in Phulwari Sharif village.

These strategies rest on methods that have worked in past vaccination campaigns. Performers with drums and clad in traditional attire are fanning out to Indian villages to underline the importance of getting the shot. Several states have organized mobile vaccination centers, where shots are given at highly visible places in village squares. The government has also used WhatsApp, which is ubiquitous in India, to help people book appointments for vaccines.

Public health experts say the uptick in rural vaccinations is important because health care systems in villages are fragile. The deadly surge of infections that overwhelmed hospitals earlier this year ripped through rural India and thousands died. Moreover, migrants from villages move to cities for work and until everyone is vaccinated, outbreaks and even the possibility of a dangerous new variant can't be discounted, said Lahariya.

India has the infrastructure to vaccinate up to 10 million people daily, but is averaging between 5 million and 6 million, he said.

So far, nearly 90% of the vaccines administered were the AstraZeneca shots made by the Serum Institute of India. The government hopes to solve the supply constraints that have hamstrung the vaccination effort with new production lines as well as the approval of a new homemade vaccine and another in the pipeline.

India hopes that Bharat Biotech will make around a third of the 1.3 billion shots it needs. The company has struggled so far in scaling up and while a new facility, capable of making 10 million shots monthly, began production last week, the company is looking for international manufacturing partners.

The Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine was given the nod by Indian regulators in April but accounts for less than 1% of total vaccinations. The company has arranged with several Indian vaccine makers to start making shots locally, hopefully by later this month.

India expects 100 million Sputnik V shots and 50 million shots of Indian drugmaker Zydus Cadilas recently greenlit COVID-19 vaccine later this year.

Apart from this, the regulator approved Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in June and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot in August. But it is unclear when they will be administered.

Meanwhile, Moderna and Pfizer have been discussing the signing of indemnity waivers for their vaccines for weeks with India's federal government. Unlike some other countries and the U.N.- backed COVAX initiative, India doesn't have a mechanism in place for people who suffer rare side effects to seek compensation, said Lahariya. He said these discussions were an opportunity to reexamine accountability and create a system where people are protected.

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Lahariya warned that even though he expected supply to improve, it was unlikely that India would have enough shots to immunize all adults by the end of the year. No matter what, he said.

___

AP journalists Rishi Lekhi in New Delhi, Biswajeet Banerjee in Lucknow, India, and Indrajit Singh in Patna, India, contributed to this report.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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NEW ORLEANS (AP)  When a light came on in the laundry room in Byron Lambert's house at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, he awoke with a start, thinking he had a burglar. Then he quickly realized what he saw was cause for celebration: The power was back.

In the wake of Hurricane Ida, Donnie Pearson moves a container of gas at his home after power was restored to his neighborhood, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, in New Orleans, La. Most of New Orleans remains with power. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

NEW ORLEANS (AP)  When a light came on in the laundry room in Byron Lambert's house at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, he awoke with a start, thinking he had a burglar. Then he quickly realized what he saw was cause for celebration: The power was back.

Lambert happens to live in a small sliver of New Orleans where power was restored early Wednesday, more than two days after Hurricane Ida's Category 4 strength winds left the city and much of the region in darkness.

"I'm like, All right! We got power! Lambert said he remembered thinking. But then his enthusiasm was tempered by the knowledge of what others are still going through.

Although Entergy said 11,500 customers in the city of nearly 400,000 people had their electricity restored, 989,000 homes and businesses were without power  44% of all state utility customers in southeast Louisiana from the New Orleans area to Baton Rouge, according to the state Public Service Commission.

Officials with Entergy, which provides power to New Orleans as well as other areas, said the restoration process will not happen overnight. They said the company's first priority is to bring electricity back to key parts of the infrastructure.

The first few customers to get power back in New Orleans  both in their homes and outside on their streets  marked a huge first step, said Phillip May, president and CEO of Entergy Louisiana. Outside of New Orleans, Entergy has restored power to about 100,000 customers, mostly in the Baton Rouge area, May said.

For New Orleans residents who saw power return it was cause for celebration. Lambert called the neighbors in his close-knit community, and his wife and mother-in-law, who had evacuated to Texas to let them know it was OK to return. He was also keenly aware of how many other people were still struggling in the heat.

I pray for them because its rough," Lambert said.

Entergy said Wednesday that more than 5,000 power poles were damaged and more than 5,200 transformers knocked out by Ida. More than 1,600 miles (2,575 kilometers) of transmission lines remain out of service. The company has given no specific time frame for when power will be widely restored.

This particular part of eastern New Orleans was able to power up because crews restored a major transmission line coming into the city from the east, company spokesman Lee Sabatini said. That line was coupled with power generated by the New Orleans Power Station, which is also located in eastern New Orleans.

Across the street from Lambert, neighbor and friend Wayne Bierria was out mowing his lawn, trying to get things done around the house before it got too hot. He got power back about the same time as Lambert.

Bierria was especially thankful that his is one of the homes that again have electricity because his family has medical issues. He suffers from asthma and sometimes needs a nebulizer which has to be plugged in, while his wife  who went to stay with a relative who has a generator  is diabetic and needs to keep her medicine cold.

Any longer without that (power), wed have been in some trouble, he said.

But for Shaundra Martin, getting the power back was only a partial solution to much bigger problem: She returned to her house Tuesday to find that it had significant roof damage and water had leaked all over the white tile floor. The blast of the cool air conditioning in the house Wednesday was of little comfort as she and her mother quickly mopped up the water to prevent mold from settling in.

Today with the power, I started cleaning," she said. But well get through it. Its life, living in Louisiana.

Meanwhile, those in the majority of New Orleans neighborhoods still without power, residents continued to sweat it out while crews assessed lines and ascended in bucket trucks to make repairs. Just blocks away from where the electricity had been restored, Rashad Carter was cooking a breakfast of bacon and eggs for his extended family on a charcoal grill and making plans.

If the power isn't back on here by Thursday, they plan to stay someplace farther east where it is. He said the heat is particularly challenging for the children: He sent a daughter to stay with other family members in a hotel.

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As to when the power might come back, he said a lot of rumors were flying around.

A lot of people say 4 p.m. A lot of people say 12 p.m. A lot of people say two to three weeks. So we dont know. Were just hoping, he said. If we got to leave we got to leave. ... We got patience."

Ireta Butler was going to stay with a friend in Slidell until the power came back. She lives in an apartment complex that didnt have electricity and was worried about getting heatstroke. Leaning on her walker with a wet towel draped around her neck, she said shed been feeling faint the night before.

My husband stood up all night fanning me, putting water all on me. I kept getting in and out of the shower, trying to cool my body temperature down, she said. Were going to go out there and stay a couple of days until we find out things are better in New Orleans. Thats all we can do.

__

Follow Santana on Twitter @ruskygal.
Manitoba has triggered disaster relief for the livestock industry suffering from severe drought that has forced some producers to sell off all or part of their herds with hay and cattle feed  when it can be found  surging to double and sometimes triple the normal cost.

Manitoba has triggered disaster relief for the livestock industry suffering from severe drought that has forced some producers to sell off all or part of their herds with hay and cattle feed  when it can be found  surging to double and sometimes triple the normal cost.

Earlier this month, the province announced it was setting aside $62 million but the programs had not yet been designed.

On Tuesday, the province enacted AgriRecovery, the disaster relief component of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. It is cost shared 60-40 between the federal and provincial governments, which means $155 million is being made available in this disaster relief for beef cattle producers.

The assistance will come in the form of subsidizing the transportation of feed from between 40 to 600 kilometres away and/or subsidize the cost of moving cattle to the feed at least 40 kilometres up to a maximum one-way distance of 1,000 kilometres. Assistance will also be available to move the animals back to their farms next spring.

'To say this has been a challenging time would be an understatement. This has involved herd downsizing. In some cases producers have had to disperse their entire herds. This has been a very stressful situation for everyone involved'  Tyler Fulton, president of Manitoba Beef Producers

(Dairy cattle, bison and horses (for pregnant mare urine production only), sheep and goats are also eligible for similar assistance but at lower payouts.)

The extraordinary support  one of the largest such support programs for the livestock industry in Manitoba in the history of AgriRecovery  is an indication of the severity of the situation.

Tyler Fulton, president of Manitoba Beef Producers, which represents the 6,300 farms that produce beef cattle in the province, said the drought is forcing producers to make very difficult decisions about how many cattle they can keep based on the feed and water resources they have.

"To say this has been a challenging time would be an understatement," Fulton said. "This has involved herd downsizing. In some cases producers have had to disperse their entire herds. This has been a very stressful situation for everyone involved."

With an urgency to his voice at a news conference outside of the legislative building on Tuesday, Ralph Eichler, Manitobas agriculture and resource development minister, said the program was put together after substantial collaboration with producer groups and municipalities. He said staff have already been trained up to be able to start processing applications as of this morning.

"It is very difficult to choose between feeding your livestock this winter or sending them to auction," Eichler said. "We want to support our farm families and we believe Manitobans will want to support Manitobans."

JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Tyler Fulton (right), president of Manitoba Beef Producers, shown with Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler, said the drought is forcing producers to make very difficult decisions about how many cattle they can keep based on the feed and water resources they have.

Livestock receipts in 2020 totalled $2.36 billion, representing about one-third of the provinces $7.02 billion in total farm cash receipts. There are typically close to one million beef cattle in the province including breeding cows, bulls and yearlings.

The program is designed to allow individual producers to decide what makes the most sense for them. Fulton said moving 2,000 cows, 40 at a time, versus bringing in a truck load of feed that would only feed two cows for the winter may cost about the same for that herd.

"But if you are in situation where you have 70 per cent of your winter feed covered, you just need to figure out the last 30 per cent. Then you would want to keep then at home and bring the feed in," he said.

In addition to this program that will help cover the cost of moving feed in or moving the animals to the feed for the winter for the period from June 2021 to March 2022, Eichler said the province and provincial stakeholders are also working with the federal government to come up with additional financial support that will help producers who have already been forced to sell off all or part of their herds, to get them back.

"I cant say too much about that because we cant announce it before its done," he said.

Fulton was not able to say just how many animals have had to be sold off, but auction marts across the province, which are typically quiet before the end of August, have already been very busy.

For instance, this year the Ashern Auction Mart, one of the largest in the province and located in the Interlake region, which has been particularly hard-hit by the drought, has already sold 1,400 breeding cows.

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Kirk Kiesman, the general manager of the Ashern auction, said the recent rains have slowed things down, but he believes that will only be a temporary respite.

"We are a co-op, so the extra business at this time of the year does not make any of us happy," he said. "It just means we are losing members."

Saskatchewan and Alberta have also enacted AgriRecovery programs to support the livestock sectors in their respective provinces. This disaster relief program is designed to be only used once every 10 years.

Jill Verwey, vice-president of Keystone Agricultural Producers, applauded the consultation that went into designing the program.

Fulton agreed, saying it was "a thoughtful, collaborative approach."

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
BERLIN (AP)  The World Health Organization on Wednesday inaugurated a new hub in Berlin that aims to help prepare the globe better to prevent future pandemics.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, right, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, attend the inauguration ceremony of the 'WHO Hub For Pandemic And Epidemic Intelligence' at the Langenbeck-Virchow building in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, pool)

BERLIN (AP)  The World Health Organization on Wednesday inaugurated a new hub in Berlin that aims to help prepare the globe better to prevent future pandemics.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and German Chancellor Angela Merkel cut the ribbon to launch the new WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. WHO says Germany is making an initial investment of $100 million in the facility.

The hub is meant to promote more effective data collection, information-sharing and analysis, leading to better and more coherent decision-making after the patchy global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be headed by Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, currently the director-general of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world many painful lessons, Tedros said. One of the most clear is the need for new, powerful systems and tools for global surveillance to collect, analyze and disseminate data on outbreaks with the potential to become epidemics and pandemics.

Viruses move fast but data can move even faster, Tedros said. He added that the new center is one response to recommendations on what can be done to keep the world safer in the future, filling a gap in the world's defenses.

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Merkel emphasized that the information gathered by the new hub should be shared with all countries. She added that the COVID pandemic has shown how much we can achieve when we really combine our strengths.

Still, her health minister, Jens Spahn, pointed to tensions that have emerged in the pandemic, calling at the launch for China to finally become fully cooperative and to make the examination of the origin of the ... virus transparent to the international community."

Pressure has been mounting in the West  and from WHOs own team that traveled to China earlier this year  for Beijing to do more to grant access to data about early COVID-19 cases, which could help clear up the ongoing mystery about how the pandemic first erupted.

China has responded to continuing speculation about a leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology by suggesting the virus could have escaped from Fort Detrick, a U.S. military lab in Maryland.

Spahn and Tedros suggested that a new pandemic treaty that the European Union has been championing could have teeth, such as penalties for signatory countries that dont comply with it.

The German minister acknowledged that is not an easy debate, but I think it is a necessary debate. Tedros said that maybe exploring the sanctions may be important.
CHILDREN about to return to school should wash their hands often, wear a mask without fear of health risks and return to a calm home after class ends.

CHILDREN about to return to school should wash their hands often, wear a mask without fear of health risks and return to a calm home after class ends.

That was some of the advice given by doctors during a virtual meeting Tuesday night about returning to school amid the pandemics fourth wave.

Dr. Jared Bullard, a pediatric infectious disease specialist, said about 15,000 children in Manitoba have been infected with COVID-19 during the pandemic. One in 200 of those have ended up in hospital, he said, and about one in 1,000 end up with multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a condition that can cause inflammation in various body parts and organs. He said this syndrome causes most instances of children in intensive care, but that recovery rates are very high. About one in 2,000 children who have contracted the virus have ended up in intensive care, said Bullard.

Potential long-term effects in children who contract COVID-19 are being studied, said Dr. Ruth Grimes, president of the Canadian Paediatric Society.

"The paediatric surveillance program is actually collecting data in real time to address those questions: what is the incidence of long-COVID symptoms in children, what potentially could be cardiac or renal or vascular long-term complications  and we just simply dont know those answers," said Grimes.

Bullard said to ensure children are washing their hands often, particularly after contact with "touch points," such as door knobs. He also said to use masks with layers, which children should change when they get dirty or wet.

In the midst of a pandemic, he said some children are going to contract the virus.

"And its not that they did anything wrong, and its not that the school did anything wrong... its important not to label and make people feel bad about that," he said.

Grimes later addressed concerns that masks inhibit lung development in children.

"Concerns about lung development, oxygen levels, carbon dioxide levels, immune system development in the use of masks are all really myths. There is no evidence to support any concerns about masks," she said, then explaining that studies have been conducted to measure masks impacts on oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes During a virtual meeting Tuesday night about returning to school amid the pandemics fourth wave, doctors reassured parents of the safety of children wearing masks all day at school.

"I can wholeheartedly reassure parents that theres no health risk to children wearing masks on a continuous basis through their day at school."

In regards to mental health impacts, child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Andrew Hall said the clearest predictor of a whole range of mental health issues, such depression and anxiety, was social isolation. He said that reinforces the need to be safe returning to school, to avoid the necessity for remote learning.

Aside from that, he urged parents to model calm behaviour.

"Kids will learn without being taught," he said. "Theyll just pick up, so being attuned to your own mental health and stress levels is incredibly important."

He advised doing whatever you can to reduce anxiety in your household, including avoiding excessive information. He suggested getting news only once a day from a credible source, and turning off the television to ease the flow of information.

Dr. Marni Hanna, president of the Manitoba Pediatric Society, said concerns that wearing masks around infants in preschools affects their linguistic development by hiding speakers lips are understandable, but unfounded.

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"There are no known studies that show significant effects on speech development," she said, adding visually impaired children learn language as fast as children with sight.

For immunocompromised children, the safety of returning to school will have to be taken on a case-by-case basis, said Dr. Ashley Chopek, a pediatric oncology specialist.

Chopek said children going through chemotherapy will have to be particularly careful, but after treatment the risk should be significantly lower.

"If a child has completed their treatment for cancer, then they are safe and they should be returning to school," she said.

The doctors urged all eligible people to get vaccinated to help prevent transmission.

cody.sellar@freepress.mb.ca
Kelvin Goertzen will be Manitoba's 23rd premier, but his stint as leader of the province and PC party will last only two months.

Kelvin Goertzen will be Manitoba's 23rd premier, but his stint as leader of the province and PC party will last only two months.

The Steinbach MLA is to be sworn-in Wednesday by Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon. He will replace Premier Brian Pallister, who previously submitted his resignation, effective at 8 a.m.

Members of the Progressive Conservative caucus  minus Pallister and house Speaker Myrna Driedger  met Tuesday in Winnipeg behind closed doors to vote for an interim leader and premier-designate.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Steinbach MLA Kelvin Goertzen is to be sworn-in Wednesday as Manitoba's 23rd premier replacing Premier Brian Pallister who resigned.

After 2 1/2 hours  punctuated by bursts of applause and at one point, cheers  MLAs emerged at 4:30 p.m., solemn and refusing to say who they chose to be the placeholder premier. Party membership is to elect a new leader/premier Oct. 30.

"There was healthy dialogue and discussion at this meeting on the future of our caucus and a desired path forward for an interim leader," caucus chairman and Riding Mountain MLA Greg Nesbitt said in brief statement at 6 p.m.

"It was unanimously decided that Kelvin Goertzen is the best person to lead us... until a new leader is selected in the fall. I have notified the lieutenant governor of the caucus decision."

Because Goertzen has indicated he's not entering the PC leadership race, he is a "neutral choice," said University of Manitoba political studies Prof. Christopher Adams.

Short-term premiers Click to Expand When placeholder premier Kelvin Goertzen is sworn in Wednesday, he will be among be the shortest-serving leaders of the province: from Sept. 1, until he is replaced by a new leader of the PC party. Results of its election will be announced Oct. 30. Only three other Manitoba premiers have served less than one year: Hugh John Macdonald (PC)  292 days, Jan. 10 to Oct. 29, 1900 Marc-Amable Girard (non-partisan)  91 days, Dec. 14, 1871, to March 14, 1872 David Howard Harrison (non-partisan)  24 days, Dec. 26, 1887, to Jan. 19, 1888  source: Legislative Assembly of Manitoba

Goertzen, 52, has served as deputy premier, minister of legislative and public affairs and government house leader. He is believed to be the first Mennonite to hold the office of Manitoba premier, and will be one of the shortest-serving premiers in its history.

(The briefest term was set by David Howard Harrison, who held the role for 24 days in 1887-88.)

Goertzen has been MLA for Steinbach since 2003, and previously served as minister of health and minister of education. He had been appointed minister of legislative and public affairs and deputy premier in a Jan. 5 cabinet shuffle.

The PC caucus said the premier-designate would be made available to speak to media Wednesday.

"I think they went the safe route and I don't think he'll upset any apple carts too much," political analyst Raymond Hebert said Tuesday.

"He's been around so long  almost 20 years  and he's held several cabinet posts. So obviously, he knows the ropes. So unless some unforeseen controversy happens, it'll be sort of 'steady as she goes,'" said the Saint Boniface University political science professor emeritus.

The Opposition NDP isn't expecting calm seas with a placeholder premier.

"Given everything that's going on in health care... and the return to school during the pandemic, I think it would be really unfortunate if they chose someone in caucus who was involved with the health-care cuts," NDP Leader Wab Kinew said prior to the announcement.

Steinbach MLA Kelvin Goertzen, centre, in the Manitoba Legislature Tuesday. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

As health minister, Goertzen oversaw consolidation of health-care services in the province and the closure of a number of emergency departments in Winnipeg.

"The interim premier should try to stabilize the situation," Kinew said. "We need to have some stability after the recent chaos."

The PC government should also back off its legislative agenda, he said.

"I do think it is important for them to hit the pause button," with a number of contentious bills up for debate this fall, including Bill 64 (Education Modernization Act), Kinew said.

"There's no sense in pursuing Mr. Pallister's agenda now that he's no longer the leader of the PCs."

However, ending the legislative session when there are still major spending bills outstanding could be "problematic," warned Hebert.

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"Technically, (Goertzen) could end the session, then reintroduce the bills that are important and drop a few  like Bill 64  that are controversial," Hebert said. "That's one possible strategy."

The PC caucus did not say what time Goertzen will be sworn in as premier, nor if Pallister would be in attendance.

On Tuesday morning, it issued a news release, thanking the Fort Whyte MLA for his service and hailing his accomplishments as Tory leader.

"Since forming government in 2016, Premier Pallister has championed historic achievements to rebuild the economy while fixing the finances and repairing services across our province," Nesbitt said in the release. "On behalf of the entire PC caucus, I wish Premier Pallister and this (sic) family all the best as in their future endeavours."

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Newly minted, temporary Manitoba Premier Kelvin Goertzen is striking a new tone, scrapping controversial legislation and pledging to listen to Manitobans.

Newly minted, temporary Manitoba Premier Kelvin Goertzen is striking a new tone, scrapping controversial legislation and pledging to listen to Manitobans.

"There is lots of division in Manitoba," Goertzen said Wednesday, hours after being sworn in as premier.

"Its the animosity that worries me, as much as anything."

List of cancelled bills Bill 64  Among other reforms, it would have eliminated English-language school boards. Bill 16  Would have allowed an employer to fire an employee for "strike-related misconduct" (even if the employee has not been convicted of a criminal offence) and eliminated the right of striking workers to access binding arbitration after 60 days of strike action or lockout. click to read more Bill 64  Among other reforms, it would have eliminated English-language school boards. Bill 16  Would have allowed an employer to fire an employee for "strike-related misconduct" (even if the employee has not been convicted of a criminal offence) and eliminated the right of striking workers to access binding arbitration after 60 days of strike action or lockout. Bill 35  Would have had the Public Utilities Board approve rates in five-year intervals rather than annually, with the provincial cabinet setting rates in the meantime. Bill 40  Would have enabled liquor sales by third parties. Bill 57  Would have restricted the rights of protesters by allowing owners or operators of "critical infrastructure" (highways, pipelines, food-processing plants, hospitals and courthouses) to apply for a court order to halt or limit demonstrations.  Carol Sanders Close

Goertzen will be premier for just two months, when the Progressive Conservative Party is set to elect its new leader, following Brian Pallister's Wednesday resignation.

For the next few weeks, Goertzen plans to have many more visitors to his office than his predecessor, saying the premier must listen to Manitobans.

"I intend to be quick to listen and slow to speak; I want to hear what their views are," he said, adding that social-media arguments over issues such as COVID-19 vaccines are driving Manitobans apart.

Goertzen announced that controversial education-reform Bill 64, as well as four other pieces of contentious legislation, will be taken off the order paper.

"Those bills will not move forward this fall," he said, adding the government will either withdraw the bills or prorogue the legislature.

"A new leader has to be able to set their own agenda."

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Kelvin Goertzen will be premier for just two months.

However, the Progressive Conservatives intend to pass their budget-implementation bill when the legislature resumes in October, before the party chooses a new leader.

Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon swore in Goertzen at a ceremony with no media access.

"I made the decision it should be just a small, private ceremony," he said, explaining he didnt want to make it seem like he had the full authority of a premier elected by popular vote.

He acknowledged that limiting the event to relatives had brought concerns about adequate media access, which he pledged to maintain.

There's a fair bit of bait and switch with this government.  Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont

Goertzen said hes reached out to NDP Leader Wab Kinew, Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, all of whom Pallister had clashed with, or largely ignored in his five years as premier.

"We are political adversaries, but we are not political enemies," Goertzen said of Kinew, the Opposition leader.

Kinew welcomed the change of tone, and said it was grassroots effort that led to Bill 64's death. But he cautioned that Goertzen was the minister driving controversial health-care and education reforms.

Shortest stints as Manitoba premier Kelvin Goertzen, set to serve less than two months as Manitoba premier, will likely have the second-shortest tenure in provincial history. Less than a month: David H. Harrison was Manitobas sixth premier, from Dec. 26, 1887, to Jan. 19, 1888. He took over after John Norquay, leader of the officially non-partisan but effectively Conservative government, stepped down amid a controversy connected to railway development. Harrison resigned after losing two key byelections. The lieutenant-governor then asked opposition leader Thomas Greenway, who became the provinces first Liberal premier, to form government. click to read more Kelvin Goertzen, set to serve less than two months as Manitoba premier, will likely have the second-shortest tenure in provincial history. Less than a month: David H. Harrison was Manitobas sixth premier, from Dec. 26, 1887, to Jan. 19, 1888. He took over after John Norquay, leader of the officially non-partisan but effectively Conservative government, stepped down amid a controversy connected to railway development. Harrison resigned after losing two key byelections. The lieutenant-governor then asked opposition leader Thomas Greenway, who became the provinces first Liberal premier, to form government. Three months: Marc-Amable Girard served for exactly three months: Dec. 14, 1871, to March 14, 1872. He is counted as Manitobas second premier but led its first ministry and could be considered the first premier. Girard, a Franco-Manitoban, resigned after losing the support of English cabinet ministers for his connection with Louis Riel, after Ambroise-Dydime Lepine was convicted of the murder of Thomas Scott during the Red River Resistance. Less than a year: Hugh John Macdonald, the son of Canadas first prime minister, was premier from Jan. 10 to Oct. 29, 1900. Shortly after winning the 1899 election, Manitobas eighth premier resigned to run for the federal Conservatives in Brandon and lost to incumbent federal Liberal cabinet minister Clifford Sifton.  Adam Treusch Close

"The PCs are trying hard to rebrand themselves and project a new image, but the new premier doesnt quite turn the page," said Kinew.

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont similarly argued a new tone doesnt guarantee substantive change.

"There's a fair bit of bait and switch with this government," Lamont said.

The opposition also raised the spectre of a Hydro rate hike, as a budget bill can change rates for a year, even without separate legislation to change the regulatory process.

Goertzen declined to sanction two government MLAs who publicly decried the Tories vaccination mandate for front-line workers as an infringement on Manitobans' rights.

"MLAs should bring the views of their constituents vigorously to that table  and I think the best results happen when they come to that table," he said.

He said his caucus might not have felt they had access to Pallister, and that hed spoken directly with MLAs James Teitsma (Radisson) and Josh Guenter (Borderland).

"I dont want, in my brief time as premier, to have everybody agree with me at the table; I dont want to try to dominate a decision," he said.

Yet both opposition parties said the pair should be punished, particularly Teitsma, who drew a comparison between the vaccine mandate and residential schools or the forced sterilization of Indigenous people.

"It's such an emotional issue; we should only invoke residential schools when it's absolutely necessary," said Kinew.

"I don't buy the argument that these folks are just standing up for their constituents."

I dont want, in my brief time as premier, to have everybody agree with me at the table; I dont want to try to dominate a decision.  Premier Kelvin Goertzen

Guenter had argued it was wrong to change course on reopening, despite the rise of the substantially more contagious delta variant of COVID-19, while Teitsma puzzled virologists in claiming that mass outdoor gatherings of vaccinated people were less safe than unvaccinated people gathering in small indoor groups.

"Those two MLAs are repeating claims that are misinformation about vaccines; they're undermining public-health orders, as we're about to go into a fourth wave," Lamont said, noting Manitobans are frustrated at some of the worst COVID-19 outcomes in Canada.

Kinew argued it was disingenuous of Goertzen to decry a rise in divisive rhetoric over vaccines when the party lacks "some courage" to discipline those two MLAs and persuade two others  Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler and Seine River MLA Janice Morley-Lecomte  to get fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Goertzen has appointed Families Minister Rochelle Squires as deputy premier, and says he does not anticipate any other changes to cabinet while its in caretaker mode.

The PCs still plan to eventually reform the public-school system, and Goertzen said Education Minister Cliff Cullen will discuss Bill 64 at a Thursday press conference.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Two local rallies in two days against incoming public health orders have left some southern Manitoba leaders disavowing the method, with others stopping short at disavowing the message.

Two local rallies in two days against incoming public health orders have left some southern Manitoba leaders disavowing the method, with others stopping short at disavowing the message.

After the province announced proof of immunization would be required for health-care workers, teachers and correctional centre employees starting Sept. 3  and without such proof Manitobans would not be able to take part in a variety of public activities  rallies Sunday and Monday drew more than 1,000 people each on Highway 32, just south of Winkler.

In nearby Morden, Mayor Brandon Burley didnt mince words criticizing leadership that wouldnt publicly reject the rationale behind the gatherings.

"I think right now there's a serious issue with regards to the voices that are being heard, and the voices that are being loud and the voices that are being most prominent. And right now, the voices we need to be establishing as municipal leaders is that vaccines are necessary, and vaccines are the only way we're going to get through this quickly and efficiently," he said Tuesday.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Event organizer Shawn Enns speaks at an anti-COVID-19 restriction rally in Winkler on Monday. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

"And that people who are not doing their due diligence with respect to the vaccine, people who are thriving in the chaos created by this vacuum, are people who will have blood on their hands."

Burley, who himself suffered through a long-haul bout of COVID-19 last year, said ideas being spread based on "a deep misunderstanding" of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms will have dangerous consequences for his constituents.

"As a father of four children under the age of 12, all of whom will be going into public education this year, I'm absolutely disgusted by the fact that people are still willing to endanger the lives of my children through their reckless regard for facts, science and evidence."

People are frustrated with the provinces health orders, and the rallies were a natural response of people feeling like their concerns havent been heard, said Winkler Mayor Martin Harder.

"I don't know how many times I've said it in the last six months, that we will get to the breaking point," he said Tuesday. "And quite honestly, that breaking point has come."

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Rallies Sunday and Monday drew an estimated 1,000 people each day on Highway 32, just south of Winkler. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

However, Harder was critical of the decision to hold such large gatherings in Winkler, at a time where COVID-19 spikes could mean overfilled ICU rooms at Boundary Trails Hospital.

"I'm disappointed when caution is thrown to the wind. And I'm disappointed with the approach," he said.

Winkler has the second-lowest vaccine uptake rate in the province, with just 39 per cent of eligible adults with at least one dose. Only the Stanley health district has fewer people vaccinated, at 22.5 per cent.

In Morden, 67.5 per cent of eligible adults are at least partly vaccinated.

Harder said some of the commentary, particularly demands Winkler be deemed a "sanctuary city" for those who oppose COVID-19 prevention measures, was an "unreasonable" approach to the issue.

On Monday, when asked if the province was aware of a rally in Winkler that evening and if officials would be handing out tickets, a spokesperson emphasized the current outdoor limit is 1,500 people and any tickets handed out would be listed as part of next weeks COVID-19 enforcement bulletin.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS People are frustrated with the provinces health orders and the rallies were a natural response of people feeling like their concerns havent been heard, says Winkler Mayor Martin Harder. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

"From what I've heard, it was quite respectful... they were trying their best to be respectful citizens and trying to get their point across," said Winkler & District Chamber of Commerce president Keith Gislason.

The local chamber has encouraged its members to follow COVID-19 health regulations but wont make recommendations one way or the other regarding vaccination, he said.

"There's an indirect impact where we're concerned about the public opinion of Winkler, we have some very good and conscientious people here that are trying their best to run businesses, of all kinds. And some of them have been hurt pretty hard this year."

In the Rural Municipality of Stanley, which sits between Morden and Winkler, Reeve Morris Olafson said a call from a Free Press reporter was the first hed heard about the rallies and wouldnt comment on them.

Hundreds rally in Steinbach A rally Monday protesting mask mandates in schools and mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations drew hundreds in Steinbach. Reports estimated 300 people gathered on the lawn outside the Hanover School Division offices, including federal election candidates for the People's Party of Canada. Steinbach Mayor Earl Funk is an opponent of vaccine passports  he noted Tuesday he himself is double-vaccinated but does not carry a proof of immunization card  but said such rallies can be divisive in a way that leaves no room for understanding. click to read more A rally Monday protesting mask mandates in schools and mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations drew hundreds in Steinbach. Reports estimated 300 people gathered on the lawn outside the Hanover School Division offices, including federal election candidates for the People's Party of Canada. Steinbach Mayor Earl Funk is an opponent of vaccine passports  he noted Tuesday he himself is double-vaccinated but does not carry a proof of immunization card  but said such rallies can be divisive in a way that leaves no room for understanding. I'm okay, with protests. We are so grateful and thankful that we have freedom of speech in Canada and in in Manitoba On the same hand, often when we go through hard times like this, there's an opportunity to be compassionate. And there's an opportunity to put ourselves in other people's shoes, he said. Funk said his point of view has been influenced by tragedy  hes lost more than one loved one to COVID-19  and the need to protect his aging mother. But he remains steadfastly against encouraging his constituents one way or the other. "I do have people, family members, that are not vaccinated. And that's wonderful, if that's what they want to do, that's their choice, he said. I can't make those decisions for people, those decisions have to be made by themselves. Close

However, Olafson, who is vaccinated, said he, too, sympathizes with business owners who will have to turn away a segment of the customer base.

"Restaurant guys and all that, they're sitting there (thinking), 'Oh, well, we've finally got to a point, maybe we can get our staff back and maybe we can make a buck,'" he said. "And then with this last round, 'Okay, pull out your ID before I let you in the door'  stand in their shoes."

Vaccine passports shouldnt be treated like an inherent barrier to financial gain, and rather a way to fast-track pre-COVID economic success, Winnipeg epidemiologist Cynthia Carr said.

"You've got tradeoffs: if you want there to be economic and social well-being and prosperity returning, that has to be within the context of still safety and not spreading the virus... you have to have a parameter of safety in place," she said.

"Otherwise, the option is to go back to shutdowns, go back to again crippling the economic well-being of many in our society, because we're not going to risk your health and your safety."

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: malakabas_

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Although they may not agree in all matters of religion and doctrine, most of Winnipegs religious communities are united in the belief they are responsible to follow all public health orders.

Although they may not agree in all matters of religion and doctrine, most of Winnipegs religious communities are united in the belief they are responsible to follow all public health orders.

So, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders say they will continue to require their faithful to don masks, register contact information, follow physical distancing guidelines and limit the number of people at indoor gatherings.

However, most will not  and some say cannot  ask for proof of vaccination before entering a temple, mosque or church to pray and worship.

The province currently isnt asking them to do so, despite the fact people attending other indoor venues (such as concerts, theatres and casinos) must show proof of double vaccination under new public health orders issued Aug. 27. Participation at indoor religious services is limited to 150 people or 50 per cent of capacity, whichever is greater.

Manitoba Islamic Association is not considering restricting access to the mosque to only vaccinated people, board chairman Idris Elbakri wrote in an email message.

"This would create tensions and divisions about the vaccination issue, at a time when we need more understanding and empathy. This would also be a logistical nightmare."

Elbakri said his organization promotes vaccination, has held three vaccination clinics, and produced videos in several languages to explain the benefits.

People attending services at the two temples run by the Manitoba Hindu Society will not be asked for their vaccine status, but president Kirit Thakrar said the topic may be discussed at a board meeting next week.

Catholics wont be asked to flash their vaccine passport either, but the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg continues to discuss religious rights in relation to vaccines, said Archbishop Richard Gagnon.

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"The idea of a mandatory vaccine to go to church is really unprecedented and raises many questions," he wrote in an email message. "Restricting the size of gatherings and even mask wearing have precedents in the past."

Anglicans will continue to adhere to public health directives and protocols, but they do not expect to mandate vaccination for worshippers, said Bishop Geoffrey Woodcroft of Diocese of Ruperts Land.

"I would struggle to implement mandatory full vaccination for all participants of in-person worship that would prevent disciples who cannot be vaccinated for age or medical reasons from full participation," he wrote in an email.

The United Church of Canada has not issued a policy mandating vaccination for church attendance, leaving every congregation to decide how to proceed, said Rev. Shannon McCarthy, executive minister for three Western Canadian regions of the denomination.

"Theres definitely been conversations about whether we have a right to ask people that, and it creates a divide," she said.

However, congregations could decide to request proof of vaccination to participate in high-risker activities such as choir rehearsals or small groups unable to socially distance at indoor meetings, McCarthy said.

The vast majority of United Church ministers are fully vaccinated, she said, and the denomination may move to mandate vaccination as a condition of employment.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Rabbi Allan Finkel of Temple Shalom: Saving and preserving a life trumps absolutely everything."

In Winnipegs Jewish community, rabbis have publicly taken a stance promoting vaccination as a way to save lives, a central tenet of Jewish values and ethics.

"Saving and preserving a life trumps absolutely everything," Rabbi Allan Finkel of Temple Shalom said of the Jewish imperative, called Pikuach Nefesh in Hebrew.

"Our right to our health is more important than your right to step through the door."

People attending in-person services at the Reformed Judaism synagogue must show proof of vaccination to attend, as well as complying with other public health measures, such as physical distancing and wearing a mask, said Finkel.

During the upcoming High Holy Days, anyone attending a service at Adas Yeshurun Herzlia must show either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test before booking their tickets, said Rabbi Yosef Benarroch, who wrote the letter on behalf of the other rabbis.

"Were not turning anyone away, were just giving them two options: a vaccine or a negative COVID test. And everyone can decide which option they want."

Benarroch said hes encountered very little opposition in his congregation, with the vast majority already double vaccinated. The synagogue returned to in-person service in the summer, holding it outside when weather permits, with all participants masked and physically distanced.

"In order to be a religious person, you automatically give up personal freedom," Benarroch said of following Jewish laws. "In Judaism, we choose that because our religion obligates us to think of others."

Although religious groups may differ in how they are navigating the pandemic, it might be helpful to remember that everyone is doing the best in ever-changing circumstances, said Archbishop Lawrence Huculak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg.

"Its very difficult in the midst of the storm to know where were going," he said.

"I think we shouldnt be surprised we can see it in the midst of the storm. You hope you take the best road."

faith@freepress.mb.ca
Faith leaders are taking issue with a call from some in Winkler to create a sanctuary city where residents can avoid COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates.

Faith leaders are taking issue with a call from some in Winkler to create a "sanctuary city" where residents can avoid COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates.

During a protest Monday in the southern Manitoba city, local organizer Karl Krebs referenced what Christians call the Old Testament of the Bible, and Jews call the Tanakh (or sometimes Torah).

"We need to triage our community and provide that protection like in the old days, where someone could seek sanctuary and know that they are not in danger any further," he said.

Krebs said if such a city was created, Winkler police would not be able to enforce provincial mask and vaccine mandates.

It is a stance that doesnt fit with how some rabbis interpret the scriptures.

Rabbi Anibal Mass of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Winnipeg explained a sanctuary city or city of refuge was a place in ancient times where a person could flee after accidentally killing someone.

"Its basically a manslaughter situation," he said.

Back then, the victims family was allowed to seek revenge by killing the perpetrator. To avoid that fate, the person could flee to a sanctuary city for a trial. If the court agreed the killing was accidental, no vengeance could be taken.

The Winkler protesters, "seem to be extrapolating from it something that upholds their position," Mass said, adding: "They are taking the biblical concept of sanctuary city and applying it in a different way than originally intended."

Mass doesnt doubt their sincere belief in God, but wonders why they are using only select Scripture and not the whole Tanahk  such as the prohibition followed by Jews against eating pork.

"They pick one verse, but not another," he said.

Rabbi Kliel Rose of Congregation Etz Chayim in Winnipeg said those calling for a sanctuary city to avoid getting vaccinated or wearing a mask are doing "a very creative reading" of Scripture.

It is "not in line with the Jewish orientation" to use the text in that way, he said, adding the sanctuary city was not about avoiding the law, "It was about upholding the law," ensuring it was applied equitably to all.

Rose noted the paramount goal of Jewish faith is saving life.

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"It underlies everything we do," he said. "Its about upholding and honouring the law (of God) for all members of society. Its a way to use it to protect life."

The idea of using Scripture as a way to avoid getting vaccinated "doesnt resonate with me," he said. "I dont agree with it being used in that way."

Lissa Wray Beal is a professor of Old Testament at Providence University College and Seminary in Otterburne. For her, referring to Scripture in the effort to create a space where vaccine and mask mandates cant be applied is "an utter misreading" of those texts.

The sanctuary city has "nothing to do with creating a place where people can avoid health protocols," she said. It is about upholding the law and "letting the legal process" play out.

"Its about trusting the law for the benefit of the entire society, not just for personal rights."

faith@freepress.mb.ca
A Progressive Conservative party leadership hopeful isn't denouncing two MLAs who have accused their own government of infringing on Manitobans' rights by mandating vaccinations for COVID-19.

A Progressive Conservative party leadership hopeful isn't denouncing two MLAs who have accused their own government of infringing on Manitobans' rights by mandating vaccinations for COVID-19.

"Certainly people represent their constituencies and they have the right to their own opinion," Heather Stefanson said Tuesday of backbench MLAs James Teitsma (Radisson) and Josh Guenter (Borderland), both of whom support her bid for leadership.

The province announced last week that all designated public service workers who have contact with vulnerable populations will have to be vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing. Any non-essential activities and services will only be available to fully vaccinated Manitobans 12 and older starting Sept. 3.

Teitsma seemingly compared the incoming vaccination mandate to residential schools and the forced sterilization of Indigenous people.

"Forcing Indigenous children to attend residential schools, sterilizing intellectually disabled and Indigenous women without consent (including the creation of eugenics boards), and sending Ukrainian- and Japanese-Canadians to interment (sic) camps, come to mind as some of the worst stains in our countrys brief history," Teitsma wrote on social media.

"One thing these human rights violations have in common: they were popular and favoured by the public."

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Guenter also posted a letter saying his own government is "using a sledgehammer" that will send Mennonites "to the breadline," as they will quit front-line jobs that will soon be limited to vaccinated people.

"The more the government thrashes about trying to get people to take the vaccine, the less inclined my constituents are to listen," wrote Guenter, whose constituency has some of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in Canada.

Both Teitsma and Guenter have said they've been vaccinated.

When asked if she still welcomed their endorsement, Stefanson didn't reject it.

"I think they represent their constituents and what we've been saying since Day 1 is we need to be listening to our constituents," the former health minister said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Brian Pallister was never a good listener. Hes the kind of guy who regularly cuts you off mid-sentence in casual conversation to tell you what he thinks; he's not that interested in what you have to say.

Brian Pallister was never a good listener. Hes the kind of guy who regularly cuts you off mid-sentence in casual conversation to tell you what he thinks; he's not that interested in what you have to say.

He's a one-way talker.

Its also how Pallister, who will step down Wednesday as Manitobas 22nd premier, governed. He rarely consulted and only took advice from people who thought like him, or told him what he wanted to hear.

He knew everything: how to reorganize health care and education, how to grow the economy, how to reform the civil service  even how to fight a pandemic. He didnt need help, input or advice from anybody.

If Pallister commissioned a report and didnt like the recommendations (such as the recent review of public schools), he would come up with his own changes, regardless of evidence and input from others.

Pallister was usually wrong in his unilateral decisionmaking, but he rarely admitted it.

When medical professionals warned against making cuts to hospital budgets while undergoing an unprecedented reorganization of health care, Pallister dismissed them, insisting they could absorb budget cuts without affecting front-line services.

Pallister was usually wrong in his unilateral decision-making, but he rarely admitted it.

Running a government is complicated. Even the most pragmatic leaders, who consult widely and consider multiple angles before making decisions, dont always get it right. Its impossible to satisfy everyone in a world of competing interests.

Leaders who do consult and collaborate are usually the ones who succeed.

Pallister had some success in his first term in office, mostly because he was focused on balancing the books and slowing down the accumulation of government debt. It was a straightforward and necessary task and he excelled at it.

But when it came to more complicated policy issues, such as reorganizing health care and the public-school system  all of which require meaningful consultation  he faltered.

Pallister was not the steady hand at the wheel Manitobans needed during a crisis. He was unstable. His combative and abrasive style and his propensity to lash out when things didnt go his way undermined governments ability to respond effectively to the pandemic.

The ultimate test for Pallisters leadership came when the pandemic hit in early 2020. Pallister was not the steady hand at the wheel Manitobans needed during a crisis. He was unstable. His combative and abrasive style and his propensity to lash out when things didnt go his way undermined governments ability to respond effectively to the pandemic. He was loath to reach out for help when the province needed it. When asked last year about the prospect of military assistance to help manage the second wave, Pallister said asking for help would be an insult to provincial government staff.

Pallisters insinuation that First Nations were not real Manitobans when he attacked Ottawas vaccine-distribution plan last year, and his accusation a few months later that people in hospital with COVID-19 were there because they refused to get vaccinated (even though many were not yet eligible), caused division when unity was needed. His failure to adequately compensate businesses forced to shut their doors in favour of handing out cheques to seniors for purely political reasons was unforgivable.

There is a moral to this story. Successful leaders listen, consult and collaborate.

Government did some things right during the pandemic, including eventually rolling out a successful COVID-19 vaccine plan after a painfully slow start. The proof-of-vaccine cards were brilliant. But there were far more gaffes than success stories. Chief among them was collapsing the provinces incident command centre prematurely in the summer of 2020 in favour of reopening the economy, failing to adequately protect nursing homes last fall and ignoring expert advice on when to adopt stricter public-health measures (especially prior to the third wave).

The result: Manitoba has the second highest number of COVID-19 deaths per capita in Canada and was the only jurisdiction in the country to airlift critical-care patients to other provinces.

There is a moral to this story. Successful leaders listen, consult and collaborate. They admit when theyre wrong and change course when required. When they dont, when they think theyre always the smartest person in the room, the results are usually disastrous.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
Winnipeg emergency room wait times in July were the longest in years.

Winnipeg emergency room wait times in July were the longest in years.

The median wait time (half of patients waited longer, half were treated more quickly) at all city hospitals was 2.53 hours, according to the most recent data published by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. It is the largest number going back at least seven years.

In total, 90 per cent of people waited less than seven hours but 10 per cent waited longer for hospital care, the report says.

The data for August  a month in which patients, nurses and an ER doctor spoke out to the Free Press about some of the worst wait times they'd ever experienced  is expected to be released in late September.

The figures include the emergency departments at Health Sciences Centre (children's and adult), St. Boniface Hospital and Grace Hospital, as well as urgent care at Seven Oaks, Concordia and Victoria. The longest waits were recorded at St. Boniface, Grace and HSC adult ERs.

The wait-time data prompted the Opposition NDP to call on the newly appointed health minister, Audrey Gordon, to introduce a clear plan to improve recruitment and retention of health-care staff.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Health and Seniors Care Minister Audrey Gordon.

On Tuesday, NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara said the party wants to hear Gordon has met with front-line health-care workers and is implementing its calls to action.

Health-care workers have been sounding the alarm for months, but their warnings have gone unheeded by the two previous health ministers who held the position during the COVID-19 pandemic, Asagwara said.

The Progressive Conservative government has "been so focused on their own internal dysfunction, they've wholly neglected the health-care system and as a result, Manitobans can't access emergency health care in a timely manner," the Union Station MLA said.

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In a statement, the health minister's office said longer wait times are happening in part because patient volumes are increasing, after dropping to historic lows during the pandemic.

"Shared Health advises that Winnipeg (emergency departments) have experienced a number of challenges in recent weeks, including ongoing staff vacancies, pandemic-related staff redeployments, difficulty in accessing in-patient beds due to long stay patients, and a higher than average number of patients from rural and northern (health authorities)."

Dealing with the longer ER wait times is a "high priority for the new health minister," Gordon's office stated.

"Efforts continue to recruit, train, and retain nurses across the health-care system. In addition, the WRHA and Shared Health are now participating in an incident command structure for regional emergency/urgent care programs, with a focus on stabilizing staffing, creating capacity, and improving patient flow."

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
Tormented and harassed for years after he resisted Agnieszka Ciochon-Newtons romantic overtures, a Winnipeg man said he lived in constant fear her lies to police would put him in jail.

Tormented and harassed for years after he resisted Agnieszka Ciochon-Newtons romantic overtures, a Winnipeg man said he lived in constant fear her lies to police would put him in jail.

"As a result of these allegations and on numerous occasions, police attended to my home or place of work to arrest me," the city firefighter told a sentencing hearing Tuesday. "Every day I mentally prepared myself for the reality that I may go to jail if I were unable to prove the allegations were false."

Ciochon-Newton, a former Winnipeg nurse, has pleaded guilty to charges of criminal harassment, public mischief, obstruction of justice and other offences involving four victims.

"The accused is a person who does her level best to ruin peoples lives," said Crown attorney Sheila Doe, who recommended provincial court Judge Keith Eyrikson sentence Ciochon-Newton to eight years in prison.

Ciochon-Newton, 53, her greying hair pulled back in a ponytail, paced anxiously back and forth in the prisoners box during Does morning-long sentencing submission.

"She is a versatile criminal who has shown zero remorse and no indication that she is slowing down at her age," Doe said.

Ciochon-Newtons first victim, a former manager at St. Boniface Hospital, endured years of harassment and stalking both at work and at home, leading to her early retirement.

"The depths to which (she) pursued me I thought only existed in bad movies," the woman told court in a victim impact statement. "The pain (she) has inflicted on my family can never be (repaired). I just want this to stop once and for all."

Ciochon-Newton was a registered nurse at the hospital in 2013 when supervisors, concerned about her performance, placed her in a practice management program, with a manager overseeing her work.

Unhappy with the managers instructions, Ciochon-Newton began bombarding senior hospital administrators, the Manitoba Nurses Union and College of Registered Nurses with letters and emails full of "derogatory remarks and untrue allegations," Doe said at a court hearing earlier this year.

Ciochon-Newton was placed on administrative leave and ultimately fired.

In September 2013, Ciochon-Newton contacted the Canadian Border Services Agency and claimed the victim was going to be "the next Connecticut shooter," prompting a call to the FBI, which opened an investigation into the victims activities.

In December 2016, Ciochon-Newton called the woman at work, and claimed she was sleeping with her husband. Over the next several months, Ciochon-Newton left the woman numerous voicemail messages containing "female shrieks, panting and sexualized moaning," Doe said.

Ciochon-Newton called city police in March 2017, claiming a man armed with a knife had been driving by her house and following her, and gave police the licence plate number of the victims husbands car. Weeks later, she called police to say the victim was sitting in her car outside her apartment, armed with a gun. Ciochon-Newton made similar allegations in the months that followed.

"It is painful to think a person could be so cruel to direct such hate," the womans husband said in his own victim impact statement. "We have been catastrophically hurt and harmed by this womans harassment."

By late 2017, Ciochon-Newton shifted her attention to another victim, a firefighter she met at a yard sale. The two exchanged phone numbers after Ciochon-Newton asked the man if he would be interested in doing some renovation work at her Osborne Village-area condo.

The man later met Ciochon-Newton for coffee at her home, but backed out of doing any work for her after comments that made him uncomfortable.

As the man tried to distance himself from her, Ciochon-Newton continued to leave messages and letters for him, as well as "gift" packages outside his house.

The two hadnt seen each other for about a year when, in October 2019, Ciochon-Newton left the man a voicemail claiming she had cancer and was going blind. After he responded with a sympathetic text she showed up days later at his house and saw him sitting at his dining room table with his girlfriend. Ciochon-Newton left and a barrage of angry text messages followed, calling the man "a cheater" and "worthless."

A week later, the man arrived home to find a stranger peering through his deck window. Asked what he was doing, the stranger said he was there to meet a woman he had talked to online "for an intimate encounter."

Later that night, the victim received a text from a second man through dating website Ashley Madison, seeking directions to get into his house.

The mans adult daughter was living with him at the time. "The thought of what could have potentially happened to my 29-year-old after being confronted by a stranger in her own home who, under the direction of this woman, would have let himself in with the expectation of getting sexual pleasure sickens me," the man told court Tuesday.

Ciochon-Newton continued to harass the man, filing bogus complaints with his union and city police, and posting derogatory messages and doctored photographs on Facebook.

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When the man secured a protection order against her, Ciochon-Newton countered with one of her own, claimed he was following her and filed a police complaint alleging he had sexually assaulted her.

Ciochon-Newton pleaded guilty to additional counts of fraud, forgery and theft, involving a now-89-year-old acquaintance from whom she stole and forged cheques for several thousand dollars last September. She also pleaded guilty to public mischief after falsely accusing a Club Regent casino security guard of sexually assaulting her in a washroom.

Defence submissions were adjourned to the fall after Eyrikson was told Legal Aid had not approved funding to secure a psychiatric report for Ciochon-Newton.

"I have some serious concerns about the mental health of your client," Eyrikson told defence lawyer Barry Walker. "I am befuddled by Legal Aids decision not to assist you.

"It is only appropriate that you would seek a report in this case. If they deny you funding I may ask that they come here and explain why."

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
On June 29, 21 members of U.S. Congress from the Pacific Northwest sent a letter to the president of the United States expressing their concerns about Columbia River Treaty negotiations. The treaty, ratified in 1964, does not expire, but the flood control provisions  whereby three reservoirs in British Columbia and one straddling the international boundary store water for flood mitigation and hydroelectric benefits in the U.S.  will expire in 2024 unless they are renewed.

Opinion

On June 29, 21 members of U.S. Congress from the Pacific Northwest sent a letter to the president of the United States expressing their concerns about Columbia River Treaty negotiations. The treaty, ratified in 1964, does not expire, but the flood control provisions  whereby three reservoirs in British Columbia and one straddling the international boundary store water for flood mitigation and hydroelectric benefits in the U.S.  will expire in 2024 unless they are renewed.

The 21 congresspersons stress "the urgency of prompt negotiation of a modernized treaty"; their concept of modernization includes renewing the flood control provisions  the Washington state economy relies on predictable flood control provided by the B.C. reservoirs  but paying less for the service and for the hydroelectric benefits.

The members of Congress urge the Biden administration to bring the full weight of the federal government to bear on the negotiations to achieve this "modernization."

B.C. leads the drafting of Canadas negotiating position, although the ultimate responsibility lies with Ottawa. It should come as no surprise to anyone who has been following international water issues in the Red River Valley that the full power of Washington is about to insert itself into the Columbia Treaty negotiations.

Meanwhile in North Dakota, construction of the Garrison Diversion, now masquerading as the Red River Valley Water Supply project (RRVWS), is underway. This latest incarnation of Garrison, a project soundly rejected by both the U.S. and Canada in the late 1970s, proposes to divert 165 cubic feet per second of flow from the Missouri River to the Red River to "augment water supplies during extended droughts."

While drought alleviation is an excellent idea, it seems unlikely that a US$1.2 billion project will sit idle in the years, maybe decades, between droughts.

Of course, any project that changes the flow regime of the Red River falls under the purview of the Boundary Waters Treaty (BWT). Water-control projects in one country that affect flow regimes in the other are generally licensed and controlled under the treaty. Such license has neither been issued for the RRVWS project nor requested by our federal government.

In fact, as the project barrels ahead there is dead silence from Ottawa; from Winnipeg, too, for that matter. So while we are about to be steamrolled on the Columbia, we are apparently just staying out of the way on the Red.

This double-barreled foolishness will have consequences. The BWT is under pressure from interests in the U.S. state department. This bureaucratic engine of American foreign policy sees the treaty, under which Canada comes to the table as an equal to its powerful neighbour, as an outlier, an impediment to power diplomacy.

Bilateral "negotiation" is preferred, a process outside the BWT forced on Canada for the Devils Lake outlet project. The result was a press release styled as an "agreement," the terms of which, weak to begin with, were simply ignored. If one thinks we will get preferential treatment from Washington, just remember President Joe Bidens initial unilateral pronouncements to our PM: your pipeline is toast, and from now on, we will be shopping at home.

It is possible that for any new initiatives the BWT will simply fall into disuse. That need not be the case. Our federal government could stand on its hind legs and engage in real diplomacy. That means identifying and exercising what leverage we have  and we do have some  to demonstrate the past and future value of the treaty to both countries.

The Columbia River rises in Canada. We can choose to let flood protection for the U.S. lapse in 2024 and manage the upper Columbia purely in our own interests, much as the U.S. is managing the RRVWS project. Thats the stick. The carrot is for Canada to be more receptive to U.S. requests for International Joint Commission (IJC) references for projects in Canada that have been routinely rebuffed in the past because of provincial objections.

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Concerning the RRVWS project, Canada, while not pursuing project cancellation, must insist that the BWT mandates co-management of the project to both minimize downstream harm and maximize mutual benefits.

Water rationing that is now in place in New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California, and our recent experience on the Prairies of crop-devastating drought followed by not-in-time torrential rains, offers a preview of just how critical water will be as the extremes of climate change become more intense.

Project proposals such as the RRVWS will be more common on both sides of the border as we seek to adapt to these extremes. An unregulated free-for-all will be in no ones interest.

We will hear nothing about this during the current federal election. No party has grasped how important water management is to climate-change adaptation, or how aggressive our neighbours will be in moving water around in boundary watersheds. Perhaps eyes might even be cast on Canadian water sources.

Without a strong, mutually supported BWT, Canada may not fare well in future boundary-waters "negotiations."

Norman Brandson was deputy minister of the former Manitoba departments of environment, water stewardship and conservation from 1990 to 2006.
Transitional justice, centred on accountability and redress for victims, refers to the ways countries emerging from periods of conflict and repression address large-scale or systematic human rights violations.

Opinion

"Transitional justice," centred on accountability and redress for victims, refers to the ways countries emerging from periods of conflict and repression address large-scale or systematic human rights violations.

But applying transitional justice and its mechanisms, such as truth and reconciliation commissions, to the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the Canadian state is contested terrain.

Scholars debate whether the term transitional justice makes sense in settler colonial contexts such as Canada where there is no political transition to speak of, no massive regime change, no cessation of violent conflict and no progression from authoritarianism to democracy.

But this debate isnt just academic  how we understand the term transitional justice and whether it applies to the Canadian situation could form the basis of policy decisions. And as we head toward an election on Sept. 20, justice for Indigenous peoples should be a key campaign issue, given the discoveries of hundreds of mass graves at the sites of former Indian residential schools.

The goals of transitional justice

The aim of transitional justice is to usher in a peaceful society after mass atrocity, periods of systemic human rights violations and violent authoritarian regimes.

Transitional justice is not a form of justice itself, but a way of understanding justice and its aims. The term first appeared in the 1990s as a way to describe the different approaches taken by nations as new regimes came to power and had to grapple with the massive violations of their predecessors.

The term and concept have grown into their own field of study and practice to promote peace, generally focusing on a number of now-established approaches, including criminal trials, truth and reconciliation commissions, political reform and reparations.

Why is this debate important? Why should we care whether transitional justice applies to Canada? Its important because transitional justice is not just a catalogue of mechanisms to address systemic human rights violations. Its also the recognition that a nation is either undergoing monumental change or that it needs to  and that considerations of justice are necessary to support this transition.

Those who believe the Canadian context does not demand transitional justice or who believe the word "transition" doesnt apply in Canada are not fully understanding the term "transition" or the fact that its urgently needed here.

They see a transition as requiring political change of the type seen in a country emerging from violent conflict to peace or from authoritarian rule to democracy. Such transitions usually require the deposing of political leaders.

Some critics of transitional justice see the need for justice to address past harms or to rectify current injustices, but disagree that theres a need for political transition. But theyre overlooking the massive societal and political transition that is required to restore or develop trust and confidence among Canadians and Indigenous peoples.

The goals of transitional justice

Instead, its better to take a big-picture approach and look at all of transitional justices options by focusing on its goals.

The goal in Canada should be, at a minimum, transforming a society in which mass human rights violations and settler colonial violences were and are commonplace, accepted and endured  the clean drinking water denied to many Indigenous populations, the over-representation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system, the forced sterilization of Indigenous women and stolen Indigenous land, to name just a few  into one where such violations are simply not tolerated.

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Transitional justice in Canada is far bigger than merely addressing past wrongdoings or filling more public roles with Indigenous people (though these are valuable endeavours). The concept of transition should include societal and political change that focuses on establishing real relationships of value, trust and equity and recognizes many sovereignties. Whats needed in Canada is a fundamental shift in perspective.

We also need to consider what peaceful co-existence looks like, and then consider what mechanisms and political actions would help pave a path to that new reality. All transitional justice options should be on the table, including those tried and commonly accepted approaches such as reparations and criminal trials, but also more creative options that are specific to Canada.

From the perspective of Indigenous peoples, such place-based options must draw on the continuity of their rich history, values and practices of self-governance on their lands, rooted in ancestral ways of life.

This election campaign provides a real opportunity to discuss creative, place-based solutions. But recognizing and choosing to apply these solutions after election day requires our political leaders to accept that a major Canadian transition needs to happen. Embracing transitional justice will prevent Canada from simply accepting and prolonging the status quo.

Kirsten J. Fisher and Kathy Walker are assistant professors in the department of political studies at the University of Saskatchewan.

This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca.
Manitoba can provide a safe place to settle Afghan refugees. This province has helped before in similar crises and has the experience to know how to best help international refugees.

Manitoba can provide a safe place to settle Afghan refugees. This province has helped before in similar crises and has the experience to know how to best help international refugees.

The successful resettlement of about 1,200 Syrian refugees to Manitoba in 2015 and 2016 stands as an example of how Manitoba can help Afghans who are unable to return to their home country now that the Taliban resumed control.

The Syrian resettlement was successful largely because ordinary Manitobans stepped up, often organizing in community or church groups to privately sponsor refugees, or volunteering to enter personal relationships with arriving Syrians to acquaint them with essential aspects of Manitoba (gifts of tuques and long underwear were particularly appreciated when the newcomers faced their first blast of winter).

Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Garneau (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press files)

While individual Manitobans were commendably willing to extend down-home hospitality to Syrians, their efforts were only successful because of multi-sector support. Government funding boosted settlement organizations such as Welcome Place, and private-sector partners helped provide jobs.

Thats what Manitoba has learned about settling an influx of refugees. It took a united effort of volunteers, governments and employers working together to properly welcome the Syrians. Now, its Afghans who need the sanctuary Manitoba can provide.

Canada has pledged to resettle a total of 21,000 Afghan refugees, some who have already fled the country and are in refugee camps in Pakistan and other countries. Canadas commitment will also include 5,000 Afghans who have already been airlifted to U.S. military bases in the Middle East and Europe, according to news reports on Tuesday.

Canada is being roundly criticized for responding slowly to the Taliban resurgence and for assigning scant staff to process the thousands of applications for help from Afghans with links to Canada. Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau noted the thousands of people left behind include Canadian expats and many Afghan support staff who worked with Canadas military and diplomats.

While individual Manitobans were commendably willing to extend downhome hospitality to Syrians, their efforts were only successful because of multisector support.

Regrettably, the issue doesnt seem to be a major concern of the federal government, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau having called an unnecessary election that sent politicians to the hustings to shake hands and pose for photo-ops instead of dealing with important issues such as the slipshod withdrawal of Canada from Afghanistan.

As much as the Liberals might wish to dodge the topic, its the voters who can ensure Canadas abandonment of Afghans gets its due as an important election issue. Campaigning politicians typically say they want to listen to the people, which makes the weeks leading up to the Sept. 20 election a window for voters to make politicians commit to specific ways to help Afghan refugees.

The strategies should include adjusting the caps on government-assisted and private sponsorship, partnering with Canadian Afghan organizations that already exist, and boosting immigration staff to minimize red tape and speed approval.

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Once the government process is expedited, Manitobans can take it from there. Previous experience has shown resettling refugees means providing a strong network of support as the newcomers are immersed into a new culture, a new language and schools and workplaces that seem foreign at first. They need housing. They require donations of money, furniture and time from volunteers willing to extend hands of friendship.

The motivation for Manitobans is clear: these Afghans are trying to escape the grip of the Taliban, which aims to impose its interpretation of Islamic law that includes extreme repression of women, girls and people who identify as LGBTTQ+. Such people are desperate for a safe home, and Manitobans have the experience and the compassion to welcome them.
Some Manitoba business owners are taking pandemic policing into their own hands, while others may defy mandates.

Some Manitoba business owners are taking pandemic policing into their own hands, while others may defy mandates.

Under new provincial health orders that go into effect Friday, only people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or with legitimate exemptions will be allowed to visit restaurants, gyms, theatres, casinos and sporting events, among other events and activities, which will otherwise be allowed to operate without capacity limits. Business owners and event organizers will be mandated to check health status at the door.

In Winnipeg, MORFit Training Centre owner Stuart Klassen said the vaccine requirement means either not opening or defying the law. It's unclear what exactly he plans to do after midnight Friday.

In a letter posted to the gym's website, Klassen said after the Aug. 27 announcement about the vaccine requirement, he was left to decide whether to stay open to everyone or close for everyone.

"Refusing access to a group of people because of medical status or any other status is not our right or purpose," the letter reads.

Klassen declined a Free Press request for comment.

"MORFIT will not be asking for or verifying COVID-19 vaccination status, nor will we be requesting proof of negative medical testing of any kind prior to entering our facilities," the letter reads further, adding any member who disagrees with his decision can request a refund on their remaining membership.

"We are not a medical facility and do not have medical doctors present. It would be illegal under the (federal) Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act... as well as the (provincial) Personal Health Information Protection Act... for our staff to request this information from members."

Neither of those laws are applicable to vaccine requirements.

MOREFIT owner Stuart Klassen incorrectly claimed it would be illegal under the (federal) Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and the (provincial) Personal Health Information Protection Act to request this COVID-19 vaccination or test status from the gym's members. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press files)

The provincial act doesnt impose obligations or prohibitions on private businesses such as restaurants or movie theatres, a provincial spokeswoman noted. But those businesses do fall under that federal private-sector privacy legislation, where businesses are legally authorized to collect health information about a person who agrees to provide it.

In order to follow the public-health orders under the provincial Public Health Act, those private businesses must request that vaccine status.

In the southern Manitoba town of Winkler, Frank + Olive beauty salon is also taking matters into its own hands. The esthetician service will temporarily bar anyone who attended two recent, large protests over vaccine and mask mandates in the area for two weeks.

"I have not told anybody theyre not welcome, I have not told anybody what decisions they need to make but to be frank, Im not willing to have somebody come in for a quick eyebrow service and then have my entire place shut down," owner Megan Franklin said.

"I think this is the way we need to continue to go  this pandemic is not over, unfortunately."

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Her salon and others like it won't be mandated to request vaccination status under the new provincial order.

In Winkler, just 39 per cent of the eligible population has been vaccinated; in the surrounding RM of Stanley, it's only 22.5 per cent.

Franklin said she believes because of those low vaccination rates, some area businesses will defy the new orders  not because the owners are anti-vaccine zealots, but to keep customers coming through the door.

"With our low vaccine uptake, (the requirement) will put stress on businesses that rely on those individuals to support them and bring in a paycheque," the 26-year-old salon owner said.

Meanwhile, a Manitoba Justice spokeswoman said provincial enforcement officials are monitoring the "evolving situation" around vaccine requirements and are giving businesses information about how to follow the orders. Since July 26, officials have issued 27 tickets for breaking orders. Public calls for enforcement dropped from 3,768 between July 19 and July 25 to 1,981 between Aug. 9 and Aug. 22.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
OTTAWA - Justin Trudeau came under fresh pressure on Wednesday over his handling of harassment complaints against a Liberal candidate.

Liberal MP Sonia Sidhu, left, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources Paul Lefebvre, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna, and Liberal MPs Mona Fortier and Raj Saini, hold saplings after a funding announcement to support Forests Ontario in planting 50 million trees by 2025, on World Environment Day at the Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa on Wednesday, June 5, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA - Justin Trudeau came under fresh pressure on Wednesday over his handling of harassment complaints against a Liberal candidate.

The Conservative and NDP leaders both accused Trudeau of failing to take complaints against Liberal candidate Raj Saini, who is seeking re-election for the third time, seriously enough.

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole accused Trudeau of "a culture of coverup" and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the Liberal leader was "not listening to women."

CBC News published a report Tuesday, quoting anonymous sources, that alleged Saini had made inappropriate comments or unwanted sexual advances to female members of his staff.

The CBC also reported that concerns about alleged inappropriate behaviour were first shared with the Prime Minister's Office in December 2015.

Saini firmly denies the allegations and The Canadian Press has not independently verified them.

A Liberal party spokesman said: "With respect to 2015, we have no records or knowledge of this matter."

At his morning news conference, Trudeau faced questions for a second day running about his decision to allow Saini to stand again as the Liberal candidate for Kitchener Centre, a seat in southwestern Ontario the former pharmacist has held since 2015.

Trudeau had said on Tuesday that Saini had briefed his office on "processes" undertaken to investigate the allegations against him. He added that the matter had been "taken seriously."

"Ive said many times and will continue to insist that everyone deserves to have a safe workplace, in the public service, in political campaigns and right across the country in whatever jobs they have," the Liberal leader said.

"I know Mr. Saini has shared the details of all the processes that have been undertaken in his office because it is really important that we respond to any concerns and issues brought up and that is what we do."

Asked again on Wednesday about whether the allegations had been investigated fully enough, Trudeau added that there had been "multiple processes" looking into the claims.

In a statement sent to The Canadian Press, Saini insisted he had "never acted inappropriately towards staff or constituents" while an MP.

He said he could not go into details of the allegations because of privacy concerns.

"I take the health and safety of all my staff extremely seriously," he said.

"As you know, confidentiality in any process like this is paramount. I have never acted inappropriately towards staff or constituents. I have only ever been made aware of one allegation regarding my office. The individual chose not to pursue a formal or informal complaint process. Upon learning of this, I insisted an independent third-party review of my office take place through the House of Commons. The outcome of that review, which was completed in June 2020, found that nothing arose regarding concerns of harassment in the office."

Saini also provided a statement attributed to unnamed "current female and male staff" in his office, which described him as "supportive, understanding and fair."

Speaking Wednesday in Ottawa, O'Toole said he wanted "a serious response" from Trudeau on the allegations.

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"These are very serious allegations, and troubling allegations," the Conservative leader said.

"This is a pattern with Mr. Trudeau and his office  no accountability and a culture of coverup. We saw this in the Canadian Armed Forces with multiple allegations that went to the Prime Minister's Office, his chief of staff, the clerk of the Privy Council, the minister of national defence. Everyone knew except Mr. Trudeau, apparently. Now we see the same culture of coverup was taking place with their own paid staff members."

In Montreal, Singh accused Trudeau of "not listening to women" and "a pattern of behaviour."

"The big concern here is that these concerns were raised in this example, raised some time ago and then nothing was done to follow up," he said.

"At a minimum as soon as a serious concern is raised it has to be taken seriously and it has to be investigated and followed up. Ignoring it is really whats at the heart of the problem here, that theres nothing done. Concern was raised, no action was taken and thats wrong."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 1, 2021.
An Army National Guard member from La Crosse pleaded guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge related to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

According to court documents, Abram Markofski, 24, who was charged along with Brandon Nelson, of Madison, pleaded guilty to one of four counts federal prosecutors charged him with in May. The charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

Sentencing before U.S. District Judge John Bates, of the Washington, D.C., federal circuit, was set for Dec. 3.

According to a plea agreement signed last week, Markofski has agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation into events on Jan. 6, when a mob stormed the Capitol as Congress met to certify the results of the November presidential election in which Joe Biden defeated then-President Donald Trump.

Markofski has agreed to be interviewed by law enforcement and to allow agents to review any of his social media accounts.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Officials leading the fight against wildfires in northeastern Minnesota warned Monday about a new threat: bears attracted by generous donations of food and other supplies.

Donations have far out-stripped our need and our ability to store what we have received, Superior National Forest officials posted in a social media update. We have no remaining storage space and donations now must be stored in the open on pallets, making them an attractant to bears. We have had two instances of bear damage already.

Black bears are common in northern Minnesota and rarely attack people, but conflicts can arise when they're attracted by food. The officials said they appreciate the donations, but they just can't accept any more.

We understand the genuine concern, and undeniable generosity of community members, but we need to be able to return the focus of our logistics staff to supporting the Greenwood Fire and our firefighters, they posted. They suggested donations to local food banks and fire departments instead, or thank a firefighter. We love signs along the road and cards.
Winona, MN (55987)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 50F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 50F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Our staff is going to be trained on how to handle situations when they pop up in real time, Sween said, and so a lot of the focus, especially at the elementary school, with responsive classrooms is that you start off with your morning meetings and you build relationships and community within the classroom, within the building and ultimately, within the district, so that people can recognize when things are starting to go off the rails a little bit and teachers need to put the methods they learned into practice.

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One thing we do know is that when our students mind isnt right, theyre not going to be able to learn the material that we need them to learn, he said.
JUNEAU  A 33-year-old Fond du Lac man, accused of taking a hostage while in Dodge County Jail, had a four-day jury trial scheduled.

Travis Bruemmer faces additional felony charges of second degree recklessly endangering safety, strangulation and suffocation, battery by prisoner and substantial battery. He could be sentenced to 82 years in prison if convicted of all the charges

Bruemmers trial is scheduled to run Dec. 6 to 9.

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According to the criminal complaint, Bruemmer, who was being housed in the Dodge County Jail after being charged with felonies including robbery, was in contact with a health professional at Dodge County Jail May 19 when he attacked her. The health professional said Bruemmer had told her a day earlier that he did not feel he could make it through a 14-day quarantine in his cell alone. He also made multiple requests to be seen for medical conditions.
Schmoll admits that he's given some thought to barricading the Crisman property.

"Supposedly, I could shut that road down now," said Schmoll, who raises beef cattle. "I have no intention of doing that. Their little girls have to get to the school bus. But if I could close that down for Andy and Renee, I would."

For Renee Crisman, the battle has become a matter of principle.

"They don't want us to have access to our own home," she said. "We thought, 'Are we going to fight this, or are we going to sit back and let them do this?' "

Hornet Street was laid out as a township road in 1904, a half-mile, dead-end leg that runs off County Rd. 3, not far from Knife Lake. In recent decades, few people have lived on it. Mostly, it's been inhabited by the Schmoll family, but the Crismans' property at the end of the road has had several different occupants over the years.

Andy and Renee Crisman bought the property in 2013 and moved there from Shoreview in 2017, living at first in a small log cabin before building a new home.
We are intent on making sustained progress on all PFAS challenges," Kidd said, adding that cleanup costs were estimated at $2 billion.

A review of department records showed PFAS has been detected at levels up to 213,000 parts per trillion at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan, which closed in 1993, the Environmental Working Group said.

State officials discovered the contamination in 2010. The Air Force is treating PFAS-contaminated groundwater at some sites in the area, but local residents and members of Congress have called the actions insufficient and demanded a stronger and faster approach.

The environmental group said its study turned up high readings at five other Great Lakes bases.

Combined levels of PFOA and PFOS, two of the most commonly used chemicals in the group, reached as high as 1.3 million ppt at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station in Niagara County, New York.

Other readings included 135,000 ppt of the compound PFHxS at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee; 82,000 ppt of PFOA and PFOS at Alpena County Regional Airport in Michigan; 17,000 ppt of PFOS at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Mount Clemens, Michigan; and 5,400 ppt of PFHxS at Duluth International Airport in Minnesota.
The state is reporting an average of six COVID-19 deaths a day, up from one a month ago. While COVID-19 rates and hospitalizations are much lower among people who are fully vaccinated than those without shots, breakthrough cases among the vaccinated have been on the rise.

Last year, early September was the beginning of Wisconsins large COVID-19 surge that peaked in November, Westergaard said. With K-12 schools now opening, college campuses welcoming students back and people gathering for fall events, a similar uptick could occur again, he said.

Now is not a good time to add a lot more high-risk transmission events to the mix, he said in a call with reporters. It would be foolish to assume that were through the worst (of the delta surge).

Medium and large gatherings contribute to the spread of COVID-19, the state health department said. Masks should be worn indoors everywhere because the entire state has substantial or high COVID-19 transmission, officials said.

Incentive program
According to the complaint, Bourdeau did not say anything about this on her last day, but was observed shredding unknown papers. The witness said they told Bourdeau to stop shredding papers and she did. Police were told that Bourdeau had taken the password information to the computers and would not give it back, so the village had to bring in technical support to unlock them.

Village officials reported that $1,798 had been documented in sewer payments, but only $988 was deposited.

The complaint says that a detective spoke with Bourdeau, who allegedly admitted to taking money from the village due to personal financial hardship. Bourdeau allegedly told police she took small amounts of cash for sewer payments six or seven times and believed it was less than $1,000. She denied shredding or keeping receipt books. Bourdeau said she repaid some of the money and put it in the deposit book as if someone had paid the bill. She told police that she believed it started in the middle of 2018 and identified a specific individuals account that was affected.

An outside organization conducted an accounting investigation and found seven instances where money was taken from sewer payments, with losses $2,445.

The Daily Register reported in June 2019 that Bourdeau had been let go for an unspecified reason, closing the village hall.

Follow Chris Higgins on Twitter @chris_higgins_ or contact him at 920-356-6751 and chiggins@wiscnews.com.

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I found the political cartoon, I use that term very loosely, submitted by Dave Granlund, printed on Aug. 31, in the Portage Daily Register, offensive and inaccurate. In the picture, soldiers are carrying a flag-draped casket. I do not wish to reprint the caption, but it is obvious that Granlund was blaming the last four presidents, including President Joe Biden, for the war in Afghanistan and for the deaths of the military personnel who served there.

Although there are many circumstances for us to study, learn from, and never repeat, I do not think that President Biden should be blamed for what has happened. Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden were present to receive the remains of the 13 personnel who lost their lives last week. Believe me; I am very, very sad about the loss of those young people. I taught on military bases for 35 years, had a dear student lose her father in Afghanistan in 2006, and I have the highest respect for the difficult decision made by our present president. He has suffered great loss and he respectfully, lovingly, and carefully "received the remains."
Wisconsin Dells resident Amy Laundrie has published her second childrens book in the Follow Me series.

Laundrie recently published Follow Me Into the Night, which continues the adventures of Paris and her cousin Oliver on a hike deep into the woods. The book is for children ages 6 to 8 years old and is Laundries tenth book. The book starts where Laundries last book Follow Me Into the Woods left off with Paris following a Luna moth into the woods. Throughout the book Paris and her cousin Oliver encounter creatures and overcome challenges while on their latest adventure.

In a way its a sequel but its also a standalone book, Laundrie said of Follow Me Into the Night.

Laundrie published Follow Me Into the Woods, earlier this year. The book follows Paris and Oliver on a hike in the woods with a friendly chickadee and a message teaching children its OK to be afraid of new situations at first.

Laundrie, a retired elementary school teacher, said her inspiration for Follow Me Into the Night was based on hikes shes taken in the woods at night while coming face to face with some creatures that come out in the evening. The discovery of a Luna moth cocoon while out on a hike was also an inspiration for the story, she said.
Postponing SA's local elections: what the Constitutional Court must decide

The right to free and fair elections may be undermined if political parties cannot campaign due to COVID-19 restrictions by the state.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way elections are conducted across the world. South Africa, too, is faced with an unprecedented situation of having to decide whether to postpone its municipal elections, scheduled for 27 October.

President Cyril Ramaphosa gave almost six months notice by announcing 27 October 2021 as the date for the elections on 21 April 2021. The constitution requires that an election be held within 90 days of the end of the term of office for local government. Since the last local government elections were held on 3 August 2016, an election must be held by 1 November 2021 to comply. No provision is made for discretion to postpone the elections in the constitution or in legislation.

But, as the Electoral Commission of South Africa started preparing for elections, some political parties flagged the challenges of holding elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. The commission then constituted an inquiry, headed by former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke, to ascertain if the elections would be free and fair if held in October.

The inquiry found that there was a possibility that elections in October might not be free and fair. It suggested they be postponed to February 2022. Based on this report, the electoral commission applied to the Constitutional Court to have the elections postponed. The judgement is expected soon.

The challenges facing the electoral commission were highlighted in a submission we made to the inquiry. The task facing the court is to first determine if the elections will be free and fair if held in October. If it finds not, then it must decide whether it has the authority to postpone the elections.

The right to vote

The right to vote is a right that underpins South Africas democracy. It is also a founding provision of the constitution. The Constitutional Court has reiterated on many occasions the importance of this right. It has indicated that the right to vote is linked to the realisation and protection of other rights, including the right to dignity. Therefore, the right itself protects more than just the act of voting.

It is linked to the general right to free and fair elections. The state is obliged to fulfil the right. In terms of sections 181 and 190 of the constitution, read with the Electoral Commission Act, the electoral commission must ensure this.

The principles of freeness and fairness do not only pertain to the workings of the commission. The right to free and fair elections may, for instance, also be undermined where political parties are being treated unfairly or if they cannot campaign due to restrictions by the state.

So, what is at stake is the individuals right to vote, and the right to free and fair elections. In this context, the electoral commission, and now the Constitutional Court, must look at the risks the COVID-19 pandemic poses, and consider if elections can be free and fair.

Voting day

We made a submission to the inquiry in June 2021 on the various measures that can be taken to lessen the spread of COVID-19 during the election.

In our report, we allude to the measures other countries took to lessen the spread of COVID-19 during elections. Firstly, there were various special voting arrangements, such as early voting, postal voting, proxy voting, and home and institution-based voting.

Countries like Lithuania and the Czech Republic even had drive-by voting stations for people in quarantine. Israel established dedicated polling stations for quarantined voters.

While not all of these suggestions can be transplanted to South Africa, it does indicate that out of the box solutions are possible.

Secondly, the World Health Organisation provides guidance on how to conduct elections during the pandemic, such as physical distancing, mask-wearing and hand sanitising.

Campaign

The right to free and fair elections includes enabling parties to campaign to inform the electorate of their candidates, and to do general voter education. The Constitutional Court has drawn the link between the right to vote and the right of access to information.

Campaigning is, therefore, an integral part of the right to vote, and to free and fair elections. Campaigning activities can be challenging during COVID-19. Restrictions promulgated to deal with the pandemic might unduly limit the right to free and fair elections.

While it is imperative that political parties adapt the way they campaign, limiting campaigning to digital or telephonic options may disadvantage people who do not have easy access to these options.

Methods of campaigning in a COVID-19 compliant way include:

only permitting outdoor campaign events,

requiring screening,

ensuring that there is enough space to implement social distancing,

ensuring enforcement of non-pharmaceutical interventions (mask, sanitiser), and

recommending that vulnerable people dont attend these events.

Most of these measures are already contained in the Disaster Management Act, but enforcement may be problematic. A solution may be for the electoral commission to oversee the process, with sanctions for non-compliance.

Under COVID-19 conditions

Sixty percent of adults support the postponement of this years local government elections, according to a January 2021 survey by the University of Johannesburg and the Human Science Research Council. This correlates with international research.

It indicates that the fear of infection at the polling station is a significant concern, seemingly depending on whether the country is experiencing a surge or decline in cases.

Most countries have chosen to proceed with elections in a COVID-19 compliant way. The question is what the criteria are for free and fair elections during COVID-19, and if based on these criteria, elections would be more free and fair in February 2022.

Having higher rates of vaccinations might be a reason for postponement, but might not be realised by February 2022. Experts have suggested that in order to have herd immunity, 67% of the population needs to be vaccinated. But experts have already warned that herd immunity is unlikely to happen. Does that then mean no election will be considered free and fair?

In our report, we benchmarked the electoral commissions proposed interventions against the World Health Organisations recommendations. In general, the commission seems to have complied with those recommendations. For instance, it has considered increasing the number of polling stations, queuing outside, regulating the flow of people and the number of people in the venue as well as sanitising and social distancing. Extended hours and physical barriers could be extra measures to be implemented.

Free and fair is final question

The electoral commission did not have its usual voter registration weekends because the level of lockdown regulations in place from 28 June to 25 July and still in place since 26 July did not permit it. While registration weekends are not required by law, it can be argued that their absence prevented more people from registering, affecting whether the elections could be free and fair.

In the end, the question that must be asked is if elections can be free and fair if held in October. If the answer is yes, then that is the end of the question. If the answer is no, then the question is whether the elections should take place despite the COVID-19 risk, or should be postponed. This is the difficult question that the Constitutional Court is being asked to rule on.

Elmien du Plessis, Associate Professor of Law, North-West University; Petronell Kruger, Senior Researcher, Public health law, University of the Witwatersrand, and Safura Abdool Karim, Senior researcher, University of the Witwatersrand. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
NEW YORK (AP) - Authorities say a New Jersey woman with the Instagram handle AntiVaxMomma sold several hundred fake COVID-19 vaccination cards at $200 a pop to New York City-area jab dodgers, including people working in hospitals and nursing homes.

Prosecutors say Jasmine Clifford, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, sold about 250 fake vaccine cards in recent months. Officials say her co-conspirator, Nadayza Barkley, of Long Island, entered at least 10 names into the states vaccine database for an extra $250 fee per customer.

Online court records did not list lawyers for Clifford or Barkley who could comment.

Thirteen alleged card purchasers have also been charged.
UTICA, N.Y.  A Utica couple is paying tribute to the U.S. military members lost in Afghanistan last week by placing flags on their front lawn in memory of the 13 fallen troops.

Twelve marines, one Army soldier and one Navy medic were killed on Aug. 26 when two suicide bombers attacked the Kabul airport.

Jim and Judy Green placed the flags representing each soldier along the sidewalk in front of their house. Both of the couples sons served in the Navy and one still does.

"it's the least we could do, said Jim of their memorial display.

We love our country; we love our military. We're very proud of them, said Judy. Its just a devastating thing that happened; so sad.

Nearly 100 Afghans were also killed in the explosions, and more than 100 people were wounded.
Google and Apple will have to allow app developers to use alternative payment systems under legislation just passed by South Korea that could set the stage for similar action in other countries.

The amended Telecommunications Business Act was approved by the country's National Assembly on Tuesday, with the backing of President Moon Jae-in's party. It will become law once President Moon signs it.

Under the new law, developers will be able to select which payment systems to use to process in-app purchases, meaning they may be able to bypass hefty charges imposed by the two longtime leaders.

Apple's commissions, for example, go as high as 30% on some purchases made through the company's platform  and developers say they have little choice but to comply, since Apple does not allow customers to download apps from any source other than the company's official store.

The South Korean bill bans app store operators from "unfairly using their market position to force a certain manner of payment" upon businesses. Once enacted, violators could be fined up to 3% of their annual sales, in addition to up to 300 million Korean won ($257,000) in penalties.

The legislation has been dubbed the "anti-Google law" in the country, as politicians argue that the Silicon Valley behemoth has taken advantage of its longstanding dominance and undercut developers.

In July, South Korean lawmaker Jun Hye-sook urged parliament to move the bill along quickly, calling it "a law to prevent Google from lording [its position] over others," and a move that would "protect IT developers from the platforms lording over them."

Both companies have hit back, arguing that the law could hurt app developers and consumers in the long run.

In a statement Tuesday, a Google spokesperson said that the company would "reflect on how to comply with this law while maintaining a model that supports a high-quality operating system and app store."

"Google Play provides far more than payment processing, and our service fee helps keep Android free, giving developers the tools and global platform to access billions of consumers around the world. It's a model that keeps device costs low for consumers and enables both platforms and developers to succeed financially," the representative added.

"And just as it costs developers money to build an app, it costs us money to build and maintain an operating system and app store."

According to Apple, there are more than 482,000 registered app developers in South Korea, and they have earned more than 8.55 trillion Korean won ($7.3 billion) to date with the iPhone maker.

"We believe user trust in App Store purchases will decrease as a result of this proposal  leading to fewer opportunities for [them]," it said in a statement Monday, before the bill was passed. The company on Wednesday referred CNN Business to that statement.

According to the most recent government study available, Google and Apple made about $5.2 billion and almost $2 billion, respectively, in each of their app stores in South Korea in 2019.

South Korean Communications Commission Chairman Han Sang-hyuk, however, contends that new rules are needed as the platforms continue to exercise their "influence."

"Those app market operators are gaining controlling power in the market. It is becoming necessary to regulate them," he told lawmakers last week.

South Korea isn't the only country in the region scrutinizing the two companies. On Monday, Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg called for new regulations on digital payments.

"Digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay are used to make contactless payments just like debit cards issued by a bank, but the parties are subject to different regulatory settings," he wrote in an op-ed in The Australian Financial Review.

"If we do nothing to reform the framework, it will be Silicon Valley that determines the future of a critical piece of our economic infrastructure."

Mounting pressure

Last week, Apple announced concessions to developers in the United States, saying it would relax some restrictions on how iPhone app makers could communicate with customers outside its App Store.

On Thursday, the company said that "developers can use communications, such as email, to share information about payment methods outside of their iOS app," as long as users consent to receiving those emails and have the right to opt out.

The move gives developers more leeway to collect payments from their customers without having to pay Apple's commission on in-app purchases. It came as part of a proposed settlement in a class action lawsuit brought in 2019.

Apple and Google's app store fees have increasingly come under scrutiny as lawmakers and regulators have zeroed in on their dominance over the iOS and Android operating systems.

Earlier this month, a bipartisan US Senate bill also took aim at both players by seeking to ban restrictions on app developers.

Currently, the iPhone maker's commissions are at the center of several legal disputes, including a separate lawsuit by one of Apple's biggest developers  Epic Games.

Apple has taken steps to reach out to developers, announcing last November that it would slash the fees it charged them from 30% to 15% if the developer made less than $1 million in the prior year.

 Gawon Bae, Yoonjung Seo, Rishi Iyengar, Brian Fung and Lauren Lau contributed to this report.

The-CNN-Wire

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A Texas high school valedictorian, who went viral after she changed her speech to speak out against the state's newly passed abortion law, reacted to the news that the abortion ban will not be stopped by the courts.

"It's very sad to see, and it is so heart-wrenching that so many people in Texas have had a fundamental human right taken away from them today," Paxton Smith, who is a freshman at the University of Texas, told CNN's Brianna Keilar.

"I'm very upset that this law has been able to go into effect, and I know a lot of people share that sentiment and the idea that if we do face ourselves with an unplanned pregnancy then that life-changing decision ... is no longer up to us."

Smith said that looking back, she is glad that she changed her speech and her comments still stand.

"I think a lot of times some of the most important voices in the issue are not listened to," Smith said. "It deeply affects every person differently and very personally ... and I think that's something that needed to be talked about."

Texas abortion ban law goes into effect

The Texas law bars abortions at six weeks and went into effect early Wednesday morning after the Supreme Court and a federal appeals court failed to rule on pending emergency requests brought by abortion providers.

Under the law, abortion is prohibited when a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is often before a woman knows she is pregnant. There is no exception for rape or incest, although there is an exemption for "medical emergencies."

The law also allows private citizens to bring civil suits against anyone who assists a pregnant woman seeking an abortion in violation of the ban.

"The Texas law will significantly impair women's access to the health care they need, particularly for communities of color and individuals with low incomes," President Biden said in a statement Wednesday.

"My administration is deeply committed to the constitutional right established in Roe v. Wade nearly five decades ago and will protect and defend that right," he added.

South Carolina, Oklahoma and Idaho have also passed bans on abortion at the onset of a fetal heartbeat this year, and Arkansas and Oklahoma have enacted near-total abortion bans. Montana banned the procedure at 20 weeks. None of the bills have gone into effect, either because of court actions or later effective dates.

The Supreme Court is set to take up a key abortion case next term concerning a Mississippi law that banned most abortions after 15 weeks, rekindling a potentially major challenge to Roe v. Wade.

The-CNN-Wire

 &  2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)  A long-time deputy prosecutor is celebrating 40 years on the job. Tim Kern has prosecuted more than 100 jury trials, including high-profile cases of murder, rape and robbery.

The Tippecanoe County Prosecutor's Office recognized Kern during a ceremony this week. He now works closely with detectives, answering about 400 nighttime calls a year.

In an interview with News 18, Kern says some cases still surprise him even after four decades.

"I find myself still learning stuff on the job after 40 years. I still see things that are new," he says. "I don't think a month has gone by where I haven't seen something that's like, Huh, I don't remember ever seeing that before."

The cases that stick out, he says, are some of the most tragic.

"Those stick out a lot because of how serious they were and how people were affected by them ... so you could see a lot of the effects it had on families to see that someone they knew did this to their loved one," he says.

Kern also spent much of his career working with the local drug task force. In a statement, Prosecutor Pat Harrington says Kern helped target "countless key drug suppliers and dealers."
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)- James Chadwell the man accused of attempting to murder and assault a 9-year-old girl was in court on Tuesday, His attorneys are asking for a change of venue for the trial. The defense argued that national news stories have linked Chadwell to the Delphi Murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German.

They also said that since the Carroll County Sheriff hasn't cleared Chadwell's name yet it could create bias within a jury locally.

They also argued that because Chadwell's entire criminal record was exposed in a news story out of South Dakota, it will be hard for him to get a fair trial.

The state, who is prosecuting Chadwell, argued that since his jury trial isn't until October 19th members who could be selected for the jury likely won't have any of the coverage fresh in their minds. The defense said if they aren't able to get a change of venue they would like to at least have a test jury.

Judge Steven Meyer is taking the request under advisement, meaning he will decide on whether or not to grant a change of venue at a later date.

As we previously reported Chadwell was taken into custody on April 19 after police, searching for a 9-year-old girl, found her at his residence. Prosecutors say the basement was locked with a chain when police searched Chadwell's house. The girl was found naked, with her clothing on the floor beside her.
Farmers pick plums on their farmland in Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the CPC Wenchuan County Committee]

Fruit trees have become a cash cow for farmers in Wenchuan, southwest China's Sichuan Province as their flowers turn into tourist attractions in the spring and their fruits generate considerable earnings for the growers.

Recently, farmers have been busy picking and selling the locally grown fruits. Chen Hongli, a plum grower, said the production of plums from her orchard could reach as much as 10,000 kg a year. "We sell most of our fruits on WeChat," said Chen, adding that she had established a stable sales channel on the platform.

In helping farmers sell fruits online, Wenchuan has opened an e-commerce training center, provided guidance to people on how to open and run online shops, issued supportive policies, and allocated special funds to support the sector. To support the e-commerce sector, Wenchuan has built a storage area covering 17,000 square meters and a cold-chain storage area covering 6,340 square meters.

Li Changlei is head of the e-commerce department for a local food company. The man said they collected plums from fruit growers right after they picked the fruits at their orchards. "We have delivered several thousand kilograms of plums to clients each day recently," Li said.

At the end of 2020, the planting area for fruits in Wenchuan had surpassed 4,666.7 hectares. With a total yield of 90,000 tonnes, the fruits had generated 900 million yuan in income for local people.

Each and every year over the past several years, the local government has earmarked 20 million yuan in funds to consolidate the locality's foundations for continued agricultural development and to better enhance guarantees for receiving all the necessary factors of production.

The locality has developed a transport vehicle to assist farmers in carrying fruits along rural roads. The lightweight, flexible yet powerful vehicle is widely used in Wenchuan, freeing farmers from carrying the fruits on their own backs.

Photo shows ripe plums on a tree at an orchard in Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the CPC Wenchuan County Committee]

Farmers sort plums at an orchard in Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the CPC Wenchuan County Committee]

A farmer holds plums in his palms at an orchard in Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the CPC Wenchuan County Committee]

Farmers sort plums at an orchard in Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the CPC Wenchuan County Committee]

A farmer picks plums at an orchard in Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the CPC Wenchuan County Committee]

Farmers sort plums in Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the CPC Wenchuan County Committee]

Farmers pack plums in Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the CPC Wenchuan County Committee]

Photo shows a transport vehicle used to transport harvested plums. [Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the CPC Wenchuan County Committee]

(Source: People's Daily Online)
Xi Jinping meets with representatives of the performers, organizers and primary-level Party members of 56 ethnic groups, before an opening gala of the sixth ethnic minority art festival in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2021. Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning and other senior leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state watched the gala in Beijing on Tuesday evening. [Xinhua/Yan Yan]

BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua)  President Xi Jinping and other senior Chinese leaders watched an opening gala of the sixth ethnic minority art festival in Beijing on Tuesday evening.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, joined an audience of more than 3,000 people at the Great Hall of the People.

The gala included songs, dances and other performances, showcasing the distinctive cultures of different ethnic groups.

Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning and other senior Party and state leaders also attended the gala.

Before the gala, the leaders met with representatives of the performers, organizers and primary-level Party members of 56 ethnic groups.

The festival will run until Sept. 24, during which time 42 performances will be staged online.

Xi Jinping meets with representatives of the performers, organizers and primary-level Party members of 56 ethnic groups, before an opening gala of the sixth ethnic minority art festival in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2021. Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning and other senior leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state watched the gala in Beijing on Tuesday evening. [Xinhua/Li Xueren]

Xi Jinping meets with representatives of the performers, organizers and primary-level Party members of 56 ethnic groups, before an opening gala of the sixth ethnic minority art festival in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2021. Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning and other senior leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state watched the gala in Beijing on Tuesday evening. [Xinhua/Li Xueren]

Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Yang, Wang Huning and other senior leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state watch an opening gala of the sixth ethnic minority art festival in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2021. [Xinhua/Yan Yan]

(Source: Xinhua)
At meeting with local leaders, Sen. Rand Paul talks law enforcement at Land Between the Lakes
Sen. Rand Paul calls Afghanistan evacuation a 'disaster,' says the war was 'an example that nation building doesn't work'
Sheriff asking the public for information after body found in Williamson County, Illinois
Gresford hunts new councillor and Council Executive Board set for shake up after Atkinson resigns

Gresford is set for a new councillor after Andrew Atkinsons resignation has taken effect.

Wrexham Council will also be set for two new Executive Board members later this month to fill two voids.

The vacancies arose after Conservative Cllr Andrew Atkinson disclosed he was in Panama on a working holiday, and then announced he was staying there and thus resigned his councillor duties as of yesterday  31st August.

The second vacancy came about after Wrexham Independents Cllr Joan Lowe resigned with immediate effect due to poor health, days after claims she used inappropriate language used in private meeting.

Cllr Atkinson stayed on with his resignation pending, although there was confusion in a recent Scrutiny meeting (10:20 here) where the Lead Member was expected to present a report, but no one knew where he was.

Mr Atkinson posted a short message yesterday that was warmly welcomed on Gresford social media, Today is the day. As Im no longer your councillor I just wanted to thank you all, its been a real honour to represent you. Until the by-election result you will be looked after by Cllr Hugh Jones (Rossett ward) which Im very grateful to him for.

Cllr Jones can be reached at hugh.jones@wrexham.gov.uk I have really enjoyed being your councillor and wish you all the very best for the future. Thanks for all your support and kindness, Andy.

As the council administration is run in a coalition between independent groups and the Conservatives the vacancies are being filled by other members of the respective groups, although the final rubber stamping of the move is via an vote at Full Council, due in a meeting this month  as there is was scheduled public meetings last month.

It is unclear if portfolios or wards will be affected with the voids, or if it is an indication of the need for extra lead members, with Cllr David A Bithell, the group leader for the Wrexham Independents overseeing the Health and Adult Social Care role, and Cllr Hugh Jones not only taking on the extra ward work but is also now interim Lead Member for Childrens Services as well as his normal portfolio role.

Until a reshuffle takes place the Executive Board is the proverbial mens club with zero women, however Wrexham.com is predicting that will alter when the changes are announced, with our understanding a reshuffle could see:

Cllr John Pritchard was Lead Member for People  Youth Services and Anti-poverty, a role that could go to Wrexham Independents Cllr Sonia Benbow Jones.

Cllr Pritchard could takeover the Lead Member for People  Health and Adult Social, the role previously held by Cllr Lowe.

Mr Atkinsons Lead Member for People  Childrens Services role could go to incoming Conservative Cllr Beverley Parry-Jones.

We approached both group leaders after the speculation of who will take which role, however Cllr David A Bithell Deputy Leader of the council would not be drawn on the matter saying, Nominations will put through to full council in September to fill the vacant seats which is the normal process. In the meantime, I will be covering Adult social care along with Cllr Hugh Jones covering Childrens services from 1st September.

Cllr Lowe leaving the Executive Board was the second such resignation by a member of Cllr Bithells Wrexham Independent Group, with Cllr Bill Baldwin resigning back in November 2019 pending the outcome of an investigation into a series of posts shared by him on Facebook. No details or outcome of that investigation have been made public.

Top pic: Will Cllr Parry-Jones and Cllr Benbow Jones be the new Executive Board members?
Plans for 300 homes at former Brymbo Steelworks site could go ahead as traffic concerns addressed

Plans to build 300 homes on a former village steelworks site look set to be approved after developers addressed concerns over the impact on traffic.

The Welsh Government had originally called for proposals to create new properties on land around the old Brymbo Steelworks in Wrexham to be refused.

It followed fears being voiced that a nearby junction off the A483 would be unable to cope with the extra traffic generated by the scheme, which also includes a primary school, shops and a pub.

However, officials withdrew their objections after applicants Brymbo Developments Ltd (BDL) provided an assessment which argued the impact would be minimal.

The application has now been recommended for approval by Wrexham Councils chief planning officer ahead of a crunch meeting next week.

Lawrence Isted agreed that the impact on the Coedpoeth junction would be limited, while highlighting future plans to improve the intersection.

In a report to councillors, he said: After consideration of the additional information submitted, Welsh Government confirm they are content that the impacts of the development on the A483 trunk road warrant the withdrawal of their previous direction to refuse.

Highways have also confirmed that they agree with the conclusions in the submitted highway impact summary.

The development is not expected to increase queues on the A483 slip roads.

Furthermore, the traffic generated by the development would represent a five per cent increase in the amount of traffic predicted to be use using junction four in 2030.

None of the above takes into account the proposed improvements to junction four which are currently expected to be completed around 2024-2025, before the completion of the development.

Brymbo Steelworks closed almost 30 years ago resulting in the loss of 1,100 jobs.

BDL initially entered proposals to build 450 houses on the industrial site in July 2019.

The earlier application is the subject of an ongoing appeal to the Planning Inspectorate over delays by the local authority in making a decision.

Mr Isted said the latest plans would deliver a number of benefits for the area.

He added: The current application presents a significant opportunity to secure the redevelopment of one of the largest areas of previously developed land in the county borough.

In addition to making a significant contribution to the supply of housing land, the development will secure what, is in effect, the delivery of a new district centre, including provision for class A1 retail, A3 (public house) and a primary school.

The councils planning guidance would normally require a quarter of the site to be allocated as affordable housing.

But Mr Isted said the distract valuer had advised that no affordable housing was needed as a result of a study into the viability of the development.

Approval of the scheme has been recommended subject to BDL entering into a legal agreement to provide land to the authority to allow a school to be built.

A decision will be made by the councils planning committee at a virtual meeting on Monday, September 6.

By Liam Randall  BBC Local Democracy Reporter
Just days after hurricane Ida tore through the coast of Louisiana, people right here in Middle Tennessee are coming to the aid of their fellow neighbors. The Tennessee Titan's General Manager's wife has a close connection to one of the hardest hit areas. News 4's Danielle Jackson talked with
LEBANON, TN (WSMV) - The Lebanon mayor talked about the new flooding sensors and added notifications of flooding will be sent out to city residents.

Going forward instead of being reactive, I want to be proactive, and I feel like the sensors help us with that, Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell said. But our downtown situation, its a challenge.

Bell said their new flood warning sensors are doing what theyre supposed to as remnants from Ida move through Middle Tennessee.

After flooding in March, the city invested $10,000 to add three sensors to the citys main creek to help monitor water levels. Right now, people with the city monitor the sensors and send out notifications of flooding but Bell said he hopes to connect the sensors to the communication system.

+2 Lebanon to implement Phase 1 of flood warning system Mayor Rick Bell released details of Phase 1 of a new flood warning system for the city of Lebanon.

Luckily today theres not much water there so we feel like right now were in good shape when we come to this event, Bell said. But for future events, I dont know, I want to get to the point where theres not a committee deciding when to send the word out, the word automatically goes out.

The city handed out sandbags on Monday in case of a flooding emergency. Because Lebanons city square is built over the creek, most of the flooding is on the square and residential areas.

+2 Tennessee National Guard to help Louisiana with recovery from Ida The governor has activated the Tennessee National Guard to help in response to Tropical Storm Ida.

However, the next steps in the flood warning system would be adding more sensors to another creek on the west side of town.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN (WSMV) - A Midstate family has some answers about what happened to their loved one more than four decades ago.

It was ultimately DNA samples that helped crack the case.

43 years ago, James Sanders never returned home to Portland, Tennessee.

"For a long time, they've had to have wondered where their father was," Detective Richard Brinkley with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said.

Detective Brinkley spoke with James Sanders' son on Tuesday. Brinkley explained DNA led to his father's remains being identified in Immokalee, Florida.

"He was grateful for our work too," Brinkley said.

James Sanders' brother called the sheriff's office about a missing man in 2014.

Investigators said a burned body turned up at Poole Knobs Recreation Area in La Vergne in 1978. That's the same year Sanders disappeared.

"Working cold cases especially something like this one, it's similar to a rollercoaster. A lot of ups and downs with it," Brinkley said.

Sanders was last seen on Jan. 1, 1978, at a bus stop in Tennessee en route to North Carolina where he planned to work at an aunts tobacco farm. Sanders never arrived at his aunts farm and was never heard from again.

Detectives followed up because of the similarities between the two missing men. Family members even sent in DNA samples to see if there was a match in January of 2015.

"When those results came back, it did not match our John Doe. So, those results stayed with the lab," Brinkley said.

It wasn't until this past Friday, the Collier County, Florida Sheriff Kevin Rambosk announced the lab matched bone from a body discovered there to Sanders' DNA submitted by Rutherford County detectives.

"More than anything, it shows the public that we don't quit," Brinkley said.

While one family has answers, another is still waiting.

The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office is working with a lab to identify the man found in La Vergne. They've built a DNA profile trying to find a family match.

"I think that's what it's going to take to identify our John Doe," Brinkley said.

Brinkley is still trying to identify the suspects who killed the unidentified man while focusing on the identity of the victim.

An autopsy report described the unidentified man as being in his late 30s who was 5-feet-10 tall. He had long, brown hair with a receding hairline and a reddish brown and gray beard. He had a scar on his stomach, no teeth but an upper denture and a quarter-size mole near his waistline.

Detectives worked with Dr. Lee Meadows Jantz from the state Forensic Anthropology Center who said the mans DNA was submitted to the FBIs Combined DNA Index System to search for a match. No results have been found.

A profile of the unidentified man was added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

The sheriffs office is partnering with Othram, a private DNA lab that recovers human DNA to solve murder cases, with hopes for an identification. The team is actively working on matches.

Anyone who may have information on the man may contact Brinkley at 615-904-3045 or email.
HENDERSONVILLE, TN (WSMV) - From inside a bathroom at Beech High School, cell phone video captured the unnerving moments a student chokes out a classmate before kicking him in the face.

Sumner County parent and mother of four teens Kimberly Clark was visibly shaken watching the video for the first time Tuesday.

"That just literally made my whole entire skin crawl that our kids would be involved in something like that with all the other students standing around and it literally has shaken me up just to see that video. That is horrible. I'm speechless," she said.

The Sumner County Sheriff's Office says the student at the center of the case is now facing an aggravated assault charge.

"The kick to the head, it makes me sick to my stomach. Just to watch someone completely defenseless could have a life-threatening injury and a physical injury that could hurt him for the rest of his life and be permanent," said Beech High alum Brent Becknal.

While it wasn't immediately clear what led up to the incident on Monday, parents and former students say it doesn't matter.

"It's sad to see how it's changed over the last few years of me going there," Becknal said. "Definitely just a different era of people."

The victim of the assault was taken to the hospital, where the sheriff's office said he was treated and released.

Beech High School administration released a statement following the incident:

"This assault is under investigation by the Sumner County Sheriffs Office and school administration. One student was taken into police custody and will face criminal charges and school level discipline," the school said in an email to News4 on Tuesday.

The assault at the school on Monday comes two days after students from Beech and Hendersonville high schools were involved in a fight that injured one student and led to two others being arrested.
Over the weekend, New York congresswoman and Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez held a publicity stunt in her district in the Bronx to promote the bipartisan campaign to reopen K-12 schools for in-person learning.

The campaign to reopen schools in the US and internationally is taking place against the backdrop of the rapid spread of the highly infectious Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus. The new variant has led to a massive spike in cases and hospitalizations, particularly among children.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Credit:SXSW 2019)

For Ocasio-Cortez, as with the Democratic Party as a whole, the reopening of schools is treated as a foregone conclusion, whatever the risks. At the event, Ocasio-Cortez helped hand out 1,500 backpacks to children and their families. While addressing reporters, the congresswoman did not utter a word about the state of the pandemic, let alone the risks posed to children from the new variant.

Instead, the congresswoman concentrated her remarks on the wonders of the backpacks, which she boasted came in a variety of bright colors.

We are out here making sure [the children] start off the school year with fresh backpacks and school supplies. So that everyone is really ready to rock this upcoming school year! she explained to a swarm of news reporters. Every single backpack has a suite of school supplies and also a personal note from me with some of my tips for helping youth thrive here in the Bronx, she added.

One wonders what advice Ocasio-Cortez might offer students in order to thrive as children are packed into overcrowded and poorly ventilated school buildings amid a raging pandemic that is hospitalizing thousands of children. How does she suggest that students cope with the loss of a teacher, a parent, a friend to the virus?

Driven by the reopening of schools throughout the country, the US reported 203,962 child COVID-19 cases and 23 new deaths in the week ending August 26, according to the latest report from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Two months ago, child cases stood at just 10,000.

Scientists and health experts are warning about the catastrophic impact of the reopening of schools. Dr. Malgorzata Gasperowicz, a developmental biologist and a researcher at the University of Calgary, explained at an online event sponsored by the World Socialist Web Site last week: If we have transmission in the community, its not safe to reopen schools, full stop. ...Unless we have no transmission, we shouldnt reopen in-person schools.

Together with Dr. Michael Baker, a public health physician and professor at the University of Otago Wellington Department of Public Health, and Dr. Yaneer Bar-Yam, founding president of the New England Complex Systems Institute, Gasperowicz warned that millions of children and young people would be infected if the reopening of schools was allowed to continue, and many would die.

Moreover, many experts are warning that there simply has not been enough research on the Delta variant and its possible long-term effects on child development. There are growing signs that many children may experience life-long cognitive complications after falling ill with the virus. In other words, the reopening of school is ultimately a dangerous social experiment in which the children are the subjects.

The Biden administration is spearheading the reopening of schools, motivated by the imperative of the ruling class to force workers back to work and maintain the flow of corporate profits.

The Democrats are working closely with the trade unions and in particular the American Federation of Teachers, which is bankrolling a campaign to promote school reopenings. Just last week, AFT President Randi Weingarten visited an elementary school in Ocasio-Cortezs district with Bidens Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona, to back New York City Mayor Bill de Blasios plan to reopen the nations largest school district on September 13 without any meaningful remote learning option for the citys 1.1 million students.

As for the DSA, the organization has largely ignored the pandemic. Chapters across the US have organized similar events as the one held by Ocasio-Cortez to promote the reopening of schools. Promotional material and social media posts for one such event, hosted by the Las Vegas DSA chapter, does not even mention the pandemic.

At its biennial convention held last month, the DSA barely mentioned the pandemic, and the platform it adopted made no criticisms of the policies of the Democratic Party.

The world confronts a health crisis of historic proportions. Millions of people have died worldwide and millions more are at risk. In the face of this crisis the peddlers of Democratic Party politics can offer only death and backpacks. Images of the congresswoman ushering students back into schools under such dangerous conditions, without any acknowledgement that a worldwide pandemic is even taking place, should be burned into the consciousness of every worker and young person.

Ocasio-Cortezs role in supporting the reopening of schools exposes not just her as an individual, but more fundamentally the entire political strategy that she and the DSA promote. Her rise to office was orchestrated by two organizations, Brand New Congress and Justice Democrats, whose political function is to convince workers and youth that the Democratic Party can be reformed into a party that fights in the interests of the working class.

While campaigning for office, Ocasio-Cortez appealed to voters disillusionment with the Democrats. Since coming to office, Ocasio-Cortez has worked closely with the Democratic Party leadership in the House of Representatives and now the Biden administration.

In March of this year the Democratic Socialists of Americas official magazine, Democratic Left, ran an interview with the Congresswoman in which she claimed that the Democratic Party was being radically transformed and called it privileged to criticize Biden from the left.

She insisted that pressure from the left had forced almost a radical change among entrenched Democratic leaders and denounced those on the left presenting a bad faith critique of the Biden administration.

As Ocasio-Cortezs backpack distribution stunt makes clear, this bad faith criticism applies to all workers and youth opposed to the policies of the ruling class that have led to the needless death of hundreds of thousands of people.

What is required to contain the pandemic is the shutdown of schools and nonessential production, with full compensation for workers, and a multi-trillion-dollar emergency public health program, including mass testing, contact tracing and quarantining. In order to carry out these policies, the working class must be organized on a politically independent and socialist basis. An essential first step is a decisive break with the Democratic Party and all those who claim it can be reformed.
August 31, 2021 marked 100 years since the birth of Jean Brust, a leading figure in the socialist movement in the United States. Jean become a founding member of the Workers League, the predecessor of the Socialist Equality Party, and was part of the leadership of the American and world Trotskyist movement for the rest of her life.

This interview with Comrade Jean, initially recorded in August 1995, was conducted by Fred Mazelis, a leading member of the Socialist Equality Party and a founding member of the Workers League. Jean died two years after the interview was conducted, on November 24, 1997.

In the interview, Jean reviews critical early experiences in the fight for Trotskyism in the United States, including the role of the Trotskyist movement in the bitter class battles of the 1930s, the faction fight within the Socialist Workers Party in 1939-40, the impact of the Stalinist assassination of Leon Trotsky in August 1940, and the persecution of leading Trotskyists during World War II.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jean Brust, the WSWS has published an exhibit featuring essays on her life and political significance.
United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres has warned that A humanitarian catastrophe looms in Afghanistan as almost half of the population, some 18 million people, need urgent humanitarian assistance to survive.

Guterres said, One in three Afghans do not know where their next meal will come from. More than half of all children under five are expected to become acutely malnourished in the next year.

With the current $1.3 billion UN humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan only 39 percent funded, there is a desperate need for further funding to get food into the country before the winter snows block the roads in a couple of months time.

An internally displaced Afghan child looks for plastic and other items which can be used as a replacement for firewood, at a garbage dump in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019. According to UN statistics, Afghanistan is among the poorest countries in the world where children are subjected to extreme poverty and violence on a daily basis. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Guterress remarks underscore the fact that in all the saturation coverage by the mainstream media of the evacuation of foreign nationals and Afghans associated with the US and its allies, little has been said about the economic and social devastation wrought on the country itself.

The US-led war and occupation that started in 2001 followed more than two decades of covert operations orchestrated by the CIA and carried out by its regional and local proxies against the impoverished country, by far the poorest in Asia. The invasion of Afghanistan had been planned well in advance of the 9/11 attacks which served as a pretext. It was launched not to prosecute a war on terrorism, but rather to pursue Washingtons geo-strategic interestscontrolling a country that bordered the oil-rich former Soviet republics of the Caspian Basin, as well as China, and thereby securing US domination of Central and South Asia.

Afghanistan is itself rich in untapped minerals, variously estimated at $1 to $3 trillion.

The war in pursuit of these predatory aims was a war of aggression, concealed by massive lies, without popular support in the NATO countries, much less in Afghanistan itself. It violated international law and in turn gave rise to a raft of other crimes that included civilian massacres, extraordinary rendition and torture, Guantanamo Bay and CIA black sites.

Costing the US at least $2 trillion, the invasion and occupation has destroyed Afghanistans economy and plunged the population into poverty. The country was ranked as the world's 169th poorest country out of 189 on the UN Development Programmes Human Development Index in 2020. It now faces further economic collapse at the hands of the US and other imperialist powers.

The American government has frozen Afghanistans $9 billion foreign currency reserves held in its banks, leaving the Taliban with access to just 0.1-0.2 percent of the countrys total international reserves. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in which the US has a controlling stake, as well as Western Unionthe US financial services corporation that is the worlds second-largest provider of money transfer serviceshave all halted their operations with Afghanistan. The IMF has also frozen a recently approved $340 million grant from its Special Drawing Rights.

Afghanistans currency has fallen by 10 percent as the physical supply of US dollars that supported its value ended abruptly. The banks have largely remained closed, with long lines of people trying to access their savings outside the few banks that have reopened, prompting the Taliban to limit withdrawals to the equivalent of $200 a week.

As the currency falls further, prices are expected to skyrocket. They have already started to rise amid fears of shortages in the coming months, exacerbated by a severe drought, the second in three years, that has led to the loss of 40 percent of crop production and a 'devastating impact' on livestock. The price of lentils has more than doubled, while the price of vegetable oil has risen 25 percent along with that of chickpeas and beans.

According to Reliefweb, even before this latest crisis, 3.1 million children were suffering from malnutrition. In Ghor province in December 2020, 15.9 percent of children under the age of five were acutely malnourished, including 3.4 percent who were suffering from severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form of hunger. Fully 45.5 percent of children were stunted or chronically malnourished.

The Asian Development Bank reports that almost half the population, including more than one third of those who are employed, lived on an income below the national poverty line in 2020. Around one third of the population lives in such severe poverty they are unable to afford the basic necessities of life, including adequate food. Millions of people hover only slightly above the poverty line.

Some 70 percent of the population scratch out a living in the countryside, of which just 12 percent is suitable for arable farming and 46 percent for livestock grazing. More than 40 percent of the workforce are either unemployed or underemployed.

Over 70 percent of the population are under 25 years of age, with 400,000 young people entering the labour market every year. Apart from government positions and the army, such jobs as do exist are mainly poorly paid day-labouring or casual work, leaving young men with little alternative but to join the foreign-funded militant groups or criminal gangs, particularly as drug smugglers.

According to the World Bank, about 75 percent of government spending is financed by other governments, including international organisations. While the Taliban has said it will continue to pay government workers, including healthcare professionals and the armed forces, it is far from clear how they can do so, leaving hundreds of thousands of Afghans at risk of losing their livelihoods.

Close to 40 percent of the countrys GDP comes from foreign aid that has often served to undermine the local economy. This, along with the insecurity, drought and natural disasters, has played into the hands of Afghanistans warlords and drug dealers as impoverished farmers turned to poppy cultivation and the opium trade.

The countrys wealth is in the hands of a few families that have profited from the vast inflow of foreign military contracts and their control of over business. The wealthiest 10 percent of Afghans control the economy and the government.

At the same time, the war, waged largely in the southern and eastern parts of the country, has created a huge disparity in income, wealth and economic opportunities between the south and north of Afghanistan.

Four decades of conflict and its consequences have turned Afghanistan into one of the largest refugee-producing countries in the world. As the UN refugee agency points out, Afghans represent the longest-displaced and the longest-dispossessed population in the world, with a staggering three in four Afghans having suffered internal or external displacement in their lifetime.

The overwhelming majority of Afghan refugees are hosted by Pakistan or Iranaround 3 million in each, registered and unregistered. Large numbers live in the United Arab Emirates, Germany and other European countries, as well as in the US, although the number accepted has fallen significantly in recent years after the Trump administration slashed the already rock-bottom refugee admissions. Last year, the US accepted just 604 Afghan refugees.

According to a report in August 2020 by Amnesty International, there are a further four million displaced within Afghanistan itself. They have very little access to essential services like drinking water or healthcare facilities and live in dire poverty amid inadequate housing, food insecurity and insufficient access to sanitationa situation made all the more dangerous by the pandemic. While healthcare and treatment at public facilities are free, families are unable to afford even the cost of transport to get to a hospital.

In recent days, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported that the worsening security situation across Afghanistan in the wake of NATOs troop withdrawal and Taliban advances had forced another 360,000 people from their homes since January.

It was the impact of these devastating conditions on the consciousness of the Afghan people that led to the swift collapse of Washingtons puppet regime after President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of US troops. The rapid fall of Ashraf Ghanis government can only be explained by the magnitude of the crimes carried out against Afghanistans people, who have seen their society destroyed, around 170,000 killed as a direct result of the war, and another 360,000 indirectly through disease, malnutrition and land mines.

These are world historic crimes whose perpetrators remain unpunished and occupy the leading positions of power within the US, the UK, Germany, France and other imperialist centres.
In two weeks, California residents will be casting ballots in the recall election against Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. The vote will be held on September 14.

It marks the second time in California history that an effort to recall a sitting governor has qualified for a general vote, the first being the successful election to recall Gray Davis, also a Democrat, in 2003. That vote placed Republican politician and movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger in power.

From left, Republican candidates for California Governor John Cox, Kevin Faulconer, Kevin Kiley and Doug Ose participate in a debate at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Yorba Linda, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

The Socialist Equality Party is calling for a No vote in the recall election, which has been organized by far-right forces opposed even to the limited patchwork of COVID-19 measures implemented by Newsom. While the SEP calls for a No vote, we give no political support to Newsom and the Democrats. We are running David Moore, the only genuine socialist on the ballot, to fight for an independent political movement of the working class against both big business parties and the capitalist system. More information about Moores campaign can be found here.

As of August 31, the polling site FiveThirtyEight was predicting a close vote, with 51.0 percent voting to keep Newsom and 45.4 percent voting to remove him.

The ballot will have two questions: Whether to recall Newsom and, should a majority vote for his removal, who will replace him. Forty-six candidates are in the running, and it takes only a simple plurality to win, meaning a candidate could win with only minority support. Californians can vote on the second question even if they vote against recalling Newsom.

Who are the right-wing candidates running for governor in the recall?

Larry Elder

The leading figure, according to polls, among the 24 Republicans running for governor is Larry Elder. Elder is a far-right talk show host based in Los Angeles. He has been working in television and radio as a host since at least the early 1990s. He hosted PBSs National Desk in the 1990s, alongside Laura Ingraham, and has hosted a nationally syndicated talk show, The Larry Elder Show for decades.

Elder is running as a champion of the right-wing anti-vaccine movement. At an August 22 speech in Fresno he said that he would repeal all mask and vaccine mandates throughout the state before I have my first cup of tea as governor. Earlier this year, Elder hosted a physician who claimed COVID-19 vaccines were a conspiracy by Bill Gates to control the population.

Over the last 20 years, Elder has described second-hand tobacco smoke claims as exaggerated. He has called climate change a myth and a crock and recently denounced climate change alarmism. He describes himself as a libertarian and has expressed opposition to a minimum wage and the welfare state, and called for the mass firing of California teachers.

Elder has a very close relationship with Donald Trumps fascistic adviser Stephen Miller. Miller began calling into Elders talk show as a high school student and has made appearances dozens of times on the show, according to Los Angeles Times journalist Jean Guerrero. Miller once said of Elder that he was the one true guide Ive always had, and Elder has been described as Millers mentor. Miller, whose friends also include neo-Nazi Richard Spencer, played a key role in orchestrating Trumps January 6 coup attempt.

Elder backs the Republican claims that Trump won the 2020 election. Recently, he stated, Do I believe that Joe Biden won the 2020 election fair and square? No, I dont.

Elder has repeatedly supported the fraudulent claim that Dominion Voting Systems software manipulated votes in the 2020 presidential election, stating that he wouldnt put it past the company to interfere in the California gubernatorial recall.

It is worth noting that Elder was originally not included on the ballot due to an error on his tax returns, but a sympathetic Sacramento judge ordered the California Secretary of States office to include him.

This is in glaring contrast to how the SEPs candidates in the 2020 presidential election were denied ballot access in California through the use of unfair and unreasonable signature requirements.

Elder, at 21.9 percent, is polling substantially higher than his two closest rival candidates, according to FiveThirtyEights polling aggregator.

Other candidates

The next leading candidate in the polls is 29-year-old millionaire YouTube influencer Kevin Paffrath, who is running as a Democrat. Paffrath, according to FiveThirtyEight, is polling at 6.8 percent. He is opposing Newsom from the right. In a future article, the World Socialist Web Site will examine the Democratic candidates, including Paffrath.

After Larry Elder, there are several other candidates out of the 24 Republicans worth noting.

John Cox, a businessman and perennially unsuccessful candidate for office in California and Illinois, is polling at 5.2 percent, according to FiveThirtyEight. Like Elder, Cox calls for abolishing all vaccine mandates in the state. He stated in the first Republican debate in the recall campaign that he would cut spending by $30 billion and lower income taxes by 25 percent.

Cox promotes anti-immigrant racism to demand a further militarization of the border, linking immigrants to drugs and human trafficking and scapegoating them for supposedly taking jobs from native-born Americans. He was endorsed by former President Trump, who described Cox as a really good and highly competent man. In an attempt to gain attention, Cox has been campaigning with a live Kodiak bear.

Kevin Faulconer, former mayor of San Diego, is the Republican candidate with the most experience and endorsements, which evidently has redounded against his campaign. Like other Republican candidates, he promises the largest middle class tax cut in CA history. He presents himself as pro-police, denouncing calls by a handful of Democratslong since droppedto defund the police.

While not openly endorsing the anti-vaccine movement, he has called for the ending of mask mandates in schools. As San Diego mayor, he carried out an aggressive crackdown on homeless people following an outbreak of Hepatitis A, which killed more than 20 people.

Caitlyn Jenner, the American media personality and retired athlete, is also running. Jenner, who is transgender, is most known for campaigning to prevent transgender women from competing in female sports. She has also played to the anti-vaccine movement, declaring that she was against mandates for vaccines for state employees and is for individual freedom. A Trump supporter, Jenner told an audience recently that she would rip the roots of socialism out of Sacramento.

Other Republican candidates include State Assembly member Ted Gaines, State Assembly member Kevin Kiley and actress, anti-vaccine advocate and QAnon promoter Sarah Stephens.

Three of the Republican candidates participated in a recall debate on August 25 along with Democrat Paffrath.

Paffrath made clear his opposition to state-wide coronavirus mandates, saying it was up to individual buildings and workplaces. Echoing the opposition of the Republicans to any serious measures to contain the virus, he said, I believe that every business has the constitutional right and every individual building has a right to determine their own mandates.

Newsom, for his part, fully supports the homicidal policy of the Biden administration to reopen the schools and businesses in the midst of the Delta-fueled surge in infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Whatever their differences, the Democrats and Republicans agree that the measures advocated by the foremost medical experts and epidemiologists to save lives and end the pandemicincluding the shutdown of schools and all non-essential businessesare ruled out because they would cut across the profit interests of the ruling corporate oligarchy.

David Moore, the socialist candidate, speaks for the working class and the vast majority of the population in calling for the use of all possible resources and scientific tools to save lives and eradicate the virus on the basis of a globally coordinated effort. This requires the mobilization of the working class in opposition to the capitalist class and its political parties and agents.
In response to relentless and totally unfounded US accusations, first under Trump and now Biden, that Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology was responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, Beijing has hit back with its own baseless conspiracy theory.

Over the past month, the Chinese regime has given legitimacy to the claim that COVID-19 originated in the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick in Maryland and was brought to China when American military personnel took part in the Military World Games in the Wuhan region in October 2019.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, rear, gestures as he delivers a speech at a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Chinese Communist Party at Tiananmen Gate in Beijing Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Last week, Chen Xu, Chinas permanent representative to the UN Office at Geneva formally wrote to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), reasserting that it was extremely unlikely that COVID-19 originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, as was also concluded by the WHO investigative team that went to Wuhan.

If some parties still viewed the lab leak hypothesis as open, the letter continued, then in the interests of fairness and justice, WHO should also investigate the US Armys biological laboratory at Fort Detrick and the virology team led by Dr Ralph Baric at the University of North Carolina.

In a manner similar to the Wuhan lab lie, which has been taken up by the Biden administration and the entire political and media establishment in Washington, Beijing has provided no evidence that COVID-19 originated in a US laboratory. Its conspiracy theory relies on referring to the labs involvement in bio-military research, including into SARS-related coronaviruses, its history of biological safety breaches and the outbreak of respiratory diseases in nearby communities.

The letter also noted that Barics team is a world leader in gain-of-function research that can potentially be used to develop biological weapons. It pointed out that the US has conducted the most bio-military activities of any country in the world and withdrew from the Biological Weapons Convention after international agreement was reached on verification protocols to ensure no weapons were being developed, manufactured or stockpiled.

Even if everything claimed about Fort Detrick and the University of North Carolina were true, and much of it could be, that amounts to nothing more than circumstantial innuendo. To answer one conspiracy theory with another, one lie with another, only undermines Chinas own claim to be basing itself on science, not politics.

Indeed, implying that COVID-19 was developed in the US gives credence to the Washingtons own conspiracy theories that the virus was manufactured in a Chinese lab. Eminent virologists around the world have concluded from a detailed examination of COVID-19s DNA that there is no evidence of human manipulation to create the virus and that it originated in animals, most likely bats, in the wild and jumped to humans. Moreover, the WHO investigative team found no evidence that it had escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The Biden administration, however, has continued to push its conspiracy theory to deflect attention from the criminal pandemic policies that have led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in the US. It has pressured the WHO for further investigations in China, resulting in the WHOs call in late July for investigations into all Chinese biological facilities in and around Wuhan. Beijing bluntly refused, prompting unsubstantiated allegations in Washington that China had something to hide.

In fact, US intelligence agencies were tasked by Biden on May 25 with digging up evidence supporting the Wuhan lab lie. Nevertheless, their report released last week, after three months of investigation, including reportedly by hacking Chinese medical and scientific institutions, failed to produce a shred of evidence.

In a remarkable about-face, prominent US media outlets that have been promoting the Wuhan lab lie for months, turned on a dime and denounced Chinas Fort Detrick conspiracy theory.

The Fort Detrick allegation was first publicly voiced in March last year as Trump was ramping up his attacks on China and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Zhao Lijian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, tweeted that it might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. He included an article referring to the history of Fort Detrick and demanded that the US be transparent.

While the claim continued to be circulated on the internet in China, it was only taken up officially after the WHO called for new investigations into Chinese laboratories in July. China Daily Global ran a lengthy article entitled, Behind the deadly secrets at Fort Detrick, citing everything from the US Army laboratorys history of accidents to its purported connection to the notorious Unit 731 of the Imperial Japanese Army, which conducted human experiments on prisoners of war and civilians in China during World War II.

Also in July, the hawkish state-owned Global Times circulated an online petition demanding an investigation of US laboratories, reportedly gaining 25 million signatures. Chen Xus letter to the WHO appended the petition, thereby giving it an official status. This campaign has encouraged divisive anti-Americanism and Chinese patriotism on the internet, where backward users do not hesitate to openly accuse the US of originating COVID-19without any evidence.

Beijings resort to its own conspiracy theory to counter Washingtons Wuhan Lab Lie only undercuts its own record in combatting the virus. In contrast to the policy of the Trump and Biden administrations of letting COVID-19 rip through the American population, resulting in nearly 40 million cases and over 600,000 deaths, the Chinese government adopted a health strategy aimed at eliminating the virus. Not only was the outbreak that started in Wuhan rapidly brought under control through mass testing, contact tracing and isolation, but subsequent outbreaks to date also have been contained.

The fact that these later outbreaks resulted from visitors and returning citizens to China, despite the countrys rigorous quarantine system, demonstrates that the only means of halting the pandemic is through international collaboration to forge a scientifically-based plan to eliminate the virus throughout the world. From that standpoint, the Fort Detrick conspiracy theory is reactionary. It fosters divisions between the Chinese workers and American workers and cuts across the international working-class unity needed to combat the pandemic.
Today the New Zealand government reported another 75 cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19, bringing the total infections from the current outbreak to 687. Almost all are in the biggest city, Auckland, with 16 in Wellington.

The numbers have increased dramatically since a nationwide lockdown began on August 18. The first case was an infected person who returned from Australia on August 7, but the outbreak was only detected 10 days later when a different person tested positive. Before today, new cases appeared to be falling. Tuesdays result was 49 cases, down from 83 on Sunday and 53 on Monday.

A COVID-19 testing centre in Newtown, Wellington. (Image Credit: Ian Town, Twitter, July 28 2021)

The governments director-general of health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield told the media the lockdown had reduced the effective transmission rate (the R value) of the virus to less than 1, meaning the average infected person is not passing it on to someone else, and cases should decline.

Thirty-two people are currently in hospital, eight in intensive care. The hospitalisation rate for Delta is about 6 percent, twice that of previous versions of the coronavirus. Young people are more prone to infection and severe symptoms. The youngest hospitalised case is 18 years old. Ministry of Health data yesterday showed that 62.7 percent of those infected are under the age of 30, and 12.3 percent under 10 years of age. Six infant children have the virus.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed on Monday that Auckland will remain in a level 4 lockdown, the strictest level, until September 14. The rest of the country moved to a less stringent level 3 lockdown today, except for the Northland region which will move down tomorrow.

The lowering of alert levels south of Auckland increases the risk of the virus spreading. Under level 3, all businesses except those that require close physical contact are allowed to reopen provided they adhere to physical distancing, masking and hygiene requirements. Schools and early childhood centres can partially reopen, with teachers and children not required to wear masks. Internationally, schools are a major source of infections.

Although only a handful of cases have been found so far in Wellington, and these people are currently isolated, the government has listed more than 12 locations of interest in the capital, where people may have been exposed to positive cases. More than 3,300 companies with 33,500 employees are authorised to travel between Auckland and the rest of the country.

New Zealand is one of a handful of countries officially pursuing an elimination strategy, using lockdowns to reduce cases to zero when outbreaks occur. As a result, New Zealand has recorded just 26 deaths from COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

Ardern noted that in the United States the daily average hospitalisations for COVID-19 are more than 100,000 people, similar to where they were in their last winter peak.

This reflects the criminal policies of the Democratic and Republican administrations, which have allowed the coronavirus to spread out of control and forced the reopening of schools and workplaces. The policy of living with the virus, which is determined by the profit interests of big business, has been embraced by governments around the world and enforced by the trade unions, resulting in soaring deaths. The UK government recently decided 50,000 deaths per year is acceptable.

New Zealands population remains highly vulnerable. Only about 27 percent of the eligible population (over 12-years of age) are fully vaccinated. Ardern said on Monday, we are not running out of vaccine. At present, however, just over 300,000 doses of Pfizer are being delivered to NZ each week, and a major delivery of 4 million is only expected to arrive in October.

About 70 percent of cases are among Aucklands Pacific Island community, which is predominantly working class, and disproportionately affected by poor health and bad housing, exacerbating the dangers posed by the virus.

Dr. Bloomfield said on Monday that 101 of the total active cases were essential workers, those still working under level 4, but that most had contracted the virus before the lockdown. They include healthcare workers, supermarket workers and food processing workers. A prison guard has also tested positive.

Some experts have called for tougher restrictions to protect frontline workers, many of whom are unvaccinated. Auckland University microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles told the Herald on Sunday that physical distancing, perspex barriers and low-grade face masks were not enough to stop the spread in enclosed workplaces. COVID-19 modeller professor Shaun Hendy has suggested reducing the number of supermarkets that can open under level 4.

Over the weekend the Sistema plastics factory in South Auckland was forced to close after a worker tested positive. The factory was operating with about 10 percent of its 600 workers. During last years lockdown, Sistema workers walked out to protest the lack of PPE and inadequate social distancing.

In a statement, the E tu union, which has some members at the site, said Sistema was refusing to pay workers who are not working during the lockdown. Instead they are being forced to take leave. No industrial action has been called, however, and the union did not object to the factory being allowed to operate during the lockdown.

New Zealands under-staffed and rundown public hospitals are under tremendous strain. Radio NZ (RNZ) reported yesterday that Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland sent home 24 emergency department workers due to possible exposure to COVID-19. More than 90 St John ambulance workers have also gone into self-isolation. RNZ reported today that Auckland City and Middlemore hospitals are approaching or at capacity for negative pressure rooms, which help prevent the spread of the virus.

Scientists continue to urge the government to stick to the elimination strategy. Epidemiologist Rod Jackson told RNZ on Monday: Its a complete no-brainer the best situation is eliminating COVID from the community No society can cope with an outbreak of Delta, particularly one thats unvaccinated. He called for all essential workers to be vaccinated and wear N95 masks if community transmission continued.

Epidemiologist Michael Baker and doctor Ian Powell, former head of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, wrote in Stuff that through its elimination strategy, New Zealand has one of the lowest Covid-19 mortality rates in the world5 deaths per million, compared with 1,961 per million in the UK.

The corporate media, however, is increasingly frustrated with the strategy. The Sunday Star Times complained that New Zealand has never appeared to have a back-up plan in case elimination doesnt work out, and suggested that if the outbreak is not suppressed the country could follow Australias example. The Australian governments policies of living with the virus have produced a disastrous outbreak in New South Wales.

Stuff columnist Andrea Vance recently wrote that it was unhealthy to only hear from scientists about how to combat the pandemic. No political decisions are based solely on pure science, she said. Political decisions always involve trade-offs, moral values and priorities. Vance said Australian PM Scott Morrison, who has called elimination absurd, was more than qualified to comment.

Stuff s Luke Malpass wrote on August 28: Elimination via lockdowns was arguably the best strategy. But in a world of Delta, the economic juice wont be worth the squeeze. Chillingly, he urged the government to remind Kiwis that it cant save every life, and also realign its messaging around the fact that health outcomes are never the only consideration in policy-making.

The working class must oppose these demands to place the economyin reality, profitsahead of science-based policies to eliminate COVID-19 and save lives. As the explosion of deaths internationally demonstrates, the population cannot live with the coronavirus, any more than polio, smallpox and measles. Those advocating such a policy are serving as the mouthpieces for big business, which views lockdowns as an intolerable hindrance to the extraction of profits from the working class.
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has acted on his threat to withhold funding from school districts that make mask-wearing mandatory in the new academic year. The Florida Department of Education announced on Monday that two districts with mask mandates have forfeited a monthly amount of state funding equivalent to the salaries of school board members.

DeSantis took the action in defiance of a court ruling issued Friday stating that DeSantiss ban on local school mask mandates was unconstitutional and could not be enforced. Ignoring the court ruling, Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran said the state was withholding funds from the Alachua and Broward county school systems for their continued violation of state law.

Ron Desantis speaking at the 2018 Student Action Summit hosted by Turning Point USA at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida (Photo: Gage Skidmore)

Corcoran presented the Florida governments murderous policy as protecting parents rights to make health care decisions for their children.

The Florida Department of Education confirmed in an email to NBC News that the school districts funds had been withheld since Thursday. State Communications Director Jared Ochs claimed the department plans on continuing to follow the rule of law and is immediately appealing this [court] decision to the First DCA [District Court of Appeals] from which we will seek to stay the ruling.

In response, Alachua County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Carlee Simon said, Our School Board members made a courageous decision to protect the health and lives of students, staff and the people of this community, and a court has already ruled they had the legal right to do so. They deserve praise, not penalties.

Broward County Public Schools board member Sarah Leonardi posted on Twitter: Perhaps Commissioner Corcoran should reread the Florida Constitution because I swore an oath to provide a safe, secure and high-quality system of free public schools.

It is clear that mask mandates by themselves cannot stop the spread of the deadly Delta variant of COVID-19. What is required is a comprehensive policy to eradicate the virus with aggressive public health measures, which include masking, vaccination, lockdowns, travel restrictions, universal testing and contact tracing, and the isolation of infected individuals.

Nevertheless, the attack by the DeSantis administration on Florida school districts with mask mandates is part of the efforts by the US political establishment to implement herd immunity and allow the virus to infect the public unimpeded, so as to defend the wealth accumulation interests of the capitalist elite.

The withholding of school funding takes place just as the Delta variant is raging in the state, particularly attacking teachers and school children. The state is the epicenter of the pandemic, with more than 31,000 new cases on Monday and an average of 16,000 people hospitalized over the past seven days.

According to an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report dated last Friday, 26,822 children tested positive for COVID-19 in Florida during the prior week, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 311,102. While the state government stopped reporting child hospitalizations and the case numbers are known to be vastly underreported, the one-week increase in child infections is extremely alarming.

The AAP report also revealed that another 23 children died in the US, bringing the total to 67 child deaths in the month, with 47 in the last two weeks alone, all record numbers throughout the pandemic.

As part of DeSantiss fascistic agenda, the state government has modified the manner in which COVID-19 deaths are being counted. According to a report in the Miami Herald on Tuesday, the Florida Department of Health has changed the way it reported death data to the CDC, giving the appearance of a pandemic in decline. On Monday, the state reported 46 pandemic deaths per day over the previous seven days, on the basis of data that would have previously shown an average of 262 daily deaths.

Social epidemiologist and assistant professor at Emory University Shivani Patel said that the change in methodology is extremely problematic, given that it was implemented without warning or explanation during a rise in cases. Patel said that Floridas death data now shows an artificial decline to make it look like we are doing better than we are.

The AAP reports that the number of children infected nationally with COVID-19 last week increased by 203,962 and represented 22.4 percent of the total weekly reported cases of 910,826.

The impact of the surge in Florida schools was demonstrated tragically in the Indian River County School District, where two school teachers died from COVID-19 a week apart. Tabitha Blair, 42, of Sebastian, who taught fourth grade at Treasure Coast Elementary School, died on August 18 after suffering from the virus all summer and never returning to the classroom. On August 26, Sara Zevallos-Gonzalez, 45, an English-Spanish teacher at Fellsmere Elementary School, died.

Other recent teacher deaths in Florida from COVID-19 include: Michelle Cook, 51, Sarasota County; Travis Barnes, 47, Santa Rosa County; Lillian Smith, Miami-Dade County; Jayla Smith, Collier County; Kelly Peterson, 41, and Norma Reyes, 52, Polk County .

Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper ruled against Governor DeSantis on August 27 and said he agreed with parents who had sued the state. He said he would issue a written order soon.

Cooper said the law permits school districts to take action that some parents dislike to support the public good and that it does not provide for banning mask mandates.

Even with the Delta variant surge already underway, Governor DeSantis issued an executive order on July 30 for Commissioner Corcoran to withhold funds to noncompliant school boards that impose masking requirements.

The order was in part a response to the recommendation issued several days earlier by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calling on teachers, students and school staff to wear masks at the beginning of the new school year.

On August 27, Commissioner Corcoran sent a series of letters to school districts across the state stating that any mask mandates had to include a provision allowing a parent or legal guardian of a student to opt-out the student from wearing a face covering or mask. For school boards that defied the mask mandate rule, the letter continued, the Department of Education would withhold funds until the district comes into compliance.

The gangsterism of the DeSantis administration is a continuation of the methods used last December against data scientist Rebekah Jones, the former employee of the Florida Department of Health who was fired for being an outspoken critic of the governor and exposing his efforts to undercount the number of infections in the state. When Jones refused to distort Florida COVID-19 data to support the back-to-work and back-to-school campaign of DeSantis, a SWAT team was sent to raid her house, aimed guns at her and her family, seized her computers and data files.
All of Floridas colleges began their fall semesters in August amid a devastating spread of COVID-19 throughout the state and a catastrophic growth of hospitalizations and deaths. Although the latest wave is proving far more deadly because of the highly more infectious and transmissible Delta variant, school officials and administrators have elected to pursue in-person learning while repudiating even the most minimal public health precautions on campuses.

After more than a year of closures due to the dangers of the pandemic, an overwhelming majority of Floridas public universities and colleges, comprising more than 1.1 million students and hundreds of thousands of faculty and staff, are deciding to shovel teachers and students into environments where the chances of major outbreaks occurring throughout the school system are all but inevitable.

The Florida State University (Flickr/Jackson Myers)

Students at virtually all the major universities will be returning to in-person classrooms at normal capacity, with no requirements or tracking for vaccinations. Unlike the 2020-2021 school year, when all colleges reopened with safety measures such as mask requirements and social distancing in the pandemic, mask-wearing in the classrooms and around campus are merely recommended but will not be enforced on school grounds.

The Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the states public universities, recently issued health guidelines to university officials recommending everyone on campus get fully vaccinated and wear face masks indoors. However, the guidelines make clear that vaccines or face coverings while on campus can go unmandated, leaving every college to jettison even the most basic precautions. The shift in policy in higher education is entirely in line with the states reopening of K-12 schools that was spearheaded by Governor Ron DeSantis, who is continuing to issue threats of fines and penalties for districts that implement mask mandates despite immense and growing opposition from educators and staff.

These policies are creating the conditions not just for outbreaks on the campuses, but a devastating growth of infection in surrounding communities and the entire state, which is already experiencing a horrific health crisis being fueled by the Delta variant. On Monday, Florida reported 31,164 additional COVID-19 cases and 902 deaths to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Miami Herald calculations of CDC data.

All but eight of the newly reported deaths occurred after August 2, with 70 percent of those people passing away in the last two weeks. Meanwhile, the CDC reported this week that every county in the state is witnessing a high level of community transmission, a development that will certainly be worsened by the reopening of some of the largest universities.

Florida State University in Tallahassee reverted to normal, pre-pandemic operations after classes resumed on August 23. Spokeswoman Amy Farnum-Patronis said in a statement that the university expects people to get vaccinated and wear masks even if theyve received the vaccine, but mask wearing will not be required within classrooms or other group settings.

The University of Florida, the fifth largest school in the US, is also resuming classes in a total in-person format along with pre-pandemic operations for events this fall. Before the start of classes, the university initially released a statement saying that fully immunized adults need not wear masks. However, officials were forced to revise their lax policy last week because of the explosive growth of cases and hospitalizations among local residents, while citing large numbers of people who are unvaccinated.

In the absence of any government-imposed restrictions or even joint planning across Floridas college and university systems, schools are formulating their policies on a campus-to-campus basis, with very little concern for the health and safety of the most vulnerable populations. At Florida A&M University, students are required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result to live in dormitories or other on-campus housing, which is completely inadequate for preventing infections since students can still capture and transmit the virus after testing negative.

At the University of South Florida, residents have been mandated to undergo a COVID-19 health screening with a mask and can be allowed to live on campus with just a negative test result and no vaccination history. However, a spokesperson for USF told Florida Phoenix that proof of vaccination history or COVID-29 testing is not required to move into residence halls but will be based on the preferences of the resident, who can bring those items for their own preferences. This policy is sure to undermine any tracking system for vaccination in case of an outbreak among residents.

Emboldening the anti-scientific protocols driving the reopening campaigns on the college campuses are the efforts of Governor DeSantis to impose a slew of anti-democratic and reactionary legislation which has stripped localities of any authority to implement public health measures. In May, DeSantis signed bill SB 2006 into law, which bars all educational institutions from requiring students or residents to provide any documentation certifying COVID-19 or post-infection recovery for attendance or enrollment.

In an email to Florida Phoenix, the governors press secretary Christina Pushaw expressed her approval of the policies of the colleges and said that they dont violate another bill that prohibits businesses and government institutions from regulating vaccine status in their facilities. Pushaw called the option invoked by some colleges that students show a negative COVID test instead acceptable under SB 2006, because students have the choice to show a vaccine passport or not.

While vaccines have so far been mandated for students or employees for 730 higher education institutions nationwide, only six schools in Florida have required vaccinations. Even for several of these schools, vaccinations are only mandatory for employees and not students, including the University of Miami, Jacksonville University and Nova Southeastern University.

Although many critics of the DeSantis administration have sought to place the blame for the reckless reopening strategies of the universities on the Republicans and their hysterical opposition to limited health measures, complicit are also the trade unions and Democratic Party, both of which have done nothing to challenge the reopenings but have instead capitulated to the Republicans and even sanctioned such measures.

The United Faculty of Florida, one of the largest trade unions representing 25,000 faculty at all 12 of the state's universities, have resorted to impotent and mealy-mouthed requests to DeSantis and university officials to put in place better health protections for their membership. In a press conference leading up to the first day of classes on August 23, UFF co-president at the University of Florida (UF), Paul Ortiz, pleaded that the university take a leap of faith and do the right thing instead of endangering the lives of millions.

Similar pronouncements were issued by officials of the Graduate Assistants United Union, who asked university leaders to require the first three weeks of classes be online, vaccines be required, and transparent and frequent UF COVID reporting be carried out.

Instead of mobilizing the tens of thousands of faculty members whose lives will be placed at risk in classrooms and waging a real fight against the universities policies, the unions are placing confidence in administrators to reverse their policies. Andrew Gothard, president of the UFF, said in a phone interview with Florida Phoenix, Our hope is they will come out and do the sensible thing and do a mask mandate. Rather than take strike action against shut-down classrooms, Gothard suggested campuses could facilitate vaccine drives for students and faculty.

The rejection of safety protocols on the campuses has been strengthened at the federal level by the Biden administration and the Democratic Party, who have taken no serious stand against the homicidal measures of governors like DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, while championing mitigation strategies that will do little to nothing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools, let alone eradicate the virus overall.

In its latest July 23 guidance for higher education, the CDC gave the green light for administrators to forgo mask and physical distancing requirements. The CDC said this was permissible if students, faculty and staff are fully vaccinated prior to the start of the semester, something most schools are refusing to track or require on campus.
This is the sixth in a series of interviews with UK parents and educators opposed to the reckless reopening of schools. Part 1 is here, Part 2 is here, Part 3 is here, Part 4 is here and Part 5 is here. We urge all parents, educators and workers seeking to organise opposition to this homicidal policy to join and build the Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees in the UK and internationally.

Helena Wallace is a civil servant from Northwich in Cheshire, England and has taken the decision to home school her 13-year-old daughter Cora next term.

Helena with her daughter Cora

She told the WSWS, Ive been uncomfortable with sending my daughter to school during the last academic year. It was patently clear to me that school children can catch and spread the virus, particularly where they are crammed into classrooms with 30 other students.

But at least then some mitigations were in place such as mask wearing, year bubbles, and policies on isolation if close contacts tested positive. To think that we are heading into the new academic year, with a more contagious and more dangerous variant, with none of these mitigations well, it makes no sense to me.

I was very unwell in March 2020 with a virus that left me bedridden and exhausted for weeks, she continued. Testing was less available back then, but I strongly suspect that it was Covid-19. 18 months on, I am still suffering the long-term effects of this illness, and I refuse to send my daughter into an unsafe school where she is at increased risk of becoming ill and potentially developing Long Covid.

I had heard about other parents keeping their children off school, and them being threatened with fines or prosecution. I believe this approach is very unfair, particularly to those parents and children who are clinically vulnerable and for whom catching the virus means a much higher risk of mortality.

Helena described how she discussed and agreed deregistering from school with her daughter and husband, enrolling in a number of distance learning courses and joining a local home education community.

I appreciate that we are lucky that we can provide this alternative education for my daughter, she said, since we have the flexibility and funds to support her. For many families, they may not have this option, and are forced to send their children into an unsafe environment even if they dont want to.

A recent letter from Helenas daughters headteacher detailed the schools scrapping of bubbles, distancing, masking and isolation requirements. I dont blame the school for this. I blame government and the Department for Education for not requiring that these simple protective measures continue.

Another concern was the statement by the school that they will be mindful of good ventilation. This is not good enough! Schools should be funded so that they can purchase effective HEPA filters for every classroom. It simply is not enough to just open a window when we are dealing with a highly contagious variant, which is primarily spread through the air.

Referring to the governments propaganda offensive, Helena explained her view that many parents will be sending their children back to school in September not fully aware of the risks that Covid poses.

Early on in the pandemic the message given by the government was that children cannot catch Covid, cannot spread Covid, do not get ill, and do not die. 18 months later, we now know that this is not the case. However, this belief seems to have remained.

Helena stressed that Eight percent of children develop Long Covid, and currently the Delta variant is putting one percent of children in hospital. There are 8.9 million children in school in the UK, so eight percent of 8.9 million is a lot of children. She also emphasised the devastating impact the pandemic is having on the National Health Service (NHS).

Our NHS [National Health Service] is already on its knees thanks to government cuts and the strain Covid has placed on it so far. I dont think it has the capacity to care for thousands of sick children if cases rise in September when the schools go back. It is what we saw in September 2020, and we are seeing this in Scotland right now after the school term began a couple of weeks ago.

What is particularly worrying is that Covid cases are 26 times higher than they were one year ago, we have a more worrying variant, and this Bank Holiday thousands of people were at festivals which will only fuel the spread of the virus within the community. More children will get sick, more children will spread the virus, and this will mean an increase of cases among the more vulnerable members of the community.

Even if hospitals are not completely overrun by patients, there will be a clear impact on deaths which could have been prevented and also effective care for other patients, such as those with cancer. We may get to the stage where schools are forced to close due to rising cases, which will impact on childrens vital education even more than it has already.

Asked her opinion of the Conservative governments response to the pandemic, Helena said, We have been truly world beating in terms of cases, deaths, and an approach which shows a complete lack of regard for the value of life. This government does not care about deaths; let the bodies pile high, as [Prime Minister] Boris Johnson said. For the nasty party, the bottom line is always money, and this is what has guided all decision making and policy.

This government wants everyone back to work, sitting on cramped trains, fuelling the economy again, and tens of thousands of deaths are seen as a small price to pay for that. Helena said she was shocked at the level of corruption that this party have displayed and that, though she hoped a Covid Inquiry would scrutinise its actions, the way things are at the moment Im not sure if this will happen.

Regarding the role of the Labour Party, Helena said, I have been very disappointed in the Labour oppositions response to Covid and the government. There was a real opportunity for [party leader Sir Keir] Starmer to hold the government to account, but this just didnt happen. Instead, he seemed to roll over and support everything Boris Johnson did.

I was particularly frustrated to see him pressing for schools to re-open, without calls for effective safety mitigations to be put in place to protect children. I dont feel that the Labour Party has done a good job of representing me, or my views on the pandemic. More widely, I definitely dont feel that the Labour Party has done a good job of representing the average working citizen and those who are genuinely concerned about this push back to normality.

Helena continued, Despite the fact that herd immunity simply does not apply to a virus like Covid-19, and the uproar back in 2020 when they tried to pursue this as an approach to the pandemic, its been clear to me that this is back on the table again but by stealth. By promoting the idea that the pandemic is over, and by removing requirements like mask-wearing and social distancing, this government is gently nudging people back to behaviours that will increase the spread of the virus.

This is the same with schools. Many believe that their children will not be affected by the virus, or that they dont transmit it. By not vaccinating children in time for the start of term, the spread of virus will increase again. Studies have shown that even in those individuals who suffered only mild illness, brain scans showed a loss of grey matter and neurological deficits. By opening schools in September with no mitigations in place to protect them, I can only come to the conclusion that the government deliberately wants to infect them [children] and fuel the pandemic further. I am not prepared for my daughter to be a part of this.

The government does not care about us or our children. It does not care about the most vulnerable members of our society, particularly those it considers to not be economically active or of benefit to it. Research shows that people who are poorer, or those who are from ethnic minorities, are disproportionately more likely to suffer the effects of or die from the virus.

We must stand up and fight for all members of society and ensure that everyone is protected from the heartless policies of this government. I wish that all governments had taken Covid-19 seriously when it first emerged. Those countries that did, such as New Zealand and China, are faring much better than countries that didn't, such as the US and UK.

I believe that a Zero Covid approach would mean that fewer people would be affected by the virus, be that directly (e.g., fewer people would die from the virus) or indirectly (e.g., hospitals would have the capacity to care for patients with non-Covid related illness). My fear is that the UKs approach of allowing the virus to run riot through our population could result in the emergence of a new, more dangerous variant. This may render current vaccines ineffective, and ultimately result in more deaths, damage and disruption in the long term.

Helena concluded, I believe that recent threats, such as the Covid pandemic and the climate crisis, show that the current world economic model does not work. We need to take a sustainable approach to how we do things, and one which places its people at the centre. I worry about the future for my daughter and her friends, and I would like to see a viable political alternative that looks to the future and provides solutions to the big global problems that we face.
Millions of residents along the US Gulf Coast, who have endured Hurricane Idas devastating winds, storm surge and torrential rain, now face widespread power and water outages that are expected to last for weeks, coupled with a heat wave that will push temperatures around or above 100 degrees F (37.8 degrees C). According to PowerOutage.US, more than 1 million homes and businesses in Louisiana, including the entire city of New Orleans, 60,000 customers in Mississippi and 16,000 in Alabama are without power.

The hurricane, now a tropical depression, crashed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 hurricane with winds up to 150 mph (241 kph) on Sunday, ripping roofs off of buildings and collapsing power lines. In parts of New Orleans and surrounding cities, rapidly rising floodwaters trapped drivers in their cars and forced families to take shelter in their attics. The Karnofsky Shop, a historic brick building in downtown New Orleans where jazz musician Louis Armstrong worked as a child, was completely reduced to rubble by Idas strong winds.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, Ademir Sava fills his truck with gas after waiting in line for six hours Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, in New Orleans, La. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Double-digit rainfall totals have been confirmed across Louisiana and Mississippi. Hurricane Ida dropped more than 10 inches (25.4 cm) of rain in the past 48 hours over portions of Louisiana and Mississippi, leading to life-threatening flash flooding. At least two weather stations in Louisiana have reported more than a foot (30.5 cm) of rainfall since early Sunday. One of the two stations, near New Orleans, received a foot and a half (45.7 cm) of rainfall during the same period.

The Louisiana Department of Health announced the second death related to the storm Monday afternoon but warned the death toll will definitely rise. One unidentified man drowned after his vehicle attempted to go through floodwater near I-10 and West End Blvd. in New Orleans, the department said in a post on Twitter. On Sunday, a 60-year-old male in Ascension Parish also died after a tree fell onto his home.

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said search-and-rescue operations were underway, but crews have not been able to access some of the hardest hit areas in the state.

We have one confirmed death, but I dont want to mislead anyone, Edwards told MSNBC before the second death was confirmed. Robust search and rescue is happening right now, and I fully expect that that death count will go up considerably throughout the day.

Edwards warned residents who had evacuated that they should not yet return home. Many of the life-supporting infrastructure elements are not present, theyre not operating right now, the governor warned on Tuesday. So if you have already evacuated, do not return here or elsewhere in southeast Louisiana until the Office of Emergency Preparedness tells you its ready to receive you.

Rescues have been underway throughout Louisiana for over a day, with some crews working as the storm still battered the state. Hundreds of people have been rescued, but with the widespread outage of power and cell phone service, it is not yet clear how many residents might still be trapped by flooding or debris.

Some areas also face water system failures. Edwards said 18 water systems were out, impacting more than 312,000 residents, and an additional 14 systems were under boil water advisories, affecting another 329,000 people.

Idas torrential rainfall has totaled more than a foot in some areas in Mississippi and caused the collapse of a highway in George County, which caused two deaths late Monday. According to George County Emergency Management Director John Glass, seven vehicles had to be pulled from the collapsed roadway using cranes, and 10 injuries were reported. Glass said heavy rain from Ida reduced drivers visibility, preventing them from knowing that they were driving into the washed-out highway.

The storm remains a threat for other states across the Eastern United States. Despite weakening to a tropical depression, Ida continues to bring heavy rain and the threat of flash floods to Tennessee, which saw deadly flooding just a week ago. Heavy flooding in Manchester, Tennessee led organizers to cancel the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, which was set to open Thursday with tens of thousands of fans in attendance despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the system moves to the Northeast, a 1,200-mile (1,931 km) stretch from Louisiana to Massachusetts potentially faces the threat of significant flooding. Nearly 80 million people are under a flash flood threat from the storm. Flooding dangers will be exacerbated as Idas heavy rains fall on saturated ground already soaked from severe rainstorms throughout August. According to AccuWeather, major cities in the Northeast, such as New York City, Boston and Washington D.C., have already seen more than double their average August rainfall this year.

The National Hurricane Center reported that the center of Ida passed over Nashville, Tennessee Tuesday, with heavy rainfalls stretching over 600 miles (965 km) from the Gulf Coast to Kentucky. Officials state the heaviest rain is located across Kentucky, Alabama and Georgia.

In Pennsylvania, thunderstorms, which could include tornadoes, will arrive Wednesday and could spell disaster for the states river systems, officials said. River gauge forecasts from the National Weather Service show that the Conemaugh and Juniata rivers could reach a major flooding stage this week. The hilly terrain in the region also brings the potential for road washouts, mudslides and rockslides. Heavy rain is also expected Wednesday in Maryland, with the city of Baltimore providing residents with sandbags on Tuesday.

The scope of the economic loss from the storm remains to be fully accounted for and will likely continue to grow through the end of the week as Ida tracks across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. Officials say the storm could disrupt US supply chains and impact the economy, as New Orleans is a major port city on the Mississippi River, and Louisiana is a center of the processing and transportation of gasoline and other petroleum products.
An overwhelming majority of the 1,700 workers at Dublin Bus have voted down a union-backed proposal by the company to worsen the working conditions of bus drivers.

The Transformational Agreement would have enforced gruelling changes in work practices in exchange for increases in pay of up to 15 percent spread over six years. Workers rebelled against the Service Industrial Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU), both of which recommended the deal.

The overwhelming rejection of the agreement on August 12 by 97 percent of the membership shows that bus workers recognised the agreement as a fraud. Under the plan, drivers feared they would be compelled to spend more time behind the wheel, with longer working days spread over 10 hours, in return for long-overdue pay increases. The plan also proposed workers drive multiple routes from any one garage instead of, as now, being marked in for one or two routes. An increase in Sunday working and reduced summer breaks were also mooted.

A Dublin Bus on a route (credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Speaking after the vote, NBRU general secretary Dermot OLeary cynically acknowledged, I have been criticised by my own members for not attacking [the proposals] and to be fair to our own members and members of SIPTU, we were criticised for even producing the document.

He explained that Dublin Bus came to us last year and basically said to us that, in order for them to compete with what we call low-wage operators, they had to become more efficient.

They gave us a set of proposals that we did say to them during the discussions would be extremely difficult, if not nigh on impossible for drivers to accept

It put them in an invidious position where they [the drivers] were asked to accept something that we did say to the company at the time that they would struggle with.

OLeary manages to exclude from his account the fact that the unions then recommended their members accept the deal! The NBRUs warning that it would be nigh on impossible to force these proposals on workers was not a threat, but a piece of friendly advice. Both the unions and Dublin Bus are working together to ensure the companys competitiveness.

This is corporate shorthand for continued privatisations and attacks on workers conditions. Dublin Bus is being lined up to compete with private companies before its contract with the governments National Transport Authority (NTA) expires in 2024, when additional routes will be put out to tender for private operators. The NTA has developed a BusConnects plan designed to streamline and modernise public transport in the capital at the cost of workers pay and conditions, in line with the practice of transport operators worldwide.

To date, the unions have colluded in the privatisation of 10 percent of Dublin Bus routes, while successive governments have cut the state subvention to Dublin Bus by 28 million. In April 2017, the unions scuttled a strike by 2,600 bus workers at Irelands Bus Eireann transport company and agreed to ballot their members on an agreement of over 18 million in cuts to wages and services.

In the last decade, Dublin Bus company has reduced its number of buses by 20 per cent and the workforce by 17 percent. It has also cut over 60 routes.

SIPTU and the NBRU are already putting pressure on their members to submit to the companys agenda, using the threat of job losses if the deal is not accepted. The unions issued a joint statement warning: It is true that no union can give guarantees around winning future tenders for current and/or new Dublin routes. We can say, however, that Dublin Buss chances of winning future tendering competitions will be severely diminished, if not holed below the waterline, if it remains as it currently operates. That is not scaremongering, that is just trying to spell it out.

This is presented to workers as an ultimatum, making clear the unions will do nothing to oppose the companys attacks if their members continue to fight for their interests. Attempts are already being made to subvert last months vote, with the Irish Times reporting that, following rejection of the deal, the unions and management will seek to use the next pay round to smuggle through some of rejected concessions. A pay agreement has been under negotiation since 2019.

As the union bureaucracy becomes ever more exposed as a corporatist partner of management, its leaders increasingly depend on pseudo-left groups to cover for their betrayals and channel workers protests and concerns behind pointless moral appeals to the Fianna Fail/Fine Gael/Green Party coalition government for a change in policy.

In late July, Richard Boyd Barrett, TD (Member of Parliament) for the People Before Profit party, told a 100-strong protest of bus drivers outside the Dail (parliament) that he would write to the Minister for Transport, the NTA, the Taoiseach (prime minister) and the Tanaiste (deputy prime minister) outlining drivers concerns. Boyd Barrett made not a word of criticism of the trade unions role in promoting the companys proposals.

People Before Profit was established in 2005 by the British Socialist Workers Party, leading apologists and functionaries for the trade union bureaucracy in the UK.

After drivers emphatically rejected the Dublin Bus deal, Boyd Barrett continued his cover-up on behalf of the unions. On August 20, he joined a much-diminished protest of 20 workers to hand in a letter to the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan. Boyd Barrett complained that the government had failed to consult bus drivers over the new proposals and totally let them down. His actions sow illusions that the government, which backs Dublin Bus to the hilt, can be convinced to intervene in defence of workers and distract from the fact that the unions are close partners of both in the drive to streamline the transport system.

The Dublin Bus drivers vote took place one month after SIPTU shut down a planned strike at Doyle Shipping Group (DSG) in Dublin Port. DSG, one of Irelands largest independent shipping and warehouse companies, loads and unloads cargo vessels and provides storage, dry docking and ship repair at all of Irelands ports. Workers had voted by a large majority to begin rolling 72-hour work stoppages in pursuit of improved pay and conditions and over health and safety concerns.

In 2020, DSG pleaded guilty to breaches of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act following the death of a worker and father of two, James Byrne in 2018. Byrne was killed during the unsafe dismantling of a steel hopper at Ocean Pier in Dublin Port. The company admitted failing to identify hazards or carry out risk assessments and was fined 850,000.

These experiences of Dublin bus and dock workers are shared by their class brothers and sisters internationally. In Manchester this year, the Unite union carried out a rotten betrayal of Go North West bus workers who spent 11 weeks out on strike, pushing through over a million pounds-worth of concessions in attacks on working conditions and redundancies. In London, Unite has sold out struggles against Remote Sign On and over pay. Working with First Group, the union has facilitated attacks on bus drivers terms and conditions all over the country. Throughout the pandemic, all drivers have been dangerously exposed to the dangers of Covid-19 with the unions consent, with many tragically losing their lives.

In response to Unites criminal complicity with the bus operators and Transport for London during the pandemic, drivers in London established a rank-and-file committee independent of the unions. It has fought to oppose the employers and Unites endangering of drivers safety, their efforts to offload the costs of the pandemic onto workers and to use the crisis to push through massive restructuring programmes.

We call on Dublin Bus drivers to contact the committee today and begin a discussion on the way forward in their struggle.
The World Socialist Web Site received the following letter from an early childhood teacher in New Zealand, highlighting the significant risks that COVID-19 will spread in early childhood centres due to a rush to reopen before the country has stamped out the virus, and a lack of protections for staff and children.

New Zealand is experiencing a large outbreak of the Delta variant, which has infected more than 600 people, including 75 children aged under 10 and six infants. The virus has spread like wildfire with the reopening of schools in the US and other countries, and many teachers have become sick and died.

Mt Victoria School closed in Wellington during the 2020 lockdown. Note: this is not the school where the author of the letter to the WSWS works. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Apart from Auckland, which remains in a strict level 4 lockdown, Jacinda Arderns Labour Party-led government has decided that as of today the majority of the country will move to a less stringent level 3 lockdown. Childcare centres and schools can partially reopen at level 3 so that more people can return to work.

The letter has been edited for length.

* * * * * *

In the latest Early Learning Bulletin sent out on August 29, Secretary for Education Iona Holsted explains the Ministry of Educations (MOE) advice for the operation of early childhood services within Alert Level 3.

We are advised that bubbles [class sizes] should be no more than 10 tamariki [children], and staff with higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 can be onsite if they are fully vaccinated. It is added that public health officials have advised against the use of face coverings for a range of reasons, most particularly because face coverings that are handled incorrectly or are moved around can present a greater risk than no covering.

The bulletin flagrantly disregards the health and safety of early childhood teachers and children. Stating that staff with a higher risk of severe illness can be onsite if fully vaccinated will give employers a free pass to pressure teachers with health conditions back into the workplace. While vaccination can reduce the possibility of becoming infected with the Delta variant, it does not guarantee that a fully vaccinated person will not contract the virus and experience debilitating, and possibly ongoing adverse effects to their health. For immunocompromised members of our communities this risk is even greater, but this is a risk that the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the MOE are willing to unleash upon health-compromised early childhood educators.

The decision not to make masks mandatory for adults in early childhood settings directly contradicts advice provided by the MOH, which says: 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.

Physical distancing is simply impossible when working with young children. When returning to work at Level 3, all teachers will be in close contact with people outside of their household bubbles, yet the MOH and MOE find this to be an acceptable risk for teachers and children.

For businesses operating in Level 3, the governments COVID-19 website says: You legally must wear a face covering if you are a customer or an employee involving customer contact at a business or service operating at Alert Level 3. This is because at Alert Level 3 the risk of COVID-19 being present in the community is higher. People are also required to wear a mask on public transport, taxis, when visiting healthcare facilities, making deliveries, in supermarkets, pharmacies and takeaways, courts and government agencies.

Unfortunately, for teachers these requirements do not apply. In the current Delta environment, this risk to our teachers and children under level 3 is unacceptable.

Teachers are advised that, At Alert Level 3, most children and young people will continue to learn from home, however schools and early learning services are open for all children and young people whose parents or carers need to go to work and there is no one at home to supervise them. The bulletin incorrectly states that there is no limitation on specifically who can work under Alert Level 3. In fact, the governments COVID-19 website states under Level 3 businesses that require close physical contact cannot open.

The bulletin refers to a guidance document from the MOE, which places responsibility for preventing the possible spread of infection entirely on the centre owners, leaders, and staff. It makes the ludicrous suggestion that centres can create new practices that meet or exceed the Ministry of Health guideline. Centre leaders are also informed that WorkSafe requires that before you reopen, persons conducting a business ... should self-assess their ability to operate safely at Alert Level 3.

Given that the Delta variant is a highly infectious airborne strain of COVID-19 and staff are required to work in close contact with people outside of their family bubble without mandatory masking, leaders who self-assess with honesty must certainly conclude that they are unable to operate safely at Alert Level 3.

There are multiple sections of the document devoted to instructions for cleaning of resources and surfaces. The amount of cleaning will undoubtedly require that an additional staff member be present at each centre, thus putting another worker at unnecessary risk. While hand washing and surface disinfecting are important measures, there is no mention of the facts around the airborne spread of the virus. Instead, there is impractical and contradictory advice on ventilation. Centres must keep a minimum temperature of 18 degrees, while also being advised to open windows and doors to allow for proper ventilation. This is going to be a hard balance to achieve in winter.

Another preposterous suggestion is to install partitions which do not need to be at ceiling height but would ideally be at adult head height or at a minimum the head height of a child. There should be no gaps that children could pass toys through or otherwise physically connect with other bubbles. Just how does the Ministry suggest teachers prevent infected air passing between these partitions?

As a teacher faced with returning to work under these conditions, I readily admit to a feeling of extreme fear and trepidation within this new Delta environment. Whilst today, numbers have dropped, there are still locations of interest [where infection may have occurred] outside of Auckland in close proximity to my workplace. I am very fortunate that my employer has allowed open discussion and free airing of concerns in our discussions around returning work. I have made the decision that until case numbers continue to fall, and no cases become apparent south of Auckland, I will not go to work. I do not know whether I will get paid or not during this time, making my financial situation uncertain.

Unfortunately, it is without doubt that having an understanding leader and employer is not the case for thousands of teachers around the country. The Ministries of Education and Health, and our government have once again allowed the teachers and children of this country to become the sacrificial lambs in their drive to drop levels as quickly as possible and get the economy up and running.
New Jerseys gubernatorial election will take place on November 2, but neither Democratic incumbent Phil Murphy nor Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli is proposing to address the social crisis gripping the state.

The response of the states ruling class to the pandemic over the last year and a half has intensified social misery by increasing unemployment and food insecurity and undermining health services for the states most vulnerable residents. The state government, which represents the interests of New Jerseys corporate and financial oligarchy, has placed the burden of the acute economic and health crises on the shoulders of the working class.

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy (L) and Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli (R) (Image credit: Left Gov. Phil murphy Facebook; Right AP Photo/Mike Catalini)

Last year, the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) predicted that food insecurity in the state would increase by 56 percent because of decreased income and rising poverty and unemployment. This prediction has been fulfilled. More than 1.2 million New Jersey residents, including about 400,000 children, do not know where they will get their next meal. This number represents more than 13 percent of the states population of 8.9 millionmore than one in eight people.

Of all states, New Jersey is projected to have the highest percent increase in food insecurity overall (36 percent) from 2019 to 2021, according to CFBNJ. It also is projected to have the highest increase in food insecurity among children (55 percent) in this period. In New Jerseys 11th congressional district, one of the ten most affluent congressional districts in the country, food insecurity among children is projected to increase by 169 percent between 2019 and 2021. This latter finding starkly illustrates capitalisms inexorable and simultaneous creation of wealth and misery.

After years of steadily declining food insecurity rates in our state, never did I expect that all of that progress would disappear in the blink of an eye, putting New Jersey in an even worse position than it was in after the Great Recession, wrote Carlos M. Rodriguez, president and CEO of CFBNJ, in a report on the first year of the pandemic. A decade of progress in the fight against hunger was wiped out overnight.

Atlantic City, which is known for its casinos and boardwalk, has been one of the worst-affected cities in the country. It has endured decades of economic crisis resulting from a decline in tourism. Even before the pandemic, residents suffered high levels of unemployment and food insecurity.

CFBNJ has held more than 40 large-scale food distribution events in 12 of the states 21 counties. Lines of cars seeking assistance have stretched for miles. CFBNJ predicts that it will incur $12 million in additional costs this year to maintain services at the current level.

Amidst the increase in food insecurity and an ongoing pandemic, the ruling class has begun closing nursing home facilities, which have been the sites of mass death during the pandemic. At least four New Jersey nursing homes have closed since the beginning of the pandemic. In contrast, only one nursing home closed in each of the two years before the pandemic.

In July, the Bergen County Health Care Center in Rockleigh, which has 110 beds, announced that it would close permanently. This announcement follows the closure or planned closure of the Alaris Health nursing home in Guttenberg, the Armenian Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Emerson, the St. Francis Residential Community in Denville and the Villa at Florham Park.

For years, nursing homes had faced challenges such as inadequate levels of Medicaid reimbursement and aging buildings in need of major improvements. As home- and community-based services for the elderly have expanded, nursing homes have lost residents and revenue. Increased expenses for personal protective equipment (PPE) and other pandemic-related supplies have further strained the facilities finances.

Nursing homes were left criminally unprepared for the pandemic. Understaffing was widespread and supplies of coronavirus tests and PPE were inadequate. Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli made the situation more dangerous by ordering long-term care facilities to take residents back from hospitals even without negative coronavirus tests. Because of this combination of neglect and recklessness, at least 7,800 residents of long-term care homes have died from COVID-19. Residents of nursing homes have accounted for 40 percent of coronavirus deaths in New Jersey. Overall, New Jersey has the highest per capita death rate from COVID-19 of any state in the US, followed by Mississippi.

The wave of facility closures will further deprive the elderly of needed care. The trend that Im concerned about is that the public institutions and the nonprofit institutions are either closing or are privatizing, Laurie Facciarossa Brewer, New Jerseys long-term care ombudsman, told NJ Spotlight News. Many facilities are going into private hands run by equity firms, hedge funds, other companies that have profit as their primary motivator, she added. The quality of care in the for-profit nursing homes is not as good as it is in the nonprofit nursing homes. You can see that in the CMS [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] with federal data.

Services for people who are struggling with drug addiction also are about to be curtailed in New Jersey. Atlantic City city council members voted in July to shut down the states largest needle exchange program, which is based in the city. Oasis, the harm reduction center that has provided syringes, testing services and recovery support to 1,200 clients since 2007, will be closed in early September. Public health officials warn that the closure could lead to an increase in overdoses and HIV and hepatitis infections.

The decision was made in the face of mass public opposition. The council held its vote after a public discussion that lasted two and a half hours. About 50 people spoke in opposition to the closure. You are not cleaning the island, resident Mike Nees testified. You are sucking more people into the cycle of disease, stigma, addiction and instability. The decision also goes against the advice of Dr. Wilson Washington, the citys health director. Only two residents spoke in favor of ending the program.

Council President George Tibbitt and other councilmen argued heartlessly that Oasis is a blight on the city and upsets residents and tourists. Undercutting this argument, they blamed other nearby towns for not setting up similar programs.

I understand that we probably need this, but dont want it here, said Jeffree Fauntleroy II, a councilman at large, without a trace of humanity. These people [i.e., those who support Oasis] dont actually live in Atlantic City so they dont see what is going on on a daily basis. These remarks are belied by the vocal support that Oasis received from residents.

Drug overdose deaths in the United States reached a record high last year. In 2020, the number of such deaths increased by 30 percent to 93,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Furthermore, CDC data show that prevention programs such as the one Oasis provides are effective.

Atlantic City has been under state oversight since 2016, when former Republican Governor Chris Christie and the Democrat-controlled legislature used the citys economic crisis as a pretext to take over the city. Earlier this year, Murphy signed a bill that extended state oversight by four years.

In a mealy-mouthed statement, Murphy expressed disappointment in the councils decision and said that his administration would assess paths forward. He later claimed not to have authority to reverse the city councils decision.

However, Assembly member Vincent Mazzeo, the lead sponsor of the bill that Murphy signed to prolong state oversight, told Politico that, The governor can veto any action of the council of Atlantic City.

Murphy, a multimillionaire and former Goldman Sachs executive, defends the interests of New Jerseys financial elite, which is diametrically opposed to those of the working class. He has proved his willingness to sacrifice public health to keep share values high on Wall Street throughout the pandemic. In addition to presiding over the above attacks, he has refused to close schools to stem the spread of COVID-19 and allowed prison inmates to be held in abusive conditions.

Ciattarelli, Murphys challenger in the gubernatorial election, has had a long political career that includes service on the Financial Institutions and Insurance committee in the state Assembly. He is running a right-wing campaign that includes proposals to cut the state workforce by 5 to 10 percent and to terminate additional unemployment benefits from the federal government.

The record of the Murphy administration and Ciattarellis proposals make clear that the interests of the working class find no expression within the framework of capitalist politics.
The state of Oregon recorded its highest number of recorded cases on Monday. The new record of 5,495 cases far surpasses the previous high of 2,147 cases recorded on December 4, 2020. The state also reported 40 new deaths on Monday. Hospitals across the state are in danger of becoming overwhelmed. Democratic Governor Kate Browns administration has responded to the crisis by rejecting lockdowns and social distancing measures while maintaining an unwavering commitment to the full reopening of schools, which begins today.

Funeral homes have seen such a rise in deaths that refrigeration trucks are necessary to store the bodies of those who have succumbed to the virus. Two Oregon counties, Tillamook and Josephine counties, have requested refrigeration trucks. The director of emergency management for Tillamook County, Gordon McCraw, informed Portland Fox 12 that 20 percent of those tested for COVID-19 in the county are testing positive.

Medical staff tend to a patient with coronavirus, on a COVID-19 ward. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The virus is now devastating rural communities across Oregon. Southern Oregon communities such as Ashland, Medford and Grants Pass have intensive care units that are 100 percent full of COVID-19 patients. Dr. Michael Blumhardt, the ICU medical director at these hospitals, told NPR what is now a familiar truth: hospitals are treating COVID-19 patients in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s.

A new study by the Oregon Health & Science University has found that Oregon will need at least 400 to 500 more staffed hospital beds by Labor Day, September 6, if cases continue rising at the current rate. Hospitals are already having to turn patients away due to lack of beds. According to the Oregon Department of Human Services, there are only 39 available ICU beds left out of 671 in the entire state. Only 314 non-ICU hospital beds are now available out of 4,240. The fact that hospitals are woefully understaffed and undersupplied is an indictment of not only Kate Browns administration, but the Democratic Party as a whole.

The state government has responded to this crisis by doing as little as possible to slow down the spread of the virus. Charles Boyle, speaking for the Brown administration, offered up pseudoscience on Monday, claiming that economic restrictions are no longer as effective now as they were last year. Boyle claimed that the most effective way to fight the Delta variant is through vaccination alone. This is an outright lie.

As Dr. Malgorzata Gasperowicz clearly explained in a meeting hosted by the WSWS, vaccines alone cant stop Delta. Its mathematically impossible. In fact, a focus on public health measures alone, such as lockdowns on all non-essential production and a stay-at-home order, is far more effective than even vaccinating 85 percent of the population with a vaccine of 60 percent effectiveness. Stamping out the virus will require a combination of vaccinations, lockdowns and other public health measures while providing workers with the resources they need to stay home.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has reported 345 cases of COVID-19 at Amazons Troutdale facility since May. This makes Amazon PDX9 Fulfillment Center the workplace with the highest number of cases in the state. But Brown and the Democratic Party have determined that nothing can infringe upon Amazons profits, so nothing has been done.

The crisis in Oregon is unfolding as hospitalizations have risen 500 percent over the past two months. The reopening of schools is taking place as more than 1,900 children infected with COVID-19 are in ICUs across the United States. It is estimated that between 10 and 15 percent of children develop Long COVID symptoms, which can cause permanent damage to the brain and other organs.

The mainstream media blames the unvaccinated for the spread of the Delta variant. However, the policies put forward by the Democrats and Republicans are incapable of containing, let alone eradicating, the disease. The patchwork mitigation measures which remain in place only facilitate the mutation of the virus into more virulent strains, since the opportunity for breakthrough infections in the vaccinated is massively expanded while the virus is allowed to run rampant among the unvaccinated, including all children under the age of 12.

The working class must fight for the eradication of the virus by putting forward its own political program and organizing on an independent basis. The only social force capable of stopping the ruling elites homicidal drive to keep the economy fully open and fully reopen schools in the midst of a pandemic is the working class in the US and internationally.

We urge you to contact the World Socialist Web Site to join a rank - and - file committee at your workplace. If a committee does not yet exist in your area, then we will help you to build one.
US President Joe Biden delivered a speech Tuesday afternoon declaring an end to the 20-year US war in Afghanistan.

Coming the day after a C-17 military transport plane flew the last US troops out of Kabul and in the midst of celebrations in the streets of Afghanistan of the end of US occupation, Bidens speech included statements never before heard from the White House, acknowledging the devastating costs of a war that ended in a humiliating debacle.

President Joe Biden speaks about the end of the war in Afghanistan from the State Dining Room of the White House, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The defeat suffered by the United States at the hands of the Taliban insurgency exposes the failure of not just the policies pursued in Afghanistan but the entire strategy that has guided the actions of US imperialism both at home and abroad for decades.

The immediate political purpose of Bidens speech was to defend his administration from ferocious criticism of its handling of the chaotic 17-day evacuation that followed the overrunning of the country by the Taliban and the precipitous collapse of the Kabul puppet regime and its US-trained security forces. Thirteen US military personnel lost their lives in the operation, while another 20 were wounded.

The attacks have come not only from Republicans but also a wide layer of Democratic officials. The media, having embedded itself within the US military and serving as an unflagging cheerleader for US wars, has responded with particularly bitter hostility.

The Washington Posts editorial Tuesday described the Kabul evacuation as a moral disaster, one attributable not to the actions of military and diplomatic personnel in Kabul  but to mistakes, strategic and tactical, by Mr. Biden and his administration. For good measure, it published a column by Michael Gerson, the former senior aide and speechwriter for George W. Bush, who shares political responsibility for the criminal wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, condemning the Biden administrations panicky, slapdash, humiliating exit from Afghanistandependent on the kindness of the Taliban and commemorated by indelible images of chaos and betrayal.

Such super-heated rhetoric reflects the savage divisions and recriminations within the US ruling establishment and its military and intelligence apparatus over the Afghanistan debacle.

While shot through with contradictions, evasions and historical falsifications, Bidens speech was directed at least in part at appealing to the broad anti-war sentiments within the American population.

It was time to be honest with the American people again, he said, tacitly acknowledging that the US ruling class had systematically lied to the American people about the reasons for and the conduct of the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere.

He stated that the US had spent $300 million a day for two decades, on the war in Afghanistan, adding that yes, the American people should hear this. ... And what have we lost as a consequence in terms of opportunities.

He stressed the grievous losses in lives and limbs, with 2,461 US troops killed and another 20,744 wounded.

A lot of our veterans have gone through hell, he said. Deployment after deployment. Months and years away from their families  financial struggles, divorces, loss of limbs, traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress. We see it in the struggles many have when they come home.  The cost of war they will carry with them their whole lives.

Biden cited the shocking and stunning statistic that should give pause to anyone who thinks war can ever be low-grade, low-risk, or low-cost: 18 veterans, on average, who die by suicide every single day in Americanot in a far-off place, but right here in America.

He also referred obliquely to the societal costs incurred by a country perpetually at war: If you are 20 years old today, youve never known an America at peace.

The portrait painted in this speech is a damning indictment of the US ruling establishment and both its political parties, which have perpetuated wars that have inflicted untold suffering, robbed society of vast resources and subjected an entire generation to uninterrupted violence and terror.

The US president made no mention, however, of the greatest cost of the US war and occupation: The deaths of somewhere between 170,000 and a quarter of a million Afghans, the wounding of hundreds of thousands more and the displacement of millions.

Biden was incapable of providing a rational explanation for the Afghan war, claiming that it had been launched in response to the still unexplained September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City and Washington D.C., in which 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis, and none were Afghans.

He boasted that the US war had decimated Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, while acknowledging that the terror threat has metastasized across the world, well beyond Afghanistan, citing Al Qaeda-linked elements in Syria, Iraq, Somalia, the Arabian Peninsula and across Africa and Asia. Indeed, within Afghanistan itself, US intelligence estimates that Islamic State-Khoran (ISIS-K), responsible for the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport, has some 2,000 fighters, as opposed to a few hundred Al Qaeda members in Afghanistan in 2001.

The growth of these forces is the direct product of the US wars of aggression in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as Washingtons utilization of Al Qaeda-linked militias as proxy ground troops in its regime-change wars in both Libya and Syria.

Taken as a whole, Bidens speech is a devastating exposure of US wars based on lies and fabrications that have been waged at a horrific cost. In this regard, Afghanistan cannot be separated from Iraq, Libya, Syria and elsewhere.

What was it all for? What justified the waste of trillions of dollars and the taking of hundreds of thousands of lives? And who is to be held accountable for these crimes within the government, the major parties, the military high command, the US corporations, the media and academic figures who promoted and justified these wars?

Biden affirmed in his speech, This decision about Afghanistan is not just about Afghanistan. Its about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries.

Indeed, a disaster of this magnitude signals the end of an era and the shattering of an entire strategy pursued by US imperialism based on the utilization of military force to overcome the progressive erosion of its global hegemony.

From the 1980s on, Washington was determined to kick the Vietnam syndrome, i.e., reverse the political consequences of the defeat suffered by US imperialism in Vietnam in order to launch new wars of imperialist aggression.

With the dissolution of the Soviet Union at the hands of the Moscow Stalinist bureaucracy, this policy took off, anticipated by the first US war in the Persian Gulf and followed by American interventions in the Balkans. Washington embraced the concept that the world had arrived at a unipolar moment in which US imperialism could engage in an unrestrained pursuit of global domination and global counterrevolution.

The dubious events of September 11, 2001, which have to this day never been really explained, were then exploited to justify wars of aggression abroad, torture and the erection of the scaffolding of a police state within the US itself.

The humiliating retreat from Afghanistan signals the failure not just of US policy in that one country, but of an entire strategy, world view and program of global domination and domestic reaction that has persisted for 30 years.

This debacle, which is intersecting with an escalation of the class struggle in the US and internationally under the impact of growing social inequality and the homicidal, profit-driven policies of the worlds ruling classes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has profoundly revolutionary implications.

This has not lessened the danger of war in the least. Indeed, Biden used his speech to insist on US imperialisms ability to continue murderous over-the-horizon attacks on Afghanistan or any other country in the world, while shifting its military might toward far more dangerous confrontations with China and Russia, both nuclear-armed powers.

The decisive question is the arming of the emerging movement of the working class with a socialist and internationalist perspective to put an end to war and the capitalist system which is its source.
On Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a stark projection that the reopening of schools and the abandonment of social distancing measures in Europe will lead to catastrophe. Already, 1.3 million people have died in Europe of COVID-19. As the Delta variant spreads, this autumn could be the deadliest season of the pandemic so far.

Last week, there was an 11 percent increase in the number of deaths in the region; one reliable projection is expecting 236,000 deaths in Europe by December 1, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said. Only 44.2 percent of the European population is fully vaccinated, and Kluge added that the number of people getting vaccinated has fallen by 14 percent over the last six weeks. He said that vaccine skepticism serves no purpose and is good for no one.

A paramedic walks out of a tent that was set up in front of the emergency ward of the Cremona hospital, northern Italy [Credit: Claudio Furlan/Lapresse via AP, file]

As hundreds of children fall seriously ill and die of COVID-19 in America, Indonesia and India, Kluge also appealed for vaccinations of children aged over 12, implicitly acknowledging the risk of massive infections in schools of children and youth, who are largely unvaccinated. One indication of the staggering scope of youth infections is the estimate by the Pasteur Institute that just in France alone, there could be 50,000 infections of children each day by late September.

This would mean millions of children falling sick every week in Europe. German Teachers Association President Heinz-Peter Meidinger extrapolates figures from the USA on the hospitalisation of children and youth: If you transfer that to the number of pupils in Germany, i.e., about 11 million, then [hospitalisation] could affect up to 200,000 pupils in the worst case.

With 5 to 10 percent of children who fall ill with COVID-19 suffering from Long COVID, or other lasting damage, this would mean hundreds of thousands of children suffering debilitating long-term health impacts, in addition to thousands of children dying of the virus.

There is nothing inevitable about such a horrific scenario. If proven scientific policies are adopted to stop the transmission of COVID-19 and eradicate the virus, these hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of infections do not need to occur. However, such policies face determined opposition across the entire European political establishment, who place corporate profits and the wealth of the super-rich above workers lives.

Workers fighting to save lives must clearly understand the policies of the ruling elite and the necessity to fight for an independent, scientifically grounded policy to eradicate the virus.

One faction of the ruling elite openly advocates herd immunity, by which it means taking no action to halt the spread of the virus, whatever the cost in lives. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the bag man for the world financial aristocracy and the banks in the City of London, is the most open advocate of such a criminal policy.

Johnson has adopted a cost-benefit analysis advocating 1,000 COVID-19 deaths a week, or 52,000 per year, in Britainbased on the fascistic conception that it is unacceptable to spend more than 30,000 to save a COVID-19 patient. Last year, before being compelled to adopt an ineffective, partial lockdown amid mass deaths, Johnson bluntly spelled out this perspective, telling his ministers: No more f*cking lockdowns! Let the bodies pile high in their thousands.

Another faction proposes mitigation, aiming to slow, but not stop, the spread of the virus. Its proponentsthe governments in Italy, Spain, Germany and Francealso reject lockdowns and demand the reopening of schools and businesses but combined with vaccinations and other measures. The consequences are similarly catastrophic. If children are herded back into unsafe schools, in overcrowded classrooms with poor ventilation, the result will be a rapid spread of this airborne virus, even if children are masked.

Incidence rates have tripled in the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin since schools reopened last month, and Chancellor Angela Merkels government has responded by announcing yesterday that it will no longer base social distancing policies on incidence rates. The French government is ending free COVID-19 testing. Such policies of malign neglect set the stage for the horrific death toll predicted by the WHO.

Underlying the unity of the ruling establishment on murderous pandemic policies are the material interests of the financial aristocracy. Having granted themselves trillions of euros and pounds in bank and corporate bailouts last year, they are demanding that youth keep going to school, so their parents can stay on the job, pumping out profits for the banks. Europes billionaires thus added a staggering $1 trillion to their collective net worth during the pandemic.

If hundreds of thousands of lives are to be saved, the working class must intervene independently, against the capitalist system and its political accomplicesincluding the union bureaucracies and pseudo-left parties. The Podemos party in the Spanish national government, like the Left Party in regional German governments, directly implemented the diktat of the banks on the pandemic. Jean-Luc Melenchons Unsubmissive France party is joining neo-fascist parties in backing protests against vaccines and vaccine mandates.

To wage this fight, workers must be armed with scientific and political understanding. Ending the pandemic requires the implementation of strict lockdowns together with vaccination, contact tracing and the isolation of infected individualsuntil COVID-19 is eradicated, just as smallpox or polio were eradicated in the 20th century. In its recent statement The eradication of COVID-19 is the only way to stop the pandemic, the WSWS explained:

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.

The virus can be eradicated across the globe. In her remarks to the World Socialist Web Sites online discussion, For a Global Strategy to Stop the Pandemic and Save Lives!, Dr. Malgorzata Gasperowicz of the University of Calgary presented modeling data showing that aggressive implementation of lockdown and contact tracing policies could bring new cases down to zero in 37 days.

Eradication policies in China have kept the COVID-19 death toll to below 5,000, or a staggering 250 times less than in Europe. To end the pandemic, however, such measures must be implemented worldwide by a conscious, international political movement of the working class.

The European working class has already mounted international struggles for a humane health policy. It was a wave of spontaneous strikes at key plants in Italy and across Europein auto, machining and food-processingthat imposed the initial lockdowns in the spring of 2020, saving millions of lives. The union bureaucracy and the political establishment worked together to get workers back on the job, however, and denounced lockdowns as expensive and impractical.

Now the working class and youth across Europe are entering into struggle, with strikes organized or called by train drivers, health care and delivery workers in Germany, lorry drivers in Britain and school canteen workers in France.

Many lives depend on workers taking these strike struggles out of the hands of the union bureaucracies and turning them into a fight against the inhumane pandemic policy of the super-rich. This entails the building of rank-and-file workplace safety committees to enforce the closure of schools and nonessential industries, as part of an international, socialist struggle against the pandemic and the capitalist system.
Directed by Rodrigo Reyes; written by Reyes, Misha Maclaird and Lorena Padilla

The organizers of the GuadaLAjara Film Festival held virtually in December 2020 referred to 499 (2020), directed by Rodrigo Reyes, as the events centerpiece. The film also won the Special Jury Prize in the international feature documentary competition at the 2020 Hot Docs International Documentary Festival and the Best Cinematography Award in the documentary competition at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

499 is now opening in theaters in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, to be followed by a national theatrical run.

Eduardo San Juan Brena in 499

Reyes film opens on a sandy beach where a conquistador (Eduardo San Juan Brena) swims ashore. Under the leadership of Hernan Cortes (1485-1547), the soldier had taken part in the Spanish subjugation of the Aztec Empire. As the conquistador was sailing home to Spain, his ship was wrecked, and he was the only survivor. Through the intervention of mysterious forces, he finds himself back in Mexico 499 years after his departure.

Retracing his steps, the conquistador arrives at a school playground where students and teachers are holding a parade. He strides calmly to the middle of the playground, interrupting the proceedings, and absurdly begins to claim the land for Spain and to threaten war on anyone who resists. But before he can finish his speech, he begins to choke and finds that he has lost his voice.

So begins the conquistadors strange journey. He retraces the path he had taken with Cortes from Veracruz to Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City. His travels take him through forests and fields, past rude cinderblock houses and through a huge garbage dump. The unfamiliar Mexico in which the conquistador finds himself contains natural beauty alongside pollution and poverty.

Unable to speak, the conquistador finds himself listening to the stories of the Indians he meets. These people are not actors, but ordinary individuals who recount the violence that they and their loved ones have suffered. One man describes how his father, a journalist and activist, was murdered. Another tells about how he fled from his hometown after gang members killed his brothers. A woman relates how her daughter was beaten, raped and killed on her way to school. One man, who wears a ski mask, is not a victim but a gang member and perpetrator of violence. A recurring element of these stories is the corruption of the state and the police, who take bribes, murder with impunity and ensure that killers walk free.

The conquistador sees people working, socializing and going about their daily business. He shares a bunk in a shelter one night and eats a communal breakfast. His initial contempt for the Indians gradually changes to understanding. These miserable men chasing after the promise of glorythey remind me of us, he writes in his notebook.

499

The conquistadors incongruous presence jolts us into seeing contemporary Mexico with fresh eyes. Brena performs with great subtlety. The conquistadors outward determination imperfectly masks his inner uncertainty, which only grows throughout his journey. He is at once dignified and ridiculous. Brena brings us not a caricature, but a living, vulnerable human being. This acknowledgment of the conquistadors contradictions is a measure of the movies seriousness.

To evoke (and subvert) the tradition of Hollywood epics, Reyes (born in Mexico City in 1983) shot 499 in the widescreen format. He and cinematographer Alejandro Mejia establish a leisurely pace that encourages contemplation. The camera occasionally lingers on quiet, incidental scenes of striking beauty such as waves breaking on the beach, a breeze gently bending the grass or traffic passing along a faraway street. These dreamlike shots create an atmosphere of stillness and capture the beauty that persists amid violence and pollution.

The significance of the Spanish conquest for Mexico cannot be overstated or ignored. In 499, Reyes reminds us that the repercussions of this event are still felt today. Yet Mexicos history did not end with the conquest. One must analyze subsequent phenomena such as the development of Mexican capitalism and the Mexican Revolution to understand the poverty, brutality and oppression that Mexican workers face. Nor can contemporary Mexico be understood apart from the countrys position in the global economy (i.e., as a source of cheap labor for the international bourgeoisie). Reyes has made a thoughtful and moving contribution to the debate the quincentenary of the conquest will inevitably provoke.
The Tennessee Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee demands the closure of all schools and nonessential workplaces until COVID-19 is eradicated worldwide.

Between August 20 and 27, 42,623 people in the state of Tennessee tested positive for coronavirus. A total of 24,793 of these, or 53 percent of all cases, were children between the ages of 5 and 18. There have been at least 177 cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) among the states children. Hospitals, including childrens hospitals, are at or close to capacity. Over a quarter of the children currently hospitalized with a COVID-19 infection are in an ICU, and the number of children needing ICU care has quadrupled over the past month. As more and more schools open, the situation will continue to worsen.

Students in a Nashville classroom. (Image credit: Metro Nashville Public Schools)

How many more child deaths are acceptable? None. How many more debilitating cases of long COVID are acceptable? None.

We reject the premise on which all the piecemeal mitigation measures of the past 18 months have been based: that there can be a compromise between safeguarding human lives, the criterion supported by the working class, and safeguarding private profit, the criterion supported by the capitalist class.

In reality, significant sections of the capitalist class and its political representatives reject even the semblance of such a compromise. Governor Bill Lee and the Republican-led legislature have systematically undermined every effort by the states Department of Health and individual school districts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. On August 16, Lee signed an executive order allowing parents to opt out of district mask mandates. While the governor is now encouraging vaccines to stem the overwhelming rise of new COVID cases, two months ago he fired Dr. Michelle Fiscus, the medical director of Tennessees Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Immunization program. In addition, Lee suspended all vaccine outreach programs in Tennessee.

Governor Lee and Tennessees Republican majority in the legislature have blocked districts from closing schools and offering virtual instruction in order to protect the lives of students and educators. Now, schools across the state are closing because staff and students are sick. However, districts must ask for a waiver if school closures exceed their allotted inclement weather days.

Online learning has been declared a failure on the basis of low test scores on 2020-2021 standardized tests. But when upwards of twenty percent of students are home sick with COVID or quarantined, how is the return to life-threatening classrooms a solution to learning loss? Low test scores are simply a despicable justification to warehouse students in poorly ventilated classrooms so that their parents can continue to produce profits for the corporations.

The Democrats and the unions also support this effort. Biden has made the return of teachers and students to schools a primary aim of his administration. At the same time, even as daily new cases in the country approach 200,000, the Democrats have allowed both federal unemployment benefits and the federal eviction moratorium to lapse. In Tennessee alone, 167,000 households are at risk of eviction.

The so-called mitigation strategies the Biden administration has used to provide its criminal back-to-school drive with a veneer of scientific legitimacy now have a proven record of failure. The 5 Core Actions promoted by the CDC and the Biden administrationmasking, physical distancing, washing hands, cleaning surfaces, and staying home when sickwere totally unable to prevent mass death during the winter 2020-2021 surge, when an average of 126 Tennesseans died from COVID every day in spite of mask mandates and social distancing restrictions.

School buildings in the state and around the country desperately need upgrades to their ventilation and filtration systems. However, such upgrades cannot be a substitute for a comprehensive strategy to eradicate the virus. We now know that even relatively mild infections can have potentially devastating lifelong consequences, including cognitive deficits comparable to those produced by lead poisoning. With mitigation alone, every school child will be faced sooner or later with infection, and with it, the risk of permanent neurological damage.

Moreover, the virus continues to evolve with potentially catastrophic consequences to the entire world population. As Dr. Yaneer Bar-Yam, a leading public health expert, recently said, the Delta variant is only four common mutations away from total vaccine resistance.

A recent online meeting with prominent scientists hosted by the World Socialist Web Site made the case that the eradication of COVID-19 and all of its variants is not only desirable but is possible within a matter of weeks through an aggressive combination of school closures, lockdowns, and shuttering of nonessential businesses and production.

Moreover, the struggle to implement a scientifically guided policy to eradicate the virus must have an international character. The pandemic itself can only be eradicated if it is eradicated everywhere. However, in nearly every country, educators, students and workers are faced with policies aimed at preserving profits at the expense of human lives. However, such an eradication strategy requires the building of the independent organizations of the working class in opposition to the corporatist trade unions and both the Democrats and the Republicans, all of which have a continuous record of sabotaging even the most meager efforts to control the virus.

For this reason, we ask all Tennessee educators, parents and students who agree with our demands to help us build the Tennessee Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee and to attend our next online meeting on Sunday at 3 p.m. Central Time.
With coronavirus cases skyrocketing, fueled by school reopenings, the West Coast Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee held a meeting Saturday to discuss the way forward for parents, teachers and students to address the escalating threat to their health and their very lives.

As opposed to the Republicans, the Democrats and their political appendages in the trade unions and the pseudo-left organizations, the educators rank-and-file safety committees and the Socialist Equality Party are calling for comprehensive public health measures to contain and eradicate the coronavirus. These include, in addition to a massive campaign of vaccination and masking, universal testing and contact tracing and the lockdown of all schools and nonessential industries. Without such measures, which are backed by leading epidemiologists and health experts, the world faces ever rising cases and deaths, with the near certainty of the emergence of new, more virulent strains of the virus.

David Moore

Dr. Benjamin Mateus, a practicing oncologist and writer for the World Socialist Web Site, spoke at the meeting. He highlighted new research on the Delta variant and discussed the criminal decision to let the virus spread within the population.

The Delta variant of the coronavirus, Mateus noted, has a viral load in infected individuals up to 300 times greater than that of the initial wild variant. The more infectious Delta variant, he explained, decisively exposes claims that children dont get the coronavirus for the lies that they are.

A number of different studies were cited by Dr. Mateus, including a recent one on COVID spread on campuses by the COVSIM research group at North Carolina State and the University of North Carolina. The study found that within 90 days of school reopening, without masks or testing, around 75 percent of K-12 school children will become infected with the coronavirus, even accounting for children over the age of 12 who have already been vaccinated. For unvaccinated children, the number rises to 90 percent.

Even with universal masking and testing, around 18 percent of children will get infected during the first 90 days, according to the study. This means that some 10.2 million of the nations 56.6 million school children would become infected by December, under the most optimistic mitigation scenario, on top of the 4.6 million who have already tested positive.

Dr. Mateus also highlighted research showing that currently available vaccines have less efficacy in combating the coronavirus than what is widely believed. Not only does the effectiveness of the vaccines wane over time, but further mutations of the Delta variant are highly likely to hijack the antibody response created by the vaccines to further reproduce.

David Moore, a special education public school teacher in Oakland and the Socialist Equality Partys candidate in the September 14 California gubernatorial recall election, also spoke at the meeting.

Moore said that the coronavirus crisis both on the West Coast and internationally was the product not simply of the biological character of the virus itself but more importantly of the inability and unwillingness of capitalist governments to put in place any measures to adequately address it. This is a conscious decision to not only allow but indeed to push for the mass infection of children, he said.

He noted the June 15 decision of California Governor Gavin Newsom to scrap all of the limited mitigation measures statewide, including stay-at-home orders and bans on indoor dining and other public gatherings. Within only two months of this decision, hospitalizations due to COVID-19 had increased by over 700 percent, with the state now averaging over 13,000 new cases daily.

Nevertheless, the criticisms leveled against the governor by his leading Democratic and Republican opponents in the September 14 recall election were all from the right, Moore explained, opposing even the most limited mitigation measures put in place by the governor.

The leading Democratic contender, the multi-millionaire real estate investor Kevin Paffrath, argued that the coronavirus pandemic could be contained via local rather than statewide or national measures. The leading Republican candidate, ultra-right radio host Larry Elder, opposed any and all mandated health measures, including vaccination.

As Moore explained, only the Socialist Equality Party was running on a program that prioritizes the lives of workers over the profit interests of billionaires.

Several in attendance made powerful contributions after Moore and Mateus had spoken. They expressed the growing hostility within the working class to the criminal sacrifice of their lives and those of their children to the profit interests of the financial elite.

Elizabeth, a registered nurse working in the Los Angeles area, spoke on the disaster unfolding in area hospitals and the inability of the profit-motivated health care system to adequately address it.

She noted that even before the coronavirus struck, hospitals were kept woefully understaffed to maximize profits, with those same staffing ratios leading to nurses coming into contact with many COVID-positive patients every day. This has led, Elizabeth said, to thousands of qualified nurses leaving the field and many of them falling gravely ill or dying themselves.

In terms of who was to blame for this state of affairs, she was sharply critical of the trade unions, particularly the teachers and nurses unions. I find it appalling, she said, that schools are reopening without any opposition from either the teachers unions or nurses unions.

Alfonso, a middle school teacher in the San Diego area, spoke about the dangerous conditions in schools after only a couple of weeks of the new academic year. I keep getting emails, he said. Somebody tested positive, then somebody else tested positive, then somebody else. He continued, On top of that, you have to be counselors to these kids, who are more worried about infecting their parents and grandparents than they are about getting it themselves. These are the kinds of tragic and sad conversations we have.

These sentiments were shared by Steve, a teacher in the San Francisco Bay area. In my classroom, they just give us an 8x 12 cube, and thats our only air circulation, he said. On the political lessons of the pandemic, Steve said, We have to organize outside of the unions. That is the challenge we have to meet.

Kandi, a parent of two disabled children in Chula Vista outside of San Diego, shared the immense fears she has as her children return to in-person learning. This coming year, she said, Im concerned not only for my children, but for all children.

My daughter has 22 violations, and there are 15 violations in my sons case for non-attendance. I needed to get five doctors notes just to get my children to have virtual learning. While I agree that it would be great if children could see their friends again, their safety will always come first.

I agree that we need to have a working-class strategy to fight this. We need to have a strike on rent, we need to cancel rent and close down schools and workplaces where the virus can spread. In fact, weve never really been closed since the beginning of the pandemic.

Lisa, a special educator in Oregon, also spoke. I feel like Im in a minority in terms of safety, she said. The kids in classrooms are extremely vulnerable though, and we just keep going backwards. I agree that we should have rank-and-file committees, and Id like to hear more about how to start one.

The meeting concluded with a near-unanimous vote to support the campaign of David Moore for California governor.

We encourage all readers to contact the World Socialist Web Site to either join or start a rank-and-file committee of workers in your area and to support the campaign of David Moore for California governor.
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature

Latin America

Mexican teachers and students reject in-person classes

On Thursday August 24, teachers and students rallied and protested in Mexico City against the return to in-person instruction. The protests were organized by the national teachers union (CNTE) and the National Federation of Revolutionary Students Rafael Ramirez (FNERRR).

The day after the protests, teachers, demanding a meeting to present their demands, blocked Mexican president Lopez-Obrador from carrying out his customary daily press conference, which was scheduled to take place in Chiapas State. The teachers demands include the restoration of benefits, the rehiring of 50 educators sacked by the Chiapas University of Science and Arts and the firing of one if its deans. The teachers are also demanding freedom for political prisoners and justice for female murder victims.

The President brushed them off. Lopez Obrador declared that he would not yield to the teachers demands; I will not allow this, he declared, the Mexican president cannot be held hostage by anybody.

A recently released survey reports that 87 percent of 67,000 parents are opposed to in-person instruction, and think that with the increase of COVID-19 infections by the Delta variant of the virus, the risk of infections and deaths has greatly increased.

Leaders of the CNTE (with 600,000 members) insist that under no conditions will teachers return to in-person instruction. The students, who formed human chains last Thursday, declared that demonstrations will continue.

Protest strike by Buenos Aires public hospital employees

Health workers at Buenos Aires public hospitals carried out a 24-hour protest strike and rally on Wednesday August 25. At issue are wages and working conditions. Strike leaders declared that health workers are not disposable.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, public health hospital health workers have had to perform exhausting and extraordinary tasks to make up for the collapsing public health infrastructure. Many of the strikers are contingent employees that have been denied full-time jobs, another issue in this protest.

Relatives of political prisoners and disappeared rally in Santiago

On Monday, August 30, relatives of political prisoners and persons disappeared by the Pinochet dictatorship and those imprisoned during the 2018 social explosion against the current regime in Chile, carried out protest rallies in commemoration of the International Day of Missing Prisoners.

In Santiagos Dignity Square, demonstrators carried signs denouncing impunity laws and demanding justice for the thousands of disappeared.

There has never been a full accounting of the fate of many of the victims of the military-fascist Pinochet dictatorship, over 30 years ago. At the same time, the current regime of Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has denied the existence of political prisoners from the mass demonstrations of 2018-2019.

United States

Twin Cities window washer strike settled

Workers who clean the windows of skyscrapers across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro region ended their 10-day strike after clawing back promises made before the onset of the pandemic from Columbia Building Services and Final Touch Commercial Cleaning. The 40 members of Service Employees International Union Local 26 received a wage increase that raised their $25.20 hourly pay to over $30 an hour and also got agreement for an apprenticeship program.

A picket line at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport drew support from janitors who refused to cross their picket line. During the pandemic, many workers were reassigned work inside buildings and almost half the workforce came down with COVID-19.

Workers consider the state-certified apprenticeship program a safety issue. The program will provide training for the dangerous work on high-rise buildings where they can be confronted with failing infrastructure.

Canada

Wave of sit-ins by nurses at Quebec hospitals oppose staff shortages, forced overtime

Dozens of nurses have taken part in sit-ins in recent days in multiple cities in Quebec. These actions were launched by rank-and-file nurses to protest against the increasingly dangerous conditions they and their patients face due to chronic staff shortages and compulsory overtime.

The sit-ins erupted just days after the Quebec nurses union, the Federation interprofessionnelle de la sante (FIQ), had pushed through a new contract, over widespread opposition. FIQ has pompously claimed the new contract provides levers to oppose the shortage of healthcare professionals in Quebecs public health care system.

In reality, the new agreement meets none of the longstanding demands of nurses after years of government budget cutsdecent wages, lower nurse-patient ratios, the elimination of forced overtime and the abolition of the ministerial decrees the CAQ provincial government has used to override worker rights during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Sunday, August 22, 25 nurses at the Centre hospitalier de lUniversite Laval (CHUL) in Quebec City refused to start their morning shift a little before 8 a.m. They occupied a corridor of their neonatal unit to denounce the physical and psychological pressure they are under due to personnel shortages. The day before, another group of nurses from the CHUL Emergency Department had organized a sit-in at the beginning of their shift when their work-team lacked four of its 15 members.

On August 23, night nurses in the maternity unit of the Hotel-Dieu hospital in Levis staged a sit-in to denounce forced overtime. This practice, which has become the norm, forces nurses to work up to 16 hours at a time. The protesting nurses told reporters they worry about the health of their patients. I don't feel like losing a child because I wasnt able to be in a delivery room on time, said one nurse.

Two sit-ins have also taken place in recent days at the Granby Hospital in the Eastern Townships region of Quebec. As elsewhere, the job actions at the Granby Hospital lasted only a few hours. However, the local health authority, the CIUSSS, appealed to the provincial governments Administrative Labor Tribunal (TAT) to criminalize the actions of its employees.

Unsurprisingly, the TAT, a government body that enforces the provinces anti-worker labour laws, ruled the sit-ins illegal. It further ruled that another sit-in would be considered tantamount to contempt of court and that nurses who participated would be liable to a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to one year.
President Joe Biden is slated to address the nation Tuesday on the end of the war in Afghanistan, a day after the last American military planes left the country, concluding the nation's longest war nearly 20 years after it began.

The US withdrawal, rocked by the Taliban's unexpectedly swift takeover of Afghanistan's capital, was chaotic.

Snapshots of people trying to flee the Taliban by congregating outside the gates of Kabul's airport, along with images from inside American military planes filled with evacuees, were broadcast around the world. More than 150 Americans struggling to get to the airport were airlifted by helicopter off the roof of a nearby hotel. Thirteen US service members were killed in a terrorist attack last week outside the airport's gates and more than 170 other people died in the suicide blast. And on Sunday, American forces carried out a deadly defensive strike targeting a suspected ISIS-K suicide bomber who posed an "imminent" threat to the airport.

Now, a day after leaving Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Central Command Commander Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie to speak in the hours after the final military plane left the country, Biden will address the American people about his decision not to extend the US military presence in Afghanistan past the end of the month.

"The past 17 days have seen our troops execute the largest airlift in US history, evacuating over 120,000 US citizens, citizens of our allies, and Afghan allies of the United States. They have done it with unmatched courage, professionalism, and resolve," the commander in chief said in a statement Monday evening. "Now, our 20-year military presence in Afghanistan has ended."

On Tuesday morning, the President will first meet with his national security team for a briefing on Afghanistan in the Situation Room. He'll then deliver remarks from the State Dining Room in the afternoon about ending the war, according to the White House.

Biden will thank service members who executed the mission in Kabul, as well as the veterans and volunteers who supported the effort, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

"He will lay out his decision to end the war in Afghanistan after 20 years, including the tough decisions he made over the last seven months since he took office to bring the war to a close," she continued. "He will make clear that as President, he will approach our foreign policy through the prism of what is in our national interests, including how best to continue to keep the American people safe."

The President, who faces a political reckoning for the US' handling of the withdrawal, said in Monday's statement that "it was the unanimous recommendation of the Joint Chiefs and of all of our commanders on the ground to end our airlift mission as planned." He's also argued that he thought chaos in the country was inevitable when US troops departed.

"Their view was that ending our military mission was the best way to protect the lives of our troops, and secure the prospects of civilian departures for those who want to leave Afghanistan in the weeks and months ahead," Biden added.

He thanked the final US forces serving in the country for executing the "dangerous retrograde from Afghanistan as scheduled," with no further loss of American lives.

While the President delivered an address to announce the initiation of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan earlier this year, the Biden administration left Monday's full withdrawal announcement to McKenzie.

The CENTCOM commander on Monday acknowledged that the US military "did not get everybody out that we wanted to get out."

"But I think if we'd stayed another 10 days, we wouldn't have gotten everybody out that we wanted to get out and there still would've been people who would've been disappointed with that. It's a tough situation," he added.

As of Monday, more than 122,000 people had been airlifted from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul since July, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters, including 5,400 Americans.

And in the 24 hours leading up to Monday morning, 26 military C-17 aircraft lifted off from Kabul carrying 1,200 evacuees, according to Gen. Hank Taylor, the deputy director of the Joint Staff for Regional Operations. In total, 28 flights departed from Kabul airport in that 24-hour window, Taylor said.

A senior State Department official said the department believes there are fewer than 250 American citizens currently in Afghanistan -- and Blinken said Monday that number may be closer to 100 -- who may wish to leave, as US officials stressed a Taliban commitment to let Afghans leave the country after the US and allies left. The State Department official put the number of American citizens who have left the country through evacuation flights or other means closer to 6,000.

"We're trying to determine exactly how many. We're going through manifests and calling and texting through our lists," Blinken said in remarks at the State Department.

The State Department no longer has any diplomats in Afghanistan and has moved its diplomatic mission in the country to Doha, Qatar, Blnken said. He added that the diminished US presence in Afghanistan is not necessarily the end of US commitment there.

The top US diplomat noted that there are residents of Afghanistan who have US passports who are trying to determine if they should leave.

"Our commitment to them, and to all Americans in Afghanistan, and everywhere in the world, continues," Blinken said.

Biden has said he intends to hold the Taliban accountable to their commitment that those seeking to leave the country will be able to do so safely.

On Monday, White House officials said the President is continuing the hunt for terrorists in Afghanistan, telling his military commanders to "stop at nothing" to avenge the deaths of the 13 US service members at Kabul airport.

The US also carried out a defensive airstrike on Sunday targeting a suspected car bomb headed to the airport. The strike killed nine members of one family, including six children, according to a relative of those killed who spoke to a local journalist working with CNN.

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OBLONG, IL (WTHI) - Oblong schools will soon be in compliance with the Illinois state mask mandate.

This means the district will no longer be under "Probation," and they will be back to a "Recognized" school district by the state of Illinois.

But this change did not come without opposition.

"This mask thing, it should be a choice," one local parent said. "I am an individual. I am not mandated to someone."

The close vote resulted after four board members voted in favor, two voted against, and one abstained.

The district decided at the start of the school year not to enforce masks. But starting Thursday, all students, staff, and visitors in K-12 must mask up.

While a majority of Oblong school parents are not in favor of the decision, others are thankful for the board's decision.

"Your rights are your rights, great, but I could care less about people's rights when it comes to children's health," another local parent said. "And all it will take is this [shows mask],"

If the district did not comply with the mask order, there would've been several serious consequences.

The district's status would change to a "Non-Recognition" status. This means a loss of state funding, loss of ability to participate in sporting events, and the school would also lose full recognition by the Illinois State Board of Education. This means diplomas issued by the school district would not be recognized by the state board.

"We have to do something so that our kids can play their sports, come to school and graduate with a diploma that counts," another local parent said.

School board members say the new masking policies will officially go into effect this Thursday.
GREENE COUNTY, Ind. - Shakamak schools will move to online classes for two weeks as a result of close contact from Covid-19.

"It was basically a mass exposure," Superintendant Bill Gambill said.

Gambill said that when they reported the cases to the Greene County Health Department, they told them that they would have to quarantine the population for 14 days.

Gambill says that prior to this transition, the school was already getting to a point where the number of students quarantining was forcing them to make some changes.

"Dictated to us that we needed to go to a mask policy and also we were getting ready to go to a hybrid-virtual model for our junior high and high school."

They were going to be implementing those on Tuesday.

Gambill said that he respects this decision and they're going to follow it.

"Greene County has our students' best interest in mind and we're going to follow that."

Shakamak is a one-to-one school so all the kids are well equipped for online learning.

"By going through last year...with the purchase of Chrome Books for our students and everybody having one.

We feel like we're ready for this emergency."

I also spoke with the Greene County Health Department.

They told me that this remote learning change is necessary.

"It doesn't just affect kids, but teachers and workers...you know a school has to have all those positions to run," Shari Lewis with the Greene County Health Department said.

Shakamak will be returning on the 14th and that'll be after eight days of virtual learning.

Gambill said that following the 14 days their return to school decision depends a lot on the county case numbers.

The state will release the updated COVID-19 numbers on Wednesday.
WABASH VALLEY, IN. -- Hoosier farmers can now enroll in a program that'll give money to an organization of their choice!

Last year, farmers could win $2,500 to award to a local nonprofit or youth agriculture group. This year, the award has doubled!

In March of 2021, St. Benedict Church Soup Kitchen in Terre Haute received $2,500 from the Bayer Fund's America's Farmers Grow Communities program.

"The month that we received that money, we prepared and packaged over 3,600 meals that month alone for our community neighbors in need," said Terran Williams, Business Manager at St. Benedict Church.

The soup kitchen received the money because parishioners and farmers Brad and Amber Burbrink applied for the program. The money helped the soup kitchen not only feed adults but also children.

"With them being out of school in the early months of last spring, it just was a blessing to see that we were able to provide them with a warm meal," said Williams.

Erin Glarner, Bayer's Community Outreach Manager, told News 10 that the need for more assistance drove them to raise the award.

"We just felt like, if we were able to double the amount, we were able to provide a greater impact to communities through that donation," she explained.

Williams shared that monthly numbers at the soup kitchen are up from recent months, so $5,000 could help in a big way.

"We would obviously continue to feed all of our neighbors and the community in need and give them a warm, nutritious meal each day at lunch," Williams said.

Farmers have until November 1, 2021, to enroll in the Bayer Fund's America's Farmers Grow Communities program. Farmers who will receive the funds will be picked randomly in January 2022. Then, farmers can decide where they'd like the money to go.

The only requirements for an applying farmer are that they are 21 years of age or older and are actively engaged in farming at least 250 acres of any crop.

You can find the enrollment link here or call America's Farmers at 1-877-267-3332.
Tupelo Partly Cloudy 85 Hi: 85 Lo: 73 Feels Like: 89 More Weather Columbus Partly Cloudy 84 Hi: 83 Lo: 73 Feels Like: 90 More Weather Oxford Partly Cloudy 82 Hi: 82 Lo: 71 Feels Like: 86 More Weather Starkville Partly Cloudy 84 Hi: 83 Lo: 73 Feels Like: 90 More Weather

Tropical Storm Nicholas will be the focal point of our weather forecast over the next several days. We will see some rainfall and some of the rainfall may be on the heavy side at times. Even a few isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out of the question at times.
DENVER (AP)  Colorados attorney general says three officers and two paramedics have been indicted on manslaughter and other charges in the death of Elijah McClain.

The announcement Wednesday comes two years after the 23-year-old Black man was put in a chokehold and injected with a sedative in suburban Denver.

McClains death gained widespread attention during last years protests against racial injustice and police brutality.

The governor had ordered Attorney General Phil Weiser to open a new criminal investigation.

The officers werent charged in 2019 after a prosecutor said an autopsy couldnt determine how McClain died.

The officers stopped him in the city of Aurora after a 911 caller reported that he looked suspicious.
ATHENS, Ala. (AP)  Former Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely is asking a judge for a new trial as he seeks to overturn his conviction on theft and ethics charges.

A defense lawyer argued in Monday and Tuesday court filings that there were multiple legal errors at the trial.

The defense claimed those mistakes included closing the courtroom to spectators and the media for a day during jury selection.

Such new trial requests are rarely granted after a conviction, but mark the beginning of defense efforts to appeal the conviction.

A judge sentenced Blakely to three years behind bars.
Charleston, WV (25311)

Today

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
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Jeremy Renner is taking no prisoners in his new Paramount+ television series this November.

The Oscar nominee, 50, is leading Mayor of Kingstown  a 10-episode event from Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan about a family of power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan, where the only thriving industry is the business of incarceration.

Renner will star in the show with Oscar winner Dianne Wiest and Emmy winner Kyle Chandler, as well as Hugh Dillon, Pha'rez Lass, Tobi Bamtefa, Emma Laird, Derek Webster and Taylor Handley.

Dillon co-created the show, alongside Sheridan. An official trailer dropped on Tuesday, as part of Paramount+'s Television Critics Association summer press tour.

"Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption and inequality, the series provides a stark look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither," Paramount+ said in a press release, sent out on Tuesday.

Though Renner plays the title role, he's not an elected official. "He runs the city," one of the show's characters says in the trailer. "The real mayor knows it, too."

"You want to know who's running what, anytime, where? Come to me," Renner's character adds in the clip. "What you see is what you get, I don't take sides."

RELATED: Vera Farmiga, Florence Pugh Joining Hawkeye Disney+ Series

Jeremy Renner

Paramount+

RELATED: Hailee Steinfeld 'Honored' to Be in Marvel's Hawkeye Series: 'It's Been a Really Fun Journey'

This is the second series Renner will be leading this year.

He'll also be reprising his role as Avenger Clint Barton in Hawkeye, the Disney+ series that premieres Nov. 24.

In the show, Barton will come face to face with a young female archer named Kate Bishop, played by Hailee Steinfeld.

"I am so honored to be a part of this family that is the MCU," Steinfeld told PEOPLE in January. "She is an incredible character and it's been a really fun journey so far."

The Mayor of Kingston premieres on Sunday, Nov. 14.
Building an ecosystem that can sustain a production chain and generate investment return will be key to the future of virtual reality content development in Taiwan, says HTC, a tech giant headquartered on the self-governed island.

Reaching out to a global network of co-producers, investors and distributors of VR content will be the next important step to enhance the production and further expand the international market for Taiwans VR content, said Liu Szu-Ming, president of HTC Vive Originals.

More from Variety

HTC has been striving to boost its hardware development while building a VR ecosystem in Taiwan. Once we have a healthy ecosystem in place, we can attract more developers and players to complete the VR production chain, Liu told Variety.

With seven works showcased at this weeks Venice Film Festival, Taiwan is demonstrating its VR content development potential.

Five Taiwanese productions backed by Taiwan Creative Content Agency have been shortlisted to compete in the Venice VR Expanded section, a record achievement for the agency established under the Executive Yuan and the Ministry of Culture. Two further works from Kaohsiung VR Film Lab have also been selected for the Out of Competition section Best of VR and the Special Project in the Official Selections Out of Competition category.

The Sick Rose, a stop-motion animated short featuring the traditional dough figurines produced by HTC Vive Originals, plays in one of the competition slots. Liu said the company has been trying to boost its development in both hardware and software. Its latest offering, shot in 8K S3D macro photography, is a statement piece on what the tech giant strives to achieve.

Although HTC Vive Originals has been producing VR content that has been gaining international recognition since 2019, when five of its productions were selected for Venice VR Expanded, Liu says it will require greater effort to build a VR ecosystem on the island.

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The current market for VR is not that mature, as there is still limited investment return. As a result, availability of funding is also limited, both in Taiwan and the rest of the world, Liu said.

Government grants and public funding are currently the prime sources of funding for VR productions, Liu says. Only those companies which have specific demand for VR content are willing to make strategic investments in the field, while others watch on the sidelines.

Hence we want to develop a full-fledged VR ecosystem to groom developers, he said. With more content available in the market and growth in the IP market, we expect angel investors to come into the VR industry. When the industry grows further and production scales up, commercial investors will then take follow.

HTC has also been building a global network to export Taiwans VR content to the world, said Liu. The company has teamed up with Astrea, a distribution company handling international sales covering Europe and North America, to expand its VR contents global licensing, while HTC itself handles Asian territories. Whether it is co-production, co-investment and distribution, collaboration with others is necessary to turn VR content production into a real industry, he said.

Taiwan VR Films in Venice 2021 Festival: Competition

The Sick Rose (HTC Vive Originals, Taiwan)

Dirs: Tang Chi-Chung, Huang Yun-Sian.

Synopsis: With a magical rose, a little girl is going to travel through a city filled with viruses and indifference, in order to dedicate the rose to her mother on the front-line in hospital.

Samsara (Virtual and Physical Media Integration Association of Taiwan)

Dir: Huang Hsin-Chien

Synopsis: A protagonist escapes to a new planet after the earth nuclear destruction, but finds that he/she returns to learn the profound lessons of life.

The Last Worker (Oiffy LLP, Pumpkin Studio, Taiwan-U.K.)

Dir: Joerg Tittle

Synopsis: The player, in the body of Kurt, the last human worker in the JFC-1 fulfilment center, experiences a brutal power fantasy, dives into Kurts past and meets Kurts broken co-bot, Skew, as their old work routine is about to be disrupted forever.

The Starry Sand Beach (Lucid Realities, Oready, Taiwan, France)

Dirs: Nina Barbier, Huang Hsin-Chien

Synopsis: A scientific fairy tale about the starry grains of sand found on multiple beaches across the East China Sea and a mythical sea serpent.

Bedlam (El-Gabal, Taiwan, U.K., France)

Dir: Mat Collishaw

Neither a game or an educational tool, Bedlam is an artwork, attempting to reflect on the human condition, relationships with technology, perceptions of reality and the appetite for spectacle.

Best of VR-Out of Competition

Speak to Awaken Ep.2 Kusunda( NowHere Media, Taiwan, Germany)

Dirs: Gayatri Parameswaran, Felix Gaedtke

Synopsis: a voice-driven VR experience about the sleeping Kusunda language in western Nepal, it is also an inter-generational story.

Special Project in the Official Selection

In the Mist ( Very Theatre and Very Mainstream Studio, Taiwan)

Dir: Chou Tung-Yen

Synopsis: An unspeakable life experience of the gay community culture, exploring a male sauna through poetic lenses.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
A high schooler has died after being shot Wednesday at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, authorities said.

The victim was identified by authorities as William Chavis Raynard Miller Jr.

After an extended search, a suspect was taken into custody "without incident," the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office said on Twitter about six hours after the shooting, which was reported around noon. No further information was immediately available, though authorities had said earlier they believed the suspect was also a student.

"We have a mother and family who will not be able to hug their child tonight," Winston-Salem Police Chief Catrina Thompson said at a news conference.

PHOTO: A woman screams as she arrives at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, N.C., 30 minutes after the call of shots fired at the school, Sept. 1, 2021. (Walt Unks/The Winston-Salem Journal via AP)

No one else was shot, authorities said, but some students suffered trauma-related health problems, including one student who had a seizure.

The school was locked down immediately after the shooting, police said. Once the campus was secured, students were sent to a local grocery store to be reunited with their parents, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said.

MORE: Middle schooler fatally shot by fellow student in Albuquerque

There is no known threat to the school at this time, police said.

Agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the scene.

PHOTO: Kiwannie James Sr. wipes his eyes as he waits to get word about his son after a shooting that left one student dead at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, N.C., Sept. 1, 2021. James got word that his son was safe about 10 minutes later. (Walt Unks/The Winston-Salem Journal via AP)

PHOTO: Law enforcement officers search the Foxhall neighborhood behind Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, N.C., after a shooting that left one student dead, Sept. 1, 2021. (Walt Unks/The Winston-Salem Journal via AP)

Mount Tabor's school year started just last week.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper noted in a tweet that this was the second school shooting in the state this week. A 15-year-old was injured in a shooting at New Hanover High School in Wilmington on Monday.

"Our prayers are with the victims, their families and all the students of Mt. Tabor High School in Winston-Salem," Cooper tweeted. "We must work to ensure the safety of students and educators, quickly apprehend the shooter and keep guns off school grounds."

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Student killed in shooting at North Carolina high school, suspect in custody: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Months ago, a decline in COVID-19 cases worldwide gave many people hope that they could finally take the trips they had been denied due to the pandemic. But the spread of the Delta variant has sent cases skyrocketing in some areas again, putting travel plans for many in doubt as certain restrictions are revived and safety becomes questionable. The latest change comes as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised against travel to Puerto Rico and Guam, warning that visitors should avoid the popular destinations for now.

RELATED: This Is How You Can Catch Delta Outside, Even If You're Vaccinated, Expert Says.

In the agency's latest update posted on Aug. 30, both U.S. territories were elevated to the top risk alert tier of "Level 4: COVID-19 Very High." The same update also saw Switzerland, Saint Lucia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, and North Macedonia also moved up to the highest travel risk level, which the U.S. State Department also elevated to their "Level 4: Do Not Travel" designation.

The news comes as officials in Puerto Rico have added new public health measures to help curb the spread of the Delta variant on the island. During a press conference on Aug. 30, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi announced that a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol in public between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. would go into effect on Sept. 2. The curfew also forbids public gatherings such as birthday parties, weddings, or concerts during the same hours. And while indoor mask mandates are already in place across Puerto Rico, face coverings will also now be required for groups of 50 or more at outdoor gatherings.

"We have lost a lot, and we are unwilling to continue losing more lives to this terrible virus," Carlos Mellado, Secretary of Health for Puerto Rico, said in a translated press release, according to Business Insider. "We want our population well and healthy. We all want to have the freedoms of before, but we still have a way to go."

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RELATED: If You're Over 65, You Shouldn't Go Here Right Now, CDC Warns.

The CDC advises that all travel to any countries listed as "Level 4" should be avoided if at all possible. The agency determines risk level based on recently reported cases, with the top tier designated as any place where more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents have been recorded in the past 28 days.

The agency urges that anyone who absolutely must travel to the destinations should be fully vaccinated before doing so. In their baseline guidance, the CDC still recommends that any who must travel anywhere internationally get their shots before leaving the U.S. Restrictions are also in place that require all returning travelers to provide a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of their return flight regardless of vaccination status.

"Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19," the agency states on their website. "However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some COVID-19 variants."

RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.

The CDC outlines that all unvaccinated people traveling outside the U.S. should be tested for COVID-19 three days before departing, wear a face mask, practice social distancing, and regularly wash their hands while abroad. Returning travelers should also be tested for the virus three to five days after their return and self-quarantine for seven days. Of course, the agency warns that unvaccinated people who have been exposed to the virus, test positive, or show symptoms should avoid all travel.

RELATED: Virus Experts Have Stopped Going to These 4 Places as Delta Surges.
Rep. Scott Perry said in an interview on Sunday that he opposed "poorly vetted" Afghan refugees being allowed to enter the US, for fear that "little girls" could be "raped and killed in the streets." Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Rep. Scott Perry said this weekend he was against more Afghan refugees coming into the US.

He claimed an uptick in "poorly-vetted" refugees could lead to "little girls raped and killed in the streets."

Perry was one of 16 Republicans who voted against the bipartisan ALLIES act to expedite visas for Afghan refugees.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Pennsylvania GOP Rep. Scott Perry says he is against more Afghan refugees being allowed to come to the US, claiming that without stringent vetting, "little girls" could be "raped and killed in the streets."

Perry made this statement on August 29 during an interview with journalist Greta Van Susteren on her show, "Full Court Press." He was explaining why he was one of the 16 Republicans who voted against the bipartisan Allies Act, a bill meant to expand the number of Afghan refugees the US can accept and expedite their visa process. The bill passed in the House in a 407-16 vote on July 22.

"I don't think it's appropriate to bring poorly vetted people from an Islamic state to the United States of America," he said.

Perry said he was against the bill because it would include the families of interpreters, and "every person they knew that maybe did some menial work for American contractors." He also claimed that Afghan interpreters might "turn" on the Americans they worked with.

"I'm not going to be responsible for seeing our little girls raped and killed in the streets because we wanted to bring people that are poorly vetted into the United States," Perry said.

However, experts like Alex Nowrasteh, director of immigration studies at the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity at the Cato Institute think tank, believe there is no good reason to block Afghan refugees. In a post written for the think tank on August 16, Nowrasteh cited statistics showing that in 2017, Afghan immigrants aged 18 to 54 in the US were incarcerated at a rate of 127 per 100,000 people. That same year, US citizens in the same age range were incarcerated at a rate of 1,477 per 100,000 people.

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"In other words, nativeborn Americans were about 11.6 times as likely to be incarcerated as Afghan immigrants. Afghans don't pose much of a serious criminal threat in the United States," Nowrasteh wrote.

As for vetting, The Hill reported that Afghan evacuees were sent to transit centers in third countries like Germany to undergo security checks before being allowed to enter the US. President Joe Biden also asserted on August 22 that all Afghan refugees will face a thorough vetting process.

Other conservative figures are also objecting to Afghan refugees settling in the US

More than 122,000 people were airlifted out of Afghanistan since rescue operations began on August 14. The US mission to evacuate as many people as possible ended just before midnight, local time, on August 31. (Capt. William Urban/U.S. Navy via AP

Scott's comments come at a time when some conservative figures are objecting to the idea of more Afghan refugees - including US allies holding Special Immigrant Visas - coming to America and re-settling in communities.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem told local news outlet Dakota News Now that she does not want Afghan refugees coming to the US "unless we know they are an ally and a friend, and that they don't want to destroy this country."

"This is a dangerous part of the world, we know we have a lot of dangerous people who are there that want to do the United States harm," Noem said on August 18.

Separately, a spokesman for Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon told Wyoming news outlet Cowboy State Daily on August 19 that Gordon "has no interest" in accepting Afghan refugees.

These governors' sentiments were echoed by former President Donald Trump, who claimed Biden's Afghanistan evacuation could be bringing "terrorists" to America.

"You can be sure the Taliban, who are now in complete control, didn't allow the best and brightest to board these evacuation flights. Instead, we can only imagine how many thousands of terrorists have been airlifted out of Afghanistan and into neighborhoods around the world," Trump said in a statement on August 24.

Read the original article on Insider
The claim: President Joe Biden fell asleep during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett

On Aug. 27 President Joe Biden met with new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in the Oval Office. In the days since, critics have shared a misleading clip of the meeting to falsely claim Biden slept during the event.

Joe appears to fall asleep during a meeting with Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, claims a video shared to Instagram on Aug. 28, which was viewed more than 130,000 times in two days.

The video shows Biden sitting still and looking down as Bennett discusses Israels relationship with the U.S.

Another Instagram user posted a similar video on Aug. 29.

But the full video of the meeting shows Biden was in fact awake. The viral clip selectively captures the few seconds Biden dropped his head during the press conference and misrepresents Bidens silence to support the claim that Biden is mentally unfit for office.

Since now-former President Donald Trump coined the taunt Sleepy Joe in 2019, USA TODAY has published several fact checks addressing false claims that Biden slept through major political events. None have proven to be true.

The claim Biden was sleeping was widely shared by national and international leaders .

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo. tweeted the video on Aug. 28 with the caption Wake up, Joe. You have a resignation letter to sign!

Florida State Rep. Blaise Ingoglia posted the 22-second video on Facebook Aug. 28. OMG!! Sleepy Joe Biden actually fell asleep during a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, he captioned the video.

Galit Distel, an Israeli politician and loyalist to former Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu, tweeted the video on Aug. 28.

Fact check: Bidens attended dignified transfer of 13 fallen service members

USA TODAY reached out to several posters for comment.

President Joe Biden listens as he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) ORG XMIT: DCEV426

Full video shows Biden was awake

A 14-minute video of the meeting, available via C-SPAN, shows Biden looks up and responds to Bennett seconds after the clip ends.

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About 13 minutes into the C-SPAN video, Bennett says:

You and I are going to write yet another chapter in the beautiful story of the friendship between our two nations, The United States of America and the Jewish and democratic state of Israel. Both of us who seek to do good and need to be strong. Both of us who are a lighthouse in a very, very stormy world. Thank you, Mr. President. I look forward to working with you now and many years forward. Thank you.

Biden then responds:

Well, thank you. And you give me credit, much of which should go to Barack Obama for making sure that we committed to the qualitative edge you would have relative to your friends in the region. So he is the one that deserves the credit. Thank you very much, folks.

The press conference then ends, and members of the media are escorted out of the Oval Office.

Closer inspection of Bidens hands shows he moves his thumbs as Bennett spoke, indicating he is not sleeping when his head was down.

Fact check: Quote about Afghanistan, Democrats in Washington falsely attributed to Donald Trump

Photographs of the meeting, available via AP Images, capture the moment in question. According to several image descriptions, Biden was listening to Bennett.

Our rating: False

We rate the claim that Biden fell asleep during a meeting with Bennett FALSE, because it is not supported by our research. A widely-shared video is misleadingly clipped to make it appear as if Biden was sleeping as Bennett spoke. The full video shows Biden looked up and responded just seconds after the clip ends.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Video shows Biden was awake for meeting with Israeli PM
President Joe Biden at the dignified transfer of the remains of fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

A man whose son was killed in Afghanistan last week described a testy encounter with Joe Biden.

"Learn their stories," Mark Schmitz recalled telling Biden of those killed, per The Washington Post.

Thirteen US service members were among more than 100 people killed in the attack.

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The father of a US Marine who was killed in the attack last week at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, said he challenged President Joe Biden to "learn the stories" of the victims at the ceremony where the remains of service members were returned to the US.

Mark Schmitz's son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, was one of 13 US service members helping to evacuate US citizens and Afghans killed on August 27 in what the Pentagon has said was a suicide bombing by an ISIS affiliate.

The attack killed at least 169 Afghans and 13 US service members.

On Sunday, the remains of the service members were returned to the US in a ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, which Biden attended.

Afterward, Biden met with the grieving families in private, including Schmitz.

Read more: The ultimate White House org chart to 600+ members of Biden's staff and who makes six figures

He told The Washington Post that he initially decided he didn't want to talk to Biden, whose handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal he has blamed for his son's death, but then changed his mind.

Schmitz said Biden spoke of losing his son Beau Biden, an Iraq veteran, to cancer six years ago. But Schmitz said that he wanted to talk about Jared instead and that he and his wife took out a photo of their son to show the president.

"I said: 'Don't you ever forget that name. Don't you ever forget that face. Don't you ever forget the names of the other 12,'" Schmitz told The Post. "'And take some time to learn their stories.'"

But according to Schmitz, the president didn't like that and bristled, replying: "I do know their stories."

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Schmitz also relayed details of the encounter with Biden in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity on Monday night.

"It didn't go well," Schmitz said. "He talked a bit more about his own son then he did my son, and that didn't sit well with me."

Read more: At least 66 Center for American Progress alumni are working for the Biden administration

Biden has said his personal familiarity with tragedy - having lost his first wife and his daughter in a car crash in 1972 and his adult son to cancer decades later - allows him to understand the pain of those grieving the loss of loved ones from the COVID-19 pandemic or in war.

But he has received widespread criticism for his handling of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, which allowed the Taliban to quickly retake power.

Thousands of people clamored to escape the country on flights from Kabul, where the US was left to rely largely on a security perimeter set up around the airport by the Taliban to screen against terrorist attacks.

In an interview with The Daily Beast last week, Steve Nikoui, the father of a US Marine, Kareem Nikoui, who was also killed in last week's attack, expressed anger at Biden.

"They sent my son over there as a paper pusher and then had the Taliban outside providing security," Nikoui said. "I blame my own military leaders."

"Biden turned his back on him," he added. "That's it."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Sep. 1HOMERVILLE  One person was shot by law-enforcement and another suspect is wanted in an incident involving a truck stolen from a state senator.

Around 10:06 a.m. Sunday, Homerville police and the Clinch County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a 911 call about suspicious persons in a vehicle on the Thelma Highway in Homerville, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation statement said.

The vehicle was stopped on Frank Sessoms Highway with a driver and passenger inside. After officers made contact with the two, the car sped away; in the Cogdell community, the driver rammed a deputy's cruiser, the statement said.

When the vehicle came to a stop, the driver got out and ran. Officers tried to take the passenger into custody but ran into trouble; he was tased several times but it was ineffectual, the GBI said.

The passenger managed to grab an officer's taser and tased a lawman. The passenger was shot by the Homerville policeman who had been tased, the statement said.

The passenger was taken to the hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to the leg.

The driver  identified as Samuel Reginald Thornton, 42, of Homerville  is still at large, the GBI said. He was described by Homerville police in a posting to their Facebook page as possibly wearing a black jacket or hoodie and shorts and driving a stolen white truck with the company name "Timberline Reforestation LLC" on the side.

On his own Facebook page, State Sen. Russ Goodman, R-8th District, said the stolen truck, a Ford F-150 extended cab pickup, belongs to him.

Homerville police asked the GBI to investigate.

Anyone with information on the location of Samuel Reginald Thornton or video of the incident is asked to contact the Homerville Police Department (912) 487-5306, Clinch County Sheriff's Office (912) 487-5316, or the GBI Douglas Office (912) 389-4103). Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS(8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

The GBI will conduct an independent investigation. Upon completion, it will be turned over to the Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office for review.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.
File: Demonstrators march in front of the White House on January 30, 1951 to persuade President Harry Truman to halt execution of seven Black men sentenced to death on charges of raping a white woman in 1949 (AP)

Seven Black men executed in 1951 for the rape of a white woman were granted posthumous pardons by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam on Tuesday, concluding a case that became an example of racial disparity in the use of the death penalty.

The pardons were announced amid cries and muffled sobs from kin of the executed men after the governor met with about a dozen of their descendants and advocates.

Widely known for attracting mercy pleas from across the world, the Martinsville Seven men were convicted of raping 32-year-old Ruby Strout Floyd in January, 1949. Ms Floyd, a white woman, had gone to the Martinsville neighbourhood of Virginia to collect money for the clothes she had sold.

After being tried by all-white juries, four of the men were given the electric chair in Virginia in February 1951. The remaining three men were electrocuted three days later.

The case  prominent for seeing the largest execution for a single-victim crime in Virginias history  has been known for extreme racial disparity towards the men who were convicted and sentenced to death within eight days.

Highlighting the problems in the execution of seven men, Governor Northam explained that death penalty was applied mostly for Black people exclusively. State records show that all 45 people executed using electric chair for rape between 1908 to 1951 were Black.

The men were executed because they were Black, and thats not right. Their punishment did not fit the crime. They should not have been executed, Mr Northam said, reported AP. The convicted men received a racially-biased death sentence which is not congruent with the justice meted out for white defendants.

The governor added that the pardons issued by him do not address the guilt or innocence of the seven men, who were in their late teens or early 20s but an acknowledgment that they did not receive due process in their case.

Pointing to some major loopholes during the trial, Mr Northam said some of the defendants were impaired when they were arrested and were unable to read confessions they signed. None of the men were represented by attorneys during the course of investigation, Mr Northam said.

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All seven men signed statements admitting they were present during the attack, but they had no access to their parents or attorneys at the time, according to Eric W, Rise, an associate professor at the University of Delaware who wrote a 1995 book on the case.

The seven executed men were: Francis DeSales Grayson, Booker T Millner, Frank Hairston Jr, Howard Lee Hairston; James Luther Hairston; Joe Henry Hampton; and John Clabon Taylor.

Seeking their posthumous pardons, the descendants and advocates said in a petition that it doesnt establish the innocence of men but states that their trials were unfair and the punishment was unjust and extreme.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord, said James Walter Grayson, the son of Francis DeSales Grayson, upon hearing Mr Northams decision to grant the posthumous pardons.

Mr Grayson was 4 when his father was executed. It means so much to me. I remember the very day the police came to the door. He kissed us and they took him away, Mr Grayson told AP.

Advocates have argued that the Martinsville Seven were not given an adequate due process because of racial discrimination and were sentenced to death simply for being black.
The largest filibuster reform coalition is adding 20 new groups to its membership and expanding an ongoing seven-figure ad buy as the Senate prepares to return from its summer recess for the long-anticipated showdown over voting rights legislation and the chambers filibuster rules.

The new groups joining the Fix Our Senate coalition include Vote Save America, Demos, Physicians for Reproductive Health, People For the American Way and Faith for Black Lives, among others, according to news first shared with HuffPost.

The groups, added to the 60 already in the coalition, will bring additional resources and membership rolls to bear in the campaign to pass voting rights legislation with a simple majority vote. In addition, Fix Our Senate members and other voting rights advocates are planning a spate of rallies, door-knocking campaigns and other advocacy efforts to pressure Democrats to end the filibuster and get voting rights legislation to President Joe Bidens desk.

We are going to be able to show senators and the Biden administration that this isnt going away, Eli Zupnick, spokesman for Fix Our Senate, said. If anyone thinks they can just wait this out and advocates and people around the country will just move on and get distracted by other things, we want to make it clear that thats not going to happen.

The filibuster, as it currently exists, will allow Senate Republicans to continue to block two key pieces of legislation meant to combat voting restrictions on the state level: the For The People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Henry Lewis, the brother of the late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), helps with delivering a petition to the White House calling on President Joe Biden to leverage the power of his office and publicly urge the Senate to end the filibuster to pass voting rights legislation. (Photo: Paul Morigi via Getty Images)

Both the For The People Act  a sweeping package of voting rights, campaign finance, redistricting and ethics reforms  and the John Lewis voting law, which would restore provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 gutted by the conservative Supreme Court, have passed the House with zero Republican support. All 50 Senate Republicans oppose the For The People Act and have now twice used filibusters to block floor debate on it; just one Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, supports the John Lewis voting bill.

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It is now crystal clear that theres absolutely no chance that they will pass any kind of voting rights or democracy protection mechanism as long as the filibuster remains intact, Zupnick said.

That means the question of the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to proceed to debate or vote on a bill, will be central to the work on voting rights that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) promised for this fall.

Voting rights will be the first matter of legislative business when the Senate returns to session in September, Schumer said on the Senate floor after Republicans blocked debate on the For The People Act for a second time on Aug. 11.

Schumer has also stated in response to questions about changing the filibuster rules that everything is on the table to pass voting rights legislation and that failure is not an option.

Despite his support for both the For The People Act and the John Lewis voting law and his declaration that the onslaught of anti-voter laws enacted in Republican-run states is the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War, Biden has not spent significant time or energy working to pass voting rights legislation. Advocates believe that his involvement will be necessary to get Senate Democrats to change filibuster rules to pass voting rights bills.

We want to see President Biden take his words and put them into action and use the full power of the presidency to make phone calls and to hold meetings like we saw him do with the American Rescue Plan and like he did with infrastructure, said Jana Morgan, director of the Declaration for American Democracy, the main coalition pushing the For The People Act. We know he can lean in and we need to see that.

Advocates hope that Bidens involvement could help move pro-filibuster Democrats like Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) to join other Democrats in changing filibuster rules to allow voting rights bills to pass.

A Finish The Job rally at the White House is already planned for Sept. 14, the day the Senate returns from its recess, to pressure Biden to expend more energy to help pass voting rights legislation. Related rallies across the country are also planned for Constitution Day (Sept. 17) and National Voter Registration Day (Sept. 24).

Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), left, is arrested by Capitol Police as 19 voting rights activists hold a protest in the atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building on July 15. (Photo: Bill Clark via Getty Images)

These events follow an active summer in which advocates held rallies or events every other week to push for Senate passage of voting rights legislation. State lawmakers, led by Democratic state legislators from Texas, flew in from states where Republicans threatened to pass or already passed anti-voter laws to lobby senators. Reps. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) and Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) were arrested as they joined activists in civil disobedience actions in support of voting rights bills, as were other activists at a protest at the White House. Rallies, lobbying days and meetings cropped up across the country, including key states like Arizona and West Virginia.

At an August rally calling on the Senate to pass voting rights legislation before heading to recess, a number of Democratic senators  from Raphael Warnock (Ga.) to Bob Casey (Penn.)  called for the end of the filibuster for voting rights legislation.

Beyond rallies, groups in the Declaration for American Democracy and Fix Our Senate coalition have run door-knocking and phone- and text-banking efforts to contact voters in key states. End Citizens United, a Democratic Party-aligned political action committee that supports campaign finance reforms, ran its largest-ever campaign, to the tune of $25 million so far, in support of the bills this year. The group was the first to run ads calling for changes to the filibuster to pass voting rights bills and continues to run digital ads in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and West Virginia.

The summer actions culminated in the March for Voting Rights rallies on the 58th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom  where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his I Have A Dream speech. Martin Luther King III, his son, helped lead the commemorative rally last month, and called on the Senate to end the filibuster to pass voting rights laws, echoing his fathers criticism of the filibuster as a tool used by white supremacists to thwart civil rights advances.

The biggest monument to white supremacy remains and if we dont tear it down, nothing else matters, the younger King said of the filibuster.

Whether or not that happens will be determined when the Senate returns in two weeks.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
(Bloomberg) -- U.S. crude futures closed modestly higher after OPEC+s relatively harmonious decision to gradually raise supply and a bullish U.S. oil inventory report.

Futures erased intraday losses to climb 0.1% as OPEC and allied partners appeared to rubber stamp a previously announced hike of 400,000 barrels a day. The drama-free meeting was a welcome sign of unity after Julys tiff between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates left the market waiting for days on a decision. A U.S. government report showed crude stocks fell more than expected and petroleum products demand rose to a record high.

The declines are getting erased because the market is putting more emphasis on the bullish report rather than the OPEC+ announcement which was anticipated, said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital LLC. That the group made a decision in record time is a sign that past divisions have given way to unity, he added.

After rallying in the first half, crudes surge stalled over the past two months amid concern about the spread of the delta variant. OPEC+ has been gradually restoring the supply it took offline last year as the pandemic broke out, crushing consumption. The alliance projects that global inventories will continue to drop this year even as it loosens the taps.

U.S. crude inventories declined by 7.2 million barrels last week, according to Energy Information Administration data, a larger drop than had been reported by the industry-funded American Petroleum Institute. Meanwhile, total oil products supplied, a proxy for demand, rose to its highest in data going back to 1990, the EIA report showed. Gains in propane, jet fuel, gasoline and diesel helped push this number to the record.

The crude draw surpassed expectations despite Gulf Coast refineries shutting in preparation for Hurricane Ida. Crude stocks would have drawn even more if it wasnt for the refiner shut-ins, said Quinn Kiley, portfolio manager at Tortoise.

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SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Lawyers and expert witnesses this month ground through seven days of highly anticipated hearings on the Public Service Co. of New Mexicos proposed merger with two massive utility companies.

The hearings, which concluded late last week, offer little indication of how hearing examiner Ashley Schannauer will advise the Public Regulation Commission or what ruling the five-member commission will make. But at many points, testimony revealed just how high the stakes are for the players involved, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.

PNM hopes to merge with Connecticut-based Avangrid and its parent firm, Iberdrola of Spain. If the merger is rejected by the commission, the company would have the chance to come back with a revised proposal.

Regardless of what happens, the commissions decision can be appealed directly to the New Mexico Supreme Court.

New Mexicos future in electricity is at stake, with Avangrid and Iberdrola promising investments and the ability to move the state more deftly into the era of renewable energy. But critics fear a loss of local control of New Mexicos largest utility company.

They also express concern about an Avangrid subsidiarys service record in Maine, plus Iberdrolas link to a wide-reaching Spanish investigation of alleged corporate spying.

The laborious hearings involved technical matters, such as the effectiveness of New Mexicos electricity system, shareholder benefits from a merger and customer costs. The hearings also were sprinkled with moments of conflict and humor.

At one point Avangrid attorney Brian Haverly addressed longtime PNM nemesis Mariel Nanasi as Mariel.

Im Ms. Nanasi to you, responded Nanasi, an attorney and head of New Energy Economy, which has led the fight against the proposal.

I apologize, Ms. Nanasi, Haverly said.

PNM attorney Richard Alvidrez grilled New Energy Economy expert witness Christopher Sandberg, a retired attorney who now is a professional photographer, on his expertise of the issue. He also jabbed at Sandberg about the background he used in the Zoom meeting.

You look very scholarly sitting there with your bow tie and the backdrop of the books, Alvidrez said. Im assuming that thats a backdrop youve conjured up and that youre not quite sitting in a library with leather-bound books.

The bow tie is real, Sandberg said. The background is fake. Otherwise you would have to look at my very messy workroom and that would be very distracting.

Schannauer, who is employed by the Public Regulation Commission and has been a quasi-judge on the merger proposal for much of the year, gave the many attorneys involved a schedule at the end of the hearing.

Schannauer said the participants should submit position statements by Aug. 30, legal briefs by Sept. 21 and responses to those briefs by Sept. 28. He said he would make his recommendation based on where the elements of the proposed deal stood at the end of the hearing and would not factor in any negotiations after the hearing.

He noted another hearing vital to PNM, about its departure from Four Corners Power Plant, will start Aug. 31.

That hearing also is important to Avangrid and Iberdrola because they have said they expect PNM to have a plan to abandon the coal-fired Four Corners Power Plant in northwestern New Mexico. PNM expects to turn its 13% share of the plant over to the Navajo Transitional Energy Co.

Because it was handled by Zoom technology, the merger proposal hearing lumbered along. Witnesses and lawyers tried to keep up on their own laptop and desktop computers with the stream of exhibits and previous testimony that was cited.

If speculation can be made about Commissioner Joseph Maestas lengthy comments and questions to Avangrid executive Robert Kump, the Santa Fe commissioner sounded willing to compromise.

Maestas, of Santa Fe, said he wanted to see the merger applicants promise investments in modernizing the states electrical grid and weatherization program.

The state needs help, Maestas told Kump. We lack resources to truly, you know, implement the planning effort for New Mexicos electric system.

Maestas also suggested residents who are behind in their electric bills should be given a continuation of a grace period until federal assistance and other forms of help are sorted out.

Avangrid was eager to help the state modernize its electric grid, Kump responded.

Well, certainly if we were fortunate enough to have this deal close and we could work with the folks at PNM, we would be more than willing to assist, Kump said. Clearly we have the balance sheet, and wed love to work with PNM on that.

Pedro Azagra Blazquez, an Avangrid board member and Iberdrola executive, said in his testimony a couple of weeks ago he was willing to increase the incentives his companies have offered the state.

Blazquez said he would increase the customer rate credits to $67 million, up from $65 million and significantly more than the original offer of $25 million.

He also said under questioning by the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority that the companies would create a $1 million scholarship fund, a $1 million apprenticeship program and raise assistance from $6 million to $10 million for people who are behind on their electric bills.

A PNM spokesman wrote the applicants put on a strong case. An Avangrid spokeswoman claimed the hearings revealed enthusiasm for the merger.

What became clear in the hearing is that the vast majority of the parties support the merger, spokeswoman Joanie Griffin wrote in an email. We look forward to the  ruling, and moving forward to help New Mexico achieve its energy transition goals.

The proposal is supported by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Attorney General Hector Balderas and numerous community and environmental groups. Some organizations have not signed on, however, such as Bernalillo County and the city of Albuquerque.

Since the merger proposal late last year, thousands of pages of opinions, questions, answers, claims and data have been filed with the commission.

Schannauer expressed eagerness to finish the job, noting: We need to get a decision done in this case.
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Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Four Corners staff members have been contacting the lab positive cases to help provide education, answer questions, identify other people who may have been exposed, and gather information about what is happening in the community, staff at the health department said. Once Nebraskas state of emergency ended, some state and local resources were no longer available to the health department to place calls to every single case. Because of the current high number of cases, and this lack of resources, Four Corners has shifted to sending (via text or email) an online survey tool to those testing positive in order to gather information, provide guidelines on exposures, and share recommendations. If you or someone you know tests positive and receives a text from Four Corners, please help us by encouraging them to follow instructions in the text so that we are able to keep up with the increase of cases. Four Corners nurses will continue to call on those school-aged children testing positive, and others who may be at higher risk of serious illness. As always, the department is available to provide information and answer questions.
But New York has only released a small percentage of that money so far: $200 million as of Aug. 23. Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to get the money out more quickly.

Were not going to abandon our neighbors in need, especially since the state of New York failed in its responsibility to get the money that was allocated by Congress out to the people in need earlier this summer," Hochul said.

Here's a look at what tenants and landlords should expect going forward:



WHAT LEGAL PROTECTIONS DO TENANTS STILL HAVE?

Even after the moratorium expires, tenants who apply for emergency COVID-19 rental assistance are protected while the state reviews whether they qualify for aid. If they are approved, they can't be evicted for up to one year for having failed to pay rent because of a pandemic hardship.



WHAT PROTECTIONS HAVE ENDED?

With the expiration of the moratorium, property owners who fell behind on mortgage payments because of the pandemic are no longer protected from foreclosure.
Republicans blasted Democrats, saying hastily called and sparsely attended public hearings held over the past week were a sham because boundaries were already being drawn in a secret, Democrat-controlled process.

Witnesses who testified at those hearings urged Democrats to post proposed maps and give the public as much as 30 days  or more  to weigh in before a vote is taken.

Ami Ghandi, senior counsel for the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, told members of the redistricting committees that it was unreasonable" to expect voters to provide input without maps to react to. The Rev. Robin Hood, representing Black voters in Chicago, said people felt disgust at being left out of the process.

Jay Young, executive director of Common Cause Illinois, said the maps the Legislature will vote on Tuesday "will not be crafted of public input, but of pure politics.

At each opportunity in this redistricting process, its as if lawmakers went out of their way to ensure the creation of these maps had as little public input as possible," Young said.
That acrimony is unlikely to end with Abbotts signature.

The Texas Capitol is set to immediately shift into another charged fight over redrawn voting maps that could lock in Republican electoral advantages for the next decade. Texas added more than 4 million new residents since 2010, more than any other state, with people of color accounting for more than nine in every 10 new residents.

Democrats criticized the voting bill as an attempt to suppress the turnout of an ascendant and more diverse electorate as Republicans, who are used to racking up commanding electoral victories in Americas biggest red state, begin to lose ground.

Texas Republicans defended the bill in the same terms the GOP has used in more than a dozen other states that have also passed restrictive voting laws this year: calling the changes practical safeguards, while denying they are driven by Trumps baseless claims that he lost reelection because of widespread voter fraud.

When the bill won final approval Tuesday in the Senate, holding the gavel on the dais was Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Days after the election last year, Patrick offered a $1 million reward in support of Trumps unfounded claims of irregularities at the polls.
A judge this week ordered an Omaha attorney to a halfway house and treatment after he was found near death in a parking lot at 30th and Lake Streets.

On bail after police say they found him with heroin, meth, cocaine and mushrooms, attorney Robb Gage was found slumped over the wheel of his car in a Walgreens parking lot the afternoon of Aug. 14.

Taken for treatment, hospital officials did not perform a blood test to determine what substances had caused him to lose consciousness. Gage told police that he took two hydrocodone pills for a toothache, but authorities doubt that would have caused him to overdose.

Facing four felony drug charges, Gage, 44, had gone to the Betty Ford Center this spring to try to clean up after admitting that he gets addicted to almost anything. Gage  who does criminal defense work, including court-ordered appointments  has admitted his history of chemical dependency. He had DUIs in 2004 and 2008 and was charged in 2012 with a felony aggravated DUI after he drove drunk, rear-ended a car and then tried to run away. A bystander chased him down and tackled him on the street that runs between the Douglas County Courthouse and the federal courthouse a block away.
The only answer, Davis said, was to keep moving.

And so he did. Davis put on a cheeky smile as he bounded through the courthouse.

Those who knew him gave him a ribbing about his sometimes audacious claims. Unprompted, he used to cite his purported jury trial record. I was 12-2 until that last one, he would say, out of the blue.

One of his favorite quotes during trials was to remind jurors of how little weight to give to certain witnesses accounts, especially those who worked against his case. Words are empty vessels, he would say.

Davis could fill a sea with vessels, most of which had gems in them. He would call up friends with a juicy tidbit or a wrong that needed to be righted. Most recently, Davis was hard at work on behalf of several Omaha women who claimed they had been marred by an unqualified plastic surgeon.

Hello amigo  Jim Davis, he would call into the phone. Youre gonna wanna hear this.
YORK  A bench warrant was issued this past week for the arrest of Ruben Avila, 30, of Grand Island, who has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony.

The warrant was issued when Avila failed to appear for arraignment in York County District Court.

This case began when an officer with the York Police Department was on regular patrol in the middle of the night. In court documents, he indicates he saw a speeding vehicle in the 100 Block of North Lincoln Avenue and a traffic stop was initiated.

Avila was the driver.

According to court documents, when the officer asked for Avilas drivers license, he could not produce one. Rather, he gave the officer an identification card from California and a post-release identification card from the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. The officer said Avila told him he was coming from Grand Island and he had borrowed the vehicle from a friend.

An examination of Avilas information showed he had been charged with a number of controlled substance-related offenses.

While a citation was being issued for speeding, a drug dog alerted to the presence of narcotics in Avilas vehicle.
Some companies are blending a variety of strategies to recruit the next generation of Nebraskans to work for them. Reinke Manufacturing in Deshler is a great example of a Nebraska business that has proactively invested locally to build its workforce. A two-time DYTI award recipient, Reinke has used the grants to educate students on coding and robotics. Before working with DYTI, Reinke launched a welding program at Deshler High School and donated the equipment used to train students over a decade ago. The manufacturer has also funded scholarships at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NTCA) and contributed a GPS-equipped center pivot for use in NTCAs field laboratory. This long-term engagement with area schools is exactly whats needed for companies to meet their demand for talent.

As we work to recruit and retain the talent businesses need to grow, we are also pursuing strategies beyond the classroom. Military service members have valuable skills they learned while on active duty, and they add immense value to our businesses and nonprofits as they pursue a new career in civilian life. In recent years, weve taken a number of steps to make Nebraska a more attractive home for them and for their families. This year, I successfully worked with the Legislature to pass LB 387, which provides a 100% tax exemption on military retirement benefits. In April, we announced the Veterans SkillBridge. Overseen by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, the program creates connections between Nebraska employers and military members during their final 180 days of service, giving participants a chance to explore the best fit for their specific talents and interests after transitioning out of military service. This spring, we also launched the Military Spouse Transition Program to help military spouses moving to Nebraska identify job opportunities in state government. Additionally, I signed legislation this year to make it quicker and easier for military spouses licensed in another state to obtain a teaching permit after moving to Nebraska. These are just a few of the steps we have taken.
His story is far from the only one. I was also contacted by another Nebraskan who served two deployments in Afghanistan. He said that two of his former translators will be in mortal danger if they are left behind, and he stressed that he wouldnt be alive today if not for their work.

Even Afghans whose service with the U.S. military earned them a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), which gives some translators the right to immigrate to the United States, are at risk of being left behind. Many have been turned away at the Kabul airport, and still others havent been able to make it to the airport at all. Afghans whose SIV applications are still pending are at even greater risk of being abandoned in Taliban-run Afghanistan.

Another Afghan interpreter who came to the U.S. with an SIV several years ago told my office that two of his immediate relatives are among those who have tried and failed to make it out of Kabul. He said that the crowd was so large in the days before the August 26 attack, they couldnt even get near the airport.

The United States made a promise to these brave Afghans  if you work with us, we said, then we will take care of you and your family. By leaving them at the mercy of the very terrorists they fought against for two decades, we are betraying that promise.
New Delhi: The BJP-ruled Delhi Police has continually failed to provide a safe environment to the women of Delhi. It reflects how the BJP-ruled Central government's handling of the Delhi Police is deplorable and completely unacceptable. Aam Aadmi Party senior leader Rakhi Birla has highlighted how women of Delhi feel terrified while stepping out of their homes because of the rotting policing system under the control of the BJP.

MLA Vandana Kumari said that law and order has completely collapsed under the rule of BJP's Delhi Police and now half the population of Delhi is living in an atmosphere of fear.

Outlining the importance of improvement of law and order in Delhi, Kumari Rakhi Birla said, The Delhi Police comes under the jurisdiction of the BJP ruled Central government and the kind of security that has been deployed in Delhi makes it evident that the Central Government is incapable of running the Delhi Police. Every other day unfortuantely we get to hear about an incident of rape or murder in Delhi. Such incidents have heightened the sense of fear in the mind of every woman living in the national capital."

"The recent incident of rape and murder of a 21 year old girl from Sangam Vihar, Delhi portrays the unbothered attitude of the BJP and its Central Government towards the women in Delhi. The BJP's Delhi Police is least interested in providing a secured space to women, due to which multiple heinous incidents are being reported in Delhi regularly, she added.

The Delhi Legislative Assembly's Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla further said, it is very shameful to see that multiple incidents of rape have taken place in the month of August itself. The first incident occurred in Nangloi Village on August 1. After that the Trilokpuri rape case of a 6-year-old girl came to the fore. Then, the incident of rape of a girl from Narela was reported and now the brutal gangrape and murder of a 21 year old girl has taken anxiety and fear in the minds of the women in Delhi to a new high. This also raises questions on the capability of the BJP's Central government control of the Delhi Police."

"The BJP and its Central Government are trying to run away from this issue by not speaking a single word on it. The Delhi Police also seems to continue its shameless and inhumane behaviour by not taking any major action. The responsibility to provide security to this innocent girl was of the Delhi Police, but they have drastically failed in performing their basic roles and duties. The safety and protection of the people of Delhi comes under the jurisdiction of the Central Government ruled by the BJP. But, the vicious incidents against the women in Delhi portray the decaying standard of security set by the Central Government in Delhi. They can't even assure a safe environment for the citizens of Delhi.

Kumari Rakhi Birla raised questions to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said, I want to know why Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah maintains his silence on this issue. If he has been given the prime responsibility to look after law and order in Delhi, then why are repetitive issues of brutality coming into the news every other day. This is extremely shameful to see such a crumbling system being created by the Central Government which is not even able to give a secure environment to the women of Delhi.

She further said, being a representative of the people and a daughter of Delhi I want to ask Shri Amit Shah that if the Delhi Police is under his control, law and order of the national capital is under his control, then why are these incidents happening every other day in Delhi? It shows the centre's incapability in providing appropriate security to the women of Delhi. I and every citizen of Delhi believe that the Central Government should let the Kejriwal Government run Delhi Police and then see the change."

"I request the Home Minister of India to focus on the law and order of Delhi and take necessary steps by conducting a meeting and creating a plan of action with the Commissioner of Delhi Police. Every citizen of Delhi fears going out in Delhi because of the lack of security in the city due to Delhi Police's incompetence. If you arent able to run Delhi Police then please give it to us. Just like weve installed CCTV cameras and placed Marshalls across Delhi to strengthen the security for women on our part, measures of the same quantum will take place if the Delhi Police falls under the jurisdiction of the Kejriwal government, she added.

Aam Aadmi Party's Shalimar Bagh MLA Vandana Kumari said, One half of the population of Delhi is living in an atmosphere of fear today. As soon as they leave the house, they wonder what will happen to us? The mother who stays at home is worried that if our daughter is going out, will she come home safely or not. Today the law and order situation of Delhi has collapsed. We are watching very closely for the last three months what kind of barbarism is happening with women and what kind of incidents are coming in front of all of us."

"I want to request the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to look closely at the law and order situation in Delhi and work hard on how Delhi Police should work and make arrangements. Give power to the police and don't keep all the power in your hands. If Delhi Police does not handle the security efficiently under the BJP rule, then give Delhi Police to Delhi Government, so that Delhi Government who is working continuously for the safety of the women of Delhi. We can work continuously for the safety of the women of Delhi along with the Delhi Police and work in a better manner so that our sisters and daughters are safe and can live a life of peace, she added.

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New Delhi: The Goods and Service Tax (GST) Council will meet on September 17 in Lucknow. Among all the other things, the committee is expected to review concessional rates on Covid essentials.

"Finance Minister Smt @nsitharaman will chair the 45th meeting of the GST COUNCIL on 17th September at Lucknow," the Finance Ministry tweeted.

Finance Minister Smt @nsitharaman will chair the 45th meeting of the GST COUNCIL on 17th September at Lucknow pic.twitter.com/6R74HoI4c1  Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) September 1, 2021

Notably, the previous GST council meeting was held virtually with the help of videoconferencing on June 12 2021. During the last GST meeting, tax rates on several Covid-19 essentials were reduced till September 30, as the nation was fighting with the second wave of COVID-19.

Goods and Services Tax rates were slashed on Covid drugs such as Remdesivir and Tocilizumab as well as on medical oxygen, and oxygen concentrators other Covid essentials. Also Read: LIC Jeevan Pragati policy: Invest Rs 200 daily in the scheme to get Rs 28 lakh on maturity

The meeting on September 17 could discuss compensation to states for loss of revenue, review of rates on Covid essentials, and inverted duty on certain goods. Also Read: RBI slaps Rs 25 lakh fine on Axis Bank for KYC norms violation

- With inputs from PTI.
New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 25 lakh on Axis Bank for violation/non-compliance of Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations. The penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in the RBI under provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Section 46(4)(i) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

In a statement, the central bank said that the penalty has been imposed for "contravention of/non-compliance with certain provisions of directions issued by RBI contained in the Reserve Bank of India - (Know Your Customer (KYC)) Direction, 2016".

It said that the action is based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

A scrutiny was carried out by the RBI during February 2020 and March 2020 in a customer account maintained with the bank and it was observed that the bank had failed to monitor or carry out on-going due diligence in the said account to ensure that the transactions were consistent with its knowledge about the customer, customer`s business and risk profile.

In furtherance to the same, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause why penalty should not be imposed on it for contravention of the said directions, as stated therein. Also Read: Mercedes AMG unveils GT 63 S E Performance - most powerful car in AMG lineup: In Pics

"After considering the bank`s reply to the notice and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, the RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of contravention of/non-compliance with the aforesaid RBI directions were substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty, to the extent of non-compliance with the aforesaid direction," the RBI said. Also Read: GST on round papad, not on square one? Tax department busts Harsh Goenkas claim

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#mute
New Delhi: Legendary actor Kamal Haasan and classic actress Sarika's daughter Shruti Haasan is an avid social media user and often shares her posts online. This time, she dropped a bomb of a photoshoot, wait... her first-ever modelling photo shoot when she was all of 17.

Shruti Haasan captioned the post: when I found these - my first ever modelling gig at 17 ! I look a bit and a bit but thats like life isnt it Ive always loved working and growing , even sideways #memories #flashback

Fans were shocked to see her unrecognisable pictures. One of the users online said, "is that you !! Just shocked'.

Shruti Haasan can be seen in various moods, smiling, giggling, poker face - all in one photoshoot.

She works in the Hindi and South film industry - all thanks to her mass appeal, she has a massive fan base.

On the work front, Shruti Haasan was recently seen in Venu Srirams Vakeel Saab. The movie, a remake of Bollywood hit Pink, stars Shruti opposite Pawan Kalyan in a pivotal role.

The actress will next be seen in the Telugu film 'Salaar' alongside Prabhas and Tamil film 'Laabam' with Vijay Sethupati.
For Chandrakant Tare, a fisherman from Palghar, Maharashtra, it was indeed a prized catch. After a long break due to COVID-19 restriction, Tare went fishing on August 28, and he had no idea how his luck was about to turn. Around 157 Ghol fish caught by Tare and his crew near Wadhwan fetched them a whopping 1.33 crore.

Tare and around eight crew members set off sailing for fishing on August 28 late evening. They went to Wadhwan, which is 20 to 25 nautical miles, on the boat Harba Devi. As people learnt about their catch, eager buyers reportedly gathered and the fish were sold to the highest bidder, who were traders from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar reportedly. Some news report even claimed that each fish was sold for Rs 85,000, though there was no confirmation on this.

The Ghol fish (whose scientific name is Protonibea diacanthus) is known for its medicinal value and pharmaceutical companies are known to use the fish to make dissolvable stitches. It is a type of blackspotted croaker fish with huge demand in countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. It is also known as Sea Gold and the native to the Indo-Pacific region is considered one of the most expensive marine fish available.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, Hitendra Naik, a resident of Satpati in Palghar further spoke on the use of the fish. It is also used for wine purification in Singapore, he said. The website also quotes Tare as saying that this huge sale will put an end to his financial worrries.
Chennai: A survey conducted by anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyakkam has revealed that bribery, delay and lack of transparency in process were the biggest hurdles in availing government services in Tamil Nadu.

It lays bare the corrupt system in place in government offices, particularly those like E-Seva centres and Revenue and Registration department.

According to the data collected 93% of respondents were asked to pay bribes, 82% were dissatisfied with the experience of accessing services. 84% of the respondents preferred appeals on service-related issues to be probed by an independent commission.

The survey was conducted to help prepare a list of features that are to be included in the Tamil Nadu Right to Service Act.

The NGO had sought promise for passage of the Right to Service Act from all parties contesting this years assembly election. The DMK which swept the polls had also promised the passage of this Act in their manifesto and the Governors inaugural address also made a mention about the governments commitment in passing the Act.

The model bill was compiled by the NGO volunteers by incorporating the feedback from the survey and by considering the best elements of similar Acts in Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh.

Some of the key features of the draft Bill are the guaranteed right of every applicant to avail services in time. Government offices and online portals must mention a list of services with the time required, eligibility, amount, procedure, designated officer etc. It also says that every applicant must be provided a unique tracking number, using which service status can be checked online.

In case the service is rejected, the applicant must be notified via post and online mode regarding the specific reason.

Under the proposed law, applicants can also make the first appeal against the rejection of service to the first appellate authority within thirty days. This appeal status also would be trackable via an online portal.

The appellate authority is required to decide on the appeal, within 15 days of having received the appeal and must cascade the order to the designated officer. Within five working days of having received the order, the designated officer must provide the service.

It also mentions that the state government must constitute an independent body known as Tamil Nadu Right to Service Commission, for appeals on rejection of service/lack of reply etc. This commission would consist of a Chief Commissioner and ten Commissioners who are to be selected by the Chief Minister, opposition leader, or Chief Justice of High Court.

In cases where the applicant has suffered a delay in accessing the service, a compensation of Rs 500 to 90% of the penalty amount must be mandatorily given.

The NGO urged the government to place the draft Bill before the public to seek the feedback of the masses, before tabling it in the state assembly.

Also Read: Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin tables bill for 7.5% quota for govt school students in professional courses

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NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday ordered "strict action'' against guilty state government officials for alleged irregularities in the construction of twins towers in Supertech Emerald Court project in Noida.

The order from CM yogi came a day after the Supreme Court ordered the demolition of Supertech Ltd's twin 40-storey towers under construction in NOIDA in Uttar Pradesh within three months for violation of building norms in "collusion with district officials.

CM Yogi Adityanath has instructed officials concerned to take strict action against the officials accused in alleged irregularities in construction of twins towers in Supertech Emerald Court in Noida: CMO Supreme Court y'day ordered demolition of two 'illegal' 40-floor towers pic.twitter.com/Htq2Fwrcwj  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 1, 2021

The top court maintained that illegal construction has to be dealt with strictly to ensure compliance with the rule of law. The NOIDA authority received a rap on its knuckles as the top court pointed out multiple incidents of collusion of its officials with Supertech Ltd in the Emerald Court project and violations of norms by the realty major in the construction of the twin towers.

"The case has revealed a nefarious complicity of the planning authority in the violation by the developer of the provisions of law, the top court said.

The top court also directed that the entire amount of home buyers be refunded with 12 per cent interest from the time of the booking and the Residents Welfare Association (RWA) of Emerald Court be paid Rs 2 crore for the harassment caused due to the construction of the twin towers, which would have blocked sunlight and fresh air to the existing residents of the housing project in Sector 93A of NOIDA adjoining the national capital.

The record of this case is replete with instances which highlight the collusion between the officers of NOIDA with the appellant and its management," said a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and M R Shah in its 140-page verdict, upholding the April 11, 2014 demolition order of the Allahabad High Court.

The top court said it is also affirming the order of the High Court for sanctioning prosecution under provisions of Uttar Pradesh Urban Development Act and Industrial Area Development Act, against the officials of the Supertech Ltd and and the officers of NOIDA for violations of the provisions of laws.

The order passed by the High Court for the demolition of Apex and Ceyane (T-16 and T-17) does not warrant interference and the direction for demolition issued by the High Court is affirmed," it said.

The top court noted that the two towers together have 915 apartments and 21 shops. According to Supertech, of the 633 people who booked the flats initially, 133 have moved out to other projects, 248 have taken refunds and 252 home buyers still have bookings with the company in the project.

The demolition exercise of the twin towers should be carried out within three months under the supervision of the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) and an expert agency and the cost of the entire exercise has to be borne by Supertech Ltd, the court said in an order that was welcomed by the RWA after a nine-year-long legal battle against the builder.

The court said that a breach by the planning authority of its obligation to ensure compliance with building regulations is actionable at the instance of residents whose rights are infringed by the violation of law.

While Supertech Managing Director Mohit Arora said the company will file a review petition in the Supreme Court, the Noida authority said it will ensure full compliance with the Supreme Court's demolition order.

NOIDA's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ritu Maheshwari said the authority will also ensure action against the department's officials who are found guilty of violating rules in the Supertech case. The senior IAS officer, who joined the Noida Authority as its CEO in July 2019, said the violations occurred between 2004 and 2012.

The top court said the Noida authority made no effort to ensure compliance of the UP Apartments Act 2010, as a result of which the rights of the flat purchasers have been "brazenly violated".

In 2012, the RWA had first taken up its battle against the builder to the Allahabad High Court, which had ordered the demolition of the under-construction twin towers on April 11, 2014, while upholding the rights of residents.

The builder, just after a month approached the top court, which directed a status quo on the demolition and creation of third-party rights. Residents of the housing project said truth has prevailed and that their faith in the apex court has grown stronger.

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New Delhi: As the COVID-19 norms continue to be eased, several states are reopening their schools from Wednesday, (September 1, 2021). While some states announced that despite physical classes being permitted, online classes will continue too. Mostly the schools have allowed to reopen for students of senior classes to help prep them for their upcoming exams.

To ensure health and safety of students, teachers and other staff members an SOP has been issued which includes staggered timings, physical distancing, consent from parents. Also, the option to attend classes in school or want online classes will be with students and their guardians.

Delhi schools reopen from September 1

After the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government announced that schools and educational institutions can resume physical classes in a phased manner from September 1, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) issued guidelines on Monday, August 30 for the reopening of schools in the national capital. The latest DDMA guidelines say that a maximum of 50 per cent of students per classroom will be called depending upon capacity. It also said that the timetable should be prepared as per the occupancy limit of classrooms.

Tamil Nadu schools reopen from September 1

Tamil Nadu will reopen schools from Wednesday, September 1 for Classes 9 to 12 with 50 per cent attendance. As per the SOP issued by state government, schools will function for six days a week. It has also been announced that not more than 20 students will be allowed to sit in one room. The schools have to convey to students that they will have to come to school on a rotational basis on alternate days. The state government has also told schools to continue with online or distance learning for those students who do not wish to join offline classes.

UP schools reopen from September 1

The Uttar Pradesh government had already given orders to open schools for classes 9 to 12. As per the recent order, schools will be reopened for classes 1 to 5 too. "The order has been issued to open schools for students of classes 6-8 from September 23 and for classes 1-5 from September 1," a senior government official had said.

MP schools reopen from September 1

The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to reopen schools Classes 6 to 8, however, it is mandatory for students to bring consent from their parents. It has been assured that the school management and parents will have to ensure compliance with COVID-19 rules.

Rajasthan schools reopen from September 1

Schools of classes 9 to 12 will open in Rajasthan from September 1. The classes will be conducted in sessions and 50 per cent of students will be allowed to attend classes. The government has not announced anything related to the reopening of primary schools.

Haryana schools reopen from September 1

While about nine lakh children of class 4 and 5 in government and private schools in Haryana will go to school after around one-and-a-half years.

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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (Septemeber 1, 2021) issued notice to the Centre on a plea challenging the appointment of IPS Officer Rakesh Asthana as the Delhi Police Commissioner. The high court also allowed the intervention application filed by Centre for Public Interest Litigation through Advocate Prashant Bhushan.

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh has kept the matter for hearing on September 8. The Supreme Court had last week asked the High Court to decide on the issue within two weeks.

The petition has been filed by Sadre Alam through Advocate BS Bagga, challenging the order dated July 27 issued by the Centre granting inter-cadre deputation and extension of service to Asthana. Asthana had been appointed as Delhi Police Commissioner four days before he was due to retire on his superannuation on July 31.
New Delhi: Schools reopened for children of different classes in nine states of the country. In Delhi and Rajasthan, children from classes 9 to 12 can now go to school. In Uttar Pradesh, even children from classes 1 to 5 have started going to school from today. However, when these children reached school this morning, it was nothing like before.

Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary on Wednesday (September 1) discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way education is imparted. Even as the schools are reopening, things do not seem to be the same as before.

When the students reached their schools today, they realized the rules have changed, the relationships have changed, the method of studying in the class has changed. All these changes were brought about by the pandemic which forced them out of schools for so long.

Due to the threat of COVID infection, there are no longer partners to share the desk with as social distancing has to be followed. Children can no longer share food with or books or notes with each other. Now children do not get scolded if they forget to bring the homework copy. Now they are scolded if they forgot to wear masks.

Half of the children study in the classes while the other half attend it digitally from their homes.

In the last one and a half years, ever since the coronavirus came into our lives, the way of teaching in schools has also changed.

Earlier children used to learn "social Interaction" in schools. Like studying together, eating together while playing, jumping or sharing things with each other. Now children study online and often do not even know the name of their fellow classmates.

Earlier, students were punished for bringing mobile phones to schools. But it is not so anymore. Mobile devices have become an integral part of their education and parents get expensive smartphones for their children.

The relationship between a teacher and a student has also changed. Recently, many online education apps have been developed in which children do not know which teacher will take their class. The teachers also do not know the children taking their class.

Education has become a commercial activity and educational showrooms have opened instead of schools, where one can take lessons from different teachers and study use apps according to their budget.

Now education has become virtual and students and teachers have also become virtual. It can be called the end of an era. From children studying using chalk and slate to blackboards to mobile screens now, the paradigm shift is clear.

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Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs. 25.28 crore of Sanjay Agarwal, Radhika Agarwal and Preet Kumar Agarwal in a case involving smuggling of gold originally meant for export. The attached assets are in the form of residential villas and 54 kg gold.

The ED initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of a case registered by the DRI Kolkata under the provisions of Customs Act, 1962 for smuggling of gold and diverting it in the domestic market.

The central agency carried out search operations at Hyderabad on March 9, 2021 and July 19, 2021 and seized incriminating documents, which revealed acquisition of properties by the accused persons in the name of their associates. During the investigation by ED, it was revealed that the gold procured duty-free from nominated agencies like MMTC, State Trading Corporation etc and meant for export used to be diverted in the domestic market by Sanjay Agarwal with the active connivance of his relatives and other associates.

Earlier, ED had arrested Preet Kumar Agarwal in this case for his active role in the money laundering activities. The Honble Special Court (PMLA), Kolkata has issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against other accused persons namely Sanjay Agarwal, Radhika Agarwal, Ajay Kumar Agarwal and Avinash Soni.

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New Delhi: Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljeet S Cheema has flayed Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat for his 'Panj Pyare' remark and asked the state government to lodge a case agianst the senior Congress leader for hurting sentiments of the Sikh community, giving a new twist to the ongoing factional feud in the state Congress ahead of the next year's Assembly election.

In a media interaction in Chandigarh, Harish Rawat said. "It was my responsibility to discuss with the PCC chief, his team and our "Panj Pyare" (Navjot Singh Sidhu+ four working presidents). Sidhu has told me that the discussions over polls, organizational structure will be geared up, rest assured, PCC is working."

Harish Rawat made this comment to boost Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu and four working presidents under him, but the remark has landed him in a controversy.

When Rawat was speaking to reporters, Sidhu stood behind him, smiling. This has infuriated the Akali Dal, which said Rawat has "hurt religious feelings" and demanded an apology from him.

Irked over his remark, SAD leader Cheema told ANI, "I urge Punjab govt to lodge a case against Congress' Harish Rawat for hurting Sikh sentiments by referring to PCC chief and his team as "Panj Pyare". He should know that Panj Pyare holds significance in Sikhs, should apologize for his remarks, it's not funny."

Meanwhile, reports coming in from Punjab say that Harish Rawat has apologised, saying that he had no intention to hurt the Sikh sentiments and it was wrong on his part to compare the working presidents with Panj Pyare.

Harish Rawat further said that he held the Panj Pyare in high esteem and had worked for the betterment of the places related to Sikhism in Uttarakhand.

Notably, Punjab Congress is witnessing tussle between Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the newly appointed Congress chief Navjot Sidhu. The issue took a new twist after Rawat made a statement that upcoming Punjab Assembly election would be fought munder the leadership of Amarinder Singh.

Last week, Punjab Congress' general secretary Pargat Singh questioned AICC state in-charge Harish Rawat and asked who gave him the right to take a big decision about the state.

Pargat Singh reportedly said, "When all the MLAs had met the three-member Kharge Committee constituted by the party high command in Delhi three months ago, it was decided that the Punjab Assembly elections to be held in 2022 would be fought under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi."

Pargat Singh`s statement came ahead of Harish Rawat's scheduled visit to Punjab to meet Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu apparantly to sort out the differences between the two leaders.

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Indore: Indore, the country's cleanest city, has reached a major milestone by vaccinating its entire eligible population with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to reports. Once the worst COVID-19 affected district in Madhya Pradesh, the city has now vaccinated 100 per cent of its eligible population with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

The administration had set the target of vaccinating 28,07,559 eligible persons against COVID-19, and so far, 28,08,212 citizens have received the first jab in the district, Indore collector Manish Singh told PTI.

Singh is further quoted as saying, "Indore is the only district in the country, among the regions with a population above 10 lakh, to vaccinate 100 per cent of its eligible population with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine."

The DM said that of the 28,08,212 eligible beneficiaries, nearly 10 lakh had been administered both doses of the vaccine.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has also congratulated the residents of Indore and said, Indore has once again made a new record. Amongst the districts with over 10 lakh population, Indore has become the first district in the country to vaccinate its entire eligible population with the first dose of the vaccine.

During his recent visit to Indore city, the MP CM gave the target to the local administration to inoculate the entire eligible population with the first dose of the vaccine. Indore has so far recorded 1,53,055 COVID-19 cases so far, which includes 1,391 casualties, according to the official figures.

Notably, the Shivraj government had also organised a two-day Maha Vaccination Abhiyaan on August 25 and 26 during which, over 40 lakh doses were administered across the state.

(With Agency Inputs)

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New Delhi: The family of a Kanpur woman, stuck with her children in Afghanistan, has urged the Indian government to help her out of the war-torn nation. Hina Khan alias Pammo, a resident of Babupurwa area, is married to an Afghan national and her family has sought Foreign ministrys help to get them back.

As per Times of India report, Samirun Nisha, mother of Hina Khan, who currently lives in Kanpur, said that her daughter married Mohammad Ghani, an Afghan national while she was working in Mumbai. The couple has a son and two daughters.

A Kanpur woman, three children stuck in Afghanistan, her family seeks help from Indian government to bring her back "I request Modi ji and Yogi Ji to help us bring back my daughter," says the woman's mother pic.twitter.com/uBoutheCCb  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 1, 2021

She told her that she is in Kabuls Jurmut area some 80 km from Afghanistan with her children. She said that she had been sold by Ghani to someone and he himself had escaped to Mumbai. Ghani also had harassed her a lot and now she is being tortured by the people there. Ghani, however, had left them to die in Afghanistan and himself escaped to India, where he is living Saat Rasta Jijamata Mahalakshmi in Mumbai Central area, TOI quoted Nisha as saying.

Nisha said that Hina last came home to Kanpur in 2013. Kanpur police officials told TOI. They added that efforts are on to rescue Hina Khan and her children trapped in Afghanistan.

ADCP South Anil Kumar provided complete details to the Ministry of External Affairs. Further, he assured that every possible will be provided to bring the family back.

As the Taliban captured the capital Kabul on August 15, President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan leading to a complete collapse of the government. Several Afghans fearing the Talibans brutal rule that nearly eliminated women's rights have been rushing to leave the nation as well. Many Afghan Sikhs and Hindus have been rescued by the Indian government since it began its evacuation process.

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Mumbai: A 24-year-old man from Mumbai was acquitted by a special court after spending two years in jail after her sister accused him of rape.

Two years later, the sister retracted her statement saying that the allegations were false and that she did it as his brother had scolded her for going out with her boyfriend.

A special court in Dindoshi cleared the man of charges of rape and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The original FIR was filed in 2019 when the girl claimed that her brother had sexually assaulted her when their parents were not at home. Among the two witnesses were herself and the investigating officer.

In her fresh statement, the girl denied the contents of the FIR about sexual assault. She also denied that any medical examination was done at the hospital.

The court said the testimony of the girl was not trustworthy as it had contradictions and omissions. It also said that there was no evidence to show that the girl was a minor in 2018 at the time of the alleged incident.

Also Read: Guwahati High Court grants bail to 'Talented' IIT student accused in rape case

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (September 1) released a special commemorative coin of Rs 125 to mark the 125th birth anniversary of the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, through a video conference. Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy was also present on the occasion. Swami Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) commonly known as the 'Hare Krishna movement'.

PM Narendra Modi releases a special commemorative coin of Rs 125 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, via video conferencing pic.twitter.com/l5qME4GKPh  ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2021

ISKCON has translated Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta and other Vedic literature into 89 languages, playing a stellar role in the dissemination of Vedic literature across the world. Prabhupada also established over a hundred temples and wrote several books, teaching the path of Bhakti Yoga to the world, informed the release.

PM Narendra Modi said in Hindi, "Today we are celebrating 125th birth anniversary of Srila Prabhupada. It is as if the joy of meditation/devotion and contentment have come together. Millions of followers of Srila Prabhupada Swami and Krishna devotees are experiencing this feeling today all over the world."

      125                                        : PM  https://t.co/M8FKpQyCtS pic.twitter.com/DXHMXxDaql  ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) September 1, 2021

Modi while releasing the special commemorative coin also said, "Today there are hundreds of ISKCON temples in different countries around the world and is spreading the Indian culture. ISKCON has told the world that for India, faith means zeal, enthusiasm, to be in high spirits and faith in humanity." Recalling the role of ISKCON during natural disasters faced by the country, the Prime Minister said, "I remember when there was an earthquake in Kutch in 2001, how ISKCON had stepped forward to serve the people. Whenever the country experienced any calamity, whether it is the tragedy of Uttarakhand or the devastation of cyclones in Odisha and Bengal, ISKCON has worked as a support for the society."

Swami Prabhupada or Srila Prabhupada, was born in Kolkata on September 1, 1896. Abhay Charan De was the name of his birth. He initially ran a pharmacy business before leaving India in 1959 to make people aware about the teaching of Krishna. He went to New York in 1965 and set up the first ISKCON centre, which now has temples and cultural centres across the globe.

(With ANI inputs)
New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a meeting with senior ministry officials on Wednesday on the status of the reopening of schools across the country and the roadmap for vaccinating their staff.

Schools were closed in March last year ahead of a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of novel coronavirus infection.

The Centre had allowed the reopening of schools as per the COVID-19 situation in respective states in October last year. While several states began partial reopening of schools, there was a complete closure again in April this year when an aggressive second wave of COVID-19 hit the country.

With the improvement in the COVID-19 situation, several states have begun reopening schools now even as concerns have been expressed over the staff and teachers not being completely vaccinated.

"Shiksha Mantri Shri @dpradhanbjp reviewed the status of schools reopening across the country with senior officials of Deptt. Of School Education & Literacy. He also took stock of the roadmap for vaccinating all teaching & non-teaching staff in schools by the month of September," the Ministry of Education said in a tweet.

Shiksha Mantri Shri @dpradhanbjp reviewed the status of schools reopening across the country with senior officials of Deptt. of School Education & Literacy. He also took stock of the roadmap for vaccinating all teaching & non-teaching staff in schools by the month of September.  Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) September 1, 2021

The ministry added that the Centre is prioritising vaccination of teaching and non-teaching staff in schools across the country to "ensure a safe environment for reopening of schools".

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Amritsar: Various Sikh bodies have raised objections on Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committees (SGPC) decision to print 'saroop' of Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) in foreign countries which aims at the easy access of the holy book to Sikhs living there and avoid violation of 'maryada' (Sikh code of religious conduct) during the transportation of SGGS.

President of Sikh Youth Federation (Bhinderanwala) Ranjit Singh Damdami Taksal has met the SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur to apprise her of the real situation' behind the demand of SGGS by Sikhs living abroad and also handed over her a letter written by as many as 20 Gurdwara management committees of Canada who have also sought to consult them and other gurdwara management bodies across the globe before implementing the decision of setting up of printing presses abroad to print the saroop of SGGS.

There is not an iota of truth that saroop of SGGS are in huge demand by Sikhs living abroad, instead, many Sikh families have returned the saroop to the Gurdwaras owing to personal reasons,  said Ranjit Singh while talking to media on Wednesday.

However, Balbir Singh Muchhal, president of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee opined, There is no doubt that after the printing of SGGS abroad the issue of violation of maryada during their transportation will be resolved but the SGPC alone shouldnt manage those printing presses but the responsibility should be shared by a group of Sikh bodies to keep a check on the violation of maryada.

Balbir Singh also suggested documenting all the saroop of SGGS in every city abroad. "Sikh religious bodies should know the number of saroop in every city abroad so as to avoid any sacrilege incident," he suggested.

Notably, the executive committee of SGPC in the recent past had resolved to set up printing presses abroad to print the saroop of SGGS.

The SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur had justified the decision on the basis that there was much demand for the holy scripture by Sikh families living abroad.

This is where we want to correct the SGPC and want it to consult Gurdwara management committees abroad so it could know the real picture, said Amarjit Singh Maan, spokesperson of Canadas Ontario Gurdwaras Committee.

Claiming that there was a sufficient number of saroop of SGGS with the Gurdwaras abroad, he said in all these years not even a single Sikh family has approached them demanding saroop of SGGS. Instead a few Sikh families have returned the holy book to the gurdwaras owing to their personal reasons, he claimed.

Echoing with Amarjit Singh, spokesperson of British Columbia Gurdwara Council Moninder Singh said that SGPC should first consult with the gurdwara management committees abroad to know the real situation about the demand of SGGS, and only then it should go ahead with its decision of printing SGGS abroad.

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New Delhi: Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will visit India in his foreign visit since taking charge by the end of this year, envoy Pham Sanh Chau informed on Wednesday (September 1).

It will be a very important visit because India will be the first country he will pay visit bilaterally, envoy Chau told Zee Media.

Earlier today, the bust of Vietnam's founding father and former President Ho Chi Minh was unveiled at a park in Delhi's Diplomatic Enclave in Chanakyapuri.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Chau stressed the friendly relations the two countries have shared historically.

Ho Chi Minh is the great friend of India, he loved India, he loved Indians. For him, Indians are brothers and sisters, India is a great country, Indian civilization is one of the oldest and most respected. This (installation of Ho Chi Minh bust) would further improve bilateral relations between the two countries, he said.

As Minister Meenakshi Lekhi said, (former) President Ho Chi Minh and Mahatma Gandhi never met, but they met in their thoughts. Ho Chi Minh respected Mahatma Gandhi and that is why when he came to pay tribute to Mahatma, he brought flowers from Vietnam which was difficult 63 years ago, he added.

Asked if a bust of Mahatma Gandhi would be installed in Vietnam, Chau said, I hope one month from now if the situation goes well in terms of the pandemic, the bust of Mahatma Gandhi will be installed in the heart of the Ho Chi Minh city in a beautiful open park. It will be a very happy moment for us.

The envoy also hailed the mutual cooperation the two countries showed during the pandemic by ensuring relief supplies when they needed them.

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The West Bengal government has decided to move Supreme Court to challenge an order of the Calcutta High Court directing CBI probe into post-poll violence in the state.

The Calcutta High Court on August 19 had ordered a CBI probe into "heinous crimes of murder and rape" in the state after the assembly elections. The BJP had alleged that there have been several instances of violence across the state against its workers and supporters after Assembly polls were over, which saw Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress sealing a landslide victory against the central ruling party.

The Bengal government has reportedly said that the CBI, working at the behest of the Central government, will not conduct a fair trial. The state has also said that the CBI is focusing on registering cases against office-bearers of the TMC.

West Bengal government moves Supreme Court challenging an order of the Calcutta HC directing CBI probe into post-poll violence in the state pic.twitter.com/A4g9yqTfKS  ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2021

On Tuesday (August 31), it came to light that the CBI has registered 10 more cases related to the alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal, taking the total number of such cases to 31. In the latest tranche of cases, six pertain to allegations of murder, two are of alleged gang rape and rape and the rest are related to assault, trespassing, and destruction of property, officials said.

"The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered ten more cases in compliance of the orders of Hon'ble High Court at Calcutta, passed in connection with WPA(P) 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149 & 167 of 2021, dated 19.08.2021 and taken over the investigation of these cases, earlier registered in different police stations of West Bengal on various allegations," CBI Spokesperson RC Joshi had said.

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New Delhi: With COVID-19 cases rising in Kerala, adequate steps should be taken to contain the inter-state spread of the infection, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Wednesday as he urged Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to increase the pace of vaccination in border districts.

In a telephonic conversation on Wednesday with the health ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Mandaviya reviewed the COVID-19 situation in these states, a health ministry statement said.

Due to the rising cases in Kerala, the Union Health Minister discussed matters related to COVID-19 management in those areas of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which border Kerala.

Highlighting the need to take adequate steps to contain the inter-state spread of COVID-19, Mandaviya requested the respective health ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to increase the pace of vaccination in the districts bordering Kerala, the statement said.

The Government of India has been at the forefront of the fight against the COVID19 pandemic. Vaccination forms an integral component of the five-point strategy to fight the pandemic (including Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour), the statement added.

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Mumbai: In a veiled swipe at the BJP, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said that "BJPs Jan Ashirvad" rallies are being organised despite the threat of a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic "which is putting the lives of people in danger".

Speaking virtually after inaugurating an oxygen plant set up by Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik in Thane, the CM said "these people do not seem to care if some people die due to such rallies.

Newly-appointed Union ministers of BJP recently organised "Jan Ashirwad" rallies to take blessings of people.

As Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) defied the ban and tried to hold Dahi Handi celebrations in Mumbai and Thane on Tuesday, Thackeray said the MVA government was not against any festivals but only fighting against coronavirus.

There is the threat of a third wave of COVID-19 but some people are still organising 'Ashirwad' rallies. They are not seeking blessings from the people but they are in fact putting the lives of the people in danger, said Chief Minister Thackeray, who heads Shiv Sena.

He said when Sena was formed it was announced that the party will do 80 per cent social work and 20 per cent politics.

But today there are parties in the country that are 100 per cent into politics. They do not want to do any work that will benefit the people but they are organising rallies and events that would put their lives in danger, he said.

Thackeray also said that he was missing the excitement of Dahi Handi due to restrictions, which do not allow public celebrations of the festival.

Dahi Handi festival or 'Gopalkala' is celebrated a day after Janmashtami marking the birth of Lord Shrikrishna.

I must admit that I am missing the excitement of Dahi Handi and the celebrations for the last couple of years. I had personally attended some such events in the past, Thackeray recalled.

MNS celebrated the traditional 'Dahi Handi' festival in Thane and the neighbouring Palghar district, even though the celebrations have been banned in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A case was registered against four activists of the Raj Thackeray-led party and eight others for violating COVID-19 norms by holding a Dahi Handi programme in the Worli area of central Mumbai on Tuesday and two workers were arrested, police said.

The CM said the MVA government was not against any festival but fighting against COVID-19.

"It (the pandemic) is not a state (sponsored) programme. Everyone has to follow the guidelines during social life that are common across the world, he said.

Thackeray said even the Union government has asked States to take precautions during festivals.

Thackeray said he wanted to show the Union government's letter to States asking people to avoid crowding during the festive season, "especially to those who want to organise agitations at public places.

"Agitations are being held in defiance of the COVID-19 safety regulations. If you want to do any agitation then do it against coronavirus," he added.

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New Delhi: Noida Authoritys chief executive officer (CEO) Ritu Maheshwari has set up a two-member team to investigate the Supertech twin tower case. The senior IAS officer has also ensured that the department will take action against officials that will be found guilty in the Supertech case.

The step has been taken after the Supreme Court had on Tuesday (August 31) ordered the demolition of twin towers. The towers had allegedly come up in violation of building bye-laws in Supertech's Emerald Court housing project in Noida Sector 93.

Following the apex courts order, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called for an inquiry in the Supertech illegal 40-storey twin tower case. He also called for strict action against guilty officers.

Previously, Allahabad High Court, on April 11, 2014, had ordered the demolition of two 40- storey twin towers: Tower Apex and Tower Ceyane.

Upholding the Allahabad High Court order, the Supreme Courts two-judge bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud and comprising Justice M R Shah said that the construction was illegal and the result of collusion between Noida authority and the real estate company, Supertech.

The Supreme Court has also directed the Supertech to refund flat owners money with a 12 per cent rate of interest. The apex court has given a two-month deadline to the builder for repaying the flat owners. Also Read: Amitabh Bachchan to roll out his NFT collection: Sholay movie poster, Madhushala poem will be up for sale

"Within 2 months, all the amount invested by the allotted flat owners is to be refunded by the petitioner (Supertech)," the apex court had said in its judgement. Also Read: Looking to buy car, motorcycle in September 2021? Check out these Auspicious days, Time and Muhurat
New Delhi: Top Bangladeshi actress Pori Moni, who was arrested last month by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the police`s elite anti-crime unit has been granted bail. She stepped out of jail today after 26 days of imprisonment.

Pori Moni secured bail on August 31, 2021, at Dhaka Metropolitan Session court on a bond of Tk 50,000. She was arrested by RAB under Narcotics Control Act on August 4 from her residence in Dhaka.

After getting bail, the actress was spotted waving at her fans waiting outside. Pori peeped from the car rooftop and posed for shutterbugs.

Earlier, Pori Moni was taken to the headquarters of the elite force following a four-hour raid in her residence at Banani in Dhaka, Commander Khandaker Al Moin, Director of Legal and Media Wing of RAB, confirmed to IANS earlier.

Prior to her detention, the RAB had claimed they recovered drugs and liquor from her possession during the raid.

Shamsunnahar Smrity, popularly known as Pori Moni, had claimed that she was assaulted on June 8 by Nasir Uddin Mahmood, former president of the Boat club and also director of Gulshan All Community Club, a businessman and politician.

She accused Mahmood of sexual assault on her at the Boat Club.

But she failed to file any case, as the accused is a close friend of Benazir Ahmed, the Inspector General of Police of Bangladesh.

Mahmood was arrested by the detective branch of police along with three women and his close associate Tuhin Siddique Omi, a drug dealer, after they confessed to their crimes of women trafficking and drug dealing.

A week later, Pori Moni was accused of vandalism at the Gulshan All Community Club on June 7 night by K.M. Alamgir Iqbal, President of the club in a press conference.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammed Jashim granted a bail order in the case lodged under Narcotic Act.

Subsequently, Mahmood and his associates Lipi Akhter, Sumi Akhter, and Nazma Amin Snigdha were released.

Mahmood was not in jail, but in police custody for almost 15 days.

On Wednesday afternoon, Pori Moni urged police seeking help in Facebook Live from her home saying: "Brother, you understand my condition. Banani police station is here, but no one is coming from there. I need their help. I was getting this fear. For three days I could not get out of bed."

The actress also claimed that someone was knocking on the gate of her house for 20 minutes.

"I`m afraid to open the door. They are claiming themselves as Policemen. But when I contacted Banani police station, they said, no policemen were sent from their police station."

"I was scared of death from the beginning. Someone wants to kill me. What would I do if someone came to kill me with the identity of the police?"

(With IANS inputs)
Mumbai: Filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan Kunder on Wednesday said she has tested positive for COVID-19 and hopes to recover soon.

The director, known for films like "Main Hoon Na", "Om Shanti Om" and "Happy New Year", said she contracted the virus despite being fully vaccinated.

"Despite being double vaccinated and working with mostly double vaxxed people, I have still managed to test positive for COVID. I have already informed everyone I came in contact with to get tested," the 56-year-old director wrote in an Instagram post.

"However, if I have forgotten someone (because of old age and fading memory), please test yourself. Hoping to recover soon," she further said.

Farah currently features as a judge on the "Zee Comedy Show" and had recently also shot for a dance reality show with Shilpa Shetty Kundra.

On Tuesday, Mumbai reported 323 new COVID-19 cases and only one fresh fatality - the lowest death count in a week - taking the infection tally to 7,44,155 and the toll to 15,977.
New Delhi: Veteran Bollywood actress of yesteryears, Saira Banu who suffered from a heart problem called ischemia, has been admitted to Hinduja Hospital to treatment but is said to be stable now, her doctor said on Wednesday.

Saira Banu, 77, - the widow of legendary actor, the late Yusuf Khan alias Dilip Kumar - was rushed to the ICU of the hospital in Khar, three days ago.

According to eminent cardiologist Dr Nitin S. Gokhale who is attending on her, the left ventricle in her heart had stopped functioning and led to ingress of water in her heart and lungs.

"The problem has been controlled for now and she is medically much better now. We shall shift her out of the ICU tomorrow (Thursday) and then decide further measures," Gokhale told IANS.

Saira Banu's health sparked concerns on social media with many praying and wishing for her speedy recovery and early discharge from the hospital.

Starting her acting career as a teen in 1961 with the film "Junglee", she went on to become one of the topmost heroines in the 1960s-1970s era, working with the leading actors of the day and starring in the biggest films.

In the past few years, she earned legions of admirers for the manner in which she stood by and cared for her husband Dilip Kumar who was ailing for several years before he passed away on July 7 aged 98.
New Delhi: Before visiting your bank branch in the month of September, you must note down the list of important days during which banks will remain closed.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mentioned some days when the banking operations will remain closed in the month of September 2021, although online banking activities will continue to work.

Banks will remain closed for total 12 days in the month of September -- while some are as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) holiday calendar list, the remaining days are that of weekends. However banking activities in different states may vary from each other.

Reserve Bank of India places its Holidays under three brackets --Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act; Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act and Real Time Gross Settlement Holiday; and Banks Closing of Accounts.

However, it must be noted that the bank holidays vary in various states as well not observed by all the banking companies. Banking holidays also depend on the festivals being observed in specific states or notification of specific occasions in those states.

Here is an elaborate list of bank holidays falling in the month of September 2021. Check out the list.

08 September 2021: Tithi of Srimanta Sankardeva

09 September 2021: Teej (Haritalika)

10 September 2021: Ganesh Chaturthi/Samvatsari (Chaturthi Paksha)/Vinayakar Chathurthi/Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata

11 September 2021: Ganesh Chaturthi (2nd day)

17 September 2021: Karma Puja

20 September 2021: Indrajatra

21 September 2021: Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi Day

Weekend holidays in September 2021

05 September 2021  Weekly off (Sunday)

11 September 2021  Second Saturday

12 September 2021  Weekly off (Sunday)

19 September 2021  Weekly off (Sunday)

25 September 2021  Fourth Saturday

26 September 2021  Weekly off (Sunday)

Holidays of the mentioned days will be observed in various regions according to the state declared holidays, however for the gazetted holidays, banks will be closed all over the country.

If you keep a track of these holidays, you would be able to plan bank transaction activities in a better way. For long weekends, you can even plan your holidays well.
New Delhi: A couple of months ago, the Reserve Bank of India had said that it is working on phased introduction of its own digital currency.

RBI Deputy Governor T Rabi Sankar said in a keynote address at the webinar organised by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy in the national capital.

What is a central bank digital currency?

CBDC is the same as currency issued by a central bank but takes a different form than paper (or polymer). It is sovereign currency in an electronic form and it would appear as liability (currency in circulation) on a central banks balance sheet. The underlying technology, form and use of a CBDC can be moulded for specific requirements. CBDCs should be exchangeable at par with cash.

Introduction of CBDC has the potential to provide significant benefits, such as reduced dependency on cash, higher seigniorage due to lower transaction costs, reduced settlement risk. Introduction of CBDC would possibly lead to a more robust, efficient, trusted, regulated and legal tender-based payments option. There are associated risks, no doubt, but they need to be carefully evaluated against the potential benefits. It would be RBIs endeavour, as we move forward in the direction of Indias CBDC, to take the necessary steps which would reiterate the leadership position of India in payment systems, said an RBI statement.

CBDCs is likely to be in the arsenal of every central bank going forward. Setting this up will require careful calibration and a nuanced approach in implementation, added the central bank statement.

How different is RBIs digital currency from other cryptocurrencies?

RBIs digital currency or A CBDC is the legal tender issued by a central bank in a digital form. It is the same as a fiat currency and is exchangeable one-to-one with the fiat currency. Only its form is different. Meanwhile other Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum or Dodgecoin are not considered as an equivalent to legal tenders. Infact, private cryptocurrencies have a lot of risks associated with them and volatility in their prices make it a dicey option for investors. Indian government has time and again reiterated that cryptocurrencies are not legal in India.
New Delhi: Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) offers a slew of investment options for investors looking to put their money in schemes that provide impressive and secure returns. In the Jeevan Pragati policy, the state-owned insurer lets investors invest their hard-earned money to build a corpus for their retirement or old age.

In the LIC Jeevan Pragati policy, investors need to invest every month. Besides offering bumper returns at maturity, the scheme provides death insurance benefits to the investors. The policy is approved by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

LIC Jeevan Pragati policy: How to get Rs 28 lakh on maturity

In the LIC Jeevan Pragati policy, which is a non-linked, savings-cum-protection endowment plan, investors need to invest about Rs 6000 every month to receive Rs 28 lakh at the time of maturity.

For investing Rs 6000 every month in the LIC Jeevan Pragati policy, you need to save at least Rs 200 per day.

LIC Jeevan Pragati policy life insurance benefits

In case of the death of an investor of the LIC Jeevan Pragati policy, the sum assured on death is credited to the nominee's account. The nominee gets 100% of the basic sum assured if the investor dies within five years after signing up for the policy.

The insurance money increases every five years, and during the 16th-20th year of investment, the nominee gets a 200% of the basic sum assured.

LIC Jeevan Pragati policy: Age limit

The LIC Jeevan Pragati policy allows investors as small as 12 years to start investing in the scheme. The upper age limit for investments in the policy is capped at 45 years. Also Read: RBI slaps Rs 25 lakh fine on Axis Bank for KYC norms violation

LIC Jeevan Pragati policy: Maturity details

Investors need to invest for a minimum of 12 years to avail the maximum benefits from the LIC Jeevan Pragati policy. LIC allows investors to invest for a maximum of 20 years in the LIC Jeevan Pragati policy. Also Read: Mercedes AMG unveils GT 63 S E Performance - most powerful car in AMG lineup: In Pics

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#mute
Chennai: Former Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister and AIADMK Coordinator O Panneerselvam's wife Vijayalakshmi passed away at a city hospital on Wednesday. According to Dr. Asokan of the GEM hospital, she had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for the last 10 days and was to get discharged on Wednesday.

Vijayalakshmi, 65, had suffered a heart attack at 5am on Wednesday, and she succumbed at 6:45am, despite doctors efforts to revive her.

Sharing the news on microblogging site, Dr C Vijayabaskar, MLA from Viralimalai and a former Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu expressed his condolences.

Very shocked and saddened by the passing of Mrs Vijayalakshmi. She is the wife of AIADMK coordinator Annan OPS and mother of MP @OPRavindhranath. My heart goes out to the family at this time of grief. I pray for the departed soul to rest in peace. @OfficeOfOPS pic.twitter.com/mUqi8hEDYa  Dr C Vijayabaskar (@Vijayabaskarofl) September 1, 2021

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, senior ministers, AIADMK joint Coordinator and Former Chief Minister K Palaniswami and senior party leaders were among those who visited the private hospital to pay respects to the mortal remains of Vijayalakshmi.

As per media reports, Vijayalakshmi had suffered a cardiac arrest and was getting treatment in the hospital for the past two weeks.
New Delhi: Apple Watch, packed with health features such as ECG, fall detection, and oximeter, among others, is often credited for saving lives across the world. In yet another such incident, an American citizen named Yolie De Leons life was saved by the smartwatch.

De Leon, who belongs from Arizona, said her Apple Watch alerted her to an abnormally high heart rate, warning her to visit urgent care. When she reached the hospital, the doctor reportedly told her that her device was right and that her condition was life-threatening indeed.

"It said my heart rate was at 174. It said, You are an AFib, and said, Call your doctor immediately. Responding to the alerts, the Apple Watch owner rushed to the hospital. In no time, the doctors reported the fatal condition after running several tests, according to a report by Apple Insider.

After the life-saving incident, De Leon showed her gratitude to the tech and reached out to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Much to her surprise, Cook replied to the woman saying, Im so glad you sought medical attention and received the treatment you needed."

"Thanks for sharing your story with us. It inspires us to keep pushing forward," Cook wrote to De Leon.

In De Leons case, the smartwatchs ECG and irregular heart rhythm notification feature helped in the recognition of AFib, which is one of the most common forms of irregular heart rhythm. Also Read: Kia Seltos X Line trim launched in India: Check price, features, interiors, photos

If left untreated, AFib can result in stroke in most cases. The life-threatening condition is reportedly the second most common cause of death globally. Also Read: Renault all-new KWID MY21 launched in India: Check price list of all the variants, specs and more

- With IANS inputs.
New Delhi: India is famous for its diversity in culture and religions with everyone celebrating their traditions in their own unique manner. For Hindus, one thing that is famous in temples is its prasad which is mostly ladoos or some other sweet. Have you ever heard of desi Chinese food being served as prasad in temples? If it sounds hard to digest, well, you are in for a surprise.

As per media reports, a temple in West Bengals Kolkata famously known as Chinese Kali Temple offers prasad that varies from noodles, momos to chop suey to rice and vegetable dishes. This temple is situated at Kolkatas Matheswartala Road, Tangra also called the China Town.

With other rituals celebrated as any other temple, this Kali shrine stands out for its unique prasad.

As per Times of India report, this temple was created when several Chinese refugees migrated to India during the 1930s Civil war in China. Almost 60 years ago, a Chinese refugee saw Maa Kali in his dream, following which he was inspired to construct this temple with other localities. These migrants moved to Tangra, Kolkata and carried their cultural influence to the region. This place is now known as China Town.
New Delhi: After the US troops withdrew from Afghanistan ending a war that lasted nearly 20 years, a local interpreter who had helped rescue Joe Biden in 2008 implored the US commander in chief to evacuate and his family, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

Mohammed, who chose not to use his full name for safety reasons gave a message: Hello Mr. President: Save me and my family... Dont forget me here, he told the newspaper.

He is currently in hiding with his wife and four children, the Journal reported. The interpreter is one among several such allies who have been left behind after the US troops completed evacuations on Monday.

According to WSJ, Mohammed was an interpreter for the US Army and a part of the team that helped rescue Joe Biden, who was a Senator then, and other US Diplomats including former Senators Chuck Hagel, and John Kerry 13 years ago when their helicopters were forced to land in a remote valley in Afghanistan due to a snowstorm.

He is claimed to have stood guard with Afghan soldiers and US troops for 30 hours in freezing temperatures to protect three of the country's leaders, according to Army veterans who worked with him at the time.

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Jen Psaki thanked the interpreter for his service Tuesday and said assured that the US remains committed to getting Afghan allies out of the country.

We will get you out... We will honor your service, Psaki told WSJ after Mohammeds message was read to the president.

The evacuation of Mohammed and others like him have been hampered by the special immigrant visa process that would ensure entry into the United States. Also, Mohammed's visa application ran into bureaucratic hurdles after the defense contractor he worked for lost the required records for his application, WSJ reported. He tried going to the designated airport gates at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport and was informed he could get in but not his family.

I cant leave my house... Im very scared," he told WSJ reporter.

Allies of the US forces in Afghanistan are facing retribution from the Taliban.

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If news reports are to be believed then scientists might have found a way to fight the coronavirus at an early stage. A group of researchers in Brazil has discovered that the venom of a snake found in the country can be a solution to the problems related to Covid 19.

A study published in the scientific journal Molecules states that the molecule produced by the jararacussu pit viper inhibited the virus's ability to multiply in monkey cells by 75%.

"We were able to show this component of snake venom was able to inhibit a very important protein from the virus," Rafael Guido, a University of Sao Paulo professor and an author of the study, told Reuters.

"We're wary about people going out to hunt the jararacussu around Brazil, thinking they're going to save the world ... That's not it!" said Giuseppe Puorto, a herpetologist running the Butantan Institute's biological collection in Sao Paulo, to Reuters. "It's not the venom itself that will cure the coronavirus."

The jararacussu species is one of the largest qualities of snakes that are primarily found in Brazil. They can measure up to two metres.

The world is still struggling to come out of the clutches of the deadly virus that is still wreaking havoc in many countries. Even in India, the cases have started going up in recent weeks causing a fear of the third wave.

(With inputs from agencies)

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New Delhi: The Taliban on Wednesday (September 1) reportedly said that their talks with the Panjshir elders have failed. Afghanistans Panjshir valley is the only remaining province resisting the Talibans rule.

Citing Afghan media, ANI reported that the head of Talibans commission for guidance and encouragement Mullah Amir Khan Motaqi said that negotiations with tribal elders and leaders of Panjshir in Parwan province went in vain.

Head of Talibans commission for guidance & encouragement, Mullah Amir Khan Motaqi said that their negotiations with tribal elders & leaders of Panjshir failed. Motaqi said that Taliban talked with tribal leaders of Panjshir in Parwan province went in vain: Afghan media  ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2021

Meanwhile, as per Reuters report, Motaqi, in a recorded speech addressed to Afghans in Panjshir, urged the rebels to put down their weapons. "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is home for all Afghans," he said.

He added that the Taliban forces are making preparations around the four sides of the Panjshir valley and there is no reason to fight. "But we are still trying to ensure that there is no war and that the issue in Panjshir is resolved calmly and peacefully," Reuters quoted Motaqi as saying.

The senior Taliban leader said they have made several efforts to hold discussions with the opposition forces in Panjshir, "but unfortunately, unfortunately, without any result".

His remarks come after at least seven Taliban fighters were killed during an attempt to enter the Panjshir valley, according to two resistance leaders.

National Resistance Front of Afghanistan leader Ahmad Massoud and former Afghan government first Vice President Amrullah Saleh are trying to mount a challenge to the Taliban. The Taliban have not been able to capture the Panjshir valley, which lies in the Hindu Kush mountains, approximately 90 miles north of Kabul. The insurgent group ousted the Afghanistan government by taking control of Kabul on August 15.

Panjshir province houses several thousand members of local militias and remnants of army and special forces of Afghanistan who have been resisting the Taliban.

(With agency inputs)
London: Britains intelligence assessment was that it was unlikely Kabul would fall this year, foreign minister Dominic Raab said as he defended Britain`s withdrawal from Afghanistan after the Taliban swept across the country much more quickly than expected.

Britain, like the United States, failed to predict how swiftly the Afghan government would fall, so it had not made sufficient preparation for the chaos that would follow when the Taliban seized the capital on Aug. 15.

In an emergency session of parliament`s foreign affairs committee to discuss the crisis in Afghanistan, Raab said Britain`s intelligence service had assessed that the Taliban would only consolidate its control of Afghanistan in the months after western countries had evacuated their troops.

"The central proposition was that, given the troop withdrawal by the end of August, you would see a steady deterioration from that point, and that it was unlikely Kabul would fall this year," Raab told the committee of lawmakers.

"That doesn`t mean we didn`t do contingency planning or game-out or test the other propositions. And just to be clear, that`s something that was widely shared - that view - amongst NATO allies."

Even though the Taliban`s intent to seize control was clear, Raab said, the West misjudged its capacity to do so as quickly as it did. There were clearly lessons to be learned from what happened, he said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced calls to sack Raab after the latter went on holiday in Crete as the Taliban advanced on Kabul and amid claims that thousands of emails from people seeking help to leave Afghanistan had gone unread.

Defending his handling of the crisis, Raab said he had had more than 40 meetings or calls where Afghanistan was on the agenda between March and the end of August. He repeatedly declined to say what date he had gone on holiday, and said he had not considered resigning.

VISIT TO REGION

Raab said he would travel to the region, including visiting Pakistan for the first time as foreign minister, later on Wednesday to discuss the crisis.

It is early days in engaging with the Taliban, Raab said, and they will need to show they can pass tests such as providing a safe environment for aid workers if they are to receive international assistance.

Britain`s last military flight left Kabul late on Saturday, ending a chaotic two weeks in which soldiers helped to evacuate more than 15,000 people from the crowds who descended on the capital`s airport, desperate to flee the country.

Raab said that once the United States made the decision to withdraw, there was no viable alternative coalition to the NATO mission, and there had been "wishful thinking" among some allies that U.S. President Joe Biden would alter his position.

Johnson`s office said on Tuesday that his special representative for Afghan transition, Simon Gass, has travelled to Doha, Qatar, to meet with Taliban representatives to discuss safe passage out of Afghanistan for UK nationals and Afghans who have worked for Britain.

Raab said he was not confident of the exact number of people eligible to come to Britain who remain in Afghanistan.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is hopeful that its role in clinching the US-Taliban deal will help it get the US support for delisting itself from the anti-terror watchdog Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) grey list. America has been insisting on verifiable action by Pakistan against key terror operatives under the Pak Anti-Money Laundering regime as a pre-condition for FATF delisting.

These include the key conspirators of the Mumbai attack and also action against Masood Azhar of JeM and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi of LeT. While Pakistan has proceeded against Lakhvi on charges not connected to the Mumbai attack, it has said that it is not aware of Masood Azhars whereabouts.

It has been 3 years since Islamabad has been on the anti-terror financing body's grey list. Being on the grey list is a signal that money in the country is being used for financing terrorism. This impacts foreign investment flow in the country impacting the economy.

China is fully backing Pakistan in the FATF grey listing matter. As China plays a key role in the Asia Pacific Group (APG), it has an important role.

There has been anger within the US Strategic community over the perceived role of Pakistan in the ignominious exit of the US which will impact FATF proceedings. said a source aware of these developments.

Pakistan leadership, especially its NSA Moeed Yusuf sensing increasing disquiet among US policymakers over Pakistans role in Afghanistan, has been reaching out to his US contacts and making right noises.

The recent bomb attack on Kabul airport, claimed by ISKP, is being used as an opportunity by Moeed Yusuf to project that Pakistan along with Taliban is an indispensable partner for the US to tackle the emerging ISKP threat.

As most of the officials in the Joe Biden Administration are from the Obama era, they are well aware that in Afghanistan despite heavy deployment of US troops during the surge, Taliban could not be defeated due to its sanctuaries inside Pakistan. The extensive use of drone strikes to successfully eliminate Taliban leadership within Pakistan was the result of this realisation.

However, Pakistan's plans have not gone as expected. Taliban's move into capital Kabul on August 15 much before the agreed date resulted in the US losing completely on the optics and has put Biden on back foot both within the US and outside.

The decision to release Daniel Pearl's killers is seen as an action pushed by Pakistan's deep state and has created doubts about Pakistans sincerity to act against the terror infrastructure among US policymakers

Pakistan has to show some progress, even cosmetic, before the forthcoming face-to-face meeting in September. This is necessary so that enough momentum is built in favour of Pakistan in the run-up to the FATF plenary in October. said the source.

According to estimates by the Pakistani govt, the FATF grey-listing has caused damages to the tune of USD 10 billion annually to the country. The country. hosts one of the largest numbers of UN Listed international terrorists. Being on the UN terror list means Assets Freeze, Travel Ban and Arms Embargo.

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Islamabad (Pakistan): The plight of women in Pakistan is increasing day by day as a fresh report has stated that nearly 6,754 women were abducted in the country's Punjab province in the first half of 2021. Out of that, 1890 women were raped, 3721 were tortured whereas 752 children were raped, a media report said.

The Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) has released an investigation report on incidents of violence against women and children in Punjab and Islamabad during the first half of 2021, Dunya News said. According to official data, 6,754 women were abducted in Punjab in the first half of 2021. As many as 1890 women were raped, 3721 were tortured whereas 752 children were raped.

Government figures claim that 1890 women were raped but only 396 incidents were reported in the media. On August 30, the Board of Trustees of Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) expressed concerns over increasing attacks on women in the country. The TIP highlighted that Muhammad Ali Jinnah had "envisioned a Pakistan where women can stand shoulder to shoulder with men," but the administration has failed so miserably in it.

In Islamabad, there were nearly 34 official incidents of rape while 27 incidents were reported in the media. The number of official incidents of violence recorded in Punjab was 3,721, but only 938 cases were reported in the media, Dunya News said. Recently on August 14, a horrifying video from Pakistan has emerged online in which hordes of men were seen groping, mauling and tearing off the clothes of a woman, who is famed for her videos on TikTok.

Several such horrific videos of the woman being "brutally attacked" in Lahore even as the country celebrated its Independence Day on August 14 surfaced online and for a while, the incident was among top hashtags on Twitter #minarPakistan and #400 men were among the hashtags being used by outraged netizens who expressed their shock and disgust at the violence against the woman.

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New Delhi: Amid emergence of a new COVID-19 variant, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it is monitoring the new strain-- Mu -- which has been classified as a variant of interest (VOI) for vaccine resistance.

As per IANS report, the COVID-19 strain B.1.621 or Mu was first detected in Colombia in January 2021. Many COVID-19 samples in South America and Europe were found infected with Mu variant since then. On August 30, 2021, B.1.621 was labelled as a variant of interest, and WHO termed it 'Mu'.

"The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape. Preliminary data presented to the Virus Evolution Working Group show a reduction in neutralisation capacity of convalescent and vaccine sera similar to that seen for the Beta variant, but this needs to be confirmed by further studies," the WHO said in its weekly epidemiological update on Tuesday (August 31).

The UN health agency said that even though the global prevalence of the Mu variant among sequenced cases has declined below 0.1 per cent currently, in Colombia (39 per cent) and Ecuador 13 per cent) this new COVID-19 variants prevalence has consistently increased.

"The epidemiology of the Mu variant in South America, particularly with the co-circulation of the Delta variant, will be monitored for changes," WHO said.

According to the WHO, Mu variant has several mutations which means it could be more resistant to vaccines, similar to Beta coronavirus variant.

Till August 29, over 4,500 sequences (3,794 sequences of B.1.621 and 856 sequences of B.1.621.1) have been uploaded to open-access database GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data) from 39 countries.

Several COVID-19 variants have been detected in the world so far, with the deadly Delta variant wreaking havoc in India during the second wave. Presently, there are four variants of concern as deemed by the WHO including Alpha, Beta, and Delta variants., IANS reported.

(With IANS inputs)